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SIMON KING, Wildlife Film-Maker. Victory FL Binoculars = the best optical image quality of their class, minimum weight and optimum ergonomics and handling - these are the unbeatable benefits supplied by Victory FL Binoculars and their special objective lenses with fluoride glass (FL). For more information, Zeiss w x 32 t' fl please telephone: 01707 871 350 or visit www.zeiss.co.uk. We make i British Birds Volume 99 • Number 7 • July 2006 - 5 JUL 2C08 PRESENTED TO Mi 338 Yet even more ways to dress eggs Andrew G. Gosler 354 Short-billed Dowitcher in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain Dave Pullan 36 1 White-throated Robin on Skokholm: new to Britain David Thelwell Regular features 365 Notes Greylag Goose nesting in pine tree Martin Coath Does the Honey-buzzard feed during migration? Michele Panuccio , Nicolantonio Agostini, Stephen Wilson, Giuseppe Lucia, Jack Ashton-Booth, Gianpasquale Chiatante, Ugo Mellone and Simone Todisco Comments on the roosting behaviour of Marsh Harriers during migration Michele Panuccio and Nicolantonio Agostini Hunting technique used by Eurasian Sparrowhawk attempting to catch a Common Swift Andrew Bloomfield Common Tern apparently feeding on oilseed rape Peter Hearn Eurasian Nuthatches feeding on Hawthorn berries Mike G. Archer Magpie foot-paddling Alexandra Louise Pollard Redpolls at garden feeders Calls of ‘Northern Bullfinches’ Tony Fox 372 Letters Which subspecies of Common Stonechat breeds in coastal Portugal? James P. Siddle Griffon Vultures threatened by new EU legislation? Jeanette and Jeremy Brock The identity of MacQueen and a remark on Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus Guy M. Kirwan 376 Reviews A History ofi Devonshire Ornithology The Secret Language of Birds The Nature Guide to the Biebrza Marshes, Poland The Nature Guide to the Coto Dohana and Surrounding Coastal Lowlands The Nature Guide to the Bia/owieza Primeval Forest The Bird Atlas of Uganda Birds of Britain and Europe Time to Stare: wildlife in a corner of Britain The Birds of Islay Atlas des Oiseaux de Normandie en Hiver Birds in Bhutan: status and distribution Bird Mimicry 381 News and comment Adrian Pitches 386 Requests Wood Lark and Dartford Warbler - 2006 breeding-season records Sightings of colour-ringed Chiffchaffs 387 Obituary John Duncan Wood 1910-2006 388 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey © British Birds 2006 Yet even more ways to dress eggs ABSTRACT Traditionally, it has always been assumed that the reason for the patterns on birds’ eggs is essentially visual - chiefly for the purposes of avoiding predators (crypsis) or, in the case of cuckoos, to mimic the eggs of their host.This paper explores the idea that the patterning found on the eggs of many species that have no apparent need for their eggs to carry visual signals is essentially functional. Data from the long-term study of Great Tits Parus major in Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire, suggest that pigment acts as a structural adaptation for the eggshell, and that it compensates for thinner areas of the shell, which in turn relate to the availability of calcium prior to and during egg-laying.This paper was presented originally as the 54th Bernard Tucker Memorial Lecture, given to the Oxford Ornithological Society and the Ashmolean Natural History Society, in November 2004. ‘Oology taken alone proves to be a guide as misleading as any other arbitrary method of classifica- tion, but combined with the evidence afforded by due study of other particularities, whether superfi- cial or deep-seated, it can scarcely fail in time to conduct us to an ornithological arrangement as nearly true to Nature as we may expect to achieve.’ (Sir Alfred Newton - Dictionary of Birds 1 896) There are many things for which we should thank Bernard Tucker. He was a founder member of both the Oxford Ornithological Society (OOS) and the Cam- bridge Bird Club, and played a key role in founding both the BTO and the Edward Grey Institute, at Oxford University. But for all his unique contribution, Bernard Tucker had little to say about eggs - unlike his great mentor at Oxford, the Rev. Francis (Frank) C. R. Jourdain (1865-1940). Jourdain and Tucker founded the OOS in 1921 and, Tucker said later, but for Jourdain he would probably have been a botanist! Jourdain was an oologist, but more than just an egg-collector; he was an astute and meticulous student of ornithology and one of the greatest authorities of his day on the repro- ductive biology of Palearctic birds (Tucker 1940). Both Tucker and Jourdain made impor- tant contributions to Witherby’s five-volume Handbook of British Birds, and so while Tucker described the birds and wrote of their habits, Jourdain described their eggs and nests. Jour- dain’s importance in the old world of egg-col- lecting was such that he gave his name to the oologists’ club: the Jourdain Society, whose col- lections now reside at the Oxfordshire County Museum. Since the 1950s, egg-collecting has of course been illegal in the UK, and I don't doubt the importance of that to bird conservation and welfare. But looking, as I have, at thousands of clutches in the field, and at extensive museum collections, such as the national egg collection at the Natural History Museum, Tring, I cannot but feel some sympathy for those earlier ornithologists who were simply struck by the beauty of birds’ eggs. Apart from recognising them as a conve- niently packaged meal, humans have long been captivated by the beauty and diversity of birds’ eggs; there is a hint of perfection in these mar- vellous objects. Indeed, a recent (February-July 2004) exhibition of birds’ eggs at the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum (part of the Natural History Museum) was entitled ‘The egg: the most perfect thing in the universe?’ Well, exaggerated though this claim may be, if it is perfection that we seek, we should not let our 338 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Yet even more ways to dress eggs c > delight at the artistry of the patterns on eggshells distract us from the functional aspects of the egg’s pigmentation, for I would suggest that here lies the real wonder; it is here that there is a real pointer to the perfection that evo- lution strives for. The patterning on eggshells is not a trivial, abstract creation. It serves a func- tion, and in this paper I hope to show that, at least for some of these patterns (perhaps in the majority of species), the function is intimately and exquisitely integrated with the dynamic function of the eggshell itself. I shall also describe how this piece of science has developed with input from various sources, and how spe- cific circumstances and observations can lead to specific conclusions that have sometimes required a complete change in the conceptual model we had of the systems under study (Gosler et al. 2005; Higham & Gosler in press). The appearance of eggshells Before looking at the function of eggshells, we should consider their variation in appearance. It is clear that, despite the attention that eggs had received, by the end of the nineteenth century the diversity of patterns displayed on their shells was considered bewildering. Sir Alfred Newton had faith that this diversity must reflect the evolutionary relationships of the species concerned (see p. 338). But that belief requires the assumption that either the patterns are essentially non-functional, and so free to vary over time in parallel with the evolution of new species, or such selection as might act upon eggshell patterning would direct their evolution in more similar trajectories between related than between unrelated species. In other words, in either case, the eggs of closely related species (those that have diverged more recently) should be more similar than those of more dis- tantly related forms. However, if pigmentation patterns are func- tional, and adaptive, and if common problems require common solutions, then we should see recurrent characteris- tics cutting across taxa; i.e. species which are only distantly related may have similar eggs (compare the eggs of Great Tit Parus major and Water Rail Rallus aquaticus). Indeed, this is essentially what I aim to suggest here. All birds’ eggs are basically similar in struc- ture, although there are minor, interesting, and presumably adaptive, differences; for example, the fact that megapode Megapodius eggs lack an air space. So the most obvious variation lies in their size, shape and, of course, colours. Although, among vertebrates, birds are not unique in laying an egg with a calcified shell, they are unique insofar as that shell is often pig- mented. Because it consists almost entirely of calcium carbonate, the unpigmented shell is basically white. We might, therefore, also con- sider the ‘primitive’ condition to. be a white, unpigmented, egg, and apparently in support of this assertion is the fact that most non- passerine species lay white eggs. It might come as a surprise to learn this because we think of the wonderfully cryptic patterns on the eggs of Charadriiformes (waders, gulls, terns, etc.) as the classic case of eggshell pigmentation (plates 167 & 168). But the eggs of these, and other species which are mostly ground-nesting (and therefore under strong selection by predators), are atypical of non-passerines. Consider owls (Strigiformes), woodpeckers and their allies ( Piciformes), parrots (Psittaciformes), king- fishers and their allies (Coraciiformes), pigeons and doves (Columbiformes) and swifts (Apodi- formes), to choose but a few orders represented on the British List out of many possible exam- ples. All species in these orders lay pure-white 166. Clutch of Great Tit Parus major eggs, Wytham Woods. British Birds 99 • July 2006 - 338-353 339 Andy Gosler Richard Chandler Yet even more ways to dress eggs C ~\ J 1 67 & 1 68. Nest with eggs of Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula (same nest in both photos), Kent, May 1 984. eggs, and in many other orders some, if not all, species lay unpigmented eggs. Even within the Cuculiformes, so well known for their evolution of eggshell pigmentation that mimics that of their host species (usually a small insectivorous passerine), the typical eggshell colour of non- parasitic species is plain white. It is tempting then to assume that all these forms have white eggs simply because they have not evolved the mechanism to pigment their eggs, i.e. for one reason or another they simply haven’t had to. This idea has been around a long time; Alfred Newton suggested it in 1896. But I think that it is only partly correct. Kennedy 8c Vevers (1976) showed that trace amounts of protopor- phyrin, what we recognise as the reddish eggshell pigments, occur in the eggshells of all bird species, even all those non-passerines that lay apparently pure white eggs. So while it is probably correct that these species haven’t needed to evolve more overt patterns of pig- mentation, for example because they do not suffer predation by visual (typically avian) predators, it may be wrong to think that the mechanism to pigment their eggs does not exist in these species. If this is right, it means that selection for pigmentation, for example by increased avian predation, could evolve a pat- terned egg very quickly, much more rapidly than if the actual mechanism had to evolve from scratch in every branch of the evolu- tionary tree. This brief survey of non-passerine eggs therefore indicates a number of important things. First, while cryptic coloration is clearly important for many ground-nesting species such as waders, nightjars (Caprimulgidae) and sandgrouse (Pteroclididae), this is actually the exception rather than the rule, but note that it is typically open-nesting species that lay pig- mented eggs. Many of the non-passerines that lay white eggs also nest in holes, and while this behaviour might reduce the eggs’ vulnerability to predators and obviate the need for cryptic pigmentation of the eggs, their appearance might also help the female to find the clutch in the hole. Even within the Charadriiformes, there are hole-nesting species that lay white eggs (e.g. Crab-plover Dromas ardeola and Puffin Fratercula arctica). Second, while offering a wonderful opportunity to study a dynamic evo- lutionary' process, the eggs of parasitic cuckoos are exceptional in many ways (Davies 2002). The presence of gentes in the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus supports the view that pigmen- tation can evolve rapidly. This suggestion is also supported by the fact that non-parasitic Cuculi- formes typically lay unpigmented eggs, but this fact also implies that the mechanism is probably more ancient than a superficial consideration of non-passerines might suggest. The intricate story of the Common Cuckoo was beautifully told by Nick Davies in his transcript of a pre- vious Bernard Tucker Memorial Lecture, to which readers should refer (Davies 2002). Concentrating now on passerine species (and remember that 60% of all bird species are passerines), there are some species that lay unpigmented eggs (the white eggs of Black Red- start Phoenicurus ochruros are somewhat sur- 340 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Richard Chandler Yet even more ways to dress eggs c > Fig. I. Plate showing some of the diversity of passerine eggs. Note especially the concentration of speckling at the crown of the egg, forming a distinct corona ring in many (e.g.Wood Lark Lullula arborea, 1 82). Reproduced from Hoeher, S. ( 1 974), The Pocket Encyclopaedia of Birds’ Eggs and Nesting Habitats, Blandford Press, London. prising) but the majority of passer- ines lay eggs with at least some pigment. The patterns on eggshells (of all species) are produced by pig- mentation with biliverdin, pro- ducing greens and blues, and protoporphyrins, producing the reds, browns and black markings. While the former is a bile pigment, produced in the breakdown of haem (the essential component of haemo- globin), the latter is produced in haem synthesis (in mitochondria) within the cells. A notable difference in these pigments is in the ways that birds seem to use them. Whilst biliverdin pigments always form a ground colour to the egg, upon or within which there might then be speckling, protoporphyrins can appear as either a ground colour (e.g. the familiar brown domestic chicken egg) or as spotting - macu- lation. This also reflects a difference in the distributions of pigments within the shell, so that while the blue biliverdin pigments permeate the whole eggshell, protoporphyrins (even when a ground colour) tend to be concentrated in distinct layers within the eggshell or upon it. These compounds also have a number of interesting properties (see below). A striking aspect of passerine eggs is that there appears to be as much diversity of pigmentation in this one order as there is across all the non-passerines put together (fig. 1). There are cryptically coloured eggs in the ground-nesting larks (Alaudidae) and pipits (Motacillidae), and eggs that appear to be cryptic, such as the uniformly dark brown eggs of Cetti’s Warblers Cettia cetti and nightingales Luscinia. There are also, appar- ently, cryptic eggs in the corvids that are remi- niscent of raptor eggs, but given that their nests are so conspicuous, it is perhaps debatable whether the pigmentation does indeed serve that function. There are also many examples of blue eggs in passerines. Biliverdin and proto- porphyrin both have antioxidant properties. Recent research suggests that the blue biliverdin pigment might also act as an anti-viral agent, which might protect the egg and also indicate the condition of the female, though whether this condition indication is a function of the pigment is unclear (Moreno & Osorno 2003). Interestingly, blue eggs seem to be especially common in species with complex mating systems, which supports the view that they might have a signalling role (Soler et al. 2005). But these explanations (crypsis, cuckoos, sexual selection) are unconvincing in respect of the most-frequently encountered pattern found in passerines (and indeed in many non-passer- ines), and especially small passerines, throughout the world, in both tropical and tem- perate regions. This pattern consists of a small, plain white egg speckled with reddish spots, typically forming a ring around the blunt end of the egg - a ‘corona ring’ surrounding the ‘crown’ of the egg. Such eggs are seen in species covering a great range of taxonomic and eco- logical situations (for example, in Britain alone British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 341 Gary Braasch Yet even more ways to dress eggs C > 1 69. The author, checking nestboxes in the Wytham Woods study area, Oxfordshire. there are tits (Paridae), nuthatches (Sittidae), treecreepers (Certhiidae), wrens (Troglodytidae), swallows (Hirundinidae), warblers (Sylviidae) and some finches (Fringillidae)), in hole-nesters and open-nesters, in resident and migrant species, in insectivores and granivores, and in cuckoo hosts and species not parasitised by cuckoos. Sources of variation in eggshells In the late 1980s, while inspecting hundreds of Great Tit nests, year after year in Wytham Woods, near Oxford, I began to wonder what might be the purpose of these pigment speckles. At that time, the only convincing explanations for eggshell pigmentation on the eggs of any species were either crypsis or to make them mimic host eggs, i.e. to avoid predators or to avoid them being detected by cuckoos, respec- tively. So it was natural to try to fit all eggshell pigmentation into one or other of these para- digms. But tit eggs clearly do not fit. Although many ornithologists have tried (Lack 1968), and even still try, nobody could argue convincingly that the small reddish marks on tit eggs made them less conspicuous in the nest. Sir Alfred Newton had considered this back in 1896, and rejected the notion (citing Hewitson 1838) saying: ‘In regard to the almost countless cases of spotted eggs in holes... the only supposition... would be that the species... have taken to hiding their treasures in times comparatively recently, and have not yet got rid of the ancestral habit of secreting and depositing pigment. ...no more can be added on this subject, interesting as it is, and worthy of much more investigation than it has received.’ This was, of course, pure speculation and given that it would seem remarkable that so many species, both related and not, would have to be getting ‘rid of the ancestral habit’ at exactly the same rate, I found this uncon- vincing. Since nothing more convincing had been published on the subject since then, I decided, in 1988, to accept Newton’s 100-year- old challenge and try to work out for myself what was going on. This paper presents some of the results of that decision. It turned out that there were a number of good reasons for studying this subject in the Great Tit. One, practical, reason was already apparent: I was working within the context of the long-term Great Tit population study in Wytham Woods. Here, several hundred pairs of Great Tits, most of the local population, nest in nestboxes (of which there are about 1,000 in an area of woodland some 3.6 km: in extent). This means that the birds’ nests are readily accessible, and because the parents and their chicks are ringed as part of the long-term study, we are able to follow many generations of Great Tits within family lineages and ask, for example, whether the egg that a female lays is similar to the one from which she had hatched, or indeed the one from which her mother (or indeed father) had hatched. This species was also very suitable for more theoretical reasons. The Great Tit is, of course, a hole-nester which lays one egg each day until its large clutch (typically about nine eggs in Wytham) is complete. Only then does the female incubate, although some late nesters may start incubating up to three days before the last egg is laid. The eggs are laid early in the morning, whereupon the female leaves the nest for the day. Before she leaves, she covers the eggs with moss or nest lining. This may serve to reduce evaporative water loss, but it seems 342 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Yet even more ways to dress eggs C 3 equally likely that it makes the eggs less conspic- uous to any passing predator that comes across the nest hole. If this latter explanation is correct, it seems that the female herself doesn’t appear to ‘think’ that her eggs are cryptic. Fur- thermore, the Great Tit is not a Cuckoo host, and neither does it generally dump eggs in other Great Tits’ nests. So it is unlikely that the markings serve to identify the eggs, since the female does not have much need to be able to distinguish her own eggs. In fact, experiments with dummy eggs (Davies & Brooke 1989a,b) or which involve swapping eggs between nests (Pettifor et al. 1988; Gosler 1993) indicate that Great Tits are not good (in fact they seem to be hopeless) at spotting alien eggs in their nests; they will sit on pretty much anything you put in the nest once incubation has started. So the speckles on Great Tit eggs presented a real mystery. Having looked at thousands of Great Tit clutches over the years, three things struck me about their speckles. First, I was pretty certain that the first egg was usually less marked than later eggs, but I was unaware as to whether sub- sequent eggs in a clutch varied in pigmentation in any systematic way. Second, it was clear that there was huge variation within the Wytham Great Tit population, with some birds laying immaculate (pure white) or very lightly speckled eggs, while others laid heavily dark- spotted eggs, but I was unaware of any partic- ular geographical factor that might be causing that variation. Third, there was that ‘corona’ ring - what was the significance of that? It was possible to conceive of a system that might produce such a pattern, but for what purpose? Again I had no idea that this might reflect an engi- neering problem for the egg, and in fact my conceptual ‘model’ of eggshell pigmentation didn’t help. Like most people, I had assumed that the bird made an egg, encased it in a shell, and then put spots on it - what we might call the ‘inkjet printer’ model. Indeed, we are led to that course of reasoning by the standard description of how bunting (Emberizidae) eggs get their streaks (e.g. Newton 1896, p. 1 86 ): i.e. by the egg rotating in the eggshell gland while pigment is applied (I wonder whether that is actually correct - do we really know?). I later realised that it was inconceivable that such a model would be able to produce the patterns that colleagues, students and I had discovered, and which I shall describe shortly. So, having obtained a feel for the variation in speckling over a number of years, in 1988 I invented a simple method of scoring the spot patterns. With a little practice, I found that I could assess the average score for a clutch in a few seconds and even interpolate ‘half’ scores (e.g. 2.5, 3.5) repeatably. The scoring system is based on the recognition that there were really three aspects to the variation that I saw among clutches. This became known as the ‘IDS’ system because eggshells varied in pigment intensity (I), from white (score 0) or lightly spotted (score 1), to very dark-spotted (score 5); they varied in pigment distribution (D), from all spots concentrated at one (usually the broad) end (score 1) to evenly spotted all over the egg (score 5); and they varied in spot size (S), from small (score 1) to large (score 5). A series of sketches in the back of my notebook (fig. 2) each year helped me to maintain consis- tency in the general scoring method from one year to the next, and rescoring clutches (blind - i.e. not referring back to previous scores) during incubation, allowed me to assess my consistency of recording - the ‘repeatability’ of the scores. Then from 1988 onwards, I scored every clutch in the 300 nestboxes that I monitor (about 60-150 Great Tit clutches each year). I have now recorded the patterns on more than 1,500 clutches in this way. Since it turns out that the three scores are somewhat corre- 170. Incubating Great Tit Parus mojor, Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 343 Andy Gosler Yet even more ways to dress eggs < 3 ^ J5) i^jv^t^chc'V^ c^r ' ^v Table I. Great Tit Parus major eggshell pigment pattern repeatabilities represented as percentages; for example, if all females laid identical eggs, irrespective of where or with whom (different males), the score would be 1 00%.Thus box repeatability is the effect of nestbox location on the egg trait. I = Intensity of eggshell pigment, D = Distribution of spots, S = Spot size (see text). Source: Gosler et al. (2000). Group I D S No. clutches Observer 77% 87% 76% 192 Box (different pairs) 4% 0% 0% 312 Male (different females) 10% 0% 7% 142 Female (different males) 66% 49% 52% 362 Females (all years) 67% 46% 54% 551 Females (consecutive years) 76% 58% 57% 162 Table 2. Summary of Great Tit Parus major eggshell pigment-pattern similarities between relatives (heritability). I = Intensity, D = Distribution, S = Spot size (see text). Note that while the darkness of the eggshell pigmentation appears partly to have a genetic basis, the spread seems not to, i.e. the origin of the variation must be environmental. Similarity between relatives’ egg-patterns: none moderate *, strong **, very strong ***. Source: Gosler et al. (2000). Relatives I D s Darkness Spread Daughter/ mother *** ** * *** - Daughter/maternal grandmother ** * ** ** - Daughter/paternal grandmother - - - - earlier (table 2). But more interesting than this, they were also similar to the eggs from which their mothers had hatched (i.e. the maternal grandmother’s egg), but totally unlike the ones from which their fathers had hatched (the paternal grandmother’s egg). These results have a number of interesting and important implica- tions. First, they provide evidence that there is some genetic basis for the eggshell patterns. Second, and perhaps more interesting, is the fact that whatever genes the female carries that are relevant to this process, they are not inher- ited from the male, because if they were, there should be some resemblance between a female’s eggs and those of her paternal grandmother: the nearest egg-laying ancestor on the male’s lineage. Since in birds (unlike mammals) there is a female sex-specific chromosome (W, females being ZW), the opposite of the situa- tion in mammals (including humans), in which there is a male-specific chromosome (Y, males being XY), this finding suggested that in birds the genes for the eggshell-speckling system are on the female’s W chromosome (it is unlikely that the Great Tit has a unique system of genetic determination for eggshell speckling!). That this might be so had been suggested many years earlier in relation to Common Cuckoos (Punnett 1933) because, if otherwise, it is diffi- cult to see how the host-specific gentes could be maintained as distinct genetic lineages. If this were not so, the genes for laying, say, Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus-type eggs, would be ’diluted’ over time because male Cuckoos are not thought to be choosy about whom they mate with, at least not in terms of what host species raised their mate. Hence my study of Wytham Great Tit eggs seemed to be confirming what had long been suspected for cuckoos (for logistic reasons it would be pretty- well impossible to do such a study with cuckoos themselves), and also indicating that, if both cuckoos and tits had such a system, it must surely be widespread in birds. The function of eggshells and their pigments Interesting though all of this was, it went no way towards explaining why the pigments were there. In seeking an answer to that question, I never doubted that the explanation would be adaptive, i.e. the spots would have some func- tion, and serve some purpose. They were not random (for example they form a ring), and however elusive that purpose might be, it would be intimately tied to the specific functions of the eggshell. So what are those functions? The eggshell provides a semi-permeable barrier between the aqueous, internal environment that the chick requires to grow and develop, and the relatively dry (potentially desiccating) environ- ment of the outside world. It allows gas exchange (oxygen in, carbon dioxide and water British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 345 Yet even more ways to dress eggs C > out) but must prevent excessive water loss. It maintains the egg’s internal environment with a stable shape; and presents a barrier to pathogens: bacteria, viruses and fungal attack. It may also protect the egg by camouflaging it. So the eggshell has many structural functions, and it was entirely possible that pigments served some function completely unrelated to their appearance. It was at about this time that I started dis- cussing eggshells with a colleague, lim Reynolds, who was working on the problems that small birds face in finding enough calcium for breeding, principally because of the large amounts of calcium carbonate required for the formation of eggshells. Part of the problem is one of scale. Although for a large bird the egg is relatively small compared with its body size (for a chicken, the egg is about 3% of body weight), for a small bird the eggs are relatively large (10% of body weight for a Great Tit). This means that while large birds can accumulate calcium over a relatively long period within the skeleton, to be drawn as required for eggshell formation (Sugiyama & Kusuhara 2001), a small bird cannot; it must seek calcium daily during egg formation. Much of the research on birds’ eggs involves chickens, and lim had read Prof. Sally Solomon's work at Glasgow (Solomon 1987, 1997), which suggested that brown hens’ eggs might be stronger than white. Solomon had studied protoporphyrins and commented that, like the eggshells themselves, they had a semi-crystalline structure. As they were similar in structure to phthalocyanin dyes, which were also used as lubricants in engin- eering, she wondered whether they might act like solid-state lubricants (e.g. like putting pencil graphite on a metal zip to make it run smoothly) between the calcite crystals of the shell. Such a lubricant might then act as a shock absorber within the shell, and so make the shell more resilient to impact, and thus stronger. We were intrigued by this, and by the impli- cation that if pigment strengthened eggshell, then perhaps localised pigment (spots) might compensate for local flaws in eggshell structure by strengthening the shell in those places. What might cause such flaws? Given Jim’s interest in calcium metabolism, and knowing that Great Tit females have to spend a lot of their time during egg for- mation looking for calcium, in the form of small snails (Gastropoda), to form eggshell (Graveland et al. 1994; Graveland & Berends 1997; Graveland 8c Drent 1997), it was obvious to think about calcium defi- ciency. Perhaps the variation in pigmentation that I had found within Wytham reflected variation in calcium availability. For years, I had had mixed feelings about the 100-m altitude difference between the top and bottom of my 100-ha study area on the north side of Wytham hill. But I was about to dis- cover that it was a blessing! The reason for the elevation, indeed the reason that the hill exists at all, is because it Fig. 3. GIS plots of Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire (from south). 3a shows main soils: clay (dark red), sands (light red) and limestone soils (brown). 3b shows interpolated soil calcium content from low (blue) to high (red). 346 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Yet even more ways to dress eggs c > is capped by Jurassic Corallian limestone. This rock is harder and more resistant to erosion than the sands that lie below it, and the clays that form the Thames floodplain beneath those, and which are exposed to the north of Wytham. Thanks to another colleague, Robin McCleery, I was able to obtain the soil survey data for Wytham, which included analysis results for the soils’ calcium content sampled on a regular grid in 1974 by the Commonwealth Forestry Insti- tute, Oxford University. The soil survey figures showed that while soils on the limestone contained up to 27% calcium, those at the bottom of the hill could contain as little as 0.065%, which is actually less than is found in the average peat-bog. So there was something like a 415-fold range of varia- tion in soil calcium in my study area. To see whether eggshell pigmentation might be related to calcium availability, I averaged the pigment scores for all clutches I’d recorded over the years for each nestbox, and plotted that against the average calcium value for the four or five soil samples taken nearest to that nestbox (fig. 4). Although soil calcium explained only about 4% of the variation among nestboxes in pigment darkness, the relationship was significant statis- tically (P = 0.021). Given how much ‘noise’ there must be in this analysis, and that we already knew that a large part of the variation among females had a genetic basis, this was an amazing, and very exciting result; from hunch to supporting evi- dence in a few clicks of a mouse - a real (if small in the great scheme of things) eureka moment! Clutches on high-calcium soils were in fact paler, less spotted, than those on low-calcium soils. A snail survey has sub- sequently shown that there are substantially more, and larger, snails on the lime- stone than on the sands and clays (Jubb et al. 2006), and this is undoubtedly how the soil effect is translated into a bird-eggshell effect. It is worth considering fo r a moment just how important to this discovery, and what follows, were the specific geographical details of our study site. It is pure serendipity that the Wytham estate presents such a range of soil conditions. Had I worked in any one of dozens of other tit study-populations across Europe that lie on relatively uniform geology and soils, I should have seen less variation in eggshell patterning, and certainly could not have ascribed what variation I did see to the diversity of the local environment. In other words, in this case, our ability to figure out what was going on depended on the environment in which we worked. So this analysis suggested that pigments might indeed be related to eggshell function, in some way related to calcium availability. We assumed that this must be related to shell thick- ness, but to test that we would have to collect some eggs. Another aspect of eggshell function that is affected strongly by eggshell thickness is the rate of water loss from the egg, especially during incubation. Birds’ eggs typically lose about 18% of their weight through incubation as a result of water loss. This is a consequence of the normal physiology of the egg and the growing embryo within it. However, the eggshell is the only obstacle to total desiccation; too thick, and gas and water-vapour loss are too restricted; too thin, and water is lost too rapidly. Fig. 4. The relationship between Great Tit Parus major eggshell pigment darkness and local soil calcium in the north Wytham study area. Each point represents a nestbox for which its value is the average of several clutches over 12 years (data from some 1,400 clutches and 267 nestboxes are represented in the figure). The correlation between them is statistically highly significant. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 347 Yet even more ways to dress eggs C > Either way, the embryo would die (Ar et al. 1974, 1979). Bakken et al. (1978) showed that protoporphyrins had another interesting char- acteristic: they reflected strongly in the infrared, i.e. they reflect heat. Bakken and colleagues were interested in why the eggs of ground- nesting species such as gulls (Laridae) didn’t lit- erally roast in hot sunshine when the parent bird was off the nest for any length of time. But if protoporphyrins prevented gull eggs from frying in the sun, maybe they could act to reduce the rate of water loss from the (suppos- edly) thinner shells of more spotted eggs. In 2002, I offered this question in the form of an MSc project in the Oxford University Zoology Department. The idea was to weigh eggs indi- vidually during incubation to monitor the rates of water loss, and to see whether this was reduced by the presence of pigment. At that time, we still believed that pigment was deposited on the surface of the eggshell after its formation (the ‘inkjet model’), whereupon it might physically block pores in the eggshell, and so reduce water loss; however, what we found then, and over the next three breeding seasons radically altered our view. James Higham took up the challenge of the MSc project, and he knew that we were still in the early stages of working out what was going on. The field was wide open and, wisely, he was going to make no assumptions. We agreed that we should not weigh whole clutches repeatedly, but individual eggs; and that we should know which egg was which in the laying sequence because we believed that if females were calcium-stressed, they might find it harder to find calcium for the eggshell as egg-laying pro- gressed over 6-12 days. So we (mostly James) visited 30 nests, chosen for their location with respect to soil calcium, every day to number the day’s eggs. Each egg was weighed repeatedly during incubation using a digital balance that weighed reliably to 0.002g in the field. My main job at this time was to record pigment score when we made the first discovery. James noticed it first: the eggs became spottier through the clutch (fig. 5). This was obvious to us visually when the eggs were laid out in sequence, but the IDS scores confirmed it absolutely (Gosler et al. 2005). At this point, it seemed that we might be right about the reduction in shell thickness through the clutch, but we knew that to nail this one properly we would have to collect eggs. I obtained licences from English Nature to take, over two years, some fresh (unincubated) eggs for analysis and any deserted (unincubated) clutches that later became available. For the fresh eggs, we made a point of taking them in such a way that the female continued to lay, and in fact all the females whose eggs were taken later raised and fledged broods of their own in the same season. I would add at this point, that although it might seem that our regular nest- checks were quite intrusive to the birds, this was not actually the case. During the laying period, females rarely visit the nest after they have laid the day’s egg, so the daily visits to number eggs could be made without risk of encountering their mother. Two visits made during incuba- tion were sufficiently infrequent to prevent desertion and indeed no birds deserted the nest as a result of these nest visits. From the collected eggs, we discovered a number of important things, of which five are listed here. Together, these have led to a radical rethink of how eggshell pigmentation works. First, the eggshell thickness is not constant across the surface of the egg. In particular, the thickest shell is found at the broad end of the egg (the ‘crown’), while the next thickest is the region (the ‘waist’) between the widest point and the pointed end (the ‘foot’). The small ‘foot’ region has the thinnest shell, but between the crown and the waist there is a band of relatively thin shell. This corresponds, more or less, both to the broadest part of the egg (the ‘shoulder’) and to the region in which the pigment corona, (IDS) for every egg in these clutches. This was when it occurs, is found. Second, within each '■:! XU 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Laying sequence Fig. 5. Variation in eggshell pigmentation through the laying sequence of a clutch of nine Great Tit Parus major eggs from Wytham Woods in 2002. 348 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Yet even more ways to dress eggs c > region (crown, shoulder, waist, foot), the shell is thinner, sometimes substantially so (up to 50%), within a pigment spot than it is immedi- ately outside the pigment spot. In other words, the pigment marks ‘pits’ or regions of thinner shell. Third, the pigment darkness is related to the difference in thickness between the pig- mented and unpigmented shell (the depth of ‘pit’), so darker spots mark out deeper pitting of the shell surface, and a more spotted eggshell is a less consistent eggshell in terms of thickness. This is also interesting because the long-term data showed that there was a strong genetic basis to pigment darkness, so also suggesting that there might be a genetic basis to how con- sistently the female can form the eggshell. Fourth, the pigment spread was strongly related to the shell thickness at the shoulder (less so at the crown, and not at all at waist or foot), such that thinner-shelled eggs had pigment more concentrated towards the blunt end of the egg. Fifth, after reducing the shell to ash at 800°C for 8 hours in a laboratory furnace to drive off any organic compounds, and correcting for egg size, we found that the total shell mass was strongly related to the soil calcium values near to the nest (Gosler et al. 2005). So there we had it in terms of the structural relationships between the eggshell and its pig- mentation. Birds nesting in lower-calcium areas laid more heavily pigmented eggs because they were thinner-shelled, and the spots corre- sponded to thin areas of shell. But the ‘inkjet model’ now seemed ridiculous. How could the female bird possibly make an eggshell and then find the thin-shelled places to put pigment on them? Clearly there is a more sophisticated mechanism operating here. Our data suggest that at some fine, maybe cellular, scale, a shortage of calcium results in protoporphyrin being deposited instead. Solomon (1997) pointed out in her work on chickens that these pigments were deposited with the calcium car- bonate as an integrated unit, and even suggested that the protopor- phyrins and calcium might share the same protein carrier to cross the cell membrane. It now looks as though that might be right and that while this carrier ‘prefers’ calcium, it might take protoporphyrin instead when the former is scarce. 171. The importance of snail (Gastropoda) shell to the laying female is highlighted by the contents of this Great Tit Parus major nest in Wytham on I st June 2006: two unhatched eggs and a large piece of snail shell. The latter was almost certainly taken into the nest by the female for her own consumption. That birds use pigments to strengthen tissues is of course well established. Birders, and especially bird ringers, will be familiar with the fact that light-coloured tips to feathers wear more readily than feathers or feather areas darkly pigmented with melanin. Plate 172 shows an example of feather-tip wear in a Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major, pho- tographed in spring, in which it is clear that the pale spots on the tips of the outer secondaries 172. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major wing showing feather weakness of pale spots at tips of secondaries. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 349 Andy Gosler Andy Gosler Yet even more ways to dress eggs c ) have worn more than the darker feather vane. Two similar examples are perhaps more familiar. Many otherwise pure-white species nevertheless have black primaries, for example Northern Gannet Morus bassanus and Snow Goose Anser caerulescens. Many finch, bunting and sparrow species show, especially in the males, buff tips to body feathers when they are fresh in the autumn. This makes them more cryptic and displays fewer sexual signals at an inappropriate time of year. These pale, less resilient, tips wear away through the winter to reveal the full breeding plumage in familiar species such as House Sparrow Passer domes- ticus , Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs , Brambling F. montifringilla and Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus. Pigment and water relations of eggshells So what of the water-loss studies that lames Higham was working on? It turned out that there was indeed a relationship between the rate of water loss and the egg’s pigment darkness, but this relationship was far from simple, because it actually changed through the laying sequence of the clutch. So although in later eggs in the sequence (generally after about the sixth egg) the rate of water loss was reduced in darker eggs, in early eggs (especially the first two or three) in the sequence, darker eggs actually lost more water. Furthermore, all this interacted with the local calcium availability so that on low-calcium soils darker eggs in a clutch tended to lose less water, while the reverse was the case on high-calcium soils (Higham & Gosler in press). I have to say that we struggled for months to work out what might be going on here, but the answer surely lies in relation to our other findings. Our thoughts now run something like this. We believe that the primary function of the protoporphyrins is to compensate, in terms of strength, for eggshell thinning caused by calcium deficiency. They can also help to reduce the permeability of the eggshell, and thus also water loss. However, while they might be a good solution to the first (primary) problem, they are not a perfect solution to the second. The actual mechanism by which pigment is deposited as a result of localised calcium deficiency suggests that the bird cannot apply more pigment than that which is directly proportional to the calcium shortage, but that might not be enough to compensate perfectly for shell-thinning in terms of water loss. So, generally, lightly spotted eggs (early in the laying sequence, or on high- calcium soils) carry enough pigment to com- pensate in terms of strength for small areas of eggshell-thinning, but not enough to compen- sate in terms of water loss, while heavy pigmen- tation can compensate for both (Higham & Gosler in press). But these findings suggested something else. The idea that protoporphyrins might represent a good adaptive solution to the problem of shell strength, but a less-than-perfect one for the problem of water loss, seemed to me less remarkable than would be the finding that the one compound offered a perfect solution to both problems. But if the pigment system was in fact a compromise, maybe incubating females had to adapt their incubation behav- iour to compensate for the fact that a combina- tion of factors outside their control resulted in a clutch of eggs with not-quite-perfectly adapted properties in terms of their heat transmission and water conductance. With this question in mind, James Higham designed and executed an experiment in 2002, which I repeated in 2003 to increase the sample size, to test the proposition that the incubation environment of a nest was in some way related to the eggshell pigmentation of the clutch (fig. 6) . If this were the case, the rate of water loss from eggs would be specific not just to the clutch, but to the female incubating it. So the solution to test this would be to weigh each of the eggs in a clutch and to swap these for a few days during incubation with similarly weighed eggs in another nest, more or less matched for size and timing (clutch size, lay date and esti- mated hatch date). We would then swap them back and reweigh each of the eggs to determine their rate of water loss while they were incu- bated by another female, who probably had a different incubation regime. We could then see whether the difference in water loss between the swapped eggs and their siblings (controls) left in the original nest was correlated with the dif- ference in mean pigment darkness between the two nests in the pair. We also placed tempera- ture probes, recording temperature to 0.1°C every minute, in the nest cups of a few of the nests to see if we could detect any differences. What we found was really remarkable (fig. 7) . There was a strong correlation between the difference in weight loss between swapped and control eggs, and the difference in darkness 350 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 jmm . i riTiiil Fig. 6. Experimental design for partial clutch swaps during incubation. Clutches A and B each have six eggs. Swaps were conducted so that swap and control eggs were not biased relative to the laying sequence. Before swapping, and after replacement, eggs were individually weighed to 0.002 g.The mean weight of swapped eggs was compared with that of controls, and the difference plotted against the difference in mean pigment darkness between the two clutches. See fig. 7. between the two clutches. But more than that, in both years, the line showing the ‘best-fit’ rela- tionship to the data passed through the origin, indicating that nests with identically pigmented eggs would have identical incubation environ- ments. This confirmed the suspicion that differ- ences in incubation environment between nests, which are determined chiefly by the female’s behaviour (e.g. time spent on or off the nest), were related to the pigmentation of her clutch. From the two pairs of nests that we were able to monitor with temperature probes, we found evidence that females incubating darker clutches maintained higher temperatures in the nest, but while this is as we should predict, it is too small a sample on which to base a definitive statement. What all this means is that we should think of the bird sitting on her eggs in the nest as a highly integrated ‘unit’. The nest is built by the female to certain specifications, eggs are con- structed so as to compensate for local environ- mental conditions, and the female’s incubation behaviour is supremely adapted to compensate for remaining deficiencies in the whole system. How the female might achieve this fine-tuning awaits further research, but my guess would be that she monitors nest-cup humidity - too Fig. 7. Summarised results of cross-fostering experiment showing that the rate of weight loss experienced by Great Tit Parus major eggs during incubation depends on the specific nest environment, and that this in turn depends on the pigmentation of the clutch. See text and fig. 6 for further explanation. much and she stands in the nest to reduce the heat to the eggs. Further adaptation ? There is one further aspect to this tale, con- cerning the function of these pigments as a structural adaptation for the eggshell, and it has to do with the fact that the shell at the shoulder is thinner than that at the crown or waist. There is some reason to think that this might be a design constraint. That is, that for some reason it is difficult to produce the perfectly ovoid shape of the egg while maintaining a constant shell thickness. The evidence for this is that the difference (or ratio) in thickness between the shoulder and crown shell is itself correlated with the length-to-breadth ratio of the whole egg: the nearer this ratio is to 1 (i.e. a perfect sphere), the nearer the shouldencrown shell- thickness ratio was to 1 (i.e. the same thick- ness). But there might be an adaptive reason also why the shoulder shell is thinner, indeed maybe the egg is ‘ovoid’ in order to produce this reduction in shell thickness in one latitude (recognised as the shoulder) of the egg. Note that this thinning is true of unpigmented shell, it is not just that the corona ring spotting is found there, and these spots mark thinner shell. The adaptive function then comes from the fact that the region of the shoulder and corona ring is also where the chick hatches. Some weak- ening of the shell in this region may help the tiny chick to break out. In fact, we can go further in thinking about British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 351 Yet even more ways to dress eggs Compression forces on the shell during incubation External and internal forces on eggshell Fig. 8. Opposing compression and tension forces on the 'arch' of the eggshell. The arch analogy might be misleading because the crystalline bricks' of this arch are extremely fine-grained: but this may serve as a useful starting this. We can think of the broad end of an egg as being structurally similar to an arch, and we can think of the forces acting on either side of the shell (.outside and inside), as being like the forces acting upon an arch (.fig. 8). An archway holds together because of the compression forces of masonry above it forcing it together. From outside the egg, the forces acting upon the shell are. similarly, compression forces. A weak arch can be demolished by removing a single brick, especially if punched out from beneath it, because this action applies a tension force that opposes the compression force. Simi- larly, the hatching chick applies a kind of tension force to the arch of the egg at hatching. Here the 'lubricating crystals’ of the protopor- phyrins could have an additional benefit, because the very compounds pigment that act as an intercrystalline shock absorber when under compression from without, should act to weaken the shell when under tension from within, so .tiding the chick's liberation. Summing up We had always assumed that any pattern on an egg was a signal, i.e. that its purpose was princi- pally visual. Since, in the cases for which the purpose of markings was known chiefly waders and cuckoos that purpose was visual, we assumed that the function of all spots, when found, would also be some sort of signal. Indeed, the very word 'pigment' implies such a function. From discussions that I have had with ornithologists and behavioural ecologists, I have the impression that manv will continue to make that assumption despite our findings. It is not inconceiv- able that, since the pigmen- tation we have studied can be used to indicate eggshell quality, birds might use the markings as some sort of signal. But this is not the principal reason. It is like suggesting that the reason that blood is red is so that you know when you are bleeding, so ignoring the principal function of haemoglobin in oxygen transport! Following this analogy for a moment, I would offer another, more specific to these eggshells. Considering these specific pigments in terms of the visible patterns they displav without consid- ering their structural function is like looking at the reticulate pattern formed on a wall bv the mortar between the bricks and thinking 'I wonder why the builder put that pattern there'. Our evidence suggests that the protoporphvrins are a very sophisticated mortar holding together the calcite 'bricks' of the eggshell wall. Any pattern they produce is secondarv to that. Nonetheless, there are almost certainly other things going on concerning the ground colour of eggshells. For a start, their genetic determina- tion may be different there is a male genetic component to eggshell colours of chickens, brorvn versus white . and again there can be no doubt that the eggs of certain, generallv ground-nesting, species are highlv cryptic, or that there are gentes of Common Cuckoos whose eggs are adapted in colour to certain spe- cific passerine hosts. So where do we go from here? There is much to do, but I believe that these findings offer insight and opportunities in many areas. First, we need to find out hors' general are our findings. About 60% of bird species are passerines, and perhaps 30°o-50°o of these have spotted eggs like those of the Great Tit. or similarly speckled but with a ground colour. If it turns out that eggshell thickness, and thickness consistency i, i.e. quality can be deduced from their spottiness ( i.e. without breaking them , we have a powerful tool for both pure and applied research in ornithology. For example, we know' that man- made pollutants such as DDT still persist in the 352 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 Yet even more ways to dress eggs c } environment and that they cause eggshell thin- ning in birds. Might eggshell pigmentation provide a means to assess the effects of such pol- lutants by simply photographing the eggs? Finally, I should like to return to the quote from Sir Alfred Newton’s 1896 Dictionary of Birds with which I started this account. Nine- teenth-century ornithology was overwhelm- ingly preoccupied with systematics (naming and classifying), and that was right given that new species were being discovered almost weekly in the newly opening lands of the Empire. Newton’s account of eggs (about 5,400 words over 1 1 pages) is largely concerned with the inability of ornithologists to find any general taxonomic value in eggshell patterning. Indeed, if you’ve ever tried to identify an egg from a book, without having seen the source (bird or nest), it often seems near impossible. There are certainly general themes (e.g. take a look at the plates of warbler eggs in BWP), but the overwhelming functional constraints on eggs mean that they are highly conservative or convergent in form. For this reason, the answer to the challenge that Newton posed, over 100 years ago, is likely to be both complex and fasci- nating, but maybe worth the wait. Acknowledgments I hope that my account of this work indicates that I have benefited greatly from discussion and input from many people. I am grateful to them all: to colleagues Rhys Green, Robin McCleery, Jim Reynolds. Jorn Scharlemann and Steve Wyatt: students Phil Barnett. James Higham, Morgan Tingley and Teddy Wilkin; and especially to Chris Perrins and Ben Sheldon, former and current Directors of the EGI respectively, who have, variously, supported my exploits in Wytham Woods since 198 1 .Teddy Wilkin kindly supplied the GIS maps shown in fig. 3. References Ar,A„ Rahn, H„ & Paganelli, C.V. l979.The avian egg: mass and strength. Condor 8 1 : 32 1 -327. — . Paganelli, C.V., Reeves, R. B„ Greene, D. G., & Rahn, H. 1 974.The avian egg: water vapour conductance, shell thickness, and functional pore area. Condor 76: 1 53-158. Bakken, G. S., Vanderbilt, V. C„ Buttemer W. A., & Dawson, W. R. 1 978. Avian eggs: thermoregulatory value of very high near-infrared reflectance. Science 200: 321-323. Davies. N. B. 2002. Cuckoo tricks with eggs and chicks. Brit Birds 95: 101— I 15. — & Brooke, M. de L. 1 989a. An experimental study of co- evolution between the cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, and its hosts. I Host egg discrimination./ Anim. E col. 58: 207-224. — & — 1 989b. An experimental study of co-evolution between the cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, and its hosts. II Host egg markings, chick discrimination and general discussion .J.Anim. Ecol. 58: 225-236. Gosler.A. G. 1993. The Great Tit Hamlyn, London. — , Barnett, P R., & Reynolds, S. J. 2000. Inheritance and variation in eggshell patterning in the Great Tit Parus major. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B 267: 2469-2473. — , Higham, J. R, & Reynolds, S.J. 2005. Why are birds' eggs speckled? Ecology Letters 8: I 105-1 I 1 3. Graveland, J., & Berends, A. E. 1 997. Timing of the calcium intake and effect of calcium deficiency on behaviour and egg laying in captive Great Tits, Parus major. Physiol. Zool. 70:74-84. — & Drent. R. H. 1 997. Calcium availability limits breeding success of passerines on poor soils .J.Anim. Ecol. 66: 279-288. — , van derWal, R„ van Balen.J. H., & van Noordwijk, A. J. 1 994. Poor reproduction in forest passerines from decline of snail abundance on acidified soils. Nature 368: 446^48. Hewitson, W. C. 1 838. British Oology: being illustrations of the eggs of British birds, with figures of each species, as far as practicable, drawn and coloured from nature: accompanied by descriptions of the materials and situation of their nests, number of eggs, &c. Charles Empson. Newcastle upon Tyne. Higham, J. R. & Gosler A. G. In press. Speckled eggs: water- loss and incubation behaviour in the Great Tit Parus major. Oecologia. Jubb, M. R„ Wilkin, T. A., & Gosler.A. G. 2006. Eggshell- pigmentation, soil calcium and the local abundance, distribution and diversity of woodland snails (Mollusca). Ardea 94: 59-70. Kennedy, G.Y, & Vevers, H. G. 1 976. A survey of avian eggshell pigments. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 55B: I 1 7-123. Lack, D. 1 968. Ecological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds. Methuen, London. Moreno, J„ & Osorno, J. L. 2003. Avian egg colour and sexual selection: does eggshell pigmentation reflect female condition and genetic quality? Ecology Letters 6: 803-806. — , — . Morales, J., Merino, S., & Tomas, G. 2004. Egg colouration and male parental effort in the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca.J. Avian Biol. 35: 300-304. Newton, A. V. 1 896. A Dictionary of Birds. A&C Black, London. Pettifor R. A., Perrins, C. M., & McCleery, R. H. 1 988. Individual optimization of clutch size in Great Tits. Nature 326: 1 60-162. Punnett, R. C. 1933. Inheritance of egg-colour in the parasitic cuckoos. Nature 1 32: 892. Soler J.J.. Moreno, J, Aviles, J. M„ & Moller A. R 2005. Blue and green egg-color intensity is associated with parental effort and mating system in passerines: support for the sexual selection hypothesis. Evolution 59: 636-644. Solomon, S. E. 1987. Egg shell pigmentation. In: Wells, R. G., & Belyarin, C. G„ Egg Quality: current problems and recent advances: 1 47- 1 57. Butterworths, London. — 1 997. Egg and Eggsheli Quality. Iowa State University Press. Sugiyama,T,& Kusuhara, S. 2001. Avian calcium metabolism and bone function. Asian-Australas. J.Anim. Sci. 14: 82-90. Tucker B.W. 1940,'Francis C. R.Jourdain'. Oxford Ornithological Society Report 1 939, Oxford. Dr Andrew G. Gosler, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Zoology Department, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 338-353 353 Short-billed Dowitcher in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain ABSTRACT Although Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus had previously been on the British List, the species was removed by the BOURC in 1992. A better understanding of dowitcher identification criteria became established in the 1980s, and it was apparent that all previous British records were either Long-billed Dowitchers L. scolopaceus or lacked sufficient detail to separate the two species convincingly. Consequently, the discovery of a long-staying and well-watched juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher at Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, on llth September 1999, resulted in the species being re-admitted to the British List. On Saturday llth September 1999, C. Barton, P. Crockett and 1. Gordon were looking for a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos which had been reported at Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, when they found a dowitcher Limnodromus on the beach. Viewing conditions were far from ideal and a detailed examination of the bird was not pos- sible, but from the views they obtained, it appeared to be a Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus and when the news was put out the bird’s identity was given as such. As the bird was still present the following day, I began to think about going to see it. That evening, I phoned Paul Baxter to discuss recent bird sightings and the conversation came round to the subject of the Rosehearty dowitcher, which Paul had seen that day. After some dis- cussion, he mentioned a slight uneasiness about the tertial pattern: on the one hand there seemed to be some internal markings within the borders of these feathers but, on the other hand, some reference books illustrated variability in the tertial patterning of juvenile Long-billed that might account for this. At this stage, however, no serious doubts were being voiced and, apparently, it had been heard to give the characteristic call of Long-billed Dowitcher. Just three weeks earlier, in Nova Scotia, Canada, I had spent some time scrutinising juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers L. griseus. On some individuals, the diagnostic tertial mark- ings were not always obvious unless seen well at close range, and I found that the patterning on the inner greater coverts could be more useful. I decided that the Aberdeenshire bird was cer- tainly going to be worth a look, at least as a useful ‘experience bird’. Along with James Smith, who also had experience of both North American dowitcher species, I arrived at Rose- hearty beach in the late morning on 13th Sep- tember. Initially, there was no sign of the dowitcher but after about 30 minutes of searching I located it about 150 m away, feeding at the eastern end of the beach among some rock pools and seaweed. Light conditions were poor, with overcast skies, a strong breeze and threatening rain, but even at this distance, the distinctly capped appearance reminded me of the birds I had been watching in Nova Scotia just a few weeks previously. Cautiously, we edged closer and, by the time we had halved the distance between the bird and ourselves, it was beginning to look most interesting. At this distance, through telescopes, we could both see that the tertials were well- marked, with an internal pattern exactly as Short-billed would be expected to show, and this was also the case with the patterning on the inner greater coverts and lower scapulars. By 354 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354—360 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain } now, excitement was setting in; this surely had to be a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher! Being aware of the enormity of the observation, i.e. a first for Britain in northern Scotland, and the effect it would have on the birding community, we set about putting together a watertight, feather-by-feather case. Often the dowitcher would be out of view, hidden behind rocks or piles of seaweed, or would be flushed by dogs and walkers and, on one occasion, by a Great Skua Stercorarius skua, so we spent what seemed like long periods just trying to relocate the bird. Typically, it would feed in the intertidal zone: around washed-up seaweed at the rocky edge of the beach, on the beach itself, or along the tideline. It was regu- larly accompanied by Common Redshanks Tringa totanus , and at high tide it roosted with Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus and Common Redshanks on rocks at the eastern end of the beach. Gradually, as the light condi- tions improved, we established that all the plumage features fitted Short-billed Dowitcher, that Long-billed could be confidently elimi- nated, and although we had not heard it call, we were both in no doubt that this was a Short- billed. I put the news out to local birders and to Birdline Scotland, and by late afternoon, between 20 and 30 birdwatchers had arrived. It was only then that the dowitcher decided to leave the beach and fly to the harbour at nearby Rosehearty, where it posed brilliantly, just 20 nr away in perfect light, giving everyone superb views, by far the best that it had shown ail day. At 17.25 hrs, just before we left, the bird flew a short distance and gave a trisyllabic call, very reminiscent of Turnstone Arenaria interpres. This was the classic Short-billed Dowitcher call and established the final link in the identifica- tion chain, neatly rounding off a fantastic day. Fortunately, this megastar took up residence for two weeks, allowing many birders, probably over a thousand in all, to travel from all over Britain to watch and photograph it. James and I returned on 24th September, which turned out to be the last day of its stay. Amazingly, the same bird, identified by the two missing tertials on the right wing, was found in Cleveland on 29th September, where it remained in the Greenabella Marsh and Greatham Creek area until at least 30th October, and provided a second opportunity for those who missed it the first time around. Description The long, straight bill, plump body and shortish olive-green legs, the overall shape and structure reminiscent of a snipe Gallinago soon identified the bird as a dowitcher, while the characteristic pattern of the wing-coverts and tertials made ageing the bird as a juvenile equally straightfor- Br/tish Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354-360 355 Steve Young/Birdwatch Dove Pullan Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain C } ward. In flight, the prominent white wedge extending up the rump and lower back from the base of the tail could be seen, as well as a whitish trailing edge to the wings. Making the final identification as Short-billed Dowitcher was based on the following features: Tertial pattern The two innermost tertials on the right wing were missing, leaving the inner web of the longest tertial exposed, which created a mis- leading impression of a large, unmarked, plain grey tertial area. Fortunately, the longest tertial on the right-hand side and all the tertials on the left side were intact and showed a classic pattern characteristic of juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher. Each tertial was dark brownish-grey, darker towards the tip and bordered by a thin, pale and slightly uneven buff fringe. Within each feather was a broader, richer buff ‘sub-border’. This ‘sub-border’ ran parallel to the entire length of the outer web of the feather and hooked round into about a third of the inner web. It was slightly wavy and broken in parts, forming dots on the inner edge and towards the base of the outer edge. This was clearly defined and formed a pattern not found in any variation of juvenile Long-billed. Inner greater coverts The three innermost greater coverts showed markings similar to the tertial pattern. Against a dark background, an uneven golden-buff ‘sub- border’ ran parallel to the narrow outer border and, as on the tertials, was broken in parts. Again, this pattern would not be found on juvenile Long-billed. DoMe- -Ire.- VDtrA crM >, , Jt J ~itAWV^ Fig. I. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus , Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999. 356 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354—360 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain c ) 174. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1999. Inner median coverts The internal patterning to the two innermost median coverts resembled that of the inner greater coverts but appeared fainter. A few of the inner lesser coverts also showed faint internal markings. Crown A dark brown or dark rufous cap (reminiscent of that shown by Sharp-tailed Sandpiper C. acuminata ) was well defined above the super- cilium and fairly obvious, even at a distance. It never appeared grey. Supercilium Conspicuously broad and white in front of the eye, and continuing over and behind the eye, where it was duller and streaked. Underparts The breast, flanks and belly had a strong peachy tone, probably with less grey than would be the case with Long-billed. The rear flanks and undertail-coverts were spotted with dark brown, possibly more delicately than on Long- billed, which may show more in the way of blotches and bars. Tail pattern In general, the white bars tended to look at least as broad as the dark bars, and certainly not sig- nificantly narrower, although this was quite a difficult feature to judge. The tail was broadly tipped white and the overall impression of the whole tail area was of a lot of white. Call Only definitely heard to call twice in about five hours of observation, although the bird was quite distant for some of this time. On 13th September, it gave a fairly quiet call in flight, comprising three syllables and very like the flight call of Turnstone. On 24th September, it was again heard calling once in flight. At the time, I noted this as being Very Turnstone-like, three rolling syllables chu-du-du’. A chequered British history Prior to 1950, it was not appreciated that two species of dowitcher existed in North America, such is their similarity, and the two were known as ‘Red-breasted Snipe L. griseus' on both sides of the Atlantic (Witherby et al. 1940; see Editorial Comment, below). Once it became clear that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ encompassed two species, both were added to the British List in the 1950s, although there was little under- standing of the features that could be used to separate them. Consequently, Hollom (1975), commenting on Short-billed, noted that ‘several of them, and more recent records, are referred to this species’, while for Long-billed, he stated British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354-360 357 Steve Young! Birdwatch Steve Voung/Birdwatch Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain ) that 'The majority, however, probably refer to Long-billed . . Such was the confusion! Gradually, as reliable identification criteria for separating Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers became established in the 1980s, it was apparent that most claims of Short-billed fell short of the mark. The last records - a bird at Cley, Norfolk, in October and November 1957, shortly before the formation of BBRC, and three old specimen records dating from 1862, 1872 and 1902 — fell during a BOURC review in 1991 and, as a result, Short-billed Dowitcher was finally removed from the British List in 1992. With the new criteria established, it was thought to be only a matter of time before an unequivocal Short-billed Dowitcher would occur. In fact, the wait was soon over when, in autumn 1985, a juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher was found at Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, where it stayed from 30th September until 2nd October. This became the first modern record to meet the revised criteria and it was accepted as the first record for Britain & Ireland. Here it remained until the British and Irish Lists were separated, and Short-billed Dowitcher was, once again, removed from the British List. Unlike Long-billed Dowitcher, Short-billed has proved to be a real rarity on this side of the North Atlantic and since the Rosehearty bird, there have been no further British records. Distribution and migration Three races of Short-billed Dowitcher breed in the taiga forest bogs of North America. The nominate race breeds in northern Quebec and Labrador, Canada, to the east of Hudson Bay, and migrates along the Atlantic seaboard of Canada and the USA to wintering areas in the Caribbean and northern South America. To the west, the race hendersoni breeds in Canada to the west of Hudson Bay and migrates throughout eastern North America to wintering areas along the Atlantic coast from North Car- olina, USA, south to the Gulf of Mexico. The third form, caurinus, breeds in southern Alaska and migrates primarily to the west of the Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific coast. This form winters from southern California, USA, south to Ecuador. Unlike the other two races, caurinus has not been recorded with certainty from the Atlantic seaboard (Paulson 2005). Although the racial identity of the Rose- hearty bird has not been established, it seems that either griseus or hendersoni would be the most likely to occur in Europe. 1 75. Juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Rosehearty, Northeast Scotland, September 1 999. 358 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354-360 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain c ) Weather conditions and associated occurrences As ever, the process of linking the likely arrival scenario of one particular vagrant to a volatile weather pattern remains difficult, and many assumptions must be made. If it is assumed that the dowitcher had arrived recently in Scotland when it was first discovered, then weather con- ditions over the North Atlantic suggest that it probably made landfall on 10th September, after being caught up in a particularly mobile weather situation that developed over eastern Canada and rapidly crossed the North Atlantic. If the bird departed from breeding grounds in eastern Canada on 8th September and migrated to the southeast, this would have taken it into a strengthening airflow associated with a depres- sion developing over the St Lawrence region. This depression sped quickly east across the Atlantic beneath a powerful jet stream. It is likely that upper wind speeds beneath this jet stream varied from 75 to 95 km/h at an altitude of 2-3 km, which is the height used by most long-distance migrant waders. Adding to this, the bird would maintain a downwind flight speed of around 55 km/h, suggesting it was pos- sibly travelling at something like 130-150 km/h. At all times during this scenario, satellite images showed a band of thick cloud associated with the jet stream, and the wind at this altitude would have been westerly, backing southwest- erly off Ireland, to bring the bird into western Scotland on 10th September. The first ten days of September 1999 brought a significant influx of North American shorebirds to western Scotland, including an unprecedented influx of at least 12 Semi- palmated Sandpipers C. pusilla, including eight on North and South Uist, Western Isles, plus a further two on Tiree and two on Islay, both Argyll. In addition, two White-rumped Sand- pipers C. fuscicollis were found on South Uist and a Baird’s Sandpiper C. bairdii on North Uist, while St Kilda recorded two American Golden Plovers Pluvialis dominica, a White- rumped Sandpiper and three Baird’s Sandpipers during this period (Rogers 2000). In addition, 1999 proved to be the second-best year for Pec- toral Sandpipers in Britain (at the time it was the best on record), with 66 individuals recorded in the first three weeks of September (Fraser & Rogers 2001, 2006). Notably, this included 12 on 12th September alone, with records spread from Cornwall and Sussex, north to the Western Isles and Northeast Scotland. Acknowledgments I would like to thank James R Smith for sharing in the iden- tification and Norman Elkins for providing a useful summary of the weather events leading up to the dis- covery of the Short-billed Dowitcher References Fraser RA„ & Rogers, M.J. 2001 . Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 1 999. Brit Birds 94: 560-589. — & — 2006. Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003. Brit. Birds 99: 74-9 1 . Hollom, RA. D. 1975. The Popular Handbook of British Birds. 5th edn.Witherby, London. Paulson, D. 2005. Shorebirds of North America: the photographic guide. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. Rogers, M. J., & the Rarities Committee. 2000. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1 999. Brit Birds 93: 512-567. Witherby, H. F„ Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F„ &Tucker B.W. 1940. The Handbook of British Birds. Vol. 4. Witherby, London. & Dave Pullan, River Cottage, Station Road, Nethybridge, Inverness-shire PH25 3DN EDITORIAL COMMENT Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Com- mittee commented: 'The history of Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers is one of the most complex for any “species pair” in Britain. Although now recognised as distinct species, there was for- merly considerable confusion regarding the status and origins of the short-billed and long-billed forms. In the first half of the twentieth century they were viewed as conspecific by the AOU and BOU, and named ‘Red-breasted Snipe Limnodromus griseus’, comprising two races, griseus and scolopaceus. In 1932, Rowan described a third taxon, hendersoni ( Auk 49: 14-35) and was the first to postulate that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ may comprise more than one species. Further elucidation by Pitelka in 1950 (Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 50: 1-108), along with the description of a fourth taxon, caurinus, led to the formal adoption of two species by the AOU in 1957. ‘In 1952, the BOU published the fourth edition of the Check-list of the Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, which stated that ‘Red-breasted Snipe’ had occurred in Britain on 27 occasions. Bannerman ( Birds of the British Isles, 1961) adopted the split and stated that all specimens had been identified as griseus from eastern America, and also that there was apparently no record of scolopaceus from Europe. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354-360 359 Short-billed Dowitcher: new to Britain c > Perhaps Bannerman was misled by the distributions and migrations of the species; counter-intuitively, it is scolopaceus , breeding mainly in eastern Siberia and Alaska, which is the likelier vagrant to Britain, owing to its tendency to migrate eastwards in autumn. 'In 1961, Pitelka (Brit. Birds 54: 340-342) identified British-taken specimens at the NHM, London, as two griseus and one scolopaceus, the latter a juvenile from Devon, probably in 1801. In a companion paper, Nisbet (Brit. Birds 54: 343-356) systematically reviewed all dowitcher records from the British Isles and presented detailed field identification criteria which indicated that species identification was theoretically possible in favourable circumstances. ‘Nevertheless, identification to species was a significant challenge; of 76 or more dowitchers recorded in Britain by 1968, the majority were 'dowitcher sp.’ and only six were identified as Short- billed (Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland, 1971). Two post-1958 records were rejected in a BBRC review (Brit. Birds 74: 471). The remaining four were reviewed by BOURC in 1991 and, as the docu- mentation for all was found to be unsatisfactory, Short-billed Dowitcher was deleted from the British List (Ibis 134: 212). Tantalisingly, though, one record existed for Ireland - a juvenile observed at Tacumshin from 30th September to 2nd October 1985. ‘With juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers being easier to identify to species, compared with adults, owing to the distinctive ‘tiger’ markings on the tertials, every juvenile occurring in Britain was closely scrutinised by the finders as the elusive ‘first’ was sought. As there had been a total of 158 records of Long-billed to 1999, the odds did not appear to be in the observers’ favour. Dave Pullan, however, felt that the dowitcher at Rosehearty merited a closer look in view of his recent experience with Short- billed in Nova Scotia. Focusing his attention particularly on the tertial pattern, he quickly realised that this individual showed the classic L. griseus pattern, and the rest is history. ‘Following acceptance by BBRC, the record was assessed by BOURC in 2000. The well-documented and illustrated report and the accompanying photographs left no doubt that this was a Short-billed Dowitcher. Although an attempt at subspecific identification was attempted, differentiation of juvenile plumages across the three taxa is fraught with difficulty and no conclusions were drawn. As escape potential was negligible for this species, the record was unanimously accepted. ‘The rediscovery of this particular individual in Cleveland just five days after its departure from Rosehearty is particularly noteworthy, and testament to the wide ornithological coverage and expertise that exist in Britain.’ Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, said: ‘After many false starts, it is a pleasure to have a Short-billed Dowitcher on the British List. Fresh-plumaged juvenile birds are probably the easiest to separate from Long-billed but, even in this plumage, there are some birds that can be problematic (such as the bird at Leighton Moss, Lancashire, in 1998, which is discussed at length in Birdwatch 92: 22—24 (see also Birdwatch 94: 13)). In general, the most obvious features are the call and the internal markings to the tertials, scapulars and inner greater coverts. There are, however, numerous other, more subtle features to both shape and plumage that give it a different ‘jizz’ from Long-billed in all plumages. These have recently been discussed in depth by Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch, and their article, together with numerous photo illustrations can be found on the Surfbirds website at www.surfbirds.com/ID%20Articles/dowitchers 1 005/dowitchers.html 360 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 354-360 White-throated Robin on Skokholm: new to Britain David Thelwell ABSTRACT In their recently published summary of new birds recorded in Britain since 1980, Pitches & Cleeves (Birds New to Britain: 1980-2004 , Poyser, 2005) commented that no published account exists of the occurrence of a female White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, in May 1 990. Although the record has been accepted by BBRC and photographs have been published, no further details have appeared in British Birds. This short article summarises details of the record. On 26th May 1990, 1 joined a small group of would-be wildlife artists, led by Peter Partington, at the jetty at Martins- haven, Pembrokeshire, to take the short ferry ride to the island of Skokholm. Shortly after breakfast on 27th May, our first morning on the island, I emerged from the dining hall and walked towards the cottage, which has a small walled garden and one of the few significant trees on Skokholm. As 1 did so, a small bird dropped from the tree onto the ground. As passerines are not particularly numerous on the © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 361-364 361 David Thelwell White-throated Robin: new to Britain c > island, I immediately looked at it through my binoculars, and was surprised to see a bird that I could not put a name to. It was the size of a small thrush (Turdidae) and was hopping on the ground with an upright stance and cocked tail. Its size, large dark eye and plain underparts gave it an appearance reminiscent of a Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos. It was clearly a chat or small thrush species with which I was totally unfamiliar and it definitely looked like something very interesting! I attracted the attention of some of the other members of the group who had appeared after breakfast, including Michael Betts, the Warden, and Jack Donovan. We were all perplexed by its appearance and uncertain what species it was. Fortunately, a copy of BWP was close at hand, and careful inspection revealed that we were looking at a female White-throated Robin! We were obviously excited by this great rarity and spent some time observing the bird and making detailed notes and sketches. Jack Donovan, Margaret Potts and Michael Wallen took some good photos {Brit. Birds 83: plate 295; Betts 1990; Vinicombe & Cottridge 1996; Mitchell & Young 1997; Palmer 2000), but the record has not been properly documented until now. Being a chat, it was very obliging and spent long periods feeding on the ground, perched on branches and sitting on fences and stone walls. My notes made at the time give the following description: Large robust chat, size of small thrush, with, heavy body and drooping wings. Frequently fed on the ground and occasionally cocked tail. Small slim head, large dark eye, pale eye- ring and throat, pale eye-stripe in front of eye, brownish ear-coverts, grey breast-band, blue-grey back, rump and wings with dark brown primaries, black tail (slightly notched), warm buff-orange flanks, cream undertail- coverts. Bill and legs black. Although a few other observers came to see the bird, the news was not released by the Warden owing to the fragile nature of the 362 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 361-364 White-throated Robin: new to Britain c > 5lnt,v£nnv*UA *v iT»A -f «*v SPV&p; j?Ml vvi-. n =•'- c ?WW trfvl^rlT. Jvv ^ - 'l/ Mtc -tu? Z,!V\U_ (W 'j , P*A<- i r(yht_: atTsK /hS y«v£ island, which is honeycombed with the burrows of tens of thousands of Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus. The White-throated Robin remained on the island for four days and was last seen on 30th May. The weather at the time of the bird’s arrival was warm, dry and settled, and a few other migrants recorded on the island during this time included a male Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus. After finding the robin, I had the honour of being asked to immortalise it on the toilet wall, alongside paintings of other island rarities as portrayed by their finders! According to Jo Harvard, the present Warden, these paintings remain a fascinating (and humorous) record of the key Skokholm rarities. An earlier record of White-throated Robin in Britain concerned a male on the Calf of Man on 22nd June 1983 (del Nevo 1994). Although BBRC review and publish records from the island, the Isle of Man is actually a British Crown Dependency and does not form a part of Great Britain. Consequently, birds recorded from the Isle of Man fall outside the jurisdiction of the BOU and do not form a part of the British List. The Skokholm bird consequently becomes the first British record of White-throated Robin and there have been no subsequent British records. Distribution and movements The breeding range of White-throated Robin extends across much of south-central Asia, from southern Turkey east through northern Iraq and central Iran to western Afghanistan and the western Tien Shan Mountains in eastern Kaz- akhstan. In autumn, migrants cross the Arabian Peninsula to enter Africa through Eritrea and Ethiopia. From here, they move south, passing through Kenya, where it is one of the more numerous species trapped for ringing at Ngulia, Tsavo National Park, in November and December, before reaching wintering areas in southern Kenya and Tanzania. Return passage commences in April and is believed to follow a similar route (Keith et al. 1992). Consequently, birds breeding towards the western limit of the range are likely to migrate out of Africa towards the northeast before reorientating to the north- west. It is presumably these individuals, which then overshoot their breeding range, which account for the steadily increasing number of spring records in western Europe. Prior to the Calf of Man bird in 1983, there had been four White-throated Robins recorded in western Europe: singles in Sweden in June-Iuly 1971, on 14th May 1977 and on 10th May 1981, and in Norway on 15th May 1981. Subsequently, there were singles in Sweden on 10th May 1986 and on 16th— 20th May 1989, one British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 361-364 363 David Thelwell David Thelwell White-throated Robin: new to Britain c } “fa* \ 7 5 x -ta «vC#C rf? — g A ilC'S in The Netherlands on 3rd-4th November 1986, and one in Norway on 17th August 1989. Since the Skokholm bird in 1990, there have been further records, including the first for Switzer- land on 25th May 2000, and the species has now occurred in Sweden on no fewer than eight occa- sions. The majority have been in spring, between mid May and the end of June, but there have been three further autumn records: in Sweden on 9th August 1995, and in The Netherlands on 30th August 2003 and 3 1st October 2005. References Betts, M. 1 990. White-throated Robin on Skokholm. Birding World 3: 208. del Nevo.A. 1 994. White-throated Robin in the Isle of Man: new to Britain and Ireland. Brit Birds 87: 83-86. Keith, S., Urban, E. K„ & Fry, C. H. 1 992. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 4. Academic Press, London. Mitchell. D„ & Young, S. 1 997. The Photographic Handbook of the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. New Holland. London. Palmer R 2000. First for Britain and Ireland. Arlequin, Chelmsford. Vinicombe, K., & Cottridge, D. 1 996. Rare Birds in Britain & Ireland : a photographic record. Collins, London. David Thelwell, 25 Neville Drive, Romsey, Hampshire S051 7RP EDITORIAL COMMENT Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Com- mittee, commented: ‘Prior to 1999, the only British record of White-throated Robin assessed by BOURC was the male bird that appeared in June 1983 on the Isle of Man. ‘Overlooked at the time was the fact that records from the Isle of Man do not form part of the British List, and the Skokholm bird in May 1990 subsequently became the first British occurrence. Details were circulated in April 2006 and identification as a female White-throated Robin was unani- mous; since there is minimal escape potential recognised for the species, it was accepted to Category A. The pale tips on the primary coverts visible in one published image (Betts 1990; Cottridge & Vini- combe 1996) indicate that it was a first-summer bird.’ Cohn Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, commented: ‘Identifying female White-throated Robin is not that difficult once you have got over the shock of seeing some- thing so unexpected. The size and shape, black tail, rusty flanks and sullied underparts mean that there is no obvious confusion species.’ 364 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 361-364 Martin Coath Notes All Notes submitted to British Birds are subject to independent review, either by the Notes Panel or by the 88 Editorial Board. Those considered appropriate for 88 will be published either here or on our website (www.britishbirds.co.uk) subject to the availability of space. Greylag Goose nesting in pine tree On 14th May 2005, I was shown the nest of a Greylag Goose Anser anser in a pine Pinus tree in Kent. I was able to observe the nest from a window in a first-floor flat in Brasted, adjacent to the busy A25, looking 40 m across communal 176. Nest -site of Greylag Goose Anser anser, Brasted, Kent, May 2005. Martin Coath 77 Oakhill Road , Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1NU grounds to the 20-m-high tree. The goose was sitting along a branch of the pine, only about 1-2 m from the top (plate 176). It was impos- sible to see what was under the sitting bird, and there was no sign of an old nest, but I assume that there must have been some sort of plat- form for the goose to lay on/in. The nearest water to the site is 1 km to the northwest. On 20th May, the parent bird flew down to the lawn and honked encouragement at the young. They immediately left the nest one after the other, bouncing down through the branches; five of the six survived. The young became separated from the parent in the enclosed grounds, and were eventually gathered up and transported to Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve. BWP states; ‘[nest] on ground, often shel- tered hollow, or at base of tree, under bush or in reedbed, also on rafts of vegetation in rivers... of 463 nests in Czechoslovakia... 19.7% in pol- larded willows [Salix]... rarely more than 10 nr from water and then only on islands.’ Eddie Chapman (in litt.) has commented that there are records from Norway and other European countries of Greylags nesting in pines. There have been other records in BB concerning Greylag Geese nesting in trees (for example Brit. Birds 95: 189), but this seems an extraordi- nary nest-site. Does the Honey-buzzard feed during migration? There are two distinct feeding strategies among long-distance migrant raptors: some species hunt during their migration, while others store fat before migrating. In the latter group, indi- viduals require fat deposition amounting to 15-25% of lean body mass for their migration (Gessaman 1979; Smith et al. 1986; Candler & Kennedy 1995). Some authors suggest that, in soaring raptors like the Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus, weight loss during migration opti- mises the use of thermal currents (Brown quoted by Gensbol 1992). Conversely, raptors which use mostly powered flight (e.g. Osprey Pandion haliaetus , kites Milvus and harriers Circus ) usually feed during migration (Cramp & Simmons 1980; Kerlinger 1989; Gensbol 1992; Blanco 1994, 1997; Yosef 1996; Alerstam & Hedenstrom 1998). Smith et al. (1986) esti- mated that ‘although 100 g of fat would sustain a soaring Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus for more than 20 days, powered flight would exhaust this fuel reserve in less than five days’. © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-371 365 Notes C 3 In the central Mediter- ranean region, several species of Accipitriformes are regu- larly observed feeding during both spring and autumn migration. In particular. Black Kites M. migrans, Marsh C. aeruginosus, Montagu’s C. pygargus and Pallid Harriers C. macrourus were observed hunting over many small islands at the Strait of Messina and other sites in Italy (Gior- dano et al. 1995; Agostini & Logozzo 1998; Agostini & Panuccio 2003; Pandolfi & Sonet 2003; Panuccio et al. 2004; Premuda et al. 2004; pers. obs.). Among soaring raptors, Short-toed Eagles Cir- caetus gallicus were observed hunting over the island of Marettimo during autumn migration (Agostini pers. obs.). In the case of the Honey-buzzard, birds are regularly seen drinking while on migration in the Middle East, although at present there is no evidence that this species feeds during migration (Gensbol 1992; Yosef 1996; Hake et al. 2003). Passage of Honey-buzzards along the Cal- abrian Apennines, southern continental Italy, is well documented (see Agostini & Logozzo 1997). In autumn 2005, 3,458 Honey-buzzards were noted between 24th August and 12th Sep- tember 2005. Close observations revealed that 15 birds showed a full crop and, of these, 11 were adults. Nine of the 15 (60%) were observed on 26th August. Two individuals with distended crops were photographed (plate 177). Only those individuals that were extremely close (<100 m) could be checked with confi- dence, so many others with a full crop may have passed undetected. Visual observation of crop distension is evidence of recent food ingestion (Shelley & Benz 1985; Pandolfi & Sonet 2003), so we suggest that hungry or opportunistic Honey-buzzards occasionally feed during migration, even if the majority fast in an attempt to minimise migration time and opti- mise the use of thermal currents. It is inter- esting to note that during observations at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (Pennsylvania, USA), Shelley & Benz ( 1985) reported 8% of 623 Broad-winged Hawks with distended crops and 25 individuals in active hunting. Acknowledgments We wish to thank Elena Grasso, Patricia Molina and Michael Dech for their help during observations. References Agostini, N.. & Logozzo, D. 1 997. Autumn migration of Accipitriformes through Italy en route to Africa. Avocetta 21: 174-179. — & — 1 998. Primi dati sulla migrazione primaverile dei rapaci Accipitriformi sull'isola di Marettimo (Egadi). Riv Ital.0rn.68: 153-157. — & Panuccio, M. 2003. How do Accipitriformes behave during autumn migration at the Circeo Promontory (Central Italy)? Riv. Ital. Orn. 73: 1 65- 1 67. Alerstam.T, & Hedenstrom, A. l998.The development of bird migration theory./ Avian Biol. 29: 343-369. Blanco, G. 1 994. Seasonal abundance of Black Kites associated with the rubbish dump of Madrid, Spain. J. Raptor Res. 28:242-245. — 1 997. Role of refuse as food for migrant, floater and breeding Black Kites (Milvus migrans). J. Raptor Res. 3 1 : 71-76. Candler; G. L„ & Kennedy, R 1 995. Flight strategies of migrating Osprey: fasting vs. foraging./ Raptor Res. 29: 85-92. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. 1 980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. II. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Gensbol, B. 1 992. Guido ai rapaci diurni d'Europa. Nord Africa e Medio Oriente. Zanichelli, Bologna. Gessaman, j.A. 1979. Premigratory fat in the American Kestrel. Wilson Bull. 9 1 : 625-626. Giordano, A., Hein, C„ Ricciardi, D., Davani, S„ Bellomo, M„ & Irrora.A. 1995. Primi dati sull'attivita alimentari dei rapaci in transito sullo Stretto di Messina durante la migrazione primaverile ( 1 984- 1 993). In: Pandolfi, M„ & Foschi, U. (eds.), Suppl. Ric. Biol. Selvaggina 22: 241-243. Hake, M., Kjellen, N„ & Alerstam.T. 2003. Age-dependent migration strategy in honey buzzards Pernis apivorus tracked by satellite. Oikos 103: 385-396. Kerlinger R 1 989. Flight Strategies of Migrating Hawks. Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago. 366 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-371 Michele Panuccio Michele Panuccio Notes C > Pandolfi, M.. & Sonet, L 2003. Migrazione di rapaci lungo la costa adriatica (Parco Naturale San Bartolo, 1 998-200 1 ). Fenologia e comportamento delle specie del genere Circus. Avocetta 27: 57-59. Panuccio, M„ Polini, N„ Forconi, R, Fusari. M„ Giorgetti, G., Marini, G„ & Agostini, N. 2004. Mount Capodarco: a survey on the migratory behaviour of Acciprtriformes along the Adriatic coast of central Italy. Riv. Itol. Orn. 74: 160-163. Premuda, G„ Mellone, U„ & Cocchi, L. 2004. Osservazioni suite modalita della migrazione primaverile dei rapaci a Capo d'Otranto. Avocetta 28: 33-36. Shelley, E„ & Benz, S. 1 985. Observation of aerial hunting, food carrying and crop size of migrant raptors. In: Newton, l„ & Chancellor, R. D. (eds.), Conservation Studies on Raptors: 299-301 . ICBP Technical Publication No. 5, Cambridge. Smith, N. G„ Goldstein, D. L, & Bartholomew, G. A. 1 986. Is long-distance migration possible for soaring hawks using only stored fat? Auk 1 03: 607-6 1 I . Yosef. R, 1 996. Raptors feeding on migration at Eilat, Israel: opportunistic behaviour or migratory strategy? J. Raptor Res. 30: 242-245. Michele Panuccio, Nicolantonio Agostini, Stephen Wilson, Giuseppe Lucia, Jack Ashton-Booth, Gianpasquale Chiatante, Ugo Mellone and Simone Todisco MEDRAPTORS (Mediterranean Raptor Migration Network, Via Mario Fioretti, 00152 Rome, Italy; e-mail medraptors@raptormigration.org Comments on the roosting behaviour of Marsh Harriers during migration Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosas migrate across a broad front during both spring and autumn migration, and regularly undertake long powered flights over water, sometimes using islands as stopover sites (Cramp & Simmons 1980; Agostini 8t Logozzo 1998; Agos- tini et al. 2001, 2003; Panuccio et al. 2002; Sammut 2005). Although they are capable of migrating across the sea at night, many migrating Marsh Harriers appear to suspend migration when faced with a water barrier in the afternoon, electing instead to hunt before roosting at dusk (Panuccio et al. 2002; Agostini & Panuccio 2003). Migrating raptors most commonly select trees in which to roost, and in areas where woodland is scarce are often attracted to small clumps of trees (Kerlinger 1989). Marsh Har- riers usually roost among rank ground vegeta- tion during the winter and breeding season (Cramp & Simmons 1980), but we have regu- larly observed migrant Marsh Harriers roosting in trees in the central Mediterranean region. Since many other migrant raptors roost in trees, it is perhaps not unexpected that Marsh Har- riers should also do so. On Malta, up to 200 Marsh Harriers have roosted at Buskett (a small wooded area where hunting is banned) in recent years (Sammut 2005), while on Maret- timo, Agostini & Logozzo (1998) reported a flock of 100 roosting in trees on 28th March 1998. On 1st April 2002, a flock of 50 landed in the only wood on the island of Ustica, while five were seen roosting on the rocks along the shore there in March 2002. During autumn migra- tion, observations at Circeo Promontory, central Italy, revealed at least 150 Marsh Har- riers roosting in trees on 13th September 20.02, despite the close proximity of a large wetland area in a protected National Park with ample ground-roosting sites (plate 178). We have also observed tree-roosting Marsh Harriers at the Strait of Messina (max. nine in spring 2004); Aspromonte Mountain, southern conti- nental Italy (max. 14 in autumn 2004); Pantelleria, western Sicily (max. 11 in autumn 2002); and Mount Capodarco, central Italy (max. three in spring 2003). Tree species does not appear 178. Circeo National Park, Italy. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-37 1 367 Notes C 5 to influence the choice of roost site. We have observed Marsh Harriers roosting in Holm Oak Quercus ilex , Stone Pine Pinus pinea , Austrian Pine Pinus nigra , Common Beech Fagus syl- vatica , Black Poplar Populus nigra and Common Ash Fraxinus excelsior. In contrast to Sammut (2005), who con- cluded that migrant Marsh Harriers roost in trees only as a last resort, when it is the only available safe roost site, we consider that some Marsh Harriers on migration actively select to roost in trees, regardless of whether suitable ground cover is available. Finally, it is interesting that observations during the winters from 1999/2000 to 2004/05 showed that small numbers of Marsh Harriers regularly roost in trees at the Circeo National Park, central Italy, where large flocks of water- fowl and many Marsh Harriers winter. Within this period, numbers of tree-roosting birds peaked at nine, along with three Hen Harriers C. cyaneus , in December 1999. References Agostini, N„ & Logozzo, D. 1 998. Primi dati sulla migrazione primaverile dei rapaci Accipitriformi sull'isola di Marettimo (Egadi). Riv. Ital. Orn. 68: 1 53- 1 57. — & Coleiro, C. 2003. How do Accipitriformes behave during autumn migration at the Circeo Promontory (Central Italy)? Riv. Ital. Orn. 73(2): 1 65-167. — , — & Panuccio, M. 2003. Autumn migration of Marsh Harriers ( Circus aerugino sus) across the central Mediterranean in 2002. Ring 25: 47-52. — . — , Corbi, F., Di Lieto, G., Pinos, F., & Panuccio, M. 200 1 . Comparative study of the autumn migration of Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus ) at three sites of the central Mediterranean. Vogelwarte 41: 154-158. Cramp, S„ & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.). 1 980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. 2. OUR Oxford. Kerlinger, R 1 989. Flight Strategies of Migrating Hawks. Univ. Chicago Press. Chicago. Panuccio, M„ Agostini, N., & Massa. B. 2002. Crossing the Tyrrhenian Sea: spring migration of Marsh Harriers (Circus aeruginosus ), sex classes and relation to wind conditions. Vogelwarte 4 1 : 27 1 -275. Sammut, M. 2005. Marsh Harriers roosting in trees. Brit Birds 98: 314-316. Michele Panuccio and Nicolantonio Agostini MEDRAPTORS (Mediterranean Raptor Migration Network), Via Mario Fioretti, 00152 Rome, Italy; e-mail medraptors@raptormigration.org Hunting technique used by Eurasian Sparrowhawk attempting to catch a Common Swift On 27th July 2005, I was operating a tractor- driven mower at Holkham NNR, Norfolk, to top thistles (Cardueae) among grassland of the grazing marshes. The mower was often sur- rounded by about 40 low-flying Common Swifts Apus apus - a regular occurrence as the birds eagerly snap up flies and other winged insects that are disturbed from the grass during the mowing operation. About 150 m away, I noticed a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus fly in from the south, low to the ground, before landing abruptly in a low spot within the marsh. I stopped the tractor to look at the hawk with binoculars and, as it remained in the same area, eventually nestling down into the vegeta- tion with its head held down almost flat with its back, I continued slowly towards it. Coming to within 15 nr of the hawk, with a congregation of swifts wheeling around me in all directions, the hawk suddenly shot up at the nearest bird, which had unknowingly passed directly above the hidden predator. In a twisting, turning chase over a distance of about 50 m, covered in a few seconds, the Sparrowhawk matched the swift’s every move, almost grabbing its faster victim. Ultimately, it was simply not agile enough and the swift banked up at a crucial moment and ascended high in the opposite direction to avoid capture. Newton (The Sparrowhawk, Poyser, 1986) noted that Sparrowhawks will hunt small birds by deploying such a technique, particularly in open ground (he terms it ‘still-hunting’) but does not mention swifts as victims in his account. The same author did, however, record Common Swift as a rare prey item of the Sparrowhawk; for a bird renowned for its exceptional speed and agility, the Common Swift might initially seem an unlikely prey species. I wondered whether, in the case described above, the Sparrowhawk had foreseen the situation of the swifts hawking around the tractor and used the low-growing flora as a potential ambush location? Or was it just coin- cidence that the swifts drew close, and the Spar- rowhawk exploited an opportunistic situation? Andrew Bloomfield 20 Lancaster Road, Blenheim Park, Sculthorpe, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 7PX 368 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-371 Notes Common Tern apparently feeding on oilseed rape At about 12.00 hrs on 3rd July 2005, while bird- watching at Wilstone Reservoir, Hertfordshire, another birder (unfortunately I did not ask his name) and I witnessed the following unusual behaviour. In a field of oilseed rape Brassica napus oleifera adjacent to the reservoir, we saw a Common Tern Sterna hirundo repeatedly diving down to the top of the crop, in a manner similar to that which it would employ to feed over water. The behaviour continued for several minutes, and I can only assume that the bird (probably from the small colony which breeds at College Lake, Buckinghamshire, some 3 km away) may have been picking up insects at the top of the crop ‘canopy’, although the rape had finished flowering and was in seed. Peter Hearn Selwood, 160 High Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP20 IRE Eurasian Nuthatches feeding on Hawthorn berries The diet of Eurasian Nuthatches Sitta europaea is best detailed in BWP (Vol. 7, p. 303), which lists about 20 plant species. However, the berries of our common and widespread Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna are not mentioned. On 4th September 2001, two Nuthatches flew along the tops of a line of Hawthorn trees at my home, within a mature wooded suburb in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They landed in the Mike G. Archer 14 The Elms, Chesterwood Drive, Sheffield S10 5DU upper outer area of one of the Hawthorns and perched on twigs estimated at 8-10 mm in diameter. They began reaching up and taking and eating berries, swallowing them whole. Each bird took seven or eight berries before flying off. Interestingly, BWP does mention Crataegus as a food plant for Western Rock Nuthatch Sitta neumayer, a less obviously arboreal species. Magpie foot-paddling On 18th March 2005, on a mown grass lawn by the Main Building, Cardiff University, I observed a Magpie Pica pica foot-paddling. This behaviour continued for about ten minutes, when I counted some 15 bouts of about five seconds’ duration, interspersed with several minutes of pecking and walking. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus were also foot- paddling close by. Foot-paddling is often exhibited by gulls and waders in order to obtain food. The behaviour, stepping repeatedly in the same location, gener- ates vibrations and encourages earthworms (Oligochaeta) to rise to the surface. Anecdotally, the vibrations are thought to imitate rain hitting the ground, causing the earthworms to burrow out of the ground. Foot-paddling has been recorded in Common Raven Corvus corax (Ewins 1989), but I can find no published refer- ence to this behaviour in the Magpie. I suggest that the observed Magpie had been able to learn that the gulls’ foot-paddling led to the appearance of food. Foot-paddling in gulls is considered to be an innate behaviour, modi- fied by experience, and is not learnt (Buckley 1966), and the Magpie’s behaviour could have been an instinctive one. However, the presence of the two foot-paddling Lesser Black-backs and lack of previous reports of Magpies foot- paddling would seem to suggest that interspe- cific social learning is possibly the more likely explanation. References Buckley, RA. 1966. Foot-paddling in four American gulls, with comments on its possible function and stimulation. Zeitschrift furTierpsychologie 23: 395 — 402. Ewins, RJ. 1 989. Raven foot-paddling. Brit Birds 82: 33 1 . Alexandra Louise Pollard School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3TL British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-37 1 369 Notes C ) Redpolls at garden feeders The note by Tom Gladwin concerning Lesser Redpolls Carduelis cabaret at garden feeders (Brit. Birds 99: 159) prompted a number of responses. Bob Frost commented that: ‘In 1996, 1 was a member of a Royal Air Force Ornithological Society expedition to the Varangerfjord, Norway. We arrived at Vestre Jakobselv, our base for the first part of the survey, on 28th April. The area was covered with deep snow, and I bought bird seed, and fat balls in string bags, to attract birds to the base camp. One of the first species to arrive at the fat balls was Common Redpoll C. flammea ; so redpolls have been attracted to food put out by humans for some time.’ In the UK, several readers have reported Lesser Redpolls visiting garden feeders during the 2005/06 winter. Counties from which these sightings were reported (with the food item taken, where specified) include: Cambridgeshire (niger seed)*; Ceredigion (niger seed and peanuts); Greater Manchester (mixed seed and niger seed); Northamptonshire (niger seed and sunflower hearts); and Worcestershire (niger seed and sunflower hearts). Records marked * include Common Redpolls also. While it seems that the use of garden feeders by redpolls is a relatively recent development, at least in most parts of the UK, it is apparently now fairly widespread and no longer particu- larly unusual (and niger seed appears to be the best bet to attract them into your garden). We shall not publish further individual items on this topic unless they are of particular interest. The following readers responded to Tom Gladwin’s note: Jenny Briggs, John Davis, Bob Frost, John Headon, John Le Gassick, Gary Palmer, C. M. Richards and Judith Smith. Eds Calls of ‘Northern Bullfinches’ In their excellent review of the ‘Northern Bullfinch’ Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula invasion of autumn 2004, Pennington & Meek (2006) documented that, as well as the many individ- uals giving the distinctive ‘trumpet’ call, many Northern Bullfinches gave a call that was similar to that of the British race P. p. pileata , the latter call being the one familiar to observers who had experienced previous irruptions of P. p. pyrrhula. The authors were rightly careful to note that it was not possible to state definitively from field observations of unmarked individuals whether the same birds made both the unusual trumpet call and the ‘normal’ ‘peeu’ call, recog- nising the potential for a varied repertoire among individual birds. In this context, the fol- lowing observations may be relevant. Between 14th October 2004 and 1st May 2006, I trapped 277 unringed Bullfinches in a rural garden near the village of Nimtofte (56°26’N 10°38’E), in eastern Jutland, Denmark, mostly of the (small) races europoea/coccinea , but also 50 individuals of the large pyrrhula race (differentiated by consistent size differences; see Fox in press). Birds were caught at more or less weekly intervals using mist-nets, and marked with standard Copen- hagen Zoological Museum rings and unique colour-ring combinations that permitted iden- tification in the field. Most Bullfinches utter the alarm/contact call on release after ringing, enabling a comparison of call types, including those of subsequent retraps. In 2004/05, of 30 large birds trapped, 25 called on release from first capture, of which 22 gave trumpet calls. Last winter, up until 1st May 2006, of 20 large birds trapped, 19 called on release and 17 of these gave trumpet calls. In 2004/05, seven birds that originally gave the trumpet call were recap- tured (one twice), and all gave the same call on release. Two large individuals which wintered at the site in 2004/05, identified in the field on the basis of the colour-ring combinations, and which gave the trumpet call on release, were observed giving the trumpet call in the field on 12 and 5 occasions respectively, and were never heard to make the normal call. Three of the large birds gave a normal call on release and one of these was subsequently recaptured, when it gave a normal call on release. In 2005/06, six large, trumpeting birds were recaptured, three twice and one thrice and all repeated the trumpet call on every occasion, while two large normal-calling birds were recaptured, one 370 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-371 Notes C twice, and both gave the normal call when released. Of a total of 213 trapped small Bullfinches (of the local form P. p. coccinea) for which the call was recorded after release at first capture, in both years combined, 149 called, all with the normal call (14 others were not recorded). Of these, 61 were captured more than once and consistently gave the normal call (two individ- uals which were recaptured six times in the course of winter 2004/05 did so upon each release). Overall, including retrapped birds originally caught before 14th October 2004, the handling of 230 coccinea Bullfinches on 310 different occasions resulted only in normal calls, and 41 resightings of calling small birds in the field all involved normal calls, there being no record of a trumpet call from this subspecies. From observations of colour-ringed birds attending the garden feeder and in the imme- diate environs, it was evident that large birds (including individuals known to utter one or other of both calls) tended to occur together in a group at the study site, although they did also mix with coccinea. Under these circumstances, and in situations where there were no individu- ally recognisable birds, it would be possible to conclude that large individuals could poten- tially give both calls. Clearly, these observations do not provide unequivocal evidence that individual birds only utter one of the two types of calls. Nevertheless, they provide circumstantial evidence that marked birds in this study were all consistent in their use of calls (at least under the circum- stances reported here) and confirm that those colour-marked individuals making the distinc- tive ‘trumpet’ call were never heard to make the normal ‘peeu’ call, despite many potential opportunities to witness such an event. References Fox, A. D. In press. The 2004 invasion of Bullfinches Pyrrhula pyrrhula in Western Europe: a mix of local, 'trumpeting' birds and others of unknown origin. Bird Study. Pennington, M. G„ & Meek, E. R. 2006. The 'Northern Bullfinch' invasion of autumn 2004. Brit Birds 99: 2-24. Dr Tony (A. D.) Fox Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Kalo, Grenavej 12, DK-8410 Ronde, Denmark; e-mail tfo@dmu.dk EDITORIAL COMMENT Mike Pennington and Eric Meek have commented as follows: ‘We are very interested to read of Tony Fox’s results, which provide some statistical support for our casual field observations. We would reiterate Tony’s caveat that this does not prove that both calls cannot be made by one individual, but it does suggest that any claim that this is the case should be backed up by strong evidence. Further evidence from stable-isotope analysis has also confirmed our tentative suggestions that birds in the 2004 influx may have come from a wide geographic area (Newton et al. in press.), which may help to explain the two different call types. ‘What is still a puzzle is why the trumpet call is new to so many observers, especially as Mark Con- stantine (pers. comm.) has informed us that Bullfinch calls collected by the Sound Approach team in Finland in the breeding season are all of the trumpet type. It is difficult to be certain about this, but it seems unlikely that our Finnish correspondents would be completely unaware of the trumpet call unless it was a new phenomenon. It may be that trumpet-callers have only recently started breeding in Finland, perhaps only temporarily following earlier invasion(s). Clearly, more information on the situ- ation in Finland would be welcome. ‘Finally, another interesting point to note from Tony Fox’s contribution is the abundance of “trum- peter” Bullfinches at his site in both 2004/05 and 2005/06. Correspondents in The Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Italy, as well as Denmark, have all informed us that they have had as many trumpet Bullfinches in 2005/06 as they had following the 2004 invasion. The 2005 movement clearly followed a different route from that of 2004, however, as although a few birds were recorded in Sweden in late October, there were, as far as we are aware, relatively few in Scandinavia, while hardly any reached Britain; e.g. the Shetland Bird Club database has records of only 16 individuals in autumn 2005, excluding Fair Isle records, although three of these were definitely giving trumpet calls.’ Reference Newton, l„ Hobson, K. A., Fox, A. D„ & Marquiss, M. In press. An investigation into the provenance of Northern Bullfinches Pyrrhula p. pyrrhula found in winter in Scotland and Denmark. J. Avian Biol. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 365-371 371 Letters Which subspecies of Common Stonechot breeds in coastal Portugal? In Portugal, Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus is a familiar bird, from coastal regions of the Algarve in the south, through the rolling countryside of the Alentejo and a terra quente, the hot land of the interior, right up to the more mountainous regions of the north; the popula- tion is estimated to be between 10,000 and 100,000 pairs (Urquhart & Bowley 2002). In addition, large numbers of birds winter in the country, with ringing recoveries including indi- viduals from the UK. Common Stonechats breeding in coastal areas of Portugal have so far been assigned to subspecies S. t. hibernans , while those in the interior are assumed to be S. t. rubicola ( BWP ; Urquhart & Bowley 2002), although Vaurie (1959) implied some ambi- guity about the subspecies occurring in the country. According to Urquhart (2002), Por- tugal forms the southern limit to the clinal vari- ation of hibernans, with birds from southern Norway and Scotland being darker than the populations from southern England, Brittany and Portugal. My observations at many localities in Por- tugal between 2000 and 2005, and also exami- nation of birds trapped at the Tagus estuary, Estremadura, would suggest that caution is needed when identifying Common Stonechats in Portugal to subspecies. Although there is some variation, the breeding population throughout Portugal appears to me to resemble rubicola; furthermore, some birds show plumage characteristics which recall 'Siberian Stonechat’ S. t. maurus and these could cause some identification problems. The similarity between some Common Stonechats and ‘Siberian Stonechats’ was also discussed by Corso (2001), in relation to Sicilian birds. Key plumage features of Common Stonechats breeding in Portugal Male Common Stonechats breeding in Portugal show extensive white on the rump and often on the uppertail-coverts. Some birds show obvious dark markings on a few rump feathers, and some birds have a buff-orange hue to the rump. Many individuals appear to have pure white rumps, but there are often darker bases to the feathers, which can be difficult to see in the field. Thus, the white rump of Portuguese birds appears to be too extensive when compared with that of hibernans, which normally shows a restricted amount of white or none at all. On some individuals, there are paler, greyish feathers on the lower back, recalling 'Siberian Stonechat’. Recent documented observations of rubicola-type birds in England (Dally 2001; Shepherd 2001; Siddle 2001; Walker 2001) do not describe birds with extensive white in the rump, which is typical in Portuguese breeding birds, including those in coastal areas. Extensive white in the rump may be more typical in southern populations of rubicola, and this is certainly true for the stonechats in Portugal, even those which are still in fresh plumage (cf. Svensson 1992). Common Stonechats in Portugal also show a large amount of white in the wing and on the sides of the neck. The latter sometimes appears as a broad blaze which seems to extend onto the sides of the nape and again recalls ‘Siberian Stonechat’. There is, however, some variation among individuals and this feature becomes more obvious with wear, later in the spring. Nonetheless, birds in Portugal do seem to show consistently more white on both the wings and the neck than would be expected for hibernans. Examination in the hand shows the under- wing-coverts of males to be dark grey with paler grey tips, this being darker than might be expected for hibernans yet not as dark as in maurus. Females show darker underwing- coverts than female hibernans (although paler than those of males, being light greyish with darker, blackish, shaft and subterminal area but lighter, whitish, tips). There is a reduced amount of orange on the breast compared with that shown by many hibernans; typically, the lower belly is whitish and the whitish feathering extends up from this area towards the centre of the breast. The orange across the breast usually extends down the flanks. However, on some individuals the orange extends only to the upper flanks, where it is often admixed with a rather dirty greyish hue, some birds also showing diffuse dark streaks extending down the lower flanks. In addition, on some birds the orange on the underparts may appear to be less intense than might be expected for hibernans. 372 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 372-375 James Siddle James Siddle Letters C ) 1 79. Male Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus, Santo Andre, Portugal (coastal Alentejo, just north of Sines), I st April 2004. Note the extensive white in the rump, with a few greyish feathers on the lower back. There is some dark on the longest uppertail- coverts and an orange hue to some feathers; while the bases of at least some rump feathers are dark. There is also extensive white both in the wings and on the neck - the latter areas of white appear to extend onto the sides of the nape - and restricted orange on the underparts. This bird shows more than a passing resemblance to ‘Siberian Stonechat’ S. t maurus. 181. Male Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus, Sagres, Portugal (coastal Algarve, just east of Cape St Vincent), 28th March 2001. This individual also shows some similarities to ‘Siberian Stonechat’ S. t maurus. Note the orange on the underparts largely confined to breast and upper flanks, with diffuse dark streaking down the lower flanks, and extensive white on the side of the neck. 1 80. Male Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus, Santo Andre, Portugal, 29th May 2004. This individual emphasises the restricted orange on the underparts of Portuguese birds. 1 82. Male Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus, Boquilobo, Portugal (some 65 km from the coast, NNW of Lisbon), 5th April 2005. This individual is at the dark extreme for breeding birds in Portugal, and has extensive orange on the underparts and bold dark streaks on the rump. However, there is still extensive white on the rump and on the wings. Overall, females are slightly paler than would be expected for hibernans , particularly on the throat, upperparts and rump. The rump is typi- cally peachy-buff with limited dark shaft- streaks on some feathers. Although the dark shaft-streaks do not extend to the tips of the feathers in many individuals, there is more extensive streaking on some. Taking individual variation into account, the rump feathers of Portuguese birds are typically paler and less densely streaked than is shown on females illus- trated in Walker (2001 ). British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 372-375 373 James Siddle James Siddle Letters C In summary, my observations suggest that there is one, not two, subspecies of Common Stonechat breeding in Portugal; and that these birds are more similar to rubicola than to a clinal extreme of hibernans (at least according to published descriptions). It seems plausible that the breeding population in Portugal shares many similarities with other stonechats breeding in Iberia and across the Mediterranean region, rather than those breeding in northwest Europe. However, given that these observations are based on current knowledge of the plumage variation of rubicola and hibernans , it seems prudent to echo Corso’s (2001) sentiments that further research into the characters and varia- tion of both would be useful. References Corso, A. 200 1 . Plumages of Common Stonechats in Sicily, and comparison with vagrant 'Siberian Stonechats'. Brit Birds 94: 315-31 8. Dally A. 200 1 . Stonechats in Essex. Birding World 1 4: 305-306. Shepherd, K. 200 1 . Continental Stonechats. Birding World 14: 305. Siddle.J. 200 1 . Apparent Continental Stonechats on Scilly Birding World 14:389. Svensson, L 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Stockholm. Urquhart, E„ & Bowley, A. 2002. Stonechats: a guide to the genus Saxicola. Christopher Helm, London. Vaurie, C. 1 959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna: a systematic reference. Witherby, London. Walker D. 200 1 . Apparent Continental Stonechats in England. Birding World 14: 156-158. Janies P. Siddle 18 Hawthorne Grove, Burley in Wharfedale, Ilkley, West Yorkshire LS29 7RF; e-mail jpsiddle@hotmail.com Griffon Vultures threatened by new EU legislation ? We wish to draw attention to the threat to Griffon Vultures Gyps fulv us and other carrion- eating species in the EU because of new regula- tions concerning the disposal of animal carcases. In much of Spain, the Griffon Vulture is a common species that has thrived in recent years. In Aragon Region, numbers increased by up to 200% between 1979 and 1989 (Sampietro Latorre 2000); our own observations in the Gal- locanta Lagoon area (Zaragoza Province) suggest a substantial further subsequent increase - whereas 20 years ago one saw only the odd bird, flocks of 50 or more are now quite frequent. The reason for this seems to be that the traditional custom of leaving animal car- cases in remote approved sites, which the vul- tures have always exploited, has been supplemented by a vast increase in intensive animal husbandry, particularly pig farms, resulting in far more carcases being available. However, this practice of animal disposal has now been banned by the EU, apparently owing to fears of the spread of BSE, even though there is little if any evidence that such practice poses any BSE risk. In future, all animal carcases will have to be put in sealed skips for later removal, thus depriving vultures of their most important source of food. It is argued that the present numbers of Griffon Vultures, in Aragon at least, is excep- tionally high and that they may be threatening other, scarcer, raptors, such as Bonelli’s Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus, by taking over their breeding sites (Fernandez & Donazar 1991). Furthermore, in the Heraldo de Aragon news- paper of 31st May 2006, an article appeared citing instances of Griffon Vultures attacking newborn lambs, and also adult sheep during the process of parturition. Local farmers are demanding a more rapid provision of specific vulture-feeding places, which are apparently to be allowed in special cases if animal corpses are in areas where access is difficult, or there are other exceptional circumstances. The obvious implication is that the reduction in food supply is causing the vultures to become more aggres- sive than before. There is no real means of knowing the size of the vulture population of pre-industrial Spain, when animals were used for transport as well as farming. A drop in vulture numbers undoubtedly occurred with urbanisation, better hygiene, and the abandoning of the traditional village animal dumps, along with increased per- secution (del Hoyo et al. 1994). The present numbers could represent no more than a return to historical levels. What is clear is that if live- stock carcases are no longer available, there will be no back-up of the traditional supply of food from pre-industrial days. Since the skips for carcases are already appearing, there is an urgent need to assess the 374 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 372-375 Letters C likely effect of the new EU legislation on vul- tures and other carrion-eating birds, such as kites Milvus, before there is a catastrophic drop in numbers. Given the dubious nature of the BSE threat, would it not be possible to allow dumping of carcases to continue in carefully regulated secure sites? > References del Hoyo.J., Elliott., A., & SargatalJ. (eds.) 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World.V ol. 2. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Fernandez, C„ & Donazar; J. A. 1991. Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus occupying sites of other cliff-nesting raptors. Bird Study 38: 42-44. Sampietro Latorre, F.J. 2000. Buitre leonado. In: Sampietro Latorre, F.J., Pelayo Zueco, E., Hernandez Fernandez, F„ Cabrera Millet, M„ & Guiral Pelegrin.J. (eds.), Aves de Aragon, 2nd edn: 1 06- 1 07. Diputacion General de Aragon, Zaragoza. Jeanette and Jeremy Brock Roseville, Ann Street, Gatehouse of Fleet, Kirkcudbrightshire DG7 2HU The identity of MacQueen and a remark on Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus Martin Collinson’s resume of taxonomic changes to have affected the British List and British Birds list of Western Palearctic birds (Collinson 2006) will, I am sure, be welcomed by all those birders who have shied away from reading the detailed papers surrounding such decisions. I should like to make two comments in relation to his article. First, the identity of MacQueen is, according to Beolens & Watkins (2003), not at all mysteri- ous. The entry in the above-mentioned work is sufficiently succinct to bear repeating verbatim: ‘General Th R MacQueen (1792-1840) col- lected in the Himalayas and northwest India and presented the bustard to the British Museum (Natural History). At the time when he collected it, he was a major in the 45th Bengal Native Infantry, a regiment in the Bengal Army of the Honourable East India Company.’ Second, I am pleased to see Collinson admit that ‘a strong argument can be made that this taxon [Green Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus] is fully diagnosable and... may merit Guy M. Kirwan 74 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS specific status.’ I have been studying nitidus on its breeding grounds in the northeast Pontics regularly for more than 15 years (most recently in May 2006) and have long been unconvinced of the necessity of ‘shoehorning’ it into the Greenish Warbler P. trochiloides species, espe- cially as the taxon in question lies outside the ‘ring’ to which the others do indeed belong! Here is not the place to expound my rationale for considering nitidus to warrant specific status, but such details will appear elsewhere (Kirwan et al. in prep.). References Beolens, B., & Watkins, M, 2003. Whose Bird? Men and women commemorated in the common names of birds. Christopher Helm, London. Collinson, M. 2006. Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palearctic lists. Brit. Birds 99: 306-323. Kirwan, G. M„ Boyla, K. A„ Castell, R, Demirci, B„ Ozen, M., Welch, H„ & Marlow, T In prep. The Birds ofTurkey: a study of the distribution, taxonomy and breeding of Turkish birds. Christopher Helm, London. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 372-375 375 Reviews A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE ORNITHOLOGY: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE By David G. Jenks. Isabelline Books, Penryn, 2004. 477 pages; 24 colour plates; black- and-white photographs. ISBN 0-9542955-4-4. Hardback, £58.00. Over the last one century or more, the counties of the UK have largely been well served by a steady pro- cession of increasingly comprehen- sive county avifaunas. Rather strangely, however, little has been researched and written about the groups and individuals that, through hard work and untold hours in the field, made these volumes possible. With this fine and thoroughly researched book, David Jenks has ensured that, at least for Devon, this situation has been rectified. This volume covers ornithology and ornithologists in the county from the earliest times, beginning with the prehistoric birds whose remains were found mainly in the caves of south Devon. It is intriguing to read amongst this wealth of information that the remains of a Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus, the only one known in southern England from the Pleis- tocene period, were found in cave deposits, and also, possibly, Caper- caillie Tetrao urogallus. The author then deals with what he terms the ‘pre-ornithological era’, the age before systematic recording began, when most of the scant written statements refer to birds killed by A History of Devonshire Ornithology Isabelline Books hunters, either for food or as vermin. The first list of Devon birds appeared in the 1590s, and from this short and rather quaint list developed the type of recording we know today. As elsewhere, the first ornithologists tended to be retired army men, country parsons, or the more enlightened members of the landed gentry. Much space is devoted to the lives and ornitho- logical exploits of the likes of Colonel George Montagu, John Gatcombe, Charles Dixon, and D’Urban and Mathew, the authors of the first comprehensive Devon avifauna, published in 1892. The modern age of ornithology, and latterly bird- watching, began in the twentieth century, with the advent of greatly improved optics, and the fact that far more people were becoming interested in the subject. In Devon, as in many counties, it was quickly realised that organised birdwatching, linked with conser- vation, was an achievable and worthwhile goal. To this end, the Devon Bird Watching and Preser- vation Society (DBWPS) was formed in 1928. The final chap- ters follow the development of this society and its impact, through both individual and group effort, on the knowledge of birdlife in the county. It is sometimes forgotten in our ‘information is power’ society that any society’s greatest assets are its members, who quietly contribute so much. In this book, the author is at great pains to identify and record all the work carried out within the county, and the partici- pants who made this possible. It would be difficult to imagine the subject being covered in a better manner than in this book. David Jenks, who is the archivist for the DBWPS, has done a remarkable job bringing together information from primary and difficult-to- obtain secondary sources, and pre- senting it in such a way that it is both readable and informative. The book is well produced, with 24 colour plates and numerous illus- trations throughout the text. Although it is not inexpensive, it is worth every penny and deserves to be read and referred to by all with an interest in Devon, its birds, and its birdwatchers. To end on a light note, the cover illustration is delightful. It depicts members of the DBWPS standing for a group photograph, shortly after the founding of the Society. In this long-gone era, when the pace of life, and birdwatching, was so much less stressful than it is today, people had fewer reservations about looking individual! Roger Smaldon quail Coturnix but doesn’t know why. Space is also devoted to ‘cre- ative visualization based on the symbolic birds used in the alchem- ical process’, a phrase which just about sums up the usefulness of According to this book, those born while Selena from Rio (presumably this volume for readers of BB. under the star sign Taurus have an de Janeiro in Brazil, where the nuts affinity with bullfinches Pyrrhula, come from) would like to be a Pete Combridge THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BIRDS: A TREASURY OF MYTHS, FOLKLORE AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES By Adele Nozedar. HarperEIement, London, 2006. 534 pages; line-drawings. ISBN 0-00-721904-9. Hardback, £16.99. 376 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 376-380 Reviews C > THE NATURE GUIDE TO THE NATURE GUIDE TO THE NATURE GUIDE TO THE BIEBRZA MARSHES, THE COTO DONANA AND THE BIAIOWIEZA POLAND SURROUNDING COASTAL PRIMEVAL FOREST Crossbill Guide No. 1. LOWLANDS Crossbill Guide No. 3. By Dirk Hilbers. KNNV, Crossbill Guide No. 2. By Dirk Hilbers. KNNV, Amsterdam, 2005. 107 pages; By Dirk Hilbers. KNNV, Amsterdam, 2005. 144 pages; colour photographs; maps. Amsterdam, 2005. 160 pages; colour photographs; maps. ISBN 90-5011-209-9. colour photographs; maps. ISBN 90-5011-215-3. Paperback, €17.95. ISBN 90-5011-210-2. Paperback, €19.95. Paperback, €19.95. All Crossbill Guides can be ordered through www.crossbillguides.o rg for the above prices, plus postage. This new series of wildlife guides is quite different from anything I have come across before. Having visited all the areas covered by these guides on several occasions, I realise how much easier my task would have been had these books been in existence then. The infor- mation provided is outstanding and I would thoroughly recom- mend them to all who travel to these regions, not least because 30% of profits will be donated to local conservation schemes. This whole series, which will eventually cover many more areas, is a Dutch idea, and the books are written by naturalists for naturalists. Each guide reviews all forms of wildlife, but the locations covered, and those planned for the future, are all primarily key birding sites. In addition to birds though, each guide provides information on the landscape and habitats, and the flora and fauna of the region. I found the section on suggested sites and walks to be particularly useful. Each site includes a written description and is accompanied by a map showing suggested routes. Within the layout, the authors have included a series of helpful symbols that not only indicate the type of habitat and wildlife you might encounter, but also suggest the best mode of transport you should use to appreciate each site to the full. This ranges from walking to driving but also includes both cycling and canoeing. The books are lavishly illus- trated with colour photographs, although the quality of some is not up to the standards of the best work available today. This is a minor criticism though. These guides are well thought out and are the most practical aides to enjoying wildlife in some of the most amazing places in Europe. Derek Moore THE BIRD ATLAS OF UGANDA By Margaret Carswell, Derek Pomeroy, Jake Reynolds and Herbert Tushabe. British Ornithologists’ Club and British Ornithologists’ Union, London, 2005. 553 pages; many distribution maps. ISBN 0-9522866-4-8. Hardback, £55.00. Uganda has a remarkably high diversity of habitats, which has resulted in a rich and varied avi- fauna. This atlas, the 17th for an African nation, is testimony to this diversity. Although Uganda’s birds are now well covered by an excel- lent field guide, a site guide and a guide to the country’s Important Bird Areas, any sense that the job has been done is soon dismissed. When you open this atlas, it becomes immediately apparent just how little we know about the birds in this attractive country. Introductory chapters cover Uganda’s environment, history of ornithology, an overview of Uganda’s birds, conservation, and bird distribution changes. The main body of the atlas covers all 1,007 species recorded reliably in the country. Of these, 822 have a distribution map, showing older records to their nearest quarter- square-degree (QSD) and more recent records mostly to the nearest 1 km, and a paragraph describing status, subspecies, habitat prefer- ences and details of breeding records for the country. A further 32 species are considered question- able, being poorly documented for Uganda, and another 52 claimed species are discounted as erro- neous. The data for this atlas have been culled from published accounts, unpublished surveys and, most significantly, from Uganda’s National Biodiversity Databank. No special fieldwork was con- ducted. Some 33,000 point records (all post-1990) and around 9,600 pre-1990 records are included. Although this may sound a lot, it is actually rather few, considering the number of species, so coverage is rather uneven, both by species and by geography. Undoubtedly the most significant feature of the atlas is that the maps also show a ‘pre- dicted distribution’ for many The Bird Atlas of UGANDA .Margaret Carswell, Derek Pomeroy, Jake Reynolds and Herbert Tushabe British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 376-380 377 Reviews C species, to overcome the data shortfall. By using established vege- tation classification and national rainfall data, the authors predict species distribution based on the presence of suitable habitat. Details of the methodology are given, although it is not clear whether the process was peer-reviewed. These predicted distributions need to carry a clear ‘health warning’ because they cannot be used in the way that people often use range maps, to help them to decide what they might have seen. They are really a set of hypotheses yet to be tested, and there are plenty of occasions where they fail, predicting occurrence in parts of the country where the species is known not to occur, and vice versa. This is particularly noticeable with highland forest species, which are predicted to occur in the Lake Vic- toria basin forests despite the fact that they clearly do not, and with a number of species known to be confined to the Albertine Rift forests in the far west, which are predicted to occur right across the country. Presumably, the two vari- ables chosen are simply insufficient to explain complex distributions. Nonetheless, there are many species for which the predicted dis- tributions appear to be quite satis- factory. If, however, you remain unconvinced by the value of the D predicted distributions, you can easily refer solely to the QSD and point records. It soon becomes apparent that even a relatively casual birdwatching visit to the country is likely to generate signifi- cant distributional information. This is a thorough and well- researched atlas which will become the leading authority for Uganda for some time to come. It can be hoped that the maps will encourage many more to share the contents of their notebooks to fill the gaps in the data. The National Biodiversity Databank should benefit greatly from this publication. Jeremy Lindsell BIRDS OF BRITAIN AND EUROPE By Rob Hume. Dorling Kindersley, London, New York, Munich, Melbourne and Delhi. 456 pages; numerous colour photographs. ISBN 1-4053-0753-6. Paperback, £16.99. This is a revised edition of an RSPB-branded photographic guide that is already ‘the UK’s bestselling field guide’. It bears the name of Rob Hume, current editor of the RSPB members’ magazine Birds, and a former chairman of BBRC. The publishers, Dorling Kindersley, are famous for clarity of presentation and the clean white design will be familiar to anyone who has seen other titles from the same stable. The ‘Photo- shopped’ photographs, with backgrounds removed, are reminiscent of the plates in the Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America. The accompanying text, though, is concerned more with anecdotes than tertial fringes, and firmly targets the beginner rather than the expert. The flight-pattern diagrams are innovative, and potentially quite useful. A total of 330 species are given a whole page each but, the book having European coverage, this means that almost 200 others are covered at four to a page and with a single small photo. The latter include several European breeding species, some arguably as common as those given full coverage, as well as many rare vagrants; even, for some reason, Senegal Thick-knee Burhinus senegalensis, which has never been recorded in Europe. Many of the rarities could easily have been omitted, allowing space for full coverage for all European breeding species. It is clear why so many purchasers have been seduced by the attrac- tive presentation. Photo guides have inevitably improved as good- quality photographs have become readily available and the ability to manipulate them has increased. The great majority of photos in this guide are useful but, for species with a range of plumages, the smaller photos require some peering at, even for those with good eyesight. The day when the photo guide replaces the conventional field guide on the shelf of the BB reader has still not been reached but, despite some reservations, this is a useful book and it should be on any short-list recommended to the beginner. Mike Pennington TIME TO STARE: WILDLIFE IN A CORNER OF BRITAIN By Ray Armstrong. Grice Chapman Publishing, Burgh-next-Aylsham, 2005. 144 pages; many coloured photographs. ISBN 0-9545726-6-1. Paperback, £19.95 inc. p&p from publisher: PO Box 1135, Norwich NR 10 3WU. This delightful book derives its main title from W. H. Davies’s famous poem Leisure. It describes the natural history of 20 km2 of the Trellech Plateau in East Monmouthshire, beyond the River Wye above Tintern. This is the very country from which, at Cleddon, Wordsworth, in Tintern Abbey, drew his ‘thoughts of more deep seclusion’. About a third of the book deals with birds. As the introduction makes clear, the landscape of farming and Forestry Commission woodland has not been immune to the usual declines and losses among its birdlife, including many of its more interesting migrants. All recorded bird species are discussed. The colour photographs are superb, with notable life-size studies of Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis. Dipper Cinclus cinclus. Siskin Carduelis spinus and Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava (the last being a newly arrived species). The fine illustrations are supported by a sensi- tive and perceptive text. David Ballance 378 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 376-380 Reviews C THE BIRDS OF ISLAY: A CELEBRATION IN PHOTOGRAPHS By Gordon Langsbury and Malcolm Ogilvie. Lochindaal Press, Islay, 2006. 160 pages; 177 colour photographs. ISBN 0-9551146-0-8. Paperback, £17.50. As the title suggests, this book is very much a collection of pho- tographs that depict the rich and varied avifauna of one of Scot- land’s most beautiful islands. Species that breed, winter or pass through as migrants in spring and autumn are included, thus very much giving a good ‘feel’ to what the island offers as a birdwatching destination and what one is likely to see. A useful introductory section describes the various habitats and indeed their respective avian denizens. As for the photographs themselves, most are of good quality but many have suffered from inferior scanning and colour fidelity. I also feel that more could have been done to enhance the design of the book, which lacks ‘punch’ and is more akin to some- D thing published in the 1970s. Another minor gripe is the inclu- sion of a few anomalous picture captions, e.g. ‘Robin feeding on hawthorn berries’ - which it clearly isn’t! Criticisms aside, this book would go hand in hand with Ogilvie’s The Birds of Islay and thus combined they provide the most up-to-date source of ornithological information for anybody visiting the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’. Hugh Harrop ATLAS DES OISEAUX DE NORMANDIE EN HIVER Co-ordinated by Bruno Lang. Le Cormoran, Journal of Le Groupe Ornithologique Normand, Vol. 13,2004. 232 pages; many colour photographs; drawings; distribution maps. No price given. Available from the Groupe at Universit, 14032 CAEN CEDEX, France. This solidly bound and attractively printed book is the complementary volume to the same society’s Atlas des Oiseaux Nicheurs de Normandie et des lies Anglo-Normandes (Caen 1991 ), but this volume excludes the Channel Islands. The fieldwork for the breeding atlas was carried out from 1985 to 1988, while this book provides an update covering the period 1998 to 2001. It includes five Departements, from east to west - Seine-Maritime, Eure, Orne, Calvados and Manche - a region which the authors divide into 22 ecological areas. From a British point of view, this is the coast facing us across the English Channel from about Dungeness to Portland Bill, and its hinterland, reaching southeast to within about 50 km of Paris: a land of many battle honours from 1944. The unit employed is a rectangle measuring 13.5 x 10 km, four of which make up one of the French 1:50,000 map series. The text is written entirely in French. Those without the lan- guage will miss the excellent intro- duction, better written than those in many of our own county avi- faunas and combining a lightness of touch with detailed analysis of habitats, as in the section on the ‘Bocage’. This is the land of high- hedged pastures and orchards which, like our own, have seen great changes in the last 50 years. The work has much to teach Anglo-Saxons who still imagine that no Fieldfare Turdus pilaris or Brambling Fringilla montifringilla is safe from the peasant’s pot, and that ornithology is confined to Buffon’s successors in museums. Some 250 observers contributed to this survey. British influence is acknowledged in the ‘zones pavil- lonnaires’ of the suburbs, where feeders and bird tables are now found, and Song Thrushes T. philomelos and Blackbirds T. merula have lost their fear. The British reader looking through the maps will be attracted by those species which are only 100 miles from our shores but cannot make the necessary leap of La Manche: Black Woodpeckers Dryocopus martius press relentlessly west- wards; there are some Zitting Cisti- colas Cisticola juncidis along the coast; Crested Tits Lophophanes cristatus winter in 82% of the rec- tangles and appear at feeders; and a few Common Cranes Grus grus are now found in coastal bays. Other species have receded: Crested Larks Galerida cristata (which, like London’s House Sparrows Passer domesticus , were linked to a high population of horses) are now con- fined to the east of Eure; Wood Larks Lullula arborea are erratic; Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus have decreased, but may benefit from programmes designed to restore orchards and hedges. The effects of autumn ploughing are as drastic as they are in Britain. David Ballance BIRDS IN BHUTAN: STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION By Peter Spierenburg. Oriental Bird Club, Bedford, 2005. 383 pages; line-drawings, figures, maps. ISBN 0-9529545-1-6. Hardback, £45.00. Peter Spierenburg was fortunate to live and work in Bhutan from early 1997 to mid 2002, and his job - assisting the Nature Conservation Division of the Royal Government of Bhutan with the conservation and development programmes in their national parks - enabled him to travel extensively in the country at all times of the year, often trekking to remote areas that British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 376-380 379 Reviews C tourists cannot visit. In this sturdy and well-pro- duced new book, the author has combined his own considerable ornithological observations with all other records, both historical and recent. He acknowledges the great help and encouragement he received from the Oriental Bird Club, most particularly from Tim and Carol Inskipp, who themselves had made several visits to Bhutan in the early 1990s. Several foreign bird-tour companies have made significant contributions during a total of some 40 tours since 1994. A small but increasing number of Bhutanese observers have also con- tributed a significant input of records. A database of over 91,000 records of 640 species, up to June 2002, was established and analysed. The 32 extremely lucid intro- ductory pages cover the method- ology of analysis and data presentation, but also give fasci- nating accounts of the ornitholog- ical history of Bhutan, the extremely rich habitats and altitu- dinal zones, the migrational pat- terns and seasonality of residents, winter visitors and summer visi- tors, and the threats and conserva- tion issues facing the country. After the main species accounts, there is an eight-page list of references, a map showing the location of ten main birding sites and descriptions of those sites, and an update of sig- nificant records since June 2002, including five new species for Bhutan. In the species accounts, 153 species are classified as vagrants or rare passage migrants and are dealt with in 3-12 lines of text. For the remaining 487 species, there is a Bhutan map with all confirmed records plotted on 5 x 5 minute grid squares overlying a portrayal by three shades of green of prob- able winter, all-season and summer altitudinal ranges. There is also a seasonal distribution histogram of individual records by altitude per month, and a text giving the breeding and wintering range within or outwith Bhutan, pre- ferred habitats, abundance and densities, seasonality, and much > other relevant information. Reading carefully and studying the figures reveals that there are still considerable gaps in the knowledge of Bhutan’s avifauna. Although I am not always a fan of vignettes, the majority of the selection (by some 15 artists) scattered through this book are excellent. Production costs probably prevented the inclu- sion of a few colour photographs of a selection of montane and tem- perate-forest habitats and, perhaps, Phobjikha Valley, the most impor- tant wintering marshland site for Black-necked Cranes Grits nigri- collis, holding up to 260 birds. The fantastic front-cover painting of a Ward’s Trogon Harpactes wardi by Jan Wilczur will encourage anyone interested in birds to pick up this book, and once you browse inside you will want to buy it. Peter Spierenburg and the Oriental Bird Club are to be congratulated on a magnificent addition to the Asian ornitholog- ical literature. Nick Dymotid BIRD MIMICRY By Richard Ranft. British Library, London, 2006. 67 minutes. ISBN 0-7123-0529-7. CD, £9.95. This CD gives 26 examples of birds mimicking sounds made by other birds or human activity. Most examples given are from European species. Although we might auto- matically think of Common Star- ling Sturnus vulgaris as a mimic, Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra , Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum. Marsh Warbler A. palustris and Red- backed Shrike Lanins collurio are serious mimics too. Indeed, there are many other examples where species pick up sounds and include them in their songs. Looking back through old issues of British Birds, you will find that the subject has been raised many times. European examples of mimicry on this CD (with their subject) are Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra (Yellowhammer E. citrinella), Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius (Common Buzzard Buteo buteo and horse), Blackbird Turdus merula (European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria). Great Tit Parus major (Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea), Whinchat Saxicola rubetra (Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula). Song Thrush T. philomelos (Common Quail Coturnix coturnix ), Spotless Star- ling Sturnus unicolor (European Scops Owl Otus scops). Sky Lark Alauda arvensis (Eurasian Curlew Nutnenius arquata ), Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator (Wryneck Jynx torquilla ), Calandra Lark (Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis). Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe (Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis), Blackcap Sylvia atri- capilla (Common Nightingale Lus- cinia megarhynchos). Bullfinch (human whistles) and Common Raven Corvus corax (human voice). Of these, the Marsh Warbler is simply amazing, the track lasting over ten minutes and including sounds from the songs and calls of Great Tit, Blackbird, Magpie Pica pica. Greenfinch Carduelis chloris and Barn Swallow Hirundo rustical Three examples from Australia are included: Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae (four species). Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus (human voice) and Fawn-breasted Bowerbird Chlamydera cerviniven- tris (absolutely anything!). The only North American example is of Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos, while Lawrence’s Thrush Turdus lawrencii is the only South American example. In each case the mimicked birds’ calls are played first and are followed by those of the mimic. This is not designed for bird iden- tification but is worth buying for the interest alone. Keith Betton 380 British Birds 99 ’July 2006 • 376—380 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Shortly before we went to press this month, we received an e-mail from Tony Fox, the lead author of the paper on Greenland White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons flavirostris in the May issue (Brit. Birds 99: 242-261). Here is Tony’s e-mail, in full: ‘Dear Roger, I felt that I must write to tell you that I have just received a letter from the Ministry for the Environment in Iceland. I had sent the Minister a copy of our article, explaining that the yearly kill now effectively removes the entire annual production of young each season, even before adult mortality kicks in, which meant that the hunt was clearly totally unsustainable. ‘Their reply states that: “The Ministry is delighted to inform you BB gets results that the Minister for the Environ- ment, Ms Siguridur Anna Thordar- dottir, has decided to protect the Greenland White-fronted Geese from hunting in Iceland according to Act no. 64/1994 on Wild Animals. This means that there will be no hunting of Greenland White- fronted Geese as from the next hunting season, which according to the above-mentioned Act and Reg- ulation no. 456/1994 on Bird Hunting starts on 1st September and ends 15th March. The minister is preparing changes regarding the above-mentioned regulation for that purpose that will be put into force [within) the very next days.” ’ Tony continues: ‘You can have little idea what this means to us, it has taken a lot of pressure behind the scenes from many people (thanks especially to the Icelandic BirdLife Partner Fuglaverndarfelag Islands); now it only remains to redraft the management plan for the population. A major motiva- tion for writing the BB piece was to highlight the problem with the autumn season in Iceland, so I hope you will feel rightly pleased to have played a part in this happy saga. It is pleasing that good things do continue to happen in the con- servation world! A celebration is in order!’ We do indeed feel pleased that BB has had some small role to play in this undoubted step forward for the conservation of the Greenland White-front. See the Icelandic Ministry for the Environment website: http://umhverfisraduneyti. is/frettir/nr/832 Notorious egger falls to his death It was the last nest that he would attempt to rob. On 24th May, Colin Watson fell 12 m (40 feet) from a larch Larix tree while investigating a Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nest and was declared dead at the scene. The 63-year-old former power- station worker from Selby in North Yorkshire was the most notorious collector of wild birds’ eggs in Britain for two decades. He was convicted six times under wildlife protection laws and fined thou- sands of pounds but his obsession continued until the last. 'This is a very tragic incident, but Colin Watson’s misuse of his great knowledge was also a tragedy,’ said RSPB spokesman Grahame Madge. ‘He undoubtedly knew more about birds than many of our own people, but his egg-col- lecting put the very species he hunted in danger. It was in the true sense of the word a perversion of expertise and talent.’ Watson’s family and friends claimed that he had given up egg- collecting more than ten years ago, with the advent of tough additions to the Wildlife and Countryside Act. His many run-ins with the RSPB led to claims that he was the vandal who tried to cut down the Osprey Pandion haliaetus nesting tree at Loch Garten on Speyside, which was attacked with a chainsaw in 1986. The scale of his obsession had been revealed the previous year when the RSPB raided the home he shared with his disabled son and found more than 2,000 eggs, including those of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos and Osprey. Watson was fined £1,700 despite claiming the eggs had been collected before the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act out- lawed the practice. He later appealed successfully against his conviction for illegal possession, but was fined £2,800 after subse- quent raids. New legislation that makes egg-collecting an imprisonable offence has resulted in the jailing of seven eggers in recent years. ‘The message is getting across that the police are taking this seriously - and the courts are, too,’ Mr Madge said. ‘It is very sad that Mr Watson’s life should end like this, but it is also a shocking reminder of how dangerous these sorts of activities can be.’ New law protects nests year-round The Natural Environment and new offence of taking, damaging or The RSPB in Cumbria has wel- Rural Communities Act that came destroying the nests of certain wild corned the new legislation that will into force on 31st May has created a birds at any time during the year. help to protect the nests of some of _ © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 381-386 381 David Tiplingl Windrush News and comment ) 1 83. Osprey Pandion haliaetus nests will enjoy greater protection thanks to new legislation. England’s rarest birds, including two iconic Lake District species: Golden Eagle and Osprey. A pair of Ospreys has nested beside Bassenth- waite Lake near Keswick since 2001 and a male Golden Eagle continues to try to attract a mate to his lonely eyrie near Haweswater. As the law currently stands, all birds’ nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but only while they are in use or are being built. The new Act will give new pro- tection to birds that use the same nests year after year, and will assist their long-term breeding success by pro- tecting their nests outside the breeding season. David Hirst of the RSPB said: 'In Cumbria we are fortunate to have both the famous Bassenth- waite Ospreys and the only Golden Eagle in England, and both these species help to make the Lake Dis- trict extra special for wildlife and attract large numbers of visitors every year. This new legislation provides welcome all-year-round additional protection to the nests of these special Cumbrian birds.’ And the Bassenthwaite Ospreys have surpassed themselves this year. For the first time, the nesting pair has hatched three chicks (the previous maximum number of chicks hatched at this site was two, in both 2002 and 2005). The Lake District Osprey Project (www.ospreywatch.co.uk) pro- vides opportunities for visitors to see the birds through telescopes or on a big screen at the nearby Whinlatter Visitor Centre. Marsh Harriers soar to 200-year high In 1971, the Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus was hanging on by its talon-tips as a British breeding bird with a single pair remaining, at the RSPB’s Minsmere reserve in Suffolk. Thirty-five years later, the harrier has soared to its highest population level for two centuries with 360 breeding females in 2005 fledging 800 young. It’s another remarkable turn- around in a raptor’s fortunes that follows the crack-down on persis- tent pesticides and illegal persecu- tion that hammered all birds of prey during the 1960s and 1970s. Resurgent populations of Eurasian Sparrowhawks, Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus and Common Buzzards Buteo buteo have also benefited from this robust regula- tory regime but the Marsh Harrier has received additional help with the re-creation of the wetlands in which it thrives. The breeding survey, conducted by the RSPB and English Nature in 2005, showed that there were 360 breeding females in England and Scotland last year, compared with 156 after the last similar count, in 1995 - a 131% increase. More than 800 young fledged in 2005, up from 350 in 1995. The survey also confirmed what many birders have increasingly logged across the country: that Marsh Harriers are spilling out of nature reserves and nesting in farmland. As Dr Mark Eaton, Research Biologist at the RSPB says, withdrawal of chemi- cals used to kill farmland pests has now made formerly no-go areas in our countryside suitable for Marsh Harriers once more. Marsh Harriers, known collo- quially as ‘Bald Buzzards’ (Essex and Northumberland) and the ‘Dun Pickle’ (Wiltshire), were once common in lowland reedbeds and marshes and were even found on upland moors. But drainage of the Fens and other wetlands for farming from the 1700s onwards caused the species to decline, and researchers believe that by 1800 there were already fewer birds than we have today. Persecution by gamekeepers hastened the Marsh Harrier’s decline and as its rarity increased, egg-collectors stepped up their efforts, exacerbating the bird’s plight. From 1900 to 1920, the bird was extinct in the UK. Legal protection helped Marsh Harriers to recover during the 1950s, only for pesticides such as DDT to cause a second decline. The chemicals left toxic residues in the Marsh Harriers’ prey, causing eggshells to thin and break, so that eventually just the solitary suc- cessful pair at Minsmere remained. Now, Marsh Harriers breed across East Anglia, in Kent and north to Yorkshire, Lancashire and even into Scotland. Allan Drewitt, Senior Ornithol- ogist at English Nature, said: ‘The Marsh Harrier is a stunning bird and the survey results are great news. Now that the birds have spread to farmland, we must con- tinue working with farmers to protect birds nesting in crops by preventing disturbance and ensuring nests are not destroyed during harvest.’ 382 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 381-386 News and comment UN blames poultry trade for bird flu The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says that it is unreasonable to blame wild birds as the source of H5N1 avian influenza, in the absence of rig- orous research into their role in the ecology and dynamics of the virus. The FAO’s statement asserts: Tt is indeed likely that [wild birds] can introduce the disease to unaf- fected areas from countries in which the disease has already been identified. But the disease is spread through the human activities of poultry production, improper hygiene and uncontrolled com- mercialisation.’ The ‘simple fact’, the FAO says, is that more research is needed to understand wild-bird migration and the vulnerability of different species, in order to perform proper risk assessments, and recommend risk mitigation measures where required. But they add: ‘Surveillance for avian influenza viruses and the presence of the H5N1 virus in wildlife can be given priority only once ade- quate surveillance of the poultry sector is in place, since poultry are more likely to transmit infection to humans and other susceptible animals. To devote resources to monitoring wild birds rather than take stock of production practices and improving such practices would not be justified.’ FAO and the World Organisa- tion for Animal Health (OIE) organised an international scien- tific conference on avian influenza and wild birds, held in Rome during 30th-31st May, to try to improve understanding of the role of wild birds in the transmission of avian flu. To mark the beginning of the conference, members of the Italian Society for the Protection of Birds (LIPU) expressed their support for wild birds and high- lighted the poultry trade’s role in the spread of H5N1. At an event organised by LIPU near Rome's famous Colosseum, two gladiators from a local historical society joined around 20 LIPU volunteers in helping to symbolise the battle against H5N1. The ‘flu fighters’ also reminded the press gathered at the event of Rome’s early history: the Eternal City was reputedly founded by Romulus, who was supposedly guided to its site by the flight of a flock of migratory birds. Tt is unfair and dangerous to use wild birds as convenient scape- goats for the spread of H5N1, when the real problems lie with the intensive rearing of poultry and the massive international trade in poultry products,’ commented Elena d’ Andrea, the head of LIPU. ‘Wild birds play a major role in the functioning of the global ecosys- tems and are a source of inspira- tion to people across the planet. The mass hysteria generated by the avian influenza scare is damaging our relationship with them: people are even destroying [Barn] Swal- lows’ [ Hirundo rustica ] nests out of an irrational fear of these messen- gers of spring,’ she added. Albatross decline continues New research from South Georgia reveals that three species of alba- tross nesting on the South Atlantic islands have declined at an alarming rate over the past 20 years and unless these declines can be halted or reversed, the islands’ albatrosses could face extinction. The joint RSPB/BirdLife research shows that the islands, a UK Overseas Territory, have lost nearly one-third of their Wan- dering Albatross Diomedea exulans population since 1984 and that two other species breeding at South Georgia - Black-browed Thalas- sarche melanophris and Grey- headed Albatrosses T. chrysostoma - are also suffering similar rates of decline. In common with other alba- trosses around the world, the major threat seems to be longline fishing. It is estimated that up to 100,000 albatrosses annually - or one bird every five minutes - drown on the end of a longline fishing hook as they try to snatch bait. Sally Poncet, of South Georgia Surveys and the report’s lead author, said: Tt is well known that albatrosses worldwide are dying needlessly in longline fisheries. Our survey has shown that South Georgia’s albatrosses, in particular, are being pushed to the point where three species are threatened with extinction.’ Dr Phil Trathan, Head of Con- servation Biology at the British Antarctic Survey and a co-author of the report, said: ‘Birds are most likely caught thousands of miles away from their breeding grounds. They are particularly at risk off South Africa and South America and it’s therefore important that bodies regulating these waters make them safe for albatrosses.’ As part of the Save the Alba- tross campaign, the RSPB and BirdLife recently launched the Albatross Task Force, a practical project to reduce the number of seabirds killed on longline hooks. Specially trained task-force members are working at sea helping longline fishermen to adopt simple and proven measures, such as setting streamer lines adja- cent to the longlines to scare birds away from baited hooks. Visit the Save the Albatross website: www.savethealbatross.net Shetland Recorder Please note the new e-mail address for the Shetland County Recorder, Micky Maher, who would welcome all outstanding rarity descriptions, local and national, from this year and last, as soon as possible: mickymaher@tiscali.co.uk British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 381-386 383 News and comment > Reserve wins water licence despite drought Despite the first drought orders for a decade imposed in Kent to prevent non-essential uses of water, the RSPB has been given emergency powers to pump water onto its Elmley Marshes reserve. After two consecutive dry winters on the Isle of Sheppey, water levels are extremely low and so are the numbers of invertebrates in the soil. The number of wading birds breeding on the reserve has plummeted over the last two years and this spring hit an all-time low. Those chicks that did hatch faced an early death from starvation. In desperation, the RSPB applied under new legislation for a temporary licence to pump water onto the marsh from a nearby creek. So severe is the problem that the Environment Agency granted the Society permission to take water from the creek for 28 days. Phil Burston, the RSPB’s Senior Water Policy Officer, said: ‘In a normal year, we would be looking at 200 breeding pairs of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus at Elmley. [As a consequence] it is normally one of the most important wetlands in Britain, but last year there were 80 pairs and we now seem to be down to just 60. Even back in March and April the site looked like it would normally look in late July, water levels were that low and fields that dry. All that meant food was not available. We have seen adult birds starving and emaciated because they couldn’t find food. And at the moment, most of the chicks aren’t going to survive.’ But permission to pump water from Windmill Creek alongside the reserve could save the day. The creek does not supply water to any other user. Harvey Bradshaw, the Environment Agency’s Kent Area Manager, said: ‘In this instance, we granted a 28-day licence. We needed to respond very quickly in order to provide the environmental benefit that the RSPB has identified.’ Phil Burston added: This should have something like an instant bird-table effect. Almost as soon as water is on the site, you will see waders coming on it to feed. They will have access to food like earthworms [Lumbricidae], which have suddenly been flushed to the surface. The hope is that it will take only a few days to raise water levels on about 20% of the 282-ha reserve.’ Ring Ouzel is ‘victim of climate change’ The ‘Mountain Blackbird’ could be one of the first victims of climate change in Britain, with a 60% population decline in just ten years. Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus nesting in England and Wales are at the southernmost limit of their breeding range. It’s feared that higher tem- peratures in late summer, prompted by climate change, are affecting Ring Ouzels in northern England, the Peak District, north Wales and the Brecon Beacons. They have already disappeared from the Long Mynd in Shropshire, where there were 12 pairs in 1999. In Dartmoor and Exmoor they used to be plentiful but now there are only a handful left. Dr Colin Beale, who led research published recently in the Journal of Animal Ecology, said: ‘We think that Ring Ouzels in England and Wales are being hardest hit by the warmer temperatures. They just seem to be dying out rather than adapting and moving elsewhere. But that isn’t to say there isn’t hope for them. We think that it is changes in the availability of food, rather than higher temperatures themselves, that is the problem and we may be able to do something to help.’ Little is known about what the birds do in the period after they finish breeding but before they migrate south for the winter. It’s during this period that a number of Scottish birds - around 25 or so in the Highlands - will be fitted with radio tags and their movements tracked using radio receivers to monitor each bird’s individual behaviour. The theory is that dry ground caused by warmer weather in July and August means that earthworms are more difficult to find and may also affect berry crops, staple foods on which the birds rely. This could be leaving the birds in poor condition for their autumn migration to Spain’s Sierra Nevada and the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria, so that fewer birds survive the journey. Dr Beale said: 'Breeding success has actually increased even though the bird has declined overall. If we change the management of moors so that heather [Calluna vulgaris] grows larger, there may then be more moisture left in the soil. That means earthworms will be nearer the surface and there’ll be more food available for Ring Ouzels. We think they can survive warmer tempera- tures themselves but [they] obvi- ously cannot survive if there is too little food.’ Visit the Ring Ouzel Study Group website: www.ringouzel.info 184. Male Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus. 384 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 381-386 News and comment White-tailed Eagle nests in The Netherlands Following the announcement of reintroduction plans for White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla in England (Brit. Birds 99: 165-166) and Wales (Brit. Birds 99: 328) comes news that the species has naturally colonised The Netherlands. The first successful nest is in Flevoland, where White-tailed Eagles regularly over- winter; the nearest breeding birds are 250 km to the east, in Niedersachsen, Germany. There is no proof that White-tailed Eagle nested in The Netherlands in the past. Despite this, there was a proposal to ‘reintroduce’ the species but this was opposed by birders who pointed out that the wild pop- ulation in Europe was increasing and spreading west (in Austria, Denmark and Germany), and that it was just a matter of time before it started breeding in The Netherlands. However, few people anticipated that this would happen so soon. The female of the nesting pair wears a ring which shows that she was born in May 2002 at Garsbek, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Since September 2004, she’s been paired with an older male. They oversum- mered in Flevoland in 2005 before starting serious nesting in March 2006. Website of the month Now that the summer holidays are approaching, many birders will soon be crossing the Channel for a Euro- pean break, and Kent will be their last - and first - sight of England on their travels. The Kent Ornithological Society (KOS) has an impressive website www.kentos.org.uk that is well worth a visit if you’re heading to the county - and even if you’re not. It’s well designed and user-friendly with handy ‘buttons’ for the Kent Bird Report , articles from the KOS Gazette , a Kentish Wildlife section and Latest Sightings. This last section is subdivided into recent reports from a list of 18 sites, including the famous (Dungeness) and the less familiar (Reculver or Seasalter). Some of these 18 localities have their own websites, linked from the main site, e.g. PlanetThanet www.planetthanet.org The Trip Reports section has KOS members’ reports from across the globe - from Varangerfjord to Vanuatu! And the photo gallery has a wonderful archive of pic- tures dating back to 1974. The headline image is, of course, the Larkfield Golden-winged Warbler Ver- mivora chrysoptera, from 1 989. All visitors to the site should make sure that they click on the What’s New? button. Newest on 31st May was Andrew Henderson’s analysis of the unprecedented European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus passage off Kent in late May; an exemplary piece of rapid-reac- tion web-work long before the annual report is printed. > BBRC records by e-mail This is a reminder that BBRC would prefer e-mail submissions for all records from 1st January 2006. For those able to submit records by e-mail, we would prefer descriptions in Word, but with any photos or sketches as separate jpegs and not embedded in the document. Please send all submissions to: secretary@bbrc.org.uk Derek Ratcliffe memorial A memorial to ‘the most outstanding and influential nature conservationist of the late twentieth century’ was unveiled in Cumbria on 9th June. Dr Derek Almey Ratcliffe, who died on 23rd May 2005 (see Brit. Birds 98: 439 — 441 ), was commemorated at a ceremony held at English Nature’s Finglandrigg National Nature Reserve at Kirkbampton, near Carlisle. Derek Ratcliffe, who grew up in and around Carlisle, led the scientific research during the 1960s which discovered that the now notorious pesticide DDT was responsible for declines in birds of prey. He wrote definitive mono- graphs on the Peregrine Falcon and the Common Raven Corvus corax, and was an authority on mountain and peatland ecology. Dr Keith Duff, English Nature’s Chief Scientist, said: ‘Derek’s enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment to the natural environment galvanised and inspired his colleagues in the Nature Conservancy Council. He undoubtedly established the strong scientific underpin- ning which supports wildlife conservation in Britain today. It is entirely appropriate that this permanent memorial to his achievements is at Finglandrigg National Nature Reserve, one of his favourite places whilst he was growing up.’ Dr Des Thompson, Scottish Natural Heritage’s Upland Ecologist, said: ‘This is a day to reflect on a remarkable scientist, whose research has given us a healthier environment in which to enjoy wildlife. The Peregrine Falcon and nature conservation shall forever be linked to Derek Ratcliffe ’s inspirational work.’ The carved-bench memorial at Finglandrigg was unveiled by Derek Ratcliffe’s widow, Jeannette. Smokers stubbed out by nesting birds What links a police station in Dorset with an accoun- tants’ office in Bristol? Well, both have experienced uni- lateral anti-smoking campaigns by nesting tits (Paridae). Despite the obvious risk to their health, a pair of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus in Dorchester and a pair of Great Tits Parus major in Bristol made their nests this spring in exterior wall-mounted ashtrays usually used ZEISS British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 381-386 385 c by furtive smokers banished outside from their smoke-free workplaces. At Dorchester police station, the nesting Blue Tits laid ten eggs in the metal ashtray. The area was cor- doned off so that the birds were not disturbed. Dorset Police spokesman Sgt Dave Stroud said: ‘It’s incred- ible. I suppose you could say it’s a joint operation to stamp out smoking once and for all!’ Appro- priately named wildlife officer PC News and comment Dave Bird said: ‘All wild birds are protected in this country, especially during the nesting period. While they are building their nest, while the nest is in use and until all the birds leave the nest, everything is being done to prevent them from flying the nest and leaving the eggs.’ Meanwhile, across in Bristol it was a family of Great Tits that took up residence in a wall-mounted ashtray. The female, nicknamed Splutter, built a nest out of dis- A carded cigarette ends in the ashtray outside PKF accountants in Clifton. A notice was put up asking smokers to stub out their cigarettes else- where. The company’s marketing executive. Sue Nash, said: 'The bird lined the nest by pulling the sponge out of the cigarette ends and bits out of cigarette papers. The smokers in the office have taken it well and think it’s quite sweet and it’s a bit of an extra incentive to give up.’ The Atlas of German Breeding Birds Over 1,500 volunteers are poised to record the populations of all breeding bird species in Germany, over a four-year period, from the Danish to the Swiss borders and from France to Poland. This project is to culminate in a stan- dard federal work that will present the distribution of some 250 breeding bird species in a compre- hensive atlas for the first time. The atlas project is christened ADEBAR, the folk name for the White Stork Ciconia ciconia , and an acronym in German for the Atlas Deutscher Brutvogelartex (Atlas of German Breeding Bird Species). 'When the German Bird Monitoring Foundation (www.vogelmonitoring.de) and the Federation of German Avi- faunists (Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten e.V. — DDA) launched the ADEBAR project in 2004, professional and amateur ornithologists were faced with a task of gigantic proportions. Many sceptics forecast a difficult birth and almost impassable hurdles, not least because the lion’s share of the mapping and co-ordination tasks had to be shouldered by volunteers. The sceptics were wrong — as the brochure containing the results of the first year’s work so impres- sively demonstrates. Following on from the mini or pilot atlas ‘Breeding Birds in Germany’, which appeared at Christmas 2004 to mark the start of mapping for ADEBAR, the German Bird Monitoring Foundation pub- lished a working report on the results of mapping in 2005 at the end of March. .ADEBAR is not only the largest mapping project undertaken in Germany, it has sparked enthu- siasm among field ornithologists well beyond all expectations with some 2,000 professionals and ama- teurs now involved in the fieldwork! ( Contributed by David Conlin ) Requests Wood Lark and Dartford Warbler - 2006 breeding-season records All records are required for singing male Wood Larks Lullula arborea (between 15th February and 31st May) and Dartford Warblers Sylvia undata ( between 1st April and 31st July). This information will be used to supplement records collected by the national surveys currently taking place this summer. Both surveys are a joint collaboration among the BTO, RSPB, Forestry Commission (England), JNCC and English Nature, and are organised by BTO and RSPB. Although the main sites are already being covered, we are still extremely keen to receive details of additional records during the breeding season, particularly from potentially new sites or parts of the country where breeding records are scarce. In particular. Wood Lark records from this spring are espe- cially valuable, as few males were detected singing during the pro- longed cold spell early in the year. Please send your records to Greg Conway at BTO i e-mail greg.conway@bto.org; tel. 01842 750050) or Simon Wotton at RSPB (e-mail simon.wotxon@rspb.org.uk; tel. 01767 680551). Recording forms and further details of the surveys can be obtained from the following website; http://www.bto. org/survey/special/dartford_ woodlark.htm 386 © British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 386-387 Requests C ) Sightings of colour-ringed Chiffchaffs Since 1999, over 700 wintering Common Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita have been marked in southern England as part of a study to investigate their origins and wintering ecology. Each bird carries a total of four rings (two on each leg), consisting of a metal ring and three coloured rings (one may be bi-coloured but always above the metal ring). All sightings are required and will be fully acknowl- edged. Please send details of sight- ings to Greg Conway, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU; e-mail greg.conway@bto.org tel. 01842 750050. Obituary X(f3 (Highland), 9th May, presumed same near Dufftown (Moray), 13th May; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 10th May; South Shields and Whitburn (both Co. Durham), 16th May, presumed same Frosterley and Plenmeller Common (both Northumber- land), 17th May, presumed same Filey and Wykeham Forest (both North Yorkshire), 23rd May; Margate (Kent), 6th June, pre- sumably same between Gazeley and Kennett (Suffolk/Cam- bridgeshire), also 6th June, and possibly same over Marshside (Merseyside), 8th June. Black Kite Milvus migrans Grain, 9th May, presumed same Cliffe Pools (both Kent), 9th May; Leeds (West Yorkshire), 9th May; London Wetland Centre (London), 10th May; Ham- bledon Common (Hampshire), 13th May; Wickhambreaux/ Wingham area (Kent), 20th-21st May; Buckfastleigh, 31st May, presumed same Challacombe Down (both Devon), 1st June; Dunwich Heath (Suffolk), 5th June; Polzeath (Cornwall), 6th June. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertlnus Walland Marsh (Kent), 14th May; Farlington Marsh (Hampshire), 4th June; Holt Heath (Dorset), 4th June; Bryher/Tresco (Scilly), 8th June; Brow Marsh (Shetland), 10th June; Rookery Clay Pit (Bedford- shire), 1 0th— 1 1th June. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus South Ronaldsay (Orkney), 23rd May. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Upton Warren (Worcestershire), 21st-22nd May; Martin Mere (Lancashire), two, long-stayers, to at least 10th June. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvi- alis fulva Hickling Broad (Norfolk), 6th June. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Ashton- on-Trent (Derbyshire), 7th June. 185. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, Worlaby Carrs, Lincolnshire, June 2006. 186. First-summer Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, June 2006. British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 388-392 389 Eric Dempsey Graham Catley Graham Catley Simon Rowlands Recent reports C > 1 87. Common Crane Grus grus, with Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus, Durness, Sutherland, May 2006. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Spurn (East Yorkshire), 1 3th— 1 5th May; Tacumshin, 1 3th— 1 6th May; Cockersand (Lancashire), 1 5th— 17th May; Over Fen (Cambridgeshire), 19th May. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngltes sub- ruficollis Lough Beg (Co. Derry), 27th May. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus North Uist (Western Isles), 9th May. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Cold Harbour (Kent), 11th June. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Freiston, 7th-9th June, presumably same Gibraltar Point (both Lincolnshire), 1 88. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, May 2006. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Waterside (Co. Galway), 10th— 13th May; Cork City (Co. Cork), 1 0th— 1 6th May; North Ronaldsay, 18th May; Bunbeg (Co. Donegal), 28th May; Lewis (Western Isles), 3rd June; North Uist (Western Isles), 6th June. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan St John’s Point (Co. Down), 18th May; Belgooley (Co. Cork), 31st May. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Kenfig Pool (Glamorgan), 18th May; Blenner- ville (Co. Kerry), 29th May to 4th June. 9th— 1 1th June. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macu- larius Menloe (Co. Galway), 19th May; Newlyn Harbour (Cornwall), 25th-28th May; Mins- mere (Suffolk), lst-2nd June. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Hillesden (Buck- inghamshire), 27th-30th May. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Various sites between Hartlepool Headland (Co. Durham), and Cresswell (Northum- berland), two, 9th May; Braunton (Devon), 1 4 th— 18 th 390 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 388-392 Recent reports C > May; Kingsbury Water Park (War- wickshire), 19th May, same, Lound Gravel-pits (Nottinghamshire), 19th May; Pilmore (Co. Cork), 20th-23rd May; Dungeness, 25th May. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Hayling Island and Taddiford Gap (both Hampshire), 10th June. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Rockland Broad (Norfolk), 25th-26th May; Blennerville, two, 1st June; Loch Skene (Northeast Scotland), 5th June. White-winged Black Tern Chli- donias leucopterus Barton-on- Humber (Lincolnshire), 23rd-25th May, presumed same, Broomhill Flash, 26th-27th May, Old Moor RSPB and Wombwell Ings (all South Yorkshire), 27th May. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri The long-staying adult was last seen at Nimmo’s Pier (Co. Galway) on 11th May; another was at Lady’s Island (Co. Wexford) on 23rd May. 189. Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops Fair Isle (Shetland), 16th May. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 7th May, presumed same, Polgigga (Cornwall), 1 1th May; Sandwich Bay (Kent), 13th May; Grune Point (Cumbria), 14th May; Winterton (Norfolk), 19th-20th May; Maywick (Shetland), 24th May; Dungeness, 30th— 3 1st May; Portland, 2nd June; Caister (Norfolk), at least six, 2nd June with five at Wroxham (Norfolk), 2nd June presumably part of the same; Dunwich (Suffolk), 4th June; Sancreed (Cornwall), two, 4th June; Reston (Borders), three, 7th June; Codnor Park (Derbyshire), 10th June; Spurn, 1 1th June. Adult White-winged BlackTern Chlidonias leucopterus, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, May 2006. (Kent), 14th May; Sandwich (Kent), 18th May; Spurn, 18th May; Blencarn (Cumbria), 20th May; Rattray Head (Northeast Scotland), 23rd May; Bream Cove (Cornwall), 24th May; Maen Porth (Cornwall), 26th-28th May; Dungeness, 30th May to 1st June; Ferrybridge (Dorset), 3rd |une; Polgigga, 8th June. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Bryher, 31st May. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Fair Isle, 1 1 th— 16th May; 190. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus, Fair Isle, Shetland, May 2006. Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra Isle of May (Fife), 12th— 14th May. Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Fair Isle, 1 3th— 1 6th, another 23rd-30th May; St Mary’s (Scilly), 1 6th— 20th May; Tacumshin, 5th June. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Lade Pit (Kent), 9th May; Portland, 1 1th and 13th May; Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork), 1 4th — 15th May; Tonge British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 388-392 391 Rebecca Nason Graham Catley Recent reports C y 191. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides, Slow, Unst, Shetland, May 2006. 192. Male Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio.The Naze, Essex, June 2006. 1 93. White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis, Sumburgh, Shetland, May 2006. Leasowe (Wirral), 13th May; Calf of Man (Isle of Man), 13th May; Foula (Shetland), 26th May to 1st )une. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Tacumshin, lst-2nd June. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscin- ioldes Skaw, Unst (Shetland), 28th May to 3rd June. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Forfar Loch (Angus), 1 3th— 1 5th May; Gunton (Suffolk), 16th May; Spurn, 27th May; Loch of Kin- nordy (Angus), 11th June. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantil- lans Isle of May (Fife), 8th May; North Ronaldsay, 11th May; Ramsey Island (Pem- brokeshire), 23rd-27th May; Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), 25th May; Spurn, 2nd June; Fame Islands (Northumberland), 3rd-4th June. Iberian Chiffchaff Phyllo- s copus ibericus Postbridge (Devon), 8th May to 2nd June. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Whitburn, 14th May. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Bryher, 1 4th— 29th May; Portland, 14th-29th May, with another 27th May; Boyton Marshes (Suffolk), 1 4th— 15th May; Whitburn, 21st-23rd May; Hengistbury Head (Dorset), 31st May; Roughton (Norfolk), 4th June. Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus Iona (Argyll), 14th May. White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis Sumburgh 13th May, same Quendale (both Shetland), 14th May. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica Overstrand (Norfolk), 9th June. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melano- cephala Bardsey (Gwynedd), 2nd June. 392 British Birds 99 • July 2006 • 388-392 Guidelines for contributors i 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 BB Editorial Board or Notes Panel. 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), with amendments as detailed in Brit Birds 97: 2-5 and listed on the BB website at: www.britishbirds.co.uk/bblist.htm or, for non- West Palearctic species, Dickinson (2003), The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Names of plants should follow Stace (1999), Field Flora of the British Isles. 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: 4 1 9-427; 80: 502). Contributions should be submitted on disk or (preferably) by e-mail, to the Editor. Most word-processing applications are suitable, but, if you are not using an up-to-date, standard program, it is best to submit two versions, one in the original word-processed format and one in a basic text format such as RTF (Rich Text Format). For contributors without access to a computer, text should be submitted in duplicate, typewritten, with double spacing and wide margins, and on one side of the paper only. Hand-drawn figures should be in black ink on good-quality tracing paper or white drawing paper; lettering should be inserted lightly in pencil, while captions should be typed separately. Please discuss computer-generated maps and figures with the Editor before submitting them. For use in main papers, notes and letters, photographs can be submitted as 35 mm transparencies, high-quality prints or digital images. Digital images should be submitted as TIFF files in either PC or Mac format with a resolution of 300 dpi and the image sized at 15 cm wide. TIFF files should be supplied on a CD-rom. Digital images with a comparable resolution in other formats (e.g. JPEGs), must be saved as high/maximum quality files. Lower resolution images or video-grabs will be used more sparingly, and usually only when there is no alternative (for example, in ‘Recent reports’). All digital images must be submitted in their original state with no manipulation (e.g adjustment of colours, curves, etc.). Digital images can be emailed ONLY if they do not exceed I MB in size. Only images of the very highest quality, will be considered for a front-cover illustration. These would normally be 35 mm transparencies or digital images. British Birds also accepts artwork for cover illustrations from time to time. Guidelines for artists can be obtained from British Birds on request, or as a downloadable pdf file from the BB website at: www.britishbirds.co.uk/contributorguidelines.htm Images published in BB may also be reproduced on the BB website. Authors of main papers (but not notes or letters) will receive five free copies of the journal (plus three each to subsidiary authors of multi-authored papers). Further copies may be available on request in advance, but will be charged for. A schedule of payment rates for contributors (including authors, artists and photographers) is available from the Editor. NHBS Environment Bookstore Wildlife I Science I Conservation □ UK500: Birding in the Fast Lane James Hanlon An insight into the world of twitching, an anecdotal and humourous account of the author’s missions to add new birds to his ever-increasing British life-list. £9.99 #157718 Pbk Due 07/06 □ BWP/ Birds of the Western Palearctic Interactive - DVD ROM BirdGuides and OUP have combined their resources to produce the entire text of BWP (all 9 volumes) onto this interactive DVD ROM BWPi). £159.00 #149494 DVD 2004 □ World Butterflies Bernard d'Abrera Beautifully produced, this book is an indispensable quick reference for any serious butterfly enthusiast. All known butterfly families are represented. £18.50 #157040 Pbk 2006 3 □ Toucans of the Americ Tucanos das Americas Herculano Alvarenga and Ed\ Brettas _ Full-page watercolours depil exotic and eye-catching bin Americas from Mexico to S' Brazil. £34.50 #157766 Hbk 20041’' 1 □ Handbook of the Birds World. Volume 11: Old Worj* Flycatchers to Old World vl biers Edited by Josep Del Hoyo, Elliot and David Christie The latest volume in this series offers in-depth treaty some of the best studied 1 passerines. Due 09/06 £438 £112.00 #38602 Hbl, □ Birds of Brazil / Aves del An Artistic View / Uma Visao ft Tomas Sigrist This generous 672 page hartpfl teeming with exquisite draw|« sketches, and boasts 160 ilp pages of more than 1,800 E*# birds. Will dazzle ornitholocts artists everywhere. £99.95 #158563 Hbk and CD set 2006 □ The Birds of the State of Kuwait George Gregory Presents an accurate status account for each species of bird recorded in Kuwait. £15.00 #158961 Pbk 2005 □ The Birds of Malawi An Atlas and Handbook Frangoise Dowsett-Lemaire and Robert J Dowsett The stunning new resource recommended by Malawi 1 Ornithological Society as 1 the handbook for birding in Malawi. Due 07/06 £25.00 #158041 Pbk www.nhbs.com □ Dodo: The Bird Behind the Legend Alan Grihault A fascinating insight into the Dodo, packed with eyewit- ness writings, drawings, paintings and information about skeletal remains. £16.99 #146548 Pbk 2005 □ Birding Babylon A Soldier’s Journal from Iraq 1 Jonathan Trouern-Trend This little book cuts through tl, . politics of war like birdsong, reminding us of our imperisHf connection with nature. £6.50 #158403 Hbk 2006 || o o iai:iu r» -j T-i. ■r\r\ !/e r 1 00#000 natural history titles on www.nhbs.com T, ::: t, & Europe ■ in Europe - #1 50394 (r Ipeckers of Europe - #147075 3 ! Appraisal Methods - #49267 r A Complete Guide to all British and H n Species - #1 1 6539 r New to Britain: 1980-2004 -#152437 Birds of Britain and Ireland (CD) - #152439 irds of Dartmoor - #1 53729 - : k Warblers at Rostherne Mere - #154425 irds of Blakeney Point - #154836 fc of the Lower Derwent Valley - #155698 x n European Cities -#156455 il ; Bird eGuide (PDA card)- #1 58254 e irds of Dorset - #146209 c rods -#152398 . e VD Guide to British Birds - #149378 t of Anglesey - #151582 e one Curlew - #1 52794 . Bird Guide - Svensson et al. - #76053 ' do England -#142397 ’d'iritannica -#144004 : : Vs and Rivals: A Birding Oddity - #152005 : the World - tl.f Africa -#138896 'Hi :ii Guide to the Birds of Korea - #119805 nook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: ;n ![EJi Shrikes to - #1 7565 £30.00 hbk £35.00 hbk £9.99 £22.60 pbk £30.00 hbk £35.00 hbk £39.95 £18.95 pbk £10.00 pbk £25.00 hbk £12.50 pbk £25.95 hbk £89.95 £40.00 hbk £25.00 hbk £21.09 £24.99 pbk £35.00 hbk £24.99 hbk £40.00 hbk £35.00 hbk £7.99 pbk :XS] It uide to the Birds of China - #101745 d: f Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctic is r- #134338 - ' p' 3 of the World - Ferguson-Lees et al. - #5601 a ward and Moore Complete Checklist of the £37.50 pbk £35.99 pbk £55.00 hbk £60.00 hbk c ne World - #118038 :it Guide to the Birds of Peru - #63442 a Visa, ds ’ South Asia. The Ripley Guide - #147183 a sses and Petrels across the World - #132924 iWU ' Brazil / Aves do Brasil - #158563 - Ilii Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and 'a merica - #128718 e; ned Birds of the World - BirdLife - #110198 ’ ^. ro -#132926 95.00 hbk nc ok of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic ' : \ ume 7 - #141129 IP Birds of the Western Palearctic Interactive )l M- #149494 :k 3eese and Swans - #132928 b. #135863 >t< of the World: A Field Guide - #1 52432 is New Zealand: Locality Guide - #119998 ■C koos- #132929 L /aiian Honeycreepers - #1 27576 •or it Bird Areas in Zambia - #151418 'ui of Georgia and Caucasus - #153086 d ide to Birds of the Middle East - #146732 .'^tc of the World: A Field Guide - #152432 ide to Australian Birds - Morcombe - #146934 £42.00 pbk £52.95 hbk £95.00 hbk £99.95 hbk £25.00 hbk £83.00 hbk £159.00 ia« ! if a this form, orwww.nhbs.com/bb-books £29.99 pbk £24.95 pbk £138.00 hbk £245.00 hbk £150.00 hbk £95.00 hbk £19.99 pbk £31.00 pbk £95.00 hbk £95.00 hbk £14.00 pbk £14.99 pbk £24.99 pbk £19.99 pbk £29.95 pbk □ Birds of Myanmar - #151549 □ The Prion Birdwatcher's Guide to Trinidad and Tobago -#1241 59 □ The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America - #139714 □ The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America - #139713 □ Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba - #107843 □ Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America - #147067 □ Prion Birdwatchers' Guide to Morocco -#125756 □ Pelicans, Cormorants and their Relatives - #132925 General Natural History □ Speciation and Biogeography of Birds - #1 36740 □ Bird Ecology and Conservation - #144667 □ Endemic Bird Areas of the World - #63901 □ Conserving Bird Biodiversity - #127106 □ A Birdwatcher’s Guide: Bird Identification and Fieldcraft - #150659 □ Avian Flight - #144658 □ Weather and Bird Behaviour - #142406 □ Collins Identifying British Birds - #149499 □ The Bedside Book of Birds - #1 52344 □ Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World - #157297 □ The Secret Language of Birds - #157179 □ Raptors: A Field Guide to Survey and Monitoring - #1 59280 □ Hotspots Revisited - #151687 □ The Conservation Handbook - #1 01 322 □ Bumblebees -#152974 □ Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland -#122509 □ Field Guide to the Bumblebees of Great Britain and Ireland -#151805 □ Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and - #1 33842 □ Pocket Guide to Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland -#138851 □ Collins Complete British Insects - #144023 □ Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles -#81522 □ The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland - #158486 □ Gower -#137642 £25.00 pbk □ Collins Field Guide to Wildlife Sounds -#152977 □ Collins Complete British Animals - #1 51 702 □ The Nature of the Cairngorms - #159205 □ Wildlife Spectacles - #145033 □ Vanishing Wildlife CD - #158547 □ The Wild Flower Key - #143162 □ Mosses and Liverworts - #1 37629 □ An Illustrated Guide to British Upland Vegetation -#143741 □ The Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland - #116119 □ Fungi -#128711 □ Orchids of Britain and Ireland - #149253 □ Collins Tree Guide-#128715 □ Collins Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe - #70618 □ Great Crested Newt - #129585 □ Habitat Management for Bats - #95381 □ The Pine Marten -#136147 □ Bat Ecology -#152307 □ The Bats of Britain and Ireland - #136113 □ Identification of Bats in Flight - #10840 £18.50 pbk £14.75 pbk £14.99 pbk £14.99 pbk £19.99 pbk £45.00 hbk £14.75 pbk £95.00 hbk d i -vice postage & packing charges al jp to £5 £10 £30 £45 £65 £100 +£100 Video CD 3 'oq- British Birds British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: 4 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8SF British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches, Richard Porter, Bob Scott and Terry Smeeton. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Peter Oliver and Bob Scott. British Birds aims to be the leading journal for the modern birder in the Western Palearctic We aim to: •> provide a forum for contributions of interest to all birdwatchers in the Western Palearctic; publish material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy; ♦> embrace new ideas and research; •> maintain our position as the respected journal of record; and •> interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. British Birds Notes Panel Editor Roger Riddington Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Assistant Editors Caroline Dudley & Peter Kennerley Malcolm Ogilvie, Angela Turner (Co-ordinator) Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Annual subscription rates Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Libraries and agencies - £85.00 Roger Riddington, Steve Votier Individual subscriptions: UK - £46.00 Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Overseas surface mail - £52.00 Photographic Consultants Robin Chittenden & David Tipling Back issues Rarities Committee Single back issues — £6.50 Available from British Birds, Unit 3, The Applestore, Workhouse Lane, Icklesham, East Sussex TN36 4BJ Chairman Colin Bradshaw, Secretary Mike Rogers Rarities Issue - £12 (available as above) Chris Bradshaw, Phil Bristow, Lance Degnan, Please make all cheques payable to British Birds Martin Garner, Paul Harvev, James Lidster, John Martin, Adam Rowlands, Guidelines for Contributors Brian Small, John Sweeney Full details are available on the BB website. www.britishbirds.co.uk EDITORIAL CIRCULATION Spindrift, & PRODUCTION Eastshore, Virkie, Unit 3, The Applestore, Shetland ZE3 9JS Workhouse Lane, Icklesham, Tel: 01950 460080 East Sussex TN36 4BJ Papers, notes, letters, illustrations, etc. Tel: 01424 815132 Fax: 01424 815133 Rosier Riddington E-mail: editor@britishbirds.co.uk Design 6' Production ‘News & comment’ information Philippa Leegood E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk Adrian Pitches, 22 Dene Road, Subscriptions & Administration Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 2JW Hazel Jenner E-mail: adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk E-mail: subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Rarity' descriptions Design M. J. Rogers Mark Corliss secretary@bbrc.org.uk Printed by Hastings Printing Company Ltd ADVERTISING: for all advertising matters, please contact: Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factorv, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550 Fax: 020 8881 0990 E-mail: ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Front-cover photograph: Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatiis , Rudand Water, Leicestershire, March 2005. Chris Knights Israel 5th-1 2th November 2006 I Come and enjoy the peak birding season in the Hula Valley. In November, when the migration season is at its peak and after the wintering species have arrived, we invite you to experience lectures, guided tours and identification workshops to be held in the best birding sites in Northern Israel (including Hula, Maagan Michael, Bet Shean Valley and Gamla). Join some of the leading international experts: Gull identification on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea - Klaus M. 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We mak tvisl British Birds - 9 AUG 2006 Volume 99 • Number 8 'August 2006“’ 394 Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain Ashley Fisher and Bob Flood 40 1 Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches James S. Lees 404 Q From the Rarities Committee’s files: Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? Jimmy Steele 420 An unlikely survivor: the peculiar natural history of the Raso Lark Paul F. Donald and M. de L. Brooke 43 I Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking and David Tipling Regular features 44 1 News and comment 446 Recent reports Adrian Pitches Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey 446 Request Sightings of colour-ringed ‘ alba ’ wagtails l © British Birds 2006 Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain Ashley Fisher and Bob Flood ABSTRACT A Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae was seen from a boat approximately 10 km south of Scilly on 8th July 200 1 .Although there had been several previous sightings of Fea’s/Zino’s Petrels P. feae/madeira in British waters, this sighting constitutes the first accepted record of Fea’s Petrel for Britain. The total duration of the event lasted about 12 minutes, during which time the Fea’s Petrel flew past the boat on four or five occasions at a distance of no more than 20 m. Close views enabled detailed scrutiny of many key structural and plumage features, and these field observations were supported by a high-quality video sequence. The elimination of Soft-plumaged Petrel P. mollis and Zino’s Petrel is discussed. The one thing certain about pelagic trips is that you can never be certain what you will see. The 2000 pelagic season off Scilly had been particularly good, and July was by far the best month. In contrast, the 2001 season had been fairly quiet, the highlights being single Wilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus on eight dates up to 8th July, and we had become despondent. Our efforts were, however, more than compensated for on 8th July when, out of the blue and quite astonish- ingly, a Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae appeared at point-blank range off the starboard side of MV Kingfisher. On the evening of 8th July 2001, we were drifting and chumming approximately 10 km south of Scilly at 49°48.573’N 06°11.370’E. Weather conditions were fair. The wind was a moderate (force 3) northwesterly, enough to disperse the smell of the chum and cause drift, but the sea state remained reasonably calm with a slight swell and light waves. Cloud cover was 100%, but thin and high. All in all, conditions were good for a pelagic trip. Bob Flood (RLF) was in the cabin scanning the slick on the port side and Ashley Fisher (EAF) was on deck cov- ering the same area. Nigel Wheatley, along with three visiting birders, including Pete Massey and Mark Ponsford, was watching the starboard side. It had been another quiet evening when, cutting into the silence, we both heard Nigel’s distinctive yet perplexed voice from the star- board side asking, What’s that?’ Given the onset of apathy, this vague and restrained question barely attracted our interest. A few moments later, now flavoured with a touch of panic, Nigel exclaimed, ‘What is that?!’ EAF instantly pivoted through 180° and almost immediately screamed, ‘It’s a Fea’s! It’s a Fea’s! IT’S A FEA’S!’ In a flash, RLF leapt out of the cabin and without hesitation agreed with EAF. The bird had approached the bow of the boat from the east and passed the starboard side at a distance of about 10 m, continuing around the stern, roughly to the southwest. During this quick view, we established that the flight action was distinctive and, in general, appeared pratincole Glareola- like, buoyant with quick wingbeats and circling glides (cf. Gantlett 1995). It maintained this pattern of flight as it meandered some way off to the southwest. Nobody expected that this dream bird would turn back on itself and pass the boat again; but it did, four or five times, and each time at a distance of no more than 20 m. ; At each pass we were able to pay particular attention to the crucial features which separate Fea’s Petrel from the closely similar Zino’s j Petrel P. tnadeira , including plumage detail, bill and wing structure, and the bulk of the head, ] neck and body. It was immediately apparent to all observers on the MV Kingfisher that our bird had a stockier body and much longer wings than 394 © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394—400 Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain c Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus (also seen that evening). A striking feature was its deep and heavy black bill. The head was thickset, with a dark crown and ‘panda-like’ smudge marking through the eye. There were smudge markings at the side of the neck, but these did not continue across the breast in a full or even partial band, so the centre of the breast remained completely white. The body was sub- stantial, with a full breast, tapering at the rear to a blunt point at the end of the tail. The under- parts (including the breast) were bright white, while the mantle was grey. The wings had both a long ‘hand’ and a long ‘arm’, the trailing edge of the primaries showed little or no convex cur- vature and the ‘hand’ was clearly pointed. A subtle ‘M’ was visible across the brown-grey upperwings, while the underwing showed a pattern of greys with a small extension of white onto the base of the under-forewing. Video footage was secured and video grabs illustrate many of the features described above (plates 194-198). The experience was breathtaking, not only because of the close views, but also because the bird stayed with the boat for so long and swept past at close range on four or five occasions. It was able to glide seemingly without effort low over the sea on bowed wings and yet, in a moment, was able to carry out graceful sweeping turns and circular manoeuvres. It is not possible to describe in words the impact of such a sight on a seabird fan! The Pterodroma petrels are near-mythical birds, and to see a Fea’s Petrel so well and within sight of home was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Description Overall size and structure In comparison with Manx Shearwater seen that evening: (a) body length roughly the same; (b) head and neck more thickset and body form stockier; (c) wings noticeably longer; and (d) bill a good deal heavier and deeper. Structural details Bill: large, heavy, and deep. Head and neck: large-headed and bullnecked. Body: stocky and full-chested, tapering towards rear end. Tail: long and tapered, coming to a rounded blunt point. Wings: long and slim with pointed hand, and minimal convex curvature to the trailing edge of the primaries (apparent in every frame of the video footage). ) Plumage At distance, the bird looked almost mono- chrome. Head: ostensibly hooded, comprising a dark, dirty-grey crown, darker than neck and mantle, and darker still panda-like smudgy blackish eye-patch. Mantle: grey, contrasting with paler uppertail-coverts and tail. Tail and uppertail-coverts: paler than the rest of the upperparts, appearing pale grey to almost white. Throat and underparts: white. Central breast: clear and unmarked with no more than a grey patch on the sides of the neck and upper- breast, and thus lacking a lateral breast-band. Upperwing: grey-brown (more brown than grey) with an observable but, to some observers, subtle ‘M’ across the outstretched wings formed by dark primaries and primary coverts, dark secondary, median and lesser coverts, and a dark band across an otherwise grey rump that connected the two ‘half-Ms’ on each wing. Underwing: at long-range, appeared entirely dark; at middle-range, a small extension of white onto the base of the under-forewing was apparent; and at close-range and also visible in video grabs, a complex of grey shades that formed a broad, dark bar in the region of the median underwing-coverts, and which faded at the carpal joint. This dark bar was accentuated by the conspicuous white inner forewing and a greyer central area extending to the arm and hand. Trailing edge appeared darker than the greyer central area. Bare parts Bill black. Legs not visible. Flight action Distinctive and that of a typical Pterodroma. The following describes the Fea’s flight action as caught on video. At times gliding quite effort- lessly, low over the sea on bowed wings, punctu- ated occasionally by two to six wingbeats. The bird would gain momentum with a run of faster wingbeats, and rise effortlessly up to 3-4 metres, turn and complete a full circle on a downward glide before tilting the other way and peeling off in the opposite direction. Call Silent, no call heard. Why Fea’s Petrel? Separation of Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels requires the utmost care and attention to detail, com- British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394-H00 395 Ashley Fisher Ashley Fisher Ashley Fisher Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain c ) bined with exceptional viewing conditions, while the unlikely possibility of a Soft- plumaged Petrel P. mollis is more readily addressed. Until the appearance of the Scilly bird, no Fea’s/Zino’s Petrels seen previously around the coasts of Britain had been suffi- ciently close, or lingered for long enough, to enable the crucial features to be examined in detail. Now, we were presented with an unprecedented opportunity to clinch the identi- fication to the species level, one way or the other. Although we had no prior experience of positively identified Fea’s or Zino’s Petrels, RLF 1 94-198. Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae, at sea, 1 0 km south of Scilly, 8th July 200 1 (video grabs). Note the large, heavy bill, grey hood and blackish eye-patch, the long and slim pointed wings, the minimal convex curvature to the trailing edge of the primaries, blackish underwings with conspicuous white inner forewings, complete lack of breast-band, and the grey mantle contrasting with paler tail and uppertail-coverts (see also fig. I , p, 398). had previously seen two Fea’s/Zino’s Petrels from Scilly-based pelagics and Soft-plumaged Petrel at sea off Cape Town, South Africa. Sub- sequently, he has seen Fea’s Petrel near Madeira, another positively identified Fea’s Petrel off Scilly, and a further three Fea’s/Zino’s, also off Scilly. In addition, Pete Massey and Mark Pons- ford had seen one Fea’s/Zino’s Petrel while sea- watching from the mainland; but for EAF, this was his first-ever Pterodroma , although he has since seen another positively identified Fea’s Petrel and two additional Fea’s/Zino’s Petrels from Scilly-based pelagics. Added to this, both British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394—400 396 Ashley Fisher Ashley Fisher Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain c RLF and EAF are highly experienced pelagic seabirders, typically venturing into the seas around Scilly about 50 times each year between June and October in search of seabirds, in most sea states from balmy doldrum conditions up to force 6 or 7. Consequently, we are extremely familiar with all the likely species that we could encounter, in a range of weather and sea condi- tions; and were fully aware of all the features that we needed to concentrate on in the event of such an encounter. Given the outstanding views and supporting video footage of this bird, we knew that the possibility existed that this bird could be posi- tively identified. Excluding Soft-plumaged Petrel was fairly straightforward at the time of observation, owing to the lack of breast-band and whitish tail among other things, but elimi- nating the closely similar Zino’s Petrel required careful attention to detail and critical observa- tion of key features. After 12 minutes of out- standing views, combined with photographic support, we were confident that we had also eliminated Zino’s Petrel. Elimination of Soft-plumaged Petrel Soft-plumaged invariably has a complete, or near-complete, lateral breast-band (of 250 seen in the southern oceans in March 2006, RLF noted just one with a near-complete lateral breast-band, the remainder being complete), whereas our bird showed a clear and unmarked breast with no more than a grey patch on either side of the neck and upper breast. Our bird also had a dark, dirty-grey crown, darker than the neck and mantle, whereas a Soft-plumaged Petrel would show a clean’ grey crown, similar in tone to neck and mantle. In addition, the tail of the Scilly bird was paler than the rest of the upperparts, appearing somewhere from pale grey to almost white, whereas the tail of Soft- plumaged is clean grey and similar in tone to the mantle. Crucially, the bill structure of our bird was large, heavy and deep, whereas the bill structure of most Soft-plumaged Petrels is intermediate between that of Fea’s Petrel and the much slimmer bill of Zino’s Petrel (see lan Lewington’s illustrations in FFarrop 2004). We were extremely confident that Soft-plumaged Petrel had been eliminated using this combina- tion of features. Elimination of Zino’s Petrel Given that the plumages of Fea’s and Zino’s ) Petrels are, to all intents and purposes, identical, their separation relies on a combination of size and structural differences, with Fea’s being the larger and heavier of the two species. In terms of body size and structure, in com- parison with Manx Shearwater our bird was about the same length, but stockier, which favours Fea’s Petrel. Furthermore, the body was stocky and full-chested, tapering towards the rear end; the bird was large-headed and thick- necked, features which again point towards Fea’s, and which are supported by the video sequences. In comparison, Zino’s Petrel is said to be decidedly smaller than Manx Shearwater in body size, with a fairly slender and near flat- chested structure, thus tapering to a long narrow rear end, and the head and neck are described as dove-like, not hefty, and more like the head and neck of a ‘Cookilaria’ petrel (Brinkley 2004). Therefore, the body size and structure are strongly indicative of Fea’s Petrel, and given that it is, on average, approximately 50% heavier than Zino’s, this difference must be evident in the field. Bill structure is undoubtedly the single most crucial feature which can clinch the identifica- tion. The bill of our bird was large, heavy and deep; a feature noted at the time of observation and again supported in the video sequences. In comparison, the bill of Zino’s is described as shallow, even thin, in profile. Reports from observers who have been fortunate to observe Zino’s Petrels at sea confirm that the light bill structure gives Zino’s a very distinctive appear- ance and makes it look quite different from Fea’s (Brinkley 2004; also see photograph in Fisher 1989). Wing shape provides further supporting evi- dence towards a positive identification in favour of Fea’s Petrel. In all still images taken from the video footage, and thus when seen in many dif- ferent positions, the wing shape of our bird is long and slim, with pointed ‘hands’ and minimal convex curvature to the trailing edge of the primaries. In general, the wing of Fea’s Petrel appears long and slim because P10 is longer than P9 (primaries numbered descen- dantly, P10 being the outermost). In contrast, the wing structure of Zino’s Petrel appears shorter and blunter because P10 is the same length as, or slightly shorter than, P9. This issue is important, as it provides an explanation for the ‘pointed Fea’s vs. blunter Zino’s wing-tip theory’ (Gantlett 1995; Tove 2001). British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394-400 397 Ashley Fisher Fea's Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain c ■F&A 's TerreeJ— c. 7 A/I|4_e.s S ooy_ u tu CO\^ ^ VviXOVkJ^jLT', bod r^cAxoLxJb^ dV\ bcT^jJM' VA>JU\t^ -4 tcvi-1 t ^at^u" , bix«JLi-r V VvjLfc*.\ -4 ( S ^fu£pxru\llu^ lodl ba*cd ) . -4 ’tKuJe^ai . ^ odl - \o+**c~A*A ( Tod - W^JJhijiA ^ * Qox^pwxb-d b^ brtyu' Wu^i ) . Ab Ca-fbu-’x o jt^SlsO , & «cofirnA-«\#JkC. <»^pptAiJL*A ^u^exj' ■ CcrSfiJLtb) ^OTTrW^ \|'%o\aTUj eA^ A L cJutlu. pc-j\^C (SOrr) 7H ‘ ^>ciL-rrv (c nM»i - loo-r) cbj^vuJd be cdids^d . ^►^-fTVcoAi^ ___ Pr-UYYO^ CctVAkLiJ WVa-Jca^^ • %* lojji ^IUj - \o^)4j\p , Upp-M^ajJi - *4 ttvj poi^. ^*uj poW- ^V\aA C”4 OjYxXrc-jbvj w»&t) c^ x*pp o-pexA^ . Vi ^ f^rxduYCcd*- - ^ - rud |^wil A*j^ b. ^L^ki oJuLcn bod rrowJuj b tKjL C«^d b«t^- .-^ bbcub- uu\Aojamaj\^o “* U>-kAp, WcrdlJ • li'CrrtW'OJ\d ptJo. OoyicuA! od ioci^o «- pMJYiAr^ CoV^uJl^ App*i^j^-d VvocAaA ( VJcvauAo «*«-oJbruj Cor\j'€ SVyAirTWolil-r JA -4 5 e*bo oj^ C A ct. Aaiob i . C, ro\wr\ -4 *oe^C - / bbode^h bf\dltrUrU\^ pkw> A^Xo-.\d \ • N\o^L.-c CZ' G^pdurJ^^ L-c\»cr r+-t>jr ScopvJu^i blculu/^. — RxxJ Luy, brennd . \Jo^kJuj r-^xA^bi^ ^uJLrrve^. VJpp^-vuAA^ -bfWjjt^ C<^c><, bro^jjr^ b^*-0 C^T-*-xj J ^»AV> VTVMd^bj prsmwuod C A*^p-4J\AjLf\^ crr\ rewrv^c^ -4 cv4>aV ^ vAloc J l^bxsbwdh < b'A * paKOTt . At r-r^vyc. , fTUrrVC - cl\rerr»\fi_ C ^ toV^- - b -<■ o^VsAs-) . l\ioLr»«rv»^\/)b \oLc-cW_ bj\x CXj0^3-3 fY\lAjLAj*\ CrVM(A/J . / r / — ^crr4\«l p rOpdju;'t\SuA . - - Co-N***ib/ ) Ojtn/] g|Jpi>.r.iMji CctjPpd - ^Om"~ VxrerbAd \otu\i Cr< — POUu\Aj-d 1 L JUl3. or- (Vc Ccrt\ - V/nxlx CAju-srobj-^U b. bra-b,'^ - b«bdkw4 prcTtWW\4x. cr^ b\x. rM‘p<>^j^' Qj Lrooo U\a. wpf3-«.-ujUuy-d QoKlkLj TvrJvi- Fig. I. Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae, at sea, 1 0 km south of Scilly, 8th July 200 1 . 398 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394-A00 Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain < 1 99. Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae, at sea, 1 7 km west of Scilly, 6th September 2004. Note the notch between the tip of the nostrils and the back of the hook at the tip of the upper mandible; this important feature for the elimination of Zino’s Petrel P. madeira was visible only from photographs. Including the July 2001 bird described above, we are fortunate to have observed a total of six Pterodroma petrels during pelagic trips off Scilly. Although viewing conditions varied, all appeared identical in shape and structure, and there is no evidence to suggest that any of these six Pterodroma petrels were anything other than Fea’s Petrel. One individual seen par- ticularly well from MV Sapphire on 6th Sep- tember 2004, approximately 17 km west of Scilly, for about ten minutes at close range, has also been accepted as a definite Fea’s Petrel (Flood & Lascelles 2004; Rogers et al. 2005). On this individual, we were able to see an addi- tional important feature that supported the identification as Fea’s Petrel (from photographs, although not visible in the field; plate 199). The bill had a notch-like shape between the tip of the nostrils (naricorn) and the rear of the hook at the tip of the upper mandible (maxillary unguis). In comparison, this area of the bill in Zino’s is wedge-like in shape (Flarrop 2004). References Brinkley, N. 2004. Zino's Petrel at sea off Madeira, 27th April 2004. http://madeira.seawatching.net/files/ Madeira2004_NB.pdf Fisher D. 1 989. Pterodroma petrels in Madeira. Birding World 2: 286. Flood, R. L., & Lascelles, B. 2004. Another Fea's Petrel off Scilly. Birding World 1 7: 392. Gantlett, S. 1 995. Field separation of Fea's, Zino's and Soft- plumaged Petrels. Birding World 8: 256-260. Harrop, A. H.J. 2004.The 'soft-plumaged petrel' complex: a review of the literature on taxonomy identification and distribution. Brit. Birds 97: 6- 1 5. Rogers, M.J., and the Rarities Committee. 2005. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2004. Brit. Birds 98: 628-694. Tove, M. 200 1 .Verification of suspected field identification differences in Fea's and Zino's Petrels. Birding World 1 4: 283-289. Zino, R A., & Zino, F. 1 986. Contribution to the study of the petrels of the genus Pterodroma in the archipelago of Madeira. Bol. A4us. Mun. Funchal 180: 141-165. Ashley Fisher, Trehill, Silvester’s Lane, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NA Bob Flood, 14 Ennor Close, Old Town, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NL British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394-400 399 Ben Lascelles Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain c > EDITORIAL COMMENT Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, com- mented: ‘The assessment of this record perhaps demonstrated the different roles of BBRC and BOURC, and how interaction between the committees can improve the function of both. Most BBRC members had assessed over a dozen records of Pterodroma petrels and had a good understanding of what was required of a record for it to prove conclusive at the species level and the point at which they would be prepared to accept the balance of probability. They were comfortable that, given the bird’s plumage, the general appearance of a bulky petrel with a heavy bill could be consistent only with Fea’s and ruled out the possibility of Zino’s. The fact that no individual freeze-frame on the video clinched the shape of the bill was not seen as a major problem, especially as the observers had provided a detailed sketch of the bill shape, and members were all satisfied with the identification. ‘BOURC members examined the record from the slightly different perspective of whether the evi- dence conclusively proved the occurrence of the species so that it could be placed on the official British List. They were able to compare this record with the bird photographed from the MV Scillonian one month later, on which the bill shape could be seen. Large amounts of time were spent examining indi- vidual frames on the video and none conclusively showed the bill shape. After considerable discussion, both committees came to the conclusion that the overall impression of the bird was compatible only with Fea’s. This record helpfully demonstrates, as mentioned in the ‘From the Rarities Committee’s files’ (Brit. Birds 95: 156-165), how boat-based observation has much greater potential for securing difficult vagrant seabird records than land-based observation, owing to duration of observation, prox- imity to birds and greater photographic opportunities.’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee, has com- mented: ‘As mentioned by limmy Steele (pp. 404-419) and by Andrew Harrop in his review of the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex (Brit. Birds 97: 6-15), birders have been excited yet perplexed by Pterodroma petrels in the North Atlantic for over 20 years. ‘Given the paucity of records and the challenges in obtaining good views and/or photographs, it was not surprising that development of reliable identification criteria involved a lengthy gestation period. Perhaps a contributory factor is a complete lack of specimen records (historical or recent) that would have otherwise given some tangible identification clues to the taxa involved. Furthermore, the increase in frequency in records during the 1990s appears to represent a recent, genuine status change in British (and North American) waters. The Fea’s Petrel seen in July 2001 afforded the observers a perfect opportunity to clinch identifica- tion to species level, as the bird made a handful of close flights past the boat over a period of 12 minutes. Detailed notes supported by video clips formed the basis of Ashley Fisher and Bob Flood’s submission. ‘There was considerable support for the record within BOURC, though a few members expressed concern that the visible bill details could not effectively rule out Zino’s Petrel. For example, as the smallest Fea’s bill length measured by Zino & Zino (1986) was only 1 mm longer than the largest Zino’s bill (26 mm), it was considered that resolution of such a difference in the field presented a sig- nificant identification challenge. Relative measurement of the bill from video stills proved impossible owing to image pixellation. The aspect of bill size and shape was discussed exhaustively by members. During the circulation, however, it became clear that an overall impression of bulkiness to the bill was of greater value than precise dimensions, and Fea’s Petrel on the whole appeared more robust than Zino’s Petrel. It was agreed that this aspect of the description did indicate such a distinctive, bulk)' bill; in conjunction with the other details, this clearly pointed to Fea’s Petrel, so permitting its acceptance to Category A of the British List.’ 400 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 394-T00 Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches James S. Lees ABSTRACT A Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae gave prolonged views to several hundred birders from the MV Scillonian III on an annual pelagic trip in August 2001. This well-documented record was for a short time the first accepted record of this species in Britain. However, an individual preceding it by 35 days was subsequently accepted as the first British record. The following article describes the circumstances surrounding this exciting find and explains the features which allowed the bird to be identified as a Fea’s Petrel. During the early hours of 12th August 2001, almost 300 birders, myself included, boarded the MV Scillonian III at Penzance, Cornwall, for its fourteenth annual pelagic voyage into the Western Approaches. As sea conditions looked promising, with a strong southwesterly wind blowing, the trip seemed certain to be a success. Little did we know that we were in for an interesting ride, featuring sea- sickness and disappointment, and culminating in an extreme adrenalin rush. Shortly after departing at 05.00 hrs, we encountered our first European Storm-petrels Hydrobates pelagicus , to be followed quickly by deteriorating weather conditions. We had been at sea for only a couple of hours when the wind picked up considerably and brought with it rain, thick mist, and an incredible swell. Waves crashed over the boat, washing away the spirits of the hopeful birders and several people started mumbling about how they wished they had never come aboard. The cold and damp mood was definitely not helped by the many who had begun to be seasick. The situation remained dire until, some five hours into the voyage and about 40 km from Scilly, the visibility gradually began to improve and birds started to appear. Things improved further as we stopped close to two trawlers, which were accompanied by approximately 200 European Storm-petrels and an adult Sabine’s Gull Larus sabini. Although a great morale booster, these birds were still not the Wilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus that we were hoping to see. By now, 1 was feeling much better and enjoying a midday snack, and my spirits were further raised as I spotted a Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis, although many missed this bird as they were either sleeping or still suffering from the after- effects of the previously violent sea conditions. Unfortunately, that short period of excitement quickly vanished along with the shearwater, and things remained quiet for some time. Many birders were of the opinion that things were never going to improve, and that we might as well turn the Scillonian around and head back to Penzance. lust after midday, we arrived at the famous ‘Wilson’s Triangle’, an area of sea about 100 km southwest of Scilly, at 49°08’N 06°54’W. By now, the mist and rain had finally cleared, the sea was a good deal calmer, and the sun had even begun to poke through the clouds. Having reached our destination, it was with fingers crossed that a few brave men began throwing the evil-smelling chum from the back of the boat in the hope of attracting some of the sought-after seabirds. We slowly circled around the chum slick and waited patiently. Seemingly out of nowhere, birds began to appear in order to investigate. Quickly, large numbers of Northern Gannets Moms bas- sanus and European Storm-petrels assembled, circling and weaving around the boat and among the waves; a welcome sight but there were still no Wilson’s Storm-petrels to be seen. Shortly after the second Great Shearwater of the trip came in close, a lot of incomprehensible shouting arose from the back of the boat. Steve Rogers was clearly onto something exciting and everyone was frantic to hear what he © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 401—403 401 Gary Bellingham Gary Bellingham Gary Bellingham Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches flfcW ’<*»••• mm * > ■ - <******■' m**1*1 was saying, and to see what he was watching. People behind him could tell it was something good, and assumed it to be a Wilson’s Storm-petrel. During the ensuing chaos we heard the unforgettable announcement over the ship’s tannoy system: ‘“SOFT- PLUMAGED PETREL” IN THE WAKE!’ That was when the adrenalin rush really kicked in and complete pandemo- nium broke out. People scrambled frantically to try to see this amazing bird and pushed in to get a good spot for a clear view. As hun- dreds of seabirds were flying around, it was impossible to pick out the petrel quickly and for many, myself included, there was a period of panic as we thought we would miss it completely. Finally, I got onto the bird just as it sheared off and away from the boat. Although I was greatly relieved to have seen it, I was also hugely disap- pointed that it had not been in view for very long. Even though about only half of the birders on board had managed to see it, a huge cheer erupted around the 402 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 40 1 —403 c Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches boat. We were determined to have another look, so the Scillonian turned and slowly steamed towards the distant chum slick and the direc- tion in which the bird had been heading when it disappeared. Several minutes later, to the relief of all on board, the petrel reappeared and flew towards the bow and along the starboard side of the ship. An eerie silence then befell the assem- bled birders, as everyone soaked up this once- in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch a Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae at close range in British waters. In total, it spent about 80 minutes feeding close to the boat, and everyone on board had fan- tastic views as it flew between the waves to feed on the chum. The first thing that really struck me about the petrel was its behaviour: the way it flew was strange, and quite different from the flight action used by any other species of seabird I had seen. Initially, it would glide effortlessly across the water and then suddenly and sharply bank; it would then rise to quite a height and almost turn back on itself before repeating the entire sequence. The bird was approximately the same size as a Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus but was structurally quite different. It was big-chested with a thick neck and reasonably long, pointed wings. Although there were only a few colours apparent on the petrel, these were particularly striking, making this a most distinctive bird. The most obvious features were the dark wings contrasting with whiter-than-white body parts. The throat, breast, belly, flanks and undertail- coverts were entirely white. Above this, a band of grey extended over the neck, and a dark-grey to black mask covered the eye, making the bird resemble a bandit. The overall tone of the upperwings was grey, becoming darker towards the wing-tips, and the tail was a paler shade of grey. The classic dark ‘M’ to the upper surface of the wings was not always obvious and it was a feature that depended on the light and the angle of the bird. Luckily, the petrel came in quite close to the boat on several occasions, and during these passes, it was easy to see the thick, heavy bill, the feature that clinched the identification as Fea’s Petrel. On one occasion, I was fortunate to be standing at the front of the boat when it came in and landed quite near to the bow. The most memorable thing about this experience was that when the bird took off, running along the surface of the water, its pink legs and feet were clearly visible. During its prolonged stay, many photographs were taken of the bird, and examination of these served to support the identification as Fea’s Petrel. Ultimately, it was the quality of these images that led to the accep- tance of this bird as Fea’s Petrel. As we began the return journey to Penzance, the Fea’s Petrel, along with a Sooty Shearwater P. griseus and hundreds of European Storm- petrels followed us for some distance. The excitement of the afternoon’s find also carried us home, and the dreary and frustrating start to the day was forgotten completely. Even though the pelagic started off badly, with poor weather conditions dampening spirits, the day was con- sidered a huge success. After arriving home I thought I would never have another chance to see such an amazing seabird in Britain. Luckily for me, however, I saw one only a year later, while working on North Ronaldsay, Orkney. Again, it was the same characteristic flight behaviour that was noticeable, even at long range. In fact, watching the North Ronaldsay bird from land was benefi- cial in the sense that this behaviour of turning back on itself was extremely obvious, probably more so than from a boat. Nonetheless, I will never forget my first Fea’s Petrel - the boat trip out was unforgettable, the birders good company, and the Fea’s Petrel memorable beyond belief1. James S. Lees Reserve Warden, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT EDITORIAL COMMENT For a short time, this sighting represented the first accepted record for Britain, since it was accepted by BOURC at a time when the luly 2001 record (see pp. 394-400) was still under consideration. A press release confirming its acceptance by BOURC was issued on 15th September 2005. As with the earlier record, the photographic documentation, in particular the superb pho- tographs by Gary Bellingham, was crucially important to RBRC and BOLfRC members in deciding the outcome of the record-assessment process. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 401-403 403 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? Jimmy Steele ABSTRACT Sightings of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ Pterodroma mollis/madeira/feae in British waters have increased significantly in the last 20 years, and there has been a growing realisation that all the British birds show a suite of characters associated with Fea’s Petrel P. feae. Fea’s Petrel has recently been accepted onto the British List, and there are now three accepted records for Britain, all seen in the Southwest Approaches, in July 200 1, August 2001 and September 2004 (see pp. 394—403). The steady accumulation of records has focused attention on the criteria necessary to assess claims of this species. This paper summarises the current situation, reviews the identification of Fea’s Petrel in comparison with Zino’s P. madeira and Soft-plumaged Petrel P. mollis, and attempts to establish those characters which are required for records to be accepted, either at the species level or as being of the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex. ZEISS The ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex com- prises five taxa that were, until recently, considered conspecific. Most authorities now consider that there are three separate species: Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis (with two subspecies, mollis and dubia), Fea’s Petrel P. feae (with two subspecies, feae and deserta) and Zino’s Petrel P. madeira. These taxa were traditionally known as a single species, ‘Soft-plumaged Petrel’, and this paper refers to them collectively as the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex. Although this name is somewhat con- fusing, there is no obvious alternative that neatly packages the three species together, and which is equally well understood and accepted. In his review of the taxonomy, distribution and identification of the group, Harrop (2004) established a baseline against which past and future European records of these three species can be judged; in part, this paper is intended to build upon those foundations. The two Fea’s Petrels photographed at sea off Scilly in 2001, and described elsewhere in this issue (pp. 394-403), were subject to extremely detailed analysis. The main aim of this paper is to analyse the descriptions of all the remaining accepted British records, up to and including 2000, to establish whether there is any evidence to suggest that more than one species is occur- ring. This analysis thus concentrates on the records before the first accepted Fea’s Petrel, in luly 2001; a period when separation characters of the three species were less well understood and when field observations were, by default. 404 © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? ) less focused on key criteria than they would be today. Assigning records to species level is explicitly not the aim of this paper; however, by looking for consistent themes and exceptions in the records as a whole, some interesting pat- terns emerge. The occurrence of'sofi-plumaged petrels’ in British waters The first British record of ‘soft-plumaged petrel’, seen by Tim Inskipp off Dungeness, Kent, on 15th October 1983, was reported without fanfare as a ‘gadfly petrel’ in the Recent reports section of BB (Brit. Birds 77: 38; Rogers et al. 2004). The second for Britain, off Porthg- warra, Cornwall, on 1 2th— 1 4th August 1989 (Rogers et al. 1992, 1994), was seen by many more people and was greeted with widespread incredulity. Had the Porthgwarra bird (or, pos- sibly, birds) also been seen by only a single observer, it might have created much less of a stir. It was, however, seen by a steadily increasing band of observers on the second day, and became almost twitchable by the third day, when it was assumed that a single individual was following the circuitous feeding movements of other seabirds off Porthgwarra (Rogers et al. 1992). There is no doubt that the number of observers who submitted high-quality descrip- tions helped to smooth its path through BBRC. When that record was first accepted, in the early 1990s, it was tempting to consign it to the ‘remarkable seabird’ category, along with Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleutica , Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus and perhaps Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis. The third record, concerning two birds off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, in September 1991 (Rogers et al. 1995), appeared, on the face of it, even more remarkable. However, another east-coast record, in Northumberland in September 1993, followed by two birds in the Irish Sea - singles off Bardsey, Gwynedd, in September 1994 and Formby Point, Lan- cashire, in September 1995 - suggested that ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ were occurring with increasing frequency in British waters (Rogers et al. 1996, 1997). Appendix 1 summarises all accepted records of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ recorded in British waters up to and including 2004. Events in Ireland were closely matching those in Britain, with single birds reported from Old Head of Kinsale, Co. Cork, in August 1989 and August 1992; Cape Clear, Co. Cork, in August 1990 and August 1993; St (ohn’s Point, Co. Down, in August 1991; Galley Head, Co. Cork, in September 1991, August 1992 and October 1992; and Mizen Head, Co. Cork, where two were seen on 24th August 1994 (Appendix 2). Interestingly, both Dymond et al. (1989) and Enticott (1999) included a Ptero- droma petrel seen in September 1974 off Cape Clear as a ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ (and this has subsequently been accepted as Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel by IRBC), suggesting that their occur- rence in British and Irish waters may not be an entirely ‘new’ phenomenon. A remarkable six birds appeared in 1996, spread widely throughout British waters from Cornwall and Scilly to southwest Wales, northern Scotland and the North Sea. With a further three records from Ireland, 1996 proved to be a water- shed for ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ in Britain. The rest is history. Accepted records now extend all around the British coast, even reaching beyond 60°N off Shetland, the most northerly record to date. The English east coast has accounted for a significant proportion of records, but the coasts of southwest England remain the most likely region to encounter these birds in Britain. Despite the early sightings, the rapid rise in records through the 1990s is difficult to reconcile with anything other than a genuine change of status in British and Irish waters. 18 15 12 9 Jnl Jn2 Jn3 Jll JI2 JI3 Al A2 A3 SI S2 S3 Ol 02 03 Nl N2 N3 Fig. I. Accepted records of ‘soft-plumaged petrels' Pterodroma mollis/madeira/feae recorded from British (dark) and Irish (pale) waters, organised in ten-day periods between June and November. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-4 1 9 405 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? } Interestingly, a similar pattern of increase off the east coast of the USA was apparent over an almost identical period. Here, birds were mostly seen from boats off the coasts of North Car- olina and Virginia, from 1988 onwards (Tove 1997). One seen and photographed off Nova Scotia in 1997 was the first record for Canada (Hooker & Baird 1997). The global status of Zino’s, Fea’s and Soft- plumaged Petrel With a breeding population estimated recently to be some 65-80 pairs (cf. 20-30 pairs according to BirdLife International 2000), Zino’s Petrel remains one of the world’s rarest seabirds, although its conservation status has recently been downgraded from Critical to Endangered as a result of more breeding pairs being discovered on the island of Madeira (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index. html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp). This global rarity, together with the fact that the breeding season on Madeira extends from late March through to October, when the young fledge (a period that coincides with most ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ records in British waters), makes the appearance of Zino’s Petrel in the western North Atlantic at this time unlikely, although by no means impossible. Fea’s Petrel is classified as Vulnerable by BirdLife International (2004). The nominate subspecies breeds on the islands of Fogo, Santo Antao, Sao Nicolau and Santiago in the Cape Verde archipelago, where the population is esti- mated to be around 500-1,000 pairs (Snow & Perrins 1998). In addition, the subspecies P. f. deserta breeds on Bugio in the Deserta Islands of Madeira, where its current population is esti- mated to be some 170-260 pairs (BirdLife International 2004). On the Cape Verdes, the main laying period is from mid December to late February, while in the Desertas the main laying period is from mid July to mid August (cf. Zino’s Petrel, which generally lays between mid May and mid June; Snow & Perrins 1998). Unlike the two previous species, Soft- plumaged Petrel breeds on oceanic islands in the southern hemisphere, where the population is believed to number some tens of thousands of pairs. The nominate form breeds on Gough and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, while P. m. dubia is a common breeding bird on Marion, Prince Edward, Crozet and Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean, and on the Antipodes Islands, south of New Zealand. Cur- rently, there is just one accepted record of Soft- plumaged Petrel in the Western Palearctic: at Eilat, Israel, on 25th March 1997. There are no claims of this species from the North Atlantic. Assessing records of the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex To many birders with a particular interest in seabirds, a ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ is one of the most enigmatic and exciting birds on the British List. It is distinctive, globally rare and, in its own way, spectacular to watch; and its occur- rence is difficult to predict. However, for those fortunate enough to see one, there remains a nagging problem. The taxonomic issues and the associated identification problems mean that, unless individuals are seen extremely well and, ideally, photographed, doubt must remain about whether they can be assigned to a given species with total confidence. In most cases, the identification of Soft- plumaged Petrel can be addressed with a fair degree of confidence in terms of plumage and structural features, although some birds remain problematic. Separation of Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels is a completely different proposition, particularly without photographic or biometric evidence, and (arguably) positive identification is effectively impossible from land. The key sep- aration features rely entirely on biometrics and structure (see Harrop 2004). Despite some quite large differences, such information is extremely difficult to assess reliably in the field. Increas- ingly, the problem has been addressed by using the probability of occurrence to categorise records: the possibility of Zino’s is eliminated on the basis of its global rarity and all birds are assumed to be Fea’s. On the face of it, this doesn’t seem unreasonable, based on their status as we know it (see above); however, it is worth remembering that Fea’s Petrel is itself a globally rare bird, and that so little is known about either taxon that it is possible that both species occur in British waters. In terms of record assessment and statistics, BBRC has a problem. The Committee could simply go with the flow and just accept that any non-photographed ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ is actually Fea’s Petrel; or it could take a hard line and consider that anything without a perfect photograph is not identifiable. The question is not as trivial and introspective as it usually is with problems such as this. The change in status 406 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? > of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ in northern waters can, perhaps, be attributed to environmental changes such as sea temperatures or feeding conditions. This change in status may therefore have a political dimension, for example as an indicator of wider environmental change. This is easier to explain if individuals within this complex are described in terms of a named species (thus, like it or not, granting them polit- ical status), rather than a scientifically realistic, but less tangible ‘either/or’. Methods A qualitative approach has been used for this analysis. Every record of ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ between 1989 and 2000 that has been assessed and accepted by BBRC has been comprehen- sively reviewed. It is an indication of both the distinctiveness of the birds and the quality of the descriptions that relatively few records have not been accepted during this period. Data on the key separation features for the three species, mollis, feae and madeira, have been extracted in the form of the narrative phrases used by observers in their descriptions. When submis- sions were received from more than one observer, all key phrases were extracted, but only those that best described the feature con- cerned are included in the tables (tables 1 & 2). Where clear discrepancies between descriptions exist (for example, if one observer said that the bird was sharp-winged and the other said it was round-winged), then both are reported. Gener- ally, the most precise descriptions are reported but in the case of some very similar descriptions they have either been amalgamated to give a more concise appraisal of the feature, or reported together. In such cases, great care has been taken to ensure that the original meaning has not been changed. The key areas for which data are reported here are as follows: /. Separation of Soft-plumaged Petrel from Pea’s and Zino’s Petrels Particular attention is paid to the pattern of the underparts, specifically any suggestion of a breast-band, and tail colour. Tail shape is prob- ably less relevant but is also reported. Head pattern is not used owing to lack of sufficient detail in descriptions. 2. Separation of Fea’s Petrel and Zino’s Petrel Overall size, bill structure and wing shape are analysed. These are all highly subjective features. Table I. Light conditions, underpart and breast colour, tail shape and tail colour extracted from selected descriptions of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ Pterodroma mollis/madeira/feae seen in British waters between 1989 and 2000, and accepted by BBRC. Scientific names of species mentioned: Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus. Light Underparts/breast Tail shape Tail 1 2th— 14th August 1989, Porthgwarra Cornwall bright and sunny, behind, overcast on 14th ‘white and clear’ ‘no breast-band’ ‘dark patch on breast sides’ ‘fairly long and tapered’ ‘almost white’ ‘contrasting pale’ ‘paler than back’ 6th September 1991, Flamborough, East Yorkshire (two birds) sunny against, though highish, then in favour ‘greyish-brown shoulder-patch’ otherwise ‘pure white from throat to undertail-coverts’ ‘tapering rear end’ ‘white-based, silvery grey’, ‘outer third paler than centre’ 5th September 1993, Hauxley, Northumberland fair and sunny, with low light from behind ‘clean white’ ‘longer than Manx’ ‘slightly paler than upperparts’ 5th September 1993, Fame Islands, Northumberland cloudy, fading light ‘clean white’ ‘tapered and long rear end, long tail’ ‘contrasting pale grey’ 10th September 1994, Bardsey, Gwynedd ‘good’, sunny (oblique) with some low cloud ‘white, no breast-band’ ‘very attenuated rear end’ ‘slightly lighter than mantle and contrasting with darker band on upper rump’ British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-419 407 Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels' are? Table 1 cont. Light Underparts/breast Tail shape Tail 8th September 1995, Formby Point, Lancashire overcast, but sharp ‘no breast-band, possibly smudge on breast sides’ ‘quite pointed’ ‘pale grey, almost whitish’ 11th June 1996, Gwennap Head, Cornwall overcast and dull, misty further out, visibility over a mile ‘white, no breast- band, partial or otherwise’ ‘narrow and tapered’ ‘paler than upperwing and mantle’ 25th June 1996, sea area ‘Fair Isle’ bright morning sunlight from behind ‘grey on breast side, no breast-band’ ‘rather attenuated’ ‘paler grey than upper wings, as mantle’ 18th August 1996, at sea, west of Scilly bright, but light thin cloud cover, indirect sunshine ‘smudge on lateral nape, no breast-band’ ‘pointed tail’ ‘very pale, almost white’ 13th September 1996, Newbiggin, Northumberland bright, low evening sun from directly behind ‘clear white’ ‘long, tapered rear end’ ‘paler grey than the (pale grey) mantle, contrasting with dark rump-patch’ 20th September 1996, Fame Islands sharp, but mostly cloudy (7/8), against the light ‘no semblance of breast-band’ ‘tapered to a blunt end’ ‘contrasting pale grey’ 4th October 1996, Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire variable (seen on three occasions) sunny spells, light from behind smudge on neck sides suggesting slight breast-band ‘tapering with rounded end’ ‘distinctly pale grey’ 26th June 1997, north Norfolk overcast ‘white, like Manx’ ‘grey neck-sides’ ‘long and pointed’ ‘much paler grey than rest of upperparts’ some observers felt it was ‘almost white’ 24th August 1998, Newbiggin bright but cloudy clean white, no breast-band’ ‘tapering rear end’ ‘appeared white or pale grey’ 12th June 1999, Flamborough overcast, bright ‘white, definitely no breast-band’ ‘greyish neck-sides’ could not be determined ‘pale grey, paler than upperparts’ 17th August 1999, Prawle Point, Devon dull, showery, overcast strikingly white ‘appeared pointed’ ‘looked like a “pair of wings” because of pale head and tail’ 24th & 31st August 1999, at sea, off Scilly bright, evening light ‘all white, with steely grey shoulder- patches’ One observer described ‘incomplete breast-band’, another ‘grey breast-sides ... no breast-band’. Tong, thin tapering rear end’ ‘very pale, even white’ and ‘palest part of upperparts . . . powder blue’ 26th August 1999, Porthgwarra good, slightly against initially? ‘completely white. . . indistinct darker breast-sides’ Tong and clenched’ ‘clearly paler grey than uppers’ 19th November 1999, Fame Islands dull and drizzly ‘white from chin to tad tip’ ‘tapering to sharp point’ ‘pale grey and contrasting with mantle’ 19th November 1999 St Mary’s Island, Northumberland very poor ‘clean white’ not described no contrast reported 408 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-^19 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? > The presence of other species for direct com- parison can often be a critical issue when esti- mating size and structure, as any experienced seawatcher who has watched juvenile skuas Stercorarius on passage can testify. Whether this was the case was not always clear from the description, so a fairly conservative approach has been taken and this is reported only where it is explicit from the description that direct comparison was possible. Light conditions, which may affect the perception of tail colour and, possibly, the presence/absence of a breast- band, are also included within the separation features for Soft-plumaged Petrel. Other char- acters, including underwing and upperwing colour, and flight pattern, were also reviewed, but are reported separately and are not relevant for specific identification. Findings Table 1 describes the prevailing light conditions during observations, and includes comments on underpart and breast colour, along with tail shape and colour. It is clear that no record describes anything other than a clear and unmarked central breast. Some descriptions mention a grey patch on the sides of the neck and upper breast, a feature characteristic of the two North Atlantic taxa, but many make no mention of this, simply describing clean white underparts. One observer, describing a bird off Scilly in 1999 used the term ‘incomplete breast- band’ but other descriptions of the same bird indicate very clearly that this refers to no more than the grey neck-sides. Tail colour is described well by most observers and almost all describe the tail as paler than the rest of the upperparts, varying from ‘paler grey’ through to ‘almost white’. Light conditions varied considerably and this will have affected the observers’ perception of the colours observed. Tail shape is described vari- ably, although in a few instances there is rela- tively little information on this feature in the description. Where it is described, the terms ‘long’, ‘tapered’, ‘rounded’ and ‘pointed’ are widely used. Table 2 presents data on the presence of comparison species, in addition to comments relating to the size and overall structure, bill structure and wing shape. Of these, direct size comparison is probably the most useful and least subjective. Size comparisons almost invari- ably relate the size of the bird to Manx Shear- Table 2. Comments on comparison species, size, bill structure and wing shape extracted from selected descriptions of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ Pterodroma mollis/madeiralfeae seen in British waters between 1989 and 2000, and accepted by BBRC. Scientific names of species mentioned: Fulmar Fulmaru s glacialis, Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea. Sooty Shearwater Puffmus griseus , Manx Shearwater P. puffinus and Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Direct comparison Size Bill structure Wing shape 12th- 14th August 1989, Porthgwarra, Cornwall yes: Manx/Sooty ‘similar to Manx’, ‘possibly heavier- bodied’ ‘stubby/hefty’ ‘undeniably long’ ‘long, swept-back, slimmer than Manx’ 'sickle/scythe shape’ 6th September 1991, Flamborough, East Yorkshire (two birds) yes: Fulmar ‘nearest to Manx’ ‘large and dark’ ‘shorter/broader than Manx, sharp tips’ or ‘long tapered wings with broad bases and sharp tips’ 5th September 1993, Hauxley, Northumberland no ‘as Manx, but bulkier and broader-winged’ ‘pointed tips’ ‘proportionately shorter than Manx?’ 5th September 1993, Fame Islands, Northumberland no ‘similar to Manx’ ‘longer than Manxie... swept back' 10th September 1994, Bardsey, Gwynedd yes: Manx ‘similar to Manx, but longer in body and wings’ British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 409 Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels' are? Table 2 cont. 8th September 1995, Formby Point, Lancashire Direct Size Bill structure Wing shape comparison no ‘similar to Manx’ ‘swept back to tips’ 11th June 1996, Gwennap Head, Cornwall yes: Manx ‘similar to Manx ‘narrower and slightly Shearwater’ longer than Manx with pointed hand’ 25th June 1996, sea area ‘Fair Isle’ no ‘slightly smaller than Manx’ 18th August 1996, at sea, west of Scilly no ‘slightly larger ‘chunkier than ‘long in arm and than Manx Manx’ hand, pointed tip’ 13th September 1996, Newbiggin, Northumberland yes: Manx/Sooty ‘similar to Manx, ‘long, narrow and slightly smaller very pointed’ than Sooty’ 20th September 1996, Fame Islands yes: Fulmar ‘similar to Manx’ ‘long, swept back, “all wings’” 4th October 1996, Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire yes: Manx ‘similar to Manx’ ‘longer than Manx ‘longer wings’ and fairly pointed tips’ 26th June 1997, north Norfolk no ‘slightly larger than ‘deep and hefty’ ‘longer-winged Manx, longer wings’ than Manx, hand 30% longer than arm’ ‘points slightly rounder than Manx’ ‘extremely long and pointed hand’ 24th August 1998, New7biggin yes: Fulmar ‘slightly larger than ‘substantial’ (one ‘broad-based Manx, longer wings, observer), and tapering. . . wings as long as specifically not pointed tips’ Fulmar’ determinable by others 12th June 1999, Flamborough no ‘slightly larger ‘long, pointed, than Manx’ broader than Manx’ 17th August 1999, Prawle Point, Devon no ‘similar to Manx, ‘long wings, pointed if not a little larger’ tips’ ‘extremely pointed at tips’ 24th & 31st August 1999, at sea, off Scilly no ‘similar to Manx’ ‘stubby’/‘stuck on’ ‘long-winged and slender’ 26th August 1999, Porthgwarra yes: Cory’s ‘appeared somewhat ‘thin and pointed Shearwater larger than Manx, wings’ ‘hand roughly smaller than Cory’s’ equal in length to arm’ 19th November 1999, Fame Islands yes: Kittiwake ‘approximately ‘quite broad... ‘long, pointed wings’ the same size as tubenose Kittiw'ake... Manx structure’ Shearwater size’ 19th November 1999, St Mary’s Island, Northumberland no ‘considered to be ‘proportionately slightly larger longer and thinner than Manx’ than Manx, pointed tips’ ‘arm equal to hand in length’ 410 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 c Do we know what British 'soft-plumaged petrels’ are? ) 203 & 204. Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feoe, Bugio, Madeira.August 2005. A clear view of the dark underwing is a critical point in terms of assigning a bird seen on a seawatch or from a boat to the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex.The pattern of the underparts, with a clean white breast and, at most, grey sides to the neck, is one of the key features by which, given good views, Soft-plumaged Petrel P. mollis can be eliminated. 411 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 Hugh Harrop Hugh Harrop c Do we know what British 'soft-plumaged petrels' are? > water Puffinus puffinus , the species to which it is superficially most similar in a British context. Overwhelmingly, the descriptions use the phrase ‘similar to Manx Shearwater’ or a deriva- tive of this. Other descriptions stress the simi- larity to Manx Shearwater but include more detail, such as ‘possibly heavier-bodied’ for the 1989 Cornwall bird; ‘similar to Manx but longer in body and wings’ when describing the 1994 Bardsey bird; while the 1996 Northumberland bird is described as being ‘very similar to Manx, slightly smaller than Sooty Shearwater P. griseus. Only one record, of one seen in sea area Fair Isle in June 1996, suggests a smaller bird; but this particular individual was observed from a boat, where observation conditions and size evaluation can be particularly difficult, and where there were no comparison species avail- able. There are eight descriptions that include a direct comparison with a seabird of similar size and structure, as well as a description of a bird seen alongside a Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla. Of these, two were seen with Manx Shearwater only, two with both Manx and Sooty Shearwa- ters, three with Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis and one (seen from a boat, which may make com- parisons more difficult to judge) with Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea. All stress the similarity to Manx Shearwater, although four of them suggest either a slightly larger or heavier bird, and all eight emphasise the longer wings of the petrel in comparison; in several instances specifically noting the greater wing length com- pared with Manx. One of the birds seen off Flamborough in 1991 has somewhat contradic- tory elements regarding the wing shape and structure. One observer commented on the long, pointed wings, while another considered the wings to be shorter and broader than those of Manx, though still with pointed tips. In this case though, the bird is also described as being bulkier than Manx Shearwater. Bill structure was rarely described. This is often a difficult feature to judge on a seabird at any range, or against a dark sea; moreover, the importance of bill structure to the identification process has not, until recently, been fully appre- ciated. The few records which do provide details of bill structure describe it as ‘stubby/hefty’ (Cornwall, 1989), ‘large and dark’ (East York- shire, 1991) or ‘chunkier than Manx’ (Cornwall, 1996). A petrel that flew close inshore past several north Norfolk sites in overcast condi- tions in June 1997 was particularly well docu- mented, and the bill is described as ‘deep and hefty’. The lucky observer of a very close and well-described bird which flew past the Fame Islands in November 1999 commented on the size of the bill and even saw the tubenose appearance quite clearly. In most cases, however, even in the best of field conditions, the precise bill structure may never be apparent. Wing shape has been suggested as a useful identification feature to separate Fea’s from Zino’s Petrel; this again is a subjective character, and difficult to describe with real accuracy. Nevertheless, it would be interesting if there was any consistency across the records. It is a feature that has clearly impressed observers (table 2), and every description has described wing shape. Some have emphasised the length and wing set - ‘longer than Manxie, swept back’ - while most have emphasised the wing-tip shape, with ‘pointed tips’ appearing in many descriptions. Overall summaries are frequent; comments such as ‘long, narrow and very pointed’, used to describe the 1996 Northumberland bird, could summarise a number of descriptions. One description, from Northumberland in 1993, questions whether the wings may have been proportionately shorter than those of Manx Shearwater, but also mentions the pointed tips. Descriptions of the well-watched 1997 north Norfolk bird also differ. One observer describes the wings as more rounded than those of Manx, while what was undoubtedly the same bird seen a few minutes later was described as having an ‘extremely long and pointed hand’. The dubious value of wing structure as a field character is discussed in some depth by Harrop (2004), and this is well illustrated by inconsistencies in the descriptions of the Norfolk record. Descriptions of the same individual suggest that observers’ perception of the ratio of ‘hand’ to ‘arm’ varies widely, from the hand being 30% longer than the arm, to the two being of equal length. This sheds some light on the reliability of assess- ments of structure, even by highly experienced observers. Other aspects of the descriptions Flight and behaviour Even in fairly calm conditions, the characteristic Pterodroma flight is an extraordinary, almost flap-free, switchback flight, with frequent tower- ing glides. It is quite unlike that of other seabirds likely to occur in British waters and many 412 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404MI9 c Do we know what British 'soft-plumaged petrels’ are? > 205 & 206. Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae, Bugio, Madeira, August 2005. From above, the markedly paler tail of Fea's and Zino’s Petrels P. madeira is a key feature in ruling out Soft-plumaged Petrel P. mollis. Eliminating Zino's Petrel is much more problematic, and relies chiefly on structure, notably differences in bill structure and wing structure. Even in high-quality photographs such as these, and plates 203 & 204, it is not easy; but the bill of Fea's is relatively chunky, the tube-nostrils being quite prominent with the suggestion of a short and rather square notch between the nostrils and the back of the large hooked tip on the upper mandible. This pattern is not as clear-cut as has been described, however, and is difficult to determine, even on these images. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-H 1 9 413 Hugh Harrop Hugh Harrop c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? descriptions of the British records discuss this in some detail. Although some less experienced observers may see similarities between this flight behaviour and that of the larger shearwaters, or even Fulmar, in British waters only ‘soft- plumaged petrel’ really throws itself about with the characteristic Pterodroma gusto. This is a feature that is perhaps better seen during a land- based seawatch than from the deck of a moving boat. There are subtle variations among the described flight patterns, some birds appearing to tower less, in particular those involved in feeding activity, while some observers consid- ered that the sequence of towering and zig- zagging followed a repetitive cycle. Good descriptions of flight pattern are critical for assigning the birds to the genus but, as far as we know, are not at all useful when assigning indi- viduals to species. Some subtle differences have been described between Soft-plumaged and Fea’s Petrels, but it is doubtful whether descrip- tions from observers with anything other than huge experience of both species, in differing conditions, could be used reliably. The flight of Zino’s Petrel has not been described in the liter- ature in any meaningful way. Head pattern Harrop (2004) considered that there may be diagnostic differences in the head patterns of the various taxa, and in particular between Soft- plumaged and Zino’s/Fea’s Petrels. Head pattern was something that all of the British observers found very difficult to describe, and most descriptions contain no useful detail. Being able to use head pattern as an aid to field identifica- tion on birds seen from land seems unlikely at this point, unless the views are outstanding. Underwing Getting a good view of a predominantly dark underwing is of fundamental importance if a bird is to be placed in the ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ complex, but is of no (known) value when sep- arating the three species from each other. Not many potential confusion species have a dark underwing, although observers should bear in mind that dark-morph (‘blue’) Fulmars and pale-morph skuas (which frequently tower without flapping when flying with the wind) could both provide genuine pitfalls for the unwary. The underwing really is extremely dark and was clearly a striking feature for all of the observers of the British records; and this is a prerequisite for acceptance. The amount of detail beyond this is rather variable, and the way it is described varies enormously with light conditions. Those seen in brighter light, partic- ularly where there is fairly strong light behind the observer, have shown more detail, ranging from a pale wedge on the leading edge of the underwing to a complex pattern of light and dark, dominated by dark. This is usually in the form of a broad dark bar running up the middle of the underwing, with a paler area along the leading edge, and a limited, slightly paler area on the bases of the primaries and outer secondaries. Upperparts and upperwing pattern This feature has shown the greatest variation among the descriptions. As for the underwing, the pattern seen appears to be highly dependent on the light. Approximately half of all submis- sions emphasise the rather uniform upperwing, the colour tones of which are described as grey- or, in some cases, slightly brown-toned. In most of these cases, a paler mantle and darker wings are noted but include little additional detail. The remainder of the descriptions mention a dark ‘M’ across the wings, this pattern being most obvious on birds seen in strong light from behind the observer or, paradoxically, in very dull light. This wing pattern is certainly a feature of Fea’s and Soft-plumaged Petrels, but variation is evident when studying the range of published photographs, and may be related to prevailing light conditions. Quite whether Zino’s Petrels show this pattern in the field is unknown but photographs in the hand suggest that they may do. Discussion None of the records discussed here can be assigned to species with complete confidence. However, now we know that Fea’s Petrel does turn up in British waters, on the basis of the three records accepted so far, the context changes. It is important to reiterate that the purpose of this paper is not to assign each indi- vidual to species, but to establish whether there is any strong evidence suggesting that more than one form is likely to be involved. Is there any evidence that Soft-plumaged Petrel occurs in British waters? In terms of the three key characters discussed above, the uniformity of the descriptions 414 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-4 1 9 Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels' are? reviewed here is quite striking. No bird has ever been consistently reported as having a complete or even a partial breast-band by all observers (see above). Many observers commented on the startling whiteness of the entire underparts, usually in contrast to the dark underwings. Grey sides to the neck were not always reported: perhaps because observers were concentrating on other, more important, characters; perhaps because they were actually difficult to see; or perhaps they were simply not looked for. Views were not always particularly close, but some birds were close to shore, and in virtually every case it is perfectly reasonable to expect that if a breast-band was present, even one that was weak, poorly defined or incomplete, it would have been seen reasonably easily. The validity of tail colour as a feature is also open to some interpretation. The contrast in colour between the body and tail, which is shown by both Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels, reported by many observers, may not always be obvious (Madge 1990; Harrop 2004), particularly in harsh light. In the case of Soft-plumaged Petrel, however, the contrast between the tail and body appears to be fairly minimal. If a bird shows a contrastingly paler tail, this should be a strongly supportive feature for Fea’s or Zino’s Petrel. Among the British records discussed here, the uniformity of descriptions of tail colour is quite striking. Only one description did not mention a significantly paler tail. Tail length and shape are much less reliable but still relevant features, and only two descriptions failed to comment on these; in one case probably because of the long distance involved and in the other perhaps owing to poor light. Otherwise, all birds had long, pale and tapered or rounded tails, which would be expected with the two North Atlantic species. Although Soft-plumaged Petrel can show a slightly paler tail and incomplete breast-band, the tail contrast is generally poorly marked, and there is usually a significant breast-band. In other words, while the identification criteria need to be interpreted with caution on any individual bird, there is a ‘normal’ pattern emerging. If any of the well-seen British birds were not typical of one of the two northern species, we might expect to see some discrepan- cies creeping in - for example, the tail contrast not being noted, even when the breast was thought to be clear, or vice versa. What we actu- ally have is a series of descriptions, virtually all of which specifically mention both (i) clean white underparts and (ii) a long, tapered, pale grey tail. In the exceptional cases where these features are not described, there is usually a per- fectly good reason why they have not been. On the basis of the records reviewed here, there is so little variation among the descriptions that Soft-plumaged Petrel can be effectively ruled out as a possibility. There is nothing to suggest that Soft-plumaged Petrel has been seen in British waters. Is there any evidence that Zino’s Petrel may occur in British waters? This is a much more difficult proposition. In order to draw conclusions, it is worth first con- Table 3. Summary of weights and biometrics of Fea’s Pterodroma feae and Zino’s Petrels P madeira, with those of Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus for comparison. Species Weight (g) Wing ( mm) Total body length (mm) Wingspan (mm) Published Range of Published Range of Published Published range reported means range reported means range range Fea’s Petrel 275-355 311 262-273 263-270 330-360 860-950 Zino’s Petrel 175-231 204 247-259 247-254 320-333 800-860 Manx Shearwater 350-535 375-447 - - 300-380 710-850 Measurements for weight and wing measurements come from original source material or reviews of source material. For Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels, these include Zino 8c Zino (1986), Bretagnolle (1995) and Monteiro & Furness (1995). Weight data for Manx Shearwater is taken from Cramp 8c Simmons (1977). Total body length for Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels comes from source material based on live birds (Zino 8c Zino 1986), while total length values for Manx Shearwater and all wingspan values are taken from Mullarney et al. (1999) and from Beaman 8c Madge (1998), and should be taken as estimated rather than precise measurements. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 415 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? > sidering the biometrics of the two forms, and comparing them with those of the most usual comparison species, Manx Shearwater (table 3). Biometrics can be difficult to interpret and, ironically, it is easier to compare measure- ments for the two North Atlantic Pterodroma species, for which data are scarce, than to compare their biometrics with those of Manx Shearwater, where there exists a range of data from different sites and at different times of year. Furthermore, the different structure of shearwaters means that wing length is not par- ticularly useful when comparing Manx Shear- water with Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels; ‘wingspan’ gives a better feel for these differences and this is included in table 3. Not being a standard biometric measurement, wingspan is likely to be approximate, but will still give a reasonable indication of relative sizes and is more useful in the context of field records. The published ranges for weight and wing are tabulated, as well as a range of reported means, as the pub- lished data do not allow more detailed statis- tical analysis. Nevertheless, what is presented should perhaps give enough of a picture to enable us to make some judgements about the British records. The most striking differences are those in body weight, with Zino’s being a lightly built species, and Fea’s averaging more than 50% heavier. Comparison of wingspan suggests that Fea’s is a particularly long-winged bird. Given the relative values, it is possible that Zino’s may appear almost as big as Manx Shearwater and could perhaps give the impression of being fractionally longer- winged, but it seems inconceivable that Zino’s would look bigger and substantially longer- winged if direct and accurate comparisons were possible. Conversely, Fea’s would be expected to be similar in size to Manx Shear- water but with perceptibly longer wings. Among those British records where direct comparison (with Manx Shearwater) was pos- sible, all birds were described as similar to Manx in size, or fractionally larger and with percep- tibly longer wings. Of the remaining descrip- tions, all stressed the similarity in size to Manx or felt that birds were slightly larger, but clearly less emphasis should be placed on these. Only two descriptions suggested that the bird may have been smaller or shorter-winged than Manx Shearwater. One commented on the overall bulk being greater than Manx, despite stating that the wings were ‘proportionately shorter’ but, in this case, the descriptions of the same bird from other observers emphasised the longer wings. The other observation was from a boat and there were no comparison species present. In the last case, the difficult circum- stances of the observation mean that it would be unwise to place too much emphasis on the size assessment. There are suggested differences in the wing formula of the two species, with Zino’s possibly, having a rather blunter wing-tip than Fea’s. This is surely an unreliable field character on an individual bird, but it is worth noting that in 15 of the records discussed here the ‘pointedness’ of the wing-tips is highlighted as a feature. There are some minor discrepancies but, again, the circumstances of the observations and descriptions from other observers can generally account for these. Unless the bird is seen exceptionally well, the bill can be a particularly difficult feature to see well on a passing bird, and still more difficult to be confident about. Seven descriptions describe the bill sufficiently well to merit comment. All use terms such as ‘large’, ‘stubby’ or ‘hefty’, sug- gesting a rather robust or thick bill in the cases where it was reported. There is no clear evi- dence to suggest that smaller-billed birds were seen, as in the other cases the bill was not seen well enough for comment. Of course, an alter- native explanation is that they were just not large enough to catch the eye. It takes only a quick glance at the plates in Harrop (2004) to see how unreliable this feature is likely to be in the field without a photograph. Conclusions Although it has proved impossible to assign any of these individuals to one particular species with complete confidence, the weight of evidence suggests that the well-observed British records of ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ refer to Fea’s Petrel. There is no evidence at all of birds showing features suggestive of Soft- plumaged Petrel in British waters. Although it is a much more difficult problem, there is also nothing specific to suggest that Zino’s Petrel has occurred either. Even where there are minor anomalies relating to one feature in a description, these are either contradicted by another observer’s description, or occur where there are other features strongly suggesting Fea’s Petrel. Although it is quite possible that 416 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-4 1 9 c Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? > either or both of the other species may occur, there is nothing specific to suggest that any of the British records so far might relate to one of them. This is quite different from saying that any of the earlier records are acceptable as the first Fea’s Petrel for Britain; this requires a higher level of proof that is simply not avail- able. Until such time as there is clearly docu- mented evidence of individual records, or a number of observations of birds displaying features that contradict the established charac- ters, it is probably reasonable for most observers to assume that a ‘soft-plumaged petrel’ seen around Britain’s coast is likely to be Fea’s Petrel. This is not only because Zino’s Petrels are so rare, but also because the weight of documented evidence, where it exists, is consistent with our current knowledge of Fea’s Petrel, the one species which has been proved to occur. We are left with the dilemma of how to record these sightings statistically, both in the future and for the past. This situation is unique in British terms: only one species has been proved to occur and, of the other two, one inhabits the southern hemisphere and the other is one of the world’s rarest birds. There are examples of species pairs where there is a similar problem. For example, consider Grey- cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus, which has occurred in Britain on a number of occasions, and Bicknell’s Thrush C. bicknelli, which remains a potential vagrant and is extremely difficult to identify confidently in the field (and the current taxonomic status of which is still a matter for debate). BBRC has never considered records of Grey-cheeked Thrush as possibly Bicknell’s, and since Bicknell’s has not yet been shown to occur BBRC will continue to accept all records as apparent Grey-cheeked Thrushes. In an attempt to achieve consistency, the ‘soft- plumaged petrels’ perhaps need to be addressed in a similar way. A policy of ‘Fea’s until proven otherwise’ may appear to lack complete scientific rigour, but on the other hand, it is closer to BBRC’s statement of purpose (to maintain a statistically valid database of records of rare birds). BBRC will need to come to a decision as to how we should record the previous and subsequent records. Debate would be welcome; but mean- while, if you do see a ‘soft-plumaged petrel’, please enjoy it! Acknowledgments I would like to thank Andrew Harrop and Colin Bradshaw for comments on earlier drafts. I also thank current members of BBRC for their comments on later drafts. The many observers who submitted records, most of which were very considered and detailed and almost all of which were simply exciting to read, also deserve my thanks for making the review of their efforts enjoyable. Kieran Fahy and Killian Mullamey provided data on accepted records of'soft-plumaged petrels' in Ireland. References Beaman, M., & Madge. S. 1 998. 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Birds 97: 6-15. Hooker, S. K., & Baird, R W. 1 997. A Fea's Petrel off Nova Scotia: the first record for Canada. Birders Journal 6: 245-248. Madge, S. 1 990. Soft-plumaged Petrels at sea. Birding World 3: 138-139. Monteiro, L. R, & Furness, R W. 1 995. Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae in the Azores. Bull. BOC I 15:9-14. Mullarney, K„ Svensson, L, Zetterstrom, D., & Grant, RJ. 1 999. The Collins Bird Guide. Collins, London. Rogers, M. J„ and the Rarities Committee. 1 992. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1991. Brit Birds 85: 507-554. — & — 1 993. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1992. Brit Birds 86: 447-540. — & — 1 994. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1993. Brit Birds 87: 503-571. — & — 1 995. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1994. Brit Birds 88:493-558. — & — 1 996. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1 995. Brit Birds 89: 48 1 -531. — & — 1 997. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1 996. Brit Birds 90: 453-522. — & — 1 998. 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Contribution to the study of the petrels of the genus Pterodroma in the archipelago of Madeira Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 180: 141 — 165. Jimmy Steele, 16 Oaklands, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4BW Appendix 1. Dates and locations of all ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ Pterodroma mollislmadeiralfeae recorded from British waters and accepted by BBRC up to and including 2004, including the three records accepted as Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae. Location Date Accepted as Reference Sea area Sole, 16 km W of St Mary’s ( Scilly j 6th September 2004 Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2005 Sea area Sole, 16 km W of St Mary’s (Scilly) 28th August 2004 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2005 Flamborough (East Yorkshire) 24th October 2003 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2004 Flamborough (East Yorkshire), Whitburn (Co. Durham) and Fame Islands (Northumberland) 23rd September 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 North Ronaldsav (Orkney) 21st September 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Sea area Sole, 10 km S of St Mary’s ( Scilly) 8th September 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Flamborough (East Yorkshire) & Whitburn (Co. Durham) 1st September 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Flamborough & Filey (East Yorkshire) 26th August 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2004 Flamborough (East Yorkshire) 23rd September 2001 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Sea area Sole, 96 km SW of St Mary’s (Scilly) 12 th August 2001 Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2005 Walney Island (Cumbria) 22nd July 2001 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Hope’s Nose & Bern" Head (Devon) 17th July 2001 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2003 Sea area Sole, 12 km S of St Mary’s (Scilly 8 th July 2001 Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2005 St Mary’s Island & Fame Islands (Northumberland) 19th November 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2001 5 km S of St Agnes ( Scilly) 31st August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 2001 Porthgwarra (Cornwall) 26th August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2000 1.5 km S of Bishop Rock ( Scilly 24th August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2002 Prawle Point (Devon) 17th August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2000 Flamborough (East Yorkshire) 12 th June 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2002 Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (Northumberland j 24th August 1998 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1999 Blakeney Point, Cley, Sheringham & Mundesley (Norfolk) 26th June 1997 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1998 Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire) 4th October 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1997 Fame Islands (Northumberland) 20th September 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1997 Newbiggin (Northumberland) 13th September 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1997 3.2 km SW of Bishop Rock ( Scilly) 18th August 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1998 Sea area Fair Isle 25th June 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 1997 Gwennap Head (Cornwall) 11th June 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 1998 Formby Point (Lancashire) 8th September 1995 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1997 Bardsey (Gwynedd) 10th September 1994 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1996 Hauxley & Fame Islands (Northumberland) 5th September 1993 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1997 Flamborough (East Yorkshire, Two birds 6th September 1991 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1995 Porthgwarra (Cornwall) 12th-14th August 1989 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers etal 1992 Dungeness (Kent: 15th October 1983 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Rogers et al 2004 418 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404-MI 9 Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? Appendix 2. Dates and locations of all ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ Pterodroma mollis/madeiralfeae recorded from Irish waters and accepted by IBRC. Location Date Accepted as Reference Galley Head (Co. Cork) 19th July 2003 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds (in press) Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 1 1 th September 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 7: 390 Melmore Head (Co. Donegal) 29th August 2002 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 7: 390 Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork) 23rd September 2000 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 7: 82 56 km northwest of Arranmore, at sea 18th August 2000 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 7: 220 Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare) 30th August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 546 Greenore Point (Co. Wexford) 23rd August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 546 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 18th August 1999 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 546 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 8th September 1998 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Helvick Head (Co. Waterford) 6th September 1998 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 24th August 1997 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 288 Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare) 31st July 1997 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 288 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 22nd August 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 65 St John’s Point (Co. Down) 22nd August 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 65 Galley Head (Co. Cork) 27th July 1996 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Brandon Point and Kerry Head (Co. Kerry) 26th August 1995 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 5: 499 & 6: 65 Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare) 25th August 1995 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 5: 449 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 27th July 1995 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 5: 449 Mizen Head (Co. Cork) Two birds 24th August 1994 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 5: 328 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 1 1 th August 1 993 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 5: 328 Galley Head (Co. Cork) 1st October 1992 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Galley Head (Co. Cork) 21st August 1992 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork) 4th August 1992 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 Galley Head (Co. Cork) 17th September 1991 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 6: 380 St John’s Point (Co. Down) 20th August 1991 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 4: 574 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 26th August 1990 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 4: 574 Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork) 14th August 1989 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Birds 4: 575 & 6: 65 Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) 5th September 1974 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Irish Bird Report 23: 6 & Irish Birds 6: 65 Looking back Seventy-five years ago: ‘FULMARS IN PEMBROKESHIRE. On May 6th, 1930, Mr. C. Oldham and I saw a Fulmar (Fuhnarus g. glacialis) flying past Strumble Head. This, I believe, was the first summer record of this species in Pem- brokeshire or indeed in South Wales (Brit. Birds 24: 196). ‘In mid-May, 1931, Mr. F. Twells of Flimston noticed and drew attention to two strange birds haunting the cliffs among the numerous Gulls and Auks there. On June 6th I watched a single Fulmar flying along the cliff-face at Stackpole Head about 5 miles distant from Flimston; and on June 7th I identi- fied the Flimston birds. Then, and during the ensuing three days, we saw eight Fulmars on the ledges there, close together and apparently quite at home. One pair at least was indulging in “courtship” behaviour, though I detected no signs of nesting. ‘These cliffs, it may be mentioned, lie considerably to the south-east of the Saltee Islands, where Fulmars were recorded nesting in 1930. Bertram Lloyd.’ (Brit. Birds 25: 81-82, August 1931 ) ‘Fulmar Petrels in Lancashire and Norfolk. — Mr. H. W. Robinson informs us that a specimen of Ful- marus g. glacialis was caught alive on Walney Island at the end of August, 1929, this being the eighth record for the county. ‘Mr. E. L. King writes that on May 24th, 1931, one was found dead in a fresh state on Horsey Beach by some members of the London Natural History Society.’ (Brit. BirdslS: 83, August 1931) British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 404—4 1 9 419 An unlikely survivor: the peculiar natural history of the Raso Lark Paul F. Donald and M. de L Brooke ABSTRACT The Raso Lark Alauda razae is one of the rarest and most threatened birds in the world. Until recently, almost nothing was known of its population, behaviour or ecology. Recent research has shown that the species exhibits a number of fascinating behavioural and ecological peculiarities. The tiny population, currently fewer than I 50 individuals, is dominated by males, which outnumber females by two to one. The males differ from the females in bill structure and feeding behaviour, possibly representing an adaptation to reduce competition between the sexes in a hostile environment.The species’ population is correlated with rainfall, and numbers in the past must have fallen to extremely low levels, possibly even into single figures, during periodic long droughts. Nesting success is very low, owing to heavy predation of eggs by the near-endemic Cape Verde Giant Gecko Tarentola gigas, itself a threatened species. Despite this, and a growing number of other threats, the species still manages to maintain a precarious toehold on its tiny, drought-prone islet home, thanks largely to the continued absence of the introduced mammalian predators that infest neighbouring islands. Recent tourist developments on neighbouring islands, leading to greater visitor numbers, and a predicted increase in drought through climate change pose new and increasing threats. Urgent measures are required to secure the long-term survival of this remarkable and unlikely survivor. On 28th April 1897, the young English naturalist and explorer Boyd Alexander (1873-1910) scrambled up the low cliffs that fringe the southern rim of the tiny, waterless and uninhabited island of Raso, one of the smallest of the Cape Verde Islands. Off- shore, his ship, ‘a fine old American pilot-boat of nearly eighty tons’, was forced by the absence of a safe anchorage to beat backwards and for- wards, waiting for him and his companions. Alexander had previously visited several of the other islands in this (at the time) Portuguese colony, and can hardly have expected to make his greatest discovery on one of the smallest and least hospitable of the group. After emerging onto the flat, low plain that makes up Raso’s southern half, however, he soon realised that the island was inhabited not only by abundant seabirds, but also by an unfamiliar lark, which he described as ‘so tame that we could have knocked many over with sticks’ (Alexander 1898 a,b). He compensated for the absence of sticks on this treeless island by shooting a good number of them instead, and 29 of these speci- mens still reside in the skin collections of the British Museum of Natural History in Tring and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Alexander named his discovery Spizocorys razae , without explaining why he assigned it to a genus represented at that time by a single southern African species. After spending taxonomic time in the monotypic 420 © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-^30 The natural history of Raso Lark c (and now defunct) Razocorys, and then in Calandrella , the Raso Lark was finally recog- nised by Hall ( 1963) to be closest to the skylarks Alauda , a position recently confirmed by DNA analysis (Keith Barnes pers. comm.) and sup- ported by detailed behavioural observations (Donald et al. 2003). The main structural differ- ences between Raso Lark and Sky Lark Alauda arvensis (smaller size, less pointed wing and longer, heavier bill of the former) may all result from adaptations to life on a small, arid island (Hall 1963; Burton 1971; Hazevoet 1995), and the two species are closely related. A year after Alexander’s discovery, the Italian naturalist Leonardo Fea (1852-1903) visited Raso and collected a further 30 specimens, now in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genova. (Fea was also, incidentally, perhaps the last nat- uralist to observe alive the remarkable Cape Verde Giant Skink Macroscincus coctei , once endemic to Raso and nearby Branco and prob- ably hunted to extinction around a century ago.) The lark was then left in peace until 1922, when Jose Correia (1881-1954), an Azorean naturalist, collected specimens for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Two years later, 16 further specimens were collected during an expedition in the sailing ship Blossom by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Ohio, some of which are also in the New York collection. After another long absence from the attention of ornithologists, the Raso Lark briefly reappeared in the writings of Mein- ertzhagen (1951) and Bourne (1955), before the Abbe de Naurois embarked upon a series of visits to the island in the 1960s. David and Mary Bannerman, authors of the first book on Cape Verde’s birds (Bannerman & Bannerman 1968), preferred to view Raso from the comfort of a passing ship and did not land, instead extolling the bravery and hardiness of de Naurois and others in landing and staying on the island. Further specimens were collected until at least 1970 (eight specimens of this date reside in Lisbon Museum), but little was recorded of the species’ numbers, ecology or behaviour until the late 1980s, and the standard account given in BWP is based largely on early and sketchy accounts. Distribution, population and sex ratio Cape Verde is the southernmost of a number of northeastern Atlantic island groups known col- lectively as Macaronesia, which also contains the rather better known (at least ornithologically) Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira. It is the only politically independent member of this group, having ceded from Portugal in 1975. The archipelago lies in the northeast trade-wind belt, at about 15°N and approximately 500 km west of 207. Raso in October 2001. Recent rainfall resulted in a growth of green cover and most birds were nesting. The sandy areas in the foreground contained large numbers of holes, excavated mainly by male Raso Larks Alauda razae to extract small bulbs from below the surface. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420—430 421 Paul Donald Michael Brooke The natural history of Raso Lark C ) Senegal, and consists of nine inhabited islands and a number of smaller islets, the island group having a total land area of 4,033 km2, scattered over approximately 60,000 km2 of ocean. Raso lies in the northern group of islands, the so- called ‘Windward Islands’ ( Ilheus do Barlavento ), and is one of three uninhabited islands (the other two are Branco and Santa Luzia) that lie between Sao Nicolau and Sao Vicente. Where did the Raso Lark, so closely related to the Sky Lark yet separated from the nearest population of that species by more than 2,000 km of sea and desert, come from? There are at least two possible explanations. The first is that this population represents the last remnant of a species that was formerly far more extensive across Africa, perhaps a western counterpart of the Oriental Lark A. gulgula, which replaces the Sky Lark in southern Asia today. This may have become extinct on the mainland as climatic conditions changed, but persisted in Cape Verde. Alternatively, the species may have evolved in situ on Cape Verde following coloni- sation by Sky Larks (or their ancestors) during one of the Ice Ages, when the Palearctic fauna was pushed southwards into what is now the Sahara. As the ice retreated and the Sahara reverted to desert, the Sky Larks gradually returned northwards, leaving some stragglers stranded behind on Cape Verde to evolve into the species that survives there today. The equally isolated Warsangli Linnet Carduelis johannis may owe its existence on the opposite side of the African continent to a similar process of postglacial stranding in a habitat with few competitors. It is perhaps no wonder that, despite noting several similarities to the Sky Lark (including its call), Boyd Alexander did not consider the possibility of his new bird being closely related to that familiar but geo- graphically distant species. Given these alternative scenarios, the time .of arrival of the Raso Lark’s ancestors in Cape Verde is unclear. In conformity with the idea of late Pleistocene speciation, Hazevoet (1995) and others have suggested that the species’ arrival is likely to have been recent, within the last 100,000 years. Ongoing genetic studies, however, indicate a difference between Sky Lark and Raso Lark in the mitochondrial cytochrome- gene of around 7.2%. A conven- tional estimate is that avian cytochrome- DNA diverges by approximately 2% per million years. Although the application of this standard has been severely criticised, a 7.2% divergence between Sky Lark and Raso Lark strongly sug- gests a divergence at least 2-3 million years ago, rather than during the glacial and interglacial cycles of the late Pleistocene in the last few hundred thousand years (Keith Barnes pers. comm.). This new evidence suggests that either the Raso Lark and its ancestors must have sur- vived on Cape Verde for far longer than originally thought, or the Raso Lark began its separation from the Sky Lark elsewhere before colonising the Cape Verde Islands. There is no written or confirmed physical evidence of the species from any of the other Cape Verde islands, but unless it is an extremely recent arrival (within the last 20,000 years, which now seems highly unlikely), its ancestors would have been present when Raso was intermittently connected through low sea levels to the neighbouring islands of Branco (3 km2), Santa Luzia (35 km2) and Sao Vicente (227 km2). It is therefore 208. Raso Lark Alauda razae, Raso, Cape Verde, December 2002. 422 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-430 The natural history of Raso Lark c likely to have had a far larger distribution than it has today, as the resulting island (which would of course have included all the submerged areas now separating the present islands) may have extended to several thousand square kilometres. Populations may have persisted on several islands after rising sea levels separated them, perhaps until the islands’ discovery and occupa- tion by Portuguese settlers (and their accompa- nying cats, dogs, rats and goats) from 1462 onwards. There is certainly plenty of apparently suitable habitat on the larger (but cat-infested) Santa Luzia, and claims that sub-fossil bones found on Sao Vicente may be of Raso Lark are intriguing (Donald et al. 2005). It may be no coinci- dence that the Raso Lark survives on the largest island in Cape Verde that has never been permanently inhabited by people. Raso is divided fairly equally into two landscape types. The first comprises a low, flat plain of decom- posing lava and tufa, inter- sected by small, dry ribeiras (stream beds, where water flows only infrequently), with a scant cover of grasses and herbs. It is here that the majority of Raso Larks subsist, although birds are not spread evenly across it. The highest densities occur along the tops of the low cliffs in the southwest of the island and along the ribeiras. Within these restricted areas, densities of birds are actually rather high for a lark, members of the Alau- didae tending to occur in low densities relative to other songbirds (Donald 2004), and the species appears generally more gre- garious throughout the year than other Alauda larks. The other half of the island com- prises hilly outcrops rising to 164 m, valleys and raised plains, and much is almost devoid of vegetation. Very few birds are found here during the breeding season, but up to half the population moves here when the birds are not breeding. At such times, all the birds present in this part of the island form a single tight flock, and are more wary and less approachable than those else- where on the island, possibly because of the presence of 'Neglected Kestrels’ Falco (tin- nunculus) neglectus in the area. The remaining birds are scattered in pairs or small groups around the lava plain, with a large concentra- tion in the southwest of the island. Less than half of Raso’s 7-km2 area is regularly used by the larks, and the species has one of the smallest 209. Raso Lark Alauda razae (left) and Sky Lark A. arvensis (right). Although the Raso Lark is only around two-thirds the size of a Sky Lark, the bill is considerably larger, representing an adaptation to life on an arid island. 2 1 0. Male (left) and female (right) Raso Lark Alauda razae. Males have significantly larger bills than females, and obtain significantly more of their food by digging than the smaller females, which instead feed mostly by picking seeds and invertebrates from the surface and from under stones. The difference in feeding methods between the sexes may contribute to the species’ unbalanced sex ratio. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420—430 423 Paul Donald © Natural History Museum, Tring Paul Donald © Natural History Museum, Tring Michael Brooke The natural history of Raso Lark c > ranges of any bird in the world. There is little historical information on pop- ulation size. Bourne (1955), writing of a visit in 1951, said that the birds ‘swarm’ upon the island and are ‘totally fearless’. When the Abbe de Naurois first visited Raso in 1962, he is said to have found ‘an abundance of adults and imma- tures awaiting him’ (Bannerman & Bannerman 1968). On subsequent visits, however, the same naturalist noticed decreasing numbers, recording only approximately 50 pairs in 1965. By the early 1980s, the population appears to have fallen to as few as 10 pairs, though these estimates were not based on systematic surveys. The first systematic count of the species did not occur until 1986, when Hazevoet (1989) esti- mated the population at 75-100 pairs. The pop- ulation had clearly declined by 1996, when Bakker & van Dijk (1996), in a two-day visit, found the species ‘surprisingly hard to find’ but eventually managed to see around 30 birds. Other population estimates are presented in Ratcliffe et al. (1999) and Donald et al. (2003, 2005). In October 2001, the population stood at around 130 individuals. By November 2003, this had fallen to between 76 and 87 individuals, and in December 2004 only around 65 birds were present. However, following good rainfall in 2005, the population increased sharply and in December 2005, it stood at around 130 indi- viduals. From these counts, it is clear that popu- lations fluctuate greatly and their size is dictated largely by rainfall, which is a prerequisite for breeding. Catastrophic droughts lasting up to 18 years have occurred throughout Cape Verde’s recorded history (as recently as the 1940s, tens of thousands of Cape Verdeans died in a drought-induced famine). After rain, the Raso Lark population increases; after droughts it can fall to extremely low levels. This pattern is apparent even from the few existing population estimates, and there is a strong positive correla- tion between population size and rainfall (Donald et al. 2003). In the early 1980s, fol- lowing a drought of more than a decade, popu- lations were extremely low. Whether any long-term trend underlies these greatly fluctu- ating population estimates is unclear, but there are reasons to suspect that there has been a long-term decline in the population. Rainfall patterns in the Sahel (fig. 1), which are likely to be a reasonable indicator of rainfall on Cape Verde (T. Spencer pers. comm.), show that at the time of Bourne’s ‘swarm’ in the early 1950s, and of de Naurois’ ‘abundance’ in the early 1960s, rainfall in the Sahel was well above average. Since 1970, however, annual rainfall in the Sahel has generally been below the long- term average, and populations may be lower on average as a result. Whether or not there has been any long- term population decline, the Raso Lark is 211. Nest of Raso Lark Alauda razae (centre, under overhanging vegetation), Raso, Cape Verde, December 2004. 