British Birds January 2010 *Vol.l03 • 1-78 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Glaucous-winged Gull - new to Britain ISSN 0007-0335 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), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty- free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you are warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/ Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata , Norfolk, January 2007. Richard Chandler APO-TELEVID 65 mp THE HISTORY MUSEUM ^:$oJANbr2049r insif hts PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY into nature uncompromised optical performance, in a Leica APO 65 & 25-50xWW MBEST UK PRICE!! ^ part exchange welcome london camera exchange 1 5 The Square, Winchester 01962 866203 2008 .'CET* 1 )thiiier winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk reddot design winner 2009 Observing and capturing unique moments down to the smallest detail. Capture the moment The new Victory PhotoScope 85 T* FL is the world's first spotti with a zoom lens and a fully integrated digital camera tha simultaneous observation and photography. Thanks to its observation optics, it is possible to gain unique visual experie can easily be recorded at the touch of a button. The exceller view guarantees a cinematic visual experience. Further information on www.zeiss.de/photoscope Observing and Photograph ZE] British Birds Volume 1 03 # Number I • January 20 1 0 2 Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2007 Mark Holling and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 53 Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire: new to Britain John Sanders 60 Winter roosting behaviour of Hen Harriers in northern England Peter Middleton 6 1 Social behaviour of the Egyptian Vulture R. F. Porter and Diana Quiroz Regular features 52 Announcements East Glamorgan and Gower New taxonomic sequence 65 Letters Dark-rumped storm-petrels and others W. R. P. Bourne Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels in Spanish waters Ricard Gutierrez and Juan Antonio Lorenzo 67 Reviews The Golden Oriole Echoes from Cape Clear: a year in the life of an Irish island and its Bird Observatory A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos The Nature Guide to the Cevennes and Grand Causses - France The Nature Guide to the Camargue, La Crau and Les Alpilles - France Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd edn) 7 1 Editorial Roger Riddington 72 News and comment Adrian Pitches 76 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey D FSC Mixed Sources British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and ♦> interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Dan Powell Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2007 Mark Holling and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel With the publication of this, its thirty-fourth report, the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) has been compiling and archiving information on rare breeding birds for 35 years. This report presents details of the status of the rarest breeding birds in the UK in 2007. Data sources Records are collated from all counties of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and also the Isle of Man, but not from the Channel Islands. Most of the infor- mation presented is submitted by county and regional bird recorders (hereafter simply ‘recorders’), for whose support we are extremely grateful. The Panel also receives information from a number of other sources, including returns from Schedule 1 licence holders, Raptor Study Groups, information from national surveys, counts from RSPB reserves, and other single-species studies (see Acknowledgments). Coverage In 2007, coverage was broadly similar to that in 2006, with at least some data available from all counties and regions (fig. 1). Full returns were received in time for this report from 61 recorders and extracts from bird reports came from a further six counties. It is welcome to again include certain counties after some years of absence from this report, namely Angus & Dundee, Cornwall, East Glamorgan and Northamptonshire. However, it is disappointing that neither detailed sub- missions nor copies of local bird reports were available for 1 1 recording areas: Caithness, Clyde Islands, Gower, Greater London, Gwent, Herefordshire, Isle of Man, Mont- gomeryshire, Perth & Kinross, Radnorshire and West Midlands. Some information for the missing Welsh counties was available from the Welsh Bird Report (Green & Pritchard 2009). Data were available for Northern Ireland, however, both from the Northern Ireland recorder and from the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel (Hillis 2008). Readers should take into account these potential gaps in the coverage when reviewing the data presented in this report. It is encouraging that, increasingly over recent years, many recorders have provided annual data soon after the end of each year. The continuing impact of computerisation is ' perhaps the main reason behind this improvement, especially as data entry systems have matured and use of e-mail increased. Prompt submissions greatly assist the Panel to achieve its objective of 2 © British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Data inclusion There have been no changes to the acceptance criteria for records since the last report (Holling et al. 2009), from which further information is available. These criteria are also available on the Panel's website (www.rbbp.org.uk) and, during the course of this year, guidance on the interpretation of breeding evi- dence by species will be added to this website. Species for which only minimal information was received are listed in Appendix 1. The RBBP list There have been no changes to the list of species considered by the Panel since the publication of the last report. Although there may be minor changes over the next two years, we intend to undertake a full review of the list once the results of Bird Atlas 2007-11 are available. The current species list and guidelines on submitting records are available at: www.rbbp.org.uk It has been recognised that reporting of potential breeding records of the rarer races of some species, such as White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba, has not been entirely consistent in the past. Accordingly, with the collation of 2008 data, we intend to report all potential Fig. I. Data submission to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, 2007. This shows the level of detail provided, by recording area. Large (red) dots indicate full submission for all species from county/ regional recorder, with supplementary data from other sources where applicable: medium-size (green) dots indicate data extracted from local bird reports for all species, with supplementary data from other sources where applicable; small (blue) dots indicate limited species coverage using supplementary data sources only.These other sources include data extracted from Schedule I licence returns, local raptor study group reports, RSPB reserve logs and single-species submissions. publishing reports within two years of the breeding season in question; thus the 2008 report will appear in summer 2010. Inevitably, some counties have not yet been able to catch up in this manner, and we ask recorders for these areas to prioritise the col- lation of records of rare breeders to ensure their inclusion in future reports. Given the importance of these reports to conservation bodies, it is desirable that RBBP is able to maximise coverage across the whole of the UK. We stress that submissions received too late for the published reports are still important; these are added to our confidential archives to ensure that annual statistics and the inventory of breeding sites are updated, and that all records are centrally and securely held for conservation uses as and when required. breeding records of this race, as well as those of a number of other rare subspecies, including Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava other than M. f. flavissima and the rarer races of Wren Troglodytes troglodytes. Review of the year 2007 This report includes details of 82 species breeding or showing indications of breeding in 2007, three more than in 2006. A further British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 3 Holling et al. 1 1 species are noted in Appendix 1. The winter prior to the 2007 breeding season was again mild, presumably encour- aging good overwinter survival of some resi- dent passerines such as Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti and Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata. In many parts of the UK, spring was marked by a long dry spell in April but the summer itself was characterised by being exceptionally wet at times, especially in England, with extensive flooding in parts of southern Yorkshire in June and several counties in the southwest Midlands in July. Rainfall totals across the UK were almost twice the 30-year average in the key months of May, June and July (Met. Office data). This wet weather caused some ground-nesting birds, such as Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, and Eurasian Bitterns Botaurus stellaris along the East Anglian coast, to lose nests containing eggs or young chicks owing to flooding. For other species, such as Red Kite Milvus milvus and Merlin Falco colurn- barius , the cold and wet weather across the country, including the uplands, led to the abandonment of chicks in nests. Numbers of wildfowl in 2007 were similar to those reported in recent years, but there is a hint that numbers of nesting wild Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus are increasing, with five pairs in Shetland. After a blank year in 2006, it is pleasing to report a pair of Greater Scaups Aythya marila attempting to nest again, but the numbers of Common Scoters Melanitta nigra, based on the results of a national survey, showed a worryingly rapid decline of 45% since the last survey in 1995, to a maximum of just 52 breeding pairs. While there was again an unusual mixed pairing of Slavonian Podiceps auritus and Great Crested Grebes P. cristatus in England, the main population of Slavonian Grebes (in Scotland) suffered very low productivity, the second-lowest since 1971. The lower numbers of confirmed breeding Black- necked Grebes P. nigricollis continue the decline evident during the current decade. Some chicks were lost in heavy rain in Cheshire & Wirral but overall at least 40 young were fledged from 30 confirmed breeding pairs. In contrast, reedbed manage- ment and creation, aimed at conserving Eurasian Bitterns, continues to pay dividends with over 50 booming males recorded, all in England. This is only the second time this number has been reached since the RSPB began the monitoring programme in 1990, but the weather caused nesting failures at some sites. Little Egrets Egretta garzetta seem to warrant a mention in this section each year now and 2007 was no exception with yet another record number of sites and nests. As Little Egrets go from strength to strength we look for other new colonists from the south and 2007 saw attempted breeding by Purple Herons Ardea purpurea and Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia in eastern England. Both failed, with the tor- rential rain in early June affecting the herons and perhaps caused the desertion of the spoonbills. The heavy June rains led to many nest desertions of both tree- and ground-nesting raptors and reduced the productivity of Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus. Red Kites, Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis. Merlins and Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus. More encouragingly, Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus matched the record number of con- firmed breeding pairs (13) achieved in 2006. This is the second report to feature Water R.ails Rallus aquaticus, and fewer were reported in 2007 than in 2006, but many recorders commented that data reflect recording effort rather than true numbers. It will be some years before we can be more confident about total numbers, but the inclu- sion of this species in the RBBP list has at least stimulated an increase in recording. As a planned reintroduction scheme for Common Cranes Grus grus nears implementation, the species seems to be doing well on its own, with ten confirmed breeding pairs in three counties compared with six pairs in 2006. The Great Bustard Otis tarda reintroduction marked its first success in 2007, with con- firmed breeding achieved as eggs were laid by one pair. The BTO survey of Little Ringed Plovers Charadrius dubius found almost 900 pairs, easily the highest total since the species was' added to the RBBP list in 1996. A more exotic plover was added to the list of species to feature in these reports in 2007 as a long- staying Killdecr C. vociferus in Shetland was apparently paired with a Ringed Plover 4 British Birds 103 • lanuary 2010 • 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 C. hiaticula. Temminck’s Stints Calidris tem- minckii and Purple Sandpipers C. maritima maintain their precarious hold in Scotland, while a Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus nest was the first to be documented in Britain. A survey of Wood Sandpipers T. glareola found a total of 1 1-27 pairs compared to the pre- vious maximum of 18-22 in 2004. As with Little Egrets, there were again record numbers of sites holding Mediter- ranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus , though the number of pairs was fewer in 2007 and many colonies produced few young owing to the flooding of nests at a critical period. In 2007, Little Gulls Hydrocoloeus minutus nested for the fifth time in England but, as on previous occasions, the attempt failed at the egg stage. A lone Scops Owl Otus scops returned to Oxfordshire for a second year and, after a blank year in 2006, two records of Wryneck lynx torquilla indicate that this species may still be found in Highland Scotland, though the last confirmed breeding attempt was in 1999. Perhaps more will be found by field- workers for the 2007-11 Atlas. Such work may also increase the returns for Redwings Turdus iliacus, though an analysis of histor- ical records in this report shows a long-term decline since the mid 1980s, back to the numbers present in the 1970s. When the Panel first collated records, in 1973, there were 13 singing males/pairs of Redwing; this year we report 16. Contrast that with Cetti’s Warbler: 14 singing males in 1973 but over 2,000 singing males in 2007, with many recorders claiming their county totals to be underestimates. A total of four singing Icterine Warblers Hippolais icterina is unusual and seems to have been related to an influx to Shetland in late May. These are the first records of this species in this report since a pair bred in Orkney in 2002. It is perhaps inevitable that individuals of some of the rarest breeding birds will find themselves the only representative in an area, and form mixed pairs with related species. In this report, no fewer than nine species accounts include mixed pairs: Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis, Black Duck A. rubripes , Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris, Great Northern Diver Gavia immer. Slavonian Grebe, Killdeer, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis and White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba. The Panel The current membership of the Panel (January 2010) is as follows: Mark Eaton, Ian Francis, Simon Gillings, David Norman, Judith Smith, David Stroud (Chairman) and Mark Holling (Secretary). Members serve in a personal capacity, but some also reflect the interests and requirements of the funding partners, JNCC (on behalf of the country conservation agencies) and RSPB, as well as the BTO and the Association of County Recorders and Editors (ACRE). The Panel membership aims to achieve broadly repre- sentative geographic coverage and to include members who have active involvement in monitoring schemes and specialist research groups, or who participate in various external groups, to facilitate liaison between the Panel and researchers, ringers, surveyors and conservation practitioners. Recording Standards The last report introduced new recording standards to help the assessment and submis- sion of records of rare breeding birds. A leaflet describing these standards was distrib- uted widely during the spring of 2009. Given that perhaps half of the 2007 dataset had already been submitted by that time, it is perhaps early days to judge the impact these standards have made, but it was apparent in some submissions that a more rigorous approach in data inclusion and in the details provided had been made. Clearly, this enhances the value of the RBBP dataset. Through the wide adoption of this guidance we aim to improve the information about rare breeding birds in the UK, for the long- term benefit of bird conservation. The leaflet is available at: www.rbbp.org.uk/rbbp- recording-standards Conservation uses of RBBP data It has always been RBBP policy to make data available for relevant conservation uses, with appropriate controls to ensure the safety of the birds and their breeding sites. Site- specific information is used by JNCC and the country conservation agencies, and national British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 5 Holling et al. datasets by the RSPB for survey planning. Since the last report, RBBP data have been used by the RSPB in connection with the analysis of Common Scoter survey results and to plan a national survey of Corn Crakes Crex crex. The Panel and the RSPB have also worked together in assembling a definitive dataset for breeding Black-throated Divers G. arctica and Black-tailed Godwits. Individuals conducting research into Peregrines in northern England and in compiling an atlas of breeding birds in North-east Scotland have also benefited from access to our archives. In recent years one of the most important uses of RBBP data has been to assist with the compilation of the annual The State of the UK's Birds report. The 2008 issue (Eaton et al. 2009b) included a review of the colonisa- tion of the UK by breeding species from southern Europe, using data collated by RBBP. The year 2009 also saw the publication of the third Birds of Conservation Concern assessment (Eaton et al. 2009a), for which our data provided the most reliable contem- porary figures for many of the rarer species. The high conservation value of these reports demonstrates the importance of publishing the RBBP report promptly to assist the con- servation effort. An action plan drawn up for Eurasian Spoonbill in Europe has also made use of RBBP data (Triplet et al. 2008). The conservation status of some RBBP species has changed following this review, and these changes are noted in this report. The 2009 Report When compiling this report, we aim to invite individuals to contribute additional text to add value to the species accounts. In this and future reports we hope to highlight one or two species more fully by including a review of past records, putting the current year’s status into more recent historical perspective. This report thus features a review of Redwing records by Bob Swann, a Highland-based birder who has experience of finding breeding Redwings and is currently the Scot- tish Organiser for the BTO/BWI/SOC Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 project. As in the past, we have also invited comment from survey organ- isers. For the two relevant single-species surveys conducted in 2007 (Common Scoter and kittle Ringed Plover), we are grateful to 6 Mark Eaton (RSPB) and Greg Conway (BTO), respectively, for providing sum- maries. It is also our hope that future reports will pick up on broad themes and include addi- tional texts related to them. In this report we focus on reintroductions of rare breeding species, with extended texts on two long- term projects (White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla and Red Kite), and two more recent, localised reintroductions (Corn Crake in Cambridgeshire and Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus in Cornwall). Peter Newbery of the RSPB has provided these additional sections. The year 2007 also saw the first confirmed breeding of Great Bustards released as part of the project led by the Great Bustard Consor- tium of the Great Bustard Group and the University of Bath. David Waters and Tanias Szekely have kindly provided an update on this project. Peter Newbery has also con- tributed the following review of bird reintro- duction projects in the UK. Bird reintroductions in the UK Background The first reintroduction of a native bird species, formerly extinct in the UK, involved the Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. A number of landowners in Scotland, using a variety of techniques, released Capercaillies on their estates during the nineteenth century, and the increasing population spread widely so that by 1900 they were found between Arran and Fife, and north to Inverness-shire. This reintroduction was carried out mainly to provide gamebirds for shooting. At that time, many birds were being persecuted in one way or another, and it was not until well into the twentieth century that bird conservation came into its own. The reintroduction of bird species to the UK, or translocation to regions within the UK from which they had disappeared, was formerly regarded with some suspicion by those interested in conservation - the general view was that if suitable habitats were avail- able and there was no persecution, most' species would recolonise naturally, given time. The unsuccessful trials by private indi- viduals, such as those in the early 1970s involving Great Bustards on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, reinforced this scepticism, so the British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 decision to reintroduce White-tailed Eagles to Scotland in the late 1970s was an enor- mous change in philosophy. The decision was taken because the species was regarded as globally threatened, and unlikely to recolonise naturally from its nearest breeding localities in Norway, even though the main reason for its disappearance from Scotland (persecution) was thought to be less of a threat than formerly. A decade later, discussions took place between a number of conservation organisa- tions to decide how best to improve the con- servation status of the Red Kite in the UK. At that time, in the mid 1980s, Red Kites were confined to central Wales and, although numbers were increasing slowly, the species’ range was not expanding significantly. The resulting long-running Red Kite reintroduc- tion project, begun in 1989 and still in opera- tion, is now well known and highly regarded by most people as an extremely successful conservation programme. In the mid to late 1990s, the UK Biodiver- sity Action Plan was drawn up, and the plans for two bird species (Corn Crake in 1995 and Cirl Bunting in 1998) included reintroduc- tion projects as a means of achieving long- term targets. It should be noted that these range-expansion objectives were only a small part of the overall conservation objectives for these species, which aimed mainly to ensure the maintenance and expansion of existing populations elsewhere in the UK. However, their inclusion was a clear sign that reintro- duction as a tool had finally become accepted by mainstream conservation organisations. In recent years, more species have been the subject of reintroduction programmes in the UK, including the Osprey Pandion hali- aetus , Great Bustard and Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix. A new programme, the Great Crane Project, is scheduled to begin in 2010, involving Common Cranes being released in Somerset. It is important that any new reintroduc- tion programmes are carried out to a high standard, with good justification and ade- quate resourcing. It is currently legal to release native species of birds into the wild (providing they have been acquired legally) without a licence, except for the small number listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act. However, the Schedule 9 list is likely to be extended by Defra, in order to reduce potential problems of release proj- ects that are poorly devised or executed. One problem regarding native species that became extinct before the bird protection legislation was devised is that reintroduced individuals and their offspring will not be covered by the Special Protection measures of Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act. In particular this applies to the Great Bustard, and also to the Common Crane (even though it became re-established in the wild in the 1980s). Principles for reintroduction projects It is generally accepted by those involved in reintroduction projects that, for species which are already present in the UK, reintro- duction should form only a part of the overall conservation effort for that species. Improving the status of existing native popu- lations is of overriding importance. This topic was explored further by Carter et al. (2008). It is the formal policy of JNCC and the country agencies to follow the IUCN’s inter- nationally accepted guidelines on reintroduc- tions when deciding whether to approve a reintroduction project. The RSPB undertakes an initial assessment of the conservation jus- tification for any new reintroduction pro- gramme, along the following lines: Is the species extinct in the UK or a significant part of its original UK range? If not, reintroduction is likely to be unnecessary, unless there are other pressing reasons. What were the causes of the species’ original disappearance? If they were natural processes, reintroduction may not be justified. Human persecution, habitat destruction, etc. would be justifications. Have these causes been rectified/reduced/ eliminated? If not, reintroduction is unlikely to be justified. What is the likelihood of natural recolonisation within the next ten years? If likely, reintroduction is probably unnecessary unless there are other pressing reasons for going ahead. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 7 Holling et al. Is the reintroduced species likely to have a significant impact on any native species? If so, this would make reintroduction difficult to justify. Does sufficient suitable habitat exist to support a self-sustaining breeding population? If not, can sufficient suitable habitat be created and maintained? Can its long-term suitability be assured (designation, conservation ownership)? Long-term security is an essential requirement. From where is donor stock to be obtained? Elsewhere in the UK, within the EU, outside the EU? Is it of wild or captive origin? Biosecurity is an extremely important part of any trans- location proposal, and stringent safeguards are needed to prevent disease transmission from captive individuals into the wild. If wild, will removing these individuals affect the remaining donor population? It is a firm principle that any donor population must not be detrimentally affected by the removal of individuals for translocation. Is it genetically similar to the original UK stock? Wherever possible, genetically similar stock should be used. This is especially important for a species which still exists in other parts of the UK, so that mixing of native and reintroduced populations is likely. Aviculture methods required (captive breeding/rear-and-release/other). In general, the simpler the methods, the cheaper the project and the greater the chance of success. Terminology The recording areas used in this report are the same as in previous reports (see Holling et al. 2007 and www.rbbp.org.uk); these match the bird recording areas used by recorders across the UK. Contra Ballance & Smith (2008), records for Gower and East Glamorgan are again presented separately in this report as these areas continue to publish separate bird reports (see p. 52). The Panel attempts to collate all breeding records by bird recording area (usually ‘county’) wherever pos- sible, and we urge contributors to submit records in the same manner, via recorders. In some cases, this is not yet possible, and records are presented under different area groupings, for instance by Raptor Study Group (RSG) area. Thus, the Central Scotland RSG covers an area roughly equivalent to the Upper Forth recording area; the South Strathclyde RSG area includes both Ayrshire and Clyde and some of the Clyde Islands; and the Tayside RSG area equates approximately to the recording areas of Angus & Dundee together with Perth & Kinross. However, North-east Scotland RSG includes that recording area and the eastern part of the Moray & Nairn recording area, and Highland RSG includes not only the Highland recording area but also the western part of Moray & Nairn. Scottish Raptor Study Group area boundaries are shown on their website at www.scottishraptorgroups.org/areas The definitions of ‘Confirmed breeding’, ‘Prob- able breeding’ and ‘Possible breeding’ follow those recommended by the European Bird Census Council (Hagemeijer & Blair 1997). Within tables, the abbreviation ‘Confirmed pairs’ means ‘Number of pairs confirmed breeding’. Where tables show the number of occupied territories, these are the sum of confirmed and probable breeding pairs, as territorial birds are classed as being probably breeding, unless a nest has (at least) progressed to the stage where eggs have been laid, in which case the pair is classified as a confirmed breeding pair. It is important to note that confirmed breeding is not the same as successful breeding; nests that fail with eggs or with young still fall into the con- firmed category. A successful breeding pair is one that fledges at least one young bird from a nesting attempt. Where possible, the Panel is now collating figures of young in the nest separately from young fledged, as the latter figure is not always available for some species. Thus, some table headings now show the number of territories believed to have fledged young (based on the evidence presented to the Panel), rather than territories known to have fledged young. Readers should note that in all cases the iden- tity of the birds has been confirmed; it is only breeding status that is possible/probable/con- firmed. Probable breeding is as defined by EBCC (e.g. a pair holding territory), and does not mean that a breeding attempt probably (i.e. was likely to have) occurred. Within each species account, numbers given in the format ‘1-4 pairs’ indicate (in this case) one , proven breeding pair and a possible maximum total of four breeding pairs. In the tables, zeros mean that there were no birds recorded in that area in that year, whereas a rule (-) indicates that no data were received. 8 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 13 sites: 6-13 pairs. In the previous ten years between two and seven pairs have nested, with the majority always in Shetland (where there have been breeding attempts since 1994). The number of sites in 2007 was higher than in recent years and may indicate a modest expansion. As well as the pairs listed, single summering birds were reported widely, mainly in Scotland, but at these sites there was no indication of breeding behaviour. Scotland, S Ayrshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: an unpaired bird built a nest. Scotland, N & W Argyll Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. Caithness One site: one pair possibly bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair probably bred. Shetland Five sites: five pairs bred; three were successful fledging a total of seven young. Northern Ireland Co. Londonderry One site: one pair bred, fledging seven young. Co. Fermanagh One site: one pair probably bred. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope 50 sites: 48-124 pairs. Owing to the widespread records of summering individuals and pairs, with no evidence of breeding, this report includes only records of at least probable breeding, based on the presence of at least a male and a female and records spanning more than one week. Problems of coverage in the remote areas of north and west Scotland mean that the numbers here will under-represent the true total as some sites are visited only once in the season. Possible breeding records, included previously, would have accounted for up to 46 pairs in 2007, but almost all of these are in counties with little record of continuous breeding. In addition, small flocks in Lan- cashire & N Merseyside, Norfolk and Sussex were noted during the breeding season. England, SW Somerset One site: three pairs probably bred. England, SE Essex One site: two pairs bred. England, E Northamptonshire One site: one pair probably bred. England, C Nottinghamshire One site: three pairs bred. England, N Durham 11 sites: 21 pairs bred. Northumberland Four sites: six pairs bred. Yorkshire Four sites: one pair bred and seven pairs probably bred. Wales Anglesey Two sites: seven pairs probably bred. Scotland, S Borders One site: one pair probably bred. Clyde One site: one pair probably bred. Dumfries & Galloway Two sites: four pairs probably bred. Scotland, Mid Perth & Kinross One site: five pairs probably bred. Scotland, N & W Argyll Two sites: one pair bred and one pair probably bred. Highland Eight sites: one pair bred and 39 pairs probably bred. Orkney Six sites: six pairs bred and five pairs probably bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair bred. Shetland Two sites: six pairs bred. Northern Ireland Co. Down One site: two pairs probably bred. Gadwall Anas strepera 533-1,660 pairs. The maximum of 1,660 pairs is another new record, yet is still likely to be an underestimate. There were fewer records of confirmed breeding, and that total is the lowest since British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 9 Holling et al. 1996 (313). This may be because observers are less inclined to report breeding now that the species is more common and widespread. In 1996 the total number of pairs reported, at 494, was less than a third of the total in 2007. Gadwall Confirmed pairs Total pairs Worcestershire England, N 1 123 1 258 England, SW 73 360 Cheshire & Wirral 12 22 Avon 2 3 Cleveland 0 17 Devon 1 4 Cumbria 1 5 Dorset 0 56 Durham 4 6 Gloucestershire 5 9 Greater Manchester 11 12 Hampshire 41 144 Lancashire & N Merseyside 26 34 Isles of Scilly 1 1 Northumberland 7 7 Somerset 20 140 Yorkshire 62 155 Wiltshire 3 3 Wales 9 72 England, SE 90 336 Anglesey 0 60 Bedfordshire 6 6 Caernarfonshire 1 4 Berkshire 6 6 Carmarthenshire 8 8 Buckinghamshire 1 1 Scotland, S 0 23 Essex 0 13 Borders 0 3 Hertfordshire 33 133 Clyde 0 17 Kent 37 137 Dumfries & Galloway 0 3 Oxfordshire 0 13 Scotland, Mid 3 22 Sussex 7 27 Angus & Dundee 1 4 England, E 156 425 Fife 0 2 Cambridgeshire 42 176 North-east Scotland 2 6 Lincolnshire 3 21 Perth & Kinross 0 7 Norfolk 32 79 Upper Forth 0 3 Northamptonshire 0 4 Scotland, N & W 14 25 Suffolk 79 145 Argyll 2 4 England, C 50 124 Orkney 10 12 Derbyshire 11 12 Outer Hebrides 2 9 Leicestershire & Rutland 7 15 Northern Ireland 15 15 Nottinghamshire 15 40 Co. Antrim 11 11 Staffordshire 9 14 Co. Armagh 3 3 Warwickshire 5 40 Co. Tyrone 1 1 West Midlands 2 2 TOTALS 533 1,660 Pintail Anas acuta 20 sites: 10-28 pairs plus one hybrid. The key counties of Argyll and Orkney account for half of the total number of pairs. England, SE Essex Two sites: one pair bred and one pair pos- sibly bred. Oxfordshire One site: four pairs possibly bred. Sussex One site: one pair bred, seen with three very recently fledged young in late July, although it is thought they were hatched else- where. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: one pair bred (brood of ten seen in late May) and one pair possibly bred. Fig. 2. Number of breeding Pintails Anas acuta (max. total pairs) in the UK, 1 973-2007. Five- year means have fluctuated between 22 and 5 I pairs in the last 30 years, but note that there was a complete survey of Orkney in 1994. 10 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Lincolnshire One site: one pair bred (brood of seven seen in early July). England, N Yorkshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Wales Pembrokeshire One site: a female Pintail x Mallard Anas platyrhynchos hybrid was seen with a brood of 13 on 6th April but not subsequently. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, N & W Argyll Five sites: two pairs bred (one brood of five seen in late July), and six pairs possibly bred. Orkney Three sites: four pairs bred and two pairs possibly bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair probably bred. Northern Ireland Co. Armagh One site: one pair probably bred as two small birds seen in late July were thought to be juveniles reared locally. Garganey Anas querquedula 62 sites: 15-90 pairs. There is the usual wide spread of records, with little consistency between years. Proof of breeding was reported from nine counties in England and one in Northern Ireland, the highest number since 2000. England, SW Gloucestershire Two sites: two pairs possibly bred - one pair may have nested but was flooded out. Hamp- shire Three sites: three pairs bred and one pair probably bred. Somerset Three sites: ten pairs probably bred. England, SE Buckinghamshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Hertfordshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Kent Seven sites: one pair bred and nine pairs possibly bred. Sussex Three sites: two pairs bred and one pair pos- sibly bred. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: one pair bred and 12 pairs possibly bred. Lincolnshire Three sites: three pairs possibly bred. Norfolk Six sites: three pairs bred and four pairs possibly bred. Northamptonshire Three sites: one pair probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Suffolk Three sites: one pair bred and two pairs possibly bred. England, C Nottinghamshire Three sites: one pair bred and two pairs possibly bred. England, N Cleveland One site: two pairs possibly bred. Greater Manchester One site: one pair probably bred. Lanca- shire & N Merseyside Three sites: one pair probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Northumberland One site: one pair bred. This is the first breeding in the county since 1983. Yorkshire Three sites: one pair bred, two pairs probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Wales Anglesey One site: one pair possibly bred. Carmarthenshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Ceredigion One site: one pair possibly bred. Pembrokeshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, S Borders One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: three pairs possibly bred. Perth & Kinross One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: one pair possibly bred. Orkney One site: one pair possibly bred. Outer Hebrides Three sites: one pair probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: one pair bred. Shoveler Anas clypeata 229-88 1 pairs. With only two years of data, it is too early to draw firm conclusions on numbers and distribution. However, the total of confirmed breeding pairs is much lower than in 2006 and this holds true across most of the counties with higher numbers of confirmed pairs in both years: Cam- bridgeshire, Essex, Kent, Lancashire & N Merseyside, Norfolk and Orkney, with only Yorkshire British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 Holling et al. Shoveler Cleveland 2 6 Confirmed pairs Total pairs Cumbria 1 1 England, SW 14 38 Greater Manchester 1 3 Avon 1 2 Lancashire & N Merseyside 12 43 Devon 0 1 Northumberland 1 1 Dorset 1 11 Yorkshire 36 102 Hampshire 8 12 Wales 4 38 Somerset 4 12 Anglesey 0 34 England, SE 43 166 Pembrokeshire 4 4 Bedfordshire 1 1 Scotland, S 0 9 Essex 1 65 Borders 0 1 Hertfordshire 6 11 Clyde 0 2 Kent 34 68 Dumfries & Galloway 0 6 Oxfordshire 0 10 Scotland, Mid 2 14 Sussex 1 11 Angus & Dundee 1 3 England, E 75 346 Fife 1 3 Cambridgeshire 63 176 North-east Scotland 0 3 Norfolk 6 90 Perth & Kinross 0 5 Northamptonshire 1 3 Scotland, N & W 31 96 Suffolk 5 77 Argyll 4 29 England, C 4 8 Highland 0 1 Leicestershire & Rutland 1 1 Orkney 19 31 Nottinghamshire 3 3 Outer Hebrides 8 35 Shropshire 0 1 Northern Ireland 2 2 Staffordshire 0 3 Co. Antrim 1 1 England, N 54 164 Co. Tyrone 1 1 Cheshire & Wirral 1 8 TOTALS 229 881 posting an increase. As noted in the last report, the Derwent Valley in Yorkshire is believed to be the most important site for breeding Shovelers in England; with 71 pairs reported in 2007, compared with just one in 2006, the difference is surely a result of different levels of recording at this site. Common Pochard Aythya ferina 319-559 pairs. Numbers remain stable, with Essex and Kent between them accou nting for 42% of the total number of pairs. Common Pochard Shropshire 0 1 Confirmed pairs Total pairs Worcestershire 2 2 England, SW 28 65 England, N 28 52 Avon 7 7 Cheshire & Wirral 8 11 Dorset 6 6 Cleveland 5 5 Gloucestershire 0 1 Greater Manchester 4 4 Hampshire 8 13 Lancashire 8< N Merseyside 3 19 Isles of Scilly 0 1 Northumberland 2 2 Somerset 7 37 Yorkshire 6 u England, SE 183 267 Wales 5 20 Essex 108 108 Anglesey 2 9 Hertfordshire 20 32 Carmarthenshire 0 8 Kent 55 125 Gwent 3 3 Oxfordshire 0 2 Scotland, S 0 1 England, F. 59 136 Borders 0 1 Cambridgeshire 1 11 Scotland, N & W 3 3 Lincolnshire 1 44 Orkney 3 3 Norfolk 51 68 Northern Ireland 9 10 Northamptonshire 1 3 Co. Antrim 5 6 Suffolk 5 10 Co. Armagh 3 3 England, C 4 5 Co. Tyrone 1 1 Nottinghamshire 2 2 TOTALS 319 559 12 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Greater Scaup Aythya marila Two sites: 0-2 pairs. A promising record from Caithness suggested a breeding attempt, the first such indication since a pair in Argyll in 2002. In addition, a single female present at a site in Argyll in 2007 was in an area where breeding might occur. Greater Scaup is now a Red-listed species (Eaton et al. 2009a) but this is due to declines in the non-breeding population rather than any change in its status as a breeding bird; there has never been more than three pairs in the last 35 years. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: a single female present from late May into June. Caithness One site: a vigilant male close to a female at a possible nest-site in mid May, but despite repeated visits there were no further sightings. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Fifteen lochs and one extensive site: 9-52 pairs. Common Scoters were found breeding in the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland and at one site in the Inverness-shire glens in 2007, and were found at former breeding sites elsewhere. Up to five birds were present at two inland lochs in Borders in May but no breeding was suspected. Common Scoters in Northern Ireland last appeared in these reports in 1998 (two males only) and no breeding birds were reported there in 2007. Below, Mark Eaton outlines the 2007 survey. The higher-than-usual maximum estimate is the result of a national survey in 2007, run by the RSPB in partnership with SNH and VWTTThis survey aimed to locate birds on breeding lochs between late April and early June, in the period when males attend lochs for courtship and mating before departing (they play no further part in breeding). Although females may move between lochs for subsequent nesting attempts, birds are far easier to locate in this period, with the number of females counted being used as a proxy for pairs. Surveying covered all sites known to have held birds in the breeding season previously, along with an additional selection of other potentially suitable waterbodies (although no Common Scoters were found on these). A total of 297 lochs was surveyed, each receiving three visits at two-week intervals. The estimate of 52 breeding pairs represents almost a halving of the breeding population since the previous survey, in 1 995, which found 95 pairs, with an accompanying reduction in the number of lochs used (down by 25%) and the overall breeding range (down by 1 7%, from 23 to 19 10-km squares). This decline gives the Common Scoter the dubious distinction of being one of the UK's fastest-declining breeding birds: research into the likely cause(s) of this decline is ongoing. Scotland, Mid Perth & Kinross A maximum of six pairs and two additional unpaired males at five lochs, although no records of breeding were received subsequently. Scotland, N & W Argyll One pair and an additional single male were recorded at the former nesting site on Islay. Caithness/Highland Two sites, including one extensive site: (1) six pairs bred, fledging 12 young, and a further 10 pairs probably bred, with an estimate of 26 breeding pairs (pairs or females were recorded on 27 waterbodies, although there is likely to have been much movement among them and many will not have been used for breeding); (2) three pairs were known to have bred successfully, fledging 17 young. The survey estimated 19 pairs earlier in the season, and recorded females at nine lochs, with unpaired males at a further two. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Data from the Goldeneye Study Group provided an estimate ot 185 egg-laying females in northern Scotland, while at least 10 summering birds were present in seven other counties of England and Scotland. A total of 83 nestboxes were occupied in study areas in Badenoch & Strathspey (Highland), while in Deeside (North-east Scotland) 27 boxes were occupied and one nest in a natural tree hole was found. As in past reports, we assume that around two-thirds of these 1 1 1 clutches laid involved more than one female. England, SW Avon Two females summered. British Birds 1 03 • January 20 1 0 • 2-52 13 Holling et al. England, E Cambridgeshire One male summered and there were also reports of two other single birds in June and July. England, C Derbyshire An injured female remained in the summer. Leicestershire & Rutland A male summered but no females were seen after 5th May. England, N Northumberland A first-summer male was present until 1st July. Yorkshire A male summered. Scotland, S Borders A female present in mid May and at the same site in mid August may have summered. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Deeside: in 28 monitored nests, 220 eggs were laid and 175 young hatched. Scotland, N & W Highland In the nestbox study in Badenoch & Strathspey, a minimum of 83 clutches were produced, with a total of 657 eggs laid and at least 343 young hatched. Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus 92 leks were visited, and a total of 220 displaying males counted. All known lek sites across Scot- land are checked at dawn during April; although not an accurate measure of the population, this figure does enable trends at these leks to be monitored. The figure of 220 males is comparable with those in recent reports. Scotland, S Clyde One lek: two males. Scotland, Mid Moray & Nairn 14 leks: 15 males. North-east Scotland 20 leks: 40 males. Perth 8c Kinross Seven leks: 1 1 males. Scotland, N & W Highland 50 leks: 152 males. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix 7-384 singing males or pairs. Confirmed breeding was recorded in just three counties: Borders (three pairs), Highland (one) and Yorkshire (three). Common Quail is no longer a Red-listed species; it was moved to the Amber list in the recent BoCC review. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix Common Quail Total England, SW 89 Avon 3 Cornwall 4 Devon 8 Dorset 10 Gloucestershire 11 Hampshire 12 Somerset 3 Wiltshire 38 England, SE 51 Bedfordshire 1 Berkshire 7 Essex 8 Hertfordshire 2 Kent 2 Oxfordshire 10 Sussex 21 England, E 51 Cambridgeshire 3 Lincolnshire 13 Norfolk 24 Northamptonshire 4 Suffolk 7 England, C 20 Derbyshire 4 Leicestershire & Rutland 1 Nottinghamshire 1 Shropshire 3 Staffordshire 5 Warwickshire 3 Worcestershire 3 14 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Phil tones Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Common Quail cont. Borders 26 Total Dumfries & Galloway 3 England, N 79 Lothian 9 Cheshire & Wirral 10 Scotland, Mid 26 Cumbria 2 Angus & Dundee 9 Durham 5 Moray & Nairn 7 Lancashire & N Merseyside 10 North-east Scotland 8 Northumberland 10 Upper Forth 2 Yorkshire 42 Scotland, N 8c W 15 Wales 15 Argyll 3 Breconshire 1 Highland 7 Ceredigion 1 Orkney 1 Montgomeryshire 8 Outer Hebrides 2 Radnorshire 5 Shetland 2 Scotland, S 38 TOTAL 384 Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata After the survey in 2006 found an estimated 1,255 breeding pairs in Scotland, returns to the Panel in 2007 were back at normal levels, based on only sample studies. The island of Hoy, Orkney, was fully surveyed. Here, 60 sites were occupied and eggs were laid at 47 of these; 27 pairs were successful in raising a total of 32 chicks to (or close to) fledging, a success rate of 0.53 chicks per occupied site or 1.19 chicks per successful site. The number of successful sites as a per- centage of occupied sites (45%) is the lowest for many years. Productivity per successful site was average, but productivity per occupied site was the lowest since 2000, and the total number of chicks raised the lowest since 1997. Scotland, S Clyde Two pairs bred, with three young hatched. Scotland, Mid Moray & Nairn One site: one pair possibly bred. North-east Scotland Three sites: one pair bred and two pairs possibly bred. Scotland, N & W Argyll Five pairs bred with another ten pairs reported. Highland 34 pairs bred with another four pairs I . Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata, Fetlar, Shetland, July 2007. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 15 Rebecca Nason Holling et al. reported. Orkney At least 93 pairs monitored including 60 on Hoy. Outer Hebrides 12 pairs bred with another four pairs reported. Shetland At least 68 pairs monitored including 26 successful pairs in the Shet- land Ringing Group study area. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica 53-88 pairs. As with Red-throated Diver, the number of records submitted was reduced to only a sample of the total population, estimated at 217 summering territories (95% confidence limits 190-252) in 2006. Scotland, S Ayrshire One pair possibly bred. Clyde One pair bred but failed due to fluctuating water levels. Scotland, Mid One pair bred but failed. Scotland, N & W Argyll Eight pairs located, of which four bred and fledged a total of four young. Caithness A survey of 12 sites found pairs at only two; one pair bred, fledging one young from a raft nest. Highland 70 pairs moni- tored, of which 46 were proved to breed. This was the lowest number monitored since 2001. However, 2007 was the most productive breeding season since 1996, returning a figure of 0.46 young fledged per apparently occupied territory (AOT). All raft sites were checked, and these fledged 0.78 young per AOT compared with 0.22 from natural sites. Outer Hebrides Five pairs possibly bred, being recorded on single dates or only early in the season. Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris 41 sites: 51-65 booming males with 27 breeding attempts at 12 sites. Simon Wotton, RSPB, commented as follows. This year saw a welcome increase in the number of booming males to a minimum total of 5 I, a 16% increase from 2006. This is only the second year since the monitoring programme started in 1990 that there have been more than 50 booming males in the UK. Also encouraging was the 22% increase in the minimum number of sites frequented by booming males this year the highest number of sites since the start of the monitoring programme. The minimum number of recorded nests with chicks remained at 27 for the third year in a row. This stabilisation in nesting attempts follows a worrying decline of more than 20% since the peak of 34 nests in 2003. Perhaps the most exciting result of the season came from Cambridgeshire, where the first Bittern nests since the late 1 930s were discovered. Four nests were located at one site where three different females and one booming male were present. This is the first time in the UK that Bitterns have nested at a newly created reedbed. England, SE Kent Two sites: 1-2 booming males. England, E Cambridgeshire Four sites: five booming males; four confirmed nests. This is the first confirmed breeding in the county since 1938. Lincolnshire Four sites: five booming males. Norfolk North Norfolk coast Four sites: 3-4 booming males. Norfolk Broads 12 sites: 10-16 booming males; six confirmed nests. Suffolk Suffolk coast Seven sites: 20-25 booming males; 14 confirmed nests. Fens One site: one booming male. England, N Cumbria One site: 0-1 booming male. Greater Manchester One site: one booming male. Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: one booming male and two confirmed nests. Yorkshire Four sites: four booming males; one confirmed nest. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus One site: one singing male. There has still not been a repeat of the only confirmed breeding ' record, in Yorkshire in 1984. Singing males present at sites for at least a week have been reported in three of the last ten years. England, E Norfolk One site: a booming male was recorded at Titchwell from 18th to 27th June. 16 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 78 sites: 730-798 pairs. These numbers represent a considerable increase over the totals in recent reports, with new records set for the number of sites and pairs. Berkshire, Lincolnshire and Oxfordshire recorded their first breeding birds in 2007, but there was still little sign of expansion to the north of a line between the Mersey and the Humber. Note that when colony counts are given as ranges (e.g. 5-7 nests), the first figure is the number of pairs confirmed breeding and the second is this figure plus the number of pairs probably breeding. England, SYV Cornwall Four sites: 14 pairs. Devon At least nine sites: 92-95 pairs bred. Dorset Five sites: 35-37 pairs. Gloucestershire One site: 5-19 pairs. Hampshire Four sites: 68-85 pairs. Isles of Scilly One site: two pairs. Somerset Five sites: 35-36 pairs. Wiltshire One site: 19-22 pairs. England, SE Berkshire Two sites: two pairs. This is the first recorded breeding for Berkshire; both pairs were successful. Buckinghamshire Two sites: four pairs. Essex Five sites: 43 pairs. Kent Two sites: 93 pairs at Northward Hill, the largest colony in Britain, and 15 pairs probably bred at the second. Oxfordshire One site: one pair; first breeding record for the county. Sussex Seven sites: 40-41 pairs. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: 11-12 pairs. Lincolnshire Three sites: 16-18 pairs. This is the first confirmed breeding in the county although there have been positive signs since at least 2003. Norfolk Seven sites: 129 pairs bred. Suffolk Seven sites: 57 pairs. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: 15-20 pairs. Wales Anglesey One site: one pair. Caernarfonshire Two sites: 14 pairs bred. Carmarthenshire Three sites: ten pairs. Ceredigion One site: seven pairs bred. Gower Two sites: 13—17 pairs. Gwent One site: four pairs bred. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea One site: 0-1 pairs. This is the first time that this species has appeared in these reports, and breeding has never been confirmed in Britain. In the late 1960s there were regular spring reports, especially at Mins- mere in Suffolk (up to five in May 1968) and in the Stour Valley in Kent (Sharrock & Shar- rock 1976). For the first time since then, similar behav- iour was observed at Minsmere in 2007. Three birds, two males and a female, were present from 18th to 27th May, with two birds still there on 31st May. All sported breeding plumes and were recorded displaying. No nest- site was found, but heavy rain and flooding in early June, which caused Purple Heron Ardea purpurea British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 17 Dan Powell Holling et al. failures of nesting Eurasian Bitterns, is thought to have stalled any breeding attempt. England, E Suffolk One site: one pair attempted to breed. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Two sites: 1-3 pairs. Nest-building by Spoonbills in the UK was first recorded in modern times in 1989, and was again reported in six of the 1 1 years between 1996 and 2006, in five different coun- ties. Breeding was confirmed during that period only in 1998 (Suffolk, eggs predated) and 1999 (Lancashire & N Merseyside, two young fledged). Consequently, the pair that laid eggs at a site in eastern England in 2007 represents only the third such record in modern times. Summering birds have become regular in southern counties since the mid 1990s. In 2007, there were up to 29 at nine sites in Norfolk, and in Suffolk two sites held up to 1 1 and 22 birds respectively, with smaller numbers of other birds at other sites in other counties. England, E One site: two pairs built nests and eggs were laid in at least one of these, but the nests were subsequently deserted. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: one pair of subadults was present between June and August and the birds were seen displaying and carrying sticks. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus 16 sites: 39 pairs, plus singles at three other sites. Stuart Benn, RSPB, commented as follows. In mainland Scotland, 38 pairs were located and ten young reared (39 and 34, respectively, in 2006). Productivity was 0.26 young per territorial pair, well below the long-term average of 0.56 and the second-worst figure ever since regular monitoring began in 1971 (only 1976, with 0.20, was worse). Fifteen sites were occupied by pairs in 2007 with a further three holding just single birds; only six sites produced young and these figures remain a cause of concern. In 2007, sites within Special Protection Areas held 25 pairs (66%) and produced eight young (80%). For the second year running, a bird paired with a Great Crested Grebe P. cristatus in England but the pair was again unsuccessful. This time the nest was flooded out. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland One site: one mixed pair. An adult paired with a Great Crested Grebe, laid eggs but the nest was flooded out and no eggs hatched. Scotland, Mid and N & W Moray & Nairn/Highland 15 sites: 38 pairs reared ten young, two singles also present at two other sites. Orkney One site: a single bird was present from 3rd April to 22nd May at the site that held a non-breeding pair in 2006. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 19 sites: 30-48 pairs. At least 40 young fledged. The status of breeding Black-necked Grebes up to 2004 was reviewed by Martin & Smith (2007) and the population was shown to have risen during the late 1990s to a peak of 50 confirmed pairs in 2002. Since then, however, a decline in the number of sites occupied and the number of pairs is apparent, and both seem to be returning to the levels of the mid 1990s (fig. 3). It is unclear why this is happening. England, SE Hertfordshire One site: up to 21 birds present early in the season, but only three pairs remained; although birds were present from March until July, no nests were built, as in 2006. Kent One site: one pair possibly bred. England, E Lincolnshire One site: two pairs. One pair bred fledging five young. Northamptonshire Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. England, C Nottinghamshire Two sites: (1) one pair bred and fledged one young; (2) up to three adults present. Staffordshire One site: one pair bred but the birds were again disturbed and no young were reared. 18 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Fig. 3. Number of confirmed breeding pairs and total number of sites with Black-necked Grebes Podiceps nigricollis in the UK, 1993-2007. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: 14 pairs bred with 24 young being fed on 24th June. Torrential rain the next day, however, caused the loss of some chicks; 15-17 young were believed to have fledged. Durham One site: one pair bred and fledged two young. Greater Manchester One site: four pairs bred with ten young seen (one pair double-brooded) and at least six young fledged. Northumberland Three sites: (1) six pairs bred and fledged nine young from five broods; (2) two pairs possibly bred; (3) one pair possibly bred. Yorkshire Three sites: (1) one pair bred (fledging one young) and one pair probably bred; (2) one pair bred (fledging one); (3) three pairs pos- sibly bred, being present early in the season but left owing to low water levels. Scotland, S Borders One site: two pairs possibly bred. Birds were present from early April until June with display seen frequently but no nests were located. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: one pair possibly bred, but seen only on one date in June. Black-necked Grebes Podiceps nigricollis Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus 12-37 pairs; 23 young fledged. The wet weather during June and July had a significant impact on the breeding success of Honey-buzzards with some pairs not attempting to nest while those that did had only limited success. The conditions also affected the ability of fieldworkers to locate the birds, as Honey-buzzards rarely fly above the canopy in poor weather. This may explain the number of sites for which just single birds were reported rather than pairs. Given these difficul- ties and the continuing secrecy over sites, we urge observers to submit, in confidence, all reports of Honey-buzzards in breeding locations, so that accurate numbers can be maintained. England, SW Ten territories occupied in three counties. Three pairs bred, fledging six young. In addition, four sites with British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 19 Phil Jones Holling et al. just single birds reported. England, SE Nine territories occupied in three counties. Five pairs bred, fledging ten young. England, E, C & N Seven territories occupied in five counties. No confirmed breeding reported. In addition, two sites with just single birds reported. Wales Six territories occupied. Three pairs bred, fledging six young. In addition, five sites with just single birds reported. Scotland One territory occupied. One pair bred, fledging one young. In addition, four other sites recorded Honey- buzzards during the breeding season, all areas where breeding has been attempted in the past, but there was no further evidence. Red Kite Milvus milvus 638-1,439 pairs. The continued increase and spread of the native and reintroduced Red Kite pop- ulations means that the figures presented here are minima, particularly for the main centres in Wales and southern England, where only a proportion of the total number of nesting pairs is monitored. A figure of around 1,500 pairs now seems a reasonable estimate of the total popula- tion. The dry spring allowed many pairs to begin nesting early and some of these had young large enough to withstand the effects of the heavy rain in June and July, which reduced the produc- tivity of other pairs. This year saw notable increases in both Shropshire and Durham. In Shropshire, where the first modern breeding occurred only in 2006, there were six pairs; these are thought to originate from the native Welsh population. In Durham, the successful reintroduction there saw an increase from four confirmed breeding pairs in 2006 to 16 pairs, plus another in neighbouring Northum- berland. The story of the Red Kite reintroduction project is summarised below by Peter Newbery. In the late 1980s, the decision was taken to reintroduce Red Kites to England and Scotland, even though the native Welsh population was known to be increasing. The justification at the time was that conservation organisations had a long-term aim to see Red Kites breeding right across their former British range, and believed that this would not be achieved within a reasonable timescale except by translocation. Numbers were recovering slowly in Wales, where the remnant population was confined after near-extinction early in the twentieth century, but there were few signs of range expansion and it was thought likely that natural recolonisation of England and Scotland would take many decades. Accordingly, a reintroduction programme was drawn up and, in 1 989, juvenile Red Kites were imported from Spain to a site in the Chilterns, west of London, and from Sweden to the Black Isle, near Inverness. By 1992, 93 kites had been released in each locality and successful breeding took place that year As the populations grew, plans were drawn up for further releases, and by 2009 seven additional populations had been established, in Co. Down, Dumfries & Galloway, Durham, Northamptonshire, North-east Scotland, Perth & Kinross and Yorkshire. The first releases in North- east Scotland were in the summer of 2007. The Red Kite reintroduction project is still running, 20 years after it started, and has been a tremendous success, not only in achieving its original conservation aim but also in terms of public awareness, participation and profile. While the native Welsh population has probably reached in excess of 800 breeding pairs, reintroduced populations have now reached over 600 pairs, most of them in a broad belt from the northern Chilterns to north Wiltshire. England A minimum of 234-490 pairs bred. The population in southern England, centred on the Chilterns ' and mainly in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, was believed to be over 350 breeding pairs, with over 600 young reared, although only 184 nests were monitored. The following details were received by county, although in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire these represent minima. England, SW Hampshire Three pairs bred; at least ten other pairs. Wiltshire Four pairs bred; six other pairs. 20 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 2. Red Kite Milvus milvus, Radnorshire, April 2007. England, SE Bedfordshire One pair bred, the first recorded breeding in modern times for the county. Berkshire At least two pairs bred. Buckinghamshire 54 pairs bred. Hertfordshire Five pairs bred; 18 other pairs. Oxfordshire 23 pairs bred. Sussex One pair bred; one other pair. England, E Cambridgeshire Three pairs bred; five other pairs. Lincolnshire One pair bred. Northamptonshire 61 pairs bred. England, C Herefordshire Two pairs bred; one other pair. Leicestershire & Rutland Three pairs bred; one other pair. Shropshire Six pairs bred. England, N Durham 16 pairs bred and one other pair built a nest that was blown down before laying. Northumberland One pair bred, fledging one young, the first successful breeding pair in the county for over 150 years. York- shire 48 pairs bred. Wales A minimum of 311-473 pairs bred, but it is estimated that the total population in 2007 lay between 672 and 840 pairs, fledging over 600 young. The 2007 distribution of known territorial pairs (numbers of pairs confirmed in brackets) by recording area was Breconshire 58 (32), Caernarfonshire 2 (2), Carmarthen- shire 77 (33), Ceredigion 187 (165), Denbigh & Flint 2 (0), East Glamorgan 4 (1), Gower 13 (9), Gwent 2 (2), Meirionnydd 12 (5), Montgomeryshire 36 (19), Pembrokeshire 8 (5) and Radnorshire 72 (38). Scotland 93-109 pairs bred. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway 21 pairs bred; one other pair. Scotland, Mid Perth & Kinross (Tayside RSG) 13 pairs bred; 7 other pairs. Upper Forth (Central Scotland RSG) 20 pairs bred; six other pairs. Scotland, N & W Highland 39 pairs bred; 2 other pairs. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 21 Rebecca Nason Holling et at. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 35-42 pairs. Six new pairs were found in 2007 bringing the total number of occupied territories to a new peak since the reintroduction scheme began, of 42 pairs. The range has continued to expand to the north, south and east. Furthermore, 2007 saw the first releases of a new reintro- duction scheme, which is described below by Peter Newbery. There is good evidence that the White-tailed Eagle was once a common and widespread bird in Britain, but habitat loss and persecution reduced its range to west- and north-coast strongholds in the nineteenth century, leading to its ultimate extinction as a breeding bird by 1916. After unsuc- cessful trials in Argyll and on Fair Isle in the 1950s and 1960s, the first phase of reintroduction was undertaken between 1975 and 1985 by the (then) Nature Conservancy Council on the island of Rum, Highland, and this was followed by supplementary releases between 1993 and 1998 in Wester Ross, Highland. The first successful breeding took place on the Isle of Mull, Argyll, in 1985. These reintroductions have resulted in a Scottish population of 46 territorial pairs ofWhite-tailed Eagles by 2009. A long-term target for the White-tailed Eagle programme was set at 1 50 territorial pairs over a range of around 150 10-km squares by 2050, and in order to help achieve this ambitious target, a second phase of releases began in Fife with 15 juveniles in 2007 and another 15 in 2008. At the same time, Natural England announced proposals to establish a third release programme in eastern England. Initial progress was encouraging, and a feasibility study, IUCN assessment and site assessment were carried out, but the public consultation process proved tricky and plans have had to be delayed. However; there is still optimism that a release locality can be agreed upon and the first birds released by autumn 20 1 0. Scotland, N & W Argyll Nine pairs bred, of which seven fledged ten young, and a further two territorial pairs. Highland 18 pairs bred, of which nine fledged 1 1 young, and a further three territorial pairs. Outer Hebrides Eight pairs bred, of which eight fledged 13 young, and a further two territorial pairs. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 387-423 breeding females/pairs. The total number of breeding Marsh Harriers reported in 2007 was close to that in 2005 when a comprehensive survey recorded 363-429 breeding females/pairs. The expansion into southwest England continues, with repeat nesting in the Isles of Scilly and suggestions of breeding in Somerset. Elsewhere, county totals were comparable with the 2005 survey figures, although increases were apparent in Kent and Yorkshire. England, SW Isles of Scilly One pair bred fledging one, possibly two, young. Somerset Up to three different females at one site during the breeding season but males seen only spasmodically. England, SE Essex 20 pairs bred, fledging at least 16 young. Hertfordshire One pair possibly bred but two juveniles seen in early August may have fledged locally. Kent Estimate of 90-100 breeding pairs. Sussex One pair probably bred (nest-building noted) and two pairs possibly bred. England, E Cambridgeshire At least 12 confirmed breeding attempts with five other possibly breeding females. Lin- colnshire 84 pairs bred and one pair probably bred. Norfolk A minimum of 90 nesting females Hedged at least 98 young. Suffolk At least 65 pairs bred, four pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside Four females: ( 1) a male and two females bred at one site fledging six young; (2) one pair bred; (3) a female and an immature male summered. Northumberland One pair built a nest but did not lay; three juveniles later in the season in the same area may have fledged locally. Yorkshire 17 pairs bred, ' one pair probably bred (nest-building noted) and four pairs possibly bred. Scotland, Mid Fife/Perth & Kinross Four pairs bred fledging three young, with a further four territorial pairs. Scotland, N & W Orkney One pair bred but although chicks were hatched none fledged. 22 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 276-376 monitored pairs fledged a minimum of 510 young. The table summarises the level of monitoring of Hen Harriers across the UK but is believed to be complete only for England. Many fieldworkers mentioned reduced productivity owing to the wet weather when young were in the nest. The next national Hen Harrier survey is planned for 2010. Hen Harrier Occupied territories Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged England, N 25 23 14 44 Cumbria 3 2 1 5 Lancashire & N Merseyside 16 15 10 30 Northumberland 4 4 2 8 Yorkshire 2 2 1 1 Isle of Man n/a - - - Wales 38 28 16 34 Breconshire 1 1 1 2 Caernarfonshire 5 4 2 2 Denbigh & Flint 9 7 6 17 Meirionnydd 12 8 2 4 Montgomeryshire 11 8 5 9 Scotland, S 69 56 32 102 Clyde Islands 25 24 17 46 Dumfries & Galloway 11 8 4 11 Lothian & Borders 6 4 3 13 S Strathclyde (Ayrshire/Clyde) 27 20 8 32 Scotland, Mid 50 34 32 94 Angus & Dundee 0 0 0 0 Central Scotland (Upper Forth) 2 0 0 0 Moray & Nairn 6 6 6 12 North-east Scotland 5 3 2 3 Perth & Kinross 37 25 24 79 Scotland, N & W 179 123 83 236 Argyll 44 31 24 58 Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 23 Richard Allen Holling et al. Hen Harrier cont. Occupied territories Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged Highland (inch Caithness) 27 20 11 37 Orkney 64 43 25 75 Outer Hebrides (Uists only) 44 29 23 66 Northern Ireland 15 12 n/a n/a Co. Antrim 15 12 n/a n/a TOTALS 376 276 177 510 Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus Eight sites: 13-14 pairs fledged a minimum of 25 young. Thirteen confirmed breeding pairs matches the 2006 total, which itself was a record high since records began, in 1973 (fig. 4). The low totals in 1998 and 1999 are a true reflection of fewer pairs nesting, since coverage and reporting were comparable and birds were present in the breeding localities. England, S Two sites: four pairs bred, one pair probably bred, and one single. Of the nesting pairs, two pairs fledged four young and two pairs fledged three young. England, E Lincolnshire Two sites: two pairs bred. One pair fledged four young (thanks to RSPB wardening, it was pos- sible to view this nest-site from late June into August, when young were being fed in the nest); the second pair failed. Norfolk Three sites: six pairs bred, fledging seven young. England, N One site: one pair bred. A clutch of four was laid but was deserted in June, probably as a result of wet weather at that time. Fig. 4. Number of confirmed breeding pairs of Montagu’s Harriers Circus pygargus in the UK, Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 274-400 pairs. The number of pairs reported here is similar to that in the 2005 and 2006 reports; it is known to be an underestimate in many areas and largely reflects the effort put into moni- toring. This can be a difficult species to locate and establishing the actual number of territorial pairs is not easy, while, owing to the threat of persecution and disturbance, sites are often kept secret. In some areas, there are also concerns about correct identification of large Accipiters. These issues make it difficult for recorders to assess their local populations accurately and the 24 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Northern Goshawk Confirmed Total pairs England, SW breeding pairs 50 69 Devon 10 12 Gloucestershire 28 34 Hampshire 9 15 Somerset 0 3 Wiltshire 3 5 England, SE 0 2 Buckinghamshire 0 2 England, E 3 15 Norfolk 2 8 Northamptonshire 0 2 Suffolk 1 5 England, C 42 54 Derbyshire 23 23 Herefordshire 5 5 Nottinghamshire 3 3 Shropshire 10 12 Staffordshire 0 8 Warwickshire 0 2 Worcestershire 1 1 England, N 53 62 Cleveland 0 1 Cumbria 4 5 Durham 1 6 Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 4 4 Northumberland 22 24 Yorkshire 22 22 Wales 56 91 Anglesey 0 1 Breconshire 4 15 Caernarfonshire 0 1 Carmarthenshire 8 21 Ceredigion 3 3 Denbigh 8c Flint 3 3 East Glamorgan 6 6 Gower 4 4 Gwent 21 23 Meirionnydd 1 1 Montgomeryshire 6 8 Pembrokeshire 0 5 Scotland, S 46 61 Ayrshire 0 4 Dumfries 8c Galloway 16 17 Lothian 8c Borders 30 40 Scotland, Mid 24 25 North-east Scotland 23 24 Perth 8c Kinross 1 1 Scotland, N 8c W 0 1 Highland 0 1 Northern Ireland 0 20 TOTALS 274 400 Panel is dependent on the submission of Schedule 1 licence returns to provide numbers. However, these returns underestimate the numbers of pairs as they focus on nests monitored under licence. Consequently, we strongly encourage birdwatchers to report all nesting and terri- torial Goshawks to their county recorder. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Results of Golden Eagle monitoring by Scottish Raptor Study Groups (Etheridge et al. in prep.) and the Northern England Raptor Forum are presented below. The first table provides a break- down of monitored home ranges by recording area. The second table shows that 286 home ranges were checked in total, against the population of 443 pairs estimated following the 2003 national survey (Eaton et al. 2007). Golden Eagle I Singles * Probable Confirmed Total Min. no. breeding breeding pairs young pairs pairs fledged England, N 8c Scotland, S 2 1 3 4 2 Angus 8c Dundee 1 3 2 5 3 North-east Scotland (inch E. Moray) 3 8 7 15 5 Perth 8c Kinross 5 3 10 13 12 Upper Forth 0 3 5 8 4 Argyll 6 14 43 57 27 Highland (inch W. Moray 8c Nairn) 10 35 57 92 35 Outer Hebrides (Lewis 8c Harris) 0 1 2 3 2 Outer Hebrides (Uists) 1 7 18 25 11 TOTALS 28 75 147 222 101 * Total includes home ranges occupied by single birds or showing signs of occupation but no pair seen. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 25 Holling et al. Golden Eagle 2 Home Home ranges Pairs Pairs Pairs Min. Mean no. ranges occupied monitored laying hatching young fledged per checked by a pair eggs eggs fledged monitored nest 286 222 209 147 103 101 0.48 Osprey Pandion haliaetus 126-148 pairs. This is the lowest total reported to the Panel since 1999, when 125-136 pairs bred. Despite the expansion into southern Scotland, England and Wales (18 pairs in 2007 compared to just two in these areas in 1999), it would appear that coverage in (or reporting from) the main breeding range of Highland and especially Tayside is reduced (there were 81 and 57 pairs, respec- tively, reported in 2004, for instance); there is no evidence that the population has decreased. However, although Ospreys are now more frequently seen across the UK than ever before, the breeding population is still probably only around 200 pairs. England, E Lincolnshire 1-2 prospecting birds present from mid June to mid July. Northamptonshire One pair engaged in nest-building. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland Two pairs fledged five young at Rutland Water and a third pair built a nest but did not lay eggs. England, N Cumbria One site: one pair again fledged three young at Bassenthwaite Lake. Yorkshire One site: two birds summered. Wales Meirionnydd One site: one pair fledged two young at Glaslyn. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway Three pairs on territory but no eggs laid. Lothian & Borders Eight pairs monitored: seven pairs laid eggs and three pairs fledged seven young. Scotland, Mid Central Scotland 18 pairs monitored: 16 pairs bred and 13 pairs fledged 32 young. North-east Scotland 19 pairs monitored: 19 pairs bred and 12 pairs fledged 22 young. Tayside 13 pairs monitored: 12 pairs laid eggs and fledged 20 young. Scotland, N & W Argyll 12 pairs monitored: 12 pairs laid eggs and 11 pairs fledged 22 young. Highland 67 pairs present, 65 pairs monitored: 56 pairs laid eggs and 41 pairs fledged 79 young. Merlin Falco columbarius 280-453 pairs. The table below is based on sample monitoring areas only and the figures are known to be incomplete in some areas, although comparable with those of previous years, as monitoring effort in recent years has been similar. The second national Merlin survey took place in 2008 and a summary of the results will appear in the next report. Merlin Territories occupied Confirmed Territories believed Min. no. by pairs breeding pairs to fledge young young fledged England, SW 2 1 0 0 England, C 17 15 14 43 Derbyshire 15 14 13 40 Shropshire 1 1 1 3 Staffordshire 1 0 0 0 England, N 137 87 54 143 Cleveland 1 0 0 0 Cumbria 15 15 14 25 Durham 28 27 9 28 26 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Merlin cont. Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 40 4 3 11 Northumberland 20 12 8 25 Yorkshire 33 29 20 54 Wales 28 12 7 18 Breconshire 6 2 2 8 Denbigh & Flint 2 2 2 4 East Glamorgan 1 1 1 2 Meirionnydd 12 4 1 2 Montgomeryshire 7 3 1 2 Scotland, S 61 30 24 82 Dumfries 8c Galloway 7 5 2 7 Lothian 8c Borders 35 14 12 42 South Strathclyde 19 11 10 33 Scotland, Mid 100 75 57 155 Angus 8c Dundee 17 12 12 39 Moray 8c Nairn 16 16 7 11 North-east Scotland 37 37 28 82 Perth 8c Kinross 25 9 9 22 Upper Forth 5 1 1 1 Scotland, N 8c W 104 56 50 170 Argyll 6 2 2 6 Flighland (including Caithness) 36 14 12 44 Orkney 21 14 10 32 Outer Hebrides 26 11 11 37 Shetland 15 15 15 51 Northern Ireland 4 4 4 9 Co. Antrim 3 3 3 6 Co. Tyrone 1 1 1 3 TOTALS 453 280 210 620 Hobby Falco subbuteo 238-894 pairs. As with the reporting of many of the less rare raptors in recent years, the numbers presented here largely reflect local monitoring effort rather than the perceived actual numbers present. Thus, as shown in fig. 5, the maximum number of pairs reported to the Panel rose Fig. 5. Maximum total number of breeding pairs of Hobbies Falco subbuteo reported to RBBP, 1 973-2007. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 27 Holling et al. Hobby Confirmed breeding pairs Total pairs Norfolk Northamptonshire 15 5 32 5 England, SW 71 220 Suffolk 15 41 Avon 4 12 England, C 61 108 Cornwall 0 8 Derbyshire 38 44 Devon 20 20 Herefordshire 3 3 Dorset 4 24 Leicestershire & Rutland 1 5 Gloucestershire 7 8 Nottinghamshire 7 7 Hampshire 14 53 Shropshire 2 9 Isle of Wight 1 4 Staffordshire 1 3 Somerset 7 25 Warwickshire 7 35 Wiltshire 14 66 Worcestershire 2 2 England, SE 35 400 England, N 15 30 Bedfordshire 1 15 Cheshire & Wirral 10 15 Berkshire 6 20 Lancashire & N Merseyside 1 2 Buckinghamshire 2 17 Yorkshire 4 13 Essex 0 22 Wales 9 23 Greater London 1 5 Breconshire 1 4 Hertfordshire 3 69 Carmarthenshire 2 2 Kent 12 200 Denbigh & Flint 1 1 Oxfordshire 5 6 East Glamorgan 1 2 Surrey 1 26 Gwent 4 6 Sussex 4 20 Montgomeryshire 0 2 England, E 47 113 Radnorshire 0 6 Cambridgeshire 7 16 Scotland 0 0 Lincolnshire 5 19 TOTALS 238 894 steadily in the first 30 years of monitoring, but has since levelled off at around 850-900 pairs. This compares with a 12% increase (smoothed trend) between 1995 and 2007 on BBS plots (Risely et al. 2009). The numbers are believed to be much higher in most southern counties than would appear from the table above. Thus in Kent, intensive fieldwork in largely agricultural habitats, extrapo- lated across the county, resulted in a county population estimate of at least 200 pairs. Fieldwork in Derbyshire also gives a more accurate position than is available in neighbouring counties without equivalent efforts by dedicated fieldworkers. Although only 10-15 pairs are reported from casual recording in Cheshire & Wirral, local atlas surveying in 2004-06 yielded an estimate of 40-50 pairs in the county (Norman 2008). Hobbies breed late and proof of breeding is often not obtainable until July or August, after the main fieldwork season. The pair in Lancashire & N Merseyside was the first proved breeding for that county. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 747-961 pairs. The table below is based on sample monitoring areas only and the figures are known to be incomplete in some areas, although comparable with those of previous years, as monitoring effort in recent years has been similar. A nest that fledged one young in Cam- bridgeshire constituted the first confirmed breeding for that county. Peregrine Falcon Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged England, SW 163 149 [77] [163] Avon 12 12 9 21 Cornwall 13 13 6 15 Devon 67 67 35 76 Dorset 27 27 n/a 28 Gloucestershire 13 10 8 15 28 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Peregrine Falcon cont. Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged Hampshire 6 4 3 4 Isles of Scilly i 0 0 0 Somerset 21 13 13 n/a Wiltshire 3 3 3 4 England, SE 38 33 [20] [54] Bedfordshire 2 2 0 0 Berkshire 1 1 n/a n/a Essex 7 3 2 5 Greater London 2 2 2 6 Kent 4 3 n/a n/a Oxfordshire 1 1 1 2 Surrey 1 1 0 0 Sussex 20 20 15 41 England, E 5 5 3 5 Cambridgeshire 1 1 1 1 Lincolnshire 2 2 1 3 Northamptonshire 2 2 1 1 England, C 73 72 44 [97] Derbyshire 26 26 10 23 Herefordshire 1 1 1 2 Leicestershire & Rutland 9 8 8 19 Nottinghamshire 3 3 3 9 Shropshire 18 18 13 28 Staffordshire 7 7 3 8 Warwickshire 4 4 2 6 West Midlands 2 2 2 n/a Worcestershire 3 3 2 2 England, N 184 134 101 242 Cheshire & Wirral 4 2 2 7 Cleveland 1 1 1 3 Cumbria 73 58 46 103 Durham 5 4 3 7 Greater Manchester 3 3 1 4 Lancashire & N Merseyside 50 20 18 43 Northumberland 29 29 16 37 Yorkshire 19 17 14 38 Wales 159 108 [65] 165 Anglesey 2 0 0 0 Breconshire 17 10 8 17 Caernarfonshire 8 6 5 11 Carmarthenshire 10 7 7 12 Ceredigion 6 5 5 9 Denbigh & Flint 7 7 7 22 East Glamorgan 32 23 19 36 Gower 9 6 2 4 Gwent 9 6 4 8 Meirionnydd 10 6 6 8 Montgomeryshire 5 2 2 4 Pembrokeshire 44 30 n/a 34 Scotland, S 152 118 91 224 Dumfries & Galloway 60 49 42 99 Lothian & Borders RSG 58 44 29 75 South Strathclyde RSG 34 25 20 50 Scotland, Mid 119 85 75 160 Angus & Dundee 23 13 12 28 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 29 Holling et al. Peregrine Falcon cont. Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged Central Scotland RSG 22 20 18 38 North-east Scotland RSG 39 23 20 38 Perth & Kinross/Fife/Isle of May 35 29 25 56 Scotland, N & W 67 42 32 65 Argyll 21 12 9 18 Highland RSG 22 15 12 25 Orkney 12 9 6 11 Outer Hebrides (Uists only) 10 4 4 8 Shetland 2 2 1 3 Northern Ireland 1 1 1 1 Co. Antrim 1 1 1 1 TOTALS 961 747 [5091 [1,176] Water Rail Rallus aquaticus 259 sites: a minimum of 998 territories. The Water Rail was added to the list of species covered by the Panel only in 2006, in which year returns indicated a total of almost 1,300 territories. Although the 2007 total is lower, it confirms that the UK population exceeds recent estimates (450-900 in Gibbons et al. 1993). The ‘missing’ 300 territories can be accounted for by lower or absent counts from some counties that provided data for 2006. Several counties acknowledge that this is an under-recorded species and thus totals are inevitably underestimates, affected by recording effort and the sites that are covered in a partic- ular year. We are, however, now able to build a gazetteer of Water Rail sites, which, after a few years, may permit the calculation of more refined estimates. We encourage observers to submit all records of Water Rails during the breeding season to help to build up this picture. It is also useful to indicate whether counts from a site are the result of a survey or gathered from casual reports. Water Rail Sites Territories England, SW 34 236 Cornwall 1 1 Devon 4 5 Dorset 10 150 Hampshire 10 17 Isle of Wight 2 2 Somerset 5 57 Wiltshire 2 4 England, SE 33 82 Bedfordshire 5 5 Buckinghamshire 1 1 Essex 3 22 Hertfordshire 2 6 Kent 10 25 Oxfordshire 2 8 Sussex 10 15 England, E 36 295 Cambridgeshire 6 19 Lincolnshire 4 4 Norfolk 13 39 Northamptonshire 2 2 Suffolk 11 231 England, C 17 59 Derbyshire 0 0 Leicestershire & Rutland 1 1 Nottinghamshire 2 6 Staffordshire 4 33 Warwickshire 7 13 West Midlands 1 1 Worcestershire 2 5 England, N 39 121 Cheshire & Wirral 3 6 Cleveland 2 4 Cumbria 5 5 Durham 4 4 Greater Manchester 5 20 Lancashire & N Merseyside 4 39 Northumberland 3 3 Yorkshire 13 40 Wales 19 54 Anglesey 3 29 Breconshire 3 5 Caernarfonshire 1 1 Ceredigion 2 2 East Glamorgan 3 3 Gower 1 1 Gwent 1 6 30 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Water Rail cont. Sites Territories Pembrokeshire 1 3 Radnorshire 4 4 Scotland, S 36 64 Ayrshire 4 6 Borders 13 27 Clyde 14 24 Dumfries 8c Galloway 3 5 Lothian 2 2 Scotland, Mid 16 30 Angus 8c Dundee 2 16 Fife 6 6 North-east Scotland 6 6 Perth 8c Kinross 2 2 Scotland, N & W 26 53 Argyll 13 16 Highland 5 29 Orkney 2 2 Outer Hebrides 3 3 Shetland 3 3 Northern Ireland 3 4 Co. Antrim 2 3 Co. Fermanagh 1 1 TOTALS 259 998 Spotted Crake Porzana porzana 14 sites: 26 singing males. This total matches that from 2006, with a similar distribution of records. There were no records from the Insh Marshes in Highland, formerly a regular site for this species, although we are aware that unconfirmed reports from this site were submitted to bird information services but not to the recorder. We repeat our plea for all records of this extremely rare breeder to be submitted formally. Note that all records listed below refer to single calling birds unless specified. England, SW Somerset One site. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: (1) up to four, 12th May to 26th June; (2) one, 30th April to 20th May. Norfolk One site: 21st June only. Suffolk One site: one heard on 25th, 27th and 30th April, two males on 12th May and one seen on 15th July. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside Two sites. Yorkshire One site: up to five calling males. Wales Breconshire One site: 30th March and 8th April, possibly also 27th April. Scotland, N & W Argyll Two sites: (1) four birds; (2) two birds. Orkney One site: 21st June only. Outer Hebrides Two sites: (1) one on 1 1th May and probably same from a site close by on 14th May; (2) one on 4th and 15th July. Corn Crake Crex crex 1,300 singing males. The number of birds recorded in the core areas of northwest Scotland con- tinues to rise and now the total population is almost twice what it was five years ago, as shown in fig. 6. The population has been monitored annually by the RSPB since 1993 and the species has shown a dramatic response to conservation efforts since 2002. The reintroduction programme in eastern England, outlined below by Peter Newbery, is also showing signs ol success with moie records away from the release site in Cambridgeshire. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the Corn Crake, published in 1995, had a long-term aim to re- establish the species in parts of its former range in the UK, although the technique by which this might be achieved had yet to be developed. The discovery that a bird-keeper in eastei n Gei many was successfully breeding captive Corn Crakes provided a likely solution. He found that it was pos- sible for captive-bred Corn Crakes to migrate and survive the winter in the wild and return as British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 31 Phil Jones Holling et al. adults to nearby grassland. With this knowledge, a plan was drawn up jointly between (what was then) English Nature and the RSPB to breed Corn Crakes in cap- tivity, and release them on the Nene Washes near Peterbor- ough. Here, several hundred hectares of grassland are managed for birds and other wildlife by both organisations working with local farmers. From the outset, it was clear that it would be necessary to release relatively large numbers of juveniles, because natural overwinter mortality is high. The Zoological Society of London was brought in as a project partner and, in 200 1 , 1 5 young captive-bred Corn Crakes were imported from Germany and transferred to purpose- built outdoor pens at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. Disappointingly, no breeding took place that summer but, in the years since, over 500 juvenile Corn Crakes have been released. In the first few summers, no returning birds were heard, but by 2008 1 4 calling males were present. Six of these were trapped and five found to be carrying rings showing that they had been released the previous year - it was disappointing that there appeared to be little recruitment of wild-bred birds, however England, E Cambridgeshire One site: five singing males. Suffolk One site: one singing male, 10th June only. England, N Cleveland One site: one singing male calling for up to three weeks. Cumbria One site: one singing male, 18th May only. Yorkshire One site: two singing males, 21st June to 5th July. Scotland, S Borders Two sites: two singing males on single dates in June. Clyde Two sites: (1) one singing male throughout July; (2) one singing male on 22nd June only. Dumfries & Galloway Two sites: (1) one singing male late May to early June; (2) one singing male from mid July into August. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: one singing male from 8th— 1 8th July; (2) one singing male, 1 3th— 1 7th July. Upper Forth One site: one singing male, 18th May only. Scotland, N & W Argyll Total 756: Mainland 4, Coll 180, Colonsay 48, Garvellachs 0, Gigha 0, Iona 30, Islay 68, McCormaig Isles 3, Mull 4, Oronsay 25, Staffa 1, Tiree 391, Treshnish Isles 2. Caithness 0. Highland Total 42: Mainland 15, Canna 3, Eigg 2, Muck 3, Rum 0, Skye 19. Orkney Total 21: Burray/South Ronaldsay 0, East Mainland 2, Egilsay 2, North Ronaldsay 0, Papa Westray 7, Sanday 2, Stronsay 0, West Mainland 5, Westray 3. Outer Hebrides Total 461: Barra 63, Benbecula 27, Berneray 7, Harris 12, Lewis 1 15, Mingulay 2, North Uist 1 17, South Uist 105, Vatersay 13. Shetland Total 1. Common Crane Grus grus Four sites: 10-12 pairs. Ten confirmed breeding pairs is a new record total and, with expansion to , two counties away from Norfolk, it would appear that the Common Crane has established itself as a regular member of Britain’s breeding avifauna. Productivity remains low, however, and only one young Hedged in 2007. Details of the first breeding in Suffolk are documented by Sills (2008). Although there was no evidence that a breeding attempt was made in Shetland in 2007, the Fig. 6. Maximum total number of singing male Corn Crakes Crex crex in the UK, 1993-2007. 32 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 presence of a displaying pair is interesting. It is also notable that information concerning a prob- able breeding attempt in Caithness in 1997 was not submitted to the Panel at the time but has since been documented by Forrester et al. (2007). A repeat attempt in Scotland would not now be unexpected. It is important to reiterate, however, that nesting cranes are extremely sensitive to disturbance and a wide area around the site of any potentially nesting pair should not be dis- turbed under any circumstances. England, E Norfolk One extensive site: eight pairs bred but only one young fledged. Suffolk One site: one pair laid and hatched two eggs, but the chicks survived for less than two weeks; a second pair built a nest but it is not known whether eggs were laid. England, elsewhere One site: one pair bred, two young hatched but died before fledging. Scotland, N & W Shetland One site: a pair was seen displaying regularly for five days in May, and the same pair was probably present elsewhere in Shetland during April and May. Great Bustard Otis tarda One site: one pair bred. David Waters, Director of the Great Bustard Group, and Tamas Szekely, University of Bath, present some background to the reintroduction project that led to this first confirmed breeding of Great Bustards in Britain for 175 years. In 2004, the Secretary of State for the Environment issued a licence to the Great Bustard Consor- tium (comprising the Great Bustard Group and the University of Bath) to carry out a ten-year Great Bustard reintroduction trial. The licence was issued after six years of consultation and devel- opment by a Steering Group, led by the Great Bustard Group, and also including English Nature, RSPB, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Defence Estates, and local ornithological and con- servation groups. When the licence was issued, the Steering Group was replaced by the Great Bustard Consultative Committee, which is largely composed of the old Steering Group with the addition of JNCC and Defra, but without ZSL. There are additional corresponding members of the Committee, principally from Russia, Germany, Hungary and Spain. The stock is sourced from eggs recovered from nests destroyed or abandoned through agricul- tural disturbance in Saratovskaya, Russian Federation. The work is conducted by a branch of the Russian National Academy of Science under licence from the Russian Federal Service for the Supervision and Management of Wildlife. The protocol for the collection of eggs was drawn up with the Russian authorities, the Hungarian BirdLife Partner (MME) and the Great Bustard Consor- tium, and is held not to be detrimental to the source population. There are frequent inspections by the Russian authorities and the system has been inspected by international visitors from Spain and from the RSPB. The eggs are hatched in Russia and the chicks reared in isolation from humans.The chicks are imported to the UK when they are about six weeks old. The birds are released on the military estate of Salisbury Plain. The first release was in 2004 and the number of birds released annually since then has varied from 6 to 33. The population in the UK release area in July 2009 was 1 5, with representatives from every year of release being present. The first Great Bustard eggs that the project was aware of, and the first in the wild in the UK since 1832, came in 2007. They were incubated for at least 40 days (the normal period being 26-28 days), before the female abandoned them. On subsequent examination they were found to be infertile, but of suitable size and shell thickness. The likely explanation for the infertility is that the males had not yet reached sexual maturity: it is widely held that Great Bustard males are not fertile, or at least will not breed, until they are four or five years old. Footnote: further eggs were laid in 2008, which were infertile. In 2009, two females incubated fertile eggs and successfully hatched three chicks. Two fledged but by the autumn only one young male had survived and was still with the female parent. England, SW Wiltshire One site: one female from the reintroduction scheme laid two eggs, which proved to be infertile. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 33 Dan Powell Holling et al. Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 68 sites: 1,536 pairs. Although this is a similar total to that in 2006, there were reductions in the number of pairs in Kent (32%) and in Lincolnshire (54%) yet an increase of 73% in Yorkshire, suggesting some movement among colonies. Avocet No. sites Confirmed pairs Min. young fledged England, SW 2 11 10 Hampshire 2 11 10 England, SE 19 387 86 Essex 11 102 32* Kent 4 226 28* Sussex 4 59 26 England, E 34 857 68 Cambridgeshire 2 26 3 Lincolnshire 4 106 3* Norfolk 18 487 54* Suffolk 10 238 8* England, C 1 2 8 Worcestershire 1 2 8 England, N 11 273 41 Cheshire & Wirral 1 4 3 Durham 1 1 2 Lancashire & N Merseyside 4 58 32 Yorkshire 5 210 4 Wales 1 6 11 Gwent 1 6 11 TOTALS 68 1,536 224 Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Eight counties: 348 confirmed pairs fledged 248 young. Although overall there was a modest increase in numbers, 2007 saw the range expand to include two counties that have not held breeding pairs in recent years. Monitoring by the RSPB, supported by Natural England, covers most of the population each year, amounting to 294 pairs in 2007. In addition, two estates in Suffolk held a further 54 pairs, bringing the national total to 348 breeding pairs, a continued increase. The recovery in the breeding range permitted the Stone-curlew to move from Red to Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus 34 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Stone-curlew Confirmed Young Oxfordshire 7 2 pairs fledged One other county 1 0 England, SW 104 77 England, E 227 162 Hampshire 19 13 Cambridgeshire 1 0 Wiltshire 85 64 Norfolk 129 87 England, SE 17 9 Suffolk 97 75 Berkshire 9 7 TOTALS 348 248 Amber in the latest BoCC assessment. The figures given in the table below are for proven breeding pairs only. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 891 pairs. A survey organised by the BTO of both Ringed C. hiaticula and Little Ringed Plovers found almost 900 breeding pairs of the latter species, higher than the recent five-year average of 678 pairs (2002-06) based on returns from recorders. The main results from the survey are out- lined below by Greg Conway. Since the first pair nested atTring Reservoirs, Hertfordshire, in 1938, numbers of breeding Little Ringed Plovers in the UK have increased steadily, accompanied by a range expansion to the north and west. In 1 973, a total of 467 pairs were recorded in Great Britain (Parrinder & Parrinder 1 975) and by 1984 there were 608-631 pairs (Parrinder 1 989). The most recent published population Little Ringed Plover Confirmed and probable breeding pairs England, SW 58 Avon 4 Devon 1 Dorset 1 Gloucestershire 6 Hampshire 32 Somerset 2 Wiltshire 12 England, SE 145 Bedfordshire 13 Berkshire 25 Buckinghamshire 9 Essex 16 Greater London 9 Hertfordshire 13 Kent 21 Oxfordshire 19 Surrey 14 Sussex 6 England, E 76 Cambridgeshire 22 Lincolnshire 22 Norfolk 19 Suffolk 13 England, C 155 Derbyshire 42 Leicestershire & Rutland 26 Nottinghamshire 13 Shropshire 9 Staffordshire 23 Warwickshire 19 West Midlands 4 Worcestershire 19 England, N 291 Cheshire & Wirral 31 Cleveland 7 Cumbria 12 Durham 15 Greater Manchester 29 Lancashire & N Merseyside 38 Northumberland 28 Yorkshire 131 Wales 144 Breconshire 11 Carmarthenshire 77 Ceredigion 1 Denbigh & Flint 5 East Glamorgan 10 Gower 2 Gwent 6 Meirionnydd 4 Montgomeryshire 23 Radnorshire 5 Scotland, S 6 Borders 3 Clyde 3 Scotland, Mid 16 Angus & Dundee 3 Fife 4 Moray & Nairn 1 North-east Scotland 7* Upper Forth 1 TOTAL 891 * Counts from 2006, as sites not covered in 2007. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 35 Holling et al. estimate is 825- 1 ,070 pairs for 1 988-9 I , during the last breeding atlas (Gibbons et al. 1 993). In total, 89 I pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were located during the 2007 survey, a far higher figure than that reported by the RBBP in 2006. This increase was due both to the comprehensive coverage of current and historical breeding locations and sampling of other suitable habitats and to expansion to the west and north of the core range in central and southeast England. Gravel- and sand-pits remain the most important habitat for this species. Increased use of river shingle in 2007 reflected the species’ range expansion into northern and western regions. Killdeer Charadrius vociferus One site: 0-1 pairs. This American plover is a new species for the Panel’s reports, but this was an opportunistic pairing rather than a serious breeding attempt. Scotland, N & W Shetland A long-staying first-summer female paired with a male Ringed Plover and was seen giving distrac- tion display at two different sites, but there was no further evidence of nesting. Dotterel Charadrius morinellus The Panel aims to cover only those Dotterels nesting outside the main Scottish range, which is the mountainous areas of Highland, Moray & Nairn, North-east Scotland and Perth & Kinross. In 2007, data relating to 29 breeding pairs in Highland and North-east Scotland were received (of which 1 1 were confirmed breeding). In Borders, four hilltops were visited in mid June but no Dot- terels were seen. In Cumbria, several trips of up to 23 birds in early May were in suitable habitat but there were no further records despite the presence of a single (unsexed) bird in June 2006. Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii One site: 0-1 pairs. The evidence presented here provides the most promising sign in the last ten years. Owing to a decline of over 50% in the breeding population in the last 25 years, the Temminck’s Stint moved from Amber to Red in the latest BoCC assessment. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one bird was present at a former breeding site for about a week and distraction display was noted on one occasion, which would indicate that a breeding attempt had occurred. This behaviour sug- gests that young were present nearby, but they were not seen and there was no further evidence. Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima One site: one bird alarm-calling. Although three pairs bred in 2003, there has been no further confirmation of breeding since then. However, the breeding habitat of this species is in remote and inaccessible areas, so it is possible that breeding goes undetected. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: a single bird was reported giving alarm calls in potential breeding habitat, indicating a probable breeding attempt, but there was no further evidence. Ruff Philomachus pugnax Four sites: 0-21 pairs. Breeding has been confirmed in only three of the last ten years. The large numbers of lekking birds early in the season in Yorkshire inflate the totals presented here and, in the light of past records in the region, the one-day record from Argyll is really the best hint of potential breeding in 2007. The sharp decline in the breeding population (over 50% in the last 25 years) meant that the Ruff was moved from Amber to Red in the recent BoCC assessment. In the Netherlands the population has fallen by 90% since the 1950s, and in Denmark there was a 75% decrease between 1970 and 1995 (Delany et al. 2009). England, E Cambridgeshire One site: up to 40 males with 1 1 females lekking in April but none was seen in May. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: up to nine males and two females were at a lek for three weeks in late 36 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 April and early May. Yorkshire One site: 42 males were lekking with seven females in March to mid April, numbers dwindling to 27 in late April and five by May. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: a single male and one female were at a lek on 9th June. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 13 sites: 60-66 pairs. Black-tailed Godwit is Red-listed in BoCC based on a historical decline that largely affects the nominate race, which nests in England. The race islandica breeds in smaller numbers but the population is stable. L. I. limosa 52-56 pairs England, SE Kent Two sites: ( 1 ) two pairs bred, both failed; (2) two pairs bred, one pair fledged two young. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: 41 pairs fledged 20 young. At a former breeding site, the only record was of a displaying male on just one date in early May. Norfolk One site: five pairs bred, but nests were flooded out. Suffolk One extensive site: a single male again held territory on the coast from late April to mid May. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside Two sites: ( 1 ) one pair bred, but the eggs were predated; (2) a pair was seen displaying and in mobbing behaviour. Yorkshire One site: one pair bred, two other pairs showed breeding behaviour. L. I. islandica 8-10 pairs Scotland, N & W Orkney One site: four pairs bred and one pair held territory close by. Outer Hebrides One site: one bird on 5th July was behaving as if nesting; no further information. Shetland Three sites: four pairs bred, each fledging at least one young. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 46-56 apparently occupied territories (AOTs) reported. This is a very limited sample. Surveys in Shetland indicated a substantial decline: on Fetlar, 30-32 AOTs were recorded compared with 80 in 1986 and 60 in 2002; in four survey plots on Unst there were 8-13 AOTs, compared with 53 in 1989 and 31 in 2003; and in a single survey plot on Yell there was only one AOT, compared with 7-8 in 1985. This decline, documented over the last 25 years, means that the Whimbrel is now a Red-listed species (formerly Amber). Scotland, N & W Highland Only one pair reported from RSPB reserves in Sutherland. Orkney One site: six pairs bred at this regular site. Outer Hebrides Two sites: three possible breeding pairs. Shetland 39-46 AOTs recorded on Fetlar, Unst and Yell. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus One site: one pair. According to the BTO’s Nest Record Scheme, this record represents the first documented nest of this species in Britain (Dave Leech pers. comm.). Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one pair bred. The pair was seen displaying from 8th April, and the nest was later found in an old Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus nest in a Scots Pine Finns sylvestris , situated some 12 m above the ground. The clutch of four eggs hatched on 3rd June and after that date the adults were often heard alarm- calling, indicating that chicks were nearby. The family was present until at least 28th June. Greenshank Tringa nebularia 41 sites: 14-53 pairs. Once again the totals here represent a small sample of the UK population, with Caithness and Highland particularly under-represented. The total of confirmed breeding pairs is lower than it might be as many records of probable breeding refer to adults behaving in an agitated manner - these birds are likely to have small young hidden nearby. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: one pair probably bred. Caithness One site: one pair bred. Highland 22 sites: 13 pairs bred, British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 37 Holling et al. 18 pairs probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Outer Hebrides 16 sites: seven pairs probably bred and ten pairs possibly bred. Shetland One site: one pair probably bred. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 20 sites: 1 1-27 pairs. A full survey of sites that have historically held breeding Wood Sandpipers was undertaken in 2007 and so this report gives a comprehensive picture of the status of this species in the UK. In 2004, based on a similar study (Chisholm 2007), we reported 18-22 pairs at 13 sites. The displaying bird in Perth & Kinross was at a new site. Scotland, Mid Perth & Kinross One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, N & W Caithness Four sites: four pairs possibly bred. Highland 14 sites: 1 1 pairs bred, five pairs probably bred and five pairs possibly bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair possibly bred. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Ten sites: 20 breeding males. Perhaps the higher numbers in 2003-06 (maxima of 30, 36, 45 and 30 breeding males, respectively) constituted a false dawn, since reports in 2007 were well down, particularly in the Outer Hebrides. Scotland, N & W Outer Hebrides One site: two apparently breeding males. Shetland Nine sites: 18 apparently breeding males. Productivity was low with just three chicks seen. Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 44 sites: 405-433 pairs/territories, including one mixed pair. The number of sites increased to a new peak, reflecting the continued northward expansion of Mediterranean Gulls from their strongholds in southern England. As they explore new areas, adult and second-summer birds typically occur in colonies of Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus. In this list, sites with first-summer birds only are excluded. The total number of pairs fell, owing to a 64% decline at what had been the largest colony in Hampshire. This is believed to reflect the unavailability of suitable nesting habitat after winter storms removed considerable quantities of Sea Beet Beta vulgaris maritima from areas favoured by the gulls. England, SW Dorset One site: an estimated 40 pairs bred. Hampshire Three sites: (1) 94 pairs at Langstone Harbour Hedged just 15 young; (2) ten pairs bred with at least five young reported; (3) four pairs bred and six pairs probably bred, but no young reported. Isle of Wight One site: two pairs fledged one young. England, SE Essex Four sites: ten pairs bred. Kent Three sites: (1) 132 pairs bred; (2) two pairs bred; (3) one pair bred. Sussex Two sites: (1) 40 pairs bred, with poor productivity (15 juveniles present in mid May); (2) 20 pairs bred and ten pairs possibly bred. England, E Cambridgeshire Three sites: (1) a pair of 2nd-summers bred but the eggs were infertile; (2) one pair of adults displayed in March and April but there was no further evidence of breeding; (3) a 2nd-summer male held territory during March to May. Lincolnshire Three sites: (1) one pair in colony of Black-headed Gulls; (2) one pair present; (3) two birds in May and up to five in June. Norfolk Five sites: ( 1 )— (4) 14 pairs fledged 1 1 young; (5) one pair present occasionally. Suffolk Three sites: 13 pairs bred, five young fledged at one site but success elsewhere unknown. England, C Staffordshire One site: three pairs bred but all young drowned in heavy rain in mid June. Warwickshire One site: one pair bred but whole gull colony flooded out in mid June. England, N Cheshire & Wirral Three sites: one pair bred and two pairs built nests but did not lay eggs. Cumbria One site: two pairs fledged two young. Greater Manchester One site: one mixed pair (with Black-headed Gull) fledged one young. Lancashire & N Merseyside Two sites: (1) eight pairs fledged 14 young; (2) three pairs 38 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 fledged six young. Northumberland One site: two 2nd-summer birds present until June but no breeding attempt made. Yorkshire Two sites: (1) a 2nd-summer paired with an adult hatched two young but none fledged; (2) a pair of 2nd-summer birds displayed and held territory only. Northern Ireland Co. Down Four sites: (1) one pair bred (but eggs taken for human consumption along with other gull eggs); (2) one pair bred; (3) one pair held territory; (4) one pair present only. Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis Four sites: 3-5 pairs, including three mixed pairs. This species has appeared in these reports in every year since 1996, and the five pairings reported here matches the previous maximum from 2001. Clearly the population has not taken off in similar fashion to the spread of Mediterranean Gulls, largely owing to the low success and high incidence of mixed pairings with Lesser Black- hacked Gulls L. fuscus. England, SW Dorset One site: one pair bred. Two young fledged; this is the first nesting success at this site since 2001. Hampshire One site: a mixed pair bred. One paired with a Lesser Black-backed Gull nested but no young were seen. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: (1) a female paired with a Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen incubating during 3rd-31st May; (2) a male paired with a Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen displaying in March. Northern Ireland Co. Fermanagh One site: one bird was again present in a Lesser Black-backed Gull colony between mid May and mid June. Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus One site: one pair. This confirmed breeding record was the second for Norfolk and the fifth for England: all have been unsuccessful. There has been one, possibly two, confirmed breeding attempts in Scotland: a very recently fledged juvenile was found in 1988, and in 1991 four juven- iles appeared at a site where up to four adults had been recorded, though no nest was found. England, E Norfolk One site: a pair bred but eggs were predated. The pair, an adult male and a 2nd-summer female, arrived in late May and was seen displaying, mating and nest-building at the RSPB’s Titchwell reserve. The first egg was laid on 5th June ^ Gu|| Hydroco,oeus minutus and the second on 6th, and a 24-hour watch was set up to prevent disturbance. Unfortunately, that night both eggs were lost to a predator (Eele 2008). Little Tern Sternula albifrons Minimum of 1,356 pairs at 68 colonies. The table shows the number of occupied Little Tern colonies by county and the minimum number of confirmed breeding pairs and young fledged from those colonies. The following summary was compiled by Sabine Schmitt, RSPB. Poor weather conditions in May and June meant a generally late start to nesting and thioughout the season heavy and persistent rain, strong winds and high tides contributed to complete breeding failure at many Little Tern colonies. Predation also depressed productivity at many sites. The fact that, with a few exceptions, food supplies were abundant prevented this season from British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 39 Don Powell Holling et al. Little Tern No. sites Confirmed pairs Min. young fledged England, SW 4 121 2 Dorset 1 8 0 Hampshire 3 113 2 England, SE 8 108 5 Essex 5 75 0 Kent 1 10 0 Sussex 2 23 5 England, E 21 613 264 Lincolnshire 2 52 3 Norfolk 13 547 261 Suffolk 6 14 0 England, N 9 227 164 Cleveland 2 50 108 Cumbria 3 55 25 Isle of Man 1 21 10 Northumberland 2 74 21 Yorkshire 1 27 0 Wales 1 103 99 Denbigh & Flint 1 103 99 Scotland, S 1 6 0 Ayrshire 1 6 0 Scotland, Mid 3 38 19 Angus & Dundee 1 12 16 Fife 1 1 2 North-east Scotland 1 25 1 Scotland, N & W 21 140 62 Argyll 11 81 61 Caithness 1 5 n/a Highland 4 35 0 Orkney 1 1 1 Outer Hebrides 4 18 n/a TOTALS 68 1,356 615 becoming the worst on record. Surprisingly, some sites fared well and even better than in previous years. At Gronant (Denbigh & Flint), productivity was fairly high at almost one chick per pairTiree (Argyll) escaped the heavy rains on the mainland and recorded its best season for at least ten years. Consistent food availability at Scolt Head (Norfolk) resulted in more fledged young at this site than in the previous three years combined. The biggest surprise, however came at Crimdon Dene (Cleveland), where 47 pairs fledged 1 05 young: a staggering productivity of 2.23 chicks per pair Owing to predation and inclement weather however the Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) colony could not repeat the success of the previous season but 1 59 young still fledged. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Three sites: 80 pairs fledged 96 young. The Panel has collated data on this species from all breeding sites in the UK since 1987 (by which time the species had already undergone a large decline) and the changing fortunes are illustrated in fig. 7. The large decline in the early 1990s was associated with a shift of the population to colonies in Eire. Numbers in the UK have been increasing during the current decade, until 2007, which also saw a reduction in the number of sites occupied. It remains to be seen whether this is a temporary loss. England, S A single bird in a mixed tern colony on 24th May was the only record. England, N Northumberland One site: Coquet Island: 75 pairs fledged 89 young. 40 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Fig. 7. Number of confirmed breeding pairs of and sites for Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii in the UK, 1 987-2007. Scotland, Mid Fife One site: one pair fledged two young. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: four pairs fledged five young. Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops One site: one singing male. England, SE Oxfordshire One site: one male calling between 15th May and 5th June was presumed to be the same indi- vidual recorded at the same site in 2006. Wryneck Jynx torquilla Two sites: one singing male and one other bird. The last confirmed breeding record was in 1999 and since then there have been two blank years and only one year with more than one bird reported (there were records from ten sites in 2006). Scotland, N & W Caithness One site: a single bird in suitable habitat was seen on 13th May but could not be found a week later, although the weather was poor. Highland One site: one singing male from 2nd June to 2nd July. Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Three sites: 3-5 pairs. Owing to the severe decline in the breeding population over the last 25 years, Golden Oriole moved from Amber to Red in the recent BoCC review. 1 he figures for 2007 offer little hope of a recovery. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: only one male seen. Norfolk No breeding records. Suffolk Two sites: three pairs bred and one pair possibly bred. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Three sites: 2-3 pairs. There have been at least two sites with Red-backed Shrikes in nine of the last ten years, and breeding has been confirmed in five of these, including the last four. Wales One site: one pair bred at the site first occupied in 2005. The first brood died in very heavy rain and a second clutch was deserted. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 41 Holling et al. Scotland, Mid One site: a female was reported in late June but not seen again. Scotland, N & W One site: one pair bred at a site where a male has summered since 2003 and a female was present in 2006. It is not known whether the nesting attempt was successful. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 243-327 pairs. After successful breeding in 2004-06, only a single bird was present in Dumfries & Galloway. The recolonisation of Cornwall continues to be successful, however, with an increase to three pairs. Red-billed Chough Confirmed breeding pairs Total pairs East Glamorgan Gower 1 7 1 7 England 3 3 Meirionnydd 17 19 Cornwall 3 3 Pembrokeshire 47 72 Isle of Man n/a n/a Scotland 45 46 Wales 194 277 Argyll: Colonsay & Oronsay 18 19 Anglesey 25 45 Argyll: Islay 27 27 Caernarfonshire 72 100 Northern Ireland 1 1 Ceredigion 23 29 Co. Antrim 1 1 Denbigh & Flint 2 4 TOTALS 243 327 Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla 11-613 pairs. Almost twice as many Firecrest territories were reported in 2007 as in 2006, pro- ducing another new record total, although the proportion of confirmed breeding records remains low. Much of this increase comes from the New Forest in Hampshire and from West Sussex, but there were also significant increases in Norfolk and Suffolk. Echoing the pattern shown by other rare species increasing from the south, notably Little Egret, Cetti’s Warbler and Dartford Warbler, there is little indication of range expansion north of the English Midlands. England, SW Dorset Two singing males. Gloucestershire One pair bred, two pairs seen nest-building and five singing males. Hampshire One extensive site (New Forest) held 145 territories, almost 50% more than recorded in 2006. In total across the county, three pairs bred, 172 pairs probably bred and 12 pairs possibly bred. Som- erset Two territories and a further three singing males. Wiltshire 16 territories and a further eight singing males. England, SE Bedfordshire Two pairs bred. Berkshire 72 territories recorded. Buckinghamshire Two pairs bred. Hertford- shire One pair seen nest-building and a further three singing males. Oxfordshire One pair probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Sussex One pair bred, 30 pairs probably bred and 148 pairs possibly bred. Signifi- cant effort was invested to locate this species in West Sussex, and 179 pairs is three times the number recorded in 2006. England, E Norfolk One pair bred, 40 territories and a further 27 singing males. Suffolk 44 territories and seven singing males or possible breeding pairs. England, C Derbyshire One pair bred, two pairs possibly bred and two further singing males. Wales Montgomeryshire One singing male. Radnorshire One singing male. 42 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus At least 40 sites: a minimum of 611 pairs. These figures are similar to those reported for 2006. The figure for Kent is an estimate and, although birds were present in the Tay reedbeds in Perth & Kinross, there were no counts from this site, which held at least 70 pairs in 2004. Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus Bearded Tit Minimum Confirmed no. sites and probable Norfolk 12 142 breeding pairs Suffolk 6 209 England, SW Dorset 7 3 37 17 England, N 3 135 Hampshire 3 12 Lancashire & N Merseyside Yorkshire 1 2 25 110 Somerset 1 8 England, SE 7+ 79 Wales 1 1 Essex 3 14 Gwent 1 1 Kent n/a 50 Scotland, Mid 2 2 Sussex 3 15 Moray & Nairn 1 1 England, E 20 357 Perth & Kinross 1 1 + Cambridgeshire 2 6 TOTALS 40 611 Wood Lark Lullula arborea 1,171 territories. Since 2006 was a survey year, it is not surprising that 2007 saw a reduction in the number of territories reported, reflecting reduced coverage and reporting across the whole range. The 2006 survey produced a record of 1,771 territories, which, when extrapolated, yielded an estimated record of 3,064 territories. Wood Lark Singing males/ England, E 481 territories Lincolnshire 15 England, SW 275 Norfolk 188 Devon 12 Suffolk 278 Dorset 26 England, C 68 Hampshire 231 Nottinghamshire 34 Wiltshire 6 Staffordshire 32 England, SE 334 Warwickshire 1 Bedfordshire 1 Worcestershire 1 Berkshire 48 England, N 13 Surrey 209 Yorkshire 13 Sussex 76 TOTAL 1,171 British Birds 103 'January 2010 • 2-52 43 Phil Jones Phil Jones Holling et al. Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti 2,024 singing males or territo- ries. The number of pairs of breeding Cetti’s Warblers passed the 1,000 mark only in 2003, yet just four years on they have exceeded 2,000, with a 30% increase from 2006. Their increase is thought to be fuelled by a long run of mild winters favouring overwinter survival and their range expansion is driven by the increasing dispersal distance of juveniles (Robinson et al. 2007). A thorough survey in Kent revealed 388 territories, compared with just 124 in 2006 (based on casual reports only). It is likely that other counties with healthy populations are also under-recording Cetti’s War- blers, so the true population could be significantly higher than 2,000 pairs. Cetti’s Warbler Singing males/ territories England, SW 728 Avon 42 Cornwall 12 Devon 70 Dorset 91 Gloucestershire 14 Hampshire 163 Isle of Wight 36 Somerset 270 Wiltshire 30 England, SE 622 Bedfordshire 1 Berkshire 21 Buckinghamshire 2 Essex 84 Hertfordshire 8 Kent 388 Oxfordshire 16 Sussex 102 England, E 481 Cambridgeshire 16 Norfolk 230 Northamptonshire 20 Suffolk 215 England, C 31 Derbyshire 1 Leicestershire & Rutland 3 Nottinghamshire 1 Staffordshire 1 Warwickshire 17 Worcestershire 8 Wales 162 Anglesey 7 Breconshire 1 Caernarfonshire 8 Carmarthenshire 20 Ceredigion 1 East Glamorgan 13 Gower 58 Gwent 44 Meirionnydd 1 Pembrokeshire 9 TOTAL 2,024 Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus One site: one singing male. Another was heard for just one day in April in Devon. England, E Norfolk One site: one singing male from 21st April to 7th June. 44 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 2,098 territories. This total is about 500 fewer than that reported in 2006 when, after extrapola- tion, the national survey estimated 3,214 territories in England and Wales. Numbers reported from counties in southwest England are particularly low as they do not include figures for the stronghold of the New Forest in Hampshire. Coverage in southeast England was good, however, with an increase of 22% reported from the Surrey heaths. Dartford Warbler Total England, E 132 Norfolk 3 England, SW 1,215 Suffolk 129 Cornwall 23 England, C 4 Devon 81 Staffordshire 4 Dorset 750 England, N 1 Hampshire 265 Yorkshire 1 Isle of Wight 11 Wales 19 Somerset 85 Carmarthenshire 1 England, SE 727 East Glamorgan 5 Berkshire 30 Gower 8 Surrey 604 Pembrokeshire 5 Sussex 93 TOTAL 2,098 Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides Two sites: two singing males. Both 2007 records have been accepted by BBRC. The Somerset bird was at the same site as one in both 2005 and 2006. England, SW Somerset One site: one singing male, 24th April to 3rd June. England, E Norfolk One site: one singing male, 14th— 27th May. Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina Four sites: four singing males. This is the first time that this species has appeared in these reports since 2000. The long-staying birds in Shetland were part of an influx of at least 27 individuals in late May and June. Some clearly felt that they had found suitable breeding habitat and established territories. On the face of it, it would seem unlikely that Shetland would provide suitable habitat, as breeding Icterine Warblers on the Continent are associated with open forest and shrubby woodland. However, a record of confirmed breeding in Orkney in 2002, not included in our report for 2002 but documented in Forrester et al. (2007), involved a pair that nested in a garden on Stronsay and fledged four, possibly five, young in July. This was only the third confirmed breeding record in the UK, following two records in Highland in the 1990s. In June 1992, adults were watched carrying food and removing faecal sacs, and fledged young were seen in late July, while in 1998 a pair was ringed in early June, the female of which had a brood patch thus con- firming a breeding attempt, but the outcome was unknown. England, E Norfolk One site: one singing male from 21st April to 2nd June. Scotland, N & W Shetland Three sites: three singing males: (1) 31st May to 7th June; (2) 2nd-20th June; (3) 2nd June to 3rd July. Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris Three sites: three singing males. On the basis of these figures we are in danger of losing this species as a regular breeding bird in Britain. In addition to these recoids, presumed passage buds were reported singing elsewhere in southeast England (six birds in tbiee counties) and in the Isle of Wight, Shetland and Suffolk, but all of these were recorded for less than a week. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 45 Holling et al. England, SE Kent Two sites: two singing males recorded for over a week. England, E Suffolk One site: one singing male, 3rd-12th June. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus One site: one singing male. Only records where birds remain at a site for over a week are included and once again the only evidence of occupation is a singing male. England, SE Kent One site: one singing male, 10th-20th June. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris One site: one pair bred. As in 2006, only one record of breeding Fieldfares was received. The suc- cessful attempt was in Derbyshire, where breeding was last confirmed in 1989. The recent BoCC review Red-listed the Fieldfare owing to the long-term decline in breeding numbers. England, C Derbyshire One site: one pair bred, with 3-4 large young seen in the nest. Redwing Turdus iliacus Up to 14 sites: 1-16 pairs. The long-term decline in the breeding population has led to the Redwing being Red-listed in the recent BoCC review. Scotland, N & W Highland Up to nine sites: two pairs probably bred and eight singing males. Shetland Five sites: one pair bred producing a juvenile seen on 5th July, and five other singing males. This is the first confirmed breeding in Shetland since 2000 and although singing birds are regular here there has never been more than one record of confirmed breeding in any one year. Bob Swann has analysed the Panel’s data and compiled the following brief review of the status of the Redwing as a UK breeding bird over the last 35 years. The first confirmed breeding by Redwings in Britain was in 1925, in Sutherland. From then until the 1968-72 breeding atlas there were fewer than 40 breeding records. Atlas work resulted in a large increase in breeding records, however for example 20 pairs in Wester Ross alone in 1968. During 1968-72, confirmed breeding records were logged in 54 10-km squares, mainly in the north of Scotland, and possible/probable breeding in a further 57 (Sharrock 1976). RBBP data show an increase in the number of summering individuals reported, reaching a peak in 1984, followed by a steady decline (fig. 8). Numbers fluctuate greatly from year to year as a result of variation in both reporting rates and the numbers of birds present. Evidence from recorders suggests that the number of birds actually located and reported is only a small Fig. 8. Maximum total number of breeding pairs of Redwings Turdus iliacus in the UK, 1973-2007. 46 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 proportion of those actually present. The table shows confirmed breeding pairs in different parts of Britain. North and west Scot- land has always been the main breeding area, though in the mid 1970s a small population built up in Kent, with eight confirmed pairs reported in 1976. It is possible that the increase in numbers up to the mid 1980s may have been the result of more data being received by the newly estab- lished RBBR as there is a suggestion that numbers may actually have been in decline over that time period. Between 1 988 and 1991, fieldworkers for the second breeding bird atlas recorded breeding Redwings in 42% fewer 10-km squares than during the first atlas, with noticeable reductions in areas away from the core region of N & W Scotland (Gibbons eta/. 1993). Since then numbers have continued to drop.There has been no confirmed breeding in England since 1989, when a recently fledged juvenile was reported in Staffordshire. The last confirmed breeding records in Scotland outside the north and west were in Perth & Kinross in 1997 and then not until 2005, when a family party was recorded in Deeside, North-east Scotland. Even in well-covered parts of north and west Scotland, a decrease in numbers has been observed. Results from the new 2007-1 I Atlas will give further information on the extent of this decline. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros 24 sites: 15-31 pairs. The totals here are similar to those in 2006, perhaps once again reflecting the lack of thorough coverage in Greater London, but nonetheless a decline is evident and the low numbers may not all be due to under-recording. Singing males recorded on single dates only at two sites in Cambridgeshire are not included here but occurred at potential breeding sites and may reflect wandering males looking for partners. England, SW Avon One site: one pair bred. Present from 20th May, a female was seen taking food into a nest-site between shipping containers (which were moved soon afterwards). This is the first confirmed breeding record for Avon. England, SE Bedfordshire One site: one pair bred and fledged one young. Berkshire Two sites: one pair probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Essex One site: two singing males in April and a sighting in August, but no further evidence of breeding. Greater London Two sites: one pair probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Kent One site: two pairs bred, both fledging young. Sussex Six sites: five pairs bred (five broods totalling ten young) and two singing males. England, E Norfolk Three sites: two pairs bred, with 4-5 young fledging, and three singing males. Suffolk Two sites: three pairs bred, fledging at least four young. England, C Derbyshire One site: one bird on 12th )une in potential breeding habitat. West Midlands One site: two singing males. England, N Greater Manchester Two sites: one pair bred, fledging two young; and 1-2 female/immature birds at a second site where a nest used in a previous year was found in 2008. Yorkshire One site: one female seen in likely breeding habitat. White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba One site: one mixed pair. In addition, a female White Wagtail seen feeding young Grey Wagtails M. cinerea in Cleveland was thought to be responding to begging calls rather than being a parent bird. N & W Scotland Rest of Scotland England 1973-77 12 12 15 1978-82 61 1 2 1983-87 105 3 2 1988-92 45 1 1 1993-97 25 2 0 1998-02 10 0 0 2003-07 14 1 0 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 47 Holling et al. England, E Norfolk One site: one mixed pair. A male was seen paired with a female Pied Wagtail M. a. yarrelli and feeding young in late May. The brood was later predated. Common Redpoll Carduelis flammed Two sites: 1-2 pairs. It is unclear whether this low return is due to fewer Common Redpolls breeding in 2007 or, more likely, because of under-recording. Local birders and visitors to the northern and western islands of Scotland are encouraged to check any redpolls they find and report singing males and any other evidence of breeding. Note that Lesser Redpolls C. cabaret also breed in some of these areas and so the identity of any redpolls needs to be confirmed. Scotland, N & W Outer Hebrides One site: a family party was seen among a flock of Twites C. flavirostris. Shetland One site: ‘breeding birds’ were reported to the recorder but could not be located when followed up. Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica At least two sites: 2-3 pairs. This is an unrepresentative total for the true numbers of this species in the forests of northern Scotland. In an attempt to better quantify the population, a survey of all three crossbill species breeding within the range of the Scottish Crossbill was carried out in 2008 and the results of that survey will appear in the Panel’s next report. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: (1) two pairs bred (up to six birds were seen in April, two juveniles on 25th June and two recently fledged young on 24th July); (2) one singing male in March. Scotland, N & W Highland Believed to be present at two sites but no other information. Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus Three sites: three pairs. As with the previous species, this is a gross under-representation of the true numbers present. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: ( 1 ) one pair bred (up to 1 1 birds were seen in April, a second-brood nest was found on 16th April, and juvenile Parrot Crossbills were seen in a mixed flock of crossbills in May and in a flock of 1 1 Parrot Crossbills in July); (2) one pair bred (up to eight were present in February and April and a juvenile was seen in June). Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one pair bred (young in a nest on 28th April had fledged by 1st May). Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes At least 34 sites: 14-48 pairs. In the second year of collating Hawfinch data, we report slightly more confirmed breeding pairs, but even fewer pairs in total. However, an estimate provided for Kent, based on the size of spring flocks, would, if accurate, boost the total to over 100 pairs. Else- where, we list only records of pairs or singing males reported after dispersal in March/April. Breeding records are highly dependent on chance observations, and confirmed breeding records largely refer to sightings of juveniles. England, SW Gloucestershire One site: one pair bred and two further singing males. Hampshire At least 15 sites within the New Forest: two pairs bred, ten pairs probably bred and eight pairs possibly bred. Wiltshire Four sites: two pairs bred and two pairs possibly bred. England, SE Kent Three sites: three pairs possibly bred. An estimate of 50-70 pairs in the county was based on the size of pre-dispersal flocks in spring. Sussex Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. England, E Norfolk One site: three pairs bred. England, C Derbyshire One site: one pair possibly bred. 48 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 England, N Cumbria One site: two pairs bred. Lancashire & N Merseyside Two sites: one pair probably bred and five pairs possibly bred. Wales Breconshire One site: one pair bred. This is the first confirmed breeding record for Breconshire since 1979. Gwent One site: one pair bred. Radnorshire Two sites: two pairs bred. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis In two study areas of the Cairngorms (within North-east Scotland), a total of 17 pairs was identified: 1 1 males and five females in the central Cairngorms, and six males and two females in the western Cairngorms (survey areas defined by Smith & Marquiss 1994). No nests were found. Other than these records, only casual observations were submitted from mountain tops in High- land. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus Only minimal data were received for this species in 2007, but birds bred in Cornwall for the first year in recent times. These were birds from the reintroduction scheme, supplementing the existing population in Devon, which was not surveyed in 2007. The last report to include Cirl Buntings in Cornwall was that for 1998, when two pairs were present in April; the last confirmed breeding was in 1994, and although a male carrying food was reported in 1996, no females were seen in that year (Ogilvie et al. 1999). Cirl Buntings released in Cornwall during 2006 made at least 12 nesting attempts (resulting in at least 1 1 fledglings) during 2007. This is a huge milestone in the programme to establish a self- sustaining population. Below, Peter Newbery describes the background to this reintroduction and reports on progress to date. The main objective of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for the Cirl Bunting is: ‘in the long term, [to] ensure a wider geographical spread of the Cirl Bunting by re-establishing populations outside the current (1997) range’. The UK population reached an all-time low of I I 8 breeding pairs in 1989, almost confined to the coastal strip of south Devon. Although numbers increased thereafter; there was little sign of range expansion by this extremely sedentary species, and reintroduction was con- sidered to be the only means of achieving this. In 2000, a reintroduction programme was drawn up by (what was then) English Nature and the Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 Dan Powell Holling et al. RSPB, with Paignton Zoo brought in as an avicultural partner The original plan was to establish a breeding population in captivity, releasing the resulting offspring as juveniles, since it was estimated that more birds would need to be released (35 per annum for 3-5 years) than could safely be removed from the wild in Devon. Unfortunately, there was no successful breeding in captivity, and eventually, with a further increase in the wild population, plans were revised and a ‘rear-and-release’ strategy adopted. This involves chicks being taken, under licence, from nests in Devon and hand- reared at Paignton Zoo where they are kept in aviaries before release in Cornwall. The Devon population is unaffected as the adult birds re-lay and RSPB researchers have shown that first-brood nests (clutches started before I st July) were only half as successful as second-brood ones, since the availability of grasshoppers and bush crickets, the preferred food for feeding chicks, increased later in the season (www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/science/casestudies/cirlbunting.asp). The Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall was eventually chosen as the release locality and chick releases began in 2006. The revised target was to release 60 birds per annum for four years, to achieve a breeding population of 35 pairs by 2010. By summer 2008, 188 juveniles had been released and 1 2 breeding pairs established, with 1 5 wild-bred juveniles fledging successfully. Appendix I . Other species considered by the Panel also recorded in 2007. The following ten species were recorded during the breeding season in 2007 but showed no further signs of breeding than are documented here. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis An unpaired male was present at one site in Cheshire & Wirral for most of the year and was noted displaying to a female Eurasian Teal A. crecca , as it had done in the breeding seasons of 2004 and 2006 (Norman 2008). Black Duck Anas rubripes A male at a site in Cornwall between May and July was paired with a female Mallard. Apparently, this male has been present since 1999 and has bred with Mallards on a number of occasions (though not in 2007), producing hybrid young. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris During March, a male at a site in Argyll was paired with and displayed to a female Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis In Argyll, a female was seen on the unusual date of 8th June. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer One bird, paired with a Black-throated Diver, was present on an inland loch in mainland Highland, but there was no evidence of a breeding attempt. Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris Following records in 2005 and 2006, one returned to Sula Sgeir, Outer Hebrides on 8th— 1 Oth May. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena Two sites: two single birds. In Northamptonshire, one bird in breeding plumage returned to the site where summering has occurred before, but was present only during 1 3th — 2 1 st April. For the fourth consecutive year, a single bird was present on a loch in Fife, from 5th July to 1 1th August. Hoopoe Upupa epops In Hertfordshire, a bird was present from 24th April to 18th May, while in Cambridgeshire a singing male was reported on 15th April only. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla The only record received was of a singing male on 16th June in the Outer Hebrides. Fieldwork intended to survey all known Brambling sites in north and west Scotland over a number of summers began in 2007. Only ten sites were checked, but each received a visit of around three hours. No Bramblings were found but the areas covered were not in the area believed to be the main breeding area. The RBBP report for 2006 did not include any Brambling records, but a late record of a singing male in Highland has since been received. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus A male in the Outer I lebrides seen on both 14th and 16th June may have been a late migrant. Although the Common Rosefinch is an occasional 50 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 2-52 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2007 breeder in the UK, passage birds in Scotland are typically recorded in late May and early June (Forrester et al. 2007). The following species was recorded during the breeding season in 2007 but only limited informa- tion was available: Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa Reported from St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, where 19 occupied burrows were monitored. Acknowledgments We sincerely thank all recorders and other contributors to the Panel's records without whom this report would be much less comprehensive and useful. The willing co-operation of county and regional recorders throughout the UK, as well as many specialist study groups, conservation organisations and numerous individuals, makes the processing of the data submitted to the Panel a pleasure. We would especially like to thank those recorders who dealt patiently with additional requests or queries and those who undertook extra work in reviewing an early draft of this report. Important information for many species was supplied by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Natural England (NE), Countryside Commission for Wales (CCW), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the BTO and the RSPB. We are especially grateful to the licensing officers responsible for Schedule I licences who supplied data for 2007: Jez Blackburn (BTO), Jo Oldaker (NE), Christine Hughes (CCW) and Ben Ross (SNH); and to Andy Young (RSPB Wales), who collated Schedule I species data on behalf of CCW and the Panel. We gratefully acknowledge the efforts of and role played by all contributors in the production of this report. In addition, we extend particular thanks to the following individuals and groups, who provided information on particular species or collated data from other schemes on behalf of the Panel: Jake Allsop and the Golden Oriole Group, Stuart Benn, Stephen Blain, Dave Butterfield, Niels Cadee, Greg Conway, Tony Cross and the Welsh Kite Trust, Brian Etheridge, William George, Claire Lauder, Dave Leech, Jerry Lewis, John Marchant, Carl Mitchell and the Goldeneye Study Group, Stephen Murphy, Andy Musgrove.Tim Poole, Sabine Schmitt, Simon Wotton, Malcolm Wright, Robin Wynde and Andy Young, and indeed anyone else who we may have unintentionally left out. The following volunteer authors were responsible for the additional texts: Stuart Benn (Slavonian Grebe), Greg Conway (Little Ringed Plover), Mark Eaton (Common Scoter), Peter Newbery (accounts of the reintroductions of White-tailed Eagle, Red Kite, Corn Crake and Cirl Bunting), Bob Swann (Redwing) and Tamas Szekely and David Waters (Great Bustard). Thanks are also due to the Scottish and Welsh Raptor Study Groups, the Wiltshire Raptor Group, the North of England Raptor Forum and the Sea Eagle Project Team, who monitor the important raptor populations in their respective regions, the JNCC/RSPB/SOTEAG Seabird Monitoring Programme for its data on seabirds and the BTO for access to data from the BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey. The Bittern Monitoring Programme is organised annually by RSPB and Natural England, through Action for Birds in England. The Secretary is grateful for the support and encouragement given by all current and past members of the Panel, and thanks Jill Andrews and Aisling Holling for assembling much of the data which underpin this report. He would also like to thank Denis Corley who, over the last few years, has tirelessly compiled additional data from bird reports to supplement the Panel's archives, and has generated tables of the totals presented in each of the previous 33 reports produced by the Panel. References Ballance, D. K„ & Smith, A. J. 2008. Recording areas of Great Britain. Brit. Birds 101: 364-375. Carter I., Newbery, R, Grice, R, & Hughes, J. 2008.The role of reintroductions in conserving British birds. Brit. Birds 101: 2-25. Chisholm, K. 2007. History of the Wood Sandpiper as a breeding bird in Britain. Brit. Birds 100: I 12-121. Delany, S„ Scott, D„ Dodman.T. & Stroud, D. 2009. An Atlas of Wader Populations in Africa and Western Eurasia. Wetlands International, Wageningen, the Netherlands. Eaton, M. A., Dillon, I. A., Stirling-Aird, R K„ & Whitfield, D. R 2007.The status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Britain in 2003. Bird Study 54: 2 1 2-220. — , Brown, A. F„ Noble, D. G„ Musgrove, A.J., Hearn, R. D„ Aebischer N. J., Gibbons, D.W., Evans, A., & Gregory, R. D. 2009a, Birds of Conservation Concern 3: the population status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Brit. Birds 1 02: 296-34 1 . — , Balmer D„ Conway, G.J., Gillings, S„ Grice, RV„ Hall, C„ Hearn, R„ Musgrove, A. J„ Risely, K„ & Wotton, S. 2009b. The State of the UK's Birds 2008. RSPB, BTO.WWT CCW, NIEA, JNCC, NE and SNH, Sandy, Bedfordshire. Eele, R 2008. Breeding Little Gulls at RSPBTitchwell Marsh Nature Reserve - summer 2007. Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 41: 173. Forrester, R.W., Andrews, I. J„ Mclnerny, C.J., Murray, R. D„ McGowan, R.Y, Zonfrillo, B„ Betts, M.W., Jardine, D. C„ & Grundy, D. S. 2007. The Birds of Scotland. SOC, Aberlady. Gibbons, D. W„ Reid, J. B„ & Chapman, R. A. 1 993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1 988- 1991. Poyser; London. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 51 Holling et al. Green, J„ & Pritchard, R. 2009. Welsh Bird Report No. 2 1 : 2007. Welsh Birds 5: 360^470. Hagemeijer; W. J. M„ & Blair M. J. (eds.) 1 997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Poyser; London. Hillis.J. R2008. Rare Irish breeding birds, 2007.The seventh annual report of the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel (IRBBP). Irish Birds 8: 365-372. Holling, M„ & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 2007. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2003 and 2004. Brit Birds 100:321-367. — & — 2009. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2006. Brit. Birds 1 02: 1 58-202. Martin, B„ & Smith, J. 2007. A survey of breeding Black-necked Grebes in the UK: 1 973-2004. Brit. Birds 1 00: 368-378. Norman, D. 2008. Birds in Cheshire and Wirral: a breeding and wintering atlas. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool. Ogilvie, M. A., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 1999. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1996. Brit. Birds 92: 120-154. Parrinder, E. R„ & Parrinder; E. D. 1 975. Little Ringed Plovers in Britain in 1 968-73. Brit. Birds 68: 359-368. Parrinder; E. D. 1 989. Little Ringed Plovers Charadrius dubius in Britain in 1 984. Bird Study 36: 1 47- 1 53. Risely, K., Noble, D. G., & Baillie, S. R. 2009. The Breeding Bird Survey 2008. BTO Research Report 537. BTO.Thetford. Robinson, R. A„ Freeman, S. N„ Balmer; D. E„ & Grantham, M.J. 2007. Cetti's Warbler Cett/a cetti: analysis of an expanding population. Bird Study 54: 230-235. Sharrock,J.T R. 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. Poyser Berkhamsted. — & Sharrock, E. M. 1 976. Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland. Poyser Berkhamsted. Sills, N. 2008. The return of nesting Cranes Grus grus to the Fens of eastern England. Suffolk Birds 57: 24-27. Smith, R. D„ & Marquiss, M. 1 994. Breeding seasons and nesting success of Snow Buntings in north-east Scotland. Scottish Birds 1 7: 223-234. Triplet, R, Overdijk, O., Smart, M„ Nagy, S., Schneider-Jacoby, M„ Suhendan Karauz, E„ Pigniczki, C., Baha El Din, S., Kralj, J., Sandor A., & Navedo.J. G. 2008. AEWA Technical Series 35. International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia. AEWA, Bonn. Mark Holling, The Old Orchard, Grange Road, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39 4QT; e-mail secretary@rbbp.org.uk The Rare Breeding Birds Panel is supported by JNCC, RSPB and the BTO Rare Breeding Birds Panel Find out more about the Panel at www.rbbp.org.uk JOIN Tftfe NATURE Wi CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Announcements East Glamorgan and Gower Following discussions between the Welsh Ornithological Society and the local societies concerned, it is now recommended that Glamorgan should be treated as two Recording Areas at both national and local level: as East Glamorgan (UAs of Bridgend, Rhondda/Cynon/Taff, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and the west part of Caerphilly) and Gower (UAs of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot). This updates the paper by Ballance & Smith [Brit. Birds 101: 364-375) to reflect local practice, which at present is strongly in favour of separating the two areas. New taxonomic sequence The BOU has just published the BOURC’s 38th report ( Ibis 152: 199-204), which describes changes to the British List including the taxonomic recommendations covered in the BOURC TSC’s 6th report ( Ibis 152: 180-186). The taxonomic changes include a revised sequence of passerines, and a change in the position of grebes, as per the TSC’s 4th report (Ibis 149: 853-857). These changes will be implemented by BB from January 2010, and will explain the initially unfamiliar sequence of passerines in the RBBP report. All the above reports, plus links to the revised list, can be viewed at http.V/thebritishlist. blogspot.com. A revised British Birds List of Birds of the Western Palearctic will be available early in January at www.britishbirds.co.uk/bblist.htm 52 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010* 2-52 sijjdu umw Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire: new to Britain John Sanders Abstract During a visit to record colour-ringed gulls at Gloucester Landfill Site, near Hempsted, Gloucestershire, on 15th December 2006, an unfamiliar gull was discovered. Photographs suggested that it most closely resembled Glaucous- winged Gull Larus glaucescens. During cannon-netting operations the following day, the gull was captured; measurements and photographs established that it was a third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull. This identification was further supported by comments from observers familiar with the species in North America, and by DNA analysis. The bird was relocated at Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, where it was seen intermittently between 2nd and 5th March 2007, then at Beddington Sewage Farm, Surrey, on 18th April 2007, after briefly reappearing at Gloucester Landfill Site on 1 6th- 1 7th March. Other records in the Western Palearctic and the species’ distribution in the North Pacific are discussed. Members of the Severn Estuary Gull Group (SEGG) have been cannon- netting and ringing gulls at Gloucester Landfill Site, near Elempsted, Gloucestershire, for over 20 years. In the early years of the Group’s existence, only metal rings were used to mark large gulls, but more recently colour rings inscribed with unique codes have been used as well, which enables individuals to be recognised without recap- ture. My own interest in colour-ringed gulls began in 1994 when, during a holiday in Agadir, Morocco, I realised that a significant proportion of gulls there sported colour rings. Exploratory visits to my local landfill sites showed that there were colour-ringed gulls present, according to season, from several parts of Britain and countries in © British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 53-59 53 Sanders western Europe, particularly Lesser Black- backed Gulls Larus fuscus. Now, some 15 years after starting my project, it is not unusual to see over 100 colour-ringed gulls in a day at the tip. 15th December 2006 Steve Dodd, chairman of SEGG, was keen to organise a ringing session at Gloucester Landfill Site on 16th December 2006, since members of the newly formed North Thames Gull Group wished to join our team to gain experience. As I visit the site on two or three days each week to record colour-ringed gulls, Steve asked me if I would see the site manager to get the necessary authorisation. I called into the site offices on 15th December and the deputy manager kindly agreed to make arrangements for our visit. That day was dry but with a strong wind blowing; nor- mally, I would not have attempted to look for colour-ringed birds in such weather, since a shaking telescope makes reading the codes very difficult and dust in the air can be trou- blesome. Elowever, since I had made the journey from Cheltenham, and had nothing better to do, I thought I would take a quick look at the gulls. I was fortunate in being able to take shelter under a high bank and get a reasonable view of the tipping area where the gulls were feeding. After a while, the gulls started to form a large loafing flock on the far side of the tip, and I moved around to get a closer view. The best vantage point was the top of a large mound of tyre waste, but here I felt the full force of the wind and dust was flying into my face. Almost immediately, I saw a gull standing in front of the flock that I knew I had never seen on the tip previously. It had the general appearance of a large, stocky Herring Gull L. argentatus, but it was the combination of plumage characters that was so striking. The head, neck and underparts were solidly dark grey-brown, as one might expect to see on a juvenile or first-winter, while the upperparts were pale grey, with a few brown feathers in the wing-coverts, indi- cating a third-winter. And, to cap it all, the exposed primaries were grey with white tips. I was totally perplexed, yet realised straight away that no amount of detailed description writing would adequately portray what I was seeing. I had to get some digital pictures but, as I was getting my camera from my ruck- sack, a lorry drove right through the middle of the flock, and the gulls scattered in all directions. This is a continual problem when birdwatching on an active tip: there is a frenzy of activity, with compactors moving backwards and forwards and refuse lorries disgorging rubbish, so that the gulls are forever on the move. There followed an hour of frantic searching. It is usual for the gulls, after they have fed, to wash in the River Severn, which runs along the edge of the site, and then loaf in water meadows on the far side. I was beginning to think that the gull had moved away when, much to my relief, I found it again, as striking as before, loafing with other large gulls on the bank of a newly created cell and away from the tipping activity. Just a few metres to the left of it was a first-winter Glaucous Gull L. hyperboreus, my first for the winter. I was some distance away, on a steep bank, with the wind still in my face, but from here I was able to run off a series of digi- scoped photographs. I was keen to get nearer and out of the wind, and was able to use the cover of a hedge to get within 50 m, but now it was closely surrounded by other gulls, so a clear view was not possible. I managed just one more picture, when two site workmen approached from the opposite direction, and put the gulls up again. They flew across the river and out of reach. Plumage and bare-part details At home that evening, I downloaded the photographs I had taken. Two distant shots were of reasonable quality and showed the salient features of the bird, while a closer one showed the head and neck only. All the others were blurred, since the telescope had been shaking so much in the wind. From the pictures I could see that the proximal half of the upper mandible was mainly dark grey, while the distal half was black with a yellow tip. The lower mandible was mainly black with a yellow tip. The eye was dark, and legs dark pink. The head, neck and underparts were solidly dark grey-brown, and this colour extended onto the mantle. The darker Banks contrasted strongly with pure white a x i 1 - laries. The upperparts were pale grey, with a 54 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 53-59 Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire few pale brown feathers, while the scapulars and wing-coverts were pale grey and more heavily suffused with pale brown. There was apparently just a single white feather in the scapular crescent, while the tertials appeared entirely grey, and there was little evidence of white in the secondary tips. The grey flight feathers were more exposed than normal, and not partially covered by the tertials, and six white primary tips could be counted. I began to try to identify the bird by com- paring my pictures with illustrations in the available literature, particularly Olsen & Larsson (2004). Although my gull had grey wing-tips, this bird was far too large and stocky to be the most likely candidate, Kumlien’s Gull L. glaucoides kumlieni. Another possibility was a leucistic Herring Gull. Over the years I have seen many pale individuals of this species, some completely white, and others lacking black pigment, with grey wing-tips. However, the overall jizz was wrong for Herring Gull; the head was com- paratively small, the eyes were dark and small, and set high in the head, and the exposed primaries seemed too neatly pat- terned grey and white for it to be a leucistic bird. The dark underparts reminded me of a first-winter American Herring Gull L. smith- sonianus , but by its third-winter this species would have been much paler beneath, show a paler bill and eyes, and black in the exposed primaries. So, by a process of elimination, I kept coming back to Glaucous-winged Gull L. glaucescens , but nowhere could I find an illustration to match my bird. In some respects, including the dark underparts and lack of white in the tertial and secondary tips, it resembled a second-winter, while the minimal amount of brown in the wing- coverts was more indicative of a third-winter. Another complication was that I had seen thousands of this species in the Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, but that was over 30 years ago, and I could remember none with a similar appearance. Added to which, of course, Glaucous-winged Gull was not on the British List, and Gloucestershire is not generally a county for extreme rarities! My brief research also showed that this species hybridises with several others, so I began to draw the conclusion that perhaps my bird was a hybrid, and this might explain the apparent anomalies in its plumage. 3. Third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens, Gloucester Landfill Site, Gloucestershire, December 2006. British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 53-59 55 John Sanders John Sanders Sanders 16th December 2006 The ringing team gathered at 08.00 hrs, as had originally been arranged, and the cannon-net was set at the edge of the tipping area. We were fortunate that the gulls returned to feed fairly quickly, so we were able to make a catch with little delay. Throughout this procedure, we had not seen the mystery gull and were unaware that if was present in the tipping area. This may at first seem surprising to most birders, but all the helpers have to keep out of sight when the gulls are settling, and the ringer in charge has no time or opportunity to identify individual gulls in the catching area before firing the cannons. Safety is ot paramount importance before the cannons are fired, and obviously no-one must be anywhere near the trapping area or in the trajectory path of the projec- tiles. Consequently, it was not until we were extracting the gulls from under the net, and placing them in hessian sacks that Peter Stewart heard an unfamiliar mewing call. We soon realised that we were looking at the gull I had photographed the previous day (I had earlier shown the others my images). It was quickly put in a sack and kept separate from the other gulls. Our enormous good fortune in catching this bird can be gauged by the fact that, in over 20 years of ringing here, we have never caught a single Iceland or Glaucous Gull, despite the fact that both occur regularly each winter in small numbers. Measurements and further details Measurements, photographs and additional notes to help us determine the identification were taken and the bird was fitted with a metal BTO ring on the right leg, and a blue plastic ring on the left, inscribed with the let- tering ‘BAP’. The measurements were as follows: Wing length 424 mm Total head length 1 2 1 .6 mm Bill length to feathering 52. 1 mm Bill tip to gonys 1 6.7 mm Bill depth (base of bill) 1 8.5 mm Bill depth (gonys) 1 8.9 mm Tarsus length (following Svensson 1992) 66.2 mm Weight 1,080 g After days of heavy rain the site was muddy, so unfortunately the gull’s wing-tips and tail were a little soiled, which meant that we could not take clear photo- graphs; despite the soiling, however, it was obvious that these feathers lacked black pigmentation. The uppertail- coverts and rump were pure white. The dark grey-brown on the head and neck extended onto the mantle, and the back was pale grey with very few pale brown feathers. There were more brown feathers in the wing-coverts, and one feather in 4. Third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens, Gloucester Landfill Site, Gloucestershire, December 2006. 56 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 53-59 Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire the alula was particularly dark. The second- aries had pure white tips, which had not been obvious when the bird was seen at rest, but the tertials appeared entirely grey. The axil- laries were strikingly white, and the under- wing-coverts pale grey. During ringing, two feathers became dis- lodged; these were collected and refrigerated for subsequent DNA analysis. Although we tentatively identified the bird as a Glaucous- winged Gull, we could not be certain that it was not a hybrid. When released, it flew strongly away towards the water meadows to the west of the River Severn. Establishing the identification In order to try to confirm the identification, I contacted Steve Hampton, an authority on North American gulls, based at the California Department of Fish and Game, and e-mailed him a photograph of the bird at rest. His immediate reaction was that this was a typical second-winter Glaucous-winged Gull, although he was hesitant about categorically ruling out a hybrid. It was clear that he had ini- tially aged the bird on the darkness of the underparts and apparent lack of white in the tertials and secondaries; after I had sent him more photographs, he suggested that I contact Jon King, another gull enthusiast based in the USA, with a particular experience of and interest in the variability of hybrids on the west coast of North America. Jon received my pho- tographs with tremendous enthusiasm and could find nothing in them to indicate any- thing other than a straightforward third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull. He explained how this species routinely hybridises with other large gulls, yet he could find nothing to suggest that the Gloucestershire bird was not a pure Glau- cous-winged Gull. He also provided me with several key references and details of previous Western Palearctic records. In the meantime I had e-mailed photographs to John Martin, who then contacted Steve Howell in America for his opinion; Steve agreed with the identifi- cation as a third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull. Results of the DNA investigation The feathers were sent to Peter de Knijff at Leiden University, the Netherlands, for DNA analysis. The results placed the gull clearly in the Beringian clade of the Holarctic large white-headed gull complex, and ruled out a North Atlantic origin. Although it was impossible to rule out genetic influence from other taxa with absolute certainty, the bird did not show any features that were demon- strably those of a hybrid. Subsequent events I met the site manager at Gloucester Landfill on Monday 18th December and discussed with him the fact that a rarity was on the site, one that many birders would be interested in seeing. Unfortunately, he was adamant that the news should not be released, owing to safety concerns and liability issues with large numbers of people gaining access to a desig- nated site, where hard hats, visibility jackets and reinforced boots must be worn. Previ- ously, the site management had generously made arrangements for a Franklin’s Gull L. pipixcan twitch in January 1996, but after that experience they vowed 'never again’. It was not so much the behaviour of the birders that alarmed them as the sheer numbers of people who turned up. Despite the likely significance of the record, the site manager was insistent that the news should not be released immediately. The ringing team therefore had no choice but to delay an announcement until it was certain that the gull had left the area. I searched for it over the next few days without success and news of the sighting was released in early January, before the record was sub- mitted to BBRC. Sadly, I received a good deal of criticism for not releasing news immedi- ately. Unfortunately, SEGG is in an extremely awkward situation, in that it is increasingly difficult for us to gain access to the site for ringing, owing to ever more stringent health and safety regulations. We were well aware that if news of the Glaucous-winged Gull had been released against the wishes of the site managers, our permission for the site would be withdrawn, so we were left with little choice but to comply. By good fortune the gull was found again, on the estuary at Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, where it was seen intermittently between 2nd and 5th March 2007. Confirmation that this was the same individual was established by the coded colour ring. It reappeared briefly on the tip at Gloucester Landfill Site on 16th British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 53-59 57 Sanders and 17th March, when it was seen distantly, loafing with other gulls. It was subsequently located at Beddington Sewage Farm, Surrey, on the afternoon of 18th April 2007, but has not been seen since. Following acceptance as a third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull by both BBRC and BOURC, it was added to Category A of the British List in July 2009. Distribution and vagrancy Glaucous-winged Gull is a common breeding bird in the northern North Pacific, where its range extends from northeastern Russia from the region of the Sea of Okhotsk, east across the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands and south along the northwest coastal region of Canada. To the south, in Washington and Oregon, USA, the number of apparently pure Glau- cous-winged Gulls is reduced as intergrades with Western Gull L. occidentalis become increasingly frequent. The species winters throughout the North Pacific and Bering Sea region, in the west regularly south to northern Japan, with occasional birds reaching Hong Kong in southeast China. In North America, wintering birds extend along the west coast, being most numerous in the north, but with smaller numbers occurring south to Cali- fornia, USA, and to Baja California, Mexico. There have been two previous records from the Western Palearctic. The first, a subadult (presumed third-winter), was at La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands on 7th-10th February 1992 (de Juana et al. 1998). The second was an adult at Essaouira, Morocco, on 31st January 1995 (Bakker et al. 2001). Given the proximity of these two loca- tions and the longevity of gulls, it is possible that the same individual was involved in these observations. An earlier report of a Glaucous-winged Gull from Switzerland in 1969 has never been fully substantiated or accepted. In fact, this record involved the dis- covery of a ring at Zurich See which had been fitted on a juvenile Glaucous-winged Gull on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, in July 1969. The body was never found and the suspicion is that the bird may have been involved in a bird strike incident and killed by an aircraft in Vancouver, then John Sanders, Gloucestershire accidentally transported to Switzerland. The assumption is that the bird did not reach Switzerland alive and, therefore, this it is not an acceptable record. There has been just one subsequent record: an adult at Saltholme and Cowpen, Cleveland, on 31st December 2008. It remained in the area until 10th January 2009, enabling many observers to catch up with this species in Britain. Acknowledgments I gratefully acknowledge the generous assistance that I have received from the many people who have helped to corroborate this record. Steve Dodd, through his tremendous enthusiasm for cannon-netting, indirectly led to the discovery of the bird, and over the years his extensive knowledge has taught me a great deal about the ageing of gulls in general. Peter Stewart, a keen student of gull identification and moult, undertook a thorough search of the available literature and provided me with much useful information, as well as collating all the records and photographs for presentation to BBRC and BOURC. Steve Hampton and Jon King in North America sent me excellent analyses on the process of identifying Glaucous-winged Gull and excluding hybrids, which were greatly valued. John Martin gave much useful advice, and guided us through the identification process. He contacted Steve Howell in America on our behalf, who provided his expert opinion. We, the members of the Severn Estuary Gull Group, are deeply indebted to the manager and staff of Cory Environmental (Gloucestershire) Ltd, at Hempsted, for allowing access to the Gloucester Landfill Site for our cannon-netting sessions and observations of colour-ringed gulls. Finally, thanks are due to the other members of the ringing team who were also present at the catch: Maurice Durham, Paul RoperToby Spall and Dr Rachel Taylor References BakkerT, van Dijken, K„ & Ebels, E. B. 2001 . Glaucous- winged Gull at Essaouira, Morocco, in January 1995. Dutch Birding 23:271-274. de Juana, E., & Comite de Rarezas de la Sociedad Espanola de Ornitologia. 1 998. Observaciones de aves rares en Espana, ano 1 996. Ardeola 45: 97- 1 1 6. Ebels, E., Adriaens, R, & King, J. 200 1 . Identification and ageing of Glaucous-winged Gull and hybrids. Dutch Birding 23: 247-270. Howell, S. N. G. 2003. Identification and ageing of Glaucous-winged Gulls and hybrids. Dutch Birding 25: 172-173. — & Dunn.J. 2007. A Reference Guide to Gulls of the Americas. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. King, J. 2007. Identification of Glaucous-winged Gull: a photo-gallery. Birding World 20: 64-72. Olsen, K. M„ & Larsson, H. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Svensson, L. 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Svensson, Stockholm. 58 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 53-59 Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire Editorial comment Adam Rowlands, Chairman of BBRC, com- mented: ‘An extensive species comment relating to this series of records was included in the 2008 BBRC Report (Brit. Birds 102: 560-561). Although the prior records in the Canary Islands and Morocco had indicated the possibility of vagrancy to west Atlantic coasts, the species was still not on the radar of all active birders, as John Sanders’ account makes clear. As it arrived in the same winter as a Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix and several Pacific Divers Gavia paci- fied, rarity-hunters could be forgiven for believing that the floodgates (or the North- west Passage at least) had opened and that more vagrants from the Pacific Ocean really could stray to our shores (and reservoirs and landfill sites). ‘The dark coloration of some parts of the body plumage initially caused some con- cerns, owing to the difficulty of locating a similarly aged and plumaged individual on the western seaboard of North America. However, although this individual was clearly at the dark end of the spectrum recorded for the species, this was not considered to indi- cate the influence of other taxa, in fact it would be equally unusual in the species that hybridise with Glaucous-winged Gull. The later voters on the BBRC circulation had the advantage of studying images of the bird in March and April, when the body plumage was substantially lighter, which helped to remove any lingering concerns over this feature. It has been suggested that birds from the eastern Pacific tend to be darker (Olsen & Larsson 2004), so it is conceivable that this bird may have originated from these popula- tions. The darker plumage could also have indicated retarded plumage development in a “lost” vagrant. ‘Overall, the structure and plumage favoured Glaucous-winged Gull more strongly than any of the potential hybrid combinations and the bird was accepted unanimously by BBRC on a single circulation completed between January and October 2007, with the caveat that it would be impos- sible to eliminate the possibility of a second generation (or later) hybrid when consid- ering vagrants of this species. This bird con- firms that sometimes even the good fortune to trap a difficult-to-identify vagrant and collect feathers for genetic analysis will not be sufficient to confirm the identification beyond all doubt. ‘Few observers would have thought that we would have less than two years to wait before the arrival of a second individual, but the 2008/09 Cleveland bird proved a great relief to those who had missed the first. A third claim, of a second-calendar-year bird from Beddington, Greater London, in April 2009, is currently in circulation with the Committee. Valuable references to assist with the identification of any future candidates include Ebels et al. (2001), Howell (2003), Olsen & Larson (2004), Howell & Dunn (2007) and King (2007).’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of BOURC, commented: ‘Recorded on only two other occasions in the Western Palearctic, Glau- cous-winged Gull was not a species that John Sanders expected to see as he made the most of an opportunity to search for colour-ringed gulls at the Gloucester Landfill Site. Later scrutiny of digital images and reference to lit- erature strongly suggested that the bird was a Glaucous-winged Gull. Biometrics and further images were obtained the following day when the bird was trapped, ringed and released. ‘The file’s circulation with BOURC was rather straightforward. The submission, sup- ported by expert opinion from the USA, indicated a third-winter individual and genetic analysis (from feather samples) placed the bird definitively within the Beringian clade. There was nothing to indi- cate hybrid origin so the Committee unani- mously accepted Glaucous-winged Gull to Category A of the British List.’ British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 53-59 59 Short papers Winter roosting behaviour of Hen This article presents some observations on the winter roosting behaviour of Hen Har- riers Circus cyaneus in northern England during the winters of 2006/07 and 2007/08. The 7-km2 study area of low-lying hills (100-235 m asl) is a mixture of bog, heath, conifer plantation, and rough and improved pasture. In total, seven Hen Harrier roosts were observed, which were used between 1st August and the end of March; birds alter- nated between different roost sites, and more than one roost was occupied on some nights (table 1). During the winter of 2006/07, four known roost sites were watched simultaneously for three hours, until 30 minutes after sunset, on seven occasions between October and March to determine numbers using the roosts. The same roosts were watched simultaneously at dawn the following day for three hours, from 30 minutes before sunrise. The age and sex of all birds, plus distinct markings of subadult males, were recorded to determine the total numbers roosting in the study area. In winter 2007/08, no simultaneous watches were carried out, but the area was still watched extensively and more information gathered. Roosting sites and roosting behaviour In winter 2006/07, the habitat used by Hen Harriers for roosting was flat, extensive and very wet rush-infested areas, mainly of Soft- rush Juncus effusus ; in winter 2007/08, they were also observed roosting in Heather Calluna vulgaris, cottongrass Eriophorum, Harriers in northern England wet heath and once in Juncus on slightly sloping ground. The altitude of the observed roost sites was between 100 m and 180 m. The maximum number of Hen Harriers roosting in the study area on any one night was four, but a minimum of seven individ- uals used the area in 2006/07 (at least six grey-plumaged (second-winter and older) males and one ringtail) and eight in 2007/08 (at least five males and three ringtails). This is unusual in that most known roosts in Europe attract proportionally more ringtails (Watson 1977). Clarke & Watson (1997) found that grey males make up on average 34% of the birds recorded at roosts in southwest Scot- land and southeast England; in southwest England, the proportion of grey males can reach 41-46% (Howells 1986; Castle & Clarke 1995). The timing of birds entering the roost was similar to that found by Watson (1977) (i.e. between ten minutes before and up to 30 minutes after sunset), but they occasionally remained in the roost long after sunrise, and on some occasions were not seen to leave the roost at all. It is not known whether they remained in the roost more than 150 minutes after sunrise or had moved during darkness. On some days, harriers would forage in the vicinity of the roost for long periods, often using the roost for a considerable time during the afternoon before embarking on a final hunting foray just before sunset. Three different roosts were used during winter 2006/07, including one that was newly dis- covered (site 5). Interestingly, this roost was Table I. Numbers of Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus found roosting in a study area in northern England in winter 2006/07 during systematic counts. Oct Nov 1 Nov 2 Dec Ian Feb Mar Roost 1 Roost 2 4 1 3 Roost 3 1 1 (2) 2 2 (4) Roost 4 Roost 5* 2 1 Notes: Figures in parentheses indicate the minimum number of birds in the study area during the day of the evening watch, but not necessarily seen going to roost. * Roost site 5 was discovered during the observations, and was not part of the simultaneous watch. As a consequence, from October to January this roost may have also been used by Hen Harriers. 60 © British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 60-64 Short papers only 1 km from a residential area, 300 m from an industrial complex and only 135 m from a well-used public footpath. The dis- tinctive markings of two subadult males proved that harriers did alternate between roosts. The reasons for such behaviour are not known, but could include disturbance, weather conditions or how wet the roost area was. In winter 2007/08, a similar number of birds used the study area. Two additional roosts were located, one in an area of wet heath, bringing the number of known roosts in the area to seven. In that winter, all obser- vations were of birds roosting singly, even though up to four were present at any one time. It appears that more roosts were used in 2007/08 than 2006/07, probably because wet weather made more areas suitably damp, and suggesting that simple convenience is a key factor in the choice of roost site in wet winters. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Banks Renewables, who commissioned the work, and the other surveyors: Steve Dixon, Gary Marchant, Mark Owen, Tim Sykes and Richard Wardle. References Castle, R E„ & Clarke, R. 1 995. Observations on the conservation of Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus wintering on Salisbury Plain: roosts and food. Hobby 21:88-96. Clarke, R.,& Watson, D. l997.The Hen Harrier Winter Roost Survey. The Raptor 24: 4 1 —45. Howells, R. 1986. Hen Harriers on Larkhill & Westdown Ranges. Hobby 1 2: 47-53. Watson, D. 1 977. The Hen Harrier. Poyser; Berkhamsted. Peter Middleton, 33 Wilthorpe Road, Barnsley S7 5 1JA Social behaviour of the Egyptian Vulture During a visit to Socotra, Yemen, in autumn 2008, we observed two social interactions of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus that appear not to have been described previously. This Globally Endangered species has prob- ably its highest world concentration on Socotra. After detailed surveys from 1999 to 2008, by the Socotra Conservation and Development Programme and BirdLife Inter- national, the population has been provision- ally assessed at over 1,700 individuals (Porter & Suleiman in prep.). The species has a wide distribution on the island but the greatest concentration is around the towns, where there is a regular supply of unwanted food and where the vultures are very tame. The 1 53.^0 53 40 <3 'CSSs, | Samha Egyptian Vul Breeding distribution on Breeding proven Probably breeding s Abdell uni 53.00 I N 1 j i;600.ooo I 1 I Kilometers 0 5 10 2d Fig. I. The breeding distribution of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus on Socotra, Yemen (from Porter & Suleiman in prep.). British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 60-64 61 Diana Quiroz R. F. Porter R. F. Porter Short papers 5. The ‘submissive’ vulture is found lying on its back with outstretched wings and legs pinned to the ground by the ‘dominant’ vulture. 6. With its bill held open and calling weakly, the ‘submissive’ bird lamely tries to liberate itself. 7. As if expecting something to appear from any direction, both vultures gaze around. Socotrans call the Egyptian Vulture ‘municipal bird’. The breeding dis- tribution on the island is shown in fig. 1. On the after- noon of 31st Oct- ober, in the Haggier Mountains, during survey work in a remote area with little human habi- tation, we came across a group of 14 Egyptian Vultures (12 adults and two second-year birds) in a small (c. 10 x 5 m) grassy clearing, enclosed by the evergreen bushes that covered the hillsides in large patches. There was no animal carcase or other food and the birds seemed to be in a close social gathering. Two ‘pairs’ were mutually preening head and neck feathers and continued to do so for several minutes. At one stage, an immature made a loose association with one of the pairs and acted as if it wished to engage in the preening; the adults did not drive it away, indeed they almost encouraged it to take part. Another pair was performing what seemed to be a bonding interac- tion, when they were disturbed by 62 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 60-64 Short papers 8. Possibly sensing threat, the ‘dominant’ bird raises itself from the ground by flapping its wings. 9. The ‘submissive’ bird manages to liberate itself. an intruding adult, and a short but intense fight took place. All the other birds stood around as if waiting to take their turn in this ‘vulture lek’. A few days later, at about 15.00 hrs on 5th November, as we were driving across the west Momi plateau, accompanied by Ahmed Saeed Suleiman, we came across two adult birds performing a display that we have never seen nor heard about before. One adult - the ‘submissive’ bird - was lying on its back with wings outstretched, held in that position by the ‘dominant’ bird, which was standing over it and pinning its legs to the ground (plate 5). The sub- missive bird lamely tried to liberate itself two or three times by flapping its wings, calling weakly, and during the interaction its bill was held open for most of the time (plate 6). At these attempts, the dominant bird would try to peck (but never actually touched) the other. Frequently, the two birds simply gazed around (plate 7). When we arrived, a third individual was perched on a nearby rock, but this bird flew away as we first drove closer to take photo- graphs. Soon afterwards, as we approached closer still, the dominant bird raised itself from the ground by flapping its wings as if taking off (plate 8; we were unsure whether this was a result of our intrusion or part of the ritual). At this point, the submissive vulture was liberated and flew off (plate 9); the dominant one tried to catch it and managed to tear away several feathers from the nape with its bill. The chase continued and both vultures flew off along the wadi bed and disappeared. We were unable to tell the sex of the birds but both were full adults. The whole event lasted about 10 minutes. Discussion The first gathering, on 31st October, was almost certainly some form of lek, where birds were gathering to interact and form, or strengthen, pair bonds. Given the number of birds present, it is surprising that this has not been described before. The second interaction is more difficult to interpret. Was it part of some elaborate pair- bonding or was it aggression by a dominant male? While the submissive individual was British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 60-64 63 R. F. Porter R. F. Porter Short papers indeed pinned down by its legs, it seems likely that (given the size and power of the bird) it could have freed itself had it wanted to - which would support a pair-bonding display with the male holding down the female. Aerial talon-grappling is a known display feature of raptors in general, and we considered that two birds thus engaged could have fallen to the ground; this seems unlikely since they would surely have disentangled quickly. (Mundy et al. (1992) observed that ‘statements that courtship [of Egyptian Vul- tures] involves the partners rolling and preening, claws in the air - so-called Flight- roll, Talon-presentation and Talon-grasping behaviour - are errors, we believe, for aggres- sive conflicts between pairs.’) Alternatively, this could have been a straightforward fight between two males, although for the sub- dominant to be pinned down so neatly seems remarkable. Nonetheless, the similarity of the postures of the two vultures to the ‘angel’ (dominant) and ‘fallen angel’ (submissive) postures, first named by Weir & Picozzi and recently illustrated by Prytherch (2009), all in relation to Common Buzzards Buteo buteo , suggests that we probably observed some form of threat display and response - prob- ably by two males. Mundy et al. (1992) claimed that sexual dimorphism in Egyptian Vultures is apparent through a dark stripe or smudge on the face in front of the eye in males, which females lack. If correct, that suggests that our domi- nant bird was a female and the submissive one a male. Unfortunately, after viewing many images of the species, we are uncon- vinced that this feature is reliable and con- clude that the sex of the two birds we observed must remain undetermined. The density of Egyptian Vultures on Socotra means that communal roosts are large, with often 40 or more birds in a single tree, and over 350 birds foraging in the capital, Hadibu, at any one time. Such a con- centration might encourage social interac- tions not witnessed where numbers and densities are much lower. Acknowledgments We would like to thank I. K. Dawson and Ahmed Saeed Suleiman for their helpful discussions. References Mundy, R. Butchart, D., Ledger, J„ & Piper S. 1 992. The Vultures of Africa. Academic Press, London. Porter R. F., & Suleiman, A. S. In prep. The Population and Distribution of the Breeding Birds of Socotra. BirdUfe International/SCDR Prytherch, R. J. 2009. The social behaviour of the Common Buzzard. Brit. Birds 1 02: 247-273. Weir D„ & Picozzi, N. 1 975. Aspects of social behaviour in the Buzzard. Brit. Birds 68: 1 25- 141. R. F. Porter and Diana Quiroz, do BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 ONA 64 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 60-64 Letters Dark-rumped storm-petrels and In 2007, I was surprised to read (in Flood & Thomas 2007, p. 418) that I had seen a dark- rumped Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus near South Georgia, when what I saw was a bird with markings resembling those of Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa in the Falklands (Bourne 1987). I now see that I am credited with photo- graphing a Leach’s Storm-petrel Ocean- odroma leucorhoa with a dark rump at sea off St Kilda in 1960 (Flood 2009: 368); such a feat would have been remarkable then and I actually photographed that bird among a series to show the variation in rump pat- terning on St Kilda (Bourne & Simmons 1997). Two other remarks about storm- petrels also deserve comment. First, surely pi. 178 (in Flood & Thomas 2007) does not show a White-bellied Storm-petrel Fregetta grallaria but, owing to its paler chin and uniform back, the form melanoleuca, which I others have suggested (Bourne 1962, 2000) may be a pale phase or race of, or a hybrid with, Black- bellied Storm-petrel F. tropical Second, in Flood (2009), possible records of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis on Madeira in the 1820s and at 20°N 18°W off West Africa on 20th January 1990 (Bourne 1990) were omitted. The latter caused me to investigate a specimen of Leach’s with a dark rump brought back by the late Ken Simmons from Ascension (Bourne & Simmons 1997) to assess whether there was an identification problem. I suggest that it is not a question of whether it is possible to find any white in dark rumps of Leach’s Storm-petrels, as Flood contends, but what they look like at sea: the safest character for Swinhoe’s Storm- petrels may in fact be the pale primary shafts, shown well in his plates 193, 198, 200, 201, 204, 205 and 208, and mentioned in the captions (though not in the text). Dr W R. P. Bourne, Ardgath, Station Road, Dufftown AB55 4AX Editorial comment Bob Flood has commented: ‘In Flood & Thomas (2007), we stated clearly that the taxonomy we adopted for the Fregetta storm-petrels of the Tristan da Cunha group was done so with caution, and Appendix 5 of our paper was included to elaborate on the taxonomic problem. Hopefully, DNA analysis currently underway will clarify matters further. ‘With regard to the possible records of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel noted in Bourne (1990), the original manuscript for Flood (2009) included a table and discussion of probable, possible and rejected records of Swinhoe’s, including the two records in question; these were removed by British Birds editors during the editing process, but the full table is published at www.scillypelagics.com/articles.html, indeed not far below Bill Bourne’s own special feature, where a further 21 such records are listed. ‘Finally, it is incorrect to state that in Flood (2009) I contend that the identification problem for Swinhoe’s and Leach’s Storm-petrels is a question of whether it is possible to find any white in dark rumps of Leach’s. The main purpose of my study of the rumps of Leach’s was in fact to establish whether there is such a thing as a wholly dark-rumped Atlantic Leach’s. Of course, this is relevant to identification, but in my paper the wider issue of identification at sea is referred to Howell & Patteson (2008) as an interim measure, while my own work on this topic is in prepar- ation for BB. In that forthcoming article I shall disagree with Bill Bourne’s opinion that the safest field character for Swinhoe’s may be the pale primary shafts. During a trip to the Yellow Sea, South Korea, in August 2009 to study Swinhoe’s at sea, I saw 42 birds and observed pale primary shafts on just one of them, and this was not the closest bird. This is consistent with feedback received from several other seabirders with experience of Swinhoe’s at sea.’ References Bourne, W. R. R 1 962. Description of Fregetta grallaria. In: Palmer; R. S. (ed.), Handbook of North American Birds, V ol. I , pp. 25 1 -254. Yale University Press, New Haven. — 1 987. Parallel variation in the markings of Wilson’s and Leach's Storm-petrels. Sea Swallow 36: 64. © British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 65-66 65 Letters — 1 990.The first dark-rumped petrel. 8 irding World 3: 249. — 2000. The south Indo-Atlantic Fregatta (sic) storm-petrels. Sea Swallow 49: 54-56. — & Simmons, K. E. L. 1 997. A dark-rumped Leach's Storm-petrel in the South Atlantic. Sula I 1 : 209-2 1 6, Flood, R. L. 2009. ‘All dark’ Oceanodroma storm-petrels in the Atlantic and neighbouring seas. Brit. Birds 1 02: 365-385. — & Thomas, B. 2007. Identification of 'black-and-white' storm-petrels of the North Atlantic. Brit Birds 1 00: 407-T42. Howell, S. N. G., & Patteson, J. B. 2008. A Swinhoe’s Petrel off North Carolina, USA and a review of dark storm-petrel identification. 8 irding World 2 1 : 255-262. Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels in Spanish waters Following the recent excellent paper on dark- rumped petrels (Flood 2009), some observa- tions on the status of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis in Spanish waters may be helpful. The existence of a small breeding popula- tion somewhere in the Atlantic perhaps best explains the current pattern of observations, although more Field effort is needed to allow firmer conclusions. In particular, more work is required in the waters around potential breeding grounds, notably the Canary Islands. Even though some major seabird rarities have recently been recorded off the Canaries (including Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus. South Polar Skua Stercorarius mac- cormicki and Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus) , there are few, if any, dedicated seabirding trips from the islands and (surprisingly) there are few records of species such as Wilson’s Storm- petrel Oceanites oceanicus or Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini. Undoubtedly, the islands’ geo- graphical position may explain some of these patterns of occurrence, but more data are urgently needed. Some recent research, with interesting results and conclusions, has been undertaken in the seabird colonies of the Canaries but relates principally to shearwaters (e.g. Gomez-Diaz et al. 2006, Navarro & Gonzalez-Solis 2007), while storm-petrels remain poorly studied. However, it is encour- aging that a recent study of a colony of seabirds in the Canary Islands has produced a submission to the Spanish Rarities Com- mittee of a record of a Swinhoe’s Storm- petrel. The bird, with a brood patch, was trapped in June 2009 while European Storm- petrels Hydrobates pelagicus were being tape- lured within a mixed seabird colony, one that was also occupied by Madeiran Storm-petrels Oceanodroma castro in autumn (C. J. Moreno & R. Janez in lift.)- This record would fit with Bob Flood’s analysis, and with previous sus- picions of local ornithologists. In the Mediterranean, there is more in the way of organised seawatching, but this is mostly off northeast Spain (i.e. not within the core breeding distribution of European Storm-petrels; Gutierrez et al. 2006) and not during the breeding season. Current accepted Spanish records of Swinhoe’s, at Benidorm and in the Balearics, are associated with large European Storm-petrel colonies and are also relatively close to the Almerla-Oran oceano- graphic front, which, from the point of view of shearwaters and petrels, marks the true limit of the Atlantic (Gomez-Diaz et al. 2006). Given those oceanographic limits, Mediterranean records acquire a further sig- nificance and it seems that the area from Almeria to Gibraltar should be the focus of searches for Swinhoe’s in the Mediterranean. We contend that with more research in potential breeding areas and a greater sea- watching effort, more light could be shed on the status of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel in the North Atlantic, and supplement the findings reported in Flood (2009). References Flood, R. L. 2009. 'All dark’ Oceanodroma storm-petrels in the Atlantic and neighbouring seas. Brit. Birds 1 02: 365-385. Gomez-Diaz, E., Gonzalez-Solis, J., Peinado, M. A., & Page, R. D. M. 2006. Phylogeography of the Calonectris shearwaters using molecular and morphometric data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 4 1 : 322-332. Gutierrez, R„ Lopez, F„ Ramal, A., & Guinart, E. 2006. Coastal Mediterranean Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus populations: isolated small breeding sites or outlying subcolonies of larger breeding colonies? Atlantic Seabirds 8( I /2): 3 1 -40. Navarro, J. & Gonzalez-Solis, J. 2007. Experimental increase of flying costs in a pelagic seabird: effects on foraging strategies, nutritional state and chick condition. Oecologia 151: 150-160. Ricard Gutierrez (e-mail rgutierrez@gencat.catj and Juan Antonio Lorenzo (e-mail jalorenzo@seo.orgJ, Joint Secretaries of the Spanish Rarities Committee (CR-SEO/BirdLife) 66 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 65-66 Reviews The Golden Oriole PAUL MASON & JAKE ALLSOP The Golden Oriole By Paul Mason and Jake Allsop Poyser, 2009 Hbk, 280pp, many photographs, vignettes and tables ISBN 978-0-7136-7683-9 Subbuteo code M20081 £45.00 BB Bookshop price £36.00 This is the latest in the long-running and gener- ally excellent series of Poyser monographs, dealing with a species that has become a charismatic member of our breeding bird community. It is written by two Cambridgeshire residents who have spent many years studying the tiny and inse- cure fenland population. The format is pretty standard Poyser fare: descriptions of this and other orioles around the world, sections on breeding behaviour, food, vocalisations, migra- tion, and is illustrated by some stunning close-up photographs. The authors have obviously corres- ponded with legions of oriole buffs across the globe, for the text is littered with snippets of ‘pers. comms.’ from just about everywhere that Golden Orioles Oriolus oriolus occur. These add inter- esting background to the main thrust of the book, which is, inevitably and pleasingly, directed towards the bird’s status in Britain. This is based upon 20 years of observations by the ‘Golden Oriole Group’ - a small and strongly motivated team of enthusiasts who have spent hundreds of hours watching and recording orioles on their British breeding grounds. The heartland of the British population is an area of scattered woodland in the fens roughly between Huntingdon and The Wash. Here, trees have been planted for timber and also as shelter- belts to protect crops from the effects of winds that blow otherwise unhindered through this exposed landscape. Many of these plantings are of poplars Populus (initially for the match industry), which soon proved attractive to the orioles, with the first confirmed nesting in the 1960s. The merits of the various cultivars are discussed: some have leaves that are too small to provide protective cover for the nests; others set their leaves too late in the season; yet others grow too slowly. Working with the RSPB, the ‘best’ varieties have been identified and, now that match production has fallen away, conservationists are replanting areas with these trees to provide new or replacement habitat. Adult orioles are hard to catch and it is difficult to read colour rings on a canopy-loving bird, so much of the observational data about individuals is circumstantial. Nevertheless, the Golden Oriole Group has been able to show that British orioles have a fairly strong fidelity to particular wood- lands, usually moving only if the trees have been felled or one of the partners has failed to return. Furthermore, the birds seem to prefer woodland edges, even nesting within narrow shelter-belts if the foliage is sufficiently dense. There are a few niggles. Quite a few references are missing from the citation list. While I appre- ciate the need for confidentiality about some sites, a map showing the distribution of the fenland woods and shelter-belts (especially those named in the text) would have made it much easier to understand the patterns of distribution in their population. Some of the tables are a little hard to understand: a more sympathetic approach to the legends would have helped this reader at least. But these are irritants rather than serious weaknesses, and the authors are to be congratulated on a valiant effort to draw together a wide range of information to make an enjoyable and fascinating insight into the life of a bird that still makes my pulse race, 30 years after my ‘first’ flew across a gap in the bushes at Gibraltar Point! David T. Parkin S1JBBUTE0 The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 67-70 67 Reviews Echoes from Cape Clear: a year in the life of an Irish island and its Bird Observatory By Tom and Stephanie Green Wren Publishing, 2009 Pbk, 178pp, many photographs and vignettes ISBN 978-0-9542545-4-4 Subbuteo code M20460 £19.99 BB Bookshop price £17.99 Echoes from Cape Clear A year in the life of an Irish island and its Bird Observatory Tom & Stephanie Green llwuu. h, feben Gittaao# tSKfbakGn* iff,. i'Ul IH>I . r -bjff ’'JL’-P* V.< :. early morning obser- vatory trap round when the wind has been blowing easterly all night! Be it Fair Isle, Spurn, Dungeness or Portland, the atmosphere is electric. Sadly, in these days of pagers, mobile phones, easy transport and (relatively) cheap flights, the need to actually stay at the observatory is lessened. It is all too easy to sit at home waiting for the ‘mega alert’, and dash off to join the scrum. Am I alone in feeling a warm glow when I hear that the Rufous- tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans was twitched by only a handful of locals? And what about the Yellow- nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos ? Recorded at two or three different sites across England - and not a single birder saw it! Conclu- sive proof that (a) there is a God in heaven and (b) he has a sense of humour! Bird Observatories are there to be enjoyed, not visited for a few hours in search of the latest tick. This admirable little book is a brief snapshot of Cape Clear Bird Observatory seen through the eyes of two people who were partly responsible for its very existence. In the early days of its establish- ment, the Greens decided to leave the comfort of 1968 domesticity and spend a year in the cold and wet environs of a cottage off the coast of southern Ireland. And this with a first baby arriving part way through the stay! They saw some very nice birds, including two ‘firsts’ for Ireland, and estab- lished a programme of surveys and monitoring that has continued more or less unbroken to the present day. But this book is more than a birding anthology. It describes the highs and lows of island life, spending as long on the people, places and events as it does on the wildlife. Memories of building a nappy drier from a paraffin heater and a tea-chest, of killing a pig for its meat, and finding bills and receipts from the 1940s in an abandoned farm while seeking shelter from the rain. Happy memories of births, christenings and ceilidhs; sadder ones of last farewells to old friends in the island’s churchyard. Yes, this is an enjoyable read. I guess it is a book that should have a wider audience than just those birders who love islands and their exotic vagrants. It gives a picture of a way of life that is rapidly dis- appearing. Some folk wonder whether the obser- vatories themselves will survive through the twenty-first century. As long as there are people around like Tom and Stephanie, I am sure that they will. David T. Parkin A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos By Steve Dudley Arlequin Press, 2009 Pbk, 272pp, colour photos and maps ISBN 978- 1 -9052680-6- 1 Subbuteo code M20396 £19.99 BB Bookshop price £15.99 Since the publication of John Gooder’s classic Where to Watch Birds in Europe , the evolution of the site guide has been rapid in speed and quality, the result often ever more detailed in scope and restricted in geographical extent. This new guide follows Birding on the Greek Island of Lesvos by Richard Brooks, published ten years earlier. It claims to ‘set new standards’ in the genre. This bold assertion seems to be borne out by a critical appraisal of its contents, and dictated by the author’s evident infatuation with this biogeo- graphically Turkish island. The accounts are exceptionally detailed and SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 68 British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 67-70 Reviews user-friendly, covering over 60 birding hotspots. Dipping the ‘flagship species’, such as Kruper’s Nuthatch Sitta krueperi or the nominate subspecies of Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea, should henceforth be the result of bad luck, fieldcraft or timing rather than poor ‘gen’. The maps, a key ingredient to such guides, are uncluttered and clear, albeit reproduced a little dark on occasion. What separates this book from many of its peers is its dual function as both a site guide and a standard travel guide. There is detailed information on where to eat and stay, as well as travel facts and a summary of the island’s history. Perhaps the only thing lacking for younger birders is directions to the best nightclubs - something for the second edition? There are certainly few real faults with the book, aside from a few typos and potential copy- editing mistakes; one that springs to mind lies in the section on mammals that states that (Atlantic) White-sided Dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus occurs, which seems very unlikely, while Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus is not mentioned but cer- tainly occurs in the region. Discussion of the influ- ence of weather on bird migration would have been most informative. Birders who are less inclined to be spoon-fed directions will take heed of the book’s advice on less well-watched regions and poorly known species; who will be the first to elucidate the status of the Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus or Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon ? The inclusion of a systematic list and records of rejected or undocumented species is very pertinent as the erroneous reporting of species by foreign birders and subsequent ‘false-positive identifica- tions’ can obfuscate the status of species and even- tually lead to their erroneous inclusion in regional avifaunas. An encouragement, if any was needed, for birders to submit their records to the relevant recording bodies. Short of owning a future Grecian pager or taking the author with you in your rucksack, there seems little more that you could possibly need to further your chances of connecting with the target species and enjoying migration on this island. Alex Lees CROSSBILL GUIDES Cevennes h»D GRINDS CAUSSES - FRANCE a CROSSBILL GUIDES tbe nature guide lo th Camargue LA CMl' AMD l*S Airittft • FlANCt The Nature Guide to the Cevennes and Grand Causses - France By Dirk Hilbers and Paul Knapp Crossbill Guides, KNNV Publishing, 2009 Pbk, 256pp, many colour photos, maps, etc. ISBN 978-90-5011-279-6 Subbuteo code M20326 £19.95 BB Bookshop price £17.95 The Nature Guide to the Camargue, La Crau and Les Alpilles - France By Dirk Hilbers Crossbill Guides, KNNV Publishing, 2009 Pbk, 200pp, colour photos, maps, etc. ISBN 978-90-5011-222-2 Subbuteo code M19625 £19.95 BB Bookshop price £17.95 These titles are the first covering two areas of France that both have out- standing biodiversity. Crossbill Guides are becoming renowned for the detail and accuracy that they provide to both first-time and returning visitors. These two guides are no exception and maintain the high standard of earlier volumes. Both provide extensive intro- ductions to the regions, their wildlife habitats, nature conservation and local culture. I would imagine that birders are more familiar with the Camargue than the equally impressive Cevennes and its adjoining Parc Naturel des Grandes Causses. As a birdwatching region, the Camargue needs little introduction and for British birders it represents the closest region where one can come face to face with species from the Mediterranean area. Apart from the obvious hordes of surreal Greater Flamingos Phoeni- copterus roseus , there are more subtle species to find. Spectacled Warblers Sylvia conspicillata, Cl IRRT ITF 0 The BS Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books - www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 67-70 69 Reviews Lesser Grey Shrikes Lanins minor and Calandra Larks Melanocorypha calandra are some of the birds that need more effort, and at the nearby La Crau, apart from Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni and Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax , you should find Pin-tailed Sandgrouse Pterocles alchata at the only site in France where this is possible. The Camargue has a reputation for difficult access but things have improved recently and this guide skilfully suggests routes that will ensure you have a chance of seeing most of the special wildlife of the region. From a birder’s point of view, the Cevennes can be equally exciting. The most famous site is the Tarn and Jonte Gorges, lying just to the east of Millau, which has seen the successful reintroduc- tion of both Griffon Gyps fulvus and Eurasian Black Vultures Aegypius monachus. In addition, a few pairs of Egyptian Vultures Neophron perc- nopterus now occur naturally. This spectacular region also encompasses the Causse Mejean, an extensive region of arid, steppe-like grassland that holds impressive populations of Stone-curlews Burhinus oedicnemus. Rock Thrushes Monticola saxatilis , Tawny Pipits Anthus campestris , Red- billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana. In recent years Tengmalm’s Owls Aegolius funereus have been found on Mount Aigoual, suggesting that this vast region may have more secrets to reveal. Other southern European species encountered may include Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops , Alpine Swift Apus melba. Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris and Blue Rock Thrush M. solitarius , while in winter there are many reliable sites for finding the much sought-after Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria. Again, this guide provides a plethora of routes to explore this superb region. Crossbill Guides deal with the complete spec- trum of wildlife species plus the important habi- tats. For those enthusiastic about finding plants, especially orchids, both regions are important with many endemics possible. Dragonflies, butterflies and other insects can be spectacular as can reptiles and amphibians. The books are lavishly illustrated and the route maps are clear. The use of symbols helps the reader to assess what is required for a hike and what can be seen (times and conditions of the walks are also included). A tourist informa- tion section includes useful tips. I can find little to criticise in either of these titles, but some of the bird photographs could be better given the fan- tastic images available today (and the photo cap- tioned Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata in the Cevennes Guide is actually a male Subalpine S. cantillans). France has an outstanding reservoir of bio- diversity and these guides are essential aids to the discovery of many exciting species. Derek Moore Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd edn) By Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington British Wildlife Publishing, 2009. Pbk, 444pp, many colour illustrations ISBN 978-0-9531399-9-6 Subbuteo code Ml 8663 £29.95 BB Bookshop price £26.95 It is six years since the first edition of this guide, which, as widely predicted, has become the essential guide to identifying British moths for experts and beginners alike. It illustrates almost all the macro moths ever recorded in Britain in their natural resting positions, enabling easier identification. At first sight, this second edition looks little different - even the cover illustrations are the same - but inside, the illustrations are now grouped in one section to make them easier to leaf through when looking for an unfamiliar species. Even so, birders may still have hoped for illustrations and text opposite each other, as in bird field guides. The text has been updated to reflect changes in status that have occurred since the first edition, some of them quite dramatic, while new species recorded since 2002 are included and illustrated. Whether you buy the new edition will depend on your level of interest in moths - but if you haven’t got a copy of this book yet, and you have even the slightest interest in identifying moths, it is an essential purchase. Mike Pennington Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland SUBBUIIO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports & 70 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 67-70 Editorial: Subbuteo Natural History Books As you may be aware, BB has been working with Subbuteo Natural History Books for the past year and provides a monthly book page (always the first advertising page after Recent reports) where subscribers can order books by a trusted seller and help to raise funds for BB (5% of book sales is returned to BB by Subbuteo when code SI 590 is quoted at the time of purchase). As part of a recent collaboration to deliver even more benefits to readers, we were keen to refresh the design of out- review pages; this in turn proved the catalyst for the new-look BB that you see in this issue. Importantly, from now on, all books reviewed in BB will be available at a reduced price from Subbuteo. Normally, this will be restricted to the calendar rnonth of the issue, but note that special prices this month are available until 14th February 2010. As part of the relaunched service, it seemed a good opportunity to tell readers a little more about the origins of our bookshop provider. Subbuteo Natural History Books was launched in 1989 by Peter and Marie Rathbone, both keen birdwatchers, who initially started the company as a hobby. Back in the 1980s there were relatively few publications available on bird identification and wildlife travel. For their own trips, Peter and Marie managed to source what titles were available; sensing their skills at doing so, other people began to approach them for help and they soon found themselves 'in business’. The scientific name for the Hobby Fnlco subbuteo seemed a fitting name for this new venture, and Subbuteo Natural History Books was born. As well as offering an excellent selection of specialist books, Peter and Marie were also able to pass on expert advice and knowledge from their own extensive travel experiences. In 1999, having run the business for ten years with a small team of staff, Peter and Marie decided to retire, giving them more time to enjoy their travels in search of new wildlife experiences. Owing to a long-term relationship between Peter and Chris Whittles (Chairman of CJ WildBird Foods Ltd), Subbuteo NHB became a division of CJ WildBird Foods Ltd* on 1st January 2000. Over the years, specialisation and careful selection have allowed Subbuteo to develop a top reputation for supplying and publishing natural history books, DVDs, travel and field guides, by mail order and via a dedicated website www.wildlifebooks.com. The list of titles is (seemingly) endless and caters for everyone, from back-garden birdwatcher to serious ornithologist. In addition, there is a vast array of other natural history topics to choose from. The mail order service is now located in Shropshire at the home of CJ WildBird Foods, just outside Shrewsbury. The physical bookshop has one of the country’s largest selections of wildlife and natural history titles, where visitors are warmly welcomed to browse and seek advice. ‘We pride ourselves on making sure anyone who contacts us receives a first-class service,’ says Joy Enston, Subbuteo’s customer service manager. ‘Finding the right field guide for a trip away can sometimes be a little daunting online, so we welcome queries.’ In addition, Subbuteo attend a number of shows throughout the year including the British Birdwatching Fair and the BOU conference, where visitors can browse a large selection of titles and speak to the team in person. To order any of the review books featured in BB at reduced prices (until 14th February for the titles listed in this issue, otherwise for the relevant calendar month), simply call Subbuteo on 01743 709420 and quote code SI 590 or confirm that you are a BB subscriber. Or, if ordering online, input the code at point of order to ensure that you receive your discount (lower prices cannot be applied to online orders without the BB code). Call Subbuteo for a free catalogue or register online at www.wildlifebooks.com/bb Readers will surely benefit from the enhanced service launched with this issue of BB - and remember, each purchase helps BB, which in turn means that the BB Charitable Trust is better able to support good causes in ornithology. The Trust made a number of donations in 2009, notably to Fair Isle Bird Observatory (see p. 75), where Peter and Marie were marooned for several days in October 1994 when I was the warden! Happy reading... Roger Riddington *CJ WildBird Foods Ltd www.birdfood.co.uk is another successful mail order family-run business. Founded in 1987, it specialises in high-quality foods and feeders for wildlife. 1 0. Subbuteo’s Joy Enston checking the stocks at Subbuteo’s HQ. © British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 • 71 71 Subbuteo News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds New threat to Asian vultures For every 1,000 Oriental White-backed Vultures Gyps bengalensis found in southern Asia in the 1980s, only one remains today. They’ve been wiped out by diclofenac - a drug used to treat pain and inflammation in livestock. Alarmingly, South African researchers looking into safe alternatives have now identified that a second livestock treat- ment in Asia - ketoprofen - is also lethal to vul- tures. Those feeding on the carcases of recently treated livestock suffer acute kidney failure within days of exposure. Following this discovery, the RSPB, the Bombay Natural History Society and Bird Conservation Nepal are calling for tighter controls on the use of ketoprofen in veterinary use in southern Asia. The organisations are keen to see the promotion of drugs that are safe, and currently the only similar livestock treatment known to have no harmful effects on the continent’s vultures, or other scav- enging birds, is meloxicam. Richard Cuthbert is an RSPB scientist investi- gating the causes of the declines of three species of Critically Endangered vulture in southern Asia (Oriental White-backed, Long-billed G. indicus and Slender-billed G. tenuirostris). He said: ‘From millions of individuals in the 1980s, vultures have simply disappeared from large swathes of India, Pakistan and Nepal and at least three species have been brought to the brink of extinction. The rate of decline of these magnificent birds is staggering. For the Oriental White-backed Vultures, for every two birds alive last year, one will now be dead, and this is all because of the birds’ inability to cope with these drugs in livestock carcases, the birds’ principal food source.’ He added: ‘Everyone inter- ested in conservation quite rightly knows about the plight of India’s Tigers Panthera tigris, but in the race towards extinction the vultures will get there far sooner!’ Dr Vibhu Prakash, Director of the Vulture Pro- gramme of the Bombay Natural History Society in India, added: ‘Only meloxicam has been estab- lished as a safe alternative for vultures, while at the same time being an effective drug for treating cattle. We would like to see other safe alternatives, but it should be the responsibility of the Indian pharmaceutical industry to test these to determine their safety to vultures.’ The research, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters , shows that ketoprofen is lethal to the birds in the dosages that would be administered to reduce pain and swelling in live- stock suffering from rheumatism or arthritis. Wor- ryingly, researchers have already recorded the drug in one in 200 dead cattle in southern Asia, with 70% of those carcases containing potentially lethal concentrations. The authors add that ketoprofen could already be contributing to further declines of the remaining vulture populations caused by diclofenac, and this is a trend likely to increase if ketoprofen replaces diclofenac. Meloxicam is the only known safe alternative sold by veterinary pharmacies for treating livestock. The South African study used African Gyps vultures: Cape Griffon G. coprotheres and African White-backed G. africanus. Both of these species were known to be susceptible to diclofenac. Earlier this year, two vulture centres in India, run by the Bombay Natural History Society with the support of India’s national and state govern- ments, succeeded in rearing five chicks between them, including two of the Slender-billed Vulture, which had never been reared in captivity before. The aim is to release captive birds back to the wild, but only once diclofenac and other dangerous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been removed from the environment. mission accomplished? Around the world in 32 pittas - It had to be the best New Year’s resolution ever. Chris Gooddie gave up his job and spent 2009 on a fabulous quest: tracking down all 32 of the world’s pittas (Pittidae). These gems of the rainforest are also known as ‘jewel-thrushes’ and Chris trekked through jungle on three continents in his quest for the full set. His pittaquest took him to Uganda, Borneo, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, peninsular Malaysia, across Indonesia to Australia via the Solomon Islands - and his final port of call was Zambia, before Christmas, in search of African Pitta Pitta angolensis. Did he succeed? His final blog entry is on his website www.pittasworld.com now and the ‘book of the tour’ The Jewel-thrush Diaries , will be published this summer. 72 © British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 72-75 News and comment Dartford Warblers crash In southern England, survey work on the Thames Basin and Wealden Heaths Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in summer 2009 has confirmed that the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata population crashed from an estimated 1,001 pairs in 2008 to just 1 17 in 2009, a decrease of 88%. This is attributed to heavy snowfall in the area in early February 2009. The importance of the two SPAs for the Dart- ford Warbler is demonstrated by the results of the national (RSPB/BTO) survey of the species in 2006. This found a total population for England and Wales of 2,536 pairs, of which 654 (26%) were found on these two SPAs. Despite the loss of much heathland habitat in the last 100 years, Dartford Warbler numbers in the area probably reached an all-time high in the first decade of this century, with 970-1,000 pairs in 2003-05, a reduction following a cold spell in February 2006, and a steady recovery to the total recorded in 2008. Of course, Britain’s winter weather was much harsher in the eighteenth and nineteenth cen- turies. Indeed, the Dartford Warbler was not found in England until 1787, when it was discovered near the town of that name in Kent. (It was unknown to the celebrated naturalist and clergyman Gilbert White, who lived near prime Dartford Warbler habitat at Selborne in Hampshire until his death in 1793.) Sporadic extremely cold winters in the twentieth century, such as those of 1916/17, 1938/39, 1940/41, 1946/47, 1962/63 and 1978/79 resulted in local extinctions that prevented the high population levels seen in recent years. Although Dartford Warblers have been doing well on both the Thames Basin and Wealden Heaths in recent years, the devastating effect of last winter has shown how vulnerable these birds really are. It underlines the need for continuing efforts to improve and extend the heathland habitat on which the species depends. Illegal trapping of Ortolans in France According to BirdLife International’s Birds in Europe (2004), the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hor- tulana is in decline over most of Europe. BirdLife gives its status as ‘depleted’, owing to a large histor- ical decline from which it has not recovered. The European population, although estimated at more than 5.2 million breeding pairs, is heavily concen- trated in eastern Europe. Concern has been voiced that the lack of recovery of these populations is in part caused by the large-scale trapping of birds in France (e.g. Lang 2007). Allain Bougrain Dubourg, President of the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), the French partner of BirdLife, led a small group in action against the poaching of Ortolan Buntings in the Departement of Les Landes in southwest France in August 2009. In the early hours of Sunday 30th August, in the south of Les Landes, seven people from LPO and the environmental organisation SEPANSO destroyed more than 200 traps set to catch Ortolan Buntings and freed several dozen birds, which are sought-after for their tasty meat but have been protected since 1999. Every season, from mid August to late Sep- tember, in the south of Les Landes and the north of the Departement of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, 30,000-50,000 Ortolan Buntings are captured just for food, a total equivalent to the combined breeding population of the Benelux countries, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Bougrain Dubourg accused the authorities of ‘unacceptable tolerance’ towards the trappers. In 2008, proceedings were taken out on only eight cases of trapping by the authorities, while LPO estimates the number of trappers to be more than 1,200. ‘We would like to see the government taking responsibility,’ M. Bougrain Dubourg told Agence France-Presse (AFP). He confirmed that he had received the assurance of intervention by the Min- ister of Ecology, Jean-Louis Borloo, but that no progress has been made since. ‘It took 20 years to stop the trapping of Turtle Doves [Streptopelia turtur ]; I hope it won’t take the same time for the Ortolan Bunting,’ he concluded. State Secretary for Ecology, Chantal Jouanno, admitted to AFP that the government had closed its eyes on this matter for 30 years but added that from 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, there would be zero tolerance for Ortolan trap- ping. In 2008, 17 field staff of the National Hunting Office (ONCFS) had been given the task of tracking down 1,200-1,500 trappers in 60 municipalities of the region. Having once been a delicacy at royal meals, Ortolan Buntings now fetch prices of up to €100-150 on the black market. Once trapped, the birds are kept in cages and fattened before being served. A short video of LPO’s Operation Ortolan 2009 can be watched at www.lpo.fr/comm/2009/ comm2009-08-30.shtml Lang, M. 2007. Decline of the Ortolan Bunting population in southern Germany - are causes outside the breeding area responsible? Vogelwelt 128: 179-196. ( Contributed by Peter Herkenrath) British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 72-75 73 Steve Voung/Birdwatch News and comment A Ruddy shame? What was your response to the clinical account of the Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis eradication programme published in the December issue of BB (Brit. Birds 102: 680-690)? We learnt that more than 6,200 Ruddies have been culled at 110 sites since the Defra eradication programme began in 2005. By the winter of 2008/09 more than 90% of the Ruddy Duck population had been eliminated. The conservation movement has accepted that the removal of the Ruddy Duck is a necessity to safeguard the endangered White-headed Duck O. leucocephala from extinction by hybridisation. But there is no such unanimity in the wider birding community where the alien Ruddy Duck was wel- comed as a colourful addition to the native avi- fauna following its inadvertent introduction by that eminent conservationist Sir Peter Scott. Mil- lions of pounds of Government cash has now been spent undoing his handiwork following the escape of full-winged birds from Slimbridge in the 1950s. As an ironic footnote to the culling programme, the Rare Breeding Birds Panel has now decided to add the Ruddy Duck to the list of species that fall within its remit! The Panel’s December bulletin noted: ‘With effect from 2009, there will be two changes to the list of non-native species considered by the Panel. Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri will no longer be considered, given that it is numerous enough to be monitored by BBS [Breeding Bird Survey], However, we will start to monitor Ruddy Duck: given the recent culling programme, numbers of breeding Ruddy Ducks appear now to be within the range considered by RBBP.’ Will observers submit records to the RBBP? Or will the Ruddy Duck become the new Honey- buzzard Pernis apivorus, a bird whose status is shrouded in secrecy by observers reluctant to divulge the whereabouts of their favourite species? I I . Male Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis, Merseyside, May 2005. New species of leaf warbler The limestone karst of Indochina has yielded a second new species within a year. Following the formal description of the Bare-faced Bulbul Pyc- nonotus hualon from central Laos in August (Brit. Birds 102: 523), a new species of Phylloscopus has been described from forests in Laos and Vietnam. The Limestone Leaf Warbler P. calciatilis was first sighted in 1994 but identified as another species. It’s yet another new species of Phylloscopus for the pre-eminent warbler taxonomist, Per Alstrom. Prof. Alstrom takes up the story: ‘The bird was first seen at one place in Vietnam in July 1994 and again at the same place in April the fol- lowing year, and in one area in central Laos in May 1995. Initially, the bird was identified as a Sulphur- breasted Warbler P. ricketti, in itself an interesting finding, since it was apparently breeding more than 1,000 km south of its previously known breeding areas in China. Later it was realised that its songs differed markedly from the songs of Sulphur-breasted Warbler, and further studies were undertaken.’ The plumage of the Limestone Leaf Warbler is almost identical to that of Sulphur-breasted Warbler but the new species is smaller, with shorter wings, rounder wing-tips and a propor- tionately larger bill. DNA analyses also suggest that it is more closely related to the Yellow-vented Warbler P. cantator from the eastern Himalayas, northern Laos and adjacent part of China, which is quite different in plumage. The formal description is in the January 2010 edition of Ibis ( Vol. 152, pp. 145-168). 74 British Birds 103 ‘January 2010 • 72-75 News and comment Birds of the decade As the decade the media likes to call the ‘noughties’ drew to a close, BBRC, the RSPB and BirdGuides compiled an analysis of the species totals recorded in Britain in each year of the 2000s. Before the definitive BBRC report for 2009 is published - in British Birds in October 2010 - the years to date conclude with the 2008 total. And 2008 looks set to be the biggest year of the decade, with up to 418 species recorded in Britain (although only 407 have been confirmed so far). Special birds recorded in 2008 - and yet to receive official admission to the British List by BOURC - include Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan, Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella and Alder Fly- catcher Empidonax alnorum. But until the records committees have had their final say, it’s 2004 that leads the field with 41 1 con- firmed species in Britain. Highlights included the Fair Isle ‘double bill’ of two West Palearctic firsts within a week in October 2004: Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans and Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata. BBRC Chairman Adam Rowlands, who is also warden of RSPB Minsmere, said: ‘While cele- brating the BBRC’s 50th anniversary in 2009, it’s amazing that we should also be celebrating pos- sibly the best year for birds ever witnessed in Britain. Here at Minsmere alone we saw 240 species of bird during 2008.’ (Purists may well feel that the decade is being laid to rest prematurely, preferring the period 2001-10 inclusive for the present/past decade). Confirmed Possible 2000 408 408 2001 404 407 2002 401 405 2003 401 402 2004 411 412 2005 407 411 2006 400 402 2007 407 414 2008 407 418 Progress on Fair Isle As the end of 2009 approached, progress with the new Fair Isle Bird Observatory was on track, with the building scheduled to be complete and open to receive visitors in early spring 2010 (see www.fairislebirdobs. co.uk). We would like to thank again all the photographers who supplied a cover pho- tograph in 2009 and donated their fee to the Obs Appeal. This raised £600.00 for the project, which was rounded up to £1,000 by a donation of £400 from The British Birds Charitable Trust. In addition, the October 2009 cover, a painting of a Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica by James McCallum, was auctioned for the appeal and raised a further £550, while a number of con- tributors also donated their fees for photographs and text during 2009, raising a further £230. I 2. The new Fair Isle Bird Observatory takes shape; October 2009. Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 The 34th BB Bird Photograph of the Year competi- tion is free to enter and, as usual, seeks to recognise the best and/or the most scientifically interesting photographs of Western Palearctic birds taken during 2009. Up to three images may be submitted and, for full details of the rules and how to submit entries, visit www.britishbirds.co.uk/bpy.htm Final details of sponsorship are being finalised as we go to press, these (together with a closing date) will be announced as soon as possible. The winning entries will be exhibited at the British Birdwatching Fair in August, where the awards will be presented. British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 72-75 75 Deryk Shaw Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early November to early December 2009. Headlines During a very stormy period, it was birds at sea that caught the eye most, with the best being a Fregetta storm-petrel in the Severn estuary, a Pacific Diver nearby plus another off the Cornish coast, and a Brunnich’s Guillemot off Norfolk. A good variety of waders included two Baird’s Sandpipers and no fewer than four Spotted Sandpipers. In terms of passerines, the first Red-flanked Bluetail for Ireland and a Crested Lark at a private site in Wiltshire stood out, there were late records of Blyth’s Reed Warbler in Shetland and Red-throated Pipit on Scilly, while the long-staying Brown Shrike in Greater London seemed prepared to overwinter. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Kirkwall (Orkney), 12th November; Bowling Green Marsh, 3rd-4th December, same Exminster Marshes, 6th-9th December and Topsham (all Devon), 1 1 th— 1 3th December. American Wigeon Anas americana Castle Loch/Kirk Loch, long-stayer to 6th December, Caerlaverock (all Dumfries & Gal- loway), 2nd and 9th December; The Geragh (Co. Cork), 3rd-15th November; Lochs of Brow/Hillwell (Shetland), 8th-18th November; Bowling Green Marsh, 24th November; Welney (Norfolk), 5th— 1 3th December. Black Duck Anas rubripes Tresco (Scilly), 11th December. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors North Bull Island (Co. Dublin), long-stayer to 20th November. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Chew Valley Lake (Avon), long-stayer I 6 1 h— 2 8th November, possibly same, Cheddar Resr, 1 2th— 1 3th December; Craigavon (Co. Armagh), 15th November, possibly same between Banbridge and Corbett Lough (Co. Down), 20th November to 3rd December; Old Hall Marshes (Essex), 16th and 27th November; Fen Drayton (Cambridgeshire), 22nd November; Pugney’s CP (Yorkshire), 26th November to 13th December; Dinton Pastures (Berkshire), 2nd December; Abbots- bury (Dorset), 4th— 1 3th December; Snet- tisham (Norfolk), 4th-7th December. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Loughrea (Co. Galway), 14th November. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Burghead (Moray & Nairn), 16th November to 12th December. Hooded Mer- ganser Lophodytes cucullatus Hartlepool, then Saltholme Pools (both Cleveland), 30th November. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica Hayle (Cornwall), 1 7th— 29th November and again 3rd-9th December; Sharpness to Fretherne areas of Severn estuary (Gloucestershire), 1 8th— 1 9th, 22nd and 25th November. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer Good numbers in coastal waters, widespread also inland, including at least six at Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire) and three at Rutland Water (Leicestershire 8c Rutland) in early December. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Bluemull Sound (Shet- land), 16th November and 12th December. White-bellied Fregetta grallaria or Black- bellied Storm-petrel F. tropica Severn Beach (Gloucestershire), 25th November. Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa Large influx in late November, particularly along southern and southwestern English coasts, including 582 Chesil Beach 28th November and 600 past Portland (both Dorset), 29th November. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Records from Argyll, Caernarfonshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Co. Limerick and Somerset. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Cam- bridgeshire, Cleveland, Co. Cork, Cumbria (three), Devon, Essex, Fife, Co. Galway, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Co. Kerry, Lancashire & N Merseyside (three), Leicester- shire, Lincolnshire, Co. Mayo, Moray & Nairn, Norfolk, Northamptonshire (two), North-east Scotland, Suffolk (three) and Warwickshire. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Wanderers from the earlier influx included 76 © British Birds 1 03 • January 2010 * 76-78 Recent reports three in both Somerset and Kent, and singles in Forth, Co. Wexford and Worcestershire. 13. Juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii , Barns Ness, Lothian, December 2009. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Blakeney Harbour (Norfolk), long-stayer to 11th November; Belclaire Turlough (Co. Galway), 4th November; Portavogie (Co. Down), 6th November; Strangford Lough (Co. Down), 1 5th— 29th November. White-rumped Sand- piper Calidris fuscicollis Cley (Norfolk), 11th November; Quilty (Co. Clare), 12th November. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Belhaven Bay, long-stayer to 11th November, presumed same Barns Ness (both Lothian), 30th November to 9th December; Belvide Reser- voir (Staffordshire), 22nd November. Long- billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Lough Beg (Co. Derry), 8th-22nd November; Learn Lough (Co. Mayo), 29th November; Port Carlisle (Cumbria), 13th November to 13th December. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Abberton Reservoir (Essex), 15th November to 13th December (and perhaps since mid October); Lower Brook (Hamp- shire), 20th November to 13th December; Topsham, 24th November to 13th December (and perhaps since early November); Endrick Water (Forth), 29th November to 13th December. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Aberlady Bay (Lothian), long-stayer to 11th December; Bubwith Ings, then Thorganby 14. Adult Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (left), with Common Redshank T. totanus, Aberlady Bay, Lothian, November 2009. British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 76-78 77 Tom Tams John Nadin Hugh Harrop Recent reports 1 5. First-winter Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum, Quendale, Shetland, November 2009. Ings, 13th November, presumably same East Cottingworth Ings (all Yorkshire), 27th November; Dungarvan (Co. Waterford), 1 8 th— 2 1 st November. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Slimbridge (Gloucester- shire), long-stayer to 12th November; Mus- selburgh (Lothian), 14th-26th November; Inch Lough (Co. Donegal), 1st December. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phyllo- scopus proregulus Pitsford Reservoir (Northamptonshire), 22nd November. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fus- catus St Mary’s (Scilly), 9th November. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Quendale (Shetland), 29th November to 1st December. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Long-stayer Pegwell Bay (Kent), to 12th November. November and 4th December. Crested Lark Galerida cristata Undisclosed site, Wiltshire, 1 5 th— 16th November. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Holy Island (North- umberland), 13 th November; Eye- mouth (Borders), 18th- 20th and 23rd- 24th Nov- ember. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Filey Brigg (York- shire), 30th November. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan Canvey Island (Essex), 29th-30th November. American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus Nimmo’s Pier (Co. Galway), returning adult from 19th November; Tralee (Co. Kerry), 20th November. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia Tralee, 11th November; Cobh (Co. Cork) from 22nd November into December. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Cruisetown (Co. Louth), long- stayer to 8th November; Nimmo’s Pier, returning adult from 1 1th November. Brunnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia Cley, 4th December. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Inishcrone (Co. Sligo), 24th November. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Staines Moor (Greater London), long-stayer to 1 3th December. Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Dungeness (Kent), up to three between 15th Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Forest Hill (Oxfordshire), long-stayer to 10th December; Hayle, 9th November; Dallas- braughty (Moray & Nairn), 19th November; Pembroke Dock (Pembrokeshire), 20th November to 1st December; Shapinsay (Orkney), 7th December; New Hutton (Cumbria), 1 1 th — 12th. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus Dursey Island (Co. Cork), 10th November. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Bally- cotton (Co. Cork), 8th-23rd November; St Agnes (Scilly), 6th December. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens Clahane Strand (Co. Clare), long-stayer to 14th November. European Serin Serinus serinus Rainham Marshes (Essex/Greater London), one or two, 15th November to 13th December; Land’s End (Cornwall), 20th November. 78 British Birds 103 • January 2010 • 76-78 Classified advertising Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds. Copy deadline: 10th of the month. 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 Holiday Accommodation Scotland ELLARY ESTATE - MOST ATTRACTIVE choice of self catering cottages and chalets situated on the shores of Loch Caolisport. While you are at Ellery you are at liberty to go anywhere you please. There are hill walks, many lochs and burns where you can fish, numerous wildliife, birds, flowers, etc. The perfect location for the true country lover. 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Yalden I 1 5 The BBI BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2009 Roger Riddington, Dawn Balmer, Peter Hearn, John Marchant, Robin Prytherch and Peter Wilkinson Regular features I 1 8 Conservation research news Compiled by Guy Anderson, Jake Bicknell, Kendrew Colhoun and Jeremy Wilson 1 2 1 Letters Identification of Willow Tit and Marsh Tit /. T. R. Sharrock and Barry Nightingale Pheasants, parasites and partridges G. R. (Dick) Potts 1 24 Reviews The Birds of Leicestershire & Rutland The Naturalized Animals of Britain and Ireland The History of Ornithology A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo Birds of South America: passerines A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil The Birds of Barbados Finding Birds in Andalucia Birds in Counties: second supplement The Running Sky - a birdwatching life I 33 News and comment Adrian Pitches I 38 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey D FSC British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and * interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 A paper from the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee The Eskimo Curlew in Britain Tim Melling Abstract This paper summarises the history and migrations of the Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis, a formerly abundant species now possibly extinct. A recent review of all British records by BOURC concluded that the previously accepted first British record (Woodbridge, Suffolk, November 1852) is no longer acceptable. Details of all British claims are presented, and the review concluded that four British records are still acceptable. One shot at the summit of Cairn Mon Earn, North-east Scotland, on 6th September 1855 becomes the first British record. Introduction It may come as a surprise to many that the Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis, a Nearctic wader that may well now be extinct, has occurred several times in Britain. However, the species had many attributes as a candi- date for vagrancy - it was formerly abundant and it was a long-distance migrant, with an autumn migration route not dissimilar to that of the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, which took it over the North Atlantic off the eastern seaboard of North America. As part of an ongoing review of species on Category B of the British List, BOURC recently reviewed all British records. The type specimen Johann Reinhold Forster first described the species in 1772 as the Eskimaux Curlew Scolopax borealis, from a specimen sent to him in 1771 by Andrew Graham of the Hudson Bay Company. At the time, Forster was a lecturer at the Dissenters’ Academy in Warrington, Cheshire, so the type specimen was described in England (Forster 1772). The type locality was Fort Albany, Ontario, some 650 km southeast of the Severn River, where Andrew Graham worked, and it was in fact Humphrey Marten who collected and sent specimens to Graham from Fort Albany. Marten included some notes to accompany his specimens, with information on features 80 that would not be apparent from a specimen (such as diet, habits, local names) and for Eskimo Curlew these included: ‘This bird hath two names given [to] it by the natives, first waw-kee-coot-ta-sue, or crooked bill. Second wee-kee-mee-na-sue, the Berry Eater, those being its favourite food...’ (Houston et al. 2003). There is little doubt that Marten’s bird was the type specimen as Forster included this second native name in his orig- inal description (Forster 1772). There are earlier references to Eskimo Curlews, however, such as within the diaries of George Cartwright, who shot ‘curlews’ in Labrador from 1770 until 1786 (Gollop et al. 1986). At this time, the Eskimo Curlew was apparently one of the most abundant shore- birds in North America but just 100 years later the population was heading towards extinction. It is currently listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) by the IUCN (www.birdlife.org). Breeding records and migration patterns Eskimo Curlews were presumed to breed in Alaska and northern Canada, although the only nests that were ever found were on marshy tundra in Canada’s Northwest Terri- tories, near the base of the Bathurst Penin- sula, and near Point Lake, 750 km to the southeast (Gill et al. 1998). Nests and eggs © British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 The Eskimo Curlew in Britain Fig. I. Breeding and wintering range, and presumed migration routes of the Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis. were found only between 1821 (Swainson & Richardson 1831) and 1866 (MacFarlane 1891), all in late June or early July, at Fort Anderson, Rendezvous Lake, Franklin Bay and Point Lake (MacFarlane 1891; Bent 1929). Birds have been recorded in May in Alaska, though no nests were ever found, but an adult with young was reported in 1983 (Gollop et al. 1986). In autumn, birds migrated eastwards across Hudson Bay and congregated on the coasts of Labrador and northern New England, where they apparently fed largely on Crowberries Empetrum nigrum: ‘Their food consists almost entirely of the Crow-berry, which grows on all the hill-sides in astonishing profu- sion. It is also called the “Bear- berry” and “Curlew-berry”... This is their principal and favourite food; and the whole intestine, the vent, legs, bill, throat, and even the plumage are more or less stained with the deep purple juice.’ (Coues 1861). They were also known to feed on intertidal invertebrates at this time of year. A journey of up to 8,000 km followed, to wintering grounds in the pampas grass- lands of Argentina and Uruguay. The route was presumed to be a non-stop oceanic flight as birds were regularly reported passing over Bermuda as well as the Windward Islands in the outer Caribbean, although few stopped there unless grounded by bad weather (Gollop et al. 1986). In spring, they arrived on the coasts of Texas and Louisiana in March and headed north along a relatively narrow migration route along the valleys of the Mississippi, Missouri and Platte Rivers, through the prairies of central USA to north- west Canada, mainly through Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska (Gollop et al. 1986; fig. 1). Historical accounts The species was sometimes extraordinarily abundant, but only in its restricted migration stopover areas. John James Audubon saw the species only once, and his illustration in The Birds of America (1840-44, plate 16) was from a single specimen. Indeed, Audubon commented on its abundance in certain areas that contrasted with its absence elsewhere in North America. Its demise was rapid during the late nineteenth century. The reasons are not known for certain but its palatability, tameness, gregarious nature and predictable appearances led to enormous numbers being shot. For example, in Massachusetts in 1863, an estimated 7,000-8,000 Eskimo Curlews and American Golden Plovers were killed on Nantucket Island, while in 1872 just two hunters reportedly shot 5,000 Eskimo Curlews on Cape Cod. The numbers killed on spring passage through the USA were even greater (Gollop et al. 1986). The species was also shot on the wintering grounds, though not in such large numbers, and birds were offered for sale in the markets of Buenos Aires and included on the menu in the principal restaurants (Wetmore 1927). Eskimo Curlews associated regularly with American Golden Plovers, and migrating flocks in autumn often contained similar numbers of each. Flocks sometimes num- bered thousands but groups of 30-50 Eskimo Curlews are most frequently mentioned British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 81 © Julie Dando Don Bleitz, courtesy ofWFVZ, California Melling I 6. Esquimaux Curlew Numenius borealis by John James Audubon from Birds of America ( 1 840— 44). This painting was made from a single specimen sent to Audubon by William Oakes of Massachusetts. Audubon had just one brief glimpse of the species in life: a flock at dawn, flying over an island off South Carolina. (Mackay 1892; Gollop et al. 1986). Mackay (1892) kept annual records of birds on Nan- tucket Island and occasionally Cape Cod from 1858 to 1891, which showed that they were less predictable than generally per- ceived; in that time, they were absent or rare in 18 years, while ‘immense’ numbers were noted in just one year (1863). Mackay sug- gested that large numbers coincided with poor weather conditions that grounded migrants; since Cape Cod and Nantucket are slightly farther south than the main migra- tion staging posts in Labrador, this is perhaps not unexpected. Their appeal to shooters, in addition to the fact that they were easy to shoot (not least because of their tameness, but also because of strong bonds within a flock that meant uninjured birds would circle or hover over the wounded, facilitating massacre), was graphically summarised by Mackay: ‘they are frequently so fat that when they strike the ground after being shot flying the skin bursts, exposing a much thicker layer of fat than is usually seen in other birds, hence their local name “Doughbird”. At this season they are considered by epicures the finest eating of any of our birds, and consequently they are watched for and sought after by sportsmen with great perseverance during the very short period they are expected to pass along our coast’. Population decline was probably exacer- bated by dramatic agricultural changes to the prairies as settlers moved west across the continent, most importantly changes in the grazing and burning patterns; nowadays only 4% of the original prairie ecosystem remains (Samson & Knopf 1994; Gill et al. 1998). The birds fed on a variety of invertebrates on spring migration, and the Rocky Mountain Locust Melanoplus spretus was apparently an important food source (Gollop et al. 1986); the locust, formerly abundant, became extinct as a result of changes to its habitat, and was last recorded in 1902 (Lockwood & DeBrey 1990). Similarly sweeping agricul- tural changes took place on the wintering grounds, with extensive cattle grazing and burning (Wetmore 1927). Nonetheless, there are many graphic 17 & 18. Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis, Galveston Island, Texas, USA, April 1962. 82 British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 % Don Bleitz, courtesy ofWFVZ, California The Eskimo Curlew in Britain R V -* ■ v * 1 *.v • i * ,-AV^- -' ;« *■ V-*'- - •••«. ' > - y ” , . . I 9. Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis, Galveston Island, Texas, USA, April 1962. accounts of the slaughter of Eskimo Curlews on an almost unimaginable scale, and this appears to have been a major factor in the species’ demise. ‘Fish- ermen shot them in their thou- sands, they shot into the flying masses, often bringing down twenty or twenty-five at a single discharge’ (Packard 1891). ‘In Newfoundland and on the Mag- dalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence, for many years after the middle of the nineteenth century, the Eskimo Curlews arrived in August and September in millions that darkened the sky. In a day’s shooting by 25 or 30 men as many as 2,000 curlews would be killed for the Hudson Bay Co. store at Cartwright, Labrador’ (Smithsonian Institu- tion, Washington; Annual Report of the Board of Regents for year ending 30th June 1915). ‘Flocks reminded prairie settlers of the flights of Passenger Pigeons Ectopistes migra- torius and the curlews were given the name of prairie pigeons. They contained thousands of individuals and would often form dense masses of birds extending half a mile in length and a hundred yards or more in width. When the flock would alight the birds would cover 40 or 50 acres of ground. During such flights the slaughter was almost unbelievable’ (Bent 1929). Recent records The last fully docu- mented records of Eskimo Curlews were in the early 1960s. In April 1962, several observers saw three, possibly four, in cattle-grazed pasture on the western side of Galveston Island, Texas. Don Bleitz photograph- ed two of these, which remain the first and only unequivocal photo- graphs of live Eskimo Curlews (see plates 17- 20 & 25) (Bleitz 1962). A single bird was shot on 4th September 1963 on Barbados (Bond 1965), although the species had been protected against shooting in the USA and Canada since 1916. All subse- quent reports have been sight-only records, but there have been a number of credible claims, including a party of 23 on Atkinson Island, Galveston Bay, Texas, on 7th May 1981 (Gollop et al. 1986) and four apparently reli- able sightings in Texas in 1987 (Gollop 1988). There was also a report of a bird in southwest Manitoba in May 1996 (Waldon 1996; Gill et al. 1998). The most recent published claim was from Nova Scotia in September 2006. 20. Possible Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis, Galveston Island, Texas, USA, April 1962. It is not clear whether this photograph has been published before. Some doubts have been expressed over the identifica- tion of the bird in this photograph, largely because it shows a deeper bill than would be expected, but also because the upperparts appear more uniform than in other photos (plates 17-19). However, it shows the characteristic long wings of Eskimo Curlew, and it does not appear to have the bold head pattern of ‘Hudsonian Whimbrel’ N. phaeopus hudsonicus. British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 83 Don Bleitz, courtesy ofWFVZ, California Don Bleitz, courtesy ofWFVZ, California Melling (www.birdersworld.com/brd/default. aspx?c=a&id=972). The last definite record from the wintering grounds concerns one shot on 11th January 1925 in Argentina, although two or three were reported in Argentina in 1937 (Wetmore 1939; Greenway 1958). There was an unsubstantiated report of four near Cordoba, Argentina, in October 1990 (Michelutti 1991). Extensive searches have been made on the former breeding grounds, including those of T. W. Barry, who searched each year from 1972 until 1984, on foot and by helicopter (Gollop et al. 1986). In addition, there were extensive but fruitless searches of the former wintering grounds in Argentina and Uruguay during 1992 and 1993 (Blanco et al. 1993). The British records Assessing old records is never easy. Without a specimen, we have to rely on descriptions and the opinions of contemporary, respected authorities to verify identifications (e.g. Dresser 1871-72, Harting 1872, Saunders 1889). This is especially problematic with Eskimo Curlew because it was confused with ‘Hudsonian Whimbref N. phaeopus hudson- icus in North America (Audubon 1840-44). Wilson (1808-14) illustrated and described Hudsonian Whimbrel under the name Esquimaux Curlew Scolopax borealis (plate 21) although Bonaparte’s supplement (Wilson & Bonaparte 1825-33) corrected the mistake and illustrated the right species (plate 22). Nuttall (1834) also included Hud- sonian Whimbrel under the name Esquimaux Curlew, but he described the real N. borealis as Small Esquimaux Curlew in the same volume. This led to confusion over at least one British record, where measurements did not correspond with published biomet- rics. It is also significant that Eskimo Curlew’s sister species, Little Curlew N. minutus , was first described from Australia just a few years before the first British record of Eskimo Curlew (Gould 1841). Little Curlew is mentioned in only one of the British accounts of Eskimo Curlew, so it seems that the former was generally not con- sidered as a confusion species. Even with a specimen, there are issues surrounding provenance. The nineteenth century was the heyday of trading in birds and, since wealthy collectors were willing to pay high prices for British-taken specimens, there was the potential for fraud. During this period, specimens from North America were readily available in sales at Stevens’ Auction Rooms in London and those advertised as British-taken were in highest demand (Chalmers-Hunt 1976). Again, the opinion of contemporary authorities is important, although the extent of fraud may be more apparent in retrospect than it was at the time, as with the Hastings Rarities (Nicholson & Ferguson-Lees 1962). The main decline of the Eskimo Curlew occurred during the 1880s and the species was con- sidered rare by 1892 (Gollop et al. 1986). Significantly, all British records pre-date the decline. Woodbridge (November 1852) The generally accepted first British record of Eskimo Curlew was from Woodbridge, Suffolk (e.g. Witherby et al. 1938-41, Banner; man 1961, Evans 1994, Naylor 1996, Palmer 2000). Hele (1870) was the first to publish this record: ‘An example of this species was 21. Alexander Wilson’s painting of ‘Hudsonian Whimbrel’ Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus (left), which Wilson erroneously described and pictured as Eskimo (Esquimaux) Curlew N. borealis in his American Ornithology (1808-14). Dunlin Calidris alpina (as Red-backed Snipe), Willet Tringa semipalmatus (as Semipalmated Snipe) and Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa are also pictured. 84 British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 80-92 The Eskimo Curlew in Britain killed some years since, on the river [Aide in Suffolk], by Captain Ferrand, but was, unfor- tunately, not preserved. One in the posses- sion of Mr Hilling of Woodbridge, in very similar dress, was obtained in the river in that neighbourhood.’ Neither record was dated but the fact that Hele mentioned the River Aide record (which is discussed later) first and compared the Woodbridge bird with it suggests that the latter was the more recent of the two. Hele’s statement was in a general local interest book (not a specialist bird book) that was published 15 years after the first Scottish record had been published. Since Hele lived in Aldeburgh, it is likely that he obtained the details from Ferrand and Hilling directly, as they both lived nearby. These two records were published by Dresser (1871-81), Harting (1872), Dalgleish (1880) and Saunders (1882-84), all citing Hele and giving no dates for either record. However, in his Birds of Suffolk , Churchill Babington (1884-86) stated that two birds were obtained together at Woodbridge, in November 1852. Babington was rector of Cockfield (about 40 km west of Woodbridge) and was perhaps better known as a classical scholar and archaeologist than an ornitholo- gist (Mullens & Kirke Swann 1917). (He was also second cousin of Charles Babington, the botanist after whom Babington’s Leek Allium ampeloprasum babingtonii was named.) His statement was at least 14 years after Hele’s published report of a single bird (at Woodbridge) and after four authorities had published the record without additional details, and it seems odd that additional detail should materialise that was not available to Hele. Babington was not simply confusing the two Suffolk records, as he noted the River Aide record as a third bird. Babington claimed that two birds were obtained together, but no further details of the second speci- men are available. Babington stated that J. H. Gurney Jr had compared the existing specimen with an American skin and felt quite satisfied as to its authen- ticity, adding that it had clearly been set up from the flesh. (However, if the skin had been properly pre- served with salt, and all traces of fat removed, it could have been prepared over a year later yet appear completely fresh; J. Fishwick pers. comm.). J. H. Gurney Jr (son of J. H. Gurney, founder member of the BOU and after whom Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi was named) was born in 1848, so the verification must have taken place many years after the specimen was apparently obtained; note also that it was Gurney Jr who verified the 1904 Great Yarmouth ‘Citril Finch’, later found to be a Cape Canary Serinus canicollis (BOU 1994; Bourne 1996). Babington noted that the Woodbridge specimen owned by Hilling (in his book, Babington referred to Hilling in error as Mr Hillen) was later sold to Vauncey Harpur Crewe, whose collections were subsequently auctioned in six separate sales in London, at Stevens’ Auction Rooms (Chalmers-Hunt 1976). The fifth sale, on 23rd February 1926, contained two Eskimo Curlews. It is not known which was the Suffolk specimen but it seems likely to have been the more expensive one, sold to a Mr Abden for 18 shillings. The other, a female, was sold to an unnamed bidder for 14 shillings. It is significant that another specimen of Eskimo Curlew had been sourced by Harpur Crewe, showing that this species was ‘available’ in Britain, presum- ably by importation. The whereabouts of both of Harpur Crewe’s specimens after 1926 22. The painting by Alexander Rider in Wilson & Bonaparte (1825-33) which corrected Wilson’s mistake in American Ornithology (1808-14). Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis (centre); white-morph Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens (as Peale’s Egret Heron) and Limpkin Aramus guarauna (as Scolopaceous Courlan) are also shown. British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 85 Melling are unknown. Harpur Crewe was a notori- ously uncritical but enthusiastic collector of rarities and his zeal may have made him sus- ceptible to fraud. For example, the February 1926 sale also included two Flooded Mer- gansers Lophodytes cucullatus and a Swallow- tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus, all claimed to have been taken in Britain. Harpur Crewe may even have perpetrated fraud himself as the auction included a clutch of Black- headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala eggs, allegedly taken by Harpur Crewe at Skegness, Lincolnshire (Nicholson 1926). It seems most likely that the collecting date of the Woodbricige Eskimo Curlew was generated to facilitate the sale of the speci- men to Harpur Crewe, as were the particulars of the second Woodbridge bird, and that Babington published these extra details in good faith. Babington mentioned that he had corresponded with Gurney Jr and W. M. H. Carthew over the record, but it was Hilling (the vendor) who stood to benefit from the more detailed provenance. Many nineteenth- century rarities, including many of the Hast- ings Rarities (Nicholson & Ferguson-Lees 1962), involved pairs (this appears to reflect the preference of taxidermists and collectors for birds in pairs rather than an ornitholog- ical belief that birds habitually migrated in pairs). Nonetheless, the second Woodbridge bird may have been a ploy to boost the credi- bility of the record. Dalgleish (1880) placed a question mark after the Woodbridge record, suggesting that at least one of his correspondents had expressed doubts about its authenticity. His correspondents for British records were Alfred Newton and H. E. Dresser, both highly respected authorities, although Dresser (1871-81) appeared not to question the record. If the November date was correct, it would make the bird considerably later than all other extralimital records, at a time when the species should have been on its wintering grounds in South America. Birds normally left Labrador and New England during August and September, with few remaining beyond early September; they were virtually unknown during October in Labrador (Gollop et al. 1986). Furthermore, the estu- arine river habitat seems not to match its apparent preference for dry habitats, although estuarine feeding was not unknown. In summary, we know that a specimen existed and believe that it was identified cor- rectly, but we do not know who collected it, nor are we sure about the date. The bird’s discovery was not announced at the time of collection, and the specimen was not exam- ined when fresh by any authority. At least one contemporary authority (Dalgleish 1880) expressed doubt about the record, and it seems likely that extra details were fabricated to add credibility to the record. Many of the details reported above were unearthed during preparation of this paper and necessitated a recirculation of the record following its acceptance (BOU 2007). BOURC members were initially reluctant to overturn a record that had been authenticated by Gurney Jr, but considered that the gaps and discrepan- cies in provenance were sufficient to make the record no longer acceptable. River Aide, undated As described above, Hele (1870) was also the first to report another Suffolk record: one shot by George Ferrand on the River Aide some years before 1870, the specimen not preserved. Captain George Ferrand, born in 1836, was a captain in the Suffolk Artillery Militia who lived at Aldeburgh, but appears not to have been an ornithologist of repute; he received no further mention in Babington (1884-86). Dalgleish (1880) also placed a question mark after this record, although he did not question three subsequent published Scottish records, and Ticehurst (1932) noted that Hele did not see the bird himself. This record was accepted by nineteenth-century authorities (e.g. Harting 1872, Saunders 1882-84), but was not endorsed by Witherby et al. (1938-41) or Bannerman (1961); both referred to the record as ‘alleged’. The BOU Checklist for 1915 listed this record as ‘reported’, but it was omitted from the 1952 Checklist (BOLI 1915, 1952). The fact that the specimen was not preserved means that fraud is unlikely, but the lack of detail makes it impossible to ascertain whether it was identified correctly; there was no verification of the fresh specimen by any authority. This record was not currently accepted and BOURC did not vote to reinstate it. 86 British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 80-92 The Eskimo Curlew in Britain Cairn Mon Earn, Durris, 6th September 1855 One was shot at the summit of Cairn Mon Earn (378 m asl), Durris, North-east Scot- land, by W. R. Cusack-Smith, who lived at Durris House at the time, on 6th September 1855. It was first pointed out as a Golden Plover P. apricaria by Cusack-Smith’s game- keeper, and Cusack-Smith noted the bird’s disinclination to fly or call, and that it allowed approach to within 20 yards. The bird was sent to Mr Mitchell, a taxidermist in Aberdeen, and the mounted specimen was examined a few days later by J. Longmuir (Longmuir 1855). It was exhibited at a meeting of the Aberdeenshire Natural History Society on 19th October 1855 and Longmuir announced the record at a meeting of the Linnaean Society on 6th November 1855, in London. It was not measured when fresh, and the sex was not determined, though Longmuir thought it was a female in winter plumage. The measurements and description taken by Longmuir accord well with Eskimo Curlew and the length alone (14”, 356 mm) rules out Little Curlew (290-320 mm) and Hudsonian Whimbrel (400-420 mm). This record was published 15 years before the Woodbridge record, so at the time was considered to be the first British record (Yarrell 1856). The current where- abouts of the specimen are unknown. BOURC voted to uphold this well-docu- mented record (BOU 2007) and it becomes once again the first accepted British record. Slains Estate, near Ellon, 28th September 1878 A male on the Slains Estate, near Ellon, North-east Scotland, was shot on 28th Sep- tember 1878 (note that Saunders 1882-84, 1889 reported the date incorrectly as 29th September 1879). It was shot by W. Ramsay, a gamekeeper on the estate, who sent the fresh specimen to George Sim, an Aberdeen taxi- dermist. Sim (1879) later published an account including some biometrics (e.g. length 343 mm, tarsus 45 mm), which again ruled out confusion with Little Curlew (tarsus 46-54 mm) or Hudsonian Whimbrel (tarsus 74-90 mm). The mounted specimen was exhibited by J. A. Harvie-Brown at a meeting of the Glasgow Natural History Society, in November 1878. Its stomach was reportedly crammed with Crowberries, several flies and a caterpillar. Crowberries were an important food source of Eskimo Curlews during autumn migration in Labrador (see above), and the Slains Estate is famed as one of the best examples of fixed dunes with Crowberry in the UK. The where- abouts of the specimen are unknown. BOURC voted to uphold this record. Hill of Craigston, early September 1880 This record did not receive contemporary notice by ornithological authorities. It con- cerns a bird shot at the beginning of Sep- tember 1880, on the Hill of Craigston, 6 km south of Banff, North-east Scotland. This record is first mentioned in a letter to Harvie-Brown from George Sim of Fyvie (not George Sim of Aberdeen, taxidermist and author of The Vertebrate Fauna of ‘Dee’ in 1903), dated 13th August 1888. No details were given other than the approximate date and locality (Harvie-Brown archives, National Museums of Scotland). It was also mentioned by Serle (1895), though again with little detail. The specimen was preserved by Mr McBoyle of Peterhead, although its subsequent whereabouts was unrecorded (Sim 1903). George Sim of Aberdeen was reputedly a critical assessor of all records in his Vertebrate Fauna. He omitted or placed in square brackets any records with doubts as to their provenance, so his unqualified inclusion of this record showed that he viewed it with satisfaction (although it is not known whether he actually saw the specimen). This would be the fourth record from North-east Scotland and the third that Sim had had per- sonal involvement with (see below), yet it seems odd that Baxter & Rintoul (1953) failed to mention it, despite using Sim’s Ver- tebrate Fauna as a reference for other Eskimo Curlew records. The lack of a description or specimen means that neither Hudsonian Whimbrel nor Little Whimbrel can be ruled out. This and the lack of contemporary attention led BOURC to decide that this record should not be accepted (BOU 2007). Forrester et al. (2007) stated that the record might have been lost by default by its lack of contemporary notice. British Birds 1 03 • February 2010 * 80-92 87 Melling £ 3 MM I SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 124—132 125 Reviews even welcomed. This comes across most clearly for the Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata. The British population, of ‘possibly as many as 13,000 individ- uals’, is deemed to be ‘of considerable conservation significance’ and the species to have a positive impact ‘by giving pleasure to people who see it.’ However, as is clear from the comprehensive accounts for Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis and Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis, unexpected and serious problems can be caused by species once regarded as harmless additions to our fauna. In temperate regions of the world, the impact of non-natives is likely to be exacerbated by climate change, with a greater range of species able to survive increasingly mild winters. Already, in Britain, our terrestrial vertebrate fauna is domi- nated by non-natives. The Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. Grey Squirrel, Brown Rat and House Mouse Mus domesticus are among our most familiar mammals, and Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus , Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa and Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis dominate our bird fauna, at least in terms of biomass, in many farmland and wetland habitats. The Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri may be set to join them. According to Lever, it is cur- rently increasing at an annual rate of about 30% and southeast England may already support up to 30,000 individuals. As it is a hole-nester and breeds early in the year, it may turn out to be a serious competitor for some of our native hole-nesting birds. While the full consequences of this are, as yet, unclear, it seems unlikely that our countryside will be able to support increasing numbers of parakeets as well as maintain the current popula- tion levels of all our native hole-nesters. Not everyone will agree with all the author’s views on alien species, something that is perhaps inevitable for a subject that tends to polarise opinion. Nonetheless, this well-written and thor- oughly researched book will inform the debate about non-natives and the unpredictable but sig- nificant impacts they can have on native species. With growing numbers of non-native species threatening to become established in Britain, the need for such a debate is becoming increasingly urgent if we wish to ensure the long-term future of all our native wildlife. Ian Carter g-v' . The History of Ornithology By Valerie Chansigaud New Holland, 2009 Hbk, 240pp, 250 colour artworks ISBN 978-1-84773-433-4 Subbuteo code M20210 £17.99 BB Bookshop price £15.99 The History of Ornithology Valerie Ctuinrigaud How many books on the history of ornith- ology do we need? This is now the fourth that has been published in recent years. All adopt slightly different approaches to the subject: Michael Walters (A Concise History of Ornithology) and Peter Bircham (A History of Ornithology ) focused on the individuals behind the development of ornithology, while Tim Birkhead ( The Wisdom of Birds) was more interested in the discoveries that have been made over time. This volume is more in line with the first two but extends beyond the Anglo-Saxon realm to bring in influential Europeans and their discoveries. First published in France in 2007 as Histoire de I’ornithologie, this book examines the development of ornithology from ancient times until the present day. Most books of this type tend to give a rather British flavour to the subject, but Chansigaud has included much of interest to French ornithologists. By taking a chronological journey through ancient times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and each century from the seven- teenth to the twentieth, the author picks out the individuals who were trailblazers in the discovery of science and ornithology. A 20-page timeline also provides a visual reference showing how their dis- coveries related to each other. Every page contains images from the beautiful books that were pub- lished in each century, and there are smaller images of the featured ornithologists. However, this book is very patchy on its cov- erage of discoveries and ornithologists in the twentieth century - just 18 pages, compared with nearly five times that amount for the nineteenth. This is a real shame and devalues the book when it is compared to those mentioned above. Keith Betton SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 126 British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 124-132 Reviews A FIELD CiUlDt TO THE BIRDS BORNEO •l A A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo By Susan Myers Talisman/New Holland, 2009 Hbk, 272pp ISBN 978-1-84773-381-8 Subbuteo code M20422 £24.99 BB Bookshop price £22.99 Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, is blessed with magnifi- cent birdlife that includes around 50 endemic species and over 200 endemic subspecies. A good field guide has been long overdue, the best to date being Mackinnon & Phillipps (1993) A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali (OUP), which has rather poor illustra- tions (compared with what we now expect in a modern guide) that do not always show the taxa occurring in Borneo, is increasingly out of date, bulky, rather expensive and often hard to obtain. Remarkably, two new field guides to the birds of Borneo were published in 2009. Susan Myers’ guide covers ‘all’ 633 Bornean species. An introduction briefly describes the geography, biogeography, climate and habitats of Borneo and lists 50 endemic species; curiously, Cinereous Bulbul Hemixos cinereus, which is not endemic (though the distinctive endemic race connectens is a potential split), is listed while Bornean Black Magpie Platysmurus aterrimus, given endemic status in the species accounts, is not. Apart from stating that a number of Bornean forms have recently been split (and listing nine of them), and that the taxonomy used generally follows that in Birds of South-east Asia (Robson 2008), which, however, covers only taxa also occurring on the Asian mainland, there is little reference to taxonomy. Most of the taxo- nomic and nomenclatural changes since Mack- innon & Phillipps (which included just 37 Bornean endemics) are supported by published material and seem well founded; it might have been useful to indicate these sources in the text. It would also have been useful to have clarified the reason for the exclusion of certain species sometimes thought to occur, and even breed, in Borneo, such as German’s Swiftlet Aerodramus germani. The unfamiliar format, with plates and text combined on the same page, actually works well and promotes an economical use of space, though some of the illustrations seem a little small, especially for species with multiple plumages shown. The text covers appearance (with detailed descriptions of different sex and age classes, subspecies and comparisons with similar species), habitat (including altitudinal limits), behaviour (especially as relevant to iden- tification), voice (with the novel inclusion of kHz ranges and time intervals as an aid), distribution beyond and status within Borneo, and breeding details. Maps are presented but are inevitably somewhat generalised, often just indicating areas below or above a certain altitude; for lowland species in particular, large swathes of the island will now be without the species mapped owing to the dramatic recent loss of forest cover. The detailed descriptions show an admirable atten- tion to detail but sometimes seem a little super- fluous when right next to an accurate illustration of exactly what is being described. The meat of any field guide is the illustrations and these have been painted by a team of well-known, mostly British artists and are generally excellent; in many cases they represent the first high-quality depic- tions of Bornean taxa. Unfortunate errors, pre- sumably introduced at a late stage in the production process, lave led to the plates of Blue- eared Barbet Megalaima australis and Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti being used twice, once for the correct species but also for Bornean Barbet M. eximia and Temminck’s Babbler Pel- lorneum pyrrogenys respectively, meaning that the latter two species are not illustrated. There are some quirks in the illustrations too, such as the odd absence of buff spots on the wing-coverts and scapulars of the female Rufous-collared Kingfisher Actenoides concretus. Illustrations from Birds of South-east Asia have sometimes been used, generally when the same, or very similar, races are involved. Overall, this is an excellent, well-designed and very attractive field guide that should allow speedy and accurate identification of even the trickier species; it represents a very impressive achievement by the author. Chris Kehoe SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 124-132 127 Reviews PHILLIPPS’ FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF BORNEO SABAH. SARAWAK. BRUNEI AND KALIMANTAN Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo By Quentin Phillipps and Karen Phillipps Beaufoy Books, 2009 Pbk, 365pp ISBN 978- 1 -906780- 1 0-4 Subbuteo code M20485 £24.99 BB Bookshop price £22.99 The Phillipps’ guide details ‘all’ 664 Bornean species (including 51 endemics); the discrep- ancy with Myers’ 633 is explained by the inclusion of a few vagrant species either unknown to or overlooked by Myers, various escapes that have not become established, species that have been suspected but never fully confirmed, and some that Myers opted not to include, such as German’s Swiftlet and the taxonomically suspect endemics, Cream-bellied Munia Lonchura pallidi- venter and Mulu Short-tailed Babbler Trichastoma feriatum. In addition, Phillipps’ guide covers a number of potential vagrants, which is useful, espe- cially as some of these have perhaps already occurred but been overlooked. Overall, the Phillipps’ guide is more comprehensive in coverage than Myers, though in practice, for visiting birders espe- cially, the advantages of that will be fairly negligible. The introductory material is longer than in Myers (22 pages versus nine); it covers similar topics but also includes hints for photographers and a dis- cussion of bird migration. The book also includes a 22-page site guide and numerous inset boxes scat- tered through the text covering subjects as diverse as short tributes to John Whitehead and Bertrand Smythies, the avifauna of Christmas Island and raptor mimicry. Interesting and informative though these are, their place in a field guide is questionable, especially as they add to the weight - a consideration both in the field and at the check-in counter. So Phillipps’ paperback actually weighs about the same as Myers’ more robust hardback. Most of the plates are by Karen Phillipps, artist for the earlier Mack- innon & Phillipps guide, and some of the earlier illustrations are reused or adapted. On the whole they are a marked improvement on the earlier illus- trations but I find them generally less pleasing than those in Myers; jizz is often not captured so well and some of the colours seem rather garish. Text and maps are opposite the plates; the latter sometimes offer an interesting contrast to those in Myers (though note that the map for Crested Fireback Lophura ignita refers to Crestless Fireback L. ery- throphthalmus and vice versa). The text emphasises status and habitat require- ments, briefly describes voice and range (within and beyond Borneo) plus sundry other information. There is very little, if any, information about identifi- cation in many cases; if the illustrations of trickier species were a little more convincing, this might not be such an issue but, for example, the immature Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus depicted looks more like a juvenile Brown Shrike L. cristatus. And while the text devotes five lines to the feeding behaviour of shrikes generally, it fails to mention any field marks for separating these two species. Voice descriptions are based mainly on written sources rather than the authors’ own impressions and are sometimes mis- leading (Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla is described as giving a ‘tsew’ call) or hard to interpret, though the introduction does direct readers to the excellent Xeno-Canto website where recordings of most Bornean taxa can be heard. The taxonomy follows that in Clive Mann’s authoritative BOU Checklist (2008) (see Brit. Birds 102: 514-515), with a few stated exceptions. Overall it is traditional, some might say a little outdated, as is the scientific nomen- clature used; there is, however, more discussion of taxonomic matters than in Myers. The authors have chosen to change the well-established English names of some species, for example White-fronted Falconet Microhierax latifrons becomes Bornean Falconet, which is regrettable when taxonomy and nomencla- ture are in such a confusing state of flux already, though, in contrast to Myers, alternative English names are given. A selected, but still extensive, bibli- ography runs to seven pages (three in Myers) and readers are directed to a website (still in development at the time of writing) containing a full bibliography. Given a straight choice between the two guides as practical aids to identification - the primary function of any field guide - I would choose Myers because of its clearer focus on identification, more convincing voice descriptions and superior illustrations. In prac- tice, though, the birds of Borneo are often quite easy to identify, a few troublesome groups and species pairs aside, and the Phillipps’ guide, in spite of its shortcomings on identification, gives a much broader insight into the avifauna of the island and represents an excellent general introduction. Chris Kid we MBUTtn The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 128 British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 124-132 Reviews Birds of South America PASSERINES Birds of South America: passerines By Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor Christopher Helm, 2009 Pbk, 750pp, 121 colour plates; many colour maps ISBN 978-1-4081-1342-4 Subbuteo code M20270 £35.00 BB Bookshop price £30.00 Long-awaited but still much-needed in Bolivia and Brazil, this synthesis/revision of the (to-date) two volumes of The Birds of South America (BSA), pub- lished 20 and 15 years ago, respectively, will be welcomed by both residents and visitors to the bird continent’. It updates the handbook-sized BSA in terms of taxonomy, new species and distri- butional records, and contains more images (406 of them), both of additional taxa and of extra plumages of species illustrated before. Despite the fact that still not all of the passerines are depicted, if you intend to visit South America more than once, even to countries well covered by field guides, this book is a ‘must’, whether or not you own BSA. My intention was to ‘road test’ this volume during a three-month trip to Brazil and Guyana. Initially, however, I spent more time using the book to study unfamiliar species in other regions, because 1 rarely needed it for identification pur- poses. Tudor’s artwork remains the benchmark in the region and this volume reaffirms that. Those hoping for a ‘real’ field guide, like Birds of Peru , will be disappointed. Following a brief introduction come the plates, range maps, and a series of colour maps (invaluable for those with limited knowledge of South American geography), then the species texts, concluding with a set of tax- onomic notes and a highly selective bibliography. In some cases, texts, maps and images could have appeared on facing pages, but overall this ideal was clearly impossible, without losing invaluable text. As it is, the range maps frequently ‘spill’ onto adja- cent pages. A work of this magnitude is never free of errors or problems. The taxonomic notes (mostly reporting published work, others prescient), c. 200 in total, should have been numbered to enable easy cross-referencing with the text (and the plates). Instead, an asterisk beside a species name (in the text) heralds a comment; thereafter, the reader must wade through them to find that sought. Although some publications from 2007 have been covered, the cut-off date was late 2006 and the ranges of many species have already been revised. Some distributional errors, nonetheless, punctuate this work, including the following: the easternmost limit of Manu Antbird Cercomacra manu lies east of the Rio Araguaia, not in the Xingu-Tocantins interfluvium; Glossy-backed Becard Pachyrampluis surinamus occurs south of the Amazon, locally, for example at Borba, Amazonas; and there is a sight record of Brazilian Laniisoma Laniisoma elegans published for Alagoas, in the Brazilian northeast. I wish that Ridgely had attempted to ‘separate’ win- tering and passage records of North American migrants, for example Veery Catharus fuscescens. The broad-brush approach to mapping any species inevitably has drawbacks, and where finer-scale delimitation is attempted it is not universally suc- cessful. For instance, White-rumped Monjita Xolmis velatus is deliberately not mapped for the southeast Brazilian littoral, but it certainly occurs there, at least locally, in winter (pers. obs.). Despite the still-limited number of highly com- petent fieldworkers in Amazonia, an update of this work ten years hence might look very different. A host of taxonomic revisions and new taxa (not all of them ‘brown jobs’) await publication already. Flowever, with ever-mounting threats to South America’s unparalleled biodiversity, the real chal- lenge is to conserve (not just describe) what’s left. In November 2009, Brazil’s President Lula announced an 18-month delay in finalising rural land rights, while the leader of Brazil’s agricultural association stated his organisation’s desire to convert 30% of the remaining cerrado (natural grasslands, already largely confined to fragments) to food production. What price conservation here? A decade ago, Ridgely spiritedly defended avian collecting in The Birds of Ecuador, some (though not this reviewer) might view his comments on conservation here as representing a volte-face but, in calling on all those who travel to see South America’s birds to contribute to their preservation, he should be seen as a ‘Pied Piper’. Guy M. Kirwan The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • February 2010 • 124—132 129 Reviews A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS Used items ■ Package deals > Credit available Field Alternative venues to Morden at which you can try and buy our equ in the field are given below. We aim to show our full range of equij but it helps us to help you if you let us know your interests before Field Day. Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 1 0.00am to 4.00 Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Riverhead and Sevenoaks - Bat and Ball Station 7 February, 7 March Pagham Harbour LNR On the B2145 into Selsey, West Sussex 28 February, 28 March Dinton Pastures Country Park Near Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh and Winnersh Station (B3030) 14 March, 9th May College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 near Bulbourne, Tring, Herts. 14 February Bough Beech Nature Reserve/ Reservoir About 4 miles south of the A25/A21 junction (access from B2042 or B2027) near Ide Hill, Kent. 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BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR2 1 OLL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you are warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Second-winter Caspian Gull Lams cachinnans, Lithuania, September 2009. Chris Gibbins THE NEW EL 42 THE NEW DIMENSION FOR OBSERVATION SWAROVISION > SWAROVISION technology > New focusing mechanism > Unique EL wrap-around grip ’V* SWAROVSKI OPTIK part exchange welcome london camera exchange "" 1 5 The Square, Winchester 01962866203 winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk GOOD SERViCl AWARD 2008 WINNER THE NEW EL THE NEW DIMENSION FOR 0BSER1 Revolutionary SWAROVISION TECHNOLOGY from SWAROVSKI OPTIK gives th a previously unequalled image quality. The combination of field flattener lense: coating and large eye relief ensures maximum contrast right up to the imag diamond-bright colours and a 100% wide-angle field of view even for spectac NEW FOCUSING MECHANISM 1.5 metre close focus setting With new SWAROVISION Technology UNIQUE EL WRAP-AROUND with unbeatable functions SEETHE UNSEEN WWW.SWAROVSKIOPTIK.COM SWAROVSKI U K. LTD Perrywood Business Park, Salfords Surrey RN1 5)0 Tel. 01737-856812, Fa* 01737 856885 SWA RON OF Jo we thank you? 'ick’s swan asian crane er flamingo lard jsh cuddly toy of your chosen species mplimentary ticket sletters twice a year doption certificate :t sheet nore information about WWT visit wwt.org.uk asy to adopt - please call us on 01453 891194/5 i r~ rr'nnn / in Images by R Taylor-Jones. JS Lees. N Cottrell Another Innovation ^ from Carl Zeiss Victory PhotoScope 85 T reddot desi winner 200 Observing and capturing unique moments down to the smallest detail. Capture the moment The new Victory PhotoScope 85 T* FL is the world's first sp> with a zoom lens and a fully integrated digital camera i simultaneous observation and photography. Thanks to observation optics, it is possible to gain unique visual expe can easily be recorded at the touch of a button. The exce view guarantees a cinematic visual experience. Further information on www.zeiss.de/photoscope Observing and Photograi: THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM British Birds Volume 103 • Number 3 • March 2010 1 1 MAR 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIB-ARY 1 42 pp From the Rarities Committee’s files: Identification of Caspian Gull Part 1: typical birds Chris Gibbins, Brian J. Small and John Sweeney 1 84 DNA analysis of a juvenile Common Snipe on Corvo, Azores Jens Hering and Martin Packert 1 85 The status of Caspian Gull in Malta Michael Sammut and John Azzopardi Regular features 1 87 Obituary Mike Madders (1957-2009) 1 89 BTO research update The winter of 2009/10 Breeding season 2009 Nick Moran and Mark Grantham 1 94 Note Interactions between breeding Black Swans and Mute Swans in Cheshire & Wirral Sheila Blamire 1 96 Reviews Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows Living on the Edge: wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel Finding Birds in Morocco: the deserts Capturing the Moment The Carrifran Wildwood Story 200 News and comment Adrian Pitches 203 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey D FSC British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and •> interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Richard Johnson From the Rarities Committee’s files Identification of Caspian Gull Part I : typical birds Chris Gibbins, Brian J. Small and John Sweeney Abstract This paper deals with the identification of the Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans. The aim is to synthesise what is currently known about the identification of this species and discuss the appearance of proven and suspected hybrids. The paper is split into two parts. Part I deals with the identification of typical cachinnans and their separation from Herring L. argentatus and Yellow-legged L. michahellis Gulls. It is targeted at non-specialists who remain unsure of the most reliable identification criteria, and at local records committees who need a structured basis for assessing claims. The paper covers all age groups, but concentrates particularly on those treated in less detail in the published literature. It includes a summary table that distils key information and ranks criteria according to their value in field identification. Part 2, to be published in a future issue, will deal with the identification of less typical individuals and hybrids. 142 © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull Introduction Rationale and aim Our perception of the Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans as a British bird has changed dra- matically in the past 20 years. It has gone from being a poorly known, southeastern race of Herring Gull L. argentatus (Grant 1986) to being recognised as a valid species (Leibers et al. 2001; Collinson et al. 2008) that occurs regularly in Britain. This trans- formation has been due, in no small part, to the groundbreaking identification studies of Klein (1994), Gruber (1995), Garner (1997), Garner & Quinn (1997) and Jonsson (1998). Subsequent contributions (e.g. Bakker et al. 2000, Small 2000, Gibbins 2003) built on this pioneering work. Along with that of Mailing Olsen & Larsson (2003), these studies have demystified this gull to the extent that its identification may now be considered rather 1 passe by some birders. But can we really close i the book on the identification of cachinnans ? An identification review is timely, given i that BBRC has now passed assessment of post- 1999 claims to local committees. More- over, there is anecdotal evidence that many .observers are still struggling with the identifi- cation of Caspian Gull. Understandably, this is chiefly the case in areas where cachinnans remains truly rare and where observers have had little chance to gain first-hand experi- ence. The key problems are confusion over the most reliable identification features and a failure to appreciate fully the normal vari- ability shown by cachinnans and similar taxa. Some identification problems merely reflect the extremes of variation shown by cachin- nans; others stem from hybrids, originating from the mixed-species colonies in central Europe (Neubauer et al. 2009); and some problems may occur with birds that have no cachinnans genes but which represent the extremes of variation in other species. We have arrived at a point where we should take stock of what we know of the identification of typical cachinnans and begin to look more closely at the identification of less typical individuals and their separation from hybrids. Are there clear dividing lines, and if so where are they? The aim of this paper is to provide a dis- tillation of known criteria, assess their merits and, for the first time, discuss the identifica- tion of less typical and hybrid individuals. We hope that it will be of value to both birders and local records committees. Part 1 deals with typical individuals. We describe in detail the plumage and structure of typical birds, emphasising key average differences from Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis ; we outline normal variation but leave the extremes aside. Appendix 1 sum- marises key distinctions between typical cachinnans, michahellis and Herring Gull and ranks criteria according to their relative importance. It should not be used in isola- tion, but as a convenient summary and as an entry point to the details in the text. Less typical and extreme individuals will be dealt with in part 2, where we shall also discuss the identification of hybrids; this will be pub- lished in a future issue. To date, literature on cachinnans has tended to focus on one or two age groups - the first-winter and adult birds that are found most regularly in Britain. To redress this balance, we pay particular attention to other age groups. The paper is intended pri- marily for birders in Britain, so does not discuss Heuglin’s Gull L. fuscus heuglini. This taxon can look remarkably cachinnans-\ike in structure and some immature plumages. However, serious confusion is unlikely: heuglini has a different call, dark inner first- generation primaries, and once adult-type grey feathers develop their tone is much darker than those of cachinnans. Circularity and the empirical basis of this paper Circular reasoning (bird A is a Caspian Gull, it shows features X, Y and Z, therefore X, Y and Z are features of Caspian Gull) may undermine attempts to develop identification criteria. Circularity can be avoided if: (a) the species is studied in the core of its accepted breeding range, where potential confusion species are absent and hybridisation is not a significant issue; or (b) the sample consists only of individuals of known provenance (ringed birds). Much of our knowledge of cachinnans is actually based on unringed birds observed in western Europe in winter, well away from core breeding areas and on the edge of the wintering range. Circularity is thus a potential problem, especially because British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 143 Ruud Aitenburg Gibbins et al. of the risk of incorporating an unknown number of hybrids into the ‘ cachinnans’ sample. Moreover, as we may be picking up only the most striking birds in Europe, there is a danger of developing criteria based on an unrepresentative sample. Studies of cachin- nans wintering in the Middle East suffer similar problems, owing to the presence of extremely similar taxa whose identification has yet to be fully resolved (notably barabensis) . Access to the heart of the breeding range of cachinnans, where both Herring and Yellow-legged Gulls are absent, is difficult and few western ornithologists have studied the species there. Consequently, we are largely constrained to studying cachin- nans in wintering areas and must be aware of the problem of circular reasoning. Circularity is most problematic with less typical individuals. In part 2 we therefore use ringed individuals of known provenance to help to develop criteria for the separation of hybrid from pure individuals. Circularity is less of an issue with the ‘classic’ birds that are the focus of part 1. Nonetheless, to study cachinnans we have travelled to parts of the breeding range (e.g. several trips to the Danube Delta, Romania) and areas of the southern Baltic where cachinnans occurs in large numbers in the immediate post- breeding period and can be the most abun- dant large gull at some localities (e.g. on the Curonian Spit in Lithuania). The majority of plates show birds from these areas. Since the paper is aimed at British birders, it may seem that examples of cachinnans photographed in Britain are under-represented in the plates; this is a product of the need to limit the problems of circularity. ‘Herring Gulf is used here to refer collec- tively to both races; ‘argentatus is used when referring specifically to the Scandinavian/ Baltic race and ‘ argenteus ’ when referring to the British/west European race. Yellow-legged Gull is referred to as ‘michahellis and relates only to Mediterranean birds. The Atlantic Island populations of Yellow-legged Gull rep- resent a taxon whose status is still debatable and which, in any case, have rather dark immature plumages and structural traits that make them unlikely to be confused with cachinnans. We treat cachinnans as mono- typic, as the extent and nature of geographic plumage variation has yet to be firmly estab- lished. Nonetheless, future work may reveal consistent differences between eastern and western birds (see section on adults). Fig. 1 illustrates key terms used in the text. Patterns of occurrence in Britain It is difficult to assess the number of cachin- nans currently occurring in Britain each year. This relates chiefly to the fact that the species is now so abundant in some areas that observers do not necessarily report all sightings. Nonetheless, it is clear that cachin- nans is recorded more frequently now than in the past and that there are strong seasonal and geographic patterns to its occurrence. Caspian Gulls are most frequent iir southern England, particularly the southeast. The first birds arrive in late 48. A lone Caspian Gull rests with a group of Herring Gulls on a landfill site in Poland ( 1 7 Jan 2004). Can you see it? It is white-headed, dark-eyed and is holding its bill distinctly downwards. Some fine ‘pencil’ streaks are visible on the lower rear neck. It is below-right of centre. 