. British Birds Editorial Board I. Carter R. J. Chandler M. Collinson R. J. Prytherch N. J. Redman J. T. R. Sharrock Photographic Researcher Robin Chittenden Art Consultants Robert Gillmor and Alan Harris Volume 93 2000 BB 2000 Ltd issn 0007-0335 Editorial Staff Dr J.T. R. Sharrock (Managing Editor), David Christie (Assistant Editor), Mrs Frances Bucknell (Personal Assistant to Dr Sharrock) Rarities Committee Dr Colin Bradshaw (Chairman), Paul Harvey, John McLoughlin, John Martin, Doug Page, Adam Rowlands, K. D. Shaw, Dr Jimmy Steele, Andy Stoddart, Reg Thorpe & Grahame Walbridge; Ian Lewington (Museum Consultant); John Marchant (Archivist); Peter Fraser (Statistician); Michael J. Rogers (Hon Secretary). Behaviour Notes Panel Dr C. J. Bibby, Ian Dawson, Dr J. J. M. Flegg, Prof I. Newton FRS, Dr M.A. Ogilvie, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock, Dr K. E. L. Simmons & Dr Angela Turner (Co-ordinator). Identification Notes Panel Dr Colin Bradshaw, Dr R. J. Chandler, R.A. Hume,T. P. Inskipp, P G. Lansdown, S. C. Madge, I. S. Robertson & K. E. Vinicombe (Co-ordinator). British Birds Volume 93 (2000) Main contents January 4 Identification of Ferruginous Duck and its status in Britain and Ireland K E. Vinicombe 22 Lesser Frigatebird in Israel: new to the Western Palearctic Dr Roger Riddington and Jane Reid 29 The occurrence of Moustached Warbler in Britain Dr Colin Bradshaw February 59 The influx of redpolls into Western Europe, 1995/96 Dr R. Riddington, S. C. Voder and J. Steele 68 Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes. an identification review based on the 1995/96 influx S. C. Voder, J. Steele, K. D. Shaw and A. M. Stoddart March 114 The European Bird Report - non-passerines, including near-passerines DrJ.T.R. Sharrock and Colin Davies 120 The Best Annual Bird Report Awards Dr J.T.R. Sharrock, Robert Gillmor, Derek Moore, Michael J. Rogers and Reg Thorpe 132 Separation of American and Great Bittern Peter G. Lansdown 1 36 Saker Falcon diet: the implications of habitat change Mark Watson and Dr Roger Clarke April 162 Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers Erik Hirschfield, C. S. (Kees) Roselaar and Hadoram Shirihai 190 Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland: a Pacific Ocean auk new to the Western Palearctic Lionel Maumary and Peter Knaus May 218 Wintering Slavonian Grebes in coastal waters of Britain and Ireland Richard J. Evans 227 Status of the form barabensis within the Larus argentatus-cachinnans-fuscus complex’ Evgeniy N. Panov and Dmitriy G. Monzilov 242 Range expansion of the Common Buzzard in Britain Rob Clements 249 The return of the Red-billed Chough to England Richard Meyer June 260 Keeping albatrosses off the hook John Cooper 263 Identification and ageing of Black-browed Albatross at sea Frederic Jiguet 280 Bird Photograph of the Year DrJ.T.R. Sharrock, Dr Richard Chandler, Robin Chidenden and David Hosking July 302 Studies of re-established Red Kites in England Ian Carter and Phil Grice 323 Understanding sonograms Prof. P.J.B. Slater and P J. Sellar 329 Iberian Chiffchaff in Greater London: new to Britain and Ireland Dr L.A. Baden 333 Bird Illustrator of the Year 2000 Keith Shackleton, Robert Gillmor, Alan Harris, Bruce Pearson, and DrJ.T.R. Sharrock August 358 Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1998 Dr Malcolm Ogilvie and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel September 414 Twitching and taxonomy Dr Martin Collinson 415 The European Bird Report - passerines Colin Davies and Dr J.T.R. Sharrock 428 Non-native birds breeding in the United Kingdon in 1998 Dr Malcolm Ogilvie and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 435 Lesser Sand Plover in West Sussex: new to Britain and Ireland Jack Hunt 442 The Purple Swamp-hen in Cumbria in 1997 Dr Alan Knox, Dr Tim melting and Roger Wilkinson October 470 The birdwatching year 1999 Barry Nightingale and Norman Elkins 488 Identification of autumn Isabelline Wheatears Prof. Colin Bradshaw 494 Best Bird Book of the Year 2000 John Marchant, Dr Colin Bibby, Ian Carter, Dr Richard Chandler Peter Hearn and DrJ.T.R. Sharrock 496 The Carl Zeiss Award 2000 Prof. Colin Bradshaw, Adrian Pitches and Dr Jimmy Steele November 554 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1999 M.J. Rogers and the Rarities Commidee December 580 Cedar Waxwing in Shetland: new to the Western Palearctic Clive R. McKay 588 Report on scarce migrant birds in 1998 Peter A. Fraser, Peter G. Lansdown and Michael J. Rogers WINNER, BIRD ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR 2000 (see pages 333-339): Autumn Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris ( Daniel Cole ) m ISSN 0007-0335 l 05 I O -t British Birds Volume 93 Number 1 Tm mv 'ft** HISTORY MU' M 24 m? 2003 PREY ■ ■*> British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 British Birds Managing Editor Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Personal Assistant Frances Bucknell Assistant Editor David A. Christie Editorial Board I. Carter, Dr R. J. Chandler, Dr M. Collinson, R. J. Prytherch, N. J. Redman, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Art Consultants Robert Gillntor & Alan Harris Design Mark Corliss Photographic Research Robin Chittenden Advertising Sales Manager Sandra J. Swift Circulation Manager Erika Sharrock Administration Sally Young Rarities Committee Chairman Prof. Colin Bradshaw Hon. Secretary Michael J. Rogers Paul Harvey, John McLoughlinJohn Martin, Doug Page, Adam Rowlands, Ken Shaw, Dr Jimmy Steele, Andy Stoddart, Reg Thorpe, Grahame Walbridge Archivist John Marchant Statistician Peter Fraser Museum consultant Ian Lewington Head Office Accounts & Administration Sally Young, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr. Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 0 1 580 882039 Fax: 0 1 580 88054 1 Design & Production Philippa Leegood,The Banks, Mountfield, Nr. Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01580 882039 Fax: 01580 880541 E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Office Papers , notes, letters , artwork, journals, etc Dr J.T. R. 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Please send me the following boxed jigsaw puzzles at £24.99 each (£27.99 outside UK): (Qry) Puzzle No 1 (Qty) Puzzle No 2 (Qty) Puzzle No 3 (Qty) Puzzle No 4 I enclose a cheque for £ (Total)/Please charge my Credit Card: Visa □ Mastercard □ Card Number: / till till till Expiry date: Address: Tel No: British Birds Volume 93 Number 1 January 2000 2 More than enough exotics? Dr Colin Bibby 4 Identification of Ferruginous Duck and its status in Britain and Ireland K. E. Vinicombe 22 Lesser Frigatebird in Israel: new to the Western Palearctic Dr Roger Riddington and Jane Reid 29 From the Rarities Committee s files The occurrence of Moustached Warbler in Britain Dr Colin Bradshaw Regular features 21 Review Proceedings of the 22nd International Ornithological Congress Dr Malcolm Ogilvie 28 Conservation research news Dr David Gibbons 38 Recent BBRC decisions M. J. Rogers 39 Notes Great Cormorants exploiting fish concentration caused by heavy rain Paul Roper, Bill Rutherford, Malcolm Wilson, Simon Rasch and Tom Brerton Eyelid colour of American Wigeon Paul Larkin Eurasian Sparrowhawks repeatedly using same nest Alan K. Dolphin Male Eurasian Sparrowhawk waiting for prey to become accessible David J. Montier Golden Eagles apparently laying at roost sites Sean J. Morris and Chris J. Rollie Juvenile Golden Eagle attacked’ by sheep Sean J. Morris Common Kestrel robbing Eurasian Sparrowhawk R. C. Dickson House Martin nests falling Don Taylor 44 Letters Peregrine Falcons nesting on electricity towers Edmund Harwood Habitat recording Dr Moss Taylor; J. R. Neighbour; Michael B. Lancaster Single-observer records: unjust treatment? Jon Bryant Against zeal; for faith D. L. M. Wallace 46 Looking back 47 News and comment Wendy Dickson and Bob Scott 51 Announcements Best Annual Bird Report Bird Illustrator of the Year Bird Photograph of the Year Young Ornithologists of the Year Photographs for European News’ Free subscriptions for County /Regional Recorders Photographs & drawings may be for sale Readership Survey 53 Monthly Marathon David Fisher 54 Best Bird Books of the Year 55 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeeban © British Birds 2000 More than enough exotics? Colin Bihby Iread the Rare Breeding Birds Panel’s first report on introduced birds ( Brit Birds 92: 172-182) with great interest. As a member of the Panel, I must declare an interest. I think that this is an important and neglected area of British ornithology. I am delighted that the Panel’s co-ordination and encouragement is likely to draw more attention to these species which are sometimes ignored in county reports, presumably being deemed not to be proper birds. At the moment, we have a sadly inadequate overview; an oversight that I hope will soon cease. I guess that we are so used to Red-legged Partridges Alectoris rufa , Common Pheasants Phasianus colcbicus and Little Owls Athene noctua that it is sometimes hard to remember that their presence here is unnatural. After all, they are all quite attractive birds and they do not seem to have done much harm. Indeed, the two gamebirds could claim to underpin an interest in shooting which has been a major force in maintaining at least some wildlife value on large areas of farmland. The Canada Goose Branta canadensis , initially intended to be orna- mental on the lakes of gentlemen’s estates and then to provide a new quarry for wild- fowlers, turned out not to be much fun to shoot, and became a minor pest instead. On a global scale, introduced species have caused enormous damage both to native species and to the economics of fisheries and agriculture. The single biggest cause of human- induced extinction so far has been the direct or indirect effects of introduced species (though habitat change will soon take over this unenvi- able position). I suppose that it is not surprising that an introduced snake on Guam should drive two bird species to extinction (and a third to survival only in captivity) in less than a decade. The island previously had no snakes, so the birds were poorly adapted to cope with such an agile new predator. Mammalian predators have been particularly devastating on islands where previously there were no serious preda- tors. Goats Capra and Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus have destroyed fragile plant commu- nities and removed cover for breeding birds. Canada Geese Introduced plants, fishes and invertebrates have caused problems worldwide. In Britain, we have been lucky. Our wildlife derives from those species quick enough to have got back after the last glaciation. Perhaps most of our species are natural survivors. But we have still seen the impact of American Mink Mnstela vison , Coypu Myocastor coy pus, Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis and Rabbit, while so far largely avoiding the much-feared rabies Lyssavirus and Colorado Beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Rats Rattus have probably done more harm than we know to our own seabird islands. Perhaps birds are more benign than mammals, fishes, reptiles, insects, viruses or plants? I am not sure, however, that many Amer- icans would thank Europe for the Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. I do know that no Spaniards appreciate the Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis , which threatens their excellent conservation action in bringing back the White-headed Duck O. leucocephala from close to extinction in Western Europe. By com- parison, the Canada Goose has caused only minor problems in Britain. Little Owls seem to have found what must previously have been a vacant niche, and who could imagine some- thing as delightful as the Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata causing any problems? Introduced species have a nasty habit of being unpredictable. It is no surprise that preda- 2 © British Birds 93: 2-3, January 2000 Frederick J. Watson More than enough exotics ? tors turn out to be predatory. Nor should it be a surprise that agricultural crops offer a food resource that is ideal for some species. But who would guess which species and which crop might be next? It is even harder to guess which species might be so competitive as to be able to displace another. We know so little about disease in wildlife that there is no knowing what bird might turn out to be a vector for what pathogen. In Hawaii, native species are now confined to higher elevations, where they escape diseases hosted by introduced birds in the lowlands. Even in Britain, it seems that para- sitic worms spread by the introduced Common Pheasant may be harmful to Grey Partridges Perdix perdix , which are badly enough affected by modern agricultural practices. Any predic- tions of future risk have to be made against a future where we can expect further land-use changes, and we can also expect the unex- pected as a result of climate change. It is quite possible that we have candidates waiting in the wings, and it is dearly wise that the deliberate introduction of exotic species is now illegal. But what about those that we already have? Or those that are still being released semi-deliber- ately from captive collections? I suspect that we may be far too complacent or sentimental, or both. One day, readers of this journal's ‘Looking back’ column could be amazed to see us calmly documenting the first steps of the spread of a serious pest.There must be a chance that it could be the Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri , which is already sufficiently numerous that it would be hard to stop. The problem is that parrots are so irre- sistible, especially in a continent without them. I have to admit that they always enliven my visits to Kew, where I go to enjoy the exotic plants. The Ruddy Duck has had plenty written about it. What shocks me is the power of the essentially sentimental arguments against trying to control its spread. In New Zealand, the RSPB’s equivalent, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, is almost as popular per capita as is the RSPB here. It has rather a good glossy magazine. A recent feature showed a local group that had poisoned 79 Brush-tailed Possums Trichosurus vulpecula in one night. The members were photographed, proudly sur- rounding the results of their work. I cannot ever see the day when Birds will carry a photo- graph of an RSPB Members’ Group posing beside a pile of dead Minks at the end of a suc- cessful field-trip. New Zealanders live amongst a largely introduced bird fauna, with many endangered species hanging on under intensive and costly management. They know too much to be sentimental about killing damaging exotic species. Meanwhile, in Britain, I was recently appalled to see a photograph of Egyptian Geese Alopocben aegyptiacus at a National Trust property where they were welcomed as rare visitors. I cannot see this august body wel- coming an exotic chair showing up amongst its Chippendales. Still less if it was infested with Furniture Beetle Anobium punctatum. If killing species once they have got going is too much, then perhaps at least we should be more careful about helping them to begin with. The spread of exotic species somehow seems to rob further wildness from a country where this is already scarce. I remember my first visits to the Solway and to Islay and the excitement of truly wild geese, especially Bar- nacles Branta leucopsis. Now, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust has bred a captive strain which, following the route of the Ruddy Duck out of Slimbridge, can now be found breeding at nearby Frampton Gravel-pits. On Islay, both Barnacle Geese and Greenland White-fronted Geese A user albifrons flavirostris have been allowed to escape from captivity and breed in the wild, where presumably they might make contact with their migratory relatives. This is madness. There must be a chance that disease or domestication could merge these geese into a sedentary and semi-domesticated trav- esty of their wild selves. I hope that this message will be heard and heeded in time. I cannot actually say which, if any, amongst the current crop of spreading exotics we might come to regret most. I can say with confidence that we run a serious risk by being so casual and sentimental about them. A recent meeting of the Global Biodiversity Forum coined a chilling metaphor for exotics as ‘the only form of pollution which sponta- neously self-replicates’. Pollution from oil or pesticides will abate if the source is stopped. Pollution from exotics will not go away if allowed out in the first place. We do now have a chance for action to stop at least some of them before they get too numerous. At the very least, we could do without friends aiding and abetting further releases in the short- sighted belief that they offer a money-making and educational experience of wildlife'. ^ British Birds 93: 2-3, January 2000 3 John Martin Identification of Ferruginous Duck and its status in Britain and Ireland K. E. Vinicombe ABSTRACT The Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca has recently declined over much of its native range. It is a rare winter visitor to Britain and Ireland, currently averaging about 13 records a year, with higher numbers in occasional influx years. Most occur in England and it is very rare in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is concluded that most records relate to wild immigrants. Identification is discussed, with particular reference to similar-looking hybrids. For the first 1 1 years of the British Birds Rarities Committee (1958-68), the Fer- ruginous Duck Aythya nyroca was a highly appreciated and sought-after vagrant. At the end of 1968, however, it was dropped from the Rarities Committee’s list with the comment that this species is so commonly kept in captivity under free-flying conditions that it is impossible to estimate how many observations really relate to wild individuals’ (Smith et al. 1969). For the next 29 years, the species languished in a state of obscurity and few birdwatchers seemed to take it seriously. Recently, however, the veracity of that 1969 statement has been questioned: if more and more Ferruginous Ducks are escaping, then why is it still so rare? By the early 1990s, there were some sug- gestions that Ferruginous Duck should be reinstated onto the Rarities Committee’s list, but it was not until reports were noted of worrying and substantial population declines in its breeding range that these were taken seriously. The species was eventually read- mitted to the list from 1st January 1999 ( Brit Birds 92: 113-114), not only to ensure that vagrants are properly identified, but also because we have an international obligation to monitor its occurrences. It is hoped that this decision will raise the profile of the species, which has been ignored for far too long. 4 © British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck Population trends in its native range The following information is taken from Bankovics (1997), Krivenko et al. (1994), Marti & Molina (1997), Scott & Rose (1997) and Snow & Perrins (1998). The Ferruginous Duck breeds in the forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert zones. Climatic variations in these regions produce drought-induced fluctuations in numbers and range. It prefers to inhabit fairly shallow expanses of water and marshes, rich in sub- merged and floating vegetation, fringed with emergent plants, such as reeds Phragmites , and often with widows Salix, alders Alnus and other trees. It winters on larger lakes and lagoons, usually with reedbeds, and also in coastal marshes. Open water is rarely used. The species’ breeding range is principally in central and eastern Europe and in south- western Asia, discontinuously east to western Mongolia. Four populations are recognised: (1) a population breeding in the West Mediterranean and North Africa, wintering mainly in West Africa, with most in Mali and Nigeria (7,000-10,000 birds, although it seems possible that this total may include some trans-Saharan migrants from central and eastern Europe), (2) a population breeding in eastern Europe and wintering in the Black Sea/eastern Mediterranean region, south to Egypt (10,000-50,000), (3) a South- west Asian population wintering through the Arabian peninsula to northeastern Africa (5.000) , and (4) a Central Asian population which winters in southern and eastern Asia (10.000) . The World population may now be as low as 49,000 individuals, and the species is considered to be globally threatened. The European breeding population is esti- mated at 14,250-23,400 pairs, with the largest population in Romania (6,000-15,000 breeding pairs, concentrated on the Danube Delta). Significant populations are also found in Ukraine (3,500-5,000 pairs), Hungary (1,200-1,600 pairs), Moldova (1,000-1,300 pairs) and Russia (500-1,500 pairs). Smaller but still significant populations (100-500 pairs) can be found in Poland, Austria, Greece, Croatia and Albania. The species has undergone marked declines throughout most of its range, dramatic in some areas, with declines of more than 20% in ten Euro- pean countries and more than 50% in four countries (although the populations in the latter were of marginal importance). Wetland drainage is the main culprit, compounded by high levels of hunting pressure. Legal protec- tion may not always be effective, as the Fer- ruginous Duck is still shot, either because of misidentification or because of ignorance of the law. This may be a serious problem in some areas, such as at the Evros Delta in Greece. In Hungary, however, it declined dra- matically from the 1980s owing to habitat changes arising from summer droughts and British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 5 K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe : Identification of Ferruginous Duck generally drier weather conditions. It is now strictly protected there and its population is stable. Elsewhere in Europe, stable popula- tions are currently found only in Greece, Croatia and Lithuania. Recent European winter counts showed a decline from 762 in 1994 to 665 in 1995 and 643 in 1996 (Delany et al. 1999). In the former Soviet Union, the popula- tion was estimated at 75,000 pairs during the late 1960s, with 65,000 pairs in the Dniestr-Dniepr region of Ukraine and Moldova, and 10,000 pairs in the Kuban Valley, Russia. By the early 1980s, just 12, GOO- 14, 000 pairs were estimated in the European part of the former Soviet Union, falling further to 6,000 pairs in the early 1990s. Win- tering numbers also declined between 1970 and 1990, especially in the Black Sea region. In January 1967, 18,000 were counted in the northern Black Sea, but only up to 1,500 between 1979 and 1988. High numbers were once shot in southern Russia and Kazakh- stan, but the species is now more rarely hunted. Perhaps as a consequence, some sta- bilisation of the population occurred in parts of Russia and Ukraine after 1980, and some slight local increases were reported. In Poland, perhaps a likely source of some of our vagrants, the Ferruginous Duck was numerous until the 1920s, but is now patchily distributed, with two remaining con- centrations at Milicz fishponds (175 pairs in 1982) and at Tarnobrzeg and Janow Lub (more than 200 pairs, which may represent a small recovery). In western Europe, it is a sporadic and fluctuating breeder in Germany (20-100 pairs) and it may now be extinct in France (one to five pairs in the 1970s, none in recent years). In Spain, the population decreased from about 500 pairs in the early part of the twentieth century, based mainly on the marshes of the Guadalquivir, to only one to five pairs in recent years, mainly in Valencia. There have been other sporadic breeding records since 1975 in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium. Elsewhere in the Western Palearctic, it also breeds in Algeria (about 600 pairs esti- mated in the El Kala National Park, mainly at Lake Tonga) and in Morocco (five to ten pairs). The Turkish population is estimated at 6 1,000-3,000 pairs. The main autumn migration occurs between early September and mid October, with major arrivals on the wintering grounds, even those south of the Sahara, by late October. Breeding areas are reoccupied from mid March to early April in central Europe and from mid April to early May in Russia. Status in Britain and Ireland In Britain and Ireland, the Ferruginous Duck has traditionally been regarded as a very rare winter visitor, mostly to eastern England. Any attempt at analysing its status in more detail is difficult. National totals were not kept during 1969-85, and the occurrence patterns are complicated by wandering birds, by those returning from previous years and, of course, by escapes from captivity. Pete Fraser, the BBRC’s Statistician, kindly allowed me to use data from his rare-vagrant and scarce-migrant database, covering the periods 1958-68 and 1986-97, and, from these, it was possible to produce figs. 1-3- Calculating the number of new birds occurring annually requires some judgments to be made in order to eliminate returning and wandering individuals. The raw data upon which these figures are based, and the individual decisions taken to eliminate dupli- cation, are included in the BBRC database Fig. 1. Distribution of records of Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca by county in Britain and Ireland during the periods 1958-68 and 1986-97. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck Fig. 2. Estimated annual totals of Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca in Britain and Ireland during 1958-68 and 1986-97. Fig. 3. Initial arrival dates of Ferruginous Ducks Aythya nyroca in Britain and Ireland during the periods 1958-68 and 1986-97. Note that the months are shown from June to May in order to illustrate the winter peak. maintained by PF. Using a minimalist approach, the average number of records per annum increased from six during 1958-68 to 13 during 1986-97. The apparent increase in the later period has to be viewed against a huge increase in birdwatching and, perhaps, a lowering of acceptance standards once the species left the Rarities Committee’s list. In this latter context, it is surprising to note that many of the records on PF's database, taken from local bird reports, were neither sexed nor aged. There were also a considerable number of claims that related to one-day birds, and one wonders about the authen- ticity of some of these. PF’s data show that the number of records varied considerably from year to year (fig. 2) and there appear to have been defi- nite influx years, with I960 (17), 1986 (22) and 1987 (28) standing out. Conversely, 1962 (two), 1966 (two) and 1994 (six) were par- ticularly poor. Fig. 3, which shows initial arrival dates, confirms that the Ferruginous Duck is essen- tially a winter visitor to Britain, arriving mainly from October to February, with a peak in November, and numbers diminishing towards spring. A small number of arrivals during the period April to June do not corre- late with the predicted pattern and, perhaps, seem more likely to relate to escapes. Despite this, fig. 3, with its strong winter peak, reveals a temporal pattern that cannot be explained by the random occurrence of escapes. Some occurrences involved single birds which were apparently unconnected witli other wildfowl, but vagrants are quite often to be found accompanying flocks of Common Pochards Aythya ferina. Major arrivals of wintering Common Pochards occur in October-November, and it is likely that some Ferruginous Ducks abmigrate’ to western Europe with this species, resulting in the winter peak. There were also a number of records during July to September. It may be tempting to dismiss these as relating to escapes, but it must be remem- bered that Common Pochards start to return from their breeding grounds as early as the end of May and that flocks gather to moult in July-August. Thus, their association with Common Pochards means that late-summer and early-autumn records of Ferruginous Ducks are also likely to relate to wild birds. It should be noted, however, that moult migra- tions have not been reported for the species: British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 7 Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 2. Adult male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. The large white undertail-coverts, framed with black, are striking. its wing moult takes place on the breeding grounds in July and August. Late-summer drought-induced vagrancy could be a pos- sible explanation for some of the occur- rences at that time of year. Fig. 1, confirms that the Ferruginous Duck is essentially a rare visitor to England, most frequent in the east. It is very rare in Scot- land and Wales; in Ireland there were about nine occurrences in the periods reviewed. This is a pattern that one would expect of a bird that originates in eastern Europe and western Asia. In conclusion, despite the fact that some occurrences undoubtedly relate to escapes from captivity, the evidence indicates that most are genuinely wild immigrants. I recom- mend, therefore, that the Ferruginous Duck continues to be regarded as mainly a rare winter visitor to England and as a vagrant to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Its return to the BBRC’s list, with the resultant tightening of standards and closer monitoring, should facil- itate an even better understanding of its true status here. Identification The adult male Ferruginous Duck is, on the 3. Adult male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Leu Marston, Warwickshire, February 1998. This idividual was seen in the area for nine winters from 1989/90 to 1997/98. Note that when the tail is lowered, the undertail-coverts can appear as circular white patches on each side of the tail. 8 British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 :th Stone A'. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 4. Male Ferruginous Duck Ay thy a nyroca , Chorlton Water Park, Greater Manchester, February 1991. This illustrates how males can look duller at long range. face of it, easy to identify, but females, juve- niles and first-winters are less straightfor- ward. Few of the standard identification guides adequately describe these plumages or stress the importance of eliminating similar-looking hybrids with Common Pochard. General features SIZE, STRUCTURE AND HEAD SHAPE Ferrug- inous Duck is slightly smaller than Tufted Duck A. fuligula and it appears a rather compact bird with a more tapering, less spat- ulate bill. Compared with Tufted Duck, it has a noticeably domed head shape although, since the dome is produced by elongated feathering, its exact position varies. When relaxed, the dome is central, peaking just behind the eye (plates 3 , 4 & 8), but at other times the peak is farther towards the rear (plates 1, 10 & 11) and the head shape is then more similar to that of a Common Pochard. When the bird dives, the crown feathers may be flattened, so that the head looks more rounded. Occasionally, it may show the effect of a slight bump’ at the rear of the crown. Juveniles and first-winters show rounder heads than do adults in full plumage (plates 18, 22, 23 & 24) and eclipse adults, particularly females, may look simi- 5- Adult male eclipse Ferruginous Duck Aytljya nyroca (captive), Martin Mere, Lancashire, July 1997. Eclipse plumage is similar to full plumage, but is duller. The white eye and undertail-coverts are retained. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 9 Steve Young! Birdwatch Steve Fo/mg/Birdwatch Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 6. Eclipse male Ferruginous Duck Ay thy a nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, July 1999. Note that the bill is uniformly dark and the head rather rounded. Also, the lores are slightly paler. larly round-headed since their head feath- ering is shorter (plates 5, 6 & 14, the last showing a female which looks very square- headed), while males may look round-headed when in moult. The tail appears broader, fuller and more rounded than that of a Tufted Duck, although, in common with other species of Ay thy a, juveniles and first-winters have slightly shorter tails, with spikier- looking feathers (plate 18). PLUMAGE TONE The adult male is charac- teristically a beautiful rich mahogany colour, but females and, particularly, juveniles are browner, although even the latter are more richly coloured than any Tufted Duck. UNDERTAIL-COVERTS The most character- istic and oft-quoted feature is the Ferrugi- nous Duck's large white undertail-covert patch. Although a few female Tufted Ducks show white undertail-coverts, never do these approach the extent and conspicuousness of those of a Ferruginous Duck; plate 2 illus- trates this admirably. It should be stressed, however, that the full extent of the white is revealed only when the tail is cocked, usually when the bird is at rest (plates 1, 2 & 6). 7. Adult female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999 Females are duller and browner than males, have a variable ginger patch on the lores and, most importantly, show a brown eye. 10 British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 K E. Vinicombe K E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 8. Adult female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999 Females can sometimes look quite brown and show vertically barred flanks. The bill is greyer than the male's, with a more diffuse pattern and a larger dark tip. When the bird is feeding or otherwise active, the tail is held flat on the water and the undertail-coverts then appear as two rather small triangular or circular patches on each side of the base of the tail (plates 3, 4 & 7). Sometimes, perhaps more likely on females and juveniles, the white may virtually disap- pear when the tail is lowered (plate 9). The white undertail-coverts are most striking on the adult male; this is because they are framed with black, which highlights their contrast (plates 1 & 2). On females and juve- niles, the area immediately forward of the white is browner, so the contrast is reduced (plates 8, 18, 20 & 22). On juveniles, the white may be partly obscured by grey-brown spots and bars (plate 18). Such markings were not, however, present on older juveniles that I examined in the captive collection of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slim- bridge, Gloucestershire, in January 1999. Sim- ilarly, Mullarney et al. (1999) described and illustrated juvenile Ferruginous Duck as having duller white undertail-coverts than adult, but they did not mention barring. 1 was, unfortunately, unable to check this feature on young juveniles at Slimbridge, as none was bred there in 1999 (Nigel Warren, verbally). 9. Female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Skerton Weir, Lancashire, April 1996. Females can look quite brown and rather nondescript at a distance. Note that the white undertail-coverts are almost completely hidden. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 11 Steve Vbwwg/Birdwatch K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 10. Adult female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. Adults have a conspicuous, well-defined white belly patch (compare with the juveniles in plates 18, 19 & 21). On this bird, the bill is dark grey with a well-defined pale blue subterminal band and a large dark tip. 11 & 12. Adult male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. These two photographs show the bill pattern of adult male with the black confined mainly to the nail, a pale blue subterminal band and a blue-grey base. BILL PATTERN It is sometimes stated that a key feature in the identification of Ferrugi- nous Duck is its hill pattern. In particular, the black at the tip is restricted to the nail and does not extend across the tip. This is true, but only for adult males. These do indeed have the black restricted to the nail, some- times extending narrowly and inconspicu- 12 ously each side of it (plates 1, 3 & 11). From the front, the black appears almost as a semi- circle (plate 12). There is some variation, and the bill tip of one adult male at Slimbridge in October 1999 had an abnormally large amount of black, extending each side of the nail. The rest of the hill is blue-grey, but with a pale blue band behind the nail, this colour British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 K. E. Vinicombe K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 13- Adult female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. This shows the female’s bill pattern with its larger dark tip, diffuse pale blue subterminal band and slightly darker, greyer base. variably extending up the sides of the bill (plates 1,3, 11 & 12). On most adult females, the pattern is similar to that of the male, but the base of the bill is slightly darker and greyer, the pale blue subterminal band is slightly duller and less well defined and the black tip is slightly larger and more diffuse. The general effect is of a duller, less-well defined, more-blurred bill pattern with a larger dark tip (plates 7, 8 & 13). There is, however, individual variation, and some adult females show an all-grey bill with a more sharply defined, narrow, whitish subterminal line behind a larger, blackish tip (plate 10). In eclipse, both sexes show a reduced pale bill band and may lose this altogether, so that the bill looks uniformly blackish, partic- ularly at a distance. There is, however, varia- tion, and some individuals of both sexes retain traces of a diffuse pale or restricted subterminal band (plates 5,6, and 14-17). Juvenile Ferruginous Ducks, in common with juvenile Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards, have a completely grey bill. The rate at which the adult bill pattern is acquired varies individually, but it will appear gradually during the bird’s first winter. The juvenile male in plate 18, photographed in September, shows a grey bill with a faint and diffuse pale band behind a large black tip; a late-November juvenile in Bedfordshire in 1998 had a similar pattern. The male in plates 22 & 23, a more advanced bird moulting into its adult-like first-winter plumage in January, has a blue-grey bill with 14. Summer female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, July 1999. In summer, some females become quite dark brown with an all-dark bill. This bird shows rather a capped effect with pale patches on the lores and ear-coverts. Note how square the head looks. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 13 K. E. Vinicombe K. E. Vinicombe 15 & 16. Summer female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, July 1999. A more chestnut bird than that in plate 14. Note the capped head and the pale lores and ear- coverts. This one has retained a tiny pale mark on the bill. a narrow whitish subterminal band and an extensive large black tip forming a diamond- shaped area at the end of the bill. The juve- nile female in plate 20 (also photographed in January) shows a fairly typical female-type bill pattern except that it is rather messy and subdued. In conclusion, the important points to make are that (1) a large black bill tip is perfectly normal on female and immature Ferruginous Ducks and would not in itself suggest hybridity, (2) it is perfectly normal for juveniles to bave a predominantly all-dark bill, until at least late autumn or early winter, 14 and (3) eclipse males and summer females may also show all-dark, or predominantly all- dark, bills. FLIGHT PATTERN Like the Tufted Duck, the Ferruginous has a wide white wing-stripe across the primaries and secondaries. Both sexes have blackish outer webs to the outer three to four primaries and these feathers are also washed with grey, more obviously so on the female (2?JFT).The stripe is high- lighted by the contrasting black wing-coverts and black tips to the primaries and secon- daries (plate 25). The general effect is of a British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 K. E. Vinicombe K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 17. Summer female Ferruginous Ducks Ay thy a nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, July 1999. Again, note the brown plumage, which is rather barred on the breast and flanks, the capped head and the pale lores and ear-coverts. These two have retained small amounts of pale on the bill, and the front bird shows some whitish feathering on the throat and the front of the neck. whiter stripe than on the Tufted Duck, and is perhaps more reminiscent of a Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina. The axillaries and underwing are also strikingly white, except for dark tips to the remiges and the leading edge of the wing-coverts (plate 19). Also, in flight, adults (but not juveniles) show a clear- cut, contrasting white belly patch (see below). Ageing and sexing ADULT MALE WINTER In full plumage, the adult male is easily identified by his beautiful deep, rich mahogany head, breast and flanks. His beauty is best appreciated at close range and in bright light, when his plumage looks smooth and silky and the breast in particular can look as if it has been highly polished. In dull light or at a distance, however, it can look decidedly browner (plate 4). When fresh, the flanks are slightly paler and more ginger in tone and show faint vertical barring, produced by paler feather tips. The entire upperparts, as well as the area imme- diately forward of the undertail-coverts, are black. From the nape, a black ring extends forwards around the base of the neck, virtu- ally petering out at the front. This is rather diffuse and not obvious, being best seen when the neck is extended. Apart from the white undertail-coverts, the other obvious feature is the prominent, penetrating white eye, which gives the species its little-used alternative name of ‘White-eyed Pochard’. Note that the eye colour will be less obvious in dull light, when the pupil is dilated. There is a large, clear-cut white belly patch, which is obvious when the bird is out of the water. A minor feature, present in all plumages, is a tiny white spot at the base of the lower mandible, best seen from the front when the bill is raised. ADULT MALE ECLIPSE Males moult into eclipse plumage in June-July and a full wing moult takes place in July-August. Some males at Slimbridge on 20th July 1999 were still moulting their reddish head feathering, but others were in full eclipse. Full plumage is regained from late September to November C BWP ). Eclipse male is surprisingly similar to full male, but is browner and more female- like, lacking the rich mahogany tones, partic- ularly on the breast and flanks. The upperparts become dull: a dark brownish- black, more concolorous with the rest of the plumage. There is, however, individual varia- tion, with some males being brighter and somewhat more reddish than others (compare plate 5 with plate 6). It seems possible that the brownest males are first- British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 15 K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck summers. Some show faintly paler lores when viewed front-on. The breast may appear rather scalloped, with dark feather centres and paler fringes; the flanks can look rather barred for the same reason. Most importantly from an identification point of view, eclipse males retain both the large white undertail-covert patch and the promi- nent white eye. ADULT FEMALE WINTER Similar to adult male in patterning, but females are easily sexed by their brown eyes (with a very faintly paler orbital ring visible in very good views). Adult females are duller than males, being browner and less chestnut, and some show a blackish sheen to the head from certain angles. Paler, more gingery tips to the flank feathers produce subdued vertical barring that is more obvious than on the male (plates 7,8 & 9). The upperparts are blackish, slightly browner than the male’s. At any distance or in dull light, winter females may look generally quite brown (plate 9). As noted above, the undertail-coverts con- trast less with their browner surround (plate 8). There is a subdued orangey or gingery patch on the lores and a very faint crescent of a similar colour on the ear-coverts, but both these features vary in prominence indi- vidually and according to light, angle and dis- tance (plates 7, 9 & 10), the loral patch being most obvious when seen front-on in strong sunlight. There is a prominent clear-cut white belly patch (plate 10). ADULT FEMALE SUMMER Adult female’s moult is not fully understood ( BWP ), but it seems that a pre-breeding moult is com- pleted from late March to May. Summer females are similar to winter ones, but show rather more of a dark crown, producing a capped effect, and have paler lores and a pale ear-covert patch (plates 14-17). The two patches vary in conspicuousness individu- ally, but, on one female at Slimbridge in July 1999, they were quite prominent. The body plumage varies from rather a dark chocolate- brown, darker than summer female Common Pochard (plate 14), to a dark-chestnut brown (plates 15-17). The breast and flanks are rather barred owing to dark feather bases and paler tips (plates 14-17). One female at Slimbridge had the white belly patch much reduced and with brown scalloping mixed with the white. On the others, the belly patch was of normal size, but some also had a few dark scallops within the white. BWP 18. Juvenile male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Spiegelpolder, Noordholland, Netherlands, September 1984. Juvenile's plumage resembles that of an adult female winter but is duller. It also shows subdued gingery patches on the lores and ear-coverts. The bill is grey, although it is gaining a faint pale subterminal line, and it has already acquired a white eye. Note the mottled undertail-coverts, the short spiky tail and the lightly spotted belly: all features of juvenile plumage. 16 British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 Paul Lodewijkx Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck states that, when worn, the feathers of the head, face and throat are paler cinnamon- buff, and the feather edges on the mantle and scapulars may be bleached buff. There was no evidence of this on the females at Slimbridge, but one could perhaps imagine that the pale head patches would become bleached in hot climates. Beaman & Madge (1998) stated that summer female has more extensive white mottling on the throat . At Slimbridge, this was visible only when the birds were stretching upwards (plate 17), but was not ordinarily visible when they were at rest. Post-breeding moult is completed 1-114 months later than the male’s ( BWP ). JUVENILE Similar to adult female winter, but duller and browner. The upperparts are dark brown, with faint paler feather fringes, and the flanks are unevenly barred brown and gingery-brown. Both sexes show subdued orangey patches on the lores and ear-coverts (plates 18, 19 & 20). The dark grey bill (see above) adds to the general drabness. In late summer, both sexes have dark eyes. The easiest way to age juvenile Ferruginous Ducks is by their belly, as they lack the adults’ clear-cut white belly patch. Instead, the belly is buff, heavily but neatly spotted with brown (plates 18 & 19). Thus, from any distance, the belly fails to stand out (compare plate 19 with plate 10). Since Ferruginous Ducks readily come out of the water, this feature may be quite easy to check. FIRST-WINTER As with other species of Ay thy a, young Ferruginous Ducks moult out of juvenile plumage and into their adult-like first-winter’ plumage and acquire their adult bare-part colours during their first winter. Thus, by late winter, immature Ferruginous Ducks are, to all intents and purposes, in adult plumage. BWP states that advanced males will have gained much of their first- breeding’ plumage by late November, but it is clear that others may be tardier in their moult. Plates 018 & 019, taken in September and late November respectively, show males still in juvenile plumage (see above). Note that both have already acquired the white eye-colour. The male in plates 22 & 23 was photographed on 9th January. Moult is much more advanced and, from the rather scruffy texture of his plumage, he is still in body moult. Already he is gaining his chestnut adult head colouring, the breast and flanks 19. Juvenile male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Priory Country Park, Bedfordshire, November 1998. The belly of juvenile is buff, profusely but neatly spotted with brown. This enables them to be easily aged (compare with plate 10). Also, note the white underwings, shown at all ages. are also largely adult, but his upperparts are still rather brown-black with some paler feather fringing. His eye is white, although it had a slight bluish tint in the field at close range. What is interesting is the intermediate bill pattern with its large black tip (see above). By 6th February, this bird had com- pleted his moult, and his plumage - but not his bill pattern - resembled that of an adult male (plate 24). Similarly, the November juvenile male in plate 19 also looked much more adult-like by January (Dr Simon Knight verbally). The females in plates 20 and 2 1 , also pho- tographed on 9th January, are still in juvenile plumage. This is evident from the dull, spotted belly in plate 2 1 . A slight scruffiness to their plumage indicated, however, that post-juvenile moult had begun and, by 6th February, they too had virtually completed their moult and resembled adult females. Thus, although some juvenile feathering may be retained until spring (BWP), by Feb- ruary most first-winter Ferruginous Ducks should resemble adults and the ageing of lone vagrants in the field at this time is inad- visable. On tardy individuals, remnants of underpart spotting or extensive black on the bill-tip may be the best clues to look for and the plumage may appear slightly duller and slightly less immaculate than that of adults. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 17 Simon Knight Vinicombe : Identification of Ferruginous Duck 20. Juvenile female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slrmbridge. Gloucestershire January 1999. This resembles an adult female winter but is duller and browner, particularly on the upperparts, and shows unevenly barred flanks. It also has a more diffuse bill pattern and a more rounded head. Hybrids The greatest pitfall in the identification of the Ferruginous Duck is that of similar- looking hybrids. In eastern Europe, overlap- ping breeding ranges and similar habitat preferences seem to lead to occasional hybridisation with the Common Pochard. It seems likely that such hybrids may inherit the pochard's westerly orientation to its post-breeding migration and so occur here with a frequency that is disproportionate to their status. Hybrids may resemble either parent. Some are quite similar to Common Pochard, but others are so similar to pure Ferruginous Duck that they present a real identification challenge. These hybrids have been known for a long time and were considered distinc- tive enough to have acquired the name Paget’s Pochard’. Gillham et cd. (1966) exam- ined 20 records of Ferruginous Ducks in Britain during the period April 1947 to October 1951 which were published in British Birds and found that none included any reference to the possibility of confusing the species with hybrids. Of the 20 records, they considered seven to be satisfactory, ten to be inconclusive and three to be unsatisfac- tory. One wonders whether modern-day descriptions would fare any better. Those hybrids which resemble Common Pochard are not confusable with genuine Ferruginous Ducks; indeed, they may bear a superficial resemblance to the Redhead A. americana. They are typically smaller than the Common Pochard, and may be darker on the upperparts, have a more mahogany- coloured breast, paler eyes, a more-domed head shape, an intermediate bill pattern and some white in the wing stripe. Fig 4a is Fig. 4. Hybrids between Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Common Pochard A.ferina. (a) male Common Pochard type (resembling Redhead A. americana ), (b) male Ferruginous Duck type and (c) female Ferruginous Duck type. Note that (b) and (c) are very similar to pure Ferruginous Ducks (see text for points of distinction). 18 British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 Laurel Tucker K. E. Vinicombe Vinicombe: Identification of Ferruginous Duck 21. Juvenile female Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. Note the dull, mottled belly, which reveals its age. The rather scruffy nature of this bird's plumage indicated that post-juvenile moult had started; by early February, it resembled an adult female. This photograph also shows how Ferruginous Ducks often come out of the water when loafing. based on such a bird seen at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, in 1976. Some of these hybrids, however, are subtler in appearance and are even more similar to Common Pochard than the one illustrated in fig. 4a. Hybrids at the other end of the spectrum are illustrated in figs. 4b and 4c. These are based on a male at Chew Valley Lake in March 1969 (4b) and a female at Radipole Lake, Dorset, from December 1980 to January 1981 (4c). When faced with a poten- tial Ferruginous Duck, the following features may indicate hybridity: • A longer, deeper-based bill and a more sloping forehead, producing a more wedge-shaped head profile. • Larger size and greater bulk. • Presence of faint grey vermiculations on the scapulars and possibly the flanks. • A much smaller area of white on the undertail-coverts (remember that even juvenile and first-winter Ferruginous Ducks have a large white undertail-covert patch). • Markedly paler and possibly greyer flanks with a sharper line of demarcation between the breast and the flanks. • Extensive grey in the wing stripe. 22 & 23. Juvenile/first-winter male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (captive), Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, January 1999. This resembles a dull adult male with a more rounded head and an intermediate bill with a large black tip. Its scruffy plumage is a result of moult. British Birds 93: 4-21, January 2000 19 K. E. Vinicombe K. E. Vinicombe Lesser Frigatebird in Israel: new to the Western Palearctic Roger Riddington and Jane Reid Monday 1st December 1997 was the last day of our two-week birding trip to Israel, one which had suc- cessfully combined many of the local spe- cialities’, some late migrants and, following a summer in Shetland, some welcome hot sun- shine. We spent our last hours covering some of Eilat’s best birdwatching sites on foot. As our time drew to a close, there was little evi- dence of new migrant arrivals, so we opted to finish up at North Beach, scanning through the seabirds and waders present there. We soon located a first-winter Kitti- wake Rissa tridactyla (a rare visitor to the Red Sea and, probably, the same one as that which had been seen there four days earlier), whilst a confiding Greater Sand Plover Charadrins leschenaultii invited careful scrutiny of its bill-structure and general proportions. There were, however, few birds, and we were in relaxed, end-of-trip mode. Suddenly, at about 15.30 hours, JR looked up and shattered the calm, yelling Frigatebird! ’. There, almost overhead rather than miles out to sea, was, yes, a frigatebird Fregata. We watched, transfixed, as this supremely elegant creature circled lazily above the North Beach coastline for fully three or four minutes, pursued by an angry Grey Heron Ardea cinerea and a small swarm of House Crows Corvus splendens. Indeed, it was sufficiently close for us men- tally to compile some reasonably detailed field notes. Visibility was excellent, the weather sunny and warm, with a pleasant light northeasterly breeze and clear, sharp light. In due course, the bird drifted out to sea. A little stunned, but not really appreci- Heading drawing: Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel being mobbed by House Crows Corvus splendens and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. 22 © British Birds 93: 22-27, January 2000 Martin Elliott Riddington & Reid: Lesser Frigatebird in Israel Riddington & Reid: Lesser Frigatebird in Israel ""Vs to tS cu^iLcJ. Ludil ' , 5^0 L-je 4. dJ^(J- __ kdfli. 1/ K* M fe 6-t. £14. i (kjq~± L fljU j_ £*feA|>1>t |^'T nL c.!: aLJU.. wtwt^ isJ*JrL b>«v<.v j UmL*juaa\F £erYl ■ (VUMaaW^ I^clA Aa^< AitU^hvl la^*1 llA Uu/i SLw* ivmjj, l«XA. \z low^ Uax-jA. Arpf«R. 5i\c ^ H*vn^ iona 3Wj! Al^AAfcf'Z’l .' fVi-ftu*a A(-V iLjt biAci^ Oaa-iA lU-Ujj jOaA Tc* J/v 3'^ nw*.;. KjuULj Apyzt \At*~i s, #« :-c-t ' l'-, A fllu/: r Cl." M -cy t L0\*U ■'/( f’j-'Ut' ft Awui** : ’ /l. < t-t t "tfif " Jrfa'-CWL . ti Wj 3 \ I f v> - / .c_ r f * ■ t ■ /■_. - , C - '' - A-rtm — - _ {!.C''..v Cv &l <^y f t/ f ’L*- rtf' ''--'l d f n-L /:< •.< lCc/cCl fl*- 77it-. £ - I It/UsSr ',, c ■ /lSc ' 1R/?ist* , — ■ / • , : '■■;■/. / . ^ £?X< /'7/Cr A '- • /dfccve-juu'/ A' Ptu _ itAJtit .. ' (r,,r, rr Figs. 3 & 4. Field sketches of Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon made at Cambridge Sewage-farm on 6th August 1946. British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 33 Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain Figs. 5-7. Field sketches of Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon made at Cambridge Sewage-farm (probably during the period 9th-20th August 1946). 34 British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 A. S. Thom Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain A. S. Thom Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain Figs. 5-7. Field sketches of Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon made at Cambridge Sewage-farm (probably during the period 9th-20th August 1946). 34 British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 A. S. Thom Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain o F~i British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 35 A. S. Thom Figs. 8-11. Paintings of presumed female, presumed male and fledgling Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon based on field sketches (figs. 1-7). 36 British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 A. S. Thom s. Thom Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain •=c,U. I-?'-, rK ■ v c- ” ■■ i C ^ «) - M- : -rw ^ A •/ ZMAa^ !U- E4 -V . / /• ' h'M idii >/'?'< 5'Wi- W ‘ , • lo< ' ' . w>/ n A L "i »■ ;- 'j -, vLX <£-*«-- :| -• '- '' '• ^TTjl yi / f V^r <; f- ■ - A}': ' Y/'v-C ,fJ~} Hi- 'v**— A*- CmA -X \ / filtu . *•/ \?r X '/ 7 £ " r- / ,-*i X— X? < . , 0 \ i Iw. . , /-v. 3n*“ CMW, V;' -V ■'• X !‘- rL itj - ~ (X V-T nIaI*' IaA^ ^’aV" 4 ■ - ■ ■■ ' Me (e~X Xm " f w . ' ■ ■ • , V-. * ^ k •"• X Ua • Cd. ‘ :jc '-< 1 i — "■ . -vvj^;»k -.u vjfcl-k: V ! ' ' : : X - Fig. 12. Sketches of Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon made at Cambridge Sewage-farm on 9th August 1946. British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 37 Eric E mi ion Bradshaw: Moustached Warblers in Britain u Ci A-«.>4 v f /iC €M> d'~' , j W Jt~~ f *•■**'*- *■- i^J,- fXir , w' f'tr-trU. » V~~f~ /£^ l?uj-/ &*****'*'• fryfi-Ju.f-'* . * , UiA-^ Jr* " /«*.< • 5 as Fig. 13- Field sketches of Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon made at Cambridge Sewage-farm on 8th August 1946. EDITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT We are grateful to Dr Tim Melling and the BOU Records Committee for the loan of the archive material presented in figs. 1-13- Dr Colin Bradshaw 9 Tynemouth Place, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 4BJ Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus pocliceps Walton Reservoir (Surrey), 1 6t h March. Madeira/Cape Verde Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae Flam- borough Head (East Yorkshire), 12th June. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Martin Mere area (Lancashire & North Mersey- side), 25th January to I I th May; Radcliffe-on-Trent (Notting- hamshire), 4th April; Oare Marshes (Kent), 12th- 13th April Great White Egret Egretta alba Llangorse Lake (Breconshire), 21st April. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Felbrigg, Northrepps and other localities (Norfolk), 8th- 9th May. Lesser Scaup Ay thy a affinis St John's Loch (Caith- ness), 11th, 25th January; Munnoch Reservoir (Ayrshire), 9th-10th May; Vane Farm (Perth & Kinross), 10th, 12th May; Linwood Pool (Clyde), 12th May; Balgray Reservoir (Clyde), 29th- 30th May. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Aveton Gifford (Devon), 9th February. Broad- billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Conwy (Caernarfon- shire), 24th May; East Chevington (Northumberland), 18th-20th June. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis New Swillington Ings (West Yorkshire), three, 3rd August. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes East Chevington (Northumberland), 15th June. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Monk’s Wall (Kent), 22nd May. Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica Farmoor Reser- voir (Oxfordshire), 27th July. M. J. Rogers, Secretary, BBRC, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 3AZ 38 © British Birds 93: 29-38, January 2000 Great Cormorants exploiting fish concentration caused by heavy rain At about 12.30 gmt on 16th September 1995, at Rye Meads sewage-treatment works, Hert- fordshire, we went to the North Lagoon to work on a series of artificial nesting rafts for Common Terns Sterna hirundo. As we approached, it started to rain quite heavily, and we decided to sit out the rain in the hide overlooking the lagoon On entering, we observed about 30 Great Cormorants Pha- lacrocorax car bo. five fishing in the water and the remainder perched on the rafts. Those in the water were thinly dispersed. The rain became extremely heavy and dense, and one cormorant was seen swimming near the rafts with its head submerged just beneath the surface of the water; it lifted its head and swallowed a fish about 7.5 cm long. Over the next five minutes, four other cormorants left the rafts and began taking fish in the same manner, only occasionally fully submerging in a dive; one was seen to catch at least six fish in probably no longer than three or four minutes (it was difficult to tell if the birds were catching fish under the water without lifting their head to swallow with every catch). The cormorants were fishing within an area of approximately 80 m. and it was quite apparent that a large shoal of fish was being attracted to, or close to, the surface by the heavy rain, with the cormorants taking advantage of the situation. As soon as the rain eased, the cormorants stopped feeding: three returned to the raft, and one took off directly from the water and flew away. We rowed out to the rafts, disturbing all the cormorants in the process, and noticed that a number of fish had been regurgitated and left on the raft as the cormorants had taken flight. We brought the rafts to the shore and collected the fish: nine Carp Cyprinus carpio (six Common Carp ranging from 10 cm to 19 cm, and three Mirror Carp ranging from 10 cm to about 12 cm). None of us had previously witnessed Great Cormorants exhibit this type of behav- iour, which appeared to us to be a totally spontaneous response to an unusual situation. Paul Roper, Bill Rutherford, Malcolm Wilson, Simon Rasch and Tom Brerton Rye Meads Ringing Group, J Dewhurst Old School, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire EN8 9WB Eyelid colour of American Wigeon A first-year drake American Wigeon Anas americana was present near Cliffe, Kent, from 28th September to 14th October 1997 (Brit. Birds 91: 465). A notable feature of this individual was its strikingly whitish eyelid, recalling that of a Dipper Cinclus cinclus, and in good light visible with 20x magnifica- tion at about 180 m. During its stay, none of many Eurasian Wigeons A. penelope present showed an eyelid of similar paleness. 1 have since observed many Eurasian Wigeons and, although some had pale fawn eyelids, none has shown the whitish eyelid exhibited by the American species, a feature noted also by S Dodgson on an individual present during the same autumn at Havle, Cornwall (Brit. Birds 91 : 465, fig. 2). The whitish eyelid has been observed on adult American Wigeons in collections (M. J. Orchard in lift .), and a pair of adults in a private collection in Suffolk was described as having very pale grey eyelids which look white in strong light' (E. H. Gillham in lift ). This feature appears not to be recorded in any of the available literature (Beaman & Madge 1998; Madge & Burn 1988; BWP, vol 1). I would tentatively suggest that it could be used, if not as a diagnostic feature of American Wigeon, at least as an indicative or supporting character when dealing with dif- ficult eclipse, female or first-year individuals. References Beaman, M., & Madge, S. 1998. The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. London. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1983 The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 1. Oxford. Madge, S., & Burn, H 1988. Wildfowl: an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the World London. © British Birds 93: 39-43, January 2000 39 Notes EDITORIAL COMMENT Keith Vinicombe has commented: ! can confirm from my observations [at Slimbridge, Glouces- tershire] that American Wigeon does have an eyelid that appears in the field to be white. In addition, the colour is highlighted by the fact that it contrasts with the dark feathering around the eye (i.e. the green band on the full-plumaged male and the dark “eye shadow" on females, juveniles and eclipse males). Eurasian Wigeons also have pale eyelids, but these are essentially buff-tinged or orange-tinged and contrast less with the browner head colour. I am not con- vinced, however, that eyelid colour should be regarded as anything more than a minor identifi- cation feature. Female and juvenile Eurasian Wigeons are notoriously variable, and I wonder whether a particularly pale, greyish individual would also show whiter eyelids and thus approach American in this respect.' Paul Larkin 187 Downs Road, Istead Rise, Gravesend, Kent DA 13 9HF Eurasian Sparrowhawks repeatedly using same nest On 20th March 1985, at Park Lime Pits, Walsall, West Midlands, I noticed a pair of Eurasian Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus nest- building. The nest was about 6 m up in Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna above a public footpath on a causeway dividing two pools. On 26th and 27th April, the female could be seen standing on the completed structure, and on the following day both adults were displaying over the site. No further interest was shown in the nest that year, and the pair did not occupy any other sites at the pits. On 8th May 1986, a male sparrowhawk was observed adding material to a partly constructed nest approximately 12 m up in the fork of a Beech Fagus sylvatica , and at a similar distance from the 1985 Hawthorn site. By 7th June, the female was sitting, and on 1st July she was feeding three newly hatched chicks; these fledged on 26th July. In the following year, a female sparrowhawk was inspecting the 1985 nest on 21st March, but, despite regular visits to the site, 1 recorded no other breeding-season activity of note. On 5th May 1988, a female was refur- bishing the 1985 nest. She was sitting by 19th, and remained so until 11th June, but the nest had been deserted by 15th June. In 1989, a pair of sparrowhawks was resident at the pits, but no breeding activity was observed. During 23rd April 1990, 1 saw both adults refurbishing the 1985 nest, the female then sitting from 8th May until 1st June; the nest had apparently been abandoned by 6th June. In 1991, a pair of sparrowhawks selected a breeding site in Hawthorn scrub about 100 m from the causeway site; I first noticed the female sitting on 9th May, and four chicks had hatched by 2nd June, all fledging on 1st July. On 24th March 1992, a female was again refurbishing the 1985 nest, and I recorded her sitting from 20th May until at least 2nd June, but the nest was deserted by 7th June. During the following season, a pair was active in an area of dense Hawthorn scrub about 200 m from the causeway, but I was unable to confirm whether breeding took place. By 3rd May 1994, a female sparrowhawk was sitting on the 1985 nest, and on 14th June I watched her feeding two recently hatched chicks; sadly, the site had been aban- doned by 18th June, and 1 suspected that the chicks had been taken from the nest. In 1995, I once again watched a female refur- bishing the same nest on 17th April, sitting by 16th May and with two chicks on 28th June; the nest was deserted by 1 1th July, and I was later informed by a local dog-walker that a youth had been seen taking the young birds. Human pressure on this vulnerable, yet apparently optimum nest site was the main reason for these failed breeding attempts, and Walsall Countryside Services, which now manages Park Lime Pits as a 10-ha Local Nature Reserve, removed the nest before the 1996 breeding season. Although several Eurasian Sparrowhawks 40 British Birds 93: 39-43, January 2000 Notes would presumably have been involved in this sequence of events, only one pair was present in each breeding season front 1985 to 1995. The repeated use of the same nest Alan K. Dolphin 27 Stencills Road , Walsall, West Midlands WS4 2HJ EDITORIAL COMMENT by this species over a period of seven years appears to be uncharacteristic. One explana- tion may be a lack of alternative optimum nesting sites at Park Lime Pits. Prof. Ian Newton has commented: ‘My record for repeated use of the same nest is four years, so seven years is substantially longer.’ Male Eurasian Sparrowhawk waiting for prey to become accessible On 25th January 1995, glancing out of our kitchen window at Bromley, Kent, my wife and I were surprised to see, on the garden path below a raised flowerbed, a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus looking up intently into an overhanging lavender bush Lavandula. The raised bed is 33 cm above ground level and the bush about 35 cm tall. Evidently, potential food had taken cover there. From time to time, the sparrowhawk jumped up on to the flowerbed and waited there for a few moments, before returning to the path with a peculiar twisting, agile movement, turning around in the air in such a way that he was able to keep his eye on the bush the whole time. We could not see the prey, but after about half an hour its nerve or patience must have given way, as the sparrowhawk leapt up again and emerged on the ground with a House Sparrow Passer domesticus firmly clasped, head forwards, in his talons. Eurasian Sparrowhawks use a variety of hunting techniques, dependent mainly on speed and surprise. Standing no more than half a metre from a bush for some 30 minutes while waiting for a specific victim to break cover seems to be unusual. David J. Montier Eyebrook , Oldfield Road, Bick/ey, Bromley, Kent BR1 2LF Golden Eagles apparently laying at roost sites On 10th April 1994, in west Scotland, SJM was searching the home range of a pair of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos for an active nest. He had already checked the four known eyrie sites without success, although one of the nests had been recently built up. At the western end of the home range, however, he located a roost on a small crag, below which he recovered, in addition to pellets, feathers and droppings, some small shell fragments of an egg which he assumed to have been laid by a Golden Eagle. On 30th April, he returned to the site, climbed on to the roost ledge, and recovered the remains of a broken egg that was wedged under a rock below the roost; it would appear that the egg, later confirmed as that of a Golden Eagle, had rolled off the sloping ledge, where it had apparently been laid, and had broken as it became wedged under the rock. Later that day, both adult eagles were seen soaring together over the home range, suggesting that they did not have an active nest. The roost site was 1.8 km from the built-up nest, and the male of this pair was found dead on 7th October 1994. Early in the season, video cameras had been placed (under licence) at two of the eyries, including the one that had been built up. It is possible that this disturbance deterred the eagles from using either eyrie. Snow was also lying well into the laying period in 1994. On 13th March 1995, in Dumfries & Galloway, CJR watched a female eagle fly off a built-up eyrie. It was assumed that she was close to or had started laying. On 23rd March, he found a freshly broken eagle egg beneath a roost some 8 km from the eyrie, but within the same home range: the albumen and egg membrane were still soft and pliable, and the heavily marked shell appeared very fresh; the British Birds 93: 39-43, January 2000 41 Notes egg was considered to have been laid very recently, perhaps even that same day. A single eagle was seen briefly above the roost. On 27th March, the pair of eagles was seen at the original eyrie, and on 2nd April a clutch of two lightly marked eggs was present. The breeding attempt was successful, and one chick fledged in early July 1995. The 1995 roost is often frequented by this pair of eagles, and no intruding eagles were identified, either before or after the broken egg was found. A three-egg clutch has not been laid by this pair since 1971, since when there has been at least one change of female. Sean J. Morris and Chris J. Rollie RSPB, 25 Ravelston Terrace , Edinburgh EH4 5BN Although the broken egg was heavily marked, it is well known that these markings can fade rapidly and it would not, therefore, be safe to assume on this evidence alone that two females were involved. Dr Jeff Watson (in lift.) informed us that he knew of four other records, all in west Scotland, of Golden Eagles laying on or near roosts. Three of these were also in years of late snowfall and cold weather, and he thinks that there may be a link between this and eagles abandoning nesting attempts and ejecting eggs at roosts, where they would be spending much of their time. Juvenile Golden Eagle ‘ attacked ’ by sheep On 20th September 1994, in west Scotland, I observed a juvenile male Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos chasing a herd of about ten female Red Deer Cervus elaphus and making strikes on the ground, tearing up sods of grass. At one point, he stooped at an adult ewe that had been lying down and touched her on the back with his talons. The sheep immediately stood up and turned to face the eagle, which was hanging in the wind about 1 m above her head; she reared on her hind legs towards the eagle three times, but no contact was made and the eagle eventually landed about 1 m from the sheep. The latter immediately ran towards the eagle and head- butted the raptor so hard that he rolled over, before he took off and carried out further strikes at bits of wool lying in the grass. As this eagle had only recently fledged, in early August, it seems likely that his actions were play' associated with the development of hunting behaviour. Ellis (1979, J Wildl. Manage. 43: Supplement) recorded similar behaviour involving a juvenile Golden Eagle chasing White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus. Sean J. Morris RSPB, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 5 BN Common Kestrel robbing Eurasian Sparrowhawk 1 read with interest the note concerning a Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus robbing a Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus (Brit. Birds 88: 485). In all the reported cases of food robbery by this falcon, however, the kestrel has robbed other avian predators from a short distance away’ or by hovering down on it or suddenly appearing’. The distance which a Common Kestrel will fly to rob a sparrowhawk may therefore be of interest. On 8th December 1979, in west Galloway, Dumfries & Galloway, a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk landed on a fence post beside a kale field in open marginal land. Five minutes later, he flew about 10 m and dropped into the kale, emerging with a Linnet Carduelis cannabina in his talons; he flew to a gorse bush Ulex and landed below it. A male Common Kestrel, which 17 minutes earlier had landed on an Ash tree Fraxinus excelsior on higher ground about 800 m away, flew down and landed on a fence post beside the gorse; the falcon hopped along three fence posts, landed on top of the gorse and entered. There was a flurry of wings on the ground, and shortly afterwards the sparrowhawk shot out of the bush, leaving the kestrel in possession of the Linnet. R. C. Dickson Lismore, New Luce, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire DG8 OAJ 42 British Birds 93: 39-43, January 2000 Notes House Martin nests falling On 1 1th July 1995, while surveying House Martins Delichon urbica near Marden, Kent, I was shown a series of nests that had recently been found on the ground beneath a colony where 12 nests were still in position. The first had contained three young and an egg, the second four young and the third five. On 22nd August, I revisited the site and discovered just seven nests still in place and 12 areas from which nests had fallen. On this occasion, I was able to discuss the circumstances with John Collins, a farm worker who has taken an interest in the breeding martins. He reported that House Martins had always bred at this particular site during the 27 years that he had worked there; he considered that more were present in 1995 than in 1994, that the young had fledged from the remaining nests, and that the cause of the problem must be the exceptionally hot, dry conditions. The birds nest on the east wall of a large storage building that backs on to a triple oast. The nests are at least 10 m above the concrete courtyard, and details of the nesting wall are shown in fig. 1 . The weather- boarding and the soffit are of white-painted timber; the paint is flaking, as it has been about 17 years since it was painted.There are, Don Taylor 1 Rose Cottages , Old Loose Hill, Loose, Maidstone, Kent ME 15 OBN EDITORIAL COMMENT Prof. D. M. Bryant has commented: I have spent a lot of time removing House Martin nests in spring before the birds’ return and replacing them with nestboxes. This facilitates access for research and ringing. It is obvious that some nests are quite secure while others “come away” with very little encouragement. The latter are at least one and, I think, usually several years old. I suspect that martins could not distinguish insecure nests from others, and certainly readily settle in and refurbish old nests of all kinds. All the fallen nests . . . that I have seen have been “old” nests from the previous or earlier years, and have occurred as an occasional event at a colony. So, martins which settle in old nests certainly run a risk of a collapse (and getting a large load of parasites), but save on the time and effort of nest-building. I do not know of any newly built martin nests falling down in the same season, however . . . Even so, I can imagine that martins might occasionally build against a surface that is too shiny, or flakes away, and so does not provide a firm hold. As I say, I have not noted it, nor do I know of examples, but can see [that] it may occasionally occur, especially perhaps where the whole nest is fixed to a painted surface (as seems to apply here). I suspect that, as the writer suggests, a very dry spell might be the trigger for a nest-fall of this kind.’ Fig. 1. Position of nests built by House Martins Delichon urbica on building in Kent ( redrawn by R.J. Prytherch from sketch by Don Taylor ) however, no obviously flaked areas where the mud had been stuck. Mr Collins is of the opinion that most of the nests fall each year and that the birds build new ones. From what I could see, at least three showed evidence of patching . The depth of the overhang, along with what Mr Collins says, virtually rules out any interference, human or otherwise. These contributions have all been assessed by the eight members of either the Behaviour Notes Pane! or the Identification Notes Panel. British Birds 93: 39-43, January 2000 43 Peregrine Falcons nesting on electricity towers After a 20-year absence, the first breeding Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus returned to their tra- ditional cliff sites in Dorset in 1986. My wife and I are now monitoring 16 territorial pairs along the coast between Poole and Lyme Regis. In addition, there are at least four pairs using pylons, or towers as they are properly called. Tree nests aban- doned by other species do not attract Peregrines, and there is a shortage of suitable quarries in the county. The 45-m-high National Grid steel structures might not seem comfortable homes, but they deter human egg-thieves and they have the added advantage of providing all-around viewing, whereas cliff eyries offer a restricted arc of vision, mostly directed seawards. National Grid towers come in two main designs: (a) suspension towers, where the run of the power line is straight and the conductors hang on insulators suspended vertically from three horizontal arms, and (b) devia- tion towers, where the line changes direction and the insula- tors are stretched out from the arms horizontally. Suspension towers offer no nesting possibili- ties for the falcons, whereas devi- ation towers have strengthening boxes’ at the ends of their three arms which can accommodate up to three Peregrine eyasses. There are two designs of these boxes: one has an open top and closed ends, where there is no risk of eggs rolling out, and the other has a lid, but entry and exit are via an open end So far, the pair using one of the open-ended boxes has ejected a pair of Jack- daws Corvus monedula after the crows had built a nest, which has ensured the safety of its eggs among the nesting material. The middle arm, which is longer than the other two, is favoured, and the birds choose the box' best masked by the insulators from likely human viewers. Peregrines seem to favour towers where the power line runs along rides between pine trees, although in one case where there are no tree stands near a suitable deviation tower they use one in the middle of a field. In the other cases, it is diffi- cult to keep the birds in sight when they fly and hunt, unlike watching cliff-nesters hunting over the sea. A disadvantage of towers is that the eyasses have to leave their boxes’ in order to wing- flap. Watching them do this on a windy day, whilst they balance on narrow steel bars or climb up steeply sloping slats and slither down again, is nerve-racking, and the young falcons have some- times fallen off before they were able to fly. In two cases where this occurred, the parents fed the young in nearby trees until they fledged successfully and rejoined their siblings. It seems likely that tower- reared Peregrines will them- selves breed inland on towers. I now scan every tower carefully for the telltale bulge of a head, which may be all that shows if the bird is perched behind the crossbar of an arm. Luckily they show a predilection for perching at the top of towers, and fre- quently copulate there. Cliff-reared Peregrine Falcons are often quite unworried by their first encounter with Man after leaving the nest, and I have been within 5 m of a newly fledged Peregrine on many occa- sions, once being struck on the foot by one which appeared to be trying to land on my com- panion’s white sun-hat. Pylon- bred Peregrines are very different, and seem to have a strong instinctive mistrust of Man. preferring to keep well above human beings. Ravens C. corax also use towers, but they build twig nests against an upright. At one loca- tion, Peregrines and Ravens have occupied adjacent deviation towers for three years. For the past two years, one pair of Peregrines has used an old nest of a pair of Carrion Crows C. corone built on a smaller non-National Grid tower. The purpose of this letter is to draw attention to the use of electricity towers as nest sites by Peregrine Falcons, and to encourage other observers to scan these artificial additions to the landscape so that, if the habit is spreading, this is documented. Edmund Harwood Wadswell, Haythorne Common, Horton, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 7JG EDITORIAL COMMENT Nick Dixon, who is researching the use of artificial structures by Peregrine Falcons, has com- mented: Peregrines have been recorded nesting on man-made structures, including civic buildings, high-rise flats and bridges in recent years, particu- larly as they recover their range in southern England. I was pre- viously aware of seven pairs of Peregrines nesting on towers, but not of such a proportion of a county’s population utilising them. I am keen to have more information on Peregrines nesting on towers, or any other non-natural sites, in the UK.’ Readers are invited to send information, which will be treated in strict confidence, to Nick Dixon, 3 Churchgate Cot- tages, Drewsteignton, Devon EX6 6QN. 44 © British Birds 93: 44-46, January 2000 Letters While I may share Dr J.T. R. Shar- rock's dislike of completing habitat forms for bird surveys ('What, no running water?': Brit. Birds 92: 386-388). I do not believe that editorial space is an appropriate forum in which to air personal grievances. I also fail to understand why Dr Sharrock omitted to mention the name of the survey to which he was referring, when it must have been obvious to the majority of BB readers that it was the Breeding Bird Survey, organised by the BTO. Surely, it would have been more correct to have approached the BTO directly with his concerns about this particular aspect of the survey, rather than writing, in effect, an open letter? Moss Taylor 4 Heath Road , Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8JH Hear! Hear! & Hurrah! Thank goodness to have it said by some- Habitat recording body with sufficient ornitholog- ical clout to be noticed. I refer to 'What, no running water?' {Brit. Birds 92: 386-388). J. R. Neighbour Tanyard House, Fen Street, Nayland, By Colchester, Suffolk C06 4HT Congratulations on your recent article (Brit Birds 92: 386-388). At the onset of the Breeding Bird Survey, I complained vigor- ously to the BTO about the inor- dinate amount of time that had to be devoted to form-filling. I am a trained observer, but with less-qualified botanical skills than Dr Sharrock. I took to copying the information on my habitat forms from one year to the next -and discovered, to my surprise, that this is approved of by the BTO. Every now and again, however, I do a detailed survey instead of just noting changes - which like Dr Sharrock’s are probably only crop changes. I am horrified at the different inter- pretations that I make when looking at the same habitat on different occasions 1 am much relieved that even a botanist has difficulty deciding levels'. Michael B. Lancaster 42 School Lane, Addlestone, Surrey KT 15 1TB MBL@Tenbel. demon, co.uk EDITORIAL COMMENT Although the example used was the BTO’s BBS, there was no intention to point the finger at one organisation. Constructive criticism of the methodology had previously been made to the BTO, but no plans to make any amendments had resulted. The BTO did receive a copy of the text of the open letter' prior to its publication. A response from the BTO is in preparation. Single-observer records: unjust treatment ? In the April 1999 issue (Brit. Birds 92: 212), I read with dismay the suggestion that single-observer sightings of extreme rarities should be treated with extreme caution by the British Birds Rarities Com- mittee. In my view, the adoption of a policy of rejection for such records would be unnecessarily hostile and detrimental. Most birdwatchers would agree that the BBRC carries out a valued function in a professional manner. Without trying to humble the Committee, it should, however, be remembered that its work has real merit only if it is supported by the bird- watching community. Some birdwatchers do not see their hobby as a competitive pursuit or seek recognition of their exploits. These observers may simply submit records from a feeling of obligation and duty, and not because they gain plea- sure from what can become a difficult and time-consuming chore. I would consider it more than likely that some observers might simply choose not to submit if they considered that their records would be treated with discrimination on the basis that they were the sole observer. If an element of the bird- watching community fails to submit records, the effect could snowball, with other observers feeling a reduced feeling of oblig- ation. Perhaps, rather than the sug- gestion that some records are treated with increased caution, the Committee should be looking at ways to simplify and encourage the process of record submission? Fewer observers may participate in local bird- watching, but, with more observers now having overseas experience and extensive refer- ence sources than ever before, perhaps it is time to reduce rather than increase acceptance standards? So, what are the conse- quences of accepting erroneous records? Records of rarities are extremely interesting, but I per- sonally cannot think of a scien- tific purpose for such records. Scientific findings have credi- bility if they are based on the sta- tistical analysis of large data sets. Any analysis of rarities is there- fore bound to provide vague and inconclusive results, given the very fact that sightings of rare birds are rare. For me. the rarity reports provide hours of fascina- British Birds 93: 44-46, January 2000 45 Letters tion, rather than a scientific data set. In such a light, the odd record which is accepted erroneously is not of critical importance. I may look at birdwatching through rose-coloured specta- cles, but I feel that the hardcore birdwatching community is increasingly sceptical of records Terry Atkinson {Brit. Birds 90: 212) observes that, these days, for most records of rare birds there is a mass of corroborative evidence’ and opines that for a single observer record the only sure way is to assume guilt before innocence.' The observa- tion is correct; in 1997, 84.5% of the national rarities had at least a second witness. The opinion is his to hold, but, representing (as it does to me) the nadir of British birdwatching and recording manners, I cannot share it. of birds which its members do not witness. I personally pre- ferred the day when people mar- velled at a fortunate observer’s luck, rather then trying dismiss a record out of hand Reading the circumstances of the day, and trying to imagine and relive the excitement of a discovery, will Against zeal; for faith I should like to confirm that, in the case of the scores of observers whom 1 have met on three continents over 55 years, I shall continue to proffer my belief in their records (of any bird) without recourse to the ever-more-zealous contortions of the ornithological bureaucra- cies. Holy writ is not dated from 1958 and, if a retrospective or indeed posthumous vote of confidence in the lone bird- watcher and/or adventurous observer is needed, 1 shall be happy to propose it. After all, he always be more exciting to me than a defensive article justify ing the Committee’s actions to the sceptics. Jon Bryant PO Box 619, General Post Office, Conaught Place, Central Hong Kong or she was our progenitor and still is. D. I. M. Wallace Mount Pleasant Farm, Main Road, Anslow, Burton-on-Trent, East Staffordshire DEI 3 9QE EDITORIAL COMMENT We also received a letter expressing similar views from Richard Leighton. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO: In Pembrokeshire Hen Harrier. [ Circus cyaneus] Common: breeds on heaths and furzy moors. White Owl [Barn Owl Tyto alba ] Very common: breeds in cliffs and old castles Red- backed Shrike [Lanius collurio] Common leaves us early in Sep- tember. Common Whitethroat [Sylvia communis ] As its name implies, very common; arrives the latter end of March, and a few individuals stay as late as the first week in November. Ray’s Wagtail [Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flavissima ] Tol- erably common in small flocks, at the latter end of August and Sep- tember, frequenting pasture- fields where cattle are grazing.’ ( Zoologist 8: 2640-2641, January 1850) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO: Black-game in Suffolk For many years Mr. Mackenzie has turned down large numbers of Black-game [Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix ] on his estate near Thet- ford. They have been known to breed, but do not increase.’ {Zoologist 4 (Fourth Series): 89, January 1900) FIFTY YEARS AGO: If political conditions permit, could not the British Trust for Ornithology send one or two good field observers to make exact field-notes of the plumages of Yellow Wagtails [ Motacilla flava], right from Wales to East Siberia?... Such an investigation might throw very interesting light on the problem of the evolu- tion of species. H. G. ALEXANDER {Brit. Birds 43: 32, January 1950) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: As regards straight introduc- tions, the addition of one or more of the European wood- peckers, which are clearly not going to make it on their own. to the fauna of our new forests is worth considering... our new breeding species seem to take a running jump at the English Channel after getting steam up across Europe; Black Wood- peckers [Dryocopus martins ], like Crested Larks [Galerida cristatus ] and Tawny Pipits [An thus campestris ], have gazed at our shores for centuries without, to bring in a fourth metaphor, taking the plunge. BRUCE CAMPBELL. {Brit. Birds 68: 39, January 1975) 46 © British Birds 93: 44-46, January 2000 News and comment Compiled by Wendy Dickson and Bob Scott Phoebe Snetsinger It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Phoebe Snetsinger at the age of 68 in a minibus accident in Madagascar on 23rd November 1999. Phoebe, who lived in Webster Groves, Missouri, USA. began birding in the 1960s. She was diagnosed with cancer in 1981, when she was given just one year to live; this motivated her to travel the World in search of birds. Fortunately, her cancer went into remission, and she continued to travel and amass an impressive list. She reached 8,000 species in 1995, and the latest edition of the Guinness Book of Records credits her with 8,040 species (although her final tally was probably closer to 8,300); she had seen a member of evert' bird family and 90% of all genera. Phoebe was an excellent and extremely knowledgeable birder, and it was a privilege to travel with her. She was a remarkable lady, who will be greatly missed by all who knew her Our sympathies are extended to her husband and four chil- dren. ( Contributed by Iain Robertson ) Global warming A recent issue of BTO News was devoted to the subject of global warming, its effects on birds and how birds can demonstrate that global warming is in fact happening. Laying dates for many of our breeding species are now much earlier than they used to be. The pattern for the Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs fits in well with fluctuations in spring temperature over the last 60 years, even though the temperature increase worldwide has been only 0.6°C over the last 150 years. The possibility of this temperature rise doubling over the next century means that breeding-season changes are likely to be larger than anything we have seen so far. At least the Government now seems to be taking things seriously. In addition to using BTO data as one of the 13 indicators for the Quality of Life', birds feature in three of the 33 indicators of climate change. The species concerned are Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, with its arrival dates being used as an indicator of earlier bird migrations; Chaffinch and Robin Erithacus rubecula , with the timing of their egg-laying dates being used as indicators of changes in the breeding seasons of birds; and Wren Troglodytes troglodytes , with its population levels being used as an indicator of changes reflecting the severity of winter weather. Where would we. and more particularly the Government, be without the BTO and its numerous studies and surveys serviced by its band of volunteer observers? There must be a BTO enquiry out there in which you could become involved Write to BTO. The Nunnery Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU Birds at the cutting edge We rather infrequently mention art exhibitions in this column. If you are intending to enjoy the spectacle of Bewick's Swans’ Cygnus columbianus bewickii and Whooper Swans C. cygnus at the Welney Wildfowl & Wetland Centre this winter, we suggest that you leave time to look at the linocuts and woodcuts by Thelma Sykes. They are on display at the Centre until 9th January 2000. Contact Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Welney; tel: 01353-86071 1 Vultures from the bedroom window If you have any interest in vultures (or a wide range of other raptors), there is a new centre recently opened in southeast Bulgaria that could provide you with all that you want. The Eastern Rhodope mountain area can justifiably claim to be one of the best raptor areas in Europe. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) has recently opened a new visitor centre in the town of Madjarovo, complete with accommodation, restaurant and some superb viewing facilities of the local breeding Griffon Gyps fulvus and Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus. This is the area where the BSPB has estab-lished vulture restaurants that are increasingly attracting Monk Vultures Aegypius monachus and, just occasionally a Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus. On a recent visit, we managed to watch Griffons on their nests and three species feeding, all through our bedroom window. Full details are available from BSPB (UK), 8 Woodlands, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 1UE. Raptors 2000 Under this title, a joint meeting of The Raptor Research Foundation and The World Working Group for Birds of Prey will be held in Eilat, Israel, during 2nd-8th April 2000. The programme looks like an exciting blend of lectures and excursions We wonder, however, whether many North European raptor experts will wish to attend with the conference timed to coincide with a key period in many raptors’ breeding cycle Full details from the conference secretariat, Ortra Ltd. 1 Nirirn Street, POB 9352, Tel Aviv 61092, Israel; tel: ++972-3-6384444. © British Birds 93: 47-50, January 2000 47 Derek Toomer News & comment Young Ornithologists of the Year 30. YOUNG ORNITHOLOGISTS OF THE YEAR 1999. Matthew Slaymaker (Junior winner) and Jeremy Bird (Intermediate winner) with their prizes, Derbyshire, December 1999- The 1999 winners received their prizes at the BTO Annual Conference at Swanwick in December (plate 30). The proceedings were introduced by Robert Gillmor (SWLA judge) and Jeff Baker (BTO judge), and the prizes were presented by Dr Gerold Dobler of Swarovski , representing the 1 1 co-sponsors. There was no entry in the Senior age-group (18-21) in 1999, a situa- tion that we wish to avoid in 2000. So, if you know a young bird- watcher who would like to win a pair of Swarovski binoculars (10x42EL for the Senior winner), a Brasher Boot Co. birding jacket, and several hundred pounds worth of bird books from Christopher Helm, Hamlyn, HarperCollins, New Holland, Pan Macmillan, Pica Press and T&AD Poyser, and a free day at the BTO conference (all three days for the Senior winner), now is the time to encourage him or her to make full use of a field notebook and then submit it in September. Conference dates for your diary 7th-9th April RSPB Members' Weekend. York. Contact: Christine McDowell, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL; tel: 01767 680551. I4th-l6th April BOU Annual Conference & AGM. Leicester European protected bird areas. Contact: Steve Dudley, PO Box 17, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3ES; tel: 01842 750748; fax: 01842 755969; e-mail: Steve. dudley @bou. org.uk I4th-20th August Joint American Ornithologists’ LInion, British Ornithologists' Union and Canadian Ornithologists’ Union Conference. Birds of the Atlantic Rim. St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. Contact: Steve Dudley (see above). 7th October RSPB AGM London. Contact: Christine McDowell (see above). 8th-10th December BTO Annual Conference. Swanwick, Derbyshire. Contact: Nick Carter, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU; tel: 01842 750050; fax: 01842 750030. Sea-defences at Cley Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, must be just about the most famous birdwatching locality in the United Kingdom. In recent years, it has provided home to some of the most famous birdwatchers in the LInited Kingdom. The Cley- Salthouse coastline on the North Norfolk coast is well and truly on the birdwatching map. Just how long it stays on the map is, however, open to debate. With rising sea-levels and the defensive shingle ridge being breached, and potentially breached more frequently, the possibility of safeguarding the famous Cley Marshes must be open to doubt. The Environment Agency has now produced a scheme, which is being presented as a planning application, that will move the existing line of defence. A new sea-wall would be built inland of the existing shingle bank, to provide improved sea defences for the wildlife-rich marshes and the villages of Salthouse and Cley. If the plans are accepted, some of the site would inevitably be lost. The net result appears to be controversy. Ideally, all important wildlife sites threatened by sea- level rise should be safeguarded. Realistically, this will not be possible. The Cley-Salthouse area has large numbers of national and international site designations. It is probably one of the best legally protected sites in the UK. If it proves impossible to protect it - and that decision will presumably be based upon engineering and economic considerations - there is still a legal requirement to ensure that there is no deterioration of the site’s nature conservation value. This could be achieved, if any of the site is lost, only by providing compensatory land of equal wildlife importance elsewhere: a very difficult thing to achieve. Whatever happens, it will certainly create a major legal precedent. Cley will be in the news yet again. 48 British Birds 93: 47-50, January 2000 News & comment Slender-billed Curlew protocol... The debate surrounding the Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris recorded in Northumberland in May 1998 brought home yet again to British birders just how rare this species is on an international scale. It is officially classified as Critical , with an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future (50% chance of extinction in the next ten years). Two recent publications are part of the global effort to conserve the species. A booklet entitled The Conservation of the Slender-billed Curlew by the Hunting Community has been produced with funding from the European Commission's Life-Nature' project. This information brochure is directed specifically towards hunters throughout the range of the Slender-billed Curlew. More relevant to the travelling British birder is the Slender-billed Curlew Observation Protocol, a document intended to improve the current level of data collection concerning the ecology of the species. It is designed to be used by a wide range of observers in diverse field conditions. Anyone who has observed, or may be in areas where he or she is likely to observe, Slender-billed Curlew should consult a copy. Contact Didier Vangeluwe, Conservation Biology Section, IRSNB, Rue Vautier 29B, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium; tel: +32-2-627- 4355. ...and in need of sponsorship BirdLife International is in the process of producing a new book. Threatened Birds of the World, and is seeking sponsors to fund the over 1,200 species currently with a global-threat category. For the sum of £95, an individual can sponsor a species and have his or her name and country printed on the page with the species. There are also possibilities for non-profit-making organisations and commercial companies to sponsor species. The sample pages look impressive, with illustrations, maps, key facts, conservation measures and targets. This has the potential of being the ultimate rare-bird book. Funds raised during the sponsorship will be used to ensure that the book is completed and distributed as widely as possible. If you fancy having your name associated with one of the World's rare birds, contact Naomi Hawkins, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA. Targeting your bird-feeding Mink on the Long Island One of the more regrettable collateral results of the fur trade has been the introduction of predators to many offshore islands. While the worst harm has been caused by the liberation of Arctic Foxes Alopex lagopus that feed on seabirds in Alaska, the establishment of North American Mink Mustela vison farms to take advantage of cheap fish-offal has caused problems in Iceland and Scandinavia. Fortunately, Minks which escaped in the Faroes and Shetland were recaptured, and an attempt to start a new farm in Orkney was halted after a public enquiry some 20 years ago. Some did, however, escape in west Lewis in the late 1960s, and the species is now spreading south in the Outer Hebrides. A workshop was convened by Mink Eradication Scheme Hebrides (MESH) in Stornoway on 1st July 1999. Starting with a description of the biology of the Mink in southwest Scotland, the workshop went on to look at how this species has eliminated waterbird colonies in west Argyll, the situation in Lewis and Harris, and how six wandering males have reached North Uist. MESH has found that eight gull/tern colonies are extinct, and seven more of the remaining 18 (including 277 of 934 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea nests) also failed this year. Looking slightly farther afield was a description of how 200,000 Coypus Myocastor coypus were eliminated from East Anglia at a cost of over £2.5 million, and Brian Bell (New Zealand), perhaps the most famous of island predator eradi- cators, reported on how pests are now being eliminated elsewhere. It was decided to try to raise £1.5 million for an 18-month attempt at eradication of the Mink from South Harris to halt the species’ southward spread. ( Contributed by Bill Bourne) Some years ago, research in the USA helped people to target individual species and attract them to their gardens by careful selection of food and type of feeders provided. Now, trials commissioned by CJ Wildbird Foods and the RSPB along the lines of the American research have come up with some interesting results. For some species, the colour of the feeder is important. While human beings select dark feeders as first choice, with red in second place, the birds change their colour preferences seasonally. In summer, their first choice is blue, while in winter, it is apparently silver. Siskins Carduelis spinus, as we already know, prefer red, while Goldfinches C. carduelis prefer green. If you would like more information on how best to attract certain species to feed in your garden, contact James Maxwell at CJ Wildbird Foods, The Rea, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury SY4 4UB. British Birds 93: 47-50, January 2000 49 News & comment Wigan Flashes and possible Bitterns ... The Leighton Moss RSPB reserve in Lancashire is one of the country's most important sites for Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, but currently lacks suitable near-by sites into which the species can spread. Part of the national plan for the species is to promote an increase in the breeding population by encouraging it to spread outwards from the current nuclei. It is hoped that work now being undertaken at the Wigan Flashes will provide one additional satellite breeding site. This is very much a partnership approach involving the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (which owns much of the land) and the RSPB. The ‘Wigan Flashes Working Group has appointed Mark Champion as Project Officer, and he can be contacted at 4 Swinley Lane, Wigan, Lancashire WN1 2EB; tel: 01942-236337. ... and Cambridgeshire Fens and possible Bitterns ... An area that has the potential to be one of the most exciting nature reserves in East Anglia could well be developed near Needingworth in Cambridgeshire. Hanson Aggregates is seeking planning permission to restore some 750 ha of quarry land to a wetland nature reserve (as opposed to its being turned back to arable) and a water-abstraction licence to take water from the Great Ouse. The eventual reserve, comprising reedbed, grassland and open water, would be capable of supporting up to 20 pairs of Great Bitterns Botaurus stellaris and would be managed by the RSPB. This is a long-term project: it will take some 30 years to set up as the sand and gravel are extracted and the area is restored to wetland. Decisions on the planning permission and abstraction licence are pending. ... and further news for Bitterns The Bittern Action Plan proposes that, on RSPB reserves, there will be an additional 500 ha of reedbed with an extra 25 booming Great Bitterns Botaurus stellaris by 2020 There is still some way to go - perhaps 12 booming males in 1999 - but the target of new reedbeds is looking good, with some 140 ha being created at Lakenheath, Suffolk, 46 ha at Ham Wall, Somerset, and 1 3 ha on Anglesey. In addition, at least 40 ha of reedbed have been rehabilitated and made more suitable for nesting Great Bitterns. A dr I in other work that is under way in counties from Oxford to Dumfries & Galloway, and the future of Great Bitterns in the UK will not be looking poor for want of trying. Bigger is better The largest terrestrial nature reserve in the country is about to come into being by the merging of English Nature’s Moor House National Nature Reserve (NNR) near Alston in Cumbria with Upper Teesdale NNR in County Durham. The new combined reserve will represent as complete a range of upland habitat as is possible, covering over 7,000 ha. Joint management of the two reserves will stream- line the safeguarding not only of the nesting birds, but also of blanket-bog habitats and the rare alpine flora of the high Pennines. Soccer birds Have you ever thought of comparing bird species with your favourite footballers? They have in Blyth. A new leaflet aimed mostly at youngsters, front the award-winning WEB team (Wildlife and the Environment in Blyth) and funded by English Nature, has selected a team of birds to make up a football team. In goal, with its safe pair of claws, is the Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. The small, nippy midfielders include the Wren Troglodytes troglodytes and the Blue Tit Parus caeruleus , while for hefty strikers the Rook Corvus frugilegus and the Magpie Pica pica caught the selectors’ eyes. Citing a bird’s main aim of defending territory as a clear parallel with a game of football will, it is hoped, help youngsters to learn more about birds With that in mind, the leaflet has been distributed by Northumberland County Council to all schools in the county. Hen Harriers hold their own The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Raptor Working Group has released the results of the 1998 nationwide survey of the Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus This shows very little change since the previous survey in 1988. In other words, the population in England remains abysmally low, the result of continued persecu- tion, whilst the mainland of Scotland holds its population. A significant increase in Northern Ireland contrasts with a dramatic decline in Orkney. The UK and Isle of Man held 570 pairs’ in 1998 and 578 pairs in 1988. Further details from David Stroud at the JNCC; tel: 01733-562626. Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds. 50 British Birds 93: 47-50, January 2000 Best Annual Bird Report To provide public acknowledgment of the high quality of local, county and regional bird reports, and to encourage and promote high stan- dards of content and production of annual publications in Britain and Ireland. Established in 1991 Entries should include one copy of the Report, details of number of members in club or society, name and address from whom copies may be purchased, and price (with details of p&p cost). Closing date for entries: 15th December. For full details of the rules, write to Mrs Frances Bucknell, British Birds, Fountains, Park Fane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Past winners: Suffolk (1992), Sheffield (1993), Essex (1994, 1995, 1996), Avon (1996), Norfolk (1996), Essex (1997), Dorset (1998) and Essex (1999). Bird Illustrator of the Year To recognise an artist for the best set of bird illustrations. Amateur and professional artists are invited to submit four line-drawings (of precise specified dimensions) suitable for publication. The subjects should be birds recorded in the Western Palearctic (Europe, North Africa and the Middle East). The winner will receive £100 and an inscribed salver, the two runners-up receive £40 and £25, and all three receive books from the sponsors, Pica Press and T. & A D Poyser, at a Press Reception at the Mall Galleries in London. Established in 1979. Two additional awards are presented: The Richard Richardson Award, for the best work submitted by an artist under 22 years of age, established in 1979 in honour of Richard Richardson, the East Anglian ornithologist and artist; and The PJC Award, for a single work of merit, established in 1987 by David Cook in memory of his wife, Pauline. All the winning entries are displayed at the Society of Wildlife Artists annual exhibition and at the British Birdwatching Fair. Closing date for entries: 15th March. For full details of the rules, write to Mrs Frances Bucknell. British Birds, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Past winners: BIY Crispin Fisher (1979), Norman Arlott (1980 & 1981), Alan Harris (1982), Martin Woodcock (1983), Bruce Pearson (1984), Ian Lewington (1985), Chris Rose (1986), David Quinn (1987), Martin Hallam (1988), John Cox (1989), Gordon Trunkfield (1990), John Davis (1991), John Gale (1992), Richard Allen (1993), Ren Hathway (1994), Andrew Stock (1995), Dan Powell (1996) John M. Walters (1997), Paul Henery (1998) and Brin Edwards (1999); RRA Alan F. Johnston (1979), Andrew Stock (1980), Darren Rees (1981), Keith Colcombe (1982 & 1984), Gary Wright (1983), Ian Lew- ington (1985), Timothy Hinley (1986), Andrew Birch (1987 & 1991), John Cox (1988), Stephen Message (1989), Antony Disley (1990 & 1992), Peter Leonard (1991 & 1993), Max Andrews (1994 & 1995) and Simon Patient (1996, 1997, 1998 & 1999); PJC Award J. S. Lyes (1987), John Hollyer (1988), Darren Rees (1989), Andrew Stock (1990), Dafila Scott (1991), Richard Fowling (1992), John M. Walters (1993), James McCallum (1994), George Woodford (1995), Dan Cole (1996), Paul Henery (1997), George Brown (1998) and Rosemary Powell (1999). Bird Photograph of the Year To recognise the best and most scientifically interesting bird pho- tograph. Up to three colour trans- parencies, each taken during the previous year, may be submitted by each photographer. Preference is given to photographs taken in the Western Palearctic, but those of species on the West Palearctic List taken anywhere in the World are also eligible. The winner will receive a complete 12-volume set of Handbook of the Birds of the World , published by Lynx Edi- cions, and an inscribed salver; the two runners-up will receive £40 and £25; all three winners will also receive books presented by HarperCollins Publishers. An addi- tional award of an engraved goblet and £100 is presented by The Eric Hosking Trust for the highest-placed photograph sub- mitted by an entrant aged 25 or under. Sponsor: HBW. Established in 1976. Closing date for entries: 31st January. For full details of the rules, write to Mrs Frances Buck- nell, British Birds, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Past winners: Michael C. Wilkes (1977), Peter Lowes (1978), Dr Edmund Fel lowes (1979), Don Smith (1980), Richard T. Mills (1981), Dennis Coutts (1982), David M. Cot- tridge (1983), John Lawton Roberts (1984), C. R Knights (1985), Alan Moffett (1986), Dr Kevin Carlson (1987), Bob Glover (1988 & 1992), Hanne Eriksen (1989 & 1990), Philip Perry (1991), Alan Williams (1993 & 1994), Mike Lane (1995), Roger Tidman (1996), Jens Eriksen (1997 & 1998) and Tony Hamblin (1999). Thanks to the Society' ofWildlife Artists and the Federation of British Artists, die award presentations will take place at The Mall Galleries. © British Birds 93: 51-52, January 2000 51 Announcements Young Ornithologists of the Year To encourage and recognise the talent and achievements of young birdwatchers destined to become the leading ornithologists of the future. Prizes worth over £2,000 are presented by 1 1 co-sponsors, to winners in three age classes (14 years and under; 15-17 years; 18-21 years). The judges assess entrants' field notebooks. Established by the RSPB in the 1930s (run by British Birds since 1994). Closing date for entries: 1st September. For full details of the rules, write to Mrs Frances Bucknell, British Birds, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Past winners: JUNIOR Jonathan Dean (1994 & 1995), Matthew Slaymaker (1997 & 1999) and Anthony Price (1998); INTERMEDIATE Simon Patient (1994), Matthew Harding (1995 & 1996), Jonathan Dean & Robert Martin (1997), Jonathan Dean (1998) and Jeremy Bird (1999); SENIOR Stephen Votier (1994), Jane Reid (1995), Oscar Campbell (1996), Matthew Harding (1997) and Ben Phalan (1998). Photographs for ‘European news’ We plan to include more photographs of the actual birds mentioned in our comprehensive, six-monthly compilation of verified records from the whole of Europe, and welcome the submission of photographs of the birds concerned for consideration for publication. As with other photographs in British Birds , the usual payment rates will be applied. Photographs (preferably colour prints, but also original transparen- cies) should be sent to Mrs Frances Bucknell, British Birds, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Free subscriptions for County/ Regional Recorders British Birds and Carl Zeiss Ltd, sponsors of the British Birds Rari- ties Committee, are jointly con- tinuing to offer free annual subscriptions to British Birds to all the County/Regional Recor- ders, as our way of saying Thank you’ to them for the hard work which they contribute to British ornithology in their free time'. Photographs and drawings may be for sale Many of the photographers and artists whose pictures appear in British Birds welcome the opportunity to sell their work. Anyone who wishes to obtain either photographic prints or original drawings is welcome to write (making an enquiry about availability, making an appropriate offer, or seeking the price) to the photographer or artist concerned, c/o Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ. Readership Survey The pull-out questionnaire in the July 1999 issue was aimed pri- marily at providing information on subscribers’ opinions of the journal’s various features and their choice of binoculars and telescopes. It also, however, allows us to assess various aspects of our readers' bird- watching and buying habits. Although primarily of impor- tance to potential advertisers in BB, we feel that readers will also find a brief summary of interest. About half of BB readers are aged 40-59, with one-quarter younger and one-quarter older. Less than half of present sub- scribers subscribed to BB prior to the journal leaving the Macmillan stable in 1980. 