424 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-T30 The natural history of Raso Lark c 5 3.0 -2.5 1898 1904 1910 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 Fig. I. Standardised Sahel rainfall index (average of June to October, the main rainfall season), 1898 to 2004. Dark blue bars indicate years with rainfall above the long-term average, light blue bars years with below-average rainfall. Between 1 970 and 2004, only seven years had rainfall that was at or above the long-term average. This drying trend, at least partly the result of increased greenhouse gases, is expected to worsen in the future (Held et al. 2005) and poses a severe threat to the Raso Lark Alauda razae. Rainfall data reproduced courtesy of the Joint Institute for the Study of Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO), University of Washington. steering a course perilously close to extinction. Species with greatly fluctuating populations are more at risk of extinction than species with stable populations, simply because there is a higher risk of chance events reducing the popu- lation to zero. When the population is as small as that of the Raso Lark, extinction becomes a real possibility. That the species has managed to survive for so long suggests remarkable endurance, but it must have flirted with extinc- tion many times during its history, as the extremely low counts from the 1980s suggest. If the sex ratio among the 80 or so birds present in 2003 were one male to one female, the population would equate to around 40 pairs. Most birds are assumed to have a sex ratio that approximates to equality: females and males occur in equal numbers. However, finding an unbiased way to determine this in the field is extremely difficult. Males and females may occupy different areas or habitats, may show a different propensity to enter traps or nets and may be more or less conspicuous at different times of year, all making precise esti- mation of sex ratios in wild bird populations | extremely difficult. In the case of the Raso Lark, 1 however, estimation of the sex ratio is relatively straightforward: most of the world population 1 can be seen within a single day, the species is ! tame, and males and females are usually easy to distinguish in the field. Counts undertaken in ■ 2001 suggested, unexpectedly, that the sex ratio was actually far from balanced, and that males greatly outnumbered females (Donald et al. 2003). This was confirmed from biometrics of birds caught for ringing in 2002 and 2003 (Donald et al. 2005): males outnumbered females by around two to one. This means that the total reproductive population is consider- ably lower than the actual population. The reasons for this skewed sex ratio are unknown, but may be related to differences between the sexes in morphology and feeding, discussed later. Such an unbalanced sex ratio clearly increases the likelihood of extinction, since natural fluctuations need only to reduce the tiny number of females to zero for the species to become functionally extinct. The males’ songs might echo over Raso for several years after the species becomes consigned to history through the death of the last female. Breeding ecology and display The song, described in detail (with sonograms) by Hazevoet ( 1989), bears some structural simi- larities to that of the Sky Lark. During pro- tracted song flights, the song of the Raso Lark is more broken, slower and less complex than that of the Sky Lark, consisting of short bursts of four to six notes, little more than a repetition of the call, interspersed with gaps. In all these respects, it resembles more closely the song of British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-430 425 Michael Brooke The natural history of Raso Lark r the Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla. However, the Raso Lark reveals its true ancestry during the rapid descent at the end of the song flight, when the song changes briefly to resemble very closely the frenetic character of Sky Lark song. Song flights, given only by the males, last an average of just over two minutes, rather shorter than those of the Sky Lark, though impaired males give significantly longer song flights (up to a recorded maximum of 13 minutes) than paired birds (Donald et al. 2003). Singing birds face into the prevailing northeast trade wind and, in comparison with Sky Larks, birds do not usually ascend as high during their song flights. On windless days and on days with strong winds, aerial song ceases and is replaced by ground song, which appears more frequent than in the Sky Lark. As with Sky Larks, aerial song flights are recorded in small numbers outside the breeding season. Paired males spend much of their time guarding their mates, while unpaired males spend much of their time singing and defending territories from other unpaired males. One unpaired male in 2001 appeared to be defending two territories around 500 m apart. Prior to copulation, males perform hopping and bowing displays similar to those of the Sky Lark (Donald 2004). Until recently, almost nothing was known about the breeding ecology of the Raso Lark. Breeding appears largely confined to periods ) following irregular falls of rain, usually from August to April. Mass breeding events are prob- ably less than annual, but it may be that some pairs are capable of breeding during any year, as suggested by the presence of a recently fledged juvenile in January 2003, following a long period with no appreciable rainfall. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how the species could survive a drought of over a decade without some repro- ductive input to the population. In October 2001 and again in November 2003, expeditions to Raso to study the species fortuitously fol- lowed rainfall, and we now have data from over 60 nests. The nest has been described and pho- tographed by previous authors (Hazevoet 1989; Castell 1999) and closely resembles that of the Sky Lark in structure and materials, although it is generally more hidden under vegetation. Most nests found to date have been built on the ground under the mallow Abutilon pannosum (most frequent in 2003) or under the Simple- leaved Bean-caper Zygophyllum simplex (most frequent in 2001), or occasionally in clumps of grass (Poaceae). De Naurois (in Bannerman & Bannerman 1968) recorded a number of nests built 10 cm or even 20 cm above the ground in a ‘thick, low shrub’. Although he attributed these to the lark, it seems more likely they belonged to the Cape Verde Sparrow Passer iagoensis. Clutch size varies between one and 2 I 2. Holes which Raso Larks Alauda razae have dug for food, Raso, Cape Verde, November 2003. 426 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-430 The natural history of Raso Lark : } three eggs (mean = 2,1), significantly fewer than that recorded for the Sky Lark in any part of its range (Donald 2004). The low clutch size of Raso Lark seems to fit the tendency noted by Bourne (1955) for many species in the Cape Verde Islands to have smaller clutches than their mainland congeners. The eggs of Raso Lark are said by those familiar with both to closely resemble those of the Wood Lark Lullula arborea, but are also very similar to, though noticeably smaller than, those of the Sky Lark. As with most other larks, incubation is under- taken entirely by the female (contrary to the account in BWP), and appears to last 12-13 days, a day or two longer than that of the Sky Lark (Donald 2004) despite the smaller clutch size. The female incubates in periods of around ten minutes, followed by feeding breaks of around the same length, during which the male often accompanies her. Although data are scant, it appears that the young may remain in the nest for up to 15 days after hatching, again con- siderably longer than for the Sky Lark. It is during the incubation period that an extraordinarily high proportion of nests fail through predation. In October 2001 and again in November 2003, almost all nests were pre- dated; in 2001, the overall survival rate of eggs from laying to hatching was estimated at just 5%. Because so many of the nests have been predated by the time of hatching, the survival rates of chicks cannot be quantified, though we have observed one case of chick predation in the nest. Almost all predated nests showed the same pattern of an undisturbed nest lining with large fragments of eggshells left in the nest, sug- gesting that a single predator was responsible. This is almost certain to be the nocturnal Cape Verde Giant Gecko Tarentola gigas , itself a threatened species, restricted to Raso and the smaller Branco (Donald et al. 2003). This species is widely distributed on Raso but appears to show an affinity for seabird burrows, where it may spend the day and gather much of its food (Hazevoet 1995). Raso Larks, like Sky Larks, compensate in part for high nest losses by rapid re-laying after nest failure. One pair was even observed building a new nest the day following the loss of their previous nest. It is clear, however, that with irregular breeding and high nest predation, productivity is very low; consequently, given the species’ continued exis- tence, it seems that adults must be relatively long-lived. Ongoing studies of ringed birds will quantify this, but already there are indications that survival is indeed very high for a small bird living in such an austere environment. Feeding The Raso Lark depends for its existence on the ability to find sufficient food on its arid island home. Raso is small, has little vegetation and suffers periodic droughts, and it seems extraor- dinary that birds can find enough food to survive. That they do persist suggests a high degree of adaptation, and an ability to exploit a range of different foods; it is only now that the remarkable range of adaptations shown by this species to life on a desert island is becoming apparent. One of the most striking differences between the Raso Lark and its congeners is the structure of its bill. Although only around two-thirds the size of a Sky Lark, the male Raso Lark has a considerably longer and heavier bill. The bill of the female is slightly larger than that of the Sky Lark, but significantly smaller than that of the male. Indeed, unlike the Sky Lark, there is no overlap in bill length of male and female Raso Larks. The likely explanation for the longer bill of the Raso Lark is that this represents an adap- tation to survival in a sandy habitat. Many desert-dwelling larks have long bills for digging to uncover food buried in sand; an extreme example of this adaptation is shown by the Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes of North Africa and the Middle East. The significant dif- ference in bill length between male and female Raso Larks is more difficult to explain, but recent observations of feeding behaviour may provide a clue. Several early visitors to Raso reported seeing holes in the ground which they variously assumed to be collapsed seabird burrows or lark nesting holes. In fact, these are feeding holes, which are mined almost exclu- sively by males to extract the bulbs of nutsedges, probably the most important being Cyperus bulbosus or C. cadamosti. In areas where these plants occur, the ground may be lit- tered with old and active holes. Individual holes may have a productive life of several days, and be worked by a number of different birds. Digging is done with the bill, and the longer bill of male Raso Larks might explain why males spend more of their time, and extract more of their food, by digging in this way. The females dig less frequently and obtain most of their food by picking seeds and invertebrates from British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420—430 427 The natural history of Raso Lark c > the surface and from under stones. The differ- ence in bill structure between male and female Raso Larks may therefore represent an adapta- tion that reduces competition for food between the sexes in a hostile environment with few resources. Each bulb takes an average of three minutes of hard digging to find and extract, and clearly represents a valuable food item. Some dominant males defend a number of feeding burrows from other birds in productive areas, and others keep watch and move in to start digging when the ‘owner’ is occupied in chasing off another bird. Others watch digging birds (particularly the smaller females) and klep- toparasitise them when a bulb is uncovered. A wide range of tactics is therefore employed to try to maximise bulb intake. The rate of bulb intake by females is lower, and the total time spent feeding higher, than that of the males, and females spend less time preening and in vigilance behaviour (Donald et al. unpubl. data). This suggests that females might be under more pressure to find food than the males. If this is the case, it might explain the male-biased sex ratio, as females may be more susceptible to starvation. Intensive, long-term research by Peter and Rosemary Grant on Darwin’s finches Geospiza in the Galapagos has demonstrated that differences in bill length as small as 0.5 mm can have a profound impact on survival rates, particularly during extreme cli- matic events (see Weiner 1995 for a popular account of this work). After one particularly severe drought, most of the smaller-billed birds in the Grants’ study population died. Although we do not yet know enough about the Raso Lark to make direct comparisons, it is possible that the male-dominated population arises after pro- longed drought through the higher mortality of the smaller-billed females, perhaps because of their lower intake of Cyperus bulbs. Intriguingly, there is no evidence of an uneven sex ratio in the specimens collected by Alexander and others at the end of the nineteenth century, a period of average or above-average Sahel rainfall. A study of colour-ringed birds is underway to determine whether females do indeed have a lower survival rate than males, and long-term monitoring may assess whether the sex ratio changes in the females’ favour as rainfall increases. The Raso Lark clearly has much to contribute to the study of island biogeography. Bulbs are not the sole source of food for Raso Larks. An analysis of faecal samples col- lected from the song perches of males showed the presence in the diet not only of vegetable matter (present in all samples) but also of Lepi- doptera larvae, beetle (Coleoptera) larvae, snails (probably marine gastropods), and a number of other invertebrate groups (Donald et al. 2003). Although data are lacking, it seems likely that chicks in the nest are fed largely on inverte- brates, and perhaps the availability of inverte- brates limits breeding to periods immediately following rainfall. There is no standing fresh water on Raso, so the lark must meet its water requirements through its food. Birds are often seen breaking off and chewing parts of the succulent plant Zygophyllum simplex, possibly to extract water. On a small number of occasions, we have seen larks fly down to the wave platform and appar- ently drink seawater from the surface of rock pools. The importance of this behaviour is unclear. Conservation The Raso Lark is classified by IUCN as Criti- cally Endangered (following recommendations by Ratcliffe et al. 1999 to upgrade its status from Endangered), placing it in a group of around 200 bird species around the world con- sidered most likely to suffer global extinction in the near future. The Raso Lark has one of the smallest ranges and populations of any bird. Population trends are poorly known, but it is clear that, particularly during the long periods of drought that have historically blighted the whole Cape Verde archipelago, numbers have dropped to extremely low levels, perhaps even into single figures. There is little evidence to suggest that the current population is on average lower than it has been in the past, but a number of potential threats exist, some of which are growing. Historical records, conversa- tions with visiting fishermen from neigh- bouring islands and the finding of desiccated scats indicate that cats and at least one dog have been present on Raso in the recent past, though populations have apparently not established and no mammals are thought to be present on the island at the time of writing. Raso Lark remains have not been found in the cat and dog droppings examined (these contained almost nothing but seabird remains). At least one Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus, a rare visitor to Cape Verde, has been present on the island in recent years, though again examination of 428 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420—430 The peculiar history of Raso Lark -c > pellets collected does not indicate the presence of Raso Larks in its diet (they also contained the bones of mostly seabirds). Neglected Kestrel and Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis both breed in small numbers (one to three pairs of each) on Raso but have probably done so for many years, and these species hunt infrequently over the areas occupied by the larks. At present, therefore, there is no suggestion that predators other than the gecko are impacting on the Raso Lark population. Nevertheless, growing numbers of visits to the island, likely to rise further as tourist developments on neigh- bouring islands are completed, increase the like- lihood of predators becoming established. It is also possible that non-native plant species will be introduced, with an unpredictable outcome. The one predator that does impact on the lark is the Cape Verde Giant Gecko, which may have been present on the island for longer than the lark (Carranza et al. 2000), and certainly since well before human colonisation of the neighbouring islands. How the lark survives the massive predation of its nests by the gecko is unclear, yet clearly the two species have been capable of surviving together in the past. However, if human influence has increased the population of the gecko, for example by the provision of food in the form of scraps left by visitors, it could be that nest survival drops below the level needed to sustain the lark’s pop- ulation. The future survival of the lark and the gecko are clearly linked, and changes in the populations of one could influence those of the other. While we now know enough about the lark to begin to understand its ecology, we know next to nothing about the gecko, and this is an area of research that must be tackled if we are to understand fully the Raso Lark’s ecology. Increases in drought length and frequency represent a clear threat, and rainfall since 1970 has generally been below the long-term average (fig. 1, p. 425). How predicted anthropogenic climate change will affect rainfall patterns in Cape Verde is unclear. Some models predict an increase in rainfall on oceanic islands (e.g. Whetton et al. 1996), which may bring the Raso Lark some respite, but many areas of Cape Verde are suffering from desertification, and some of the larger islands are now scattered with abandoned villages. The most recent climate models suggest that the recorded drying of the Sahel zone since 1970 is partly due to the increase in greenhouse gases, and that it is likely to get worse in the future (Held et al. 2005). This would reduce the average population of the Raso Lark still further and make its extinc- tion a probability. Cape Verde is being promoted as a major tourist destination, and an increasing number of unregulated visits to Raso by tourists unaware of the fragility of the island’s ecosystem poses a major threat. Visitors to Raso can take precautions to minimise their impact on the larks and other birds, and can even con- tribute positively to research and conservation. Most important is to take precautions to prevent the accidental introduction of mammals, through appropriate packaging of transported food and other supplies. Accidental introduction of non-native species to oceanic islands can occur very easily; research on another Atlantic island suggests that one insect species becomes successfully established every three or four visits made by humans (Gaston et al. 2003). Visitors arriving on Raso will often encounter local fishermen from Sao Vicente and Santo Antao, who stay for several nights each week on Raso. Some of these fishermen illegally harvest young seabirds for food in October and November, and may therefore resent the pres- ence of visitors and the lark they come to see. The co-operation and goodwill of these islanders is crucial to keeping Raso clear of cats and other predators, and visitors are encouraged to take small gifts for them where possible and to treat them with the courtesy and respect they deserve. Once on the island, it is extremely important that visitors take great care where they walk or camp. Areas where holes are being excavated are extremely important, and great care must be taken to avoid standing on and col- lapsing them. If birds are seen carrying food or behaving nervously, it is likely that a nest is nearby and the area should be avoided. While on the island, visitors are likely to encounter birds fitted with coloured plastic and metal leg-rings; the authors would be most grateful to receive details of any ring combinations recorded. Finally, visitors spending more than a day on the island may have the time to get some estimate of the population and distribution of Raso Larks, and possibly of any introduced mammals, and such information would be gratefully received by the authors. The Raso Lark has a smaller world popula- tion than such conservation causes celebres as British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420—430 429 The natural history of Raso Lark < > the Californian Condor Gymnogyps californi- anus, the Seychelles Magpie-robin Copsychus sechellarum and the Mauritius Kestrel Falco punctatus, all of which owe their survival to dedicated and expensive conservation initia- tives. At present, no specific conservation mea- sures are in place for the Raso Lark, although the species has been protected under Cape Verde law since 1955. Raso was designated a National Park in 1990 and official permission is required to visit, although this is rarely sought and the island enjoys nothing more than nominal protection. This lack of conservation effort is probably due to a number of factors, including the remoteness of Raso and the diffi- culty of working there; the lack of an empow- ered conservation community on Cape Verde; the absence of any simple solutions; the lack of appreciation of the species’ status; and (dare we suggest it?) the Raso Lark’s less-than-spectac- ular physical appearance. Regular monitoring of the species, regular checks that mammals have not reached the island and the careful manage- ment of visitors to the island are minimum conservation requirements, but the best chance of ensuring the species’ long-term survival may he in the eradication of cats from neighbouring Santa Luzia and the establishment of a popula- tion of Raso Larks there. Recent visits confirm that there is much apparently suitable habitat on this larger island (Donald et al. 2005). That the Raso Lark has survived for so long appears miraculous, and it clearly has a great deal more to tell us about island biogeography. How much longer it will survive without careful and sensi- tive conservation action is unclear. Acknowledgments For help with fieldwork on Raso and support in many other ways, we are extremely grateful to Roy Taylor; Sabine Hille, Marie Bolton, Colin Wells, Marta de Ponte, Maria Pitta Groz, Mark Mainwaring.Tim Marlow and Justin Welbergen. We are also grateful to Keith Barnes, Norman Ratcliffe, Tom Spencer; Jose Tavares and Comelis Hazevoet for their help and advice, and to the many Cape Verdeans who have helped in various ways. Todd Mitchell, of the University of Washington, provided the data on Sahel rainfall. We would particularly like to thank Julian Francis for his generous support of our expeditions to Raso. References Alexander B. 1 898a An ornithological expedition to the Cape Verde Islands. Ibis 4: 74-1 1 8. — 1 898b. Further notes on the ornithology of the Cape Verde Islands. Ibis 4: 277-285. BakkerT. & van Dijk K. 1 996. 'Cape Verde trip report' Unpublished report Bannerman, D. A., & Bannerman.W. M. 1 968. Birds of the Atlantic Islands. Vol. IV. A history of the birds of the Cape Verde Islands. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh. Bourne, W. R_ P 1 955.The birds of the Cape Verde Islands. Ibis 97: 508-556. Burton. R J. K. 1971. Sexual size dimorphism in Alauda razae. Bull. BOC 91: 108-109. Carranza S„ Arnold, E. N„ Mateo, J. A, & Lopez-Jurado, L F. 2000. Long-distance colonization and radiation in gekkonid lizards, Tarentola Reptilia Gekkonidae., revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequences. Proc. Roy. Soc. Load. B 267: 637-649. Castell, R 1 999. Notes on the breeding biology of Raso Lark Alauda razae. Bull. African Bird Gub 6: 1 03- 1 06. Donald, R F. 2004. The Skylark. Poyser London. — , de Ponte. M„ Pitta Groz, M. J„ & Taylor R. 2003. Status, ecology, behaviour and conservation of Raso Lark Alauda razae. Bird Conservation International 1 3: 1 3-28. — . Brooke, M. de L, Bolton. M. R., Taylor R., Wells, C. E„ Marlow, T, & Hille. S. M. 2005. Status of Raso Lark Alauda razae in 2003, with further notes on sex ratio, behaviour and conservation. Bird Conservation International 15: 165-172. Gaston, K. J„ Jones, A. G., Hanel, C„ & Chown, S. L 2003. Rates of species introduction to a remote oceanic island. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B 270: 1091-1098. Hall. B. R 1 963.The status of Spizocorys razae Alexander Bull. BOC 83: 133-134. Hazevoet C.J. 1989. Notes on behaviour and breeding of the Razo Lark Alauda razae. — 1 995. The Birds of the Cape Verde Islands. BOU Checklist No. 1 3, BOU.Tring. Held, I. M„ Delworth.T L, Lu.J., Findell, K. L, & Knutson, T R. 2005. Simulation of Sahel drought in the 20th and 2 1 st centuries. Proc. National Academy of Sciences 1 02: 1789 1-17896. Lobin, W. 1 982. Beitrag zur kenntnis der Cyperaceae Phanerogamae, Monocotyledonae. der Kapverdischen Inseln. Cour. Forsch. Inst Senckenberg 52: 265-276. Meinertzhagen, R. 1951. Review of the Alaudidae. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 121:81-132. Norrevang, A.. & den Hartog. J. C. 1 984. Bird observations in the Cape Verde Islands 4— 22 June 1982. Cour. Forsch. Inst Senckenberg 68: 1 07- 1 34. Ffatcliffe, N„ Monteiro, LR..& Hazevoet C. J. 1 999. Status of Raso Lark Alauda razae with notes on threats and foraging behaviour Bird Conservation International 9: 43 — 46. Thorpe. R S„ Leadbeater D. L. & Pook C. E. 2005. Molecular clocks and geological dates: cytochrome b of Anolis extremus substantially contradicts dating of Barbados emergence. Molecular Ecology 1 4: 2087-2096. Weiner J. 1995. The Beak of the Finch: a story of evolution in our time. Vintage Books, New York Whetton, R H„ England, M. H„ O’Farrell, S. R, Walterson, I. G.. & Pittock A. B. 1 996. Global comparison of the regional rainfall results of enhanced greenhouse coupled and mixed layer ocean experiments: implications for climate scenario development Climatic Change 33:497-519. Dr Paul F. Donald, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL; e-mail Paul.Donald@rspb.org.uk Dr M. de L. Brooke, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ; e-mail mb 1 0005@cam.ac.uk 430 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 420-430 Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 The competition produced another series of great images and provided a fascinating day for the judges, provoking debate, admiration, and sheer enjoyment in equal measure. The format of the competition remained unchanged, which is to produce the best and/or the most scientifically interesting photograph of a Western Palearctic species. Interesting behav- iour, novel or particularly skilful work by the photographer or aspects of bird photography that strike the judging panel as new or unusual Sponsored by: T CHRISTOPHER HELM an imprint of AAC Stack (Publolwn) Limited smart thinking HarperCollins Publishers j0 sprayway for an adventure called life The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust inevitably score highly. As in previous years, the judging procedure remained the same: two viewings of all the entries, using both slide and digital projectors, after which the entries were reduced to a final shortlist of 13, the details of which are given overleaf. The inexorable march from transparencies to digital images continues apace: from about 15% digital entries in 2004, to 65% in 2005, and 88% this year. We will, of course, continue to welcome transparency entries for the competi- tion, but at this rate we do not expect to receive many transparencies next year! The increase, both in absolute terms and in proportion, in digital entries inevitably has resulted in some differences from the more tra- ditional transparencies. In particular, since post-processing software allows modification of the original image, the rules ask for minimum manipulation, and to enable the judges to assess the degree of manipulation used, competitors are asked to submit both the final processed image for judging, and the original, unprocessed image so that changes may be assessed. All the entries were given minimum, but appropriate, manipulation (curves, unsharp-mask, etc.), but in some cases the judges thought that the degree of cropping was excessive, to the extent that both the pictorial quality and an indication of habitat were reduced. For this reason, it is proposed that for next year the degree of cropping will be restricted. Check the rules before you submit next year. Apart from that, the rules for digital entries have served well for the past three years. Another trend the judges have noticed, as readers will see, is a significant increase in entries involving birds in flight. Though cap- turing birds in flight is still not easy, the advent of auto-focusing in the late 1980s has continued to develop so that the proportion of successful shots has improved, though the judges are well aware, from their own experience, that some photographers are better at flight photography than others! In first place this year is Chris Knights’ © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 43 1 —440 431 Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c 1st Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus (plate 213) Chris Knights 2nd Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus (plate 214) Philip Mugridge 3rd Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla (plate 215) Hugh Harrop 4th Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus (plate 216) Robert Snell 5th Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (plate 217) Chris Knights 6th Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (plate 218) Philip Mugridge 7th Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus (plate 219) Wayne Richardson 8 th Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (plate 220) Mike Lane 9th Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus (plate 221) Steve Young 10th Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus (plate 222) Mike Lane 11th Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martins Gordon Langsbury 12 th Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Steve Young 13 th Great Bustard Otis tarda Gordon Langsbury Digiscoping winner: Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus (plate 223) Mark Piazzi absolutely stunning shot of a Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus reacting aggressively to a nearby, but out-of-frame rival. The judges particularly enjoyed the wonderful wall of water thrown up by the bird in its charge towards the intruder. Chris described how the picture was taken: ‘Photographed at Rutland Water [Leices- tershire] from one of the hides. There were two grebes displaying and a third bird kept being chased off by the male of the displaying pair; on this occasion he charged straight at the lens.’ This was regarded by the judges as an out- standing winner, reflecting all that could be expected from the winning photograph of the competition: action, behaviour, composition, accurate focus, and the need for only minimum cropping. It was scored as a clear winner. Chris Knights has now won this competition on no fewer than three occasions. Readers will remember his Sky Lark Alauda arvensis in flight of 2003 (Brit. Birds 96: 318-326) and nesting Great Crested Grebe feeding a feather to one of its chicks in 1985 (Brit. Birds 78: 211-216). With his third victory, he now joins Jens Eriksen (1997, 1998, 2004) and Roger Tidrnan (1996, 2001, 2002) in a select group of three-time winners. Chris will receive an outdoor jacket from Sprayway, books of his choice from HarperCollins and A&C Black and a cash prize, as well as the traditional inscribed salver for the competition’s overall winner. In second place is a photograph of a Lam- mergier Gypaetus barbatus in flight - the first of four flight shots to make the top ten this year - by Philip Mugridge. The judges very much liked the well-lit bird, the wisp of cloud behind and below it, the feather-sharp image, and the posi- tioning of the bird in the frame. The image was taken at a feeding site in the Spanish Pyrenees, from a hide. Prizes for second and third place this year comprise a selection of books chosen by the award winners from HarperCollins and A&C Black, and a cash prize. Third place was given to Hugh Harrop’s unusual shot of a Firecrest Regains ignicapilla singing. Hugh described the circumstances sur- rounding the taking of this image: ‘Late March saw me in the Sierra de Guadarrama [Spain] for a couple of days... From the upper deck of a mountain lodge near Puerto de Navecerrada, I could hear a Firecrest singing. With the aid of some very thin ‘pishing’, the bird came from the top of the tree almost to eye level and sat in full view for about 20 seconds. I managed a very pleasing series of images and to my eye this [one] stands out for the reason that it portrays such a tiny bird singing so vociferously.’ The judges shared Hugh’s enjoyment of this fine photograph. In fourth place is Robert Snell’s image of a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus with nesting material, commended by the judges as not only a fine image, but also a fine record of interesting behaviour. Robert described how the photograph was taken: ‘Many hours were spent in a camouflaged hide, observing these won- continued on page 436 432 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 431-440 Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c > 433 213. BIRD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR 2006 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, Rutland Water, Leicestershire, March 2005 (Canon EOS I D Mark II; Canon 500-mm IS lens with 1 ,4x converter; I /500, f7. 1 , ISO 400). Chris Knights Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c > 434 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 43 I —440 214. SECOND Adult Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus in flight, Spanish Pyrenees, October 2005 (Canon EOS I D Mark II; Canon 500-mm IS lens; 1/800, f5.6, ISO 200). Philip Mugridge ft ' Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c > British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 43 I —440 435 215. THIRD Firecrest Reg ulus ignicapilla, Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain, March 2005 (Canon EOS I D Mark II, Canon 400-mm DO IS lens; 1/500, f5. 6, ISO 200). Hugh Harrop Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c derful birds. This shot was taken at 7.08 am on 18th July 2005, a day that proved to be most rewarding. The chicks were obviously devel- oping and the nest was getting cramped and dirty. The adult female bird was very intent on new reed material, for re-lining the nest, and, for 30 minutes flew in repeatedly with new reeds. To capture the bird in flight, with the reeds gripped in the talons in the early morning light, showing all the bird’s plumage, was superb, and this shot was the best of many taken. No digital manipulation, from the orig- inal file.’ A second of Chris Knights three submissions was also shortlisted, and was placed fifth. Like his winning image, this too is a superb action shot, of a Moorhen Gallinula chloropus carrying an egg. The egg had been pierced by the lower mandible, so the upper part of the shell was being held in the bird’s bill. The image is sharp, there is a trail of water in the wake of the Moorhen, giving the impression that it is walking on water. Chris reported that: ‘A pair of Moorhens had chicks and was feeding them on very small prey taken from water weed and the grass banks. The Moorhens were very aggressive to Coots Fulica atra , Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta , Mallards Anas platyrhynchos and Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus ; the last species also attacked the Moorhens. The Moorhen made a slow walk round and across to where the Avocets and Black-headed Gulls were nesting on a small island. It then made a mad dash back with an Avocet’s egg in its bill to where its young were waiting under the bank.’ BWP (Vol. 2, p. 581) states that the Moorhen ‘occasionally eats (or feeds to young) shell and contents of eggs of birds, up to those of Mallard Anas platyrhynchos in size’. A fine record of interesting behaviour. In sixth place is another second submission, this time by Philip Mugridge, of a Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus landing, full of detail, with the head of the bird unobscured. This image, like that of the Lammergeier in second place, was taken from a hide overlooking a feeding site in the Spanish Pyrenees, on the same day in October 2005 - obviously a productive site for Philip! The judges particularly enjoyed the apparent expression of concentration on the bird’s face as it landed, presumably intent on avoiding other vultures already at the site. An offbeat image of a Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus by Wayne Richardson was placed seventh. Explanation can be left to Wayne, who entitled it 'TWOC - Taken Without Owner’s Consent!’ He described the circumstances of the photograph thus: ‘Unfortunately, TWOC is still 216. FOURTH Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, Cambridgeshire, July 2005 (Canon EOS l0D;500-mm f4.5 lens; 1/500, f8, ISO 800). Robert Snell Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 c rife on Teesside, where cars are stolen from urban/residential estates and, when the thieves have had their ‘fun’, usually dumped in rural areas. The ‘twockers’ then torch the car to destroy any evidence. On this occasion, early in December, the trashed vehicle had been com- mandeered by a male Red Grouse. The lack of rust suggests that the dumping was very recent and I hadn’t seen the car a few days earlier when working in the area. No doubt the grouse thought it was a definite ‘girl puller’ and was certainly bragging the fact to his nearby rivals. The image was cropped along the top to remove a sliver of overexposed sky.’ Certainly an image with a difference! In eighth place was an image of a Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis by Mike Lane. The judges admired the action, and particularly the trail of water thrown up by the grebe. Mike explained: ‘Taken on a canal in Derbyshire where these grebes are very approachable. They are very prone to chasing each other up and down and skim across the water like penguins.’ Steve Young’s image of Black-headed Gulls in the rain was placed ninth. The judges liked this as a behavioural shot with a difference. Few photographers try to take shots in the rain, and this shot is both informative and a fine compo- sition. Steve explained: T always enjoy pho- tographing birds in the rain; I just don’t enjoy getting wet while I’m doing it... But trapped in the hide at Seaforth NR [Merseyside] during an August downpour was no hardship; I’d spent most of the day here anyway so another hour wouldn’t make any difference. This group of moulting Black-headed Gulls arrived in the rain and began to bathe and preen, but as the rain became stronger feather maintenance was aban- doned in favour of bill-pointing into the rain- drops. I’ve photographed this behaviour before, but this group managed to pose themselves into a nice circle while I took a few images. Shooting at a low shutter speed is always difficult but it was necessary to use an fl 6 aperture to bring all the birds into focus. This was the only sharp shot of that short session.’ Another behavioural shot by Mike Lane was placed tenth: a Black-headed Gull in flight car- rying nesting material: ‘Taken on Texel off the coast of Holland while photographing the famous Avocets there. Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns Sterna hirundo were nesting on the same pool and were all flying back and forth building nests or feeding.’ The judges were disappointed that there were so few entries for the digiscoping prize, continued on page 440 217. FIFTH Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, Norfolk, May 2005 (Canon EOS IDs Mark II; Canon 500-mm IS lens with l.4x converter; l/640,fl I, ISO 400). Chris Knights 218. SIXTH Griffon Vulture Gyps fuivus, Spanish Pyrenees, October 2005 (Canon EOS ID Mark II; Canon 500-mm IS lens; 1/1250, fS.O, ISO 320). Philip Mugridge 2 1 9. SEVENTH Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus, North Yorkshire, December 2005 (Nikon D 1 00; Sigma 500-mm f4.5 lens; I/I 000, f5. 6, ISO 400). Wayne Richardson 220. EIGHTH Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Derbyshire, February 2005 (Canon EOS ID Mark II: Canon 300-mm f4 lens; 1/1600, f5. 6). Mike Lane 22 1 . NINTH Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus, Seaforth, Merseyside, August 2005 (Nikon I DX; 800-mm f5.6 Nikkor lens; I /30, f 1 6, ISO 200). Steve Young Mark Piazzi Mike Lane Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 C > 222. TENTH Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, Texel.The Netherlands, May 2005 (Canon EOS IDs Mark II; Canon 600-mm f4 lens; 1/2500, f5. 6). introduced last year. The winning shot of this category, showing a juvenile Black- shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus with prey, digiscoped by Mark Piazzi in Por- tugal, is, however, a fine entry, well up to the standard anticipated. The judges hope that it will encourage many more such entries next year. Mark will receive a cash prize from the Eric Hosking Chari- table Trust, and a selection of outdoor clothing from Craghoppers. The prizes for the winners, second and third place will be presented at this year’s British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water, in August. We wish to take this opportunity to thank our spon- sors, Sprayway (www.sprayway.com), HarperCollins (www.harpercollins.com), A&C Black (www.acblack.com), Craghoppers (www.craghoppers.com) and The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust, once again for their support, without which this competition would not con- tinue. Next year’s competition will assess photographs taken during 2006, and the rules will be announced in the January 2007 issue of BB, and on our website www.britishbirds.co.uk). Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking and David Tiplitig c/o 4 Kings Road, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4AX .-.T 223. DIGISCOPING WINNER Juvenile Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus, Portugal, August 2005 (Nikon Coolpix 4500; Leica APOTelevid telescope with 20-60x zoom; camera zoom set at 32 mm, telescope about x30; I / 1 0 1 sec, f5. 1 , ISO 1 00). 440 British Birds 99 - August 2006 • 43 I -440 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Windfarm wipes out White-tailed Eagles It’s a very grim case of ‘we told you so’. The White-tailed Eagle Hali- aeetus albicilla population on the Smola archipelago in Norway has been decimated by an ill-advised windfarm. This year, only one eagle is expected to fledge from the wind- farm site on the bird’s former stronghold of Smola, a set of islands about 10 km off the coast of northwest Norway. Turbine blades have killed nine eagles in the last ten months, including all three chicks that fledged last year (five eagles were found dead on the Smola windfarm site in April and May alone, including two of the three young birds raised in 2005). There were up to 19 pairs of . White-tailed Eagles breeding on the 20-km2 windfarm site before ■ construction work started in 2001; this year, just one pair has young. Those 19 pairs led BirdLife to des- ignate Smola as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 1989 because it had one of the highest densities of White-tailed Eagles in the world. BirdLife consistently warned the ^ Norwegian Government that Smola was therefore totally inap- propriate for a windfarm develop- ment. Moreover, there are fears that windfarms planned for the rest of Norway - there are more than 100 I proposals - could replicate the Smola experience (Norway is the 1 most important country in the i world for White-tailed Eagles). Dr Rowena Langston, Senior Research Biologist at the RSPB, said: ‘Smola j is demonstrating the damage that ' can be caused by a windfarm in the wrong location. The RSPB strongly supports renewable energies, including wind, but the deaths of adult birds and the three young hatched last year make the prospects for White-tailed Eagles on the island look bleak. There are other windfarms close to Smola which are putting more eagles in jeopardy too. The deaths of these birds show just how inadequate existing decision-making processes are for new technologies such as windfarms. Developers and gov- ernments should be taking note: these types of impact must be properly considered and acted upon when proposals are first made to avoid the unnecessary losses we are witnessing on Smola.’ Researchers are now running weekly checks for dead birds at the 68-turbine Smola site and pressure is mounting on the Norwegian Government to improve environ- mental assessments, both from conservationists and from the windfarm operator, Statkraft. At the same time, the RSPB is backing a new four-year study at the site, by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), to assess the effects of turbines on swans Cygnus and waders such as European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria , Dunlin Calidris alpina and Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, and on the ability of White-tailed Eagles to adapt to the windfarm. The Norwegian Government ignored warnings of the conse- quences for wildlife of the Smola windfarm before it was built. Dr Mark Avery, Conservation Director at the RSPB, said: ‘The eagles’ deaths confirm the fears we expressed at that time and show how devastating a poorly sited windfarm can be.’ 224. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Scotland, June 2006. © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 441-445 441 lain Leach c News and comment > The future of the UK’s most important waterbird site was debated at a public inquiry in late June. More than 400,000 birds of 30 different species are at risk from industrial-scale shellfishing, which is seriously damaging The Wash Special Protection Area (SPA), the 63,000-ha bay between the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coasts. Fishermen blame Common Eiders Somateria mollissima in par- ticular for feeding on mussels (Mytilidae) and are demanding the right to protect their commercial mussel lays (artificial beds) by scaring birds off. The RSPB says that shellfishing must return to a sustainable level to protect the long-term future of both birds and fishermen. It fears that its three reserves on The Wash - Snet- tisham, Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore - will be harmed if action is taken against the birds. The RSPB’s Mark Avery said: Battle for The Wash ‘The Wash is the UK’s most impor- tant site for waterbirds in winter and migrating birds in spring and autumn. It is protected by interna- tional, European and UK law because of its value to wildlife. Shell- fishing is now far more intensive and far more mechanised, and thou- sands of birds are struggling to survive the winter as a result. The area will soon become an intensively farmed patch of water if shellfishing is not curbed. Industrial farming on land has devastated wildlife and the same is happening on The Wash.’ Despite its numerous designa- tions - it is also classified as a Ramsar site - many parts of the site are in poor condition. Fisheries are to blame, particularly shrimp (Decapoda) and mussel fishing, dredging for cockles Cardium spp., and the failure to allow natural mussel beds time to recover after extensive overfishing. Overall, birds that eat shellfish, including Oyster- catcher Haetnatopus ostralegus , Red Knot Calidris canutus, Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna and Pintail Anas acuta , have dropped in number by more than 100,000 on The Wash. Furthermore, Common Eiders have declined across northern Europe, and the species is Amber-listed in the UK. Mechanised shellfishing takes the food on which birds such as the Oystercatcher depend. It also harms the invertebrate prey sought by other species such as Dunlin and Common Redshank Tringa totanus. Shellfishing has already seriously damaged the Wadden Sea, off the Dutch coast, and as a result the Dutch Government has introduced measures to protect wild birds while allowing sustainable fishing at the same time. The RSPB is calling for similar action to safeguard The Wash. The inquiry inspector’s rec- ommendation to Defra will be made known later this year. Songbird summit for Europe's rarest passerine It’s the rarest songbird in mainland Europe - and also the randiest! But despite its enthusiastic polygamy, the breeding population of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola has plummeted by 95% since the 1900s and there are now only 16,000 singing males left, in just seven European countries. Representatives from those countries - and a further seven nations on the warbler’s migration route and wintering grounds - met in Germany at the end of lune to discuss its future. Aquatic Warblers nest in the wet meadows of eastern central Europe and migrate more than 5,000 km to Africa for the winter. The species was once wide- spread and numerous in wetlands across continental Europe, but most of these habitats were drained for agriculture in the twentieth century, and the bird is now con- fined to strongholds in eastern Poland, Belarus and Ukraine, a small but growing number in Hungary, and tiny, diminishing populations in ‘Pomerania’ (eastern Germany and northwest Poland) and west Siberia. The Aquatic Warbler is Globally Threatened and, faced with the bird’s imminent extinction, BirdLife has championed its cause since the mid 1990s, when expedi- tions to under-explored parts of Belarus discovered the three key breeding sites for the species, which together hold 60% of the world population. The June meeting concluded that the main success of recent years has been the stabilisation of the core breeding population in its largest breeding sites, while the loss of smaller breeding sites and espe- cially the critical decline in Pomerania are highly alarming. It is also crucial for the bird’s effec- tive future protection to find the elusive wintering sites of the species in West Africa. Later this month, the Aquatic Warbler will once again be in the spotlight when students of its breeding biology meet in Palencia, Spain. Readers of a delicate dispo- sition should look away now because paludicola has an impres- sive sexual cv. Researchers investigating the sex life of this skulking Acrocephalus have uncovered a pattern of promis- cuous behaviour, with male birds ‘continuously ready to mate and testing every female for her willing- ness to copulate’. Almost two-thirds of all broods of young Aquatic War- blers have more than one father. In addition, the male birds are particularly well endowed (in pro- portion to their size), with cloacal protuberances, testes and seminal glomera being extraordinarily large compared to those of other Acro- cephalus species and of birds in general. In contrast to most birds, whose mating lasts a mere 1-2 seconds, Aquatic Warblers spend up to 35 minutes copulating, the average being 23.7 minutes - thought to be a record among songbirds. So although it’s threat- ened with extinction, the Aquatic Warbler is certainly doing its bit to prevent that happening! 442 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 44 1 -445 News and comment Europe threatens legal action against Malta BirdLife has welcomed the decision by the European Commission to open a legal infringement pro- cedure against the Maltese Govern- ment for allowing the spring hunting of Turtle Doves Strep- topelia turtur and Common Quail Coturnix coturnix. This infringe- ment of the Birds Directive has taken place in Malta for three con- secutive years since Malta joined the EU in 2004. This spring hunting season not only breaches EU law, but also pro- vides cover for the illegal hunting of many other species. ‘BirdLife welcomes [the fact] that the Euro- pean Commission won’t tolerate this any longer and that it has com- mitted itself to take legal action in case Malta does not end spring hunting,’ said Konstantin Kreiser of BirdLife’s Brussels office. The Maltese Government will now have to ensure that no spring hunting takes place from 2007 onwards, otherwise it will be taken to the European Court of Justice. When Commission officials made a fact-finding visit to Malta, the Maltese Government attempted to justify spring hunting by arguing that Turtle Dove and Quail had to be hunted then, because it was the only time that they occur on the island. However, both species pass through Malta on their return migration in autumn. 'The Maltese Government made a poor case before the Com- mission because there is actually no excuse for the continuation of spring hunting in Malta. It is unfor- tunate that the consequences of this decision - ultimately a penalty could be imposed by the Court - will be borne by the Maltese public, when in fact the majority are in favour of a total ban on hunting. It is now time to improve law enforcement in Malta - the Gov- ernment must stop defending the illegal and immoral actions of the few at the expense of the Maltese public,’ said Joseph Mangion, Presi- dent of BirdLife Malta. Since there are c. 16,800 regis- tered hunters and trappers in Malta in a population of 400,000, some estimates put the annual number of birds killed at roughly two million. In the past three spring seasons, Malta has allowed Turtle Doves and Quails to be hunted from 25th March to 22nd May. This is in breach of the EU Birds Directive Article 7(4) because this hunting season overlaps with the pre- breeding migration of these species. The Turtle Dove has declined by approximately 70% across Europe over the last 25 years. With legal action looming, the Maltese Government made some amendments to its hunting laws earlier this year (Brit. Birds 99: 270-271). These included a ban on shooting birds from speedboats - but still included provision for spring hunting. The European Commission has now vetoed that. Chaffinch trapping proposed in Belgium Meanwhile, the prospect of bird trapping in the European Commis- sion’s own backyard has reared its ugly head. A group of Christian Democrat and Liberal members of the Flemish (Belgium) Parlia- ment has tabled a proposal for the reintroduction of Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs trapping in the Flanders region until 2013. The reason is that captive-bred birds apparently do not sing as well as wild ones and therefore the standard of singing competi- tion is declining! On 30th June 2006, a so-called ‘finch decree’ was presented in the Flemish Parliament. The initiative is the result of complaints by ‘bird lovers’ who have complained to their local MPs about the allegedly poor quality of the song of captive-bred Chaffinches. As evidence of this, the would-be trappers refer to a current study (right) where the importance of song quality has been demonstrated in captive-bred finches. Alex Hirschfeld from the German Committee against Bird Slaughter (CABS) states: ‘The study in fact proves that the song of Chaffinches in the wild is based on strong sexual selection stress. The volume and intensity of the calls help the females in the wild to esti- mate the quality and health of potential partners. In captivity, where pairing as a result of random natural selection does not occur, the musical quality is at best of average quality.’ Hirschfeld goes on: ‘To use this rather banal biological fact as a reason for the reintroduction of bird trapping is outrageous and completely frivolous.’ The Belgian Bird Protection Society’s cam- paign against this proposal (with more information and a draft e- mail text in English and Flemish) can be found on the Proact website at: www.proact-campaigns.net/localcampaigns/ chaffinch_flanders.html ‘Sexy’ bird song leads to larger eggs Research by Prof. Clive Catchpole of Royal Holloway, University of London, and Dr Stefan Leitner of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany, published in the latest issue of Ethology, shows how female Canaries Serinus canaria can alter the size of their eggs and possibly the sex of their chicks according to the quality of the male’s song. Captive female Canaries were exposed to attractive (‘sexy’, i.e. con- taining more-complex structures) and less attractive songs. When the females started laying eggs, the size of the eggs varied according to the ‘attractiveness’ of the male song: the more attractive the song, the larger the eggs. The findings also show that the females cannot control all the reproductive factors. For example, in the wild, larger eggs are more likely to hatch male offspring, but in the experiment this was not the case. Despite not ruling out the possibility that female Canaries can alter the sex of their offspring, the findings do suggest that hearing a ‘sexy’ male bird song has a selec- tive impact on female physiology. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 44 1 —445 443 News and comment First cases of bird flu caught from wild birds It’s been confirmed that four people who died from bird flu in Azerbaijan (Brit. Birds 99: 221) contracted it from dead Mute Swans Cygnus olor. The victims, from a village 150 km southeast of the Azeri capital, Baku, are believed to have caught the lethal H5N1 virus earlier this year when they plucked the feathers from dead birds to sell for pillows. Three other people were infected with the virus after handling the swans but survived. Andreas Gilsdorf, an epi- demiologist at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, who led the team that made the discovery, said: ‘As far as we know this is the first transmission from a wild bird, but it was a very intensive contact. We know that the virus is carried by swans and we know that you can catch the virus if you have close contact, so it doesn’t change any- thing. It’s just the first time it has been reported.’ Almost all of the 220 other con- firmed human cases of bird flu, including 130 deaths, have been linked to infected domestic poultry. A handful are believed to have caught the disease directly from infected humans. The cluster of cases in the Salyan district of Azerbaijan was first reported in March. Six of the seven, all aged between 10 and 20, were from the same family. Relatives initially denied any contact - hunting and trading wild birds and their prod- ucts there is illegal - but eventually admitted that the victims had plucked the feathers from dead swans among a huge number of the birds to have died in February. Only one wild bird has been found with H5N1 in Britain in recent years, the dead Whooper Swan C. cygnus found in Fife in April this year. But surveillance of migratory birds returning this autumn is likely to be far greater and more targeted on certain wild- fowl than it was this winter and spring. Andy Evans, (dead of Ter- restrial Research for the RSPB, said: ‘You have to get extremely close to an infected bird. Most cases are associated with poultry and preparing poultry for the pot. This is essentially the same process. If you have extremely close contact with an infected carcase, it is pos- sible to contract the disease, but it remains difficult.’ The Health Protection Agency said: ‘Our advice remains the same, if you see a dead bird, don’t pick it up.' Defra said that its scientific advisers regarded the risk of bird flu being transmitted to humans from wild birds as small. Sepa- rately, the World Health Organisa- tion has confirmed fears that a duster of cases in Indonesia was caused by the virus passing directly from person to person. Seven people died, but officials insisted that there was no risk of wider transmission. Scientists found that the virus had mutated slightly, but not into a form that could be passed on easily. The BOU (www.bou.org.uk) is holding a two-day conference in Peterborough on 20th-21st November 2006 entitled Avian influenza and other bird diseases. Birdfair XVIII The British Birdwatching Fair (www.birdfair.org.uk) pitches camp at Rutland Water again on 1 8th— 20th August. The project for the 18th Birdfair is Saving the Pacific’s parrots, specifically the threatened species in New Cale- donia, Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia (and no, Polynesia is not a forgetful parrot!). Since 1500, 68 of the 133 docu- mented bird extinctions on the planet have been in the Pacific. Currently there are 289 Globally Threatened species in the region, of which 37 are Critically Endan- gered. Alongside other Pacific island endemics, small parrots have suffered from forest clearance and nest predation by rats. They are also attractive prizes for hunters supplying the pet trade. For much more background see Pacific islands: a paradise lost? in the June 2006 edition of BirdLife’s World Birdwatch magazine. The staff and directors of British Birds will be on site throughout the Birdfair at Stands 23 & 24 in Marquee 3. Do come along and say hello and tell us what you think about the journal. In addition, Bob Scott will be giving his talk on ‘100 years of British Birds and birdwatching’ at 5 pm in the Lecture Marquee on the Sat- urday. Yes, BB celebrates its cen- tenary in 2007! We have some excellent special issues of the journal planned for our 100th year and hope all our readers are going to celebrate this milestone with us. Bird Holidays go carbon neutral One of the many bird-tour compa- nies at the Birdfair will be the Leeds-based Bird Holidays (www.birdholidays.co.uk), which has recently become the first travel company in the world to carbon- balance its air travel. The company’s four tour leaders have bought 65 acres of deforested land adjacent to the Yanacocha reserve near Quito in Ecuador, the only place in the world where a splendid humming- bird called the Black-breasted Puffleg Eriocnemis nigrivestis is found. The land will now be replanted with 20,000 native trees grown in a nursery from seed har- vested from the existing reserve; the growing forest will be cared for by the local community in collab- 444 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 44 1 — 445 c oration with conservation group Fundacion locotoco. Bird Holidays has paid for the land, the reforestation and the management costs for the next 20 years. The money has come out of the pockets of the four principal tour guides: Roger Barnes, Phil Palmer, Andy Woodall and Paul Willoughby, all of whom deserve a big pat on the back. These guys have thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the bird-tour companies - and the wider travel industry - because the growing forest in Ecuador will soak up an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide to that generated by all the flights taken by News and comment all Bird Holidays tour groups for the next 20 years! The company worked with the conservation charity the World Land Trust (www.worldlandtrust.org) to achieve carbon neutrality. Scien- tists from the Trust visited the site to measure and count trees on the existing reserve to determine how much carbon is locked up in this type of forest. They measured soil depths and took samples to work out how much carbon is held in the ground (unlike rainforest, cloud forest has a thick layer ot topsoil with a high carbon content). They looked at the air travel undertaken by Bird Holidays’ D — leaders and clients, and calculated how much carbon will be released into the atmosphere. The calcula- tions allowed for growth in Bird Holidays’ business. The World Land Trust then used protocols laid down in the Kyoto agreement to work out how much land would be needed to fully offset these emis- sions, and they built in an extra 25% to take account of possible variations and unknowns associ- ated with the project. It’s now up to the trees to do the rest of the work. If any other bird-tour company has similar plans, we will be happy to publicise their efforts too. Website of the month Tens of thousands of birders will converge on Rutland Water this month for the annual Birdfair. But there’s plenty of birding potential beyond the Egleton reserve to try out those new binoculars and ’scopes. Rutland is, of course, England’s smallest county. For the last 65 years, its birding community has been served along- side that of its larger neighbour, Leicestershire, by the Leicestershire & Rutland Ornithological Society (LROS). Indeed, the LROS kept the faith when Rutland ‘disappeared’ for 20 years as a result of local- government reorganisation; LROS never lost its ‘R’. And it was to keep the name of Rutland alive that local people lobbied for the name ‘Rutland Water’ when the reservoir was created in the mid 1970s. Its original name was. . .? See below. LROS has a very good website (www.lros.org.uk) with all the information that visiting - and resident - birders need. The Birding Sites section has detailed profiles of 15 major sites in the counties; a further 20 sites have brief summaries. Rutland Water is justifi- ably world famous because of the Birdfair. But there are plenty of other reservoirs and former gravel-pits in these landlocked Midlands counties to tempt the birder beyond the biggest one on the map. The Latest Bird News is up to date and has some good photos too. As for the LROS News section, I’m sure there must have been something to report since )une 2004! The Photo Archive is a work in progress, systematic group by systematic group, but is a great resource that all county bird clubs should have on their websites. Visit the website then try a visit to Eye- brook Reservoir, not too far from Empingham Reser- voir aka Rutland Water. Culls a-glowing Further to reports of radioactive gulls at Sellafield, Cumbria (Brit. Birds 99: 223), comes an intriguing report of glowing gulls in a Dorset coastal village. Prof. Graham Martin, of Birmingham University’s Centre for Ornithology, raised the alarm with an e- mail to the BOU newsgroup. He explained: ‘Several people in the village have reported that some of these gulls ‘glow’ at night. The only possible (if unfeasible) explanation is that the gulls have been feeding in an area populated with bioluminescent algae and that these have become stuck to their plumage. The “glow” is described as being blue-green, reasonably intense (clearly visible at a distance of 10 m or so) and partic- ularly obvious under the wing when the birds flap them. Some of the reports also mention “sparking” between the bird and nearby buildings, which I would interpret as being droplets of algae luminescing as they are flicked off during preening.’ But this is not an isolated incident. Norman McCanch replied: T can confirm similar observations on gulls (and also on shearwaters) in Pembrokeshire and on the Calf of Man. Bioluminescent algae were the prime suspects, as they were regularly observed in the sea around the coast at the time and seemed more than usually noticeable. In particular, I recognise the “sparks” flicked off preening gulls around roosts late in the evening.’ So the mystery appears to be solved. If you’ve seen other glowing seabirds, do let us know. British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 44 1 — 445 445 www.irishbirdimages.com Request Sightings of colour-ringed ‘alba’ wagtails During autumn 2005, over 500 White/Pied Wagtails Motacilla alba alba/yarrelli were colour-marked at Slapton Ley NNR, Devon, as part of an intensive study investigating the origins of the many thousands of wagtails (currently estimated at 30,000-50,000) passing through en route to France and Spain. Each bird carries a total of four rings, a BTO metal ring on the right leg and three coloured rings on the left leg. Over 2,500 birds have been ringed at Slapton since October 2002, and these have generated recoveries from Scotland, Wales, The Netherlands and France. In addition, there has been extensive co-operation with Icelandic birders/ringers as part of this latest study, which suggests that c. 60% of birds passing through Slapton during September are White Wagtails and that probably most are of Icelandic origin. All sightings are required and will be acknowl- edged. Please send details to: Dennis Elphick, 2 Somerye, Chillington, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 2JU; e-mail dennis.elphick@tiscali.co.uk; tel. (01548) 580323. Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers mid June to mid July 2006. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Pett Level (East Sussex), 27th June. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Tittesworth Reservoir (Staffordshire), 1st July. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Gairloch (Highland), 14th June at least. Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris Sula Sgeir (Western Isles), long- stayer to at least 1st July. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus The following were seen 225. First-summer male Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus.Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, June 2006. during pelagic trips off Scilly: one, 16th June; eight, 18th June; five, 5 km southwest of Bishop’s Rock plus one from St Mary’s 26th June; two, 28th June; one, 6th July. Also, Brandon (Co. Kerry), 21st June. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Shapwick Heath (Somerset), 1 7th— 1 8th June and 9th July. Great White Egret Ardea alba Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), 25th-27th June; Bassenthwaite Lake (Cumbria), 27th June to 1st July; Blashford Lakes, 3rd July, two 9th July, with presumably one of the same Portsmouth Harbour (both 226. Adult Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla, Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland, July 2006. 446 © British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 446—448 Stef McFIwpp Recent reports C > Hampshire), 5th July; Quoile Pondage (Co. Down), 5th July; Sturmin- ster Gravel-pits (Dorset), 8th July; Grove Ferry (Kent), 9th July. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Alford (Lincolnshire), 20th June; South Renton/ Auchencrow (Borders), 25th June and 7th— 1 0th July. Red-footed Falcon Fa/co ves- pertinus Collafirth (Shet- land), 12th June; Fladdabister (Shetland), 13th June; Budby (Notting- hamshire), 17th June; Gor- leston-on-Sea (Norfolk), 7th July. 227. First-summer male Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus, Rookery Clay Pit, Bedfordshire, June 2006. Black-winged Stilt Himan- topus himantopus Martin Mere (Lancashire), two long-stayers to 29th June. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Back Saltholme Pool (Cleveland), 5th— 1 0th July. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subrufcollis Lossiemouth (Lothian), 27th June. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Goldcliff Pools (Gwent), 8th July. Lesser Yellow- legs Tringa fJavipes Gibraltar Point (Lincoln- shire), long-stayer to 24th June. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Burrafirth 19th June, presumed same Quendale, 22nd June, and Toab (all Shetland), 25th lune. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Worthing (West Sussex), 21st June; Camel estuary (Cornwall), 28th June to 4th July. Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus The Minch, 1 1 km northwest of Rubha Reidh British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 446^148 447 John Carter Jim Lawrence Bill Boston Hugh Harrop Recent reports C > 229. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster, Yell, Shetland, June 2006. (Highland/Western Isles), 23rd June. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia One flew south past Whitburn (Co. Durham) and Hartlepool Head- land (Cleveland), 2nd July. Whiskered Tern Chli- donias hybrida Gibraltar Point, 20th— 2 1st June. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Belfast Lough (Co. Down), 6th June; Harris (Western Isles), 16th June; Snettisham (Norfolk), 19th June; Worlaby Carrs (Lin- colnshire), 30th June. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Belfast Lough, 2nd July. Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops Thrupp (Oxfordshire), from about 24th May to 29th June. Alpine Swift Apus melba Wheal Rose (Cornwall), 9th July. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Gulberwick, two, 12th June, Yell, 1 3th— 25th June, Fair Isle, 22nd June, Unst (all Shetland), 26th June; Easington (East York- shire), 24th June. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Whalsay (Shetland), 12th June. Great Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus arundinaceus Sandwich (Kent), 15th June; Far Ings (Lin- colnshire), 24th June; Loch of Kin- nordy (Angus), long-stayer to 10th July. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Shingle Street (Suffolk), 8th— 1 0th July. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Lucott Cross (Somerset), 24th-27th June. Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus Harris (Western Isles), 6th-8th July. Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator Blackmore (Essex), one of unknown origin, 1 st— 8th July. 448 British Birds 99 • August 2006 • 446-448 22a River Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 2SJ tel: 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com Over 1 ,000 products available online Secure online ordering Quality second-hand stock regularly available Compasses, GPS, digiscoping accessories I in stock Next day delivery on orders placed before midday www. swo pti cs . co . u k 1 , (sit us in Marque drdwatching Fai irvey equipmen ;e 1, Stand 28 at this year's British -and see our range of moth traps, t and Schwegler nest-boxes 1 i LXRv ffc l r ~ i " Robinson, Skinner, HeathS Johnson Traps Four-fold nets, sweep nets &beating trays. Pond nets and trays Specimen Pots. Microscopes and hand lens. Bird, bat and insect boxes www. QUIPnet 1 Clive Collage London Rd AJIoslock KNUTSFORD Cheshire WA16 9LT T 0871 7340111 F 087 1 734 0555 E prrtv@biolaco uk OPTICS • Common & Garden Birds £14.95 for 60 species. 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We aim to show our full range of equipment but it Dn\/C *1e^Ps us 10 help y°u ‘I you let US know your interests before each Field UUyj pay Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm usually. oaks Wildfowl The Kent Wildlife Trust, re On the A25 between The Tyland Bom, Sondling, id and Sevenoaks Near Maidstone, Kent Boll Station on 8 Oct 3 Sept, 1 0 Oct Bough Beech Nature )V Reserve/Reservoir About ti Harbour INR 4 miles south of the A25/A21 12145 into Selsey, junction (access fiom B2042 or ssex B2027) neat Ide Hill, Kent. b 24 Sep & 29 Oct Into centre north of reservoir. Pastures Country iar Reading (M4, 20 Aug, 17 Sept, 22 Oct & 19 Nov ) Woodley turnoff) College Lake Wildlife '9 to Winners!) ond Centre On the B488 neoi i Station (B3030) Bulbourne, Tring, Herts. & 12 Nov 1 3 Aug & 1 5 Oct Canon, Helios, Kowa, Leica, Manfrotto, Miyauchi, Nikon, > Opticron, Optolyth, Sentinel, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. Used items also on our web site. A & or subsequent Field Day dales, phone or see < New SMS News Service Free Trial Online also Pagers 8c Internet News www. r arebirdaler t . co.uk Read the News First BIRDNET INFORMATION LTD BEST PAGER BEST SERVICE BEST PRICE Have the Motorola Graphix Pager @ just £197.40p. Or our Economy Pager @ £120. We also provide a phone text service for £59 incl. (Plus Membership £35) Phone 01623 511679 for information. www.birdnetinformation.co.uk NHBS Environment Bookstore Wildlife I Science I Conservation □ All the Birds of Brazil An Identification Guide Deodato Souza i This important field guide is now in its second edition with improved maps and new illustrations to accompany the updated narrative. Indispensable for the serious visitor £29.95 #151692 Pbk Edition 2 2006 □ Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe Klaas-Douwe B Dijkstra The perfect country-by-country guide to finding, studying and identifying dragonflies. Illustrated by Richard Lewington. £30.00 #1159517Hbk 2006 £21.95 #159516 Pbk 2006 □ A Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic islands Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde Tony Clarke, Chris Orgill &Tony Dlsley This comprehensive guide covers all resident, migrant and vagrant species found in Macaronesia. £29.99 #66409 Pbk 2006 □ Toucans of the Americas / Tucanos das Americas Herculano Alvarenga and Eduardo Brettas Full-page watercolours depict , the exotic and eye-catching birds of the Americas from Mexico to Southern Brazil. £34.50 #157766 Hbk 2004 □ The Birds of the State of Kuwait George Gregory Presents an accurate status account for each species of bird recorded in Kuwait. £15.00 #158961 Pbk 2005 AveSdo • 1 UK500 □ Handbook of the Birds of ♦ World. Volume 11: Old Worldjj catchers to Old World Warbll Edited by Josep Del Hoyo. An j, . Elliot and David Christie i The latest volume in this I series offers in-depth treatmfr some of the best studied passerines. Due 09/06 £438 £112.00 #38602 Hbf □ Atlas: Birds of Moscow Ci t the Moscow Region MV Kalyakin and OV Voltzit Distribution maps of all 273 breeding, migrant, nomadic ai [ wintering bird species records • in Moscow City and the Moscf Region during 1999-2004. ' Bilingual in Russian and Enl accompanied by brief texts.. £65.00 #160458 Hbk 2006 □ Birds of Brazil / Aves do I* An Artistic View / Uma Visao A)# Tomas Sigrist This generous 672 page harcit' teeming with exquisite drawirii sketches, and boasts 160 ilkr« pages of more than 1 ,800 Ez> birds. Will dazzle ornithologs artists everywhere. £99.95 #158563 Hbk and CD set 2006 □ UK500: Birding in the FasU James Hanlon An insight into the world of tw'hi an anecdotal and humourous's of the author’s missions to a; ft birds to his ever-increasing If life-list. £9.99 #157718 Pbk 07/06 □ The Birds of Malawi An Atlas and Handbook Frangoise Dowsett-Lemaire and Robert J Dowsett The stunning new resource recommended by Malawi Ornithological Society as the handbook for birding in Malawi. 07/06 £25.00 #158041 Pbk www.nhBs.com __ 2.3 WH.S Rd. Totnes. 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VAT is available Irom British Birds - tel 0 1 580 882039 ^ Birding southern Israel - Kibbutz Lotan Center for Birdwatching • Spring, autumn and winter tours to all of Southern Israel’s Hotspots • The most experienced tour leaders in Israel • Up to 100 species a day in spring • Small groups • Amazing views of some of the WP rarest birds • Excellent dining room • Peaceful comfortable guestrooms in Kibbutz Lotan • 35 minutes drive from Eilat and the spectacular Red Sea Meet our tour leader, Jonathan Meyrav at the Bird Fair in August (at the SPNI booth) Contact information: lotan-programs@lotan.ardom.co.il tel: 972-8-6356935 fax: 972-8-6356937 www.birdingisrael.com r R m m lllfltT.UL Corbett Tiger Reserve, India Tel: 91- 5947- 287804 email: info® campforktaiTaeek. com Camp is located on the northeast periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve and offers ample birding opportunities in the surrounding mixed fores Corbett boasts of over 5J species of birds.... 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Crafted and engineered with Nikon precision, these spotting scopes assure you of an adventurous, happy birding life now and ever after. Spot-on! www.nikon.co.uk 0800 230 220 HEPOrfY 6 SEP 2006 1 September 2006 • Vol.99 • 449—504 ■ American Black Tern British rarities 1950-57 Moustached Warbler British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as 'British Birds’ Registered Office: 4 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8SF British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches, Richard Porter, Bob Scott and Terry Smeeton. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Peter Oliver and Bob Scott. British Birds aims to be the leading journal for the modern birder in the Western Palearctic We aim to: •> provide a forum for contributions of interest to all birdwatchers in the Western Palearctic; *> publish material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy; •> embrace new ideas and research; ♦> maintain our position as the respected journal of record; and ♦> interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. Notes Panel Will Cresswell, lan Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie, Angela Turner (Co-ordinator) Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £85.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £46.00 Overseas surface mail - £52.00 Back issues Single back issues - £6.50 Available from British Birds, Unit 3, The Applestore, Workhouse Lane, Icklesham, East Sussex TN36 4BJ Rarities Issue - £12 (available as above) Please make all cheques payable to British Birds Guidelines for Contributors Full details are available on the BB website. www.britishbirds.co.uk EDITORIAL CIRCULATION Spindrift, & PRODUCTION Eastshore, Virkie, Unit 3, The Applestore, Shetland ZE3 9JS Workhouse Lane, Icklesham, Tel: 01 950 460080 East Sussex TN36 4BJ Papers, notes, letters, illustrations, etc. Tel: 01424 815132 Fax: 01424 815133 Roger Riddington E-mail: editor@britishbirds.co.uk Design & Production 'News & comment’ information Philippa Leegood E-mail: design@britishbirds.co.uk Adrian Pitches, 22 Dene Road, Subscriptions & Administration Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear NE30 2JW Hazel Jenner E-mail: adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk E-mail: subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Rarity descriptions Design M. J. Rogers Mark Corliss secretary@bbrc.org.uk Printed by Hastings Printing Company Ltd ADVERTISING: for all advertising matters, please contact: Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550 Fax: 020 8881 0990 E-mail: ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk British Birds Editor Roger Riddington Assistant Editors Caroline Dudley & Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Steve Votier Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Photographic Consultants Robin Chittenden & David Tipling Rarities Committee Chairman Colin Bradshaw, Secretary Mike Rogers Chris Bradshaw, Phil Bristow, Lance Degnan, Martin Garner, Paul Harvey, James Lidster, John Martin, Adam Rowlands, Brian Small, John Sweeney Front-cover photograph: American Black Tern’ Chlidonias niger surinamensis, British Columbia, Canada. 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Rogers, on behalf of BBRC 465 Time to get rid of the Moustache: a review of British records of Moustached Warbler Tim Melling Regular features 464 SSj Rarities Committee news BBRC seeks two new members 478 Letter Threat to carrion-feeding birds of prey posed by EU legislation K. W. S. Kane 479 Conservation research news Arjun Amar and Jeremy Wilson 48 1 Notes Comment on ‘Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ in Wester Ross in 1925 R. Y. McGowan Identification and status of Dunn’s Lark in northwest Africa Alexander C. Lees and Richard D. Moores A review of the status of Black-eared Wheatear in the Maltese Islands John Azzopardi African Desert Locusts in Morocco in November 2004 Magnus Ulltnan County and local bird reports in Britain & Ireland: an update David K. Ballance 495 Reviews Waders of Europe, Asia and North America Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World Collins Field Guide: Wildlife sounds of Britain and Ireland Atlas: Birds of Moscow City and the Moscow Region 498 News and comment Adrian Pitches 50 1 Request Sightings of colour-ringed ‘alba’ wagtails 502 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey © British Birds 2006 American Black Tern at Weston-super-Mare: new to Britain R. M. Andrews, R.J. Higgins and J. P. Martin ABSTRACT A juvenile Black Tern Chlidonias niger of the American race surinamensis was found at Weston-super-Mare Water Treatment Works on 3rd October 1999, where it remained until I Ith October.This represents the first record of this distinctive form in Britain. The identification of surinamensis is discussed in the context of separation from the nominate race of Black Tern. On 3rd October 1999, after a typically birdless autumn morning at Chew Valley Lake, Avon, R. M. Andrews (RMA) decided to spend the rest of the day at Weston-super-Mare Water Treatment Works, where a Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius had been found the previous day. While walking around the reserve, looking for the phalarope, he saw a Black Tern Chlidonias niger, which had also been reported earlier. His first impression, as the tern flew away, was that it was a winter- plumaged adult, yet when it turned it looked more like a juvenile. With better views, it was clear that the bird was a juvenile, but a remark- ably plain individual. RMA had previously wondered whether the American race of Black Tern C. n. surinamensis (hereafter ‘ surinamensis ’) could occur in Britain. In fact, following a report of one in Ireland about a month previously (Adriaens 1999), he had even checked the identification criteria in Terns of Europe and North America (Olsen & Larsson 1995). Now, a month later, the only features he could recall were white flecking in the cap, dusky flanks and that there was something different about the rump. Since this was the first Black Tern that RMA had encountered since reading the surinamensis account, he was somewhat taken aback to see that the cap was indeed unusually pale - more like that of a White-winged Black Tern C. leu- copterus (hereafter ‘ leucopterus ’). In the bright sunlight, the rump was almost concolorous with the tail and back, unlike the rump of any juvenile Black Tern he had ever seen. He walked round the pool to join R. J. Higgins (RIH) and J. P. Martin (IPM), who had already noticed that the tern’s plumage was unusual but were still at the questioning 'it must be a juvenile but why is it so uniform?’ stage. RMA suggested that it showed one or two features of surinamensis and, as we watched it, the greyish flanks were added to the list of pro- surinamensis features. We enjoyed prolonged views of the bird at rea- sonably close range and began to take detailed notes, becoming gradually more confident that it was no ordinary Black Tern. We informed the bird information and pager services, and the bird was seen at the site by many observers until 11th October. JPM and RMA watched it again at different times on 4th and JPM once more on 8th October. Though the site was strictly speaking private, the staff at Wessex Water were most co-operative and there were minimal access problems. The initial reac- tion from other birders was fairly low-key, but interest increased as more people realised that I surinamensis was being touted as a potential i ‘split’ from the Old World form. A steady stream of ‘insurance tickers’ was swelled by the | carloads of birders travelling to and from Scilly at the time. Description Size, shape and behaviour Without direct comparison, it was difficult to be sure whether there were any differences in size, shape and behaviour from the nominate race niger (hereafter 'niger ) - none was I obvious. Although at times JPM thought that it 450 © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 American Black Tern: new to Britain ( perhaps looked slightly longer-billed, this could have been an illusion created by the paler fore- head and crown. It fed in typical Black Tern fashion, surface-dipping over the pools, and also frequently towering high and hawking for insects with Black-headed Gulls Larus ridi- bundus. Head The head pattern was reminiscent of that of juvenile leucopterus. A dark ‘headphones’ mark on the ear-coverts contrasted with a restricted pale grey crown, apparently white with fine darker streaking. There seemed to be a slightly darker band across the hindcrown, which con- tributed to the ‘headphones’ effect, and an obvious white collar below this. When the tern flew towards the observer, the head was particu- larly striking, appearing practically white- capped. Photographs were particularly useful in determining the exact crown pattern, which was surprisingly difficult to judge on a constantly moving bird! Upperparts Overall, more uniform than upperparts of juvenile niger, and rather grey in tone, recalling a summer adult niger in some ways. The rump was virtually concolorous with the tail and lower mantle - a mid slate-grey. At some angles the rump appeared a shade paler, but any differ- ence in tone was slight. Compared with juvenile niger, brown tones were subdued and more or less confined to the upper mantle, and there was an obvious, rather narrow, dark carpal bar. Individual coverts and scapulars could, in the best views, be seen to have a narrow and rather indistinct pale fringe, quite different from the more obvious pale scalloping on juvenile niger. The secondary bar was only marginally darker . than the rest of the wing, whilst the primaries were similarly rather uniform. The tail was grey 1 with possibly slightly darker outer rectrices. When we first saw it, in strong sunlight, the upperparts looked a clean grey. Later, in duller, overcast conditions, the brown tones were more obvious. These differences are apparent in the various published photographs of the bird. Underparts The dark brown patches on the sides of the breast (the breast ‘pegs’) were obvious, and larger than those on many, though not all, niger. \\ pale grey wash extended along the flanks iritish Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 I > 231. Juvenile American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Weston-super-Mare, Avon, October 1 999. The grey flanks are obvious in this photograph. 232. Juvenile American BlackTern Chlidonias niger surinamensis. Weston-super-Mare, Avon, October 1 999. The grey flanks are somewhat burnt out by the strong light and there seems to be a narrow dusky leading edge to the underwing. 233. Juvenile American BlackTern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Weston-super-Mare. Avon, October 1999. Note the uniform upperparts and the White- winged BlackTern C. /eucopterus-like head pattern. 451 Ceorge Reszeter Carole Leigh Carole Leigh American Black Tern: new to Britain c > Table 1. Comparison of plumage and structural features of juvenile Black Tern Chlidonias niger of the American race surinamensis and the Old World race niger. surinamensis niger head pattern Crown grey with pale flecks contrasting with a solid dark spot on the ear-coverts. White forehead appears slightly more extensive than on niger. Tone of the crown is similar to mantle. Crown more extensively washed very dark brown, merging with the ear- coverts, with no contrast in tone. Crown conspicuously darker than rest of upperparts. flank markings Variable breast ‘peg’, on some similar to that of niger, on others larger. Behind this, flanks always washed grey to rear edge of wings, or merged with sides of rump. On some birds the dark breast peg merged into the grey flanks; typically the peg was distinctly darker. All showed entirely white flanks behind the breast ‘peg’. general impression of upperparts Overall darker and more uniform, with the marginally paler rump contrasting only slightly. Overall paler, with contrastingly paler rump. mantle and scapulars Rather uniform with only slight contrast between smaller, dark brown, finely pale- fringed feathers of upper mantle, and larger feathers of lower mantle and scapulars, which show grey bases with fine pale buff fringes. Browner, with warmer, almost ginger tones on some. More obvious pale fringes to feathers, especially broad and obvious on larger rear scapulars. rump Mid grey with fine white fringes, only slightly paler than mantle and tail. Pale grey ground colour and broader, paler fringes create an obviously paler area, contrasting strongly with darker mantle and tail. upperwing Carpal bar narrow and not visible on many skins, so perhaps unlikely to be visible on a perched bird. Dark carpal bar obvious on the skins and therefore probably also on perched birds. tail No obvious difference between the two races was apparent, although tail colour and pattern not easy to examine on skins. underwing Difficult to determine, but underwing- coverts appeared off-white or pale grey. Underwing-coverts hard to examine, but appeared white. size and structure No significant difference in bill length between the two forms, with almost complete overlap in measurements. Overall size of surinamensis seemed smaller and wings averaged shorter, but great overlap. These observations support extensive dataset in Olsen & Larsson (1995). from the breast pegs to at least level with the trailing edge of the wing. This feature was less obvious in strong sunlight or as dusk approached, but in good, flat light it was obvious even at moderately long range. The underwing-coverts appeared whitish in the field and the underside of the remiges light grey, with paler bases to the primaries. Photographs showed that the underwings were actually pale grey or off-white, with a dusky leading edge. McGeehan (2000) pointed out that surina- mensis shows a narrow dusky band along the marginal underwing-coverts (the leading edge), whereas this area is usually white in niger, and this may prove to be another useful character if looked for carefully in ideal viewing conditions. The underside of the tail was grey. Bare parts Bill and eye dark, blackish. Legs not seen - we never saw it perched. Call No call heard. 452 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 American Black Tern: new to Britain c > Table 2. Comparison of plumage features of adult Black Tern Chlidonios niger of the American race surinamensis and the Old World race niger, also referring to White-winged Black Tern C. leucopterus where appropriate. body and upperparts timing pattern head pattern flanks upperparts surinamensis niger Summer plumage Head and body uniformly darker and blacker than on niger, as leucopterus, contrasting more with the upperparts, although these are darker than on niger. Leading edge of upperwing can be whitish (again as leucopterus) . Head of females not quite so black as that of males (but still darker than that of female niger) and the throat is paler. Underwing-coverts often white or whitish, contrasting greatly with black body. Head of males sooty-black fading gradually to the paler dark-slate body and flanks (latter nearly always paler than the head). Body colour merges rather smoothly with slightly paler upperparts. Females tend to be paler and have paler throat contrasting with a darker cap. Typically greyish underwing shows relatively little contrast with grey body, though can be white and contrasting in some. Moult to winter plumage Occurs later, starting from mid June, with many still in summer plumage in September, though earliest are in winter plumage in August. Late autumn birds in summer plumage in Europe are worth checking (though still perhaps more likely to be late- moulting niger than surinamensis). Typically differs subtley from niger in that an even scatter of white winter feathers appear, first around the face, to produce a mottled appearance much as leucopterus. Can start as early as late May. The great majority are in winter plumage earlier than surinamensis, by the end of September. Can, however, retain summer plumage into October and, exceptionally, even into November. Rear lores, throat and area below eye moulted first followed by the rest of the head (fully moulted mid June to late July). Breast moulted from early July, belly later with lower belly and some flank feathers the last to be moulted. Adults with remnants of grey summer feathers on the flanks are a potential pitfall for surinamensis. Winter plumage Typically similar to juveniles: crown usually grey with pale flecks contrasting with a solid dark spot on the ear-coverts, recalling leucopterus in pale examples. In comparison with niger, appears to have slightly more extensive white forehead. Tone of the crown is similar to mantle. Some (possibly worn) birds have darker crowns. Crown more extensively washed very dark brown, merging with the ear- coverts, with no contrast in tone. Crown conspicuously darker than rest of upperparts. Grey wash along flanks as in juvenile White, though sometimes paler and less obvious. Darker than on niger, the rump only slightly paler and hardly contrasting with the rest of the upperparts. Paler grey with normally a paler rump. Discussion A Black Tern had been seen at the site on 2nd October, and this was almost certainly the same bird as that described above. Its arrival thus coincided with strong westerly winds, which brought the Grey Phalarope to the site and, remarkably, a Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus to nearby Berrow, Somerset. The ‘American Black Tern’ usually fed over the Ultra-violet Pools or the new Nature Reserve Pool, although it would occasionally disappear high over Bleadon Level with Black-headed British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 453 J. P. Martin © NHM.Tring J. P. Martin © NHM.Tring J. P. Martin © NHM.Tring American Black Tern: new to Britain <5 c 238. Adult 'black terns’ in summer plumage; left to right, Black Tern Chlidonias niger, American Black Tern C. n. surinamensis and White-winged Black Tern C. leucopterus. The blackish body colour of surinamensis is closer to that of leucopterus than to that of niger. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 454 Gulls. On 4th October, RMA watched it flying low over Weston beach with Black-headed Gulls at dusk - presumably going to roost. On dose examination, the bird was obvi- ously different from any juvenile Black Tern we had seen in the Old World. Despite the fact that surinamensis has been recorded in Iceland (Beaman & Madge 1998), it proved difficult to find detailed discussion about the identification of this form at the time, other than that pro- vided by Olsen & Larsson (1995). We did, however, locate a few useful published pho- tographs of surinamensis, including in Harrison (1987) and Brinkley & Patteson (1998). 235. Juvenile American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, showing typically greyish crown contrasting with darker ear-coverts. 237. Upperparts of juvenile Black Tern Chlidonias niger (above) and American BlackTern C. n. surinamensis (below). Note the more extensive and solidly blackish crown of niger, which is obviously darker than the rest of the upperparts, while surinamensis has a more restricted grey crown, much closer in tone to the mantle. Note also the latter’s uniform grey rump, showing little contrast with the mantle, and its narrower and less distinct pale fringes to the mantle and scapulars. 236. Juvenile BlackTern Chlidonias niger, showing uniformly dark crown and ear-coverts. 234. Adult winter BlackTern Chlidonias niger (below) and adult winter American BlackTern C. n. surinamensis (above). Note the darker grey upperparts of surinamensis, which are similar in tone to the crown, whereas the paler grey upperparts of niger contrast with the obviously darker crown. The latter also has a slightly paler grey rump, whereas the rump of surinamensis is uniform with the tail and mantle. /. P. Martin © NHM.Tring American Black Tern: new to Britain < ) 239. Adult summer American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, British Columbia, Canada, date unknown. Note the gape colour, as well as the strong contrast between the black body and white underwing. Examination of skins On 30th November 1999, we visited the Natural History Museum (NHM) at Tring, and spent the morning examining all the surinamensis skins held in the collection, and most/all of those of juvenile niger. These comprised ten juvenile suri- namensis (two collected in August, four in Sep- tember, two in November and two undated) and 45 juvenile niger. This enabled us to confirm many of the differences mentioned by Olsen & Larsson (1995), and we have summarised our findings in table 1 (p. 452). We concluded that Olsen & Larsson is a particularly useful refer- ence for this subspecies pair - we actually added rather little to what is written there. Although the sample of ten juvenile surina- mensis examined is modest, we concluded that the Avon bird showed all the features that seem typical of this race. It is perhaps more signifi- cant that none of the key features was shown by any individuals of the larger sample of niger examined at Tring. The identification of the Weston-super-Mare tern as surinamensis has been accepted by both BBRC and BOURC, and this becomes the first British record of this subtle, yet rather distinctive race. Identification in non-juvenile plumage Our research for this article concentrated pri- marily on juvenile birds, but we also looked at skins of adults at the NHM and examined pho- tographs of adult birds. We were surprised how easily separable many niger and surinamensis are, both in summer and in winter plumage. We were particularly struck by the contrast between the whitish underwing-coverts and jet-black flanks of some summer-plumaged surinamensis; quite unlike the typically dusky underwing and dark grey flanks of niger. Underwing colour is variable, however, and some surinamensis appear (in the photographs we have examined) to have less contrasting, dusky underwings while some niger can show white underwings. A tentative feature which may be worth investi- gating in the field is the colour of the gape in breeding birds: on the few photographs we examined where this feature was visible, the gape of surinamensis was bright vermilion, while in niger it was pinkish-red. In winter plumage, adult surinamensis retains the same head pattern as juvenile birds, though in a few the crown can be darker. They also show (some- times pale) grey flanks in winter plumage. First- British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 455 Arthur Morris Greg Lavaty Bill Schmoker American Black Tern: new to Britain > 240. Adult American Black Tern Chlidonlas niger surinamensis, moulting out of summer plumage, Colorado, USA, August. The moult to winter plumage has produced a rather White-winged Black Tern C. /eucopterus-like even scatter of white areas on the head and belly and the flanks are still largely unmoulted. This individual shows an eye- catching contrast between the blackish body and white underwing; not all individuals may be as striking as this one, however. summer surinamensis can have white flanks, and perhaps this is normal for this age class. Clearly, there is more to be learnt about the sep- aration of these two races, but we hope that our suggestions will stimulate further study. Table 2 (p. 453) summarises the main differ- ences between adults of the two forms. It draws extensively on Olsen & Larsson (1995) as well as our study of skins. 241. Second-calendar-year American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Texas, USA, June 2005. This bird has the typical ‘White- winged Black Tern C. /eucopterus-like’ head pattern. The bird is in active moult, with a mixture of fresh new feathers and old retained ones, conspicuously the two outermost primaries. The white flanks (with the merest hint of grey that would be undetectable in the field) are notable and perhaps age-related. In European breeding species, terns of this age class normally spend the summer in the wintering areas; yet a second-calendar-year surinamensis was identified in Ireland in July 2006 (see plate 266 & 267). Taxonomy and variation Surinamensis differs from niger in all plumages, some aspects of which (for example juvenile and winter head pattern, summer body colour and at least some aspects of moult pattern) more closely resemble leu- copterus than niger. Our interpreta- tion of the BOU’s published guidelines for assigning species rank (Helbig et al. 2002) leads us -to believe that this pair is worthy of serious consideration for treatment as separate species. In our view, they are clearly diagnosable but as their breeding distributions are allopatric there is no easy way to assess poten- tial reproductive isolation. The vocalisations of the two forms may well be worth investigating. Taxo- nomic deliberations are beyond the scope of this article, but we broach the subject in the hope of stimulating further study. There is clearly a degree of variation in the plumage characters of surinamensis. For example, we have found photographs of juven- iles with darker crowns, which might simply be young juveniles (some tern species can show more dark brown tinges on the head for a short period after fledging than they do subsequently; Olsen & Larsson 1995). Some winter adults examined at NHM, Tring, also showed slightly darker crowns than usual, possibly as a result of wear, and the full extent of variation is perhaps yet to be documented. Clearly, care needs to be taken when faced with a potential surinamensis in Europe and a vagrant should, of course, be identified on the full range of features. Range and status In North America, surinamensis breeds mainly across southern Canada and the northern states of the USA. In the north, it breeds along the Mackenzie River, Northwest Ter- ritories, to c. 65°N in the northwest, and east across the prairies to southern Quebec and New Brunswick; while to the south it reaches California’s Central Valley in the southwest, and western New York 456 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450-459 American Black Tern: new to Britain C > 242. Juvenile American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Vancouver Island, Canada, August 2004. This bird shows the typical White-winged Black Tern C. /eucopterus-like head pattern and grey flanks. This individual has a large breast ‘peg’ but this feature is variable. and Maine in the east. During the breeding season, like its Old World counterpart, it inhabits inland lakes and marshes in both wooded and open environments. It is most numerous in the prairie provinces of the Mid West, but numbers are appar- ently in serious decline, at least in the east (Gochfeld & Burger 1996). In the west, it winters over pelagic inshore waters of the Eastern Pacific from central Mexico, to central/southern Peru. In the east, the winter range extends from about Panama to Suriname (de Schauensee & Phelps 1978; Howell & Webb 1995; Gochfeld & Burger 1996). In autumn, migrants moving south along the eastern seaboard of the USA often associate with other terns, including Forster’s Sterna forsteri and Royal Terns S. maxima , species which have also occurred in Britain. Other European records Although this represents the first record of suri- namensis in Britain, this race had occurred in Europe on four previous occasions. The first three records came from Iceland, in 1956, 1957 and 1970, perhaps surprisingly all in June (Petursson & Prainsson 1999). The only other previous Euro- pean record was a juvenile at Sandymount Strand, Co. Dublin, from 3rd to 7th September 1999 (Adriaens 1999); subsequently, another juvenile turned up at Bade en Reannaigh, Smerwick Harbour, Co. Kerry, on 14th September 2003 (Bradshaw 2003), whde a first-summer was at Lady’s Island Lake/Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford, from 16th July to 1st August 2006 (see plates 266 & 267). It seems possible that surina- mensis may have been over- looked in the past. Given that its field characters are becoming more widely known and better understood, further records may perhaps be expected. Acknowledgments Our thanks go to Peter Colston and Michel Gosselin for promptly supplying information on the appearance of the surinamensis specimens held in the NHM, Tring, and the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, respectively. NHM, Tring, later kindly allowed us access to the collection and to take photographs of skins. Ron Pittaway provided useful reference literature. Grahame Walbridge and Steve Howell made useful comments on a draft of this paper and the latter kindly provided draft text from the forthcoming Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 2 (in prep., with Peter Pyle). Finally, we express our gratitude to Wessex Water for allowing unrestricted access to their facility at Weston-super-Mare, and allowing many visiting birders to enter the site. 243. American Black Terns Chlidonias niger surinamensis, two adults and a juvenile (right), Colorado, USA, August. Note the juvenile’s head pattern, with the crown obviously paler than the ear-coverts and similar in tone to the upperparts (though still brown-washed in this rather young bird). The strong grey wash is visible on what can be seen of the flanks, while the upperparts have only narrow and indistinct pale fringes. The distinctive crown pattern, rather like that of adult-winter White-winged Black Tern C. leucopterus, is already emerging on the two adults, even though the bodies still have much summer-plumaged black feathering. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 457 Bill Schmoker Mike Yip Steve Young/Birdwatch American Black Tern: new to Britain < > 244. Juvenile BlackTern Chlidonias n.niger, Crosby Marine Park, Merseyside, September 2005. Note the black crown and ear-coverts (darker than the mantle), obvious pale fringes to the larger rear scapulars and paler grey rump. References Adriaens, R 1 999. The American BlackTern in Co. Dublin. Hireling World 12:378-379. Beaman, M„ & Madge, S. 1 998. The Handbook of bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. Christopher Helm, London. Bradshaw, C. 2003.The American BlackTern in County Kerry. 6 irding World 1 6: 434. Brinkley, E. S., & Patteson.J. B. 1 998. Seabirds of the southern Gulf Stream. Birding World I 1:421-429. de Schauensee, M..& Phelps, W. H. 1 978. A Guide to the Birds of Venezuela. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Gochfeld, M„ & Burger J. 1 996. Family Sternidae (Black Tern). In: del Hoyo.J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal.J. (eds.), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 3: 663-664. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Harrison, R 1 987. Seabirds of the World: a photographic guide. Christopher Helm, London. Helbig.A. J„ Knox, A. G., Parkin, D.T, Sangster G„ & Collinson, M. 2002. Guidelines for assigning species rank. Ibis 144:518-525. Howell, S. N. G., & Webb, S. 1 995. A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. OUR Oxford. McGeehan.A. 2000. Identification of American BlackTern. Birding World 1 3: 37. Olsen, K. M„ & Larsson, H. 1 995. Terns of Europe and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Petursson, G., & Prainsson, G. 1 999. Sjaldgsefir Fuglar a Islandi Fyrir 1981 . Reykjavik. R. M. Andrews, 14 Highdale Close, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0JS R. J. Higgins, 28 Egerton Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8HL J. P. Martin, 34 Cranmoor Green, Pilning, South Gloucestershire BS35 4QF EDITORIAL COMMENT Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, said: The key features in the identification of this form are well covered here by Rich Andrews and his col- leagues. Having been in the fortunate position of finding an American Black Tern in Europe myself, the main features that strike an observer are the uniformity of the upperparts, the grey flanks and the pale head pattern. Once you see these three features you can then get into the detail of why the upper- parts are so uniform, and you are home and dry. All the birds so far accepted for Britain and Ireland have been quite striking individuals. What is less clear is whether there are less well-marked individ- uals of this form which are currently being overlooked.’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee commented: 458 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 c American Black Tern: new to Britain > 245. Adult Black Tern Chlidonias n. niger, moulting out of summer plumage, Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, date unknown. The moult of the head is largely complete but the body still shows mainly dark grey summer feathers (creating a different pattern from moulting American Black Tern C. n. surinamensis). There is less contrast between the body and the dusky underwing than on most surinamensis. ‘In some regards, it is sur- prising that C. n. surinamensis has only recently been recorded in Britain, as it is not only relatively abundant in North America but also fairly distinctive in plumage. ‘American Black Tern has a broad Nearctic distribution and a numerous, albeit declining, population. Autumn flocks, perhaps numbering thousands of birds, are a prelude to southerly move- ments by inland and Atlantic and Pacific coastal routes. Smaller flocks, of up to 200 birds, have been recorded in the West Indies during Sep- tember-October. The three occurrences in Iceland, span- ning the period 1956-70, proved that trans-Atlantic movement was pos- sible. ‘Prompted by the report of an American Black Tern at Dublin, Ireland, just four weeks earlier, R. M. Andrews had already checked lit- erature for identification criteria by the time he noticed the distinctive Black Tern at Weston- super-Mare. Seeing that the crown coloration and concolorous rump “ticked the right boxes” for surinamensis , he took detailed notes and further observations were made. ‘On circulation, BOURC members were impressed by the well-researched and detailed submission supported by sketches and pho- tographs. A few key plumage features of this bird clearly indicated juvenile surinamensis and excluded nominate niger: crown coloration, greyish wash to flanks, underwing pattern and colour. ‘There was no hesitation in confirming the identification and, as Black Terns were unrecorded in European avicultural collections, the escape likelihood was negligible. Records of other Nearctic birds occurring more or less concurrently with the Black Tern included an Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda (Scilly), Spotted Sandpipers Actitis macularius (Derbyshire and Devon), a Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (Cornwall), an exceptional series of White-rumped Sandpipers Calidris fuscicollis (Scilly and elsewhere) and, perhaps most signif- icantly, the other American Black Tern in Ireland. All circumstances indicated that this was indeed a vagrant American Black Tern and it was unanimously accepted to Category A. ‘The BOURC Taxonomic Sub-committee has American Black Tern flagged as a potential split.’ Looking back Seventy-five years ago: ‘EARLY NESTING OF RED-BACKED SHRIKE IN KENT. I observe that in [Brit. Birds] Vol. 20, p. 150, May 1 1th is mentioned as the earliest recorded date for a complete clutch of the Red-backed Shrike {Lanins c. collurio). It is therefore of interest that I personally took a dutch of five eggs on May 5th, 1922, at Shorncliffe, Kent. The weather was unusually hot for the time of year. H. T. GOSNELL.’ (Brit. Birds 25: 102, September 1931) ‘Redwing in Suffolk in July. — Mr. Reginald Livesey informs us that he found a Redwing (Turdus musicus) dead, but fresh, in some fruit nets at Brandish, Suffolk, on July 14th, 1931. The only other July occurrence of which we have a note was one on the 5th of that month in Cumberland. (Brit. Birds 25: 106, September 1931) British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 450—459 459 George Reszeter A review of the 1 950-57 British rarities D. /. M. Wallace, Colin Bradshaw and M.J. Rogers, on behalf of BBRC 'Free at last!’ D. I. M.Wallace ABSTRACT A review of records of British rarities in the eight years from 1950 to 1957 has been carried out by a subcommittee of the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). In total, 126 records of 67 of the rarest species and species pairs were reassessed and 71% of these were considered good enough to remain part of the national record. For records that were no longer considered to be acceptable, the counties and surviving observers concerned have been informed. The outcomes of investigations into extraordinary records from the post-war period for six species are noted and other such reviews are continuing. Introduction In 1995, the Association of European Rarities Committees (AERC) decided to adopt 1st January 1950 as the standard date by which to differentiate between category A and B records for national lists. In the case of Britain, which had previously for this purpose used 1958 (the year in which the BBRC was formed), compli- ance with this decision entailed the examina- tion of records of rarities published for the eight years prior to the formation of BBRC (1950-57). It was soon apparent that the work involved in this review would be considerable and that, if BBRC members took on the task, it would affect the assessment of current records. Consequently, in 1997, a subcommittee of past BBRC members was formed to undertake the review. The members of this subcommittee had not only the skills necessary for the review but also invaluable past experience and perspectives on the British birding scene. In the early 1950s, responsibility for the provenance of published records had lain with a mix of national, regional and county editors and, particularly where major rarities were concerned, with the editors of British Birds. The members of the 1950-57 subcommittee were, at various times, Rob Hume, Tim Shar- rock, Keith Vinicombe, Grahame Walbridge and Ian Wallace, in addition to Colin Bradshaw and Mike Rogers, Chairman and Hon. Secretary of BBRC respectively. 460 © Brftish Birds 99 • September 2006 • 460—464 A review of the 1950-57 British rarities c } Scope of the review From an initial exchange of views on this situa- tion and what procedures were needed to cope with it, three main issues stood out. The first was the relatively large number of rarities recorded in Britain in the period concerned, while the second was a recognition of the careful attention that had already been paid to British rarity claims published in BB by succes- sive editors during 1950-57. The third issue came into focus more slowly - a dawning real- isation that much of the original supporting documentation for many of these records was irretrievable. Taking all the above points into account, we decided that to review all the 1950-57 records might be not only impossible, because of missing data, but also unnecessary, given that many species regarded as rarities in 1950 have since proved to be relatively regular visitors to Britain, with well-defined patterns of occurrence (e.g. BOU 1971). All members of the subcom- mittee independently reviewed the 1950-57 records listed in Naylor (1996) and formulated opinions on the scope of the review. A series of options was then discussed at the BBRC AGM in 1998. At that meeting, it was agreed that the subcommittee would not review the total number of records (about 1,100) of all species classed as rarities in 1958 but would concentrate primarily on those species that had occurred fewer than 100 times by 1997. In addition, each member of the subcommittee produced a short- list of records which did not fulfil the above cri- teria but simply ‘looked wrong’. The most awkward of these were termed ‘sore thumb’ records and were also reviewed. Execution of the review MJR retrieved all published accounts of 1950-57 rarities, together with county data where available and, occasionally, even resub- mitted field notes and sketches. In most cases, however, we had to work from the published account alone as no further details could be obtained. The BB archives were not transferred with the sale of the magazine in the 1960s and they could not be found. The next stage was to assess the existing documentation and, in cases where it was deemed inadequate, to attempt to locate any further information that might be available. For example, a substantial number of records related to birds which had died and been preserved subsequently as museum speci- mens. In most such cases, the specimens were photographed and images added to the file. In a few situations where this was not possible, a member of BBRC or relevant museum staff examined the specimen and provided a descrip- tion for the file, even if, as in one case, the speci- men was now a skeleton only. Other details came from various County Recorders, who searched their archives. Once the files were as complete as possible, the records were assem- bled into batches for circulation among sub- committee members. Each member voted on whether or not each record should continue to be acceptable. Over the entire review, the process of record assessment was less straightforward than for modern records, in that we brought modern- day identification criteria to old claims for which the documentation could be well below standards that would prove acceptable today. Initially, therefore, we identified only those few records where present knowledge demonstrated clearly that a genuine mistake had been made. Two examples of this were a Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca that had a white ‘V’ on its back and a Collared Pratincole Glareola pratin- cola that landed on water and swam (none of the international experts contacted had ever seen or heard of a pratincole swimming in deep water). Inevitably, as the review continued, there was debate on the quality of the written evidence of some records but nonetheless recir- culations were rare. There was usually a ready and welcome unanimity on the revised judge- ments and we were relieved and pleased to find no evidence of falsification in any reviewed claim. Most non-acceptances stemmed from the unfortunate brevity of published accounts or the lack of features that we now know to be crucial diagnostic characters. In those cases where a record was deemed no longer acceptable and surviving observers were found, CB wrote to them personally and explained the reasons behind the decision, inviting them to withdraw the record. One asked for his original notes back so that he could reassess his claim - sadly those originals had been lost - and otherwise only two observers declined to withdraw their claims. At the end of the review process, once the few recirculations were completed, MJR and CB reviewed all the judgements and annotated the relevant entries in Naylor (1996) with the revised decisions. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 460—464 461 A review of the 1950-57 British rarities 3 C Results of the ‘under 1 00’ review For the 65 species and two species pairs con- cerned (those with fewer than 100 records prior to 1997), the historical register for all time up to 1957, as listed by Naylor (1996), contained 829 records. Of these, 206 had been reviewed earlier and rejected, again as noted by Naylor (1996). This left a balance of 623; of these, 126 had been claimed during 1950-57 and all were reviewed by the subcommittee. Following this review, 89 of the 126 records continue to be acceptable and 37 are now not acceptable. The overall rate of rejection was thus 29%, higher than the 21% evident from the prior scattered reviews (see again Naylor 1996). We hope that the reduced rate of acceptance will be taken as evidence for our careful application of modern disciplines and not as a slur on earlier observers’ competence or attitude. Many of the observers concerned were responsible for major advances in the development of field identification and the overall record of vagrancy. They were then at the cutting edge and it would be wholly inap- propriate for us now to downplay or undermine their contribution to rarity recording. For the 65 species and two species pairs reviewed in the batch circulations, there were between one and seven records each. For 38 species (and both species pairs), all the records were retained; for 20 species, just one record was removed (or demoted to species pair); for four species, two records were removed, and for just three species three records were removed. All changes in record status have already been notified to county recorders by MIR but, for the sake of clarity and to assist the revision of BBRC statistics, they are listed in Appendix 1. The merits of examining other pre-l 958 records We feel that a further effort to sanitise the history of other species, those that have been BBRC subjects since 1958, would smack of mere bureaucracy. Interpolation of the final rejection rate of the ‘under 100’ species indicates that we would be unlikely to change the overall number of accepted records in this other, larger group by much more than 1-2% of the total. Such a loss of records would be insufficient to disturb the long-established and often annually repeated patterns of occurrence. Any complete review would have to unearth nearly 1,000 claims, beginning with 77 Red-breasted Fly- catchers Ficednla parva, and we see no justifica- tion for the work involved. We did, however, in addition to our main subjects, reappraise several ‘sore thumbs’. These included a putative White-tailed Eagle Hali- aeetus albicilla which broke into a chicken-run in a garden and stole a chicken, and the only late December record of Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris. Altogether, nine records of six species were considered not acceptable and details of these are given in Appendix 2. More serious and as yet unresolved was the unease felt by many on several extraordinary or unprecedented records in both ‘under-’ and ‘over- 100’ categories in the immediate post-war period. Some of these were considered during the procedural stage of the review but, because they fell outside our time frame, they were ulti- mately not assessed. A good example is the 1946 Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon breeding record. Detailed arguments for its deletion from the British List have now been accepted by BOURC (see pp. 465-478). Other particularly noteworthy revisions occurred in the cases of two former ‘firsts’: a frigatebird formerly accepted as Magnificent Fregata magnificens but upon separate review accepted as the first Ascension Frigatebird F. aquila for Britain (Walbridge et al. 2003) and the ‘Fair Isle sandpiper’ of 1956 (which until recently stood as Britain’s first Western Sand- piper Calidris mauri, and which is still under investigation; Garner 2005, Prowse 2006, Walsh 2006). Acknowledgments For helping them in their task, MJR and the subcommittee would like to thank all County Recorders who helped with the records involved; staff of the Hancock Museum, the Natural History Museum, Tring, and the Royal Scottish Museums, particularly Bob McGowan (RSM), for providing photographs of numerous specimens; and the following individuals: Belen Calvo, Pete Colston, Joanne Cooper, i James Ferguson-Lees, Martin Garner Andy Greenwood, Ricard Guitterez, Paul Harvey, Peter Hayman, Bob Hudson, I Alan Knox, Ian Lewington, Tony Marshall, Howard I Medhurst, James Monk, Christopher Perrins, Alan Prowse, Graham Rees, Bob Scott, Andrew Self, Deryk Shaw, Eric ; Simms, Brian Small, Gunter de Smedt, Tadeusz Stawarczyk and Steve Votier References BOU. 1971. The Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland. Blackwell, Oxford. Garner M. 2005. The Fair Isle sandpiper Brit Birds 98: 356-364. Naylor, K. 1 996. A Reference Manual of Rare Birds in Great Britain and Ireland. Privately published, Nottingham. Prowse, A. D. 2006. Identification of the Fair Isle sandpiper - a statistical analysis. Brit Birds 99: 1 49- 151, 462 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 460—464 A review of the 1950-57 British rarities c Walbridge, G„ Small, B„ & McGowan, R.Y. 2003. From the Brit Birds 96: 58-73, Ftarities Committee's files: Ascension Frigatebird on Walsh, T 2006,The Fair Isle sandpiper Brit Birds 99: 46, Tiree - new to the Western Palearctic. D. I. M. Wallace, Colin Bradshaw and M. }. Rogers, 9 Tynemouth Place, North Shields, Tyne & Wear NE30 4BJ Appendix I. 1950-57 records no longer considered acceptable. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis, Beauly Firth, Inverness-shire, 20th January 1957, probably since late September 1956 Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus, Laggan River, Islay, Argyll, male, shot, 12th November 1954 North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffinus baroli, off Aberdaron, Caernarfon, 7th May 1951 American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, found dead, Stratton, Cornwall, September 1953 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides, Brighton, East Sussex, 29th April 1951 Great White Egret Ardea alba. Ridge, Wareham, Dorset, 5th August 1951 Black Stork Ciconia nigra, Houghmond Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 20th May 1956; Canterbury/Dover area, Kent, September-November 1957 Little Crake Porzana parva, Lundy, Devon, adult male, 12th— 14th September 1952; Marton Mere, Lancashire, immature female, 31st May 1955; Fenwick, Northumberland, adult female, 29th-30th September 1956 Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla, Abberton Reservoir, Essex, 13th June 1953 Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola, Stanpit Marsh, Hampshire [now Dorset], immature, 13th September 1951 Black- winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni, Steart, Bridgewater Bay, Somerset, 15th June 1955 (accepted only as pratincole sp.) Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri, Fair Isle, Shetland, trapped, 28th May to 3rd June 1956 Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla, Lundy, Devon, 24th-26th September 1957 Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii, Billinge Green, Northwick, Cheshire, 27th-29th May 1955; same, Marston, Cheshire, to 5th June 1955 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis, Thorney, West Sussex, 22nd April 1951 Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca, Boddam Voe, Shetland, 26th-27th May 1953 Laughing Gull Larus atricilla, Abberton Reservoir, Essex, adult, 20th December 1957 Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscata, Porthkidney, Leland, Cornwall, 31st July 1951; Isbister, Rendall, Orkney, 22nd April 1954 Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops, Tregonning Hill, Helston, Cornwall, 16th September 1952; Kilkhampton Wood, Bude, Cornwall, 14th October 1953; near Kendal, Cumbria, 18th December 1956 Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi. Fair Isle, Shetland, 2nd October 1951 Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica. Regent’s Park, London, male, 23rd April 1951; Fair Isle, Shetland, first-year male, 8th— 1 3th November 1951; Farlington Marshes, Hampshire, 18th September 1954 Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti, Marazion, Cornwall, female, 29th August 1950 White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma, Foulmartlaw, Belsay, Northumberland, two, 26th April 1952 American Robin Turdus migratorius, Brampton, Cumbria, 2nd-6th March 1955; Braunton Burrows, Devon, 29th October to 7th November 1955 Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata, Fair Isle, Shetland, 4th May 1953 Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon, Eling Great Marsh, Hampshire, two, 13th August 1951; Cliffe, Kent, 14th April 1952 Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator. Charing, Kent, adult male, 7th April 1955 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 460—464 463 A review of the 1950-57 British rarities < > Appendix 2. Other species with records reassessed during the 1 950-57 review and now considered unacceptable. Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata tnagnificens, Tiree, Argyll, immature female, 9th July 1953 (reidentified and accepted as first British record of Ascension Frigatebird F. aquila) White-tailed Eagle Flaliaeetus albicilla , Biddenham, Bedfordshire, immature, 1st May 1951 Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea , near Giltar Point, Pembrokeshire, adult, 24th August 1950; Cuckmere Valley, East Sussex, adult, 19th November 1954 Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris, Tutbury, Staffordshire, 29th December 1953 ^Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida/opaca, Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, adult, trapped, 23rd September to 3rd October 1951; Portland Bill, Dorset, trapped, 16th August 1956 t Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla , Beddington Sewage-farm, Surrey, one from 31st March to 21st April, another 3rd April, 1956 * Both were rejected in a previous Olivaceous Warbler review undertaken by both BBRC and BOURC, but are reported here for completeness. t One Little Bunting remains acceptable, from 31st March to 3rd April. Rarities Committee news BBRC seeks two new members BBRC is seeking to recruit two new members to join the Com- mittee, to replace Paul Harvey and John Martin who are retiring after many years of outstanding service. The cri- teria for nominations remain unchanged from previous years, and include: • a widely acknowledged expertise in identification; • proven reliability in the field; • a track record of high- quality rarity submissions; • experience of record assess- ment; • the capacity to work quickly and efficiently; • easy access to and knowl- edge of IT; and • regional credibility. In 2005, we elected two new members, both of whom were BBRC nominations. Conse- quently, we do not intend to have BBRC nominations this year and we would encourage nominations from as wide a base as possible; we are inter- ested in any relevant skills that you can bring to the Com- mittee. Nor are we particularly tied to geographical replace- ments. The two retiring members are from the Northern Isles and southwest England; while the volume of records from the former region is such that we would particu- larly encourage nominations from this area, we are already well represented in the south- west and so would welcome nominations from anywhere in Great Britain. BBRC membership brings with it insight into identifica- tion and record assessment and is a unique experience for anyone with interest and experience of rare birds in a British context. It is always challenging and never dull. Nominations should be sent by e-mail to Colin Bradshaw (drcolin.bradshaw@ btinternet.com), before 1st December 2006, with details of a proposer and seconder, and the written agreement of the nominee. After this date, a voting slip and list of candi- dates with relevant details will be sent to all County Recorders and bird-observatory wardens. ZEISS The British Birds Rarities Committee is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd. © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 460-464 464 A paper from the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee Time to get rid of the Moustache: a review of British records of Moustached Warbler Tim Melting The Cambridgeshire warblers Alan Harris ABSTRACT This paper presents a recent review of one of the most extraordinary ‘firsts’ for Britain, that of Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon. Once an old specimen record from 1915 was dismissed as being part of the ‘Hastings Rarities’ affair, the record of a breeding pair in Cambridgeshire in 1946 became the first for Britain, and this record has stood as such for over 30 years. The Cambridgeshire birds were seen by many of the leading British ornithologists of the day, yet the publication of original field sketches (in British Birds in 2000) prompted fresh doubts about the identification. All material relating to the record was reviewed thoroughly in 2005, and BOURC members agreed unanimously that it was no longer acceptable as a first for Britain. Subsequently, a review of the one remaining British record, a bird trapped atWendover, Buckinghamshire, in July 1965, showed that the evidence in support of this record was also not sufficient for it to stand as a first for Britain. Consequently, Moustached Warbler has now been removed from the British List. © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 465 Courtesy of the Trustees of the National Museums of Scotland Time to get rid of the Moustache C ) I can vividly remember buying a copy of Birds New to Britain and Ireland (Sharrock & Grant 1982), in the year it was published. The very first account in this mouthwatering book was that of the breeding Moustached Warblers Acrocephalus melanopogon in Cam- bridgeshire, in 1946. Although this seemed an unlikely record, the list of observers read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of British ornithology of the time, and the write-up seemed thorough and plau- sible. The final editorial comment gave a ringing endorsement by stating ‘Despite the eminence of the observers involved, this extra- ordinary record of breeding seems doomed to be disbelieved by those who have not examined the evidence, but is completely accepted by those who have’ (Sharrock & Grant 1982). Despite this, I still had a few personal doubts about the record, based largely on the sheer improbability of these short-distance migrants breeding in Britain. Seventeen years after reading the account for the first time, I became Secretary of the BOURC and custodian of all the files. The Cam- bridgeshire Moustached Warbler file was one of the first I delved into, expecting to have my scepticism overturned just like those who had gone before me. However, instead of my scepti- cism evaporating, I found myself puzzled by conflicting descriptions and unanswered ques- tions. Another thing that struck me when I studied the whole file was that the original account published in British Birds (Hinde & Thom 1947, repeated subsequently in Sharrock & Grant 1982) had rather cherry-picked the pro-Moustached features. A number of the field descriptions contained features that were defi- nitely suggestive of Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus , but these were omitted from the BB write-up. Moreover, I discovered that there had been doubters among those who had previ- ously reviewed the record but they had been swayed by the eminence of the observers involved. It is worth recording that there were also doubters who had not been swayed. Col. Richard Meinertzhagen recorded his scepticism at the time at a meeting of the British Ornithologists’ Club in November 1950 (Mein- ertzhagen 1950). Mein- ertzhagen said: ‘There is no character in this exhaustive field record which does not equally apply to the Sedge Warbler.’ He said that Mous- tached Warbler could be identified with certainty only by the length of the first primary and that the record should not even be accepted as a sight record. He exhibited five specimens of each species showing that the ‘dark crown and more prominent eye-stripe is not an invariable specific char- acter’. David Bannerman (1954) endorsed Mein- ertzhagen’s view, and included the species in his multi-volume work on British birds only because it was accepted by the BOU. 246. Plate showing Moustached Acrocephalus melanopogon (top) and Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus from A History of the Birds of Europe (Dresser 1871-1896). 466 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache C The Cambridgeshire Moustached Warblers Two birds were discovered on 3rd August 1946, near Cambridge. They were in an area of scrub on the edge of a large reedbed in a flooded railway ballast pit, and they were watched daily from then until 20th August, the date on which the last sighting was made. The birds were breeding and raised three chicks during this period. The birds were seen by many eminent and respected ornithologists of the time, most of whom submitted a description. Some of the submitted descriptions were more detailed than others, in particular those by Dr R. W. Butler, A. Darlington, R. A. Hinde and A. S. Thom, all of whom watched the birds on several occasions (Thom watched the birds on 12 of the 18 days that they were seen). All observers were familiar with Sedge Warbler and were convinced that the Cambridgeshire birds were not that species, noting particularly the darker crown, whiter and square-ended supercilium, well-marked eye-stripe, chestnut upperparts and reddish- buff flanks. On the face of it, these were all classic field characters for separating Mous- tached from Sedge Warbler. Moreover, Sedge Warblers were a common breeding bird at this site, and were seen alongside for comparison. It is clear that these birds certainly did not look like typical Sedge Warblers. Skins of Sedge and Moustached Warblers were taken into the field, as was the appropriate volume of H. E. Dresser’s A History of the Birds of Europe. This is surprising in itself as this nineteenth-century book is not only extremely valuable, but is even larger than a volume of BWPl The illustration it contains cannot have been particularly helpful as it shows the species as if viewed from below (plate 246). For a fuller background to the record, see Hinde & Thom (1947) or Sharrock & Grant ( 1982). Previous assessments of the Cambridgeshire record, and other Moustached Warbler records Bernard Tucker was the first person to assess this record, in his capacity as editor of British Birds (in the days prior to the establishment of the British Birds Rarities Committee). Tucker was on holiday in Scotland at the time the birds were found, and did not see them in the field, but analysed the record in detail shortly after- wards. Tucker’s view was that ‘although Dr Butler’s account stood somewhat apart in being distinctly more suggestive of Sedge Warblers ) than any of the others “the evidence as a whole, and even the two or three fullest and most careful descriptions taken individually, seems to make the conclusion almost inescapable that the birds were Moustached Warblers’” (Hinde & Thom 1947). The record was assessed by the BOU List Committee and was added to the British List as a breeding record ( Ibis 1950) with a caveat that this was a sight-only record. The record was not fully assessed by BOURC until 1962, 16 years after the event. This was because, at the time of the occurrence, Moustached Warbler was already on the British List, by virtue of a male said to have been obtained at St Leonards-on- Sea, East Sussex, on 12th April 1915. This record was rejected as one of the ‘Hastings Rarities’ in 1962; consequently, the 1946 Cambridgeshire record became the next potential first, and was then assessed fully by BOURC for the first time. The record was accepted in 1962, but was one of a number of records referred back by BOU Council to the Records Committee for further consideration (BOU 1968). In 1970, the record was assessed by BOURC for a second time, and was then accepted unanimously and the details were published in Ibis (BOU 1971). By 1970, the Records Committee contained just one of the original members of the 1962 Committee. Colin Bibby borrowed the file from BOURC in 1982 to help him to compile an article for British Birds on this species (Bibby 1982). He too studied all of the accounts and endorsed the record. Keith Vinicombe wrote an article in Bird- watch in April 2002 that cast doubt on this record (Vinicombe 2002). He pointed out that the wording in the original BB article describing the birds (Hinde & Thom 1947) seemed less than totally confident, the then editor of British Birds having written there that ‘the evidence as a whole... seems to make the conclusion almost [KV’s italics] inescapable that the birds were Moustached Warblers’. The word ‘almost’ implies that it is less than 100% certain. Fur- thermore, Ian Wallace wrote to BOURC in August 2003, reluctantly suggesting the record should be reviewed as he felt that there were too many pro-Sedge Warbler features in the pub- lished illustrations. He also helpfully provided a critique of all the illustrations that had been reproduced in the BB review. Interestingly, Bernard Tucker was also not convinced by the illustrations, and stated: ‘The coloured drawings British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465^178 467 Bob McGowan © NHM.Tring Time to get rid of the Moustache c by Ennion and Butler are unfortunately disap- pointing as evidence. Thom’s of the male bird is more convincing’ (quoted from Bernard Tucker’s unpublished assessment of the record, held in BOURC files). There have been four subsequent claims of Moustached Warbler in Britain: a sight record of two birds at Eling Great Marsh, Hampshire, on 13th August 1951; a sight record at Cliffe, Kent, on 14th April 1952; an adult trapped at Wendover, Buckinghamshire, on 31st July 1965; and a sight record at Angmering, West Sussex, on 18th August 1979. The Hampshire and Kent records were reviewed by a subcommittee of BBRC, set up in 1997 to review records of British rarities during 1950-57 (see pp. 460-464). Both records were described insuffi- ciently to establish the identification conclu- sively, both described features that were inconsistent with Moustached Warbler, and both records were rejected. Subsequently, BBRC reviewed the remaining post-1950 British records (Bradshaw 2000). The West Sussex record was rejected because the description did not rule out completely a worn adult Sedge Warbler. The one remaining record, the adult trapped at Wendover, was upheld. Although the Cambridgeshire breeding record was before the BBRC period, they included it in their review for completeness, and endorsed that record too. The 2005 BOURC review Original field sketches of the Cambridgeshire birds (by R. W. Butler, Eric Ennion and A. S. Thom) were published for the first time in Bradshaw (2000). [It is worth noting here that some of the artwork published in the BBRC review was attributed wrongly. Figs. 1-4 were } attributed to A. S. Thom but were actually by R. W. Butler.] The ensuing doubts that were raised by their publication, together with the advances in our knowledge of Moustached Warbler identifica- tion since 1946, formed a substantial body of new evidence relating to the Cambridgeshire birds and, as a consequence, BOURC undertook to review the record once more. The file contained 13 original descriptions, including accounts from such outstanding ornithologists as Edward Armstrong, Eric Ennion and James Fisher. W. B. Alexander was also among those who saw the birds, but he didn’t see them well enough to be able to submit a description. In addition to the written descriptions, three observers (Butler, Ennion and Thom) also submitted illustrations. The file also contained a thorough analysis of the evi- dence by Bernard Tucker, prior to the publica- tion of the record in British Birds. Tucker was fully aware of the unlikelihood of this record. The following review concentrates on the written descriptions and accounts rather than the illustrations. Bernard Tucker thought that the illustrations were disappointing as evidence (see above) and BOURC felt that the accuracy of the illustrations, particularly those by non- artists, could not be relied upon. Eric Ennion was an artist, but submitted only pencil sketches. His coloured painting was submitted later to accompany the write-up in BB (and published as a frontispiece to Vol. 41 of British Birds , see also Brit. Birds 41: 387). Back in 1946, observers were unaware of the significance of the primary projection, so we would not expect the descriptions to make mention of it. However, given the detailed scrutiny these birds were subjected to, we would 247. Skin of dark Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, collected in Sussex in May 1 995, an individual which was extremely similar to series of Moustached Warbler A melanopogon specimens in showing chestnut upperparts, blackish crown and white supercilia. 468 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache c expect most plumage and bare-part features to be recorded. The key features that were used to identify these birds (colour of crown and upperparts, shape and colour of supercilium, flank colour) are all ‘continuous’ rather than absolute or discrete characters, which are within the range of variation of Sedge Warbler. There cannot be many birdwatchers who have not given a Sedge Warbler a second glance because it showed a blackish crown, white supercilium and chestnut upperparts. As part of the 2005 review, BOURC member Bob McGowan studied a series of skins in the collections of the National Museums of Scotland and the Natural History Museum (Tring), and he noted that, on visual inspection, about one in 20 Sedge Warbler skins were virtually indistinguishable from Moustached Warbler in showing chestnut upperparts, blackish crown and white super- cilia. One Sedge Warbler specimen also had a rufous wash along the flanks identical to that of Moustached Warbler (plate 247). There was also one skin that had had its label name altered, then altered back again, showing that even in the hand this pair can be confused (plate 248). Indeed, a number of published photographs of Moustached Warblers have actually been of Sedge Warblers (e.g. Hammond & Everett 1980, Keith & Gooders 1980, Bibby 1982). Analysis of the descriptions It is perhaps a little surprising that none of the observers remarked on the characteristic shape of Moustached Warbler - the dumpy body, and ) shorter wings and tail (compared with Sedge). Size and shape features apart, there are two field characters that appear to be unambiguous for separating Moustached from Sedge Warbler. These are (i) dark legs and (ii) the presence of a moustachial stripe. Leg colour The leg colour of Moustached Warbler at all ages is dark and this is an important field char- acter to separate Moustached from Sedge, which has pale legs. However, of the seven observers who mentioned leg colour in their description, all were unanimous that both the adults and young birds had pale legs. Adult leg colour was described variously as ‘ochre to mid hair brown’ (Ennion), ‘pale buff’ (Thom), ‘light grey-brown’ (Butler, Hinde), ‘light/pale fawn’ (Rose, Thorpe) and ‘buffish/dirty straw- coloured’ (Darlington). Thom even described the juvenile leg-colour as ‘off-white’, while Dar- lington described it as ‘nearly white’. No observers described the leg colour of any of the five birds as dark. Moustache The dark moustache of Moustached Warbler extends for a short distance from the bill along the lower edge of the ear-coverts. It is a diag- nostic feature of this species, but is often diffi- cult to observe. However, given the close scrutiny that these birds were under (they were watched for many hours, at close range), some observers would surely have noted the mous- 248. Skins of Moustached Acrocephalus melanopogon (top) and Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus. As is apparent in the photograph, the Moustached. collected in Cyprus in March 191 I, has had its label changed twice, evidence of the problems of identification; this bird is less rufous below than a typical Sedge Warbler (below). British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465-478 469 Bob McGowan © NHM, Tring Time to get rid of the Moustache c ) tache had it been present. Comments on the presence or otherwise of a moustache are a little confused, but observers were aware that one should be present, and so looked for it. Prof. Raven, who was present at the site for only 40 minutes, mentioned a blackish moustache, although he commented on its contrast with the white eye-stripe [sic] and white throat, so he was almost certainly referring to the dark ear- coverts. Ennion and Butler both thought that they might have seen some indication of a moustache, although Butler watched the birds on three subsequent occasions and became con- vinced that there was definitely no moustache. J. A. Gibb was adamant that the birds did not show a moustachial streak and suggested that, on the basis of his experience in Malta and Cambridgeshire, the illustration in Bannerman (1939) should be amended to eliminate all sug- gestion of a moustache. Bill The bill of Moustached Warbler is long, slender and dark, with some pale at the base of the lower mandible. Only Raven suggested that the bill appeared more slender than that of Sedge Warbler. All other observers commented merely on the colour, which ranged in the adults from ‘dark brown' (Thom) to dark ochreous horn, with pale ochre base and a darker tip (Ennion). The bill colour of the juveniles was clearly paler and descriptions varied from ‘pale buff’ (Dar- lington), or ‘yellow’ (Hinde) to ‘off-white’ (Thom). Crown All observers were unanimous that the birds had blacker crowns than Sedge Warbler. The nominate race of Moustached Warbler usually shows a uniformly black crown under field con- ditions but some intermixed brown feathering is apparent in the hand (this pattern applies to both juveniles and adults). Some of the descrip- tions, however, suggest a more Sedge Warbler- like crown pattern. Descriptions of the crown colour include: ‘nearly/almost black’ (Dar- lington, Butler, Ennion), ‘very dark black/brown’ (Hinde), ‘very dark’ (Raven, Fisher, Thom), ‘dark’ (Mills), ‘dark blackish- brown’ (Rose), and ‘much darker than Sedge Warbler’ (Armstrong/Cott). Thorpe is the only observer who uses unqualified black in the crown colour when he says ‘edges black with faint brown marks’. Most observers also describe paler brown streaks in the crown, a feature that is also shown in the paintings. Dar- lington referred to two deep-buff lines either side of the crown centre. Hinde also referred to dark brown lines on either side of the crown. Butler counted three narrow chestnut bands separated by three slightly wider, darker brown (not black) bands. Ennion also referred to a paler central crown-stripe with ‘much confused and finer laterals’. The juvenile crowns appeared rather more Sedge Warbler-like. Darlington described the juveniles as having rich brown crowns, with two deep-buff lines, much broken up from the base of the bill, through the crown. Both Thom and Hinde also described the juveniles as being brown-crowned (Thom: ‘warm brown’, Hinde: ‘very dark brown’). No observers used the word ‘black’ to describe any part of the juvenile crown colour. Moustached Warblers should have black crown feathers throughout, with some paler feather edging creating slight streaks in fresh plumage. Moreover, the crown should appear more uniformly black by late summer as these edges wear off. According to BWP, juveniles should have even blacker crowns than adults. This is completely at odds with the descriptions of the Cambridgeshire juveniles. It is worth noting, however, that the eastern race of Mous- tached Warbler A. m. mimica typically has more brown streaking in the crown than nominate melanopogon. Supercilium All observers commented on the whiter and more prominent supercilium than Sedge Warbler’s. All concurred that the (presumed) male had a supercilium that was off-white in front of the eye and pure white behind the eye. The (presumed) female had a supercilium that was less white than the male’s. Darlington described the female’s supercilium colour as ‘pale buff throughout’ in dull light, but said that it appeared whiter in bright light. Thom con- curred that it was very pale buff. The juveniles clearly had less obviously white supercilia. Dar- lington described them as ‘more yellowish in tone and narrower’, whereas Thom described them as ‘yellowish-buff’. Moustached Warbler can certainly show off-white supercilia but yellow is a colour that should not appear any- where in the plumage, particularly on the supercilium. 470 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache C Upperparts Moustached Warbler typically has chestnut upperparts with a rump that is usually concol- orous but can be fractionally brighter than the mantle. Sedge Warbler usually shows an obvious contrast between the browner mantle and brighter, rufous rump. The detailed descriptions of Darlington, Hinde, Thom, Butler and Ennion all describe the rump as being brighter or more rufous than the compar- atively colder upperparts. The colour illustra- tions by Butler and Thom also show this contrastingly rufous rump. Thom also described the adult flight feathers as having yellow-buff margins, and those of the juveniles as having yellow margins - as noted above, yellow should not appear in the plumage of Moustached Warbler. Underparts The rufous wash along the flanks shown by the Cambridgeshire birds is a pro-Moustached feature. However, a specimen of Sedge Warbler at the NHM, Tring, shows rufous flank col- oration that is indistinguishable from that of Moustached (see plate 247) so it is not a diag- nostic feature. In Moustached Warbler, the rufous usually, but not always, extends from the nape across the breast-sides then down the flanks, which accentuates the white throat. For the Cambridgeshire birds, the rufous flanks were also unequivocally described only in the male. Darlington, Thom and Fisher referred to a rosy tinge on the flanks, but only in the male. According to Darlington, the female showed no hint of this rosy tinge, but was suffused light brown. Butler described the flanks as tawny (i.e. yellowish-brown) implying that the adult birds were the same. Thorpe also described the flanks as yellowish-brown, without specifying which bird he was referring to. Yet again, there is refer- ence to yellow in the plumage, which is undeni- ably a strongly pro-Sedge feature. Juvenile gorgets In the 1970 BOURC assessment, one member made the point that if they had been Sedge War- blers, the characteristic gorget of spots on the juveniles would have been seen. In fact, only three observers saw the juveniles well enough to provide a description. Furthermore, BWP states that breast spotting was almost, or completely absent in 20% of 40 juvenile Sedge Warblers examined. It would therefore appear that the absence of juvenile > breast spotting is not a reliable feature. Size Descriptions of size were many and varied; Dar- lington and Fisher described the birds as smaller than Sedge Warbler, Raven described them as slimmer than Sedge Warbler, Hinde was adamant that they were identical in size to Sedge Warbler in direct comparison, yet Ennion thought that they were a trifle larger. To confuse the picture further, Thom said that they were the size of Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus. There is overlap and racial variation in size between Sedge and Moustached Warblers. Sedge War- blers are comparatively longer-winged and longer-tailed than Moustached Warblers but there is overlap in overall size. However, the shorter wings can make the tail appear longer in Moustached. In western populations (nominate race). Moustached Warblers are usually 10-15% lighter than Sedge, although eastern mimica tend to be slightly larger than Sedge. Calls There was general agreement that the calls did not sound like those of Sedge Warbler, although C. C. Rose described the call as a churr like that of a Sedge Warbler. Song was not heard, but the two described calls were a churr (variously described as ‘trrrt’ or ‘t-rrk’), with an alarm call ‘tchit’ or ‘t-chik’. These calls were sometimes repeated in rapid succession. Ennion suggested that the churr notes were softer than those given by Sedge Warbler, but that the scold note was deeper, more like that of Reed Warbler. Sedge Warblers give a soft churr note (e.g. Jonsson 1992, Baker 1997) and a short alarm call ‘chek’ (Jonsson) or ‘tuc’ (Baker) so the calls are not that different from published descrip- tions of Sedge Warbler calls. There is certainly nothing in the written descriptions of calls that would conclusively rule out Sedge Warbler. This is also the conclusion that Tucker drew in his analysis. Previous experience Gibb was the only observer with previous experience of Moustached Warbler. He had found a vagrant on Malta two years previously (in 1944), the second record for that island (Gibb 1946, 1951). He had identified this bird by its song, describing it thus; ‘sweeter and not so loud as Sedge Warbler, it was delivered jerkily with a slight pause between each phrase.’ He noted that the bird was singing in a low fig Ficus British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 471 Time to get rid of the Moustache c ) tree at the edge of a field of sulla (a fodder crop that grows to about 1.3 m) on 24th March 1944. In BWP , Gibb’s is the only referenced example of a bird singing away from its wetland habitat. Furthermore, Gibb used the term ‘identified’ to report the Moustached Warbler, whereas he used ‘positively identified’ in the same article to report a vagrant Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta on Malta (Gibb 1951). He also used the term ‘bird seen’ to report other unusual species. The differences in terminology might imply that he was less positive about the Mous- tached Warbler, and the unusual habitat also makes this record questionable. The description of the song is also not particularly convincing, omitting any mention of the characteristic Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos- like notes at the start. In his written description, Gibb claimed that he identified the Cam- bridgeshire warblers on three salient features that he had noted on the bird on Malta, namely the black crown, white supercilium and white throat; however, he made no mention of these features in the original publications (Gibb 1946, 1951). These anomalies must surely call into question Gibb’s record of Moustached Warbler on Malta, and certainly suggest that his ‘experi- ence’ with the species was of limited value with respect to the Cambridgeshire record. Tucker’s analysis Bernard Tucker, the author of the Moustached Warbler section in The Handbook , made an extremely thorough critique of the descriptions and illustrations and was certainly aware of dis- crepancies within them. He was clearly worried that observers did not seem to be struck by the darker appearance that would be expected in Moustached Warbler. He was also worried by Butler’s description, which he conceded ‘would definitely tell against it if there were not so much other evidence that seems to contradict it in some respects.’ The things that worried Tucker most were that Butler didn’t make so much of the dark crown, and described the mantle as brown and the rump and tail-coverts as tawny (i.e. yellowish-brown), which is wrong for Moustached. (An important aside here is the use of the adjective ‘tawny’. To many bird- watchers, the word is most often associated with the Tawny Owl Strix aluco , yet this species is not tawny, i.e. yellowish-brown. Butler may have used ‘tawny’ thinking that it described the rufous colour of Tawny Owl. See also discussion of underparts, above.) It is worth remembering that Butler visited the birds on four occasions and submitted one of the more detailed descriptions. The thing that seemed to swing Tucker’s opinion towards Moustached was the fact that both Hinde and Butler had observed the birds tail-cocking. At this time, Tucker was not aware that tail-cocking had ever been recorded in Sedge Warbler, yet he knew that it was a characteristic habit of Moustached Warbler. Hinde stated that: ‘on several occasions they cocked their tail to an almost vertical posi- tion, especially when excited.’ Butler said: ‘the presumed hen, when much agitated because I was near her young, darted into the brambles [Rubus fructicosus agg.] near my feet and in flit- ting from twig to twig flicked up her tail at each landing almost vertically.’ So it appears that the birds only tail-cocked when they were agitated, which is exactly what Sedge Warblers do (e.g. Shirihai et al. 1996, Beaman & Madge 1998, Vinicombe 2002). The greatest misgiving that Tucker had about the record, however, concerned the habitat. Tucker said: ‘The weakest point in the evidence is Thom’s opinion, also expressed to me personally, that the young when he first saw them were so recently fledged that the nest must have been in the brambles which they were frequenting. This is quite contrary to the recorded nesting habits of the Moustached Warbler, all of the rather small number of observers who have studied its breeding habits having found nests only in reeds Phragmites or other vegetation over water. Such sites are, however, available very close at hand and Thom’s opinion may be mistaken. The breeding of this Mediterranean bird in the British Isles is so intrinsically improbable that if it is to be fully accepted the evidence ought to be as complete and irrefutable as it can possibly be made, with no flaws in it, and this point about the nest is certainly one on which critics might not unreasonably fasten. In the nature of the case the nest cannot be very far from where the young were seen, and since we know it is there it ought to be findable. I therefore feel strongly that as soon as the vegetation has died down a little no pains should be spared to find the nest. Every bit of the reeds and other aquatic vegetation within a reasonable distance should be combed out, even if it means some deep wading, and a similar determined effort should be made to find what nests exist in the brambles, etc. I realize that some search has been made already, but it cannot 472 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache c have been exhaustive, since, as I have said, we know positively that the nest must be there. The breeding of Moustached Warblers in England, and on a ballast pit instead of, say, on the Broads or some such place, is so fantastic that pending the result of the proposed search I feel it would be proper to suspend judgement as to whether the occurrence can be accepted as conclusively proved or not.’ Nesting habitat A. S. Thom described the territory as ‘a well- defined area, roughly 30 yards square; lying between a grass cart road and the water edge of a railway ballast pit, bounded at North and South ends by tall Willow and Sallow [Salix spp.] bushes and trees. The wire fence along the grass road was overgrown with bramble bushes (thickly intergrown with nettles [ Urtica] and thistles [Cardueae]) which extended 10-12 feet into the territory. In this the nest was believed to be situated; at least the young, in early stages roosted and were fed here. From bramble bushes to water’s edge was thickly carpeted with Coltsfoot [ Tussilago farfara] leaves. Along the water edge, and extending out for some distance grew Reed Mace [ Typha ] .’ The first sightings of the birds were on 3rd August, adjacent to and over the Reed Mace (the ‘reedbed’). The following morning both adult birds were seen carrying food repeatedly from the reedbed into a thick bramble hedge, making feeding visits every two or three minutes. Each adult entered the hedge by a favoured route, several yards apart and it was therefore assumed that they were feeding young which had already left the nest. The first juven- ile was seen near the top of the bramble hedge on the afternoon of 4th August. On 7th August, a second juvenile was seen, which appeared to be so recently fledged that it had very limited powers of flight. On 8th August, three juveniles were seen together, one of which could fly only short distances. The last sighting was on 20th August. Bernard Tucker recommended a thorough search for the nest because he realised that a nest in brambles was a fundamental weakness in the case for Moustached Warbler. An exhaus- tive search for the nest was made inside the ter- ritory. All the bushes which were too thick to be searched properly were cut down and exam- ined. Thom said: ‘Five old nests were found, none of which, I feel confident, belonged to the ) birds under discussion. The reeds were also searched to a water depth of three feet (five yards from shore), with no success. Since our search of the bramble bushes, it seems almost certain that the birds could not have nested there, despite the fact that the two birds, obvi- ously newly fledged, flushed on the 6th and 7th respectively, could only flutter a few yards.’ In the published account (Hinde & Thom 1947), Thom changed his story slightly to remove all reference to the five nests that were found. The published article states that ‘It is quite certain that there was no nest in the bramble or anywhere in the vicinity that could possibly have been that of a Sedge Warbler.’ No information is given about the five nests that were found, or to what species they might have belonged. Thom used the fact that he couldn’t find a suitable nest in the brambles or in the nearby reed mace as evidence that the birds must have nested ‘in some inaccessible part of the reedbed’. The reeds were searched up to 5 m from the shore, and the brambles were 10 m from the water, so the implication is that the young birds must have flown more than 15 m prior to 4th August. However, juveniles were first seen in the brambles on 4th August, one of which could barely fly on 7th August, and must surely have originated from a nest in the bram- bles. The adult birds were watched carrying food to the brambles every 2-3 minutes during 4th-7th August. If one juvenile could barely fly on 7th, it could not have moved the 15 m from the reeds to the brambles prior to 4th August. A previously unpublished detail is that Thom actually caught one of the recently fledged juveniles with his hands on the late evening of 7th August, but the bird escaped. Surely only a recently fledged chick would allow capture by hand? The period from fledging to maturity given in BWP is c. 12 days, young presumably hatching synchronously, so the four days from 4th to 7th would be about one-third of this period. Moustached Warbler invariably nests over water, usually among reeds or reed mace. Reed mace (also called Typha or bulrush) was present in the nearby water, yet the birds did not choose this as their nesting habitat. In his original analysis. Tucker said that judgement on the identification should be sus- pended until a thorough search for the nest had been made. However, Tucker presumably accepted Thom’s suggestion that the birds must British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465-478 473 Time to get rid of the Moustache c } have nested in some inaccessible part of the reedbed, because he published the account in BB the following year (Hinde & Thom 1947). The presumed female did most of its for- aging under the Colts-foot leaves, i.e. among dry vegetation. Later, the juveniles moved from the brambles into the Colts-foot, where they too did most of their feeding. According to BWP , Moustached Warblers feed ‘by picking and probing vegetation at or near [the] water surface’, so it appears that the foraging habitat as well as the nesting habitat does not accord well with Moustached Warbler. Colin Bibby's excellent study of Moustached Warblers (Bibby 1982) confirms that the Cam- bridgeshire nesting habitat was extremely atyp- ical. Bibby stated that: ‘Moustached Warblers breed in wetlands, favouring places where Reed Warblers are more likely than Sedge Warblers to be their neighbours. Comparative morpholog- ical studies (Leisler 1975) show that Mous- tached Warblers have relatively large feet, with a thick hind toe and long claws. The spread angle of the front toes is comparatively small. These are adaptations of the foot for vertical climbing, and the Moustached Warbler occurs in vegeta- tion with a strong vertical structure, such as reeds Phragmites rich in fen-sedge Cladium, or beds of club-rush Scirpus or bulrush Typha (Leisler 1973). It is absent from pure Cladium beds where a walking species such as Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides is more at home. It is also absent in the drier areas with a tangle of soft-stemmed vegetation, where Sedge War- blers might occur. The Moustached Warbler’s climbing skills are best seen in Typha: it is the only European Acrocephalus warbler which easily can, and does, walk up the sides of the flattened leaf blades.’ The original published account Earlier, I suggested that the original published account (Hinde & Thom 1947) had cherry- picked from the descriptions. The most glaring example of this is in the description of the juveniles. Only three observers saw the juveniles well enough to give a description. Darlington described the juvenile supercilia as ‘more yel- lowish in tone’; Thom described them as ‘yellow-buff in colour’, whereas Hinde said that they were ‘indistinguishable from adult’. Hinde & Thom (1947) stated: ‘Superciliary stripe the same as in adults, but slightly cream in tone.’ Similarly, the juvenile flanks were described as ‘faint reddish-brown on posterior region of flanks’ in Hinde & Thom, yet only Thom described them as such. The remaining two observers described the flanks as buff. The juvenile crown colour was also described in Hinde & Thom as very dark brown, yet this was only Hinde’s description, the other two described the crown as warm brown (Thom) and rich brown (Darlington). Here are three examples where the minority view was selected because it best fitted the identification as Mous-- tached Warbler. The outcome of the 2005 assessment When assessing a potential ‘first’ for Britain, BOURC tries to establish whether the case is absolutely watertight. We would certainly expect most, if not all of the salient field charac- ters to have been described, but we would also expect the descriptions not to contain any fea- tures that are inexplicably wrong for that species. With the breeding Moustached War- blers, the first part of those criteria were arguably fulfilled (chestnut upperparts, blackish crown and white supercilium). The problem lies with the features that are unquestionably wrong, most notably the pale legs of all five birds, the definite lack of a moustachial streak in all five birds, the brown crowns of the juven- iles, the rather extensive brown streaking in the crowns of all birds, the lack of rufous on the flanks of the female and juveniles, the buff/yel- lowish tinge to the juvenile supercilia and the contrastingly rufous rumps. The fact that the nesting habitat was completely wrong for Moustached Warbler simply compounded the doubts that had already been raised over the plumage and bare-part characters. The conclu- sion of BOURC members, in June 2005, was that this record should be rejected. The Wendover record Following the rejection of a record previously accepted as a ‘first’, BOURC’s next task is to establish whether any subsequent records are acceptable as a first for Britain. This process was simplified by the review published by BBRC (Bradshaw 2000), which concluded that the 1965 Wendover record was the only remaining record that was acceptable. This bird was caught in a mist-net next to a small reservoir at Weston Turville, near Wen- dover, at about 16.30 hrs on 31st July 1965. It was first assumed to be a worn adult Sedge 474 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache C > Warbler. However, when it was taken from the bag to be ringed, its overall paleness, coupled with the strikingly white throat and super- cilium, prompted closer examination. The wing formula ruled out Sedge Warbler, but an adult of that species was nevertheless brought in for direct comparison. The mystery warbler had a whiter throat and supercilium than the Sedge, and lacked any rufous on the rump. A detailed description was taken and, after The Handbook and Identification for Ringers (Williamson 1963) had been consulted, the bird was eventually identified as an adult Moustached Warbler. The bird was then taken to Kenneth Williamson’s home, where he confirmed the identification and checked the wing formula on both wings. He did not take a description of the bird because he had been reassured that a full in- hand description had already been taken. This record was not expected to cause any problems because (i) the bird had been trapped and (ii) Kenneth Williamson, one of the great authorities on Palearctic warblers and author of the landmark BTO ringers’ guides, had checked the wing formula. Williamson was also, inciden- tally, on BOURC in 1970 when the Cam- bridgeshire breeding record was assessed and accepted. The wing formula seemed to confirm the identification, but the Wendover bird also showed a number of features that were appar- ently wrong for Moustached Warbler, in partic- ular pale legs and the lack of a black crown. These were features that had figured prominently in the 2005 BOURC rejection of the Cam- bridgeshire record. In addition, there was no spe- cific mention of black streaking on the mantle (‘mantle and scapulars sandy brown with black bases’), although this transcription may perhaps not be incompatible with an in-hand description of streaked upperparts. The bird was in extremely worn plumage, which we initially assumed might have explained the pale crown colour, and we also assumed that there might be variation in bare-part coloration. Other features that caused concern were the overall paleness of the plumage, with no chestnut coloration; the Table I . Comparison of biometrics taken from the ‘Wendover warbler' with those for Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon of the nominate race and eastern race mimica, Paddyfield Warbler A. agricola and Sedge Warbler A. schoenobaenus. Data from Williamson (1968) (8WP figures in parentheses). All measurements in mm. SS = secondaries. Tail rounded’ = difference between shortest and longest tail feather. Wendover warbler Moustached ( melanopogon ) Moustached ( mimica ) Paddyfield Sedge Wing length 55 52-58 (55-62) 59-67 (57-64) 53-61 (55-61) 59-72 (62-71) Tail length 50 44-52 (44-53) 49-60 (49-60) 47-60 (48-56) 39-56 (42-51) Bill (skull) 11.5 13-15 (14-16.4) 14-16 (14.9-16.3) 13.5-16 (14-15.5) 13.5-16 (13.6-15.5) Tarsus 19.5 18-22 (19.9-21.9) 21-23 (21.1-22.9) 21-23.5 (20-23) 20-23 (20-22.5) Emargination P3/4/5 P3/4/5 (P3/4/5/(6)) P3/4/5 (P3/4/5/(6)) P3/4/5 (P3/4/5) P3 (P3) PI (mm > primary coverts) 4.5 5.5-8 (5-9) (5-9) 1-4 (0-6) About half length of pc (-1- -7) P2 (mm < wing point) 4 5.5-7 (5-9) (5-9) 3-5 (3-6) 0.5-1 (0-2) Wing point P3/4/5 P3/4/5 ( P( 3)/ 4/5) (P(3)/4/5) P3/4/5 (P3/4/(5) P3 (P3) P6 (mm < wing point) 2 0.5-2. 5 (1-3) (1-3) 1.5-4 (1. 5-3.5) 7-8.5 (6.5— 8.5) P7 (mm < wing point) 4 2.5-4 (3-4) (3-4) 3-6 (3-6) 10-11 P10 (mm < wing point) 6 7-10 (7-10) (9-11) 7.5-11 (7-10.5) 14-17 (14-19) Notch P2 well down SS well down SS (12-16 mm < wing point) well down SS (11-16 mm < wing point) P7-P9 (8-13 mm < wing point) Notch P3 4 mm below SS tips below SS tips opposite SS tips (up to 4 mm below SS tips) Tail rounded 8 9-12 (7-10) 9-12 (7-10) 8-12 (6-9) 4-8 (3-8) British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 475 Time to get rid of the Moustache c paleness of the ear-coverts, with no mention of a moustache; and the lack of rufous on the flanks. Furthermore, the tongue was described as canary yellow’ (adult Moustached Warblers have bright orange tongues). All of these features are wrong for Moustached Warbler, yet the wing formula and biometrics ruled out Sedge Warbler and were right for Moustached Warbler. While compiling the file on this bird, I asked BOURC member Andrew Lassey if he could provide a ringer’s interpretation, to explain to non-ringers on the Records Committee why the in-hand data ruled out Sedge Warbler. He pointed out four key features, including the wing length of 55 mm that was too short for Sedge Warbler, and even ruled out the longer- winged eastern race of Moustached Warbler. However, I had asked the wrong question, and should have asked if any other species had a similar wing formula and biometrics. When Andrew Lassey came to comment on the file, he noticed that Paddyfield Warbler A. agricola has remarkably similar biometrics and wing formula (table 1). Andrew Lassey highlighted the following points from this table. The bill length of 11.5 mm is slightly short for either species but this may be a simple recording error (and is not sig- nificant in terms of species identification). The tail length of 50 mm is noteworthy because the Wendover bird was in moult, with the two central pairs of tail feathers only one-third grown. If allowance were made for tail growth, it would place the tail length at the upper limit for the western race of Moustached. Two of the key measures of wing structure, the first and second primary measurements, are better for Paddyfield than for Moustached (they fall outwith the range for Moustached given by both Williamson (1968) and BWP). The only measurement which is arguably better for Moustached is the notch on the third primary, which fell 4 mm beyond the tips of the secondaries, although this is within the range given for Paddyfield in BWP. In addition, the in-hand description said that the supercilium extended c. 5 mm beyond the eye, which is consistent with Paddyfield Warbler but too short for Moustached. The pale crown and cheeks, pinkish-yellow legs and yellow tongue would also be consistent with Paddyfield Warbler (and wrong for Moustached Warbler); while the description of the mantle/scapulars is at best ambiguous and at worst wrong for Moustached. ) However, there are also features that appear to be more supportive of Moustached than Pad- dyfield Warbler. The growing brown crown feathers had blackish bases where they were emerging from the sheaths. The sandy-brown mantle and scapular feathers also had blackish bases. The tail was also faded blackish-brown, as were the flight feathers. Most people would not think that a streaked Acrocephalus could be confused with an unstreaked one, but Shirihai et al. (1996). included a section in the Moustached Warbler chapter entitled ‘Separation from Paddyfield’. Shirihai et al. stated that: 'where Moustached ( mimica ) and Paddyfield Warbler breed together in the same habitat, worn adults can cause problems. In June-July, both are very heavily worn and look so similar (faded sandy- grey with almost no pattern in plumage) that they are best identified by size, shape and voice; Moustached usually also shows remnants of blackish centres to (mainly smallest) tertials and slightly darker crown, and its bill (unlike Paddyfield’s) is all dark.’ Furthermore, the prob- lems involved in distinguishing Paddyfield from pale/leucistic Sedge Warbler have also been doc- umented (Flumm & Lord 1978). Kenneth Williamson made very few com- ments on the bird, but it is difficult to reconcile some of his comments with elements in the description. For example, he said: ‘the plumage was all right and suggested the typical race’, yet there was no mention of chestnut upperparts or a black crown. He also stated that he had ‘seen no specimen resembling this in head plumage’, implying that the plumage was, in fact, not ‘all right’. He also failed to mention that the rest of the plumage was atypical too. We assumed that there must be variation to explain the unusual bare-part coloration, so we contacted Joan Castany in Spain, who has a great deal of ringing experience of Moustached Warbler and is a leading researcher of Mous- tached Warblers in Spain. He studied variation in Moustached Warblers for his PhD thesis at the University of Valencia and has continued this research since then. We asked him whether Moustached Warblers could ever show pale legs and if adults ever showed canary-yellow tongues. The answer was an unequivocal no to both questions. Furthermore, he said that the legs of all ages of Moustached Warbler are con- sistently dark, but contrasted this with Reed Warbler, which displays a great range of varia- 476 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 Time to get rid of the Moustache c tion in leg colour. He also said that juvenile Moustached Warblers had yellow tongues but that the colour changes to bright orange at the age when they lose their tongue spots. BWP states that tongue spots gradually fade from the age of 2 —4 months and are always absent by the spring of the second calendar-year. In other words, a non-juvenile Moustached Warbler in late July should have had an orange, not yellow tongue. In conclusion then, the description of the plumage and bart-part colours of the Wen- dover bird does not fit Moustached Warbler, and the biometrics and wing formula do not rule out Paddyfield. It is almost certain that Ken Williamson had never seen a live Moustached Warbler, although he was familiar with museum specimens. In addition, he had seen only one Paddyfield Warbler previously, that being a first-winter on Fair Isle, Shetland, on 16th September 1953 (i.e. almost 12 years earlier). In contrast to the Fair Isle bird, the second for Britain, the Wendover bird was in extremely worn plumage, and was in tail moult too. He was also presented with a bird which had been identified as a Moustached Warbler, and was effectively asked simply to check the biometrics and wing formula. It must have been extremely difficult for him to think laterally in this situation, and to come up with a radically different conclusion. He did not take a description but remarked that the head plumage did not resemble that of any specimen of Moustached Warbler he had seen at the Natural History Museum while researching his ringers’ guide to the genus Acrocephalus. He also commented that he had not seen a skin of Moustached Warbler in such an advanced state of moult. Williamson’s concluding comment was that ‘the small size and the characteristic wing formula (which I checked on both wings) ruled out anything but melanopogon.’ So it would seem that Williamson had not consid- ered the unstreaked Paddyfield Warbler, which was not ruled out by the small size and charac- teristic wing formula. The Wendover record was circulated around BOURC and, after much debate, it was decided unanimously that the bird was not acceptable as a Moustached Warbler. BOURC are not saying that the Wendover warbler was definitely a Pad- dyfield, merely that on the available evidence Paddyfield Warbler cannot be excluded, and so the identification as Moustached Warbler is not 100% certain. > Acknowledgments Thanks to all the following BOURC members, past and present, for their help, and for commenting on the article; Colin Bradshaw, Martin Collinson, Andrew Harrop, Andrew Lassey, Ian Lewington, Bob McGowan, Eric Meek, Tony Prater, Steve Votier Graham Walbridge plus Steve Dudley, BOU Administrator. Special thanks to Bob McGowan for researching skin collections and help with references, and to Andrew Lassey for first spotting the in- hand anomalies in the Wendover record. Keith Vinicombe and Ian Wallace provided helpful comments at the outset. Joan Castany provided a very informed opinion on variation in bare-part coloration in Moustached Warblers. Ana Muriel translated the correspondence from Joan Castany Ian Dawson provided many references and very useful comments on an early draft. Roy Taylor provided in- hand photographs of Moustached Warblers, and much useful discussion on behaviour and ecology of this species. Mark Adams (Bird Group, NHM), facilitated access to research collections atTring. References Baker K 1997. Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa. Christopher Helm, London. Bannerman, D. A. 1 939. Birds ofTropical West Africa.V ol. 5. Crown Agents, London. — 1 954. Birds of the British Isles. Vol. 3. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. Beaman, M„ & Madge, S. 1 998. The Handbook of Bird Identif cation. Christopher Helm, London. Bibby, C. 1 982. Studies of west Palearctic birds: 1 84 Moustached Warbler. Brit. Birds 75: 346-359. BOU. 1950. List Committee.Twenty-second Report. Ibis 92:639. — 1 968. Records Committee: Fifth Report. Ibis I 1 3: 135-142. — 1971. Records Committee: Sixth Report. Ibis I 1 3: 420M23. Bradshaw, C. 2000. From the Rarities Committee's files: The occurrence of Moustached Warbler in Britain. Brit. Birds 93: 29-38. Dresser H. E. 1 87 1 - 1 896. A History of the Birds of Europe. Selbstverlag, London. Flumm, D, S„ & Lord, N. A. G. 1 978. Identification of a Paddyfield Warbler Brit. Birds 7 1 : 95- 101. Gibb, J. A. 1946. Singing of birds on Malta and Gozo. Brit Birds 39: 354-357. — 1951. Birds of the Maltese Islands. Ibis 93: 1 09- 1 27. Hammond, N„ & Everett, M. 1 980. Birds of Britain and Europe. Pan, London. Hinde, R. A., &Thom, A. S. l947.The Breeding of Moustached Warbler in Britain. Brit Birds 40: 98- 1 04. Jonsson, L. 1 992. Birds of Europe. Christopher Helm, London. Keith, S., & Gooders.J. 1 980. Collins Bird Guide. Collins, London. Leisler B. 1 973. Die Jahresverbreitung des Mariskensangers (. Acrocephalus melanopogon ) nach Beobachtungen und Ringfunden. Vogelwarte 27: 24-39. — 1 975. Die Bedeutung der Fussmorphologie fur dieokologische Sonderung Mitteleuropaischer Rohrsanger (Acrocephalus) und Schwirle ( Locustella ). J. Orn. I 16: I 17-153. Meinertzhagen, R. l950.The Record of the Moustached Warbler breeding in Great Britain. Bull. BOC 70: 54—55. Sharrock.J.I R„ & Grant, RJ. 1 982. Birds New to Britain and Ireland. Poyser London. Shirihai, H„ Christie, D. A., & Harris, A. 1 996. The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 465—478 477 c Time to get rid of the Moustache Macmillan, London. Vinicombe, K. 2002. A tale of two warblers. Birdwotch I 1 8: 22-25. Williamson, K. 1963 .Identification for Ringers. /.The Genera Cettia, Locustella.Acrocephalus and Hippolais. 2nd edn. BTO.Tring. — 1 968. Identification for Ringers. I .The Genera Cettia, Locustella, Acrocephalus and Hippolais. 3rd edn. BTO, Tring. Tim Melling, RSPB, Westleigh Mews, Wakefield Road, Denby Dale, West Yorkshire HD8 8QD EDITORIAL COMMENT Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, said: 'BBRC was in agreement with the findings of BOURC that Moustached Warbler should no longer be on the British List. This set of records shows the strength of the two-committee system when consid- ering first and particularly historical records for Britain. BBRC members have to fit such reviews, of past records into a busy schedule of contemporary record assessment; this makes the arrival of 30+ pages of historical documents something of a mixed blessing, while such events are the raison d’etre of BOURC. ‘In our initial assessment of the Wendover bird we had concentrated on whether Sedge Warbler could be excluded confidently and we reached the conclusion that it could. We are indebted to Andrew Lassey and BOURC for showing that there were other alternatives to be considered and, while no other species is proven, this situation makes the record unsafe as a first for Britain. ‘The situation with the Cambridgeshire birds is easier to explain. Although the system of having ten independent voices in BBRC is designed to minimise errors, in this case, partly because we did not have access to all the archives at the time of our assessment, we made a mistake in our judgement.’ Letter Threat to carrion-feeding birds of prey posed by EU legislation I refer to the very real concerns regarding food supplies of carrion-feeding birds of prey within the European Union expressed, with regard to Spain in particular, by Jeanette and Jeremy Brock (Brit. Birds 99: 374-375). In fact, the dumping of carcases in secure sites for the feeding of such birds is permitted in Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus and Portugal by Article 1 of Commission Decision 2003/322/EC as amended by Decisions 2004/455/EC and 2005/830/EC. Four vultures, two eagles and two kites are listed as birds that may be so fed. The K. W. S. Kane Castlebellingham, Co. Louth, Ireland fact that the six countries named have applied for, and been granted, permission for such feeding shows that at central government level in these countries the potential problem has been recognised. The problem would thus seem not to be that the dumping of carcases has been banned, but rather that local authorities may not be implementing measures to allow the continuation of this tradition within the straightforward and simple requirements of the Decision. 478 © British Birds 99 • September 2006 ♦ 478 Conservation research news Compiled by Arjun Amar and Jeremy Wilson Vulnerability of male and female Pied Flycatchers to predation by Sparrowhawks Some species are more vulnerable to predation than others and similarly, within a given species, one sex may be more vulnerable to pre- dation than the other. Males may be more vul- nerable than females, for example, because of behaviours related to attracting a mate or securing a territory, such as signalling and display. However, some studies have found higher predation rates for females, suggesting that factors other than coloration and mate acquisition behaviours can influence predation risk (Gotmark et al. 1997). In a recent paper, Peter Post and Frank Gotmark investigated this issue by looking at Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus predation of Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca. They examined the time budgets and foraging behav- iour of male and female Pied Flycatchers and compared the predation rates by Sparrowhawks on the two sexes over a ten-year period using prey remains at plucking posts. They found that more males than females were predated by Sparrowhawks during the pre-laying period, but there were fewer females present at this time as females arrive on the breeding grounds later than males. However, predation rates of both sexes were higher in this pre-laying period than during the incubation and nestling periods, and this was thought to be due to a shift in habitat and prey choice of hunting Sparrowhawks. Later in the breeding season, open habitats were found to be hunted preferentially by Spar- rowhawks, when more abundant and more easily caught fledgling birds became available. © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 479—480 479 David Tipl/ng/Windrush Conservation research news > The authors found no difference in the number of males and females taken during either the incubation or the nestling periods, despite the fact that females spent 77% of their time during the incubation period on the nest, and therefore safe from Sparrowhawks. Taking this into account, predation mortality for females was 4.7 times higher than for males per unit of time spent outside the nest during the incubation period. This higher level of vulnera- bility was thought to reflect differences in behaviour at this time; and, indeed, when females were out of the nest they spent more time flying and foraging than did males. In a possible attempt to offset the dangers of this behaviour, females did spend more time for- aging in less exposed sites and on higher perches than males, which should, in theory, reduce the risk of predation. This study suggests that vulnerability to predation is linked to behaviours involved in the trade-off between foraging and vigilance. Gotmark. F„ Post, R, Olsson.J., & Himmelmann, D. 1997. Natural selection and sexual dimorphism: sex-biased Sparrowhawk predation favours crypsis in female Chaffinch. Oikos 80: 540-548. Post, R, & Gotmark, F. 2006. Predation by Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus on male and female Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca in relation to their breeding behaviour and foraging .J. Avian Biol. 37: 158-168. Climate change causes population decline in Pied Flycatchers Climate change is making its mark on ecosys- tems; the advance of seasonal activities from flowering in plants to emergence of insects and breeding of birds is now a well-established phe- nomenon in temperate Europe. However, these changes can cause problems for some species if varying speeds of response in different parts of the food chain lead to a mismatch between the timing of reproduction in one organism and the timing of peak availability in another that forms its main food supply. Christiaan Both and his co-authors have previously used long-term population studies of Pied Flycatchers in The Netherlands to show that although laying date has advanced, the extent of this has been limited by the fact that the birds’ arrival dates from Africa have remained unchanged. As a result, the onset of breeding has not advanced as rapidly as the availability of their caterpillar (larval Lepi- doptera) food supply and there has been increasing selection to favour birds breeding earlier. In a recently published study, these authors have extended this work by testing whether Pied Flycatchers are more likely to have declined as the mismatch between timing of breeding and timing of peak caterpillar avail- ability increases. They collated annual popula- tion counts from 1987 to 2003 from ten nestbox-breeding Pied Flycatcher populations of widely varying population trend across The Netherlands. Some populations had shown no overall change during this period, while others had declined by up to 6% per year. These popu- lation changes were then compared with both the timing of caterpillar availability and the proportion of Great Tits Parus major producing second broods in the same area. The results are striking. Pied Flycatcher populations declined by as much as 90% (between 1987 and 2003) at locations where the caterpillar food peak was early (in early May) and where few Great Tits reared a second brood; but declines were limited to 10% or less where the caterpillar peak was late (in late May) and a higher proportion of Great Tits reared a second brood. Impor- tantly, the authors also showed that these results did not simply reflect some general decline in habitat quality in areas with an early caterpillar peak. In fact, the biomass of caterpillars was highest in areas where their abundance peaked early. This important study shows that misalign- ment of the timing of breeding and the timing of food supply for reproduction, driven by climate change, is capable of driving a large population decline over a period of just 16 years. Pied Flycatchers and other long-distance migrant songbirds may be particularly suscep- ; tible if constraints encountered during migra- I tion, which limit how early they can return from their wintering grounds, are coupled with dependence on a seasonally limited food resource for reproduction. k Both, C„ Bouwhuis, S„ Lessells, C. M.. & Visser, M. E. 2005. Climate change and population declines in a long- distance migratory bird. Nature 44 1 : 8 1 -83. 480 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 479—480 Notes All Notes submitted to British Birds are subject to independent review, either by the Notes Panel or by the 88 Editorial Board. Those considered appropriate for 88 will be published either here or on our website (www.britishbirds.co.uk) subject to the availability of space. Comment on ‘Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ in Wester Ross in 1 925 The sole British record of ‘Holboell’s Red- necked Grebe’ Podiceps grisegena holboellii relates to a specimen shot in Wester Ross by John MacGregor in September 1925 (BOU 1928; Lowe 1928). Lowe’s notes state: ‘obtained at Aultbea’ (p. 53) and ‘shot at Aultbea’ (p. 70) and, since then, this locality has consistently been associated with the record (e.g. BOU 1928, Witherby et al. 1940, Baxter 8< Rintoul 1953, Naylor 1996, Andrews & Naylor 2002). The locality ‘Aultbea’, however, derives from a misunderstanding or error by Lowe, which was subsequently perpetuated by most other writers. Lowe (1928: 70) confirms the bird’s provenance by reference to a letter written by the collector ‘Mr J. MacGregor of Aultbea’. The reprinted letter, however, indicates the author’s address as ‘Gruinard, by Aultbea’ and he (Mac- Gregor) writes of the bird as ‘shot by me here’, ‘observed... in the Bay here for a few days’, ‘seemed to get its food in a sandy bay here’ and ‘killed in a wild state here’. MacGregor was Keeper on the Gruinard Estate and he lived in a house adjacent to Gruinard House, 9 km from Aultbea, the nearest village. His postal address and terminology indicate that ‘here’ clearly referred to Gruinard Bay, and not Aultbea. Interestingly, Witherby (1928) correctly stated ‘shot. . . in a bay near Aultbea’, though this precision was lost on publication of the Hand- book (Witherby et al. 1940). Bannerman (1959) simply stated ‘shot by Mr J. MacGregor of Aultbea in Ross-shire’. Gruinard Bay therefore appears to be the accurate collection locality, and this was specifi- cally identified as such by the collector. In habitat terms, unlike the deep waters and rockier shores of Loch Ewe at Aultbea, Gruinard Bay is sizeable, with areas of shallow, sandy-bot- tomed waters and may be considered a more likely locality for the grebe (Stout & Nuechter- lein 1999; Fjeldsa 2004). The grebe was prepared by a Birmingham taxidermy firm (Betteridge), but its subsequent fate is unknown. There is no ostensible reason that the specimen was acquired by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, but it does not appear to be stored with BMAG bird collections, now at Birmingham University (J. Clatworthy pers. comm). ‘Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ breeds mainly in North America, with a restricted pop- ulation in the Eastern Palearctic. It is differenti- ated from nominate grisegena by its larger size and this characteristic was noted by John Mac- Gregor. The Wester Ross locality indicates a likely Nearctic origin for the British record. Acknowledgments I am most grateful to staff of Gairloch Heritage Museum for biographical details of John MacGregor and to Jon Clatworthy of Birmingham University. References Andrews, I.J., & Naylor K. A. 2002. Records of species and subspecies recorded in Scotland on up to 20 occasions. Scottish Birds 23:61-1 16. Bannerman, D. A. 1 959, The Birds of the British Isles.V 61. 8. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. Baxter, E.V., & Rintoul, L.J. 1953. The Birds of Scotland. Vol. 2. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh & London. BOU. 1 928. Sixth report of List Committee. Ibis 1 928: 320-323. Fjeldsa, J. 2004. The Grebes. OUR Oxford. Lowe, R R. 1 928. Podiceps grisegena holboellii in the British Isles. Bull. BOC 48: 53, 70. Naylor, K. A. 1 996. A reference manual of rare birds in Great Britain and Ireland. Privately published. Nottingham. Stout, B. E„ & Nuechterlein, G. L. 1 999. Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena). In: Poole, A„ & Gill, F. (eds.), The Birds of North America. No. 465. The Birds of North America, Inc., PA. Witherby, H. F. 1 928. Some new British birds and other alterations to the British List. Brit. Birds 22: 98- 1 02. — , Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F„ & Tucker B. W. 1 940. The Handbook of British Birds.V ol. 4. Witherby, London. R. Y. McGowan Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 48 1 —495 481 Alex Lees Notes C > Identification and status of Dunns Lark in northwest Africa Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni is probably the least well known of all the Palearctic larks. Two races are recognised: E. d. dunni occurs along the southern fringe of the Sahara in northern Africa, while E. d. eremodites inhabits the Arabian Peninsula. Like many desert species, Dunn’s Larks are highly nomadic (Dean 2004), their movements being dictated by local rainfall conditions; consequently, their appearance away from the core range remains highly unpre- dictable. Most European birders who have encoun- tered Dunn’s Lark are likely to have seen the eastern race eremodites in Israel, where it is an erratic visitor (Shirihai 1996). The nominate race is even more enigmatic, occurring in Mauritania, southern Algeria, northern and central Mali south to Tombouctou [Timbuktu], the Air region of northern Niger, north Chad and the Kordofan region of Sudan to the west of the River Nile (Vaurie 1959). Within the boundaries of the Western Palearctic in Mauri- tania, the species was first recorded at Chegga in 1930 (Heim de Balsac & Mayaud 1962), and was recorded breeding at Zemmour in 1970 (de Naurois 1974). There have been few subsequent records, but these include 20 at 21°29’N 11°27’W on 5th January 2005 (K. de Rouk per S. Piner), and two at Bou Lanouar 21°19’N 16°43’W on 9th January 2006 (S. Piner pers. comm.). While conducting an ornithological survey 250. Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni dunni, Awsard, Western Sahara, Morocco, March 2006. Note the bold eye-ring, bulky bill and fairly uniform sandy upperparts with dark, rufous-brown-tipped primaries. of the Dakhla-Awsard Road in south-central Western Sahara (Oued Ad-Deheb region), Morocco, we discovered, and photographed, three Dunn’s Larks on 12th March 2006. These birds, one of which was observed song- flighting, were found at 22°79’N 14°61’W, in an area of Saharo-Sahelian stony savannahs, inter- spersed with patches of grasses Andropogon , Aristida, Lasiurus and Panicum , along with scat- tered Acacia trees. The presence of Dunn’s Lark in the region had been suspected previously (J. Franchimont pers. comm.), but our observa- tions represent the first confirmed records for Morocco. Other typical birds of this area included abundant breeding Black-crowned Sparrow-larks Eremopterix nigriceps , and Desert Sparrows Passer simplex , both species that are also virtually unknown in the region. Identification The nominate race of Dunn’s Lark differs from the Arabian form eremodites in several respects. It is a smaller, slighter bird, with a shorter and stubbier bill, shorter tail and tarsus, and appears distinctly more rufous overall. The upperparts are sandy-brown with a slight pinkish tinge, while the rather pale and uniform wings exhibit modest contrast between the tertials and the darker rufous-brown primary tips, a feature which is more pronounced in eremodites. The hindneck is streaked rufous (grey in erem- odites), the crown-streaking is rufous-brown 25 1 . Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni dunni, Awsard, Western Sahara, Morocco, March 2006. Note the particularly large head with bulging ‘hamster-pouch’ cheeks. 482 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Alex I pps Notes C (not dark brown as in eremodites ) and the mantle and scapulars have broader rufous- brown centres, lacking pinkish-grey fringes. The facial markings of dunni are much less pro- nounced than on eremodites: the malar stripe is virtually absent and the moustachial streak can appear indistinct, although dunni does possess a prominent white eye-ring and a long white supercilium. Within the region concerned, care should be taken to eliminate Kordofan Bush-lark Mirafra cordofanica, which resembles Dunn’s Lark but has a thinner bill, a slight crest and a pale unmarked face, and shows only a limited amount of breast-streaking. Female Black- crowned Sparrow-larks also bear a passing resemblance to nominate Dunn’s Lark but they are distinctly smaller, lack the facial markings of Dunn’s Lark, and show a dark median-covert bar and black underwing-coverts. Separation from the similarly sized Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cincturus has been extensively dealt with elsewhere (e.g. Snow & Perrins 1998), but owing to their restricted head markings, the nominate race of Dunn’s Lark is more difficult to detect among the sympatric and much more abundant Bar-tailed Desert Larks. We found that the most useful feature to separate these two species was the stronger head and bill of Dunn’s Lark. Although differences in tail pattern were useful, we considered the tail pattern of nominate Dunn’s Lark to be less well > 252. Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni dunni, Awsard, Western Sahara, Morocco, March 2006. Note the strong bill with upward-curving lower mandible and prominent dark lower eye-arc giving the bird a ‘tired’ expression. marked than that of eremodites , particularly on worn or bleached individuals. Nonetheless, the predominantly pale tail with darker sides of Dunn’s Lark is completely different from the obviously ‘bar-tailed’ appearance of Bar-tailed Desert Lark. Further ornithological exploration of the region will be required to establish the status of Dunn’s Lark at the northwestern fringe of its African range. It would be foolhardy to try and draw too many conclusions from the few records that exist from northwest Africa. Flowever, the frequency with which it has been 253. Habitat of Dunn's Lark Eremalauda dunni dunni, near Awsard, Western Sahara, Morocco, March 2006. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 483 Alex Lees Alex Lees Notes C > encountered in neighbouring Mauritania in recent years suggests that it may not be uncommon here. Moreover, now that the polit- ical situation in Western Sahara has stabilised, there may be more discoveries to be made in this forgotten corner of Africa. References Dean. W. J. D. 2004. Nomadic Desert Birds. Springer Verlag. Germany. de Naurois, R. 1 974. Decouverte de la reproduction Alexander C. Lees Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 3NY; t Richard D. Moores 63 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 3RD; e-mail d'Eremalauda dunni dans le Zemmour ( Mauritame septentrionale). Alauda 42: I I I— 1 16. Heim de Balsac, H.. & Mayaud, N. 1 962 Les Oiseaux du Nord-Ouest de I Afrique. Encycloped:e omrthologique, X Lechevalier, Paris. Shirihai. H. 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London. Snow. D.. & Perrins. C. M. 1 998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic Concise Edition. Vol. 2 OUR Oxford. Vaurie. C. 1 959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna: a systematic reference. Order Passeriformes. Witherby. London. of Environmental Sciences, :-mail a.lees@uea.ac.uk -d_moores@yahoo.co.uk A review of the status of Black-eared Wheatear in the Maltese Islands Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica is a regular passage migrant in the Maltese Islands, occurring annually in small numbers during spring and autumn. In 1982, a pair nested in Malta for the first time; these birds were of the eastern race Oe. h. tnelanoleuca [hereafter ‘melanoleuca’], and the white-throated morph (Sultana 8c Gauci 1981-83). Until recently, almost all published accounts of Black-eared Wheatear have stated that both the western race Oe. h. hispanica [hereafter ‘hispanica'] and the eastern race melanoleuca occur regularly in the Maltese archipelago. De Lucca (1969) first sug- gested that hispanica was unlikely to occur and that past records were erroneous, although many subsequent authors ignored this. This short article presents a critical review of the his- torical and recent evidence of the status of Black-eared Wheatear in the Maltese Islands, and attempts to clarify past misconceptions. Historical perspective: a review of Maltese literature Each of the two races of Black-eared Wheatear occurs in two distinctive plumage morphs, determined by throat colour. During the early nineteenth century, however, most authors con- sidered that the black-throated morph of both races represented a distinct species, termed ‘Russet Wheatear Saxicola stapazina ’, while the white-throated morphs were named ‘Eared Wheatear Saxicola aurita’. Schembri (1843) recorded only the Russet Wheatear from the Maltese archipelago, whereas Wright (1864) recorded both Russet and Eared Wlieatear, adding that both occurred annually in spring and autumn in small numbers. To confuse matters further, Wright subsequently docu- mented the occurrence of the ‘Black-throated Chat Saxicola melanoleuca', adding that this bird was the eastern race of the Russet Wheatear (Wright 1874). Wright had previously excluded Black-throated Chat from the Maltese list because he considered it inseparable from Russet Wheatear: ‘it appears chiefly to differ in the extent of black on the throat, and in having a more eastern range’. Subsequent authors, including Blasius ( 1895), Despott (1917, 1934), Gibb (1951) and Roberts (1954), perpetuated these misunderstandings to a greater or lesser extent. Although, by the mid twentieth century it was recognised that there were two races of a single species. Black-eared Wheatear Oe. his- panica, the two races were often still being attributed erroneously on the basis of throat colour (the white-throated morph being assigned to hispanica and the black-throated morph to melanoleuca). Although he discussed both races, De Lucca (1969) was the first to assert that melanoleuca was a regular migrant in small numbers in the Maltese Islands, and that hispanica occurred irregularly. Sultana et al. (1975) stated that both hispanica and melanoleuca occurred, without elaborating further. Bannerman 8c Vella- Gaffiero (1976) asserted (quite incorrectly) that melanoleuca ‘has no business to find itself ever in Malta’, perhaps based on the assumption that the entire eastern race winters too far to the east to reach Malta on migration. However, while Bannerman 8c Vella-Gaffiero disagreed with De Lucca that melanoleuca occurred regularly, they 484 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Notes C > did admit that it had occurred in Malta and they also realised that both hispanica and melanoleuca are dimorphic; but they main- tained that a few individuals of hispanica were seen annually during both spring and autumn. Sultana & Gauci (1979, 1982) continued to maintain that both hispanica and melanoleuca occurred in Malta. Problems of identification As the summary above indicates, the identifica- tion of hispanica and melanoleuca in Malta has not been well founded. The status of each taxon was generally accepted without question by suc- cessive authors, and misconceptions perpetu- ated. Early authors used the presence or absence of a black throat to separate males of the two races; later, the strength of plumage coloration was suggested as the key distinguishing feature (e.g. Bannerman 8c Vella-Gaffiero 1976, Sultana 2001). Unfortunately, many observers in the Maltese Islands have continued to use outdated criteria when identifying Black-eared Wheatears to race, with the consequence that the great majority of males have been misidentified. A comprehensive summary of field identification is provided by Ullman (2003); see also Cramp (1988), Svensson (1992), and Beaman 8c Madge (1998). As Ullman pointed out, although the coloration of the male’s plumage is certainly a pointer to racial identification, it is unsafe to rely on this feature alone. The most reliable way to separate male hispanica and melanoleuca is the extent of the black mask in relation to the culmen, and this applies equally to both pale- and dark-throated morphs. In melanoleuca, the black on the lores usually extends above the bill base to form a narrow black band (1-3 mm deep) across the forehead. In male hispanica, the black on the lores barely reaches the top of the bill base, and in most males the black upper edge to the lores does not meet across the fore- head, leaving a clearly visible gap above the bill base when viewed head-on. In only a few hispanica do the black lores extend to reach the top of the culmen. A less reli- able feature is the extent of black in relation to the eye: in most melanoleuca the mask extends 1-2 mm above the eye, whereas in male hispanica the black mask falls level with the upper edge of the eye. Another feature that can be used to separate the black-throated morphs lies in the extent to which the lower edge of the black throat extends onto the upper breast: in many melanoleuca, this reaches some 2-4 mm further down the upper breast than in hispanica, where it is restricted to the throat, and does not extend onto the upper breast. There is, however, individual variation, and this character alone is not a reliable guide to racial identification. While intergrades cannot always be ruled out, these features represent the most reliable means of separating male his- panica and melanoleuca, particularly when taken together. Great care is required with the separa- tion of immatures and females, which are gener- ally much more difficult to identify in the field. Distribution and migration The western form hispanica breeds in North Africa, Iberia and Mediterranean France, and east through north- and central-west Italy to Slovenia; the breeding range of melanoleuca extends from southern Italy (the Calabria and Puglia regions) and Croatia through the Balkans and countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean, east to Transcaucasia, western Iran and the northern Caspian region of Kaza- khstan (Cramp 1988; Hagemeijer & Blair 1997) (fig. 1). Fig. I . Breeding distribution of the two subspecies of Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica. western form hispanica (green), eastern form melanoleuca (red). British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 485 © Fluke Art Hugh Harrop Richard Chandler Notes C > 254. Male ‘eastern’ Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca of the light-throated morph, Israel, March 1 989. Historically, birds of the light-throated morph were believed to represent the nominate form, resulting in the misconception that both races occurred on Malta. Birds resembling this individual are believed to account for all claims of ‘western’ Black-eared Wheatear from Malta. Although this individual is similar to birds of the nominate form, the black feathering of the lores clearly extends above the culmen, enabling it to be identified confidently as melanoleuca, even though there is little black above the eye. 255. Male 'western' Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica hispanica of the light- throated morph, Coto Dofiana, Spain, March 2002. ‘Western’ males are often more richly coloured in spring but following the post- breeding moult, some male melanoleuca can resemble nominate hispanica. Such hispanica males are always separable from melanoleuca by the extent of the black mask, which reaches only to the upper edge of the eye, and not above it, and to the bill base but does not extend onto the forehead. It was only recently appreciated that these small differences were significant. No historical claims of hispanica from Malta mention this feature, and modern sight records have all proved to be melanoleuca. 486 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Notes C } 256. Male ‘eastern’ Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca of the dark-throated morph, Israel, March 1989. Such individuals greatly outnumber light-throated males, leading to the historical misconception (on Malta) that light-throated males must be hispanica. This individual clearly shows the extension of black above the bill base onto the forehead, the black of the mask extending well above the eye, and the lower edge of the throat patch extending onto the upper breast; all features associated with melanoleuca. 257. Male ‘western’ Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica hispanica of the dark-throated morph, Extremadura, Spain, spring. Compare with the male melanoleuca in plate 256. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481-495 487 Hugh Harrop Richard Chandler Notes C > In winter, hispanica occurs in Africa south of c. 18°N, mainly in northern Senegal, southwest Mauritania and Mali, but also in southwest Niger and northern Nigeria (Cramp 1988). A southwesterly heading from the easternmost breeding grounds, in Slovenia (around 15°E), would take birds across the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas, over the North African coast, presumably in the region between 0°E and 10°E, en route to wintering areas. In Tunisia, this race occurs regularly in autumn from August to mid October, and in spring from March to mid May (Isenmann et al. 2005). In Algeria, it is a frequent migrant in autumn, occurring on the High Plateau between Chott es-Sherugi (1°E) and Chott el-Hodna (4°E) from August to October, with a peak in Sep- tember, whereas in spring it has been recorded more frequently from the coast around Con- stantine at 7°E (Aissa Moali pers. comm.). Migrants following such a route would be unlikely to occur in Malta. In recent years, single hispanica have been recorded in April and May from the island of Pantelleria, some 240 km northwest of Malta and closer to a south- west-northeast axis between the North African coast and the easternmost hispanica popula- tions in Slovenia and central-west Italy. Fur- thermore, hispanica is extremely rare in western Sicily, especially in spring (Corso 2005), while the few records from eastern Sicily (see Iapichino & Massa 1989) are now considered doubtful by some (A. Corso pers. comm.). These observations in Sicily and Pantelleria further support the hypothesis that hispanica does not occur regularly in Malta. The precise flight-line of easternmost hispanica is still unclear; they may head directly southwest (although perhaps more records in western Sicily and Pantelleria would surely be expected if they did) or they may use a route to the west of the direct line, perhaps via northern Italy and southern France. The observations from Algeria and Tunisia tend to support the latter hypoth- esis. Conversely, westernmost populations of melanoleuca migrate only slightly west of south (Cramp 1988) to reach wintering regions in Africa east of 5°E, though most occur in Chad, east through Sudan to Ethiopia and Eritrea. Consequently, it seems likely that, in autumn, the Maltese Islands receive melanoleuca from regions to the northeast, such as southern Italy and the southern Balkans, en route to Africa. Discussion It is clear that there have been persistent diffi- culties in the identification of migrant Black- eared Wheatears in Malta. Even now, many observers attempt to identify Black-eared Wheatears to race on the basis of plumage col- oration, without considering the extent of the black mask in relation to the bill. It seems almost certain that the majority of males which display bright ochre coloration and/or black lores in autumn have been assigned to hispanica , based on misconceptions about the appearance of male melanoleuca. In early autumn, adult birds are in fresh plumage after a complete post-breeding moult, and plumage tones are much warmer and brighter in both races than in spring and summer. A freshly moulted autumn male melanoleuca can appear more richly coloured than a worn male his- panica in spring. These observations are supported by refer- ence to specimens collected in the Maltese Islands, and by photographs of birds from the archipelago. All photographs/specimens of males examined by the author, without excep- tion, clearly exhibit the diagnostic black band above the culmen, together with black above the eye, of melanoleuca. All specimens of female Black-eared Wheatears examined also belong to the eastern race, based on plumage characters. In addition, the wintering areas of the two races described by Cramp (1988), and the likely migration route, strongly support the view that melanoleuca occurs regularly in Malta in both spring and autumn. It is highly improbable that hispanica occurs in Malta at all, and it is likely that all past published records are highly doubtful and should be treated with great caution. Acknowledgments Grateful thanks go to Alfred E. Baldacchino, Sam Borg. Carl Camilleri, Andrea Corso. Dr Natalino Fenech, Mark Gaud, David Kihlberg, Dr Aissa Moali, and Michael Sammut for assistance given with fieldwork, observations, records, photographs, skins, drawings, maps, or review of the draft References Bannerman, D. A., & Vella-Gaffiero, J.A. 1976. Birds of Che Maltese Archipelago. Museums Department Valletta, Beaman, M„ & Madge, S. 1 998. The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. Christopher Helm, London. Blasius, Ft 1 895. Ornis von Malta und Gozo and den umliegenden Inseln. Ornis 8: 1 39-2 1 I . Corso, A. 2005. Avifauna di Sicilia. L'EPOS, Palermo. Cramp, S, (ed.). 1 988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 488 Notes < ) Vol. 5. OUR Oxford. De Lucca, C. 1 969. A Revised Checklist of the Birds of the Maltese Islands. E. W. Classey, Hampton. Despott, G. 1917. Notes on the Ornithology of Malta. Ibis ( 1 0) 5: 28 1 -349. 46(^526. & appendix. — 1 934. Omitologia delle Isole Maltesi. Rivista Italiana di Omitologia (2) 2: 5-6, 65-77. I 1 9-1 36, 2 1 8-244; (2) 3: 1-15; (2)4:77-80. Gibb, J. 1 95 1 .The Birds of the Maltese Islands. Ibis 93: 109-127. HagemeijenW.J. M.,& Blair, M.J. 1997. The EBCCAtlas of European Breeding Birds: their distribution and abundance. Poyser London. lapichino, C., & Massa, B. 1989. The Birds of Sicily. BOU, Tring. Isenmann. R, Gaultier; T„ El Hili, A., Azafcaf, H„ Dlensi, H„ & Smart M. 2005. Oiseaux de Tunisie. Societe d'Etudes Omitholoiques de France, Paris. Roberts. E. L 1 954. The Birds of Malta. Progress Press, Malta Schembri, A. 1 843, Catalogo Ornitologico del Gruppo di Malta Anglo-Maltese, Malta. Sultana, J. 200 1 . L-Ghasafar to' Malta. Pubblikazzjomjiet Indipendenza, Malta. — & Gaud, C. 1 979, L -Aghsafar. Malta Ornithological Society Valletta. — & — 1981-83. Black-eared Wheatear - new breeding record for Malta. Il-Merill 22: 1 7. — & — 1 982. A New Guide to the Birds of Malta. Malta Ornithological Society Valletta. — , — , & Beaman, M, 1 975. A Guide to the Birds of Malta. Malta Ornithological Society Valletta. Svensson, L. 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Privately published, Stockholm. Ullman, M. 2003. Separation ofWestern and Eastern Black- eared Wheatear Dutch Birding 2: 77-97. Wright, C. A. 1 864. List of birds observed in the Islands of Malta and Gozo. Ibis I (6): 65. — 1 874. Fifth appendix to the list of birds observed in the Islands of Malta and Gozo. Ibis 3 (4): 224. John Azzopardi ‘Kentucky’, Triq il-Bdiewa, Bidnija MST13, Malta; e-mail john_azzopardi@onvol.net Morocco in November 2004 African Desert Locusts in During 8th-29th November 2004, I was travel- ling in Morocco with a group of Swedish and Norwegian birdwatchers - from Had Gharbia, near Tangier, in the north, to Dakhla in the south - and encountered swarms of African Desert Locusts Schistocerca gregaria almost daily throughout this period. On many occasions, huge swarms numbering hundreds of thou- sands, or millions of locusts were encountered. For example, at Oued Massa an estimated two million locusts moved NNE, parallel to the coast, during one hour on 28th November. Sim- ilarly, when we were travelling from Agadir to Dakhla between 22nd and 24th November, an estimated 120 million dead locusts were lying along the road and up to 5 m each side of the tarmac. As we headed north from Dakhla on 26th November, we thought that the occurrence had already reached its climax. Yet, it had hardly begun! On 27th November, when we were trav- elling the 230 km from Tarfaya to Tan-Tan Plage, the ground was covered with locusts; we estimated a mean of 2,000 locusts per square metre on the ground, forming a continuous carpet approximately 150 m wide. As a crude estimate, this would make 69 billion locusts along this 230-km stretch, and this excludes those flying: and the air was full of them! During the three-week period we spent in Morocco, we witnessed 33 species of bird eating African Desert Locusts (or attempting to catch them). In most cases, this is the first time that African Desert Locusts have been recorded as food items for these species (Appendix 1), although this insect has been recorded previ- ously in the diet of White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga ( BWP ). Of the remainder, locusts or grasshoppers (Acrididae), but not specifically S. gregaria , have been recorded as diet items in 27 species, while for the remaining five species, these observations appear to be the first published account of locusts in their diet. While the list of species involved is certainly impressive, it was striking that on many occasions birds declined to hunt locusts, despite the easy availability. Many birds had probably attempted to eat them and realised that they were not worth the effort because they were simply too lean. It thus seems that the billions of locusts invading Morocco in November 2004 did not make life significantly easier for the insectivorous birds present. In fact, the extensive use of insecticides by the Moroccan authorities to control the numbers may have had adverse effects on all invertebrates, and been detrimental to the food supply of resident, wintering and migrant birds. The scale of insecticide use can be judged from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation esti- mate that some 13 million hectares of land were sprayed with pesticides, and 16 million litres of the product were used in north and west African countries to control the locust problem, at an estimated cost of US$ 315 million British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 48 1 —495 J 489 Magnus Ullman MaSnus Ullman Notes C > (www.moroccotimes.com, 20th May 2005). On 24th November, at Laayoune, we experienced some effects of the insecticide use. Here, the tamarisks Tamarix sp. were coloured red from locusts eating the leaves, but during our visit the area was sprayed with pesticides from a small aircraft. Within minutes of the first spraying, we noticed that the ground below the bushes had turned red - the locusts had simply fallen off the bushes. We concluded that the locusts were not dead, but that a powerful insecticide had immediately paralysed them. We did not notice any effects on the birds present, including insectivores such as warblers (Sylvi- idae) and five species of martin (Hirundinidae), although of course they could have been affected in some way. Magnus Ullman Triangeln 13, SE-272 38 Brant evik, Sweden 258 & 259. African Desert Locusts Schistocerca gregaria along the road north ofTarfaya, Morocco, 27th November 2004. 490 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Notes C ) EDITORIAL COMMENT Dawn Balmer has commented: ‘Spring 2005 will be remembered by birders for the delayed arrival of Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica in the UK. Records submitted to Bird- Track (www.birdtrack.net) showed that although the first Swallows arrived on time, in mid March, the majority were late in arriving. It was interesting that some birds were in poor condition and were found dead on or near nests; in addition, around 50 were found dead in Hugh Town, on Scilly, in mid May. Bird ringers also noticed that some Swallows had not com- pleted their moult in Africa but had “suspended moult”, while many birdwatchers commented on worn-looking Swallows. Reasons for the poor condition of birds and delayed arrival are not clear but there are two obvious possibilities. Firstly, the extensive use of pesticides in Morocco and Mauritania during winter 2004/spring 2005 to control locusts could have reduced the food supply of aerial insecti- vores such as Barn Swallow. Secondly, birds are likely to have been adversely affected by the extremely cold weather during the winter and early spring in Morocco and the Sahara, snow having been recorded in areas below 500 m in eastern Morocco for the first time in 25 years. Snow was also recorded in the Algerian desert. During spring migration, southern Europe also experienced cold weather and northerly winds, and birders in the Mediterranean reported hundreds of birds gathering over marshes. It is likely that a combination of the reduced availability of insects for Swallows on passage in North Africa and adverse weather conditions in southern Europe and North Africa in early spring led to the late arrival and poor condition of birds in Britain.’ 260. African Desert Locusts S chistocerca gregaria on tamarisk Tamarix sp. near Laayoune, Morocco, 24th November 2004. Appendix I . List of bird species recorded taking African Desert Locusts Schistocerca gregaria in Morocco in November 2004. For species marked *, S. gregaria has previously been recorded as a diet item; ** indicates that locusts or grasshoppers ( Acrididae) - but not S. gregaria specifically - have pre- viously been recorded in the bird’s diet; *** indicates that this is the first time any species of locust or grasshopper has been recorded as a diet item. Dietary information from BWPi. Barbary Partridge Alectoris barbara *** Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ** Little Egret Egretta garzetta ** Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita ** Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus ** Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni ** Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus ** Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus ** Common Coot Fulica atra *** Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor ** Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica *** Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus ** Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata ** Common Redshank Tringa totanus ** Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus ** Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus ** Audouin’s Gull Larus audouinii ** Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus *** Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis *** Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius ** Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes ** Thick-billed Lark Ramplwcoris clotbey ** Thekla Lark Galerida theklae ** Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus ** Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti ** White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga * Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura ** Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius ** Southern Grey Shrike Lanins meridionalis ** Common Raven Corvus corax ** Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris ** Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor ** House Sparrow Passer domesticus ** British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481-495 491 Magnus Ullman Notes ( County and local bird reports in The most recent review of county and local bird reports available in Britain & Ireland sum- marised details to autumn 2003 (Ballance 2004), and provided details of issuing bodies or individuals and contact details. Further investi- gations were made from January to April 2006, with a view to finding new reports that had appeared during the intervening period and establishing the current status of those which had slipped into abeyance or were well behind the expected publication date. The following amendments to Ballance (2004) are limited to changes of ownership, new arrivals, abandonments, and moves to catch up on long gaps in series. Entries for the last type are limited to reports which, in early 2006, were two or more years behind schedule, i.e. the 2003 issue was not yet published. Although some single-site reports may be published as early as January, most of those covering wider areas do not appear until the following autumn. Any changes of Recorder, as well as telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. have been noti- fied to British Birds, to the editors of The Bird- watcher’s Yearbook , and to the librarians of the four main English institutions which collect series: English Nature (at Peterborough), BTO, RSPB and the Alexander Library, Oxford. List of reports As in Ballance (2004), a forward slash (/) in dates is used for a single report issued for more than one year. Any new (or newly discovered) titles are asterisked. ENGLAND Bedfordshire *East Hyde Bird Report. Private (M. Russell); 2003-; mike.russell@bbsrc.ac.uk Site partly in Hertfordshire. Berkshire The Birds of Berkshire. 1998/99 published 2003; 2000/01 to be published eventually; 2002 published 2004; 2003 to be published in 2006. Annual Report of the Newbury District Ornithological Club. Not published after 2000; no contact could be made. Cambridgeshire Paxton Pits Breeding Bird Survey. Now published by The Friends of Paxton Pits; Julian Hughes: e-mail julian.hughes@rspb.org.uk Cornwall & Scilly Birds in Cornwall. Series now up to date. > Britain & Ireland: an update Although many reports are published punc- tually, there has been a considerable loss over the last five years, amounting to about 30 titles if those ‘in abeyance’ with no immediate prospect of restarting are included. There have been only about ten instances of reports being revived or created during this period. For this there are many causes: falling membership, financial diffi- culties, the increasing burden of records sub- mitted, and the realisation that a small local membership is better reached through a website. The disappearance of minor reports is, perhaps, not particularly important, but the delay in pro- ducing reports for entire counties and regions poses a threat to the whole system of recording established since 1945. At the time of writing, in April 2006, nine English counties and six Scottish areas have yet to publish a report for 2003; four major Yorkshire reports fall into the same cat- egory. It is fair to add that no English county has actually ceased publication of its annual report, but some are struggling to catch up; currently, one Scottish report is in abeyance. The computer has saved some journals, and has on the whole reduced printing costs, but the flood of material now so easily submitted (some of it trivial) has brought its own problems, especially with com- moner species. Derbyshire Drakelow Wildlife Report. Not issued after 1996. Carr Vale Bird Report. Publication may continue, but no contact could be made with editor. Devon *The Birds of the Axe Estuary Local Nature Reserves. Private (D. Walters); 2001/02/03; 2004-; tel. (01297) 552616, e-mail davidwalters@eclipse.co.uk Dorset Annual Report of the Stour Ringing Group. Status uncertain, no contact could be made with editor. Durham Birds in Durham. Report for 2000 published in 2005. Essex Nature in North East Essex. Report for 2002 not pub- lished; 2003 provides history of the Society; 2004 not published; 2005 resumes with bird report. East London Birders’ Forum. Report in abeyance since issue for 2000. 492 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Notes C Gloucestershire Report of the Cheltenham Bird Club. Not published for years 2002-04. Report for 2005 in preparation. Greater Manchester Elton Bird Report. Temporarily in abeyance after 2003. Piethorne Valley Bird Report. Publication of previous series resumed privately (W. Myerscough); beginning 2003-; tel. (0161) 633 5995. * Birds of Rochdale. Private (C. Johnson); 2003-; covers major sites; tel. (07818) 014841. Hampshire Hampshire Bird Report. First dates should read: ‘[1934-57]’. Hants/Surrey Bird Report. Series ended. Isle ofWight Nature Report of the Medina Valley Centre. Series ended after 2003 report. Kent Kent Bird Report. First dates should read: ‘[1934—47]’. Report for 2003 due August 2006. Report of the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory. Report covering 2001/02/03/04 planned for late 2006. Birds of St Margaret’s. Series effectively ended with 2001; 25-year summary (covering 1977-2002 plus historic records) published in 2003, but for local cir- culation only. Now only brief calendar bulletins. Bockhill & Kingsdown Bird Report. Not published after 2001, but restart is planned, beginning with a ten-year summary. Lancashire & North Merseyside Marton Mere LNR Bird Report. Publication ceased after 1999. The Marshside Bird Report. Publication ceased after 2001. Leicestershire & Rutland The Birds of Rutland Water. Publication ceased after 1995. Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Bird Report. Report covering 1997/98/99 to be published in 2006. The Scunthorpe & North West Lincolnshire Bird Report. Report for 2000 published in 2005; 2001 in 2006. London London Bird Report. Report for 2001 published in 2006. > Greenwich Park Bird Report. Not published after 2000, but updated checklist available. London Wetland Centre Bird & Natural History Report. Report covering 2001/02 published in 2005; currently in abeyance. Norfolk Sheringham Bird Observatory Annual Report. Not published after 2002; currently in abeyance; no contact could be made. Welney Bird Report. Publication ceased after 2002. Breckland Bird & Mammal Report. Publication ceased after 1999. * Birds for the Diss Area of Norfolk. Private ( J. H. Marchant); 1998-2002; now ceased, but database maintained. Northamptonshire Northants Birds. Report for 2002/03 to be published in 2006. Nottinghamshire Colwick Wildlife. Publication ceased after 2002. The Lound Bird Report. In abeyance since 2001. King’s Mill Reservoir Bird Report. Publication probably ceased after 2002; no contact could be made. Wildlife Report for Attenborough Nature Reserve. Report for 2001/02/03/04 published in 2005. Report of the Pleasley Pit Nature Study Group. Publica- tion probably ceased after 2002; no contact could be made. Somerset *The Burnham-on-Sea & Berrow Bird Report. Private (P. Gay & A. M. Slade); 2004-; e-mail slades@seaside7.freeserve.co.uk Staffordshire Belvide Report. Last published for 2002, but continues. Westport Lake Report. Publication ceased after 2002. The Birds of Sheepwash Urban Park. Publication prob- ably ceased after 2002; no contact could be made. Suffolk Trimley Marshes Wetland Reserve Report. Last appeared in 2001; a five-year summary is planned. Surrey Surrey Bird Report. First dates should read: '[ 1934 — 47]’. Report for 2001 published 2006. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 493 Notes C The Unstead Bird & Wildlife Report. In abeyance after 2000. Sussex Sussex Bird Report. First dates should read: ‘[1934—47]’. Annual Report of the Rye Harbour LNR Management Committee. A report for 2000/01/02/03/04/05 will be published in 2006. Warwickshire Ladywalk Annual Report. Publication ceased after 2002. Worcestershire Lutley Wedge Bird Report. Publication ceased after 2002. * Birds on the Malvern Hills and Commons. Malvern Hills Bird Group; published under this title 1984-95; revived for 2002 as Birds of the Malvern Hills and Sur- rounding Areas; from 2003 as Birds Around the Malverns , David Cunliffe: tel. (01684) 310752. Yorkshire Yorkshire Bird Report. Last published for 1997; a seven-year summary is now planned. VC 62 (NE) Annual Report of the York Ornithological Club. Report for 2002 published 2005; report for 2003 in prep. Whitby Bird Report. In abeyance after 2001. *New Earswick and West Huntington Bird Report. Private (P. N. Thorpe); 2000-; tel. (01904) 620094. VC 63 (S & SW) Barnsley Area Bird Report. Last published in 2000; reports for 2001/02 and 2003/04 in prep. Old Moor & Broomhill Ings Bird Report. Publication ceased after 2002; no contact could be made. Annual Report of the Five Towns Bird Group. Publica- tion ceased after 1999. The Birds of SK58. In abeyance since 2000. Hatfield Moors Bird Report. None known after 2002; no contact could be made. VC 64 (W) * Cononley Ornithological Group Annual Report. 2002-; area within squares SD 9750/9744, SE 0250/0244; Michael Smith: tel. (01535) 633953, e-mail michaelsmith003@aol.com ) * Birds of Clapham. Private (T. Hutchinson); published for 2005, but may not continue; tel. (01524) 251031. WALES Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Birds. In 2003, retitled Carmarthen- shire Bird Report. Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire Bird Report. Publication ceased after 1999. SCOTLAND Argyll Argyll Bird Report. 2002/03 to be published as one report; series will be resumed. 'Sanda Island Bird Observatory and Field Station Trust Report. 2002-04-; Rab Morton: tel. (07979) 013954, e-mail Rabmorton@hotmail.com ''Mull Bird Report and Species List. 2003-; Alan Spellman: tel. (01680) 812448, e-mail mullbirds@btinternet.com Borders Borders Bird Report. Report for 2001/02 published 2003. Caithness Caithness Bird Report. Not published since 1997; important records from 2004 onwards to be pub- lished in separate section of Highland Bird Report. Clyde Clyde Birds. Reports for 2001 and 2002 published, latter in 2006. Lochwinnoch NR Bird Report. Publication ceased after 1999. Dumfries & Galloway Birds in Dumfries & Galloway. Publication ceased after 2001; currently in abeyance. Outer Hebrides Outer Hebrides Bird Report. Report for 2002 pub- lished; report covering 2003/04 in prep. CHANNEL ISLANDS Alderney Alderney Society Ornithology Report. Now appears in Bulletin of the Alderney Society , currently up to date; Mark Atkinson: e-mail atkinson@cwgsy.net REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Most reports are produced by BirdWatch Ireland; tel. (00) 353 1 2819878, e-mail info@birdwatchireland.org 494 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 481—495 Notes C Co. Cork Cape Clear Bird Observatory Report. In abeyance since 1999. Cork Bird Report. A restart is planned. Cos. Dublin, Louth, Meath & Wicklow Irish East Coast Bird Report. Report for 1998 pub- lished 2005, 2000 in 2003 and 2001 in 2004. Cos. Galway, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary & Westmeath Birds in Central Ireland: Mid-Shannon Bird Report. BirdWatch Ireland; 2000/01/02/03 published 2005. ) Co. Kerry The Dingle Peninsula Bird Report. Report for 2002/03/04 published 2005. Acknowledgments I am grateful to the SOC (David Clugston) and BirdWatch Ireland (Stephen Newton) who have provided me with updated details for their respective recording regions. I am greatly indebted to Martin Limbert of Doncaster Museum for Yorkshire information, and to Judith Smith (Greater Manchester) for news from that area. Reference Ballance, D. K. 2004. County and local bird reports in Britain and Ireland. Brit. Birds 97: 76-9 1 . David K. Ballance Flat Two, Dunboyne, Bratton Lane, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8SQ; tel. (01643) 706820 Reviews WADERS OF EUROPE, ASIA AND NORTH AMERICA By Stephen Message and Don Taylor. Christopher Helm, A8rC Black, London, 2005. 224 pages; 80 colour plates. ISBN 0-7136-5290-X. Paperback, £24.99. As a passionate shorebird enthu- siast I always welcome a new book on waders, and I was not disap- pointed by this one. The geograph- ical area of the title is somewhat optimistic since, in this case, Asia’ does not include the Indian sub- continent or Southeast Asia. Effec- tively, the area it covers is the Holarctic, but since vagrant waders from further south that have | occurred in the Holarctic are included, it does cover the majority of the waders of the northern hemisphere. The back cover claims that it is a guide to the 124 species of northern hemisphere waders’, but this total does not include about a further eight species and distinctive subspecies that are mainly Indian and Southeast Asian endemics. The book is essentially divided into two parts, the first illustrating and describing the main plumages of waders on the ground, accompa- nied by succinct text which draws attention to key identification fea- tures, behaviour, habitat, the various plumages, racial variation where appropriate to the area covered by the book, and brief dis- cussion of possible confusion species. The second half of the book concentrates on waders in flight, with the upper- and lower- wing flight patterns illustrated. This section also includes distribu- tion accounts and distribution maps, the latter showing both hemispheres where appropriate. The cross-referencing between the two sections is good, and my initial distaste for this arrangement rapidly disappeared. The illustrations are excellent and, for each species, typically show juvenile, non-breeding and breeding individuals. For good measure an example of an indi- vidual moulting either into or out of breeding plumage is also often included. The illustrations nicely catch the jizz of the various species, though there is a tendency for some to look rather more ‘scaly’ than they often appear in the field. Occasionally the illustrations do not quite catch the bird, but these faults are usually subtleties of head shape or bill length (with a ten- dency for bill length to be rather © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 495-497 short). For example, the Stone- curlew Burhinus oedicnemus is given a high, rounded crown, instead of one which is rather flat and square; and surely female Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata of the eastern form orientalis has a rather longer bill? The subtle but useful differences in bill and fore- head shape of the two races of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa are not well shown, nor are they mentioned in the text. Other points include the rather too bright-red leg and bill colour of Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris, and, to my eye, the far- too-dark upperparts of Snowy Plover C. alexandrinus tiivosus, par- ticularly for the very pale, pearly grey individuals that occur around the Gulf of Mexico. But these points are minor, and certainly do not detract significantly from the book. There are other minor errors: (Eurasian] Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus is not a vagrant to Japan, but winters regu- larly in small numbers; the nomi- nate race of Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, which breeds in eastern USA and north to Nova Scotia, Canada, does not winter in North America, but further south. And, while on the subject of the 495 Reviews C > two races of Willet, those who, like me, are challenged to separate them will not find much guidance here! Another point is that the illustration of the foot of Semi- palmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla shown on page 17 is, in fact, that of a Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus. The treatment of subspecies is rather mixed. For example, we are told that six races of Common Redshank Tringa totanus are recog- nised (perhaps following HBWl) but only totanus and robusta are mentioned and illustrated; more- over the text describing the racial distribution mentions only robusta ! All six races are, however, listed in an appendix giving a useful check- list of the species covered. But enough of the nit-picking. This is a useful field guide to the majority of the wader species in the northern hemisphere. It does not pretend to replace Hayman, Prater and Marchant’s Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the world but, particularly for the travelling wader buff, its usability and compact dimensions make it a practical alternative. Richard Chandler ALBATROSSES AND PETRELS ACROSS THE WORLD By Michael Brooke, illustrated by John Cox. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 2004. 499 pages; 16 colour plates; numerous black-and-white vignettes, photographs and figures. ISBN 0-19-850125-0. Hardback, £95.00. According to the preface, Mike Brooke became fascinated by tubenoses about the same time as I did; he was on Fair Isle to fleyg Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis , while I was on Copeland Island learning the perils of stuffing Manx Shearwater Puffmus puffinus chicks up my T-shirt - both for ringing purposes. So I bought this book on publication, only my second purchase in the ‘Bird Families of the World’ series, and gave the review copy away as a present. Re-reading sections for this review, I conclude that I didn’t waste my money. The text is split into two parts, the first comprising ten chapters covering aspects of petrel evolu- tion, ecology and conservation, and the second giving 2-3-page accounts of each of the 79 species of Procellariidae recognised at the time of writing (a last-minute insert covers the rediscovery of New Zealand Storm-petrel Ocean- ites maorianus in 2003). There is also an extensive reference list and a useful appendix summarising aspects of breeding of each species. The general chapters are well written and full of fascinating facts, insights and thoughts. The author acknowledged that he drew heavily on John Warham’s valuable contri- butions - The Petrels: their ecology and breeding systems (Academic Press, 1990), and The Behaviour, Population Biology and Physiology of the Petrels (Academic Press, 1996) - but ably manages to synthesise a wealth of scientific papers into a very readable account. Inevitably, I have a few quibbles. ‘The impact of oil pollution on petrels appears slight’ may jar with those who have recorded the oiling rate of Fulmars around the North Sea over the past 30 years, while in a section on mammalian predators, Brooke states that ‘Arctic Foxes Alopex lagopus may have [naturally] visited islands where Fulmar bred’ but fails to mention that they were deliber- ately introduced to the Aleutian Islands in the nineteenth century, with inevitable consequences for local Fulmar populations. The effort to protect albatrosses and petrels from the depredations of long-line fisheries is now a global conservation story and well covered, but the author rightly sug- gests that Northern Fulmars are probably the most numerical worldwide victim of long-line fishing, something perhaps not generally known in the UK. Quite coincidentally, I had the book open at page 156 (‘Perils for petrels’, dis- cussing fisheries) when my neigh- bour (Secretary of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association) came in with photos of a deep-sea gill net, set for monkfish Lophius on the edge of the continental shelf west of Shetland, that was full of dead and decomposed Fulmars. Appar- ently the English/Spanish boats involved had not been cleaning their nets properly before shooting them, and decaying fish had attracted Fulmars, which then got entangled and drowned. In view of declines at colonies (in the UK at least) over the past few years, the statement that the ‘apparent con- tinuing health of an already large Fulmar population has acted to subdue concern [over fisheries drownings]’ was probably correct at the time of writing, but may need reconsideration. The species accounts are concise and well researched, but perhaps would have benefited from a ‘Con- servation Concern’ section, sepa- rated from the ‘Population’ section. Of the species 1 know, they are well covered within the (rather severe) limitations of space. Returning again to Fulmar, there are frus- trating statements left hanging: ‘Breeding success is related to the North Atlantic Oscillation.’ How is it related? ‘In an Alaskan popula- tion containing birds of all phases, dark birds skipped breeding more often and/or had a lower survival than light birds.’ Why? Scott Hatch goes into considerable discussion on the possible reasons for this in his paper in Condor, but space simply does not allow Brooke to expand. This begs the question, was it wise to cover all the species of petrel, from the Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora to the Least Storm-petrel Ocean- odroma microsoma , in one volume given the enormous amount of research than has been done in the past decade? Brooke ruefully alludes to this in the preface. One 496 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 495—497 Reviews C ) frustration the author will be aware of is that a number of cross-refer- ences were left as (p. ???), e.g. Jouanin’s Petrel Bulweria fallax p. 267. This is such a simple thing for a publisher to pick up and correct in a book of this quality. I do not wish to detract from the author’s and illustrator’s efforts in making this a book that I am glad I bought. John Cox’s plates are both technically superb (plate 4) and atmospheric (plate 5), but why is more than half a page opposite each plate wasted with numbered silhouettes of the birds? No, if I have a gripe with this book it is with the publishers, their format, and the cost. Albatrosses and petrels are some of the most charismatic birds in the world, and not to include even one colour photo is disappointing (no it’s not, it’s just plain mean); while after only two years of use, the thin paper quality on my copy is begin- ning to tell. This is a book that should be read, is probably already on the shelves of most seabird biol- ogists, and is one I thoroughly rec- ommend; but at £95.00 some may be put off. That would be a shame, for the author and illustrator have done an excellent job. Martin Heubeck COLLINS FIELD GUIDE: WILDLIFE SOUNDS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND By Geoff Sample. Collins, London, 2006. 95 pages and CD. ISBN 0-00-720906-1. £14.99. This work complements the Collins Field Guide to Bird Songs and Calls from the same author, so focuses much more on mammals, amphib- ians and insects, including record- ings of 16 species of Orthoptera (grasshoppers and their allies). The book gives a useful insight into the function, properties and transmis- sion of sound and how to record wildlife, and then goes on to describe the sound given by a range of birds and animals. It is, however, the CD that steals the show. Over 100 species are represented, the quality of the recordings is excel- lent and they range from the blood-curdling to the bizarre! Whether you wish to sit in the armchair and listen to a fascinating collection of sounds from the natural world or gain a better insight into the identification of Orthoptera or frogs (Ranidae), I can thoroughly recommend this value-for-money production. Paul Harvey ATLAS: BIRDS OF MOSCOW CITY AND THE MOSCOW REGION By M. V. Kalyakin & O. V. Voltzit. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia-Moscow, 2006. 372 pages; many colour photographs; distribution maps. ISBN 952-642-262-2. Hardback. No price given. This splendid new atlas covers all 273 breeding, migrant, nomadic and wintering bird species recorded in Moscow City and the Moscow region during 1999-2004. Each species text is accompanied by a map of the Moscow region, showing dots for actual locations of records. If a species also occurs in Moscow City, a second map at a larger scale is given as well; this also plots actual locations of species rather than presence in grid squares. Four different types of dots indicate winter records (mid November to end of February), confirmed breeding during 1999-2004, probable breeding in the same period, and other records. The base map of the Moscow region shows only rivers, but the city map usefully includes key loca- tions such as parks and ponds. A colour-coded panel also gives typical seasonal occurrence. The authors have succeeded in achieving very good coverage of the region. Records were received from 401 observers, covering 750 localities in Moscow region and 336 localities in Moscow City. Translated to half-degree squares, this equates to 94% coverage for the region as a whole during the six years of fieldwork. The rather brief text, in both Russian and English, summarises each species’ status. Although the maps provide much of the useful information, I felt that the text could have been a bit more infor- mative. The principal reason for the brief text is clearly the pho- tographs, which seem to have taken priority in this lavishly illustrated, large-format book. Over 900 colour photographs have been included, an average of more than three per species. The quality of the photos is generally excellent, and their reproduction is usually very good. Their inclusion will no doubt enhance the overall appeal of the book and provide a valuable source of reference. This attractive and useful book will surely be of interest to anyone lucky enough to enjoy Moscow’s many ornithological delights. There is more than enough infor- mation here to assess the status of every species in Moscow, and even to compile species lists for certain key sites if you wished. Perhaps not surprisingly, while checking various species that 1 have seen in Moscow, I could have added a few dots to their maps but the com- pilers have not tried to source records from non-Russian observers. My only minor quibble is that the authors or publishers could surely have picked a more charismatic or typical species for the front cover than Mallard Anas platyrhynchosl This book is an important addition to the litera- ture for an area where most of the available references are in Russian, and therefore inaccessible to most birders in the West. Buy it while you have the opportunity. Nigel Redman British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 495-497 497 ( News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Natural England’s budget slashed before it starts work England’s new conservation agency has been hit by hefty Government spending cuts even before it starts work on 1st October. The cutbacks are so severe that the Chairman of Natural England, Sir Martin Doughty, has reportedly complained to the Environment Secretary, David Miliband. In a private letter to Mr Miliband, quoted in The Independent, Sir Martin says: ‘The scale of these cuts risks the wheels coming off the organisation before it even reaches October’s launchpad.’ A mixed metaphor but the sense of outrage is clear. Natural England is a merger between English Nature, the Coun- tryside Agency’s landscape, access and recreation divisions, and the Rural Development Service. Its brief is to conserve England’s natural environment and to encourage access to it. Targets include reversing the long-term decline of farmland birds by 2020 and improving the proportion of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that are in a ‘favourable’ condition (the target is 95% of SSSIs by 2010). However, this vitally important work seems to be threatened by emergency budget cuts implemented by Defra. In his letter to Mr Miliband, Sir Martin says: ‘I am deeply con- cerned that current financial demands being placed upon us by Defra are eroding our capacity to deliver these benefits before we even begin. I understand the need for Defra to live within its budget and Natural England is committed to playing its part in that - we are already committed to £7 million of cuts. This is on top of nearly £8 million in cuts imposed in December last year. However, Defra has now asked us for an additional £12 million to be obtained in-year from Natural England and our founding bodies. Given that in- year cuts would largely be pro- gramme-based rather than staff-based, this equates to a 40% cut to the remainder of our pro- gramme on a pro-rata basis. This comprises a 54% cut to the remaining uncommitted pro- gramme.’ Environmental groups are understandably dismayed. Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Con- servation, said: ‘These cuts will put back the recovery prospects for a whole range of species for years. This is meant to be an exciting new agency, but this is a terrible start.’ Among Natural England’s fledgling projects is the reintroduc- tion of the Corn Crake Crex crex to England. Initial efforts in Cam- bridgeshire are promising (four calling males returned to Cam- bridgeshire in spring 2006; see also Brit. Birds 97: 548-549) but this project could be one of the casual- ties of the budget cuts. Another vulnerable project is the proposed reintroduction of the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla to Suffolk (Brit. Birds 99: 165-166). Satellite tracking should reveal the Bald facts Satellite tags have been attached to three of the remaining seven adult Bald Ibises Geronticus eremita in Syria, a species thought to be extinct in the region until four years ago. Scientists from BirdLife and the RSPB are tracking the trio’s migration after they left their breeding sites near Palmyra, in southeast Syria, on 18th July. Six young ibises were reared in Syria this year; see www.rspb.org.uk/ tracking Paul Buckley, Head of Global Country Programmes at the RSPB, said: ‘We know next to nothing about where these birds go but if we can follow their migration and locate their winter home we should find out why their numbers are so low and how we can protect them. That is the first step towards increasing their numbers again.’ The Bald Ibis was once wide- spread across the Middle East, northern Africa and the European Alps. It was revered by the Egyptian Pharaohs and had its own Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph. Numbers plunged because of habitat loss, human disturbance and persecution and the species is now classified by BirdLife as Criti- cally Endangered. The Syrian group forms one of only two wild populations of the species in the world. The other is found in Morocco, chiefly in the Souss- Massa National Park, south of Agadir. After leaving Palmyra, the three ibises travelled together for 2,000 km south into Saudi Arabia in just one week. By the first week of August they had reached Yemen and they may cross the Red Sea to winter in Eritrea. Dr Ken Smith, a senior scientist at the RSPB said: ‘Tracking the birds and finding their wintering sites may be the last chance to save them. Helping the mature birds to stay alive is crucial because they teach their young where to migrate to and when to go. The low numbers and difficult terrain in the region make this species particularly difficult to work with but its resilience so far suggests it has a future. Other birds have been brought back from the brink and with the Syrian authori- ties backing our work we are hopeful that we can save this bird. 498 © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 498—501 c News and comment > Dr Gianluca Serra, Field Team Leader for BirdLife added: ‘Not only have we tagged the birds at last but we now have 13 ibises in Syria after the best breeding season yet. Our chances of saving this bird now seem more than just a dream.’ Bush-quail back from the dead A species that had disappeared into the annals of history has returned. The Manipur Bush-quail Perdicula manipurensis has been seen in India, the first confirmed sighting of this small gamebird for over 70 years. On 6th June 2006, the Embank- ment & Drainage Department had to carry out engineering works in and around Manas National Park, a world heritage site in Assam. The team was accompanied by the region’s Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Dr Anwaruddin Choudhury, a noted ornithologist, who was present to inspect the works. As access to the park during the monsoon season is notoriously difficult, this was a rare opportunity to enter the area at this time of year. ‘Driving was very slow as in places the road was invisible, being entirely overgrown with tall grass. At 2.30 pm, a quail was flushed which flew in front of our vehicle for about 15 m and dropped into the grass in the middle of the road. I was familiar with flushing quails [Phasianidae], button-quails [Tur- nicidae] and rails [Rallidae] in the grassland sanctuaries of Assam but the larger size of this bird and its rather slaty-grey colour surprised me,’ described Dr Choudhury. ‘The bird took off again and flew for another 15 m confirming that it could be only one species - the Manipur Bush-quail. This time it landed in a small clearing made by the wheels of the vehicles, where it paused for about three to four seconds, giving me enough time to see its side view with contrasting grey and buff colour. I did not get a chance to study the head pattern to determine its sex.’ Despite searches being made along the track later that day, no more quails were seen and further visits to the site will not be possible until the autumn because of the monsoon conditions. The last authentic records of Manipur Bush-quail from Assam were from Mornoi, Goalpara, where birds were obtained for various collections in 1905-07. The last confirmed record of the species in its entire range was ‘pre-1932’ in Manipur Valley, according to J. C. Higgins, civil servant and ornithol- ogist, although unconfirmed sight- ings were reported in 1998 and 2004. As Ed Parnell of BirdLife observed, this exciting find may bode well for other ‘vanished’ Indian species, such as the Himalayan Quail Ophrysia super- ciliosa, which has not been recorded since 1876. The Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme The UK’s wetland habitats support over five million waterbirds during winter and migration periods every year. Holding such an abundance of waterbirds brings with it the responsibility to safeguard both birds and their habitats, and for the UK this responsibility is particu- larly high as a number of popula- tions winter entirely, or almost entirely, within its borders - for example, the Svalbard Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis , which breeds in Svalbard and winters on the Solway Firth, and the Icelandic Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus , which migrates from Iceland and Greenland to overwinter in Scotland and England. During the non-breeding season, the UK supports three swan and six goose species, totalling 16 different populations: more goose populations than any other country in Europe. Regular assessment of the status of these important populations (whether they are increasing, decreasing or stable) and the factors that affect change is essential for effective conservation. Monitoring numbers and other key demographic para- meters such as productivity and survival are therefore fundamental to this process. Understanding how these demographic factors affect abundance helps to identify where conservation action should be tar- geted, for example on the breeding or wintering grounds, and where potential problems may arise that could result in declining numbers; they also allow us to identify key sites that need protection. Most birders will be familiar with the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) but fewer may be aware of other waterbird monitoring schemes in the UK, such as the Goose and Swan Monitoring Pro- gramme (GSMP). Though WeBS provides baseline information on the abundance and distribution of many wintering waterbirds, it is not particularly suitable for moni- toring most geese and swans, which are found away from wetland areas during the daytime, when WeBS counts are conducted. The GSMP comprises a suite of specially designed surveys that measure the abundance and distri- bution of the UK’s wintering goose and swan populations accurately, as well as other surveys that provide information on produc- tivity, survival and movements. The effectiveness of monitoring and conservation action is greatly enhanced by collaboration of organisations and individuals from all countries throughout the range (flyway) of a population. Most GSMP surveys are co-ordinated at a flyway scale and therefore provide thorough assessments of population status at the most bio- logically meaningful scale. Without such flyway-wide monitoring, the recent decline of British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 498-501 499 c the Greenland White-fronted Goose Anser alhifrons flavirostris may have gone unnoticed, and the subsequent actions taken to safe- guard this population may never have occurred, or have been harder to justify (see Brit. Birds 99: 242-261, 381). Although the addi- tional protection conferred as a result of the hunting ban on Greenland White-fronts in Iceland will undoubtedly help this popula- tion, monitoring of productivity has shown that poor breeding success is the key factor influencing the recent decline. Therefore, it is News and comment essential that monitoring activities continue if we are to both assess the effectiveness of additional pro- tection in Iceland and understand more about the influence of poor breeding success on the decline. If you are interested in sup- porting waterbird conservation and helping to ensure that the UK’s important goose and swan popula- tions are maintained, and are able to spend some time counting birds or recording ring numbers, please consider taking part in a GSMP survey. Most are in need of new observers and getting involved is D simple. The leaflet enclosed with this issue of BB explains more about the GSMP. For further infor- mation see the WWT website (www.wwt.org.uk/research/ monitoring/), where you will find a complete list of GSMP surveys, copies of past newsletters and census reports and information on WWT’s Waterbird Monitoring Programme. If you would like further copies of the leaflet, please contact the Waterbird Monitoring Unit at WWT Slimbridge. (Contributed by Colette Hall) Red-letter day for Red Kites Against all the odds, a pair of Red Kites Milvus milvus has nested in Gateshead alongside a busy public thoroughfare, the first nesting record in northern England for 200 years and a triumph for the Northern Kites reintroduction scheme that started just two years ago. It was the coldest, wettest May for a decade, the parent birds were inexperienced youngsters just two years old, they chose a very public nest-site and yet... the nest beside the Nine Arches viaduct on the Derwent Walk has become a hugely popular wildlife spectacle for the people of northeast England. The last English Nature reintro- duction scheme for Red Kites was launched in 2004, with the release of 20 young birds taken as nestlings from the booming population in the Chilterns. In 2005, a further 41 birds were released and this year a further 32 birds were liberated in Tyne & Wear. The birds have shown great fidelity to the Derwent Valley just two miles from the MetroCentre, Europe’s largest shopping centre, and are already a tourist attraction at their winter roost and now at the nest. Gateshead Council has paid £250,000 to support the Northern Kites project and organised the six- week public watchpoint that pro- vided alternative entertainment during the World Cup. And in Shropshire, the county’s first young Red Kites for 130 years have fledged. The parents are almost certainly birds from Wales, and it is particularly fitting that native birds have recolonised Shropshire: the last successful nest, near Ludlow in 1876, was the last known instance of breeding by kites before they became extinct in England as a result of sustained persecution. An abundance of pipefish Since 2003, fishery surveys have recorded dramatically increased numbers of Snake Pipefish Entelurus aequoreus in the North Sea and the northeast Atlantic and show that the status of the species around Britain has changed from rare to abundant. Over the same period. Snake Pipefish have also started to be recorded in the diet of many species of seabird at colonies from northern England to Norway. However, the circumstances in which they have been reported have been rather depressing. Snake Pipefish are long, thin, scaly and rather stiff, and birds, particularly chicks, have difficulty swallowing them (Brit. Birds 99: 148). Records 26 1 . A moribund young Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla surrounded by at least 50 Snake Pipefish Entelurus aequoreus brought by its parents over a 24-hour period; Isle of May, Fife, July 2006. 500 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 498-501 Mark Newell c News and comment ) coming in for 2006 indicate that the situation has been even more extreme, with increased numbers of Snake Pipefish recorded in fish surveys and at seabird colonies. Mark Newell, studying the diet of seabirds on the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, noted Kitti- wakes Rissa tridactyla regurgitating pipefish onto nests even before eggs were laid. Numbers then increased to reach staggering proportions by the late-chick period, with some nests containing many tens, if not hundreds, of undigested fish, 30-40 cm long. By this time it was obvious that breeding Kittiwakes were strug- gling, with well over half of all broods being left unattended. Many chicks died, despite being sur- rounded by masses of pipefish that they appeared unable or unwilling to swallow. Prof. Mike Harris (mph@ceh.ac.uk) remarked: ‘This is the most profound change in seabird diet that I have seen in the 35 years that I have been studying seabirds at this colony. It appears that these birds were having diffi- culty in obtaining small sandeels Ammodytes , their normal prey, and were turning to this new source. 1 wonder when they will learn that these fish are just not suitable for chicks.’ Cornish Choughs doing well A second pair of Red-billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax has bred successfully in Cornwall. Choughs returned to Cornwall in 2001, after a long absence (see Brit. Birds 96: 23-29; since then, the now-famous pair on the Lizard has bred successfully each year, but this year, after much anticipation, a second pair has raised young. The new pair comprised a Cornish-bred male from the 2004 Lizard brood, and a female that arrived in the county two years ago. This pair raised three chicks, two male and one female, while the original pair fledged five chicks this year. Their three males and two females bring their total offspring to 20 over five seasons. Based on studies in Wales, researchers had estimated that there would be two breeding pairs of Choughs in Cornwall by 2006 or 2007, so the birds are on course to re-establish a viable population in the county. All of this year’s chicks have been fitted with colour rings so that their progress can be moni- tored. Sightings of colour-ringed birds should be reported to RSPB Chough Project Officer, Claire Mucklow: e-mail Claire. Mucklow @rspb. org.uk; tel. 01392 453775. Scotland's White-tailed Eagles reach double century After 21 years of tireless work by conservation groups, volunteers, the police, local communities and landowners, the 200th wild-bred White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albi- cilla chick has fledged on the Isle of Skye. The first flight of the chick, one of a brood of three - the first triplets ever recorded on Skye - was captured on wildlife CCTV cameras at the RSPB Scotland viewing area at the Aros Centre near Portree. The joy of watching the 200th Scottish Sea Eagle chick to fledge was tempered with the news that the youngest of the brood had become a casualty of the summer storms leading up to mid- summer’s day. White-tailed Eagles settled on Mull and Skye soon after their initial reintroduction to Rum in 1975, with the first pair on Skye attempting to breed in 1987. The island is now home to a quarter of Scotland’s White-tailed Eagles and is one of the best places in Scotland to see this magnificent raptor in its natural habitat. Request Sightings of colour-ringed ‘ alba ’ wagtails During autumn 2005, over 500 White/Pied Wagtails Motacilla alba alba/yarelli were colour-marked at Slapton Ley NNR, Devon, as part of an intensive study investigating the origins of the many thousands of wagtails (currently estimated at 30,000-50,000) passing through en route to France and Spain. Each bird carries a total of four rings, a BTO metal ring on the right leg — and three coloured rings on the left leg. Over 2,500 birds have been ringed at Slapton since October 2002, which have generated recov- eries from Scotland, Wales, The Netherlands and France. In addi- tion, there has been extensive co- operation with Icelandic birders/ringers as part of this latest study, which suggests that c. 60% of birds passing through Slapton duing September are White Wag- tails and that probably most are of Icelandic origin. All sightings are required and will be acknowledged. Please send details to: Dennis Elphick, 2 Somerye, Chillington, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 2JU; e-mail dennis.elphick@tiscali.co.uk; tel. (01548) 580323. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 498-501 501 Hugh Harrop Robin Chittenden (www.harlequinplctures.co.uk) Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers mid July to mid August 2006. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Loch Geliy (Fife), 16th July to 7th August. Lesser Scaup Aythya afftnis Hornsea Mere (East Yorkshire), 10th July. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae Brandon Point (Co. Kerry), 31st July. Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea On 30th July, over 975 were seen off Galley Head, 76 off Cape Clear, 70 off Power Head and 50 off Ballycotton (all Co. Cork); the following day 40+ were seen off Cape Clear, 1 1 past Ballycotton and 10 past Galley Head. Great Shearwater Puffmus gravis Peak counts were 20+ past Galley Head on 30th July, and 20 off Brandon Point, on 1st August. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicu s Seen from pelagic trips out of Scilly on the following dates: 12th July (two), 13th July, 17th July, 18th July (two), 19th July, 20th July, 24th July (three), 262. Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia, Cley, Norfolk, July 2006. 263. Adult White-rumped Sandpipers Calidris fuscicollis, Pool ofVirkie, Shetland, July 2006. © British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 502-504 502 Recent reports C > 264. Adult White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis, Seaton Snook, Cleveland, July 2006. 28th July, 31st July (eight), 3rd August and 6th August (two). Others were reported from a boat off Castletownbearhaven (Co. Cork) in mid July and off Galley Head on 22nd July. White Pelican Pelecanus onocro- talus One, of unknown origin, over Sundridge, 29th July, pre- sumed same Bough Beech Reservoir (both Kent), 30th July to 7th August. Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Polmorla (Cornwall), 30th July. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Grove Ferry/Stodmarsh area (Kent), 23rd July to 7th August. Great White Egret Ardea alba Rainham Marshes (London), 17th July; Lofts Farm Gravel- pits, 20th-22nd July, also at Chigborough Lakes, 22nd-23rd July and 31st July to 7th August, presumed same Old Hall Marshes (all Essex), 23rd-24th July; Bardsey (Gwynedd), 26th July; Blashford Lakes (Hampshire), two long-stayers to 25th July at least, with presumably one of same at Alderholt, 14th July and Sturminster Marshes (both Dorset), 20th July. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Long-stayer seen at various locali- ties in Borders to 23rd July, with probably the same over Blyth (Northumberland), on 23rd July; Uckfield (East Sussex), 27th July. Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Hickling Broad (Norfolk), 24th July; Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), 5 th— 6th August. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Gibraltar Point (Lin- colnshire), 22nd July to 7th August; Shannon Airport lagoons (Co. Clare), 28th July to at least 1st August. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), 29th July to 4th August. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Old Hall Marshes, 23rd July; long-stayer, Gibraltar Point, 20th July to 6th August. Red-footed Falcon Falco vesper- tinus Moorgreen Lakes (Berk- shire), 1 5th— 16th July; Abberton Reservoir (Essex), 16th July; Otmoor (Oxford- shire), 14th July; Holland Haven (Essex), 30th July. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Pool of Virkie (Shetland), 22nd-26th July, with two on 24th— 26th; Seaton Snook (Cleveland), 26th— 3 1 st July, with two on 31st July and one on 4th August; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 31st July to 1st August. Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Conwy RSPB reserve (Conwy), 1 1 th— 1 3th July. Buff-breasted 265. Adult ‘Caspian Gull’ Larus (argentatus) cachinaans, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, July 2006. British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 502-504 503 Graham Catley Paul Hackett John Carter www.irishbirdimages.com Recent reports C > 266 & 267. First-summer ‘American Black Tern’ Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Lady’s Island Lake, Co. Wexford, July 2006. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Buchan Alpha oil platform, 200 km northeast of Aberdeen, 11th July; Arlington Reservoir (East Sussex), 1 1 th— 23rd July; Dawlish Warren (Devon), 5th August. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan Grunty Fen (Cambridgeshire), 29th July; Whitehouse Lagoon (Co. Antrim), 5th— 6th August. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Breydon Water (Norfolk), 15th July; London Wetland Centre (London), 17th July. ‘American Black Tern’ Chli- donias niger surinamensis Lady’s Island Lake/Carnsore Point (Co. Wexford), 16th July to 1st August. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus North Bull Island and Sandymount Strand (Co. Dublin), 22nd July; Covenham Reservoir (Lincolnshire), 4th August; Big Waters (Northumberland), 6th August; Hornsea Mere, 7th August; Filey Brigg (North Yorkshire), 7th August. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Lady’s Island Lake, 22nd July. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Bryher (Scilly), 23rd July. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Pitcox (Lothian), 18th July; Trunch (Norfolk), 29th July; Wester Quarff (Shetland), 4th August. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopu s trochiloides Cresswell Pond (Northumberland), 6th August. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Friskney (Lin- colnshire), 29th July to 7th August. Rose- coloured Starling Sturnus roseus Unst (Shetland ), 13th July to 6th August; Skibbereen (Co. Cork), 6th August. Pine Gros- beak Pinicola enucleator Gilston Park ( Hertford- shire), from I 8th July, same as that earlier i in Essex, and subsequently known to 1 have escaped from cap- tivity. 268. Male Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, Croxley Common Moor, Hertfordshire, July 2006. 504 British Birds 99 • September 2006 • 502-504 www.irishbirdimages.com - 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 88 Editorial Board or Notes Panel. 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), with amendments as detailed in Brit Birds 97: 2-5 and listed on the 88 website at: www.britishbirds.co.uk/bblist.htm or, for non- West Palearctic species, Dickinson (2003), The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Names of plants should follow Stace (1999), Field Flora of the British Isles. Names of mammals should follow Corbet & Harris (1991), The Handbook of British Mammals, 3rd edition. 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David Tipling/ Windrush for all occasions nally robust and functional 'tal housing made from aluminium protects the SLCnew against all the elements. Swarovski Optik's SWAROBR1GHT coating high colour fidelity and unique light transmission quality, jdesign makes for ease of handling and a pleasing shape. ;d and reliable - at all times. SWAROVSKI O P T 1 K S-TD. Perrywood Business Park. Salfords. Surrey RHi sJQ.Tel. 01737-856812. Fax 01737-8568S5 vvwvv.swarovskioptik.com ES 80 FIELDSCOPES 2006 series ES fieldscopes build on the success of previous models, delivering 'best in class' optical performance in a new and improved body. 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There is comp trust between us. I would estimate that his eyesight is 8 - ' times more acute than my own, so to star chance of matching his view of the world I trust my Zeiss". SIMON KING, Wildlife Film-Maker. Victory FL Binoculars = the best optical image quality of their class, minimum weight and optimum ergonomics and handling - these are the unbeatable benefits supplied by Victory FL Binoculars and their special objective lenses with fluoride glass (FL). For more information, zeiss 10 x 32 T* fl please telephone: 01707 871 350 or visit www.zeiss.co.uk. M \J\le make p1 British Birds Volume 99 • Number 10 • October 2006 ..•VAX. •fig" U J$EUM A - OCT 200fi 506 Occurrences of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe, including a further case of Meinertzhagen fraud Peter R. Kennerley and Robert P. Prys- Jones 5 1 7 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain Kieran Foster 52 1 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden Christopher F. Mason and Sheila M. Macdonald 5 1 6 Request BB on DVD Regular features 536 News and comment Adrian Pitches 53 I Conservation research news Andy Evans and Len Campbell 533 Notes Common Eiders and Common Guillemots taken by Killer Whales Chris J. Booth and Peter M. Ellis Common Kingfisher eating newts Terry Mitcham Breeding population estimate for Northern Wheatear in Britain Robin M. Sellers Male Common Chaffinches apparently trying to mate with incapacitated female Robin M. Sellers 540 Requests Turkey Bird Report 2002-06 Plover flocks Rook roosts and rookeries 54 1 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey © British Birds 2006 Occurrences of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe, including a further case of Meinertzhagen fraud Peter R. Kennerley and Robert P Prys-Jones ABSTRACT Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata has been recorded in western Europe on just three occasions; in each case, the bird struck a lighthouse and the specimen has been preserved. Two records, on lie d’Ouessant, France, on 26th September 1913, and at Lodbjerg, Denmark, on 25th September 1955, involved first-winter birds and fall within the established pattern of autumn vagrancy by Asian passerines. The third, an adult, was supposedly obtained by Richard Meinertzhagen from lie d’Ouessant on 17th September 1 933. This specimen was subsequently reidentified and the record published in BWP as referring to a juvenile of the insular form L f. amnicola. However, subsequent examination of plumage characters and biometrics has clearly established that it belongs with the nominate form rather than L f. amnicola. Being in fresh plumage, this specimen could not have been collected in September, and external and X-ray examination has revealed that the style of preparation closely matches that of a series collected by Owston in northeast China in June 1 908, one of which was missing from the collection at the Natural History Museum, Tring. It is concluded that the Meinertzhagen bird is the missing Owston specimen, which was removed from the NHM collection, extensively remade and relabelled with misleading information. Consequently, this specimen should no longer be considered to represent a genuine vagrant to Europe, or quoted in support of the occurrence of other extreme vagrants to Europe that originate in eastern Asia. Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fas- ciolata remains one of the most excep- tional vagrants to reach western Europe from Siberia, having been recorded on just three occasions. All three occurrences involved a bird which purportedly died after colliding with a lighthouse and all three specimens have been preserved, enabling the correct identification and age class to be established. Details of these three records are summarised as follows. 506 © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe C > lie d’Ouessant, 26th September 1913 The first European record concerned a first- winter female at lie d’Ouessant, Finistere, France, on 26th September 1913 (Ingram 1926). Although the bird was initially identified as a Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus, the mistake was later realised and corrected (Ingram 1930). This specimen is now held at the Natural History Museum (NHM), Tring, specimen registration No. 1929.10.7.1. lie d’Ouessant, 17th September jylland, Denmark, on 25th September 1955 (Salomonsen 1963; Dybbro 1978). This speci- men is held in the collection of the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen (ZMUC), Denmark, specimen registration No. Tv.J.: 23-2- 1960-24. This record has not been particularly well documented and the full text (in transla- tion) from Salomonsen reads: ‘Denmark: Acci- dental; Lodbjerg Lighthouse, Thisted County, 25 Sept. 1955. Juv. female; fallen at the light- house.’ Dybbro adds nothing further, stating (in 1933 The second European record was also on He d’Ouessant, on 17th September 1933 (Meinertzhagen 1948). Allegedly, this individual was also misidentified initially as A. arundinaceus, being identified correctly ‘some weeks later’ (Meinertzhagen 1948, p. 559). The specimen is preserved at the NHM, specimen registration No. 1965.M. 13490. Strangely, Meinertzhagen made no mention of this record in his account of the 1933 autumn migration on lie d’Ouessant, which he presented as a talk less than a month later and which had been published within two months (Mein- ertzhagen 1933). In this paper, he stated explicitly that among migrants he would ‘mention the rarer observations’ (Mein- ertzhagen 1933, p. 7), which included species such as Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris, Melo- dious Warbler Hippolais poly- 1 glotta and Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla. Whether identified at this point as Gray’s Grasshopper i Warbler or as Great Reed Warbler, specimen 1965.M. 13490 should clearly also have come within this category, but the only reference to either species con- cerned a note of Ingram’s 1913 specimen of the former. Lodbjerg, 25th September 1955 The third record involved a first- winter female at Lodbjerg, Nord- 269. Underparts of Gray’s Grasshopper Warblers L ocustella fasciolata collected in Europe. NHM, Tring, specimen reference No. 1929.10.7. 1, collected at lie d’Ouessant, Finistere, France, on 26th September 1913 (top); NHM, Tring, specimen reference No. 1 965. M. 1 3490, collected at lie d’Ouessant, Finistere, France, on 17th September 1933 (centre); Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, specimen reference Tv.J.: 23-2- 1 960-24, collected at Lodbjerg, Nordjylland, Denmark, on 25th September 1955 (bottom). 270. Upperparts of Gray’s Grasshopper Warblers Locustella fasciolata collected in Europe. NHM, Tring, specimen reference No. 1929.10.7. 1, collected at lie d’Ouessant, Finistere, France, on 26th September 1913 (top); NHM, Tring, specimen reference No. 1 965. M. I 3490, collected at fie d'Ouessant, Finistere, France, on 17th September 1933 (centre); Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, specimen reference Tv.J.: 23-2- 1 960-24, collected at Lodbjerg, Nordjylland, Denmark, on 25th September 1955 (bottom). British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-516 507 Peter Kennerley © NHM, Tring & ZMUC Peter Kennerley © NHM, Tring & ZMUC c Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe > translation) ‘Very rare, sporadic migrant visitor. One record (killed at lighthouse): Lodbjerg Fyr (NJ) 25th Sept. 1955. Juv $. Migrant visitor from Siberia).’ Like the 1913 record, it was ini- tially misidentified, this time as a River Warbler L. fluviatilis , and it still carries the original label bearing this (mis)identification, as well as two labels naming it correctly as I. fasciolata. Plates 269 8c 270 illustrate the three Euro- pean specimens of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler together. The bird recorded in September 1913 is clearly in first-winter plumage, as it has con- spicuous sulphur-yellow underparts and a fault bar extending across the tail. Similarly, the bird from September 1955 is also readily aged as a first-winter, owing to its sulphur-yellow under- parts, distinct dark fringes to the sides of the throat and upper breast, and slightly worn pri- maries and rectrices. The third individual, referred to hereafter as ‘the Meinertzhagen specimen’, from lie d’Oues- sant in September 1933, differs from the other two specimens in lacking the sulphur-yellow wash to the underparts; instead, the breast and upper flanks are washed mid grey while the belly is mostly white. It is also in fresh, unworn plumage, unlike the other two specimens, which show slight wear on the remiges and rectrices. Meinertzhagen (1948) does not discuss the age of the bird, although Williamson (1968) considered it to be an adult in fresh plumage after examining the specimen. Williamson pre- sumably reached this conclusion after com- paring it with other specimens in the NHM; young birds in this collection invariably show strong sulphur-yellow tones on the underparts, whereas adults are washed grey across the breast, have a white belly and warm fulvous- brown flanks and ventral region. Subsequent to Williamson’s examination, Stepanyan (1972, 1973) described the birds inhabiting Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, Russia, and Hokkaido, Japan, as a distinct species Locustella amnicola (monotypic), closely related to L. fasciolata. Some authorities, including Clements (2000), still treat amnicola as a distinct species, ‘Stepanyan’s Grasshopper Warbler’, based on differences in plumage, bio- metrics and wing structure. It is not widely recognised as a separate species, however, and many other authorities, including Neufeldt 8c Netschajew (1977) and Dickinson (2003), con- sider it to be a race of L. fasciolata. Birds showing intermediate plumage characters between nominate fasciolata and amnicola breed in the Russian Far East, suggesting that the continued taxonomic arrangement of amni- cola as a race of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler should be maintained until detailed compar- ison of vocalisations and molecular phylogeny confirm otherwise. Although Williamson (1968) believed the Meinertzhagen specimen to be an adult, one of the characters cited by Stepanyan by which amnicola differed from fasciolata was in the colour of the underparts of juveniles and first- winters. Stepanyan considered that young amnicola lacked the sulphur-yellow wash to the underparts, which instead appeared greyish and were tinged to a variable extent with buff on the breast and flanks, while the belly was paler. It was presumably this description, translated from the original Russian literature, which led Roselaar (in Cramp 1992) to form the opinion that the Meinertzhagen specimen matched Stepanyan’s description of juvenile amnicola. The Meinertzhagen specimen has subse- quently been cited on a number of occasions as belonging with amnicola (e.g. Cramp 1992, Ver- belen 8c De Smit 2003, van Bemmelen 8c Groe- nendijk 2004). As a result, this record (comprising a bird with a breeding range in eastern Asia) has been used as supporting evi- dence for the occurrence in Europe of other extreme vagrants from eastern Siberia east of the Lake Baikal watershed. Distribution and the likelihood of vagrancy Vagrancy to western Europe by passerines, and by warblers in particular, originating from breeding areas to the east of the Ural Moun- tains, Russia, is a well-established autumn phe- nomenon (e.g. Cottridge 8c Vinicombe 1996). Almost all passerines of Siberian origin that reach Europe have breeding ranges that extend well to the west of Lake Baikal, encompassing the Ob and Yenisey River basins. As Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler has a breeding range that reaches into the heart of this region (fig. 1), it would be expected to occur as a European vagrant; in fact, it seems surprising that it has occurred so infrequently. Of the species to have occurred as vagrants to western Europe at the time of writing, only Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus, Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis of the red-throated form rufi- collis and Daurian Starling Sturnus sturninus have the western limits of their breeding distri- 508 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe c > bution to the east of this region, although all breed in Siberia, well to the west of the Sea of Okhotsk. As a breeding bird, however, the amnicola race of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler is restricted to islands bordering the southern sector of the Sea of Okhotsk, including Sakhalin and Hokkaido and the southern Kuril Islands (fig. 1). It has not been recorded reliably on migra- tion anywhere away from Japan, and the win- tering area remains unknown (but is believed to lie within that of nominate fasciolata). No other passerines with a distribution restricted to this region of eastern Asia, and wintering east to Papua New Guinea, have been known to occur in Europe. Consequently, the occurrence of amnicola in France in mid September would represent one of the most extraordinary feats of avian vagrancy from Asia, comparable with the movements of seabirds such as Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleutica, Ancient Murrelet Synthli- boramphus antiquus and Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix. Almost all warblers that reach Europe in autumn from Siberia have done so in the same calendar-year as fledging, and the occurrence of adults in autumn is extremely unusual. Conse- quently, the 1913 and 1955 records of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler fall within an established vagrancy pattern - of young birds originating from Siberia - and it seems reasonable to accept that both occurred as the result of natural vagrancy. By contrast, the Meinertzhagen speci- men, which apparently involved an adult bird in fresh plumage, is distinctly anomalous. In recent years, however, a better under- standing of the field characters and moult strategy of the two forms of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler has emerged, which points clearly to the fact that the Meinertzhagen specimen does not belong with amnicola , but is actually a typical adult of the nominate form. Richard Meinertzhagen When Williamson (1968) and Roselaar (in Cramp 1992) examined the Meinertzhagen specimen, neither would have been aware of the circumstances or controversy that has subse- quently engulfed the provenance of some of the specimens in the collection amassed by Richard Meinertzhagen, which was gifted by him to the NHM in the 1950s. Meinertzhagen was a pro- lific collector during the first half of the twen- tieth century. In addition to collecting birds during his extensive travels, Meinertzhagen also developed a propensity to appropriate speci- mens from the collections of others, notably the NHM collection, relabel them with his own misleading data, including fraudulent dates and locations, and pass these off as being birds that he had collected (Rasmussen 8c Prys-Jones 2003). If the circumstances surrounding the origin of his specimen of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler from lie d’Ouessant are questionable, this clearly affects the authenticity of the record - and if the date and location are uncertain, this Fig. I. Map showing the known breeding range of Gray's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata based upon data in Neufeldt & Netschajew ( 1 977). Note the restricted range of the insular form L f. amnicola (shaded in red). British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 509 Fluke Art Kiyoaki Ozaki Darya Kuznetsova and Viktor S alovarov 27 1 . First-winter Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata of the nominate form, west of Angarsk, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, late July 1 998. The distinctive sulphur-yellow tones to the underparts and supercilium are clearly visible. Note also the bright ochre colour of the lower mandible and compare with that of L f. amnicola. It is not known to what extent the colour of the lower mandible varies in the nominate form, or whether this is age-related. 272. First-winter Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata of the insular form L f. amnicola, Otayanma Bird Banding Station, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, October 1 982. Compared with the nominate form, amnicola lacks the sulphur-yellow wash to the supercilium, and the dull, cold pink tone to the lower mandible is particularly striking. also continues the debate regarding racial iden- tification. In order to establish whether the Meinertzhagen specimen could really have orig- inated from lie d’Ouessant, the identification, ageing and moult strategy of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler must be examined. Identification of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler is the largest of the Locustella warblers, being slightly larger than River Warbler but smaller than Great Reed Warbler. Although its identification is fairly straightforward and has been discussed on several occasions (e.g. Rozendaal 1990, Alstrom et al. 1991), it is relevant to review the cri- teria again here, in order that differences between the nominate form and L. f. amnicola can be appreciated fully. Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler most closely resem- bles River Warbler; the two species share unmarked, warm brown upperparts, but while the former has a fairly narrow and distinct supercilium that extends to the rear of the ear-coverts, the latter has an indistinct and poorly defined super- cilium. The underparts of adult Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler are washed with grey, except for the flanks and ventral region, which are warm fulvous-brown, while the undertail-coverts vary between warm peachy- buff and cinnamon-buff. The latter are usually unmarked but occasionally show indistinct paler tips, although never as con- trasting and conspicuous as those of River Warbler. Unlike first-winter River Warbler, which lacks the yellow wash to the under- parts and shows diagnostic dark brown striations that form a gorget across the breast, first-winter Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler has a distinct sulphur- yellow wash to the entire underparts, and any markings are restricted to narrow, dark tips to the throat and upper breast feathering, pro- ducing a series of fine crescents. Timing of moult Adult Gray’s Grasshopper Warblers undergo a partial post-breeding moult in July and August, prior to migration. This involves the replace- ment of the head and body feathering and, occasionally, some or all of the rectrices. At this 510 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe < :> 51 I time, some birds also replace up to four outer primaries (Cramp 1992), a strategy employed by several Locustella species, although many individuals do not do so (PRK pers. obs.). The pre-breeding moult of both adult and first- winter birds of the nominate form is a complete moult, which commences between mid January and late Feb- ruary. This takes approxi- mately 60 days to complete, so that by late April all birds are in fresh plumage prior to spring migration (Cramp 1992). Young birds retain first-winter plumage until this pre-breeding moult; once this moult is complete, adults and first-winters are no longer separable. The pre-breeding moult strategy of amnicola remains unknown but, since adults in spring are fresh, it is assumed that all age-groups undertake a complete pre- breeding moult, as nomi- nate fasciolata. After fledging, juvenile fasciolata has a partial post- juvenile moult in August, in which only the body feath- ering is replaced. Similarly, juvenile amnicola also replaces the body feathering at this time, with juvenile remiges and rectrices retained (T. Matsuo in lift.). Consequently, the remiges and rectrices of first-winter birds of both races would be expected to show less wear than that found on adults in September. Identifcation of L. f. amnicola and separation from nominate fasciolata Adult Separating adult Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler of the nominate race fasciolata from amnicola is fairly straightforward. Although there is indi- 273. First-winter Gray's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata of the insular form L f. amnicola, Otayanma Bird Banding Station, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, October 1982. First-winter amnicola lacks the sulphur-yellow wash to the underparts of the nominate form, making separation of first-winter birds straightforward. The separation of adults is potentially problematic, although adult fasciolata would show an extensive greyish wash across the breast and flanks, while the whitish belly would appear less extensive than on this individual. 274. First-winter Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata of the insular form L f. amnicola, Otayanma Bird Banding Station, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, October 1 982. The fresh, unworn tips to the primaries and rectrices establish this as a bird which fledged a few months earlier. Adults moult these feathers on the wintering areas prior to spring migration and appear worn in autumn. vidual variation, amnicola shows slightly darker brown upperparts, and invariably lacks the con- spicuous grey wash to the underparts that char- acterises fasciolata. Instead, the underparts of amnicola are washed dull brown and although there is often a slight greyish tinge, this is fre- quently difficult to distinguish, so the under- parts always appear browner and slightly warmer than those of fasciolata. Typically, British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Kiyoaki Ozaki Kiyoaki Ozaki Takeyoshi Matsuo 275. First-winter Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata, of the insular form L f. amnicola, Hokkaido, Japan, September 2003. The underparts of first-winter L f. fasciolata are strongly washed sulphur-yellow and the sides of the throat and upper breast usually show narrow, dark crescentic fringes; in contrast, those of L f amnicola are paler, with the lower throat, breast and belly appearing pale creamy-buff in most birds, and lacking the darker feather fringes. On some individuals, however, the breast is buffish-brown (although it never approaches the mid-grey tones typical of most adult fasciolata) and the belly white. amnicola also has a less conspicuous super- cilium than fasciolata, and although this still extends to the rear of the ear-coverts, it is dull greyish-brown, narrow and less contrasting. The ear-coverts of amnicola are also slightly warmer and browner, with whitish shaft- streaking restricted to the lower edge, where they merge with the malar region and the sides of the throat. The chin and throat are white or pale buffy-white, with the lower throat and sides usually showing indistinct warm brown feather tips that create a faint barring effect, and merge across the malar region with the streaked lower ear-coverts. Caution is needed with some birds breeding in northeast China, towards the eastern limit of the range of fasciolata within continental Asia. In this region, a small percentage of adults can display plumage characters that have been pro- posed as being unique to amnicola, including warmer and browner tones to the breast (Neufeldt & Netschajew 1977). Consequently, establishing the identity of a putative adult amnicola away from the breeding grounds requires great care. First-winter In first-winter plumage, the upperparts of amni- cola, including the fringes to the closed wing, are, on average, slightly warmer and browner than on fasciolata, but there is overlap. Differences in underpart coloration provide a more reliable means of separation. Unlike fasciolata, in which the supercilium and underparts are washed strong sulphur- yellow, often with narrow dark brown tips to the lower throat and sides of the breast, first-winter amnicola shows a pale creamy-buff wash to the supercilium and ear-coverts. Furthermore, the underparts, including the lower throat, breast and belly, are pale creamy-buff in most birds; they can occa- sionally be buffish-brown with a white belly (T. Matsuo in litt., plate 275), but never grey, and do not resemble the underparts of adult fasciolata. Consequently, separation of most first-winter amnicola from adult fasciolata is straightforward, using a combination of plumage characters and the fresher, less worn plumage of the former. During the winter months, however, the underpart feathering of first-winter birds of both forms fades and wears, and it may then be impossible to assign some individuals to either form until the pre-breeding moult is completed. Measurements Stepanyan (1973) and Neufeldt & Netschajew (1977) (table 1) showed that differences between nominate fasciolata and amnicola are only slight, with amnicola averaging slightly smaller. Although there is considerable overlap between larger amnicola and smaller fasciolata, those birds outside the overlap range are separable. Wing structure Minor differences in wing structure cited by Stepanyan (1973) as being diagnostic of amni- cola were found to be inconsistent and unreli- able in a larger sample measured by Neufeldt & Netschajew (1977). In both taxa, P3 (primaries numbered ascendantly) is always emarginated and forms the wing point. Stepanyan consid- ered amnicola to have a slightly shorter and 512 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-516 Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe c ) Table I. Wing length, tail length, tarsus length, bill length (measured to distal edge of nostril) and tail rounded (difference between shortest and longest tail-feathers) of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata. All measurements in mm, taken from adults within the breeding ranges of nominate fasciolata and L f. amnicola. Figures in parentheses refer to mean value and sample size respectively. Source: Neufeldt & Netschajew ( 1 977). L. f fasciolata L. f. amnicola Males Females Males Females Wing 77-85 (80.6; 46) 72-79 (76.2; 7) 72-80 (77.2; 15) 75, 76 Tail 66-79 (70.8; 46) 66-70 (68.4; 7) 61-71 (68.3; 15) 69,69 Tarsus 26-29 (27.4; 46) 25-27.5 (26.3; 7) 25-27.5 (26.3; 15) 25,25.4 Bill 10.2-12.1 (11.4; 46) 10.5-12.0(11.35; 7) 10.3-12.0 (11.4; 15) 11.0, 11.4 Tail rounded 17-27 (22.7; 46) 21-25 (22.7; 7) 19-23 (20.9; 15) 20,21 more rounded wing, with the length of P2 equalling or falling below P4, but never exceeding P4. Using a larger sample size, Neufeldt & Netschajew found extensive overlap in primary positions between amnicola and fas- ciolata, and it is clear that wing structure is not a valid criterion for separating these taxa. Examination of specimens has shown that the position of P2 in amnicola is quite variable, sometimes falling below P5 while on other birds it can exceed P4 in length. Reappraisal of the Meinertzhagen specimen Age and plumage Establishing the correct age of the Mein- ertzhagen specimen is fundamental for both its identification and its authenticity. Com- pletely fresh, unworn plumage is acquired only after the complete moult in late winter, so it is most unlikely that an adult in September could show this. Furthermore, the grey wash to the underparts of the Meinertzhagen specimen closely matches that of adult fasciolata col- lected in May and June in China and held in the NHM. The combination of plumage fea- tures and lack of feather wear suggests strongly that this specimen represents a bird collected shortly after finishing the complete moult in spring. Measurements Measurements taken from the three European specimens of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler are presented in table 2. Although extensive overlap exists in mea- surements between nominate fasciolata and amnicola (Stepanyan 1973; Neufeldt & Netschajew 1977), it is clear that fasciolata aver- ages slightly larger in all major measurements. At 84 mm (table 2), the wing length of the Meinertzhagen specimen falls well above the range given for amnicola, being 4 mm longer than that of the largest bird measured by Neufeldt & Netschajew (table 1). Furthermore, it also lies close to the upper limit of the adult- male sample of nominate fasciolata measured by Neufeldt & Netschajew (table 1). All other measurements fall within the overlap range and are thus inconclusive. Consequently, the identi- fication of the Meinertzhagen specimen as amnicola cannot be supported using measure- ments; instead, wing length excludes amnicola and strongly supports identification as nomi- nate fasciola ta. Evidence of fraud In order to assess whether the Meinertzhagen specimen was likely to be fraudulent, the approach outlined by Rasmussen 8c Collar Table 2. Wing length, tail length, tarsus length, bill length (measured to distal edge of nostril) and tail rounded (difference between shortest and longest tail-feathers) of the three specimens of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella fasciolata recorded in Europe. All measurements in mm; all taken by PRK. Location lie d’Ouessant, France lie d’Ouessant, France Lodbjerg, Denmark Date 26th September 1913 17th September 1933 25th September 1955 Age first-winter adult first-winter Wing 79 84 77 Tail 64 70 64 Tarsus 27.3 26.7 27.1 Bill 13.4 13.2 13.0 Tail rounded 18 22 18 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 513 Harry Taylor © NHM.Tring c Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe > (1999) and Rasmussen & Prys-Jones (2003) was adopted. Detailed external study was made of its preparation style and the material used in its make-up, and the specimen was X-rayed so that a similar internal study could be made. The reg- isters of the NHM bird collection were closely checked against the specimens of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler currently present in order to pinpoint series with missing specimens. The external and internal preparation style of other members of such series were analysed in the same manner as for the Meinertzhagen speci- men, to determine the degree of similarity in their make-up. This comparative analysis was complicated by the fact that it was immediately apparent that the Meinertzhagen specimen had been extensively remade at some point after its initial preparation, making its resemblances to other series of specimens more difficult to assess. Extensive remaking is unusual among Meinertzhagen specimens, though not unprece- dented, as documented in detail for his Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti specimen (Ras- mussen & Collar 1999). Furthermore, extensive remaking by a collector of a particularly rare specimen originally prepared by himself would not be expected and must be regarded as suspi- cious in itself (Rasmussen & Collar 1999). Of the series of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler specimens present in the NHM, two contain unexplained gaps. Two specimens (reg. Nos. 1914.6.12.3 and 1914.6.12.5, female and unsexed respectively) are missing from a series of five collected by P. Bergen in June 1898 in Shandong (Shantung) Province, northeast China, and received by the NHM as part of the Styan collection. A further, male specimen (1909.11.20.283) is missing from a series of six birds collected by A. Owston in June 1908 at Kingam Mountain, north Manchuria, and received as part of a collection from C. Ingram. The plumage condition of the Meinertzhagen specimen closely resembles that of birds from both these series, and the complete ossification of its skull revealed by X-ray further confirms that it is an adult. Allowing for features clearly associated with its remaking, the Meinertzhagen specimen shows a close resemblance to the Owston series from Manchuria, but less similarity with the Bergen/Shantung specimens (plates 276 & 277). Considering external features first, the Mein- ertzhagen specimen has a pinhole through the nostrils, as do the Owston specimens, each of which still retains a thread through them tying the mandibles together; this is not found on any of Bergen’s specimens. The broad neck, sunken chin and puffed-out throat of the Mein- ertzhagen specimen all resemble Owston’s, as does the clean, white cotton in the wide-open eye sockets; in all these respects Bergen’s speci- mens differ, their cotton having a yellowish tinge. The original belly incision was short (vent to lower breast) on the Meinertzhagen and 276. Ventral view of nine Gray’s Grasshopper Warblers Locustella fasciolata from the NHM, Tring, bird collection. Top row, from left to right; Meinertzhagen specimen 1 965. M. I 3490 and Owston specimens 1909.1 1.20.281-282 and 284-286. Bottom row, from left to right: Bergen specimens 1914.6.12.1,2 and 4. 277. Ventral X-rays of the nine Gray’s Grasshopper Warblers Locustella fasciolata shown in plate 276, arranged in the same order. 