144 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull summer and early autumn, when the majority of records come from the coastline between Kent and Suffolk. Juvenile cachin- nans now occur regularly in early August, when many young British Herring Gulls are not even fully independent. These cachinnans are not necessarily from the nearest breeding areas, since juveniles may disperse far from their natal colony soon after reaching inde- pendence. For example, a bird at Espoo, Finland, on 26th July 2004 had been ringed as a pullus on 27th May on the River Dnper in southern Ukraine (49°46’N 31°28’E). Con- sequently, observers should be looking out for first-calendar-year (ICY) cachinnans from late July onwards. Post-breeding adults tend not to be seen in Britain until later in the autumn; this delayed arrival may be linked to the progression of primary moult. Following their arrival, many birds move inland and disperse northwards as the autumn and winter progress. They are sup- plemented by new arrivals, perhaps linked to cold weather on the Continent. For example, hundreds of cachinnans are present at lagoons along the coast of Lithuania in autumn but these disappear in midwinter, once the water freezes (Vytautas Pareigis pers. comm.). The largest numbers of cachin- nans in Britain are recorded in winter, with birds seen regularly on favoured landfill sites and in reservoir roosts in southern and central England. However, they remain dis- tinctly scarce in north and northwest Britain; there are few records north of the River Tees and the species remains extremely rare in Scotland (fewer than five records) and Ireland. Very few are recorded in the summer months. This probably reflects the movement of birds back to the Continent, but perhaps also the relative difficulty of identifying moulting immatures in summer and the fact that gull-watching in Britain tends to be a winter pursuit. Identification Size and structure Caspian Gulls can be strikingly large, tall birds, but most individuals are similar in length and weight to Herring Gull and so do not stand out on size alone. However, cachin- nans is structurally distinctive at all ages, second-generation scapulars first-generation scapulars length depth median coverts bulge inner greater coverts orbital ring iris long white tip to PIO tongues Fig. I . Key terms, feather groups and plumage features referred to in the text. All images show cachinnans: upper two are from an adult (Latvia, April 2009), lower left is a ICY (Romania, September 2006), lower right is an adult (Romania, September 2008). All images Chris Gibbins. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 145 Gibbins et al. often described as ‘lanky’ or ‘gangly’. It has relatively long, thin-looking legs (the extra length is particularly noticeable in the tibia) and often seems to stand taller than Herring Gull. Next to michahellis, its legs tend to look longer and less robust. However, some michahellis are long-legged compared with Herring Gulls, so observers should be mindful of this when confronted with an apparently lanky bird. There are marked dif- ferences in size and structure between male and female cachinnans (see Mailing Olsen & Larsson 2003) and these differences may be more marked than for other large gulls (Gibbins 2003). Some, presumably males, can look incredibly long-legged, yet others, pre- sumably females, can actually look rather short-legged. Consequently, birders and com- mittees should not automatically dismiss a bird that lacks the textbook long-legged look. The head can appear oddly small for the body, generally looks pear-shaped, and nor- mally lacks the bulky feel of the head of Herring Gull and (especially) michahellis. The head often looks anorexic, as though there is little flesh covering the skull; this means that head shape equates more closely to skull shape than for other large gulls. The often-quoted, but perhaps over-emphasised, ‘snouty’ look is due to a combination of the long sloping forehead and the relatively long, slim bill, which gives the front of the head a tapering, ‘pulled-out’ appearance. This snouty look can be a striking and defining feature, but it is important to note that not all cachinnans show it. For a significant pro- portion of (presumed) females, the bill length is unremarkable, and, because of their higher, more rounded heads, they may recall Common Gull L. canus. Conversely, some larger males can have a robust bill and a solid, more angular head that overlaps in appearance with both Herring and Yellow- legged Gulls. Yellow-legged Gulls typically have a deeper, blunter bill and a larger, more angular head, yet, as with other gulls, males and females can be rather different, and the slighter individuals overlap with Herring and even Lesser Black-backed Gulls L. fuscus. Fur- thermore, michahellis from the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula tend to be smaller, less robust and less rangy than Mediter- ranean birds. Most Caspian Gulls appear longer-billed than Herring Gull and michahellis. They have a more gentle, even curve to the culmen and a less obvious gonydeal angle; unlike Herring Gull and michahellis there is little or no bulging at the gonys and the general impres- sion is of a gently tapering bill. Data in Mailing Olsen & Larsson (2003) indicate that there is actually much overlap in the bill length of cachinnans and Herring Gull (males: Herring 46.4-64.9 mm, mean 54.6, cachinnans 50.7-63.5 mm, mean 56.3; females: Herring 44.9-59.0 mm, mean 49.7, cachinnans 48.0-59.5 mm, mean 51.9). Thus, the longer-billed impression given by cachin- nans results from the interaction of its shape, depth and length, accentuated in some birds by the pear-shaped head and long neck. Gibbins (2003) assessed the ratio between bill length and gonys depth (measured from photographs; length and depth as indicated in fig. 1) in a sample of Herring and Caspian Gulls (n = 68). Most Herring Gulls were scored as having a ratio of 1.75-2.00 whereas most cachinnans were scored as 2.25-2.50. Thus for cachinnans the bill is most often more than twice as long as its maximum depth, while for Herring it is most frequently a little less than twice its maximum depth. Some cachinnans can be extremely long- and slim-billed, with ratios up to 3.25, compared with a maximum of 2.5 in Herring. Note that bill deformity is not uncommon among gulls (especially first-years), so a long, slim bill is not, in itself, sufficient for identification or record acceptance. The body shape of cachinnans is subtly distinctive. One of the most noticeable fea- tures is the attenuated rear end; this is a con- sequence of a flat back, limited or absent tertial step and relatively long wings. The tip of the tail falls one-third to halfway along the exposed primaries, while on Herring Gull it usually reaches halfway or slightly further (this comparison holds good only for birds that are not moulting their outer primaries). Herring Gulls and michahellis are generally less attenuated and have a more prominent tertial step although, especially in hot weather, michahellis can appear to have a very long rear end. The belly profile of cachinnans often continues behind the legs as a ventral bulge that sags below the wings, making the 146 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull underbody resemble a boat keel in shape. This may be obvious for some birds yet not apparent for others. At rest, compared with Herring Gull and most michahellis, cachin- nans has a higher chest, with a slightly ‘bosomed’ effect, as if holding its breath. This stance is exaggerated by the long wings and ventral bulge, which, along with the head and bill shape, give the most typical birds an instantly recognisable jizz. In flight, the long- and broad-winged appearance of cachinnans may catch the eye of regular gull-watchers. Compared with Herring Gull and michahellis, the greater length of the head, bill and neck extension in front of the wings is also noticeable. To summarise, the most typical cachin- nans have a striking jizz, much more eye- catching than that of michahellis. They can be a large yet elegant gull, easily located in mixed flocks. However, some lack the rangy/gangly/snouty character usually associ- ated with the species and so are much less distinctive. Weather conditions and posture influence appearance, and in hot conditions, when their feathers are sleeked down, cachin- nans may look very slim, long-legged and lanky. On cold winter days they look quite dif- ferent, and experi- ence from birding holidays in the Middle East may not translate well to Britain. Behaviour and voice Caspian Gulls mix freely with other large gulls in both feeding and resting areas (plate 48). When feeding on rubbish dumps, large individuals are often extremely aggressive (more so than Herring and michahellis ) and dominate favoured patches. Caspian Gulls habitually raise their wings, especially in aggressive encounters, and this can be an easy way to locate them in groups of feeding gulls. Their calls (appendix 1) also attract atten- tion and can be heard clearly even above the noise created by large numbers of squabbling Herring Gulls. The importance of the long call and long-call posture in separating cachinnans from other large gulls has been rather underplayed in the literature and it is clear that not all birders are aware of their value. Calls are always difficult to capture in words and the long call of cachinnans has been described in various ways. The full long call is a loud, rapid ‘haaa-haaa-haa-ha-ha-ha- ha-ha-ha-ha’, with a characteristic nasal, laughing quality, very different from Herring Gull’s. Once heard it is easily recognised. Adults frequently give shorter versions of this call (the last six or seven notes) during aggressive encounters. Evidence suggests that the full long call takes time to develop: in August and September, ICY birds give a much more subdued version (Hannu Kosk- inen, pers. comm., CG pers. obs.). Juveniles often also give screeching calls, especially 49. Adult Caspian Gull, Latvia, I I Apr 2009. This large male was typically aggressive and, as pictured here, incessantly gave the rapid, laughing call which is diagnostic of Caspian Gull. Unlike Yellow-legged and Herring, Caspian Gulls hold their wings open when giving the long call - the so-called ‘albatross posture’. The characteristic primary pattern is visible here: note the grey tongues eating into the black wing-tip on the upperside of P7-I0 and the long silvery tongue on the underside of P 1 0. Like Yellow-legged Gull, Caspian usually has a broad, black subterminal band extending unbroken across P5, but there is much individual variation and this bird has only isolated black marks on the outer and inner webs. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 147 Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. when coming in to land to join a feeding melee. These calls are very high-pitched (they have a clear squealing quality) and, once heard, are distinct from the whine of juvenile Herring Gulls. The full long call is frequently accompa- nied by the ‘albatross posture’, with wings open and held back and the head raised pro- gressively as the notes are delivered (plate 49). Herring Gulls and michahellis keep their wings closed when long-calling, so this is a key distinction. Herring Gulls raise their heads only to approximately 45° when long- calling, while both cachinnans and micha- hellis often (but not always) raise them to 90°. Juveniles ( I CY birds in July-September) Moult and wear This section deals with a period when both fully juvenile birds and individuals moulting into first-winter plumage may be encoun- tered. Plates 50-58 show a selection of birds photographed during this period; captions emphasise key identification features. Caspian Gulls in fully juvenile plumage may be seen in July and early August, but by mid August many have commenced their post-juvenile moult (the partial moult into first-winter plumage). By early September it is rare to find a cachinnans with a full set of first-generation feathers - most have at least some new scapulars and some have a few new coverts and tertials. Both cachinnans and michahellis hatch much earlier in the year than Herring Gulls and this contributes to their earlier post- juvenile moult. The stage of scapular moult seen in early to mid September among ICY cachinnans is not reached until late October in many British Herring Gulls. The difference between cachinnans and northern argentatus is even greater, with many of the latter retaining some or all of their first-generation scapulars throughout the winter. The extent of wear and fading differs among the species, but is likely to be a function of environmental conditions in breeding areas as well as hatch timing. As with michahellis , it is not unusual to see cachinnans in early September with clear signs of wear on their first-generation feathers; at this time, young Herring Gulls are 148 still in pristine condition. Moult timing and wear can thus be very useful in the identifica- tion of ICY cachinnans (and michahellis) in a British context; before mid September, any ICY large gull whose scapulars are mainly second-generation is well worth a closer look. In addition, it is extremely rare for Herring Gulls to include coverts or tertials in the post-juvenile moult (<1% of individuals; CG unpublished data from North-east Scotland). Consequently, any ICY bird in western Europe with second-generation coverts or tertials and clear signs of wear on remaining first-generation feathers may well prove to be cachinnans or michahellis. Plumage Fully juvenile cachinnans (i.e. those with only first-generation feathers) are often quite dif- ferent from the ICY birds seen in western Europe in winter; although on average cleaner-looking than Herring Gulls, they are not as strikingly white as ICYs in midwinter. Relative to Herring Gull, textbook juvenile cachinnans have fewer streaks and blotches on the head and body, and their upperparts have a rather washed-out, ‘watercolour’ look. The first-generation scapulars and wing- coverts are typically light grey-brown (‘wet mud’) in colour, with narrow, simple, pale fringes which tend to lack the large pale notches and indentations found on Herring Gull and many michahellis. Rusty tones are sometimes present on the lower rear neck, but otherwise the overall colour is a rather greyish ‘mouse brown’, lacking sharp con- trasts. The generally soft tones and featureless pattern can sometimes be more reminiscent of juvenile Common Gull than Herring Gull. Juvenile michahellis are distinctly darker, more chocolatey brown and often have a dark eye-patch that contrasts with an other- wise white head. The most striking cachinnans have greater coverts that completely lack pale notches; instead, each feather has a dark basal section and a diffuse pale tip that, at a distance, forms a striking pale wing-bar shaped rather like the Nike ‘swoosh’. The exact pattern on the greater coverts varies subtly among indi- viduals (e.g. plates 50-52), but the most typical birds have only weak, diffuse and irregular notches on the inner greater British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 50. ICY (juv moulting to I W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 1 5 Aug 2008. A typical, elegant individual. Apart from three or four new upper scapulars, this bird is in full juvenile plumage. 51. ICY (juv moulting to IW) Caspian Gull, Romania, 17 Sep 2008. Another typical individual. Note the simple narrow fringes to almost all feathers, lacking strong notches; compare the greater-covert and tertial patterns with those of the Herring Gull in plate 53. The jizz is distinctive: it is a large but elegant bird, with a small, pear-shaped head, long tibia and a relatively slender bill which lacks strong contours. Note the ventral bulge, also apparent on the birds in plates 50 & 52. 52. ICY (juv moulting to I W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 12 Sep 2009. This bird has more second-generation scapulars than the previous individuals. The diffuse pale distal portion of the inner 6-7 greater coverts contrasts with their dark bases and forms a wing-bar. On this individual there is also a hint of a pale bar across the median coverts. British Birds 103 • March 2010 142-183 149 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 53. ICY (juv) Herring Gull, 14 Aug 2008.Typical juv Herring Gulls such as this should pose no identification problems. Note the stocky, compact shape and heavily notched overall appearance, with the notches especially obvious on the greater coverts. The tertials and scapulars have pale fringes that have clear indentations. 54. ICY (juv) Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, I 3 Aug 2009. A typical, strongly marked michahellis. The tertials have simple, sharply defined narrow fringes that extend only around the distal part of the feather, and the greater coverts have extremely obvious notches. There is a dark mask around the eye. 55. ICY (juv) Caspian Gull, Romania, 2 Sep 2006. A striking bird, with a well-marked tail pattern and an extensively white underwing.The ‘window’ in the inner primaries is paler and more distinct than on michahellis but less striking than on most Herring Gulls. Note the pale ‘lozenges’ on the outer webs of P2 and P3: these are less frequently present on the inner primaries of michahellis and, when they are, are typically smaller and less prominent than on this cachinnans. 150 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 56. I CY (juv moulting to I W) Caspian Gull, Romania, 17 Sep 2008. This is an example of a bird with darker inner primaries (overlapping with michahellis ); note also that it has fine but extensive pale brown barring on the underwing-coverts. This is the same individual as shown in plate 5 1 . 57. ICY (juv) Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 2 Nov 2008. A typical individual showing an extensive pale inner-primary window and heavily marked rump, uppertail-coverts and tail base. Despite the late date, this bird appears not yet to have any second-generation feathers (hence, juvenile plumage). The inner primaries have a complex pattern of dark arrowheads and crossbars on a pale ground colour. 58. ICY (juv moulting to I W) Yellow-legged Gull, Romania, 14 Sep 2008. The underwing is much darker than on cachinnans, with a bold pattern of alternate dark and pale bands. The inner webs to the inner primaries of this individual are at the paler end of the scale, but note that it lacks pale lozenges on the outer webs of the inner primaries. British Birds 1 03 • March 20 1 0 142-183 151 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. coverts, much less obvious than those of Herring Gull and michahellis. Normally, the pattern on the inner greater coverts appears to be more vermiculation than notching. A bird with strongly notched greater coverts should be checked carefully for other anom- alous features. Caution is needed with micha- hellis., as some lack notches on their greater coverts (instead, some simply have sharp pale fringes). An oft-quoted feature of cachinnans during their first winter (1CY/2CY birds) is the presence of a second pale wing-bar, on the median coverts. This, however, is rarely evident on fresh juveniles in July and August. The first-generation tertials of cachinnans typically have a muddy-brown base and a diffuse pale fringe around the distal portion of the feather. The pale fringe sometimes coalesces with pale oval patches in the central part of the feather to form an extensive pale tip, reminiscent of the pattern on a juvenile Common Gull (e.g. plate 50). The exact pattern varies subtly but the key point is that the pale fringe lacks the notches of Herring Gull (plate 53) and is generally broader and less sharply defined than shown by typical michahellis (plate 54). Most juvenile cachinnans are as striking in flight as they are on the ground (plates 55 & 56). From above and below, the general impression is clearly different from Herring Gull (plate 57), and while they look similar to michahellis from above, their underside is quite different. The relatively white under- wing is perhaps the most obvious in-flight feature of cachinnans. This is created by the off-white ground colour to the underwing- coverts; the secondaries and primaries are also paler (silvery to off-white) than those of Herring and michahellis. Most cachinnans have a degree of soft, grey-brown barring on the axillaries and underwing-coverts, so the underwing is not wholly white (e.g. plate 56). The underwing-coverts of Herring Gull are much more extensively and strongly marked with brown and the general impression is therefore of a much darker and rather uniform underwing. In michahellis (plate 58) the underwing-coverts are heavily marked with dark, chocolate brown over a pale base colour, often creating a contrasting pattern of light and dark bands. However, some micha- hellis lack such extensive dark marks so from a distance their underwings can look surpris- ingly pale. The incidence of pale underwings may be more prevalent in eastern popula- tions of michahellis. The underwing of some cachinnans is strikingly white, and photographs suggest that some birds drop some underwing- coverts and axillaries during their first winter; this exposes the paler bases to remaining feathers and heightens the appear- ance of a white underwing. Conversely, observations on breeding lakes in Romania (i.e. birds with known provenance) indicate that some ICY cachinnans can have quite well-marked underwings, with dark brown barring and spotting across many feathers, especially the lesser underwing-coverts and axillaries. Such dark birds tend to have more contrasting underwings than Herring Gulls, as the brown barring sits on an otherwise rather pale ground colour. This creates a degree of overlap with michahellis. The contrasting black-and-white pattern of the rump and tail of cachinnans is striking in flight and often likened to that of a Rough- legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus. The general pattern is more like that of michahellis than Herring Gull. Juvenile Herring Gulls show a variable but usually extensive scatter of dark bars and spots on the rump, uppertail- coverts and tail base. This reduces the con- trast between these areas and the broader, more diffuse tail band, which averages a little browner than that of cachinnans and micha- hellis. Both cachinnans and michahellis have a very dark (black-looking) tail band that con- trasts strongly with the white rump and tail base. Mailing Olsen 8c Larsson (2003) stated that the tail band of cachinnans is ‘fuller and more even’ than that of michahellis. Cer- tainly, the tail band of many michahellis is uneven, being noticeably deeper on the central tail feathers. In general, the tail band of cachinnans is more even in width but on some it is clearly deepest in the middle, and hence uneven. While on many cachinnans the tail band is deep across its whole width, on some it is no fuller than on michahellis. In short, the depth and evenness of the dark tail, band are of no real value for the separation of cachinnans and michahellis. There is a greater tendency for the dark tail band of cachinnans to break into a series of narrow, regular bars 152 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull along its basal edge (e.g. plate 55) while the white tips to the tail feathers are deeper in michahellis than cachinnans, forming a more striking terminal band (Jonsson 1998). The pale ‘window’ on the inner 4-5 pri- maries is generally less prominent in cachin- nans than Herring Gull. The (ranked) order of window prominence runs from Herring to cachinnans to michahellis to Lesser Black- backed Gull (virtually no window). In Herring Gull, the inner primaries (both inner and outer webs) are much paler brown than the outer primaries, creating an obvious panel; in michahellis, the outer webs of all the primaries are much more similar in tone and only the inner webs of the inner primaries are slightly paler, giving a much less obvious window. In cachinnans the pattern is rather variable but overall intermediate between Herring and michahellis: on many, the inner webs of the inner primaries are distinctly paler than the outer webs, while the outer webs of these feathers are almost as dark as the outer primaries. This produces a more contrasting, ‘Venetian-blind’ pattern than seen on Herring Gull and michahellis. However, darker cachinnans are very similar to michahellis, with only slightly paler inner webs to the inner primaries. Occasionally, the outer webs of the inner primaries of cachin- nans are also paler than the outer wing, so rather than a Venetian-blind pattern the impression is of a subtle, pale panel. There are also some differences among the species in the markings at the tip of the inner 4-5 primaries. Herring Gulls normally have a complex pattern: individual feathers have a mixture of subtle, diffuse pale areas on both webs, a dark shaft streak and arrowhead, often with a crossbar (plate 57). The precise pattern varies individually, but the key point is the complexity. There is no such complex patterning to the inner primaries of micha- hellis, which simply have a uniform dark outer and a fractionally paler inner web (plate 58). Occasionally, michahellis have a small and subtly paler oval patch on the outer and/or inner web of some of their inner primaries (P2-P4/5). Contrary to some literature (e.g. Garner & Quinn 1997), cachinnans frequently also show such pale patches. In fact, a large proportion have clear, sharply defined lozenge- or cigar-shaped patches on the outer web of the inner pri- maries (e.g. plate 55) which are more striking than those of michahellis. These are often accompanied by a more diffuse oval patch on the inner web. When present, these pale areas tend to break up the Venetian-blind pattern. However, darker cachinnans lack pale patches in their inner primaries and so resemble typical michahellis. In general, it seems that both cachinnans and michahellis have the outer web of PI entirely dark, with pale patches present on P2-P4/5 only, whereas Herring Gull has pale areas on PI as well. Overall, the pattern on the inner primaries is useful for separating Herring Gull from michahellis. Typically, cachinnans sits some- where between the two, but extremes overlap with darker Herring Gulls and lighter micha- hellis, so the pattern of the inner primaries is only a supportive feature. Assessment of the primary pattern requires good-quality flight photographs. Bare parts The bill of ICY cachinnans usually appears largely black, with a pinkish base to the lower (and sometimes the upper) mandible visible at close range. In extreme cases, the bill of cachinnans (and michahellis) can be exten- sively pale in mid September. This seems to be a more common feature in these species than in Herring Gull. The legs of ICY cachin- nans are a pale, washed-out flesh colour, sometimes appearing greyish or bluish flesh. The iris is dark brown. Birds in their first winter (ICY/2CY birds in October-April) At this age, cachinnans are arguably at their most striking and easy to identify (plates 59 & 60). The general impression is of a bird with an extremely white head and body, pale and rather delicately marked scapulars, and wing-coverts and tertials that, especially at a distance, look as though they have been painted softly in watercolours. By October, cachinnans has second-gener- ation mantle feathers, scapulars and, in some birds, coverts and tertials, representing the progression from juvenile to first-winter plumage. Second-generation scapulars may be highly distinctive, typically showing a silvery-grey ground colour (paler grey than British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 153 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Hannu Koskinen Gibbins et al. 59. ICY (IW) Caspian Gull, Finland, 20 Oct 2008. This is a rather typical, striking IW cachinnans. Note that, for example, the second-generation scapulars have a silvery tone and only a narrow dark subterminal band and shaft streak. This bird has not (at least by this date) included any coverts or tertials in its post-juvenile moult. 60. 2CY (I W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 9 Apr 2009. This bird has the typical pale and silvery overall appearance of late I W cachinnans. Its second-generation scapulars lack strong anchors. It has gained many new wing-coverts during post-juv moult and by early spring these are faded and blend in with remaining first-generation ones. The lower tertials are first- generation, but the upper ones are greyer, second- generation ones, probably moulted during the post-juv moult.This combination of moult and plumage pattern is typical of I W Caspian but not of Herring Gull. 61. 2CY (I W) Yellow- legged Gull, Spain, 1 6 Apr 2004. The post-juv moult of michahellis is similar to that of cachinnans. but typically the second-generation feathers (visible here in the scapulars, tertials and coverts) are strongly marked with bars and anchors. Yellow-legged Gull includes 0- 1 00% of its coverts in the post-juv moult; this bird has had a more extensive moult than many and only a few first- generation feathers are visible in the wing. Herring Gulls do not look like this until mid July of their second calendar-year. 154 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 62. 2CY (IW) Herring Gull, Latvia, I 3 Apr 2009. Note the strongly marked scapulars and heavily notched greater coverts, as well as the compact jizz. 63. 2CY (I W) Caspian Gull, UAE, 7 Feb 2009. Some Caspian Gulls, like this one, have rather heavily marked second-generation scapulars and overlap with Herring Gulls in this respect. However, note the second-generation lesser and median coverts dotted within the first-generation ones, and the characteristic jizz. 64. 2CY (I W) Caspian Gull, UAE, March 2007. By early spring, some I W Caspian Gulls are extremely pale and abraded, especially those that have wintered in hotter climates. The once blackish areas are faded brown and the sun- bleached wing-coverts lack any clear pattern. The underwing is gleaming white. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 155 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. those of adults) with a simple dark shaft streak and either a rather diffuse subterminal anchor pattern or a dark basal diamond; most lack strong crossbarring. The silvery ground colour fades rapidly as the winter progresses and the dark markings become more subdued, leading to an increasingly pale and uniform-looking bird. On many cachinnans, the lowest row of second-genera- tion scapulars appear paler and more lightly marked than the rest, and hence form a pale band separating the upper scapulars from the brown wing-coverts. Younger feathers in a moult sequence may differ in pattern from older ones (Howell 2001), which may explain the presence of this pale band. Typically, michahellis are quite different (plate 61): their second-generation scapulars are strongly marked with heavy crossbars and a broad, dark anchor near the tip. The same relative differences occur on any new wing- coverts or tertials moulted in during the autumn: cachinnans usually have simple and subtle patterns, michahellis strong and bold ones. The pattern on the second-generation scapulars of Herring Gull is extremely vari- able (plate 62) but in broad terms is interme- diate between that of cachinnans and michahellis. The ground colour of each feather ranges from pale, sandy brown to mid brown, and most have darker crossbars and an anchor pattern towards the tip. It is extremely rare (perhaps unknown) for genet- ically pure Herring Gulls to have the silver tone and simple dark shaft streak of classic cachinnans. Importantly, however, a signifi- cant proportion of cachinnans have rather heavily marked second-generation scapulars (e.g. plate 63). The striking appearance of many cachin- nans during their first winter stems from a combination of the patterns on new second- generation feathers and wear on remaining first-generation ones. Wear is especially evident on birds reared earlier in more southerly and easterly areas, where sun bleaching and sand blasting (on dry beaches) take their toll on feather condition. Even in September, ICY cachinnans around the Black Sea can be rather worn and shabby. Light ‘pencil’ streaking on the head and body pro- gressively wears away, and can give rise to a startlingly white appearance, compared with Herring Gull. By midwinter, any remaining streaks are confined to a neat necklace around the lower rear neck. The white head isolates and emphasises the dark eye. Wear tends to simplify and thus emphasise the pattern on remaining first-generation greater coverts (dark base, pale distal bar) and, on some, the second pale bar (on the lowest row of median coverts) becomes prominent. The fact that this second bar is less frequently apparent on the same feathers in late summer suggests that its prominence is related to wear and fading. By spring, most cachinnans look a little paler than in autumn, with a more subdued contrast between the whites, greys, browns and blacks. The first-generation feathers can look rather washed-out, with the feather pat- terning less clear. For those individuals that included some coverts or tertials in the post- juvenile moult, these (now somewhat worn) feathers show up as discontinuities on an otherwise juvenile wing (plate 60). On some, pure grey feathers are distributed randomly across the scapulars (these may be third-gen- eration feathers grown during the winter), giving an overall impression quite unlike Herring Gull; in fact, such advanced cachin- nans (and especially those which also have some second-generation coverts and tertials) are more likely to be mistaken for a second- winter Herring Gull than a first-winter. The plumage of michahellis also fades over the winter and those that have retained their first-generation coverts and tertials can be a trap for the unwary. Despite their original notched patterns, the worn coverts of micha- hellis can become surprisingly uniform by spring. Similarly, tertial wear makes the feather pattern more difficult to discern and so it is effectively inseparable from that of cachinnans. The rangy appearance of some michahellis means that observers faced with a worn, putative cachinnans in the late winter/early spring period should be wary. Careful assessments of bill shape, head pro- portions, call and details of the underwing are critical at this time. During their first autumn and winter, a, small proportion of michahellis moult their tail feathers (certainly less than 20%, and perhaps less than 10%; Hannu Koskinen and Visa Rauste pers. comm., based on studies in 156 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull Italy and Greece respectively). Herring Gulls (many thousands observed) and cachinnans in northwest Europe (c. 100 first-winters observed) normally do not, unless rectrices are lost or damaged. Thus, a late winter/early spring 2CY is unlikely to be cachinnans if it has new tail feathers - it will most likely be michahellis. However, the wintering range of cachinnans is large and, for example, those wintering in the Persian Gulf may follow a different strategy; insufficient data are avail- able to assess this. As the remiges and rectrices are not (nor- mally) included in the post-juvenile moult of cachinnans , the wing and tail patterns of first-winters are the same as described above for juveniles. However, by late winter cachin- nans tend to look paler in flight than in the autumn (as a consequence of wear and fading) and so the primary window or Vene- tian-blind effect often appears more con- trasting. The underwing also looks paler, more gleaming white and more sparsely marked than earlier in the winter (plate 64). This suggests that at least some underwing- coverts and axillaries are dropped or replaced with pure white feathers over the winter. Bare parts The bill remains black with a variable amount of dirty pink on the basal portion. Close views may reveal a pale tip, which can suggest that birds have a diffuse, subterminal dark band. There is a tendency for cachinnans to have a more extensively pale bill than michahellis during the first winter, but this is far from diagnostic. The legs and irides are as described for juveniles. Birds in their first summer (2CY birds in May-September) Moult At some point in the spring or early summer, 2CY cachinnans drop their innermost primary; this signals the start of their first moult of the wings and tail. In large gulls, what was traditionally seen as the first com- plete moult (e.g. Grant 1986) is now regarded as the continuation of a cycle of moult that starts in autumn with the partial, post-juv- enile moult (e.g. Howell 2001). Large gulls in western Europe generally do not moult during midwinter, so there is a clear break between the end of post-juvenile moult and the start of wing and tail moult several months later. However, some 2CY cachinnans in the Middle East replace some coverts in winter (pers. obs.). Moult has not been studied intensively in cachinnans and it is dif- ficult to be sure whether the species’ post- juvenile and first complete moults are best regarded as two separate events or part of the same continuous cycle. What is clear is that the identification of worn, faded 2CY birds in spring does not necessarily become easier once they start moulting - as with both Herring Gull and michahellis, the pattern on new feathers varies enormously from bird to bird and truly diagnostic markings are lacking. Separation of cachinnans, michahellis and Herring Gull is arguably most difficult during the summer moult period. This is because, once in heavy moult, all three species can look tatty, and their jizz is affected by missing feathers. In Britain, the difficulty of separating these three species at this time is com- pounded by the fact that many birders are unfamiliar with the identification of worn and/or moulting first-summers because they spend more time looking at gulls in the winter. Importantly, many Herring Gulls look white-headed at this time, so a white-headed appearance is not a particularly useful identi- fication feature. Plumage New scapulars grown during the summer may be grey and hence adult-like, but other birds show heavy spotting and anchoring; the same applies to new lesser and median coverts. The new tertials and greater coverts have a rather more consistent pattern, and to a degree resemble first-generation ones. On many cachinnans the new tertials have a plain, dark brown base and a diffuse, off- white distal portion. The greater coverts gen- erally lack strong barring and anchoring, instead having a rather uniform greyish to mid-brown wash basally and a diffuse pale fringe and finely vermiculated tip. As with first-generation feathers, there is a pale bar across the greater coverts and often also on the lower medians. The greater-covert and tertial patterns are unlike those of the most distinctive michahellis, which have strong British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 157 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 65. 2CY ( I S) Caspian Gull, Latvia, I 7 Aug 2008. This is an example of the more distinctive plumage type seen in late summer, with some silvery-grey (probably third-generation) mantle feathers and lower scapulars on the right side. The greater coverts are a rather uniform mid brown. The new (dark) second-generation primaries have much more rounded tips than the remaining first- generation ones. This large, elegant bird should not pose any identification problems. 66. 2CY ( I S) Caspian Gull, Lithuania, 1 0 Sep 2009. 158 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 67. 2CY ( I S) Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, 1 5 Aug 2009. The plumage is quite different from 2CY Herring Gull (e.g. many clear grey scapulars) but overlaps to some degree with cachinnans. Best separated using jizz and the pale eye. 68. 2CY (IS) Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, 1 5 Aug 2009. First-summer michahellis show bewildering variability. This bird is a rather typical example of the more heavily marked type. 69. 2CY (IS) Herring Gulls, Latvia, 14 Aug 2008. Herring Gulls of this age are variable, but typically rather dull and nondescript. The head of IS Herring Gull often lacks streaks, so a white-headed appearance is shared with cachinnans at this time of year and is not an important identification feature for this age group. British Birds 103 • March 2010 142-183 159 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. blackish crossbars and anchors on otherwise pale feathers, and unlike those of Herring Gulls, which have a similar pattern to micha- hellis but more subdued. By September, it is possible, in very general terms, to recognise two ‘types’ of 2CY cachinnans and michahellis (plates 67 & 68). Advanced birds have extensive, clean grey scapulars, wing-coverts and tertials, while less advanced types are heavily spotted and barred in these areas. The former are very mature-looking compared with 2CY Herring Gulls, while the latter share a number of fea- tures with them. With less advanced birds, observers should not be looking for individu- ally diagnostic features; identification should be based on structure, voice and subtle plumage clues. Bare parts Most 2CYs develop extensive pale areas on the bill by summer; the colour is highly vari- able, from rather bright pink, through dirty greyish-flesh to yellowish-grey. The legs appear flesh-coloured, sometimes with a grey cast. Eyes are invariably dark-looking (the iris is brown). Birds in their second winter (2CY/3CY birds during October-April) The moult to second-winter plumage is usually complete by late November (some complete in October), at which point all feathers are at least second generation. This moult started in spring/early summer and continued through the summer and autumn. Importantly, some of the new feathers gained early in this period are not retained throughout the second winter. Scapulars, some wing-coverts (most frequently the medians) and some tertials may be moulted again later in the period; these third-genera- tion feathers are grey and adult-like and con- trast with the remaining brown or barred second-generation ones. Essentially, this is why late summer 2CYs look rather different from December ones, even though in terms of our standard terminology they are in the same plumage/age class. The proportion of adult-type grey feathering is highly variable at this age, but the proportion is typically greater than in Herring Gull (many of which are essentially brown in second-winter plumage) and so cachinnans generally look cleaner, older and more striking (plate 70). The head and body are normally pure white, except for a well-defined collar of dark streaking around the hindneck on some. The mantle and scapulars may be entirely grey, forming a grey saddle, but more typically some feathers retain dark shaft streaks and a paler, creamy fringe. The remaining second- generation lesser and median coverts are basically brownish with creamy or huffish fringes, but dark shaft streaks and small, dark subterminal anchor marks may be apparent in close views. At a distance the greater coverts look rather uniform brown, forming a dark panel; close views reveal a variable amount of pale vermiculation, which typi- cally becomes more prominent towards the inner feathers. A typical cachinnans has some grey, third-generation median coverts (matching the scapulars) and some also have one or two grey tertials which contrast with the largely brown second-generation ones. Some inner greater coverts may also be grey, contrasting with the brown outer ones. These feather patterns give cachinnans an overall impression that is typically quite dif- ferent from Herring Gulls of this age. Most Herrings have many brown, heavily anchor- marked feathers in the mantle, scapulars and wing-coverts and extensive streaking or blotching on the head and body (plate 72). Nonetheless, some do have grey feathers in the scapulars (plate 73) and, less frequently, in the wing-coverts, so this difference is not diagnostic. Herring Gull tertials are normally barred and only rarely show the plain brown pattern typical of cachinnans. Second-winter michahellis (plates 74 8c 75) share the rela- tively advanced appearance of cachinnans, but their legs and bill are typically much brighter (often with strong yellow tones evident) and their wings have much stronger, spotted and notched patterns. They also reg- ularly have fine, sharp pencil streaking on the head, especially around the eye, and on the neck. The underwing of second-winter cachin- , nans (plate 76) can be gleaming white, but some retain isolated light brown blotches or broken bars over the off-white ground colour. The axillaries tend to be unmarked, 160 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 70. 3CY (2W) Caspian Gull, UAE. 7 Feb 2009. The plumage tones are essentially pure white, silver and black, much sharper and cleaner than 2W Herring Gulls. The dark eye contrasts markedly with the gleaming white head and the typical grey-flesh tones are evident on the legs, especially the tibia. Note that the pattern of the greater coverts matches that of I W birds - uniform dark bases and a pale bar along the tips. 71. 3CY (2W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 10 Apr 2009. 72. 3CY (2W) Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 8 Mar 2009. As shown by this and plate 73, the plumage of 2W Herring Gulls is extremely variable. Nonetheless, typically they look much less mature than cachinnans: they lack sharp plumage contrasts, appearing to be a mix of off-white and light brown tones. Note particularly the pale eyes of these birds. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 161 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 73. 3CY (2W) Herring Gull, Latvia, 1 3 Apr 2009. This bird has a rather more coch/nnons-like plumage than many (i.e. it has a grey saddle and upper tertials), but the greater coverts are heavily speckled and it has extensive diffuse streaks on its head and body; also, its stocky, compact jizz should preclude any confusion. 74. 2CY (2W) Yellow- legged Gull, Spain, 20 Dec 2006. Compared with cachinnans of this age, note the solid structure, dark streaking around the eye and foreneck, and especially the heavily marked greater coverts. As with cachinnans, the advanced plumage of 2W michahellis (clean head and body, pure grey saddle and many wing-coverts) makes them look older than Herring Gulls of the same age. 75. 3CY (2W) Yellow- legged Gull, Spain, 8 May 2009. By early spring, 3CY Yellow-legged Gulls become extremely clean and bright; compared with the cachinnans in plates 70 & 7 1 , note the bright yellow bill, yellow-toned legs and the strongly notched coverts. The eye is clearly rather pale. 162 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 76. 2CY (I S-2W) Caspian Gull, Lithuania, 10 Sep 2009. Note the white underwing, with just a few isolated light brown spots and crescents, and the small mirror on PIO. This bird is just completing its moult into 2W plumage, with P9 and PIO not quite fully grown. 77. 2CY (2W) Caspian Gull, Lithuania, 10 Sep 2009. Note the contrasting black- and-white tail, Venetian- blind pattern on the middle primaries (clearer on the far wing), grey saddle and clean head. 78. 3CY (2W) Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 8 Mar 2009. The overall impression is of a rather uniform brown bird, without strong plumage contrasts. The tail is extensively dark and the rump and uppertail-coverts are well marked. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 163 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. pure white. Second-winter michahellis most frequently have contrasting light and dark brown bands on their underwing-coverts, so the underwing looks much darker overall than that of cachinnans ; darker birds resemble graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull. In flight, the general impression of the cachinnans upperwing is very similar to that of first-winters, with blackish-brown outer primaries, secondaries and primary coverts. The pattern on the second-generation inner primaries is extremely variable, but at least some have a strong Venetian-blind pattern - pale, greyish inner webs on the inner pri- maries that contrast markedly with blackish outer webs. This contrast is much less marked on most Herring Gulls. On some cachinnans, the inner-primary pattern is less distinctive, with light brown rather than grey inner webs; such birds are similar to Herring Gulls. Some cachinnans have a diffuse pale lozenge on the outer web of the inner 4-5 primaries (as for first-generation feathers), but on others the distal part of these feathers is a rather uniform brown. The rump and tail pattern of cachinnans is rather variable at this age but typically the pattern is distinctly different from Herring Gull’s (plate 77). In the most striking cachin- nans, the rump, uppertail-coverts and tail base are unmarked, pure white and contrast markedly with a narrow black tail band. Most frequently, the tail band has fine black ver- miculation along its basal edge. In others, the rump and uppertail-coverts have some iso- lated spots and bars and the tail band is more coarsely and extensively vermiculated. In Herring (plate 78), the rump and tail base are, on average, more spotted and barred and the tail band is browner, deeper and less sharply defined, so the general appearance is much less clean and striking than in cachin- nans. A bird whose tail/rump pattern does not differ markedly from that of a Herring Gull should be checked for other anomalous features (see part 2). Most second-winter cachinnans have a small but distinct mirror on the outer primary (P10). On some it is small and sandy-grey, on others it is large and whitish, but is generally clearly visible. This feature is extremely useful for separating Herring and Caspian Gulls, although not wholly diag- nostic: a small proportion (c.1-5%) of second-winter Herring Gulls, particularly argentatus, have a P10 mirror, while a small proportion of cachinnans lack a P10 mirror. It is extremely rare for second-winter micha- hellis to have a mirror on P10 (the authors have seen only one such individual); when present it is very small and usually apparent only in good quality photographs. Bare parts The bare parts of second-winter cachinnans begin to take on some distinctive hues. The legs are invariably a rather sickly grey (‘dead flesh’), compared with the distinctly pink legs of Herring Gulls. The legs of second-winter michahellis are extremely variable: yellowish, greeny-yellow, flesh or grey-flesh. The basal two-thirds of the bill usually becomes much paler than on first-summers, ranging from greyish-pink on some cachin- nans to dull greeny-yellow on others. Typi- cally, there is a dark smudge near the tip that extends back along the cutting edge towards the base. The pale bill tip is usually much more prominent than on first-winters. However, while cachinnans typically have this bill pattern, the colours and patterns of all taxa vary markedly: there is much overlap and it is not hard to find Herring Gulls and michahellis that match cachinnans. The eye is almost invariably dark-looking in second-winter cachinnans, contrasting sharply with the white head. Most Herring Gulls and michahellis begin to develop paler irides at this age (greyish or brown) and so a bird with distinctly pale eyes is unlikely to be cachinnans. Older immature plumages (3CY-5CY birds) Moult and plumage development The second complete moult takes place during the summer and autumn of the third calendar- year and brings in new, pure grey feathers to the mantle, wing-coverts and ter- tials. The third-generation primaries have small white tips (unlike first- and second- generation ones), as well as large mirrors on P10 and, most frequently, also on P9. The outer primaries arc otherwise blackish and the inner ones have adult grey tones. Once this moult is complete, birds can be regarded 164 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull as being in third-winter plumage (plates 79-82) and, overall, they show a greater resemblance to adult than earlier immature plumages. The upperparts are largely grey, with variable amounts of brown retained in the tertials and coverts. This plumage is retained over the winter and following spring/early summer, when the third com- plete moult takes place. This brings fourth- generation primaries and fully adult upperpart tones; normally, the only traces of immaturity are dark marks in the primary coverts and on the bill. The following text deals primarily with third-winter birds, but provides some information and illustrations of fourth-winter individuals. Once the second complete moult is fin- ished (and third-winter plumage attained), the mantle and scapulars are generally adult grey, while the coverts are most frequently a mixture of grey and creamy-brown. There is much variability in the coverts, with some birds having wholly grey feathers. Brown feathers tend to be retained more in the mar- ginal and lesser coverts, with the medians and greaters being contrastingly grey. The tertials are either all adult-like or have some brown patches. The outer primary coverts and the alula also retain extensive, blackish- brown marks (plate 82). The secondaries of some birds have small, neat brown centres forming a broken bar. The tail pattern is extremely variable. Frequently there is an obvious vestigial tail band created by isolated black spots, rather like that of second-winter Ring-billed Gull L. delawarensis ; such tail bands also occur in michahellis but are very rare in third-winter Herring Gulls. Some third-winter cachinnans , however, have a wholly white tail. Although not yet the full adult pattern, the third-generation primaries of cachinnans offer useful identification clues. There is a broad, complete black band across P5 and usually some black on P4, either on both webs or just the outer. Third-winter birds that have limited or no black on P5 are unlikely to be cachinnans or michahellis. The white mirror on P10 can be a useful distinc- tion from michahellis: in terms of size and prominence, the P10 mirror of most third- winter cachinnans matches that of an adult michahellis (much larger than on third- winter michahellis, which have either no mirror or only a small one). Most third- winter cachinnans also show a white mirror on P9, unlike michahellis (but see plate 84). Third-winter Herring Gulls can also show a reasonably large mirror on P9 and P10; argentatus can show a long white tip to P10, with only a small dark subterminal smudge (plate 83). Thus, the patterns on P9 and P10 are not diagnostic of third-winter cachinnans and are more useful for ruling out michahellis than Herring. On some third-winter cachinnans, the middle primaries (P6-P8/P9) have black that extends further up the outer web than the inner; this gives the impression of grey ‘tongues’ cutting into the black of the wing- tip, a pattern that develops more strongly in adults. This is very different from argenteus Herring Gulls and especially michahellis (plate 84), both of which show a solid, trian- gular black wedge across the wing-tip. Not all cachinnans have the distinctive tongued pattern, and so match michahellis and Herring Gull. Both cachinnans and micha- hellis show dark marks on the alula and primary coverts, which tend to be blacker and more clearly defined than in Herring Gull. The head of cachinnans tends to be clean white, lacking distinct streaking. In autumn and early winter, a relatively neat half-collar of dark streaks is usually visible on the hind- neck and can make cachinnans distinctive even at a distance. This streaking wears away as the winter progresses. Herring Gulls have more widespread, diffuse and blotchy head and neck streaking. The head streaking of 3CY-4CY michahellis in winter is often con- centrated around the face rather than restricted to the hindneck. In the summer of their fourth calendar- year, the third complete moult brings in fourth-generation primaries. Once this is complete, birds are generally regarded as being fully adult, although some retain dark markings on the bill and black in the primary coverts and at the tip of P10. Confident ageing of such birds is difficult, however, since dark marks in the primary coverts and small areas of black in the bill are occasion- ally retained well into full adulthood. The fourth-generation primaries of cachinnans British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 165 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 79. 3CY (2S-3W) Caspian Gull, Lithuania, 10 Sep 2009. This bird is near to the end of its moult into 3W plumage (the outer primaries are not quite fully grown). A number of subtle features, used collectively, make 3W Caspian Gulls rather distinctive, but as all are found from time to time in Herring Gulls, none are diagnostic. This bird and those in plates 80 & 81 show ‘lead shot’ eyes, contrasting with a clean white head, greeny-yellow bill and grey-flesh legs. 80. 4CY (3W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 1 0 Apr 2009. The extent of any brown remaining in the wing of this age group is variable - this bird has rather a lot of dark in the coverts, but none in the tertials. 81. 4CY (3W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 8 Feb 2010. A bird with soft, grey- brown patterning in the coverts and some brown remaining in the tertials. All the plumage features and bare-part colours visible in this bird can be found from time to time in Herring Gulls, so it illustrates nicely the fact that identification of birds in this age group should be supported by structure and, ideally, voice. 166 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 82. 3CY (3W) Caspian Gull, Lithuania, 10 Sep 2009. The primary pattern of this bird is beginning to take on some of the features of adults - note the grey tongues eating into the black wing-tip. The outer primary coverts and the alula retain extensive, blackish-brown marks. 83. 3CY (3W) Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 2 Nov 2008. This bird shows an extensive brown wash to its wings, a well-streaked head, has only limited black on P5 and (already) a very pale eye. Individually and collectively, these features make confusion with cachinnans unlikely. 3W argenteus Herring Gulls regularly show a complete, deep black band across P5, unlike this argentatus, which has isolated dark smudges. So, the presence of a black band on P5 is not a key feature at this age. Note that P 1 0 is not yet fully grown. 84. 3CY (3W) Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, December 2006. Birds of this age are variable. This one has a rather large mirror in PI0 but on others it is much smaller or even lacking. It has a clean white tail but many retain vestigial dark marks. The extensive blackish-brown primary coverts contrast with the otherwise grey upperwing.The black of the primaries forms a solid wedge on the outer wing. Note the asymmetrical wing-tip pattern - there is a mirror on P9 on the left wing but not the right wing. Such asymmetry is not unusual in gulls; consequently, where a particular feature is critical for identification, it is always worth making sure that both wings have the correct pattern. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 167 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. are similar to those of adults, with a long white tongue on the underside of P10 and grey tongues eating into the black wing-tip on the upperside of P8-P10. Bare parts The third-winter bill has a mix of blackish brown and paler areas. Black is usually con- fined to the gonys region as a diffuse ‘thumb- print’, with a paler tip and basal third to the bill. Some isolated darker smudges are often present closer to the base, and many have a little black bleeding along the cutting edge from the gonys. The pale parts of the bill are most frequently a dull greeny yellow, typi- cally with a strong grey cast. Some have rather more yellow-toned bills. Red is not prominent in the gonys of cachinnans of this age. The legs are invariably a rather colour- less, dead-flesh grey, compared with the pinker legs of Herring Gulls. The legs of third-winter michahellis are usually greeny- yellow or grey-yellow, with some having clear yellow tones; they can, however, occasionally be dull flesh-coloured as in cachinnans. The eyes of most cachinnans still look dark brown, but slightly paler irides may develop from this age onwards. Most but not all michahellis and Herrings of this age have paler (greeny- or greyish-yellow) eyes. It is rare for cachinnans of this age to have very pale (cream or yellow) eyes, and such birds should be scrutinised closely. Eye-ring colour tones of third-winter birds also begin to reflect those of adults (see below). Pitfalls Despite often looking distinctive, third- winter and third-summer birds have no truly diagnostic plumage features. In essence, the distinctive features of younger birds have been lost, while the adult wing-tip pattern has not developed sufficiently for it to be considered critically important. Identifica- tion should be based on a careful assessment of structure, in combination with indicative plumage features listed above, and the absence of anomalies. Some cachinnans of this age can be partic- ularly tricky to separate from michahellis. Near-adult michahellis often have dark eyes and smaller individuals can have bill shape and overall jizz reminiscent of some cachin- nans. Some cachinnans lack grey tongues in their third-generation primaries and so overlap with michahellis; however, they should have larger mirrors than michahellis. Long call and associated posture are the best way to separate the more difficult individ- uals. Experienced gull-watchers are unlikely to mistake third- and fourth-winter Herring Gulls for cachinnans , but others should be aware of the problem posed by argentatus. Some late-winter argentatus are clean-headed and share some aspects of the cachinnans wing-tip pattern - with a long white tip to P10 and grey tongues that invade the black wing-tip. While the irides of most Herring Gulls will be rather pale by their third winter, a significant proportion retain dark eyes: a clearly pale eye in a near-adult gull is not good for cachinnans but a dark eye does not automatically rule out Herring Gull. Adults Adult Caspian Gulls are best located in gull flocks by a combination of their peculiar jizz, and relatively dark, small-looking eyes that contrast with the white head (plate 86). Iden- tification can then be confirmed by detailed study of bill proportions, primary pattern, bare-part colours and upperpart tone. The following sections deal with these features in turn; plates 86-96 show a selection of adult cachinnans, michahellis and Herring Gulls. Plumage Fig. 2 shows the range of adult upperpart tones for cachinnans and similar taxa, at least in a British context. The figure uses the Kodak Grey Scale, a scale that has numbered increments from 0 (white) to 20 (black). The scale itself is not reproduced here and most gull-watchers will not go into the field armed with a copy of it; fig. 2 simply compares the upperpart tones among the various taxa and shows the degree of overlap between them. For grey-tone comparisons to be reliable, other taxa should be directly alongside or nearby. Observers also need to be aware of the effects of light and viewing angle on the perception of tone. Diffuse sunlight or over- cast conditions are best: strong direct sun- light tends to bleach out subtle differences. Another problem is that the grey tone may 168 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull appear to change on the same individual as it faces in different directions relative to the observer; upperparts tend to look darkest when the bird is facing obliquely towards or away from the observer. Thus, a slightly darker-backed gull in a flock might just be facing in a different direction from the others. Any apparent difference should be confirmed by seeing the bird in a variety of positions. The tone (darkness) of the pure grey upperpart feathers of adult and near-adult gulls is of quite limited value in cachinnans identification, because it overlaps extensively with that of other species. Nonetheless, it can be useful when looking for the species among paler-mantled argenteus in Britain (although most darker birds will turn out to be argen- tatus or michahellis, depending on location and season). To the practised eye, cachinnans can be located in flocks of michahellis by their subtly paler upperpart tone. Common Gull is usually a close match for cachinnans and, when alongside, can be used as a tonal marker. Regardless of tone, there is a subtle differ- ence in colour hue between the upperparts of cachinnans and Herring Gull, when seen in good light and in direct comparison. That of cachinnans is a more neutral, silky grey, with less of a bluish hue than either argentatus or argenteus. The upperparts of michahellis are more of a slate-grey. The human eye is a per- ceptive tool and it is certainly possible to see the differences in colour hue between these species in direct comparison. However, because of differences between how observers perceive and describe colour, it is difficult to articulate the differences here, in words. Wing-tip pattern Adult cachinnans have a characteristic wing- tip pattern and, particularly when multiple features in the wing-tip are used simultan- eously, this can be a good means of identifi- cation (fig. 1 and plate 49). However, the wing-tip pattern is not truly diagnostic, because of a degree of overlap with argen- tatus Herring Gull. The outermost primary (P10) of cachin- nans is black, except for a long, pale ‘tongue’ on the inner web (grey on the upperside of the feather, white on the underside) and a long white tip. The black separating the tongue from the white tip is narrower than the length of white tip. This pattern is never seen in michahellis and is very rare in argen- teus; however, it is common in argentatus. The details of the P10 pattern may be diffi- cult to see well on flying birds (except, of course, in photographs) but can often be seen on a standing or swimming bird by viewing the underside of the folded wing. Occasional variations in the P10 pattern of cachinnans include cases where the pale tongue breaks through the black to merge with the white tip - a pattern typical of Thayer’s Gull L. ( glaucoides ) thayeri. An Fig. 2. Upperpart grey tones as represented on the Kodak Grey Scale for cachinnans and similar taxa. Common Gull Larus canus is included as a good tonal match for cachinnans; values are for nominate canus. The michahellis values exclude the Atlantic island populations ( atlantis ), which have darker grey tones (from 7-7.5) than Iberian and Mediterranean birds. Values are based on Mailing Olsen & Larsson (2003) and Jonsson (1998). British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 169 Steve Arlow Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 85. 5CY (4W) Caspian Gull, Latvia, 1 3 Apr 2009. The extensive dark areas on the primary coverts, dark grey wash on the outer webs of P5-P7 and the black band across the tip of P 1 0 suggest that this is not a fully adult bird. 86. Adult Caspian Gull (centre left) with Herring Gulls, Latvia, 1 4 Aug 2008. This photograph allows direct comparison of jizz, bare-part colours and grey tones of the two species. 87. Adult Caspian Gull, Essex, 7 Feb 2009. This bird’s eye is at the dark end of the range. 170 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 88. Adult Caspian Gull, Romania, August 2006. The bill is particularly weak and has a fleshy tone to its basal portion. The eye of Caspian Gull is normally described as being dark, but rather few have truly dark eyes. Most have a speckled iris, which in the field varies in colour from pale amber to brown, depending on the density of speckling.The eye of this bird is medium amber. 89. Adult (or near-adult) Caspian Gull, Romania, August 2006. This bird may be a female: it looks rather compact, the bill is not noticeably long and the head is high and rather peaked. Because of the dark eye, many such presumed female cachinnans are surprisingly reminiscent of a Common Gull. The broad black band across P5 is visible below the tertials. Brown tones to some greater coverts and tail feathers suggest that this bird may not be fully mature. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 171 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Hannu Koskinen Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. 90. Adult Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 23 Nov 2008. As well as the compact jizz, note the extensive soft streaks across the head, neck and upper breast, the pale eye and yellowy-orange eye- ring. This bird has black across both webs of P5; this is not uncommon in Herring Gulls. 9 1 . Adult argentatus Herring Gull, Tampere, Finland, 2 1 Apr 2006. C435 was ringed as a pullus in June 1998 c. 30 km SE of Tampere and represents a potential trap for the unwary. It has a complete black band across P5, a long white tip to P 1 0, yellowy legs and a reddish orbital ring; its bill is rather slender-based and its upperparts are a good match for cachirmans. However, the head retains the typical bulk of Herring Gull, its iris is unmarked yellow, and the bill has a rather sharply curved culmen and a marked gonydeal angle. 92. Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Portugal, 1 5 Jun 2005. A typically menacing- looking bird, with a staring pale eye set off against the deep red orbital ring. In this species, the vivid red of the gonys regularly spreads extensively onto the upper mandible, unlike the more restricted gonys spot of cachinnans and Herring Gull. 172 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull 93. Adult Herring Gull, North-east Scotland, 28 Feb 2009. Note the pale upperparts, black band across the tip of PIO and the limited black on P5. This is a typically compact and short-billed argenteus. 94. Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, 7 May 2009. A typically large, robust and long-winged bird. Note the broad black band across P5 and the small mirror on P9. 95. Adult Yellow-legged Gull, Spain, 8 May 2009. The underside of PIO is visible here and shows a triangular wedge (not a square tongue) extending only halfway down the exposed feather.The huge bill suggests this is a male. The gape is bright red, similar in tone to the orbital ring. British Birds 1 03 • March 20 1 0 142-183 173 Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Chris Gibbins Hannu Koskinen Gibbins et al. 96. Adult Herring Gull L. a. argentatus, Finland, 30 Mar 2007. The PIO pattern of this bird is similar to that of cachinnans - it has a long grey tongue, visible here on the underside, and a long white tip to the feather. Coincidentally, it also has a red orbital ring and a dark-looking eye, both also features of cachinnans. Its bill, however, is robust and it has very limited black on P5.This bird illustrates the problems posed by some Baltic argentatus; careful assessment of the full range of features is needed for correct identification. example of this from Ukraine is shown by Liebers & Dierschke (1997, plate 289), while CG has seen such birds in Romania (Lake Histria, September 2006). These locations suggest that the ‘ thayeri pattern’ occurs occa- sionally in pure cachinnans, rather than being indicative of introgression with Herring Gull. Some birds show a small amount of black within the long white tip of P10: of 31 adult cachinnans examined in the hand by Liebers & Dierschke (1997), 11 showed a subterminal black band (complete or incomplete) across the tip of P10. There is also variation and overlap among the taxa with respect to the exact shape of the pale tongue, especially between cachinnans and argentatus (Gibbins 2003). To reiterate, the P10 pattern is not diagnostic. Long, pale grey tongues are also present on the inner webs of P7-P9 of cachinnans and, collectively, these give the impression of pale wedges eating into an otherwise black wing-tip. This pattern is very different from that of michahellis (which has a solid black wing-tip) but is seen on many argentatus. Black extends inward as far as P5 on cachin- nans and on some (16%; Jonsson 1998) also to P4. Ideally, a candidate cachinnans should have a black band extending unbroken across both webs of P5, typically slightly less deep than that of michahellis. However, there is con- siderable variation in the pattern of black on P5 of all the taxa. Around 10% of cachin- nans lack a complete black band on P5 (Jonsson 1998): such birds may have isolated marks on both the inner and outer webs of the feather (plate 49) or have black restricted to the outer web. Herring Gulls may lack black on P5 altogether (e.g. many Norwegian argentatus) , have black only on the outer web (frequent in argenteus) or have black on both webs. When black is present on both webs of P5 in Herring Gull, it may be as an isolated black spot on each (usually larger on the outer web), or as a complete band (plate 90). When present, the band is usually much narrower than on michahellis, but it matches many cachinnans. Black on both webs of P5 is a surprisingly common feature in eastern Baltic populations of Herring Gull (Mailing Olsen & Larsson give a value of 30%), so these birds are a real cause of confu- sion. Overall, the variability in P5 pattern means that it is difficult to give definitive cri- teria regarding its value in identification. Like cachinnans, Herring Gulls can have black extending inwards as far as P4, though this is rare. Some have argued that eastern and western populations of cachinnans differ with respect to primary pattern (e.g. Stegmann 1934). Adults from eastern populations nor- 174 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull mally have a less extreme wing-tip pattern, where the long white tip of P10 is regularly interrupted by small black spots on each web, sometimes merging to form a subterminal band. A significant proportion show black on P4 (50%; Jonsson 1998). Compared with western birds, eastern cachinnans may also show shorter pale tongues invading the black of the upperwing, but these still break up the black of the outer primaries in a way that michahellis never shows. More research is needed to determine whether eastern and western cachinnans deserve formal subspecies status. Head pattern The head of adult cachinnans normally appears unmarked (plate 87). Any streaks are extremely fine, often confined to the lower rear neck, and usually only apparent at close range for a limited period in autumn (plate 88). In michahellis, streaking is also usually apparent only in the autumn but is concen- trated around the face and ear-coverts. On average, this streaking is clearer than shown by cachinnans at this time. Streaking disap- pears in late autumn, as feathers wear. From early autumn to mid/late winter, the vast majority of Herring Gulls show a variable but usually obvious degree of dusky streaking and/or blotching on the head and neck (plate 90). There are exceptions and it is possible (though uncommon) to find clean-headed argenteus and argentatus before January, just as it is possible to find the odd Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus with a full hood in midwinter. Bare parts Outside the breeding season, the bill of cachinnans is normally a rather weak, greenish-yellow, fading to grey-green basally. There are frequently some dark marks (small spots or crescents) in the gonys, while the red is usually less bright than for either micha- hellis or Herring Gull. Thus, in general, the bill of cachinnans in winter stands out as being duller than that of the other species. However, as many argentatus have washed- out, greeny-yellow bills in winter, bill colour and pattern is merely a supportive feature. The bill becomes a richer yellow in late spring and, during the breeding season the bill coloration of cachinnans overlaps with that of Herring Gull. Neubauer et al. (2009) argued that, unlike the orbital ring (see below), bill tones do not differ consistently between cachinnans and Herring Gull in breeding plumage. The bill of cachinnans is distinctly duller than the bright, orange- toned bill of michahellis ; moreover, the red gonys spot of michahellis is extremely bright and regularly spreads extensively onto the upper mandible. In the field, most adult cachinnans appear dark-eyed; in fact, the iris is not wholly dark, but peppered by dark brown spots. Depending on the density of these spots, the iris may appear dirty amber-yellow or uni- formly dark brown, but never completely black. Eye colour varies enormously in cachinnans: Jonsson (1998) suggested that c. 75% of adult cachinnans appear ‘medium- to dark-eyed’ in the field, whereas Liebers & Dierschke (1997) found that 48% of birds in one Ukrainian colony and 62% in another were ‘pale-eyed’. Much depends on how ‘dark’ is defined. Most birds do look darker-eyed in the field than typical Herring Gulls or micha- hellis and truly pale (clean yellow) eyes are rare in cachinnans (<10% Jonsson 1998; 2-5% Hannu Koskinen pers. comm.). Note also that some apparently adult Herring Gulls have dark peppering in the iris and some look genuinely dark-eyed in the field (plate 96); anyone checking large numbers of Herring Gulls should expect to find dark- eyed birds with moderate regularity. The orbital ring of cachinnans varies from pale orange to red (Liebers & Dierschke 1997; Neubauer et al. 2009). That of Herring Gull varies from yellow (typical argenteus), through pure orange to orangey red; that of some Baltic argentatus looks deep red and thus approaches michahellis. Orbital ring colour in Herring Gulls has been shown to differ among birds breeding in the same colony (Muusse et al. unpubl.). Thus, while orbital-ring colour is a useful feature for cachinnans (orange to red is acceptable, yellow is a problem), it is merely one of a number of features that combine to make the species distinctive but which are not individ- ually diagnostic. Liebers & Dierschke (1997) reported a correlation between iris and orbital ring colour - pale-eyed cachinnans British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 175 Gibbins et al. having pale orange orbital rings and dark- eyed birds having redder orbitals - and this relationship is clearly worth further study. The leg colour of adult cachinnans varies seasonally and individually. In winter, the legs are typically pale, greyish-flesh; some have a weak, greenish-yellow tint. In spring and early summer, the legs of many adults become dis- tinctly brighter and yellowish. The proportion showing truly yellow legs during the breeding season is uncertain and may vary among pop- ulations and even from year to year (perhaps linked to diet). The leg colour of an indi- vidual bird can vary during the course of the breeding season, probably as a function of physiological condition (Neubauer et al. 2009). There is complete overlap in leg colour between cachinnans and the Herring Gulls of the eastern Baltic (from pure pink to lemon yellow) so this feature is of limited value. However, cachinnans rarely matches the rich yellow of the legs of michahellis. Pitfalls The most likely problem is confusion with a Herring Gull from the eastern Baltic. These are quite unlike the Norwegian argentatus that we are familiar with in the UK and can have upperpart tones, bare-part colours and wing-tip patterns that are virtually identical to those of cachinnans. The potential for con- fusion is increased by the fact that these argentatus may look slightly longer-winged, longer-legged and longer-billed than argen- teus (although less obviously so than cachin- nans). The occasional dark-eyed bird can create real problems. Concluding remarks The aim of part 1 of this paper has been to describe the appearance of typical Caspian Gulls. The birds featured in the plates are all rather typical and should not pose any iden- tification problems. Variability is a feature of large gulls, however, and observers should not expect all cachinnans to look identical. Nonetheless, there is what might be regarded as normal or typical variation (that outlined above) and that which is extreme or atypical. In part 2 we shall deal with the extremes and discuss birds that sit in the overlap zones between the species. We shall also consider hybrids; this is a very real problem given that hybridisation is occurring in Poland, for example, and that hybrids originating there have been recorded in Britain. Before becoming embroiled in debates about the more difficult individuals, it is important that birders are familiar with the identifica- tion of typical birds. We hope that part 1 has provided this familiarisation. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Nic Hallam, Hannu Koskinen, Ian Lewington and four anonymous reviewers, whose insightful comments greatly improved this manuscript. We are also grateful to Ruud Altenburg, Steve Arlow, Hannu Koskinen, Mike Langman and Pirn Wolf for sharing and allowing us to use their photographs. A number of birders shared their knowledge and experience of cachinnans during the preparation of this paper; we especially thank Ruud Altenburg, Hannu Koskinen, Mars and Theo Muusse and Visa Rauste in this regard. Dmitri Mauquoy kindly produced fig. I . References BakkerT., Offereins, R, & Winter R. 2000. Caspian Gull identification gallery. Binding World 1 3: 60-74. Collinson, J. M., Parkin, D.T, Knox, A. G„ Sangsten G., & Svensson, L. 2008. Species boundaries in the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull complex. Brit Birds 101:340-363. Garner M. 1 997. Large white-headed gulls in the United Arab Emirates: a contribution to their field identification. Emirates Bird Report 1 9: 94- 1 03. — & Quinn, D. 1 997. Identification ofYellow-legged Gulls in Britain. Brit. Birds 90: 25-62. Gibbins, C. N. 2003. Phenotypic variability of Caspian Gull. Birding Scotland 6: 59-72. Grant, RJ. 1 986. Gulls: a guide to identification. 2nd edn. Poyser London. Gruber, D. 1995. Die Kennzeichen und dasVorkommen de WeiBkopfmowen Larus cachinnans in Europe. Limicola 19: 121-127. Howell, S. 200 1.A new look at moult in gulls. Alula 7: 2-1 I. Jonsson, L. 1 998. Yellow-legged Gulls and yellow-legged Herring Gulls in the Baltic. Alula 4: 74-100. Klein, R. 1994. Silbermowen Larus argentatus und Wei,kopfmowen Larus cachinnans auf Mulldeponien in Mecklenburg - erste Ergebnisse einer Ringfundanalyse. Vogelwelt I 1 5: 267-285. Leibers, D„ & Dierschke.V. 1 997. Variability of field characters in adult Pontic Yellow-legged Gulls. Dutch Birding 19:277-280. — , Helbig, A. J„ & de Knifff, R 200 1 . Genetic differentiation and phylogeography of gulls in the Larus cachinnans-fuscus group (Aves: Charadriiformes). Molecular Ecology 1 0: 477-2462. Mailing Olsen, K„ & Larsson, H. 2003. Gulls of Europe. Asia and North America. Helm, London. Neubauer, G., Zagalska-Neubauer, M. M„ Pons, J-M., Crochet, P-A., Chylarecki, R, Przystalski, A., & Gay, L. 2009. Assortative mating without complete reproductive isolation in a zone of recent secondary contact between Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) 176 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull and Caspian Gulls (L. cachinnans ). The Auk 1 26: 409-419. Small, B, 2000. Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans in Suffolk - identification and status. Suffolk Birds 49: 1 2-2 1 . Stegmann, B. K. 1 934. Ueber die Formen der GroBen Mowen ('subgenus Larus’) und ihre gegenseitigen Beziehungen.J. Orn. 82: 340-380. Chris Gibbins, 2 The Steadings, Newtyle Farm, Drums, Aberdeenshire AB41 6AS Brian J. Small, 78 Wangford Road, Reydon, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6NX John Sweeney, 33 McLean Place, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA3 2DG ZEISS The British Birds Rarities Committee is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd Chairman Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 17 3BY Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 0LL; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk BBRC members Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Archivist John Marchant • Museum Consultant Brian Small Summariser and RIACT Chairman Reg Thorpe • RIACT Secretary Peter Kennerley 97. Unidentified adult gull, Lithuania, 1 0 Sep 2009. This striking bird has a confusing mix of characters. Its dark iris, red orbital ring and upperpart grey tones match cachinnans. However, its legs and bill are extremely bright for cachinnans, especially at that time of year, and the red of the gonys spreads extensively onto the upper mandible; it also has a rather well-streaked head for typical coch/nnons.The bill and leg colours are reminiscent of michahellis, but any thoughts of that species are dispelled by the 'thayeri pattern’ visible on the underside of P 1 0 (and of course the dark eye is wrong too). While the PI0 pattern matches some argentatus Herring Gulls, the leg, bill and eye colours make this option seem unlikely. Is it simply an extreme cachinnans, should it be considered a likely hybrid or is it best left unidentified? Fascinating birds such as this are the focus of part 2 of this paper. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 177 Chris Gibbins Gibbins et al. Appendix I . Summary of key differences between typical Caspian Larus cachinnans, Yellow-legged L. michahellis and Herring Gulls L argentatus. It is important to note that these highly simplified statements should be read in conjunction with the main text. Features are given for each age group and in approximate order of importance/value for field identification; shaded blocks indicate the value of individual features, as detailed in the key. Diagnostic - not found/known to occur in other species | Extremely indicative - should not be used in isolation, but any bird showing this feature plus one or two others should prove to be cachinnans \ | Indicative - very useful, but only in conjunction with other features ] Supportive - should be used only to support details of other, more reliable, features ] Of no real value - overlaps completely with other species or is perhaps based on misconception Structure and Caspian Yellow-legged Herring Comments behaviour ( cachinnans ) ( michahellis ) Long call H and long- 9 call posture Rapid, nasal laughing call with wings raised and head vertical (90°) Deep, guttural, single and clearly separated notes delivered more slowly than cachinnans , with wings closed and head raised to 90° Call structure similar to michahellis but less guttural and pitch higher; delivered with wings closed and head raised to 45° Together, long call and associated posture are diagnostic; i.e. a bird with correct call and long-call posture should prove to be cachinnans. All other structural features vary individually and between the sexes, but assuming that key plumage features match, then non- calling birds can be identified using head and bill shape; other structural features vary and so are less important | Bill shape Typically long, slim and evenly tapering; little or no expansion at gonys Deep and long in males; females overlap with Herring. Curves strongly at tip with marked gonys angle Unremarkable, but with clear gonys angle M Head shape Generally pear-shaped and snouty; small for body. Some (females?) can have high rounded crowns and some larger birds (males?) have square, more solid heads Head typically large and square. Females overlap with Herring and Lesser Black- backed. Rarely as snouty as cachinnans but some are similar Unremarkable; even shape, neither snouty nor square, but some argentatus can match male cachinnans Leg length Typically long and thin but can look unremarkable in some (females?) Can overlap in length with cachinnans , but normally thicker and more robust-looking Relatively short, robust-looking Body shape Very attenuated rear end; ventral bulge clear on many Attenuated but ventral bulge lacking or less pronounced Relatively short rear end, lacking ventral bulge Tertial step Normally lacking Can be clear or lacking Usually pronounced Stance Often upright, with high chest; bill held downward when resting Normally more horizontal, but when alert can look very cachitmans-\ike Normally more horizontal Varies hugely depending on what the bird is doing so is of limited practical value 178 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull Appendix 1 . continued Juv and lst-winters (Aug-Apr) Caspian ( cachinnans ) Yellow-legged (michahellis) Herring Comments | Underwing Normally distinctly pale; appears silvery or creamy-white at distance on the most striking birds Dark and heavily barred but (rarely) can overlap with darker cachinnans Dark, though more uniform than michahellis ■ Second- 1 generation |! scapulars Pale grey ground colour (silvery) in classic birds, each feather with a simple dark shaft streak and narrow subterminal anchor. Some are more heavily patterned Strongly marked, with heavy anchor pattern and heavy blackish- brown bars across basal part of each feather Variable; most have pattern similar to michahellis , but with crossbarring and subterminal anchors weaker ■ Tail and I rump Striking white rump and tail, with relatively narrow black tail band Very similar to cachinnans Browner, deeper and less clear-cut tail band. Less contrast between tail band and the more densely marked rump and tail base Cachinnans is (jistinct from Herring but very similar to michahellis ■ Greater 1 coverts Uniform dark base and pale terminal area forming clear bar, like Nike ‘swoosh’. Pale fringes simple, lacking strong notches Typically heavily notched, particularly on inner feathers; but extremely variable and some have simple fringes that resemble cachinnans Extremely variable, but normally well notched across all coverts; birds matching cachinnans are extremely rare (<1/1,000) Extremely useful but should not be used in isolation Head and body colour Typically clean- looking (whitish) with minimal streaking. Often has neat half collar of fine streaking around rear neck Overlaps with cachinnans , but more frequently has obvious dark eye mask and less pronounced collar Normally extensively covered with diffuse streaks and blotches Colour of upperparts § (juvs only) Soft, greyish-brown Dark, chocolate brown, with contrasting pale areas Mid brown, intermediate between the other two Inner primary window Less prominent than Herring, slightly more so than michahellis. Often with Venetian- blind pattern. Pale lozenge-shaped patches frequently present on outer webs near tips of P2-4/5 Inner webs of inner primaries only fractionally paler than outers, so virtually no window. Generally lack pale lozenges on P2-4/5 Prominent window, with complex patterning on feather tips of PI -4/5 British Birds 103 • March 2010 142-183 179 Gibbins et al. Appendix I. continued lst-summers Caspian Yellow-legged Herring Comments (Apr-Sep) (cachinnans) (michahellis) Structure, call and call posture are especially critical during this period, as wear, moult and individual variation in the patterns on newly arriving second- and third-generation feathers make plumage features of limited value. 1 Underwing Whiter than the other species, although moult may produce a blotchy pattern. Extremely variable, some with variegated pattern of light and dark. As michahellis, but less contrasting Greater “ Second-generation feathers in typical birds have uniform dark base and pale terminal bar. Second-generation feathers usually well marked with contrasting light and dark bars. But, some like cachinnans, others like Herring Gull Pattern often intermediate between cachinnans and michahellis, but individuals can match either. Normally more barred than cachinnans A useful average difference, but there is overlap between the species so this feature is not diagnostic Mantle and scapulars Extremely variable. Some acquire a high proportion of adult- type grey feathers, others show most feathers with dark anchors Extremely variable. Many acquire mainly pure grey adult-like feathers while others have boldly patterned feathers, with contrasting anchors Grey feathers are rare on birds of this age: most acquire third- generation feathers with a pattern of mid- brown bars on a creamy background A useful feature for separating Herring Gull from the other two species Tertials Typically shows a blackish basal third to new second- generation tertials, with diffuse pale tip (reminiscent of first- generation feathers) Often strongly barred (matching greater coverts) but others match the simpler pattern of cachinnans Most have an irregular barred pattern on second-generation tertials, but pattern usually weaker than on most michahellis Each species has a typical pattern (i.e. a pattern shown by most birds) but there is enough variation to limit the value of this feature Head and Variable; many are As cachinnans body extremely white, but others can have fine streaks on face and rear neck Wear and fading can make some look much paler than first-winter birds, but rarely do they look as clean as typical cachinnans 180 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-177 Identification of Caspian Gull Appendix I. continued 2nd-winters Caspian Yellow-legged Herring Comments (Oct-Apr) ( cachinnans ) ( michahellis ) Overall, the clean white head and body and the extensive grey in the mantle and wings make typical cachinnans of this age look older and more striking than typical second-winter Herring. However, this plumage pattern overlaps with michahellis. Despite the very arresting appearance of some birds, no single feature is diagnostic, so identification should be based on multiple character traits. I Inner Strong contrast Lacks Venetian-blind Lacks Venetian-blind Venetian-blind pattern primaries between pale grey pattern pattern not present on all inner webs and cachinnans , but when blackish outer webs, present it is a very creating Venetian-blind useful feature effect on some birds | Underwing Normally strikingly white Contrasting dark bars over whitish base colour Typically rather dirty- looking, with much brown spotting Rump and tail Striking white rump and tail contrasting with black tail band As cachinnans Tail band thicker, browner and less clean-cut; less contrast with tail base and rump Pattern of cachinnans distinct from typical Herring, but overlaps with michahellis M Mantle and scapulars In most, the scapulars are dominated by clean, grey feathers, with limited brown, but some retain more brown/spotted feathers As cachinnans Variable mixture of grey and brown feathers, but predominant tone is usually brownish. Often heavily marked with brown bars. Small proportion show extensive grey saddle Generally, the scapular pattern (coupled with coverts and white head) makes cachinnans look older than Herrings of this age Eye colour Dark brown Normally pale-looking but dark on some Normally pale but dark on sizeable proportion A pale eye would suggest that a bird is not cachinnans , but all three species can show dark eyes at this age British Birds 103 March 2010 • 142-183 181 Gibbins et al. Appendix 1 . continued Older Caspian Yellow-legged Herring immatures ( cachinnans ) ( michahellis ) (3rd-/4th-winters) At this age several features need to be used in conjunction as individually they are of only feature is appreciably more valuable than the others. Comments limited value. No one Black band on P5 & P4 Should show a thick (deeper than wide), unbroken, black band on P5; many also have black on P4 As cachinnans May show a complete black band on P5 but rarely as deep as in cachinnans and michahellis. Black on P4 less frequent than cachinnans Birds of this age lacking a complete black band on P5 are unlikely to be cachinnans or michahellis 1 Primary coverts Most have extensive sharp black streaks, contrasting with otherwise grey wing As cachinnans Streaks browner, diffuse and contrast much less with rest of upperwing, which, especially in argentatus, can retain a brownish tinge to the grey Useful for separating Herring from the other species, but overlap between cachinnans and michahellis 1 Primary tongues Many have pattern that mirrors adult’s, with grey tongues eating into the black wing-tip; others lack this and so the wing- tip resembles that of the other two species Lacks tongues and so appearance is of an extensive and solidly black wing-tip Less extensive black than michahellis, but argenteus lack tongues; some argentatus show tongues but these are normally less contrasting than on cachinnans The presence of tongues eliminates michahellis, but other features needed to rule out argentatus Upperpart grey tone A neutral, Common Gull L. canus grey, but often looks more silvery at this age and so can appear to have paler upperparts than adults Averages slightly darker than cachinnans: tone ranging from Common Gull to Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla grey Paler in argenteus , but cachinnans sits within the range of argentatus. Slight bluish tint not seen in the other species Useful for locating cachinnans among argenteus; cachinnans can be picked out in michahellis flocks by their subtly paler tone Primary mirrors Most frequently has large mirror on P10 and often a small one on P9 No mirror, or only a small one on P10 L. a. argentatus overlaps with cachinnans; argenteus typically has smaller mirrors Useful only for separating cachinnans from michahellis Leg colour Grey flesh Normally strong yellow tones, or at least greeny-grey Flesh or pink Bill coloration and pattern Pale yellow, often with a weak greenish tinge; variable dark mark/smudge behind bill tip Often rather bright, especially in summer: yellowish with black in gonys and some scarlet red. Others duller and overlap with other species Pattern normally intermediate, but can match either Overlap complete, but typical cachinnans has dull bill with dark gonys smudge Eye colour Looks dark in the field in most Normally pale (greeny, yellow or greyish- white) but some retain dark eyes As michahellis Overlap means this is of no real value at this age, but a very pale- eyed bird is unlikely to be cachinnans 182 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 Identification of Caspian Gull Appendix I . continued Adults Caspian (cachinnans) Wing-tip Combination of long pattern white tip to PI 0, pale grey tongues eating into black of P7-P10, clear and sharply demarcated white tongue visible on the underside of P10, and (in most) solid black band on P5 is extremely indicative Colour of eye and orbital ring Typically (>50%) dark-eyed with an eye-ring that ranges from pale orange to red; pale eyes are not uncommon, however Yellow-legged ( michahellis) Lacks tongues and only rarely has fully white tip to P10; broad black band across P5 Herring Typical argenteus has black subterminal bar across P10 (not a long white tip), black on only the outer web of P5, a short diffuse tongue on the underside of P10, and no tongues on the upperside of P7-P10; however, some argentatus overlap completely with cachinnans Comments Primary pattern diagnostic between Caspian and Yellow- legged and between Caspian and argenteus but not between Caspian and argentatus Herring Pale yellow (even whitish) with deep red (scarlet) orbital, giving a staring, aggressive look Pale yellow with yellow ( argenteus ) to red (some argentatus) orbital Although eye colour is key to giving cachinnans their characteristic look, apparently adult Yellow-legged and Herring Gulls can retain dark eyes, while pale eyes can appear dark in poor light or at a distance (good views are essential) Leg colour Highly variable: in winter, the majority have greyish-flesh legs; in breeding season many are weakly yellowish, some stronger yellow Typically a rich yellow, sometimes with a faint orange element (like graellsii) lacking in most Baltic argentatus Variable: flesh-pink in argenteus , but argentatus range from flesh-pink through grey-yellow to bright yellow A bird in midwinter with bright yellow legs is unlikely to be cachinnans, but otherwise leg colour is of limited value Bill coloration In winter, typically duller (greeny-yellow) than for other species, reddish gonys weak and restricted; in summer, overlaps with Herring, less bright than michahellis Bright yellow with a strong red gonys spot, that frequently extends onto the upper mandible Overlaps with cachinnans in summer; in winter, most argenteus have brighter bills than cachinnans , but argentatus overlap As with leg and eye colour, while there is a typical cachinnans ‘look’, there is also complete overlap with Herring Gull British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 142-183 183 Jens Hering Short papers DNA analysis of a juvenile Common Snipe on Corvo, Azores The Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago is a rare breeding bird in the Azores archipelago, where breeding occurs in the moist, elevated plains and moors of the islands of Sao Miguel, Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico, Faial, Flores and Corvo. Recent surveys found that Pico and Sao Jorge support the largest breeding populations, with 85-88 and 180-193 pairs respectively, while the 41-51 pairs on Corvo formed the third-largest island population, with 6. 8-8. 5 breeding pairs per km2 in the caldera there (Ernst & Hering 2005; Pereira 2005; Hering Sr Hering 2006; Hering & Ernst 2008). Wilson’s Snipe G. delicata is known to reach the Azores regularly in October and November, with 78 records to the end of October 2009 (http://azores.seawatching.net/ index. php?p age = rare bird da ta&id = 57 I# NotFirst), including a single record during the breeding season, from Sao Jorge on 19th June 2008. During our fieldwork (see pre- vious references), particular attention was paid to the possibility that Wilson’s Snipe could potentially remain to breed on the islands; however, all breeding records were attributed to Common Snipe. Given that field identification of Wilson’s Snipe is notoriously difficult (see Reid 2008, Rowlands et al. 2009), we analysed the DNA of a juvenile Common Snipe found dead on 2nd June 2007 in the caldera on Corvo. We compared the results with those from a German specimen of Common Snipe. (We amplified and sequenced a 943-bp-long frag- ment of the cytochrom e-b gene from the respective samples; primer pair L14464-Cyt b and H15917-Cyt /?; PCR settings according to Dietzen et al. 2003. Sequences are available at GenBank under accession nos. FJ787309 and FJ787310.) Samples from both birds yielded identical cytochrome-/? haplotypes and these also provided a perfect match with a British specimen of Common Snipe (GenBank acc. no. AF194445). The genetic distance to a sequence of a North American Wilson’s Snipe (GenBank acc. no. EF373132) was measured at 13.3% (which was unexpectedly high com- pared with differences in the mitochondrial DNA found between Wilson’s and Scandi- navian populations of Common Snipe; Zink et al. 1995). In summary, the DNA sequencing showed clearly that the Azores bird was Common and not Wilson’s Snipe. 98. The caldera on Corvo, Azores, May 2006. 184 © British Birds 1 03 • March 2010 - 184-187 Short papers 99. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago at a breeding site on the elevated plains of Sao Jorge, Azores, June 2008. Despite our findings, we suggest that future surveys of the breeding population of Common Snipe on the Azores should be aware of the possi- bilities that Wilson’s Snipe could be present. Vocalisations during courtship may offer the best means of separating the two species in the field (see Thonen 1969, Ernst & Hering 2005). On the Chukchi Peninsula near Anadyr, Russia, Arkhipov (2009) dis- covered a contact zone where the two species apparently breed side by side. Acknowledgments For valuable help and relevant information we would like to thank VladimirYu. Arkhipov, Peter Becker; Stephan Ernst, Gerd Fanghanel, Heidi Hering, Prof. Jochen Martens, Klaus Muller, Staffan Rodebrand and Dieter Saemann. References Arkhipov, V.Y 2009. First record ofWilson's Snipe Gallinago (g.) delicata (Ord, 1 825) in Russia and comments on its taxonomical status. Zool. Zhurnal. 88: I 146-1 149. Dietzen, C.,Witt, H-H„ & Wink, M. 2003.The phylogeographic differentiation of the European Robin Erithacus rubecula on the Canary Islands revealed by mitochondrial sequence data and morphometries: evidence for a new robin taxon on Gran Canaria? Avian Science 3: I 15-131. Ernst, S„ & Hering, J. 2005. Die Bekassine Gallinago gallinago als Brutvogel auf den Azoren. L imicola 1 9: 287-299. Hering, j., & Ernst, S. 2008. Beitrag zurVogelwelt der Azoren - Beobachtungen auf Flores und Faial (Aves ). Faunistische Abhandlungen (Dresden) 26: 37-62. — & Hering, H. 2006. Nachtrag zu: Die Bekassine Gallinago gallinago als Brutvogel auf den AzoYen, Limicola 20: 235-238. Pereira, C. 2005. Recenseannento de Galinhola Scolopax rusticola, de Narceja Gallinago gallinago e de Bufo- pequeno Asio otus no Arquipelago dosAqores. Sociedade Portugues para o estudo das aves, Lisboa. Reid, M, 2008. Identification ofWilson's and Common Snipe. Brit. Birds 101:1 89-200. Rowlands, A„ Small, B.J., & Bradshaw, C. 2009. Identification ofWilson’s Snipe and assessment of the first British record. Brit. Birds 1 02: 425-434. Thonen, W. 1969. Auffallender Unterschied zwischen den instrumentalen Balzlauten der europaischen und nordamerikanischen Bekassine Gallinago gallinago. Ornithol. Beob. 66: 6-13. Zink, R. M„ Rohwer; S., Andreev, A. V., & Dittmann, D. L. 1 995.Trans-Beringia comparisons of mitochondrial DNA differentiation in birds. The Condor 97: 639-649. Jens Hering, Wolkenburger Strafie 11, 1)- 092 12 Limbach-Oberfrohna, Germany; e-maz7jenshering.vso-bibliothek@t-online.de Dr Martin Packert, Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Konigsbriicker Landstrafie 159, D-01 109 Dresden, Germany; e-z7iaz7martin.paeckert@senckenberg.de The status of Caspian Gull in Malta Although gull-watching on Malta has been carried out by the authors for over 20 years, more systematic observations were under- taken during 2001-09. Sessions are held in most months, with more intensive effort from August to April, but especially during November to February. The main sites include the Grand Harbour area as well as regular observation points on the east and west coasts of Malta, such as Pembroke, Qawra, and Ghajn Tuffieha. The first and subsequent records of the Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans for Malta occurred during these observations, and this short paper reviews the status of this species in the islands. Various factors have contributed to recent changes in the status of passage/wintering gulls in Malta. For example, the increasing European population of Audouin’s Gull L. audouinii, once a very rare visitor to the Maltese Islands, has led to a marked increase in records, while the decrease in sightings of British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 184-187 185 Jens Hering Short papers 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Fig. I. Records of Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans in the Maltese Islands by year, 200 1 -09. 25 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Fig. 2. Records of Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans in the Maltese Islands by month, 200 1-09. 30 IW 2W 3W Adult Fig. 3. Age classes of Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans recorded in the Maltese Islands, 200 1 -09. 'Baltic’ Lesser Black-backed Gulls L. fuscus fuscus is also attributed to changing popu- lation trends. The numbers of wintering gulls are related to the severity of winters in northern and eastern Europe and, for the more pelagic species at least, to the frequency of winter storms. Elsewhere in Europe, gulls are unperturbed by human activity but in Malta gulls have tradition- ally avoided harbours and the shoreline, which is thought to be a direct effect of persecution and the hunting situation. However, fish-farming sites present a rela- tively secure environment for seabirds and these are now particularly attractive to gulls. Furthermore, in 2007, a flock of Yellow-legged Gulls L. michahellis (the only breeding gull in Malta) was observed foraging at the central rubbish tip on the east coast of Malta for the first time; since then, this has become a regular occur- rence. Previously, it was assumed that gulls avoided rubbish dumps, since flying over land made them vulnerable to (illegal) hunting, and it is possible that this change in behaviour corresponded with increased police patrols and more strict enforcement of bird protection regulations following EU pressure. The first record of Caspian Gull for Malta was a first-winter seen by MS on 27th March 2001, off Qawra. Since then, a number of sightings have followed (figs. 1 & 2). It is important to note that indi- vidual birds may remain for several days and as a consequence there could be some duplication in our figures. Nonetheless, our data suggest that the Caspian Gull is a scarce but regular passage migrant and winter visitor in the Maltese Islands, occurring mainly from November to March, with most from November to Feb- ruary. Typically, records are of single birds but a maximum of three individuals has been recorded. All age classes have been recorded, but adults and first-winters are most common (fig. 3). Up to 90% of win- tering birds observed in Sicily are adults (Corso 2005). This bias may reflect the abundance of different age classes within the population, the fact that adults and first-winters are the easiest to identify but possibly also age-related differences in 186 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 184-187 Short papers migratory strategy. A greater knowledge of identification criteria plus an expansion of the species’ range has given rise to an increase in sight- ings of Caspian Gull in various parts of Europe as well as in the central Mediter- ranean. One of the first records of Caspian Gull in the region was a first-winter pho- tographed in February 1984 in Sicily (and identified as such in 1998, when the first win- tering grounds in Sicily were discovered; Corso 2005). Since then it has become apparent that hundreds of Caspian Gulls are wintering in Sicily; the Lentini Reservoir, on the east coast of Sicily, is one of the most important wintering grounds in west-central Europe, with a maximum of 800+ recorded in January 2002 (Mailing Olsen & Larsson 2003; Corso 2005). In Tunisia, the species is still regarded as a vagrant (Isenmann et al. 2005), but in Libya it congregates in large numbers in winter in coastal saltmarshes, mainly in the east (A. A. Elamza pers. comm.); a maximum count of over 2,600 was recorded in 2006 (Azafzaf et al. 2006). Given the occurrence of Caspian Gulls in good numbers in sites just ±100 km to the north (Sicily) and ±350 km to the south (Libya), it is perhaps not surprising that small numbers also occur in Malta. So far, as the data from Tunisia suggest, the western limit of its wintering range seems to be the eastern Afro-Sicilian basin. Acknowledgments We would like to thank all those who have helped us during our fieldwork, in particular Joseph Grech, Juan Ellul Pirotta and Christopher Cachia Zammit. We would also like to thank Graham Bundy, Andrea Corso, Natalino Fenech, Abdulmaula A. Hamza and Klaus Mailing Olsen for their useful comments and for sharing information. References Azafzaf, H„ Baccetti, N„ Defos du Rau, R, Dlensi, H„ Essghaier M. F„ Etayeb, K„ Hamza, A., & Smart, M. 2006. Report on an Ornithological Survey in Libya from 1 9 to 3 1 January 2006. Report to the Regional Activities Centre/Special Protected Areas (MAP/ UNEP), Environment General Agency, Libya and to the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA). Corso, A. 2005. Avifauna di Sicilia. L'EPOS, Palermo. Isenmann, R, GaultierT, El Hili, A., Azafzaf, H„ Dlensi, H„ & Smart, M. 2005. Oiseaux de Tunisie. Societe d’Etudes Ornithologiques de France, Paris. Mailing Olsen, K„ & Larsson, H. 2003. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm, London. Michael Sammut, 11 Sqaq Riga, Birkirkara, BKR 2131, Malta John Azzopardi, ‘Kentucky’, Triq il-Bdiewa, Bidnija, MST 5075, Malta Obituary Mike Madders (1957-2009) Mike Madders was a professional ornitholo- gist, best known for his work on the likely impact of wind-power development on upland birds in Scotland. He is more popu- larly known for the many books he authored and published. Mike was born in Leicester on 12th July 1957 and first worked with birds in 1978, vol- unteering to guard nesting Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus and Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in Cumbria (his day job at the time was that of postmaster, then the youngest in Britain). While in Cumbria, Mike also set up a popular Young Ornithologists’ Club group and wrote Bird Watching in the Lake District, published in 1985 and 4\Vobs- illustrated by Philip Snow. In 1984 he was employed by the RSPB to guard a White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albi- cilla nest on Mull. In 1985, the first White- tailed Eagle chick to be raised in Scotland for 70 years fledged; upon the egg hatching, Mike radioed to his fellow eagle-watcher with the understated comment: ‘I think we’re both daddies!’ On Mull, Mike was employed on seasonal contracts for both the RSPB and NCC, soon becoming the RSPB ‘presence’ on the island; in the winter he lectured on birds and wildlife, and travelled extensively. He continued to write and/or publish (as Saker Press) popular books on birdwatching, including Birds of Mull, Birds of Arran and © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 187-188 187 Christine Cain Obituary 1 00. Mike Madders in December 200 1 . Birdwatching in the Outer Hebrides, plus Birds of Mid-Argyll and the popular Where to Watch Birds in Scotland (both co-authored with his former partner Julia Welstead), all of which were illustrated by Philip Snow. After moving to Islay in 1991, he started a PhD at Glasgow University, despite not having done an undergraduate degree. His contemporaries noted that, standing at 6’ 6” tall, he was ‘built’ for fieldwork, much of which involved scrambling through young forestry plantations while studying Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus. Legend has it that he could step over deer fences. Having completed his doctorate in 1997, he studied the effects of eagle predation of lambs on Mull with Mick Marquiss during 1998-2002, finding that some lambs were indeed killed by eagles, but that most were scavenged. These findings endorsed some of the claims from shepherds and began to ease a highly polarised situation on the island. This in turn led to the development of the ‘Natural Care’ package aimed at rewarding shepherds for looking after the interests of wildlife and improving lamb care. In the mid 1990s, Mike began an environ- mental consultancy and undertook impact assessments on some of the first wind-power developments in Scotland. As a consultant, he was appreciated for the quality of his work. His ability to work closely with both the reg- ulatory agencies and conservation bodies was due to a rare collection of qualities that included field experi- ence, commitment to conservation, a sharp and pragmatic mind, honesty and an appre- ciation for commerce. In 1999, together with Mike McGrady, he established Natural Research, a charity whose mission is to provide high-quality wildlife research. This in turn led to the development of Natural Research Projects (NRP), a commercial environ- mental consultancy that was set up as a subsidiary of Natural Research, with profits from NRP being returned to the charity to pursue its mission. In his role as managing director of NRP and as a director of the charity, Mike gained immense satisfaction from his work. Many of the techniques currently used to measure bird responses to windfarm development were devised by Mike, and most have been adopted as ‘best practice’ in the UK and over- seas. He provided training in these tech- niques to statutory agencies and to other environmental assessment professionals. This expertise led to him being called as an expert witness at public enquiries related to wind energy, both by developers and by Scottish Natural Heritage. In a wider role, Mike was a local represen- tative for the BTO from 1988 to 1999, a long- standing member of the SOC, a member of the Institute of Biology and the Raptor Research Foundation, and a long-time member of the Argyll Bird Club. In addition, he was a member of the Scottish Raptor Study Groups and, for a time, chairman of the Argyll RSG. Mike died with his son, Daniel, in a tragic canoeing accident on Loch Maree in Wester Ross on 23rd August 2009. He is survived by his three sons, and by his partner, Christine Cain. He will long be remembered by his many friends. Mike McGrady 188 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 187-188 btoV research update The winter of 2009/ 1 0 At the time of writing, it is not yet clear how the winter of 2009/10 will fit into the long- term trend. Met Office figures show that the first two weeks of January were particularly cold; the month as a whole was the coldest since 1987, with mean temperatures between 2.0 and 3.0°C lower than normal throughout the UK. December was not quite so severe, but still the coldest since 1995 (www.metoffice.gov.uk). With low temperatures and some heavy snowfall, it perhaps seemed all the more extreme given the recent run of mild winters, and the cold and snowy weather has undoubtedly had an impact on birds. This article reviews some of the evidence of movements, congrega- tions, unusual behaviour and direct mor- tality associated with the extreme weather conditions in late December 2009/early January 2010 and looks at how best to deter- mine the short-term effect on populations of resident breeding species. Effects of different types of cold weather Prolonged snow cover and low temperatures present many challenges to birds, which vary among groups of species according to their ecology. Extended periods of deep snow cover hamper foraging success for ground- feeders and this probably explains the size- able increase in the occurrence of thrushes and buntings in gardens shown by BTO Garden BirdWatch data (table 1), and sup- ported by many anecdotal reports. Fig. 1, showing data for Redwings Turdus iliacus, is representative of the pattern shown by all the thrushes and buntings in table 1: a steady increase following the first period of snowfall in the third week of December followed by a sharp increase in the second week of January, coinciding with the second period of snow- fall. In addition, there were an unusually high number of reports of Woodcocks Scolopax rusticola and Common Snipes Gallinago gallinago visiting gardens and also feeding in the open during daylight hours. Generating enough body heat to survive several consecutive nights of sub-zero tem- peratures clearly puts an abnormally high energy demand on all birds. The implications are greatest for small birds, with their com- paratively high surface-area to volume ratio, and any weather-associated invertebrate die- off creates an additional problem for insec- tivorous species. The impact of freezing weather on Goldcrests Regulus regulus and Wrens Troglodytes troglodytes , for example, is well documented and there is already some evidence to suggest that the cold snap during January 2009 had a negative impact on Gold- crest populations. Preliminary analysis of Table 1. Percentage increase in the average occurrence in gardens of the seven bird species with the highest change between winter 2009/10 and the previous four winters; data from BTO Garden BirdWatch. Species Average occurrence between Average occurrence between Change week 51 (2009) to week 51 and week 2 in the (%) week 2 (2010) (%) previous four winters (%) Redwing Turdus iliacus 21.8 5.7 283 Fieldfare Turdus pilaris 17.0 4.6 267 Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus 3.9 1.7 134 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba 21.7 11.9 82 Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella 2.6 1.4 80 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 9.7 5.6 73 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos 37.1 22.5 65 © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 189-193 189 BTO research update Fig. I. Occurrence of Redwings Turdus iliacus in gardens in December 2009/January 20 10; data from BTO Garden BirdWatch. Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 data from Gloucestershire showed an 11% decrease in Goldcrest numbers between the November-December and January-February timed tetrad visits in 2007/08 compared with a 71% decrease in 2008/09 ( BTO News 286: 15). In addition, the BirdTrack reporting rate for Goldcrests was approximately half of its typical midwinter value prior to the start of the particularly cold weather in winter 2009/10 and showed a further reduction during December 2009. The fate of the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata in southern and eastern England was already in the spotlight following the cold weather in early 2009, and initial visits to strongholds in Hampshire in early 2010 have detected even fewer individuals. However, it is not yet certain how much this represents a genuine population decline or simply sup- pressed vocalisations as the birds invest most of their energy into foraging activity. Many small species are more resilient than their basic physical properties might suggest and are able to survive very low temperatures by employing physiological strategies such as nocturnal hypothermia and behavioural strategies such as communal roosting. It is also worth noting that snowy conditions are less problematic for such species than glazed ice (where melting snow or rainwater freezes onto vegetation); ‘glazing’ has not been a major feature of the winter so far. Waterfowl evidently faced severe hardship as most small inland waterbodies froze over. Prior to the December 2009 snowfall there was already some evidence of an influx of waterfowl, exemplified by a count of over 550 Gadwalls Anas strepera at a site in Norfolk and three-figure counts in several other locations. During the main hard-weather period (19th December 2009 to 10th January 2010), there was a 22% increase in reports of Smews Mergellus albellus on BirdGuides (www.birdguides.com) com- pared with the four-year average for the same period (adjusted to cover the same number of weekends). Double- figure counts of Smews were recorded at two sites in Cambridgeshire, one in Wiltshire and one in Greater London during this time. Conservation organisations urged the public not to disturb waders and wildfowl, in an attempt to reduce the number of birds expending unnecessary energy escaping from perceived threats. Statutory wildfowling sus- pensions were put in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland and waterfowl ringing was also suspended in both countries until the third week of January 2010. Hard-weather movements, large concentrations and rarities Birders witnessed some spectacular bird movements as a result of the hard weather. Perhaps the most impressive of these were the movements of thrushes and larks, espe- cially on the English south coast. In Dorset, 34,100 Fieldfares T. pilaris , 5,600 Redwings and 3,210 Sky Larks Alauda arvensis were recorded flying east on 6th January, while on 1st January 2,610 Sky Larks flew south over Sunderland in a little over an hour. Wood Larks Lullula arborea were also noted in rea- sonable numbers, particularly along the south coast, with double-figure counts from Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Sussex on 6th— 7th January. The final destina- tion of the birds that moved along the south coast at the end of the first week of January is a matter of speculation but it is interesting that the Channel Islands received a large influx of winter thrushes on exactly the same dates as the south-coast movement, while 190 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 189-193 BTO research update 101. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis, Newholm, Yorkshire, January 20 1 0. thrushes and larks were seen coming in off the sea on the south coast of the Isle of Wight on 7th too. With so many thrushes being forced to move around in search of food, it is perhaps unsurprising that there was a rarity among them. Fortunately for the birding commu- nity, not only was Dave Cappleman feeding and photographing the birds in his Yorkshire garden, but he was also posting the images on the Flickr website. It was here that Mark Carmody noticed Dave’s excellent images of a Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis and alerted both the pho- tographer and the birding community to the bird’s true identity. Dave and his wife warmly welcomed a steady stream of twitchers and began a collection for the RNLI (which stands at £465.64 at the time of writing). Unusual behaviour Many examples of unusual feeding behaviour were noted during the hard weather, including a Grey Fferon Ardea cinerea eating fruit in a Lancashire garden in January 2010 and a Robin Erithacus rubecula observed feeding from a roadside rabbit carcase in Norfolk in the same month. More predictable acts of desperation comprised several instances of Magpies Pica pica predating thrushes at garden feeding stations and footage of a Water Rail Rallus aquaticus eating what appeared to be a Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis, which was aired on the BBC’s Snow Watch programme. Atypical tameness was also widely reported. Coal Tits Periparus ater were hand-fed in Scotland and Woodcocks were approachable as they fed in the open at several localities. Mortality Apparent weather-related bird deaths were covered extensively in the media. The Irish Times (www.irishtimes.com) described upsetting scenes of numerous starving thrushes, Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus and other ground-feeding species, and similar experiences were discussed on the Irish Bird Network. While the BTO regis- tered little increase in the rate of ringing recoveries, there was some anecdotal evi- dence of Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus die-off. A dead European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria recovered at Port- land, Dorset, weighed 110 g, compared with the average midwinter range of 209-256 g and the exhausted minima of 120-139 g ( BWP ). As previously implied, bird mortality during hard weather is likely to be linked to a number of factors such as the mode of feeding and size of a particular species. Determining the impact of winter 2009/10 on resident breeding bird populations It is tempting to assume that the unusually cold weather has decimated populations of small insectivorous species and perhaps of many ground-feeders too. However, the only way to discover the true effect of winter 2009/10 on resident breeding bird popula- tion trends is to undertake systematic sur- veying of our avifauna in the 2010 breeding season and beyond. The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey is a long-term survey that provides the main source of population- trend information about the UK’s wide- British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 189-193 191 Tom Tams BTO research update spread birds. By signing up to survey a 1km- square, birders can help to discover the influ- ence of winter 2009/10 on population trends. The submission of records to BirdTrack will contribute to the understanding of changes Nick Moran, BirdTrack Organiser in distribution caused by the cold winter. BirdTrack records also contribute to Bird Atlas 2007-11, filling in gaps for scarce or secretive species that became more obvious in the snowy conditions. Breeding season 2009 was a good one The latest results for the Constant Effort Sites (CES) ringing scheme show just how suc- cessful the 2009 breeding season was for many passerines. CES uses standardised ringing effort in the breeding season to monitor trends in adult abundance and sur- vival as well as ‘whole-season’ productivity. Data from more than 120 sites across Britain & Ireland allow these key demographic parameters to be monitored in 25 common passerines. The breeding seasons of 2007 and 2008 were two of the worst in the 25-year history of CES. In these two years combined, 1 1 of the 25 core species showed productivity sig- nificantly lower than the long-term average. As might have been expected, this had a knock-on effect in adult numbers in 2009, with 19 of the core species showing a decline in abundance compared with the average of the previous five years. This decline was sig- nificant for 13 species and those faring the worst are listed in table 2. In addition, the lowest-ever adult abundance for Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus and Linnet Carduelis cannabina was recorded, and only Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula showed a significant increase. While adult numbers were generally low, productivity was excellent, with 16 of the 25 core species showing significantly higher pro- ductivity than the five-year average. The finches appeared to do particularly well and may have benefited most from the dry weather early in the season (table 3). The highest-ever productivity for Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler and Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs and the second highest for Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus and Linnet were also reported. These increases should be reflected in good numbers of birds present in the 2010 breeding season, although the intervening hard winter may have a serious impact on certain species, such as Wren and Long-tailed Tit. Productivity in the long term It is important to remember that the key role of CES is in long-term monitoring, and these trends tell a different story. Of the core species, 19 continue to show long-term declines in productivity, and one excellent breeding season alone cannot compensate for this. Table 3 shows that the long-term trends are still downwards for all of the species doing best in 2009; see also fig. 2. Nest recording Our ability to investigate the reasons behind population, changes is reliant on having an understanding of the demo- graphic processes driving those changes. While CES can Fig. 2. Long-term trend in Greenfinch Carduelis chloris productivity from CES data, showing the general decline only recently starting to be reversed. 192 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 189-193 BTO research update Table 2. Greatest declines in adult abundance in 2009 (compared with the average of the previous five years). Linnet Carduelis cannabina -57% Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus -31% Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris -30% Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla -24% Great Tit Parus major -23% Table 3. Greatest increases in productivity in 2009 (compared with the average of the previous five years). The general long-term trend is shown in parentheses. Linnet +211% (-79%) Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti + 1 17% (small sample) Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis +91% (-63%) Blue Tit +83% (-54%) Greenfinch Carduelis chloris +73% (-32%) 102. The Nest Record Scheme is keen to encourage recording of open- nesting species, many of which are commonly found in gardens, such as Blackbird Turdus merula, Robin Erithacus rubecula and Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (shown here). This Chaffinch nest is in an exposed tree fork, a typical location for this species. inform us about changes in ‘whole season’ productivity, the Nest Record Scheme can help to identify the stage(s) during individual breeding attempts over which these changes might be happening. NRS data have been particularly useful in highlighting the shift to earlier laying dates as a result of climate change, only possible with such a long- term dataset. During 1971-95, 20 out of the 65 species studied had advanced their laying dates signifi- cantly, on average by nearly nine days. This shift was seen across a broad range of species, including waders, resident and migrant insectivores and seed-eaters. This might seem to be advantageous, but other climate change effects may lead to asynchrony between the food requirements of nestlings and avail- ability of prey, leading to reduced breeding success. For further advice on nest recording and to receive a free ‘Quick Start Guide’, e-mail us at nrs@bto.org From the blog http://btoringing.blogspot.com/ Recent blog posts have ranged widely, including: Winter Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis ringed in Devon (and colour-ringing of winter Blackcaps) Our first Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis to France Our first Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus to Iceland Orkney Greylag Geese Anser anser wintering in Norfolk Scottish Red Kite Milvus milvus in the Azores Norwegian Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo in London Mark Grantham, BTO Ringing Scheme British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 189-193 193 BTO Note Interactions between breeding Cheshire & Wirral The Black Swan Cygnus atratus, a non-native species originally from Australia and Tasmania, is widely held in waterfowl collec- tions throughout Europe. In 2008, a pair of Black Swans bred for the first time in Cheshire & Wirral, at Haydn Pool, Anderton Nature Park, where a pair of Mute Swans C. olor breeds regularly. On 3rd May, when the Black Swans had four small cygnets and the Mute Swans’ eggs were still being incu- bated, I observed the following interactions between the two species. Initially, and like a dramatic scene from Swan Lake , the male of each species swam alongside the other, wings raised in an aggressive display, sometimes cautiously cir- cling, all the while weighing up the opponent (plate 103). Every now and again, the Black Swan would attack the Mute Swan in a show of strength and bravado (plate 104), fearlessly launching himself at his (considerably) larger and bulkier opponent, while the male Mute would try to avoid the attack. After each flurry of activity, the two males would go back to their almost ritualised swimming. It appeared that the Black Swan was trying to keep the Mute Swan (and his mate) ‘cor- ralled’ in one corner of the pool, well away from his brood. The female Black Swan com- pletely ignored the antics of her mate; her time was spent guarding the four remaining young (five hatched). Occasionally the Mute Swan attempted to take flight to try to escape its aggressor. Since this inevitably resulted in the Mute Swan gaining access to the main body of the water, the Black Swan immedi- ately took off after him. The size difference between the two species was more obvious in flight, but what the Black Swan lacked in size, it certainly made up for in courage. The male Black Swan just never gave up and was satis- fied only when the male Mute was back in his ‘allocated corner’ of the pool. Occasionally the Black Swan uttered a far-carrying call, best described as a musical, bugle-like sound. During the time I was there (approximately seven hours over three visits), the male Black Black Swans and Mute Swans in Swan was always the aggressor. On 3rd fune, the Black Swans were down to two cygnets, while the pair of Mute Swans now had four cygnets. Otherwise, nothing much seemed to have changed. The male Black Swan was still aggressively keeping the Mute Swan family confined to one corner of the pool. The ‘ritualised’ swimming between the two males was seen frequently, but then, as I watched, the male Black Swan seemed to up the stakes. It began swimming after the Mute cygnets, which paddled like mad to escape. At one point, the Black Swan was between the parent Mutes and their off- spring. I was amazed that the Mutes, usually known for their aggression, especially when their young are threatened, allowed this to happen. The Black Swan then grabbed one of the Mute cygnets, at which the male Mute flew at it and the cygnet was dropped, seem- ingly unharmed. The Black Swan then flew at the Mute, which flew off with the Black in hot pursuit biting at the Mute’s retreating rear end (plate 105). By the end of June, the surviving Black Swan cygnets, and all four of the Mute Swans’ young, had disappeared from Haydn Pool, with the adult birds relocating to nearby Neumann’s Flash. I have heard one report that the male Mute Swan killed one of the Black Swan cygnets by drowning early on in the saga - this, if true, might account for the Black Swan’s aggressive behaviour, although it cannot be confirmed. Certainly, at no time did I witness the male Mute Swan initiating aggression towards the Black Swan and its family. Another observer reported seeing an adult Mute Swan walking three cygnets along Marbury Lane to Neumann’s Flash. What predated the remaining cygnets is not known, but none survived by the end of June. In 2009, the tables appeared to be turned with the male Mute Swan showing threat- ening behaviour towards the male Black Swan; the former even swam close to where the female Black Swan was sitting on her nest, without any retaliation from the male 194 © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 194-195 Note Black Swan. By 18th April, the Black Swans hatched four young (five eggs were laid). Curiously, this time the female Black Swan, with four cygnets, was found wandering close to the entrance to Witton Mill car park, on 27th April. All five were shep- herded onto Neumann’s Flash by human helpers but within a day all the cygnets had disappeared. As far as is known, the male Black Swan has only exhibited aggression to the Mutes, whereas the latter have, in previous years, been reported attempting to drown other species of waterfowl, including Gadwall Anas strepera. Sheila Blamire, Woodruff Cottage, Clamhunger Lane, Mere, Cheshire WA16 6QG Editorial comment This provides a modern update on the observation of Edmund Selous ‘who in early March about 1913 found a pair of Black Swans at Tring [Hertford- shire] repeatedly driving away a pair of Mute Swans. But a little later, when the Mutes began nesting, they got the upper hand and drove away the Blacks; in a later year they actually killed one of them. Sir Julian Huxley, who reports this incident, suggests that the relative dominance of the two species depends on the difference in season of ripening of the gonads (Fitter 1959). Fitter; R. S. R, 1 959. The Ark in our Midst. Collins, London. 103-105. Interactions between male Black Swan Cygnus atratus and male Mute Swan C. o/or, nesting on the same pool in Cheshire & Wirral, May 2008. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 194-195 195 Sheila Blamire Sheila Blamire Sheila Blamire Reviews Handbook of the BIRDS OF THE WORLD Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol. 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows Edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott and David A. Christie Lynx Edicions, 2009 Hbk, 893pp, 51 colour plates; many colour photographs and distribution maps ISBN: 978-84-96553-50-7 Subbuteo code M19934 £195.00 BB Bookshop price £175.00 The HBW team does it again, and although it might be unjust to say that the already exceptional standard is actually rising through time, the quality of the photographs certainly seems to be - maybe you just can’t go wrong when your subject species include, among others, birds- of-paradise ( Paradisaeidae) and bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae). Some 25 separate authors have contributed to Vol. 14, which covers 17 bird families, including the helmet-shrikes (Prionopidae), vangas (Vangidae), drongos (Dicruridae), wattlebirds (Callaeidae), mudlarks (Grallinidae), woodswal- lows (Artamidae), butcherbirds (Cracticidae), crows (Corvidae), oxpeckers (Buphagidae) and starlings (Sturnidae). This mighty work has 51 colour plates, 657 photographs and over 6,000 bib- liographical references. It would take a month to read, let alone digest, but, aesthetic delight apart, its true value must lie in being a research reference. Each family is treated separately with a generic familial account (naturally of varying length) cov- ering: systematics, morphology, habitat, habits, food and feeding, breeding, movements, relation- ship with man, status and conservation, plus a general bibliography. This is lavishly illustrated with colour photographs and precedes the indi- vidual species accounts, with their excellent ‘field guide’-style colour plates, each with anything from one to about 20 (uncramped) illustrations. By way of review, how about a closer look at one of the two monotypic families tackled here: Notiomystidae (Stitchbird Notiomystis cincta) and Pityriaseidae (Bristlehead Pityriasis gymno- cephala). The Bristlehead, a Bornean endemic, is covered in five pages, one being the ‘species account’, essentially a slimmed-down version of the overall family account. A shortfall in the infor- mation provided, on breeding and movements in particular, would seem to mean that these aspects remain poorly known (rather than simply unpub- lished) and that fieldworkers themselves have work still to do. Compare this with a diverse family, say bush-shrikes (Malaconotidae), with its 48 species. The family account extends to 36 pages and I specifically looked at the texts on food and feeding, and breeding. In both cases they were sur- prisingly readable accounts, though surely must have been daunting to contemplate, let alone write. The individual species accounts, in smaller print, cover aspects under several of the same sub- headings as the overall family account, and also include a bibliographical listing (thankfully already read and synthesised for you). A single volume, albeit a hefty one, pitting 42 species of birds-of-paradise alongside the 123 species of crows and later the 40 species of some- what plainer, but perhaps actually barely less varied and interesting, Old World sparrows (Passeridae) ought to be enough to make anyone devise the theory of evolution (or to refute it and maintain their stance on creation instead). Irrever- ently, systematics suggest that birds-of-paradise could be deemed not much more than anarchic, divergent, early crows in fancy dress. It is hard to review this volume in isolation when 13 have gone before, but Vol. 14 achieves its goal admirably. Arguably, the 30-page foreword, which by the series’ convention is an essay, this time on ‘Birding Past, Present and Future’ by Stephen Moss, seems out of place in a work of this sort; this and previous ones might serve better all published together. That aside, the artwork is excellent, the photographs often exceptional and the presentation easy to follow. Simon Aspinall SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 196 © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 196-199 Reviews Living on the Edge: wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel By Leo Zwarts, Rob G. Bijlsma, Jan van der Kamp and Eddy Wymenga KNNV Publishing, 2009 Hbk, 564pp, many colour photographs, drawings, maps and diagrams ISBN: 978-90-5011-280-2 Subbuteo code M20474 £65.00 BB Bookshop price £58.50 This is a large and informative book describing the ecology of the Sahel zone in Africa and the lives and fortunes of the Palearctic birds that winter there. It is written by four Dutchmen who have between them spent many years in various parts of the Sahel zone, exploring its habi- tats and birdlife under a range of rainfall-drought conditions. Consequently, the book is full of inter- esting information that is either new or otherwise difficult to find, synthesised into a coherent whole that will surely be of great value to those of us con- cerned over what happens to our summer visitors on their African wintering areas. The term ‘Sahel Zone’ refers to that huge belt of arid grassland and savannah, lying immediately to the south of the Sahara, where many of our summer visitors spend the northern winter, and which all other European-African migrants pass through when travelling to and from wintering areas further south in Africa. The first part of the book deals with the general ecology of the Sahel zone, its dependence on patterns of rainfall, and the ways in which people are modifying it (mostly adversely), and exploiting the wildlife. Specific chapters describe rainfall, rivers, vegetation and land use. The second part of the book describes each of the vast wetland-floodplain areas, which, in this generally arid region, are crucial to the lives of the birds that live there, including the Palearctic migrants. These wetland areas include the Inner Niger Delta, the Senegal Delta, the Hadejia-Nguru floodplains, the Lake Chad Basin, and the Sudd (which is still the least known of them all). For each of these wetland areas, the seasonal patterns of flood and drought are described, and attempts are made from the available counts to assess the total wetland bird populations in years of different rainfall and flood conditions. Another chapter describes the birds of rice fields, which in many areas are replacing the natural wetlands, but are still used by many migrants, notably Yellow Wag- tails Motacilla flava and Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa. The main impressions for me were the enormous numbers of birds which use these wetlands, their utter dependence on rainfall, and of course the increasingly disruptive impacts of humanity. It is sobering to read how much of these vast wetlands in the western Sahel have been changed in the last 50 years by construction of dams and reservoirs, irrigation and drainage systems, and similar large-scale ‘prestige’ projects which benefit some people at the expense of many others, and invariably have net negative impacts on wildlife. During this period, most of the large mammals of the floodplains in western Africa have gone, along with many of the ‘woodlands’, to be replaced by burgeoning numbers of domestic live- stock; while the human population itself has doubled in less than 30 years. The third and largest part of the book deals with the birds themselves. Twenty-seven species are each allocated a separate chapter, describing their distribution, ecology and response to rainfall patterns. These chapters also present all relevant ring-recoveries (from the Euring scheme) that mark the movements of birds between Europe and the Sahel. As expected, most species show more or less parallel migrations, with birds from the west of Europe wintering mainly in the west of the Sahel, and those from eastern Europe and Asia further east. This section of the book also includes chapters on ‘Birds, locusts and grasshoppers’ (by W. C. Mullie), on ‘Crossing the desert’, and on the impact of Sahel conditions on the migrant popula- tions, as seen in Europe. Of the 27 species discussed in detail, about half show clear indications that year-to-year changes in breeding numbers have been linked with year-to- year rainfall or floodplain extent in Sahel win- tering areas, while most of the rest have declined over a longer period through shrinking or deterio- rating habitat in European breeding areas. It is not only that more birds starve to death in dry Sahel years, but also that many more are killed by local people. This is because, with less floodland, birds are concentrated in fewer areas in dry years, and are therefore easier to reach. For example, in the The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 196-199 197 Reviews Inner Niger Delta, the proportion of wintering Ruffs Philomachus pugnax that were killed in this way in the last two decades varied from an esti- mated 10% in wet years to a staggering 60% in dry years. Females suffered more than males because they depart later on spring migration, and are therefore exposed to hunting over a longer period. As expected, the main impacts of human hunting are on larger bird species, such as herons, ducks and waders, but large numbers of passerines are also killed. For natural mortality, evidence is emerging for some species that major losses occur on the northward migration through the Sahara, and that these losses are greatest in the driest Sahel years, when it is most difficult for the birds to accumulate sufficient migratory fat. All in all, I believe that this well-produced book provides a step-change in our knowledge of Sahel migrants. It blends the huge and wide-ranging experience of the authors themselves with a vast amount of other information from disparate sources, much hitherto largely unavailable to the average European ornithologist. The book is also eminently readable, and the large numbers of well- chosen photographs of the landscapes, birds and local people do much to convey a feeling for the area to those of us largely unfamiliar with it. The geographical scope of the book is so huge, cov- ering almost the entire Sahel zone from west to east, that there is little danger of over-generalisa- tion from limited studies in specific areas. In con- clusion, the book provides a fascinating read for those who want to know more about European birds in the Sahel zone than they can find in Euro- pean bird journals. My copy sits on my bookshelf appropriately next to Reg Moreau’s (1972) classic book on The Palaearctic- African Bird Migration Systems. Ian Newton Finding Birds in Morocco: the deserts By Dave Gosney Easybirder, 2009 62-min DVD and 32-page booklet ISBN: 978-1907316-03-5/978-1907316-02-9 Subbuteo code V80084 BB Bookshop price £20.00 The booklet is essentially an update of the 1996 guide Finding Birds in Southern Morocco that I have used successfully on many occasions. The big difference between this and the earlier version is that it no longer covers High Atlas sites or the coastal sites for Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita. This is unfortunate, as birders frequently include these areas on an itinerary in southern Morocco. A few new sites have been added, however, including that for the Dupont’s Larks Chersophilus duponti on the Zeida plain. Much of the text is near-identical to the original guide, which is no bad thing since it worked perfectly well, but all the maps have been redrawn. The new guide is bang up to date on species and sites, much of it reliably verified by Dave Gosney himself. I was particularly impressed by the new information on Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius and Saharan Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida reiseri. By contrast, I was surprised by the paucity of information on seeing Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis undulata as this has once again become a possibility in the Mer- zouga area. Another minor criticism is that it seems to have been largely written on the basis of an April visit. Many birders visit Morocco during winter when Tristram’s Warblers Sylvia deserticola and Moussier’s Redstarts Phoenicurus moussieri can be found in the deserts. These species scarcely get a mention yet are high on the list of must-see species in the Moroccan deserts. Conversely, you would be hard-pressed to find other species during a winter trip, yet no mention is made of this. The DVD is likeably amateurish and I cannot fault Gosney’s enthusiasm. The quality of the images varies somewhat, ranging from surpris- ingly good to barely worth including. I particularly liked the chatty descriptions of calls, such as the swinging pub sign of Bar-tailed Desert Lark Ammomanes cinctura. I think that the main use of the DVD would be in gaining familiarity with songs and calls, but I am not convinced that it would help much in locating ‘the exact bushes for the scrub warblers’ as the introduction claims. But these are all relatively minor criticisms of what will be a very useful guide and DVD combi- nation. The guide is an essential purchase for would-be travellers, the DVD less so, but it would certainly help with the homework for first-time visitors. Tim Melting SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 198 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 196-199 Reviews Capturing the Moment By Raymond Sheppard Langford Press, 2009 Hbk, 176pp, many colour and other illustrations ISBN 978-1-904078-34-0 Subbuteo code M20483 £38.00 BB Bookshop price £34.00 This book is a revelation for the present reviewer. I had known of Sheppard’s work only from his little ‘Studio Publication’ How to Draw Birds, which I was given for my 13th birthday; later, I admired his wonderful pen-and-ink drawings in some of Jim Corbett’s books such as The Man- eaters of Kumaon. Now we have this beautiful and amazingly varied collection of work that had been kept by his family since his death in 1958. There is a brief biography, and text derived from the three ‘Studio Publications’ that he wrote and illustrated. Sheppard was born in 1913, in the heyday of the great illustrators such as Dulac, Nielsen and Rackham, and his tuition at art school seems to have reflected this tradition. He was obviously a greatly talented draughtsman, and the animal studies in this book - all done from life at the zoo - are quite outstanding. Most of these are quite as good as, and in many cases better than, anything in this style that leading animal painters of the calibre of Wolf, Smit or Kuhnert produced. More than half the book is devoted to the animal drawings and paintings, while birds account for only 19 pages. The remainder pays tribute not only to Sheppard’s huge talents as a professional illustrator of nature and children’s books, comics and a variety of maga- zines, but as a fine landscape and portrait painter. For a wildlife painter, much of this book is awesome, and it is a great addition to this pub- lisher’s growing library of wildlife art books. Martin Woodcock The Carrifran Wildwood Story Edited by Myrtle and Philip Ashmole Borders Forest Trust, 2009 Pbk, 224pp ISBN 978-0-9534346-4-0 Subbuteo code M20557 £15.00 BB Bookshop price £13.50 A key problem for conservationists in the past century has been the extensive loss of natural habi- tats, together with their associated wildlife. The RSPB and others have done much to help to restore the UK’s wetlands and native predators in recent years, and the entomologists and others have worked hard to restore other habitats and animals. One particularly notable effort is by a group associated with the Borders Forest Trust to recreate natural woodland in Scotland. They began raising saplings and funds while seeking a suitable site, found a bare valley in the Southern Uplands north of Moffit, fenced it and expelled domestic stock, feral goats and deer, and now have growing woodlands where warblers are beginning to replace chats. They are attempting to restore the natural upper tree-line, largely lost in Scotland, which holds interesting birds like Bluethroats Lus- cinia svecica and Lapland Buntings Calcarius lap- ponicus in Scandinavia. While this project is now under way, it is interesting to see larger ones pos- sibly involving more ambitious introductions beginning to develop further north. For an illuminating review of conservation pri- orities on the other side of the world, where the indiscriminate introduction of European and other exotic plants and animals has had cata- strophic results for the native wildlife of New Zealand, a recent report deserves careful study. The State of New Zealand’s Birds 2008 : conservation of the birds of the mainland is available online at www.osnz.org.nz/Media/2008_state_of_NZ_birds. pdf W. R. P. Bourne su BB1 ’El G | The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports M-T British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 196-199 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Barrage of opposition on the Severn As the UK Government continues its active con- sideration of ‘green energy’ tidal barrages on the Severn Estuary (and the Solway Firth), the RSPB has unearthed evidence of heightened flood risk from such schemes. An official Dutch report - obtained by the RSPB - highlights the flood risk as well as the devastating impacts for wildlife, fishing, tourism and shipping from the construction of a storm-surge barrier across the Oosterschelde estuary in the 1980s. The Oosterschelde is very similar to the Severn Estuary, where a barrage could have similar conse- quences. The RSPB has learnt that officials at the Department for Energy and Climate Change knew about the Dutch report in 2008, but have still not published their own report into the effects of a barrage on the tides and sediments of the Severn Estuary. The Dutch report found that: increased erosion has led to the loss of mudflats along the estuary, leading to higher waves and water levels - huge sums will have to be spent on strengthening coastal defences to protect lives and property; by 2050, the tidal flats of the Oosterschelde will have more than halved, falling from 11,000 ha in 1986 to a predicted 5,000 ha in 2045 (and 1,500 ha by 2100); saltmarshes will disappear from all but the most sheltered locations by 2050; less intertidal habitat will mean fewer shellfish and birds - Oys- tercatchers Haematopus ostralegus will have declined by 80% by 2045 and other species will be ‘awaiting the same fate’; shipping channels will become shallower and harder to navigate; shell- fisheries will be hit because of loss of habitat for the cockles and mussels; and tourism will be hit by the loss of wildlife interest. Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conser- vation, said: ‘This report makes grim reading. It’s the closest we can get to proof that a barrage across the Severn will devastate the estuary. Although smaller, the Oosterschelde is very similar to the Severn Estuary in many ways and it is being damaged beyond repair, something our Govern- ment appears to have known since 2008. The Dutch built their barrier to prevent deadly storms from claiming lives. Ironically, it has now led to an increased risk of flooding behind the barrier, but it could be argued that they had little choice at the time. ‘On the Severn, we do have a choice. A barrage would not be built to stop storm surges but to harness the tides and generate electricity. There are other, far less environmentally damaging ways to do that, yet Government studies to date have been fixated on barrages. We know that the Govern- ment has produced its own report on how a barrage would affect the tides and sediments of the Severn. The big questions now are what does that report say and why can’t we see it?’ 210,000 demand end to raptor persecution The RSPB has collected its largest-ever petition with 210,000 signatories demanding an end to the killing of birds of prey. The petition was presented to Wildlife Minister Eluw Irranca-Davies by the RSPB’s Dr Mark Avery in front of a giant mosaic of a Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus , held aloft by supporters of the campaign. Dr Avery said: ‘We have been impressed and inspired by the huge response to this campaign. Like us, [people] are rightly appalled that birds of prey continue to be killed in our countryside.’ Most birds of prey are recovering in numbers since the days when they all but vanished because of persecution and poisoning from pesticides such as DDT. Yet illegal activity remains a very real threat in some parts of the UK. In 2008, the RSPB received more than 200 reports of birds of prey being shot, poisoned and trapped. The Society has been calling for a review of the way crimes against wildlife are dealt with by the police and courts in England and Wales. A similar review has already been carried out in Scotland. Eluw Irranca-Davies said: ‘I’m delighted to support this RSPB campaign and it’s great to see that hundreds of thousands of people want to see these marvellous birds protected and have signed this petition.’ (A total of 210,567 people signed the petition against ongoing raptor persecution and so did 30 organisations, including the Moorland , Association, the National Gamekeepers’ Associa- tion and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.) 200 © British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 200-202 News and comment World Cup gamblers threaten African vultures A hitherto overlooked threat to vulture popula- tions in Africa has emerged in the run-up to the biggest-ever sporting event on the continent. Apparently, gamblers are using vulture brains as a traditional medicine to help them predict match results. When smoked and inhaled, the brain of a vulture is said to confer the gift of premonition. Such is the demand for vulture brains to use in muti - traditional medicine - that it is feared that some vultures could ultimately be driven to extinction; and that hunting could intensify as gamblers seek an advantage when betting on the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa. Vultures’ acute vision and ability to find prey has kindled a belief that they possess clairvoyant powers. Their brains are dried and rolled into a cigarette or inhaled as vapours in the hope that they will bring a vision of the future - including lottery numbers and sports results. Andre Botha, manager of the Birds of Prey Working Group at the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa (www.ewt.org.za), said: ‘People believe it’s fore- sight and this finds fertile ground in people’s imagination. If it worked for the lottery, everyone would use it and we’d have a lot of millionaires walking around today.’ A study in 2007 found that 160 vultures a year are sold for muti in eastern South Africa, with the total across the region thought to be much higher. About 1,000 are killed every year in Tanzania alone. The birds are shot, trapped or poisoned by hunters. Brains and other body parts are then sold at street markets or shops in Johannesburg and other cities. Botha said that there was particular demand for the Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus in Eastern Cape province. Traditional healers prefer that the bird be captured alive as the head needs to be removed while it is still living so that ‘the brain does not flow down into the spinal cord’ and the muti loses its potency. Lammergeier poisoner jailed in Spain And Lammergeiers have been under attack in southern Spain too. The reintroduction scheme in Andalucia suffered a setback in 2008 when one bird was killed by poisoned bait and another was shot. The poisoned bird had been released in the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park (Spain’s largest pro- tected area, covering 210,000 ha) in May 2008 after being bred in captivity in northern Spain. It was found dead in November that year on the same farm where another Lammergeier had been found shot dead the previous April. The farmer who laid the bait - and shot the first bird — has now received an 18- month prison sentence. This is the heaviest sentence ever handed down in Andalucia for wildlife per- secution. The use of poisoned bait (prohibited by Spanish law) has resulted in the deaths of an esti- mated 20,000 animals in Spain since 1995. Most tragic was the recent poisoning of a male Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus, found near a chicken coop on another farm in the same province where the Lammergeiers were killed. The Iberian Lynx is Critically Endangered, with a wild population of perhaps only 150 individuals. 1 06. Lammergeier Gyps barbatus, Spain, October 2008. British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 200-202 201 Mike Lane www.nature-photography.co.uk News and comment Birdfair raises £750,000 to prevent extinctions In its third and final year as Global Sponsor of the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions programme, the British Birdwatching Fair (www.birdfair.org.uk) raised £263,000. The proceeds from the 2009 Bird- fair take the total raised over the three years 2007-09 to £754,000. Birdfair organisers Martin Davies and Tim Appleton presented a cheque for the 2009 total to BirdLife at a ceremony at the RSPB HQ, The Lodge, on 9th February. ‘The Birdfair’s amazing contribution over the last three years has enabled BirdLife to establish a global network of Species Guardians, delivering targeted conservation action to the species most in need of it,’ said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife’s Director of Science, Policy and Information. Preventing Extinctions is a targeted research/ conservation programme aimed at saving the world’s Critically Endangered species: 38 of the world’s rarest birds are already benefiting from Birdfair funding and this number will increase to 65 with the 2009 Birdfair proceeds. Martin Davies said, ‘Birdfair has been proud to be Global Sponsor of the Preventing Extinctions programme and we are excited to see positive results already. Birdfair funds are already improving the fortunes and prospects for species as diverse as the Djibouti Francolin Francolinus ochropectus and Taita Thrush Turdus helleri in Africa, White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni and Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernsteini in Asia and the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus and Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina in Europe.’ In its 21 -year history, Birdfair has raised nearly £2. 5m for bird conservation. The project for Bird- fair 2010 (20th-22nd August at Rutland Water) will be announced shortly. Bob Scott Appeal It’s now a year since BB director Bob Scott lost his battle with cancer. Now his widow, Ann, has launched the Bob Scott Appeal to raise funds for the conservation of trans-Saharan migrants in West Africa, where many of the UK’s summer migrants spend the winter. The money will be tar- geted at the ongoing research project in Ghana and Burkina Faso managed by BirdLife, RSPB and the BTO. The initial target is £25,000 and an online natural history quiz will be launched on the anniversary of Bob’s death (26th March), which can be downloaded in return for an appeal dona- tion. But you don’t have to wait until then. Dona- tions are already being collected online at www.justgiving.com/bob-scott-appeal Curlew photos wanted As part of the Slender-billed Curlew Working Group’s ongoing search for the last surviving Slender-billed Curlews Numenius tenuirostris, investigation is currently being made into the identification of several forms of curlew in the Palearctic and adjacent regions. The group is seeking photos of Slender-billed Curlew, Eurasian Curlew N. arquata of the races arquata and orien- talis , and Whimbrel N. phaeopus of the races alboaxillaris, variegatus, hudsonicus and phaeopus. Photos from eastern Europe/western Asia are par- ticularly sought, and all photos should be sent to rossahmed@gmail.com Climate Change and Birds This is the theme of the BOU’s Annual Conference in 2010, which will be held at the University of Leicester on 6th-8th April 2010. Full details are available on the BOU website www.bou.org.uk BB Bird Photograph of the Year, sponsored by Warehouse Express A reminder that the 34th BB Bird Photograph of the Year competition is still open for entries. The competition is FREE to enter and up to three images of Western Palearctic birds taken during 2009 may be submitted. The first prize is a cash prize of £1,000, and the closing date for entries is 24th April. For full details of the rules and how to submit entries, visit www.britishbirds.co.uk/bpy.htm on photography express ■■ — OBB— — Bgy 202 British Birds 103 • March 2010 • 200-202 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early January to early February 2010. Headlines During a quiet period, it was the long-stayers that continued to please most, particularly the Black Kite in Radnorshire, and the Black-throated Thrush in Yorkshire, plus a widespread scatter of American ducks. Ireland’s first Pacific Diver was arguably the bird of the month, however. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Exe estuary/Topsham/Powderham areas (Devon), long-stayer to 4th February; Wallasea Island, 23rd-25th January, presumably same Wak- ering Stairs (both Essex), 7th February. American Wigeon Anas americana Long- stayers in Co. Cork and Dumfries & Gal- loway, plus new birds at Milton of Culloden (Highland), 27th January; Cockersand, 29th January, same Glasson (both Lancashire & N Merseyside), 7th-8th February. Black Duck Anas rubripes Long-stayers in Co. Mayo and on Scilly. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Long- stayer in Co. Dublin. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Long-stayers in Co. Armagh, Norfolk and Somerset, plus: Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire), 30th January; Chew Valley Lake (Avon), 4th-5th February. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-stayers in East Glamorgan and Co. Westmeath, plus new birds at The Geragh, 10th January; Dozmary Pool (Cornwall), 25th January to 9th February; Strathclyde Loch (Clyde), 7th February. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Burghead (Moray & Nairn), long-stayer to 9th February. Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus Long-stayer in Cleveland to 7th February. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica Oranmore (Co. Galway), 30th January. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Sennen, up to two, 13th January to 8th February and at Tresil- lian/Tresemple Pool (all Cornwall), up to three 24th January to 9th February; Llan- farian (Ceredigion), 16th January; Chideock (Dorset), 1 8th— 2 1 st January; Killorglin (Co. Kerry), 22nd January; Powderham, 24th and 29th January. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Glamorgan, Hampshire (at least two), Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire & N Merseyside, Lincolnshire, Moray & Nairn, Northamptonshire (two), North-east Scot- land, Somerset, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Long-stayers in Somerset (three or four) and Co. Wexford. Black Kite Milvus migrans Rhayader (Radnor- shire), long-stayer to 9th February. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Sennen/ 1 07. Lesser Canada Goose Branta hutchinsii , with Barnacle Geese B. leucopsis , Islay, Argyll, January 20 1 0. © British Birds 1 03 • March 2010 * 203-204 203 Stef McElwee Stef McElwee lain Leach Recent reports Madron/Nanjizal (Cornwall), 1 Oth— 1 5th and 25th January at least. Gyr Falcon Falco rusti- colus Raughly Point (Co. Sligo), long-stayer again 17th January; Islay (Argyll), 16th January to 1st February. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Barns Ness (Lothian), long-stayer to 11th January. Long- billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Connah’s Quay (Flintshire), 12th January. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Topsham (Devon), long-stayer to 3rd February. American Herring Gull Larus smithsoni- anus Long-stayer in Co. Galway to 18th January. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia In Co. Cork, one at Cobh to 17th January and one at Baltimore 1 st— 4 1 h February; Lligwy Bay (Angle- sey), 14th-30th January; South Gare (Cleveland), 29th January. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long- stayer in Co. Galway to 3rd February. Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Dungeness (Kent), presumed long-stayer, 1 1 th— 26th January; Grove Ferry (Kent), 25th January and 9th February. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Forest Hill (Oxfordshire), long- stayer again 2 1 st — 2 5th January; Kendal (Cumbria), 31st January to 10th February. Black- throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis Newholm (York- shire), 10th January to 8th February (see plate 101); Potteric Carr (Yorkshire), 11th January. Euro- pean Serin Serinus serious Rainham Marshes (Greater London/Essex), two long-stayers to 31st January. 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BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you are warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Male Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus, Cairngorms, May 2006. Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) THE NEW EL 42 THE NEW DIMENSION FOR OBSERVATION SWAROVISION > SWAROVISION technology > New focusing mechanism > Unique EL wrap-around grip SWAROVSKI OPTIK part exchange welcome london camera exchange 15 The Square, Winchester 01962866203 winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk 12008 WINNER reddot design a winner 2009 Observing and capturing unique moments down to the smallest detail. Capture the moment The new Victory PhotoScope 85 T* FL is the world's first spotting with a zoom lens and a fully integrated digital camera that simultaneous observation and photography. Thanks to its pi observation optics, it is possible to gain unique visual experiem can easily be recorded at the touch of a button. The excellent view guarantees a cinematic visual experience. Further information on www.zeiss.de/photoscope Observing and Photograph ZEI THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM British Birds Volume 1 03 • Number 4 • April 20 1 0 - 7 APR 2010 PRESENTED TRIN'3 LIBRARY 206 Great Blue Heron on Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher 2 1 3 Using stable isotopes to investigate the provenance of an Eagle Owl found in Norfolk Andrew Kelly, Kevin Leighton and Jason Newton 223 The breeding population of Northern Wheatears at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009 Dave Fulton 229 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain Innes Sim, Chris Rollie, David Arthur, Stuart Benn, Helen Booker, Vic Fairbrother, Mick Green, Ken Hutchinson, Sonja Ludwig, Mike Nicoll, Ian Poxton, Graham Rebecca, Leo Smith, Andrew Stanbury and Pete Wilson Regular features 240 Letters Eskimo Curlews Andy Stoddart Eagle Owls in Britain Norman Elkins The malar stripe Lars Svensson and Keith E. Vinicombe 243 Notes Red Kites playing catch? David Ferguson Apparent nesting association of Northern Goshawks and Firecrests Geoff Mawson Common Kestrel attempting to predate Hobby chicks at the nest Dean Nicholson Common Ravens and Grey Herons Peter Davis Spotted Flycatcher nest reconstructed for second clutch A. P. Radford Monitoring Hawfinches - another option /. M. S. Lewis Hazards of man-made material to nesting Hawfinches N. J. Westwood and M. Watson 248 Reviews Collins Bird Guide 2nd edition Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names The Status of Birds in Nottinghamshire Up River: the song of the Esk Wild Skeins and Winter Skies Wildlife Photography Masterclass The Sounds of Raptors and Falcons Peregrine Falcon Populations 253 News and comment Adrian Pitches 257 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Ren Hathway Great Blue Heron on Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher Abstract A first-winter Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias was found at Lower Moors, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, on 7th December 2007, during a period of sustained westerly winds that extended across the North Atlantic. Its arrival coincided with a deep depression, which moved along the eastern seaboard of the USA bringing snowfall and freezing temperatures, conditions likely to initiate cold- ' weather movements in North America. The age, timing and circumstances of its discovery all point to this being a wild bird that arrived without the benefit of ship assistance, and it has been accepted into Category A of the British List. 206 © British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 206-2 1 2 Great Blue Heron on Scilly The weather charts on 7th December 2007 showed that, for the second con- secutive day, tightly packed isobars were spanning the entire width of the Atlantic, and a quick scan of additional data on my computer monitor revealed that the continuous flow of gale-force southwesterlies had reached speeds gusting up to 110 kph! Surely there had to be a storm-driven Nearctic vagrant somewhere in Scilly? I kept telling myself this as I spent the morning at work, daydreaming about all manner of pos- sibilities. Since it was December, options of what could realistically be expected to turn up in these conditions were fairly limited, although this belief is actually a direct con- tradiction of one of my ingrained Scilly edicts - expect the unexpected. I thought that Laughing Gull Larus atricilla would do very nicely indeed, especially as I had missed out on finding one during the 2005 influx. With this in mind, I set out for Porthloo beach to check the gulls which feed over the wind- driven, hide-tide surf, but when 1 got there the wind was just too strong and the tide too high. Within minutes, my bins were covered in sea spray and my eyes full of sand! I needed calmer conditions and decided that the shelter provided by Lower Moors might be a more productive option - at least there was a chance of a lingering Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata still being there. It was about 2.00 pm by the time I reached the Hilda Quick hide but the light there was awful, bright sunlight was streaming in through the window and reflecting off the water. Scanning through my salt-coated bins, I noticed a ‘grey heron’ almost entirely obscured behind a patch of Juncus farther back. Through the haze I could just about make out its left shoulder and noted that the carpal/mar- ginal coverts appeared to be chestnut! I blinked and looked again. Yes they were definitely chestnut! My thoughts turned immediately to the possi- bility of Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias, a species 1 had seen previously in North America and had routinely checked for since moving to Scilly some eight years earlier. Being familiar with Grey Herons A. cinerea at this site, I was also struck by this bird’s slightly odd behaviour; it was just hunched up and standing motionless behind the vege- tation, in an area I knew to be surrounded by deep water and rarely frequented by Grey Herons, even at low water. The hairs on my nape stood up and I got a massive jolt of adrenalin! My excitement was tempered by an equal measure of incredulity. I rang Bob Flood, giving him an excited account of the features I had seen - he knew exactly what I was thinking and set off in my direction from Porth Hellick. The bird remained motionless for what seemed like an eternity before it suddenly moved across a small opening and vanished into an adjacent patch of Phragmites. Although views were brief and the bird still largely silhouetted, I instinctively checked for the rufous thigh feathering; but the light was just not good enough and I was able to see only that the thighs were dark - not white as on some Grey Herons - and that the feath- ering appeared noticeably longer. The bird’s I I 0. First-winter Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias , Lower Moors, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, December 2007. British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 206-2 1 2 207 Will Wagstaff Fisher size and structure were, however, markedly different from what I would have expected of a Grey Heron. Even without direct compar- ison, it was noticeably larger than a Grey Heron, with a proportionately longer neck and longer legs. Incredulity aside, by now I was becoming convinced that it must be a Great Blue Heron; it just had to be! I gave Bob a quick update and then sprinted round to the ISBG hide. The patch of Phragmites into which it had disappeared was only about 6 m from the ISBG hide, so I opened the slat just a crack for fear of flushing it. From this side of the pool the light conditions were perfect. Slowly, the heron’s head and neck appeared. Although it was still partly hidden in the Phragmites , this was not like any Grey Heron I had seen before! Through the partially open slat, I could make out only the head and neck. The bill was large and two-toned, blackish on the upper mandible and yellow on the lower becoming slightly more orange distally. Side-on, the culmen appeared almost straight. The lower mandible ran parallel to the culmen for about two-thirds of its length before noticeably curving upwards towards the tip, forming a prominent gonydeal angle. The neck sides were subtly mottled dull grey and there was a faint rufous tint increasing in strength towards the fore-neck. It also showed rusty and grey-striped ‘epaulettes’ at the bend of the wing. Abruptly, the heron walked into full view and point-blank range, just 6 m away. I nearly had a coronary! It was absolutely stunning! I checked the thighs and they were a beautiful chestnut/ rufous colour, as were the marginal coverts and the tips to the lesser and median coverts. It also had some distinctly blue-tinged feathers on the otherwise dull grey mantle. It was an absolute classic juvenile Great Blue Heron! I triple- checked all the relevant identification fea- tures I could recall and all were consistent with my initial identification. At that point, I was acutely aware that, if it flew off, not only would I be the only observer to have seen it, but the only record, apart from my field notes, would be a few (initially rather poor) ‘digibinned’ images. Moments later and to my great relief, Bob entered the hide and was the recipient of some rather colourful language, interspersed with ‘it is, it is, it is!’ Shortly afterwards, Will Wagstaff arrived and the news went out nationally, while I rang all the local birders, who, one by one, arrived in the hide with shocked looks on their faces. For the first half-hour or so, it was almost comical as we sat there viewing the heron through the narrow gap in the slats. As we gained confidence that it would not flush, we carefully opened them more fully. The bird seemed a little nervous, however, and moved out towards the island on the scrape. Now we all enjoyed excellent views and many superb photographs were taken by Will and Martin Goody. After about 30 minutes, unprompted, it flew off towards Shooter’s Pool. Apart from its obvious large size, the most notable feature was its long legs and feet, clearly pro- jecting farther beyond the tail than in Grey Heron and strongly reminiscent of Purple Heron A. purpurea. After a while it flew again, this time in the company of two Grey Herons. The difference in size and structure was marked; the Great Blue was clearly larger, broader-winged, had distinctly longer legs and showed a more prominent neck bulge. It then returned to Lower Moors, where it remained until dusk. Overnight, weather conditions worsened and gale-force winds were accompanied by torrential rain. Despite this being weather that no bird would voluntarily depart in, there was no sign of the heron the following morning. Around 70 or more twitchers arrived in Scilly the next day, but an extensive search of likely sites, including Lower Moors, Porth Hellick Pool and the entire coastline of St Mary’s, failed to relocate the bird. The search continued over the following days and extended to suitable sites on Tresco, but the Great Blue Heron was not seen again. Detailed description General appearance Although the plumage was superficially similar to Grey Heron, the most striking dif- ferences were the chestnut/rufous thighs, fringes to the carpal and marginal coverts, and tips to the lesser and median coverts. Structurally, it differed from Grey Heron, even without the benefit of direct compar- ison, appearing larger and (proportionately) longer-necked with a larger head and heavier 208 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 206-2 1 2 Great Blue Heron on Scilly bill. The legs were also markedly longer and projected well beyond the tail in flight, strongly reminiscent of Purple Heron. Indeed, the bird spent much of the first half hour of observation wading in the deepest area of the pool (an area not frequented by Grey Herons), occasionally with its ‘rear end’ (primaries, tertials and tail) partially sub- merged. Direct comparison in flight with Grey Heron confirmed many of the above size and structural differences, with the bird appearing clearly larger and broader-winged than that species, and with a more prominent ‘neck bulge’. Head Forehead and crown, including sides of crown, largely blackish-grey, forming a cap; at times this appeared plain blackish, although the forehead was perhaps a shade paler and not as solidly dark, with an ill- defined, pale greyish-white wedge in front of the eye. Some feathers of the forehead and crown were often held erect, forming a ragged crest. The head plumes were blackish- grey and relatively short, tapering to a mod- erate point along the nape. The ear-coverts were contrastingly greyish but not solidly so, i.e. ‘hollow centred’, bordered below by a dis- tinct dark gape line. The lores showed a narrow, diamond-shaped area of pale, yel- lowish-green skin, framed above and below by dark grey feathering. The chin, throat and the rear part of the ear-coverts were white. Neck The neck appeared proportionately long and noticeably longer than that of Grey Heron. Indeed, the ‘neck bulge’ was comparatively more prominent in flight. On a cursory glance it appeared brownish-grey on the sides, but on closer inspection was neatly mottled dull grey with a subtle rusty tint, increasing in strength towards the fore-neck, which was otherwise whitish, narrowly streaked grey. ‘Epaulettes’ streaked rufous, grey and off-white. Upperparts Mantle, scapulars, back, rump and uppertail- coverts dull grey. Several distinctly bluish- tinged feathers noted in the mantle, these presumably being newly replaced first-winter feathers. Tail short, dull grey. Underparts Breast and belly off-white, streaked grey. III. First-winter Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias, Lower Moors, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, December 2007. British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 206-2 1 2 209 Will Wagstaff Fisher Flanks dark grey, appearing noticeably darker than on Grey Heron. Thigh feathering at the top of the tibia uniformly rufous, but appeared to be narrowly streaked whitish when viewed at close range through a tele- scope, and this area of feathering seemed to be more extensive along the tibia than on Grey Heron. Vent and undertail-coverts dull white. Upperwing Marginal and carpal coverts conspicuously chestnut, the latter with some white. Lesser coverts dull grey, the lower row clearly tipped rufous. Median coverts similar but with broader, rufous, drop-shaped tips and whitish terminal spots. Greater coverts broadly similar, though at times appeared paler, and had very narrow greyish-white fringes, broadening slightly at the tips, with a diffuse rufous tinge subterminally. Tertials dull grey, narrowly fringed paler greyish- white, and noticeably worn at the tips. Primaries and secondaries blackish-grey. Underwing Seen very well on numerous occasions as the wings were often raised and flapped when it was adjusting its balance to counteract the frequent gusts of wind. Lesser and median underwing-coverts blackish-grey, although some rufous was noted on the lesser primary coverts in photographs, but not noted in the field, contrasting noticeably with paler greater underwing-coverts. Bare parts The bill looked larger, heavier and less evenly tapered than in Grey Heron. Side-on, the culmen appeared almost straight, with the lower mandible running parallel to this for about two-thirds of its length before notice- ably curving upwards towards the tip, forming a prominent gonydeal angle. The upper mandible was almost entirely black, except for a dull, dirty orange cutting edge. The lower mandible was pale greenish-yellow becoming distinctly more orange distally. Iris yellow. Legs two-toned; dull greenish-yellow with a diffuse, dirty blackish-brown wash on the outside of the knee and tarsus. They looked noticeably longer than the legs of Grey Heron, even without direct comparison and, consequently, the bird tended to fre- quent the deeper areas of the scrape not used by Grey Herons - indeed, water levels were particularly high at Lower Moors on 7th December. Weather At the time of the heron’s discovery, strong winds were coming straight across the North Atlantic, caused by a deep depression that moved northeast along the eastern seaboard of the USA on 3rd and 4th December, bringing with it a very cold air mass to its rear. This strong northwesterly airflow brought wide- spread precipitation, mostly as snow, and sub- zero temperatures to the northeastern states of the USA and eastern Canada - a classic weather pattern likely to initiate cold-weather movements in North America. A likely scenario would have seen the Great Blue Heron moving ahead of this cold air mass on 4th December, which would have brought it into the strong westerly airflow over the western Atlantic. Here it would have involuntarily overtaken the cold fronts and then moved into a much warmer airstream with very strong (and still strengthening) WSW winds that would then have led to a rapid flight across the North Atlantic, arriving on Scilly on 6th. In this warm sector, surface wind speeds to the southwest of Britain & Ireland were being reported as 60-65 kph, with sustained winds reaching 100 kph at an altitude of 1,000 m. In these winds, it is likely that the Great Blue Heron made an unassisted crossing of the North Atlantic in just under the two days, covering a distance of approximately 5,000 km in this period, which would be entirely possible if it was travelling at an average sus- tained speed of c. 100 kph. Great Blue Heron in the Western Palearctic Although this was the first Great Blue Heron to reach Britain, its arrival here had been widely predicted. In fact, there have been two previous records of the species reaching British waters, but both individuals were fed aboard a ship, which excludes them from the British List. One of these arrived on board a ship that docked in Avonmouth in November 1968. After being taken into care, it was treated at the Rode Tropical Bird Park 210 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 206-212 Great Blue Heron on Scilly in Frome, Somerset, where it was placed in an open aviary from which it departed when it had recovered, never to be seen again (King 1978). The second bird died at sea within 250 km of the Isles of Scilly in May 1982, well within the BOU recording limit, but unfortunately after eating fish provided by the crew (Casement 1995). It seems perhaps surprising that such a large and conspicuous species had not been discovered in Britain earlier, particularly when viewed in the context of 40 American Bitterns Botaurus lentiginosus (albeit only eight since 1950), six Green-backed Herons Butorides virescens and one Snowy Egret Egretta thula which have made the crossing. Perhaps Great Blue Heron is less able to survive the transatlantic crossing than its smaller congeners? Although there is no means of establishing whether this is the case, exhausted Great Blue Herons appear to make temporary use of ships in mid Atlantic when the opportunity arises (e.g. King & Curber 1972, Casement 1995, Herroelen 1995). One of the birds that made landfall in the Azores in April 1984, and subsequently died, had anti-rust paint on its back, while three others that succumbed had grease on their feet (Le Grand 1986). So there is little doubt that ship-assisted Great Blue Herons do reach this side of the Atlantic. Although ship-assisted vagrancy is a com- plication when considering records of this species, there have now been records from France, the Canary Islands and several from the Azores, which suggest that unassisted vagrants do reach the Western Palearctic. In the case of the St Mary’s bird, there was no evidence to suggest that it could have been held captive on a ship or fed during a voyage; if fact, the prevailing weather conditions sup- ported a rapid transatlantic crossing. Azores A minimum of 24 Great Blue Herons have reached the Azores since the first in 1984. Of these, the records from late March (1) and April (9), and October-November (11) coin- cide with peak passage periods in spring and autumn in North America. Within these periods, there were two notable influxes, accounting for no fewer than 15 individuals, with eight arriving in April 1984 (Le Grand 1986), and seven in October-November 2006 (http://azores.seawatching.net/index.php? page=greatblue). There have also been single records in June (1984), July (2008) and Sep- tember (2005) (http://azores.seawatching.net/ index.php?page = rarebirddata&id = 309# NotFirst). ' o.'T // i # t' , f-tij iPV'r- * I'jljjl 1 1," m f' m yflfrlr — • ['%•' ' 1 1 Ml I 1 2. First-winter Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias, Lower Moors, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, December 2007. 21 I British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 206-2 1 2 Will Wagstaff Fisher Canary Islands One was found on Tenerife on 5th December 1998 (Clarke 1999). France The first for Europe was an adult on lie d’Ouessant, Finistere, in April 1996 (Dubois etal. 1997). Range Great Blue Heron is a widespread breeding bird in North America, with its northern limit extending into southeast Alaska. Across Canada it breeds from northern British Columbia, east through the central Canadian provinces to southern Ontario, southern Quebec and the Canadian maritime provinces including Nova Scotia. It breeds widely throughout the USA south to Florida, Texas and southern California, and south through Mexico and Central America to Belize and Guatemala. Resident populations also occur in Cuba and Jamaica, and it has recently bred in Bermuda where migrants occur regularly. Northern birds are migratory, with dis- persing birds reaching Newfoundland, Canada, and Greenland. It winters to the south of the breeding range, mostly to the south of Canada and mid-west United States, with some birds reaching the islands of the Caribbean, and coastal northern South America to Colombia. The nominate form, herodias, breeds throughout much of North America with the exception of western North America, where the race fannini occurs, which is darker and shorter-billed than herodias. In southern Florida the entirely white form occidentalis is largely resident. Although this was formerly thought to be a separate species, hybrids with nominate herodias are known from the Florida Keys, where they are known as ‘Wurdemann’s Heron’. An isolated race, cognata, breeds on the Galapagos Islands. Acknowledgments Norman Elkins kindly provided a summary of the weather leading up to 7th December 2007. References British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 2009. Records Committee: 37th Report. Ibis 151: 224-230. Casement, M. 1 995. Great Blue Herons in the North Atlantic. Binding World 8: 424-425. Clarke, T 1 999. The Great Blue Heron on Tenerife. Birding World 12: 158-161. Dubois, R J„ & le CHN. 1 997. Les oiseaux rares en France en 1 996. Rapport du Comite d'Homologation National. Ornlthos 4 (4): 141-164. Gantlett, S. 1 998. Identification of Great Blue Heron. Birding World I I: 12-20. Herroelen, R 1 995. A Great Blue Heron in the North Atlantic. Birding World 8: 356. King, B. 1978. Great Blue and aberrant Grey Herons. Brit Birds 7 1 : 420. — & Curben R. M. 1 972. Great Blue Herons coming on board ships in mid Atlantic. Brit. Birds 65: 442. Le Grand. G. 1 986. Great Blue Herons on Azores in April and June 1 984. Dutch Birding 8: 55-57. E. Ashley Fisher, Trehill, Silvester’s Lane, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NA Editorial comment Adam Rowlands, Chairman of BBRC, commented: ‘The identification of Great Blue Heron in a vagrant context has been well covered (e.g. Gantlett 1998). The occurrence of this species in the UK has long been anticipated, but it is still a considerable credit to the bird’s finder that he had an active search-image for this species and was able to confirm the identification and spread the news very quickly. Despite the heron being a one-day occurrence, the finder also submitted excel- lent documentation in support of the claim, which made the assessment of the identification straightforward for BBRC.’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of BOURC, commented: ‘This was one of the more straightforward assessments for a potential addition to Category A in the last few years, not least due to the very high standard of the submission documentation, including good-quality images. Identification of a juvenile Great Blue Heron was easily established. There was no evidence to suggest that the bird had benefited from assisted passage or any evidence of possible escape risk in Europe. Equally, the age of the bird, the date, weather and locality were convincing for genuine vagrancy. Without - biometrics, a definitive statement on racial identity was impossible, though the Committee recognised that nominate herodias is the most likely on the basis of distribution and migratory behaviour. Following a speedy electronic circulation of the record, Great Blue Heron was unani- mously accepted to Category A (BOU 2009).’ 212 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 206-212 Using stable isotopes to investigate the provenance of an Eagle Owl found in Norfolk Andrew Kelly, Kevin Leighton and Jason Newton Abstract The stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen were analysed in two generations of feather growth in a second- or third-calendar-year female Eagle Owl Bubo bubo found in Norfolk in November 2006. We found that the juvenile primaries and secondaries had a consistently low 52H signature, while second-generation remiges, and body feathers, revealed higher values. The pattern in 82H between the two generations of feathers from the Norfolk bird corresponds with the known moult patterns of Eagle Owls and suggests that the two generations of feathers were grown in different geographical regions. Although there are a number of alternative explanations for the findings, it seems most likely that the owl was reared somewhere with low local 82H precipitation values. An origin in Scandinavia, north-continental Europe or mid-continental Russia is consistent with our findings, but we cannot rule out the possibility that the bird was reared in northern Britain, either in the wild or in captivity. The recent establishment of breeding pairs of Eagle Owls Bubo bubo in York- shire and Lancashire has generated a great deal of publicity in recent years and has sparked a debate about whether the species should be considered a native part of the British avifauna (see Melling et al. 2008 for a review). The presence of jesses (leather straps used in falconry) indicated that one member of a pair nesting in Lancashire in 2006 was indeed an escaped captive bird and many conservation organisations, including the RSPB, maintain that Eagle Owls should prob- ably not be considered a native element of the British avifauna. Elowever, there is specu- lation that there could be as many as 40 pairs nesting in the UK (Dennis 2005) and an alternative view among the birding commu- nity is that the Eagle Owl should be consid- ered a native British species. This is not a pedantic point. Its status has profound impli- cations for the Eagle Owl’s conservation and welfare. Calls have been made for breeding Eagle Owls to be culled, to protect native species that may be predated by the owls. However, if included as part of the native British avifauna, the Eagle Owl would no doubt be subject to a conservation pro- gramme to encourage its re-establishment. Historically, the fossil and archaeological record suggests that the Eagle Owl (or a closely related ancestor) had been present in Britain for up to 700,000 years until the end of the last ice age (Stewart 2007). However, in 1996 the Eagle Owl was removed from the British List by BOURC (BOU 1997), based on a lack of evidence that Eagle Owls have lived in Britain in a wild state for over 200 years. Even though some pairs have bred in Britain, there is no evidence to suggest that these have involved wild birds, and some are known to have been escapes (the species has © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 213-222 213 Kelly et al. been held in captivity in Britain since the sev- enteenth century). The Eagle Owl is currently regarded as a non-native species in Britain (Dudley et al. 2006). An alternative view is that Eagle Owls are capable of flying across the North Sea and may have colonised Britain from northern Europe or Scandinavia (e.g. Dennis 2005). Although the species is considered to be rela- tively sedentary, recent evidence has sug- gested that young birds may disperse widely. The breeding pair in Yorkshire produced 23 young between 1997 and 2005 (Elolling et al. 2007) before the female was shot. One young bird was recovered dead (having hit power lines) over 200 km away in Shropshire the year after fledging and another was found dead near Peebles, Borders, more than 150 km from the nesting site. Ringing records from Norway show movements of between eight and 220 km (mean 95 km, n = 12), with a tendency for birds to move towards the coast (Cramp 1985). In Switzerland, satellite telemetry and radio-tracking studies showed that young Eagle Owls left the natal site between August and November, covering between four and 35 km per night, and trav- elling up to 320 km in total before settling up to 100 km from the natal territory (Aebischer et al. 2005). More recently, another young Swiss Eagle Owl moved a total of 480 km after leaving its parents, finally settling 120 km from its natal territory (Aebischer et al. 2010). One ringed in Finland was recovered more than 400 km from its natal area (A. Aebischer pers. comm.) and another from Schleswig-Holstein, in Germany, where the species is expanding its range, was recovered on the French Atlantic coast, having travelled at least 1,179 km (Hamann 2002). Clearly, individual birds are capable of large move- ments over land at least. For the Eagle Owl to be admitted to the British List on the basis of natural occur- rence, there would need to be strong sup- porting evidence (Melling et al. 2008). To date there have been no ring-recoveries of continental Eagle Owls in Britain. This is perhaps not surprising given the small number of individuals marked (see Melling et al. 2008), and the lack of recoveries is not evidence that the species is incapable of crossing the North Sea. Stable-isotope ratios (e.g. 2H/'H, expressed as 62H) have been used extensively in the past decade as a forensic method of determining the origins and movements of migratory animals (e.g. Hobson et al. 2004, Rubenstein et al. 2004, Bearhop et al. 2005, Bowen et al. 2005, Neto et al. 2006, Fox & Bearhop 2008). For example, Bearhop et al. (2005) used hydrogen-isotope ratios in the claws of Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla to infer dichoto- mous wintering areas of birds returning to their breeding grounds in south-central Europe. Neto et al. (2006) used hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in con- junction with the known moult pattern of Savi’s Warblers Locustella luscinioides to show that the isotope ratios of feathers grown in Europe differed significantly from those grown in the birds’ wintering grounds in sub- Saharan Africa. Newton et al. (2006) found a wide range of hydrogen isotope ratios in the feathers of ‘Northern Bullfinches’ Pyrrhula p. pyrrhula sampled from Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and the Amur region of Siberia, with those from Sweden and Amur being signifi- cantly more depleted in deuterium (2H). Fox et al. (2007) used both hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in an analysis of the feathers of a Baikal Teal Anas formosa shot in Denmark in 2005, and distinguished juvenile feathers with a strongly continental signature from post-juvenile ones with a signature more typical of a moist, coastal European environ- ment. Stable isotopes of hydrogen have also been used to infer the origins of Goldfinches Cardnelis carduelis trapped in northeastern Europe and imported into the UK illegally (Kelly etal. 2008). Here, we used stable-isotope analysis to investigate the provenance of a second- or third-calendar-year female Eagle Owl found in Norfolk in November 2006. The bird had no rings and there was no evidence (such as feather wear on the primaries) to suggest that it had been held in captivity. We compared the isotope ratios in the primaries, second- aries and body feathers of the Norfolk bird with those collected from the carcases of five wild-bred Eagle Owls from Norway, two from the Netherlands, and a known captive bird found dead near Bristol. We tested the hypothesis that the Norfolk bird had crossed the North Sea and predicted 214 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 21 3-222 Eagle Owl provenance using stable isotopes that the stable-isotope signatures of juvenile feathers would be similar to those found in continental Eagle Owls. We compared the hydrogen isotope ratios of the feathers with those shown in maps (‘isoscapes’) depicting the predicted isotope ratios of precipitation across north and central Europe (www.waterisotopes.org). We are well aware of the limitations of this approach and recog- nise that assigning geographical origin based on isotope maps can be misleading unless the tissue samples are compared with those of known origin (Wunder et al. 2005). However, our intention is to contribute to the body of evidence concerning the status of the Eagle Owl in Britain, rather than to determine con- clusively the origin of the Norfolk bird. On the basis of the known moult patterns of Eagle Owls (Niiranen & Haapala 1987), we looked for dichotomous origins of feathers and predicted that, if the bird had originated in continental Europe or Scandinavia, we should be able to differentiate between juven- ile feathers grown at the natal site and post- juvenile feathers grown in Britain. As a control for hydrogen isotope ratios, we also compared the feather samples with those from two Tawny Owls Strix aluco from Norfolk (a sedentary and resident species). In addition, we also measured the carbon and nitrogen stable-isotope ratios of the feathers. This was partly in an attempt to detect any dietary differences among the birds in this investigation; carbon isotope ratios are a broad indicator of carbon source for the diet, for example C3 or C4 primary production, whereas nitrogen isotope ratios generally indicate the trophic level at which these birds are feeding. Secondly, despite the caveats just mentioned, in conjunction with the hydrogen isotope measurements, 613C may confirm or support any geographical inferences made from the 62H results (Neto et al. 2006). Methods Circumstances, identification and assessment of moult status On 20th November 2006, a large owl was found in an aircraft hangar at the former RAF base at Watton, Norfolk, by a member of the public. The bird was subsequently col- lected by an RSPCA Animal Collection Officer and taken to RSPCA East Winch I I 3. Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Helsinki, Finland, December 2006. British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 • 21 3-222 215 Markus Varesvuo Kelly et al. Wildlife Centre, where it was identified by KL (a BTO A-permit ringer) as an Eagle Owl, based on its appearance and measurements. The bird was examined by a veterinary surgeon and was found to be emaciated and to have an injured eye. Owing to its poor prognosis, it was subsequently euthanised to prevent further suffering. A post-mortem examination revealed that it was a female. Its wing length (max. chord) was 483 mm, placing it in the mid/upper range for the nominate race bubo (Snow & Perrins 1998). The moult of Eagle Owls is poorly known and the following account is based on Niiranen & Haapala (1987). Juveniles have a dark band near the tip of the primaries, sec- ondaries and tail feathers, but in the case of post-juvenile feathers this dark bar tends to be farther from the feather tip. There is large variation in the moult pattern of Eagle Owls and individuals typically show distinctly asymmetric patterns of wing moult. Primary moult usually starts from two focus points. The first series starts at P6/P7 (primaries numbered descendantly, in other words P10 is the outermost), proceeding inwards and towards the tip, but before the outermost pri- maries are dropped a second series starts from PI. In most cases P3 or P10 is the last to be moulted. Secondary moult proceeds from three focus points, starting with S16 (the innermost) and moving towards the wing- tip. The second series starts at S5 and the third series at S2; in most cases, the outer- most (SI) is the last to be moulted. Niiranen & Elaapala (1987) stated that Eagle Owls undergo a partial moult between May and October during which the body feathers and some wing-coverts are replaced. The inner- most secondaries and the tertials are also replaced. Typically, all the tail feathers are replaced between the second and third cal- endar-year. However, primary moult does not start until the third calendar-year, with P6 or P7 being replaced first. The moult details of the Norfolk Eagle Owl were as follows (with feathers classified as adult- or juvenile-type according to pattern and wear): Left wing P1-P6 juvenile (-type), P7 adult (type), P8-P 10 juvenile, S1-S6 juvenile, S7-S14 adult, tertials adult (SI 5— S 16 missing) Right wing P1-P7 juvenile, P8 adult, P9-P10 juvenile, S1-S3, S6-S7 juvenile, S4-S5, S8-S15 adult, tertials adult (Si 6 missing) Tail T1-T4 adult, T5-T6 juvenile (where T1 is the innermost) Based on this information, the Norfolk specimen was considered to be a second-/ third-calendar-year bird. Sampling P1-P10 and S1-S14 were taken from the left wing of the Norfolk specimen and placed in polythene sample bags. Tail feathers T1-T6 (left side) and a small number of body feathers removed from the breast were treated similarly. Primary, secondary and breast feathers were taken from two adult Eagle Owls from the Netherlands and sec- ondaries were taken from five adult Eagle Owls from Norway. All the birds from the Netherlands and Norway were recently archived specimens. Primary, secondary and breast feathers were also taken from two adult Tawny Owls from Norfolk and a dead adult Eagle Owl found in Bristol, which was known to be an escaped captive-bred bird. In addition, the outermost primary, outermost secondary and breast feathers of two adult Eagle Owls captive-bred in the UK were col- lected. Table 1 lists the feathers sampled from each bird. Primaries, secondaries and body feathers were requested for the Norwegian and Dutch birds, but only secondaries were available from the Norwegian birds. SI preparation and analysis The methodology is given in Appendix 1 . For a full explanation of the stable-isotope tech- nique and its application to ornithology, see Fox & Bearhop (2008). Results Hydrogen and oxygen isotope measurements For the Norfolk Eagle Owl, the 6I80 values overlapped considerably: for juvenile-type feathers 1 1 .9—1 9.0%o (mean 16.6, SE ±0.4%o) and for adult-type feathers 12.8-17.4%o (15.8, ±0.4%o). Hydrogen isotope ratios of feathers from the Norfolk bird showed a clear pattern (see fig. 1). P7, S7-S14, T1-T4 and breast feathers of the Norfolk Eagle Owl were enriched in 216 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 213-222 Eagle Owl provenance using stable isotopes 2H, relative to P1-P6, P8-P10 and S1-S6. The 52H values tor juvenile-type feathers ranged from -86.9%o to -96.5%o (mean -90.1, SE ±0.5%o) and for adult-type feathers from -24.0%o to -61.7%o (-43.8, ±2.7%o). There was no overlap in the S2H values for juvenile- and adult-type feathers. The 62H of the Norwegian Eagle Owls also showed a wide variation, from -1.7%o to -80.3%o (-50.6, ±15.3 %o ) (see fig. 2). This may be related to the variation in latitude from which the birds were obtained (58-69°N) or, alternatively, to the proximity of the ocean of sites from which the samples were obtained. The Norwegian owls con- sisted of three females and two males. Inter- estingly, the three birds closest in 62H values to the Norfolk owl were all females, while the two most enriched birds were males. However, the reasons for this are not clear and the small sample size makes interpreta- tion difficult. Dual hydrogen and carbon isotope ratios of feathers from the birds from the Nether- lands and Norway, two wild-bred Tawny Owls and known captive-bred Eagle Owls are shown in fig. 2. Carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements The 613C values of feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl formed a narrow range, from -23.9%o to -22.3%o. Most of the other UK samples, including those from the Tawny Table I. Feathers sampled from the Norfolk Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, from wild-bred Eagle Owls from the Netherlands and Norway, and from captive-bred Eagle Owls from Bristol and Wales. Samples from wild Tawny Owls Strix aluco bred in Norfolk are included for comparison. Species Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Eagle Owl Tawny Owl Tawny Owl Status Unknown Wild Wild Wild Wild Wild Wild Wild Captive Captive Captive Wild Wild Source Norfolk Netherlands Netherlands Norway Norway Norway Norway Norway Bristol Wales Wales Norfolk Norfolk Feather type Primary Secondary Body Tail Primary Secondary Body Primary Secondary Body Secondary Secondary Secondary Secondary Secondary Primary Secondary Body Primary Secondary Body Primary Secondary Body Primary Secondary Body Primary Secondary Body Description P1-P10 S1-S14 Breast T1-T6 P10 S5 Breast P10 S5 Breast S5 S5 S5 S5 S5 P4 SI Breast P10 SI Breast P10 SI Breast P10 SI Breast P10 SI Breast British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 • 21 3-222 217 Kelly et al. Owls, were similar to the Norfolk Eagle Owl values, or slightly more 13C-rich. The Dutch and (in particular) the Norwegian feather samples appear to show a positive relation- ship between 613C and S2H, which could be indicative of a marine influence in the signa- ture of the feathers. The 615N values of feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl ranged from +8.3 to + 11.5%o. Most other groupings lie in the same 615N range, with the exception of one of the Tawny Owl samples, which has feather 615N values ranging from +2.6 to +5.3%o. It is most likely that this Tawny Owl was feeding at least one trophic level below the other individuals in this study. The adult feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl were significantly enriched in 15N and slightly (but not significantly) enriched in 13C compared with the juvenile feathers. This is probably due to a change in the trophic level between the juvenile and adult stages. An alternative explanation is that a marine influence in the diet has resulted in enrichment of 15N and 13C. However, this is unlikely since the natural prey of Eagle Owls is terrestrial. Discussion The results from our analyses suggest that the two generations of feathers of the Norfolk Eagle Owl were grown in different climatic regions. P7 and S7-S14 (adult feathers) were clearly enriched in deuterium rela- tive to the juvenile primaries and secondaries. The S2H of the juvenile feathers lay outside the range of values found for the other Eagle Owls, of known origin, measured here and would perhaps be consistent with an origin farther east in con- tinental Europe where the environmental 62H is lower. The 62H values of the adult- type feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl were similar to those of the Nor- wegian Eagle Owls and UK Tawny Owls and showed a marked difference from those of the captive-bred (UK) Eagle Owls. In terms of carbon and nitrogen iso- topes, only the nitrogen isotope ratio differed between the juvenile- and adult-type feathers, indi- cating a marginal increase in trophic level. Owing to the limitations of stable-isotope techniques to pinpoint origins precisely, we cannot rule out the fol- lowing alternative explana- tions for the very low 62H -22.2 -i -22.4 - -22.6 - T4 -22.8 - PI-6, P8-10 SI-6 ° T2 -23.0 - T5-6 -23.2 - • • O _ ° SI 2 O P7 -23.4 - S9 S70oT3 °oT1 -23.6 - • o S8 o -23.8 breast -24.0 -24.2 - • juvenile-type o adult-type °o si o O SI 4 o SI 3 -100.0 -90.0 -80.0 -70.0 -60.0 -50.0 -40.0 -30.0 -20.0 62H Fig. I. Dual isotope plot for feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl Bubo bubo. The closed circles (2H depleted) represent the juvenile- type feathers and the open circles (2H enriched) represent the adult-type feathers. y *5 -15.0 -17.0 - • Norfolk (juvenile-type) ° Norfolk (adult-type) 4 Netherlands -19.0 - * Norway ■ Tawny Owl D Captive Eagle Owl -21.0 □ □ -23.0 - . ,.+f. ' ° • A -25.0 A -27.0 - 1 T ■100.0 -80.0 -60.0 -40.0 -20.0 0.0 b2H Fig. 2. Dual carbon and hydrogen isotope plot showing the wide range of 62H values for the sampled feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (juvenile- and adult-type feathers), Eagle Owls from the Netherlands and Norway.Tawny Owls Strix aluco from Norfolk and captive Eagle Owls from the UK. 218 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 • 21 3-222 Eagle Owl provenance using stable isotopes values of the first-genera- tion feathers: 1. The Norfolk bird was captive-bred and had been fed on 2H-depleted food before escaping and subsequently living for a substantial period in the wild, with post-juvenile feathers reflecting its environment. 2. The bird was captive- bred and had been fed 2H-depleted food for the first year before switching to a 2H-enriched diet in its second calendar-year, prior to escaping. 3. The bird was captive- bred or wild-caught in an area where the 62H value of precipitation is low and was then transported to East Anglia before escaping or being released. 4. The bird was wild but had hatched in a region of the UK with depleted local S2H values. 5. Physiological differences between the juvenile and adult stage result in dif- ferences in the way 62H is incorporated into feathers (a growth effect). There is no evidence to suggest that captive-bred birds in the UK are fed on 2H- depleted food, although the S2H values recorded in the feathers of captive birds were considerably lower than those of the other specimens. Most captive-bred Eagle Owls in the UK are fed on day-old chicks, sourced in the UK (Gary Dickenson pers. comm.) and so are most likely to reflect 62H values of UK precipitation. Explanations 1 and 2 require that the food fed to a captive-bred bird was sourced from raw materials derived from areas with low 62H precipitation values. In terms of explanation 3, Eagle Owls are listed on Annex A of CITES, with trade strictly controlled, and birds legitimately involved in trade are required to be permanently I 1 4. Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Helsinki, Finland, November 2006. marked; consequently, explanation 3 is unlikely (although illegal importation remains a possibility). Explanation 5 is not compelling. We can think of no reason why juvenile and adult stages may differ in the way 52H is incorp- orated into feathers, and it is extremely unlikely that annual changes in 82EI would be as marked as the differences we observed between the juvenile- and adult-type feathers of the Norfolk bird. We cannot rule out (and cannot test for) explanation 4, that the bird hatched in the wild in the UK in a region with low local 82H values before moving to Norfolk. Certainly, published data suggest that 82H values in northern Britain and Scandinavia are similar (Bearhop et al. 2005), while Newton et al. (2006) showed that resident Scottish British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 213-222 219 Markus Varesvuo Kelly et al. Bullfinches (subspecies pileata) had S2H values similar to those of the juvenile-type feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl. The possibility exists, therefore, that this bird may have hatched in an area of Scotland with low local 62H values (in the wild or, indeed, in captivity) before moving (or being moved) south to Norfolk. The juvenile-type feathers suggest that the Norfolk bird’s natal area was characterised by precipitation with very low 62H values. Such conditions occur in Scandinavia, north-con- tinental Europe and mid-continental Russia - where Eagle Owls are known to occur - but also in northern parts of the UK (Elobson et al. 2004; Bowen et al. 2005). For example, the 62H values of the first-generation feathers from the Norfolk Eagle Owl were similar to those of Grey Partridges Perdix perdix and Eurasian Curlews Numenius arquata from Russia and of Fieldfares Turdus pilaris and Redwings Turdus iliacus from Finland (Elobson et al. 2004); but also similar to those of resident Scottish Bullfinches (Newton et al. 2006). Unfortunately, as discussed above, stable-isotope analysis is not sufficiently precise to identify the natal area of this bird and, in fact, the alternative explanations for the observed isotopic differences between the juvenile and adult-type feathers listed above illustrate well the limitations of the tech- nique. The strongest objection to Eagle Owls appearing in the UK as natural vagrants appears to be their relatively sedentary behaviour and reluctance to cross large expanses of water (Melling et al. 2008). However, although ringing recoveries confirm that Eagle Owls are largely seden- tary, they are clearly capable of moving long distances, at least over land, as the examples given at the beginning of this paper show. Indeed, the fact that young birds in Switzer- land have been shown to move up to 480 km before settling prompted Aebischer et al. (2010) to call for transnational conservation efforts. Moreover, the Eagle Owl’s range has been spreading in western Europe, despite declines in many European countries (Hage- meijer & Blair 1997). Although there is no conclusive evidence of the species under- taking a major sea crossing, natural vagrancy may not he as unlikely as suggested by Melling et al. (2008). In future, it may be possible to identify the origin of Eagle Owls genetically using microsatellite markers developed in a captive population used to reinforce the Eagle Owl in Sweden (Isaksson & Tegelstrom 2002). Until then, stable isotopes may provide further information on possible vagrants. We were unable to obtain samples from any of the Yorkshire Eagle Owls and it would be inter- esting to compare the 62H of Eagle Owls known to have been raised in the UK with those from continental Europe and captive- bred birds. We recommend that isotopic values of feathers of Eagle Owls of unknown provenance discovered in Britain in future should be measured and compared with those of specimens of known provenance. Acknowledgments Thanks to Hugh Jansman, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, the Netherlands for providing samples; Roy Dennis, Duncan Halley and Nils Rov, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, for providing samples from five Eagle Owl specimens from the museum at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim; Lee Walker from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology for samples from an Eagle Owl (an escaped captive) from Bristol; and Gary Dickenson for feathers from two captive-bred Eagle Owls from Wales. Thanks also go to Reijo Kakela for translating a paper on the moult of Eagle Owls and to Adam Grogan for useful discussions. Finally the authors would like to thank Stuart Bearhop for helpful comments which greatly improved the manuscript. References Aebischer A., Nyffeler R, & Arlettaz, R. 20 1 0. Wide- range dispersal in juvenile Eagle Owls ( Bubo bubo ) across the European Alps calls for transnational conservation programmes./ Orn. 151: 1-9. — , — , Koch, S., & Arlettaz, R, 2005. Jugenddispersion und Mortalitat Schweizer Uhus Bubo bubo - ein aktueller Zwischebericht. Ornithologischer Anzeiger 44: 197-200. Bearhop, S„ FiedlerW., Furness, R.W.,Votier S. C.t Waldron, S„ Newton, J„ Bowen, G. J., Berthold, R, & Farnsworth, K. 2005. Assortative mating as a mechanism for rapid evolution of a migratory divide. Science 3 1 0: 502-504. Bowen, G. J.,Wassenaar L„ & Hobson, K. A. 2005. Global application of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes to wildlife forensics. Oecologia 142: 337-348. British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU). 1 997. Records Committee: twenty-third report (July 1996). Ibis 139: 197-201. Cramp, S. (ed.) 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. 4. OUR Oxford. Dennis, R. 2005. The Eagle Owl has landed, BBC Wildlife 23 (1 3): 24-29. 220 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 21 3-222 Eagle Owl provenance using stable isotopes Dudley, S. R, Gee, M„ Kehoe, C„ Melling.T M., & the BOURC. 2006. The British List: a checklist of birds of Britain (7th edn). Ibis 1 48: 526-563. Farquhar; G. D., Henry, B. K„ & Styles, J. M. 1997. A rapid on-line technique for determination of oxygen isotope composition of nitrogen-containing organic matter and water Rapid Communications in A/loss Spectrometry I I: 1554. Fox, A. D., & Bearhop, S. 2008. The use of stable- isotope ratios in ornithology. Brit Birds 101: I 12-130. — , Christensen, T. K„ Bearhop, S. B„ & Newton, J. 2007. Using stable isotope analysis of differing feather tracts to identify moulting provenance of vagrant birds - a case study of Baikal Teal Anas formosa in Denmark. Ibis 1 49: 622-625. HagemeijenW. J. M„ & Blair; M. J. 1997. The £ BCC Atlas of Breeding Birds: their distribution and abundance. Poyser; London. Hamann, C. 2002. Uhu aus Schleswig-Holstein flog bis an die franzosische Atlantik-Kuste. EulenWelt 2002: 24-25. Hobson, K. A., Bowen, G.J., Wassenaar; L. I„ Ferrand.Y, & Lormee, H. 2004. Using stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope measurements of feathers to infer geographical origins of migrating European birds. Oecologia 141:477-488. Holling, M., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 2007. Non-native breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Brit Birds 1 00: 638-649. Isaksson, M., &Tegelstrom, H. 2002. Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers in a captive population of the Eagle Owl ( Bubo bubo) used for supportive breeding. Molecular Ecology Notes 2: 91-93. Kelly, A., Thompson, R., & Newton, J. 2008. Stable hydrogen isotope analysis as a method to identify illegally trapped songbirds. Science and Justice 48: 67-70. Kornexl, B. E„ Gehre, M„ Hofling, R„ & Werner R. A. 1999. On-line l80 measurement of organic and inorganic substances. Rapid Communications in Moss Spectrometry 13: 1685-1693. Melling.T, Dudley, S„ & Doherty, R 2008. The Eagle Owl in Britain. Brit. Birds 101: 478-490. Neto.J. M., Newton, j„ Gosler A. G„ & Perrins, C. M. 2006. Using stable isotope analysis to determine the winter moult extent in migratory birds: the complex moult of Savi's Warblers. J. Avian Biol. 37: I 17-124. Newton, I., Hobson, K. A., Fox, A. D., & Marquiss, M. 2006, An investigation into the provenance of Northern Bullfinches Pyrrhula p. pyrrhula found in winter in Scotland and Denmark. J. Avian Biol. 37: 431-435. Niiranen, S., & Haapala.J. 1987. Huuhkajan ian maarittaminen. Lintumies 20: II 2- 1 1 6. Rubenstein, D. R., & Hobson, K. A. 2004. From birds to butterflies: animal movement patterns and stable isotopes. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 1 9: 256-263. Snow, D. W., & Perrins, C. M. (eds.) 1 998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise edn. OUR Oxford. Stewart, J. R. 2007.The fossil and archaeological record of the Eagle Owl in Britain. Brit Birds 1 00: 48 1 -486. Wassenaar; L. 1. 2008. An introduction to light stable isotopes for use in terrestrial animal migration studies. In: Hobson, K.A., & Wassenaar L. I. (eds.), Tracking Animal Migration with Stable Isotopes. Elsevier Amsterdam. — & Hobson, K. A. 2003. Comparative equilibration and online technique for determination of non- exchangeable hydrogen of keratins for use in animal migration studies. Isotopes in Environmental Health Studies 39:21 1-217. Wunder M. B., Kester C. L„ Fritz, L. K„ & Rye, R. O. 2005. A test of geographic assignment using isotopic tracers in feathers of known origin. Oecologia 144: 607-617. Andrew Kelly, RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, London Road, Stapeley, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 7JW; and School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL (correspondence address) Kevin Leighton, RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre, East Winch, Norfolk PE32 1NR Jason Newton, NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride G75 0QF Appendix I . SI preparation and analysis Hydrogen/oxygen isotope measurements Feathers were washed in 2:1 chloroform:methanol and dried at room temperature under a fume hood. A small section of mass 0.6-0. 8 mg was clipped from the end of all feathers. In the case of the large primaries, small sections were cut from the tip, middle and base. In each case, the sample was weighed into individual silver capsules for hydrogen and oxygen isotope analysis. Isotope ratios were measured via continuous-flow stable-isotope mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS), using a Costech ECS 4010 elemental analyser in oxygen mode with high-temperature induction furnace (HTG-02) interfaced with a ThermoFisher Scientific Delta V Plus isotope ratio mass spectrometer, at the East Kilbride node of the NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre). Repeat analyses of keratin standards incorporated into each hydrogen sample run showed that 6-H is measured with an accuracy and precision of ±2%o. Keratin standards CFS (chicken British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 213-222 221 Kelly et al. feather), BWB-II (Bowhead Whale Balaam mysticetus baleen) (Wassenaar 2008) in conjunction with an internal standard ISB (Icelandic Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla feather) were used to correct samples for isotopic exchange between labile hydrogen in feathers and ambient water vapour in the laboratory using a comparative equilibration method (Wassenaar & Hobson 2003). The 5180 values of samples were compared to those of the reference materials IAEA CH6 (sucrose, Far- quhar et al. 1997, Kornexl et al. 1999) and IAEA 601 and 602 (benzoic acid), though we recognise that the samples here are lsO-poor with respect to the standards used. Carbon/nitrogen measurements Sections of the tips of all cleaned feathers were cut and transferred into 3 x 5-mm tin capsules, which were then measured by CF-IRMS, using a Costech ECS 4010 elemental analyser in CHNS mode interfaced with a ThermoFisher Scientific Delta V Plus isotope ratio mass spectrometer, at the East Kilbride node of the NERC LSMSF. Samples were measured against internal standards gelatin and two alanines with disparate carbon and nitrogen stable-isotope ratios. Long-term reproducibility is around 0.2%o for d15N and 0.1 %o for 513C. Stable-isotope ratios are expressed as the normalised ratio of the sample to a primary international standard, in parts per thousand (per mil, %o): bX= [ (Rsample /Rstandard) — 1] X 1,000 where Rsample and Rstandard are the ratios of heavy to light isotopes for the sample and the standard respectively. Rstandard for both d2H and d180 is Standard Mean Ocean Water (SMOW). Rstandard for 8I3C is the Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB) and that for dl5N is atmospheric nitrogen (AIR). 222 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 213-222 The breeding population of Northern Wheatears at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1 998-2009 Dave Fulton Abstract The breeding population of Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Clee Hill, Shropshire, has been monitored since 1998 as part of the BTO Retrapping Adults for Survival project. Aspects of breeding biology, including laying dates, clutch size and brood size are presented, together with estimates of the return rate of adult birds. There is some evidence that the local population may be declining, with 2009 being a particularly poor year; this may reflect a combination of the national population trend and perhaps deterioration in the habitat for Wheatears in the study area. This short paper describes a study of the breeding population of Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Clee Hill, Shropshire, which was instigated in response to the Retrapping Adults for Sur- vival (RAS) project set up by the BTO in 1998 to encourage ringers to collect high- quality information on survival rates. Prior to 1998, Chelmarsh Ringing Group had been locating Wheatear nests and ringing pulli at Clee Hill, but from 1998 onwards adults have also been trapped and ringed. Study area and methods The study area covers some 700 ha of upland common land (at an altitude of some 400-500 m) in southern Shropshire. Since the latter part of the nineteenth century, Dhustone (dolerite), a hard volcanic rock used in road construction, has been quarried © British Birds 1 03 • April 2010" 223-228 223 Richard Allen Dave Fulton Dave Fulton Fulton The majority of nests are found by watching the adults carrying food back to their chicks. This is generally done from the cover of a vehicle, when observers are almost invisible and can be within 10 m of the nest without disturbing the Wheatears. Adults are much more reluctant to return when observers are on foot. Most of the area is accessible by car, although this is becoming increasingly difficult as tracks are gradually being blocked to deter boy racers on quad bikes and in 4x4s. The same nest-sites are often used year after year, mostly by a dif- ferent pair (although one member of the pre- vious pairing may often be involved - very few pairs remain together in consec- utive years). A new nest is always con- structed alongside the old one, how- ever, and up to five different nests have been found under favoured rocks. To minimise disturbance and the possibility of adults deserting the brood, chicks are not ringed until they are at least six days old. After a week or so, the adults are surpris- ingly tolerant of disturbance; on one occasion, members of the ringing group arrived to ring a brood of nine-day- old chicks and dis- turbed a Badger Meles ineles, which had dug up the entire site. Fearing the worst, we looked inside what was now a huge cavern to find six terrified young I I 5 & 116. The study site at Clee Hill, Shropshire, May 2009. Wheatears cow- from the area. Much of the local landscape has been affected by the quarrying industry and the area is littered with derelict buildings and redundant quarries, while rocks and scree habitat are plentiful. Sheep graze most of the area and one large quarry is still opera- tional. The terrain is ideal for breeding Wheatears, which nest in rock piles, under large rocks, in drystone walls, under the con- crete slabs of derelict buildings and occasion- ally in rabbit burrows. Surprisingly, some prefer to nest within the busy working quarry, despite having to travel farther to obtain food on the surrounding grassy slopes than birds elsewhere in the study area. 224 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 223-228 Northern Wheatears in Shropshire ering at the back. We spent half an hour rebuilding the site, remaking the nest and pulling in heavy boulders around the outside to deter the Badger’s return. Within an hour of the new nest being completed, both parents resumed feeding duties and the young fledged successfully a week later. Initially, walk-in (Potter) traps were used to catch adults but spring traps baited with mealworms have proved much more effec- tive. Traps are placed near the nest entrance and are normally successful within 10-15 minutes. Adults are trapped only when they have young more than three days old since the adults may stay away from the nest for up to an hour after being caught. Adults are colour-ringed, with a colour representing the year of ringing above the BTO metal ring on the left leg, plus two other colours on the right leg. Results and discussion Breeding biology Between 1998 and 2009, a total of 505 Wheatear nests were found in the study area, of which 297 were used to analyse timing of breeding, clutch size, brood size, etc. (only those for which the contents could be checked accurately were used). These include replacement clutches and a few second broods (see below). First-egg date varied between 1st May and 8th May, with a mean of 5th May and no obvious trend in the data. Interestingly, timing of breeding is later than that reported for both Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, and Dungeness, Kent (Conder 1989). It is notice- ably later than that for Skokholm, where laying begins in mid April and peaks in early May; this presumably reflects the lower minimum temperatures of the upland Shropshire study area in the weeks leading up to egg-laying. Mean clutch size varied between 5.03 and 6.12 in the 12 years at Clee Hill, with an overall mean of 5.42 (national mean 5.45, n=470; Skokholm mean 5.7, n=131; Dunge- ness mean 5.3, n=97; http://blxl.bto.org/ birdfacts/results/bob I I460.htm, Conder 1989). Mean brood size varied annually between 4.43 and 5.67, with an overall mean of 5.06 (national mean 4.64, n=3,105 (BTO NRS unpubl. data); Skokholm mean 4.9, n=184; Dungeness 4.7, n=83). At Clee Hill, both parameters showed a slight but not sig- nificant downward trend across the 12 years. Published literature implies that Wheatears rather commonly raise two broods. For example, in Conder’s study of the birds on Skokholm, he found that 47% of the Wheatear pairs during 1948-53 laid second clutches (Conder 1989). At Clee Hill, second broods appear to be the exception. In 1998, one pair raised two broods from the same nest (six and two young fledged, respec- tively); in 2002, two pairs were double- brooded, one using the same nest (six and four young fledged, respectively), the other making a new nest (outcome of second nest not known); and in 2008 a pair raised a Table I. Breeding data from a population of Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009. Note that ‘nests used’ denotes the number of nests where contents could be checked accurately, and this figure therefore provides sample size for clutch size and brood size. 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 total/ mean nests found 43 44 46 36 35 41 41 66 55 44 35 19 505 nests used 39 37 20 26 29 22 17 30 28 27 14 8 297 first-egg date 7th 4th 6th 6th 3rd 5th 2nd 1st 7th 4th 8th 5th May May May May May May May May May May May May eggs laid 225 199 111 138 146 115 104 173 145 139 71 43 clutch size 5.77 5.38 5.55 5.31 5.03 5.23 6.12 5.77 5.18 5.15 5.07 5.38 5.42 young hatched 221 185 104 127 138 104 90 162 139 131 62 41 brood size 5.67 5.00 5.20 4.88 4.76 4.73 5.29 5.40 4.96 4.85 4.43 5.13 5.06 pulli ringed (all nests) 222 184 119 124 148 106 94 159 150 138 66 50 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 223-228 225 John Robinson Fulton I I 7. Colour-ringed female Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe in the Clee Hill study area. second brood of three chicks (two eggs were infertile), after a disastrous first breeding attempt where just one chick hatched and five eggs were infertile. These were the only instances of true double broods in the 505 nests found. There were very few instances in which the same pair remained together in consecu- tive years, and new partners were the norm. This appears not to be survival-related; there are lots of examples where the male and female from a pair both returned the fol- lowing year but bred with a new partner (e.g. three pairs in 2008, eight pairs in 2007). Just eight instances of a pair bond surviving for two consecutive seasons were recorded during the twelve study years. On three occa- sions, once in 1999 and twice (involving two different males) in 2006, a male paired simul- taneously with two females, and helped to raise each brood. No instances of adults paired with their offspring were found in the 12 seasons. Site fidelity During the 12 years of field- work carried out so far, it became clear that marked adults return in subsequent years close to the previous year’s nest, while first-years disperse farther from their natal site. To investigate this further, the distance between nesting attempts in different years for the same individual birds was measured, using Google Earth mapping tech- nology (table 2). These results showed clearly that, as expected, the breeding dis- persal of adults was less than the natal dispersal of young birds. There is, so far, no evidence from ringing returns or sightings of colour-ringed birds that Clee Hill Wheatears move to other breeding locations. Adult survival Between 1998 and 2009, a total of 156 adult males and 204 adult females were trapped and colour-ringed. Tables 3 & 4 present the resighting data for these. As suggested by the name, the RAS project was set up primarily to collect more informa- tion on the survival rates of adult birds. Complex calculations of survival rates are beyond the scope of Chelmarsh Ringing Group so the analysis presented here is very basic, showing the number of birds ringed each year and the number of individuals in that cohort that were seen in subsequent years (return rate). This of course takes no account of any emigration from the site (see above), which any calculation of survival rate would need to consider. Note that first-year Table 2. Distance between nesting attempts in different years according to age and sex classes (‘I Y’ refers to those ringed as chicks in one year, and observed as breeders in the study area in the subsequent year). Adult males Adult females 1Y males 1Y females No. observed breeding in consecutive seasons 84 87 41 41 Mean distance between breeding attempts 250 m 341m 1,041m 1,013 m (adults) or between natal site and first breeding attempt ( 1Y) 226 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 223-228 Northern Wheatears in Shropshire Table 3. Resighting rates for male Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009. Same bird resighted after Year ringed No. ringed 1 yr 2yr 3 yr 4 yr 5 yr 6 yr 7 yr 8 yr 1998 20 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1999 13 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2000 18 7 5 4 2 1 0 0 0 2001 7 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2002 13 8 3 3 2 1 1 0 - 2003 6 4 4 1 0 0 0 - - 2004 10 4 1 1 0 0 - - - 2005 21 12 6 0 0 - - - - 2006 15 5 3 1 - - - - - 2007 20 3 7 - - - - - - 2008 13 5 - - - - - - - Totals 156 58 Totals to 07 143 33 Totals to 06 123 11 • Totals to 05 108 4 Totals to 04 87 2 Totals to 03 77 1 Totals to 02 71 0 Totals to 01 58 0 % return rate 37.2 23.1 8.9 3.7 2.3 1.3 0 0 Table 4. Resighting rates for female Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009. Same bird resighted after Year ringed No. ringed 1 yr 2 yr 3yr 4 yr 5 yr 6 yr 7 yr 8 yr 1998 24 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1999 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2000 16 7 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 2001 12 4 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2002 13 4 3 3 2 1 0 0 - 2003 15 2 1 1 1 0 0 - - 2004 17 10 1 0 0 0 - - - 2005 34 10 6 1 0 - - - - 2006 25 10 5 3 - - - - - 2007 20 5 4 - - - - - - 2008 9 2 - - - - - - - Totals 204 58 Totals to 07 195 26 Totals to 06 175 13 Totals to 05 150 4 Totals to 04 116 2 Totals to 03 99 0 Totals to 02 84 0 Totals to 0 1 71 0 % return rate 28.4 13.3 7.4 2.7 1.7 0 0 0 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 223-228 227 Fulton birds, ringed the previous year as pulli, are not colour-ringed and must be trapped as breeding birds to be fitted with colour rings and added to this analysis (first-years are easy to trap at the nest, however, so not many are missed). The tables assume that when first trapped the birds were in their first summer; however, 25% of those trapped were aged as a second-summer or older, so a quarter of these birds survived at least one additional year than shown here. The Clee Hill data suggest that full-grown Wheatears are unlikely to return for more than six years. The data also suggest that males have a slightly higher return rate than females, which could be related to the extra stress of the breeding cycle on females (which includes taking on the majority of chick- feeding duties). One exceptional male was first ringed as a pullus on 28th May 1995 and retrapped on 31st May 2003; this individual currently holds the BTO longevity record for this species, of eight years and three days (Coiffait et al. 2008). Local movements and migrations Considering the number of birds ringed, and the fact that most adults are colour-ringed, the number of controls/resightings outside the study area is extremely poor. Two pulli have been controlled outside Shropshire: one ringed on 29th May 1997 was controlled in Beni Frassen, Morocco, on 16th September 1998; another, ringed on 22nd May 2002, was controlled in Devon on 21st March 2006. Finally, an adult male trapped at Clee Hill on 22nd May 2005 was controlled in Hampshire the following spring, on 25th March 2006. the long-term sustainability of the popula- tion. The 2010 season is eagerly awaited, but it is feared that this recent decline may be linked to habitat changes in the Clee Hill area. Although a large part should remain untouched, recent changes in farming, affected in particular by the nature and avail- ability of subsidies, may reduce the number of sheep grazing the area. Wheatears feed on the short swards produced by sheep grazing, and this is an essential component of the local habitat for this breeding population. In addition, when quarried seams are finally obsolete, the quarry company is under con- tract to fill in and return the land to ‘normal’. In practice, this means levelling the ground and sowing coarse, quick-growing grass. This generally remains ungrazed by sheep, while rocks and other ‘untidy’ potential Wheatear nesting areas are cleared away, all of which creates pressure on the Wheatear population at the site. A national decline in Wheatear numbers should also be borne in mind. Breeding Bird Survey figures for the UK as a whole during 1995-2007 show a decline of 11%, and for the same period there is a 24% decline in Wales. As well as local habitat changes, the national population trend (which may reflect factors operating on the wintering grounds and at migration stopovers) may be implicated in the changes observed. Acknowledgments Particular thanks are due to Dave Bastin.Tony Crossman and Joe Jordan, fellow members of Chelmarsh Ringing Group, who have been stalwart helpers in collecting the data presented here. References Long-term prospects for the Wheatears at Clee Hill The number of nests found in 2009 was an all-time low for the site, and any further decline in numbers will ring alarm bells for Coiffait, L„ Clark, J. A., Robinson, R. A., Blackburn, J. R„ Griffin, B. M„ Risely, K„ Grantham, M.J., Marchant.J. H., Girling, T., & Barber, L. 2008. Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland in 2006. Ringing & Migration 24: 1 5-79. Conder; R 1 989. The Wheatear. Christopher Helm, London. Dave Fulton, 6 Hazelwells Road, Highley, Shropshire WV16 6DJ 228 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 223-228 Conservation Priority Species The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain Innes Sim, Chris Rollie, David Arthur, Stuart Benn, Helen Booker, Vic Fairbrother, Mick Green, Ken Hutchinson, Sonja Ludwig, Mike Nicoll, Ian Poxton, Graham Rebecca, Leo Smith, Andrew Stanbury and Pete Wilson Abstract The Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus is a Red-listed, UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species in Britain because of steep declines in breeding numbers over the past 25 years. Data from several monitoring projects, from across much of the species’ British range, show that widespread declines continue. Recent studies aimed at understanding these declines are reviewed, and suggest that low first- year, and possibly adult, survival may be the main demographic mechanism driving the decline. The research priorities are now to identify the factors affecting survival, determine where these factors are operating, and find management solutions. © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 229 Ben Green Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Sim et al. The Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus breeds in mountainous regions throughout Europe, and in southwest Asia. Three races are recognised: nominate torquatus breeds in Britain & Ireland and Fennoscandia, and winters in southern Spain and northwest Africa, especially in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria; the central and southern European race T. t. alpestris breeds in central and southern Europe and winters in the south of the breeding range or in northwest Africa, thus largely overlapping with the winter range of nominate torquatus; and the eastern race T. t. amicorum breeds in the mountains of south- west Asia, east to northern Iran, and is thought to winter in Iran and southern Turk- menistan (Cramp 1988; Janiga & Poxton 1997). In Britain the Ring Ouzel is primarily a bird of the uplands, breeding mainly in steep-sided valleys, on crags and in gullies, from near sea level in the far north of Scot- land up to 1,200 m in the Cairngorms (Cramp 1988; Gibbons et al. 1993; Rollie 2007). The breeding season stretches from mid April to mid July; pairs commonly rear two broods, and nests are located on or close to the ground, in vegetation (typically Heather Calluna vulgaris), in a crevice or, rarely, in a tree. Mean clutch size is 3. 9-4. 2 and mean fledged brood size is 3. 5-3. 8. Young are fed an invertebrate diet consisting mainly of earthworms (Lumbricidae), leatherjacket (Tipulidae) larvae and beetles (both adults and larvae) (Flegg & Glue 1975; Durman 1977; Poxton 1986; Appleyard 1994; Tyler 8c Green 1994; Arthur & White 2001; Burfield 2002a; Sim et al. 2008). Between July and September, when adults undergo a complete post-breeding moult, and juveniles a partial moult, before they migrate, the diet is dominated by berries such as Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Crowberry Empetrum nigrum and Rowan Sorbus aucu- paria (Cramp 1988). Most British breeders have departed by late September, and reach the wintering grounds from mid October onwards. Winter diet is apparently domi- nated by Juniper berries, especially those of Prickly Juniper Juniperus oxycedrus and Phoenician Juniper /. phoenicea (Arthur et al. 2000; Ellis 2003; Ryall & Briggs 2006), although Zamora (1990) confirmed that arthropods supplement the diet in Spain. The birds return north from late February (Cramp 1988). Breeding populations in Fennoscandia and central and southern Europe are gener- ally considered to be stable, but comprehen- sive monitoring data are lacking in many areas (Tucker & Heath 1994; Janiga & Poxton 1997; BirdLife International 2004). However, in parts of Switzerland, recent range contrac- tion to higher altitudes has been recorded and this has been linked to warmer summers (Schmid et al. 1998; Mattes et al. 2005). This trend is predicted to continue, with a climate-induced decrease in suitable habitat shifting the predicted range of the Ring Ouzel by up to 440 m higher by 2070 (von dem Bussche et al. 2008). The British breeding population of Ring Ouzels has been in long-term decline, however. In the nineteenth century the species was widespread, with breeding records as far north as Orkney and perhaps as far south as Surrey, Kent and Essex (Holloway 1996). The decline appears to have begun in the twentieth century, and Baxter & Rintoul (1953) reported 230 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain large decreases in parts of Scotland between 1900 and 1950. A 27% reduction in the British breeding range was apparent between the 1968-72 and 1988-91 national atlases (Sharrock 1976; Gibbons et al. 1993), and these more recent losses of range were partic- ularly marked in Scotland and Wales. The first national survey, in 1999, estimated the UK population at 6,157-7,549 pairs, with further range contraction and a probable 58% decline in population size since 1988-91 (Wotton et al. 2002). This led to the Ring Ouzel being Red-listed (owing to a decline of more than 50% over 25 years), and made a priority Bio- diversity Action Plan species, in the UK (Gregory et al. 2002; www.ukbap.org.uk). In this paper we first examine population trend data from a number of monitoring projects from across the species’ British breeding range (fig. 1) to determine its current regional status, and whether there is evidence of any broad geographical variation in the observed trends. Second, we review the evidence for the causes of regional declines in Britain and identify priorities for future research to enable effective conservation measures to be implemented. Recent population trends Surveys in the different study areas (fig. 1) were carried out mainly by members of the Ring Ouzel Study Group (www.ringouzel. info), which promotes co-ordinated research and monitoring of Ring Ouzels in Britain. This helped to ensure consistency in the survey methods used, with only minor varia- tions among the different study areas. Thus, in each year of coverage, each area was sur- veyed at least twice between mid April and the end of June. This involved walking slowly through the study area, usually on transects about 200 m apart, recording the number of territorial pairs (based upon nest-building activity, nests located, recently fledged young, pairs seen or territorial behaviour observed on more than one visit, and/or agitated behaviour consistent with an occupied nest). Surveys were not carried out during heavy rain or in strong winds. In Glen Clunie, Glen Effock, Glen Esk, the North York Moors and the Forest of Bowland, surveys were carried out approxi- mately every two weeks, as part of more Fig. I. Location of Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus study areas in Britain. intensive studies of breeding biology. Ring Ouzel song was played regularly (to elicit a response from territorial males) in Wales and the Northwest Highlands, to ensure compar- ability with the 1999 national survey (Wotton et al. 2002), which provided the baseline data in these areas. The different studies varied in the frequency of coverage during the respec- tive study periods, ranging from some with annual (or near-annual) coverage to those providing two ‘snapshots’ only. The period covered by different studies also varied, extending across 27 years in Dartmoor but only six years in Glen Effock. The survey results show that declines were widespread and serious, with 13 of the 14 study areas showing a reduction in numbers (figs. 2 & 3). This included 1 1 areas in which the decline exceeded 50% (over periods of 7-27 years), and two in which the popula- tions declined to extinction. Ring Ouzel numbers in ten tetrads (2 km x 2 km squares) in the Northwest Highlands declined by 70% during 1999-2007, and by British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 231 Sim et al. 83% in Glen Callater during 1998-2007. Three hill ranges (Lammermuirs, Moorfoots and Pentlands) in southeast Scotland showed declines of around 50% during 1985-2006, and numbers in 26 tetrads in Wales declined by 69% during 1999-2006. The Exmoor pop- ulation declined from 13 pairs in 1993 to extinction in 2003-05, and numbers on Dart- moor fell by 63% during 1979-2006 (fig. 2). The Glen Clunie population declined by 67% during 1999-2009. In Glen Esk numbers fell by 41% during 1992-2009, but in the neighbouring Glen Effock they increased by 88% during 2002-08. There was a population decline of 44% in Rosedale, North York Moors, during 2002-09, and the Long Mynd population declined from 16 pairs in 1995 to extinction in 2004-09. Finally, in the Forest of Bowland, numbers declined by 68% during 1995-2009 (fig. 3). We compared the proportional decline between the Scottish Highlands (Northwest Highlands, Glen Clunie, Glen Callater, Glen Esk and Glen Effock), southeast Scotland and northern England combined (Lammermuirs, Moorfoots, Pentlands, Forest of Bowland and North York Moors) and more southwest locations (Dartmoor, Exmoor, Long Mynd and Wales). However, there was no evidence for any significant geographical variation (F2,9 = 0.39, P = 0.68). The reasons for the population increase in Glen Effock are unknown, but may be linked to a recent rise in sheep grazing, which has increased the area of short grass (M. Nicoll pers. obs.), the favoured foraging habitat for Ring Ouzels during the nestling period (Bur- field 2002a). Continued monitoring to deter- mine future trends at Glen Effock, together with studies to identify the respective roles of survival, breeding success and immigration of breeding birds, is vital. Site-specific factors may also influence trends at some of the other study areas. For example, decreases in sheep grazing have been noted in Glen Esk (with an expected reduction in areas of short grass), while the decline to extinc- tion of the small and isolated Long Mynd population was associated with increased nest predation (Smith 2006). However, the widespread and near-consis- tent steep declines that have been recorded in most areas strongly suggest that large- scale factors are affecting the British Ring Ouzel population and driving the observed national population decline. 90 80 70 £ 60 -^50 S 40 2 30 20 10 \ s \ \ ■— V \ \ \ N 0 1975 1980 1985 1990 A, ^ • NW Highlands A Glen Callater • Lammermuirs Moorfoots A Pentlands Wales • Dartmoor A Exmoor 1995 2000 2005 2010 Fig. 2. Trends in Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus numbers in Britain from periodic repeat surveys. Fig. 3. Trends in Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus numbers from study areas in Britain surveyed regularly in recent years. Broken lines indicate missing data from some years. 232 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain Research into causes of declines A number of possible causes have been sug- gested to explain the decline of the British Ring Ouzel population but, until recently, little evidence has been available to assess which of these may be relevant, and at which stage of the life-cycle they may be operating. However, over the last decade a number of detailed studies have added considerably to our knowledge of Ring Ouzel ecology, habitat requirements and population dynamics. Two studies have examined factors associ- ated with declines in breeding abundance, or the desertion of historically occupied breeding sites. First, analyses of data from across Scotland found that Ring Ouzels had contracted to steeper areas within an altitu- dinal range of 350-750 m, and away from coniferous forests and any associated poten- tial impacts on adjacent moorlands (e.g. decreased grazing pressure on adjacent open ground, increased numbers of potential predators using the forests as cover and pop- ulation fragmentation; Buchanan et al. 2003). Second, long-term data on the occupation of breeding sites in the Moorfoot Hills, between 1952-85 and 1998-2000, found that site desertion was more likely at lower altitudes and where there was now lower Heather cover within both 200 m and 450 m of former nesting sites (Sim et al. 2007). In addition, the currently occupied nesting sites in the Moorfoots were more likely to have Heather or a Heather/grass mosaic within 100 m than were topographically suitable, but unoccupied, potential nesting sites. Together, these studies show that Ring Ouzel breeding distribution has contracted to sites at higher altitudes, with greater Heather cover and away from conifer planta- tions. They do not demonstrate whether such relationships are causal (for example, whether lower Heather cover around nests affects breeding success, or climate change is causing low-altitude sites to become unsuit- able), or whether they simply reflect a con- traction to preferred areas as the population declines because of other, unrelated, causes (such as reduced overwinter survival). However, declines have also been recorded in areas where Heather cover remains extensive around nesting sites and where there has been little or no afforestation (e.g. Glen Clunie, Glen Esk and Glen Callater). Further- I I 9. A typical Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus nest-site in Britain, this one being on a heather-covered crag in Glen Clunie in May 2008. British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 233 /ones Sim Innes Sim Sim et al. more, detailed studies have found that nest survival rates and overall breeding success in the Moorfoot Hills (an area with afforesta- tion and historical declines in Heather cover) were similar to those in other areas where there has been little change in these aspects of the habitat (e.g. Glen Esk and Glen Clunie; Burfield 2002a; Sim et al. in prep.). There- fore, while such land-use changes have undoubtedly contributed to declines in some areas, they seem unlikely to be the major factor driving the overall declines. Another study investigated climate corre- lates of Ring Ouzel breeding success and population trends in northern Britain, to assess possible links between population decline and climate change (Beale et al. 2006). Population declines in the Moorfoot Hills followed years when British summer (June-August) weather was warm and mod- erately wet, and when spring rainfall in Morocco 24 months previously was high (suppressing Juniper flowering, and thus reducing berry production, with possible adverse consequences for subsequent over- winter survival of Ring Ouzels). Based upon the recent trends in these three weather vari- ables, these relationships suggested that increases in British summer temperatures may be driving Ring Ouzel population declines, possibly through causing drier soil conditions, hence reducing earthworm avail- ability, at the end of the breeding season and during the post-fledging period (Beale et al. 2006). However, preliminary findings from studies in 2007-08 on the foraging behaviour and survival of radio-tagged Ring Ouzel fledglings at Glen Clunie (Sim et al. in prep.) provide little evidence for unusually low sur- vival during the post-fledging period. Indeed, Ring Ouzel survival rates there appear to compare favourably with those of similar- sized passerines in Britain and the USA (Anders et al. 1997; Robinson et al. 2004; White et al. 2005; King et al. 2006; Schmidt et al. 2008). In addition, there was no evidence for any seasonal decline in either earthworm abundance or soil moisture levels, although 2007 was a very wet year and 2008 a fairly dry one. However, this study covered only two summers, and a longer run of data would be required to assess how local, national and global climatic variables may influence local Ring Ouzel productivity and survival. Long-term studies of breeding success and survival rates in declining populations can provide valuable insights into, and under- 1 20. Brood of four Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus in a nest in Glen Clunie, July 2009. 234 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain 121. Wintering habitat for British Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus: the juniper-clad slopes of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. standing of, the causes of decline. Such work has been undertaken in a joint Grampian Ringing Group/RSPB project on Ring Ouzels in Glen Clunie during 1998-2009. This glen was known to hold a relatively high-density population that was stable between 1991 and 1998 (Rebecca 2001), but which subsequently declined markedly during 1998-2009 (fig. 3). Over this period, changes in some aspects of breeding success have been detected (e.g. reduced mean brood size of first nests at fledging, from 3.8 to 3.4, owing to decreased nestling survival). However, this effect has been offset by a small increase in nest sur- vival rate, so that there has been no decline in overall reproductive success (Sim et al. in prep.). Preliminary analyses of adult survival of Ring Ouzels in Glen Clunie suggest that it was low compared with similar species in Britain and North America (Savidge & Davis 1974; Nichols et al. 1981; Roth & Johnson 1993; Siriwardena et al. 1998; Porneluzi & Faaborg 1999; Bayne & Hobson 2002; Gardali et al. 2003). Although adult Ring Ouzel sur- vival did not decline during the course of the study, return rates of first-year birds did decline, though whether this reflected higher mortality, higher dispersal away from the natal areas, or both, is unknown. Since adult survival appears to be low compared with similar species, and given that population modelling (elasticity analysis) indicates that population growth rate is particularly sensi- tive to variation in first-year survival, this suggests that low survival may be a key driver of Ring Ouzel declines (Sim et al. in prep.). It is therefore important to identify the causes of poor survival. As a migrant, the Ring Ouzel is affected by factors acting on the breeding grounds, in overwintering areas and during migration, and this adds to the difficulties of identifying the causes of low survival. An analysis of the number of Ring Ouzel bird-days at British and Irish bird observatories in spring during 1970-98 found that numbers passing through western observatories (assumed to be mainly British breeding birds) declined significantly, whereas numbers passing through east-coast observatories (assumed to be mainly Fennoscandian breeders) did not (Burfield & Brooke 2005). If these assump- tions are correct, this suggests that the causes of low survival could occur on the breeding grounds or on migration, because British and Fennoscandian birds have overlapping win- tering ranges (Burfield 2002b); individuals of British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 229-239 235 Mick Green Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Sim et al. I 22. Male Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus, Cairngorms, May 2006. both subspecies have been trapped at the same time and in the same nets in Morocco (Ellis 2003). The expected difference in migration route and timings of the two populations could expose them to different risks. In par- ticular, although hunting of other thrush species is permitted under the Birds Directive in certain EU countries, particularly in the Mediterranean, the Ring Ouzel is not a legal quarry in any member state (OJEU 2010). However, there is a real risk that Ring Ouzels may be confused with other thrushes by hunters and shot in error. In general, the hunting season in France ends on 10th Feb- ruary but a number of species (including thrushes) may be legally hunted in some southern departments until 20th February (JORF 2009). Consequently, British-breeding Ring Ouzels passing through France earlier than Fennoscandian breeders in spring may be exposed to greater mortality risks from hunting. Furthermore, in autumn, British breeders probably migrate through France on a more westerly route than Fennoscandian breeders and are more likely to pass through southwest France, where ringing recoveries show that hunting pressure is particularly intense (Burfield 2001). Few studies of Ring Ouzels have been undertaken in their wintering areas, but in southern Spain the berries of Common /. communis and Phoenician Juniper were the most frequent food items (Zamora 1990; Jordano 1993). However, in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, Phoenician (and to a lesser extent Prickly) Juniper berries were consid- ered the most frequent food items (Arthur et al. 2000; Ellis 2003). Ryall & Briggs (2006) confirmed this preference for Phoenician Juniper, and noted that the Juniper woodlands used by Ring Ouzels were in a degraded and ageing state. Damage to trees from cutting, indicative ot general levels of distur- bance, appeared to be a stronger determinant of Ring Ouzel presence than did the number of berries (Ryall & Briggs 2006). In addition, Beale et al. (2006) provided some evi- dence that food availability in the wintering areas may affect survival, linking population declines in the Moorfoot Hills to levels of rainfall in the wintering areas (and hence Juniper berry abundance - see above). Future research priorities Research to date has iden- tified a number of factors that may be involved in causing the decline of the British Ring Ouzel popula- tion, but suggests that low first-year, and possibly 236 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain adult, survival may be the critical demo- graphic parameter driving this decline. The causes of low survival and whether these are operating on the breeding or wintering grounds, or on migration routes, remain unknown. Research that examines the factors affecting survival at all of these stages of the life-cycle is now urgently required. Designing and undertaking studies that measure sur- vival during each of these stages, and which identify the main causes of mortality, repre- sents a major challenge. However, recent advances in the miniaturisation of tracking devices, most notably geolocators (Fiedler 2009), mean that it is now possible to track birds the size of a Ring Ouzel through the full annual cycle, and this increases the feasibility of identifying the timing of migration and the location of the main stopover and win- tering sites. Further work should also be encouraged on the British breeding grounds, to test experimentally the effect of habitat and man- agement manipulations on breeding success and survival. Effective monitoring of the British breeding population remains chal- lenging, with coverage by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) being inadequate to detect national trends. Recent increases in BBS cov- erage within the English uplands will help to improve this situation considerably, but the majority of the British population will remain poorly covered. However, the second national Ring Ouzel survey, scheduled for 2011, should provide information on national and regional population trends, and the results of the 2007-11 Atlas will shed light on changes in distribution. Outside Britain, further studies of Ring Ouzel ecology in the wintering areas would be valuable. Studies to establish the full win- tering range of the British breeding popula- tion, and the extent and drivers (e.g. agriculture, development, drought, demand for firewood) of change in Juniper wood- lands within this area will help to determine whether winter food supplies may be a crit- ical issue. Determining whether large numbers of British birds are being killed on migration through France and Spain would similarly provide initial indications as to the role of hunting mortality. Finally, there is a need to improve our knowledge of trends and, where relevant, the causes of declines in other European breeding populations. Many of these are very poorly studied and the trend data available are qualitative or semi-quanti- tative at best (Tucker & Heath 1994; Janiga & Poxton 1997; BirdLife International 2004). Priority countries for improved monitoring should include those with the largest popula- tions (e.g. Romania, Austria, Norway and Russia) and those at the southern limit of the range and thus most vulnerable to climate change (e.g. Spain, Italy and Turkey). Acknowledgments We thank the members of the Ring Ouzel Study Group who contributed to the regional studies and landowners and tenants for co-operation with access. The Glen Clunie study was funded by RSPB, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Cairngorms National Park Authority* Surveys on Dartmoor and Exmoor were funded by Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities, Natural England and Defence Estates. Ian Burfield, Murray Grant and Jeremy Wilson provided valuable comments on earlier drafts of the paper References Anders, A, D„ Dearborn, D. C., Faaborg.J., & Thompson, F. R. 1 997. Juvenile survival in a population of neotropical migrant birds. Cons. Biol. I 1 : 698-707. Appleyard, I. 1 994. Ring Ouzels of the Yorkshire Dales. Maney, Leeds. Arthur D. S. C., & White, S. A. 200 1 . Numbers, distribution and breeding biology of Ring Ouzels in upper Glen Esk, 1 992-98. Scott. Birds 22: 50-59. — , Ellis, R R„ Lawie, R. G„ & Nicoll, M. 2000. Observations of wintering Ring Ouzels and their habitat in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Scott. Birds 21: 109-1 15. Baxter E.V., & Rintoul, L. J. 1953. The Birds of Scotland. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. Bayne, E. M., & Hobson, K. A. 2002. Annual survival of adult American Redstarts and Ovenbirds in the southern Boreal forest. Wilson Bull. I 14: 358-367. Beale, C. M., Burfield, I. J., Sim, I. M.W., Rebecca, G.W., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., & Grant, M. C. 2006. Climate change may account for the decline in British Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus.J.Anim. E col. 75: 826-835. BirdLife International 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife International (Conservation Series No. 1 2), Cambridge. Buchanan, G. M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Grant, M. C., & Whitfield, R 2003. Correlates of the change in Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus abundance in Scotland from 1 988-9 1 to 1 999. Bird Study 50: 97- 1 05. Burfield, I. J. 200 1 . Ringed ouzels: where do they go in winter? Ringers' Bull. 1 0: 58. — 2002a.The breeding ecology and conservation of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus in Britain. Unpublished PhD thesis. University of Cambridge. — 2002b. The Ring Ouzel. In: Wernham, C.V.,Toms, M. R, Marchant, J. H., Clark, J. A., Siriwardena, G. M„ & British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 237 Sim et al. Baillie, S. Ft (eds.), The Migration Atlas: movements of the birds of Britain & Ireland. Poyser London. — & Brooke, M. de L. 2005. The decline of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus in Britain: evidence from bird observatory data. Ringing & Migration 22: 1 99-204. Cramp, S. (ed.) 1 988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. 5. OUR Oxford. Durman, R. F. 1 977. Ring Ouzels in the Pentlands. Edinburgh Ringing Group Report 5: 24—27. Ellis, R 2003. Ringing Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus in Morocco.Tay Ringing Group Report 2001-03: 32-40. Fiedler W. 2009. New technologies for monitoring bird migration and behaviour Ringing & Migration 24: 175-179. Flegg, J. J. M., & Glue, D. E. 1 975. The nesting of the Ring Ousel. Bird Study 22: 1-8. Gardali.T., Barton, D. C„ White, j. D„ & Geupel, G. 2003. Juvenile and adult survival of Swainson’s Thrush ( Catharus ustulatus) in coastal California: annual estimates using capture-recapture analyses. Auk 120: I 188-1 194. Gibbons, D.W., Reid, J. B., & Chapman, R. A. 1993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1 988-1 991 . Poyser London. Gregory, R. D„ Wilkinson, N. I., Noble, D, G„ Robinson, j. A., Brown, A. F., Hughes, J., Procter D. A., Gibbons, D.W., & Galbraith, C. A. 2002. The population status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man: an analysis of conservation concern 2002-2007. Brit. Birds 95: 4 1 0-450. Holloway, S. 1 996. The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1875-1900. Poyser London. Janiga, M„ & Poxton, I. R. 1 997. The Ring Ouzel. In: HagemeijerW. j. M„ & Blair M. J. (eds.), The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Poyser London. jordano, R 1993. Geographical ecology and variation of plant-seed disperser interactions: southern Spanish junipers and frugivorous thrushes. Vegetation 107-108:85-104. JORF 2009. Arrete du 19 janvier 2009 relatif aux dates de fermeture de la chasse aux oiseaux de passage et au gibier d'eau, hormis les limicoles et les oies. Journal officiel de la Republique franqaise 1 7 (21 January 2009): 1321. www. legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte. do;jsessionid= FA9986F2437D0FC956C4C7EF3 AEEF I C5. tpdjo09v_ I ?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000020 1 28976& categorieLien=id King, D. I„ Degraaf, R. M„ Smith, M-L., & Buonaccorsi, J. R 2006. Habitat selection and habitat-specific survival of fledgling Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla ). J.Zool. 269:414-421. Mattes, H„ Maurizio, R., & Burkli, W. 2005. Die Vogelwelt im Oberengadin, Bergell und Puschlav. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sermpach. Nichols, J. D„ Noon, B. R„ Stokes, S. L„ & Hines, J. E. 1981. Remarks on the use of mark-recapture methodology in estimating avian population size. Studies in Avian Biology 6: 121-136. OJEU 2010. EC Directive 2009/ 1 47/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (codified version). Official Journal of the European Union L 20 (26 January 20 1 0): 7-25. http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. do>uri=OJ:L:20 1 0:020:0007:0025:EN:PDF Porneluzi, R A., & Faaborg, J. 1999. Season-long fecundity, survival, and viability of Ovenbirds in fragmented and unfragmented landscapes'. Cons. Biol. 13: I 1 5 1 - 1 161. Poxton, I, R. 1 986. Breeding Ring Ouzels in the Pentland Hills. Scott Birds 14: 44-48. Rebecca, G. W. 200 1 .The contrasting status of the Ring Ouzel in two areas of upper Deeside, north east Scotland, between 1991 and 1998. Scott. Birds 22: 9-19. Robinson, R. A., Green, R. E„ Baillie, S. R., Peach, W. J., & Thomson, D. L. 2004. Demographic mechanisms of the population decline of the Song Thrush Turdus philomelos in Britain. J. Anim. Ecol. 73: 670-682. Rollie, C. 1 997. The Ring Ouzel. In: Forrester R.W., Andrews, I.J., Mclnerny, C.J., Murray, R. D., McGowan, R.Y, Zonfrillo, B., Betts, M.W, Jardine, D. C„ & Grundy, D. S. (eds.), The Birds of Scotland. SOC, Aberlady. Roth, R. R„ & Johnson, R. K. 1 993. Long-term dynamics of a Wood Thrush population breeding in a forest fragment. Auk I 1 0: 37^8. Ryall, C., & Briggs, K. 2006. Some factors affecting foraging and habitat of Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus wintering in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Bull. African Bird Club 13: 17-31. Savidge, I. R, & Davis, D. E. 1 974. Survival of some common passerines in a Pennsylvania woodlot. Bird-Banding 45: 152-155. Schmid, H„ Luder R., Naef-Daenzer B„ Graf, R., & Zbinden, N. 1 998. Schweizer Brutvogelatlas. Verbreitung der Brutvogel in der Schweiz und im Furstentum Liechtenstein 1 993-1996. Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Sempach. Schmidt, K. A., Rush, S. A., & Ostfeld, R. S. 2008. Wood Thrush nest success and post-fledging survival across a temporal pulse of small mammal abundance in an oak forest. J. Anim. Ecol. 77: 830-837. Sharrock, J.T R. (ed.) 1 976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain & Ireland. Poyser Calton. Sim, I. M. W., Rebecca, G. W„ & Ludwig, S. C. 2008. Glen Clunie Ring Ouzel Breeding Ecology Project. North-East Scotland Bird Report 2006: I 17-1 19. — , — , — , Grant, M. C., & Reid, J. M. (In prep.). Characterising demographic variation and contributions to population growth rate in a small, declining Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus population. — , Burfield, I. J., Grant, M. C., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., & Brooke, M. de L. 2007. The role of habitat composition in determining breeding site occupancy in a declining Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus population. Ibis 1 49: 374-385. Siriwardena, G. M„ Baillie, S. R„ & Wilson, J. D. 1 998. Variation in the survival rates of some British passerines with respect to their population trends on farmland. Bird Study 45: 276-292. Smith, L. 2006. Shropshire Biodiversity Action Plan for Ring Ouzel. Shropshire Biodiversity Partnership. Tucker G. M., & Heath, M. F. 1 994. Birds in Europe: their conservation status. BirdLife International (Conservation Series No. 3), Cambridge. Tyler S. J., & Green, M. 1 994. The status and breeding ecology of Ring Ouzels Turdus torquatus in Wales with reference to soil acidity. Welsh Bird Report 1: 78-79. von dem Bussche, J., Spaar R, Schmid, H„ & Schroder 238 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain B. 2008. Modelling the recent and future spatial distribution of the Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) and Blackbird ( T. merula) in Switzerland. J. Ornithol. 149:529-544. White, J. D„ Gardali.T, Thompson, F. R„ & Faaborg, j. 2005. Resource selection by juvenile Swainson's Thrushes during the postfledging period. Condor 107:388-401. Wotton, S. R., Langston, R. H., & Gregory, R. D. 2002. The breeding status of the Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus in the UK in 1 999. Bird Study 49: 26-34. Zamora, R. 1 990. The fruit diet of Ring Ouzels (Turdus torquatus ) wintering in the Sierra Nevada. Alauda 58: 67-70. Innes Sim, RSPB Scotland, Dunedin House, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 3TP Chris Rollie, RSPB Scotland, The Old School, Crossmichael, Castle Douglas DG7 3UW David Arthur, Panmure Cottage, 1 Tennis Road, Carnoustie DD7 6HH Stuart Benn, RSPB Scotland, Etive House, Beechwood Park, Inverness IV2 3BW Helen Booker, RSPB, Keble House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1NT Vic Fairbr other, 8 Whitby Avenue, Guisborough, Cleveland TS14 7AP Mick Green, Ecology Matters Ltd, Bronhaul, Pentrebach, Talybont SY24 5EH Ken Hutchinson, White Gate Cottage, Church Lane, Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire Y018 7QL Sonja Ludwig, do RSPB Scotland, Dunedin House, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 3TP Mike Nicoll, Dundee Museum, Dundee, Tayside DD1 IDA Ian Poxton, 217 Newbattle Abbey Crescent, Dalkeith, Midlothian EH22 3LU Graham Rebecca, RSPB Scotland, lOAlbyn Terrace, Aberdeen AB10 1YP Leo Smith, 8 Welsh Street Gardens, Bishops Castle, Shropshire SY9 5BH Andrew Stanbury, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL Pete Wilson, RSPB, United Utilities Bowland Estate Office, Stocks Boardhouse, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 3AQ Atlas 2007-1 I update At the halfway stage of breeding- season fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007-11, a provisional map showing the distribution of the Ring Ouzel is available. The level of breeding evi- dence recorded so far is shown by the size of the dot, which indicates pos- sible (small), probable (medium) and confirmed (large) breeding. Field- work in April-July 2008 and 2009 covered much of the core range of the Ring Ouzel, although some remote or difficult-to-access 10-km squares may not have been visited yet. Compared with the 1988-91 Breeding Atlas, the provisional map suggests further range contraction across all breeding areas in Britain & Ireland. If you have any records from 2008 or 2009 not shown here, please submit them as soon as possible. Fieldwork for the third breeding season started on 1st April and all records of Ring Ouzels in breeding habitat are welcomed. Records can be submitted online at www.birdatlas.net or by requesting paper forms from the BTO (tel. 01842 750050). British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 229-239 239 Letters Eskimo Curlews I very much enjoyed Tim Melling’s thorough paper on the Eskimo Curlew Numenius bore- alis in Britain (Brit. Birds 103: 80-92). However, I would like to comment on two particular issues raised in the article. Firstly, I was surprised by the repeated assertion that Audubon saw the Eskimo Curlew only once, off South Carolina. In fact, he saw the species on many occasions and in considerable numbers. On 6th June 1833, Audubon and five companions left Eastport, Maine, on the schooner Ripley, spending the summer in Labrador and returning on 31st August. The expedition’s highlights were the discovery of Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lin- colnii and the recording of large numbers of Eskimo Curlews (Townsend 1918). In the Ornithological Biography (Audubon 1831-1839) which accompanied Audubon’s monumental Birds of America, there is a thor- ough first-hand account of these observa- tions. The following is but a brief extract: ‘On the 29th of July, 1833, during a thick fog, the Esquimaux Curlews made their first appearance in Labrador, near the harbour of Brag d’Or. They evidently came from the north, and arrived in such dense flocks as to remind me of the Passenger Pigeons... For more than a week we had been looking for them, as was every fisherman in the harbour, these birds being considered there, as indeed they are, great delicacies. The birds at length came, flock after flock, passed close round our vessel, and directed their course toward the sterile mountainous tracts in the neighbour- hood; and as soon as the sun’s rays had dispersed the fogs that hung over the land, our whole party went off in search of them. 7 was not long in discovering that their stay on this coast was occasioned solely by the density of the mists and the heavy gales that already gave intimation of the approaching close of the summer; for whenever the weather cleared up a little, thousands of them set off and steered in a straight course across the broad Gulf of St Lawrence. On the contrary, when the wind was high, and the fogs thick, they flew swiftly and low over the rocky surface of the country, as if bewildered. Wlierever there was a spot that seemed likely to afford a supply of food, there the Curlews abounded, and were easily approached. By the 12th of August, however, they had all left the country.’ Secondly, the paper refers to the sweeping changes overtaking the American prairies as an additional factor in the demise of the Eskimo Curlew. Changes to grazing and burning regimes and the extinction of the Rocky Mountain Locust Melanopus spretus are rightly highlighted but perhaps the most important factor in the transformation of the grassland ecosystem was ploughing. The Eskimo Curlews favoured the tallgrass prairie zone of eastern Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska and western Missouri and Iowa (Johnsgard 1980) but by 1870 the settlement frontier had already crossed these rich grass- lands and reached as far west as the 98th meridian, the threshold of more arid country. Equipped with John Deere’s new steel plough, settlers tore up the sod with enthusiasm and by 1890 most of the eastern tallgrass was gone (Webb 1931). References Audubon, J, J. 1 83 1 - 1 839. Ornithological Biography. Black, Edinburgh. Johnsgard, RA. 1980. Where Have All the Curlews Gone? University of Nebraska, Lincoln. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/biosciornithology/23 Townsend, C. W. 1918. In Audubon's Labrador. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Webb, W. R 1931. The Great Plains. Grosset & Dunlap, New York. Andy Stoddart, 7 Elsden Close, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6JW Eagle Owls in Britain Recent papers on the Eagle Owl Bubo bubo (Brit. Wildlife 20: 405-412; Brit. Birds 101: 478-490; see also pp. 213-222) have dis- cussed the provenance of birds recorded in Britain and the likelihood of the species occurring naturally. I recall that the West 240 © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 240-242 Letters Midlands bird on 9th December 1990 was found at the time of the BTO Annual confer- ence at Swanwick, Derbyshire, during which there were blizzards. At the time, Mike Rogers asked me to look at the possibility of this bird being a genuine vagrant. My tenta- tive investigation suggested that it could have been carried from southwest Norway on the northeasterlies of the depression bringing the snow. This opinion was forwarded to MR but the individual was finally presumed to be an escape. The recent papers reminded me of this event and I have taken the opportunity of researching the air-mass trajectories for this period using the latest computer model tech- niques developed by NOAA, which support my earlier deduction. The depression in question deepened over eastern England during 8th December, subsequently drifting SSW and filling during the next 24 hours. The northeast winds on its northern flank were strongest during that day and covered the whole of the northern North Sea. The air arriving in the Midlands late on 8th December originated in Rogaland, Norway, less than 16 hours previously. The low-level wind speed added to a notional 35-kph (light speed indicated a ground speed of 100 kph and therefore the duration of the seaward leg of any crossing could have been as little as seven hours. The very strong northeasterly winds, dense cloud and heavy precipitation that covered most of northeast England could conceivably have led to the bird over- shooting the east coast by such a margin. Although the owl’s exact provenance will never be known, it may just be the best candidate yet for a genuine vagrant Eagle Owl. Norman Elkins, 18 Scotstarvit View, Cupar, Fife KYI 5 5DX The malar stripe In 1981, an editorial in BB entitled ‘Bird topography’ (Brit. Birds 74: 239-242) set out to standardise the somewhat inconsistent approach to bird topography that had existed in bird books and field guides up to that point. Special mention was made of the dif- fering names given to the various stripes on the lower part of the head of some passer- ines, such as pipits Anthus and buntings Embenza. The editorial recommended that they should be named, from top to bottom: (1) the ‘moustachial stripe’, (2) the ‘submous- tachial stripe’ and (3) the 'malar stripe’. This terminology has since been adopted by all authoritative books and journals, such as Svensson (1992) and Svensson et al. (1999), as well as BWP. It remained in use until, in a paper entitled ‘What is the malar?’, Sibley (2001) suggested some amendments to these terms. In particular, he correctly pointed out that the malar stripe is not actually on the group of feathers known as the ‘malar’. This lower stripe in fact runs down the outer edge of the throat feathers and, as a consequence, Sibley recommended that it be renamed the ‘lateral throat-stripe’, a term that has, inci- dentally, long been used in Sweden. Another advantage of this change was that, in Britain, there has often been a certain amount of confusion over the term ‘malar stripe’. Sibley also pointed out that what we call the ‘submoustachial stripe’ is actually on the group of feathers known as the ‘malar’. He suggested, therefore, that the term ‘submous- tachial stripe’ be abandoned and that the pale stripe that is often present in this area should be simply renamed the ‘malar’, reflecting the group of feathers that it largely follows. Such a move would have the added benefit of bringing Europeans into line with North Americans, who have historically referred to this pale stripe as the ‘malar’. Since there seemed to be no opposition to Sibley’s 2001 recommendations, Vinicombe (2007) followed this new terminology in an article on topography in Birdwatch. Subse- quently, LS contacted KEV to question the wisdom of replacing the term ‘submous- tachial stripe’ with the ‘malar’. He was con- cerned about two problems in particular. Firstly, on the skull of an animal the malar actually relates to the upper cheek bone, whereas the feather group in question is closer to the bone of the lower mandible. More importantly, if the former ‘malar stripe’ is changed to the ‘lateral throat-stripe’ and the former ‘submoustachial stripe’ is in turn renamed the ‘malar’, this would introduce an British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 240-242 241 Markus Varesvuo Letters 123. The moustachial and submoustachial stripes and lateral throat-stripe on a Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica (Finland, June 2005). unnecessary complication that provides another significant source of confusion. Given that the use of the term ‘malar’ has always been confusing, LS considered it likely that it would become even more so if it was transferred to a different plumage feature. He could see no objection to the retention of the term ‘submoustachial stripe’, particularly since (1) it describes the mark perfectly and (2) its retention would then necessitate only one change instead of two (i.e. simply changing the traditional ‘malar stripe’ to the ‘lateral throat-stripe’). This thought had also occurred to KEV, so we approached David Sibley for his views on the subject. In his response, he stressed the point that plumage features do not always relate precisely to the feather groups that underlie them. In many ways, this warrants two sets of terminology: one to precisely describe the feather groups themselves and another, less precise terminology to enable birders to describe plumage markings. Sibley agreed, however, that the use of the term ‘malar’ has been and remains confusing and inappropriate - particularly in Europe - and he considers that there is an argument for ‘retiring’ it completely. The problem, though, is that the ‘malar’ has been tradition- ally used in North America for at least 100 years. As a conse- quence, he did not feel able to recommend the introduction of ‘submoustachial stripe’ in North America, where that particular term has never been widely used. The simplest option would be to accept that the North American and European terminologies are different. There is nothing to prevent the Euro- peans from continuing to refer to the pale middle stripe as the ‘submoustachial stripe’, a term that describes the feature both accu- rately and clearly. Although transatlantic uni- formity would be desirable, there are already other differences in plumage terminologies, examples being the ‘supercilium’, which the North Americans call the ‘eyebrow’, and the ‘ear-coverts’, which they call either the ‘cheek’ or the ‘auriculars’. Furthermore, the Ameri- cans often refer to the wing-bend area as the ‘shoulder’. It would be similarly unwise and difficult to propose the introduction of any of these American terms in Europe. For the sake of simplicity, therefore, we recommend that in Europe the term ‘sub- moustachial stripe’ is retained for the pale stripe between the ‘moustachial stripe’ above it and the newly named ‘lateral throat-stripe’ below it (see plate 123). In North America the ‘malar’ will continue to be used for this mark. References Sibley, D. 200 1 . 'What is the malar?’ Brit Birds 94: 80-84. Svensson, L. 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Privately published, Stockholm. — , Grant, RJ., Mullarney, K., & Zetterstrom, D. 1999. Collins Bird Guide. HarperCollins, London. Vinicombe, K. 2007. Topographical tips’. Birdwatch 1 76: 28-3 1 . Lars Svensson, S:ta Toras vag 28, S-260 93 Torekov, Sweden Keith E. Vinicombe, Bristol 242 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 240-242 Notes Red Kites playing catch? On 17th December 2008, at Calvert landfill, Buckinghamshire, I watched two Red Kites Milvus rnilvus in the air, seemingly playing a game of catch. The higher bird threw a small object upwards and sideways a distance of about 3 m by spinning around in the air rather like a discus thrower. As the object fell, the lower bird caught it in a talon. The birds then tumbled about for a few seconds before the bird with the object threw it back to the other bird using the same technique. They flew off into the distance, tumbling, but I didn’t see them making any more throws. This was not the usual food-passing of raptors, which is, I believe, more of a simple drop. David Ferguson, 21 Amersham Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 2HA Apparent nesting association of Northern Goshawks and Firecrests In 2007, I made several visits to a locality in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire, to monitor the breeding attempts of a pair of Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis. Between May and July, three singing male Firecrests Regulus ignicapilla were also observed at this locality, all within 20 m of the Goshawk nest. Unfor- tunately, the young Goshawks disappeared when they were about seven days old, but I continued to visit the area to follow the for- tunes of the Firecrests. No young were seen but a first-year male and female Firecrest were ringed there in September. In 2008, the breeding Goshawks nested about 1 km from the 2007 site. Their breeding cycle progressed well, aided by a raptor nestwatch scheme. Many unsuccessful attempts were made to find Firecrests at the previous year’s site, but four singing males were recorded within 30 m of the new Goshawk nest during May, June and July. The two localities had similar habitat structure, predominantly European Larch Larix decidua and Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis, as did much of the general area, and there were no obvious differences, either in habitat or woodland management, between the sites. Four Goshawk chicks were ringed by the Sorby Breck Ringing Group (SBRG) on 23rd May but on 29th May, after heavy rain and gales, the nest and four young were found on the ground. Emergency action was taken by Jack Street (SBRG) and Dave Jones (Forest Enterprise) to erect an artificial nest plat- form, on which the three surviving young were placed, two of which eventually fledged. Proof of breeding by one pair of Firecrests was obtained on 15th July, when they were seen feeding recently fledged young less than 10 m from the recently vacated Goshawk nest. CCTV footage of the Goshawk nest during this period showed that around 95% of the prey items were Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis ; other prey included Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius and Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major. All of these are potential predators of Firecrests and it seemed plausible that the Firecrests had selectively chosen their breeding site to be close to the Goshawks, especially since searches of apparently suitable habitat else- where in the area failed to find any Firecrests. In 2009, only a single male Goshawk was present at the 2008 site, with none at the 2007 site. Three singing male Firecrests were found in May, June and July, but, without a Goshawk nest as a focus, were more difficult to locate along the small woodland valley. Their response to playback tapes of their song was shorter and much more intermit- tent than in 2008. Symbiotic relationships between raptors and other species have certainly been recorded before and perhaps the best-known example is that of Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus and Red-breasted Geese Branta ruficollis in Arctic Russia. In addition, Blanco & Telia (1992) reported a protective © British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 243-247 243 Notes association and breeding advantages of Red- billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax in Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni colonies, while Duncan & Bednekoff (2008) found that cup- nesting species were more abundant near to nests of Cooper’s Hawks Accipiter cooperii because of the defence behaviours of the hawks. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Richard Dale, Hannah Dugdale, Roy Frost and Jack Street for their help with fieldwork and Forest Enterprise and the Severn Trent Water Authority for granting access to their land. References Blanco, G„ &Tella,J. L. 1992. Protective association of Choughs nesting in Lesser Kestrel colonies. Animal Behaviour 54: 335-342. Duncan, W. J„ & Bednekoff, RA. 2008. Nesting with the enemy. Ethology, Ecology and Evolution 20: 5 1 -59. Dr Geoff Mawson, Moonpenny Farm, Farwater Lane, Dronfield, Sheffield Si 8 IRA Common Kestrel attempting to predate Hobby chicks at the nest In July 2009, my wife and I watched a Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus twice attempt to take young from the nest of a Hobby F. subbuteo in Willingham by Stow, Lincolnshire. The nest was an old Carrion Crows’ Corvus corone nest, c. 10 m from the ground in an Ash Fraxinus excelsior tree, in the middle of open farmland. I had watched the nest daily since 14th June and in that time seen both Hobbies (but usually the female) aggressively mob any potential pred- ator that came too close to the nest, including Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Common Buzzard Buteo buteo. Lesser Black-backed Gull Laras fuscus and Carrion Crow. At 19.35 hrs on 30th July, a female Kestrel landed in a barley field about 15 m from the nest and was immediately mobbed by the female Hobby. Instead of being forced away from the area, however, the Kestrel flew towards and landed at the top of the nest tree, c. 3 m above the nest. The Hobby dived at the Kestrel repeatedly, calling constantly, but the Kestrel seemed unperturbed. When the Kestrel took off, it hovered very briefly then suddenly flew fast and direct straight at the nest. The Hobby chased it and managed to come between the Kestrel and the nest at the last moment; the Kestrel was close enough to stretch out a talon toward the three chicks (by that time aged 16-18 days) before aborting the attempt. Some five minutes later, the Kestrel reappeared and again landed at the top of the tree just above the nest; the adult Hobby sat tight on the edge of the nest, peering up at the Kestrel. The Kestrel eased its way down through the canopy, edging along branches towards the nest, whereupon the Hobby flew at it aggressively, connecting this time, and forcing it out of the tree. When the two birds emerged they locked talons and both birds dropped down behind a hedge out of sight. The Kestrel presumably flew off low across the field, since the Hobby returned and perched near the nest a few minutes later, when the chicks became visible once more. A pair of Kestrels nested in the adjacent field but I assumed that the aggressive Kestrel was not one of this pair, which I have seen in close proximity to the Hobby nest several times without provoking a response. Dean Nicholson, 8 Park Road, Willingham by Stow, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 5LF Common Ravens and Grey Herons I read with interest the note by Prytherch et al. (Brit. Birds 102: 638) on the relationship between nesting Common Ravens Corvus corax and Grey Herons Ardea cinerea at Chew Valley Lake, Avon. I have been counting up to ten heronries in Ceredigion each year for over 40 years, in a county which has had a ‘saturation-level’ population of Ravens (mostly tree-nesters) throughout that time. The mean spacing of Raven nests in farmland districts, where the heronries are, is about 2 km apart. It appears from casual observation that Ravens are considerably more likely to nest close to heronries, say within 500 m, than would happen purely by chance. In fact, most heronries have nesting Ravens much 244 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 243-247 Notes nearer than that, and they have quite fre- quently bred within a heronry or at its periphery. I doubt that this is due to a shortage of suitable trees, or that Ravens gain some advantage of concealment from the presence ot the herons. Ravens are top dogs and have few natural predators here. The advantage is more probably the improved prospect of a good meal, whether eggs, chicks (alive or dead) or surplus food supplied by the herons. Ravens are undoubtedly bad news for herons. One of my heronries, in a mixed conifer plantation at Llanfair, near Llandysul, was I suspect abandoned because of the attentions of Ravens, which, like the Chew Valley pair, were actually using an old heron nest. This heronry, which had existed since about 1925, and had up to 28 nests as recently as 1988, gradually dwindled to just Peter Davis, Felindre, Aberarth, Aberaeron SA46 OLP two pairs by 2004. The birds failed at the egg stage for three seasons before deserting the site in 2006; they have so far not returned. Ravens nested within 100 m since at least 1967, and actually moved into the heronry in the late 1990s. At this and other heronries there has been direct evidence of Raven pre- dation in the form of heron eggshells or the remains of young herons below the Raven nests, and at one site (Llanllyr, Talsarn) in 2009 the farm manager reported twice seeing a Raven taking a young heron from a nest to feed its own young, barely 50 m away. I have, incidentally, had one pair of Red Kites Milvus milvus using an old heron nest within an active heronry, actually in the same large Beech Fagus sylvaticus as three occupied heron nests. The kites failed at a fairly early stage. Spotted Flycatcher nest reconstructed for second clutch In June 2009, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata reared four young in a typical nest in a wall recess at West Bagbor- ough, Somerset; the young fledged on 27th June. On 2nd July I saw an adult Spotted Fly- catcher, probably the female, removing nest material, either flying off with the fragments or dropping them nearby. The nest was reduced to approximately 20% of its original size, with the lining removed entirely. On 3rd July, new materials were brought in, and the rebuilt nest was completed on 4th, with a new but scanty lining. The first egg was laid on the morning of 5th July and by 8th four eggs were being incubated. Second clutches are not uncommon in the Spotted Flycatcher, and Campbell & Fer- guson-Lees (1972) stated that the same nest may be used twice in one season, but I believe that rebuilding a nest to such an extent is unusual. Reference Campbell, B„ & Ferguson-Lees, J. 1972. A Field Guide to Birds' Nests. Constable, London, Dr A. P. Radford, Crossways Cottage, West Bagborough, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3EG Monitoring Hawfinches - another option The Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes has recently been added to the Red list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK (Eaton et al. 2009) and also to the list of species monitored by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP). Holling et al. (2009) high- lighted how ‘scarce this species actually is in the breeding season’, and the numbers pre- sented must surely represent only a tiny pro- portion of those breeding. The population decline that triggered its admission to the Red list was apparent from RSPB woodland surveys between 1984/85 and 2003/04 (Eaton et al. 2009). However, it is one of the more difficult of British birds to monitor effec- tively, owing to its secretive nature and easily overlooked song, and the timing of any survey work can have a marked effect on the numbers detected. Hawfinches may breed in loose ‘colonies’ (in part of a larger wood- land), and I have known two such colonies locally that persisted for several years before British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 243-247 245 Notes Table I . Capture and population estimate data for Hawfinches Coccothraustes coccothraustes in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, 2007-09. Site Date MG TC M/R AC A spring 2007 10 34 305* B spring 2007 6 14 34 C 1st May 2008 14 39 133 112 C spring 2008 14 63 239* B 2nd May 2008 5 14 56 33 B spring 2008 6 17 58 B 26th April 2009 7 27 350* 63 B spring 2009 10 65 102 * Few recaptures (relative to the number of new birds), and these estimates likely to be less reliable. Notes MG: maximum group size seen during a ringing session or during the spring (in each case ‘spring’ runs from late March to the first few days of May) TC: number of individuals caught during a session M/R: mark/ recapture estimate for a session and for the spring using the ‘du Feu method’ (see du Feu et al. 1983). Note that the du Feu method was derived in order to help ringers estimate how many birds are in a local population based on a single ringing session, using the number of new birds and recaptures during that session. In this case, it has been used for a single session but also across sessions during a ‘spring’ (as defined above), when the greater number of recaptures gives a more reliable population estimate. AC: the sum of all the different groups visiting during a session. This assumes that all individuals are different, which is likely to lead to an overestimate. Nonetheless, there is some correlation between M/R and AC (where M/R is based on sufficient recaptures) and these are likely to give a much better indication of the total number of birds in the area than MG. being deserted as breeding sites following woodland management (thinning). Such abrupt abandonment of apparently still suit- able habitat can cause additional problems in monitoring. My aim in this note is to incentivise others to establish feeding sites that might help to clarify the local status of the Hawfinch. During recent years I have caught and ringed over 200 in the Forest of Dean, Gloucester- shire, at three feeding sites (see Lewis 2007 and Lewis & Clevely 2009 for more detail). This represents a significant proportion of the grand total ringed in the UK: 1,641 to 2008. The sites are baited with black sun- flower seeds scattered among the leaf litter. The period when birds visit in late winter is fairly limited; numbers peak in the second half of April, before tailing off abruptly in early May. At this time, the birds are clearly paired and females are developing brood patches; they are presumably attracted to feeding sites when natural food is short and the females are building reserves for egg- laying, and the tail-off in numbers doubtless represents a departure for local breeding sites. The feeding sites are c. 8-10 km apart and the limited evidence of movement between sites suggests that most are attracted to the site from a fairly local area (a few kilo- metres), and that few birds move more than 5 km. The numbers caught at different sites show just how many are present in the local area, and data from ringing sites may be a useful extra means of estimating the local breeding population. Birds generally arrive as part of a small group, and groups continue to visit throughout the day. Recaptures of ringed birds suggest that each group com- prises mainly different individuals. Table 1 confirms that the numbers caught on a daily basis far exceed the maximum group size seen. In the absence of a mark/recapture esti- mate, accumulated daily counts can provide reasonably realistic estimates of the number of birds in the area, and perhaps a more real- istic one than either casual recording or specific surveys provide. References du Feu, C., Hounsome, M„ & Spence, I. 1 983. A single- session mark/recapture method of population estimation. Ringing & Migration 4: 2 1 I -226. Eaton, M. A., Brown, A. F„ Noble, D. G., Musgrove, A. J„ 246 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 243-247 Notes Hearn, R. D., Aebischen N.J., Gibbons, D.W., Evans, A., & Gregory, R. D. 2009. Birds of Conservation Concern 3. Brit Birds 1 02: 296-34 1 . Holling, M„ & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 2009. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2006. Brit. Birds 102: 158-202. Lewis, J., 2007. Why not try catching Hawfinch for a change? Ringers' Bulletin 12: 15. — & Clevely, R. 2009. Catching Hawfinch - easier than you might think! Ringers' Bulletin 1 2: 82. J. M. S. Lewis, Y Bwthyn Gwyn, Coldbrook, Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 9TD; e-mail jerrylewis@monmouthshire.gov.uk Hazards of man-made material to nesting Hawfinches In May 2009, in eastern Poland, we discovered and examined two Hawfinch Coccothraustes cocco- thraustes nests. One, con- taining two young aged around 8-10 days, was in a European Larch Larix decidua, close to a lake used by anglers. It was soon apparent that the young were tied together with discarded fishing line, a considerable quantity of which had been used for the nest lining. Presum- ably, the young had been entangled in the line at an early age and the line had tightened as they grew, constricting the thigh muscles. We cut the young free with scissors (plate 124) and removed all the line from the nest before replacing the young, which hopefully survived. The second nest, in a different area, was notable for the quantity of bright blue baler twine used in the construction and lining (plate 125). This empha- sised just how often (potentially dangerous) man-made materials are used as nest liners, and we did contemplate whether the colour had affected the predation risk. N. J. Westwood and M. Watson, 43 Houghton Road, St Ives, Huntingdon PE27 6RQ 124 & 125. Young Hawfinches Coccothraustes coccothraustes bound together with discarded fishing line ( 1 24), and Hawfinch nest with baler twine ( 1 25); Poland, May 2009. British Birds 1 03 • April 2010" 243-247 247 Mark Watson Mark Watson Reviews COLLINS BIRD GUIDE THFMOST COMPLETE Collins Bird Guide 2nd edition By Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom Collins, 2009 448pp, over 3,500 colour illustrations, maps Pbk, ISBN 978-0-00-726814-6 Subbuteo code Ml 7550 £17.99 BB Bookshop price £15.99 Hbk, ISBN 978-0-00-726726-2 Subbuteo code M 16237 £25.00 BB Bookshop price £22.00 GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND KILLIAN MUUARNIY LARS SVFNSSON PAN ZtTTtRSTROM PITER | GRAM No fewer than 700,000 copies of the first edition were sold, almost a third of them in the UK, and the Collins Guide has been indisputably the European field guide to birds for a decade now. Does this revised edition give it the wherewithal to maintain that position? Superficially, the new guide is very similar to the old one. The dimensions are unchanged but the number of pages has increased by 12%. The main accounts contain 41 new species (33 of which are the result of taxonomic splits, and most of these receive significantly fuller treatment); many subspecies receive new or more extensive coverage; there are 14 new (double-page) spreads (perhaps most notably Larry McQueen’s unloved American passerines have gone); and in total some 60 plates have been redesigned or repainted. All the maps have been revised, and the texts revisited and improved where appropriate. In the appen- dices, both vagrants and introduced species benefit from one extra spread. The taxonomy now gives us wildfowl and gamebirds at the beginning, although not the all- new passerine order that the BOU embraced at the start of 2010 (though it is hinted that this is likely to follow in a future edition). On the whole, after comparing the old and the new page by page, and pondering the logistical challenges of updating an existing layout rather than dismantling and starting from scratch, 1 felt that the improvement was significant. Most, if not all, of the splits and subspecies that were beginning to look like glaring omissions from the old one are covered. Taking the warblers as a case study, we now have full treatment of Eastern Sylvia cras- sirostris and Western Orphean S. hortensis, Asian S. nana and African Desert S. deserti, Booted Hippo- lais caligata and Sykes’s H. rama, Eastern H. pallida and Western Olivaceous H. opaca , Eastern Phyllo- scopus orientalis and Western Bonelli’s Warblers P. bonelli, plus an entire spread devoted to chiff- chaffs of one sort or another and redrawn plates of Radde’s P. schwarzi and Dusky Warblers Pfuscatus. The fact that there is (for example) no Moltoni’s (Subalpine) Warbler S. cantillans moltonii while Eastern Crowned Warbler P. coronatus is still listed in an appendix and (still) without an illustration means that it is not yet the last word on either sub- species or vagrants - but you have to stop some- where. The names in the first edition were a little quirky, and they still are. For example, although Stercorarius parasiticus is now Arctic (not Para- sitic) Skua, and Calcarius lappotticus has reverted to Lapland Bunting, the divers Gavia are still loons and the wheatears Oenanthe will give you a headache. Although the call transcriptions are gen- erally excellent, the Swedish influence on some (the flight call of Redwing Turdus iliacus remains ‘stuiiuf’) is not so helpful for non-Scandinavians. As Killian Mullarney has pointed out elsewhere ( Birdwatch 213: 30-32), perhaps the great travesty of this update was that, just four months before the publisher’s deadline, the number of new pages available suddenly jumped from 24 to 48; at that late stage, much of that precious allocation ended up being used to expand the index, an inexplicable lack of foresight that reflects badly on the pub- lisher. Bearing in mind the guidelines that the author and the artists were working with until this late stage, I think one has to conclude that the improvements in the new version are impressive. Is it still the number-one field guide to the birds of the region? Unquestionably, yes. Is it worth upgrading your old one? Yes, on the whole 1 think it is, and here at least the publisher should be com- plemented in releasing the paperback version almost as soon as the hardback (which surely few people will buy). The more user-friendly paperback is well worth the relatively modest investment. Roger Riddingtoti SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb. and see our list after Recent reports 248 © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 248-252 Reviews Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names By James A. Jobling Christopher Helm, 2010 Hbk, 400pp ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4 Subbuteo code M02538 £40.00 BB Bookshop price £35.00 The first version of this book was pub- lished by OUP in 1991 , and this is the turbocharged V8 model: bigger, heavier and more powerful. The only thing missing from the first book is the artwork decorating the vacant spaces at the end of each ‘chapter’. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under many taxonomic bridges, with the fragmen- tation of large genera into smaller units and the promotion of several hundred subspecies to species, providing much new material for the author. There are now over 20,000 entries com- pared with 8,500 in the 1991 version. Following a page of acknowledgments, a glos- sary and a list of abbreviations, a ten-page ‘Intro- duction’ includes the rationale for the new book, a brief history of the binomial system and a short summary of the main rules of the ICZN, and an analysis of the main types of bird names. Then follows seven pages of ‘How to use the dictionary’, which explains the conventions used. The author admits to a limited treatment of eponyms, giving just the basic who, when and occupation, and readers are directed elsewhere for more complete biographies. The meat of the book consists of 483 double- column pages (a 48% increase) of dictionary-like entries with generic names (initial capital) and specific names in alphabetical order explaining the derivation and meaning, with around 25-60 entries per page. The new publisher has made more efficient use of space with a smaller, but still readable, font and closer line spacing. Many entries have been expanded by the addition of who used it, the bird or group to which it applies and the addition of synonyms. The entry for some more frequently used words has been expanded from a few lines to almost a column. The expanded bibliography now runs to 18 pages. There cannot be that many with sources as diverse as the works of Aristotle, Pliny and a Malay- English dictionary! In the Introduction to the earlier book, but not the present one, the author mentioned that the abolition of diacritical marks by the ICZN deprived people of a possible clue to pronuncia- tion; the same wording now appears under the entry for aedon, but has a much wider application. The adjacent initial vowels in this word, and some others with a similar spelling, should be pro- nounced separately: ay-eedon. As few people are now encountering classics in their education, a more general guide to pronunciation would have been helpful. I have heard cisticola pronounced as sis-TIK-ole and sisti-Koe-le. As the book tells us, the word is derived from Greek kistos, a shrub, and Latin colere , to dwell, so perhaps the initial ‘c’ should be hard. As an aid to use, each page is thumbnailed with the appropriate letter. It would take a classical scholar of considerable expertise to take issue with the author, far beyond my distant struggles with Caesar’s Gallic Wars and Xenophon’s Anabasis. If you ever wondered what those strange words meant and where they came from, this book tells you. You learn quite a lot about Greek and Latin myths too. Reference Jobling, J. A. 1 99 1 . A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. OUR Oxford. F. M. Gauntlett The Status of Birds in Nottinghamshire By Jason Reece Hoopoe Press, 2009. Pbk, 156pp, line-drawings ISBN 978-0-9560592-0-8 Subbuteo code M20573 £9.50 BB Bookshop price £9.00 Despite its landlocked position, Nottinghamshire Aythya americana, at Bleasby in March 1996, and has been responsible for some major birds in the Nottingham Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla recent years, including Britain’s first Redhead cedrorum, which arrived the previous month. The SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 248-252 249 Reviews county has an impressive list of 325 species and no fewer than four firsts for Britain, so The Status of Birds in Nottinghamshire has the potential for some interesting reading. The first assessment of the county’s birds was Notes on the Birds of Nottinghamshire, by Joseph Whitaker in 1907, and the most recent was The Birds of Nottinghamshire: past and present, by Austin Dobbs in 1975. Though all historical records are noted, the scope of the present book is focused on the period 1975-2007, coinciding with the political boundary changes of 1974 and the last review of the county’s birds in 1975. A brief description of the county is organised by topography, geology and land use. The main body of the book embraces details of all species recorded in Nottinghamshire, with first and last dates for migrants, significant site counts, records of all rare vagrants and a list of key sites with grid references. The species accounts are pleasantly interspersed with the excellent line-drawings of local artist Chris Orgill. The book is thread bound and approximately 50% cheaper than it would have been in hardback, which should enhance both its durability and appeal. As an instant guide to the breeding and rarity status of all the county’s birds, and with all profits from sales being donated to Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers, 1 can recommend this book to anyone interested in the region’s birds. Ian Cowgill Up River: the song of the Esk By Darren Woodhead Birlinn, 2009 Hbk, 160pp, colour illustrations throughout ISBN 978-1-84158-8346 Subbuteo code M20570 £29.99 BB Bookshop price £27.00 Wild Skeins and Winter Skies: paintings and observations of Pink-footed Geese By James McCallum Silver Brant, 2009 Hbk, lOOpp, colour illustrations throughout ISBN 978-0-9541695-4-1 Subbuteo code M20556 £35.00 BB Bookshop price £31.50 Darren Woodhead and James McCallum are foremost among the most skilled exponents of sketching wildlife in the field. Their work is inspired by first-hand observa- tions and executed in the field with uncanny accu- racy and painterly freedom crafted by many years of sitting tucked away in the nooks and crannies of our country’s wildest habitats. All-weather condi- tions are endured in this pursuit - I can only pray that they have invested wisely in haemorrhoid- cream futures! Up River and Wild Skeins and Winter Skies are the latest publications to showcase these talents, revealing the respective artists’ latest ventures into the wilds of Britain, and it is a particular delight to review these books side by side. Darren Woodhead’s Up River is based on three years as artist in residence around Carlops and the valley of the North Esk River. The subject matter varies from bleak snowscapes, where you can feel the cold blasting from the page, to intimate studies of nesting Common Buzzards Buteo buteo and pages of fungi, which have a cosy Victorian feel to them. My favourites include the series of water- colours of Bullfinches Pyrrhula pyrrhula and a massive composition of Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus and Dunlins Calidris alpina. I was lucky enough to see this in the flesh at the Birdfair; it is stunning. Which leads me to my only tiny criticism, the originals are so big that some- times, even in a good-sized book such as this, the reduction of the image is such that the detail can become a little noisy - maybe too much of a good thing squeezed into a small space. By way of a contrast, James McCallum has ' chosen one species as his subject. For many years SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 250 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 248-252 Reviews he has painted, drawn or simply watched with care the Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus of his native Norfolk. Wild Skeins and Winter Skies is the culmination of this work. It is a brave man who produces a book of paintings based purely on one species, but I think he is canny and knows his local market extremely well and, of course, it is carried with the usual McCallum flair. The pages radiate with light and life, the geese gaggle in their efforts to get off the pages! The hours put into this and the dedication to his beloved geese is clear to see, but this is not just a book of pretty sunsets, there is plenty to be gained for both the art lover and the serious ornithologist. James has always prided himself on his roughy-toughy out-in-all-weathers approach to his art, but I couldn’t help but notice the word ‘van’ cropping up a few times - is he going soft with age? Both books are large format, well produced and lovely to hold - I have a thing about holding books! Both have been written in a way that is almost as evocative as the paintings themselves and are sym- pathetically designed. Reason to buy - simply to admire these artists at the top of their game. Dan Powell Wildlife Photography Masterclass: a beginner’s guide to wildlife photography By Chris Gomersall and David Tipling LPS Creative Media, 2009 63 min DVD Subbuteo code M60045 £19.95 (DVD) BB Bookshop price £17.95 This DVD features two of the UK’s best-known wildlife photographers, Chris Gomersall and David Tipling. Both come across well, and the DVD format is useful in allowing us to watch them at work in the field (and in the back garden), and also in the ‘digital darkroom’. The presentation begins by looking at the ‘kit bag’, and sets out clearly the pros and cons of compact cameras, digiscoping (only briefly men- tioned) and digital SLRs with their various lens options. A useful review of hides and camouflage gear is also included, along with frequent reminders that the welfare of the subject must always be the main consideration. Equally sensibly, as this presentation is aimed at the beginner, the discussion focuses mainly on the small-to- medium-range lenses rather than the more expen- sive, heavyweight telephotos, and discusses what can and cannot be achieved with the various options in this range. This emphasis continues with a series of prac- tical sessions, involving some approachable and accessible subjects, including a family of local Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes. Advice on using food and drink to attract wildlife closer to the camera includes the use of hazelnuts to attract squirrels, which some photographers might find counter- productive! Farther afield, a trip to Bempton Cliffs provides some useful guidance on focusing techniques and problems of exposure at this bird- photography hotspot. The main session on processing images in the ‘digital darkroom’ (workflow) provides a good grounding for the beginner in what can easily become a highly complex and confusing area, given the wide range of different software pro- grams on offer. Clever camera work clearly shows the actions performed on the computer, zooming in and out of the screen menus to reveal more detail. The additional ‘special features’ at the end of the DVD provide some extra pointers, including the intriguingly named ‘Exposure Bootcamp’ — a title which has more macho promise than it actu- ally delivers. In some ways these extras, particu- larly the additional session on image optimisation using Adobe Lightroom, come across as slightly vague and random, and may hinder rather than help the main presentation. However, they do illustrate the point that every photographer does things slightly differently, and that beginners need to experiment to discover what works best for them. This DVD covers a lot of ground and, thanks to the wealth of skill and experience on offer from the two photographers, provides a clear and well- presented introduction to wildlife photography, with lots of practical tips and advice. Bill Boston SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 * 248-252 251 Reviews The Sounds of Raptors and Falcons By Karl-Heinz Dingier, Christian Fackelmann and Andreas Schulze Musikverlag Edition AMPLE, 2009 Two CDs (156 mins) and 36-page booklet in English, French and German ISBN 978-3-938147-17-7. Subbuteo code VI 0081 £17.95 BB Bookshop price £15.95 These two CDs present 311 recordings of the calls and other sounds of 103 species of birds of prey - including all those regularly occurring in the Western Palearctic. In addition, the selection offered goes beyond that region to incorporate a range of species from each of the continents, although it is not clear what criteria were used to make the choice. There are over 320 raptors in the world, so only a third are represented here - and while the selection offered for Africa covers most of the commoner species, the same cannot be said for the other continents. There are some strange omissions. For example, several of the caracaras are included, but not Red-throated Caracara Dap- trius americanus, which is one of the most vocal raptors I know. From Australia the Black Falcon Falco subniger is featured - but nothing else. At the other extreme, a recording of chicks of the neglectus race of Common Kestrel F. tinnunculus from the Cape Verde Islands is included. Of particular interest are a series of ten record- ings of Red-footed Falcons F. vespertinus, repre- senting the entire breeding cycle from the establishment of a territory to calls of nestlings at the nest and on fledging, as well as alarm calls. The recordings are clear and the booklet provides brief details of each recording, although often without any indication of when or where the recording was made. Further details, including a full list of the species included, are available at www.birdsongs.de Keith Betton Peregrine Falcon Populations: status and perspectives in the 21st century Edited by Janusz Sielicki and Tadeusz Mizera Turul & Poznan University of Life Sciences, 2009 Hbk, 800pp, numerous colour photos and figures ISBN 978-83-920969-6-2 Subbuteo code M20455 £75.00 BB Bookshop price £69.95 This attractively produced volume consists of no fewer than 62 short papers, most of which were presented at the Second International Peregrine Conference, held near Poznan, Poland, in Sep- tember 2007. As befits the conference’s title, the papers are drawn from across the globe, though most (roughly 45%) concern central and eastern Europe. Such a bias is not unwelcome, given that this geographical area has not, to my knowledge, been well covered in earlier English language reviews on the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus. The papers are varied and split into six broad categories: population dynamics, food and feeding, interactions with humans, reintroductions, urban populations, and, as a bonus not even hinted at in the book’s title, a concluding section consisting of four interesting papers on the Saker Falcon F. cherrug in central Europe. There are plenty of intriguing facts to be found, and issues to be thought about. For example, despite a ban on the use of certain organochlorine biocides in Germany, levels of chemical contamination of Peregrine eggs in that country have not fallen as far as expected, probably owing to DDT residues from anti-malaria cam- paigns in the tropics being redistributed through the atmosphere to colder regions of the globe. Also dis- turbing is the matter of male hybrid falcons that have escaped from captivity mating with wild female Peregrines (female hybrids are apparently infertile), as has occurred recently in eastern Germany and in England. In this connection, it was also interesting to read that natural hybridisation has taken place between certain species of large falcon where their ranges meet in North America and Eurasia. Several contributions discuss the decline and subsequent recovery of various Peregrine populations, while on a lighter note there is even a paper considering the use of the images of falcons on stamps. Enthusiastic students of large falcons are sure to find this book informative and thought-provoking. Pete Cotnbridge SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 45 252 British Birds 1 03 • April 2010 - 248-252 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Global war(farin) declared on rats as UK seeks to save our seabirds Far-flung seabird islands in the South Pacific and the South Atlantic are set to receive an anti-rodent onslaught that could finally safeguard their endan- gered seabird communities. Both Henderson Island and South Georgia are UK Overseas Territories that are spectacularly remote with internationally important seabird populations. Henderson Island is in the Pitcairn group in the eastern South Pacific, 5,000 km from New Zealand; South Georgia is in the South Atlantic, 1,500 km east of the Falklands. South Georgia is home to 30 million breeding seabirds. The key species are Grey-headed Alba- tross Thalassarche chrysostoma, Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli, White-chinned Petrel Pro- cellaria aequinoctialis, Antarctic Prion Pachyptila desolata, Macaroni Penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus (half the world population) and the endemic South Georgia Shag Phalacrocorax georgianus. But South Georgia is also home to several million Brown Rats Rattus norvegicus , the descendants of those inadvertently introduced by nineteenth- century whalers and sealers. The rats devour the eggs and chicks of all ground-nesting birds and will be targeted in a comprehensive eradication programme scheduled for February 2011, master- minded from... Dundee. Invasive rodents have been removed success- fully from more than 300 islands worldwide but the South Georgia operation involves two helicop- ters spreading poisoned bait over every square metre of ice-free land on the 170 km-long island, using the precision of GPS navigation. ‘It’s easily the largest rat-eradication effort in the world, at least seven times bigger than anything anyone has tackled before,’ said Tony Martin, Professor of Animal Conservation at the University of Dundee, who is in charge of the multi-million-pound project. ‘My job is to nail every last rat and to make sure we don’t poison too many non-target species. It’s no good if we end up missing the last couple of rats, because they reproduce so quickly and within a few years their numbers will be back up to present levels.’ The only barriers to the rats on South Georgia are the ice tongues of the glaciers which protrude out to sea and isolate some bird colonies. But these glaciers are retreating rapidly, which means that rats are able to find new bird colonies to attack, Prof. Martin said: ‘The glaciers are retreating at a hell of a pace, sometimes visibly changing year on year. When the snout of a glacier melts away from a beach, the rats just walk around it. It’s happening very quickly, which is why we need to work fast.’ Pellets of a cereal bait loaded with an anti- coagulant poison will be spread across all rat- infested parts of the island by helicopter. The poison, which quickly degrades and does not dis- solve in water, works by getting into the liver and causing internal bleeding. It does not kill immedi- ately and makes the rats sensitive to light so it is hoped they will retreat to their burrows to die underground rather than dying out in the open where their poisoned corpses could be eaten by seabirds. Meanwhile, the RSPB is researching the eradi- cation of the Pacific Rat R. exulans on Henderson Island in August-September 2011 or 2012. Hen- derson is the most pristine raised coral atoll of significant size in the world. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989, the island has four endemic landbirds: the Henderson Fruit Dove Ptilinopus insularis, Henderson Lorikeet Vini stepheni , Henderson Crake Porzana atra and Hen- derson Island Reed Warbler Acrocephalus taiti. It is also the only known nesting site of the Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata and represents the ‘global headquarters’ of the highly threatened gadfly petrel group, with four breeding species. Evidence from fieldwork has shown that Pacific Rats kill 99% of the chicks of the four species of petrel (Henderson Petrel, Herald Petrel P. heraldica, Murphy’s Petrel P. ultima and Kermadec Petrel P. neglecta) that occur on Henderson. Popu- lation modelling shows that these petrels are in long-term decline, with their numbers having dropped from the order of millions before rats arrived to just thousands now. The rats are also likely to be reducing populations of turtles and other wildlife on Henderson, and competing for food with the fruit dove, lorikeet and crake. One of the RSPB’s key aims is to convince the UK Government to accept and honour its legal obligation to protect the biodiversity of this unique island, and another is to secure funding for the removal of rats from Henderson Island. If rat eradication (estimated cost: £1.5 m) is successful, it’s believed that seabird populations could be boosted one hundredfold within a relatively short time frame. And a paper about Henderson Island in the series describing key Important Bird Areas (IBAs) will appear in BB later this year. © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 253-256 253 Walter Bums News and comment Raven increase does not spell the end for threatened waders Common Ravens Corvus corax are not responsible for the dramatic declines in the numbers of wading birds seen in many parts of the UK uplands, according to the results of a new study by RSPB and the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES). The uplands are home to many waders, including European Golden Plovers Pluvialis apri- caria , Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus, Dunlins Calidris alpina and Eurasian Curlews Numenius arquatus, which have declined by up to 50% in the last quarter century. In contrast, Raven populations have recovered in many parts of the UK during that same period. These patterns, together with the knowledge that Ravens will eat the eggs and chicks of upland waders, have led some to suggest that Ravens are the cause of wader declines, and to demands by some land managers for licences to kill Ravens to protect upland breeding birds. RSPB data from sites distributed across more than 1,700 km2 of the UK’s uplands were used to explore the patterns of change in Raven numbers and wader abundance over the past 20 years. In the UK, the Breeding Bird Survey shows that from 1994 to 2007 the Raven population increased by 134%. The research found little evidence to suggest that wader populations were more likely to decline where Raven populations had increased, however. This implies that other factors, including changes to habitat and vegetation cover, and a general increase in other predators such as Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes, could be responsible for these large- scale changes. The study did find weak associations between increases in Ravens and declines in Lap- wings and Curlews, but these were not statistically significant. Further research is needed to explore these patterns and consider the impact of habitat changes on waders. Waxwings on the move Aberdeen is the UK’s capital city of Waxwings Bombycilla garrulus. Its location in relation to Scandinavia means that if there is any widespread movement of Waxwings, some usually turn up in Aberdeen. The abundance and variety of berries in the city attracts and holds birds and in the larger invasions flocks of over 1,000 have been recorded. Grampian Ringing Group has been colour- ringing Waxwings in and around Aberdeen since 1988. Thanks to many birders, photographers and members of the public providing sightings and recoveries of dead birds, the results have produced an interesting picture of the birds’ southward movements through Britain & Ireland after land- fall in North-east Scotland. Unfortunately, once the Waxwings depart to their remote summer breeding grounds, few are ever heard of again. So, when small numbers started to arrive in February 2010, it was an exciting surprise to have a colour-ringed bird return to the same village where it had been ringed (as an immature female) in February 2009. Plate 126 shows the colour- ringed Waxwing feeding on apples in the garden of Walter and Ann Burns in Kintore, near Aberdeen. This is only the third confirmed record of a Waxwing returning to the UK in a subse- quent winter from over 4,500 birds ringed. In contrast, an adult male ringed in Aberdeen on 31st March 2005, during the very large invasion of winter 2004/05, was killed by a cat the following February... in a Russian village east of the Urals, 3,714 km northeast of its ringing location the previous winter. 1 26. Adult female Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus, Kintore, North-east Scotland, February 2010, returning to the very same village where it had been ringed a year earlier. ( Contributed by Raymond Duncan) 254 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 253-256 News and comment The Big Mammal Year Many (most?) birders keep a year list, be it for their country, county or just for their garden. Those 2010 British year lists should soon be accu- mulating their first Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica, Common Whitethroats Sylvia communis and Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus. Some well-heeled and/or well-travelled people also keep a world year list. The record breakers in world birding are Alan Davies and Ruth Miller, whose Biggest Twitch around the world in 2008 yielded a staggering 4,341 species, a quantum leap beyond the previous record of 3,662 seen in a single year (www.thebiggesttwitch.com) Now two South Africans, Rich Lindie and Hayley Wood, have decided to make 2010 a ‘big year’ - for mammal watching. And they’re hoping to raise $100,000 for mammal conservation along the way. There are 5,500+ species of mammal in the world (roughly half the c. 10,000 bird species) and the couple hope to see about 400. Theirs is not an attempted record-breaking tour but an oppor- tunity to see, photograph and raise the profile of the most endangered species. Roughly one-fifth of mammal species fall into this category. To find out more, visit www.thebigmammalyear.com Bumblebees not so vulnerable Renowned weather watcher Norman Elkins responded to the recent piece about the Big Freeze and the threat to hibernating bumblebees (Brit. Birds 103: 133). He says: ‘Regarding bee mortality, I fear the comments by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust are rather misleading. Not only have we had air temperatures as low as this winter’s in previous winters (the -20°C being the exception rather than the rule), but such low minimum temperatures usually occur only above extensive snow cover (which radiates very efficiently, leading to severe temperature decreases overnight). However, the snow acts as a blanket, keeping ground tempera- tures at or just above zero. Thus bees hibernating underground are well protected from the very low temperatures (with -11°C and 20 cm of snow in my garden, I was still able to dig vegetables from the soft unfrozen ground beneath). ‘With such widespread snow across the UK, I ^suspect that most bees were quite comfortable beneath the snow cover. If this was not the case, there wouldn’t be very many bees left in northern Europe!’ Seabird conservationist nets $ 1 50,000 award to research fisheries Dr Ben Sullivan, a Tasmanian-based co-ordinator for BirdLife’s Global Seabird Programme, has been awarded a 2010 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conser- vation for his project to reduce seabird ‘bycatch’ (the catching and killing of non-target species) in open ocean longline and trawl fisheries. The Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation gives recipients $150,000 for a three-year scientific research or conservation project designed to address critical challenges facing our oceans. Dr Sullivan’s fellowship will utilise the existing Alba- tross Task Force to conduct research and develop best practices for reducing the killing of seabirds in many of the bycatch ‘hotspots’ around the world. ‘I am thankful to the Pew Marine Fellows Program for allowing me to research new and better ways to protect seabirds from unnecessary deaths at the hands of fishing gear,’ said Dr Sul- livan. ‘Finding new solutions to the problem of bycatch in fisheries will signify an important step toward stopping the decline of many seabird populations.’ Biking birder update Gary Prescott (see Brit. Birds 103: 135) has had an eventful start to his birding/biking year around Britain, in the coldest British winter for 30 years. Broken lights after a fall on the ice, three days stuck in Hemel Hempstead because of the snow (he finally escaped along the towpath of the canal to Uxbridge, pushing the loaded bike the whole way), and nearly being arrested in London’s St James’s Park for looking and acting like a terrorist (heavy camouflaged fatigues to combat the snow, plus binoculars and notebook) were just some of the challenges he faced. By early March, he had reached Cornwall and 149 species for his year list, including goodies such as Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis, Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis, Ring-necked Duck A. collaris, Great White Egret Ardea alba and Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor. Follow Gary’s journey on www.bikingbirder.co. uk, where his itinerary is listed - if you can offer company or a bed for the night at any point, please get in touch. His mission is to cycle to every RSPB and WWT reserve in the UK, in support of those two charities plus Asthma UK. British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 253-256 255 News and comment BB Bird Photograph of the Year, sponsored by Warehouse Express A reminder that the 34th BB Bird Photograph of the Year competition is still open for entries. The competition is FREE to enter and up to three images of Western Palearctic birds taken during 2009 may be submitted. The first prize is a cash prize of £1,000, and the closing date for entries is 24th April. For full details of the rules and how to submit entries, visit www.britishbirds.co.uk/bpy.htm o on photography express The World’s Rarest Birds A rather different photographic competition is now online at www.theworldsrarestbirds.com Photos of 623 species, listed on the website, are eligible for the competition and many will be used in The World’s Rarest Birds, which will be pub- lished in the first half of 201 1. The World’s Rarest Birds has evolved from Rare Birds Yearbook and will be produced by WILDGuides, a not-for-profit publisher and, as with Rare Birds Yearbook, proceeds from sales will be donated to BirdLife International’s Preventing Extinctions Programme. The new format will be expanded to cover the 362 species categorised as Endangered as well as the world’s 192 Critically Endangered species. For more information contact Erik Hirschfeld editor@theworldsrarest.com or Andy Swash andy_swash@wildguides.co.uk Owls of the world - a request for photographs In 2012, A&C Black will publish a definitive photographic guide to the world’s 250 species of owls, and the process of sourcing and selecting photographs is now well underway. Owls of the World is being written by Finnish owl guru Fleimo Mikkola, and the publishers would like to invite the submission of images (preferably digital) for use in the book, which will place particular emphasis on plumage variation and racial separation. Photographs of young birds, island endemics and adults in flight are particu- larly welcome. If you think that you might be able to help, please contact Ellen Parnavelas: eparnavelas@ acblack.com And finally: Black Woodpecker in Cumbria - It seemed too good to be true. A much-hoped-for - and frequently claimed - first for Britain had been staked out in Cumbria. Indeed, it seemed to be ‘nailed on’ for anyone wishing to make the journey to the Lake District. The Black Wood- pecker Dryocopus martins at Ling Fell near Bassen- thwaite Lake was indeed nailed on, however, as soon became apparent. The first report was phoned through to the BirdGuides sightings hotline www.birdguides.com by a local resident, and she was very detailed in her description: ‘I was on the lower slopes of Ling Fell, near Wythop Mill, and the Black Woodpecker was on a telegraph pole. Because I was coming down- hill towards him, he was not far above eye-level at first. He stopped pecking and froze, and though I stopped and watched for a good five minutes, he did not move. I’ve checked the books and there’s absolutely no doubt that’s what he was.’ still showing well She was perfectly correct in her identification and the bird is still showing well - it’s a metal model nailed to an electricity pole. It transpired that power company United Utilities use models of Black Woodpeckers to deter Great Spotted Wood- peckers Dendrocopos major from drilling holes in their wooden electricity poles, which cost up to £1,500 each. Polly Rourke from United Utilities told BBC Look North: ‘We’ve been using these models for about five years because (Great Spotted) wood- pecker attack is one of the biggest causes of elec- tricity pole damage... They make huge holes in the poles, which can render them unstable. It makes it impossible for our engineers to climb them and there could be a risk of power cuts.’ And no, despite the date on the front cover of BB, this is not an April Fool! 256 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 253-256 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early February to early March 2010. Headlines American waterbirds provided most of the highlights, including two Pied- billed Grebes, a Pacific Diver and a Common Eider of the American race dresseri in Ireland, and a Bufflehead in Dorset. A trio of Phylloscopus warblers injected some passerine interest, particularly a Dusky Warbler, the first for the London area. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Long- stayer in Devon to 28th February; Pitsea (Essex), 4th-5th March. American Wigeon Anas americana Long- stayers in Co. Cork and Dumfries & Gal- loway. Baikal Teal Anas formosa Tacumshin Lake (Co. Wexford), long-stayer seen again, 19th-23rd February. Black Duck Anas rubripes Long-stayer in Co. Mayo; also Colli- ford Lake (Cornwall), 16th February to 6th March. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Long- stayer in Co. Dublin. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Chew Valley Lake (Avon), again, 20th February. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-stayers in Cornwall and East Glamorgan; also Lewis (Outer Ffebrides), two, 10th February; Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir (East Glamorgan), inter- mittently, 13th February to 5th March; Hog- ganfield Loch (Clyde), 22nd February to 6th March; Chew Valley Lake, 7th March. Common Eider Somateria mollissima Drake of American race dresseri, Glasagh Bay (Co. Donegal), from early January to 3rd March. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Burghead (Moray 8c Nairn), long-stayer joined by another from 19th February to 1st March. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola Abbotsbury/ Langton Herring/The Fleet (Dorset), 6th-8th March. Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucul- latus Long-stayer in Cleveland to 1st March. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica Between Doorus Pier (Co. Galway) and Finvarra (Co. Clare), again, 4th-6th March. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Sennen, up to two long-stayers to 3rd March, Tresillian/Tre- semple Pool, up to three long-stayers to 19th February, Wadebridge, 19th February, and Hayle Estuary (all Cornwall), 6th March; Great Island (Co. Cork), 4th-28th February; Walmer (Kent), 2nd March; Sharpham Park (Somerset), long-stayer again 3rd-7th March. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Cambridgeshire, Carmarthenshire, Cheshire & Wirral, Dorset, East Glamorgan, Greater London, Gwent, Hampshire, Kent, Lan- cashire & N Merseyside, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Warwickshire, Yorkshire. 127. Drake Common Eider Somateria mollissima of American race dresseri (right-hand bird above, in both cases), Glasagh Bay, Co. Donegal, February 20 1 0; potentially the first record for the Western Palearctic. © British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 257-258 257 Paul Kelly www.irishbirdimages.com Paul & Andrea Kelly www.irishbirdimages.com Recent reports Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Long-stayers from the 2009 influx comprised three in Somerset and one in Co. Wexford. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Lough Gur (Co. Limerick), 19th February to 6th March; Lough Ateduan (Co Clare), 5th-7th March. Black Kite Milvus migrans Gigrin Farm, Rhayader (Radnorshire), long-stayer to 7th March. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus Islay (Argyll), found dead 14th February; Tresco (Scilly), 13th February and 5th March; Maer Lake, 18th February, presumed same near Newquay (both Cornwall), 24th February. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Waxham (Norfolk), 16th February; Cranwell, 1st March, presumed same Brant Boughton (both Lincolnshire), 2nd March. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Maer Lake, 1 2th— 19th February; Burton Marsh/ Inner Marsh Farm (Cheshire & Wirral), 14th— 16th February; Tacumshin Lake, 20th-23rd February; Ashton’s Callows (Co. Tipperary), 5th March; Banks Marsh (Lan- cashire 8c N Merseyside), 7th-8th March. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Between Bexhill and Cooden (Sussex), 1 4th— 20th February. ‘Thayer’s Gull’ Larus glaucoides thayeri Cleggan (Co. Galway), from 19th January to I Oth February. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroico- cephalus Philadelphia Baltimore (Co. Cork), long-stayer to 5th February; Lligwy Bay (Anglesey), lst-2nd March; River Taff (East Glamorgan), 7th-8th March. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long-stayer in Co. Galway to 6th March. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Lewis, 17th February. Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Grove Ferry (Kent), long-stayer to 19th February; Rainham Marshes (Greater London/Essex), 15th February. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus Braintree (Essex), 1st March. Hume's Warbler Phylloscopus humei Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk), 13th February. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Walthamstow (Greater London), 1 4th— 2 1 st February. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Kendal (Cumbria), long- stayer to 1st March. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis Newholm (Yorkshire), long- stayer to 28th Feb- ruary. European Serin Serinus serinus Rainham Marshes, two long-stayers to 24th February. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Dunnet (Highland), long- stayer to 7th March; Sconner (Corn- wall), 18th February to 7th March; Lundy (Devon), 22nd-24th Feb- ruary. 128. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus, Tacumshin Lake, Co. Wexford, February 2010. 258 British Birds 103 • April 2010 • 257-258 BBUTEO JRAL HISTORY BOOKS Natural History Bookshop To see all the books listed here and browse hundreds of titles covering ornithology and many other wildlife and natural history subjects go to www.wildlifebooks.com/bb Code SI 590 3IRD GUIDE The Most ! 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New: Victory DiaScope ZEIS British Birds Volume 103 • Number 5 • May 2010 the natural HISTORY museum 1 8 MAY 2010 presented TRING LIBRARY 260 ‘Amur Wagtail’ in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic Stephen G. Addinall 268 H From the Rarities Committee’s files: Proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of ‘Amur Wagtail’ Adam Rowlands 276 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain Andrew H. J. Harrop 284 Satellite tracking the migration of birds in eastern Asia Hiroyoshi Higuchi Regular features 303 Notes Eurasian Sparrowhawk taking nestling Song Thrushes Iain Main Wood Pigeons and the saltmarsh habitat Bryan Sage Wood Pigeon diet Bryan Sage, A. P. Radford Goldcrest flycatching Norman Elkins Male Barn Swallow passing food to female Ian Kerr Behaviour of a male Blackbird giving ‘ultra-crystallised’ song Stephen Menzie Aerial courtship-feeding by Spotted Flycatchers A. P. Radford 307 Review The Status of Birds in Britain & Ireland 309 News and comment Adrian Pitches 313 S3 Rarities Committee news BBRC seeks new members 3 1 4 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey AS FSC Mixed Source: rssnx-s British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and •> interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 ‘Amur Wagtail’ in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic Stephen G. Addinall Abstract A White Wagtail Motacilla alba of the race M. a. leucopsis, often referred to as ‘Amur Wagtail’, was discovered at Seaham, Durham, on 5th April 2005. This is the first time that this distinctive taxon, which breeds in eastern China and winters in southeast Asia, has occurred in Britain or the Western Palearctic. Circumstances leading to the discovery and subsequent identification are described. Systematics and relationships within the White Wagtail complex and vagrancy to Europe by eastern races of White Wagtail are discussed briefly. In early 2005, I moved to the beautiful coastal town of Seaham in County Durham. By April, having had little time for birding and not having met any local birders, I was completely unprepared for finding a rarity, let alone a first for the Western Palearctic! This was an unconven- tional find in many ways: it was a distinctive but unfamiliar race of a common and wide- spread British bird, but was one that I had not heard of previously, and neither had most of the people I contacted while trying to piece together the identification. Conse- quently, that thrilling ‘eureka moment’ which occurs when most ‘firsts’ are found and the identification is clinched did not really happen. The significance of the discovery only gradually became clear, and the closest I got to a ‘eureka moment’ came a month later, in China, when I set eyes on my second ever ‘Amur Wagtail’, the distinctive leucopsis race of White Wagtail Motacilla alba, and realised that my bird really was the same. Circumstances On the afternoon of 5th April 2005, I was birding an area of wasteland on the site of the old Vane Tempest colliery, which had some areas of standing water and scrubby vegeta- tion. I was still feeling my way around a new local patch and this area, just a short distance from my house, looked quite promising. I soon noticed an unfamiliar wagtail, which, compared with nearby Pied Wagtails M. a. yarrellii, had much more white in its plumage. It was a very attractive bird and I was particularly taken by the white throat, isolated black bib and the large white patch across the wing-coverts. In fact, it was suffi- ciently distinctive that I made a quick field sketch - a rarity in itself - but my intuition told me that this was probably a partial albino Pied Wagtail. I then left to visit another area of Seaham. On my way home, I passed by the same area and enjoyed closer views of the wagtail. At this point I noted that the large white patch across the wings was formed by the greater coverts, which had very faint grey centres. I also noted that the bird’s under- parts were entirely white apart from the black bib patch, and that it lacked the smoky-grey flanks of Pied Wagtail. The open, pure-white face, contrasting with the black cap and ' mantle, superficially reminded me of the calcarata race of Citrine Wagtail M. citreola, which I had recently seen in Ladakh, India. Although the ‘funny wagtail’, as I was now 260 © British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 • 260-267 ‘Amur Wagtail’: new to Britain thinking of it, showed no obvious signs of albinism (apart from having more white in its plumage than yarrellii), this still seemed the most likely explanation for its unusual appearance. However, I was aware that mul- tiple forms of alba and related wagtails exist in North Africa and across Asia, so I returned home to see if any of my field guides illus- trated something similar. In my modest book collection, the Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (Grimmett et al. 1999) and A Field Guide to the Birds of Japan (Wild Bird Society of Japan 1982) con- tained illustrations resembling my bird - in fact only half a bird is illus- trated in the former! Both pointed to it being a male White Wagtail of the race leucopsisl As it is a race, no com- monly used English name was men- tioned in these field guides. Subsequently, the wonderfully evocative name ‘Amur Wagtail’ was coined and has since become widely used. I have to confess that at the time I had never heard of leucopsis and since neither book contained much text on that particular taxon, I looked for further evidence on the internet. I was pleasantly surprised to find a photograph, taken in South Korea, of a bird that was virtually identical to the Seaham bird. Not knowing any local birders, I telephoned Tim Cleeves, who confirmed that my description matched an illustration of adult male leucopsis depicted in A Field Guide to the Birds of Korea (Lee et al. 2000), and he politely suggested that I should get back out and photograph it! In fading light, I obtained some dreadful photographs, which, nonetheless, successfully captured some of the features I had observed in the field. I 29 & I 30. Adult ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Seaham, Durham, 5th-6th April 2005. British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 260-267 261 Chris Bell Chris Bell Stephen Addinall Addinall The next morning, I found the wagtail in the same area and this time I was able to examine it through my telescope. In partic- ular, the bare parts and the eyes were dark and I confirmed that the general plumage pattern was the same on each side of the bird. These features finally convinced me that this was not an aberrant individual or a partially albino Pied Wagtail. At this point, I phoned John McLoughlin of Birdline North East. We discussed the bird and I e-mailed him a com- pilation of my poor-quality photographs. 1 had also made a second sketch of the wagtail (fig. 1), in which I added more detail obtained from telescope views, and I e-mailed a scan of this to John as well. While speaking to John, very good telescope views enabled me to confirm that the greater coverts had faint grey centres and, once again, that the bare parts were dark. At this point (midday), we decided that news of the bird should be released as an apparent leu- copsis White Wagtail. The first birders began to arrive about 90 minutes later and a small number were present for the rest of the day. Throughout Wednesday 6th April, the bird remained in the area and gave views down to a distance of 3 m. I was told that it was last seen at about 7.30 pm, when it flew off to the north. There was no sign of the wagtail on 7th April and it was not seen again. Description The following description is based on obser- vations made in the field through binoculars and telescope, down to 3 m. General impression and shape These appeared very similar to a typical alba wagtail in all respects. If there were any struc- tural differences from the accompanying yarrellii , these were too subtle for me to detect. Upperparts The crown, nape, mantle, back, rump, upper- tail-coverts and centre of the tail combined to form continuous, solidly black upperparts which contrasted beautifully with white areas of plumage. In the very strongest sunlight, there was a hint of dark grey on the back but this may have been due to reflected light. The forehead and entire face were bright, clean, dazzling white. The black crown started above and level with the eye, while the black nape skirted widely around the back of the ear- coverts onto the mantle. Depending on the bird’s posture, the dividing line between the white and black areas at the rear of the ear- coverts occasionally kinked backwards (white into black). The general appearance of the tail was black with white edges; yet, although the outer tail feathers were white on the outer web, I did not see the inner webs. I had a brief view of the second-out- ermost tail feather on one side, which was black with white on at least part of the outer web. The feathers of either the rump or the uppertail- coverts were some- times visible below the primaries, giving the impres- sion of some black coloration on the sides of the vent or rear llanks. This i,s something that I have also observed on Pied Wagtails and usually varies - ^ frj ' j? , , > '■ / y t Fig. I. Field sketch of ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, at Seaham, Durham, on 6th April 2005. 262 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 260-267 ‘Amur Wagtail’: new to Britain depending on posture, in particular according to the position of the wings. The scapulars and lesser coverts were black and, at medium or long range, appeared to join with the black upperparts. At close range, however, a very thin, broken, wispy line of silvery feather tips could be seen across the top edge of the scapulars, sepa- rating them from the mantle. The overall impression of the wings was of a white panel across the coverts and black flight feathers with broad white fringes. Closer views of the greater coverts revealed faint grey centres to each feather, surrounded by wide, white fringes. The effect created was that the grey centres appeared to be visible through the fringes of the next feather along. The median coverts clearly had broad white fringes or tips, making it impossible for me to judge whether the bases or centres of these feathers were black, or if they were completely white - judging the exact pattern of tracts of feathers in areas of uniform black and white proved to be quite a challenge! The alula was black. The tertials had black centres with broad white fringes, although I did not note the precise shape of the centres/fringes. I did not specifically note the colour of the primaries, secondaries or primary coverts. Apart from the centres of the greater coverts, every visible part of the wings was either pure black or pure white. Underparts The chin and throat were pure white, contin- uous with the face and forehead. The upper breast was black, in the shape of a bib (or a semicircle with the curved edge facing down- wards). The lower breast, belly, vent, under- tail-coverts and flanks were clean white. The black bib was isolated in the otherwise white underparts because the white of the face was joined to the white flanks via the white sides to the breast past the bend of the wing. This is a feature I associate with M. a. alba and not M. a. yarrellii. Close telescope views revealed fine white fringes on some of the feathers at the junction between the white throat and the black breast, resulting in the upper edge to the bib being much less clean- cut than the lower edge. Again these fringes were so fine that they created a silvery appearance. Brief views of the underwing revealed clean white underwing-coverts. Bare parts Legs and feet dark grey, iris dark. The bill was dark grey with a bluish tinge, darkest at the tip and base. On some occasions parts of the bill looked brown owing to dried mud sticking to it. Voice To my ears, those few calls that I could attribute directly to the Amur Wagtail appeared typical of alba wagtails. During one sunny spell, it gave a brief snatch of scratchy song, which contained typical alba wagtail sounds. Comparison with Pied Wagtail The Seaham wagtail was a particularly striking individual, appearing essentially black and white, and even more contrasting than an adult male Pied Wagtail. This was due to (i) the virtual absence of any colour other than black or white in its plumage, unlike Pied Wagtail which has, for example, sooty-grey flanks; (ii) more extensive areas of white than Pied Wagtail, including the face, wing-coverts, tertial fringes and underparts; and (iii) the black upperparts appearing even darker than those of Pied Wagtail. In terms of behaviour and general jizz, there was no dis- cernible difference between these two forms. Despite my initial fears, nothing from my observations or the available photographs led me to believe that the Seaham wagtail showed any indications of albinism that may have caused a Pied Wagtail to resemble leu- copsis. On the contrary, there are a number of points which, taken together, make a strong argument against albinism. In particular, there was no pink coloration to any of the bare parts; each feather tract appeared simi- larly marked on each side of the bird - to stress this point, I could not see irregular pale markings in any feathers; and transitions between white and black areas of plumage were very sharp, including between the centres and fringes of some feathers. The only exceptions to this were the greyish centres to the greater coverts and the transi- tion between the upper edge of the black bib and the white throat. I have found both of these features illustrated on leucopsis depicted British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 260—267 263 Chris Batty Chris Batty Addinall in field guides and in photographs on the internet. In addition, I have subsequently observed both of these features on leucopsis in the field in China. Furthermore, the com- bination of black-and-white plumage on this bird matches exactly that of a breeding- plumaged adult male leucopsis. For a male Pied Wagtail to resemble a male leucopsis it would have to display aberrant white plumage on the throat and flanks (but not the breast) as well as the greater coverts and tertials (but not the lesser coverts). In other words, patchy but symmetrical albinism on the underparts, and symmetrical albinism affecting the fringes of two feather tracts of the upperparts. The probability of this com- bination creating the exact appearance of leu- copsis must be extraordinarily small. Distribution White Wagtail has one of the most extensive breeding ranges of any passerine, extending from eastern Greenland to include Iceland, northwest Africa, Europe and much of Asia north of the tropics (fig. 2). It also breeds locally in coastal regions of western Alaska, USA. Across this vast range there is consider- able geographical variation and nine distinc- tive races are recognised. The race leucopsis occupies the southeastern limit of the range, and although northern populations are migratory, this race is not usually thought of as being a long-distance migrant, making it one of the more unlikely Asian passerine vagrants to reach Europe. The northern limit of the breeding range lies in the Amur region of southeastern Siberia in the Russian Far East. From here it extends south through northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula and has recently expanded into Kyushu and south- western Honshu in southern Japan. To the south leucopsis breeds in Taiwan and throughout eastern and southern China to coastal Hong Kong. The western limit of the range lies across central China, extending from northern Ningxia south through Gansu, central Qinghai, northern and central Sichuan to central Guizhou and northern Guangxi (Cheng 1987; Alstrom & Mild 2003). Northern breeders are migratory, wintering in China mostly south of the Yangtze River, but also including southernmost Japan and Taiwan. The race also winters throughout much of Indochina and northern Thailand, Burma, the And a m an I s 1 a n d s , Bangladesh and northeast India (Smythies 1986; Cheng 1987; Robson 2000). ll becomes progressively less 131 & 132. Adult ‘Amur Wagtail' Motacilla alba leucopsis, Seaham, Durham, 5th-6th April 2005. 264 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 260-267 ‘Amur Wagtail’: new to Britain numerous to the west across northern India to Nepal, with birds occasionally occurring west to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab (Inskipp & Inskipp 1991; Alstrom & Mild 2003; Rasmussen & Anderton 2005). Vagrants have reached Australia on nine occasions to May 2005 (e.g. Carter et al. 1995, Palliser 2006). Given the time of year, it is unlikely that the Seaham Amur Wagtail was a recent arrival from eastern Asia. A more likely scen- ario is that it arrived in Europe at some point during the previous autumn. Perhaps, having successfully overwintered in Europe or Africa, it began its northward migration at a time coinciding with that of Pied Wagtails returning to their breeding grounds. Its arrival at Seaham coincided with a period of heavy rain and gale-force winds and this may have encouraged it to remain for a two-day period. During its stay, Pied Wagtails were moving north through the area, and occa- sionally would drop in to join it. On these occasions, interaction with the Pied Wagtails (both male and female) was noted, with the leucopsis and the Pied Wagtails repeatedly chasing each other. Relationships within the White Wagtail complex Although the White Wagtail is usually treated as a single, wide-ranging, polytypic species, some authorities do recognise individual races as distinct species. For example, Sang- ster et al. (1999) proposed treating each taxon as a species under the Phylogenetic Species Concept. Others have adopted a less radical approach and suggested treating just one or two of the more distinctive races as species. For example, Stepanyan (2003) treated the central Asian personata and the form lugens, which has its breeding range centred on the Sea of Okhotsk, as distinct species. Although supported in some quar- ters, these splits are not widely recognised and generally have not been adopted in Europe. Alstrom & Mild (2003) discussed in considerable detail the relationship between all taxa forming the White Wagtail complex. They concluded that lugens interbreeds with the expanding leucopsis population in southern Japan. They also questioned whether claims that these taxa are reproduc- tively isolated where they meet in eastern Russia had been satisfactorily demonstrated. Fig. 2. Breeding range of White Wagtail Motacilla alba showing the distribution of the various races. The borders between the subspecies, and the width of the intergradation zones, are only provisional outside the Western Palearctic. Furthermore, only well-described zones of intergradation are marked. Thus, there may also be such zones between, for example, leucopsis and baicalensis, but published proof is lacking. Reproduced from Alstrom & Mild (2003), with permission of the publishers, Christopher Helm/A&C Black. British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 * 260-267 265 Addinall It is not known for certain whether leucopsis intergrades with alboides or baicalensis where their respective ranges meet. In summary, there is no evidence to suggest that these taxa behave as separate species where they meet. Alstrom & Mild (2003) showed that the mitochondrial-DNA tree for White Wagtail is separated into two branches, or clades: one comprises alba , yarrellii, baicalensis, ocularis, lugens and subpersonata, while the second includes alboides, personata and leucopsis. (However, they emphasised that the relation- ship of leucopsis to other forms was in partic- ular need of clarification because its genetic position, within the alboides clade, is at odds with aspects of the adult male plumage that look similar to those in the alba clade.) Under the Monophyletic Species Concept, they felt that it would be acceptable to treat these two clades as separate species: M. alba (with six races) and M. alboides (with three races). However, the molecular data do not support selecting an individual taxon from within either clade and treating it as a species in isolation from others in the same clade. Moreover, if the white wagtails were to be split, it is not clear (for the reasons outlined above) which side of the split leucopsis would be on. Alstrom & Mild also pointed out that genetic divergence within the White Wagtail complex is small compared with that between other black-and-white wag- tails currently treated as species and does not support the recognition of two or more species. Ultimately, they chose to continue to treat the nine taxa as races of a single species. European records of vagrant races of White Wagtail In addition to nominate alba and yarrellii, a further three races within the White Wagtail complex have occurred in Europe. As well as the Seaham bird, a female leucopsis was reported from Farsund, Norway, on lst-2nd November 2008. There are four European records of personata: Cyprus, 22nd Sep- tember 1966; Lista, Norway, 15th November 2003 to 9th April 2004 (Eggen 2003); Glabo, Oland, Sweden, 29th April 2006; Risor, Norway, 21st September 2007. In addition, vagrants of the northwest African race, sub- personata, occurred in Portugal, 1 3th— 1 4th July 1995; Corsica, 15th May 1997; Gibraltar from late July to 6th August 2006; and Spain on 24th March 2007 and 25th March 2009 (Slack 2009). Just beyond the Western Palearctic, there is one record of leucopsis from Oman, at A1 Ansab lagoons on 24th February 2005. Clearly, White Wagtails are worthy of closer scrutiny. Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the help and advice received from Tim Cleeves, Chris Kehoe, John McLoughlin, Angus Murray and Ken Shaw. Alison Harding, librarian at the NHM.Tring, kindly sourced references. Nigel Redman at Christopher Helm/A&C Black kindly agreed to the reproduction of the distribution map. References Alstrom, R, & Mild, K. 2003. Pipits & Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Carter M„ Fames, R., & Pamment, N. 1 995. White Wagtails Motacilla alba in Victoria. Australian Bird Watcher 16:21-33. Cheng, T H. 1 987. A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China. Science Press. Beijing. Eggen, M. 2003. The Masked Wagtail in Notway - new to western Europe. Birding World 1 6: 464-465. Grimmett, R„ Inskipp, C„ & Inskipp.T. 1 999. Pocket Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Christopher Helm, London. Inskipp, C., & Inskipp.T 1991 .A Guide to the Birds of Nepal. 2nd edition. Croom Helm, Beckenham. Lee,W-S„ Koo,T-H„ & Park,J-Y 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of Korea. LG Evergreen Foundation/Toyokan Publishing Co. Ltd. .Tokyo. PalliserT 2006. Submission No. 464: White Wagtail Motacilla alba Mallacoota.VIC., 2nd-3rd May 2005. www.tonypalliser.com/barc/summaries/SUMM464. htm, accessed on I st January 20 1 0. Rasmussen, R C., & Anderton, J. C, 2005. Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Vols. I & 2. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions, Washington DC and Barcelona. Robson, C. R. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of South- east Asia. New Holland, 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 1977-1998. Ardea 87: 139-165. Slack, R. 2009. Rare Birds, Where and When: an analysis of status and distribution in Britain and Ireland. Rare Bird Books, York. Smythies, B. E. 1986. The Birds of Burma. 3rd edition. Oliver & Boyd, London, Stepanyan, L. S. 2003. [Conspectus of the Ornithological fauna of Russia and adjacent territories (within the borders of the USSR as a historical region).] Academkniga, Moscow. (In Russian) Wild Bird Society of Japan. 1 982. A Field Guide to the Birds of Japan. Wild Bird Society of Japan/Kodansha International Ltd, Tokyo. Stephen G. Addinall, 27 Weybourne Lea, East Shore Village, Seaham, County Durham SR7 7WE 266 British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 260-267 ‘Amur Wagtail’: new to Britain Editorial comment Adam Rowlands, Chairman of BBRC, commented: ‘This record is clearly remarkable, but was well documented with high-quality photographs and a comprehensive description. While variation among wagtails can cause significant problems when distinguishing vagrant individuals of well-defined subspecies from occasional mutant or aberrantly plumaged birds, this appears to affect the alba complex less than the flava complex. 1 his individual clearly showed the full suite of characters to enable its identification as the eastern form leucopsis. The ageing and sexing provoked some discussion, with the suspicion that it may well have been an adult male, but the overall conclusion was that the sex could not be established beyond doubt on plumage characters, although the fact that it gave brief snatches of song suggest it was probably a male. 'The identification was accepted unanimously on first circulation. Criteria used to identify this form were explored during the initial stages of the assessment process and the outcome of those studies (augmented by further study of skins at the NHM, Tring, both at the time and sub- sequently) form the basis of the following paper. This was especially relevant given the informal submission of descriptions and sketches of a bird on Scilly in October 1981. That individual showed a reduced black breast patch and extensive white in the wing-coverts, but also had exten- sive dark feathering on the flanks in combination with black upperparts, which indicates that it was a variant yarrellii. This highlights that aberrant birds do have to be considered when searching for potential vagrant leucopsis. BBRC would welcome further claims of this form, and the occurrence of the 2008 Norwegian bird confirms that birders in northwest Europe should be aware of the potential for future autumn vagrants.’ Bob McGowan, Chairman of BOURC, commented: ‘As noted in the main paper, the White Wagtail has a remarkably extensive breeding range and the nine recognised subspecies reflect the wide range of habitats in which it is found. ‘The wagtail at Seaham was initially considered by Stephen Addinall to be an aberrantly plumaged Pied Wagtail. Fortunately, sustained curiosity and further research quickly established it to be a male White Wagtail of the race leucopsis and not an atypical Pied Wagtail with plumage that perfectly resembled that of leucopsis in all respects. ‘BOURC was satisfied that this striking bird was indeed an Amur Wagtail. In addition to the description and photographs in the file, the Committee’s considerations were helped by com- ments published by Brett Richards in Birdwatch (June 2005) following examination of a series of skins of yarrellii and leucopsis at the NMH, Tring. Assessment of vagrancy potential yielded a spectrum of views (from ‘possible’ to ‘very unlikely’) but with a consensus around unlikely to very unlikely. No evidence of trade was found despite a thorough search and, the April date notwithstanding, the Committee felt able to accept this race to Category A of the British List. ‘Extralimital occurrences of leucopsis include nine instances of vagrancy to Australia, one record from Oman in February 2005, and one from Norway in November 2008. This is one of the most amazing examples of vagrancy from the east that the Committee has assessed and it must extend our perception of what other vagrants could get to Britain.’ Steve Addinall, Chris Batty and Chris Bell have donated their fees for the text and images for this paper to Vaila’s Fund (www.vailasfund.co.uk), established in memory of Vaila Harvey to help young people from Shetland to achieve their aspirations through international study. British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 260-267 267 From the Rarities Committee’s files Proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of ‘Amur Wagtail’ Adam Rowlands Abstract Criteria for the assessment of 'Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis in a vagrant context were established, based on field exerience, literature sources, museum specimens and photographs. Adult and first-winter leucopsis can be separated from all other forms of White Wagtail by the isolated black breast patch, which is smaller than that of other races, and by the extensive white sides to the head and neck. First-winters are more likely to be mistaken for other races but can be safely separated from all other forms of White Wagtail by a combination of diagnostic and supportive characters, as described. The problems of variants and intergrades are discussed. The White Wagtail Motacilla alba is a widespread and familiar species throughout Britain. The dark-backed Pied Wagtail M. a. yarrellii is a common breeding species, and the paler, grey-backed White Wagtail M. a. alba is encountered regu- larly on migration, and has occasionally nested. In addition, two other races have strayed from Asia and reached northwest Europe: M. a. personata (‘Masked Wagtail’) and M. a. leucopsis (‘Amur Wagtail’). The race leucopsis is a particularly distinc- tive taxon and it is unlikely that it would be overlooked in Europe, where only M. a. alba and yarrellii occur regularly. There has been just one British record of leucopsis, an adult at Seaham, Durham, on 5th-6th April 2005 (Addinall 2005, 2010). This, together with a female at Farsund, Norway, on lst-2nd November 2008, highlights the possibility of further records in western Europe. Given that the Seaham bird was an adult in April, and that vagrants from Asia, and passerines in particular, tend to reach western Europe in autumn, perhaps others are being over- looked? Perhaps Pied Wagtails are just too familiar for detailed attention? To establish criteria by which BBRC can assess future claims of leucopsis, and to be able to comment authoritatively when evaluating claims or photographs of potential leucopsis, an analysis of specimens and photographs was carried out. This focused on variation within leucopsis, the appearance of other races, particularly in first-winter plumage, and the likely appearance of poten- tial intergrades. This resulted in a set of cri- teria that are believed to be robust (although only time will tell whether this is the case). Primary data were taken from Alstrom & Mild (2003), and supported by field experi- ence of this form in China in September and October, Taiwan in April, and India and Nepal in January. Examination of specimens at NHM, Tring, enabled theories to be tested and possible new criteria to be compared against a range of races, including inter- grades, from throughout the species’ range. Acceptance criteria As with all races of White Wagtail, leucopsis exhibits substantial variation in crown, 268 © British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 Criteria for assessment of ‘Amur Wagtail’ 133. Fi rst-winter ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, 8th November 2008. A bird that appears to have replaced all the greater coverts but retained the tertials in its post-juvenile moult. The scattered blackish feathering in the mantle is frequently, but not always, shown by first-winter leucopsis, and the faint grey wash to the breast-sides is also commonly shown by birds of this age. Just a hint of the black rump and proximal uppertail-coverts is revealed below the folded wing. I 34. First-winter ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, 29th October 2009. This bird is probably a male because of the extensive black feathering in the crown and nape. Although extensively white-faced, first-winter leucopsis often shows faint greyish feathering within the ear-coverts. mantle and scapular colour, which is related to age and sex. It does, however, show features that are diagnostic and apply to all sex and age classes, together with a number of supportive characters. Diagnostic features, which are considered essential to support any claim of leucopsis, are sum- marised below. Sup- portive characters are also discussed. Taken in isolation no single supportive criterion is wholly reliable, but for an acceptable record none of these should be contradicted. A claim of a first- winter in the UK would be expected to include all the diag- nostic features, and the exact face pattern and breast markings would need to be clearly described (or prefer- ably photographed), in a variety of postures. To exclude the possi- bility of intergrades, care is required to establish that charac- ters associated exclu- sively with other races, in particular M. a. baicalensis and M. a. alboides, are not present. Identification Diagnostic features More white on the head than any other race The upper and central throat, forehead, ant- erior crown and sides of head and neck are always white, or pale creamy-yellow in first- winters. The extent of dark on the throat is individually variable. White flanks and breast-sides The flanks and breast-sides are typically white, although some grey may be apparent in first-winters, particularly when the flank feathers are fluffed up over the wings and the bases become visible. All-white median and greater coverts, forming a broad white panel Adults show white greater coverts and the British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 269 Martin Hale John & Jemi Holmes Michelle & Peter Wong John & Jemi Holmes Rowlands smudges on the central part of the outer webs). This is often visible on the closed wing. These dark markings may give the false impression of retained juvenile greater coverts, with dark markings on the outer webs. Supportive characters Blackish remiges When fresh, adult flight feathers show rather narrow white tips, and broader white edges to the outer webs of the secondaries than other races (broader basally, at least under - and thus concealed by - the greater coverts). The inner webs of the sec- ondaries and inner pri- maries show broader whitish edges than other races - widening basally, although not reaching the shaft, but sometimes narrowly reaching the tip. Primary coverts and alula jet-black with white tips and edges I 36. Adult male ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, 25th October 2009. Adult males remain stunning even in non-breeding plumage and are unlikely to be overlooked in a vagrant context. majority of first-winters show a combination of adult-type inner greater coverts and (retained) juvenile outer greater coverts. Some adults show concealed dark bases and/or a short basal shaft streak on the median coverts; and diffuse greyish bands on the greater coverts (formed by concealed blackish patterns on the inner webs or dark Longest tertial often has an all-white outer web Outermost tail feather (T6) is usually entirely white Age-related criteria Adult male summer Adult males are readily recognised by the solidly black mantle, scapulars, rump and uppertail-coverts, and black breast patch, which contrast with the white underparts, forehead and face. The median and greater 1 35. Adult ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, 25th September 2004. Readily identified as leucopsis by the head pattern, clearly restricted dark breast patch (not visible from this angle), white flanks and extensive white in the median and greater coverts.The black rump and lower back is also a valuable feature in greyer-backed birds, although the extensive black mottling in the upperparts on this individual reduces the need to determine the rump colour to confirm the identification. 270 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 Criteria for assessment of ‘Amur Wagtail’ coverts form a large and conspicuous white patch in the closed wing, although some greater coverts usually show faint greyish centres (as the Seaham bird did). 1 37. ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, 1 9th October 2003. This individual is rather difficult to age with confidence. It could be an adult female, but is possibly a first-winter that has undergone a complete post-juvenile greater-covert and tertial moult. The apparent yellowish tones in the ear-coverts are more typically associated with first-winter birds. The contrasting black lesser coverts are an additional useful feature for separation from other eastern forms of White Wagtail, particularly M. a. baicalensis. 138. Adult ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, Hong Kong, I Ith October 2005. An autumn adult that shows a slightly more extensive breast patch than the first-winter in plate I 39. Note that the outermost tail feather appears to be entirely white, a supporting feature for leucopsis. Adult female summer Adult females in breeding plumage closely resemble males and may be difficult to separate with confi- dence. However, the upperparts are often slightly duller black or very dark grey with blackish feathering admixed. First-summer These resemble adults of the respective sex, with males usually, but not exclusively, appearing solidly black above. They differ mainly by their browner (more worn) remiges and primary coverts that, compared with an adult, show greater contrast with the blackish upper- parts. It is, however, generally difficult to judge the extent of wear in the field unless viewing conditions are i ideal . First-summers (usually retain some juvenile outer greater coverts, which show dark centres, that con- trast with the largely white adult-type inner greater coverts. A minority of females are uniformly grey on the mantle and scapulars, and these are easily confused with baicalensis. With care, and ideally supported by a good set of photographs, these difficult birds can be separated from baicalensis by having a smaller black breast patch that does not extend to the lower throat or lower breast; a blackish rump and proximal uppertail- coverts; and white flanks (although a few first-summer females have greyish-tinged flanks). The extent of white in the median and greater coverts tends to match that of adults. British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 271 Michelle & Peter Wong Michelle & Peter Wong Tim Edelsten Michelle & Peter Wong Rowlands indicate that males will retain solid black upperparts, the speci- men collection at NHM, Tring, has several examples of apparent adult males collected in autumn that have grey feath- ering amongst the black upperparts. So the presence of grey may not be female-spe- cific at this season and sexing may be more difficult than has been implied. 139. Fi rst-winter ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis , Hong Kong, I Oth January 20 1 0. Note the completely white breast-sides and flanks. I 40. First-winter ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba leucopsis, South Korea, 1st October 2007. Note the reduced extent of the black breast patch, extensive white in the wing-coverts (especially the second-generation median coverts) and blackish rump contrasting with grey upperparts. Adult winter Following the post-breeding moult, males remain largely unchanged in their appear- ance, although the breast patch is reduced in size. The upperparts of adult females are slightly paler, varying between blackish-grey to dark grey, and can show diffuse blackish blotches. Although Alstrom & Mild (2003) First-winter First-winters look less striking than adults, but they still retain a characteristic white- faced appearance and have an isolated dark spot in the centre of the breast (albeit smaller than that of adults). This breast patch is often smaller and narrower in first- winter females than males; some females show a faint greyish or brownish breast patch and, very occasionally, none at all. Following the post- juvenile moult in late summer, the upper- parts of first-winters, including the mantle, scapulars, and lesser coverts, vary between pale and mid grey. Some show black feathering among these tracts, which can be quite extensive. Unlike adults, some show greyish flanks and, more especially, grey feathering at the sides of the. breast. If grey feathering is present, however, the shade of grey is always very pale and it is usually hidden under the closed wing at rest. Consequently, birds still appear to show very 272 British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 - 268-275 Criteria for assessment of ‘Amur Wagtail’ 141. Possible Motacilla alba leucopsis x M. a. baicalensis intergrade, Hong Kong, 30th October 2009. This individual closely resembles baicalensis, but other photographs reveal a darker rump and uppertail-coverts contrasting with the paler mantle, and scattered darker blotching on the upperparts, both characters associated with leucopsis. 1 42. Possible Motacilla alba leucopsis x M. a. alboides intergrade, Sichuan, China, 1 4th May 2005. Following the pre- breeding moult into breeding plumage, alboides would not be expected to show such an extensive area of white feathering on the face, suggesting it may be an intergrade with leucopsis. pale or even white flanks in the field. A majority will also show a moult contrast in the greater coverts: the darker juvenile greater coverts contrast with the largely white adult-type innermost greater coverts. They may also retain one or more juvenile tertials. All the median coverts are usually moulted to adult-type (all-white). The crown pattern resembles that of adults but the colour varies between black and mid grey. Young males are more likely to have a darker or black crown, but those with a paler, greyer crown, matching the mantle, probably cannot be sexed reliably. A minority of young birds will show grey feathering extending onto the forehead, but most share the exten- sive white forehead of adults, sharply defined from the grey or black crown. Some birds of this age also show a hint of yellow or cream to the face and throat, while others show slightly greyer ear-coverts. Pure leucopsis will always lack any dark stripe through the eye, an important distinction from other eastern races. The problem of baicalensis First-winter birds of the race baicalensis could potentially be passed off as leucopsis. Moreover, some first-winter leucopsis or leu- copsis x baicalensis intergrades can closely resemble baicalensis. Although these races are superfi- cially similar, the black breast patch of baicalensis is typically more extensive than that of leucopsis-, as well as extending slightly farther down the breast, it covers much of the upper breast and extends as a narrow line below the cheeks but does not join with the nape. In addition, baicalensis typically shows dark centres to the greater and median coverts and, conse- quently, the white patch in the closed wing is not as extensive or as striking as that of leu- copsis. Another useful feature for separating difficult individuals is the contrasting blackish rump and uppertail-coverts in leu- copsis, compared with the uniform grey of the rump, mantle and scapulars in baicalensis. Alstrom & Mild (2003) commented that no intergrades between leucopsis and baicalensis or alboides have been recorded. A mixed pair of leucopsis and baicalensis appar- ently bred at Po Toi, Hong Kong, in 2006, and an apparent intergrade was photographed at British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 273 James Eaton James Kennerley Rowlands Mai Po in October 2009 (plate 141). A poten- tial leucopsis x alboides intergrade is illus- trated in plate 142, and similar examples are represented in the skin collection at NHM, Tring. In Japan, where the race M. a. lugens is the widespread form, colonising leucopsis has been reported forming mixed pairings in the south. Although intergrades are undoubtedly much rarer than pure birds, and an unlikely source population for vagrants to Britain, descriptions of any potential leucopsis should establish clearly that there is no evidence of intergradation. A further possibility to con- sider, if a bird’s appearance is unusual, is that it may be affected by a simple genetic muta- tion. This has been suggested by Odeen & Bjorklund (2003) as a possible explanation for variation within the Yellow Wagtail M. flava complex, and a similar mechanism may affect White Wagtails. This should be consid- ered if any of the plumage features differ from those outlined above. Variation and aberrant yarrellii Closer to home, juvenile yarrellii may occa- sionally lack dark markings on the breast in autumn. It is not yet certain how these birds moult and whether they could show a reduced breast spot. This could explain the appearance of an unusual individual present on Scilly in October 1981, which has been documented in an informal submission to BBRC. In addition, some adult yarrellii may display more extensive white in the wing- coverts than typical birds. Such variations emphasise the importance of establishing a full suite of salient features when confronted with a potential vagrant leucopsis. Voice Alstrom & Mild (2003) considered that the main call of leucopsis, alboides and personata has a character which is slightly sharper and higher-pitched than that of other White Wagtail taxa, including alba and yarrellii, and more reminiscent of the call of Grey Wagtail M. cinerea. The higher-pitched call of leu- copsis, compared with yarrellii, is supported by personal experience and sound recordings supplied by Magnus Robb/The Sound Approach and Geoff Carey. Alstrom & Mild (2003) also indicated that the advertisement call of leucopsis, alboides and personata often consists of two more or less identical syllables separated by a clearly audible gap, compared with the typical single, short note of other taxa. This call may be given on migration and the wintering grounds. There is limited evi- dence to suggest that yarrellii and alba some- times give a similar double- (or triple-) note advertising call (Magnus Robb/The Sound Approach pers. comm.), so caution should be exercised when applying this distinction with vagrants. Given these perceived differences, a transcription of any vocalisations, and preferably sound recordings, should be obtained if at all possible. This information is not essential to support the identification, particularly given that vocal differences between races are not fully understood and require verification. But recordings could prove valuable in establishing distinctions between taxa as our understanding of calls continues to develop. Habitat Alstrom & Mild (2003) noted that leucopsis, alboides and personata are often found near waterbodies on the breeding grounds (partic- ularly at higher altitudes), but also share the wide variety of habitat choice with other races in lowland situations. Summary Adult and first-winter leucopsis can be sepa- rated from all other forms of White Wagtail by the isolated black breast patch, which is smaller than that of other races, and by the extensive white sides to the head and neck. Adults of both sexes show entirely black upperparts, although females, particularly in winter, may be slightly paler, with the mantle varying from blackish-grey to dark grey, and some of these show diffuse blackish blotches on the mantle and scapulars. First-winter leucopsis are more likely to be mistaken for other races but can be safely separated from all other forms of White Wagtail by the following features: • The black breast patch is isolated and clearly smaller (both laterally and verti- cally) than that of other races, and is occa- , sionally absent. • The median and greater coverts are more extensively white, particularly on replaced second-generation feathers. 274 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 268-275 Criteria for assessment of ‘Amur Wagtail’ • The sides of the head and neck are typi- cally cleaner white or show a pale yel- lowish suffusion, with (at most) pale grey ear-coverts. • The rump and uppertail-coverts are black or greyish-black, darker than and con- trasting with the upperparts in grey- backed individuals. • Birds often show a mottled appearance, with greyish-black patches on the mantle and lesser coverts that contrast with the generally paler grey upperparts - although many lack this blotching. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Mark Adams and the staff at the NHM.Tring, for access to the specimen collection. Valuable information on vocalisations of the various races of White Wagtail was supplied by Magnus Robb and The Sound Approach, and Geoff Carey provided recordings of leucopsis from China Discussion with Per Alstrom provided confirmation of the distinctive nature of the calls, and an insight into intergrades with other races. Brian Small and Peter Kennerley contributed to a useful discussion on the characters of and variability within, eastern races of White Wagtail. Finally, I would like to thank the many photographers who place their best images on readily accessible websites, and for contributing many useful images, of which just a small number are published here. References Addinall, S. 2005. The Amur Wagtail in County Durham - a new Western Palearctic bird. Birding World 18: 155-158. — 2010. Amur Wagtail in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic. Brit. Birds 103:260-267. Alstrom, P, & Mild, K. 2003. Pipits & Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm. London. Odeen, A., & Bjorklund, 2003. Dynamics in the evolution of sexual traits: losses and gains, radiation and convergence in Yellow Wagtails ( Motacilla flava). Molecular Ecology 1 2: 2 1 1 3-2 1 30. Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere, Westleton, Suffolk IP17 3BY Appendix 1 leucopsis. Summary of key features for the identification of ‘Amur Wagtail’ Motacilla alba Upperparts Breast patch Flead Flanks Wing-coverts Adult male, breeding Intense black Isolated, black Sides and throat white Always white Form conspicuous white patch in wing Adult male, non-breeding As adult male, breeding although some may appear blotchy Slightly smaller than that of adult male breeding As adult male, breeding As adult male, breeding As adult male, breeding Adult female, breeding Often slightly duller than adult male As adult male As adult male As adult male As adult male Adult female, non-breeding Blackish-grey to dark grey, slightly paler than adult female breeding, often blotchy As adult male As adult male As adult male As adult male First-summer male As adult, but closed wing worn and browner As adult male As adult male As adult male May retain juvenile outer greater coverts First-summer female Usually as adult, but a minority are uniformly grey As adult male As adult male As adult male May retain juvenile outer greater coverts First-winter Pale to mid grey, some appearing mottled as black feathering appears Slightly smaller than on adults, and narrower on females, occasionally absent Crown varies from black to grey, matching mantle, males showing darker crown. Some with hint of cream on face or greyer ear-coverts Some show greyish flanks and sides to breast Majority retain juvenile outer greater coverts and one or more tertials British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 268-275 275 Ben Green A paper from the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee Records of Hawk Owls in Britain Andrew H. J. Harrop Abstract As a consequence of a recent review by BOURC, there are now just four accepted British records of the Hawk Owl Surnia ulula. A bird of the North American race S. u. caparoch, found in an exhausted state on board a ship off the coast of Cornwall in March 1830, remains the first acceptable British record. The other three records, two of which date from the late nineteenth century, involve the nominate race, which breeds in Scandinavia.The only recent record refers to a bird in Shetland in September 1 983, and this Hawk Owl remains on Category A of the British List. A summary of racial identification and ageing is presented, and taxonomy, distribution and irruptions are discussed briefly. As part of its ongoing work on the British List, BOURC aims to deter- mine the first acceptable record of each taxon. In the case of the Hawk Owl Surnia ulula this required a review of all the previously accepted records. Following two circulations, many of these records were found unacceptable, for reasons which are explained here. There are now just four accepted British records, one of the North , American race S. u. caparoch (hereafter caparoch ) and three probably or certainly of the Eurasian breeding form S. u. ulula (here- after ulula). 276 © British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain Historical status in Britain The Hawk Owl has been judged a rare vagrant by all authors who have discussed its status in Britain. Some (e.g. Saunders & Clarke 1927) have considered records of caparoch likely to involve ship-assisted birds, but until now there has not been a full sys- tematic review of all records. Several older records of this species have been associated with fraud. Wood (2007) listed three allegedly taken in Essex in February 1913, which found their way into Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe’s collection. Harpur Crewe was a notoriously uncritical, and perhaps fraudulent, collector of rare and unusual birds and, unsurprisingly, they were not recorded at the time, so subsequent authors suspected fraud. One of these Hawk Owls is now at the Booth Museum, Brighton (accession number BC207259), and is identifiable as ulula on the basis of the pattern of the underparts (see below) (www.virtualmuseum.info/collections/object. asp?searchText=hawk+owl&ckid=377867& row=5&view= I ). Another caparoch , said to have been obtained on the north coast of Ireland in 1910, found its way into Harpur Crewe’s collection in 1914 and has never been formally accepted. There are also references to very small numbers of this species in captivity (e.g. Alexander & Fitter 1955, Cage & Aviary Birds 12th June 2008), but birds of captive origin were not considered likely to be involved in any of the records reviewed here. Despite this species’ dis- tinctive appearance, the identification of two sight records formerly accepted by BBRC is no longer con- sidered acceptable: on the Bleasdale Fells above Chip- ping, Lancashire, on 13th September 1959 (Brit. Birds 92: 585), and at Gurnard’s Head, Cornwall, on 14th August 1966 (Brit. Birds 101: 551). Taxonomy and distribution The Hawk Owl is conven- tionally placed in a mono- typic genus, with three subspecies recognised by Cramp (1985). Siberian populations, formerly sep- arated as a fourth taxon, pallasi, are now included within nominate ulula by this treatment. The nomi- nate form is found from northern Europe east 1 43. Upperside of five specimens of Hawk Owl Surnia ulula. From left to right: S. u. caparoch from Canada; dark immature S. u. ulula from Sweden: typical S. u. ulula from Sweden; S. u. 'pallasi’ from Kultuk, Russia: and S. u. tianschanica from Aksu, Turkestan. 1 44. Underside of five specimens of Hawk Owl Surnia ulula. From left to right: S. u. caparoch from Canada; dark immature S. u. ulula from Sweden; typical S. u. ulula from Sweden; S. u. ‘pallasi’ from Kultuk, Russia; and S. u. tianschanica from Aksu.Turkestan. British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 277 Raymond Barlow Harrop through Russia to Kamchatka and Sakhalin and in central Siberia south to Tarbagatay; S. u. tianschanica occurs in central Asia and northwest and northeast China; and caparoch from Alaska through Canada to Newfound- land, and south to extreme north USA. Among several other bird taxa, what were formerly regarded as different subspecies in the Old World and New World have recently been reclassified as separate species on the basis of significant genetic differences (Koopman et al. 2005) - for example, Amer- ican Picoides dorsalis and Eurasian Three- toed Woodpeckers P. tridactylus. Black-billed Pica hudsoriia and Eurasian Magpies P. pica. The Hawk Owl is relatively poorly studied and it is likely that comparable genetic differ- ences exist between Nearctic and Palearctic populations, although this remains to be confirmed. Movements and irruptions All populations of the Hawk Owl are nomadic, moving in response to food avail- ability and climatic conditions, with a cycle that follows that of rodent prey. Irruptions may occur when vole populations crash, at 3-5-year intervals. The earliest date for sig- nificant autumn movement by caparoch is 15th September; most move between mid October and late November. Movements of ulula begin in early September and peak during October-November. Periodic irrup- tions have been recorded during the twen- tieth century for both alula and caparoch. It is known that those in Europe have involved large numbers of juveniles (85% in one Swedish study; Edberg 1955), that distances of up to 1,860 km have been covered, and that the Baltic forms a significant barrier to dispersal. It is notable that there were only two records from the Nether- lands during 1800-1999 (van den Berg & Bosnian 2001). In North America, females and juveniles are known to move earlier and farther than adult males. All states of the USA with accepted records are in the north, and the few ringing recov- eries there involve distances of up to just 259 km from the ringing site. There is, however, a recorded movement of 3,187 km by a bird ringed in Canada in February 2000 and recovered dead in Alaska during October of the same year (per Bird Banding Office, Canadian Wildlife Service). 1 45. Hawk Owl Surnia ulula of the North American race S. u. caparoch. Separated from ulula by the darker and greyer colour to the facial disc, darker ground colour of the upperparts and upperwing-coverts, which show smaller white feather tips, and broader black barring on the flanks and across the upper breast. Note how snowy conditions make the ground colour of the underparts appear paler than normal Racial identification and ageing The identification of Hawk Owl taxa has been discussed else- where, notably in Cramp (1985). The following discussion is based on a study of skins at the Natural History Museum, Tring (27 alula including 9 ‘ pallasi\ 8 tianschanica and 41 caparoch ), photographs and the literature. It was established that tiansch- anica is doubtfully distinguishable 278 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain 1 46. Hawk Owl Surnia ulula of the North American race S. u. caparoch showing the underparts and underwings. Note the relatively heavy dark barring on the underparts of caparoch, which is of more consistent width than on ulula. In addition, the underwing of caparoch appears darker than that of ulula, in part because the barring on the underwing-coverts is darker and broader, but also because the white ovals on the outer primaries are smaller and narrower, often completely encircled by the darker colour of the feather, giving a more spotted appearance than ulula. See main text for further details on the differences in the pattern of the barring on the flight feathers between the two races. from ulula except by measurements; since it is a highly unlikely vagrant to Europe, it is not discussed further. The main findings are that caparoch is rather consistent in appear- ance; that ulula is more variable, with darker individuals close to caparoch in appearance; and that typical individuals are readily identifiable to taxon. Of the differences described in Cramp (1985), the most useful are that caparoch shows a blacker ground colour to the upper- parts and upperwing-coverts, with smaller white marks; a distinctly broader, black- barred band across the upper chest; and 1 47. Hawk Owl Surnia ulula of the Eurasian race S. u. ulula. In comparison with caparoch, the facial disc and underparts are whiter, and the dark barring on the breast is narrower. In addition, the white barring in the primaries is of similar width to the adjacent dark barring, and is not encircled by it as is the case with caparoch, thus giving a more barred appearance. Compare the underparts and underwings with those of the North American caparoch in plate 146, above. British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 279 David Tipling Raymond Barlow Harrop broader dark bars on the breast, belly and flanks (2. 5-3.0 mm in caparoch compared with 1.5-2. 5 mm in ulula ) that are tinged rufous. In addition, the ground colour of the facial disc and underparts of caparoch has a greyer cast than the typically much cleaner white of ulula. When the underwings of specimens or good digital images are compared, caparoch consistently shows heavier, broader brown barring on the underwing-coverts combined with a distinctive pattern on the outer pri- maries. The white ovals on the outer pri- maries are often completely enclosed, giving a more spotted appearance than ulula, in which the white typically reaches the shaft and/or the edge of the feather, giving a more barred appearance. The dark areas appear blackish-brown on caparoch compared with paler greyish-brown on ulula. Measurements of the relative depths of the pale and dark areas on the outer primaries confirm that the pale areas are consistently shallower on caparoch (pale areas c. 6 mm compared with 8-9 mm for the dark areas). There is more variation in ulula, but typically the pale areas are deeper than or equal in depth to the dark (9-10 mm compared with 8 mm or, in some cases, as little as 5 mm for the dark areas). Nominate ulula is rather variable. Paler examples are distinctive but darker birds may resemble caparoch. Among the study skins examined, the darkest specimens were imma- Table I. Measurements (mm) and weights (g) of Hawk Owls Surnia ulula (from Cramp 1985 and Duncan & Duncan 1998). Comparative measurements from British specimens are as follows: Somerset in 1847, unsexed, caparoch, wing 24 1 mm, tail 190 mm; Shetland in I860, unsexed, ulula, wing 235 mm, tarsus 28-29 mm; Grampian in 1 898, unsexed, ulula, weight 326 g. Note that some measurements from British specimens are from the literature; the I860 Shetland and 1898 Grampian specimens are no longer extant. S. u. ulula S. u. caparoch male female male female wing 224-239 230-249 213-245 210-242 tail 164-187 166-191 138-190 156-191 tarsus 23.9-27.0 24.4-27.2 weight 215-375 285-380 242-375 250-454 I 48. Hawk Owl Surnia ulula of the North American race S. u. caparoch, Cornwall, March 1830. ture birds. In such cases it is important to check all the characters carefully before making an identification. However, caparoch is sufficiently consistent in appearance for it to be unlikely to be confused with nominate ulula, though it is more variable in size. Ageing Ageing birds in the field is extremely difficult, though immatures in their first autumn show irregular grey-and-white V-shaped fringes along the tips of the outer primaries com- pared with the relatively even white arcs of adults (Cramp 1985). Measurements Measurements of specimens show much overlap between caparoch and ulula, and those of the British specimens are not in themselves sufficient to determine the taxon involved. Results of the BOURC review Acceptable records Following the review, only the four records listed below were considered acceptable. 1 830, Cornwall The first British record of Hawk Owl 280 British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 - 276-283 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain involved one taken on board a collier (coal ship) a few miles off the coast of Cornwall, in an exhausted state, in March 1830 (e.g. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835: 77, Yarrell 1845). According to the account of the ship’s captain, Captain Stacey, the bird was so exhausted that it allowed itself to be captured by hand. The ship was bound for Co. Waterford and fol- lowing its arrival the bird was kept alive. It lived for a few weeks with a friend of Dr Robert J. Burkitt’s before coming into Burkitt’s possession. Burkitt subsequently presented it to the Museum of Trinity College, Dublin, from which it passed to the National Museum of Ireland (accession number NMINH 1959.13.1). The specimen is clearly of the Nearctic race caparoch , showing relatively broad, rufous-tinged bars of consistent width on the underparts. BOURC members had some reservations about the probability of caparoch making an unassisted transatlantic crossing in light of the absence of records from the southern USA, Greenland, Iceland and the Azores, but the record’s credentials (a named finder, first- hand account, plausible date and location, and extant specimen) were sufficiently strong for the record to remain acceptable. 1 860, Shetland One procured from Skaw, Unst, in December 1860 by James Hay was mentioned by Crotch (1861) and described by Saxby (1874) as follows: ‘Head and neck Facial disc white, stained and slightly mottled with light dusky brown, becoming darker between the bill and the eye. Top of head and back of neck blackish brown, spotted with white, but much less on the back of the neck, where the brown lies more in patches. Outer edge of facial disc has each feather tipped with blackish brown; on each side of the neck, a long, broad, irregular line of the colour last mentioned; remainder of front of neck and its sides mottled with white and brownish black. Upper surface Back, scapulars, and uppertail-coverts, nearly black, spotted with white, the scapulars being darkest, and those nearest the wing having numerous bar-like white marks. Wings Lesser coverts faded brownish black; greater coverts and all the quills the same, but spotted with white; the spots upon the outer webs somewhat square in form. Under surface White, barred with brownish black, the bars paler on the breast and near the tail; on each side of the breast, near the bend of the wing, a large dark patch. Tail Brownish black, the middle feathers with several narrow white bars.’ Unfortunately the specimen was destroyed by moths (Evans & Buckley 1899), but Saxby’s description of the white facial disc and white underparts with brownish-black bars that were paler on the breast and near the tail supports the identification as alula. 1898, North-east Scotland An adult female shot at Gight on 21st November by William Smith, factor on the Haddo House Estates, was documented by Sim (1899, 1903). The account includes some measurements (weight 11.5 ounces [326 g], expanse of wings 28.5 inches [723.9 mm], length from beak to end of tail 14.5 inches [368.3 mm] but unfortunately lacks a description. The bird’s stomach was filled with bones and the hair of mice. Sim was a highly critical assessor of records; in this case, 1 49. Hawk Owl Surnia ulula of the race S. u. ulula, Shetland, September 1 983. British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276—283 281 Dennis Coutts Harrop he evidently considered the possibility both of ulula and of caparoch (then regarded as separate species) and positively identified it as ulula. The specimen is presumed to have entered a private collection but is no longer traceable. 1 983, Shetland The only accepted record since the formation of BBRC involved one first seen by Angus Nicol in his garden at Frakkafield, near Lerwick, on 1 2th— 1 3th September, which then moved to Bressay, where it remained on 20th— 2 1 st September {Brit. Birds 77: 538). The bird was seen by several observers and photographed. It occurred during an inva- sion of ulula , which brought large numbers to southern Norway and Sweden, 510 to Denmark and singles to Germany and the Faeroe Islands {Brit. Birds 77: 238, 589; Brit. Birds 78: 343). As expected, the photographs show it to be a typical example of ulula - note especially the whitish ground colour of the facial disc and underparts, and the rela- tively narrow blackish barring of variable width on the underparts. Records not accepted The following records were not considered acceptable, for the reasons given. 1 847, Somerset This bird was said to have been shot near Yatton on 25th or 26th August at about 2.00 pm (Higgins 1851 - note that this author’s initials are E. T., not T. E. as given in error by Melling 2005). The specimen, which is mounted in a position which matches that shown in the drawing accompanying Higgins’ account, is extant at the Booth Museum, Brighton (accession number BC207261; www.virtualmuseum.info/ collections/object.asp?searchText=hawk+owl &ckid = 376680&row=2&view=2). It was identified as caparoch by Dresser (1871), and the pattern of barring on the underparts of the specimen confirms this identification. The date was considered too early for natural occurrence, and the involvement of Higgins, a wealthy naturalist previously associated with the discredited taxidermist David Graham of York (Melling 2005), combined with a four-year delay between the alleged date of the record and its publication, caused the Committee to doubt the validity of the record. Pre- 1 857, Wiltshire This bird was reportedly killed at Amesbury during severe weather by a Mr Long, though the date is uncertain, being described as ‘several years ago’ {Proc. Zool. Soc. 1876: 334), and ‘some thirty or more years since’ (Smith 1887). The specimen was exhibited at a meeting of the Zoological Society of London on 4th April 1876, and identified as nominate ulula by Bowdler Sharpe. Most contemporary and subsequent authorities either ignored or overlooked the record, which, combined with the lack of any detail about the date and cir- cumstances of collection, made the record unacceptable. 1863 Strathclyde, 1868 Strathclyde and 1871 Strathclyde These records fall into a cluster so are treated together. The first was reportedly shot near Maryhill before 29th December 1863 {Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow 1: 81; Zoologist 1866: 496); the specimen may formerly have been in the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery (GLAMG Z1880. 122. az) but is now lost. Dresser identified it ‘at a glance’ as caparoch (Dresser 1871). The second, also listed as caparoch by Gray (1871), was reportedly shot near Greenock about ten days before 24th November 1868 {Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow 1: 235-236). Saunders & Clarke (1927) con- sidered that these birds may have arrived on vessels bound for the Clyde. The last of the three records involved a specimen in very poor condition, allegedly taken near Greenock in December 1871, which had been owned by a sailor. Dresser (1871) concluded that it had been caught on board ship, and the record was considered of very doubtful authenticity by Witherby et al. (1943). The Committee was sceptical because the series of three records were from one area during a nine-year period; the first record involved a specimen which was exhibited at the same meeting as a Purple Swamp-hen Porphyrio porphyrio, reputedly from Campbeltown, Argyll; and the second and third records involved the same Greenock taxidermist. All this strongly indicated local importation and 282 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain suggested the possibility of fraudulent trade. In these circumstances, BOURC felt unable to accept any of the three. 1903, Northamptonshire This record was reported as shot at Orling- bury on 19th October ( Zoologist 1904: 214) but without any supporting descriptive or other data. In these circumstances, the Com- mittee was unable to accept the record. Other records of caparoch The only other Western Palearctic record of caparoch involves a bird from the Canary Islands in 1924. It flew onto a ship off Las Palmas and was kept alive until reaching Rot- terdam harbour, before being delivered to Rotterdam Zoo on 7th November. The mounted specimen is held in the Leiden col- lection (RMNH/Naturalis), catalogue number 5, and has been confirmed as an immature male caparoch by Kees Roselaar. The actual date when it was first seen was not reported but it is reasonable to assume that it arrived on the ship in October. No irruptive movements were recorded in North America at that time. Although included in Martin & Lorenzo (2001), this record has not yet been reviewed by the national records committee (R. Gutierrez in litt.) and does not form part of the Spanish List (e.g. de Juana 2006). Concluding remarks This review has significantly reduced the number of accepted records, both of Hawk Owls sensu lato in Britain, and of North American caparoch in Europe. From a British point of view this species should be regarded as one of the rarest of vagrants, and each generation of observers will be lucky to get a chance of seeing one. On the basis of the accepted records, Shetland and northeast Scotland are the prime sites. It remains to be seen whether there will be any further records of caparoch-, if not, the remaining accepted British record will no doubt attract further scrutiny. Acknowledgments Raymond Barlow, Wilson Hum and David Tipling provided photographs which helped to clarify differences between ulula and caparoch - some of these are reproduced above. C. S. (Kees) Roselaar kindly provided information about the 1 924 Canary Islands record; Jeremy Adams helped with information about specimens in the Booth Museum, Brighton; Richard Sutcliffe helped with research into specimens held at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, Glasgow; Paolo Viscardi kindly provided information about, and images of, the 1 830 specimen from Cornwall (now in Ireland). Members of BOURC commented extensively on the file during two circulations, and Bob McGowan and Tim Melling commented on and helped to improve a draft of this paper References Alexander, W. B.,& Fitter R. S. R. 1955. American land birds in western Europe. Brit Birds 48: I - 1 4. Cramp, S. (ed.). 1 985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 4. OUR Oxford. Crotch, W. D. 1861. Birds of Shetland. Zoologist 1861: 7706-7707. de Juana, E. 2006. Aves raras de Espana. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Dresser H. E. 1 87 1 . A History of the Birds of Europe. Zoological Society of London, London. Duncan, J. R., & Duncan, RA. 1998. Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula). In: Poole, A. (ed.). The Birds of North America Online. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca. Edberg, R. 1 955. Invasionen av hokuggla (Surnia ulula ) i Skandinavien 1 950-5 1 . Var Fagelvarld 1 4: 1 0-2 1 . Evans, A. H„ & Buckley, T E. 1 899. A Vertebrate Fauna of the Shetland Islands. David Douglas, Edinburgh. Gray, R. 1871. Birds of the West of Scotland including the Outer Hebrides.T Murray & Son, Glasgow. Higgins, E.T 1851. Bona fide British-killed Hawk Owl. Zoologist 1851: 3029-3032. Koopman, M. E„ McDonald, D. B„ Hayward, G. D., Eldegard, K., Sonerud, G. A., & Sermach, S. G. 2005. Genetic similarity among Eurasian subspecies of Boreal Owls. Aegolius funereus.J. Avian Biol. 36: 179-183. Martin, A., & Lorenzo, J. A. 200 1 . Aves del Archipielago Canario. Francisco Lemus Editor La Laguna. Melling, T 2005. The Tadcaster Rarities. Brit. Birds 98: 230-237. Saunders, H„ & Clarke, W. E. 1 927. Manual of British Birds. 3rd edn. Gurney & Jackson, London. Saxby, H. L. 1 874. The Birds of Shetland. Maclachlan & Stewart, Edinburgh. Sim, G. 1 899. European Hawk-Owl in Aberdeenshire. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist. 1 899: 49, — 1 903. The Vertebrate Fauna of 'Dee'. Wyllie, Aberdeen. Smith, A. C. 1 887. The Birds of Wiltshire. Porter & Bull, London & Devizes. van den Berg, A. B„ & Bosman, C. A.W. 200 1 . Rare birds of the Netherlands. Pica Press, Robertsbridge. Witherby, H. F„ Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F„ & Tucker B.W. 1943. The Handbook of British Bird s.Vol. 2. H. F. & G. Witherby, London. Wood, S. 2007. The Birds of Essex. Christopher Helm, London. Yarrell.W. 1 845. A History of British Birds. Vol. 1. 2nd edn. Van Voorst, London. Andrew H. J. Harrop, 30 Dean Street, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6AF; e-mail andrew.harrop@virgin.net British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 276-283 283 Satellite tracking the migration of birds in eastern Asia Hiroyoshi Higuchi Abstract Japanese scientists, in collaboration with other Asian and American scientists, have used satellites to track the migration of birds in eastern Asia for almost 20 years. The migration patterns of around 20 species of birds, including cranes, storks, swans and raptors, have been studied. The data obtained can be used in a variety of applications, from determining migration routes, stopover patterns and wintering sites, to more advanced analyses, such as habitat use and the connectivity and network structure of migration pathways. The results of this research have been used to establish nature reserves and to develop recommendations for improving the location of nature reserves along migration routes. Migratory birds may encounter many human hazards during migration, including habitat destruction, hunting, chemical pollution, and collisions with aircraft and wind turbines. Conversely, migratory birds may potentially be hazardous to human populations - if, for example, they act as a vector for the transmission of infec- tious diseases such as West Nile virus and avian influenza. It is important, therefore, that we try to increase our understanding of their migration routes and stopover sites, and changes to these over time. Until the late 1980s, detailed study of bird migration was difficult, and tracking the movements of a particular individual was gen- erally impossible. In the early 1990s, however, satellite tracking became available for the study of birds. The application of this new technology has enabled the migration of indi- vidual birds to be tracked almost in real time. Fundamental applications of this technology include monitoring movements on scales ranging from local landscapes to global regions, and assessing habitat characteristics. Using satellites as research tools means that data can be recorded over large spatial scales, far greater than the range capabilities of more traditional telemetry systems. Furthermore, remote data collection enables scientists to take a hands-off approach to the research, except for the initial attachment of transmitters. For nearly 20 years, I have collaborated with Russian, Mongolian, Korean, Chinese, Indian and American scientists involved in the satellite tracking of bird migration (Higuchi et al. 1991, 1992, 2004; Higuchi & Pierre 2005; Yamaguchi 8c Higuchi 2008). Satellite tracking is especially well suited to Asian-based research because of the extremely large land area, sensitive political situations, and the many urgent conservation problems in the region. We have studied the migration of about 20 species in Asia, concentrating on larger species such as cranes, storks, swans, geese, ducks and raptors. The key areas of interest are establishing migration routes, changes to these over time and the habitat use of threatened migratory birds (with the aim of contributing to the conservation of particular species and their habitats). The results obtained from our work are reviewed in four broad categories: migration routes; the importance of the Korean Demili- tarised Zone (DMZ) for migratory birds; habitat analysis using satellite imagery; and migration route selection. The implications for conservation, together with possibilities for the future (with the increasing miniaturisation of transmitters), are also discussed. 284 © British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia 150. A male Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus fitted with a solar-powered satellite transmitter. 0 30 60mm 151. Transmitters used for satellite-tracking studies. Transmitters a and b were used in the 1 990s to track cranes and swans, and c was developed around 2000 for medium-sized hawks such as Grey-faced Buzzards Butastur indicus. They are battery-powered and made in Japan. Transmitter d is a solar- powered Argos PTT and e is a solar-powered Argos/GPS PTT, which are equipped with teflon-treated ribbons at their base. Both are made in the USA. Satellite tracking systems A satellite transmitter or platform transmitter terminal (PTT) must be attached to the bird’s back using a harness (plate 150). Our preferred design consists of two Teflon-treated ribbons, sewn to each of the two anterior corners of the PTT. The ribbons meet at the keel of the bird’s sternum, where they cross and pass through a small tube and are sewn together with a surgical suture (Nagendran et al. 1994) or nylon thread. The PTTs would be expected to fall off once the thread deteriorated; over 6-12 months if attached with a surgical suture, or 2-3 years if attached with nylon thread. PTTs are chosen so that they weigh no more than 3% of the target species’ body mass. As tech- nology has improved, PTTs have become smaller and lighter; one that weighed more than 60 g in the early 1990s had been reduced to 20-40 g in the late 1990s, and now to 12 g or less as solar- powered batteries have become smaller and more efficient (plate 151). The earlier box-type PTTs were bulky, but newer designs are streamlined and more suitable for wild birds. The transmission fre- quencies of satellite transmitters are set at 401.65 MHz ± 30 kHz. Duty on/off cycles were set with the desired length of the tracking period in mind for battery-powered PTTs (e.g. Higuchi et al. 2004). A solar-powered battery may last 2-3 years but this depends on the species being tracked and environmental conditions. Location and time data were received through the internet or from the Argos world- wide tracking and environmental monitoring service (www.argos-system.org). Argos uses the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (fig. 1). At least two satellites are operational at any time and move through an 850-km trajectory above the earth’s surface at a speed of one orbit every 100 minutes. Data received and stored by satellites are trans- mitted to ground stations in the USA and France, usually once per orbit, and then trans- mitted to the Argos Global Processing Centres. Data are converted into latitudinal and longi- tudinal position information, and in as little as an hour or two from the time the satellite receives the signals from a PTT, a researcher can obtain the PTT location and the record time data on the ground. The location of a PTT is estimated from Doppler shifts in fre- quency, and data include some positional errors in longitude and latitude. Argos pro- vides an estimate of location accuracy (Argos 1996). Location classes (LCs) are classified into 3, 2, 1, 0, A, B and Z. Accuracy is within 150 m for LC3, 150-350 m for LC 2, 350-1,000 m for British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 - 284-302 285 Hiroyoshi Higuchi Hiroyoshi Higuchi Higuchi Fig. I. Mechanisms of satellite tracking with the Argos system. Reprinted from Higuchi (1 994), drawn by Michiko Shigehara. LC 1, and >1,000 m for LC 0, with one stan- dard deviation of the positional error in both latitudinal and longitudinal axes. Argos does not specify location accuracies for LCs A, B and Z. Locations and movements can be shown on a computer using digital maps. Because of these inaccuracies, satellite tracking using the Argos system is not well suited for tracking local movements over dis- tances of less than 1 km. Provided that a 1-km margin of error is acceptable, however, the system can track the movements of animals anywhere on earth, relaying their geographical location in almost real time. Migration routes The migration routes of certain species, including the Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus , Oriental White Stork Ciconia boyciana, Ori- ental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus , Siberian Crane Grus leucogeranus , White- naped Crane G. vipio , Red-crowned Crane G. japonensis and Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo , are available and summaries are pre- sented below. Whooper Swan Whooper Swans breed across northern Europe and Asia, and winter to the south of the breeding range from western Europe to eastern Asia. In Japan, wintering Whooper Swans congregate on several ‘swan lakes’ where they are fed and become approachable, making capture straightforward. Because of their large size, this was one of the first species to be fitted with a PTT, and the spring migra- tion of Whooper Swans was suc- cessfully tracked in 1994 and 1995 (Kanai et al. 1997). A total of 15 swans (six in 1994 and nine in 1995) were monitored from the Kominato coast in northern Honshu, Japan (latitude and longi- tude co-ordinates of locations mentioned in the text are given in Appendix 1). Of these, eight indi- viduals were tracked successfully as they migrated from Kominato to their Russian breeding sites via southern Hokkaido, northeastern Hokkaido, Sakhalin and the lower Amur River (fig. 2). The presumed breeding sites were distributed along the lower Amur River, the north coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, the middle reaches of the Indigirka River, and the lower Kolyma River. The Tokachi River, Aniva Bay and lower Amur River were found to be important stopover sites, with about half the tracked swans resting in these areas for between two and 40 days, and two tracked swans spent the summer in the lower Amur River region. Spring migration began in mid to late March, and individuals took 26-75 (mean 53.4) days to reach the breeding areas, distance travelled being 1,600-4,000 (mean 2,934.9) km. Oriental White Stork The Oriental White Stork is one of the largest waterbirds and occupies a range of habitats, including wetlands and agricultural land. Its migration takes it between breeding sites in the Russian Far East and northern China, to wintering sites in eastern China, mainly along and to the south of the Yangtze River. The autumn migration routes were 286 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia Fig. 2. Spring migration routes of eight Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus tracked from Kominato, northern Japan, in 1 995. Reproduced from Kanai et al. ( 1 997). reported by Higuchi et al. (2000) and Tamura et al. (2000), who successfully tracked 13 storks from the Amur region and Khabarovsk in 1998-99 (fig. 3). The birds from the Amur region moved mainly through Qi-Xin Lake, the Nenjiang River and Bohai Bay to wintering sites along the Yangtze River in eastern China, principally at Poyang Lake and East Dongting Lake Reserve, both of which are particularly important wintering areas for a wide range of wetland birds. Most storks from Khabarovsk reached their wintering areas at Shenjin Lake, along the Yangtze River, and Poyang Lake mainly via the Tangwang River and Bohai Bay. In addition to these main stopover sites, the storks used many other sites during periods when they made just short daily movements (1-10 km) - in contrast to the much greater distances travelled on some days. This use of short flights during migration is unique to this species. Autumn migration began quite early, starting in late July and continuing until mid September. This species’ habit of covering short distances each day resulted in a pro- tracted migration, with individuals taking 60-116 (mean 103.3) days to cover distances of 2,455-3,209 (mean 2,759.0) km. Both autumn and spring migrations were successfully tracked for one Oriental White Stork in 1998-99. The route and stopover sites used in spring, from the wintering site to the Nenjiang River, were similar to those used in autumn, although the summering area in 1999 differed from that in 1998. Oriental Honey-buzzard The Oriental Honey-buzzard is a common summer visitor to the Russian Far East, northern China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan, and winters in southeast Asia. Since 2003, Higuchi et al. (2005) and Yamaguchi et al. (2008) have studied the migration of ten Oriental Honey-buzzards that were fitted with transmitters in central Honshu, Japan. In Fig. 3. Autumn migration routes of seven Oriental White Storks Ciconia boyciana tracked from the Amur region, southern Russia, in 1998 and 1999. Reproduced from Shimazaki et al. (2004b). British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284—302 287 Higuchi Russia S. Korea Japan lyanmai aos Cambodia ^Vietnam Philippines Thailand Malay Peninsula Borneo Malay Archil 41313 41317 20N 56547 66548 Philippines • 66550 • 66551 • 66552 66553 Suma Borneo * 56554 1.000 • 41313 • 41317 • 66547 • 66549 • 66550 • 66551 • 66552 • 66553 • 66554 Fig. 4. Autumn (a) and spring (b) migration routes of ten Oriental Honey-buzzards Perm's ptilorhyncus tracked between 2004 and 2007. Each of the different colours in autumn and spring indicates the route of the same individual. In spring, the sites where the birds remained for more than seven days are shown by larger circles. Based on data from Yamaguchi et al. (2008). autumn, the migration routes of all ten indi- viduals were very similar until they reached the southern end of the Malay Peninsula (fig. 4a). After leaving the breeding areas in Japan, they migrated west across the East China Sea, a dis- tance of c. 680 km, then continued inland through China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. From here, the direction of movement and the destination differed among individuals. After reaching Sumatra, seven birds changed their travel direction to northeast. One individual arrived in Min- danao, Philippines, via Borneo, and six others stopped in Borneo. The other three moved along the Malay Archipelago and eventually completed their migration at Bankga Island, central Java, and Flores Island, respectively. The autumn migration began in early Sep- tember and most birds were migrating by the end of that month. They took 51-79 (60.6) days to complete their migration, covering 8,515-12,502 (9,495.6) km. Spring migration was successfully monitored for nine of the ten birds (fig. 4b). From their wintering sites, the birds generally followed the same routes used during autumn migration until they reached the Malay Peninsula. From here, they travelled to the northwest along the Malay Islands and the Malay Peninsula, then north through Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, where they stopped for several weeks before continuing into interior China. Within China, they fol- lowed routes to the north of those used in autumn, eventually reaching the northern end of the Korean Peninsula. Unlike the situation in autumn, birds heading for Japan detoured around the northern end of the East China Sea, entered the Korean Peninsula from the north and crossed the Korean/Tsushima Strait to reach Japan from the west. Spring migration began in mid February and all birds were migrating by mid March. The time taken to reach the breeding sites was 66-85 (76.5) days, travelling 8,691-12,348 (10,853.0) km. This study has established that individual Oriental Honey-buzzards visit most or sometimes all east Asian countries during a complete migration cycle. Siberian Crane The Siberian Crane is Critically Endangered, with a population size of only 2,500-3,000 individuals. The cranes breed in northern Russia, between the Yana and Kolyma Rivers, and most winter in Poyang Lake (Meine & Archibald 1996). Of 13 cranes fitted with transmitters on the lower Indigirka River in 1995-96, five were tracked during their entire autumn migration route and six were tracked over part of the , routes (Kanai et al. 2002). All 13 cranes fol- lowed a similar route (fig. 5), and of the five monitored for the entire journey, all travelled to Poyang Lake via the Qiqihar-Baicheng area, 288 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia har-Baieheng area : 140E 120E 130E 150E Starting point: Lower Indigirka River Russia Yana River Vilyui River Kolyma River Lena River Aumannykan BON Amga River Amur River □ON ze River delta China « — Shuangta ze I Yellow River-dfilta 40N Yellow River — 19314 — 19315 — 21629 Yangtze River 30N Poyang Lak 750 Fig. 5. Autumn migration routes of three Siberian Cranes Grus leucogeranus successfully tracked from the lower Indigirka River, northwestern Russia in 1996. Reproduced from Kanai et al. (2002). Start of migration in 1995 Start of migration in 1 996 1996 995 I 5 September I 5 October Fig. 6. Fluctuation in minimum daily air temperature in the lower Indigirka River, northeastern Siberia, and the start of migration of Siberian Cranes Grus leucogeranus in autumn 1995 and 1996. Reproduced from Kanai et al. (2002). the Shuangtaizi River delta, and the Yellow River delta. These three areas, together with the Auman- nykan area, are considered to be the most important stopover sites for Siberian Cranes. Departure from the breeding grounds began in early October in 1995, and in mid September in 1996. The earlier start to migration in 1996 was associated with colder weather (fig. 6); the cranes departed when minimum temperatures fell to about -5°C. Siberian Cranes migrate over much greater distances than the other crane species discussed here, and the study birds travelled 4,900-5,600 (5.312.8) km in 41-62 (50.8) days. White-naped Crane White-naped Cranes breed in southeast Russia and northern China, and winter in eastern China and Japan. In Japan, 2,000-3,000 White-naped Cranes winter at Izumi in south- west Kyushu, the southernmost of the main Japanese islands (plate 152). This site is managed by the Ministry of the Environment and the local govern- ment, which provide the win- tering flocks of White-naped and Hooded Cranes G. monacha with grain and fish (Higuchi 1991). British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284-302 289 Hiroyoshi Higuchi Higuchi Qiqihar Khanka Lake Harbin China Vladivostok Beijing Pyongyang Russia Starting point: Daursky N.R. Starting point: Muraviovka W.R. 130E Starting point: Khingansky N.R. / SON r Three Rivers Plair 40N N. Korea DMZ S. Korea Izurru 30N Yellow River Yangtze River Wuhani Poyang Lake — 09377 091) - 20252 (’93) — 09375 (’92) - 20253 (‘93) — 09377 (*92) - 20271 093) — 20248 (‘92) — 20273 093) — 20250 (‘93) 500 Fig. 7. (a) Spring migration routes in 1 993, and (b) autumn routes in 1991-93 of White-naped Cranes Grus wp/o.The spring migration was successfully tracked for nine cranes from Izumi, southern Kyushu, Japan. Autumn migration was successfully tracked for I I cranes from Daursky Nature Reserve, Muravivka Wildlife Refuge, and Khingansky Nature Reserve. Reproduced from Higuchi et al. (1996) and Higuchi et al. (2004). I 52. White-naped Grus viplo and Hooded Cranes G. monacha wintering at Izumi, Kyushu, southern Japan. Each year, more than 10,000 cranes visit this area, where grain and fish are provided. 290 British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia Fig. 8. Autumn migration routes of Red-crowned Cranes Crus japonensis tracked from Lake Khanka, Far East Russia, in 1 993 and 1994, and from Khingansky Nature Reserve, southeastern Russia, in 1993. Seven cranes from Lake Khanka and two from Khingansky Nature Reserve were tracked, but only a few route lines are shown here because some routes are greatly overlapping. Reproduced from Higuchi e£ al. ( 1 998). In 1992-93, nine White-naped Cranes were tracked to their breeding grounds (Higuchi et al. 1992; Higuchi et al. 1996; Higuchi & Minton 2000). These birds fol- lowed two distinct routes. One led to the Three River Plain in China via the DMZ, Kumya and Sonbong in North Korea, and Lake Khanka in China; and the second route went via the DMZ to Zhalong National Nature Reserve in Hei- longjiang Province in China (fig. 7a). Migration began in late Feb- ruary and early March, and took 17-85 (47.5) days, covering 1,800-2,600 (2,277.9) km. The autumn migration was tracked by Higuchi (1994) and Higuchi et al. (2004). In 1991-93, in south-central Russia, PTTs were Fitted to 14 White-naped Cranes at Daursky Nature Reserve, three to birds at Khingansky Nature Reserve and one was fitted to a bird at the Muraviovka Wildlife Refuge. Of these, 11 were success- fully tracked to their wintering grounds, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, China and Izumi in Japan (fig. 7b). The main stopover sites along the route to Poyang Lake were the mouth of the Yellow River and Wuhan. For birds migrating to Izumi, the main stopover sites along the route were Lake Khanka and the Three River Plain. Migration began in early to mid October, and took 8-64 (37.7) days, covering a distance of 2,205-2,897 (2,557.6) km. Red-crowned Crane The Red-crowned Crane breeds in northeast Asia, where two populations occur. One is largely resident on Hokkaido and the second is a migratory continental population. The latter breeds in the remnant large wetlands of north- east China and the extensive wetlands along the Amur River in the Russian Far East. It spends the winter in coastal China, at the Yancheng National Biosphere Reserve and the Yellow River delta, and also in the Korean DMZ and coastal areas of the Korean Peninsula. Higuchi et al. (1998) studied the autumn migration of this species from Khingansky Nature Reserve in 1993 and from Lake Khanka Nature Reserve in 1993 and 1994 (fig. 8). PTTs were fitted to three cranes at Khingansky and 1 1 at Lake Khanka. Of these, two from Khin- gansky and seven from Lake Khanka were tracked for their entire migration to the win- tering grounds. The two groups had different migration routes: that from Khingansky led to coastal China via Heilongjiang Province, Bohai Bay, Tangshan City and the Yellow River estuary; that from Lake Khanka led to the Korean Peninsula via the Tumen River and the river mouth at Odaejin-nodongjagu. The important stopover sites were Panjin, Tang- shan, the Yellow River estuary, Yangcheng, Tumen River, Kumya, Anbyon and Cholwon. All the cranes began their migration in early or mid November; those from Khingansky took 20-39 (29.5) days, travelling 2,200-2,300 km (2,241.8) km. Those from Lake Khanka reached the Korean DMZ in 3-9 (5.1) days, covering 776-948 (873.8) km. British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284-302 291 Mike Lane Higuchi I 53. The migratory populations of Red-crowned Crane Grus japonensis breed in wetlands in northeast China and along the Amur River in the Russian Far East and follow two distinct routes between the breeding and wintering sites. PTTs fitted to birds at the Khingansky Nature Reserve in the lower Amur region revealed that they travel across northeastern China until they reach the Gulf of Bohai. From here they follow the Chinese coast south to winter at the Yangcheng National Biosphere Reserve and the Yellow River delta, taking 20-39 days to cover 2,200-2,300 km. Birds from Lake Khanka winter in the Korean Demilitarised Zone and have the shortest migration of any of the cranes monitored, taking just 3-9 days to travel 776-948 km. Tamura et al. (2000) also tracked the migration of five cranes from wetlands along the Amur River in the Russian Far East in 1998 and 1999. Their findings also confirmed that Red-crowned Cranes follow one of two routes, one of which led to Yangcheng in coastal Jiangsu Province, China, and the other to the Korean Peninsula. They also identified other important stopover areas for migrating cranes along the Amur River basin, the Liao River delta and the Han/Imjin River estuary. Higuchi (2001) described the autumn migra- tion of three Red-crowned Cranes from Blagoveshchensk, and one from Khingansky, in 1998 and 1999. The three from Blagoveshchensk followed a route via Heilongjiang Province, Bohai Bay and Yellow River basin to reach Chenjiagang and Yangcheng in coastal China; the one from Khingansky migrated towards Liaoyuan in Jilin Province, China. From here, it continued on to the Korean Peninsula and win- tered in the Hangang River estuary. Of the four cranes, one that wintered in Yangcheng was suc- cessfully tracked north the following spring. It flew north via Bohai Bay as in autumn, then moved further inland before returning to Khin- gansky. This study was the first to establish the spring migration route of this species, and confirmed that the breeding population in Khingansky has two or more wintering sites. Demoiselle Crane The breeding range of the Demoiselle Crane extends from southern Ukraine to northeast China, and most winter in the Indian subcon- tinent, although small numbers also winter in northeast and north-central Africa. Flocks of Demoiselle Cranes are regularly seen migrating over the Himalayas in autumn (plate 154), en-route to wintering grounds in the Indian subcontinent. The migration routes from three breeding sites, in Russia (Daursky Nature Reserve), Mon- golia (Har Us Nuur), and Kazakhstan (Kopa), have been studied by Kanai et al. (2000). In 1995, PTTs were fitted to ten cranes at Daursky Nature Reserve, nine at Har Us Nuur and two at Kopa. Of these, four cranes (one from Kaza- , khstan and three from Mongolia) were tracked to their wintering grounds, and nine (three from Russia and six from Mongolia) gave partial information on their migration route (fig. 9). 292 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia The bird from Kazakhstan reached western India via the western side of the Hindu Kush, where it reached an altitude of 4,700 m asl, and Pakistan. The cranes from Mongolia arrived in western India after following a route through the Tarim Basin (Tarim Pendi) in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in western China, Qing-Zang Heights and the Himalayas, where they reached heights in excess of 5,000 m asl. All PTTs deployed on cranes in Russia ceased functioning before the birds reached their wintering grounds, but the arrival of three cranes was confirmed at Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Province, in western China. However, since the migration route from Russia appeared to be towards western India, the cranes that breed in Daursky may perhaps migrate to western India, flying over the Himalayas to join with those from Kazakhstan and Mongolia. These results suggest that there are two migration routes for Demoiselle Cranes breeding in central Asia: one directly over the Himalayas, the other via the Hindu Kush. Important stopover sites included Barkol Lake, Lop Nur Lake, Yakatograk and Yeyik, and the Keriya River. Mongolian Demoiselle Cranes started their migration in early September, taking 14-29 (20.0) days and travelling 2,700-3,300 (3,100) km. The single crane from Kazakhstan began migration in mid August and took just seven days to cover c. 2,000 km to reach the Indian subcontinent. Fig. 9. Autumn migration routes of Demoiselle Cranes Anthropoides virgo tracked from Har Us Lake, Mongolia, and Kopa, Kazakhstan, in 1995. Reproduced from Kanai et at. (2000). British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284—302 293 Yomiuri Newspaper Company Higuchi The importance of the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) for migratory birds By identifying important areas for birds (whether as breeding or wintering areas, or stopover sites), satellite-tracking data can be used to help inform conservation strategies for threatened species and their habitats. For example, in China, satellite-tracking data have been used to identify Bohai and Liaodong Bays, Poyang Lake, Three Rivers Plain, Tianjin, Qiqihar Baicheng area and the Yellow River delta as important stopover and wintering sites for Siberian, Red-crowned and White- naped Cranes, and Oriental White Storks (Higuchi et al. 