76% of subscribers are also RSPB members, 55% belong to their local Wildlife Trust, 50% are BTO members, 14% belong to the BOU, 9% to the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, 3% to Bird- Watch Ireland, and 2% to the Welsh Ornithological Society. Excluding those in public or institutional libraries, 22% of copies of BB are read by from one to six or more people in addition to the personal sub- scriber. Unlike the glossy news-stand magazines, BB is kept perma- nently by 99% of subscribers for future reference. BB readers also buy bird books, the average expenditure being £167 in the past year. BB readers buy new boots, shoes or wellingtons for birdwatching every 2!4 years, a new coat or jacket for birdwatching every 314 years, a new pair of binoculars every five years, a new tripod every 514 years, a new camera or lens every six years, and a new telescope every 6!4 years. The average reader spent £381 on non-optical birdwatching equip- ment in the past year. The average BB reader spent 105 days in the field in the past year. When away from home, 39% stayed in B&B accommoda- tion, 32% stayed in hotels, 16% were camping, and 13% stayed at hostels or bird observatories. In the past year, 62% of sub- scribers travelled abroad on bird- watching trips, for an average of 25 days. Most went under their own steam’; but 31% made use of the services of a bird-tour company. Matt Stonton and J. T. R. Sharrock 52 British Birds 93: 51-52, January 2000 Robin Chittenden 0 Monthly Marathon 31. First-winter Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica, Suffolk, February 1999. There are probably few British Birds readers who did not immediately recognise the bird depicted in November's Monthly Marathon’ (repeated here: plate 31) as a diver Gavia , the only vaguely similar group being the cor- morants Phalacrocorax, which can readily be ruled out by the bill shape. Four species of diver occur in the Western Palearctic, and, when trying to identify them at close range, the best feature to concen- trate on initially is the bill. Red- throated G. stellata and White-billed G. adamsii both have a straight culmen, and the bill is held at an upward angle. This bird clearly has a curved culmen and the bill is held hori- zontally, so it can only be either Black-throated G. arctica or Great Northern G. immer. The latter is significantly larger, but size is impossible to judge in a photograph of a solitary bird. Turning to the feather detail, the bird is clearly in non-breeding plumage, and the pale edges to the upperparts reveal that it is a juvenile. The head is very dark and shows no pale eye-ring and there is no suggestion of a black half-collar at the base of the neck, both of which are features of Great Northern. The white ovai flank patch is strongly indicative of Black-throated, since Great Northerns normally show a white patch that extends forward along the length of the body. Returning to the bill: while the shape could fit either species, most Great Northerns would show a heavier bill than that of this bird Finally, the steep forehead and evenly rounded rear-crown also fit Black-throated (rather than Great Northern, which tends to show a more angular head). From this array of features, most British bird- watchers would confidently identify the bird as a juvenile Black-throated Diver and, since this competition is restricted to Western Palearctic species, that is indeed the answer. There is however, a fifth species of diver in the World that has yet to be recorded in the Western Palearctic, but which could theo- retically occur. This is the Pacific Diver (or Loon) G pacifica , which is the ‘Black-throated Diver' that breeds in most of North America. Its appearance is so similar to Black-throated that it was recognised as a separate species only a few years ago, and its field marks have only recently been diagnosed and described. One of the main differences in non-breeding plumage is that it lacks the white flank patch of Black-throated, so it is possible to rule out that species from our mystery bird as well. 32. Monthly Marathon'. Photo no. 159. Tenth stage in eleventh ‘Marathon’. Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, to arrive by 15th February 2000. For a free SUNBIRD brochure, write to PO Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 IDF, or telephone 01767 682969. © British Birds 93: 53-54, January 2000 53 Monthly Marathon Most entrants (74%) identi- fied this Black-throated Diver, the other 26% all naming it as Great Northern. Two of the ten leaders fell by the wayside, leaving just eight contenders each with a sequence of eight correct answers. The leaders now are Nick Barlow (Coventry), Alex Barter (Wolverhampton), Andrew Duff (Somerset), Paul French (Wolverhampton), Palle Jensen (Denmark), Diederik Kok (Netherlands), Peter Lansdown (Cardiff) and Peter Sunesen (Denmark). David Fisher Monthly Marathon Rules 1 . Only current individual subscribers to British Birds are eligible to take part. Entrants should give their name, address and BB reference on their entry. Only one entry per person each month. 2. Entries must be sent by post, each one on a separate postcard, and be received at the British Birds Editorial Office (Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ) by the stated closing date. Every care will be taken, but, even if negligence is involved, no responsibility can be accepted for non-delivery, non-receipt or accidental loss of entries. 3. All BB subscribers are eligible, except members of the Editorial Board and staff of British Birds , Directors and members of staff of SUNBIRD/WINGS Holidays, and Directors and members of staff of our printers. (Members of BB Notes Panels, the Rarities Committee, and other voluntary contributors - including bird photographers, even if one of their photographs is used in the competition - are eligible unless proscribed above.) 4. To win, a British Birds subscriber must correctly identify the species shown in ten consecutive photographs included in this competition. The Monthly Marathon’ will continue until the prize has been won 5. In the event of two or more BB subscribers achieving the ten-in-a-row simultaneously, the competition will continue each month until one of them (or someone else!) achieves a longer run of correct entries than any other contestant. 6. In the event of any dispute, including controversy over the identity of any of the birds in the photographs, the decision of the Managing Editor of British Birds is final and binding on all parties. 7. No correspondence can be entered into concerning this competition. 8. The name and address of the winner will be announced in British Birds. Announcement: Best Bird Books All books voted Best Bird Book of the Year' which are still in print are available post free to BB subscribers through BB Bookshop every month. Those currently in print are as follows: 1980 Popidation Ecology of Raptors by Ian Newton (Poyser) <£24.50 1983 Seabirds: an identification guide by Peter Harrison (Helm) (3rd edn) <£27.99 1984 Field Guide to the Birds of North America by the National Geographic Society (National Geographic) (3rd edn) £12.99 1985 A Dictionary of Birds edited by Bruce Campbell & Elizabeth Lack (Poyser) £49.95 1986 Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the World by Peter Dayman, John Marchant & Tony Prater (Helm) £29.99 1 988 Wildfowl: an identification guide to the ducks, geese and swans of the World by Steve Madge & Hilary Burn (Helm) £29. 99 1990 A Handbook to the Swallows and Martins of the World by Angela Turner (Helm) £27.99 1991 Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World by Charles G. Sibley & Burt L. Monroe, Jr (Yale) £80.00 1992 Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers: a handbook by C. Hilary Fry, K. Fry & A. Harris (Helm) Pbk £18.99; Hbk £29.99 1993 Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol. 1) edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott & Jordi Sargatal (Lynx Edicions) £110.00 1994 The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland by David Wingfield Gibbons, James B. Reid & Robert A. Chapman (Poyser) £40.00 1995 Woodpeckers: a guide to the woodpeckers, piculets of the Year and wrynecks of the World by Hans Winkler, David A.Christie & David Numey (Pica Press) £30.00 1996 The Birds of Israel by Hadoram Shirihai (Academic Press) £75.00 1997 The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875-1900 compiled by Simon Holloway (Poyser) £25.00 1998 A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal by Clive Barlow, Tim Wacher & Tony Disley (Pica Press) £28.00 1999 Collins Bird Guide by Lars Svensson, Peter J. Grant, Killian Mullarney & Dan Zetterstrom (HarperColIins) £24.99 By ordering all your bird books through BB Birdshop’ (see advertising pages v & vi this month) you will help to subsidise BB, to your own benefit and that of all subscribers. Thank you. 54 British Birds 93: 53-54, January 2000 Compiled by Barry Nightingale & Anthony McGeehan This summary of unchecked reports covers 8th November to 12th December 1999. White-billed Diver Gavici adamsii Filey Brigg (North York- shire), 12th-17th November; another, Flamborough (East York- shire), 13th-14th November. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Stanton Harcourt Dix Pit (Oxfordshire), 9th-14th November; Benbecula (Western Isles), 28th November to 2nd December Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Martin Mere (Lan- cashire), 4th-12th December Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Kilcoole (Co. Wicklow), 4th- 12th December. Tundra Swan Cygnus col limbi anus Columbia mis 'Whistling Swan’, Ardmore Point, Lough Neagh (Co. Tyrone), 25th November. Black Duck Anas rubripes Bannow Harbour (Co. Kerry), 4th-5th December. Canvasback Aythya valisineria Abberton Reservoir (Essex), 8th November to 12th December Lesser Scaup A. affinis Female, Knockaderry Reservoir (Co. Waterford), 13th-21st November. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Cley-Thornham area (Norfolk), 21st November, then other north Norfolk localities until 12th December; long- stayers in East Yorkshire present until at least 22nd November, and in Suffolk until 2nd December. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve (Co. Down), 3rd December Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan First-winter, Newport (Co. Mayo), 3rd December. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Bridlington North Bay (East Yorkshire), 27th November; Drift Reservoir (Corn- wall), 28th November. Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea Alde- burgh/Southwold area (Suffolk), 7th-12th December. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura North Uist (Western Isles), 13th- 15th November Red-rumped Swallow Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 13th November Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Influx into, mainly, east-facing coastal areas of England and Scotland: peak counts included 100 Holme (Norfolk) and 80 Snettisham (Norfolk), 10th November; 54 Stalham (Norfolk) and 70 Overstrand (Norfolk), 15th November: 104 Edinburgh (Lothian), 28th November, rising to 136 by 7th December; 60 Heaton (Northumberland), 19th November, and up to 160 from 23rd November: 35 Aberdeen (Grampian), 28th November; 43 Bradford (West Yorkshire), 27th November; 200 Blaydon (Tyne & Wear), 2nd December; 65 Mid- dlesbrough (Cleveland), and 300 over Vane Farm RSPB Reserve (Tayside), 7th December; numerous flocks of 20 or fewer. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Near Rimac (Lincolnshire), 14th-l6th Nov- ember; with long-stayer still at Cresswell (Northumberland), to at least 16th; Holkham (Norfolk), 27th November to 7th December; Burnham Overy, 9th-12th December Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Abbotsbury (Dorset), 14th- 15th November; Wells Wood (Norfolk), 1 5th- 1 6th November; St Agnes (Scilly), 12th-13th November. Penduline Tit Remiz pen- dulinus Two, Shapwick Heath (Somerset), 12th November; Dungeness (Kent), 2nd December; Berney Marshes (Norfolk), 5th December. Brown Shrike Lanins cristatus Ballyfer- riter (Co. Kerry), 22nd November to at least 10th December (first Irish record). 33- Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus, Co. Kerry, Ireland, November 1999. 34. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti, Norfolk. December 1999. British Birds 93: 55-5 6, January 2000 55 Robin Chittenden J. Harriman Recent reports % 35 & 36. Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus, Stilly, October 1999. 37. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus , Hull, November 1999. 39- American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, October 1999. 38. Ivory Gull Pagophila ebornea, Aldburgh, 40. Mourning Dove Zenaida macrouni, Carinish, Suffolk, December 1999. North Uist, Western Isles, November 1999. > Rare Bird News supplies all its information free to British Birds. Call 0881-888-1 1 1 for the latest, up-to-date news (28p/min cheap rate; 4lp/min other times; including VAT) 56 British Birds 93: 55-56, January 2000 Nic Haliam Tony G. Collinson Phil Palmer BB BookShop Listed books are POST FREE to British Birds subscribers The books included in BB BookShop are recommended by British Birds as reliable, good value and important additions to any birdwatcher’s library. We aim to provide the most prompt, efficient and friendliest service possible. Items ordered through this service are despatched to British Birds subscribers by Subbuteo Natural History Books (a Division of CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd). All correspondence concerning the BB BookShop should be addressed to BB BookShop, c/o Subbuteo NHB, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW, United Kingdom. Best Bird Books of the Year All books voted ‘Best Bird Book of the Year 1983-99’ (listed in full under ‘Announcements’ in this issue, page 54) are available POST FREE. Please order here, giving title(s) and author(s), or on an additional sheet. Book of the Month Robson A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (New Holland) 104 colour plates, 504pp (Special price until 29.2.2000; thereafter £35.00) Special Offers Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye The Birdwatcher’s Handbook (OUP) Flegg & Hosking Eric Hosking’s Classic Birds Limited Edition (HarperCollins) Snow (ed.) The Birds of the Western Palearctic 2-VOLUME CONCISE Edition (OUP) (was £8-95 (usually £50.00 (was £4 50. 00 Paperback Ringbound Paperback Paperback Hardback Paperback Hardback Paperback New this Month Aspinwall, Dylan, Beel & Ellison A Field Guide to Zambian Birds Not Found in Southern Africa (ZOS) Coulcher The Sun Islands: A Natural History of the Isles ofScilly (Book Guild) Francis & Shirihai Ethiopia: In search of endemic birds (Francis) Jackson Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World (Antique Collectors’ Club) Lockwood, McKinney, Paton & Zimmer A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande (ABA) Reeves Hedgehogs (Poyser) Coming Soon - Order Now Clements Birds of the World - A Checklist. 5th Edition (Pica Press) DUE FEBRUARY Kazmierczak & van Perlo A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Pica Press} NOW DUE MARCH 2000 Kennedy, Gonzales, Dickinson, Miranda & Fisher A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 MacKinnon & Phillipps A Field Guide to the Birds of China (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 Mead The State of the Nation’s Birds (Whittet) DUE SPRING 2000 Ranft & Konig Owls: Double CD DUE SPRING 2000 Short & Horne Toucans, Barbets and Honeyguides (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 Urban, Fry & Keith Birds of Africa Volume 6, Picathartes to Oxpeckers (Academic Press) DUE SUMMER 2000 Recommended Books Europe & Western Palearctic Adamian & Klem A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia (AUA) Field cover Hardback Baker Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm) Beaman & Madge The Handbook of Bird Identification: Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm) British Birds The British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic Cramp Birds of the Western Palearctic (OUP) volumes 1-7, 9 - £90 each volume 8 - £95 avoid □ vol.2 [_) vol.3 □ vol.4 (_) vol.5 □ vol.6 Q vol.7 Q vol.8 Q vol.9 BCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds (Poyser) Harris, Tucker & Vinicombe The Macmillan Field Glide to Bird Identification (Macmillan) Jonsson Birds of Europe With North Africa and the Middle East (Helm) reprint Paperback Hardback Kightley, Madge & Nurney Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe (Pica Press) Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom & Grant Collins Bird Guide - The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain & Europe (HarperCollins) Best Bird Book OF 1999 Peterson, Mountfort & Hollom Collins Field Guide: Birds of Britain & Europe 5th edition (HarperCollins) Sacchi, Ruegg & Laesser Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland (Helm) Paperback North America Griggs Collins Pocket Guide: Birds of North America (HarperCollins) National Geographic A Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd Edition Paperback Pranty A Birder’s Guide to Florida (ABA) Pyle Identification Guide to North American Birds Part 1 . Columbidae to Ploceidae (Slate Creek) Schram A Birder’s Guide to Southern California (ABA) Taylor A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona (ABA) South & Central America & Caribbean de la Pena & Rumboll IllustratedJChecklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica (HarperCollins) Paperback Paperback Q vol.2 Paperback £29.99 □ £35.00 ffrench A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Helm) Howell & Webb Where to Watch Birds in Mexico (Helm) Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith & Raffaele Birds of the West Indies (Helm) Ridgely & Tudor The Birds of South America (OUP) vol. 1 £70.00 Rodner, Restall & Lentino Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America (Pica Press) Stiles & Skutch A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica (Helm) Africa, Middle East & Indian Ocean Islands, Barlow, Wacher & Disley A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal (Pica Press) Garbutt Mammals of Madagascar (Pica Press) Harris, Shirihai & Christie The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European & Middle Eastern Birds (Macmillan) Keith, Urban & Fry The Birds of Africa (Academic) Volumes: 1 £85 Q 2 £85 Q 3 £85 (_) 4 £85 Q 5 Kemp Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands (New Holland) f 35.99 (*39.99 (*32.00 £65.00 £2.00 [24.99 [14.99 [14.99 (16.99 [12.99 [21.00 [27.95 [25.95 [18.50 [19.99 [32.00 [19.99 [35.00 [70.00 [14.95 [40.00 £28.00 £30.00 £ 1 7.99 £99.00 £19.99 Kingdon The Kingdom Field Guide to African Mammals, (Academic Press) Morris & Hawkins Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide (Pica Press) Porter, Christensen & Schiermacker-Hansen Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East (Poyser) Sinclair, Hockey &Tarboton Saso! Birds of Southern Africa (New Holland) Sinclair & Langrand Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (New Holland) van Perlo Collins Illustrated Checklist Birds of Southern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback van Perlo Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Eastern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (Helm) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya and North. Tanzania (Helm) Paperback Asia & Pacific Coates & Bishop A Guide to the Birds ofWallacea (Dove) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Helm) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent Paperback Gurung & Singh Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent (Academic Press) Paperback Harrison & Worfolk Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka (OUP) Paperback £ 29.95 L) Hardback Inskipp, Inskipp & Grimmett Field Guide to the Birds of Bhutan Paperback Inskipp, Lindsey & Duckworth An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region (OBC) Jeyaraiasingam & Pearson A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore (OUP) Paperback Hardback Kazmierczak & Singh A Birdwatchers’ Guide to India (Prion) Lekagul & Round A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (Saha Karn Bhaet) Australasia Heather & Robertson Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand (OUP) Paperback Hardback Higgins, Marchant & Davies Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds (OUP) 4 volumes □ vol.l □ vol.2 □ vol.3 at £135.00 each □ vol.4 £125.00 Simpson & Day A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm) Paperback Thomas & Thomas The Complete Guide to Finding Birds in Australia (Thomas) Paperback £29.95 £28.00 £29.95 £19.99 £17.99 £19.99 £16.99 £40.00 £16.99 ;25.00 ;50.00 £24.99 £13.95 a a World del Hoyo, Elliott & Sargatal Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx) Q vol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 Q vol.4 Q vol. 5 £1 10.00 each Wells World Bird Species Checklist: with alternative English and scientific names (Worldlist) £29.50 Q Monographs Byrkjedal & Thompson Tundra Plovers: The Eurasian, Pacific and American Golden Plovers and Grey Plover (Poyser) £27.95 Chantler & Driessens Swifts Second Edition (Pica Press) £28.00 Chapman The Hobby (Arlequin) £19.95 Clark & Schmitt A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, The Middle East and North Africa (OUP) Paperback £25.00 Hardback £55.00 Cleere & Nurney Nightjars (Pica Press) (accompanying CD £14.99) Q £30.00 Densley In Search of Ross’s Gull (Peregrine Books) £34.95 Feare & Craig Starlings and Mynas (Helm) £32.00 Forsman The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification (Poyser) £29.95 Fuller The Great Auk (Fuller) £45.00 Isler & Isler Tanagers (Helm) Paperback £29.99 Jamarillo & Burke New World Blackbirds - the Icterids (Helm) £35.00 Juniper & Parr Parrots: a guide to the Parrots of the World (Pica Press) £35.00 Komg,Weick & Becking Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World (Pica Press) £35.00 Lefranc & Worfolk Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World (Pica Press) £25.00 Matthysen The Nuthatches (Poyser) £24.95 Olsen & Larsson Skuas and Jaegers (Pica Press) £24.00 Taylor & van Perlo Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World (Pica Press) £35.00 Recordings, Videos & CD-ROMs Please add £2.25 p&p per order Cramp et al. Birds of the Western Palearctic on CD-ROM (OUP) Doherty Eastern Rarities: The Birds of Beidaihe (Bird Images) VIDEO Doherty The Raptors of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Video Doherty The Warblers of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) VIDEO Doherty Shorebirds vol.l (Bird Images) Video Dunn The Large Gulls of North America (Bird Images) Video Oddie Bill Odaie’s Video Guide to British Birds (Bird Images) Video Roche Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Europe (Sitelle/Wildsounds) £233.83 □ £16.95 p £16.95 p £16.95 p £16.95 M £16.95 r £16.95 p 4 CDs £49.95 □ Binders The British Birds Binder (holds 12 issues & index) New Size Only Wirex retaining-£7.95 Q Cordex retaining-£7.95Q All special offer prices are valid only for January 2000 (and, for overseas customers only, during the following month). Other prices quoted are subject to any publishers increases. Overseas insurance optional, but recommended if available (please enquire). Make all cheques and POs payable to Subbuteo NHB. 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Semi-display: Mono. <£15 per see (width 40mm) or £32 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. (All rates exclude vat at 17.5%) Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds Ltd. Copy deadline: 10th of the month Contact: Sandra J. Swift, British Birds Advertising Sales. 17 Rector}' Close, Wendlebury, Oxon 0X6 8PG. Tel: 01869 244447. Fax: 01869 245533. E-mail: sandra@britishbirds.co.uk BOOKS NEW BIG YEAR RECORD FOR N.A. Sandy Komito’s new book, I Came, I Saw, I Counted, describes his record- setting year in 1998 where he recorded 745 species in North America. 355 pages hard covered includes 16 pages of rarities in full colour. $42.00 US$$ includes shipping. Bergen Publishing, 41-76 Rys Terrace, Fair Lawn. NJ 07410 or Skomito@msn.com BIRD BOOKS BOUGHT AND SOLD. Send A5 s.a.e. for catalogue. Visit our shop and see our extensive collection. Hawkridge Books, The Cruck Barn, Cross St, Castleton, Derbyshire S30 2WH.Tel: 01433 621999- Fax: 01433 621862 RARE AND OUT OF PRINT books on Ornithology. Isabelline Books. Tel: 01392 201296. Fax: 201663 The original BIRDWATCHER’S LOGBOOK The most concise way to record your observations. Monthly, annual and life columns for 762 species, plus 159 diary pages. Send £6.95 inclusive P/P to: Coxton Publications, ! Eastwood, Beverley Rd, Walkington, Beverley, HU17 8RP. 01482 881833 FOR SALE THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS CLUB has a large selection of duplicate British and Foreign journals, reports, magazines, etc. for sale. Proceeds go to the Club’s Waterston Library. Send details of your requirements or a large SAE for a list to the Librarian, SOC, 21 Regents Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BT, or Fax: 0131 558 9947. BIRD JOURNAL BACK NUMBERS SUPPLIED. ( BB,Bird Study, County Reports, etc.) David Morgan, Whitmore, Umberleigh, N. Devon EX37 9HB BRITISH BIRDS 1979-88 BOUND, 1989-94 unbound. Mint condition. £115 ono. Tel: 0191 548 6803 ARTWORK FOR SALE SEABIRD/TERN PLATES FROM CONCISE BWP. Reasonable prices. Write for list: Andrew Mackay, 68 Leicester Road, Markfield, Leics LE67 9RE HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION Scotland MORVERN (DRIMNIN) HOLIDAY COTTAGES. Beautifully situated by Sound of Mull. Superb walking and wildlife. No pets. Open all year £100£.175 fully inclusive. Tel/Fax: 01967 421308 Overseas PROVENCE, CAMARGUE. Farm cottage, also b&b. Rogers, Mas d’Auphan, Le Sambuc, 1 3200 ARLES, France. Tel: (0033) 49097204 1 . Fax: (0033) 490972087 BIRDWATCHING HOLIDAYS BIRD HOLIDAYS. Professionally led worldwide birding tours. Relaxed pace. Free brochure: write to Bird Holidays, 10 Ivegate, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7 RE or phone 01133 910510 (ATOL 3586). VENEZUELA for the best in neotropical birding. Economical small group and private trips, guided or independent, expert or beginner. Geodyssey — the Venezuela specialists: 0171 281 7788 (ATOL 5292) NEW ZEALAND / SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS. Join us for rare and interesting endemics, the world s finest collection of seabirds and spectacular scenery: MANU TOURS, 106 Ocean Beach Road, Tairua 2853, New Zealand. Phone/Fax: (64) (7) 864-7475. Email manu.tours@xtra.co.nz AUSTRALIA: LOTUS LODGE, 200+ species of birds. Resident naturalists, outback experience. Extensive variety of flora and fauna in far north Queensland. 1 !4 hour flight north of Cairns. Superior accommodation. Excellent cuisine. Tel: 617 4059 0773 Fax: 617 4059 0703. web: http://www.cairns.aust.com/lotus bird SPANISH PYRENEES / BIRDWATCHING Centre. Birders dream guesthouse near Wallcreeper & Lammergeier sanctuary. FB £150 pppw. 8-day programme for individuals, couples, friends. Visiting: S. J. Pena, Hecho, Guara, Riglos, steppes. £550 incl. accomm, guide, transport. Tailor-made walking/birding tours. Tel/fax John Moody 01454 613993. Brochure: Boletas 22192 Loporzano-Huesca. email: boletas@abaforum.es Web: www.firamedinet.com/boletas ELLERY ESTATE - MOST ATTRACTIVE choice of self-catering cottages and chalets situated on the shores of Loch Caolisport. While you are at Ellery you are free to go wherever you please. There are hill walks, many lochs and burns where you can fish, numerous wildlife, birds, flowers, etc. The perfect location for the true country lover. For full colour brochure please write to: The Booking Office, Ellery 7, Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8PA.Tel: 01880 770232/770209. Fax: 01880 770386. AT TITCHWELL overlooking reserve and sea THE THREE HORSESHOES INN offers en-suite rooms, home cooked food, classical music, convivial atmosphere. BIRDERS BREAKS - Winter rate until 31st March 2000: £29. 50 pppn for DB+B, min. 2 nights, 2 persons sharing, excluding Bank Holidays. Please telephone 01485-210202 for brochure/reservations. Australia Kimberley and the interior exclusive Birdwatching Tours individually arranged for groups of maximum 4 Birdwatching Aficionados Jonny Schoenjahn Fax +61 8 9192 7708 P0 Box 5493 Broome WA 6726 Australia BIRDER’S HAVEN BIRDERS HAVEN Bed and Breakfast for the Birding Community “GLENDAWEENA’S” Books, Tapes, Knicknacks and More Stars Reservations: (409) 286-5362/Dallas: (214) 824- 5390 Fax: (409) 286-5661 /Dallas Fax: (214) 824-3834 E-mail: www.glendaweena@apl.com www. imu met/website/bi rds 2081 WINNIE, HIGH ISLAND, TEXAS 77623 Come to Donana, the wild heart of Spain. Professionally led birding - botany excursions. Small groups and individuals. All year round. Charming guesthouse facing the marshes. Transfer from airport. Personalised stays. Full board from £20. All inc. 6 days from £195. Ltd Aguila Imperial I 50. 21750 El Rocio, Huelva, Spain. Tel/Fax: 0034 959 442466. E-mail: donana@sistelnet.es Information and prices: www.sistelnet.es/donana CASSOWARY HOUSE Rainforest Guest House Cassowaries! Riflebirds! Red-necked Crakes = A great birding destination. 14 regional endemics aroun Atherton Tablelands, plus ah Cairns/Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful relaxing location, excellent food, expert local guiding. Phil and Sue Gregory. Phone: (61) 740 937318 Fax: (61) 740 939855 E-mail: sicklebill@internetnorth.com.au Website: www.cassowary-house.com.au Cassowary House, Blackmountain Road, PO Box 387, Kuranda 4872, Queensland, Australia. BIRD INFORMATION PAGERS Specialist Local news service plus National news too from Rare Bird Alert Call Dick Filby now on 01603 456789 for a full information pack OPTICAL EQUIPMENT KOWA 60mm SCOPE with X20, X27WA and W40 eyepieces. Zeiss Dialyt 10X40B bins. Siik tripod and strap. A bargain at £300 the lot! Ring 01273 276736 or email colin_piper_55@hotmail.com Ace Optics of Bath THE BEST DEALS IN OPTICS ALL TOP BRANDS INC. QUESTAR TEL: 01225-466364 16 Green Street. Bath BA1 2JZ OPTICAL EQUIPMENT Binoculars & Telescopes Top Makes , Top Models, Top Advice , Top Deals, Part Exchange Show Room Sales 01925 730399 'Mnii Otden- 07000 247392 Credit/debit cards accepted (JilJDtOiktfS Birdwatching Holidays 2000 P web: www.wildwings.co.uk fax no: 0117 961 0200 amjggffiEEEiB brochure line: 0117 961 087^ email: wildinfo@wildwings.co.uk International House Bank Road Kingswood Bristol BS15 8LX British Birds Young Ornithologists of the Year Eligibility Birdwatchers aged under 22 living in Britain or Ireland. Age-categories Under 15, 15-17, and 18-21 years (on closing date, 1-9-2000) Prizes Binoculars, bird books and equipment totalling over £.2,500 supplied by 11 co-sponsors. Requirements Entrants should submit their field notebook in which they have recorded their observations during the previous eight months or more, together with any other permanent records which they maintain. (Also supply: date of birth and a SAE for return of the notebook.) Closing date 1st September. Sponsors Brasher Boot Co., British Trust for Ornithology, Hamlyn, HarperCollins, Christopher Helm, New Holland, PanMacmillan, Pica Press, T. & A. D. Poyser, Swarovski and WildWings. This annual competition is run by the monthly journal British Birds and is supported by the British Ornithologists’ Union, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Society of Wildlife Artists, the British Birds Rarities Committee and the YOC. The six judges represent these organisations. The aim of the competition is to foster, encourage and reward the careful recording and reporting of observations. The intention is to encourage today’s generation of birders so that they become the ornithologists and conservationists of the future. For further details and to which entries should be submitted: YOY. British Birds, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ Tel: 01767 640025 Guidelines for Contributors British Birds publishes material dealing with original observations on the birds of the Western Palearctic. Except for records of rarities, papers and notes are normally accepted for publication only on condition that the material is not being offered in whole or in part to any other journal or magazine. Photographs and drawings are welcomed. Referees are used where appropriate, and all submissions are reviewed by the British Birds Editorial Board or Notes Panels. Submissions should be in duplicate, typewritten, with double spacing and wide margins, and on one side of the paper only, accompanied by a word- processed version on disk. Both IBM- compatible (PC) and Macintosh disks are acceptable, and most word-processing applications can be easily translated, so long as they are reasonably current. If you are not using an up-to-date, standard program, it is best to submit your paper or contribution in two versions on disk: one in the original word-processed format and one in a basic text format such as RTF (Rich Text Format). The approximate position of figures and tables should be clearly indicated on the hard copy of the text. Figures should be in black ink on good-quality tracing paper or white drawing paper; lettering should be inserted lightly in pencil; captions should be typed on a separate sheet. Please discuss computer-generated maps and tables with the designer before starting on them; the software you use may not be compatible. Photographs should be either 35mm transparencies or high-quality prints. Only transparencies will be considered for a front-cover image. Papers should be concise and factual, taking full account of previous literature and avoiding repetition as much as possible. Opinions should be based on adequate evidence. Authors are encouraged to submit their work to other ornithologists for critical assessment and comment prior to submission. Such help received should be acknowledged in a separate section. For main papers, an abstract summarising the key results and conclusions should be included, but should not exceed 5% of the total length. Authors should carefully consult this issue for style of presentation, especially of references and tables. English and scientific names and sequence of birds should follow The British Birds’ List of Birds of the Western Palearctic (1997); or, for non-West Palearctic species, Monroe & Sibley (1993), A World Checklist of Birds. Names of plants should follow Dony et al. (1986), English Names of Wild Flowers. Names of mammals should follow Corbet & Harris (1991), The Handbook of British Mammals , 3rd edition. Topographical (plumage and structure) and ageing terminology should follow editorial recommendations (Brit. Birds 74: 239- 242; 78: 419-427; 80: 502). Authors will receive proofs for checking which they are required to return promptly. Authors of main papers (but not notes or letters) will receive ten free copies of the journal (five each to two or more authors). Further copies may be available on request in advance, but will be charged for. Don’t miss our £990 selection NeturetreK for 2000 These action-packed, long-haul birding tours - each led by an expert local ornithologist - offer excellent value for money, and outstanding birding. If you would like further details of a particular tour, please call us now! Naturetrek Cheriton Mill, Cheriton Alresford, Hampshire S024 ONG Tel: 01962 733051 Fax: 01962 736426 e-mail: info@naturetrek.co.uk web: www.naturetrek.co.uk CANADA’S BAY OF FUNDY Spring migration on Canada’s Grand Manan Island. 26 May - 03 Jun 2000 ETHIOPIA Addis, Gafersa, Awash National Park, Wondo Guenet & Rift Valley Lakes. 18-27 Feb 2000 14-23 Apr 2000 17-26 Nov 2000 ETHIOPIAN ENDEMICS Debre Libanos, Solulta, Ankober, Lakes, Wondo Guenet & Bale Mountains. 25 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 24 Nov - 03 Dec 2000 GAMBIA A variety of localities along the Gambia River. 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 INDIA Delhi, Ranthambore & Bharatpur. 18-26 Feb 2000 14-22 Apr 2000 17- 25 Nov 2000 KAZAKHSTAN Deserts, steppes & Tien Shan Mountains. 11-19 May 2000 18- 26 May 2000 25 May - 02 Jun 2000 MALAWI Lake Malawi, Zomba Plateau & Liwonde National Park. 19-28 Feb 2000 11- 20 Mar 2000 NAMIBIA Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Spitskoppe, Etosha & Waterberg Mountains. 21-30 Jan 2000 18- 27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 NEPAL Chitwan, Koshi & Kathmandu Valley. Departures every Friday throughout Jan & Feb 2000 05-14 May 2000 19- 28 May 2000 NEPAL - THE TRAGOPAN TREK A 1 0-day tour including Langtang Valley trek. 12- 21 May 2000 26 May - 04 Jun 2000 SOUTH AFRICA Kruger National Park & Dullstroom. 18-27 Feb 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SOUTHERN MOROCCO The desert, Oued Massa, Oued Sous & Marrakech. 18-27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SRI LANKA Sinharaja Forest & the Hill Country. 09- 18 Jan 2000 18-27 Mar 2000 12-21 Aug 2000 18-27 Nov 2000 TANZANIA Mikumi National Park, and the Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountains. 18- 27 Feb 2000 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 TEXAS Spring migrants along the Gulf coast of Texas. 15- 23 Apr 2000 THAILAND Khao Yai, Doi Inthenon, Doi Suthep & Doi Pui. 04-13 Feb 2000 10- 19 Nov 2000 UAE & OMAN with Colin Richardson. 27 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 16- 23 Apr 2000 12-19 Nov 2000 USA - NEW ENGLAND Spring migration on the Massachusetts coast. 14- 22 May 2000 ZAMBIA South Luangwa National Park. 19- 28 Feb 2000 15- 24 Apr 2000 04-13 Nov 2000 ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Volume 93 Number 2 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 British Birds Managing Editor Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Personal Assistant Frances Bucknell Assistant Editor David A. Christie Editorial Board I. Carter, Dr R. J. Chandler, Dr M. Collinson, R. J. Prytherch, N. J. Redman, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Design Mark Corliss Photographic Research Robin Chittenden Advertising Sales Manager Sandra J. Swift Circulation Manager Erika Sharrock Administration Sally Young Rarities Committee Chairman Prof. Colin Bradshaw Hon. Secretary Michael J. Rogers Paul Harvey, John McLoughlinJohn Martin, Doug Page, Adam Rowlands, Ken Shaw, Dr Jimmy Steele, Andy Stoddart, Reg Thorpe, Grahame Walbridge Archivist John Marchant Statistician Peter Fraser Museum consultant Ian Lewington Behaviour Notes Panel Dr C. J. Bibby, Ian Dawson, Dr J. J. M. Flegg, Prof I. Newton FRS, Dr M.A. Ogilvie, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock, Dr K. E. L. Simmons Identification Notes Panel Prof. Colin Bradshaw, Dr R. J. Chandler, R. A Hume, T. P Inskipp, P. G. Lansdown, S. C. Madge, I. S. Robertson, K. E.Vinicombe Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies £63. 50, $ 1 16.00 Personal subscriptions UK, Europe, surface mail: £50.00, $91.00 Outside Europe, airmail:£83.00, $151.30 Concessionary rate £37.50, $68.25 (National, Regional & County bird club members) Young Ornithologist’s rate £25.00 (YOC only) Please make all cheques payable to British Birds Ltd. Single back issues £6.20, $ 1 1 .80 Available from David Morgan, British Birds, Whitmore, Umberleigh, North Devon EX37 9HB Please make cheques payable to David Morgan Rarities Issue £10 - available only from BB Administration Office, Mountfield. Head Office Accounts & Administration Sally Young, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr. Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01580 882039 Fax: 01580 880541 Design & Production Philippa Leegood.The Banks, Mountfield, Nr. Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01580 882039 Fax: 01580 880541 E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Office Papers, notes, letters, artwork, journals, etc. Dr J.T. R. Sharrock, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK 44 3NJ Tel/Fax: 01767 640025 E-mail: editor@britishbirds.co.uk Personal Assistant Frances Bucknell, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ Tel/Fax: 01767 640025 Subscriptions Erika Sharrock, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ Tel/Fax: 01234 364366 E-mail: subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Advertising Sales Sandra J. Swift, 17 Rectory Close, Wendlebury, Oxfordshire OX6 8PG Tel: 01869 244447 Fax: 01869 245533 E-mail: sandra@britishbirds.co.uk BB Bookshop c/o Subbuteo Books, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW Tel: 01352 756551 Fax: 01352 756004 E-mail: sales@subbooks.demon.co.uk ‘News & comment’ information Bob Scott & Wendy Dickson, 8 Woodlands, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE 19 1UE Tel : 0 1 480 2 1 4904 Fax: 0 1 480 473009 ‘The Ornithological Year’ bird news Barry Nightingale & Keith Allsopp, 7 Bloomsbury Close, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK17 9QS Tel: 01525 290314 Rarity descriptions M. J. Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, Cornwall TR26 3AZ Front-cover photograph: Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Langham, Norfolk, March 1996 ( Robin Chittenden ) For our 2000 brochure, CALL Limpsa f-fo (/Lw&y s When it comes to birdwatching tours, the decision is easy - our 2000 brochure is clearly out in front! France • Holland • Spain • Greece • Cyprus • Lesbos Austria • Finland & Arctic Norway • Iceland • Hungary Bulgaria • UAE • Morocco • Egypt • Israel • Oman Gambia • Kenya • Ethiopia • South Africa • Madagascar Galapagos • Brazil • Trinidad & Tobago • Costa Rica Mexico • Florida • Point Pelee • Canadian Rockies India • Nepal • Sri Lanka • Malaysia & Borneo New Zealand • Papua New Guinea & Australia (2f„, 01263 578143 Limosa Holidays Suffield Flouse, Northrepps, Norfolk NR27 OLZ E-mail: limosaholidays@compuserve.com Fax: 01263 579 251 j|> Advertise here All advertising rates remain unchanged for 2000 Take advantage of these! For all your advertising enquiries or a Media Pack contact Sandra Swift, Advertising Sales Manager Telephone: 01869 244447 Fax: 01869 245533 or Email: sandra@britishbirds.co.uk Fieldscope EDIU A For views like this, depend on nothing less For serious birdwatching, you need serious equipment. Equipment that stands up to all types of conditions. And for that you can do no better than the Nikon Fieldscope III series. Because they deliver the outstanding optical per- formance and reliability demanded by those for whom birdwatching is more than a casual hobby. The Nikon Fieldscope HI series employ O-rings and nitrogen gas for waterproof log-free performance. Plus all lenses are multilayer coated for light transmission that’s as much as 10% brighter than previous models. They also boast a built-in slide hood constructed of shock- absorbing rubber. Binoculars 8x32SE CF/10x42SE CF/12x50SE CF/8x42HG DCF WP/10x42HG DCF WP For more mobile performance, Nikon bino lenses are ideal. All lenses are multilayer co; and feature an original field flattener lens a eyepiece design for crisp images across the c lens. They also offer a high eyepoint to ens a clear field of view even for eyeglass wearei And the protein-compound rubber coating offers superior shock-resistance and a firm { 8x42HG DCF WP NIKON UK LTD. (for The United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland) 380 RICHMOND ROAD, KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES, SURREY KT2 5PR TEL: (0181) 541-4440 FAX: (0181) 541-4584 LITERATURE LINE: 0800-230220 (local call only) EIRE BROCHURE LINE: 1800-409-282 btbSfcR For a closer look at Nikon’s range of Binoculars, Fieldscopes and Spotting Scopes simply visit any of the dealers listed below. All of these outlets stock a wide range of Nikon equipment. Focus Optics, Church Lane, Corley, Coventry CV7 8BA. Tel: 01676 540 501 Harrods Photographic Dept, Knightsbridge, London SW1 Tel: 0171 225 5717 Jacobs Photo & Video, 97-99 Corporation Street, Birmingham B4 6SX.Tel: 0121 233 4196 Jacobs Photo & Video, 6 1 Granby Street, Leicester LEI 6ER.Tel: 0116 254 4572 Jacobs Photo & Video, 16 Cross Street, Manchester M2 7AE.Tel: 0161 834 7500 Jessops, 282 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3EH. Tel: 0141 331 2201 Jessops, 99-101 Clarence Street, Kingston KT1 1QY. Tel: 0181 546 5622 Jessops, 125 Hinckley Road, Leicester LE3 0TE. Tel: 0116 253 0121 Jessops, 65-69 New Oxford Street, London WC1 A 1BG. Tel: 0171 240 6077 Jessops, 50-52 Deansgate, Manchester M33 2SE. Tel: 0161 835 2404 Kingsley Photographic Ltd, 93 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P OHL.Tel: 0171 387 6500 London Camera Exchange, 15 The Square, Winchester, Hampshire S023 9ES.Tel: 01962 866 203 Park Cameras, 115 Church Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH1 5 9AA. Tel: 01444 243 316 J. H. Preston & Son, 39 James Street, Harrogate, N. Yorks HG1 1QY. Tel: 01423 503 187 The Camera Shop, 50 High Street, Lymington Hampshire S041 9 AG. Tel: 01590 673 541 Vic Odden’s, 5 London Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX. Tel: 0171 378 6149 Walters Photo-Video, 6 Morlais Buildings, Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan CF47 8DL. Tel: 01685 723 419 Warehouse Express, PO Box 659, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 lUJ.Tel: 01603 626 222 These dealers we feel can offer you the very best in terms of both advice and range on Nikon’s binoculars and related products. For more information telephone 0800 230220 Nikon - manufacturers of binoculars since 1918. Nikon on the Net http://www.nikon.co.uk Nikon World-Wide Birdwatching ■ Wildlife & Photographic Holidays The N a t u r a l Leaders Tours stilt available for 2Q&0 UTAH & Grand Canyon SOUTH AFRICA BOTSWANA (Luxury &- Camping Safaris) AUSTRALIA HUDSON BAY MADAGASCAR DANUBE DELTA Contact us NOW / for our full programme of competitively priced world-wide tours 49 Sandy Road • Norton • Stourbridge • DY8 3AJ 01384 372013 email: aviantours@argonet.co.uk The dependable, experienced, worldwide mail order book service. Specialists in all aspects of the natural sciences, birdlife and wildlife, plus travel books, guides and maps. FREE 2000 CATALOGUE ON REQUEST TEL: +44(0)1352 756551 FAX: +44(0)135*6004 E-mail: Sales@subbooks.demon.co.uk www.subbooks.demon.co.uk PISTYLL FARM, NERCWYS, Nr. MOLD. FLINTSHIRE CH7 LEAN . UK For more information or a brochure contact: Pica Press, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01 580 880561 Fax: 0 1 580 88054 1 Birds of the World A Checklist James F Clements A total of approximately 9,800 species of birds is treated in this completely revised volume. Each species is given its scientific name, followed by a full listing of all currently recognised subspecies and brief descriptions of their ranges. A remarkable book which will prove an invaluable tool to everyone with an interest in birds. Hardback; 280 x 2 1 6mm; 848 pages £35 ISBN 1-873403-93-3 A Series of Four Collector’s Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles for British Birds A series of four jigsaw puzzles with exclusive designs. Each 250 piece puzzle contains Victorian ‘whimsies’ No 1 “Mrs Invisible” Camouflaged Capercaillie by Christer Kalenius No 3 “Lunch Time ” Adult and juvenile Eurasian Jays by Tony Hamblin No 2 “On the Look Out” Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters by Hanne & Jens Eriksen No 4 “ Lazy Lady” Female Red-necked Phalarope by Nick Dymond To order your jigsaw puzzle(s), simply complete and return this form to: Jigsaw, British Birds, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY. Please send me the following boxed jigsaw puzzles at £24.99 each (£27.99 outside UK): (Qty) Puzzle No 1 (Qty) Puzzle No 2 (Qty) Puzzle No 3 (Qty) Puzzle No 4 I enclose a cheque for £ (Total)/Please charge my Credit Card: Visa □ Mastercard □ Card Number: / / / / / / / / / / / / / Expiry date: Name: Address: Tel No: British Birds HSYcmv .v. 1 PP 2 PRESEF-'T^n TR!MG v Volume 93 Number 2 February 2000 58 ‘European news’ becomes The European Bird Report’ 59 The influx of redpolls into Western Europe, 1995/96 Dr R. Riddington, S. C. Votier and J. Steele 68 Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes : an identification review based on the 1995/96 influx S. C. Votier, J. Steele, K. D. Shaw and A. M. Stoddart 85 Birds Britannica Mark Cocker 86 Minutes of the 5th Conference of European Rarities Committees Dr Tom Conzemius Regular features 84 Looking back 89 Notes Combined mobbing of Northern Goshawk by three other raptor species Ricard Gutierrez and Jordi Figuerola Adult Mallards repeatedly diving Colin Davies Common Buzzard feeding on apple Michael W. Tyler Feeding behaviour of Osprey on long passage stopover Barrie Wlntehall Juvenile plumage of European sandgrouse Shelley Hinsley and Dr Peter Ferns Common Sandpiper diving to escape Merlin Terje D'slevand 94 Letters Taxonomix status of bernicla and nigricans Brent Geese George Sangster Emerging new species Chris Wheeler Moult and age of first-year white-winged gulls Steve N. G. Howell Honey-buzzards in southern England Pete Combridge Long-tailed Rosefinch distribution M. G. Wilson 101 Recent BBRC decisions M.J. Rogers 102 Reviews Island Eagles: 20 years observing Golden Eagles by Ken Crane and Kate Nellist Mike Everett Atlas der Brutvogel der Steiermark by Peter Sackl and Otto Samwald Norbert Schaffer The Sun Islands: a natural history of the Isles of Sc illy by Patrick Coulcher Barry Nightingale A Birder's Guide to the Rio Grande Valley by Mark W. Lockwood, William B. McKinney, James N. Paton and Barry R. Zimmer David Holman Irish Bird Song by Seamus Byrne Dr J. T. R. Sharrock Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World by Christine E. Jackson Hilary Burn The Daily Telegraph Nature Notes by Robert Burton DrJ. T. R. Sharrock Rare Birds of the Netherlands by Arnoud B. van den Berg and Cecilia A. W. Bosnian Adam Rowlands Birds of Madagascar: a photographic guide by Pete Morris and Frank Hawkins Nick Gardner Where to Watch Birds in Uganda by Jonathan Rossouw and Marco Sacchi Iain Robertson Top Wildlife Spots: The Wildlife Trusts’ Nature Reserve Guide Robert Burton WeifSstorch im Aufwind? (White Storks on the up?) edited by Holger Schultz Ian Carter 106 News and comment Wendy Dickson and Bob Scott 109 Monthly Marathon Killian Mullarney 111 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan © British Birds 2000 European news’ becomes The European Bird Report’ For the past 23 years, we have published in British Birds , at six-monthly inter- vals, an increasingly valuable and com- prehensive compilation of records from more and more European countries. Data have been supplied by a correspondent in each country, appointed by or representing the relevant national ornithological society, rarities committee or equivalent organisa- tion. In addition, accepted records have been extracted from every relevant journal or other publication. Thus, ‘European news' has provided an accurate listing for reference purposes of all the most interesting records (including irruptions, range extensions or contractions, and population increases or decreases, as well as verified rarity records). It has, to all intents and purposes, been a European Bird Report. It has not been renamed as such, however, in deference to the Association of European Rarities Commit- tees (which has, over the past several years, been attempting to compile just such a Report for 1994), since we had no wish to compete with such a compilation. Now that the AERC has announced that it has discon- tinued this attempt {Brit. Birds 93: 86-88), we intend to try to provide this service to Euro- pean ornithologists. This will entail several changes. First, and most important, the task has become much larger than it was when we started in 1977. This is compensated for, however, by the advances in technology, with compilation very much easier using a computer than it was in the old typewriter- scissors-sellotape-and-tippex days, and com- munication much quicker by e-mail than by airmail. For the past 23 years, the compila- tion has been carried out anonymously by BB's Managing Editor, but we are delighted to announce that, from the next report, com- pilation will be achieved jointly with a co- compiler, who will eventually take over as sole compiler. We recently requested help from volunteers (Brit. Birds 92: 612) and, from among eight first-class offers, have accepted that from Colin Davies. Secondly, we aim to convert the current six-monthly listings into a document that more closely resembles a traditional bird report. It will probably be several years before it is possible to produce an annual report including all of Europe’s records for a single year, simply because each country takes a different length of time in which to assess its records. We intend, however, to publish each report in two parts, one cov- ering non-passerines and the other passer- ines, so that related records will be more likely to be published together. In time, we hope that the concept of a year’s records all appearing in one report will come closer and closer to being realised. The first part of the next pair of compila- tions that will form The European Bird Report, containing records from some 40 countries, is almost complete and will be published this spring. 58 © British Birds 93: 58, February 2000 The influx of redpolls into Western Europe, 1995/96 R. Riddington, S. C. Votier and J. Steele ABSTRACT Winter 1995/96 saw a huge influx of Common Redpolls Carduelis flammea and Arctic Redpolls C. hornemanni into Britain and Western Europe. Two forms of redpoll were involved, the nominate race of Common Redpoll C. f. flammea (‘Mealy Redpoll’) and the Eurasian race of Arctic Redpoll C. h. exilipes , and there is no evidence of any arrivals from other than northern Eurasian populations. Three main influxes were recorded in the north and east of Britain. The first two, in early and mid November, were immediately preceded by or coincided with substantial movements through Utsira in southwest Norway, Heligoland off the northwest coast of Germany, and Falsterbo in southern Sweden; the last of the three arrivals occurred in early December and was associated with the onset of very cold weather, but not with large movements farther north and east. On the British east coast, numbers were the largest since 1975. Heading drawing. Two Arctic Redpolls and one Common Redpoll. © British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 59 Riddington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 The irruption was absorbed in Britain, and no significant movements were recorded through bird observatories on southern and western coasts. Return spring migration was heavy through southern North Sea sites (which experienced little of the autumn arrival), but was much less apparent farther north. Two species of redpoll occur in Western Europe (fig. 1). Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea is a familiar breeding bird and/or winter visitor throughout much of the region, while Arctic Redpoll C. hornemanni is a rare visitor, mostly in autumn and winter, from breeding grounds on the northern tundras of North America, Europe and Asia. Within both species, there are a number of recognisable subspecies (Knox 1988; Svensson 1992), some of which are migratory while others are predominantly sedentary (Clement et al. 1993). For example, both the nominate race of Common Redpoll C. f. flammea (widely referred to as Mealy Redpoll ), which breeds from Scandinavia (except the south) and Finland eastwards across north Asia, and across much of northern North America, and the Eurasian form exilipes of Arctic Redpoll migrate each year in varying numbers to wintering areas south of their breeding grounds. Conversely, Common Redpolls of the races cabaret and islandica (known respectively as ‘Lesser Redpoll’ and ‘Icelandic Redpoll ) are typically much more sedentary: the former breeds from Britain and Ireland, southern Norway and southwest Sweden south to the Alps, while islandica is confined to Iceland. In northern breeding areas, food resources often vary markedly from year to year. As a consequence, summers when pop- ulation levels are high (a result of good breeding success following a winter of abun- dant seed availability) tend to be succeeded by an autumn of widespread seed failure. When this happens, unusually large south- ward migrations occur which may be termed eruptions’. Later in the autumn, severe weather may compound these pressures and act as an additional stimulus for southward movement. In such years, populations which are normally sedentary may become migra- tory, too. In the autumn and winter of 1995/96, an unprecedented arrival of redpolls occurred 60 in Western Europe. A combination of the factors described above forced birds to move west and south from their breeding grounds in Norway, north and central Sweden, Finland and northern Russia. Redpolls were recorded in large numbers throughout many parts of Western Europe, with unusually high numbers of both Mealy and Arctic Redpolls in many areas. Similar invasions have taken place in previous winters (notably 1984/85 and 1990/91), but, while these pronounced influxes have received a great deal of atten- tion from birdwatchers, they have been rather poorly documented. This short paper aims to describe the scale, timing and sub- species composition of the 1995/96 influx, with particular reference to Britain and Ireland. Methods There are several problems associated with documenting invasions of common species. Large numbers of observations, from many different sites and observers, are difficult to collate and put into context. Indeed, such a blanket approach often tells us more about patterns of observer coverage than about ecological processes. Added to this, the highly variable appearance and somewhat confusing taxonomy of the redpoll complex’ make the task even harder. Acknowledging these difficulties, we attempted to devise a methodology to minimise such biases. For Common Redpolls, therefore, we used data only from those sites where observer cov- erage was systematic during the 1995/96 winter, and also during the preceding and subsequent winters. Daily log counts from bird observatories in Britain and Western Europe were chosen for this purpose. Although not free from many of the biases that affect observational fieldwork, bird observatories are typically sited in important coastal migration areas, and are covered on most days, in a similar way, by the same, experienced observers. These factors mean that, for comparative analysis both within British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 Riddington et al.. Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 Common Redpoll Arctic Redpoll C. f flammed C. h. exilipes || C.f. cabaret ' C.f. islandica normal winter limit of C. f flammea i Fig. 1. Breeding ranges in Europe of Common Carduelis flammea and Arctic Redpolls C.hornemanni. Nos. 1-16 indicate location of bird observatories which provided data on Common Redpolls: 1 Fair Isle; 2 North Ronaldsay; 3 Copeland; 4 Cape Clear; 5 Calf of Man; 6 South Walney; 7 Bardsey; 8 Portland; 9 Spurn; 10 Gibraltar Point; 1 1 Sheringham; 12 Sandwich Bay; 13 Dungeness; 14 Utsira; IS Heligoland; 16 Falsterbo. and between seasons, our data are as accu- rate and reliable as possible without a pre- determined methodology. In essence, we have sacrificed greater geographical cov- erage in favour of more systematic and rig- orous data from a smaller number of sites. All bird observatories in Britain and Ireland, together with four others in Western Europe, were sent a series of simple forms on which to record Arctic and Common Redpoll sightings on a daily basis from Sep- tember 1995 to May 1996. Recorders were asked to differentiate recognisable sub- species of redpoll where possible, and also to distinguish between those days when there was observer coverage of the site but no redpolls were seen and those when no observers were present. Finally, they were asked to provide a monthly summary of redpoll counts in the previous and subse- quent winters (1994/95 and 1996/97, respec- tively). Thirteen British and Irish observato- ries responded to our request for data, as did three foreign stations, making 16 study sites in total (fig. 1). In addition, all records of Arctic Redpolls accepted by the British Birds Rarities Com- mittee (BBRC) for the winter 1995/96 (see Rogers et al. 1996-1999) were analysed. Although these data are not derived in the same systematic manner as those for Common Redpolls, they nevertheless provide an instructive insight into the distri- bution of this tricky species (see Votier et al. 2000). Results To investigate the magnitude and timing of the arrival in 1995/96, and to compare it with the winters immediately before and after, we analysed data from six sites in detail. These encompassed two from the east coast of Scotland (Fair Isle, Shetland, and British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 61 Riddington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 2iv. Spurn, East - Yorkshire -tin,, -,n, I— ,n, , ,0,0, n n | ^ SONDJ FMAM-SONDJ FMAM ■ SONDJ FMAM 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 50 I 40- 2v. Shcringham, Norfolk 30- 20 - 10- 0 n- n _ FI n - fl SONDJ FMAM-SONDJ FMAM-SONDJ FMAM 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 SONDJ FMAM 1995/96 Fig. 2. Mean daily counts of Common Redpolls Carduelis flammea at six sites in Western Europe for each month September-May in the three winters 1994/95-1996/97. For Heligoland (2vi), data are available only for 1995/96. North Ronaldsay, Orkney), two from the east coast of England (Spurn, East Yorkshire, and Sheringham, Norfolk), one from the west coast of Norway (Utsira) and one from the northwest coast of Germany (Heligoland). All of these sites are in areas where the redpoll invasion was pronounced. Summary data are provided for remaining sites, which either are in areas that were largely unaf- fected by the influx or did not have suffi- cient observer coverage to permit more detailed analysis. To analyse magnitude and timing of the influx, counts of all Common Redpoll sub- species were pooled. At most sites, the majority of individuals were not assigned to subspecies with complete confidence. This is quite understandable given the difficulties of identification if views are brief, as, for example, at Falsterbo in south Sweden and at Sheringham, where a large proportion of the records are of birds passing over on active migration. Consequently, we include all unknown' redpolls (i.e. those not assigned 62 British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 Riddington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 Year Fig- 3- Autumn counts of Common Redpolls Carduelis flammed at Falsterbo, south Sweden, 1973-96. to race) in these figures, but exclude all known Arctic Redpolls. While this may intro- duce a small bias into our results, in that some fly-over unknowns’ may relate to Arctics, this is likely to be negligible and to have no effect on the general patterns shown here. Scale and timing of the influx To assess the magnitude of the influx, we cal- culated, for the six sites listed above, mean daily counts of Common Redpolls for each month from September to May in each of the three winters 1994/95-1996/97 (for Heligoland, data were available only for 1995/96). These equate to ‘mean bird-days’ per month, but are corrected for the number of days on which a site was manned (fig. 2). This method of handling the data does not differentiate between new arrivals and long- stayers, i.e. between one redpoll present for 30 days and 30 redpolls present for one day. Indeed, the whole concept of bird- days’ has been widely criti- cised as a form of analysis, but for the data available to us this is the most mean- ingful way to present and compare differences bet- ween sites and years. The data in fig. 2 illus- trate dramatically the mag- nitude of the winter 1995/96 invasion. For all of the British sites, plus Utsira, mean daily counts during the peak month of the invasion were at least one and often two orders of magnitude greater than those during the same month in the two non-invasion winters. The quantity of Common Redpolls arriving in Western Europe meant that record numbers were reg- istered at many sites. Fig. 3 presents 24 years of redpoll counts in autumn (11th August to 20th November) at Falsterbo, where the daily visible-migration count has been carried out in exactly the same way and, for the most part, by the same observer during that period. This clearly identifies 1995/96 as a major invasion year. Numbers at Utsira were described as extra- ordinary’, and the same is true for some British sites. For example, at Spurn, only three autumns since 1975 have produced daily totals of 20 or more Mealy Redpolls (up to 40 in October 1975, up to 46 in November 1984, and up to 94 in November Table 1. Summary of Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea records at nine bird observatories in southern and western Britain and Ireland in winter 1995/96. Observatory Peak month Mean daily count Peak daily count (date) % Mealy C.f flammea Gibraltar Point, Lines. January 3.85 27 (10th) 29.0% Sandwich Bay, Kent December 1.45 8 (5th, 17th) 24.4% Dungeness, Kent November 3.03 21 (4th) 0 Portland, Dorset October 1.00 15 (18th) 0 Bardsey, Gwynedd May 2.03 10 (6th, 17th) 0 South Walney, Cumbria December 0.39 5 (7th) 25.0% Calf of Man, 1 of Man May 0.48 6 (7th) 0 Copeland, Co. Down October 0.89 3 (29th) 0 Cape Clear, Co. Cork October 2.26 40 (21st) unknown British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 63 Riddington et al.; Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 Fig. 4. Daily counts of Common Redpolls Carduelis flammea at five sites in autumn 1995. 1985); compare this with the peak count in 1995/96 of 250 Mealies on 12th November. Numbers of Common Redpolls at observato- ries in southern and western Britain, however, were very low, and the 1995/96 invasion largely petered out before reaching these areas (table 1). Indeed, both Portland, Dorset, and Dungeness, Kent, reported that the winter of 1995/96 was a very poor one for migrant redpolls. The histograms in fig. 2 present a crude view of the timing of the influx at the sites concerned, but, in order to provide a more detailed picture of arrivals in autumn, we plotted daily counts for late October to mid December 1995 for five sites (fig. 4). In the Northern Isles, there were two main arrivals in November, on 4th and on 12th-l4th; counts on both Fair Isle and North Ronaldsay were then modest until December, when there were further arrivals on 4th and 8th. At Spurn, there was only a very small arrival of redpolls on 4th November, but a pronounced influx on 1 1 th- 1 2th (with 250 on 12th), after which numbers decreased through the month; in December, the main arrival was on 7th, when a further 200 were recorded. The synchrony of these arrivals in the Northern Isles and Yorkshire clearly indicates that redpolls were reaching Britain on a broad front. The small numbers in November at coastal sites south of Yorkshire (including both Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, and Sheringham) suggest, however, that red- polls in the southern half of Britain had already made landfall farther north, and that, as the birds spread south and west, their numbers were comparatively less concen- trated. On the Continent, the major arrivals of Common Redpolls were in late October/ early November. At Utsira, 600 on 29th October were followed by 2,500 on 4th November; smaller movements of 200-300 on 1 1 th- 1 2th November and 250 on 16th perhaps correspond with mid-November arrivals in Britain. At Heligoland, too, the first large counts were on 29th-30th October (138 on 30th), while the main arrival, of 503, occurred on 1st November; smaller move- ments followed in mid November, with 103 on 10th and 105 on 14th. 64 British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 Ridclington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 Table 2. Percentages of Common Redpoll Carduelis flammed of nominate race ( Mealy Redpoll ) recorded during autumn 1995. Note that all figures for Falsterbo refer to ringing data only. Observatory No. of ‘bird-days’ 25th Oct.-15th Dec. % redpolls identified % Mealy C. f. flammea Fair Isle, Shetland 486 100% 100% Spurn, East Yorkshire 1,881 100% 99.7% Utsira. south Norway 6,247 100% 99.8% Falsterbo, south Sweden 1,091 99.5% 63.5% (and 36.4% Lesser C.f cabaret ) It is interesting that, at Sheringham, counts were modest in November and December, and the large numbers were of birds returning to northern breeding grounds in spring (fig. 2v).That such move- ments were less marked farther north, at least in Britain, perhaps indicates that north- bound spring migrants opted for a shorter crossing of the North Sea, from southeast England. Subspecies composition At three of the six sites studied in detail, together with Falsterbo in Sweden, virtually all Common Redpolls were identified to sub- species during the peak period of late October to mid December (table 2). At these sites, the vast majority were Mealy Redpolls. In addition, almost all Common Redpolls seen at North Ronaldsay were also Mealy Redpolls (A. Duncan in lift.). Very small numbers of Lesser Redpolls were reported from northern sites with the exception of Falsterbo, where over one-third of redpolls ringed were Lessers. It is interesting also that there were no confirmed sightings of Icelandic or Green- land individuals C. f islandica/rostrata , though a claim of an Icelandic Redpoll trapped on Utsira was not accepted by the Norwegian rarities committee (G. Mobakken in lift.). This is in marked contrast to the autumn of 1997, at least in northern Britain, where good numbers of these subspecies were recorded (Reid & Riddington 1999). This suggests that the factors stimulating the invasion originated in northern Eurasia and did not affect populations of redpolls in Greenland and Iceland. Small numbers of Mealy Redpolls were recorded at sites where they are normally extremely scarce. South Walney, Cumbria, for example, recorded its very first Mealy Red- polls (three singles) during December 1995. About a quarter of redpoll records at both Gibraltar Point and Sandwich Bay, Kent, during their peak months (January and December, respectively) referred to Mealy Redpolls, this being a higher proportion than normal. Arctic Redpolls A total of 431 records of Arctic Redpolls has been accepted by the BBRC for the period 2nd November 1995 to 29th May 1996 (Rogers et al. 1996-1999), completely eclipsing the previous highest total, of 90 in winter 1990/91 (Rogers et al. 1991-1995). During the 1995/96 winter, there were no accepted records of the nominate race of Arctic, and it seems likely that most, if not all, individuals were of the Eurasian race exilipes. Monthly totals of Arctic Redpolls are listed in table 3- There was an extremely broad scatter of records, involving a total of 38 counties across Britain, although with a marked bias towards northern and eastern parts, and evidence of a general southward and westward spread as the winter pro- gressed. Large arrivals in Shetland and Orkney during November and December contrast with an absence of sightings there during the rest of the winter, perhaps sug- gesting a lack of suitable wintering habitat in the Northern Isles. Early observations of indi- viduals on the east coast of Britain were widespread, as the birds arrived on a broad front. By December, they had penetrated the central areas of Britain, with records from western counties and, remarkably, even Scilly. The broad scatter of records through January-March is probably due to the dis- covery of large wintering flocks of redpolls; British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 65 Riddington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 Table 3. Monthly totals of Arctic Redpolls Carduelis homemanni in Britain, November 1995 to May 1996. County Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Total Angus 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 6 Caernarfon 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Cambridgeshire 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 Cheshire 0 1 l 0 0 1 0 3 Cleveland 1 2 0 0 7 3 0 13 Cumbria 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 Denbigh 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Derbyshire 0 9 4 1 5 2 0 21 Dorset 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 Essex 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 6 Fife 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Greater London 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 2 5 1 0 8 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Lancashire 0 ? 3 0 1 0 0 6 Leicestershire 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 Lincolnshire 1 11 1 1 1 0 0 15 Lothian 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Moray & Nairn 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 Norfolk 4 12 16 36 7 - 0 0 75 Northeast Scotland 3 2 55 0 2 0 0 62 Northamptonshire 0 i 3 0 0 0 0 4 Northumberland 1 7 0 1 1 0 0 10 Nottinghamshire 0 i 1 1 0 2 0 5 Orkney 13 27 0 0 0 0 0 40 Outer Hebrides 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 Pembrokeshire 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 i Perthshire 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 4 Scilly 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 Shetland 28 11 0 0 0 0 2 41 Staffordshire 0 4 0 4 6 0 0 14 Suffolk 0 5 2 0 3 0 0 10 Worcestershire 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4 Yorkshire, East 3 5 0 0 0 0 1 9 Yorkshire, North 1 2 0 0 4 1 0 8 Yorkshire, South 0 8 1 9 2 0 0 20 Yorkshire, West 1 5 3 2 4 0 0 15 TOTALS 56 134 104 70 51 11 5 431 many apparently new arrivals may simply reflect an increase in observer awareness and more interest in searching for the rarer species, rather than genuine new arrivals. The five Arctic Redpolls recorded during May represent a tiny fraction of the many birds moving north, often too rapidly to be identified with certainty. More specific arrival times match closely those of Common Redpolls, since virtually all Arctic Redpolls were recorded within flocks of that species. Clearly, those conditions that prompted an irruption of the latter species also stimulated Arctics to move. Discussion The autumn and winter of 1995/96 wit- nessed one of the largest invasions of red- polls in the last 25 years, and one that was probably more widespread than the irrup- tions of 1984/85 and 1990/91. Mealy Red- polls formed the bulk of the invading birds, although there were also large numbers of Arctic Redpolls, and the pattern of the move- 66 British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 Riddington et al.: Influx of redpolls in 1995/96 merits suggests that they originated entirely from the northeast. Arrivals on the east coast of Britain appeared to occur in three waves, in early and mid November and in early December, but the scale of the arrival varied at different times according to the site involved. The first wave was closely correlated with very large movements through Scandinavia and Heligoland, and, although numbers moving on the Continent remained high through the period of the second arrival, the large totals in eastern Britain in mid November may have been partly related to easterly weather con- ditions during that period. By the time of the third wave, which was apparent across a very broad front in eastern Britain, passage through Utsira and Heligoland had all but dried up, suggesting that the severe weather and easterly winds in early December may have contributed in large part to the major arrival in Britain, or at least to the coastal grounding of migrant birds. The invasion itself appears to have been absorbed across Britain where there were sufficient food sup- plies to support the immigrant birds, with records from the south and west coasts being very sparse. Return passage was noted through Norfolk, particularly in March, in stark contrast to the lack of any significant arrival there in the peak invasion period of November-December. Among the Mealy Redpolls was a small but significant proportion of Arctic Redpolls, with record numbers being noted by the end of the winter. The percentage of Arctics is impossible to determine, but the numbers reported are almost certainly a considerable under-estimate of the true figures involved. Intense scrutiny of three large redpoll flocks which were relatively easy to observe (at Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, and at Langham and Cromer in Norfolk) revealed the true extent of plumage variation within and between the two species (see Votier et al. 2000); it also resulted in much collective head-scratching, and a considerable number of submitted and acceptable records. There were many other large flocks which did not receive anything like the same attention, but which must also have contained Arctic Red- polls. Numerous individual and some collec- tive lessons were learned by those who observed such flocks. Among the most important of these were the need for excel- lent views to confirm the key identification features, and also that, in good views, some relatively dull birds were identifiable as Arctics, while others which may initially have looked promising’ were clearly Mealy Redpolls (see Votier et al. 2000). Acknowledgments We owe a great debt of thanks to all the birders who carefully observed and counted redpolls at the study sites during the three winters, and particularly those who took time to extract data and respond to our request: David Anning (Bardsey Bird Observatory), Tim Bagworth (Calf of Man Bird Observatory), Martin Cade (Portland Bird Observatory), John Cudworth (Spurn Bird Observatory), Alison Duncan (North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory), Jochen Dierschke (Heligoland Bird Observatory), Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Bill Makin (South Walney Bird Observatory), Neville McKee (Copeland Bird Observatory), Geir Mobakken (Utsira Bird Observatory), Ken Preston (Cape Clear Bird Observatory), Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Kevin Shepherd, Mike Young-Powell & Tim Wright (Sheringham Bird Observatory), Goran Walinder (Falsterbo Bird Observatory). David Walker (Dungeness Bird Observatory) and Kev Wilson (Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory). References Clement, P, Harris, A., & Davis, J. 1993- Finches and Sparrows: an identification guide. London. Knox, A. G. 1988. The taxonomy of redpolls. Ardea 76: 1-26. Reid, J., & Riddington, R. 1999. Identification of Greenland and Iceland Redpolls. Dutch Birding 20: 261-271 Rogers, M. J., & the Rarities Committee. 1991-1999. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1990 . . .1998. Brit. Birds 84: 449-505; 85: 507-554; 86: 447- 540; 87: 503-571; 88: 493-558; 89: 481-531; 90: 453- 522; 91: 455-517; 92: 554-609. Svensson, L. 1992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Stockholm. Votier, S. C., Steele, J., Shaw, K. D., & Stoddart, A. M. 2000 Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes : an identification review based on the 1 995/96 influx. Brit Birds 93: 68-84 Dr Roger Riddington , Chapel Cottage, Dunrossness, Shetland ZE2 9JH S. C. Votier, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, IBLS, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow GI2 8QQ \ Dr J. Steele, 16 Oaklands, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 4YQ British Birds 93: 59-67, February 2000 67 . Johnson Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes : an identification review based on the 1995/96 influx S. C. Votier, J. Steele, K. D. Shaw and A. M. Stoddart /TTihe identification of Arctic Redpolls Carduelis hornemanni has been exhaustively covered, and the main criteria used to separate them from Common Redpolls C. flammea have been well described (Lansdown et al. 1991; Stoddart 1991;Czaplak 1995; Millington 1996; Shirihai et al. 1996; Steele 1996). Nevertheless, the high degree of variation among redpolls and the possibility of subjective interpretation of a number of characters render at least some individuals extremely difficult to identify. The 1995/96 influx of redpolls into Western Europe (Riddington et al. 2000) gave many observers a chance rigorously to test the identification criteria against large numbers of birds in mixed flocks of Common Red- polls of the nominate race flatnmea (known as Mealy Redpolls’) and Arctic Redpolls. In an attempt to clarify the range of varia- tion exhibited by redpolls, we have drawn on the huge resource of information gath- ered together in the form of the highest- quality submissions of records to the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). In order to illustrate the plumage variation and key fea- tures of Arctic Redpoll, we also reproduce here some of the hundreds of photographs which aided the assessment of the 1995/96 records. Although, over the last five years, a combination of plumage features and struc- ture has allowed the separation of greater numbers of Arctics in the field, there remains the occasional individual which, on present knowledge, may not be identifiable. This paper is based largely on a working set of BBRC guidelines developed by AMS, KDS, Pete Ellis and Doug Page in order to ease the task of record assessment. In the following account, only the race © British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et al: Arctic Redpoll identification exilipes of Arctic Redpoll is considered. Although, in some cases, the nominate race could not be excluded, most (if not all) Arctics recorded during the 1995/96 influx were of the race exilipes, and all references are to that subspecies only. In addition, the nominate race of Common Redpoll is referred to as Mealy Redpoll, and the race cabaret as Lesser Redpoll. Identifying redpolls is best achieved by concentrating on a number of key features which are subject to considerable individual variation. Other factors which may affect appearance include actions and posture, dis- tance, light, temperature, age/sex and plumage wear: all of these need to be borne in mind when attempting to identify any individual. While some Arctics are strikingly eye-catching (plate 41), the high degree of variation and the difficulties of keeping track of individuals within often large and highly mobile flocks of very similar-looking birds (plate 42) make for one of the thorniest problems in birding.The main confusion risk is with Mealy Redpoll, but Lesser Redpoll can also present an additional identification problem. The key features for identification are dis- cussed systematically below, with reference to photographs. Additional characters, including bill structure, plumage density (which will influence structure), promi- nence of wingbars, and general size and build, are more subjective and variable, but are touched upon in the captions. Structure Potentially, this is almost the most useful character of all, but probably only to observers already familiar with both species. Although structural features are subtle, they seem to be more constant than plumage characters, so that the majority of Arctic Red- polls show an appearance which, once learnt, is highly distinctive. The effect is largely a result of feather density, but it mani- fests itself in several ways. Although measurements overlap consider- ably, exilipes Arctics, because of their greater feather mass, appear larger and bulkier than Mealy Redpolls. This impression is height- ened by the paleness of their plumage. Extra feathering around the face’, particularly around the bill, can obscure the bill base, which will accentuate yet further the charac- teristic ‘pushed-in face’ and steep-forehead’ look of these already small-billed birds (plate 44). Seen head-on, Arctics show a fatter, broader head with a fat-cheeked appearance and flat crown. The feather bulk also creates the impres- sion of a very small eye, imparting a rather attractive cute’ or naive’ expression (plates 60 & 61). In side-on view, Arctics show very dense nape and neck-side feathering, so that the head merges smoothly with the body, giving the hunched, bull-necked appearance so typical of many individuals. This dense feathering of the nape, together with dense underpart feathering, lends a considerable depth' to the bird, contributing to its pow- erful, front-heavy look. From the rear, a greater breadth is usually visible across the nape, mantle and rump, producing a rather lark-like’ impression when the bird is on the ground (plate 41). As a result of this dense plumage, Arctic Redpolls seem to have greater difficulty in keeping their rump covered, the whiteness regularly peeping out’ much more readily than is the case with a Mealy Redpoll (plates 50, 51 & 56). Arctics also usually show shaggier feathering on the lower belly and flanks, giving a heavy rear undercarriage’ and contributing to a long- bodied appearance (plate 41). Because of their feather mass, the impres- sions given by Arctic Redpolls with sleeked- down feathers and those with fluffed-up feathers can be very different. On the ground, the birds look very long and solid- bodied, front-heavy and neckless, with a shaggy undercarriage’ and long tail. When feeding in birches Betnla or alders Alnus, they may show a similar appearance, though mitigated by their acrobatic behaviour, such as hanging upside-down and twisting to reach seeds. When perched upright, however, they gradually relax their feathers, and the final effect can be almost that of a sphere, with hugely inflated, billowing flanks and rump often overlapping, or even obscuring, the wings (plates 44, 45, 50, 51 & 56). Bill sizes of Arctic and Common Redpolls overlap, but the ‘classic’ Arctic bill is small, short and relatively fine, with a straight or concave upper mandible. On some Arctics, it is strikingly tiny. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 69 Robin Chittenden Steve Young/ Birdwatch Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification White rumps According to Svensson (1992), a redpoll with 10 mm or more of unstreaked white on the rump will surely be an Arctic, and such birds are extremely attractive (plate 43). Although some show only 10 mm of unstreaked white (plate 44), these are still reasonably identifi- able; on more extreme individuals, the depth of unstreaked white can be at least 20 mm. Other, apparently good’ Arctics show a largely white rump with small fine streaking intermixed, which can be confusing (plate 45); this streaking can be so extensive as to resemble closely that on Mealy (plates 46- 48). The variation - ranging from Mealies through young Arctics to adult Arctics - is subtle, but the extremes are distinctive (plates 49-51). It is important to remember that dark feather bases will be more obvious as birds become more worn (particularly during late winter and in spring), and that these same markings are more obvious when the rump feathers are fluffed up. 41. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. Some exilipes are large, powerful-looking finches with strikingly pale plumage. This individual shows Arctic’s typical flat and broad head shape with steep forehead and rather bull-necked appearance. The shaggy, heavy underparts and broad, almost lark-like’ structure are also typical. 42. Arctic Carduelis hornemanni exilipes and Mealy Redpolls C.flammea flammea , Cromer, Norfolk, January 1996. A flock of redpolls at Cromer contained at least four exilipes, though as many as 12 may have been present through the winter; at least two exilipes are shown here (third and fifth from right), but a number of other very pale individuals are not obviously identifiable from the photograph. Note at least one buffy Lesser Redpoll C. f. cabaret (seventh from left). 70 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification 43. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, March 1996, A classic' individual, showing extensive area (10-20 mm) of unstreaked white on rump and very pale general plumage, Arctic has a tendency to fluff out its rather dense plumage, which can enhance the amount of white visible on the rump. 3 45. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. An apparently classically’ pale exilipes , but, as the rump feathers are fluffed out, a lot of small dark feather bases are revealed. A number of exilipes (usually females and immatures) show grey streaks across the rump and can be confused with Mealy Redpoll C.flammea flammea. The streaking will become more obvious as the white tips abrade through the winter. 44. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. Some (usually young) exilipes show a rather narrow area of unstreaked white on rump, with streaking from mantle invading only the upper portion of rump, and a pale panel in centre of mantle. Note the rather small, pushed-in' bill. 46. Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea , Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. Most Mealies show a contrastingly pale rump, which can extend to a pale panel on centre of mantle: the rump, however, is still very heavily streaked blackish. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 71 Martin S. Scott Steve Lb/otg/Birdwatch John M. Gardner P J. Dunn Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification 47. Unidentified first-winter female redpoll, probably Arctic Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Filey, North Yorkshire, 1996. Some redpolls show a frustratingly ambiguous rump pattern: this one has a broad white rump with mantle streaking extending into the upper portion, a pattern not incompatible with exilipes , but the finer dark streaks throughout are a little strong and suggest Mealy Redpoll C.flammea flammea. Other supporting characters have to be used to identify such individuals. 49. Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea y7flwwe«,Wintersett,West Yorkshire, 9th March 1996. A whitish rump with heavy streaking is t} pical of Mealy. Rest of upperparts are rather brownish, although there is a slight frosting' on crown and nape, and the bill is typically longer- looking than on Arctic Redpoll C. hornemanni exilipes. 48. First-winter Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. Probably at the extreme end of the range for exilipes, with extensive fine grey streaks on an otherwise extensive white rump. Note narrow black centres to upperpart feathers, paler lower scapulars, and short, pushed-in’ bill. 50. First-winter male Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Wintersett, West Yorkshire, 9th March 1996. The dense plumage of exilipes is apparent only when fluffed out: compare this individual with the fluffed-out Mealy C.flammea flammea in plate 49. Other features often associated with exilipes include the clean face’ with warm buff wash (young birds), and rather broad white greater-covert wingbars. 72 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et al.. Arctic Redpoll identification 51. Adult male Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Wintersett, West Yorkshire, 9th March 1996. Adult exilipes tend to be much greyer on the upperparts than do young birds and to show a more extensive white rump (though note that the first-winter male in plate 1 0 has its rump partially obscured). Combination of fresh, rather rounded tips to rectrices, fresh tertials, and rose-pink on rump show this individual to be an adult male. Undertail-coverts The undertail-coverts of Arctic Redpoll can be completely unmarked white (plate 53) or have a shaft streak on the longest two or three feathers, any such markings ranging from a thin grey line to a stronger, darker streak with lateral expansion of up to 2 mm (though 5 mm is technically possible). More typically, they show a rather narrow streak in the centre of the longest undertail-covert, which can be difficult to see in the field (plate 55), a significant difference from the heavily marked pattern of most Mealy Red- polls (plate 56). The undertail-coverts of Lesser Redpolls show only fine streaks, but almost invariably a buffy wash (plate 57). It is difficult to confirm the presence or absence of undertail-covert streaking in the field, even on well-marked Mealies. Such streaking can sometimes be almost impos- sible to see, and apparent lack of markings can mean simply that the undertail-coverts were not observed well enough for streaks to be seen. The importance of good views cannot be stressed enough. 52. Adult male Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea , Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. Some adult male Mealies can have an unstreaked but pink rump, and this bird can be identified as Mealy by rather brown-toned upperparts and long-looking bill. Any Arctic Redpoll C. hornemanni exilipes with this amount of pink on the rump should be a strikingly pale grey bird overall (cf. plate 51). 53- Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. Presence or absence of streaking on the undertail-coverts can be difficult to determine in the field. If seen well, such unmarked birds as this are typically exilipes. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 73 S'. A. Reeves Martin S. Scott Martin S. Scott P. J. Dnnn Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification 54. Unidentified first-winter redpoll, probably Arctic Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Filey, North Yorkshire, 1996 (same bird as in plate 47). The other extreme of the range of exilipes compared with plate 53. While this bird is heavily marked, a single prominent streak is confined to the longest undertail-covert and fine markings elsewhere are very small; the shape of the streak also differs from that of typical Mealy C.flammea flammea , being rather even in width throughout its length. Such individuals as this have caused wide debate within the BBRC. 56. Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea , Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. Mealy typically shows distinct streaking on almost all of the undertail-coverts; the streaks are usually darker than on exilipes and differ in shape, being very broad at the feather base and tapering to a point. £ si 55. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire, 13th January 1996. A large number of exilipes show a lone fine streak on the longest undertail-covert which can be difficult to see in the field. 57. Arctic Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Mealy C. flammea flammea and Lesser Redpolls C.f cabaret, Wintersett, West Yorkshire, December 1995. An excellent comparative photograph, showing differences in amount and shape of undertail-covert streaking between exilipes Cleft), flammea (centre) and cabaret (right). Note that cabaret has only poorly streaked undertail-coverts, but they are distinctly washed buff. 74 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification Underparts/flanks The most distinctive Arctics are often pure white below, with only one or two fine pencil-streaks on the flanks, usually stopping before the rear flanks (plate 58). This can vary, with some showing two or three promi- nent tramlines' extending well down the 58. Adult male Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni ex//7pes,Wintersett, West Yorkshire, 9th March 1996 (same bird as in plate 51). An attractive individual, with just a few dark spots at sides of upper breast, diffuse streaks along flanks and small spots of rose-pink. The face' is rather clean and cold-looking, enhancing the small-eyed appearance. flanks, but again usually not reaching the rear flanks (plate 59). Certain individuals, however, may be confusing, exhibiting char- acters akin to exilipes , but with three rows of very heavy streaking which extend all the way to the rear flanks, suggesting Mealy (plate 60). 59- Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. A strikingly white-rumped individual, but with bold tramlines' along flanks, although only fine spotting on breast sides. In fluffed-out posture, the white feather bases of the lower scapulars merge with the rump to form an obvious Y’ of white. This bird also shows suggestion of streaking on sides of the undertail-coverts. 60. Probable Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. Underpart pattern on some redpolls can be confusing: the very heavy streaking (extending to rear flanks) on this individual suggests Mealy C.flammea flammea , but general 'cleanness' of underparts, slight buff wash to face’, upperpart pattern and very deep-based bill all suggest exilipes. On this view alone, such birds as this one are probably not identifiable with any certainty. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 75 S. C. Votier George Reszeter Martin S. Scott Robin Chittenden Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification Upperparts The upperparts of Arctic Redpoll generally show narrower dark feather centres than do those of Mealy. Some adult male Arctics are distinctly grey-toned above (plate 62), but more typically show pale upperparts with a slight brownish-buff cast, and a pale central panel to the mantle (plate 63). Although young Arctics can sometimes be confusingly brown-looking on the upperparts, they do usually still show a pale panel in the centre of the mantle and also pale rear scapulars (plate 64). A plain-faced' expression is produced by Arctic’s minimally demarcated, ‘ghosted’ ear- covert outline, or, in some cases, not even that; the ear-coverts do not, therefore, stand out as a darker area within the otherwise pale face’. Owing to the paler, more uniform head pattern, the eye of Arctic Redpoll stands out more clearly (plate 62). Young Arctics show an attractive and obvious warm buff or coppery wash to the face’ and throat, extending to the upper breast (plate 61). 6l. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, March 1996. Most young exilipes show a rather clean face’ and upper breast with a distinct warm coppery wash. The flat-headed and small- eyed appearance lend a naive’ or cute’ look to many. This individual also shows a rather narrow greater- covert wingbar. 62. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes, Garlogie, Northeast Scotland, March 1996. A big, bullish, probably adult exilipes showing very grey upperparts with extremely narrow dark feather centres. Identification of these types of Arctic is straightforward. 76 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et al.: Arctic Redpoll identification 63- Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. Another ‘broad- beamed’ exilipes showing powerful cheek muscles, bull-neck and deep-based bill. The upperparts are fairly standard, with rather narrow blackish feather centres and a distinct buff-brown colour to the scapulars. 64. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes , Langham, Norfolk, February 1996. Some (usually young) exilipes are very brown-backed, but show contrastingly pale lower scapulars (cf. plate 59). In all other respects, this is a classic ’Arctic. BBRC’s assessment of claims of Arctic Redpoll The above details should clarify the essential criteria used by the BBRC when dealing with claimed records of Arctic Redpoll. These identification characters are summarised in table 1. The Committee’s task in assessing such a large number of claims from the 1995/96 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 77 influx was eased considerably by the high quality of much of the submitted narrative, photographs and artwork. Some of the artwork found most useful by the Committee is reproduced here (figs. 1-3), and was much appreciated both for its practical help in record assessment and for its aesthetic attributes. ferts-T^.J v«l> ;K O-rijJrts ■ *ntbt*» Uv- fa~<"- "T<-W'* **' b'V^r^ w>*Kt jare^"? PiM N r’,'*'3 )S«w.^ faU~ AjutA fat <-»«,. fn*»-Wi^-i far»v^ t-rvfait »1>*X p*kt. \ f«U. kuff tr«vnA tfrr^'A tjArvL*’ 1-0 S'*' °f F^+U. ^r^U ^rv^-t fn^ 'J»s. c-^'*'*-'’ i ■o^rRjr'H ^ wvf> FU- n+4~rr*S ,«A/“k fat^v»V< .rh-c^k r / *MM wm&S&m* 1 X JV. (-0 c^-wwt «_ c»r - “ v<^t S , p aW wts*+* t / r\A.*JC r — sA Ca A^v- (-» p, / t/»WV. f 4 JuXrt Uns + 6U***i . ^ pirJniJ *Vorf *KA»to*f ^ c i^v b»-M F n~c jr jo *-/*jr< srVf'<^A»*^ o ^ krc^it1 jrs~A~<.s 4- f u j ^ *-’ 'vrf* f ***■■* b mA 4 r*“v* « ^«. ! ofpc* <*-f f t fc w~M - *• <^V c4 * Fig. 1. Arctic Redpoll Cardnelis hornemanni exilifies. Left, Rutland Water, Rutland, 5th January 1996; right, Broom head Reservoir, South Yorkshire, 5th March 1996. 78 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Vo tier et al.; Arctic Redpoll identification S Yo c-rrrwv' -f- e.A-v' - ^ v erf* S rU C j rVCa ^,UpoU (Jrvffm l--*_t*-^ fttJWVOW 5/3/ u r*udf t i-w*^ rv fu>c4t .r » t-u. *«|>^ /■>///.*& ^ /r* ^ ,< t fU* ’..#■ g$i H-t -c#va. tV. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 J. Wright E.A. Fisher Votier et al.; Arctic Redpoll identification (~j4rrrvjj\x^' IroTxd Vi>\r\j^, ^ upj*j-cjJLu/Y"l CPfi lo*-J t>Vx\xI °^OcnU. WJJ . 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Top, 13th & 14th April 1996; bottom, 14th- 18th April 1996. 32 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Votier et a .: Arctic Redpoll identification Table 1. Features used to separate Arctic Carduelis hornemanni exilipes and Mealy Redpolls C.flammea flammed in the field. Feature Usefulness Arctic Mealy Structure Subtle differences open Loose’ feathering giving Generally sleeker-looking than to interpretation: useful bulky appearance, and Arctic, and often appears a mostly to experienced small-looking bill. Often little smaller, despite overlap observers. fluffs up feathers, giving in body size. Bill often looks a more distinctive little longer. appearance. Rump Variable, but detail of Should always show a Rump always streaked rump at rest is critical white rump. On classic' (except on adult males), for identification. birds this is extensively despite base colour often unstreaked, but being whitish; streaking may considerable variation thin towards centre of rump, Some show some fine but should never show greyish streaks, but on an extensive unstreaked white. extensive white base; any Adult males can cause streaking will become confusion as they may show more prominent with unstreaked rump, but this will wear, but may be present always be strongly pink or through winter. pinkish-red. Undertail- Rather variable, and can Always white, unmarked Whitish, but usually with coverts be very difficult to see on adult males at least, but fairly broad dark arrowhead well enough to confirm fine streaks (usually only markings; extent of these is pattern. on central feathers) are variable and, on birds with frequently shown by limited marks, good views females and immatures. often required to see them. Adult males may be unmarked. Underparts Usually easy to see in the On the most obvious Streaking variable, but usually and flanks field, and essential to birds, streaking usually heavier (particularly on and ‘face’ observe these well, but rather fine on upper breast flanks) than on Arctic. Ground rather variable. and flanks, ending before colour often rather sullied undertail-coverts. Females and greyish, and face' looks and immatures may be greyer and less clean. Again, more heavily marked, but adult males may cause ground colour should confusion, showing less always be white, typically underpart streaking, but will with attractive pale bronze be strongly suffused with wash on face’. pink. Upperparts Easy to see and useful. Rather pale and greyish Darker grey-brown than most but rather variable, with ground colour with dark Arctics, but often shows paler some overlap. streaks on the most central panel like many obvious' birds; even Arctics. Wingbars generally browner individuals show fairly extensive block of central mantle with whitish ground colour. Greater-covert wingbar may be very broad and white when fresh, but varies with wear. narrower, but variable. British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 83 Votier et al.; Arctic Redpoll identification Acknowledgments Everyone who submitted photographs to the BBRC made the job of assessing such a huge number of records easier, and all should be congratulated for providing such a fantastic record, particularly: Robin Chittenden, Pete Dunn, John M. Gardner, John Hewitt, Stuart Reeves, George Reszeter, Martin Scott, M. Williams, Rob Wilson and Steve Young. We should also like to acknowledge the huge amount of work done by other members of the BBRC, particularly Pete Ellis and Doug Page. Finally, the authors are most grateful to fellow redpoll enthusiasts’ who provided many ideas and much discussion: there were very many, but those who were particularly influential include T. R. Cleeves, D E. Dickson, M. I Eldridge, P V Harvey, R. Johnson, M. P. Lee, A Lewis, R. Millington, I. M. Phillips, Dr R Riddington, M. S. Scott and M.Young-Powell. References Czaplak, D. 1995. Identifying Common and Hoary Redpolls. Birding 27: 205-217. Lansdown, P, Riddiford, N. J.. & Knox, A. 1991 Identification of Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni exilipes Brit Birds 84: 41-56. Millington, R 1996. Identification forum: Arctic Redpoll revisited Birding World 9: 65-69. Riddington, R., Votier, S. C., & Steele, J. 2000. The influx of redpolls into Western Europe, 1995/96. Brit. Birds 93: 59-67. Shirihai, H., Christie, D. A., & Harris, A. 1996. The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds. London. Steele, J. 1996 Rump stakes .Birdwatch (March 1996): 26-31 Stoddart, A. 1991 Identification of Arctic Redpoll. Birding World 4: 18-23. Svensson, L 1992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Stockholm. S. C. Votier, Division of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, IBLS, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ Dr J. Steele, 16 Oaklands, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 4YQ K. D. Shaw, Vane Farm, Loch Leven, Kinross, Fife K13 7LX A. M. Stoddart, 7 Elsden Close, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6JW 4 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO: Migration of the Ring Ouzel (Cinclus aquaticus) [ Turd us torquatus].- The number of ring ouzels passing southward this autumn has been astonishing. Large flocks were seen continually on the downs [at Lewes, East Sussex] from Sep- tember to nearly the end of October [1849]. No one can ever recall their being so plen- tiful before.’ Occurrence of the Fire-crested Regulus (Regulus ignicapillus).- I have much plea- sure in being able to record the capture of a fire-crested Regulus [Firecrest], On the 3rd instant a specimen of this bird was caught by some boys in a lane near Whixley [North Yorkshire], When first seen it was in company with some titmice [Par us] : ( Zoologist 8: 2698-2699, February 1850) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO: Red-billed Chough.- At the last meeting of the Hampstead Scien- tific Society, I was enabled to exhibit a very fine mounted specimen of the Red-billed Chough ( Pyrrhocorax gmculus ) [P. pyrrhocorax } , which was shot from among a flock of Rooks [ Corvus frugilegus] near Hendon [London] during last summer (1899).’ ( Zoologist 4 (New Series): 82, February 1900) FIFTY YEARS AGO: In the call- note of the Yellow Bunting [Yellow-hammer) ( Emberiza citrinella ) (the “twit” of The Handbook ), ... I have always detected a difference in pitch of the alternate notes . . . Sounding like “chip ” or “tchick” to my ears, every other note drops by such a minor degree as to fall some- where between “tchick” and “tcheck”.’ (Brit. Birds 43: 56-57, February 1950) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: The bird ringing scheme in Britain, run by the British Trust for Ornithology, is the largest outside North America, but there is cause for disquiet in the rela- tively small output of published analyses and of other papers making use of ringing data ... The sheer quantity of data being gathered by Britain’s 1,600 or so ringers is staggering. About half a million birds are ringed each year, while there is an unknown but undoubtedly very large number of recaptures... [but] Such serious deficiencies must make one wonder whether there is any justification for such large- scale ringing. Even the relatively small interference in the life of a bird caused by catching and ringing it should not be carried out solely to provide a satisfying, interesting, indeed at times exciting, hobby for a small number of people.’ (Brit. Birds 68: 53-56, February 1975) 84 British Birds 93: 68-84, February 2000 Birds Britannica’: a request for help Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey was an award-winning account of the cultural impor- tance of Britain's flowers. Now, Richard Mabey and Mark Cocker are preparing a companion volume, entitled Birds Britan- nica. The new book will follow a similar format and chart the ways in which birds are, equally, involved with our everyday lives. At this preparatory stage, we wish to enlist public help in mapping out these themes. The intention is both to inves- tigate old, traditional beliefs and myths about birds, and to record new stories that have sprung up in recent times. In combination, they will, we hope, create a type of modern folklore: a Domesday account of the part that birds play in Britain’s cultural life. Of the traditional folklore, we wish to establish how much of it actually survives. For example, are there people who still believe that the call of a Tawny Owl Strix aluco is a prophesy of doom? Does anyone still count the sight of a Raven Corvus corax as a sign of bad luck, or two Magpies Pica pica as a token of good fortune? Certain regional vernacular names, such as Bonxie' for Catharacta skua, are widely used by birders, but do any other country names, such as Goatsucker' for Caprimulgus europaeus. Yaffle' for Picas viridis or Harnser' for Ardea cinerea, still have currency? Equally, do you know of place names that commem- orate the way that birds have helped shape the identity of our landscape? We also want your examples of poetry, literature and songs that celebrate our rela- tionship with birds. Another important goal is to record what one might call new myths': those that have arisen in recent years. The scapegoating' of the Sparrowhawk Accipiter Tawny Owl nisus, the Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis and the Magpie are three classic examples. In the case of the first of these, has the Eurasian Sparrowhawk been blamed for more than simply the destruction of all of Britain's songbirds? Among the other stories that we wish to tackle are: • White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla, their re-establish- ment and their part (as rep- resentations) in annual rituals on the Scottish islands. • Golden Eagles Aquila chrysae- tos, the myths of their taking puppies and babies as well as lambs. • Red Kites Milvus milvus , one- time urban scavengers (fond of pilfering washing) turned symbol of Celtic Wales, and now re-established in England and Scotland • Cranes Grus grus of Broadland. • Coots Fulica atra: why Queer as a coot ? • Stone-curlews Burhinus oedicnemus have traditional autumn gathering-grounds, but are there any field names that commemorate this? • Gulls Lams , once ocean-going symbols of freedom, now habitues of urban refuse-tips. • Feral Pigeons Coluniba livia: yarns, such as those concern- ing their habit of travelling on the London Underground. • Cuckoos Cuculus canorus, their regional names and modern mythology; the tradition of the letters to The Times about the first Cuckoo of spring. • Golden-winged Warbler Verm- ivora chrysoptera, the Tesco carpark and the extraordinary events surrounding similar crowd-pulling rarities. • Long-staying birds that almost become institutions, such as the Flermaness Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melano- phris or the New Brighton Iceland Gull Lams glaucoides. • The remarkable lengths to which people have gone either to see a bird or to clinch its identity (eg. Richard Richardson wandering around on Arnold’s Marsh at Cley looking for the webbed footprints of Britain’s first Semipalmated Sandpiper Cali- dris pusilla ). Having gathered your thoughts and memories (and also your relatives' and friends’ memories), please write, with any clippings, pictures or letters, to Birds Britannica, c/o Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road. London SW1V 2SA, or to me at one of the addresses below. Any material used will be fully credited in the book. Acknowledgment The inclusion in British Birds of this appeal for help in the compilation of Birds Britannica has been subsidised by a donation from Chatto & Windus. Mark Cocker 9 Primrose Road, Norwich NR 1 4AT; e-mail: markcocker@btinternet.com © British Birds 93: 85, February 2000 85 Frederick J. Watson ZEISS Minutes of the 5th Conference of European Rarities Committees Tom Conzemius, on behalf of the AERC ABSTRACT This shortened version of the Minutes summarises the decisions taken at the meeting of the Association of European Rarities Committees held at Lednice, Czech Republic, during 17th-21st September 1999. Main aims of the AERC The main aims of the Association of European Rarities Committees are: To foster closer co-operation between rarities committees. To improve standards of record assessment by bringing record assessment practices in different countries closer together. To help and encourage the establishment of new committees. To help new committees to develop, through providing advice and information. To exchange information on how best to produce annual reports (through discussion and exchange of reports). To raise awareness of the issue of escapes, and of the biological importance of escapes. To raise awareness of and to seek agreement on taxonomic issues. To develop a network of identification experts who, within their areas of expertise, are prepared to help other committees in the assessment of records. To improve networking between committees and to establish partnerships between established and newer rarities committees. To promote the role of rarities committees in the birding community via the AERC-homepage, with the aim of persuading birding tourists to submit records to the appropriate rarities committees all over Europe and the World. Updating AERC guidelines The following updates have been added to the Guidelines: The national reports should include the homepage address of the AERC http://aerc.mypage.org Every national rarities com- mittee should have its own national homepage with an updated list of species that should be reported. These national homepages should also each include information on Cat- egory E species in that country. Every national rarities com- mittee should provide its data to the AERC on request (in a com- patible format). All national rarities commit- tees should give reasons for non- acceptance of a record, on request, to the appropriate bird- watcher. All comments made by com- mittee members and specialist consultants should be confiden- tial prior to publication of any decisions. Information con- cerning records under considera- tion, or decisions prior to publication, or other committee matters should normally not be discussed outside the com- mittee, except through the secre- tary or chairman, to whom all outside enquiries should be directed. New Rarities Committees in Europe Since the last meeting (in 1997 in Blahova), several new rarities committees have been created or are ready to start. Laszlo & Joszef Szabo from Romania presented information on their newly created rarities committee. Unfortunately, Sancar Baris from Turkey was not able to attend the meeting, but the AERC will offer every possible help to establish a Turkish Rarities Com- mittee. Andrea Corso from Italy discussed the newly created Italian Rarities Committee, which will not replace the existing Italian committee (COI), which considers only the first five records of every species, but will work in co-operation with it, fol- lowing the AERC guidelines. Partnership between Rarities Committees To fulfil the aim of fostering closer co-operation between rari- ties committees, the AERC offered the opportunity of part- nerships between established rarities committees and new rari- ties committees. The first such partnerships were created in Lednice: Finland/Estonia Hungary & France/Romania Cyprus/Italy Britain (BBRC)/Latvia [to be confirmed by the Latvian RC] Czech Republic/Slovakia Other rarities committees may propose partnership or ask for help in seeking a partner. 86 © British Birds 93: 86-88, February 2000 AERC Minutes AERC webpage (http://aerc. mypage. org) The AERC webpage was set up by Jan Pollet and is now main- tained by Marnix Vandege- huchte. It will soon have links to every national rarities com- mittee. A birder visiting a foreign country will be able easily to check which species should be reported to that country’s rari- ties committee. He or she can submit the record on a standard European form (downloadable from the AERC-homepage). European report The idea, born on Heligoland in 1991, of a European Bird Report published by the AERC has finally been deemed not to be feasible, owing to a variety of technical problems. European List Mainly owing to lack of taxo- nomic agreement, a list of all the species recorded in those Euro- pean countries with a rarities committee is still not ready for publication. It was agreed that the area covered by the AERC’s European List should include Cyprus and the Canary Islands. Taxonomic Subcommittee The AERC’s Taxonomic Subcom- mittee, established in 1997, com- prises Dr Alan Knox and Prof. David Parkin (GB), Andreas Helbig (D) and George Sangster (NL), and seeks international agreement on taxonomic issues. On behalf of the Subcommittee, George Sangster has identified about 350 taxonomic and nomenclatural issues relating to the West Palearctic List For many of these, information is incomplete and the AERC urges researchers to study and record all identifiable forms in the WP and to publish relevant informa- tion concerning the practica- bility of diagnosis, areas of sym- patry, intergradation or hybridisation, and similar matters. As a first stage of the Subcommittee's deliberations, the list of about 350 issues has been reduced to the following short list for prioritised consider- ation: Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus Bean Goose Anser fabalis Brent Goose Branta bernicla Common Teal Anas crecca Soft-plumaged Petrel Ptero- droma mollis Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus Great White Heron Egretta alba Tawny/Steppe Eagle Aquila rapax Lesser Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Common Snipe Gallinago galli- nago Herring Gull Lams argentatus Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Yellow Wagtail Motad/la flava Pied Wagtail M. alba Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus Yellow-browed Warbler Phyllo- scopus inornatus Bonelli's Warbler P. bonelli Chiffchaff Pcollybita Great Grey Shrike Lanins excu- bitor Carrion Crow Corvus corone Citril Finch Serinus citrinella Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea The Taxonomic Subcom- mittee is working on the basis that stability should be main- tained unless there are good sci- entific reasons for change, and that the evidence for this has been published, preferably in a refereed journal. Inevitably, the inadequacy of some of the present information means that some issues will take longer to resolve than others. Escapes The AERC aims to ensure that the escape problem is more widely discussed between rari- ties committees. Information flow should greatly improve with: Space on homepages for Cate- gory D and E species, making information easily accessible via the links on the AERC homepage. Category E species listed on each country’s website. Links to homepages including information on feral bird pop- ulations, on the AERC home- page. It is also intended to set up a search engine for webpages including information on species likely to become escapes. Creation of Mongolian RC Peter Barthel presented informa- tion on the newly created Mon- golian Rarities Committee. The Mongolian situation is compli- cated by the fact that there are almost no local birdwatchers or ornithologists, but many tourists visiting the country and pub- lishing unsubstantiated reports. A Mongolian Rarities Committee was, therefore, urgently needed. This international committee will, initially, have only one Mon- golian member, but will follow the AERC guidelines. Creation of an international Slender-billed Curlew Committee The Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris is the most endangered bird species of the Palearctic Region. Today, the World population of Slender- billed Curlew has declined rapidly and probably does not exceed a few hundred birds. The lack of data on Slender-billed Curlew ecology has made it diffi- cult to identify7 appropriate con- servation measures to safeguard the species. One of the tools to reverse this trend is the creation of an international database storing all British Birds 93: 86-88, February 2000 AERC Minutes 65. Participants in 5th Conference of European Rarities Committees, Czech Republic, September 1999- FRONT ROW Left to right, Dr Tom Conzemius (Luxembourg), Gunter De Smet (Belgium), Dr Martin Vavrik (Czech Republic), Andrea Corso Gtaly), Marc Duquet (France), Prof. Colin Bradshaw (Great Britain), Gunnlaugur |orainsson (Iceland). SECOND ROW Marnix Vandegehuchte (Belgium), Tony Marr (Great Britain), Dr Bernard Volet (Switzerland), Judy Dawes (Cyprus), Lionel Maumary (Switzerland), Hannu Jannes (Finland), Ricard Gutierrez (Spain), Vilju Lilleleht (Estonia). THIRD ROW Laszlo Szabo (Romania) (standing), Joszef Szabo (Romania), David Whaely (Cyprus), Martin Riesing (Austria), Andras Schmit (Hungary), Dr Josef Chytil (Czech Republic), Patric Lorge (Luxembourg), Jeff Gordon (Cyprus). BACK ROW Dr Alan Knox (Great Britain), Dr Gabor Magyar (Hungary), Tibor Hadarics (Hungary), Peter Barthel (Germany), Christine Barthel (Germany), Cecilia Johansson (Sweden), Dr Walter Mergen ( Carl Zeiss), Christian Cederroth (Sweden). Absent from photograph: Vasyl Demchyshyn (Ukraine). available Slender-billed Curlew records. That was started in 1991 by the ICBP and continued in the framework of successive con- servation initiatives for the species. Unfortunately, Slender- billed Curlews are likely to be seen in countries that lack an established rarities committee, and there is no formal process for the assessment of claims. It was, therefore, agreed to launch a Slender-billed Curlew Assess- ment Committee under the aegis of the AERC. Its objectives are: 1. To assess the acceptability' of records of Slender-billed Curlews in countries where no national rarities com- mittee exists. 2. To assist, on request, every national rarities committee in the assessment of Slender- billed Curlew records. 3. To encourage European rari- ties committees to collect as much detail as possible for every encounter. 