514 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Robert Prps -Jones © NHM.Tring Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe Owston specimens, but long (vent to upper breast) on the Bergen specimens, although it has been extended by a straight-edged, obviously secondary, incision through dried skin on the Meinertzhagen specimen during remaking. The wing position of the Meinertzhagen and Owston specimens is similar, being well back and high, with the wing-tips on either side of the tail, whereas the Bergen birds have the wings lower and more to the sides. The Bergen specimens also had the tail bases pushed in higher, so their claws are closer to their tail tips than is the case for the Owston and Meinertzhagen specimens. Internally, the Meinertzhagen specimen’s wing bones retain the radius, resembling the Owston but not the Bergen specimens, and the ulna and carpometacarpus in the Meinertzhagen and Owston specimens are positioned at more acute angles to each other than in the Bergen speci- mens. At some point, probably during remaking, the head of the Meinertzhagen specimen has been removed, repositioned and then glued and wired back into place. External and internal examination show that during this process the neck was shortened by a few millimetres owing to skin being overlapped, which has had the effect of bringing the neck forward. As a result, unlike the case with the Owston specimens, the Meinertzhagen specimen’s head does not rest on the surface when the bird is laid on its back. The rear of the skull of the Meinertzhagen spec- imen was trimmed during remaking and its centre back cracked; the skull then re-dried around its new stuffing in an unnaturally spread position. A support stick, wire and pins were also inserted during remaking, and the belly was less overstuffed than is typical of the Owston specimens. Finally, the legs of the Meinertzhagen specimen were rotated around so that they could be sewn together and around the support stick, resulting in a large tear in the dried skin at the top of the right tibiotarsus. Conclusions After reviewing all specimens of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler held in the NHM and comparing the Meinertzhagen specimen with others held in this collection, it is clear that Williamson (1968) was correct: this individual is an adult bird in fresh plumage. Furthermore, the wing-length measurement places it firmly within the range of nominate fasciolata and outside that of amnicola. In addition, its appearance and the fresh, unworn plumage make it, to all intents and purposes, identical to several adults of nominate fasciolata held in the NHM collection that were collected in eastern China in late May and June. An adult in Sep- tember would be expected to be moderately worn, as its remiges and rectrices would be approximately six months old, considerably older than the corresponding feathers of first- winter birds. The remiges and rectrices of the Meinertzhagen specimen are fresh and unworn, and certainly in better condition than those of first-winters, including the two collected in Europe in late September. Without doubt, the Meinertzhagen speci- men from He d’Ouessant refers to an adult Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler of the nominate form and, with a wing length of 84 mm, it is almost certainly a male. Measurements and plumage characters firmly establish that it is not referable to the insular form amnicola. It is con- sidered that this specimen could not have been collected on 17th September as stated on the specimen label and by Meinertzhagen (1948). Instead, it is highly probable that it is the re- labelled male Owston specimen 1909.11.20.283, in reality taken in June in northern Manchuria; as such, it would represent much the longest- distance Meinertzhagen fraud yet documented. Having established beyond reasonable doubt that this specimen is erroneously labelled, it should no longer be accepted as having occurred in a naturally wild condition in France. Acknowledgments Our thanks go to Jon Fjeldsa and Jan Bolding Kristensen at the Bird Section, Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, for arranging for the Danish specimen of Locustella fasciolata to be sent to Tring for examination and for agreeing to the publication of photographs. Pamela Rasmussen kindly provided detailed comment on the style of preparation and X-ray images of the Meinertzhagen specimen, confirming its close resemblance to the Owston series. Arnoud van den Berg supplied reference material and Takeyoshi Matsuo commented upon the moult strategy of L. f. amnicola, based upon his experience of young birds trapped for ringing in Hokkaido, Japan. Kiyoaki Ozaki and Yoshimitsu Shigeta of the Bird Migration Research Center, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Japan, kindly supplied a series of photographs for study, some of which are reproduced here. Jevgeni Shergalin contacted Darya Kuznetsova and Viktor Salovarov who supplied a series of photographs of Gray's Grasshopper Warbler from the Irkutsk region of Siberia. Jesper Hornskov assisted with translations, and Paul Leader and Brian Small examined the Meinertzhagen specimen and commented upon an earlier draft of this paper. Their contribution to this discussion is gratefully acknowledged. British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 515 c Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe > References Alstrom, R, Colston, R, & Lewington, I. 1 99 1 . A Field Guide to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins, London. Clements, J. F. 2000. Birds of the World: a checklist 5th edition. Ibis Publishing Co., Vista. Cottridge, D. M„ & Vinicombe, K. 1 996. Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland: a photographic record. HarperCollins, London. Cramp, S. (ed.). 1 992. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. 6. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Dickinson, E. C. (ed.). 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Revised and enlarged 3rd edition. Christopher Helm, London. Dybbro.T 1 978. [Gray's Grasshopper Warbler in Denmark.] Oversigt over Danmarksfugle 1 978. Copenhagen. (In Danish) Ingram, C. 1 926. Ouessant Ornithology and other Notes on French Birds. Ibis (1 2)2: 247-269. — 1 930. Note discussing occurrence of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler on Ouessant. Bull. Brit Orn. Club 50: 4. Meinertzhagen, R 1 933. [Autumn migration on Ushant] Bull. Brit Orn. Club 54: 5-9. — 1 948. The birds of Ushant Ibis 90: 553-567. Neufeldt, I. A., & Netschajew.W.A. 1 977.Vergleichencle untersuchungen an kontinentalen und insularen Reisenschwirler Locustella fasciolata (Gray). Mitt Zool. Mus. Berlin 53 (Suppl.) 1:91—1 16. Rasmussen, R C., & Collar, N.J. 1999. Major specimen fraud in the Forest Owlet Heteroglaux (Athene auct) blewitti. Ibis 141: I 1-21. — , & Prys-Jones, R R 2003. History vs mystery: the reliability of museum specimen data. Bull. Brit Orn. Club. 1 23A: 66-94. Rozendaal, F. 1 990. Mystery Photographs 34: Gray's Grasshopper Warbler Dutch Birding 12:9-1 I. Salomonsen, F. 1 963. Systematisk oversigt over Nordens fugle. In: Blaedel, N. (ed.), Nordens Fugle I Farver, Vol. 7. Munksgaard, Copenhagen. Stepanyan, L. S. 1 972. [A new species of the genus Locustella (Aves, Sylviidae) from the east Palearctic.] Zool. Zhurnal 51(12): 1896-1 897. (In Russian, English summary) — 1 973. [Taxonomic notes on Stepanyan 's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella omnicola Step.] Byull. Mosk Obshch. Ispyt Prit Otd. Biol. 78(3): 38^44. (In Russian, English summary) van Bemmelen, R S. A., & Groenendijk, D. 2004. Masters of mystery: Savi's Warbler Dutch Birding 26: 53-56. Verbelen, D„ & De Smit, G. 2003. [Five Lanceolated Warblers in Belgium in 1 988-2000 and occurrence in Europe.] Dutch Birding 25: 221-234. (In Dutch, English summary) Williamson, K. 1968. Identifi cation for Ringers I .The genera Cettia, Locustella, Acrocephalus and Hippolais. 3rd edition. BTO.Tring. Peter R. Kennerley, 16 Coppice Close, Melton, Suffolk IP12 1RX Dr Robert P. Prys-Jones, Bird Group, Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 6AP BB on DVD As we reported last year (Brit. Birds 98: 563), as part of plans to mark our 100th volume we hope to produce a DVD containing all the editorial from the last 100 years. We have looked at various possibil- ities, and we believe that the most exciting option is to produce a DVD featuring a series of pdfs of the original pages; these would be fully searchable by species, author, keyword, etc., as well as being avail- able chronologically, and we think that it would be an excellent way of making BB’ s fantastic archive of material much more widely avail- able. We would have to work with a partner organisation to produce such a DVD, and have had prelim- inary discussions with BirdGuides, who have experience in this field through the production of BWPi. Request The sale price of the DVD is as yet undetermined since the full pro- duction costs are still unknown. Having explored the technical side of things, we are left with one significant hurdle to overcome before we decide whether or not to go ahead with the project. This is the issue of copyright. The copy- right of all photographs and illus- trations in BB remains with the photographer and illustrator respectively and, unless a waiver has been signed, authors retain copyright of their articles. This would be stated clearly and unequivocally on the disk. The product that we envisage would reproduce text, photos and illustra- tions exactly as they appeared in the original; it would not, there- fore, be a ‘new’ use of the material. However, the format would be new, and as a result we would still have to treat the issue of copyright extremely carefully. If we have to reimburse contributors a second time for the publication of their material in this new format, the project simply will not happen. Our main objective is to produce the DVD as a valuable resource, rather than for commercial gain, but clearly we cannot risk signifi- cant financial liabilities. We have consulted around 100 regular contributors to BB, but now wish to seek wider opinion. For the project to happen, we need photographers, artists and authors to agree to the reproduction of their material in this format only without payment of royalties. If you have contributed to BB, we would like to hear your views, sup- portive or otherwise. Please contact us at adrian.pitches@bbc.co.uk; or by post at the Editorial Office. 516 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 506-5 1 6 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain Kieran Foster ABSTRACT A first-winter or female Siberian Blue Robin Luscirtia cyane at Minsmere, Suffolk, on 23rd October 2000 became the first record of this species in Britain, and only the third in the Western Palearctic (following individuals on Sark, Channel Islands, in October 1975, and in Spain in October 2000). A subsequent bird on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, in October 2001 remains the only other Western Palearctic record. On 23rd October 2000, I decided to visit my sister in Leeds, but to do so via a roundabout route that would take in the Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius and Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus that had appeared at Minsmere, Suffolk, during the pre- ceding few days. Owing to the combination of a late start and heavy traffic, I did not arrive at Minsmere until late afternoon and I hurried towards the sluice bushes and adjacent levels hoping to find both birds before the daylight faded. On reaching the sluice bushes at approxi- mately 16.50 hrs, I flushed a small brown passerine that showed a broad tail, creating the impression of a Locustella warbler. The bird dropped into the Marram Ammophila arenaria a short distance away, and I quickly relocated it, this time on the ground, and noticed that it was unstreaked and had strikingly pale pink legs. Clearly this was not a Locustella warbler but a bird that I was unfamiliar with. It then flew again and I was unable to relocate it. Since there were several observers nearby, watching the Sociable Lapwing, 1 asked another birder to help me to relocate the , unidentified passerine. We returned to the area where I had last seen it but again failed to find it. Becoming increasingly frustrated, I returned to the sluice bushes, where several birders were looking for the elusive Pallas’s Leaf Warbler. Most seemed uninterested in my 1 mystery bird, but after several minutes Mark Cornish and Mark Nesbitt agreed to help as they were returning to their cars at Sizewell. Almost immediately, Mark Cornish flushed a bird that he felt was a Dunnock Prunella modu- laris from the edge of the dunes, but I was fairly certain that this must be the bird. Shortly after- wards it flew again, and this time we saw it land. Luckily it remained in view, skulking at the base of a clump of Marram, and this time it gave better, more prolonged views. I was now able to note a pale buff eye-ring, stout bill, warm honey or creamy colour to the throat and breast, and smudged brown crescents on the breast. Faced with a bird that the four of us were still unable to identify, I ran to the edge of the dunes and whistled to attract the attention of the few remaining birders, including Paul Varney, who were still searching for the Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, lust as they arrived, the bird flew off, across the beach and out to sea. Thankfully, it returned quickly and dropped onto the shingle beach. One of those present then shouted ‘Swainson’s Thrush!’ [Catharus ustulatus], but although the colouring on the breast and the conspicuous eye-ring did give this initial impression, the bird was clearly too small to be a Swainson’s or any other Catharus thrush. The bird remained in view on the beach, apparently exhausted, for about 15 minutes, during which time it sat motionless, its head 'hunched in’ and bill pointing skywards. Throughout, the sun was behind us, and the visibility and light were excellent. Even with these prolonged views, the observers remained © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 5 1 7-520 5 1 7 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain perplexed and were unable to put a name to this bird, or even sensibly suggest which family it belonged to. I made a telephone call to Chris Batty and Andrew Raine at Rare Bird Alert, seeking their advice, while Paul Varney tele- phoned Richard Millington for his opinion. During these discussions, it was tentatively sug- gested that the bird may be a Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane, and I was asked if the bird had a blue tail. Owing to the angle of the bird and the obviously short tail, I simply couldn’t be sure, so I moved along the dune to change my viewing angle. As I did so, the bird turned towards me, and it was at this point that it was seen to quiver its tail, and one observer thought that he saw a blue tinge to the tail. After approximately 15 minutes, the bird again flew towards the dunes and landed in a patch of Marram. It was subsequently seen again on three or four occasions, but only in flight, the final time being at about 17.50 hrs, when it flew over the dunes and was lost to view. In the failing light, it was decided that we should not disturb it again. We had seen it well on the beach and further flight views in poor light seemed unlikely to add substantially to our description. By this time, and following the tele- phone discussions, we became convinced that we could only have been watching a female or first-winter Siberian Blue Robin. News of the bird was released via the pager services and Birdline. Not surprisingly, the following morning saw a huge gathering of would-be observers, numbering in excess of 800 people, but despite extensive searching throughout the day, the bird was not seen again. Description During the period that the bird was in view, the following description was taken. Size, structure and behaviour In flight, it was clearly a small passerine, similar in overall size to Dunnock. During the initial views, it flew fast and low, and gave only fleeting glimpses, during which the tail appeared dis- tinctly broad, creating the impression of a Locustella warbler. This impression was further reinforced by the distinctly two-toned appear- ance, the bird being dark above and pale below. Later, when it was watched at rest on the beach, where it gave prolonged and unrestricted views, the impression it gave was reminiscent of a small Swainson’s Thrush. This was, in part, due to the combination of the coloration of the throat and upper breast, along with a conspic- uous pale eye-ring. The bird was, however, dis- tinctly smaller than Swainson’s Thrush, with a robust structure and short, broad tail that was seen to quiver. Throughout, the bird appeared exhausted, and sat motionless with its head hunched into the shoulders, and the bill pointing skywards, at about 45° to the hori- zontal. Later examination of video footage from China established that this behaviour is charac- teristic of Siberian Blue Robin. Plumage Upperparts dark brown. One observer thought he noticed a blue tinge to the tail. Throat and upper breast warm honey- or yellow-brown in colour, and ‘necklace’ of smudged brown, downward-facing crescents on the breast. There was quite obvious demarcation between the warm-toned upper breast and the white lower breast and belly. Bare parts Legs strikingly pale, ‘bubble-gum’ pink. Bill was large, strong-looking and dark, but with a pale grey base to the lower mandible. Eye large and dark, with warm buff eye-ring. Associated species and weather conditions In September 2000, a high-pressure anomaly lay over Scandinavia, producing frequent south- easterly winds between Britain and the Baltic. During October, this anomaly intensified and extended eastwards. At the same time, the southeasterlies withdrew eastwards and became much more frequent than normal over the whole of Scandinavia, the Baltic and western Russia, while southern Britain was then domi- nated by winds from the southwest. As Siberian Blue Robin departs from its southern Siberian breeding grounds in Sep- tember to winter in Southeast Asia, the track of the Minsmere bird prior to arrival on 23rd October is subject to considerable conjecture. The location and meteorological circumstances of its arrival seem to exclude the higher-latitude track more usually associated with vagrants from southern Siberia. This leads to the tenta- tive conclusion that a leisurely westwards passage in fine weather through a ridge of high pressure over central Europe and Russia was the likely scenario. However, to survive such a leisurely passage, it would necessarily have had 518 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 5 1 7-520 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain to remain within a suitable forested habitat zone. The distribution of this habitat type would suggest that its route in Asia was mainly north of latitude 55°N. If the bird was indeed newly arrived in Suffolk on 23rd October, it is possible that con- tinued stimulation by fine warm conditions over Europe provoked a northwestward move- ment into Britain. A ridge of high pressure then extended from Ukraine to southern France, south to southeasterly winds extending over the whole of central Europe from 20th October. The warmest weather in The Nether- lands and eastern France occurred on 22nd and 23rd, under clear skies. Further west, the south- east of Britain was subject to southwesterly winds from 17th to 19th, backing light south- southeasterly from 20th. A weak, slow-moving front present early on 23rd gave light surface winds, broken cloud, mist patches and a little rain, perhaps contributing to the bird’s landfall. Winds subsequently veered southwest and strengthened as a more active cold front crossed the region later that morning. If the bird had arrived prior to 23rd, then it could have made landfall on or before 20th. Another Siberian Blue Robin was found at the Ebro River Delta, northeast Spain, on 18th October. While the route taken by that bird is equally uncertain, it seems more than a coincidence that two individuals were found in western Europe within five days. The comments above concerning the Minsmere bird could apply equally to the Spanish individual, apart from the final stages of its passage. During the first few days of October, excep- tional numbers of Radde’s Warblers Ph. schwarzi appeared in eastern England, along with a sprinkling of the commoner Asian species we have come to expect at this time of year, including Dusky Ph. fuscatus and Yellow- browed Warblers Ph. inornatus. This fall suc- ceeded periods of southeasterly winds in late September. Most of October was, however, much less favourable to arrivals from the east, despite the continued southeasterly situation over Scandinavia. Westerlies predominated from 23rd October to the end of the month, and just a handful of Pallas’s Leaf Warblers appeared in Britain during the last ten days of October, including one at Minsmere. To the north, a Brown Shrike Lanins cristatus made it to Fair Isle, Shetland, on 21st October. Status and distribution Siberian Blue Robin is a summer visitor to a vast region of central and eastern Siberia, extending from the Ob River basin and the Altai Mountains of eastern Kazakhstan, east to Amurland and the Sea of Okhotsk, and from northeast China south to Hebei province, Sakhalin and northern Japan. Autumn migra- tion begins early, with birds departing from the breeding areas in August and passing through the coastal regions of northeastern China in early to mid September. This species can be abundant at well-monitored migration watch- points, including the coastal sites of Beidaihe and Happy Island, Hebei province, but to the south of the Yangtze River, it is uncommon throughout China’s coastal provinces. Carey et al. (2001) described it as a scarce migrant through Hong Kong, with numbers peaking there in late September. It would seem that most migrants pass inland across central China to reach Thailand and the Indochinese coun- tries where many winter, while others continue south, to wintering grounds in peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. At Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia, where Siberian Blue Robin is a common autumn migrant, Medway & Wells (1976) noted the earliest occurrence on 16th September, with southbound passage contin- uing until 20th November. In Singapore, south- bound passage into Sumatra peaks in the second half of October, with migrants recorded into early November, although many also remain here throughout the winter. Other Western Palearctic records Prior to this bird, there had been just two records of Siberian Blue Robin within the Western Palearctic. The first, a first-winter female, was trapped on Sark, Channel Islands, on 27th October 1975 (Rountree 1977). This was followed, 25 years later, by a first-winter male trapped at the Canal Veil lagoon in the Ebro Delta, northeast Spain, on 18th October 2000 (Bigas & Gutierrez 2000), just five days prior to the discovery of the Minsmere bird. Subsequently, a first-winter male was found on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, on 2nd October 2001 (Brown 2001). References Bigas, D„ & Gutierrez, R. 2000.The Siberian Blue Robin in Spain - the second Western Palearctic record. Birding World 1 3: 415— 417. Brown, R 200 1 .The Siberian Blue Robin on Orkney. Birding British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 517-520 519 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain World 14: 422 — 423. Carey, G. J., Chalmers, M. L., Diskin, D.A., Kennerley, R R„ Leader, RJ„ Leven, M. R„ Lewthwaite, R.W., Melville, D. S„ Turnbull, M„ & Young, L. 200 1 . The Avifauna of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Hong Kong. Medway, Lord, & Wells, D. R. 1 976. The Birds of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 5: Conclusion and Survey of Every Species. Witherby, London. Rountree, F. R. G. 1 977. Siberian Blue Robin: new to Europe. Brit. Birds 70: 36 1 -365. Keiran Foster, 125 Mill Lane, Sutton Leach, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 4HH EDITORIAL COMMENT Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee, said: 'Since the majority of records of new birds for Britain are now submitted with a portfolio of documentation that includes video footage, pin-sharp photographs and numerous descriptions, we were, initially, a little concerned by the accounts we received. In fact, of the last 20 species new to Britain, only this bird and the Anglesey Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis have not come with a wealth of supporting evi- dence. However, an analysis of the various descriptions received showed a pleasing degree of consis- tency in key features from a group of people with no obvious previous connections. The lack of immediate recognition comes as no surprise, and the need for assistance (by telephone) to identify this species, which is usually known from images of spring males, is to be expected when confronted with an autumn immature on a cold October day. Although not well known, the features of birds in imma- ture or female plumage, though subtle, are quite distinctive. The bright pink legs, large eye, scaled underparts and relatively short tail are characteristic of Siberian Blue Robin, and only Veery Catharus fuscescens and Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans share similar features. These other species show rusty tones on the upperparts, however, and so have an upperpart coloration which is quite different from the cold earth-brown shown by Siberian Blue Robin. In addition, the buffy eye-ring and throat, and gorget of crescents on the upper breast were spot on for Siberian Blue Robin as were the behav- iour and posture. Like many skulking birds caught in the open, Siberian Blue Robin will often ‘freeze’ and show very well. The coincidence in timing with the individual in Spain and subsequent appear- ance of another the following year in Orkney added extra support to the record.’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee, commented: ‘The Minsmere Siberian Blue Robin, seen by just a few lucky observers, was watched briefly on several occasions during a period of less than an hour towards dusk on 23rd October 2000. Unusually for con- temporary claims for British firsts, it was not photographed. Owing to the small number of observers and the relatively brief views of the bird, this record struggled somewhat on BOURC circulation. Par- ticular concerns were the lack of images, a significant identification hurdle for a potential first for Britain, and the number of Siberian Blue Robins in the bird trade. ‘Nonetheless, BOURC felt that the bird was sufficiently well described to confirm the identification as a first-year or adult female Siberian Blue Robin. Although this species is known to be kept in cap- tivity relatively commonly, the circumstances of this record are indicative of the bird being a natural vagrant rather than an escape. The date and location were both consistent with natural occurrence, and coincided with the appearance of many other Siberian vagrants in Europe, including a remarkable 31 Radde’s Warblers (which share a similar range to Siberian Blue Robin) in Britain that autumn, a Brown Shrike in Germany as well as the one on Fair Isle, and two Siberian Accentors Prunella mon- tanella in Finland. One significant factor that reassured the Committee that probability of natural vagrancy outweighed likelihood of escape was the discovery of a first-winter female Siberian Blue Robin on North Ronaldsay just one year later, on 2nd October 2001. Not only are the Northern Isles an acknowledged hotspot for eastern vagrants, but they are a considerable distance from the likely sources of escaped birds. ‘The positive identification at Minsmere and recognition of potential vagrancy allowed the accep- tance of Siberian Blue Robin onto Category A.’ 520 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 5 1 7-520 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden Christopher F. Mason and Sheila M. Macdonald ABSTRACT The use of two birdbaths, situated at different distances from cover, and a garden pond was recorded over a 12-month period. Thirty species used the birdbaths but only eleven used the pond, which received only 2% of the total visits recorded. There were seasonal differences in the number of species and number of visits to the birdbaths, and most species showed a marked preference for the birdbath closest to cover. There were significant differences among species in the use of birdbaths for drinking and for bathing, and this also varied seasonally for some species. Differences in use of birdbaths during the day were also observed. Group bathing and mixed bathing were often recorded, while dew-bathing was also observed during summer months. We recommend that a simple pedestal birdbath, situated close to cover, provides the best drinking and bathing environment for a variety of bird species. There is currently considerable interest in gardens as habitats for birds and in the role of gardens in the conservation of some species, while an estimated £150-180 million is spent annually on attracting birds and feeding them in gardens (Cannon 1999, 2000; Mason 2000; Glue 2005). It is estimated that gardens cover some 500,000 ha of England and Wales, and sufficient data exist from surveys in gardens in the UK to construct sea- sonal and annual population trends (Cannon et al. 2005). There are many books concerning wildlife gardening, the majority including substantial information on birds (e.g. Baines 1985, 2000, Gibbons & Gibbons 1988, Moss & Cottridge 1998, Burton 2005). The advice they provide on improving gardens for birds is largely anecdotal, there being little evidence that it is effective (Gaston et al. 2005). These books deal in detail with the provision of food but even here there have been surprisingly few systematic studies of the use of bird feeders and bird tables in the UK (e.g. Cowie & Hinsley 1988), considering the large annual expenditure on bird foods by the general public. Much less information exists on the provision of water, and the advice is gener- ally that a pond will prove more attractive to a wider range of species than a birdbath (e.g. Moss & Cottridge 1998). One exception is Glue (1982), who reported in some detail on a study into the drinking and bathing habits of garden birds by the Devon Bird Watching and Preser- vation Society (Coard 1976, 1979). Birds need to drink when their food pro- vides insufficient water to balance their bodily requirements, so that birds with dry diets, such as seeds, drink more than those taking more succulent foods, such as insects or fruit (Camp- bell & Lack 1985). Birds bathe in water to cleanse soiled plumage but especially to allow for efficient oiling or preening following wetting. Some groups (e.g. doves (Colum- bidae), sparrows (Passeridae) and wrens (Troglodytidae)) also dust-bathe, though dusting cannot serve exactly the same purpose as bathing in water and its functions are not entirely clear (Campbell & Lack 1985). This paper reports on the use of two bird- baths and a small pond over a 12-month period in a garden. We examine the seasonal variations in drinking and bathing by bird species and compare the use of the two baths and a pond in relation to their distance from cover. Study site and methods The study site was the garden of our previous home, situated in the parish of Ramsey, in northeast Essex (TM 196312). It has arable land to the front and pasture to the rear, and a single © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 521 Chris Mason Chris Mason Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden 278. Near and Far birdbaths, Essex, 2005. row of houses and large gardens to both sides. Stour Wood, a bird reserve, is close by, within 125 m at its nearest point and linked to the garden from the west and north by continuous hedgerows. The garden plot is 118 m long and 22 m wide. It contains lawns, vegetable plots, flowerbeds, shrubberies (with many ornamental evergreens) and a number of mature trees, including Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur , Silver Birch Betula pendula , Alder Alnus gluti- nosa, willows Salix and conifers. A continuous Blackthorn Primus spinosa hedge on the eastern boundary also contains much Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. and Common Ivy Hedera helix. The two stone bird- baths were of simple construction. Both had a pedestal 0.7 m high, supporting a bowl of 0.5 m diameter, with a depth of 25 mm and a lip of 50 mm. They were categorised as ‘Near’ and ‘Far’, in rela- tion to their distance from cover. The Near bath was situated on the edge of the lawn, immediately adjacent to dense conifer cover to the east, and within 1.6 m of conifers to the west. The Far bath was situated on the edge of a vegetable plot, with dense conifer cover 3.4 m to the south and 5.7 m to the west (plate 278). Both baths were filled with clean water daily, more often in hot weather, and the bowls were scrubbed regularly to prevent the build-up of a slippery biofilm. A small pond (dimensions 1.1 m x 0.6 m, maximum depth 0.35 m) was situated on the edge of the lawn, immediately adjacent to conifer cover (plate 279). It contained oxy- genating plants and some emergents (Lesser Water-parsnip Berula erecta , Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus) and was provided with a large, flat stone in shallow water to allow access to birds for bathing. The water level was kept topped up. Two larger ponds elsewhere in the garden could not be seen from the observation point. Observations were made mainly from the kitchen window, which was 16 m from the pond, 17 m and 22 m from the Near and Far birdbaths respectively, but also sometimes from a seat in front of the kitchen window. Observations were made opportunistically rather than at set periods of the day, but 279. Pond and Near birdbath, Essex, 2005. 522 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden Table 1. The number of visits (total 6,309) to two garden birdbaths in northeast Essex over a 1 2-month period, 2004/05. Species No. visits % Blackbird Turdus merula 1,471 23.32 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 1,405 22.27 Greenfinch Carduelis chloris 1,010 16.01 Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs 455 7.21 House Sparrow Passer domesticus 341 5.40 Robin Erithacus rubecula 301 4.77 Great Tit Parus major 287 4.55 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto 235 3.72 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus 189 3.00 Dunnock Prunella modularis 117 1.85 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 74 1.17 Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus 68 1.08 Coal Tit Periparus ater 57 0.90 Common Chiffchaff 49 0.78 Phylloscopus collybita Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 47 0.74 Goldcrest Regulus regulus 45 0.71 Great Spotted Woodpecker 27 0.43 Dendrocopos major Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 26 0.41 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 24 0.38 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhida 19 0.30 Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius 15 0.24 Magpie Pica pica 15 0.24 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos 11 0.17 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 9 0.14 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 5 0.08 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis 2 0.03 Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 2 0.03 Brambling Fringilla montifringilla 1 0.02 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 1 0.02 Common Whitethroat 1 0.02 Sylvia communis Fig. I. The total number of observations (blue line) and species (red line) of birds using two garden birdbaths in Essex over a 12-month period, 2004/05. the kitchen was the main focus of activity during daylight hours, from dawn until dusk, so large numbers of records were collected. In both April and July there were periods of eight days when no observations were made. Birds were recorded as ‘drinking’, ‘bathing’ or ‘drinking and bathing’. Birds merely perching on the baths or at the edge of the pond were not recorded. Results Use of birdbaths for drinking and bathing A total of 6,309 visits to the two birdbaths was recorded over the 12-month period, involving a total of 30 species (table 1). The most frequent visitors, accounting for more than 60% of the records, were Blackbird Turdus merula , Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. The seven species with a total of fewer than ten records will not be discussed further. The monthly distribution of observations at the birdbaths is shown in fig. 1. The baths were used most in September, January, May and June, and least in July. The number of species using the baths was highest in August, Sep- tember and June, generally decreasing through the autumn and winter to a low in February, and then gradually increasing again through the spring. Young Robins Erithacus rubecula and Blackbirds began using the baths in May, while on 31st May a family of Coal Tits Periparus ater was bathing shortly after fledging. To determine whether species used the two birdbaths to different extents, x2 tests (or, for small samples, Fisher’s Exact tests) were con- ducted and the results are summarised in table 2. The majority of species used the Near bath significantly more often than the Far bath, the only exception being Magpie Pica pica , while five species showed no preference. Goldcrests Regulus regains used the Near bath exclusively and four other species used it on more than 90% of occasions. There appeared to be a relationship between the proportion of visits to the Near bath and the size of the species. This was examined using the data of mean weight in Hickling (1983), the results being shown in fig. 2. There is a strong inverse relationship between weight and the percentage of visits to the Near bath. Significant differences in the number of northeast British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 523 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden c Table 2. The use of Near and Far birdbaths for drinking and bathing. Significance levels:* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.0 1 ; *** P < 0.00 1 . Scientific names of species mentioned given in table I . Use of Near and Far birdbaths Near birdbath used significantly more often (% Near in brackets): Goldcrest (100); Wren (96.3***); Common Chiffchaff (93.2 ***); Long-tailed Tit (91.5***); Coal Tit (91.2***); Dunnock (87.2***); Blackcap (85.5***); Willow Warbler (84.0***); House Sparrow (81.8***); Blue Tit (81.4***); Bullfinch (78.9*); Great Tit (77.1***); Common Chaffinch (75.5***); Robin (72.4***); Greenfinch (66.4***); Blackbird (60.8***); Collared Dove (60.6**). Far birdbath used significantly more often (% Far in brackets): Magpie (86.7**). No preference for either birdbath: Great Spotted Woodpecker; Wood Pigeon; Song Thrush; Eurasian Jay; Common Starling. Drinking and bathing Visits were significantly more often for drinking than bathing ( % drinking in brackets): Collared Dove (98.7***); Great Spotted Woodpecker (96.3***); Eurasian Jay (93.3***); Wood Pigeon (87.1***); Magpie (86.7**); Greenfinch (83.2***); Common Chaffinch (79.0***); Blackbird (53.2*) Visits were significantly more often for bathing than drinking (% bathing in brackets): Long-tailed Tit (94.2***); Blackcap (89.2***); Goldcrest (86.7***); Common Chiffchaff (84.7***); Willow Warbler (84.0***); Song Thrush (83.3**); Robin (83.1***); Common Starling (80.9***); Wren (77.8**); Coal Tit (77.2***); Blue Tit (69.5***); Dunnock (68.4***); Great Tit (63.6***). Visits for drinking and bathing not significantly different: House Sparrow; Bullfinch. overall use of birdbaths for drinking and bathing were also investigated using x2 (or Fisher’s Exact test), the results being sum- marised in table 2. Eight species used the baths significantly more often for drinking, though only marginally so in the case of Blackbird. Col- lared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major and Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius were almost exclusively drinkers. Thirteen species used the baths signif- icantly more often for bathing than drinking; in the case of Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus the baths were used almost exclusively for bathing, while House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula showed no preference for either activity when using bird- baths. Very few birds both drank and bathed on the same visit, this being recorded on only 2.5% of occasions. The only species deviating far from this average were Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris (6.4%), House Sparrow (4.4%), Gold- crest (4.4%), Dunnock Prunella modularis (4.3%) and Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus (4.3%). Seasonal use of birdbaths Seasonal use was investigated for the ten species with more than 100 observations. Of these, Blackbird, Blue Tit and Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs showed signifi- cant changes in the proportion of birds bathing or drinking over the season (x2 = 77.1, 86.9, 25.5 respectively; df = 11, P < 0.001). All three species drank more in the winter months and bathed more in summer (fig. 3). These species also showed seasonal dif- ferences in frequency of visits to the birdbaths (figs. 3-5), although all except House Sparrow were present every day in the garden. Blackbird and Chaffinch showed winter peaks, the latter especially Fig. 2. The relationship between the mean weight of a species and the percentage use of the Near birdbath. 524 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden c Fig. 3a Blackbird 400 t 300 Fig. 3b Blue Tit 200 ASONDJ FMAMJ J Fig. 3d Greenfinch ASONDJ FMAMJ J Fig. 3. Number of observations of drinking (black portion of bar) and bathing (grey) by Blackbird Turdus merula (3a), Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus (3b), Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (3c) and Greenfinch Carduelis chloris (3d) over a 1 2-month period in a garden in northeast Essex, 2004/05. so in January, while Dunnock, Robin and Great Tit Parus major were scarcer visitors in winter. Collared Dove showed a spring peak, at a time when Long-tailed Tits were scarce visitors. A sharp autumn peak of visits was apparent for House Sparrow. The visits of Blue Tit and Greenfinch fluctuated, with no obvious pattern. Daily use of birdbaths Since data were not collected systematically, it is not possible to describe the daily pattern of birdbath usage. However, as all species are equally likely to be seen, it is possible to compare patterns of usage among species. Fig. 6 i (p. 528) shows the daily pattern of usage for the three most frequently recorded species for the months of February and June. All species make visits throughout the day. However, Blackbirds : show a peak of early morning visits in both months, with a second peak in the middle of the day in June. Blue Tits made most visits between 12.00 and 15.00 hrs in February, with early morning and late afternoon peaks in June. Greenfinches showed a large peak in visits at midday in February, and peaks in June in the early morning, midday and late afternoon. Mixed bathing The birdbaths were frequently very busy, espe- cially with the arrival of tit flocks, and groups of up to 15 birds were observed bathing together in a single bath. Seventeen species were seen to share baths with other species. These included Great Spotted Woodpecker with Blue Tit; Robin with Blue Tit and Great Tit; and Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus with Common Chiffchaff Ph. collybita , Blue Tit and Dunnock. The largest groups were 1 1 Blue Tits with four Long-tailed Tits; nine Blue Tits with one Great Tit and four Long-tailed Tits; and six Long- tailed Tits, three Blue Tits and a Goldfinch Car- duelis carduelis. The birds appeared to stimulate one another to bathe. Use of the pond Only 131 visits were made to the pond, British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 525 Rebecca Nason Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden c Fig. 4a Dunnock ASONDJ FMAMJ J Fig. 4b Robin Fig. 4. Number of observations of drinking (black portion of bar) and bathing (grey) by Dunnock Prunella modularls (4a), Robin Erithacus rubecula (4b), Great Tit Parus major (4c) and House Sparrow Passer domesticus (4d) over a 1 2-month period in a garden in northeast Essex, 2004/05. 280. Blackbird Turdus merula at birdbath, Hampshire, April 2006. 526 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden Fig. 5b Long- tailed Tit Fig. 5. Number of observations of drinking (black portion of bar) and bathing (grey) by Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto (5a) and Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus (5b) over a 12-month period in a garden in northeast Essex. 2004/05. involving just 1 1 species (table 3). Blackbird was the most frequent visitor and 87.5% of visits were to drink, compared with 53.2% at the birdbaths. The only other frequent visitor was Greenfinch, with 87% of visits for drinking, compared with 83% at the birdbaths. Dew-bathing Dew-bathing was seen only in July, August and September. It was observed on 18 occasions on the lawn, involving Greenfinch (5), Great Tit (4), Common Chiffchaff (4), Blackcap (2), Robin (1), Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis (1) and Chaffinch (1). Dew-bathing among leaves on trees was noted seven times, involving Blue Tit (4) and Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Dunnock on single occasions. Discussion There are some notable differences in frequency Table 3. The number of visits (total 1 3 I ) to a garden pond in northeast Essex over a 12-month period 2004/05. Scientific names of species mentioned given in table I. Species No. visits % Blackbird 80 61.1 Greenfinch 23 17.6 Common Chaffinch 9 6.9 Collared Dove 5 . 3.8 Blue Tit 5 3.8 Great Tit 2 1.5 Robin 2 1.5 Magpie 2 1.5 Eurasian Jay 1 0.8 Wood Pigeon 1 0.8 Wren 1 0.8 of visits of species between our results and those recorded in Devon in the 1970s (Coard 1976, 1979, summarised in Glue 1982), which are probably more related to gross changes in population size between the two studies rather than geography. House Sparrow and Starling were by far the most numerous visitors to water in Devon, comprising 61% of all observations, whereas House Sparrow was the 5th most-fre- quent visitor and Starling was ranked only 15th in our study, making up just 6.1% of observa- tions between them and clearly illustrating the decline in fortunes of these two species (Cannon et al. 2005). Similarly, the Song Thrush Turdus philomelos was ranked 9th overall in Devon but 23rd in Essex. Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba was recorded frequently as a bather in rural Devon gardens but never observed at our water, though birds overflew the garden regularly. Long-tailed Tits did not visit gardens in summer in Devon, though they did so often with us. Redwings Turdus iliacus and Fieldfares T. pilaris were regular visitors to the garden in winter, the latter species occurring in a flock of up to 60 feeding on Crab Apples Mains sylvestris during a cold snap in February and March. Neither species used water, though we have sub- sequently observed a Fieldfare drinking at the Near bath, in January 2006. The number of species using the birdbaths was highest in August and September, reflecting the movement of migrant species through the garden. A second peak in May and June may have represented the dispersal of birds from neighbouring habitats. The number of species using the baths was lowest in February and British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 527 c Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden > Fig. 6. Frequency of visits to birdbaths in a garden in northeast Essex throughout the day in February (6a) and June (6b) 2005 by Blackbird Turdus merula, Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. March, rather surprisingly because these were the cold months in an otherwise mild winter and the feeders in the garden were especially busy. As the area is close to the coast, conditions in and around the garden were not as severe as elsewhere in the country and alternative sources of water may have remained accessible. There appeared to be three peaks in overall usage of the baths: in September (a generally warm, dry month), January (mild) and May-June (a period of short hot spells but no prolonged dry weather). There were marked differences in the extent to which individual species used birdbaths for drinking and bathing. Some species, primarily seedeaters (Collared Dove, Greenfinch, Chaffinch), used birdbaths predominantly for drinking in both Essex and Devon and this pattern was observed in most months of the year. However, there were some notable differ- ences between the results of the Essex and Devon studies. House Sparrows used water pri- marily for drinking in Devon, while in Essex birds were as frequently observed bathing as drinking. In Devon, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Robin and Song Thrush were observed more often drinking than bathing, whereas in Essex these species were observed bathing significantly more often. Blackbird, Blue Tit and Chaffinch all drank more in winter than at other times of the year. This may reflect their increased reliance during the winter months on seeds and arti- ficial foods, rather than on inver- tebrates, which would supply some of their needs for water. The greater frequency of visits to the birdbaths in winter by Black- bird and Chaffinch may be a reflection of greater numbers in the garden at this time. For example, 22 Blackbirds were counted together in the garden on 30th January 2005. The spring peaks, primarily for bathing, shown by Dunnocks, Great Tits and Robins may indicate the need of incubating birds to refresh plumage and/or visits by juven- iles. Other species showed no clear seasonal patterns in visits. The non-systematic collection of data did not allow a detailed examination of patterns of water usage through the day but data for three species (Blackbird, Blue Tit and Greenfinch) in two months (February and June) demonstrate that significant species and seasonal differences occur (fig. 6). Blackbirds were notable for their early morning visits. Robins were noted for bathing in the evening when it was almost dark, especially so in the autumn (data not shown) and this behaviour has also been commented on by Hancock (1965). The use of birdbaths through the day is likely to be strongly influ- enced by the way birds use the garden. Species such as Blackbird and Robin were more or less resident, whereas flocks of tits roamed more widely for food. Nevertheless, tit flocks were present at feeders constantly in February but there were still peaks in birdbath use at certain times of day. Birds were observed to drink and bathe in groups frequently and mixed-species bathing was often involved, even with generally aggres- 528 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 c Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden ) sive species such as Robin (see ‘Mixed bathing’, p. 525). Flocking species such as the tits, Green- finches, House Sparrows and Starlings appeared to stimulate one another to bathe. Summers- Smith (1963) commented on the social bond within House Sparrow flocks, with individuals simultaneously adopting the same behaviour. We observed dew-bathing on the lawn and among foliage on 25 occasions, involving ten species, during late summer and early autumn. We suggest that this is a frequent activity at this time of year but there are few reports of this behaviour. It has been reported previously in Common Chiffchaff (Cornish 1951), Wren Troglodytes troglodytes (Armstrong 1955), Song Thrush and Blackbird (Simms 1978), Sand Martin Riparia riparia (Oliver 1979), Willow Warbler (Spencer 1982), Dunnock (Bishton 1984), and Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (Glue 1985; Mason 1995). Verbeek (1962) reported dew-bathing in a number of North American passerines. The pond attracted far fewer visits than either birdbath, and from a smaller range of species. As the pond was situated close to cover, birds may have perceived a risk of attack by ground predators, especially cats. However, two larger ponds, sited away from cover elsewhere in the garden, were also used only infrequently and by a small range of species, though their position prevented regular observation. In con- trast, the birdbaths were in almost constant use. The Near birdbath, situated immediately adja- cent to evergreen cover, was used significantly more often than the Far bath, especially by smaller species. Since the bathing area was 70 cm high, ground predators were likely to pose little threat at either bath. Aerial predators, in particular Eurasian Sparrowhawks Accipiter rtisus , may have presented a risk and the Near bath would have allowed for a more rapid departure into cover should a hawk appear. Only Magpies, perhaps unlikely prey for a Sparrowhawk, preferred the Far bath and this may have been more related to the species’ wariness of humans. Of the five species showing no preference for either birdbath, only Song Thrush and Starling were likely to fall ready prey to Sparrowhawks. Spar- rowhawks were almost daily visi- tors to the garden and during the winter they harried birds at feeders regularly during the day, frequently making kills. However, we never witnessed a kill of a bird at water during this study, although we have seen both a Starling and a Blackbird killed at the pond in earlier years. Burton (2005) remarked that few birds used his birdbath until he placed it close to an ever- green tree. In contrast, Anon. (2005) recom- mended that a birdbath be sited at least 2 m from surrounding cover to be safe from preda- tors, though no evidence for this suggestion was provided. We strongly disagree with this state- ment. To provide access to water for a range of bird species, we recommend the provision of a pedestal birdbath, rather than a pond, placed as close as possible to evergreen cover. For the human observer, the visitors to the birdbath provide as much entertainment as those to feeders. References Anonymous 2005. Handbook of Garden Wildlife 2005-2006. CJ Wildbird Foods, Shropshire. Armstrong, E.A. 1955. The Wren. Collins, London. Baines, C. 1 985. How to Make a Wildlife Garden. Elm Tree Books, London. — 2000. How to Make a Wildlife Garden. Frances Lincoln, London. Bishton, G. 1 984. Dunnock bathing in and drinking dew, and dust-bathing. Brit Birds 77: 486-487. Burton, Ft 2005. Garden Bird Behaviour. New Holland, London. Campbell, B„ & Lack, E. 1 985. A Dictionary of Birds. Poyser; Calton. Cannon, A. 1 999.The significance of private gardens for bird conservation. Bird Conserv. Internatn. 9: 287-298. — 2000. The Garden Birdwatch Handbook, 2nd edn. BTO, Thetford. Cannon, A. R., Chamberlain, D. E„Toms, M. R, Hatchwell, B.J., & Gaston, K.J. 2005. Trends in the use of private gardens by wild birds in Great Britain 1995-2002. J.Appl. Ecol. 42: 659-671. Coard, RT 1976. Report on the bird drinking and bathing survey. Devon Birds 29: 42-50. 28 1 . Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla at garden pond, Kent, July 1 993. British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 529 Tim Loseby Rebecca Nason 282. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis at birdbath, Cambridgeshire, April 2006. — 1 979. Birds drinking and bathing survey - 3rd April to 1st October 1978. Devon Birds 32: 37^3. Cornish, A. V. 1951. Chiffchaff bathing on wet leaves. Brit Birds 44: 175. Cowie.R.J., & Hinsley, S.A. l988.The provision of food and the use of bird feeders in suburban gardens. Bird Study 35: 163-168. Gaston, K. J„ Smith, R. M. .Thompson, K„ & Warren, R H. 2005. Urban domestic gardens (II): experimental tests of methods for increasing biodiversity. Biodivers. Conserv. 14: 395-413. Gibbons, B„ & Gibbons, L. 1 988. Creating a Wildlife Garden. Hamlyn, London. Glue, D. 1 982. The Garden Bird Book. Macmillan, London. — 1 985. Blackcap foliage-bathing in gardens. Brit. Birds 78: 354. — 2005. Black Redstarts brighten winter birdtables. BTO News 260: 8-9. Hancock, M. 1 965. Birds 'bathing' in snow and wet grass, leaves and earth. Brit Birds 58: 155-156. Hickling, R 1 983. Enjoying Ornithology. Poysen Calton. Mason, C. F. 1 995. The Blackcap. Hamlyn, London. — 2000,Thrushes now largely restricted to the built environment in eastern England. Divers. Distrib. 6: 189-194. Moss, S., & Cottridge, D. 1 998. Attracting Birds to your Garden. New Holland, London. Oliver RJ. 1979. Sand Martins drinking and apparently bathing in dew. Brit Birds 72: 36. Simms, E. 1 978. British Thrushes. Collins, London. Spencer K. G. 1 982. Willow Warbler bathing in dew. Brit Birds 75: 36. Summers-Smith.J. D. 1963. The House Sparrow. Collins, London. Verbeek, N. A. M. 1 962. On dew bathing and drought in passerines. Auk 79: 7 1 9. Christopher F. Mason and Sheila M. Macdonald, Strome, Top Common, East Runton, Norfolk NR27 9PR Looking back Seventy-five years ago: ‘GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS BORING IN TELEPHONE POLES. In June, 1931, the Inspector of the Post Office Engineering Department at Yeovil, Somerset, informed me that he had to renew three telephone poles at Chilton Cantelo, near Yeovil, owing to their being ren- dered unsafe by woodpeckers boring into them. ‘After they were brought in I purchased one of these poles, and found that the damage done was clearly the work of Great Spotted Woodpeckers ( Dryobates m. anglicus). The pole was 24 ft. high and carried only one crossbar with one pair of wires. Besides numerous small workings there were six holes of considerable size in it, the depth of the holes varying from about 1 in. to 1 ft. The top hole was just below the crossbar and only 1 ft. down from the extreme top of the pole; the other holes were about 15 ins. apart below each other, the bottom one being the deepest. The pole was considerably rotten inside and some of the holes must have been there for some time. There was no evidence that the birds had bred in the deepest hole at the bottom. C. J. Pring.’ ( Brit. Birds 25: 131-132, October 1931) 530 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 521-530 Conservation research news Compiled by Andy Evans and Len Campbell The impact of the bird trade on threatened species There are 354 species of parrot (Psittacidae) in the world, of which 129 (36%) are listed as Threatened or Near Threatened by the IUCN. Of these, 71 (55%) are threatened to some extent by trade. Proponents of the wild-bird trade often put forward the argument that bans force the trade underground where it cannot be regulated. An alternative hypothesis is that, because much of the illegal trade in wild birds is laundered through legal channels, bans will reduce both legal and illegal trade. Two recent, important papers have produced data showing unequivocally that legislation imposing trade restrictions can benefit parrots through increasing nesting success and, in one critically endangered species, has resulted in a population increase. Pain et al. (2006) collated data from published and ‘grey’ literature on rates of parrot ‘nest take’ (i.e. removal of nestlings by humans for legal or illegal trade). They looked at 17 species from Africa, Asia and Australasia. Nest take was negligible in Australia, where both local and national protection measures were in place. In less developed countries, nest take ranged from 0 to 100%. In these countries, the authors show that a medium (local or national) or high (both local and national) level of pro- tection resulted in an eight-fold drop in nest take and a corresponding 2.7-fold increase in nesting success. The Citron-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sul- phured citrinocristata is endemic to the island of Sumba, Indonesia. In 1992 it was classified as Critically Endangered, with a population of 3,200 and an estimated legal export of 1,600 birds per year. Legal trade ceased in 1994 and in 2004 the species was placed on CITES Appendix 1, effectively banning all trade. Cahill et al. pre- sented results of a detailed resurvey of the pop- ulation in 2004, ten years after trade ceased, and these show that the population density doubled over this period. Illegal trade unfortunately continues, but at a low level. These papers make an important and timely contribution to a highly topical debate. The European Commission is currently considering relaxing the global EU ban on the wild-bird trade, enforced in October 2005 in response to biosecurity fears over avian influenza. Prior to this, the EU was responsible for more than 60% of global imports of parrots. These studies suggest that continuation of the ban would have a positive impact on their conservation status. Pain, D. J„ Martins, T L. F., Boussekey, M„ Diaz, S. H„ Downs, C. T, Ekstrom.J. M. M., Garnett, S., Gilardi, J. D., McNiven, D. , Primot, R, Rouys, S., Saoumoe, M., Symes, C.T, Tamungang, S. A.,Theuerkauf, J., Villafuerte, D.,Verfailles, L.Widmann, R, & Widmann, I. D. 2006. Impact of protection on nest take and nesting success of parrots in Africa, Asia and Australasia. Anim. Conserv. 9: 322-330. Cahill, A. J., Walker J. S., & Marsden, S. J. 2006. Recovery within a population of the Critically Endangered Citron- crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata in Indonesia after 1 0 years of international trade control. Oryx 40: 161-167. Are long-distance migrants threatened on their wintering grounds? In the last few years, a considerable amount of evidence has been published from studies within the UK and more broadly across Europe to show that breeding populations of many resi- dent and migrant species have declined. In many cases, changes in agricultural practices in the breeding areas have been shown to be a major factor and suitable measures have been © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 531-532 531 Graham Catley Conservation research news > identified and adopted to reverse the trends. However, declines have also been recorded among species in other habitats, notably wood- land, where changes in management over the last 50 years appear to have been less dramatic than in farmland. This has again focused atten- tion on the possibility that factors on the win- tering grounds may also be adversely affecting migrant breeding species. Using data collected by BirdLife Interna- tional for its Birds in Europe project, Fiona Sanderson and her co-authors were able to analyse and compare trends among a wide range of resident and migrant species from countries throughout Europe. Trends within two periods (1970-1990 and 1990-2000) were assessed and found to be broadly similar. Overall the mean trend for long-distance migrants was negative (significantly so in the first period) and significantly more negative in both periods than for short-distance migrants and resident species. To minimise the possible effects of the different range of species included in the long-distance migrant and other cat- egories, 30 pairs of closely related species were selected, one of which was a long-distance migrant (e.g. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis and Garden Warbler Sylvia borin), the other a resi- dent or short-distance migrant (e.g. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis and Blackcap S. atri- capilla). The long-distance migrants declined significantly in both time periods and signifi- cantly more so than the resident and short-dis- tance migrants. This difference was irrespective of whether or not both species in the pair bred in the same habitat and was most marked for those where one of the pair wintered in arid open areas in Africa. A separate analysis of data for species that winter in Africa showed that those wintering on dry open habitats declined significantly more in both periods than all those using other habitats grouped together. This work clearly demonstrates that, when compared with short-distance migrants or resi- dent species breeding in Europe and irrespec- tive of breeding habitat, those that undertake long-distance migrations, particularly to Africa, have declined more consistently and severely over the last 30 years. Although, as the authors suggest, this could simply be because they are for unknown reasons less able to adapt to changes on the breeding grounds than resident species, the markedly greater declines in those wintering in arid parts of Africa gives a strong indication that change on the wintering grounds may be very important. Desertification in the Sahel, as a result of agricultural pressures coupled with drought, has previously been shown to be linked with fluctuating migrant populations, for example during the drought of the 1980s, and this indicates what some of the factors may be behind these longer-term trends. However, very little is known about the win- tering ecology of these species and much remains to be done before it will be possible to assess what measures might be taken to halt and reverse such declines. While action to improve conditions within the European breeding grounds remains essential, increased attention must be given to stopover sites and especially the win- tering grounds of long- distance migrants. Sanderson, F. J„ Donald, R F„ Pain, D.J., Burfield, I.J., & van Bommel. F. R J. 2006. Long- term population declines in Afro-Palearctic migrant birds. Biol. Conserv. 1 3 1 : 93- 1 05. 283. Long-distance migrants such as this Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis appear to have declined more than comparable short-distance migrants over the last three decades, suggesting that factors on the wintering grounds and on their migration routes may be important. 532 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 531-532 Notes All Notes submitted to British Birds are subject to independent review, either by the Notes Panel or by the 86 Editorial Board. Those considered appropriate for 88 will be published either here or on our website (www.britishbirds.co.uk) subject to the availability of space. Common Eiders and Common Guillemots taken by KillerWhales A recent note by William E. Smith described moulting Common Eiders Somateria mollissima being devoured by Killer Whales Orcinus orca in Shetland in 2005 (Brit. Birds 99: 264). Further instances of the same behaviour in the Northern Isles have recently come to light. In Orkney, on 14th August 2003, Bruce Omand was working in a field at Stembister, overlooking Clivie Bay, East Mainland, when he saw a pod of 7-8 ‘Orcas’, including an adult male, approaching a flock of moulting Common Eiders. As the Eiders attempted to move away, they were headed off by the adult male and then several of the Orcas dived, emerged in the middle of the Eider flock and grasped some of the ducks in their mouths. As other ducks tried to escape, the whales flicked them into the air with their tails. Another sighting of Orcas attacking birds was reported in The Orcadian. On 3rd July 2004, L. Rowland saw Common Guillemots Uria aalge taken by Orcas from the surface of the sea below the cliffs of the large seabird colony at Marwick Head, West Mainland. Unfortunately, no further details of this occurrence are available. In Shetland, on 23rd June 2006, PME watched a female Killer Whale pursue a brood of five tiny Eider ducklings close inshore along a pebble beach at Mail, Cunningsburgh. The two accompanying female Eiders managed to escape. On the first lunge, the Orca caught one duck- ling; it then turned quickly, lunged again and caught two more in one mouthful. The other two ducklings were assumed to have escaped. Chris J. Booth Orkney Cetacean Recorder, 34 High Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW 15 1AZ Peter M. Ellis Seaview, Sandwick, Shetland ZE2 9HP Common Kingfisher eating newts On 11th March 2006, at Rutland Water, Leices- tershire, a Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis appeared on a perch in front of one of the hides at the Egleton reserve. It was carrying prey, which upon close observation turned out to be a newt (Salamandridae). The Kingfisher bat- tered its unfortunate victim hard on the perch for a minute or so before manoeuvring it and swallowing it head first. After diving into the water several times to bathe, it flew off and i Terry Mitcham 30 Sutherland Way, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2TB returned five minutes later with a second newt, which received the same treatment as the first. From their small size, the newts were probably Smooth Newts Triturus vulgaris, although Great Crested Newts T. cristatus also occur in this lagoon. The Handbook contains one record of newt being taken, although BWP does not specifically mention newts as a food item of the Common Kingfisher, mentioning only frogs Rana specifically. Breeding population estimate for Northern Wheatear in Britain The 1988-91 Breeding Atlas gave the number of Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe breeding in Britain as 55,000 pairs (Conder 1993), a figure which seems to have been accepted without comment or qualification in subsequent summaries of the species’ status in Britain (e.g. Clement 1997, Stone et al. 1997, Mead 2000, Baker et al. 2006). The purpose of this note is to highlight a number of points which suggest that that estimate may be too small by a substantial margin. An indication that the figure of 55,000 pairs may not be correct first came to light while trying to estimate how many Northern © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 533-535 533 Notes C > Wheatears breed in Caithness. This region con- stitutes approximately 1.6% of the species’ British range (28 occupied 10-km squares, from a national total of 1,738 occupied such squares), which, given that densities in Caithness appear to be around the national average (see density distribution map in Conder 1993), suggests a population of about 900 pairs. Northern Wheatears are generally considered to be common in Caithness, but a figure of this mag- nitude would rank the species with birds such as Common Eider Somateria mollissima, Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus, House Martin Delichon urbicum and Great Tit Parus major, all species which I believe are better regarded as no more than ‘fairly common’ in Caithness. A second indication that the 1988-91 Breeding Atlas figure may be too small comes from Shetland, where a recent survey based on selected 1-km squares gave a population esti- mate of some 6,700-10,000 pairs, which equates to 12-18% of the British population (Pen- nington et al. 2004). There is no doubt that Shetland holds relatively high densities of Northern Wheatears, but so do a number of other parts of Britain (for example the north- west Highlands, Inner and Outer Hebrides, Grampians and Southern Uplands in Scotland; the Lake District and southern Pennines in England; and the Cambrian Mountains in both North and Mid Wales. All the areas mentioned above are similarly classified as having the highest level of relative abundance in Conder’s density distribution map), and it seems unlikely that the proportion in Shetland is really as high as 12-18% of the British population. It is also instructive to compare the popula- tion estimate for Britain with those for other European countries (table 1). The mean densities shown were calculated as the number of breeding pairs divided by the number of occupied 50-km x 50-km cells (as used in the EBCC Atlas) expressed relative to the figure for Britain (data from Hage- meijer & Blair 1997). The fact that Britain has a density at the bottom of the range of, or substan- tially less than, the other countries fisted (except Greece) does not appear consistent with the den- sities shown in Hagemeijer & Blair’s (1997) map for Northern Wheatear. It is worth commenting, in passing, that the relative density (and hence the population estimate) for Norway looks anom- alously high. Indirect and rather crude though these argu- ments are, they suggest that the figure of 55,000 pairs is an underestimate. It was derived by multiplying the number of ‘breeding evidence’ 10-km squares by the mean density per occu- pied 10-km square. The figure for the latter (40 pairs) had been taken from the 1968-72 Breeding Atlas (Sharrock 1976) and was based on the assumption of one-tenth of the density (4 pairs/km:) found on a Westmorland farm. No justification was given for the ‘one-tenth’ figure, and, with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that it is not well founded. A somewhat better figure can be estimated from the figures for Shetland quoted above. Northern Wheatears occupied 48 10-km squares in Shetland according to the 1988-91 Breeding Atlas, giving a mean density of 140-210 pairs per 10-km square (figures rounded to nearest 10). Densi- ties in Shetland seem to be roughly double Table I. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe population estimates in western Europe. Country No. breeding (thousands of pairs) Range of occupied cells * Density relative to Britain Density f (EBCC map) Norway 1,000-2,000 153 13-26 - Spain 340 137-150 4.7— 5.2 - Finland 200-300 165 3.2 H Sweden 100-500 211 1. 0-5.0 I Bulgaria 50-500 51 2.0-20 I Italy 100-200 88-110 1.9-4. 8 I (N. Italy) Romania 50-200 95 1. 1-4.4 I Belarus 60 48-81 1. 5-2.6 I Britain 55 115 1 H (Scotland) L-I (England & Wales) Greece 30 92-100 0.6-0.7 L-I * Number of occupied 50-km x 50-km cells; upper and lower limits quoted for Spain, Italy, Belarus and Greece take into account cells not surveyed. t Estimated from map in Clement (1997); L=low; I=intermediate; H=high. British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 533-535 534 Notes C those elsewhere (see density distribution map in Conder 1993), which suggests a national mean density of some 70-105 pairs per 10-km square. Since there were 1,738 occupied 10-km squares nationally in 1988-91, this yields a suggested revision to the population estimate for Northern Wheatear in Britain (rounded to the nearest 100,000) of 100,000-200,000 pairs. Average population density across the whole of a species’ British range is not easy to estimate, especially from habitat-specific or local densities. It is quite likely that popula- tion estimates for other species that have been derived in the same way as for the Northern Wheatear are in error. That for the Twite Car- duelis flavirostris quoted in the earlier compil- ation of the Avian Population Estimates Panel (Stone et al. 1997) was subsequently shown to be too high using arguments similar to those deployed here (see Clark 8c Sellers 2001), and this has since been substantially confirmed by > survey (Baker et al. 2006). References Baker H„ Stroud, D. A.,Aebischer, N.J., Cranswick, R A., Gregory, R. D„ McSorley, C. A., Noble, D. G., & Rehfisch, M. M. 2006. Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Brit Birds 99: 25-44. Clark, H„ & Sellers, R. M. 200 1 . How many Twites are there in Britain? Unpublished report. Clement, R 1 997. Oenanthe oenanthe, Wheatear In: Hagemeijer.W.J. M„ & Blair M.J. (eds.), The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: 530-53 1 . Poyser London. Conder R 1 993. Wheatear In: Gibbons, D.W, Reid, J. B„ & Chapman, R. A. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1 988 - 1991: 31 0-3 1 I . Poyser London. Mead, C. 2000. The State of the Nations’ Birds. Whittet Books, Stowmarket. Pennington, M„ Osborn, K., Harvey, R, Riddington, R., Okill, D„ Ellis, R, & Heubeck, M. 2004. The Birds of Shetland. Christopher Helm, London. Sharrock, J.T R. 1 976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. BTO & IWC,Tring. Stone, B. H„ Sears, J., Cranswick, RA„ Gregory, R. D., Gibbons, D.W., Rehfisch, M. M„ Aebischer N. J„ & Reid, J. B. 1 997. Population estimates of birds in Britain and in the United Kingdom. Brit. Birds 90: 1-22. Robin M. Sellers Crag House, Ellerslie Park, Gosforth, Cumbria CA20 1BL; e-mail sellers@craghouse7.freeserve.co.uk EDITORIAL COMMENT Paul Harvey, manager of Shetland Biological Records Centre, has commented: ‘The figures given in Birds of Shetland, quoted above, were based on just one year’s data (in 2002, when 49 1-km squares were surveyed), from which the Shetland population of Northern Wheatears was esti- mated to be 8,176 pairs. Following three more seasons of fieldwork, the mean annual estimate (2002-05) is slightly higher, at 9,811 pairs (number of 1-km squares surveyed annually ranging from 49 to 65). The Shetland population is therefore apparently still within the range of 7,500-10,000 pairs quoted above, but these more recent figures add weight to the suggestion that the British Northern Wheatear population has been underestimated in the past.’ Male Common Chaffinches apparently trying to mate with incapacitated female A small flock of Common Chaffinches Fringilla 1 coelebs is resident in my garden in Cumbria during the winter months. At about 13.05 hrs on 12th March 2006, and with the whole garden blanketed in snow, a female from this flock flew into a first-floor window and fell to the ground immediately below, where she lay prone, with her wings slightly spread and gaping every few ; seconds. Within about 30 seconds, five male Chaffinches, which had been feeding on the ground some 5 m away, flew to the female and landed in a semicircle round her, about 20-30 cm away. First one, then a second of these males Robin M. Sellers Crag House, Ellerslie Park, Gosforth, Cumbria CA20 flew to the female and stood briefly on her back, before all five flew off. Four minutes later a male returned and repeated this extraordinary behaviour. The female’s gaping then ceased, she drew in her wings, and began looking around, but did not fly off for another ten minutes. She appeared to have been winded after hitting the window. It is difficult to see the males’ behav- iour as anything other than attempted mating, presumably prompted by their misinterpreting the female’s fall to the ground, passive disposi- tion and slightly spread wings as a form of ‘solicitation’ display. 1BL; e-mail sellers@craghouse7.freeserve.co.uk British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 533-535 535 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds The Great Crane Project The reintroduction bandwagon rolls on. The ninth British bird species in recent years to be subject to a reintroduction programme will be the Common Crane Grus grus. The ‘Great Crane Project’ was unveiled at this year’s Birdfair by the project partners RSPB, WWT, the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and Jordans Cereals. The aim is to re-establish a breeding population of Common Cranes at a new wetland site ‘securing its future as a breeding species’. Common Cranes were formerly widespread in Britain; they appeared in medieval illuminated manuscripts (and on the menu for Henry Ill’s feast at York in 1251) and are commemorated in place- names like Cranfield (Bedford- shire) and Cranbrook (Kent). But the drainage of extensive areas of wetland, together with hunting, caused them to disappear as a breeding bird from Britain by the start of the seventeenth century. However, after an absence of nearly 400 years. Common Cranes recolonised the Norfolk Broads — a former breeding site - in 1979. Successful breeding has continued ever since; indeed, a Crane nest was viewable from a public hide in Norfolk this spring, although it was not widely publicised. The Norfolk population is unusual in that it is resident, rather than migratory like all other Crane populations in Europe. The backers of the Great Crane Project portray the Norfolk birds as ‘isolated and vulnerable’ (although the population has held its own for nearly 30 years) and the three organisations concerned are now planning a conservation pro- gramme to re-establish Common Cranes at a new site. A shortlist of potential release sites is being drawn up, and techniques for rearing young Cranes are being investigated (Pensthorpe already has Cranes in its waterfowl collec- tion near Fakenham, in Norfolk). The earliest release that could take place in Britain would be in 2009 and it is hoped that British- hatched Common Cranes would nest five years after that. The RSPB’s conservation director, Dr Mark Avery, said: ‘Cranes capture the spirit of our great wetlands, and re-establishing them makes sense at a time when wetlands are being expanded and improved for the benefit of wildlife. The RSPB brings signifi- cant experience of reintroductions, and wetland habitat management, to this partnership. We can’t wait to see Cranes gracing the skies once again.’ Dr Baz Hughes, head of species conservation for WWT, said: ‘Cranes are fantastic ambassadors for wetland conservation. They are big, charismatic, noisy birds that can inspire people to support and get involved with conservation. We will use our 60 years of expertise to hatch and rear the young Cranes and develop new Crane exhibits at our wetland centres in the UK.’ But what is so great about the Great Crane Project? At the last count we have ongoing reintroduc- tion schemes for Red Kite Milvus milvus. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos , White-tailed Eagle Hali- aeetus albicilla, Osprey Pandion haliaetus. Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix , Great Bustard Otis tarda, Corn Crake Crex crex and Cirl Bunting Etnberiza cirlus. Do we need yet another reintroduction? One senior conservationist told N&c: ‘We’ve created all these wet- lands. Now we need to put some- thing special on them.’ Is that the rationale for reintroductions now? Then perhaps we should add White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus to the list - another spectacular species that once graced British wetlands. Could the Common Crane be the latest weapon in an arms race developing between government and non-governmental organisa- tions (NGOs)? Natural England (the rebranded English Nature, which began life on 1st October) has made reintroduction of White- tailed Eagles to East Anglia its flag- ship project. Now two heavyweight NGOs - RSPB and WWT - have announced that Cranes will be their headline-grabber of choice. Would the rapidly declining Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus be a more appropriate choice for resurrection through reintroduction? N&c would be interested to hear readers’ views. No legal protection for Sky Lark and Song Thrush Here, they are Red-listed species of conservation concern, but some of our most cherished songbirds still have no legal protection whatso- ever in one of the few countries where they still thrive. Now British birders have a chance to help to change that. Sky Lark Alauda arvensis. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos. Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret, Yel- lowhammer Emberiza citrinella and Cirl Bunting are found in great abundance in New Zealand. These species - plus a further eight passerines, including Dunnock Prunella modularis, Blackbird T. merula. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris and House Sparrow Passer domesticus - were all introduced to New Zealand by homesick Euro- 536 © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 536—540 c pean settlers in the late nineteenth century. The introduction of alien birds and mammals to New Zealand from Europe, Asia, Australia and North America has had a profound impact on native bird species (the only endemic mammals were three species of bat (Chiroptera), and one of them has not been seen since 1967) and the Department of Conservation (DoC) has done a heroic job to preserve endangered endemics on offshore, rat-free, islands. Now, the DoC is reviewing the degree of protection afforded to certain birds and mammals under the 1953 Wildlife Act. Native species receive absolute legal pro- tection but non-native species do not. For example, all the songbirds listed above appear on Schedule 5: News and comment Wildlife Not Protected. But perhaps that status could change in the present review. N&c was contacted by NZ writer and broadcaster Matthew Lark (yes. Lark), who has written a controversial article calling for full legal protection for these alien species as he believes that this is New Zealand’s global responsi- bility. The DoC consultation runs until 3rd November and the full discussion document can be viewed at www.doc.govt.nz/pdfs/ wildlife-protection-review.pdf Matthew Lark says: ‘Can I urge you to consider what your world and mine would be like without the siz- zling sibilance of the Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis or the magical phrases of the thrush. You can help us to conserve both, by advocating their absolute protection. Do this, D and the New Zealand public, and your own offspring’s offspring, may thank you in perpetuity.’ It certainly seems ironic that RSPB researchers travelled to the South Island of New Zealand in the 1990s to study the abundant Cirl Buntings before launching the recovery programme in southwest England. Maybe they should just have trapped all those unprotected birds and released them back home in the UK. If the NZ authorities can be persuaded that ‘our’ birds are worth protecting in their new home on the other side of the world, perhaps we should then be more zealous in protecting our feral Mandarin Duck Aix galericu- lata and Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus that are now threatened species in their native China. £10,000 reward offered following double eagle killing In response to the poisoning of two Golden Eagles, RSPB Scotland, for the first time in its history, is offering a reward for information which leads to the arrest and con- viction of the person(s) responsible for the poisoning of birds. Anony- mous donors have boosted the reward to five times its original value - from £1,000 to £5,000 per bird. The Northern Constabulary is currently carrying out inquiries into the poisoning of one of the eagles at the Glenfeshie Estate in the Cairngorms on 10th June. Grampian Police are also carrying out an inquiry following a similar death at Dinnet and Kinnord Estate near Ballater, on 13th May. These crimes caused RSPB Scotland great concern and the society decided to put up a reward of £1,000 per crime for informa- tion which leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The society hopes that this move will highlight the serious nature of this type of crime, as well as under- lining the determination of RSPB Scotland and the police to detect those responsible and bring them to justice. It is understood that both eagles were poisoned by car- bofuran, possession of which is in itself a crime. After hearing that RSPB Scot- land was offering up to £1,000 for each of the offences, both of which occurred within the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park, a businessman contacted the charity and offered an additional £8,000 to the rewards. Another donor said that he would cover the charity’s reward costs and pay the £2,000 already offered by RSPB Scotland. The donor who offered a further £8,000 told RSPB Scotland: ‘I simply cannot believe that anyone would wish to kill such a magnificent and awe-inspiring creature as a Golden Eagle. It is a sad and shameful state of affairs that some people judge it accept- able to carry out this practice in our society today. It is my hope that this donation will serve as a reminder how abhorrent the vast majority of right-thinking people view this activity, and help to stamp it out altogether.’ Duncan Orr Ewing, Head of Species and Land Management for RSPB Scotland, said: ‘The fact that two people, both of whom were previously unknown to the RSPB and are not members, have been motivated to approach us and offer £10,000 to help the appeal to catch these criminals is indicative of the public outrage at these crimes. We are grateful for their support and hope it leads to convictions in these deplorable cases.’ Anyone with any information about either crime is asked to contact the Northern Constabulary on (01463) 715555 or Grampian Police on (0845) 600 5700. Rosy year for Roseates The Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii colony on Coquet Island, off the Northumberland coast, has had another record year, with 94 nesting pairs rearing 105 chicks. This is despite egg-collectors taking a boat to the island in early June and stealing a clutch of Roseate Tern eggs from one of the special nestboxes that have made Coquet such a successful breeding site for this threatened seabird. As recently as 2000, there were just 34 pairs of Roseates on Coquet. To the north, one pair of Roseates again bred on Inner Fame this year. British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 536-540 537 News and comment Hen Harriers: best season for years but 60% killed illegally After five years of English Nature’s Hen Harrier Recovery Project, the organisation has some good news - and some bad news. The good news is that the 2006 breeding season has been the most produc- tive in England since 2002, with 46 young fledged from 12 successful nests (six of them on the Bowland Fells, in Lancashire). But that five-year dataset also reveals that, away from the safe haven of Bowland, on grouse moors in England nearly 60% of nesting attempts by Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus fail as a result of illegal persecution. The organisa- tion’s press statement says: ‘Illegally persecuting Hen Harriers by scaring, destroying nests and eggs or deliberate killing was the main cause of their near-extinction in England, and English Nature’s monitoring over the past five years shows that persecution remains the biggest reason for their continuing low population. This year two adult birds disappeared from nests, behaviour that is almost unheard of naturally and is highly suspi- cious... Over the last five years no Hen Harriers have disappeared whilst breeding in Bowland, whereas on grouse moors else- where in England nearly 60% of nesting attempts fail as a result of adult birds disappearing... Hen Harriers still pose one of the trick- iest conservation dilemmas in the UK; Hen Harriers eat Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus, amongst other things, and have been proven to affect numbers of grouse available for shooting. This undoubtedly provides the motivation for their illegal destruction. Yet grouse shooting has protected some of our rarest habitats and breeding birds, and funds the management these habitats require. If the Hen Harrier population is ever to fully recover, it will only be with the co-opera- tion of grouse-moor owners and managers.’ Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB's Director of Conservation said: ‘This beautiful bird remains far rarer than it should be in England. English Nature says that on grouse moors away from Bowland, 60% of nesting attempts fail because adults disappear during the nesting season. That’s a damning statistic and the Hen Harrier’s status is, frankly, an embarrassment for a country that is so proud of its natural heritage. ‘The new government body responsible for wildlife and the countryside. Natural England, will really need to put some effort and money into positive land manage- ment and stopping the “disappear- ance” and illegal killing of Hen Harriers if this bird is to get back where it belongs, on the nation’s moors.’ Gas extraction threatens Wadden Sea BirdLife has lodged an appeal against a permit authorising natural-gas extraction in the Wadden Sea, the coastal shallows between the Friesian Islands and the Dutch/German coast. At 10,000 km2, the Wadden Sea is the largest intertidal area in Europe and recognised by BirdLife as an Important Bird Area and by the European Union as a Natura 2000 site. But the habitat is already in poor condition, and gas extraction would cause further subsidence of the sands on which large numbers of migratory birds depend. ‘This internationally important natural reserve is in a deplorable state,’ said Hans Peeters of BirdLife Netherlands. For this reason, the Dutch Government has drawn up a strategy for the preservation and restoration of the habitat, particu- larly the dry high sands, which are vital for birds like Red Knot Calidris canutus and Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus. ‘The intended gas extraction will put pressure on this strategic objective,’ Peeters explained. ‘It is expected that up to 2024 a periodic deterior- ation of the surface of the high sands will take place. This decline will therefore hinder the natural restoration of the Wadden Sea for a longer period of time.’ To compensate for the drop in sand levels, sand from elsewhere along the coast would be dumped into the sea. This would suffocate the invertebrates on which birds like Common Scoter Melanitta nigra and Common Eider Sorna- teria mollissima depend. ‘Moreover, “sight hunters” will experience a continued hindrance owing to the murky, muddy water,’ Peeters warned. ‘The effect of sand supple- mentation has barely been investi- gated. Without a proper evaluation, the permit violates the European Birds and Habitats Directives and should not have been issued.’ Confirmation of Britain’s only endemic The status of Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica as endemic to Britain is indeed justified, according to the results of a lengthy scientific study into the species, published recently. Scottish Crossbills differ in bill size from other crossbill species found in Britain and also have a distinct call. Although the BOU has classi- fied Scottish Crossbill as a separate species since 1980, many ornithol- ogists preferred to reserve judge- ment, believing that there was insufficient scientific research for its formal acceptance. Scotland’s conifer woods are home to three crossbill species: Common Cross- bill L. curvirostra (with a small bill best suited to extracting seeds from the cones of spruce Picea trees), 538 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 536-540 c Parrot Crossbill L. pytyopsittacus (with a large bill suited to extracting seeds from the cones of pine Pinus trees) and Scottish Crossbill (with an intermediate- sized bill used to extract seeds from several different conifers). All three are extremely similar in terms of both plumage and morphometries, and DNA analysis shows that the birds are genetically similar, casting some doubt on the Scottish Crossbill’s status as a dis- tinct species. But a detailed study of calls, carried out by RSPB Scot- land researchers, has found that Scottish Crossbills (as identified by bill size) also have quite distinct flight and excitement calls from other crossbills. However, the most important evidence has come from the RSPB’s long-term field research in the Highlands, which investigated whether crossbills choose mates with a similar bill size and call; and whether young Scottish Crossbills inherit bill size from their parents. News and comment Results showed that, of 46 pairs of crossbills of all types, almost all the pairs were closely matched for bill size and calls. In other words, the different types of crossbills were behaving as distinct species. The small number of ‘mismatched’ pairs was too few to suggest that the different types are not species, yet enough to account for the overall genetic similarity. Further- more, the fact that young crossbills had bill sizes similar to their parents showed that bill size was inherited, and this also supports the specific status of Scottish Crossbill. Although the three species differ in average bill size, the actual differences are small and cannot be used reliably in the field to identify crossbills. However, the calls can be distinguished by sonograms. This provides the basis for a method to survey crossbills and, for the first time, gain a clear picture of their numbers and distribution in Scot- land. The current estimate of 1,500 D- birds for the global population of Scottish Crossbill is little better than a guess and the first full survey of the numbers and distrib- ution of Scottish Crossbills is scheduled for 2008. RSPB Scotland’s senior researcher, Dr Ron Summers, who led the study, said: ‘The question of whether the Scottish Crossbill is a distinct species, and therefore endemic to the UK, has vexed the ornithological world for many years and split the birdwatching commu- nity. This research proves that the UK is lucky enough to have a unique bird species that occurs here and nowhere else - and this is our only one. This is very significant. Now that we have shown the Scot- tish Crossbill exists, and is endemic, we must focus our conservation efforts in making sure that it not only survives, but flourishes, and that Scotland has plenty of the habitat that supports and maintains the population of these birds, of which we should be justly proud.’ Bald Ibises keep on tracking One good news story to emerge from the Middle East in recent months has been the successful satellite-tracking of the Bald Ibis Geonticus eremita trio from Syria (Brit. Birds 99: 498-499). Having reached Yemen in August, the birds have now crossed the Red Sea and flown on to central Ethiopia. Chris Bowden, the RSPB’s Bald Ibis expert, having spent many years | working on the Bald Ibises in Morocco and the Middle East, said: ‘Being able to find out where the ibises spend the winter is some- thing I feared we might never know for sure. Old records from Eritrea and Ethiopia meant that those countries were possibilities, and it came as something of a sur- prise that our tagged birds spent over three weeks in Yemen (where there were also a few records in the 1980s). Just when we began to think they might stay there, they shot across the Red Sea to central Ethiopia! Whether they will settle in an area remains to be seen - I rather hope they do, so that con- servation efforts can focus on wherever that may be.’ Bitter pill in sugar shutdown The closure of two sugar factories could have a devastating impact on one of England’s most rapidly declining farmland birds, according to the RSPB. Northern Lapwings are attracted to farms growing sugar beet, nesting and foraging on the bare earth between plants in the spring and summer and feeding on the stubbles in winter. But their habitat is under threat following recent reforms to the heavily subsidised EU sugar industry, intended to reduce its high cost and its negative impact on developing countries. As a result of the reforms, British Sugar has announced the closure of two of its factories, one in York and the other at Allscott in Shropshire. The RSPB supported the reforms but throughout the process had called for them to be accompanied by measures to offset the negative impacts on wildlife. Now, as farmers in the affected areas consider giving up on sugar beet completely, the RSPB is again calling on the Government to provide them with a viable, Lapwing-friendly alternative. A study in Shropshire found that late in the nesting season, sugar beet was home to seven times more breeding pairs of Lapwings than fields of winter-sown cereals. Salvation for the birds could come in the shape of Government grants under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS). This would reward farmers for per- sisting with spring-sown crops, for British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 536-540 539 News and comment maintaining winter stubble and for leaving fields fallow for birds to nest in. Not only would this ensure a future for Lapwings on these farms, it would also boost the incomes of farmers hurt by the factory closures. However, months of wrangling between Brussels and Westminster means that the money for the scheme still has not been secured. Unless it can be found soon, affected farmers are likely to turn their fields over to winter- sown crops, to the detriment of England’s Lapwings. Wing-tagged Montagu’s Harriers If you see a wing-tagged Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus in Africa this winter or in Europe next summer, it may be an ‘orphan’ from Spain. AMUS (www.amus.org.es) is a conserva- tion organisation and recuperation centre in Extremadua that spe- cialises in rearing and releasing Montagu’s Harrier chicks that have suffered nest destruction by combine harvesters. A total of 74 chicks were reared this summer and have been released with bright green plastic tags on the right wing. Birds were seen in Morocco in early September and may be sighted elsewhere in western or west-central Africa over the next few months. In addition there are some older birds with one or two tags with a combination of letters and colours. Any information on sightings and colour combinations of wing tags would be very useful; please contact Fergus Crystal by e-mail: ferguscrystal@yahoo.co.uk Turkey Bird Report 2002-06 Preparations are being made for the compilation of the tenth Turkey Bird Report, which will cover the period 2002-06. Once again, the report will be produced by an Anglo-Turkish team, comprising Barbaras Demirci, Metehan Ozen and Guy M. Kirwan, and pub- lished in Sandgrouse. Many records have already been received and there is no need for these to be sent again, but we do urge any observers with unpub- lished or published records for the period 2002-06 to contact any member of the editorial team, either via GMKirwan@aol.com, or by writing to: Turkey Bird Report, OSME, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL. It would be helpful if observers were able to consult the most recent report, cov- ering 1997-2001 {Sandgrouse 25: 8-31), wherein details of those species for which records are particularly sought can be found. Trip reports are nonethe- less welcome, as are photographs, both as documentation and for possible publication in the report. Anyone requiring further details is welcome to contact the editors. Requests Wanted - details of plover flocks If you see any large flocks of European Golden Plovers Pluvialis apri- caria or Northern Lapwings this winter, the BTO wants to know. The last count, in October 2003, only scratched the surface in terms of areas covered and it is hoped that this survey will spread the net wider and provide better insights into the numbers of these species wintering in Britain. The main count periods are around 8th October, 19th November, 17th December, 21st January and 18th Feb- ruary. If you see flocks of 100 or more plovers within a week of any of these dates, please submit your sightings online via the Casual Records link at www.bto.org/goto/winter-plovers.htm Make your birding count! Rook roosts and rookeries As part of my research into British Rook Corvus frugilegus roosts, I am keen to try to identify the oldest roosts, particularly extant roosts. A paper in Scottish Birds in 1971, by J. H. B. Munro and entitled ‘Scottish Winter Rook Roosts Survey’, listed a roost site at Conon House estate in Ross & Cromarty that was said to be 120 years old. If anyone can shed light on its continued existence or otherwise, and also the identity of T. Barron, whose correspondence is cited as proof of its age, I would be extremely grateful. Three other possible candi- dates for the oldest extant British winter roost are in Caithness: at Barrack House, Lyth, Castletown; Garth, Olrig; and Loch Scarmlett, Halkirk. I am also keen to hear of any other candidate sites, prefer- ably with extant roosts and documentary proof of age. Similarly, I wish to locate British rookeries that are in excess of 200 years old. All help will be acknowledged in my forthcoming book. Please contact Mark Cocker, The Hollies, The Street, Claxton, Norwich NR 14 7AA; tel. 01508 480546; e-mail markcocker@onetel.com 540 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 536-540 { Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers mid August to mid September 2006. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Hanningfield Reservoir (Essex), 20th August. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Croxall Gravel-pits, 11th August, same Blithfield Reservoir (both Staffordshire), 12th August to 7th September; Chew Valley Lake (Somerset), 20th August; Vane Farm (Perth & Kinross), 27th August. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Loe Pool (Cornwall), 28th August. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae In August, singles were seen off Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare) on 21st, 23rd and 29th, and off Galley Head (Co. Cork) on 22nd, Brandon Point (Co. Kerry) on 25th and Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) on 31st. Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis A signif- icant passage was noted off the west coast of Ireland in late August, the peak count being 4,493 past Annagh Head (Co. Mayo) on 27th. Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis Pendeen (Cornwall), 20th August; Bridges of Ross, 28th August; Kil- cummin Head (Co. Mayo), two together, 29th August. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites ocean- icus Seen from pelagic trips off Scilly on the fol- lowing dates in August: 13th, 14th (three), 20th (five), 21st (three), 28th, 30th (two), and one from MV Scillonian on last date. Singles were also seen off Dingle (Co. Kerry), 8th August; Bridges of Ross, 28th August; Cape Clear Island, 4th Sep- tember; Brandon Point, 6th September; Hartle- pool Headland (Cleveland), 7th September. 284. Adult American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, Ness, Lewis, Western Isles, September 2006. © British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 54 1 -544 Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Cresswell Pond (Northumberland), 8th August; Weir Wood Reservoir (East Sussex), 29th August to 7th September. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Earls Barton (Northamptonshire), 1 1th— 1 2th August; two, Stanpit Marsh then Hengistbury Head (Dorset), 9th September. Great White Egret Ardea alba Hackford Hall (Norfolk), 13th August; Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire), 4th September; Beachy Head (East Sussex), 11th September. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Port- land Bill (Dorset), 16th August; Stanpit Marsh, 26th August; Dungeness (Kent), 30th August. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Luccombe Down (Isle of Wight), 22nd August; Church Cove then Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 27th August. Glossy Ibis Plegadi s falcinellus Radipole Lake (Dorset), 8th September. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Orford Ness (Suffolk), 18th August; Minsmere (Suffolk), 3rd-9th September. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Ferry- bridge (Dorset), 10th August; Dovey estuary (Ceredigion), 22nd-24th August; Thurlestone (Devon), three, 29th August with one to 9th September; Dawlish Warren (Devon), 9th— 1 1th September. Dotterel Charadrius morinellus Strong passage in late August, including 14 at Buckton (East Yorkshire), 24 at Coom Hill (East Yorkshire), 12 near Deal Hall (Essex), 13 near Sutton Bridge (Lincolnshire), 51 at Terrington Marsh (Norfolk) and at least 36 at Choseley 285. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius (left), with Common Sandpiper A. hypoleucos, Nethertown, Co. Wexford, September 2006. 541 www.irishbirdimages.com John Malloy Stef McElwee Nic Hallam Recent reports C > 286. Juvenile Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus, Queen Mother Reservoir, Berkshire, September 2006. 287. Adult Bonaparte’s Gull Lams Philadelphia, Newbiggin, Northumberland, September 2006. 288. Juvenile European Roller Coracias garrulus, South Gare, Cleveland, August 2006. (Norfolk). American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Tiree (Argyll), 29th August to 3rd September; Lewis (Western Isles), 9th September. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Snettisham (Norfolk), 1 7th— 1 8th August; Tiree, 29th August to 2nd September. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla On Scilly, one on Bryher on 1st September, presumed same on St Agnes 3rd-6th Sep- tember and St Mary’s 4th-5th September; Ballycotton (Co. Cork), 2nd September; Lis- sagriffin (Co. Cork), 3rd Sep- tember; Smerwick Harbour (Co. Kerry), 3rd-5th September, with two on 5th and one or other to 6th; Keyhaven Marshes 4th-5th September, Normandy Lagoon 9th-10th September, Pen- nington Marshes (all Hamp- shire) 11th September; Blennerville (Co. Kerry), 5th September. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Snet- tisham (Norfolk), 13th August; East Chevington (Northumber- land), 15th-22nd August; Tresco (Scilly), 31st August to 5th Sep- tember, presumed same St Agnes, 1st September; Burnham Lagoon, Dingle (Co. Kerry), 3rd September; Ventry (Co. Kerry), 4th September; Trabeg (Co. Kerry), 5th September. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Unst (Shetland), 17th August; Lady’s Island Lake (Co. Wexford), 2nd September; Hayle estuary (Cornwall), 7th-10th Sep- tember. Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Brownsea Island (Dorset), 1 2th— 2 1 st August. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Aberlady Bay (Lothian), 19th-20th August; Port Carlisle (Cumbria), 24th August. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis South Uist (Western Isles), 1 7 th— 3 1 st 542 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 541-544 Recent reports d August, with two 7th-9th, and one 10th September; in Norfolk, Holme/Titchwell 17th August, Warham Greens 19th August and Great Yarmouth 23rd August, perhaps all the same; Tiree, 29th August. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Shannon Airport Lagoons (Co. Clare), 28th July to 3rd September. Spotted Sand- piper Actitis maculariu s Nether- town (Co. Wexford), 5th-6th September. Laughing Gull Larus atrlcilla Brora (Highland), 13th August; Lune estuary (Lancashire), 19th August. Franklin’s Gull Larus pip- ixcan Whitehouse Lagoon (Co. Antrim), 6th August; Blithfield Reservoir (Staffordshire), 9th- 10th August; Ythan estuary (Northeast Scotland), 2 1 st— 27th August. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia East Chevington, 4th September; Newbiggin (Northumberland), 8th— 1 0th September; Slimbridge i (Gloucestershire), 10th Sep- tember. Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea Tiree, 9th August. Gull- billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Salthouse (Norfolk), 16th August; Cley (Norfolk), 27th August. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Mins- mere, 8th August; Shapwick Heath (Somerset), 20th August. Pallid Swift Apus pallldus St Mary’s, 8th August. European Roller Coracias garrulus South i Gare (Cleveland), 18th August. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Hoswick (Shetland), 28th August to 8th September; Castle Carrock (Cumbria), 9th September. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris St Mary’s, 1st Sep- tember; Nanquidno (Cornwall), 8th September. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Porthg- warra, 8th September. Citrine > 289. Adult Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica, Hoswick, Shetland, September 2006. 290. Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, August 2006. 29 1 . Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola, St Mary’s, Scilly, September 2006. British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 54 1 -544 543 Bob Flood James Lees Hugh Harrop Paul Baxter Hugh Harrop Recent reports 293. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides, Fair Isle, Shetland, August 2006. 294. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides. Fame Islands, Northumberland, August 2006. 292. Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum, Boddam, Shetland, August 2006. Wagtail Motacilla citreola Stiffkey Fen (Norfolk), 4th September; Fair Isle (Shetland), 5th-8th September; St Mary’s, 6th September. Thrush Nightingale Luscinia lusclnia Spurn (East York- shire), 18th and 21st August. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis St Margaret’s at Cliffe (Kent), 25th August. Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Sandwich Bay (Kent), 15th August; Seasalter (Kent), 1 7th— 2 1 st August; St Agnes, 18th August; Slimbridge, 1 8th— 2 1 st August; Radipole, 18th August; Titchfield Haven (Hampshire), 19th August; Marazion Marsh (Cornwall), 23rd August; Steart (Som- erset), 25th August. Paddyfield Warbler Acro- cephalus agricola Kilnsea (East Yorkshire), 13th August; St Mary’s, 9th September. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Cunnigar, Dun- garvan (Co. Waterford), 26th-27th August; Tiree, 31st August to 2nd September. Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum Boddam (Shet- land), 16th August. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans St Agnes, 1st September; Bryher, 4th— 1 0th September. Greenish Warbler Phyllo- scopus trochiloides Fame Islands (Northumber- land), 14th August, with two on 18th August; Hartlepool Headland, 1 8th— 2 1 st August; Fair Isle, 18th and 25th-27th August; Holy Island (Northumberland), two, 19th August, one to 21st August; Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), 20th August; Findon (Northeast Scot- land), 20th— 2 1st August; Long Haven quarry (Northeast Scotland), 20th August; Whinnyfold (Northeast Scot- land), 20th August; Start Point (Devon), 20th August; Kilnsea, 25th August; Brownstown Head (Co. Waterford), 3rd-5th September; Bryher, 5th Sep- tember; Bressay (Shetland), 6th Sep- tember. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis Fetlar (Shetland), 31st August; Foula (Shetland), 2nd September. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli Hauxley (Northumberland), 29th August. Western/ Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli/ orientalis Tiree, 8th September. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Fair Isle, 1 8th— 20th August and 2nd-10th September; Langstone (Hampshire), 28th August; Portland, 29th-30th August; Walney Island (Cumbria), 4th September; St Mary’s, 11th September; Sennen Cove (Cornwall), 11th September. Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus Staddon Heights (Devon), 9th September; Ness of Sound (Shetland), 10th September. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola West Runton (Norfolk), 26th August. Correction The photograph of a male Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio on page 504 of the September issue (plate 268) was incorrectly attributed to John Carter; the photographer was in fact Dave Stewart and we apologise for this error. 544 British Birds 99 • October 2006 • 541-544 -AlexA sh 22a River Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 2SJ tel: 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com Over 1 ,000 products available online Secure online ordering Duality second-hand stock regularly available Sompasses, GPS, digiscoping accessories n stock - Nlext day delivery on orders olaced before midday I vww.swoptics.co.uk Camp is located on the northeast periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve and offers ample birding opportunities in the surrounding mixed forests. Corbett boasts of over 550 species of birds.... Birding excursions in and C bett Tiger Reserve, India around the Tiger Reserve with extensions into the Tp 1 ' J^7' 237804 Himalayas are some of er info@ . . ' eaforktalcreek.com our highlights.... \ebsite: campforktailcreek.com Kay Optical (1962) UNRIVALLED EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE 1 Soles & Repairs • Binoculars • Telescopes • Tripods, etc • Mail order • Same day despatch • Part exchange • Used items • Package deals • Credit available www.kayoptical.co.uk and www.bigbinoculars.co.uk 89(B) London Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 5HP Tel: 020 8648 8822 Fax: 020 8687 2021 Email: info@kayoptical.co.uk Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 (lunch 1-2) Locolion: Southern edge of Greoter London. 1 5 mins drive from M25 (for exomple vio the A3, then lake the A298 Wimbledon/Merton slip-toad) or 2 mins wolk from Morden underground (turn right). See our websile for a mop. Parking: 50 voids post our premises - first left Alternative venues to Morden at which you an try and buy our equipment in the field are given below. We aim to show our full range of equipment but it helps us to help you if you let us know your interests before each Field Day. Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm usually. Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Riverhead ond Sevenooks Bat ond Boll Stotion on 5 Nov & 3 Dec Pagham Harbour LNR On the B21 45 into Selsey, West Sussex 29 Oct, 26 Nov & 17 Dec Dinton Pastures Country Park Neor Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh ond Winnersh Stotion (B3030) 9 Oct & 12 Nov The Kent Wildlife Trust, The Tylond Bom, Sondling, Neor Maidstone, Rent 8 Nov Bough Beech Nature Reserve/Reservoir About 4 miles south of the A25/A21 junction (access from B2042 or B2027) neor Ide Hill, Rent Info centre north of reservoir. 22 Oct, 19 Nov & 10 Dec College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 neor Bulboume, Tring, Herts. IS Nov Canon, Helios, Kowa, Leica, Manfrotto, Miyauchi, Nikon, Opticron, Optolyth, Sentinel, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. Used Hems also on our web site. For subsequent Field Day dates, phone or see our web site A birdwatching tour to shout about y February d 3 March £3620 I lly inclusive ?fCQs For full details of this and all our other tours visit our website www.sunbirdtours.co.uk or call 01767 262522 for a brochure. Email: sunbird@sunbirdtours.co.uk Sunbird The best of birdwatching tours nhbs Environment Bookstor Wildlife I Science I Conservation □ Collins Field Guide to the 1 Birds of South America: Non- Passerines Francisco Erize, Jorge R Rodri- guez Mata and Maurice Rumboll | The only field guide to illustrate | and describe every non-pas- I serine species of bird in South l America. 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Case 62 Televid APO 77 Dialogue with nature 8x20B (Black) EPHONE 8x20B (Green) EPHONE 10x25B (Black) EPHONE '■■jjr 10x25B (Green) EPHONE 8x32 EL EPHONE 10x32 EL EPHONE 8.5x42 EL EPHONE 10x42 EL EPHONE 8x30 SLC EPHONE 7x42 SLC EPHONE 10x42 SLC EPHONE 7x50 SLC EPHONE 8x50 SLC EPHONE 10x50 SLC EPHONE 8x56 SLC EPHONE 15x56 SLC EPHONE jw Booster EPHONE ATS65 EPHONE ATS65 HD EPHONE ATS65 Stay on case EPHONE 20x S W EPHONE 30x S W EPHONE 45x S W EPHONE 20-60x EPHONE ATS80 EPHONE ATS80 HD EPHONE ATS80 Stay on case EPHONE Price Promise UK Mail Order We work hard lo keep our prices competelive & will try to MATCH or BEAT any price in this magazine We both part-exchange and buv auaiitv eaumment Next Day Delivery Postage & Insurance £8 for most items. 15 The Square, Winchester. S023 9ES H:01962 840294 winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk Get; closer to naturi "Toki, an adult male cheetah, has known n since he was 3 months old. There is comp' trust between us. I would estimate that his eyesight is 8 — times more acute than my own, so to stai chance of matching his view of the world I trust my Zeiss". SIMON KING, Wildlife Film-Maker. Victory FL Binoculars = the best optical image quality of their class, minimum weight and optimum ergonomics and handling - these are the unbeatable benefits supplied by Victory FL Binoculars and their special objective lenses with fluoride glass (FL). For more information, Zeiss iox32 r fl please telephone: 01707 871 350 or visit www.zeiss.co.uk. British Birds Volume 99 • Number I I • November 2006 546 Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates Simon Aspinall and Peter Hellyer 562 Patterns of nest attendance by a pair of Parrot Crossbills Ron W. Summers 56 1 Request BB on DVD 576 Notes Northern Gannets soaring Jeremy G. Sanders Bar-tailed Godwit feeding on carrion Mike Archer The prey of breeding Barn Owls on Skomer, and evidence for mainland foraging Michael F. E. Loughran and Juan G. Brown Barn Owl killed and eaten by Common Buzzards Jim Bullock Do Common Swifts emit ultrasound? Ulrich Tigges Sylvia warblers taking nectar on autumn migration in Shetland Mike G. Pennington Unusual song of Willow Warbler Gordon R. Hopkins Goldcrests feeding on peanuts Norman McCanch and A. P. Radford Common Starlings roosting in a cave Anand Prasad Common Starling killing and feeding scorpion to its young Mark Cocker and Tim Dee 583 Reviews The Great Fen: Artists for Nature in England Bewick's Swan On Sparrows and Man The Sound Approach to Birding: a guide to understanding bird sound All the Birds of Brazil The Birds of the State of Kuwait Where to Watch Birds in Spain: the 100 best sites Best Birdwatching Sites in Norfolk 587 News and comment Adrian Pitches 59 1 Request Sightings of colour-ringed European Rollers 592 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey 569 Northbound migrant raptors in June and July at the Strait of Gibraltar Ernest F. J. Garda and Keith J. Bensusan i I HISTORY ftfl'SEU? - 8 NOV 2006 Regular features - i ' © British Birds 2006 Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates Simon Aspinall and Peter Hellyer ABSTRACT This paper reviews the status of 20 Important Bird Areas in the United Arab Emirates which were first defined in the early 1990s. Ornithologically, the country is notable for important populations of seabirds, waterbirds and a number of restricted-range landbird species. The IBA programme was an important step forward in drawing attention to key sites, but progress in safeguarding these core areas has been patchy. Given the speed of development in many parts of the UAE, the need to identify conservation priorities is now vital. The United Arab Emirates, a country of around 90,000 km2 that lies in the southern Arabian Gulf, is a federation of seven separate emirates that was established in 1971. It has been a popular destination for vis- iting ornithologists for many years, particularly in winter and spring, with species such as Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius amp el inus. Crab-plover Dromas ardeola, Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger and Plain Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus neglectus, among a great many others, proving a particular draw. All of these and many other migrants, including waterfowl, and a number of breeding species, are well known both within and beyond the UAE. What is less well known is the level of protection afforded to important resorts, whether they are, for example, seabird colonies, vital shorebird stopover sites or areas which are representative of a particular regional bird community. In the early 1990s, BirdLife International was responsible for collating a review of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for the Middle East (Evans 1994). Of 20 such sites identified in the UAE, no fewer than eight concerned Gulf islands (or clusters of islands and islets), while six others were coastal wetlands. Just one was a sand- desert site, while the remainder were a mixture of stony plain, mountain and native woodland sites. Twelve years on, this paper provides a review of all of those sites selected as IBAs, with the emphasis on those of international conser- vation importance. The importance of the Gulf’s offshore islands for wildlife has been thoroughly docu- mented in recent years, as indeed has that of intertidal flats along the Gulf coast for migrant shorebirds and other waterfowl (e.g. Evans 1994, Scott 1995, Aspinall 1996a,b, 2004). Few observers will have had the opportunity to visit any of the offshore islands, all but one of which lies in Abu Dhabi emirate, since access is mostly restricted. It is here in particular, however, that internationally important populations of several seabird species, as well as Crab-plover, Osprey Pandion haliaetus and Sooty Falcon Falco concolor, can be found breeding. Apart from birds, Dugong (Seacow) Dugong dugon , Green Turtle Chelonia mydas and Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata (which nests on the islands) are internationally recognised threatened species, and are widely distributed along with extensive coral reefs and seagrass beds. Hitherto, restricted access may have served to conserve some of these sites; this is no longer the case, however, and formal safeguards are now certainly necessary. A small number of sites have already been afforded protection. Most sites selected for the review in Evans ( 1994), the ‘wetland inventory’ (Scott 1995) and 546 © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > all subsequent related publications on impor- tant coastal wetland areas (e.g. Loughland et al. 2004) were those known to regularly hold 1% or more of the estimated Middle East breeding population or, for migrants, relevant flyway population of one or more species of waterfowl. These species are named in the following site accounts. It is now known that no fewer than 17 species of waterbird occur in regionally impor- tant numbers on passage and/or in winter at one or more sites; consequently, there is an obligation for site protection measures to be put in place, particularly within areas recognised as IBAs. Many sites support several such species simultaneously. An interesting fact, perhaps not widely known, is that the breeding and non-breeding seasons for some local breeding species are effectively reversed in the UAE. For example, Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus , Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, Osprey and Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia breed in the winter months, which (in the case of the last two species) is when their popula- tions are augmented by northern migrants. All other species named below breed in the summer months, even if egg-laying is often as early as February or March (e.g. Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis and Saunders’s Tern Ster- nula saundersi ), although annual variation in the onset of breeding in the southern Gulf is often marked. Since IBAs are the principal focus of this account, particularly those of international con- servation importance, it is important to know the criteria on which sites were judged for inclusion (in Evans 1994). Those criteria rele- vant to the UAE are listed as follows, a site being considered an IBA when it: 1. regularly holds a significant number of a globally threatened species’*'; 2i. regularly holds 1% or more of a species’ biogeographical, flyway or Middle Eastern population (waterbirds and seabirds only); 2ii. regularly holds 20,000 or more waterbirds; 3. regularly holds a significant number of a species which is threatened or declining within the Middle East (top five sites in country only); 4. regularly holds a significant number of a species wholly or largely restricted to the Middle East (top five sites in country only); 5i. is a representative example of a habitat, associated with a characteristic assemblage of bird species; 5ii. contains a rare/threatened/unique habitat, associated with a characteristic assemblage of bird species; and/or 6. is important for bird conservation through education/research/tourism. iritish Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 547 Simon Aspinall Hanne & Jens Eriksen c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > * A number of such species occur in the UAE on passage or in winter, although only Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni occurs regularly in significant numbers. Socotra Cormorant is regionally threatened but restricted to the region and is arguably therefore also globally threatened (see Appendix 1). Apart from important populations of water- fowl, whether breeding or visiting, and interna- tional Red Data and proposed national Red Data breeding species (see Appendix 1), one further group of birds requires consideration before each IBA site is described. This com- prises those species of ‘restricted range’, each defined as having their population ‘wholly or largely’ restricted to the Middle East (see Evans 1994). Again, both breeding and visiting species are involved. The restricted-range breeding species, excluding species of waterfowl that might oth- erwise qualify, but which can be readily assessed on the basis of so-called 1% levels, are as follows: Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi, Striated Scops Owl Otus brucei , White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos, Hooded Wheatear Oe. monacha, Hume’s Wheatear, Arabian Babbler Turdoides squamiceps and Pale Rock Sparrow Carpospiza brachydactyla. The relevant restricted-range visiting species are: Grey Hypocolius, White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis , Red-tailed Wheatear Oe. xanthoprymna. Variable Wheatear Oe. picata , Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida, Menetries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea , ‘Desert Lesser Whitethroat’ S. curruca rninula, Hume’s Lesser Whitethroat S. althaea and Plain Leaf Warbler. Site accounts For visiting ornithologists, all accessible main- land sites are described in Richardson & Aspinall 1998. I.AI Jazirah Khor (area c. 500 ha; IBA criterion 2i) A scenic, sheltered inlet in the emirate of Ra’s al Khaimah, around 15 km long and lacking any degree of protection. A count of 745 Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinereus in September 1986 has not been matched subsequently and the true value of the area for this species and other waterfowl remains poorly known. Desert Lesser Whitethroat and Menetries’s Warbler are restricted-range species which occur regularly in wooded scrub along the dune front. Al Jazirah Khor has been subject to dumping 296. In excess of 25,000 pairs of White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa nest in the UAE, most being on islands in western Abu Dhabi. 548 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546—561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > and fly-tipping and, latterly, to reclamation and development. The prospects for this area seem remote, owing to development plans for con- tinued expansion. Access along the landward shoreline is unrestricted where housing is not present. 2. Digdaga-Hamraniyah (area c. 2,000 ha; IBA criteria I & 4) This area, spread over several tens of square kilometres, is composed of irrigated cultiva- tions on the sand and gravel plain adjacent to the Hajar Mountains in Ra’s al Khaimah. Native ‘ghaf’ trees Prosopis cineraria have been retained, thereby giving a parkland aspect. The area is of importance, particularly in spring, for Lesser Kestrels as a stopover site. Over 100 individuals may occur together, with some turnover also evident. The globally threat- ened Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius occurs in winter, when up to four birds have ; been recorded. Restricted-range species include nesting Striated Scops Owl and Arabian Babbler, and visiting Red-tailed and Variable Wheatears, Desert Lesser Whitethroat and Plain Leaf Warbler are all regular. Other species recorded include Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, Yellow-throated Sparrow Petronia xanthocollis and Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis (both nesting), and Arabia’s only nesting Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris and European Rollers Coracias garrulus. The local area has suffered from water shortage, owing to excessive abstraction low- ering the water table and inadequate recharge, and the fields have lain mostly fallow in recent years. Their attractiveness to most species named above has thus declined markedly. The area is unprotected. Visiting Hamraniyah itself, the core of the area, is permitted simply by asking for entry at the main gate (see Richardson & Aspinall 1998). 3. Siniyah Island (area 1,000+ ha; IBA criteria 2i & 4) This island in the emirate of Umm Al Qaiwain lies close inshore and is adjacent to Khor al- Beidah (site 5). It is famed for its nesting colony of Socotra Cormorants, with estimates of up to 40,000 pairs present into the early 1990s, although less than half this population has been present since. Many Mountain Gazelles Gazella gazeila and other species of ungulate have been introduced and appear to be thriving. The island is in private ownership and unprotected. Disturbance and development, although not persecution of the cormorants (as elsewhere in the UAE), seem to be the principal Brit/s/i Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-56 1 549 297. Around 40 pairs of Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris of the endemic subspecies kalbaensis breed at Khor Kalba (p. 553), where there are real concerns over the long-term future of the mangrove habitat on which they depend. Simon Aspinall Simon Aspinall Hanne & Jens Eriksen Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > occur, in a combination not matched by any other single site in the UAE, and many of them are present at high density. Breeding species include Sand Partridge, White-spectacled Bulbul, Hume’s Wheatear and Arabian Babbler; visitors include Red-tailed and Vari- able Wheatears, Upcher’s and Menetries’s Warblers, Desert Lesser Whitethroat, Plain Leaf Warbler and Pale Rock Sparrow (which may also breed). Threats include limited housing development, over- grazing, fly-tipping and the collection of firewood. Although the area is unpro- tected, it is not considered to be under imminent threat. Access is unrestricted. 298 & 299. Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, a near-endemic of Arabia, is regionally, if not thus globally, threatened. Plate 299 shows the Socotra Cormorant colony on Ghaghah, IBA No. 14, in March 1993. threats. Visiting may be possible to members of bona fide organisations, but is unlikely to be extended to casual visitors. The cormorant colony can be viewed by boat, which may be hired at most local hotels. 4. Masafi-Tayibah area (area c. 2,000 ha; IBA criteria 4 & 5i) This area of foothills on the western flank of the Hajar Mountains in Ra’s al Khaimah has plains with Acacia tortilis savannah woodland and wooded wadis (valleys). A large number of restricted-range species 5. Khor al-Beidah ( area c. 5,000 ha; IBA criterion 2i) This extensive area of shel- tered intertidal flats backed by vegetated sand dunes, with mangroves Avicennia marina on the seaward side, holds an overwintering flock of Crab-plovers, and for this reason is one of the most frequently visited of the UAE’s IBAs by birdwatchers. At least four other water- birds occur in significant numbers on passage or in winter, namely Western Reef Egret (also breeding). Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata. Both Saunders’s Tern and White- cheeked Tern Sterna repressa breed on the island of Ghubbah, which is included in the site boundary. The area is unprotected; access is unre- stricted but naturally difficult over much of the area, which therefore remains remote. Pears for the long-term future of this currently undevel- oped area will be allayed only when the site, or at least part of it, has been formally designated. 550 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates 300. Up to 40 pairs of Sooty Falcon Falco concolor formerly bred annually on the UAE’s Gulf islands, but the species now faces a high risk of extinction in the country. This, however, may be some way in the future, and plans have already been announced for a major residential and marina development in one of the most important parts of the khor. 6. Ramtha lagoons (area c. 250 ha; I BA criteria 4, 5i & 6) Now renamed the Wasit Nature Reserve, this former coastal inlet has been overtaken by reclamation and development since its heyday as a wetland in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was made all the more attractive to birds at that time by on-site sewage disposal. The area formerly held upwards of 50 pairs 1 of Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, two or three pairs of White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus (this was the first nesting site in UAE for this species), a flock of non- breeding Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus , roseus and important post-breeding assem- blages of Saunders’s Tern and Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Large numbers of marsh terns i Chlidonias occur on passage, as do Spotted Eagles and, rarely, Eastern Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca. Although progressively declining in impor- tance to birds over the last few years, Ramtha is now in the process of being restored, albeit with slightly reduced boundaries, and over 50 pairs of Black-winged Stilt bred once more in 2006. The Sharjah Government is currently devel- oping and rehabilitating the site as a nature reserve, and a visitor centre, hides and perhaps boardwalks are to be installed in due course. Visiting details are not yet available. 7. Mushrif National Park (area 600 ha; IBA criteria 4, 5i & 6) This fenced-off area of managed native wood- land amid dunes in Dubai emirate excludes livestock and holds high-density populations of several restricted-range species typical of this particular habitat type: Striated Scops Owl and Arabian Babbler (several pairs of both breed); Menetries’s Warbler and Desert Lesser Whitethroat on passage and in winter; and Upcher’s Warbler and White-throated Robin on passage. Several pairs of Yellow-throated Sparrow breed. Much of the area is landscaped, with leisure amenities and a playground, and is essentially set up for family picnicking. Access within this small park, which has a road network, is unlimited. A nominal charge is levied for entry. Although by no means a national park in the accepted sense, this wooded parkland is clearly of value as a representative British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 551 Hanne & Jens Eriksen Colin Richardson Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates ) example of its type, quite apart from having value for education and recreation. 8. Zabeel ponds (area 50 ha; IBA criterion 6) This entirely man-made site constitutes four freshwater ponds used for fish-farming. The site lies adjacent to Khor Dubai (site 9), adding to the intrinsic attraction of both sites. Spotted Eagles, and occasionally Eastern Imperial Eagles, occur in the area from late October onwards. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca often appears in winter, with up to five individuals present. Reintroduced Mountain Gazelles are found in the neighbouring sand sheet and scrub, but remain isolated from other populations by major roads and interchanges. The area is little disturbed and access to the general public is riot now permitted. Please do not try to visit, announced or otherwise. The original criterion by which this site was accepted is no longer valid, but in any event cri- terion 3 is fulfilled (together, and as with the following site). 9. Khor Dubai (area c. 300 ha; IBA criteria 2i, 2ii, 5i & 6) The landward end of Khor Dubai, a narrow tidal inlet, contains c. 50 ha of mudflats, part with maturing mangrove plantation, and sabkha (saltflats). Downstream lies the city of Dubai, where the khor (intertidal inlet) has been dredged for vessels at the busy commercial wharfside. At least nine species of waterbirds occur in numbers that exceed their respective 1% regional or flyway population estimate in winter, including Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, Kentish Plover C. alexandrinus , Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii. Grey Plover Phivialis squatarola , Common Redshank Tringa totanus and Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus. Over 4,000 Broad-billed Sandpipers Limicola falcinellus were recorded on one occa- sion in autumn (Uttley et al. 1988), but numbers have rarely exceeded 500 since, at any time of year. A reduction in fertility, or rather of nutrient input, since the development of a purpose-built water and sewage treatment plant, may be responsible for the high numbers of birds, although the site was and continues to be in danger of becoming so eutrophic that it becomes anoxic. Spotted Eagle is regular, with 5-10 individuals present in recent winters. The Ra’s al-Khor reserve at Khor Dubai has been protected since 1985, when a decree was first issued. Management of the area has been questionable, seemingly inappropriate at times. Three hides have now been built and are open throughout the day to anyone (binoculars and 30 1 . Khor Dubai is an internationally renowned site for passage and non-breeding waterbirds; managing the potential conflicts between the demands of wildlife and development will be the key to the future of this site. 552 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates ) 302. Up to 150 breeding pairs of Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus indicus are found in the UAE.the colonies on just three offshore islands representing the entire Gulf population. telescopes are provided), although, frustrat- ingly, are closed after normal working hours and at weekends. The reserve was established primarily in an effort to encourage flamingos to breed, with supplementary artificial feeding taking place in bunded lagoons. Attempts are also under way to encourage Ospreys to nest. Khor Dubai continues to be one of the country’s top five wetlands for passage and win- tering waterfowl, although it remains to be seen whether several huge developments under way around the khor, specifically at the landward end, will have a negative impact on the reserve, 1 despite all the safeguards in place. I 1 0. Khor Kalba (area 600 ha; IB A criteria 3, 5ii & 6) 1 Khor Kalba, on the east (Indian Ocean) coast of the UAE, is an outlying part of Sharjah emirate, with the extreme southern part of the site, of I saline flats without mangrove, crossing into | Oman. It is the only intertidal site of its kind on the UAE’s Gulf of Oman coast with large, mature mangroves; two similar sites exist to the south in Oman, namely Khor Shinas and Khor Liwa (included in Oman’s IBAs in Evans 1994). About 40 pairs of the endemic kalbaensis subspecies of Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris breed (in hollow boughs of mature man- groves); this site is the type locality. One or two pairs may breed in Khor Shinas or Khor Liwa and in one other site in Oman. Khor Kalba is one of just two breeding stations for Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama in Arabia. Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii occurs in winter, and this is its main station in the UAE. Green and Hawksbill Turtles feed both in the khor and along the open coast. Despite representation by international non- governmental organisations, including BirdLife International, UNESCO and WWF Interna- tional, and by Sharjah’s Environment and Pro- tected Areas Authority (EPAA), little advice appears to have been heeded and the Khor Kalba area is currently being heavily developed. Severe damage has already been caused; for example, a 300-m strip of mangrove alongside a creek died after all tidal influence was cut off by road-building. Dredging and stockpiling has had adverse impacts in other areas of mature mangrove, including trees used for nesting by Collared Kingfisher. There are grave fears for the future of this site, even in the short term, although the Ruler of Sharjah is, somewhat belatedly, understood to be considering remedi- ation measures in an attempt to reverse the British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 553 Hanne & Jens Eriksen Simon Aspinall Simon Aspinall Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates quented in winter by Red- tailed and Variable Wheatears, Desert Lesser and Hume’s Lesser Whitethroats (rarely) and Plain Leaf Warbler. Pale Rock Sparrow is frequent on passage, as is Upcher’s Warbler. Gordon’s Wildcat Felis sylvestris gordoni (endemic to UAE and northern Oman) occurs, as occasion- ally does a visiting Mountain Gazelle. Muscat Mouse- tailed Bats Rhinopoma mus- catellum roost in large numbers in caves on the jebel. The entire jebel has now been fenced off, although for what reason(s) is unclear. It is possibly a con- servation initiative by the relevant government authority. Visiting is still possible, although not upslope onto the jebel itself now that the high fence is in place. Nonetheless, all species named can still be found on foot around the site’s perimeter. 303 & 304. The UAE supports up to 24,500 breeding pairs of Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis in just three colonies, the largest of which is on Qarnein.This island also supports the only colony of Crested Tern S. bergii in UAE, and over 10,000 pairs of Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, making it arguably the most important of all the Gulf islands for seabirds. site’s current decline. Visiting is freely permitted, although flooded excavations and workings may prevent access to all areas previously reachable. I I . Qarn Nazwa (area c. 250 ha; I BA criteria 4 & 5ii) This small, 2-3-krn long, isolated limestone jebel (mountain), which rises 80 m above the surrounding desert, supports one, sometimes two, pairs of breeding Desert Eagle Owls Bubo ascalaphus, and Arabian Babblers, and is fre- 12. Qarnein island (area c. 300 ha; I BA criteria 2i, 4 & 5/7) The jewel in the crown of the Gulf islands is undoubt- edly the island of Qarnein, despite being only 2 km long by less than 1 km wide. It lies 180 km northwest of Abu Dhabi city, nearly 100 km out into the Gulf. One of several salt- dome islands in the Gulf, it has three diapiric hills (despite the literal translation of Qarnein being ‘two horns’), in recesses on which nest, in winter, 80-100+ pairs of Red-billed Tropicbird. In summer, over 10,000 pairs of both Lesser Crested Sterna bengalensis and Bridled Terns Onychoprion anaethetus can be found, over 1,000 pairs of both Crested S. bergii (the UAE’s only colony) and White-cheeked Terns, and 100-200 pairs of Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii , 554 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546—561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > the larger of just two remaining Gulf colonies. The colonies of Crested and Lesser Crested Terns represent over 5% and 10% of their respective biogeographical populations. Hawks- bill Turtles nest in small numbers. Qarnein supports the largest of the three remaining Gulf colonies of tropicbirds, the other two colonies also being on Abu Dhabi islands; a few pairs are also found on the Omani islands off the Musandam in the Straits of Hormuz. Qarnein itself was confirmed as a ‘Gift to the Earth’ under a WWF initiative in Feb- ruary 2003. The island is privately owned and access is not permitted to the general public; conservation of its wildlife, including both nesting birds and nesting turtles, is the respon- sibility of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD). 13. Dalma island (area c. 500 ha; IBA criterion 3) This large island lies 50 km offshore in western Abu Dhabi and houses an important fishing fleet. The island itself is an upraised part of a salt dome, with low fossil cliffs around part of the island coastline. The interior of the island is hilly and arid, although cultivation takes place in the flat southern part. Five pairs of Sooty Falcon once nested on 305. The Masafi area (p. 550), shown here in 1998, supports a large number of restricted-range species, among them breeding Sand Partridge Ammoperdix heyi. White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos. Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe alboniger and Arabian Babbler Turdoides squomiceps. Dalma, but there are fears that none now remain. A fresh survey is clearly required. Nest thefts, earthmoving and disturbance are all threats here, with large-scale developments also now being planned. There is no site protection, and while domestic environmental legislation outlaws egg-collecting and chick theft, there is no enforcement. It is possible to visit Dalma, but an overnight stay would be necessary to see the island prop- erly as the ferry arrives late in the day and leaves either immediately or before dawn the next day. There is an indifferent hotel, but self-contained camping would be an option. 14. Ghaghah islands (area 800 ha; IBA criteria 2 & 4) The Ghaghah archipelago lies close inshore in the extreme west of Abu Dhabi, on the border with Saudi Arabia. Formerly uninhabited, the islands are now partly developed, with mostly unknown consequences to the wildlife. The Socotra Cormorant colony remains, but eight pairs of Sooty Falcon, found during a survey in summer 1994 after the site was submitted as an IBA, are at risk, if still present. Certainly a pair from one of the smaller islands has been dis- placed in recent years. Up to seven pairs of Osprey breed and although relatively tolerant of British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-56 1 555 Hanne & Jens Eriksen Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > disturbance and not persecuted, even this species may be usurped by ongoing develop- ment here. The Ghaghah islands lack any form of pro- tection and, being of strategic value, are unlikely to be managed sympathetically for wildlife. Visiting is probably not possible to members of the general public. / 5. Islands off Sir Bani Yds (area 1 90 ha; IBA criteria 2i & 4) The small, formerly, and possibly still uninhab- ited islands of Ghasha, Umm A1 Kirkum and Umm Qasser lie to the northeast of Sir Bani Yas island, in western Abu Dhabi. Important seabird colonies are found here, with Bridled Tern the most numerous of three nesting tern species, White-cheeked and Lesser Crested Tern being the others. Saunders’s Tern may also breed, as may Socotra Cormorant. As with Dalma and Ghaghah (sites 13 & 14), fresh surveys and appropriate action are required here. There are no known arrangements for vis- iting any of these islands. 1 6.Yasat islands (area c. 2,000 ha; IBA criteria 2i & 4) The islands of the Yasat group lie 35 km off- shore in western Abu Dhabi. Formerly unin- habited except for a coastguard base at the time the islands were first recognised as an IBA, this is no longer the case. A harbour and an airstrip have been built, along with residential proper- ties. No environmental impact study was com- pleted in advance of the rapid development witnessed in this environmentally sensitive area. Dredging work is presently underway, even though the islands fall within a recendy desig- nated Marine Protected Area (MPA). In 1994, up to 17 pairs of Osprey were present, as was a sizeable colony of Socotra Cormorant. An unknown number of White-cheeked Tern and 20-30 pairs of Saunders’s Tern breed. Recent surveys by EAD have detected a decline in the breeding populations of terns and Osprey, while the Socotra Cormorant colony, which once sup- ported over 2,000 pairs, has probably now been lost. The Yasats are the core of the second MPA to be designated in Abu Dhabi emirate, and are managed by EAD. The MPA was established primarily to conserve communities offshore, notably seagrass beds and coral reefs. There are no arrangements for visiting the islands, which are in private ownership. I 7. Abu Al Abyadh island (area c. 60,000 ha; IBA criteria 2i & 4) Abu Al Abyadh is famous for its breeding colony of Crab-plovers. Something of a Middle 556 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates } Eastern speciality, at least during the breeding season, this species has exacting nesting requirements and is extremely vulnerable to development and disturbance. The colony bank and adjacent mangrove-lined khor on Abu Al Abyadh is now protected, although tidal erosion has apparently resulted in the colony being split. Brown Rats Rattus norvegicus , absent from the original colony, have arrived in the newer nesting location and control measures need to be put in place. Apart from 300+ pairs of Crab-plover, the island supports important populations of at least three other waterfowl, namely Western Reef Egret (resident), Lesser Sand Plover and Great Knot, while up to 50 pairs of Saunders’s Tern breed. Visiting is generally not possible, except perhaps to bona fide researchers. 18. UmmAmim (area c. 50 ha; IBA criteria 2i & 4) This small, low, shell-sand shoal supports the second breeding colony of Crab-plovers found in Abu Dhabi (and the UAE), although at c. 35-40 pairs it is substantially smaller than the Abu Al Abyadh colony. Up to 2,000 pairs of Bridled Tern nested here in 1993 and 1994, although collection of their eggs for human consumption may have caused some desertion. Seasonal wardens were subsequently placed here to protect the breeding birds. The island is occasionally visited by residents of the coastal town of Mirfa. Disturbance and any egg-collecting could easily result in the Crab-plovers deserting, although the island does lie within the Marawah MPA, as described later. The importance of Marawah itself, a neighbouring island of Umm Amini, was deter- mined only after the initial IBA review was completed. I9.jebel Hafit (area c. 1,600 ha; IBA criteria 3 & 4) Jebel Hafit, lying just to the south of the inland oasis city of Al Ain, in Abu Dhabi emirate, rises abruptly from the desert plain to an altitude of 1,300 m. It is a predominantly limestone massif and a familiar landmark. This is the only moun- tain in Abu Dhabi emirate and, moreover, the only IBA in the UAE to contain such a land- scape feature. Jebel Hafit supports four restricted-range breeding species, namely Sand Partridge, White-spectacled Bulbul, Hooded Wheatear and Hume’s Wheatear, and, in winter, Red- 307. The islands of the Yasat group, virtually uninhabited when first recognised as an IBA. as this photograph taken in 1993 suggests, are now subject to development. Recent surveys indicate that populations ofWhite- cheekedTern Sterna repressa and Saunders’s Tern S ternuia saundersi have declined, while a Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis colony that once topped 2,000 pairs has been lost, despite the archipelago lying within a marine protected area. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-56 1 557 Simon Aspinall Colin Richardson Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > tailed Wheatear, Desert Lesser Whitethroat and Plain Leaf Warbler are all numerous. The only regular gathering of Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus in UAE is found here, the species having declined greatly in numbers in the last decade. Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata and Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides , proposed national Red Data species, both breed on the jebel. Also present is the Arabian Tahr Hemi- tragus jayakari, a goat-like ungulate endemic to UAE and northern Oman and highly endan- gered (IUCN Red-listed). Access to the mountain is unrestricted, except around a private residence near the summit. A major highway leads to the top, where there is now a hotel. Although not pris- tine, Jebel Hafit has been nominated for national-park status, something which would unquestionably be a real boon to the conserva- tion of several of the threatened species present. One part of the foot of the mountain has been sacrificed to irrigation and greening for a tourist development. 20. Baynunah (area 180,000 ha;IBA criteria I, 4, 5i & 6) Baynunah in western Abu Dhabi is a large area of shrubby desert used for military training and for hunting, as well as for camel grazing. The topography is relatively varied with gravel plains, sabkha saltflats, sand dunes and rocky mesas all present. Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii is found in winter, something which has inevitably served to safeguard the area from much in the way of intrusion or development. Populations of some other species are impres- sive, even though the area is large, with mid- winter estimates of 7,000 Hoopoe Larks Alaemon alaudipes, 2,000 Lesser Short-toed Larks Calandrella rufescens, 15,000 Desert Wheatears Oe. deserti and 12,000 Asian Desert Warblers Sylvia nana (Evans 1994). Many of the onshore (desert) oilfields also support these species at high densities, which is a testimony to the high environmental standards and opera- tional procedures adopted by the national oil company. Off-road driving, which damages the vegeta- tion, and overgrazing are serious threats. The Baynunah area is unprotected, and apart from traditional grazing its use is reserved for private falconry parties. It is possible to visit and camp out here, although this is not permitted near the border, and certainly ill-advised when military training is underway. 308 & 309. Mushrif National Park (p. 55 I ) in 1 998; this small and heavily visited native woodland amid dunes in Dubai supports a number of restricted-range species, including White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis on passage (plate 309). 558 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 Simon Aspinall c Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > Concluding comments Shortly after the initial IBA review process was completed, researchers from the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency of Abu Dhabi (ERWDA), now EAD, completed a midsummer survey of all islands in western Abu Dhabi and identified a minimum of six additional sites which would have qualified as ‘Important Bird Areas’. These ‘new’ sites and extensions to others offshore and on the main- land were incorporated in the wetland inven- tory (Scott 1995), which documented sites of ‘Ramsar’ calibre, and more recently in a com- prehensive review of all marine areas including coastal wetlands in Abu Dhabi alone (Aspinall 2004). Many of these sites are, inevitably, also important for wildlife other than birds. There is no Federal protected-area system in the UAE. Of the seven emirates, only Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and, most recently, Ra’s al Khaimah have autonomous, officially desig- nated environmental-protection agencies, these being engaged in resisting the hunger of land devel- opers (with varying degrees of success). All reserves designated to date have been established by ruling decree at an individual emirate level. It is sobering to realise that of the islands supporting interna- tionally important seabird colonies described here, only Qarnein and Umm Amim are officially pro- tected, the latter falling within the Marawah MPA. Not so fortunate have been Dalma and the island groups of Ghaghah and Yasat, and off Sir Bani Yas, all of which have suffered recent serious environ- mental degradation, such is the demand from seemingly con- flicting land uses, albeit not actu- ally always incompatible. Three Socotra Cormorant colonies are certainly under threat as a result, this species having been lost from Dalma up to 30 years ago, while important tern colonies are also likely to suffer in this particular instance. The EAD-managed Marawah MPA itself, of some 4,250 km’, established in 2002, supports internationally important shorebird feeding areas (no fewer than 12 waders exceed their regional 1% level) and several internationally important tern colonies, but was established primarily on account of its Dugong and turtle populations. The prospects for other islands and also for intertidal areas of international importance, in particular for shorebirds, are uncertain. It should be noted that while some monitoring of breeding seabirds is already carried out by EAD in Abu Dhabi (in a minority of sites), effective protection of most key seabird and shorebird sites has still not been achieved. The other IBAs of the UAE are mostly of national importance for birds and other wildlife, even if they represent the best examples of their kind. They too, however, do not look to be secure at the present time, nor do they contain viable populations of all proposed national Red Data species. 3 1 0. Brown-necked Ravens Corvus ruficollis over high dunes of the Empty Quarter; this species appears to be in sharp decline in the UAE and is poorly represented in existing IBAs. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-56 1 559 Simon Aspinall Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates > The IBA programme has served its initial purpose, to identify and highlight important sites for birds; but only faltering progress has been made with safeguarding any of them in the past ten years. A review process, probably emirate by emirate, of IBAs and other sites identified more recently, now needs to be undertaken to rationalise existing protected- area plans and identify priorities. Given the speed of development, especially along the coast, where tower blocks, marinas and new islands are being constructed with scant regard to environmental consequences, some urgency is required. References Aspinall, S.J. 1996a. Status and Conservation of the Breeding Birds of the United Arab Emirates. Hobby, Dubai. — 1 996b.Time for a Protected Area Network in the UAE. Tribulus 6. 1 : 5-9. — 2004. Important Marine Areas for Birds in Abu Dhabi emirate. In: Loughland, R. A, Al Muhairi. F. S„ Fadel, S. S„ Almehdi.A. M„ & Hellyen R (eds.), Marine Atlas of Abu Dhabi. Emirates Heritage Club, Abu Dhabi. — 2005. Status and Conservation of the Breeding Birds of the United Arab Emirates. Revised Arabic edition. Hobby Dubai. Evans, M. I. (ed.). 1994. important Bird Areas in the Middle East. BirdLife Conservation Series 2. BirdLife International, Cambridge. Hornby Ft J., & Aspinall, S.J. 1 997. A Red Data List for the birds of the United Arab Emirates. Sandgrouse 1 9: 102-1 10. IUCN. 1 994. tUCN Red List Categories. IUCN, Gland. Loughland. R. A., Al Muhairi, F. S., Fadel, S. S., Almehdi.A. M., & Hellyen R (2004). Marine Atlas of Abu Dhabi. Emirates Heritage Club, Abu Dhabi. Richardson, C. H„ & Aspinall, S.J. 1 998. The Shell Birdwatching Guide to the United Arab Emirates. Hobby Dubai. Scott, D.A. (ed.). 