A noteworthy achievement and new record set up here yesterday:

Paul Hindess, avid year listing addict, who holds the county year list record for Durham, yesterday (April 18th) achieved the quickest ever 200 score.
Paul starting the morning on 198, managing Tree Pipits in Black Bank Plantation and followed up with Wood Warbler in Hamsterley Forest to hit his record mark.

Paul has been doing this for the last 9/10 years. Apparently the rot set in when I offered for the top year list total a prize of the Helm publication "Thrushes" soon after it had been published.
That year I achieved 215 and Paul managed 227 along with my pal Tony Armstrong (the then county recorder). Both culprits called it a draw on New Years Eve with the result I had to buy 2 books and give them one each!

Since then, Paul has steadily set new annual marks, and last year set the present best score at 254.