The IOC and the Berkshire List

2nd December 2017 | Marek Walford

Introduction

In January 2017 the BOU announced that they would be adopting the IOC taxonomy from January 2018. The only species on the Berkshire list that this will affect is Bean Goose, which the IOC split into two species: Taiga Bean Goose and Tundra Bean Goose.

Status in Berkshire

There have been 16 records of "Bean Goose" in Berkshire. Having looked at the avifauna (2nd edition) and the bird reports, it became apparent that there were some inconsistencies as to which "sub-species" these records related to. Therefore, I suggested to Richard Burness that a review of these records should be undertaken. The result of this is that the only acceptable record of Taiga Bean Geese are the two birds at Eton Wick from 21st to 23rd December 1996. For details about the differences between the bird report and the avifauna (2nd edition) and any subsequent decisions, see the notes in bold below.

Records of Tundra Bean Goose

Year	Details
2012	Horton GPs, 6th February, Same as Great Meadow Pond. N.B. Reported as Tundra in the bird report but not assigned to taxa in the avifauna. Assigned to Tundra after review.
2011	Great Meadow Pond, first-winter, 17th December to 5th February 2012. N.B. Reported as Tundra in the bird report but not assigned to taxa in the avifauna. Assigned to Tundra after review.
2007	Remenham, 2nd-8th January.
2004	Cold Harbour, Knowl Hill, 17, 13th-14th December.
2003	Pingewood GPs, five, 25th-26th February.
1997	Theale GPs, four, 3rd-15th January, one staying until 30th April. N.B. Reported as one Tundra in the bird report but all four birds assigned to Tundra in the avifauna.
1996	Moor Green Lakes, 14th-21st December. N.B. Reported by different observers as Tundra and Taiga in the bird report but not assigned to taxa in the avifauna. Assigned to Tundra after review.
1985	Datchet, two, 20th-21st January. N.B. Not assigned to taxa in the bird report or avifauna. Assigned to Tundra after review.

Records of Taiga Bean Goose

Year	Details
1996	Eton Wick, two, 21st-23rd December.

Records of Bean Goose sp.

Year	Details
2003	Queen Mother Reservoir, 17, 24th February.
1998	Cock Marsh, 5th-12th December. N.B. Reported as probably Taiga in the bird report but not assigned to taxa in the avifauna.
1985	Wraysbury Reservoir (Surrey), 13th January, flew into Berkshire. N.B. Not in the bird report but in the avifauna.
1985	Dinton Pastures CP, 13th January.
1979	Wellington CP, two, 3rd-25th February, crossed into Berkshire occassionally.
1978	Wraysbury GPs, 31st December.
1976	Purley on Thames, two, 13th December to 2nd January 1977, also, Shiplake, 5th February.