1995. A Directory of Wetlands in the Middle East. IUCN, Gland & IWRB, Slimbridge. Uttley, J. D„ Thomas. C. J„ Green, M. G., Suddaby, D„ & Platt J. B. 1 988.The autumn migration of waders and other waterbirds through the northern United Arab Emirates. Sandgrouse 1 0: 58-70. Simon Aspinall, 7 Dussindale Drive, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 OTZ Peter Hellyer, PO Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Appendix I. Proposed National Red Data species The, as yet unofficial, UAE national ‘Red Data’ list for breeding species, as listed below with categories, was derived following recognised IUCN guidelines (IUCN 1994), but otherwise customised to provide a national context (Hornby & Aspinall 1997). Accompanying population estimates are based mostly on 1994-2001 survey data (Aspinall 2005), the list having been last updated in 2002. Regionally threatened Species facing a high risk of extinction nationally Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis (total of c. 40,000 pairs in eight colonies) Sooty Falcon Falco concolor (up to 40 pairs) Small world range Species whose breeding range is confined to Arabia or to the coasts of the northwest Indian Ocean Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus indicus (total of 1 10-150 pairs in three colonies) Crab-plover Dromas ardeola (total of 350-400 pairs in two colonies) Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii (total of 250-500 pairs in two, possibly three, colonies) Saunders’s Tern Sternula saundersi (300-500 pairs, only semi-colonial) Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris kalbaensis (c. 40 pairs; subspecies endemic) Threatened in the Middle East and/or the UAE Species which are vulnerable because of their dependence on a small number of sites, or on a habitat type known to be naturally or otherwise threatened Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (none breeding) Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos (3 pairs; none in IBAs) Osprey Pandion haliaetus (up to 75 pairs) Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides (5-10 pairs) Crested Tern Sterna bergii (800-1,200 pairs in a single colony) Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis (total of up to 24,500 pairs in three colonies) White-cheeked Tern S. repressa (total in excess of 25,000+ pairs; over ten colonies) Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus (total of up to 45,000 pairs; over ten colonies) 560 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates Regionally important breeding population Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis (500-1,000 pairs) Rare UAE breeder (excluding recent colonists) Vulnerable species having a UAE breeding population of under 100 pairs, if not already listed. Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (<100 pairs; intermittent breeding attempts) Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus ( 1-2 pairs) Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata (5-10 pairs) Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia (1-3 pairs) Barn Owl Tyto alba (10-20+ pairs) Desert Eagle Owl Bubo ascalaphus (20-35+ pairs) Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cinctura (<10 pairs) Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens (total of 20+ pairs in two sites) Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama (5-15 pairs in a single site) Species of special concern (deemed at risk nationally) Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor (50-100+ pairs) Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus (500-1,000 pairs; declining) Brown-necked Raven Corvus ruficollis (<500 pairs; declining) Request BB on DVD As we reported last year (Brit. Birds 98: 563), as part of plans to mark our 100th volume we hope to produce a DVD containing all the editorial from the last 100 years. We have looked at various possibilities, and we believe that the most exciting option is to produce a DVD featuring a series of pdfs of the original pages; these would be fully searchable by species, author, keyword, etc., as well as being available chronologically, and we think that it would be an excellent way of making BB’ s fantastic archive of material much more widely available. We would have to work with a partner organisation to produce such a DVD, and have had preliminary discussions with BirdGuides, who have experience in | this field through the production of BWPi. The sale price of the DVD is as yet undetermined since the full production costs are still unknown. Having explored the technical side of things, we are left with one significant hurdle to overcome before we decide whether or not to go ahead with the project. This is the issue of copyright. The copyright of all photographs and illustrations in BB remains with the photographer and illustrator respectively and, unless a waiver has been signed, authors retain copyright of their articles. This would be stated clearly and unequivocally on the disk. The product that we envisage would reproduce text, photos and illustrations exactly as they appeared in the original; it would not, therefore, be a ‘new’ use of the material. However, the format would be new, and as a result we would still have to treat the issue of copyright extremely carefully. If we have to reimburse contributors a second time for the publication of their material in this new format, the project simply will not happen. Our main objective is to produce the DVD as a valuable resource, rather than for commercial gain, but clearly we cannot risk significant financial liabilities. We have consulted around 100 regular contributors to BB, but now wish to seek wider opinion. For the project to happen, we need photographers, artists and authors to agree to the reproduction of their material in this format only without payment of royalties. If you have contributed to BB, we would like to hear your views, supportive or otherwise. Please contact us at adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk or by post at the Editorial Office. If we decide to go ahead with this project, we shall need a complete set of unbound BBs for reference and scanning. We are currently missing the years 1907- 49 and 1957-63 inclusive. Can anyone help? We would be willing to pay for these volumes. Please contact us, as above. Eds British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 546-561 561 Patterns of nest attendance by a pair of Parrot Crossbills Ron W. Summers ABSTRACT A Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus nest at Abernethy Forest, Highland, was video-recorded from the laying of the first egg to fledging, allowing a detailed description of nest attendance by the parents. The four eggs were laid over a period of four days, hatched over three days, and the four chicks fledged over a period of just seconds. The female incubated the eggs alone, and her attendance at the nest increased as the clutch was laid. On average, she left the nest 2-6 times per day for an average total of 11.5 minutes per day during incubation. She spent each night incubating and then brooding the young until they were 8-10 days old. By day, the amount of brooding of the chicks declined steadily and no longer took place by the time the chicks were 7-9 days old. During the laying and incubation periods, the male visited the incubating female 7.1 times per day on average to feed her. The visit rate increased to a peak of I 5 per day after the chicks hatched, but declined during the chick-rearing period, over which time the female made a greater contribution to feeding the chicks. Visits by the parents were synchronised, perhaps to minimise advertising the nest to predators. In total, the female spent 534 hours at the nest (328 during incubation and 206 during brood rearing). The corresponding figures for the male were 1.0 hour during incubation (99 visits) and 4.1 hours during brood rearing (268 visits). The breeding biology of crossbills Loxia has been well documented and reviewed (e.g. Witherby et al. 1943, Bailey et al. 1953, Newton 1972, Nethersole-Thompson 1975, Cramp & Perrins 1994), so that the basic facts about the timing of nesting and laying, feeding of the incubating female by the male and care of the young are well known. There have also been periods of observation devoted to timing the frequency of visits to the nest by the adult birds. For example, observations of breeding Common Crossbills L. curvirostra in Colorado (Bailey et al. 1953), Parrot Crossbills L. pytyopsittacus in Scandinavia (Olsson 1964) and Scottish Crossbills L. scotica in native pinewoods in Scotland (Nethersole-Thompson 1975) were gathered during nest watches, pro- viding information on the rates of feeding of the female by the male and the feeding rates of the chicks by both parents. Such observations were, of course, limited because of the tremen- dous effort required to maintain continuous surveillance of the nest but, collectively, helped to provide a composite picture of nesting behaviour (Cramp & Perrins 1994). What have not been recorded before are detailed observations over a whole nesting period, describing how the male and female change day- and night-time activities as incuba- tion progresses and as the chicks grow. Such observations are now possible and have allowed ornithologists to gain a much greater insight into the behaviour of birds, and describe the parental investment into rearing young more precisely. This paper describes the pattern of nest 562 © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills attendance by a pair of Parrot Crossbills from laying to fledging using a video camera. In par- ticular, it describes incubation scheduling by the female, timing of visits in relation to sunrise and sunset, feeding rate by the male when the female is incubating and brooding, and the feeding rate of both parents when the chicks are older. Methods The observations were made between 28th March and 2nd May 2002 at a Parrot Crossbill nest in a Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris in the ancient native pinewood of Abernethy Forest, Highland. The nest was in the crown of a 16-m tree at a height of 13.3 m. The pair was identi- fied from sonograms of their calls (Summers et al. 2002). The lens of the camera was 5 mm in diam- eter and attached to a short pole, allowing it to be tied to a small branch and positioned 30 cm from the nest. A cable ran from the lens down to a video-recorder at the foot of a nearby tree. The camera was powered by a 12-volt battery and set to take photographs at a rate of five per second, so that 24 hours of data could be com- pressed into a three-hour videotape. Daily visits were required to change the tape and battery. Six infrared-emitting diodes surrounded the lens, illuminating the nest at night. Further technical details are given by Perkins et al. (2005). Crossbills are tolerant of human intruders and the incubating female remained on the nest when visits were made to change the battery and tape. There was a single malfunc- tion with the equipment, during 1 3th— 14th April, leading to the loss of about 24 hours of data. Times refer to local time and are given in the form hours:minutes. Results Egg-laying and incubation The camera lens was installed at the nest in the early afternoon of 28th March, when there was one egg in the nest. The remaining three eggs of the clutch were laid daily on the fol- lowing days, so it is likely that the first egg had been laid on 28th March (table 1). The time of laying of eggs 2-4 was deter- mined only when the female left the nest and the eggs were visible, so is given as a range - the time between the clutch having n eggs and then n+1 eggs. Nevertheless, it was clear that eggs were laid in the morning. Nest attendance by the female covered most of the day during the laying period (days 2-4), but it was slightly less than that after the clutch was laid (fig. 1). On day 1, for which there were data from only 12:52 hrs, the female spent 64% of the day and all of the night on the nest. On days 2, 3 and 4, nest Table I. The main events during filming of a Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus nest at Abernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Event Date Time (hours:minutes:seconds) Camera installed 28th March 12:26 Second egg laid 29th March 05:45-09:09 Third egg laid 30th March 08:04-09:04 Fourth egg laid 31st March 05:45-11:43 First egg hatched 1 1th April 13:30 Second egg hatched 12th April 04:48 Third egg hatched 12 th April 09:19 Fourth egg hatched 13th April 12:21 First two chicks fledged 2nd May 05:02:52 Last two chicks fledged 2nd May 05:02:55 Camera removed 3rd May 15:40 o o o o * * * 20- I 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 Day Fig. I. Total time spent at the nest by the female Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus throughout the nesting period, Abernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Day I = 28th March. The black section of each bar signifies the time spent at the nest between sunset and sunrise (declining through the nesting period), while the white section represents daytime presence. The laying period is denoted by oooo (days 1—4) and the hatching period by *** (days 15-17). Data were incomplete for days 1,17 and 18. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 563 Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills Fig. 2. Number of visits (•) and total time spent at the nest (bars) by the male Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus throughout the nesting period at Abernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Day I = 28th March. The laying period is denoted by oooo (days I —4) and the hatching period by *** (days 15-17). Data were incomplete for days 1,17 and 1 8. Fig. 3. Intervals (with standard errors) between visits by the male Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus to the nest at Abernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Day I = 28th March. The laying period is denoted by oooo (days 1—4) and the hatching period by *** (days 15-17). Data were incomplete for days 1,17 and 18 but the averages were based on the available data. attendance by day increased to 90, 95 and 99%, respectively. During the laying and incubation periods, the female was fed by the male at the nest. Feeding visits by the male started, on average, at 05:54 hrs (range 05:27-06:35 hrs), up to the day before the first egg hatched, on average, 32 minutes after sunrise. The last visit by the male was, on average, at 15:50 hrs (14:17-17:02 hrs), 2 hour 56 minutes before sunset. During these periods, he made an average of 7.1 feeding visits per day (range 5-8), with intervals between visits averaging 1 hour 40 minutes (range 1:19-2:07) (figs. 2 & 3). The time spent at the nest was, on average, only 33 seconds (range 7-104). Therefore, the total time spent at the nest each day by the male averaged 4.2 minutes (range 2. 6-6. 4) during laying and incuba- tion (fig. 2). The female left the nest for short periods during laying and incubation. The average time of first depar- ture was 06:06 hrs (05:27-07:53 hrs), 44 minutes after sunrise. The last departure was at 14:54 hrs (09:33-16:42 hrs), 3 hours 56 minutes before sunset. She left the nest 3-5 times per day during laying for, on average, 15.7 minutes (range 2.3-108.9). During incubation, departures fell to only two per day, but increased to 4-6 per day just prior to hatching. Mean departure times during incuba- tion were 3.1 minutes (range 0.9-9.0), totalling 11.5 minutes (range 2-25) per day (fig. 1). She may have been fed by the male during these absences, or she may have fed herself; the absences were quite short, however, so feeding opportunities would have been limited. On arriving back at the nest, she was often joined immediately by the male, who then fed her. She was present on the nest throughout each night (fig- 1). Brood rearing The hatching of the eggs was often visible on the film because the female would raise herself off the eggs and appear to assist the hatching chicks with her bill. However, it was not always obvious when the chicks were clear of the shell, so the time when the female was seen eating the 564 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills I eggshell was taken as the approximate time of hatching. These times varied from 04:48 hrs to 13:30 hrs during 1 1 th— 13th April. Thus, the incubation periods for the four eggs were 13-14 days, assuming that the first-laid egg hatched first, and the last-laid egg hatched last. When the first chick hatched, the feeding rate by the male increased to ten visits and his total time at the nest was 20 minutes (fig. 2). Over the following days, he made up to 15 visits per day. During this first part of the chick- rearing period, the male was providing food for the female as well as the four chicks. Usually, he regurgitated food to the female, who then fed the chicks. However, on one occasion, the male fed newly hatched chicks directly during a short absence by the female. Over the brood-rearing period, his feeding rate diminished, and the average for the whole fledgling period was 12.6 visits per day (range 9-15), excluding the last day when there was only one visit (figs. 2 & 3). Visits lasted 54 seconds on average (range 3-757), and totalled 11.6 minutes (range 3.9-20.5) per day, with average intervals of 1 hour 5 minutes (range 0.50-1.32) between visits. The average time of the first visit was earlier than during incubation (04:56 hrs, range 04:30-06:12 hrs), and the last visit was later (17:30 hrs, range 15:44-18:24 hrs) because daylength was increasing. During brood rearing, the female gradually spent longer periods off the nest, and usually returned accompanied by the male. After feeding the chicks, she would have a spell of brooding before leaving the nest. As the chicks grew, these spells of brooding decreased in length and eventually, when the chicks were 7-9 days old, there was no brooding during the day between feeds. Droppings were regularly removed by the adults. Most appeared to be taken away from the nest, but many were consumed by the adults, especially by the female when she was brooding the young chicks. In addition, the male occa- sionally fed droppings to the female. Despite the regular cleaning by the adults, even up to the last day of the fledgling period, the nest rim became soiled with drop- pings. When the chicks were 8-10 days old, the female did not brood the chicks overnight. However, she returned to brood through the next night when the chicks were 9-11 days old. In fig. 1, because the days run from midnight to midnight, it suggests that only half the night was spent on the nest during three days, but this is purely an effect of data presentation. In addi- tion, the long periods spent at the nest on days 25 and 27 were due to brooding after sunrise. After that, there was no further night brooding. Late in the brood-rearing period, the female accompanied the male to feed the chicks and devoted a similar number of visits to the nest (mean 11.1 visits per day, range 9-13) and spent a similar amount of time at the nest as the male - on average 9.9 minutes per day (range 7-16) (fig- 1). On the day that the chicks fledged (2nd May), there was only one visit to the nest by the parents, at 04:50 hrs. Fledging was sudden and there was no preparatory behaviour such as wing-stretching or tentative movements at the edge of the nest. Two chicks left the nest at 05:02 hrs, followed three seconds later by the other two. It is possible that the adults were nearby, but this was not recorded. The ages of the chicks at fledging were 19-21 days. 311. Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus nest at Abernethy Forest. Highland. 2002. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 565 Ron W. Summers Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills 20 15 - 0 I I FPl fl I I I T I I I11! I r I f/1)1! I I 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 Day Fig. 4. Minimum and maximum air temperatures (°C) (•) and rainfall (mm) (bars) recorded during the study period atAbernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Day I = 28th March. - 25 - 20 15 P 10 S! 3 P3 5 8. E 0 |2 -5 -10 ■ Fig. 5. The cumulative mass of Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus requiring to be fed during the nesting period, based on this study. Day I = 28th March. Female mass and chick growth taken from Summers (2002). The camera was allowed to run through to the afternoon of 3rd May, over which time the female made a brief appearance (at 1 1:00 hrs on 2nd May), but the chicks never returned. The weather was dry during the incubation period but there were periods of rain in the latter part of the chick- rearing period (fig. 4). The average maximum temper- ature was 12.4°C (range 7.3— 19.5°C), and average minimum was 2.1°C (range -4.2-9.7°C). There was a small but significant decline in the maximum temperature (rs = -0.40), but this amounted to only about 2°C over the nesting period. There was no significant change in the minimum temperature (rs = 0.13). Most days were dry, and there were only two days (28th and 29th April, days 32 and 33) when over 10 mm of rain fell. The lower number of visits to the nest at this time (fig. 2) was perhaps a response to the rain. Total attendance at the nest During laying and incubation, the female spent almost her entire time at the nest, and this declined only when she stopped brooding the chicks through the day and then at night. By contrast, the time spent at the nest by the male was tiny, but he delivered most of the food con- sumed by the incubating female and the young (table 2). His contribution to maintaining the female and the chicks can be portrayed by the changes in the cumulative biomass of crossbills requiring to be fed (fig. 5). The importance of the additional help from the female can be seen at the latter stages of chick growth, when the cumulative biomass rises to a peak. Table 2. Total times (hours), and number of visits made to the nest by a male and female Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus atAbernethy Forest, Highland, 2002. Laying Incubation Brood rearing Total (4 days, (10 days, (21.2 days, (35.2 days, Female 96 hours) 240 hours) 508.9 hours) 845 hours) Time at nest (hours) 89.9 238.1 205.9 533.9 Male Time at nest (hours) 0.3 0.7 4.1 5.1 Number of visits 28 71 268 367 566 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills Discussion Egg-laying and incubation In many respects, the results of this study closely match earlier descriptions of crossbill behaviour at the nest. It was confirmed that crossbills lay their eggs daily (Cramp & Perrins 1994). Nethersole-Thompson (1975) found that they seldom started ‘serious’ incubation until the second or third egg was laid, an observation also made by others (Bailey et al. 1953; Chris- tensen 1957). By contrast, Olsson (1964) and Newton (1972) found that they started incuba- tion with the first egg, so that hatching was asynchronous. It is difficult to be sure what is meant by ‘serious’ incubation. Admittedly, in this study, the female’s attendance was slightly less during egg-laying (fig. 1), but attendance, and presumably incubation, did comprise the majority of the day, even on the first day (64%), supporting the observations that incubation starts early in egg-laying. Given that crossbills start breeding in late winter, there are reports of unbrooded eggs freezing and cracking (Nether- sole-Thompson 1975); by starting incubation with the first egg, this possibility is presumably minimised (Newton 1972). Absences by the female from the nest during the incubation period have been variously reported as up to 45 minutes (in Sweden; Olsson 1964), 1-17 minutes, up to four times per day (Nethersole-Thompson 1975), and 2-14 minutes (in Norfolk, Davidson 1985). In this study, the female left the nest for an average of 3. 1 minutes, 2-6 times per day. Nethersole-Thompson (1975, p. 96) noted that the male provides the female with 7-10 meals per day, at the nest or nearby, at inter- vals of 0.5-2. 5 hours, though females sometimes fly off to defecate, feed and drink in the absence of the mate and so do consume more than this. In Finland (Hilden in Nethersole- Thompson 1975) and in Sweden (Olsson 1964) the female was fed every 2-2.5 hours, and in Colorado every 1-3 hours (Bailey et al. 1953). In Scotland, Nether- sole-Thompson (1975, p. 99) recorded the first feed at 06:33 hrs and the last at 16:55 hrs. In this study, the male made on average 7.1 visits per day during the incubation period, starting, on average, at 05:54 hrs and finishing at 15:50 hrs. The earlier times in this study may be due to seasonal differences in the observations. Nethersole-Thompson (1975, p. 100) esti- mated that the mean incubation period (based on the last-laid egg at six nests) was 13.2 days. Olsson (1964) gave 14, 15, 16 days at three nests, and Bailey et al. (1953) reported 14 days. In this study, the incubation for the four eggs was 13-14 days, with 13 days for the last-laid egg. Eggshells are either eaten or removed from the nest (Nethersole-Thompson 1975). In this study, they were all eaten by the female. Brood rearing Nethersole-Thompson (1975, p. 103) found that the female broods the young for much of the day for five days, and leaves for only short periods, seldom longer than 20 minutes; she often returns with the male and is fed on the nest. After five days, the female went with the male to help to gather food for the young. In this study, the female gradually diminished her brood attendance over six days after hatching and no longer brooded by day once the chicks were 7-9 days old. In the mid part of brood rearing, feeds occurred every 0.5-1. 5 hours (Nethersole- Thompson 1975). At Kandalaksha, north-west Russia, the pair fed the young every 65 minutes (range 43-83); the first meal was 2.5 hours after 3 1 2. Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus nestlings, Abernethy Forest, Highland, 2001. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 567 Ron W. Summers Patterns of nest attendance by Parrot Crossbills sunrise and the last three hours before sunset (Kokhanov & Gaev 1970). Olsson (1964) made observations at three nests, noting that young were fed at intervals of 1.25 hours. The female did all the feeding up to 7-8 days, having first been fed by the male. In this study, the first feed by the male to the chicks was before the last egg had hatched. This was during a brief absence by the female, so was unusual. For about ten days, the female broods at night (Cramp & Perrins 1994). In this study, the chicks were 8-10 days old when first left overnight. By this time, they are presumably sufficiently well feathered and large enough to maintain their body temperature. Nethersole-Thompson (1975, p. 109) and Olsson ( 1964) noted that after the female fed the chicks, she ate the droppings. When the male started to feed chicks, he also ate droppings. After 14 days, nest hygiene is abandoned and droppings are allowed to accumulate (Nether- sole-Thompson 1975). In this study, it was not possible to see what happened to all droppings, but a dropping appeared to be removed by both parents each time they visited the nest to feed the chicks. It could have been eaten or just dropped after the parents left the nest. Nest hygiene was maintained through the brood- rearing period, but latterly the parents were unable to remove all the droppings, resulting in their accumulation around the nest rim. Nethersole-Thompson (1975) noted that parents reduce feeding visits to induce fledging. In this study, there was no indication of this, and the chicks were fed by the parents 12 minutes prior to fledging. Age at fledging has been esti- mated only a few times. At six nests, the values were 17-18, 18-20, 22-24 and 23-25 days (Nethersole-Thompson 1975, p. 112); 19, 25, 25 and 21 or 22 days (Olsson 1964); 22 and 23 days (Kokhanov & Gaev 1970); and 18-20 days (Bailey et al. 1953). In this study, the chicks were 19-21 days old when they fledged. Bailey et al. (1953) and Nethersole-Thompson (1975) found that young crossbills may return to the nest after fledging, to roost there by night. In this study, the young did not return after fledging. Total attendance at the nest The main insight of this study was the detail on the number of nest visits by the adults and how they changed during the nest cycle. For example, the pattern of visits by the male remained unchanged through the laying and incubation periods, when he was feeding only the female, but immediately increased when the chicks hatched. During the early part of chick rearing, the male alone gathered the food for the chicks and female. However, as the female started to take a greater share in brood rearing, the number of visits by the male declined (fig. 2). The chicks, of course, were growing, so the amount of food being delivered to the nest reached its maximum just prior to fledging (fig. 5). It was notable that visits by the parents to feed the chicks were synchronised. Such behav- iour halves the potential number of separate flights to the nest and therefore may reduce the chances of a predator noticing the location of the nest. Acknowledgments Bob Dawson and Ian Dillon helped with the daily maintenance of the camera, while Helen Dawson, Dave Devonport, Anna MacFie and Louise Stirling kindly helped with analysing the tapes. Nigel Butcher designed the camera system. The text was commented upon by Mark Hancock and Jeremy Wilson. References Bailey, A. M„ Niedrach, R.J., & Baily, A. L. 1 953. The Red Crossbills of Colorado. Denver Mus. Nat Hist. 9: 1-64. Christensen, H. 0. 1 957. Observations on the breeding habits of the Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra L ). Dansk Orn. ForenTidsskr. 51: 168-175. Cramp, S., & Perrins, C. M. (eds.) 1 994. Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. 9. OUR Oxford. Davidson, C. 1 985. Parrot Crossbills: A new breeding species. Norfolk Bird and Mammal Report 1 984: 98- 1 02. Kokhanov, V. D„ & Gaev, U. G. 1 970. In: Scientific Works of the Kandalaksha State Reserve, No. 8. Nethersole-Thompson, D. 1975. Pine Crossbills. Poyser Berkhamsted. Newton, I. 1 972. Finches. Collins, London. Olsson, V. 1 964. Studies of less familiar birds. 1 26. Parrot Crossbill. Brit Birds 57: I 18-123. Perkins, A. J„ Hancock, M. H„ Butcher N., & Summers, R. W. 2005. Use of time-lapse video cameras to determine causes of nest failure of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus. Bird Study 52: 1 59-165. Summers, R. W. 2002. Parrot Crossbills breeding in Abernethy Forest, Highland. Brit Birds 95: 4— I I . — , Jardine, D. C„ Marquiss, M„ & Rae, R. 2002.The distribution and habitats of crossbills Loxia spp. in Britain, with special reference to the Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica. Ibis 1 44: 393-4 1 0. Witherby, H. F„ Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F„ &Tucker B.W. 1943. The Handbook of British Birds.V ol. I. Witherby, London. & Ron W. Summers, RSPB, Etive House, Beechwood Park, Inverness IV2 3BW 568 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 562-568 Northbound migrant raptors in June and July at the Strait of Gibraltar Ernest F J. Garcia and Keith J. Bensusan ABSTRACT A small but significant northward movement of raptors occurs across the Strait of Gibraltar in June and July, following the main spring passage. Six key species - Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus, Black Kite Milvus migrans, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and Booted Eagle Aquila pennata - continue to arrive throughout June, while the passage of Short-toed Eagles and Honey- buzzards in particular persists into July. The possible reasons for this protracted passage are discussed. The northbound migration of raptors across the Strait of Gibraltar in spring has received less attention than the southbound, or ‘autumn’, passage. In particular, co-ordinated counts along the entire width of the Strait have been attempted only in autumn, beginning with the studies by the Grupo Espanol de Migracion de Rapaces (GEMRA) in 1972 (Bernis 1980) and continuing today under the auspices of Programa Migres (Consejeria de Medio Ambiente de Andalucia [Andalucian environment agency], in collaboration with the Sociedad Espanola de Ornitologia). Spring movements are much harder to monitor fully since the arrival front may extend from Cape Trafalgar, Spain, in the west to Gibraltar in the east, a span of some 60 km; some species, notably Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus, can arrive on an even broader front. Nonetheless, many observations of the spring passage have been carried out, especially at Gibraltar itself, where monitoring has taken place, albeit vari- able in coverage, during most years from 1964 until the present day, with some records avail- able from earlier periods. Gibraltar is particularly well suited for detecting small-scale movements of migrating birds, including raptors. The community of breeding species is limited and includes only three diurnal raptors: Lesser Kestrel F. nau- manni. Common Kestrel F. tinnunculus and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. Moreover, Gibraltar is a small, isolated promontory, sepa- rated from the mainland by the flat, exposed and heavily urbanised isthmus, which may explain why it is seldom visited by raptors resi- dent in the hinterland. It is thus relatively easy to detect migrants, even single individuals, which is not the case further west, for example around Tarifa Island, Spain, the southernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula. In lune and July, most raptors approach Gibraltar from a southerly or southwesterly direction, as is the case during the core part of the spring passage. Northbound raptors cross the Strait almost entirely during westerly winds (Finlayson et al. 1976; Cortes et al. 1980; Finlayson 1992) and virtually all the records discussed here were made when winds were in the westerly sector. Cortes et al. (1980) and Finlayson (1992) docu- mented the existence of raptor arrivals during the first half of June. Fifteen years of additional observations have established that arrivals con- tinue throughout June and, in some cases, throughout July as well. Methods Records were extracted from the archives of the Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS), covering the years © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 569 P.Acolina Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar c ) 1964-2006. Most observations at Gibraltar, and indeed elsewhere along the northern shore of the Strait, take place between late February and late May. These are periods when large move- ments of raptors occur and the flow of birds may be considerable. Sustained observations have seldom been attempted later than the end of May, by which time most migrating raptors have passed into Europe. In contrast, June and July are often unproductive months, with few birds passing even during apparently ideal con- ditions. It is clearly impractical to maintain a regular watch at this time, although systematic recording would be ideal. Many of the data pre- sented here necessarily originate from inci- dental observations, albeit over a period of 43 years, often by observers engaged in activities such as seabird monitoring. June arrivals coincide with the fledging period of the large Gibraltar population of Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis. At this time, migrating Short-toed Eagles Circaetus gal- licus and Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus in partic- ular suffer considerable persecution by the gulls, which mob them aggressively. Not infrequently, individuals are brought down in the sea, where many drown, but some are rescued and rehabili- tated by the GONHS, which maintains an expe- rienced team for the purpose. Many late-season records, especially of the larger raptors, result from observers having been alerted to their pres- ence by the clamour of the gulls. Results A total of 3,519 raptors of 13 species were observed during June and July between 1964 and 2006 inclusive. Observations were widely scattered within this period, although in some years no late-passage raptors were recorded. Six species - Honey-buzzard, Black Kite Milvus Table I. Total numbers of Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus, Black Kite Milvus migrans, Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopteru s, Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus, Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and Booted Eagle Aquila pennata recorded on northward passage in June and July at Gibraltar, 1 964-2006. Honey- Black Egyptian Griffon Short-toed Booted buzzard Kite Vulture Vulture Eagle Eagle June 1,374 1,281 28 448 103 132 July 75 5 2 12 41 4 Combined 1,449 1,286 30 460 144 136 total 570 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar < > 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Jnl Jn2 Jn 3 Jn 4 Jn 5 Jn 6 Jl I Jl 2 Jl 3 JI4 Jl 5 Jl 6 Ji 7 Fig. I. Total number of Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006, in five-day periods from I st June to 3 I st July. Fig. 2. Total number of Black Kites Milvus migrans recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006, in five-day periods from I st June to 3 I st July. migrans , Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus , Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle and Booted Eagle Aquila pennata - accounted for 99.6% of all sight- ings (table 1), with a combined total of 3,505 individuals. The majority of observations were made during June, but 5.2% of the Honey-buzzards and 28.5% of the Short-toed Eagles occurred during July. Honey-buzzard Honey-buzzard is invariably the last of the major raptor species to appear at the Strait in spring, there being no records from Gibraltar earlier than mid April. The date of the earliest sightings since 2000 ranges from 17th April in 2006 to 25th April in 2002; these dates are typical and consistent with those for pre- vious years. Numbers increase rapidly thereafter, and peak movements occur during the last few days of April and the first week of May (Cortes et al. 1980). By mid May the majority have passed through but small parties continue to be seen until the end of the month. Passage continues throughout June (fig. 1) but most June sight- ings involve single birds and small parties (of up to ten individuals). In some years, however, larger June movements suggest that the main passage has been delayed. This was particularly noticeable in 1987, which produced counts of 1 13 on 1st June, 206 on 7th and 131 on 10th. A count of 280 on 3rd June 1990 was also unusual. These are the only three-figure June counts during 1964-2006, and together account for 50.3% of all the late Honey-buzzard records. Honey-buzzards continue on passage until the end of July but very few individuals are involved; most July sightings are of single birds or groups of up to four, and eight on 4th July 1987 and 11 on 10th July 1993 are the highest day counts on record for this month. arrive in February and flocks continue to move north until late May. The main arrivals are in March but significant numbers continue through April and May (Finlayson 1992). Small flocks of up to 50 may occur in June (fig. 2), especially up to 20th but occasionally later; 31 on 27th June 2003 is particularly noteworthy. Maximum day counts in June are 102 on 3rd June 2003, and 119 on 20th June 2002. The only July records are of four on 1st July. The age class of most Black Kites was not recorded, but ‘immatures’ were seen on a number of occa- sions. Black Kites begin primary moult in mid May (Cramp & Simmons 1980), and June birds were often noted in active moult, typically replacing one or more pairs of inner primaries and sometimes also the central tail feathers. Black Kite Black Kites are currently the most abundant migrant raptor at Gibraltar. They begin to Egyptian Vulture Egyptian Vulture is the least common of the regular late-season migrant raptors at Gibraltar, British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 571 Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar c > Fig. 3. Total number of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006, in five-day periods from I st June to 3 I st July. Fig. 4. Total number of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006, in five-day periods 1st June to 3 1st July. but records are widely spread throughout June, and clearly a few may be expected in June in most years (fig. 3). There are just two July records, both of single birds. The main passage is in March, but is prolonged and extends throughout April and May (Cortes et al. 1980). Only two adults were recorded in June and July, the remainder being immatures, although spe- cific age classes were not recorded in most cases. Griffon Vulture Griffon Vulture has increased dramatically as a breeding bird in Spain in recent years (the breeding population increased by 506% between 1979 and 1999, to 22,455 pairs; Marti & del Moral 2003), and this is reflected in the numbers recorded at Gibraltar. Griffon Vultures may arrive at Gibraltar as early as February but their principal movement occurs much later, in May, and clearly extends into June (fig. 4). June records have involved flocks of up to 55 (on 4th June 1993), but most records are typically of 1-25 individuals. There are just seven July records, the latest being a single bird on 13th July 1990. In addition, an individual that arrived at Gibraltar from the Strait on 3rd August 2004 was quite excep- tional. Only immatures have been identified during late-season movements. The arrival of size- able groups throughout much of June suggests that larger arrivals occur further west, where the crossing is shorter. The south- bound passage of Griffon Vul- tures in October and November now involves several thousand birds and is concentrated as the Strait narrows at Tarifa (pers. obs.). These movements are too late to be monitored by Programa Migres but it is highly likely that more occur now than in the recent past; the same is probably true of spring records as a whole. No fewer than 285 (62%) of the 460 Griffon Vultures recorded in June and July were seen during 2001-06. This most conspicuous of species is the least likely to have been overlooked in earlier years, especially because its presence invariably rouses the Yellow-legged Gulls into clamorous antipathy. June arrivals of Griffon Vultures were a par- ticular feature at Gibraltar in 2002 (total 108 birds), and 2005 (107); both months were notable for prolonged westerlies. Fifty arrived at Tarifa Island on 10th June 2005 in strong east- erly winds, after a difficult crossing during which three crashed into the sea and drowned (Cuenca & Munoz 2005); in addition the local press reported 1 1 dead Griffon Vultures washed up on the north shore of the Strait during June 2005. On 15th June 2006, Mario Mosquera (pers. comm.) counted 151 Griffons, two Honey-buzzards, 47 Black Kites and six Booted Eagles in just one hour at Getares Bay, 7 km west of Gibraltar. All these observations suggest a significant northward movement of Griffon Vultures across the Strait in June, long after the start of the breeding season, which may begin as early as January in southern Spain. 572 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar > Fig. 5. Total number of Short-toed Eagles Circaetus gallicus recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006, in five-day periods from I st June to 3 1st July. Fig. 6. Total number of Booted Eagles Aquila pennata recorded at Gibraltar in June and July from 1 964 to 2006. in five-day periods from I st June to 3 1st July. < Short-toed Eagle Short-toed Eagle also has a pro- longed passage period at Gibraltar, with a clear peak from late February to mid March, when most of the dark-breasted adults arrive (Cortes et al. 1980; Finlayson 1992). Passage con- tinues throughout April and May, with small numbers in [une and July. These late birds are almost invariably immatures, with extremely pale underparts and lacking a dark throat and dark breast markings, indicating that they are second- and third- calendar-year birds (Forsman 1999; Campora & Cattaneo 2005). Short-toed Eagles arrive singly and most day counts are of just one or two birds. Larger day counts in June have included 15 on 6th June 1978, eight on 22nd June 2003 and 15 on 25th June 2004. As noted above, 28.5% of late-arrival Short-toed Eagles occurred in July, a much higher percentage than for the other species discussed. Booted Eagle Booted Eagles begin to arrive over Gibraltar in mid March (Cortes et al. 1980), and reach a peak in April. Significant numbers continue during May, while a trickle persists until mid June (fig. 6). Most day counts in June are of one or two birds, but 25 were seen on 4th June 1993 and 17 on 13th June 1982. The first July records were in 2006, when four individuals were logged, the latest being two birds on 20th. Ruppell’s Vulture One species which may yet prove to be regular in June and July is Ruppell’s Vulture G. rueppellii. The first record for the area was in 2005, when a subadult arrived with Griffon Vultures at Tarifa Island on 10th June. Later that year, a juvenile was at Tarifa beach on 7th July (Lopez Velasco 2005). The first for Gibraltar, a juvenile, appeared on 23rd July 2006 after crossing the Strait (plate 314). This species, which associates with Griffon Vultures, is a recent and increasingly frequent visitor to Spain (Gutierrez 2003; Forsman 2005). Other species Several other raptor species have been recorded on northbound passage during June and July. There are six records of Osprey Pandion hali- aetus , including three on 13th June 1978 (also the latest date). A Marsh Harrier Circus aerugi- nosus was seen on 14th June 1978; a Common Buzzard B. buteo on 5th July 2006; single Long- legged Buzzards Buteo rufinus on 13th June 1966, 22nd July 2003 and 29th October 2003; and single Hobbies F. subbuteo on 9th June 1977 and 13th June 1982. Discussion These observations of birds returning to Europe, long after the start of the breeding season for all the species concerned, may appear paradoxical. The possibility that they may be local birds dispersing, and not migrants, has been discounted since all arrivals have been from the Strait and not from the hinterland to British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 573 Charles Perez Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar C > the north and west of Gibraltar. In any event, of the principal species involved, Honey-buzzard does not nest near Gibraltar and both Black Kite and Egyptian Vulture are rare breeders locally. Moreover, the birds pass purposefully north, following the same routes as migrant raptors during peak passage periods. The possibility that some July records involve southbound birds which have aborted their crossing of the Strait and turned back north has also been considered. Certainly, some raptors do abandon their southward crossing and return to land, presumably to try again later. At Gibraltar, the species most frequently recorded doing so is Black Kite, the earliest of the key species to leave its European breeding grounds. In late July and August, small flocks often arrive from the Strait when the main pop- ulation is migrating south, always when a large southward passage is in progress, and always a small minority of those involved. The other key species are later migrants. Honey-buzzards begin to return from mid August onwards (being powerful fliers, they only rarely abort their journeys across the Strait in response to severe weather conditions), Egyptian Vultures return in August and September, Short-toed and Booted Eagles in September and October, and Griffon Vultures in October and November. It seems clear that late northward passage at Gibraltar is a real phenomenon. The scale of the movements is small in relation to peak passage periods, but significant numbers of birds are involved nonetheless. Moreover, the limited observer coverage suggests that between several hundred and a few thousand birds must cross the Strait annually during this period. The biological significance of returning to Europe so late is open to speculation. These birds will arrive too late to breed and, in any case, the majority are immatures. Perhaps they are simply individuals with a weak migratory urge, although immatures of various species typically remain in Africa throughout the year, and return to Europe only when old enough to breed. For example, there are numerous records of Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles and Ospreys from West Africa during the northern 3 14. Juvenile Ruppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii, the first record for Gibraltar, July 2006. 574 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 Northbound migrant raptors at Gibraltar c summer (Thiollay 1977). Perhaps some are driven out of African winter quarters late in the northern spring by changes in local climate, reduced food availability, or by a seasonal increase in competition with Afrotropical species. Some immature raptors undoubtedly move north during the main passage periods, although adults generally move ahead of imma- tures (Kerlinger 1989). Berthold (2001) described such behaviour as a graded return, a strategy in which birds migrate late or only part of the way towards future breeding areas, sum- mering in suitable areas as non-breeders, perhaps to avoid unnecessary migration. Late arrival may also be an example of exploratory migration ( sensu Baker 1978), in which individ- uals benefit from spending time locating and evaluating territories in which they will breed subsequently. Arriving late would also make it easier to detect vacant territories; young birds are unlikely to prevail against older and more experienced birds if they arrive early. There may be other advantages in arriving late. For example, most adult Short-toed Eagles return to Spain in March, when reptile prey may be diffi- cult to find; later birds avoid such lean periods. Insect and other prey is more abundant later in the season too, while vegetation dieback during summer drought may make prey and carrion detection easier for inexperienced birds. Late-season arrivals do not appear to have been reported from other raptor migration sites around the Mediterranean, although there is limited or no survey effort after late May at Cape Bon, Tunisia, the Sicilian narrows, in Italy, or at the Bosphorus, Turkey. Observers at Eilat, southern Israel, farther south than Gibraltar, have reported northward passage of Honey- buzzards as late as 17th June, of Black Kites until 19th June, and of Booted Eagles until 10th June (Shirihai et al. 2000). In general, the extent of late raptor arrival has been poorly moni- tored. The Gibraltar observations suggest that it should be looked for more widely in future. Acknowledgments We would like to thank the hundreds of observers who have contributed to the raptor records collected by GONHS since 1964 Their indispensable contribution is gratefully acknowledged. Special mention must be made of those whose involvement has spanned many years and continues today: Paul Acolina. John Cortes, Clive Finlayson, Andrew Fortuna, Mario Mosquera, Charles Perez, Nigel Ramos, Paul Rocca, Roger Rutherford and Albert Yome. We are grateful to John Cortes and Mario Mosquera for commenting on the manuscript. References Baker R. R. 1978. The Evolutionary Ecology of Animal Migration. F-lodder & Stoughton, London. Bernis, F. 1 980. La Migration de lasAves en el Estrecho de Gibraltar (Epoca Posnupcial). Universidad Complutense, Madrid. Berthold, R 200 1 . Bird Migration: a general survey. 2nd edn. OUR Oxford. Campora, M„ & Cattaneo, G. 2005. Ageing and sexing Short-toed Eagles. Brit. Birds 98: 370-376. Cortes, J. E., Finlayson, J. C., Garcia, E. F.J., & Mosquera, M. A. 1980. The Birds of Gibraltar. Gibraltar Bookshop, Gibraltar — & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1 980. Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. 2. OUR Oxford. Cuenca, D„ & Munoz, G. 2005. Ruppell's Vulture. In: Gutierrez, R. (ed.), Recent Reports: June 2005. Rare Birds in Spain www.rarebirdspain.net Finlayson, J. C. 1 992. The Birds of the Strait of Gibraltar. Poysep London. — .Garcia, E. F.J.. Mosquera, M.A., & Bourne, W. R. R 1976. Raptor migration across the Strait of Gibraltar Brit Birds 69: 77-87. Forsman, D. 1999. The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East. Poyser London. — 2005. Ruppell's Vultures in Spain. Birding World 1 8: 435-T38. Gutierrez, R. 2003. Occurrence of Ruppell's Griffon Vulture in Europe. Dutch Birding 25: 289-303. Kerlinger R 1 989. Flight Strategies of Migrating Hawks. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Lopez Velasco, D. 2005. Ruppell's Vulture. In: Gutierrez, R. (ed.), Recent Reports: July 2005. Rare Birds in Spain www.rarebirdspain.net Marti", R„ & del Moral, J. C. (eds.) 2003. Atlas de las Aves Reproductoras de Espaha. Direccion General de Conservation de la Naturaleza-Sociedad Espahola de Ornitologia, Madrid. Shirihai, H., Yosef R„ Alon, D„ Kirwan, G. M„ & Spaar R. 2000. Raptor Migration in Israel and the Middle East International Birding & Research Centre, Eilat. Thiollay, J. M. 1 977. Distribution saisonierre des rapaces diurnes en Afrique Occidentale. L'Oiseau 47: 253-294. Dr Ernest F. J. Garcia, Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society, PO Box 843, Gibraltar Keith J. Bensusan, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 569-575 575 Notes All Notes submitted to British Birds are subject to independent review, either by the Notes Panel or by the BB Editorial Board. Those considered appropriate for BB will be published either here or on our website (www.britishbirds.co.uk) subject to the availability of space. Northern Gannets soaring Reports of Northern Gannets Morus bassanus thermalling have been published recently in BB (see Brit. Birds 96: 252; 97: 249-250). The fol- lowing observations of adult Gannets were made on Alderney, Channel Islands, over- looking the gannetry on the nearby islets of Les Etacs. Gannets regularly soar in thermals over the sea here when there is an offshore wind on a hot day, sometimes reaching 150 m above sea level; up to 200 Gannets have been observed in a single thermal close to the gannetry, with smaller numbers up to 6 km from it. Gannets also soar on orographic uplift, particularly on wind deflected upwards from the 35° slope of the north face of the gannetry’s main islet. Late in the breeding season, after many young have fledged, a different type of soaring is practised. Using orographic uplift, Gannets will soar to some height over the north face of the main islet, then dive northwards away from the islet, turn back towards it, and come in fast and low over the islet before soaring once more and repeating the cycle. This sequence of repeated soaring and diving is employed by many Gannets, so many that it can be difficult to keep track of the same bird. On the morning of 2nd October 2004, 1 counted a maximum of seven full cycles by one individual before I lost track of it. The behaviour occurs with a stiff wind, especially against the inclined north face. On days without orographic uplift, this behav- iour is uncommon. The total soaring climb, with no wing flaps, is generally about 40-50 m from start to finish (heights reached by the Gannets are easy to estimate when watching from the adjacent 70-m cliff). The fastest of 14 soaring climbs timed on 3rd October 2004 was 10 seconds to climb c. 50 m, and the slowest was 27 seconds to climb c. 40 m. Soaring is also used by commuting Gannets. On 7th June 2004, a flock of nine returning past Alderney towards the colony glided along on orographic uplift for some hundreds of metres close to and just above the edge of a 70-m clifftop. On 1 1th August 2006, a returning flock of eight Gannets thermalled upwards close to and above the same clifftop, then glided onwards to continue their journey. Jeremy G. Sanders 4 La Vallee Clos, Alderney GY9 3AP; e-mail jerry.sanders@cwgsy.net Bar-tailed Godwit On 10th February 2006, at the fishing village of Iwik in the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, I observed a Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica feeding on a dead fish for several minutes. The fish was about 28 cm long and similar in shape to a Roach Rutilns rutilus. The godwit inserted its bill into the fish at or close to the vent, from a variety of angles and positions, mainly to the extent of half or three- quarters of its bill length but on several occa- Mike Archer 14 The Elms, Chesterwood Drive, Sheffield S10 5DU feeding on carrion sions to within 1 cm or so of the feathering of the forehead. It fed with a series of probes, nearly as rapidly as godwits do when observed feeding in water. A Sanderling Calidris alba was standing about half a metre away, apparently awaiting its turn to feed (cf. Brit. Birds 74: 521-522). While the eating of carrion by waders is not unknown, I can find no reference to Bar-tailed Godwits doing so. 576 © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 c Notes ) The prey of breeding Barn Owls on Skomer, and evidence for mainland foraging The first confirmed breeding record of Barn Owl Tyto alba on Skomer Island, Pem- brokeshire, since 1897 occurred in 2004 and provided an opportunity to analyse material from the nestbox. A previous study of Barn Owl pellets found on Skomer suggested that all prey items had been taken on the island (Brown & Twigg 1971). This note describes an analysis of the prey of a pair of Barn Owls that bred suc- cessfully on the island in 2004, fledging two young. On Skomer, which lies 1 km from the Pem- brokeshire mainland, the small-mammal fauna comprises Common Shrew Sorex araneus. Pygmy Shrew S. minutus. Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus, Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus skomerensis (‘Skomer Vole’) and Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. Skulls and dentaries were used to identify and estimate the number of small mammals contained in remains retrieved from the nestbox (Yalden 2003). For each mammal species, separate counts were made for skulls and left and right dentaries, with the greatest count being used to estimate the number of individuals. Amphibians were identified and counted by the number of tibio-fibula bones; these consisted of Common Frog Rana tempo- raria and Common Toad Bufo bufo , although it was not possible to separate these two species from the remains collected. Birds were identi- fied from humerus bones. A number of inverte- brate prey items were recorded, mainly ground beetles (Carabidae), but were present in only small quantities and are not considered to be important in the diet of Barn Owls (Glue 1974). Eight mammalian prey species were recorded, with the greatest proportion being Skomer Voles (table 1). The remains of Field Vole Microtus agrestis and Water Shrew Neomys fodiens clearly indicated that prey had been taken from the mainland, as these species are absent from Skomer. The dental characteristics of the upper molar (M2) and lower molars (M2 and M3) are distinct and were used to identify Field Vole; Water Shrew was identified on the upper jaw, this species having four unicuspid teeth on each side (Yalden 2003). The main fea- tures that distinguish Skomer Vole from the mainland Bank Vole are the dental characteris- tics of the upper third molar (M3): that of the Skomer Vole has a ‘complex’ condition while that of the mainland Bank Vole is ‘simple’ (Corbet 1964). Flowever, Brown & Twigg (1971) noted that a complex M3 is not always devel- oped in the Skomer Vole. Previous studies have suggested that Barn Owls on Skomer hunt exclusively on the island (Brown & Twigg 1971), but the presence of Field Voles and Water Shrews in the material examined confirms that the Barn Owls which bred on the island in 2004 were also hunting on the mainland. The apparent number of main- land Bank Vole remains further corroborates Table I . Number of prey items, percentage of prey items, number of prey units and percentage of prey units for different species found in Barn Owl Tyto alba pellets and other remains in a nestbox, Skomer, Pembrokeshire, 2004. Prey units give an approximation of the biomass that a particular species contributes to the diet, with I unit assumed to weigh 20 g (Southern 1 954). Insects - 4 1 beetles (Coleoptera) and one grasshopper (Orthoptera) - are excluded from the analysis. Number Percentage Conversion Prey Percentage prey items prey items factor units prey units Skomer Vole Clethrionomys glareolus skomerensis 529 37.7 1.0 529 42.1 Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus 67 4.8 1.0 67 5.3 Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus 314 22.4 1.0 314 25.0 Field Vole Microtus agrestis 26 1.9 1.0 26 2.1 Common Shrew Sorex araneus 288 20.5 0.5 144 11.5 Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus 18 1.3 0.3 5 0.4 Water Shrew Neomys fodiens 1 <0.1 0.75 <1 <0.1 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus 2 0.1 5.0 10 0.8 Birds 8 0.6 1.0 8 0.6 Amphibians 151 10.8 1.0 151 12.0 Total 1,404 1,255 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 577 Jim Bullock Notes C this, although these may have been overesti- mated; they were identified solely on the com- plexity of the M3 molar, with 67 upper molars exhibiting the simple condition. These were all classed as mainland Bank Voles, but the possi- bility that some were Skomer Voles cannot be entirely ruled out; it was not possible to examine pelvic bones to differentiate between the two forms as the analysis material was not in pellet form. Skomer covers approximately 300 ha, and would appear to be of suitable size to accom- modate the average home range of a pair of Barn Owls (Roulin 2002). The 3.0-km distance from the nest to the nearest point on the main- land is at the upper end of foraging distances previously recorded for nesting Barn Owls (Roulin 2002). Densities of voles on Skomer have previously been shown to be up to four times higher than on the mainland (Healing et al. 1983). However, numbers of Skomer Voles were low in 2004 and declined during the course of the breeding season (Healing & Dr Michael F. E. Loughran 26 Sauls Bridge Close, Witham , Essex CM8 1XJ Juan G. Brown Skomer Island , Marloes, Pembrokeshire SA62 3BJ > Loughran 2004), and this may have contributed to the reasons for the island Barn Owls hunting on the mainland. References Brown, J. C„ &Twigg, G. I. 1971. Mammalian prey of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire. Mammal Society 23: 527-530. Corbet, G. B. 1964. Regional variation in the Bank Vole Clethrionomys glareolus in the British Isles. Proc. Zoo!. Soc. Load. 143: 191-219. Glue, D. E. 1974. Food of the Barn Owl in Britain and Ireland. Bird Study 2 1 : 200-2 1 0. Healing, T D., Jewell, V.T, Jewell, RA„ Rowland, I.W..& Gipps, J. H.W. 1983. Populations of the BankVole (Clethrionomys glareolus) and Long-tailed Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus ) on Skomer Island, Dyfed.J. Zoo/. 1 99: 447-460. — & Loughran, M. F. E. 2004. Skomer Island small mammal survey August-September 2004. Unpublished report to CCW and Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Roulin, A. 2002. Barn Owl. BWP Update 4 (2): I 15-138. OUR Oxford. Southern, H. N. 1 954.Tawny Owls and their prey. Ibis 96: 384 — 4 1 0. Yalden, D.W. 2003. The Analysis of Owl Pellets. 3rd edn.The Mammal Society, London. Barn Owl killed and eaten by Common Buzzards At about 08.45 hrs on 21st March 2006, on my farm near Malvern, Worcestershire, I was greatly excited to see a Barn Owl Tyto alba flying 3 1 5. Remains of Barn Owl Tyto alba killed by Common Buzzards Buteo buteo, near Malvern, Worcestershire, March 2006. towards me, not more than 100 m away; I had not seen a Barn Owl on the farm for at least 30 years previously. However, within a few seconds, and only a matter of metres away from where I stood, the owl was knocked out of the sky by a Common Buzzard Buteo buteo; and when the owl was on the ground a second Buzzard swooped down and finished it off, taking no notice of me shouting and running towards it. The Buzzards carried off the body to a point some 150 m or so away, where they tore it to pieces; the photo shows what was left when I got to it. Heimo Mikkola (Brit. Birds 69: 144-154) analysed literature for data on owls eaten by or eating other owls and raptors. Barn Owls were found in the prey of five Eagle Owls Bubo bubo , seven Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis and two Common Buzzards; the event is therefore not unique, but there must be few if any direct observations of such a kill. Jim Bullock The Old Mill House, Mill Lane, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3QS 578 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 c Notes Do Common Swifts emit ultrasound? Two groups of birds, the Oilbird Steatornis caripensis from northern South America and Trinidad and swiftlets Aerodramus of the Indo- Pacific region, employ echolocation to find their way into the safety of the caves where many of them nest and roost in complete dark- ness. Unlike the very high-frequency (ultra- sonic) vocal pulses emitted by most bats (Chiroptera), the echolocation sounds of birds are audible to the human ear as a continuous stream of sharp clicks. Sound frequencies are in the range 1-12 kHz in the Oilbird, and 1-16 kHz in the various Aerodramus species (Camp- bell & Lack 1985). Since Common Swifts Apus apus also breed in dark places, I was interested to measure the exact range of sounds produced by this species to investigate whether the birds might use any form of echolocation. The human ear can reg- ister sounds in the range between 16 Hz and 16 kHz. The range of sounds emitted by the Common Swift is known to be wider than 4—8 kHz (see Glutz 1980, Bergmann 8c Helb 1982 and BWP ); Tigges (1994) proved a range span- ning 2-13 kHz. Using a bat detector with a sensitivity range of 20-120 kHz, I monitored the sounds emitted by Common Swifts, in steps of 5 kHz, for the following categories: adults on the nest; adults returning to the nest and resulting duets; adults on the nest before egg-laying; chicks alone; chicks after the adult returned to the nest; chicks after feeding; families during the night; ‘fly-bys’ and nest-site checking by non-breeders; and colonial calls (‘screaming parties’). The dis- tance from the detector to the birds was 30-50 cm from birds in a nestbox and 0.5-10 m from flying birds. Sounds emitted by adult Common Swifts were clearly audible on the bat detector at 20 kHz, and their sounds continued to register up to 35 kHz. The chicks did not produce any audible sounds above 20 kHz. This series of observations established that although all vocal- isations made by Common Swifts are audible to the human ear (and cannot thus be properly classified as ‘ultrasonic’), elements of their calls are composed of ultrasonic frequencies. The species’ calls may consist of three different parts: the basic tone, the lower tone and the upper tone. The basic tone is 4-7 kHz, the lower tone may go down to 2 kHz (Tigges 1994), and the upper tone may reach 30-35 kHz, as found here. There was, however, no evidence that the Common Swiff uses any form of echolocation. Acknowledgment I am grateful to Edward Mayer for his help with translating the text into English. References Bergmann, H.-H., & Helb, H.-W. 1 982. Stimmen der Vogel Europas. BLVVerlagsgesellschaft, Munchen-Wien-Zurich. Campbell, B„ & Lack, E. 1 985. A Dictionary of birds. Poyser Calton. Glutz von Blotzheim, U., & Bauer K, 1 980. Handbuch der Vogel Mitteleuropas.V ol. 9. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden. Tigges, U. 1 994. Beobachtungen am Mauersegler (Apus apus ) und Bericht liber eine Spatbrut 1 993. Berl. Ornithol. Ber. 4: 129-141. Ulrich Tigges Erlanger Strafie 11, 12053 Berlin, Germany; e-mail swift@gmx.org Sylvia warblers taking nectar on Salewski et al. (2006) suggested that nectar may be a relatively frequent but overlooked food source for migrant warblers. As well as their own observations, they quoted a disparate range of other sources for the behaviour dating back to the nineteenth century. It is worth noting that Gilbert White recorded Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca taking nectar from Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris in the late eigh- teenth century (White 1789), while BWP Concise suggests, in the entry for Lesser Whitethroat, that ‘records of drinking nectar... indicate that this is a regular source of energy, autumn migration in Shetland especially for birds on migration’. In Shetland in autumn, Sylvia warblers are often seen in Fuchsia bushes, one of the few large flowering plants in Shetland which retain leaves and flowers well into the autumn. It may be assumed that these bushes would be a good source of insect food, the insects being attracted by the flowers and the shelter they provide, but on several occasions I have watched Sylvia war- blers apparently taking nectar. On 1st October 2002, I watched a female Blackcap S. atricapilla for over ten minutes at Norwick, Shetland, during which time it hopped through a Fuchsia British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 579 Notes ( bush from flower to flower, carefully positioning itself below each flower before inserting its bill upwards, then waiting for about a second before withdrawing. The fact that it moved methodi- cally from flower to flower and spent the same time at each flower strongly suggested that it was taking nectar, and not gleaning insects. On several occasions since, I have seen Blackcaps, and occasionally Garden Warblers S. borin , behaving in the same manner, but I didn’t specifically record details. On 14th October 2002, a Barred Warbler S. nisoria was watched stripping Fuchsia flowers from a bush at Norwich and it appeared that the bird was doing this to get at the nectaries; because of its larger bill, the Barred Warbler was presumably unable Mike G. Pennington 9 Daisy Park, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland ZE2 9EA ) to feed in the same manner as the Blackcap. It is already well established that Sylvia war- blers change their diet in autumn, becoming principally frugivorous. In Shetland, where soft fruits such as blackberries Rubus fructicosus agg. are more or less unavailable, it is not surprising that birds use nectar as an alternative high-energy food source. It may be that nectar is a widely used food source for migrant Sylvia species, and pos- sibly .other warblers, in both spring and autumn. References Salewski.V., Almasi, B. & Schlageter, A. 2006. Nectarivory of Palearctic migrants at a stopover site in the Sahara. Brit Birds 99: 299-305. White, G. 1 789. The Natural History and Antiquities of Selbourne. White & Son, London. Unusual song of Willow Warbler On 29th April 2006, at Chantry Fields, Gillingham, Dorset, I heard what at first I took to be a duet between a Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and a Common Chiffchaff Ph. collybita. The Willow Warbler was singing its typical song and on completion the phrase was followed immediately by several notes of typical Chiff- chaff song. I soon located the Willow Warbler, in the top of a Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna bush, and I realised quickly that just one bird was responsible for both songs. I watched this individual for about ten minutes, during which time it repeatedly delivered a normal Willow Warbler song, but each time ended it with usually four, sometimes six and on one occasion eight notes of typical Chiffchaff song. In appearance, it seemed to be a perfectly normal Willow Warbler, showing all the usual morphological features, including long super- cilium extending well behind the eye, pale brown legs and a long primary projection. I believe that this bird was a mimic rather than a hybrid. It was not heard again on subsequent visits to the area. Gordon R. Hopkins Skaillrora Lodge, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4RE ; e-mnz7grhopkins99@hotmail.com EDITORIAL COMMENT Two Phylloscopus warblers with mixed Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler songs have been recorded previously in BB (see Brit. Birds 79: 340-342), although the pattern differed from that described by Gordon Hopkins; the appearance and song of a presumed hybrid Chiffchaff x Willow Warbler was described by S. R. D. & E. S. da Prato in the same issue {Brit. Birds 79: 341-342). Goldcrests feeding on peanuts On 5th February 2006, I watched a male Gold- crest Regulus regulus feeding on peanuts from a hanging nut feeder in my garden in Kent. This bird was singing throughout the morning in trees adjacent to the feeder site and on four sep- arate occasions it was seen to cling confidently onto the mesh and peck repeatedly at the Dr Norman McCanch 23 New Street, Ash, Canterbury, Kent CT3 2BH peanuts inside. It successfully extracted small fragments of peanut and swallowed them. I can find no previous record of Goldcrests feeding on peanuts, or attending a hanging feeder. BWP mentions only seeds of spruce Picea and pine Pinus by name as plant material in the diet of this species. 580 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 Notes C > During the last two weeks of February 2006, a female Goldcrest commonly fed on the ground below a suspended peanut feeder in my Som- erset garden. The Goldcrest fed on peanut frag- ments dropped from the cage but the bird, apparently always the same individual, arrived only when other birds (usually Great Tits Parus major or Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus ) were actively feeding from the nuts. It must be unusual for a Goldcrest to take food in this selective manner, although ground-feeding is not uncommon for this species. Several other bird species, however, often wait for peanut fragments to be dropped in this way. Dr A. P. Radford Crossways Cottage, West Bagborough, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3EG EDITORIAL COMMENT It is clear that the use of supplementary foods at garden feeding stations by Goldcrests is not well known or recorded, so we asked the BTO’s David Glue to comment. He replied as follows: ‘Enthusiastic feeders of garden birds in the New Forest, Hampshire, Edwin Cohen (Sway) and Norman Pullen (East Boldre), showed the writer how Goldcrests could be attracted to peanuts at garden feeding sites as early as the successive cold winters of 1961/62 and 1962/63. Both birdwatchers were avid experi- menters, advocating crushing whole peanut kernels, either by stamping on them or by crushing them in a kitchen mincing machine. Peanut fragments placed on a raised surface (bird table or tree stump) were taken on a regular basis by Goldcrests but also by Wrens Troglodytes troglodytes and Blackcaps Sylvia atri- capilla, and (less often) by Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Firecrest R. ignicapilla and Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris. The BTO’s Garden Bird Feeding Survey (GBFS) has, since winter 1970/71, monitored changes in the frequency and behaviour of the UK’s wintering birds taking supplementary foods (and water - at birdbaths) via systematic weekly counts at a representative cross-section of garden feeding stations. Counts by over 800 GBFS observers in the 1970s showed that Goldcrests came not infre- quently to a small percentage (5%) of feeding sites (table 1). Peanuts, along with fat and water, were the regular fare, peanuts taken generally on raised surfaces, from hanging containers or as fragments beneath suspended containers alongside Wren and Dunnock Prunella modularis on the ground. Over time, GBFS has charted an increase in the proportion of feeding stations patronised by Goldcrest, Wren and Blackcap, but Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and Firecrest have failed to match these trends, even though these three species are regular feeders at certain sites (table 1). Winter 2005/06, the coldest in a decade, saw Goldcrests taking supplementary foods (and water) at 17% of GBFS sites sampled. Peaks in attendance at feeders from late October to the end of November and from early February to mid March possibly involved transient birds and cold-weather-related activity respectively; the UK was beset by a raw chill from the Continent in early 2006, which provided testing times for the survival of essentially insectivo- rous passerines. With the survival of such species in mind, the BTO has advised bird-care companies on best practice since the 1980s, drawing primarily on observations of contributors to BTO survey work. Historically, Goldcrests have been drawn primarily to fatty products, peanuts, fine seeds, and crumbs of bread, cheese and cake. Today, Goldcrests are best attracted to peanuts when crushed, split, in granular form or coated in fat and integrated within fat ‘cake’ or specific blends for ‘insectivorous’ birds; ‘live’ foods and rehydrated invertebrate foods provide attractive alternatives.’ Note: Extra counters for the BTO’s Garden BirdWatch project are always welcomed. For more details, contact GBW, FREEPOST, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2BR; tel. 01842 750050; www.bto.org/gbw Table I . Insectivorous birds feeding on supplementary foods in Britain. Data show the percentage of birds recorded during the BTO’s Garden Bird Feeding Survey that were feeding on supplementary foods.' 1 970s' includes winters from 1970/71 to 1979/80 inclusive; data from The Garden Bird Book (Glue, 1982). Winters during 1970s Winter 2005/06 Wrens Troglodytes troglodytes 34% 58% Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla 10% 29% Goldcrest Regulus regulus 5% 17% Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris 2% 2% Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita 2% <1% Firecrest R. ignicapilla <1% 0% British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 581 Notes C } Common Starlings roosting in a cave At sunset on 14th April 2006, I was walking along the cliffs at Treshnish Point, Isle of Mull, Argyll & Bute, when I saw a flock of about 50 Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris circling, in typical Starling-flock fashion, above the head- land. I had noticed these flocks heading towards the cliffs on several evenings during the pre- vious two months and I presumed that they were roosting on the cliffs. On this particular evening, I watched as the flock repeatedly dived dramatically out of sight over a cleft in the cliff edge only to reappear either further along the cliff or behind me. This happened several times - I presumed that the flock was taking its time to settle - before the birds finally disappeared into the cleft. A few minutes later a second flock, of about 55 birds, repeated this display. Anand Prasad Treshnish Point, Calgary, Isle of Mull PA75 6QX I decided to try and count the roost, but when I peered over the cliff edge I was surprised to find no birds at all. At that point, a lone Star- ling flew towards me, plummeted vertically below the cliff edge and disappeared. On closer inspection, I could see that this bird had flown into a cave, of which only the outer mouth was visible. I could hear a chorus of twittering, which I presumed was coming from the flock roosting in the cave. Subsequently, on five separate dates between 10th May and 30th August 2006, at the same site, groups of up to 30 Starlings were seen to enter the same cave to roost. BWP has no mention of Common Starlings roosting in caves, although it does seem an obvious strategy for coastal birds. Common Starling killing and feeding scorpion to its young On 25th May 2006, near Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey, we were alerted to the importunate begging of a juvenile Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris as it pursued its parent. We could see instantly that the adult Starling held a small, pale grey- white scorpion (probably a Buthus sp.). The prey was clasped in the bill at a point close to the sting, with the full length of the arachnid dangling straight down in front of the adult’s bill. Rather than feed this potentially hazardous item to its chick, the parent bird con- tinued to thrash the scorpion with a sideways and downwards action against the stony track as it walked along. After several more instances of this disabling measure, the parent fed the scorpion to its chick. Immediately after passing the item over, the adult also offered its offspring a small snail [Gastropoda] taken from the path edge. Both items were readily consumed by the young bird. Judging by the way that the adult systemati- cally rendered the scorpion safe before feeding the chick, and continued to ensure that it was lifeless despite the persistent begging of the youngster, we suspect that scorpions had been encountered and eaten before. Yet we can find no evidence in the literature, nor does Chris Feare know of any instance of scorpion being listed before as prey for either Common Star- ling or Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus. Acknowledgment We are grateful to Chris Feare for reading and commenting on this article. Mark Cocker The Hollies, The Street, Claxton, Norwich NR 14 7AA Tim Dee BBC, Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR 582 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 576-582 Reviews THE GREAT FEN: ARTISTS FOR NATURE IN ENGLAND By Chris Gerrard. Langford Press, Peterborough, 2006. 165 pages; numerous colour images. ISBN 1-904078-17-3. Hardback, £35.00. The latest in a series of fine-quality art books by Langford Press, this focuses on the Great Fen project as seen by an international team of 30 artists, brought together by the Artist for Nature Foundation. The Great Fen project hopes eventually to link existing fragments of fen by restoring habitat over a 37 km2 area of Cambridgeshire. The vast majority of the 165 pages have one or more artworks, interspersed by small amounts of text by Chris Gerrard supplying historical background information about the main sites and their wildlife, and the vision of the project. Artist profiles occupy the last ten pages. As one would expect, the artwork is very much habitat-ori- entated and is represented by the widest variety of styles and disci- plines. There are some impressive mood-capturing landscapes, by Denis Clavreul and Darren Rees to name but two, while Wolfgang Weber’s fine pencil studies of deer are worthy of close scrutiny. Many fenland life forms are covered in small detail, including plants and insects, but there are few detailed bird studies. Of these, the masterly watercolours of Barry van Dusen stand out. Alan Harris BEWICK’S SWAN By Eileen Rees. T & AD Poyser, A&C Black, London, 2006. 296 pages; 16 pages of colour photographs; maps, tables, diagrams. ISBN 0-7136-6559-9. Hardback, £40.00. This is an excellent book, indeed one of the best of recent offerings from Poyser, based as it is on the author’s long-term studies and extensive knowledge of Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus. At just under 300 pages, it is not a particularly long book - and indeed 60 of these are devoted to appendices, tables and references - but therein lies the key to its success. Eileen Rees has managed to distil a lifetime of her own studies and a host of scientific research by others into a tight, scholarly account of this enigmatic species. However, this is no dry scientific text aimed purely at academics, and from the opening lines (‘Of all the species of bird on this planet, the Bewick’s Swan must be one of the most appealing’) you begin to get a feeling for the intimate knowledge and respect that the author has for the species. For some 30 years, Eileen Rees has observed and studied the behaviour, movements, lives and deaths of Bewick’s Swans, and one cannot undertake a study of such long-lived birds (known individuals have reached 29 years in the wild, 36 in captivity) without becoming attached to them some- where along the way. From the identification and naming of Bewick’s Swan as a sepa- rate species of ‘Wild Swan’ in the early nineteenth century (just how and when it was first identified as a separate species, and by whom, is an interesting story) to the use of satellite transmitters to track its autumn migration in 2003 (which attracted a national audience through its coverage by BBC Radio 4’s Migration Watch), Eileen has covered the ground with thorough- ness, objectivity and the occasional glimpse of a dry sense of humour. It is a sobering thought that had she stopped her studies in 1990, we would know next to nothing about the breeding behaviour of this species on the Russian tundra. When, in 1991, Eileen Rees and Dafila Scott (who provided the excellent illustrations for the book) made the first of what are now annual expeditions by WWT to the Pechora Delta, they were probably the first British people to set foot there since the great explorer and naturalist Henry Seebohm at the back end of the nineteenth century! The layout and contents follow a logical and well-used format, the eight chapters beginning with a look at swans in general and the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Bewick’s Swan in particular, and ending with a discussion of threats and conservation measures. Perhaps because the author has a scientific background, there is particular emphasis on understanding the reasons behind the numerous facts, detailed tables and observations, rather than just describing or reporting them. We are also encour- aged to see the swans’ numbers and distribution (chapter 2), their migrations and movements (chapter 3), and their choice of food and feeding ecology (chapter 4) very much in the light of their overall lifetime reproductive success and the implications that this has for species survival (chapter 7). The author’s own work features strongly in two of the most inter- esting chapters, those on breeding biology (chapter 5) and social behaviour in winter (chapter 6). In the former, we are given an insight into aspects of Bewick’s Swan biology that for most people are new, being based on studies of birds breeding in the Russian tundra. Given the location, recent history and nature of this area, it would perhaps have been good to learn a little more about how the author and her colleagues undertook their work and their view of post-glasnost Russia. Social behaviour in winter is something that British birdwatchers are more used to, but here is a very readable account of what lies behind the displays, the dominance hierar- chies and other social interactions to © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 583-586 583 Reviews C be seen in winter flocks. If I do have any criticisms, they are more to do with what feels like a slightly miserly approach to the production of the book itself, rather than with its contents or the author. At 47 lines to a page and with page margins as tight as I cm, the text appears to be a little unnecessarily crammed onto the page. Similarly, while the 21 colour photos are of superb quality (particularly those of a juvenile White-tailed Eagle Hali- aeetus albicilla harassing swans, or the several which feature swans feeding in fields), many feel too small to really do them justice. As for the cover, when one already has D an illustrator as good and as sympa- thetic towards the subject as Dafila Scott, why go elsewhere? But these are minor presenta- tional details. This is a scholarly book, well written and a fine addi- tion to the Poyser stable. Chris Spray ON SPARROWS AND MAN By J. Denis Summers-Smith. Privately published, Guisborough, 2005. 112 pages; 34 colour plates. ISBN 0-9525383-2-6. Hardback, £15.00. Available from the author (e-mail jdss@tribology.co.uk; p8qs £1.50). Denis Summers-Smith needs no introduction; he is probably the world’s leading authority on spar- rows and before this little book appeared he had produced four others on the family, including two notable monographs, as well as papers in this journal and else- where. This new venture is some- thing of a departure from his more ‘formal’ writings and explores our relationships with these fascinating (but all too often ignored or over- looked) little birds. Not surpris- ingly, much of it is about House Sparrows Passer domesticus. After two short introductory chapters, we see sparrows as pets, as ‘sex-mad’ birds, in history, as pests and in art, a chapter on sparrow pots (you’ll have to read the book to discover what these are), another on adaptability and, finally, one on the House Sparrow in decline. There is much of interest here, but I have to confess that I would have liked a bit less poetry and a bit more detail on some of the other aspects of sparrow-man relation- ships. Several times, just as I was getting really interested in a partic- ular story, it ended and was replaced by something else. I cannot fault the author’s comments on the House Sparrow decline, however, where he sensibly gives us a brief review of the evidence so far, and explains what we know and don’t know, and urges us not to jump to quick conclusions. The colour plates are splendid. especially those of the sixteenth- century picture scrolls from Japan. It seems that sparrows have fared badly in western pictorial art; only two examples from classical Euro- pean painting are shown here, both Italian and both showing ‘Italian Sparrows’ P. hispanoliensis italiae. My own favourite sparrow painting (which I hope Denis knows about) is also of Italian Sparrows, is small and very beautiful and is nearly 2,000 years old; it is on an interior wall at Herculaneum, just outside Naples, and was preserved when that resort was buried in mud after Vesuvius erupted in ad 79. An artist there clearly knew the birds very well. Basically, I liked this book, but it frustrated me. Perhaps, because I like sparrows, what I’m really saying is that I wish it was two or three times as long and more com- prehensive! Mike Everett THE SOUND APPROACH TO BIRDING: A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING BIRD SOUND By Mark Constantine and The Sound Approach. The Sound Approach, Poole, 2006. 192 pages; illustrated throughout with sonograms and colour photos. Two CDs accompany the book. ISBN 90-810933-1-2. Hardback, £30.00. Have you ever wondered why some Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla are easy to identify on song alone, whereas others seem to sound just like Garden Warblers S. boritP. Or have you tried to describe the noises a bird makes for your notes, to other birders or to a rarities committee, but discovered you cannot find the words? Have you ever wondered why playback sometimes works beautifully, but sometimes fails miserably? Baffled by taxonomic decisions based on sounds? Why do vagrants often sing strangely? Still confused about crossbills Loxia ? This is the book you have been waiting for. The book comes with two CDs, nearly 200 tracks of bird songs and calls, and takes you through them one by one, mostly with accompa- nying sonograms. It starts by defining the glossary of terms - pitch, timbre, modulation, etc. - then shows you how to ‘read’ a sonogram. Chapters describe how the way a bird sounds varies with the conditions of habitat, distance, etc., and again how an individual’s song develops with age. The value of bird vocalisations for unravel- ling taxonomic relationships is covered, along with problems of dialects, culminating in a head-on treatment of the different vocal types of crossbills, and what it all might mean. This book fills a hole in the lit- erature for Western Palearctic birders. There is an almost evangel- ical tone to the book - I guess that the authors have been on a journey, and their enthusiasm to 584 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 583-586 Reviews C > share their findings with us bubbles out. The text is very informal, and some will find it irri- tating - it could have used an extra round of editing. But you cannot fault the content: for example, ‘Northern’ Bullfinches Pyrrhula p. pyrrhula , Iberian Chiffchaffs Phyl- loscopus ibericus , Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama , Yellow-legged Gulls Larns michahellis , ‘Siberian Stonechats’ Saxicola torquatus maurus , Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla and (yes) those crossbills are all current identification topics that have really needed sorting out. Well, here they are, and actually much more. The strength of the book, that it is pushing the bound- aries forward for the ‘average’ birder, is in some ways its weakness as well. Just as some identification guides oversimplify things by using an illustration of an individual specimen as the template for the whole species, there is a danger that something similar could happen here. A single sonogram represents only a snapshot of an individual bird at one point in time, just like a picture of that bird; comparison of two sonograms from individuals of two taxa ignores variation within the taxa, and may lead to overconfident identifications. Still, these issues will be sorted out in time because nothing like this book has previ- ously existed for birders outside the ‘heavy duty’ literature. It is, of necessity, broad-based and superfi- cial, but it provides the vocabulary for all birders to be able to discuss, analyse, interpret, and argue about vocalisations in the way we cur- rently do about wing-bars and supercilia. Consequently, unless you are very confident about your abilities and expertise with bird song, you probably need to read, and interact with, this book. Martin Collinson ALL THE BIRDS OF BRAZIL By Deodato Souza. Subbuteo Natural History Books, Shrewsbury, 2006. 2nd edn. 352 pages; 157 colour plates. ISBN 85-86967-04-1. Paperback, £29.95. Souza’s second edition is an improvement all round on his first, although sadly the improvements are not as great as one might have hoped for. The illustrations still let this volume down badly, being well below the standard of most other Neotropic guides. However, while displeasing to look at, they are not so inaccurate as to prevent most identifications being made. The text is still very brief, although succinct might be going too far. Under Sulphur-throated Spinetail Cranioleuca sulpherifera, for example, why has habitat, which would help enormously to find or identify that species, not been mentioned? Generally, those points covered are relevant. When the text and illustrations are used together, and with great care and preferably some knowledge, the right identifications should be THE BIRDS OF THE STATE OF KUWAIT By George Gregory. Privately published, 2005. 219 pages; photographs and many tables. ISBN 0-9551416-0-5. Paperback, £15.00. Bordered by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf, and covering some 18,000 km:, Kuwait lies close to the eastern limit of the Western Palearctic. As a result of its geo- graphical location at a migratory crossroads, it receives an inter- esting mixture of European, northern Asian and Oriental birds. Those birders wanting to add to their Middle East list will probably choose to visit the United Arab Emirates, which offers easier access to a wide range of sites and an attractive selection of hotels, beaches and bazaars. Kuwait, by comparison, has more restrictions on travel and access, and while those in authority are not unfriendly, they are perhaps more likely to treat with suspicion anyone wandering around with high-powered optics and camou- flaged clothing! However, if your Western Palearctic list is important, a visit to Kuwait will provide several sought-after species. Nowhere else in the region will you find Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus or Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer. If those two leave you under- whelmed, Kuwait also has the only Crab-plovers Dromas ardeola made, except perhaps in some of the most difficult species groups. Until a complete and thorough field guide is produced for Brazil, this volume, despite its flaws, will be a huge help to anyone birding that marvellous country. A com- prehensive guide would be both bulky and heavy, and I suspect that many will chose to carry this compact book with them, leaving more complete literature in the car or hotel for future reference. Richard Schofield known to breed in the Western Palearctic, and huge colonies of Crested Terns Sterna bergii (although a few pairs do nest in Egypt). Also newsworthy are recent range extensions for breeding Little Crakes Porzana parva and White- winged Black Terns Chlidonias leu- copterus, and where else in the Western Palearctic do you get regular wintering Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva7. A number of publications and papers have referred to Kuwait, but this is the first avifauna to cover the State in detail. It is based mainly on records since 1991, since much pre- vious data were destroyed during Gulf War hostilities. Some 37 key locations are described, with lists of typical species and a simple map. No latitude and longitude details British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 583-586 585 Reviews C > are given, which would have been helpful. The status of 431 species is described. The occurrence of regular migrants is illustrated on charts in which each month is split into thirds. Photographs of a number of species, as well as habi- tats, are included. This is a well-produced book that will be invaluable to anyone visiting Kuwait. Hopefully, it will stimulate more people to visit and may act as a catalyst to ensure that the Important Bird Areas (of which Kuwait has eight) are surveyed reg- ularly. Keith Betton WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN SPAIN: THE 100 BEST SITES By Jose Antonio Montero. Lynx Edicions, and SEO/ BirdLife, Barcelona, 2006. 341 pages; many colour photographs and maps. ISBN 84-96553-04-3. Paperback, £18.50. Any ‘where to watch’ book should be more up to date than any of its predecessors - and a quick check of my bookshelves revealed 11 volumes telling me where I could go and see birds in all or part of the Iberian Peninsula. So, how to approach a new one? I looked first at the sites I new best, the deltas of the Ebro and Llobregat, and all seemed fine. I would have pre- ferred some more detailed maps, which would eliminate some of the need for lengthy descriptive text as to where to go, but the style of writing is clear and 1 could cer- tainly find my way with this infor- mation. After a short introduction, the book is divided into 17 regions of Spain, covering between one (Murcia) and 17 (Andalusia) sites each. For what it is, this is a rather bulky book and it weighs in at some 0.75 kg! It would have been more portable if lighter paper had been used, while over 42 of the 341 pages are taken up with colour photographs; these are not strictly necessary and I would have pre- ferred to see them replaced with more maps. The lengthy index is to species only, which is fair enough, but I found it far from complete. Small Button-quail Turnix sylvaticus is missing entirely, while the Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata on pp. 236 & 237, the Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pte- rocles alchata on p. 156, Caper- caillie Tetrao urogallus on p. 216 and Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea on pp. 132 8c 133 are all missing from the index; I stopped checking at that stage. However, there is no doubt that the ‘where to watch’ information is currently accurate and up to date. If you are planning a birding trip to Spain, you will not regret the money spent on this book. Bob Scott BEST BIRDWATCHING SITES IN NORFOLK By Neil Glenn. Buckingham Press, Peterborough, 2006. 2nd edn. 256 pages, maps, line-drawings. ISBN 0-9550339-1-8. Paperback, £16.95. For visitors new to Norfolk, the introductory chapter describing the birding year gives a good idea of what to expect on a month-by- month basis. The book includes detailed maps and access informa- tion (how to get there and a sug- gested route around the site) for 83 sites (ten more than in the first edition), which are given in alpha- betical order. The overall layout is clear and the colour scheme is easy on the eye. I particularly like the bar across the top of the page giving the grid reference, map number and a summary of facilities, including dis- abled access. A banner down the side of the page lists key facts such as opening times, costs and contact information. One of the novel features is a list of target birds at each site and the likelihood of seeing them. For most species, the percentages given are broadly accurate but for a few sites that I know well the estimates are very optimistic. For example, there is apparendy an 80% chance of seeing a Wood Lark Lullula arborea at Barnham Cross Common although during my numerous visits (almost daily in spring) I’ve only ever seen one there. Similarly, for Blackborough End Tip, a 25% chance of seeing Glaucous Larus hyperboreus and Iceland Gull L. glaucoides in winter is given - if only this were true! I was slightly surprised to see RSPB Lakenheath Fen included in the book, given that this site falls entirely in Suffolk. It would have been much better to include Hock- wold Washes (which is in Norfolk) and mention Lakenheath Fen in the text. This may seem trivial but for bird-recording purposes this area causes a real headache! Pentney Gravel Pits is also wrongly named; the site described in the book is actually Nar Valley Fish- eries, and what local birdwatchers call Pentney Gravel Pits is termed Caravan Site Lakes. Overall, this is a well-presented and easy-to-read guide covering the best sites in Norfolk for bird- watching. It will prove useful for those visiting Norfolk for the first time and will hopefully encourage regular visitors to explore new sites. Dawn Balmer 586 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 583—586 - News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Egg-collector ASBO refused A bold move by the Crown Prose- cution Service to extend Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) to wildlife crime was rebuffed by magistrates in Northumberland last month. However, the magis- trates in Bedlington did accept that wildlife crime was antisocial and this may pave the way for similar ASBO applications in future. The CPS chose egg-collector Wayne Derbyshire as their test case. In June this year he was convicted of the theft and possession of 900 wild-bird eggs, including those of Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius and Little Tern Sternula alb- ifrons. In an attempt to curtail Mr Derbyshire’s movements during the 2007 breeding season, the CPS and Northumbria Police applied for an ASBO with wide-ranging conditions. Between 15th February and 30th June they sought to have him banned from all nature reserves, bird sanctuaries, RSPB reserves and National Parks in England and Wales - and specifi- cally the internationally important Northumbrian seabird reserves of Coquet Island and the Fame Islands. In addition, they sought a ban on his movement across the border into Scotland, where some of his egg-collecting had taken place. He would also have been placed under curfew between 20.00 and 07.00 hrs throughout the period. For the requirements of a crim- inal ASBO to be fulfilled, magis- trates have to be satisfied that the actions of the defendant have caused harassment, alarm or dis- tress. So can a crime committed against wildlife also have an impact on people? The solicitor defending Wayne Derbyshire was uncon- vinced and described the CPS application as ‘an imaginative use of the legislation’. And he ques- tioned how the proposed ASBO would protect people. The prosecu- tion countered that the actions of egg-collectors and other wildlife criminals, for example Badger Meles meles baiters, do affect people and that, for example, the one million members of the RSPB would be affronted by such behav- iour. The magistrates declined to make an example of Mr Der- byshire, although they accepted that his behaviour was antisocial. Afterwards Mr Derbyshire promised: 'My egg-collecting days are over.’ On behalf of Northum- bria Police, PC Andy Swinburne said: ‘The court took this applica- tion very seriously. It’s notable that the magistrates found that egg stealing is classed as antisocial behaviour.’ Cirl Buntings reintroduced to Cornwall In the first reintroduction of its kind in Europe, more than 70 Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus have been released in south Cornwall in a col- laborative project by the RSPB, Paignton Zoo, Natural England and the National Trust. Although previous schemes have reintro- duced birds of prey such as Red Kites Milvus milvus and White- l tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla , and attempted to re-establish Corn 1 Crakes Crex crex in England, this is the first reintroduction of a j passerine species. The RSPB’s Director of Conser- vation, Dr Mark Avery, said: ‘We’re j delighted that this ambitious i project has got off to such a good start. It’s fingers crossed now that these birds survive the winter and settle down well in their new home. . . This project really is about putting wildlife back in the land- scape and redressing some of the losses that have happened in our lifetimes. If we succeed — and things are looking good - then it sends a very positive message that farmers and conservationists can create a countryside which is richer in wildlife.’ Following the success of a trial of the reintroduction technique in 2004, Cirl Bunting chicks were collected under licence from a number of sites in south Devon this summer and then hand-reared by aviculturists from Paignton Zoo before being released back into the wild. Paignton Zoo’s curator of birds, Colin Bath said: ‘We’re really proud of the way our two avicul- turists have excelled themselves during this first summer of the project. It’s great that we found not just one but two keepers who possess boundless patience and all- important nimble fingers, essential for rearing tiny chicks.’ The Cirl Bunting was once a common bird in Britain, found all along the south coast of England and even into North Wales, but changes in farming practices and loss of suitable habitat to develop- ment led to its decline and saw its range restricted to a small area of south Devon. In 1989, only 118 pairs of the bird remained, but since 1993 the RSPB has worked with farmers, landowners and partner organisations to ensure that Cirl Buntings have suitable areas for feeding and nesting. As a result, the population has increased to more than 700 pairs. RSPB conservation officer Chris Townend has been managing © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 587-59 1 587 Hugh Harrop the reintroduction project. He said: ‘Cirl Buntings are stunning birds to look at but are rather lazy, never moving more than about a mile from their birthplace. Their numbers may have increased but until now they were concentrated in one small area, so if anything happened to that population it would mean the end of Cirl News and comment Buntings in Britain. This is why they need a helping hand to secure their future here.’ The location in Cornwall was chosen for the release because it met the criteria set during a survey of potential reintroduction areas. It used to have Cirl Buntings until a few decades ago, has suitable habitat and a temperate climate D (Cirl Buntings are vulnerable to prolonged cold weather and snow- fall). The area chosen was also con- sidered more likely to be able to support the greatest number of pairs compared with other sites. The reintroduction project will run for the next three years, to enable the release of enough birds to create a sustainable population. Milliband calms the Eider down Environment Secretary David Milliband has backed English Nature’s decision to stop fishermen using electronic wailers to scare off Common Eiders Somateria mollis- sima from commercial mussel beds in The Wash. The decision comes after a four-day public inquiry in June (see Brit. Birds 99: 442) which heard that, since the collapse of wild mussel and cockle stocks in the 1990s following heavy over- fishing, the industry has turned increasingly towards intensive mussel cultivation on lays. Fish- ermen are sustaining commercially damaging losses from the artificial mussel beds and have asked for permission to use bird scarers to disturb Eiders which are feeding on the mussels. The Secretary of State has accepted the Inspector’s recom- mendation and conclusions, in particular noting that disturbance from the wailers could effectively reduce the feeding and roosting areas for Eiders and other water- birds; and also that displacement of birds from the vicinity of the lays could have a negative impact on the extent of natural intertidal mussel and cockle beds, and on the abundance and composition of the characterising species, such as mussels. Furthermore, the trial undertaken to assess the effective- ness of non-lethal bird scarers con- cluded that wailers were of only limited effectiveness and that further research would be neces- sary to confirm the findings of the trial. A further study would also be required to assess the effects on species other than Common Eider. The Wash is the most impor- tant bird site in Britain, supporting 400,000 shorebirds and wildfowl. It also supports 10% of Britain’s Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina popu- lation. It is an internationally important nature conservation site and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar site. Dr Andy Brown of Natural England said: 'Work will need to continue with the fishing industry and Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee to try to establish why some of the lays are more suscep- tible to significant loss of mussel and other lays remain relatively unaffected. We think that the trend around Roger and Toft Sands towards bigger lays, closely packed together, with higher stocking rates may be too tempting for the birds to ignore. There may also be other factors involved, such as location of lays in unsuitable areas where they are exposed to damage by wave action or tidal currents, or they may be stocked too densely, again making them vulnerable to damage by natural physical processes. Finding the right balance could bring the problem under control in the future without the need to scare birds.’ 3 I 6. Common Eiders Somateria mollissima having a wash. 588 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 587-591 News and comment > The RSPB is launching the first survey in UK waters of one of the most threatened seabirds in the world. The Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus is the rarest bird in the world to visit Britain regularly. There are thought to be fewer than 2,000 pairs of this Critically Endangered seabird in the world, and experts believe that they could be visiting British waters in increasingly larger numbers - with hundreds of birds being involved - in late summer and early autumn, possibly as a result of climate change. Globally, Balearic Shearwater nests only on five islands in the western Mediterranean, including the holiday hotspots of Majorca and Ibiza, where the bird faces threats from introduced cats Felis silvestris catus and rats Rattus spp., and from increasing tourist devel- opment. Additionally, like alba- trosses (Diomedeidae), Balearic Shearwaters are regularly drowned on longline fishing hooks, espe- Trawling for Balearics dally deep-water lines set for hake. Carles Carboneras, a seabird expert with SEO - the RSPB’s partner in Spain - has studied Balearic Shearwaters for many years. He said: ‘Many believe that because the Balearic Shearwater nests in the Mediterranean it must love warmth. However, it prefers to leave the Mediterranean in mid summer and head north through the Bay of Biscay towards relatively cool British waters. It is a specialist of cold water and the bird can no longer live where it used to. But with climate change warming the oceans, these seas will become less productive, and we believe that these birds will probably need to move even further north to find sufficient food.’ Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s con- servation director, said: 'The Balearic Shearwater is one of the rarest birds in the world. Britain’s seas contain more animal species under threat of global extinction than our countryside does. The marine environment is the Cin- derella of the conservation move- ment and the growing global importance of our waters is a call for urgent action by the Govern- ment and the European Union to protect our seas.’ The pilot study, involving syn- chronised counts at different loca- tions, will hopefully provide a fuller picture of the life of the Balearic Shearwater. Dr Russell Wynn, of the National Ocean- ography Centre (NOC), South- ampton, is also studying the birds and will be involved with the new survey. He said: ‘Balearic Shearwa- ters are venturing north in increasing numbers, even though the species is declining and may become extinct within our lifetime. I’m collaborating with oceanogra- phers and biologists at NOC to understand why they are moving north, and am working with the RSPB to expand the pilot survey next year.’ A paper on Balearic Shearwaters by Russell Wynn is currently in press and will appear in BB early next year. Campaigners propose roadblock for Via Baltica Proposed road construction in Poland threatens to destroy valuable wildlife and habitats protected under European law. The develop- ments form part of the Helsinki to Warsaw international transport cor- ridor called ‘Via Baltica’. More than 150,000 people in Poland have already signed a peti- tion against the road being built, but now campaigners are calling for more people to express their concern through an e-petition. OTOP, the Polish partner of BirdLife International, WWF Poland and the CEE Bankwatch Network are asking the Polish Gov- ernment to stop work immediately on four projects and await the results of a Strategic Environ- mental Assessment. ‘We under- stand the need for upgrading the road system, but we object to these decisions being taken without proper environmental evaluation. There are some very precious areas at risk, and a full appraisal should identify a less damaging route for Via Baltica,’ said Malgorzata Znaniecka, OTOP’s Important Bird Area (IBA) Officer. ‘The Polish Government is getting a reputation for disregarding European law and its own natural heritage. We ask people everywhere to sign the e- petition and speak out in favour of Europe’s priceless green areas.’ The current road-development proposals cut through Augustow and Knyszyn Primeval Forests, the Biebrza Marshes National Park and skirt Narew River National Park. All four are recognised as IBAs by BirdLife and are Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive and proposed as Sites of Commu- nity Interest under the Habitats Directive - Europe’s strongest laws for the protection of natural envir- onments. The sites host a magnificent array of threatened wildlife, including Wolf Canis lupus, Lynx Felis lynx and Lesser Spotted Aquila pomarina and White-tailed Eagles. The Biebrza Marshes is the most important breeding site in Europe for two globally threatened bird species: Aquatic Warbler Acro- cephalus paludicola and Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga. ‘Developing roadways through the centre of this pristine environ- ment is nothing short of a crime,’ said Anna Roggenbuck, Polish National Co-ordinator of CEE Bankwatch Network. ‘The Polish Government has said that it intends to begin work on the Augustow city bypass by the end of 2006, which will begin with the logging of primeval forest for access roads. Construction sites will cause habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as the obvious impacts of noise, water and air pollution, and the height- ened risk of future road collisions with animals. If the Strategic Envir- British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 587-59 1 589 c News and comment > onmental Assessment results are The Web petition is posted at sented to the Polish Government soon going to show the best alterna- www.viabalticainfo.org/en/petition on 1 6th November, tive route, why not wait?’ and the signatures will be pre- New species ‘ too rare for type specimen ’ A professional astronomer has dis- covered the first species new to science in India for more than half a century. Whilst birdwatching at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, in January 1995, Ramana Athreya glimpsed two liocichlas (a kind of Asian babbler) which did not fit any field-guide descriptions. Ten years passed before he saw the birds again. A colleague identified them - from Athreya’s field sketch - as Emei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis. But Emei Shan Liocichla is endemic to mountains in south- west China. The nearest record was over 1,000 km from Eaglenest. With Forest Department permits, Athreya mist-netted one bird in May 2006. After taking detailed notes and photographs - and some sample feathers - he released it. Similarities suggested that it was closely related to Emei Shan Liocichla, but many differ- ences in plumage and calls, and especially song, indicated a new species. Athreya’s bird is about 10% larger in all measurements except the bill, which is smaller. Since such a spectacularly colourful bird (with equally dis- tinctive calls) had been overlooked during several years of surveys at Eaglenest, Athreya felt that the population might be too small to withstand the loss of an adult bird. Instead, feathers from the mist-net have been designated the holotype. Most sightings have taken place in community forest belonging to the Bugun tribe, so Athreya has pro- posed the name Bugun Liocichla Liocichla bugunorum. The formal description appears in Indian Birds (www.indianbirds.in) where a pdf copy of the paper can be down- loaded. Athreya’s observations account for a total of 14 individuals, but he thinks that the species may eventu- ally be discovered in adjacent Bhutan and elsewhere in Arunachal Pradesh. All sightings except one have been on hillsides over 2,000 m, among dense scrub and small trees remaining after logging. ‘Clearly the species can exist in disturbed areas and utilise different vegetation,’ Athreya says. This is more or less identical to the habitat preference of Emei Shan Liocichla.’ This versatility is at odds with the small, highly local popula- tions. There are plans to build a highway through Eaglenest, passing through Lama Camp where most sightings have taken place. ‘The birds survive but clearly they don’t thrive. A busy highway could well push this spectacular bird into local extirpation, which could also be extinction.’ Dr Asad Rahmani, Director of BNHS (the BirdLife Partner in India), commented: ‘This discovery again proves the importance and need for extensive research and exploration in northeast India. We must also see that the species’ habitat is adequately protected.’ The prospect of income from eco- tourism provides a major incentive to protect Eaglenest. Athreya, in partnership with Indi Glow of the Bugun tribe, is developing an eco- tourism project to benefit the local community. Italians gunning for Song Thrushes With all the attention focused on the Maltese migrant massacre, it is easy to forget that hunting continues unabated elsewhere in southern Europe. The Italian hunting season opened on 17th September. The 70,000 hunters are permitted to hunt 40 different bird species until the end of the season on 31st January 2007. These include Sky Lark Alauda arvensis , Ruff Philomachus pugnax, Water Rail Rallus aquaticus and Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus. The annual bag of the officially huntable species is about 17 million birds, the most sought-after being the Song Thrush Turdus philomelos, with 7.7 million birds shot. In addi- tion, an estimated 10-20 million birds are shot ille- gally. However, conservationists had one small success to their credit before the season began. Several regions had applied to have the season extended, to start on 2nd September, but an Italian organisation secured a court injunction against a local administrative court decision to begin the season early. Bird trapper jailed Meanwhile, the abhorrent practice of ‘liming’ continues in Britain. A man who trapped wild birds in this way was jailed for four months, while his partner in crime was sentenced to 70 hours community service. In October 2005, RSPCA inspectors and police offi- cers found two Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis and a Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula in cages hidden in a bedroom cupboard at the home shared by John and Christopher Dugdale. In addition, lime-sticks - twigs prepared with a glue - were found in an airing cupboard. The tips of dwarf conifers in their garden had also been prepared with glue in an attempt to trap birds. John Dugdale of Spennymoor, Co. Durham, was sentenced to four months in prison at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court. He had previously pleaded guilty to six charges, including possession of a wild Bullfinch and a wild Goldfinch contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Magistrates said they had no choice other than to give him a custodial sentence because he had previous convictions for trapping wild birds. At the same hearing, Christopher Dugdale was 590 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 587-591 c sentenced to 70 hours community service and was ordered to pay £175 in costs. He had previously pleaded guilty to five charges, including possession of a wild Goldfinch. The birds seized by the officers were released back into the wild. RSPCA inspector Gary Palmer said: ‘The sentence reflects the serious- ness of this case. Trapping wild News and comment birds is totally unnecessary as there’s a legitimate trade in captive-bred birds. Trapping wild birds is espe- cially cruel because of the suffering it causes. Many birds die of shock because of the way they’re caught - by spreading sticky glue on shrubs where the birds rest. If they survive being caught, they can suffer great distress trying to escape and hurt themselves flying into the bars of D the cages they are kept in.’ Inspector Cliff Harrison of the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit said: ‘Bird trapping and dealing in wild birds for profit is rife throughout the country. A lot of money is made on the back of wild birds being forced to suffer. We appeal to members of the public to keep their eyes open for bird trappers and report them to the RSPCA.’ Another bird-tour company goes carbon neutral Following the initiative of Bird Holidays to offset all of their clients’ carbon dioxide emissions from air travel for 20 years by planting forest in Ecuador ( Brit . Birds 99: 444-445), another bird-tour company has picked up this environmentally responsible baton. Honeyguide Wildlife Holidays (www.honeyguide.co.uk) is intro- ducing carbon offset for its holidays from 2007. Its brochure states: Every Honeyguider will be aware of global warming and the threat this poses to us and to wildlife. We have to do our bit to tackle this. To that end, every Honeyguide holiday now includes a sum going to ‘carbon offset’ projects - saving an equivalent amount of carbon to that we create from our flights. This will go through Carbon Clear (www.carbon-clear.com). Yes, there is a cost, on average £4.00 for every holiday in Europe and £26.00 for our South Africa holiday. This will be included in the holiday price. This is a small step in tackling such a big problem, but we hope by establishing this principle that other holiday businesses will follow.’ Honeyguide already makes conservation contributions from the £25.00 levy charged to clients on top of the price of their holidays.These go to a local conservation project in the country of the holiday. The total conservation contributions through Honeyguide since 1991 stood at £42,235 (roughly €59,100) at the end of summer 2006. Honeyguide founder Chris Durdin told N&c: ‘An observation I’d make is that it’s easier to make carbon offsets in the developing world than closer to home. This is a developing area of work. No doubt you get more carbon offsets for your money out of Europe, be it by tree planting, supporting carbon-saving technology or other innovations. We have a programme of holidays almost entirely in Europe, and it would be very welcome for us if there were projects somewhere closer to home, preferably somewhere we take one of our holidays. Maybe these things will develop over the coming months.’ Baby Balmer begins her birding A belated birth announcement - and congratulations - for Dawn Balmer of our Editorial Board and her husband Pete Wilson. Their first child, Bethany Grace, was born on 2nd September weighing 5lb 9oz. Apparently, Bethany twitched the Winterton Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus when she was just three weeks old. Or rather she was awake and looking in the right direction, so Dawn tells me, which is better than some adult twitchers can manage. OBC Cambridge meeting The Oriental Bird Club is holding its annual meeting on 1 1th November in the Wilkinson Room, St John the Evan- gelist, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2RN. The programme includes talks entitled: Qinghai captured on video; The conser- vation status of Asia’s pheasants and partridges; In search of the Western Tragopan in Pakistan’s Palas Valley; and The Sumatra birding circuit. OBC sales goods and refreshments will be on offer during the day. Doors open at 10.45 and the meeting closes at 17.00 hrs. Request Sightings of colour-ringed European Rollers As part of an investigation into the population ecology of European Rollers Coracias garrulus in southern Austria, 146 birds have been marked since 2003. All birds carry a metal ring and one or two colour rings on the other leg. Since 2006, marked birds carry an addi- tional colour ring below the metal ring. Sightings outside the study area are of particular interest and will be fully acknowledged. Resightings of birds from other schemes in eastern Europe will be passed on to the relevant organisation. Please send details of sightings to: Peter Sackl, Steiermarkisches Landesmuseum Joanneum, Raubergasse 10, 8010 Graz, Austria; e-mail peter.sackl@museum-joanneum.at British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 587-591 591 Gary Thoburn Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers mid September to mid October 2006. Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris Stanpit Marsh (Dorset), 23rd September to 9th October; Rye Harbour (East Sussex), 25th-26th September; both of unknown origin. Ferrugi- nous Duck Aythya nyroca Chasewater (Stafford- shire), 16th September; Chew Valley Lake (Somerset), two, 17th September, with one to 30th September. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Pine Lake area (Lancashire), 14th September to 8th October. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Blackdog (Northeast Scotland), 21st September to 9th October; Burra (Shetland), 6th October. Black Scoter Melanitta americana Llanfair- fechan (Conwy), returning individual, from 24th September. 1 3th— 2 1st September; Donna Nook (both Lin- colnshire), 30th September. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Meare Heath (Somerset), 23rd Sep- tember; Lough O’Donnell (Co. Clare), lst-3rd October. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Swadlincote (Derbyshire), 1 7th— 1 8th Sep- tember, presumed same Burton on Trent (Staffordshire), 18th; Martin Mere, 29th Sep- tember and 3rd October, and Brockholes Quarry (both Lancashire), lst-2nd October. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Winterton/ Hemsby area (Norfolk), 23rd September to 7th October. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Glencolmcille (Co. Donegal), 25th September. Eleanora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae Tresco, 12th September, and possibly St Mary’s (both Scilly), 14th— 1 5th and 18th September. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae Galley Head (Co. Cork), 11th September. Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis 116 past Annagh Head (Co. Mayo), 19th September, and 134 on 28th September. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Ocean- ites oceanicus Brandon Point (Co. Kerry), 6th September. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Stanpit Marsh, 9th October; Blakeney (Norfolk), 9th October. Great White Egret Ardea alba Humberston, Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Tacumshin and Lady’s Island (Co. Wexford), 22nd-23rd September; Coedbach Marsh (Car- marthenshire), 24th-26th September. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), 14th September; Severn Beach (Somerset), 22nd September. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Pagham Harbour, 15th September; Tacumshin, 1 7th— 24th September; Ballycotton (Co. Cork), 1 8th— 1 9th September; Ferriter’s Cove (Co. Kerry), 19th Sep- tember; South Uist (Western Isles), 26th-28th Sep- tember; Smerwick Harbour (Co. Kerry), 28th Sep- | tember; St Mary’s, 29th September; i Ballyconneely (Co. Galway), 29th-30th September; Rosslare j (Co. Wexford), 29th i September; Ashton’s I Callows (Co. Tip- i perary), 30th Sep- . tember; Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork), 1 30th September; I Fetlar (Shetland), j 3 1 7. Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, October 2006. 592 © British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 Recent reports C > lst-2nd October; Whit- burn (Northumberland), 1st October; Whalsay (Shetland), 2nd-4th October; Castlemaine Harbour (Co. Kerry), 2nd October; Carrahane (Co. Kerry), 2nd October; East Ferry (Lin- colnshire), 3rd October; Tresco, 3rd-6th October; Snettisham (Norfolk), 3rd October; Keyhaven Marshes (Hampshire), 4th-9th October; Myroe Levels (Co. Derry), 4th-8th October; Lewis (Western Isles), long- stayer to 1 st October. 3 1 8. Juvenile Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla, Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, September 2006. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Blen- nerville (Co. Kerry), 5th September; Blackrock Strand (Co. Kerry), 6th September; Ferriter’s Cove, 11th September; Smerwick Harbour, 6th-14th September, one to 16th, and a third on 25th September; Lissagriffin (Co. Cork), 6th— 1 0th September; Rosslare, 8th-29th Sep- tember; South Uist, 15th September; Slimbridge (Gloucestershire), 22nd-24th September; The Cull (Co. Wexford), 22nd September; Cunnigar (Co. Waterford), 23rd September; Keyhaven/Pennington Marshes (Hampshire), long-stayer to 18th September. Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Hayle Estuary (Cornwall), 1 7th— 24th September. White-rumped Sand- piper Calidris fuscicollis Trabeag (Co. Kerry), 5th September; Shannon Airport Lagoons (Co. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 593 Robin Chittenden Richard Chandler John Carter irishbirdimages.com Recent reports C > 320. Juvenile Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii, Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, September 2006. Clare), 6th September; Ballycotton, 7th-13th September and 6th-7th October; Ventry (Co. Kerry), 7th September; Blennerville, 8th Sep- tember; Carrahane, 9th September; Tacumshin, 16th— 1 8th September; Titchwell (Norfolk), 7th October; Fair Isle (Shetland), 7th-9th October; Dungeness (Kent), 8th October; Freiston (Lin- colnshire), 8th-9th October; John Muir CP (Lothian), 8th-9th October; Cley (Norfolk), 9th October. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Fer- riter’s Cove, 7th— 1 1 th September; Casheen Estuary (Co. Kerry), 10th September; Inch Strand (Co. Kerry), 11th September; Annagh Strand (Co. Mayo), 12th September; Buff-breasted Sand- piper Tryngites sub- ruficollis In Britain, at least 24 from 13th September to 1st October, including up to six in the Western Isles, three on Scilly and two each in Cornwall, Shetland and Northeast Scotland. New birds arrived regularly throughout the period, but peak dates were 14th and 17th Sep- tember with four apiece. This species was widely reported in Ireland, including a flock of eight together at Tacumshin on both 12th September and 7th October. Great Snipe Gallinago media Unst (Shetland), 1 1th— 1 2th September. Long- billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Upper Bittell Reservoir (Worcestershire), 25th September to 3rd October; Lough Beg (Co. Cork) 30th September to 1st October; Oare Marshes (Kent), 2nd-8th October; Tamar Lakes (Devon), 8th October; Shannon Airport Lagoons, long-stayer to at least 17th Sep- tember; Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), long-stayer to 1st October. Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Unst, 6th-7th October. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Lis- sagriffin (Co. Cork), 6th- 10th September; Dundrum Bay (Co. Down), 6th-24th September; Loch of Strathbeg, 1 5th— 1 6th 321. Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos, Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, September 2006. Tacumshin, 14th-26th Sep- tember; Cross Lough (Co. Mayo), 18th-24th Sep- tember; St John’s Lake (Cornwall), 20th September; Trabeag, 25th Sep- tember; Hayle Estuary, long-stayer to 14th September. 594 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 Recent reports < > 322. Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis, Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, September 2006. September, presumed same Meikle Loch (both Northeast Scotland), 17th September to 3rd October; Lough Beg (Co. Cork), 20th Sep- tember to 1st October; Rosslare, 21st September; Belderra (Co. Mayo), 27th September; Clogheen Marsh (Co. Cork), 1st October; Cross Lough, 1 st— 8th October; Bleadon Level (Somerset), 7th-9th October; Gibraltar Point, long- stayer to 23rd September. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Nethertown (Co. Wexford), 5 th— 18 th September; Sutton Bingham Reservoir (Somerset), 18th September; Kilbaha (Co. Clare), 7th October; Hayle Estuary, 7th-9th October; Tamar Lakes, 9th October. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Bann Estuary (Co. Derry), 11th September; Walmsley Sanctuary, 1 4th— 16th September, presumed same Stithian’s Reservoir (both Cornwall), 1 7th— 25th September; Ross Bay (Co. Clare), 23rd September; Annagh Marsh, 1st October. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Hillfield Park Reservoir (LLertfordshire), 19th-20th Sep- tember; Brora (Highland), 9th October. Bona- parte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Lisvane Reservoir (Glamorgan), 12th September; Inch Strand, 13th September to 3rd October; Killinshannig (Co. Kerry), 20th-23rd Sep- tember; Newbiggin (Northumberland), long- stayer to 9th October. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Long Eaton Gravel-pits (Derbyshire), 13th September; Lee Valley Park (Essex), 14th September; Whittle Dene Reser- voir (Northumberland), 1 9th— 25th September; William Girling Reservoir (London/Essex), 23rd September; Newbiggin, 27th September. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 595 Richard Chandler lain Leach Hugh Harrop Paul Baxter Michael McKee Recent reports C > 324. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni, Out Skerries, Shetland, September 2006. 325. Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi, Fair Isle, Shetland, September 2006. 326. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla c/treo/o, Scatness, Shetland, September 2006. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Cruisetown Strand (Co. Louth), 8th October. Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops Holme (Norfolk), 12th September. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Mullet Peninsula (Co. Mayo), 9th September to 8th October. Alpine Swift Apus melba Ipswich (Suffolk), 4th-5th October. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Portland (Dorset), 23rd September. European Roller Coracias garrulus Holy Island, Goswick and Beal (Northumberland), 8th-9th October. Red- rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Beeston Bump (Norfolk), 28th September; Hoswick (Shetland), long- stayer to 9th October. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Lizard (Cornwall), 13th Sep- tember; Blakeney Point, 14th September; Tacumshin, 19th-29th September; Port- land, 24th September; Wells (Norfolk), 24th September; Treen (Cornwall), 25th Sep- tember; near Cemlyn Lagoon (Anglesey), two, 25th Sep- tember with one to 26th; St Mary’s, 28th September to 1st October. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Fair Isle, 18th and 22nd September; Out Skerries (Shetland), 27th-28th September; South Uist, 5th October; Foula, two, 6th October; Kergord (Shet- land), 9th October. Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi Fair Isle, 15th-23rd September; Fetlar, 18th September; Flambor- ough Head (East Yorkshire), 24th September. Red- throated Pipit Anthus cerv- inus Fair Isle, 18th September; St Mary’s, 28th September. Citrine Wagtail 596 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592—600 Recent reports C > Motacilla citreola Bal- lycotton, 13th Sep- tember; Out Skerries, 1 5th— 1 6th and 24th September; Tacumshin, 16th -17th September; Scatness (Shetland), 23rd September; Derrymore (Co. Kerry); 25th-26th September. Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia Lerwick (Shetland), 29th-30th Sep- tember. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Carmel Head (Anglesey), 22nd-24th Sep- tember. ‘Black- throated Thrush’ Turdus ruficollis atrogularis Foula, 7th-8th October. 327. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina, Carmel Head, Anglesey, September 2006. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola Whalsay, 2nd October. Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata Fair Isle, two, 15th September; Foula (Shetland), 5th-7th October. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Foula, 3rd-4th October. Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludi- cola Titchfield Haven (Hampshire), 12th September; Fair Isle, 1 6th— 2 1 st September. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus dumetorum Gibraltar Point, 16th September; Auch- mithie (Angus), 1 6th— 18th Sep- tember; Skateraw (Lothian), 17th Sep- tember; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 23rd-30th Sep- tember. Eastern Oli- vaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida Cape Clear (Co. Cork), 24th September to 1st October. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Fetlar, 18th-22nd September. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans St Agnes (Scilly), 26th September to 1st October; Bryher 328. Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata. Fair Isle, Shetland, September 2006. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 597 Recent reports C } (Scilly), long-stayer to 15th Sep- tember. Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Winterton, 8th October. Greenish Warbler Phyl- loscopus trochiloides Brownstown Head (Co. Waterford), 3rd-5th September; Cape Clear 1 4th— 1 9th September; Noss (Shetland), 17th September; Whitburn (Co. Durham), 24th-25th September; Valentia Island (Co. Kerry), 7th-8th October. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis St Agnes, 18th— 19th September; Geosetter (Shetland), 2 1 st— 30th September; St Mary’s, 23rd September; Boddam (Shetland), 9th October. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phyl- loscopus bonelli St Agnes, 22nd-25th September; Mire Loch (Borders), 25th-26th September; St Mary’s, 26th September to 9th October. Western/Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli/orientalis Tresco, 1 2th— 1 3th September; Bardsey (Gwynedd), 24th September. 329. Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, Fair Isle, Shetland, September 2006. Isabelline Shrike Lanius UJ VJ C-_ a> Co 330. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum , Skateraw, Lothian, September 2006. 598 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 Recent reports < > isabellinus Lewis, 22nd-29th September, same Barra (Western Isles), 30th Sep- tember to 1st October; Eday (Orkney), 30th September and 3rd October; undis- closed site in Northumber- land, 4th October. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Lundy (Devon), 12th and 26th September; St Mary’s, 13th-25th Sep- tember; Unst, 23rd-26th September; Hook Head (Co. Wexford), 23rd September to 1st October; Mizen Head (Co. Cork), 24th-25th Sep- tember; Great Orme Head j (Conwy), 30th September to 5th October; Fair Isle, long- I stayer to 13th September. Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus Cape Clear 13th September to 4th October, with two on 18th September; Winterton, 22nd-24th September; Bryher, 23rd-28th Sep- tember and 4th-5th October; Benacre/Kessing- land (Suffolk), 23rd-27th September; Portland/South- well (Dorset), 24th Sep- tember to 6th October; Ballycotton, 24th September; Lewis, 1st October; Kirkland (Cumbria), 1st October; Fetlar, 1st October; Conwy RSPB (Conwy), 6th October. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo oli- vaceus Nanquidno (Corn- wall), 2nd-4th October; • Tarmon (Co. Mayo), 5th-7th October; Kilbaha, 7th-9th October. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Foula, 4th-5th October. Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis Kilbaha, 8th-9th October. Rustic Bunting Eniberiza rustica Foula, 27th-29th September, two 30th Sep- tember to 1st October, one 331. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis. Geosetter, Shetland, September 2006. 332. First-winter Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus, Lewis, Western Isles, October 2006. 333. Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus, Winterton, Norfolk, September 2006. British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592-600 599 Kit Day Martin Scott Hugh Harrop Hugh Harrop Russell Wyi Recent reports C c c 334. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni, Foula, Shetland, October 2006. to 2nd October; Fair Isle, 3rd-5th October; Unst, 4th-6th October. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Dale of Walls (Shetland), 26th Sep- tember; Out Skerries, 1st October; Foula, 3rd October; Unst, 5th October. Yellow- breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola Whalsay, 11th Sep- tember; Fair Isle, 1 5th— 1 6th September. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melano- cephala Toab (Shet- land), 16th -22nd September; Fetlar, 2 1 st— 28th September. 335. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola, Whalsay, Shetland, September 2006. 336. Fi rst-winter Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala, Toab, Shetland, September 2006. STOP PRESS We are sad to report the news that Mike Rogers died, in hospital, on 10th October. A funeral and a memorial service were held at Towednack church, in Cornwall, on 20th October. Mike took on the role of Honorary Secretary of BBRC in 1978 and had a hugely significant impact on organisation of the Committee in the years that followed. He was a true gentleman and will be sorely missed. A full obit- uary will appear in due course. Eds 600 British Birds 99 • November 2006 • 592—600 Hugh Harrop 22a River Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 2SJ tel: 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com Dver 1 ,000 products available online Secure online ordering duality second-hand stock egularly available l Compasses, GPS, jigiscoping accessories n stock i text day delivery on orders jlaced before midday ww. swo pti cs . co . u k C bett Tiger Reserve, India |re 1- 5947- 287804 sit info@ •4forktaifcreek.com Camp is located on the northeast periphery of Corbett Tiger Reserve and offers ample birding opportunities in the surrounding mixed forests. Corbett boasts of over 550 species of birds.... Birding excursions in and around the Tiger Reserve with extensions into the Himalayas are some of our highlights.... \3bsite: campforktailcreek.com Kay Optical (1962) UNRIVALLED EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE » Sales & Repairs • Binoculars • Telescopes • Tripods, etc www.kayoptical.co.uk and www.bigbinoculars.co.uk • Mall order • Same day despatch • Part exchange 89(g) London Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 5HP ■ Used items Te|. 020 8648 8822 Fax: 020 8687 2021 • Package deals , . . . . • Credit available Email; mfo@kayoptical.co.UK Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 (lunch 1-2) Location: Southern edge of Greater London. 15 mins drive from M25 (for example vio the A3, then toke the A298 Wimbledon/Merton slip-road) or 2 mins walk from Morden underground (turn right). See our website for o mop. Parking: 50 yords post our premises - first left * 11 Alternative venues to Horden at which you an try and buy our equipment in Jr 16ICL the field are given below. We aim to show our full range of equipment but it Dnwc helps us to help you if you let us know your interests before each Field UUyj. Day. Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm usually. Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Rivetheod ond Sevenoaks Bat ond Boll Station on S Nov & 3 Dec Pagham Harbour LNR On the B2145 into Selsey, West Sussex 29 Oct, 26 Nov & 17 Dec Dinton Postures Country Purk Near Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh and Winnersh Station (B3030) 9 Oct & 12 Nov The Kent Wildlife Trust, The Tylond Bom, Sondling, Near Maidstone, Kent 8 Nov Bough Beerh Nature Reserve/Reservoir About 4 miles south of the A25/A21 junction (access from B2042 or B2027) near Ide Hill, Kent. Info centre north of reservoir. 22 Oct, 19 Nov & 10 Dec College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 neat Bulboume, Tting, Herts. 15 Nov Canon, Helios, Kowa, Leica, Manfrotto, Miyauchi, Nikon, Opticron, Optolyth, Sentinel, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. Used items also on our web site. For subsequent Field Day dates, phone or see our web site UINOX 8x32 BL I ik MINOX 8x33 HG 9.5/ 10 Value for money * 129.00 Lightweight - just 525g Fully waterproof rubber armoured body Costs around £239.00 JW I INOX@nEWPR0 1 1 Sawmills Road, Faringdon, Oxon, SN7 7DS : 0I367-2424II. Fax 0I367-24II24 i es@newprouk.co.uk www.newprouk.co.uk New 605g Magnesium body with a new optical system using Schott glass and a multitude of superb high quality features - shown on our website or in full-colour brochure. 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Your perfect travel companion. At last, the fieldscope to bring along wherever you go. The compact, new Nikon ED50 fielscope. The use of ED glass assures a superbly clear and bright view. And it's waterproof, too. How thoughtful, how Nikon. www.nikon.co.uk 0800 230 220 Nikon Sport Op Nikon man The boundaries of the Palearctic identification and assessment in Britain 1 3 DEC m PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: 4 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8SF British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches, Richard Porter, Bob Scott and Terry Smeeton. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Peter Oliver and Bob Scott. British Birds aims to be the leading journal for the modern birder in the Western Palearctic We aim to: •> provide a forum for contributions of interest to all birdwatchers in the Western Palearctic; publish material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy; ♦> embrace new ideas and research; maintain our position as the respected journal of record; and interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. 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Hanne Eriksen Become a better birder At BirdGuides we pride ourselves in delivering innovative technology that allows you to get the most from your birding... DVD-ROM GUIDE TO BRITISH BIRDS VERSION 8 Code: DRB8 £49.95* There's a news service package to suit For more everyone at www.birdguides.com information Get the latest breaking bird news and please go to give yourself the best possible chance our website of seeing the latest rarity. www.birdguides.com DVD-ROM GUIDE TO BRITISH BIRDS VERSION 8 This should be on every birder's wish list. An unparalleled resource for the British birder. iDENTIFY our innovative bird sound product iDentify is a series of CDs preloaded with fully annotated audio files ready to upload to your iPod™ or other digital music player. If you already own a portable mp3 player, then all you need is an iDentify CD. Perfect for use in the field, or while on the move. 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Modifications include; • a new shape body made from magnesium, aluminium and polycarbonate protected in a textured natural rubber armour • application of Opticron F-type multi-coating for increased colour contrast and clarity • nitrogen waterproofing to eliminate problems of condensation ES 80 GA SD/45 £349, ES 80 GA ED/45 £499 HDF T 32xWW £1 49, HDF T 20-60x £1 79, SDL 20-60x £229 IMAGIC BGA PC.ASFT OASIS Remaining true to its original design concept, the 5th generation Imagic BGA offers excellent value for money for people wanting a high performance compact, lightweight and ergonomically sound roof prism binocular packed with the latest optical features. • Compact, lightweight roof prism rubber armoured design • Nitrogen gas filled waterproof construction • Aspheric eyepiece lens design + PC prism enhancement • Twist type retractable eyecup assembly • Close focus under 2 metres • 30 year guarantee 8x32 £349, 7x42 £369, 8x42 £369, 10x42 £379 £339.00 £339.00 £359.00 £359.00 £829.00 £859.00 £879.00 £899.00 £949.00 £949.00 £989.00 £999.00 £1019.00 £1099.00 £539.00 £749.00 £82.00 £969.00 £125.00 £169.00 £169.00 £249.00 londoncameraexchange Winchester ZEISS Discover the wonders of nature With the wonders of technology Classic 8x20B T*P J?.. £229.00 Classic 10x25B T*P £259.00 Victory 8x20B rP £279.00 Victory 10x25B T’P f.£- £299.00 Conquest 8x30 £319.00 Conquest 10x30 £349.00 Conquest 8x40 £499.00 Conquest 10x40 £529.00 Conquest 12x45 £399.00 Conquest 15x45 4f — £429.00 8x32B T* FL £795.00 10x32B T* FL £820.00 7x42B T* FL <' £820.00 8x42B T* FL £845.00 10x42B T* FL \ £879.00 Diascope 65 T* FL £629.00 Stay on case 65 FL £89.00 Diascope 85 T* FL 6889.00 Stay on case 85 FL £89.00 23x730x £159.00 30x/40x £159.00 15-45x/20-60x £239.00 Diascope 65 T*FL& 15-45x8. case £957 cope 85 T* FL & 20-60x & case £1217.00 My point of view 8x20 BL Ultravid i 8x20 BR Ultravid 10x25 BL Ultravid 10x25 BR Ultravid 8x32 BR Ultravid 1 10x32 BR Ultravid [7x42 BR Ultravid 8x42 BR Ultravi 8x42 BL Ultravid ' 1BR Ultravid x42 BL I BR Ultravid ) BR Ultravid I BR Ultravid. slevid 62 | Televid APO 62 . Case 62 i APO 77 | :.R. Case 77 ... V/32xWW | :2xWW/40xWW 6-48xV20-60x Dialogue with nature ,/ SWAROVSKI 8x20B (Black) £PHONE 8x20B (Green) ....................... £PHONE 0x25B (Black) £PHONE 10x25B (Green) EPHONE 8x32 EL EPHONE 10x32 EL EPHONE 8.5x42 EL EPHONE 10x42 EL EPHONE 8x30 SLC EPHONE 7x42 SLC EPHONE 10x42 SLC EPHONE 7x50 SLC EPHONE 8x50 SLC EPHONE 10x50 SLC EPHONE 8x56 SLC EPHONE 15x56 SLC EPHONE Booster EPHONE l«ttTS65 EPHONE ATS65 HD EPHONE ATS65 Stay on case EPHONE 20x S W EPHONE 30x S W EPHONE 45x S W EPHONE 20-60x EPHONE ATS 80 EPHONE ATS80 HD EPHONE ATS80 Stay on case EPHONE Price Promise UK Mail Order We work hard lo keep our prices competetive & will . . . __ try to MATCH or BEAT any price in this magazine N©Xl L)3y LsGMVGry We both part-exchange P«®*jg< ± LX™"" and buy quality equipment *or most items. Conditions apply. Ask for details Open 9am-5. 30pm Mon-Sat. E &O E All prices quoted Please check availability before VAT@17 5% Prices subj making a special journey. All goods subject to a 15 The Square, Winchester. S023 9ES The No.1 optics HOI 962 840294 winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk "Red necked Phalaropes can be very tricky to pick out in their mat habitat. Scanning the grasses with the fine optics of my Victory f makes the job a little easier, even against the light". f SIMON KING, Wildlife Film-Maker. i Zeiss 8 x 32 T* FL Zeiss 10 x 32 T* FL Simon is using Zeiss Victory FL 8 x 32 binoculars, with a close focus of 2 metres. With the best optical image quality of their class, minimum weight and optimum ergonomics and handling - these are the unbeatable benefits supplied by Victory FL Binoculars and their special objective lenses with fluoride glass (FL). For more information, please telephone: 01 707 871 350 or visit www.zeiss.co.uk. We make isii mk m Wmi: J i THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Volume 99 • Number 12 • December 2066 British Birds PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY 1 3 DEC 2096 602 The boundaries of the Palearctic region Kees (C. S.) Roselaar 619 £3 Racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee Chris Kehoe, on behalf of BBRC Birds and Climate Change The Birdwatcher’s Guide to Digital Photography To See Every Bird on Earth: a father, a son and a lifelong obsession The Design and Evolution of Birds A History of the Birds of Somerset UK500: birding in the fast lane Regular features 646 Conservation research news Ken Smith, Simon Wotton and Graeme Buchanan 65 1 News and comment Adrian Pitches 648 Reviews 655 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey © British Birds 2006 The boundaries of the Palearctic region Kees (C. S.) Roseloar ABSTRACT Although the western and eastern boundaries of the Palearctic region are widely agreed, there is still much debate about the southern boundary. In an attempt to establish a definitive southern boundary, the distribution of 1,037 breeding passerine species in the Palearctic, and adjacent parts of the Afrotropical and Oriental regions north of 5°N, were analysed. TheWorldMap computer program was used to combine these maps, to reveal species richness. The variations in the position of the southern boundary suggested by previous authorities gives rise to three zones: north of the northernmost boundary, which is unequivocally Palearctic; south of the southernmost boundary, which is unequivocally Afrotropical or Oriental; and a border region in between, which is analysed in detail here to establish an objective southern boundary for the region. In 1973, during initial meetings of the editorial team of a planned handbook of birds in Europe, one of the topics of debate was the title of the forthcoming work. Several people opted for the title ‘Birds of the Western Palearctic’ because it was short and geographi- cally clearly defined; others thought that the term ‘Palearctic’ was too little-known in birding circles to attract potential buyers. After long dis- cussion, it was decided that the book should be called Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa , and subtitled The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Despite the smaller font type given to this subtitle, the handbook soon became widely known under the latter name, or simply as BWP. Since then, many birders have become familiar with the terms ‘Palearctic’ and ‘Western Palearctic’, although few will claim to know exactly where the boundaries He. Although the use of the term ‘Palearctic’ is now well established, the region is not well defined. The name was introduced by Sclater (1858), who divided the world into a number of zoogeographical regions, each characterised by unique faunal components with geographic ranges restricted to that region. Sclater based his regional system on the distribution of passerine birds, but analyses of other groups of terrestrial I animals by subsequent workers, notably Wallace (1876), supported and expanded his scheme. I Many books and checklists have now been pub- j lished on the birds of the Palearctic. Their j authors are more or less agreed on the western j and eastern borders of the region, which stretch 1 from Iceland and Morocco in the west, across to i Japan, Kamchatka and the Chukotskiy Penin- sula in northeast Russia in the east, but the number of bird species considered as Palearctic j varies widely. This is partly due to differences in taxonomic approach; however, even when Dick- inson (2003) is used as the authority on recog- nised species and races, there is wide variation in the total number of taxa published for the i region: the Palearctic handbook of Hartert (Hartert 1903-23; Hartert & Steinbacher 1932-38) included 564 breeding passerine species; Vaurie ( 1959) included 620 species; Eck (1996) 635 species; and Beaman (1994) 693 species (these counts exclude introduced or accidental breeders). Eck (2004) presented a detailed overview of the differences among the three first-mentioned listings. It is clear that the apparent variation in number of species with time is explained largely by different views of what constitutes the southern limit © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 602 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region } of the Palearctic region. During work on the passerine volume of the forthcoming Handbook of Geographical Varia- tion and Distribution of Palearctic Birds (Rose- laar & Shirihai in prep.), the need for a well-defined southern border of the Palearctic became evident. It became apparent from the many detailed distribution maps that had been prepared for this work that an analysis of shared distributions could provide the most accurate assessment of the position of this southern boundary. Methods and maps The southern border of the Palearctic is estab- lished here by comparing separate breeding dis- tribution maps of 1,037 passerine species. These A3-sized maps were compiled when working on species texts for BWP from 1987 onwards, but also cover all songbird species which occur outside the Western Palearctic in Eurasia and Africa north of 5°N. The maps are not the same as those used in BWP (which were prepared by Euan Dunn, Dorothy Vincent and Mike Wilson) but are, in part, based on the same sources. For the region outside the Western Palearctic, the maps are more detailed than those in BWP, and more than 4,000 papers and books on breeding-bird distribution were used to compile them. This literature, too extensive to be listed here, includes the most recently published breeding-bird atlas data for various countries in Europe. Europe is, however, only a small part of the Palearctic, and comparable data for North Africa, Siberia, China, and various central and southern Asian countries is not available; an extensive literature review, covering the past 150 years, was thus necessary to establish breeding ranges for these areas. In addition, the locations named on thousands of specimen labels were checked in several refer- ence collections. The individual species range maps based on these sources will be published in Roselaar & Shirihai (in prep.). For analysis, the original maps were con- verted into digital format by the computer program WorldMap version 4.1 (Williams 2000). In terms of longitude, each grid cell was 1° longitude wide, with a total of 220 cells from 30°W east to 170°W covering the entire 337. Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bi/opha, Tagdilt Track, Boumalne du Dades, Morocco, February 2006. Only Palearctic passerine species extend throughout the Sahara of North Africa, and no Afrotropical species occur, j Consequently, it is considered that the entire Sahara belongs to the Palearctic region. Throughout this region, the number of breeding species is particularly low, but larks (Alaudidae) and wheatears Oertanthe are well represented. Many species, including Temminck's Lark, have adapted to survive in this harsh environment by exploiting a particular, specialised niche, which enables them to exist alongside otherwise similar species. ritish Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 603 Augusto Faustino Augusto Faustino The boundaries of the Palearctic Region C } Palearctic from the Azores to the Chukotskiy Peninsula. In terms of latitude, 120 grid cells covered an area from 1 8°N to 86°N. One degree of longitude in the south of this area is wider than one degree of longitude in the north (being c. 104 km wide at 18°N, c. 64 km at 55°N, and c. 10 km at 85°N). Since grid cells of equal area were required for this analysis, the latitudinal grid-cell dimension had to be adapted: cells were c. 39 km ‘high’ at 18°N, c. 64 km high at 55°N, and c. 400 km high at 85°N. In other words, one degree of latitude at 18°N covers just over three cells, but one cell covers more than three degrees of latitude at 85°N. This has the disadvantage that distribution maps become somewhat distorted, being verti- cally compressed in the north and stretched in the south. However, the important point is that each grid cell covers an area of 4,062 km2, which enables the comparison of actual range size of a northern breeder with that of a southern breeder; thus a northern breeding species occurring in 300 grid cells will have a similar breeding range size to that of a southern breeder also occupying 300 grid cells. Species covered The breeding distributions of all passerine species breeding north of 18°N in Africa, Europe, and Asia were plotted in the WorldMap program. The Cape Verde Islands were included by moving the plots three degrees to the north. No attempt was made to plot distributions in Greenland, the Philippines or Alaska, although these regions are partly visible at the fringe of the map. The taxonomy used in this paper is based on Dickinson (2003); scientific and English names follow the BB'List of Birds of the Western Palearctic’ (www.britishbirds.co.uk/ bblist.htm), and Dickinson (scientific names) and Beaman (1994) for other regions. Using Dickinson’s taxonomy, some 1,037 species came within the area defined above. However, some species have been split since Dickinson was published, and the following were acknowl- edged as separate species: Richard’s Pipit Anthus richardi (northern Asia south to northern China) and Paddyfield Pipit A. rufulus (southern China southwards); African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus ( Afrotropics), Common Stonechat S. rubicola (western Europe and northern Africa east to the west Caucasus region) and Siberian Stonechat S. maurus (Ural Mountains and Caucasus eastward); Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida (Sahara and the Balkans eastward) and Western Olivaceous Warbler H. opaca (Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa); African Desert Warbler Sylvia deserti (western Sahara) and Asian Desert Warbler S. nana (central Asian deserts); Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica (northern Asia) and Williamson’s Fly- j catcher M. williamsoni | (mainland southeast Asia); and Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus (Europe i east to central Siberia) ; and Indian Golden 1 Oriole O. kundoo (Indian j Peninsula north to [ 338. Thick-billed Lark Rhamphocoris c/otbey, Tagdilt Track, Boumalne du Dades, Morocco, February 2006. A number of Saharan specialities, including Thick-billed Lark.Temminck’s Lark Eremophila bilopha and Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta, are restricted to the northern fringe of the Sahara and the northern Arabian Peninsula, and show a closer affinity to the Palearctic than to the Afrotropics. Thick-billed Lark is a desert specialist with a nomadic lifestyle, and numbers in any particular region can vary greatly from year to year as it exploits the available food sources. 