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004; Kanai et al. 2000; Tamura et al. 2000; Shimazaki et al. 2004a, b). These sites currently have varying levels of protection, ranging from none to some form of nature reserve. The tracking data have identified insufficiently protected areas that are important to cranes and storks, and have helped the conservation process in these areas. Data on the number of individuals and duration of stay has shown that Panmunchom and Cholwon in the DMZ are particularly important areas for migrating cranes (Higuchi et al. 1996, 2004; Higuchi & Minton 2000). All the White-naped Cranes tracked over the entire course of their spring migration stopped at one or more DMZ sites. Nine cranes spent 31.6-87.1% of their total migra- tion period in the DMZ (fig. 10), and seven cranes spent more than half their total migra- tion period there (Higuchi et al. 1996). Higuchi et al. (1998) showed another aspect of the importance of the DMZ for Red- crowned Cranes. Around Cholwon, no satellite locations were received from outside the DMZ and the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ), in which land use and movements of people are less controlled than in the DMZ. Satellite images suggest that in both North and South Korea agriculture is practised outside these controlled zones, but greater disturbance probably means that the cranes prefer the DMZ and CCZ. The DMZ is completely off- limits to civilians, while in the CCZ (adjacent to the DMZ in South Korea), controlled use by farmers, the military and construction workers is permitted, all of which means less distur- bance for the cranes. Habitat protection is relatively assured along the DMZ, with its restrictions on access and development, so in wildlife terms it func- tions almost as a sanctuary. However, if reuni- fication is achieved, key sites will require enforced and meaningful protection to ensure the continued presence of breeding and win- tering cranes (Higuchi et al. 1996, 2004; Higuchi &. Minton 2000). Although national E 3 o 62 29 42 85 28 41 76 17 17 individuals ■ Panmunjom B Cholwon 0 Kumya □ Lake Khanka □ Others Fig. I 0. Percentage of migration days spent at each rest site for nine White-naped Cranes Grus vipio successfully tracked in spring 1992 and 1993. Numbers above the columns are the total days for migration of each crane. Reproduced from Higuchi et al. ( 1 996). 294 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia borders have no biological significance, the political situation in Korea has crucial impli- cations for large migratory birds in the region. Habitat analysis using satellite images Satellite tracking and satellite-image analysis are powerful tools for the study of habitats as well as birds. Kanai et al. (1994) studied the habitat use of cranes by overlaying migration routes onto Landsat satellite images. They examined the locations of adult and young White-naped Cranes that spent the breeding season on the Three Rivers Plain, in China’s Heilongjiang Province (using Landsat TM bands 2, 3 and 4, which are suitable for analysing habitat vegetation and topography). The moisture ratios at each location were analysed (using Landsat band 5) and the results showed that adult cranes frequented the central parts of the marshes, and generally did not leave these core areas, while young cranes moved around over a much wider area around the wetlands. This suggests that the adults prefer wetter areas for breeding (perhaps because of better feeding opportunities, greater protection from predators and/or other factors). As in many other species, the young birds appear to occupy less optimal habitats, but move into better areas as they achieve a higher social status with age. Kanai et al. (1994) provided an insight into the habitat areas and types that may be needed to ensure an appro- priate conservation strategy (including design of nature reserves) to protect the cranes. Higuchi et al. (1998) studied the habitat use of overwintering Red-crowned Cranes in Cholwon (in the DMZ). Satellite locations of four cranes were divided into two categories, diurnal and nocturnal, and overlaid on satellite images (using Landsat TM bands 2, 3 and 4). Two cranes spent the daytime at paddyfields in the CCZ but moved to hilly areas in the DMZ for roosting (fig. 11). Another bird spent both day and night in the CCZ, while the fourth bird spent both day and night in the hilly areas of the DMZ. Much spilt grain can be found in the CCZ (Lee et al. 2007), and many natural wet- lands and hot springs occur in the DMZ. The cranes may use the two areas according to their 155. White-naped Cranes Grus vipio fitted with PTTs on their breeding grounds in southeast Russia and northern China were tracked to Izumi in southwest Kyushu, Japan, a particularly important site where 2,000-3,000 birds overwinter. The cranes also spend the winter at Poyang Lake in eastern China, which is the principal wintering site for Siberian Cranes G. leucogeranus. White-naped Cranes leave Izumi in late February and early March and travel via the Korean Demilitarised Zone to reach the breeding grounds, taking from 1 7 to 85 days to cover 1 ,800-2,600 km. All the Siberian Cranes fitted with PTTs from the lower Indigirka River population in northern Russia winter exclusively at Poyang Lake, and migrate over much greater distances than other crane species, covering between 4,900 and 5,600 km in 41-62 days. This group of White-naped Cranes and the accompanying lone vagrant Siberian Crane were photographed at Izumi. British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284-302 295 Peter Kennerley Higuchi age and resource condition. This again shows that, for conservation strategy and reserve design, an understanding of movements throughout the cranes’ daily cycle is essential. Minton et al. (2003) analysed habitat use by White-naped, Hooded, Red-crowned and Siberian Cranes by overlaying satellite location data and satellite images of land-cover types. The resulting habitat-use patterns were com- pared statistically to determine interspecific and seasonal differences. A comparison among the four species during comparable seasons (summer, autumn staging, migration, winter) showed both characteristic differences and overlap. For example, Red-crowned and White-naped Cranes, which have similar geo- graphic ranges, varied significantly in the amounts of agricultural and natural grassland habitats they utilised at staging sites. Similar comparisons of these two species during the autumn migration season showed that at that time of year, they had reversed their patterns of occupancy in the two habitat types. Each species utilised a wide variety of habitat types in order to complete an annual cycle of win- tering, migration and breeding. The authors concluded that, since habitat use varied signif- icantly among them at certain seasons, the four species could not be conserved ade- quately by studying one species and extrapo- lating to the others. Clearly, the indicator- species concept may not be applicable to cranes as a group. Migration route selection Many large migratory species do not follow the shortest routes when migrating between their breeding and wintering grounds. To test whether the distribution of suitable habitats might affect migration route selection, Fujita et al. (2004) analysed the routes of five White- naped Cranes tracked from central-east Russia, and compared the total area of wet- lands and grasslands along the actual route to the wintering grounds with that along the shortest possible route. They showed that cranes tended to follow routes that encom- passed a greater area of wetland and grassland habitats than that available on the shortest route. The remarkable detoured migration routes of Oriental Honey-buzzards, and their seasonal differences (see earlier figures), are probably associated with the distribution and abun- dance of prey species - wasps (Vespidae) and bees (Apidae) - but also weather conditions. For example, although they have not been well studied, it seems that the birds do not migrate through the southwest islands of Japan in autumn because of the scarcity of wasps there. Moreover, climatic conditions in the East China Sea may be favourable in autumn, but not in spring. In autumn, Oriental Honey- buzzards could cross the East China Sea using the easterly tailwinds that follow the passage of a high-pressure system (Higuchi & Shimada unpubl. data). In early to mid May, when all the tracked birds moved along the Korean Peninsula, a stationary weather front over the East China Sea caused continuous rain or storms, making a sea crossing difficult at that time. By con- trast, a northerly tailwind over the Korean Peninsula benefits those birds heading to Japan, once they have com- pleted a land-based flight around the East China and Yellow Seas (Yamaguchi et al. 2008). Shimazaki et al. (2004a) evaluated the importance of the location of stopover sites used by Oriental White Storks migrating from southern Russia to eastern China. They quantified how well connected the sites used on migration were, which suggested that stopover sites at Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay and Laizhou Bay, on the east coast of China, are less well connected than other sites along the Fig. I I. The diurnal (o 09:00-15:00) and nocturnal (• 19:00-05:00) locations used by Red-crowned Cranes Grus japonensis wintering in Cholwon along the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on the Korean Peninsula. CCZ denotes Civilian Control Zone. Reproduced from Higuchi et al. (1998). 296 British Birds 103* May 20 1 0 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia migration route. This implies that these coastal sites are at greater risk of being isolated from the network of sites that the storks use during migration. Shimazaki et al. (2004b) modelled the storks’ potential migration routes, from breeding sites to wintering grounds (fig. 12a), and explored how the loss of stopover sites could affect the links between breeding and wintering areas. This showed that the number of potential migration routes could decrease exponentially as stopover sites are lost; and that if the coastal stopover sites in eastern China were lost, the storks’ migration routes would be fragmented and wintering sites along the Yangtze River isolated (fig. 12b). The authors thus suggested that these east- coast stopover sites should have a high priority for protection. This work highlights the need for a conservation framework that includes a well-connected network of suitable habitats between breeding and wintering locations. Application of research to conservation As shown above, satellite-tracking data have great conservation value, perhaps especially in relation to important stopover sites, but also more generally for the design and boundaries of existing or potential reserves. For example, the effectiveness of reserve areas in the south of Bohai Bay, around the Yellow River delta, and at Poyang Lake has been investigated by overlaying the satellite-generated locations of White-naped Cranes against reserve bound- aries (Higuchi et al. 2004). In both areas, a sig- nificant number of locations fell outside reserve boundaries (fig. 13), highlighting the need to expand the existing reserves, and to create new reserves in key areas. Furthermore, because the location of suitable habitat and the time spent there by cranes and storks varies from year to year (Tamura et al. 2000), studies to identify appropriate reserve bound- aries using any form of location data should be conducted over a number of years. Previously unknown stopover sites for the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane have also been identified using satellite telemetry (Kanai et al. 2002). Again, when protected- area boundaries were overlaid with satellite location data, some important yet unprotected areas were identified. Large wetlands are becoming increasingly rare in China owing to agricultural encroachment and ongoing Fig. 12. The stay site network of Oriental White Storks Ciconia boyciana: (a) the network assumed with no staging sites removed; (b) the network assumed following removal of four sites facing Bohai Bay. Reproduced from Shimazaki et al. (2004b). British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 297 Higuchi industrial development, and the protection of these remaining sites is critical. Satellite data can also help to identify the environmental requirements of particular species. For example, for cranes that have several important stopover areas, any conser- vation framework must take account of the links between them, so that they form an ‘effective unit’. For other species, like Oriental White Storks, which make many brief stops separated by only short distances over an extended time period, it is important to con- serve the entire migration route, using a network of closely spaced protected sites. Despite the innovation that satellite-based analysis brings to the assessment of conserva- tion needs, the most important thing is to pre- serve areas of known value. The following examples are cases in which the results pro- duced by satellite tracking of cranes have helped conservation efforts. Research results showing that Panmun- chom, Cholwon, Mundok and Kurnya serve as important stopover areas for migrating cranes in North Korea (Chong et al. 1992, 1994) were submitted to the North Korean Government, together with a request that these areas should be designated as protected reserves. As a result of these proposals, and the significant efforts of those involved (both North Korean and Japanese researchers), in December 1995 about 3,000 ha in Mundok and 2,000 ha in Kurnya were designated as national nature reserves to preserve the stopover areas of migrating cranes. In June 1993, a 5,200-ha nature park was established in Muraviovka, along the Amur River in southeastern Russia. The area was visited by cranes, satellite-tracked on their way to wintering grounds at Izumi in Kyushu. The reserve was established after a Japanese nature conservation organisation was notified about the site by a Russian counterpart, and the land was subsequently purchased using capital pro- vided by a Japanese company (Ichida 1994). Results from satellite tracking played a role in Fig. 13. Locations ofWhite-naped Cranes Grus vipio and nature reserves at Poyang Lake. Heavy dashed lines indicate the approximate boundaries of nature reserves. The nature reserve is surrounded by buffers at distances of 10 km and 20 km. Points represent crane locations: open squares = 1991, solid circles = 1 992, open circles = 1 993. Bodies of water are shaded. Reproduced from Higuchi et al. 2004. 298 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia 156. Oriental White Storks Ciconia boyciana from the Amur region of the Russian Far East use many stopover sites while migrating to the principle wintering sites of Poyang Lake and East Dongting Lake which lie along the Yangtze River valley in eastern China. Unlike cranes, which migrate along similar routes. Oriental White Storks make frequent short daily movements, sometimes travelling as little as I- 10 km/day, but covering much greater distances on other days. Of the species monitored, the use of short flights during migration is unique to this species. the establishment of the conservation area, but they also helped to promote interaction among conservationists in Japan and Russia. The nature park now promotes the protection of natural areas for both wildlife and people, and encourages community support and environmental education. A detailed environmental survey has been initiated by a Japanese nature conservation organisation with assistance from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) in the Three Rivers Plain area in China’s Hei- longjiang Province, known to be an important breeding ground for White-naped Cranes that overwinter in Izumi. Efforts are being made to undertake large-scale agricultural develop- ments in this area using Japanese loans as a means of combating the food shortages that are expected to intensify in China in the future. The survey report produced from this work recommended massive changes to the existing development plans based on the results of the satellite-tracking data, aerial surveys and satellite images (SAPI Team for Japan Bank for International Cooperation 2002). The changes range from reductions in and alterations of the area earmarked for development, to the designation of new reserves and the establishment of a post-devel- opment monitoring system. Some of the rec- ommendations have already been implemented, including the enlargement of an existing reserve, the designation of new reserves and the initiation of the monitoring system (Y. Kanai pers. comm.). Finally, and more generally, the results of satellite tracking are contributing to interna- tional co-operative efforts to develop conser- vation networks linking stopover, breeding and wintering areas. Unfortunately, satellite tracking is costly. One PTT costs USD 3,000-4,000, and the satellite tariff is USD 20-30/PTT/day depending on the type of service and British Birds 103- May 20 1 0 • 284-302 299 Martin Hale Higuchi frequency of use of the Argos system in the relevant country. However, satellite tracking is more cost-effective than many other methods ot tracking. For example, of 229 Red-crowned Cranes ringed in Russia and China between 1981 and 1996, only 11 have been resighted or recovered outside the ringing areas (Higuchi et al. 1998). The resources expended during this project were considerable. In contrast, only one or two years were needed to show the whole migration routes of the species through satellite tracking, in this case clearly illus- trating the superior cost-effectiveness of the satellite technology. Moreover, as mentioned above, a significant contribution to conserva- tion can be achieved via satellite-tracking work, which becomes more cost-effective than expected from the initial outlay. Nonetheless, reliable sources of government or private long-term funding will be needed to support satellite-tracking research and development in the future. Future prospects Owing to the weight of the transmitters, satel- lite tracking has, until recently, been restricted to larger birds such as those discussed in this paper. As transmitters become smaller, the number of species that can be tracked is certain to increase. For example, it has now been possible to follow the remarkable migra- tion of Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica between Alaskan breeding areas and wintering grounds in Australia and New Zealand (http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/ shorebirds/barg_updates.html). If battery life and location accuracy continue to improve, even more detailed tracking information for yet longer periods of time will be possible. Transmitters have been developed recently that use solar-powered batteries, which are expected to have a life of at least 2-3 years, and will thus reduce the overall weight of the transmitters. The smallest solar-powered PTT weighs about 5 g, which is suitable to track medium-sized waders such as the Greenshank Tringa nebularia and snipes Gallinago. Efforts have also been made to integrate the global positioning system (GPS) with the Argos system, known as the Argos/GPS PTT. Unlike an Argos PTT, a location can be specified using GPS systems as they receive co-ordinate data from satellites. Consequently, the GPS is not a transmitter but a receiver. In an Argos/GPS PTT, location data stored in the GPS are periodically retrieved through the Argos system. GPS methods entail the use of many satel- lites, generally tend to have greater location accuracy (to within tens of metres with one standard deviation of the positional error) than the Argos system (150-1,000 m), and can provide many measurements per unit of time. Argos/GPS PTTs also have the benefit of reducing satellite usage fees, because they send the data over a shorter period of time. Although the tracking technology of the system is ideal, the smallest solar-powered Argos/GPS PTT still weighs 22 g at present. Additional sensors can be also used in con- junction with standard satellite-tracking PTTs. Integrated sensors are used to corroborate location findings; they include ambient light sensors to collect environmental data (e.g. temperature and air pressure), or to record behavioural information (e.g. move or stay). PTTs with such sensors are already available. However, the addition of sensors increases PTT weight, and the sensors may not (yet) function well in the field. We can expect to see many improvements in future, including the development of light- weight, high-performance devices that can be used on smaller birds and produced at lower cost. As highly accurate, less expensive devices come into use, a dramatic increase in the con- servation research on migrating birds can be expected. Acknowledgments Many scientists were involved in the fieldwork to catch birds and deploy PTTs. They include V. Andronov, G. Archibald, Y Darman, G. Fujita, O. Goroshko, J. Harris, N. Hijikata, E. Hiraoka, S. Javed, R Johanna, Y. Kanai, V. Krever; H. Kuno, J. Minton, E. Morishita, M. Nagendran, K. Ozaki, M. Parilov, F. Sato, H. Shimazaki, R. Suwal, M. Tamura, K. Tokita, K. Uchida, M. Ueta, and N. Yamaguchi. In addition, Naoya Hijikata and Noriyuki Yamaguchi helped with data analysis and preparation of some figures used in this article. The satellite- tracking studies were funded by the NEC, NTT, Yomiuri Newspaper Company, the Ministry of the Environment (Japan), and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan). References Argos. 1 996. User's Manual. CLS/Service Argos, Maryland. Chong, J., Higuchi, H„ & Pak, U. 1 992. The migration routes and the important resting areas of cranes in the Korean Peninsula. Strix 11:21 -34. (In Japanese) — , — & — 1 994. The migration routes and important 300 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 284-302 Satellite tracking migrants in eastern Asia rest-sites of cranes on the Korean Peninsula. In: Higuchi, H., & Minton, J. (eds.). The Future of Cranes and Wetlands, pp. 4 1 -50. Wild Bird Society of Japan, Tokyo. Fujita, G., Guan, H-L., Ueta, M., Goroshko, O., KreveriV., Ozaki, K., Mita, N., & Higuchi, H. 2004. Comparing areas of suitable habitats along travelled and possible shortest routes in migration ofWhite- naped Cranes Grus vipio in East Asia. Ibis 1 46: 461-474. Higuchi, H. 1991. Cooperative work on crane migration from Japan to the USSR through Korea and China. In: Salathe.T (ed.), Conserving Migratory Birds (ICBP Technical Publication No. 12), pp. 1 89-202. ICBP Cambridge. — 1 994. Satellite Tracking the Migration of Cranes. Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo. (In Japanese) — 200 1 . Study on the migration routes and habitats of migratory birds. In: Study on the Conservation of Forests, Wetlands and Biodiversity in Asian Pacific Region, pp. 23 — 44. (In Japanese) — & Minton, J. 2000.The importance of the Korean DMZ to threatened crane species in northeast Asia. Global Environ. Res. 4: 1 23- 1 32. — & Pierre, J. R 2005. Satellite tracking and avian conservation in Asia. Landscape and Ecological Engineering 1 : 33-42. — , Sato, F„ Matsui, S., Soma, M., & Kanmuri, N. 1991. Satellite tracking of the migration routes of Whistling Swans Cygnus columbianus. J. Yamashina Inst. Ornithol. 23: 6- 1 2. — , Ozaki, K„ Fujita, G., Soma, M„ Kanmuri, N„ & Ueta, M. 1 992. Satellite tracking of the migration routes of cranes from southern Japan. Strix I I: 1-20. — , Pierre, J. R, KreverV., Minton, J„ Ueta, M„ Soma, M., & Mita, N. 1996. Satellite tracking ofWhite-naped Crane migration and the importance of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Conserv. Biol. 1 0: 806-8 1 2. — , Nagendran, M„ Darman,Y,Tamura, M., Andronov, V., Parilov, M., Shimazaki, H„ & Morishita, E. 2000. Migration and habitat use of Oriental White Storks from satellite tracking studies. Global Environ. Res. 4: 169-182. — , Pierre, J. R, KreverV., Andronov, V„ Fujita, G., Ozaki, K„ Goroshko, O., Ueta, M„ Smirensky, S„ & Mita, N. 2004. Conservation using remote technologies: satellite-tracking White-naped Cranes ( Grus vipio) in Russia and Asia. Conserv. Biol. 1 8: 1 36- 1 47. — , Shiu, H-J., Nakamura, H., Uematsu, A., Kuno, K„ Saeki, M„ Hotta, M.,Tokita, K, Moriya, E., Morishita, E„ &Tamura, M. 2005. Migration of Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus based on satellite tracking. Ornithol. Sci. 4: 109-1 15. — , Shibaev.Y, Minton, j., Ozaki, K., Surmach, S„ Fujita, G., Momose, K., Momose.Y, Ueta, M., Andronov, V., Mita, N„ & Kanai.Y 1 998. Satellite tracking of the migration of the Red-crowned Crane Grus japonensis. Ecol. Res. 1 3: 273-282. Ichida, N. 1 994.The proposed international wetland nature reserve network. In: Higuchi, H„ & Minton, J. (eds.), The Future of Cranes and Wetlands, pp. 176-1 81. Wild Bird Society of Japan, Tokyo. IUCN. 2004. IUCN Red List ofThreatened Species. www.redlist.org. IUCN, Gland. Kanai.Y., Kondoh,A.,& Higuchi, H. 1994. Analysis of crane habitat using satellite images. In: Higuchi, H„ & Minton, J. (eds.). The Future of Cranes and Wetlands, pp. 72-85. Wild Bird Society of Japan, Tokyo. — , Ueta, M., Germogenov, N., Nagendran, M., Higuchi, H„ & Mita, N. 2002, Migration routes and important resting areas of Siberian Cranes ( Grus leucogeranus ) that migrate from northeastern Siberia and China as revealed by satellite tracking. Biol. Conserv. 106: 339-346. — , Sato, F., Ueta, M„ Minton, J„ Higuchi, H„ Soma, M., Mita, N., & Matsui, S. 1 997. The migration routes and important rest sites ofWhooper Swans satellite- tracked from northern Japan. Strix 15: 1-13. — , Minton, J„ Nagendran, M., Ueta, M„ Auyrsana, B„ Goroshko, O., Kovshar A. F., Mita, N., Suwal, R. N„ Uzawa, K„ KreverV., & Higuchi, H. 2000. Migration of Demoiselle Cranes in Asia based on satellite tracking and fieldwork. Global Environ. Res. 4: 143-153. Lee, S-D., Jabtonski, R G., & Higuchi, H. 2007. Winter foraging of threatened cranes in the Demilitarized Zone of Korea: behavioral evidence for the conservation importance of unplowed rice fields. Biol. Conserv. 1 38: 286-289. Meine, C. D„ & Archibald, G. W. 1 996. The Cranes. IUCN, Gland. Minton, J. S„ Halls, J. N„ & Higuchi, H. 2003. Integration of satellite telemetry data and land-cover imagery: a study of migratory cranes in Northeast Asia. Transactions in GIS 7: 505-528. Nagendran, M„ Higuchi, H.,& Sorokin, A. G. 1994. A harnessing technique to deploy transmitters on cranes. In: Higuchi, H., & Minton, J. (eds.), The Future of Cranes and Wetlands, pp. 57-60. Wild Bird Society ofJapan.Tokyo. Shimazaki, H.,Tamura, M„ & Higuchi, H. 2004a. Migration routes and important stopover sites of endangered Oriental White Storks ( Ciconia boyciana ) as revealed by satellite tracking. Mem. Nat. Inst Polar Res. Special issue 58: 1 62- 1 78. — , — , Darman.Y, Andronov, V., Parilov, M., Nagendran, M., & Higuchi, H. 2004b. Network analysis of potential migration routes applied to identification of important stopover sites for Oriental White Storks ( Ciconia boyciana). Ecol. Res. 19: 683-698. Tamura, M., Higuchi, H„ Shimazaki, H., Oguma, H., Darman.Y. A., Andronov, V. A., Nagendran, M„ & Parilov, M. 2000. Satellite observation of movements and habitat conditions of Red-crowned Cranes and Oriental White Storks in East Asia. Global Environ. Res. 4: 207-217. Yamaguchi, N„ & Higuchi, H. 2008. Migration of birds in East Asia with reference to the spread of avian influenza. Global Environ. Res. 1 2: 4 1 -54. — .Tokita, K., Uematsu, A., Kuno, K, Saeki, M„ Hiraoka, E., Uchida, K, Hotta, M., Nakayama, R.Takahashi, M„ Nakamura, H.. & Higuchi, H. 2008. The large-scale detoured migration route and the shifting pattern of migration in Oriental Honey-buzzards breeding in Japan./ Zool. 276: 54-62. Hiroyoshi Higuchi, Laboratory of Biodiversity Science, University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 113-8657; e-maz7higuchi@es.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284-302 301 Higuchi Appendix I. Latitude and longitude co-ordinates of locations mentioned in the text, listed alphabetically. Amur region, Russia 49.21°-59.96°N 127.66°-129.97°E Amur River basin, Amur Oblast, Russia 49.0°-50.1°N 127.6°-130.4°E Anbyon, North Korea 39.00°-39.10°N 127.50°-127.60°E Aniva Bay, Sakhalin, Russia 46.51°-46.78°N 142.24°-143.38°E Aumannykan area, Russia 64.86°-65.32°N 137.87°-139.58°E Barkol Lake, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China 43.66°-43.77°N 92.95°-93.23°E Bohai Bay, China 37.33°-39.87°N 1 18.64°-1 19.42°E Cholwon, DMZ, Korean Peninsula 38.20°-38.30°N 127.10°-127.30°E Daursky Nature Reserve, Zabaykalsky Region, Russia 50.18°N 1 15.30°E East Dongting Lake Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, China 29.41°-29.52°N 1 12.73°-1 12.80°E Han/Imjin River estuary, South Korea 37.6°N 126. 6°E Har Us Nuur, Mongolia 48.1 1°N 91.87°E Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan 32°N 125°E Keriya River, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China 37.81°N 81.88°E Khabarovsk, Russia 48.56°-49.28°N 134.27°-135.56°E Khingansky Nature Reserve, Amur Oblast, Russia 49°N 129°E Kominato sea coast, Aomori Prefecture, Honshu, Japan 40.94°N 140.98°E Kopa, Kazakhstan 43.50°N 75.77°E Kumya, DMZ, North Korea 39.41°-39.5°N 127.30°-127.50°E Lake Khanka 44.51°— 45. 30°N I31.96°-132.83°E Liao River delta, Liaoning Province, China 41.0°N 121. 8°E Lop Nur Lake, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China 41.04°-41.31°N 90.30°-90.39°E Lower Amur River, Khabarovsk, Russia 52.19°-53.20°N 139.46°-140.80°E Lower Indigirka River, Russia 71°N 144-148°E Muraviovka Wildlife Refuge, Amur Oblast, Russia 49.92°N 127.60°E Nenjiang River, Heilongjiang Province, China 44.64°-48.57°N 121.84°-126.32°E Panjin, China 40.90°N 121.50°-122.90°E Poyang Lake, Jiangxi Province, China 28.95°-29.20°N 1 15.86°-1 16.10°E Qi-Xin Lake, Hubei Province, China 30.31°-30.33°N 1 13.84°-1 13.87°E Qiqihar-Baicheng area, China 44.97°-46.34°N 122.05°-124.55°E Shenjin Lake, Anhui Province, China 30.80°N 1 17.1 1°E Shuangtaizi River delta, China 40.85°-40.96°N 121.79°-121.85°E Tangshan, Hebei Province, China 39.10°-39.20°N 1 18.80°-1 19.00°E Tangwang River, Heilongjiang Province, China 47.18°-49.46°N 130.47°-131.16°E Tokachi River, Shizuoka Prefecture, Hokkaido, Japan 42.74°— 42. 92°N 143.40°-143.65°E Turnen River, Primorsky Region, Russia 42.40°-42.60°N 130.60°-130.80°E Wuhan, Hubei Province, China Yakatograk and Yeyik, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China 31.15°-31.20°N 1 16.18°-1 16.20°E 36.76°-38.49°N 83.18°-86.95°E Yangcheng, Jiangsu Province, China 33.00°-33.40°N 120.60°-120.90°E Yellow River estuary, Shandong Province, China 37.30°-37.80°N 1 18.80°-1 19.00°E 302 British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 284—302 Notes Eurasian Sparrowhawk taking nestling Song Thrushes Bryan Sage (Brit. Birds 102: 405) reported a Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus feeding on nestling Collared Doves Streptopelia decaocto, presumed to have been taken suc- cessively from a nearby well-concealed nest. An appended editorial comment cited a statement by Ian Newton that this behaviour has previously been suspected but not proved. This note reports direct observation of the behaviour. Just before 20.00 hrs on 7th May 2008, a male Sparrowhawk was seen to make an unsuccessful lunge at an adult Song Thrush Turdus philomelos returning to its nest in a dense Rhamnus bush in my garden. (The nest was being monitored for the BTO Nest Record Scheme, and at 10.50 hrs on 5th May it had contained four or more live young.) The Sparrowhawk returned shortly after- wards and entered the bush, which is clearly visible from my sitting room. It emerged with a small prey item, which it did not carry off but processed on the ground at the base of the bush. It repeated this procedure several times until (presumably) the nest contents were exhausted. Occasionally it would fly away between courses, but never for long. These events were witnessed by myself and four other trustees of the North Cotswold Ornithological Society (Geoff Bailey, Tim Hutton, Andy Lewis and Dave Pearce), who were gathered in my sitting room for a committee meeting. The fol- lowing day no traces of the incident could be found on the ground around the bush, and the nest was empty. Iain Main, 53 Apple Orchard, Prestbury, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3EH Wood Pigeons and the saltmarsh habitat In the extensive account of the habitats and food of the Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus in BWP, no mention is made of this species utilising the coastal saltmarsh habitat or of feeding on saltmarsh plants. From 1981 to the present I have carried out research on the Warham saltmarsh near Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, and have noted that small numbers of these pigeons (<10) are of common occur- rence in that habitat. Larger numbers, however, appear to be quite rare, with only five observations during almost 30 years. Since it was not possible to obtain specimens for crop analysis, it was not always possible to be sure what the birds were eating. A pair seen on 28th May 1995 on a Thrift Armeria maritima sward, which also had some Sea- purslane Atriplex portucaloides, was clearly eating the new leaves of the latter. On 17th June 1994, a flock of c. 200 was watched feeding on a Thrift sward. On 12th May 2000, a flock of 16 was on a level sward dominated by Thrift and the new leaves of Common Sea-lavender Limonium vulgare (some birds were eating these), together with scattered Sea Plantain Plantago maritima. On 27th April 2004, a flock of 21 was feeding on a sward on the upper saltmarsh that was dominated by Common Saltmarsh-grass Puccinellia maritima but with some Red Fescue Festuca rubra also present. The penul- timate observation was on 11th May 2006, when a flock of 90-95 was feeding on a Thrift sward. Finally, on 21st May 2009, some of a flock of 38 on a Thrift sward were seen eating the young flowerheads. Bryan Sage, Waveney House, Waveney Close, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR2 3 1HU Wood Pigeon diet The varied diet of the Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus comprises mainly plant material from a wide range of genera and species, but the following observations (all at Wells-next- the-Sea, Norfolk) concern species not listed in BWP: Rowan berries Sorbus aucuparia © British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 303-306 303 Notes (single birds observed on both 22nd June 1995 and 24th July 1997); Himalayan Tree Cotoneaster Cotoneaster frigidus berries (a group of four birds, on 18th December 2003); and Entire-leaved Cotoneaster C. inte- grifolius berries (one bird, on 15th October 2006). Bryan Sage, Waveney House, Waveney Close, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1HU On 7th November 2009, in my garden in West Bagborough, Somerset, I noticed that some of a small group of young-stage Meadow Puffballs Vascellum pratense, which were growing on the lawn, had been partly eaten. That afternoon, I saw a Wood Pigeon walk towards one of the puffballs and start to peck at it, removing pieces of the soft, white flesh and swallowing them; having eaten one puffball down to the base, the bird started to peck at a second one before it was disturbed and flew off. Inspection of the fungi showed no sign of associated invertebrates. Meadow Puffballs are edible to humans, at least before they turn brown because of spore forma- tions. The eating of fungi by Wood Pigeons must be unusual, however, and is not men- tioned in BWP. Dr A. P. Radford, Crossways Cottage, West Bagborough, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3EG Goldcrest flycatching On 2nd March 2009, while walking in wood- land along the Thames Path near Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, I watched a small passerine flycatching from a deciduous tree. Closer inspection revealed a Goldcrest Regulus regulus, which made sallies on at least five occasions, twisting in the air in the manner of a flycatcher and returning to the same or a different perch. I have not recorded this behaviour before and the only reference in BWP is ‘flying insects taken in hovering flight but not pursued.’ The weather was mild and dry, with sunny periods and a light south- westerly wind. Norman Elkins, 18 Scotstarvit View, Cupar, Fife KY15 5DX Male Bam Swallow passing food On 26th June 2009 at Chare Ends, Holy Island, Northumberland, I watched a brood of five recently fledged Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica lined up on a dead branch of a willow Salix. Both adults were coming to feed the young, which, in typical fashion, were calling and wing-shivering as they approached. During one approach by the male, he was intercepted in mid-air by the female. She hovered in front of him, took a ball of food from his beak and then flew to to female feed the youngsters with it while the male went off again to hunt over the dunes. After that both parents continued to return and feed the brood individually. Turner (2006) referred to rare reports of males passing food to females at the nest but this incident was at least 250 m from the nearest nest-site at a local farm. Reference Turner; A. 2006. The Barn Swallow. Poyser; London. Ian Kerr, 27 Eddrington Grove, Chapel House, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 1JG Behaviour of a male Blackbird giving ‘ultra-crystallised’ song On 13th March 2009 at 16.30 hrs, I was recording a male Blackbird Turdus merula that was singing from the aerial on the roof of my house in Liverpool (fig. 1A). A second male soon flew in and landed on the opposite end of the aerial to the first male, which instantly stopped singing. Although there was no directly aggressive behaviour between the two, both adopted an upright position and remained motionless for a few seconds. The 304 British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 • 303-306 Notes first male then changed its posture, spreading its tail and flattening its body so as to be par- allel with the aerial, and began to sing again. This time, however, it gave a much quieter song consisting of a large number of short but intricate phrases (see www.britishbirds. co.uk/sounds/Blackbird I 30309. mp3). After singing from the aerial for c. 15 seconds, the first male flew to a tree some 17 m away. Its flight was slow, with its wings and tail spread, and it sang continuously throughout. It alighted on an exposed branch about halfway up the tree (fig. IB), where it remained for c. 20 seconds. It then flew to another tree nearby (fig. 1C), again with no break in its song and flying in the same manner as before. The top of this tree con- sisted of two lone branches and, as if trying to reach the very highest point, the bird crept along one of the branches towards its tip, still singing and still in a flattened position with its tail fanned slightly. Once it had reached the tip of one branch, it made its way back down the branch in similar fashion and crept towards the tip of the second branch. This was repeated several times for almost two minutes. The bird then flew, as before, to the aerial on my neighbour’s roof (fig. ID), some 18 m from the second tree and 16 m from the second male, which was still sitting upright on the original aerial. Here again, the first male was constantly on the move, shuffling from one end of the aerial to the other and back again, its body flattened and its tail fanned slightly. Periodically, it altered the position of its head, from pointing down at an angle of about 45° to pointing upwards at about 45°. It spent the next two minutes singing and behaving in this way. The second Fig. 2. ‘Ultra-crystallised’ song of a male Blackbird Turdus meruta. This 8.5-second section of song contains mimicry of Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis (A) and Magpie Pica pica (B),and a subdued rattling alarm call (C) (www.britishbirds.co.uk/sounds/ Blackbird. mp3). Fig. I. Location of song-posts used by a male Blackbird Turdus merula giving ultra-crystallised song, with approximate height of each song-post shown in parentheses; shaded regions represent locations with vegetation over 3 m in height; arrows show direction of movement. male then left its perch and flew to neigh- bouring gardens; about 20 seconds after it left, the original bird stopped singing and flew, in a more ‘normal’ and direct manner, to nearby bushes. Altogether, the first male was singing con- tinuously for a little under four and a half minutes (the second male did not sing). While this type of song is no doubt not uncommon, it seems to have been largely overlooked and is not well documented. Perhaps this is in part down to the miscon- ception that this quiet singing is a form of ‘subsong’. Constantine et al. (2006) made an excellent job of explaining the concept of ‘ultra- crystallised’ song (a song that is typi- cally of greater length, more varied in nature and given at lower British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 303-306 305 Notes volume than ‘typical’ territorial advertise- ment, and which may be uttered in ‘highly charged situations’, such as in territorial dis- putes or immediately prior to copulation). They also presented an example using a male Blackbird, which gave a song very similar to that I recorded. However, there is no mention of the bird they recorded giving this song in flight, or of it using multiple song-posts, and no detail as to how long it sang like that for. The song of the Liverpool bird contained much mimicry, including what appeared to be imitation of Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus , Great Tit Parus major. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis. Magpie Pica pica, and even Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis. It also con- tained phrases similar to those used in ‘typical’ Blackbird song and short snippets of subdued alarm calls and rattles - whether these were from the bird’s own repertoire or mimicry of other Blackbirds is not known. Many notes in the song were repeated after each other, similar to those in the song of Song Thrush T. philomelos. On a sonogram (fig. 2), the notes show up as being well defined and further add to the evidence that this is ‘highly crystallised’ song. BWP states that male Blackbirds ‘occasion- ally sing in flight between perches’ but does not mention anything under ‘voice’ that quite matches this song. The nearest description seems to be for ‘courtship song of male’, described as a ‘quiet “strangled” song, made up of alarm-rattles, rough warbles, and subdued snatches of what sounds like terri- torial-song’. The name suggests that this song is most likely to be given during courtship with a female, though it is not stated explic- itly when exactly this song has been recorded. On 22nd April 2008 at 18.35 hrs, I had recorded a male Blackbird giving a song almost identical to that given by the male on 13th March 2009 (see www.britishbirds. co.uk/sounds/Blackbird220408.mp3). As on 13th March, the bird on 22nd April was singing ‘typically’, this time from the top of a tree around 9 m high. On this occasion, however, the change in song type was initi- ated by the arrival of a female. The male quickly flew to join the female and out of view, so its behaviour could not be seen, but the song lasted for several minutes. It seems likely that this ‘ultra-crystallised’ song can be given by male Blackbirds in a variety of ‘highly charged’ situations, in response both to females and to rival males. Its similarity to ‘subsong’ - an often undeservedly ignored area itself - has probably led to it being overlooked somewhat, whilst the associated singing behaviour has also been passed over. Hopefully, a greater awareness of ‘ultra-crys- tallised’ song will lead to more observations being made relating to this sort of behaviour. Reference Constantine, M„ &The Sound Approach. 2006. The Sound Approach to Birding.The Sound Approach, Poole. Stephen Menzie, 24 Linkside Road, Woolton, Liverpool L25 9NY Aerial courtship-feeding by Spotted Flycatchers In June 2009, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers Muscicapa striata nested in a wall at West Bagborough, Somerset. During egg-laying and incubation, courtship-feeding was common, with the female begging from the male while either perched or (mainly) on the nest. After the eggs hatched, courtship- feeding continued, although at a reduced fre- quency, with the female begging mostly while perched on a roof ledge or while brooding. On at least four occasions, however, the female was seen to gape and beg in flight when the male flew close while carrying food. Sometimes the male hovered before the female to transfer the food, which was quickly swallowed by the female; the food was certainly not carried to and fed to the young. After the young were six or seven days old, I saw no more courtship-feeding. Courtship-feeding is known to be common in breeding Spotted Flycatchers, but aerial begging and prey transfer must be unusual. This behaviour is not mentioned in BWP, although it is stated that the male sometimes hovers when feeding the female. Dr A. P. Radford, Crossways Cottage, West Bagborough, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3EG 306 British Birds 103- May 20 1 0 • 303-306 Review The Status of Birds in Britain & Ireland By David T. Parkin and Alan G. Knox Christopher Helm, 2009 Hbk, 440pp, 32 pages of colour photographs ISBN 978-1-4081-2500-7 Subbuteo code M20491 £50.00 BB Bookshop price £42.50 In reviewing this book, I kept a copy of the last Status pub- lished by the BOURC, in 1971, close at hand. Even a cursory glance reveals the astounding changes that have occurred in ornithology since then and illustrates just how timely this new Status is. And who better to author it than two former chairmen of the BOURC, and stalwarts of its Taxo- nomic Sub-committee. Like its predecessor, this book sensibly covers Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man, although the BOURC consider only records from Britain. Since 1971 we have witnessed a phenomenal increase in ornithological knowledge - the present work alone contains over 1,000 references. There have been huge changes in the status of some of our familiar species, many have suffered severe range contractions and/or declines, and over 100 new species have been added to the British List. We are also in the middle of a taxonomic revolution, due largely to studies in molecular science, most notably the application of techniques for DNA sequencing. The impact of these genetic studies will prob- ably be the first thing to strike the reader because they have resulted in a new species order, adopted recently by the BOU and followed in this book. We are now familiar with the wildfowl and gamebirds listed in front of the divers; several recent county avifaunas and bird reports have adopted this sequence, as has the most recent Collins Bird Guide. The order of the passerines, however, has changed so markedly that readers are well advised to consult the index to avoid frustrating and stress- inducing searches. Many will argue that the familiar order should have been maintained but surely science must prevail over tradition; and the BOU is the body widely recognised as maintaining the British List. Debates over taxonomic sequence are nothing new - the BOU undertook much soul- searching before publishing the 1971 Status. One thing is certain: we are currently in a period of tax- onomic instability and further changes to this sequence can be expected. The book also adopts the IOC English names, some of which will never gain widespread use in Britain & Ireland. At least in the case of horrors like Willow Ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus and Para- sitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus, their more familiar names are also used. A short preface is followed by a 25-page intro- duction that covers geography, climate, vegetation, habitats, migration, biological affinities of the avi- fauna, and conservation. In addition, the section on the structure of ornithology in Britain & Ireland presents an especially good summary of today’s ornithological scene, while that on evolu- tion and taxonomy provides a useful precis of current work that helps readers to understand the taxonomic sections later in the book. Thirty-two colour pages, each containing 2-5 photographs, separate the introduction from the main body of the book (the systematic list) and show iconic places such as Fair Isle and St Kilda, a variety of habitats, ornithological activities and a selection of birds along with several maps to illus- trate points made in the text. The map of the dis- tribution of Common Buzzard Buteo buteo (plate 33b) actually shows the provisional map from the current Atlas rather than that from the 1988—91 Atlas as the caption suggests. The individual species accounts follow a stan- dard treatment, with sections on taxonomy, distri- bution and status. The taxonomic sections are a major strength of this book. The authors have done the ornithological community a great service by bringing together findings from a vast litera- ture, some of it very obscure, and distilling them into neat, and generally understandable sum- maries. This information has never before been readily available in a single source. Birders will doubtless enjoy hunting for future potential splits such as the eastern form of Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens japonicus and the Nearctic form of Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera leu- coptera. It is, however, surprising how frequently The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 307-308 307 Review different molecular analyses yield contradictory results. The BOURC is often accused of being too conservative, yet the evidence here suggests that careful interpretation and a measured approach are important precursors to making sound taxo- nomic judgements. The section on distribution covers global dis- tribution of species/subspecies, and discusses breeding grounds, wintering areas and migratory routes. The status sections bring together a wealth of information from various organisations and committees, national surveys, and the published literature. The accounts of most of our breeding and regular wintering birds are excellent; thor- oughly researched and well written. As well as highlighting changes in status, they explore why these changes have occurred. Among those I enjoyed included the Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, which highlights the continued impact of persecu- tion on distribution and abundance; the Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, illustrating the role that changing fish stocks, possibly through climate change, have on our seabird populations; and the Sky Lark Alauda arvensis, which shows the disastrous conse- quences of intensive agriculture for our farmland birds. Some accounts are already a little outdated but, in fairness, the source material is often pub- lished years after it is collected, much relevant information is hidden in the ‘grey’ literature and some of the standard works, such as the last BTO Breeding Atlas, are now well out of date. Neverthe- less, I was amazed to see that no estimates are given for the breeding populations of Northern Gannet Morus bassanus and Great Coromorant Phalacrocorax carbo. Some accounts of what may be considered less important species could have been more enlight- ening. Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis surely deserves more than three lines (details of some of the more exceptional movements could have been provided) and there is no mention of the scale of passage of Pomarine Skuas Stercorarius pomarinus off the Western and Northern Isles in spring. Several rather vague comments are unhelpful: Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini is ‘not infrequent inland’ while there are ‘very few’ spring records of Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos. Both could have been quantified relatively easily. My main criticism, however, is reserved for the status accounts of rarities. Vagrants may be of minor relevance in British ornithology but they deserve a better treatment than received here. Perhaps a proofreader or an additional author with enthusiasm in this field would have helped. There are inconsistencies in treatment of species: some have a cut-off date for inclusion of 2003, others 2007, and for many there is no defined cut- off date at all; the inclusion of significant 2008 records seems entirely random. There are more than a few factual inaccuracies too. There have been nine (not five) spring Paddyfield Warblers Acrocephalus agricola, and seven of them were in Shetland. There is no stated cut-off date for Lance- olated Warbler Locustella lanceolata but the text states that there have been c. 115 records, including 85 in Shetland and Orkney. In fact, by the end of 2007 there had been 116 records, 97 in Shetland and just three in Orkney. In the account for Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni, the authors tell us that there are c. 30 records of the subspecies C. h. hornemanni in one sentence and then go on to say that there are c. 40 records a little later. There was a female Canvasback Aythya val- isineria in Orkney in 2000 and there have been three (not two) records of the Caspian Stonechat Saxicola torquatus variegatus. Quite why there is mention of two Brown Flycatchers Muscicapa dau- urica in Ireland is a mystery, both records have been rejected. I did wonder how much liaison there has been with BBRC. A review of ‘Ehrenberg’s Redstart’ Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus has just been completed and is likely to result in the removal of this form from the British List, while a review of the eastern form of Subalpine Warbler Sylvia can- tillans albistriata is forthcoming and is likely to result in many more records than given here. In both cases it would have made sense to highlight these reviews rather than painting an inaccurate picture of status. It is nice to see the inclusion of some species that have not yet received formal acceptance, with the necessary caveat, for example Amur Falcon Falco atnurensis and Citril Finch Carduelis cit- rinella. The appendix detailing species in Category D is welcome. These species do not form part of the British List but are subject to occasional review and Baikal Teal Anas formosa has recently been upgraded to Category A. If your interest is largely rarity-driven, Russell Slack’s Rare Birds provides a much more compre- hensive and accurate treatment of rarities than this book. But for anyone with an interest in the wider British and Irish avifauna the authors have suc- ceeded admirably in distilling a vast ornithological literature into an easily accessible form in one sen- sibly sized volume. I thoroughly recommend it. Paul Harvey SUBBUTE0 NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The 88 Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 308 British Birds 103* May 20 1 0 • 307-308 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Fantastic Four fly 7,600 km non-stop Four Turnstones Arenaria interpres fitted with ultralight geolocators took just six days to fly from Australia to Taiwan before continuing on to northern Siberia. One of the tagged birds then completed its return trip back to Australia via the Central Pacific - a total round-trip of 27,000 km! ‘We have been amazed at the feats of Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica tracked by satellite from Australia and New Zealand to their breeding grounds in the high Arctic and back,’ said Dr Clive Minton, from the Australasian Wader Studies Group. ‘Unfortunately, the size of the satellite transmitters, and the batteries required to power them, precluded their use on smaller shorebirds like Turnstone - until now.’ The researchers used new 1-g light-sensor geolocators - supplied by the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge - and fitted them to eight Turnstones wintering in southeast Australia in April 2009. Four geolocators were eventually retrieved from birds in winter 2009/10. ‘All four birds flew 7,600 km non-stop to Taiwan in just over six days, with three apparently travelling together,’ said Clive. They then flew on to northern Siberia, following separate paths and stopping over at different sites. ‘By early August, two had moved to Korea and southeastern Siberia, respectively, but another bird returned to Australia via the Central Pacific!’ The Pacific bird spent almost 12 weeks (26th July to 15th October) on the Aleutian Islands before flying 6,200 km across the Pacific in four days to Kiribati, and then undertaking another four-day, 5,000-km flight to eastern Australia. Five days later it was back in southeast Australia having completed a 27,000-km round-trip. On some of the longer flights it was possible to calculate the flight speed achieved. For the flights from Australia to Taiwan and the flight back from Kiribati to Australia, the average speed was 50-55 kph; 65 kph was achieved during the flight from Alaska to Kiribati, perhaps with the assistance of tailwinds. Spurred by these exciting results from the initial trials of geolocators, researchers from the Australasian Wader Studies Group, the Victorian Wader Study Group and Deakin University have applied a further 60. Species tagged include Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata, with 30 of the former and four of the latter tagged. ‘The 2010/11 wader season will be eagerly anticipated as we retrieve these geolocators from returned waders,’ said Prof. Marcel Klaassen of Deakin Uni- versity. ‘These data will elucidate the physiological and ecological constraints these birds are facing during migration, hopefully adding to the protec- tion of the many Australasian migratory waders that are currently facing dramatic declines.’ The Richard Richardson Award Fund This Award was set up in 1979 in memory of Richard Richardson (1922-77; see Brit. Birds 70: 541-543, 72: 46). The Fund was a combination of the result of appeals made locally in Norfolk, where Richard had his birding base, and in the pages of BB (see Brit. Birds 71: 92 & 321), and it was used to provide an annual prize for the Richard Richardson Award, for the best work sub- mitted by an artist under the age of 21 to the then ‘Bird Illustrator of the Year’ competition. This competition has not been run by BB in recent years, and the present Trustees of the Award (Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson and Robin Prytherch) are proposing to wind up the fund (which presently stands at £3,078) and pass it on to the RSPB. The RSPB runs WildArt, an annual wildlife art competition for under- 19s. Many of the entries focus on expression rather than scien- tific accuracy, so adding an illustration prize, involving the use of the name Richard Richardson, would bring a new and welcome aspect to the competition. The RSPB has undertaken to provide a prize with money from the Fund, for a period of at least five years from 2011. The Trustees believe that this is the most appropriate course of action as it will be in the spirit of the original Richard Richardson Award. Comments regarding this proposal are invited from BB readers, particularly any who may have contributed to the Fund when it was set up. © British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 309-312 309 News and comment Big Garden Birdwatch The RSPB’s 2010 Big Garden Birdwatch, carried out during the last weekend in January, has con- firmed the predicted impact of the Big Freeze on small garden birds. More than half a million garden birdwatchers (530,000 in total) logged 8.5 million birds in their gardens on 30th— 3 1st January. In January 2009, the continuing rise of Long- tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus populations saw this species enter the BGW Top 10 for the first time since the annual survey began in 1979. But in 2010 it did not feature, an apparent casualty of the harshest British winter for 30 years. Along with two other species particularly susceptible to the cold - Coal Tit Periparus ater and Goldcrest Regulus regulus - these were the worst affected in this snapshot of garden bird populations, with average numbers of all three species falling signifi- cantly since the 2009 survey. The weather was also responsible for many more sightings of countryside birds such as the Fieldfare Turdus pilaris, Redwing T. iliacus. Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula and Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella in gardens. An unusually high number of Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla were also seen. In a harsh winter their numbers might have been expected to decline, but more Blackcaps than usual were discovered on bird tables, seemingly adapting their feeding behaviour and thus becoming more visible in gardens. Besides the immediate impact of the severe winter on small birds, some of our most familiar garden birds have also continued to decline. Flouse Sparrow Passer domesticus might have retained top spot for the seventh year running, but in the last five years alone the species has declined by 17%. Black- birds T. merula moved up from third to second place, changing places with the Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris - the first time that the latter has been out of the top two in more than ten years. 2010 Big Garden Birdwatch Top 10 and average number per garden: 1. House Sparrow 3.77 2. Blackbird 3.28 3. Common Starling 3.13 4. Blue Tit 2.58 5. Common Chaffinch 2.19 6. Wood Pigeon 1.91 7. Robin 1.49 8. Great Tit 1.39 9. Collared Dove 1.33 10. Goldfinch 1.29 Save Our Spoonies, demand Thai birders One of the most important non-breeding sites for the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus in the Inner Gulf of Thai- land, Khok Kham, has taken a major step towards Ramsar designation, thanks to an appeal by Local Conservation Groups. ‘It is rather surprising that good sites still exist there, as it lies just at the outskirts of the mega-city of Bangkok,’ said Simba Chan, Senior Conservation Officer at BirdLife’s Asia Division. Between 1979 and 1996, up to 90% of the man- groves in the Inner Gulf were converted to shrimp ponds. But after ten years, the shrimp industry crashed. ‘The decline in catch made many fishermen understand the importance of mangroves, and that a balanced ecosystem is vital to their fishery,’ Simba Chan added. As a result, a local grassroots environ- mental movement started in the late 1990s. Bird Con- servation Society of Thailand (BCST) supported this movement from the beginning. To date, there are four Local Conservation Groups, working in co-ordination with BCST on the conservation of the Inner Gulf. On World Wetlands Day (2nd February, the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Conven- tion in Ramsar, in Iran in 1971), local people sent a petition to Suvit Khunkitti, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, requesting that Khok Kham be designated a Ramsar Site. Their petition was welcomed by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Ramsar Administrative Authority in Thailand. Ramsar Site designation in Thailand is a ‘bottom-up’ process. ‘Only when local communities see the benefits and commit themselves to safeguarding their local wetland can it be successfully designated a Ramsar Site,’ said Gawin Chutima, Chairman of the BCST. OSME summer meeting The summer meeting and ACM of the Ornitho- logical Society of the Middle East (www.osme.org.uk) takes place at BTO HQ, The Nunnery, in Thetford, Norfolk on Saturday 10th July. This year’s programme has a wide geograph- ical spread including Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan. The meeting is also notable as the first occasion on which OSME Vice-Presi- dent Azzam Alwash, from Nature Iraq, will make a presentation to the wider OSME membership. The lecture programme includes a talk on the 2009 dis- ' covery of the Large-billed Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus orinus in Tajikistan, birding and conservation in post-conflict Afghanistan, and birding in Saudi Arabia. 310 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 309-312 News and comment Bob Scott Memorial Quiz The fundraising memorial to a much-loved stal- wart of the birding community was launched on 26th March, a year to the day since Bob Scott’s untimely death at the age of 70 from cancer. Ann Scott, his widow, said: ‘To commemorate Bob’s life and to aid trans-Saharan migrants, I’m launching a quiz that you can either download or order by post. The quiz is fun, aims to get you searching for answers and enjoying extending your knowledge. It covers many forms of natural history and has four excellent prizes for the winners.’ The aim of the quiz is to raise £25,000 to help safeguard trans-Saharan migrants in Africa. Here are some sample questions to whet your appetite: What is the smallest bird by weight in the world? Which European princess had a bird named after her? What unusual morphological feature is shared by Common Swift Apus apus, Hoopoe Upupa epops and Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cettii To take part in the quiz, or just to donate, you can visit the Just Giving website www.justgiving.com/bob-scott-appeal and click on the ‘Donate now’ button. Once you’ve com- pleted your donation (suggested minimum £5), you’ll be taken to a link that will download the quiz in pdf format (if you prefer a paper copy, you can write to Bob Scott Appeal, FREEPOST PLUS RLSE- XAJX-UYRY, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton, Cambridge CB3 ONA, enclosing an A5 stamped addressed envelope plus a donation). The closing date for the quiz will be 30th September 2010 and the prizewinners and answers will be available online at www.birdguides.com/bobscott on 30th October 2010. Please do not send cash, and cheques should be made out to ‘BirdLife Interna- tional (Bob Scott Appeal)’. The prizes are a Sunbird holiday for one to the Gambia, Swarovski 8x20 binoculars, BirdGuides gifts worth £500, including BWPi and BBi, and a photograph by Simon King. Cabinet reshuffle lands auctioneer with hefty fine An auctioneer branded a court ‘very harsh’ after he was fined £1,000 for trying to sell a chest of drawers containing 100-year-old birds’ eggs. Jim Railton, 57, fell foul of the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act by offering an Edwardian cabinet for sale with the egg collection inside. He had esti- mated the auction price to be as little as £40. Even if the cabinet had made £100 for his client, he would have pocketed just £15. Railton, of Nursery House, Chatton, Northum- berland, was approached by an NHS executive to sell the cabinet last October through his salerooms in Alnwick. The RSPB saw the item - complete with 54 eggs from species including Herring Gull Larus argentatus and Common Guillemot Uria aalge inside - and informed Northumbria Police. An inquiry was launched and the auctioneer was arrested, questioned and had to give a DNA sample. The saga ended at Alnwick Magistrates Court on 31st March, where he was fined £1,000, ordered to pay £70 costs and a £15 victim’s sur- charge. Outside court, he said: ‘It seems very harsh. I was expecting, and the general public was expecting, an absolute discharge. When this gets in the public domain, people will be very surprised.’ He admitted one count of ‘exposing for sale’ wild birds eggs. James Long, prosecuting, said that, as an experienced auctioneer, Railton should have been aware of the law, while Chairman of the bench Terry Broughton said: ‘As an auctioneer you should have known, and ignorance of the law is never a defence. However, the eggs were of some antiquity and you did not seek to buy them your- self.’ Railton, a former RSPB member, said after- wards: ‘I can sell a stuffed Golden Eagle [Aquila chrysaetos ] but if that eagle happens to have an egg in the case with it, it is illegal.’ The eggs will now be returned to their rightful owner - the cabinet owner - who has now moved to Berkshire. Railton, a parish councillor who has no previous convictions, said: ‘He thinks it’s bizarre; he cannot believe it either.’ Starlings crash to their deaths A flock of Common Starlings, which died after they crashed onto a Somerset driveway, could have confused the drive’s shingle with reeds or might have been trying to escape a predator, veterinary experts have suggested. The flock of 76 birds crashed into the ground because of a ‘fatal error’ in their flight, according to an inquiry led by the Vet- erinary Laboratories Agency. They could have crashed as they tried to escape a predator such as a Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus or become confused by traffic, light reflections or noise, the Government vets said. The VLA also said that the shingle on the drive was a similar colour to reedbeds and the birds could have thought they were descending fast into tall reeds (a favoured roost site for Starlings in the Somerset Levels) British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 * 309-3 1 2 311 News and comment when they hit the ground. The agency, along with Natural England and the RSPCA, carried out an investigation into the mass death of the Starlings after dead and dying birds were found littered across a garden in Coxley, near Wells, on 7th March. Onlookers heard a whooshing sound before the birds were spotted falling from the sky and onto the driveway of a house in good weather conditions. Investigation of 60 birds found that they were in good condition with no broken wings, legs or skulls but a number had damaged beaks and blood in their mouths. Alex Barlow, veterinary investigation officer at VLA, said: 'The clinical history, along with the post-mortem findings, would indicate that this incident was due to a fatal error in flight by the flock. But we can only guess the cause of this error. It is possible the birds were trying to avoid a pred- ator such as a Sparrowhawk or they were dis- tracted by traffic, light reflections or noise.’ 157. The RSPB began a new research project in 2009, investigating the potential causes of Wood Warbler Phyltoscopus sibilatrix population declines in the UK, carrying out the fieldwork in woodlands in mid Wales. As part of this work, nearly 200 adult and nestling birds were individually colour-ringed, and it is hoped that future sightings of these birds will help to build up a picture of the species’ ecology. The birds are ringed with a metal BTO ring above a colour ring on the left leg, and two colour rings on the right. If you see one of these birds, please report the sighting to John Mallord, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG 1 9 2DL; e-mail john.mallord@rspb.org.uk Garden Warblers with mysterious songs - a call for information and recordings Very rarely, the songs of some Garden Warblers Sylvia borin are so atypical that you need to see the bird in order to find out which species you have heard. You can hear examples of 21 such atypical songsters at www.ginster-verlag.de/ Raetselsaenger.html They were recorded in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Germany and Switzerland between 1950 and 2009. We are very interested in more information and recordings of such atypical Garden Warblers. If you have heard such songs, or hear them in the future, we should like to hear from you, and if you have recorded the song, we would be extremely grateful for a copy of the recording. One hypothesis about the cause of the abnormal song is that the birds are deaf. If you find a Garden Warbler with abnormal song, you could help us by testing whether or not the bird responds to playback of Garden Warbler alarm (mobbing) calls (which we can provide). (Contributed by Goetz Rheinwald goetz.rheinwald @t-online.de and Poul Hansen poulh@nathist.dk) BB Bird Photograph of the Year, sponsored by Warehouse Express The deadline for entries to the 34th BB Bird Photograph of the Year competition has now passed. Another excellent response guarantees another strong competition, and the winning entries are scheduled to appear in the August issue of BB and at our stand at the Birdfair, on 20th-22nd August this year. o on photography express 312 British Birds 103 • May 2010 • 309-312 Rarities Committee news BBRC seeks new members BBRC is seeking to recruit someone to join the Committee to replace our longest-serving member, John Sweeney, in June 2010. Ideally, we are looking for an individual with knowledge of rare birds and birding in Scotland. The key criteria for all BBRC candidates include: • a widely acknowledged expertise in identification • proven reliability in the field • a track record of high-quality rarity submissions • experience of record assessment • the capacity to work quickly and efficiently • easy access to and knowledge of IT • regional credibility BBRC’s nominee is Richard Schofield, who lives in Aberdeen. Richard is a vastly experienced birder who has been a self-employed ornithologist for over 20 years, during which time he has organ- ised and led over 150 tours to more than 50 coun- tries on all continents but now works mainly as a consultant in the UK, on a variety of surveys from land, sea and air. He retains much enthusiasm for birding in Scotland, however, and has served on the North-east Scotland Rarities Committee for most of the last 30 years and on the Scottish Birds Rarities Committee during 2001-08. While Richard enjoys the support of BBRC, we very much welcome any alternative nominees. Details should be sent to the BBRC Chairman (chair@bbrc.org.uk) before 31st May 2010, including the names of a proposer and seconder, and the written agreement of the nominee. The successful candidate will replace John, who has been a member since 2002. John’s knowledge of the Scottish rarity scene has been much appreci- ated and he has consistently brought balanced and reflective views to his assessment of rare birds during his term of office. He has also investigated the identification criteria relating to several species and subspecies, and was a co-author of the recent paper in BB on Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans identification (Brit. Birds 103: 142-183). Fortu- nately for BBRC, John has offered to provide further support of this nature after his retirement and the Committee continues to be extremely grateful for the contributions that many former members provide. At the same time as seeking a replacement for John, we are seeking to confirm the nomination of Nic Hallam. Nic was co-opted in April 2009 (see Brit. Birds 102: 274). He has proved to be a com- mitted and reliable voting member and is prepared to serve for a full term. As set out in our constitu- tion (www.bbrc.org.uk/constitution.pdf), however, we welcome any other nominees; details should be submitted to the BBRC Chairman (as above), again by 31st May 2010. Finally, Lance Degnan has decided to retire from the Committee one year before the end of his term, owing to the pressure of other commit- ments. We are extremely sad to lose Lance, who has provided a consistent and well-informed approach to rarity assessment as well as .an in- depth knowledge of the Yorkshire birding scene. In Chris Bradshaw and Martin Garner, BBRC has two other members currently living in Yorkshire, so we felt that a direct geographical replacement was not a priority. We are delighted to announce that Steve Votier has accepted an invitation to be co-opted onto the Committee to fill the vacancy. Steve is another highly experienced birder, with particular attachments to the Norfolk and Northumberland coasts, Scotland in general but especially Shetland. He now lives in Plymouth, where he lectures in Marine Biology at the University, and birds regu- larly in Cornwall. Steve’s pedigree as a rarity finder is well known and he has travelled extensively. He is a current serving member of both the BOURC and the editorial board of BB and has written numerous identification papers. Steve replaced Lance as a voting member of the Committee from 1st April 2010; he will be co-opted for a period of 12 months, and there will be an opportunity for other candidates to be nominated during the coming year for an election if necessary. For more information, contact Adam Rowlands (see below). ZEISS The British Birds Rarities Committee is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd Chairman: Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 1 7 3BY; e-mail chair@bbrc.org.uk Secretary: Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR2 1 0LL; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk © British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 • 3 I 3 313 Robin Harvey Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early March to early April 2010. Headlines Crowd-pullers in this period included a male Lesser Kestrel in Suffolk, a long-staying Pallid Swift in the same county (and another two elsewhere), a Two-barred Crossbill in Bedfordshire and a huge influx of Alpine Swifts, the vast majority of which were in the southern half of England. Appearances by an Iberian Chiffchaff in Norfolk, a Black-throated Thrush in Cleveland and a Zitting Cisticola in Kent were too brief to pull in the crowds, whilst other arrivals from southern Europe included three Purple Herons, Black-winged Stilt at two localities and several Black Kites and PendulineTits. Black Duck Anas rubripes Long-stayers in Co. Mayo and on Sciliy; Conwy RSPB (Den- bighshire), 7th-8th April. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Saltholme Pools/Port Clarence I 58. Male Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni , Minsmere, Suffolk, March 20 1 0. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podi- ceps Long-stayers at Lough Gur (Co. Limerick), to 31st March, and Lough Ateduan (Co. Clare), to 3rd April. (Cleveland), 8th April. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-stayers in Clyde, Cornwall and East Glamorgan (two); plus Kenfig (East Glamorgan), 30th March; Chew Valley Lake (Avon), 17th March to 8th April. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Long-stayers (two) in Moray 8c Nairn); Dunnet Bay (Highland), 27th-28th March; Cruden Bay (North-east Scotland), 11th April. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola Long-stayer in Dorset to 28th March. Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus Long-stayers in Cleveland and Dorset. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica Long-stayer between Doorus Pier (Co. Galway) and Fin- varra (Co. Clare) to 28th March. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Melvaig (Highland), 16th March; Lewis (Outer Hebrides), two 6th April, six 10th and one 11th. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Long-stayers included four or five in Cornwall and singles in Co. Cork and Somerset; also Shapwick Heath (Somerset), 15th March; Wareham (Dorset), 27th March to 8th April. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Angus 8c Dundee, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Co. Cork, Cornwall, Derbyshire, East Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Gwent, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire 8c N Merseyside, Lin- colnshire, Norfolk, Northumber- land, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Suffolk and Yorkshire. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Narberth, 22nd-27th March, same Llan-mill (both Pem- brokeshire), 23rd March; St Mary’s (Sciliy), 28th— 31st March; Weir Wood Reservoir (Sussex), 8th April. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Three long-stayers in Somerset and one in Co. Wexford; Gresgarth Hall (Lan- cashire 8c N Merseyside), 2nd April. 314 © British Birds 1 03 • May 2010 • 31 4-3 1 6 Recent reports I 59. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus, Kessingland, Suffolk, April 20 1 0. Black Kite Milvus migrans Long-stayer in Rad- norshire to 14th March; Norwich (Norfolk), 26th March; Leighland Chapel (Somerset), 4th April; Ipplepen (Devon), 5th April; Ringaskiddy (Co. Cork), 7th April. White- tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Flamborough, 4th April, then several sightings in the Tophill Low, Broomfleet, and Brantingham areas (all Yorkshire), 7th April, also Whitton Sands (Lincolnshire), 7th-8th April, and Stockton- on-the-Forest, 9th April, and Barden Scale (both Yorkshire), 10th April. Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Long-stayer in the Zennor area (Cornwall), 9th and 27th March. Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni Minsmere/Westleton Heath (Suffolk), 2 8 th— 3 1st March. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus Instow, 17th March, same Saunton Sands then Horsey Island (all Devon), 18th March; Rhossili Down (Gower), 27th March. Black-winged Stilt Idimantopus himantopus Yarmouth (Isle of Wight), 6th April, probably same Rainham Marshes (Greater London/ Essex), 8th April. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Shell Ness (Kent), 2nd-4th April. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-stayer in Lancashire & N Merseyside seen until 7th April. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia Long-stayer in East Glamorgan to 10th April; Thurso (Highland), 9th— 10th March; Rye Harbour (Sussex), 27th March. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long-stayer in Co. Galway to 27th March. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Long-stayer on Lewis (Outer Hebrides), 1 1 th— 27th March; Knocknalee (Co. Galway), 15th March. Alpine Swift Apus melba An influx of perhaps as many as 40, with most arriving between 19th and 27th March. Cornwall: Swanpool, 20th March; two, Mousehole, 20th; Marazion, 21st-22nd and 25th; St Ives Island, 21st; Cape Cornwall, 24th; Land’s End, 25th. Devon: Exeter, 19th March; Exminster Marshes, 22nd; Colyford/Musbury, 27th. Dorset: Durlston, 21st March and 11th April; Lodmoor, 26th March, same Radipole 27th March to 1st April. Essex: The Naze, 22nd-24th March; Chafford Hundred, 3rd-5th April; Holland I 60. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus, Stiffkey, Norfolk, April 20 1 0. British Birds 1 03 • May 20 1 0 • 3 1 4-3 1 6 315 Ashley McElwee John Carter Mike Lawrence Recent reports Haven, 7th. Greater London: Leyton, 22nd March; Cross Ness, 27th; Rainham Marshes, 5th April. Kent: Kingsgate, 19th March; New Hythe, 27th; North Foreland, 29th-30th; Dungeness, 31st March to 1st April; Folk- stone, 5th— 8th April. Norfolk: Winterton, 22nd March; Holkham, Burnham Overy and Titchwell, all 23rd, then Hunstanton 24th-27th and Titchwell again 28th; Great Yarmouth 24th; Sheringham/Cromer/Trim- ingham 24th March to 1st April, possibly two on 28th. Suffolk: Lowestoft, 23rd March, two 27th— 3 1st and three on 29th, probably one of same Southwold, 29th-30th; also Lakenheath, 23rd; Kessingland, 26th-28th; Minsmere, 28th; Woodbridge, 30th. Sussex: Rodmell/ Southease, 21st March; Upper Beeding, 24th. Elsewhere: Wargrave/Shiplake (Berkshire/ Oxfordshire), 20th March; Sandown (Isle of Wight), 20th March; Drogheda (Co. Louth), 22nd-23rd March; Dunster (Somerset), 22nd March; Alnmouth (Northumberland), two, 23rd March; Bar Hill (Cambridgeshire), 26th March; Fleet Pond (Hampshire), 31st March to 3rd April. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Cefn Sidan Sands, then Burry Port and Llanelli (all Carmarthenshire), 20th March; Kessingland, 28th March to 6th April; Dungeness, 30th March. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Church Cove, 2nd-llth April, another Windmill Farm NR (both Cornwall), 1 0th— 1 1 th April. Penduline Tit Remiz peodulious Rainham Marshes, long-stayer to 15th March; Mins- mere, up to four, 1 6th— 20th March, then seven on 21st March, with two remaining to 31st March; Dungeness, up to three, 24th March to 5th April; Grove Ferry (Kent), 27th March to 3rd April. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica St Gothian Sands then Marazion, 20th March, Sennen (all Cornwall), 25th March. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus Stiffkey Fen (Norfolk), 3rd and 5th April. Zitting Cis- ticola Cisticola juacidis St Margaret’s at Cliffe, 28th March and Pegwell Bay (both Kent), 1st April. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Wey- mouth (Dorset), 5th April. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland), 3rd-4th April. European Serin Serious serious Seaford (Sussex), 22nd March; Dungeness, 28th March; Christchurch (Dorset), 6th April; North Foreland, 7th April; St Margaret’s at Cliffe, 9th— 1 0th April; Nanjizal (Cornwall), 9th April. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis horoemaoni Gainsborough (Lincolnshire), 27th March. Two- barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera The Lodge, Sandy (Bedfordshire), 27th March to I 1 th April. Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica New Forest ( H a m p s h i r e ) , 20th— 2 1 st March. Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla Long-stayers in Cornwall and Highland. 161. Female Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, March 2010. 316 British Birds 103 • May 2010-314-316 BBUTEO :ep a Naturalist's , Susan Leigh bk £16.99 G WILDLIFE IN A Guide to more than es and 500 species rianne ibk £9.99 LOGY iBLE BIRDS OF SOUTH eter ,bk £19.99 )F THE EAGLE A Life ictures from the Nest i cy Maciolek/ David )bk £9.50 iberlain Guide to 3AUTENG 101 Prime ites in and Around 'burg and Pretoria enne/Peacock, Faansie >bk £22.99 /ASIONS The Ecology tion of Exotic Birds 77m M/ Julie UCassey, Phillip :bk £29.95 "ARWORTS ■:HE of EUROPE BSBI cNo. 11 R V bk £15.00 E ES OF BRITAIN AND 3SBI Handbook No. 12 osalineJ bk £12.50 r MANAGEMENT c irt/Mitchell, Peter bk £16.95 LOWER GUIDE ^mat) tvid bk £60.00 Natural History Bookshop To see all the books listed here and browse hundreds of titles covering Code ornithology and many other wildlife and natural history subjects go to S 1 591 www.wildlifebooks.com/bb AFIELD KEY TO COASTAL AND SEASHORE LICHENS Dobson, Frank S M20586 pbk £12.00 ECOLOGY CONCEPTS OF NATURE A Wildlife Photographer's Journey Rouse, Andy M20563 hbk £25.00 WETLANDS Mitsch, William J/ Gosselink, James G M20566 hbk £75.00 DO WHALES GET THE BENDS? 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BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News 8t comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you are warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Red-footed Falcons Falco vesper tin us, Danube Delta, Romania, June 2008. Chris Knights Nikon ED Lenses AF-S NIKKOR 300 mm f/2.8G EDVR Mkll AF-S 1 NIKKOR 200-400 f/4G EDVR w AF NIKKOR 80-400 f/4.5-5.6D EDVR r'-mr 'tn/fcr Mt mfu iriiiui london camera exchange I 15 The Square, Winchester winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk w.zeiss.co.uk/sportsoptics Victory DiaScope 65 T* FL and Victory DiaScope 85 T* FL, available with straight or angled viewing. The Ultimate in Nature Observe Zoom deeper into nature and bring to light its stunnin Thanks to the unigue FL concept, the new Victory D spotting scopes by Carl Zeiss offer unparalleled brightnessand brilliance. The innovative Dual Speed Foe allows for particularly guick and precise fast coarse ; focusing by operating only one control wheel. Combir the new Vario eyepiece, the new Victory DiaScope c closer to nature by opening up an unrivalled visual ex| to all wildlife observers. New: Victory DiaScope Hh ZE British Birds Volume 1 03 • Number 6 • June 20 1 0 THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM -9 JUN 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY 3 1 8 Editorial Roger Riddington 320 £5 From the Rarities Committee’s files: The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ Alan Dean, Colin Bradshaw, John Martin, Andy Stoddart and Grahame Walbridge 339 Least Tern in East Sussex: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic Barry Yates 350 The predation of Balearic Shearwaters by Peregrine Falcons Russell B. Wynn, Miguel McMinn-Grive and Ana Rodriguez-Molina 353 Moult and ageing in Black-browed Albatrosses Steve N. G. Howell Regular features 347 Conservation research news Compiled by Arjun Amar, Guy Anderson, Richard Gregory and Juliet Vickery 357 BTO research update Jacquie Clark 358 Letters Size and vector of vagrant Green Warblers D. I. M. Wallace Two records of Great Blue Heron in Iceland Gunnlaugur Petursson The nest of the Golden Oriole Paul Mason 360 Notes Manx Shearwaters feeding alongside Fin Whales Derek Moore Snowy Owl pellet containing Eurasian Teal Peter Stronach and Joanne Cooper Wren feeding on earthworm A. P. Radford Blackbird removing snail from shell Jan Dawson Pied Wagtail pursuing Common Kingfisher Mick Freakley 363 Reviews The Barley Bird A Birding Tourist’s Guide to Majorca Finnish Lapland Where to Watch Birds in Costa Rica Attending Alaska’s Birds 367 News and comment Adrian Pitches 372 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey FSC British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and * interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Editorial Perhaps it was the length of time since BB readers were last called upon to complete a questionnaire that prompted such a terrific response, but the number who filled in our recent reader survey form exceeded all expectations. If you were one of almost 1,000 readers who submitted a form, then heartfelt thanks to you for your time and effort. We were particularly encouraged by the con- structive nature of the comments (and, in a few cases, criticisms) made. Many of the responses were charac- terised by the extent to which readers used the ‘free text’ options to tell us in more detail about their opinions, likes and dislikes, and suggestions for the future - many choosing the option of continuing on a separate sheet! The survey results have provided us with a wealth of information that will allow us to develop and improve BB to meet your needs and make it an even more enjoyable read. It was not surprising to learn, although nice to confirm, that readers are not only avid birders but active ones: for example, 66% belong to at least one local or county bird club, the vast majority are frequent visi- tors to reserves and 70% travel overseas to watch birds at least once or twice a year. The vast majority (97%) of respondents were male, while 74% were over 50. Although that degree of bias towards the older age cat- egories is in some ways worrying, there is good anecdotal evidence that many readers have the time (and money) to read BB only when their kids have left home; in other words, there is strong recruitment among middle-aged birders, rather than an ageing readership. (Nonetheless, it would be inter- esting to test that in another 5-10 years now that we have good baseline data.) The record subscription length among the forms returned was a mammoth 72 years but the mean length was an equally impressive 24 years. Clearly, this degree of product loyalty is some- thing we have to strive to maintain, but we must also ensure that we appeal to young Turks who might then remain readers for several decades. Readers also said that they wel- comed the freeze in sub- scriptions since 2008; happily, I can confirm that we can maintain prices at the same level for the third year in a row in financial year 2010/11. In terms of content, I was particularly keen to see how readers rated our main articles. In an earlier editorial (BB 102: 364), I touched on the apparent growing dislike of long, text-heavy articles compared with short, snappy summaries. It was therefore a relief to find that 85-90% ticked the ‘about right’ box when asked whether articles were too long/short and too scientific/simple. Many readers told us emphatically that dumbing down was not an option. That being said, around 10% said that articles were too long or too scientific, so it is clear that, if we make any changes, it should not be to increase overall length. Delving more deeply into possible likes and dislikes, it is clear that most readers are happy with our general style, but a few made it clear that stuffy or pompous language was to be avoided at all costs, while unnecessarily tech- nical terminology was also not welcome. Rest assured that I’ll do my best to continue weeding out anything in the former category, and that where appropriate (in cases where there is just no option but to use a bit of science) we’ll try to include a glossary in plain English. We do try to summarise and avoid the use of complex statistics unless it's absolutely essential, and it appears that that is appreciated by most. It was surprising yet satisfying to learn that some 85-87% of readers always read both of the flagship annual reports, the rari- ties and the rare breeding birds reports, 318 © British Birds 1 03 • June 20 1 0 • 3 1 8-3 1 9 Editorial proving that BB’s journal-of-record tag is still widely appreciated and a key strength. At the other end of the scale, the least popular aspect of content is competitions: 21% never read them and only 34% always do so (the latter figure was the only one under 66% for any category of the magazine). Also encour- aging was the fact that 86% of readers typi- cally get through the whole issue over the course of a month. In terms of physical appearance, the majority of readers felt that factors such as type size, paper quality and the amount of images were about right. Nonetheless, we are aware that (as with other aspects) there are still things we can do to improve the journal, and we are investigating some of these for the start of the next volume. In particular, although many readers were happy with the amount and quality of the photographs, many wanted to see more artwork. As the quality and availability of digital photographs has rocketed in the past decade, I am well aware that the use of artwork has not kept pace, partly because it is (of course) more expensive to buy. Nonetheless, BB’s art consultant Alan Harris has worked extremely hard to increase the amount of artwork in BB since the low point of 3-4 years ago, and clearly we must encourage him to continue doing so. The section about readers’ online habits was particularly relevant to us. On the plus side, 30% of respondents have purchased BBi, and the majority use it regularly. In all aspects, but particularly its functionality, the success of this centenary-year project has exceeded the BB board’s expectations and it’s great that past content is now so much more easily and widely available. In contrast, rather few readers use our current website. A new BB website is under construction and we hope to have a basic version available later this summer. Elements of this will be moni- tored as an interim stage to offering a fully digital product alongside a print one, though all readers should be aware/reassured that for the foreseeable future the main focus of our attention is the print magazine. Inevitably, the individual responses in areas where there was an option to insert a comment provided a goldmine of ideas and choice comments (and, yes, I have read them all, every one, thanks to Sue Gregory’s key- board skills). These ranged from the less serious (such as a suggestion that we should include article summaries in Spanish - well I assume it was less serious?; and hearty con- gratulations at the continuing lack of car- toons in recent years - you can bank on that trend continuing) to some very good ideas that we should have thought of before (such as including the weight of field guides in our book reviews - we will now do that as a matter of course wherever the data are avail- able). Other things that readers want us to prioritise include: more ‘sheer enjoyment’, more review papers, the return of the Scarce Migrants report (believe me, I am trying), more detail on the photographic equipment used when taking photographs, more on bird sounds, more on pan-European phenomena - particularly the spread or contraction of species that are not common in Britain - and more on the identification of certain key groups (specific suggestions have been noted and are being pursued). Several people wanted to see more editorials in BB, though fortunately not necessarily by the editor. If you really want it, we can do it. Several readers also bemoaned the cessation of optical product reviews. That, however, is one arena that I don’t envisage us returning to. Many birders like nothing better than to talk about their optics, and I can sympathise with that - it’s just that we have reached a point where general standards are so high that single, stand-alone reviews of the type BB used to carry in the 1980s are almost point- less. They would all be chock-full of superla- tives. In my view, the only meaningful reviews are those which can carry out side- by-side comparisons of leading brands, such as those that (the now sadly defunct) Alula used to do so well. I could go on (for ages), but I’ll spare you. Look out for some of the changes men- tioned here, and others, over the coming months as a result of what you have told us. Thanks in particular to those who have vol- unteered to be part of a BB reader panel. We don’t yet have a specific time frame for starting this, but we’ll be in touch soon. But now, I need to go and look up the Spanish for Lanceolated Warbler... Roger Riddington British Birds 1 03 • June 20 1 0 • 3 1 8-3 1 9 319 From the Rarities Committee’s files The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff ’ Alan Dean, Colin Bradshaw, John Martin, Andy Stoddart and Grahame Walbridge Abstract The first British record of Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita of the Siberian race tristis was on Sule Skerry, Orkney, in September 1902. Reports of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ have become regular in more recent years, both as a migrant and as a winter visitor. However, for more than a century after the first record, the status of tristis in Britain remained ill defined, beset by morphological, vocal, genetic and taxonomic uncertainties. In 2007 the BBRC co-opted a ‘ tristis panel’, charged with investigating the current status in Britain of Siberian Chiffchaff and the criteria employed in its identification. The background to the review, the procedures and criteria adopted, and the conclusions reached are presented here. The status of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ Phylloscopus collybita tristis in Britain and other western European countries has long been the subject of conjecture. In Britain, the first record was on Sule Skerry, Orkney, in September 1902 (BOU 2006), while in more recent years reports have become annual. Published comments on the taxon’s status in Britain have varied from the generalised observation that passage and wintering Common Chiffchaffs (hereafter simply ‘Chiffchaffs’) include tristis (Cramp 1992) to more confident assertions that (‘classic’) tristis is a scarce migrant while the westerly form ‘fulvescens’ is a winter and passage migrant (Parkin & Knox 2010). Else- where in Europe, Siberian Chiffchaff has been regarded as a true rarity and features on the lists of several European rarities commit- tees. It has been suggested on a number of occasions that reports in Britain should be assessed by the BBRC. Based upon informal evidence, the Com- mittee had judged hitherto that reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs were too numerous to warrant inclusion on the BBRC list, while uncertainties over the appropriate identifica- tion criteria created practical difficulties. Following the publication of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff revisited’ (Dean & Svensson 2005), suggestions resurfaced, including from within the ranks of the Committee, that the status of tristis should be investigated by the BBRC. Consequently, in 2007, a ‘ tristis panel’ was set up by the Committee. Using 2008 as a ‘sample’ year, there were two central ques- tions to be addressed: • Are most reports of Siberian Chiffchaff based upon rigorous identification criteria? • Is Siberian Chiffchaff a true rarity that should be assessed by the BBRC, or is it a scarce migrant and winter visitor? The panel’s members were Colin Brad- shaw, Alan Dean, John Martin, Andy Stod- dart and Grahame Walbridge, with executive and early secretarial support from Adam Rowlands (BBRC Chairman) and Nigel Hudson (BBRC Secretary), respectively. Chris Kehoe acted as observer for the BOURC. A' press release outlined the panel’s rationale, membership and procedures; publicised a call for the submission of reports; and pro- vided a summary of core criteria for tristis 320 © British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ (Stoddart 2008). This resume encapsulated perceptions of ‘the Siberian Chiffchaff issue’ at the time of the panel’s instigation and complements some of the information pro- vided here. It should be consulted in conjunction with this report. Siberian Chiffchaff: morphological and taxonomic uncertainties East of the Yenisey, the appearance of Siberian Chiffchaff is relatively consistent (see Svensson 1992). It has drab-brown or grey-brown upperparts, often with a warmer and characteristic ‘sandy’ tinge. The super- cilium, ear-coverts, and sides of the breast and flanks have a rich buff suffusion, of varying intensity but approaching rusty-buff at its most distinctive. Olive hues are con- fined to the scapulars, rump and edges of the remiges and rectrices, while yellow is entirely absent apart from on the underwing-coverts, the axillaries, and the marginal coverts near the bend of the wing. The legs tend to be ‘densely’ black while the bill is often rather slight and predominantly black, with paler hues absent or confined to the base of the lower mandible. Biometrics are similar to abietinus but, unlike that form, P2 is rarely as long as =6/7. In combination, this suite of features is distinctive and enabled Svensson (1992) to generate guidelines by which such ‘classic’ examples of tristis could be distin- guished with confidence from less-colourful examples of the Fennoscandian and Russian race abietinus. These guidelines are fre- quently referred to as the ‘Svensson criteria’. An updated version was provided in Dean & Svensson (2005) and was summarised by Stoddart (2008). In most published texts dealing with the identification of Siberian Chiffchaff, the absence of yellow away from the underwing has been assigned particular significance. However, as noted by Svensson (1992), indi- viduals between the Ural region and the Yenisey frequently exhibit traces of yellow in the supercilium, upper part of the eye-ring and on the underparts, together with slight olive streaking on the mantle, features which are absent from ‘classic’ tristis. Overall they Fig. I . Map showing the ranges of the forms Phylloscopus collybita abietinus, tristis and ‘fulvescens', and the ‘zone of overlap’ between abietinus and tristis/'fulvescens’ (hatched). In the ‘zone of overlap’, as well as abietinus and tristis (including individuals with ‘fulvescens’ characters), individuals with more evidently intermediate appearance are encountered, to which the name ‘riphaeus has been applied (see text). Reproduced from Dean & Svensson (2005) and based largely upon Marova & Leonovich (1993). British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 321 Fluke Art Roger Riddington Dean et al. tend to be a little paler than ‘classic’ tristis. Sushkin (1925) and subsequent Russian authors indicated that the rump and edges to the remiges are brighter, more olive-green in western individuals, though Ticehurst (1938) questioned the validity of this character. Since Sushkin (1925), and based upon the type description of Severtzov (1873), the name ‘ fulvescens' has been applied to individ- uals with slight ‘additional’ yellow and olive originating between the Ural region and the Yenisey. The name was employed in this way by Svensson (1992) and Dean & Svensson (2005). The West Siberian Plain constitutes some 80% of the range of ‘ fulvescens ’ (see fig. 1). The presence of additional yellow and olive in the plumage of ‘ fulvescens is some- times attributed to gene flow resulting from secondary contact with abietinus (e.g. Williamson 1967) but the genetic origins and taxonomic treatment of ‘ fulvescens ’ have long been debated. When applied to Chiffchaffs from the West Siberian Plain, ‘ fulvescens ’ does not refer to individuals from a region of co- occurrence between tristis and abietinus. There may be slight gene flow in this region but the West Siberian Plain lies beyond the normal range of abietinus. Svensson (in Dean & Svensson 2005) has suggested that ‘ fulvescens ’ may best be regarded as a form of tristis. The true region of overlap between abie- tinus and tristis (and here ‘ tristis ’ includes the form ‘ fulvescens ’) extends northwest from the southern Ural Mountains beyond the Pechora basin, an area some 1,500 km long and 400 km wide (Marova & Leonovich 1993; see hatched area in fig. 1). However, areas of co-occurrence are discontinuous and sometimes very narrow (e.g. Marova et al. 2009). In this overlap region, as well as indi- viduals matching abietinus and tristis ( sensu lato ), Chiffchaffs with more evidently inter- mediate appearance are encountered, to which Snigirewski (1931) applied the name ‘ riphaeus ’, based upon examples from the southern Urals. Some individuals have songs that incorporate elements characteristic of both abietinus and tristis. Such ‘mixed singing’ is some- times attributed to one taxon simply copying the song of another (see dis- cussion in Clement et al. 1998 and Lindholm 2008). However, based upon studies of ‘mixed singers’ in the tristis/ abie- tinus overlap zone, Marova & Leonovich (1993), Marova & Alekseev (2008) and Lind- holm (2008) all concluded that a combination of ‘mixed singing’ and intermediate mor- phology indicated a significant level of , hybridisation. Earlier, Buturlin 8< Dementiev ( 1 937) had also attributed 1 62. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus coliybita tristis, Quendale, Shetland, November 2009. In Siberian Chiffchaff, the prominence of brown and buff components, and the ‘rusty’ tinge to the ear-coverts, vary with light conditions but are well displayed in this image. 322 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ I 63. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis, Sumburgh, Shetland, November 2008. A Siberian Chiffchaff with typical plumage. Note absence of visible yellow; grey-brown crown and mantle, with a ‘sandy’ tinge; warm buff suffusion to supercilium and ear-coverts; and olive confined to fringes of the remiges, rectrices and wing-coverts. individuals with intermediate fea- tures in the southern Urals to hybridisation between ‘ fulvescens’ and abietinus. More recently, Marova et al. (2009, in prep.) have extended their studies to include genetic as well as morphological and acoustic data. They sound-recorded and trapped male Chiffchaffs along a 65-km transect through an area of co-occurrence approximately 10 km wide in the southern Urals. They found that, among Chiffchaffs classified as tristis (in terms of phenotype), 7% possessed an abie- tinus mtDNA haplotype. Among individuals classified as intermediate (‘with a few small spots of yellow feathers’), 6% possessed an abietinus mtDNA haplotype. Most intri- guingly, of individuals classified as abietinus, 43% possessed a tristis mtDNA haplotype. In addition, among the southern Ural popula- tion, individuals were found with a distinctive mtDNA haplotype that was not found among individuals examined from pure populations of abietinus and tristis. Further research was recommended on this interesting genetic characteristic. They also found that, in this area of co-occurrence, most Chiffchaffs with different types of song reacted to both typi- cally European and typically Siberian songs. In contrast, tristis from the allopatric popula- tion in the Yenisey valley did not react to the song of abietinus at all. On the basis of these findings, the authors reaffirmed that the level of genetic introgression in this region is high. Irina Marova (in litt.) has drawn an analogy with the situation in the zone of overlap between Iberian Chiffchaff P. ibericus and Common Chiffchaff in southwest France and northeast Spain, where significant hybridisa- tion has been confirmed1. Clearly, there are complex issues here. Definition of clear ‘plumage limits’ for thor- oughbred Siberian Chiffchaff is hindered by the plumage variation and genetic uncertain- ties embraced collectively by ‘classic’ tristis, ‘fulvescens’ and ‘riphaeus’. The potential for gene flow seems likely to be low in the ‘ ful - vescens ’ zone and relatively high in the ‘ riphaeus ’ zone, but each type may show additional yellow and olive compared with ‘classic’ tristis. ' Using Applied Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) analysis, Bensch et al. (2002) demonstrated that, in the zone of overlap between Iberian Chiffchaff and Common Chiffchaff, many individuals previously thought to be pure ibericus or collybita on the basis of song and morphology were in fact hybrids and that most mixed singers were genetic hybrids. It is also worth noting that mtDNA has been examined from two putative extralimital Iberian Chiffchaffs trapped in northern Europe. Both had morphological characters indicating ibericus. One, in Sweden in 2004, sang like ibericus, while the other, in Finland in 2007, called like ibericus. Both proved to have collybita mtDNA, indicating that they were hybrid offspring resulting from pairings between male ibericus and female colly- bita (Magnus Flellstrom & Antero Lindholm in litt.). British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 323 Jim Nicolson Mark Darlaston Dean et al. 164. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis , Buckfastleigh, Devon, February 2010. A fine portrait and typical plumage. The base of the bill appears more extensively pale, perhaps, than on a thoroughly ‘classic’ tristis but this feature is variable and its prominence depends to some extent upon light conditions and the angle of observation. A note on ‘ fulvescens ’ and ‘riphaeus’ The potential for significant hybridisation between tristis and abietinus lies only west from the Ural Mountains, in the ‘ riphaeus ’ region, and not across the entire range of ‘ ful- vescens’ as defined above (fig. 1). Unfortu- nately, the name ‘fulvescens’ has frequently been applied indiscriminately to individuals with variably ‘intermediate’ features, whether or not from the true zone of overlap. This has led to a great deal of ambiguity in discussions of the hybridisation issue. The name ‘riphaeus’ is to be encouraged, as it identifies explicitly those individuals with intermediate characters in the zone of overlap and poten- tial hybridisation, west from the southern Ural Mountains. The name ‘fulvescens’ should be reserved for tristis individuals with slight ‘additional’ yellow and olive occurring between the Urals and the Yenisey, which is predominantly beyond the zone of overlap. This distinction was appreciated by Ticehurst (1938), who discussed both ‘ fulvescens ’ and ‘ riphaeus ’ but did not advocate the use of formal names for birds he regarded as, respectively, variants of tristis and hybrids between tristis and abietinus. Vocalisations The song and typical calls of tristis are distinctive and, rightly, have received consider- able emphasis in recent discussions of the identification of Siberian Chiff- chaff (e.g. van den Berg et al. 2009). The song is much more varied and flowing than that of abietinus and nom- inate collybita and has a slightly faster delivery. It includes characteristic notes with ascending modulations, which are absent from the typical song of collybita and abie- tinus. The individual notes in tristis song have a disyllabic structure and a typical song phrase might be rendered: ‘chivvi-tee, chooee, chiwi-tee, chooee-tee, chivvy’. See Lindholm (2008) for a compre- hensive account of the songs of tristis and abietinus , the characteristics of ‘mixed song’, and the problems that ‘mixed singers’ present. The typical call of tristis is a near-mono- syllabic ‘eeep’ or ‘iiihp’ with an even or very slightly falling pitch (Jannes 2002; fig. 2a). It is slightly ‘off-key’ and tends to fade away somewhat at the end, which produces a plaintive quality. It is often likened to the call of the Dunnock Prunella modularis or a high-pitched and sharper version of the call of the Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula. Van den Berg et al. (2009) went so far as to suggest that, in a European context, call alone was adequate confirmation of tristis. Their assessment was based upon Siberian Chiffchaffs on migration through Kazakh- stan, which were reported to show ‘wide plumage variation’ yet to call and sing consis- tently like tristis (Arend Wassink in litt. to Arnoud van den Berg; Ovaa et al. 2008). Allowing for inevitable photographic arte- facts, the images accompanying their paper 324 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ illustrate ‘brown-and-buff’ Chiffchaffs - none is a ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaff of the type discussed by Dean & Svensson (2005) - but they do confirm a considerable level of yellow in the supercilium of some individ- uals. Van den Berg et al. suggested that hybridisation between tristis and abietinus in their zone of overlap occurs infrequently ‘if at all’, and hence that any bird observed in Kazakhstan will be a thoroughbred tristis. We do not profess to judge the issue of hybridisation west from the Urals but await the outcome of projected genetic studies (see Discussion). However, we note the opinions of van den Berg et al. (2009) and the contrary findings of Marova et al. (2009), who con- cluded that the level of hybridisation was sig- nificant. Clearly, opinions are divided but, if hybridisation in the overlap zone is indeed extensive, then some hybrids will doubtless call like thoroughbred tristis. As acknowledged by van den Berg et al. , another issue (arguably of less concern in a European context) is the extent to which calls of other Chiffchaff taxa from farther afield approach those of tristis (e.g. Dubois & Duquet 2008, Dally 2009, and the sonograms in Clement et al. 1998). More subjectively, experience shows that it can be difficult for the human ear to distin- guish between the typical tristis call and so- called ‘alternative’ calls uttered at times by abietinus, collybita and other races of Chiffchaff. Observers can be misled when confronted by an unfamiliar, downward- inflected call that differs clearly from the familiar, rising ‘hweet’ or ‘huit’ of nominate collybita and abietinus. This is particularly so when a call is heard only intermittently, as can be the case with wintering individuals. It is sometimes claimed that such ‘alternative’ calls are confined to juveniles up until early autumn (i.e. around the end of September) and, in consequence, do not provide a serious pitfall, since tristis rarely reaches Britain and continental Europe before October. However, there is evidence that ‘alternative’ calls can be heard throughout the winter (Copete & Armada 2004; pers. obs.) and that they have also been heard in spring from assumed migrants in Britain. Perhaps the most frequently documented ‘alternative’ call is a downward-inflected ‘sweeoo’ (Jannes 2002; fig. 2b). The ‘sweeoo’ call has been attributed to eastern abietinus (e.g. Jannes 2002) but is also given by western 165. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis, V irkie, Shetland, November 2009. Note lack of visible yellow and absence of olive in crown and mantle. Olive fringes to the remiges are well defined on this individual. British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 325 Roger Riddington Dean et al. kHz 10- a b C 5- 0 — . -"A 0 0.5 1.5 * i 2!s 3 s Fig. 2. Sonograms showing: (a) tristis ‘iiihp’ call, (b) abietinus ‘sweeoo’ call, and (c) call of tristis Chiffchaff at Halligarth, Unst, Shetland, in November 2008. Sonograms (a) and (b) have been generated from recordings on the CD Calls of Eastern Vagrants, Jannes 2002. Sonogram (c) was generated from a recording by Rory Tallack. abietinus and collybita, principally during their first autumn. Typically, this call is more abrupt, discernibly more disyllabic and reaches a slightly higher pitch than the usual call of tristis, but confusion between the two arises nevertheless. Moreover, ‘alternative’ calls are variable and malleable. Less inflected ‘alternative’ calls are encountered, which more readily invite confusion with the typical tristis call. For examples and comments see Copete and Armada (2004) and Antero Lind- holm’s website (www.elisanet.fi/antero.lindholm/ Linnut/Phylloscopus/PhycolCalls.html). It is quite conceivable that Siberian Chiffchaffs, too, utter ‘alternative’ calls, espe- cially in their first autumn. A bird identified as tristis was sound-recorded by Rory Tallack on Unst, Shetland, in November 2008. Its call was disconcertingly difficult to place. Sound and sonographic analysis indicate a call rather intermediate between tristis and the ‘eastern abietinus ’ type of call (fig. 2c). It rises and falls in pitch and is arguably closer in sound to ‘sweeoo’ than to ‘iiihp’. It seems likely that the archetypal call of tristis is not matched precisely by any other pure-bred taxon, when heard unequivocally and analysed objectively. However, it may be approached by some ‘alternative’ calls, uttered by various races, and by the standard calls of certain more-southerly races. Corres- pondingly, assessment of call in the field is not always straightforward. When defining our criteria, we attached singular importance to call. However, questions surrounding ‘hybridisation’ and ‘alternative calls’ meant that reliance upon call could not be absolute. The criteria adopted As the forgoing discussion makes clear, confi- dent definition of Siberian Chiffchaff is less than straightforward, both morphologically and taxonomically. Individuals on which ‘additional’ yellow or olive is limited are fully compatible with ‘fulvescem from the West Siberian Plain, which are unlikely to be hybrids. In contrast, ‘ riphaeus ’ from the ‘zone of overlap’ west from the Urals may well involve hybrids (Marova et al. 2009, in prep.). However, morphologically at least, there is no absolute dividing line between ‘ fulvescens" and ‘ riphaeus ’ - it is a matter of degree. Arguably, therefore, there is potential for error in accepting other than classic tristis which have been confirmed as such in the hand. Adhering strictly to the ‘Svensson criteria’ for classic tristis, as confirmed in the hand, will ensure that any individual accepted is cer- tainly tristis — but it will also exclude many valid Siberian Chiffchaffs from the West Siberian Plain and lead to serious misrepre- sentation of the true status of the taxon in Europe. If the objective is to produce a mean- ingful assessment of status, then criteria for field identification must be defined which embrace individuals from the west as well as the east of the range. Defining criteria that are robust yet embrace a majority rather than a minority ot individuals is the challenge. The panel judged that reliable criteria were achievable when based upon a combination of morphological and vocal evidence. We concluded that appropriate criteria would be the ‘Svensson criteria’ for classic tristis but leavened with a sensibly strict margin for ‘fulvescens’ traits, especially when an appropriate call was heard. For example, an individual which matched the ‘Svensson criteria’ when exam- ined carefully in the field would not be excluded if photographs suggested very mar- ginal ‘additional’ yellow. Thereby, the panel would assess which reports met plumage cri- teria defining the broader category of 'tristis or fulvescem. In contrast, the criteria would exclude more evidently intermediate individ- uals and ‘grey-and-white’ birds. Irrespective of call, the origins of such individuals remain equivocal. As discussed under Vocalisations, call pro- vides a key character in diagnosing tristis. Any individual that utters an anomalous call would clearly breach the established criteria. 326 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ However, wintering Siberian Chiffchaffs are often silent and the panel saw no justification in excluding well-observed but persistently silent individuals which fully matched the appearance of tristis. For example, few of the individuals involved in an influx into Shet- land were heard to call but details of only thoroughly observed individuals were sub- mitted and several were well photographed. An ancillary feature of tristis is its rela- tively extensive and late pre-breeding moult, which can lead to a rather dishevelled appearance during March and April, at a time when most collybita and abietinus have completed their moult (e.g. Ticehurst 1938). It is not implied that the adopted criteria are absolute and they will certainly be subject to further review. However, the criteria are guided by the most recent research and we believe that they are well founded. They pro- vided an effective basis for our assessments, which were often unanimous. In practice, few genuinely problematic individuals were encountered. Procedures, findings and conclusions The number of Siberian Chiffchaffs reported in 2008 The first task of the panel was to establish a baseline figure for the number of reports of Siberian Chiffchaff in Britain during 2008. An examination of the BirdGuides website (www.birdguides.com) revealed reports of about 80 individuals. In addition, there were significant totals from three other sources, as follows. Roger Riddington ( in lift.) reported a notable influx into Shetland. On the basis of locations and dates, at least 15 birds were individually identifiable but he estimated that between 30 and 50+ Chiffchaffs with tristis characters reached Shetland (excluding Fair Isle) during the autumn of 2008. In addition, Deryk Shaw estimated that about a dozen individuals were recorded on Fair Isle. Finally, Greg Conway is conducting in-depth morphological and genetic studies of Chiffchaffs wintering in southwest England and has also gathered data from other ringers in his study area. He estimated that around 20 tristis candidates were recorded in Corn- wall during 2008. A number of other unpublished claims were known to panel members. In total, we estimated that 150+ Siberian Chiffchaff can- didates were encountered during the year. A further examination of the BirdGuides archive showed that between 50 and 85 have been reported every year since 2001 (the first full year of the BirdGuides news service). 166 & 167. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis , Filey, Yorkshire, April 2008. As well as ‘brown and buff’ hues, note that pre-breeding moult involving body, tertials, wing-coverts and central tail feathers is still evident as late as April. British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 327 Dave Mansell Dean et al. Consequently, the panel’s first conclusion was that, in recent years at least, the level of claims of Siberian Chiffchaff has been con- siderably above the threshold level for taxa adjudicated by the BBRC. Fig. 3 illustrates the approximate distribu- tion of known reports during 2008 (this includes unsubmitted reports and the esti- mated totals for Shetland, Fair Isle and Corn- wall). The total of 150+ tristis candidates during 2008 included several estimated components and the panel calculated that descriptive details might be available for perhaps 95 indi- viduals at best. The panel’s request for submis- sion of reports appeared in March 2008 while, Fig. 3. Approximate distribution of unadjudicated reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita tristis during 2008. This figure displays unadjudicated reports and includes all such reports that appeared on BirdGuides, and/or were submitted to the BBRC’s ‘tristis panel’, and/or became known to the panel via other sources. in the May 2009 issue of BB, a deadline for submissions was set at the end of June 2009. During the 15-month period, reports totalling 57 individuals were received (several reports from previous years were also provided). That descriptions were received for 57 individuals from a realistic maximum of about 95 was encouraging. This level of submissions was more than sufficient to provide a representa- tive sample of the birds reported during 2008, and to assess the criteria being employed in their identification, and the geographical and seasonal distribution of Siberian Chiffchaffs in Britain during that year. The percentage of reports matching the criteria for tristis or ‘ fulvescens Of the 57 individuals, 49 were judged to match the plumage criteria employed by the panel. Of these 49, tristis call and/or song was heard from 31 individuals while 18 were per- sistently silent. Thus, 86% of reports were accredited (Appendix 1). This is somewhat higher than the acceptance rate of 81% for all taxa adjudicated by the BBRC during 2000-04. Eight individuals (14%) were judged ‘not proven’. If ‘ fulvescens ’ individuals are included, it follows that: • Identification of Siberian Chiffchaff does not appear to be posing an identification challenge greater than average for rare taxa as a whole. • Currently, most observers are applying appropriate criteria in identifying Siberian Chiffchaffs. If 86% of the estimated total of 150 + reports were correct, then more than 120 Siberian Chiffchaffs occurred in Britain during 2008. The credentials of the 49 accredited individuals are summarised in table 1. None of the individuals accredited by the panel showed any ‘additional’ yellow or olive in the field. Photographs were not always of the highest standard but, of 21 individuals for which images were available, only four suggested traces of these hues away from the appropriate feather tracts. Conceivably,' examination in the hand might have revealed a higher incidence but it can be concluded that any such hues were rudimentary. Conse- quently, the appearance of all accredited 328 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ individuals is wholly compatible with an origin east of the Urals. The eight reports assessed as ‘not proven’ included five that were promising but lacked sufficient detail to be thor- oughly convincing. One record involved a bird in Berkshire that was claimed to be ‘call switching’ (between tristis and collybital abietinus) and may also have been a ‘mixed singer’. Only two individuals displayed characters ambiguously inter- mediate between tristis and abietinus. 1 68. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis, Unst, Shetland, November 2008. The appearance of tristis can vary quite markedly, depending upon light conditions. In this image, captured on a November day in Shetland, the brown and buff hues are sombre. Geographical distribution The panel was aware of reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs during 2008 from at least 32 recording areas in Britain (fig. 3). Reports were submitted from 18 recording areas (treating Yorkshire as a single unit). The geo- graphical distribution of reports submitted and judged to meet the applied criteria for tristis or ‘ fulvescens ’ is shown in fig. 4. The regional distributions indicated in figs. 3 & 4 are broadly similar, confirming that sub- mitted reports were representative. The most productive region was Shetland (31% in fig. 4), with a majority of other records concen- trated in southwest England (and we are aware that the identity of several further individuals in Cornwall was established in the hand). Seasonal distribution The monthly distribution of submitted reports that met the criteria for tristis or ‘ful- vescens is shown in fig. 5. The earliest of the submitted and accredited reports during 2008 was on 11th October. By far the highest number of arrivals was during November (53%), many of which soon moved on, par- ticularly those arriving in Shetland. Unfortu- nately, there is a dearth of readily available data from Shetland during earlier years but an examination of (unadjudicated) nation- wide reports appearing on the BirdGuides website during 2001 to 2008 reveals approxi- mately 80 individuals during October and 120 during November (fig. 6). Thus, November is confirmed as the peak month. However, its prominence relative to October Table I . Summary of credentials of 49 Siberian Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita tristis that matched the criteria for tristis or 'fulvescens' applied by the BBRC ‘tristis panel’. Field appearance comprising pale brown or grey-brown upperparts; warm buff in supercilium, ear- coverts and sides of breast/ flanks; no yellow away from bend of wing; no olive in crown and mantle: total 49 Photographed Call heard Song heard Sound- recorded Responded to tape Evident moult in March/April Suggestion in photographs of very slight ‘additional’ yellow or olive 21 29 5 6 9 of 9 6 of 9 4 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 329 Mike Pennington Dean et al. in 2008 was inflated by the significant influx into Shetland, which accounts for 14 of the 26 individuals in fig. 5 (and 30+ were esti- mated to have reached the archipelago). Two individuals that arrived at Portland, Dorset, during late 2007 remained through to the following spring. Among other reports submitted, individuals first detected in December, January or February - and also assumed to be wintering in Britain - com- prised a further 18% of the total. Among individuals reported on the BirdGuides website between 2001 and 2008, 44% were first detected between December and Feb- ruary (fig. 6). Apart from one individual in Cleveland, which arrived in late November and remained into early December, all indi- reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita tristis during 2008 that were submitted to the BBRC’s ‘tristis panel’ and met the criteria for tristis or ‘fulvescens'. viduals reported to the panel and present during December, January or February were south of a line approximately between the Severn Estuary and the Wash. There is evidence of a small spring passage. In 2008, 16% of individuals reported to us were first detected in March or April. Comparisons with other species The current exercise suggests that, during 2008, at least 49 and probably in excess of 120 Siberian Chiffchaffs reached Britain. Two other Siberian Phylloscopus warblers which reach western Europe in some numbers are Yellow-browed P. inornatus and Pallas’s Leaf Warblers P. proregulus. The range of the Yellow-browed Warbler extends west to the 30 i Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Fig. 5. Monthly distribution of reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita tristis during 2008 that were submitted to the BBRC’s ‘tristis panel’ and met the criteria for tristis or ‘fulvescens’. Fig. 6. Approximate monthly distribution (showing month of arrival) of reports of Siberian Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita tristis during 2001-08 appearing on the BirdGuides website. 330 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ northern Urals, bringing it almost as close to Britain as that of Siberian Chiffchaff. Pallas’s Leaf Warbler has a more southerly dis- tribution that extends west only to the Altai Mountains. Since the mid 1970s, both Yellow-browed and Pallas’s Leaf Warblers have reached Britain in increasing numbers. A total of 9,093 Yellow- browed Warblers were recorded in Britain between 1968 and 2003, and a total of 1,783 Pallas’s Leaf Warblers between 1958 and 2003. In most years between 1990 and 2002, 300-400 Yellow-browed Warblers were recorded annually compared with 80-100 Pallas’s Leaf Warblers. In 2003, 853 Yellow-browed and an exceptional 303 Pallas’s Leaf Warblers arrived (Fraser & Rogers 2006). BTO data show that, between 2000 and 2007, 475 Yellow-browed and 100 Pallas’s Leaf Warblers were ringed (Mark Grantham in lift.). If the estimated number of Siberian Chiffchaffs reaching Britain during 2008 is typical, then (year-to-year variations notwithstanding) these figures suggest that Siberian Chiffchaffs reach Britain in broadly similar numbers to Pallas’s Leaf Warblers and are outnumbered by Yellow-browed Warblers by a ratio of approximately 5:1. The peak time of arrival for Yellow-browed War- blers is between late Sep- tember and mid October while that for Pallas’s Leaf Warblers is from mid October to early November (Baker & Catley 1987; Dymond et al. 1989). Thus, Siberian Chiffchaffs arrive on average 2-3 weeks later than Yellow-browed War- blers and at a similar time to Pallas’s Leaf Warblers. Whether this suggests any- thing about their areas of origin is open to specula- tion (see Origins and trends, below). 1 69. Siberian Chiffchaff Phyttoscopus collybita tristis, Plymouth, Devon, April 2009. Photographed while giving its distinctive song. Note the evident rusty-buff wash on ear-coverts, breast and flanks. This individual has densely black legs and feet, a variable character of tristis but frequently striking. Comparisons with other European countries At face value, a total of at least 49 and most probably over 120 Siberian Chiffchaffs in Britain in a single year (2008) appears signifi- cantly in excess of the annual totals accepted in other European countries. However, gen- uinely comparable data on the status of Siberian Chiffchaff in different European countries is difficult to establish. As in Britain, many European countries lack I 70. Siberian Chiffchaff Phyttoscopus collybita tristis, Unst, Shetland, October 2008. An image taken in good light (note the shadow) but against a solid background and not against the sky. In these circumstances, the characteristic hues are displayed to advantage - both to the eye and to the camera. British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 331 Rob Brookes Steve Votier David Cooper David Cooper Dean et al. official, long-term data. We contacted AERC representatives and several of those who replied confirmed their lack of structured data. Owing to uncertainties over appropriate identification criteria, most countries either do not monitor occurrences at all at a national level or accept only birds that have been trapped and found to match the ‘Svensson criteria’ for classic tristis. The highest totals cited were 130 in Sweden (Magnus Hellstrom in litt.) and 74 in Finland (Antero Lindholm in litt.). Although these are by some margin the highest totals, they are ‘all-time’ totals and equate with very few individuals in any one year. Traditionally, in both these countries, only trapped individ- uals have been accepted. Consequently, the totals must be regarded as absolute minima in relation to the true levels of occurrence. Although ‘official’ figures would imply that rela- tively few Siberian Chiffchaffs reach most European countries, respon- dents from several countries suggested that individuals with field characters of Siberian Chiff- chaff were signifi- cantly more numerous than the figures might suggest. In Sweden, 615 Yellow-browed Warblers and 32 Siberian Chiffchaffs have been officially recorded since 2000, a ratio approaching 20:1. However, Magnus Hellstrom (in litt.) suggested that, although Yellow- browed is the com- moner taxon along the northern coast- lines, frisfis-like Chiffchaffs are I 7 I & I 72. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis , Greatham, Sussex, February 2008. Little olive is apparent anywhere in the plumage of this individual. This is not unusual as feather fringes wear, while residual hues can be difficult for the eye and the camera to capture. more numerous than Yellow- browed Warblers ' across the country as a whole, perhaps by a ratio of 3:1 south of a line 332 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ through Stockholm. In Finland, 227 Yellow- browed and 45 Pallas’s Leaf Warblers were recorded during 2008 (Hytonen et al. 2009) but just one Siberian Chiffchaff was officially accepted, though two others are under con- sideration (Lehikoinen et al. 2009). However, ringing totals imply very different ratios. During autumn 2008, 26 Yellow-browed Warblers (11% of the total), six Pallas’s Leaf Warblers (13% of the total) and four tristis Chiffchaffs were reported to the ringing centre in Finland (per Antero Lindholm). If the percentages of the other two taxa trapped are also representative of tristis , they imply that the true number of Siberian Chiffchaffs reaching the country is an order of magni- tude higher than the number trapped. In Norway, 100-200 Yellow-browed Warblers occur annually while 59 Pallas’s Leaf War- blers were accepted between 2000 and 2007. Only three Siberian Chiffchaffs were accepted up to 1999 and none since but ‘ tristis-like Chiffchaffs are regular, in numbers some- where between those of Pallas’s Leaf and Yellow-browed Warbler (Tor Olsen in lift.). In Italy, Andrea Corso (in litt.) estimated that some 20 Chiffchaffs ‘with tristis features’ were present during the winter of 2007/08 and 35 during the winter of 2008/09. In France, the CHN ceased to assess reports of Siberian Chiffchaff after 2005 but, between 1982 and 2005, published records were divided into two categories: those deemed fully con- firmed as tristis (17 records involving 22 individuals) and those deemed ‘to show characters of Siberian Chiffchaff’ (197 records involving 228 indi- viduals). The CHN considers that, as well as tristis , the latter category may well include greyer examples of ‘eastern abietinus’, which it considers cannot be distinguished with certainty from westerly populations of Siberian Chiffchaff (Crouzier et al. 2000). Collectively, such birds are regarded as regular in winter in southern France and probably also locally along the coasts of western France (Philippe Dubois in lift.). It must be stressed that these assessments and opinions relate to candidates for Siberian Chiffchaff and that not all would prove to be authentic. However, they suggest that the Siberian Chiffchaff is a significantly more numerous visitor than most officially pub- lished figures imply. In most countries providing data, individ- uals with field characters of Siberian Chiffchaff are considered to occur in numbers comparable with or exceeding those of Pallas’s Leaf Warbler. Generally, they are outnumbered by Yellow-browed Warblers by single-figure ratios but may even outnumber Yellow-broweds in southern Sweden. Origins and trends The range of tristis, including ‘ fulvescens ’, extends from west of the Urals east to the Kolyma River (fig. 1), a distance of some 5,000 km. Cramp (1992) stated that, in autumn, Siberian Chiffchaffs migrate via central Asia and the extreme west I 73. Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis, Quendale, Shetland, November 2008. A paler-looking individual but still displaying the characteristic ‘brown and buff’ hues. British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 333 Rebecca Nason Paul Nunn Dean et al. 174. This ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita was photographed at Broadsands, Devon, in January 2008. It was at the same location as two Siberian Chiffchaffs P. c. tristis. Its calls were described by Mike Langman as ‘sii-u’, recalling one call of Hume’s Warbler P humei, and also a rising ‘pee-E’. of Mongolia, requiring an initial direction of movement which is increasingly west of south the farther east the birds originate. Do some Siberian Chiffchaffs from eastern Siberia - the home of ‘classic’ tristis - main- tain a westerly orientation and then make landfall in Britain, particularly in the Northern Isles? The reasons why Siberian species reach western Europe have been much debated, suggestions varying from simple disorienta- tion, to reverse migration (see especially Vinicombe & Cottridge 1996), to ‘pseudo- vagrancy’ - defined as purposeful move- ments en route to new (but undiscovered) wintering grounds (in western Europe or West Africa) (Gilroy & Lees 2003). Under the concept of ‘pseudo-vagrancy’, the rising number of records is a reflection of high winter survival rates, leading to a progressive increase of the ‘west-orien- tating’ genotypes within the Siberian breeding popula- tion (de Juana 2008). This would require that a signifi- cant proportion of individ- uals returned successfully from their wintering grounds to the breeding grounds in Siberia, in order to pass on their genes. The comparative geographical and seasonal distributions of Yellow-browed and Pallas’s Leaf Warblers in northwest Europe and in Iberia were examined by de Juana (2008). Taking into account variations in the distribu- tion of observers, he con- cluded that the evidence did not support the notion of undiscovered wintering grounds in (southern) Europe or Africa. He con- cluded that a more likely scenario was that birds arriving in northwest Europe are mainly juveniles on exploratory migration ( Zwischenzug ) and that they later travel back to Asia directly from northwest Europe. If such a model is extended to the Siberian Chiffchaff, then it would imply that a signifi- cant proportion of individuals reaching Britain have found successful wintering grounds here, especially the insect-rich microclimate of southern-county sewage treatment works. They remain over winter before returning successfully to Siberia, where their migration strategy is inherited by their offspring. A note on ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaffs Dean & Svensson (2005) discussed at length the possible origins of Chiffchaffs that dis- played some characters of Siberian Chiffchaff but lacked their characteristic ‘brown and buff’ hues. They concluded that, while some 334 British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 The status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaffs might be extreme examples of tristis , others were likely to be hybrids or less-colourful examples of abietinus from the east of its range. Corres- pondingly, it was recommended that such individuals were not assigned to a particular taxon. Experience shows that observers’ percep- tions and designations of ‘grey’ differ quite markedly and that colour nomenclature as a whole can be problematic (Dean 2008). The upsurge in digital photography has demon- strated that Siberian Chiffchaffs with evident brown and buff hues are sometimes described inappropriately as ‘grey and white’, leading to an exaggerated impression of their frequency (cf. Dean & Svensson 2005). The hues of typically ‘brown-and-buff’ tristis resemble those of Mountain Chiffchaff P. sin- dianus while those of ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaffs ( sensu Dean & Svensson) recall Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler P. orientalis. No truly ‘grey-and-white’ individuals were submitted as Siberian Chiffchaff during the current exercise. Elowever, valuable compara- tive notes, sketches and photographs were provided of one ‘grey-and-white’ Chiffchaff which was seen in the same location in Devon as two Siberian Chiffchaffs (Mike Langman, Paul Nunn et al). This individual was not claimed as tristis and, significantly, it did not call like tristis (plate 174). Discussion Much remains to be clarified regarding the status, distribution and origins of Siberian Chiffchaffs reaching western Europe. Recent studies report significant levels of hybridisa- tion between tristis and abietinus west from the Urals. More encouragingly, the field char- acters of most Siberian Chiffchaffs identified in Britain are compatible with an origin east of the Urals and beyond the reported zone of hybridisation. The key to resolving these issues beyond doubt lies in determining: • the genetic origins of lfulvescem from the West Siberian Plain; • the genetic origins of ‘riphaeus’ from the zone of overlap between tristis and abie- tinus west from the Urals; and • the relative numbers of individuals reaching Britain (and elsewhere in Europe) from these two regions. Genetic and stable-isotope studies of Chiffchaffs wintering in southern Britain are in progress (Greg Conway pers. comm.) while Amplified Fragment Length Polymor- phism studies are planned for Chiffchaffs encountered in Britain and Kazakhstan (Greg Conway in litt.) and in the ‘zone of overlap’ between tristis and abietinus (Irina Marova in litt.)- Among many other issues of interest, this research may provide some clarification in terms of the genetic and geographical origins of tristis- 1 ike Chiffchaffs with slight ‘additional’ yellow or olive. Only when these issues are resolved will there be a prospect of universally acceptable identification criteria. Without prejudging the outcome of this research, current criteria must include appro- priate constraints. Despite this proviso, we believe that an insistence on ‘classic’- tristis plumage limits, confirmed by trapping, is too restrictive. We believe that an appropriate combination of morphological and vocal characters, assessed carefully in the field (and ideally supported by good photographs, sound recordings and sonograms), provides reliable identification of Siberian Chiffchaff. Borderline cases should be regarded as ‘not proven’, especially any encountered before the second week of October. When the criteria adopted by the panel are used as a basis, the number of Siberian Chiffchaffs reaching Britain during 2008 was at least 49 and near-certainly in excess of 120. Thus, Siberian Chiffchaff is currently a scarce rather than rare visitor to Britain and it does not warrant joining the list of taxa adjudi- cated by the BBRC. Correspondingly, assess- ment of reports should remain with local records committees. Assessment remains a demanding exercise but the ‘ tristis panel’ hopes that the informa- tion and photographs presented here, and the discussion of the criteria applied, will provide local committees with valuable guidance. Summary of conclusions • In recent years, the level of claims of Siberian Chiffchaffs in Britain has been significant. During 2008, some 150 were reported. • Marova et al. (2009 and in prep.) report significant hybridisation between tristis British Birds 103 • June 2010 • 320-338 335 Dean et al. and abietinus in their zone of overlap, west from the southern Urals. Thus, individuals with more evidently intermediate appear- ance may involve such ‘ riphaeus hybrids. However, individuals that match ‘classic’ tristis apart from slight additional yellow and olive are fully compatible with ‘/tited period claim a Free Birdwatcher's Pro Tripod (SRP £1 68) with any purchase of an HR ED Fieldscope plus aiece from a participating stockist. 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Info centre north of reservoir. 20 June, 18 July, 1 5 August, 19 Sept Canon, Helio Kowa, Leica Manfrotto, Miyauchi, Nikon, I Opticron, Optolyth, ■ Sentinel, j Swarovski,' Zeiss, etc. Used items als on our web sit For subsequent Field Day dates, phone or see our webs A great day out for everyone who loves the countryside • Check out hundreds of stands, offering the best in binoculars, holidays, books, birdfood, wildlife art and outdoor clothing. • Guest appearances by famous wildlife personalities - Nick Baker, Mark Carwardine, Mike Dilger, Philippa Forester, Charlie Hamilton-James, Simon King, Johnny Kingdom, Chris Packham, Jonathan and Angie Scott. • You simply pay to enter, then all the entertainments are free - lecture programmes, events, quizzes plus fun and games for children and adults throughout the three days. • Enjoy wonderful birdwatching in the beautiful countryside on the shores of Rutland Water. • Be green - come by train. Rutland Water UK • Friday 20 to Sunday 22 August 2010 British Birdwatching Fair 2010 supporting BirdLife INTKKN ATIONAI, Saving southern Ethiopia's endemic birds Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre, Egleton Nature Reserve • 9 am-5.30 pm daily. Adults £10, children FREE Special price for RSPB and Wildlife Trust Members on Sunday only: £8 Joint main sponsors in focus V. Also sponsored by PARKCameras iCk.com Wildlife (Q Naturetrek, ZKIXX We make it visible b WildSounds ft www.wildsounds.com Cev Tha Binocular Spacialitti! 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BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Lance Degnan, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR2 1 0LL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the 'Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not' limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. 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New: Victory DiaScope THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM British Birds Volume 1 03 • Number 7 • July 20 1 0 -7 JUL 2013 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY 376 S From the Rarities Committee’s files: Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain Adam Rowlands, Pauline Kidner and Paul Condon 385 S3 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike Adam Rowlands 396 Wilson’s Storm-petrels off the Isles of Scilly: a ten-year analysis, 2000-09 Robert L. Flood and E. Ashley Fisher 399 First breeding record of North African Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus cirtensis in continental Europe Javier Elorriaga and Antonio- Roman Munoz 40 1 Rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper Nobuhiro Hashimoto, Danny Rogers and Richard Chandler Regular features 405 Letters The Crimean Peninsula: a zone of intergradation of Common Redstart subspecies? Nicolas Martinez Presumed ‘ brevirostris’ - type Common Chiffchaffs wintering in Jordan Philippe J. Dubois 408 Notes Unusual display of the Grey Partridge Richard Porter ‘Snowballing’ White-tailed Eagle Louise Scott Marsh Harrier hunting over water Keith Mudd The use of nestboxes by Moorhens David Kings Behaviour of Little Auks at sea in the breeding season Peter Oliver Nest excavation by Wryneck W. R. P. Bourne Black Woodpecker excavating a cavity in autumn Gerard Gorman Common Stonechats feeding through a hole in the ice Brian Rafferty 4 1 3 Reviews Bird Migration Birding Ethiopia: a guide to the country’s birding sites Where to Watch Birds in Ethiopia A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans 4 1 7 News and comment Adrian Pitches 420 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey FSC Mixed Sources British Birds aims to: vprovide a forum for contributions of interest to all birdwatchers in the Western Palearctic; v publish material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy; v embrace new ideas and research; v maintain its position as the respected journal of record; and v interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Richard Johnson From the Rarities Committee’s files Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain Adam Rowlands, Pauline Kidner and Paul Condon Abstract An immature Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos was discovered in a garden at Brean, Somerset, on 30th June 2007. It was taken into care, kept overnight, and released from the clifftop at Brean Down the following day. Remarkably, on the evening of 2nd July 2007, it was rediscovered on an inland fishing lake near Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, where it remained until the following day. The same bird was also seen near Malmo, southern Sweden, on 8th July. A review of the identification, distribution and taxonomy of Yellow-nosed Albatross showed that it was of the nominate subspecies, which breeds in the South Atlantic. Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross has occurred in the North Atlantic on several occasions, and is treated as a distinct species by some authorities. Yellow-nosed Albatross has now been added to Category A of the British List. During the past decade the internet has become an integral part of modern birding. By trawling through websites and blogs, couch-based birders have made some remarkable discoveries from photo- graphs posted on the web, including several national rarities. Digital birding really came into its own in November 2006 with the identi- fication of Britain’s first Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix , at Dawlish Warren, Devon, from rather hazy images of what was initially thought to be a Little Auk Alle alle {Brit. Birds 101: 131-136). More recently, Britain’s first, long-awaited and much antici- pated Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus (at the time of writing still under consideration by BOURC) was identified in October 2009 from images posted on a website 376 © British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 376-384 Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain I 96. Immature Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche c. chlororhynchos, Brean Down, Somerset, I st July 2007. and labelled as showing a Yellow- browed Warbler P. inornatus. In both cases, these birds would almost cer- tainly have slipped through the net had it not been for sharp-eyed birders spotting the signifi- cance of those posted photo- graphs. Sometimes, however, an extreme rarity can still get away. The Yellow- nosed Alba- tross Thalassarche chlororhynchos in June and July 2007 was always one step ahead of the birding masses. Had the news got out, it would undoubtedly have led to one of the biggest twitches ever. Pauline Kidner, founder of the charity Secret World Wildlife Rescue, based near Burnham on Sea, describes its initial discovery in Somerset. I 95. Immature Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche c. chlororhynchos, Brean Down, Somerset, 1st July 2007. The critical bill pattern, which was the most important factor in establishing subspecies identification, is best seen in this photograph. Yellow-nosed Albatross in Somerset Secret World Wildlife Rescue (www.secretworld.org) rescues over 4,000 animal casualties every year and survives purely on dona- tions. We care for all wild creatures with the aim of returning them to the wild. On 30th June 2007, local resident Hugh Harris called to say that he had found a seabird resting against the wheel of his car by his house in Warren Farm Holiday Camp, Brean. He had moved the bird before driving off but when he returned it was still where he’d left it. Describing it as a ‘fulmar’, he asked if he could bring it to the centre. When it arrived here later that evening, Judith, one of our staff members, put it in a casualty pen. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 377 Richard Austin Richard Austin Rowlands et al. I was on emergency duty and Judith called me to say that the bird was not a Fulmar Ful- marus glacialis and that it looked like an alba- tross. We both laughed at this suggestion and the bird was left quietly in its pen. Next morning, Judith and I, and another helper, Leigh, peered through the door into the pen. The bird was standing up and had spread its wings: it obviously was an albatross! Looking through the only books we had available, we thought that it must be a Black-browed Albatross T. melanophris , and possibly the bird that we had heard lived in a gannetry in Scotland. The albatross appeared to be in good con- dition and there seemed to be no reason why it should not be released; since we felt there would be a tremendous amount of interest in the bird, we decided that it was best to release it as soon as possible. We arranged with BARB, our local hovercraft rescue boat, that we would release the bird from Brean Down cliff, where we thought it would have the best chance of gaining lift and returning to the sea. However, BARB would be in attendance at high tide, just in case the bird failed to fly. There was great excitement as news spread through the village and, by the time we were ready for the release, there were already about 50 people on the beach below waiting to see the bird take off, as well as a couple of people filming and taking photos. The albatross was extremely placid when taken out of the box. It simply walked through the grass towards the cliff edge, ruffled its feathers and extended those fan- tastic long wings. It appeared uninterested in the thought of flying and merely walked about for ten minutes or so. Simon, our Charity Operations Manager, who was the person responsible for releasing the bird, then cupped his hands and lifted it no more than a metre above the ground. It was enough for the albatross to catch the uplift from the cliff; it spread its wings and imme- diately took off. Two minutes later it was just a distant speck in the sky. It was not until the following day that the bird was identified correctly, from photo- graphs taken by Richard Austin, as a Yellow- nosed Albatross. Shortly afterwards, when news of our exciting discovery filtered out, we heard that many people were upset because they had not had an opportunity to see the bird. However, we did not appreciate the significance of the albatross at the time and - for the bird - I believe we did the right thing. We feel privileged to have been the people who gave it a helping hand. We did not take a blood sample, keep a feather or save any faeces. All we have are the photo- graphs to remember the most famous visitor to our rescue centre. Pauline Kidner, Somerset As if the discovery of a spectacular first for Britain, sitting in a Somerset field and resting against a car wheel, was not galling enough, this bird went on to further astound its potential followers when it turned up again - on a gravel-pit in Lincolnshire! It was discov- ered near Scunthorpe two days after its release in Somerset, presumably having flown up the Bristol Channel and cross-country to Lincolnshire, where it joined the local Mute Swans Cygnus olor on a fishing lake and was even attracted to bait. Paul Condon describes his discovery. Yellow-nosed Albatross in Lincolnshire On the evening of 2nd July 2007, I was fishing on the New Lake at Diawa Manton fishing lakes just outside Scunthorpe. The lake is over 30 acres (12 ha) in size with a large island at either end. While setting up my fishing gear, I noticed a dozen or so gulls mobbing what was obviously another large seabird a little farther down the bank. A closer look showed that this was larger than any seabird I had ever seen before; given the size and shape of its bill, I thought it could possibly be an albatross. As it was starting to get dark and I still needed to cast my rods out for the night’s fishing, I returned to my swim (a designated fishing spot, and the stretch of water within casting distance) and forgot all about it. I awoke early next morning to find that the albatross was still present and was only a few metres to my left; it had also moved closer to the bank. Now, on getting a closer ' look, I sensed that this bird was definitely something special, so 1 took about a dozen photographs. By this time the lake’s resident Mute Swans were also pestering the bird, 378 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain which, to me, did not look too well, it was just bobbing around in front of me and appeared uninterested in the resident birds’ attentions. It was now time for me to put some bait into the lake to attract fish into my swim, which is done with a device called a spod; this comprises a 150-mm-long, 50-mm- diameter plastic tube, blocked off at one end and fitted with a buoyant nose cone. It is filled with bait (in this case Haith’s red band) and cast out on a spare rod. On hitting the water it tips and releases its contents into the lake. It is then wound in, refilled and recast. On the first cast, the albatross, which was around 60 m away, lifted its head, took to the air and pounced on the spod, then took off with it in its bill only to drop it as the line to the rod tightened. A repeat performance followed the second cast. Not wishing to hurt the bird, I did not risk it a third time. The albatross soon lost interest and drifted away out of sight. Then around midday it sud- denly appeared from behind one of the large islands. This time it was in full flight and, for the first time, I appreciated its huge wingspan. It circled the lakes for a few minutes, then disappeared in a southerly direction and I did not see it again. Wanting to know what this bird was, I e-mailed copies of my photographs to Neville Fickling, the fishery manager, who, via the RSPB, passed them on to the Lincolnshire Recorder, Steve Keightley. Steve identi- fied the bird as an immature Yellow-nosed Albatross. Had I realised at the time what a rare find this was, I would have taken more pictures. Perhaps after this I should take up birding; after all, it seems that 1 am off to quite a good start! Paul Condon, Yorkshire After leaving Lincolnshire’s airspace, the alba- tross was located for a third time, in Sweden on 8th July. Initially seen distantly, offshore and moving south on the North Sea-facing coast near Domsten, it reached Landskrona, c. 25 km north of Malmo, where it came suffi- 197 & 198. Immature Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche c. chlororhynchos (with Greylag Goose Anser anser, below), Diawa Manton fishing lakes, Lincolnshire, 3rd July 2007. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 379 Paul Condon Paul Condon Brian Small Rowlands et al. ciently close inshore that it could be confi- dently identified. From here it was tracked south along the coast until it reached Malmo, when several observers managed to catch up with it. It came gradually closer inshore and eventually to within 150 m of observers. Pho- tographs taken at this point confirmed that it was the same individual as that seen in Som- erset and Lincolnshire. Eventually it flew off to the east (inland again!) and was lost to view among the buildings. Identification Albatrosses are fairly unmistakable birds, and most people are familiar with their distinc- tive appearance, if only from television docu- mentaries and wildlife programmes. So when this albatross was discovered in Britain, the finders quickly recognised it for what it was. But its identification to species level would not have been possible without the excellent photographs they obtained. This is a classic case in which the photographs proved essen- tial, not only to establish what species was involved, but also the subspecies concerned and the likely age of the bird. The Yellow-nosed Albatross is one of the smaller albatrosses, often termed 'molly- mawks’, which are included in the genus Tha- lassarche. As adults and near-adults, most mollymawks have a white body that con- trasts with the dark, blackish - brown wings, mantle and tail, giving an appearance reminis- cent of black-backed gulls Larus spp. Separation of the various species (BOURC recognises five species within Thalassarche but some authorities recognise up to 11; see below) is usually straightforward, but relies on good views of the underwing pattern, and bill structure and col- oration. The photographs of this bird clearly show that it had a relatively slim bill, which was entirely dark apart from a pale brown culmen ridge. Only Yellow- nosed Albatross has this distinctive bill structure, and the lack of yellow on the culmen con- firmed that it was an immature. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Fig. I. The differences in bill pattern and structure between Indian Yellow- nosed Thalassarche c. carter i and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses T. c. chlororhynchos (adults are shown but the pattern is similar in immatures).The shape of the culminicorn, in particular above the nostrils, is a diagnostic feature that allows the two forms to be separated reliably. In Atlantic Yellow-nosed, the culminicorn broadens above the nostrils, but it begins to narrow at this point in Indian Yellow-nosed. Although the British bird was still immature, the pattern of its bill clearly matches that of Atlantic Yellow-nosed (this can be seen most clearly in the images of the bird in Somerset, see plate 195 in particular). 380 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain Separation of immature Atlantic and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses Two subspecies of Yellow-nosed Albatross are recognised: Atlantic Yellow-nosed T. c. chlororhynchos breeds in the South Atlantic, while Indian Yellow-nosed T. c. carteri breeds in the Indian Ocean. Away from their breeding colonies, both range widely in the southern oceans and it is possible that either could occur in the North Atlantic as a vagrant. Some authorities (e.g. Brooke 2004) treat the two forms as distinct species (although mtDNA evidence does not neces- sarily support this; see below), so the issue of subspecies identification became an impor- tant aspect of the BBRC assessment. We were also asked by the Swedish Rarities Committee to share with them our verdict on subspecies assignment of the UK record, since they were assessing the same individual following the sightings in southern Sweden. Separating adults of the two forms is usually quite straightforward. Atlantic Yellow-nosed has a grey head with a white forehead and a fairly large and conspicuous dark eye-patch. Indian Yellow-nosed has an entirely white head save for a relatively small patch of dark feathering in front of the eye. There are occasional exceptions to this rule: a worn Atlantic may lack the grey head, and some subadult Atlantics may already show yellow on the bill but lack the grey head, and then resemble Indian. Immatures are more difficult to distin- guish and in most cases they are effectively inseparable at sea. At close range, however, there are two characters that appear to be reliable: the pattern of the dark feathering in front of the eye, and the shape of the prox- imal margin of the culminicorn plate (the plate that lies along the culmen ridge, which is bright yellow in adults). Immatures of both subspecies show a white head and a dark eye- patch but, although there is some overlap, Atlantic generally shows a more extensive eye-patch than Indian. In the case of the British bird, the extensive dark patch is a clear pointer to Atlantic. Differences in bill structure are perhaps a more clear-cut means of separating the two forms and Brooke et al. (1980) stated that these are diagnostic. Dif- ferences in the shape of the proximal margin of the culminicorn were illustrated in detail by Robertson (2002); essentially, this is rounded in Atlantic and pointed in Indian - see fig. 1 . Gantlett & Pym (2007) presented a series of photographs of Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, against which they compared pho- tographs of the Brean bird, and their article helped to clarify aspects of bill pattern and structure. In addition, Tony Pym commented elsewhere on the bird’s origins, stating that the Brean bird was ‘without doubt, an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross’ ( Birdwatch 182:67). Further support for the identification as Atlantic Yellow-nosed was provided by Peter Ryan, who reviewed the published images of the bird from Somerset. Peter, who is based at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, has been observing both Yellow-nosed Albatross taxa since the early 1980s and is extremely familiar with them. He spent a year studying them at sea off southern Africa, and has handled and ringed hundreds of both (Indian on Prince Edward Island, most recently in 2001; and Atlantic on Tristan da Cunha and Gough, most recently in 2007). He also conducts autopsies on long- line casualties returned by observers on vessels off South Africa (including 10-20 Indians per annum, most of which are adults). Peter examined the photographs unaware of other opinions, other than that the bird had been identified as a Yellow- nosed Albatross. He commented: ‘I have no doubt that it is an Atlantic bird, based on the broad top [base] to the yellow [pale] stripe on the culminicorn. You will probably struggle to get many shots of birds in compa- rable plumage - we do not see them back on the islands in this plumage, and for some reason virtually all the longline casualties are adults. But the photos clearly show the bill details, and I have never seen an Indian bird with anything approaching this shape, whereas it is typical of Atlantic (indeed, you occasionally see Atlantic birds with much narrower yellow stripes). The colour of the head is not very informative, but it already shows quite a large amount of grey around the eye, which again supports Atlantic in such a young bird.’ In addition, Jean-Claude Stahl, based at British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 381 Rowlands et al. the Museum of New Zealand, commented in support of the difference in the dark eye- patch between the two forms, suggesting that the bird was an Atlantic Yellow-nosed because of its distinctly ‘triangular’ eye-patch compared with the rounder patch of Indian Yellow-nosed. In summary, on the basis of these two main criteria, and supported by the com- ments of observers familiar with the two forms, the British bird was identified as an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross T. c. chlororhynchos. It was added to Category A of the British List in 2009 (BOU 2010). Distribution and vagrancy The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross breeds on all the islands in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, and nearby Gough Island, in the South Atlantic. Recent estimates of the total population are of 27,500-41,600 breeding pairs, although the data for some islands are more than 30 years out of date (Ryan 2008; www.birdlife.org). This albatross has suffered high mortality as a result of longline fishing, and Cuthbert et al. (2003) suggested that the population was declining at an annual rate of 1.5-2. 8% per annum on Gough, and 5.5% per annum on Tristan da Cunha. Outside the breeding season, most remain in the vicinity of the breeding islands or move towards the coast of southern Africa. Others, particularly immatures, disperse widely throughout the South Atlantic, commonly occurring between 25°S and 50°S, and regularly into coastal waters off Namibia and Angola, with some reaching as far north as 15°S off the coast of western Africa. Others occur west to coastal South America and east throughout the southern Indian Ocean as far as New Zealand (Hagen 1982; ACAP 2009a). Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross breeds on the islands of Prince Edward, Crozet, Ker- guelan, Amsterdam and St Paul in the southern Indian Ocean. The most recent estimates put the total breeding population at just over 41,500 pairs, equating to more than 160,000 individuals of all age classes (ACAP 2009b; www.birdlife.org). As with Atlantic Yellow- nosed, numbers bave declined and longline fisheries are again an important factor. For example, data from study plots on Amsterdam Island suggest that this population has decreased at a rate of approximately 4% per year. Between 1982 and 2006 the total popula- tion on Amsterdam Island, the most important site, is estimated to have decreased from 37,000 to 27,000 pairs (Rolland et al. 2009). The Yellow-nosed Albatross is a vagrant to the North Atlantic but it is the most regularly recorded albatross in the west, where it appears with increasing frequency off the eastern seaboard of the USA, particularly off North Carolina and New England. This may at least partly reflect better observer coverage in recent years, with birders regularly travel- ling to the edge of the continental shelf in search of pelagic seabirds. Of the 36 accepted records of Yellow-nosed Albatross from the USA, 15 have occurred since 2000, as have a further seven of the 29 hypothetical records (summarised at www.scribd.com/doc/ I 63 43 708/Mar k-Libby-and-Yel low-Nosed- Albatross). It has been recorded in all months from February to October, but 14 of the 36 accepted records are from May. While most records have been well offshore, some have been of birds found grounded on land, thus similar to the British bird when found at Brean. Yellow-nosed Albatrosses are much rarer in the northeast Atlantic. Prior to 2007, there was just one accepted record from the Western Palearctic, an adult photographed at sea c. 30 km northwest of Halten (Sor-Tron- delag), Norway, on 13th April 1994. Norway’s second Yellow-nosed Albatross was seen just prior to the discovery of the British bird in Somerset, an immature photographed at sea c. 10 km west of Grip, More og Romsdal, Kristiansund, on 28th June 2007. This bird was seen again off the Heidrun oil platform on 4th-5th and 7th— 8th July 2007. Photo- graphs have established that it was a different individual from that recorded in Somerset, Lincolnshire and Sweden. This pattern of vagrancy is quite different from that shown by the Black-browed Alba- tross, of which there are just seven accepted records off the eastern seaboard of the USA. This species is recorded almost annually in European waters, however, most frequently in Britain (with 24 records), Ireland (13) and Norway (17), but has also occurred in Iceland, Faeroes, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. 382 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain Taxonomy Traditionally, all 13 species of albatross were included in the genus Diotnedea. Alexander et al. (1965) recognised the dis- tinctive appearance of the two ‘sooty’ alba- trosses and proposed that they be included in the genus Phoebetria and treated as dis- tinct from the other species, which were retained in Diomedea. Subsequently, Nunn et al. (1996) investigated the phylogenetic relationships among all the albatrosses based on DNA evidence and confirmed the existence of four distinct groupings. They recommended that Diomedea should be restricted to the two species of ‘great’ alba- tross, to form a sister genus to the four species of Phoebastria breeding in the warmer waters of the North Pacific. The five species of mollymawk included in Tha- lassarche are derived from a different ancestor, and Thalassarche is the sister group to Phoebetria , which contains the two sooty albatrosses. This revised taxonomy has been widely accepted, including by BOUP.C (Knox et al. 2002). Albatrosses are particularly loyal to their breeding grounds, however, with little inter- change between colonies, and this has enabled several distinct forms to evolve in isolation. This has led to suggestions that each of these distinct taxa should be treated as a species under the Phylogenetic Species Concept, and this approach has received widespread support (e.g. Robertson & Nunn 1998, Brooke 2004). If it is adopted, the number of species in Thalassarche increases from five to 1 1, including two species of Yellow-nosed Albatross (Atlantic and Indian). These findings were questioned by Penhallurick 8c Wink (2004), who found the genetic distance between Atlantic and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses to be just 0.35%. This is arguably a relatively small degree of differentiation, but justifies the continued recognition of carteri as a separate taxon. Genetic distance per se is not a good measure of species divergence, however, and it is recognised that albatrosses reproduce at much slower rates than smaller species (which might show a much higher rate of divergence over a given period). This debate is still ongoing, but there remains widespread support for treating the two Yellow-nosed Albatross taxa as dis- tinct species, an approach which is sup- ported by BirdLife International, the Agreement on the Conservation of Alba- trosses and Petrels (ACAP) and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), which are involved in albatross conservation and recognise the effect which longline fisheries are having upon individual populations. References ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels). 2009a. ACAP Species assessment: Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos. www.acap.aq — 2009b. ACAP Species assessments: Indian Yellow- nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri. www.acap.aq Alexander; W. B„ Falla, R. A., Jouanin, C„ Murphy, R, C„ Salomonsen, F.,Voous, K. H„ Watson, G. E„ Bourne, W. R. R, Fleming, C. A„ Kuroda, N. H., Rowan, M. K„ Serventy, D. L.Tickell, W. L. N.,Warham, J„ & Winterbottom, J. M. 1 965. The families and genera of the petrels and their names. Ibis 1 07: 401-405. BOU (British Ornithologists' Union). 20 1 0. Records Committee: 38th Report. Ibis 1 52: 1 99-204. Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels across the World. OUR Oxford. Brooke, R. K„ Sinclair; J. C., & Berruti, A. 1980. Geographical variation in Diomedea chlororhynchos (Aves: Diomedeidae). Durban Museum Novitates 1 2: 171-180. Cuthbert, R„ Ryan, R G., Cooper; J., & Hilton, G. 2003. Demography and population trends of the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross. The Condor 1 05: 439-H52. Gantlett, S., & Pym, A. 2007. The Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross from Somerset to Lincolnshire - a new British bird. Birding World 20: 279-295. Hagen, Y 1982. Migration and longevity ofYellow- nosed Albatrosses Diomedea chlororhynchos banded on Tristan da Cunha in 1938. Ornis Scand. 1 3: 247-248. Knox, A. G„ Collinson, M., Helbig, A. J„ Parkin, D.T., & Sangster; G. 2002. Taxonomic recommendations for British birds. Ibis 1 44: 707-7 1 0. Nunn, G. B„ Cooper; J., Jouventin, R, Robertson, C.J. R., & Robertson, G. G. 1 996. Evolutionary relationships among extant albatrosses (Procellariiforrmes: Diomedeidae) established from complete cytochrome-b gene sequences. Auk I 1 3: 784-80 1 . Penhallurick, J., & Wink, M. 2004. Analysis of the taxonomy and nomenclature of the Procellariiformes based on complete nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gen e. Emu 104: 125-147. Robertson, C.J. R. 2002. The scientific name of the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri. Marine Ornithology 30: 48-49. www.marineornithology.org/PDF/30_ I / 3 0 I 15. pdf — & Nunn, G. B. l998.Towards a new taxonomy for albatrosses. In: Robertson, G., & Gales, R. (eds.), Albatross Biology and Conservation, pp. 13-19. Surrey Beatty, Chipping Norton. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 383 Rowlands et al. Rolland, V., Barbraud, C„ & Weimerskirch, H. 2009. Albatross. Biol. Conserv. 1 42: 1 084- 1 095. Assessing the impact of fisheries, climate and Ryan, R 2008. Important Bird Areas:Tristan da Cunha disease on the dynamics of the Indian Yellow-nosed and Gough Island. Brit. Birds 101: 586-606. Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 17 3BY Pauline Kidner, Charity Founder, Secret World Wildlife Rescue, New Road, East Huntspill, Somerset TA9 3PZ Paul Condon, 471 Stannington Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 5QP Editorial comment Martin Collinson, BOURC Chairman, commented: ‘There were no significant provenance issues associated with this bird, and the identification to subspecies had been very carefully researched and summarised by BBRC, leaving little for BOURC to do in this case. Given that albatross taxonomy remains controversial, and that the Atlantic (nominate chlororhynchos) and Indian Ocean ( carter i) split may in future be adopted by BOU, the sub- species assignment of this individual had to be watertight. Although previous authors had noticed that there was individual variation in plumage, and bill pigmentation and structure, between individual Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, it was Brooke et al. (1980) who first firmly related that to geographical variation and delineated two subspecies. ‘BOURC concurred with BBRC and other workers that there has to be a note of caution and that none of the identification criteria should be used uncritically. In the file, there were photo- graphs of specimens of carteri where the culminicorn plate appeared to bulge very slightly behind the nostrils, and of nominate chlororhynchos where the yellow culmen stripe was slightly more tapering and pointed basally than on other individuals. However, there was nothing to suggest that the identification criteria for the two subspecies were not robust. BOURC agreed that the photographs of the Brean Down bird unequivocally assigned it to nominate chlororhyn- chos and added Yellow-nosed Albatross to Category A of the British List.’ Adam Rowlands, in his capacity as BBRC Chairman, added: ‘It is often the case that rare birds seen by non-birders lack sufficient documentation for them to be accepted by BBRC. This is not that surprising given that the observers will not be skilled in the discipline of describing accu- rately what they have observed to the level required to convince the Committee. With the greater photographic opportunities presented by digital stills and video, this situation is beginning to change and this record is a perfect example of that. Not only were the observers of this bird, none of them practised field birders, able to collect sufficient detail to identify it to species, but the clarity of the photographs have enabled it to be assigned to subspecies with confidence. This level of detail could prove exceptionally valuable if the proposal to split the two subspecies is adopted in due course. ‘BBRC is very grateful for the efforts of the County Recorders, Brian Gibbs in Somerset and Steve Keightley in Lincolnshire, for ensuring that the descriptions and images of the birds were collated and submitted to the Committee. They were circulated and unanimously accepted on first circulation. There was quite a lot of discussion surrounding the criteria for subspecific identification during the circulation and extra information on this was sought from external experts. The findings of these deliberations are included here. ‘In addition to these two sightings, we received a third-party report from the mouth of the River Yeo, Avon, on 30th June 2007, and a submission from Carsington Water, Derbyshire, on 2nd July 2007. Both were passed on to us by the relevant County Recorders, who felt that they could relate to this bird. The Committee considered that the Derbyshire sighting could possibly relate to the same bird, en-route from Somerset to Lincolnshire, but it was felt that the level of detail obtained in both instances was insufficient to accept the record {Brit. Birds 102: 601). ‘Yellow-nosed Albatross is now occurring significantly more frequently off the Atlantic coast ' of North America than Biack-browed Albatross, and is clearly a potential candidate for further vagrancy to the UK, but it is difficult to envisage that other individuals will be identified to sub- species as easily as this one. Land- and ship-based observers should be mindful of the distin- guishing features of the Thalassarche species, just in case they are fortunate enough to be the first birders to set eyes on a Yellow-nosed in our waters.’ 384 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 376-384 From the Rarities Committee’s files Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike Abstract This paper reviews the identification features of Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator of the eastern race niloticus. A number of young birds seen in autumn in Britain have apparently shown extensive moult of the juvenile body feathers, a feature associated with niloticus. The equivalent moult in the nominate race occurs on the wintering grounds after migration, and this difference is central to the identification of young birds in autumn. The criteria and guidelines presented here should help observers to identify a potential niloticus, a taxon that is not yet on the British List. further here (see Small & Walbridge 2005 for Adam Rowlands further details). Although the sample size of first-winter niloticus for this study was rela- tively small, the characters outlined below proved consistent and it seems worthwhile to set them out here for wider examination and perhaps refinement. Britain has been suggested on several occa- sions. However, despite a request for informal reports (Kehoe 2006), no claims have been submitted to BBRC or BOURC ( contra Slack 2009). There are accepted records of vagrant niloticus in northern and southwest Europe, so its occurrence in Britain is a distinct possi- bility, but at present it is not yet on the British List. Of the three principal races of Woodchat Shrike (see above), niloticus is the eastern- most, breeding from eastern Turkey through Syria and Israel, Georgia and Armenia to Iran (fig. 1). It migrates through the Levant to winter predominantly in East Africa, with small numbers occurring in southwest Arabia. Spring vagrants have been recorded in Spain (three) and Italy (one), all in April. There is also a May record from Einland (where there were just 15 accepted records of Woodchat Shrike between 1975 and 2005). BWP mentions a spring record from the Moroccan-Algerian border, although this was described only as showing characteristics of populations breeding east of the Adriatic (Smith 1968). There are three records of first- winter niloticus in Sweden (where there were just 56 accepted records of Woodchat Shrike from 1952 to 2007). Table 1 summarises all accepted European records of niloticus. Distribution and vagrancy This paper presents outline identification criteria to help observers identify a potential vagrant niloticus. These were drawn up fol- lowing the analysis of photographs of migrant niloticus from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (including 13 first- winters), together with images and field experience of other forms of Woodchat Shrike and a study of the Woodchat Shrike specimens at the Natural History Museum (NHM) at Tring. The NHM collection includes eight first-winter and a number of adult niloticus, plus examples of the nominate race senator (hereafter senator) and the poorly differentiated Iberian form rutilans (treated here as synonymous with senator). ‘Balearic Woodchat Shrike’ L. s. badius, which breeds on islands in the western Mediterranean, is quite distinct from senator and niloticus and it is not discussed There is some evidence to suggest clinal © British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 385 Fluke Art Rowlands variation in the key features separating adult senator from niloticus ; both BWP and Kirwan et al. (2008) noted that some senator in the Balkans and western Turkey show a greater extent of white in the tail base, approaching (but not matching) that of niloticus. Kirwan et al. described the Turkish range of senator as extend- ing from Thrace and elsewhere in Marmara south through the Aegean and around Bodrum, with niloticus found east of a line from the Hatay north to Kars province (fig. 1). They described the situation in the eastern Mediter- ranean and south- western Aegean as unclear, given that senator is likely to occur in the region on passage. As a Table 1 . Accepted European records of eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus. Date Location Comment Finland 13th May 1989 Pornainen Laukkoski Flew into a window and died, skin retained at Porvoo museum ( Lintumies 1991: 241-262) Italy 21st April 1915 Messina, Sicily Collected ( Sturniolo 1923) Spain 4th April 1992 Aire Island, Menorca Female, trapped and ringed (Ardeola 41: 114-115) 21st-23rd April 1995 Columbretes Islands, Castellon Male, trapped and ringed (Ardeola 47: 156) 18th April 2002 Aire Island, Menorca Male, trapped and ringed ( Ardeola 52: 204) ' Sweden 9th October 1991 Falsterbo, Skane First-winter ( Vdr Fdgelvdrld 51: 7-8, 30; Fdgeldret 1994: 145)" 1 3th— 2 1 st October 1997 Vastergarn, Gotland First-winter ( Fdgeldret 1997: 166) 3rd- 10th November 2007 Missjo, Ostergotland First-winter (Fdgeldret 2007: 143) senator breeding range Fig. I . Breeding range of Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator showing the distribution of the three recognised races, based on Lefranc & Worfolk (1 997). The hatched region in southern Turkey represents the approximate boundary between nominate senator and L s. niloticus and it is uncertain which form breeds here (Kirwan et al. 2008). 386 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 385-395 Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike consequence of this uncertainty, it is proposed that only individuals showing a full suite of characters diagnostic of niloticus should be considered acceptable in a vagrant context. Adult niloticus could quite easily be over- looked in the field, since the key identifica- tion characters can be difficult to observe. At present, it is considered that identification of a vagrant niloticus in adult plumage would need to be confirmed in the hand (as with all European records so far; table 1). However, in ICY niloticus , the moult from juvenile to first-winter plumage occurs distinctly earlier than in senator (see below). Differences in moult strategy, combined with some distinc- tive plumage characteristics, should enable first-year niloticus to be identifiable in a vagrant context. Moult In late summer, adult niloticus undertake an earlier post-breeding moult than senator , which is presumably related to the fact that niloticus breeds earlier than senator. Typically, niloticus renews all the primaries on the breeding grounds; moult is then suspended and recommences in the winter quarters, where a few or all secondaries are renewed. In senator, the adults replace only the body plumage before autumn migration, and wing and tail feathers are then replaced on reaching the wintering grounds (Svensson 1992). There are also important differences in the timing of moult in young birds. The post- juvenile moult of niloticus takes place mainly on the breeding grounds, while that of senator takes place in the winter quarters. This moult sees the juvenile body plumage replaced by a first-winter plumage that is dis- tinctive and rather adult-like; and the fact that it occurs before autumn migration in niloticus but not in senator is the reason that vagrant niloticus in their first autumn should be readily identifiable. Young birds of both races retain juvenile remiges and rectrices until reaching the wintering grounds. Among niloticus specimens at the NHM, 199. First-winter eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus, Kuwait, 17th August 2007. This race moults earlier than nominate senator, which retains juvenile plumage until at i iving on the wintering grounds. By mid August this individual has replaced most of the juvenile feathering, including all the median coverts and two innermost greater coverts. Note the extensive unbarred white area in the scapulars; the dark, unbarred mantle; and unmarked white underparts. Together, these are diagnostic of first-winter niloticus in autumn. The identification as niloticus is fuithei supported by the pure white patch at the base of the primaries: at least as long as the length of the exposed primary coverts and well defined at the distal edge. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 387 Mike Pope Bryan Thomas Rowlands 200. Juvenile Woodchat Shrike Lanius s. senator, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, September 2006. Compared with niloticus, note the relatively narrow band of pure white at the base of the primaries, merging into a broad area of buff with a diffuse distal margin, producing a more extensive pale area. The retained juvenile forehead, crown and mantle feathers, with dark crescent-shaped subterminal marks, are also typical of senator in autumn, as is the extensive dark barring on the flank feathers. the only juveniles retaining extensive barring on the crown, nape and mantle were those collected in early June. Photographs of autumn migrants from the Gulf States and the Arabian Peninsula showed that the great majority (over 90%) of young birds have replaced virtually all their juvenile mantle and scapular feathers by late August/Sep- tember. Unusually late individuals may retain juvenile scapulars in late September and show a greater proportion of retained juv- enile mantle feathers than a typical first- winter at that time, but such individuals can still be identified as niloticus by the pattern of the primaries and the underparts. Identification features of niloticus I . all ages Central tail feathers The extensive white base to the central tail feathers of niloticus is diagnostic. This feature can be obscured by the longest uppertail- coverts and is best examined in the hand. Adult niloticus from Iran showed 25-35 mm of white at the base of the central tail feathers, but some from Transcaucasia showed as little as 14 mm (BWP); typically there is no white in senator. In first- winter niloticus the white may be obscured completely by the uppertail-coverts and is very difficult to see con- fidently in the field, but examination of skins confirms that this is a consistent feature at all ages. Rump and uppertail-coverts Adult niloticus typically gives the impression of having a larger white rump patch than senator , as it is extended by the white base to the tail. First-winter niloticus also gives the impression of having an extensive area of unmarked white across the uppertail-coverts and rump com- pared with senator of the same age, in which the rump and uppertail-coverts, if unmarked, are typically extensively sullied buff. Although niloticus may show dark sub- terminal (crescent-shaped) barring on just the longest uppertail-coverts, senator typi- cally (but not exclusively) shows dark barring right across the uppertail-coverts and rump. White patch at base of primaries Typically, the white patch at the base of the primaries is more extensive in adult niloticus than adult senator. Vaurie (1955) recorded the difference as 17-21 mm beyond the tip of the longest primary covert on the closed wing in niloticus and as 10-16 mm in senator, but Svensson (1992) gave 10-18 mm for niloticus compared with 4-13.5 mm for senator , thus indicating a greater degree of overlap than suggested by Vaurie. This feature is difficult to determine precisely in photographs, although the extremes may be separable, but is easily measured in trapped individuals. The overlap is clearly genuine, as 388 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 385-395 Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike demonstrated by the indi- viduals shown in plates 214-217. It is therefore essential that the tail pattern is checked on any putative vagrant niloticus to confirm the identifica- tion (see above). First-winter niloticus shows a broad band of pure white across the primary bases, approximately equal to, or slightly greater than, the length of the exposed primary coverts. The distal margin of the white area is clearly defined, set against dark brown primaries with only very fine buff/white fringes. At the same age, senator shows a narrower band of pure white across the base of the primaries; on many individuals the white grades into buff at the distal edge, which then merges diffusely into broad buff fringes to the pri- maries - all of which combine to give an appar- ently more extensive pale area across the base of the primaries (as a whole), compared with niloticus. This extensive pale area can mistakenly be taken as pro- niloticus; the critical feature, however, is the extent of clearly defined, pure white at the base of the primaries, which is consis- tently larger on first-winter niloticus than senator. Other features Yosef & Tryjanowski (2000) found no signifi- cant difference in wing length or weight between niloticus and senator migrating through Eilat, Israel, in spring; but note that, on average, niloticus arrived in Eilat two weeks before senator. It has been suggested that niloticus has a less 201 & 202. First-winter eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus, Sweden, 4th November 2007. Note the extent of moult on this individual, which has replaced all the juvenile body feathers, and shows a virtually uniform orange crown and nape, grey-brown mantle, unmarked white underparts and almost unmarked buffish- white rump. Note also the well-defined and extensive white patch at the base of the primaries, replaced median coverts and contrast between the newly replaced adult-type and retained juvenile greater coverts. This bird illustrates just how distinctive a first-winter eastern Woodchat Shrike can be in a vagrant context. heavy bill than other forms of Woodchat Shrike ( BWP ). This is certainly true in the case of the large-billed L. s. badius, but differ- ences between niloticus and senator are subtle and probably not significant. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 389 Tomas Lindquist Tomas Lindquist Micky Maher John Phillip Lee Rowlands 203. First-year Woodchat Shrike Lanius s. senator, Devon, 5th November 2006. Compared with the Swedish niloticus in plates 201 & 202, this rather late bird in Devon has moulted the median coverts but has still to replace the greater coverts and body plumage. The pattern of the underparts, primaries and uppertail- coverts all point clearly to nominate senator. 204. Juvenile Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator, probably nominate senator, Shetland, September 2003. This interesting individual has already begun to replace some of the juvenile body feathers, suggesting that it could be niloticus. However, the white bases to the primaries bleed into the buffish primary fringes and this points to it being senator, as does the rich rufous tone to the mantle and scapulars, which appear too warm for niloticus at this age. Note also the extent of barring on the underparts, the retained juvenile median coverts and the retention of all but two of the juvenile greater coverts (on the left side; just one was replaced on the right); these are all features more indicative of senator, albeit one moulting prematurely. Identification features of niloticus 2. adults Head pattern of females A proportion of 2CY or older female niloticus show a pale brown mask extending around the eye and across the ear-coverts, which appears almost the same colour as the crown (plates 209 & 210). These birds are particularly striking after the post-breeding moult and this plumage may not be matched by senator. In a vagrant context, such individuals may be identi- fiable in the field (though it might still be necessary to examine the tail and primary pattern in the hand to confirm the ID). Underpart coloration It has been suggested that adult niloticus show whiter underparts than senator (Lefranc & Worfolk 1997). On the basis of specimens examined at the NHM, this does not appear to be a consistent difference; although no adult niloticus appeared as richly coloured as a few of the most strongly marked senator, the majority of niloticus showed sullied underparts and there was considerable overlap. The presence of extensive warm colour on the underparts may eliminate niloticus, but its absence is not indicative. A con- trasting peachy-buff wash to the flanks appears to be a consistent feature of niloticus, but is also shown by some senator. 390 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 - 385-395 Rashed Al-Hajj Steve Keightley Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike 205 & 206. Juvenile Woodchat Shrike Lanius s. senator, Cleveland, 18th September 2008. Like the Shetland bird in plate 204, this individual showed an asymmetric moult in the greater coverts (one replaced on the left wing, none on the right) but otherwise no suggestion of moult. The primary pattern, dark barring on the underparts, and brown-washed rump and uppertail-coverts all point clearly to nominate senator. 207 & 208. First-winter eastern Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator niloticus, Kuwait, 1st September 2009 (left) and 28th September 2008 (right). The bird in plate 207 has retained its juvenile scapulars and also has a full complement of juvenile median and greater coverts. However, the subspecies identity is confirmed by the primary pattern and lack of any retained juvenile feathers in the mantle, together with apparently unmarked white throat and upper breast. The bird in plate 208 is a relatively retarded individual that still has all its juvenile median and greater coverts, and some mantle feathers, in late September. However, note the clean white underparts and well-defined, broad white band across the base of the primaries, crisply defined at the distal edge, which points clearly to the eastern form. Identification features of niloticus 3. first-winters Upperparts In autumn, first-winter niloticus is likely to show more extensively uniform (unbarred) feathering on the crown, nape and ear- coverts than ICY senator, owing to the more advanced moult. Moreover, the mantle is rel- atively uniform, varying from dark blackish- brown to mouse-brown, lacking the extensive juvenile feathering (with crescent-shaped dark subterminal barring) retained by most ICY senator (but note that there is a single example of a ICY senator at the NHM, col- British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 391 Rashed Al-Hajj Steve Keightley Rashed Al-Hajj Rashed Al-Hajj Rowlands 209 & 210. Presumed female eastern Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator niloticus, Kuwait, 3rd September 2009 (left) and 18th August 2009 (right). These images illustrate the tendency for some female niloticus to show paler brown ear-coverts than would be expected in nominate senator in autumn. The wing-coverts indicate that they are 2CY or older, but the head pattern suggests immaturity, with a hint of barring in the fore-crown and an absence of solid black in the ear-coverts. This plumage state does not seem to be matched by nominate senator in August/September and appears to be characteristic of niloticus. 211 & 21 2. Adult Woodchat Shrikes Lanius senator ; left L s. niloticus, Kuwait, February 2008, right L. s. senator, Sa Dragonera, Balearic Islands, Spain, April 2005. Note that the more extensive white in the central tail feathers of niloticus leads to the impression of an evenly broad black subterminal band across the tail. By comparison, the black forms more of a wedge shape in senator, more extensive on the central tail feathers. This feature would be virtually impossible to determine with confidence in the field, but high-quality images may help to support the identification of an adult vagrant niloticus. Ideally the identification would be confirmed by examination in the hand. lected in November, which shows rufous on the nape and a more uniform mantle than is typical). Many first-winter niloticus show more extensive white in the scapulars in autumn than senator of the same age. Upperwing-coverts The extent of moult in ICY niloticus is vari- able; although a majority retain all their juv- enile greater coverts until the end of Sep- tember, a proportion replace 1-3 inner greater coverts prior to autumn migration. These freshly moulted inner greater coverts are contrastingly black-centred. Some ICY senator may also moult one or two inner greater coverts by September but this appears 392 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 Eduardo Amengual Rashed Al-Haii Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike 2 I 3. Eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus, Kuwait, 14th August 2009. A remarkably advanced first-winter that could, at first sight, be mistaken for an adult given the date. However, the predominantly juvenile greater coverts and tertials reveal the true age. to be unusual. Greater-covert moult is thus a pointer to niloticus , but is not diagnostic. This study found that almost 50% of ICY niloticus replaced all their median coverts before leaving the breeding grounds. Second- generation median coverts have black centres and narrow rufous fringes, whereas juvenile median coverts are extensively pale greyish- white with black subterminal crescents. In contrast, senator typically retain their juvenile median coverts, at least during autumn migration, although late vagrants in November may show evidence of moult in this feather tract. Underparts In their first autumn, niloticus frequently show completely unmarked white under- parts, sometimes with a sandy-buff wash, although some show fine barring across the breast and a hint of barring at the side of the throat. By comparison, senator show variably extensive barring across the underparts, par- ticularly on the breast, but also extending down the flanks in a majority, and across the throat in some. There was no evidence of overlap between races in this character, and it seems to be a consistent feature for distin- guishing ICY niloticus and senator in their first autumn. Undertail pattern The pattern of white and grey in the outer- most tail feather, which may be possible to see well from below, differs between ICY niloticus and senator. Thus, typical niloticus show a significant area of dark grey, though of variable extent, on the inner web of that feather, while most senator show limited or no dark markings on the inner web. This feature is also supportive rather than diag- nostic, however, and should be used in con- junction with features outlined above. Conclusions Vagrant first-winter niloticus encountered in autumn should be identifiable. Adults closely resemble senator and are more likely to be overlooked in the field, but may be separable if seen well and should prove identifiable if trapped. A proportion of adult females may also show a diagnostic head pattern. British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 385-395 393 Dileep Kumar Rowlands Appendix 1 summarises the key features for separating birds in their first autumn. BBRC encourages observers to submit claims of niloticus for assessment. A search of published images of juvenile/first-winter Woodchat Shrikes seen in Britain for this paper failed to identify any potential candidates, but any past records that meet the criteria pre- sented here would be particularly welcome. Acknowledgments I would like to thank members of BBRC, in particular Brian Small, and David Pearson for useful discussion of the features for separating these forms; the many photographers who have published their images in journals or on the internet, providing a valuable resource for the development of this paper; and in particular Rashed Al-Hajj, Abdulrahman Al-Sirhan, Eduardo Amengual, Hans Bister Adrian Drummond- Hill, John Phillip Lee, Tomas Lindquist, Micky Maher Steve Keightley, Howard King, Dileep Kumar Juhani Kyyro, Mike Pope, Chris Rowland and Bryan Thomas, who assisted with images for the paper; the staff at NHM, Tring, for access to the skin collection; Ian Dawson, RSPB Librarian, for providing references; and Andrew Harrop, who confirmed that no claims of niloticus have been considered by BOURC. References Kehoe, C. 2006. Racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee. Brit Birds 99: 6 1 9-645. Kirwan, G. M„ Boyla, K„ Castell, R, Demirci, B., Ozen, M„ Welch, H„ & Marlow, T 2008. The Birds of Turkey. Christopher Helm, London. Lefranc, N., & Worfolk,T 1 997. Shrikes: a guide to the shrikes of the world. Pica Press, Sussex. Slack, R. 2009. Rare Birds, Where and When: an analysis of status and distribution in Britain and Ireland. V ol. I. Rare Bird Books, York. Small, B. J„ & Walbridge, G. 2005. From the Rarities Committee's files: A review of the identification of 'Balearic' Woodchat Shrike, and details of three British records. Brit Birds 98: 34 — 42. Smith, K. D. 1 968. Spring migration through southeast Morocco. Ibis I 1 0: 452 — 492. Sturniolo, G, 1923. II Lanius senator niloticus Bp. In Sicilia. Riv. Ital. Orn. 6: 39-4 1 . Svensson, L. 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Stockholm. Vaurie, C. 1955. Systematic notes on Palearctic birds, No. 17. Laniidae. Amer. Mus. Novit. 1752: 1-19. Yosef, R„ &Tryjanowski, R 2000. Phenology and biometric measurements of migratory Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) at Eilat, Israel. Ring 22: 213-217. Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP17 3BY Appendix 1. Key features for separating ICY eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus from nominate senator in autumn. Central tail feathers niloticus (1W plumage) Show white at the base (diagnostic) senator (juvenile plumage) Entirely dark Rump and uppertail-coverts Typically unmarked white, occasionally sullied buff and with dark subterminal (crescent-shaped) barring restricted to longest uppertail- coverts Brown or sullied buff, typically with extensive dark, crescent-shaped barring Base of primaries Extensive white band, approximately equal to or longer than the exposed primary coverts, clearly defined with very narrow or no buff/white fringes along outer web of primaries Narrower white band, becoming buff distally and extending further towards feather tips as broad buff or white fringe along outer webs of primaries Upperparts More uniform than senator, typically with very few juvenile feathers in mantle or scapulars Frequently with many retained juvenile feathers in mantle and scapulars, giving more barred appearance Underparts Unmarked white, although occasionally showing fine dark barring restricted to the breast and sides of throat More extensive dark barring on the underparts 394 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 Juhani Kyyro Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike 214 & 215. First -summer eastern Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator niloticus, Bahrain, 24th March 2006. Aged by the retained juvenile primary coverts and innermost primary. Compared with the first-summer senator in plates 2 1 6 & 217, this individual demonstrates the potential overlap in the extent of white at the base of the primaries between the two forms. In the hand, the diagnostic extensive white at the base of the central tail feathers confirms the identification, however. 216 & 217. First-summer Woodchat Shrike Lanius s. senator, Cabera, Balearic Islands, Spain, 25th April 20 1 0. This individual was not straight- forward to age, but the primary moult indicates that it is a 2CY bird rather than an adult showing suspended moult. The extent of white at the base of the primaries beyond the tips of the primary coverts measured I 1 .5 mm, and a visual comparison with the niloticus in plates 214 & 2 1 5 confirms that these two individuals would be difficult to separate on this feature alone. This bird’s identification was further complicated by the fact that it had lost one of its central tail feathers, but the remaining feather showed no white at the base, confirming that this is a nominate senator. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 385-395 395 Eduardo Amengual Eduardo Amengual Juhani Kyyro Joe Pender Short papers Wilson’s Storm-petrels off the Isles of Scilly: a ten-year analysis, 2000-09 Abstract This short paper presents a ten-year analysis (2000-09) of the occurrence of Wilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus seen from short-range pelagic trips off the Isles of Scilly. We discuss the overall passage period, peak passage, exceptional happenings and the variation between years. During the mid 1990s, one of us (RLF) joined several evening shark- or reef-fishing trips out of St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, in late August, to observe seabirds. The trips proved to be pro- ductive as shark fishermen deployed ‘rubby- dubby’ (the local name for chum) to attract sharks and waste offal was thrown overboard during reef-fishing trips, and these proved highly attractive to storm-petrels. Following a sighting of a possible Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus in 1995 and a probable in 1996, one was positively identified by RLF on 23rd August 1997, the first known record for Scilly. The following evening, Ren Hathway and Viv Stratton joined RLF on a shark- fishing trip, when another Wilson’s was observed. This sparked interest among local birders: three Wilson’s were seen in August 1998, and on six trips during July and August 1999 up to 14 were seen. Subsequently, a Wilson’s that had been photographed by Paul Whittaker on about 15th August 1995 was retrospectively identified as such in 2003 (by Paul Stancliffe), while a review of sightings from MV Chalice and RMV Scillonian III revealed that two Wilson’s were sighted from each vessel within the Scilly recording area on, respectively, 24th July 1991 and 8th August 2004 (Flood et al. 2007). By 2000, both RLF and EAF were resident on St Mary’s. We joined most evening shark- and reef-fishing trips, during June-Sep- tember 2000-09, keeping detailed records of the Wilson’s observed. Our counting method for multiple sightings assumed the minimum number of birds proven by differences in plumage characteristics (e.g. strength of carpal bar), state of wear of the remiges, and moult in the primaries. This maintained con- sistency in data and facilitated meaningful comparison. In that period, we made 448 trips and tallied 338 Wilson’s, the earliest on 5th June and the latest on 6th September. An interim report on our findings was presented in Flood & Fisher (2005). A detailed weekly analysis is given in table 1, which shows the number of trips, number of successful trips and the total number of 218. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus, off the Isles of Scilly, July 2009. 396 © British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 396—404 Table I. Occurrence of Wilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus in Scillonian waters, 2000-09. WB = week beginning; trips = number of pelagic trips undertaken that week; scored = number of trips that week when Wilson’s were seen; birds = total number of Wilson’s seen that week. Short papers uooooo~^^o_oo In o o _ — — 'fN — fNOOO (N U • — 0(N(N(N'^'^insI,’f'tinLO^\OfO(N ^oooo— icom— i \o ^ fo on 15 o Z © o fN o o o o (N r- fT) fN fO ooo — rNr^LOLnLntn^vO'T^OLnr^ OCNOOOOO — — mmfNO — ' O O -o O •— o o 1 — 1 — ^LnrNO'- 'r^or^<-or^T'— ^r*-) r-00rH(Nf'|\O-,(N(Nfh'-< — (NfOVO' 1 .UOOOOOO — In § qOOOOOO — O m fO (N IN - OOO fN U •to o-(N(Nmfn(NMroininin'tfno-HO OOOOOfNrO — fNfN — — O — OOO § £00000 fN U — OOO • — O O O O — — — fNfNm^mmmOOO OOOOOOfOt'>.fOinoO''3*^fC> — OO § £000000 — ’'^fNmrtmmfN — oo rs u ’tinfhvoih’^'tvoihN-- OOmONOOOrn'T’TONrn^t<_i,LnOOO vn U O Z o o fN U OO — fNfNOfNcofNfNfNtN^mooo -(NMtnfnininrri't'tihl'fNNO i-i O O rf fN — vO to — — — fN ’t (N - OOO IS "O m q j O u o o fN U — ro fN — O O O .hr -^omc'irMcr)ir>'3*inmcoLnLnTfro(NO fN n tj- ^ cr -crfQ.'51l0' ^ o o o ^ — r •< 00500000^ n ’opr&occccoaj* 57 $ in' — ^ in (N on 1 mor^-<’Ot^'T — fN — 00 — M (N ^ fN fN rO — — fN fO s£> — c c c SC C p P 3 p p 8r/t/s/i 8/rds 103 • July 2010 • 396-404 397 Joe Pender Short papers 219. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus, off the Isles of Scilly, August 2009. birds seen. Fig. 1 illustrates how the number of records has varied annually over the period, showing the number recorded, and the estimated number when corrected for effort (number of trips). In fig. 2, the (total) number of birds seen in each individual week of the season (summed across the decade) is presented, together with the percentage of successful trips. In broad terms, success rate increases from about 20-25% during June to 40-60% in July and 50-55% during the first three weeks of August, then declines quickly; this characterises the passage period off Scilly. Counts of five or more on a single trip were as follows: 18th June 2006 (8), 26th June 2006 (6), 23rd July 2009 (5), 30th July 2002 (8), 31st July 2006 (8), 1st August 2009 (9), 14th August 2002 (6), 15th August 2009 (6), 18th August 2007 (6), 20th August 2006 (5) and 23rd August 2009 (8). The count of 9 on 1st August 2009 probably involved 12-15 birds. Apart from the two large counts in June 2006, a year in which there was an exception- ally strong passage in June, the large counts fall within the main passage period of July and August. Each year, the overall passage period has remained fairly well defined. The first of the year has been recorded between 5th June (in 2001) and 7th July (in 2009). In 2001 we' saw a fresh individual on 5th June and a heavily worn one on 7th June, with no further sight- ings until 13th Inly. Typically the success rate and number of 80 70 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Fig. I. Total number of Wilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus recorded each year off Scilly, 2000-09. Dark blue bars show actual numbers, while pale blue bars estimate numbers with a correction for effort (calculated as mean number seen per trip multiplied by a nominal value of 50). 398 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 396—404 Short papers birds in June is relatively low, but in 2006 there was a 100% success rate in June on five trips between 11th and 28th, producing 20 birds. Overall success rate was lowest in 2003 (19 individuals from 59 trips), highest in 2006 (66 individuals from 47). Annual variation is to be expected given that winter snow may arrive early in the Antarctic forcing the early departure of Antarctic breeders, and that there is a multitude of poorly understood oceanic factors that influence migra- tion between Antarctic and sub- antarctic breeding grounds and Scilly. References Flood, B„ & Fisher; A. 2005. Wilson's Petrels off the Isles of Scilly: a five-year analysis, 2000-2004. Birding World 1 8: 247-249. — , Hudson, N„ & Thomas, B. 2007. Essential Guide to Birds of the Isles of Scilly. Isles of Scilly. ■ no. birds M4 Ju I Ju2 Ju3 Ju4 Jyl Jy2 Jy3 Jy4 Jy5 A I A2 A3 A4 S I S2 S3 Fig. 2. Cumulative total ofWilson’s Storm-petrels Oceanites oceanicus recorded off Scilly in particular weeks of the spring/summer period, 2000-09. Dark blue bars show the actual number of records. Pale blue bars show the percentage of trips in that week when at least one Wilson’s was recorded (success rate, derived from table I ; note that week numbers relate to those in table I also). Robert L. Flood, 14 Ennor Close, Old Town, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NL; e-mail tubenose@tiscali.co.uk E. Ashley Fisher, Trehill, Silvester’s Lane, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NA First breeding record of North African Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus cirtensis in continental Europe Two subspecies of the Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus are recognised. Nominate rufinus is a partial migrant, and occurs from the Balkans and Asia Minor to western Mon- golia and northwest India, while the smaller and less well-known B. r. cirtensis inhabits North Africa, from Mauritania and Morocco to Egypt (del Hoyo et al. 1994). The latter is regarded as sedentary and dispersive, but has recently been found breeding on Pantelleria, in the Sicilian Channel, 70 km north of Tunisia (Corso 2009). In Spain, the species is rare, and the distribution of records has a marked southerly bias (de Juana 2006). The closest African breeding grounds are on Morocco’s Tangier Peninsula (thus within 20 km of the Iberian Peninsula), where the species is uncommon to locally common (Thevenot et al. 2003). In recent years, spo- radic breeding attempts have been recorded in Ceuta (an autonomous Spanish city on the southern shore of the Strait), and nesting was confirmed there in 2004 (Avila et al. 2004; Cambelo 2008). Prior to our observations, there has been no recent or historical record of the Long- legged Buzzard, which is listed as Vulnerable in Europe (BirdLife International 2004), breeding in the Iberian Peninsula (Marti & del Moral 2003). However, during the last decade, there have been an increasing number of observations from the Spanish shore of the Strait and here we report the first confirmed breeding of cirtensis in the Iberian Peninsula (and continental Europe). Methods During 2008 and 2009, a 5 km2 area within Parque Natural del Estrecho (Cadiz, Spain) was monitored regularly. It is a densely forested area of predominantly Cork Oak Quercus suber and Olive Olea europaea groves, with narrow valleys, sandstone cliffs and scrubby pastures (with Erica and Cistus spp.). The altitude ranges from sea level to 360 m. Regular observations were carried out British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 396^104 399 Javier Elorriaga Javier Elorriaga Short papers 220 & 221. Breeding Long-legged Buzzards Buteo rufinus cirtensis , Parque Natural del Estrecho, southern Spain, July 2009 (above, adult; below, fledged juvenile). by experienced ornithologists from fixed watchpoints and along road transects. Field notes and digital photographs were used to facilitate individual recognition of birds. Results During 2008, there were 35 records of Long- legged Buzzards. In January, three individuals were seen together, and a displaying pair was seen in March. In October-November one was seen performing territorial flights (diving and calling) and on two occasions a second individual was observed simul- taneously. However, there was no con- firmed evidence of breeding in 2008. In April 2009, a displaying pair was seen again. Then, on 1 8th July, an adult was located calling loudly and persist- ently, and at the same time the calls of two fledglings were heard, from a densely forested area. Two fledglings were observed on two sep- arate occasions on 20th July, both times being fed by an adult. On 27th July, two fledglings and one adult were observed soaring in a neighbouring area. The nest was not found but our obser- vations suggest that it may have been in a Cork Oak (Long- legged Buzzard is typically a cliff- nesting species, but will occasionally breed in trees). At the time of writing, early in the 2010 season, tenta- tive evidence of breeding has been detected in several possible territories over a broader area, but these records have yet to be confirmed. Discussion This appears to constitute the first breeding record of cirtensis in continental Europe. Ornithologists have visited the Strait of Gibraltar regularly during the last two cen- turies (e.g. Irby 1895, Verner 1909, Bernis 1980, Barros & Rios 2008), yet there are no recent or historical references to the breeding 400 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 396—404 Short papers of Long-legged Buzzard on the European shore. Although this constitutes a short-dis- tance expansion of the species’ range, it is a major step in biogeographical terms, since the Strait is still an important barrier sepa- rating North African and European flora and fauna. This may be just an isolated event, or perhaps the beginnings of a northwards colonisation in response to a changing climate. The more regular appearance of the species in this region in recent years, together with the recent colonisation of Pantelleria (Corso 2009), suggests that the latter expla- nation may be the case. During the past few decades, the Iberian Peninsula has been colonised by other African bird species, such as the Black-shoul- dered Kite Elanus caeruleus, White-rumped Swift Apus caffer and Little Swift A. affinis (Ferrero 1996; Ramirez et al. 2002; Marti & del Moral 2003). In each case, the initial records were concentrated around the Strait of Gibraltar, but the species have now spread much more widely throughout Spain. Simi- larly, most of the rapidly increasing number of Spanish records of vagrant Riippell’s Vulture Gyps rueppellii occur around the Strait of Gibraltar (de Juana 2006; Ramirez 2009). In this context, this area becomes a potential focal point for the colonisation of Europe by African species. If our climate con- tinues to warm, further arrivals of potential colonist African bird species to the European shore of the Strait are to be expected. Acknowledgments We should like to thank ornithologists from Fundacion Migres who participated in the fieldwork; Andrea Corso and Dick Forsman for their help with the birds' subspecific identification; Stephen Daily (Andalucian Guides) for sharing his data; G. Munoz (Fundacion Migres) and K. L. Bildstein (Hawk Mountain Sanctuary) for valuable comments on an earlier version of this article; and J. D. Wright for improving our English. References Avila, A., Guirado, M. A., & Navarrete, J. 2004. Busardo Moro. Noticiario Ornitologico. Ardeola 5 1 : 548. Barros, D., & Rios, D. 2008, Field Guide to the Birds of the SOG. 2nd edn. OrniTour; S. L. Cadiz. Bernis, F. 1980. Migracion de lasAves en el Estrecho de Gibraltar.^ ol. I.Aves Planeadoras. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. BirdLife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife Conservation Series No. 1 2, Cambridge. Cambelo, A. J. 2008. Noticiario Ornitologico; Revista Alcaudon www.telefonica.net/web2/ avesdeceuta/ Corso, A. 2009. Successful mixed breeding of Atlas Long-legged Buzzard and Common Buzzard on Pantelleria, Italy, in 2008. Dutch Birding 3 1 : 224-226. de Juana, E. 2006. Aves Raras de Espaha: un catalogo de las espedes de presentacion ocasional. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A„ & Sargatal, J. 1 994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Ferrero, J.J. 1996. Situacion del ElanioAzul Elanus caeruelus en el Mediterraneo. In: Muntaner; J., & Mayol, J. (eds.), Biology and Conservation of Mediterranean Raptors, pp. 1 0 1 — I 15. SEO-BirdLife, Madrid. Irby, L. H. 1 895. The Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar. Taylor & Francis, London. Marti, R., & del Moral, J. C. (eds.) 2003. Atlas de las Aves Reproductoras de Espaha. SEO-BirdLife, Madrid. Ramirez, J. 2009. Noticiario Ornitologico del Estrecho de Gibraltar 2008. Mgres 1 : 181. — , Lobon, M. S., & Solis, S. 2002.Vencejo Moro Apus affinis. Observaciones de aves raras en Espana. Ardeola 49: 161. Thevenot, M., Vernon, R„ & Bergier; R 2003. The Birds of Morocco. BOU Checklist No. 20,Tring. Verner, W. 1 909. My Life Among the Wild Birds in Spain. John Bale, London. Javier Elorriaga 1 and Antonio-Roman Munoz, Fundacion Migres Ctra. N-340, Km. 96. 7, Huerta Grande, Pelayo, Algeciras. E-11390 Cadiz, Spain; ' e-mail javielor@hotmail.com Rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper There are very few data on the time taken for any species of wader to moult to breeding plumage, since it is usually difficult to follow the progress of moult shown by any partic- ular individual, so the following seems worthy of record. Hitoshi Naya found a Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea largely in non-breeding plumage, but in the process of moulting to breeding plumage, at Otsu River, Japan (Izu- miotsu City, Osaka Prefecture), on 9th May 2009. Curlew Sandpipers are uncommon in Japan in spring, as in the East Asian-Aus- tralasian Flyway they move inland on reaching China, thus largely avoiding Korea and Japan (Minton 1998; Minton et al. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 396-404 401 Nobuhiro Hashimoto Nobuhiro Hashimoto Nobuhiro Hashimoto Short papers 222 & 223. First-summer Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea , Otsu River, Japan, 14th May 2009. The bird has one or two breeding-plumage scapulars, but otherwise is in complete first-winter plumage. In plate 223, the arrow indicates the recently acquired P8. 224 & 225. First-summer Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea , Otsu River, 18th May 2009. The same individual as in plates 222 & 223, it has acquired a remarkable amount of breeding plumage in just four days. 226 & 227. First-summer Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Otsu River, 22nd May 2009. The bird is now in almost complete breeding plumage, though adults in breeding plumage usually have a number of breeding-type wing-coverts, which this individual does not show. 402 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 396—404 Nobuhiro Hashimoto Nobuhiro Hashimoto Nobuhiro Hashimoto Short papers 2006a). A more westerly route over China is taken on the southbound leg (thus, as in Europe, they have a ‘loop’ migration), and so Curlew Sandpipers are unusual in Japan in autumn too. NH visited the site on 14th May 2009 and took some (digiscoped) photographs of the bird (plates 222 & 223). At one point the bird stretched its left wing (plate 223) and it was evident that although it had recently replaced P8 (primaries numbered descendantly), the other primaries were all of an older genera- tion, worn and faded. The overlying greater primary covert of P8 was also new (it is typical for primary coverts to moult in con- junction with the corresponding primary). Returning to look for it again on 18th May, NH was surprised at the bird’s changed appearance, now with many breeding- plumage body feathers (plates 224 & 225). Again, he was fortunate to see the stretched wing and that P8 had been replaced, thus confirming that, in spite of the dramatically changed appearance, it was the same bird as four days previously. Further images were obtained on 22nd May, and again the identity was confirmed by the presence of a new P8 in the left wing. NH returned on subsequent dates, but the sandpiper was not seen after 22nd May. Since adult Curlew Sandpipers carry out a complete moult of their primaries over the austral summer, finishing about February, the combination of worn primaries and a contrastingly fresh P8 confirms that the Otsu River bird was in its second calendar-year, moulting into first-summer plumage. The majority of first-year Curlew Sandpipers that spend their first boreal winter in the southern hemisphere grow some new outer primaries in a partial primary moult, usually replacing two to five primaries (Cramp and Simmons 1983; Higgins & Davies 1996; Minton et al. 2006b. It is unusual for them to replace just one primary, and almost unheard of for the ‘wave’ of outer-primary moult to be interrupted, rather than carrying on sequentially to the outermost primary. Since Curlew Sandpipers are uncommon in Japan, and as a consequence of seeing just a single bird on each visit, and one that had replaced P8, there can be no doubt that the same indi- vidual was present on each occasion. Typically, Curlew Sandpipers first migrate north when they are two years old, spending an austral winter on the non-breeding grounds and hence skipping a breeding opportunity (Rogers et al. 2006; Underhill 2006). Such individuals show little or no brightly coloured breeding plumage between May and August of their second calendar- year. However, the Otsu River bird developed extensive brightly coloured breeding plumage. It is thought that some first-year Curlew Sandpipers do carry out a partial northwards migration (Underhill 2006), occurring in small numbers in June in northern-hemisphere sites where adults nor- mally occur only on passage. (The propor- tion of birds that do this is probably small, given that pre-migratory weight gain in first- year Curlew Sandpipers in Australia has been impossible to detect; Minton et al. 2006b.) The literature is unclear on whether it is typical for such individuals to develop exten- sive breeding plumage, but we suspect that at least some individuals do. In Japan, NH has photographed first-summer Marsh Tringa stagnatilis and Broad-billed Sandpipers Limi- cola falcinellus with a combination of age- diagnostic moult contrasts in the primaries and complete breeding plumage (http://shorebirds.exblog.jp), yet individuals of these species that remain in Australia until two years old do not develop brightly coloured breeding plumage (DR pers. obs.). In North America, Loftin (1962) reported that the majority of Short-billed Dowitchers Limnodromus griseus remaining in Florida during the breeding season were in non- breeding-type plumage, even though a few of these individuals apparently moved farther north for a short period, but probably not as far as the breeding grounds. It is usual for there to be a few apparently non-breeding individuals in breeding plumage in Florida in June (RC pers. obs.), but these are very much in the minority. A particularly notable feature of the Otsu River bird was the rapid rate at which it grew its breeding-plumage body feathers (plates 222-227). The change in appearance is evi- dently due to the appearance of new feathers rather than a process whereby pale feather tips are worn away to reveal brighter plumage. To have grown so many apparently British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 396M04 403 Short papers new feathers in just eight days seems sur- prising. Besides the concurrent growth of a large proportion of the head and body feathers, growth of individual feathers must have been very rapid. It is perhaps most impressive in the breeding-plumage scapu- lars, large feathers which must have been close to 20 mm long on 18th May, but which were too small to be visible only four days previously. However, we cannot distinguish between rapid moult followed by regrowth from individual follicles and (presumably more likely?) the loss of non-breeding feathers to reveal underlying breeding ones. We can only speculate as to the curious and rapid moult of this Curlew Sandpiper. That it replaced only one of its primaries is perhaps associated with northward move- ment shortly after growing P8, the suspen- sion of primary moult perhaps being triggered by changing day lengths experi- enced by the bird. Presumably the same trigger resulted in the hormonal changes responsible for the breeding-plumaged body feathers. Since it is unusual to be able to track the moult to breeding plumage, little is known of the speed of this process, let alone in a first- year bird of a wader species that usually does not acquire an adult-type breeding plumage. There are, however, a number of observations that suggest that at least some wader species acquire breeding plumage quite quickly. Bar- tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica in the North Sea area gain their supplemental (final or ‘true’) breeding plumage in about 12 days (Piersma & Jukema 1993), and Great Knots C. tenuirostris staging in the Yellow Sea on northbound migration similarly gain their supplemental breeding plumage very quickly, though the exact time period is not known (Battley et al. 2006). References Battley, R E., Rogers, D. I., & Hassell, C.J. 2006. Prebreeding moult, plumage and evidence for a presupplemental moult in the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris. Ibis 1 48: 27-38. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.). 1 983. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.V ol. 3. OUR Oxford. Higgins, R J„ & Davies, S. J. J. F. (eds.) 1 996. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. V ol. 3. OUR Melbourne. Loftin, H. 1 962. A study of boreal shorebirds summering on Apalachee Bay Florida. Bird Banding 33:21-42. Minton, C. D.T 1998. Migratory movements of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea that spend the non- breeding season in Australia. The Stilt 32: 28-40. — , Jessop, R. E„ Collins, R C„ & Wilson, J. R. 2006a. The migratory movements of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea which visit Australia. In: Underhill, L. G„Tomkovich, R S„ & Harrison, J. A. (eds.), The Annual Cycle of the Curlew Sandpiper International Wader Studies 19: 171 — 183. — , Rogers, K. G„ Jessop, R. E„ Graham, D. M„ & Lowther; A. D. 2006b. Biometrics and moult of the Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea in Australia. In: Underhill, L. G.,Tomkovich, R S„ & Harrison, J. A. (eds.), The Annual Cycle of the Curlew Sandpiper. International Wader Studies 1 9: 205-208. Piersma, T, & Jukema, J. 1993. Red breasts as honest signals of migratory quality in a long-distance migrant, the Bar-tailed Godwit. Condor 95: 163-177. Rogers, D. I„ Minton, C. D.T., Boyle, A. N„ Hassell, C.J., & Silcocks, A„ 2006. Growing up slowly by the sea- side: age of first northwards migration of shorebirds from Australian non-breeding grounds. In: Rogers, D. I„ Hidden costs: challenges faced by migratory shorebirds living on intertidal flats. Unpublished PhD thesis, ch. 1 0. Charles Sturt University. Underhill, L. G. 2006. A preliminary overview of the life spiral of Curlew Sandpipers Calidris ferruginea. In: Underhill, L. G.,Tomkovich, R S„ & Harrison, J. A. (eds.), The Annual Cycle of the Curlew Sandpiper International Wader Studies 1 9: 205-208. Nobuhiro Hashimoto, Danny Rogers and Richard Chandler, do 4 Kings Road, Oundle, Peterborough PE4 SAX 404 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 396-404 Letters The Crimean Peninsula: a zone of intergradation of Common Redstart subspecies? The eastern subspecies of the Common Red- start Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus is generally described as inhabiting the Cau- casus, parts of Turkey and parts of the Middle East. Most authors place Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula into the range of this sub- species as well (e.g. Menzel 1971, Cramp 1988, Glutz von Blotzheim 1988). However, good data on the distribution of the Common Redstart in the Crimean Peninsula is lacking (for example, see Hagemeijer & Blair 1997), as are those concerning sub- species identity. Another point of debate is whether forms intermediate between P. p. phoenicurus and P. p. samamisicus exist. The three references cited above all mention intermediate populations in western Turkey, the Caucasus and the eastern Balkan region but new data are lacking and Small (2009) even suggested that there was a distinct lack of evidence of intergrades between the sub- species where they meet in the Caucasus. During a trip to the Crimean Peninsula in early May 2010, 1 noted the presence/absence of Common Redstarts at all places visited (Bakhchysaray, 44°44’N 33°56’E; Karadag, 44°55’N 35°12’E; Mysove, 45°26’N 35°49’E; and Simferopol, 44°57’N 34°06’E). At the two places with the highest densities of Common Redstarts (Bakhchysaray and Karadag, with 5.6 and 6.1 males per linear km, respectively), I searched for territorial birds and noted whether they most resem- bled phoenicurus (with no white wing-panel at all), samamisicus or were intermediate. Since I found no description of intermediates in the literature, I judged males showing a distinctly smaller white wing-panel than ‘normal’ samamisicus to be intermediates (see plate 228 and fig. 1), although I am aware that such birds could in fact be heavily worn samamisicus. Common Redstarts were noted at all four sites visited. I found them in human settlements, orchards and open forests, but the highest densities were observed in areas where all these habitats occurred together. At Bakhchysaray and Karadag, phoenicurus- types were most abun- dant, followed by samamisicus- types. Of those birds seen well enough to assign to one of the three categories, I recorded eight Fig. I. Sketch of an ‘intermediate-looking’ male Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus. 228. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, showing small wing-panel and thus judged to be intermediate between subspecies phoenicurus and samamisicus ; Bakhchysaray, May 2010. © British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 405-A07 405 Nicolas Martinez Nicolas Martinez Letters phoenicurus-types and four samamisicus- types at Bakhchysaray, and five phoenicurus- types and two samamisicus- types at Karadag. There was no evident habitat differentiation between territories of the two forms (at Bakhchysaray, I found a phoenicurus-type singing within 30 m of a samamisicus- type) and the songs were indistinguishable to my ear. Singing birds with a small wing-panel (thus classed as intermediate) were noted at both sites (three individuals at Bakhchysaray and two at Karadag) as well as at Simferopol (one individual). My observations suggest that the Common Redstart is widespread in suitable habitat in southern Crimea. Both subspecies occur, with nominate phoenicurus perhaps even more numerous than samamisicus. These findings appear to be new, or at least unreported in the existing literature. My observations suggest that the two subspecies are not separated by either habitat or song and that intergrades do occur in this region. A detailed analysis of plumage details in such a zone of hybridisation would be extremely interesting. The existence of such intergrade populations is certainly of interest to birders in western Europe, since intermediate birds would have to be considered when vagrant samamisicus- types are encountered. References Cramp, S. (ed.) 1 988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic.Voi 5. OUR Oxford. Glutz von Blotzheim, U. N. 1988. Handbuch der Vogel Mitteleuropas. Aula Verlag, Wiesbaden. Hagemeijen E. j. M„ & Blair; M.J. 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Poyser; London. Menzel, H. 1971. Der Gartenrotschwanz Phoenicurus phoenicurus. Neue Brehm Bucherei Nr. 438. A. Ziemsen Verlag, Wittenberg Lutherstadt. Small, B.J. 2009. The identification of male ‘Ehrenberg's Redstart', with comments on British claims. Brit. Birds 1 02: 84-97. Nicolas Martinez, Baumgartenweg 20, 4053 Basel, Switzerland Presumed ‘breWrostr/s’-type Common Chiffchaffs wintering in Jordan During a trip to Jordan in December 2009, I focused my attention on wintering Common Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita. The existing literature is unclear in terms of which subspecies occur in this part of the Middle East, but some references (e.g. Porter et al. 1996, Shirihai 1996) led me to examine the birds I encountered carefully. In Aqaba, on the Red Sea coast, most Chiffchaffs had collybita/ abietinus-\ike calls - ‘huitt’, sometimes slightly disyllabic - but one individual uttered a distinctive soft ‘swee’, recalling tristis. Although I saw it only very briefly, it looked more similar to abietinus than a tristis- type. During my week-long stay, 1 heard 56 different birds from Aqaba north to Amman. Of these, 41 (73%) uttered a ‘swee’ or sometimes slightly disyllabic ‘swee(u)’ call, while 15 gave the typical abiet- inus call ‘huitt’. The ‘swee’ call was distinctly different from most of the calls we hear in western Europe - and especially from the ‘sweeoo’ which is heard from abietinus and collybita, principally autumn juveniles. It was also slightly different from that of tristis, sometimes with a falling terminal ‘e’, which rendered a more plaintive call than that form’s. An attempt was made to record the call using a camera microphone but this was not successful (mainly because such micro- phones have a low-frequency response, gener- ally below 4 kElz, and this tends to introduce acoustic artefacts; Magnus Robb in lift.). Most of the Chiffchaffs were in Tamarix or Acacia bushes and were not easy to photo- graph, but after some good views I compiled the following description of those birds calling ‘swee/swee(u)’ (compared with collybita/ abietinus): • upperparts browner (when seen in shade) or greenish-brown (in stronger light), but clearly ‘darker’ than western birds; • underparts more yellowish on breast and flanks, the latter sometimes washed with buff; • supercilium yellowish-cream or tawny, always well marked, and bordered by a" blackish eye-stripe; • legs blackish-brown, sometimes clearly black; bill with black upper mandible and more often orange lower mandible tipped black. 406 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 405—407 Letters 229. Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita , presumably of race ‘brevirostris’, Jordan, December 2009. These birds seem clearly different from abietinus in terms of call and plumage. I did not see birds with a tristis- or ‘fulvescens’ -type (Lindholm 2008) plumage in Jordan, though some birds recalled Mountain Chiffchaff P. sindianus in both call and plumage. The latter has darker brown upperparts, less yellowish underparts and supercilium but some- times a very similar call (though generally more incisive and less plaintive). These ‘swee/swee(u)’ callers were in the majority between Aqaba and Petra/Wadi Dana, but it was almost exclusively this form that I encountered north of Wadi Dana. To me, these birds recalled those I had seen and heard in northwest Syria in April 2006, in an area where breeding Chiffchaffs probably belong to the poorly known taxon ‘ brevirostris ’ (Dubois & Duquet 2008). The birds seen in Jordan were a little browner than those seen in Syria, but at a dif- ferent time of year. During a winter trip to Iran in 2000, 1 encountered some birds with a similar appearance and call (sometimes a clearly disyllabic - ‘swee-hu’), which could be assigned to the form ‘ menzbieri ’ (probably close to ‘ brevirostris ’). The description of ‘brevirostris’ given in Porter et al. (1996) is correct, including the browner tinge on the upperparts and breast sides than abietinus, distinct supercilium and different call. Shirihai (1996) mentioned ‘ful- vescens’ as a winter visitor to Israel, this form being, in his opinion, intermediate between abietinus and tristis. But it is quite conceiv- able that these birds are similar to those win- tering in Jordan and that they may in fact be ‘brevirostris’. It is possible that birds breeding in eastern Turkey, northwest Syria and in some parts of the southern Caucasus winter south as far as Jordan (in decreasing numbers farther south) and, possibly, Israel, with a journey between breeding and wintering areas of up to 1,200 km. It is also possible that such birds reach Kuwait (some images on www.alsirhan.com/Birds/Chiffchaff_2.htm show birds similar in appearance to those I saw in Jordan). No differences in habitat preference were apparent between the two forms seen in Jordan; the two were seen side by side in orchards at Rhama (in the Araba Valley) and elsewhere. The fact that the two populations have clearly different calls points to a clear segregation and further research is needed to investigate to which other taxa ‘ brevirostris’ - types have closest affinities if they are not a good taxon in their own right. Such birds are probably not just a subtle variation of abietinus (as considered by Lars Svensson - see Dubois & Duquet 2008). Acknowledgments I am grateful to Alan Dean for his help in improving this letter with much useful information and opinion, and to Magnus Robb for analysing the sonogram and pointing out the difficulties of interpreting it, because of an inadequate frequency response. References Dubois, R J„ & Duquet, M. 2008. Further thoughts on Siberian Chiffchaffs. Brit. Birds 101:1 49- 1 50. Lindholm, A. 2008. Mixed song of Chiffchaffs in Northern Russia. Alula 1 4: 1 08- 1 1 5. Porter R. F„ Christensen, S„ & Schiermacker-Hansen, R 1 996. Field Guide to the Birds of the Middle East. Poyser London. Shirihai, FH. 1 996, The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London. Philippe /. Dubois, LPO, 104 rue Saint- Jean, 95300 Pontoise, France British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 405-T07 407 Philippe J. Dubois Richard Porter Notes Unusual display of the Grey Partridge As a result of the realignment of the River Glaven into Blakeney Harbour, north Norfolk, a large area of dried mud was created north of the Blakeney Freshes (fresh- water marsh). Here, in early June 2006, 17 pairs of Avocets Recurvirostra avosetta settled and had nests. While counting these and other birds at 10.30 hrs on 3rd June, I hap- pened across a bird that I could not for a second or two recognise. It was standing upright, somewhat reminiscent of an alert Dotterel Charadrius morinellus, except that its tail was raised and fanned creating an impression of a miniature displaying Caper- caillie Tetrao urogallus - or even an Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs. It was quickly apparent that it was, in fact, a male Grey Partridge Perdix perdix in a display posture that 1 had never seen or heard about before, and nearby was a female. The male, standing upright and alert, held his tail vertically and completely fanned in a half- circle; his wings were lowered (fig. la). He then pranced and dashed around in a frenzy, making frequent sallies at the female, which was crouching by a large lump of dried mud. She also started to make dashing and erratic movements, often running at the male, with lowered wings but never once raised or fanned her tail; the pair would then parade around each other. On several occasions while dashing at the female, the male lowered his head (fig. lb) and twice stood still and pointed his bill skywards, showing his horse- shoe breast pattern prominently (fig. lc). All the time, his tail was raised and fanned, and his wings lowered. The display lasted for about three minutes and may have continued longer had it not been for an Avocet chasing the partridges away. Despite all the studies made of the Grey Partridge, its ethology is not well known. Dick Potts (pers. comm.) considered my description of this display similar to the shoulder-spot display of grouse, which has been described for Grey Partridge but without mention of the tail being held raised and fanned (Carroll 1988). Jenkins (1961), in his treatise of the social behaviour of the Grey Partridge, attributes such posturing to pre-copulation display. (Certainly, courtship display would not be expected in early June.) However, neither Jenkins nor subsequent authors, for example Cramp & Simmons (1980) or McCabe & Hawkins (1946), have described the tail being held in the way observed or as occurs in many grouse species and some bustards. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dick Potts for helpful comments and Mike Wilson for searching the literature. References Carroll, J. R 1 988. The shoulder spot in Gray Partridge. Wilson Bull. 100 (4): 679-682. Cramp, S., & Simmons, K. E. L. 1 980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. OUR Oxford. Jenkins, D. 1961. Social behaviour in the Partridge Perdix perdix. Ibis 1 03a: 1 55- 1 88. McCabe, R. A., & Hawkins, A. S. 1 946. The Hungarian Partridge in Wisconsin. American Midland Naturalist 36 (I): 1-75. Fig. I. Sketches of Grey Partridge Perdix perdix display, Norfolk, June 2006. Richard Porter, Kings Head Cottage, Cley next the Sea, Norfolk NR25 7RX 408 © British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 408-412 Notes ‘Snowballing’ White-tailed Eagle On 11th January 2010, I watched an imma- ture White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla in west Lewis, Outer Hebrides. The bird repeat- edly gathered snow in its talons, as if making snowballs, then flew up into the air and ‘threw’ (launched) them. The bird was a tagged individual, white ‘Z’, having fledged on Lewis in 2007 (RSPB pers. comm.). It would seem unlikely that a bird of this age would be undertaking any kind of courtship behaviour, so it was presumably practising hunting - or simply enjoying its first snow! 230. ‘Snowballing’ White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Outer Hebrides, January 2010. Louise Scott, Grimersta, Lewis, Outer Hebrides Marsh Harrier hunting over water On 31st March 2005, in the Coto Donana, Spain, I watched a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus flapping slowly across open water and then hovering, c. 20 m off- shore. I noticed several Mallards Anas platyrhynchos on the surface, swimming away from the scene, and then a coot Fulica sp. (I was some 500 m away, watching through a telescope) that was panic diving repeatedly, directly below the harrier. The harrier followed the coot underwater, to be directly above it, and at a height of about 1 m, when the coot surfaced. After two minutes or so the harrier swooped, unsuc- cessfully, twice, but its third strike was suc- cessful and it held the coot below the surface, underneath its body. The harrier’s posture, as it rested on the water surface, resembled a loafing gull (Laridae) and this was main- tained for about five minutes, when there was no evidence of life below. The harrier then began to flap its wings, trying to lift the coot out of the water, but after several attempts, lasting about 30 seconds in total, it finally took off without its catch. Remarkably, the coot surfaced and started to swim away, whereupon the harrier promptly returned, caught the coot a second time and sat on the surface of the water, as before; the coot was again submerged, but this time with legs and feet protruding out of the water. Again, the harrier sat for some five minutes, with once more no sign of strug- gling. Then for a second time the harrier tried to lift the coot clear of the water, and failed. She finally let go of the coot and flew off out of view. To my amazement, the coot ‘came to life’ a second time and swam rapidly away, maintaining a distinctly low profile in the water. Keith Mudd, 9 Terns Street, Giggleswick, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 OBT Editorial comment Marsh Harriers hunting over water have been reported in BB before (see Brit. Birds 71: 589-590), but the detail of the attempt reported here, and particularly the harrier’s tactic of resting on the water above the prey, is of interest. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 408-412 409 Louise Scott Notes The use of nestboxes by Moorhens During the 2007 and 2008 breeding seasons, Moorhens Gallinula chloropus successfully raised offspring in a tunnel duck box on a floating raft on Manor Pool, Pinley Abbey Nature Reserve, Warwickshire. Manor Pool is a mature, spring-fed pond of about 750 m2. The raft measured 1.5 m x 1.2 m, including a plant trough around the perimeter with slots in the base to allow roots to penetrate and draw nutrients and water from the pond. Floating Moorhen nests often have ‘ramps’ to allow entry and exit without damaging the sides of the nest (Wood 1974) and two wooden ramps were fitted to the raft to provide access for young birds. The internal dimensions of the nestbox were 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm, with a 1-cm slot to allow sight of potential predators. An access tunnel (15 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm) screened the nest-site from corvids. It is not uncommon for Moorhens to nest on floating rafts (Anon 1975). Relton (1972) classified Moorhen nest- sites into six types, none of which were in cavities, and BWP supports those Findings. BTO nest record data also indicate that a boxed cavity is a highly unusual nesting place for Moorhens (David Glue pers. comm.). However, in some situations Moorhens are frequent users of nestboxes (notably at WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, where they use duck boxes to the extent that they can some- times become a nuisance; Baz Hughes in lift.). Such instances may be related to an unusually high density of Moorhens and a lack of more typical nest-sites. Over much of lowland farmland Britain, the use of such enclosed nesting cavities appears to be highly unusual. References Anon. 1 975. Wildfowl Management on Inland Waters. The Game Conservancy, Fordingbridge. Relton, J. 1 972. Breeding biology of Moorhens on Huntingdonshire farm ponds. Brit. Birds 65: 248-256. Wood, N. A. 1 974, The breeding behaviour and biology of the Moorhen. Brit Birds 67: 104—1 15, 137-158. Dr David Kings, The Abbey, Warwick Road, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 0HN Behaviour of Little Auks at sea in the breeding season In the second week of June 2009, I had the opportunity of watching the behaviour of Little Auks Alle alle at sea off the coast of Spitsbergen. BWP gives little information on breeding-season behaviour away from the colonies and Birkhead (1985) reported social behaviour at sea as being infrequent. These observations were made principally on 14th lune, in almost calm conditions at the southern limit of the sea ice, c. 20 km north of the northwest corner of Spitsbergen. Observations were made from a boat deck some 8 m above sea level; with the vessel travelling very slowly, Little Auks often remained on the surface when they were as close as 20-30 m. The following types of behaviour were noted: two birds would follow each other in flight in switchback chases lasting perhaps a minute or so; a group of two or three birds would apparently peck at the surface of the sea and then dive almost simultaneously, chasing each other underwater (the water was clear enough to see their progress beneath the surface); tight-packed groups of ten or so would mill about together on the surface, showing evident signs of excitement - sometimes the birds would take off together and circle round giving loud trilling calls, followed by a lower-pitched ‘ga-ga-ga- ga’; and on one occasion a group of four on the water chased and lunged at one another, followed by underwater chasing - when they surfaced they repeated the behaviour. These activities were seen around the middle of the day but became much more frequent in the evening from about 20.00 hrs onwards, when the birds seemed much more excited. Many thousands were present at west-coast colonies on subsequent days, but if the birds observed at sea were breeders, it is' unlikely that they had eggs {BWP reports egg-laying from mid June and Lovenskiold (1964) gave 18th June as the earliest egg-date from the west coast of Spitsbergen). Given the limited nature of my observations and 410 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 - 408-4 1 2 Notes the unknown breeding status of the birds involved, these behaviours must be inter- preted cautiously, but they had every appear- ance of being linked to courtship or other aspects of breeding behaviour. Most have apparent analogies with the description in BWP of behaviour at the colony, on land or overhead, though there is obviously no direct parallel with the underwater chases. The trilling call matches the ‘song’ described in BWP, but although this also refers to several lower-pitched calls, the circumstances in which these are reported to be given do not match that described above. References Birkhead,T- R. 1985. In: Nettleship, D. N., & Birkhead, T R. (eds.), The Atlantic Alcidae. Academic Press, London. Lovenskiold, H. L. 1 964. Avifauna Svalbardensis. Norsk Polarinstitutt, Oslo. Peter Oliver, The Briar Patch, Trevereux Hill, Oxted, Surrey RH8 OTL Nest excavation by Wryneck Trawling through old notebooks recently, I discovered the following observations. On 15th May 1949, I heard tapping from an irregular hole in the bark of a decayed willow Salix at West Stow sewage-farm, Suffolk. In due course, a Wryneck Jynx torquilla emerged with a beak full of chips of wood; there were many chips below the tree. On 1st June the Wryneck had been displaced by Tree Spar- rows Passer montanus but loose chips were noticed outside a hole in a neighbouring willow, and the Wryneck flushed from the hole. The hole was examined with a mirror on 7th June, and contained about nine eggs. It appeared new and was 15-20 cm deep, smooth-walled and with a floor of new chips. Its entrance, about 4 cm in diameter, was pierced in the side of an existing crevice in a branch, and I had not noticed it previously. A previous note (Brit. Birds 18: 317), describes a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Den- drocopos minor and a Wryneck nesting in the same tree, in Sussex. In this case, the Wryneck enlarged a natural cavity. While there is no mention of this behaviour in BWP, in the Additions and Corrections to The Handbook (Vol. 5, p. 271) it is stated that the ‘hole [is] occasionally enlarged or even made wholly by bird if wood soft’. Dr W. R. P. Bourne, Ardgath, Station Road, Dufftown AB55 4AX; e-mail wrpbourne@yahoo.co.uk Black Woodpecker excavating a In November 2009, I observed a male Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius excavating a cavity. Over a period of several days, the bird excavated the hole in a Beech Fagus sylvatica tree in the Buda Hills, Hungary. In Europe, Black Woodpeckers typically excavate cavities in the pre-breeding season, in March and April. This autumn cavity was clearly intended as a roost site and, indeed, on one cavity in autumn occasion I observed the woodpecker entering the cavity before dusk. Although former nesting cavities are often used as night roosts by Black Woodpeckers, the species will also create a specific cavity to roost in, but these are normally excavated in spring. In more than 20 years of observing Black Wood- peckers, I have previously never observed the species excavating such a cavity in autumn. Gerard Gorman, Budapest 1511, Pf: 4, Hungary; e-mail: gerard@probirder.com Common Stonechats feeding through a hole in the ice On 6th January 2010, at Brockholes Nature Reserve (a former gravel workings, currently under development by Lancashire Wildlife Trust), I watched two Common Stonechats Saxicola torquatus (a male and a female) for about one and a half hours feeding through an ice hole in a small lake (plate 231). This enterprising foraging method was successful; 41 I British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 408-4 1 2 Brian Rafferty Notes 231. Male Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus retrieving prey item through a hole in the ice, Lancashire, January 2010. the prey items secured during the observa- were identified as Common Backswimmers tion period tallied ten in total (seven by the Notonecta glauca. male, three by the female). The prey items Brian Rafferty, 166 Ribbleton Avenue, Ribbleton, Preston, Lancashire PR2 6DB Editorial comment Although observations of a Common Stonechat taking prey items from water has been recorded before in BB (see Brit. Birds 71: 313-314), the use of a hole in the ice in this way, in true Eskimo fashion, is an opportunistic and interesting development! 412 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 * 408-4 1 2 Reviews Bird Migration Bird Migration By Ian Newton Collins New Naturalist 1 13 400pp, colour photos, maps, drawings Hbk, ISBN 978-0-00-730731-9 Subbuteo code M20524 £50.00 BB Bookshop price £40.00 Pbk, ISBN 978-0-00-730732-6 Subbuteo code M20527 £30.00 BB Bookshop price £24.00 Ian Newton is one of the most prolific ornithologists of the last 40 years and his fifth book The Migration Ecology of Birds (hereafter MEB ) deservedly won the BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year in 2008 (not the first time one of his books has been awarded that accolade). He has fol- lowed up this triumph with his second tome in the New Naturalist series, a treatise on migration that he presents as an abridged and updated version of MEB , albeit with a greater emphasis on Britain & Ireland and ostensibly directed towards a less aca- demic readership. The 25 chapters cover both pattern and process in a similar order to MEB. The book begins with an introduction to the different types of migratory movements, the methods used to investigate them, and the principal migration patterns around Britain & Ireland. There follow reviews on more process-based topics dealing with physiology, timing, navigation and the impact of weather, before the latter stages of the book discuss the evolution (past and current) of migratory behaviour, finishing with a discussion of the bio- geographical and ecological aspects of bird move- ments. The book is enlivened by over 200 images of varying quality, some of which are compro- mised by captioning errors (fig. 26 incorrectly states that White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons of ssp. albifrons have orange rather than pink bills and fig. 45 illustrates a Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla rather than a Common Gull Larus canus as cap- tioned), at least some of which I am led to believe are down to errors introduced in the publishing process. Staying on top of the literature in such a big field is no mean feat and some of the papers highlighted were way off my radar; for instance, a Spanish study has revealed age differences in autumn fattening and hence migratory strategy in Savi’s Warblers Locustella luscinioides, with adults being ‘long jumpers’ whilst juveniles migrate in ‘short hops’ to their tropical wintering areas. My knowledge of physiology is pretty rusty so it was a pleasure to review all the material on magneto- reception and cue-conflict experiments that have driven our understanding of how birds find their way. Any would-be student of migration ecology will find that Ian regularly highlights where the gaps in our understanding lie and which direction our future research efforts should take. Given my own interests in avian vagrancy, I’m perhaps better qualified to review the accuracy of the ample chapter on vagrancy than the remaining chapters. This is essentially an abridged account of the text from MEB but nonetheless does the field justice with a fairly thorough review of the evi- dence and competing theories constructed to explain the observed patterns of distribution. A minor niggle is the confusion of the status of some rarer species; for instance, the listing of Bluethroats Luscinia svecica (along with Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe, Common Redstarts Phoenicurus phoenicurus and Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca ) as a key component of east- coast falls is out of step with that species’ current rarity along much of the east coast. Elsewhere, the retraction of the genetic diagnosis of ‘Brown’ for the infamous British ‘southern skuas’ was missed and there are no rather than ‘numerous’ spring records of Masked Shrike Lanins nubicus from Fennoscandia. That there are now two British autumn records of Masked Shrike (in comparison with one each from Finland and Sweden and two from Norway) undermines the utility of the ‘reverse migration shadow’ mechanism initially postulated to explain that species’ absence from Britain & Ireland. Given the British and Irish focus in this volume, it is a shame that there are not one or more chapters summarising some of the regional patterns in bird migration, treating flyways such as the Wash-Severn route or compar- isons of pelagic seabird distributions between the North Sea and the Atlantic. These minor gripes The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 1 03 • July 20 1 0 • 4 1 3—4 1 6 413 Reviews aside, this book is still a spectacular triumph. Ian’s enviable talent for condensing centuries of research into a relatively terse package that reads like the works of the very best popular science authors should earn this volume its place on the bookshelf of every birder who has ever stopped to ponder the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of avian migration. Alexander C. Lees Birding Ethiopia: a guide to the country’s birding sites By Ken Behrens, Keith Barnes and Christian Boix Lynx Editions, 2010 Pbk, 190pp, colour photographs and many maps ISBN 978-84-96553-55-2 Subbuteo code M20547 £24.99 BB Bookshop price £22.49 It was 25 years ago this month that the world’s attention turned to Ethiopia, thanks to Bob Geldof and his Live Aid concerts for famine relief. Abiding images of a dusty land and starving people persist in the popular imagination but travelling birders know better. Ethiopia is a diverse country in the Horn of Africa where habitats range from Afro-alpine moorlands at 4,500 m, to the lowest point on the planet, the scorching Danakil Depression in the Rift Valley at 1 50 m below sea level, via Rift Valley lakes, temperate highlands and acacia savannah. Ethiopia offers a comprehensive African birding experience with an array of endemic birds such as the curious Stresemann’s Bush-crow Zavattariornis stresemanni, the fabulous Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco Tauraco ruspolii and the mythical Nechisar Nightjar Caprimulgus solala. The endangered endemics of southern Ethiopia will justifiably receive far greater prominence as the subject of next month’s Birdfair at Rutland Water, but world birders have been seeking them out for more than 20 years. Until now there has been no site guide to aid them in their quest. But, like the proverbial buses, you wait 20 years for a decent site guide and then two come along at once! The first comes from Lynx Edicions, publishers of the awesome HBW. Its authors are a trio of South African birders who lead tours for Tropical Birding. It seems curious that a bird-tour company would give away so much ‘gen’ - almost like killing the (Blue-winged) Goose Cyanochen cyanoptera that laid the golden eggs - but they have gener- ously provided itineraries for 26 sites in Ethiopia. The fact that bird-tour companies have been vis- iting Ethiopia for more than two decades means that an established ‘circuit’ has developed for a three-week tour. Between November and March, when the resident avifauna is swollen by Palearctic migrants, it’s possible to see 500 species in three weeks. The Horn of Africa holds approximately 60 endemics, many of them out of reach in lawless Somalia, but a haul of nearly 40 endemics on an Ethiopia tour is possible, including almost all of the 15 species restricted to Ethiopia alone. Birding Ethiopia is divided into three principal sections: the North-west, the Great Rift Valley and the South. The preceding Introduction includes useful information for planning your trip plus sec- tions on biogeography, conservation and tax- onomy. But How to Use This Book is the section that contains the key information once birders are on the ground. The North-west section includes 1 1 sites, starting in the capital, Addis Ababa, and stretching up to the historic site of Lalibela in the far north. The Great Rift Valley section encompasses seven sites, from the arid Afar Plains and Awash National Park to the Rift Valley lakes and south to the remote Nechisar National Park. The South section (eight sites) takes you from the Bale Mountains through Ruspoli’s Country to Yabello. Each site entry lists Key Species, Other Species of Interest, Habitat, Birding, Time (very useful for those on tight deadlines) and Directions. The directions are detailed and make frequent use of GPS co-ordi- nates and/or distances between fixed points. There are also neat annotated maps for every location. The location accounts are liberally sprinkled with excellent photos of the key species and habitats. Some of these, such as that of the stunning Rosy- patched Bush-shrike Rhodophoneus cruentus , are given full-page treatment. Following the site guide there are a further 26 pages of Speciality Birds (endemics and more widespread species that are difficult to see SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 414 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 413^416 Reviews elsewhere in Africa) to remind you what your target birds should be. The book concludes with an Index of Species, which would make a handy checklist for your trip. Birding Ethiopia is an attractively packaged, near-pocket-size book that will prove very useful to birders visiting this wonderful country. My only caveat is the Americanised spellings of bird names, but that’s a minor quibble. And the final test of the authors’ selfless intentions? Detailed directions to Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco with GPS co-ordinates for one of its favourite fig trees! Pack up your Land Cruiser and get going. Adrian Pitches Where to Watch Birds in Ethiopia By Claire Spottiswoode, Merid Nega Gabremichael and Julian Francis Christopher Helm, 2010 Pbk, 192pp, colour photographs and many maps ISBN 978-1408-1-3075-9 Subbuteo code M20671 £19.99 BB Bookshop price £17.99 This guide is from the familiar Helm stable of Where to Watch Birds guides, which is now expanding beyond Britain and Europe to more far-flung destinations. The three authors all have impeccable pedigrees as experts on Ethiopian birding, including Ethiopia’s foremost field birder, Merid Gabremichael. Their deep knowledge and, indeed, deep affection for the country is apparent on every page. And the level of detail is consequently superior to Birding Ethiopia. The Introduction contains more background to Ethiopia’s habitats and their birds than the other book and Planning a Trip includes useful pointers on vehicle hire, food and books and maps. There are also contact numbers for hotels on the stan- dard circuit. Both books stress that safety is an issue in outlying areas of Ethiopia. Approaching the Somali border in search of one more endemic is not necessarily a good idea. In the Aims and Scope of their book, the authors state: ‘We have taken a pragmatic approach of largely concen- trating on sites that are practical to visit in a rela- tively short visit to the country, and cover the majority of the region’s most sought-after species.’ Having said that, WTWB in Ethiopia contains twice as many site entries as Birding Ethiopia, which is achieved by subdividing the country into eight areas. The bulk of the book is taken up by the Top Fifty Sites, commencing in Addis and its sur- rounds (eight sites) followed by the North-Central Highlands (five), the Awash Region (six), the Central Rift Valley (eight), the Bale Mountains and Beyond (five), the Southern Lowlands (ten), the South-west (five) and the North (three). Each regional section opens with a list of locali- ties and a map with the numbered localities pin- pointed. Each locality then has its own detailed map with more numbering of particular land- marks. The authors also use GPS co-ordinates to assist further - but the co-ordinates are not on the requisite page, but clumped together in an appendix; I imagine this could prove rather frus- trating in the field. Each site entry contains a description of the site, the key birds, access and what to find where as you bird the area. The text is broken up with numerous photos of the locations and speciality birds; helpfully, all birds mentioned in the text are highlighted in bold so scanning the page for the desired information is made easier. There are many stunning photographs, including the only known photo of Little Brown Bustard Eupodotis humilis, which lurks in far- eastern Ethiopia and Somalia. The Top Fifty Birds section is a photo gallery of Ethiopian endemics and other special birds such as Arabian Bustard Ardeotis arabs that make Ethiopia such a magnet for birders. (And, yes, it does include the single wing of the roadkill Nechisar Nightjar that was recovered in 1990 - the only photographic evi- dence of this enigmatic species.) After the recent publication of the first field guide to the region ( Birds of the Horn of Africa, Redman et al. Helm, 2009) and a regional atlas ( The Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea, Ash & Atkins, Helm, 2009), those wishing to visit Ethiopia are also now very well served with not one but two site guides. For a more detailed guide to the country’s birding localities - including the tantalising prospect of new discoveries along the Sudanese border in the far south-west - then I would recom- mend Spottiswoode et al. But Behrens et al is SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports T-N British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 • 41 3-4 1 6 415 Reviews arguably more user-friendly if you want a handy guide for your backpack. The ideal solution is to take both as they complement each other - and both books are packed with magnificent photos of the very special birds that make Ethiopia such a must-visit destination. Adrian Pitches A BIRDWATCHERS GUIDE TO CUBA, JAMAICA, HISPANIOLA, PUERTO RICO & THE CAYMANS Gup^lrWan. Arturo Klrkconndl & Miftt&cg A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans By Guy Kirwan, Arturo Kirkconnell and Mike Flieg Prion, 2010 Pbk, 198pp, many maps and line-drawings ISBN 978-1-871104-12-7 Subbuteo code M20672 £16.99 BB Bookshop price £1 1.00 Collectively, the Greater Antilles possess over 100 endemics, most of which are confined to just a single island. Of particular interest to students of avian biodiversity are the two endemic families: Todies (Todidae) and Palmchat Dulus dominicus. This well- produced and competitively priced book will tell you where and how to find them all, as well as many of the region’s other birds. Naturally, being one of a series of birdwatchers’ guides, this follows the successful format of earlier volumes. Thus there are introductory chapters on pre-tour and travel information, staying in the Greater Antilles, climate and clothing, general health and safety, books and maps and when to go. These are fortunately brief, answering most of the essential questions a traveller new to the region might ask. The bulk of the book is devoted to the best birding sites on the islands. The major sites have sections on location, strategy and birds, while accommodation and other wildlife are covered where necessary. Many have large, clearly drawn and very helpful maps. Cuba is exceptionally well covered, not surprising given that one of the authors is Cuban and the other two have visited many times. Cuba has 48 sites covered in 48 pages, compared with 10 in 22 for the Dominican Republic, 12 in 20 for Puerto Rico and just 6 in 1 1 for Jamaica. This is not to say that the other islands are anything other than well covered; it is as much a reflection of geography and accessibility of habitat as anything else. Between them these sites hold just about all of the islands’ endemic or sought-after birds, along with sufficient informa- tion on finding them. The selected species accounts that follow allow for easy cross-reference to the above sites. These are especially helpful for harder-to-find species and in planning any visit. Finally, there is a com- prehensive island-by-island checklist of all species. In these guides, Prion has found a winning formula and by sticking to the format developed in previous volumes has again come up trumps. This is an exceedingly thorough and well-researched guide, reflecting well the authors’ knowledge of and experience in the islands. The few errors are typographical and in no way detract from its use- fulness. Despite trumpeting the fact that they have all seen Cuban Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis levis, they are very vague as to where one might find it. All the other specialities of the region should be findable with the help of this book. It is essential for anyone visiting the region. Richard Schofield ALSO RECEIVED: Birds of Britain & Northern Europe By Peter Goodfellow and Paul Sterry Beaufoy Books, 2010 Pbk, 160pp; many colour photographs An easy-to-use and nicely illustrated identification guide to 280 common species. ISBN 978-1-906780-12-8 Subbuteo code M20674 £9.99 BB Bookshop price £8.99 SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 416 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 • 41 3—4 1 6 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Purple Herons nest in Britain for the first time Following Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis and Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leu- corodia, the latest southern heron to breed in Britain is Purple Heron Ardea purpurea. The RSPB confirmed in May that a pair was nesting at the RSPB Dungeness reserve in Kent, a site now threatened by the proposed expansion of Lydd Airport. Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conser- vation, said: ‘Purple Herons are high up on the list of birds that we expect to see setting up home in southern Britain as the changing climate pushes them farther north. This highlights the importance of wildlife havens like Dungeness in providing space for species dis- placed by global warming.’ The timely arrival of the Purple Herons has underlined the impor- tance of Dungeness as the RSPB gears up for yet another airport battle in Kent (remember the ‘No Airport at Cliffe’ campaign?). The Society is calling on the new coali- tion government to call in the planning applications for proposed expansion at Lydd Airport. The local authority, Shepway District Council, controversially consented to the applications in the face of a Extinction of Alaotra Grebe Much like the announcement of a death in the family, BirdLife has pronounced the extinction of the Madagascan endemic Alaotra Grebe Tachy- baptus rufolavatus in the 2010 update to the IUCN Red List. Restricted to a tiny area of east Madagascar, this species declined rapidly after carnivorous fish were introduced to the lakes in which it lived. This, along with the use of nylon gill-nets by fishermen, which caught and drowned birds, has driven this species into the abyss. ‘No hope now remains for this species. It is another example of how human actions can have unforeseen consequences,’ said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife International’s Director of Science, Policy and Information. ‘Invasive alien species have recommendation to refuse, on environmental grounds, by the council’s own planning officers. More than 10,000 representations have been made to the Government Office of the South East to ensure that this decision is scrutinised at a full public inquiry. Meanwhile, the sweepstake is now open for the next long-legged colonist. Great White Egret A. alba seems a good bet. caused extinctions around the globe and remain one of the major threats to birds and other biodi- versity.’ Another wetland species suffering from the impacts of introduced aliens is Zapata Rail Cyano- limnas cerverai from Cuba. It has been uplisted to Critically Endangered and is under threat from introduced mongooses (Herpestidae) and exotic catfish (Siluriformes). The only nest ever found of this extremely secretive, marsh-dwelling species was described by James Bond, the Caribbean ornithologist whose name famously provided the author Ian Fleming with his name for 007. In Asia and Australia, numbers of once- common wader species such as the Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Far Eastern Curlew Nume- © British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 417-420 417 Adrian Kettle News and comment tiius madagascariensis are declining rapidly as a result of drainage and pollution of coastal wet- lands. The destruction of intertidal mudflats at Saemangeum in South Korea, an important migra- tory stopover site, correlated to a 20% decline in the world population of Great Knots. However, the Red List update shows that we now know that conservation works. The Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina has been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered as a result of conservation work to restore natural veg- etation on its island home. SPEA (BirdLife in Por- tugal) and the RSPB have worked together with others to turn around the fortunes of this species in what is a model for other projects. ‘This is a clear example of conservation action succeeding in turning the tide for a highly threatened species,’ said Andy Symes, BirdLife’s Global Species Pro- gramme Officer. ‘Where there is commitment and financing we can save species. We have the knowl- edge and will, but there needs to be better funding globally to address the loss of species.’ In Colombia, Yellow-eared Parrot Ognorhynchus icterotis has also been the beneficiary of conservation, through work by Fundacion ProAves. Protection of its nest-sites and education programmes in local communities telling people about its uniqueness have led to a steady increase in numbers, resulting in down- listing to Endangered. Is the Cuckoo clocking in too late? During the last 25 years the number of breeding Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus in the UK has dropped by two-thirds. Could climate-induced changes that allow birds like the Dunnock Prunella modularis and the Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis to nest up to a week earlier than they did in 1994 mean that the Cuckoo is arriving back in the UK too late to lay eggs in their nests? The latest research from the BTO, just published in the journal Oikos (see www3. interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/ 1 23439750/PDFSTART), examines whether there have been changes in the abundance or timing of breeding of the Cuckoo’s top four host species in the UK (which also includes Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba and Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus). Since the early 1980s, Cuckoo numbers have dropped by 65%. The reason for this decline is not known, but it has been suggested that declines in its hosts, or climate- induced shifts in the timing of breeding of its hosts, could have reduced the number of nests that are available for Cuckoos to parasitise. Of the four key host species, Meadow Pipit is the only one to have declined during the period examined (1994-2007). While there was a relationship between declining Meadow Pipits and Cuckoos, this accounts for only about 1% of the observed Cuckoo decline. However, during this same period, Dunnocks, Pied Wagtails and Reed Warblers have shifted their breeding forward by about 5-6 days. Considering the timing of arrival of Cuckoos, the nests of both Dunnocks and Pied Wagtails are likely to have National Exhibition of Wildlife Art The 16th annual National Exhibition of Wildlife Art (NEWA; www.newa-uk.com) opens its doors to the public on Friday, 16th July this summer. Up to 400 drawings, paintings and sculptures will go become less available to Cuckoos as a result of the shift, but nests of the later-breeding Reed Warbler are more available. However, the lack of a relation- ship between shifts in Dunnocks and Pied Wagtails and Cuckoo abundance in the following year also does not explain Cuckoo declines, and earlier breeding Reed Warblers may benefit Cuckoos as more nests will be available - clearly the problem lies elsewhere. Stuart Newson, Senior Research Ecologist at the BTO, said: ‘Host availability does not appear to be a major driver of Cuckoo declines, so we are left with a smaller number of possible explanations. Given Cuckoo breeding ecology and migration strategy, these include reduced prey (mainly cater- pillars) availability during the breeding season or deterioration of conditions along migration routes or on overwintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. These should be the focus of future work into the decline of this charismatic species.’ Cuckoos which breed in Britain during the summer overwinter in West Africa, where increasing agriculture and forest clearance are causing significant land- use changes and loss of habitat. These regional changes reflect a growing global demand for food, timber and bioenergy. BTO’s long-term research partner, JNCC, is inves- tigating the effects of such drivers on global ecosystems and their impacts on local biodiversity, including migratory species which visit Britain. For more information on the BTO’s research on migrant birds in West Africa, visit www.bto.org/appeals/out_of__africa_appeal.htm on display at the Gotdale Garden Centre at Burton, on the Wirral peninsula. The exhibition is open until 1st August and admission is free. 418 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 417—420 News and comment Socotra Buzzard After spending more than a century without a name, the Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis has at last been named officially, in a paper published in the June issue of Bull. BOC by Richard Porter and Guy Kirwan (Studies of Socotran Birds VI: the taxonomic status of the Socotra Buzzard). Like all other members of the B. buteo superspecies, it is poorly differentiated genetically from most Old World buzzards, but it is closest to B. (b.) banner- mani of the Cape Verde Islands and the compara- tively widespread Long-legged Buzzard B. rufmus of the southern Palearctic. As well as discussing taxonomy, the authors describe its breeding biology, diet and conservation prospects - the taxon should probably be ranked as Vulnerable according to IUCN criteria. This brings the number of Socotran endemics to ten. 233. Adult or subadult Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis , Socotra, February 2006. Postcard from Iraq ‘Wednesday 2nd June and the fifth day of Nature Iraq’s bird conservation programme for Iraqi biol- ogists. Hot, with a noon temperature of 38°C. We’re clambering on rocky slopes leading up to magnificent cliffs that look down on the ancient city of Sulimaniyah, some 10 km to the west. Walking the wooded mountain slopes, high crags and river valleys in Kurdistan in spring is an uplifting experience. Even more rewarding is being a part of Nature Iraq’s team surveying Important Bird Areas and, this week, training new recruits in the world of wildlife conservation. ‘So we are ten men and one woman shoul- dering binoculars, telescopes and cameras. In a country like Iraq you would think this would make us seem highly suspicious, yet in my two visits I’ve always felt totally safe and welcome. Middle East hospitality is second to none. We’ve just completed a transect count of the breeding passerines and are now scanning the cliffs for breeding raptors - two pairs of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus and ‘Steppe Buzzards’ Buteo buteo vulpinus and one pair of Long-legged Buzzards and Barbary Falcons Falco pelegrinoides. ‘In Kurdistan you could almost describe the Globally Threatened Egyptian Vulture as common (we’ve found 22 pairs at eight sites in three weeks), Lesser Kestrels F. naumanni are breeding widely and the Near Threatened Cinereous Bunting Emberiza cineracea sings from many an oak tree. A typical mix of breeding birds would be Black- headed Buntings E. melanocephala, Menetries’s Sylvia mystacea, Upcher’s Flippolais languida and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers H. pallida, Woodchat Lanins senator and Masked Shrikes L. nubicus, Black-eared Oenanthe hispanica and Finsch’s Wheatears O. fmschii, Eastern Sitta tephronota and Western Rock Nuthatches S. neumayer, Syrian Woodpeckers Dendrocopos syriacus, White- throated Robins Irania gutturalis. Rufous Bush Robins Cercotrichas galactotes and Sombre Tits Poecile lugubris. And it is rare to be out of sight of any large raptor, including Short-toed Circaetus gallicus and Booted Eagles Aquila pennata or British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 417-420 419 Richard Porter News and comment Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus. ‘By late May and early June, much of the migration is over but Lesser Grey Shrikes L. minor and European Rollers Coracias garrulus are still passing through, and were those migrant Sedge Warblers Acrocephalus schoenobaenus in Phrag- mites and Typha along a tributary of the Tigris - or a new breeding species for Iraq? A Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus singing at night in the neon lights of a fashionable Sulimaniyah Restaurant was unexpected. ‘With me are Iraq’s leading ornithologists: Korsh Ararat, Omar Fadhil and Mudhafar Salim. Since 2005, when Nature Iraq’s programme started, they have surveyed over 220 sites (many qualifying as Important Bird Areas) and are now preparing a provisional list of Protected Areas for the Ministry of the Environment. Oh yes - and added six bird species to Iraq’s list!’ (A recent entry by Richard Porter from the BirdLife Community: www.birdlife.org/communityJ Starling carnage ‘The recent item in N&c, “Starlings crash to their deaths” (Brit. Birds 103: 311-312) reminded me of a similar incident sometime in the early 1980s. I was driving with my family in the early evening through Waddock Cross, Dorset, where there was a flock of several hundred Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris starting their evening display. There was only one other vehicle on the road, another car travelling north (as we were), about 100 m ahead. ‘Completely without warning, the Starling flock swooped down to road level and flew straight into the front of this car; many scattered, but approximately 200 were killed or severely injured, leaving the front of the car covered in blood, corpses and feathers. Needless to say, the two elderly occupants of the car were severely upset by this. (Another motorist soon stopped to assist and was delighted to collect as many corpses as he could to take home to feed to his ferrets.) There was no apparent reason for this behaviour by these birds.’ ( Contributed by Gordon Hopkins) BB authors donate fees to charity The authors of last month’s ‘From the Rarities Committee’s files’ paper on Siberian Chiffchaffs (Brit. Birds 103: 320-338) have requested that the fees for their paper be donated to charity. Like the authors of the Amur Wagtail paper in June, they chose to support Vaila’s Fund (www. vailasfund.co.uk), which was set up in memory of Vaila Harvey, daughter of former BBRC member Paul Harvey. Modest fees are paid to contributors to BB for the text of main papers, plus all artwork and photos used. It is great to see some of it being donated to charity and BB is delighted to publicise these instances, particularly when smaller charities might benefit from a little extra publicity. Killdeers breed on the Azores The latest Nearctic shorebird to breed on this side of the Atlantic appears to be the Killdeer Charadrius vociferus. Alan Vittery - who has relo- cated from Highland Scotland to the Azores — reports seeing two young birds in May. He told N&c: ‘I was checking some rapidly receding pools south of the airport on 29th May and found yet another Killdeer (the fifth of the winter/spring). While I was photographing it, two well-grown juveniles came into view! There were two adults together in late March, which must have bred soon after (as I believe they do in the southern USA).’ BB Bird Photograph of the Year, sponsored by Warehouse Express Judging of the 34th BB Bird Photograph of the Year competition is now complete. The final short- list was another stunning kaleidoscope of photo- graphic talent and will be showcased in the next issue of BB. Don’t forget to visit our stand at the Birdfair next month, on 20th-22nd August; as usual, we’re in Marquee 3, stands 24/25. o on photography express 420 British Birds 1 03 • July 2010 • 41 7-^420 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early May to early June 2010. Headlines Rarities arrived from all direc- tions during a sparkling spring period. Among the North American landbirds were four White-throated Sparrows at widely scattered locations, a Dark-eyed Junco in Kent, a Brown-headed Cowbird in County Durham and a much-debated House Finch in Cornwall. From the east came an Ori- ental Pratincole in Lincolnshire, a Brown Shrike in Cornwall and a Collared Fly- catcher in the Outer Hebrides, while from southern Europe (and even farther south) came a Trumpeter Finch to Norfolk, a Marmora’s Warbler to Gwent, a Booted Eagle to Hampshire, a Black-eared Wheatear to Co. Wexford, four ‘new’ Iberian Chiffchaffs, good numbers of European Bee- eaters, including a flock of I I on Scilly, and parties of two and five Black-winged Stilts to the east coast.There was also an impres- sive scatter of ‘southern’ herons. Black Kites and Red-footed Falcons, the last performing particularly well in Ireland. 234. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus , Wilstone Resr, Hertfordshire, May 2010. American Wigeon Anas americana Lewis (Outer Hebrides), two, 8th— 1 5th May. Blue- winged Teal Anas discors Pepper Arden Lake (Yorkshire), long-stayer to 6th May; Groby Pool (Leicestershire & Rutland), 26th May; Paxton Pits (Cambridgeshire), 27th-28th May. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Sand- wick (Shetland), 8th— 16th May; Ythan Estuary (North-east Scotland), 12th May to 6th June; Westray (Orkney), 21st May. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica Finvarra (Co. Clare), long-stayer to 23rd May. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Deerness (Orkney), 13th May; North Uist (Outer Hebrides), 17th May; Loch of Strathbeg (North-east Scot- land), 25th May; Unst (Shetland), 31st May; Holy Island (Northumberland), 2nd June. Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris Flamborough Head (Yorkshire), 26th May. North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffinus baroli One was heard calling from the Manx Shearwater P. puffinus colony on Lundy on 7th June. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Ham Wall/ Walton Heath (Somerset), 25th May to 1st June. Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Dun- geness (Kent), 26th-27th May. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Par (Cornwall), 22nd-24th May. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Cambridgeshire, Car- marthenshire, Co. Cork, Dorset, Essex, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Norfolk, North-east Scotland, Orkney, Pembrokeshire, Suffolk, Sussex and Co. Wexford. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Dungeness, a breeding pair present (see p. 417), with sightings to at least 6th June; Brew Pool (Cornwall), 9th May; Patrington Haven (Yorkshire), 15th May, two on 16th and one to 20th May; Tophill Low (Yorkshire), 1 5th— 16th May; Grove Ferry (Kent), 16th May; Minsmere (Suffolk), 16th and 25th May to 1st June; Sandwich Bay (Kent), 20th May; Helpston (Cambridgeshire), 21st May; North Warren (Suffolk), two, 22nd May; Pulborough Brooks (Sussex), 23rd May; St Mary’s (Scilly), © British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 42IM24 421 Steve Young/ Bird watch Graham Catley Recent reports 235. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum, Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, May 20 1 0. 23rd May; Stodmarsh (Kent), 23rd May; King’s Fleet (Suffolk), 27th May; between Stalham and Wayford (Norfolk), 3rd June; Slimbridge (Gloucestershire), 5th June. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Findhorn Valley (Moray & Nairn), 8th May; Loch Shin (Highland), 13th May; North Uist, 18th and 22nd-24th May, also Harris, 18th May and South Uist (all Outer Hebrides), 25th May; Hackforth (Yorkshire), 23rd May; Deepdale Wood (County Durham), 27th-28th May; Skye (Highland), 31st May; Unst, 2nd-6th June. Black Kite Milvus migrans Lydd (Kent), 8th May; Kelling (Norfolk), 17th May; Loch of Strathbeg, 19th May; Voe (Shetland), 19th May; St Austell, 20th May, Nan- quidno, 22nd May, St Buryan, Sennen, Polgigga, all 23rd May, St Just, 25th May, Heligan Gardens, Sticker and Bodmin, all 26th May, Lizard (all Cornwall), 27th May - perhaps one or two individuals involved; Connah’s Quay (Flintshire), 21st May; Marshchapel (Lincoln- shire), 23rd May; Culter (North-east Scotland), 23rd May; Birdham (Sussex), 25th May; Sarisbury Green (Hampshire), 25th May; Whitchurch (Somerset), 26th May; Skye, 30th May; Dalmally (Argyll), 31st May; Fame Islands, 1st June, Budle Bay, 4th June and Rennington (all Northumberland), 5th June, perhaps all the same; Baydon (Wiltshire), 6th June. Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Portsdown Hill, then Longparish (both Hampshire), 5th June. Red-footed Falcon Faico vespertinus Penicuik (Lothian), 22nd May; Winterton (Norfolk), 25th May; Wil- stone Resr (Hertfordshire), 26th May to 2nd June, with two 27th and 30th May; Timahoe West (Co. Kildare), 26th-30th May; St Just, 27th May; Tacumshin Lake (Co. Wexford), three, 27th May, four on 28th and one to 1st June; Breydon Water (Norfolk), two, 28th May; Dungeness, 30th May to 5th June; Ouse Fen (Cambridgeshire), 1 st— 6th June; York (Yorkshire), 5th June. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Frampton Marsh (Lincoln- shire), two, 29th May; Titch- well (Norfolk), five, 5th-6th June. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Sandwell Valley (West Midlands), 27th May. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum Frampton Marsh, 9th— 1 9th May. Amer- ican Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica South Uist, 1 1th— 1 2th May; Inishkea North' (Co. Mayo), 1 4th— 15th May. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Lewis, 2nd June. White- tailed Lapwing Vanellus leu- curus Seaforth (Lancashire & 236. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus, Seaforth, Lancashire & N Merseyside, May 2010. 422 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 42IM24 Recent reports N Merseyside), 27th-28th May. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Tacumshin Lake, 7th May; Skye, 1 2th— 1 6th May; Tyninghame Bay (Lothian), 1 3th— 14th May; Old Moor RSPB (Yorkshire), 23rd May; Ythan Estuary, 23rd-27th May; Rutland Water (Leicestershire & Rutland), 2nd June; Port Clarence (Cleveland), 6th-7th June. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Loch of Strathbeg, 17th May; Rutland Water, 17th- 18th May; Rattray Head (North-east Scotland), 29th May. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius North Berwick (Lothian), 13th- 14th May; Stocks Resr (Lancashire & N Merseyside), 1 7th— 1 8th May. Lesser Yel- lowlegs Tringa flavipes Frampton Marsh, 5th May; Walmsley Sanctuary and Camel Estuary (both Cornwall), 1 Oth— 1 4th May. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Seaforth, 22nd-25th May. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Titchwell, 5th June. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Dungeness, 8th May; Ely Beet Factory (Cam- bridgeshire), 28th May. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Rutland Water, two, 23rd-25th May; Mire Lake (Shropshire), 6th June. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long- stayer in Co. Galway until June. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus North Uist, 6th May; Lewis, 11th May. Alpine Swift Apus melba St Martin’s (Scilly), 16th May; Cardiff (East Glamorgan), 18th May; Bovisand Bay (Devon), 22nd May; Plymouth (Devon), 22nd May; Biddenden (Kent), 26th May. 237. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor, Seaforth, Lancashire & N Merseyside, May 2010. three, 23rd May, then Flamborough Head (Yorkshire), also 23rd; Bodmin Moor (Corn- wall), two, 23rd May; Dungeness, 24th May; Sennen, 24th May; Worthing (Sussex), two, 26th May; St Agnes, then St Mary’s, 11, 27th May, with ten St Martin’s, then Tresco (all Scilly), 28th May; Durlstone (Dorset), 28th May; Salthouse (Norfolk), 29th May; Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), 29th May; Walberswick, 30th May and Southwold (both Suffolk), 1st June; Pett Level (Sussex), six, 2nd June; Lundy (Devon), 6th June. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Sennen, 20th May. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Winterton, long-stayer to 15th May; Polgigga, 9th May; St Mary’s, 9th— 1 7th May; Lizard, 10th May; Trebehor (Cornwall), 1 Oth— 1 7th May; Flam- borough Head, 15th— 18th May; Lundy (Devon), 17th May; Canvey Island (Essex), 18th European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Portland (Dorset), 6th May; St Mary’s, 22nd May; Strumpshaw (Norfolk), 22nd May; Blaenporth (Ceredigion), 22nd May; Lizard, two, 23rd May; Rimac (Lincolnshire), 238. Marmora’s Warbler Sylvia sarda, Blorenge, Gwent, June 20 1 0. British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 42 1 — 424 423 Michael McKee Steve Young! Birdwatch Bill Boston Dave Hutton Recent reports 239. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus. Straw’s Bridge Pond, Derbyshire, May 2010. May; Longton (Lancashire & N Merseyside), 20th May; Filey (Yorkshire), 29th— 31st May. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Rother Valley CP (Yorkshire), long-stayer to 14th May; Arlington Resr (Sussex), three, 10th May, two to 13th; Ythan Estuary, 11th May; Nursling GP (Hampshire), 12th May; Unst, 1 8th— 1 9th May; Durlstone, 23rd May; Spurn (Yorkshire), 23rd-24th May; South Ronaldsay (Orkney), 25th May to 2nd June; Trimley Marshes (Suffolk), 26th May; Dawlish Warren (Devon), 27th May; Ogston Resr (Derbyshire), 29th-30th May. Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Norwich (Norfolk), 8th May. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli Eccles (Norfolk), 14th May. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus Walderslade (Kent), long-stayer to 5th June; Wentwood Forest (Gwent), 10th May to 7th June; Potterick Carr (Yorkshire), 11th May to 6th June; Inchnadamph (High- land), 19th May; Unst, 4th June. Marmora’s Warbler Sylvia sarda Blorenge (Gwent), 3rd-7th June. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Lizard, 11th May; Bardsey (Caernar- fonshire), two, 23rd May; Cot Valley (Cornwall), 24th May; Foula (Shet- land), 26th-27th May; Blakeney Point (Norfolk), 6th June. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundi- naceus Straw’s Bridge Pond (Derby- shire), 12th May to 6th June; Unst, 6th June. Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia Cley (Norfolk), 1st June. Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica Saltee Island (Co. Wexford), 15th— 16th May. Collared Fly- catcher Ficedula albicollis Lewis, 1st June. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Fair Isle, 24th May; Samson (Scilly), 27th May. European Serin Serinus serinus Portland, 13th, 20th, 23rd and 26th May; Dungeness, 15th and 19th May; St Margaret’s at Cliffe (Kent), 15th— 16th May; Weir Wood Resr (Sussex), 18th May; Biggleswade (Bedfordshire), 20th May; Beachy Head (Sussex), 23rd May. Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus Blak- eney Point, 31st May, then Cley/Salthouse (all Norfolk), 31st May to 2nd June. White- throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis Fair Isle, 1 9th— 20th May; Spiggie (Shetland), 21st May; St Agnes, 26th May; Woodbridge (Suffolk), 6th June. Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Folkestone (Kent), 1 5th— 1 7th May. House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus ' Sennen c. 4th May, same Land’s End (both Cornwall), 6th — 1 2th May. Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Seaburn (County Durham), 10th May. 240. White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis, Woodbridge, Suffolk, June 2010. 424 British Birds 103 • July 2010 • 421-424 JBBUTEO mRvnfmmTfm ATURAL HISTORY BOOKS Natural History Bookshop To see all the books listed here and browse hundreds of titles covering ornithology and many other wildlife and natural history subjects go to www.wildlifebooks.com/bb Code SI 590 P IKING OF THE BRITISH CAPE How We Have •rmed the Land, from ory to today rands 4 hbk £30.00 LDLIFE OF COSTA RICA Guide ?na A/Leenders, Twan/ m/Dean, Robert 9 hbk £40.50 GLE WATCHERS ing and Conserving s around the World Ruth E/Katzner, Todd E 1 hbk£18.95 IARS OF THE WORLD suths, Potoos, Oilbird /let-nightjars V/'ge/ 4 hbk £40.00 ITTERFLIES OF BRITAIN \ND >, Jeremy/ tom, Richard 8 hbk £24.95 OREAD THE LANDSCAPE I, Robert 2 pbk £9.99 IRITANNICA Peter 9 hbk £35.00 SUMMER The State of » in Britain and Ireland n (ed), Norman 0 hbk £27.99 HOLOGY BIRDS OF IRELAND Jim B pbk £19.99 E ROUS MARINE ANIMALS ter, Matthias/ tobert F/Kirschner, Manuela 9 pbk £29.99 5 HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS Charles 2 pbk £25.00 THE VEGETATIVE KEY TO THE BRITISH ISLES A New Approach to Plant Identification Poland, John/Clement, Eric M20399 pbk £24.99 INTRODUCTION TO BRYOPHYTES Vanderpoorten, Alain/ Goffinet, Bernard M20401 pbk £24.99 A FIELD KEY TO COMMON CHURCHYARD LICHENS Dobson, Frank S M20669 pbk £7.50 ECOLOGY FROM PEAT BOG TO CONIFER FOREST An Oral History of Whitelee, its Community and Landscape Tittensor, Ruth M20533 pbk £27.50 OTHER MY FAMILY and 50 OTHER ANIMALS A Year with Britain's Mammals Couzens, Dominic M20442 hbk £17.99 WILD LIFE King, Simon M20448 hbk £20.00 New Naturalist BADGERS Roper, Tim M20523 hbk £50.00 M20526 pbk £30.00 NORTH AMERICAN GUIDES SIBLEY FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA Sibley, David Ml 8477 pbk £16.99 SIBLEY FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA Sibley, David M18478 pbk £16.99 NORTH AMERICAN BIRD GUIDE Sibley, David Ml 71 93 pbk £24.99 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA National Geographic Soc M01280 pbk £14.99 wildlifebooks.com/bb BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA A Photographic Guide Sterry, Paul M20408 pbk £12.95 BIRDS OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA A Photographic Guide Sterry, Paul M20409 pbk £12.95 BIRDERS GUIDE TO METROPOLITAN AREAS OF NORTH AMERICA Lehman (ed), Paul E M18191 pbk £21.95 BIRDFINDER: A BIRDER'S GUIDE TO PLANNING NORTH AMERICAN TRIPS Cooper, Jerry A Ml 3974 pbk £16.95 IDENTIFICATION GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS Part I Columbidae to Ploceidae Pyle, Peter M04959 pbk £27.95 IDENTIFICATION GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS Part II Pyle, Peter M20518 pbk £49.95 ATTU: Birding on the Edge. 