4. To stimulate the submission to the relevant authorities of every Slender-billed Curlew observation, including histor- ical and specimen records. All reports, whether judged as proven or as unproven, will be kept, together with supporting documentation, to facilitate even- tual future reassessment. The current members of this AERC committee are Peter Barthel (Germany), Andrea Corso (Italy), Marc Duquet (France), George Handrinos (Greece), Gabor Magyar (Hungary), Dr Jimmy Steele (GB) and Didier Vangeluwe (Belgium). Meeting 2001 The next meeting of the AERC will take place in Sep- tember/October 2001 in Poland. Acknowledgments The AERC Secretariat wishes to thank Dr Walter Mergen from Carl Zeiss for sustained sponsorship over the years. The superb local organisation was co-ordinated by Dr Josef Chytil. Dr Tom Conzemius , Secretary, Association of European Rarities Committees, 38 Kiischtewee, L-6113 Junglinster, Luxembourg ft. 88 British Birds 93: 86-88, February 2000 Combined mobbing of Northern Goshawk by three other raptor species At 11.55 hours on 10th November 1995, at the Remolar-Filipines Reserve on the Llobregat Delta, Barcelona, Spain, we recorded what seemed to be a co-ordinated attack by three species of raptor on a subadult female Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis. The reserve comprises 110 ha of saltmarsh and reedbeds fringed by scattered trees and a poplar Populus wood. The goshawk was perched in the upper part of a bare poplar on the edge of the marsh when, suddenly, all the raptors over the marsh headed towards the tree. First, a nearby female Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus started to dive and attack the goshawk, being quickly followed by a juvenile Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus (a winter visitor to the area) and a pale-morph Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus (one of two over- wintering). The kestrel was succeeded by the harrier, which passed very close to the hawk; then came the Booted Eagle, which, attacking with its feet and claws extended, gently brushed the goshawk; immediately thereafter, the kestrel made another pass, then the harrier and the kestrel once more. It seemed that all three mobbing raptors were waiting until the previous one had finished before mounting their own attack. After ten attacks by the kestrel, four by the harrier and one by the eagle, the goshawk left the tree; the kestrel pursued it for about 1 km, pecking’ at its body and tail and looping around the much bigger raptor.The episode ended when the goshawk disappeared into the poplar wood. This Northern Goshawk, the only one of its species in the area, had been extremely active during the autumn and early winter of 1995, having captured several species of bird, including pigeons (Columbidae), waders (Charadriiformes) and ducks (Anatidae). Given that Northern Goshawks can prey on raptors up to the size of a Common Buzzard Buteo buteo , and that Common Kestrels are among the most frequently captured (113 out of 243 victims, or 46.5%; Uttendorfer 1952), a kestrel might be expected to see a goshawk as an enemy, even outside the breeding season, the latter being a period when goshawks may kill other raptors in nest defence (Newton 1979). On the other hand, BWP (vol. 2) reports Common Kestrels defending winter territories against other raptors. What seems remarkable is that all three flying raptors combined their efforts in order to frighten the goshawk from its perch, despite reports of Northern Goshawks nesting in close proximity to Booted Eagles (Diaz Robledo 1991). No mention of antagonistic behaviour among the three bigger species appears in BWP. References Cramp, S , & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 2. Oxford. Diaz Robledo, R. 1991 Azor ( Accipiter gentilis). Ardeola 38(2): 335. Newton, I 1979. Population Ecology of Raptors. Berkhamsted. Uttendorfer, O. 1952. Die Erndhrung der deutschen Raubvogel und Eulen. Neudamm. Ricard Gutierrez Reserves Naturals Delta del Llobregat, Departament d’Agricultura, Ramaderia i Pesca, Gran Via 612-614, E- 08007 Barcelona, Spain Jordi Figuerola Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain © British Birds 93: 89-93, February 2000 89 Notes Adult Mallards repeatedly diving On 8th July 1996, at Eccleston Mere, Lancashire, 1 noticed two adult Mallards Anas platyrhynchos, a male and a female, diving. Each dive lasted between 10 and 20 seconds, and in a 15-minute period they dived about 20 times. I estimated the depth of the water at that part of the mere to be about 2 m, and, since the ducks always dived in roughly the same area, it seems likely that they were after a stationary food supply on the bottom. No other ducks were present. BWP (vol. 1) states that adult Mallards occasionally dive to depths of 1-2 m for 6-10 seconds. In this instance, the number of dives and their lengthy duration seem unusual. Colin Davies 40 Dilloway Street , St Helens , Lancashire WA10 4LN Common Buzzard feeding on apple On 2nd January 1996, at Sidborough Nature Reserve, Morchard Bishop, Devon, I watched a Common Buzzard Bnteo buteo feeding on an apple. This was a windfall of a cultivated dessert variety, slightly bruised but not rotten. The buzzard first inspected and took one peck at the apple, and then held it firmly on the ground with its talons and devoured most of the fruit. The buzzard then proceeded to tear pieces of turf from the closely cut grass as if hunting for earthworms. A second Common Buzzard joined the first and observed its actions, but did not feed. The weather at the time was mild, but cloudy and damp; 2.5 mm of rain were recorded on the reserve that day. Fruit is not among the foods of Common Buzzard listed in BWP (vol. 2), but The Handbook (vol. 3) refers to this species taking the berries of cranberry/bilberry Vaccinium. Michael W. Tyler Sidborough, Oldborongh, Morchard Bishop , Crediton, Devon EX1 7 6SQ Feeding behaviour of Osprey on long passage stopover From at least 22nd August to 6th September 1995, an Osprey Pandion haliaetus was present in the Steer Point area of the River Yealm estuary, Devon. I made prolonged observations on most days, noting its feeding behaviour in different weather conditions. Hunting success was greatest when the tide was about halfway up, either rising or falling. At high water, fish were presumably spread out over a much larger area and also, perhaps, too close to the mainly heavily tree- lined estuary banks to allow for a diving attack. When the water was calm, the Osprey dived at a very shallow angle to the surface, usually less than 30°; capture rate was low, with many dives aborted, and those in which a plunge was made often being unsuccessful. In conditions when the wind caused ripples on the water’s surface, the Osprey dived at a much steeper angle, usually exceeding 60°, and often from a greater height; rate of capture was high, with first diving attempts often successful. An interesting series of observations was made on the morning of 3rd September. There was virtually no wind, the water was quite still, and the rising tide about halfway up; passing heavy showers occurred. E. Griffiths and I had watched the Osprey since about 07.00 gmt as it sat inactively in a low waterside tree for some 40 minutes. A heavy shower then disturbed the water surface and the bird almost immediately took off. Within three minutes, it made its first dive, which was successful, but it dropped the fish after landing on a perch. It resumed hunting in, by now, dry, calm conditions, but without success. It then perched and did not hunt again for 90 minutes, when a light breeze disturbed the water surface; this lasted only 90 British Birds 93: 89-93, February 2000 Notes ten minutes, during which the Osprey made no dives (presumably, it did not locate any fish). By this time, the tide was much higher (see above). The next feeding attempt was in the early afternoon, by when a force 3 wind was rippling the water surface. The Osprey achieved almost instant success, despite hunting only about one hour after high tide; the strike was made above a main channel. From prolonged observations, it would appear that, where possible, the Osprey hunted in those conditions most favouring success. This would suggest that it had some experience and was thus at least a second- summer individual (this also indicated by its plumage). Barrie Whitehall Stonewalls , East Charleton , Kingsbriclge , Devon TQ7 2AR Juvenile plumage of European sandgrouse In his note on the juvenile plumages of Black- bellied Pterocles orientalis and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse P alchata (Brit. Birds 89: 95-96), Richard Vaughan indicated that the descriptions given in BWP (vol. 4) are incorrect. He supplied photographs of both species to support his view that, contrary to statements in BWP , juveniles are clearly separable from adult females. In fact, juvenile plumage of sandgrouse is more complex and interesting than this suggests. Below, following Cramp & Simmons (1977), we refer to the first set of contour feathers grown by a sandgrouse chick as juvenile plumage, and the next set, acquired after the post-juvenile moult, as immature plumage if it differs from that of breeding adult. The chicks of two sandgrouse species (Pin-tailed and Double-banded Sandgrouse P. hicinctus ) of which we have direct experience of aviary-reared birds completed the growth of their juvenile plumage within 4-6 weeks of hatching; at this age, they were about two-thirds the size of adults and could fly short distances. In juvenile plumage, Double-banded Sandgrouse were basically brown with pale and white markings, giving a barred general appearance: this plumage was much more like that of the adult female (brown, with pale and white spots and bars) than that of the adult male (grey/beige, with white spots and distinctive black and white forehead stripes), but was clearly distin- guishable because it was barred rather than mottled/spotted and was paler than the female (see photographs in Hinsley & Hockey 1989). Juvenile plumage of Pin-tailed chicks was basically mottled brown (with plain white belly) and hence also clearly different from both adult male and adult female: each contour feather had a U-shaped pattern of alternating bands of black/dark brown and yellow/light brown which followed the outline of the visible part of the feather (Urban el al. 1986); the feathers on the breast were less boldly marked, the general appearance being mottled brown, and there were no dark breast bands; the head was mottled and spotted reddish- brown. We could not determine the sex of either species in this plumage. One to two months after juvenile plumage was fully grown, the birds began to moult again. This moult was complete but for one or more outer primaries, and was finished by the time the birds were about six months old. Double-banded Sandgrouse could be sexed as soon as these new feathers began to appear, because they were the same as adults. In the case of Pin-tailed, an immature plumage, distinct from adult breeding, was grown. In this, the mantle, back and rump feathers were barred black/dark brown and yellow/light brown (‘zebra’ feathers: Urban et al. 1986), the bars running straight across the feathers at right-angles to the shafts; the chest feathers were dull brick-red with a dark terminal band, creating a sharp contrast with the white belly feathers, and the head and upper neck were again mottled and spotted brown, with white throat. We observed this same plumage pattern with three wild Pin- tailed Sandgrouse caught in Spain which, at about three months old, had started moulting into zebra’ feathers and had already replaced some inner primaries. Pin-tailed could be sexed in this plumage by differences in the colours of the new lesser coverts: on males, these were deep chestnut with a narrow white subterminal band and a narrow black British Birds 93: 89-93, February 2000 91 S. Hinsley S. Hinsley Notes 66. Above, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata in juvenile plumage. This individual has just started its primary moult (new primary just visible below the coverts), but is not yet showing any body moult. edge, whereas on females they were white, shading into yellow/orange, with a black edge. Unmoulted juvenile primaries were clearly distinct from those of the immature plumage, being edged pale brown around the tips, rather than white as on the new feathers. The central tail feathers of the juvenile plumage ended in distinct points, but were not elongated; in the immature plumage, the points were elongated, but not to the same extent as on adults. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse is the only Pterocles species to show a seasonal plumage change (see Cramp 1985 for details). Of interest in the current context is that the zebra’ feathers of the immature plumage are similar to the barred feathers typical of non-breeding adults. The appearance of these barred feathers is most noticeable on males, owing to the sharp contrast they create with the green and golden-yellow breeding plumage of the mantle and back (this contrast can be seen on the male on the right in Vaughan’s photograph of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, which 67. Above, juvenile Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata in body moult. Note contrast between the juvenile feathers (U-shaped markings) and the new striped zebra' feathers. This individual is also showing new (red) feathers on the chest, but the dark terminal band between breast and belly is barely visible owing to angle of view; new primaries can be seen, too. The male in the background also has some zebra' feathers on the mantle. (The two other, parti}' visible birds are male Double-banded Sandgrouse P bicinctus.') 68. Left, fully moulted immature Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata .The body feathers are of the zebra' type, and the head and neck mottled and spotted; the white and black lesser coverts identify this individual as a female, and it has retained an outer primary (looks pointed); short central tail-feather extensions can also be seen. shows zebra’ feathers in the mantle). With our aviary-bred Pin-tailed, juveniles remained separable from adults in non-breeding plumage because the adults retained some breeding-plumage feathers, especially on the head and neck. Juveniles were still distinguishable from adults following the pre- breeding moult, because they retained some immature feathers on head and neck. This difference, however, would have been hard to detect at a distance, and was not apparent in flocks of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse observed through a telescope in Spain in April (about one month before breeding began). The juveniles of both species in Vaughan’s photographs (taken in September) are probably between three and five months old and are in post-juvenile moult. The Black- bellied juvenile appears to be about halfway through its body moult and, from the grey feathers showing on the chest, it is obviously a male; it also has the dishevelled appearance typical of a bird in heavy body moult. The young Pin-tailed look a little younger in that 92 British Birds 93: 89-93, February 2000 S. Hinsley Notes their moult is less advanced, but the growth of new feathers producing the reddish chest and dark band separating the chest feathers from the white belly can still be seen. This moult pattern, in which the juvenile plumage (sexes indistinguishable) is replaced within a few months of hatching by an adult- type plumage (sexes distinguishable) appears to be the norm for Pterocles species. The more complex moult of juvenile Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, with the growth of zebra’ feathers rather than a breeding-type adult plumage, is presumably a consequence of the seasonal plumage differences unique to this species. Thus, Vaughan was correct in claiming that sandgrouse juvenile plumage is separable from adult plumage, but this cannot be inferred from his photographs because they are of birds in post-juvenile moult. Moreover, as a general description, the phrase resembles female’ (Cramp 1985) is not unreasonable, given that the juvenile plumage is more similar to adult female than to adult male. References Cramp, S. (ed.) 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 4. Oxford. — & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1977. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 1 . Oxford. Hinsley, S. A., & Hockey, D J. 1989 Breeding and breeding behaviour of Double-banded Sandgrouse, Pterocles bicinctus. Avic. Mag. 95: 62-73- Urban, E.K., Fry, C. H.,& Keith, S. (eds.) 1986. The Birds of Africa, vol. 2. London. Vaughan, R. 1996. Juvenile plumage of European sandgrouse. Brit Birds 89: 95-96. Shelley Hinsley ITE Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE 17 2LS Peter Ferns School of Pure and Applied Biology, University of Wales, Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF1 3TL Common Sandpiper diving to escape Merlin On 25th June 1992, at lake Flaekevatn in Froland, Aust-Agder, southern Norway, I noticed a few Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos nervously squeaking at me on the shore about 150 m away, probably having young hidden in the vegetation. They were restless, and often made short flights low over the water. Suddenly, I noticed an adult Merlin Falco columbarius coming from the nearby wood and landing in a tree close to the edge of the lake; as it was partly hidden by branches, I could not decide which sex it was, but its size clearly suggested a female. The sandpipers seemed not to have spotted the danger, and continued with their noisy choir. The Merlin was obviously interested in the waders, and after a few minutes it rushed out from the tree and set off after a single Common Sandpiper that was flying slowly and unsuspectingly over the water about 200 m out from the shore. At that point, 1 thought that the wader was doomed; I could not see how it could possibly get away from the swift raptor. As the falcon got closer, the sandpiper became aware of it and tried to escape by zigzag flight. This was unsuccessful, but then, just as I was waiting to see sandpiper feathers in the air, something unexpected happened: I noticed a splash and the sandpiper was gone. The Merlin continued on without its prey and vanished behind a nearby hill. It all happened very quickly, leaving me a little confused about the disappearance of the sandpiper. I looked for it at the spot where it had disappeared, and when, after 5-10 seconds, it suddenly popped up on the lake’s surface there was no longer any doubt over what had happened: facing death, the wader had realised that the only way to escape was to dive into the water. On returning to the surface, it lay there for a few seconds, clearly shocked, before returning to the safer, dry shore. Terje Lislevand Fosswinckelsgate 21, N-500 7 Bergen, Norway; e-mail:terje. lislevand® zoo.uib.no EDITORIAL COMMENT This is a particularly good, well-observed account of what is a fairly well-known and quite well- documented behaviour (see e g. review in Behaviour 8: 130-173). British Birds 93: 89-93, February 2000 93 Taxonomic status of bernicla and nigricans Brent Geese Syroechkovski et al. (1998) have recently published the results of a study of Brent Geese Branta bernicla in northwest Yakutia, Russia. They claimed to have located a previously unknown contact zone of Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta (b.) ber- nicla and Black Brant B. (b.) nigricans. If valid, these observa- tions would be significant because they would provide the first documentation of the inter- actions of bernicla and nigri- cans on the breeding grounds and would confirm suspicions that the nigricans population is expanding towards the west. Five colonies were found; in each of these both bernicla and nigri- cans were identified. Of a total of 154 pairs, eight were stated to represent mixed pairs. Five indi- viduals showed intermediate character states. The authors con- cluded that the new data cast considerable doubt’ on the thesis that bernicla and nigri- cans are separate species (Stepa- nyan 1990; Millington 1997; Sangster et al. 1997). I believe, however, that this interpretation is flawed because the identity of the claimed nigricans is ques- tionable and the stated taxo- nomic rationale is inconsistent with current views on the signifi- cance of hybridisation. Although the identity of the reported nigricans is seriously question- able, I argue that, even if mixed colonies indeed exist, no reliable inferences regarding the degree of reproductive isolation can be made from the observations of Syroechkovski et al. (1998). Because no descriptions of the claimed nigricans were pro- vided, their identity can be deter- mined only with the two published photographs. The char- acter states of the males depicted in plates 164 and 165 are, however, those of bernicla, and are inconsistent with nigri- cans. The male supposed nigri- cans in plate 164 is structurally unconvincing, while its mantle and scapulars are even on the pale side of the range of varia- tion shown by bernicla and far from the blackish-chocolate of nigricans. Although upperparts of Asian populations of nigricans (‘ orient alis’) are rather browner than those of North American populations, they are not nearly so pale as on the individual in plate 164. The belly appears too pale and the flank patch is not typical of nigricans. Both the top edge of the flank patch and neck collar on this bird do appear whiter, but this most likely repre- sents a photographic burn-out, as shown on the wings of the Glau- cous Gull Lams hyperboreus behind (where detail is compro- mised, too). Plate 1 65 represents a pure pair of bernicla, not a mixed pair. The difference in the flank patch of the female bernicla in plates 163 and 165 and the more prominent patch of the alleged male nigricans in plate 165 is mostly due to the fact that the female has its flanks obscured by its wings. The colour and tone of the upperparts and underparts of the male (supposed nigricans ) in plate 165 appear closer to ber- nicla in this photograph. Also, the shape and length of neck, as well as the head and bill shape, suggest bernicla rather than nigricans. The collar also is not convincing for nigricans and falls within the range shown by bernicla, while the flank patch is again wrong for nigricans (on which it should be larger, whiter, and more isolated and with intru- sive dark chevrons); it is the typical flank patch shown by bernicla. If the individuals shown in the plates are represen- tative of the observed nigri- cans', this would cast serious doubts about the identity of all the nigricans observed by Syroechkovski and co-workers. Moreover, if the putative interme- diates had character states inter- mediate between bernicla and the alleged nigricans (= ber- nicla), they were most likely also bernicla. Based on these find- ings, I question the existence of mixed colonies, mixed pairs and hybrids in northwest Yakutia. Syroechkovski et al. (1998) interpreted their findings on the basis of the Biological Species Concept (BSC), whereas Millington (1997) and Sangster et al. (1997) explicitly stated that they had used the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC). These concepts provide different cri- teria by which to delimit species taxa; the BSC focuses on the reproductive isolation of taxa, whereas the PSC focuses on the diagnosability of taxa, which is taken as evidence that taxa have unique evolutionary histories. If mixed pairs and hybrids are doc- umented. they would offer some clues about the reproductive compatibility of taxa, but do not counter the suggestion, based on the presence of diagnostic differ- ences, that bernicla and nigri- cans should be treated as separate phylogenetic species. Even if mixed colonies and mixed pairs of bernicla and nigricans are documented, however, and the BSC is used to infer species limits, it is not immediately clear whether these taxa should be lumped in a single species. One reason is that there has been much confusion about the meaning of reproduc- tive isolation’ (Key 1981). Syroechkovski et al. (1998) mis- represented the BSC by stating that reproductive isolation means the absence of inter- breeding. Ever since the intro- 94 © British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 Letters duction of the BSC in ornithology (Mayr 1940), ornithologists have been aware that otherwise perfectly accept- able species are able to interbreed under certain circum- stances. Given the fact that about 10% of all currently recognised bird species are now known to have hybridised with at least one other species (Grant & Grant 1992), it is unrealistic to cite evi- dence of hybridisation as grounds that undermine and invalidate specific status for nigricans. If speciation of Brent Geese is considered certainly not completed' because a few mixed pairs and hybrids are reported (Syroechkovski et al. 1998), then speciation in many widely accepted species of Anatidae that are known to have hybridised (Gillham & Gillham 1996) should also be considered as not complete, and many dis- tinct species should be com- bined in more inclusive species'. If taken to its logical conclusion, the strict view on speciation and reproductive isolation adopted by Syroechkovski et al. (1998) will lead to unpalatable tax- onomies because sympatric species, and even members of different genera, also produce hybrids, and would have to be combined in large variable species'. Clearly, a strict interpretation of reproductive isolation will cause, rather than solve, prob- lems. Recognising this problem, Mayr (1982) explained how interspecific hybridisation is con- sistent with reproductive isola- tion' In cases of hybridisation, two species seem to remain “reproductively isolated" in the sense that they do not fuse into a single population, in spite of the leakage of certain of their genes’ (Mayr 1982: 285) Reproductive isolation means that taxa will not fuse into a single population, and should not be construed as an absence of interbreeding. Two types of ‘isolating bar- riers’ are recognised, which prevent the complete fusion of two species in a single popula- tion (Mayr 1996): pre-mating iso- lating barriers' and post-mating isolating barriers'. Pre-mating iso- lating barriers reduce or prevent hybridisation and include sea- sonal, ecological and behavioural differences (affecting mate choice). Post-mating isolating barriers reduce the reproductive success (fitness) of mixed pairs, and include lowered viability or fertility of the offspring and failure of hybrids to attract mates. If species limits in Brent Geese are interpreted with the BSC, the presence and extent of these barriers should be criti- cally examined. Because pair formation takes place on the wintering grounds, Syroechkovski et al. (1998) inferred that formation of mixed pairs may occur only when immatures of different taxa meet in the breeding area and subse- quently migrate together to the same wintering area and form pairs. The alleged mixed pairs of bernicla and nigricans in north- west Yakutia were interpreted as the result of a recent contact on the breeding grounds which allows young nigricans to migrate with bernicla to western Europe. Although this interpreta- tion would explain how mixed pairs are formed, it does not provide a proper test of the degree of assortative mating in nigricans . The incidence of hybridisation appears to be related to the availability of con- specific partners. It is well known that individuals are more prone to hybridise with another species if few or no potential conspecific mates are available (e.g. Hubbs 1955; Grant & Grant 1997; Nuechterlein & Buitron 1998). 1 suggest that the meaning of mixed-pair formation and hybridisation by Brent Geese should be considered in this light. Although, in western Europe, nigricans is recorded with increasing frequency, nigricans is still sufficiently rare for lone individuals to experience consid- erable difficulty in finding a nigricans mate. Because nigri- cans individuals generally are not in the position to choose a member of their own taxon, cir- cumstances in Europe do not allow reliable inferences to be made about the mate prefer- ences of nigricans Brent Geese. Thus, if a nigricans establishes a pair bond with a bernicla, this cannot be taken as evidence that these taxa do not discriminate between members of their own taxon and those of others. Based on these considerations, I do not regard observations of mixed pairs or even hybrids of bernicla and nigricans as incompatible with the view that these taxa are separate species. In their taxonomic discus- sion, Syroechkovski et al (1998) focused on interbreeding, but did not discuss the possibility that the alleged hybrid bernicla and nigricans have reduced fitness. A comprehensive review of well- studied animal hybrid zones (Barton & Hewitt 1985) has shown that, in many such zones, hybrids have reduced fitness, and that most hybrid zones are stable owing to a balance between dis- persal of individuals into the hybrid zone and reduced hybrid fitness. Post-mating isolating bar- riers may, therefore, be a crucial factor in the maintenance of reproductive isolation. It has been shown that, even if mate choice is random and hybridisa- tion is extensive, post-mating iso- lating barriers may still result in complete genetic isolation (e.g. Bigelow 1965). In the absence of information on the fitness of the alleged hybrid bernicla x nigri- cans, their lack of reproductive isolation remains conjectural. What this reflection makes vivid is that inferences of species limits under the BSC are no simple matter. Given the many problems and uncertainties in the assessment of reproductive isolation, as well as more funda- Britisb Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 95 Letters mental problems with the BSC itself (Raven 1986; Mayden 1997; Sangster et al. 1998), I prefer the PSC, which recognises species by their characters rather than their sex life. This approach separates evolutionary pattern from under- lying evolutionary processes which generate and maintain diversity. Character variation is directly observable; this approach, therefore, takes nature as it is, and does not necessitate speculations about the possi- bility, existence and future outcome of hybridisation. All three taxa in the complex possess diagnostic character states, which is evidence that these taxa have unique evolu- tionary histories. Accordingly, since ornithologists have agreed that bernicla , nigricans and hrota are distinct taxa, treatment of these taxa as species better represents the known diversity within the complex. Acknowledgments I thank Arnoud B van den Berg, Anthony McGeehan and Richard Millington for fruitful discussions about the identity of Brent Geese. Arnoud B. van den Berg, Anthony McGeehan, Richard Millington, Gerald J. Oreel, Kees Roselaar and EDITORIAL COMMENT We have received the following reply: It is gratifying that our paper on Brent Geese has gen- erated so much interest. It was our intention to describe the situation in northern Siberia and provide new information to stimulate discussion. The tax- onomic question was just one issue, which should be consid- ered in the context of the recent expansion of the breeding range of the species, its migration patterns and its conservation status. In his cri- tique, Sangster focuses on the taxonomic aspects and expresses doubt about the identification of individuals of the subspecies B. b. nigricans Eduard Sangster commented on the manuscript. George Sangster President Steinstraat 3 A, 2312 ZP Leiden, The Netherlands ; e-mail g.sangster@tele2. nl References Barton, N. H , & Hewitt, G. M, 1985. Analysis of hybrid zones. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 16: 113-148. Bigelow, R. S. 1965. Hybrid zones and reproductive isolation. Evolution 19:449-458. Gillham, E„ & Gillham, B. 1996. Hybrid Ducks: a contribution towards an inventory. Wallington. Grant, P R , & Grant, B R. 1992. Hybridization of bird species. Science 256: 193-197. & 1997. Hybridization, sexual imprinting, and mate choice. A m. Nat. 149: 1-28. Hubbs, C. L 1955 Hybridization between fish in nature. Syst. Zool. 4: 1-20. Key, K. H. L 1981 Species, parapatry, and the morabine grasshoppers. Syst. Zool. 30: 425- 458. Mayden, R. L. 1997. A hierarchy of species concepts: the denoue- ment in the saga of the species problem. In: Claridge, M. F., Dawah, H. A., & Wilson, M. R (eds.) Species, the Units of Biodiversity. London pp. 381- 424. Mayr, E. 1940. Speciation phenom- and the existence of mixed colonies, mixed pairs and hybrids. He states that All three taxa in the complex possess diagnostic character states’, but does not define the relevant characters or explain how their diagnostic nature was assessed. Almost all recent authors have treated bernicla and nigricans as conspecific, but Sangster et at. (1997) treated them as sepa- rate species without any dis- cussion and citing only Millington (1997) as a basis for this decision. Millington did not discuss the issue either, commencing his paper with the statement that ‘Despite past uncertainty, the current taxo- nomic situation is clear: Black Brant, Dark-bellied Brent Goose ena in birds. Am. Nat. 74: 249- 278. 1982. The Growth of Biological Thought Cambridge, MS. 1996. What is a species, and what is not? Philos. Sci. 63: 262- 277. Millington, R. 1997. Separation of Black Brant, Dark-bellied Brent Goose and Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Birding World 10: 1 1-15. Nuechterlein, G. L., & Buitron, D. 1998 Interspecific mate choice by late-courting male Western Grebes. Behav. Ecol. 9: 313-321. Raven, P H 1986. Modern aspects of the biological species in plants. In: Watsuki, K., Raven, P H.. & Bock, W J. (eds.) Modern Aspects of Species. Tokyo, pp. 1 1-29- Sangster, G., Hazevoet, C. J , van den Berg, A. B., & Roselaar, C. S. 1997. Dutch avifaunal list: taxonomic changes in 1977-97. Dutch Birding 19: 21-28. , , & 1998. Dutch avifaunal list: species concepts, taxonomic instability, and taxonomic changes in 1998. Dutch Birding 20: 22-32. Stepanyan, L. S. 1990. Conspectus of the Ornithological Fauna of the USSR. Moscow. [In Russian] Syroechkovski, E. E., Zockler, C., & Lappo, E 1998. Status of Brent Goose in northwest Yakutia, East Siberia. Brit. Birds 91: 565- 572. and Pale-bellied Brent Goose are three closely related but separate species. They each breed and winter indepen- dently and are identifiable in all plumages.' Adult Black Brants are claimed to differ from adult Dark-bellied Brents in the darker and browner upper- parts and underparts, the ten- dency of the white neck-collar to be more prominent and, most importantly, the strikingly pale flank patch. Brief mention is made of presumed hybrids that simply appear to show various mixed characters' - in apparent contradiction of the claim of independent breeding. Cramp & Simmons (1977) referred to the neck-collar as the most important distin- 96 © British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 Letters guishing feature of nigricans , noting that the extent of pale flank barring on bernicla is highly variable, with some individuals showing ... as much as nigricans'. Over the last 12 years, we have visited the Russian Arctic every summer and have seen and caught many Brent Geese from all over Siberia, including birds identified as pure ber- nicla and as pure nigricans. We also know both subspecies from their wintering sites in England, the Netherlands, Germany, Washington and Mexico. We found that the dif- ferences between the two sub- species are not so clear-cut as they often appear in Europe. We observed considerable vari- ation in coloration of the mantle and scapulars, promi- nence of the white flank patch, and the shape and extent of the neck collar; this leads us to conclude that many poorly marked nigricans would remain unidentified if they appeared in Europe. Although the photographs published with our paper are not perfect, owing to the conditions at the time being unfavourable for photography, we remain con- vinced that those of nigricans show the major identification features: the broad white neck collar and the obvious white patch on the flanks (which is not an artefact of the pho- tographs). Sangster has noted that some birds of the Siberian population of nigricans , often treated as a separate sub- species orientalis , are lighter on the mantle than American individuals. Even if the birds in the pub- lished photographs were ber- nicla rather than nigricans, the ringing recoveries in the area (six from the USA and two from the Netherlands) prove the co-existence of two popula- tions in the Olenyok and western Lena Delta. Concerning Species Con- cepts, we follow Haffer (1997), who referred to the BSC (Bio- logical Species Concept) as the most efficient tool in ornitho- logical research. We agree with Eck (1996), who considered the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC) as less con- vincing, whilst accepting the mutual fertility of many such species: In how many species should Homo sapiens be divided?' The PSC refers to species when populations have different diagnosable character states’ (Sangster et at. 1997). The observed greater variation in Brent Geese in Siberia, and the current discussion about the identification, indicate that the taxa are much more alike, possibly representing a cline from east (North America) to west (Taimyr). They are not in every case morphologically clearly separable and even might not suit the PSC. Our observations have demonstrated that the two sub- species have recently met in the area and that they are inter- breeding. We agree that the presence of a few mixed pairs and apparent hybrids is insuffi- cient evidence to prove the conspecificity of the two forms. Further research is required to clarify the extent of hybridisation and the survival ability of hybrid offspring. It would be equally valid, however, to maintain the gener- ally accepted view that these two forms are conspecific, and we believe that information (not yet published) gathered in the Olenyok Delta and on the Anabar River in 1998 supports this view. With growing interest in the species' status, we plan to publish further detailed information on the cline in morphology to demonstrate fully the extensive variation of Brent Geese throughout Siberia. Acknowledgments We should like to thank Tim Inskipp and Peter Herkenrath for their valuable comments on the text, and Johan Mooij and Hans- Heiner Bergmann for discussions. Christoph Zockler World Conservation Moni- toring Centre (WCMC), 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 ODL Eugeny E. Syroechkovski, Jr Institute of Ecology and Evo- lution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117071, Len inski Avenue 3, Russia Elena Lappo Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 109017, Staromon- etny 29, Russia References Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1977. The Birds of the Western Palearctic . vol. 1 Oxford. Eck, S. 1996. Die palaarktischen Vogel - Geospezies und Biospezies. Zoolog. Abb. Staatl. Mus. F. Tierkunde Dresden 49, Suppl. Haffer, J. H. 1997. Species con- cepts and species limits in ornithology. In: del Hoyo.J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. Hand- book of the Birds of the World, vol. 4. Sandgrouse to cuckoos. Barcelona, pp 1 1-25. Millington, R. 1997. Separation of Black Brant, Dark-bellied Brent Goose and Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Birding World 10: 11- 15. Sangster, G., Hazevoet, C. J., van den Berg, A. B., & Roselaar, C. S. 1997. Dutch avifaunal list tax- onomic changes in 1977-97. Dutch Birding 19: 21-28. British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 97 Letters The Taxonomic Subcommittee of tlte British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) has been enlarged to deal with the ever-increasing workload on taxonomic developments related to emerging new species' (Brit. Birds 92: 490), and the British Birds Rarities Committee has decided to form a group that will investigate methods of field identification of these new species' and others that may be separated in the future (Brit. Birds 92: 546). It all sounds very laudable, and any attempt at standardising the issues involved should receive support, but I am sure that I am not alone in thinking that we seem to be putting the cart before the horse by not clarifying what actually makes a species. How many birdwatchers, whilst clamouring for a split', can actually articulate what they mean by a species, and how many scien- tists agree on common taxonomic criteria that clearly define what a species is? There are some excel- lent papers that look at the subject in depth, published in the Bulletin of the British Ornitholo- gists’ Club (vol. 1 12A and vol. 1 17, no. 2), which I think that all bird- watchers should read. I am not a scientist, but the conclusion that I draw is that we are now no nearer knowing what a species is than was Darwin when writing The Origin of Species, where he stated that No one definition has as yet satisfied all naturalists; yet every naturalist knows vaguely what he means when he speaks of a species ’ The point is that there is not one satisfactory definition that suits all situations, and there never has been. Currently, the trend is to move away from the Biological Species Concept towards phyloge- netic principles, which may seem to clarify certain criteria, but tend to make others more confusing. In this, there appears to be no limit to the characteristics that can be used to define a species, but how Emerging new species valid are they? For instance, as I understand it, DNA analysis could tell us anything about a bird, from which genus it belongs to, down to its individuality; consequently, if one accepts the extremes of phy- logenetic principles, each indi- vidual bird could be regarded as a separate species. This, of course, is ridiculous, but where is the line to be drawn on such trivia? Also, how far should vocal characteris- tics be used (when does a local dialect become a diagnostically different song), and what role should geographical isolation play? [ here are a lot of intractable arguments here, which have to be faced before a decision is made. It is quite correct that the BOURC should be the deter- mining body responsible for making the decisions relating to new species in the UK (and I assume that it liaises with the international Standing Committee on Ornithological Nomenclature), but I suggest that, before pro- moting any further taxon to spe- cific status, the BOURC’s Taxonomic Subcommittee should publish which of the various prin- ciples of taxonomy it is using, or is proposing to use, and what cri- teria it considers valid in defining what makes a species. As I am not a scientist, I am, perhaps, able to look at these problems from a more detached viewpoint, and my plea is for a simpler approach to speciation that we can all understand. There will always be grey areas' that defy definition, and this needs to be admitted and, where necessary, the safer but more certain path adopted. We should not be too eager to dispense with subspecific status on the basis of inferiority, and I fully agree with Martin Collinson (Brit. Birds 92: 118-119) when he says that ‘Intraspecific diversity should be recognised and celebrated whether we can tick it or not.’ Let us, therefore, be more courageous, and admit to that which we do not know, and be more cautious about that which we think we know. Chris Wheeler 3 The Butts. Saxlinghcun Road. Blakeney, Norfolk NR25 7PB EDITORIAL COMMENT Tony Marr, the Chairman of the BOURC, has commented as follows: Chris Wheeler has described well the problem facing the BOURC, and list committees in other countries, in trying to determine the answer to a simple question: What is a species? The debate continues on whether to follow one species concept or another. ‘The two principal concepts - the Biological Species Concept (BSC) and the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC) - each have their supporters, but neither provides the perfect answer to the problem. There are pluses and minuses in each concept, and a consensus appears to be emerging that the right approach is to take the best from each. The BOURC’s newly enlarged advisory Taxonomic Subcommittee (TSC) has now held its first meeting, at which it tackled the questions of species concepts and the working definitions to be used to determine species bound- aries. A full statement on its conclusions will be issued soon, together with a shortlist of species for priority action affecting the British List. A further development is that the TSC has two Conti- nental European members, which will assist in co-opera- tion and co-ordination on taxo- nomic issues across Europe, through the Association of European Rarities Committees. We shall also continue to work closely with taxonomists in the USA on matters of common concern.' )8 British Birds 93:94-101, February 2000 Letters Moult and age of first-year ‘white-winged’ gulls The identification of gulls (Laridae) is amongst the most topical (and thorny) issues facing birders throughout the Holarctic, as evinced by the continued pub- lication of increasingly refined identification literature (e g. the excellent papers by Garner et al Brit. Birds 90: 25-62, 369- 383). Often central to the identi- fication of any gull to species is determination of its age, for which it appears that the termi- nology used at present leaves room for ambiguity. At the risk of sounding iconoclastic, I should like to raise a question about ageing certain gull species based upon the seasonal system: are first-winter' gulls necessarily in their first-winter plumage? This seems to be something that has been taken for granted, but which appears not to be the case for at least some individuals of some species. Traditional moult timings for gulls were outlined first by Dwight (1925), and presumably were based largely upon tem- perate-breeding species such as Ring-billed Larus delawarensis and eastern US and British popu- lations of Herring Gull L. argen- tatus Recent studies (Howell & Corben in press) have brought into question the traditional moult and plumage sequence patterns (e.g. as discussed by Grant, 1986, pp. 16-18), and raise a question concerning white- winged' gulls. In California, most first-year Thayer’s Gulls L. (glaucoides?) thayeri , Herring Gulls L. a. smith- sonianus and Glaucous-winged Gulls L . glaucescens retain appar- ently full juvenile plumage into January or even later (Howell et al. 1999). As an extension of these field studies, I reviewed published photos of Kumlien's L. ( glaucoides ?) kumlieni , Iceland L. g. glaucoides and Glau- cous Gulls L. hyperboreus. Taking only the clearest photos in Grant (1986), the apparently uniform plumage pattern and wear of the first-year Iceland Gulls shown in Photographs 423 & 424 and the first-year Glaucous Gulls in Pho- tographs 399-402 suggest that these birds have a single genera- tion of feathers (i.e. are in juve- nile rather than first-winter’, first-basic, plumage). Similarly, I believe that the first-year Kumlien’s Gulls shown in Figures 3-6 of Zimmer (1991) and Plates 11-13 of McGeehan & Garner (1997a) are also in juvenile plumage. Other examples include excellent photos of apparently full juvenile Glaucous Gull (Anon. 1992, p. 44) and Iceland Gull (Anon. 1994, p. 6), both taken in January and labelled ‘first-winter’. Interestingly, for both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, Witherby et al. (1941) and Pierre Devillers (in Cramp & Simmons 1983) appear to support these conclusions about moult. For Glaucous Gull, Witherby et al. (1941) noted that The juvenile body-plumage is only partially moulted and often very little'; and Iceland Gull is said to be similar. Devillers noted for both species that the post- juvenile (first-prebasic) moult is very limited, ... often only a few scattered feathers'; that some juvenile Iceland Gulls show no moult as late as March’; and that some juvenile Glaucous Gulls show sometimes none [= no moult] at all’ (presumably until the summer of their second cal- endar year). This accords well with field observations of Thayer’s Gulls. I note, however, that for Iceland and Kumlien’s (and indeed Glaucous)’ Gulls, McGeehan & Garner (1997a, p. 95; 1997b, p. 272) apparently interpreted BWP to mean that the ’first-winter’ (in the sense of first-basic) plumage looked like the juvenile plumage, rather than that the first-winter' plumage can be exactly the same feath- ering as the juvenile plumage. I also note for Glaucous (and Iceland) Gulls, that Grant (1986, p. 148) stated that first-winter, a plumage supposedly acquired by post-juvenile body moult, summer to October’, is some- times indistinguishable from juvenile plumage' - presumably because it is the same plumage. Indeed, I am aware of little (or no) evidence that migratory juve- nile Glaucous or Iceland Gulls moult more than a feather or two (if that) by October. In order to address this issue and collect meaningful data, observers need to break from the traditional mindset and abandon preconceptions con- cerning the timing of post-juve- nile (first-prebasic) moults. An appreciation of the full range of variation in juvenile and first- winter’ (first-basic) plumage pat- terns (e.g. of scapular and mantle feathers) is also central to the issue. Good, close- range views (sadly, not always possible at many British gull-watching locales) are essential to deter- mine which generations of feathers are involved in a bird’s ‘first-winter’ plumage and to help evaluate how many ‘first-winter’ ( sensu Grant 1986) Iceland and Glaucous Gulls are in fact juve- niles. At the same time, I recog- nise that, for birds with predom- inantly ‘white’ plumage, distin- guishing between feather genera- tions may not always be possible. I thank Chris Corben (who first pointed out juvenile Thayer’s Gulls to me in March and April) for his stimulating dis- cussions and insights, and Martin Elliott, Peter Pyle, Bert McKee and Jon King for discussions on this subject, and hope that this letter provokes people to look anew at moult and the precise age-determination of white- winged' and other gulls. Steve N. G. Howell Point Reyes Bird Observatory. 4990 Shoreline Highway. Stinson Beach. California 94970, USA British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 99 Letters References Anon. 1992. Bird News, February 1992. Birding World 5: 43-47. Anon. 1994. Bird News January 1994. Birding World 7: 3-7. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. 1983- The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 3- Oxford. Dwight, J. 1925. The gulls (Laridae) of the World: their plumages, moults, variations, relationships, and distribution. Bull Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 52:63-401. Garner, M., & Quinn, D. 1997. Identification of Yellow-legged Gulls in Britain. Brit. Birds 90: 25- 62. , & Glover, B. 1997. Identification of Yellow-legged Gulls in Britain. Part 2. Brit. Birds 90: 369-383. Grant, P J 1986. Gulls: a guide to identification. Second edn. Calton. Howell, S. N. G., & Corben, C. In press. Molt cycles and sequences in the Western Gull. Western Birds. , King.J. R , & Corben, C. 1999 First prebasic molt in Herring, Thayer’s, and Glaucous-winged gulls./ Field Orn. 70: 543-554. McGeehan, A.. & Garner, M. 1997a. The Thayer's Gull in Belfast Birding World 10: 93-100. & 1997b. Glib style, a half truth seen? Birding World 10: 271-274. Witherby, H. E, lourdain, F. C. R , Ticehurst, N. E, & Tucker, B. W. 1941. The Handbook of British Birds, vol. 5. London. Zimmer, K. J. 1991 Plumage variation in Kumlien’s Iceland Gull. Birding 23: 254-269. Honey-buzzards in southern England The recent paper on European Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus (Brit. Birds 92: 326-346) is an interesting addition to the litera- ture. Nevertheless, certain state- ments made in it and the appended Announcement by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel can clearly be construed as criticism of lack of sharing of information by local ornithologists. As founder member of mo English Raptor Groups formed in southern counties in the 1990s, I know for a fact that returns of nests in those counties have been submitted to the RBBP via English Nature for several years now. Unwillingness to submit information is out of date in those counties, and in my view there is a danger of the paper and Announcement disaffecting ornithologists who do not favour hands-on’ methods. With any large bird, there is always a risk that eggs or small chicks will be knocked off even large nests if the sitting adult is flushed, and large chicks leave prematurely if the nest tree is climbed. One 1990s case of a dead New Forest Honey-buzzard nestling found near the nest tree was strongly suspected to be due to this. This reduces success, although does not qualify as nest ‘failure’. The rates quoted of total failure in the Netherlands, where the large population can easily withstand intrusion, seem high to me. Of 56 British nests monitored in southern England, all were left unclimbed and only three (5%) failed Behavioural reactions to nest visits can draw unwanted attention to nests, especially in public areas, resulting in eggs being at risk in subsequent years. The paper gave the impres- sion that nest removal in winter is routine in the New Forest, removing the focus for returning pairs’. This is not the case with the two Raptor Groups known to me Protection mea- sures are considered only if persons unknown to the Raptor Groups climb nest trees. Evi- dence has included broken branches and rope burns, but, even then, protection methods other than nest removal are pre- ferred. As I understand it, the licensing authorities require Schedule One licence applicants to liaise with local Raptor Groups to avoid duplication of disturbance. Landowner permis- sion is also mandatory. Despite this, evidence of anonymous dis- turbance has been more fre- quent in the 1990s than in the previous three decades (co-ordi- nator of the Hampshire Raptor Group, verbally) and has influ- enced Raptor Group judgement on subsequent demands for access. Widespread breeding in Britain is nothing new. In the nineteenth century, Honey-buz- zards were found breeding ‘from Hampshire up to Aberdeenshire and East Ross-shire’ (Saunders 1899). I disagree that the figures suggested by Brown (1976), Spencer et al. (1990), Batten et al. (1990) and Ogilvie et al. (1999) undoubtedly reflect a real increase over the past 30 years’. I believe Roberts et al. would agree that these authors had very incomplete information to hand. Does the population in fact fluctuate? When I began birdwatching in the early 1970s, bird books suggested that a glimpse of a Honey-buzzard in the New Forest was all that could be hoped for. In fact, when I learned how to look, I found them throughout the Forest In the 1980s, numbers there fell to a low ebb, before increasing again in the 1990s. One difficulty in assessing breeding numbers is the presence of non-breeding pairs and individuals, which can shift localities over the summer. Non-breeding pairs have also been recorded bringing food to platforms which they have built. Pete Cambridge 10 By the Wood, Cal mo re, Totton, Southampton. Hamp- shire SO40 2FQ References Batten, L. A., Bibby, C. J., Clement, P, Elliott, G. D., & Porter, R. F 1990. Red Data Birds in Britain. London. Brown, L. 1976. British Birds of Prey. London. Ogilvie, M.A., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 1999. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom 1996. Brit. Birds 92: 131. Roberts, S. 1 . Lewis, J. M S., & 100 British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 Letters Williams. I. T. 1999. Breeding European Honey-buzzards in Britain. Brit. Birds 92: 326-345. Saunders, H. 1899. An Illustrated Manual of British Birds. 2nd edn. London. Spencer, R., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 1990. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1988. Brit. Birds 83: 353 EDITORIAL COMMENT Dr Ken Smith, on behalf of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, has commented: This letter, and others received in a similar vein, indicate the sensitivity concerning this species, but we have received a very positive response from a majority of key workers and Raptor Study Groups involved with the species, and plan to go ahead with a co-ordinated effort in 2000. During this winter, we shall be agreeing census plans with the RSGs and licensed observers to ensure that the methods adopted are safe for Honey-buzzards, and will yield reliable and repeatable results.' Long-tailed Rosefinch distribution Contrary to the statement in the paper on Long-tailed Rosefinch Uragus sibiricus that I recently- co-authored with Vadim Ryabitsev (Ryabitsev & Wilson 1999), details are available for the occurrence of this species in the Ural valley. A single female Long-tailed Rosefinch was collected near Chapaevo (Chapayevo), Kazakh- stan, in November 1958 (Gavrilov et al. 1968). Chapaevo lies at approximately 50°N on the right (west) bank of the Ural river, so the record relates to the small northwestern part of Kazakhstan lying between the Volga and Ural rivers, and hence is within the Western Palearctic. Farther south in the Ural valley, two Long-tailed Rosefinches were seen in rip- arian willow Salix scrub some 60 km north of Gur'ev (Gur yev) (47°08'N, 51°59’E) in March 1974 (Gubin et al. 1977). Again, these birds were either within the Western Palearctic or at least very close to the region’s eastern boundary. Outside the breeding season. Long-tailed Rosefinch has thus occurred within the Western Palearctic in both Russia (Ryabitsev & Wilson 1999) and Kazakhstan. Further records of this kind in eastern European Russia not included by Ryabitsev & Wilson (1999) relate to the republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk region (Askeev &As’keev 1999). In 1999, breeding (by at least two pairs) again took place in the area northwest of Ekaterinburg, where it was confirmed in 1998 (Postnikov in press). I am grateful to Professor Edward Gavrilov of the Zoological Institute in Almaty' for drawing my attention to the Ural valley records as first published (the earlier one is also in Kovshar’ 1974) and for confirming that they are the only ones in that part of Kazakhstan.Vadim Ryabitsev kindly provided a pre-publication copy of S. N. Postnikovs note on breeding by Long-tailed Rose- finches in 1999. M. G. Wilson Alexander Library, Edward Grey Institute, South Parks Road, Oxford OXl 3PS References Askeev, I V., & Askeev, O. V 1999. Ornitofauna respubliki Tatarstan (konspekt sovremennogo sostoy- aniya). Kazan . Gavrilov, E. I , Naglov, V. A., Fedosenko, A. K., Shevchenko, V L, &Tatarinova, O. M. 1968. [On the bird fauna of the Volga-Ural interfluve], Trudy Inst. Zooi Akad. Nauk Kazakh. SSR 29: 153-207. Gubin, B M., Gavrilov, E. I., Sc Khrokov, V. V 1977. [Ornith- ological records on the Lower Ural], In: Yurlov, K. T. (ed.), Migratsii ptits v Azii, 209-2 1 1 Novosibirsk. Kovshar’, A. F. (ed.) 1974. Ptitsy Kazakhstana 5. Alma-Ata. Postnikov, S. N. In press. [New records of nests of Long-tailed Rosefinch in the Middle Urals], In: Ryabitsev, V. K. (ed), Material 'y k rasprostraneniyu ptits na Urale, v Priural’e i Zapadnoy Sibiri 4: 176. Ekaterinburg. Ryabitsev, V. K., & Wilson, M. G. 1999 Range extension of Long- tailed Rosefinch into the Western Palearctic. Brit. Birds 92: 498- 503. Recent BBRC decisions This monthly listing of the most recent decisions by the British Birds Rarities Committee is not intended to be comprehensive or in any way to replace the annual Report on rare birds in Great Britain'. The records listed are mostly those of the rarest species, or those of special interest for other reasons. All records refer to 1999 unless stated otherwise. ACCEPTED: Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Tresco (Scilly), 25th July. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Minsmere (Suffolk), 27th-28th May. M. J. Rogers, Secretary, BBRC, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, St ives, Corn wall TR26 3AZ British Birds 93: 94-101, February 2000 101 Reviews Island Eagles: 20 years observing Golden Eagles on the Isle of Skye ISLAND EAGLES By Ken Crane and Kate Nellist. Cartwheeling Press, Isle of Skye. 142 pages, 23 sketches. ISBN 9536033 0 X. Paperback, £10.00. I wish there were more bird books like this one. Some of today's ornithological literature is almost unintelligible, much is described as ‘worthy but dull' and most of the rest is about rari- ties and identification. Thank goodness for a lively, honest account of fieldwork and investi- gation and - most of all - for the writers' unashamed enjoyment of the birds themselves. Ken Crane and Kate Nellist have given us a rare insight into the lives of the Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos that they have known and studied on Skye for 20 years, blending a wealth of detail on individual birds and events into a larger picture of home-range occupation, breeding success, prey relationships and conservation problems. They take us out there on the hill with them, slogging the miles, sitting cramped in observation posts and following every move of every eagle seen Sometimes, it will make you green with envy - have you ever seen ten Golden Eagles in the air together, or watched one cleverly rob a Fox Vulpes vulpes of a Rabbit Oryc- tolagus cuniculus that it has just painstakingly caught? ISLAND EAGLES 20 years observing Golden Eagles on the Isle of Skye Raptor enthusiasts will really enjoy this book I hope that it will inspire others too: buy it, read it, get out there and follow the authors’ example. Mike Everett The Sun Islands: a natural history of the Isles of Scilly Atlas der Bmtvogel der Steiermark ATLAS DER BRUTVOGEL DER STEIERMARK By Peter Sackl and Otto Samwald. BirdLife Austria, Graz, 1998. 432 pages; 168 colour plates; maps and diagrams. ISBN 3- 85333-034-7. ATS 498. This Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Steiermark (central Austria)’ was compiled from data collected during the 1980s, with addi- tional records up to 1 996. The maps are clear, and supported by diagrammatic information, inc- luding the altitudinal distribution of each species - a useful feature for this mountainous region. The text, in German, is presented in a familiar format, but it is good to see a section on threats and con- servation measures. There would have been room for extra infor- mation, but this is a useful, and user-friendly, local atlas. Norbert Schaffer THE SUN ISLANDS By Patrick Coulcher, with paintings by John Hamilton and Frank Wootton. The Book Guild, Lewes, 1999. 175 pages; 66 colour plates; 1 1 maps; over 20 line-draw- ings. ISBN 1-85776-348-3. Hardback, £17. 95. This book is not a scientific trea- tise, nor does it claim to be. The author, clearly as spellbound as I am about the place, describes his experiences, limited mostly to spring visits, in a walk-about, poetic style. There is a chapter on each main island and island group, each prefaced by an outline map, and sketches of the topography, which are pleasing to the eye. The bird sketches are less so, and the one labelled guillemot’ is a Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle , out of place in this book. So, this is not for the average BB reader, and a scatter of misleading comments makes it of questionable value even for visi- tors with a more casual interest in the wildlife. For example, St Agnes is not the place to see nesting Chaffinches Fringilla coe/ebs and Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus - neither species breeds in any numbers on any of the islands - and to imply that you may find a Caspian Plover Cbaradrius asiaticus , mentioned in the chapter on Bryher, when there has been just one Scilly record - on St Agnes - is, well, plain silly. More research on the birds was needed. On flowering plants, the author is sound, but, for example, his over-romantic use of ‘Wild Gladioli’ to describe Gladiolus bysantinus , a colourful escape from cultivation, is irri- tating, and two other exotic escapes, the African Corn Lily Ixia and the Harlequin Flower Sparaxis , get not a mention. For me, this book is an opportunity missed and a disappointment. Barry Nightingale 102 © British Birds 93:102-105, February 2000 Reviews A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande Valley A BIRDER S GUIDE TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY By Mark W. Lockwood, William B. McKinney, James N. Paton and Barn- R. Zimmer. American Birding Association, Colorado Springs, 1999. 288 pages; -tO maps; black-and-white drawings. ISBN 1-878788-18-3. Wire-o-binding, $23 95- This is an updated version of earlier Lane/ABA guides, incorpo- rating new or expanded-old sites and updated status of some species; the odd defunct site has been dropped. The previous bar- graph checklist has been replaced by a fully annotated checklist with the region’s spe- cialities highlighted. As a bonus, a new section details the region’s butterflies, with brief notes on habitat, status and flying times. This is as near a definitive guide as one could hope for, and is a must for visiting birders. David Holman Mask w. Lockwood WILLIAMS. MCKINNEY JamesN, Paion BAPOy R ZlMMf P AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION A8A/LANE BIRD FINDING GUIDE A BIRDER'S GUIDE TO THE Rio Grande valley Dictionary of Bird Artists of the World Irish Bird Song IRISH BIRD SONG By Seamus Byrne. New World Music, Suffolk, 1999. 61 minutes. 7677 1 50460 2 9 CD, £10.95. Bird songs to relax by. Half an hour of singing Song Thrush Turdus philomelos (with Wren Troglodytes troglodytes and Wood Pigeon Columba palnmbus in the background) recorded in Devil’s Glen, Co. Wicklow, fol- lowed by half an hour of more singing Wrens (and a tinkling stream) recorded on Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork Two very dif- ferent locations, but, essentially its ‘Wrens with Song Thrush and Wrens without Song Thrush . J. T. R. Sharrock DICTIONARY OF BIRD ARTISTS OF THE WORLD By Christine E. Jackson. Antique Collectors Club, Woodbridge, 1999. 550 pages; numerous colour and black-and-white pho- tographs; over 4,000 entries for artists (excluding con- temporary artists). ISBN 1-85149-203-8. Hardback, £45 .00. This weighty tome is a well-pro- duced, excellent reference book and represents a considerable achievement by the author. The scope is very wide, including painters of farmyard chickens and heaps of dead gamebirds. All the artists listed are dead. Entries provide information on artistic style, current location of works and, most interestingly, recent sale prices. There is a very read- able chapter on the history of bird art. Paintings illustrated range from the exquisite to the frankly hideous. Hilary Burn The Daily Telegraph Nature Notes THE DAILY TELEGRAPH NATURE NOTES By Robert Burton, with 48 drawings by Michael Woods. 1 1 1 pages. ISBN 0-340- 72884-1 . Hardback, £7. 99. Those who enjoy the Behaviour Notes in British Birds will prob- ably also appreciate these short essays, each topical for the time of year, taken from the author’s regular column in The Daily Tele- graph (which was previously compiled by his father. Dr Maurice Burton, for over 40 years, from 1949 to 1989). We all know the country name of Storm Cock’ for the Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus, but I had not heard it called Jeremy Joy', which is apparently a cor- ruption of January Joy, an illusion to the way the Mistle Thrush starts to sing at the beginning of the year This little book (the size of a book of verse) is filled with such snippets. J. T. R. Sharrock British Birds 93: 102-105, February 2000 103 Reviews Rare Birds of the Netherlands RARE BIRDS OF THE NETHERLANDS ByArnoud B van den Berg and Cecilia A. W. Bosnian. Pica Press, Sussex, 1999. 397 pages; almost 800 diagrams and maps; over 300 colour photographs. ISBN 1-873403-88-07. Hardback, £30.00. This is a lovely book, extremely well produced on high-quality paper, with numerous excellent photographs of the rare birds it describes (of the 468 species recorded in the Netherlands, only two have not been docu- mented by a published photo- graph or sonogram). All species accounts are in both English and Dutch, as are the photograph captions, and there is an English summary of the detailed 27-page introduction (throughout which bilingual captions allow interpre- tation of the many tabular analyses). The period 1800-1996 is covered, with additional reports for some species for 1997-98 bringing the text right up to date. The book adheres to the decisions of the Dutch rarities committee, the CDNA (whose predecessor, the CDA, formed in April 1957 - more than two years before the formation of the BBRC in August 1959 - was the first rarities committee in Europe). The systematic list includes entries for all Dutch rar- ities, with attention focused on those that have been considered by the CDNA in at least one year since 1989 (a subsequent volume will deal with the regular species). Each species account contains histograms charting annual and seasonal occurrence, a map showing geographical dis- tribution of records, and a list of every record, following a summary text. Reference is made to all published articles and pho- tographs of each record, which provides a valuable cross-refer- ence. I recommend this work to anyone with an interest in the occurrence of rarities in north- west Europe. Adam Rowlands Birds of Madagascar: a photographic guide BIRDS OF MADAGASCAR By Pete Morris and Frank Hawkins. Pica Press, Sussex, 1998. 316 pages; 450 colour photographs. ISBN 1-873403-45-3. Hardback, £28.00. Nearly a decade has passed since the publication of Olivier Lan- grand's pioneering Guide to the Birds of Madagascar. Despite its many shortcomings, that book was instrumental in focusing birders’ attentions on this avi- faunal paradise. Indeed, the wealth of information covering vocalisations, behaviour, redis- coveries, species new to science, and so on, all revealed in this new photographic guide, demon- strates how much has been achieved in the last ten years. A general introduction depicting the distinctive habitats of the country is followed by a section on conservation. The latter underlines the important contribution that can be - and has been - made by visiting ornithologists. A guide to 19 of the most popular sites provides helpful advice on access, and also details the key species. The section on the Madagascar Check- list could, however, have benefit- ed from emphasis being given to Madagascar/Malagasy endemics. The real meat in the book is in the species accounts and the accompanying photographs. Perhaps surprisingly for a photo- graphic guide, the texts are extremely detailed, and they obviously reflect the field knowl- edge of the authors. Some of the photographs of the endemics are superb, and will no doubt coax many more birders to visit Madagascar. Photographs of some of the other endemics are understandably poor. The guide could, however, have benefited from more photographic emphasis on the local birds (e g. two photographs devoted to Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta. including one of a juvenile - of a doubtful benefit in Madagascar, where the species has been recorded only twice - yet, on the same page, just one small photo- graph of Madagascar Pratincole Glareola ocularis ). Only three extant endemics are not por- trayed by a photograph, and they are illustrated by mediocre colour paintings instead. The decision to use paintings for widespread Af rican species, such as Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei , is, however, difficult to understand. The research value of the book would have been enhanced if details of the date and location of the pho- tographs had been provided. In conclusion, this photo- graphic guide will be an essential purchase - for both the photo- graphic material and its written content - for anyone planning to visit Madagascar. Nick Gardner 04 British Birds 93: 102-105, February 2000 Reviews Where to Watch Birds in Uganda WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN UGANDA By Jonathan Rossouw and Marco Sacchi. Uganda Tourist Board, Kampala, 1998. 110 pages; 70 colour photographs; 18 colour maps. Softback, £14.99. This attractive little guide covers 14 major sites in the country, concentrating mostly on Nat- ional Parks, Forest and Wildlife Reserves. The introductory section deals with birding itiner- aries, literature, travel and health information, and includes a list of useful addresses and contacts. A systematic checklist of the birds of Uganda is included, showing their status at 15 sites (though no indication of season- ality.) Each site section gives details of the locality, key species, access, facilities and a list We if?s torch im Aufwind? ( White Storks on the up?) WEIBSTORCH IM AUFWIND? Edited by Holger Schultz. NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland), Bonn, 1999. 622 pages; 185 figures and 134 tables. ISBN 3-925815-00-7. Softback, DM 59 plus post and packing. A large section of this volume, the proceedings of an interna- tional symposium held in Germany in 1996, is devoted to the results of the 5th Interna- tional Census of White Storks Ciconia ciconia. There are reports from most participating countries, many showing encour- aging population increases, together with papers covering m whereto WATCH BIRDS in UGANDA ip Jonathan Rossouw and Marco Sacchi of larger mammals. I thoroughly recommend this guide to anyone planning a birding trip to Uganda, though it should be used in conjunction with a back- packers’ guide, and visitors should make themselves aware of the current security situation, especially in border areas. Iain Robertson ecology, conservation, migration and wintering. The whole is a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the conservation status of one of Europe’s most fasci- nating, well-loved and best- studied species. Papers are in English or German, sometimes both, but always with, at least, an English summary. Ian Carter Top Wildlife Spots: The Wildlife Trusts’ Nature Reserve Guide TOP WILDLIFE SPOTS HarperCollins, London Information on the top 200 UK Reserves. 256 pages. ISBN 0-00-220 178-X. Paperback , £6. 99 . A nicely laid-out book suitable for carrying on your travels, so that you can quickly find some- where to visit. Each page features a Wildlife Trust reserve, with a clear map, easy directions for finding it and a summary of the important species and features to see. But it is not comprehensive: it includes 200 reserves, which is only one-tenth of those in the Wildlife Trusts' care. Robert Burton ALSO RECEIVED Birds of Europe: with North Africa and the Middle East By Lars Jonsson, translated by David Christie, distribution maps by Magnus Ullman. (Christopher Helm, London, 1999. 559 pages. ISBN 0-7136-5238-1. £15.99) (First edition 1992, reviewed Brit. Birds 86: 23-24) Wings over the Valley: a bird watcher’s Wales diary By John Green. (Artery. London. 191 pages. ISBN 0-9513909-5-3. Paperback, £9.99). British Birds 93: 102-105, February' 2000 105 News and comment Compiled by Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson Taxonomic developments The first meeting of the enlarged Taxonomic Sub committee (TSC) of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (see Brit. Birds 92: 490) was held at Swanwick in Derbyshire on 4th December 1999. The six members of the TSC - Dr Martin Collinson (Scotland), Dr Andreas Helbig (Germany), Dr Alan Knox (Scotland), Professor David Parkin (England), Dr Tony Prater (Wales) and George Sangster (Netherlands) - met for the first time, under the chairmanship of Tony Marr, the BOURC Chair- man. The meeting followed the Association of European Rarities Committees (AERC) meeting held in the Czech Republic in September 1999, and pursued the AERC's aim of seeking inter- national agreement on taxo- nomic issues. The TSC tackled the ques- tions of species concepts, the working definitions that it will use to determine species bound- aries, and, following on from the AERC meeting, the list of species for priority action in Britain. A fuller statement on the TSCs conclusions on species concepts and species definitions will be issued in due course, but it was regarded as important to publicise immediately the short- list of species for prioritised con- When Dungeness Bird Observa- tory was formed in 1952, H.A. R. (Harry) Cawkell was a natural' for the role of Hon. Secretary. He knew the area, lie knew all the people, and he hail all the skills necessary. On 15th December 1999, Harry died suddenly in his cottage overlooking his beloved Midrips. Holding an official observatory position for some 47 sideration affecting the British List, which is as follows: Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus Bean Goose Anser fabalis Brent Goose Bmuta bernicla Common Teal Anas crecca Common Snipe Gallinago gallindgo Herring Gull Lams argentatus Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Pied Wagtail M. alba Carrion Crow Corvus corone Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea A first report is in preparation on the species currently under analysis, whose resolution may affect the British List, and is expected to be published in spring 2000. The TSC is following the AERC view that stability should be maintained, unless there are good scientific reasons for change and the evidence has been published, preferably in a refereed journal. Inevitably, the inadequacy of some of the present information means that some issues will take longer than others to resolve. A summary of the Minutes of the September 1999 AERC meet- ing, with the full list of species being considered for priority action across Europe, is pub- lished in this issue (pages 86-88). years, Harry had set yet another notable record. Harry's ashes will be scattered at Dungeness, and his niece has asked that anyone who wishes to remember Harry should make a donation by cheque to Dungeness Bird Observatory ( 1 1 RNSSS, Dunge- ness, Romney Marsh, Kent TN29 9NA). New Honorary Subscriber We are delighted to announce that Derek Goodwin has accepted the Editorial Board's invitation to become an Hon- orary Subscriber. In accepting this accolade, Derek Goodwin joins a select group of a dozen ornithologists, each of whom has made major contributions to British, Euro- pean or World ornithology, as well as to the success of British Birds: I. J. Ferguson-Lees, PA. D. Hollom, Guy Mountfort, E. M. Nicholson, Bill Oddie, Dr Malcolm Ogilvie, Dr Chandler S. Robbins, Michael J Rogers, Major R. E Ruttledge, Dr P O. Swanberg, Prof. Dr K H.Voous and D. 1 M. Wallace. Derek was a staff member in the Department of Ornithology at the British Museum (Natural History), now The Natural History Museum at Tring. He is, however, probably best known to British Birds subscribers as the author of several classic books, including Bird Behaviour (1961), Pigeons and Doves of the World (1967), Crows of the World (1976) and Birds of Man 's World (1978). For the past 23 years (since July 1976: Brit. Birds 69: 238), he has worked behind the scenes for British Birds as one of the eight members of the Behaviour Notes Panel. Coincidentally with the award of Honorary Subscriber- ship, Derek has decided to retire from the Behaviour Notes Panel, much to the regret of his fellow members, who have enjoyed not only his knowledgeable com- ments, but also his humorous interjections, many of them in the form of poems. Harry Cawkell (1915-1999) 106 © British Birds 93: 106-108, February 2000 News and comment Black Grouse plan launched The Game Conservancy Trust (GCT) and the RSPB have been appointed joint lead partners by the Government for the Black Grouse Biodiversity Action Plan. Implementing the plan will be carried out in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage, the Government's nature conserva- tion adviser in Scotland. Scotland holds the majority of the UK's Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix , a species that has suffered a 75% decline in the last decade. The North Pennines and Northum- berland together provide the last English stronghold, with some 800 males, whilst a further 150 males remain in Wales. The action plan identifies such measures as changes in agri- culture, deer management and forestry policies that need to be taken. For further information, contact Julian Hughes, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL. Changes to the British List The BOU Records Committee has announced the following changes to the British List: Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus brebmii This newly split’ species will be added to Category A on the strength of one seen and tape-recorded at Brent Reservoir, Greater London, on 3rd June 1972. A paper for British Birds describing this occurrence in detail is in preparation by Dr L A. Batten. The British Birds Rarities Committee has accepted one subsequent record (Scilly) and is cur- rently assessing two other reports (Devon and Dorset). Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus Following a review, the details of the only record for Britain - two seen together at Ashbourne, Derbyshire, on 4th June 1927 ( Brit . Birds 21: 96-97) - were considered to be insufficient to eliminate other species of vulture or the possibility of escape from captivity. The species has accordingly been removed from Category B of the British List (Ibis 142: 177-179). Purple Swamp-hen Porpbyrio porphyrio Since this species is widely kept in captivity, one of indeterminate race (perhaps a hybrid' between races) seen and photographed at Sand- scale Haws, Cumbria, on 23rd-28th October 1997 (Birding World 10: 399, 462-466) is considered likely to have been an escape. The record has been placed in Category E (Ibis 142: 177-179), which does not form part of the British List. With the addition of Iberian Chiffchaff to Category A and the removal of Griffon Vulture from Category B, the total number of species on the British List remains at 553- Swedish Loon Conference For three days in mid August 1999, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, together with the Wetland International Loon/Diver Group, hosted an international conference near Gothenburg on the subject of research on and management of diver Gavia populations. Topics included population trends, threats, pressures on breeding populations, pollutants, acidifica- tion, and the conflicts that can ensue when divers come in contact with Man. Many of these conflicts are being addressed in different parts of the World, but include recreational activities on breeding lakes, drowning in fish nets and traps, falling water levels on breeding lakes, and chemical contamination of food supplies. Long-term studies of Red-throated Divers G. stellata in Shetland were described, contrasting their migrations with those of the Scandinavian popu- lation. For further details, write to Dave Okill, Heilinabretta, Cauld- hame.Tronda, Shetland ZE1 OXL. Black Sea colour-ringing During the 1999 breeding season, some 1,500 nestling Great Cormorants Pbalacro- corax carbo and 50 Great Black- headed Gulls Lams ichthyaetus were colour-ringed at Sivash, a major wetland complex between the Black and Azov Seas. The work was undertaken by the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station, Ukraine, and the Italian Wildlife Institute, Emilia, with funding from the Italian Fishery Directorate. The project is aimed at assessing the origin and trends of the Central Mediterranean wintering populations. Both species were fitted with colour- rings (mauve-pink on the cor- morants and yellow on the gulls) engraved with black letters. Please report all rings observed to Nicola Baccetti, INFS, via Ca Fornacetta 9, 1-4006-r Ozzano Emilia BO, Italy; email: infszumi@iperbole.bologna.it or to Bob Scott at abscott@tiny- world.co.uk British Birds 93: 106-108, February 2000 107 News and comment Birds and aircraft at Lough Foyle We all know that, at times, birds and aircraft just do not mix. At times, however, quite amazing stories get drawn to our attention. Way back in 1981, the RSPB acquired a lease from the Crown over a core area of Lough Foyle, Co. Londonderry, Northern Ireland. This was in recognition of some of the key bird populations that winter on the estuary or pass through on migration. These include internationally important numbers of Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus (up to 1,500) and Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lap- ponica (up to 4,000), and, during periods of migration, as many as 36,000 waterfowl. Indeed, the importance of the site is further recognised by its designation as an Area of Special Scientific- Interest (the Northern Ireland equivalent of the SSSI) and by the current process of designation as a Ramsar Site and Special Protec- tion Area (ELI Birds Directive) being undertaken by the Depart- ment of the Environment (ND- At the same time as this was progressing, the City of Derry Airport (supported by the Secre- tary of State for Northern Ireland) was preparing a pro- posal to extend the airport runway across the mudflats - including the land managed by the RSPB Ironically, no-one had thought to contact the owners’ (i.e. the RSPB) about the applica- tion to build an airport runway on the reserve. The left hand of Government was apparently undertaking work to protect the site, while the right hand was planning to destroy it. Here was an area lush with Eelgrass Zostera marina and supporting wintering/migrating populations of over 4,000 light-bellied Brent Geese Branta bernicla hrota and up to 4,000 Dunlins Caiidris alpina. Political implications will, of course, drive this planning pro- posal and its potential economic benefits for the region. There are, however, certain considerations that need to be taken on board, and this appears not to have hap- pened at this stage. Only the Government can tackle the problem of melding the joint responsibilities of national interest with international con- servation responsibility. The RSPB has a clear duty to the wildlife, its members and its responsibilities as a registered charity. Long may it rattle the Government's cage! Checklist of the Birds of Tunisia An annotated checklist of the birds of Tunisia is in preparation. The authors (P Isenmann, T. Gaultier, M. Czajkowski, I. Essetti and M. Smart) seek unpublished records. They can be sent to Paul Isenmann, CEFE/CNRS, 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France, or by e-mail to isenmann@cefe.cnrs- mop.fr County Recorders County, Regional and Bird Observatory Recorders’ names and addresses are listed bienni- ally in British Birds, and were last published in May 1999 (Brit. Birds 92: 256-258). We have recently been informed of the following changes: Cambridgeshire Richard Allison's address is now 3 Ver- muyden Way, Fen Drayton, Cam- bridgeshire CB4 5TA. Devon Mike Langman’s address is now 38 Brantwood Drive, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7TD. Isle of Wight Graham Sparshott, Leopard’s Farm, Haven Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight P033 4DR, is now the Recorder for the Isle of Wight Ornithological Group. Musselburgh - for birds and people Good news for birders in the Lothians has been the construc- tion of three new hides over- looking six shallow, clay-lined pools at Musselburgh. This devel- opment has taken place within a coastal complex that includes intertidal zones, grassland, devel- oping woodland and a lagoon system. This is a Local Authority site, owned by the East Lothian Council, and for many years operated on, as a dumping ground, by Scottish Power. With the aid of Land Fill Tax from Scot- tish Power, the RSPB has devel- oped the facilities (bearing in mind such potential hazards as vandalism), which now provide some splendid high-tide bird- watching. This site has yet further potential for visitors, and an even greater potential for con- servation. The future of a further lagoon is still under debate. It could well become a superb wader scrape and high-tide wader roost to rival that in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, where local authorities, industry and the con- servation movement have com- bined to create a truly mag- nificent facility for both birds and people. At high tide at Mus- selburgh, the waders currently go elsewhere, are unprotected and are susceptible to distur- bance. Let us hope that the chance to consolidate this area into a very important wildlife site will not be missed. If you are visiting, high tide is the best time, and the east bank of the mouth of the River Esk is the best place. Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds. 108 British Birds 93:106-108, February 2000 69. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus, Northumberland, September 1993 The ninth stage of the com- petition featured two photographs of the same species (December's plates 283 & 284, repeated here as 69 & 70), in both of which it appears headless’. Since Chicken (i.e. Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus ) is not on the Western Palearctic List, we can rule that species out straightaway. With quiz-photos like this, we always have to be careful that the background habitat, in this case water, does not lead us down the wrong track. The picture of the bird in flight, on its own, reveals so little that it could suggest all sorts of things. When considered together with the second photograph, how- ever, there seems no obvious reason to suspect that we are not indeed dealing with a true water- bird. In view of its darkness and long-looking wings, either a skua Stercorarius or a member of the shearwater/petrel family (Procel- lariidae) seem good bets. From then on, it becomes more diffi- cult, and reaching the correct conclusion may be more a matter of gut-instinct than of crit- ical analysis. In other words, it may not be so difficult to form an opinion on the bird's identity as it is to pinpoint the identifying features. Taking the flight-shot first, a number of clues suggest a shear- water rather than a skua. First, the tail looks very short, indeed so short that the feet are just visible, and, secondly, what looks almost like a ‘web’ between the inner trailing edge of the left wing (especially) and the body corresponds with the rather prominent rear scapulars of a shearwater (cf. plate 195 in Har- rison 1987). Some participants in this contest may have been misled by the impression of the mystery bird's carpal joints being positioned close to the body, with long upswept hands. The bend at the inner wing is in fact, however, the angle between the inner arm (the humerus) and the outer arm (the radius and ulna), not the carpal joint. Further clues pointing towards a shearwater can be gathered from the swimming bird. There is only a short exten- sion of the primaries beyond the tail — on all of the smaller skuas this would be longer — and the tertials of the mystery bird are proportionately shorter than those of the skuas. In all but the darkest examples of juvenile and 70. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus , New Zealand, March 1998 © British Birds 93: 109-110, February 2000 109 Ross McGregor Wendy Dickson Monthly Marathon 71. Monthly Marathon . Photo no. 163. Eleventh stage in eleventh Marathon' (or first stage in twelfth Marathon ). Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, to arrive by 1 5th March 2000. Note: This could be the start of a new Monthly Marathon competition, and your chance to win a SUNBERD holiday to Africa, America or Asia. non-breeding adult skuas, the upperpart feathers have distinct light tips, rather than the diffuse fringes visible on the mystery bird. Assuming that we are correct so far in identifying the bird as a shearwater, we must now work out which one. The general dark- ness of the plumage eliminates all but one or two of the species that occur in the Western Palearctic. The most likely candi- date is Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus, and in all respects our bird looks very like a Sooty. But can we be sure that it is not a very dark Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretan- icus (a few of which can be almost as dark as Sooty, at least when showing as little of their underparts as the mystery bird)? To be honest, I am not sure that a dark Balearic, viewed against the light and with so little of the underbody visible, might not look very like this. I would expect to see slightly more con- trast between greyish breast- sides/flanks and darker upper- parts. Perhaps, too, the wingtips would be less likely to extend beyond the tail on a Balearic? In life, when we could see the whole bird, the skua option would not cross our minds, and the bird would be identified without a second thought. But mystery photographs are a dif- ferent matter, and usually require a bit of guesswork. On the basis that it would have to be an exceptionally tricky photograph of an extremely dark Balearic to appear as Sooty-like as this, the best guess has to be that it is a Sooty Shearwater. Commisera- tion to anyone who opted for Balearic! Contestants named this seabird as Sooty Shearwater (51%), Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus (21%), Great Skua Catharacta skua (14%) and Balearic/Mediterranean Shear- water (13%), with less than 1% each for Pomarine Skua S. pomarinus , South Polar Skua C. maccormicki and Pale- footed/Flesh-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes. The leading group of com- petitors (all on nine-in-a-row sequences of correct answers) has now been whittled down to three: Nick Barlow (Coventry), Diederik Kok (Netherlands) and Peter Sunesen (Denmark). Hoping, perhaps, that the leaders will all fail at some stage, their nearest rivals are Volker Konrad (Germany) and Jakob Sunesen (Denmark), who have each achieved a sequence of three, and Hugh Delaney (Dublin), R. M. R. James (Derby), Steve Mann (Nottinghamshire), Jean- Yves Peron (France) and Stephen M. Root (North Yorkshire), who are all on two. Every other con- testant is now on one or zero. If only one of the three leaders succeeds at the next hurdle, he will win the eleventh Marathon and the SUNBIRD holiday prize, and the twelfth Marathon will commence; if all three succeed or if two succeed and one fails, this eleventh Marathon will continue for at least one more stage; if all three fail, the chasing pair will, if they succeed, step in as the leaders, and the Marathon will have at least six stages still to run. Killian Mullarney Reference Harrison, P. 1987 Seabirds of the World: a photographic guide. London. Sunbird The best of bird watching tours Fora free brochure, write to SUNBIRD (MM), PO Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 IDF; or telephone 01767 682969. 110 British Birds 93: 109-110, February 2000 Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan This summary of unchecked reports covers 13th December 1999 to 16th January 2000. Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis Willen Lake (Bucking- hamshire), 27th December. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Long-stayer at Martin Mere (Lan- cashire) until 16th January; Hen- field (West Sussex), lst-12th January. Glossy Ibis Plegaciis fal- cinellus Papa Westray (Orkney), 5th January. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Waldringfield (Suffolk), 3rd-9th January; Southwold (Suffolk), 4th- 16th January. Black Duck Anas rubripes Long-stayer at Stithian’s Reservoir (Cornwall) until 16th January; Slapton Ley (Devon), 1st- 14th January. Canvasback Ay thy a valisineria Long-stayer at Abberton Reservoir (Essex) until 16th January. Lesser Scaup A. affinis Long-stayer at Drift Reservoir (Cornwall) until 16th January. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Mounts Bay (Corn- wall), 2nd- 1 6th January. White- tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Long-stayers in Swaffham/Docking/Brancaster area (Norfolk) until 14th January, and another along North Norfolk coast, 1 1 th-1 5th January; Benacre (Suffolk) until 16th January. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus Giant’s Causeway (Co. Antrim), 28th December to 2nd January, then Rathlin Island (Co. Antrim), 6th- 8th January. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Long-stayer at Benbecula (Western Isles) until 21st December. Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Small influx along Suffolk coast in early January, including 23 between Dunwich and Alde- burgh, 7th January. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla St Mary's (Scilly), 7th-14th January. Iceland Gull L. glaucoides Small influx noted in many areas in Ireland. Peak counts; eight at Newport (Co. Mayo) on 15th January; eight at Ballina (Co. Mayo) on l6th January; six at Belfast on 9th January. Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea First- winter, Nimmo’s Pier, Galway City (Co. Galway), 3rd-l6th January; Unst (Shetland), 9th January. Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea Long-stayer at Alde- burgh until 31st December; Lewis (Western Isles), 1 0th- 1 6th January. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long-stayer at Tollesbury (Essex) until 23rd December; West Mersea (Essex), 2nd-4th January. Zitting Cisticola Cisti- cola juncidis La Claire Mere (Guernsey), lst-9th January. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phyllo- scopus proregulus St Levan (Cornwall), 31st December. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Mey (Highland), 9th January. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilia Shepley (West Yorkshire), 15 th January. 72. Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis , Copperhouse Creek, Cornwall, December 1999. 73. Black Duck Anas rubripes , Stithians Reservoir. Cornwall, November 1999- © British Birds 93: 1 1 1-112, February 2000 111 Mike McDonnell David Chapman Mike McDonnell George Reszeter Recent reports 74 & 75. Top left and above, Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea , Aldeburgh, Suffolk, December 1999. 76. Left, White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicillci, Cockley Cley, Norfolk, December 1999. 77. Sora Crake Porzana Carolina , Stover Park, Devon, January 2000. This sought-after species, present from mid-month, will be (if accepted) the thirteenth record for Britain and the first since October 1991. Rare Bird News supplies all its information free to British Birds. Call 0881-888-1 1 1 for the latest, up-to-date news (28p/min cheap rate; 41p/min other times; including VAT) 12 British Birds 93: 1 1 1-112, February 2000 George Reszeter Alan Tate Christmas Puzzle Compiled by Peter Lansdown Sponsored by Vinicola Hidalgo SA LA GITANA How thoroughly do you read British Birds and how much do you remember? More importantly, perhaps, how capable are you at locating a particular subject at a later date? This puzzle is based exclusively on this year's issues of British Birds (Volume 92). 1. Canary Islands endemic in the Marathon. 2. According to the 1996 report, 40 individuals were recorded in Britain during the year. 3. The sharp increase in the number of confirmed nests in the UK in 1997 did not conceal the species' continuing decline. 4. An all-time record annual total of this scarce migrant in Britain was set in 1997. 5. The Bird Illustrator of the Year’s rarest subject. 6. The British & Irish grand total of this rarity moved on to 694 after 1998. 7. There was a spring influx of this southern species in Switzerland in 1996. 8. One to four pairs are known to have nested in Britain in every year since at least 1986. 9. Poland’s second record was in 1998; its first was in 1987. 10. The Editor advises us not to panic despite various set-backs including this species' sudden ‘crash-. Solution The puzzle on page v of the December 1999 issue could be solved by searching the pages of ten of the 12 issues of volume 92. BERTHELOTSPIPIT (October, p. 545) MELODIOUS WARBLER (January p. 27) GREATBITTERN (August, p. 395) WOODCHATSHRIKE (December, pp. 654-655) LITTLECRAKE (July, p. 348) REDFOOTED FA LCON (November, p. 569) SHORTTOED LARK (February, p. 75) PURPLESANDPIPER (March, p. 141) SLENDERBILLEDGULL (June, p. 291) COMMONREDPOLL (September, p . 444) The two additional species could be found by reading vertically downwards from the L of BERTHELOT’S PIPIT on the top line (giving LITTLE TERN) and diagonally upwards to the left from the P of COMMON REDPOLL on the bottom line (giving PLATE THREE). As the puzzle is based exclusively on the contents of volume 92 of British Birds, the latter clue refers to the upper plate on page 44, in the January issue, which shows a Dark-throated Thrush Turdus rufi- collis of the nominate red-throated race. The two answers required were, therefore, Little Tern and Dark-throated (or Red-throated) Thrush. The three winning entries, drawn from those received by the closing date of 1 5th January, were sent in by K. R. Burch (Beckenham, Kent), Emma Hattersley (Chesterfield, Derbyshire) and Elaine Cook (High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire), each of whom will receive a case containing three bottles of La Gitana sherry, courtesy of the competition’s sponsors, Vinicola Hidalgo SA. Classifieds RATES Text: 40p per word. Minimum 15 words. Semi-display: Mono. £15 per see (width 40mm) or £32 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. (All rates exclude vat at 17.5%) Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds Ltd. Copy deadline: 10th of the month Contact: Sandra J. Swift, British Birds Advertising Sales, 17 Rector)' Close, Wendlebury, Oxon 0X6 8PG. Tel: 01869 244447. 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The Birds of the Western Palearctic 2-volume Concise Edition (OUP) (was^ (usually T (was : New this Month Crane & Nellist Island eagles: 20 years Observing Golden eagles on the Isle of Skye (Cartwheeling Press) Oddie, Bill Oddie’s Gripping Yarns (Helm) Rossouw & Sacchi Where to Watch Birds m Uganda (Uganda Tourist Board) White A Birders’ Guide to the Bahamas (inc. Turks and Caicos) (ABA) Coming Soon - Order Now Clements A Guide to the Birds of Peru (Pica Press) (PRICE TO BE CONFIRMED) Kazmierczak & van Perlo A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Pica Press) NOW DUE MARCH 2000 Kennedy, Gonzales, Dickinson, Miranda & Fisher A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 MacKinnon & Phillipps A Field Guide to the Birds of China (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 £10.00 "".99 .99 .50 £35.00 Paperback Paperback Hardback Paperback Hardback Paperback Mead The State of the Nation’s Birds (Whittet) DUE SPRING 2000 Ranft & Konig Owls: Double CD DUE SPRING 2000 Short & Horne Toucans, Barbels and Honeygiiides (OUP) DUE MARCH 2000 Urban, Fry & Keith Birds of Africa Volume 6, Picathartes to Oxpeckers (Academic Press) DUE SUMMER 2000 Recommended Books Europe & Western Palearctic Adamian & Klem A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia (AUA) Field cover Hardback Baker Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm) Beaman & Madge The Handbook of Bird Identification: Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm) British Birds The British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic Cramp Birds of the Western Palearctic (OUP) volumes 1-7, 9 - £90 each volume 8 - £95 dvol.l n vol.2 [_) vol.3 Q vol.4 Q vol.5 Q vol.6 (_) vol.7 Q vol.8 Q vol.9 Hagemeijer & Blair TheEBCC Atlas of European Breeding Buds (Poyser) Harris, Tucker & Vinicombe The Macmillan Field Guide to Bird Identification (Macmillan) Jonsson Birds of Europe With North Africa and the Middle East (Helm) reprint Paperback Hardback Kightley, Madge & Nurney Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe (Pica Press) Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom & Grant Collins Bird Guide - The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain & Europe (HarperCollins) Best Bird Book of 1999 Peterson, Mountfort & Hollom Collins Field Guide: Birds of Britain & Europe 5 th Edition (HarperCollins) Sacchi, Ruegg & Laesser Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland (Helm) Paperback North America Griggs Collins Pocket Guide: Birds of North America (HarperCollins) LocLwood, McKinney, Paton & Zimmer A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande (ABA) Ringbound National Geographic A Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd Edition Paperback Prantv A Birder’s Guide to Florida (ABA) Pyle Identification Guide to North American Birds Part 1. Columbidae to Ploceidae (Slate Creek) Schram A Birder’s Guide to Southern California (ABA) Taylor A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona (ABA) South & Central America & Caribbean de la Pena & Rumboll Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica (HarperCollins) ffrench A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Helm) Paperback Howell & Webb Where to Watch Birds in Mexico (Helm) Paperback Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith & Raffaele Birds of the West Indies (Helm) Ridgely & Tudor The Birds of South America (OUP) vol.l £70.00 Q vol.2 Roaner, Restall & Lentino Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America (Pica Press) Paperback Stiles & Skutch A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica (Helm) Africa, Middle East & Indian Ocean Islands, Barlow, Wacher & Disley A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal (Pica Press) Garbutt Mammals of Madagascar (Pica Press) Harris, Shirihai & Christie The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European & Middle Eastern Birds (Macmillan) Keith, Urban & Ery The Birds of Africa (Academic) Volumes: 1 £85 Q 2 £85 Q 3 £85 Q 4 £85 Q 5 Kemp Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands (New Holland) Kingdon The Kingaon Field Guide to African Mammals (Academic Press) Morris & Hawkins Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide (Pica Press) 05.99 09.99 02.00 £65.00 £2.00 [24.99 £l4.99 £l4.99 [16.99 £25. 95 ,12.99 £21.00 £27.95 £25.95 £l8.50 "19.99 £32.00 ,19.99 £35.00 £70.00 £14.95 £40.00 . Porter, Christensen & Schiermacker-Hansen Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East (Poyser) Sinclair, Hockey &Tarboton Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (New Holland) Sinclair & Langrand Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (New Holland) van Perlo Collins Illustrated Checklist Birds of Southern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback van Perlo Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Eastern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (Helm) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya and North. Tanzania (Helm) Paperback Asia & Pacific Coates & Bishop A Guide to the Birds ofWallacea (Dove) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Helm) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent Paperback Gurung & Singh Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent (Academic Press) Paperback Harrison & Worfolk Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka (OUP) Paperback £ 29.95 Q Hardback Inskipp, Inskipp & Grimmett Field Guide to the Birds of Bhutan Paperback Inskipp, Lindsey & Duckworth An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region (OBC) Jeyarajasingam & Pearson A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore (OUP) Paperback Hardback Kazmierczak & Singh A Birdwatchers’ Guide to India (Prion) Lekagul & Round A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (Saha Karn Bhaet) Robson A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (New Holland) (Special price to 29.2.00; then £35) Australasia Heather & Robertson Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand (OUP) Hardback Higgins, Marchant & Davies Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds (OUP) 4 volumes Q vol.l Q vol.2 |_) vol.3 at £135.00 each Q vol.4 £125.00 Simpson & Day A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm) Paperback Thomas & Thomas The Complete Guide to Finding Birds in Australia (Thomas) Paperback World del Hoyo, Elliott & Sargatal Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx) Q vol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 Q vol.4 Wells World Bird Species Checklist: with alternative English and scientific names (Worldlist) Monographs Byrkjedal & Thompson Tundra Plovers: The Eurasian, Pacific and American Golden Plovers and Grey Plover (Poyser) Chantler & Driessens Swifts Second Edition (Pica Press) Chapman The Hobby (Arlequin) Clark & Schmitt A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, The Middle East and North Africa (OUP) Paperback Hardback Cleere & Nurney Nightjars (Pica Press) (accompanying CD £14.99) Q Densley In Search of Ross’s Gull (Peregrine Books) Feare & Craig Starlings and Mynas (Helm) Forsman The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification (Poyser) Fuller The Great Auk (Fuller) Isler & Isler Tanagers (Helm) Paperback Jamarillo & Burke New World Blackbirds - the Icterids (Helm) Juniper & Parr Parrots: a guide to the Parrots of the World (Pica Press) Komg,Weick & Becking Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World (Pica Press) Lefranc & Worfolk Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World (Pica Press) Matthysen The Nuthatches (Poyser) Olsen & Larsson Skuas and Jaegers (Pica Press) Taylor & van Perlo Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World (Pica Press) Recordings, Videos & CD-ROMS Please add £2.25 p&p per order Cramp et al. 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Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, Cornwall TR26 3AZ Front-cover photograph: Great Bittern Botaurus Stella ris, Essex, February 1993 ( George Reszeter) ICELAND, 10-18 Jun & 1-9 Jul Two departures packed with great northern birding SOUTH AFRICA, 12-26 Aug Best of the Cape, Natal & Zululand as spring arrives FRANCE, 2-10 Sep Alpine birds & migrants in the Camargue & Pyrenees NEW GUINEA & AUSTRALIA, 24 Sep-1 5 Oct Birds of paradise on the ultimate Millennium tour NEW ZEALAND, 6-23 Oct Our annual trip downunder with NZ’s premier guide GAMBIA, 17 Nov-1 Dec No finer tour than our 'Quest for the Crocodile Bird' COSTA RICA, 18 Dec 2000-2 )an 2001 Make it Christmas with the Quetzals. Book early! ... Just a small selection of trips from our 2000 brochure featuring dozens of great birding tours. Call for your copy NOW! A ✓ V Limosa (2® 01263 578143 f f'"g\ MO lf7\ L9 Don't miss our Spring Newsletter with J complete listing of all our 2001 tours / S3 Fax: 01263 579251 accepted e-mail: limosaholidays@compuserve.com Suffield House, Northrepps, Norfolk NR27 0LZ ties from Owls A Guide to the Owls of the World Claus Konig, Friedhelm Weick and Jan-Hendrik Becking Hardback 240 x 1 70mm; 464 pages; 64 colour plates; maps October 1999 £35.00 ISBN 1-873403-74-7 A Sound Guide to the Owls of the World Compiled by Richard Ranft and Claus Konig £24.99 Available from BB BookShop For more information or a brochure contact: Pica Press, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01 580 880561 Fax: 01580 880541 The dependable, experienced, worldwide mail order book service. Specialists in all aspects of the natural sciences, birdlife and wildlife, plus travel books, guides and maps. FREE 2000 CATALOGUE ON REQUEST TEL: +44(0)1352 756551 FAX: +44(0)1352 756001 E-mail: Sales@subbooks.demniuo.uk www. subbooks, demon.co'aik PISTYLL FARM. NERCWYS, Nr, MOLD. FLINTSHIRE CH7 TEW. UK Fieldscope EDm A Fieldscope in For views like this, depend on nothing less For serious birdwatching, you need serious equipment. Equipment that stands up to all types of conditions. And for that you can do no better than the Nikon Fieldscope III series. Because they deliver the outstanding optical per- formance and reliability demanded by those for whom birdwatching is more than a casual hobby. The Nikon Fieldscope III series employ O-rings and nitrogen gas for waterproof, fog-free performance. Plus all lenses are multilayer coated for light transmission that’s as much as 10% brighter than previous models. They also boast a built-in slide hood constructed of shock- absorbing rubber. 8x42HG DCI NIKON UK LTD. 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For more information telephone 0800 230220 Nikon - manufacturers of binoculars since 1918. Nikon on the Net I http://www.nikon.co.uk A ^0 H J Here are over 60 stories of Bill Oddie hilarious birding exploits, together with his own drawings. Christopher Helm is an imprint of A £ C Black Available from bookshops or direct from A&C Black, PO Box 19, Huntingdon, Cambs PEI 9 3SF tel: 01 480 212666 fax: 01 480 405014 email: sales@acblackdist.co.uk Nikon Birds of the World A Checklist James F Clements A total of approximately 9,800 species of birds is treated in this completely revised volume. Each species is given its scientific name, followed by a full listing of all currently recognised subspecies and brief descriptions of their ranges. A remarkable book which will prove an invaluable tool to everyone with an interest in birds. Hardback; 280 x 2 1 6mm; 848 pages £35 ISBN 1-873403-93-3 Available from BB BookShop j§ Advertise here All advertising rates remain unchanged for 2000 Take advantage of these! For all your advertising enquiries or a Media Pack contact Sandra Swift, Advertising Sales Manager Telephone: 01869 244447 Fax: 01869 245533 or Email: sandra@britishbirds.co.uk British Birds PRESENTED TRINGLIBfr ■' Volume 93 Number 3 March 2000 114 The European Bird Report — non-passerines, including near-passerines Dr J. T. R. Sharrock and Colin Davies 129 The Best Annual Bird Report Awards Dr J.T.R. Sharrock, Robert Gillmor, Derek Moore, Michael J. Rogers and Reg Thorpe 132 Separation of American and Great Bitterns Peter G. Lansdown 135 The Red Kite Breeding Survey 136 Saker Falcon diet: the implications of habitat change Mark Watson and Dr Roger Clarke Regular features 128 Recent BBRC decisions M.J. Rogers 131 Looking back 144 Notes Great Skua apparently killing Little Egret Pete Combridge Identification of apparent hybrid Mediterranean x Black-headed Gull Paul Larkin Tawny Owl eating Roe Deer carrion Phil Charleton Roosting behaviour of Common Swifts Malcolm Wright, Anne Brenchley, Simon Evans, Tony Howe, and Darren Underwood Black woodpecker observation DrJ. T. R. Sharrock Polygyny by Song Thrush Roy Taylor Observations at exceptionally large Redwing roost Cedric Lynch Mistle Thrush taking off from water P Middleton 149 Letters County bird reports Philip S. Redman Ruddy Shelducks in Britain and Ireland Keith Vinicombe Reliability of multi-observer records Michael Shrubb Rutland A. M. Macfarlane Long-tailed Rosefinches in Europe Paul Herroelen The commercialisation of ornithology Robin Chittenden 151 Reviews The Birdwatchers’ Yearbook and Diary 2000 by John E. Pemberton Julian Hughes The Birds of Corsica: BOU Checklist No. 17 by Jean-Claude Thibault & Giles Bonaccorsi Nick Dymond A Birder ’s Guide to The Bahama Islands by Anthony W. White Andy Mitchell The Birds of Britain & Europe by Paul Doherty Adam Rowlands Hedgehogs by Nigel Reeve Robert Burton 153 News and comment Wendy Dickson and Bob Scott 157 Monthly Marathon Dr Jimmy Steele 159 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan © British Birds 2000 The European Bird Report Non-passerines, including near-passerines Compiled by J.T.R. Sbarrock and Colin Davies from information supplied by National Correspondents ABSTRACT This biannual feature, formerly called European news’, has now been renamed, as announced in the Editorial last month (Brit. Birds 93: 58). Inaugurated 23 years ago (Brit. Birds 70: 218), these compilations provide the only reliable, continent-wide report on population trends and significant, nationally accepted records of rarities. Some of the highlights in this forty-sixth compilation include: • Flock of Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber in Switzerland • First Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus in Denmark • About 16,500 breeding pairs of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus in Spain • First Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina in Spain • First Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala in Israel Data are supplied for this Report by a network of National Correspondents (see page 128) appointed by each country, and are also extracted from pub- lished reports of verified records. A few entries (always marked by an asterisk) are still subject to assessment by the relevant rar- ities committee (and will be either con- firmed or deleted in a future Report), but all others are accepted, verified records. As well as covering the whole of Europe, records notified by the National Correspon- dents for nearby countries within the Western Palearctic are also included. This forty-sixth compilation, covering non-passer- ines, includes officially notified records from 35 countries. This Report aims to include all records of: 1. Significant breeding-range expansions or contractions. 2. Major irruptions of erupting species. 3. Asiatic vagrants. 4. Nearctic species (excluding ducks, waders and gulls in Great Britain and Ireland, where they are regular). 5. Other extralimital vagrants. 6. Major national rarities, including the first five national records, even if the species is common elsewhere in Europe. Unless otherwise stated, all records refer to nationally accepted records of single individuals. 114 © British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica BULGARIA Largest-ever count: 135 in total during count organised by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/BirdLife Bulgaria in January 1999. JORDAN First record: Aqaba from 10th November 1987 to 16th March 1988 ( Sand- grouse 21: 10). Great Northern Diver Gavia immer LUXEMBOURG First record: Esch-Sure on 8th-26th December 1996 ( Regains 17: 39, 51-54). White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii BULGARIA Vagrant: 20th March 1992 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 184). IRELAND Fifth record: 4th October 1996 ( Irish Birds 6: 287). Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps IRELAND Fourth and fifth records: February to 23rd March 1997 and 10th October 1997 to 31st March 1998, and 1 1 th- 1 4th Dec- ember 1997 ( Irish Birds 6: 287). NETHERLANDS First record: Akersloot, Noord-Holland, on 19th-21st April 1997 C Dutch Birding 21: 69). Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus FAROE ISLANDS Second record: 12th- 19th December 1993 (DC) FT 93: 66). Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanopbris FRANCE Vagrant: 25th November 1998, Ouessant, Finistere*. Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis DENMARK First breeding: two pairs in north- western Jutland in 1998 (DOFT 93: 125). Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 25th March 1997 (Sandgrouse 21:49-50). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 25th March 1997 ( Sandgrouse 21: 10). Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 31st May 1982 (Sandgrouse 21 : 47-48). JORDAN First and second records: Aqaba on 31st May 1982 and Aqaba on 1 8th-24th April 1989 (Sandgrouse 21: 10). Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea MOROCCO Large numbers: over 10,000 at sea off Western Sahara coast on 17th Oct- ober 1998. POLAND Second record: Vistula mouth on 12th September 1998 (only previous record was in September 1912). Streaked Shearwater Calonectris leucomelas ISRAEL First record: two, probably three, at Eilat from 21st June to 18th September 1992 (Sandgrouse 21: 50-51). JORDAN First and second records: two or three off Aqaba from 21st June to 18th Sep- tember 1992, and Aqaba from early May to summer 1993 (Sandgrouse 21: 11). Pale-footed Shearwater Puffinus carneipes ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 15th August 1980 (Sandgrouse 21:51). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 15th August 1980 (Sandgrouse 21: 1 1). This is the first mention of this species in these compilations. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus JORDAN Fourth and fifth records: Aqaba on 28th April 1983, and 19th-20th April 1985 (Sandgrouse 21: 11). Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus ISRAEL First record: Ma’agen Mikhael on 1st March 1982 (Sandgrouse 21: 54). Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis ISRAEL First record: Ma’agan Mikhael on 23rd January 1988 (Sandgrouse 21: 55). Mascarene/Audubon’s Shearwater Puffinus atrodorsalis/lherminieri ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 18th-21st June 1992 (Sandgrouse 21: 55-58). Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus FRANCE Vagrant: off Belle-lie, Morbihan, on 11th October 1998*. ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 1st June 1983 (Sandgrouse 21: 58-59). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 1st June 1983 (Sandgrouse 21: 11). British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 115 The European Bird Report POLAND First record: Gdansk on 5th October 1997 ( [Notatki Orn. 14: 152). European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus ISRAEL First record: Ma’agan Mikhael on 27th September 1982 ( Sandgrouse 21: 59-62). Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa POLAND Vagrants: two on 5th October 1997 and one on 19th October 1997 ( Notatki Orn. 14: 152). Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis FRANCE Second record: off Belle-ile, Morbihan,on 11th October 1998*. NORWAY First and second records: tape- lured and ringed at Jaeren, Rogaland, on 13th August 1996 and 9th August 1997. SPAIN Second record: 13th August 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 131). Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 6th July 1983 (, Sandgrouse 2 1 : 62-63). Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus JORDAN First record: two off Aqaba on 5th July 1983 ( Sandgrouse 21: 11). Northern Gannet Morus bassanus FRANCE Breeding status: 13,500 pairs in 1 997 ( Ornithos 6: 2). SWITZERLAND First record: River Rhine at Basel, near frontiers with France and Germany, on 22nd June 1998 (Orn. Beob. 96: 160). Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus BULGARIA Largest-ever counts: 10,383 in census in January 1999 (Important Bird Areas in Bulgaria , 1999, no. 1 1, p.7). NETHERLANDS First and second records: Mastwijk, Montfoort, Utrecht, on 23rd-24th January 1999, and Oostvaardersplassen, Lelystad, Flevoland, on 12th June 1999*. POLAND Vagrant: 15th June 1997 (Notatki Orn. 14: 153). ROMANIA Overwintering: 650-1,000 in January and February 1999. White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus SPAIN Vagrant/escape: first-winter at Marismas del Guadalquivir on 6th-7th December 1997 (Ardeola 46:13 2). Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus BULGARIA Census total: 80 breeding pairs in Srebarna Reserve, Sillistra region, in 1998, with 99 young birds (Branta 1998, no. 3). Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel ISRAEL Second record: Eilat on 6th May 1999* (first was on 1st December 1997, Brit. Birds 93: 22-27). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 1st Dec- ember 1997 (Sandgrouse 21: 11). Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris FAROE ISLANDS Fourth record: 12th- 18th January 1996 (DOFT 93:66). Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax BELARUS First breeding record: 27 nests in mixed colony with Grey Herons Ardea cinerea and Great Cormorants Phalacro- corax carbo in Brest region on 28th July 1999. JORDAN First breeding record: colony in Kefar Ruppin area of Israel spread to both sides of River Jordan in 1989 (Sandgrouse 21: 12). Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis POLAND Third record: 13th August 1997 (Notatki Orn. 14: 153). Black Heron Hydranassa ardesiaca ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 19th-20th October 1982 (Sandgrouse 21:63-65). This is the first mention of this species in these compilations. Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis BULGARIA First record: dark morph at BSPB Reserve Poda Lagoon near Burgas on 1st June 1999 (Poda Information Newsletter , 1999, no. 4-5, p.l). Little Egret Egretta garzetta FAROE ISLANDS Second to fourth records: 2nd-3rd December 1993,20th May 1995, and 18th October 1995 (DOFT 93: 66). GREAT BRITAIN First breeding records: pair raised three young at Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset, in 1996; up to seven pairs at 116 British Birds 93:114-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report other localities may also have bred {Brit. Birds 92: 126). JORDAN First breeding record: colony in Kefar Ruppin area of Israel spread to both sides of River Jordan in 1989 ( Sandgrottse 21: 12). Great White Egret Egretta alba BELARUS Increased breeding: at least 40 nests in one of two known mixed colonies with Grey Herons Ardea cinerea in 1999 (eight nests in 1997). BULGARIA Largest-ever count: 799 in census in January 1999. IRELAND Second to fourth records: 8th October to 29th November 1997, 26th October 1997 and, presumably the same, 31st October to 3rd November 1997, and 29th November 1997 to 22nd February 1998 ( Irish Birds 6: 291). POLAND Breeding: second locality, pair in 1998 and 1999 at Slonsk reserve. UKRAINE Expansion of breeding range: over past three years, breeding range has expanded by 350-400 km to the west and northwest within the country. Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala ISRAEL First record: Eilat from 19th October to 15th December 1987 ( Sandgrouse 21:65-66). JORDAN First record: Aqaba from 19th October to 15th December 1987 ( Sand- grouse 21: 12). Goliath Heron Ardea goliath JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 23rd March 1977 ( Sandgrouse 21:12). Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 18th April 1 996 ( Sandgrouse 21:12). Black Stork Ciconia nigra FRANCE Breeding status: 22-35 pairs in 1997 ( Ornithos 6: 2). White Stork Ciconia ciconia FRANCE Breeding status: 219 pairs in 1997 (< Ornithos 6: 3). Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus FRANCE Breeding status: two pairs in 1997 0 Ornithos 6: 3). LUXEMBOURG First record: Weiler-La-Tour, on 7th-8th May 1996 ( Regains 17:40,49-50). SPAIN Biggest-ever flock: 58 at Brazo del Este, Marismas del Guadalquivir, on 25th November 1998 ( Ardeola 46: 151). Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus SPAIN Escapes/vagrants: adults at Malaga on 21st February 1997 and at Marismas del Guadalquivir on 8th and 15th July 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 132). Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia FINLAND Large numbers: 33 individuals between 14th September and 25th October 1998. FRANCE Breeding: 50-60 pairs in 1999, including first breeding record, of one pair, in Charente-Maritime . SWEDEN Major invasion: 19 in September 1998, including one flock of 15. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber FRANCE Breeding status: 13,500 breeding pairs ( Ornithos 6: 4). SWITZERLAND Third record: flock of six immatures (one bearing a Camargue ring) from 1st September to 5th November 1998 (Orn.Beob. 96: l6l). Mute Swan Cygnus olor FAROE ISLANDS First and second records: 12 from about 25th May to 22nd June 1995, and two from about 1 5th January to 1 st February 1996 (DOFT 93: 66). Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus JORDAN First record: Aqaba from 18th November 1988 to 17th January 1989 ( Sand- grouse 21:12). NETHERLANDS Fifth record of nominate race (‘Whistling Swan’): 28th November 1997 to 8th February 1998 ( Dutch Birding 21: 65), returning 18th December 1998. ROMANIA Vagrant: 21st January 1999. SPAIN Vagrant: 8th December 1997 (Ardeola 46: 132). Bean Goose Anser fabalis IRELAND First record of race rossicus: four in Co. Louth from 27th December 1997 to 22nd February 1998 ( Irish Birds 6: 291). Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis LUXEMBOURG First to fourth records: four British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 117 The European Bird Report records, concerning 89 individuals, the first of which was 78 at Remich on 21st-25th Feb- ruary 1996 ( Regulus 17:40,46-48). Brent Goose Branta bernicla DENMARK Highest-ever one-day count and total for whole season: 51,500 passing Kon- gelunden, Zealand, on 23rd May 1997 ( DOFT 93: 21), with spring total of 79,429 (.Fugle pd Sjaelland 1997: 23). Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis BULGARIA Lowest counts for the last decade: only 137 in whole of Bulgaria during census in January 1999 (Important Bird Areas in Bulgaria , 1999, no.ll, p.7); in January 1997, there was a count of 62,653 (Brit. Birds 90: 239). Egyptian Goose Alopodien aegyptiacus SWITZERLAND Vagrant: 1st June 1998 (Orn. Beob. 96: 162). Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea ICELAND Second record: 22nd-24th May 1999* (first record was in 1892). Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna CZECH REPUBLIC Third breeding record: pair with nine young on 16th June 1997. Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus JORDAN First record: female at Aqaba on 9th- 10th April 1997 ( Sandgrouse 21: 13). This is the first mention of this species in these compilations. American Wigeon Anas americana NETHERLANDS Vagrants: adult males from 15th February 1997 to 15th March 1997, 25th-27th February 1997, and 31st May to 2nd June 1997 (Dutch Birding 21:66). SPAIN Vagrants: 16th October to 15th November 1997, and 6th December 1997 (Ardeola 46: 133). Common Teal Anas crecca NETHERLANDS Vagrant of Nearctic race car- olinensis: 15th June 1997 (14 previous records, but this is the first in June; Dutch Birding 2 1 : 69). SPAIN Vagrants of race carolinensis: two males on 17th January 1997 (Ardeola 46: 134). Black Duck Anas rubripes SPAIN Third record: first-winter at Cospeito lake, Lugo, front 14th December 1996 to 2nd January 1997 (Ardeola 46: 134). Garganey Anas querquedula SWITZERLAND Overwintering: 4th Dec- ember 1998 to 26th February 1999 (Orn. Beob. 96: 162). Blue-winged Teal Anas discors NETHERLANDS Vagrant: 20th April to 1 1th May 1997 (Dutch Birding 21:66). SPAIN Vagrants: 15th-23rd April 1996, 17th- 28th February 1997, and 6th-21st February 1997 (Ardeola 46: 134). Ring-necked Duck Ay thy a collaris FINLAND Fourth record: male from 14th May to 2nd July 1998. SPAIN Vagrant: 17th January 1996 (Ardeola 46: 134). Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis BELGIUM First record: first-winter at Roden- hiuze, Gent, on 15th-25th February 1996 (Dutch Birding 21: 268-269). DENMARK Third record: 13th- 14th February and 4th March 1998 (DOFT 93: 130). IRELAND Fourth record: 10th May 1997 (Irish Birds 6: 293). Spectacled Eider Somateria fiseheri NORWAY Fourth record: third-year male on 15th June 1997. Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri FAROE ISLANDS First and second records: adult male from 13th April to 30th May 1994 and on 12th May 1995, and second-year male on 29th June 1996 (DOFT 93:66). NETHERLANDS Fifth record: adult male on 11th- 12th January 1997 (Dutch Birding 21:66). Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis JORDAN First record: pair off Aqaba on 4th- 8th January 1983 (Sandgrouse 21: 13). Common Scoter Melanitta nigra FINLAND First record of race americana'. 13th May 1998. POLAND First record of race americana'. Wladyslawowo, Gdansk, on 8th February 1995 (Notatki Orn. 14: 155). 118 British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata DENMARK Vagrant: 5th January 1998 ( DOFT 93: 130). SPAIN Vagrant: 21st December 1996 to 18th January 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 134). Buffiehead Bucephala albeola SPAIN Second record: 25th November 1997 to 10th January 1998 ( Ardeola 46: 134). Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica SPAIN First record: Laxa, laguna de Traba, A Coruna, from 26th January to 22nd March 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 134). Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula AUSTRIA Fourth breeding record: female with young in 1999. FRANCE First breeding record: female with four young at Moselle, Lorraine, in 1999- SPAIN First record for the Balearics: female on Mallorca on 2nd-18th December 1997 ( Anuari Ornitologic cle les Balears 12: 204- 205). Smew Mergellus albellus FAROE ISLANDS First record: adult male on 1 3th- 1 4th May 1994 (DOFT 93: 67). Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis IRELAND Breeding estimate: about 50-54 pairs in 1998 (Irish Birds 6: 217-222). White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala JORDAN First record: two off Aqaba from December 1987 to February 1988 (Sand- grouse 21: 13). Oriental Honey-buzzard Pern is ptilorhyncus ISRAEL Vagrant: 14 during 30th April to third week in May 1999 (first record was at Eilat on 14th May 199 4;Sandgrouse 21:66-67). JORDAN First record: 13th May 1995, same as Kibbutz Lotan, Israel (Sandgrouse 21: 13). Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus DENMARK First record: Skagen on 29th-30th March 1998 (DOFT 93: 131). Red Kite Milvus milvus DENMARK Breeding status: 21 pairs in 1998 (DOFT 93: 125). GREAT BRITAIN Breeding status: 130 wild pairs reared 119 young, and at least 54 pairs from released stock reared 199 young, in 1996 (Brit. Birds 92: 131). SPAIN Dramatic decline in Balearics: just eight pairs on Menorca in 1998, compared with about 135 pairs in the late 1980s (Quercus 160: 16-18). White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus alhicilla DENMARK Breeding status: five pairs in 1998 (DOFT 93: 125). GREAT BRITAIN Re-establishment scheme: 12 pairs reared nine young in 1996 (Brit. Birds 92: 132). Lammergeier Gypaetus harhatus DENMARK First record: immature at Skagen, N-Jutland, on 12th-15th June 1999*, bleached primaries indicating an introduced bird from the Alps. FRANCE Breeding status: 30 pairs in 1997 (Ornithos 6: 6). GIBRALTAR Fourth record: juvenile on 28th September 1998 flying south with European Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus , but did not cross Strait of Gibraltar. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus HUNGARY Vagrant: immature found dead in January 1998. SWITZERLAND Vagrant: 25th May 1999. Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture Gyps rueppellii SPAIN Probable vagrants: in Strait area, between Tarifa and Algeciras, at least three different birds present in period 25th August to 10th December 1997, and five between 6th September and 15th October 1998 (there were just three observations previ- ously accepted) (Ardeola 47, in prep.). Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus NETHERLANDS Vagrant: 2nd June 1997 (Dutch Birding 21: 69). SPAIN Census results: about 16,500 breeding pairs in 1999, a dramatic increase from about 3,200 pairs in 1979 and about 8,000 pairs in British Birds 93: 114-128, March 2000 119 The European Bird Report 1989 (better coverage is thought to account for only a minor part of the results). Monk Vulture Aegypius monachus FRANCE Breeding status: four pairs in 1997 ( Ornithos 6: 6). Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus ITALY First breeding record: Emilia-Romagna region in May-June 1998 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 206-207). Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus DENMARK Influx: at least 15 during May 1999, ten of which were at Skagen, N- Jutland*. SWITZERLAND Vagrants: 11th April 1998, and 18th-19th October 1998 {Orn. Beob. 96: 163). Dark Chanting-goshawk Meliemx metabates MOROCCO Vagrant: first-year on 2nd April 1999 was the first record since 1996. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo FAROE ISLANDS First record: 19th December 1994 {DOFT 93: 67). Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus AUSTRIA Vagrant: 30th May 1999. SWITZERLAND Vagrant: 10th October 1999 (1 1 previous records). Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina SPAIN First record: subadult at Ciutadella, Menorca island, Balearics, on 10th-24th Sep- tember 1998 ( Ardeola 47, in prep.). Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga CYPRUS Fourth record: 5th October 1998 ( Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). NETHERLANDS Vagrant: 23rd-31st August 1997 (first record since 1985; Dutch Birding 21:69). SPAIN Vagrant: 4th February 1997 ( Ardeola 46:136). SWITZERLAND Vagrants: 22nd October 1998, 8th December 1998 and 20th December 1998 {Orn. Beob. 96: 163). Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax ISRAEL First record: Urim on lst-2nd November 1992 {Sandgrouse 21:67). 120 Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis ESTONIA First and second records: adult on 15th-l6th May 1993, and immature on 14th May 1999*. POLAND Vagrants: 15th May 1997, and 15th July 1997 {Notatki Orn. 14: 156). Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus BELGIUM Fifth record: light-phase at Angreau, Angre, on 14th May 1997. LUXEMBOURG Second record: 14th April 1996 {Regains 17:40). NETHERLANDS Fourth record: adult pale- phase from 17th July to 14th August 1997 {Dutch Birding 21 : 69). SWITZERLAND Vagrant: 29th August 1998 {Orn. Beob. 96: 164). Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni FRANCE Breeding status: 48 pairs in 1997 {Ornithos 6: 7). SWITZERLAND Fifth and sixth records: male at Vouvry on 21st-23rd May 1999, and two females, also at Vouvry, on 23rd May 1999. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus LUXEMBOURG Third record: 19th May 1997 {Regains 17:40). Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae POLAND Vagrant: 16th October 1997 {Notatki Orn. 14: 157). Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus SPAIN Fourth record: 19th January 1996 {Ardeola 46: 137). Saker Falcon Falco cherrug ESTONIA First record: adult at Linnuse, Muhu Island, on 15th May 1999. Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix GREAT BRITAIN Population decline: full census located 6,510 displaying males in Britain in 1995-96 {Bird Study 46: 1-15); as recently as 1991, there were estimated to be over 25,000 displaying males {Brit. Birds 89: 31). Common Quail Coturnix coturnix DENMARK Best-ever year: total of 208 in 1997 exceeds the 119 in 1995 {DOFT 93:29). ICELAND First record: 23rd October 1998*. British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report Corn Crake Crex crex CROATIA Census: about 100 pairs on low- lands near River Odra. GREAT BRITAIN Breeding status: 605 pairs or singing males in 1996, including three in Wales C Brit. Birds 92 : 1 38). IRELAND Census: 151-155 singing males in 1998 (cf. 165 in 1993 and 781-795 in 1988; Irish Birds 6: 159-168). Purple Swamp-hen Porphyrio porphyrio JORDAN First record: one oversummering at Bet Shean, Israel, in 1989 was also seen in Jordan ( Sandgrouse 21: 15). MOROCCO Continuing range expansion: five breeding sites in 1999- Common Coot Fulica atra JORDAN First confirmed breeding record: eight to 15 pairs, each with four or five young, at Qa' al Azraq in 1995 ( Sandgrouse 21: 15). Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata PORTUGAL Vagrant: Quinta do Lago on 9th September 1996. Common Crane Grus grus DENMARK Breeding status: 11-13 breeding pairs in 1998 {DOFT 93: 125). Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 20th-21st March 1995 ( Sandgrouse 21:15). Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax CYPRUS Second recent record: 12th December 1998 ( Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata CYPRUS Third record: 24th November 1998 {Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus BELARUS Second breeding record: pair with young in Brest region on 25th July 1999. Crab-plover Dromas ardeola JORDAN First record: four at Aqaba on 19th July 1987 ( Sandgrouse 21: 16). Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 17th April 1999*. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni DENMARK Vagrant: 8th May 1998 {DOFT 93: 132). POLAND Vagrants: 21st August 1997, and 21st September 1997 ( Notatki Orn. 14: 157). Killdeer Plover Charadrius vociferus SPAIN Second record: 14th November 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 137). Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus GREAT BRITAIN First record: Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, on 1 4th- 1 6th August 1997 (Brit. Birds 92: 570). ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 23rd April 1983 (, Sandgrouse 2 1 : 67-68). Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii HUNGARY Second record: 24th-25th May and lst-12th June 1997 ( Tuzok 3: 144). SPAIN Second record: 11th to 13th August 1996 ( Ardeola 46: 137). Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus CYPRUS Vagrant: I6th-20th April 1998 (< Cyprus Rarity Report 1998) and Paralimni Lake on 3rd May 1999* (plate 78 on page 122). Dotterel Charadrius morinellus SWITZERLAND Second breeding record: adult with one juvenile on 7th July 1998 (first breeding record was in 1965; Orn. Beob. 96: 164). American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica NETHERLANDS Vagrant: 30th July to 9th August 1997 ( Dutch Birding 21:70). Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva DENMARK Vagrant: 22nd-25th July 1998 {DOFT 93: 132). SPAIN Second record: 2nd March 1996 {Ardeola 46:137). British Birds 93:114-128, March 2000 121 Theodoulos Poullis The European Bird Report Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius HUNGARY Fifth record: 18th May 1997 ( Tuzok 3: 144). POLAND Vagrants: 12th April 1997, 15th August 1997, 17th-22nd August 1997, and 16th November 1997 (only seven previous records; Notatki Orn. 14: 158). SPAIN Vagrant: 7th February 1997 (Ardeola 46:137). White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus DENMARK Second record: Salthammeren, Bornholm, on 15th May 1999*. HUNGARY Third record: 25th September 1997 ( Tuzok 3: 144). POLAND Vagrants: 15th May 1997, and 18th May 1997 ( Notatki Orn. 14: 158). Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla NETHERLANDS Fifth record: 16th July 1997 ( Dutch Birding 21: 70). SPAIN Third record: 7th-9th June 1997 (Ardeo/a 46: 137). Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 2 5th-26th August 1991 ( Sandgrouse 21:68-69). Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla BELGIUM First record: adult at Rodenhuize, Gent, on 3rd-14th August 1996. SPAIN Second record: 19th and 20th August 1996 ( Ardeola 46: 137). This is the first mention of this species in these compilations. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis BELGILTM Second record: adult at Zeebrugge on 18th August 1996. SPAIN Vagrant: 8th November 1996 ( Ardeola 45: 106). Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii ITALY First record: Macchiatonda Reserve, Lazio, on 5th-6th October 1997 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 207). SPAIN Vagrant: 1st to 8th November 1996 ( Ardeola 44: 106). Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos ISRAEL First record: Eilat, on 15th-26th May 1983 ( Sandgrouse 21:69). 78. Male Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus , Paralimni Lake, Cyprus, 3rd May 1999*. 122 British Birds 93: 114-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report POLAND Vagrants: 18th August 1997, and two on 19th November 1997 ( Notatki Orn. 14: 158). SPAIN Vagrant: September 1995 ( Ardeola 45: 106). Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata FRANCE Second record: adult in Camargue on 10th-27th April 1999*. IRELAND Second record: I4th-15th Sep- tember 1997 ( Irish Birds 6: 297). Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima FRANCE First record for Sardinia this century7: Sassari on 18th February 1996 {Aves Ichnusae 1:41). Stilt Sandpiper Micropalama himantopus DENMARK First record: Vejlerne, N-Jutland, on 23rd-24th April 1998 {DOFT 93: 132). Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis DENMARK Vagrant: 4th August 1998 ( DOFT 93:132). SPAIN Vagrant: 8th October 1993 ( Ardeola 45: 106). SWITZERLAND Vagrant: Witzwil on 3rd October 1999 (five previous records). Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura ISRAEL First record: Eilat on Ist-lOth November 1984 ( Sandgrouse 21 : 69-70). JORDAN First record: Eilat, Israel, also seen in Jordan, on 3rd November 1984 ( Sandgrouse 21: 16). Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala ISRAEL First record: Hula Valley from 28th February to 4th March 1998 ( Sandgrouse 21: 70-71). Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus ITALY Second record: 11th May 1997 ( Riv . Ital. Orn. 68: 207). Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris GREECE Vagrants: three on coast south of Lake Ismaris, Thrace, on 20th April 1998. MOROCCO Vagrant: 11th February 1998* (first since 1995). Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis CANARY ISLANDS Vagrant: adult in Fuerteventura on 7th December 1998. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca SPAIN Second record for Spanish mainland: 22nd March 1998 ( Ardeola 47, in prep.). Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes CANARY ISLANDS Vagrant: Tenerife on 7th and 10th October 1998. SPAIN Vagrant: 15th-l6th October 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 140). Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus FAROE ISLANDS Second record: 15th Sep- tember 1996 {DOFT 93: 67). Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus SPAIN Wintering: first-winters at Ebro delta, Tarragona, from November 1995 to April 1996, and from August 1996 to February 1997 {Ardeola 45: 107). Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos FAROE ISLANDS First breeding record: July 1996 {DOFT 93: 67). Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia NORWAY Second record: Utsira, Rogaland, on 28th May 1997. SPAIN Vagrant: 1st September 1996 {Ardeola 45: 107). Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor BULGARIA Vagrant: 25th-26th August 1992. Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius PORTUGAL Unprecedented numbers: well over 1,100 individuals in August 1996 during pelagic transects parallel to Portuguese coast. Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus CYPRUS Second record: off Paphos headland on 10th April 1999*. ICELAND Huge movement: 800 on 4th May 1999* and about 2,000 on 5th May 1999*. SWITZERLAND Vagrant: llth-13th Sep- tember 1998 {Orn. Beob. 96: 167). British Birds 93: 114-128, March 2000 123 The European Bird Report Great Skua Cathamcta skua DENMARK Highest-ever count at a single locality: 231 passing Hanstholm, N-Jutland, on 9th September 1997 (DOFT 93: 35-36). HUNGARY Vagrant: 2nd November 1997 (. Tuzok 3: 146). South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki ISRAEL First record: pale morph at Eilat on 3rd-6th June 1983 ( Sandgrouse 2 1 : 71-72). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 3rd-6th June 1983 ( Sandgrouse 21: 17). Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii ISRAEL First record: three at Eilat on 1st June 1983 ( Sandgrouse 21: 72-73). JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 29th April 1989 ( Sandgrouse 21 : 17). Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 12th May 1985 C Sandgrouse 21: 74-76). This is the first mention of this species in these compilations. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla GIBRALTAR Fourth record: first-summer on 3rd April 1999. ITALY First record: immature at Modica, Ragusa, Sicily, on 7th December 1996 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 207). MOROCCO Correction: adult on 16th May 1996 (not 6th May as stated in Brit. Birds 92: 72-73). PORTUGAL Second record: first-winter in Carcavelos area, Lisboa, on I4th-21st January 1996 . SPAIN Vagrant: 25th January 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 140). Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan IRELAND Second and third records: 17th- 18th August 1997 ( Irish Birds 6: 301), and 1 lth-21st October 1998. Little Gull Larus minutus LUXEMBOURG Fourth record: 15th November 1997 ( Regulus 17:41). Sabine’s Gull Larus sabini BULGARIA First record: 15th May 1988 (Riv. Itcd. Orn. 68: 185). DENMARK Best-ever year: 437-440 in 1997 (DOFT 93:36). IRELAND Influx: 890 in 1997, with peak on 28th-29th August (cf. grand total of 954 previ- ously; Irish Birds 6: 302). ISRAEL First record: Eilat, on 3rd July to 2nd August 1989 (Sandgrouse 21: 73-74). JORDAN First record: Aqaba, on 3rd July to 2nd August 1989 (Sandgrouse 21: 17). POLAND Vagrant: 18th-20th May 1997 (Notatki Orn. 14: 160). SWITZERLAND Vagrant: 11th September 1998 (Orn. Beob. 96: 169). Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia HUNGARY First record: Dunatetetlen, Boddi- szek, on 18th-24th May 1997 (Tuzok 3: 144). NORWAY Third record: third-year on 10th April and again during 23rd April to 10th May 1996. Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus ISRAEL First record: Eilat from 15th March to 10th April 1989 (Sandgrouse 21: 76). SPAIN First record: Marismas del Guadalquivir on 30th-3 1st July and 15th August 1971 (Ardeola 46: 140). Slender-billed Gull Larus genei SWITZERLAND Vagrants: six adults on 30th May 1999- Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii FRANCE Breeding status: 54-60 pairs in 1997 (Ornithos 6: 1 1). SWITZERLAND Third record: 3rd September 1998 (Orn. Beob. 96: 169). Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis BULGARIA Vagrants: 28th February 1993 and 2nd August 1993 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68:185). CANARY ISLANDS Vagrants: first-winters on La Palma in April 1997, and on El Hierro in November and December 1997. DENMARK First record: adult at Margrethe Kog, S-Jutland, from 15th May to 13th June 1999*. POLAND Fifth record: immature at Krakow on 30th January 1998 (first inland record). SPAIN Vagrants: 18 individuals in winter 1995/96 (Ardeola 45: 107-108). Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus CYPRUS First record of race beuglini: 124 British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 The European Bird Report Larnaca on 23rd November and 2nd-3rd December 1998 ( Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). Yellow-legged Gull Lams cachinnans ICELAND Second record of race michahellis : adult from 26th March to 2nd April 1999*. LUXEMBOURG First record of race cachin- nans. Moselle River on 17th January" 1999. Iceland Gull Lams glaucoides NORWAY First record of race kumlieni: adult on 27th March 1995. POLAND Vagrant: 19th January to 6th April 1997 (. Notatki Orn. 14: 160). SPAIN Vagrant: 14th and 20th-28th December 1997 (Ardeola 46: 141). Glaucous Gull Lams hyperboreus HUNGARY Vagrants: 9th February 1997 and 5th-6th December 1997 ( Tuzok 3: 149)- SPAIN Best-ever winter: ten individuals on northern coasts during January to March 1996 ( Arcieola 45: 109-110). Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea NETHERLANDS Vagrant: 22nd October 1997 C Dutch Birding 21: 72). Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla JORDAN First record: Aqaba on 27th November and 1st December 1997 ( Sand- grouse 21: 18). Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea NETHERLANDS Third record: first-summer on 17th May 1997 ( Dutch Birding 21:73). Royal Tern Sterna maxima MOROCCO Large numbers: at least 300 in Bay of Dakhla, Western Sahara, on 8th August 1998. SPAIN Vagrant: 23rd September 1996 C Ardeola 45: 1 10). Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis SPAIN First record for the Balearics: adult at Albufera de Mallorca on 16th August 1997 ( Anuari Ornitologic de les Balears 12: 207- 208). ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 4th-20th November 1982 ( Sandgrouse 21:77). SLOVENIA First record: adult at Strunjan, Adriatic Sea, on 19th August 1999. Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 2nd July 1982 (, Sandgrouse 21:77-78). JORDAN First record: at least three of nine birds summering off Eilat during June to August 1983 flew into and from Jordanian waters ( Sandgrouse 21: 18). Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus ISRAEL First record: two at Eilat on 25th July 1980 ( Sandgrouse 21:78). Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 27th July 1980 (, Sandgrouse 21: 79). Saunders’s Tern Sterna saundersi ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 12th-25th June 1988 ( Sandgrouse 21: 80-82). Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus FINLAND First record: 10th July 1975 (eight records since). Black Tern Chlidonias niger DENMARK Breeding status: 36-41 pairs in 1998 (50% decline compared with 1997; DOFT 93: 125). FRANCE Breeding status: 237 breeding pairs ( Ornithos 6: 12). MOROCCO Huge spring migration along the Atlantic coast: two resting flocks of about 5,000 at sea on 26th April 1999. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus JORDAN Large numbers: 10,000-12,000 at Aqaba sewage-works on 30th April 1996 ( Sandgrouse 21: 18). LATVIA Largest-ever breeding colony: about 200 pairs at Idena fishponds in 1999- Briinnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia DENMARK Vagrants: 21st January 1998, 23rd January to 3rd March 1998, and 28th Feb- Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii ruary 1998 ( doft 93: 133). FRANCE Breeding status: over 100 pairs in 1997 ( Ornithos 6: 11). British Birds 93 : 114-128, March 2000 125 Amottd B. van den Berg Arnoud B. van den Berg The European Bird Report Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus SWITZERLAND First West Palearctic record: first-winter, showing characteristics of race perciix , found drowned at Zollikon, Zurich, during 15th-18th December 1997 ( Orn . Beob. 96: 171). African Collared Dove Streptopelia roseogrisea ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 29th December 1979 ( Sandgrouse 21:82-83). JORDAN First record: bird from Eilot fields, Israel, flew into Jordan on 19th October 1997 ( Sandgrouse 21: 19). Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica POLAND Vagrant: March 1991 ( Notatki Orn. 14: 163). Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto MOROCCO Major expansion of breeding range: now present on a wide coastal area covering over 2,000 km, as well as in most The European Bird Report large cities; first recorded breeding was as recent as 1986 ( Brit Birds 80: 12). Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 4th September 1984 ( Sandgrouse 21: 83-86). Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis SPAIN Second and third records: 26th March 1995, and 16th May 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 141). Namaqua Dove Oena capensis CYPRUS First record: Paphos on I6th-18th April 1998 ( Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri GREAT BRITAIN Population growth: a com- plete count of all known roosts on 9th October located 1,508 birds, representing a relatively modest increase in this introduced population since 1986, when 1,000 birds were estimated ( Bird Study 46: 1 12-115). Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus ISRAEL First record: Eilat on 17th August 1985 ( Sandgrouse 21:86-87). Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops FAROE ISLANDS Second record: 11th August 1995 (DOFT 93:68). Eagle Owl Bubo bubo NETHERLANDS First breeding record: pair raised four young at Sint Pietersberg, Maas- tricht, Limberg, in 1997 (only 12 previous records of the species; Dutch Birding 21 : 73) (plates 79 & 80). Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca ICELAND Breeding: pair in 1998 was the first confirmed breeding since 1973- Ural Owl Strix uralensis CZECH REPUBLIC First breeding for more than 70 years in Sumava Mountains: adult feeding two fledged juveniles in 1998 (Buteo 10: 115-119). Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa POLAND Vagrants: 9th-10th August 1993, 19th March 1996, 9th February 1997, and 12th September 1997 ( [Notatki Orn. 14: 164). Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus IRELAND First breeding in Northern Ireland: pair bred in Co. Antrim in 1997 ( Irish Birds 6:305). Marsh Owl Asio capensis SPAIN First twentieth-century record: first- year female found injured by gunshot at Bahia de Cadiz marshes on 10th December 1998 ( Ardeola 47, in prep ). Tengmalm’s Owl Aegolius funereus NETHERLANDS First record of singing since 1987, in former breeding region: March to 12th April 1999. Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba HUNGARY Second record: 27th September 1998. White-rumped Swift Apus caffer PORTUGAL Possible breeding: one to five birds in Mertola area between 19th May and 24th July 1996, but breeding could not be proved. Little Swift Apus affinis CYPRUS Vagrant: 8th April 1998 ( Cyprus Rarity Report 1998). SPAIN Vagrants and possibility of breeding: two entering a cave at La Plata range, Tarifa, Cadiz province, in May 1996, and up to five in July 1996 ( Ardeola 45: 110); also, El Bujeo, Tarifa, on 15th March 1997, and Getares,Alge- ciras, on 6th May 1997, both sites at the Strait area ( Ardeola 46: 141). Little Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis JORDAN Possibly first breeding: pair in Aqaba on 11th April 1996 ( Sandgrouse 21: 20). Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops superciliosus BULGARIA First to fifth records: 27th May 1988, two on 4th September 1993, three on 18th September 1993, 26th June 1994, and 11 on 3rd October 1996 (Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 185-186; cf. Brit. Birds 88: 37). DENMARK Third record: 6th July 1998 (DOFT 93: 134). British Birds 93: 114-128, March 2000 12 The European Bird Report NORWAY First record: near Bergen, Horda- land, on 22nd June 1998. SPAIN Second record: 25th April 1997 ( Ardeola 46: 141). Hoopoe Upupa epops GREAT BRITAIN Breeding record: pair raised three young in Montgomery, Wales, in 1996 (first confirmed breeding in Britain since 1977 ; Brit. Birds 92: 147). Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus NETHERLANDS Third record: female at Brun- ssummerheide, Brunssum, Limburg, on 5 th- 7th April 1985 (second record was at same location in 1981/82, and first was in 1974; Dutch Birding 2 1 : 74). White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos SWITZERLAND Second to fifth records: male at Prattigau from 31st May to 13th June 1997, male at Prattigau on 29th March 1998, male and female at Prattigau on 5th-10th April 1998, and female at Sarganserland on 19th April 1998 ( Orn . Beob. 96: 173). National Correspondents Countries for which records are included in this compilation are shown in bold. ANDORRA Jacqueline Crozier/Ann Matschke. AUSTRIA Hans-Martin Berg. BELARUS Dr Mikhael E. Nikiforov. BELGIUM Rene-Marie Lafontaine. BULGARIA Dr Petar Iankov. CANARY ISLANDS Juan Antonio Lorenzo. CHANNEL ISLANDS Ian Buxton CROATIA Jelena Kralj. CYPRUS A. E. Sadler/John Sanders. CZECH REPUBLIC Prof. Karel Stastny. DENMARK Brian Rasmussen. EGYPT Sherif & Mindy Baha El Din. ESTONIA Dr Vilju Lilleleht. FAROE ISLANDS Soren Sorensen. FINLAND Tom Lindroos. FRANCE Dr Philippe J. Dubois. GERMANY Peter H. Barthel. GIBRALTAR Charles E. Perez. GREAT BRITAIN John Marchant. GREECE George I. Han- drinos. HUNGARY Dr Gabor Magyar. ICELAND Gunnlaugur Petursson. IRELAND Paul Milne. ISRAEL Hadoram Shirihai. ITALY Marco Gustin. JORDAN Vacant. LATVIA Dr Janis Baumanis. LITHUANIA Dr Petras Kurlavicius. LUXEMBOURG Dr Tom Conzemius. MACEDONIA Branko Micevski. MALTA Joe Sultana. MONTENEGRO Dr Vojislav F. Vasic. MOROCCO Dr Michel Thevenot. NETH- ERLANDS Drs. Arnoud B. van den Berg. NORWAY Runar Jabekk/Bjoern Ove Hoeyland. POLAND Dr Tadeusz Stawarczyk. PORTUGAL Dr Joao Carlos Farinha. ROMANIA Jozsef Szabo. SERBIA As Montenegro. SLOVAK REPLTBLIC Dr A. Dorolova. SLOVENIA Iztok Geister. SPAIN Dr Eduardo de Juana. SWEDEN Tommy Tyrberg. SWITZERLAND Dr N. Zbinden/ Dr Bernard Volet. TUNISIA Thierry Gaultier. UKRAINE Dr Igor Gorbah. . Recent BBRC decisions This monthly listing of the most recent decisions by the British Birds Rarities Committee is not intended to be comprehensive or in any way to replace the annual Report on rare birds in Great Britain’. The records listed are mostly those of the rarest species, or those of special interest for other reasons.. All records refer to 1999 unless stated otherwise. ACCEPTED: Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podi- ceps Singleton Lake (Kent), 27th February to 23rd March; Stanton Harcourt (Oxfordshire), 9th-l4th November. Madeira/Cape Verde Petrel Ptero- droma madeira/feae Prawle Point (Devon), 17th August. Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis Gwennap Head (Cornwall), 13th August. Lesser Scaup Ay thy a affinis Saltholme Pools and Reclama- tion Pond (Cleveland), 6th June to 31sy July. Gyr Falcoln Falco rusticolus Stenness (Orkney), 21st January. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nord- manni Cley, Titch well and Terrington Marsh (Norfolk), 17th July to 30th August. Greater Yel- lowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Elmley (Kent), 16th, 30th-31st March. Franklin’s Gull Lams pipixcan Willen Lake (Buckinghamshire), 30th June to 1st July. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Fair Isle (Shetland), 1 6th- 17th May Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 21st-24th October. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus dumetorum Fair Isle (Shetland), 2nd-3rd June. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Hartle- pool Headland (Cleveland), 20th-21st September. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli Spurn (East Yorkshire), 2nd June. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Wormiston (Fife), 17th-18th October. M. J. Rogers, Secretary, BBRC, 2 Churchloum Cottages, Towednack, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 J/1Z 128 British Birds 93: 1 14-128, March 2000 The Best Annual Bird Report Awards . sVW Vobl.s"'<1 *5 ' ' ‘^Birders Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 1998 Volume 32 pari 2 The general standard of annual bird reports in Britain has improved very significantly during the nine years that these awards have been presented. Assessed independently by five judges, each repre- senting a different organisation and each concentrating on a different area of exper- tise, this year’s top report scored 94%, whereas the one that was rated lowest scored only 20%. Of the 43 reports sub- mitted for consideration this year, however, no fewer than 35 achieved a score of over 50%. The very high score of the winner, Suffolk , sets a target that it will be difficult for future entrants to reach. Perhaps equally remarkable is the achievement of SK58, which claimed seventh place without the benefit of the 5-point (6%) bonus awarded to those reports published within 12 months of the year that they cover. If that report (cov- ering a single 10-km square bordering Rotherham, Sheffield and Worksop) had been for the current year, it would have been equal second with Norfolk , yet SK58 Birders has a membership of just 41 (compared with the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society’s 1,200 members and the Norfolk & Norwich Natu- ralists’ Society’s 500 members). During the assessment process, the five © British Birds 93: 129-131, March 2000 129 Best Annual Bird Report Awards Table 1. The top annual bird reports published in 1999. Position County/area Editor Score 1st Suffolk Gary Lowe 94% 2nd Norfolk Giles Dunmore 86% 3rd Fife David S. Fotheringham 85% 4th Avon A. H. Davis 84% 5th Derbyshire R. M. R. James 82% 6th Nottinghamshire Bernie Ellis 81% 7th SK58 (1997) Andy Hirst 80% 8th Dorset Stephen Smith 79% 9th= Leicestershire & Rutland M. R Skevington 78% 9th= Lothian David J. Kelly 78% 9th= Surrey (1997) Shaun Peters 78% Suffolk was first in the category for large bird clubs (over 400 members); Fife was first among those pro- duced by medium-sized clubs (200-400 members); and SK58 was first in the category for small bird clubs (under 200 members). The top bird-observatory report was Fair Isle (edited by Paul & Helen Baker), in 29th position, with a score of 66%. judges frequently commented on the enor- mous amount of time, effort, dedication and expertise which had been put into the pro- duction of these reports, first by the observers collecting, recording and submit- ting their observations, and then by the records committees, recorders and editors who turned these data into readable and accessible documents for the benefit of local birdwatchers today and researchers in the future. We are filled with admiration. Whilst the high standards of county bird reports and small, local bird reports are, indeed, a cause for congratulations and pride, the continuing parlous state of reports produced by the bird observatories is diffi- cult to explain. We have previously, on more than one occasion, suggested that the editors of bird-observatory reports should have a look at some of the best of the other bird reports in order to benefit from their ideas concerning content, presentation, design and production. There has, however, been almost no attempt by the bird observatories to raise their standards in the way that has been achieved by all other bird reports. This is clearly shown by the fact that county bird reports averaged 75%, and reports covering smaller areas averaged 67%, but the bird observatories (even including Fair Isle’s good 66%) averaged only 48%. We draw attention to this yet again not out of any desire to criticise, but in the hope that at 130 least one or two bird-observatory-report editors will take up the challenge, and have a look at the reports produced not only by Suffolk and Norfolk , but perhaps also espe- cially those produced by smaller organisa- tions, such as Fife and SK58. We are supporters of the bird-observatory network and it would give us great pleasure to see a bird-observatory report up among the leaders next year. Finally, we should like to draw special attention to the innovative use by the winner, Suffolk , of tinted boxes within the main text, headed FIELDNOTES’ and con- taining interesting snippets of relevant infor- mation. We felt that this worked’, and might be adopted more widely (though it does need to be used sparingly and only when appropriate). Our aim is for this competition to encourage as well as to reward the produc- tion of high-quality bird reports (in respect of both content and presentation). A copy of the judges’ scores will, therefore, be sent to any official report editor or recorder who requests a copy from the address below and who supplies a SAE. Comments on the judging and advice concerning report content and production are published peri- odically in newsACRE , the organ of the Asso- ciation of County Recorders and Editors, to which all appropriate officers are strongly encouraged to belong. British Birds 93: 129-131, March 2000 Best Annual Bird Report Awards J.T.R. Sharrock (British Birds), Robert Gillmor (Society of Wildlife Artists), Derek Moore ( British Trust for Ornithology), Michael J. Rogers (Association of County Recorders and Editors) and Reg Thorpe (British Birds Rarities Committee) c/o Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 J/V/ The year’s best reports can be obtained as follows: AVON Dr H. E. Rose, c/o 12 Birbeck Road, Bristol BS9 1BD (£5.50 incl. p&p) DERBYSHIRE R.W. Key, 3 Farningham Close, Spondon, Derby DE21 7DZ (£6.00 incl. p&p) DORSET Miss W.J. Adams, 16 Sherford Drive, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4EN (£6.00 + £1.20 p&p) FAIR ISLE Administrator, Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU (£7.00 incl. p&p) FIFE D. E. Dickson, 2 Burrelton Court, Bankhead, Glenrothes, Fife KY7 4UN (£6.00 incl. p&p) LEICESTERSHIRE & RUTLAND Mrs Sue Graham, 5 Brading Road, Leicester LE3 9BG (£6.60 incl. p&p) LOTHIAN D. J. Kelly, 149 High Street, Prestonpans, East Lothian EH32 9 AX (£6.50) NORFOLK Mrs M.J. Dorling, 6 New Road, Hethersett, Norfolk NR9 3HH (£7.00 + £1.00 p&p) NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Howard Broughton, 5 Park Road, Plumtree Park, Nottingham NG12 5 LX (£6.00 incl. p&p) SK58 Andy Hirst, 15 Hunters Drive, Dinnington (£4.95) SUFFOLK Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, c/o The Museum, High Street, Ipswich IP1 3QH (£7.50 + £1.00 p&p) SURREY J. Gates, 159 Stoughton Road, Guildford, Surrey GUI 1LQ (£4.50) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO: ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK. The rarities for the year [1899] have not been many, and one cannot but be impressed with the growing scarcity of the Hobby [ Falco sub- buteo]. Kestrel [ F. tinnunculus]. Magpie [Pica pica]. Quail [Cot- urnix coturnix], Woodcock [Scolopax rusticola ], Ruff [Pbilo- macbus pugnax] , Spotted Crake [Porzana porzana ], Bittern [Botaurus stellaris] , Teal [ Anas crecca], Garganey [A. querque- dula], and Wild Duck [A. platy- rhynchos ]. 1899 seems to have passed without the record of a single Waxwing [ Bombycilla garrulus], Black-tailed Godwit [Limosa limosa]. Spotted Crake, Eider Duck [Somateria mollis- sima], Glaucous Gull [Larus hyperboreus] (last visitation 1895), Great Northern Diver [Gavia immer], or Fulmar Petrel [Fulmarus glacialis] ( Zoologist 4 (Fourth Series): 97, March 1900) FIFTY YEARS AGO: ROOKS BREAKING WALNUTS ON HARD COW-DUNG.’ (Title of a classic Note, Brit. Birds 43: 81, March 1950) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: Viewpoint. C.J Bibby. Who took the birds out of British ornithology? Where has the love of birds among ornithologists gone? The huge and admirable growth of serious ornithology in Britain in recent years seems to have reduced the true amateur to near-extinction. . . With so much time spent counting, iden- tifying, or investigating the moult of the greater coverts, how indeed does time remain for pleasure? ... Undoubtedly there is now more ornithological talent in Britain than ever before, but much of it seems to be diverted to mindless pursuits or frustrated by professionalism in its worst sense. How sad that the tick-hunting craze leaves no time to look at the birds, common and rare, because there is another to be collected on the other side of the country before the end of the weekend. . . Why, I wonder, do some of the most skilled iden- tifiers of birds in the country prefer to flock like sheep to well- known areas, taking directions to the very bush to see other people's finds?’ {Brit. Birds 68: 100-102, March 1975) British Birds 93: 129-131, March 2000 131 Tim Loseby Separation of American and Great Bitterns Peter G. Lansdoum Of the 60 American Bitterns Botaurus lentiginosus recorded in Britain and Ireland up to the end of 1998, only ten have occurred since 1957. Four of these have been in Ireland, three in England, two in Wales and one in Scotland, with the east- ernmost individual in Dorset. The similar Great Bittern B. stellaris is restricted as a breeding bird in Britain and Ireland to ten localities in England, though it is more wide- spread, albeit in small numbers, in winter. Great Bittern is larger than American Bittern, with, comparatively, a shorter, thicker bill, a shorter neck, a stockier body and both longer and broader wings. Without the extra- ordinarily rare opportunity of direct compar- ison, however, size and structure are of little use in the identification process. Great Bittern has a relatively plain bill, with a slim, dark culmen line which is normally confined to its distal half, and a dull, pale, greenish or bluish gape. In contrast, American Bittern has a broad, dark culmen line from the base of the bill, where it is often thickest, to the tip, and a conspicuous, bright lemon-yellow gape. The black forehead and crown. clean-cut, buff supercilium and diffuse, dark loral line of Great Bittern differ markedly from American Bittern’s rich rusty-brown forehead and crown, creamy-buff super- cilium, well-defined dark loral line and incon- spicuous dark eye-stripe behind the eye. Great Bittern’s buff ear-coverts, which usually contain peripheral slim, dark barring, and its buff rear neck and neck-sides, with their neat lines of dark bars and chevrons, do not contrast greatly with its nevertheless conspicuous, broad, dark moustachial stripe. American Bittern's unmarked, rich buff- brown ear-coverts and its plain brown or grey-brown rear neck and neck-sides are, however, clean-cut, contrasting with its thick, dark moustachial stripe. Depending on posture, the moustachial stripe of American Bittern can often be inconspicuous, as on the individual in plate 83. Comparatively, the Nearctic species typically has a narrower central streak down the chin and throat and a greater number of foreneck stripes, which are broader and largely rich chestnut rather than blackish or brown-and-black. The differences between the two species are not, however, con- fined to the bill, head and neck. The mantle and scapulars of Great Bittern have irregular-shaped, black feather-centres with broad, tawny- buff fringes, and its inner wing-coverts are similarly, though less heavily, pat- terned, and so there is little contrast bet- ween these feather tracts. The mantle and scapulars of American Bittern are rich, dark brown, neatly barred with black, and with even, narrow, buff 81. American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, Gwent, November 1981. 132 © British Birds 93: 132-134, March 2000 J. B. & S. Bottomley P. Munsterman Lansdown: Separation of American and Great Bitterns 82. Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Netherlands, December 1977. fringes to the feathers, creating a near- uniform tortoiseshell look. An adult Amer- ican Bittern's inner wing-coverts are similar, though a shade paler, while those of a juve- nile and a first-year are dull buff, delicately vermiculated with black, and are thus con- trastingly paler in general appearance than the mantle and scapulars. The secretive lifestyles of the two species, combined with their choice of often exten- sive reedbed or marshland habitat, are not conducive to prolonged views. Even quite a brief, unexpected encounter with one of these bitterns should, however, be sufficient to allow a firm identification. On the ground, despite their similarities, they present rather dif- ferent impressions. Great Bittern is basi- cally buff in general appearance, liberally splashed with irreg- ular black marks. American Bittern is browner and more uniform, though with a very striped look to the fore-face and a broadly striped fore- neck. In flight, Great Bittern’s coarsely black-marked tawny- buff mantle, scapulars and inner wing- coverts contrast with its conspicuously buff-barred black primary coverts, primaries and secondaries. The pattern is more complex and the contrast even greater on a flying juvenile or first-year American Bittern, with its almost solidly dark brown mantle and scapulars, uniform- looking, pale greyish-buff inner wing-coverts, unmarked dark primary coverts, primaries and secondaries, and buff-brown trailing edge to the inner primaries and secondaries, though a flying adult American Bittern lacks such contrast owing to its darker brown inner wing-coverts. 83. American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus , Florida, USA, February 1980. References Alstrom, P, Colston, P, & Lewington, I. 1991 A Field Guide to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. London Dymond, J. N., Fraser, P. A., & Gantlett, S. J. M. 1989. Rare Birds in Britain and Ire- land. Calton. Holt, P I. 1991 The American Bittern in Lancashire. Bird- ing World 4: 49-5 1 . Lansdown, P G. 1985. Mystery photographs. 98. Bittern. Brit. Birds 78: 103-105. Ogilvie, M. A., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 1999. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1997. Brit. Birds 92: 389-428. Rogers, M. J , & the Rarities Committee. 1992. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1991. Brit. Birds 85:510-511. Peter G. Lansdown , 197 Springwood. Llanedeyrn . Cardiff. Glamorgan CF2 6UG British Birds 93: 132-134, March 2000 133 Lansdown: Separation of American and Great Bitterns 84. Below: Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Essex, February 1993. The widely spread foreneck-stripes are typically two-toned. 85. Top right: Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris , Essex, February 1993-The most obvious characters are the general buff coloration, liberally and intricately marked with black, and the black forehead, crown and moustachial stripe. 86. Middle right: American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, Florida, USA, April 1996. The strikingly striped bill and fore-face and contrastingly paler and greyer inner wing-coverts catch the eye on an otherwise brown, comparatively uniform bird. 134 British Birds 93: 132-134, March 2000 Chris Knights Chris Knights George Reszeter The Red Kite Breeding Survey As a result of the continued population expansion of the Red Kites Milvus milvus in central Wales and the success of the ongoing re-establishment pro- gramme in England and Scotland, it has become increasingly difficult to keep track of the total number breeding in Britain. In 1999, the Welsh Kite Trust was aware of 181 breeding pairs, mainly in central Wales, but acknowledged that an unknown proportion of Welsh breeding pairs was likely to have gone undetected. The situation in the Chilterns in southern England is similar. The Southern England Kite Group located 75 breeding pairs in 1999, but, as in Wales, strongly suspected that other pairs went undetected. Re-established populations in the east Midlands (seven pairs) and central and northern Scotland (four and 30 pairs respec- tively) are still relatively small and, in these areas, it is still realistic for fieldworkers to locate all (or almost all) breeding pairs. Away from central Wales and the re-established populations, there are several sites where isolated breeding pairs of Red Kites have been reported in recent years. These sites are mainly in central and southern England and breeding has been proven at sites in Hamp- shire and northeast Suffolk. It is fair to say that breeding pairs could now be encoun- tered just about anywhere in Britain. In order to obtain as detailed a picture as possible of the size and extent of the Red Kite populations in Britain, a full breeding census will be carried out this year. This will aim to provide an accurate baseline from which to measure population changes in the future and so help to assess the effectiveness of conservation measures in Wales and the re-establishment programme in England and Scotland. The core populations, where Red Kites are known to be breeding, will be sur- veyed by project staff, volunteers and con- tract fieldworkers, but we would greatly appreciate the help of birdwatchers in trying to find other potential breeding sites, partic- ularly in areas away from the core populations. We are keen to hear from birdwatchers who observe any of the following during the 2000 breeding season (March to July): • two Red Kites seen together on more than one occasion at the same site, particularly if associated with an area of woodland, • two Red Kites circling together over woodland and remaining in the same area for at least two minutes, • a single Red Kite dropping down into woodland or flying within woodland below the level of the canopy, or • one or more Red Kites seen at least twice during the period March to July in an area where the species is not usually encoun- tered. Sightings will be of particular value if they are reported quickly, since this will allow time for potential breeding records to be followed up by project fieldworkers during the current breeding season. The Red Kite Breeding Survey is being organised by English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Welsh Kite Trust and the RSPB. For further information or to report sightings, please contact one of the following people: WALES Tony Cross , Welsh Kite Trust: 01597 860524; e-mail welsh. kites@virgin. net ENGLAND Ian Carter, English Nature: 01733 455281 or 07970 404831; e-mail ian.carter@english-nature. org. uk Simon Wotton, RSPB: 01767 68055 1; e-mail simon. wotton@rsbp. org. uk NORTHERN SCOTLAND Brian Etheridge, RSPB: 01463 715000 CENTRAL SCOTLAND Kevin Duffy, RSPB: 0141 5764100 © British Birds 93: 135, March 2000 135 Saker Falcon diet: the implications of habitat change Mark Watson and Roger Clarke ABSTRACT A study of the Saker Falcon Falco cherrug in northeast Kazakhstan in 1997 revealed a diet dominated by susliks Spermophilus , but including some birds, mainly gamebirds (Galliformes) and crows (Corvidae). Traces of prey remains from the previous season included smaller mammals of species that vary greatly in abundance from year to year. Saker breeding success was lower in those areas with taller vegetation, which held fewer susliks. With the collapse of collective farming in Kazakhstan, nomadic herders no longer graze large areas of steppe and alps, and the onset of vegetation succession appears to have reduced the abundance of susliks in some areas. Most grassland-species declines are due to agricultural intensification, but here is an example of negative conservation implications of the abandonment of grazing across large areas of Kazakhstan. If widespread, these land-use changes, together with pressure from falconers, could threaten total numbers of Saker Falcons. The breeding range of the Saker Falcon Falco cherrug encompasses parts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, the former Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine, stretches across the steppes of southern Russia and Kazakhstan, the plateaux of Mongolia, Tibet, and west and central China, and extends to the edge of the Great Plain of eastern China. Small outlying populations breed to the south, in Turkey 136 © British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet and Iran. Six subspecies were recognised by Baumgart (1991), but Pfeffer (1992) and White (1995) drew attention to possible tax- onomic revisions. The World population of Sakers has been estimated at 35,000-40,000 pairs (Baumgart 1991), and in Europe this falcon has been classed as endangered (Tucker & Heath 1994). Sakers eat mainly mammals, especially susliks (ground-squirrels) Spermophilus , which are abundant on short vegetation in steppe grassland across much of the Western Palearctic (Cramp & Simmons 1980; Nowak 1991; Tucker & Heath 1994). In Kazakhstan, human depopulation has resulted in the abandonment of grazing in many areas. Succession has caused some of these areas to become unsuitable for susliks. Sakers are already threatened by the illegal trade in birds for falconry, so the impact of land-use change, which reduces the abundance of its main prey, could be significant. Three recent studies, in Austria (Frey & Senn 1980), Hungary (Bagyura et al. 1994) and Slovakia (Obuch & Chavko 1997), showed, however, that some Sakers could breed successfully by feeding mainly or exclusively on birds. Study areas and methods Fieldwork was carried out in northeast Kaza- khstan from mid April to the end of June in 1997. Nine study plots were grouped in two areas, one in the Alakol Basin and one in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. The Alakol area was hot and arid, with a rocky substrate, while the Altai area was wetter and sub- alpine in character. The study plots were remote from permanent human habitation and had traditionally been subject to sea- sonal grazing by horses, sheep and cattle. This transhumance had ended in both areas by 1995. Breeding success was calculated as the mean number of young fledged per pair that laid (productivity). During each nest visit, pellets and prey remains were collected from the nest itself and the ground below, as well as from nearby plucking posts and resting places. One nest was watched for a 24-hour period, to monitor prey deliveries and to corroborate the result of the pellet analysis. Pellet contents and prey remains were identified by comparing them with collec- tions. We identified mammal hair by using microscopy to see the diagnostic patterns of the medulla (Teerinck 1991), and bird feathers from the structure of the downy barbules at the base (Brorn 1986). Quantification of prey was on the basis: detection in a pellet or as remains = 1 indi- vidual. There are two weaknesses in this, especially for pellets found at nests. First, a single prey individual may occur in all the pellets from a brood; and, secondly, remains from more than one prey individual of the same species may be indistinguishable in a single pellet. These weaknesses are, however, common to the other studies that we used for comparison. Diet-diversity indices 1 were calculated for our own study, and for four others for com- parison. In our analysis, prey were assigned to one of three classes: mammals, birds and reptiles. Beetles (Coleoptera) occurred in 1 2 (9%) of the pellets, but were ignored as inconsequential to diet. Suslik abundance was measured in the nine study plots. A simple index was calcu- lated, scoring 1 for each sighting, call and active burrow on up to six 400-m transects. Three of the transects were walked in areas where susliks were apparent, and three were selected at random. Resulting total scores for each area were divided by the total distance of transects to give an index of suslik abun- dance per 100 m of transect. For each study area, suslik habitat quality was scored on a scale of 1-9, low scores reflecting long vegetation and poor habitat and high scores indicating short vegetation and good habitat. Since there was insuffi- cient time to do this systematically at ran- domised points, it was based on a subjective general assessment within a radius of 2 km of each nest site. Fastly, Saker breeding success, suslik abun- dance and habitat quality' in the nine plots were examined using regression analysis. 1 Using Levins’ (1968) formula: diet diversity = 1/Xp/2 , where p;- is the proportion of the diet in prey class /'.This measures both diversity and evenness of diet, in that it gives values in the range of 1 to where n is the number of prey classes in the diet High values (approaching n) indicate a broader diet, more evenly divided among the prey classes. British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 137 Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet Table 1. Prey items identified from pellets and remains at nests of Saker Falcons Falco cherrug in northeast Kazakhstan, April-June 1997. Pellets Uneaten prey remains MAMMALS Red-cheeked Suslik Spermophilus erythrogenys 94 3 Long-tailed Suslik Spermophilus undulatus 7 1 Steppe Lemming Lagurus lagurus 0 1 Common Vole Microtus arvalis 0 1 Unidentified vole 2 - LInidentified small mammal i 0 Siberian Mole Rat Myospalax myospalax 0 1 Common Hamster Cricetus cricetus 0 1 Stoat Mustela erminea 0 2 Bobak Marmot Marmota bobac 0 8 Artiodactyla sp. 1 0 Unidentified mammals 3 6 Mammals subtotal 108 24 (82%) (48%) BIRDS Saker Falcon Falco cherrug 1 0 Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix 0 1 Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar 0 2 Grey Partridge Perdix perdix robusta 0 7 Common Quail Coturnix coturnix 0 1 LInidentified gamebird 0 1 Rock Dove Columba livia 0 1 Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 1 0 European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 1 0 Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra 0 1 Sky Lark Alauda arvensis 0 1 Unidentified lark 1 - Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba 0 1 Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka 0 2 Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula 0 3 Carrion Crow Corvus corone 0 2 Unidentified crow 10 - Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus 0 i Unidentified small passerines 4 - Unidentified birds 3 2 Birds subtotal 21 26 (16%) (52%) REPTILES Unidentified 2 (2%) 0 TOTALS 131 50 Diet Prey found in pellets and prey remains at nests in northeast Kazakhstan (table 1) showed that the diet was dominated by Red- cheeked Susliks S. erythrogenys , but other- wise included a range of mammal and bird species. Second to susliks, the most frequent prey appeared to be crows (Corvidae) and gamebirds (Galliformes), although the latter were evident only in remains, and seven of our ten pellet records of crows came from the same nest . The registration of Saker feathers in one pellet simply reflected the fact that surviving chicks ate their siblings as broods were reduced, presumably as a result of limited food availability. The results of observa- tions of feeding behaviour at the nest watched for 24 hours are summarised in table 2. The chicks were fed five times in the period from 14.55 hours on 13th May to 15.30 hours on 14th May. Both parents were hunting, but on two occa- sions the male brought food and made a food-pass to the female; as with other raptors, it is the female that usually feeds the nestlings (Pfeffer 1990). It is possible that the male brought more items than we recorded, as food-passes could have occurred out of sight. The nest observations supported the findings of the pellet analysis, showing reliance on susliks, but also that Sakers switch to other species according to their availability. For example, in the canyons surrounding this nest, there were flocks of up to 60 Eurasian Jack- daws Corvus monedula containing many recently fledged juveniles that the falcons could catch easily. Our sample included mammals of smaller body size than susliks, but species which raptors can find easily and catch in large quantities in irruption years (Sludskiy 1969). For example, we recorded the Steppe Lemming Lagurus lagurus and Common Vole Microtus arvalis in pellets, but only as traces from unoccupied nests in one study area in the Altai; these were judged to be remains from the preceding season, but they 138 British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet Table 2. Frequency, duration and types of prey delivered to a brood of four female Saker chicks at about 20 days old, northeast Kazakhstan, May 1997. Day Feed number Time (hrs) Item Fed by Food-pass from male 13th May 1 16. 13-16.32 Suslik Female No 2 18.19-18.32 Suslik (juv.) Female Yes 14th May 1 08.34-08.51 Eurasian Jackdaw (juv.) Female No 2 10.12-10.27 Suslik (juv.) Female Yes 3 15.00-15.19 Suslik Female No Table 3. Comparison of five studies of Saker Falcon Falco cherrug diet in the breeding season. For explanation of diversity index, see 'Methods’. NE Kazakhstan 1997 (this study) SE Kazakhstan 1984-87 (Pfeffer 1990) Slovakia 1978- 1995 (Obuch & Chavko 1997) Hungary 1986-91 (Bagyura et al. 1994) Austria (Frey & Senn 1980) Remains Pellets Remains Pellets Remains Upland Lowland Remains Sample size 131 50 834 2,317 1,236 704 197 Percentages: MAMMALS 82 48 55 16 23 32 19 Susliks 77 8 22 6 21 30 11 Gerbils 0 0 29 0 0 0 0 BIRDS 16 52 45 84 77 68 81 Pigeons 0 2 ? 44 66 47 28 REPTILES 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Diversity 1.41 2.00 1.98 1.37 1.55 1.78 1.50 index Table 4. Productivity, habitat quality and suslik abundance by study area, northeast Kazakhstan, April- June 1997. For method of calculations of productivity, habitat score and suslik abundance, see Methods'. Study area Number of breeding attempts Mean productivity Habitat score Suslik abundance index ALAKOL DEPRESSION 3 1.00 7 2.84 A 2 1.00 5 1.56 B 1 0.00 4 1.30 C 1 4.00 7 0.42 D 3 2.00 8 4.58 E 1 1.00 7 2.26 F ALTAI FOOTHILLS G 1 2.00 5 1.25 H 0 0.00 1 0.29 J 4 3.00 9 3.00 show that Sakers switch to these species in years when their numbers are high. Although no lemmings or voles were trapped or seen in any of the study areas in 1997, in June 1996, a point count of 27 Steppe Lemmings had been made 400 m from a Saker nest in the study area J (S. Starikov verbally). We compared our results with those of other studies (table 3). On the basis of pellets, our study revealed low diet diversity and the greatest dependence on susliks. A similar study by Pfeffer (1990) recorded British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 139 Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet Fig. 1. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug breeding success and food: the relationship between mean productivity per area and mean suslik abundance per area (P<0.05). '> o 3 T3 O CD .SC CO CO Fig. 2. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug breeding success and suslik habitat quality: the relationship between mean productivity per area and suslik habitat-quality score (1 = long vegetation, low habitat quality: 9 = short vegetation, high habitat quality )(P<0. 05). significant numbers of gerbils Meriones in Saker pellets from southeast Kazakhstan; this species is similar in size to susliks. Results based on prey remains showed the highest propor- tions of birds, and those based on pellets showed the lowest. This was par- ticularly striking in our sample from northeast Kazakh- stan. Most of the pellets we collected were from nest- lings. Of 101 pellets containing suslik remains, 76% inc- luded claws, where- as only 10% con- tained the teeth or jaws, and not one contained a skull. Teeth were unlikely to have been totally digested, as verte- brae and the ends of limb bones were commonly found in pellets. We concluded that adults generally removed the heads of susliks, and fed the rest to their young. Breeding success, suslik abundance and habitat quality We compared Saker breeding success, suslik abundance and suslik habitat quality across study plots (table 4). Saker breeding success was positively related to areas with high suslik abundance (fig. 1), and in turn to areas containing good habitat for susliks in terms of short vegetation (fig. 2). Area D was excluded from the analysis in fig. 1, as the suslik-abundance index for this area was very low, at 0.42, yet the nest there had the highest productivity of four female young and the earliest fledging date. The adults were seen returning to the nest with susliks caught beyond a cliff-line and outside the area where suslik abundance was measured. This illustrates the difficulty of assessing hunting habitat over a large area in rugged terrain. In area H, where suslik abundance was lowest and vegetation succession most advanced after grazing had been abandoned, three pairs of falcons held territories but did not breed. In 1996, three nests there had pro- duced 14 young (I. S.Vorbiev verbally). Seasonal variation in prey availability also affected diet composition, as susliks aestivate and remain below ground in response to high air temperatures and the dying-back of green plants in midsummer in arid steppe (Nowak 1991). In the Alakol area, suslik avail- ability was much reduced by the end of June (daily suslik counts were 20% of those made in April). By contrast, this was not a factor in the Altai, where conditions were cooler and wetter owing to higher altitude. 140 British Birds 9.3: 136-143, March 2000 DISCUSSION Bias in dietary studies Studies of prey remains rather than pellets are biased towards larger birds. Some caution is therefore required in interpreting the results. Prey remains from larger birds include many feathers and bones, particu- larly from wings and legs, which are easier to find and identify than, say, fragments of mammal hair. Our samples revealed few susliks among prey remains and many in pellets (table 1), reflecting the fact that mammals are more entirely consumed than are birds. Combining data from pellets and remains is often recommended for assessing raptor diet, in order to counter the biases of each method (Simmons et al. 1991). We, however, regard pellets as generally the more reliable indicator of relative proportions of prey taken by Sakers, where the main prey types are fairly even in size and therefore not British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 disproportionately shared among young. Nevertheless, pellet analysis may still give some distortion of respective frequencies of prey types, because a less frequent item (in our study, birds) is more noticeable against a background of a frequent prey item where parts of many individuals are harder to distin- guish (susliks). This, however, could mean only that birds were even less important than is shown by the pellet data. The implications of habitat change Our data show variation in Saker breeding success related to suslik abundance and habitat quality within a single year. Since it is known that all the study plots were exten- sively grazed up to 1995, the data provide only circumstantial evidence of habitat change due to differential succession between areas with different climates and 141 Stefan Danko H. D. Brandi Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet substrates. If the effects of these land-use changes are widespread and alternative prey are not available, Saker numbers could be much reduced in the future. To be certain that a trend is occurring, data are clearly required from several years. Such a process is, however, already documented for Bulgaria, where cessation of grazing in the early 1990s caused declines in susliks and reduced Saker numbers to fewer than ten pairs (Bob Scott in lift .). Up to 1990, the Bulgarian population was 20-40 pairs (Tucker & Heath 1994). Declines in suslik abundance may also affect other raptors. A single sample of five Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus pellets from area J contained only remains of Red- cheeked Susliks. Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis and Eastern Imperial Eagles A. beliacci in Central Asia are also dependent on susliks and, since these birds are larger, they may require a much higher biomass of prey than do Sakers in order to breed successfully. In Bulgaria, Golden Eagles A. chrysaetos and Long-legged Buzzards are believed to have declined as a result of habitat change affecting the abundance of their main prey (Bob Scott in lift .). Lemmings, voles and other species showing cyclical population fluctuations were represented in our sample only as traces in pellets that had survived from the previous year. Brandt 's Vole Microtus brandti has been recorded frequently in the Saker’s diet in Mongolia (Baumgart 1991), where higher Saker productivity (Ellis et al. 1995) could be explained by switching to this species in irruption years. In Tibet, a similar phenomenon has been observed whereby Sakers were observed to concentrate at high density to feed on Black-mouthed Pikas Ocbotona melanostoma (P. J. Leader ver- bally); although small in body size, this mammal was superabundant and easy for the falcons to catch. Fledglings of ground-nesting birds such as larks (Alaudidae) also provide high concentrations of prey at specific times of year; in late June, Sakers have been observed catching young larks that cannot fly simply by chasing them on the ground (A. Levin verbally). As a generalist predator, the Saker Falcon may be well adapted to taking other prey in response to reduced abundance and avail- ability of susliks. For example, in a study from Hungary, where loss of meadows to cul- tivation and other development has resulted in widespread loss of habitat for European Susliks Spermopbilus citellus , one pair of 89. European Suslik Spermopbilus citellus. 142 British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 Watson & Clarke: Saker Falcon diet Saker Falcons fed its chicks mainly on racing pigeons Columba livia (Bagyura et cil. 1994). Pigeons are also important for Sakers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where susliks formed only 6% of prey remains collected from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, whereas 44% were of domestic pigeons (Danko et al. 1994; Obuch & Chavko 1997). In Austria, pigeons constituted 28% of prey items identified by Frey & Senn (1980). Domestic pigeons are slightly larger than susliks in body size, with a published mean weight of 425 g (Ratcliffe 1993). Feeding on racing pigeons could make Sakers more vul- nerable to human persecution. Usually, it is agricultural intensification that causes declines in grassland-species assemblages (Tucker & Heath 1994). This small-scale study, however, provided circum- stantial evidence that abandoning agriculture by stopping large-scale grazing in Kazakhstan may further affect a species that is already at risk from over-harvesting for falconry (Watson 1997). Monitoring of Saker Falcon numbers in relation to habitat change on a wider scale and over longer periods is essen- tial to determining the real impact of this phenomenon. Acknowledgments Fieldwork was funded by The Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency, Abu Dhabi. We thank Dr Nick Fox for making arrangements in Kazakhstan and for support in the UK. References Bagyura, J.. Flaraszthy, L.. & Szitta, T. 1994. Feeding biology of the Saker Falcon Falco cberrug in Flungary. In Meyburg, B. U., & Chancellor, R. D. feds.). Raptor Conservation Today. Mountfield. Baumgart, W. 1991 Der Sakerfalke. Wittenberg Lutherstadt. Brom.T. G. 1986. Microscopic identification of feathers and feather fragments of Palearctic birds. Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde 56: 181-204. Brown, L., & Amadon, D. 1968. Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World. Feltham. Cade.T. J 1982. The Falcons of the World. London. Chavko, J. 1995. Nesting of Saker Falco cherrug in Slovakia in 1993 and 1994. Buteo 7: 175-181 Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 2. Oxford. Danko, S., Divis.T., Dvorska, J., Dvorsky, M., Chavko, J., Karaska, D., Kloubec, B , Kurka, P, Matusik, H., Peske, L., Schropfer, L., & Vacik, R. 1994. The state of knowledge of breeding numbers of birds of prey Falconiformes and owls Strigiformes in the Czech and Slovak Republics as of 1990 and their population trends in 1970-1990. Buteo 6: 1-89 Ellis, D. H., Ellis, M. H., &Tsengeg,T. 1995- Productivity of Saker Falcons in Mongolia. In Proceedings of the Specialist Workshop , Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14-16 November 1995, Middle East Falcon Research Group. Frey, H., & Senn, H. 1980. Zur Ernahrung der Wurgfalken Falco cherrug und Wanderfalken Falco peregrinus in den niederosterreichischen Kalkvoralpen. Egretta 23: 31-38. Levins, R. 1968. Evolution in Changing Environments. Princeton. Nowak, R. M. 1991 Walker's Mammals of the World. 5th edn. Baltimore. Obuch, J., & Chavko, J. 1997. The diet of the Saker Falcon Falco chen ug in SW Slovakia. Buteo 9: 77-84. Pfeffer, R. 1990. Saker Falcon. In Kovshar, A. F (ed), Rare Animals of Desert Regions. Kazak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology. 1992. The Saker Falcon Falco cherrug in the Asiatic part of the former USSR. In Abstracts, IV World Conference on Birds of Prey.WWGBP Ratcliffe, D. 1993. The Peregrine Falcon. 2nd edn. London. Siegel, S., & Castellan, N. J. 1988. Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences. New York. Simmons, R. E., Avery, D. M., & Avery, G. 1991. Biases in diets determined from pellets and remains: correction factors for a mammal and bird-eating raptor./ Raptor Res. 25: 63-67. Sludskiy, A. A. (ed.) 1969. Mammals of Kazakhstan. vol. 1 . Science Press, Alma Ata. Teerinck, B. J. 1991 Hair of Western European Mammals: Atlas and Identification Key. Cambridge. Tucker, G. M., & Heath, M. F. (eds.) 1994. Birds in Europe: their conservation status. BirdLife International, Cambridge. Watson, M. 1997. Saker Falcon Ecology and Conservation in North East Kazakhstan. Unpublished MSc thesis. University of Kent, Canterbury. White, C. 1995. Round Table Discussion on the Systematics and Taxonomy of the Saker Falcon. In Proceedings of the Specialist Workshop, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 14-16 November 1995, Middle East Falcon Research Group. Mark Watson, The Darrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canter- bury, Kent CT2 7NX (Address for correspondence: c/o 19 Priory Drive, Reigate, Surrey RH2 8AF) Dr Roger Clarke, New Hytbe House, Reach, Cambridge CB5 0JQ British Birds 93: 136-143, March 2000 143 Great Skua apparently killing Little Egret At 08.51 gmt on 19th October 1995, near Keyhaven, Hampshire, I noticed a Great Skua Catharacta skua in fierce pursuit of a Little Egret Egretta garzetta about 1 km away over nearby saltmarsh. The egret was soon* seized by the left wing and tumbled into the waters of the Solent, from where it struggled free and laboured into the air, only to be further pursued and forced once more to the surface of the water. It again rose and attempted to escape, this time aided by the activity of an adult Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, which briefly mobbed the skua. The skua. however, soon closed on the egret and, at 08.56 hours, forced it for a third and final time into the water. The two were now at least 1.5 km offshore, and this, combined with my low angle of view (1-2 m above sea level), prevented me from observing details of the struggle on the water. I continued to watch until the tide drifted them out of sight (after about 15 minutes), and remained watching the Solent until 10.00 hours without seeing either again. Pete Cambridge 10 By the Wood , Calmore , Totton, Southampton SO40 2FQ EDITORIAL COMMENT Although this is typical behaviour for a Great Skua, the Little Egret is perhaps an unusual victim. BWP (vol. 3) records Grey Heron Ardea cinerea being attacked (killed?) occasionally, but does not mention any species of egret as prey of Great Skua. Identification of apparent hybrid Mediterranean x Black-headed Gull An odd gull Larus present during September- November 1995 at Cliffe, Kent, was assumed to be an adult Mediterranean L. melano- cephalus x Black-headed Gull L. ridibundus hybrid. On 29th October and 25th November, I had good and prolonged views of this bird. The head pattern was that of a typical winter Black-headed, as were its bill, mantle colour and general build, as well as the legs (seen only briefly). At rest, the closed wing looked all white, similar to that of adult Mediter- ranean Gull, but with the longer projection beyond the tail as shown by Black-headed. In flight, the only difference from Black- headed Gull was a much broader white primary wedge which had no black tips, but which still contrasted with the inner primaries and secondaries (as on Black- headed). The extent of the white, though difficult to determine, probably covered primaries 1 to 8, with perhaps the two inners being the usual pale grey. On the spread wing, some grey patches could be seen on the inner webs of what probably were primaries 6, 7 and 8 (i.e. those that would not normally be white on a Black-headed). The underwing appeared mainly pale with some darker grey patches, none of which was as dark as on Black-headed Gull. The one missing feature which should, I think, have been present was a dark outer web to the first primary. Although Grant (1982, Gulls: a guide to identification ) suggested that this is a second-winter feature, my own observations indicate that it is shown to a variable extent by most adult Black-headed Gulls (as well as Bonaparte’s L. Philadelphia and Slender-billed Gulls L. genei ), and it is always present on adult Mediterranean Gulls. As the primaries were the only visible Mediterranean Gull feature, why was the dark outer web not present? In my opinion, this was an aberrant Black- headed Gull showing all-white primaries. I believe that the individual variability of all bird species is perhaps not appreciated, and that sometimes a hybrid origin is assumed too readily. Paul Larkin 187 Downs Road, Lstead Rise, Gravesend, Kent DA 13 9HF 144 © British Birds 93: 144-148, March 2000 Notes Tawny Owl eating Roe Deer carrion On 21st April 1996, near Scaup Farm, Kielder, Northumberland, I found several pellets from a Tawny Owl Strix ahtco. One contained a number of teeth, some set in a section of lower mandible, from a young Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus. Mikkola (1983, Owls of Europe ) made no reference to Tawny Owls taking carrion. BWP (vol. 4) states that this owl has been recorded taking young sheep, in addition to other, smaller species, as carrion, but no mention is made of Roe Deer. It may not be uncommon for Tawny Owls to feed on carrion, but, as there would rarely be any hard parts ingested from such large carcases, evidence in pellets is probably rare. Presumably, the owl was starving for it to bother with part of a carcase so lacking in flesh. Phil Charleton 152 Broadway, Tynemouth , Northumberland NE30 JEY Roosting behaviour of Common Swifts On the evening of 10th June 1994, many Common Swifts Apus apus were in the skies above Lackford Wildfowl Reserve, a series of gravel-pit lakes in the valley of the River Lark, 8 km north of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Towards dusk, numbers increased dramatically, and several thousand were wheeling at high speed just above the willows and sallows Salix along the margins of the lakes. At dawn on the following morning, we were at the reserve. At first light, no swifts were visible, but at about 04.30 gmt we looked up to see several hundred in the sky above. Instead of flying and gliding around in the usual rapid manner, each one was maintaining a more or less stationary position on gently flapping wings, mostly between 100 m and 200 m above ground, with a small number higher than this; they were not in a close flock, but spaced out, with some individuals visible through binoculars up to 800 m away. All the birds were facing in the same northerly direction (into the wind) and appeared to be, in effect, hovering, but with some slight movement forwards or up and down from time to time. Weather conditions were fine and sunny, with a largely clear sky and a gentle north breeze of about force 2. The air temperature was mild, about 12°C, and there had been no precipitation in the previous 24 hours. This behaviour continued for about three- quarters of an hour, and the swifts gave every appearance of roosting or resting on the wing. We observed them through binoculars, and there appeared to us to be no question of the hovering’ being some sort of unusual feeding activity. The birds were completely silent throughout this period. Is this the normal roosting mode of swifts at high altitude during the night, and on this particular morning had these birds for some reason roosted until well after dawn and descended much lower than is usual? At about 05.15 gmt, we suddenly noticed that the hovering’ had ceased and normal feeding and flight had been resumed; many of the swifts had descended to near ground level again, and 14 were caught in mist-nets. In a combined total of 140 years of birdwatching, none of us had ever seen behaviour remotely resembling that described, nor can we trace any description of similar behaviour in the literature. Malcolm Wright, Anne Brenchley, Simon Evans, Tony Howe and Darren Undei'wood (Lackford Ringing Group) Ridgeway, Fen Road, Pakenham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 1P31 2LT Black woodpecker observation There have been over 100 claimed sightings of Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martins in Britain, but none has been verified and accepted ( Ibis 137: 590). On 10th July 1999, I was in my home at Blunham, Bedfordshire, when I spotted a large black bird on my lawn. Its shape was that of a woodpecker, but it looked British Birds 93: 144-148, March 2000 145 Alan Harris Notes completely black. It then stretched its head forward to pick up a food item from the ground, and the whole of its crown was brilliant scarlet. I grabbed my binoculars and watched it for a moment or two, before it flew away behind some bushes into some trees. Even before I looked at it through binoculars, I knew that it was not a Black Woodpecker. It was too small, and its shape and behaviour, as well as its size, were those of a Green Woodpecker Picus viridis. Through binoculars, at a range of 30 m, I could easily see the speckled breast of a juvenile. If, however, I had not both had intimate knowledge of Green Woodpecker and had binoculars to hand - in other words, if I had been an ordinary, observant, interested member of the general public - I would have sworn that the bird (1) was wholly black, (2) except for a bright red crown, and (3) was definitely a woodpecker. How did this optical illusion come about? It was a very bright morning and my window faces south, so I was looking towards the sun, at and across brilliantly sunlit pale green grass, into a patch of deep shade below trees and bushes. The woodpecker was standing in the shade. When it stretched its neck and head forward, however, to pick up a food item, its crown (but no other part of its body) entered the sunshine. When it flew away, it was in deep shade and - to the naked eye - appeared to be wholly black. So, there was a black woodpecker with a red crown. The same illusion could have occurred if the bird had been on the bole or the bough of a tree or on, say, a telegraph pole. Description of this experience may be helpful to the members of a records committee assessing claims of this species. It may also have wider significance, as a salutary lesson relevant to other brief sightings of distinctive birds in situations with bright light and deep shade. J. T. R. Sharrock Fountains , Park Lane, Blunham, Bedfordshire MK44 3NJ Fig. 1. Black woodpecker: illustration (drawn from rough sketches) showing appearance of a juvenile Green Woodpecker Picus viridis when seen in deep shade and bright sunlight. Polygyny by Song Thrush Since 1995, in an area of gardens and farmland near Graffham, West Sussex, I have marked Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos with individual combinations of colour rings. On 16th April 1996, 1 observed a pair of Song Thrushes collecting earthworms from a cattle-grazed pasture and flying into the hedgerow of an adjacent garden; I located the nest, which contained four young approximately six days old. Subsequent observations revealed one of the pair to be colour-ringed; it had been trapped close to the nest site on 15th January 1996 and was assumed to be a male, as it regularly sang in the area around the garden. On 17th April, I visited the nest again to ring the young, but the brood had been taken by a predator. On 20th April, the colour-ringed male was again collecting earthworms on the same pasture and taking them to a farm hedgerow (site B ) 150 m away from the garden nest site 04). A nest was found containing five newly hatched young; I watched this nest regularly over the next few days, and it became 146 British Birds 93: 144-148, March 2000 Notes apparent that the colour-ringed bird was the only male bringing in food. During this period, the male would sing in the area of the farm hedge before flying back to the garden, where he would also sing vigorously; such behaviour suggested that both areas were within this male’s territory. On 25th April, a female was found incubating four eggs at site .4,5 m from the previously preyed-on nest. Both the close proximity to the previous nest and the timing of nesting (Song Thrushes require a short interval between nest failure and re-laying in April) strongly suggest that this was the same female as that observed on 16th April. On 29th April, I watched the male take food to nest B, and then fly to site A and appear to call the female off that nest. Moments later, the pair appeared together and flew to a near- by sports pitch. The female began to feed immediately, with the male staying nearby and appearing to watch over her; after several minutes of this behaviour, the pair flew back to site A and the female resumed incubation. Roy Taylor Flat 21, Trafalgar Court, Victoria Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex P021 2LU EDITORIAL COMMENT Derek Goodwin has commented: It seems likely that his involvement with the fledged young from the farm-hedge nest prompted the male to desert or neglect the later-hatched young from the garden nest (see penultimate paragraph above). From what I can recall reading over the years, this happens in about 50-70% of cases where males of usually monogamous species are concerned. Len Howard gave a heart-rending (because of the deserted female’s distress) example of this with the Great Tits Parus major that she fed and studied. When domestic geese Anser anser used to be widely kept with one male to two or more females, it was well known that, if a female was allowed to incubate, the gander when the goslings hatched would be so obsessed with his parental “duties” (guarding and escorting) that he would neglect to fertilise the eggs of any geese still, or again, laying. ‘Contrary to what is sometimes written (even once by the great Charles Darwin!), domestication has not caused males of geese, domestic ducks (of Mallard Anas platyrhynchos origin, not Muscovies Cairina moschata ), Canaries Serinus canaria, etc., to become polygamous; they are merely ready to copulate with other females as they would do, if and when they got the chance, in a wild state. ‘This Song Thrush, like Len Howard’s male Great Tit, would appear, however to have been a bigamist, until the greater urge to feed one brood of young prevailed.’ Observations at exceptionally large Redwing roost The male then returned to the sports pitch and began catching worms, which he took to site B All five young from the farm-hedge nest ( B ) fledged on 3rd May, while the eggs in the garden nest ( A ) hatched on 7th May, but the young died two days later. During this period, the ringed male was frequently seen feeding the fledglings from nest B, but no observations were made on nest A. The female at the latter then seemingly disap- peared, and no further nests were found in area A for the remainder of the breeding season. The male continued to sing in both areas, and two further broods were raised with the farm-hedge (B) female. As no unringed male was ever seen singing in either territory, or suspected of being involved with the provisioning of young, the evidence appears to indicate a case of polygyny. BWP (vol. 5) makes no mention of anything other than strictly monogamous pair-bonds for the Song Thrush, and I can find no reference to any form of polygamous behaviour by this species. In winter 1992/93, at a site some 3 km north of Mold and about 8 km south of the River Dee, Clwyd, I made regular observations at a roost of Redwings Turdus iliacus. This was situated in a plantation of Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis measuring 300 m from north to south and about 120 m from west to east, lying in a shallow valley bounded by meadows and woodland. The spruces were quite well grown, many 7-8 m or taller, and British Birds 93: 144-148, March 2000 147 Notes the plantation also contained a number of Silver Birches Betula pendula and was fringed on the western side by a few Scots Pines Pinus sylvestris. The roost built up quickly from late November, and when the first count was made, on 13th December, 5,000-7,000 Redwings entered from the north, flying along a valley from the direction of the River Dee; a few hundred arrived from the west and northwest, and very few from the east, with numbers coming from the south small compared with those flying in from the north. While this pattern was constant throughout the three-month duration of the roost, most counts were taken at the northern approach, from where it was impossible to record Redwings entering from the south (the converse held true, of course, when counts were made from the southern end). After 24th February the roost quickly broke up, with Redwings totally absent by the first week of March. Counts, with dates and direction of entry, are listed below. On less cloudy evenings, arrival was protracted, with individuals starting to trickle in some l'A hours before dusk, and peak arrival about 30-45 minutes before heavy dusk, with latecomers pitching in instantly (earlier arrivals often landed in large trees overlooking the roost, or made a couple of circuits before entering). When the largest numbers were entering, parties of 100-200 Redwings arrived in compact groups or Date No. Entry from: 13 Dec. 92 5,000-7,000 North 18 Dec. 92 6,000 North 23 Dec. 92 5,000 North 24 Dec. 92 1,200 South 25 Dec. 92 2,000-3,000 South 28 Dec. 92 6,000+ North 4 Jan. 93 5,000 North 6 Jan. 93 2,500-3,000 South 24 Jan. 93 7,000 North 3 Feb. 93 6,000-7,000 North 22 Feb. 93 2,5000 North 23 Feb. 93 2,000 North 24 Feb. 93 200-300 North sometimes in a line perhaps 100 m wide. On days with heavy cloud cover, arrivals were condensed into a much shorter period, and, in the main, the birds entered at once. From the numbers recorded, I would estimate that 10,000 Redwings were using the roost at the time of peak counts. Although the roost was used by small numbers of thrushes in most winters, the only other large occupation was in winter 1990/91, with up to 3,000 Redwings and some 2,000 Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris during February. There has been no large roost at the site since 1993; a few hundred Redwings used the plantation in 1994/95, but their numbers never reached more than 500-600. Full details have been published in the Clwyd Bird Report. Cedric Lynch Quarry Farm , Quarry Lane, Northop, Cluyd CH7 6AF Mistle Thrush taking off from water On 19th March 1994, at Colwick Country Park, Nottinghamshire, Stuart Green and I observed a Mistle Thrush Tardus viscivorus floating in the water in the middle of the lake. We watched it for approximately 15 minutes, during which it remained floating, motionless, and we assumed that it was ill or even dying. Suddenly, the thrush rose out of the water and flew away, appearing perfectly fit and in good condition. P. Middleton 7 Sandhill Grove, Grimethorpe, Barnsley S72 7 AT EDITORIAL COMMENT What was presumably the very same Mistle Thrush, recorded on the same date and at the same locality, was observed alighting on and taking off from the water by Brian Marsh {Brit. Birds 91: 236). Mr Marsh provided a more detailed account, but, in his observation, the thrush remained on the water for only about two minutes. In an editorial comment to that Note, we stated that the behaviour was exceptional and suggested that it was an extreme form of bathing. See also Brit. Birds 42: 183. 148 British Birds 93: 144-148, March 2000 I should like to suggest that the time has now come to review the value of the county bird reports in their present form, since, in principle, they have not changed their format in the last 50 years. The publication of systematic lists every year, often sum- marising the same type of basic material, is no longer relevant to the study of local species. Many more of the records could be reduced to tables, saving time, money and paper; they could, perhaps, be published only every other year, or even every five years, when trends are more easily visible. Secondly, I should like to propose that county reports be separated into two parts, since County bird reports the time lag between the end of the calendar year and the publi- cation of the annual report has become unacceptably long, owing to the sheer volume of records and the limited time of those who do the editing. Part one, published no later than the February of the fol- lowing year, could cover the breeding species (surely the most important part of the county societies’ work). Today, this information is usually not published until well into, or after, the following breeding season. Other than as an historical record, its value has been dimin- ished. Part two could then contain the rest of the systematic list, papers, and so on, which would be acceptable at a later date in the following calendar year. I am very conscious of the hard work put in by county- report editors and their commit- tees, but the time has come - and perhaps the year 2000 is an appropriate moment - to review the traditional system. Philip S. Redman 20 rue Dauphine, 75006 Paris, France EDITORIAL COMMENT A copy of this letter has been passed to the Association of County Recorders and Editors (ACRE). Ruddy Shelducks in Britain and Ireland Following the publication of the above paper (Brit. Birds 92: 225- 255), a small number of correc- tions and additions have been brought to my attention. Jeffrey Wheatley (in lift.) has pointed out an inaccuracy con- cerning the breeding records in Surrey (Brit. Birds 92: 234). The breeding record at Chertsey Weir in 1992' was in fact in 1991, the mistake stemming from a typing error that I made when collating the original information. Chertsey Weir is very close to Queen Mary Reservoir, where there was also a breeding record listed for 1991. It seems probable that these two breeding records were one and the same. That being the case, the total number of breeding records for Britain during 1986-97 should have been four, not five; and the total for 1974-97 should have been six, not seven (Brit. Birds 92: 251). As a consequence, the record of two juveniles at Fren- sham Great and Little Ponds, Surrey, from August to November 1992 (Brit. Birds 92: 233) could not have related to the offspring of the Chertsey Weir pair. Mr Wheatley also located a record of two Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea shot at Ripley, Surrey, on 22nd October 1892 (Bucknill 1900). That record brings the total for the 1892 invasion to a minimum of 61 birds, not 59 as stated in the paper (Brit. Birds 92: 240, 251). Peter Dare (in lift.') reported that, at 09 59 bst on 29th July 1994, he was seawatching at Covehithe, Suffolk, when he saw a flock of four birds fly in from far out to sea to the east. He iden- tified them as either Ruddy Shel- ducks or Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiacus. They reached the coast some three quarters of a mile [1.2 km] north of the observer near Benacre Broad and then turned north towards Lowestoft. Although their identification was not con- firmed, it seems highly likely that they were indeed Ruddy Shel- ducks, particularly since a flock of four was seen the very same day in Lincolnshire, subsequently moving north up the east coast to Co. Durham, back toYorkshire and probably then on to Northumberland (Brit. Birds 92: 235-236). Remarkably, this sighting evokes the record of eight Ruddy Shelducks which were seen to fly in off the sea at Thorpe Mere, Suffolk, on 5th July 1892, during that year’s invasion (Brit. Birds 92: 240). It is further evidence, albeit not cast-iron, to suggest that wild birds did reach Britain in 1994. Keith Vinicombe 1 1 Kennington Avenue, Bishop- ston, Bristol BS 7 9EU Reference Bucknill, J. A 1900. Birds of Surrey London. British Birds 93: 149-150, March 2000 149 Letters Reliability of multi-observer records May I be permitted to draw the attention of all those of your recent correspondents who seem to think that birdwatchers who operate on their own are all potential liars {Brit. Birds 92: 212, 481-482) to the correspon- dence about Britain’s first Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti , in Hamp- shire in 1961 {Brit. Birds 57: 365- 366; 58: 225-227, 516-520; 59: 204-206)? That episode, con- cerning a singing individual, orig- inally reported to show plumage characters of a Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melano- pogon , was described, by R H. Charlwood and the late D. D. Harber, as an instance of mass hallucination’. Of course, that could not pos- sibly happen today. Could it? Michael Shrubb Hillcrest, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys LD5 4TL I write as one who was raised in Rutland, long before it was taken over by Leicestershire in 1974. May I ask you, please, to make all your readers, and especially your contributors (including the Rarities Committee), aware that Rutland regained its indepen- Rutland dence on 1st April 1997? To be strictly accurate, there- fore, observations at Rutland Water (e.g. Brit. Birds 92: 573, 574) should be credited’ to Rutland, and observations at Eye Brook Reservoir (e g. Brit. Birds 92: 565) should be ‘credited’ to both Leicestershire and Rutland (since the reservoir lies astride the county boundary). A. M. Macfarlane 60 Holden Park Road , South- borough. Tunbridge Wells. Kent TN4 OEP Long-tailed Rosefincbes in Europe Table 1 , listing recent records of Long-tailed Rosefinches Uragus sibiricus in Europe {Brit. Birds 92: 503), omitted three records in Belgium (and there has been a fourth since). Small numbers have been kept in captivity in Belgium since at least 1976, with instances of successful breeding in captivity in 1984 (2 young) and 1987 (14 young). The species is commonly offered for sale in the birdmarket in the Antwerp area and the price fell from 3,500 BEF in 1988 to 900 BEF in 1989 (Janssen 1989, 1990). Importation is still going on from Hong Kong to Brussels, for sale in the Netherlands and France, as well as in Belgium Paul Herroeleti Leuvensesteenweg 347. B-3370 Boutersem, Belgium References Herroelen, P 1994. Notes on trade, breeding in captivity and escaped rare birds in western Europe, especially in Belgium. Unpublished 47-page report to AERC. Janssen, L. 1989. Enkele indrukken op de Antwerpse vogelmarkt tijdens de tweede helft van 1989. [Some impressions of the Antwerp bird market in the second half of 1989] Unpublished 17-page report 1990. Persoonlijke vast- stellingen bij een kanariebedrijf in het Antwerpse (mei-december 1989). [Personal records made in a canary business in the Antwerp area (May-December 1989).] Linkeroever 12: 33-36. 1995 lst-9th October Antwerp-Deurne { Dutch Birding 17: 270) 1996 29th February to 4th March Gent-Drongen {Dutch Birding 18: 104) 1997 1 1th February Cherq (nearTournai) ( Dutch Birding 19: 93) 1999 27th October Blankenberge ( Dutch Birding 21: 371) The commercialisation of ornithology The letter from Dr W. R. P Bourne {Brit. Birds 92: 260-261) raised a few thoughts. His comment that the Corn Crake Crex crex is the only species obviously threatened by human activity in Britain misses the point. The point is that birding in much of our country- side is not so enjoyable these days as it was in the past, because there are fewer birds and less other wildlife to watch. The countryside may look the same, but much of it has become an industrial farming complex devoted to the growth of monocultures. Many bird species are in decline that should not be. Of the species mentioned by Dr Bourne, Sky Lark Alauda arvensis. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus and Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra seem to have declined because of farming practices, and the Song Thrush Tardus philomelos has declined probably owing at least partly to the use of molluscicides (the agricultural equivalent of the gardeners’ slug pellets). Although many birds can take care of themselves, many would also do a lot better if all human beings were more environmen- tally aware. Robin Chittenden 65 Sandringham Road, Norwich NR2 3RZ 150 British Birds 93: 149-150, March 2000 Reviews The Birdwatchers’Yearbook and Diary 2000 BIRDWATCHERS' YEARBOOK & DIARY By John E. Pemberton, 1999. 320 pages. ISBN 0-9533840-1-2. Paperback, £.13. 50. How ever did we find informa- tion about birdwatching in the UK prior to the first Bird- watcher’s Yearbook in 1981? This twentieth, Millennium, edition includes, remarkably, more information than ever. There is a notable increase in the number of nature reserves listed and, most helpfully, e-mail addresses. This edition marks the anniversary year by devoting its Features' section to the work of the British Trust for Ornithology. This includes an excellent paper by John Tully, a BTO volunteer from Avon, on how Trust survey information can be used at a local level, providing a good example to us all. If you have not bought a Yearbook for several years, it is about time that you invested in an update. Julian Hughes The Birds of Corsica: BOU Checklist No. 17 THE BIRDS OFCORSICA By Jean-Claude Thibault & Giles Bonaccorsi. British Ornithologists' Union, Tring, 1999. 172 pages; 35 colour plates. ISBN 0-9074- 4621-3. Hardback, £22.00. Following the established format of the series, the authors present an authoritative account of past and present ornithological data on Corsica. Succinct and read- able introductory sections cover general history, geology and geography, climate, vegetation, history and trends of breeding species, migration, conservation, ornithological history and data collection. It is encouraging to learn that the two major habitats on the island, maquis and forest, are being little affected by degra- dation or development, whereas, predictably, most wetlands and other coastal areas are continu- ally being damaged by tourism and agricultural developments. Furthermore, conservation laws and enforcement give the birds of Corsica a much safer exis- tence and a better prognosis than on almost all other Mediter- ranean islands. The Systematic List gives full status to 324 species and runs to 102 pages, presenting a wealth of definitive information. The current population of Corsican Nuthatch Sitta whiteheadi is given as a healthy 2,000-3,000 pairs, while the insular form of Citril Finch Serinus citrinella corsicana is currently estimated at 10,000+ pairs. There are 24 pages of Appendices, which detail unconfirmed and rejected species, population trends of breeding birds, census figures for many migratory and wintering wetland or coastal species, and census figures of breeding gulls. There are 34 excellent colour plates of habitats and views. A gazetteer and a list of references complete this first-rate publica- tion. Nick Dymond A Birder’s Guide to The Bahama Islands A BIRDER'S GUIDE TO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS By Anthony W. White. American Birding Association, Colorado Springs, 1998. 320 pages; 66 maps; 8 colour plates; line drawings. ISBN 1-878788-16-7. Wire-o-binding, $26.95. What an excellent guide! The introduction gives lots of infor- mation about the islands and then there is a series of chapters on each island or group. Every one of these chapters includes a clear map and its own bibliog- raphy. Another chapter gives details on where to find the spe- cialities', and this is followed by a complete checklist and a 19-page bibliography. Not always a ABA/LANE BIRDFINDING GUIDE A Birder's Guide to The Bahama Islands (including Turks and Caicos) AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION feature of such guides, this one is well written and a pleasure to read. I recommend it. Andy Mitchell ALSO RECEIVED Birds of Africa: from seabirds to seed-eaters By Chris & Tilde Stuart. (New Holland, London. 176 pages. ISBN 1- 86812-777-X. Hardback. £24.99) British Birds 93: 151-152, March 2000 151 Reviews The Birds of Britain & Europe THE BIRDS OF BRITAIN & EUROPE By Paul Doherty. Narrated by Bill Oddie. Bird Images Video Guides, Sherburn in Elntet, 1999. Four-volume video guide; running time 1 1 hours 30 minutes. £17.95 (+£2.00 p&p) per video or £69 95 (+£5.00 p&p) for full set of four. This set of videos represents the new edition of a collection, earlier versions of which have been reviewed previously in British Birds (90: 159). Although the number of videos has been reduced from seven to four, the running time has increased by 50% and the number of species has increased from approxi- mately 450 to 551. The title is somewhat modest, since these videos now represent near-com- plete coverage of the avifauna of Europe, North Africa (including the Canary Islands) and the Near East (Israel). Only a handful of regularly occurring species are absent, and a selection of vagrants is included. Over 80% of the footage is new. The videos are of consistently high quality, with commentary provided by the familiar voice of Bill Oddie. Each species is intro- duced with a description of range (including status in Britain) and each sequence is accompa- nied by details of location and month. Although the level of coverage for each species is somewhat constrained by the time available, a range of relevant plumages (male, female and juvenile) is included for most species, together with many examples of subspecific varia- tion. In some cases, the footage displays races that are only extralimital to Britain, which is sometimes recorded in the com- mentary (e.g. Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra balearica ), but at other times is not (e g. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus sibirica and northern Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula'). In general, the tax- onomy is relevant to our rapidly changing times, with footage of ‘Caspian Larus cachinnates cachinnates and Siberian' Gulls L. (fuscus) heuglini , for example. For a very small number of species, coverage is limited to stills, but, elsewhere, slowed- down footage, freeze-frames and stills are used to good effect, in combination with moving footage, to display relevant iden- tification features (e g. tail pat- terns of wheatears Oenanthe , and first-primary difference between Rufous Luscinia megarhynchos and Thrush Nightingales L. luscinia ). Songs and calls are included where useful, particularly for most passerines. Some of the footage of singing individuals - for example, most of the warblers - is especially good. The con- densed nature of the commen- tary can lead to the odd ambiguous comment - for example, that winter male Pied Wheatear O. pleschanka has plumage tones typically paler than those of eastern Black-eared O. hispanica melanoleuca - but in most cases it provides a concise summary of salient fea- tures, which complements the footage (and a field guide) well. Personally, I have occasionally found difficulty in interpreting some footage of flying birds (an effect of the digital enhance- ment?), but most sequences are excellent. It is a measure of the photographer’s achievement that all European swifts (Apodidae) are included, including White- rumped Apus caffer from Spain. There are numerous highlights, which for me included the stun- ning adult summer Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea, the perched Red-necked Nightjar Capri- mulgus ruficollis and a creeping Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata. These videos may have limited appeal to experienced, well-travelled observers (al- though there is the challenge of trying to identify the specific locations, e.g. the range of species filmed at Oukaimeden in the Moroccan High Atlas), but they certainly bring to life the birds of Europe and represent an excellent achievement from this well-known photographer. These informative videos will provide interest for many birdwatchers at a reasonable price. Adam Rowlands Hedgehogs HEDGEHOGS Kmn NATviAi.H»nsni Poyser Natural History books are rather daunting at first browse. Their texts are packed with citations and interspersed with graphs and tables full of technical information. Dip into Hedge- hogs, however, and you will find that it is extremely readable. There are interesting accounts of the Hedgehog Erinaceus europaens in folklore, a useful discussion of hibernation and a chapter on Malentities and misfortune ’.The book appears to contain all that is known about these endearing mammals - including their predation on ground-nesting birds. Robert Burton HEDGEHOGS By Nigel Reeve, illustrated by Ruth Lindsay. Academic Press (Poyser Natural History), London, 1999. 313 pages; 20 colour plates; numerous figures and tables. ISBN 0-85661-081-X. Hardback, £21.00. 152 British Birds 93: 151-152, March 2000 Compiled by Wendy Dickson and Bob Scott Wildfowlers and the RSPB It is not often that we come across a joint report produced by the RSPB and the British Asso- ciation for Shooting and Conser- vation (BASC). We should not, however, be too surprised, as, for different reasons, the two organi- sations are both seeking larger bird populations, and a consider- able degree of co-operation exists between the two. Just how much is known of this co- operation by the members of the two organisations we cannot say, and we suspect that there is a minority on both sides that would feel a little uncomfortable about the situation. We can only say to those minorities that they should find time to look at a recent publication, Geese and Local Economies in Scotland - a report to the National Goose Forum by the RSPB and BASC. The report demonstrates that geese bring significant benefits to rural economies in Scotland by attracting winter tourism by birdwatchers and shooters. These economic benefits are likely to be significant in compar- ison with the estimates of the damage caused to agriculture by goose grazing. While individual farmers may suffer income losses, the benefits are spread more widely through the com- munity via the providers of accommodation, food and drink, transport, and so on. Some indi- vidual farmers gain an income by allowing access to their land for goose-shooting, but as yet few gain any financial benefit by allowing visitors access for wild- fowl-viewing. The report concludes that the benefits which geese bring to local economies are often not captured by those who bear the burden of the costs. In view of this, there is support for inter- vention to ensure that farmers are rewarded appropriately for managing their land in a way which supports healthy goose populations and not in a way that simply recompenses them for their loss. For further details, write to the BASC, Trochry, Dunkeld, Tayside PH8 ODY. The State of the UK’s birds 1999 The first of what is intended to be an annual publication by the RSPB and the BTO, The State of the UK’s Birds 1999 reports on the fortunes of the country's breeding birds at the end of the twentieth century. The major message from the report is that, in general, progress towards achieving the UK Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan targets, one of the measures of the Government’s success in ful- filling its biodiversity and sustain- ability obligations, is far from satisfactory. Farmland bird popu- lations are at their lowest levels for decades, and they continue to fall; an index shows them to be 40% lower than in the mid 1970s. Recent evidence of declines in Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus , House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Common Starling Sturnus vul- garis populations suggests that these species need to be added to the list of priority species requiring conservation action. The story is not all doom and gloom, however, with a number of breeding species steadily increasing and population recov- eries of birds of prey and some passerines such as Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata. 