604 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c } ill j 339. Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, December 2004. Long-billed Pipit provides a typical example of the difficulties involved in assigning species to a particular zoogeographical region. Although much of the breeding range lies in both the Afrotropical and Oriental regions, several disjunct populations exist along the southern boundary of the Palearctic. Of these, A. s. captus breeds in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Israel, A. s. decaptus breeds in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, while A. s. arabicus breeds in the Afrotropical mountains of the southwest Arabian Peninsula. Whether arabicus or decaptus breeds in northern Oman and northernmost UAE has not definitely been established, but the avifauna here is predominantly Palearctic. central Asia, the Tien Shan Mountains and northwest China) (see Wittmann et al. 1995; Helbig & Seibold 1999; Sangster et al. 1999; Ras- mussen & Anderton 2005 and Ottoson et al. 2005 for the reasoning behind some of these splits). In addition, seven species were omitted because they have extensive or localised (relict?) ranges in both the Palearctic and the Afrotropical and/or Oriental regions: Ori- ental Lark Alauda gulgula , Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica , Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis , Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis , Clam- orous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus , Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos and House Sparrow Passer domesticus. Each of these seven may potentially be split (e.g. Rasmussen & Anderton 2005), but the taxonomic limits in each case are uncertain for the moment. Variation in the southern boundary of the Palearctic Many authors are uncertain where the southern limits of the Palearctic lie; they accept a fairly southern boundary, but include only ‘truly Palearctic’ species, while excluding ‘species of predominantly Oriental or Afrotropical genera’ (Vaurie 1959), even if the range falls largely or entirely north of their perceived southern limit. In this analysis, a species is assigned to a certain faunal region if more than half of its breeding range (established from the number of grid cells occupied) falls within the boundary of that region. Beaman (1994) and others also included as Palearctic those species which have an insignificant breeding population in the region, but which otherwise occur extensively within another faunal region; this premise is not adopted here. For the Western Palearctic, Hartert (1903-23) accepted a southern limit ‘through the Sahara, a little bit more to the south in the Nile Valley, but excepting southern Arabia which is purely [Afro]tropical’. Other authors are more precise for the Sahara; Eck (1996) adopted 19°N as the southern border, while Hall & Moreau (1970) and Snow (1978) put the northern limit of the Afrotropical region at 20°N. Vaurie also accepted a southern limit at c. 19°N, but included southward extensions to c. 16°N in the Air (northern Niger) and Ennedi (northeast Chad) because some Palearctic taxa occur there (although the vast majority of breeding species are Afrotropical). Voous (1973-77) established the southern border in the western and central Sahara at 21°N, and to the southern Egyptian border in the east, though with southern extensions to 20°N along the Atlantic coastline and at 18°E to include the Banc d’Arguin (Mauritania) and the Tibesti Mountains in northern Chad. The editorial British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 605 Ian Boustead The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c > team of BWP adopted the Voous list for tax- onomy and species sequence, and also adopted Voous’s southern boundary. In contrast, botanists, including Takhtadzhyan (1978) and Cox (2001), draw the southern limit of the Palearctic much farther north, along the southern fringe of the Mediterranean sub- region, which approximates to the northern fringe of the Sahara. Although all ornithological authorities include the Cape Verde Islands within the Palearctic, botanists exclude this archipelago (fig. 1). For the Arabian Peninsula, opinions on the southern border differ widely. BWP placed this farther north than earlier authorities, at 28°N. In contrast, Vaurie (1959) drew it, rather impre- cisely, ‘south to the region of Mecca in the west and to Oman in the east’, which is approxi- mately 21°N. Many others include the entire Arabian Peninsula within the Palearctic, including Voous (1973-77), Dowsett & Forbes- Watson ( 1993), Beaman (1994) and Eck ( 1996). Martins & Hirschfeld (1994) included the entire peninsula, with the exception of the mountains of southwest Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and southern Oman. Botanists have equally varied opinions; Takhtadzhyan (1978) placed the boundary even farther to the north, and excluded the Syrian Desert from the Palearctic, while Cox (2001) included the entire Arabian Peninsula in the Palearctic. For Pakistan, ornithologists agree that the mountains of the west and north constitute the boundary between the Palearctic and Oriental regions, and that the Indus Plain lies entirely within the Oriental. However, most are unclear about the lower altitudinal limit for Palearctic birds, apart from Beaman (1994), who defined the boundary in Pakistan at 2,000 m. The coast of Baluchistan, in southwest Pakistan, and the neighbouring region of extreme southern or southeastern Iran are sometimes included in the Oriental region and sometimes in the Palearctic. To the east, the Himalaya forms an obvious division between these two faunal regions but defining the boundary has again proved contro- versial. Takhtadzhyan (1978) considered the southern border of the Palearctic to lie just above the foothill zone where the subtropical zone and the lower montane zones meet, at c. 2,000 m in Nepal. Martens & Eck (1995) also identified the zone below 2,000 m in Nepal as (sub)tropical, with a temperate zone at 2,000-2,900 m (1,700-3,000 m), the latter dom- inated by evergreen oak forests including Sym- plocus, Castanopsis and Quercus spp. at lower elevations, and mixed evergreen and coniferous forest including Himalayan Hemlock Tsuga dumosa and Globe Magnolia Magnolia globosa over 2,600 m. Both Vaurie (1959) and Voous (1973-77) considered those species which occur upwards from the temperate mixed deciduous forest in the Himalaya and central China to be Palearctic. According to Beaman (1994), this type of forest occurs down to c. 2,000 m in Pak- istan and Kashmir; to c. 2,500 m in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, northwest India; to c. 2,800 m from Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India, and northern Myanmar; to c. 2,500 m in Yunnan and southern Sichuan provinces, southwest China; and to 2,000 m in central and northern Sichuan Province. The lower altitudinal limit for the Palearctic in Nepal is thus unclear. The same is true in the mountains of central China; Schafer (1938) stated that the Palearctic zone in central Sichuan Province starts above the coniferous forest (upper montane zone) at 3,500 m, rather than Fig. I. The southern border of the Palearctic, as suggested by various authors, drawn on a biodiversity map of all passerine species breeding in the area of the map. Line I : Hartert ( 1 903-23); Line 2: Schafer ( 1 938); Line 3:Vaurie ( 1 959); Line 4: Hall & Moreau ( 1 970); Line 5: Cramp (1977); Line 6: Takhtadzhyan ( 1 978); Line 7: Beaman ( 1 994); and Line 8: Eck ( 1 996). The key on the right-hand side of this figure (and subsequent figures) shows number of breeding passerine species from high (red) to low (blue). 606 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c > the 2,000 m adhered to by Beaman. Opinions on the southern boundary in eastern China differ widely too. Takhtadzhyan (1978) considered the flora of eastern China to be Palearctic, with the exception of the southern lowlands of Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. Voous (1973-77, 1985) took the Yangtze River as the boundary between the Palearctic and Oriental regions, while others have considered eastern China to be predomi- nantly Oriental, with the Palearctic border at c. 33°N (Eck 1996); at 34°N (Beaman 1994); ‘south of northern Hubei and Shandong’, i.e. c. 32-34°N (Vaurie 1959); or even ‘in the region of Beijing’, i.e. c. 40°N (Hartert 1903-23). Hartert (1903-23) considered that Taiwan and the islands to the south of Japan are rein tropisch [purely tropical], and thus fall within the Oriental region. However, all other authors incorporate the southern Japanese islands, including the Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu Islands), Kazan-retto (Volcano Islands) and Ogasawara- shoto (Bonin Islands), in the Palearctic, and Taiwan in the Oriental. The western and eastern borders of the Palearctic are not discussed here: most authors agree that the Palearctic reaches west to Jan Mayen, Iceland and the Azores, and east to the Chukotskiy Peninsula, the Commander Islands (Komandorskiye Ostrova), and Ogasawara- shoto. Only Vaurie (1959) and Voous (1985) included eastern Greenland, while Vaurie (1965) included the whole of Greenland. In an analysis based on breeding ranges of passerines, included, as the few passerines occurring there have circumpolar ranges, and are thus shared between the Palearctic and Nearctic. Unequivocally Palearctic birds and a preliminary southern boundary The first stage of the analysis was to establish two lines: (Line 1) the northernmost southern border of the.Palearctic ever proposed (the northern limit of Takhtadzhyan (1978) in the Sahara and Syria, Beaman (1994) in Iran, Pak- istan, and the Himalaya, Schafer (1938) in central China, and Hartert (1903-23) in eastern China and southern Japan); and (Line 2) the southernmost of all boundaries proposed, fol- lowing Vaurie (1959) for the Sahara, Voous (1973-77), Beaman (1994) and Eck (1996) for the Arabian Peninsula, Takhtadzhyan (1978) and Martens & Eck (1995) along the foothills of the Himalaya at c. 1,700-2,000 m, and the capricious line of Takhtadzhyan through central Myanmar and southern China. All authors agree that birds occurring largely or completely north of Line 1 are unequivocally Palearctic, while those occurring south of Line 2 are truly Afrotropical or Oriental. Fig. 2 shows the com- bined distributions of all Palearctic passerines breeding predominantly north of Line 1, while fig. 3 shows the distributions of Afrotropical and Oriental species to the south of Line 2. A parallel can be drawn between these two lines, Line 1 and Line 2, and the lines defining the boundary between the Oriental and Aus- tralasian regions in Indonesia. Here, the unequivocal eastern boundary of the Oriental region is formed by Wallace’s Line (just east of Borneo and Bali), the unequivocal western border of the Aus- tralasian region is Lydekker’s Line, just west of New Guinea and Kepulauan Kai (Kai Islands), while the tran- sition zone between these lines (‘Wallacea’) is divided halfway by Weber’s Line (just west of the Moluccas) where the fauna of both regions reaches equilib- rium. Fig. 2 shows that a it makes little sense for Greenland to be Fig. 2. Northernmost suggested border of the southern Palearctic (Line I), and distribution of all unequivocally Palearctic passerines (breeding predominantly north of the line). This line follows southern border of Takhtadzhyan (1978) in the west, Beaman (1994) in the centre, and Schafer (1938) and Hartert (1903-23) in the east. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-6 1 8 607 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c > few widespread Palearctic species also occur widely throughout the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula (Crested Lark Galerida cristata, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis ) while one, Rufous Bush Robin Cercotrichas galactotes, has a sepa- rate population in the Sahel zone. However, even these few species breed in more grid cells to the north of Line 1 than to the south; the same applies to a few species which are wide- spread in the plains of the Indian Peninsula (Crested Lark, Southern Grey Shrike, Great Tit Parus major ) and 22 species in the plains of eastern China (e.g. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica, White Wagtail Motacilla alba. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes, Brown Dipper Cinclus pallasii, Siberian Stonechat, Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius, Blackbird Tardus merula, Great Tit, Coal Tit Periparus ater, Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea, Brown Shrike L. cristatus, Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius, Magpie Pica pica, Tree Sparrow Passer montanus, Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata and Meadow Bunting E. cioides ). In addi- tion, Taiwan has 29 truly Palearctic species (including Barn Swallow, Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea. Wren, Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris. Brown Dipper, Varied Tit Parus varius, Coal Tit, Eurasian Jay, and Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes) . Conversely, some Afrotropical species breed to the north of Line 2: Plain Martin Riparia paludicola, Common Bulbul Pycnonotus bar- batus and Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra sene- galus are Afrotropical species breeding in the Palearctic only in northwest Africa. Others extend well north to reach southern Algeria (e.g. Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala, perhaps aided by recent introductions), or into southern Egypt via the Nile valley (e.g. African Pied Wagtail M. aguimp ) (fig. 3). Many Afrotropical passerines also extend into south- west Arabia, and some reach north into the Levant region (e.g. Black Bush Robin Cer- cotrichas podobe, Blackstart Cercomela melanura and Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus). The number of Oriental species extending into the Palearctic is even greater, with several ranging from the Indian subcontinent west or northwest to Iraq and southern Turkey (e.g. White-cheeked Bulbul P. leucogenys , Common Babbler Turdoides caudata and Yellow-throated Sparrow Petronia xanthocollis) . Other Oriental species have skirted around the western flank of the Tien Shan Mountains and pushed north into central Asia, with some reaching southern or even central Kazakhstan (e.g. Pied Stonechat Saxicola caprata, Asian Paradise-flycatcher Terp- siphone paradisi, Indian Golden Oriole, Long- tailed Shrike Lanius schach and Common Myna Acridotheres tristis, although the recent range extension of the last species in this region is probably due to introductions). To the east, Oriental species also extend into the Palearctic, in northeast China (e.g. Black Dicrurus macro- cercus. Ashy D. leucophaeus and Hair-crested Drongo D. hottentottus and Red-billed Blue Magpie Urocissa ery- throrhyncha), with some even reaching the Russian Far East (e.g. Black-naped Oriole O. chinensis and Asian Par- adise-flycatcher). Despite their northerly distributions, even those species which extend farthest north occupy more grid cells in the Oriental region than in the Palearctic. For example, Indian Golden Oriole occupies 788 grid cells in the Indian Peninsula (Oriental region) and 502 in the Palearctic section of its Fig. 3. Southernmost suggested border of the southern Palearctic (Line 2), and distribution of all unequivocally Afrotropical and Oriental passerines (breeding predominantly south of the line). This line follows southern border of Vaurie ( 1 959) in the Sahara; Voous ( 1 973-77), Beaman ( 1 994) and Eck ( 1 996) in Arabia; and Takhtadzhyan (1978) further east. The vertical blue line through Arabia represents the boundary between the Afrotropical and Oriental regions based on the distribution of passerine breeding species. 608 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602—618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region : ) range, which extends from the Tien Shan Mountains east into the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in westernmost China. By comparing the number of Palearctic and Afrotropical/Oriental species in each grid cell in figs. 2 and 3, a line of equilibrium between these regions becomes apparent (fig. 4). To the north of this line Palearctic species predominate, to the south of it Afrotropical and Oriental species predominate. This line roughly follows a lati- tude of 19°N in the Afrotropics, lies close to the boundary followed by BWP in Arabia, to Beaman’s (1994) line through western and central Asia, and to Voous’s (1973-77) line across eastern China. However, this preliminary line was based on birds breeding largely to the north of Line 1 and south of Line 2, and thus excludes the species occurring predominantly between these lines in the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, the Himalaya between 2,000 and 2,800 m, central China between 2,000 and 3,500 m, and throughout the lowland plains and hills of eastern China. The species in each of these regions are discussed below, before an attempt is made to establish a definitive southern limit to the Palearctic. Saharan species Eighteen species occur primarily in the Sahara, mainly larks (Alaudidae) and wheatears Oenanthe, together with Pale Crag Martin Pty- onoprogne obsoleta , African Desert Warbler, Fulvous Babbler Turdoides fulva. Brown-necked Raven C. ruficollis , Desert Sparrow Passer simplex , Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus and House Bunting Emberiza striolata (fig. 5). Since only truly Palearctic species extend throughout the Sahara (fig. 2) and no Afrotrop- ical species occur here (fig. 3), it is considered that the Sahara in its entirety belongs to the Palearctic. Furthermore, approximately half of all Saharan species extend into the Palearctic regions of Iran and/or Kazakhstan, while of the four species extending to the Oriental region in the deserts of Pakistan or northwest India, two also breed north to Kazakhstan. In addition, a number of species are restricted to the northern fringe of the Sahara and the northern Arabian Peninsula, thus nearer to the Palearctic than to the Afrotropics (e.g. Thick-billed Lark Rhamphocoris clotbey, Temminck’s Lark Ere- mophila bilopha and Red-rumped Wheatear O. moesta). The only species restricted to the southern fringe of the Sahara is Black-crowned Sparrow-lark Ere- mopterix nigriceps ; this and the widespread Fig. 4. Preliminary southern border of the Palearctic, separating unequivocally Palearctic and unequivocally Afrotropical and Oriental passerine species, based on number of species in each grid cell as counted from figs. 2 & 3 (line drawn where number for each region is in equilibrium). Map and southern boundary ignore those species breeding predominantly between Line I and Line 2. Fig. 5. Distribution of species with a breeding range falling predominantly between Line I and Line 2 in the Sahara and Cape Verde Islands. For definitions of these Lines, see figs. 2 & 3. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 609 Niranjan Sant John & Jemi Holmes The boundaries of the Palearctic Region 340. White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps, Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan Province, China, July 2006. Redstarts reach their greatest diversity in the mountains bordering the southern fringe of the Palearctic in the Himalaya and western/central China, where they occupy a wide range of habitats. White- throated Redstart typically breeds in scrub forest on rocky slopes and along forest edge above 3,200 m from Nepal to Bhutan, and in western China. 34 1 . Indian Blue Robin Lusclnla brunnea, Jamboti, Karnataka, India, April 2006. Although the stunning Indian Blue Robin is a common and widespread summer visitor to the Himalaya and mountains of western/central China, it is secretive, usually keeps close to the ground, and sings from deep within cover. Like many species in this region, it breeds in temperate forest between 2,400 and 3,200 m, in and above the zone of overlap between the Oriental and Palearctic regions. ) House Bunting are the only Saharan species which extend exclusively to north- west India. These two are perhaps the only Saharan species of southern origin, because other Eremopterix species are restricted to the Afrotropical and the Ori- ental regions, while the relationships of House Bunting appear to be with the Afrotropical buntings such as Cinnamon-breasted Emberiza tahapisi and Cape Bunting E. capensis. Clearly, the Saharan passerine fauna is predominantly Palearctic. Alternatively, if a faunal region is defined as an area which has more endemic species than species shared with other regions, the Sahara and Syrian deserts may form a valid zoogeo- graphical unit, the 'Eremian' region, because 18 passerines are endemic to the Sahara and Syrian (semi-)deserts, sharing their range with just three Palearctic and no Afrotrop- ical species. The Cape Verde Islands belong to the Palearctic because, of the ten breeding passerines there, Palearctic species predominate. Of these ten, three are shared with the Palearctic (Specta- cled Warbler Sylvia conspic- illata. Blackcap S. atricapilla and Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis); four are Saharan (and thus also Palearctic - Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cinctura , Hoopoe Lark Alaemon alaudipes, Brown- necked Raven and Black- crowned Sparrow-lark); and three are endemic. Of the last group, Raso Lark Alauda razae seems likely to 610 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-6 1 8 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c ) have Palearctic affinities, while the other two are more likely to be Afrotropical (Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis is morpholog- ically close to Greater Swamp Warbler A. rufescens, and Cape Verde Sparrow P. iagoensis to an African sparrow group including Rufous Sparrow P. motitensis). Arabian species The overwhelming majority of the breeding birds of south and southwest Arabia are shared with the Afrotropics; 24 of the 70 Afrotropical species falling within the geographical boundaries used in this analysis also occur in southwest Arabia (see fig. 3), while of the Palearctic species only Magpie extends to the same area (fig. 2). Conse- quently, all ten endemic Arabian species (fig. 6), which are found in the southwest of the penin- sula, are considered to be Afrotropical. This is reinforced by examining the relationships of these ten species: eight (White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos , Yemen Thrush T. men- achensis , Yemen Parisoma Parisoma buryi, Arabian Babbler T. squamiceps , Tristram’s Starling Onychognathus tristramii , Arabian Waxbill Estrilda rufibarba, Olive-rumped Serin Serinus rothschildi and Yemen Serin S. menachensis ) show a close morphological resemblance to related Afrotropical or, in some cases, Oriental species. Only two endemics appear to be of Palearctic origin - Yemen Accentor Prunella fagatii (geo- graphically isolated from a group of accentors of similar appearance, including Radde’s Accentor P. ocularis of the mountains of Turkey and northern Iran) and Yemeni Linnet Carduelis yemensis (related to Linnet C. cannabina). No passerines are endemic to the interior deserts and coastal plains of Arabia. Since the species occurring throughout these areas of the Arabian Peninsula are shared with the Sahara, the lowlands are best considered Palearctic, and the mountains of the southwest as Afrotropical. Mid-altitude species of the Himalaya and central China For the zoogeographical affinities of species in the Himalaya, an analysis was made of species occurring in Nepal, based on the altitudinal dis- tribution of breeding records supplied by Martens & Eck (1995), supplemented by data from Grimmett et al. (1998), the latter mainly for species occurring at lower elevations (a zone less well covered by Martens & Eck). A total of 104 Nepalese bird species which are widespread in the plains and hills of the Indian Peninsula are considered as Oriental; these are augmented by a few species endemic to the Himalayan foothills (if occurring entirely below 2,000 m), and by 69 Oriental species from the plains and hills of mainland southeast Asia, many of which extend westwards through the eastern Himalaya, and occur in Nepal mainly between 1,000 and 2,000 m. Palearctic taxa are represented in Nepal by 65 species which are widespread in the Palearctic north of 35°N; these occur mostly above 2,800 m, but some are restricted to the lowlands or foothills (see fig. 2). These are aug- mented by 70 endemic species of the southern and eastern fringes of the Tibetan Plateau, which occur predominantly above 2,800 m in Nepal, the altitudinal lower boundary of the Palearctic of Beaman (1994). The distribution of species largely confined to the zone between 2,000 and 2,800 m in Nepal is plotted in fig. 7 (these are the birds not used in the preliminary analysis for figs. 2 and 3). Fig. 7 shows clearly that most species breeding at this altitude in Nepal also extend into the eastern Himalaya, and many also occur in the hills of south and east Assam, India, the mountains of northern, northeastern and western Myanmar, and into western Yunnan Province, China. A smaller number of these Nepalese species also Fig. 6. Distribution of species with a breeding range falling predominantly between Line I and Line 2 in the Arabian Peninsula (ten Arabian endemics). For definitions of these Lines, see figs. 2 & 3. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 61 I John & Jemi Holmes John & Jemi Holmes The boundaries of the Palearctic Region f 342. Chestnut Thrush Turdus rubrocanus, Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan Province, China, July 2006.Two races of Chestnut Thrush breed in the mountains fringing the southern boundary of the Palearctic. The nominate, pale-headed, form breeds at 2,300-3,300 m in the Himalaya, from E Afghanistan to Arunachal Pradesh, India, and the dark-headed form T. r. gouldi (illustrated) breeds at 2,800-3,800 m in montane forest in western/central China. 343. Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima, Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China, April 2005. Within the Palearctic, Zoothera thrushes reach their greatest diversity in the eastern Himalaya, where seven species breed, these species having ranges in the Oriental as well as the Palearctic region. Plain-backed Thrush is an altitudinal migrant, breeding entirely within the Palearctic, mostly between 3,000 and 4,300 m, but descending into the Oriental region in winter, where it occurs between 1,400 and 2,800 m. extend south into the moun- tains of northern Thailand, northern Laos, and north- western Vietnam, while others reach north to Sichuan, Gansu, and southern Shaanxi provinces in central China, or reappear in the hills of south-central China east to the hills of Fujian Province in eastern China, and some even reach Taiwan. In contrast to the Oriental species which pre- dominate at 1,000-2,000 m in Nepal (see above), very few of those species at 2.000— 2,800 m extend to the hills of mainland southeast Asia or Hainan Island, China. When the number of species per 100 m of altitude is plotted for the same unequivocally Palearctic and Oriental species used in figs. 2 and 3, it becomes clear that some Palearctic species extend down below 100 m while some Oriental species reach up to 3,200 m, even though their main distribu- tions are (respectively) above 2,800 m/below 2,000 m (fig. 8). The elevation at which Palearctic and Ori- ental passerines appear to reach an equilibrium is approximately 2,400 m. Therefore, all 68 species with a main breeding distri- bution between 2,000 and 2,800 m are, for further analysis, divided into species occurring predominantly at 2,400-2,800 m (36 species, classed as Palearctic), and those predominantly at 2.000- 2,400 m (32 species, Oriental). A similar analysis was undertaken using altitudinal data from Schafer (1938), who carried out a transect 612 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region Fig. 7. Distribution of species with a breeding range falling predominantly between Line I (at c. 2,800 m) and Line 2 (at c. 2,000 m) in Nepal. For definitions of these lines, see figs. 2 & 3. Fig. 8. Number of passerine species per 100 m change in elevation in the Himalaya, Nepal, based on unequivocally Palearctic and Oriental birds (those mapped in fig. 2 and fig. 3, respectively). Nepalese species with a distribution predominating between 2,000 m and 2,800 m are excluded (see fig. 7 for the horizontal distribution of these species). Key: blue = 135 Palearctic species; red = 185 Oriental species. in central China. Starting in the Red Basin, an extension of the eastern lowland plain into central Sichuan, he surveyed bird distribution continuously to the Tibetan Plateau in eastern Qinghai Province. He found a strong turnover in species composition at 2,000-2,600 m, with species of the (sub (trop- ical lowland plain occur- ring up to 2,000 m (2,600 m), and Pale- arctic ones mainly from (2,000 m) 2,500 m upwards, but with 20 species of the latter group below 1,000 m. Based on his data, an equilibrium between Palearctic and Oriental passerines occurs at c. 2,300-2,400 m. Therefore, mid-altitude endemics with a main altitudinal range of 2,000-2,400 m in central China are con- sidered as Oriental, while those inhabiting the bamboo (Bambuseae) jungle and cloud forest at 2,400-3,800 m are Palearctic. Eastern China Of the 37 species which occur predomi- nantly between Line 1 and Line 2 in China, and below 2,400 m, remarkably few occur beyond eastern China (fig. 9). To establish whether these species are essen- tially Palearctic or Oriental, it is necessary to review the remaining passerine fauna in this area. Of the unequivocal Palearctic species (fig. 2), 37 extend into the plains and/or hills of eastern China, as do 50 unequivocally Oriental species, which occur predominantly south of Line 2 (fig. 3). In addition, several species found at mid elevations in the Himalaya also extend into eastern China; 17 occur mainly at 2,400-2,800 m in the Himalaya and are considered Palearctic, and 12 breed pre- dominantly at 2,000-2,400 m and are treated as Oriental. This gives a combined total of 54 Palearctic and 62 Oriental breeding species in the area of eastern China under discussion (see table 1). Clearly, the avifauna of eastern China is of mLxed origin, but Oriental species pre- dominate (table 1). Consequently, eastern China is here considered to belong to the Oriental region, as are its 37 endemic bird species, even though the difference in number of Oriental and Palearctic species is small. The British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 613 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c > Table 1 . Number of Palearctic, Oriental, and endemic passerine species of some regions and islands in East Asia. Palearctic Oriental endemic Eastern China 54 62 37 Oriental species predominate Taiwan 33 46 12 Oriental species predominate Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu Islands) 11 2 3 Palearctic species predominate Daito (Borodino) Islands 8 0 0 Palearctic species predominate Ogasawara-shoto (Bonin Islands) 6 0 3 Palearctic species predominate Kazan-retto (Volcano Islands) 4 0 0 Palearctic species predominate endemics include some interesting species restricted to the hills of Sichuan, southern Gansu and/or southern Shaanxi provinces, such as Martens’s Warbler Seicercus omeiensis , Emei Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus emeiensis, Emei Shan Liocichla Liocichla omeiensis, and Slaty Bunting Latoucheornis siemsseni. Taiwan A total of 91 passerine species breed regularly in Taiwan. This includes 29 species with widespread distributions within the Palearctic and 29 simi- larly widespread Oriental species (figs. 2 & 3). A further 21 species are shared with the mid-alti- tude range of the Himalaya in Nepal, or with eastern China - a range spanning a region in which the avifauna of the Palearctic and Oriental regions reaches equilibrium. Following analysis of these regions (see above), 17 species are con- sidered to be Oriental and four Palearctic. The Taiwan avifauna is thus mixed, but Oriental species predominate (table 1). This resembles the regional affinities of species in eastern China and, similarly, there is no clear altitudinal diver- gence among species, with some Palearctic species restricted to the lowlands, and some Ori- ental species breeding higher up in the moun- tains. Since Oriental passerines predominate, the 12 endemics are all attributed to the Oriental region. These include species from predomi- nantly Palearctic genera (including Collared Bush Robin Luscinia johnstoniae and Flamecrest Regulus goodfellowi), although these are not par- ticularly close to any Palearctic species. Other endemics show a morphological resemblance to more widespread Oriental counterparts (e.g. Styan’s Bulbul Pycnonotus taivanus with Light- vented Bulbul P. sinensis, Taiwan Whistling Thrush Myophonus insularis with Blue Whistling Thrush M. caeruleus and Steere’s Liocichla Lioci- chla steerii with Emei Shan Liocichla). The Lanyu Islands, close to southeast Taiwan, are poor in breeding species, but among these are some shared with the Philip- pines (Lowland White-eye Zosterops meyeni and Pacific Swallow H. tahitica). More detailed research is necessary before the islands’ zoogeo- graphic position can be established. Southern Japanese islands Of the passerines found on the Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu Islands), most are shared with the main islands of Japan, and thus belong to the Palearctic; only Light-vented Bulbul and Pacific Swallow are unequivo- cally Oriental. The rela- tionships of the three endemic passerines appear to lie with Palearctic species also; Ryukyu Robin Luscinia komadori appears closely related to Japanese Robin L. akahige or Rufous-headed Robin L. ruficeps of central China; Amami Thrush Zoothera major is a close relative of White’s Thrush Z. aurea of the northern Palearctic and Scaly Fig. 9. Distribution of species with a breeding range falling predominantly between Line I and Line 2 in eastern China (37 species, virtually endemic to eastern China). For definitions of these lines, see figs. 2 & 3. 614 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region 344. Elliot’s Laughing-thrush Garrulax elliotii, Huanglong, Sichuan Province, China, April 2005. Although most laughing-thrushes are confined to the Oriental region, several species breed in the Himalaya and western China between 2,000 and 2,800 m, where Palearctic and Oriental faunas overlap. Elliot’s Laughing-thrush is one of few species of laughing-thrush that is entirely restricted to the Palearctic, where it breeds mainly at 2,000—4,000 m in the mountains of central China from Qinghai east to Gansu Province, and south to northern Yunnan Province. Thrush Z. dauma of the Himalaya; and Lidth’s Jay G. lidthi is morphologi- cally close to Black- headed Jay G. lanceolatus of the western Himalaya. Eight passerines breed on the Daito (Borodino) Islands. All of these (Brown-eared Bulbul Microscelis amaurotis, Wren, Blue Rock Thrush, Japanese Bush Warbler Cettia diphone , Varied Tit, Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus , Bull- headed Shrike Lanins bucephalus, and Tree Sparrow) are shared with the main islands of Japan and are Palearctic. Six of the nine species breeding, or formerly breeding, on the Ogasawara-shoto (Bonin Islands) are also shared with the main islands of Japan, but the other three are endemic (Bonin Thrush Zoothera terrestris, Bonin Honeyeater Apalopteron familiare, and Bonin Grosbeak Chaunoproctus ferreorostris) and the nearest rel- atives of these species are not yet satisfactorily established. The four passerines breeding regu- larly on the Kazan-retto (Volcano Islands) are also shared with the main islands of Japan. Together, the islands in southern Japan have Palearctic taxa predominating and thus are included in the Palearctic (table 1). A definitive southern boundary of the Palearctic After establishing the affinities of species that occur predominantly between Line 1 and Line 2 (figs. 2-9), a revised line can be determined according to whether Palearctic or Afrotropical and/or Oriental species predominate in each grid cell (see fig. 10). Owing to the inclusion of the (semi-)desert region of the Sahara in the Palearctic, this revised line takes a slightly more southerly track than the preliminary line (fig. 4) in Africa (at c. 19°N, but north to Gebel Elba at c. 22°N in the extreme east). Within the Arabian Peninsula, the revised southern boundary includes the entire region except the moun- tains of the south and southwest (Afrotropical) and the coastal plain of northern Oman (Orien- tal). The preliminary and revised lines are similar across the Indian subcontinent. Both include the coastal plain of southern Iran and southern Baluchistan within the Oriental region, the mountains of western Pakistan in the Fig. 10. Definitive southern border of the Palearctic region, based on distribution of all passerine species breeding within the area of the map (species richness shown). The line is drawn where number of breeding Palearctic and Afrotropical/Oriental species reaches an equilibrium. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-6 1 8 615 John & Jemi Holmes John & Jemi Holmes John & Jemi Holmes The boundaries of the Palearctic Region 345. Black-browed Tit (Pere Bonvalot'sTit) Aegithalos bonvaloti, Cang Shan, Dali, Yunnan Province, China, September 2005. This attractive ‘long-tailed tit’ breeds up to 3,400 m in the mountains of northern Yunnan and central Sichuan provinces, China, which form the boundary between the Palearctic and Oriental regions in central China. 346. White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus, Siguniang Shan, Sichuan Province, China, June 2006. White-capped Water Redstart inhabits fast-flowing streams of the Himalaya and hill ranges east to eastern China, where it breeds mostly between 1,800 and 4,600 m. Within such a wide altitudinal range, it occupies suitable habitat in both the Palearctic and Oriental regions, but its main distribution lies within the Palearctic. ) Palearctic (including the Safed Koh in northwest Pak- istan), although the Jalal- abad valley, just north of the Safed Koh in Afghanistan, is Oriental. In China, Xizang (Tibet Autonomous Region) is Palearctic, but the altitu- dinal upper limit of the Oriental region, at c. 2,400 m, locally reaches into southernmost Xizang (Gyirong, Nyalam, part of upper Arun Valley, Yadong area in Chumbi Valley, Dihang/ Yarlung Valley near Borni, Zayii Valley, parts of Nu Jiang/Salween and Lancang Jiang/Mekong rivers). In Yunnan Province, the Palearctic extends south to the Dali area, and east to c. 103°E between northern Yunnan and central Sichuan provinces. Farther east the border becomes highly capricious, reaching north in the lowland plains to 32°N near the Yangtze River estuary, and still farther north into the upper Han Shui River basin in northern Hubei Province. In Sichuan Province, the low-lying Red Basin is undoubtedly Orien- tal (as in fig. 4), but the sur- rounding mountains have a predominantly Palearctic passerine fauna (above c. 2,300-2,400 m). A Palearctic list In this analysis, species are assigned to a certain faunal region according to their breeding distribution; for example, one with the larger part of its range in the Orient is defined as Orien- tal, even though a smaller part may extend well into the Palearctic (as defined here). Compare this with the concept of a national list, 616 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c > 347. Lidth's Jay Carrulus //dthi.Amami-Oshima.Japan, February 2006. The islands of the Nansei-shoto (Ryukyu Islands) form the southeastern boundary of the Palearctic and are home to 1 8 passerine species, most of which are shared with the main islands of Japan, while others are endemic to the islands. Lidth’s Jay is found only on Amami-Oshima, but is morphologically close to Lanceolated Jay G. lanceolatus of the western Himalaya. where every species which has occurred within that nation’s borders is counted. The same approach could be applied to a list of Palearctic birds, which then would include species having only a tiny foothold in the Palearctic as a breeding bird (or even species which occur as a migrant or vagrant), even though the species is mainly Afrotropical or Oriental in distribution (or in some cases Nearctic: Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus and Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis breed reg- ularly in extreme north- eastern Siberia). Those species which have recog- nisable taxa in the Palearctic have a strong case for inclusion on the Palearctic list; for example, the Afrotropical Black-crowned Tchagra, of which there is a distinct race resi- dent in northwest Africa, or the Oriental Common Babbler, which has distinct taxa in the Middle East. Species like these, with recognis- able taxa in different faunal regions, are prob- ably the first that should be examined in terms of potential taxonomic splits, not only those with distributions shared between the Palearctic and Afrotropical or Oriental regions, but also those with ranges which extend into both southern regions, like Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis (and indeed Oriental Skylark, Red- rumped Swallow, Long-billed Pipit, Zitting Cis- ticola, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Large-billed Crow, and House Sparrow mentioned already), which are not included here because of the dif- ficulty in assigning them to a particular region. In this zoogeographical analysis, 563 passerine bird species are considered to be Palearctic. All these are also listed as Palearctic by Beaman (1994), apart from some species 1 recently discovered or split (including some i Seicercus and Phylloscopus warblers, and I Sichuan Treecreeper Certhia tianquanensis). • Beaman listed a further 43 species as Palearctic which here are considered to have Afrotropical affinities (mainly in Arabia, where opinions on the Palearctic boundary differ widely), and 92 species here considered to belong to the Orien- tal region (though some do extend into the Palearctic, some quite extensively). Nonetheless, Beaman’s Palearctic list represents a valuable overview of species occurring in the Palearctic, provided that those restricted to the south- western and southern Arabian Peninsula are excluded. Would the southern boundary of the Palearctic change if non-passerines were included ? Although the available maps for Palearctic non- passerines are more crude than those for passer- ines, many non-passerines show range sizes and distributions comparable with those of passer- ines, especially birds of forests, shrub, and open plains, such as pheasants and quails (Phasian- idae), raptors (Accipitridae), sandgrouse (Ptero- clididae), pigeons and doves (Columbidae), cuckoos (Cuculidae), owls (Strigidae), nightjars (Caprimulgidae) and woodpeckers (Picidae). Some non-passerine landbirds are far more widespread than any songbird (e.g. Peregrine British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-6 1 8 617 Phil Gregory The boundaries of the Palearctic Region c y Falcon Falco peregrinus. Osprey Pandion hali- aetus and Barn Owl Tyto alba), but these are rel- atively few and their number would have little effect on the boundaries established here. Note that the zoogeographical regions as defined by Sclater (1858) are based on landbirds; seabirds such as petrels (Procellariidae), gannets (Sulidae) and auks (Alcidae) simply do not fit this essentially land-based concept. On the other hand, the passerines include very few waterbirds (just two dippers) or tundra dwellers (mainly a few pipits, finches, and buntings), while these are numerous among non- passerine species - e.g. waterfowl (Anatidae), divers (Gaviidae), grebes (Podicipedidae), herons (Ardeidae) and, particularly on the tundra, many waders (Charadriidae and Scolopacidae). The breeding ranges of many of these are extensive and/or extend to other continents, and including them in an analysis such as this may affect the outcome, although their inclusion is more likely to affect the northwestern and/or northeastern boundary than the southern one. Acknowledgments Paul Williams (The Natural History Museum, London) made the version of Worldmap available; Peter Mekenkamp (Faculty of Geo Sciences, Department of Cartography, University of Utrecht) provided a fine Palearctic base-map making conversion of original handmade maps into WorldMap possible. Guido Keyl (now Naturalis, Leiden) and Mansour Aliabadian (Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics IBED, University of Amsterdam) helped in digitising the original maps. Maps were in part derived from label data of specimens in zoological collections, access to which was kindly permitted by their staff. Financial support came, in part, from Synthesys (grants DE-TAF-796 and GB-TAF-826). Comments from Ronald Sluys (IBED), Mansour Aliabadian (IBED), and Vincent Nijman (ZMA) improved the paper References Beaman, M. 1 994. Palearctic Birds: a checklist of the birds of Europe, North Africa and Asia north of the foothills of the Himalayas. Harrier Publications, Stonyhurst. Cox, C. B. 2001 .The biogeographic regions reconsidered. J. Biogeogr. 28: 5 1 I -523. Cramp, S. (ed.). 1 977. Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa — The Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. I . Oxford University Press, Oxford. Dickinson, E. C, (ed.). 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of Birds of the World, 3rd edn. A&C Black, London. Dowsett, R. J., & Forbes- Watson, A. D. 1993. Checklist of Birds of the Afrotropical and Malagasy Regions. Vol. I : Species Limits and Distribution. Tauraco Press, Liege. Eck, S. 1996. Die Palaearktischen Vogel - Geospezies und Biospezies. Zoologische Abhandlungen (Dresden) 49 (Suppl.): 1-104. — 2004. Ernst Hartert's palaearktische Vogelarten 1 903-2003 - Erinnerung an die HARTERT-Ara. Zoologische Abhandlungen (Dresden) 54: 1 99-23 1 . Grimmett, R, Inskipp, C., & Inskipp.T. 1998. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. Hall, B. R, & Moreau. R, E. 1 970. An Atlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. British Museum (Natural History), London, Hartert, E. 1 903-23. Die Vogel der Palaarktischen Fauna 1-3 and Nachtrag. Friedlander & Sohn, Berlin. Hartert, E„ & Steinbacher, F. 1 932-38. Die Vogel der Palaarktischen Fauna, Erganzungsband. Friedlander & Sohn, Berlin. Helbig, A. J., & Seibold, I. 1 999. Molecular phylogeny of Palearctic-African Acrocephalus and Hippolais warblers (Aves: Sylviidae). Mol. Phylogen. Evol. I 1 : 246-260. Martens, J„ & Eck, S. 1 995.Towards an ornithology of the Himalayas: systematics, ecology and vocalizations of Nepal birds. Bonner Zool. Monographien 38, Bonn. Martins, R. R, & Hirschfeld, E. 1 994. Where are the limits of the Western Palearctic? Bull. Brit Orn. Club I 1 4: 207-208. Ottoson, U„ Bensch, S., Svensson, L., & Waldenstrom. J. 2005. Differentiation and phylogeny of the olivaceous warbler Hippolais pallida species complex.). Orn. 1 45: 127-136. Rasmussen, R C., & Anderton, J. C. 2005. Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. Vol. 2: Attributes and Status. Smithsonian Institution/Lynx Edicions, Washington, D.C.& Barcelona. Roselaar C. S., & Shirihai, H. In prep. Handbook of Geographical Variation and Distribution of Palearctic Birds. Vol. I : Passerines. A&C Black, London. Sangster, G„ Hazevoet C. J., van den Berg, A. B.. Roselaar C. S., & Sluys, R. 1 999. Dutch avifaunal list species concepts, taxonomic instability, and taxonomic changes in 1 977- 1 998, Ardea 87: 139-165. Schafer E. 1 938. Omithologische Ergebnisse zweier Forschungsreisen nach Tibet. J. Orn. 86: 1-349. Sclater, R L. 1 858. On the general geographical distribution of the members of the class Aves .J. Linn. Soc. (Zool.) 2: 130-145. Snow, D. W. (ed.), 1 978. An Atlas of Speciation in African Non-passerine Birds. British Museum (Natural History), London. Takhtadzhyan, A, L 1978, Floristicheskie oblosti Zemli. Akad. Nauk. SSSR Leningradskoe otd., Leningrad. [Also available as:Takhtajan, A. 1 986. Floristic Regions of the World. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley.] Vaurie, C. 1 959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna: Passeriformes. H. F. & G. Witherby, London. — 1 965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna: Non- Passeriformes. H. F. & G. Witherby, London. Voous, K. H. 1 973-77. List of recent Holarctic bird species. Ibis 113:61 2-638; I 1 9: 223-250, 370-406. — 1 985. Palearctic Region. Pp. 429-43 1 . In: Campbell, B., & Lack, E. (eds.), A Dictionary of Birds. T & A. D. Poyser Calton. Wallace. A. R. 1 876. The Geographical Distribution of Animals. 2 Vols. Harper New York Williams, R H. 2000. WorldMap priority areas for biodiversity. Version 4. 1 . Privately published and distributed, London. Wittmann, U., Heidreich, R, Wink, M„ & Gwinner E. 1 995. Speciation in the Stonechat (Saxicola torquata) inferred from nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome-b gene. J. Zool. Syst Evol. Research 33: I 1 6-122. Kees (C. S .) Roselaar, Zoological Museum ZMA, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 94766, 1090 GT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; e-mail roselaar@science.uva.nl 618 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 602-618 ZEISS Racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee Chris Kehoe, on behalf of BBRC Male ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ Motacilla flava feldegg. Dan Powell Throughout the past 100 years or so, interest in the racial identification of bird species has blown hot and cold. Many of today’s familiar species were first described during the nineteenth century and, as interest in new forms grew, many collectors became increasingly eager to describe and name new species. Inevitably, many ‘species’ were described based on minor variations among the specimens collected. As attitudes towards what | constituted a species changed, many of these newly described species were subsequently amalgamated as subspecies, or races (the terms ‘subspecies’ and ‘race’ are treated as synony- mous in this paper), of a single, wide-ranging species. The ground-breaking Handbook of British Birds (Witherby et al. 1938-41) was the first popular work that attempted a detailed treatment of racial variation within the species it covered and promoted a positive approach to the identification of many races. However, as the emphasis on collecting specimens was replaced by the development of field identifica- tion skills, interest in the racial identification of species waned. Since the 1970s, and particularly in the last ten years, improvements in the quality and portability of optics, photographic equipment © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 619 Racial identification and assessment in Britain > and sound-recording equipment have enabled birders to record much more detail about the appearance of birds in the field, and this has been an important factor in a major resurgence of interest in racial identification. At the same time, new techniques and approaches in tax- onomy and systematics have promoted many forms previously thought of as races to full species, which has created additional interest from birdwatchers. This article discusses BBRC’s approach to the recording and assessment of rare races of species that would otherwise not fall within the Committee’s remit. Some of these races (for example ‘Siberian Stonechat’ Saxicola torquatus maurus ) have traditionally been assessed as rar- ities, but a complete list of the races that qualify as national rarities has not previously been pub- lished. We hope that this document will clarify what has sometimes been a rather grey area, and also that it will explain some recently pub- lished decisions relating to certain forms. What is RIACT? Many extralimital races of common species have already occurred in Britain, and doubtless more will be discovered over time. Further- more, some taxa currently treated as races might eventually be promoted to species status, and this in particular prompted BBRC to set up RIACT (Race Identification Amongst Changing Taxonomy) in 1999, a subcommittee with the aim of establishing criteria for the identification and assessment of races. Initially, work focused primarily on rare species already being consid- ered by BBRC, such as the races of Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica and Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus. Some of the work undertaken on these forms has already been published in BBRC annual reports, and it is intended that more will follow. RIACT’s work has now expanded to review those races of commoner British species which are considered to be rare in a British context, or those which may be elevated to species status by the BOURC’s Taxonomic Sub-committee, and this paper stems from that research. Scope It is not the intention to review all of the rare races that could potentially occur in Britain. Those discussed below include all those that have previously been recorded in Britain (and are included on the British List), and a wide selection of others suspected of occurring but not yet confirmed. Any races not listed here are either deemed too common to be assessed at national level, or would represent a ‘first’ for Britain. Appendix 1 lists several races that, although recorded only rarely, are assumed to be too regular to warrant the label of rarity; in most cases, they are just too subtle to be detected and therefore presumably go unno- ticed. A current list of accepted species and races on the British List up to 1st April 2006 can be found in Dudley et al. (2006) or online at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/ 1 0.1 I I I /j. 1 474-9 1 9X. 2006.00603.x As intimated above, BBRC is also interested in the races of a number of rarities that may be diagnosable in the field. Diagnosability By their very nature, races tend to be subtle entities, but the degree of subtlety varies. At one extreme are distinctive races that seem to be as easily recognised as many full species (and in some cases these may ultimately be elevated to species level). At the other extreme are races that seem to be so poorly defined that it is ques- tionable whether their status is justified, let alone whether their identity might be reliably confirmed if they were to occur out of range. Moreover, some individuals of a particular race may be readily diagnosed while other individ- uals may be effectively indistinguishable from other races. It is often the case that we simply do not know how, or even whether it is possible, to diagnose individuals of a particular race accurately in a vagrant context. Factors such as individual variation, intergrades and aberrant forms have not yet been fully researched in many cases. Diagnosability is the key issue when it comes to recording rare races; more specifically, the degree of confidence with which an individual showing features suggestive of a particular race can be identified as being of that race is crucial, historically, BBRC reported records of rare races as ‘showing characters of’ the race in ques- tion. Implicit within that statement is a caveat that although the individual showed all or most of the characters of the race in question, and no contrary indications, there was still an element of doubt as to whether it truly originated from the geographical area of the race in question. The degree to which such a caveat was required varied. Although we do not propose to continue 620 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain using this caveat for individual races, we will use it as a holding category for some difficult ‘groups’ where individuals cannot currently be assigned to an individual race with confidence (e.g. ‘Eastern Lesser Whitethroats’ Sylvia curruca). When considering racial identification, the ‘Geographical Variation’ section in BWP makes essential reading. Many identification papers and species or family monographs provide further guidance. For passerines, Svensson (1992) provides an unparalleled guide to Euro- pean passerine identification in the hand and for many species presents in-depth treatment of racial identification, although it is interesting to note how the treatment of certain forms differs from that found in, for example, BWP. In this report, we have listed ( in parentheses at the end of the text for each species group) some of the key references available for many of the races discussed. A word of caution about descriptions in the literature is that when describing differences between races, there is a (perfectly understand- able) tendency for authors to concentrate on those characters that typify, or enable separa- tion of, different populations. They rarely touch on the extent of variation, or the degree of overlap with other races, which are key consid- erations when examining a potentially extralim- ital vagrant. The degree of individual variation and the extent to which this, or intergrades between adjacent races, may produce something that could masquerade as a vagrant must always be a consideration. BBRC will continue the approach, already in place for some races, of accepting only ‘classic’ individuals (e.g. of ‘American Herring Gull’ Larus argentatus smith- sonianus). We freely acknowledge that in con- tinuing with this policy, some valid records may be found not proven, but we feel that we can accept only those individuals that clearly fall outside the range of variability of the com- moner races. In view of the uncertainties implicit in the recording of rare races, BBRC intends to intro- duce a system of ‘informal reporting’, so that observers who suspect that they have encoun- tered an extralimital form can submit informa- tion to the Committee without fear of the record being rejected. Access to such informal reports will prove a valuable resource to RIACT as we strive to develop working criteria for identification and assessment. In some cases, such submissions may ultimately be accepted as the form in question, in others they may rein- force the need to take a cautious approach. Observers will be kept informed of any progress made on particular issues, and we recognise that dialogue with observers is in itself a valu- able tool as we try to establish whether certain forms can be effectively identified and recorded. Of course, work on the development of cri- teria for judging claims should not be left to BBRC alone, and we encourage observers to help us in clarifying diagnosability issues; we much prefer to receive submissions where the observers have presented a well- researched case to support their conclusions. The evidence required - field notes, photographs, sound recordings, biometrics, ringing recoveries and tangible proof of origins For many of the races listed here, details are given of the type of evidence required to support claims. To save endless repetition, it can be assumed that one or more of the three basic types of evidence (a detailed field description, good photographs and a sound recording) is a minimum requirement in most cases. The value of examining birds in the hand will be apparent from the stated requirements for biometrics in several of the following accounts - although even for species where biometrics are useful in helping to separate races, some or even many individuals may fall into a zone of overlap. Claims of a rare race which originate from a trapped bird should be accompanied by full biometrics, similar to those required for a national rarity, ideally checked by another com- petent ringer and accompanied by in-hand photographs. If any body feathers are dislodged during the ringing process, these should be pre- served in case molecular analysis is possible or relevant. It is important to emphasise that deliberate removal of feather samples requires a Country Agency licence, and ringers should contact the BTO Ringing Unit in the first instance. In some cases, a ringing recovery will be the most likely way to confirm a suspected vagrant race. This is often referred to below by the phrase ‘tangible proof of origins’, although there may be instances where molecular analysis of feather samples (for example using stable isotope analysis) can also confirm the origins of a bird, so this also qualifies as ‘tangible proof’. A table which summarises the evidence required for both formal and informal submissions can British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 621 be downloaded at riactsummarytable.htm Updates This list and the details it contains are not set in stone. Some forms currently considered safely diagnosable may be found to be more complex and difficult to separate than imagined, while new research may indicate that other forms thought difficult or impossible to identify are actually diagnosable after all, at least in some cases. This paper will be available online at the BBRC website (www.bbrc.org.uk), and regular updates to individual species accounts will be made there as appropriate; periodic reviews will be published in BB from time to time, once a significant mass of new information is available. We very much welcome informed comments that may lead us to adjust our approach to the recording of these forms. BBRC will consider any claims of the races described below from 1950 onwards, but will require the level of detail outlined here (and in the table on our website) to ensure acceptance and publication in the annual report. Racial identification and assessment in Britain www.bbrc.org.uk/ Races to be considered by BBRC Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus columbianus, ‘Whistling Swan’ There are two accepted records of this North American race. Claims must contain precise details (ideally photographs) of the amount of yellow on the bill, preferably including the underside. We have no evidence that European and West Siberian C. c. bewickii ever shows a bill pattern matching that of classic columbianus: all-black except for a small yellow spot in front of the eye similar in size to, but often more elongated than, the eye. Intergradation between bewickii and columbianus has reportedly occurred in Siberia since at least the early 1970s, although the extent of this is unclear. A few reports of birds with apparently interme- diate bill patterns in Europe and elsewhere may refer to intergrades, or perhaps just extreme variation within bewickii. Only birds with bills which match the classic columbianus pattern are likely to be acceptable, but we welcome images of potential intergrades as informal reports. Minor structural dif- ferences between the two forms exist, but individual variation means that this is at best a supporting feature. A potential pitfall concerns birds with mud on the bill, reducing the apparent amount of yellow. Escapes of columbianus, and also the larger, but essentially similar Trumpeter Swan C. buccinator, have occurred. Descriptions should indicate how the latter was excluded through reference to size, structure and bare-part (face pattern) details. (Evans & Sladen 1980; Madge 8? Burn 1988; Kemp 1999; Syroechkovski 2002; Sangster etal. 2004) Bean Goose Anser fabalis johanseni, A. f. middendorffii and A. f. serrirostris Although birds of eastern origin have been suspected in Britain, there have been no confirmed records. These three races breed to the east of the two familiar European forms, ‘Taiga Bean Goose’ A. f. fabalis and ‘Tundra Bean Goose’ A. f rossicus. In the taiga zone, the range of nominate fabalis grades into that of johanseni, which in turn grades into that of the conspicuously large-billed middendorffii. Across the tundra, north of these three races, rossicus grades into serrirostris: some of the latter have a very large bill but, since variation is clinal, these two races are sometimes regarded as synonymous. Further studies are required to establish consistent morphological characters to separate the eastern forms. Probably the most likely to occur here, but also perhaps the most difficult to identify, is johanseni, which winters in eastern parts of the Western Palearctic. Biometric data or a ringing recovery might well be required to confirm the identity of the eastern races, but images of birds resem- bling these forms are welcomed as informal reports. (Madge & Burn 1988) White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons frontalis, A. a. elgasi,A. a. gambelli and A. a. albicans Only A. a. albifrons from northern Europe and western Siberia and A. a. flavirostris from Greenland are on the British List. The diagnosability of potential vagrant races has been poorly studied, though quite large differences exist in biometrics and structure and, more subtly, in plumage and bill colour. 622 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain ) Biometric data or a ringing recovery would be the ideal evidence of extralimital forms, but field observations, if accompanied by detailed notes and, preferably, photographs would be welcome as informal submissions. (Palmer 1976; Madge & Burn 1988; Kaufman 1994; Ely 2005; Reid 2006) Greylag Goose Anser anser rubrirostris Birds that resemble rubrirostris have been recorded in Britain but their status is unclear, and this eastern race is not on the British List. Birds from the reportedly wide intergrade zone between nomi- nate anser and rubrirostris pose a potential identification pitfall, but may be no more likely to occur than genuine rubrirostris. Introduced populations of rubrirostris on the near con- tinent have apparently now been ‘genetically swamped’ by local anser populations, but it is not known whether ancestral characters could reappear in offspring hatched several generations later. BBRC welcomes reports of birds showing character- istics of rubrirostris (e.g. large individuals with typi- cally broader pale fringes to upperparts and wholly rasp- berry-pink bills) with images confirming the key characters. The reporting of known or obvious escapes is an important means of monitoring the status of this race. (Owen et al. 1986; Madge & Burn 1988) Snow Goose Anser caerulescens caerulescens,1 Lesser Snow Goose’, and A. c. at-lanticus, ‘Greater Snow Goose’ The status of Snow Goose is extremely difficult to establish because of the ever-present spectre of escapes from waterfowl collections or wandering feral birds, but this species is possibly a scarce rather than rare visitor to Britain. However, the constituent races of Snow Goose seem more likely to occur at levels that would make them rarities. A detailed description, and preferably photographs, should be submitted of any individual that can be racially identified. Details should be submitted of potential vagrants only - i.e. those with flocks of wild geese or, perhaps, small flocks in spring or early summer away from known feral populations. (Madge & Burn 1988; Sibley 2000) Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis canadensis, ‘Atlantic Canada Goose, 8. c. interior, Todd’s Canada Goose’/’lnterior Canada Goose’ and 8. c. parvipes, ‘Intermediate Canada Goose’ ‘Canada Goose’ was split into two species by BOURC in 2005 following the same decision by the AOU. It is on the British List only as a category C species, represented by B. c. canadensis - i.e. the long-estab- lished, introduced and naturalised population. All three taxa listed here are potential vagrants and individuals showing characters of both interior and parvipes have been recorded in Britain in an apparently wild state. BBRC is in the process of establishing key criteria for identifying each form. Observers are encouraged to submit full details, particularly of size, structure and plumage tones, and preferably with photographs, of individuals in circumstances suggesting wild origin (e.g. with other 348. Greylag Goose Anser anser, Salthouse, Norfolk, October, 2006. This bird shows the classic raspberry-pink rubrirostris bill, but the body plumage was only marginally paler than that of the accompanying nominate Greylags, suggesting that the bird was not pure rubrirostris. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 623 Martin Gamer Racial identification and assessment in Britain > wild geese). Knowledge on identification is still incomplete and taxonomic issues are evolving as new information, from both breeding and wintering grounds, emerges. (Fox et al. 1996; Kristiansen et al. 1999; Batty & Lowe 2001; Batty et al. 2001; Berlijn et al. 2002; Hanson 2005; www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html) Lesser Canada Goose Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii, 'Richardson’s Canada Goose’/'Hutchins’ Canada Goose’, 8. h. taverneri, Taverner’s Canada Goose’ and 8. h. minima, ‘Cackling Canada Goose’ This species is not yet on the British List, but hutchinsii is clearly a potential vagrant and individuals showing characteristics of this form have been recorded in Britain. The status of taverneri and minima is clouded by the question of their likely natural vagrancy, escape possibility and, particularly in the case of taverneri, identification. BBRC is attempting to establish identification criteria for each form; and details of suspected Lesser Canada Geese should be submitted as described for the preceding species. Brent Goose Branta bernicla ‘Grey-bellied Brant’, a somewhat intermediate- (and variable-) looking population from the Canadian High Arctic (and at present not a formally recognised race), has been suspected in Britain, usually with ‘Pale-bellied Brent Geese’ of Canadian origin but on at least one occasion with ‘Dark-bellied Brent Geese’ on the English east coast. BBRC is reviewing the diagnosability of this difficult form in a British context; any submissions will be treated as informal reports initially, and photographs are essential supporting evidence. (Madge & Burn 1988; Garner 1998; Garner & Millington 2001; Buckley & Mitra 2003; Hutt & Taylor 2006; www.oceanwanderers.com/lntrmBrantNY.html) Common Eider Somateria mollissima dresseri, ‘American Eider’, and S. m. borealis,' Northern Eider’ Various extralimital taxa could occur in Britain; at present, claims of only adult or near-adult males are sought, but submissions of birds in other plumages will be kept on file pending further research. There are no accepted British records of the distinctive North American dresseri, although one claim is under consideration. Possibly, intergrades with borealis may pose problems, so only individ- uals that show all the characters of dresseri and no anomalous features are likely to be acceptable. The Arctic-breeding borealis is on the British List based on biometric evidence from a tideline corpse; there have been several other claims, which are currently in circulation. The status of borealis in Britain is unclear, and it may even be a scarce rather than rare migrant, the occurrence pattern of which has been clouded by diagnosability issues and past neglect. We are particularly keen to receive claims with biometric support, but research into the practicalities of assessing borealis based solely on field observations is ongoing. Bill colour alone is not necessarily diagnostic of the race borealis, as British mollissima frequently exhibit bright mustard tones on the bill, and many borealis (especially birds from the eastern part of the range) have unexpectedly dull bills and overlap with mollissima. The presence of prominent pointed ‘sails’ (which occur frequently in borealis ) may exclude mollissima, though research on this topic is ongoing. However, the combination of bright orange at the bill base and prominent scapular ‘sails’ may prove to be diagnostic. Submission of photographs and field notes of any suspected borealis in Britain is encouraged. (Madge & Burn 1988; Garner & Farrelly 2005) Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena holboellii,' Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ This North American and northeast Asian taxon is on the British List based on a single specimen record which pre-dates BBRC; there are also at least five records for Iceland. Biometric differences are diagnostic, with holboellii being distinctly larger than nominate grisegena; average bill and wing lengths fall largely beyond the maximum of grisegena. Biometric details are cur- rently required for acceptance. A further distinction is the bill pattern of breeding birds - holboellii typically has extensive yellow on the lower mandible - but this may be only an average character and may be partly age-related; more research is required. Images of birds in breeding plumage with exten- sive yellow on the lower mandible would be welcomed. (Ogilvie & Rose 2002; McGowan 2006) 624 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain ) Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea, ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’ ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’ is not on the British List, although one claim is currently being considered by BOURC and others have been suspected. Work to establish reliable and consistent assessment guide- lines is ongoing, as knowledge of the key features of this Mediterranean form, and of variation within C. d. borealis populations, develops. There may be some degree of mixing between diomedea and bore- alis, and there is evidence of borealis breeding in the Mediterranean (Martinez-Abrain et al. 2002). In the short term, claims should be accompanied by good-quality images showing the vital underwing- pattern. (Gutierrez 1998; Martinez-Abrain et al. 2002; Fisher & Flood 2004) Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus and Ph. c. maroccanus Neither of these African taxa is on the British List, although a recent claim of maroccanus is under con- sideration, and others have been suspected; work on practical assessment guidelines is underway, but detailed notes and photographs will be a minimum requirement. Both maroccanus and lucidus are rather distinctive races and are unlikely to have been overlooked, but occasional (aberrant?) individ- uals of the two European breeding forms, carbo and sinensis, may superficially resemble either of these white-faced North African races. Differentiating between lucidus and maroccanus should be straight- forward with good views, but intergrades do occur and some may be acceptable only as maroccanus/ lucidus. (Alstrom 1991) Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii and Ph. a. riggenbachi Neither desmarestii of the Mediterranean basin nor riggenbachi from coastal Morocco is on the British List. Immatures show marked differences in the colour of the underparts compared with young nomi- nate aristotelis. A small proportion of birds fledged in Britain appear similar, however, and such birds perhaps account for a few suspected occurrences of the southern races in Britain. Minor average dif- ferences in facial pattern and structure exist but biometric data are likely to be a minimum require- ment for acceptance ( desmarestii is notably smaller and most should be identifiable on biometrics). Nonetheless, photographs of suspected desmarestii or riggenbachi would be welcome for reference pur- poses. (Flumm 1993; Brown 2004) Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli This North American taxon is not on the British List. Biometrics are the safest means of identification, but some adults can also be identified by facial pattern. Images of suspected hoactli are welcomed but formal submissions should contain biometrics. (Flancock & Kushlan 1984) Great White Egret -Ardeo alba egretta, ‘American Egret’ This common and widespread North American taxon is not currently on the British List. However, it is a likely vagrant and a few claims are under consideration. Differences in bare-part colours between European nominate alba and egretta do exist but may be only average differences, and efforts to estab- lish practical identification and assessment guidelines are underway; biometrics are diagnostic, however. Other races (all of which, like egretta, are smaller) could conceivably occur; e.g. A. a. modesta has been claimed elsewhere in Europe. The issue of the natural vagrancy of other races would be a point of contention and further investigation. Descriptions and images depicting any particularly small birds, or birds with egretta-\ike bare-part colours or aigrettes are welcomed as informal reports. (Hancock & Kushlan 1984) Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus hudsonius, ‘Marsh Hawk’ This North American taxon is not on the British List, though some (previously not accepted) claims have been reviewed recently by BBRC, and one is now being considered by BOURC. Extant claims refer to birds in juvenile plumage, and future submissions of juveniles should include precise details of the head, underparts and underwing pattern, preferably with supporting photographs. Adult males seem to be the most easily diagnosable and adult females seem to be the most difficult category to sep- arate. (Grant 1980, 1983; Riddiford 1983; Thorpe 1988; Wheeler & Clark 1995; Wallace 1998; Fer- guson-Lees & Christie 2001) British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 625 Julian Hough/www.naturescapeimages.net Racial identification and assessment in Britain Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis atricapillus There is one accepted record of this North American taxon. We know of no safe means of diagnosing this race in the absence of biometrics or a ringing recovery, and only submissions containing such evi- dence are sought. It is possible that even biometric or molecular data may be compromised by the presence of atricapillus genes within the introduced UK population, although this requires confirma- tion. (Forsman 1999; Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001) Common Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus, ‘Steppe Buzzard’ This strongly migratory taxon, which breeds in eastern Europe, was recently removed from the British List after the single accepted (specimen) record was reviewed. Widespread intergradation between nominate buteo and vulpinus clouds the identification of this taxon in an extralimital context. Further- more, a small proportion of buteo originating in Britain appear to show some plumage characters nor- mally associated with vulpinus, such as distinct rufous plumage tones. Possibly, no plumage characters are fully diagnostic of vulpinus, with the possible exception of entirely dark birds, which may not occur within the range of nominate buteo. As well as Buteo hybrids, escaped Red-tailed Hawks B. jamaicensis present a potential identification pitfall. Full biometrics are essential for acceptance, although a ringing recover)' or molecular support would be ideal to confirm vulpinus in Britain. At present, we are keen to receive images of birds resem- bling vulpinus in Britain (including any Buteo with obviously rufous tones), but claims that lack at least biometric support will not be assessed formally. (Shirihai & Doherty 1990; Forsman 1999; Fer- guson-Lees & Christie 2001; Harrop & Collinson 2003) Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis, ‘Rough-legged Hawk’ There are currently no accepted British records of this small North American form, although it has occasionally been suspected. Dark-phase birds seem to provide the most likely means of recording this form in Britain and current evidence suggests that such individuals do not occur in the European pop- ulation. Biometrics are diagnostic, but images of suspected sanctijohannis (size, structure, perhaps plumage, and in particular location may offer clues) are welcome as informal reports. (Forsman 1999; Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001; Mullarney & Murphy 2005; Jensen 2006) A previously accepted record is no longer supported by BOURC and was apparently the product of a Mein- ertzhagen fraud. Pho- tographs would seem to be a prerequisite for claims of suspected columbarius, including essential details of the tail pattern. Similarly, we are interested in images of Merlins which show characters inconsistent with the two regularly occurring taxa, European F. c. aesalon, and F. c. subae- salon from Iceland. (Forsman 1999; Fer- 349. Adult male 'Taiga Merlin' Falco columbarius columbarius. showing the guson-Lees & Christie all-important tail pattern to perfection; New Jersey. October 2006. 2001; Garner 2002) Merlin Falco columbarius columbarius, Taiga Merlin 626 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus calidus, F. p. anatum and F. p. tundrius There are no British records of the Arctic-breeding calidus, although several have been suspected. Given its distribution and long-range migratory movements, calidus may be expected to occur in Britain, perhaps even as a scarce passage migrant. Currently, we know of no means by which this race can be safely diagnosed in the absence of clear biometric support, and perhaps a ringing recovery. Good-quality images of potential calidus, and also of birds apparently different from typical nominate peregrinus are welcomed. Note that not all apparently large, pale Peregrines are necessarily calidus, or even this species given the presence of falconer’s hybrids and backcrosses. The only previously accepted record of a North American bird (F. p. anatum) was recently reviewed and removed from the British List. Immature anatum and tundrius appear to closely resemble some calidus, and there are no known plumage characters which can separate these three races in the field. A ringing recovery is the minimum requirement to confirm the occurrence of the North American races in Britain. (Forsman 1999; Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001; Harrop 2004) Dunlin Calidris alpina sakhalina, C. a. hudsonia Dunlin of the races C. a. alpina, C. a. schinzii and C. a. arctica occur frequently in Britain, but there are no accepted records of any extralimital taxa. One claim of sakhalina is under consideration, and birds of the North American race hudsonia have occasionally been suspected. Birds from central northern Eurasia (so-called ‘centralis), which occur regularly in the Baltic and appear to bridge European and Pacific populations, are likely to occur in Britain and may be a new race for the British List as well as a serious identification pitfall with respect to other eastern taxa. Racial identification of Dunlins is clearly difficult, and we are currently uncertain how extralimital taxa may be confirmed in Britain in the absence of a ringing recovery. Biometric support could enable some individuals to be confirmed as one of several extralimital taxa, but would not necessarily estab- lish which particular race was involved. Sometimes marked differences in breeding plumage exist among some races, partly as a result of the timing of moult (and consequent levels of abrasion). This also applies among the regular taxa - for example, differences between schinzii and alpina are magnified in midsummer, which may cause some of the latter to resemble more exotic races. Some plumage characters highlighted in the literature are primarily relevant to adjacent races and do not apply in a European context; for example, the fre- quently mentioned flank-streaking of juvenile/first-winter hudsonia is relevant in relation to plain- flanked Pacific taxa but flank-streaking is not unusual in European birds, though it probably never matches that on more extreme examples of hudsonia. We are keen to receive details, preferably with photographs, of birds felt to show characters of vagrant races. Ringing recoveries of birds from North America or east of the Yamal Peninsula, Arctic Russia, would be of particular interest. (Browning 1977; Greenwood 1984; Hayman et al. 1986; Wenink etal. 1993; Wenink 1994; Warnock & Gill 1996; Paulson 2005) Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago delicata, ‘Wilson’s Snipe’ There are currently no accepted records of this North American taxon, but a small number of birds have been suspected (and one is still under consideration; BBRC in prep.). Although there are quite marked average plumage differences between delicata and nominate gallinago, individual variation in the latter is significant and suspected delicata will be extremely difficult to prove without reference to fine details of tail structure and pattern. A BBRC paper outlining acceptance criteria and providing a review of past claims is in prep. Future claims should be accompanied by good images ot the underwing and tail, together with a detailed discussion of all aspects of appearance (preferably including tail struc- ture though it is acknowledged that this is difficult to see and assess). (Leader 1999; Legrand 2005) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus and N. p. variegatus BBRC has routinely assessed claims of the North American hudsonicus and there are just four accepted records. Detailed field notes, preferably supported by photographs, are required for claims of this dis- tinctive race. East Asian variegatus has occasionally been suspected in Britain. Typical variegatus generally British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 627 Dan Powell 'Hudsonian Whimbrel’ Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus resemble nominate phaeopus , although they are more variable in appearance. Some juveniles show quite extensively dark rumps, and thus resemble hudsonicus, while others display a similar extent of white to phaeopus , but most fall somewhere between these two extremes. More work is needed on the diagnosability of variegatus, and also on the variation within phaeopus. We encourage informal reports with good photographs of birds in Britain showing variegatusAike traits. (Hayman et al. 1986; Doherty 1990; Bosanquet 2000; Paulson 2005) Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata orientalis Although N. a. orientalis is not on the British List, it has been suspected here and would appear to be a likely vagrant. Some orientalis are quite striking, especially when structural differences, in particular bill length, are at the top end of the range, beyond those of nominate arquata. Actually proving one will, however, be difficult as plumage variations within nominate arquata mean that it overlaps in appearance with orientalis, and the existence of a potentially broad zone of intergradation around the Ural Mountains seems certain to add to identification difficulties. The possibility that a set of diagnostic plumage, moult, and structural characters might allow some orientalis to be identified in the field cannot be ruled out, but early research is not encouraging; it might never be possible to fully rule out intergrades. It would be interesting to see biometrics of excep- tionally large Eurasian Curlews in Britain or ringing evidence indicating an origin to the east of the Urals. Images of suspected orientalis would be similarly welcome, for reference purposes. (Hayman et al. 1986; www.birdguides.com/birdnews/article.asp 22.07.2004) Turnstone Arenaria interpres morinella This North American taxon is not on the British List, though it has been suspected here. Some male A. i. morinella in breeding plumage may be noticeably brighter and whiter-crowned than typical male nominate interpres, but differences are subtle and possibly inconsistent. Some biometrics may be indicative, especially wing:bill/tarsus ratios ( morinella has relatively shorter wings and longer bill and tarsus) but there is no single diagnostic measurement. A ringing recovery would confirm its occur- rence, but biometrics and photographs of suspected morinella would be welcome as informal reports. (Hayman et al. 1986) Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus pallescens One previously accepted record of this race, which breeds in North America, Greenland and eastern Siberia, has recently been removed from the British List as it was apparently the product of a Mein- ertzhagen fraud. The status of pallescens is unclear and clouded by diagnosability issues; current evi- dence suggests that there are only average differences in the appearance of adults and that nominate longicaudus in Scandinavia occasionally match the characteristically pale-bellied appearance of 628 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain pallescens (contra BWP). Conceivably, such individuals are pallescens breeding outside their usual range, but there is sufficient reason to doubt that even an extensively pale-bellied appearance is unique to pallescens. There are no published differences in non-adult plumages and perhaps no conclusive biometric differences, although pallescens may be longer-winged. Claims are not sought unless sup- ported by tangible proof of origins, but images of Long-tailed Skuas that show the classic pale-bellied appearance of adult pallescens are welcomed for reference purposes; the occurrence of pale-bellied birds in Britain seems to be genuinely rare. We would also welcome details of birds with a wing length in excess of the published range of nominate longicaudus. (Olsen & Larsson 1997) Common Gull Larus canus heinei, L. c. kamtschatschensis, ‘Kamchatka Gull’, and L. c. brachyrhynchus/ Mew Gull’ We would like to encourage submission of images and biometrics of birds that are potentially of one of the extralimital races, i.e. adults that are conspicuously large and darker mantled ( heinei and kamtschatschensis), or which show the distinctive wing pattern of brachyrhynchus. At present, claims will not be assessed formally unless they refer to classic brachyrhynchus. More research is required. The race heinei breeds in Russia, east of nominate canus, and is on the British List following ringing recoveries from the breeding range. Without such proof, we believe that heinei is not safely diagnos- able, owing primarily to the difficulty of excluding intergrades with nominate canus. Based on its dis- tribution and movements, it seems likely to be of regular occurrence in Britain and dark-mantled Common Gulls in eastern Britain in winter may well be of this form. The larger kamtschatschensis breeds to the east of heinei, and is not on the British List but has been suspected here. Some individ- uals seem distinctive in various plumages but more work is needed to establish whether any combina- tion of characters allows confident identification of extralimital birds. The extent to which eastern heinei might closely resemble kamtschatschensis is unclear, as is the extent to which the two might intergrade. The distinctive North American brachyrhynchus has been suspected but is not on the British List. Exceptionally, the characteristic wing pattern of adult brachyrhynchus can be suggested by rare variant canus, and a full range of plumage and structural characters, with good photographs, will be a prerequisite for an acceptable record of the American form. (Shepherd & Votier 1993; Carey & Kennerley 1996; Olsen & Larsson 2003) Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus fuscus,' Baltic Gull’ ‘Baltic Gulf is on the British List on the basis of a ringing recovery from the breeding range. Many older published records pre-date the recognition of the commonly occurring L.f intermedins, and are no longer acceptable. Quite marked average differences exist between nominate fuscus and the other races (especially L. f. graellsii), although many intermedins appear closer to nominate fuscus than to British graellsii. In recent years, differences in moult have been highlighted; although it is acknowledged that some moult characteristics attributed to fuscus may not now be unique, certain moult patterns and resulting plumages are very unusual among intermedins but typical of fuscus. However, the problem ot inter- grades further confounds matters. At present, BBRC does not consider this taxon safely diagnosable in a vagrant context without tangible proof of origins, most likely a ringing recovery. For reference pur- poses, however, we seek details of suspected fuscus when these include good images and supporting moult analysis. Based on its distribution and movements, it seems possible that fuscus is, or at least once was, a scarce migrant rather than a true rarity. (Jonsson 1998; Olsen & Larsson 2003; Gibbins 2004; Altenburg et al. 2006; Koskinen & Rauste 2006; Winters 2006a) Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis atlantis, [L. m.'lusitanicus’], [L. m. ‘cantabricans’], ‘Atlantic Yellow-legged Gull’ There are no British records of birds of the subtle west Iberian and Atlantic island races (some of which are of disputed validity), although reports of potential ringing recoveries are being investigated (e.g. a third-calendar-year bird from the Berlenga Islands, Portugal, controlled at Gloucester). Individuals from the highly pelagic population in the Azores can appear quite distinctive, and have been suspected in Britain. Photographs and detailed notes of such birds would be welcomed as informal reports. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 629 Racial identification and assessment in Britain Herring Gull Larus argentatus cachinnans, ‘Caspian Gull’, and L. a. smithsonianus, ‘American Herring Gull’ Records of L. a. cachinnans were assessed by BBRC up to 2000, by which time it was clear that Caspian Gull is a scarce visitor to Britain, not a true rarity. In future, it is planned that records of cachinnans will be monitored through the Scarce Migrants Report. A paper covering the identification of ‘Caspian Gull’ and its assessment at regional/county level is in preparation. BBRC has routinely assessed claims of the North American smithsonianus, and there are currently ten accepted records. BBRC policy is to accept only individuals that show the full suite of features characteristic of the most distinctive birds. Inevitably, this means that some genuine smithsonianus will slip through the net but we believe that our approach is preferable to one of adopting a more lenient stance that would allow for the acceptance of not-infrequent look-alikes. Birds resembling smithsoni- anus, particularly first-years with dark tails, occur regularly in the European Herring Gull population; these are perhaps most likely to be L. a. argentatus from Arctic colonies, and represent a significant identification pitfall. Photographs of a potential smithsonianus help record assessment considerably and, of all the relevant plumage features for separating smithsonianus from similar-looking argentatus, the patterns on the rump and vent may be especially useful. At present, only first-years have been accepted, as the few claims of older birds are awaiting clarifi- cation of the diagnosability of other age classes. A further potential pitfall may involve darker exam- ples of Glaucous Gull L. hyperboreus x Herring Gull hybrids. (Olsen & Larsson 2003; Lonergan & Mullarney 2004; Adriaens & Mactavish 2004) Other large white-headed gull taxa Tangible proof of origin is required to confirm the identity of any large white-headed gull taxa not listed above, including ‘Heuglin’s Gull’ L. a. heuglini and the form barabensis, which is of uncertain taxonomic affinity. Nonetheless, we encourage observers to submit photographs and detailed notes of birds which potentially belong to such races, as informal reports. Little Tern Sternula albifrons antillarum, S. a. athalassos and S. a. browni There is one accepted record of a bird from the North American ‘Least Tern’ group. A combination of voice and relevant plumage detail, in particular rump and tail colour, is required to confirm identity. Submissions should ideally contain photographs, while sound recordings are currently a prerequisite for acceptance. Since there appears to be no way to differentiate the North American races in a vagrant context, records will continue to be published as antillarum/athalassos/browni for the time being. (Olsen & Larsson 1995) Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, ‘American Black Tern’ There is currently one accepted British record of this North American taxon. Identification in all plumages, but especially of juveniles, is often relatively straightforward. Submissions should contain detailed notes on all aspects of appearance and preferably photographs. (Olsen & Larsson 1995; Adri- aens 1999; McGeehan 2000; Andrews et al. 2006) Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida, ‘American Sandwich Tern’ Ringing recoveries confirm that this North American race has occurred in Britain at least twice, sug- gesting that it probably occurs more frequently; diagnosability issues may be clouding its true status here. In addition to size differences ( acuflavida is distinctly smaller than the nominate), there are subtle plumage and phenological differences, but in the absence of ringing/molecular data only informal reports of acuflavida are encouraged at present; these should contain photographs and a detailed discussion of the identification. (Olsen & Larsson 1995) Barn Owl Tyto alba guttata, ‘Dark-breasted Barn Owl’ This taxon is on the British List, and its occurrence has been confirmed by ringing data. The recent report that a pair of typically pale, British T. a. alba reared a dark, guttata-\ike chick complicates iden- tification matters (French 2006); it seems that simply looking like guttata is not definite proof of 630 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain origins, although we believe that the over- whelming majority of dark birds, especially those on the east coast and in the Northern Isles during migration periods, are likely to be guttata. We urge observers to submit further evidence of appar- ently normal alba rearing guttata-like young so that we can better understand this phenomenon in Britain. Apart from the problem of unusually dark alba , there is overlap between the palest guttata and darkest alba , meaning that only darker guttata (predominantly females) are reasonably safely diag- nosable, while pale guttata may be overlooked. 350. ‘Dark-breasted Barn Owl’ Tyto alba guttata. Reawick, Shetland, January 2005. BBRC proposes to assess all claims of this continental race forthwith, and will publish all records of birds resembling classic guttata, with the caveat that some might be unusually dark alba. Detailed notes and, where pos- sible, images are required to support claims. We shall not review older, locally published records unless requested to do so and photographs are available. (Mikkola 1983; Osborn 1999; French 2006) Common Swift Apus apus pekinensis, ‘Eastern Common Swift’ This Asian taxon is not on the British List but has occasionally been suspected in Britain. There are still considerable gaps in our knowledge of the movements and identification of these swifts. Until the situ- ation is clearer, only a ringing recovery from the core range of pekinensis or molecular support is likely to confirm this subtle taxon in a vagrant context. We welcome good photographs of suspected pekinensis as informal reports. (Lewington 1999; Corso 2000) Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major pinetorum There are no British records of pinetorum from the near continent but some were suspected during the invasion of 1962. In the absence of a ringing recovery, how individuals of this race may be safely dis- tinguished from, for example, pinetorum x major intergrades (or even some variant British D. m. anglicus) is unclear; biometrics may help (but see Odin 2006). Claims of pinetorum should be sup- ported by biometrics and photographs of the trapped bird. These will be treated as informal until assessment criteria are investigated further. The Scandinavian D. m. major is regarded as a scarce rather than rare migrant to Britain (Appendix 1). Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Although birds of both southern and eastern origin are assumed to occur, racial identification beyond the breeding range is fraught with difficulty. Short-toed Larks in Britain will continue to be regarded as being of undetermined race, and claims of particular races are not sought at present. A ringing recovery would be the best way to establish geographical origin (and race, or racial group) of British migrants. Nonetheless, we welcome good-quality photographs of birds in Britain (and indeed full bio- metrics of any birds trapped) for our files, and as new information emerges it may be possible to establish to which racial grouping some individuals belong. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 631 Hugh Harrop John Carter Racial identification and assessment in Britain 351. Male 'Black-headed Wagtail’ Motacilla flava feldegg. South Huish Marsh, Devon, August 2005. Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris There are no accepted British records of birds of extralimital origin but at least one individual of sus- pected North American origin, showing characters closest to E. a. alpestris, has occurred. Until diag- nosability issues are investigated further, only informal claims, with photographs, are requested. (Garner 1999; Petursson & Olafsson 1999; Small 2002) Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica transitiva and H. r. erythrogaster, ‘American Barn Swallow’ Birds resembling transitiva, from southeast Europe, and erythrogaster, from North America, have been suspected in Britain. It seems that transitiva differs from British rustica only in the intensity of colour on the underparts. The vagrancy potential of the former is obscured by the not-infrequent presence of transitiva- like individuals during spring migration in Britain, which appear to be variants within the west European population. Consequently, on current knowledge, a ringing recovery or molecular data would be needed to prove the occurrence of transitiva. The North American erythrogaster is rather distinctive and consistent in appearance. Differences relate to the head and underparts, with erythrogaster lacking the dark band below the chestnut throat. Although rustica may (rarely) resemble erythrogaster - e.g some juvenile rustica may show a weaker, broken breast-band - such resemblances are superficial, and carefully observed erythrogaster should be identifiable in a majority of cases. Claims should be supported by detailed notes and, ideally, images and we welcome photographs of unusual-looking birds for our files. (Turner & Rose 1989; Sibley 2000; Jiguet & Zucca 2005) Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg, M. f cinereocapilla, M. f. iberiae, M. f. simillima, etc. Only M. f. flavissima , M. f. flava and M. f. thunbergi are considered to be regular visitors to Britain, and all other races are vagrants. Of these, only feldegg has traditionally been assessed by BBRC, although several other forms are on the British List and others have been suspected of occurring. Owing to indi- vidual variation and racial intergrades at their range boundaries, positive racial identification is some- times extremely difficult. Well-documented claims (of males only, unless specified otherwise) of the following taxa are encouraged, as are informal reports with photographs of any taxa not listed below. Formal submissions should contain a detailed description, preferably with photographs and a sound recording; for some races, written notes are important to convey subtle plumage colours that may be difficult to capture accurately with a camera. 632 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain > ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ /VI. f . feldegg There are nine accepted records. Acceptance guidelines for males have been tightened following a well- observed bird that was ultimately found not to be acceptable (Rowlands 2003). However, information on individuals which display small anomalies yet otherwise closely resemble feldegg should still be sub- mitted; we are keen to monitor the status of birds with potential intergrade characters, which fall into a broader ‘Black-headed Wagtail group’. Some darker-headed thunbergi also represent an identification pitfall. Many female feldegg are rather distinctive and photographs and descriptions of suspected female feldegg are welcome, (van den Berg & Oreel 1985; Svensson 1988a, b; Corso 1997; Corso 2001a; Dubois 2001a,b; Alstrom & Mild 2003; Rowlands 2003) ‘Ashy-headed Wagtail’ M. f cinereocapilla This form is on the British List and the evidence indicates that it is a rare visitor to Britain, which sug- gests that BBRC should assess future records. The extent to which intergrades between other races (i.e. flava and thunbergi and their backcrosses) might produce birds that suggest cinereocapilla is unclear (but is perhaps not a major problem). Of possibly greater concern is the issue of iberiaex cinereocapilla intergrades, and some birds may be acceptable only as iberiae/cinereocapilla. Although accepted records of this taxon will ultimately be published, any claims will be treated informally until diagnos- ability issues are investigated further. (Dubois 2001a, 2003; Dubois & Roy 2003; Alstrom 8t Mild 2003; Nieuwstraten 2004) ‘Spanish Wagtail’ M. f. iberiae This taxon is not on the British List. An extremely detailed claim, which included high-quality illustra- tions but which lacked voice details and photographs, has been assessed by BBRC and BOURC; a first for Britain will require all key characters to be covered, including voice. Intergrades are a potential problem but some apparent flava can also show quite extensive white on the throat and could be an iberiae pitfall. (Dubois 2001a, 2003; Dubois & Roy 2003; Alstrom & Mild 2003; Winters 2006b) ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’ M. f. tschutschensis The east Asian forms simillima, angarensis and zaissanensis are synonymised with M. f. tschutschensis here (and treated as a separate species by some authorities). This form is on the British List, based upon two specimen records, although these are currently under review by BOURC. Some genuinely grey-and-white birds in autumn may be of east Asian origin, although whether individuals of any of the west European or central Asian forms, such as M. f. beema , can appear similarly grey and white is unclear. The more buzzy, Citrine Wagtail M. citreola-Mke, calls of this eastern group may help identifi- cation but other races (e.g. feldegg ) also have buzzy calls, which could complicate this issue. BBRC would like to create a photographic and sound archive of such birds, although we shall not assess claims formally at present unless these are supported by photographs, biometrics and/or DNA. Other races Two central Asian forms, ‘White-headed’ M. f. leucocephala and ‘Sykes’s Wagtail’ M. f beema are on the British List based on old records that pre-date BBRC. The status of these races is under review by BOURC and results will be published in due course. It is thought likely that most birds resembling beema (of which there are many) and leucocephala (of which there are few) represent variants of flava or intergrades, and that occasional birds resembling the yellow-headed M. f. lutea (which is not on the British List) are most likely to be variant flavissima. Photographs of birds resembling these races are most welcome, but will be treated informally at present. (Hathway et al. 1997; Wallace 1997; Alstrom & Mild 2003; Vinicombe 2004) White Wagtail Motacilla alba leucopsis, etc. Apart from M. a. alba and M. a. yarrelli , all other races of White Wagtail are rarities in Britain. There are no accepted records of other races but one claim of M. a. leucopsis is being assessed, while an apparent M. a. personata has occurred recently in Norway. We follow Alstrom & Mild (2003) in con- sidering that M. a. dukhunensis is synonymous with nominate alba , although we welcome images of British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 633 Hugh Harrop Racial identification and assessment in Britain apparent nominate alba with extensive white in the wing. Several other forms seem likely candidates for westward vagrancy, and well-documented claims of extralimital forms should be submitted for review. (Alstrom & Mild 2003; Addinall 2005) Dipper Cinclus cinclus cinclus, ‘Black-bellied Dipper’ BBRC has not previously assessed records of 'Black- bellied Dippers’, but we aim to do so at least until status issues are further clarified. Only birds that completely lack any hint of chestnut on the breast are likely to be acceptable, although a limited/narrow brown band is not unusual in this race, while some nominate cinclus show a narrow chestnut band at the breast-belly interface. Birds showing chestnut on the underparts probably cannot be distinguished from darker individuals of the British forms C. c. gularis and C. c. hibernicus, or from C. c. aquaticus from central Europe, which has occasionally been sus- pected here. Informal reports of any unusually dark birds which seem to fall short of classic nominate cinclus are welcome, especially when accompa- nied by good photographs. 352. ‘Black-bellied Dipper’ Cinclus cinclus cinclus, Channerwick, Shetland, October 2005. Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos hafizi and L. m. africana There are currently three accepted records of L. m. hafizi on the British List. Identification of this central Asian form seems relatively straightforward, but it is believed that a minority of nominate megarhynchos, especially first-winters, show some hafizi-Yike plumage traits. Identification should be based on a full set of relevant plumage, structural and behavioural characters, preferably supported by photographs. It is possible that L. m. africana, which breeds in western Asia, could also occur in Britain. It is unclear whether africana is safely diagnosable in an extralimital context, although it appears to resemble nominate megarhynchos rather than hafizi in general appearance. Accepted records which do not fully exclude africana will be published as hafizi/ africana. (King 1996) Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros ochruros/phoenicuroides, ‘Eastern Black Redstart’ BOURC has recently reviewed and rejected four hitherto accepted British records of P. o. ochruros and/or Ph. o. phoenicuroides, as it was found that none fully excluded the possibility of a Black Redstart x Common Redstart Ph. phoenicurus hybrid. BBRC is currently working on a set of robust identifica- tion and assessment guidelines by which these ‘eastern’ Black Redstarts can be safely diagnosed in a British context. New claims are welcome, preferably those supported by good photographs; any ringer handling a potential ‘eastern’ Black Redstart should collect any feathers lost during processing for mol- ecular analysis. Any images of birds felt to resemble ‘eastern’ Black Redstarts, even if these are sus- pected to be hybrids or variants, are welcomed. (Steijn 2005) 634 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Mark Law/or Racial identification and assessment in Britain > 353. First-winter male 'Eastern Black Redstart’ Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides, Guernsey, Channel Islands, October 2003. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus, ‘Ehrenberg’s Redstart’ BBRC has routinely assessed claims of Ph. ph. samamisicus and there are currently four accepted records. A review of all past records, including those previously not accepted, is in progress and a small number of new claims are being assessed. At present, only males are considered diagnosable. Males differ from those of nominate phoenicurus most obviously in showing a white wing-panel in the secondaries and tertials; in adults this appears large and extensive, but on some first-winters is restricted to a thin white border on the innermost secondary and outermost tertial, with other tertials showing broad buff fringes; such birds are easily overlooked. Accurate ageing and precise details of the wing-panel (exact colour, extent and shape) are essential; photographs and an in-hand description are ideal. Females may not appear particu- larly pallid, as sometimes suggested, and some fresh female phoenicurus show a contrasting pale buff wing-panel, as do some well-marked males of the nominate race. At present, female samamisicus appears not safely identifiable, although we welcome images of suspected females. Some Common Redstart x Black Redstart P. ochruros hybrids may resemble samamisicus so care is needed to eliminate this pairing; similarly, the possibility of Hodgson’s Redstart Ph. hodgsoni as a potential escape should be considered. Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus rubicola, S. f. maurus/stejnegeri, ‘Siberian Stonechat’, and S. t. variegatus, ‘Caspian Stonechat’ Common Stonechats breeding in continental Europe belong to the form S. t. rubicola , which is not for- mally on the British List. Males in particular have often been suspected here, because birds with subtly brighter and more contrasting plumage than would be expected for British hibernans have been seen on suitable dates and in suitable locations for migrants. There are even suggestions of a regular spring passage of rubicola-Uke birds in southern and eastern England, but many birds showing proposed rubi- cola characters refer to breeding males holding territory. Unfortunately, variation among British S. t. hibernans and the existence of an intergrade zone on the near continent makes positive identification of rubicola extremely difficult, and tangible proof of origins would be required for the first record (one such claim is under review), even though rubicola is probably a regular visitor to Britain. BBRC routinely assesses claims of ‘Siberian Stonechat’, the vast majority of submissions being of the west Asian form maurus. First-winters in fresh autumn plumage are readily identifiable, although a few unusually pale western birds can be superficially similar; consequently, it is important to record the full suite of identification characters, rtrost especially the rump pattern. Spring males, although often striking, are less straightforward and are almost matched in appearance by some brighter, more contrasting western birds, especially presumed rubicola. Spring Siberians can still usually be identified by a set of established characters; rump and uppertail-covert pattern is predominant but underwing colour, the extent of the neck collar and breast and flank pattern are very useful (male maurus has black axillaries and underwing-coverts and this subspecies probably never shows obviously dark-streaked flanks as many rubicola do). Although maurus occasionally breeds in Finland, rubicola is not known to come into 354. First-winter male 'Eastern Black Redstart' Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides, IJmuiden, Noord- Holland.The Netherlands, October 2003. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 635 Patrick Palmen Racial identification and assessment in Britain > contact with maurus during the breeding season, and the likelihood of intergrades is probably low; nonetheless, photographs of suspected intergrades would be extremely welcome. Several authors have questioned the validity of the east Asian stejnegeri , and it is unclear whether it can be diagnosed with confidence (it differs only subtly from maurus, being on average a little darker and with the colours more saturated, rather as hibernans is to rubicola in the west), and the possibility of a stejnegeri x maurus intergrade could never be fully excluded. The one accepted British record should be reviewed, and we do not seek further claims of this taxon. There are currently two accepted records of the west Asian variegatus , which displays a particularly dis- tinctive wheatear Oenanthe-Uke tail pattern. Although maurus can show limited white at the base of the tail, this never matches the amount shown by variegatus , and most maurus appear dark-tailed. As varie- gatus is such a distinctive race, we welcome all claims; although the precise tail pattern is best assessed from photographs or in the hand, this is not essential for acceptance. Exceptionally, as for maurus. Whin- chat S. rubetra x Common Stonechat hybrids may superficially recall variegatus. More research into poten- tial intergrades between variegatus and both maurus and rubicola is needed, while the race S. t. armenicus should also be considered; nonetheless, we feel that it is safe to continue to record birds showing the dis- tinctive appearance of variegatus. (Stoddart 1992; Corso 2001b; Walker 2001; Urquhart 2002) Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus alpestris One recent claim and four previously accepted records are currently being examined. These are currently listed as alpestris/ amicorum, perhaps based on misunderstandings about the characters or relationships between the races. We believe amicorum to be an unlikely though not impossible vagrant. Separation of the races may not be as straightforward as the literature suggests, and observers familiar with nominate torquatus in worn plumage in spring or summer may be surprised by the hoary or scaly appearance of some autumn birds in fresh plumage. Detailed notes and photographs that show the body plumage, in particular the centre of the belly and the undertail-coverts, are required, although in-hand examination is highly desirable and may prove to be a prerequisite for acceptance. (Clement & Hathway 2000) Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti albiventris, ‘Eastern Cetti’s Warbler’ This central Asian taxon is not on the British List but one claim is under review. Research to establish the variation within nominate cetti, and also the diagnosability of albiventris in relation to C. c. orien- tals, an intermediate form that seems to form a clinal bridge between the eastern and western popula- tions, is ongoing. Biometrics are required to support claims, as the plumage characters of albiventris may be replicated in some orientalis and perhaps even some nominate cetti. Images of Cetti’s Warblers with a noticeably cold and grey appearance would be very welcome for reference purposes. Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia straminea, ‘Eastern Grasshopper Warbler’ There are no accepted British records of this taxon or any other eastern races. Four claims of straminea were assessed recently but all were regarded as not proven (BBRC in prep.). Full biometrics are required to support claims, ideally with supporting photographs, but images of any unusually small, grey and heavily streaked Grasshopper Warblers would be valuable for reference. Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus fuscus, ‘Caspian Reed Warbler’ This eastern race is not on the British List. A number of claims have been assessed recently but none was considered conclusive, even though some contained in-hand images and full biometrics. Owing to variation within nominate scirpaceus, as well as fuscus, establishing the occurrence of the latter in Britain is thought not possible without tangible proof of origins. Any feathers lost from a suspected fuscus during ringing operations should be collected for molecular analysis. (Pearson et al. 2002; Votier & Riddington 2005) Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca minula, ‘Desert Lesser Whitethroat’, and S. c. halimodendri, etc. Although S. c. blythi is regarded as an invalid taxon by some recent authors, it is currently listed as a 636 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain > scarce migrant by BOURC. There are no accepted records of any other Asian races of Lesser Whitethroat, but c. 20 reports of birds of other eastern races stretching back over 20 years are currently awaiting assessment or review, and it is possible that some eastern races may turn out to be scarce but regular visitors to Britain. The taxonomy and identification of the Lesser Whitethroat complex is a particularly thorny topic. At present, there seems little consistency about which races are recognised or which subspecies grouping they may fit into, and we have little faith that any criteria on which assessment decisions might be based would stand up to universal scrutiny. Consequently, the assessment of claims is on hold, but we recog- nise that distinctive-looking and -sounding individuals do occur and that these most probably repre- sent one or more vagrant races. We continue to welcome high-quality submissions, especially those containing images and voice data. Trapped birds should have full biometrics taken and any feathers lost during the handling process should be preserved for molecular analysis. Molecular evidence already exists for some past claims but needs to be considered in relation to a wider taxonomic framework not yet in place. Although claims may not be assignable to a specific form, it may be possible to assign them to a group, such as ‘Southeastern Lesser Whitethroats’. (Shirihai et al. 2001 ) Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis icterops and S. c. rubicola These eastern races of Common Whitethroat are not on the British List, although a number of claims of icterops are under review. Both icterops and rubicola may be identifiable owing to their cold, grey plumage tones (with greatly reduced rufous tones on the wings), while biometrics and moult strategy may offer some support. However, it is unclear whether S. c. volgensis , which forms a clinal bridge between the familiar S. c. communis and eastern rubicola , may resemble icterops and rubicola in certain key characters. Consequently, a ringing recovery from breeding birds seems the only way to be certain of racial origin at present. We welcome reports of suspected eastern races, which will be treated informally at present. Pho- tographs, recording of song, detailed biometrics and stray feathers lost during ringing may be particu- larly valuable. Although claims may not be allocated to a specific form, it may be possible to assign them to a group, such as ‘Eastern Common Whitethroats’. (Shirihai et al. 2001) Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans albistriata and S. c. moltonii Records of races other than nominate cantillans should be submitted to BBRC, as these are still genuine rarities. There are currently a number of accepted records of the relatively distinctive south- east European albistriata ; claims should be supported by detailed notes and, preferably, photographs. There are no British records of moltonii , from the west Mediterranean islands. Although Gantlett (2001) suggested that a bird at Portland, Dorset, in 1975 was of this race, this proved not to be the case; the published photograph was not an accurate colour reproduction of the bird, owing to deteri- oration of the original slide, while contemporary notes on the underpart coloration and the call prove that this bird was a cantillans. This race is currently thought to be diagnosable only by call, and claims will be considered only if detailed notes on vocalisations (and preferably recordings) are available. BBRC is currently attempting to establish criteria for the separation of ages other than adult males. Once that process is complete, we will then assess records of other age/sex groups. (Gantlett 2001; Shirihai et al. 2001) Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus, ‘Green Warbler’, and Ph. t. plumbeitarsus, ‘Two-barred Greenish Warbler’ There is just one accepted British record of nitidus, from the Caucasus Mountains region, and three of the east Siberian plumbeitarsus. Although some first-year nitidus are striking, a minority of (the regular) P. t. viridanus may appear somewhat similar, while some worn nitidus appear indistinguish- able from viridanus, at least in the field. In terms of ‘Two-barred Greenish Warbler’, some viridanus can show a median-covert wing-bar, so this feature alone is not sufficient to confirm identification; a full set of plumbeitarsus characters is required. The identification of both races requires care, and detailed notes, ideally supported by photographs and perhaps sound recordings, are a prerequisite; only classic examples are likely to be accepted, (van der Vliet et al. 2001 ) British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 637 Racial identification and assessment in Britain Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis (including Ph. c. fulvescens), ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ Although the occurrence of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ in Britain is supported by specimen records, its status here is unclear. The numbers reported suggest that it is a scarce but regular migrant and, to some extent, a winter visitor. However, the criteria used to assess records vary markedly from region to region, and there are suggestions that it is being over-recorded and may actually be rather rare in western Europe. Genuine tristis can be identified by a combination of voice and plumage details; the strongest evi- dence is plumage coupled with song, but over-reliance on song would seriously affect any attempts to establish status and might lead to the conclusion that tristis was a rare spring migrant. Plumage alone offers the weakest support for identification, and it is not apparent that the real characters of tristis are fully understood. Some of the most distinctive ‘eastern’ Common Chiffchaffs are strikingly pale and grey, with white underparts; these do not correspond to the typical appearance of tristis and are better regarded as presumed eastern Ph. c. abietinus, which is a regular migrant to Britain. Calls are useful but rarely diagnostic, as many of these grey-and-white birds and even some recently fledged juveniles of British Ph. c. collybita utter calls similar to the plaintive monosyllabic note typical of tristis. BBRC proposes to regard this taxon as a genuine rarity pending clarification of its status; we do not yet intend to assess claims, but would like to monitor records from county and regional reports before deciding on the best way forward. We would distinguish between birds which are seen but not heard; seen and heard calling; and seen and heard singing. Some counties already categorise records along these lines, and we encourage all local and regional committees to seek detailed submissions of this race, and sound recordings wherever possible. A good tristis appears rather brown on the upperparts, has a ‘mackintosh-buff’ wash along the flanks and on the ear-coverts, lacks yellow in the plumage except at the bend of the wing, has olive confined to the fringes of the wing and tail feathers, has a rather short and predominantly black bill, and utters a plaintive, monosyllabic ‘iiihp’ call-note. Any chiffchaff which does not match these criteria should not be assigned to tristis. (Dean & Svensson 2005; Constantine etal. 2006) Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus yakutensis There are no accepted records of this race, which breeds in eastern Siberia, but several have been sus- pected. Owing to marked plumage variation within the western races, especially Ph. t. acredula (a regular passage migrant which intergrades with yakutensis in Siberia), biometric data, preferably sup- ported by photographs, will be a minimum requirement for acceptance. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus caudatus, ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’, and A. c. europaeus BBRC has not previously assessed claims of vagrant Long-tailed Tits but we now propose to consider reports of white-headed caudatus. We also welcome images of birds approaching, but not quite matching, the typical appearance of caudatus , and details of ringing recoveries that indicate the occur- rence of other races. ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’ is on the British List and, although its occurrence has not been closely monitored, it seems genuinely rare (with perhaps fewer than 30 British records), although prone to occasional small invasions. In most cases, identification is straightforward, as classic white-headed cau- datus is a striking and beautiful bird. However, as well as the possible pitfall of a leucistic or otherwise aberrant local bird, intergrades should be borne in mind {caudatus interbreeds freely with the central European europaeus across a narrow band from Denmark eastwards and these intergrades could potentially occur in Britain). Key identification features include head pattern (although some pure caudatus do show some faint grey streaking on the head-sides behind the eye), tertial pattern (the precise extent of white on each feather), and the colour of the underparts. The continental europaeus is also on the British List, but is extremely difficult to identify. Differences from British A. c. rosaceus are often slight, but paler europaeus (with reduced colour saturation, plainer and paler ear-coverts and underparts and restricted lateral crown-stripes) might be detectable; and these are themselves difficult to distinguish from some europaeus x caudatus intergrades (and biometrics offer 638 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain 355. ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’ Aegithalos caudatus caudatus, Westleton Heath, Suffolk, February 2004, no support). Furthermore, variation within British rosaceus causes further complications, as do occa- sional records of caudatus (or caudatus-Yike) birds intergrading with rosaceus , the offspring of which may resemble the somewhat intermediate europaeus. Given these difficulties, the validity of British rosaceus is perhaps questionable; nonetheless, images of any Long-tailed Tits resembling one of the rare races would be welcomed. (Harrap & Quinn 1996; http://www.warbler.phytoconsult.nl/gallery.htm) Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus cristatus and L c. mitratus Both continental taxa are on the British List and most of the (few) records of Crested Tit away from core breeding areas of the Scottish I. c. scotica probably refer to one of the continental races. Racial identification is difficult, even in the hand, but we are keen to receive details of any birds away from Scotland when good photographs exist. A ringing recovery may be required to determine precise racial origin, and reports will be treated as informal at present. A review of existing records is planned. Willow Tit Poecile montanus borealis, ‘Northern Willow Tit’, and P. m. rhenanus There are two accepted records of the north European borealis (and several other claims are under review), while the central European rhenanus has been suspected in Britain at least once. Many borealis seem readily diagnosable but some worn individuals of the British race P. m. kleinschmidti pose a potential pitfall. Also within the ‘ borealis group’, the races P. m. baicalensis and uralensis could poten- tially occur here. It would be difficult to confirm rhenanus without a ringing recovery, although pho- tographs of suspected rhenanus would be welcomed as informal submissions. (Limbert 1984; Harrap & Quinn 1996) Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator badius/ Balearic Woodchat Shrike’, and L. s. niloticus In terms of accepted British records, there are three of the west Mediterranean badius, but none of the southeast European niloticus. Identification of badius depends on accurate assessment of wing pattern supported by a range of plumage features and bill structure as described by Small & Walbridge (2003). Occasionally, juvenile Woodchats in autumn may be suspected of being niloticus based on unusually advanced post-juvenile moult and wing- and tail-plumage details; claims will be treated informally at present while diagnosability issues are further investigated. (Small & Walbridge 2003) British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 639 Bill Boston Dan Powell Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula soemmerringii Western Jackdaw Corvus monedula soemmerringii Owing to variation within nominate monedula, which is a regular but seemingly under-recorded migrant from Scandinavia, together with intergrades between that form and the eastern soemmerringii, we are not aware that the latter can be safely identified in the absence of tangible proof of origins. Nonetheless, we welcome photographs of suspected soemmerringii for our files. (Harrop 2000; Offereins 2003; http://www.xs4all.nl/~calidris/monedula.htm) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris faroensis, S. v. poltaratskyi and S. v. tauricus Only the breeding and regular migratory races S. v. vulgaris and S. v. zetlandicus are on the British List, although birds from western and central Asia have occasionally been suspected here. Subtle variations in the colour of plumage gloss and, in some cases, the colour of fringing on flight feathers are the key differences between the races. It may be possible to confirm that a bird originates from beyond the range of the regularly occurring races without establishing exactiy which race is involved. Biometrics may offer limited support but are unlikely to be diagnostic, and a ringing recovery would be the ideal way to establish origins; claims will be treated informally at present. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs spodiogenys/africana, ‘African Chaffinch’ Since the early 1990s, several birds showing characters suggesting the North African forms spodiogenys and africana have been reported from Britain and elsewhere in northwest Europe. All those reported from Britain have shown clear and distinctive African Chaftinch-like traits but also important and often recurring anomalies which prevent their acceptance as either form; exactly what such birds are remains a mystery. We encourage submission of all records of birds resembling Chaffinches of either of these North African races, in particular those accompanied by photographs, biometrics and/or recordings of the calls, which may provide important identification clues. (Clement 1993; Brit. Birds 97: 2 1 1; Constantine et al. 2006; Mullarney 2006) Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni, ‘Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll’ Arctic Redpoll was removed from the BBRC list at the end of 2005, but the Greenland race horne- manni (of which there are currently 24 accepted records) currently still fulfils the criteria for a national rarity, and does not seem prone to irruptions (unlike C. h. exilipes). However, the criteria for the sepa- ration of this race in the field are not clear, and hornemanni has surely occurred more often than the published record indicates. We encourage the submission of photographs of any Arctic Redpolls con- sidered to be good candidates for hornemanni, the larger of the two races, but it is possible that posi- tive identification may depend on biometrics. (Millington 1996; Riddington & Votier 1997; Votier et al. 2000; Pennington & Maher 2005) 640 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra Recent work based mainly on vocalisations suggests that various forms of Common Crossbill coexist in western Europe. Each ‘population’ appears morphologically identical but has vocalisations which may be sufficiently distinct to prevent intermixing. If this is the case, some forms may warrant recog- nition at racial (or specific) level. Work on this topic is still in its infancy and at present we have no means of assessing claims; voice recordings of suspected vagrants would be welcome for our files. (Robb 2000; Constantine et al. 2006) Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus subcalcaratus Lapland Buntings from Northeast Canada and Greenland have long been suspected of occurring in Britain (Williamson & Davis 1956) and circumstantial evidence indicates that in some years they may outnumber nominate lapponicus, which presumably originate in Scandinavia or farther east. This race is not on the British List, since confirmation of its occurrence (by either a ringing recovery or biometrics) is lacking. However, a recent review of statistics from Fair Isle, Shetland, showed that seven males trapped there had wing lengths above 98 mm, the first of these being on 10th October 1953. A recent review of biometric data suggests that any Lapland Bunting with a wing length above 98 mm should be recorded as subcalcaratus. We welcome the submission of data on trapped birds, both past and present, which show a wing length over 98 mm (this should include bill measurements). Data will be collated to help to establish patterns of occur- rence and this race may turn out to be a scarce or even regular migrant. (Garner in press.) Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis vlasowae, ‘Siberian Snow Bunting’ This eastern taxon is not on the British List but has occasionally been suspected. Diagnosis is extremely problematic, owing to variations within other taxa, and we seek only informal submissions, of images of birds showing characters of this race. (Byers et al. 1995) Appendix I. Races presumed to be occurring regularly in Britain The following taxa are examples of races that are rarely or erratically recorded in Britain, but which are presumed to occur too frequently to be regarded as real rarities. All are considered likely to be signifi- cantly under-recorded owing to diagnosability problems; some are evidently irruptive, and conse- quently erratic in their occurrence. Claims are not sought by BBRC, although in many cases we will attempt to monitor locally published records, and in some cases records will be summarised in the Scarce Migrants Report. Common Guillemot Uria aalge hyperborea This race is on the British List based on biometric evidence, which seems to be the only means to con- firmed identification in a British context. Based on its distribution and movements, this race probably occurs regularly in British waters, where it remains largely undetected. Ideally, locally published records should contain the biometric data used to establish identification. I Razorbill Alca torda torda Little Auk Alle alle polaris Comments as for the hyperborea form of Common Guillemot. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major major Great Spotted Woodpeckers of Scandinavian origin are assumed to occur too frequently for this sub- species to be classed as a genuine rarity but birds are usually hard to detect (unless trapped), except by context (e.g. as migrants in the Northern Isles). Bluethroat Luscinia svecica cyanecula, ‘White-spotted Bluethroat’ Annual reports of this central and southern European race might suggest that it is a genuine rarity in British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 619-645 641 Kit Day Racial identification and assessment in Britain ) Britain, but since only spring males are considered safely diag- nosable it is clearly under- recorded and is more likely to be a scarce migrant. Coal Tit Periparus ater ater This continental taxon appears to be a scarce annual visitor to Britain but there are occasional reports of larger irruptions. Owing to the difficulty of identifi- cation, many probably go un- noticed. We are particularly keen to see descriptions of known con- tinental birds, based upon ringing recoveries. Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris familiaris Although we suspect that this race, which breeds in Scandinavia, occurs in Britain quite regularly and is better regarded as a scarce rather than rare migrant, we are keen to confirm its status. For example, all 40 Shetland records (at least those trapped or collected, or seen well in the field) refer to this race. We are particularly keen to see details of birds known to be ringed on the breeding grounds in northern Europe. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius glandarius Occasional large-scale irruptions provide the clearest indication of the occurrence of this rather subtle race. The paler, colder appearance of some glandarius might attract attention, although the appearance of many Scottish breeders (G. g. caledonicus ) approaches that of the nominate form. Since new arrivals may disperse inland quite widely, identifying single individuals is probably impossible without the benefit of biometrics. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis carduelis There are no confirmed British records of this continental race but it presumably occurs here, at least as an occasional passage migrant. The difficulty of diagnosing nominate carduelis in Britain may actu- ally call into question the subspecific validity of the local breeding race C. c. brittanica ; at present, we seek only claims supported by a ringing recovery. Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea islandica and C. f. rostrata Based on locally published records. Common Redpolls of northwestern origin (Iceland and Greenland) occur annually in Britain in some numbers, especially in the Northern Isles. Others are presumably over- looked to some extent. (Riddington & Votier 1997; Reid & Riddington 1998; Pennington & Maher 2005). Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula, ‘Northern Bullfinch’ Occasional large-scale invasions of the nominate form from Scandinavia are well known. Small numbers, less readily detectable outside irruption events unless supported by biometrics, are known to occur in most years. Recent work suggests that the recently documented 'trumpet’ call is diagnostic of ‘Northern’ Bullfinch and does not occur in other populations. (Constantine et al. 2006; Pennington & Meek 2006) 3S6. Male ‘White-spotted Bluethroat’ Luscinia svecica cyanecula, Landguard, Suffolk, March 2005. 642 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9—645 Racial identification and assessment in Britain Acknowledgments BBRC members, past and present have conducted original and sometimes extensive research into the diagnosability of many of the taxa listed, and it is planned to make the outcome of such research available in BB in many cases. In addition, we thank all those who have answered our queries about the diagnosability of various taxa via informal discussions and requests for information, and all who have conducted and published their own research which we have consulted when drawing our own conclusions. References In addition to BWP and Svensson (1992), all of the available family monographs that give details of the taxa listed have been consulted, as have a wide range of British and European magazines and journals. In addition, the eurobirding.com website at http://www.eurobirding.com/ birdingmagazines/articlesearch.php offers a useful search function that allows recent papers, articles, notes and letters discussing racial identification from the following journals and magazines to be identified: Alula (Finland): Birding World (UK): Birds Illustrated (UK): Blrdwatch (UK); British Birds (UK); DOFT (Denmark); Dutch Birding (The Netherlands); Fugle I felten (Denmark); Fugle og Natur (Denmark); Ornis Svecica (Sweden); Ornithos (France); Var Fagelvarld (Sweden). Addinall, S. 2005. The Amur Wagtail in County Durham - a new Western Palearctic bird. Birding World 18: 155-158. Adriaens. A., & Mactavish. B. 2004. Identification of adult American Herring Gull. Dutch Birding 26: 151-179. Adriaens, R 1 999. The American BlackTern in Co. Dublin. Birding World 1 2: 378-379, Alstrom, R 1991. Identification of Double-crested Cormorant. Birding World 4: 9- 1 6. — & Mild. M. 2003. Pipits and Wagtails of Europe. Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Altenburg, R. G. M., Muusse, M.J. M„ Luijendijk, B.-J.. & Muusse.T O.V. 2006. Restricted moult in second calendar-year Baltic Gull. Dutch Birding 28: 1 62-164. Andrews, R. M„ Higgins, R. J.. & Martin. J. R 2006. American BlackTern at Weston-super-Mare; new to Britain. Brit. Birds 99: 450-459. Batty, C„ & Lowe.T 200 1 .Vagrant Canada Geese in Britain and Ireland. Birding World 1 4: 57-6 1 . — . Hackett, R, & Lowe.T 200 1 .Vagrant Canada Geese in Britain: autumn 200 1 . Birding World 1 4: 5 1 5-5 1 9. Berlijn. M„ & CDNA. 2002. Hutchins' Canada Geese in The Netherlands. Dutch Birding 24: 1 42- 1 50. Bosanquet, S. 2000.The Hudsonian Whimbrel in Gwent. Birding World 1 3: 1 90- 1 93. Brown, J. G. 2004. Juvenile Shag on Skomer showing characteristics of Mediterranean race. Brit Birds 97: 96-97. Browning, M. R. 1 977. Geographical variation in Dunlins, Calidris alpina, of North America. Canadian Field- Naturalist 9 \: 39 1 -393. Buckley, RA., & Mitra, S. S. 2003.Three geese resembling 'Gray-bellied Brant'/' Lawrence's Brant' from Long Island, New York. North American Birds 56: 502-507. Byers, C., Olsson, U., & Curson, J. 1 995. Buntings and Sparrows: a guide to buntings and North American sparrows. Pica Press, Mountfield. Carey, G. J., & Kennerley, R R. 1996. 'Mew' Gull: the first record for Hong Kong and the identification and systematics of Common Gull forms in east Asia. Hong Kong Bird Report 1 995: I 34- 1 49. Clement, R 1993. Finches and Sparrows: an identification guide. Christopher Helm, London. — & Hathway, R. 2000. Thrushes. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. Constantine, M„ &The Sound Approach. 2006. The Sound Approach to Birding : a guide to understanding bird sound. The Sound Approach, Poole. Corso.A. 1 997. Appearance of Black-headed Wagtails. Birding World 1 0: 352. — 2000. Common Swift and illyricus Pallid Swift. Birding World 1 3: 37. — 200 1 a. Head pattern variation in Black-headed Wagtail. Birding World 14: 162-166. — 200 1 b. Plumages of Common Stonechats in Sicily, and comparison with vagrant 'Siberian Stonechats'. Brit. Birds 94: 315-31 8. Dean, A. R„ & Svensson, L. 2005. 'Siberian Chiffchaff revisited. Brit. Birds 98: 396 — 4 1 0. Doherty, R 1990. Hudsonian Whimbrel. Birding World 3: 326-327. Dubois, RJ. 2001a. Les formes nicheuses de la Bergeronette printainiere Motacilla flave en France. Ornithos 8: 44—73. — 200 1 b. Head pattern of Black-headed Wagtail. Birding World 14:388. — 2003. Breeding of 'Middlewest' Wagtail in Auvergne, Central France. Ornithos 1 0: 26-27. — & Roy, E. 2003. A propos des Bergeronnettes printanieres Motacilla flava de la Cerdagne et du Capcir [The Yellow Wagtail in Cerdagne-Capcir Pyrenees- Orientales], Ornithos 10:28-29. Dudley. S. R, Gee, M., Kehoe, C„ Melling.T M„ & the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (BOURC). 2006.The British List: a checklist of birds of Britain (7th edn.). Ibis 148:526-563. Ely, C. R. 2005. Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons. Bird Study 52: 1 04-120. Evans, M. E., & Sladen.W.J. L. 1 980. A comparative analysis of the bill markings ofWhistling and Bewick's Swans and out-of-range occurrences of the two taxa. Auk 97: 697-703. Ferguson-Lees, J., & Christie, D. A. 200 1 . Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London. Fisher A., & Flood, B. 2004. A Scopoli's Shearwater off the Isles of Scilly. Birding World 17: 334—336. Flumm, D. S. 1 993. Do Mediterranean Shags occur in southwest England? Brit. Birds 86: 1 66- 1 73. Forsman, D. 1 999. The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East a handbook of field identification. Poyser London. Fox, A. D., Gladhder C., Mitchell, C. R, Stroud, D.A., Boyd, H., & Frikke.J. 1 996. North American Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in West Greenland. Auk I 13:231-233. French, R R. 2006. Dark-breasted Barn Owl in Devon. Brit Birds 99: 2 1 0-2 1 I . Gantlett, S. 200 1 . Subalpine Warbler forms in Britain Birding World 1 4: 482 — 483. Garner, M. 1 998. Brent crosses. Birdwatch 78: 29-32. — 1 999. An interesting Shore Lark in Ireland. BirdingWorld 12: 152-154. — 2002. Identification and vagrancy of American Merlins in Europe. Birding World 15:468-480. — In press. Lapland Bunting origins. Birding World. — & Farrelly, W. 2005. Northern Eiders in Scotland - are they being missed? Birding Scotland 8: 4- 1 5. — & Millington, R. 200 1 . Grey-bellied Brant and the Dundrum conundrum. Birding World 14: 151-155. Gibbins, C. N. 2004. Is it possible to identify Baltic and Heuglin's Gulls? Birding Scotland 7: 1 54- 1 86. Grant, R j. 1 980. Identification of American 'Marsh Hawks’. Brit Birds 73: 3 1 8. — 1 983. The 'Marsh Hawk’ problem. Brit Birds 76: 373-376. Greenwood, J. G. 1 984. Migration of Dunlin Calidris alpina: British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 643 Racial identification and assessment in Britain > a worldwide overview. Ringing & Migration 5: 35-39. Gutierrez, R. 1998. Flight identification of Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters. Dutch Hireling 20: 2 1 6-225. Hancock, J„ & Kushlan.J. 1984. The Herons Handbook. Groom Helm, London. Hanson, H. C. 2005. The White-cheeked Geese. Taxonomy, ecophysiographic relationships, biogeography, and evolutionary considerations. Vol. I . ABooks, California. Harrap, S., & Quinn, D. 1 996. Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. Harrop, A. H.J. 2000. Identification of Jackdaw forms in northwestern Europe. Birding World I 3: 290-295. — 2004.The 'North American’ Peregrine Falcon in Britain. A review on behalf of the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee. Brit. Birds 97: 1 30-133. — & Collinson, M. 2003,The 1 864 Wiltshire ‘Steppe Buzzard'. A review on behalf of the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee. Brit. Birds 96: 247-249. Hathway, R„ Scott, M., & WagstaffW. 1 997.The Yellow- headed Wagtail on Scilly: a new British bird? Birding World 10: 136-137, Hayman, R, Marchant, J„ & Prater, T 1 986. Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the world. Croom Helm, London. Hutt, A., &Taylor G. 2006.The apparent Grey-bellied Brant in East Yorkshire. Birding World 19: I 13-1 17. Jensen, J.-K. 2006. Are dark morph Rough-legged Hawks overlooked in Europe? Birding World 1 9: 208-209. Jiguet, F„ & Zucca, M. 2005. The American Barn Swallows on the Azores - a new Western Palearctic bird. Birding World 1 8: 475-478. Jonsson, L. 1 998. Baltic Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus fuscus - moult, ageing and identification. Birding World I 1:295-317. Kaufman, K. 1 994. Point/Counterpoint. Greenland White- fronted Geese - over-reported? Birding 26: 380-382. Kemp.J. 1 999.The 'Welneywhistler. Birding World 12: 125-127. King, J. 1996. Identification of nightingales. Birding World 9: 179-189. Koskinen, H„ & Rauste.V. 2006. Primary moult of Baltic Gull during the first 1 5 months. Dutch Birding 28: 158-161. Kristiansen, J. N„ Fox, A. D„ & Jarrett, N. S. 1 999. Resightings and recoveries of Canada Geese Branta canadensis ringed in West Greenland. Wildfowl 50: 199-203. Leader P 1 999. Identification forum: Common Snipe and Wilson's Snipe. Birding World 1 2: 371-374. Legrand.V. 2005. Identification of a Wilson's Snipe on Ouessant, Finistere. Birding World 1 8: 482-484. Lewington, I 1 999. Separation of Pallid Swift and pekinensis Common Swift. Birding World 1 2: 450-452. Limbert, M. 1 984. Vagrant races ofWillowTit in Britain. Brit. Birds 77: 1 23. Lonergan, R, & Mullarney, K. 2004. Identification of American Herring Gull in a western European context. Dutch Birding 26: 1-35. Madge, S„ & Burn, H. 1 988. Wildfowl: an identifi cation guide to the ducks, geese, and swans of the world. Christopher Helm, London. Martinez-Abrain, A., Sanchez, A„ & Oro, D, 2002. Atlantic Cory's Shearwaters breeding in a colony of Mediterranean Cory's Shearwaters. Waterbirds 25: 221-224. McGeehan.A. 2000. Identification of American BlackTern. Birding World 13:37. McGowan, R.Y 2006. Comment on 'Holboell's Red-necked Grebe' in Wester Ross in 1 925. Brit. Birds 99: 48 1 . Mikkola, H. 1 983. Owls of Europe. Poyser Calton. Millington, R. 1996. Identification forum: Arctic Redpolls revisited. Birding World 9: 65-69. Mullarney, K. 2006. A chaffinch resembling African Chaffinch in Ireland. Birding World 1 9: 1 09- 1 1 2. — & Murphy, J. 2005 The Rough-legged Hawk in Ireland. Birding World 1 8: 503-504. Nieuwstraten, E. 2004.Vermoedelijke Italiaanse Kwikstaart bij Makkum [Presumed Ashy-headed Wagtail near Makkum], Dutch Birding 26: 220-222. Odin, N. 2006. Racial determination of Great Spotted Woodpeckers Dendrocopos major in Britain. Ringers' Bull. I I: 106. Offereins, R. 2003. Identification of eastern subspecies of Western Jackdaw and occurrence in the Netherlands. Dutch Birding 25: 209-220. Ogilvie, M„ & Rose, C. 2002. Grebes of the World. Bruce Coleman, Uxbridge. Olsen, K. M„ & Larsson, H. 1 995. Terns of Europe and North America. Christopher Helm/A&C Black, London. — & — 1 997. Skuas and Jaegers: a guide to the skuas and jaegers of the world. Pica Press, Sussex. — & — 2003. Gulls of Europe. Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Osborn, K. 1 999, The Dark-breasted Barn Owl on Shetland. Birding World 1 2: 454-M57. Owen, M„ Atkinson-Willes, G. L„ & Salmon, D. G. 1 986. Wildfowl in Great Britain. 2nd edn. CUR Cambridge. Palmer R. S. (ed.) 1 976. Handbook of North American Birds. Vol. 2. Yale University Press. New Haven. Paulson, D. 2005. Shorebirds of North America: the photographic guide. Christopher Helm, London. Pearson. D.J., Small. B. J., & Kennerley, R R. 2002. Eurasian Reed Warbler: the characters and variation associated with the Asian form fuscus. Brit Birds 95: 42-6 1 . Pennington, M„ & Maher M. 2005. Greenland, Iceland and Hornemann's Redpolls in Britain. Birding World 1 8: 66-78. — & Meek E. R 2006.The ‘Northern Bullfinch' invasion of autumn 2004. Brit Birds 99: 2-24. Petursson, G., & Olafsson, E. 1 999. A probable Northern Horned Lark in Iceland. Birding World 12: 375-376. Reid, J. M.,& Riddington, R 1998. Identification of Greenland and Iceland Redpolls. Dutch Birding 20: 26 1 -27 1 . Reid, M. 2006.The appearance and identification of the various forms of Greater White-fronted Goose. http://www.martinreid.com/Main%20website/gwgo.html Riddiford, N. 1983. Hen Harrier with rufous-orange underparts. Brit Birds 76: 406. Riddington, R„ & Votier S. 1 997. Redpolls from Greenland and Iceland. Birding World 10: 147-149. Robb, M. S. 2000. Introduction to vocalizations of crossbills in northwestern Europe. Dutch Birding 22:61-1 07, and accompanying CD. Rowlands, A. 2003. From the Rarities Committee's files: ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ in Essex in 1 999 - a suspected feldegg intergrade. Brit. 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(eds.), The Birds of North America, 1 77: 24.The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia/ AOU, Washington. Wenink, RW. 1 994. Mitochondrial DNA sequence evolution in shorebird populations. Proefschrift, Wageningen. — , Baker A. J., & Tilanus, M. G. J. 1993. Hypervariable- control-region sequences reveal global population structuring in a long-distance migrant shorebird, the Dunlin ( Calidris alpina). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 90: 94-98. Wheeler B. K„ & Clark, W. S. 1 995. A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors. Academic Press, London. Williamson, K„ & Davis. R l956.The autumn 1953 invasion of Lapland buntings and its source. Brit Birds 49: 6-25. Winters, R 2006a. Moult and plumage variation in immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the Netherlands. Dutch Birding 28: 140-157. — 2006b. Head pattern of some ‘Yellow Wagtails' in the Netherlands. Dutch Birding 28: 232-234. Witherby, H. R.Jourdain. F, C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F., &Tucker B. W. 1 938-4 1 . The Handbook of British Birds. Witherby London. Chris Kehoe, 53 Kitchener Terrace , North Shields NE30 2HH; e-mail ck 1 965@blueyonder.co.uk & ‘Northern Long-tailed Tits' Aegithalos caudatus caudatus British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 6 1 9-645 645 Don Powell Conservation research news Compiled by Ken Smith, Simon W otton and Graeme Buchanan hNiju imibj How many bird extinctions have been prevented? Over 1,200 bird species in the world are cur- rently threatened with extinction, of which 179 are classified as 'Critically Endangered’ - the highest threat category. In the face of these sta- tistics it is difficult to remain optimistic, but a recently published paper gives real grounds for hope. Stuart Butchart, Alison Stattersfield and Nigel Collar of BirdLife International have analysed the population data for a small group of species that were critically endangered in 1994 and were the subject of focused recovery programmes between then and 2004. Of the 27 species examined, 16 would probably have become extinct, or functionally extinct, before 2004 if it had not been for conservation inter- ventions. Thirteen of these species are now increasing in numbers, one is stable and two are declining. The majority of species involved live on islands and the conservation actions include habitat protection and management (75%), control of invasive species (50%) and captive breeding and release (33%). Two, Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira and Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita , occur in the Western Palearctic, while the others occur in other zoogeographic regions. In addition to these species, a further ten were judged to have been saved from extinc- tion by conservation programmes prior to 1994. The message is absolutely clear. The knowl- edge and the tools are available to prevent extinctions; all that is needed is to mobilise the resources and political will to bring this about on a sufficiently large scale. Butchart, S. H. R, Stattersfield, A. J., & Collar; N.J. 2006. How many bird extinctions have we prevented? Oryx 40: 266-278. Rapid declines reported for common British moths Declining breeding populations of many common British birds is a story all too familiar to BB readers and a comparable situation has also been described for vascular plants and but- terflies. In a recent paper, K. F. Conrad and his colleagues have demonstrated that there have been severe national population declines among common and widespread macro moths (Lepi- doptera) in Britain in recent times. The declines are at least as great as those recently reported for British butterflies, and exceed those of British birds and vascular plants. Population data on macro moths were taken from the Rothamsted Insect Survey, which has gathered one of the longest-running datasets of a species-rich insect group, having been estab- lished in the early 1960s. The survey has oper- ated a national network of around 100 light-traps annually since 1968, providing stan- dardised, nightly counts of individual moth species from a wide range of habitats. The annual total number of all macro moths caught decreased by 31% over the sampling period (1968-2002). The majority of this decrease occurred in southern Britain, with the north showing no significant trend. Overall, 75% of species declined in the south of the UK com- pared with 55% in the north. Data were analysed for 337 species over the sampling period. Two-thirds of these species have declined over the 35-year period and 71 species (21%) showed declines of more than 30% over a ten-year period. If the quantitative IUCN 'Red List’ criteria are applied at the national scale to these 71 species, they would be considered for designation as endangered or vulnerable. 