British List falls short of the big 400!

So with my new found enthusiasm for all things birdlike, I decided to have a look at my British List. I've always kept a copy of Vinnicombe and Mitchell's Checklist of the Birds of Britain up to date with my list so a quick count up revealed 402 species, in which I include the Nanjizal Alder Flycatcher.

The Nanjizal Alder Flycatcher - accepted by BBRC, sent back by BOURC! (Photo by M.Halliday)

Unfortunately the official BOU British List sees things differently, so after a proper, no nonsense tot-up, I conclude that I am still three short of the magic 400!! I'm not particularly disappointed with this considering I've lived in west Cornwall for the past 10 years and rarely 'twitched' anything in that time. I made exception for the White-crowned Sparrow at Cley and the Dark-eyed Junco in Yeovil in 2008 and one or two bits on the Scillies in more recent times.

So with three to go I have been forced to look at the glaring omissions and going through the list, saying in my head, "I really should have gone for that!" So in no particular order my 'birds that I could and should have seen' list shall be: Caspian Gull (I know, I know!), Black Stork, Terek Sandpiper, Sardinian Warbler, Snow Goose, Black Duck, Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper,  Snowy Egret, Yellow or Black Billed Cuckoo, Lesser and Southern Grey Shrike, Brown Shrike, Belted Kingfisher, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, White's Thrush (NO LONGER NEEDED, SCILLY 2013!!), Marmora's Warbler and Pechora (which is the only pipit I need). There are more, but that list will keep me going and any three of those will see me reach 400! My 300th bird was Great Knot, such a long time ago!!