'Where specific conservation action has been taken, frequently led by the RSPB, for species that have been declining for decades, this has resulted in a reversal in the for- tunes of those species. Although Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus, Stone-curlew Burhinus oedic- nemus and Corn Crake Crex crex may never regain their former abundance within the UK, they do provide hope for currently declining farmland species. Copies of The State of the UK’s Birds 1999 are available free of charge from RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, and it can also be found on the RSPB website (www rspb . org nk ) . Changes at Spurn We first visited Spurn in the mid 1950s, and there, standing on the Narrow Neck’, was an enthusi- astic young ornithologist counting the visible migration. This was John Cudworth, who from 1954 served on the Spurn Bird Observatory Committee, since 1963 as Chairman. In this role, he succeeded Ralph Chislett, co-founder of the Obser- vatory. The name of John Cud- worth became synonymous with Spurn, but ill health has now forced him to retire. We wish him a speedy recovery, so that he can return soon to the Narrow Neck’. The Tenth Pan-African Ornithological Congress The tenth congress will be held in Kampala, Llganda, during 3rd- 8th September 2000. To register or to offer papers, contact the PAOC on e-mail; eanhs@iiuul.com British Birds 93: 153-156, March 2000 153 News and comment Top of the pops Future of the Tees Estuary A blueprint for the future of the Tees Estuary has been unveiled. Tees Estuary - present and future , the culmination of a year's work by the Environment Agency, Durham University, English Nature and the Industry and Nature Conservation Associa- tion, reports on the estuary’s present state and suggests a strategy for future improve- ments. Major issues covered include the growth of algae in the river, which blankets birds’ feeding grounds such as the important Seal Sands area, endocrine-disrupting substances which can affect fish reproduc- tive systems, nitrification of ammonia leading to oxygen depletion in the river, oxygen demand of polluted sediments on the river bed, and direct toxi- city assessment All this clearly has major implications for the future of all wildlife using the area. For further details, contact the Environment Agency, North East Office, Rivers House, 21 Park Square South, Leeds LSI 2QG. Capercaillie and Black Grouse Sadly, we all know only too well how difficult it has become to see Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and Black Grouse T. tetrix in Britain. Both species have under- gone serious declines, and major recovery programmes are under way through a partnership of conservation organisations. To support this work, British Birds is backing a new code of conduct for birdwatchers who wish to see these intriguing species. We urge all subscribers to read a copy and to follow the guidelines. For a free copy, write to RSPB.The Lodge, Sandy, Bedford- shire SG19 2DL, or consult the RSPB’s website: www.rspb.org.uk Ever since the BTO Garden Bird- Watch started in 1995, a table of the top ten species has been published. In the third quarter of 1999, a new species made it into the chart, in tenth place. The Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus has displaced the Common Star- ling Sturnus vulgaris. Currently, the top three places go to Blue Tit Parus caeruleus (87% of all gardens), Blackbird Turdus merula (85%) and House Sparrow Passer domesticus (77%). BBC Wildlife magazine has published the results of its survey, put to 1,000 British resi- dents, concerning which they consider to be the top ten' animals worldwide and as UK residents. This was a repeat of a similar survey conducted in 1991 It has to be said that birds did not get much of a look-in On the World front, elephant slipped from top to third, with dolphin moving up from second to first, and tiger moving up from third to second. The only bird, penguin’, was a new entry in eighth place. At least the birds did a little The Pas-de-Calais region of northern France is now of easy access to British birders. Central to the region is Cap Gris-Nez, which has become famous over the years for its bird migration and now attracts observers from all over Europe. In addition, the Cap has become a tourist attrac- tion in its own right and visitor numbers now exceed one million each year. The pressure on the environment is increas- ing, but the local inhabitants have, so far, withstood the impact well Unfortunately, the impression has developed on the part of some birdwatchers that the fields and open areas are avail- able to anybody to wander better in the UK chart. Dolphin was again top, having jumped up from sixth, followed by fox and hedgehog. The first bird was Barn Owl Tyto alba , in sixth place, and there were two new entries: Robin Erithacus rubecula and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos at ninth and tenth respectively. In view of the fact that this news was becoming available in the festive season, we attempted our own straw pole for bird pop- ularity by looking at Christmas cards. With many birding friends, and others who know that we are interested in birds, we received a goodly supply of cards featuring birds. Ignoring cartoon birds, and putting those of foreign origin to one side, we managed 40 species, 22 appearing only once and 13 twice. The remaining top five were headed, not surprisingly, by the Robin (21 cards), followed by Barn Owl (seven), Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella (six). Tree Sparrow Passer montanus (four) and Mute Swan Cygnus olor (three). across at will, especially if there is no sign to the contrary. This is not so, any more than it is in England. Not only at Cap Gris- Nez but also elsewhere in France, it is essential that every- body keeps to the roads and public paths unless he or she has specific permission from the landowner. Failure to observe this simple rule is potentially providing further ammunition' for the hunting lobby, just when some headway is being made to curb its ‘traditional rights’. It is worth bearing in mind that the Birdwatchers’ Code of Conduct states that you should adhere to the code just as firmly when abroad as when you are in the UK. Cap Gris-Nez trespass 154 British Birds 93: 153-156, March 2000 News and comment Come off the fence, RSPB! The Spring 2000 issue of the RSPB magazine Birds is a particularly impressive copy to mark the new millennium. Non-members should join immediately to be able to delve into the delights of its excellent articles and superb photographs. We could not, however, help noticing the reply to a letter on the Mailbox' page. Following a letter reporting a lack of insects squashed on car windscreens and bumpers compared with 20 or 30 years ago, the RSPB states: Many people mention the same apparent dearth of insects, particularly moths in the headlights” at night. Changes might be due to chemical use, climate change or, especially, simple habitat change in recent decades. The effects on bird and bat populations are difficult to measure but could be significant '. (Our italics.) Come on, RSPB! Of course there is a dearth and of course it is sig- nificant. Why not say so? We might want some scientific evidence as to the reasons, and therefore hedge our bets over the causes with a certain amount of doubt, but to be cautious over the fact that a shortage of insects causes a shortage of birds is taking it a little too far. Hampstead Heath We rarely mention annual reports in this column unless they contain something rather special. A slimA4 production which has just reached us - Hampstead Heath Ornithological Report number 53 for 1998 - is a splendid read. It is full of some classic Oddie’, which is not sur- prising as it was compiled by W E. Oddie The story of the Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and the Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus will recall similar events in the lives of many birders. Copies are available, price £2.50 (including p&p), from John Benson, 33A Woodsome Road, London NW5 ISA. Millennium gannets On 18th January 2000, the Royal Mail produced the latest in the millennium collection of postage stamps that have been appearing throughout 1999 and will con- tinue at monthly intervals in 2000. This latest set of four includes two stamps of an ornithological nature. The 19p stamp features a close-up of a Barn Owl Tyto alba with a strap line Third Millennium/Mun- caster’; and the 64p features a gannet Moms colony with the strap line Seabird Centre/North Berwick ’.We have previously reported (Brit. Birds 92: 267) on the appointment of the new Director for the Centre, and we understand that opening is now scheduled for May 2000. One of the highlights will be the relay of pictures from seabird colonies in the Firth of Forth, home of the famous Bass Rock colony of Northern Gannets Moms bas- sanus. It is therefore somewhat regrettable that the birds fea- tured on the stamp are Cape Gannets M. capensis, rather a long way from home so far as Berwick is concerned. We understand that this misidentification was spotted in late 1999, when the stamps were previewed to the Press, and a spokesman commented along the lines that they were only rep- resentative seabirds! Linking them to North Berwick seems a rather grave error. The Scottish Seabird Centre is aware of the errorf?), but nonetheless has pro- duced a special-edition first-day cover, available at a price of £6.95 (including p&p) from the Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick EH39 4SS. Thanks to Martin Brewer, who first pointed out the identi- fication to us. Hybrid raptors There was a time when an escaped raptor (usually but not necessarily, with jesses and/or bells) could present an inter- esting identification challenge; not least because the country of origin was unknown and virtu- ally any of the World’s 300-plus raptor species was a possibility! The situation has now changed dramatically, as the successful development of artificial-insemi- nation techniques has led to a steady growth in hybrids in cap- tivity and even further crossing, so that three different species may be present in one indi- vidual’s ancestry. This could provide some difficulty’ with escaped birds in the field. So, just what are the numbers involved? At the end of 1999, there were over 4,400 raptors regis- tered in captivity in the UK. In addition, there would be a con- siderable number of those species that do not require regis- tration, e g. foreign species such as Harris’s Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus and commoner UK species such as Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus and Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus. Over 1,100 of the registered birds were hybrids. Among the latter are the to-be-expected Peregrine Falcon Falco pere- grinus x Saker Falcon F. cherrug and Peregrine x Lanner Falcon F. biarmicus , together with the altogether unexpected, which include Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos x Steppe Eagle A. nipalensis , Gyr Falcon F. rusti- colus x Merlin F. columbarius and Peregrine x Common Kestrel. If that is not enough, how would you feel about identifying a Peregrine x Red-necked Falcon F. chicquera or, even worse, the result of a pairing between a male New Zealand Falcon F. novaesee- landiae and a female that had been produced through the hybrid- isation of a Gyr and a Peregrine? Identifying escaped raptors will never be the same again British Birds 93: 153-156, March 2000 News and comment Sky Lark statistic The RSPB has recently completed a research programme on the Sky Lark Alauda arvensis, funded byTesco Stores Ltd, as part of one of the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). We all know that Sky Larks have declined, but the link between the decline and autumn- sown cereal crops has now been conclusively demonstrated. Survey work between 1996 and 1999, covering 24 farms in four counties of southern England, found twice the density of Sky Larks in spring-sown crops compared with autumn-sown cereals. Between 1968 and 1996, spring-sown cereals grown in the LIK decreased from 73% to just 16% of the total cereal area. The Sky Lark population dropped by 75% on farmland over the same period. Socotra: birds and plants The island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea lies some 350 km off the coast of the Republic of Yemen. Thirty species of bird nest on the island, six of which are endemics; and over 800 species of plant have been recorded, of which over 270 are endemic. As part of a conservation education programme on the island, BirdLife International and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on behalf of the Darwin Initiative have produced an extremely colourful booklet in English and Arabic. Further information from Richard Porter, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA. National Exhibition of Wildlife Art Promoted as the largest open selling exhibition of wildlife art to be held outside London', the sixth NEWA will be held at the Road Range Gallery, Mann Island, Pier Head, Liverpool, from 31st March to 16th April. Over 350 works will be on show, by artists living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, with a maximum of three works per artist. Entry to the Exhibition is free, and it will be open daily (10 a m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Saturday; and 11 a m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday). Birding on the web In recent years, there has been a steady and almost unstoppable growth in Internet sites devoted to every subject imaginable. Birds and birding have not missed out, and the list continues to expand. At the request of the editorial board, Martin Collinson has compiled a short list of sites that he has visited or used regularly. We hope to expand this list with suitable additions and recommendations (with some accompanying notes) as they are submitted to us. 1 The British Ornithologists’ Union website: http://www.bou.org.uk 2. Two sites with extensive photo-libraries and identification notes on gulls: http://www.martinreid.com/gullinx.htm and http://www.west.net/~dj/gulls.htrn 3 An American website devoted to the 'cryptospecies of Loxia Crossbills’, with sound files of all the various forms’: http://www.research.amnh.org/ornithology/crossbills/index.html 4. The ‘Fat Birder’ site, with extensive links to other useful sites, and lots of information about birding in the UK and abroad: http://www.fatbirder.com 5. The RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk Experienced helpers needed in Israel The Israel Ornithological Center (IOC) is inviting experienced birdwatchers to assist in the Autumn Migration Survey of Soaring Birds (August-October 2000). The hundreds of thou- sands of raptors, storks and peli- cans that migrate over Israel are counted every year. The IOC will fund food and lodging for bird- watchers who participate in this project for four weeks or more. Participants will, however, need to pay their own travel expenses to and from Israel. Anyone interested should send his or her CV to the IOC at Israel Ornithological Center SPNI.Atidim Industrial Park, PO Box 58020, Tel Aviv 68101, Israel; tel. +972-3-6449622; fax +972-3-6449625; e-mail ioc@ne tvision . net . il County Recorders County, Regional and Bird Obser- vatory Recorders’ names and addresses are listed biennially in British Birds , and were last pub- lished in May 1999 (Brit. Birds 92: 256-258). We have recently been informed of the following changes: Cambridgeshire Richard Allison’s address is now 3 Ver- ntuyden Way, Fen Drayton, Cam- bridgeshire CB4 5TA. Devon Mike Langman’s address is now 38 Brantwood Drive, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7TD. Isle of Wight Graham Sparshott, Leopard's Farm, Haven Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight P033 4DR, is now the Recorder for the Isle of Wight Ornithological Group. Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds. 156 British Birds 93: 153-156, March 2000 90. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla , Milford, Surrey, 20th April 1991 (Brit. Birds 85: 551). January's bird (plate 32, repeated here as plate 90) was a brown, streaky thing anu, just to make it more difficult (at least for birders used to field identification), it was in the hand. We can, however, quickly narrow down the hunt: the only West Palearctic species with white outer tail feathers and streaked plumage are the larks (Alaudidae), the pipits Arithus, a few of the finches (Fringillidae) and the buntings and North American sparrows (Ember- izidae). It is not a lark: it is too small and richly coloured. Although it is of small-pipit size (the hand is a useful addition for scale here), it is not one of them either, since almost all the small pipits would show little if any primary projection and none would show bright-edged ter- tials. None of the streaked finches, nor any of the North American sparrows on the Western Palearctic list, shows this pattern of white. It is a bunting Emberiza, and shows classic, rather notched, tertials. That bit was easy and, let us face it the bird never looked like any- thing other than a bunting. When we identify buntings in the field, it is usual to look at their faces’, and not their tertials. As a birder who sees most of his buntings in the field, I have to confess that I found this hand- held bird very difficult, and got it wrong at first. There are lots of buntings to choose from: most show white outer tail feathers, most are streaked, and most show this tertial pattern (although often not so bright). It is necessary to look much more carefully to narrow it down, and even then there may have to be a bit of ref- erence-searching to nail it. The mantle is heavily streaked with black. The feather fringes are a rather warm rufous-brown on the central mantle, a little greyer buff towards the sides and then rather rich brown again on the scapulars. The whole impression, despite the greyish-buff fringes on the mantle, is rather dark and richly coloured and, critically, there are no obvious pale braces. The median coverts have black centres and rather huffy but wide fringes, forming a wingbar. The greater coverts have dingy- buff tips, forming an indistinct greater-covert wingbar. The ter- tials have big, wide, rufous- chestnut fringes that notch the black centres, and the secon- daries also have rufous-chestnut fringes, forming a rather bright patch. The tail pattern is very clear, and may prove helpful later (it is much more useful on this bird in the hand than it would be in the field), while what can be seen of the underparts is rather cold and whitish. Of the species with tertials showing this classic, notched Emberiza pattern. Yellow- hammer E. citrinella. Pine E. leu- cocepbalos, Black-faced E. spodocephala. Little E. pusilla. Rustic E. ruslica. Yellow-browed E. chrysophrys and some Reed Buntings E. schoeniclus could match this individual for bright- ness. For completeness, however, it is also necessary to consider Cretzschmar's Bunting E. caesia, Ortolan Bunting E. hortulana and Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus (although the notching of the dark centres is greater than would be shown by those species). The short primary projection, lack of a chestnut greater-covert panel and absence of whiter wingbars eliminate Lapland Longspur from the equation, whilst the apparent lack of any braces’ or buff fringes on the mantle should rule out just about every Reed Bunting, as well as Pallas’s Reed Bunting E. pallasi. Rustic Bunting would probably show more contrasting, brighter rufous scapulars, and Yellow- browed Bunting would normally have whiter wingbars. The whitish flanks, and probably also the intensity and colour of the streaking, rule out Cretzschmar’s and Ortolan Buntings. Pine Bunting should look a bit colder and paler than this and would be expected to show bright white British Birds 93: 157-158, March 2000 157 E. EJ Garcia Monthly Marathon 91. Monthly Marathon . Photo no. 164. Twelfth stage in eleventh Marathon' (or first or second stage in twelfth Marathon ). Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK 44 3NJ, to arrive by 15th April 2000. fringes to the primaries. Yel lowhammer normally shows yellow fringes on the primaries, and that species is ruled out by the lack of any yellow or olive tones on such a richly coloured individual All of these nine species also show a tail pattern which is sufficiently different from the one shown to exclude them, which is just as well, because the other features listed may be subject to variation and interpretation. There are now only two species left; by a process of elimi- nation we have arrived at Little Bunting or Black-faced Bunting, and the only feature still to be considered is the tail pattern. Little Bunting shows an almost entirely white outermost rectrix with a dark shaft which widens to a narrow dark wedge towards the tip. Our bird has that. Black- faced Bunting, however, shows a similar - but subtly different - pattern, with a narrow white wedge on the inner web of the second outermost rectrix. This bird has that too, but on Black- faced Bunting the white is more extensive and extends well up the inner web. We can deduce, therefore, that this must be a Little Bunting. If we could have turned the bird around, its identification would have been infinitely easier, with the diagnostic combi- nation of a neat eyering, a dark ear-covert border restricted to the area behind the eye, nice warm tones around the face', and a little spiky bill. With an in- the-hand back view, it is only the tail pattern that clinches it. Iden- tification is so much easier in the field (provided that the bird shows itself and stays around for long enough). The majority (56%) of entrants got this one right, with 17% wrongly naming it as Black- faced Bunting, and other answers including Yellow-breasted E. aureola , Yellow-browed and Pallas's Reed Buntings, with the odd pipit and sparrow Passer for good measure. The three leaders - Nick Barlow (Coventry), Diederik Kok (Germany) and Peter Sunesen (Denmark) - were all successful, each now achieving the ten-in-a- row sequence necessary to win a SUNBIRD holiday in Africa, America or Asia as soon as just one of them remains in the race. If all three fail at a future stage, however, their closest rivals - Jakob Sunesen (Denmark) on four, and R. M. R. James (Derby) on three - will take over the lead. Jimmy Steele Sunbird The best of birdwatching tours For a free brochure, write to SUNBIRD (MM), PO Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 IDF; or telephone 01767 682969. 58 British Birds 93: 157-158, March 2000 Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan This summary of unchecked reports covers the period 17th January to 13th Feb- ruary 2000. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Wells/Holkham (Nor- folk), 27th January to 13th Feb- ruary. Black Duck Anas rubripes Females: Loch Fleet (Highland), 18th January to 7th February; Colliford Reservoir (Cornwall), 18th January. Blue- winged Teal Anas discors Male, Dunfanaghy (Co. Donegal), 23rd January. Canvasback Aythya valisineria Lade Gravel-pits (Kent), 29th January to 13th Feb- ruary; long-stayer. Abberton Reservoir (Essex), until at least 10th February. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Three dif- ferent males in Ireland: The Gearagh (Co. Cork), 16th January; Ross Castle (Co. Kerry), 26th January; Lough Fern (Co. Donegal), 26th January. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus Ashcott Corner Nature Reserve and surrounding area (Som- erset), at least 6th February; near Glastonbury (Somerset), 9th Feb- ruary; Chew Valley Lake (Som- erset), llth-13th February. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus The one previously seen in general North Antrim area reappeared at Giant's Causeway (Co. Antrim), 20th January; Fair Isle (Shetland), 3rd- 13th February. Sora Crake Porzana Carolina Stover Country Park (Devon), 18th January to 13th February. Franklin’s Gull Lams pipixcan Radipole Lake (Dorset), 13th Feb- ruary. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Second-winter, Lis- cannor Bay (Co. Clare), to at least 13th February. Ring-billed Gull Lams delawarensis About 30 in Ireland, including eight at Nimmo's Pier (Co. Galway), 28th January. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Influx continues in Ireland, with many singles: largest counts: 35 at Lahinch (Co. Clare), early February; 26 at Derry Dump (Co. Londonderry), 8th February. Ross’s Gull Rho- dostethia rosea First-winter at Nimmo's Pier, throughout January to at least 13th February. Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea Islay (Strathclyde), 23rd-24th January. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Only one in Ireland in late January/early February: Bangor (Co. Down) (in AMcG’s garden!), 30th January. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phyllo- scopus proregulus Bosherston Fish Ponds (Dyfed), 19th-20th January. Arctic Redpoll Cardu- elis hornemanni Two near Brora (Highland), 31st January, at least three on 3rd February, one staying until 7th February. Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioides Hunstanton (Norfolk), of unknown origin, 6th-13th Feb- ruary. British Birds 93: 159-160, March 2000 159 Steve Young/ Birdwatch Lain H. Leach Steve Lb/ozg/Birdwatch Mike Ashforth Recent reports 94. Above: Iceland Gull Lams glaucoicies , Whitby, Yorkshire, January 2000. 95. Right: Common Crane Grus grus , near Shapwick Nature Reserve, Somerset, February 2000. 96. Below: Canvasback Aythya valisineria , Lade, Kent, January 2000. 160 British Birds 93: 159-160, March 2000 Mike McDonnell Classifieds RATES Text: 40p per word. Minimum 15 words. Semi-display: Mono. £15 per see (width 40mm) or £32 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. 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Naturetrek Cheriton Mill, Cheriton Alresford, Hampshire S024 ONG Tel: 01962 733051 Fax: 01962 736426 e-mail: info@naturetrek.co.uk web: www.naturetrek.co.uk 1 ■ : ST".1' f 1 1 1st HirdLife CANADA’S BAY OF FUNDY Spring migration on Canada's Grand Manan Island. 26 May - 03 Jun 2000 ETHIOPIA Addis, Gafersa, Awash National Park, Wondo Guenet & Rift Valley Lakes. 18-27 Feb 2000 14-23 Apr 2000 17-26 Nov 2000 ETHIOPIAN ENDEMICS Debre Libanos, Solulta, Ankober, Lakes, Wondo Guenet & Bale Mountains. c 25 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 24 Nov - 03 Dec 2000 GAMBIA A variety of localities along the Gambia River. 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 INDIA Delhi, Ranthambore & Bharatpur. 18-26 Feb 2000 14-22 Apr 2000 17- 25 Nov 2000 KAZAKHSTAN Deserts, steppes & Tien Shan Mountains. 11-19 May 2000 18- 26 May 2000 25 May - 02 Jun 2000 MALAWI Lake Malawi, Zomba Plateau & Liwonde National Park. 19-28 Feb 2000 11- 20 Mar 2000 NAMIBIA Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Spitskoppe, Etosha & Waterberg Mountains. 21-30 Jan 2000 18- 27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 NEPAL Chitwan, Koshi & Kathmandu Valley. 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Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, Cornwall TR26 3AZ Front-cover photograph: Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus atrifrons, AlAnsab.Ontan (Jrianne & Jens Erikseri) ICELAND, 10-18 Jun & 1-9 Jul Two departures packed with great northern birding SOUTH AFRICA, 12-26 Aug Best of the Cape, Natal & Zululand as spring arrives FRANCE, 2-10 Sep Alpine birds & migrants in the Camargue & Pyrenees NEW GUINEA & AUSTRALIA, 24 Sep-15 Oct Birds of paradise on the ultimate Millennium tour NEW ZEALAND, 6-23 Oct Our annual trip downunder with NZ's premier guide GAMBIA, 17 Nov-1 Dec No finer tour than our Quest for the Crocodile Bird' COSTA RICA, 18 Dec 2000-2 Jan 2001 Make it Christmas with the Quetzals. Book early! ... Just a small selection of trips from our 2000 brochure featuring dozens of great birding tours. Call for your copy NOW! A Limosa f'f'O lA/W&V ^ i 01263 578143 /To ffs. 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Each species is given its scientific name, followed by a full listing of all currently recognised subspecies and brief descriptions of their ranges. A remarkable book which will prove an invaluable tool to everyone with an interest in birds. Hardback; 280 x 2 1 6mm; 848 pages £35 ISBN 1-873403-93-3 Available from 68 BookShop For more information or a brochure contact: Press, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01 580 880561 Fax: 0 1 580 88054 1 British Birds 17 APR 2000 °R£SE-NTFP ■ ip- ^ - Volume 93 Number 4 April 2000 162 Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers Erik Hirschfeld, C. S. (Kees) Roselaar and Hadoram Shirihai 190 Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland: a Pacific Ocean auk new to the Western Paiearctic Lionel Maumary and Peter Knaas 200 Obituaries: James Brian Bottomley (1919-1999) and Sheila Bottomley (1913-1999) VS. Paton.J.A. Paton. Dr R.J. Chandler and Harold Hems Geoffrey Pyman mbe (1920-1999) Nick Green Regular features 199 Looking back 202 Conservation research news Dr David Gibbons 203 Notes House Sparrows repeatedly robbing Common Starlings Philip Barnett House Sparrows interacting with small mammals Geoffrey Priestley and Peggy Priestley House Sparrow learning to exploit opening of automatic doors Yves Garino 204 Letters Injuries caused by fish to birds' feet Edward Mayer Origin of inland auk records Phil Palmer Farms: for birds or for food? Michael B. Lancaster Concern regarding agricultural change A. A. Wright 206 Reviews Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 5- Barn-owls to Hummingbirds by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott & Jordi Sargatal Dr C. H Fry A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, the Middle Fast and North Africa by William S. Clark Ian Carter Birdlife in Oman by Hanne Eriksen & Jens Eriksen Derek Moore Rothiemurchus byT. Chris Smart & Robert A. Lambert Dr Martin Collinson Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland by Marco Sacchi, Peter Ruegg & Jaques Laesser Ian Dawson Atlas das Aves Invernantes do Baixo Alentejo by Goncalo L. Elias, Luis M. Reino.Tiago Silva, Ricardo Tome & Pedro Geraldes Dr J. T. R. Sharrock Scotland’s Nature in Trust: The National Trust for Scotland and its wildlife and crofting management by J. Laughton Johnston Dr Martin Collinson 209 News and comment Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson 212 Monthly Marathon Paul Holt 213 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan © British Birds 2000 Alan Harris Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers Erik Hirschfeld, C. S. (Kees) Roselaar and Hadoram Shirihai Greater Sand Plover ABSTRACT Separating Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus is far from simple, especially since the various subspecies of the two show some overlap in morphology and biometrics (as well as geographical distribution). On the basis of extensive field observations and detailed examination of about 300 museum specimens of each species, identification criteria are presented. Important characters are considered to be bill shape, length of bill nail, wing-bar shape, prominence of subterminal tail-bar and (in breeding plumage) shape of breast-band; other supporting or inconclusive characters are also discussed. A major pitfall is that the small race columbinus of Greater has a bill closely approaching that of Lesser, although never so blunt-tipped as on any race of the latter. For both species, populations are placed into geographical groups according to biometrics: from these data, supported where possible by other factors, subspecies are defined. Three races of Greater are recognised: nominate leschenaultii , columbinus and crassirostris. Five subspecies of 162 © British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al.; Identification of sand plovers Lesser are recognised: nominate mongolus and stegmanni (the ‘ mongolus group ), and pamirensis, atrifrons and schaeferi (the atrifrons group’, possibly an incipient separate species). Even in breeding plumage, subspecific identification of Lesser Sand Plover requires great caution, as wide variation occurs within populations and intermediates are frequent. Identification of juveniles and non-breeding adults is possible only with careful and precise assessment of structure, ‘jizz’, and upperwing and uppertail patterns. Greater (especially columbinus ) has an earlier post- breeding (and pre-breeding) moult than Lesser, which does not moult until arrival on winter grounds. In Europe, a vagrant sand plover in full or nearly full summer plumage after mid August is likely to be a Lesser, as also are a small mongolus/columbinus- type in breeding plumage in July or early August and a small individual in active wing moult after September; by contrast, a small sand plover in full summer plumage in February or March is likely to be a columbinus Greater, as is a juvenile appearing in western Europe in June or early July. From this study and existing literature, the global breeding distributions of each species and its subspecies are reassessed. A tentative picture of winter distributions of all races is drawn up, based on biometrics and to some extent on plumage darkness. Of particular note is the fact that western populations of nominate Greater appear to migrate at least partly southwest rather than southeast, and that a possible breeding population of Greater (resembling columbinus, but shorter-winged) exists along the Red Sea. Distinguishing Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii from Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus is notoriously difficult, especially for observers with limited experience of the two species. Both are divided into several distinct sub- species, which sometimes approach or overlap each other in morphological appear- ance, in some biometrics and in geographical distribution. Identification papers in the early 1980s (e.g. Sinclair & Nicholls 1980; Taylor 1982) even contained photographs of birds which were wrongly identified, which underlines the complexity of this species pair. Both species are highly prone to vagrancy, with at least 66 records of Greater and ten of Lesser in Europe, and 13 records of Lesser in North America south of Alaska. This paper is based on field experience of tens of thousands of Lessers and thousands of Greaters, including ringed individuals, in Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Turkey, Egypt, northeast Africa, Israel and Pakistan. Extensive museum British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 research has also been carried out by all three authors, especially by CSR in connec- tion with his earlier texts for BWP (vol. 3). The latter were based largely on material in the zoological museums of Amsterdam (ZMA), Leiden (RMNH, now NNM) and Tring (BMNH): in ZMA and NNM, all relevant skins were measured and examined for plumage characters and moult; the same applies espe- cially to breeding-plumaged adults in the BMNH (many of which are spring or late- summer/early-autumn birds from wintering or migration areas, rather than from breeding grounds), while less attention was paid to birds in juvenile and non-breeding plumages. Since the publication of BWP , additional specimens have been examined: all skins of both species in the collections of the zoolog- ical museums of Moscow (ZMMU, where many were from the breeding grounds) and Bonn (ZFMK), and a few from the collections of St Petersburg and Berlin. Data on about 300 specimens of each species are now avail- 163 Hirschfeld et al ..■ Identification of sand plovers Fig. 1. Breeding distribution of Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii. Black dot = probable/definite breeding; open dot = possible breeding. Broken outline = probable breeding area of various populations: 1 Middle East group ( Columbians)', 2 Transcaucasian group ( crassirostris ?); 3 Transcaspian group (crassirostris) ; 4 Eastern group (nominate leschenaultii). Map based on examined specimens and on literature (Aharoni 1931;Andrews 1993 Banzhaf 1933; Baumgart et al. 1993; Beaman 1975; Bottema 1987; Cheng 1987; Dementiev & Gladkov 1951; Gavrin et al. 1962; Gladkov 1957;Hartert 1912-21; Kasparek 1992;Kitson 1979; Kozlova 1975; Kumerloeve 1961; Kurochkin & Mikhailov 1994; Lehmann 1971; Makatsch 1974; Mauersberger 1975. 1980; Mauersberger et al. 1982; Nadler 1989; Nadler & Konigstedt 1986; Niethammer 1971, 1973; Niethammer & Niethammer 1967; Nogge 1973; Paevskii et al. 1990; Paludan 1959; Piechocki 1968; Piechocki et al. 1981; Radde & Walter 1889; Salikhbaev & Bogdanov 1961; Shirihai 1996; Shnitnikov 1949; Stepanyan 1990; Stephan 1994; Stresemann 1928; Sudilovskaya 1936, 1973; Sushkin 1938;Tourenq et al. 1996;Vaurie 1965;Vielliard 1969; Zarudnyi 1900). able, about one-third of these from breeding grounds. BWP (vol. 3) included much new informa- tion on the geographical variation of the two sand plovers. For example, Greater Sand Plover was split into three subspecies, whereas it had previously been treated gen- erally as monotypic (especially as the rather distinctive western subspecies columbinus was poorly known at tbe time); and, for Lesser, the name schaeferi was revived to house the characteristically long-billed indi- viduals wintering in the Greater Sundas in Indonesia. Although the measurements and short descriptions of the subspecies con- tained some information on the reasoning behind these taxonomic decisions, much was left unexplained, and the winter distrib- utions of the various races were inade- quately described. The present paper intends to shed more light on the subject. 164 Distribution and populations The summer distributions shown (figs. 1 & 2) are based on the existing literature and on findings from this study (see Biometrics and geographical grouping', page 178, for a full discussion). Non-breeding distributions are dealt with later (see page 185). Greater Sand Plover (fig. 1) is divided into three subspecies; columbinus , crassirostris and nominate leschenaultii . with col- umbinus not only breeding closest to Europe, but also being tbe most similar to Lesser Sand Plover owing to its smaller size and weak bill. The race crassirostris , which is easier to identify, also occurs in Europe, and, given the long-distance migrations undertaken by these sturdy birds, it is plau- sible that even tbe nominate form could turn up. Populations are estimated at below 10,000 individuals of columbinus , 65,000 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers Fig. 2. Breeding distribution of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. Black dot = probable/definite breeding; open dot = possible breeding. Broken outline = probable breeding area of various populations: 1 pamirensis ; 2 atrifrons ; 3 schaeferi\ 4 nominate mongolus ; 5 nominate mongolus/stegmanni ?; 6 stegmanni. Map based on examined specimens and on literature (Abdusalyamov 1988: Bergman 1935; Cheng 1987; Dementiev & Gladkov 1951; Ivanov 1969; Johansen 1961; Kishchinski 1968, 1980, 1988; Krechmar et al. 1991; Kurochkin & Mikhailov 1994; Lobkov 1978, 1983; Mauersberger 1975; Mauersberger et al. 1982; Meyer de Schauensee 1937; Nadler & Konigstedt 1986; Portenko 1963, 1972; Potapov 1966; Roberts 1991; Schafer 1938; Shnitnikov 1949; Sillem 1934; Stegmann 1930-31: Stepanyan 1990; Stresemann 1940; Stresemann et al. 1938; Sudilovskaya 1936, 1973;Tomkovich & Sorokin 1983;Vaurie 1965, 1972;Vorob'ev 1963;Wannhof 1993;Yanushevich et al. 1959). crassirostris and over 125,000 leschenaultii (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Lesser Sand Plover (fig. 2) comprises five subspecies: pamirensis , atrifrons and schae- feri (collectively known as the atrifrons group ), and mongolus and stegmanni (together forming the 'mongolus group ). Population estimates are 30,000 pamirensis , at least 100,000 atrifrons , 25,000-100,000 scbaeferi , and 25,000-100,000 mongolus and stegmanni combined (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Vagrancy Up to and including 1996, there were at least 66 accepted records of Greater Sand Plover in Europe, all between April and December, with a peak in midsummer (Mitchell & Young 1997; additional data from national rarities committees, see Acknowledgments’). During the same period, ten Lesser Sand Plovers were recorded in Europe, again with most (seven) in June and July. An April 1987 record from former Yugoslavia (see Mitchell & Young 1997) has not, so far as we are aware, been formally accepted and is there- fore not included here. Although there are British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 about 25 published records of Lesser Sand Plover from Cyprus, Flint et al. (1997) con- cluded that none of these was acceptable. In North America, Lesser Sand Plover is recorded as a migrant and possible breeder in Alaska, south of where it occurs as a vagrant, with records from Alberta, Ontario, Oregon (three), California (five), Louisiana (two), and even New Jersey on the eastern seaboard of the USA (J- Morlan in l HI.). Field identification Traditionally, a large number of characters have been used when identifying the two species, but very few of them can be used on their own, and some are even misleading. Field characters which we consider to be, respectively, important, supportive or incon- clusive are listed in table 1 (see page 1 66) and described in detail in the following text. Size and general impression Typically, Greater Sand Plover is a bulk)' bird, while Lesser Sand Plover is more delicate and usually looks smaller. The race columbinus of Greater, however, somewhat 165 Hirschfeld et al.. Identification of sand glovers Table 1. Relative importance of field characters for separating Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus. Important Supportive Inconclusive Bill shape Leg colour Bill length in relation to eye Wing-bar Jizz’; apparent length of leg and Calls Subterminal tail-bar its position on body Tarsus/bill-length ratio* Shape of breast-band in summer plumage Feeding actions Length of feet beyond tail White on sides of tail Length of nail on bill (in flight) Comma’ mark on underwing Extension of cinnamon-rufous onto flanks Extent of cinnamon-rufous on upperwing and back Timing of body moult * This character, however, important with hand-held birds. approaches Lesser in size and can cause con- fusion, even among experienced observers. Authoritative field guides (e g. Alstrom et al. 1991; Hollom et al. 1988;Jonsson 1992) give total lengths of 19-21 cm for Lesser and 22- 25 cm for Greater; these compare with 20-22 cm for Dotterel C. morinellns , and 18-20 cm for both Great Ringed C. hiaticula and Caspian Plovers C. asiaticus. Such measure- ments are, however, rather untrustworthy and should be used with great care (note that, even though Great Ringed and Caspian Plovers are given the same size range, any experienced birdwatcher would consider Caspian much larger, as its longer legs and bill make it look bigger than it really is). A closer look at biometrics reveals an overlap between the two species. According to field guides, the wingspan of Lesser is in the range 45-58 cm and that of Greater within 53-60 cm, while figures published in BWP (vol. 3) show that wing and tarsus mea- surements overlap, as also do weights (Jolins- gard 1981). Measurements by CSR, however, show virtually no overlap between the two species in bill length (see Bare parts, on page 169). The difference in ‘jizz’ between the two sand plovers may be difficult for a novice to understand, but with experience it is not too difficult, even at long distances. Plates 97 & 98 depict the typical stance of a relaxed indi- vidual. It is, however, important to bear in mind that a bird’s appearance changes with its posture and general health, and with the ambient temperature (fig. 3). Greater Sand Plover is the larger-looking of the two. In side view, it has a proportion- ately large eye situated in the middle of the head, which appears more square than Lesser’s, with a flat crown. The long legs are well balanced by an attenuated rear, and the bird’s weight is more evenly distributed in front of and behind the legs. Greater usually has a more horizontal stance and body shape, and can often recall a small Grey Plover Pliwialis squatarola. On Lesser, the head is smaller and more rounded, and the eye is situated closer to the bill. The legs can look long, but the impres- sion is that there is more weight' in front of the legs; the area behind the legs looks less attenuated and much less massive’ than that in front. The difference in general impression between Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers can be compared with that between Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus and Great Ringed Plover, the latter being the better-propor- tioned, more horizontal and better-balanced’ of the two when relaxed. Feeding behaviour From studies in Kenya, Madagascar and Mau- ritius, Hockey (1993) suggested possible dif- ferences in the feeding behaviour of the two species. In brief, he concluded that Lesser Sand Plovers move shorter distances between pauses to search for prey than do Greater Sand Plovers, and that the latter move greater distances to capture prey and make longer pauses. Hirschfeld & Stawarczyk (1993) also studied foraging behaviour in the Persian Gulf, but, rather than counting steps, looked at feeding rates (pecks per minute) and effi- 166 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Fig. 3- Typical postures of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus (upper three) and Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii (lower three). ciency (successful pecks per minute) and type of food. They distinguished between the races columbinus and crassirostris of Greater, and compared these with an unknown subspecies of Lesser (probably pamirensis) in two kinds of micro-habitat (sand and wet mud). They found that Lesser Sand Plovers did not feed on crabs at all, pre- ferring worms, whereas, for columbinus and crassirostris respectively, 2% and 18% of suc- cessful pecks were at crabs; moreover, columbinus approached Lesser Sand Plover in feeding rate and feeding efficiency, but both differed greatly from crassirostris , whose feeding rate and success were remarkably low. It is important to bear in mind that these studies were made on rather small sample sizes, and in a specific (tropical) environ- ment. How these birds would forage when displaced from their normal environment and forced to feed on other prey is not known. Calls The call of Lesser Sand Plover has been described as a short, hard kit-kit' or kruit- kruit’, like that of Sanderling Calidris alba , and that of Greater as a softer and longer, churring prrirrt’. Observations in the Persian Gulf (EH), however, reveal considerable overlap in calls between the two species. Greater often utters short, hard calls, while Lesser, especially when chasing other birds, can give softer, churring calls. Softer calls (transcribed as drrruid) were described in detail by Gebauer & Nadler (1992) for breeding Lesser Sand Plovers. We suggest that voice is of virtually no use when identi- fying vagrants. No subspecific differences in voice are known. Structure From all available measurements, scatter- grams were produced to show, for each species, the ratios of wing length to tarsus length, wing length to bill length, and bill length to bill depth (figs. 4-6, on page 168). Millington (1988) proposed a formula involving tarsus length (from knee to foot) divided by bill length (from tip to where feathering meets culmen) for identifying the two species from photographs, the ratios British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 167 Alan Harris Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers Fig. 4. Top (left), scatter- gram of wing length to tarsus length of Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus. Except where stated, samples are of adults from breeding grounds. Greater (individual plots 1-4): (1) 10 breeders from Middle East, (2) 4 from Transcaucasia, (3) 26 from Transcaspia east to Syr Dar ya, (4) 6 from E Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan eastwards, as well as 85 winter birds from Indonesia. Lesser (plots 5-12): (5-8) ‘ atrifrons group , (5) 7 from E Alai Mts and Tien Shan, (6) 28 from Pamir, W Kun Lun, Ladakh and Lahul, (7) 14 from S Tibet (including data from Stresemann 1940), (8) 4 from Qinghai Hu (Kukunor) and upper Xining He, as well as 49 adult winter birds from Greater Sundas; (9-12) 'mongolus group', (9) 3 from Lake Baikal area, (10) 21 breeders and adult migrants from Amurland and Ussuriland, (11)6 from Chukotskiy, Koryakland and N Kamchatka region, (12) 5 from Commander Is. Fig. 5. Centre (above), scattergram of wing length to bill length of Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus. Details as for fig. 4, except: (2) 5 breeders, not 4; (3) 34 breeders, not 26; (4) includes 73 winterers, not 85; (7) 16 breeders, not 14; (8) includes 51 winter adults, not 49; (1 1) 7 breeders, not 6. Fig. 6. Bottom (left), scattergram of bill length to bill depth of Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus. Details as for fig. 4, except: (2) 5 breeders, not 4; (4) includes 38 winter adults, not 85; (6) 25 breeders, not 28; (7) 7 breeders, not 14; (8) includes 54 winter adults, not 49; (10) 20 breeders and migrants, not 21. 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 168 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al.. Identification of sand plovers Table 2. Average tarsus/bill-length ratios of Greater Charadrius leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers C. mongolus. Tarsus/bill Sample Range S.D. GREATER crassirostris 1.55 75 1 43-166 0.071 leschenaultii 1.58 119 1 47-1.72 0.076 columbinus 1.66 49 1 54-1.78 0.085 LESSER scbaeferi 1.86 66 1 70-2.03 0.105 stegmanni 1.87 39 1.77-2.11 0.109 atrifrons 1.88 14 1.81-1.98 0.081 mongolus 1.92 47 1.82-2.09 0.092 pamirensis 1.98 40 1.88-2.16 0.096 being 1.59:1 for Greater and 1.85-1.99:1 for Lesser. Although this formula seems to be fairly accurate, the ratio is difficult to deter- mine, as the angle from which the photo- graph is taken needs to be considered. Average tarsus/bill-length ratios calculated from skins are given in table 2. Although the tibia is often more exposed on Greater Sand Plover, this character is subject to much variation depending on air temperature and the individual bird's posture (belly feathers being fluffed out in colder weather). Bare parts LEGS. Leg colour is usually greyish-black or black on Lesser Sand Plover and yellow- green or greenish-grey on Greater. Some vari- ation does exist, especially among young individuals, Lesser sometimes showing greenish-grey legs and Greater not infre- quently having greyer legs. The toe joints of Lesser are concolorous with the rest of the legs, while Greater often (but not always) has darker toe joints. Beware, however, that the legs are often soiled from mud, algae and sand, and they can also become sun- or salt- bleached (as is often the case with, for example, Middle Eastern Kentish Plovers: Hirschfeld & Stawarczyk 1994). BILL. See fig. 7. Both species have a black bill, that of Greater Sand Plover (of the two eastern subspecies) being the heavier and Fig. 7. Bill and head proportions of Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii (top three) and Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus (bottom two). British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 169 Alan Harris Hadoram Shirihai Hanne & Jens Eriksen 97. Lesser Sand Plover Charcidrius mongo/us in summer plumage, Oman, May 1991. This bird shows characters of the ‘ atrifrons group’, with a black forehead, and with orange rather than rufous-tinged breast-band which extends to the flanks. 98. Breeding-plumaged female Greater Sand Plover Charcidrius leschenaultii, Turkey, March 1987. The pointed bill lacks the bulbous tip of Lesser Sand Plover C. mongo/us. The dusty terracotta colour of this bird shows that it belongs to the subspecies columbinus. The bulkiness gives an impression of a Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola. 99. Breeding-plumaged male Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii of subspecies columbinus, Israel, May 1987. The bill is pointed, lacking the blunt tip of Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus (cf. plate 100). The faintly suggested pale rusty fringes to some of the larger scapulars and the ill-defined facial mask are typical of subspecies columbinus. The bill can be much shorter than on this fully grown individual. longer. On Greater, the mandibles gently taper to form a long point (plates 98 & 107), whereas, on Lesser, they taper more steeply and produce a blunt tip (plates 100 & 108). A major pitfall is race columbinus of Greater (plate 99), which has a short and sometimes weak’ bill, although it is never as blunt- ended as on Lesser Sand Plover. Photographs need to be extremely sharp and taken at close range for this character to be deter- mined accurately. The bill shape of Lesser Sand Plover varies. All subspecies within the western atrifrons group’ have a more slender and 170 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Arnoud B. van den Berg pointed bill than the other subspecies, and in this respect their bill approaches that of race columbinus of Greater. A character widely described as useful in the field is bill length in relation to the eye. Birds with bill length equal to or shorter than the distance between the base of bill and the rear of the eye are considered to be Lesser Sand Plovers, while those with a bill longer than this distance are thought to be Greater Sand Plovers. In our opinion, this rule may not always be reliable, as columbinus Greaters can have a very short bill ( approaching average length of Lesser). Nevertheless, those with the longer bill are always Greaters, but shorter-billed individ- uals can be either Lesser or, albeit rarely, columbinus Greater. In relation to total bill length, the nail (the hump’ at the tip) is longer on Greater and shorter on Lesser, which contributes strongly to the latter’s blunt-billed impression (fig. 7); this is conclusive on hand-held birds (plates 107 & 108). On Greater, the distance from beginning of nail to bill point is longer than the visible bill between forehead and nail; it is shorter on Lesser. Because of Greater’s elongated bill tip, its nail may appear shorter than it actually is until measured (front pho- tograph or in the hand). Measurements of 52 Lesser Sand Plovers in Bahrain and the UAE showed that the nail varied between 6. 1 mm and 9.1 mm, while two Greaters from the UAE had a nail of 10.4 mm and 11.2 mm Hirscbfeld et al.. Identification of sand plovers (Hirschfeld et al. pers. obs.). The bill nail of 42 nominate Lessers in the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen was 7. 5-9 9 mm (all below 8 mm were juveniles) and that of 91 Greaters was between 10.5 mm and 13-5 mm. On skins and with birds in the hand, actual bill length is a valid character. Of 283 Greaters, only 19 (all columbinus ) had a bill length below 22 mm, with just two of those 20.7 mm or less. Of 317 Lessers, only 39 (vir- tually all schaefer i ) had a bill of 19 mm or over, no more than four being 20 mm or more. Flight pattern In flight, the feet always project beyond the tail on Greater Sand Plover, while they are invisible or just barely visible on Lesser, but this can be difficult to assess subjectively. Shirihai et al. (1996) highlighted a differ- ence in the wing-bars of the two species. On the primaries, the rear edge of Greater's wing-bar bulges, while it is straight and of even width on Lesser (plate 102; fig. 8). Although very difficult to observe in the field, this can be seen on photos, or in video recordings when wing movements are frozen. Shirihai et al. (1996) also described some important characters of the tail, although with some overlap between the species. Greater’s tail has a dark subterminal bar which, in the field, contrasts well with the Fig. 8. Differences in flight between Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii (two at left) and Lesser Sand Plover C. mongo/us (two at right). Note Greater Sand Plover's bulging’ primary-bar, toe projection beyond tail, and tail pattern; and Lesser Sand Plover's dusky' under primary coverts. British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 171 Alan Harris Hanne & Jens Eriksen Hanne & Jens Eriksen Hirschfeld et al .: Identification of sand plovers 100. Adult Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus of the atrifrons group', Oman, September 1995. This bird shows a jizz' recalling Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus. The bill is blunt, with the tip not so tapered as on adult columbinus Greater C. leschenaultii (cf. plates 98 & 99). 101. Juvenile Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii , probably of eastern subspecies crassirostris or leschenaultii, Oman, September 1995. Large eye, squarish head and general bulkiness identify this bird as a Greater Sand Plover. The bill is rather short compared with that of adult Greater, but is thick-based and pointed; the fringes to the coverts are typical of fresh juveniles. paler base and (in fresh plumage) a white terminal band; the tail of Lesser looks more evenly sandy-brown, and the slightly darker (narrower and more ill-defined) subterminal bar is generally obscure or virtually impos- sible to see in the field (fig. 8). The tail may often be important when identifying single 172 vagrants. Greater also has more white on the tail sides than Lesser, but this, too, is a subjec- tive character difficult to judge on a lone bird. Both species exhibit a ‘comma’ mark on the carpal joint of the underwing. It is grey and wider on Lesser (fig. 8), while Greater British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 102. Adult female Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii of subspecies columbinus , Israel, March 1991. The pronounced widening of the white wing-bar on the inner primaries is visible. has a paler, narrower marking. If a flying bird shows a strong comma' mark, it is likely to be a Lesser Sand Plover. Moult BODY. Timing of body moult can be useful when identifying an adult sand plover in summer. Races leschenaultii and crassiros- tris of Greater Sand Plover have a later post- breeding body moult than columbinus and have usually acquired non-breeding plumage by mid August. Race columbinus , with a much earlier post-breeding moult, gains non- breeding plumage as early as July (Cramp & Simmons 1983): this is due to its earlier breeding, with juveniles appearing in, for example, the Persian Gulf by mid June. In spring, columbinus has usually acquired breeding plumage by February, while crassirostris and leschenaultii moult in February-March/April (Cramp & Simmons 1983). Beware that second-years may moult into summer plumage later than adults. Unlike Greater Sand Plover, Lesser Sand Plover does not start its post-breeding moult (apart from white specks which appear on the forehead soon after nesting) until arriving in winter quarters; head and body are moulted from late August onwards. The pre-breeding moult is also later than Greater’s, head and body moult starting from early April to early May. WING. Wing moult of races leschenaultii and crassirostris of Greater starts in mid July, is then suspended, and is completed by November-December (sometimes January); race columbinus does not suspend its moult, British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 which starts in late June to mid July and is completed by September. Lesser Sand Plover begins wing moult in August, and has com- pleted it by December or, occasionally, not until February (Cramp & Simmons 1983). When identifying a vagrant sand plover in Europe, therefore, bear in mind the fol- lowing: • A small mongolus/ columbinus- type in breeding plumage appearing in July or early August can be strongly suspected of being a Lesser Sand Plover, and is rather unlikely to be a columbinus Greater. • A small individual in full summer plumage in February or March is likely to be columbinus. • A small bird in active wing moult after Sep- tember is likely to be a Lesser, and not a columbinus Greater. • A vagrant in complete or near-complete summer plumage after mid August is likely to be a Lesser. • A juvenile in Western Europe in June or early July is almost certainly a columbinus Greater. Breeding plumage Both species have a fairly bright breeding plumage, with black head markings and a more or less orange breast (fig. 9, on page 175). All subspecies exhibit sexual dimor- phism. In general, females have less black on the head (although many show quite a lot of black), this being replaced by greyish-brown or by rufous-cinnamon mottling. Females (and most males) of Greater Sand Plover do not show a black border to the breast-band. 173 Hadoram Shirihai Hirschfeld et af. Identification of sand plovers Female Lessers lack or have restricted rufous-cinnamon on forecrown, lower nape and upper mantle, and their breast-band is usually narrower, especially in the centre. Lesser Sand Plover Lesser Sand Plovers can be divided into two subspecies groups: atrifrons group' (races atrifrons , pamirensis and schaeferi ), tradi- tionally characterised by jet-black forehead in breeding plumage; and mongolus group ( mongolus and stegmanni ) with white on forehead, in which respect they resemble Greater Sand Plover. New studies have shown, however, that as many as 15-20% of breeding Lesser Sand Plovers on the Chukot- skiy Peninsula in Siberia (believed to belong to subspecies stegmanni) have a jet-black Table 3. Subspecific variation of breeding-plumaged male Lesser Sand Plovers Charadrius mongolus. Note that schaeferi is somewhat intermediate, closest to mongolus ; pamirensis is very similar to atrifrons and not readily identifiable except by distribution and size. On females, black facial markings often reduced (mottled lines) or partly absent, on ear-coverts brown and less extensive (in atrifrons group' especially, females can lack black altogether). MONGOLUS GROUP' ATRIFRONS GROUP' mongolus stegmanni atrifrons schaeferi pamirensis Bill Appears rela- Shortest and Short, narrow. Very fine and Very similar to tively rather stubbiest of all with less slender, as atrifrons strong and races, with well- developed nail atrifrons short, with developed nail and gonys (but slightly rather well- developed nail and gonys and gonys longer) Face Most extensive Extensive black White on fore- Pattern of mask Forehead some- mask white forehead mask with small head much as for atrifrons times with more (often divided white patches, reduced (as white than by narrow black therefore with small dots/ atrifrons ; some line) of all races; wider darker flecking in front show small black of mask lines in between of eye) or totally white spots in extends well and in sur- lacking; black of front of eye onto crown and rounding areas forehead usually above eye; white extends over line from above eye to above ear- coverts; narrow black line between white forehead and cinnamon crown smaller area Head and The rufous is Breast-band very Rufous of head Breast-band Breast-band breast- dark, intense and broad and pale (more reduced in area, pale rufous- band rather extensive tinged chestnut- orange than but mainly cinnamon, rufous, extends chestnut); orange and paler narrow and to flanks breast-band tinged orange rather than chestnut (but still deeply pigmented) and extends to flanks than atrifrons ill-defined Border to Narrow black Black line vari- Virtually no Absent or As atrifrons breast- line able, but indication of virtually absent band generally black line appears strong bordering and large upper breast 174 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfelci et al.. Identification of sand plovers atrifrons Cf mongolus CT stegmanni atrifrons Cf schaeferi Cf pamirensis 9 columbinus CT crassirostris cf columbinus Cf leschenaultii Fig. 9- Summer plumages of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus (upper six) and Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii (lower four). forehead, which should be the norm for members of the atrifrons group’ (Anders Wirdheim verbally; plate 106). It is also important to bear in mind that atrifrons' Lessers acquire white patches on the fore- head very soon after leaving the breeding grounds, rendering subspecific identification in the field of a summer or autumn vagrant unreliable. (Biometric differences exist, see below, but placing winter-plumaged birds in subspecies groups can be controversial, even if they are trapped: see e.g. Hirschfeld et al. 1996.) As the sexes are similar to each other in breeding plumage (though females often have ear-coverts that are browner and more mottled, less uniform black), racial identifica- tion in spring and summer may appear less complicated than is the case with Greater Sand Plover, which shows greater sexual dimorphism. In fact, this is not so, because the populations of Lesser show much more British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 175 Alan Harris Hirschfeld et al.. Identification of sand plovers variation than these two plumage types might suggest; intermediates with larger or smaller white patches on a black forehead are frequent. The following characters, derived from our own skin studies, and from raw data pro- vided by CSR for BWP and for Shirihai (1996), indicate subspecific identity of summer-plumaged Lesser Sand Plovers in the hand (table 3). Only birds from southern Tibet and northern Sikkim (race atrifrons ) invariably have a uniform black forehead; they also have rather dark brown-grey upperparts and a dark and saturated broad rufous-orange breast-band. Farther to the northwest and northeast, birds from Lahul, Ladakh and Kashmir (here considered inseparable from atrifrons ), as well as those of the upper Huang He in southeast Qinghai, China ( schaeferi ), average slightly paler grey-brown and are generally somewhat paler and less extensively rufous on the breast. The fore- head is usually uniform black, but a few indi- viduals show a small white spot at each side of the forehead Those from the Pamir, western Kun Lun and Tien Shan mountains (pamirensis), along with populations of northeast Qinghai and neighbouring Gansu (here considered insep- arable from schaeferi ), are paler still, with drab grey rather than brownish mantle, scapulars and tertials, and narrower and paler rufous-cinnamon breast-band which may be less sharply defined at the rear. Small white forehead patches are more often present, and a few migrants from southern China and western Indonesia, supposed to originate from Qinghai or perhaps from southern Mongolia (possibly schaeferi ), have white patches almost as large as on some Greater Sand Plovers, with rather narrow black surrounding lines. The question of breeding in Mongolia is Unresolved. Observations by Mauersberger (1975) and Kurochkin & Mikhailov (1994) may refer to migrants; others are thought to involve misidentified Greater Sand Plovers (Nadler & Konigstedt 1986), which in this region sometimes show much black on the forehead. According to Baltdelger (inTourenq et al. 1996), Lesser Sand Plover breeds, albeit rarely, in northeast Mongolia between 112° and 1 16°E. Populations from Transbaikalia and the Amur area (nominate mongolus ) are the palest of all. The white forehead patches are prominent, and the plumage is rather close Table 4. Subspecific variation of breeding-plumaged male Greater Sand Plovers Gharadrius leschenaultii . Note that nominate leschenaultii is somewhat smaller than crassirostris, approaching columbinus in size. On females, black facial markings are reduced or absent. leschenaultii crassirostris columbinus BiU Strong, with curved nail and obvious, angled gonys As nominate, but on average somewhat longer and thinner Smallest of the races, short and slender Upperparts Usually clean' grey-brown, often lacking cinnamon tinge, and thus similar to Lesser Sand Plover, but may show narrow rufous Paler grey-brown, usually lacking rufous-cinnamon tinge, but may show narrow rufous feather margins Extensive and wide rufous-cinnamon fringes, also on female margins Face mask Variable, but occasionally fully black Wider and complete, with white forehead patch small or absent Ill-defined pattern, with extensive white area causing black of forehead to be broken Breast-band Narrow at centre (see fig. 9) and deeper rufous, hardly extending to lower breast or onto flanks; also more sharply demarcated Broader, less sharply demar- cated and generally paler, but with narrow centre (see fig. 9), and rufous often extending obscurely to flanks Wide and rufous, more of a blotch on the breast and extending well onto flanks Border to breast-band Normally lacking Sometimes present as thin black line; often absent Absent 176 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 to that of nominate Greater Sand Plovers breeding in the same general area. Farther to the northeast, approaching the Pacific shores, the birds become gradually darker again, although the white forehead patches are still obvious (but see remarks above on Chukotskiy breeders). The darkest Lesser Sand Plovers occur on the Commander Islands, in the Kamchatka region and in the northeast Magadan region, including Chukotskiy (stegmanni). They have darker and browner upperparts, less grey than on Transbaikalia birds, the nape and breast-band are darker, deeper tawny- rufous or russet and less tawny-ochre. and the breast-band is very broad. The white fore- head patches are rather small and sur- rounded by bold black lines, and the rufous breast-band and white chin are often sepa- rated by a black bar (usually absent on Trans- baikalia-Amur populations, and only occasionally present on those from farther southwest in central Asia). Greater Sand Plover Subspecific variation is summarised in table 4. Little can be added to the information given in BWP (vol. 3). The breeding plumage of birds from the Middle East ( Columbians ) is generally rather pale, but the rufous is extensive. On the male, the black areas on the face are usually reduced and narrow and the black on the ear-coverts is sometimes restricted and partly replaced by rufous-cin- namon. On the female, the dark lines are often absent or indicated merely by mottled brown or greyish feathering. In fresh plumage, mantle, scapulars and tertials of both sexes often show extensive pale rufous- cinnamon feather fringes, and the rufous-cin- namon of the broad breast-band extends over the flanks, gradually becoming more mixed with white towards the rear. When worn, the upperparts are more uniformly pale sandy-grey, the breast-band is sometimes narrower and more sharply defined and the sides of the breast are often partly suffused brown-grey. In populations from eastern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan eastwards (nominate leschenaultii ), the black areas on the face of the breeding male are broader and more dis- tinct, the black stripe over the ear is promi- nent. and the white patches on the forehead Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers are slightly to considerably smaller. The female often shows similar dark areas, though mottled black, brown or grey. The upperparts are purer brown-grey (less exten sivelv tinged rufous, but much individual variation) when fresh, and paler drab grey (less pale cinnamon or sandy) when worn The breast-band is slightly deeper rufous, much narrower, and more sharply defined at the rear, the rufous not extending towards the flanks, though the latter may sometimes show a slight rufous tinge when the plumage is fresh. The breeding plumage of birds from Trans- caucasia (probably crassirostris, but see below) and Transcaspia (definite cras- sirostris ) is about as dark as that of eastern populations, although the breast-band is broader and less sharply defined at the rear In this, these birds resemble Middle Eastern Columbians, although the cinnamon aver- ages deeper in colour In all populations, however, the general colour is strongly influenced by bleaching and abrasion, becoming gradually paler after the spring moult, with the breast-band becoming gradually narrower and more dis- tinct (unless heavily worn). Identification of race based on plumage characters alone is not advocated; measurements are more trust- worthy. Non-breeding plumage In plumages other than adult breeding, spe- cific or subspecific identification cannot be made on plumage alone, but should be based on structure (including measurements), jizz', and patterns of upperwing and uppertail (see above and below). Non-breeding plumages are shown in fig. 10. ADLTLTS. On both species, the upperpart feathers (including most of wing-coverts, but mainly median and lesser, as well as tertials) are predominantly dull grey-brown, indis- tinctly and finely tipped/edged lighter. The head pattern is duller compared with breeding plumage, with a broad white fore- head and a variable whitish supercilium. Largely white below, with fairly large brown- grey breast-side patches which can join in centre of breast. IMMATURES/FIRST-SUMMERS. As adults of the respective species/subspecies, but spring/breeding plumage may be less British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 177 Hirschfeld et al..- Identification of sand plovers advanced and less complete. Primaries are relatively more worn and bleached . JUVENILES. Reminiscent of adult non- breeding, but upperparts browner and exten- sively fringed buff, especially on mantle, scapulars and median/lesser coverts; chest area more strongly tinged sandy or buff. Note that assessment of structure, size and shape needs caution, as young birds, not fully grown, can appear atypical. Biometrics and geographical grouping This section aims to justify the current sub- specific groupings of the two species, using biometric data from about 300 sand plovers of each species collected from a wide variety of locations. The data are contained in tables 5, 6 & 7. For all birds examined, wing length, tarsus length, bill length (from feathering at fore- head) and bill depth (at the level of the arched nail near tip) were measured. All data in the tables refer to adults unless otherwise noted. Juvenile wings, on average about 3 mm shorter than adult, are excluded from the analysis of geographical variation; in other measurements, juveniles from age of about three months (for tarsus, probably even earlier) are similar to adults. Sexes are virtually alike (females on average often slightly larger than males: see BWP 3), so the data on both sexes are combined. An explanation of the nomenclature used to name subspecies is given in Appendix 1 (page 188). Greater Sand Plover ( table 5) Specimens of Greater Sand Plover from the breeding grounds (see fig 1, on page 164) were split into four geographical groups. 1. Middle East group. Birds from inland Levant, Syria and western Iran, taken March- June. None of the skin labels noted that the individual had been incubating or caring for young, but the breeding plumage of all was characteristic of columbinus (the race sup- posed to breed in the region) and differed from that of birds from the Caspian Sea and farther east. A number of specimens, taken by J Aharoni, had a collecting date, but only ‘Syrian Desert’ as locality; according to Aharoni (1931), the birds are ‘commonly encountered in the Syrian Desert in the breeding season and undoubtedly breed . The species is now well known to breed in Syria (e g. Bottema 1987; Baumgart et al. 1995), though breeding sites and densities may vary between years, depending on local rains. Birds from Turkey were not examined; these, too, are usually considered to be columbinus , and this is supported by plum- age characters, but note that specimens from Transcaucasia, close to the Turkish border and sometimes also referred to as columb- inus (e g in II IV P 3), differ in measurements. 2. Transcaucasian group. Specimens from Armenia (Sardarabad steppe near Yerevan) and eastern Azerbaijan (Mugan steppe, Baku area), taken in second week of June. This sample was small and consisted only of males. 3. Transcaspian group. Specimens from western Transcaspia, March-June. The majority were from near the shores of the Caspian, with a minority from farther east in the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts. Those taken in March (Gasan-Kuli and Mangyshlak Peninsula, on or near the shore) were prob- ably still on migration, but are included in the breeding sample as they did not differ in plumage or measurements from birds obtained during late April to June in the same area or along the Kara-Bogaz Gol and in the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts. 4. Eastern group. The few April-July speci- mens from farther east (eastern Kazakhstan, Issyk-KuL in eastern Kyrgyzstan, northern Xinjiang, Tuva and Mongolia) were lumped together, and even then formed a rather small sample. Data from a much larger sample of wintering birds from Indonesia were therefore added to the Eastern group in the analysis (the Indonesian birds are undoubtedly of eastern origin, and this is supported by the close similarity in measure- ments between central Asian and Indonesian specimens). It is quite likely that the breeding grounds of the Transcaspian and Eastern groups as recognised here meet each other, and that the artificial geographical boundary con- structed between these groups either is non- existent or lies somewhat farther to the west or east The boundary is here taken to be between about 66°E and 75°E, as three speci- mens from the Kyzylkum desert at about 178 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al./ Identification of sand plovers Table 5. Measurements in mm of Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii. Figures show average (S.D.; sample) and range. WING TARSUS BILL LENGTH BILL DEPTH NEAR TIP Breeders (1) 143.1 (2.64; 13) 137-147 (mostly 141-145) 36.8 (0.84; 13) 35.7-37.9 22.5 (1.08; 13) 21.1-24.1 4.92 (0.234; 13) 4.6-5. 2 (2) 139.4 (2.63:5) 137-142 38.0 (0.45: 4) 37.6-38.6 25.7 (1.22;5) 24.7-26.9 5-24 (0.134; 5) 5. 1-5.4 (3) 146.6(3.42:33) 140-155 38.8 (1.49:31) 36.2T2.1 (mostly 38-41) 24.8(1.10:31)23.0-270 5.26 (0.282; 32) 4. 5-6.0 (mostly 4. 6-5. 2) (4) 146.2 (2.60:6) 142-150 37.1 (0.96:5) 36.2-38.1 23.6 (1.80:6) 21. (>25.4 5.65 (0.228; 6) 5. 4-6.0 Migrants and winter birds (5) 143.5 (3.59; 12) 140-150 36.9 (134; 12) 34.5-38.5 21.7 (1.21; 11) 20. 1-227 5.01 (0.232; 10) 4.6-5. 3 (6) 142.8 (4.51:28) 134-151 36.5 (1.03:21) 34.1-38.3 22.9 (1.03:27) 20.8-24.3 5.08 (0.1 87 27) 4. 8-5. 6 ( 7 ) 140.0 (4.84; 12) 135-152 36.9 (1.70; 12) 33.5-39.8 23.0 (1.21; 12) 21. 1-25. 1 5.18 (0.174; 12) 4.9-5. 5 (8) 146.4(4.03:11) 138-152 38.3 (1.07; 11) 36.7-40.0 24.5 (1.58; 11) 21.9-27.4 5.44 (0.330; 1 1) 4. 9-6.0 (9) 146.2 (3.64:21) 142-153 37.3 (1.41; 21) 35.5-40.2 23.8 (1.11;21) 22.2-25.4 5.96(0.296:21) 5. 5-6.4 (10) 146.6(3.87:21) 140-153 38.0 (1.35:21) 36.1-40.0 24.7 (1.06:21) 22.8-26.5 576 (0.220; 21) 5. 5-6.3 (11) (a) 143.0 (3.67:56) 136-151 36.8(1.32; 119) 34.2-39.6 23.3(1.07:125)21.0-26.5 5.85 (0.269:40) 5. 4-6.2 (1 l)(b) 140.2 (3.29:50) 133-147 Origins Cl) W Iran, Syria and inland Levant. Mar-June = Columbians. (2) Armenia and E Azerbaijan (Transcaucasia) = crassirostris? (3) W Transcaspia from E shore of Caspian (Mangyshlak Peninsula, Kara-Bogaz Gol, Gasan- Kuli) east through Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts to central Syr Darya (Kzyl-Orda area) = crassirostris. (4) E Kazakhstan, Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan), Xinjiang (W China), Tuva Republic and Mongolia = leschenaultii. (5) Egypt and coastal Levant (26-33°N), July-Feb = colummnus. (6) coasts of central Red Sea (19-22°N: Jedda in Saudi Arabia, Port Sudan and Suakin in Sudan), June-Mar = Columbians. (7) coastal Eritrea, Djibouti, N Somalia and Yemen (10-16°N), all year = Columbians + crassirostris mix. (8) Persian Gulf and Oman (20-30°N),Aug-Apr = Columbians + crassirostris + leschenaultii mix. (9) E & S Africa, Comoros. Aldabra and Madagascar (2°N-30°S), Sept-Apr = leschenaultii (10) Karachi (S Pakistan), luly-May = leschenaultii (11) Indonesia, Aug-May. wing given separately for adult (a) and juvenile (b), other data combined (ages similar) = leschenaultii 66°E (near Kzyl-Orda) are similar to Trans- caspian birds from farther west, and three from easternmost Kazakhstan and Issyk-Kul at about 75°E appear to belong to the Eastern group; according to fig. 1 , the species is widespread in the intervening area, but none was examined from there. On the basis of measurements, the four geographical groups clearly form at least three subspecies. Subspecies recognised in Greater Sand Plover 1 . columbinus. Small, slender-billed birds of the Middle East group ( 1 in figs. 4-6, on page 168). British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 2. leschenaultii. Equally small birds from the Eastern group (4 in figs. 4-6), differing from Middle East birds in much thicker bill 3. crassirostris. Birds from the Transcaspian group (3 in figs. 4-6), with tarsus (mainly over 38 mm) and bill (mainly over 2-t mm) clearly longer than previous two races (in the other groups, chiefly below 38 mm and 24 mm, respectively), but with bill depth intermediate between groups 1 and 4; bill- length difference is also supported by data of Cheltsov-Bebutov (1976), means 24.2 mm (n = 73) for Transcaspian birds and 21.7 mm (n = 20) for Eastern birds. Transcaucasian specimens (sample 2 in figs. 4-6) are more problematic, being close to Transcaspian 179 Hanne & Jens Eriksen Hanne & Jens Eriksen 103. Adult summer Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii , Oman, April 1994. Probably of subspecies leschenaultii , as indicated by the sharply demarcated breast-band. This bird looks rather slim, probably owing to the heat. 104. Adult Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus moulting into winter plumage, Oman, September 1995. The bill of this bird is much blunter than that of columbinus Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii. A pale individual such as this can resemble Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus. Winter-plumaged sand plovers can be difficult to age in the field (and in the hand), but the remnants of orange shown by this individual reveal it as an adult. birds in plumage and measurements, but with wing shorter and bill averaging even longer; the sample is too small to decide whether they form a separate race, and we combine them with crassirostris until further data become available. Lesser Sand Plover ( tables 6 & 7) On the basis of measurements, the breeding populations are clearly separable into two groups: the ‘ atrifrons subspecies group’ and the mongolus subspecies group', the former having rather short wings and less deep bill, and relatively longer tarsus and bill lengths. British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Nick Dymond Jan Unoson Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers 105- Breeding Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus , Chukotskiy Peninsula, Siberia, June 1992. Within range of subspecies stegmanni , showing an extensively black forehead. The narrow black upper border to the breast-band is typical. 106. Hand-held immature Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii of subspecies leschenaultii or crassirostris. Although there is a tendency towards bulbousness near the tip of the bill (more obvious on the two eastern subspecies), this is not so pronounced as on Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus. A scattergram of wing length to tarsus length (especially) or bill length to bill depth clearly separates most individuals of these groups (see figs. 4-6, on page 168), which may form two incipient species. 1. The ‘ atrifrons group’. Measurements of the various breeding populations overlap greatly, but birds from southern Tibet (2 in table 6) tend to have short wings and those from eastern Qinghai (1 in table 6) have a long bill. A large winter sample from western Indonesia (13 in table 6; see also figs. 2 & 4) is even longer-billed than eastern Qinghai birds; their breeding origin is supposed to be in eastern Qinghai, or perhaps even in southern Mongolia (see Mauersberger 1975; Nadler & Konigstedt 1986), and this is sup- ported by the fact that northeast Qinghai birds and those from Indonesia are among the palest individuals of the atrifrons group’ examined. The bill length of these long- and slender-billed birds is usually over 17.5 mm, that of all other populations of Lesser Sand Plover being usually under 17.5 mm. The number of specimens wrongly identified by using a bill length of 17.5 mm as the dividing character is small (see BWP 3: 170), and recognition of at least two different sub- species on this character is warranted. Within the short-billed populations occur- ring from the Pamirs to southern Tibet, birds in southern Tibet (along the outer fringe of the Himalayas between 80° and 90°E) have shorter wings than those in Lahul, western 107. Hand-held adult Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. The blunt bill with rounded point and an obvious bulbous outer half are typical. Note the gentle slope of the upper mandible, resembling the outline of a well-sliced cheese. Tibet and farther west. The difference is not very marked on the few birds examined, but more so in Stresemann’s (1940) larger sample from southern Tibet and (especially) northern Sikkim, which included the type specimen of atrifrons (average wing of seven adults 123-7 mm, of nine juveniles 122.6 mm; total range 118-126 mm, once 128 mm). Moreover, those from southern Tibet have clearly darker upperparts than other populations, and the difference in wing length between darker and paler wintering birds supports the recognition of separate British Birds 93: 162-189. April 2000 181 Nick Dymond Hirschfeld et af: Identification of sand plovers Table 6. Measurements in mm of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus of ‘atrifrons group'. Figures show average (S.D.; sample) and range. WING TARSUS BILL LENGTH BILL DEPTH NEAR TIP Breeders (1) 130.1 (3.1 1; 16) 125-135 (mostly 129-134) 34.0(1.57; 16) 31.5-38 (mostly 32-35) 18.0 (1.02; 16) 16.0-19 0 (mostly 17.5-19) 4.29 (0.144; 4) 4.24.5 (2) 126.0 (3.47; 17) 121-133 (mostly 121-128) 32.8 (1.37; 20) 30.4-35 16.7 (0.68; 23) 15.0-17.7 (mostly 16-17) 4.33 (0.152; 7) 4.1-4.5 (3) 129.1 (2.89:20) 123-134 (mostly 127-132) 33.7(1.06; 20) 32.2-35.5 16.8 (0.84; 20) 15.7-17.8 4.36 (0.151; 19) 4.14.6 (4) 129.1 (2.44: 12) 125-134 (mostly 127-131) 33.3 (1.39; 12) 31.6-35.0 17.3 (0.64; 9) 16.7-17.8 4.38 (0.182; 11) 4.1-4.6 (5) 132.0 (2.85:8) 129-137 33.7 (1.39:9) 32.1-35.8 17.3 (0.83; 8) 16.4-18.2 4.44 (0.187; 8) 4.24.7 Migrants and winter birds (6) 129.0 (2.45:7) 126-132 33.1 (1.05; 7) 32.0-34.3 18.0 (0.63; 7) 17.5-18.7 4.54 (0.176:7) 4.34.8 (7) 126.8 (1.17; 6) 125-129 32.3 (1.79; 6) 30.5-33 9 17.1 (0.50; 6) 16.6-17.6 4.30 (0.155:6) 4.04.5 (8) 129 1 (0.74; 5) 128-130 33.5 (1.23; 5) 32.3-34.8 17.3 (0.85; 5) 16.6-18 0 4.60 (0.265; 5) 4.34.8 (9) 124.1 (301; 4) 120-127 32.6 (1.09:4) 31.7-33 9 18.2 (0.97; 4) 17.6-18.9 4.30 (0.234; 4) 4.04.5 (10) 130.4(1 52; 5) 129-132 32.5 (0,81; 5) 31.6-33.4 17.1 (0.88; 5) 15.9-18.0 4.27 (0.044; 5) 4.24.3 (11) 126.9 (3 56; 6) 122-131 33 9 (1.41; 6) 32.0-35.3 18.2 (0.68; 6) 17.7-19-3 4.42 (0.250:6) 4.24.7 (12) 127.3 (2.31; 5) 125-130 33.8 (1.44; 5) 31.8-34.7 17.5 (0.97; 5) 16.1-19.3 4.41 (0.292; 5) 4.14.8 (13) (a) 130.8 (2.84; 53) 126-135 34.8 (1.09; 50) 33.5-37.1 18.8(0.82:58) 17.4-20.7 4.46 (0.185; 53) 4.14.8 (13) (b) 127.2 (2.28; 24) 124-132 34.5 (1.82; 5) 33.5-36.4 18.6 (0.72; 29) 17.2-20.4 (both mostly 18.2-19.5) 4.45 (0.187; 6) 4.34.8 Origins (1) Qinghai Hu (Kukunor) and upper Xining He area (NE Qinghai, China), including data from Stresemann (1940) = scbaeferi. (2) S Tibet (Xizang Zizhiqu, China) and N Sikkim (India), including data from Stresemann (1940) = atrifrons. (3) W Himalayas (Lahul, Kashmir, Ladakh) = atrifronsxpamirensis. (4) Wakhan (E Afghanistan), Pamir (E Tajikistan and westernmost Xinjiang, China) and W Kun Lun Mts (NW Tibet & SW Xinjiang) = pamirensis. (5) EAlai Mts and Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan and NW Xinjiang) = pamirensis (slightly xmongolus). (6) E Africa = pamirensis. (7) Red Sea and N Somalia = atrifrons. (8) Persian Gulf and Oman = cf. pamirensis. (9) Karachi (brown-tinged upperparts) = atrifronsxpamirensis (or mix of both: large S.D.). (10) Karachi (grey-tinged upperparts) = pamirensis. (11) Sri Lanka = scbaeferi + atrifrons mix (or intermediates). (12) Calcutta and Andaman Is = scbaeferi + atrifrons mix (or intermediates). (13) Sumatra, S Borneo and (especially) Java, data separated for adult (a) and juvenile plus first adult with juvenile wing (b) = scbaeferi. smaller/darker and larger/paler subspecies (e.g., birds from Karachi clearly fall into two groups on colour and size, irrespective of season: see samples 9 and 10 in table 6). Specimens from easternmost Afghanistan, the Pamirs in Tajikistan and western Xin- jiang, and the western Kun Lun mountains hardly differ in size or colour from birds of the northwest Himalayas; those from the eastern Alai and Tien Shan ranges are very slightly larger and paler and more often show small white patches on the forehead in breeding plumage. Unfortunately, no specimens from the eastern Tien Shan or other mountain ranges in northern Xinjiang were examined. Some migrants from western Xinjiang had markedly long wings and bill, and may origi- nate from northern Xinjiang. The long bill of the latter suggests at least some intergrada- tion with long-billed birds of the atrifrons group’ from Qinghai, but their long wings 182 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers 108. Juvenile Lesser Sand Plover Charadrins mongolus , Oman, September 1997, This bird has a very short bill that looks pointed, but it is far too short for a Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii . Furthermore, the eye is small, and the bird’s silhouette is more like that of Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus than that of Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola. and partial white forehead may also indicate even intergradation with nominate mon- golus of the 'mongolus group' (e.g. in as yet undetected breeding sites in the mountains of the Altai or Gobi regions). 2. The ‘ mongolus group’. Samples of the various breeding populations were small (table 7). They differed sometimes consider- ably in average measurements, and some of the outlines in figs. 4-6 hardly overlap, but the variation would probably have been much greater and the overlap more exten- sive if larger samples had been available. The only population perhaps separable sub- specifically on measurements is that of the Commander Islands, with on average shorter bill and tarsus than the other populations, and with longer wing. These two groups form five subspecies. Subspecies recognised in Lesser Sand Plover As outlined above, three subspecies are recognisable in the atrifrons group’. 1. atrifrons. A small, dark, short-billed race in southern Tibet and northern Sikkim. 2. pamirensis.A. larger, paler, short-billed race in the western part of the range of the atrifrons group’. 3. scbaeferi. A larger, paler, long-billed sub- species in the eastern part of the range of the atrifrons group’. In the 'mongolus group’, at least two sub- species can be recognised, but how these are to be defined is more difficult to establish. Paler individuals breed from Lake Baikal east to the Amur area and north to the Verkhoy- ansk mountains, and darker ones from Kam- chatka north to Chukotskiy and east to the Commander Islands, while more or less inter- mediate birds occur on the Pyasina Peninsula in the northern Sea of Okhotsk. In terms of size, all mainland breeders are more or less similar, whereas Commander birds differ mainly in their short tarsus and bill. The 'mongolus group’ could be seen to comprise three races (paler long-legged birds with variable bill length in the west of the range, darker long-legged and fairly long-billed birds from Kamchatka north to Chukotskiy, and darker short-legged and short-billed birds on the Commanders), but variation in bill length of western specimens and in tarsus length of Kamchatka-Chukotskiy birds is large, and samples of breeders examined were too small to support extensive splitting. Only two subspecies are recognised here. 4. mongolus. A paler race from Lake Baikal to Amurland and the Verkhoyansk range. 5. stegmanni. A darker, short-legged race on the Commanders, and provisionally including population from Kamchatka to Chukotskiy (latter considered intermediate, matching Commander birds in plumage — and some- times in tarsus length, but not bill length, so British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 183 Hirschfeld et ill . Identification of sand plovers Table 7. Measurements in mm of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus of nominate 'mongolus group'. Figures show average (S.D.; sample) and range. WING TARSUS BILL LENGTH BILL DEPTH NEAR TIP Breeders (1) 136.0(2 65:3) 134-139 32.1 (0,25; 3) 319-32.4 17.1 (0.30; 3) 16.8-17.4 5.10(0.200; 3) 4.9-5.3 (2) 133.7 (2.40; 6) 130-137 31.3 (1.00; 6) 30.0-32.6 16.0 (0.82; 6) 15.0-16.9 4.74 (0.432; 6) 4.4-5. 6 (3) 136.6 (4.44; 7) 133-146 (mostly 133-138) 31.5 (1.77; 7) 29.3-34.2 (mostly 30-33) 16.8 (0.38; 7) 16.4-17.5 4.94 (0.299:6) 4.6-5 4 (4) 137.1 (4.02; 5) 133-144 29.4 (0.73; 5) 28.9-30.5 15.7 (0.44; 5) 15.2-16.2 4.98 (0.164; 5) 4.8-5. 2 Migrants and winter birds (5) 133 9 (2.88; 23) 129-139 312 (1.03; 18) 29.9-32.8 16.3 (0.75; 20) 15.0-17.4 (mostly 16-17) 4.72 (0.383; 19) 4.3-5. 2 (6) 134.3 (2.94, 13) 128-139 31.7 (0.65; 9) 30.8-32.3 16.8 (0.93; 10) 15.8-17.7 4.75 (0.225; 10) 4.5-5. 1 (7) 134.8 (3 49; 5) 130-139 319 (0.97; 4) 31.1-32.6 16.3 (0.59; 5) 15.6-17.2 4.75 (0.1 29; 4) 4.6-4.9 (8) 136.4 (4.03; 17) 129-145 30.7 (1.47; 15) 28.0-32.5 16.1 (0.81; 17) 14.7-17.2 4.82 (0.237; 20) 4.6-5. 2 (9) 137.9 (156; 6) 136-140 32.3 (1 58; 5) 29 8-33.6 16.9 (0.62; 5) 16.1-17.4 4.84 (0.152; 5) 4.7-5.0 (10) 136.0 (3.72; 17) 130-142 31.2 (1.72; 16) 28.5-33.3 16.8 (0.57; 17) 15.8-17.6 4.76 (0.195;, 16) 4.4-5. 1 (11) 135.6 (4.79; 9) 131-146 29.6 (1.05; 6) 28.1-30.9 16.7 (0.72; 6) 15.8-17.6 4.76 (0.201:6) 4.5-5 0 Origins (1 ) E Lake Baikal and W Stanovoi Mts, late May and June = mongolus (perhaps slightly xpamirensis). (2) inland of Russian Far East, lst-17th July = mongolus. (3) NE Siberia (Chukotskiy, Koryakland and N Kamchatka region, including Karaginskiy 0, May- Aug = mongolusxstegmanni or a separate, unnamed race. (4) Commander Is, May = stegmanni. (5) coasts of Russian Far East (Amurland, LIssuriland), early May and mid July to Sept = mongolus + mongolusxstegmanni mix (see 3). (6) E China, Mat and Aug-Oct = mongolus. (7) Thailand and Greater Sundas (W Indonesia), Aug-May = mongolus. (8) Japan (including Ryu Kyus),April-May and Aug- Sept (Ryu Kyus also in winter) = stegmanni + mongolusxstegmanni mix. (9) Philippines, Nov-May = mongolusxstegmanni. (10) Wallacea (Sulawesi, Moluccas, Kai), westernmost New Guinea (Vogelkop.Aru) and W Australia, Aug-May = mongolusxstegmanni . (11) E Australia and Solomons, Aug-Apr = stegmanni + mongolusxstegmanni mix. far as can be judged from the small samples — and the more western ‘ mongolus group' individuals in measurements, except some- times tarsus). Subspecific winter distribution The following conclusions are based largely on biometric data. Greater Sand Plover (fig. 11, page 186) Some wintering populations are clearly attributable to a single subspecies. All speci- mens from Egypt and the Levant coast (sample 5 in table 5, dated July-February) are columbinus , but for a single undated bird from northern Israel which has crassirostris measurements; and all Indonesian birds (sample 1 1) are nominate leschenaultii. Perhaps more surprising is that, on mea- surements, East African and Karachi birds (samples 9 & 10) are also largely nominate, though apparently with some crassirostris admixed (the bill appears too deep for pure crassirostris , which, despite that name, has a more slender bill than nominate). It seems that at least part of the western population of nominate leschenaultii (from easternmost Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang) migrates southwest rather than southeast. Samples 6-8 in table 5 are a mixture of various races. Birds from the Persian Gulf and Oman (sample 8) consist of two colum- binus (both from southern Iraq, August), the remaining 1 1 being crassirostris , probably admixed with a few nominate leschenaultii. Those from the central Red Sea south to 184 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 .S'. /.. Rivers Hirschfeld et al.; Identification of sand plovers 109- Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii of subspecies Columbians, Israel, April 1996. Quite long, pointed bill. Obvious rufous-cinnamon fringes to upperparts show that this bird is of subspecies Columbians. Somalia (samples 6 & 7) consist of ten prob- able crassirostris (August-February, one June) and 30 probable columbinus (mostly June-March), although as many as 13 of the latter have wing below 140 mm, whereas, of 25 adult Middle East columbinus, only one (a female from northern Syrian Desert', May) has wing below 140 mm. These samples include two adults with wing of 135 mm: one taken on 24th April 1919 on Aibat Island, off Saylac, northwest Somalia (close to Saad e' Din Island, where a pair with small pulli has been found: Archer & Godman 1937), 110. Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus of nominate subspecies mongolus, Hong Kong, April 1988. Note the dark line bordering the breast-band, and the dark, intense rufous coloration of the breast-band. and another, with plumage condition indica- tive of possible breeding, taken on 15th May 1934 at Lake Assal in Djibouti. Although denied by Vaurie (1965), the rumour that a population of Greater Sand Plovers breeds along the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden may be true; as elsewhere, breeding sites are often occupied only temporarily and errati- cally, depending on local rains, and nests are difficult to find. It is possible that a popula- tion breeds along the Red Sea that is similar to columbinus, but with shorter wing and perhaps shorter tarsus. Fig. 10. Non-breeding plumages of Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii. (Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus in these plumages is almost identical.) British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 185 Alan Harris Ray Tipper Hirschfeld et al.: Identification of sand plovers Fig. 11. Non-breeding distribution of races of Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii. Breeding ranges (in part hypothetical) outlined in black, with large symbol in centre. Bicoloured square = larger Columbians from Middle East; open dot = smaller columbinus possibly breeding along shores of Red Sea; black triangle = crassirostris ; black dot = nominate leschenaultii. Numbers refer to larger samples from a site. Lesser Sand Plover (fig. 12) As discussed above, it is difficult to assign many Lessers to a particular race on mea- surements. Existing data are summarised in tables 6 & 7. Using biometrics in combina- tion with darkness or paleness of plumage, we have presented a tentative picture of sub- specific winter distribution in fig. 12; this is considered the best possible interpretation of the data according to present knowledge, but it is far from being definitive. Some indi- viduals appear intermediate, or seem likely to belong to an atypical population of a par- ticular subspecies, while the possibility of the existence of as yet undiscovered breeding populations has also to be borne in mind. Nevertheless, the race schaeferi is easy to recognise by measurements and plumage, as are stegmanni from the Commander Islands and mongolus from inland East Siberia. While atrifrons and pamirensis are sepa- rable from the others as a group, within that group variation from typical atrifrons to typical pamirensis is clinal and some speci- mens from wintering grounds are therefore hard to assign to one or the other. Similarly, the Anadyr and Chukotskiy population is more or less intermediate between stegmanni and nominate mongolus. 186 British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et al./ Identification of sand plovers Fig. 12. Non-breeding distribution of races of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. Breeding ranges (in part hypothetical) outlined in black, with large symbol in centre. Black downward- pointing triangle = pamirensis\ bicoloured square = atrifrons ; black dot = schaeferi ; bicoloured dot = nominate mongolus ; black upward-pointing triangle = stegmanni (Kamchatka-Chukotskiy population); black square = typical stegmanni from Commander Is. Numbers refer to larger samples from a site. Acknowledgments The following have in 'arious ways contributed to this paper by supplying information on distribution or field identification of these species: Enno Ebels, Peter Flint, Annika Forsten, Steve Gantlett, Ricard Gutierrez, Guy Kirwan, Lars Larsson, Jan Lontkowski, Joseph Morlan, Michal Skakuj.Tadeusz Stawarczyk and Anders Wirdheim. Important photographs (some of which are reproduced here) were provided by: Jan-Michael Breider, Geoff Carey, Hanne & Jens Eriksen, Dick Forsman, Axel Halley, Dr Mike Hill, Lars Jonsson, Dr Clive Minton, Ray Tipper, Magnus Ullman, Jan Unoson and Arnoud B. van den Berg. Peter Colston, Rene W. R J. Dekker, Jon Fjeldsa, Goran Frisk, Vladimir Loskot, Robert Prys-Jones, Prof. Burkhard Stephan, Pavel Tomkovich and Renate van den Elzen are most cordially thanked for allowing us to examine specimens from the collections under their care or for sending specimens on loan. We also thank Killian Mullarney for his extensive and helpful comments on the photographs and captions. British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 References To save space, not ail references on distribution cited below the maps are listed here. Details of most or all of these can be found in the later volumes of BWP or can he obtained from CSR. A full list of all references consulted has been deposited at the Alexander Library of the EGI, Oxford. Aharoni, J. 1931 Brutbiologisches aus der Syrische Wiiste und dem Libanon. Beitr. Fortpfl. biol.Vogel 7: 161-166,222-226. Alstrom, P. 1991. Faltbestamning av mongolpipare Vdr Fdgelvdrld 50: 33-37. — , Colston, R, & Lewington, I 1991. A Field Guide to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. London. Archer, G., & Godman, E. M. 1937. The Birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf of Aden 1-2. London. Balachandran, S., & Natarajan, V. 1992. Possible occurrences of four subspecies of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus at Pt. Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 89: 118-119. Barter, M. 1991 Biometrics and moult of Mongolian Plovers Charadrius mongolus spending the noil- 187 Hirschfeld et al./ Identification of sand plovers breeding season in Australia Stilt 18: 15-20 Baumgart, W., Kasparek, M., & Stephan, B 1995. Die Vogel Syriens: ein Ubersicht. Heidelberg. Bottema, S. 1987. A breeding record of the Greater Sand Plover in Syria. OSME Bull. 18. 8-9. Cheltsov-Bebutov, A. M. 1976. [Geographical variation of the Largebilled Plover and its possible causes ] Ornitologiya 12:200-206. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 3 Oxford. del Hoyo. J., Elliott, A , & Sargatal.J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3. Barcelona. Dowsett, R I 1969. Greater Sandplovers Charadrius leschenaultii Lesson at Lake Chad. Bull. BOC 89: 73- 74. Flint, P R , Stewart, P F, & Kirwan.G. M. 1997. A review of claimed records of Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus from Cyprus and Turkey. Sandgrouse 19: 133-139. Gebauer, A., & Nadler. T 1992. Verhalten und Stimme des Mongolenregenpfeiffers Charadrius mongolus. Limicola 6: 105-125 Hayman, P, Marchant, J., & Prater, T. 1986. Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the World. London & Sydney. Hirschfeld, E . & Stawarczyk, T. 1993 Feeding jizz identification of sand plovers Birding World 6: 454- 455. — & — 1994. Leg colour of Kentish Plovers. OSME Bull. 33: 10-11. — , Mohamed, S. A , & Stawarczyk, T. 1996. Migration pattern, weight, measurements and moult of waders ringed in August-September 1992 in Bahrain. Wader Study Group Bull. 80: 69-77. Hockey, P. 1993. Identification forum: jizz identification of sand plovers. Birding World 6: 369-372. Hollom, P A.D., Porter, R. F, Christensen, S , & Willis, I. 1988. Birds of the Middle East and North Africa. Calton. Johansen, H 1961. Revised list of the birds of the Commander Islands. Auk 78: 44-56. Johnsgard, PA. 1981. The Plovers, Sandpipers and Snipes of the World. Nebraska. Jonsson, I.. 1992. Birds of Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. London. Kapanen, M 1996. Finland next? - Lesser Sandplover. Alula 1:28-33. Kishchinski, A. A. 1968. Ptitsy Kolymsk Nagor’ya [The birds of the Kolyma Highlands]. Moscow. Kurochkin, E. N , & Mikhailov, K. E. 1994. Gnezdovaya avifauna Gobiiskoi territorii Mongolii.In Kurochkin, E. N. (ed.), Sovremennaya ornitologiya 1992 [The breeding bird fauna of the Gobi territory of Mongolia, in Present-day ornithology 1992]. Ross. Akad. Sci./Menzbir Orn. Soc., Naukoi, Moscow. Mauersberger. G 1975 The first records of the Mongolian Plover, Charadrius mongolus Pallas, for Mongolia Bull BOC 95: 131-133 Meyer de Schauensee, R. 1937. First preliminary report on the results of the second Dolan expedition to West China and Tibet: two new birds from Tibet Proc. Acad Nat Sci. Philadelphia 89: 339-340. Millington, R 1988. Greater Sand Plover in Cumbria Birding World 1 250-252. Mitchell, I) , & Young, S. 1997. Photographic Handbook of the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. London. Nadler, T., & Kdnigstedt, D. 1986. Zur Unterscheidung von Mongolenregenpfeiffer ( Charadrius mongolus ) und Wustenregenpfeiffer ( Charadrius leschenaultii) und zu ihrem Vorkommen in der Mongolei (MVR) (Aves, Charadriiformes, Charadriidae). Zool Abb. Staatl Mas. Tierkde Dresden 42: 79-106 Prater, T., Marchant, J. H , & Vuorinen, J. 1977. Guide to the Identification and Ageing of Holarctic Waders. BTO Guide 17,Tring. Schafer, E , & Meyer de Schauensee, R. 1939. Zoological results of the second Dolan expedition to western China and eastern Tibet 1934-1936. Part II, - birds. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 90: 185-260. Shirihai. H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. London. — , Christie, D.. & Harris, A. 1996. The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds. London. Sinclair, I C., & Nicholls, G. H 1980. Winter identification of Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers. Brit Birds 73: 206-213. Stresemann, E. 1940. Die Rassen von Charadrius mongolus. Orn. Monatsber. 48: 51-56. — , Meise.W , & Schonwetter, M 1938. Aves beickianae - Beitriige zur Ornithologie von Nordwest-Kansu nach den Forschungen von Walter Beick (t) in den Jahren 1926-1933,11./ Orn. 86: 171-221, Taylor, P. B 1982 Field identification of sand plovers in East Africa. Dutch Birding 4: 1 1 3-130. Ticehurst, C B. 1929. [Notes on Charadrius columbinus in Egypt. Falco japonicus, and Streptopelia decaocto] . Bull. BOC 50: 7-10 Tourenq, C., Avirmed, A., Monchtujaa, B , & Felt, C. 1996 Observations ornithologiques dans le sud- ouest de la Mongolie. Alauda 64: 355-362, 405-412. Vaurie, C. 1965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna Non-Passeriformes. London. — 1972 Tibet and its Birds. London Wannhof, U. 1993. Ornithologische Beobachtungen auf der Beringinsel. la Ike 40: 42-50. Watson, G. E. 1961 Aegean bird notes including two breeding records new to Europe. J. Orn. 102: 30 1 - 307. Erik Hirschfeld, Sodra Forstadsgatan 62, SE-21 1 43 Malmo, Sweden C. S. (Kees) Roselaar, Zoological Museum , University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94766, 1090 GT A msterdam, Netherlands Hadoram Shirihai, PO Box 4168, Eilat 88102, Israel Appendix 1 Nomenclature of subspecies of Greater Sand Plover The correct naming of the three races is difficult to establish Of the valid names available, the taxon leschenaultii was described by Lesson in 1826 from a 188 wintering bird in Pondicherry (southeast coast of India): geoffroyi, described by Wagler in 1827, was based on winterers from Pondicherry and Java: columbinus Wagler, 1829, was based on a juvenile or winter-plumaged bird taken by Hemprich & Ehrenberg in Arabia (probably on coast of Red Sea); and gigas Brehm, 1855, was based on a bird taken in British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 Hirschfeld et a].. Identification of sand plovers November in Suez Only the name crassirostris of Severtzov, 1873, was based partly on breeding birds, but the type series came from localities as far apart as Perovsk [now Kzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan], Chatir-Kul [now Chatyrkel, south-central Kyrgyzstan] , and the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea near the Gulf of Krasnovodsk [western Turkmenistan] . Although relatively few of the many winter birds from India in the BMNH were examined, and none from Pondicherry, it is likely that Pondicherry is visited only by individuals of the Eastern group, especially as eastern populations predominate even as far west as southern Pakistan (Karachi) and East Africa, and the specimens from that part of Indonesia nearest to Pondicherry (18 skins from Simeulue, Nias and western Sumatra) are all of eastern origin according to measurements. The name geoffroyi is a newer name for birds of the same eastern origin. The type of columbinus is still available at the Zoological Museum in Berlin: from its measurements (wing 135 mm, bill 22 mm:Ticehurst 1929), the small, short-billed Middle East population should be known by this name. Moreover, of 33 skins examined from the northern and central Red Sea, only two are definitely Transcaspian birds by measurements, the remainder (all small and short-billed) being similar to Middle East breeders: also, a bird ringed on 7th September 1981 at Suakin (Sudan) was recovered in its probable breeding area in inland Syria on 3rd April 1982 ( Wader Study Group Bid l 55: 39). The name gigas is a junior synonym of columbinus, as concluded from measurements of the type (wing 137 mm, bill 22.5 mm: Ticehurst 1929) and from its wintering site. Two localities from which the taxon crassirostris was described. Perovsk and the east shore of the Caspian, are within the breeding range of the Transcaspian group The third, Chatir-Kul, is not known to harbour breeding Greater Sand Plovers (it has Lesser instead), although the Chatir-Kul specimen is dated 8th August 1867 and is thus probably a migrant, from either the Transcaspian or the Eastern group. Nevertheless, as both other localities are in the breeding range of the Transcaspian group, the name crassirostris is preferred for this group, in accordance with Cheltsov-Bebutov's (1976) proposal in his revision of the Soviet forms of Greater Sand Plover Thus, as in BWP (vol. 3), three races are recognised, columbinus, crassirostris and nominate leschenaultii, though the boundaries between the subspecies differ somewhat from those given in BWP (see fig. 1). Nomenclature of subspecies of Lesser Sand Plover For the five possible races, the following taxon names are available. In the mongolus group: mongolus Pallas, 1776, described from the salt lakes close to the Mongolian border (in Russia; type obtained 28th-31st May 1772 at Tarey-nor, south of Kulusutay in southern Buryat Republic); cirrbepidesmus, Wagler, 1827, no locality given (type in Paris Museum); sanguineus Lesson, 1828. no locality given (type in Paris Museum); inornata Gould, 1846, Australia; mastersi Ramsay, 1876, northeast Queensland; litoralis Stegmann, 1937, described from a male taken 18th May 1929 on Bering Island in the Commander Islands; as litoralis was already in use for another species of Charadrius , the name was replaced by stegmanni (by Stresemann in 1940). In the atrifrons group atrifrons (name based on a breeding-plumaged adult male), described by Wagler in 1829 from Bengal, is available, as well as inconspicuus Wagler. 1829, also from Bengal Other valid names are pyrrhothorax Gould, 1837, without locality (type in Leiden Museum, obtained from St Petersburg Museum); rufinellus Blyth, 1843, from Calcutta; pamirensis Richmond, 1896, based on an adult male obtained 1 6th June 1894 at Tagdumbash Pamir (about 37. 30°N, 75.1 5°E, western Xinjiang); and schaeferi Meyer de Schauensee, 1938, based on an adult male taken 13th June 1935 in Tibet at Schafer's Camp 104, about 100 miles north of Jyekundo [= Yushu; the site of Camp 104 is south of the Bayan Har Shan Mts in southeast Qinghai. China, at about 34.20°N, 96.45°E according to Schafer & Meyer de Schauensee 1939, but at about 33 50°N, 97.10°E according to Vaurie 1972], In the mongolus group . the type locality Kulusutay of nominate mongolus is within the range of migrants of the paler and rather long-legged and long-billed birds breeding from northern Transbaikalia to Amurland; hence, the latter should be known by this name. For the darker, short-legged, short-billed birds from the Commander Islands, the name stegmanni can be used If the dark but fairly long-legged and long- billed birds from the mainland between Kamchatka and Chukotskiy are to be separated as a subspecies, one of the other names ( cirrbepidesmus , sanguineus, inornata, mastersi) is perhaps available; populations in this area are, however, better considered an intermediate form between nominate mongolus and stegmanni, thus recognising only two subspecies within the mongolus group', in agreement with, e.g., Kishchinski (1968), who considered all dark birds to be stegmanni In the atrifrons group’, the type of atrifrons from Bengal is a small dark bird, inseparable from the breeding population of southern Tibet and northern Sikkim (Stresemann 1 940), and hence the population of the central-southern Himalayas should be known as atrifrons. From (about) the same type locality as atrifrons, inconspicuus and rufinellus are likely to be synonyms of that, as most wintering birds examined from this area are also dark and small. The type of pyrrhothorax (dark and small, wing 125 mm, tarsus 32.5 mm. bill 16.6 mm) also belongs to atrifrons. The name pamirensis is available for the paler and larger but fairly short-billed birds from the Pamirs and neighbouring parts of Wakhan, Lahul, Ladakh and Kashmir, as well as from the western Kun l.un, eastern Alai and Tien Shan. The distinct pale, large and long- billed subspecies wintering in western Indonesia (average wing 130.8 mm, bill 18.8 mm) has probably to be named schaeferi The type of schaeferi from southeast Qinghai, though long-billed, is almost as dark as atrifrons from southern Tibet and, although birds from nearby northeast Qinghai are about as pale as Indonesian birds (and as pamirensis), the bill appears to be shorter than in Indonesia: the wing of the type of schaeferi and that of another skin from southeast Qinghai are 128 and 131 mm, and the bill of both 19 mm; average wing of birds from northeast Qinghai is 130.7 mm, bill 17.6 mm (Meyer de Schauensee 1937; Stresemann et al. 1938; Stresemann 1940). The name schaeferi should perhaps be restricted to darker long- billed birds from southeast Qinghai, but. for stability in naming the taxon as recognised here, it includes paler, shorter-billed birds from northeast Qinghai, as well as paler long-billed individuals from unknown breeding grounds wintering in western Indonesia, in \ agreement with BWP. Ot British Birds 93: 162-189, April 2000 189 Ian Lewington Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland: a Pacific Ocean auk new to the Western Palearctic Lionel Maumary and Peter Knaus ABSTRACT Between 15th and 18th December 1997, a first-winter Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus of the Asian subspecies perdix was discovered dead in a fishing net at Zollikon, Lake Zurich, Switzerland. It constitutes the first record of this Pacific Ocean species for the Western Palearctic, accepted by the Swiss Rarities Committee as relating to a wild bird and placed in Category A. The circumstances of the finding and identification of the specimen are described, and an updated overview of the conservation status in the breeding range and of the taxonomy of this little-known, threatened auk is provided. History of discovering the specimen Between the mornings of 15th and 18th December 1997, fisherman llrs Baumler found in his nets a drowned little bird. It was about the same size as a Little Grebe Tachy- baptus ruficollis, but he could not identify it. The locality was at Zollikon, Lake Zurich (47°20' N, 8°34' E), 400 m beyond the borders of Zurich. The nets were placed 40 m from the shore at a depth of 3-4 m. At that time of the year, the area is the favourite place for the fishing of spawning whitefish Coregonus. The drenched bird was carefully taken out of the net and the corpse was kept in a freezer for the next few days. In due course, U. Baumler informed Rene von Allmen, who had asked him to preserve any bird drowned in his nets. In spring 1998, R. von Allmen brought the bird to his taxidermist, Bruno Ambauen, who 190 British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland 111. Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus of Asian subspecies perdix , found dead between 15th and 18th December 1997 in Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Note the lack of a white partial collar and the more extensive dark plumage on nape and lores, features which exclude the nominate subspecies. 112. Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus of Asian subspecies perdix, found dead between 15th and 18th December 1997 in Lake Zurich, Switzerland. Note the dark juvenile belly feathers. British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 191 Peter Knaus Peter Knaus Maumary & Kuans: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland Table 1. Measurements (in mm) of the two forms of Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus and those of the Swiss specimen found in 1997. Measurements of B. m. marmoratus are from British Columbia, those of B. m.perdix from Sea of Okhotsk (Sealy et at 1982; Shibaev 1990). Figures give mean ± S.D. (sample) when available, with range in parentheses below. Bill width of Swiss specimen was 5.0mm. Total Flattened Exposed length wing culmen Bill height Tarsus B m marmoratus (Harrison 1985) 250 (240-260) male (Shibaev 1990) 134.2±1,2 (25) 15.5+0.3 (36) 6.0+0. 1 (26) 16.2±0.2 (37) (128-140) (13.2-17.4) (5. 4-6. 6) (15.1-17.6) female (Shibaev 1990) 132. 6± 1.8 (23) 15.3(32) 5.8±0. 1 (23) 15.9±0.3 (39) (122-139) (13.7-17.6) (5. 3-6.8) (13. 9-17. 3) B. m.perdix (Flint et al. 1989) 330 male (Sealy et al. 1982) I4l.6±4.0 (7) 20.3±1 .4 (6) 6.4±0.3 (5) 17.4±0.9 (6) (135-146) (18.2-22.2) (6. 0-6.6) (15. 9-18. 5) male (Shibaev 1990) 141.2 20.2 18.1 (136-147) (18.9-22.2) (17.0-18.7) female (Shibaev 1990) 138.3 19.6 18.0 (130-145) (18.8-21.0) (16.8-19.0) Swiss specimen 300 141 18.2 6.0 19.0 also could not identify7 the species. R. von Allmen collected the mounted specimen and exhibited it in his private collection. It was not until September 1998 that Jiirg Kagi, by chance, discovered the bird, which he thought was a young Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle. He took some photos and wrote about his findings to Raffael Winkler, at the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, who in turn informed the Swiss Rarities Com- mittee. There, the bird was correctly identi- fied by LM from photographs as a first-winter Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus mar- moratus of the Asiatic subspecies perdix (plates 1 1 1 & 1 12). The specimen was exam- ined at the session of the Swiss Rarities Com- mittee on 28th November 1998, and the subspecies was unanimously admitted to Category A of the Swiss List (Knaus & Balzari 1999). This record represents also the first observation of the species for the Western Palearctic.The specimen is now exhibited at the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel (no. 99-004). Description of the specimen and measurements Small, neckless auk with brownish-grey upperparts; dark crown, dark colour 192 British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 extending below the eye straight to the gape; white crescent below the eye; indis- tinct whitish patches on both sides of the nape; white scapulars; upperwing and tail uniformly dark, all rectrices blackish; chin, throat, breast and belly white, the latter marked with brownish-black patches; fine and long, slightly downcurved dark bill; legs brownish-pink, feet blackish. The body feathers seem to be completely moulted, with the exception of the dark juvenile belly feathers. The plumage looks fresh, without any visible abrasion on remiges. Measurements are given in table 1. Identification The only similar small auk with white scapu- lars is the closely related Kittlitz’s Murrelet B. brevirostris. That species was, however, excluded by its paler appearance in winter, created by the whiter face' with a con- trasting dark eye, and its much shorter bill. The identification of the subspecies was con- firmed through the generally larger size (table 1) and the different colouring (espe- cially the lack of a white partial collar; see fig. 1 & plate 111), which excluded the nomi- nate American subspecies marmoratus (Har- rison 1985, 1987; Shibaev 1990; Ralph et al. Fig. 1. The two subspecies of Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus (from Gaston & Jones 1998). la = adult summer, nominate subspecies; lb = recently fledged juvenile, nominate subspecies; lc = adult winter, nominate subspecies; Id = adult summer,/?. m.perdix', le = adult winter,/?, m.perdix. Note the lack of a white partial collar and the more extensive dark plumage on nape and lores in winter plumage of B. m.perdix. 1995; Enticott & Tipling 1997; Gaston & Jones 1998). Origin When the question of origin was discussed, the likelihood of an escape was quickly dis- missed, since no Marbled Murrelet is known to be kept in captivity. Furthermore, there was no evidence of human assistance: this species lives in remote areas, and all feathers of the specimen looked fresh. In addition, young birds are more likely to be genuine vagrants than adults. Although at first sight an unlikely candi- date for natural vagrancy to the Western Palearctic, this case is not without prece- dent. There were already European records British Birds 93; 190-199, April 2000 of four other small Pacific Ocean auks: Para- keet Auklet Cyclorrhynchus psittacula, Crested Auklet Aethia cristatella, Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus and Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata (Horring 1933; Risberg 1990;Waldon 1994; Cederroth 1995). Taxonomy The Marbled Murrelet is currently separated into two phenotypically distinct subspecies (figs. 1 & 2): a smaller one in North America (/?. m. marmoratus) and a larger one (about 50-70 g heavier) in Asia (i?. m. perdix). The Asian form was described as a separate species in 1811, but was lumped with B. marmoratus in the twentieth century (cf. AOLf 1998). 