646 © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 646-647 Conservation research news The overall pattern of decline points to a widespread deterioration of suitable environ- mental conditions across the country. Com- pared with the recent study on UK butterflies, this study includes a greater number of species from a wider range of habitats and the results are thus likely to be more representative of insect biodiversity. At present, evidence of factors causing these declines is lacking, but the next highlighted priority is to examine in greater detail the relative roles of climate, chem- ) ical and light pollution, and land-use changes. These findings have important and worrying implications for a range of other species. The caterpillars of macro moths are a critical food source for the nestling young of many bird species and adult moths are a key element in the diet of bats (Chiroptera). Conrad, K. F„ Warren, M. S„ Fox, R„ Parsons, M. S„ & Woiwod, 1. 2006. Rapid declines of common, widespread British moths provide evidence of an insect biodiversity crisis. Biol. Conserv., 1 32: 279-29 1 . Is climate change disrupting Black Grouse breeding cycles in Finland? Climate change is widely recognised as a major threat to biodiversity. However, the impacts it will have on species are largely speculative, and the ways in which populations will respond are generally unknown. Gilbert Ludwig and his col- leagues have recently described a mechanism by which climate change may affect annual chick survival and hence population sizes and popu- lation cycles of Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix. Using data collected in Finland since 1987, they found that mating date (observed at leks) and hatching date (which occurs about 40 days after mating) were temperature dependent, corre- lating with the mean maximum temperature in the last three weeks of April (warmer tempera- tures lead to earlier mating). Using climate and grouse population data available for each year since 1964, they suggested that, following a warming of April temperatures, mean mating date had advanced by about one day per decade. Hatching also occurred earlier, with peaks ranging from 9th to 19th June. June tempera- tures affected chick survival post-hatching, with more chicks surviving when the temperatures in the first ten days after hatching were warmer. Survival decreased with lower temperatures, although the reason for this observed reduction is unknown; possible causes include starvation, hypothermia or predation. Worryingly, while April temperatures appear to have increased, resulting in earlier hatching, June temperatures have remained stable over the past 40 years. This asynchrony in temperature change could result in increased chick mortality, with chicks hatching during the colder period at the start of June, rather than warmer, more favourable periods later in the month, which in turn could result in substantial population declines. The interplay between April and June tem- perature, hatching date and survival may also explain the apparent change from a six-year population cycle to a seven-year cycle in the mid 1980s across Finland. Population models suggest that an increased frequency and severity of perturbations in breeding success would ini- tially increase the cycle period, before it disap- pears altogether. Changing temperatures, fitting the observed patterns since the mid 1980s, could cause such perturbations. The authors concluded by observing that, when looking at the effects of climate change on species, rather than simply observing the conse- quences it is important to identify the under- lying mechanism. Such understanding may mean that the potential effects of climate change can be tempered by appropriate man- agement responses. Ludwig, G. X.,Alatalo. R.V., Helle. R, Linden, H„ Lindstrom, J„ & Siitari, H. 2006. Short- and long-term population dynamical consequences of asymmetric climate change in Black Grouse. Proc. Roy. Soc. Load. B 273: 2009-20 1 6. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 646-647 647 Reviews BIRDS AND CLIMATE CHANGE Edited by Anders P. Moller, Wolfgang Fiedler and Peter Berthold. Academic Press, London, 2006. 251 pages; figures, tables. ISBN 0-12-373614-5. Paperback, £28.99. This book contains a series of papers published in 2004 as a volume of Advances in Ecological Research, itself based on a work- shop held in 2003. The 21 renowned international contribu- tors, primarily from European countries, examine our current knowledge of the effects on birds of climate change. Given the enor- mous proliferation of research pro- jects and literature on this subject, the authors have achieved this review competently and clearly, providing guidelines for future studies but pointing out the pitfalls and problems. The emphasis is upon Europe, where the effects of climate change seem to be clearer, and the ornitho- logical datasets more comprehen- sive, than for other continents. Each chapter begins with a summary and ends with appro- priate references. Unfortunately, only author and publication details are given. The first three chapters discuss migration and emphasise that the various existing studies are dis- parate, of different periods and cover diverse regions; also, that predictive climate models are often not good at a regional level. Never- theless, a wide variety of species across Europe are clearly arriving earlier in spring as temperatures rise. As habitats are climatically modified, migrants are more likely to meet problems in refuelling, especially where they rely on spe- cific staging sites. The next two chapters discuss reproduction, highlighting the fact that phe- nology has provided much of the evidence of the consequences of climate change. Unfortunately, reactions differ across the compo- nents of the food chain and between environments, leading to mistiming between reproduction and food. This itself varies within and among species and, with the rate of climate change varying both regionally and temporally, the pace of natural selection is unlikely to be maintained. For widespread species, adaptation to a wide range of climatic conditions can be at least as large as predicted climate changes, and populations are therefore better able to cope. The next chapter reviews the problems inherent in long-term population studies and lists ques- tions to be asked when analysing results. This is followed by a chapter discussing the most impor- tant environmental cue used to synchronise a bird’s activities, namely photoperiod. Climate change may make this a less reli- able cue, while range changes will present novel conditions that may initiate adaptations but will also mean that evolution may not keep pace with these adjustments. A dis- cussion on microevolutionary change follows, suggesting that, although birds have a high poten- tial for adaptive evolutionary change, more research is needed into the constraints on such changes, which have both genetic and environmental components. One familiar example to us in Britain is the increase in the win- tering of Blackcaps Sylvia atri- capilla from central Europe. Next is a fascinating chapter on the consequence of climate change on population size, which lists many studies of both local and large-scale climate phenomena. The main effects on our altricial species occur in the non-breeding season through weather-dependent losses, whereas nidifugous birds are influenced by breeding-season weather through recruitment. Although the theoretical conse- quences of climate change on both range and bird communities are set out in the penultimate chapter, the authors conclude that surprisingly few effects have been reported from field data, although not many studies have been made. However, the latest research, not included in this book, is now confirming the predictions. Since studies are biased towards passerines in northern temperate climates, the editors highlight the need for investigations into both non- passerines and other climate zones, concluding the book by identifying further areas of research. I found this a really fascinating resume of our current under- standing and the editors are to be congratulated on making the results more generally available. It is a publication that every ornitho- logical library should hold but I feel that only those birders with a real in-depth interest in the subject matter are likely to buy it. Norman Elkins from the Robin Erithacus rubecula in your back garden, through to Bald Eagles Haliaeetus leuco- cephalus in Alaska and humming- birds (Trochilidae) in Panama, and all stations in between. This book A quick flick through this slim colourful and comprehensive array covers a lot of ground in 144 pages! volume reveals a stunning, of photographs, of subjects ranging If you buy a digital camera THE BIRDWATCHER’S GUIDE TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY By David Tipling. Ilex Press, Lewes, 2006. 144 pages; colour photographs. ISBN: 1-904705-84-7. Paperback, £14.99. 648 © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 648-650 Reviews C ) these days, it will be virtually obso- lete by the time you take it out of the box, since the technology moves on so fast and the manufac- turers make sure their customers remain strapped firmly over that barrel! This means that a book of this type runs the risk of being quickly outdated: the picture of the 8 GB compact flash card on page 46 may now look impressive as state of the art, but for how long? However, the author has cleverly avoided the pitfalls here by limiting his references to specific equip- ment, focusing instead on the general, timeless concepts of his art. The book is divided up into three sections, entitled ‘Equip- ment’, ‘Photographing Birds’ and ‘Digital Photo Editing’, and within these sections there are over 50 subsections in total (usually 2-3 pages each), covering a wide range of topics which explain the whole process of bird photography in general, and digital photography in particular. A lot of the ground may have been covered before and the actual ‘digital’ component features only in the final third of the book, but it will be useful for the beginner to have all the basics to hand. The author’s clear and logical style of writing guides the reader carefully through the digital maze. Obviously, it is difficult to cover all the ground in such a short space, and some of the more tech- nical aspects of digital editing will require further research. There could be a case for adding a few extra pages on the more difficult technical aspects of Photoshop. For example, a statement like ‘Sharp- ening in ACR should not be con- fused with sharpening in Photoshop for output’ could do with further elaboration. Similarly, the section on editing RAW images does not make it clear to the new- comer that the original RAW file is not altered by the editing process. However, the author quotes useful references for further reading on these topics. Good luck with ‘Using your Curves’ is all I can say! Digiscoping is also covered briefly, but is described in one place as a ‘craze’, its main merit being the extra magnification it offers. The author also includes a generous helping of practical tips, gained from many years’ experi- ence all over the world. I particu- larly liked his tips of using a shower cap on your camera in the rain, and a sawn-off loo-roll tube to give you a glare-free view of your display screen! At last, some- thing inexpensive in the kit bag! A useful glossary of technical terms appears at the end of the book, with clear explanations. The index alongside it is slightly quirky, containing not only useful con- cepts such as ‘multi-pattern metering’, but also a random selec- tion of items mentioned only in passing (e.g. ‘accidents’, ‘lawns’ and ‘kitchen windows’). Page numbers are missing from some pages, which can be irritating when you are trying to look something up. Minor quibbles aside, the amount of information and stun- ning photographs in this book should inspire the beginner to try their hand, and this publication covers all the basic tools necessary to get to grips with all aspects of the photographic process. If you also have the time, talent, vision, endless patience, single-minded determination and money of the author, you’ve surely cracked it! Bill Baston TO SEE EVERY BIRD ON EARTH: A FATHER, A SON AND A LIFELONG OBSESSION By Dan Koeppel. Penguin, London, 2006. 278 pages. ISBN 0-141-01926-3. Paperback, £8.99. Although the title might suggest so, this is not another in a run of recent books describing the author’s efforts to obtain a large list, be it worldwide, regional or over a twelve-month period. Cer- tainly, Richard Koeppel is one of the top world-listers, having seen in excess of 7,000 species, but this book is primarily about how birding has affected his relation- ships and career. It is written by his son, who over the years has come to gain a great insight into his father’s obsession, and indeed come to understand it. This is a very well-written book and well worth a read. I am sure that many other ‘dedicated’ birders will relate to some, or even all, aspects of Richard Koeppel’s story - the sheer joy of birding, the angst of main- taining relationships with parents or family who really don’t under- stand why birding can be such an all-consuming passion, the sacri- fices made to try and maintain relationships and, ultimately, the complete breakdown of a marriage. I think that the book would appeal to non-birders too, although I’m not sure whether encouraging your partner to read it will have a posi- tive impact or the complete oppo- site! Paul Harvey THEDESIGN AND EVOLUTION OF BIRDS By Philip Snow. Day One Publications, Leominster, 2006. 256 pages; many black-and-white illustrations. ISBN 1-84625-002-1. Paperback, £9.00. This is a beginner’s book about the structure, biology and mythology of birds. Liberally scattered with biblical references, it is aimed at a fundamentalist Christian, anti-evolution audience. The scientific and, indeed, reli- gious arguments are shaky. Many people will find it an excruciating read. Martin Collinson British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 648-650 649 Reviews C > A HISTORY OF THE BIRDS OF SOMERSET By David K. Ballance, illustrated by Tom Raven and Brian Slade. Isabelline Books, Penryn, 2006. xii + 368 pages; colour frontispiece and 40 colour photographs; 35 text illustrations and two maps. ISBN 0-9552787-0-9, hardback, £44.00; ISBN 0-9552787-1-6, paperback, £24.00. The title of this book is a little mis- leading since it is far more than just a history. The aim, in addition to updating earlier works, is to give a more detailed picture and to view species in an historical context. The author explains why it was decided not to follow neighbouring coun- ties in producing a distribution atlas. In the introduction there is a description of the area covered, which is the ‘new’ county of Som- erset; the same area as in the 1988 avifauna but 18% smaller than that covered in 1968. There follows a history of ornithology in the county, from the time of the first published list in 1849/50 to the present day. The introduction describes the county area by area in some 30 pages, highlighting the diverse nature of the countryside. This section is particularly good, describing in some detail changes in land management and human population growth, with their effect on birds. The 40 colour pho- tographs have been chosen to illus- trate the varied topography of the county. The bulk of the book is taken up by the species list, more than 260 pages. All species recorded since 1750 are included; on 31st December 2004 the list stood at 349 species, 20 more than in 1988, of which 157 have probably bred. Each species account begins with a line summarising the current status. In species with ten or fewer occurrences, all records are given. Most species are allotted at least half a page, but in some cases up to two and a half pages allow for detailed summaries. Next comes a history of the species in Somerset. In the case of Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, for example, the history occupies a whole page. Then comes a description of locali- ties where that species may be found. This section often pinpoints gaps in knowledge as well as describing current status more fully. Where surveys have been made of areas such as the Levels, Blackdown Hills, the Quantocks and Exmoor, summaries of the results are given under the relevant species. The coloured frontispiece is of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and throughout the species accounts are attractive vignettes of birds, often depicted in identifiable Somerset localities, adding consid- erably to the interest of the text. At the rear of the book are two maps, one of the Avalon Marshes and adjacent areas of the Levels and one, in colour, of the whole county. The final chapter is titled ‘Long Ago’ and deals with archaeological finds. Among species recorded in cave deposits and elsewhere is the Ptarmigan Lagopus muta and this is illustrated by my favourite vignette, showing the bird in a snowy Mendip landscape 10,000 years ago! The book ends with a list of observers who have submitted records since 1974, of societies concerned with Somerset birds and a very comprehensive gazetteer. Finally there is a bibliography of some 600 references (the most recent are for 2005), and a note on collections held in museums of Somerset-taken specimens. This is a good example of what a local avifauna should be, thor- ough in its treatment and attrac- tively produced. I can recommend it to anyone having an interest in the area covered. David Warden UK 500: BIRDING IN THE FAST LANE By James Hanlon. Brambleby Books, Harpenden, 2006. 136 pages; colour photographs and illustrations. ISBN 0-9543347-8-7. Paperback, £9.99. This is the latest in a line of books documenting personal birding experiences. I have read and enjoyed them all to a greater or lesser degree, from Kenn Kaufman’s spellbinding Kingbird Highway to Sean Dooley’s highly amusing The Big Twitch. All have a single theme, but are diverse in their own subject matter. James Hanlon comes across as a fanatical birder and his quest to see 500 species in Britain 8t Ireland before his 30th birthday is the tale of this book. There are 13 chapters, all describing fast and furious, ‘mega moving’ trips in search of rare vagrants. James’s personal drive to make eye contact with megas is no more evident than in his tale of the Lundy Ancient Murrelet Synthlibo- ramphus antiquus. An unsuccessful trip saw him lose part of his ear in a road traffic accident; unper- turbed and with the blessing of his mother he continued on his way after having it glued back on! I was particularly entertained by the Scilly Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas chapter, which reveals James’s love of dance music and partying. He actually began the twitch for this bird from the legendary Liverpool nightclub Cream! Of course along with the glory, comes the misery of the dips, and surely the most exciting of these is the Long-tailed Shrike Lanins schach sea rescue. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s great to see some nice field notes and it is evident that James is a talented artist and photographer; the Masked Shrike L. nubicus illus- tration in particular is superb. Micky Maher 650 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 648-650 ■ News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Bird imports ban ‘should stay’ The temporary ban on importing wild birds into the EU has lasted more than a year, but it’s up for review later this month. The ban was imposed in October 2005 to contain the spread of H5N1 ‘avian flu’ following the deaths of infected birds at a quarantine facility in Essex. Sacha Cleminson, Senior Euro- pean Advocacy Officer at the RSPB, said: The import ban has thrown thousands, perhaps millions, of birds a lifeline and it would be a tragedy if the ban were to be lifted when it is reviewed in December. We already know that this could happen because the EU is under pressure from some of the coun- tries that export exotic birds. If those countries can prove that seizing wild birds does not reduce their numbers, there might be grounds for resuming a limited trade. But there is little evidence for this and if we are to stop birds from going extinct, the ban should be made permanent until there is.’ The EU is responsible for 87% - about one million birds annually - of the trade in birds listed by CITES, the Convention on Interna- tional Trade in Endangered Species, with the trade in non- CITES birds thought to be even greater. A report commissioned by the Belgian Government says that -exporting countries could make up to €72 million annually by elimi- nating the costs of bird exports and increasing ecotourism. Julian Hughes, Head of Species Policy at the RSPB, said: ‘Up to 60% of birds caught for the pet trade die before they reach their destination. This is an horrific toll, particularly when almost every bird wanted as a pet could be bred in captivity in the UK. There is overwhelming support for the unsustainable and squalid trade in wild birds to be outlawed. There is no justification for it, particularly when birds bred in captivity make much better pets.’ Sutton Fen will be RSPB’s 200th reserve The RSPB is set to notch up its double century of reserves secured for birds, for people, for ever. The society has launched a £1.5 million appeal to buy 170 ha of pristine Norfolk Broadland at Sutton Fen. On its website, the RSPB says: ‘Sutton Fen is one of Norfolk’s best-kept secrets. It lies in the heart of the Norfolk Broads and yet probably fewer than 50 people will have walked on parts of it over the last 100 years. It is an exceptionally rich area of Broadland Fen, a fragile corner of unspoiled land- scape and is one of the most important conservation sites in the country. The RSPB has been waiting for the chance to acquire Broadland habitat of this quality for at least 20 years. In the past, wetland like this covered large swathes of eastern England. Today, after drainage for agriculture, industry and tourism, it is confined to a few small pockets in the land- scape.’ If funding and legal agreements are secured, the society hopes to confirm that Sutton Fen has become its 200th reserve later this month. This milestone will have been reached 76 years after the RSPB acquired its first reserves, in Kent. In 1930, the society pur- chased Cheyne Court on Romney Marsh, which was subsequently sold in 1950 as drainage of sur- rounding land had reduced its wildlife value. This area has now received planning permission for a controversial 26-turbine windfarm; a High Court challenge to that decision was rejected in October. The oldest existing RSPB reserve (announced in 1932) is 1,000 ha of the Dungeness peninsula pur- chased in 1930. Bald Ibises tracked to Ethiopia The satellite tracking of three Bald Ibises Geronticus eremita from the tiny Syrian population has solved the mystery of their wintering grounds (www.rspb.org.uk/tracking). The trio (two males and a female), together with an untagged bird, were located in the highlands of Ethiopia in October, almost 30 years since the last Bald Ibis was seen in the area, in 1977. Thirteen birds - two breeding pairs, six juveniles and three subadults - left the breeding site in Palmyra, Syria, in July 2006. Three birds were tracked to Ethiopia via Jordan, Saudia Arabia, Yemen and Eritrea. Despite good breeding success in Syria, where the birds are pro- tected by Bedouin nomads and Syrian government rangers, the colony’s numbers have not increased. Mystery still remains as to where the subadult birds spend their time before returning to the breeding colony. And it is feared that hunting, overgrazing and/or the heavy use of pesticides, including DDT, somewhere along the birds’ migration route have been keeping numbers low. ‘They have chosen well because Ethiopia is famous for its protec- tion of wildlife and their last port of call was Yemen where the gov- ernment is also supportive,’ said © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 651-654 651 c Chris Bowden of the RSPB, who has been involved with the project since the tiny Syrian colony was discovered four years ago. ‘We thought the birds would go to Yemen, Eritrea or Somalia and were surprised at the length of News and comment their journey - 3,100 km - and the speed with which they covered the distance.’ The Yemeni Environment Min- ister, Abdul-Rahman F. al-Eryani, saw the birds while they were in Yemen. He said: ‘I was very excited to D find that the birds could once more be seen in Yemen. We recognise the importance to our country of their migration and we will be waiting for them to return on their way back to Syria. We will do our very best to see them safely on their way.’ Stone Age bird trapping in France The hunting of songbirds using stone crush traps restarted in the French Central Massif in November. The traps consist of limestone slabs weighing several kilograms, propped up on twigs and baited with berries. Birds trying to reach the berries brush against the twigs and are buried under the falling slab. The victims of this literally Stone Age hunting method are mainly thrushes (Turdidae) and Common Chaffinches Fringilla coelebs , but species such as Sky Lark Alauda arvensis, Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis and Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius are also caught in these traps. The German Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), which is cam- paigning to have the traps banned, estimates that up to 120,000 stone crush traps are set in the Lozere and Aveyron Departements, resulting in the non- selective killing of countless birds. ‘Most birds are not killed at once. Many lie in the traps for hours with dreadful crush injuries and broken bones,’ said Alex Hirschfeld, a CABS biologist who has monitored and docu- mented this form of hunting in France. Until now, the use of this non-selective form of trap, called a tendelle in French, was banned throughout Europe to protect species listed under the EU Birds Directive. But Mme Nelly Olin, the French Environment Minister, has permitted the use of these traps once more. The Minister has based her decision on the development of a new model of the trap, with which only legal quarry species are supposedly caught. But random checks in the neighbourhood of the towns of Millau and Florae also discovered numerous protected bird species in the tendelles. In order to combat this form of hunting, conservationists have now appealed to the European Commission and have started a Europe-wide protest campaign. There are pictures and text (in German) on the CABS website www.komitee.de/index.phpltendelles Meanwhile, songbird smugglers have been caught again in Germany. Customs officers at Munich’s Erding airport discovered 2,643 dead Meadow Pipits in the luggage of an Italian travel group. According to the travellers, the birds came from Romania and were destined to be served up as delicacies in Italian restaurants. In 2004, an Italian was caught with 2,100 Meadow Pipits in his luggage. According to Alex Hirschfeld, ‘Birds are imported illegally from eastern Europe to meet the demand of gourmets and chefs.’ CABS believes that more than 50 tonnes of dead birds are smug- gled annually from the Balkans into northern Italy. Breckland wins SPA status Nearly 40,000 ha of farmland, forest, heath and grassland straddling the border of Suffolk and Norfolk has been classified as a Special Protection Area (SPA). This will ensure that many of the area’s rare and vulnerable birds, such as Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus , European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus and Wood Lark Lullula arborea , will be safeguarded. Minister for Biodiversity Barry Gardiner said: ‘Breckland SPA contains nationally important numbers of these birds so it is vital that we take the necessary measures to conserve and enhance their habitats. However, this classification will also help the region economically. Farmers are more likely to be eligible for higher payments under agri-environment schemes if they can demonstrate they are looking after protected sites.’ Great Bustard releases continue The reintroduction of young Great Bustards Otis tarda from Russian stock to Salisbury Plain continued this year, despite the ban on bird imports into the EU imposed to control the spread of avian flu (see above). A further nine birds were released onto the Plain in Wiltshire in October. The three male and six female birds are considerably older than those released in 2004 and 2005. This was inevitable because of the delay caused by a lengthy quarantine period when the young bustards arrived in the UK from Russia. David Waters, chairman of the Great Bustard Group (www.greatbustard.com), said that the nine birds were tested for avian influenza before they left Russia and have been repeatedly tested in special quarantine conditions in the UK prior to their release. He told the Wiltshire Times : ‘Predicted problems with transporting and keeping the older and larger birds in quarantine did not materialise and the larger birds may fare better against foxes ( Vulpes vulpes] in their first few months in the wild. Foxes remain the greatest threat to the Great Bustards until the birds are about nine months old and then they are relatively safe.’ The Great Bustard Group released 22 young bustards on Sal- isbury Plain in September 2004 and a further 33 in August 2005. Although predation by foxes and collision with fences and power lines have taken their toll, at least 12 of the birds released in the two previous years are alive, which rep- resents a survival rate equivalent to that found in the wild populations of Great Bustards. 652 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 651-654 News and comment UK’s global responsibility for endangered birds The importance of the UK’s Over- seas Territories for birds, many of which are threatened with extinc- tion, has been highlighted by BirdLife in a new report. The report identifies 78 priority sites for conservation action, stretching from the remote Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific to Bermuda, and from Gibraltar to the Falkland Islands. The diversity of bird species nesting in the UK’s Over- seas Territories (UKOT) includes one-third of the world’s species of penguins (Spheniscidae) and alba- trosses (Diomedeidae), one pelican (Pelecanidae), one flightless duck (Falkland Island Steamer Duck Tachyeres brachypterus), five hum- mingbirds (Trochilidae) and two parrots (Psittacidae). But fewer than half of the 78 priority sites have been afforded any official pro- tection. The UKOT hold 34 species con- sidered under threat of extinction and a further 13 species of global conservation concern. Of these, 22 are confined to the UKOT and a further 15 probably have their most important breeding sites in the UKOTs. The threatened species include the Critically Endangered Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi , which is confined to the Caribbean island and which lost more than half of its world range in a devas- tating volcanic eruption in 1997. Seven species of albatross and five species of petrel (Procellariidae) with important nesting popula- tions on the UKOT are affected by the impacts of longline fishing in the Southern Ocean, particularly in the south Atlantic. Since many of the territories are relatively small and remote islands, non-native, invasive plants and animals have had a devastating impact on birds and other wildlife of the UKOT. In particular, introduced rats and mice are having significant effects on both landbirds and seabirds. Commenting on the impor- tance of the UKOT, the RSPB’s Chief Executive, Graham Wynne, said: ‘These crown jewels for con- servation hold more species of bird under the threat of extinction than the whole of Europe, and the threats to them are very real. Several birds found only on UK overseas territories have become extinct in the last few hundred years, putting the UK in the list of the world’s top five countries for bird extinctions.’ The RSPB’s Sarah Sanders, author of the report, added: ‘In addition to the variety of species, the concentrations of seabirds, in particular, are staggering. There could be up to 50 million pairs of seabirds nesting on our territories, making the UK one of the most important nations for marine wildlife.’ CHOGging along for 50 years Many birders will be familiar with Christchurch Harbour on the Dorset coast, with Stanpit Marsh and Hengistbury Head having played host to a number of rarities over the years. This year, the organ- isation dedicated to the study and conservation of the area’s wildlife, Christchurch Harbour Ornitholog- ical Group (CHOG), celebrates its golden jubilee: it’s 50 years since the late Frank Clafton’s first ornithological survey of the harbour in 1956. The group has recorded and studied the birds sys- tematically ever since, publishing the results in its excellent annual reports and online at www.chog.org.uk Integral to CHOG has been the Christchurch Harbour Ringing Station. Some 49,000 birds of 120 species have now been ringed and migration studies remain a major focus. The harbour’s location at the confluence of the rivers Avon and Stour helps to concentrate migrants and major ‘falls’ can occur. Extensive reedbeds in the harbour serve as valuable feeding and roosting sites, and recent studies have concentrated on birds using this resource. The harbour is compact geographically being only 9 sq. km, but nevertheless has a great diversity of habitats, from heathland, grassland and oak Quercus woods to saltmarsh and tidal mudflats. Despite its size, 318 species of bird have currently been recorded in the harbour area, with rarities such as Little Crake Porzana parva , Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus , Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea, Zitting Cis- ticola Cisticola juncidis , Northern Parula Parula americana and Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus. It is as a passage, wintering and breeding site that Christchurch Harbour is really important, however, with win- tering populations of Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla and Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa , and breeding species, including European Nightjar, Wood Lark and Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata. CHOG’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated on 8th December with a talk by Richard Coomber entitled Wildlife Wanderings - Where East meets West - A cruise from Japan to Alaska via Kam- chatka. The meeting is at 7.30 pm at the Regent Centre, Christchurch. Staff needed Fair Isle Bird Observatory is seeking an Assistant Warden, a Seabird Monitoring Officer and a Range: for the 2007 season. Appli- cants should have good field skills and preferably a ‘C’ ringing permit and a head for heights. For details, contact Deryk Shaw, FIBO, Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU; e-mail fairisle.birdobs@zetnet.co.uk, tel. (01595) 760258. These posts provide a good grounding for all sorts of jobs in the ornithological world! British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 651-654 6S3 Philippa Leegood family collection C News and comment > Philippa Leegood joined British Birds in June 1999 to take over the physical production and promo- tion of the journal, a job she con- tinued to do until her sudden and Farewell to Philippa tragic death in late October. Many BB readers and contributors will have talked to or met her over the years, by telephone, e-mail or at the BB stand at the British Birdfair. She was at the heart of BB: chivvying and chasing contribu- tors, co-ordinating, dealing with the printers and the mailing house, always trying to improve, to do better. She was responsible for translating the edi- torial vision into physical reality and, I think most will agree, she did this very well. But Phil was much more than just a good produc- tion manager. She was warm, funny, caring and a good friend. The seven years we worked together were a delight. She had a wicked sense of humour and a sharp eye for the pompous and absurd. We looked forward to her arrival every morning and missed her when she was away. We knew that she was not strong and had heart problems: none of us realised quite how seri- ously ill she was - but it was typical of Phil to play down her concerns. She collapsed at her desk and was taken to the Brompton Hospital where unfortunately her condition could not be stabilised and she died there a few weeks later. Dona- tions in her memory may be made to the Royal Brompton & Harefield Charitable Fund (c/o Royal Brompton Hospital, Britten Wing, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP) or online at www.guch.org.uk; GUCH is a charity which supports people born with congenital heart defects. (Contributed by Amanda Helm) 357. Philippa Leegood with Dan. Request BB on DVD As we reported last year (Brit. Birds 98: 563), as part of plans to mark our 100th volume we hope to produce a DVD containing all the editorial from the last 100 years. We have looked at various possibil- ities, and we believe that the most exciting option is to produce a DVD featuring a series of pdfs of the original pages; these would be fully searchable by species, author, keyword, etc., as well as being avail- able chronologically, and we think that it would be an excellent way of making BB' s fantastic archive of material much more widely avail- able. The sale price of the DVD is as yet undetermined since the full production costs are still unknown. The copyright of all pho- tographs and illustrations in BB remains with the photographer and illustrator respectively and, unless a waiver has been signed, authors retain copyright of their articles. This would be stated clearly and unequivocally on the disk. The product that we envisage would reproduce text, photos and illustrations exactly as they appeared in the original; it would not, therefore, be a ‘new’ use of the material. However, the format would be new, and we have to treat the issue of copyright extremely carefully. If we have to reimburse contributors a second time for the publication of their material in this new format, the project simply will not happen. Our main objective is to produce the DVD as a valuable resource, rather than for commer- cial gain, but clearly we cannot risk significant financial liabilities. For the project to happen, we need photographers, artists and authors to agree to the reproduc- tion of their material in this format only without payment of royalties. If you have contributed to BB, we would like to hear your views, supportive or otherwise. Please contact us by e-mail at adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk; or by post at the Editorial Office. 654 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 651-654 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers mid October to mid November 2006. Red-breasted Goose Branta rufi- collis Donna Nook and Saltfleet (Lincolnshire), two, 13th October to 8th November; Fer- rybridge (Dorset), 4th-8th November. Black Duck Anas rubripes Ventry Harbour (Co. Kerry), 20th October; Fair Isle (Shetland), 1 st— 5th November. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca New Hythe Gravel-pits (Kent), 1 2th— 30th October; Studland (Dorset), 13th October; Leighton Moss (Lancashire), 4th November; Chew Valley Lake (Somerset), up to two long- stayers 19th October to 5th November. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Leighton Moss, 15th-22nd October; Pine Lake (Cumbria), long-stayer to 23rd October. Barrow’s Goldeneye Bucephala islandica Quoile Pondage (Co. Down), from 4th November (presumed wintering drake from last year). White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Kirkabister (Shetland), from 24th October; Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), 24th October to at least 3rd November; Girdleness (Northeast Scot- land), 1st November. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Lodmoor (Dorset), two, 1 5th— 1 6th October; Fairburn Ings (West Yorkshire), 15th October; Elmley (Kent), 17th October; Dungeness (Kent), 1 8th — 20th October; Hanning- field Reservoir (Essex), 24th October; Abberton Reservoir (Essex), 29th October; near Colaton Raleigh (Devon), 30th 358. Adult Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis with Dark-bellied Brent Geese B. bernida bernida, Rimac, Lincolnshire, October 2006. 359. Glossy Ibis Plegadis faldnellus. Pilling, Lancashire, October 2006. 360. Juvenile American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica.Tresco, Scilly, October 2006. © British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 655 John Malloy Steve Young Graham Catley Richard Dunn Robin Chittenden www.harlequinpictures.co.uk Recent reports ( ) 361. Fi rst-winter Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, Titchwell, Norfolk, October 2006. October to 4th November; Blakeney (Norfolk), long-stayer to 23rd October. Great White Egret Ardea alba Ballylickey (Co. Cork), 9th October; New Swillington Ings (West Yorkshire), 1 1 th— 3 1 st October, also Broomhill Flash (South Yorkshire), 24th-29th October; Cliffe Pools (Kent), 12th October; Dinham Flats (Cornwall), 14th October; Farlington Marshes (Hamp- shire), 15th October; Horseshoe Point (Lin- colnshire), 17th October; Grainthorpe Haven (Lincolnshire), 21st October. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Lough Donnell (Co. Clare), 1st— 10th October. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Long-stayer Pilling, Cockerham Marsh and Black Kite Milvus migrans Churchtown (Co. Wexford), 18th October; Freiston, Butterwick and Lev- erton 2nd-3rd and 7th November, Hol- beach Marsh (all Lincolnshire), 5th November; perhaps same, North Wootton (Norfolk), 5th November. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus North Uist (Western Isles), 19th October, Oronsay (Argyll), 21st October. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexan- drinus Isle of Sheppey (Kent), 1 Oth— 11th October; Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), 24th October. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Crowland/Deeping (Lincolnshire), 6th-28th October; Fen Drayton Gravel-pits (Cambridgeshire), 9th October; Doonbeg (Co. Clare), 1 1 th— 13th October; Old Moor (South Yorkshire), 11th October; Roscarberry (Co. Cork) 15th October to 4th November; Hilgay Fen (Norfolk), 1 5 th— 1 7th October; Holy Island (Northumberland), 1 5th— 2 1st October; Loch Ryan (Dumfries & Gal- loway), 16th-29th October; Donna Nook, 16th October; Kidwelly (Carmarthen- shire), 1 7th— 1 9th October; Carrahane (Co. Kerry), 18th October; Lewis (Western Isles), 22nd-29th October; Bannow Bay (Co. Wexford), 24th October; Paxton Pits (Cambridgeshire), 27th-31st October; Annagh Beach (Co. Mayo), 28th October to 3rd November; 362. Adult European Roller Coracias garrulus, Beal, Northumberland, October 2006. Martin Mere, and various other locali- ties in Lancashire, particularly Fluke Hall, until 8th November, also in Merseyside at Marshside RSPB between 14th and 27th October. 656 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 Recent reports C > Maxey Gravel-pits (Cambridgeshire), 30th-31st October; South Uist (Western Isles), 31st October; Lady’s Island (Co. Wexford), 3rd-4th November; Colliford Lake (Corn- wall), 4th November; Waxhain (Norfolk), 4th-8th November. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Cross Lough (Co. Mayo), 21st October. Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Hayle Estuary (Cornwall), 1 Oth— 1 5th and 25th October. White- rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Cley (Norfolk), up to three, 1 Oth— 3 1st October, with two to 7th November; Nosterfield (North Yorkshire), 12th October; Cloughy (Co. Down), two, 14th- 16th October; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 14th-20th October; Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), up to seven on 15th October, with six still present there on 5th November; Bal- lyferris (Co. Down), 16th October; Annagh Beach, 16th October; Belfast Harbour (Co. Down), 19th October and 3rd-4th November; Ballycotton (Co. Cork), 20th and 31st October, with two 3rd— 4th November; Dunge- ness, 22nd October; Loch Gruinart (Argyll), 24th-26th October; Black- rock Strand (Co. Kerry) 29th-30th October. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Ban Estuary (Co. Derry), 12th— 1 3th October. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Roscarberry, 13th October to 4th November; Clonakilty (Co. Cork), 21st October; long- stayers at Cross Lough (Co. Mayo), up to 16th October and Dundrum Bay (Co. Down) up to 5th November. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Hayle Estuary, long-stayer to 8th November. Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia Castlegregory (Co. Kerry), 1 9th— 24th October. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Titchwell (Norfolk), 1 3th— 20th October. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Cruisetown Strand (Co. Louth), long-stayer to 4th November. ■ j 363. Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii, Fair Isle, Shetland, October 2006. 364. Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewskii, St Mary's, Scilly, October 2006. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 657 Gary Bellingham Rebecca Nason Hugh Harrop Ian Fisher Rebecca Nason Recent reports C > 365. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus, Fair Isle, Shetland, October 2006. 366. First-winter Siberian Rubythroat Luscinla calliope, Sunderland, Co. Durham, October 2006. 367. Fi rst-winter Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, Unst, Shetland, October 2006. Brunnich's Guillemot Uria lomvia Flamborough Head and Withernsea (both East Yorkshire), 2nd November. Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphu s perdix Dawlish (Devon), 7th to 12th November at least; Little Auk Alle alle Heavy passage along the east coast of England and Scotland in early November, including: 2,543 past the Fame Islands (Northumberland), 1st November; 1,637 Fishtown of Usan (Montrose), 2,179 Fame Islands, 6,000 New- biggin (Northumberland), 3,049 Whitburn (Co. Durham), 1,700 Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland), 1,092 Scarborough (North Yorkshire), 2,400 Flambor- ough Head, 752 Shering- ham (Norfolk), all 2nd November; 652 Eccles (Norfolk), 3rd November; 2,400 Kinghorn Harbour (Fife) and 672 Dunbar (Lothian), 5th November. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Dooey (Co. Donegal), 8th— 1 2th October at least. Alpine Swift Apus melba Sunderland (Co. Durham), 22nd October; Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), 23rd October. Pacific Swift Apus pacificus Horsey (Norfolk), 21st October. European Bee- eater Merops apiaster Lodmoor (Dorset), 15th October. European Roller Coracias garrulus St Mary’s (Scilly), 15th October; Beal (Northumberland), long- stayer to 19th October. Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris Badshot Lea (Surrey), 22nd October. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropls daurica Porthgwarra 658 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 Recent reports C > (Cornwall), 13th October; Donna Nook, 5th November; Cley, 7th November; Port Carlisle (Cumbria), 8th November; Hoswick (Shet- land), long-stayer to 19th October. 368. First-winter Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, Thorpeness, Suffolk, October 2006. Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii Sumburgh (Shetland), 12th October; St Mary’s, 1 7th— 1 8th, then Bryher 20th (both Scilly), with another St Mary’s 22nd-26th October; Fair Isle, 22nd-24th October. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Fair Isle, 10th and 15th-23rd October; Spurn (East Yorkshire), 14th and 21st October; North Ronaldsay, 14th October, with two 15th, one to 16th; St Mary’s, 1 8th— 20th October; Sumburgh, 20th October; Gibraltar Point, 31st October. Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi Foula (Shetland), 9th— 1 3th October; Virkie (Shetland), 1 4th— 1 5th October. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Fair Isle, 1 2th— 1 5th October; Dursey Island (Co. Cork), 16th October; Cape Clear Island, 16th- 18th October; Landguard (Suffolk), 16th October; Ballylan- ders (Co. Cork), 18th October; Ashleworth Ham (Gloucestershire), 4th November. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Bryher, 20th— 2 1st October. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Meikle Loch (Northeast Scotland), 21st October; St Agnes (Scilly), 27th October, with another St Mary’s, 1 st— 6th November; Cooden Beach (East Sussex), 31st October to 4th November. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Cape Clear Island, Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia South Ronaldsay (Orkney), 13th October; Fair Isle, 25th-28th October. Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope Sunderland, at least 26th-27th October. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyan- urus Unst (Shetland), 1 3th— 1 6th October; Thorpeness j (Suffolk), 1 6th— 24th j October; Whalsay I (Shetland), 21 st-25th ] October; Brae (Shet- land), 23rd October. 369. Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti, Cooden Beach, East Sussex, October 2006. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 659 Nic Hallam Kit Day Ian Fisher Gary Bellingham www.irishbirdimages.com Recent reports C ) 370. HermitThrush Catharu s guttatus, Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork, October 2006. 372. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis, Boddam, Shetland, October 2006. 1 9th— 20th October. Amer- ican Robin Turdus migratoriu s Tresco (Scilly), 1 0th— 28th October. Aquatic Warbler Acro- cephalus paludicola St Mary’s, 1 9th— 25th October. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum St Mary’s, 30th October to 1st November. Great Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus arundinaceus Dunwich (Suffolk), 14th October. Booted Warbler Hippolai s caligata Bryher, 13th- 14th October, another St Mary’s, 15th-23rd October; Mizen Head (Co. Cork), 20th October. Sub- alpine Warbler Sylvia cantil- lans Cape Clear Island, 1 0th— 1 3th October; Lundy (Devon), 13th and 1 9 th— 2 0 th October; Old Head of Kinsale (Co. Cork), 15th October; Chapel Porth (Cornwall), 16th October. ‘Two-barred Greenish Warbler’ Phylloscopus trochiloides plumbeitarsus St Agnes, 1 0th— 1 2th October; Filey (North Yorkshire), 1 6th— 1 8th October. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis St Mary’s, 13th October. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phyllo- scopus proregulus Sumburgh, 1 1 th— 1 7th October; Skirza (Highland), 1 3 th— 1 4th October; Fladdabister (Shet- land), 14th October; Denge Marsh (Kent), 15th October; Filey, 16th October; Salt- fleet, 16th October; Salt- house (Norfolk), 1 7th— 1 8th October; Gibraltar Point, 17th October; Nanjizal (Cornwall), 18th October; St Martin’s (Scilly), 19th October; Reculver (Kent), 1 9th— 20th October; Whalsay, 20th October; 660 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 Recent reports C ) Whitburn, 21st November; Gower (Glamorgan), 21st-22nd October; Low- estoft (Suffolk), 22nd October; Hengistbury Head (Dorset), 25th-26th October; St Catherine’s Point (Isle of Wight), 28th October; Churchtown, 30th October. Radde’s Warbler Phytloscopus schwarzi Land- guard, 10th— 1 2th October; Horseshoe Point, 12th October; Start Point (Devon), 14th October; Scousburgh (Shetland), 15th October; Castlesea Bay (Angus), 15th October; Filey, 1 6th— 17th October; South Gare (Cleveland), 16th October; St Mary’s, 1 8th— 19th October; Holy Island (Northumberland), 20th October; Bardsey (Gwynedd), 29th, with two 30th October. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Gunton (Suffolk), 27th October; Hayling Island (Hampshire), 2nd November; Lowestoft (Suff- olk), 4th-8th November; Portland (Dorset), 5th November. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phyllo- scopus bonelli St Mary’s, long-stayer to 21st October; St Martin’s, 1 8 th— 20th October. Western/Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phyllo- scopus bonellilorientalis Unst, 1 3th— 19th October. Penduline Tit Rem/ z pen- dulinus Dungeness, 2 7th— 29th October, with three 4th November. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Dungeness, 15th October; Old Head of Kinsale, 1 7th— 20th October; St Mary’s, 20th October; Great Orme’s Head (Conwy), 22nd October; Cresswell Pond (Northum- 373. Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi. Horseshoe Point, Lincolnshire. October 2006. 374. First-winter Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus, Cresswell Pond, Northumberland, October 2006. 375. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus, Kilbaha, Co. Clare. October 2006. British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 661 Paul Hackett Paul Hackett lain Leach John Carter Hugh Harrop Recent reports C > Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica St Mary’s, 29th October. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Foula, 9th October; Hengistbury Head (Dorset), 10th October; Dursey Island, 11th October; Fair Isle, 11th and 17th October; North Ronaldsay, 1 3 th— 14th October; Portland Bill, 14th October; Skomer (Pem- brokeshire), 14th October; Unst, 1 4th— 1 5th October; 376. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni, Sumburgh, Shetland, October 2006. quj Skerries (Shetland) 14th October; Huttoft Bank (Lincolnshire), 15th October; St Agnes, 16th October; Cape Clear Island, 17th October; South Ronaldsay, 17th October; St Mary’s, 1 8th— 20th and 30th October; Spurn, 18th October; Landguard, 19th October; Bryher, 20th October; Studland (Dorset), 1st November; Tresco, up to three, 5th-8th November. Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula Cape Clear Island, 12th- 19th October. berland), 27th-29th October. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Soar (Devon), 4th-8th November. Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus St Mary’s, 1st November. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Kilbaha (Co. Clare), 7th— 14th October; St Mary’s, 17th— 19th October; Bryher, 17th October. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Sumburgh, 19th-24th October; Fair Isle, 25th and 30th October. Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata Dursey Island, 10th October. Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis Kilbaha, 8th— 1 3th October. 377. First-winter Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis, Kilbaha, Co. Clare, October 2006. 662 British Birds 99 • December 2006 • 655-662 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 88 Editorial Board or Notes Panel. 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), with amendments as detailed in Brit. Birds 97: 2-5 and listed on the 88 website at: www.britishbirds.co.uk/bblist.htm or, for non- West Palearctic species, Dickinson (2003), The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Names of plants should follow Stace (1999), Field Flora of the British Isles. 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: 4 1 9-427; 80: 502). 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At last, the fieldscope to bring along wherever you go. The compact, new Nikon ED50 fielscope. The use of ED glass assures a superbly clear and bright view. And it's waterproof, too. How thoughtful, how Nikon. Nikon Fieldscope ED50 Pearlescent green Nikon Fieldscope EC Charcoal grey * i www.nikon.co.uk 0800 230 220 Nikon Sport Opt m HISIUKT iviuotwiv. 1 3 DEC 2006 PRESENTED TRINC1 LIBRARY ^ • • I P\ • \ _ TRINC|LIBR/> British Birds Index to volume 99 2006 Binding Volumes for binding should not be sent to the publishers but direct to the binders, Blisset Bookbinders. The charge is £26.00 per volume, which includes the cost of packing and return postage (UK only). For bindings sent by overseas customers, please do not send money with your order. The full cost of binding and overseas postage will be advised by the binders prior to commencement of binding. 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Please complete the form on the back cover and send it with all the parts and the correct money to: Blisset Bookbinders Roslin Road London W3 8DH Telephone: 020 8992 3965 Please complete the binding form on the back cover and note that orders for binding are not to be sent to the publishers British Birds Volume 99 THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 1 3 DEC 2006 PRESEN i cL tring library Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Steve Votier Editorial Staff Roger Riddington (Editor) Caroline Dudley & Peter Kennerley (Assistant Editors) Rarities Committee Chris Bradshaw, Phil Bristow, Lance Degnan, Martin Garner, Paul Harvey, James Lidster, John Martin, Adam Rowlands, Brian Small, John Sweeney, Colin Bradshaw (Chairman), John Marchant (Archivist), Brian Small (Museum Consultant), Chris Kehoe (RIACT Secretary), Peter Fraser (Secretary and Statistician), Reg Thorpe (Summariser and RIACT Chairman) Behaviour Notes Panel Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie, Angela Turner (Co-ordinator), Photographic Researchers Robin Chittenden & David Tipling Art Consultants Robert Gillmor & Alan Harris Volume 99 2006 © BB 2000 Ltd ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Volume 99 (2006) Main contents January 2 The ‘Northern Bullfinch’ invasion of autumn 2004 Mike G. Pennington and Eric R. Meek 25 Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom Helen Baker, David A. Stroud, Nicholas J. Aebischer, Peter A. Cranswick, Richard D. Gregory, Claire A. McSorley, David G. Noble and Mark M. Rehfisch February 60 An exceptional movement of Redwings across northwest England in October 2004 Jean Roberts and Steve J. White 67 Masked Shrike: new to Britain Tom Glass, Alan W. Lauder, Mark Oksien and Ken D. Shaw 71 The BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2005 Roger Riddington, Dawn Balmer, Andrew Gosler, Peter Hearn, John Marchant and Robin Prytherch 74 Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003 Part 1: American Wigeon to Wryneck Peter A. Fraser and Michael J. Rogers March 118 Has the plumage of juvenile Honey-buzzard evolved to mimic that of Common Buzzard? Daniel G. Duff 129 Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003 Part 2: Short-toed Lark to Little Bunting Peter A. Fraser and Michael J. Rogers April 174 Roosting behaviour of wintering Eurasian Bitterns in the Lee Valley Alan Harris 183 Species limits within the genus Melanitta, the scoters Martin Collinson, David T. Parkin, Alan G. Knox, George Sangster and Andreas J. Helbig May 230 Laying a big egg on a little ledge: does it help a female Common Guillemot if Dad’s there? Michael P. Harris and Sarah Wanless 236 Rufous-tailed Robin on Fair Isle: new to Britain Deryk N. Shaw 242 The rise and fall of the Greenland White-fronted Goose: a case study in international conservation Tony D. Fox, David Stroud, Alyn Walsh, John Wilson, David Norriss and Jan Francis June 282 The importance of Southwest Greenland for wintering seabirds David Boertmann, Anders Mosbech and Flemming Ravn Merkel 299 Nectarivory of Palearctic migrants at a stopover site in the Sahara Volker Salewski, Bettina Almasi and Adrian Schlageter 306 Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palearctic lists Martin Collinson July 338 Yet even more ways to dress egss Andrew G. Gosler 354 Short-billed Dowitcher in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain Dave Pullan 361 White-throated Robin on Skokholm: new to Britain David Thelwell August 394 Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain Ashley Fisher and Bob Flood 401 Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches James S. Lees 404 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are? Jimmy Steele 420 An unlikely survivor: the peculiar natural history of the Raso Lark Paul F. Donald and M. de L. Brooke 431 Bird Photograph of the Year 2006 Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking and David Tipling September 450 American Black Tern at Weston-super-Mare: new to Britain R. M. Andrews, R. J. Higgins and J. P. Martin 460 A review of the 1950-57 British rarities D. I. M. Wallace, Colin Bradshaw and M. J. Rogers 465 Time to get rid of the Moustache: a review of British records of Moustached Warbler Tim Melling October 506 Occurrences of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe, including a further case of Meinertzhagen fraud Peter R. Kennerley and Robert P. Prys-Jones 517 Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain Kieran Foster 521 Drinking and bathing by birds in a garden Christopher F. Mason and Sheila M. Macdonald November 546 Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates Simon Aspinall and Peter Hellyer 562 Patterns of nest attendance by a pair of Parrot Crossbills Ron W. Summers 569 Northbound migrant raptors in June and July at the Strait of Gibraltar Ernest F. J. Garcia and Keith J. Bensusan December 602 The boundaries of the Palearctic region Kees (C. S.) Roselaar 619 Racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee Chris Kehoe Index to volume 99 Compiled by M. A. Ogilvie Entries are in single list with reference to: ( 1 ) every significant mention of each species, not only in titles, but also within the text of papers, notes and letters, including all those appearing in such lists as the ‘Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2004’ and the ‘Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003’ but excluding those in ‘Recent reports’, requests and reviews; (2) scientific nomenclature under generic name only and following The ‘British Birds' List of Birds of the Western Palearctic (see www.britishbirds.co.uk/bblist.htm); (3) authors of all papers, notes, reviews and letters, and photographers; papers and notes are referred to by their titles, other contributions as ‘letter on’, ‘review of’, etc.; (4) a few subject headings, e.g. ‘Announcements’, ‘Breeding’, ‘Conservation research news’, ‘Field characters’, ‘Food and feeding behaviour’, ‘News and comment’, ‘Rarities Committee’, ‘Recent reports’, ‘Roosting’, and ‘Voice’; (5) ‘Reviews’, which are fisted together in alphabetical order of authors reviewed. Accipiter gentilis, see Goshawk, Northern nisus, see Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Acolina, P„ photograph of Short-toed Eagle and Yellow- legged Gull, 570, plate 313 Acrocephalus agricola, see Warbler, Paddyfield arundinaceus , see Warbler, Great Reed australis, see Warbler, Australian Reed brevipennis, see Warbler, Cape Verde dumetorum, see Warbler, Blyth’s Reed griseldis, see Warbler, Basra Reed melanopogon , see Warbler, Moustached orientalis, see Warbler, Oriental Reed paludicola, see Warbler, Aquatic palustris, see Warbler, Marsh schoenobaenus , see Warbler, Sedge scirpaceus, see Warbler, Reed stentoreus, see Warbler, Clamorous Reed Actitis hypoleucos , see Sandpiper, Common macularius, see Sandpiper, Spotted Aebischer, N. J., see Baker, H., et al. Aegithalos caudatus, see Tit, Long-tailed bonvaloti, see Tit, Black-browed Aethia psittacula, see Auklet, Parakeet Agostini, N., see Panuccio, M. , , see Panuccio, M., et al. Aix galericulata, see Duck, Mandarin Alaemon alaudipes , see Lark, Hoopoe Alauda arvensis , see Lark, Sky razae, see Lark, Raso Albatross, Black-browed, recent taxonomic changes, 308 Alca torda, see Razorbill Alcedo atthis , see Kingfisher, Common Alectoris barbara, see Partridge, Barbary rufa, see Partridge, Red-legged Alle alle, see Auk, Little Almasi, B., see Salewski, V., et al. Alopochen aegyptiaca, see Goose, Egyptian Amar, A., see Conservation research news Atnmomanes cinctura, see Lark, Bar-tailed Desert Anas acuta, see Pintail, Northern americana, see Wigeon, American carolinensis, see Teal, Green-winged clypeata, see Shoveler crecca , see Teal, Eurasian discors, see Teal, Blue-winged penelope, see Wigeon, Eurasian platyrhynchos, see Mallard querquedula, see Garganey strepera, see Gadwall Andrews, R. M., et al, American Black Tern at Weston- super-Mare: new to Britain, 450-9, plates 23 1-45 Announcements: 52-53 Anous stolidus, see Noddy, Brown Anser albifrons, see Goose, White-fronted anser, see Goose, Greylag brachyrhynchus , see Goose, Pink-footed caerulescens, see Goose, Snow fabalis, see Goose, Bean Anthus campestris, see Pipit, Tawny cervinus, see Pipit, Red-throated godlewskii, see Pipit, Blyth’s gustavi, see Pipit, Pechora hodgsoni, see Pipit, Olive-backed petrosus, see Pipit, Rock pratensis, see Pipit, Meadow richardi, see Pipit, Richard’s rufulus, see Pipit, Paddyfield similis, see Pipit, Long-billed spinoletta, see Pipit, Water trivialis, see Pipit, Tree Appleton, T., see Chandler, R., et al. Apus apus, see Swift, Common melba, see Swift, Alpine pallidus, see Swift, Pallid Aquila chrysaetos, see Eagle, Golden fasciata, see Eagle, Bonelli’s pennata, see Eagle, Booted Archer, M. G., Common Chiffchaff feeding juvenile Wrens, 268; Eurasian Nuthatches feeding on Hawthorn berries, 369; Bar-tailed Godwit feeding on carrion, 576 Ardea alba, see Egret, Great White cinerea, see Heron, Grey purpurea, see Heron, Purple Ardeola ralloides, see Heron, Squacco Arenaria interpres, see Turnstone Ash, A., photograph of Greenish Warbler, 544, plate 294 Ashton-Booth, J., see Panuccio, M., et al. Asio flammeus, see Owl, Short-eared British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 663 Index C } otus, see Owl, Long-eared Aspinall, S., and Hellyer, P„ Important Bird Areas of the United Arab Emirates, 546-61, plates 295-310 Athene noctua, see Owl, Little Auk, Little, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; occurrence of race polaris in Britain, 641 Auklet, Parakeet, recent taxonomic changes, 312 Avocet, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Aythya affinis, see Scaup, Lesser collaris, see Duck, Ring-necked ferina, see Pochard, Common fuligula, see Duck, Tufted marila, see Scaup, Greater Azzopardi, J., a review of the status of Black-eared Wheatear in the Maltese Islands, 484-9, plates 254-7 Babbler, Common, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Fulvous, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Bachmeier, G., photograph of Eagle Owl, 48, plate 16; of Common Buzzard, 118, 128, plates 47, 57; of Eurasian Bittern, 182, plate 84 Baker, H., etal. Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Ballance, D., review of McMillan; Skye Birds , 162; review of Armstrong: Time to Stare: wildlife in a corner of Britain, 378; of Lang: Atlas des Oiseaux de Normandie en Hiver, 379; county and local bird reports in Britain & Ireland: an update, 492-5 Balmer, D., review of Glenn: Best Birdwatching Sites in Norfolk, 586 , , see Riddington, R„ et al. Barlow, N., obituary of John Duncan Wood, 387-8 Barn Owl Trust, photographs of Barn Owl, 210-11, plates 93-94 Bartramia longicauda, see Sandpiper, Upland Baston, B., photograph of Pallas’s Leaf Warbler, 136, plate 60; of Black-necked Grebe, 164, plate 69; of Lesser Grey Shrike, 448, plate 230; review of Tipling: The Birdwatcher’s Guide to Digital Photography, 648-9; photograph of ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’, 639, plate 355 Baxter, P., photograph of Greenish Warbler, 544, plate 293; of Pechora Pipit, 596, plate 325; of Lanceolated Warbler, 597, plate 328 BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2005, 71-73 Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , Blue-tailed, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , European, photograph, 448, plate 229 , Olive, recent taxonomic changes, 312 Bellingham, G., photographs of Fea’s Petrel, 402, plates 200-2; of Blyth’s Pipit, 657, plate 364; of American Robin, 660, plate 371 Bensusan, K. J., see Garcia, E. F. J. Betton, K., review of Moss: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Birds... But Were Afraid to Ask!, 217; of Gibson: The Bedside Book of Birds: an avian compendium, 218; of Isenmann: Oiseaux de Tunisie, 162; of Ranft: Bird Mimicry (CD), 380; of Gregory: The Birds of the State of Kuwait, 585-6 Bird Photograph of the Year 2006, 431-40, plates 213-23 Bittern, American, British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Dwarf, recent taxonomic changes, 309 , Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; roosting behaviour in the Lee Valley, 174-82, plates 79-84 Blackbird, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 526, plate 280 Blackcap, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 314; photograph, 529, plate 281; taking nectar on autumn migration in Shetland, 579-80 Bloomfield, A., the killing of a young Shelduck by a Tufted Duck, 153; hunting technique used by Eurasian Sparrowhawk attempting to catch a Common Swift, 368 Bluetail, Red-flanked, photograph, 658-9, plates 367-8 Bluethroat, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 133; occurrence of race cyanecula in Britain, 641-2, plate 356 Boertmann, D., et al, the importance of Southwest Greenland for wintering seabirds, 282-98, plates 141-51 Bombycilla garrulus, see Waxwing Booth, C. J., and Ellis, R M., Common Eiders and Common Guillemots taken by Killer Whales, 533 Botaurus lentiginosus, see Bittern, American stellaris, see Bittern, Eurasian Bourne, W. R. R, letter on the former status of the Great Bustard, 204-5; letter on the original occurrence of influenza A/chicken/Scotland/59 (alias H5N1), 262-3 Boustead, I., photograph of Long-billed Pipit, 605, plate 339 Brachyramphus marmoratus , see Murrelet, Marbled perdix, see Murrelet, Long-billed Bradshaw, C., see Wallace, D. I. M., et al. Brambling, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Branta bernicla, see Goose, Brent canadensis, see Goose, Greater Canada hutchinsii, see Goose, Lesser Canada leucopsis, see Goose, Barnacle ruficollis, see Goose, Red-breasted Breeding: Greylag Goose, 365, plate 176; Moorhen, 206; Common Tern, 155-7; Common Guillemot, 230-35, plates 102-10; European Nightjar, 267; Great Spotted Woodpecker, 157; Great Tit, 338-53, plates 166-72; Marsh Tit, 211-12; Common Chaffinches, 535; Parrot Crossbills, 562-8, plates 311-12 Brock, J., Mistle Thrush defending berries from Waxwings, 158-9 , , and J., letter on Griffon Vultures threatened by EU legislation?, 374-5 Brooke, M. de L., see Donald, P. F. Brooks, R., photograph of British Bullfinch, 10, plate 11; of Houbara Bustard, 309, plate 155 Broughton, R. K., an example of polygyny in the Marsh Tit, 211-12 Brown, J. G., see Loughran, M. F. E. Bubo bubo, see Owl, Eagle scandiacus, see Owl, Snowy zeylonensis, see Owl, Brown Fish Bubulcus ibis, see Egret, Cattle Bucephala clangula, see Goldeneye, Common Buchanan, G., see Conservation research news Bulbul, Common, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Bullfinch, invasion of ‘Northern’ birds in autumn 2004, 2-24, plates 1-15; population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; calls of ‘Northern’ birds, 370-1; occurrence of race pyrrhula in Britain, 642 Bullock, J., Barn Owl killed and eaten by Common Buzzard, 578 Bunting, Black-headed, identification, 1 1 1-12, plate 38; photograph, 600, plate 336 , Cirl, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 318 , Corn, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent marked decline in Corn Bunting numbers in northeast Essex, 213-14, plates 95-97; recent taxonomic changes, 319 Britishi &rds 89 tJndex to y©ktme9& Index C > , House, recent taxonomic changes, 319 , Lapland, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 641 , Little, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 147; British records in 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Ortolan, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 146 , Pine, photograph, 58, plate 28; change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Reed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Snow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 641 , Striolated, recent taxonomic changes, 319 , Yellow-breasted, photograph, 600, plate 335 Burhinus oedicnemus, see Stone-curlew Bustard, Great, former status, 204-5 , Houbara, recent taxonomic changes, 309-10, plate 155 , Macqueen’s, recent taxonomic changes, 309-10; the identity of MacQueen, 375 Buteo buteo , see Buzzard, Common lagopus, see Buzzard, Rough-legged rufinus , see Buzzard, Long-legged Butorides striata, see Heron, Striated virescens, see Heron, Green-backed Button-quail, Small, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Buzzard, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; plumage mimicked by that of juvenile Honey-buzzard, 1 18-28, plates 47-48, 54, 56-57; killing and eating Barn Owl, 578; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 626 , Long-legged, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Rough-legged, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 81-82; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 626 Calandrella brachydactyla , see Lark, Short-toed Calcarius lapponicus, see Bunting, Lapland Calidris alba, see Sanderling alpina, see Dunlin bairdii , see Sandpiper, Baird’s canutus , see Knot, Red ferruginea , see Sandpiper, Curlew fuscicollis, see Sandpiper, White-rumped himantopus, see Sandpiper, Stilt maritima , see Sandpiper, Purple mauri, see Sandpiper, Western melanotos, see Sandpiper, Pectoral minuta , see Stint, Little minutilla, see Sandpiper, Least pusilla see Sandpiper, Semipalmated temminckii , see Stint, Temminck’s Calonectris diomedea, see Shearwater, Cory’s Campbell, L., see Conservation research news Capercaillie, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Caprimulgus europaeus , see Nightjar, European Carduelis cabaret, see Redpoll, Lesser cannabina, see Linnet carduelis, see Goldfinch chloris, see Greenfinch flammea , see Redpoll, Common flavirostris , see Twite horuemanni, see Redpoll, Arctic spinus , see Siskin Carpodacus erythrinus , see Rosefinch, Common Carter, J., photograph of Briinnich’s Guillemot, 55, plate 21; of Lesser Scaup, 1 14, plate 41; of 'Black-throated Thrush’, 171, plates 75-76; of Blue- winged Teal, 333, plate 159; of Eurasian Scops Owl, 447, plate 228; of Red-backed Shrike, 504, plate 268; of Pectoral Sandpiper, 594, plate 321; of'Black-headed Wagtail', 632, plate 351; of Canada Warbler, 662, plate 377 Catharus guttatus, see Thrush, Hermit minimus, see Thrush, Grey-cheeked Catley, G., review of Pitches & Cleeves: Birds New to Britain , 98-99; photograph of Sora, 227, plate 99; of Arctic Redpoll, 278, plate 138; of Common Quail, 389, plate 185; of Black-winged Stilt, 390, plate 188; of White- winged Black Tern, 391, plate 189; of ‘Caspian Gull’, 503, plate 265; of Tree Pipit, 532, plate 283; of Red- breasted Goose and Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 655, plate 358 Cecropis daurica see Swallow, Red-rumped Cepphus grylle, see Guillemot, Black Cercotrichas galactotes, see Robin, Rufous Bush Certhia familiaris, see Treecreeper, Eurasian Cettia cetti, see Warbler, Cetti’s Chaffinch, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; males apparendy trying to mate with incapacitated female, 535; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 640 Chaimarrornis leucocephalus, see Redstart, White-capped Water Chandler, R., photographs of Ringed Plover, 340, plates 167-8; of Black-eared Wheatear, 486-7, plates 254, 256; review of Message & Taylor: Waders of Europe, Asia and North America, 495-6; photograph of Least Sandpiper, 593, plate 318; of Wilson’s Phalarope, 595, plate 323 , , et al. Bird Photograph of the Year, 2006, 431-40, plates 213-23 Charadrius alexandrinus, see Plover, Kentish dubius , see Plover, Little Ringed hiaticula, see Plover, Ringed morinellus, see Dotterel vociferus, see Killdeer Chiatante, G., see Panuccio, M., et al. Chiffchaff, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; feeding juvenile Wrens, 268; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 638 , Iberian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 315 Chittenden, R., photograph of Eurasian Spoonbill, 502, plate 262; of White-rumped Sandpiper, 593, plate 319; ofWhiskered Tern, 656, plate 361 , , see Chandler, R., et al. Chlamydotis macqueenii, see Bustard, Macqueen’s undulata, see Bustard, Houbara Chlidonias hybrida, see Tern, Whiskered leucopterus, see Tern, White-winged Black niger, see Tern, Black Chough, Red-billed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Chrysolophus amherstiae, see Pheasant, Lady Amherst’s pictus, see Pheasant, Golden Ciconia ciconia, see Stork, White nigra, see Stork, Black Cinclus cinclus, see Dipper Circaetus gallicus, see Eagle, Short-toed Circus aeruginosas, see Harrier, Marsh cyaneus, see Harrier, Hen pygargus, see Harrier, Montagu’s Clamator glandarius, see Cuckoo, Great Spotted Clangula hyemalis, see Duck, Long-tailed Cleeves, T„ review of Wright: Merlins of the South-east Yorkshire Dales, 217 Coath, M., Greylag Goose nesting in pine tree, 365, plate 176 ffift/sfanBW* 99 xdhdfex €8 *toh8ntteif?ffl Index c > Coccothraustes coccothraustes, see Hawfinch Cocker, M., and Dee, T., Common Starling killing and feeding scorpion to its young, 582 Collinson, M., review of Videler: Avian Flight , 102; splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palearctic lists, 306—23, plates 155-8; review of Lever: Naturalised Birds of the World, 327; of Constantine & The Sound Approach: The Sound Approach to Birding: a guide to understanding bird sound, 584-5; of Snow: The Design and Evolution of Birds, 649 , , et ah, species limits within the genus Melanitta, the scoters, 183-201, plates 85-91 , T., photograph of Hume’s Warbler, 1 16, plate 45 Columba livia, see Dove, Rock/Pigeon, Feral oenas, see Dove, Stock palumbus , see Pigeon, Wood Combridge, P., review of Kelcey & Rheinwald: Birds in European Cities, 161; of Couzens: Birds: a complete guide to all British and European species, 161; of Grihault: Dodo: the bird behind the legend, 326-7; review of Nozedar: The Secret Language of Birds: a treasury of myths, folklore and inspirational stories, 376 Conservation research news, 92-94; 202-3; 324—5; 479-80; 531-2; 646-7 Coot, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 82, plate 32; foot-slapping, 154-5; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Coracias garrulus, see Roller, European Cormorant, Great, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 , Socotra, photographs, 550, plates 298-9 Corrections: 172; 336; 544 Corvus corax, see Raven, Common cor nix, see Crow, Hooded corone, see Crow, Carrion frugilegus, see Rook monedula, see Jackdaw, Western ruficollis, see Raven, Brown-necked Coturnix coturnix, see Quail, Common Courser, Cream-coloured, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Crab-plover, photograph, 547, plate 295 Crake, Baillon’s, British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Corn, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Little, British records in 1952, 1955 and 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Spotted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75,82 Crane, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 83, 390, plates 32, 187 Cranswick, R A., see Baker, H., et al. Crewe, M., Little Grebe using air bubbles to assist with foraging, 264-5 Crex crex, see Crake, Corn Crossbill, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 641 , Parrot, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; patterns of nest attendance by a pair, 562-8, plates 311-12 , Scottish, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Crow, Carrion, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Hooded, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 317 Cuckoo, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Great Spotted, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Cuculus canorus, see Cuckoo, Common Curlew, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 628 Cursorius cursor, see Courser, Cream-coloured Cyanistes caeruleus, see Tit, Blue cyanus, see Tit, Azure Cygnus columbianus, see Swan, Tundra cygnus, see Swan, Whooper olor, see Swan, Mute Day, K., photograph of Sora, 227, plate 100; of Night Heron, 276, plate 134; of Subalpine Warbler, 278, plate 139; of Common Eider and King Eider, 334, plate 160; of Woodchat Shrike, 336, plate 165; of Red-backed Shrike, 392, plate 192; of Isabelline Wheatear, 597, plate 327; of Rose-coloured Starling, 599, plate 333; of 'White- spotted Bluethroat’, 642, plate 356; of Red-flanked Bluetail, 659, plate 368 Dee, T„ see Cocker, M. Delichon urbicum, see Martin, House Dempsey, E., photograph of Night Heron, 389, plate 186 Dendrocopos major , see Woodpecker, Great Spotted minor, see Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Dipper, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 634, plate 352 Diver, Black-throated, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Great Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Red-throated, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 308 Donald, R, see Conservation research news , P. F„ and Brooke, M. de L„ an unlikely survivor: the peculiar natural history of the Raso Lark, 420-30, plates 207-12 Dotterel, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Dove, Collared, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Rock/Pigeon, Feral, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Stock, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Turtle, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Dowitcher, Long-billed, photograph, 170, plate 72 , Short-billed, in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain, 354-60, plates 173-5 Dromas ardeola, see Crab-plover Duck, Harlequin, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 150; British record in 1954 no longer considered acceptable, 460^1 , Long-tailed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-298 , Mandarin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Marbled, photograph, 592, plate 317 , Ring-necked, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 78 , Ruddy, population estimate in Great Britain and the 666 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Index c United Kingdom, 25-44 , Tufted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; killing a young Shelduck, 153 Duff, D. G., has the plumage of the juvenile Honey-buzzard evolved to mimic that of Common Buzzard?, 118-28, plates 47-57 Dunlin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 627 Dunn, R., photograph of European Roller, 656, plate 362 Dunnock, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating candle wax, 158 Dymond, N., review of Spierenburg: Birds in Bhutan: status and distribution , 379-80 Eagle, Bonelli’s, recent taxonomic changes, 309-10 , Booted, recent taxonomic changes, 309-10; northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 573 , Golden, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Short-toed, northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 570, 573, plate 313 , White-tailed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 146; photograph, 441, plate 224; British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Eaton, M., see Conservation research news Editorial: important bird areas, 280-81, plate 140 Editors, Redpolls at garden feeders, 370 Edwards, S., Great Spotted Woodpecker nesting in Yew, 157; Western Jackdaw carrying Slow-worm, 159 Egevang, C., photograph of Brunnich’s Guillemot, 294, plate 149 Egret, Cattle, photograph, 169, plate 71; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Great White, 1951 British record no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 , Little, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Snowy, recent taxonomic changes, 309 Egretta ardesiaca , see Heron, Black garzetta , see Egret, Little thula, see Egret, Snowy tricolor, see Heron, Tricolored Eider, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; moulting birds devoured by Killer Whales, 264; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 151; photographs, 334, 588, plates 160, 316; taken by Killer Whales, 533; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 624 , King, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plates 143-4; photograph, 334, plate 160 Elanus caeruleus , see Kite, Black-shouldered Elkins, N., review of Moller: Birds and Climate Change, 648 Ellis, P. M., see Booth, C. I. Elsby, K„ photograph of Ross’s Gull, 1 15, plate 44 Emberiza aureola, see Bunting, Yellow-breasted calandra, see Bunting, Corn cirlus, see Bunting, Cirl citrinella, see Yeilowhammer hortulana, see Bunting, Ortolan leucocephalos, see Bunting, Pine melanocephala, see Bunting, Black-headed pusilla , see Bunting, Little sahari, see Bunting, House schoeniclus, see Bunting, Reed striolata, see Bunting, Striolated Eremophila alpestris, see Lark, Shore biloplia, see Lark, Temminck’s Eremopterix signatus, see Sparrow-lark, Chestnut-headed Eriksen, H., and J., photograph of White-cheeked Tern, 548, plate 296; of Socotra Cormorant, 550, plate 298; of Sooty Falcon, 551, plate 300; of Red-billed Tropicbird, 553, plate 302; of Saunders’s Tern, 556, plate 306 , review of Alfadhel: Birds of Kuwait: a portrait, 219-20 Erithacus rubecula, see Robin Evans, A., see Conservation research news Everett, M., review of Summers-Smith: On Sparrows and Man, 584 Falco biannicus, see Falcon, Lanner columbarius, see Merlin concolor, see Falcon, Sooty naumanni, see Kestrel, Lesser peregrinus, see Falcon, Peregrine subbuteo, see Hobby tinnunculus, see Kestrel, Common vespertinus, see Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Lanner, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Peregrine, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 627 , Red-footed, photograph, 447, plate 227 , Sooty, photograph, 551, plate 300 Fathers, J., polygyny in the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 265-6, plates 128-9 Faustino, A., photograph of Temminck’s Lark, 603, plate 337; of Thick-billed Lark, 604, plate 338 Ficedula albicilla, see Flycatcher, Taiga albicollis, see Flycatcher, Collared hypoleuca, see Flycatcher, Pied parva, see Flycatcher, Red-breasted speculigera, see Flycatcher, Atlas Field characters: Honey-buzzard, 1 1 8-28, plates 47-57; Fea’s Petrel, 394-400, plates 194-9; 'soft-plumaged petrels’, 404-19, plates 203-6; Short-billed Dowitcher, 354—60, plates 173-5; Black-headed Gull, 275-6, plate 132; 'American Black Tern’, 450-9, plates 231-45; Barn Owl, 210-11, plates 93-94; of Dunn’s Lark, 482-4, plates 250-3; White-throated Robin, 361 — 4; Siberian Blue Robin, 517-20; Moustached Warbler, 465-78, plates 247-8; Goldcrest, 152-3; Masked Shrike, 67-70, plates 30-31; Black-headed Bunting, 1 1 1-12, plate 38 Fieldfare, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44 Finch, Citril, recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Corsican, recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Crimson-winged, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Firecrest, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; recent taxonomic changes, 3 1 6; change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Madeira, recent taxonomic changes, 316; photograph, 435, plate 215 Fisher, A., and Flood, B„ Fea’s Petrel off Scilly: new to Britain, 394-400, plates 194-9 , D., review of Ferguson-Lees & Christie: Raptors of the World: a field guide, 2 1 5-6 , G., see Conservation research news , I., photograph of Siberian Rubythroat, 658, plate 366; of Arctic Warbler, 660, plate 372 Fitter, Richard Sidney Richmond, obituary, 109-10, plate 37 Flamingo, Caribbean, recent taxonomic changes, 309 , Chilean, recent taxonomic changes, 309 , Greater, recent taxonomic changes, 309 Flood, B„ photograph of Paddyfield Warbler, 543, plate 291 Flycatcher, Atlas, recent taxonomic changes, 316-17 , Collared, photograph, 336, plate 164 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 667 Index c } , Pied, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 316-17; photograph, 479, plate 249 , Red-breasted, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 139; recent taxonomic changes, 316 , Spotted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Taiga, recent taxonomic changes, 316 Food and feeding behaviour: Tufted Duck, 153; Barbary Partridge, 491; Little Grebe, 264—5; Purple Heron, 265; Bald Ibis, 491; Common Buzzard, 578; Long-legged Buzzard, 491; Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 368; Lesser Kestrel, 491; Common Kestrel, 491; Common Coot, 491; Cream-coloured Courser, 491; Bar-tailed Godwit, 491, 576; Whimbrel, 491; Eurasian Curlew, 491; Common Redshank, 491; Mediterranean Gull, 491; Black-headed Gull, 49 1 ; Audouin’s Gull, 491; Lesser Black-backed Gull, 491; Yellow-legged Gull, 491; Common Tern, 369; Great Spotted Cuckoo, 491; Barn Owl, 577-8; Common Kingfisher, 533; Hoopoe Lark, 491; Thick-billed Lark, 491; Thekla Lark, 491; Common Bulbul, 491; Rufous Bush Robin, 299-305; Common Nightingale, 299-305; Northern Wheatear, 268; Desert Wheatear, 491; White-crowned Black Wheatear, 491; Black Wheatear, 491; Blue Rock Thrush, 491; Misde Thrush, 158-9; Reed Warbler, 299-305; Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, 299-305; Western Olivaceous Warbler, 299-305; Melodious Warbler, 299-305; Spectacled Warbler, 299-305; Subalpine Warbler, 299-305; Sardinian Warbler, 299-305; Orphean Warbler, 299-305; Barred Warbler, 579-80; Common Whitethroat, 299-305; Garden Warbler, 579-80; Blackcap 579-80; Western Bonelli’s Warbler, 299-305; Common Chiffchaff, 268, 299-305; Willow Warbler, 299-305; Pied Flycatcher, 299-305; Eurasian Nuthatch, 369; Southern Grey Shrike, 491; Magpie, 369; Western Jackdaw, 159; Common Raven, 491; Common Starling, 491, 582; Spotless Starling, 491; House Sparrow, 491; Desert Sparrow, 299-305; Sudan Golden Sparrow, 299-305; Greenfinch, 649; Lesser Redpoll, 159, 370; Hawfinch, 649 Forman, D., an observation of Moorhens simultaneously incubating eggs in two adjacent nests, 206 Foster, K., Siberian Blue Robin at Minsmere: new to Britain, 517-20 Fox, A. D., et al., the rise and fall of the Greenland White- fronted Goose: a case study in international conservation, 242-61, plates 1 15-26; calls of ‘Northern Bullfinches’, 370-1 Francis, I., see Fox, A. D., et al. Fraser, P. A., and Rogers, M. J., report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2003. Part 1: American Wigeon to Wryneck, 74-91, plates 32-35; Part 2: Short-toed Lark to Little Bunting, 129-47, plates 58-65 Fratercula arctica, see Puffin Fregata magnificens , see Frigatebird, Magnificent French, P. R., dark-breasted Barn Owl in Devon, 210-1 1, plates 93-94 Frigatebird, Magnificent, British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Fringilla coelebs, see Chaffinch, Common montifringilla , see Brambling From the Rarities Committee’s files: do we know what British ‘soft-plumaged petrels’ are?, 404-19, plates 203-6 Fulica atra, see Coot, Common Fulmar, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98 Fulmarus glacialis, see Fulmar Gadwall, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Gale, P., photograph of Great Grey Shrike, 141 , plate 62 Galerida theklae, see Lark, Thekla Gallinago gallinago, see Snipe, Common Gallinula chloropus, see Moorhen Gannet, Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; soaring, 576 Garcia, E. F. J., and Bensusan, K. J., northbound migrant raptors in June and July at the Strait of Gibraltar, 569-75, plates 313-14 Garganey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Garner, M., photographs of ‘Northern Bullfinch’ and British Bullfinch, 6, plates 4—5; of Greylag Goose, 623, plate 348 Garrulax elliotii, see Laughing-thrush, Elliot’s Garrulus glandarius, see Jay, Eurasian lidthi, see Jay, Lidth’s Gauntlett, F. M., letter on taxonomy for birders, 151-2 Gavia arctica, see Diver, Black-throated immer , see Diver, Great Northern stellata, see Diver, Red-throated Gelochelidon nilotica, see Tern, Gull-billed Geronticus eremita, see Ibis, Bald Gillings, S., European Golden Plovers in the UK in October 2003, 206-8 Gladwin, T., Lesser Redpolls at garden feeders, 1 59, 370 Glareola nordmanni, see Pratincole, Black-winged pratincola, see Pratincole, Collared Glass, T., et al.. Masked Shrike: new to Britain, 67-70, plates 30-31 Godwit, Bar-tailed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; feeding on carrion, 576 , Black-tailed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Goldcrest, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; foot and leg colour, 152-3; recent taxonomic changes, 3 1 5-6; feeding on peanuts, 580-1 , Tenerife, recent taxonomic changes, 315-6 Goldeneye, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Goldfinch, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25—44; photograph, 530, plate 282; occurrence of race carduelis in Britain, 642 Goosander, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Goose, Barnacle, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , Bean, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 622 , Brent, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; photograph of ‘Black Brant’, 113, plate 40; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 624; photograph, 655, plate 358 , Egyptian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Greater Canada, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; recent taxonomic changes, 307; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 623-4 , Greylag, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; nesting in pine tree, 365, plate 176; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 623, plate 348 , Lesser Canada, recent taxonomic changes, 307; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 623^1 668 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Index C , Pink-footed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4 , Red-breasted, British record in 1957 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 655, plate 358 , Snow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 623 , White-fronted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; the rise and fall of the Greenland subspecies: a case study in international conservation, 242-61, plates 115-26; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 622-3 Goshawk, Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 626 Gosler, A. G„ yet more ways to dress eggs, 338-53, plates 166-72 , , see Riddington, R., et al. Grebe, Black-necked, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 164, plate 69 , Great Crested, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; photograph, 433, plate 213 , Little, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; using air bubbles to assist with foraging, 264-5; photograph, 439, plate 220 , Red-necked, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; ‘Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ in Wester Ross in 1925, 481; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 624 , Slavonian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Greenfield, J„ photograph of Snake Pipefish, 148, plate 68 Greenfinch, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Greenshank, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Gregory, P., photograph of Lidth’s Jay, 617, plate 347 , R. D„ see Baker, H„ et al. Grosbeak, Blue, recent taxonomic changes, 319 , Pine, British record in 1955 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Grouse, Black, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Willow/Red, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; photograph, 438, plate 219 Grus grus , see Crane, Common Guillemot, Black, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98 , Briinnich’s, photographs, 55, 280, plates 21, 140; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 149 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; laying a big egg on a little ledge: does it help a female if Dad’s there?, 230-35, plates 102-10; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; taken by Killer Whales, 533; occurrence of race hyperborea in Britain, 641 Gull, Armenian, recent taxonomic changes, 310-1 1 , Audouin’s, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Black-headed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; identification, 275-6, plate 132; photographs, 439-40, plates 221-2; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Bonaparte’s, photograph, 542, plate 287 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 629 , Franklin’s, photographs, 277, 335, plates 136, 162 , Glaucous, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98 , Great Black-backed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98 , Herring, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; recent taxonomic changes, 310-11; photograph of’Caspian Gull’, 503, plate 265; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 630 , Iceland, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 148 , Ivory, numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; British records in 1950 and 1954 no longer considered acceptable, 460^1 , Laughing, photographs, 55, 115, 170, 228, plates 20, 43, 73, 101; British record in 1957 no longer considered acceptable, 460^1 , Lesser Black-backed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 629 , Mediterranean, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Ring-billed, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 88-89, plate 34 , Ross’s, photograph, 1 15, plate 44; the 1885 Greenland breeding record, 208-9, plate 92 , Sabine’s, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 87-88, plate 33 .Yellow-legged, recent taxonomic changes, 310-11; eating African Desert Locusts, 49 1 ; photograph, 570, plate 313; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 629 Gypaetus barbatus, see Lammergeier Gyps fulvus, see Vulture, Griffon rueppellii , see Vulture, Riippell’s Hackett, R, photograph of Laughing Gull, 115, plate 43; of White-rumped Sandpiper, 503, plate 264; of Isabelline Shrike, 661, plate 374; of Red-eyed Vireo, 661, plate 375 Haematopus ostralegus, see Oystercatcher, Eurasian Haliaeetus albicilla, see Eagle, White-tailed Hallam, N., photograph of Long-tailed Skua, 542, plate 286; of Desert Wheatear, 659, plate 369 Hancock, M., see Conservation research news Harrier, Hen, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 , Marsh, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; comments on the roosting behaviour of Marsh Harriers during migration, 367-8, plate 178; photograph, 436, plate 216 , Montagu’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; photograph, 446, plate 225 Harris, A., roosting behaviour of wintering Eurasian Bitterns in the Lee Valley, 174-82, plates 79-84; review of Burton: Aigtin Oir/At the Edge, 218; of Gerrard: The Great Fen: artists for nature in England, 583 , M. P., and Wanless, S., laying a big egg on a little ledge: does it help a female Common Guillemot if Dad’s there?, 230-35, plates 102-10 Harrop, A., photograph of ‘Northern Bullfinch’, 5, plate 3 , H., photograph of Semipalmated Sandpiper, 54, plate 1 8; of Pine Bunting, 58, plate 28; of Common Crane, 83, plate 32; of Common Rosefinch, 145, plate 65; of Rufous-tailed Robin, 238-9, plates 1 12-13; of Brunnich’s Guillemot, 280, plate 140; of Crested Tit, 316, plate 157; of Eurasian Scops Owl, 335, plate 163; of Collared Flycatcher, 336, plate 164; review of British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 669 Index c > Langsbury & Ogilvie: The Birds of Islay: a celebration in photographs , 379; photograph of White-throated Sparrow, 392, plate 193; of Fea’s Petrel, 411, 413, plates 203-6; of Firecrest, third place. Bird Photograph of the Year 2006, 435, plate 215; of European Bee-eater, 448, plate 229; of Black-eared Wheatear, 486-7, plates 255, 257; of White-rumped Sandpiper, 502, plate 263; of Red-rumped Swallow, 543, plate 289; of Olive-tree Warbler, 544, plate 292; of Common Eider, 588, plate 316; of Citrine Wagtail, 596, plate 326; of Arctic Warbler, 599, plate 331; of Yellow-breasted Bunting, 600, plate 335; of Black-headed Bunting, 600, plate 336; of ‘Dark-breasted Barn Owl’, 631, plate 350; of ‘Black- bellied Dipper’, 634, plate 352; of Red-flanked Bluetail, 658, plate 367; of Arctic Redpoll, 662, plate 376 Harvey, P., review of Sample: Collins Field Guide: wildlife sounds of Britain and Ireland (book and CD), 497; review of Koeppel; To See Every Bird on Earth: a father, a son and a lifelong obsession, 649 Hawfinch, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Hearn, R, Common Tern apparently feeding on oilseed rape, 369 , , see Riddington, R., et al. Heide-Jorgensen, M. P., photograph of King Eider, 289, plate 144 Helbig, Andreas J., obituary, 225-6, plate 98 , , see Collinson, et al. Hellyer, P., see Aspinall, S. Helm, A., obituary of Philippa Leegood, 654, plate 357 , C., letter on population estimates, 204 Heron, Black, recent taxonomic changes, 309 , Green-backed, photograph, 54, plate 17 , Grey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Night, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 79-80; photographs, 276, 389, plates 134, 186; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 , Purple, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 80; fishing in deep water, 265 , Squacco, British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Striated, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Tricolored, recent taxonomic changes, 309 Heubeck, M., review of Brooke: Albatrosses and Petrels across the World , 496-7 Higgins, R. J., see Andrews, R. M„ et al. Himantopus himantopus, see Stilt, Black-winged Hippolais caligata, see Warbler, Booted icterina , see Warbler, Icterine olivetorum, see Warbler, Olive-tree opaca, see Warbler, Western Olivaceous pallida, see Warbler, Eastern Olivaceous polyglotta, see Warbler, Melodious rama, see Warbler, Sykes’s Hirundo rustica, see Swallow, Barn Histrionicus histrionicus, see Duck, Harlequin Hobby, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Holmes, J., and )., photograph of White-throated Redstart, 610, plate 340; of Chestnut Thrush, 612, plate 342; of Plain-backed Thrush, 612, plate 343; of Elliot’s Laughing-thrush, 615, plate 344; of Black-browed Tit, 616, plate 345; of White-capped Water Redstart, 616, plate 346 — , P., moult in an overwintering Willow Warbler in Britain, 97 Honey-buzzard, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 81; spring passage of second-calendar birds at the Strait of Messina, 95-96; has the plumage of the juvenile evolved to mimic that of Common Buzzard?, 1 18-128, plates 48-53, 55-56; feeding during migration?, 365-7, plate 177; northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 570 Hoopoe, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 89-90; photograph, 170, plate 74 Hopkins, G. R., unusual song of Willow Warbler, 580 Hosking, D., see Chandler, R., et al. Hough, photograph of ‘Taiga Merlin’, 626, plate 349 Hydoprogne caspia, see Tern, Caspian Hydrobates pelagicus, see Storm-petrel, European Ibis, Bald, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Glossy, photograph, 655, plate 359 Irania gutturalis, see Robin, White-throated Irish Bird Images, photograph of Franklin’s Gull, 277, plate 136; of Montagu’s Harrier, 446, plate 225; of ‘American Black Tern’, 504, plates 266-7; of Spotted Sandpiper, 541 , plate 285; of Baird’s Sandpiper, 594, plate 320; of Hermit Thrush, 660, plate 370 Ixobrychus sturmii, see Bittern, Dwarf Jackdaw, Western, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; carrying Slow-worm, 159; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 640 Jay, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; occurrence of race glandarius in Britain, 642 , Lidth’s, photograph, 617, plate 347 lynx torquilla, see Wryneck Kane, K, W, S., letter on threat to carrion-feeding birds of prey posed by EU legislation, 478 Kehoe, C., racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee, 619-45, plates 348-56 Kennerley, P., review of Viney et al.: The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, 216-7; of Strange & Yong: Birds of Taman Negara: an illustrated guide and checklist, 327 , , and Prys-Jones, R. P., occurrences of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler in Europe, including a further case of Meinertzhagen fraud, 506-16, plates 269-77 Kestrel, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Lesser, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Killdeer, photograph, 277, plate 135 Kingfisher, Collared, photograph, 549, plate 297 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating newts, 533 Kirwan, G. M„ letter on the identity of MacQueen and a remark on Phylloscopus trochiloides nitidus, 375 Kite, Black, northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 570 , Black-shouldered, photograph, 440, plate 223 , Red, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Kittiwake, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; recent taxonomic changes, 311; photograph, 500, plate 261 Knights, C., photograph of Great Crested Grebe, winner, Bird Photograph of the Year 2006, 433, plate 213; of Moorhen, 437, plate 217 Knot, Red, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Knox, A. G., see Collinson, et al. Kuznetsova, D., and Salovarov, V., photograph of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, 510, plate 271 Lagopus lagopus, see Grouse, Willow/Red muta, see Ptarmigan 670 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Lammergeier, photograph, 434, plate 214 Lane, M., photograph of Little Grebe, 439, plate 220; of Black-headed Gull, 440, plate 222 Lanins collurio, see Shrike, Red-backed excubitor , see Shrike, Great Grey isabellinus, see Shrike, Isabelline meridionalis, see Shrike, Southern Grey minor , see Shrike, Lesser Grey nubicus, see Shrike, Masked senator , see Shrike, Woodchat Lapwing, Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , Sociable, photograph, 1 14, plate 42 Lark, Bar-tailed Desert, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Black, a possible historical record in England, 262-3, plate 127 , Dunn’s, identification and status in northwest Africa, 482-4, plates 250-3 , Hoopoe, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Raso, natural history, 420-30, plates 207-12 , Shore, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 631 , Short-toed, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129-30; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 631 , Sky, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; is singing by escaping birds a Merlin-specific signal?, 267-8 , Temminck’s, photograph, 603, plate 337 , Thekla, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Thick-billed, eating African Desert Locusts, 491; photograph, 604, plate 338 , Wood, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4 Larus argentatus, see Gull, Herring armenicus, see Gull, Armenian atricilla, see Gull, Laughing audouinii , see Gull, Audouin’s canus , see Gull, Common delawarensis, see Gull, Ring-billed fuscus , see Gull, Lesser Black-backed glaucoides, see Gull, Iceland hyperboreus, see Gull, Glaucous marinus, see Gull, Great Black-backed melanocephalus, see Gull, Mediterranean michahellis, see Gull, Yellow-legged Philadelphia , see Gull, Bonaparte’s pipixcan, see Gull, Franklin’s ridibundus, see Gull, Black-headed sabini, see Gull, Sabine’s Lascelles, B., photograph of Fea’s Petrel, 399, plate 199 Lauder, A. W., see Glass, T., et al. Laughing-thrush, Elliot’s, photograph, 615, plate 344 Lavaty, G., photograph of American Black Tern’, 456, plate 241 Lawlor, M., photograph of ‘Eastern Black Redstart’, 635, plate 353 Lawrence, J., photograph of Red-footed Falcon, 447, plate 227 Leach, L, photograph of Green-backed Heron, 54, plate 17; of Paddyfield Warbler, 58, plate 27; of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 595, plate 322; of Radde’s Warbler, 661, plate 373 Leegood, Philippa, obituary, 656, plate 357 Lees, A. C., and Moores, R. D., identification and status of Dunn’s Lark in northwest Africa, 482-4, plates 250-3 , J. S., Fea’s Petrel in the Western Approaches, 401-3, plates 200-2; photograph of Aquatic Warbler, 543, plate 290 Leigh, Carole, photographs of ‘American Black Tern’, 451, plates 231-2 Lidster, identification of Black-headed Bunting, 111-12, plate 38; of Black-headed Gull, 275-6, plate 132 Liebers-Helbig, D., photograph of Andreas J. Helbig, 226, plate 98 Limnodromus griseas, see Dowitcher, Short-billed scolopaceus, see Dowitcher, Long-billed Limosa lapponica , see Godwit, Bar-tailed limosa, see Godwit, Black-tailed Lindsell, J., review of Carswell et al. : The Bird Atlas of Uganda, 377-8 Linnet, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Locustella fasciolata, see Warbler, Gray’s Grasshopper lanceolata, see Warbler, Lanceolated luscinioides, see Warbler, Savi’s naevia, see Warbler, Grasshopper Looking back: 66; 73; 205; 419; 459; 530 Lophodytes cucullatus, see Merganser, Hooded Lophophanes cristatus, see Tit, Crested Loseby, T„ photograph of Eurasian Bittern, 175, plate 79; of Velvet Scoter, 199, plate 90; of Blackcap, 529, plate 281 Loughran, M. F. E., and Brown, J. G., the prey of breeding Barn Owls on Skomer, and evidence for mainland foraging, 577-8 Loxia curvirostra, see Crossbill, Common pytyopsittacus, see Crossbill, Parrot scotica, see Crossbill, Scottish Lucia, G., see Panuccio, M., et al. Ludwigs, J.-D., Common Tern incubating an empty nest, 155-7 Lullula arborea, see Lark, Wood Luscitiia brunnea, see Robin, Indian Blue calliope, see Rubythroat, Siberian cyane, see Robin, Siberian Blue megarhynchos, see Nightingale, Common sibdans, see Robin, Rufous-tailed svecica, see Bluethroat Lytnnocryptes minimus , see Snipe, Jack Macdonald, S. M., see Mason, C. F. Maginzali, L„ photograph of Ring Ouzel, 384, plate 184 Magpie, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; foot-paddling, 369 Maher, M., photograph of ‘Northern Bullfinch’, 9, plate 9; review of Hanlon: Birding in the Fast Lane, 650 Mallard, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; numbers of Greenland subspecies wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98, plate 145 Malloy, J., photograph of Hume’s Warbler, 172, plate 77; of Killdeer, 277, plate 135; of European Roller, 542, plate 288; of American Golden Plover, 655, plate 360 Marmaronetta angustirostris, see Duck, Marbled Marchant, J., see Riddington, R., et al. Martin, House, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Martin, J. P., see Andrews, R. M., et al. Martin, Sand, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Mason, C. F., and Macdonald, S. M., recent marked decline in Corn Bunting numbers in northeast Essex, 213-14, plates 95-97; drinking and bathing by birds in a garden, 521-30, plates 278-82 Matsuo, T., photograph of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, 512, plate 275 McCanch, N., Goldcrests feeding on peanuts, 580-1 McElwee, S., photograph of Pallid Swift, 56, plate 22; of Grey-cheeked Thrush, 57, plate 25; of Hume’s Warbler, 172, plate 78; of Savi’s Warbler, 392, plate 191; of British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 671 Index c > Semipalmated Sandpiper, 446, plate 226; of Bonaparte’s Gull, 542, plate 287; of Blyth’s Reed Warbler, 598, plate 330 McIIroy, T., photograph of Richard Fitter, 109, plate 37 McGeehan, A., see Nightingale, B. McGowan, R, Y., photographs of Sedge and Moustached Warblers, 468-9, plates 247-8; comment on ‘Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe’ in Wester Ross in 1925, 481 McKee, M., photograph of Laughing Gull, 228, plate 101; of Franklin’s Gull, 335, plate 162; of Olive-backed Pipit, 596, plate 324 McSorley, C. A., see Baker, H., et al. Meek, E. R., see Pennington, M. G. Melanitta americana, see Scoter, Black deglandi , see Scoter, White-winged fusca , see Scoter, Velvet nigra, see Scoter, Common perspicillata, see Scoter, Surf Melanocorypha yeltoniensis , see Lark, Black Melling, T., time to get rid of the Moustache: a review of British records of Moustached Warbler, 465-78, plates 247-8 Mellone, U., see Panuccio, M., et al. Merganser, Hooded, photograph, 334, plate 161 , Red-breasted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282—98 Mergellus albellus , see Smew Mergus merganser, see Goosander serrator, see Merganser, Red-breasted Merkel, F. R., see Boertmann, D., et al. Merlin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 626, plate 349 Merops apiaster, see Bee-eater, European persicus, see Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked philippinus, see Bee-eater, Blue-tailed superciliosus, see Bee-eater, Olive Milvus migrans, see Kite, Black milvus, see Kite, Red Mitcham, T., Common Kingfisher eating newts, 533 Mlikovsky, I., letter on a possible historical record of Black Lark in England, 262-3, plate 127 Monthly Marathon: 13: 17, plate 39; 13: 18, plate 133 Monticola solitarius, see Thrush, Blue Rock Moore, D., reviews of Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Biehrza Marshes, The Nature Guide to the Coto Dohana and Surrounding Coastal Lowlands and The Nature Guide to the Bia/owieza Primeval Forest, 377 Moores, R. D„ see Lees, A. C. Moorhen, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; simultaneously incubating eggs in two adjacent nests, 206; photograph, 437, plate 217 Morris, A., photographs of Black Scoter, 191, 194, plates 88-89; of White-winged Scoter, 200, plate 91; of ‘American Black Tern’, 455, plate 239 Morrison, P., photograph of Common Tern, 148, plate 67 Morus bassanus, see Gannet, Northern Mosbech, A., see Boertmann, D., et al. Motacilta alba, see Wagtail, White/Pied cinerea, see Wagtail, Grey citreola, see Wagtail, Citrine flava, see Wagtail, Yellow Mugridge, P., photograph of Lammergeier, second place, Bird Photograph of the Year 2006, 434, plate 214; of Griffon Vulture, 438, plate 218 Murrelet, Long-billed, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , Marbled, recent taxonomic changes, 312 Muscicapa striata, see Flycatcher, Spotted Muukkonen, T., photographs of Common Buzzard, 1 18, 124-5, plates 47, 54, 56; of Honey-buzzard, 124-5, plates 53, 55 Myiopsitta monachus, see Parakeet, Monk Nason, R„ photograph of Siberian Rubythroat, 56, plate 24; of Richard’s Pipit, 131, plate 58; of Tawny Pipit, 132, plate 59; of Yellow-browed Warbler, 138, plate 61; of Puffin, 1 48, plate 66; of Rufous-tailed Robin, 237, 24 1 , plates 111, 1 14; of Red-throated Pipit, 391, plate 190; of Blackbird, 526, plate 280; of Goldfinch, 530, plate 282; of Blyth’s Pipit, 657, plate 363; of Red-throated Pipit, 658, plate 365 Neophron perenopterus, see Vulture, Egyptian Netta rufina, see Pochard, Red-crested New to Britain: Masked Shrike, 67-70, plates 30-31; Short- ' billed Dowitcher, 354-60, plates 173-5; White-throated Robin, 361-4; Fea’s Petrel, 394-400, plates 194—9; ‘American Black Tern’, 450-9, plates 23 1 — 45; Siberian Blue Robin, 517-20 Newell, M., photograph of Kittiwake, 500, plate 261 News and comment: 47-51; 103-7; 164-8; 221-4; 269-73; 328-32; 381-6; 441-5; 498-501; 536-40; 587-91; 65 1 — 4 Newson, S., review of Nelson: Pelicans, Cormorants and their Relatives: the Pelecaniformes, 220 Newton, I., review of Potapov 8t Sale: The Gyr Falcon, 99-100 Nightingale, B., and McGeehan, A., recent reports, see Recent reports Nightingale, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 634 Nightjar, European, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; nesting on tree stump, 267 Noble, D. G., see Baker, H., et al. Noddy, Brown, recent taxonomic changes, 310 Norriss, D., see Fox, A. D., et al. Numenius arquata, see Curlew, Eurasian phaeopus, see Whimbrel Nuthatch, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; feeding on Hawthorn berries, 369 Nycticorax nycticorax, see Heron, Night Obituaries: Anna Poyser, 106, plate 36; Richard Sidney Richmond Fitter, 109-10, plate 37; Andreas J. Helbig, 225-6, plate 98; Eugeny E. Syroechkovski, 273-4, plate 131; John Duncan Wood, 387-8; Philippa Leegood, 654, plate 357 Oceanodroma leucorhoa, see Storm-petrel, Leach’s Oenanthe cypriaca, see Wheatear, Cyprus deserti, see Wheatear, Desert hispanica, see Wheatear, Black-eared isabellina, see Wheatear, Isabelline leucopyga, see Wheatear, White-crowned Black leucura, see Wheatear, Black oenanthe, see Wheatear, Northern pleschanka, see Wheatear, Pied Oksien, M., see Glass, T., et al. Oliver, P. J., letter on foot and leg colour of Goldcrest, 152-3 Onychoprion aleutica, see Tern, Aleutian anaethetus, see Tern, Bridled fuscata, see Tern, Sooty Oriole, Golden, population estimate in Great Britain and the LInited Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 139 Oriolus oriolus, see Oriole, Golden Osprey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 382, plate 183 672 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Index C > Otis tarda, see Bustard, Great Otus scops, see Owl, Eurasian Scops Ouwerkerk, A., photographs of ‘Northern Bullfinch, 4, plates 1-2 Ouzel, Ring, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; photograph, 384, plate 184; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 636 Ovenbird, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Owl, Barn, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44; dark-breasted birds in Devon, 210-1 1, plates 93-94; killed and eaten by Common Buzzard, 578; the prey of breeding pair on Skomer, and evidence for mainland foraging, 577-8; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 630-1, plate 350 , Brown Fish, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , Eagle, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph of, 48, plate 16 , Eurasian Scops, photographs, 335, 447, plates 163, 228; British records in 1952, 1953 and 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460^1 , Little, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44 , Long-eared, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Short-eared, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44 , Snowy, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , Tawny, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Oxyura jamaicensis, see Duck, Ruddy Oystercatcher, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Ozaki, K., photographs of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, 510-11, plates 272^4 Pagophila eburnea, see Gull, Ivory Palmen, P„ photograph of 'Eastern Black Redstart’, 635, plate 354 Palmer, P., Purple Heron fishing in deep water, 265 Pandion haliaetus, see Osprey Panuccio, M., and Agostini, N„ spring passage of second- calendar-year Honey-buzzards at the Strait of Messina, 95-96; comments on the roosting behaviour of Marsh Harriers during migration, 367-8, plate 178 , , et al., does the Honey-buzzard feed during migration?, 365-7, plate 177 Panurus biarmicus, see Tit, Bearded Parakeet, Alexandrine, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Monk, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Rose-ringed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44 Parkin, D. T„ review of del Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 1 0, 2 1 5 , , see Collinson, et al. Partridge, Barbary, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Grey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Red-legged, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Parus major, see Tit, Great Passer domesticus, see Sparrow, House luteus, see Sparrow, Sudan Golden montanus, see Sparrow, Tree simplex, see Sparrow, Desert Passerina caerulea, see Grosbeak, Blue Peltomaki, photograph of ‘Northern Bullfinch', 22, plate 15 Pennington, M. G„ review of Gibbon Multimedia: RSPB Birds of Britain & Ireland (CD), 1 63; of Hume: Birds of Britain and Europe , 378; Sylvia warblers taking nectar on autumn migration in Shedand, 579-80 , , and Meek, E. R., the ‘Northern Bullfinch’ invasion of autumn 2004, 2-24, plates 1-15; photograph of Hooded Merganser, 334, plate 161 Perdix perdix, see Partridge, Grey Perez, C., photograph of Ruppell’s Vulture, 574, plate 314 Periparus ater, see Tit, Coal Pernis apivorus, see Honey-buzzard Petrel, Fea’s, off Scilly: new to Britain, 394-400, plates 194-9; in the Western Approaches, 401-3, plates 200-2; identification, 404-19, plates 203-6 , Soft-plumaged, identification, 404—19 , Zino’s, identification, 404-19 Petrochelidon pyrrhonota , see Swallow, Cliff Petty, A., photograph of British Bullfinch, 10, plate 12 Phaethon aethereus, see Tropicbird, Red-billed Phalacrocorax aristotelis, see Shag carbo, see Cormorant, Great nigrogularis, see Cormorant, Socotra Phalarope, Grey, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 87 , Red-necked, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 86 , Wilson’s, photograph, 595, plate 323 Phalaroplts fulicarius, see Phalarope, Grey lobatus , see Phalarope, Red-necked tricolor, see Phalarope, Wilson’s Phasianus colchicus, see Pheasant, Common Pheasant, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , Golden, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44 , Lady Amherst’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; in Britain, 205 Philippa Leegood family collection, photograph of Philippa Leegood, 656, plate 357 Philomachus pugnax, see Ruff Phoenicopterus chilensis, see Flamingo, Chilean roseus, see Flamingo, Greater ruber, see Flamingo, Caribbean Phoenicians erythrogastrus, see Redstart, Giildenstadt’s erythronotus, see Redstart, Eversmann’s ochruros, see Redstart, Black phoenicurus, see Redstart, Common schisticeps, see Redstart, White-throated Phylloscopus bonelli, see Warbler, Western Bonelli's borealis, see Warbler, Arctic collybita , see Chiffchaff, Common humei, see Warbler, Hume’s ibericus, see Chiffchaff, Iberian inornatus, see Warbler, Yellow-browed proregulus, see Warbler, Pallas’s Leaf schwarzi, see Warbler, Radde’s sibilatrix, see Warbler, Wood subviridis, see Warbler, Brooks’s Leaf trochiloides , see Warbler, Greenish trochilus, see Warbler, Willow Piazzi, M., photograph of Black-shouldered Kite, 440, plate 223 Pica pica, see Magpie Picus viridis, see Woodpecker, Green Pigeon, Wood, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44 Pinicola enucleator, see Grosbeak, Pine Pintail, Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Pipit, Blyth’s, photographs, 56, 657, plates 23, 363-4 , Long-billed, photograph, 605, plate 339 , Meadow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 673 Index c > , Olive-backed, photograph, 596, plate 324 , Paddyfield, recent taxonomic changes, 313 , Pechora, British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 596, plate 325 , Red-throated, photographs, 391, 658, plates 190, 365 , Richard’s, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129-31, plate 58; recent taxonomic changes, 313 , Rock, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Tawny, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 132-3, plate 59; British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Tree, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 532, plate 283 , Water, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Pitches, A., news and comment, see News and comment; review of Hume: Life with Birds , 326 Platalea leucorodia, see Spoonbill, Eurasian Plectrophenax nivalis, see Bunting, Snow Plegadis falcinellus, see Ibis, Glossy Plover, American Golden, photographs, 541, 655, plates 284, 360 , European Golden, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; in the UK in October 2003, 206-208 , Grey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Kentish, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 84 , Little Ringed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Ringed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; photographs, 340, plates 167-8 Pluvialis apricaria, see Plover, European Golden dominica, see Plover, American Golden squatarola, see Plover, Grey Pochard, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Red-crested, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Podiceps auritus, see Grebe, Slavonian cristatus, see Grebe, Great Crested grisegena, see Grebe, Red-necked nigricollis, see Grebe, Black-necked Poecile cinctus, see Tit, Siberian lugubris, see Tit, Sombre montanus, see Tit, Willow palustris, see Tit, Marsh Pollard, A. L., Magpie foot-paddling, 369 Porter, R„ photograph of ‘Northern Bullfinch’, 20, plate 14; review of Galvez et air. Raptors and Owls of Georgia, 101; photograph of Anna Poyser, 106, plate 36 Porzana Carolina, see Sora parva, see Crake, Little porzana, see Crake, Spotted pusilla, see Crake, Baillon’s Powell, D., review of Woodhead: From Dawn till Dusk, 101 Poyser, Anna, obituary, 106, plate 36 Prasad, A., Common Starlings roosting in a cave, 582 Pratincole, Black-winged, British record in 1955 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 — , Collared, British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Probst, R., is singing by escaping Sky Larks a Merlin-specific signal?, 267-8 Prowse, A. D„ letter on identification of Fair Isle sandpiper - a statistical analysis, 149-51 Prunella modularis, see Dunnock Prytherch, R„ see Riddington, R„ et al. Prys-Jones, R, P., the 1885 Greenland breeding record of Ross’s Gull, 208-9, plate 92 , , see Kennerley, P. Psittacula krameri, see Parakeet, Rose-ringed eupatria, see Parakeet, Alexandrine Ptarmigan, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Pterocles alchata, see Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Pterodroma feae, see Petrel, Fea’s madeira, see Petrel, Zino’s mollis, see Petrel, Soft-plumaged Puffin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 148, plate 66; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; recent taxonomic changes, 312 Puffinus assimilis, see Shearwater, Little baroli , see Shearwater, North Atlantic Little mauretanicus, see Shearwater, Balearic puffinus, see Shearwater, Manx yelkouan, see Shearwater, Yelkouan Pullan, D., Short-billed Dowitcher in Northeast Scotland: new to Britain, 354—60, plates 173-5 Pycnonotus barbatus, see Bulbul, Common Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, see Chough, Red-billed Pyrrhula pyrrhula , see Bullfinch Quail, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; photograph, 389, plate 185 Radford, A. P., Dunnock eating candle wax, 158; Robin displaying at smouldering wood ember, 158; Coal Tits using peanuts in courtship feeding, 159; Goldcrests feeding on peanuts, 581 Rail, Water, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Rallus aquaticus, see Rail, Water Rarities Committee, news and announcements, 108; 225; 464 Ratcliffe, N., see Conservation research news Raven, Brown-necked, photograph, 559, plate 310 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Razorbill, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 235, plate 1 10; numbers wintering in Southwest Greenland, 282-98; occurrence of race torda in Britain, 641 Read, M„ photograph of ‘Black Brant', 1 13, plate 40; of Penduline Tit, 116, plate 46; of Long-billed Dowitcher, 170, plate 72; of Hoopoe, 170, plate 74; of Alpine Swift, 278, plate 137 Recent reports: 54-58; 113-16; 169-72; 227-8; 276-8; 333-6; 388-92; 446-8; 502-4; 541-4; 592-3; 655-62 Recurvirostra avosetta, see Avocet Redmond, N., review of Kalyakin 8t Voltzit: Atlas: Birds of Moscow City and Moscow Region, 497 Redpoll, Arctic, photographs, 278, 600, 662, plates 138, 334, 376; recent taxonomic changes, 318, plate 158; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 640 , Common, recent taxonomic changes, 318; occurrence of races islandica and rostrata in Britain, 642 , Lesser, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; at garden feeders, 159, 370; recent taxonomic changes, 318 Redshank, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Spotted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Redstart, Black, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and 674 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Index -c > assessment in Britain, 634, photograph of ‘Eastern Black Redstart’, 635, plate 353 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 634—5, plates 353-4 , Eversmann’s, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , Giildenstadt’s, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 , White-capped Water, photograph, 616, plate 346 , White-throated, photograph, 610, plate 340 Redwing, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25—44; an exceptional movement across northwest England in October 2004, 60-66, plate 29 Regulus ignicapilla, see Firecrest madeirensis , see Firecrest, Madeira regulus , see Goldcrest r. teneriffae, see Goldcrest, Tenerife Rehfisch, M. M„ see Baker, H„ et al. Remiz pendulinus, see Tit, Penduline Requests: 148; 224-5; 386-7; 446; 501; 516; 540; 561; 591; 654 Reszeter, G„ photograph of Upland Sandpiper, 55, plate 19; of ‘American Black Tern’, 451, plate 233; of Black Tern, 459, plate 245 Reviews Alfadhel: Birds of Kuwait: a portrait, 219-20 Armstrong: Time to Stare: wildlife in a corner of Britain, 378 Ballance: A History of the Birds of Somerset, 650 Brooke: Albatrosses and Petrels across the World, 496-7 Burton: Aig an Oir/At the Edge, 218 Busby: Landmarks and Sea Wings, 219 Carswell et al.: The Bird Atlas of Uganda, 377-8 Constantine & The Sound Approach: The Sound Approach to Birding: a guide to understanding bird sound, 584—5 Couzens: Birds: a complete guide to all British and European species, 161 del Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 10,215 Ferguson-Lees 8; Christie: Raptors of the World: afield guide, 215-6 Galvez et al.: Raptors and Owls of Georgia, 101 Gerrard: The Great Fen: artists for nature in England, 583 Gibbon Multimedia: RSPB Birds of Britain & Ireland (CD), 163 Gibson: The Bedside Book of Birds: an avian compendium, 218 Glenn: Best Birdwatching Sites in Norfolk, 586 Gregory: The Birds of the State of Kuwait, 585-6 Grihault: Dodo: the bird behind the legend, 326-7 Hanlon: Birding in the Fast Lane, 650 Hansell: Bird Nests and Construction, 102 Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Bialowieza Primeval Forest, 377 Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Biebrza Marshes, ill Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Coto Dotiana and Surrounding Coastal Lowlands, 377 Hume: Birds of Britain and Europe, 378 Hume: Life with Birds, 326 Isenmann: Oiseauxde Tunisie, 162 Jenks: A History of Devonshire Ornithology: a review of the literature, 376 Kalyakin 8c Voltzit: Atlas: Birds of Moscow City and Moscow Region, 497 Kelcey 8c Rheinwald: Birds in European Cities, 161 Koeppel: To See Every Bird on Earth: a father, a son and a lifelong obsession, 649 Lang: Atlas des Oiseaux de Normandie en Hiver, 379 Langsbury 8c Ogilvie: The Birds of Islay: a celebration in photographs, 379 Lever: Naturalised Birds of the World, 327 McMillan: Skye Birds, 162 Message 8c Taylor: Waders of Europe, Asia and North America , 495—6 Moller: Birds and Climate Change, 648 Montero: Where to Watch Birds in Spain: the 100 best sites, 586 Moss: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Birds... But Were Afraid to Ask!, 217 Nelson: Pelicans, Cormorants and their Relatives: the Pelecaniformes, 220 Nozedar: The Secret Language of Birds: a treasury of myths, folklore and inspirational stories, 376 Pitches 8c Cleeves: Birds New to Britain, 98-99 Potapov 8c Sale: The Gyr Falcon, 99-100 Ranft: Bird Mimicry (CD), 380 Ratcliffe: Lapland: a natural history, 160 Rees: Bewick's Swan, 583-4 Sample: Collins Field Guide: wildlife sounds of Britain and Ireland (book and CD), 497 Snow: The Design and Evolution of Birds, 649 Souza: All the Birds of Brazil 585 Spierenburg: Birds in Bhutan: status and distribution , 379-80 Stoddart 8c Joyner: The Birds ofBlakeney Point, 100 Strange 8c Yong: Birds of Taman Negara: an illustrated guide and checklist, 327 Summers-Smith: On Sparrows and Man, 584 Tipling: The Birdwatcher’s Guide to Digital Photography, 648-9 Tveit et al.: Fugler og Fuglafolk pa Utsira, 101 Videler: Avian Flight, 102 Viney et al.: The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, 216-7 Woodhead: From Dawn till Dusk, 101 Wright: Merlins of the South-east Yorkshire Dales, 217 Rhamphocoris clotbey, see Lark, Thick-billed Rhodopechys sanguineus, see Finch, Crimson-winged Rhodostethia rosea, see Gull, Ross’s Richardson, C., photographs of United Arab Emirates, 552, 555, 558, plates 301,305,308 , W„ photograph of Red Grouse, 438, plate 219 Riddington, R„ review of Tveit et al.: Fugler og Fuglafolk pa Utsira, 101 , , et al.. The BBI BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2005,71-73 Riparia riparia, see Martin, Sand Rissa tridactyla, see Kittiwake Roberts, J., and White, S„ an exceptional movement of Redwings across northwest England in October 2004, 60-66, plate 29 Robin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; displaying at smouldering wood ember, 158 , American, British records in 1955 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 660, plate 371 , Indian Blue, photograph, 610, plate 341 , Rufous Bush, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305 , Rufous-tailed, on Fair Isle: new to Britain, 236-41, plates 111-14 , Siberian Blue, at Minsmere: new to Britain, 517-20 , White-throated, on Skokholm; new to Britain, 361-4; photograph, 558, plate 309 Rogers, M. J., see Fraser, R A. , , see Wallace, D. I. M„ et al. Roller, European, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 89; British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 675 Index c > photographs, 542, 658, plates 288, 362 Rook, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Roosting: Marsh Harrier, 367-8, plate 178; Eurasian Bittern, 174-82, plates 79-84; Common Starling, 582, 648 Rosefinch, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 144-6, plate 65 Roselaar, C. S„ the boundaries of the Palearctic region, 602-19, plates 337-47 Rowlands, S., photograph of Common Crane and Whooper Swan, 390, plate 188 Rubythroat, Siberian, photographs, 56, 658, plates 24, 366 Ruff, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Salewski, V., et al, nectarivory of Palearctic migrants at a stopover site in the Sahara, 299-305, plates 152-4 Salovarov, V., see Kuznetsova, D. Sanderling, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Sanders, J. G., Northern Gannets soaring, 576 Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Sandpiper, Baird’s, British records in 1955 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 594, plate 320 , Buff-breasted, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 86; photograph, 595, plate 322 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Curlew, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Green, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , Least, British record in 1957 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 593, plate 318 , Marsh, British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Pectoral, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 85-86; photograph, 594, plate 321 , Purple, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 292, 147 , Semipalmated, photographs, 54, 446, plates 18, 226 , Spotted, change to spelling of scientific name, 320; photograph, 541, plate 285 , Stilt, recent taxonomic changes, 310 , Upland, photograph, 55, plate 19 , Western, British record in 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , White-rumped, photographs, 502-3, 593, plates 263-4,319 , Wood, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Sangster, G., see Collinson, M., et al. Sant, N., photograph of Indian Blue Robin, 610, plate 341 Saxicola rubetra, see Whinchat Saxicola torquatus, see Stonechat, Common Scaup, Greater, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 307-8 , Lesser, photographs, 114, 169, plates 41, 70 Schlageter, A., see Salewski, V., et al. Schmoker, B., photographs of ‘American Black Tern’, 456-7, plates 240, 243 Schofield, R., review of Souza: All the Birds of Brazil, 585 Scolopax rusticola, see Woodcock Scoter, Black, taxonomic status, 183-201, plates 88-89; recent taxonomic changes, 308 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; taxonomic status, 183-201, plate 85; recent taxonomic changes, 308 , Surf, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 78-79; taxonomic status, 183-201, plate 87 , Velvet, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; taxonomic status, 183-201, plate 90; recent taxonomic changes, 308 , White-winged, taxonomic status, 183-201, plates 86, 91; recent taxonomic changes, 308 Scott, B., review of Montero: Where to Watch Birds in Spain: the 1 00 best sites, 586 , M., photograph of American Golden Plover, 541, plate 284; of Isabelline Shrike, 599, plate 332 Seiurus aurocapilla, see Ovenbird Sellers, R. M., breeding population estimate for Northern Wheatear in Britain, 533-5; male Common Chaffinches apparently trying to mate with incapacitated female, 535 Serin, European, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 143-4, plate 64 Serinus citrinella, see Finch, Citril corsicanus, see Finch, Corsican serinus, see Serin, European Shag, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 Sharrock, J. T. R„ foot-slapping by Common Coot, 154-5 Shaw, D. N., photographs of ‘Northern Bullfinch', 8-9, plates 7, 10; of ‘Black-throated Thrush’, 57, plate 26; Rufous- tailed Robin on Fair Isle: new to Britain, 236-41, plates 1 1 1-14; photograph of Aquatic Warbler, 598, plate 329 , K. D., see Glass, T., et al. Shearwater, Balearic, recent taxonomic changes, 308 , Cory’s, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 79; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 625 , Little, recent taxonomic changes, 308-9 , Manx, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , North Atlantic Little, British record in 1951 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Yelkouan, recent taxonomic changes, 308 Shelduck, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; young one killed by a Tufted Duck, 153 , Ruddy, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44 Shoveler, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Shrike, Great Grey, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 140-1, plate 62 , Isabelline, recent taxonomic changes, 317; photographs, 599, 661, plates 332, 374 , Lesser Grey, recent taxonomic changes, 317; photograph, 448, plate 230 , Masked, new to Britain, 67-70, plates 30-31 , Red-backed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 140; photographs, 392, 504, plates 192, 268 , Southern Grey, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Woodchat, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 142; photograph, 336, plate 165; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 639 Siddle, J. P., letter on which subspecies of Common Stonechat breeds in coastal Portugal, 372, plates 179-82 Siskin, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Sitta europaea, see Nuthatch, Eurasian Skua, Arctic, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Great, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; recent taxonomic changes, 310 67© Slft/s/fr’Bjkrfs 89 xdbdfex stofiSrrateil9ffl Index c > , Long-tailed, recent taxonomic changes, 310; photograph, 542, plate 286; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 628-9 Smaldon, R., review of Jenks: A History of Devonshire Ornithology: a review of the literature, 376 Smew, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Smith, K. W., see Conservation research news , W. E., moulting Common Eiders devoured by Killer Whales, 264 Snell, R„ photograph of Marsh Harrier, 436, plate 216 Snipe, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 627 , Jack, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544 Somateria mollissima, see Eider, Common spectabilis , see Eider, King Sora, photographs, 227, plates 99-100 Sparrow, Desert, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305 , House, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Sudan Golden, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305 , Tree, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544 , White-throated, photograph, 392, plate 193 Sparrowhawk, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; polygyny, 265-6, plates 128-9; hunting technique used when attempting to catch a Common Swiff, 368 Sparrow-lark, Chestnut-headed, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Spoonbill, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; photograph, 502, plate 262 Spray, C., review of Rees; Bewick's Swan , 583 — 4 Stansfield, S., photograph of Blyth’s Pipit, 56, plate 23 Starling, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; roosting in a cave, 582; killing and feeding scorpion to its young, 582; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 640 , Rose-coloured, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 142-3, plate 63; photograph, 599, plate 333 , Spotless, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Steele, B., photograph of White- winged Scoter, 188, plate 86; of Surf Scoter, 190, plate 87 , J., review of identification of Fea’s, Zino’s and Soft- plumaged Petrels, 404-19, plates 203-6 Steiof, K„ letter on birds and windfarms: what are the real issues?, 45-6 Stercorarius longicaudus, see Skua, Long-tailed parasiticus, see Skua, Arctic skua, see Skua, Great Sterna bengalensis, see Tern, Lesser Crested dougallii, see Tern, Roseate hirundo , see Tern, Common paradisaea, see Tern, Arctic repressa , see Tern, White-cheeked sandvicensis, see Tern, Sandwich Sternula albifrons, see Tern, Little saundersi, see Tern, Saunders’s Stilt, Black-winged, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 390, plate 188 Stint, Little, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Temminck’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 84-85 Stirrup, S., photograph of Laughing Gull, 55, plate 20 Stonechat, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; change to spelling of scientific name, 320; which subspecies of Common Stonechat breeds in coastal Portugal?, 372, plates 179-82; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 635-6 Stone-curlew, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544 Stork, Black, British records in 1956 and 1957 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , White, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 80-81 Storm-petrel, European, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Leach’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544 Streptopelia decaocto, see Dove, Collared furfur, see Dove, Turtle Stroud, D. A., see Baker, H„ et al. , , see Fox, A. D., et al. Sturnus roseus, see Starling, Rose-coloured unicolor, see Starling, Spotless vulgaris, see Starling, Common Summers, R„ patterns of nest attendance by a pair of Parrot Crossbills, 562-8, plates 311-12 Swallow, Barn, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 632 , Cliff, recent taxonomic changes, 312 , Red-rumped, recent taxonomic changes, 312-13, plate 156; photograph, 543, plate 289 Swan, Bewick’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; recent taxonomic changes, 307; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 622 , Mute, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544 , Whooper, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; photograph, 390, plate 187 Swiff, Alpine, photograph, 278, plate 137 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 2544; attempted hunting by Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 368; emitting ultrasound?, 579; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 631 , Pallid, photograph, 56, plate 22 Sylvia atricapilla, see Blackcap borin, see Warbler, Garden cantillans, see Warbler, Subalpine communis, see Whitethroat, Common conspicillata, see Warbler, Spectacled curruca, see Whitethroat, Lesser deserti, see Warbler, African Desert deserticola, see Warbler, Tristram’s hortensis, see Warbler, Orphean leucomelaena, see Warbler, Arabian melanocephala, see Warbler, Sardinian melanothorax, see Warbler, Cyprus mystacea, see Warbler, Menetries’s nana , see Warbler, Asian Desert nisoria, see Warbler, Barred rueppelli, see Warbler, Ruppell’s sarda, see Warbler, Marmora’s undata, see Warbler, Dartford Syroechkovski, Eugeny E., obituary, 2734, plate 131 Tachybaptus ruficollis, see Grebe, Little Tadorna ferruginea, see Shelduck, Ruddy tadorna, see Shelduck, Common Tarsiger cyanurus , see Bluetail, Red-flanked Britishf Birds 99 ’"Index to volume 99 Index < > Tate, A., photograph of Sabine’s Gull, 87, plate 33; of Sociable Lapwing, 1 14, plate 42; of European Serin, 144, plate 64 Taylor, H., photograph of Ross’s Gull, 209, plate 92; of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, 514, plate 276 , M„ juvenile Wrens singing in their first summer, 157 Tchagra senegalus , see Tchagra, Black-crowned Tchagra, Black-crowned, change to spelling of scientific name, 320 Teal, Blue- winged, photograph, 333, plate 159 , Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 307 , Green-winged, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 77; recent taxonomic changes, 307 Tern, Aleutian, recent taxonomic changes, 310 , ‘American Black’, at Weston-super-Mare: new to Britain, 450-9, plates 231-45; photographs, 504, plates 266-7; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 630 , Arctic, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Bridled, recent taxonomic changes, 310 , Caspian, recent taxonomic changes, 310 , Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 148, plate 67; incubating an empty nest, 155-7; apparently feeding on oilseed rape, 369 , Gull-billed, recent taxonomic changes, 310 , Lesser Crested, photographs, 554, plates 303-4 , Little, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 310; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 630 , Roseate, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Sandwich, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 630 , Saunders’s, recent taxonomic changes, 310; photograph, 556, plate 306 , Sooty, recent taxonomic changes, 310; British records in 1951 and 1954 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Whiskered, change to spelling of scientific name, 320; photograph, 656, plate 361 , White-cheeked, photograph, 548, plate 296 , White-winged Black, photograph, 391, plate 189 Tetrao tetrix, see Grouse, Black urogallus, see Capercaillie Thalassarche melanophris , see Albatross, Black-browed Thelwell, D., White-throated Robin on Skokholm; new to Britain, 361-4 Thoburn, G„ photograph of Cattle Egret, 169, plate 71; of Laughing Gull, 170, plate 73; of Marbled Duck, 592, plate 317 Thrush, Blue Rock, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Chestnut, photograph, 612, plate 342 , Dark-throated, photographs of'Black-throated’, 57, 171, plates 26, 75-76 , Grey-cheeked, photograph, 57, plate 25 , Hermit, photograph, 660, plate 370 — , Mistle, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; defending berries from Waxwings, 158-9 , Plain-backed, photograph, 612, plate 343 , Song, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , White’s, British record in 1952 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Tiberti, R., Northern Wheatears feeding on Common Frogs, 268 Tigges, U., do Common Swifts emit ultrasound?, 579 Tipling, D, photograph of 'Northern Bullfinch', 8, plate 8; of Redwing, 66, plate 29; of Lesser Scaup, 169, 70; of Common Scoter, 187, plate 85; of Arctic Redpoll, 318, plate 158; of Osprey, 382, plate 183; of Pied Flycatcher, 479, plate 249 , , see Chandler, R., et al. Tipper, R., photograph of Red-rumped Swallow, 313, plate 156 Tit, Azure, recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Bearded, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 , Black-browed, photograph, 616, plate 345 , Blue, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Coal, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; using peanuts in courtship feeding, 159; recent taxonomic changes, 317; occurrence of race ater in Britain, 642 , Crested, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 317, plate 157; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 639 , Great, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; functions of egg patterning, 338-53, plates 166, 170 , Long-tailed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 638-9, plate 355 , Marsh, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; an example of polygyny, 211-12 , Penduline, photographs, 1 16, 272, plates 46, 130 , Siberian, recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Sombre, recent taxonomic changes, 317 , Willow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 317; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 639 Todiramphus chloris, see Kingfisher, Collared Todisco, S., see Panuccio, M., et al. Tout, P„ letter on Lady Amherst’s Pheasants in Britain, 205 Towll, H., review of Busby: Landmarks and Sea Wings, 219 Treecreeper, Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; occurrence of race familiaris in Britain, 642 Tringa erythropus, see Redshank, Spotted glareola, see Sandpiper, Wood melanoleuca, see Yellowlegs, Greater nebularia, see Greenshank, Common ochropus , see Sandpiper, Green stagnatilis, see Sandpiper, Marsh totanus, see Redshank, Common Troglodytes troglodytes, see Wren Tropicbird, Red-billed, photograph, 553, plate 302 Tryngites subruficollis, see Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Turdoides caudata, see Babbler, Common ,fulva, see Babbler, Fulvous Tardus iliacus, see Redwing merula, see Blackbird migratorius, see Robin, American philomelos, see Thrush, Song pilaris, see Fieldfare rubrocanus, see Thrush, Chestnut ruficoUis, see Thrush, Dark-throated torquatus, see Ouzel, Ring viscivorus, see Thrush, Mistle Turnix sylvaticus, see Button-quail, Small Turnstone, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 628 Twite, population estimate in Great Britain and the United 678 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 Index c > Kingdom, 25-44 Tyto alba, see Owl, Barn Ullman, M., African Desert Locusts in Morocco in November 2004, 489-91, plates 258-60 Upupa epops, see Hoopoe Uria aalge, see Guillemot, Common lomvia, see Guillemot, Briinnich’s Van den Berg, A., photograph of ‘Northern Bullfinch’ and Central European Bullfinch, 7, plate 6 Vanellus gregarius , see Lapwing, Sociable vanellus, see Lapwing, Northern Vireo olivaceus, see Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed, photograph, 661, plate 375 Voice: Common Swift, 579; Sky Lark, 267-8; Wren, 157; Willow Warbler, 580 Vulture, Egyptian, northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 570-1 , Griffon, threatened by EU legislation?, 374—5; photograph, 438, plate 218; northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 571 , RiippelFs, northward migration at Strait of Gibraltar, 573-4, plate 314 Wagtail, Citrine, photograph, 596, plate 326 , Grey, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , White/Pied, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 633-4 .Yellow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 632, plate 351 Wallace, D. I. M., etal, a review of the 1950-57 British rarities, 460-4 Walsh, A., see Fox, A. D., et al. , T., letter on the Fair Isle sandpiper, 46 Wanless, S., see Harris, M. P. Warbler, African Desert, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Aquatic, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 1 33 — 4; photographs, 543, 598, plates 290, 329 , Arabian, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Arctic, recent taxonomic changes, 315; photographs, 599, 660, plates 331, 372 , Asian Desert, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Australian Reed, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Barred, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 136; recent taxonomic changes, 314; taking nectar on autumn migration in Shetland, 579-80 , Basra Reed, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Blyth’s Reed, photograph, 598, plate 330 , Booted, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Brooks’s Leaf, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 136-7, plate 60 , Canada, photograph, 662, plate 377 , Cape Verde, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Cetti’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 636 , Clamorous Reed, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Cyprus, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Dartford, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Eastern Olivaceous, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314; British records in 1951 and 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Garden, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14; recent taxonomic changes, 314; taking nectar on autumn migration in Shetland, 579-80 , Grasshopper, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 636 , Gray’s Grasshopper, occurrences in Europe, including a further case of Meinertzhagen fraud, 506-16, plates 269-77 , Great Reed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Greenish, recent taxonomic changes, 315, 375; photographs, 544, plates 293-4; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 637 , Hume’s, photographs, 116, 172, plates 45, 77-78 , Icterine, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 134 , Lanceolated, British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; photograph, 597, plate 328 , Marmora’s, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Marsh, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 134-5 , Melodious, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 134-5; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305 , Menetries’s, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Moustached, British records in 1951 and 1952 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; a review of British records, 465-78, plate 248 , Olive-tree, photograph, 544, plate 292 , Oriental Reed, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Orphean, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305, plate 154; recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Paddyfield, photographs, 58, 543, plates 27, 291 , Pallas’s Leaf, recent taxonomic changes, 315; photograph, 136, plate 60 , Radde’s, photograph, 661, plate 373 , Reed, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 313; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 636 , Riippell’s, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Sardinian, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Savi’s, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photograph, 392, plate 191 , Sedge, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; photographs, 468-9, plates 247-8 , Spectacled, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Subalpine, photograph, 278, plate 139; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 637 , Sykes’s, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Tristram’s, recent taxonomic changes, 314 , Western Bonelli’s, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305 , Western Olivaceous, consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314; British records in 1951 and 1956 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 , Willow, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; Holmes, R, moult in an overwintering bird in Britain, 97; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; unusual song, 580; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 638 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 679 Index c ) , Wood, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44 , Yellow-browed, numbers in Britain in 2003, 129, 137-8, plate 61 Warden, D., review of Hansell: Bird Nests and Construction, 102; of Ballance: A History of the Birds of Somerset, 650 Waxwing, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; Mistle Thrush defending berries from, 158-9 Wheatear, Black, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 , Black-eared, British records in 1951 and 1954 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4; a review of status in the Maltese Islands, 484-9, plates 254-7 , Cyprus, recent taxonomic changes, 313 , Desert, British record in 1950 no longer considered acceptable, 460^t; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; photograph, 659, plate 369 , Isabelline, photographs, 597, plate 327 , Northern, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; feeding on Common Frogs, 268; breeding population estimate in Britain, 533-5 , Pied, recent taxonomic changes, 313 , White-crowned Black, eating African Desert Locusts, 491 Whimbrel, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; eating African Desert Locusts, 491; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 627-8 Whinchat, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 White, S., see Roberts, J. Whitethroat, Common, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; consuming nectar at Saharan stopover site, 299-305; recent taxonomic changes, 314; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 637 , Lesser, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; recent taxonomic changes, 314; racial identification and assessment in Britain, 636-7 Wigeon, American, numbers in Britain in 2003, 75-77 , Eurasian, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^14 Wilson, J., see Conservation research news , , see Fox, A. D., et al. , S., see Panuccio, M., et al. Wilsonia canadensis, see Warbler, Canada Wink, M., obituary of Andreas J. Helbig, 225-6, plate 98 Wiseman, E., European Nightjar nesting on tree stump, 267 Witting, L., photograph of King Eider, 288, plate 143; of Greenland Mallard, 290, plate 145; of White-tailed Eagle, 291, plate 146; of Purple Sandpiper, 292, plate 147; of Iceland Gull, 293, plate 148; of Harlequin Duck, 295, plate 150; of Common Eider, 298, plate 150 Wood, John Duncan, obituary, 387-8 Woodcock, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^44 Woodcock, M., review of Stoddart & Joyner; The Birds of Blakeney Point, 100; obituary of Richard Fitter, 109-11, plate 37; review of Ratcliffe: Lapland: a natural history, 160 Woodpecker, Great Spotted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25^4; nesting in • Yew, 157; photograph, 349, plate 172; racial identification and assessment in Britain and occurrence of race major, 631, 641 , Green, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 , Lesser Spotted, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Wotton, S., see Conservation research news Wren, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44; juveniles singing in their first summer, 157; juveniles fed by Common Chiffchaff, 268 Wryneck, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25 — 44; numbers in Britain in 2003, 75, 9091, plate 35 Wynn, R., photograph of Arctic Redpoll, 600, plate 334 Yellowhammer, population estimate in Great Britain and the United Kingdom, 25-44 Yellowlegs, Greater, British record in 1953 no longer considered acceptable, 460-4 Yip, M., photograph of ‘American Black Tern’, 457, plate 242 Young, S., photograph of Masked Shrike, 69, plate 3; of Ring-billed Gull, 88, plate 34; of Wryneck, 90, plate 35; of Rose-coloured Starling, 143, plate 63; of Short-billed Dowitcher, 355, plates 173-5; of Black-headed Gull, 439, plate 22 1 ; of Black Tern, 458, plate 244; of Glossy Ibis, 655, plate 359 Zockler, C., obituary of Eugeny E. Syroechkovski, 273^1, plate 131 Zonotrichia albicollis, see Sparrow, White-throated leucophrys, see Sparrow, White-crowned Zoothera dauma, see Thrush, White’s mollissima, see Thrush, Plain-backed List of illustrations Pages 2 Northern Bullfinch (Alan Harris) 25 Goldfinch (Rosemary Watts-Powell) 60 Redwings (Alan Harris ) 174 Eurasian Bittern (Alan Harris) 183 Common Scoters and Velvet Scoter (Dan Powell) 361 White-throated Robin ( David Thelwell) 460 ‘Free at last!’ (D. I. M. Wallace) 465 The Cambridgeshire warblers ( Alan Harris) 619 ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ (Dan Powell) 628 ‘Hudsonian Whimbrel’ (Dan Powell) 640 Western Jackdaw ( Dan Powell) 645 ‘Northern Long-tailed Tits’ (Dan Powell) 680 British Birds 99 • Index to volume 99 BOOKS - Handle with care Name Address If undelivered, please return to: Blisset Bookbinders Roslin Road, London W3 8DH To Blisset Bookbinders Roslin Road, London W3 8DH I enclose cheque/RO. for £ for binding The rate for binding is £ 26 per volume, which includes the cost of packing and return postage (UK only). For binding of volumes sent by overseas customers, please do not send money with your order. The full cost of binding and overseas postage will be advised by the binders prior to commencement of binding. 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