Description Species
  A small percentage of records will refer to ‘description species’. In general these are the species which are so uncommon - or which occur so irregularly - in the Group’s recording area that, in addition to entering them on the usual record form, a detailed description of each sighting is required in order to verify the record.
Description species fall into three main categories:
1. BBRC List
 This is the list of national rarities maintained by the British Birds Rarities Committee. It is not published here, as it is a long list and we as a Group do not get many candidates for it! (The list is occasionally published in British Birds magazine, as are any amendments to it. As a general guide, though, any nationally uncommon species which is not an ‘escape’, and which is not scheduled on the YNU and BOG lists below, will be eligible for the BBRC list.)
2. YNU List

The Reports Committee of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union keeps a list of species which, whilst not rare on a national basis, are scarce or irregular within the old historic county of Yorkshire. The current list follows.
3. BOG List
 Bradford Ornithologist’s own Records Committee maintains a list of other species that are rare or irregular within the Group’s recording area. The current list is shown below:
Submitting Records

For all records of species included on the preceding lists, separate details are required by the appropriate recording body. The details should include as full a description as possible of the bird(s), together with a note of other species present, the habitat, the weather, the optics used and any previous experience of the species. Ideally, descriptions should be based on notes written in the field at the time of the observation (rather than later with the help of a field guide).

It is essential that details are submitted as soon as possible after the observation.

We ask that descriptions of all rarities seen in the Group’s recording area - whether national, county or local - are initially submitted to the Group’s Records Committee. All records received will be considered by the committee and the decision then communicated to the observer. All accepted claims will, where appropriate, be automatically passed up the chain in cases where the YNU or BBRC has final jurisdiction. However, the committee will not block the submission of any rejected record; should the observer wish the record to be forwarded to the appropriate body, the committee will do so without comment. The claimant will be notified should any BOG description record be rejected, and given the opportunity of challenging this, with reasons.

Additionally the Group’s Records Committee may request further details on a bird not included on any of the above lists. This situation is most likely to arise in the case of a bird that is seen at an unusual time of year, or where a sub-species is involved.
Forms for description species and sub-species are available from John Topham, either at the Group’s monthly indoor meetings or by post from the address given towards the beginning of this Report.