193 Ian Lewington Linda Cooper Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland Fig. 2. Head patterns of Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratns.A = Asian form perdix , B = North American form marmoratns (from Konyukhov & Kitaysky 1995). Molecular data from Zink et al. (1995) do, however, show a degree of differentiation between perdix and marmoratns compa- rable to that between well-differentiated species (using mitochondrial DNA). Other recent analyses of both cytochrome b sequences and allozymes suggest that B. m. perdix is genetically distinct from other brachyramphine murrelets (Friesen et al. 1996). In the view of those authors, this form clearly represents a distinct species, referred to as the Long-billed Murrelet B. perdix , sup- porting its earlier classification. It is in most regards similar to the North American form in terms of its feeding, breeding, moult and habitat ecology, but, unlike its American counterpart, it is migratory. While the evi- dence for separation is considered by some authors to be inconclusive and to require further examination (Monroe & Sibley 1993; 113. Winter-plumaged Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratns of Asian subspecies perdix , Cedar Key, Florida, USA, March 1994. del Hoyo et al. 1996), the American Ornithol- ogists’ Union did split the two forms recently (AOU 1998). Breeding range The Asian Marbled Murrelet breeds on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, from east Kam- chatka through the Kurile Islands and Sakhalin Island and along the shores of the Okhotsk Sea south to northeastern Hokkaido (fig. 3; AOU 1998; Gaston & Jones 1998); in this last region, it is either a very rare breeder or only occasional (Brazil 1991). The nominate subspecies breeds from the Aleutian Islands through Alaska and British Columbia south to California. Most of the North American population breeds in the Alexander Archipelago, Prince William Sound and Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska (Piatt & Ford 1993). The maximum distance inland at which breeding radio-tagged Marbled Mur- relets have been found is about 100 km, although most appear to nest less than 60 km inland (Ralph et al. 1995). Ecology This murrelet s ecology is poorly known, as the species is nocturnal and non-colonial on its breeding grounds, which are scattered in forested areas. Only four nests of B. m. perdix were found in Russia during the 22 years from 1963 to 1984 (Shibaev 1990). Conif- erous forests, especially of East Siberian Larch Larix daurica, provide the most important breeding habitat in northern Siberia. On Hokkaido Island in Japan, a breeding female with three eggs was col- lected in June 1961, as well as four fledged young in August 1982 (Brazil 1991). LTp to 1993, 17 nests of B. m. marmoratns had been found in Alaska (Piatt & Ford 1993). Unlike most seabirds. Marbled Murrelets fly inland to nest solitarily on mossy branches or in hollows of large trees in old-growth coniferous woods. The flightless juveniles presumably stay there until they fledge (Har- rison 1985), or perhaps use the nearest river or stream to reach the sea (Konyukhov & Kitaysky 1995). Some fraction of the popula- tion nests on the ground in Alaska (Piatt & Ford 1993). At sea, they feed mainly inshore, rarely venturing more than a few kilometres off- shore (Sealy 1975; Harrison 1985). During 94 British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland Fig. 3- Breeding and wintering distributions of the Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus in the Pacific Ocean (from Gaston & Jones 1998). summer, however, they have been recorded at up to 75 km from land (Morgan et al. 1991). Year-round use of coastal freshwater lakes, usually within 20 km of the ocean, is known from Sakhalin and Kamchatka as well as along the west coast of North America (Carter & Sealy 1986). The diet is dominated by crustaceans and small fish, usually caught at less than 30 m under the surface, and gen- erally within 500 m of the shore (Sealy 1975). Conservation status Although widespread, the Marbled Murrelet is one of the four species of Pacific auk listed in The World List of Threatened Birds (Collar et al. 1994). Marbled Murrelets are declining in numbers throughout most of their range owing to conflict with logging interests, vul- nerability to oil pollution, and drowning in gill nets ("Ralph et al. 1995). They have almost disappeared from several parts of their range, especially in the south, and are under pressure from loss of habitat in other areas. The species is listed officially as threat- ened' in Canada and endangered’ in Cali- fornia, Oregon and Washington (Friesen et al. 1996). In Alaska, where 85% of the 300,000 North American Marbled Murrelets reside (Ralph et al. 1995), a possible 50% decrease from 1972 to 1992 has been suspected (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Outside Alaska, the species is probably even more restricted in its breeding to high-volume old-growth forests than is the Northern Spotted Owl Strix occi- dentalism and it has recently become an important symbol for the saving of old- growth forests in the Pacific Northwest (Piatt & Ford 1993). The sharply declining Russian population, estimated at 50,000 to 100,000 individuals, is also under increasing threat from the logging of prime old-growth forests. This logging activity7 has accelerated in recent years, particularly on Sakhalin Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula, appar- ently without regard for wildlife considera- tions (Konyukhov & Kitaysky 1995). To make matters worse, intensive development of the oil industry on the Okhotsk and Bering Sea shelves is proceeding without appropriate control and is, according to Konyukhov & Kitaysky (1995), potentially threatening to shelf ecosystems in general. British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 195 Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland Fig. 4. Hypothetical routes of the Swiss Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus: (a) direct northern route (7,000 km); (b) route through continental Siberia (10,000 km); (c) route crossing North America and the Atlantic Ocean (17,000 km). The Marbled Murrelet was one of the five species most severely affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 (Piatt & Lensink 1989). Movements The Russian population is the most migra- tory, leaving its breeding grounds in Sep- tember and October for the Sea of Okhotsk, where it spends the winter. A few remain off Sakhalin, but many migrate south to Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu), where most records are from November to March (Brazil 1991). A few occasionally reach the Sea of China south to Fujian (Etchecopar & Hue 1978; Cheng 1987), Korea and Taiwan. Other note- worthy records are of a first-year found on 26th October 1967 180 km inland on Lake Khanka, and of an adult on 13th July 1980 more than 200 km inland, on the Bikin River (Shibaev 1990). The most northerly record is of one bird collected near Kolyuchin Bay on the north coast of the Chukotskiy Peninsula (Bedard 1966). In North America, there are 36 confirmed records of the form perdix , 23 of which are from far inland or from the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Massachu- setts, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida (Mlodinow 1997). Interestingly, these records are from localities much farther east than the American subspecies is known to occur during its breeding and non-breeding seasons (fig. 3; Jehl & Jehl 1981; Sealy et al. 1982; Ralph et al. 1995). Circumstances of the appearance of the Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland With its strictly Pacific Ocean distribution, the Marbled Murrelet is one of the least expected vagrants to this side of the planet, and certainly not to be expected in the most continental location possible in Central Europe (at least 600 km from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, 300 km from the Mediterranean Sea). Indeed, the only other auk ever recorded in Switzerland was a Common Guillemot Uria aalge, collected in January 1836 at Vevey, Lake Geneva (Winkler 1999). In addition, the small and declining population size of the Marbled Murrelet makes the Swiss record even more extraordi- nary. The Asian subspecies is, however, migra- tory, at least in the northern part of its breeding range, and has proved capable of long-distance vagrancy south to Taiwan, north to the Chukotskiy Sea and (presum- ably) east to inland lakes and the Atlantic coast of North America, more than 10,000 km from its nesting grounds. The possibility of misoriented birds flying in the opposite direction to that of the sea from their nest 196 British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland has been put forward in those cases when grounded fledglings have been discovered far inland (Ralph et al. 1995). Unlike the low skimming flight over water, the commuting flight overland between the nesting site and the sea occurs at great height (Harrison 1985). This could expose the birds - espe- cially fledglings leaving the nest - to storms. Furthermore, the flight is described as swift and direct, but not powerful, which could make this species liable to be drifted by strong winds, as in the case of other classic Siberian vagrants to Western Europe (cf. Cot- tridge &Vinicombe 1996). The shortest way to Europe would be a straight route front the Sea of Okhotsk through Yakutia to the Lena, Taimyr Penin- sula, Kara Sea, Barents Sea, Finland and the Baltic Sea, totalling only' 7,000 km, instead of some 10,000 km through continental Siberia (fig. 4). The hypothesis of a northern route could be supported by the Chukotskiy Sea record. On the other hand, analysis of the weather maps from the Swiss Meteorological Institute reveals strong north winds over Central Europe on 14th December 1997, turning to northeasterlies over western Russia and the Baltic Sea and to easterly winds over Central Europe on 15th December 1997 (fig. 5). A possible scenario for the appearance of the murrelet on Lake Zurich could be that the bird followed a flock of Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula, a large number of which winter on Swiss lakes, which hold 22% of the wintering pop- ulation of Western Europe (Geroudet 1987). Ringing recoveries have shown that some of them originate from the Ob and Yenisey Basins, 4,500 km from Switzerland. If, instead, the murrelet crossed North America and the Atlantic Ocean following the same latitude, it must have travelled at least 17,000 km, which is less likely. Of the 16 Pacific Ocean auk species, four Fig- 5- Weather map of 15th December 1997. Note the strong northeasterly winds from Russia. H = High.T = Trough. British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 197 Swiss Meteorological Institute Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland were already on the Western Palearctic list: (1) Parakeet Auklet, collected on Lake Vattern, Sweden, in December I860 (Risberg 1990); (2) Crested Auklet, collected at sea, northeast Iceland, in August 1912 (Horring 1933); (3) Ancient Murrelet, adult observed at Lundy, Devon, England, during three con- secutive springs from 27th May 1990 to 29th April 1992 (Waldon 1994); and (4) Tufted Puffin, adult observed at Lagaoset, Halland, offshore in Laholmsbukten, Sweden, on 1st and 8th June 1994 (Cederroth 1995). There are records of two other Pacific Ocean species in the Western Palearctic: Aleutian Tern Sterna aleutica in Great Britain (1979; Dixey et al 1981), and Glau- cous-winged Gull Lams glancescens in the Canary Islands (1992; de Juana & Comite de Rarezas de la Sociedad Espanola de Orni- tologia 1998) and Morocco (1995 .Porphyria 9: 170). A Swiss report from 1969 of the latter species has been rejected owing to the circumstances of its finding not having been confirmed (Winkler 1999). The Ancient Murrelet, which has a similar distribution to that of Marbled Murrelet. has been recorded occasionally far inland in North America, most frequently in October and November. These appearances have been associated with offshore storms and poor visibility along the Pacific coast. Just like the British Ancient Murrelet, which spent three consecutive springs at a latitude similar to that of its British Columbian breeding areas, the Swiss Marbled Murrelet was at precisely the mean latitude (47°) of the species’ normal winter range. As the Marbled Murrelet is able to survive on fresh- water lakes for considerable periods (Carter & Sealy 1986), the good condition of the bird collected in Lake Zurich, apparently diving after fish, is not surprising. This amazing record gives the opportu- nity to raise concern in Europe for this little- known, threatened auk and to plead for the implementation of conservation measures within its breeding range Acknowledgments We should like to thank Urs Baumler, Rene von Allmen, Bruno Ambauen, (iirg Kiigi and Dr Raffael Winkler, for drawing the specimen to our attention; Hubert Duperrex, Jean Lehmann, Dr Christian Marti, Steven G. Mlodinow and Dr Bernard Volet, for their help in finding references; and Michel Baudraz, Steffen Gysel and Paul Mosimann, for reviewing and improving the manuscript. We thank the following, who kindly permitted us to reproduce the figures and plates in this article: Linda Cooper for her slides of a live bird; Dr C. John Ralph, of the US Forest Service, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, California, for the figure showing the head patterns of B m. marmoratus and B in. perdix ; Oxford University Press for the distribution map and Ian Lewington s colour plate front Gaston & Jones (1998); and the Swiss Meteorological Institute for the weather map References American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) 1998. Check- list of North American Birds. 7th edn. Washington Bedard, J. 1966. New records of alcids from St Lawrence Island. Alaska. Condor 68: 503-506. Brazil, M.A. 1991 The Birds of Japan . Washington . Carter, H R & Sealy, S. G 1986. Year-round use of coastal lakes by Marbled Murrelets. Condor 88: 473- 477. Cederroth, C. 1995. Sallsynta faglar i Sverige 1994 - rapport friin SOF:s raritetskommitte. Vdr Fdgelvdrld, suppl. 22 125-147. Cheng, Tso-hsin 1987. A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China. Beijing. Collar, N.J., Crosby, M. J., & Stattersfield.A.J 1 994. Birds to Watch 2 the World List of Threatened Birds. BirdLife Conservation Series no. 4. Cambridge Cottridge, D M .. & Vinicombe. K 1996. Rare Birds of Britain and Ireland: a photographic record. London. Cramp, S. (ed.) 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 4. Oxford. de Juana, E., & Comite de Rarezas de la Sociedad Espanola de Ornitologia. 1998. Observaciones de aves raras en Espana, ano 1996. Ardeota 45: 97-1 16. del Hoyo, I , Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. (eds.) 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3. Barcelona. Dixey, A. E., Ferguson, A , Heywood. R , & Taylor, A. R 1981 Aleutian Tern: new to the Western Palearctic. Brit. Birds 74: 41 1-416. Enticott, J., & Tipling, D. 1997. Photographic Handbook of the Seabirds of the World. London Etchecopar, R D , & Hue, F 1978. Les Oiseaux de Chine, de Mongolie et de Coree-Non Passereaux. Papeete. Flint, V E , Boehme, R L , Kostin, Y.V., & Kuznetsov, A. A. 1989. A Field Guide to Birds of the USSR Oxford Friesen, V. L Piatt, J F. & Baker. A J. 1996. Evidence from cytochrome b sequences and allozymes for a new' species of alcid: the Long-billed Murrelet ( Brachyramphus perdix ). Condor 98: 681-690 Gaston, A. J , & Jones, I I 1998. The Auks: Alcidae. Oxford Geroudet, P 1987 Les Oiseaux du lac Leman. Paris. Harrison, P 1985. Seabirds: an identification guide. London — 1 987 Seabirds of the World: a photographic guide. London Horring, R 1933 Aethia cristatella (Pallas) skudt ved Island. Dansk orn. Foren. Tidsskr. 2": 103-105. Jehl, D. R . & Jehl.J. R. 1981 A North American record of the Asiatic Marbled Murrelet (.Brachyramphus marmoratus perdix). Amer. Birds 35: 91 1-912. 198 British Birds 93: 190-199, April 2000 Knaus. P . & Balzari. C.A 1999 Seltene Vogelarten und ungewdhnliche Vogelbeobachtungen in der Schweiz im Jahre 1998. Orn Beob. 96 Konyukhov, N. B . & Kitaysky.A. S. 1995. The Asian race of the Marbled Murrelet. In: Ralph. C. J., Hunt. G 1. Raphael. M. G., & Piatt. J. F. (eds.). Ecology and Conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. Albany, pp. 23-29. Mlodinow, S. G. 199"7. The Long-billed Murrelet ( Brachyramphus perdix') in North America. Birding 29:461-475. Monroe. B. L . & Sibley, C. G. 1 993 A World Checklist of Birds New Haven & London. Morgan. K. H . Vermeer. K & McKelvey, R. W 1991 Atlas of Pelagic Birds of Western Canada Ottawa Piatt. [ F., & Ford, R. G. 1993 Distribution and abundance of Marbled Murrelets in Alaska Condor 93: 662-669 — & Lensink, C. J. 1989. Exxon Valdez bird toll Nature 342: 865-866. Ralph. C. J . Hunt, G. L, Raphael, M. G , & Piatt. I F. 1995 Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet in North America: an overview. In: Ralph, C.J., Hunt, G I.., Raphael. M G. & Piatt, J. F (eds.), Ecology and Maumary & Knaus: Marbled Murrelet in Switzerland Conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. Albany, pp. 3-22. Risberg. L. 1990. Sveriges faglar: aktuell oversikt over deras utbredning, numerar och flyttning samt nagot om svensk ornitologi. Vdr Fagelvdrld , suppl. 14. Sealy. S. G. 1975. Feeding ecology of the Ancient and Marbled Murrelets near Langara Island. British Columbia. Can. J Zoo!. 53: 418-433. — , Carter. H R , & Alison, D. 1982. Occurrences of the Asiatic Marbled Murrelet [ Brachyramphus marmoratus perdix (Pallas)] in North America. Auk 997778-781 . Shibaev, Y. V. 1990. Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus In: Flint, V. E., & Golovkin, A, N. (eds.). Birds of the USSR: auks (Alcidae ). vol. 6. Moscow, pp 82-88 Waldon.J. 1994. Ancient Murrelet in Devon: new to the Western Palearctic. Brit. Birds 87: 307-310. Winkler, R. 1999. Avifaune de Suisse. Nos Oiseaux, suppl. 3. Zink, R. M., Rohwer, S., Andreev, A. V., & Dittmann, D. L 1995. Trans-Beringia comparisons of mitochondrial DNA differentiation in birds. Condor 97: 639-649. Lionel Maumary, Praz-Secbaud 40, CH- 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland Peter Knaus, Pflanzschulstrasse 49, CH-8004 Zurich, Switzerland ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO: I have just obtained a bird which is in the list of your desiderata, and 1 therefore hope it will be accept- able to you. As the bird agrees in every respect with the descrip- tion given of the stork CArdea Ciconia), except that it is brown or cinereous everywhere but on the belly Your kind favour is just received: and you seem desirous of hearing from me immediately, supposing it will reach you before the bird takes its departure, I have taken my pen to say that the bird will be acceptable to me, either dead or alive. Knowing that you will be anxious to hear of the arrival of the stork, 1 can not delay repeating my best thanks for so valuable an acquisition... it arrived at about 5 o'clock in the evening, when it took some fish as soon as liberated.’ The stork is so much changed in plumage [and] now better accords with Ardea nigra | Black Stork Ciconia nigra ] than heretofore, for at a distance the whole upper parts appear black, but on a nearer view are found to be dark glossy green, except the upper part of the back, which has a resplen- dence of purple, each feather margined with dark green.’ (Zool- ogist 8: 2700-2703, April 1850) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO The aspects of bird-life in the Great Yarmouth district [Norfolk] are exceedingly interesting, and must have been peculiarly so in the earlier part of the century, prior to the improved drainage of the marsh-lands, the encroach- ments of the sportsman, the agri- culturist, and the builder, the advent of railways, and many other untoward circum- stances When first I remember the fens they were full of Terns, Ruffs, and Redlegs; and yet the old fenmen declared there was not a tenth part of what they remembered when boys. Now: these very parts w'hich were the best are totally drained, dry as a bowling green, and oats are grown where seven or eight years back one hundred and twenty-three Snipes were killed in one day by the same gun the marshes at that time [were] swarming with Bitterns, Grebes, Ruffs, and Avocets.’ ( Zoologist Fourth Series 4: 1 53-1 54, April 1900) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: Further to my note on a Razor- bill Alca tarda swimming on its back below the water surface... I had a rather similar experience at Penzance, Cornwall, ... involving a Guillemot Uria aalge BERNARD KING. 1 strongly suspect that hedgerows have, of themselves, assumed too large an importance in the conservation and farming issue in the sense that trying to preserve them, w hile accepting as inevitable a system of farming in which they have become an anachronistic and expensive nui- sance, does not seem very logical. M. SHRUBB. (Brit Birds 68: 159 165-16” April 1975) British Birds 93: 190-199. April 2000 19' James Brian Bottomley (1919-1999) and Sheila Bottomley (1913-1999) 114. Sheila & Brian Bottomley in the 1960s. Everyone who knew Brian and Sheila Bottomley personally or through their photographs will have been shocked and sad- dened by the news of their deaths in a car crash in Cornwall on 16th November 1999. Brian joined the British Army before the Second World War and served as an officer and glider pilot in the Airborne Division, taking part in the Battle of Arnhem. Sheila also served in the Forces, and it was their mutual interest in ornithology that brought them together They settled at Grange-over-Sands in Westmorland (now Cumbria), where their bird photography began. They joined the Nature Photographers' Portfolio in 1957, the Zoologists' Postal Club in 1959 and the Nature Photogra- phers' Society in 1959. In 1964, they moved from Westmorland to a cottage near St Ives in West Cornwall. Whilst they were best known for their wonderful bird-pho- tographs, they were both also very knowledgeable on many aspects of natural history; their photographic subjects included insects, reptiles, and both small and large mammals. They gener- ously shared their expertise with anyone who had similar inter- ests, and were most amiable companions. They were also very hospitable and, in turn, were always welcomed by farmers to record various aspects of local wildlife. They submitted their work regularly to the Royal Photo- graphic Society’s annual exhibi- tion, and were awarded the Society’s much-sought-after Exhi- bition Medal in I960: an award made in recognition of many years of acceptance of previous work. At around this time, they began to experiment with new approaches, turned more to 35- mm cameras, and began their unique experiments in pho- tographing waders, for which they can truly be classed as inno- vators. They pioneered the tech- nique of photographing birds by stalking them, which Brian likened to the tactics employed in military fieldcraft He described it in Bird-photography by stalking' {Brit. Birds 61: 546- 549, plates 63-74). It should be remembered that new cameras and lenses have made this method infinitely easier today than it was then. It is difficult to overstate the pioneering contribution that the Bottomleys made to British nature photography Though less widely appreciated than the late Eric Hosking’s development of the use of flash for bird photography, their demon- stration that away-from- t h e - n e s t p h o t o g raphy, partic- ularly by stalking, can produce quality photographs was a major contribution. They exploited the 35-mm cameras and long lenses that were being introduced in the 1960s. at a time when most other bird-photographers were still using medium-format and large-format equipment, either from a small hide (notably on the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall) or by the stalking technique. Their photographs taken in this manner brought to the attention of others the possibility of pho- tographing rarities and vagrants for documentary purposes. They were much in demand as lecturers, in Cornwall and elsewhere. Brian and Sheila both served on the Council of the Cornwall Bird Watching and © British Birds 93: 200-201, April 2000 Courtesy of Robin McLaren Obituaries Preservation Society, and. tor many years, Brian served on the Council of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, to which they donated many of their glass plates, nega- tives, prints and colour slides. They were the only workers who invariably claimed joint authorship of all they did - all photographs were credited to J. B. & S. Bottomley - and some club members often questioned how two people could produce one photograph, particularly when, by rotation, their period of office as Presidents of the ZPC became due. One member of that Club made so bold as to ask them this question, and was told that they had found that Sheila was better at choosing the right moment to press the button . but that Brian performed the subsequent chemical magic. Some of the best examples of their work are the photographs of the Hayle Long-billed Dow- itcher Limnodromus scolopaceus (Bottomley & Bottomley 1995, PhotoSpot 37. Long-billed Dow- itcher’: Brit. Birds 88: 429), which resulted in considerable advances in dowitcher identifica- tion (Wallace 1968, Dowitcher identification: a brief review : Brit Birds 59: 366-372), and a fine series in the BTO's Guide to the Identification and Ageing of Holarctic Waders (Prater, Marchant &Vuorinen 1977). Brian and Sheila were elected as Fellows of the Royal Photo- graphic Society and as Honorary Subscribers of this journal (Brit. Birds 88: -HtO). V. S. Paton, J. A. Patou, R. J. Chandler and Harold Hems Geoffrey A. Pyman MBE (1920-1999) Although he always said that he was self-educated, it was at Maldon Grammar School that Geoff Pyman first became inter- ested in natural history. In 1939, he joined the Essex Yeomanry, and spent six years in the Middle East, taking part in the siege of Tobruk and the Battle of El Alamein before his unit moved to Syria It was during the German retreat that Geoff acquired a pair of German binoculars. Although field guides were somewhat lacking in those pioneering days, Geoff had, as a boy, corresponded with W. E. Glegg, author of A History of the Birds of Essex (1929), who, upon hearing of Geoff's departure overseas, lent him a copy of The Birds of Europe and North Africa by R. G. Wardlaw Ramsey (1923). With no illustrations, and with descriptions of museum skins rather than birds in the field, the identification challenge provided by warblers and large birds of prey was considerable. After the War, Geoff became the Essex Birdwatching and Preservation Society’s first General Secretary (1949-56). He not only edited the Essex Bird Report from 1949 until 1970, but was also County Recorder for the first seven years. He was elected Chairman of the Society (1959-64), Chairman of the Recording Committee (1970-85), Vice-president (1958-91), and finally, and deservedly, President (1991-99). In 1959, Geoff’s ornitholog- ical knowledge, administrative expertise and reliability were recognised and utilised by the newly formed Rarity Records Committee, later to be renamed the British Birds Rarities Com- mittee, when he was drafted in to become the Committee’s first Hon. Secretary (Brit. Birds 52: 241-244), and he compiled its first three reports (Brit. Birds 53: 153-173, 409-431. 54: 173-200). He remained a voting member of the BBRC for 12 years, until 1970. Among Geoff's other ornithological publica- tions, his investigations 40 years ago into The status of the Red-crested Pochard [Netta rufina] in the British Isles’ (Brit. Birds 52: 42-56) are still referred to today. Geoff’s name is also synonymous with the Essex Wildlife (formerly Naturalists’) Trust. In 1958, he chaired its for- mation committee, and, when the Trust was created in 1959, he became its first Chairman (1959-66), then Vice- chairman for 12 years, Chairman of the Reserves Management Committee for 14 years, Editor of the Journal for ten years, and remained on the Council of Man- agement for 40 years, where he was busy to the last. He was an all-round naturalist, interested in all aspects of wildlife, not just birds, and was an expert botanist and lepidopterist. In 1980, Geoff retired from the position of Principal Admin- istrative Officer of Essex County Council, and was awarded the MBE He rightly regarded this as recognition for services to con- servation as much as for civic duties. Nick Green 115. Geoff Pyman in the early 1960s. British Birds 93: 200-201, April 2000 Courtesy of Essex Wildlife Trust RSPB Conservation research news Compiled by David Gibbons Stone-curlew and Sky Lark likes and dislikes The Stone-curlew Burbinus oedicnemus is one of the raxest and most threatened of breeding birds in the UK, where it occurs at the northwestern edge of its World range. A recent study by the RSPB (Green et al. 2000) has revealed some fascinating in- sights into the species' likes and dislikes. This study revealed that Stone-curlews prefer to nest on free-draining sandy soils with stones, possibly because eggs and chicks are well camouflaged against this background. The adults were inost active al night, although their activity during the day increased during chick rearing, when the parents were working hard to care for their young. Adults foraged up to 3 km from the nest, making frequent excursions to grazed short-grassland, both semi-natural and improved, in order to find earthworms or invertebrates associated with the dung of grazing animals. Manure heaps were particularly sought after later in the summer, presumably because they were good sources of invertebrate prey. The highest densities of Stone-curlews were on short, semi-natural gi-assland and heath, although nearly half of all nesting attempts were on spring-sown arable, principally beet, but also barley. Autumn- sown cereals were avoided Stone-curlews were most likely to nest in spring-sown arable if the crop was short and sparse at the time of egg-laying, probably because it allowed the incu- bating Stone-curlews to see potential predators at long range. They were also more likely to breed on spring arable if there was short semi-natural grassland and sheep pasture for them to forage in nearby. More surpris- ingly, perhaps, they were more likely to nest on arable that was at least 3 km from the nearest motorway, trunk-road or A-road The most likely explanation for this was that traffic noise, vehicle movements and headlights dis- turbed them. The arable-nesting part of the Stone-curlew popula- tion in the UK would probably be doubled in numbers if many otherwise suitable fields were not rendered useless by traffic disturbance. A recent study undertaken by the BTO (Chamberlain et al. 1999) has investigated the effects of habitat type and man- agement on the abundance of Sky Larks Alauda arvensis in the breeding season. Using a combi- nation of both an extensive vol- unteer-based survey of Sky Larks and a more intensive survey on lowland farms in England, the study demonstrated a clear pref- erence for set-aside and spring cereal by this declining species. Early in the season (before mid May) densities on set-aside were particularly high, while those on spring-sown and winter-sown cereals were lower, but similar to one another. Later in the season, densities on winter cereals declined markedly, while those on set-aside and spring cereals remained high. On the inten- sively studied lowland farms, crops that were shorter than 30 cm in height were more likely to be occupied. Winter cereals reached this height earlier in the season than did spring cereals and became unsuitable by mid May, probably because the Sky Larks were unable to move around in the taller, denser crop This probably explains why den- sities of Sky Larks in winter cereal fell later in the season. This and other studies demon- strate the importance of vegeta- tion structure to the Sky Lark which shows a clear preference for the less-dense or shorter swards characterised by set-aside and spring cereals. Each of these studies demon- strates the importance of less- intensive forms of agriculture to farmland bird populations. In particular, the switch from spring to autumn sowing has reduced the suitability of farmland for both the Stone-curlew and the Sky Lark. The research points to ways in which the agricultural environment could be made more sympathetic for both species. References Chamberlain, D. E., Wilson, A. M., Browne, S. & Vickery, .1 A 1999. Effects of habitat type and management on the abundance of skylarks in the breeding season. J.AppI. Ecol. 36: 856-870. Green, R E., Tyler, G.A., & Bowden, C. G. R 2000. Habitat selection, ranging behaviour and diet of the stone curlew ( Burbinus oedicnemus ) in southern England. J. Zool. Lond. 250: 161- 183. Dr David Gibbons, Conservation Science Department , RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL This feature, contributed by the RSPB’s Research Department, reports the most interesting recent scientific news relevant to the conservation of Western Palearctic species. 202 © British Birds 93: 202, April 2000 House Sparrows repeatedly robbing Common Starlings On several dates between 7th May and 1st June 1995, in my garden in Wilmslow, Cheshire, I observed interesting behaviour by House Sparrows Passer domesticus. Typically, a sparrow would follow about 5 cm behind a group of Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris as the latter probed for invertebrates on the lawn. When a starling extracted a food item, the sparrow would ‘make a grab for it ; this was a systematic, repeated behaviour rather than merely opportunistic, the sparrow persisting for up to three minutes until it was successful. The success rate was about one theft' for every four grabs’. Captured items were invariably taken off to the nest and presumably fed to nestlings. Although the majority of observations concerned a single female House Sparrow, a second female and a male were also involved at times. Philip Barnett 11 Oak Lea Avenue, Fulshaw Park, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1QL House Sparrows interacting with small mammals In the back garden of our house in Bingley, West Yorkshire, a four-sided peanut-filled wire basket suspended about 1.25 m above the ground and 10 cm or so from a wall has always attracted birds. On 22nd February 1993, a Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus emerged from a crevice in the wall on to a ledge, leapt across the gap, clung to the basket and fed. Since then, Wood Mice and, from 25th May 1995, Bank Voles Clethrionomys glareolus have often fed singly in this way. On 10th June 1995, a female House Sparrow Passer domesticus and a Bank Vole were feeding on opposite sides of the basket; if either moved suddenly, the other hastily retreated, this occurring on three occasions. Two days later, a Bank Vole was on the basket while half a dozen sparrows waited in a nearby bush; whenever one of the sparrows flew towards the vole, the latter fled into the wall, but it was back on the nuts within seconds. Soon afterwards, a cock sparrow was feeding on the basket when a Wood Mouse appeared on the ledge, stared at him, and made as if to attack; the sparrow hurriedly took flight. Godfrey Priestley and Peggy Priestley 18 Pengarth, Eldwick, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 3DX House Sparrow learning to exploit opening of automatic doors Throughout January 1993, at Nantes- Atlantique airport, France, I witnessed a beautiful example of understanding (or adaptation! by a male House Sparrow Passer domesticus. The sparrow came to eat crumbs of bread or cakes inside the cafeteria, but he needed to solve the problem of the automatic doors, which opened from time to time as one or more people passed through. The bird apparently understood the relationship between the doors opening and people passing through. Standing near the doors, he watched and entered as soon as the doors were activated, on occasion brushing against people to get past. Once inside, he fed below and on tables. When sated, he flew to land opposite the doors and waited for them to open in order to go out. This behaviour, acquired (not innate), lasted throughout the entire month while I was at the airport. Only this one sparrow had apparently understood how to exploit these food resources. Other House Sparrows were outside, but they did not attempt to follow the example of this ingenious individual. I think that he must have been entering the cafeteria all summer when the doors were permanently open, and in the autumn, when the doors closed, he still found a means of entering. Yves Garino 4 place de la Paste, 44430 La Boissiere du Dore, France © British Birds 93: 203, April 2000 203 Injuries caused by fish to birds’ feet I was interested to read the recent letters (Brit. Birds 92: 484-485) concerning possible causes of injuries to seabirds’ feet. I observed a similar incident some years ago, which showed the speed at which fish can remove a bird’s feet, though in this case a landbird was the victim. While sitting on the deck of a motor launch moored off Rabida island in the Galapagos, just after dawn on 31st March 1991, I saw a Galapagos Dove Zenaida galapagoensis fly into the calm sea, perhaps 20 m away from the launch. It was unable to rise off the surface of the water, and sat there, floating. I went below to change into swimming trunks to go and rescue the bird, but, by the time I had got back on deck, there were clear signs that fish were active beneath it. The bird was struggling, and fish could be seen rising to the surface. I swam to the dove, which was dead by the time that I arrived. I lifted it out of the water, and saw that its feet had been eaten completely away. I left it in the water and the fish quickly returned to feed. The bird’s body disappeared within a few minutes. The boat crew thought that the fish involved were Concentric Puffer Fish Spbaerides annidatus , which were invariably present beneath the launch whenever we moored. Although this incident involved a bird that could not rise from the water, it does demonstrate that a small bird’s feet can be completely removed by relatively small fish. Admittedly, about four minutes had elapsed between the bird striking the water and my reaching it, but the possibility remains that a resting or sleeping seabird might be surprised, and lose part of its foot, or be so injured that it would lose the limb through a later infection. Edward Mayer 20 Yale Court, Honeybourne Road, London NW6 1JG Origin of inland auk records On a glorious evening in June 1990, I was surprised to see a Razorbill Alca torda cir- cling low over a large flooded gravel-pit in north Nottinghamshire. On landing, it was very nervous, but appeared to be fit and well. In the hour that followed, it left the pit several times and landed on adjacent pits, apparently uncomfortable in its surround- ings. The following morning, it had returned to the original site and settled down for a two-week stay. As the weather at the time of its arrival was hot and sunny, with no noticeable wind, I was at a loss to explain why it should appear so far (about 80 km) inland. My ques- tion was answered when I visited Spurn, East Yorkshire, the same day. As I reached a point about 16 km from the coast, I drove into a thick band of fog that, according to locals, had also been present during the previous two days and so presumably also at the time that the Razorbill became lost’. The nearest breeding site of any auks on the East Coast is at Flamborough/Bempton, and I surmised that the Razorbill had been flying south along the coast at the time. Having entered an area under the influence of a sea fret’, or coastal fog, it had presum- ably passed inland over the shoreline before emerging into the sunlight. Once flying over dry land and out of sight of sea, the disorien- tated bird presumably continued its journey south before seeking refuge in the evening at a gravel-pit. Watching the weather report, it was clear that the coastal fog had been present in a continuous band from Lincolnshire north to the Firth of Forth. The bird appeared fit and well with no sign of injury or oil contamina- tion and was watched actively diving for fish each day during its long stay. It provided only the second county record in the twentieth century. To test this theory, I checked the weather report when I received information about an inland auk during apparently excellent 204 © British Birds 93: 204-205, April 2000 Letters weather conditions (under the influence of high-pressure systems). On 25th June 1998, a Puffin Fratercula arctica arrived at Rutland Water, Rutland, and, on 28th July 1999, a Common Guillemot Uria aalge took refuge on a Cambridgeshire river. Both birds arrived in fine weather and were apparently fit and well, but, at the times of their arrival, coastal fog extended from at least the Humber north to the Scottish border. I suggest that any inland seabird arriving during windless, hot summer months may have become disorien- tated by coastal fog at its first point of crossing land. The timing and weather condi- tions mentioned also fitted well with the fly- through of a Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis at the same Nottinghamshire gravel-pit, so similar conditions may presumably affect shearwaters and petrels in a similar manner. Clearly, not all inland occurrences of seabirds are the result of gales and storms. Phil Palmer 72 Grove Road , Retford , Nottinghamshire DN22 7JN EDITORIAL COMMENT Low-flying species, such as auks, will clearly be at a disadvantage when there is coastal fog. Perhaps the initial parts of their unintentional inland journeys may be in wide estuaries? Farms: for birds or for food? I fear that Robin Chittenden (Brit. Birds 93: 150) missed the real point, which is that the higher populations from which farmland birds' are currently declining could not have been achieved without Man’s usage of the environment. Thus, if Sky Larks Alauda arvensis are in decline because of the switch from spring-sown to winter-sown wheat, it follows that spring-sown wheat was benefi- cial. Man has cultivated wheat for millennia, so the current concern about population declines needs careful evaluation. In recent radio and television interviews and in newspaper articles, spokesmen for several well-known bird-conservation and wildlife-conservation organisations have sug- gested that farmers ought to discontinue autumn cultivation and sowing, and revert to spring cultivation and sowing, in order (1) to increase the feeding opportunities for larks, finches, buntings and sparrows in winter, and (2) to improve the suitability of the fields for ground-nesting birds in spring. This might well reverse the downward trend in numbers of ‘farmland birds’. Surely, however, the purpose of farms is to produce food for the human population? If farmers need to be persuaded to readopt an old, less-efficient agricultural practice, for which they will doubtless (and rightly) require compensa- tion, who is going to pay? In any case, is it sensible to try to put the clock back ? Michael B. Lancaster 42 School Lane. Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1TB; MBL@Tenbel.demon.co.uk Concern regarding I wonder if any of our Neolithic ancestors suggested that removing the trees, and then grazing the area with sheep, degraded and sterilised the chalk hills (because it probably agricultural change did, for decades, if not centuries)? Now, we seem to be concerned that the lack of grazing is letting the scrub back in. Well! Well! A. A. Wright Rubha-nan-gall, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Argyll PA 75 6PR British Birds 93: 204-205, April 2000 205 HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OFTHE WORLD. VOL 5. BARN-OWLS TO HUMMINGBIRDS Edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott & Jordi Sargatal. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, 1999. 759 pages; 76 colour plates; numerous photographs; box features; 73 6 species accounts with maps. ISBN 84-87334-25-3. Hardback, £110.00. In praising earlier volumes of this astonishing tour de force, HBW reviewers have practically exhausted the lexicon of superla- tives. This volume is of exactly the same very high standard, which can hardly be improved upon. A true handbook, it is a weighty, handsome, magnifi- cently illustrated, authoritative, comprehensive, up-to-date com- pilation of biological information concerning one-twelfth of the World’s birds: the barn-owls, strigid owls, nightjars, swifts, hummingbirds and their bizarre and lesser-known relatives. Each species account is complete, with a colour map of World range, taxonomic and descriptive notes, a list of subspecies, mini- essays on habitat, foraging, breeding and movements, a responsible statement on status and conservation, and an ample bibliography. All species and many subspecies are portrayed in the delightful and informative plates, by 19 renowned artists who have somehow been per- suaded to paint in similar styles. The orders embrace ten fami- lies, each starting with a lengthy and scholarly but easy-to-read essay, generously illustrated with Handbook of the BIRDS OF THE WORLD new and stunning colour pho- tographs, with well-researched discussion of systematics, mor- phology, habitat, habits, voice, food and feeding, breeding, movements, relationship with Man, and status and conserva- tion. Some essays summarise what follows in the species accounts, and others go much farther: the hummingbird and owl family essays amount to 175 pages. You will be enthralled to read them and delighted by the photographs depicting the weird and wonderful lives of oilbirds, frogmouths, potoos, owlet-night- jars and tree-swifts (to titillate you with some of the less familiar family names). Wonderful birds! Pervading the entire work is the conservation message, so ably spelled out by Nigel Collar in his 16-page Foreword to this volume, which should be com- pulsory reading for all of the World’s politicians, developers and consumers - i.e. all of us - for it tells what will be the shape of life on Earth before we have moved very far into this new mil- lennium. C. H. Fry ’ A FIELD GUIDE TO THE RAPTORS OF EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA By William S. Clark, with illustrations by N.John Schmitt. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999. 371 pages; 48 colour plates and 193 colour photographs. ISBN 0-19-854661-0. Paperback, £25.00. This field guide covers all Western Palearctic diurnal raptors, including vagrants: 54 species in total. The bulk of the book is taken up with 48 high- t|uality plates and a separate section of species accounts aver- aging four to five pages per species. The distribution maps are clear and up to date and descriptions of plumage are rea- sonably thorough, but little space is devoted to flight characteris- tics, despite their importance in the identification of many raptors. An appendix includes three to seven photographs of each species, most taken by the author, and not all of the highest quality. Whilst this is undoubtedly an attractive and well-produced book, it is unclear at whom it is aimed. For those without a special interest in raptors, both the Collins Bird Guide (1999) and The Hand- book of Bird Identification (1998) cover most West Palearctic species well and include illustrations that, to my eye, are as good as, if not better than, those in this volume. For raptor enthusiasts looking for more detailed information, Dick Forsman’s The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East (1999) has a more comprehensive text and a far superior collection of pho- tographs. Ian Carter 106 © British Birds 93: 206-208, April 2000 Reviews To anyone who follows the coveted British Birds Bird Photograph of the Year award, the Eriksens will be no strangers. They have won four times in the last decade. This should be enough to prompt anybody interested in bird photography and birds of the Middle East to rush to obtain this attractive book. As well as a really breathtaking portfolio of truly outstanding pho- tographs, there is a brief text on all the regions of Oman and their habitats. A map shows how to get around this large and relatively undiscovered country. It is, however, the photographs that make it almost impossible to put the book down. It is hard to pick out favourites, but the Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia attempting to devour an Arabian Toad Bufo ara- bicus (cf. Brit. Birds 91: plate 74) is stunning. Others depict rarely photographed species such as Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris , Collared Kingfisher Todirhamphus chloris and Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii. Crab-plover Dromas ardeola is still not on my list, so its stunning image reminds me to get back to the Middle East soon. The United Arab Emirates, and even Yemen, have long been popular with birders from Europe, but I can recommend Oman as an extension to those countries. Ecotourism is being encouraged, and access and facilities are excellent. There are many bird secrets still to be unlocked, and, should you go, you will find this wonderful book an ideal com- panion. Derek Moore BIRDLIFE IN OMAN By Hanne Eriksen & Jens Eriksen. A1 Roya Publishing, Muscat, 1999. 99 pages; map; over 150 coloured plates. Hardback,£1995. ROTHIEMURCHUS: NATURE AND PEOPLE ON A HIGHLAND ESTATE 1500-2000 Edited byT. Chris Smout & Robert A. Lambert. Scottish Cultural Press, Dalkeith, 1999. 150 pages; black-and-white photographs and line- drawings. ISBN 1-84017-033-6. Paperback, .£9.99. This book presents a series of papers that describe, in piece- meal fashion, the human and natural history of the famous Rothiemurchus estate. Of most interest are perhaps the accounts of the long-term management of the estate's woodlands and their remaining biodiversity. Broader issues of tourism and land own- ership are also tackled. Martin Collinson ALSO RECEIVED The Origin and Evolution of Birds By Alan Feduccia. (Yale University Press, London. 466 pages. ISBN 0- 300-07861-7. Hardback £45.00, Paperback £17.95) (First edition reviewed Brit. Birds 90: 251.) WHERETO WATCH BIRDS IN SWITZERLAND By Marco Sacchi, Peter Ruegg & Jacques Laesser; translated by Michael Wilson. A & C Black, London, 1999. 192 pages; 79 black-and- white photographs and maps. ISBN 0-7136-5183-0. Paperback, £1 4.99. This guide covers 45 sites with, for each one, a brief general introduction, followed by infor- mation under a number of head- ings: Recommended routes (walks of up to 15 km), Calendar, Useful tips, Access, Accommoda- tion, Site protection. Disabled access, and Nearby sites. The site accounts are enhanced by clear maps and some excellent black- and-white habitat photographs. A factor in the authors’ choice of sites was their accessibility by public transport (Switzerland has ‘the densest and most efficient public transport system in the world ). Although such guides are not designed to be read from cover to cover, I still found the repetition for virtually every site of the problems of disturbance rather patronising. For anyone unfamiliar with the country, the lack of a site index is regrettable, though there is a useful checklist of the birds of Switzerland. Not one of the best of its genre, this book may not appeal much to those birders used to doing their own research when planning a trip. It would, however, be useful for someone with a more general interest who is visiting Switzerland. Ian Dawson Where to watch birds in Switzerland British Birds 93: 206-208, April 2000 207 Reviews ATLAS DASAVES INVERNANTES DO BArXO ALENTEJO By Goncalo L. Elias, Luis M. Reino.Tiago Silva, Ricardo Tome & Pedro Geraldes. Sociedade Portuguesa Para o Estudo dasAves, Lisbon, 1999. 416 pages; 173 illustrations; 173 maps; numerous tables and graphs. Paperback, £28. 99. This wintering bird atlas covers approximately one-sixth of Por- tugal: the horizontal band imme- diately north of the Algarve and south of Estremadura and the Alto Alentejo. This region is char- acterised by a low density of human population (17 per km2), but a diversity of habitats, with coastal lagoons, scattered lakes, thickets with strawberry trees and oleander, cork-oak groves and forests, sandy heaths and dunes with pines, olive planta- tions, vineyards, almond orchards, and rice fields. This is a standard-format dis- tribution atlas, but, for the average British Birds reader, this one stands out, since the Por- tuguese text is complemented by extensive and excellent English translations (condensed to about one-third of the length of the original, but providing every- thing which an English-speaking reader would need). Each species receives double- page spread treatment, the attrac- tive maps (with blue dots) occupying one-third of a page, a black-and-white illustration another one-third, with a page of Portuguese text, and one-third of a page of English translations. The British visitor would surely appreciate Cattle Egrets Bubiiiciis ibis, Wood Larks Liillula arborea , Zitting Cisti- colas Cisticola juncidis and Sar- dinian Warblers Sylvia melan- ocephala in almost every square, and a good scattering of Black- shouldered Kites Eianus caeruleus. Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax and Calandra Larks Melanocorypha calandra An example of the interest that this atlas would provide for British readers can be shown by a quote: The Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus brehmii is a common breeder throughout Portugal showing an apparent preference for the western and southern parts of the country. During the winter the species commonly detected is the Common Chiffchaff Phyllo- scoptts collybita. ... Sadly the fate awaiting many Common Chiffchaffs migrating to southern Portugal is to be trapped for human consumption, together with countless thousands of other songbirds The impact of such mortality on the status of breeding populations is currently unknown.' J. T. R. Sbarrock SCOTLAND'S NATURE IN TRUST: THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND AND ITS WILDLIFE AND CROFTING MANAGEMENT By J. Laughton Johnston. T. & A D. Poyser Ltd, London, 1999. 266 pages; I 1 maps; 70 colour photographs and numerous black-and-white illustrations. ISBN 0-85661-122-0. Hardback, £27.95. In his preface, the author notes that The average Scottish citizen probably perceives the [National Trust for Scotland] as a rather old-fashioned body influenced by landowning interests and sup- ported by middle-class people, which looks after Victorian and older grand estate houses, their gardens and estates.’ This is cer- tainly true, so it is with some sur- prise that we learn that the NTS owns twice as much land in Scotland as does the RSPB, including 31,000 ha of SSSIs. This book attempts both to showcase and to criticise aspects of the Trust's holistic approach to land management in some of Scotland’s most valuable wildlife areas, and does so successfully (albeit in a conversational style liberally punctuated with excla- mation marks, which might not appeal to every reader). The colour photographs are splendid, and the illustrations by John Busby are, of course, delightful, although some of them have been clumsily reproduced. This is an honest and competent appraisal of some aspects of the Trust’s work, but I am not sure who needs' this book. It is full of interesting information, and is certainly worth reading, but my advice is to give it a thorough perusal in the bookshop before deciding whether to buy. Martin CoUinson ENGLISH COUNTRY DAWN New World Music, Suffolk, 1999. 56 minutes. 7677-1-50232-2-8 CD. Evocative sounds, in the same series as Irish Birdsong (reviewed: Bnt. Birds 93: 103). J. T. R. Sbarrock 208 British Birds 93: 206-208, April 2000 Compiled by Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson Rats on Ramsey Some time in the nineteenth century, a shipwreck occurred on the south coast of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, and the fleeing Common Rats Rattus norvegicus started a colony that has been present on the island ever since. Over a period of time, they seriously threatened many of the ground-nesting birds, including Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffimis. After a slightly chequered history as a nature reserve (com- pared with the other Welsh islands), Ramsey was eventually purchased by the RSPB in 1992, with the intention of conserving the rather depleted seabird colonies and, coincidentally, one of the few signifi- cant populations of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus in Wales. The RSPB unfortunately inherited, in addition to the rats, popula- tions of feral domestic Cats Felis sylvestris and Red Deer Cervus elaphus. A recent management technique has been to plant cereal patches on the island farm, with the intention of providing an increased amount of food for birds. Unfortunately, this has been much to the liking of the rats, and they now pose a serious threat to the island's birdlife. Working with Sorex Ltd, a rodenticide specialist, the RSPB is using a second-generation anticoagulant rat bait at some 1,000 bait-stations throughout the island. The entire programme is being carefully moni- tored, with Sorex offering guidance and advice. Further information is available from Sorex Ltd (tel: 0151-420-7151) or the RSPB’s Pembrokeshire Warden, Tegfan, Caerbwdi, St David’s, Pembrokeshire SA62 6QP. Bird Fair 2000 This summer's British Bird- watching Fair at Rutland Water will take place from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th August (put it in your diary now). Last year's Fair raised the record sum of £130,000 for con- servation projects associated with the coastal forests in Brazil, a country which holds nearly 10% of the World's globally threatened species. The success of this Fair, initiated 1 1 years ago by Tim Appleton and Martin Davies, has been extraordinary, with the amount of money raised for conservation increasing every single year: The profits from this year s Fair will, for the first time, not be targeted on conservation in one country, but will be devoted to seabird conservation. This will help to draw attention to the facts, as stated by Dr Colin Bibby during the preview of this year’s Fair, that whereas one-eighth of the World’s landbirds are globally threatened, one-third of the World's seabirds are in that cate- gory. Albatrosses are especially vulnerable, and Robert Gillmor’s design for posters and leaflets promoting this year's Fair shows a Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans. Shearwaters on the web If you want to know all about the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus , try logging on to http://www.life-puffinus.org Birds of Crete 1998 Of the Mediterranean islands, Crete attracts less attention than some of the more high-profile sites such as Cyprus or Lesvos. Denis Townsend has now compiled the 1998 report for the island, which he states may be his last, but he considers ornithology on Crete to be in good hands. In addition to the visiting birdwatchers who have supplied their records, there is now a small handful of resident observers, including Michaelis Dretakis, who is undertaking a PhD on the breeding birds of the island. He is also looking closely at some of the geog- raphical races that occur on Crete. For further information, contact Stephanie Coghlan, 25 Thorpe Lane, Huddersfield HD5 8TA. Ringed Ring Ouzels Birders across the UK are asked to look closely at Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus this spring and summer, as part of an effort to discover more about this declining upland bird. Ring Ouzels in England and Scotland have been colour-ringed during the last two years, and bird- watchers are asked to report any sightings during migration, the breeding season and, particularly, in late summer, since almost nothing is known about where Ring Ouzels spend the eight weeks before southward migra- tion Colour combination, loca- tion (six-figure grid-reference if possible) and date for each sighting should be sent to the Ring Ouzel Study Group, c/o Julian Hughes, RSPB. The Lodge. Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL; or e-mail: ringouzeI@hotmail.com © British Birds 93: 209-2 1 1 , April 2000 209 News and comment Manx Bird Atlas and stamps In 1998, the Manx Bird Atlas Project began an ambitious pro- gramme to survey the 671 1-km squares on the Isle of Man, to establish the distribution and abundance of breeding, win- tering and migrant species. Using a combination of species counts, line-transects, point-surveys, timed visits and regular moni- toring of key sites, the surveys will continue for five years and involve large numbers of islanders, including some 510 participants in the Garden Bird- watch Scheme and over 200 people in wider field surveys. Considerable support has come from the Manx Government, and visits and talks to schools throughout the island have linked the project to the National Curriculum To highlight the work of the Atlas, the Isle of Man Post Office is producing (on 5th May 2000) a set of four new WWF stamps titled Song Birds of Man’ and fea- turing Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica (22p), Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (26p). Sky Lark Alauda arvensis (64p) and Yellowhammer Emberiza cit- rinella (77p).The colour samples in advance of production show some very attractive stamps, but it must be said that the quality of the artwork is not so accurate as we have come to expect of stamps from the Isle of Man. Further details may be obtained from Philatelic Bureau, Post Office Headquarters, PO Box 10M, Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Douglas, Isle of Man IM99 1PB They have got a clue We recently spotted this clue in a crossword puzzle: Smart move by a tow-headed charmer' (6). Crossword-puzzle aficionados will realise that the answer is TWITCH. 210 The RSPB ’s 25 years in the Yare Valley In 1975, the RSPB signed its first lease in the Yare Valley, Norfolk, at Strumpshaw Fen, and began a programme that, over the next 25 years, saw an initial purchase of 28 ha expand to the present reserve covering 803 ha. Highlights over the 25 years have included isolating Strumpshaw Broad from the polluted River Yare in 1978; Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosas breeding for the first time in the twentieth century in 1980: the first Swallowtail Papilio machaon caterpillars found in 1985; the last Coypu Myocastor coypus in 1986; the highest-ever count of Bean Gees e Anserfabalis (475) in 1991; the start of HU-funded management for the Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris in 1996; Otters Ultra Ultra re- established on the reserve andAvocets Recurvirostra avosetta nesting for the first time in 1997; breeding waders, including Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, Common Redshank Tringa totanus, Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus and Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago , topping 150 pairs and a record six nests of Marsh Harriers in 1998; and the first summering Great Bittern since 1992 in 1999. The reserve’s diversity of habitat and associated wildlife resulted in its declaration as a National Nature Reserve in 1997. For further information and instructions for visitors, contact RSPB, Stalham House, 65 Thorpe Road, Norwich NR1 1L1D. Mediterranean Gull meeting Until the late 1970s, the breeding range of the Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus was virtually confined to Ukraine and Greece, with very small numbers elsewhere. The 1980s and 1990s saw some notable range extensions into southern, central and western Europe, with the population in these new areas soaring to over 3,000 pairs. The colonisation and spread attracted attention and colour-ringing prog- rammes were initiated in 12 European countries. This growth in interest and research lead to the holding, in September 1998, of the First International Mediterranean Gull Meeting, at Le Portel, northwest France: a highly suitable venue, as this is probably the key hotspot for Mediterranean Gull observation in western Europe. The meeting attracted delegates from 14 countries. The Proceedings of this first meeting contain 25 papers (most in English) documenting the current knowledge on population levels, distribution and migration, and can be ordered (25 Euro, incl. p&p, by Eurocheque or International Money Order) from Werkgroep Melano, Lisztlaan 5, 4384 KM Vlissingen.The Netherlands. London’s Mayor You may or may not be a resident of the capital and eligible to vote in the forthcoming mayoral elections. One thing is certain, however: you must be aware that the pace of the election is hotting up and that the procedures surrounding the selection of the candidates have been chaotic. Potentially, the new Mayor will be a powerful figure, and amongst his or her responsibilities will be the London environment and its biodiversity, which should have equal status with the other aspects of the city’s management. Let us hope that, whoever is elected, the new Mayor has the will and the ability to approach nature conservation in a more sensible manner than that applied to the selection process. Recorder’s change of address West Midland Bird Club Recorder, Tim Hextell, has moved to 39 Winder- mere Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 9RQ; tel: 0121 5519997. British Birds 93: 209-211, April 2000 The Birds Directive In 1979. the European Union adopted the ‘Wild Birds Directive’, which became a major milestone in European nature conservation and provided a legal framework for bird protection throughout the LInion. We have mentioned the Directive’ on many occasions in this column, sometimes to praise its workings and sometimes to point out where member states have been ignoring it (the recent situation regarding hunting in France being a prime example). A highly readable summary of the present position, 20 years after its adoption, is in Wings (no. 15, winter 1999), the quarterly magazine of BirdWatch Ireland, 8 Longford Place, Monkstown, Co. Dublin. Alternatively, you can visit the homepage of the Environment Directorate of the European Commission at: http://europa.eu.int/ comm/dgl 1/nature/home, htm The Wild Bird Photographer of the Year ’ More than £4,000 is available in prizes in a new competition, run by Bird Watching magazine, with the photographic retailer Jessops as the main sponsor. Entry forms for the contest are available at all the company’s larger branches and in the March and April issues of the magazine. The closing date for entries is 28th April 2000. Prizes will be awarded for the best portfolio of three images showing different aspects of the entrant’s work (e.g. a bird portrait, an action shot, a group of birds, an aspect of bird behaviour, or an abstracted image). The judges will include David Cottridge, Mike Wilkes, David Cromack, and Digital Photo FX Editor Peter Bargh. The four main sections will be ( 1 ) conventional images by professional and semi- professional photographers; (2) conventional images by amateur photographers; (3) an under-21 award; and (4) a digital-image award. For full details, obtain an entry form or write to Bird Watching , Apex House, Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 9NR Drink to the Caper Vinicola Hidalgo y Cia. S.A. - sponsors of our annual Christmas puzzle - has bottled, for a second year, its Palo Cortado Viejo , a sherry of truly outstanding quality and great age’, originating from the turn of the nineteenth/twentieth centuries, and previously reserved for private use by the Hidalgo family. The label, which will be used only for this bottling, depicts a Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus , and each one is individually numbered (only 1,200 bottles are available). In its press release, Vinicola Hidalgo says: the Capercaillie once abounded throughout many of Europe's forests, but now, with a devastating combination of habitat loss and disturbance by Man, this beautiful bird is now restricted to just the more remote corners of Europe such as the Scottish Highlands, the Pyrenees and the mountains of Asturias in Spain The conservation campaign launched by SEO-BirdLife International hopes to protect these last populations from further depletion by preserving the habitat and protecting them from any disturbance. Vinicola Hidalgo has taken the initiative to dedicate the profits from the sale of this wine towards the Capercaillie Conservation Campaign.’ For more information, contact Timothy Holt, Vinicola Hidalgo y Cia. S.A.; tel. + 34 956 360516; fax. + 34 956 363844; e-mail: vinicolahidalgo@vinicola-hidalgo.es British Birds 93: 209-211, April 2000 News and comment Why swamp-hen ? Several correspondents have asked why Porphyria porphyrio is called Purple Swamp-hen rather than Purple Swamphen. The marvellous Cambridge University Press (now in Penguin) guide to punctuation. Mind the Stop by G. V. Carey, explains the evolution over the course of time from two words to a hyphenated word to a single word (e.g. boat man to boat-man to boatman), but comments that What we decide to do about hyphens in these compound words does not matter very much so long as we use a reason- able amount of conunonsense (or common-sense?).’ G. V. Carey goes on, however, to draw atten- tion to words such as public- house, which, if the hyphen is dropped, becomes publichouse, in relation to which he com- ments: I for one can never read this horrid word without wanting to run the “ch” together, as in "artichoke ”. If the com- pounding of two words into one is... displeasing or confusing to the eye, I submit that they should be left hyphenated for good and all.’ Since ph’ is pronounced as f’ in English, and it is not a Purple Swamfen, we need to retain the hyphen in Swamp-hen. (JTRS) New Recorders David J. Kelly, 149 High Street, Prestonpans, East Lothian EH32 9AX, has replaced Ian Andrews as Recorder for Lothian. Andy Thorpe, 30 Monearn Gardens, Milltimber, Aberdeen AB13 0EA, has replaced Andy Webb as Recorder for Northeast Scotland. Andrew Self, 16 Harp Island Close, Neasden, London NW10 ODF, has replaced Andrew Moon as Recorder for the London Area - the area within a 20-mile (32- km) radius of St Paul’s Cathedral. 211 116. Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, probably of the Siberian form tristis, Lincolnshire, March 1989. February’s mystery bird (plate 71, repeated here as plate 116) is clearly a medium-sized leaf-warbler Phyl- loscopus. There are no obvious wing-bars or tertial tips, and apparently no central crown stripe, so we can immediately rule out a number of species. Its bill and primary projection both appear short, while the most prominent plumage feature is the strong contrast between the rather cold', plain, greyish upperparts and the prominent, brighter, green fringes to the flight feathers (and possibly also the tail). At least the sides of the rump also have a brighter greenish hue. Any thoughts of either Western Bonelli’s P bonelli or Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler P orientalis are readily dispelled by the bird’s strong facial pattern, not least its bold super- ciliunt and apparently incom- plete eye-ring. The bird is a chiffchaff. But which one? We now have Common Chiffchaff P. collybita , Iberian Chiffchaff P brehmii , Canary Islands Chiffchaff P. canariensis and Mountain Chiffchaff P. sindianus to choose from. We are on difficult ground here: all are very similar and are often safely separated only by their voice or in the hand (see Peter Clement & Andreas Helbig, Brit. Birds 91: 361-376). The mystery bird’s underparts do, however, apparently lack any yellow tones, and both the ear- coverts and the supercilium are clearly buff, again with no obvious yellow Our bird is clearly not the familiar West European P. c. collybita , nor the essentially similar Iberian Chiff- chaff. Canary Islands Chiffchaff is similar to nominate collybita , but is often darker above and with a brownish hue at least to the flanks. Mountain Chiffchaff fits our mystery bird better, although many are even colder above. The photograph’s background could easily portray a British east coast location in late autumn or winter, and this provides a small clue. The mystery bird is indeed a Common Chiffchaff, probably of the Siberian form P. c. tristis. pho- tographed by Graham P. Catley in Lincolnshire in March 1989. Monthly Marathon can be won only by those with suffi- cient skill, but, as with all games and sports, a touch of luck is also needed at times. If you opted for Mountain Chiffchaff, you were wrong, but you do have our sym- pathy. Entrants’ answers were Common Chiffchaff (69%), Booted Warbler Hippolais cali- gata (19%), Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (5%), Western Bonelli’s Warbler (4%) and Mountain Chiffchaff (3%). The leading competitors all got this one right, so Nick Barlow (Coventry), Diederik Kok (Netherlands) and Peter Sunesen (Denmark) have all now achieved sequences of 1 1 con- secutive correct answers. The competition will continue until two of them drop out, leaving one clear winner. (If all three fail at some stage, the Marathon will continue until there is an out- right winner with at least ten in a row.) Paul Holt Sunbird The best of birdwatching tours 117. "Monthly Marathon’. Photo no. 165. Thirteenth stage in eleventh Marathon’ (or first or second stage in twelfth Marathon ). Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, to arrive by 15th May 2000. For a free brochure, write to SUNBIRD (MM), PO Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 IDF; or telephone 01767 682969- 212 © British Birds 93: 212, April 2000 Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan This summary' of unchecked reports covers the period 14th February to 12th March 2000. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Long-stayer in Lancashire, until 9th March. Glossy Ibis PI egad is falcinellus Rossbeag (Co. Kerry), 13th February. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Long- stayer in Norfolk, until 12th March Black Duck Anas rubripes Long-stayers in High- land, until at least 16th February; in Cornwall, until 19th February'; and Beesands Ley/Slapton Ley (Devon), 27th February and 6th March. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Long-stayer in Kent, until 4th March. Canvasback Aythya valisineria Long-stayer in Kent, until 17th February. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-stayer in Cornwall, until 12th March. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Long-stayer in Cornwall, until 12th March White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Long-stayers in Suffolk, until 19th February; in Norfolk, until 12th March; and Orford (Suffolk), 23rd February'. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pen- natns Long-stayer in Somerset and Devon, until at least 12th March. Gyr Falcon Fa/co rusti- colus Long-stayer in Shetland, Western Isles, and Orkney (all the same bird?); Goonhilly Down (Cornwall), 3rd March; Lamorna (Cornwall), 4th March; Carn Gloose/Cape Cornwall area (Cornwall), 5th- 10th March; Poul- nasherry Bay (Co. Clare), 4th-5th March. Sora Crake Porzana Car- olina Long-stayer in Devon, until 12th March. Common Crane Grus grus Two, Killorglin (Co. Kerry), 12th March Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Dungeness (Kent), 7th and 12th March. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan Radipole/Weymouth Bay area (Dorset), until 2nd March. Bona- parte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Drift Reservoir (Cornwall), 11th- 12th March. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Large numbers in early March: 60 Poulnasherry Bay, 35 Derry City Dump (Co. Londonderry'). 25 Killy'begs (Co. Donegal), and 30 Kilcummin (Co. Mayo). Kumliens Gull’ /.. g. kumlieni Approximately ten reported, Ireland. Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea Ullapool (Highland), 17th February; Nimmo's Pier (Co. Galway), January to at least 11th March; Poulnasherry Bay. 28th-29th Feb- 119 & 120. Kumlien s Gull Larus glaucoides kumlieni, Whitby Harbour, North Yorkshire, January 2000. © British Birds 93: 213-216, April 2000 213 Mike Malpass Mike Malpass George Reszeter George Reszeter 121 & 122. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus , St Just, Cornwall, March 2000. ruary. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long-stayer in Essex, until 12th March. Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata Small influx in East Anglia, with up to 25 in Blows Downs area (Bedfordshire), end February/early March; ten at Holme (Norfolk), 2nd March; 12 at Galley Hill, Luton (Bedfordshire), 5th March. Yellow- browed Warbler Phylloscopus inor- natus Helston sewage-works (Cornwall), 4th- 1 2th March. European Serin Serinus serinus Trewellard (Cornwall), 6th-8th March. 123- Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita of the Siberian race tristis, Lower Moor sewage-works, Pershore, Worcestershire, February 2000. 214 British Birds 93: 213-216, April 2000 George Reszeter Recent reports 124. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan , Cheddar Reservoir, Somerset, March 2000. 125. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis , Drift Reservoir, Cornwall, March 2000. 126. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides , Nimmo’s Pier, Co. Galway, Ireland, February 2000. British Birds 93: 213-216, April 2000 215 Gary Bellingham George Reszeter Mike Malpass Recent reports 127. Above, Meadow Bunting Emberiza cioicies, Hunstanton, Norfolk, February7 2000. 128. Left, Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea , Nimmo’s Pier, Co. Galway, Ireland. February 2000. 129. Below left. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis, Llanddulas, Denbighshire. February 2000. 130. Below right. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla , Shepley.West Yorkshire. February 2000. Rare Bird News supplies all its information free to British Birds. Call 0881-888-111 for the latest, up-to-date news (28p/min cheap rate; 4lp/min other times; including VAT) 216 British Birds 93: 213-216, April 2000 Jim Pattinson Classifieds RATES Text: iOp per word. Minimum 15 words. Semi-display: Mono. ±15 per sec (width 40mm) or £52 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. (All rates exclude vat at 17.5%) Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds Ltd. Copy deadline: 1 0th of the month Contact: Sandra J. Swift. 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All correspondence concerning the BB BookShop should be addressed to BB BookShop, c/o Subbuteo NHB, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW, United Kingdom. Best Bird Books of the Year All books voted 'Best Bird Book of the Year 1983-99’ (listed in full Brit. Birds 93: 54) are available POST FREE. Please order here, giving title(s) and author(s), or on an additional sheet. (Note: BBBY 1996 - Hadoram Shirihai The Birds of Israel (Academic Press) now £79.95.) Book of the Month Clements Birds of the World -A Checklist 5th Edition (Pica Press) Delayed from February Hb £35.00 L) Special Offers Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye The Birdwatcher’s Handbook (OUT) (was £8.95. Flegg & Hosking Eric Hosking’s Classic Birds Limited Edition (HarperCollins) (usually £50.00| Frith & Cooper Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae (usually £50.00, new price until end May' Snow (ed.) The Birds of the Western Palearctic 2-volume Concise Edition (OUP) (was £150.00”, New this Month Beletsky Hawaii: The Ecotraveller’s Wildlife Guide (Academic Press) Botting Gerald Durrell, The Authorised Biography (HarperCollins) Heath & Evans Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation (Birdlife Int.) 2 volume set Hardback Paperback £19.95 £9.99 £99.98 £75.00 Coming Soon - Order Now Clements A Guide to the Birds of Peru (Pica Press) DUE JULY/AUGUST (PRICE TO BE CONFIRMED) Kazmierczak & van Perlo A Field Guide to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Pica Press) DUE MAY Paperback Kennedy, Gonzales, Dickinson, Miranda & Fisher A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines Paperback (OUP) NOW DUE AUGUST 2000 Hardback MacKinnon & Phillipps A Field Guide to the Birds of China (OUP) NOW DUE MAY 2000 Paperback Mead The State of the Nation’s Birds (Whittet) APRIL/MAY Paperback Ranft & Konig Owls: Double CD (Pica Press) DUE SPRING Urban, Fry & Keith Birds of Africa, Volume 6, Picathartes to Oxpexkers (Academic Press) (Normal price £115 — pre-publication offer £99.00) DUE MID AUGUST £35.00 £19.95 £34.95 £60.00 £29.95 £55.00 £9.99 £24.99 £99.00 □ Recommended Books Europe & Western Palearctic Adamian & Klem A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia (AUA) Field cover £35.99 Hardback £39.99 Baker Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm) £32.00 Beaman & Madge The Handbook of Bird Identification: Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm) £65.00 British Birds The British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic £2.00 Cramp Birds of the Western Palearctic (OUP) volumes 1-7, 9 - £90 each volume 8 - £95 □ vol.l □ vol.2 (_) vol.3 Q vol.4 □ vol.5 □ vol.6 □ vol.7 □ vol.8 Q vol.9 Hagemeijer & Blair TheEBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds (Poyser) £59.95 Harris, Tucker & Vinicombe The Macmillan Field Guide to Bird Identification (Macmillan) £14.99 Jonsson Birds of Europe With North Africa and the Middle East (Helm) reprint Paperback £ 1 5.99 Hardback £29.99 Kightley, Madge & Nurney Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe (Pica Press) £1 1 .95 Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstr-om & Grant Collins Bird Guide - The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain Gf Europe (HarperCollins) Best Bird Book of 1999 £24.99 Peterson, Mountfort & Hollom Collins Field Guide: Birds of Britain & Europe 5th Edition (HarperCollins) £14.99 Sacchi, Ruegg & Laesser Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland (Helm) Paperback £14.99 North America Griggs Collins Pocket Guide: Birds of North America (HarperCollins) £16.99 LockwoocL McKinney, Paton & Zimmer A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande (ABA) Ringbound £25.95 National Geographic A Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd Edition Paperback £12.99 Pranty A Birder’s Guide to Florida (ABA) £21.00 Pyle Identification Guide to North American Birds Part 1. Columbidae to Ploceidae (Slate Creek) £27.95 SchramH Birder’s Guide to Southern California (ABA) £25.95 Taylor A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona (ABA) £18.50 South & Central America & Caribbean de la Pena & Rumboll Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica (HarperCollins) £19.99 ffrench A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Helm) Paperback £32.00 Howell & Webb Where to Watch Birds in Mexico (Helm) Paperback £19.99 Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith & Raffaele Birds of the West Indies (Helm) £35.00 Ridgely & Tudor The Birds of South America (OUP) vol.l £70.00 Q vol.2 £70.00 Rodner, Restall & Lentino Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America (Pica Press) Paperback £14.95 Stiles & Skutch A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica (Helm) £40.00 Africa, Middle East & Indian Ocean Islands, Barlow, Wacher & Disley A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal (Pica Press) £28.00 Garbutt Mammals of Madagascar (Pica Press) £30.00 Harris, Shirihai & Christie The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European & Middle Eastern Birds TMacmillan) £1 7.99 Keith, Urban & Fry The Birds of Africa (Academic) Volumes: 1 £85 LI 2 £85 Q 3 £85 □ 4 £85 Q 5 £99.00 Kemp Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands (New Holland) £19.99 Kingdon The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals (Academic Press) £29.95 Morris & Hawkins Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide (Pica Press) £28.00 Porter, Christensen & Schiermacker-Hansen Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East (Poyser) £29.95 Sinclair, Hockey & Tarboton Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (New Holland) Sinclair & Langrand Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (New Holland) van Perlo Collins Illustrated Checklist Birds of Southern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback van Perlo Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Eastern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (Helm) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya and North. 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Natu retrek Cheriton Mill, Cheriton Alresford, Hampshire S024 ONG Tel: 01962 733051 Fax: 01962 736426 e-mail: info@naturetrek.co.uk web: www.naturetrek.co.uk fjffv ■> CANADA’S BAY OF FUNDY Spring migration on Canada's Grand Manan Island. 26 May - 03 Jun 2000 ETHIOPIA Addis, Gafersa, Awash National Park, Wondo Guenet & Rift Valley Lakes. 18-27 Feb 2000 14-23 Apr 2000 17-26 Nov 2000 ETHIOPIAN ENDEMICS Debre Libanos, Solulta, Ankober, Lakes, Wondo Guenet & Bale Mountains. 25 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 24 Nov - 03 Dec 2000 GAMBIA A variety of localities along the Gambia River. 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 INDIA Delhi, Ranthambore & Bharatpur. 18-26 Feb 2000 14-22 Apr 2000 17- 25 Nov 2000 KAZAKHSTAN Deserts, steppes & Tien Shan Mountains. 11-19 May 2000 18- 26 May 2000 25 May - 02 Jun 2000 MALAWI Lake Malawi, Zomba Plateau & Liwonde National Park. 19-28 Feb 2000 11- 20 Mar 2000 NAMIBIA Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Spitskoppe, Etosha & Waterberg Mountains. 21-30 Jan 2000 18- 27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 NEPAL Chitwan, Koshi & Kathmandu Valley. Departures every Friday throughout Jan & Feb 2000 05-14 May 2000 19- 28 May 2000 NEPAL - THE TRAGOPAN TREK A 1 0-day tour including Langtang Valley trek. 12- 21 May 2000 26 May - 04 Jun 2000 SOUTH AFRICA Kruger National Park & Dullstroom. 18-27 Feb 2000 21 - 30 Apr 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SOUTHERN MOROCCO The desert, Oued Massa, Oued Sous & Marrakech. 18-27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SRI LANKA Sinharaja Forest & the Hill Country. 09- 18 Jan 2000 18-27 Mar 2000 12-21 Aug 2000 18-27 Nov 2000 TANZANIA Mikumi National Park, and the Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountains. 18- 27 Feb 2000 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 TEXAS Spring migrants along the Gulf coast of Texas. 15- 23 Apr 2000 THAILAND Khao Yai, Doi Inthenon, Doi Suthep & Doi Pui. 04-13 Feb 2000 10- 19 Nov 2000 UAE & OMAN with Colin Richardson. 27 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 16- 23 Apr 2000 12-19 Nov 2000 USA - NEW ENGLAND Spring migration on the Massachusetts coast. 14- 22 May 2000 ZAMBIA South Luangwa National Park. 19- 28 Feb 2000 15- 24 Apr 2000 04-13 Nov 2000 THfc NATURAL HISTORY My&cur 15 MAY 2000 m PRESENTED taiNP LIBRARY §[§r^ British Birds Volume 93 Number 5 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 British Birds Managing Editor Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Personal Assistant Frances Bucknell Assistant Editor David A. Christie Editorial Board I. Carter, Dr R. J. Chandler, Dr M. Collinson, R J. Prytherch, N. J Redman, Dr J.T. R Sharrock Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Design Mark Corliss Photographic Research Robin Chittenden Advertising Sales Manager Sandra J. Swift Circulation Manager Erika Sharrock Administration Sally Young Rarities Committee Chairman Prof. Colin Bradshaw Hon. Secretary Michael J. Rogers Paul Harvey, John McLoughlin, John Martin, Doug Page, Adam Rowlands, Ken Shaw, Dr Jimmy Steele, Andy Stoddart, Reg Thorpe, Grahame Walbridge Archivist John Marchant Statistician Peter Fraser Museum consultant Ian Lewington Behaviour Notes Panel Dr C. J. Bibby, Ian Dawson, Dr J.J. M Flegg, Prof I. Newton FRS, Dr M.A. Ogilvie, Dr J.T R Sharrock, Dr K. E. L. Simmons Identification Notes Panel Prof. Colin Bradshaw, Dr R. J. Chandler, R. A. Hume, T. R Inskipp, R G. Lansdown, S. C. Madge, 1. S. Robertson, K. 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Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, Cornwall TR26 3AZ Front-cover photograph: Red-billed Chough Pyrrbocorax pyrrhocorax, Isle of Man, May 1996 (B. R. llugbes/Wmdvush) WilcINorfolk The relaxed festival for birdwatchers and all lovers of the countryside. JUNE 3&4 2000 at Blickling Hall, Norfolk ORGANISED BY 10am - 5pm Adults £3.50 BTO School Children £1 .50 on: 050 to.org Binoculars & Telescopes. Travel & Expeditions Art & Artists. Talks & Walks. Bird Ringing. New & 2nd-Hand Books. Trade Exhibitors. Sponsoredby: WildSounds |||l||$ m if d WATCHING MAGAZINE Kay Optical (1962) Sfz&ual HUp***« W* Birding Eilat & Israel The International Birding & Research Center in Eilat and Kibbutz Eilot - country lodging Invite you to a birding experience with those who really care for your birds: Birding with expert conservation-oriented ornithologists and lodging at the kibbutz will make all the difference to your trip to Eilat and Israel. For the lowest prices contact: IBRCE, PO BOX 774, EILAT 88000. Israel Fax: 972-6335319, 6376922. email: ibrce@eilatcity.co.il r® 0. Don't forget to visit the BB website at: www.britishbirds.co.uk for autumn! GOA from £1020 4-19 November with Paul Holt Sunbirder is the choice for this Indian Ocean resort. We were one of the first companies to run tours there and Paul's knowledge of the region's birds and where to find them is unrivalled. EILAT rom £680 29 October-5/12 November with Killian Mullarney A whole host of middle-eastern specialities, plus a wealth of northern migrants, await you on the shores of the Red Sea. BEIDAIHE 21 September-7 October with Paul Holt For an autumn full of Siberian migrants join us in this- Chinese birding hotspot. All events offer a full, professionally-led excursion programme. For an information pack, contact Sunbird specifying which event you are interested in. Sunbird (BS), P O Box 76, Sandy, Beds, SG19 IDF Telephone: 01767 682969 Fax: 01767 692481 E-mail: sunbird@sunbird.demon.co.uk Web site: www.sunbird.demon.co.uk Your money is fully protected by our own ATOL bond. Sunbird is a trading name of Conderbury Limited ICELAND, 10-18 Jun & 1-9 Jul Two departures packed with great northern birding SOUTH AFRICA, 12-26 Aug Best of the Cape, Natal & Zululand as spring arrives FRANCE, 2-10 Sep Alpine birds & migrants in the Camargue & Pyrenees NEW GUINEA & AUSTRALIA, 24 Sep-1 5 Oct Birds of paradise on the ultimate Millennium tour NEW ZEALAND, 6-23 Oct Our annual trip downunder with NZ's premier guide GAMBIA, 17 Nov-1 Dec No finer tour than our 'Quest for the Crocodile Bird' COSTA RICA, 18 Dec 2000-2 Jan 2001 Make it Christmas with the Quetzals. Book early! ... just a small selection of trips from our 2000 brochure featuring dozens of great birding tours. Call for your copy NOW! Limosa HoImWs z> 01263 578143 (Mo / MO ( f Lfl Don't miss our Spring Newsletter with a\ 1^7# \JS 'J ESS complete listing of all our 2001 tours J creJiuTZs Fax: 01263 579251 accepted e-mail: limosaholidays@compuserve.com Suffield House, Northrepps, Norfolk NR27 0LZ British Birds 218 Wintering Slavonian Grebes in coastal waters of Britain and Ireland Richard J. Evans 227 Status of the form barabensis within the Earns argentatus- cachinnans-fuscus complex’ Evgeniy N. Panov and Dmitriy G. Monzikov 242 Range expansion of the Common Buzzard in Britain Rob Clements 249 The return of the Red-billed Chough to England Richard Meyer Regular features 248 Looking back 255 News and comment Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson 253 Monthly Marathon 256 Letter Steve Rooke 254 Recent BBRC decisions M.J. Rogers Announcement : Honey-buzzard Census Decline of House Sparrows in large towns J. Denis Summers-Smith 258 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan © British Birds 2000 Dan Powell Wintering Slavonian Grebes in coastal waters of Britain and Ireland Richard J. Evans ABSTRACT Counts of wintering Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus around the coasts of Britain and Ireland were collated from county bird reports for the period 1986/87-1992/93- Mean peak values were calculated for the midwinter period for each site, and these were summed in turn to give county and country population estimates. The population wintering in coastal waters was estimated to be 648 individuals in Britain and 55 in Ireland. Making allowance for small numbers wintering on inland waters, the total wintering population was estimated to be 725-730 for Britain & Ireland, 50% higher than the estimate in the Winter Atlas (Chandler 1986). More than half of the wintering population was found at the top ten sites. Legal protection, at least in the UK, of the most important wintering sites is inadequate under the existing legislative framework. From the results of the Winter Atlas project, Chandler (1986) estimated the wintering population of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus at around 400 for Britain and 30-40 for Ireland, and considered that the estimate of 670 quoted by Prater (1981) was too high. It was clear from studies by the RSPB in the Moray Firth (Evans 1998), largely during several winters following the Winter Atlas fieldwork, that some important locations for Slavonian Grebes had not been mapped, or that numbers had possibly increased in the ten winters following Atlas fieldwork. Detailed surveys elsewhere (e.g. Christer 1989) sug- gested that numbers at other locations may have been underestimated. Accurate population estimates for win- 218 © British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 • w Wirt! ZUUU Evans: Wintering Ski i ’omdti T E D THING LIBRARY tering waterfowl are essential in assessing the importance of individual sites for site- safeguard and statutory designations. Ten years after the Winter Atlas , a review of the status of wintering Slavonian Grebes in Britain and Ireland seemed appropriate. This review was given extra impetus following a marked decline in the small Scottish breeding population in 1994 (RSPB unpub- lished data). If the Scottish breeding birds were wintering locally, factors affecting win- tering birds off the British coast would be having an effect on the size of the British breeding population. Methods Divers Gavia and rare' grebes were not sys- tematically covered by national waterfowl- monitoring schemes up to 1992/93 (National Wildfowl Counts/Birds of Estuaries Enquiry, now combined as the Wetland Bird Survey). Reliable counts of seaducks, divers and grebes are difficult to come by through the national scheme, because of its reliance on preset dates and because of the requirement for good weather and calm sea conditions for counts of gatherings of these birds to be accurate. These do not always coincide, and counts of seaducks, divers and grebes are reliable only when census dates are chosen for their good conditions (Kirby et al. 1993). The numbers of Slavonian Grebes win- tering at given localities were determined from a review of published literature. Primary sources were county and country bird reports, supplemented by reports on site-specific surveys where available (e.g. Christer 1989; Evans 1998). Slavonian Grebes are sufficiently scarce and interesting for birdwatchers usually to count them at indi- vidual sites (which are often regular and highly specific for Slavonian Grebe: pers. obs.). A high proportion of precise counts tend to be included in county bird reports, but are summarised to varying degrees. It was, however, usually possible to obtain winter counts for the main sites, at least for areas with reasonable observer coverage. An attempt was made to collate counts for each location for each winter month from September to April for the period 1986/87-1992/93, although data were not found for many months and sites. In Ireland and parts of Scotland, many areas appeared to have had irregular coverage, so data from 1980 to 1992/93 were used in the collation for these areas with lower coverage, so as to avoid important sites being overlooked. Pre- 1986/87 data were, however, not included in the calculation of site means. Preliminary examination of the data sug- gested that some localities were more impor- tant in early and late winter, presumably because these sites were used by Slavonian Grebes on migration. Calculation of the national population estimates was therefore based on the birds' midwinter distribution, when numbers at individual sites were i 131. Adult winter-plumaged Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, Norfolk, January' 1991. British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 219 Robin Chittenden Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes Fig. 1. Principal wintering sites of Slavonian Grebe Pocliceps auritus in Britain and Ireland. Small dots: up to 9 birds; medium dots: 10-25 birds; large dots: more than 25 birds. Hollow symbols indicate sites from which recent data are lacking. assumed to be stable. The period December to February was chosen, rather than a single month, in order to allow for varying levels of coverage and the effects of weather. The highest count was taken for each site in this three-month period in each winter. The highest counts were regarded as more real- istic estimates of the numbers using a site than an average of all counts would be, because of the particular problems in counting small grebes (see below). The importance of wintering waterfowl sites is conventionally assessed using mean peak values. In order to check for any effects of skewing in favour of either very high or very low counts, it was decided also to calcu- late median midwinter peak values for each site. Both mean and median values were summed to give county and country totals in turn. The differences between mean and median values were negligible, so mean values alone were used to describe popula- tion levels. Mean peak values were also cal- culated for September to April, to identify sites the importance of which might be greater outwith the midwinter period. In the cases of Highland Region (excluding the Moray Firth), the Western Isles and Orkney, data from county bird reports were insufficient to calculate the population sizes. The estimate for Orkney was derived, therefore, from the survey of Scapa Flow (Christer 1989) and an interpre- tation of information given in bird reports for the rest of the archipelago. Estimates for Highland Region and the Western Isles were based on a combination of bird-report data, personal observations and data in Webb et al. (1990). Results The totals of county means were 648 for Britain and 55 for Ireland. Mean and maximum values for December to February and for September to April for each coastal county or recording area are shown in tables 1-4. Country totals are summarised in table 5. The distribution of the main sites is shown in fig. 1 . Results are summarised, county by county, below. The main sites are identified, with internationally and nationally important sites listed first, then other regular sites. The 1% level for national importance was based on the revised population estimate pre- sented in this paper: any site with a mean peak population greater than seven birds was classed as ‘nationally important’. The qualifying level for international importance (1% of the northwest European wintering population) is 50 individuals (Cranswick et al. 1997): any site with a mean peak popula- tion greater than 50 was classed as interna- tionally important'. Counts given in parentheses are mean midwinter peak counts, unless otherwise stated. For sites where count data were infrequent owing to lack of coverage, maximum counts indicate the possible importance of the site and are shown in parentheses in the text; but mean peaks for the period 1987/88-1992/93 were still used in the calculation of the county and country population estimates: Maximum counts are shown county by county in tables 1-4; minimum counts are not given, as there was no way to distinguish poor coverage from low numbers at individual sites. For sites where numbers regularly peaked outwith the midwinter period, means for both midwinter (December to February) and September to April are shown in the text. 220 British Birds 93:218-226, May 2000 Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes England CORNWALL Sites holding nationally important numbers: south Cornwall (Falmouth to St Austell) (28) and Maenporth (7). Other sites: Camel estuary (5), Seaton (5), St Ives (3). Looe (3), Mount’s Bay (3) and Lynher (2). Peak totals generally occurred during midwinter. DEVON Nationally important sites: Exe Estuary/Dawlish Warren (14) and Torbay (6). Other sites: Start Point to Slapton, Wembury (3). Peak numbers occurred from November to March and an increase in numbers occurred regularly in spring at Dawlish Warren, when the mean value for September to April was 20 birds. DORSET Nationally important: Poole Harbour (18). Other sites: Portland Harbour (5) and Christchurch Harbour (3). Peak December to March. HAMPSHIRE Main sites: Hayling (3), Langstone Harbour (4), Hill Head (2), Calshot (2) and Netley (2). Peak months December to March. Langstone Harbour (4) and Hayling (9) held nationally impor- tant numbers in the spring. SUSSEX Bird reports summarised counts for whole coast. Nationally important sites: Pagham Harbour to Selsey Bill (30) and Chichester Harbour (8). Occasional counts of up to nine birds from sites along the coast east of Pagham (e.g. Worthing and Bexhill). Peak numbers generally occurred during midwinter. KENT No nationally important sites. Main sites Medway (2), Cliffe (2) and Sandwich Bay (maximum 4). Peak month February. ESSEX Bird reports summarised monthly counts for the whole coast (32). The Essex coast was nationally important for wintering Slavonian Grebes. The main site was the River Blackwater complex and the adjacent Dengie coast. Peak months December to March. SUFFOLK No nationally important sites; records mainly of singles at widely scattered sites. NORFOLK Bird reports summarised data for the whole north coast (14), which was nationally important Holkham Bay particularly important during October to November (mean 15 for Sep- tember to April ). Peak November and December. LINCOLNSHIRE No nationally important sites. Records mainly of one to three birds from Gibraltar Point and Witham Mouth YORKSHIRE No nationally important sites. Records mainly of singles from widely scattered sites, including Flamborough, Filey and Scarborough. CLEVELAND No regular coastal sites. DURFLAM No regular coastal sites. NORTHLIMBERLAND Bird-report data were gener- ally summarised. Nationally important site: Bam- burgh to Holy Island (27). Other sites: Druridge Bay (2) and occasional records from Seaton Sluice and Berwick. Peak months November to March. CUMBRIA No nationally important sites. Records, mainly of singles, from a wide range of sites, including Foulney, Cavendish Dock and Walney. LANCASHIRE No nationally important sites. Irreg- ular records, mainly of singles from a widely scat- tered range of sites. CHESHIRE No nationally important sites. Records relate mainly to singles at Hilbre Island. AVON No regular coastal sites. SOMERSET No regular coastal sites. Table 1. Mean and maximum numbers of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus wintering at coastal sites in bird-recording areas in England, 1986/87-1992/93. Mean Mean Maximum Maximum County Dec-Feb Sept-Apr Dec-Feb Sept-Apr Cornwall 64 72 70 74 Devon 25 30 38 44 Dorset 29 30 40 40 Hampshire 18 25 18 29 Sussex 43 44 66 66 Kent 4 5 8 9 Essex 32 36 77 77 Suffolk 2 2 4 5 Norfolk 14 23 27 32 Lincolnshire 2 3 5 5 Yorkshire 2 3 5 5 Cleveland i 1 1 i Durham i 1 1 i Northumberland 28 38 53 80 Cumbria 1 2 2 4 Lancashire 1 i i i Cheshire 1 i i i Avon 1 i i i Somerset 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 269 318 418 475 British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 221 Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes Scotland FIRTH OF FORTH The Firth of Forth held interna- tionally important numbers (68). Within the Firth of Forth, the following sites were nationally impor- tant in their own right: Gosford Bay (41),Aber- lady/Gullane Bays (9), Musselburgh (10) and Largo Bay (15). There was an exceptionally high count of 163 for the whole firth in February 1987. Peak months were January to March. Mean values for September to April were: whole firth (76), Gosford Bay (48), Aberlady Bay (14), Musselburgh (12) and Largo Bay (17). REST OF FIFE Nationally important site: Kinshaldy (Tentsmuir coast) (14). Other site:Tayport (2). Peak totals often occurred in the late-winter/spring period, with Kinshaldy recording counts of 62 in April 1983 and 54 in April 1992. TAYSIDE No regular sites. NORTHEAST SCOTLAND No nationally important sites. Most records were from the Aberdeen-to- Peterhead coast. MORAY FIRTH The Moray Firth as a whole held internationally important numbers (52 midwinter, 67 September to April). Within the Moray Firth, the following sites were nationally important in their own right: Burghead Bay (12 midwinter, 13 Sep- tember to April), the Inverness Firth (7 midwinter and September to April), the Cromarty Firth (14 midwinter, 19 September to April) and the Outer Dornoch Firth (21 midwinter, 28 September to April). Peak months October to April. CAITHNESS No nationally important sites. The highest counts were from Sandside (maximum 5) and Dunnet (maximum 3) Bays on the north coast. Records also from Thurso Bay (maximum 2), Sin- clair's Bay and Murkle Bay. ORKNEY Bird-report data were too limited to cal- culate site means. Nationally important site: Scapa Flow (maximum 43). Other sites: Wide Firth (maximum 14), Millsands. Inganess Bay and Eyn- hallow Sound (all north Mainland); North Ronaldsay, Sanday, Stronsay, Papay Sound (maximum 6) and Shapinsay. On the basis of the Scapa Flow survey and numbers at other sites as recorded in the bird reports, the wintering popula- tion around the coast of Orkney was estimated at 50. Nationally important numbers (19) also occurred on the freshwater Loch of Harray and lower numbers on the adjacent Loch of Stenness. Peak numbers occurred during the midwinter period. SHETLAND Nationally important sites: Tresta Voe (13), Whiteness Voe (10) and Catfirth (10), and 11 in Sullom Voe in 1992/93- In 1982/83, there were counts of nine at Dales and six off west Yell. Small numbers at several other sites. Peak numbers occurred during December to March. WESTERN ISLES Bird-report data indicate that the species was under-recorded until very recently. Nationally important site: Sound of Taransay/Luskentyre Banks, Harris (maximum 41 in 1991/92). Records also from Benbecula (Bali- vanich and Strome) and South Llist (North Bay, Ardivachar, Askernish and Grogeny). Thom (1986) included a count of 22 in Loch aTuath, Lewis. NORTH & WEST HIGHLAND Bird-report data were too few to calculate site means. Some sites with high counts in the past appear not to have been counted recently, and it is possible that some sites could have been overlooked. From the infor- mation available from the currently known win- tering sites, the wintering population for the whole of north and west Highland region was con- servatively estimated to be about 35 birds. Nation- ally important sites: Loch Eriboll (maximum 10), Loch Ewe (maximum 8 from county bird report, 9 recorded by Webb et al. 1990). Other current sites: Gruinard Bay (maximum 5), Loch Gairloch, Loch Torridon, Loch Linnhe ( up to 9 recorded by Webb Table 2. Mean and maximum numbers of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus wintering at coastal sites in bird-recording areas in Scotland, 1986/87-1992/93. * = estimated County/area Mean Dec-Feb Mean Sept-Apr Maximum Dec-Feb Maximum Sept-Apr Firth of Forth 69 76 163 163 Rest of Fife 11 24 19 54 Tayside 3 3 3 3 Northeast 1 1 2 . 2 Moray Firth 52 67 66 71 Caithness 0 3 2 8 Orkney* 50 50 50 50 Shetland 38 43 46 46 Rest of Highland* 35 35 35 35 Western Isles* 25 25 42 42 Argyll 39 68 44 72 Clyde 2 2 5 5 Dumfries & Galloway 14 14 22 22 TOTAL 339 411 499 573 222 British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 et al. 1990). Sites with past records where current status is unknown: Kyle of Tongue, Loch Sligachan (up to 23: Thom 1986) and other sea-lochs on Skye. ARGYLL Nationally important sites: Loch Indaal (Islay) (17 midwinter, 30 September to April), Loch na Keal (Mull) (11 midwinter, 12 September to April), Sound of Gigha (4 midwinter, 13 September to April). Other sites with records of only one or two birds: Loch Sween, Loch Craignish, Loch Fyne Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes and Colonsay. Peak months usually February to April at most sites. CLYDE No nationally important sites. Most regular site Ardmore Point (maximum 4). ARRAN Normally no more than one per year. DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY Nationally important sites: Loch Ryan (7) and Luce Bay (14 in 1990/91 and 1991/92). Peak months November to February. Wales CLWY'D No regular coastal sites. ANGLESEY No nationally important sites. Regular at Beddmanarch Bay (2). Data latterly lumped with Caernarfon (below) in Welsh Bird Reports. CAERNARFON Nationally important site: Conwy Bay (maximum 11). A count of eight off Criccieth in October 1989. Peak month generally February. MERIONYDD Nationally important site:Tremadog Bay (9, but 21 recorded in March 1987). CEREDIGION No nationally important sites. Records mainly of singles, most frequently from Borth andYnyslas. PEMBROKE No nationally important sites. Records generally of one or two birds, mainly from Angle Bay (but up to 4: Lovegrove et al. 1994) and St Bride’s Bay (up to 7: Lovegrove et al. 1994). CARMARTHEN No regular coastal sites. GOWER Main site Whiteford Point/Burry inlet (5). Peak totals during midwinter. GLAMORGAN No regular coastal sites. GWENT No regular coastal sites. Table 3- Mean and maximum numbers of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus wintering at coastal sites in bird-recording areas in Wales, 1986/87-1992/93. County/area Mean Dec-Feb Mean Sept-Apr Maximum Dec-Feb Maximum Sept-Apr Clwyd 1 1 1 1 Anglesey 4 4 6 6 Caernarfon 15 15 25 25 Merionydd 9 12 16 16 Ceredigion 1 1 1 1 Pembroke 3 3 5 5 Carmarthen 1 1 1 1 Gower 5 5 6 10 Glamorgan 1 1 1 1 Gwent 0 0 1 1 TOTAL 40 43 63 67 Ireland DOWN Main site: Strangford Lough (11); high counts in midwinter, but a minimum of 30 counted in March 1992. ANTRIM Most frequently recorded in Belfast Lough. Maximum monthly count: four birds. LONDONDERRY Main site: Lough Foyle (18, but counts of 43 and 51 in November 1991 and 1992 respectively, giving September-to-April mean of 30). Peak counts from October to April. DONEGAL Main site: Lough Swilly (maximum 1 1 in early to mid 1980s, lack of data since). High counts mainly midwinter. MAYO Main site: Blacksod Bay/The Mullet (maximum 13 in early 1980s). Records mainly Feb- ruary to March. GALWAY Irregular records, mainly from the inner part of Galway Bay: Rinville (maximum 2), Park- more (maximum 5), Kinvarra Bay (maximum 2), Auginish (6 on one occasion). One Galway Bay record also from Ballyvaughan, just in Co. Clare (below). CLARE Irregular records from Ballyvaughan (maximum 1) in Galway Bay (above). New Quay (maximum 3) and Quilty (maximum 2). KERRY Main sites: Ballinskelligs Bay (two records of 4 and 8 birds) and Sandy Bay, Castle Gregory (one record of 7). All records February to March. CORK Main sites: Roaringwater Bay (maximum 10 in early 1980s) and Cork Harbour (2). Highest counts generally midwinter. WATERFORD Main site: Dungarvan (3). No sea- sonal pattern. Counts apparently from all months October to March. WEXFORD Main sites on the east coast from Ross- British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 223 Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes Table 4. Mean and maximum numbers of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus wintering at coastal sites in bird-recording areas in Ireland, 1986/87-1992/93- County/ area Mean Dec-Feb Mean Sept-Apr Maximum Dec-Feb Maximum Sept-Apr Down 11 10 19 30 Antrim 2 2 2 4 Londonderry 18 19 26 51 Donegal 3 3 4 4 Mayo 1 3 1 5 Galway 2 2 3 6 Clare i i 1 1 Kerry i 4 1 7 Cork 3 3 4 4 Waterford 3 3 4 6 Wexford 5 8 14 17 Dublin 2 2 3 3 Louth i i 1 1 Wicklow i i 1 1 TOTAL 54 62 84 140 lare Bay to Wexford Bay, including: Wexford Harbour (maximum 11), Ballinesker (maximum 11), Curracloe (maximum 12) and Rosslare (6 in March 1983); also Tacumshin (1). Highest counts from January to March. WICKLOW Broad Lough (1 in 1985). DUBLIN Main site: Baldoyle estuary (maximum 4); also Swords estuary, Skerries, Dun Laoghaire. MEATH One record, Laytown (1). LOUTH Single records: Carlingford Lough (1); the Hermitage (1); Gyle’s Quay (1); Dundalk Bay (1). All apparently one-off records. Discussion The estimate for the size of the coastal win- tering population of Slavonian Grebes in Britain and Ireland (703 individuals) was similar to that deduced by Prater (1981) and over 50% higher than that suggested by Chandler (1986). These differences could be caused by a number of factors. Winter Atlas fieldwork covered all species, and the methodology was not designed specifically for Slavonian Grebes, which, along with a range of other species, will probably have been under-represented in areas of low observer coverage. Some of the differences may also reflect population changes over the years. For example, numbers in Shetland increased recently, after a probable decline (D. Suddaby in lift. ). It is also possible that improvements in the quality of optical equip- ment and increased observer interest have resulted in higher numbers being recorded at some sites. Differences in approach are also to be found in the perceived detectability of winter- pi umaged Slavonian Grebes on the sea. Prater (1981) recognised the difficulties involved in surveying some sites in winter conditions, while Chandler (1986) considered the species to be comparatively conspicuous’. Slavonian Grebes can, indeed, be conspicuous at coastal wintering sites, but only under perfect, flat- calm conditions which allow accurate counting. Numbers counted can vary consid- erably according to sea conditions and light conditions. For example, in the Outer Dornoch Firth between December 1991 and April 1992, successive monthly counts were of 27, 5, 32, 0 and 42 in circumstances entirely explicable by changing counting conditions rather than changing numbers of grebes (RSPB unpublished data). Numbers of Slavonian Grebes on the English and Welsh coasts are probably well known, but the data are poorer for Ireland and the remoter sea-lochs of north and west Highland and the Hebrides. Improved survey techniques in calm weather in these regions could result in the national wintering popula- tion estimates being increased further. Differences between the current review and that by Prater (1981) include larger numbers being found in Cornwall, the Moray Firth, the Western Isles, north Wales and northern Ireland, and lower numbers at some sites on the south coast of England, as well as lower estimates for Shetland and Orkney, 224 British Birds 93:218-226, May 2000 Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes Table 5- Mean and maximum numbers of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus wintering at coastal sites in bird-recording areas in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, 1986/87-1992/93. County/area Mean Dec-Feb Mean Sept-Apr Maximum Dec-Feb Maximum Sept-Apr England 269 318 418 475 Wales 40 43 63 67 Scotland 339 411 499 573 Ireland 54 62 84 140 Great Britain TOTAL 648 772 980 1,115 GB& Ireland TOTAL 702 834 1,064 1,255 where Prater estimated about 100 to be present in each archipelago. Comparison with the account in the Winter Atlas (Chandler 1986) is less easy. The main sites mentioned in the text are Orkney, the Outer Hebrides, the Dornoch Firth, the Firth of Forth, the Essex coast, Poole Harbour and the Exe Estuary. These continue to be important areas for wintering Slavonian Grebes, along with the Moray Firth, the West Sussex coast, west Cornwall and Lough Foyle, which were not identified as important in the Atlas. Distribution in England was similar to that described by Prater (1981) and Chandler (1986), with the main concentrations along the South Coast, from Cornwall to Sussex, and along the coasts of Essex, Norfolk and Northumberland. Only very small numbers occurred regularly in the other coastal coun- ties of England. The most important wintering site for Slavonian Grebes in Wales (Tremadog Bay, Merionydd) was not shown by either Prater (1981) or Chandler (1986), but was recog- nised by Fox & Roderick (1990), Webb et al. (1990) and Lovegrove et al. (1994). Distribu- tion was otherwise similar to that described by Chandler (1986). Distribution in Ireland was similar to that described by Chandler (1986), but two addi- tional important sites were identified in this study: Lough Foyle (Co. Londonderry) and Strangford Lough (Co. Down). With the exception of Loch of Harray in Orkney, freshwater sites do not appear to be important for wintering Slavonian Grebes in Britain and Ireland. Chandler (1986) estimated inland wintering numbers at 10-15, about 3-4% of the Atlas population estimate. A similar proportion of the current estimate would be 20-25. A significantly higher number than this wintering on inland waters in Britain and Ireland seems unlikely, particu- larly as many of the bird reports examined for this review covered areas with significant freshwater wintering sites for other species. This suggests a total wintering population for all sites in Britain and Ireland of about 725- 730 Slavonian Grebes. It is possible that a further review covering the winters since 1992/93 would reveal a higher wintering population. For example, surveys targeted at Slavonian Grebes win- tering at Loch na Real on the island of Mull between 1994/95 and 1998/99 gave a five- year mean of 27 birds (pers. obs.), compared with a mean of 1 1 in the current review. Lough Foyle has produced counts in excess of 50 in at least two of the winters since 1992/93 (C. Mellon in litt .) and the Moray Firth held a maximum of 163 birds in December 1997 (Stenning & Crooke 1998). In Hampshire, numbers in the western Solent have increased since 1993 (5), with 12-16 wintering regularly from 1994/95 onwards, while a handful of other sites in that county have each held up to ten birds ( Hampshire Bird Reports'). A further review of Slavonian Grebe counts would, however, suffer from the problems associated with lack of coverage of the remote sites on the west coasts of Scot- land and Ireland identified in this paper. More- detailed surveys of these sites, in conjunction with a further paper review, would give a more accurate estimate of the wintering pop- ulation of Slavonian Grebes. A similar approach could usefully be used for wintering Black-necked P. nigricollis and Red-necked Grebes P. grisegena and possibly wintering divers, but this is beyond the scope of the current paper. The top ten wintering sites in Britain identified by this review are the Firth of Forth, the Moray Firth, Scapa Flow/Loch of Harray, Pagham Harbour, south Cornwall, the Essex coast, Luskentyre, Bamburgh, Poole British Birds 93:218-226, May 2000 225 Evans: Wintering Slavonian Grebes Harbour, and Islay. These ten areas accounted for just over 50% of the British wintering population, which would qualify the Slavonian Grebe for inclusion on the list of Red Data Birds in Britain (Batten et al. 1990) as a locally wintering species, in addi- tion to its status as a rare breeding species. The list of the ten most important wintering areas for Slavonian Grebes in the UK would be identical, except that Lough Foyle would replace Islay. The Slavonian Grebe does not, however, qualify for inclusion as a locally wintering amber-listed species on the list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man (Gibbons et al. 1996), because not all of the main wintering areas for Slavonian Grebe are covered by the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS sites are used in the more recent list to assess the status of localised non-breeding waterfowl). It would be desirable for any future review of the British or UK Red Data bird list to take account of the numbers and distribution of non-breeding waterfowl not well covered by the existing Wetland Bird Survey network, such as Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis. In Ireland, the top sites were Strangford Lough, Lough Foyle, Lough Swilly, Blacksod Bay, Galway Bay, Roaringwater Bay, Wexford Harbour, Ballinesker and Curracloe. In Ireland, Strangford Lough and Lough Foyle are proposed Special Protection Areas under the terms of the EC Directive on Wild Birds. In Britain, with the exception of Scapa Flow, south Cornwall and Luskentyre, all of the ten main sites are proposed Special Pro- tection Areas (Pritchard et al. 1992). Current UK Government guidance (which is for site- protection under the EU Directives on Wild Birds and on Species and Habitats to be deliv- ered via the SSSI network) does not, however, afford protection to areas below the low- water mark, which are the areas used by win- tering Slavonian Grebes as well as wintering seaducks (Kirby et al. 1993). Boundaries of and management prescriptions for proposed Special Protection Areas and proposed Ramsar sites should be drawn to include the areas below the low-tide mark if important concen- trations of wintering Slavonian Grebes are to be afforded adequate protection under the Directives. Acknowledgments Lynn Giddings in the RSPB library and Sylvia Laing at the Scottish Ornithologists' Club provided invaluable assistance in locating bird-report data. Ron Summers, Ian Bainbridge and Peter Cranswick made helpful comments on earlier drafts. Many colleagues provided useful comments on areas known to them, especially Alison Rothwell (Western Isles), Clive Mellon (Northern Ireland) and Dave Suddaby (Shetland). Finally, this review would not have been possible without the continuing efforts of bird-report editors, local bird-recorders and, not least, all those observers who have taken the trouble to contribute counts of wintering Slavonian Grebes among their records. References Batten, L A , Bibby, C. J , Clement, P , Elliott, G. D. , & Porter, R. F. (eds.) 1990. Reel Data Birds in Britain. London. Chandler, R.J. 1986. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritns. In: Lack, P (ed.), The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland. Calton Christer, G. 1989. Winter concentrations of seaducks, divers, grebes and auks in Scapa Flow, Orkney, 1988- 1989. Unpubl. RSPB report. Cranswick, PA., Waters, R J., Musgrovc, A., & Pollit, M. S. 1 997. The Wetland Bird Survey 1995/6: wildfowl and wader counts. BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC. Slimbridge. Evans, R. J. 1998. Numbers of wintering seaducks, divers and grebes in the Moray Firth 1977-1995. Scot. Birds 19: 206-222. Fox, A. D„ & Roderick, H. W 1990. Wintering divers and grebes in Welsh coastal waters. Welsh Bird Report 1989. Gibbons, D. W, Avery, M., Baillie, S., Gregor}', R., Kirby, J. S„ Porter. R , Tucker, G„ & Williams, G. 1996. Bird species of conservation concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man: revising the Red Data List. RSPB Conserv. Rev. 10: 7-18. Kirby, J. S., Evans, R. J., & Fox, A. D. 1993 Wintering seaducks in Britain and Ireland: populations, threats, research and conservation priorities. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 3: 105-137. Lack, P 1986. The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland. Calton. Lovegrove, R , Williams, G , & Williams, I. 1994 Birds in Wales. London. Prater, A.J. 1981. Estuaty Binls of Britain and Ireland Calton. Pritchard, D. E., Housden, S. D., Mudge, G. P, Galbraith, C. A., & Pienkowski, M. W. (eds.) 1992. Important Bird Areas in the United Kingdom including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Sandy. Stenning, J., & Crooke, C. H 1998. Moray Firth Monitoring: winter 1997/8. Unpubl. RSPB report to Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd. Thom.V. M. 1986 Birds in Scotland. Calton. Webb, A., Harrison, N. M., Leaper, G. M., Steele, R. D., Tasker, M. L., & Pienkowski, M. W. 1990. Seabird Distribution West of Britain. Peterborough. Richard J. Evans , Royal Society for the Protection of Birds , Unit 3 ■ l, West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow G20 0SP 226 British Birds 93: 218-226, May 2000 Martin Elliott Status of the form barabensis within the ‘Larus argentatus- cachinnans -fuscus complex’ Evgeniy N. Panov and Dmitriy G. Monzikov ABSTRACT Between 19th July and 1st August 1997, at the Chany Lakes in southwestern Siberia, data were collected on phenotype features and behaviour of the local populations of gulls Larus belonging to the taxonomically vague form barabensis. These were compared with data from the literature and museum material on the morphological, oological and behavioural characters of L. c. cachinnans and L. (fuscus ?) heuglini, as well as those of some other related gull forms. In size, proportions and coloration, barabensis most closely resembles heuglini , while also showing © British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 227 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis some admixture of cachinnans characters. The authors conclude that barabensis is a well-defined taxon that has arisen as a result of introgression by cachinnans genes into beuglini populations as the latter expanded their range southwards. They suggest that barabensis be treated as a subspecies of L. beuglini unless the latter’s status as specifically distinct from Lesser Black-backed Gull L.fuscus is proven to be unwarranted. The various forms of large gull Lams that breed in Europe and, particularly, Asia have for some time been a source of much confusion among taxonomists. Traditionally, they have been treated as sub- species of the Herring Gull L. argentatus or the Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus, although the populations breeding in south Europe and southwest Asia have often been regarded as representing a third species, the Yellow-legged Gull L. cachinnans (see e g. Garner & Quinn 1997). As a group, all these populations are generally referred to as the Lar us argentatus -each in nans -fuse us complex’. For the sake of clarity, the different populations are here referred to by their sci- entific names. The large white-headed gulls inhabiting lakes of the Ishim, Barabinsk and Kulunda steppes, between 52° and 58°N in the Omsk region of southwest Siberia (fig. 1), are among the least well-studied Palearctic repre- sentatives of this complex. This is mani- fested, in particular, by the wide variation in opinion regarding their systematic position. They have been placed by various authors in different species, either Herring Gull or Yellow-legged Gull, being regarded either as a local population within a particular sub- species (namely, L. argentatus taimyrensis) or as another, separate subspecies (L. cachin- nans barabensis ) (Dement'ev 1951; Johansen I960). A further view is that these gulls are closely related to the northern form beuglini (Filchagov 1993), apparently of European origin, which, in turn, is regarded either as an independent species, commonly referred to as ‘Siberian Gull’ or Heuglin’s Gull’ (Stepanyan 1990), or as a subspecies of Lesser Black-backed Gull (Cramp & Simmons 1983). The probable genealogical relation- ship between barabensis and the Armenian Gull L. ( cachinnans ?) armenicus has also been discussed (e.g. Filchagov 1993). In recent reviews of the Russian avifauna, barabensis is not accepted as a valid race, on the grounds that it is not sufficiently distinct from such taxa as taimyrensis or nominate cachinnans (Stepanyan 1975; Yudin & Firsova 1988). Significantly, all these discussions have taken place in the almost complete absence of reliable data on the morphological fea- tures, field characters and natural history of the gulls in question (Garner & Quinn 1997). The aim of the present study is to fill, at least partly, the gap in our knowledge of these enigmatic birds. The range of barabensis extends west- wards to, probably, the eastern foothills of the southern Urals, some 600 km west of the well-documented breeding colonies on Tenis Lake (locality 2 in fig. 1); in addition, a few barabensis type gulls (which cannot be dis- tinguished with certainty from beuglini types) occur farther west, at the Volga -Kama confluence and in Nizhniy Novgorod region (5 & 6 in fig. l).This gull very probably breeds also in the Kulunda steppe (locality 3 in fig. 1). In northeast Kazakhstan, individuals with cachinnans-type features but with wingtip pattern approaching that of barabensis are rather common, and may be hybrids between those two forms. From 19th July to 1st August 1997, we conducted field studies in two localities about 80 km apart within the breeding range of barabensis. On the Malve Chany Lake (54°40’N, 78°E),we captured gulls, and made tape recordings in a non-breeding flock con- sisting of about 20-30 individuals. On the Bol shie Chany Lake (54°40’N, 77°E), similar studies were carried out in a nesting colony on Uzkoredkiy Island during the period when most of the chicks had already left the nest. Altogether, 12 adults (six males and six females) were captured, and from these, as well as from ten chicks, blood samples were 228 British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis taimyrensis heuglini barabensis ▼ heuglini/barabensis (few individuals in populations of omissus/cachinnans) • cachinnans ❖ mongolicus *r vegae 1 - Chany Lakes 2 - Tenis Lake Kulunda steppe Tengiz Lake Volga-Kama confluence 6 - Nizhniy Novgorod region 7 - Lake Balkhash 8 - Zaysan Lake (presumed barabensis x cachinnans populations at both 7 and 8) 9 - Lakes of NW Mongolia (presumed mongolicus x cachinnans populations) Hatched area: in lowlands, wooded/open country with numerous bogs that may be suitable breeding habitat for gulls Mongolia China Fig. 1. Breeding areas of different populations of the Larus argentatus-cachinnans-fuscus complex’. Note areas of hybridisation. Western populations of taimyrensis appear almost indistinguishable from heuglini and eastern ones from vegae. obtained for subsequent genetic analysis. We compared the characteristics of these gulls with those of the few (12) others held in the collection of the Museum of Zoology (Moscow State University), as well as with series of cachinnans specimens from the Caspian Sea, and of heuglini and taimyrensis. General features of breeding biology On the lakes of the Barabinsk lowlands (up to 105 m above sea level), the gulls breed in at least two different habitats. Colonies are most often situated at shallow lake margins, bounded on the shore side by a broad belt of very dense, almost impenetrable reedbeds. Nests are placed either on a layer of dead, flattened reeds or on a carpet of jetsam carried ashore by the action of the waves; they are sometimes built on the abandoned lodge of a Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus. but never more than 3-5 m from open water that is 0.5-1. 5 m deep. The nest itself is a bulk}' structure, 30-120 cm across and up to 30 cm in height, constructed of dead reed stalks and leaves. According to Khodkov (1981), the largest colonies are found mainly in this habitat type. They comprise up to 200 pairs and occupy an area of up to 10 ha, with minimum distance between nests averaging 8.8 m (range 3-25 m), although most reedbed colonies are rather small, consisting of 10-40 breeding pairs. Some nests are apparently used for many years (Khodkov 1981). A second habitat type consists of small, dry islands partly covered with woods of tall, mature birch Betula. There, the gulls use level and open sandy-clay areas on the central, highest part of the island, as well as low earth bluffs along its shores, nesting among low, generally sparse grassy vegeta- tion. Nests in such habitat are usually far less bulky than those in reedbeds; not infre- quently, the nest looks simply like a shallow depression in the ground, carelessly lined with a thin layer of dry grass. In contrast to reedbed colonies, the nests on small islands are widely dispersed, being separated by dis- tances of about 20 m and more. It was in British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 229 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Table 1. Mean size (in mm) of barabensis eggs compared with corresponding data on some other representatives of the Larus argentatus-cachinnans-fuscus complex'. Figures show means with (in parentheses) S.D. and range where available. TAXON/ POPULATION LOCALITY SAMPLE (NO.) LENGTH BREADTH SOURCE armenicus Transcaucasia (Sevan Lake) 113 68.1 (2.3:61.5-74.9) 48.1 (1.4; 45.1-51.0) Filchagov 1993 armenicus Transcaucasia (Sevan Lake) 153 68.3 (2.9; 59.4-75.9) 48.7 (1.6:42.5-52.0) Buzun 1993 cachinnans Black Sea 185 72.8 (63. 3-80.5) 50.4 (44.6-58.5) Kostin 1983 cachinnans E Azov region 311 70.9 (630-79 .6) 50.4 (46.0-53.5) Kazakov & Yazykova 1982 cachinnans Volga delta 66 71.2 (65.7-81.5) 49.6 (44.4-52.8) Lugovoy 1958 cachinnans SW Caspian Sea 56 72.0 (61.0-79.0) 49.0 (40.0-52.0) Dyunin 1948 cachinnans SE Caspian Sea 126 70.1 (2.9: 63.0-78.2) 48.6 (1.6:42.1-52.3) Panov et a! . 1990 cachinnans N Turkmenistan (Lake Sarykamysh ) 70 71.8 (2.7:65.6-77.6) 50.0 (1.7:47.4-53.2) Filchagov 1993 cachinnans Aral Sea 705 71.0 (64.0-84.0) 50.0 (44.0-55.0) Ismagilov 1955 cachinnans NE Kazakhstan 926 71.3 (3.2:60.9-81.9) 49.7 (1.6; 40.660.0) Zykova & Panov unpubl. cachinnans/ barabensis (?) N Kazakhstan (ZharkoT Lake) 47 72.8 (67.0-82.0) 50.3 (45.0-57.0) Samorodov 1970 barabensis SW Siberia (Saltaim Lake) 43 70.8 (2.5:66.2-76.1) 48.9 (1.3:46.4-51.9) Filchagov 1993 barabensis SW Siberia (Chany Lakes) 42 70.1 (1.8:66.0-73.7) 48.1 (1.5:44.5-51.3) Khodkov 1981 heuglini Barents Sea (Kanin Pen.) 91 70.0 (3.0:63.0-76.8) 48.2 (1.6:45.0-56.3) Filchagov 1993 heuglini Gulf of Ob' 44 69.0 (2.2:65.1-76.3) 49.1 (1.3:45.651.6) Filchagov 1993 heuglini NW Siberia (Yamal Pen.) 21 70.2 (64.4-75.2) 48.0 (46.1-49.8) Danilov et a/. 1984 taimyrensis N Siberia (W Taimyr Pen.) 30 71.7 (2.7:66.0-76.5) 50.8 (1.3:48.5-53.5) Filchagov et al. 1992 taimyrensis N Siberia (E Taimyr Pen.) 46 73.4 (3 5:66.8-82.0) 50.5 (1.2:47.8-52.3) Filchagov et al. 1992 vegae E Siberia (Chukotka) 30 73.8 (2.8:68.1-77.5) Filchagov 1993 such a colony that we carried out our study on Uzkoredkiy Island. The spring arrival of gulls in the Bara- binsk lowlands begins in mid April, contin- uing up to mid June, and the main hatching period apparently commences in the last third of May. Nests inspected by Khodkov (1981) on 7th May held eggs containing 230 embryos about half the size of a newly hatched chick; on l()th-12th June, chicks three to 18 days old were present in a colony. In 1997, on Uzkoredkiy Island, despite the very early and warm spring, the majority of young were still not able to fly in late June, and in a few nests we found newly hatched chicks. British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Being in general a late breeder, barabensis thus differs sharply from cachin- nans. In a population of the latter inhabiting Tengiz Lake in northeast Kazakhstan, the locality closest to (about 1,000 km south of) the breeding range of barabensis , the first few chicks in 1978 appeared on 8th and 9th May, while the start of mass hatching was observed on 14th May. It would thus appear that the whole breeding process of barabensis takes place almost a month later than that of the most northerly cachinnans populations. For comparison, the earliest breeding dates for the northern form heuglini are indicated by the following: a nest on the Yamal Peninsula tundra, exam- ined on 27th June, held three eggs close to hatching; and, on the Kola Peninsula, the first newly hatched chicks were observed on 29th June (Danilov et al. 1984; Filchagov & Semashko 1987). Table 1 compares egg sizes of two popula- tions of barabensis with those of other gull populations of the Black Sea-Caspian Sea region and Siberia. There appears to be a tendency towards a decrease in egg size from southwest to northeast, from the breeding range of cachinnans to that of barabensis. In both barabensis populations, egg width differs highly significantly1 2 from that of the nearest cachinnans breeders, at Tengiz Lake. The same applies to differences in length between eggs from the latter locality and those of the Chany Lakes barabensis , while egg-length difference between cachinnans and the population of barabensis from Saltaim Lake (56°N, 72°E) is not significant. The eggs of both populations of barabensis are significantly longer’ than those of heuglini from the Gulf of Ob’, while those of Chany Lakes barabensis are also sig- nificantly narrower3, but egg-width differ- ence between heuglini (Gulf of Ob’) and barabensis (Saltaim Lake) is not significant. In summary, the egg size of barabensis seems to be rather close to that of heuglini populations from both the Kola Peninsula and the Yamal Peninsula. Farther east, throughout the breeding range of taimyrensis , increase in egg size is gradual, apparently a result of the influx of vegcte ' P<0.001 3P = 0.01. 2 P<0.01 ; P<0.05. genes front eastern Siberia. The whole picture of geographical variation accords well with data on clinal variation in body size among gulls of the taxa chain cachin- n a ns -barabensis- heuglini -taimyrensis - vegae (see below). Morphometric features of barabensis populations As can be seen from table 2, barabensis is characterised by its relatively small size. In almost all measurements it tends to be smaller than gulls from the breeding range of nominate cachinnans (especially those cachinnans of the Black Sea region). At the same time, barabensis seems to be slightly larger than armenicus , although the latter has, on average, a relatively longer wing. In general, it can be said that, in terms of size and proportions, barabensis is intermediate between cachinnans of the Caspian region and adjacent eastern areas and more northerly heuglini ; our supposition is that barabensis is the product of secondary intergradation between those two taxa. Sup- plementary arguments to support this hypothesis are presented below. We believe the apparent similarity in bio- metrics between barabensis and taimyrensis to be the result of two indepen- dent processes, namely the interbreeding of heuglini with two of its neighbours whose breeding ranges are situated to, respectively, the south ( cachinnans ) and the east ( vegae ) of the range of heuglini. Bearing in mind the considerable similarity between cachinnans and vegae in size, proportions and col- oration, it is not surprising that, in both cases, hybrid populations with similar char- acters have arisen: barabensis to the south of the range of heuglini and taimyrensis to the east (see also Discussion). Garner & Quinn (1997) suggested that barabensis is characterised by its noticeably small (sometimes very thin) bill’. Our data show, however, that the bill of barabensis is not, on average, shorter than that of taimyrensis, which is usually regarded as a large-billed gull. Moreover, the two taxa are similar in bill depth, although the gonydeal angle of barabensis is, possibly, less promi- nent than on taimyrensis and cachinnans. Compared with cachinnans, the bill of barabensis is, in general, shorter and nar- British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 231 Table 2. Some morphological variables (in mm and g) of barabensis in comparison with those of other representatives of the 'Larus argentatus-cachinnans-fuscus complex'. Figures show means with (in parentheses) S.D., range and sample where available. Sources: own measurements; Mierauskas et al. (1991), Dement’ev (1951), Danilov et al. (1984), Buzun (1993), Cramp & Simmons (1983) and Dolgushin (1962). Note that all data for armenicus are from Buzun (1993). Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Table 2. cont. Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 233 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Fig. 2. Variations in bill shape and coloration and eye colour of barabensis gulls inhabiting the Chany Lakes. Left six (a-f) males, right six (g-1) females. Slight admixture of brown tones in individuals b (also on rectrices), c, d, e, g and h. Dark pigmentation occupies about 80% of iris in individual a, about 50% in b and e, and 1-5% in f, h, j and 1; in all others, iris completely yellow. (Individuals f, i and j also had wingtip pattern partly similar to that of typical cachinnans; on others, pattern closer to that of beuglini .) rower, but it does not look disproportion- ately small when the compact appearance of the bird itself is taken into account. In the field, barabensis should definitely appear longer-billed than armenicus , since bill depth is practically the same in both taxa. It should also be emphasised that the size and shape of the bill of barabensis are quite vari- able; as fig. 2 shows, relatively small-billed (of the beuglini type) and large-billed (of the cachinnans type) individuals occur among both males and females. Plumage coloration Just as with body size and proportions, barabensis is intermediate between cachin- nans and beuglini in all colour characteris- tics, being closer to the latter. The mantle is slate-grey, obviously lighter than on beuglini , but tends to be a shade darker than on many birds from the breeding range of taimyrensis. Typically, it has a brownish tinge that is normally absent on taimyrensis , the upperparts of which appear bluish-grey. In contrast to taimyrensis , on which the tone of the mantle is quite variable, barabensis has a rather constant mantle colour, although lighter-mantled individuals sometimes occur (such birds usually have certain other colour characteristics which give them a cacbin- nansAike appearance). It is apparent from fig. 3 that mean values of almost all features of the wingtip pattern of barabensis are also intermediate between those of cachinnans and those of beuglini. Within populations, we determined the pro- portions of individuals showing various intensities of black pigmentation on the pri- maries.This was assessed in terms of (1) the number of primaries bearing subterminal black markings; (2) the presence or absence of a white spot on the tip of the 9th primary (P9); (3) the maximum length of such a spot on P10 (and, if present, on P9); and (4) the size of the gap between the distal end of the grey wedge on P10 and P9 and the tip of the respective feather. In the last two characters, barabensis , being intermediate between cachinnans and beuglini and closer to the latter, does not differ, on average, from taimyrensis ; significantly, however, in charac- ters (1) and (2) it seems more closely to resemble beuglini than it does taimyrensis. The typical wingtip patterns of barabensis and of all other taxa under consideration are presented in fig. 4 (on page 237). We could not ascertain any features that permit distinction between downy young of barabensis and those of other members of the L. argentatus-cacbinnans-fuscus complex'. On the few juvenile barabensis that we examined, the pale tertial fringes were not thin and of uniform width as is characteristic of nominate cachinnans , but were broad and extensively scalloped, in this respect matching those of typical beuglini. Examination of specimens in the Museum of Zoology (Moscow State University) showed that the latter type of tertial pattern occurs on many juvenile gulls from northeastern Kazakhstan (in particular, from the Serni- palatinsk region). 234 British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Fig. 3- Comparison of some wingtip patterns characteristic of barabensis (bar) with those of cachinnans (ca), heuglini (heu), taimyrensis (tai) and armenicus (arm). (Data on armenicus from Buzun 1993, where some values, indicated by asterisk, are lacking.) a: proportions of birds with black markings on P10-P5 (open bar), P10-P4 (shaded), P10-P3 (black). b: proportions with white spots on tip of both P10 and P9 (open bar) and only on P10 (black), c: max. length of white subterminal spot on P10. d: max. length of white subterminal spot on P9. e: distance between distal end of grey wedge on P10 and tip of feather. f: distance between distal end of grey wedge on P9 and tip of feather. (For c-f, means, S.D. and ranges are shown; for armenicus , range values for c and e lacking.) Bare-part colours All 1 2 individuals of barabensis examined in the hand had a pale yellow iris. Five of these had no dark pigmentation, while four others had small dark brown speckles occupying 1-5% of the iris area; dark speckles covered about 50% of the iris on two individuals and 80% on one, so that their eyes looked dark (fig. 2). The colour of the eye-ring varied from orange with a yellow tint to orange- tinged red, being orange-red in most cases. The legs and feet of all 12 were deep yellow, on some very brightly coloured. The feet of one had an orange tint. The bill is bright yellow, with a reddish- orange gonydeal angle. Only two of the 12 individuals examined showed small blackish markings near the tip of the upper mandible, and on one the marking was reddish. These findings differ dramatically from observa- tions made some 360 km northwest of our study area, on Saltaim Lake: there, dark mark- ings of varying size were present on the bill (mostly the upper mandible) of 18 out of 29 adult barabensis examined in the hand during the breeding season (Filchagov 1993). Some features of behaviour By the beginning of our study on Uzkoredkiy Island, most gulls had already left the nesting colony and were on the water close to the shore. Groups comprising one or two adults together with up to three juveniles, and thus perhaps intact family parties, were seen only rarely at that time. The majority of juveniles British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis 132-136. Gulls of the form Larus heuglini barabensis, Russia, July 1997. All by E. N. Panov 236 British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 were gathered in loose aggregations of varying composition and containing from a few to about 15 individuals. These groups ('creches') were very attractive to adult gulls, with a continual interchange of birds in the vicinity' of such sites. Many adults, com- peting for the role of chick guardians, were involved in incessant antagonistic interac- tions, such as those previously described for cachinnans at Tengiz Lake (Panov & Zykova 1981). Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Frequent conflicts were invariably accom- panied by numerous Long-call displays. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the motor components of the displays were a quick lowering of the head down to the water surface, followed by stretching of the neck upwards and forwards at an angle of about 20-30°. This, the so-called argentatus- like' version of the Long-call display, is the one most frequently observed in most popu- lations belonging to the ' L. argentatus- Fig. 4. Wingtip patterns most characteristic of cachinnans (a = lightest variant, b = darkest), barabensis (c), heuglini (d), taimyrensis (e) and vegae (f). British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 237 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis cachinnans-fuscus complex’. Another version, hitherto described only for nomi- nate cachinnans, was, however, observed on three occasions: the characteristic compo- nent of this version is the vertical raising of the fully extended wings during the second phase of the performance (Panov et al. 1991). It is important to note that the acoustic component of the Long-call display varies conspicuously among the Chany Lakes popu- lations of barabensis. There are two obvi- ously different types of call, and a continuum of variants intermediate between them. One of these types closely resembles that charac- teristic of nominate cachinnans (compare figs. 5e and 50. while another has a fuscus- like’ structure (fig. 5d) and may, therefore, prove to be the typical constituent of heuglini signal behaviour. Discussion The results of this study clearly suggest that in practically all morphological features, including size, proportions and coloration, barabensis exhibits the greatest degree of resemblance to heuglini , while at the same time showing a slight admixture of cachin- nans characters. This forces us to conclude that barabensis has arisen as a result of introgression of cachinnans genes into heuglini populations which have expanded southwards from their original breeding range. Preliminary behavioural data also Fig. 5. Some acoustic signals of barabensis (a-e) and cachinnans (f). a: common call, used also to signal alarm; b: alarm call of staccato’ type; c: different variants of Mew-call; d: fuscus-like' variant of Long-call; e: cachinnans- like' variant of Long-call starting with sound of Mew-call type; f: typical Long-call of nominate cachinnans (southeast Caspian). British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Table 3. Characteristics of wingtip pattern of barabensis compared with some other representatives of the Larus argentatus-cachinnans-fuscus complex’. Data for both sexes combined. P = primary. Data for armenicus from Buzun (1993). Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 239 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis support this hypothesis. While the southern limit of heuglini and the northern limit of barabensis are uncertain, between their known ranges lies an area approximately 1,200-1,500 km broad of impenetrable bogs and marshes; no ecological barrier therefore exists that might otherwise keep the two apart. Our conclusion runs counter to the view expressed by Dement'ev (1951), that barabensis should be regarded as the southern representative of taimyrensis. Fur- thermore, our data do not accord with the opinion of Johansen (I960), who considered barabensis to be a subspecies of L. cachin- nans.The latter view is apparently based on the well-known intermingling of barabensis and cachinnans characters among large-gull populations of northeastern Kazakhstan (locality 8 in fig. 1), to the southeast of our study area. Evidently, gene-flow occurs from gulls in these regions into southern popula- tions of barabensis/ heuglini inhabiting lakes in the southern part ofWestern Siberia. Dement’ev’s (1951) suggestion that barabensis is a constituent of L. argentatus taimyrensis' was based on a genuine simi- larity between these two taxa. At the same time, Dement’ev (1951, 1952) stressed the unstable nature of differences between heuglini and western taimyrensis popula- tions, as well as the presence in the eastern part of the breeding range of taimyrensis of a considerable number of individuals with an admixture of vegae characters. Moreover, across the whole breeding range of taimyrensis , along with yellow-legged birds similar to heuglini , individuals with pink legs ( vegae character) often occur (see e.g. colour photos in Filchagov et al. 1992). Analysis of the taimyrensis sample in the Museum of Zoology (Moscow State Univer- sity) undoubtedly shows that this pink- legged form is nothing other than heuglini strongly influenced by vegae gene-flow from Eastern Siberia (see also Cramp & Simmons 1983: 815). Bearing in mind the existence of some similarity between vegae and cachin- nans (see fig. 4), the deceptive superficial resemblance of two hybrid forms ( heuglini x vegae = taimyrensis , and heuglini x cachinnans = barabensis ) becomes readily explicable. While the apparent phenotypic resem- blance of heuglini , barabensis and taimyrensis results from their close genealogical and genetic interrelationship, the similarity between barabensis and armenicus , which has lately attracted the attention of ornithologists (e.g. Filchagov 1993; Garner & Quinn 1997), is, in our view, no more than superficial and incidental, as is, for example, that between armenicus and California Gull L. californicus (Doherty 1992). We suggest that such a resemblance is the result of convergence that manifests itself, in particular, in the parallel intensifica- tion of melanism in heuglini (whose charac- ters are retained in barabensis ) and in armenicus. What the causes of such a par- allel evolution may be is an interesting ques- tion. Attempts to demonstrate ancient genealogical interrelationships between heuglini-taimyrensis-barabensis on the one hand and armenicus on the other (Filchagov 1993; Buzun 1993) lack adequate empirical foundation and should be viewed as pure speculation. To summarise, we believe that barabensis , despite its apparent hybrid origin, should be treated as a quite well- defined taxon (contrary to Stepanyan 1975 and Yudin & Firsova 1988) that is most closely related to heuglini It should be referred to as L. heuglini barabensis , unless the independent species status of heuglini (Stepanyan 1990) in relation to the Lesser Black-backed Gull is refuted by convincing argument derived from studies of compara- tive behaviour and genetics. As a final point, it is worth noting that the eastern form mongolicus is very large, bigger even than vegae , and with a wingtip pattern broadly similar to that of vegae (cf. fig. 4f); it differs from the latter mainly in having much more black on the primaries (table 3). Com- parative ethological studies (Panov & Monzikov in prep.) suggest that mongolicus is most closely related to vegae , both of which belong to the argentatus group within the complex, whereas heuglini appears to be part of the fuscus group. L. cachinnans is somewhat apart from both; although it is assumed to be closer to fuscus than to argentatus , obvious gene-flow occurs between L. argentatus and cachin- nans in European Russia (see Panov & Monzikov 1999). 240 British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 Panov & Monzikov: Status of the form barabensis Acknowledgments The study was financially supported by grants (NN 96- 04-50575, 96-04-63023. 97-044>3032) from the Russian Fund for Theoretical Studies and by grant N 2.2.148. 1 from the Biological Diversity' Fund. We thank the staff of the Institute of Biology (Novosibirsk), especially its Director, V. I. Evsikov, and also Yu. S. Ravkin.A. K.Yurlov and V M. Chernyshov, for their help in the organisation of our field studies and assistance during a field trip to the Chany Lakes. We are also grateful to staff at the Zoological Museum of Moscow University, in particular P. S.Tomkovich, for constant help during our work with the Museum collections. We are indebted to M. G. 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In: The Yellow-legged Gull and Flamingo at the Caspian Sea, 3-31] Moscow (Central Administrative Board of Reserves). Filchagov, A. V. 1993. The Armenian Gull in Armenia. Brit. Birds 86: 550-560 — & Semashko, V. Yu. 1987. [Distribution and ecology of West Siberian Herring Gull ( Lams argentatus heuglini Bree, 1876) on the Kola peninsula.) Byull. Mosk. Obshch. Ispyt. Prir. Otd. Biol. 92 (3): 37-42. — , Yesou, P, & Grabovsky, V. I. 1992. Le Goeland du Taimyr Lams heuglini taimyrensis: repartition et biologie estivales. L’Oiseau 62: 128-148. Garner, M., & Quinn. D 1997. Identification ofYellow- legged Gulls in Britain. Brit Birds 90: 25-62. Ismagilov, M. I 1955. [The gulls of Barsa-Kel'mes island (Aral Sea).] Trudy Inst. Zool.Akad. Nauk Kaz. SSR 4: 166-172. Johansen, H. I960. Die Vogelfauna Westsibiriens. III.Teil (Non Passeres) 9 Forts : Alcidae, Laridae. J Orn. 101:316-339. Kazakov, B. A., & Yazykova, I. M. 1982. [Order Charadriiformes. In: Wildlife Resources 2: 204-230.] Rostov-on-Don. Khodkov, G. I 1981. [On the distribution and biology of Herring and Black-headed Gulls in the south of the Barabinsk lowlands. In: Yurlov, K. T. (ed ), Ecological and biocoenotic links of migratory birds in Western Siberia. 87-101 .] Novosibirsk Kostin.Yu.V. 1983. [The Birds of the Crimea .] Moscow. Lugovov, A. E. 1958. [Larines of the lower parts of the Volga delta and of adjacent areas of the northern Caspian] Trudy Astrakhan', gos. Zapoved. (Astrakhan ) 4: 269-294. Mierauskas, P, Greimas, E., & Buzun, V 1991 A comparison of morphometries, wing-tip pattern and vocalizations between yellow-legged Herring Gulls ( Lams argentatus ) from Eastern Baltic and Lams cachinnans. Acta Orn Lit. 4: 3-26. Panov, E. N., Grabovsky, V I , & Zykova, L. Yu. 1991. [Biology of nesting behavior, and taxonomy of Lams cachinnans. 3- Specificity of communicative signals.] Zool. Zh. (Moscow) 70 (3): 73-89. — & Monzikov, D. G. 1999 [Intergradation between the Herring Gull Lams argentatus and the Southern Herring Gull Lams cachinnans in European Russia.] Zool Zh. (Moscow) 78 (3): 334- 348. — & Zykova, L. Yu 1981 [Behaviour of Lams argentatus cachinnans at the late stages of reproductive cycle ] Zool. Zh. (Moscow) 60: 1658- 1669. — , — & Grabovsky, V I 1990. [The nesting biology, behavior and taxonomy of Lams cachinnans. I. Spatial structure and behavior aspects of the nesting biology.] Zool Zh. (Moscow) 69 (12): 92- 105. Samorodov, Yu. A. 1970. [Biology and ecology of Southern Herring Gull breeding in Northern Kazakhstan ] Vestnik MGU Ser. 16 (Biol.), 6: 22-28. Stepanyan, L. S. 1975. [Composition and distribution of the bird fauna of the USSR: Non-Passeriformes] Moscow. — 1990. [Conspectus of the ornithological fauna of the USSR ] Moscow. Yudin, K.A., & Firsova, L.V 1988. [The Herring Gull. In: H'icheyV. D, & Zubakin.V.A. (eds.), The Birds of the USSR Lariformes ] Moscow. Prof. E. N. Panov and D. G. Monzikov, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskiy Prospect 33, 117071 Moscow, Russia British Birds 93: 227-241, May 2000 241 Range expansion of the Common Buzzard in Britain Rob Clements ABSTRACT The failure of the Common Buzzard Buteo buteo to re-establish itself as a breeding species in much of eastern Britain has been the subject of much speculation over the past 30 years. Recently, however, there is evidence that Common Buzzards are finally colonising areas of eastern England and Scotland from which they have been absent for over a century. They can now be observed within 30 km of the centre of London, and seem likely to colonise the remaining areas of suitable habitat within Britain in the near future. This paper summarises the information that is currently available on the recent range expansion of the Common Buzzard Buteo buteo in Britain up to the end of 1997. The principal sources of data were the County and Regional Bird Recorders and the annual County Bird Reports. The past During the nineteenth century, as a result of human persecution, the Common Buzzard was exterminated as a breeding species in much of the eastern and midland counties of England (More 1865). By 1900, the only remaining population in southern England was in the protected enclave of the New Forest (Clark & Eyre 1993). In Scotland and northern England, the species was restricted to the western counties, where the pressure of gamekeeping was less severe. During the twentieth century, as persecution dimin- ished, there was a slow eastward spread from the species’ stronghold in western Britain. The 1968-72 Breeding Atlas (Sharrock 1976) confirmed that Common Buzzards were still absent from most of southeastern England. Exceptions were a small breeding population in West Sussex, a few records of confirmed breeding in the Chilterns of Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire, and a solitary 242 © British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 Michael Webb Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard record of probable breeding in the Brecks area of East Anglia. Common Buzzards were similarly absent from central England east of Shropshire and Staffordshire. The Lake Dis- trict remained a stronghold in northern England, but Yorkshire, southern Lancashire and Co. Durham were devoid of the species. A few pairs persisted in the wilder parts of the Cheviots and Kielder Forest area of Northumberland. In southern Scotland, Common Buzzards were absent from much of the Borders and Lothian region. They were similarly absent from Fife and the eastern part of Aberdeenshire. A survey conducted by the British Trust for Ornithology in 1983 found little evidence of eastward expansion since 1968-72 (Taylor et al. 1988). Although that survey revealed an increase in the total British population, this increase was mani- fested only by infilling and consolidation of the Common Buzzard’s current range, with no evidence of any expansion of range. The 1988-91 Atlas (Gibbons et al. 1993) showed an increase in records and slight eastward spread within Hampshire, Wilt- shire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Compared with 1968-72, however, there had also been a retraction from the three areas on the eastern edge of the Common Buzzard’s range where pioneering individuals had been recorded. The West Sussex population appeared to have been reduced consider- ably, while the scatter of records in the Brecks had disappeared completely. There was one confirmed breeding record in the Chilterns area, but a reduction of total records within that area. This apparent range contraction between the 1968-72 and 1988-91 surveys was sur- prising, coming during a period of re-estab- lishment of many other raptor species, and a supposed reduction of threats from both pesticides and human persecution. Presum- ably, however, these isolated populations were vulnerable to a combination of human persecution and a lack of recruitment from the more westerly population. In central England, there had been a slight eastward expansion of range within Worces- tershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Farther Fig. 1. Diagrammatic representation of spread of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo between 1991 and 1997 (based on Gibbons et al. 1993 and data presented here). Fig. 2. Spread of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo into eastern Britain between 1991 and 1997. Filled dots show 1988-91 distribution (from Gibbons et al. 1993) and open dots represent 1 997 records in previously unoccupied areas. British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 243 Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard north, there was little sign of any major spread into Yorkshire or Northumberland. In southern Scotland, there was evidence of an extension into coastal farmland in the southwest, and some eastward spread within the Borders region. In northeast Scotland, there had been some spread into Angus and Aberdeenshire. The present Since 1991, there has been a major expan- sion of the Common Buzzard’s range in eastern Britain. Tables 1-5 compare the recorded population of Common Buzzards atthe end of the 1988-91 survey period with the records for 1997. The county entries detail the available information on current numbers and distribution. Southeast England (table 1) Table 1. Number of pairs of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo holding territory in southeastern England. County 1988-91 1997 Bedfordshire 0 4 Berkshire 1 10-12 Buckinghamshire 1 8-12 Essex 1 3 Greater London 0 0 Hertfordshire 0 4 Kent 0 0 Surrey 0 1 Sussex 10 25 BEDFORDSHIRE Breeding was first recorded in 1995, at Southill Park, when a pair was also present in the south of the county. By 1997, two pairs were confirmed breeding, and presence was recorded in several other locations. BERKSHIRE A minimum of two pairs was present in the west of the county during the 1988-91 survey period. The 1991 Bird Report stated that one pair was present. By 1997, there were ten to 12 pairs, widely scattered within the county. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE In 1991, the single pair of Common Buzzards recorded in the county repre- sented the most easterly record during the 1988- 91 survey period. By 1997, there was a minimum of eight pairs in the South Chilterns area and two pairs in the north of the county. ESSEX Common Buzzards were first recorded breeding in 1994, when a pair was present in the northwest of the county. In 1997, at least three pairs were present in the county. GREATER LONDON No records of breeding yet, although casual sightings include one over Trafalgar Square in March 1997. It will be inter- esting to see whether Common Buzzards can adapt to London’s varied habitats, which include suburban gardens and extensive parkland. The Hobby Fa/co subbuteo has bred in surprising places within Greater London in recent years; Common Buzzards may, however, require more space and seclusion. HERTFORDSHIRE Common Buzzards were first recorded as breeding in 1996, by which time they were present at four widely scattered locations within the county. In 1997, four pairs were present during the breeding season. KENT Common Buzzards have been recorded in summer in recent years, but no definite evidence of breeding has been received by the County Recorder. If breeding is proven in the next few years, it is most likely to involve birds spreading from the Ashdown Forest area in East Sussex. In the longer term, Common Buzzards from the expanding Sussex population should find much suitable breeding habitat in Kent. SL1RREY In 1997, a pair of Common Buzzards was reported from a central area of the county, but breeding was not proven. As in Kent, there appears to be much suitable habitat, awaiting the species' arrival. SUSSEX The 1988-91 Atlas, which showed no con- firmed breeding records, undoubtedly understated the position in the county. Apparently, there were about ten pairs present at that time. By 1997, the population had grown to over 25 pairs (M. E. Kalaher in lift .), with confirmed breeding records from several locations along the South Downs, as well as from the experimentally released popula- tion in Ashdown Forest. Central England (table 2) Precise data are not available for the more westerly counties of the region, but all show an increase in range and numbers. DERBYSHIRE There were two proven records of Common Buzzards breeding in 1991 By 1997, there was a further increase in sightings from all parts of the county and at least 15 pairs were present. LEICESTERSHIRE (WITH RUTLAND) The 1991 244 British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard Table 2. Number of pairs of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo holding territory in suitable habitat in central England. County 1988-91 1997 Derbyshire 2 15+ Leicestershire (incl. Rutland) 0 3-4 Nottinghamshire 2 6+ Warwickshire i 35+ West Midlands 0 2-3 Bird Report suggested that the Common Buzzard was a scarce visitor, but that breeding was a possi- bility. By 1995, though there was still no confirma- tion of breeding, sightings of ten or more Common Buzzards were reported from the Belvoir/Knipton area. In 1997, breeding pairs were present in four or more areas, as far east as Rutland. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE In 1991, there were two records of confirmed breeding. By 1997, at least six pairs were present in the breeding stronghold of the Dukeries. Pairs at other locations within the county' may also have bred. WARWICKSHIRE In 1991, one pair bred within the county. By 1995, at least ten pairs were present; the Bird Report noted over 100 records from 40 sites, compared with four records from three sites in 1985. In 1997, the species was still increasing rapidly, with records from 85 sites and at least 35 pairs thought to be breeding. WEST MIDLANDS A shortage of observers has been blamed for obscuring the real picture in this county. A pair was present in 1995, and probably two or three pairs were present in 1997. Eastern England (table 3 ) In eastern England, the situation is confused by the presence of experimentally released Common Buzzards in Norfolk. Table 3 shows that Common Buzzards have spread and con- solidated within the western part of this region. CAMBRIDGESHIRE In 1991 , the Common Buzzard remained a rare visitor. By 1997, there was a small population in woodland in the southeast of the county, with up to four birds present. As yet, breeding has not been proven. HUNTINGDONSHIRE In 1997, Common Buzzards were present in two areas in the west of the county. Table 3- Number of pairs of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo holding territory in suitable habitat in eastern England. County 1988-91 1997 Cambridgeshire 0 1 Huntingdonshire 0 1-2 Lincolnshire 0 15 Norfolk 0 9 Northamptonshire 1 20+ Suffolk 0 0 LINCOLNSHIRE The 1991 Bird Report mentioned the species as only an occasional visitor. By 1997, there were probably 1 5 pairs in the county. NORFOLK The 1991 Bird Report noted possible breeding. This was confirmed in 1992, although it was suggested that there were many released birds in the county'. In 1997, breeding was confirmed at four locations, displaying birds noted at four further sites, and summering birds seen at a ninth. The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology has released Common Buzzards at a site near Sheringham during 1994-96. Since release sites are known to attract pioneering individuals from the West, the current population will undoubtedly contain both experimentally released birds and natural colonisers. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE In 1991 , the "species was recorded as a regular visitor, with one record of a pair present in the breeding season. By 1995, Common Buzzards were re-established as a rare breeding species, with two or more seen together in 20 distinct areas of the county. By 1997, the population had continued to expand, with over 20 pairs thought to be breeding. SUFFOLK As yet, there have been no recorded breeding attempts in the county, although display was noted at one site. With Common Buzzards present on the Cambridgeshire border, and an increasing population in Norfolk, the Brecks area within the county seems the most likely starting point for colonisation. Northern England (table 4) DURHAM The pair of Common Buzzards that bred in the south of the county in 1991 was the first confirmed since 1968. By 1995, the species' range had expanded, with breeding proven at two sites in the south of the county and in Weardale, and breeding probable at a further site in the south and inTeesdale.Two other pairs were suspected to have bred. In 1997, 15-20 pairs were present. British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 245 Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard Table 4. Number of pairs of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo holding territory in suitable habitat in northern England. Yorkshire records refer to 1995, the latest year for which data are available. County 1988-91 1997 Cleveland 0 0 Durham 1 15-20 Northumberland 4 43 Yorkshire, East 0 1 Yorkshire, Northeast 0 0 Yorkshire, Northwest 1 8 Yorkshire, South &West 0 1 Yorkshire, West 2 5 NORTHUMBERLAND In 1991, two pairs bred in the southwest, and two pairs were present else- where in the county. Since then, there has been a remarkable increase, with 14 pairs confirmed breeding in 1993 and 43 pairs confirmed breeding in 1997. The 1996 Bird Report noted that illegal persecution was responsible for the failure of five potential breeding pairs, and remained a limiting factor in the species' spread. YORKSHIRE In 1991, two pairs bred in the west of the county and one pair in the northwest. Common Buzzards have subsequently increased both in range and in breeding numbers within the county, slowly moving away from the higher ground towards the farmland in the east. Persecu- tion appears to remain a limiting factor in York- shire, with numbers low for such a large county with much suitable habitat . The North York Moors, for example, remain devoid of the species. By 1995, the population had reached around 15 pairs. Eastern Scotland (table 5 ) Table 5 shows a continuing spread into the areas of eastern Scotland that remained unoccupied in 1991. BORDERS Common Buzzards were present in 97 tetrads of the region in 1991 By 1997, they were present in 355 tetrads, with a population esti- mated at over 500 pairs. In common with many counties where the population has expanded rapidly, numbers have become too large to be monitored accurately. A reduction in persecution, with the replacement of poison bait by Larsen traps as the main means of controlling crows (Corvidae), was suggested as the major reason for the increase. FIFE Although individuals were present, there were no reports of breeding in 1991. By 1992, Table 5. Number of pairs of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo holding territory in suitable habitat in eastern Scotland. Northeast Scotland records refer to the number of locations occupied rather than to breeding pairs. County 1988-91 1997 Borders 42 171 Fife 0 27+ Lothian 2 60+ Northeast Scotland 40 100 there were seven pairs, with the population expanding to at least 27 pairs by 1997. LOTHIAN In 1991, the population consisted of just two confirmed pairs. By 1997, numbers were described as too high to be monitored accurately, with over 60 occupied territories. NORTHEAST SCOTLAND A survey in 1996 found at least 270 Common Buzzards either holding ter- ritory or breeding in areas where no buzzards were recorded during Atlas work in 1981-88 (Buckland et at. 1990). The population had expanded into the farmland areas of the Mearns and Buchan plain, with Common Buzzards present at over 100 localities by 1997. The future The current population of Common Buz- zards in the counties of southeast England, comprising about 60 pairs, is scattered very thinly over a very large area. There are few locations where the density at present is in any way comparable to that in prime habitat in western England. To what extent Common Buzzards will consolidate in these newly colonised areas is uncertain. If persecution by gamekeeping interests re-emerges, this population is, of course, still very vulnerable. Large areas of the southeast, where intensive arable agriculture predominates, may be able to support only a very low density of breeding buzzards. Currently occupied areas, however, such as the Chiltern Ridge, the South Downs and parts of rural Hertford- shire and Bedfordshire, should be capable of supporting a population far above current levels. It is possible that the rapid eastward surge of the past few years will cease as the population consolidates and infills this new extension to its range. In the longer term, there are undoubtedly many parts of Surrey and Kent that appear to provide ideal habitat 246 British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard for the species. It may be only a matter of time before the Common Buzzard has recolonised the whole of southeastern England. In eastern England, the small but expanding populations in Norfolk and Lin- colnshire should speed the further colonisa- tion of this region. As in the Southeast, however, some areas of intensive agriculture seem unlikely to be able to support the species at any reasonable density. Conflict with game interests could slow the expan- sion into areas of coniferous forest in the Brecks and coastal Suffolk. Farther to the north, much of Yorkshire remains unoccupied, with persecution appearing to be the main limiting factor. There, changing attitudes towards this species may allow further expansion of range. Discussion Two main reasons have been suggested in the past for the failure of Common Buzzards to recolonise eastern England and eastern Scotland. Persecution of isolated pairs on the eastern edge of their range was thought to be a factor (Gibbons et al. 1993) In addition, the overwhelming tendency of dispersing first-winter Common Buzzards to return to their area of origin in spring reduced the likelihood of the species rapidly extending its range into areas of past extinction (Walls & Kenward 1995). There are several possible sources for the buzzards currently colonising eastern England. Common Buzzards from Conti- nental Europe regularly overwinter in eastern England, especially Essex and Kent. There is, however, little evidence that these wintering visitors have ever stayed to breed. The absence of breeding records from Kent, the county most likely to attract migrant Continental Common Buzzards from the east, suggests that colonisation from the Con- tinent is a minimal factor in the recent spread of the species into southeast England. In recent years, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology has released Common Buzzards at three sites in southern England: two in Sussex and one in Norfolk. In total, 52 indi- viduals dispersed successfully from these sites over the period 1994-98 (R. E. Kenward in lift.). These experimental releases have obviously inflated the numbers of resident Common Buzzards in those counties, but cannot account for the increase in numbers over the region as a whole. Release sites tend to attract pioneering birds from elsewhere, so their presence has undoubtedly speeded up a natural process of recolonisation. The major source of the Common Buz- zards recolonising eastern England is the growing population to the West. The infilling and consolidation process in what were mar- ginal areas 30 years ago has provided surplus birds for the recent expansion of range. A 75-km2 study area near Bristol provides evi- dence of the increase in numbers (Prytherch 1997). An area that supported 12-14 pairs in the early 1980s had seen an increase to 56 pairs by 1996. Although productivity of fledged young had dropped from nearly two per nest to only one, indicating that occu- pancy of the area was nearing saturation level, the number of fledged young had con- tinued to increase over the study period; any juveniles that dispersed from this area would have to move east to find suitable unoccu- pied breeding habitat. The former border' counties of Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire have seen major increases in their Common Buzzard popula- tions over the past ten years. Farther east, the number of pioneering Common Buzzards seeking new territories has obviously reached some critical level where the number of incomers exceeds any losses from human persecution and natural causes. There is some evidence that eastern England may now be a more welcoming prospect for these incoming buzzards. Although, nationally, there may be no con- stant trend of either increase or decrease in buzzard persecution (Elliott & Avery 1991), many gamekeepers have moved from poi- soned bait, as an agent of crow control, to the Larsen trap, which is much less likely to affect buzzards. In Northumberland, the remarkable increase in numbers has been linked to the recent amendment to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which made landowners responsible for the illegal actions of their employees (Day et al. 1995). In addition, there is evidence that the popu- lation of Rabbits Oryctolagns cuniculus , an important food source, has increased markedly over recent years (Harris et al. 1995). Prospects look good. British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 247 Clements: Range expansion of the Common Buzzard Acknowledgments I am grateful for the assistance of the relevant County Recorders in providing the information that enabled me to produce the 1997 map of Common Buzzard distribution (fig. 1). Thanks are also due to Dr R. E Kenward, for his assistance and advice, and to Lynn Giddings for help with references. References Buckland, S.T., Bell, M.V.. & Picozzi, N. 1990 The Birds of North-East Scotland. Aberdeen. Clark, J. M., & Eyre, J. A. 1993- Birds of Hampshire. Hampshire Ornithological Society. Day, J., Hodgson, M. S., & Rossiter, N. 1995. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Northumbria. Morpeth. Elliott, G., & Avery, M. 1991 A review of reports of Buzzard persecution 1975-1989. Bird Study 38: 52- 56. Gibbons, D.. Reid, J., & Chapman, R. 1993 The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1988-1991. London. Harris, S., Morris, P, Wray, S., & Yalden, D 1995. A Review of British Mammals: population estimates of British mammals other than cetaceans. Peterborough. More, A. G. 1865. On the distribution of birds in Great Britain during the nesting season, pt.l. Ibis (New Series) 1:3-27. Prvtherch, R 1997. Buzzards. BBC Wildlife March 1997. Sharrock, J. T. R 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. Berkhamsted. Taylor, K , Hudson, R.. & Horne, G. 1988. Buzzard breeding distribution and abundance in Britain and Northern Ireland in 1983. Bird Study 35: 109-1 18. Walls, S., & Kenward, R 1995. Movements of radio- tagged Common Buzzards in their first year. Ibis 137: 177-182. k Rob Clements , 8 Harrier Drive , Sittingboiirne , Kent ME 10 4UY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO: I have been struck [by] the excessive desire, which would appear to exist, not only to multiply genera and to fabri- cate names of a startling char- acter to the common and unlearned reader, but also to change and to throw away numbers of those which have been already long in existence.’ ( Zoologist 8: 2724; May 1850) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO: The Great or Norfolk Plover [Stone-curlew Burhinus oedic- nemus ] being not yet extermi- nated in East Anglia, I spent some time during last September and October in observing its habits. .. EDMUND SELOUS.’ ( Zoologist Fourth Series 4: 173; May 1900) FIFTY YEARS AGO: During our [L. S. V. & U. M. Venables] visits to various places in the islands we are repeatedly told either that there is a marked downward trend in Corn-Crake [Crex crex ] numbers or that the bird has almost or quite forsaken that par- ticular district within living memory. . .observations indicate that the seeds of decline already exist in Shetland itself: (1) The drift of the Corn-Crake popula- tion to the rye-grass areas. (2) The early rye-grass harvest. This exposes many clutches of eggs which even if seen in time and left undisturbed are rarely suc- cessful. (3) The increasing use of mechanical mowing.’ (Brit. Birds 43: 137-141; May 1950) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO: The Dartford Warbler’s [Sylvia undata ] future here is precar- ious, but its conservation is important because it is character- istic of a habitat for which England has international respon- sibility. C. J. BIBBY & C. R. TUBBS.' In the mid-1950 s the study of migration was the chief pursuit of many of our most active observers... Then, quite suddenly it all stopped. The BTO, sensitive to changes in its finan- cial support, re-ordered its priori- ties and had no option but to concentrate on population work. ..The collective enthu- siasm of a whole generation of leading observers, just faded away. ..what seems to have taken [the] place [of migration studies], especially among many of the youngest and most ener- getic observers, is an unfortunate bias towards ringing for its own sake or, worse still, an interest in rarities alone D. I. M. WALLACE.’ New mammoth reservoir. Work is now far advanced in the construction of Empingham Reservoir in Leicestershire. . the surface area will extend to 1,255 hectares, making this the largest man-made lake in England. (Brit. Birds 68: 177-195, 202-203, 217; May 1975) 248 British Birds 93: 242-248, May 2000 The return of the Red-billed Chough to England Richard Meyer ABSTRACT The decline of the Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax across southern Britain was caused mainly by human activities, and resulted in its extinction as an English breeding species. Examination of the species’ current status and feeding ecology in West Wales, and of habitat availability in Cornwall, is used to assess the feasibility of an assisted return to southwest England. Wild cliffscape’, with plentiful earth exposure, is optimal habitat, especially if backed up by sympathetic pastoral agriculture. Extensive vacant habitat in Cornwall appears to be at least the equal of that which exists in Wales. Wlien the last wild English Red- billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax died in Cornwall in 1973 (Penhallurick 1978), a Celtic icon steeped in romance and an Arthurian legend disappeared. The return of the Duchy’s national bird, once known as the Cornish Chough , is eagerly anticipated (Darke 1971). Re-establishment would bolster the United Kingdom status of the species, and recapture an important region of historical occurrence. With extinction in Cornwall, the southern- most part of the UK population became that in West Wales, and the small and threatened relict Breton population became isolated (fig. l).As the species is an indicator of mar- itime-cliff vigour (Cordrey 1996), its re-estab- lishment would have implications for an entire ecosystem. A largely sedentary species, the Red-billed British Birds 93: 249-252, May 2000 249 Alan Harris Meyer: Return of the Red-billed Chough Chough will probably need help if it is to regain old haunts south of the Severn Estuary. First, there are some fundamental questions: ‘What are its ecological requirements in southwest Britain?’, ‘Why did it die out in Cornwall, but not in Wales?’ and, the key sup- plementary, Are there sig- nificant ecological differences today between the two regions?’. «Ca The Red-billed Chough in England The Red-billed Chough is Britain’s rarest resident crow. Nowhere else across its pan-Palearctic range is it dependent on warm maritime cliffs (Coombs 1978; Goodwin 1986). In western Britain, at the edge of its climatic range, the species could not survive in the face of mod- ernising post-industrial Revolution agriculture (since about 1750) allied with opportunistic human persecution. An east-to- west (Kent to Cornwall) retraction was well underway by the start of the nineteenth century (Johns 1863; Rolfe 1966; Owen 1988; Meyer 1991; Holloway 1996). Although no threat whatsoever to Man, Red-billed Choughs were inevitably damned as crows. A downward spiral of increasing rarity, egg-collection, and capture for tro- phies and pets had its denouement in the far west as the Cornish tin-mining crash in the 1870s caused miners’ crofts (which broke up open ground), pit ponies and other livestock (traditionally grazed on clifftops) to vanish, allowing chough feeding habitat to scrub over. Finally, when railways opened up the far West Country in the late nineteenth century, this species, which thrived alongside Fig. 1. Breeding-season distribution of Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax in Britain and Ireland in 1988-91 (from Gibbons, Reid & Chapman 1993) and in Brittany in 1970-75 (after Guermeur & Monnat 1980). traditional pas- toralism yet shunned Man, had its cliff fastnesses invaded by romantic Victorians. The Red-billed Chough could retreat no farther, unlike its Welsh and French cousins, and the Cornish population was doomed. Ironically, a century later, during the plan- ning of a possible re-establishment pro- gramme, two individuals (probably vagrants from Wales) were found by Steve Madge on the Rante Peninsula, west of Plymouth. They stayed for most of winter 1986/87 and, although subsidiary to the primary research, provided unique data that helped to flesh out otherwise anecdotal and historical Cornish information (Meyer 1990). 50 British Birds 93: 249-252, May 2000 Meyer: Return of the Red-billed Chough Main aspects of research The following is a brief resume of research findings which may be found in detail in Meyer (1991; in prep ). Pembrokeshire - 100 km away as any crow might fly - contains the nearest occupied chough habitat to Cornwall, and also the most similar. Two hundred 1-km squares in Wales and Cornwall were surveyed in detail, each being mapped for vegetation, topography and land use, giving, in all, 1.5 million packets of informa- tion, and these data were digitised to enable comparison in the future by satellite moni- toring. The same squares were transposed onto Tithe maps of the 1840s for historical comparison over 150 years of chough decline. Data obtained from some 500 hours of observations of choughs feeding in dif- ferent habitats were related to habitat avail- ability (Meyer 1991). Only two habitats created by modern farming were used, and these only negligibly. Traditional pastoralism (with arable compo- nents in autumn and winter) is important in Scotland (Monaghan et al. 1989), but in West Wales choughs spent over 64% of their time on coastal cliffs. With unimproved clifftop pasture included, usage increased to over 80%. Several maritime botanical communities are valuable, especially those characterised by well-drained, often shallow soils out of reach of humans and livestock, and therefore ungrazed (Evans et al. 1989). Eccentric or untidy management may be exploited heavily. The chough’s diet is mainly ground-living invertebrates, hence the need for largely frost-free conditions. Clumped food, such as ants - fed exclusively to nestlings - are exploited in season. Labels such as ‘untidy’ reflect a human perspective, but illustrate the chough’s ability to exploit sympathetic human activity. Usually, it helps to look at habitat from an animal’s perspec- tive. For example, it is often said that Red- billed Choughs require ‘short-grazed turf’ (e.g. Bignal & McCracken 1993; Saunders 1993), yet short grass merely allows access to the substrate and is not of itself a resource. Short turf was in fact used for only 13% of feeding time, while exposed substrate (important for invertebrates: Key 2000) was utilised for more than three-quarters. The future Re-establishing lost species was called ‘cre- ative conservation’ by the Nature Conser- vancy Council in 1985: offering respite for besieged nature and encouragement to con- servationists and fundraisers. Although re- establishment of the Red-billed Chough has none of the potential for conflict with human rural activities, unlike contemporary raptor schemes, there are still important cri- teria to consider. These may be summarised as: • Cause of the original decline • Availability of suitable habitat and food resources • Source of founder population and arrangements for post-release monitoring It has been asserted that, if left alone, the Red-billed Chough may recolonise naturally, but the occurrence of vagrants from Wales, Brittany or Ireland (all incurring flight dis- tances of at least 100 km) has been very spo- radic. A captive-breeding programme based in Hayle, Cornwall, is generating birds geneti- cally consistent with neighbouring popula- tions. Regional differences that existed 150 years ago disappeared as lowland agriculture and land-use practices became standardised in England and Wales. Islands provide, rela- tive to landmass, the greatest length of coast- line and, of course, always have southerly and westerly facets. The scarcity of these ideal potential sites off the English coast will not assist recolonisation, but a plicate coast- line, with many promontories and a full range of aspects, is preferable to an unsuit- able island. With much of the coastline under some form of designation or protec- tive ownership . . . there are today few major threats to this resource in the south-west’ (Cordrey 1996). Choughs now enjoy public goodwill, which will aid their protection even in areas popular with tourists, such as The Lizard, West Penwith and Land’s End. Climate and morphography make these promontories virtual islands. Survival for more than six months of the two individuals which appeared at Rarne Head, where there was no history of occupancy, suggests that potential habitat exists elsewhere. Further sites have British Birds 93: 249-252, May 2000 251 Meyer: Return of the Red-billed Chough been identified on remote stretches through north Devon to Somerset (Meyer & Gowen- lock 1996). Since natural cliff-systems alone are unlikely to be sufficient, land management will be required in key areas. Human pres- sure - both from local residents and from vis- iting tourists - can be dangerous near a nest or if persistent, but it is rarely a problem because of the Red-billed Chough’s early breeding season (eggs April-June; nestlings May-July). Coastal paths are busy for only a few hours each side of noon during the post- breeding season, when, in any case, the choughs are less vulnerable. By switching feeding grounds or dropping down the cliff- face, the choughs can avoid human beings, often without being noticed, even by bird- watchers. At the top of a short food chain, the Red- billed Chough is a good indicator of mar- itime-cliff vigour. The species' presence is indicative of a dynamic and complex mar- itime-cliff vegetation supporting a rich inver- tebrate biomass. Appropriate land manage- ment enhances this. Many species of crow take advantage of the opportunities created by Man, and, while the Red-billed Chough takes its place in this pantheon, Man should not promote himself as the sole agent of its survival. Indeed, by exploiting natural refugia, the species once inhabited Britain without human assistance (Owen 1985), though often, presumably, rather sparsely. Acknowledgments The research project was core-funded by Paradise Park, Havle, Cornwall. Sincere gratitude is owed to all those who supported the project and helped in its execution, particularly HRH the Duke of Cornwall, Pat Monaghan, Stephen Evans, Jane Hodges, Bob Haycock, Ian Bullock, Steve Madge, Clive Mackay and Lyn Jenkins. 1 also wish to thank Mike Kent for his help in the production of this short paper, and Yvon Guermeur and Jean-Yves Monnat for information on status and distribution in Brittany. Permission to reproduce the map from Gibbons, Reid & Chapman (1993) was granted byT. & A. D. Poyser Ltd. References Bignal, E., & Curtis, D. J. 1988. Choughs and Land-use in Europe, the Proceedings of an International Workshop on the Conservation of the Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, in the L’.C.Tarbert. — & McCracken, D 1993. Nature conservation and pastoral farming in the British uplands. British Wildlife 4: 367-376. Coombs, E 1978. The Crows: a study of the corvids of Europe. London. Cordrey, L. (ed.) 1996. The Biodiversity of the South- West: an audit of the South-West biological resource RSPB & County Wildlife Trusts. Darke, T. O. 1971. The Cornish Chough. Truro. Evans, S. B., Meyer, R. M., & Haycock, R. J. 1989. Botanical survey of key Pembrokeshire Chough feeding sites. Unpubl. report, NCC Dyfed-Powys. Gibbons, D.W, Reid, J B , & Chapman, R A. 1993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991 London. Goodwin, D. 1986. Crows of the World. London Dr Richard Meyer, Rosehill House, High Street, Guermeur, Y. , & Monnat, J.-Y. 1980. Histoire et Geographie des Oiseau.x de Bretagne. Brest. Holloway, S 1996. The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland, 1875-1900. London Johns, C.A. 1863. A Week in the Lizard. London. Key, R 2000. Bare ground and the conservation of invertebrates. British Wildlife 1 1: 183-191. Meyer, R. M. 1990. Observations on two Red-billed Choughs in Cornwall: habitat use and food intake. Bird Study 37: 199-209. — 1991 The feeding ecology of the Red-billed Chough in West Wales, and the feasibility of re-establishment in Cornwall. PhD thesis, 1 Jniv. of Glasgow. — & Gowenlock, J. 1996. Chough re-establishment in Cornwall: site surveys in Devon and Cornwall Internal report for the RSPB and National Trust. Monaghan, P, Bignal, E., Bignal, S., Easterbee, N., & McKay, C. 1989 The distribution and status of the Chough in Scotland. Scot. Birds 14: 114-118 Nature Conservancy Council. 1985. Corporate Plan 1986-1991 Peterborough. Owen, D A. L 1 985. Factors affecting the status of the Chough in Britain, with observations on its behaviour. DPhil thesis, Univ. of Oxford. — 1988. Factors affecting the status of the Chough in England and Wales; 1780-1980. In: Bignal, E„ & Curtis, D. J., Choughs and Land-use in Europe, the Proceedings of an International Workshop on the Conservation of the Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, in the E C. Tarbert Penhallurick, R. 1978. The Birds of Cornwall Truro Rolfe, R. 1966. The status of the Chough in the British Isles. Bird Study 13: 221-236. Saunders, D 1993 The Pembrokeshire islands. British Wildlife 5: 94-103. dstow, Cornwall PL28 8BB -4 252 British Birds 93: 249-252, May 2000 137. Singing Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata, Finland, June 1981 Oh, no! It’s a not-very- sharp photograph of a rather plain warbler (plate 91, repeated here as plate 137). The plainness and the general shape and lack of any marking save for a weak supercilium suggest one of the Phylloscopus warblers, perhaps one of the chiffchaff complex or a Willow Warbler P. trochilus. The face is, however, too plain for those, and the general colour tones and bright, pale legs should rule out that group altogether. Sylvia war- blers can also be pretty much excluded, the one exception perhaps being Garden Warbler S. borin , but that species would never be such a warm brown colour, have such a long and yel- lowish-based bill or have such bright legs. Unstreaked Locus- tella warblers have extremely long and full undertail-coverts that would be very obvious in this picture, so we can eliminate them as well. We are left - as perhaps most readers will have realised at first sight - with either an unstreaked Acrocephalus or a Hippolais warbler, although the passing similarity' to a plain Phylloscopus should not be totally forgotten. When trying to sort out plain- looking warblers, shape and structure are very important. Acrocephalus warblers gener- ally show a graduated tail tip, with long undertail-coverts. At the other end, they tend to have a proportionally long bill and a fairly flat, sloping forehead, and are usually some shade of brown. Hippolais warblers, on the other hand, have a square- ended tail, with rounded corners, and often show a dis- tinct pale edge to the outer tail feather. On the Marathon bird, the undertail-coverts, although long, do not reach so far as they do on the reed warblers, which also have a bill that is usually shorter, with a wide, heavy base. The Hippolais head is usually more rounded, and most members of the group are some shade of grey above, and are often more yellowish below. Having said all that, sorting out these two groups can some- times be extremely difficult, with a variety of features giving con- flicting signals. Armed with the foregoing but simplistic guide, what of our bird? Well, the tail tip is apparently hidden behind a branch, so that is not much help. The warm browns of this bird suggest an Acrocephalus , and the hint of a faint dark border to the supercilium might lead to thoughts of Paddyfield Warbler A. agricola. But let's go back to the tail. We can see that there is a very faint pale edge to the outer feather, a good and reliable pointer to a Hippo '. Just as views in the field are often not perfect, this is a ‘soft’ photograph, which does not aid a detailed analysis, so what other, more general clues can we look for? We have a rather dumpy- bodied bird, which is singing (the puffed-out throat and slightly open bill tell us that) from inside a bush - not things one would expect from a Paddy- field Warbler. In fact, these fea- tures, together with the rather bland facial expression, the not very pronounced rear super- cilium and, perhaps, even the dark-looking eye (usually dis- tinctly lighter iris contrasting with the pupil on Paddyfield), together with those first thoughts of a Phylloscopus , lead us inevitably to Booted Warbler H. caligata. Booted Warbler is something of an oddity and does not sit easily in the Hippolais group. In fact, some authorities recently decided that it, and its close relative the Olivaceous Warbler H. pallida. are better regarded as members of the genus Acro- cephalus. In addition to all this, there are two distinct forms, caligata and rama, the latter sometimes (and rightly in my opinion) thought to be a sepa- rate species, Sykes’s Warbler. But that’s another story. This singing Booted Warbler was photographed in Finland in June 1981 by S. Michelsson. It was correctly identified by most competitors (64%), with British Birds 93: 253-254, May 2000 253 S. Michelsson Monthly Marathon other answers being Melodious Warbler H. polyglotta ( 1 6%) , Marsh Warbler A.palustris ( 1 1%), Paddyfield Warbler (7%) and Blyth’s Reed Warbler A. dume- torum (2%). The three leaders - Nick Barlow, Diederik Kok and Peter Sunesen - all got it right, so the winner of this eleventh Marathon has still to be decided Steve Rooke Sunbird The best of birdwatching tours 138. ‘Monthly Marathon'. Photo no. 166. Fourteenth stage in eleventh Marathon (or first or second stage in twelfth Marathon ). Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, to arrive by 1 5th June 2000. For a free brochure, write to SUNBIRD (MM), PO Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 IDF; or telephone 01767 682969. ACCEPTED: Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis St John’s Loch (Caithness), 11th, 25th January; Cleethorpes (Lincolnshire), 5th- 16th April; Bothal Pond (Northumberland), 1st May. Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii Tyning- hame (Lothian), 6th-7th June. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limi- cola falcinellus Holy Island (Northumberland), 25th May. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stag- natilis Abberton Reservoir (Essex), 9th-19th August. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Hallington (Northumberland), 20th February; Canvey (Essex), 24th February. Royal Tern Sterna maxima Thorntonloch and Musselburgh (Lothian), 9th August. Pallid Swift Apus pal- lidas Holkham Meals (Norfolk), 27th October; West Runton (Norfolk), 31st October; Cov- ehithe and Southwold area (Suffolk), 31st October Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Fame (North- umberland), 28th April. Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei Reculver (Kent), l6th-18th October; Mundesley (Norfolk), 20th-23rd October. M.J. Rogers, Secretary, BBRC, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 3>AZ As previously announced ( Brit Birds 92: 345-346), the Rare Breeding Birds Panel is organising a census of breeding European Honey-buzzards Pemis apivorus in Britain this year. Regional, county or area co- ordinators have been appointed, in Honey-buzzard Census liaison with the County Recorders and the Raptor Study Groups, and wiU be responsible for organising coverage and following up casual reports. Coverage of all the regular, well-known areas has already been arranged. The purpose of this appeal is to ask observers to notify the relevant County Recorder immediately of any Honey-buzzard that is seen this spring/summer. This will enable the surveyors to follow up such reports from any areas that are not already being monitored. 254 British Birds 93: 253-254, May 2000 Compiled by Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson Organbidexka and Booted Eagles The recent newsletter of Organ- bidexka Col Libre, which exists to study and protect birds migrating over the Pyrenees, has an interesting article sum- marising the migration of Booted Eagles Hieraaetus pennatus. As a single individual has been seen at various places in Ireland, Kent, Cornwall and Somerset over the past year, the status of this species is particularly topical. Out of a total number of 29,112 migrating birds of prey counted at Organbidexka in autumn 1999, 55 were Booted Eagles. This reflects the fact that the population breeding north of the Pyrenees in France is quite low - some 100-150 pairs (the bulk of the west European popu- lation breeds in Spain). It is thought that perhaps one-third of France's Booted Eagles use the western Pyrenees as their route south, while others pass along the Mediterranean coast and over the eastern passes, such as Eyne. Looking at counts since 1981, there have been quite wide fluctuations in numbers from year to year, but with no general trend. On the other hand, the numbers passing south in autumn 1998 were the highest for over 15 years (nearly 90 indi- viduals), possibly indicating a good breeding season. The bulk of the raptors passing at Organbidexka in 1999 were, as usual, Black Kites Milvus migrans (15,310) and European Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus (9,755), with a good range of other species making this a very worthwhile site at which to spend a few days in the autumn. Visitors are always very welcome. For details, write to Ken Hall, The Anchorage, The Chalks, Chew Magna, Bristol BS40 8SN. Decline in Lapwings The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has announced the results of a survey of breeding Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus undertaken on behalf of the RSPB. Throughout England and Wales, the Lapwing has declined by some 49% in just 1 1 years, with the greatest loss in Wales, where the decline was 77%. The smallest recorded decline was in Yorkshire, but even there it was still a significant 28%. Apart from the possibility that, in some areas, increasing populations of Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes or Carrion crows Corvus covone may have had an impact, the declines seem to be directly due to agricultural changes. These include factors that will be well known to readers of this column, such as the switch from spring sowing to autumn sowing, increased use of pesti- cides, loss of grassland, increased use of machinery, and increased stocking levels. For further details, write to the BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. Design award for TBB’ British Birds has been awarded a Special Mention in this year’s Charlesworth Award for Typo- graphical Excellence in Journal and Serial Publishing 1999/2000 in the Small Publishers division. Our congratulations go to the Designer, Mark Corliss, whose redesign of British Birds has now been acknowledged by the industry “BET goes online! BB now has its own website at wwiv.britishbirds.co.uk Any comments on the website are welcome and should be addressed to Philippa Leegood, e-mail : design @ b ritishbirds. co.uk New Recorder Paul Stancliffe, l Heydor Flats, Garrison Lane, St Mary’s, Isles of ScillyTR21 0JD, has taken over from Will Wagstaff as Recorder for the Isles of Scilly. The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust The Trust is inviting applications for its 2000 bursary. In 1999, the Trust awarded two bursaries. The first went to Stephen Browne to help to fund a project concerning the Turtle Dove Strep- topelia turtur, including the collection of information on the biomet- rics, pre-migratory moult, fat-deposition, and habitat use of the species on Ginak Island, The Gambia. This is part of a long-term project investi- gating reasons for the decline in numbers visiting the UK to breed. The second 1999 award was made to Trace Williams, towards funding her research into the breeding decline of the Bali Starling Leu- copscir rothschildi. The bursary money will be used to pay for adapted nestboxes, which will allow monitoring of captive breeding birds. The aim of the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust is to sponsor ornitho- logical research of this sort, through the media of writing, photography, painting or illustration. Bursaries of up to £500 are awarded to suitable candidates once a year. The next closing date for applications is 30th September 2000. Anyone interested should write, requesting details and an application form, to The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust, Pages Green House, Wether- ingsett, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5QA; e-mail david@flpa-images.co.uk British Birds 93: 255, May 2000 255 Decline of House Sparrows in large towns The dramatic decline in the numbers of House Sparrows Passer domesticus in the centre of London over the past 20 or so years is well documented and generally accepted (Summers-Smith 1999). Indeed, the matter of the decrease has already been raised twice in the House of Lords ( Hansard 1.12.97,3.2.99). There is now some evidence, albeit very slight, that this decline is not merely a London phenomenon, but may, in fact, also be occurring in other large urban conglom- erations. Table 1 shows the results of some repeat censuses in urban areas, including the data from London. The repeat censuses were carried out in the period 1995-97. The rates of decline given in column six of table 1 are plotted in fig. 1. These rates are not strictly comparable, since they cover different periods of time, some going back as far as 38 years, well before the current decline was suspected. It is tempting, however, to conclude from fig. 1 that the rate of decline is accelerating. The decline is also shown by figures for typical densities for built-up areas derived Table 1. Repeat censuses of House Sparrows Passer domesticus in large towns. * Time interval (years) in parentheses. ** This is an autumn count; should be reduced by about 20% to allow for winter mortality and thus, to be comparable with the other counts, which were made in the breeding season. *“The 35 ha include the 8 ha that were censused in 1959. Location Area (ha) Year House Sparrows (birds/ha) Decrease % °/o/year* Source London: Kensington Gardens 112 1975 1995 4.86** 0.72“ 85.1 4.3 (20) Sanderson 1996 Buckingham Palace Gdns 14.5 1966 1996 1.4/2. 8 0.07 90/95 2.6 (36) Sanderson 1999 Glasgow: residential suburb 8 1959 1997 4.9 0.06 98.8 2.6 (38) Summers- Smith 1999 Hamburg: St Georg ? 1983 1987 30 0.8 73.3 5.2 (14) Bower 1999 Rissen 493 1991 1997 0.32 0.15 53.1 8.9 (6) Bower 1999 Table 2. Typical population densities of House Sparrows Passer domesticus for large built-up areas. Location Habitat Period Density (birds/ha) Source Various urban 1959-70 2.7 to 10.5 Pinowski & Kendeigh 1977 Hamburg/London urban 1995-97 0.1 to 0.8 Table 1 Various surburban 1961-73 2.2 to 10.2 Pinowski & Kendeigh 1977 Glasgow suburban 1997 0.1 Table 1 256 British Birds 93: 256-257, May 2000 Letter Fig. 1. Percentage rate of decrease of numbers of House Sparrows Passer domesticus as a function of the tune interval between censuses (data from table 1). from a number of independent censuses (table 2). Although Bower (1999) obtained a density of 1.4 birds/ha in an area in the centre of Hamburg, Germany, in 1998, this was based on a census area of only 13.7 ha. This area is probably too small to obtain a representative figure for a bird, such as the House Sparrow, that has clumped distribu- tion. The area censused in the St Georg dis- trict of Hamburg is not given, though it appears to have been about 1 km2 (100 ha); hence the value of 0.8 birds/ha should be valid. This value is very close to the 0.72 birds/ha found in the autumn census for Kensington Gardens in London in 1995. The 1995-97 values in table 2 should be compared with those that I obtained for a small rural town (Guisborough, Cleveland, human population about 15,000) in 1997/98 (table 3). It should be noted that the density values in table 3 fall in about the middle of the range for built-up areas for the period Table 3- Population densities of House Sparrows Passer domesticus in a small rural town (Guisborough. Cleveland), in 1997/98. Habitat Area Year Density censused of House (ha) Sparrows (birds/ha) Urban 120 1998 5.4 Suburban 30 1997 4.0 1959-73 (table 2), when the population is assumed to have been reasonably stable. The decline in large towns is not only an interesting biological phenomenon, but may also be a matter for concern. I have sug- gested (Summers-Smith 1999) that a possible factor is increased pollution from the emis- sions from internal combustion engines. This will clearly be more severe in extensive built- up areas, where the greater amount of traffic is subjected to frequent stops at traffic lights with engines running, and there is limited possibility for effective dispersion of fumes because of the extensive area involved. The wider concern is that, if this is behind the House Sparrow decline today, perhaps it could be Man's turn tomorrow. That suggestion is, of course, pure specu- lation, but, in my opinion, the potential con- sequences are so serious that further investigation of a possible large-town’ effect should be instigated without delay. What can be done? First, I suggest that either the BTO or the RSPB, or both, should instigate as soon as possible an investigation into the numbers of House Sparrows in Britain’s large towns and cities. At the local level, county bird clubs/societies or indi- vidual birdwatchers, especially in places such as Birmingham, Manchester or Glasgow, could carry out House Sparrow censuses. Fieldwork should be during March-May and should cover about 50-100 ha. Experience shows that it should take about 25 hours, split over a number of visits. References Bower, S. 1999. Fortpflanzungsaktivitat, Habitat- nutzung und Populationsstruktur eines Schwarms von Haussperlingen ( Passer d. domesticus) im Hamburger Stadtgebiet. Hamburger avifauna Beitr. 30:91-128. Pinowski, J., & Kendeigh, S. C. 1977. Granivorous Birds in Ecosystems. Cambridge. Sanderson, R. F. 1996. Autumn bird counts in Kensington Gardens. London Bird Report for 1995. 60: 170-176. 1999. Birds in Buckingham Palace Gardens. London Naturalist 78 (Supplement): 170-176. Summers-Smith ,J. D. 1999. Current status of the House Sparrow in Britain. British Wildlife 10: 381-386. J. Denis Summers-Smith Merlewood , The Avenue, Guisborough, Cleveland TS14 8EE EDITORIAL COMMENT Dr Denis Summers-Smith has offered to send details of the technique that he uses for censusing urban House Sparrows to anyone who is interested. British Birds 93: 256-257, May 2000 257 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan This summary of unchecked reports covers the period 13th March to 16th April 2000. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Gruinard Bay (High- land), 6th April. Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Rolleston- on-Dove (Staffordshire), 25th- 31st March; Brixham (Devon), 8th April; Slimbridge (Gloucester- shire), I4th-l6th April; Winchel- sea (East Sussex), 15th April. Great White Egret Egretta alba Selsey (West Sussex), 23rd March; near Ennis (Co. Clare), 26th-31st March; Drift Reservoir (Cornwall), 2nd-5th April. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Bough Beech Reservoir (Kent), 6th April; Dinton Pastures Country Park (Berkshire), 5th-6th April; Chichester Gravel-pits (West Sussex), 8th April; Church Farm Marsh RSPB Reserve (Suffolk), 11th April; Minsmere (Suffolk), 15th-l6th April White Stork Ciconia ciconia Two over Tun- bridge Wells (Kent), 25th March; presumably same, Burpham (Surrey), 28th-31st March; two (probably same) along North Norfolk coast, 2nd-5th April; singles near Welbeck (Notting- hamshire), 6th April; Darlington (Co. Durham), 7th April; Castle Howard (North Yorkshire), 8th- 9th April; Rodbaston (Stafford- shire), 11th April; Blyth (Northumberland), 15th April; Thrapston Gravel-pits (Northamp- tonshire), 16th April. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-stayer Drift Reservoir, to 21st March; one on Loch Harray (Orkney), several weeks up to end March; Rutland Water (Rutland), 8th- 16th April. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Teign Estuary (Devon), lst-2nd April; Church Norton (West Sussex), 8th-9th April; Goldcliff Pill (Gwent), 9th April; Rye Harbour (East Sussex), 9th April Short- billed Dowitcher Llmnodromus griseus One, believed to be first- winter, Mornington (Co. Meath), 16th March to 12th April (second Irish record). Long-billed Dow- itcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Elmley RSPB Reserve (Kent), 8th and 16th April; adult in almost full summer plumage, Belfast Lough RSPB Reserve (Co. Down), 9th-10th April. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Stanpit Marsh (Dorset), 10th- 15th April Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcau Cheddar Reservoir (Somerset), 17th-22nd March; between Keynsham and Wills- bridge (Gloucestershire), 10th- 1 1th April; Thamesmead (Greater London), 14th-l6th April; Barking Bay (Essex), 15th-l6th April. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadel- phia Drift Reservoir, to 17th March; Teign Estuary, 17th March to 15th April. Gull-billed Tern Stenia nilotica St Mary’s (Scilly), 10th April. Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius Keyhaven (Hampshire), 2nd April; presum- ably same, Pennington Marshes (Hampshire), 8th-l6th April. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenantbe Early arrival in southern England, including 200 Portland (Dorset), 13th March. Penduline Tit Remiz pen- dulinus Titchwell RSPB Reserve (Norfolk), 8th-9th April. European Serin Serinus serinus Selsey Bill (West Sussex), 25th March; Newhaven (East Sussex), 26th March; Sheringham (Norfolk), 1st April; Dungeness (Kent), 6th April; Beachy Head (East Sussex), 9th April; Landguard (Suffolk), 9th April. Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Undisclosed site in Hampshire, at least 5th-7th April. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica Spurn (East Yorkshire), 5th April; one picked up dead at Abergele (Conwy), 10th April, having been seen about a week earlier. 139 & 140. Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius. Lower Pennington, Hampshire, April 2000. 258 British Birds 93: 258-259, May 2000 Mike Malpass Mike McDonnell Recent reports 142. Pallas's Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus, Rivacre Country Park, Cheshire, March 2000. 141. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea, Dinton Pastures Country Park, Berkshire, April 2000. 143. Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus, Ripon, North 144. King Eider Somateria spectabilis, Yorkshire, April 2000. Marazion, Cornwall, March 2000. >Rare Bird News supplies all its information free to British Birds. Call 0881-888- 1 1 1 for the latest, up-to-date news (28p/min cheap rate; i 1 p/min other limes; including VAT) British Birds 93: 258-259, May 2000 259 Mike McDonnell Iain Leach Steve Ihit/t^/Birdwatch Classifieds RATES Text: 40p per word. Minimum 15 words. Semi-display: Mono. £15 per see (width 40mm) or £32 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. (All rates exclude vat at 17.5%) Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds Ltd. Copy deadline: 10th of the month Contact: Sandra J. Swift, British Birds Advertising Sales, 17 Rectory Close, Wendlebury, Oxon 0X6 8PG. Tel: 01869 244447. Fax: 01869 245533- E-mail: sandra@britishbirds.co.uk FOR SALE TWITCHING - COMPLETE SET. Birding World V ols. 1-12 British Birds 1962-1999. Offers please. 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We aim to provide the most prompt, efficient and friendliest service possible. Items ordered through this service are despatched to British Birds subscribers by Subbuteo Natural History Books (a Division of CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd). All correspondence concerning the BB BookShop should be addressed to BB BookShop, c/o Subbuteo NHB, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, FlintshireCH7 4EW, United Kingdom. Best Bird Books of the Year All books voted ‘Best Bird Book of the Year 1983-99’ (listed in full Brit. Birds 93: 54) are available POST FREE. Please order here, giving title(s) and author(s), or on an additional sheet. (Note: BBBY 1996 - Hadoram Shirihai The Birds of Israel (Academic Press) now £79.95.) Book of the Month Kazmierczak & van Perlo A Field Guide to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Pica Press) Paperback £25.00 Q (was £8.95 " £50. Special Offers Ehrlich, Dobkin &Wheye The Birdwatcher’s Handbook (OUP) Flegg & Hosking Eric Hosking’s Classic Birds Limited Edition (HarperCollins) (usually £50.00^ Frith & Cooper Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae (usually £50.00, new price until end May' Ridgely & Tudor The Birds of South America (OUP) vol.l £62.50 (_j vol.2 Snow (ed.) The Birds of the western Palearctic 2-VOLUME CONCISE Edition (OUP) (was £150.00) New this Month Davies Cuckoos, Cowbirds and other Cheats (Poyser) Hardback Mead The State of the Nations Birds (Whittet) Paperback Sherif Directory of Important Bird Areas in Egypt (OSME) Paperback Simmons Harriers of the World: Their Behaviour and Ecology (OUP) Hardback Coming Soon - Order Now Clements A Guide to the Birds of Peru (Pica Press) DUE SEPTEMBER Fry & Keith Birds of Africa, Volume 6, Picathartes to Oxpexkers (Academic Press) DUE MID AUGUST (Normal price £1 15 - pre-publication offer Garrido & Kirkconnell Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba (Helm) DUE AUGUST Paperback Kennedy, Gonzales, Dickinson, Miranda & Fisher A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines (OUP) Paperback Hardback MacKinnon & Phillipps A Field Guide to the Birds of China (OUP) NOW DUE JUNE 2000 Ranft & Konig Owls: Double CD (Pica Press) DUE AUGUST Sibley North American Bird Guide (Pica Press) DUE SEPTEMBER Recommended Books Europe & Western Palearctic Adamian & Klem A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia (AUA) Paperback Hardback Field cover Hardback Baker Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm) Beaman & Madge The Handbook of Bird Identification: Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm) British Birds The British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic Cramp Birds of the Western Palearctic (OUP) volumes 1-7, 9 - £90 each volume 8 - £95 a vol.l [_) vol.2 L) vol.3 Q vol.4 Q vol.5 □ vol.6 Q vol.7 Q vol.8 Q vol.9 BCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds (Poyser) Hagemeiier & Blair The . Harris, Tucker & Vinicombe The Macmillan Field Guide to Bird Identification (Macmillan) Heath & Evans Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sits for Conservation 2 Vol set (Birdlife Int) Paperback Jonsson Birds of Europe With North Africa and the Middle East (Helm) reprint £30.00 □ £99.00) '19.99 34.95 60.00 29.95 55.00 24.99 25.00 £35.99 £39.99 £32.00 £65.00 £2.00 Hardback Paperback Hardback Kightley, Madge & Nurney Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe (Pica Press) Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom & Grant Collins Bird Guide - The Most Complete Field Glide to the Birds of Britain & Europe (HarperCollins) Best Bird Book OF 1999 £24.99 Peterson, Mountfort & Hollom Collins Field Guide: Birds of Britain & Europe 5th Edition (HarperCollins) £14.99 Sacchi, Ruegg & Laesser Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland (Helm) Paperback £14.99 North America Griggs Collins Pocket Guide: Birds of North America (HarperCollins) Lockwood, McKinney, Paton & Zimmer A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande (ABA) Ringbound National Geographic A Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd Edition Paperback Pranty A Birder’s Guide to Florida (ABA) Pyle Identification Guide to North American Birds Part 1 . Columbidae to Ploceidae (Slate Creek) Schram A Birder’s Guide to Southern California (ABA) Taylor A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona (ABA) South & Central America & Caribbean de la Pena & Rumboll Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica (HarperCollins) £19.99 ffrench A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Helm) Paperback £32.00 Howell & Webb Where to Watch Birds in Mexico (Helm) Paperback £19.99 Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith & Raffaele Birds of the West Indies (Helm) £35.00 Rodner, Restall & Lentino Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America (Pica Press) Paperback £14.95 Stiles & Skutch A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica (Helm) £40.00 Africa, Middle East & Indian Ocean Islands, Barlow, Wacher & Disley A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal (Pica Press) £28.00 Garbutt Mammals of Madagascar (Pica Press) £30.00 Harris, Shirihai & Christie The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European & Middle Eastern Birds (Macmillan) £17.99 Keith, Urban & Fry The Birds of Africa (Academic) Volumes: 1 £85 (_) 2 £85 Q 3 £85 (J 4 £85 Q 5 £99.00 Kemp Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands (New Holland) £19.99 Kingdon The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals (Academic Press) £29.95 Morris & Hawkins Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide (Pica Press) £28.00 Porter, Christensen & Schiermacker-Hansen Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East (Poyser) Sinclair, Hockey &Tarboton Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (New Holland) Sinclair & Langrand Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (New Holland) van Perlo Collins Illustrated Checklist Birds of Southern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback van Perlo Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Eastern Africa (HarperCollins) Paperback Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (Helm) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya and North. Tanzania (Helm) Paperback Asia & Pacific Coates & Bishop A Guide to the Birds ofWallacea (Dove) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Helm) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent Paperback Gurung & Singh Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent (Academic Press) Paperback Harrison & Worfolk Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka (OUP) Paperback £29.95 Q Hardback Inskipp, Inskipp & Grimmett Field Guide to the Birds of Bhutan Paperback Inskipp, Lindsey & Duckworth An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region (OBC) Jeyarajasingam & Pearson A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore (OUP) Paperback Hardback Kazmierczak & Singh A Birdwatchers’ Guide to India (Prion) Lekagul & Round A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (Saha Karn Bhaet) Robson A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (New Holland) Hardback Australasia Heather & Robertson Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand (OUP) Hardback now available at paperback price Higgins, Marchant & Davies Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds (OUP) 4 volumes Q vol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 at £1 35.00 each Q vol.4 £125.00 Simpson & Day A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm) Paperback Thomas & Thomas The Complete Guide to Finding Birds in Australia (Thomas) Paperback £29.95 £19.99 £17.99 £19.99 £19.99 £40.00 £16.99 £44.00 £55.00 £17.99 £17.50 £55.00 £16.99 £10.00 £29.95 £55.00 £18.75 £45.00 £30.00 £27.50 □ £24.99 £13.95 3 World Clements Birds of the World - A Checklist 5th Edition (Pica Press) 848 pages del Hoyo, Elliott & Sargatal Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx) O vol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 Q vol.4 Wells World Bird Species Checklist: with alternative English and scientific names (Worldlist) Hardback £35.00 Q (_} vol. 5 £1 10.00 each £29.50 □ Monographs Byrkjedal & Thompson Tundra Plovers: The Eurasian, Pacific and American Golden Plovers and Grey Plover (Poyser) Chantler & Driessens Swifts Second Edition (Pica Press) Chapman The Hobbv (Arlequin) Clark & Schmitt A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, The Middle East and North Africa (OUP) Paperback Hardback Cleere & Nurney Nightjars (Pica Press) (accompanying CD £14.99) Q Densley In Search of Ross’s Gull (Peregrine Books) Feare & Craig Starlings and Mynas (Helm) Forsman The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification (Poyser) Fuller The Great Auk (Fuller) Isler & Isler Tanagers (Helm) Paperback Jamarillo & Burke New World Blackbirds - the Icterids (Helm) Juniper & Parr Parrots: a guide to the Parrots of the World (Pica Press) Konig, Weick & Becking Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World (Pica Press) Lefranc & Worfolk Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World (Pica Press) Matthysen The Nuthatches (Poyser) Olsen & Larsson Skuas and Jaegers (Pica Press) Taylor & van Perlo Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World (Pica Press) Recordings, Videos & CD-ROMS Please add £2.25 p&p per order Doherty The Birds of Britain Of Europe (Bird Images) Four Volume Video Doherty Eastern Rarities: The Birds of Beidaihe (Bird Images) Video Doherty The Raptors of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Video Doherty The Warblers of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Video Doherty Shorebirds vol.l (Bird Images) Video Dunn The Large Gulls of North America (Bird Images) Video Oddie Bill Odaie’s Video Guide to British Birds (Bird Images) Video Roche Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Europe (Sitelle/Wildsounds) 4 CDs £69.95 £17.95 £17.95 £17.95 £17.95 £17.95 £17.95 £49.95 Binders The British Birds Binder (holds 12 issues & index) New Size Only Wirex retaining - £7.95 Cordex retaining - £7.95 a All special offer prices are valid only for May 2000 (and, for overseas customers only, during the following month). 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Names of mammals should follow Corbet & Harris (1991), The Handbook of British Mammals , 3rd edition. Topographical (plumage and structure) and ageing terminology should follow editorial recommendations {Brit. Birds 74: 239- 242; 78: 419-427; 80: 502). Authors will receive proofs for checking which they are required to return promptly. Authors of main papers (but not notes or letters) will receive ten free copies of the journal (five each to two or more authors). Further copies may be available on request in advance, but will be charged for. Don’t miss our £990 selection Naturetrel^ for 2000 These action-packed, long-haul birding tours - each led by an expert local ornithologist - offer excellent value for money, and tstanding birding. If you would like further details of a particular tour, please call us now! Naturetrek Cheriton Mill, Cheriton Alresford, Hampshire S024 ONG Tel: 01962 733051 Fax: 01962 736426 e-mail: info@naturetrek.co.uk web: www.naturetrek.co.uk CANADA’S BAY OF FUNDY Spring migration on Canada’s Grand Manan Island. 26 May - 03 Jun 2000 ETHIOPIA Addis, Gafersa, Awash National Park, Wondo Guenet & Rift Valley Lakes. 18-27 Feb 2000 14 -23 Apr 2000 17-26 Nov 2000 ETHIOPIAN ENDEMICS Debre Libanos, Solulta, Ankober, Lakes, Wondo Guenet & Bale Mountains. 25 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 24 Nov - 03 Dec 2000 GAMBIA A variety of localities along the Gambia River. 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 INDIA Delhi, Ranthambore & Bharatpur. 18-26 Feb 2000 14-22 Apr 2000 17-25 Nov 2000 KAZAKHSTAN Deserts, steppes & Tien Shan Mountains. 11-19 May 2000 18-26 May 2000 25 May - 02 Jun 2000 MALAWI Lake Malawi, Zomba Plateau & Liwonde National Park. 19-28 Feb 2000 11- 20 Mar 2000 NAMIBIA Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Spitskoppe, Etosha & Waterberg Mountains. 21-30 Jan 2000 18- 27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 NEPAL Chitwan, Koshi & Kathmandu Valley. Departures every Friday throughout Jan & Feb 2000 05-14 May 2000 19- 28 May 2000 NEPAL - THE TRAGOPAN TREK A 1 0-day tour including Langtang Valley trek. 12- 21 May 2000 V 26 May - 04 Jun 2000 SOUTH AFRICA Kruger National Park & Dullstroom. 18-27 Feb 2000 21-30 Apr 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SOUTHERN MOROCCO The desert, Oued Massa, Oued Sous & Marrakech. 18-27 Feb 2000 03-12 Mar 2000 15-24 Sep 2000 SRI LANKA Sinharaja Forest & the Hill Country. 09- 18 Jan 2000 18-27 Mar 2000 12-21 Aug 2000 18 - 27 Nov 2000 TANZANIA Mikumi National Park, and the Udzungwa and Uluguru Mountains. 18-27 Feb 2000 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 TEXAS Spring migrants along the Gulf coast of Texas. 15- 23 Apr 2000 THAILAND Khao Yai, Doi Inthenon, Doi Suthep & Doi Pui. 04-13 Feb 2000 10- 19 Nov 2000 UAE & OMAN with Colin Richardson. 27 Feb - 05 Mar 2000 16- 23 Apr 2000 12-19 Nov 2000 USA - NEW ENGLAND Spring migration on the Massachusetts coast. 14-22 May 2000 ZAMBIA South Luangwa National Park. ,19-28 Feb 2000 M 5 - 24 Apr 2000 04-13 Nov 2000 //I Black-browed Albatross Bird Photograph of the Year British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 British Birds Managing Editor Dr J. T. R. Sharrock Personal Assistant Frances Bucknell Assistant Editor David A. Christie Editorial Board I. Carter, Dr R.J. Chandler, Dr M. Collinson, R. J. Prytherch, N. J. Redman, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Design Mark Corliss Photographic Research Robin Chittenden Advertising Sales Philippa Leegood Circulation Manager Vivienne Hunter Administration Sally Young Rarities Committee Chairman Prof. Colin Bradshaw Hon. Secretary Michael J. Rogers Paul Harvey, John McLoughlin, John Martin, Doug Page, Adam Rowlands, Ken Shaw, Dr Jimmy Steele, Andy Stoddart, Reg Thorpe, Grahame Walbridge Archivist John Marchant Statistician Peter Fraser Museum consultant Ian Lewington Behaviour Notes Panel Dr C. J. Bibby, Ian Dawson, Dr J. J. M. Flegg, Prof I. Newton FRS, DrM.A. Ogilvie, Dr J.T. R. Sharrock, Dr K. E. L. Simmons Identification Notes Panel Prof. Colin Bradshaw, Dr R. J. Chandler, R. A. Hume, T. P Inskipp, P. G. Lansdown, S. C. Madge, I. S. Robertson, K. E. 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Assistant Frances Bucknell, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ Tel/Fax: 01767 640025 Advertising Sales Philippa Leegood, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 01580 882039 Fax: 01580 880541 E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk BB Bookshop c/o Subbuteo Books, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW Tel: 01352 756551 Fax: 01352 756004 E-mail: sales@subbooks.demon.co.uk ‘News & comment’ information Bob Scott & Wendy Dickson, 8 Woodlands, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 1UE Tel: 01480 214904 Fax: 01480 473009 ‘The Ornithological Year’ bird news Barry Nightingale & Keith Allsopp, 7 Bloomsbury Close, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK17 9QS Tel: 01525 290314 Rarity descriptions M. J. Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, Cornwall TR26 3AZ Front-cover photograph: Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, off Wollongong, NSW, Australia, October 1998. (Tony Palliser) SUPPORTI BIRDWATCHING FAIR A? Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre gleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water Friday 18 August to Sunday 20 August 2000 .30 am - 5.30 pm daily Adult £8 • Children free All profits will be donated by Leicestershire Wildlife Sales to BirdLife International. Leicestershire Wildlife Sales is a wholly owned subsidiary of LRWT. The RSPB, BirdLife International , and LRWT are UK registered charities. Illustration by Robert Gillmor 34/688/99-00 SOUTH AFRICA, 12-26 Aug Best of the Cape, Natal & Zululand as spring arrives SPAIN, 9-16 Sep Autumn in Andalucia with top raptor expert Dick Forsman OMAN, 21 Sep-1 Oct Arabian adventure with man on the spot, Colin Richardson NEW GUINEA & AUSTRALIA, 24 Sep-1 5 Oct Birds of paradise on this special Millennium tour MADAGASCAR, 11-28 Oct Endemic birds & lemurs with Ian Davidson & Steve Madge GAMBIA, 17 Nov-1 Dec No finer tour than our 'Quest for the Crocodile Bird' NEPAL, 19 Nov-3 Dec Kathmandu, Chitwan & Kosi Tapu. Our 6th annual visit COSTA RICA, 18 Dec 2000-2 Jan 2001 Join us for Christmas with the Quetzals. Booking now! Limosa f-f Q [/l/Cvfok/ s ... Just a small selection of trips from our acclaimed 2000 brochure featuring dozens of great birding tours. Ask for your copy TODAY! Z, 01263 578143 Don't miss our latest Newsletter with a complete listing of all our 2001 tours Most major credit cards accepted Fax: 01263 579251 e-mail: limosaholidays@compuserve.com Suffield House, Northrepps, Norfolk NR27 0LZ ****** MIST NETS ****** ECOTONE offers various models of mist-nets for catching wide range of wild birds. All models have been tested by our team in nearly all conditions from Arctic to tropical forests. ECOTONE mist-nets are made in Poland from highest quality Japanese (Denier : D70/2ply, Dll 0/2ply) and Polish (D235/2ply) nylon netting. ECOTONE mist-nets have tethering line, which prevents wind disturbance and strengthen loops. ECOTONE mist-nets are known all over the world since 1990. 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Israel Fax: 972-6335319, 6376922. email: ibrc@eilatcity.co.il British Birds — forecasts — For a detailed weather forecast of any region (today and the week ahead) 0891 11 00 14 For synoptic weather charts by fax (today and tomorrow) 0897 200 229 Iti? Information Supplied by I ® The Met Office | 0819 calls are charged at 50p per minute. 0897 fax calls are charged at £1.50 per minute (synoptic chart is one page) UK rare Birdnews directly to your mobile phone plus email service, using the latest technology Cheaper and more convenient than the pagers For order form & information pack please leave your name, address & telephone number at email birdnews@birdnews.co.uk or phone 01603 763388. Operated by Robin Chittenden & Dave Holman Birdnews you can trust from a team you know British Birds Volume 93 Number 6 June 2000 260 Keeping albatrosses off the hook John Cooper 263 Identification and ageing of Black-browed Albatross at sea Frederic Jiguet 280 Bird Photograph of the Year Dr J. T. R. Sharrock, Dr Richard Chandler, Robin Chittenden and David Hosking Regular features 262 Looking back 277 Letters Separating Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers Dr Colin Bradshaw Farms: for birds or for food? Dr Mark Avery Provenance of the first British record of Kumlien’s Gull’ Robert Prys-Jones Britain & Ireland Chris McCarty Marsh Warblers breeding on Utsira Geir Mobakken 288 Notes Common Stonechat breeding in February in reedbed Paul R. Massey Common Starlings feeding from parked cars Sara McMahon Nest-building by Mute Swans apparently in response to heavy rain Keith Bowey 290 Monthly Marathon Paul Holt 291 Rarities Committee news 292 News and comment Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson 295 Reviews The Hobby by Anthony Chapman Jeff Baker Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World by Phil Chantler & Gerald Driessens Dr C. Hilary Fry The Small Gulls of North America narrated by Jon L. Dunn Martin Elliott Birds of the Lake District by W. R. Mitchell John Callion Bill Oddie’s Gripping Yams; Tales of Birds & Birding by Bill Oddie Dave Odell 297 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan © British Birds 2000 Keeping albatrosses off the hook John Cooper Simple Simon met a fisherman, Going to the Fair. Said Sitnple Simon to the fisherman: “Wljat have you got there?” “Albatrosses.” This year, the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water will donate all its profits to the Seabird Conservation Programme of BirdLife International. This major funding will allow the programme to commence its Save the Albatross’ campaign, which aims to ensure that there are marked reductions in the numbers of seabirds that are drowned by becoming caught on long- line hooks. When the ‘walls of death’ drift nets were banned by the United Nations in 1993, many fishing vessels, especially those that caught tuna Thunnus, switched to longlining, a tech- nique deemed, within the fishing commu- nity, to be relatively environmentally friendly. Tell that one to the birds (and the turtles)! Last year, the Commission for the Conser- vation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) estimated that, in the three most recent fishing seasons, over 100,000 alba- trosses and petrels had been killed by a single fishery: that for Patagonian Toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides in the Southern Ocean. Many, if not most, of these birds were killed by illegal or ‘pirate’ fishing vessels. Practically all the Southern Ocean alba- trosses are regarded by BirdLife Interna- tional, following 1UCN (World Conservation Union) criteria, as ‘Threatened’. Longlining, both for toothfish and for tuna, has been identified as the main reason for their threat- ened status (Robertson & Gales 1998). This is hardly surprising when a single longline set for tuna can be 100 km in length, and one set for North Atlantic Cod Gadus morrhua can carry up to 40,000 hooks. The bait on each hook is as attractive to a seabird as it is to a large fish. Longliners in the Southern Ocean have caught up to 50 seabirds on a single line, although the adoption of mitiga- tion measures is reducing this kill rate sub- stantially. Populations of such species as the Wan- dering Albatross Diomedea exulans have declined at most of their breeding stations. The presence of fish hooks around nests and in the stomachs of dead chicks, and the recovery of ringed birds by fishing vessels (although we must strongly suspect that only a small proportion is reported), have con- firmed that longlining is a major factor in Table 1. Estimated World populations of albatrosses (based on Gales 1998) Estimated no. annual Species breeding pairs Wandering Diomedea exulans 8,448 Tristan D. (e.) dabbenena 1,003 Antipodean D. (e.) antipodensis 5,154 Gibson’s D. (e.) gibsoni 6,077 Amsterdam D. amsterdamensis 13 Southern Royal D. epomophora 7,872 Northern Royal D. (e.) sanfordi 5,218 Waved D. irrorata 15,591 Short-tailed D. albatrus 174 Black-footed D. nigripes 58,498 Laysan D. immutabilis 607,059 Black-browed D. melanophris 682,315 Campbell D. (m.) impavida 26,000 Shy D. cauta 12,200 White-capped D. (c.) steadi 75,175 Grey-backed D. (c.) salvini 76,654 Chatham Islands D. (c.) eremita 4,000 Grey-headed D. chrysostoma 92,275 Atlantic Yellow-nosed D. chlororijynchos 36,750 Indian Yellow-nosed D. (c.) carteri 36,492 Buller’s D. bulleri 10,960 Pacific D. (b.) platei 18,170 Sooty Phoebetria fusca 15,655 Light-mantled P. palpebrata 21,567 260 © British Birds 93: 260-262, June 2000 Cooper: Keeping 146. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans , at sea, off Sydney, NSW, Australia, September 1996. these declines. Observers on fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean have brought back sackfuls of drowned birds for identification (a walk-in deep-freeze down the corridor from my university office in Cape Town is full of them). Elsewhere in the World, the pattern is being repeated. In the North Pacific, thou- sands of Laysan D. immutabilis and Black- footed Albatrosses D. nigripes are killed each year by longline fisheries operating out of Hawaii and Alaska (Cousins & Cooper in press). Each year, a few Short-tailed Alba- trosses D. albatrus are reported killed in this way in Alaskan waters; this species occurs at only two known breeding sites, on Japanese islands, and has a total population estimated at only 1,200 individuals, with under 200 breeding pairs (table 1). In the cold, fish-rich waters off the coasts of southern Africa and South America, albatrosses and petrels con- tinue to be drowned in large numbers. The Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata , a species that breeds only on Inaccessible Island in the Tristan da Cunha group, with a population estimated at 3,000-4,000 pairs, suffers an annual mortality from longlining of several hundred in Brazilian waters (Ryan 1998; Ryan & Moloney in press). What an irony if this species, categorised as ‘Endan- gered’, should suffer a population collapse just a few short years after its recognition as a true species, distinct from the White- chinned Petrel P aequinoctialis (Ryan 1998). What is known about the incidental catch of seabirds in longline fisheries has been summarised in a global review commis- sioned by the Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion (FAO) of the United Nations. This review listed 61 species of seabird killed by long- lines, of which 25 (39%) have been accorded Threatened’ status (Brothers et al. 1999). What can be done to reduce these levels of mortality? Brothers et al. (1999) set out in great detail the mitigation methods that will significantly reduce bird kills, but how can the political will be raised to implement them? BirdLife’s Seabird Conservation Pro- gramme has identified four major objectives for its ‘Save the Albatross' campaign. First, working through the BirdLife partnership in affected countries, it will aim to encourage the adoption of ‘National Plans of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries’, following the technical guidelines set out by the FAO. Secondly, it will work towards the speedy adoption of a Southern Hemisphere Albatross and Petrel British Birds 93: 260-262, June 2000 26l Tony Palliser Cooper: Keeping albatrosses off the hook Agreement’ in terms of the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Thirdly, it will lobby for the adoption of strict trade controls for Patag- onian Toothfish in an endeavour to eliminate the pirate fishing, by flag-of-convenience nations, that kills so many birds. Lastly, there is a need to persuade regional fishery bodies to adopt the enlightened ecosystem approach of CCAMLR, and take account of the incidental mortality of seabirds. This applies especially to the various tuna com- missions. The ‘Save the Albatross’ campaign can be helped by support for each BirdLife partner’s national campaign. You will be supporting it if you attend this year’s British Birdwatching Fair (Friday 18th to Sunday 20th August 2000). The BirdLife International Seabird Conservation Programme will be pleased to hear from anyone who can help its work: you can visit its website at www. uct . ac . za/depts/stats/adu/seabirds and e-mail the Programme’s Co-ordinator at jcooper@botzoo.uct.ac.za Ac knowledgme nts Grateful thanks are due to BirdLife South Africa, the RSPB, and the University of Cape Town for their support. References Brothers, N. P., Cooper, J., & Lokkeborg, S. 1999 The incidental catch of seabirds by longline fisheries: worldwide review and technical guidelines for mitigation. FA O Fisheries Circular 937. Cousins, K. L . & Cooper, J. In press. The Population Biology of the Black-footed Albatross in Relation to Mortality caused by Longline Fishing. Honolulu. Gales, R. 1998. Albatross populations: status and threats. In: Robertson, G., & Gales, R., Albatross Biology and Conservation. Chipping Norton, NSW, Australia. Pp. 20-45. Robertson, G., & Gales, R. (eds.) 1998. Albatross Biology and Conservation. Chipping Norton, NSW, Australia. Ryan, P G. 1998. The taxonomic and conservation status of the Spectacled Petrel Procellaria conspicillata. Bird Conservation International 8: 223-235. — & Moloney, C. L. In press. The status of Spectacled Petrels Procellaria conspicillata and other seabirds at Inaccessible Island. Marine Ornithology. John Cooper, Co-ordinator, BirdLife International Seabird Conservation Programme, Avian Demography Unit, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondehosch 7700, South Africa ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO: Occurrence of the Bohemian Waxwing [Bombycilla garrulus ] near London. -I have notices of this bird having been killed last week [in mid January 1850] in many localities round London: Harrow-on-the-Hill, Kilburn (seven specimens), Eltham, Rainhant, Wimbledon, &c.’ (Zoologist 8: 2767; June 1850) ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO: In Southern Switzerland and Northern Italy a marked dearth of bird-life prevails. This may in part be accounted for. Hundreds of small passerine birds are killed off for the markets.’ ( Zoologist Fourth Series 4: 228; June 1900) FIFTY YEARS AGO: The increase in the breeding strength of the Black Redstart ( Phoenicurus ochruros ) in England that occurred in 1948 was main- tained in 1949, when twenty- eight or twenty-nine pairs are known to have bred and some nine to twelve other singing males were present in the breeding-season. R. S. R. FITTER.’ (Brit. Birds 43: 175; June 1950) TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO; At about 09 00 GMT on 2nd June 1975, Stephen Rumsey was walking through Field Croft on Fair Isle, Shetland, when he observed a small thrush-like bird with a well-spotted breast and a prominent red tail feeding in the open on newly ploughed land.’ It proved to be Britain’s first-ever Hermit Thrush Catharus gut- tatus. (Brit. Birds 72: 414-417) British Birds 93: 260-262, June 2000 Identification and ageing of Black-browed Albatross at sea Frederic Jiguet ABSTRACT The Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris is the most frequently recorded of all vagrant albatrosses in the North Atlantic. This paper provides guidelines to identify the species and to help in ageing immatures at sea.The Black-browed Albatross is best identified by underwing pattern and general silhouette, with bill pattern, when visible, often diagnostic. Individuals can be aged by using a combination of primary moult pattern and bill coloration. The primary moult is basically biennial, with two distinct phases: the three outer primaries (P8-10) are always moulted descendantly in year one, and P5-7 always ascendantly in year two. The first primary moult of juveniles starts during the second winter. Contrast between old and new outer primaries is often very obvious on immatures, so that precise scrutiny of primary ages at close range is usually not necessary. Bill coloration is variable, and there is some overlap between consecutive immature ages, but, taking into account the bienniality of the primary moult, bill pattern allows correct ageing. The underwing whitens with age, but remains much too variable, even when adult, to constitute a reliable criterion when ageing. © British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 263 Norman Arlott Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 147. Adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. Note the species' typical underwing pattern. The Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris is the most frequently recorded of all vagrant albatrosses in the North Atlantic. This is not surprising, since the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic hold about 75% of the species’ total World population, with about 350,000 breeding pairs (Woods & Woods 1997). Some of these birds possibly join migrating flocks of Great Puffinus gravis and Sooty Shearwa- ters P. griseus on their way to the North Atlantic. Two distinct races of Black-browed Albatross are recognised: the nominate race melanophris , which breeds in the southern Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the race impavida , which is restricted to Camp- bell Island, off New Zealand. As the occur- rence of impavida in the Western Palearctic is unlikely, the following discussion on iden- tifying and ageing deals with the nominate race. Results from recent phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome-6 genes in albatrosses led Nunn et al. (1996) to resurrect two genera which were originally proposed by Reichen- bach in 1852, but which were subsequently dropped from the taxonomy of the Diomedeidae. These are Phoebastria for the North Pacific species, and Thalassarche for the smaller southern albatrosses, the latter often referred to as ‘mollymawks’ and including the Black-browed. Diomedea and Phoebetria are then retained for, respec- tively, the great’ albatrosses and the two ‘sooty’ albatrosses. For the purposes of the present paper, however, all but the last two species are treated as belonging to Diomedea. Albatrosses are best distinguished from other seabirds by their huge size, consider- ably larger than the Northern Gannet Moms bassanus , and by their stout body, extremely long and narrow wings, and continuous powerful gliding flight. They glide up and down in wheeling arcs on stiff, motionless wings, alternately revealing their upperside and their underside, with only occasional flaps. In fresh winds, the wings are held slightly bowed and a little flexed at the carpal joint, while wing-flapping can occur quite frequently. In higher winds, the wings are strongly flexed and drawn towards the body. The combination of dark saddle’ and upperwings, white rump and grey tail is characteristic of the mollymawks. The identi- fication of the five species of mollymawk at sea is generally considered problematic. Although bill coloration is frequently diag- nostic, it is of little practical use in distant observations. Silhouette and underwing 264 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 148. Adult Yellow-nosed Albatross Diomedea chlororhyncbos of race bassi , Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean. Note elongated silhouette, long neck and tail, bill length and coloration, and underwing pattern. Juvenile chlororhyncbos is similar, but shows all-black bill. pattern are better guides in such circum- stances, but the coloration of the head and bill should be noted when possible in order to confirm identification. Identification of adult The Black-browed Albatross is a bulky molly- mawk, with a thick neck and a large head. Its wingspan averages 240 cm, far bigger than that of the Northern Gannet (170 cm). Like all other mollymawks, it has a grey tail and blackish upperwings and saddle, contrasting with white rump and underparts. In fresh plumage, the upperwings and saddle are dark greyish-black. When worn, the dark upperparts are browner and the tail is darker. On the upperwings, the appearance of white outer primary shafts depends on the degree of wear of the feathers. The white or whitish head contrasts with the dark saddle, as does the rump, a feature not shared by grey-headed species. The black eyebrows’ are obvious; slightly upcurved, they extend backwards from the front of each eye. The underwing pattern remains the most reliable character for identification, although it is shared by the Grey-headed Albatross D. chrysostoma. On the underwing of a fully adult Black-browed Albatross, the dark pri- maries and dark leading and trailing edges enclose white coverts. These black margins are noticeably broader than on other molly- mawks (except Grey-headed), because the lesser coverts are also dark and the greater coverts are sometimes (but not always) dark- tipped. The white central area is about twice 149- Adult Salvin’s Albatross Diomedea cauta salvini, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. Underwing pattern is similar to that of Shy Albatross D. c. cauta. but bases of outer primaries are blackish, not white Note grey head, and bill pattern. British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Frederic Jiguet Henri Weimerskirch Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet 151. Four-year-old Grey-headed Albatross Diomedea chrysostoma , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. Note whitish head with obvious grey collar and blackish area around eye. Bill is black, with yellow upper and lower ridges. Confusion species Another species of mollymawk, the Yellow- nosed Albatross D. chlororhynchos , has already been recorded in European waters (see Harrop 1994). The occurrence of vagrant albatrosses in the Western Palearctic was discussed by Harrop (1994), and infor- mation on their identification was given by Jiguet et al. (1998); useful data were also pro- vided by Warham et al. (1980) and Harrison (1983). The nominate race chlororhynchos of the Yellow-nosed Albatross breeds on the Tristan da Cunha group and Gough Island in the South Atlantic. A few individuals regularly penetrate the western North Atlantic, off North America. The Yellow-nosed Albatross is noticeably smaller and more slender in build than the Black-browed, having a wingspan of only 200 cm, with slimmer wings, longer tail and longer neck. It more or less lacks the stout and full-chested appearance of other mollymawks that are likely to occur in the Western Palearctic. The adult has much more white on the underwing, although the dark anterior margin is still fairly broad, or at least broader than the posterior one (plate 148). The bill is black, with a red-tipped yellow upper ridge. The head of the Atlantic race is very pale grey, looking white at a distance, with a small black triangular mark in front of each eye. The upperwings and saddle are a British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 150. Adult Grey-headed Albatross Diomedea chrysostoma , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. Note underwing pattern similar to that of Black-browed D. melanophris. as wide as the black leading margin at the carpal joint, but is equal to it in width along the inner wing because of a dark wedge formed by some blackish median coverts (plate 147). The bill of adult birds is orange -yellow with a reddish tip. Adult Black-browed Albatrosses of the race impavida differ in showing a paler yel- lowish iris, and a dark transverse bar on the underwing across the axillaries and the inner greater coverts. 152. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans , plumage stage 4 (following Harrison 1983), Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. Silhouette and flight action exclude confusion with all seabird species but Royal Albatross D. epomophora. Extensive black in the tail or presence of a dark breast band are, however, diagnostic of Wandering. 266 Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross deeper black than on Black-browed. Juve- niles have an all-black bill and a white head. Two other mollymawk species could con- ceivably occur off European coasts, as they visit the South Atlantic during their non- breeding season. The Shy Albatross D. cauta has already turned up in the Western Palearctic: an individual of the nominate race was present in the north Red Sea at Eilat, Israel, from 20th February until 7th March 1981, when it was found dead (Shirihai 1996). The Shy Albatross, with a wingspan of 255 cm, is the largest of the mollymawks, and also the bulkiest, with a large neck, deep chest, and broad, large stiff wings. Its under- wing is entirely white except for thin dark edges, a black tip, and a black thumbmark’ at the base of the leading edge, this mark being a diagnostic feature (plate 149). The dark upperparts are greyer than on Black-browed, with a paler saddle of more limited extent; the pale grey saddle contrasts with the darker wings. The head coloration depends on the age and the subspecies (see Marchant & Higgins 1990 for details). Juveniles and immatures of the nominate race cauta show a white head (sometimes grey on juveniles) with a grey neck-collar, like that of Black- browed. The bill of the adult is pale grey with a yellowish tip, that of immatures being grey with black tip. The Grey-headed Albatross could perhaps reach the North Atlantic. Slightly smaller than the Black-browed, with a wingspan of 220 cm, it has slimmer wings with shorter, thinner and more pointed hands’, a shorter neck and a more rounded head. The under- wing pattern is like that of Black-browed (see plate 1 50), often with less well-defined black margins, but the black leading margin is usually much broader than the trailing one (although, as with Black-browed, breadth of black trailing margin is subject to individual variation). The upperwings and saddle are a little greyer than on Black-browed. The head is grey, but it does not contrast with the dark saddle in the way that the white rump does, a feature generally easy to assess at sea, even at long range. The bill is black with yellow upper and lower ridges, and with a red tip to the upper ridge. As a result of body moult, three-year-olds and four-year-olds (and prob- ably also two-year-olds) have an all-white head with a grey collar, and such individuals are pitfalls when identifying Black-browed; structure, as well as bill coloration (all black, with yellowish developing on ridges), should, however, permit correct identifica- tion (see plate 151). The grey collar of white- headed immatures is usually broader and a richer brown-grey on Grey-headed, com- pared with a lighter grey on Black-browed. Grey-headed Albatrosses with extensive white on the face’ and crown, a wide grey collar and an all-black bill are probably two years old. A further albatross species has already been recorded in Europe. This is the huge and virtually unmistakable Wandering Alba- tross D. exulans (plate 152), which could conceivably be confused only with the Royal Albatross D. epomopbora. Details on sex- related and age-related variations and subspe- cific differences in plumage of the Wandering Albatross were given by Jiguet et al. (1998). Moult pattern Detailed information on the moult of the Black-browed Albatross can be found in the report by Prince et al. (1993) of a study con- ducted by the British Antarctic Survey on South Georgia. The primary-moult pattern is basically biennial, with two distinct phases. The three outer primaries (P8-10, primaries numbered descendantly) are always moulted descendantly in year one, and P5-7 always ascendantly in year two. The innermost primary (PI) may be replaced in either phase. This holds true for both immature and Fig. 1. The bill plates of an albatross Diomedea (based on Harrison 1983). 1 : nostril; 2: culminicorn; 3: maxillary unguis; 4: latericorn; 5: mandibular unguis; 6: ramicom. British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 267 Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross adult stages (see fig. 2, illustrating the primary moult pattern up to seven years of age). Juveniles do not moult any primaries in their first winter, the moult cycle starting during the second winter. Two-year-old immatures moult P8-10, and sometimes also PI; P2-7 are abraded juvenile feathers. On three-year-olds, the outer three primaries (PS- 10) are old and contrast with the ascen- dantly moulted P2-7 (even PI if not moulted in the second winter). Four-year-olds have a moult pattern similar to that of two-year- olds, but more inner primaries are replaced. Five-year-olds have a similar moult pattern to three-year-olds, but fewer inner primaries are moulted. In summary, two-year-old and four-year- old immatures show three outer primaries newly moulted, while P5-7 are old and abraded; three-year-old and five-year-old immatures have newly moulted P5-7, while P8-10 are old and abraded. This results in a contrast between P8-10 and P5-7 at all imma- ture ages except first-year. The contrast is not always obvious, even at close range, but can sometimes be clearly discernible at sea; old feathers are usually shorter than new ones, resulting in slightly marked steps in the row of primaries. This applies during the species' breeding season, roughly from November to March, when no active moult is normally shown. Outside this period, ageing can be more complicated, as birds may be in active moult, so the moult pattern for each age- class may appear rather different from that described above (Prince & Rodwell 1994). It is also possible that geographical differences, differences among populations and even individual variation exist in the timing or extent of moult (e.g. young immatures prob- ably moult earlier than older ones). Observa- tions of Black-browed Albatrosses of the nominate race conducted on Kerguelen Islands, and on the moult status of some birds of the race impavida from New Zealand and Australia (Melville 1991), show that some variation does occur in the moult pattern, as some birds possess four outer- most primaries of the same generation (invariably three in South Georgia, according to Prince et al. 1993). Caution is always Fig. 2. Primary moult pattern of immature Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris (based on Prince et al. 1993). Primary moult starts during the second winter, with a basically biennial pattern; P8-10 (primaries numbered descendantly) always moulted in year one, and PS-7 in year two. Adult bill coloration is usually acquired at Five years of age. 268 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross required, therefore, when using moult for ageing, but bear in mind the invariable bien- niality of the moult pattern of the outer pri- maries, which, combined with the bill coloration, should allow almost all immatures to be reliably aged. At certain times of the year, there is a pos- sibility of misinterpreting the moult phase of an albatross. New feathers start to fade and discolour after about nine months, and then begin to resemble old feathers. New pri- maries are probably moulted as early as April (Melville 1991), but old, ragged primaries may still be retained until September (Prince & Rodwell 1994). The moult pattern of the outer primaries exhibits the same bienniality in the Grey- headed Albatross, but the ascendant moult of the inner primaries when three years old involves only P6-7, and sometimes also P5 (but P2-7 on Black-browed), while the four innermost primaries are replaced when they are four or five years old, so that immatures can occasionally have primaries that are not renewed before their sixth year (Prince et al. 1993). The primary moult described by Furness (1988) and Melville (1991) for, respectively, the Yellow-nosed Albatross and the Shy Albatross seems also to fit the basi- cally biennial pattern described by Prince et al. (1993) for the Black-browed and Grey- headed Albatrosses. 153- Juvenile Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanopbris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, March 1996. This individual is close to fledging, and shows a grey head, which probably fades to white soon after fledging. 154. Juvenile Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanopbris at nest, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, March 1996. This individual shows abnormal bill coloration, with yellow already apparent. British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 269 Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 155- Two-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. Yellow is appearing on the ridges of the dark, black-tipped bill. Ageing in the field The full adult coloration of the plumage and bill are generally acquired at six years. Five- year-old birds are generally adult-like in plumage, although they only rarely show an adult-like, but paler, bill. Fledging occurs in April-May, and ages are listed below in years from fledging to full adult. Bill coloration is very variable among indi- viduals within the same age-class, and also between years (Prince & Rodwell 1994): for example, the palest bills of three-year-olds can match the darkest bills of four-year-olds. When moult is taken into account, however, the process of ageing becomes much easier. Thus, moult combined with bill and plumage characteristics allows correct ageing. The terms given to the horny plates of the bill (fig. 1) are taken from Harrison (1983). As observed on the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean and on South Georgia in the South Atlantic (Prince & Rodwell 1994), yellow on the bill of imma- tures appears first along the edges of the cul- minicorn and ramicorns, but only later on the latericorns. These observations are the reverse of what was stated by Harrison (1983), thus leading to even more potential confusion with white-headed three-year-old or four-year-old Grey-headed Albatrosses. It would be difficult to suppose that such dis- crepancies in the description of the develop- ment of bill colour could be related to geographical variation in the nominate race of the Black-browed Albatross, as birds from the South Atlantic exhibit the same colour patterns as those from the South Indian Ocean. Another possibility is that the pattern described by Harrison (1983) could relate to birds of the New Zealand subspecies impavida , but this remains unclear. Com- paring Black-browed Albatrosses observed in the Indian Ocean with those from South Georgia (Prince & Rodwell 1994), the Indian Ocean birds show on average a darker bill (especially, a darker tip) than Atlantic individ- uals of the corresponding age. Juvenile and first-year Head white or, rarely, grey (plate 153), with grey hindneck and neck-collar. Bronzy brown bill with black tip, looking all-dark at distance (yellow rarely showing, but see plate 154). Underwing- coverts dark grey; thus, underwing looks blackish at distance. All feathers are new. One-year-old Almost as juvenile, with no primaries moulted. White head and obvious grey hindneck and neck-collar (some grey- headed juveniles may retain the head col- oration throughout their first year). Bill usually paler bronzy brown, with dark tip and base to culminicorn, but culminicorn and edges of ramicorns can become yel- lowish. Underwing-coverts still dark grey (see plate 164). All flight feathers are juve- nile (tail may be moulted). 270 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 156. Three-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. Old outer primaries (P8-10) are generally obviously abraded at this age. 157. Adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1996. 158. Four-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. Contrast in primaries between new P8-10 (also PI) and old P5-7 is frequently obvious, creating a ‘pale- window effect’ on the wing. 159- Advanced four-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 271 Frederic Jiguet Nicolas Gasco Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 160. Four-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. Note the greyish hindneck-collar. 162. Five-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. Grey collar can show well again at this age. 161. Five-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. Contrast between old primaries P8-10 and new P5-7 is not so obvious as on three-year-old birds. Note the blackish wash on sides of bill. 163. Adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. 272 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 164. One-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. Note bill coloration and underwing pattern. Primary moult has not yet started, and will begin during the second winter. 165. Two-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, January 1997. White coverts starting to appear on underwing. 166. Three-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. Note very dark underwing, but ragged, old P8-10, clinching the age of this individual. British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 273 Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 167. Four-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris, Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, November 1996. At this age, underwing is almost adult-like but a little dustier. 168. Three-year-old Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1996. This bird shows a very pale bill for this age. 1 69. Adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris , Kerguelen Islands, southern Indian Ocean, I >1 ( ember 1996. Note broad black leading and trailing edges to underwing on this individual. 274 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Nicolas Gasco Jignet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross 170. Adult Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanopbris , Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean, December 1995. This bird shows a very dark underwing pattern, the underwing-coverts being grey, thus matching two-year-old birds. Two-year-old P8-10 new (sometimes also PI); P2-7 old and abraded (juvenile feathers). White head and greyish neck-collar. Bill dark with black ungues (and yellowish extreme tip), the other horny plates being dark grey with yellowish edges, and base and tip of cul- minicorn remaining black (plate 155). Under- wing-coverts off-white with brown tips, creating pale panel along wing centre (plate 165). Three-year-old P8-10 abraded; P2-7 new (even PI, if not moulted before). Head white, with greyish wash on hindneck, short eye- brows. Bill very variable, from mostly dark to pale yellowish with dark tip; usually variable amount of black at base of culminicorn, yellow-tipped black ungues, greyish lateri- corn centres and ramicorns (plates 156 & 168). Underwing has usually whitened and can approach that of adult, but can still, rarely, be dark (see plate 166). Four-year-old P8-10 new, often contrasting strongly with very abraded P5-7 (often P3-4, too, but renewed Pl-2 common). White head, with eyebrow variably short or absent, and sometimes a grey wash on cheeks and hind- neck, with greyish neck-collar faint or absent (see plates 158-160 for illustration of head- pattern variability). Dull yellow bill, with ungues having wash of black mixed with reddish. Underwing mostly adult-like, with a few grey-brown outer median coverts (plate 167). Five-year-old P8-10 old, but generally not very abraded; P5-7 new. Neat black eyebrows begin to show; sometimes greyish cheeks and hindneck, and also greyish collar. Bill generally adult-like, but normally with dis- creet grey wash on lateral and distal horny plates (plates l6l & 162). Underwing adult- like. From the sixth year onwards, bill and plumage coloration are almost adult-like, and most individuals of this age cannot be distin- guished from adults, especially at sea. Adult (See plates 147, 157, 163, 169, 170) White head and obvious black eyebrows; cheeks and hindneck white, rarely washed British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 275 Frederic Jiguet Jiguet: Identification of Black-browed Albatross grey. Underwing pattern variable, with greater coverts all-white or black-tipped (in latter case, reducing width of central white area: see plate 169), sometimes with some black outer median coverts. An intriguing bird observed at sea off Crozet Islands, in the southern Indian Ocean, showed an adult-like bill, but grey-smudged median and greater underwing-coverts, resulting in a dark under- wing pattern almost matching that of two- year-olds (see plate 170). So, individual variation in underwing pattern has been seri- ously understated in previous literature, and correct ageing could not be made on this cri- terion alone. Conclusion Recognising an albatross at sea is fairly easy, but specific identification can be more prob- lematic, particularly with distant birds, as observations are often brief and, in Europe, are generally unexpected. Attention should be paid to the general silhouette, and experi- enced observers should be able to distin- guish between some species by silhouette and flight action. The essential keys for iden- tification are, however, the contrasts on the upperparts and the pattern of the under- wing, while the bill coloration, if seen well, is always diagnostic. Special care should be paid to separate one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old Black-browed Albatrosses from (two-year-old) three-year-old and four- year-old (white-headed) Grey-headed Alba- trosses, especially because juvenile Black-browed can show an all-grey head, and because bill patterns of immatures of the two species can be extremely similar ( contra Harrison 1983). Differences in structure between the two species should, however, help to separate them at sea. Finally, close views of an immature Black- browed should enable correct ageing on the basis of bill coloration and the moult stage of the primaries, while the underwing pattern varies too much to constitute a reliable ageing character. Of course, the distance of observation at sea often excludes the feasi- bility of checking the bill pattern, but it is worth looking at the primaries in order to age a vagrant immature Black-browed, since the moult contrast can sometimes be obvious, even at sea. Acknowledgments My very special thanks and thougnts go to the late Peter Prince 1 am grateful to Guillaume Fradet for his company in the field, to Nicolas Gasco and Henri Weimerskirch for supplying photographs, and to my wife Judith for her cheery support References Furness, R. W. 1988. Influences of status and recent breeding experience on the moult strategy of the Yellow-nosed Albatross Diomedea chlororhyncbos. J. Zool. Lond. 215: 719-727. Harrison, P 1983. Seabirds: an identification guide (revised edn 1986). London. — 1987 . Seabirds of the World. A photographic guide. London. Harrop, H. 1994. Albatrosses in the Western Palearctic. Birding World 7: 241-245. Jiguet, F., Defos du Ran, P, & Bocher, P. 1998. Identification des albatros visibles dans le Palearctique Occidental. Ornithos 5:62-81. Marchant, S„ & Higgins, P J. (eds.) 1990. The Handbook of Australian. New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, vol. 1. Oxford. Melville, D. S. 1991. Primary moult in Black-browed Albatross and Shy Mollymawks. Notornis 38: 51-53- Nunn, G. B., Cooper, J , Jouventin, P, Robertson, C. J. R., & Robertson, G. 1996. Evolutionary relationships among extant albatrosses (Procellariiformes: Diomedeidae) established from complete cytochrome-b gene sequences. Auk 113: 784-801. Phillips, H. 1996. A sea of pain - an ocean of fear. Wingspan 6 (4): 6-9. Prince, P A.,& Rodwell.S. P 1994. Ageing Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses using moult, bill and plumage characteristics. Emu 94: 246-254. — , — , Jones, M., & Rothery, P 1993- Moult in Black- browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses Diomedea melanophris and D. cbrysostoma. Ibis 135: 121- 131. Shirihai, H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. London Warham, J., Bourne, W. R. P, & Elliott, H. F. I. 1980. Albatross identification in the North Atlantic. In: Sharrock, J T. R. (ed). Frontiers of Bird Identification. London. Woods, R. W., & Woods, A. 1997. Atlas of Breeding Birds of the Falkland Islands. Oswestry. Frederic Jiguet, CEBC-CNRS, 79360 Beauvoir sur Niort, France; jiguet@cebc.cnrs.fr 276 British Birds 93: 263-276, June 2000 Separating Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers There is a long-held belief that the length of the undertail-coverts can reliably separate members of the two genera Acrocephalus and Hippolais. To my knowledge, D. I. M. Wallace first suggested this in 1964 in his groundbreaking paper Field identification of Hippolais wrarblers’ (Brit. Birds 57: 282-301), and subsequently it has appeared in most identification papers concerning the two genera. For example The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds (1996) stated that the undertail-coverts of Acrocephalus warblers are Tong... reaching to three-quarters of tail length' and of Hippolais warblers fall roughly halfway along tail’. There is some doubt, however, as to how useful this feature is in the field when attempting to separate Blyth’s Reed Warbler A. dumetorum from Olivaceous Warbler H. pallida (in my opinion, a much-under- rated identification problem). This may also be relevant to the questioning of the taxo- nomic status of Olivaceous Warbler ( Dutch Birding 19: 294-300). Dr Roger Riddington drew attention to this problem in his description of the Fair Isle Olivaceous Warbler of 1995. This bird had undertail- coverts extending more than halfway down the tail ( Birding World 8: 218-220) with a length of 38 mm and total tail length of 54.5 mm (69 5%), whilst those of the Suffolk bird in the same year were described as extending to about halfway down the tail’ ( Birding World 8: 293-294). It is obvious from the Fair Isle bird that the undertail-covert/tail ratio of Olivaceous Warbler can almost overlap that described for Acrocephalus war- blers. What, however, of Blyth’s Reed Warbler? Unfortunately, there is not a uniform differ- ence. Of over 60 observed singing in trees at Alma Ata, Khazakhstan, in June 1985, my notes read many showed undertail-coverts reaching almost to the tail tip, but others (about 20%) had at least half of the tail exposed distal to the undertail-coverts when seen from below.’ I noted, at the time, that I felt that separation of Blyth’s Reed Warbler from eastern Olivaceous Warbler was prob- ably as difficult as separation from other Acrocephalus warblers. Other points whereby Blyth’s Reed Warbler differed from the ‘classic’ view included: • Several of the birds showed quite distinct contrast between the edges and centres on both tertials and secondaries. These birds were all seen in bright sunlight filtering through the canopy. Thus, even on spring adults, the wing is not always uniform (for an example see Dutch Birding 19: plate 283). • The throat always seemed white and usually did not contrast with the rest of the underparts, but on two individuals there was a pale grey-brown suffusion across the breast, which did contrast with the throat. On both of these individuals and several others, the flanks were darker. • Upperpart coloration varied considerably with the light. They never showed a grey cast to the plumage (in contrast to several birds in the Moscow region). In good light, they appeared to have a yellowish tint, whilst, in subdued light, they had a warm-brown look. • Bare-part colours also varied with the light. The legs looked dark grey in poor light or in shade, but became pale brown in bright sun. It seems to me that, using the traditional undertail-covert/tail ratio, it will be possible to separate only a minority of Blyth’s Reed Warblers from Olivaceous Warbler, and these individuals would be at either end of the range. Other features - including tail shape, colour of outer tail feathers, strength of loral markings, bill shape when seen from below (broad on Olivaceous, narrow on Blyth’s Reed), call, tail pumping’, and general col- oration - should be used to support the identification. It should be remembered, however, that, with the exception of the pale outer tail feathers of Olivaceous Warbler, which can be extremely difficult to see in the field, there are no absolute separation features between the two species. Colin Bradshaw 9 Tynemouth Place, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 4BJ British Birds 93: 277-279, June 2000 277 Letters Farms: for birds or for food? Michael Lancaster posed a false choice in his letter (Brit. Birds 93: 205). Farmers, conserva- tionists and politicians agree that farmland should produce both birds and food, and indeed many other things, such as attractive landscapes, clean water, areas for recreation, and rural employment. The RSPB believes that the way to deliver these many different products is to ensure that the £3bn of subsidies that annually go into British farming, and have contributed to the rapid losses of wildlife, are redirected (not removed) into schemes to encourage environmentally friendly farming. Many such schemes exist, most are helping to stem wildlife losses, and Government has made some progress in putting more money into them, but much more needs to be done if our farmland bird populations are to recover. Michael Lancaster asked 'Who is going to pay?’ (to put the birds back into the country- side). Well, it is clearly going to be the same people who have unwittingly paid for three out of four Sky Larks Alauda arvensis to dis- appear from the countryside: the LTK taxpayer. But, if change is achieved through redirection of current public subsidy, this need not cost the public purse much more money. How can BB s readers help put the birds back into the countryside? First, of course, support the RSPB’s campaign to redirect sub- sidies. Secondly, contribute to survey work, such as the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey, which will increasingly provide the data to show what needs to be done. Thirdly, as consumers, support those British farmers whose food is produced in an environmen- tally friendly way. Mark Aveiy Director, Conservation, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL Provenance of the first British record of‘Kumlien’s Gull’ During research for their paper on Iceland Gulls Lams glaucoides from the Braer dis- aster, Weir et at (1995) discovered that The Natural History Museum, Tring, held a British specimen of the race L. g. kumlieni taken on 24th November 1869, which had been previ- ously assumed to be of the nominate race. They pointed out that this would comprise the first British record for the race kumlieni, and it was subsequently accepted as such by the BOU Records Committee (1998). Unfor- tunately, the registration number (actually 1897.11.10.1 1) and, more importantly, the provenance of this specimen were given wrongly in each case. Both on its original label and in its register entry, the specimen is recorded only as having been taken at Breck- ness’, but this was apparently misread as Brackness, which in turn was assumed to be Blacksness, a locality in Scalloway in Shet- land (M. Pennington in littf ; in conse- quence, both above references gave the provenance simply as ‘Shetland’. In fact, Breck Ness is a locality in Orkney, about 3 km west of Stromness (R. McGowan in lift.). That the specimen indeed came from there is corroborated by the fact that it was obtained from Edward Hargitt, a collector closely associated with Orkney (e.g. Sharpe 1906) and whose collection contains other Orkney specimens taken immediately before and immediately after 24th November 1869. References BOU Records Committee. 1998. Twenty-fourth Report (October 1997). Ibis 140: 182-184. Sharpe, R. B. 1906. Birds. In: The History of the Collections contained in The Natural History Departments of the British Museum, vol. 2, pp. 79- 515. London. Weir, D.N., McGowan, R.Y., Kitchener, A.C., McOrist, S., Zonfrillo, B.,& Heubeck.M. 1995. Iceland Gulls from the Braer’ disaster, Shetland 1993 Brit. Birds 88: 15- 25. Robert Prys-Jones Bird Group, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 6AP British Birds 93: 277-279, June 2000 Letters Britain & Ireland I should like to register my wholehearted endorsement of the editorial decision to con- tinue to maintain and foster links with the Republic of Ireland (Brit. Birds 92: 62-63). It is, in my view, the relevant organisations' pre- rogative to publish the decisions of the Irish Rare Birds Committee and the Northern Ireland Bird Records Committee in their own journals in the first instance. The report on rare birds produced by the British Birds Rari- ties Committee, and the running totals main- tained for each species, would, however, be much the poorer without the inclusion of Irish records (even though the latter must, for the time being at least, be added one year retrospectively). I urge the BB team to con- tinue to avoid jumping on the fashionable bandwagon advocated by the BOU and others, a position that makes absolutely no sense when dealing with the study and enjoyment of birds in their biogeographic context. The birds pay no heed to purely political boundaries; and the less politics and the more co-operation between national bodies the better, for the birds and for bird- watching in these islands. Chris McCarty Isezela Cottage, Newbiggin-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham DL12 OH’ Marsh Warblers breeding on Utsira Encouraged by the report of a breeding pair of Marsh Warblers Acrocepha/us palustris in Orkney in 1993 (Meek & Adam 1997), I con- sider it relevant to put on record a similar iso- lated breeding occurrence that took place on Utsira, Rogaland, western Norway, in 1996. Preceded by an influx - large scale, by local standards - of Marsh Warblers in early June 1996 (Mobakken 1997), a pair stayed on into July, holding territory in the northern part of the island. Then, on 31st July, at least one adult was seen in close proximity to two juveniles. Both the adult birds and their two youngsters were then seen regularly throughout August. This record was accepted by the local records committee (LRSK/Roga- land) in March 1999. The similarity of these two breeding records - both representing the first such records for their respective regions - is their isolated nature, being the results of ordinary return migration, but occurring in years with above-normal contingents of such out-of- range birds, making it more likely for pio- neering individuals to set up breeding territories (as it is more likely for the two sexes to meet in such years). Indeed, the Utsira breeding was the first noted far outside the species’ established breeding range, which is centred around the Geir Mobakken PO Box 23, N-5547 Utsira, Norway Oslofjorden area in southeast Norway (see Syvertsen 1992). Although this breeding record came as a small surprise, it was not unprecedented, Utsira having in the past claimed noteworthy breeding records of such eastern species (from a Norwegian perspective) as Red- backed Shrike Lanins collurio (in 1984) and Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus (the first for Rogaland county, in 1985). As a digression, I found it intriguing that Meek & Adam (1997), after concluding that the one adult and all three juveniles in Orkney were positively identified as Marsh Warblers, left the other adult as of uncertain identity. Simple logic tells us that it, too, has to have been a Marsh Warbler; pure Marsh Warbler youngsters will have to have had both their parents of this species. Personally, I find that the Marsh Warbler’s pale yellowish legs and all-grey claws, lacking contrast, and to a lesser extent its jizz, are the most useful identification features. References Meek, E. R , & Adam, R. G. 1997. Marsh Warblers breeding in Orkney: first Scottish breeding record. Brit. Birds 90: 230. Mobakken, G. 1997. Systematisk arsrapport for 1996 fra Utsira. Utsira Fuglestasjons Arbok 1996 : 15-47. Syvertsen, 0. 1992. Status of Marsh Warbler in Norway. Brit. Birds 85: 89-90. British Birds 93: 277-279, June 2000 27S Bird Photograph of the Year Sponsored by: Handbook of the BIRDS OF THE WORLD One of the most enjoyable days of the year, for the judges involved, came around once again. This is the com- petition’s twenty-fourth year. After an initial scan to assess the general standard (phenomenally high!), we slowly projected all the entries, eliminating those that were not strongly supported by at least one judge. This gave an initial short-list of 33 transparencies. Only one photographer, Mike Wilkes (our very first winner, Brit. Birds 70: 133-136), had all three of his entries still included at this stage, but another seven entrants still had two in the running: Terry Andrewartha, Neil Bowman, Richard Brooks, Tony Hamblin (last year’s winner, Brit. Birds 92: 301-307), Dr Koshy Johnson, Alan Petty, and Gary Smith. Even more detailed perusal and critical examination was needed to reduce the short- list to 17 (Dr Koshy Johnson being the only photographer with two still in at this final stage). Each judge then independently ranked each transparency from 1 to 17. After totting up the scores, the result was as follows: 1st Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus (plate 171) Alan Petty (Kent) 2nd Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris (plate 172) Gordon Langsbury (Berkshire) 3rd= Common Shelducks Tadorna tadorna (plate 173) Tony Hamblin (Warwickshire) 3rd= Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis (plate 174) Dr Jens Eriksen (Oman) 5th Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur (plate 175) Neil Bowman (Norfolk) 6th= Osprey Pandion haliaetus (plate 177) David Tipling (Kent) 6th= Blue Tit Purus caeruleus (plate 176) Terry Andrewartha (Norfolk) 8th Red-legged Partridge A/ectoris rufa (plate 178) Mike Wilkes (Worcestershire) 9th Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus Dr Koshy Johnson (East Yorkshire) 10th= Barn Owl Tyto alba Gary Smith (Norfolk) 10th= Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis David Chapman (Cornwall) 12th European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus Robert Snell (Staffordshire) 13th Purple Swamp-hen Porphyrio porphyrio Ray Tipper (Portugal) 14th Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus Dr Koshy Johnson 15th Water Rail Rallus aquations Olaf Lessow (Germany) 16th Red Kite Milvus milvus Richard Brooks (Norfolk) 17th Great Snipe Gallinago media Chris Knights (Norfolk) Other photographers whose work was included in the initial short-list were: Tony Clarke (Sheffield), Mark Darling (Lanarkshire), Howard Nicholls (Mid Glamorgan), John Power (Liverpool), Wayne Richardson (Middlesbrough), Roger Tidman (Norfolk), and Steve Young (Liverpool). The Young Photographer of the Year award, sponsored by the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust, was won, for the fourth successive year, by David Norton (Essex), and we show one of his set of three photographs here (plate 179) .The runner-up in this section, open to photographers aged under 26, was Oliver Slessor (London). Alan Petty described the winning photo- graph (plate 171) thus: Several Montys were quartering the field at the back of the salt- ins in Kalloni [Lesvos, Greece] when this suddenly spotted something below, appi ed full “airbrakes”, and dived onto prey. This shot shows the wings and tail fully extended before the dive.’ The judges com- mented that it was the combination of the bird very actively engaged in hunting and the clearly visible (but not distracting) back- ground, showing the harrier’s feeding habitat, which were this photograph's winning qualities. It was aesthetically 280 © British Birds 93: 280-287, June 2000 171. BIRD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR. Female Montagu’s Harrier Circus pj’gargus, Greece, May 1999. (Nikon F90X; 300-mm. f2.8, 2x teleconverter; 1/640, f5.6. Fuji Velvia 100 rated at 200 ISO.) Alan Petty pleasing and also informative. The bird, in its interesting pose, was pin-sharp. Alan will receive a set of the magnificent 12-volume Handbook of the Birds of the World , of which five volumes have been published so far, presented by this competition's sponsor, Lynx Edicions. The second-placed photograph (plate 172) is likely to be especially admired by any bird-photographer who has tried to capture on film the darting, weaving, elusive Crag Martin. The background is plain, with no habitat to add to its interest, but Gordon Langsbury s achievement is in obtaining the shot at all. He described the circumstances thus: ‘This bird was nesting on the wall of a taverna. Using auto focus, I obtained this photograph while the bird was flying over the building.’ Tony Hamblin provided us with an evoca- British Birds 93: 280-287, June 2000 281 172. SECOND. Crag Martin Ptyohoprogne rupestris, Spain, May 1999. (Nikon F5; Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 AFS, 2x AF teleconverter; 1/800, f5.6. Fuji Sensia 100 rated at 200 ISO.) Gordon Langsbury tive image of Common Shelducks flying over the Severn Estuary near Slimbridge, Glouces- tershire (plate 173): ‘a picture good enough to hang on the wall’. Each bird is clear and in a different posture from the next, with all equally spaced, and none overlapping, almost as if they had been carefully arranged for pleasing impact. Tony commented: Storm clouds were appearing in the northwest, with full sun where I was standing, when a small flock of Shelducks flew overhead. They circled again and I got just one frame which showed them all sharply (it’s rare to get more than a couple or so [in focus]).’ We know Dr Jens Eriksen’s work well, and several of his raptors have amazed us in past years. Are we getting blase if we place this one (plate 174) only equal third’ in this com- petition? This is a stunning shot, with - if anything - the bird too big in the frame, but this helps to emphasise the power of an eagle. This will doubtless be a very commer- cial picture, likely to appeal to advertisers ■id calendar compilers. Jens tells us the ry: Steppe Eagles are common winter vis- in our area [near Muscat, Sultanate of ( ! n], and I have photographed them for several years. Most photos are of birds flying overhead, but occasionally I can get one seen from above. In this particular case, the eagle was taking off at about eye level, and I managed to get just one shot as it took off. The unworn, pale trailing edge to the wings suggests that this is a first-winter bird.’ Neil Bowman’s Turtle Dove (plate 175) seems almost too good to be true’, as it struts along, puffed up and displaying, against a Hollywood stage set’ background. This was, by chance, the first transparency viewed by the judges, and set a standard by which all the others had to be judged. The circumstances, in the photographer’s words, were as follows: This shot was taken from a hide at my feeding station, where Turtle Doves are regular visitors. I had been after a good shot of one displaying for the last three summers. The doves are generally busy feeding in the mornings, with most display activity in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the light in my hide is at its best in the morning. Eventually, my luck turned, and this male dis- played in excellent light.’ What a pity, the judges thought, that the object of this male’s display (a female, or another male?) was not British Birds 93: 280-287, June 2000 Bird Photograph of the Year also in the picture (perhaps too much to hope for), or that the exact circumstances were not described. That is not a criticism of the photographer, who, we realise, has to concentrate on what can be photographed, not on what might be going on around the corner’, out of frame. The phrase ‘actively engaged in sunning’ is a valid but strictly incorrect description of Terry Andrewartha’s Blue Tit (plate 176), for the bird is totally inactive, absorbing the warmth of the sun. All it needs is a pina colada. Those more serious in their interest in this behaviour should consult Dr Ken Simmons’s 1986 classic, The Sunning Behav- iour of Birds: a guide for ornithologists. The photographer’s account is as follows: I was in a hide in a woodland setting trying to pho- tograph Long-tailed Tits [Aegithalos cau- datus] gathering feathers for nesting material. I got into the hide nearly every day, and, after about two weeks, on a very hot day, with the temperature well into the 70s, this Blue Tit came and landed on a branch in front of the hide and started sunning. This lasted for about three minutes, which gave me plenty of time to take this photograph.’ In contrast to the Blue Tit, there is no shortage of active behaviour to be seen in David Tipling’s photograph of the Osprey (plate 177). The judges usually criticise (and dismiss) shots in which part of the bird is cut off and is out of frame, but the missing wing-tips hardly matter on this stunning image. David described the circumstances thus: ‘I spent seven days from dawn to dusk in a small hide overlooking a small pond [at Kangasala fish-farm in southern Finland] for this shot. The Ospreys would visit regularly to take the abundant trout. However, on only one day out of the week did the light and wind direction combine to make the perfect opportunity. The wind needed to blow from behind me to ensure that the Ospreys flew towards the camera. The Ospreys often dived so close that I regularly had to dry the front element of my lens from the splashes.’ Yes, David, we do believe you. Another all-action shot, with soil and stones flying, is Mike Wilkes’ dust-bathing Red-legged Partridge (plate 178). Mike wrote: ‘I noticed that a corner of a field was being 173- THIRD EQUAL. Common Shelducks Tadorna tadorna, Gloucestershire, November 1999. (Canon EOS IN; Canon 500L f4.5; 1/750, f4.5. Fuji Sensia 100.) Tony Hamblin 175 FIFTH. Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur , Norfolk, May 1999. (Canon EOS IN; Canon 500-mm f4.5. Fuji Velvia 50.) Neil Bowman 174. THIRD EQUAL. Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis, Oman, December 1999. (Nikon F5; Nikkor 300-mm f2.8AFS, 1.4x teleconverter; 1/400, f4. Fuji Velvia 50.) Jens Eriksen used by RLPs for dust-bathing. There were little indentations in the ground, and feathers lying around. I have been waiting for the chance to take [photographs of] this action for many years. I set up my hide and, after many afternoons watching and waiting, I managed to get them in front of my hide tossing stones and dust high into the air.’ A winter scene, with colourful autumn leaves, and a Robin, the bird that exemplifies an English December. The circumstances sur- rounding David Norton’s fourth-in-a-row prize-winning photograph (plate 179) were described by him as follows: This Robin photograph was taken in the garden in December 1999. The bird is very tame, so I decided to use my macro lens to get a better- quality photograph of it. Whilst it was accepting food from the hand, it also drank from this pool, where the sun just grazed its front. The important part of this encounter was appreciating how the Robin was car- rying on its normal routine whilst fulfilling its own curiosity to see what I was doing.’ David will receive a cheque for £.100 and an engraved glass goblet presented by The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust. The prizes, which also include token cheques for the photographers of the trans- parencies placed second and third in the main competition, will be presented at a joint Press Reception with Bird Illustrator of the Year. As in other recent years, a selection of the top photographs will be published in a forth- coming issue of the monthly magazine Bird Watching. We value this link with a publica- tion which provides an excellent service to British ornithology by encouraging and developing an interest in responsible bird- watching among many newcomers to the hobby. This year, for the first time, the Editor of Bird Watching , David Cromack, was a member of the judging panel. Next year’s competition, in which pho- tographs taken during the year 2000 will be assessed, will follow the usual format. Any new competitors should write for a copy of the Rules to the address given below. Finally, the judges wish to report that the British Birds 93: 280-287, June 2000 285 Bird Photograph of the Year general standard of entries continues to rise every year. Whereas, at one time, there was just a handful of potential winners, and we had merely to decide which of them was the best or most interesting, nowadays there are many photographs which do not even make the initial short-list but which would for- merly have been among the top half-dozen. Many images greatly admired by one or other of us have not even received a mention in this account. Bird-photography is thriving! J. T. R. Sharrock, Richard Chandler ; Robin Chittenden , David Cromack and David Hosking c/o British Birds , Fountains , Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ Y71 . SIXTH EQUAL. Osprey Pandion haliaetus , Finland, August 1999. (Nikon F5; Nikkor 300-mm f2.8 AFS; 1/1,000, f4. Fuji Sensia 100.) David Tipling 286 British Birds 93: 280-287, June 2000 178. EIGHTH. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa, Warwickshire 1999. (Canon EOS 5; Canon 500-mm f4.5: 1/350 sec, f4.5. Fuji Sensia 100.) Mike Wilkes 179- The British Birds Young Bird Photographer of the Year. Robin Erithacus rubecula , Essex, December 1999. (Nikon F-801s; 105-mm Micro-Nikkor; 1/125, f2.8. Fuji Sensia 100, rated at 200 ISO.) David Norton Common Stonechat breeding in February in reedbed On 26th February 1995, at Marshside Marsh RSPB Reserve, Merseyside, I noted an adult female Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata perched on a fence post with insect food in her bill. She flew into a thin bed of Common Reed Phragmites australis beneath the fence, on the landward edge of the saltmarsh. On closer examination of the reedbed, I found a nest containing several calling young, which the female was appar- ently feeding. There was no sign of the male, although both parents typically feed the nestlings (Johnson 1971), and on a return visit in the following week I failed to locate either adult or young stonechats. I can find no reference to Common Stonechats breeding so early in the season. BWP (vol. 5) states that, in northwest Europe, this species may begin laying as early as March, and nestlings may be found in mid March (although a more typical date is mid April). In a 20-year study of a resident coastal population of Common Stonechats in Jersey, Channel Islands, Johnson (1971), found that, although pair-bonding and territory defence began in late January or early February, breeding itself did not start until late March. The unusually mild weather during Feb- ruary 1995 is assumed to have been the stim- ulus which produced such an early breeding attempt, with an unsettled period of showers and spells of sunshine during the weeks leading up to the event. Indeed, the winter of 1994/95 was one of the three wettest, and hence mildest, in Britain in the twentieth century (Cleave 1995). Unfortunately, below- freezing temperatures had returned to the area by the beginning of March, probably resulting in the loss of the brood. This record is also thought to be possibly the first documented instance of Common Stonechats using a bed of Common Reed as a nest site. BWP lists (in order of preference) gorse Ulex, open grass, Heather Call ana vul- garis and heath Erica , Bracken Pteridium aquilinum , other low scrub, mixed low veg- etation and stone walls as typical sites, while Johnson (1971) found that clumps of Marram Grass Ammophila arenaria and gorse bushes were the most widely used sites. References Cleave, A. (ed.) 1995. Wildlife Reports. Weather for January and February 1995 British Wildlife 6: 247. Cramp, S. (ed.) 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. vol. 5. Oxford Johnson, E. D. H 1971. Observations on a resident population of Stonechats in Jersey. Brit. Birds 64: 201-213,267-279. Paul R. Massey 15 Mint Avenue, Barrowford, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 6JU EDITORIAL COMMENT Dr Humphrey Crick has commented: This record is certainly extraordinarily early, as the ear- liest first-egg date calculated from a nest record card is 16th March, the average being around 1 st May (from a sample of about 1 ,000 nest record cards from which we can calculate laying date). The year 1995 was an unusually warm and early nesting season. In fact, it was rather dif- ficult to tell when the 1994 season ended and the 1995 season started: late broods were being reported in November, and there was only a brief break each side of the New Year during a period of severe gales, blizzards and freezing fog. A number of species which normally start early were recorded breeding in late January and early February, for example, Blackbird Turdus merula, Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto. Tawny Owl Strix aluco, Mistle Thrush T. viscivorus and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus. January and February 1995 were, however, extremely wet, which must have held back some species. Presumably, there was suf- ficient insect food to allow this pair of Common Stonechats to take advantage of the unusual warmth.’ British Birds 93: 288-289, June 2000 Notes Common Starlings feeding from parked cars On 24th September 1995, at St Ives, Cornwall, I noticed several Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris feeding around the parked cars. They did not appear to be taking food from the ground, but seemed to be pecking scraps from the bumpers of cars. On closer inspection, I could see that they were eating a variety of insects which had been squashed on to the front of the cars while the latter were moving. As each new car arrived in the car park, the birds would move to it and inspect the front for food. Along with the starlings were several House Sparrows Passer domesticus ; these travelled around with the starlings, watching their every move and quickly feeding on any insects which fell to the ground. Since this episode I have paid more attention to birds in car parks, but have not noticed this behaviour anywhere else. Sara McMahon 72 Underwood Road , Plympton , Devon PL7 1SZ EDITORIAL COMMENT In 1994, David Brazier recorded Common Starlings pecking at the front of a large locomotive in a siding in Hampshire and Red-legged Partridges Alectoris rufa pecking insect remains from car registration plates on the Isle of Wight (Brit. Birds 91: 330). Earlier, in the 1970s, House Sparrows were recorded collecting insects from in and behind the radiator grilles of stationary cars, at which time their habit of taking dead insects stuck to the front of cars was said to be a well-known practice of this species' (Brit. Birds 77: 121). The behaviour described by Sara McMahon seems, somewhat surprisingly, not to have been recorded for Common Starling. Nest-building by Mute Swans apparently in response to heavy rain Over a number of years of observing the nest-building behaviour of Mute Swans Cygnus olor at Shibdon Pond, Tyne & Wear, I have noted on several occasions that the male will add material to the nest structure while the female is incubating. In 1995, I took more careful note of the exact circum- stances surrounding this behaviour. On the three occasions when, during the incubation period, the male was seen to collect appre- ciable amounts of new material for incorpo- ration into the nest, there had been significant rainfall within the previous twelve hours. This building activity' did not always occur during rain, but the vigour of the male’s response did seem to be related to the length of time over which rain had fallen and to the amount of rain involved: the highest rate of activity occurred on 23rd April, after considerable heavy rain in the previous 24 hours; further concerted building was observed on 8th May, during and after heavy showers. Although this behaviour would appear to be an adaptive response by the male swan to a potential threat of flooding, the interesting aspect is that it seems to have been triggered by the rain itself and not by any perceived rise in water levels. At no time over the rele- vant period did the water level at the nest site vary by more than a centimetre or so. Keith Bowey 3 Alloy Terrace , Highfields , Rowlands Gill, Tyne & Wear NE39 1AU EDITORIAL COMMENT This idea is interesting, if not surprising. More observations, with measured data, and an assess- ment of any other possible factors, would be most useful. British Birds 93: 288-289, June 2000 289 In theory, identification of April ’s wader (plate 117, repeated here as plate 180) should be fairly straightforward. It is obviously small and, judging by the colour and extent of the hooded appearance, it is in summer plumage. The upstretched wing is, however, while neatly showing us most of the under- side of the bird, obscuring the crucial upperparts that may well have led to a straightforward identification. So, how do we proceed with this small wader? First, let us look at the shape and posture: it has short legs, a fairly horizontal stance, and a short fine bill. Next, the plumage, or what we can see of it. The head, throat and upper breast seem to be a dark greyish-brown; the clear-cut demarcation between the upper breast and the rest of the white underparts is very noticeable; and the rump and uppertail- coverts seem to be white, but there is just a hint of a dark centre (which allows us to rule out the two white-rumped species). At first, the legs look dark, but, on close inspection, may be showing a hint of pale- ness and, although they are in shadow and difficult to see properly in this photograph, they certainly do not look jet- black. The general impression of the bird is of a Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii , especially with that clearly demarcated breast and hooded effect. But what about the other con- tenders? Well, ignoring for the moment the discussion on whether or not the bird has pale legs, the other stints and peeps’ that show clean white under- parts, lacking any streaking, in breeding plumage, are Baird’s Sandpiper C. bairdii , Little Stint C. minutd , Least Sandpiper C. minutilla , Long-toed Stint C. suhminuta and Red-necked Stint C. ruficollis. The apparently extensive white sides to the rump and uppertail-coverts almost certainly rule out the first of these straight away, since Baird’s Sandpiper shows a very broad dark centre to its rump and uppertail, with only narrow white sides. Let us go back to the feature that we can see most clearly: the underwing. Views like this are rare in the field, and underwings are not often cited as an identifi- cation feature of small waders (although we do have to look for them on some larger waders, such as pratincoles Glareola and golden/grey plovers Pluvialis ). On this photograph, however, Ian Lewington’s research on our behalf at The Natural History Museum at Tring has shown that it holds the absolute clincher of the bird’s identity. The clear and well-defined dark trailing edge is diagnostic of Temminck’s Stint. No other small wader has an underwing pattern like this, with dark primary coverts and a dark trailing edge to the wing. All the other small Calidris species, although showing a similar pattern, have a much less well- defined dark trailing edge that gradually fades into the paler underwing. It is also only on Temminck’s that this dark trailing edge is so strongly marked along the entire length of the wing; on the other con- tenders, it fades out almost com- pletely on the inner secondaries. Another feature worth reprising is the hooded appearance: all the other possible species would be likely to show a much paler throat than the bird in our pho- tograph. This individual was present at Holme in Norfolk during 21st- 25th July 1989 ( Norfolk Bird Report ), during which time it attracted a lot of visitors, including David Tipling, who took this photograph. Competitors named this bird as Least Sandpiper (61%), Little Stint (12%), Baird’s Sandpiper (11%), Sanderling C. alba (7%), White-rumped Sandpiper C.fus- cicollis (5%), Pectoral Sandpiper C. melanotos (3%) and Tem- minck’s Stint ( 1 %) . All three leaders plumped for Least Sand- piper, so, after having achieved sequences of 12 in a row, are all now back at the start (our sym- pathy will not compensate for their disappointment, but the sponsor, Sunbird, has offered each of them a book of their choice as a consolation prize). )() British Birds 93: 290-291, June 2000 David Tipling Monthly Marathon Only two entrants got it right: George Brown (Braintree, Essex) - who also identified the pre- vious month's Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata, so is now on two in a row - and Christer Kalenius (Finland). Everybody else is back at the start, on zero, so this marathon eleventh Marathon is essentially starting all over again. . . Have a go! Steve Rooke )Sunbird The best of birdwatching tours 181. Monthly Marathon'. Photo no. 167. Fifteenth stage in eleventh Marathon’. Identify the species. Read the rules (see page 54), then send your answer on a postcard to Monthly Marathon, Fountains, Park Lane, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, to arrive by 15th August 2000. With all competitors except two (one on two correct answers, and the other on one) back at the start line, this Marathon is essentially starting all over again. Have a go! Grahame Walbridge to stay on BBRC for three more years In September 1999, we asked for nominations for election to become the next member of the BBRC. We explained at the time that, should no suitable candi- date be proposed, the longest- serving member, Grahame Walbridge, had agreed to waive his automatic entitlement to retire and would remain on the Committee for a further three years. This would allow him to complete a series of tasks that he was undertaking on behalf of the BBRC. We received no nominations for membership, so are pleased to have Grahame continuing for another three years. He is an out- standing member of the BBRC, not only because of his well- recognised abilities at bird identi- fication, but also because of his detailed knowledge of observers nationally and particularly in the Southwest. We are, however, concerned about the lack of individuals pre- pared to serve the birding com- munity. It is an onerous, and sometimes thankless, task but it is also fascinating to see the range and standard of records submitted. It also acts as a stim- ulus to keep up to date with current identification, and most people who have served on the Committee have enjoyed the experience. The BBRC replaces one member each year and tries to maintain a membership that has a sound working knowledge of observers and records across the whole of Britain. In the next two years, we shall seek to replace Committee members who fulfil this function for East Anglia and Scotland. In three years' time, we shall need to find a replacement for Grahame. We hope that, by then, there will be birders willing to undertake this important role. For more information, phone Colin Bradshaw on 0191 257 2389. British Birds 93: 290-291, June 2000 291 News and comment Compiled by Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson BOURC seeks new members The British Ornithologists’ Union is inviting applications and nomina- tions for new members of its Records Committee (BOURC) to succeed Ken Shaw (who retires in April 2000) and Dr Alan Knox (who retires in April 2001). The term of office is usually eight to ten years, with the longest-serving of the ten members retiring each year. There are nor- mally two meetings per year, each lasting one day, and other communi- cation is by e-mail or by post. The primary function of the BOURC is to maintain the official list of birds recorded in Great Britain (the British List) and to determine into which category (A, B, C, D, E) a record should be placed. In most cases, the identification of claimed additions to the British List is first assessed by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) and then con- firmed by the BOURC, which then considers the likely origin of the bird in order to determine the category into which the record should be placed. Information on feral populations is monitored, and reviews are undertaken of older records. The BOURC also studies taxonomic advances, and initiates research in this field, through its six-member Taxonomic Sub-committee. As well as bird identification, the skills of individual members include detailed knowledge of bird distribution, taxonomy, statistics, the cage-bird trade, genetics and historical research. Members are required to handle regular batches of paperwork, often of a detailed and complex nature, and to do so promptly and reliably. Access to e- mail facilities is a considerable advantage. The work is entirely volun- tary and unpaid. The present members are Tony Marr (Chairman), Tim Melling (Sec- retary), Colin Bradshaw (BBRC Chairman), Paul Harvey, Alan Knox, Ian Lewington, Eric Meek, Tony Prater, Ken Shaw and Roger Wilkinson Applications from, or nominations on behalf of, interested persons possessing the necessary motivation, outlining their relevant experi- ence, knowledge and skills, are now invited for the posts to be filled during 2000 and 2001 (please indicate clearly to which year applica- tions refer). They should be sent at once to Tony Marr (BOLIRC Chairman), Two Hoots, Old Hall Farm Barns, Cley next the Sea, Norfolk NR25 7SF; telephone & fax: 01263 741313; e-mail: bourc.chair@bou.org.uk Ngulia Ringing Group We have received the mouth- watering summary of the autumn 1999 activities at the Ngulia ringing station in Kenya. Over 265,200 Palearctic birds of 33 species ringed, including over 10,200 Marsh Warblers Acro- cephalus palustris, and over 400 Afrotropical birds of 84 species ringed, including eight species for the first time. Recoveries included what may be the first- ever recovery of an Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum anywhere (from Mozambique) and 72 recoveries from 22 coun- tries of Marsh Warbler. With over 4,000 Willow Warblers Phyllo- scopus trocbilus ringed, there are still no recoveries. Experi- enced ringers who may be inter- ested in helping with the project should contact Graeme Back- hurst, Box 15194, Nairobi, Kenya; e-mail: graeme@healthnet.or.ke or David Pearson, 4 Lupin Close, Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6NW. Waders in the Yorkshire Dales National Park The RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have completed a major survey of the breeding waders in the National Park this summer. Declines in lowland wader popu- lations between the early 1970s and late 1990s have seen numbers of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus fall by over 45% and Common Snipe Galii- nago gallinago by some 95% across the LIK. With such major declines in the lowlands, many species of waders now have their breeding populations con- centrated in the uplands, and areas such as the Yorkshire Dales National Park hold significant populations. Up-to-date informa- tion on species such as Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata , Common Snipe, Northern Lap- wing and Common Redshank Tringa totanus is vitally impor- tant if their future is to be secured. In total, the survey covered some 100 km2 of moor- land-edge pasture and meadow- land. In addition, the RSPB resurveyed some upland bird study plots. For further informa- tion, call the Yorkshire Dales National ParkAuthority on 01756- 752748. Sandeel ban It has been announced that large areas off the Scottish east coast will be closed to fishing for sandeels Ammodytes , following sustained pressure from the RSPB. It is hoped that this will particularly benefit Kittiwakes Kiss a tridactyla and Atlantic Puffins Fmtercida arctica, whose young are dependent on a plentiful supply of sandeels, but this must be good news for many other seabirds also. 292 British Birds 93: 292-294, June 2000 News and comment Farming and Wildlife in Ireland Following a highly successful All- Ireland Bird Conference held at Ennis, Co. Clare, on the subject of bird and habitat conservation, the BirdLife partner in the Republic, BirdWatch Ireland, sup- ported by the RSPB in Northern Ireland, has called for a more effective performance by the Irish Government on urgent con- servation and farming issues. Shortcomings in the present Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) from a habitat conservation perspective were highlighted by several delegates at the conference. Comparisons were drawn with the much more conservation-oriented Country- side Management Scheme now in operation in Northern Ireland, which concentrates on priority species and habitats. BirdWatch Ireland is asking for the current review of REPS to ensure that any replacement is more conser- vation friendly than has been the case in the last five years. There was also a call to speed up the process of designation of Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Directives on Birds and Habi- tats. Let us hope that the Irish Government listens to the calls for greater input of ecological expertise into the whole ques- tion of agri-environment plan- ning. For further details, contact BirdWatch Ireland, Ruttledge House, 8 Longford Place, Monkstown, Co. Dublin; e-mail: bird@indigo.ie ‘Wild Birds and the Law’ For many years, the RSPB has produced an information booklet entitled Wild Birds and the Law: a plain guide to bird protection today. The latest (January 2000) edition is now available from the RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedford- shire SGI 9 2DL. The Mink menace Stephen Rumsey has reported some striking and important facts to us: Since we first started to create our nature reserve at Icklesham, East Sussex, in 1986, we have considered feral North American Mink Mustela vison to be a serious pest . Water Voles Arvicola terrestris had already disappeared prior to 1985, and when Water Rails Rail us aquaticus attempted to colonise they were quickly preyed upon by Minks. As a result, we instituted a regular trapping programme for Minks, which initially resulted in ten to 12 being trapped each year, declining to three or four per year during the last five years. The Water Rails successfully recolonised, and breeding pairs have increased to 30- 60. Water Voles recolonised in 1995-96 and are now abundant and conspicuous. Two major problems occur with Mink trapping: one is the inci- dental capture of non-target species attracted to the bait in the trap, and the other is that it is very boring to have to check ten or a dozen wire-cage traps several times every day when, on almost every occa- sion, nothing at all is trapped We can offer two solutions to these problems. The first is to bait with chicken eggs; Minks seem to be attracted to eggs, but few other species are, and certainly not the Water Rails, mice, shrews and even Blackbirds Turdus merula that were attracted to our initial bait of catfood or fish heads. Secondly, Trevor Squire has developed an indicator system that identifies which traps have been triggered. A fishing line connects the trap door to a marker on an adjoining pole. As a result, the person responsible for checking the traps has only to check the poles and their markers, using binocu- lars, rather than having to walk around the whole area to visit every trap. It is important, of course, to ensure that, if the fishing line breaks, the design is such that the marker indicates that the trap door has closed. 'We consider that regular trapping for Minks in their most-favoured territories can have a significant impact on the local population of Minks, and thereby can be of considerable benefit to their prey.' Thirty to 60 breeding pairs of Water Rails are real evidence of success. Cranes in France A large number of Common Cranes Grus grus overwintered in northern France this year - 700 in Lorraine and 7,300 in Champagne- Ardenne.The return migration this spring has also been very concen- trated. Although flights towards the northeast were noted on 17th January, there were relatively small numbers from then until 20th Feb- ruary. The first big wave took place on 21st February, with 18,400 counted in the Haut-Vienne region alone. On 22nd, it was estimated that 16,690 cranes were on the move, with another 15,300 on 23rd. At least 10,000 arrived at the Lac du Der on this last date. Things then went quiet until the second big wave over the weekend of 26th/27th February, when 17,520 were counted on the move. In just one week, about 81,500 cranes moved across France, a very high proportion of the total West European population, which is estimated at around 100,000 individuals. It was interesting to note the reactions of the ordinary man-in-the- street to the spectacle. A petrol-pump attendant, for example, said, as one flock passed by, The winter is over' - just as someone in Britain might remark on hearing the first Cuckoo Cuculus canorus of spring. (Contributed by Ken Hall) British Birds 93: 292-294, June 2000 293 News and comment New bird for the Stilly List You may be just a little too late to twitch this one. A Great Auk Pin- guinus impennis was on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, on an unknown date in the third century AD. The reported locality is Halangy Down (SV910124) on the north side of the island. We are indebted to Roger Penhallurick for details of this record, which is documented in an article by Paul Ashby in the journal Cornish Archaeology (no. 35, 1999) The nearest known breeding grounds were apparently the Isle of Man, but it is possible that young, well-grown but flightless, may have swum with their parents for many hundreds of kilometres, and could well have occurred in Scilly waters. The author speculates that the Great Auk bones may be the remains of such visiting birds, but they may have been traded goods, so are not necessarily evidence that the Isles of Scilly was a former breeding site. Nightingales - a mixed story The results of the 1999 BTO census of Rufous Nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos are now available and show some surprising popula- tion trends in different parts of the United Kingdom compared with the previous survey in 1980. Well over 1,000 BTO members and vol- unteers participated in recording over 4,400 singing male nightin- gales, with 75% of them in Sussex, Kent, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Seven counties - Devon, Greater London, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, West Midlands, Cheshire and Dyfed - which recorded nightingales in 1980 had none in 1999. Further evidence of the species’ withdrawal towards (and concentration within) the east and southeast of England comes from the declines in Wiltshire (-79%) and Oxfordshire (-78%) and increases in Suffolk (+135%) and Essex (+53%). Further details may be obtained from BTO.The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. Northumbrian coast designated The Government has announced that part of the Northumbrian coastline from Berwick in the north to Blackhall rocks in the south has been designated as a Special Protection Area and a Ramsar site. The area covers all stretches of rocky shore with the exception of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, which is designated separately, but does not include stretches of sandy beach, with the exception of those which contain colonies of terns Sterna. The site qualifies for this designation because of its breeding populations of Little Terns S. albifrons as well as numbers of two migratory species: Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima and Turn- stone A renaria interpres. Addi- tionally, the coast holds nationally important numbers of Sanderling Calidris alba. Great Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula and Common Red- shank Tringa totanus , and sup- ports a number of other key species including Arctic Tern S. paradisaea and European Golden Plover Pluvialis apri- caria. Morecambe Bay initiative The part of Morecambe Bay situ- ated between Fleetwood, Lan- cashire, to the south and Walney Island, Cumbria, to the north, attracts thousands of visitors, both human and avian, every year. With internationally impor- tant wintering populations of wildfowl and waders, as well as important numbers of breeding birds, the area has previously been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is a candi- date Special Area of Conserva- tion for its marine environment. With so many important wildlife habitats in the one area, English Nature is developing a manage- ment scheme, in conjunction with local organisations and users, to ensure continued sus- tainable use of the Bay. As part of this process of raising awareness of the Bay's rich natural environ- ment and cultural heritage, a full- colour booklet, Morecambe Bay - the secrets of the sands, has been published. For further infor- mation, write to English Nature, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7RL. Earth Day If you feel that you want to do your own little bit to help the planet, try visiting the website: www.earthday.net Changes of Recorder • Mike Ilett, Nobland Green Farm, Wareside, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 7SJ, has replaced Rob Young as Recorder for Hertfordshire. • John A. Hobson, 23 Hillside Road, Storrington, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 3LZ, has replaced Robin T. Pepper as Recorder for Sussex. • Dan A. Carmichael, 2a Reres Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2QA, has replaced Mike Nicholl as Recorder for Angus & Dundee. • Iain English, 21 Grant Court, Avon Grove, Hamilton, South Lanark- shire M13 7UT, has replaced Ian Darling as Recorder for the Isle of May. • David Smith, 3 Smithfield Lane, Dolgellau, Gwynedd LL40 1BU, has replaced Reg Thorpe as Recorder for Meirionnydd. • Wayne Turner, Pumpkin Cottage, La Route des Adams, St Peter’s, Guernsey GY7 9LH, has been appointed Recorder for Guernsey, Channel Islands. 294 British Birds 93: 292-294, June 2000 Reviews Reviews THE HOBBY By Anthony Chapman. Arlequin Press, 1999. 220 pages; 16 tables; 7 figures; 18 colour plates. ISBN 1-900159-26-0. Hardback. £19. 95. As a group of birds, raptors have always been firm favourites with birders. It is hardly surprising therefore that a wealth of written information on most Western Palearctic raptors exists, much of it widely read by the birdwatching fraternity at large. The Hobby Falco subbuteo , however, remains the exception to this rule, and is still generally considered as an elusive and mysterious bird by most bird- watchers. The species is indeed shy and retiring, and even dedi- cated fieldworkers who have spent years studying the bird have discovered how difficult a species it is to work with. Anthony Chapman’s book. The Hobby , will go a long way to dispelling some of the myths sur- rounding this species. His exami- nation of the surprisingly considerable body of literature about the Hobby reveals a very comprehensive account of its life history. Apart from his own studies of the bird, Chapman draws on the work of half a dozen or so European biologists who have conducted medium- term or long-term research pro- grammes on the species. Thus, the book provides in-depth infor- mation on breeding distribution and status across its entire range from western Europe to the Far East, breeding biology, from time of arrival from the wintering grounds to fledging and depar- ture, hunting and diet, migration, wintering quarters, its status within Britain, and a section on population ecology. This is a very well-written and well-researched monograph that I wholeheartedly recom- mend. The book also offers a number of superb and very evocative colour photographs of the species, as well as numerous Bruce Pearson illustrations - not in colour, but wonderful. Go out and buy it! Jeff Baker SWIFTS: A GUIDETO THE SWIFTS AND TREESWIFTS OF THE WORLD By Phil Chantler and Gerald Driessens. Pica Press, Mountfield, Sussex, 2000. 272 pages; 24 colour plates; 97 maps; 62 line-drawings. 2nd edn. ISBN 1-873403-83-6. £28.00. This book provides excellent, comprehensive coverage of the two families. Each of the 96 species is treated under the headings that we have come to expect in this and competing family-handbook/fieldguide series: identification, distribution (with maps) and eight biology sections. Since the first edition (1995, reviewed Brit. Birds 89: 217), new information added to the text comes from 75-or-so recent references, taking the bibliography to a total of about 550 titles. Introductory essays on Relationships, Breeding, Roost- ing, Feeding, Mortality, Moult, Flight, Conservation, Unde- scribed species, and Watching swifts - 26 well-illustrated pages in all - are most interesting and readable. Line-drawings through- out the text are beautiful and informative. Most colour plates of these difficult-to-portray and often difficult-to-identify birds are good. Others are muddled and leave a lot to be desired. C. Hilary Fry SWIFTS A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World Second Edition Phil Chantler and Gerald Driessens Also received Ecology and Conservation of Grassland Birds of the Western Hemisphere Studies in Avian Biology No. 19. Edited by Peter D. Vickery & James R Herkert- (The Cooper Ornithological Society, Kansas. 299 pages. ISBN 1- 891276-08-5. $39 50 hardback, $25.00 softback.) British Birds 93: 295-296, June 2000 295 Reviews THE SMALL GULLS OF NORTH AMERICA Narrator Jon L. Dunn. Peregrine Video Productions, 1999. Covers 14 species, running time 177 min. £17.95. This production covers 18 forms, including some of the World’s most beautiful gull species. After a brief introduction, each receives approximately ten minutes of detailed treatment, including maps, limited biomet- rics, stills, split-screen, and so on, even including line-drawings. Most images are captioned, and the quality ranges from poor to excellent, though viewers should not expect too much from video sources. There is little with which to compare this tape except its pre- decessor, The Large Gulls of North America. The result is favourable; quality is improved; editing effects work well; and there are fewer mistakes: I found only one specific misidentifica- tion. Errors are largely confined to treatment of the 'canus group’, and inconsistencies in ageing at individual and species levels (e g. Heerntan's Larus heermanni alone is termed a ‘4- year gull , despite Ring-billed L. delawarensis, ‘Mew’ L. canus and Laughing L. atricilla all showing 3rd-year’ plumages). BIRDS OF THE LAKE DISTRICT By W. R. Mitchell, with illustrations by David Binns. Castleberg Books, North Yorkshire, 2000. 31 illustrations; 12 maps; 140 pages. ISBN 1-871064-64-3. Paperback, £6. 50. As the author quite rightly sug- gests, this book is aimed at the less knowledgeable amongst those that have ornithological interest. Nevertheless, it holds more than enough information for anyone with an appetite for learning. Not only does it give many historical facts and notions, but it is also full of anecdotes, many based on personal experi- ence. Although it is probably aimed at the lucrative tourist trade, it should be on the book- shelf of all cradle Cumbrians. The book is illustrated with a good measure of scraperboard BIRDS o f the Lake District W R Mitchell details by David Binns, and is worth buying for those alone, especially the Raven Corvus corax on the back cover. John Callion Also received RSPB New Birdfeecler Handbook By Robert Burton (Dorling Kindersley, London, 2000. 224 pages. ISBN 0-7513-03-631. ±14.99) (First edition reviewed Brit. Birds 91:253) The narration is informative, yet repetitive, almost breathlessly continuous, and, as with The Large Gulls. .. overemphasises subjective structural characters, and frequently contradicts accompanying images. Much may be due to editing, but misleading statements are made, such as the alleged lack of white tongues' on the primaries of nominate canus. Nonetheless, this remains an excellent and invaluable video. Buy it, and drool over Red-legged Kittiwake Rissa brevirostris. Martin Elliott BILL ODDIE’S GRIPPING YARNS; TALES OF BIRDS AND BIRDING By Bill Oddie. Christopher Helm, London, 2000. 203 pages. ISBN 0-7136-5268-3. Paperback, £7.99. This collection of over 60 tales of Bill Oddie’s ups and downs, highs, lows and thrills and spills of his birding’ is amusing and entertaining. Many of these tales have already been published in Birdwatch magazine, but here they are collected in one volume. The book is a good read, if you want light relief from the serious side of ornithology. Bill's anecdotes - of bird races, identi- fication problems, holiday disas- ters and how to be in the right place at the wrong time - are written in his unique manner. I especially enjoyed some of his one-liners, such as Eastern Blue- bird at St Margaret’s? I don't think even a well-known twitcher would go for that.' Or, when talking about the mad dashes that are bird racing, he discusses the biggest act of faith’ and the bird with the dodgiest credentials’. Buy it, and escape those birding blues. Dave Odell British Birds 93: 295-296, June 2000 Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Anthony McGeehan This summary of unchecked reports covers the period 17th April to 15th May 2000. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Between Catfirth and South Nesting (Shetland), 24th April; Gruinard Bay (Highland), 3rd May; Sound of Barra (Western Isles), 6th May; off Bloody Foreland (Co. Donegal), 6th May. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Loch Osgaig (Highland), 24th-25th April. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Influx, par- ticularly through midland and northern counties of England, including 25 Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve (Cheshire), 11th May. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Past Brighton (East Sussex) and Worthing (East Sussex), then by River Cuckmere (East Sussex), 7th May. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Earl’s Colne (Essex), 6th May; Sculthorpe (Norfolk), 7th May. White Stork C. ciconia Swallow Pond, Wallsend (Tyne & Wear), 18th April; Humber Bridge (East Yorkshire), 19th April; Oxton (Nottinghamshire), 19th April; Hallcroft Gravel-pits (Not- tinghamshire), 23rd April; Bank- foot (Perthshire), 23rd April; Kirriemuir (Angus), 27th April; three on Guernsey (Channel Islands), 27th April; Selsey (West Sussex), 1st May; Ballinasloe (Co. Galway), early May; possibly same individual, Glenwherry (Co. Antrim), 8th May; near Nethybridge (Highland), ,14th May. Lesser Scaup Ay thy a affinis Blagdon Lake (Somerset), 22nd April to 7th May; Fen Drayton Gravel-pits (Cam- bridgeshire), 24th April to 6th May. Black Kite Milvus migrans Banchory (Grampian), 28th April; Marazion (Cornwall), 1st May; Lockleaze (Gloucestershire), 3rd May; Ventnor Down (Isle of Wight), 7th May; Coombehaven (East Sussex), 8th May; Stod- marsh (Kent), 8th May; St Mary’s Bay (Kent), 8th May; Dungeness (Kent), 9th May; Portland (Dorset), 10th May; St Buryan (Cornwall), 13th May; Blythburgh (Suffolk), 13th May. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Ogston Reservoir (Derbyshire), 29th April; Coombehaven, 10th May; Stodmarsh, 10th-12th May and three on 14th May; Bentley (Hampshire), 12th May; Lound Gravel-pits (Nottinghamshire), 12th May; Ropley (Hampshire), 12th May; Suffolk Water Park (Suffolk), 13th-l4th May; Whitby (North Yorkshire), 14th May. Little Crake Porzana parva Dungeness, 14th May. Black- winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Two, Pennington Marshes (Hampshire), 29th April, and Sidlesham Ferry (West Sussex), 30th April. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola St Mary's (Scilly), 22nd April; Tresco (Scilly) and St Martin’s (Scilly) 23rd April; St Mary's, 24th-27th April; St Martin’s 28th- 29th April. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Old Hall Marshes (Essex), 7th-9th May. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limi- cola falcinellus Ythan Estuary (Aberdeenshire), 3rd-6th May; Dawlish Warren (Devon), 13th- 14th May. Short-billed Dow- itcher Limnodromus griseus Individual that wintered at Boyne Estuary (Co. Meath) moved to Dundalk (Co. Louth), 1 0th- 1 4th May. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Pennington Marshes, 21st April; Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), 23rd April; Dungeness, 29th April; two, Oare Marshes (Kent), 11th May. Lesser Yellowlegs T. flavipes East Fleet, near Weymouth (Dorset), 8th-14th May. Slender- billed Gull Larus genei Two, Cley (Norfolk), 5th May. Gull- billed Tern Sterna nilotica Grove Ferry (Kent), 7th May. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Burgh Castle (Norfolk), 7th May. Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca North Llist (Western Isles), 1st May. Alpine Swift 182. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli , St Agnes, Scilly, May 2000. British Birds 93: 297-300, June 2000 29 Bryan Thomas Robin Chittenden Iain Leach Recent reports Tachymarptis melba Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir (Glamorgan), 4th May; Nanjizal (Cornwall), 10th May. Little Swift Apus affinis La Claire Mer Nature Reserve (Guernsey), 22nd April. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Church Norton (West Sussex), 30th April and 7th May; Selsey Bill, 1st May; Gobbins (Co. Antrim), 1st May; Portland, 6th and 13th May; Sand Point (Som- erset), 7th May; three, Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), 7th May; four, Benacre Broad (Suffolk), 10th May, presumably same four, Burgh Castle, lOth-llth May and then Lowestoft (Suffolk), 11th May; Spurn (East Yorkshire), 13th May; two, Bangor (Gwynedd), 13th May; Swords (Co. Dublin), 14th May. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Fair Isle (Shetland), 13th May. Short- toed Lark Calandrella brachy- dactyla Up to two, St Mary’s, 22nd April to 3rd May, one 8th May; Bryher (Scilly), 5th May; St Margaret’s Island (Tyne & Wear), 25th April; South Gare (Cleve- land), 30th April to 4th May; Port- land, 2nd May; Breydon Water (Norfolk), 6th May; two, Dursey Island (Co. Cork), 7th-10th May; Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), 12th May; Conwy RSPB (Conwy), 12th-13th May. Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica At least 21, 22nd April to 11th May: Tring Reservoir (Hertfordshire), 22nd April; Market Bosworth (Leicestershire), 22nd April; two at Dungeness, 22nd April; North Foreland (Kent), 22nd April; Slapton Ley (Devon), 25th-26th April; Holy Island (Northumber- land), 26th-27th April; Portland, 29th April; Hall Sands (Devon), 30th April; Land’s End (Corn- wall), 1st May; Marazion (Corn- wall), 2nd May; St Mary's, lst-2nd 183. Desert Warbler Sylvia nana , Spurn, East Yorkshire, May 2000. 185. Slender-billed Gull Larns genei, Cley, Norfolk, May 2000. 184. Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla , South Gare, Cleveland, May 2000. 186. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis , Portland, Dorset, May 2000. 298 British Birds 93: 297-300, June 2000 Iain Leach 187. PendulineTit Remiz pendulinus, Titchwell, Norfolk, April 2000. May and 11th- 14th May;Lodmoor (Dorset), 3rd-4th May; Carnsore Point (Co. Wexford), 6th May; two, St Margaret's-at-Cliffe (Kent), 7th May; Scatness (Shet- land), 8th May; St Agnes, 8th- 10th May;Tophill Low Nature Reserve (East Yorkshire), 9th May; Loch of Hilwell (Shetland), 10th May; Grove Ferry, 11th May; Fair Isle, 11th May; Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), 14th-15th May. Richard’s Pipit Anthus novae- seelandiae Calf of Man (Isle of Man), 23rd April; St Margaret's-at- Cliffe, 23rd April; Happisburgh (Norfolk), 27th April and two on 28th April; Portland, 30th April; Coombehaven Marsh, 4th-7th May. Tawny Pipit A. campestris Spurn, 19th-20th April and 13th- 14th May; Leasowe (Merseyside), 22nd April; St Mary's, 23rd April and 28th-30th April; Holy Island, 27th April; Pegwell Bay (Kent), 1st May;Winterton (Norfolk), 5th- 6th May; Blakeney Point (Norfolk), 14th May. Red- throated Pipit A. cervinus Holme (Norfolk), 22nd April and 7th May; Chanonry Point (High- land), 24th April; Portland, 12th May; Great Yarmouth (Norfolk), 14th May. Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris St Margaret’s-at- Cliffe, 6th May; Corton (Suffolk), 13th May. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius Pendeen (Cornwall), 14th May. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis La Claire Mer Nature Reserve, 24th April. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Up to 12, 20th April to 10th May: Fair Isle, 20th April, 7th- 10th May; Beachy Head (East Sussex), 21st April; Birling Gap (East Sussex), 29th April; Eigg (Highland), 29th-30th April; Nan- jizal, 1st May; two at Land's End, lst-2nd May, one on 3rd May; Penmaenmawr (Conwy), 2nd May; three, Dursey Island, Cape Clear, Great Saltee Island (Co. Wexford), early May; East Chev- ington (Northumberland), 6th- 7th May; Fame Islands (Northumberland), 10th May. Sardinian Warbler S. melanocephala St Mary's, 18th and 21st April; Roedean, Brighton (East Sussex), 21st April. Desert Warbler S. nana Spurn, 7th-l 1th May. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli St Agnes, 30th April to 5th May; Bryher (Scilly), 2nd May. Iberian Recent reports Chiffchaff P. brehmii Bryher, 24th April; Great Tew (Oxford- shire), 28th-29th April; Sheep- wash Urban Park (West Midlands), 29th April. Red- breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), 27th April; St Mary’s, 5th May; Spurn, 10th May. Wood- chat Shrike Lanins senator St Agnes, 21st-28th April and lst-6th May; Tresco (Scilly), 28th April and 3rd-6th May; Skomer (Dyfed), 29th April and 6th May; Bardsey (Gwynedd), 1st May; Portland, 7th May; Coombe- haven, 9th May; Rimac (Lin- colnshire), 12th May; near Abbotsbury (Dorset), 14th May. European Serin Serinus serinus At least 22, 22nd April to 14th May: Porthgwarra (Corn- wall), 22nd April; Reculver (Kent), 22nd April; Southwold (Suffolk), 23rd April; St Mar- garet s-at-Cliffe, 23rd April; two over Pegwell Bay, 23rd April; Port- land Bill, 24th April, up to two 27th April to 10th May; St Agnes, 26th April; Romsey (Hampshire), 26th April; Selsey Bill, 27th April and lst-5th May; Landguard (Suffolk), 1st May; Dungeness, 5th and 8th May; Newhaven (East Sussex), 6th May; Birling Gap, 5th May; Kimmeridge Bay (Dorset), 6th May; Calf of Man, 6th May; Red Rocks (Merseyside), 7th May; Southwell (Dorset), 6th May; Church Norton, 7th May; Oakenholt RSPB (Clwyd), 10th May; Spurn, 14th May. Pallas’s Rosefinch Carpodacus roseus Fair Isle, 11th- 13th May. Black- faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala Spurn, 13th-l4th May. Ortolan Bunting E. bortu- lana Waxham Sands (Norfolk), 27th April; Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir (Surrey), 3rd-4th May; Beachy Head, 5th May; Lundy (Devon), 7th May; Aston-on-Trent Gravel-pits (Derbyshire), 6th May; St Agnes, 9th- 10th May. British Birds 93: 297-300, June 2000 299 Tony Collinson George Reszeter Iain Leach Recent reports 188. Tawny Pipit Anthus canipestris,Wm\.erton , Norfolk, May 2000. 189- Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cant Mans, Land's End, Cornwall, May 2000. 190. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia , Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, May 2000. 1 92. Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephala, Spurn, East Yorkshire, May 2000. 191- Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius, Geevor, Pendeen, Cornwall, May 2000. 193- Alpine Accentor Prunella coliaris, Corton, Suffolk, May 2000. 300 Rare Bird News supplies all its information free to British Birds. Call 0881-888-111 for the latest, up-to-date news (28p/min cheap rate;4lp/min other times; including VAT) British Birds 93: 297-300, June 2000 Gary Bellingham Paul Hopkins Paul Hopkins Classifieds RATES Text: 40p per word. Minimum 15 words. Semi-display: Mono. £15 per see (width 40mm) or £32 per dec (width 85mm). Minimum 2cm. Series: 5% discount for 6, 10% discount for 12. (All rates exclude vat at 17.5%) Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds Ltd. Copy deadline: 10th of the month. Contact: Philippa Leegood , British Birds , The Banks, Mountfield, East Sussex TN32 5JY. Tel: 01580 882039. Fax: 01580 880541. E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk FOR SALE TWITCHING - COMPLETE SET. Birding World Vols. 1-12. British Birds 1962-1999. Offers please. Large selection of bird books for sale. List available. Tel: 01603 715474. BRITISH BIRDS — 1 2 bound volumes 1 985- 1996 complete. 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For more information or a brochure contact: Pica Press, The Banks, Mountfield, Nr Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5JY Tel: 0 1 580 88056 1 Fax: 0 1 580 880541 BB BookShop Listed books are POST FREE to British Birds subscribers The books included in BB BookShop are recommended by British Birds as reliable, good value and important additions to any birdwatcher’s library. We aim to provide the most prompt, efficient and friendliest service possible. Items ordered through this service are despatched to British Birds subscribers by Subbuteo Natural History Books (a Division of CJWildbird Foods Ltd). All correspondence concerning the BB BookShop should be addressed to BB BookShop, do Subbuteo NHB, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW, United Kingdom. Best Bird Books of the Year All books voted ‘Best Bird Book of the Year 1983-99’ (listed in full Brit. Birds 93: 54) are available POST FREE. Please order here, giving title(s) and author(s), or on an additional sheet. (Note: BBBY 1996 - Hadoram Shirihai The Birds of Israel (Academic Press) now £79.95.) Book of the Month Mead The State of the Nations’ Birds (Whittet) Paperback £12.99 □ Special Offers Ehrlich, Dobkin & Wheye The Birdwatcher’s Handbook ( OUP) Flegg & Hosking Eric Hosking’s Classic Birds Limited Edition (HarperCollins Ridge’ (was £8.95 ally £50.00. vol.2 (was £150.00) (usually , Hardback Hardback Paperback Hardback Paperback Flegg & Hosking Eric Hosking’s Classic Birds Limited fgely & Tudor The Birds of South America (OUP) vol.l £62.50 Snow (ed.) The Birds of the Western Palearctic 2-VOLUME Concise Edition (OU New this Month MacKinnon & Phillipps A Field Guide to the Birds of China (OUP) Paperback £29.95Q Simmons Harriers of the World: Their Behaviour and Ecology (O UP) Taylor, Seago, Allard & Dorling The Birds of Norfolk (Pica Press) Tickell Albatrosses (Pica Press) Wheatley Where to Watch Birds in Europe & Russia (Helm) Coming Soon - Order Now Fry & Keith Birds of Africa, Volume 6, Picathartes to Oxpexkers (Academic Press) DUE MTD A (Normal price £1 15 - pre-publicat Garrido & Kirkconnell Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba (Helm) DUE AUGUST Harris & Franklin Shrikes & Bush-Shrikes (Helm) DUE AUGUST Kennedy, Gonzales, Dickinson, Miranda & Fisher A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines Kren Birds of the Czech Republic (Helm) DUE SEPTEMBER Ranft & Konig A Sound Guide to Owls (Pica Press) DUE AUGUST Rodner, Lentrno & Restall Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America (Pica Press) Sibley The North American Bird Guide (Pica Press) DUE SEPTEMBER Recommended Books Europe & Western Palearctic Adamian & Klem A Field Guide to the Birds of Armenia (AUA) Baker Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm) Beaman & Madge The Handbook of Bird Identification: Europe and the Western Palearctic (Helm) British Birds The British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic Cramp Birds of the Western Palearctic (OUP) volumes 1-7, 9 - £90 each volume 8 - £95 □ vol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 Q vol.LQvol.5 Q vol.6 Q vol.7 Q vol.8 Q vol.9 ^ CC^ Atlas of European Breeding Birds (Po Harris, " ' ’ ' ’ " ’ offer £80.00) _ Paperback [19.99 _ Hardback , *35.00 □ JP) Paperback , *34.95 _ Hardback , *60.00 L Paperback *25.00 L Double CD , *24.99 L Paperback *14.95 □ Hardback *25.00 _ Field cover [35.99 Hardback ^ *39.99 Poyser) Hagemeijer & Blair The EBCL Harris, Tucker & Vinicombe The Macmillan ‘Field Guide to Bird Identification (Macmillan) Heath & Evans Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sits for Conservation 2 Vol set (Birdlife Int) Paperback Jonsson Birds of Europe With North Africa and the Middle East (Helm) reprint Hardback Paperback Hardback Kightley, Madge & Nurney Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe (Pica Press) Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom & Grant Collins Bird Guide - The Most Complete Field Guide to the Birds of Britain & Europe (HarperCollins) Best Bird Book OF 1999 Peterson, Mountfort & Hollom Collins Field Guide: Birds of Britain & Europe 5th Edition (HarperCollins) Sacchi, Ruegg & Laesser Where to Watch Birds in Switzerland (Helm) Paperback North America Griggs Collins Pocket Guide: Birds of North America (HarperCollins) Lockwood^ McKinney, Paton & Zimmer A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande (ABA) National Geographic A Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd Edition Pranty A Birder’s Guide to Florida (ABA) Pyle Identification Guide to North American Birds Part 1. Columbidae to Ploceidae (Slate Creek) SchramH Birder’s Guide to Southern CcKf — ,,D1' Taylor A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Ringbound Paperback Schram AJiirder’sjGuide tojsouthern California (ABA) i Arizona (ABA) South & Central America & Caribbean de la Pena & Rumboll Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica (HarperCollins) ffrench A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (Helm) Paperback Howell & Webb Where to Watch Birds in Mexico (Helm) Paperback Raffaele, Wiley, Garrido, Keith & Raffaele Birds of the West Indies (Helm) Stiles & Skutch A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica (Helm) Africa, Middle East & Indian Ocean Islands, Barlow, Wacher & Disley A Field Guide to the Birds of the Gambia and Senegal (Pica Press) Garbutt Mammals of Madagascar (Pica Press) Hands, Shirihai & Christie The Macmillan Birder’s Guide to European & Middle Eastern Birds (Macmillan) _ Keith, Urban & Fry The Birds of Africa (Academic) Volumes: 1 £85 Q 2 £85 Q 3 £85 Q 4 £85 Q 5 £99.00 Q Kemp Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands (New Holland) £19.99 Kingdon The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals (Academic Press) £29.95 Morris & Hawkins Birds of Madagascar: a Photographic Guide (Pica Press) £28.00 Porter, Christensen & Schiermacker-Hansen Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East (Poyser) £29.95 28.00 30.00 17.99 £32.00 £65.00 £2.00 [24.99 (*14.99 ^14.99 Sinclair, Hockey &Tarboton Sasol Birds of Southern Africa (New Holland) Sinclair & Langrand Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands (New Holland) van Perlo Collins Illustrated Checklist Birds of Southern Africa (HarperCollins) van Perlo Illustrated Checklist: Birds of Eastern Africa (HarperCollins) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Birds erf Kenya and Northern Tanzania (Helm) Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson Field Guide to the Birds of Kenya and North. Tanzania (Helm) Paperback Paperback Paperback Asia & Pacific Coates & Bishop A Guide to the Birds ofWallacea (Dove) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Helm) Grimmett, Inskipp & Inskipp Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent Gurung & Singh Field Guide to the Mammals of the Indian Subcontinent (Academic Press) Harrison & Worfolk Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka (OUP) Paperback £29.95 Q Inskipp, Inskipp & Grimmett Field Guide to the Birds of Bhutan Inskipp, Lindsey & Duckworth An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Oriental Region (OBC) Jeyarajasingam & Pearson A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore (OUP) Paperback Paperback Hardback Paperback Kazmierczak & van Perlo A Field Guide to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Pica Press) Kazmierczak & Singh A Birdwatchers’ Guide to India (Prion) Lekagul & Round A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (Saha Karn Bhaet) Robson A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (New Holland) Paperback Hardback Hardback Hardback £44.00 [55.00 *17.99 [17.50 [55.00 *16.99 *10.00 [29.95 [55.00 [25.00 *18.75 [45.00 [29.99 Australasia Heather & Robertson Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand (OUP) Hardback now available at paperback price Higgins, Marchant & Davies Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds (OUP) 4 volumes Qvol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 at £135.00 each Q vol.4 £125.00 Simpson & Day A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm) Paperback Thomas & Thomas The Complete Guide to Finding Birds in Australia (Thomas) Paperback £27.50 [24.99 [13.95 World Clements Birds of the World - A Checklist 5th Edition (Pica Press) 848 pages del Hoyo, Elliott & Sargatal Handbook of the Birds of the World (Lynx) Qvol.l Q vol.2 Q vol.3 Q vol.4 Wells World Bird Species Checklist: with alternative English and scientific names (Worldlist) Hardback £35.00 Q Q vol.5 £1 10.00 each £29.50 Q Monographs Byrkjedal & Thompson Tundra Plovers: The Eurasian, Pacific and American Golden Plovers and Grey Plover (Poyser) Chantler & Driessens Swifts Second Edition (Pica Press) Chapman The Hobby (Arlequin) Clark & Schmitt A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, The Middle East and North Africa (OUP) Paperback Hardback Cleere & Nurney Nightjars (Pica Press) (accompanying CD £14.99) Q Davies Cuckoos, Cowbirds and other Cheats (Poyser) Hardback Densley In Search of Ross’s Gull (Peregrine Books) Feare & Craig Starlings and Mynas (Helm) Forsman The Raptors ofEurope and the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Idetitification (Poyser) Fuller The Great Auk (Fuller) Isler & Isler Tanagers (Helm) Paperback Jamarillo & Burke New World Blackbirds - the Icterids (Helm) Juniper & Parr Parrots: a guide to the Parrots of the World (Pica Press) Kontg,Weick & Becking Owls: A Guide to the Owls of the World (Pica Press) Lefranc & Worfolk Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World (Pica Press) Matthysen The Nuthatches (Poyser) Olsen & Larsson Skuas and Jaegers (Pica Press) Taylor & van Perlo Rails: A Guide to the Rails, Crakes, Gallinules and Coots of the World (Pica Press) Recordings, Videos & CD-ROMS Please add £2.25 p&p per order Doherty The Birds of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Four Volume Video Doherty Eastern Rarities: The Birds of Beidaihe (Bird Images) Video Doherty The Raptors of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Video Doherty The Warblers of Britain & Europe (Bird Images) Video Doherty Shorebirds vol.l (Bird Images) Video Dunn The Large Gulls of North America (Bird Images) Video Oddie Bill Odaie’s Video Guide to British Birds (Bird Images) Video Roche Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Europe (Sitelle/Wildsounds) 4 CDs Binders The British Birds Binder (holds 1 2 issues & index) New Size Only Wirex retaining Cordex retaining £7.95 £7.95 a All special offer prices are valid only for June 2000 (and, for overseas customers only, during the following month). Other prices quoted are subject to any publishers increases. Overseas insurance optional, but recommended if available (please enquire). Make all cheques and POs payable to Subbuteo NHB. Payment can be made in US$ at current exchange rate. All orders are normally despatched promptly from stock, but please allow up to 21 days for delivery in UK, longer if abroad. Any item ordered through the BB BookShop which fails to meet your approval can be returned to Subbuteo and your money will be refunded without question. To qualify for FREE POST please quote your BB reference number: ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' Name .... Address Total £ , You can also pay using these credit cards: Cheque/PO enclosed Q If your credit card address is different from that above, please show it here: VISA Please debit my Visa/MasterCard/Eurocard Expiry date Signature You can phone in your credit card orders, quoting your BB ref no. and credit card no. Tel: 01352 756551 Fax: 01352 756004 E-mail: sales@subbooks.demon.co.uk 'lease send order to: BB BookShop, c/o' Subbuteo Books, Pistyll Farm, Nercwys, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4EW ,✓ i Guidelines for Contributors British Birds publishes material dealing with original observations on the birds of the Western Palearctic. Except for records of rarities, papers and notes are normally accepted for publication only on condition that the material is not being offered in whole or in part to any other journal or magazine. Photographs and drawings are welcomed. Referees are used where appropriate, and all submissions are reviewed by the British Birds Editorial Board or Notes Panels. Submissions should be in duplicate, typewritten, with double spacing and wide margins, and on one side of the paper only, accompanied by a word- processed version on disk. Both IBM- compatible (PC) and Macintosh disks are acceptable, and most word-processing applications can be easily translated, so long as they are reasonably current. If you are not using an up-to-date, standard program, it is best to submit your paper or contribution in two versions on disk: one in the original word-processed format and one in a basic text format such as RTF (Rich Text Format). The approximate position of figures and tables should be clearly indicated on the hard copy of the text. Figures should be in black ink on good-quality tracing paper or white drawing paper; lettering should be inserted lightly in pencil; captions should be typed on a separate sheet. Please discuss computer-generated maps and tables with the designer before starting on them; the software you use may not be compatible. Photographs should be either 35mm transparencies or high-quality prints. Only transparencies will be considered for a front-cover image. Papers should be concise and factual, taking full account of previous literature and avoiding repetition as much as possible. Opinions should be based on adequate evidence. Authors are encouraged to submit their work to other ornithologists for critical assessment and comment prior to submission. Such help received should be acknowledged in a separate section. For main papers, an abstract summarising the key results and conclusions should be included, but should not exceed 5% of the total length. Authors should carefully consult this issue for style of presentation, especially of references and tables. English and scientific names and sequence of birds should follow The ‘British Birds’ List of Birds of the Western Palearctic (1997); or, for non-West Palearctic species, Monroe & Sibley (1993), A World Checklist of Birds. Names of plants should follow Dony et al. (1986), English Names of Wild Flowers. Names of mammals should follow Corbet & Harris (1991), The Handbook of British Mammals , 3rd edition. Topographical (plumage and structure) and ageing terminology should follow editorial recommendations (Brit. Birds 74: 239- 242; 78: 419-427; 80: 502). Authors of main papers (but not notes or letters) will receive ten free copies of the journal (five each to two or more authors). Further copies may be available on request in advance, but will be charged for. NaturetreK Don’t miss our £990 selection for 2000 & 200 1 These action-packed, long-haul birding tours - each led by an ornithologist - offer excellent value for money, and inding birding. If you would like further details of a particular tour, please call us now! Naturetrek Cheriton Mill, Cheriton Hampshire S024 0NG Tel: 01962 733051 Fax: 01962 736426 e-mail: info@naturetrek.co.uk web: www.naturetrek.co.uk CANADA’S BAY OF FUNDY 26 May - 03 Jun 2000 24 May - 01 Jun 2001 ETHIOPIA 17-26 Nov 2000 16-25 Feb 200 1 13 - 22 Apr 200 1 16-25 Nov 200 1 ETHIOPIAN ENDEMICS 24 Nov - 03 Dec 2000 23 Feb - 04 Mar 200 1 20 - 29 Apr 200 1 23 Nov - 02 Dec 200 1 FLORIDA 17-25 Feb 200 1 GAMBIA 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 26 Oct - 04 Nov 200 1 INDIA 17-25 Nov 2000 16-24 Feb 200 1 13-21 Apr 200 1 16-24 Nov 200 1 KAZAKHSTAN 11-19 May 2000 18-26 May 2000 25 May - 02 Jun 2000 10-18 May 200 1 17-25 May 200 1 24 May - 0 1 Jun 200 1 MALAWI 16-25 Feb 200 1 09 - 18 Mar 2001 NAMIBIA 1 9 - 28 Jan 200 1 02-11 Feb 200 1 16-25 Feb 200 1 NEPAL 05-14 May 2000 19-28 May 2000 04-13 May 200 1 18-27 May 200 1 NEPAL - THE TRAGOPAN TREK 12- 21 May 2000 26 May - 04 Jun 2000 11-20 May 200 1 25 May - 03 Jun 200 1 SOUTH AFRICA 15- 24 Sep 2000 16- 25 Feb 200 1 20 - 29 Apr 200 1 14- 23 Sep 2001 SOUTH AFRICA - CAPE BIRDING 23 Mar - 0 1 Apr 200 1 24 Aug - 0 1 Sep 200 1 SOUTHERN MOROCCO 15- 24 Sep 2000 16- 25 Feb 200 1 02-11 Mar 200 1 13- 22 Apr 200 1 14- 23 Sep 200 1 SRI LANKA 12-21 Aug 2000 18-27 Nov 2000 1*6-25 Feb 2001 11-20 Aug 200 1 16-25 Nov 200 1 TANZANIA 27 Oct - 05 Nov 2000 16-25 Feb 2001 26 Oct - 04 Nov 200 1 TEXAS 13-20 Apr 200 1 THAILAND 10-19 Nov 2000 16-25 Feb 200 1 26 Oct - 04 Nov 200 1 UAE & OMAN 12-19 Nov 2000 25 Feb - 04 Mar 200 1 15-22 Apr 200 1 07 - 14 Oct 2001 WASHINGTON STATE 14 -22 Apr 2001 ZAMBIA 03-12 Nov 2000 16-25 Feb 200 1 20-29 Apr 2001 26 Oct - 04 Nov 200 1 Riley Dunn & Wilson Ltd ■HH