In a surprise announcement, the IQ40 club
have added the Swivel-eyed Loon Gavia
fruitcakei, (also known as the Swivel-eyed Diver), to the IQ40 UK List. A spokesman from the IQ40 club confirmed
the Swivel-eyed Loon has been identified at a number of localities in the Home
Counties. Other ornithologists have expressed concern that
that the population seems to consist of elderly individuals which are not
believed to have bred for many years & questioned whether the population is
self sustaining in the long term. However, the IQ40 club spokesman said there
are more of these in the Home Counties now than Lady Amherst's Pheasants and we
still allow Lady A's to be ticked on our popular tours.
Great Northern Diver: These are clearly not Swivel-eyed Loons, which are know to only lean to the right
A spokesman from
UKIQP, the political wing of the IQ40 club, commented "We broadly welcome
these changes as this is our party's logo and the distinctive purple colour looks
great on the Swivel-eyed Loon". We are pleased with the number of records
that have been recorded all across the UK during the European Big Bird
Count yesterday.
White-tailed Sea-eagle: This is turning up regularly in England these days & therefore not a troublesome species in the event of Scottish independence (Rum 1 Nov 13)
Speaking more
generally, both the UKIQP and the IQ40 club spokesmen strongly supported the
campaign for Scotland to
remain part of the UK.
Should Scotland vote for
independence, then funding will be found to relocate key UK species such as Capercaillie, Crested Tit and
Ptarmigan to the Lake District, saying it's
important that we are allowed to continue to tick these birds on our Year Lists. As for the so called Scottish Crossbills, the
IQ40 spokesman added, we don't recognise that species as they are too hard to
identify, so they can keep them. We would strongly support all plans to retain
the Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetlands and Fair Isle as part of the UK, should Scotland vote for independence.
Corn Crake: A reintroduction scheme into the Fens has already made this species cheaper to Year tick in these days of soaring fuel costs. It's hoped relocating the Capercaillie, Crested Tit and
Ptarmigan further South will reduce the UK's dependency on Shetlands oil (Balranald, North Uist, 4 June 12)
When asked about two recent controversial birds, the IQ40 spokesman confirmed that the
Flamborough Atlas Flycatcher will remain fully tickable (following scientific
studies that showed that its DNA was indistinguishable from that of a Pied
Flycatcher). Thus, it is completely tickable alongside the UK Pied Flycatcher.
"Atlas Flycatcher": Well OK, this is a Collared Flycatcher, but they all look the same, give or take a bit of black & white here & there (Beit Yatir, Israel 8 April 14)
The IQ40 spokesman
also confirmed the current Hampshire male Italian Sparrow is fully tickable, as
scientific studies are also expected to show a high percentage of House Sparrow genes in
it (when a DNA sample can be obtained). He added (desperately), I've already travelled to see
it & I can't lose this bird off my Year list. Cynics have said the Italian Sparrow looks a bit like a cross between the following two species (perhaps that explains it).
Spanish Sparrow: (km19 - km20, Eliat, Israel 9 April 14)
House Sparrow: (Jungle Hut, Western Ghats, India 28 Dec 13)