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Life up close Fieldscope ED82 + Fieldscope Digital SLR Camera Attachment FSA-LI rD40x www.nikon.co.uk 0800 230 220 Nikon Sport Optic THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM h AUG 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY inderson Island d Photograph the Year 20 1 0 Hie Carl Zeiss Award 20 1 0 Harbled Duck vagrancy ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: c/o Chappell Cole & Co, Heritage House, 34 North Cray Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LZ British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. 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New: Victory DiaScope zei: British Birds Volume 103 • Number 8 “August 2010 THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - 4 AUG 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY 426 Editorial: British birds - but far away Richard Porter 428 Important Bird Areas: Henderson Island Michael Brooke 445 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking, Peter Kennerley, Chris Packham and David Tipling 460 S3 The Carl Zeiss Award 2010 Adam Rowlands 464 Isotope forensic analysis does not support vagrancy for a Marbled Duck shot in Essex Tony (A. D.) Fox, Keith A. Hobson, Graham Ekins, Mark Grantham and Andy J. Green Regular features 468 Editorial Subbuteo Natural History Books 469 Reviews Safari Sketchbook: a bird painter's African odyssey The Eagle Watchers: observing and conserving raptors around the world Birds in Books: three hundred years of south Asian ornithology - a bibliography Birds of the West Indies Collins Bird Songs and Calls Finding Birds in North Goa Finding Birds in North Spain 473 News and comment Adrian Pitches 479 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey FSC British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and * interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Editorial British birds - but far away This month, BB hosts the second paper in the Important Bird Areas series to cover a UK Over- seas Territory (the first, in November 2008, covered Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island; Brit. Birds 101: 586-606). Hender- son, one of the Pitcairn Islands, is home to the endangered Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata and many of the world’s gadfly petrels. Together with its endemic plants, snails and invertebrates, not to mention its turtle popu- lation, it must surely be as important as Britain & Ireland in terms of global biodiver- sity. Yet conservation bodies are desperately trying to raise funds to eradicate the Polyne- sian Rats Rattus exulans that could seriously affect much of the island’s unique wildlife, and potentially cause species extinctions. Although I haven’t been to Henderson Island, I have been fortunate to visit a number of the other islands that are UK dependent, so I feel a personal affinity and concern for the future of their precious wildlife. The United Kingdom is responsible for 14 Overseas Territories (UKOTs). They are mostly small islands or island complexes dispersed across all the world’s oceans, ranging from tropical coral atolls in the Indian and Pacific Oceans to windswept vol- canic landmasses rising from the depths of the South Atlantic. They are all of global importance for their biodiversity. A new report (Hilton Cuthbert 2010) confirms that 34 species of bird are globally threatened in UKOTs, many of them listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and probably on the road to extinction if nothing is done about the devastation caused by introduced mammals preying on their eggs and chicks. 426 This is a signifi- cantly higher number than in Britain, or even Europe. Indeed, put them all together and the islands of the UKOTs are fifth in the world league table of bird extinctions, with at least ten species from the territor- ies going into oblivion since AD 1500, partially or wholly because of the impact of non-native mammals, such as rats, feral cats, mice and pigs. Many readers will know of these ‘far-flung corners of Britain’ only through news reports of disasters or, in earlier times, from postage stamps, but reading out their names still con- jures mystery and romance: Anguilla, British Antarctic Territory, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos, St Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha (and its satellite islands of Nightin- gale, Gough and Inaccessible), the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory and the Pitcairn Islands. Then, of course, there is Gibraltar and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus. They are home to six species of the world’s threatened albatrosses: Wandering Diomedea exulans , Tristan D. dabbenena, Sooty Plioebe- tria fusca , Atlantic Yellow-nosed Thalassarche (c.) chlororhynchos , Grey-headed T. chryso- stoma and Black-browed T. melanophris. Among the threatened petrels are Atlantic P. incerta , Bermuda P. cahow, Henderson, Phoenix P. alba, White-chinned Petrel Procel — laria (a.) aequinoctialis and Spectacled P. (a.) conspicillata. Add to those Macaroni Eudyptes chrysolophus. Southern E. chrysocome and Northern Rockhopper Penguins E. moseleyi. Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila and a © British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 426M27 Editorial 241. Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans, Albatross Island, South Georgia, January, 2003. As well as the threats from long-line fishing to full-grown birds at sea, albatrosses face threats on their breeding islands from introduced mammals, which can be devastatingly efficient predators of chicks. The UK Government has an international responsibility for many of the world’s albatrosses. host of globally threatened landbirds (for example, West Indian Whistling Duck Den- drocygna arborea, Inaccessible Rail Atlantisia rogersi , Gough Moorhen Gallinula comeri , St Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae , Henderson Lorikeet Vini stepheni, Pitcairn Reed Warbler Acrocephalus vaughanii, Cobb’s Wren Troglodytes (aedon) cobbi , Forest Thrush Cichlherminia Iherminieri and Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi ) and you will in a few short sentences be easily convinced that we must do something. The people of these Territories are also reliant on the natural environment for their livelihoods, the economies of many depending on fisheries and tourism. They belong to the United Kingdom and we have a duty to safeguard their vulnerable ecosystems and wildlife. The impact of introduced inva- sive species such as rats and feral cats is the main threat, causing species extinctions and reductions in every Territory. Remember that one-third of the world’s albatrosses breed on the UK Overseas Territories, and we know only too well of the devastating impact they face at sea, where long-line fishing kills 100,000 birds each year. Tourism is rapidly expanding in the Territories and on some is in danger of damaging the natural environ- ment on which they depend. The RSPB has undertaken a study to esti- mate the cost of meeting biodiversity priori- ties in the Territories. It calculates that a minimum of £16 million per year is needed for the next five years. Compare that modest ‘request’ with the £460 million the Govern- ment spends annually on conservation and agri-environment schemes in the UK. Then consider the following, paraphrased from the third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3), produced by the Conven- tion on Biological Diversity: the world has failed to meet the 2010 Target of achieving a significant reduction in the rate of biodiver- sity loss. But GBO-3 outlines a new strategy for reducing biodiversity loss when the world’s governments meet to create a post- 2010 target at the Nagoya Biodiversity Summit in October. Wouldn’t it be a great boost if the new UK coalition government could attend and lead by example? Messrs Cameron and Clegg, we know you can hold hands but have you got teeth and a true com- mitment to ‘our’ wildlife - wherever it is? Hilton, G. M„ & Cuthbert, R.J. 20l0.The catastrophic impact of invasive mammalian predators on birds of the UK Overseas Territories: a review and synthesis. Ibis 152:443-458. DOI: 1 0.1 I I I /j. 1 474- 9 1 9X.20 1 0.0 1 03 1 .x Richard Porter Richard Porter is a director of BB2000. He is well known for his interests in raptors and conservation in the Middle East, and helps BirdLife International to promote conservation initiatives in that region, especially Yemen and Iraq, but he is passionate about the conservation of Important Bird Areas elsewhere as well. Closer to home, he is never happier than when working his local patch of Blakeney Point. British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 426—427 427 David Tipling Important Bird Areas Henderson Island Michael Brooke Abstract Subtropical Henderson Island is one of the Pitcairn Islands in the central South Pacific. Although over 600 years of Polynesian occupation have left an ecological mark, not least the continuing presence of Polynesian Rats Rattus exulans, the 37-km2 island is the Pacific’s best example of an ecologically intact raised coral island. For this reason it was designated a World Heritage Site in 1988. Four landbirds occur, all endemic to the island, of which the most distinctive is the flightless Henderson Crake Porzana atra. The others are a lorikeet, a fruit dove and a warbler. Seabirds abound. These comprise a mix of widespread tropical species such as boobies and noddies, and species with more restricted Pacific distributions, notably Pterodroma petrels. For one of these, the Henderson Petrel P. atrata, Henderson is the only known nesting station. However, fieldwork has established that the rats are devastating predators of petrel chicks. To benefit petrels and to achieve wider ecosystem restoration, rat eradication is now being actively planned. If successful, it would be easily the largest rat eradication achieved on British territory. Henderson Island is a name that is perversely uninformative. It neither generates an instant association with one of the giants of exploration, like the Ross Sea, nor smacks of fire and brimstone, like Tierra del Fuego, nor smells of frangipani wafting across the South Seas, like Tahiti. But prosaically named Henderson, one of the UK’s two World Heritage Sites designated for its natural history, as opposed to cultural, interest, is in fact a South Pacific conserva- tion jewel. Lying just south of the Tropic of Capri- corn at 24°20’S 128°20’W, Henderson is one of the Pitcairn Islands. The other islands of this UK Overseas Territory are Pitcairn itself, the only inhabited island and famously the hideaway of the Bounty mutineers, and the low atolls of Oeno and Ducie (all three of them also Important Bird Areas). To a first approximation, the islands are halfway between New Zealand’s North Island and Ecuador. Some 4,500 km from the nearest continental land, 37-km2 Henderson is one of the world’s remotest islands (fig. 1 ). Remote does not imply unwelcoming. Mean monthly temperatures vary from around 23°C (February) to 16°C (June), while annual rainfall, about 1,600mm, is plentiful but not excessive (Spencer 1995). Trade winds from an easterly or southeasterly direction predominate. Benign indeed, espe- cially in the absence of mosquitoes and other invertebrate irritants. From afar, Henderson appears as a low slab barely showing above the horizon. But increasing numbers of gadfly petrels hint to the approaching seafarer that land is not far off. Most of that land is a pan-flat plateau, about 30 m above sea level. Two-thirds of the perimeter is surrounded by vertical cliffs dropping into blue waters that are supremely clear because ocean productivity in the region is low. The remaining third of the island is girt with coral reefs, a narrow lagoon - and white beaches. On one of those beaches, the East Beach, Green Turtles Chelonia mydas nest. Behind the beaches are pockets of woodland which give way to fern-clad slopes rising towards the plateau woodland. 428 © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-444 Henderson Island 0 SO 100 km Ecuador Tropic of Capricorn Oeno Pitcairn Island New Zealand Henderson Island Ducie 0 1 2 km Henderson Island © Fig. I. Henderson Island and the Pitcairn group. The plateau woodland rises to about 6 m and is thick, so thick in fact that it is difficult and sometimes impossible to walk except where a path has been cut by machete. Also impeding progress are the rough condi- tions underfoot: brittle slabs of dead coral, giant clam shells, limestone dissected by 2-m ‘crevasses’. These provide the clue to Henderson’s origin and ultimately its biological interest. The volcanic base of Henderson, emerging from the abyssal plain 2 km below, is about 13 million years old (Spencer 1995). When this emerged from the sea, an island surrounded by reefs was presumably formed and, in time, this developed into a low atoll. Then, around one million years ago, 170 km to the southwest, Pitcairn erupted. As a result, the earth’s crust under Pitcairn was depressed while, by a process of lithospheric flexure, the crust under Henderson started to rise. So too did the overlying Henderson Island, and it con- tinues to rise at about 1 mm per decade. The result is that the coral of the plateau has now been high and dry and very dead for about 380,000 years (Blake 1995). Most of the Pacific’s raised coral or makatea islands of any size have been sub- stantially damaged by human settlement. Not so Henderson, which currently has no permanent human inhabitants. What makes this particularly significant is that the island’s gradual continuing uplift has enhanced Henderson’s biological interest. No longer do tropical storms wash over the island, setting the evolutionary clock back to zero. Instead, terrestrial plants and animals reaching the island have the opportunity to evolve and ultimately speciate into endemic taxa. It was this combination of high endemism and an intact, distinctive ecosystem relatively unbur- dened with introduced species that led to Henderson’s designation as a World Heritage Site in 1988. History In 1988, Henderson’s natural history was not well known, since visits had been few and far between. European discovery is attributed to the Portuguese sailor Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, who passed without landing in 1606 (but named it San Joao Baptista). The island received its current name when visited in 1819 by the British East India Company ship Hercules under the command of Captain Henderson. The following year witnessed one of the most remarkable episodes in Hen- derson’s recorded history. Three small whale- boats arrived carrying the surviving crew of the whaler Essex, wrecked 2,700 km to the north by an irate Sperm Whale Physeter catodon , the inspiration for Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. After a hungry, week- long sojourn on Henderson, the 17 seamen set forth in their boats for Chile. The voyage saw intense hardship, the disappearance of one boat, and cannibalism. Only five men survived. Meanwhile, the three sailors who elected to remain on Henderson were rescued after a stay of four months (Philbrick 2000). Not surprisingly, this episode added little to the stock of scientific knowledge. This stock was, however, increased a century or so later British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428—444 429 Fluke Art Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Brooke 242. While apparently pristine and used by nesting Green Turtles Chelonia mydas, Henderson’s East Beach is depressingly cluttered with such jetsam as fishing buoys and plastic bottles. 243. Climb a tree in the centre of Henderson and the view across the canopy cloaking the flat plateau is the same in every direction. A compass is essential! All photographs in this article were taken during a visit to Henderson in August/September 2009. 430 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 428-444 Henderson Island by a phosphate-prospecting party which spent about five months on Henderson in 1912 under D. R. Tait, without finding com- mercially useful deposits. Specifically scientific visits followed from the Whitney South Seas Expedition (1922), the Mangarevan Expedition (1934) and the Westward Expedition (1971). In the early 1980s, an American strip-mining millionaire, A. M. ‘Smiley’ Ratliff, proposed building a holiday home and airstrip. This proposal drew howls of anguish from the conservation community, indirectly contributed to the World Heritage designation, and prompted a realisation that Henderson was inadequately documented. A small Smithsonian Exped- ition in 1987 might have been the precursor to a larger venture. However, this did not eventuate and the Sir Peter Scott Commem- orative Expedition to the Pitcairn Islands of 1991/92 filled the gap. The expedition involved 34 people from seven countries, with expertise in most branches of natural history. Their efforts, spread over 15 months, documented Henderson’s biota, geology and archaeology. Since then, there have been several shorter follow-up visits, but the sheer difficulty of reaching isolated Henderson and the inaccessibility of most parts of the island still curtail scientific progress. It was this isolation that shaped the period of Polynesian occupation, which began around ad 900 (Weisler 1995). To this day, nearly all of Henderson’s larger caves show evidence of this occupation, which is obvious even to a non-specialist, for example human bones and crafted clam shells. A large midden crammed with fish and bird bones extends over some 300 m by 30 m under the woodland behind the North Beach, in the very spot opposite the reef passage used as a campsite by modern expeditions. The ebb and flow of the Polynesian occupation was unravelled by Marshall Weisler of the 1991/92 Expedition and brought to wider notice by Jared Diamond (2005) in his book Collapse. In the early centuries of the occupation, those few tens of people dwelling on Hen- derson maintained contact with Pitcairn, 170 km to the southwest, and Mangareva in the Gambier group of southeast French Poly- nesia, a further 450 km to the northwest. The evidence of contact with those two islands comes from archaeological items such as vol- canic glass tools and oyster-shell fish-hooks respectively, derived from materials not avail- able on Henderson itself. While the bones of children suggest that the Henderson popula- tion was resident, it was very possibly supple- mented by visitors from Pitcairn at key times of year, for example during the turtle nesting season, which runs from January to March. However, around 1450, inter-island contact ceased. Instead of Pitcairn’s volcanic stone, the inhabitants turned to locally sourced giant clam shells for their stone tools, Hen- derson’s limestone being wholly unsuitable. The Pitcairners’ use of Henderson When the Bounty mutineers reached Pitcairn in 1790, they did not know of Henderson. The first visit by Pitcairners to Henderson was in 1843, and two further visits were made in 1851. These were little more than reconnaissance visits, and were only possible because of the chance availability of a vessel for the journey. In the past 80 years, journeys made to Henderson have had the primary aim of harvesting the ‘tou’ Cordia subcordata and ‘miro’ Thespesia populnea woods favoured for carving the curios now so important to the Pitcairn economy. Tou is probably a Polynesian introduction: it is found only behind the North and East Beaches on Henderson. Rosewood or ‘miro’ is also a Polynesian introduction, restricted to the North Beach and North West Beach woodlands. From the late 1930s occasional trips were made to cut wood. Often the wooden Pitcairn long-boats would literally hitch a ride to Henderson on a Panama-bound ship, and then sail home with the trade winds following. Only since the arrival of the tough, aluminium-hulled long-boats (Tin, the first, was delivered in 1983) have regular trips to Henderson been possible. Pitcairners usually visit Henderson once a year, but occasionally pay up to three visits in a year when weather conditions are particularly favourable. These visits, normally accompanied by the Pitcairn Conservation Officer, potentially allow management activity. British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428—444 431 Richard Cuthbert Michael Brooke Brooke 244. Sheltered from the prevailing easterly trade winds, Henderson’s NorthWest Beach is usually calm enough to allow landing, but the vegetation behind the beach is particularly thick. 245. Any protracted visit to Henderson entails bringing ashore all foodstuffs and enough drinking water to last until rainwater can be caught on specially adapted tarpaulins. 432 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-444 Henderson Island Two centuries later, occupation ceased. Whether the final inhabitants breathed their last on Henderson or decided to cobble together a raft and escape what had become a prison will never be known. Although the Polynesian occupation did not destroy Henderson’s ecology, it left an indelible mark. At least six snail species dis- appeared (Preece 1995). Whether their disap- pearance was due to predation by the Polynesian Rats Rattus exulans, introduced by the Polynesians, or because of other eco- logical perturbations is unknown. And there were during this period profound impacts on bird populations. These were first publicised by David Steadman and Storrs Olson (1985), who documented bones collected in 1971 and whose paper’s title provocatively men- tioned ‘man-caused extinctions on an “unin- habited” island’. The full extent of these avian extinctions was documented by Graham Wragg (1995) during the 1991/92 Expedi- tion. The plant community was also changed forever. For example, Cordyline fruticosa (called ‘ti’), introduced because its broad leaves could provide thatching or food wrap- ping, remains common in clifftop communi- ties fringing the plateau. Just as the Polynesians arrived from the west, so generally did the flora and fauna, presumably because of the far greater density of stepping-stone islands to the west of Hen- derson as compared with the east. The western origin is well exemplified by the flora, comprising 71 vascular plants recorded (Kingston & Waldren 2003), nine of which are endemic to Henderson and one endemic to the Pitcairn group (occurring on Hen- derson and Pitcairn only). Since the next substantial island eastward, Easter Island, is 1,300 km away, it is not surprising that a number of plant genera (e.g. Alyxia) reach their eastern limit on Henderson, adding to the island’s biogeographical interest (Flo- rence et al. 1995). Landbirds Of pre-eminent interest among the landbirds is the flightless Henderson Crake Porzana atra, one of possibly seven species of flight- less rails extant on Pacific Islands. This total is a sorry remnant of an estimated 800 rail species that formerly dwelt across the Pacific before the cataclysmic impact of the Polyne- sians (Steadman 1995). The Henderson species, probably derived from the Spotless Crake P. tabuensis (Ripley 1977), is small (c. 70 g) and all-black in plumage, with red- orange legs and an olive-and-black bill. The breeding period is extensive, with eggs laid from mid July to mid February. Sometimes older chicks help to rear their younger sib- lings. Population estimates have varied between 3,240 and 6,200 individuals (Graves 1992; Jones et al. 1995). Either way, it is not scarce. Its pugnacity at the nest seems to provide adequate protection against rat pre- dation, although it may be that rats depress the rails’ food supply and hence their numbers. The Henderson Fruit Dove Ptilinopus insularis, a small, handsome, red-capped rep- resentative of a genus widespread across the Pacific, has a population numbering about 3,000 individuals (Brooke & Jones 1995). While the raspberry-like fruits of Procris pedunculata are especially important in the dove’s diet, perhaps because they are a source of water as well as nutrition, the diet includes most fruit species available on the island. This is slightly surprising because another three pigeon species - of which more below - were resident until rendered extinct after the Polynesians’ arrival. How did the four species partition the available but limited food resources? Furthermore, the routine occur- rence of frugivorous pigeons on remote Pacific islands prompts classic chicken-and- egg questions. How could the pigeons estab- lish before fruits were available year-round, but how could fruiting trees establish before there were pigeons to provide seed-dispersal services? Scarcest of the landbirds is the Henderson Lorikeet Vini stepheni, also known as Stephen’s Lory, of which there are about 1,200 individuals. As is true of the other endemic landbirds, it is clearly derived from congeners found farther west in the Pacific, but today the Henderson Vini species is the only member of the genus still to be living in habitats little altered by humanity. It feeds on nectar, pollen (using its brush tongue), fruit and arthropods (Trevelyan 1995). No nest has ever been found. The Henderson Reed Warbler Acrocephalus British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-444 433 Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Brooke 246. The endemic nectar-feeding Henderson Lorikeet Vini stepheni is a poorly known endemic: the nest has never been found. taiti is a fairly robust ‘utility’ Acrocephalus warbler in the mould that seems to routinely evolve on remote islands. There are compa- rable species on, for example, the Cape Verdes, the Seychelles, the Hawaiian Islands and (Pacific) Christmas Island. The Hen- derson species is closely related to the Pitcairn Reed Warbler A. vaughani and the Rimitara Reed Warbler A. rimitarae, the latter found about 2,500 km west of Henderson. One dis- tinctive feature of the three species is the ten- dency towards albinism, which Holyoak (1978) suggested might aid individual recog- nition in the absence of a warbling song. The warbler is the commonest of the landbirds, with a population around 10,000 individuals (Graves 1992; Brooke & Hartley 1995). Egg- laying takes place from September to December, when around one-third of territories are occupied not by pairs but by trios. Such trios, either of one male and two females or two males and one female, are of birds unrelated to one another. Possibly, if territories are hard to obtain in the stable conditions of Henderson, coali- tions of three birds aid territory acqui- sition (Brooke & Hartley 1995). 247. Allied to the Spotless Crake Porzana tabuensis, the Henderson Crake P. atra is one of the few species of flightless rail to have survived the Polynesian impact in the South Pacific. (The individual shown here is in temporary captivity). 434 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 428-444 Henderson Island Shorebirds and other migrants Henderson is so remote and so manifestly not en route from somewhere to somewhere else that passage migrants are effectively unknown. That said, shorebirds visit regu- larly, with numbers greatest during the northern winter. The commonest is the Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis, reaching a maximum of about 50 (Brooke 1995a). Food includes small Ocypode ghost crabs and the berries of a shrub Timonius. Since the world population of this Vulnerable species is about 7,000 individuals, the Hen- derson population, nearing 1% of the global total, is one of the reasons why the island is recognised as an Important Bird Area. Next in abundance is the Wandering Tattler Heteroscelus incanus, of which up to 30 have been recorded. Other species (e.g. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Pacific Golden Plover P. fulva and Sanderling Calidris alba) occur in tiny numbers. Remarkably, Henderson is visited, possibly routinely, by a landbird migrant. This is the Long-tailed Koel Urodynamis taitensis, which was recorded for the first time in August 2009 (R. Cuthbert pers. comm.) The species, an austral migrant breeding in New Zealand and wintering in Polynesia, had been seen previ- ously on Oeno and Pitcairn (Brooke 1995a), so its occurrence on Henderson might have been anticipated. Extinct landbirds While Henderson today is home to just four landbird species, there were formerly more (Wragg 1995). An extinct ground dove Galli- columba leonpascoi had relatively enlarged leg and reduced wing bones, suggesting that it was nearly, if not actually flightless (Worthy & Wragg 2003). This pattern of reduced wings and enlarged legs is repeated in another extinct columbid, the imperial pigeon Ducula harrisoni (Wragg & Worthy 2006). The third pigeon to vanish after the Polynesian arrival, Bountyphaps obsoleta, was the largest and most distinct of the three, belonging to a newly described genus (Worthy & Wragg 2008). The final known extinction was of a sand- piper in the genus Prosobonia , to which the extant but now extremely rare (and Endan- gered) Tuamotu Sandpiper P. cancellata belongs (though the latter is sometimes placed in Aechmorhynchus) . While the Hen- derson form was apparently a distinct species 248. The Henderson Fruit Dove Ptilinopus insularis is a member of a genus represented by about 15 similar species across Polynesia and further species in Australasia and southeast Asia. British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-444 435 Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Brooke 249. Henderson’s most numerous and visible migrant is the Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis, which breeds in Alaska. Up to 50 are present during the northern winter. 250. Although Great Frigatebirds Fregeta minor and Masked Boobies Sula dactylatra are not the best of friends, especially when the Booby, as here, is forced to regurgitate its catch, it seems that frigatebirds obtain only a small proportion of their food by such kleptoparasitism. 436 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 428—444 Henderson Island (Wragg 1995), it is difficult to conceive that about 3 km of beach and a few hundred hectares of open terrain at the south end of Henderson could have sustained the world population of an endemic wader species. Did the extinct sandpiper’s range perhaps extend to Oeno and Ducie, and farther afield to the Gambier Islands? In contrast to these extinct endemics, the other known landbird extinction on Hen- derson was of the still-widespread Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica. The bones of this species were found mostly in cave sites and included a significant proportion of imma- tures, and it seems highly probable that it once bred on the island (Wragg 1995). Seabirds The seabird assemblage on Henderson con- tains a mix of widespread tropical or sub- tropical species and regional specialities. Before considering the latter intriguing group, mostly petrels, I shall mention the former. Around 50 pairs of Masked Booby Sula dactylatra nest on the North and East Beaches of Henderson. Egg-laying is year- round whereas that of the Red-footed Booby S. sula is concentrated in the months June-August (Brooke 1995a). Because Red- footed Boobies are tree-nesters and their nests are scattered across the plateau, no ade- quate census has been possible, but 100-200 pairs seems likely. That scourge of boobies, the Great Frigatebird Fregeta minor, has a similar nesting season to the Red-footed Booby, and there are probably around 100 pairs. Red-tailed Tropicbirds Phaethon rubri- cauda nest throughout the year, mostly in rocky niches either around the clifftops or in the open terrain of the south end. A guess of 250 pairs is the best available. Four tern species occur on Henderson. Both Brown Anous stolidus and Black Noddies A. minutus lay in September and October and their populations number around 100 pairs. The small and entrancing Blue-grey Ternlet Procelsterna cerulea is seen so regularly around Henderson’s cliffs that it seems inconceivable that it does not breed; but nests have not actually been found. The fourth breeding tern species, the Fairy Tern Gygis alba, is certainly the most numerous, nesting through the year and in woodland across the island. There could be 10,000 pairs. Finally, while the remains of Sooty Terns Sterna fuscata have been discovered among Polynesian material and the species is seen overhead today, there is no evidence of breeding, past or present. Petrels and the impact of rats Henderson is, without question, one of the petrel capitals of the world, and this is reflected in the archaeological studies. Petrel bones outnumbered those of any other group EBA, I BA and AZE status Henderson is an Endemic Bird Area because all four landbirds, the crake, dove, lorikeet and warbler, are confined to the island and are therefore recognised as restricted-range species (i.e. have global distributions of less than 50,000 km2). All four are classified as Vulnerable (www.birdlife.org). Henderson qualifies as an Important Bird Area on several criteria (Brooke 2006): (i) It holds significant populations of six Globally Threatened Species - Henderson Petrel, Henderson Crake, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Henderson Fruit Dove, Henderson Eorikeet and Henderson Reed Warbler. (ii) It holds the entire world population of four restricted-range species, i.e. the four landbird species. (iii) It holds at least 1% of the world population of Henderson, Herald and Kermadec Petrels and of Fairy Terns. (iv) More than 10,000 pairs of seabird regularly breed on the island. Henderson is an Alliance for Zero Extinction site (AZE: a global initiative among biodiversity conservation organisations which aims to prevent extinctions by identifying and safeguarding key sites where species are in imminent danger of disappearing - see www.zeroextinction.org) since it is the only known nesting station of the Endangered Henderson Petrel. British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428—444 437 Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Brooke 251. Allied to the noddies, the diminutive Blue-grey Ternlet Procelsterna cerulea has a distribution that stretches across the tropical and subtropical Pacific. 252. Nearly all the world’s Murphy’s Petrels Pterodroma ultima nest in the Pitcairn Islands, on Henderson, Ducie and Oeno.The latter two are now rat-free; Henderson may become so. 438 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 428-444 Henderson Island in the first analysis, that of the 1971 finds reported by Steadman & Olson (1985). The same was true in Graham Wragg’s (1995) report. A little over half (6,894 out of 12,976) of the bones unearthed belonged to the medium-sized gadfly petrels now living on the island. This abundance suggests both that surface-nesting petrels were immensely important in the diet of the Polynesian colonists and that they were formerly very abundant. The latter is entirely possible. If the nesting density had been one pair for every six square metres, only half the density currently prevailing on Ducie (Brooke 1995b), then Henderson might have accom- modated about 6 million pairs when the Polynesians first settled. If these speculative calculations are even roughly correct, then today’s populations are but pale shadows of the past. Because of the difficulty of moving over the Henderson plateau, and because the three more numerous species breed throughout the year, the census figures reported (Brooke 1995b) are rough-and-ready. They are derived by assuming that all nesting attempts within 3 m of the machete-cut paths of known length are detected over the year, and then multiplying by island area. On that basis, the populations of Herald Pterodroma heraldica and Hen- derson Petrels P. atrata are 11,000 and 16,000 pairs respectively, with Kermadec Petrels P. neglecta totalling perhaps 10,000 pairs. Until the 1991/92 Expedition, Herald and Henderson Petrels had been viewed as pale and dark morphs of the one species, Herald Petrel. In the course of that expedition, Brooke & Rowe (1996) assembled behav- ioural and molecular evidence to make the case that the two forms, which paired strictly assortatively, were two species. While pale Herald Petrels are widespread in the Pacific, Henderson is the only proven nesting station of the dark Henderson Petrel, which had first been collected in 1769 by Daniel Solander on Cook’s first voyage, about 100 km southwest of Henderson. The final, reasonably common species known to nest on Henderson is Murphy’s Petrel P. ultima. While the other three species nest on the plateau, Murphy’s Petrel nests either in the woodland behind the beaches or in low fern scrub close to the island’s cliffs. It is also the only species that is firmly seasonal, with laying occurring between late May and early July. Although the population is not 253. A rare sight on Henderson Island, a well-grown Murphy’s Petrel Pterodroma ultima chick. Over 95% of chicks are eaten, within a week of hatching, by Polynesian Rats Rattus exulans. This suggests that the Murphy’s Petrel colony on Henderson is sustained by immigration, presumably from the far larger colony on Ducie. British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428—444 439 Michael Brooke A/ve Henricson Brooke large, around 2,500 pairs, the accessibility of breeding pairs allowed me to gather fairly detailed incubation data. Remarkably, the 50- day incubation is completed in about three stints. After the female has laid, the male takes the first turn, averaging 19.3 days. There follows a stint of similar duration by the female and then the male for a second time. The egg normally hatches towards the end of the male’s second stint. It is intriguing to speculate where Murphy’s Petrels might travel during their off-duty periods. A conservative flying speed of 40 kph and 12 hours of straight-line flying per day would give a bird, off-duty for 19 days, a potential foraging radius of 4,600 km. This would certainly bring the highly pro- ductive Antarctic Polar Front, 3,260 km to the south, within range. Even the rich waters off California, 6,500 km to the north, could be reached if the birds flew for more than 12 hours a day, and Murphy’s Petrels are seen most often in those waters during the incu- bation months of June and July. During the 1991/92 Expedition, it quickly became evident that these four petrel species, nesting under cover of vegetation but essen- tially on the ground, typically hatched their eggs and then rather promptly lost their chicks. Candidate predators were either the large Coenobita hermit crabs or the rats introduced by the Polynesians some 700 years ago (Weisler 1994). After a number of long and uncomfortable vigils, the culprits were spotted: rats. While the newly hatched chick remains under its parent, it is safe. But, after a day or two, when it moves to one side, it becomes vulnerable. With the parent pro- viding only desultory and, it must be said, incompetent protection, the rats are able to approach and snatch the chick, pulling it away from the nest. It is then eaten, some- times while still alive. Often only the hatched shell and a bloody morsel of flesh a metre from the nest remain. An estimated 25,000 chicks a year meet this grisly fate. Because of this heavy rat predation, breeding success was extremely low, under 20% for Herald and Henderson Petrels, under 5% for Murphy’s Petrel (Brooke 1995b). While in theory the Henderson pop- ulations of Herald, Kermadec and Murphy’s Petrels could be sustained by immigration from other colonies, such as that on Ducie, there is no substantive evidence that this is the case. On the other hand, in the absence of 254. Population modelling suggests that the Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata, not certainly known to breed other than on Henderson Island, is progressing steadily towards extinction because of rat predation on chicks. 440 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 428-444 Henderson Island 255. The Kermadec Petrel Pterodroma neglecta is a species that varies from white-bellied, white- headed individuals to those that are entirely dark. However, all morphs have the characteristic white primary shafts. known colonies elsewhere, there is no source of immigrants to sustain the Henderson Petrel population. I return below to the ques- tion of how this population may persist. Following these field observations, Wildlife Management International, a New Zealand consultancy, proposed a rat eradica- tion programme in the Pitcairn Islands. While rat predation on the small atolls of Oeno and Ducie appeared less severe than on Henderson itself, at least the creation of two rat-free havens in the Pitcairn Islands could only benefit petrels and other wildlife. In the event, the 1997 rat operations on Oeno and Ducie, funded by the British Government and World Wide Fund for Nature, were com- pleted successfully, while two rat eradication attempts on the larger, more rugged and more logistical ly complex Pitcairn were unsuccessful. At this stage, rat eradication on Hen- derson itself was reckoned impractical. However, the issue of whether the Henderson Petrel was on a steady downward trajectory towards extinction loomed. Pertinent to the answer was whether the rat predation observed in 1991 was the norm. Only in 2003, with RSPB support, was it possible to return for a period of fieldwork timed to coincide with the Murphy’s Petrel hatching period. Predation on their chicks was just as severe as that 12 years earlier and so it seemed fair to assume that predation on Henderson Petrel chicks was also equally severe. Furthermore, stable-isotope analysis (Brooke et al. 2010a) suggested that petrels were a fairly minor component of rat diet. This implied that, if petrel numbers dwin- dled, there was no reason to hope that rat numbers would also decline and allow petrel recovery via reduced predation. Throw in the results of mathematical modelling and a clear conclusion emerged: the Henderson Petrel would become extinct without conservation intervention (Brooke et al. 2010a). Before considering the practicalities of rat eradication on Henderson Island, I should mention other procellariiform species associ- ated with the island. The specific identity of Phoenix Petrels Pterodroma alba, identified either in the fossil record (e.g. Steadman & Olson 1985) or recorded by the Whitney Expedition in 1922 (Murphy & Pennoyer 1952) is open to question. In fact, the single British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428M44 441 Michael Brooke Michael Brooke Brooke Whitney specimen shows features interme- diate between P. alba and P. heraldica (Brooke 1995b). But, given that Hadoram Shirihai (pers. comm.) saw birds with such interme- diate characters in flight over Henderson in 2006, this is a puzzle still awaiting conclusive resolution. Shirihai also saw Collared Petrels P. brevipes offshore. It is certainly possible that this species also breeds. The Polynesian occupation coincided with the local extirpation of Wedge-tailed Puffinus pacificus and Christmas Shearwaters P. nativ- itatis , Black-winged Petrels Pterodroma nigripennis and Polynesian Storm-petrels Nesofregetta fuliginosa (Wragg 1995). While rats probably played a critical role in the dis- appearance of the smaller species, other factors may have contributed to the loss of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters. That said, recolonisation by all four species could be hoped for if rats were eliminated. Planning for rat eradication on Henderson In the past 20 years, the ability of conserva- tionists to rid islands of rats has increased by leaps and bounds, to the extent that the results of the 2003 visit prompted the RSPB to think ever harder about the eradication of rats from Henderson. With support from the UK Foreign Office’s Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP), a feasi- bility study was commissioned (Brooke & Towns 2008). This concluded that rat eradi- cation on Henderson, using helicopters to broadcast cereal bait containing the anticoag- ulant poison brodifacoum, was feasible but challenging. But there were still unanswered questions to be resolved before it would be prudent to give the green light to the project. The first question concerned the hermit crabs, which exist at high densities in the beach-back woodland and eat bait pellets without being harmed. If pellets are removed by crabs, they are of course unavailable to the rats. Therefore, could a modest increase in the baiting density, above that used on other islands, achieve the aims of feeding the crabs first and leaving enough for the rats? The next question concerned the rails, which, from experience on New Zealand islands, might suffer a temporary reduction in population from bait pellets. While there is no expectation of more than a short-lived setback to the wild population, no risk of col- lateral accidental extinction is acceptable. Therefore, a captive population, safe from poison, must be established during the 256. Although the rats Rattus exulans introduced to Henderson by the Polynesians are principally vegetarian, they are also important predators of petrel chicks. 442 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-444 Henderson Island Visiting Henderson Not to beat about the bush, visiting Henderson is very difficult. Smaller cruise ships with around 100 passengers do visit the island for a few hours as part of a Tahiti-Easter Island journey that also includes landings at Pitcairn and Ducie. See, for example, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (www.hl-cruises.com) or Zegrahm Expeditions (www.zeco.com). These are luxury operators and correspondingly expensive. Sometimes people passing the island on yachts step ashore but, in the absence of a safe anchorage, a landing cannot be guaranteed. Those contemplating bona fide scientific work, involving a longer stay, should contact admin@pitcairn.gov.pn to obtain the necessary permissions. Once that is done, it will still be necessary to charter a boat for the journey from Mangareva, which can be reached by Air Tahiti flights, to Henderson at a cost likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds. Finally, it is planned that MV Claymore (www.visitpitcairn.pn) will provide a more regular link for passengers and supplies between Mangareva and Pitcairn than has been the case in the past. It could be that this link will occasionally provide opportunities for passengers to extend their journey to include a short visit to Henderson. baiting operation. Could it be shown that rails can be caught ‘on demand’ and kept healthy in captivity for a month or more? Finally, there is a paucity of information about the impact, if any, of brodifacoum on snails. Are Henderson’s endemic snails at risk during a baiting operation? Further fieldwork in August and Sep- tember 2009, supported by OTEP and the Packard Foundation, addressed these ques- tions (Brooke et al. 2010b). This fieldwork confirmed that: with increases in bait density that did not involve unacceptably high input of poison to the environment, crab hunger could be assuaged, leaving sufficient bait for rats; rails could be caught and held in small wire cages, where they thrived on an insecti- vore rearing mix; and snails showed no interest in poison bait pellets, let alone sus- ceptibility to them. The future With a green light given to a major restora- tion project on Henderson, the RSPB is now putting its considerable expertise behind the search for funds1. It is hoped that the target, in excess of £1.5 million, will be achieved by a combination of contributions from major charitable foundations, private donors and the British Government. The operation, using a ship to transport helicopters and bait direct from New Zealand, would then proceed in August/September of either 2011 or 2012. Once the bait had been distributed, the ship would sail away. Two years later, the stan- dard interval, a return visit to Henderson would confirm, all being well, the absence of rats. This would be easily the largest rat eradi- cation achieved on British territory, and a convincing signal that the British Govern- ment was taking its conservation responsibili- ties in the UK’s Overseas Territories seriously. With the patter of rats’ feet no longer heard among the leaf litter, Henderson would slowly be transformed. Fandbirds, no longer competing for food with rats, would prob- ably increase. Some insect species, possibly currently kept at very low population levels by rat predation and therefore undetected, might emerge. And petrel populations would recover. Since there is no reason to suppose that their squid prey is any less abundant than it was in pre-Polynesian times, the petrel populations could recover to numbers last seen 1,000 years ago. This recovery would take some 100 years to complete, and not be witnessed by either the author or any BB readers alive today, but it would surely be a major conservation victory. Acknowledgments The work described had its genesis in the Sir Peter Scott Commemorative Expedition. Subsequent fieldwork was supported by the RSPB, the UK’s 1 To support this vital work, visit www.rspb.org.uk/hendersonisland or contact David Agombar at the RSPB on 01767 693360, e-mail david.agombar@rspb.org.uk British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428-T44 443 Brooke Overseas Territories Environment Programme and the David & Lucile Packard Foundation. Without transport to and from Henderson, nothing would have been achieved: thanks to the skippers and crews of the vessels, Te Manu, Searcher, Braveheart and Claymore. Thanks too to the Pitcairn Islanders, who were always welcoming when we passed through their island. Claire Spottiswoode and Rosie Trevelyan commented helpfully on a draft. References Blake, S. G. 1 995. Late Quaternary history of Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 43-62. Brooke, M. de L. 1 995a. The modern avifauna of the Pitcairn Islands. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 1 99-2 1 2. — 1 995b. The breeding biology of the gadfly petrels Pterodroma spp. of the Pitcairn Islands: characteristics, population sizes and controls. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 2 1 3-23 1 . — 2006. Pitcairn Islands. In: Sanders, S. M. (ed.), Important Bird Areas in the UK Overseas Territories, pp. 185-199. RSPB, Sandy. — & Hartley, I. R. 1 995. Nesting Henderson Reed- warblers Acrocephalus vaughani taiti studied by DNA fingerprinting: unrelated coalitions in a stable habitat? Auk I 12:77-86. — & Jones, RJ. 1 995. The diet of the Henderson fruit dove Ptilinopus insularis. I. Field observations of fruit choice. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 1 49-165. — & Rowe, G. 1 996. Behavioural and molecular evidence for specific status of dark and light morphs of the Herald Petrel Pterodroma heraldica. Ibis 1 38: 420-432. — & Towns, D. R. 2008. A Feasibility Study for the Eradication of Kiore Rattus exulans from Henderson Island. RSPB, Sandy. — , O'Connell, T. C„ Wingate, D., Madeiros, D„ Hilton, G. M„ & Ratcliffe, N. 2010a. The potential for rat predation to cause decline of the globally threatened Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata: evidence from population modelling, the field and stable isotopes. Endangered Species Research I 1 : 47-59. — , Cuthbert, R. J„ Henricson, A.,Torr N„ Warren, R, & O'Keefe, S. 20 1 0b. Towards Rat Eradication on Henderson Island: feldwork report August-September 2009. RSPB, Sandy. Diamond, J. 2005. Collapse: how societies choose to fail or succeed. Penguin Books, London. Florence, J., Waldren, S„ & Chepstow- Lusty, A. J. 1 995. 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Henderson Island prehistory: colonization and extinction on a remote Polynesian island. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 377-404. Worthy, T H„ & Wragg, G. M. 2003. A new species of Gallicolumba: Columbidae from Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group./ Roy. Soc. NZ 33: 769-793. — & — 2008. A new genus and species of pigeon (Aves: Columbidae) from Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group. In: Clark, G., Leach, F., & O'Connor S. (eds.), Terra Australis 2. Islands of Inquiry: colonisation, seafaring and the archaeology of maritime landscapes, pp. 499-5 1 0. ANU E Press, the Australian National University, Canberra. Wragg, G. M. 1 995. The fossil birds of Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group: natural turnover and human impact, a synopsis. Biol.J. Linn. Soc. 56: 405-4 1 4. — & WorthyT H. 2006. A new species of extinct imperial pigeon ( Ducula : Columbidae) from Henderson Island, Pitcairn Group. Hist Biol. 18: 127-140. Michael Brooke, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ 'A Since completing a DPhil on the Manx Shearwaters of Skokholm Island, Michael Brooke has studied seabirds around the world. He led the 1 99 1 / 92 Sir Peter Scott Commemorative Expedition to the Pitcairn Islands, and has subsequently worked to promote conservation there in conjunction with the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum and the RSPB. 444 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 428 444 Bird Photograph of the Year 20 1 0 Sponsored by: r r L. ^ on photography express www.warehouseexpress.com Best Online Retailer for 7 years! 2002-2008 CHRISTOPHER HELM C Collins We were delighted by the response we received to the 2010 BB Bird Photograph of the Year competi- tion. The quality of the entries remains at the very highest level and we were particularly pleased by the number of photographers entering the competition for the first time. The Eric Hosking Charitable Trust The judging process followed a tried and tested format. Each image was viewed twice, which enabled the judges to agree on an initial shortlist of over 60 entries. After that, each image was examined in detail for sharp- ness and clarity, as well as any indication of excessive digital manipulation such as over- 1st Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus (plate 257) Mark Hamblin 2nd Tawny Owl Strix aluco (plate 258) Bill Baston 3rd Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus and Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis (plate 259) Lee Mott 4th Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra (plate 260) Rob Howard 5th Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris (plate 261) Gordon Langsbury 6th Great Bustard Otis tarda (plate 262) Tony Hamblin 7th Herring Gull Larus argentatus and Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (plate 263) Dickie Duckett 8th= Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (plate 264) Hugh Harrop 8th= Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca (plate 265) Richard Steel 10th White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (plate 266) Philip Newman 11th Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea (plate 267) Lee Mott 12th= Grey Heron Ardea cinerea (plate 268) Dickie Duckett 12th= Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis (plate 269) Hugh Harrop 14th Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Kevin DuRose 15th Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Mark Hamblin 16th Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Philip Newman 17th Common Raven Corvus corax Gordon Bramham 18th Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea Polina Kasapova 19th Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus Philip Mugridge 20th Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni Digiscoped entries Philip Perry 1st Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata (plate 270) Pete Morris 2nd Little Egrets Egretta garzetta (plate 271) David Tomlinson 3rd Common Terns Sterna hirundo (plate 272) Steve Young © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 445 Chandler et al. sharpening. To reduce this initial shortlist further, unless an image was included in at least one judge’s top ten during the second round of voting, it was removed at this stage. To reach the final round, images needed to be of the very highest standard, and this year we felt that all were fairly closely matched (in terms of that standard). Selecting a winner from so many high-quality images is never easy, since a particular favourite of one judge may not appeal to others. What became a recurring theme throughout the judging was the extent to which photographers had carefully thought about composition and how best to achieve this. Some outstanding entries were received, with perfect composition yet dramatic lighting as well. Back-lit images featured prominently this year, with three of the top ten being taken ‘into the sun’ to produce an unusual effect. Others included the effects of shadows, dawn sunlight and unusual weather conditions to enhance what may otherwise have been a less appealing photograph. The top images appear here, together with the leading entries from the Digiscoping section. But even those who failed to achieve a winning place may still see their images used at some point within our pages or even on the front cover of BB - which says a great deal for the overall standard of the entries! Image manipulation The aim of this competition has always been to attract the very best entries, and we encourage both professional and amateur photographers to submit their work. We also recognise that with careful image manipula- tion, an already outstanding shot can become a prize-winning entry. Image-enhancing soft- ware can be used to improve composition, levels and sharpness of the image within the guidelines laid down in the competition rules. Despite this, it is important to recog- nise that it is the skill of the photographer, their knowledge of the subject, and their ability to interact with it that results in a top- placed entry. Image manipulation after the event can improve a photograph, but only so much. For this reason we ask that the original file from the camera be submitted together with each entry. David Tipling set out recom- mendations for simple image-manipulation 446 techniques that are permissible in this com- petition (see Brit. Birds 101: 39-42). This year, a number of entrants raised questions regarding restrictions to cropping, image size and image manipulation. The judges will review these comments before finalising the rules for the next competition. With the advent of higher resolution sensors, it is recognised that it is possible to crop images, within reason, without significantly affecting their quality. These restrictions were originally in place to enable transparencies to be assessed on an equivalent basis with digital images. As in 2009, we did not receive any slide-transparency entries and we feel that it is also time to review the restrictions. The improvements being made to editing software continue apace but we are also aware that not everyone can afford the latest, most expensive software, or is inclined to enhance their image. The extent to which image manipulation will be allowed and any restrictions on the use of software will be announced when the next competition is launched. We welcome any comments that readers may have on this. Sponsors We are very grateful to our sponsors for their support. Without their generosity we would be unable to run this competition. We again welcomed Warehouse Express as our prin- cipal supporter and they have stumped up a substantial cash prize for the winning entry. In addition, our loyal sponsors of many years, A&C Black and HarperCollins, have both continued with their support for this competition by providing books of the winners’ choice for the top three places in the main competition. Last but not least, the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust continues with its aim of encouraging digiscoping as a medium for documenting bird behaviour by donating a cash prize. We thank all our sponsors and look forward to working together again in the future. The entries Capturing a great image is never straightfor- ward and is rarely possible in a chance encounter. An in-depth understanding of the bird, its behaviour and habits are often a pre- requisite, and obtaining the perfect shot British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 British Birds 1 03 • August 20 1 0 * 445-459 447 257. BIRD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR 2010 Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus, Strathspey, Highland, October 2009. (Canon EOS ID Mark III, Canon 500-mm f4 lens; I / 1 000, f4, ISO 400). Mark Hamblin Chandler et al. 258. SECONDTawny Owl Str/x aluco, Ipswich, Suffolk, January 2009. (Canon EOS ID Mark III, Canon 500-mm f4 lens; 1/25, fl 8, ISO 200). Bill Boston 448 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 449 259. THIRD Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus and Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis , Unst, Shetland, May 2009. (Nikon D300, Nikon 500-mm f4 lens; I / 1 000, f3.5, ISO 400) Lee Mott Chandler et al. 260. FOURTH Corn Bunting Emberiza catandra. Great Waldingfield, Suffolk, May 2009. (Canon EOS IDs Mark II, Canon 600-mm f4 lens + I ,4x converter; I/I 25, f5. 6, ISO 400). Rob Howard 450 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 requires considerable planning. This year it was clear that several photographers had gone to great lengths to achieve the perfect composition. This often requires several days of fieldwork to ensure that the photographer is in the right place at the right time, with the right gear in his camera bag. Even then, the lighting may not be quite right or, more likely, the bird doesn’t behave as it did when the plans were first laid. Careful advance planning was essential for Mark Hamblin, who is the overall winner of the 2010 BB Bird Photograph of the Year competition with his glorious image of a Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus at sunset. Mark described how he had been watching up to three Short-eared Owls hunting over an area of marshland close to his home in Strathspey, Highland, in October 2009. On several occasions he had seen them land on a line of old fence posts just before sunset, and as a result began to visualise the image he wanted. The first step in the process was putting up a small hide in a position facing into the setting sun. On his first two attempts the owls came in after sunset, and although one landed on a post near the hide, the effect of the light was lost. On his third attempt he was more successful: the birds appeared before sunset, leaving Mark with ten minutes of perfect light to capture his image. Eventu- ally, one landed on the old fence post close to his hide and he was able to capture this stun- ningly beautiful, back-lit image with the late evening sunlight illuminating the grass and glinting off the seed heads. By carefully cropping the original, Mark has enhanced the appeal by slightly offsetting the owl from the centre of the image, leaving the position of the seed heads to balance the bird. The judges felt that the effect of the setting sun through the grasses, giving them a golden-brown appearance, adds an almost shimmering effect to the background, while the lichen-encrusted post on which the owl is perched adds character. This image stood out among all the entries: two judges made it their first choice and it came within the top ten of every judge, the only image to do so. Mark’s image was enhanced using Photoshop CS4, with corrections to levels, curves, expo- sure and minor dust-spot removal, all of which are permitted within the rules. Mark will receive a cash prize of £1,000. An owl also features in second place, this time a roosting Tawny Owl Strix aluco , pho- 26 1 . FIFTH Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris, Islay, Highland, October 2009. (Nikon D700, Nikkor 300-mm f4 lens + l.7x converter: l/80,f6.7, ISO 400). Gordon Langsbury British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 451 Chandler et al. 262. SIXTH Great Bustard Otis tarda, Extremadura, Spain, April 2009. (Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500-mm f-4 lens with + 1 ,4x converter; 1/640, f5.6, ISO 800). Tony Hamblin 263. SEVENTH Herring Gull Larus argentatus attacking Northern Gannet A^lorus bassanus, Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire, June 2009. (Canon EOS I D Mark III, Canon 400-mm f4 lens; 1/2000, f5.6, ISO 400). Dickie Duckett 452 British Birds 1 03 • August 20 1 0 * 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 tographed by Bill Baston on a frosty morning at its daytime roost in a public park in Ipswich, Suffolk. This particular owl had chosen to roost in a hole in an old oak Quercus tree beside a busy footpath, and became something of a local celebrity (in fact, we’re reliably informed that it’s still there!). It became quite tolerant of passers-by and was christened ‘Mabel’ by a schoolgirl in a competition organised by the park rangers. Bill captured his image on a cold January day when the temperature didn’t rise above freezing and thick frost remained on the branches. It was taken, using a tripod and remote release, from the busy footpath. Despite these circumstances, this is very much a wild bird and the judges felt that this was not in the least detrimental to the evalua- tion. As a composition it is almost perfect, with the owl encircled by its roost hole, while the gnarled oak and the hoar frost on the branches complement the bird perfectly. On a warmer day, Bill’s photograph may not have received such a high position, but this com- petition rewards well-planned and thought- through photographs, and Bill clearly had this image in mind when he set off to photo- graph the owl. In third place comes Lee Mott’s image telling a story with which many will be familiar. You can almost hear the frantic ‘kleeping’ of the distressed Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus parent as it screams at the cackling Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis , which are intent on giving as good as they get. Lee described how he had heard some Oystercatchers in Unst, Shetland, making a racket for some time; eventually he went in search of the commotion and found a pair of Oystercatchers trying to drive two Fulmars away from their nest. The projectile-vomit defence mechanism of Fulmars is a match for most species, and the Oystercatcher shown here has received a dose of ‘Fulmar oil’ for its troubles, although its bedraggled appearance is made worse by the pouring rain. The encounter lasted another ten minutes, after which the Fulmars eventually departed, having broken two of the three eggs in the Oystercatchers’ nest. 264. EIGHTH EQUAL Northern Gannet Morus bassanus, Noss, Shetland, May 2009. (Canon EOS ID Mark III, Canon 300-mm f2.8 lens + l.4x converter; I / 1 000, f7. 1 , ISO 640). Hugh Harrop British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 453 Chandler et al. 265. EIGHTH EQUAL Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca, Clitheroe, Lancashire, December 2009. (Canon 7D, Canon 500-mm f4 lens + I Ax converter; 1/640, f6. 3, ISO 400). Richard Steel 266. TENTH White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, Norway, August 2009. (Canon EOS ID Mark III, Canon 300-mm f2.8 lens; I /3200, f4, ISO 400). Philip Newman 454 British Birds 103 ‘August 2010 • 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 Rob Howard is a newcomer to this com- petition and submitted only a single entry, of a singing Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra. This was placed fourth, an outstanding achievement. Rob has a good population of Corn Buntings near to his home in Suffolk, and he set out before dawn to obtain this photograph. Although six males were singing, most were fairly high in the tops of small trees, but this bird was perched in a small sapling close to the road. By carefully positioning his car close to the bird and waiting as the sun rose, Rob took this evoca- tive shot, another back-lit portrait, which has captured the bird’s breath (aligned perfectly with the plane of the bird) as it condensed in the chilly air. Rob has achieved a memorable composition of one of our most drably plumaged passerines, with the orange and green of the leaves perfectly complementing the greys and blues of the background. Even without the steaming breath it would have been a very good photograph, but its inclusion makes a good shot great. Opportunistic photo- graphs rarely work well; there is little time to think about composition and lighting but, in a lucky moment, Gordon Langs- bury has come in with a highly commended entry, which was placed fifth overall. Although not the most technical of the entries received, Gordon’s composition of these two Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris fighting captures the drama of the moment. They were photographed at Bowmore on Islay in October 2009, and Gordon described how, after noticing these two birds squabbling by the road- side, he grabbed his camera from the back seat of the car and gradually stalked them. They were so engrossed that they ignored him completely! Few European birds are as spectacular as a male Great Bustard Otis tarda in full display. Although displaying males are often pho- tographed, they are rarely captured to such good effect and from the unusual perspective that Tony Hamblin has employed here. Tony obtained a series of superb images of Great Bustards, of which he entered three for this competition. They were taken from a stone- built hide situated close to a display ground on the Serena Plain in Extremadura, Spain. On this particular April morning Tony entered the hide before dawn. As the sun rose, the low light added to the magic of the 267. ELEVENTH Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, Shetland, June 2009. (Nikon D300, Nikon 500-mm f4 lens; 1/3200, f4, ISO 320) fee Mott British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 445-459 455 Chandler et al. 268. TWELFTH EQUAL Grey Heron Ardea cinerea with Grass Snake Natrix natrix , Romania, May 2009. (Canon EOS I D Mark III, Canon 500-mm f4 lens + I Ax converter; 1/3200, f5.6, ISO 400). Dickie Duckett moment of a memorable dawn. The judges envied the opportunity which Tony enjoyed, and placed this stunning image in sixth place. Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Northern Gannets Morus bassanus have fea- tured before in this competition; they are large, relatively slow-moving species and often do interesting things. So for an image involving these species to succeed, it really needs to have something special to impress. Many fail to do so, but in this case, with the gull launching itself at the Gannet, which is reacting with shock and alarm, the judges felt that Dickie Duckett had captured a magical moment. It was taken at Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire, where a pair of Herring Gulls with chicks was occupying a small outcrop about 15 m down the cliff. Occasionally, if a Gannet flew too close to the youngsters, one of the adult Herring Gulls would fly out to attack the Gannet. By waiting and focusing on any Gannet that seemed to be coming too close and tracking it as it passed the headland, Dickie obtained this fine shot. Usually the Gannets dived when attacked, but he was able to grab this image of both birds together before the Gannet disappeared. The tight composition (which left a small patch of rock and grass in the bottom left-hand corner), perfect lighting against a grey sea, plus the aggression of the gull and the ‘shocked’ expression of the Gannet are a winning com- bination, which the judges placed seventh. Hugh Harrop is now one of the regular entrants to this competition and he can be relied upon to submit at least one out- standing photograph. This year was no exception, with his superb action portrait of a Northern Gannet Morus bassanus placed eighth. It was taken on a dull, grey day from a boat in the waters close to the island of Noss, in Shetland. Gannets were collecting nest material and Hugh was keen to capture the birds as they took off from the water, in the shadow of the cliff. As the cliff was effectively black, it offered good reflection opportuni- ties. By underexposing the image, the photographer was able to highlight the whites and yellows, and create some inter- esting patterns as a reflection on the sea. The judges particularly liked the composition, , with the slightly rippled surface capturing the Gannet’s reflection and giving a sense of movement, while the splash from its feet as it gains speed for take-off contrasts with this to freeze the action. 456 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 In equal eighth place is Richard Steel’s Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca aligning a fresh- water mussel before swallowing. During the ‘big freeze’ in winter 2009/10, this bird took up temporary residence on a small section of unfrozen lake near Clitheroe and, being the first record of the species for east Lancashire, it quickly became a popular target for photographers and birders alike. Although we received other photographs of this partic- ularly photogenic individual, Richard’s picture captures the feeding technique perfectly and also shows the serrated edge to the lower mandible, essential for manipu- lating its slippery prey. In tenth place comes Philip Newman’s dramatic shot of a White-tailed Eagle Hali- aeetus albicilla snatching a fish from the sea. Observed from a boat in Norway, it was attracted to within photographic range by a supply of fish provided by the pho- tographer. Philip described how he gave careful consid- eration to both com- position and lighting to capture the atmosphere and essence of this mag- nificent eagle, and to show it in all its majesty he chose a location with back- lighting and a dark background. The back-lit effect, high- lighting the edges of the wings and water droplets left behind, is quite spectacular. In eleventh place comes a second image from Lee Mott, of an Arctic Tern Sterna par- adisaea heading straight towards the camera after a suc- cessful fishing trip, taken at a small loch not far from a breeding colony in Shetland. A shallow depth of field meant that the bird was nicely isolated from the background, but also meant that focusing was critical. Two shots were placed twelfth equal, both from photographers also featured higher up the leader board. Dickie Duckett’s Grey Heron Ardea cinerea tangling with a Grass Snake Natrix natrix is a fine illustration of predator-prey interaction, photographed from a small boat on the River Danube in Romania, while Hugh Harrop’s Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis, also taken from a boat, this time in Batsfjord, Norway, is a dra- matic flight shot of one of our most spectac- ular ducks. 269. TWELFTH EQUAL Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis, Batsfjord, Norway, March 2009. (Canon EOS I D Mark III, Canon 300-mm f2.8 lens + l.4x converter; 1/2000, f8, ISO 640). Hugh Harrop British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 457 Chandler et al. 270. DIGISCOPING WINNER Lanceolated Hokkaido, Japan, June 2009. (Nikon Coolpix 6000, Kowa 823 telescope with set at 20x; 1/164, f4.7, ISO 1 00). Pete Morris Digiscoping In 2009, the judges expressed concern that some of the very best digiscoped images, which appear regularly on many birding websites, were not being entered for this competition. It has always been one of the aims of the digiscoping award to promote and extend the benefits which digiscoping has to offer, particularly for targets that may be too distant for a conventional camera and lens set-up. After two years in which we felt that the entries received failed to meet these aims, it is very pleasing to have received a selection of high- quality digiscoped photographs to choose from. In the end, the judges awarded the Eric Hosking Charitable Trust prize to Pete Morris for his portrait of a Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata , pho- tographed in Hokkaido, Japan, in June 2009. Digiscoping smaller passerines requires great patience and some luck. The judges felt that, in addition to the well-thought-out composition and lighting, careful cropping of the original image had greatly enhanced what was already an outstanding pho- tograph. As we commented last year, for some images there really is little dif- ference in quality between digi- scoped and conventional images. Pete’s excep- tional Lanceolated Warbler reinforces this point, and his reward is a cash prize of £200. The judges also highly commended David Tomlinson for his composition of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta feeding among cattle and placed this entry in second place. In third position comes an image from Steve Young, who managed to capture a moment of passion between a pair of raft-nesting Common Terns Sterna hirundo at Seaforth, Lancashire & N Merseyside. Warbler Locustella lanceolata, 20-60x zoom eyepiece 458 British Birds 103 ’August 2010 • 445-459 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 Prizes The prizes for the winners will be presented at this year’s British Birdwatching Fair on Friday 20th August. We wish to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, Warehouse Express (www.warehouse express.com), Harper- Collins (www. harper collins.com), A&C Black (www.acblack.com) and the Eric Hosking Chari- table Trust (www. eric hoskingtrust.com), for their support, without which this competition would not continue. The rules for next year’s com- petition will be announced in the January 2011 issue of BB, and on our website (www.britishbirds.co.uk). Acknowledgments Judging this year was carried out at BTO headquarters inThetford on 4th May 20 1 0. Our thanks go to the BTO for their hospitality and the use of their facilities, and in particular to Dawn Balmer for providing chocolate-coated ginger biscuits. 27 1 . Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, Lake Kerkini, northeast Greece, May 2009. (Nikon Coolpix 5400, Swarovski ATHD80 telescope with 30x WA eyepiece; f7. 9, ISO 50). David Tomlinson 272. Common Terns Sterna hirundo at Seaforth, Lancashire & N Merseyside. (Samsung NV I 5, Swarovski ATHD80 telescope; 1/400, f8.7, ISO 200). Steve Young Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking, Peter Kennerley, Chris Packham and David Tipling, do 4 Kings Road, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4AX British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 445-459 459 Richard Ford ZEISS The Carl Zeiss Award 2010 The Carl Zeiss Award was established in 1991 and is traditionally presented for the photograph or set of photographs considered to have been the most instructive during BBRC’s assessment of rarities over the previous year. In 2009, the Award became the focal point of BBRC’s 50th anniversary cele- brations, and was combined with a review of the best rarity images of the Committee’s first half-century (Brit. Birds 102: 451-458), but for 2010 we return to the familiar format. After Chris Batty and Nigel Hudson had pre- pared an initial shortlist, six voting BBRC members formed the judging panel to select the winner and runners-up. This proved, as ever, to be an enjoyable exercise with no small amount of debate and a variety of opinions. All the shortlisted images were instructive and played a significant role in confirming the identification features for the species and subspecies concerned. The key cri- teria that the judges deployed in making their final decisions were the degree to which the photographs were fundamental to the assessment process and the skill and good fortune of the photog- raphers in capturing the images. The phenomenon of rarities being identi- fied from images posted on the internet is not new. The Long- billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix that was the runner-up for this award in 2007 provided a memorable precedent (Brit. Birds 101: 89), but no fewer than four of the top five birds this year may well have been over- looked or failed to pass the credibility barrier had it not been for the - photographs obtained. The top two in 2010 involve birds that are still subject to formal acceptance to the 273. Carl Zeiss Award 2010 fifth place: Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum, Pagham Harbour, Sussex, May 2009. 460 © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 460-463 The Carl Zeiss Award 2010 British List at the time of writing (though both have been accepted by BBRC), but there is a precedent for previous winners of this Award that had yet to complete the full assessment process when the judging was carried out: Bryan Thomas’s iconic images of a Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea off the Isles of Scilly, in 2004 (Brit. Birds 98: 600-603). Beyond the final top five, other images that were considered in the initial shortlist included those of the Royal Tern Sterna maxima in North Wales in June 2009; the Black-browed Alba- tross Thalassarche melanophris off the Isles of Scilly in Sep- tember 2009; the Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus in Greater London/Surrey from October 2009 to January 2010; the Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica in Cornwall in November-December 2009; plus records of three taxa which are still under consideration by the Committee: ‘Azorean Yellow-legged Gull’ Larus micha- hellis atlantis in Oxfordshire in October-December 2009, Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla in Cornwall in November 2009, and ‘Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler’ Sylvia cantillans moltonii in Shetland in June 2009. These three join one other for which the Committee’s decision is also still to be finalised at the time of writing: Glaucous- winged Gull L. glaucescens in Greater London/Surrey, which made the top five after 274. Carl Zeiss Award 2010 fourth place: Juvenile American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, August 2009. 275. Carl Zeiss Award 2010 third place: Putative Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens, Beddington Sewage-farm, Greater London/Surrey, April 2009. the votes were cast. The fact that the Com- mittee has yet to make a decision on the identification in these cases does not detract from the value of the images as a central part of the assessment process. It is a testament to the dramatic advances in photography that any one of the images considered might easily have been a winner in previous years. And so to the top five. In fifth place, Richard Ford’s stunning images of the Ori- ental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum at Pagham Harbour in Sussex in May 2009 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 460-463 461 Garry Messenbird Ian Lewington Murray Wright Rowlands allowed the identification to be confirmed beyond doubt, and a bird that had been iden- tified originally as a Collared Pratincole G. pratincola was thus confirmed as the sixth British record of Oriental. The occurrence of the same or another individual in Lin- colnshire in May 2010 has enabled another series of stunning images to be obtained, and has reduced the enigmatic character of this species in a Western Palearctic context even further. In fourth place, Ian Lewington’s pictures of the juvenile ‘American Black Tern’ Chlido- nias niger surinamensis he found at Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire in August-Sep- tember 2009 must rank alongside the best photographs of this subspecies ever taken. They were a winning set of images for a couple of judges and the instructive quality of the image reproduced here, together with others in a series submitted to the Com- mittee, represents the ideals of this award. Despite the assertion from one of the judges that the photographer definitely needs a new pair of binoculars, Ian’s moment of glory was not to arrive this year. . . In third place, Garry Messenbird’s photos of the putative Glaucous-winged Gull at Bed- dington Sewage-farm, Greater London/ Surrey, in April 2009, were extremely impor- tant in the assessment of this tricky indi- vidual. A number of other images were submitted and all have played their part in the identification process, but the one repro- duced here was considered to be that which best captured the critical features. Our knowledge of this species and potentially confusing hybrid individuals is still evolving, but now that Glaucous-winged Gull is an established vagrant to our shores any poten- tial claim must be taken seriously and any quality images of likely candidates taken in the UK will assist our emerging knowledge of vagrant identification. Murray Wright’s image of the Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata on the Swale estuary in Kent in October 2009 almost scooped the top prize. It topped the list for three of the six judges and it was the quick thinking and swift actions of the photographer that deliv- ered this favourable response from the judges. Without these photos, we felt that the identification of such an apparently unlikely vagrant would perhaps have remained inde- terminate. As one judge said: ‘For what was essentially a fly-by seabird, a photograph would always seem an unrealistic request, but here it is - instantly making the unbelievable believable’. The almost unbelievable puffin was only just pipped at the post by Dougie Holden’s winning photograph of the Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus at South Shields in County Durham, in October 2009. This cracking picture shows all the key criteria which established this as the first record for Britain of a Siberian waif that had been high on the wish-list of British rarity finders for many years. Without the publication of Dougie’s images the record would presumably have remained as just a Yellow-browed Warbler P. inornatus (which is what it was assumed to be when the shutter was pressed). The fact that it repre- sents a fantasy rarity come true is purely down to this excellent photograph, which led to the bird being identi- fied correctly after it was posted on the web, and then appreciated by the crowds who came, to pay homage over the subsequent days. Dougie Holden’s good fortune will be rewarded with a pair of 276. Carl Zeiss Award 2010 second place: Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata, Oare Marshes, Swale estuary, Kent, October 2009. 462 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 460-463 The Carl Zeiss Award 2010 277. Carl Zeiss Award 2010 winner: Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus, Trow Quarry, South Shields, Durham, October 2009. 10 x 42 Zeiss Victory FL binoculars, which he will be presented with at the Birdfair on Friday 20th August 2010. Acknowledgments BBRC remains grateful to all those observers who submit their photographs for consideration or who post images on websites (especially BirdGuides www.birdguides.com and Rare Bird Alert www.rarebirdalert.co.uk) and in so doing help the Committee in assessing records. It is a pleasure to review these images, both during the assessment process and for this competition, and they continue to improve our collective knowledge of rarity identification. Chris Batty and Nigel Hudson were instrumental in compiling the initial shortlist of images to be considered, while Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Nic Hallam, James Lidster Richard Millington and Mike Pennington cast the votes. We are extremely grateful to Carl Zeiss for their continued support of the Committee and this award. Adam Rowlands on behalf of BBRC, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP17 3BY ZEISS BBRC British Birds RaritiesCommittee BBRC is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd Chairman Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 1 7 3BY; e-mail chair@bbrc.org.uk Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk BBRC members Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney, Steve Votier Archivist John Marchant • Museum Consultant Brian Small Summariser and RIACT Chairman Reg Thorpe • RIACT Secretary Peter Kennerley British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 460-463 463 Dougie Holden Isotope forensic analysis does not support vagrancy for a Marbled Duck shot in Essex Tony (A. D.) Fox, Keith A. Hobson, Graham Ekins, Mark Grantham and Andy J. Green Abstract Analysis of the stable-hydrogen isotope content (6D) of feathers taken from a first-winter Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris shot in Essex on 1st September 2007 showed little difference between juvenile feathers grown at the natal site and those grown during the post-juvenile moult. The 6D values of both groups of feather were similar to those expected if the bird had grown feathers in coastal areas of northern Europe, but differed significantly from those in feathers from known wild individuals taken from the species’ nearest breeding areas, in Spain. These results suggest that the bird originated from outside of the normal breeding range of the species and was most likely to have been of captive origin. The stable-hydrogen isotope ratio (D/H or 2H/'H, conventionally expressed as 6D) in bird feathers correlates strongly (through local diet) with that of weighted average precipitation in the areas where the feathers were grown (Hobson & Wassenaar 1997; Hobson 2008). Deuterium in precipita- tion tends to be depleted with increasing dis- tance from the oceans, which are the source of atmospheric recharge moisture, and with latitude and altitude, resulting in distinctive geographical gradients within Europe (Hobson et al. 2004; Bowen et al. 2005; Votier et al. 2009). Because hydrogen in consumer tissues can ultimately be traced to environ- mental waters driving food webs, the pattern of 6D in weighted average annual (or growing-season) precipitation can be used to help identify the isotopic environment in which a bird has grown specific feathers. In turn, this can assist in establishing geograph- ical relationships between the areas used by an individual throughout the year. In the case of first-year birds that retain some original 464 (juvenile) feathers, this can contribute to defining the general geographical area in which the bird was fledged. This approach was used to provide evi- dence that a first-winter Baikal Teal Anas formosa shot in Denmark in November 2005 was a genuine vagrant to Europe by virtue of the substantial isotopic contrast between juvenile feathers (showing stable-hydrogen isotope characteristics typical of Siberia) and first-winter feathers (that were more typical of an oceanic, western European type envir- onment) on the same bird (Fox et al 2007). An analysis of feathers from a Baikal Teal specimen collected in Essex in January 1906 showed very similar patterns, also consistent with this being a genuine vagrant from the normal Russian breeding area (Votier et al. 2009). Here, we apply the same technique to investigate the potential origin of a first- winter Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angu- stirostris shot at Fingringhoe Marshes, near Colchester in Essex (51°51’N 00°57’E), on 1st © British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 464—467 Isotope analysis of Marbled Duck in Essex September 2007. The Marbled Duck remains in Category D of the British List because there is reasonable doubt that the species has ever occurred in the wild (Dudley et al. 2006). Analysing feather stable isotopes from the specimen could provide evidence to suggest whether this bird was hatched in the wild and therefore met the criterion for inclusion on the British List. In this study, we analysed new-grown feather material from the shot bird to see if the results matched with those expected from British origins, compared with older (juvenile) feathers grown in natal areas. We predicted that, if the bird was a genuine wild vagrant, these two feather tracts would show contrasting 6D values and that the older feathers would show higher (i.e. more positive) 6D values more typical of the species’ Mediterranean and North African breeding range. VSMOW-SLAP scale with a reproducibility of within ±3.5%o. Results Values of feather 6D from the Essex Marbled Duck and from the three Spanish birds are shown in table 1 and fig. 1. Differences between the mean 6D values from feathers taken from the Essex bird and those of the Spanish birds were statistically significant (as shown by non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals). The relatively depleted values for deuterium in the feathers of the Essex bird more closely resembled similar values in the feathers of other dabbling duck species reported in the literature for coastal western Europe, for example Mallard A. platyrhynchos from France (Hobson et al. 2004) and Baikal Teal with feathers known to have been grown in Denmark (Fox et al. 2007). Methods Vane sections were taken from new-grown scapulars and breast feathers of the Essex Marbled Duck, as well as old (juvenile) tertial and wing-covert (greater and median) feathers. Sections were also taken from breast feathers removed from three apparently wild Marbled Ducks from Spain: (i) adult female, recovered dead at Brazo del Este, Marismas del Guadalquivir, Sevilla (37°05’N 06°01’W) on 4th August 1999; (ii) juvenile unsexed, probably hatched locally and recovered dead at El Hondo, Alicante (38°11’N 00°45’W) on 3rd July 2001; and (iii) an adult (unsexed) taken into the recovery centre at El Hondo on 27th July 2008 but that died the next day. Prior to isotopic analysis, feather material was cleaned with 2:1 chloroforrmmethanol solvent mixture to remove surface contaminants and oils. Cleaned feather tissues were then analysed for 6D using the comparative equilibrium methodology described in Hobson et al. (2004). Stable- isotope ratios were expressed in %o deviation from the Discussion Isotopic analysis of the feathers from the Essex Marbled Duck support the hypothesis that it was raised in captivity somewhere in coastal areas of northern Europe rather than in the wild in Spain or elsewhere in the Mediterranean, the nearest areas to Essex in which the species breeds naturally. There was no marked isotopic difference between the Fig. I. 5D values from Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Baikal Teal A. formosa feathers known to have been grown in Europe. Values represent means (±95% confidence intervals); in the case of Marbled Ducks in Spain the mean values from breast feathers from three different individuals, and in the case of the Essex Marbled Duck the mean of two values from juvenile plumage (tertial and wing- coverts). Data are also shown from Mallard feathers from France (Hobson et al. 2004) and Baikal Teal feathers from Denmark (Fox et al. 2007). British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 464—467 465 Mike Lane www.nature-photography.co.uk Fox et al. recently grown (first-winter) feathers, which were expected to reflect the environment where the bird was shot, and the older (juvenile) feathers that would have been grown prior to fledging on the breeding areas, suggesting that these areas were one and the same. Furthermore, the 6D values of these feathers were similar to those from feathers grown by Baikal Teals in Denmark and Mallards in France, suggesting a more northerly origin for the fledging and moulting sites of this bird. Comparisons with feathers from three different Spanish Marbled Ducks showed a mean 6D value sig- nificantly greater than the Essex bird (by about 20%o). As was the case with the earlier studies (Fox et al. 2007; Votier et al. 2009), such iso- topic analyses cannot prove definitively that the Essex Marbled Duck was hatched and reared in captivity in northern Europe. It is possible that there are Marbled Duck breeding areas elsewhere, where the isotopic signatures in food webs are more similar to those in northern coastal Europe, but this seems unlikely given that the deuterium pre- cipitation base maps (e.g. Bowen et al. 2005, Votier et al. 2009) show similarly low, if not lower, mean annual precipitation 6D values farther east in the breeding range of the species compared with those of Spain and North Africa. The Marbled Duck is also reasonably numerous in cap- tivity, so it seems more likely that this was a bird that was raised in a collec- tion and which escaped before being shot in the wild. This result supports the useful- ness of using stable- isotope analysis of feathers for its con- tribution in con- firming the origins of rare species (wild or captive), espe- cially where feather or other material can be obtained without causing the death of the bird, but reiterates the need for confirma- ' tory evidence from other sources. This example is less clear-cut than the earlier analyses of 278. Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, Spain, April 2005. 466 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 464-467 Isotope analysis of Marbled Duck in Essex Table 1 . 5D values from feathers taken from a Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris specimen from Essex and three from Spain (see text for full details). Location Feather Site where feather assumed grown %o 6d Essex Old tertials, left wing Natal site -74.8 Essex Old median and Natal site -74.0 greater coverts, left wing Essex Apparently fresh breast feathers Winter quarters -70.9 Essex Apparently fresh scapulars Winter quarters -76.5 (i) Marismas del Guadalquivir, Spain Breast Spain or North Afr ica -57.7 (ii) El Hondo, Spain Breast Spain -66.5 (iii) El Hondo, Spain Breast Spain or North Africa -46.9 Baikal Teals, where the striking differences in feather deuterium expected between western Europe and continental Siberia were the basis for more marked differences in feather material (Fox et al. 2007; Votier et al. 2009). Nevertheless, our study suggests that the 2007 Essex Marbled Duck is unlikely to constitute the first demonstrable record of true vagrancy for this species to Britain. Acknowledgments Thanks to Brian Meadows (who is not a wildfowler nor involved with originally obtaining the bird) for liaison and gaining access to the shot specimen and to him and the wildfowler concerned for enabling the analysis of feather material. Thanks to Marcos Ferrandez for help supplying the Spanish specimens and to Len Wassenaar for assistance with the isotopic measurement of samples, which were run at the National Water Research Institute in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Funding was provided by an operating grant to KAH from the Canadian Wildlife Service. References Bowen, G.J., Wassenaar L. I., & Hobson, K. A. 2005. Global application of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes to wildlife forensics. Oecologia 143: 337-348. Dudley, S. R, Gee, M., Melling,! M., & the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee. 2006. The British List: a checklist of birds of Britain (7th edition). Ibis 1 48: 526-563. Fox, A. D„ Christensen, T K„ Bearhop, S., & Newton, J. 2007. Using stable isotope analysis of differing feather tracts to identify moulting provenance of vagrant birds - a case study of Baikal Teal Anas formosa in Denmark. Ibis 149: 622-625. Hobson, K. A. 2008. Applying isotopic methods to tracking animal movements. In: Hobson, K. A., & Wassenaar L. I. (eds.), Tracking Animal Migration Using Stable Isotopes, pp. 45-78. Academic Press, London. — & Wassenaar L. I. 1 997. Linking breeding and wintering grounds of Neotropical migrant songbirds using stable hydrogen isotopic analysis of feathers. Oecologia 109: 142-148. — , Bowen, G.J., Wassenaar L. I., Ferrand.Y, & Lormee, H. 2004. Using stable isotope measurements of feathers to infer geographical origins of migrating European birds. Oecologia 1 42: 477-488. Votier S. C., Bowen, G. J., & Newton, J. 2009. Stable- hydrogen isotope analyses suggest natural vagrancy of Baikal Teal to Britain. Brit. Birds 102: 697-699. Prof. Tony (A. D.) Fox, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Kalo, Grenavej 14, DK-8410 Ronde, Denmark Prof Keith A. Hobson, Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada and Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada Graham Ekins, 35 Church Road, Boreham, Essex CM3 3BN Mark Grantham, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU Prof Andy J. Green, Department of Wetland Ecology, Estacion Biologica de Dohana, Avenida Maria Luisa s/n, Pabelldn del Peru, 41013 Sevilla, Spain British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 464-467 467 Subbuteo Editorial: Subbuteo Natural History Books As part of the redesign of BB that was launched in January this year, all books reviewed in the magazine are now available at a reduced price from Subbuteo Natural History Books, in partnership with BB. In addition, Sub- buteo provides the monthly book page (always the first advertising page after Recent reports), where subscribers can order books from a trusted seller and support BB at the same time (5% of book sales is returned to BB by Subbuteo when code S1590 is quoted at the time of purchase). The books reviewed in BB, and those featured in the monthly book page, are just a small fraction of those that subscribers might be interested in - there are literally thousands of current titles to choose from at the Subbuteo bookstore. The book- shop at Subbuteo’s headquarters at Upton Magna, near Shrewsbury, has one of the country’s largest selections of wildlife and natural history titles. Vis- itors are always made welcome there, where there is time and space to browse what can sometimes seem a daunting selection of books and also the opportunity to pick the brains of staff members. 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SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 468 © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 468 Reviews Safari Sketchbook: a bird painter’s African odyssey By Martin Woodcock The Esker Press, 2010 Hbk, 176pp ISBN 978-0-9564016-0-1 Subbuteo code M20630 £45.00 BB Bookshop price £40.00 It is enormously fascinating, and a real privilege, to watch an artist at work. In the studio perhaps, recreating and reinterpreting observations made previously, often backed up by a multitude of references, chief among which are sketches made directly from life, in the field. We are thinking here of a particular bird artist; but the same applies to all artists who observe the life about them and go on to describe their world in works of art. Watching an artist sketching from life is an even greater privilege. We can then see the imme- diate, almost magical, contact between the artist and the bird through pencil or pen. In this book, Martin Woodcock invites us to share in his enthu- siasms and, as if looking over his shoulder, watch him conjure up on the page the characteristics of the birds he is so intensely studying. Later, in the studio, these sketches will be of infinitely greater value in helping him to repro- duce the bird on a plate for a book than lifeless skins, stuffed birds, photographs or the paintings of others. They reactivate the memory of that initial contact which had recorded the pose, the character, the jizz, helping towards bringing the image, if not back to life, then the printed equiva- lent. To produce the great series of plates for the seven-volume series Birds of Africa, Martin Wood- cock, together with his wife Barbara, travelled throughout Africa over many years, seeking out the birds he needed to paint. In this enthralling book, Martin takes us with them, entertainingly telling of their adventures and showing us through the pages of his sketchbooks what he was seeing. He can look back with pride on an immense achievement and we can get some idea from this beautifully produced book why and how he suc- ceeded. To those of us lucky enough to have visited Africa, Martin’s stories and paintings of familiar landscapes bring back vivid memories. Habitats and plants are also of vital importance to the bird artist and a rich sample is included. As an avid collector of books on wildlife art and artists, I am delighted to add this unique volume to my shelves. Robert Gillmor THE EAGLE WATCHERS ft N K The Eagle Watchers: observing and conserving raptors around the world Edited by Ruth E. Tingay and Todd E. Katzner Comstock Publishing Associates, 2010 Hbk, 234pp, 14 colour photographs ISBN 978-0-8014-4873-7 Subbuteo code M20591 £18.95 BB Bookshop price £17.00 M I nucftv is il 1000 I iAf/NIP For those who enjoy reading accounts of rarity finding, where the emphasis is as much on the finders of the bird and their activities leading up to the discovery as it is on the bird itself, this book is likely to appeal. It con- tains the first-hand accounts of 29 eagle researchers, detailing their varied exploits in the field as they struggle to learn more about their chosen species. Thankfully, rarity hunters in Britain do not have to contend with being followed by the secret police, press-ganged into a tribal death march or stalked by Grizzly Bears Ursus arctos, problems that eagle researchers in various parts of the world The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 469-472 469 Reviews have had to face. And I would challenge anyone to complain about the rigours of fieldwork in Britain having read Hector Miranda’s account of his pio- neering work on Philippine Eagles Pithecophaga jefferyi. He watched a single eaglet growing and developing over a period of five months from a small hide, 21 m up in the forest canopy, regularly accompanied by the sound of the pristine forest being logged nearby. The chick started to reject food and died, perhaps because of the logging dis- turbance, and at that point further studies were curtailed by the appearance of armed groups in the area. A return visit 20 years later confirmed that the forest is now a shadow of its former glory. Fieldwork on Golden Aquila chrysaetos, Spanish Imperial A. adalberti and White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla in Europe proved rather less eventful in the main, though the accounts are every bit as compelling and enlightening. The book includes a useful scene-setting chapter cov- ering basic eagle taxonomy, ecology and conserva- tion, and an Appendix listing the IUCN conservation status for all 75 of the world’s eagle species - 18 are Globally Threatened, of which four are Critically Endangered. There are short biographies for all the contributing authors and half-page summaries covering the description, ecology and conservation of each of the eagle species treated. All royalties from the book will go to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania and the National Birds of Prey Trust in the UK, so there really is no excuse not to indulge! Ian Carter ^AASIIbfcSH I’l l ML | Birds in Books: three hundred years of south Asian ornithology - a bibliography By Aasheesh Pittie Permanent Black, Ranikhet, 2010 Hbk, 845pp ISBN 81-7824-294-X Subbuteo code M20714 £45.00 BB Bookshop price £40.00 Bibliographies are strange things. Anyone who writes a book or even a paper usually has to compile one. Anyone who uses books simply to further their own research has to search them. Yet they are often tedious to assemble and, as any author will tell you, at worse they can be a nightmare to render accurate. So many previous authors have wrongly transcribed a book’s details in their own bibliographies that errors can get handed down from one book to another for gener- ations. Yet this much everyone should acknowl- edge: they are critically important to all forms of scholarship. How wonderful then to come across someone who takes a special pride in building up a bibliog- raphy that is fastidiously accurate, massively detailed and far-ranging in coverage. Aasheesh Pittie has trawled the entire published literature referring to Indian ornithology over the last 300 years and then reduced the details of these 1,700 books to one beautifully presented volume. For anyone interested in the subject, it cuts out hours, probably days, spent trawling libraries for all the relevant material. It also provides a model for any author on how to render a title in their own bibliography. Pittie is as much a historian as he is a bibliophile and archivist. The book includes an introduction that maps out the relationship between the published lit- erature and the wider development of Indian ornithology. This synoptic portrait of Indian bird knowledge is supplemented by a 62-page appendix that contains pithy, engaging biographies of some of the leading European and Asian figures in the field. So while it is primarily a hand tool for students, it is also a book that is a pleasure to browse. Yet it is the detailed outlines of the 1,700 works that forms the vast bulk of this heavy tome. The range of published material covered is more than just technical ornithological titles and embraces works of more general travel or art that contain bird-related material. Pittie has also gone further than most bibliographers and, as well as the usual suite of title, author, place, publisher, date of publi- cation, he offers a rounded outline of the book’s contents and an inventory of illustrations or photo- graphs and comments on the overall quality or his- torical significance of the book. To complete its practical utility, there are three indices, which enable one to link the book titles to specific birds, places and people. Overall the author has done a really thorough job and his splendid book is an invaluable tool for anyone interested in the birds of south Asia. ' Mark Cocker SMJTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 470 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 469-472 Reviews C Collins • FIELD GUIDE BIRDS Birds of the West Indies By Norman Arlott Collins, 2010 Hbk, 240pp, 80 colour plates, many maps ISBN 978-0-00-727718-6 Subbuteo code M20713 £29.99 BB Bookshop price £26.99 of the West Indies James Bond has inspired many a book. His seminal work on the birds of the West Indies, produced over half a century ago, has steadily improved through five editions. Since then, others, notably in the larger islands of the Greater Antilles, have pro- duced decent to very good field guides to either a single island or the whole region. Sadly there is little sign of any added worth here. The text is far too brief, deliberately avoiding mentioning any plumage features for almost all species. Lines on field notes (generally behaviour), voice, habitat and distribution will undoubtedly help on a few occasions, but will not resolve even some basic questions. Which crow am I watching in Hispaniola if it does not call? How can I be sure that the kingbird I am watching in Cuba is a Giant Kingbird Tyrannus cubensis and not a Loggerhead T. caudifasciatus ? In fact, the answers can be found in the plates but, without emphasis in the text, would be missed by most users who do not already know them. The colour plates, as noted above, are generally good, although the lack of immature birds is annoying. One would hope that the inclusion of all wintering and migrant species would have eliminated the need to carry a good North Amer- ican field guide as well. However, by not including immature plumages, especially of such obvious and ubiquitous groups as gulls, terns and North American wood-warblers, this is not the case. The choice of what is depicted is somewhat bizarre. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis, with only one record (from the Bahamas), has three images including breeding male and female, whilst Zapata Sparrow Torreornis inexpectata, with three identifi- able races, is deemed worthy of only one. One cannot trust the differences depicted in the diffi- cult Empidonax and Myiarchus flycatchers. Again, more text would have helped here. Since distribution has been included in the text, the maps are really pointless: 550 of these occupy 62 pages and, frustratingly, all are on the same scale. Since many depict single-island endemics, they often do little more than identify an island. Some attempt has been made in the case of the larger islands to map more precisely, but the scale is too small to be really helpful. Mistakes that could easily lead to misidentification have occurred, for example the only Aratinga parakeet mapped on Hispaniola is Hispaniolan Parakeet Aratinga chloroptera where Olive-throated A. nana also occurs. There are many omissions in both text and maps, especially of scarce or under-recorded migrants. This book will no doubt suit the holidaymaker and may well have a market on the many cruise ships sailing around the islands. It will not please the more serious birder, who should choose one of the guides with a more complete text. This is a shame as a bit more forethought could have resulted in a compact and useful guide. Richard Schofield Collins Bird Songs and Calls By Geoff Sample Collins, 2010 3 CDs (3 hours 30 mins), plus 232-page softback book ISBN 978-0-00-733976-1 Subbuteo code M20712 £30.00 BB Bookshop price £27.00 Described by the publisher as ‘a unique beginner’s guide to bird song’, this set of three CDs is a new and improved version of a two-CD production of the same name that first appeared in 1996 (reviewed in Brit. Birds 90: 109). With Geoff Sample’s familiar and friendly voice- over, the first CD takes the listener on a journey from his house to hear the typical birds in a country garden setting. The recordings are mixed together to give the feeling of a seamless journey from one species to another. The same approach is taken for farmland, hedges and scrub, woodland, heathland SUMTE0 The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 469-472 471 Reviews and riverside. The second CD takes the same approach for pinewood, moorland, boggy wetlands, reedbeds, lakeside, saltmarsh and rocky coast. The third CD takes groups of species in turn, comparing calls and songs, while providing hints to identify them from each other. Again Geoff Sample’s com- mentary provides easy, uncomplicated listening. Although there are new and better recordings in this set, and extra species have been added, some have also been dropped - such as Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus, Hobby Falco subbuteo and Common Tern Sterna hirundo. While most regular breeding species are included, there are no recordings of Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, Montagu’s Harrier C. pygargus, Osprey Pandion haliaetus and Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii. Among the wintering species an obvious absentee is Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta. Most people who want a set of bird songs and calls will already possess one of the widely avail- able sets of CDs that cover everything. This pro- duction does not set out to compete in that market. Instead this is a tutorial on bird sounds, helping the listener to develop a better under- standing of what they are hearing. The recordings are clear, mixed in stereo to give a very pleasant image, particularly on headphones. Geoff Sample’s informal and chatty commentary adds value to the recordings without becoming intrusive. The accompanying book discusses all aspects of the purpose of bird song and our appreciation of it over the ages. A short text is given for each of the main UK species, describing their vocalisations and indicating the months in which they are best listened for. Keith Betton Finding Birds in North Goa By Dave Gosney www.easybirder.co.uk 2010 DVD (95 mins) and 36-page booklet Subbuteo code V80087 £23.45 BB Bookshop price £20.00 Finding Birds in North Spain By Dave Gosney www.easybirder.co.uk 2010 DVD (63 mins) and 36-page booklet Subbuteo code V80088 £23.45 BB Bookshop price £20.00 Goa, and specifically the area north of the Zuari River, has become one of the most popular destina- tions for birders visiting Asia. Since the early days when trailblazing pioneers first realised that this state (India’s smallest) was full of birds, there has been a huge growth in hotels, together with attrac- tively priced tour-operator packages. In this DVD, Dave Gosney visits the main sites, ranging from Morjim and Siolim in the north, down the coast via Baga and Arpora, across to Bondla and the Back- woods Camp in the east. There are 21 main loca- tions covered in total, all of which are in a relatively small area roughly measuring 40 km by 25 km. As is always the case with Dave Gosney’s work, the video coverage of over 140 species is excellent, including great footage of many of the specialities such as Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura, Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus, Sri Lankan Frogmouth Batra- chostomus moniliger, White-rumped Shama Copsy- chus rnalabaricus, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus and Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithacus. An added bonus is the collection of photos of almost 90 species by Terry Spooner. By comparison, the area covered in Spain is huge - about 150 km by 500 km, including the provinces of Cantabria, Castilla y Leon, Navarra, Aragon and Catalonia. The main habitats here are the mountains of the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees, together with the steppes and plains below them. The sites covered include the plains of Lleida and Belchite, the mountains around Jaca and Guara, and the wetlands of Gallocanta and Villafafila. There are only about 50 species shown in this DVD, but the quality makes up for that with sought-after targets like Great Bustard Otis tarda , Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria, Dupont’s Lark Chersophilus duponti , Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus and Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella. As always, there is plenty of commentary to explain the best strategy for seeing the birds and the DVDs link easily to page numbers in the book- lets; the task of finding the best viewing points is made incredibly easy by the detailed maps and inclusion of GPS co-ordinates. Updates are planned for the Easybirder website www.easybirder.co.uk, which also includes extra photos and a message board for people who wish to point out changes and additional information. Over the years, Dave Gosney has published 23 site guides, so look out for more DVDs to the best birding destinations. Keith Betton SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 472 British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 469—472 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Nightingale tracked to its wintering grounds BTO researchers have made a major breakthrough by tracking a migrant passerine for the very first time: a Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhyn- chos has been tracked to its wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa using a tiny geolocator weighing just 1 g. Geolocators use a light sensor and a memory chip to record the light level against a clock and a calendar, from which latitude and longitude on a particular date can be deduced. But, unlike the larger, heavier satellite tags that can be attached to bigger birds, geolocators are not big enough to store a transmitter. So birds fitted with geolocators have to be retrapped to download the data. Chris Hewson and his BTO colleagues fitted 20 Nightingales with geolocators in 2009, and this spring they recaptured no fewer than seven of them on their return from Africa, all in the same part of Norfolk. Five of the devices had failed, and one had only partially worked, but the data logger on Nightingale ‘OAD’ had recorded the outward journey in full. The bird was recaptured just 50 m from where it was tagged the year before. Its data log showed that OAD left England in July 2009 near the Kent/Sussex border, crossed the Channel, and headed due south through central France, crossing the Pyrenees in mid August. It turned down the eastern side of Spain and crossed the Mediterranean from the region of Almeria to Morocco, where it had a three-week stopover from late August to mid September to rest and refuel. It then skirted the Sahara by flying down the Atlantic coast of northwest Africa, into Senegal and finally to Guinea-Bissau, where it arrived in mid December. OAD spent about six weeks on its wintering ground before departing north in February, at about which time the geolocator failed. It probably arrived back in Norfolk in mid April, and it was retrapped on 9th May. Since ringing recoveries of summer migrants are few and far between, tracking the exact migra- tion route of a passerine for the first time is a huge achievement. ‘This is revolutionising our under- standing,’ Chris said. ‘Because of this one bird, we now know several orders of magnitude more about where British Nightingales go in Africa than we have found out from 100 years of ringing.’ The dramatic declines of so many summer migrants that winter in Africa prompted the BTO to launch its Africa to Britain (A2B) research pro- gramme last year and its Out of Africa appeal to fund this urgent work. The geolocator results for the Norfolk Nightingales show that the research is bearing fruit. ‘If we want to find out if things going on in Africa are affecting Nightingales and other birds, we need to know where they’re going,’ Chris Hewson added. ‘Otherwise, we don’t know what particular changes are happening to the area they’re going to, and what the particular threats are. We may now be able to relate population declines of birds in different parts of Europe to the different parts of Africa where they spend the winter.’ A Birdfair for Africa Africa will be in the spotlight at this year’s British Birdwatching Fair held at Rutland Water over the weekend of 20th-22nd August (www.birdfair.org.uk). This is the 22nd Birdfair but the first with a specific project in sub-Saharan Africa - Saving southern Ethiopia’s endemic birds. BirdLife has identified two Endemic Bird Areas in Ethiopia: the Central Ethiopia Highlands and the South Ethiopia Highlands. The latter EBA is mid-elevation savannah, pasture and relict wood- land and has five Ethiopian endemics whose ranges are restricted to this area. The colourful Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco Tauraco ruspolii is the Birdfair poster bird but it’s the cryptically plumaged - and Critically Endangered - Sidamo Lark Heteromirafra sidamoensis that demands the greatest attention. It is the leading candidate for the first avian extinction in mainland Africa (see below). Sharing its southern Ethiopian homeland are the curious and endearing Stresemann’s Bush- crows Zavattariornis stresemanni, whose closest relatives are the ground jays Podoces of central Asia. Completing the set of southern Ethiopian endemics are White-tailed Swallow Hirundo megaensis and Nechisar Nightjar Caprimulgus solala. The lark, bush-crow and swallow are all found in a small triangle of savannah and pastureland between the towns of Negele, Yabello and the appropriately named Mega. The nightjar is known from a single specimen collected in Nechisar © British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 473—478 473 Barry Barnacal Barry Barnacal News and comment 280. Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco Tauraco ruspolii, Ethiopia, November 2008. National Park in 1990 and a recent (2009) claimed sighting. Latin scholars will have spotted the tongue-in-cheek reference to this specimen in the specific name solala. It means ‘one wing’ - the type speci- men was a roadkill and all that was retained was one distinctively plumaged wing. Urgent research into the status and ecological requirements/conser- vation management of the nightjar - and the other four southern Ethiopian endemics - is required and Birdfair 2010 will fund this important work. As ever, British Birds will be sup- porting the Birdfair and you can find our stands (24 & 25) in Marquee 3. The winning entries to the Bird Pho- tograph of the Year (see pp. 445-459) will be displayed on the stand. See you there! Changing names, saving species? When can a bird’s name save its life? Perhaps when its name is changed to reflect its limited range and foster pride and conservation zeal in that area’s indigenous population. This is the compelling argument made by Nigel Collar, Fellow in Conser- vation Biology at BirdLife, who has conducted recent survey work on the southern Ethiopian endemics showcased at this year’s Birdfair. Dr Collar has formally proposed that Sidamo Lark be renamed ‘Liben Lark’ to reflect its incred- ibly restricted range, the Liben Plain outside Negele. This is a small patch (35 km2) of degraded pastureland and the last refuge of this intriguing lark whose population may number fewer than 200 individuals. And to stack the odds even further against the lark, the population may well be dispro- portionately male. The birds nest beneath the few unpalatable plants left on the heavily grazed plain - the only cover - and that’s where predators will know to find not only nests but also brooding females. The lark was described in 1975 and was initially named Erard’s Lark, then Sidamo Lark after the (now defunct) province it inhabited. Its third name change in 35 years would identify it closely with its last bastion and was enthusiastically endorsed by local people at a meeting in Negele in May 2009. In a letter published in the September 2009 Bulletin of the African Bird Club (16: 245), Nigel Collar writes: ‘One of the more unexpected outcomes (of the meeting) was a unanimously endorsed request, accompanied by' more applause than at any other point in the day, that the name of the species be changed to “Liben Lark”. I hope it will not be considered desta- bilising or irritating to accede to the 28 1 . Liben Lark Heteromirafra sidamoensis, Ethiopia, November 2008. 474 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 473—478 News and comment workshop’s request. Indeed, if it helps engender real local pride and sensitivity to conservation, and thereby contributes to the species’s survival, ornithologists everywhere will have cause to cele- brate.’ The BirdLife taxonomic working group has accepted the proposal but it has yet to be univer- sally accepted by birders and authors. Collar argues that conservation-driven changes in English bird names, when used sparingly, have the poten- tial to save species. One other candidate that he’s nominated is the Endangered Stresemann’s Bush- crow - calling it Ethiopian Bush-crow might win the additional support from the Ethiopian people and government that this bird needs. Closer to home, the Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica has received greater prominence since its ‘split’ as Britain’s only endemic species. Are there other candidate species in the Western Palearctic where a name change might enhance their conser- vation prospects? Spoon-billed Sandpiper on a knife-edge ‘Preventing Extinctions’ was the explicit theme for the Birdfairs of 2007-09 - and is the underlying theme for every year’s event. Spoon-billed Sand- piper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus was one of the Crit- ically Endangered species showcased in 2008. And its critical status seems to have got even worse. This charismatic shorebird, whose population has probably never exceeded 10,000 birds, breeds on the tundra of northeast Siberia and winters in estuaries in southeast Asia. Its rapid slide towards extinction has taken place in the past decade, with survey work in Russia suggesting fewer than 1,000 birds remained in 2004 - and only 120-220 pairs in summer 2009. The draining of the Saemangeum estuary in South Korea, a vital staging point on its migration route, was a major blow, while low productivity on the breeding grounds has pushed the sandpiper closer to the abyss. But new research published in Wader Study Group Bulletin 117 (2010) highlights a hitherto unknown threat: hunting on the wintering grounds. Indeed, the paper (by Christoph Zockler and six co-authors, two of them from the BTO) is titled ‘Hunting in Myanmar is probably the main cause of the decline of Spoon-billed Sandpiper.’ The abstract states: ‘Surveys conducted in Myanmar during 2008-2010 showed an estimated wintering population of over 200 [sandpipers], which is probably more than half the world popu- lation. Within Myanmar, the key estuary is the Bay of Martaban. We found extensive evidence of the hunting of waders in all sites visited, mostly by the poorest people in each village. The majority of 26 bird-hunters questioned in 15 villages on the east side of the Bay of Martaban knew of Spoon-billed Sandpipers and most probably catch the species every year. Spoon-billed Sandpipers are not the hunters’ primary target but, along with other calidrids, tend to be caught more frequently in the mist-nets they use for other target species, such as Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva and Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata. It is likely that hunting in the wintering area is the major cause of the species’ decline, which may have been exacerbated by the fact that the Spoon-billed Sandpiper’s core wintering area happens to be an area of high hunting pressure. Urgent action is needed to find ways to give the local hunters economic alterna- tives to hunting... Without urgent conservation action we believe that the Spoon-billed Sandpiper will become extinct within 10-20 years.’ White-tailed Eagle reintroduction grounded The controversial plan to reintroduce White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla to East Anglia has been dropped by the Government’s nature conservation agency Natural England. The project is a casualty of the financial cuts in the public sector but also neutralises a public rela- tions embarrassment. The reintroduction was originally planned for Suffolk but protests from an unlikely coalition of landowners defending their gamebird-shooting interests and birders who raised concerns about Minsmere’s nationally important breeding population of Eurasian Bit- terns Botaurus stellaris made Natural England think again. Attention then shifted to north Norfolk as an alternative release site for the reintroduction scheme but this was rejected and Suffolk became the preferred option once more - until the accountants cancelled the scheme. In the current climate of financial austerity, it seems that Natural England may no longer have the resources for reintroduction schemes and the standard-bearer will become the RSPB, whose current flagship project is the £1.5m reintroduc- tion of Common Cranes Grus grus to the Somerset Levels and Moors in partnership with WWT and the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust (www. thegreatcraneproject.org.uk). Responding to the decision by Natural England to pull out of the planned reintroduction, Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conservation, said: ‘This decision will disappoint all those who look forward to the return of White-tailed Eagles to British Birds 1 03 • August 2010 * 473—478 475 News and comment their rightful place in England’s skies. Righting the wrongs of the past, which saw these magnificent birds driven from our coasts and wetlands, remains a priority for conservation programmes of the future particularly when illegal persecution of birds of prey remains far too common in the UK. The RSPB recognises that in a time of financial restrictions some projects need to be delayed but we are very concerned that wildlife conservation will be hit very hard by the financial stringencies ahead. We call upon the Government to ensure that investment in nature conservation is not turned off at a time when the UK is already failing to meet its own biodiversity targets. Eagle Owls predate English Hen Natural England has been embroiled in another recent controversy concerning the release of pow- erful predatory birds. In June the agency con- firmed that an Eagle Owl Bubo bubo had been filmed on CCTV attacking a nesting female Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus in Bowland, Lancashire. While the owl was still present a few hours later, the incubating harrier was not seen again and its nest failed. Bowland is now the last remaining stronghold for nesting Hen Harriers in England. With numbers so critically low, the news of Eagle Owl predation at Bowland is another blow to the Hen Harrier’s future as a breeding bird in England. Three years ago N&c reported the deadly effects of Eagle Owls on Bowland’s harriers (Brit. Birds 100: 629). Tom Tew, Chief Scientist for Natural England, said: 'Eagle Owls are a recent arrival in Lancashire, following their probable escape from captivity. The nest-cam footage confirms suspicions that they are impacting on Hen Harrier breeding success in Bowland. The additional threat posed by Eagle Owls to an already threatened population of Hen Harriers raises significant questions about the future survival of this native breeding bird in England. There will be an opportunity at the end of the breeding season to weigh up the evidence and assess how to proceed with the Hen Harrier Recovery Project.’ The RSPB’s Mark Avery said: 'Hen Harrier numbers in England are perilously low due to years of illegal shooting and poisoning. Last year there were just six successful nests in the whole country - four in Bowland. It is vital we do not lose them from this last stronghold. ‘It is hugely important that we reach a decision on Eagle Owls soon, but that decision has to be based on solid evidence. While dramatic, we must remember this footage is still just part of the picture. Monitoring of Eagle Owls is continuing at ‘Our experience with reintroducing White- tailed Eagles to Scotland shows how much their presence boosts the local economy through tourism opportunities worth millions of pounds a year. Those benefits will now not be delivered to the local communities as quickly as expected. A small number of vocal opponents have cam- paigned against this project. We will be writing to the Country Land and Business Association to ask whether they could identify suitable areas for a White-tailed Eagle reintroduction project where we could work together to achieve a real conserva- tion gain.’ Harriers various sites across the UK and all the evidence gathered will be assessed at the end of the breeding season.’ A recent review by the BOU (Brit. Birds 101: 478-490) concluded that Eagle Owls were present in Britain only as a result of escapes from captivity (there are over 3,000 in captivity in England), while a special report by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (Brit. Birds 100: 646-648) described the spread of the species, including the small popula- tion that has become established in the Bowland Fells. In 2007 a nesting pair of Eagle Owls at Dunsop Bridge in Bowland gained notoriety for their attacks on dogs and a footpath was closed for dogwalkers’ safety (Brit. Birds 100: 449). In April 2010, Eagle Owls were belatedly included in Schedule 9 of the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act, making it illegal to release them into the wild in Great Britain. Within its native range the Eagle Owl is a top predator and adults have no natural enemies. It is known to kill other predatory species, for food or to remove competi- tion, and can reduce the breeding success of other birds of prey. Although healthy populations of other birds of prey can co-exist with Eagle Owls in extensive wild landscapes, small populations that are already limited by other factors are extremely vulnerable. Colour-marked Manx Shearwaters Although colour-marked seabirds might not be the first thing you think about on a late-summer seawatch, if you spot a unusually garish Manx Shearwater this year, that sighting would be grate- fully welcomed by the Seawatch SW project (www.seawatch-sw.org). For more details, visit www.birdguides. com/webzine/article. asp?a=2 1 88 476 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 473^478 News and comment Donation of ibises gives Middle East’s rarest bird renewed hope of survival The Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita, revered as a god in the time of the pharaohs, was in more recent times assumed to be extinct in the wild in the Middle East. In 2002, researchers were therefore delighted to discover a tiny population (of seven birds) near the ancient city of Palmyra, in Syria. In 2010, just three of these remained, happily aug- mented this year by a single wild-reared juvenile. Now, the Turkish Government has donated six semi-captive birds. Two of these juveniles, fitted with satellite transmitters, have been released in the hope that they will follow the wild birds and, ultimately, bolster the precariously fragile popula- tion. The remainder will be kept for breeding and future releases of juveniles. Two of the wild adult birds are also fitted with satellite tags; we know that adults spend the winter in Ethiopia, but the wintering grounds of the juveniles is incompletely known. A team of biolo- gists will also be attempting to follow the tagged birds, to record habitat details and to ensure that no illegal hunting takes place. There is increasing evidence that hunting and other pressures outside the breeding grounds have driven this species’ decline, and satellite tracking represents a major tool for understanding and addressing the problems. To follow the progress of the birds on the web, visit www.rspb.org.uk/ibistracking Full set of endangered vultures now breeding in captivity All three species of Critically Endangered Asian vultures have now successfully reared young in captive breeding centres in India, providing some long-term hope for these three species, especially as the ultimate aspiration is to return birds to the wild. The Vulture Breeding Centre reports that ten vulture chicks have fledged this year, with three Long-billed Vulture Gyps indicus chicks fledging in captivity for the first time ever. These chicks were complemented by the fledging of three Slender- billed G. tenuirostris and four Oriental White- backed Vultures G. bengalensis. The population crash of Asia’s vultures was first noted in the late 1990s, since then their rate of decline has been steeper than for many other species, including the infamous extinction of the Dodo Raphus cucullatus. The vultures’ catastrophic decline has been driven by the veterinary use of diclofenac. A vulture will die of acute kidney failure within a few days of consuming meat from the carcase of livestock recently treated with the drug. Reportedly, before their population crash, Asia’s vulture population extended to tens of mil- lions of birds, but now the combined population of all three species is believed to be well below 60,000 individuals. And with the population of at least one species almost halving each year, the success of captive breeding may give some hope that these magnificent birds will be prevented from reaching oblivion. Chris Bowden, of the RSPB, said: ‘The crisis facing vultures is one of the worst facing the natural world. Since the declines of these birds were first noticed, the speed at which they have gone is terrifying - and these birds played such an important role in cleaning up carcases and the environment. Although we may never again witness the sheer abundance of vultures across southern Asia, the latest news provides hope that we may, at least, be able to prevent the total extinc- tion of these birds.’ Rare birds in Ireland The 2007 Irish Rare Bird Report (IRBR) was com- pleted ahead of schedule for its publication in Irish Birds V 61. 8, No. 4. As a result, the IRBC made the report available as a pdf through the IRBC website (www.irbc.ie) in autumn 2009. Subsequently, addi- tional records and some errors in the report were brought to the IRBC’s attention. Normally such additions and corrections would not be incorp- orated until the following report but on this occa- sion the report was amended before it appeared in Irish Birds, and a revised pdf version is now avail- able on the IRBC website. The IRBC regrets any confusion that may have been caused as a result. In future, the IRBC will produce a (clearly labelled) interim version as soon as possible, which will be available on the IRBC website. Additions and corrections to this interim version, received prior to its submission to the editors of Irish Birds, will be made. The final version will be that pub- lished in Irish Birds and a revised pdf will appaear on the website. Any additions or corrections received following publication of that final version will appear in future reports. ( Contributed by Kieran Fahy) British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 473^478 477 News and comment Swift migration: an appeal for information In spring there are perhaps few other sights in the bird world that arouse such excitement and interest as screaming flocks of Common Swifts Apus apus. For many years, the enigmatic Swift has posed a number of important questions for ornithologists. Many were answered by the late David Lack during the course of his landmark study ot swifts in Oxford, but there are some which remain unanswered. During July and August 2009, 1 witnessed an extraordinary migration of Swifts over parts of East Anglia, chiefly southwest Suffolk and northern Essex. The birds I saw were not feeding flocks but Swifts flying in loose columns, in a posi- tive and direct manner. Where had they come from, where were they going and for how many years had they been making this journey? These were some of the questions that sprang to mind, but there are plenty more: are all of the Swift movements that we sometimes see in June and early July weather-related, or are there other reasons? What routes do Swifts take across the UK in the spring, and where are they heading? And what route do they take in autumn? At present we know very little about these matters. Over the next 2-3 years, I aim to explore the spring and autumn passage of Swifts through the UK to try and unravel the answers to some of those questions. To this end, I need your help and should be very grateful to receive any information from readers regarding Swift movements. What are the signs to look for? Apart from at assembly points, such as reservoirs, migrating swifts usually fly directly and positively, typically silently and in a relaxed and unhurried manner. Data from the European mainland or even Africa would also be of interest, as would associated records of Hobbies Falco subbuteo and whether migrating Swifts were accompanied by Barn Swal- lows Hirundo rustica or House Martins Delichon urbicum. Records from the past five years would also be useful. Please record the number of birds involved, plus date, time, location (preferably a four-figure grid reference or 10-km square along with tetrad letter), direction of travel, an indica- tion of the height they were travelling at, and weather conditions including the wind direction and cloud cover. Ideally, the data should also be entered into BirdTrack (www.birdtrack.net). For more information, or to send data, please contact me as follows: Jeff Martin, 17 Moss Way, West Bergholt, Colchester, Essex C06 3LJ; e-mail jeff.r.martin@btinternet.com Biking birder reaches Scotland Gary Prescott (see Brit. Birds 103: 135, 255), whose mission it is to cycle to every RSPB and WWT reserve in the UK in 2010, in support of those two charities plus Asthma UK, has now reached Scot- land. He told N&c: ‘It is now July and I am approaching Glasgow in fine fettle and in fine weather. The year list stands at 208; only another 44 to break Chris Mills’ record of 251 species seen in a year without using any form of motorised transport. Mind you, new birds are becoming tough to come by and the last few weeks have seen a progression of close misses. How would you like to be enjoying the scenery from the deck of the Belfast ferry leaving the Mersey when a text tells of a White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus vanellus at Seaforth? Someone stopped me leaping from the boat! ‘Some excellent birds have been added to the list. The Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundi- naceus at Straw’s Bridge NR near Derby involved a bit of a detour but was worth it; as were the two Dotterels Charadrius morinellus up on Abney Clough on the same day. The lone male Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos at Haweswater RSPB reserve performed well, otherwise most year-list additions have been the incoming summer migrants and certain northern species such as Hooded Crow Corvus cornix and Twite Carduelis flavirostris. 'Highlights of the tour from Cornwall to Scot- land via Wales and Northern Ireland include a boat over to and around Skokholm off the Pem- brokeshire coastline, with its massive Northern Gannet Morus bassanus colony there, and entering the visitor’s centre at Belfast Lough RSPB reserve to see hundreds of Common Sterna hirundo and Arctic Terns S. paradisaea on the islands. ‘One of the most lasting images to remain with me, though, was from the viewing platform at the RSPB seabird centre on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, when the sea fog cleared to reveal what had been making all the noise all that morning: over 100,000 seabirds, Common Guillemots Uria aalge , Razorbills Alca torda, Puffins Fratercula arctica and Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla, all perched on the nearby sea stacks. Incredible! ‘So now ahead of me is Scotland. The cycling tour here will take me three months and maybe the year-list record will be broken during September, when I will be spending the whole of that month on Orkney and Shetland. To sponsor Gary and follow his journey, see www.bikingbirder.co.uk, where his itinerary is listed - if you can offer company or a bed for the night at any point, please get in touch. 478 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 473—478 Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early June to early July 2010. Headlines A much-travelled White-tailed Lapwing and a River Warbler in Norfolk, together with a Little Bittern in Somerset, Gull-billed Terns in Devon and the House Finch that relocated to the same county were the most accessible rarities in this period. More difficult to catch up with were a North Atlantic Little Shearwater on Lundy, two fly-by Fea’s Petrels, a short-staying Bridled Tern in Northumberland, and rather remote (for the masses at least) Brunnich’s Guillemot, Paddyfield and Blyth’s Reed War- blers in the Northern Isles. Ireland’s first Iberian Chiffchaff continued the remarkable spring for that species. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Cley (Norfolk), 7th June; Fen Drayton, 15th— 16th June, then Berry Fen (both Cambridgeshire), 17th June to 5th July. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Long-stayer in Avon to 10th June; Minsmere (Suffolk), 23rd June to 7th July. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross), 23rd June. King Eider Somateria spectabilis In North-east Scotland, long-stayer at Ythan Estuary to 18th June, then Blackdog on 26th; Chanonry Point (Highland), 7th June; Burra (Shetland), 25th June; Flamborough Head, 2nd July, possibly same Filey (both York- shire), 9th— 1 1 th July. Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 5th July; between Ramsey Island and Grassholm (Pembrokeshire), 11th July. North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffmus baroli Lundy (Devon), heard most evenings between 7th and 24th June. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Walton Heath (Somerset), 24th June to 11th July. Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Benbecula (Outer Hebrides), 22nd-23rd June. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Slimbridge (Gloucester- shire), 9th June; Falmer (Sussex), 17th June. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records came from Co. Cork, Greater London, Kent, © British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 479—480 North-east Scotland, Northumberland, Som- erset and Sussex. Purple Heron Ardea pur- purea Minsmere, long-stayer to 11th June; Dungeness (Kent), breeding pair still present to 1 1th July; Clacton (Essex), 28th June. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Jurston (Devon), 13th June; between Haddington and Macmerry (Lothian), 22nd June; Capel St Mary (Suffolk), 8th July. Glossy Ibis Plegadis fal- cinellus Long-stayer in Co. Wexford to 4th July. Black Kite Milvus migrans Redruth (Corn- wall), 10th June; Titchwell (Norfolk), 12th June; Shepton Mallet (Somerset), 17th June; Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk), 30th June. Red- footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Ouse Fen (Cambridgeshire), long-stayer to 12th June; Islay (Argyll), two, 7th June; Powderham 11th, then Exminster Marshes (both Devon), 1 1 th— 1 3th June; Whetsted GP (Kent), 12th June; Cuckmere Haven (Sussex), 20th-23rd June; Dungeness, 22nd-23rd June; between Burnham Thorpe and North Creake (Norfolk), 3rd July; Kearnsey Abbey (Kent), 5th July. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Portadown (Co. Armagh), 15th June. White- tailed Lapwing Vanellus leucurus Rainham Marshes (Greater London/Essex), 7th-8th July, then Slimbridge, 9th— 1 0th July, and Dungeness, 1 1 th— 1 2th July. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Scatness (Shet- land), 20th June. Broad-billed Sandpiper Limi- cola falcinellus Port Clarence (Cleveland), long-stayer to 15th June. Buff-breasted Sand- piper Tryngites subruficollis Titchwell, 2nd-llth July. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Rogerstown Estuary (Co. Dublin), 2 1 st— 25th June. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia Far Ings (Lincolnshire), 28th June to 1st July; Blennerville (Co. Kerry), 3rd-4th July. Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus East Chevington (Northumberland), 21st June. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Cardiff Bay (East Glamorgan), 8th June; Bowling 479 John Carter Recent reports Green Marsh/Exe Estuary (Devon), two, 28th-29th June, one to 11th July; Slapton (Devon), 30th June; Abbotsbury (Dorset), 30th June to 1st July. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Loch Lomond (Clyde), 19th June, Meikle Loch, then Loch of Strathbeg (both North-east Scotland), both 21st June. White-winged Black Tern Chlido- nias leucopterus Belvide Resr (Staffordshire), 7th June. Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri Long- stayer in Co. Wexford to end of June. Brunnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia Hoy (Orkney), 29th June. Alpine Swift Apus melba Whittle Dene Resr (Northumberland), 18th June; Spurn (York- shire), 11th July. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Samphire Hoe CP (Kent), two, 8th June; Mynydd Mawr (Gwent), 9th June; South Stack, 9th June, Hen Borth then Plas Cemlyn 13th, then Cemlyn Bay (all Anglesey), 16th June; Trewellard (Cornwall), 9th June; Tow Law (Durham), two, 1 1th June; Llandygwnning (Caernarfonshire), 11th June; Squabmoor Resr (Devon), 22nd June; Wareham (Dorset), 22nd June; Bruton (Som- erset), 22nd June; Rathlin Island (Co. Antrim), 27th June; Spurn, 1st July. Wood- chat Shrike Lanius senator Start Point (Devon), 8th June; Bryher (Scilly), 22nd June. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Blennerville, 27th June. Greenish Warbler Phyltoscopus trochiloides Flamborough Head, 9th June; Bardsey (Caernarfonshire), 11th June. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus Long-stayers at Walderslade (Kent) to 9th June, Wentwood Forest (Gwent) to 18th June and Potterick Carr (Yorkshire) to 23rd June; Grimston (Yorkshire), 1 3th— 1 4th June; Brownstown Head (Co. Waterford), 16th June. Marmora’s Warbler Sylvia sarda Blorenge (Gwent), long- stayer to 15th June. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Blakeney Point (Norfolk), long- stayer to 7th June; Lundy, 9th June. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Thorpe-next- Haddiscoe (Norfolk), 2nd-llth July. Paddy- field Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Grutness (Shetland), 21st June. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Fair Isle, 10th June. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundi- naceus Straw’s Bridge Pond (Derbyshire), long-stayer to 25th June; Malltraeth (Anglesey), 15th-24th June. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Coll (Outer Hebrides), 14th June; Barra (Outer Hebrides), 17th June; Porthgwarra, 24th-28th June. Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris Newcastle (Co. Wicklow), 9th June; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 23rd-26th June. European Serin Serinus serinus St Agnes (Scilly), 1 7th— 24th June; Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), 21st June; Portland ( Dorset), 6th July. White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis Bardsey, 1 1 th June; Fulbeck (Lincolnshire), 18th— 19th June. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Kin- lochbervie (High- land), 1st July. House Finch Carpo-, dacus mexicanus East Prawle (Devon), 27th June to 10th July, same as previ- ously in Cornwall. 480 British Birds 103 • August 2010 • 479—480 IBBUTEO I TURAL HISTORY BOOKS Natural History Bookshop To see all the books listed-here and browse hundreds of titles covering ornithology and many other wildlife and natural history subjects go to www.wildlifebooks.com/bb Code SI 590 ILLICATION OFFER HANDBOOK BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 15 Weavers to New World Warblers Del Hoyo, Josep/Elliott, '.hristie, David A (eds) hbk £149.00 .cation price £149.00 oil 15th September jreafterRRP £185.00 THE BIRDS OF LUNDY Davis, Tim/ Jones, Tim M20031 pbk £15.00 Was £18.95 NOW £12.95 OOLOGY AFRICA CATCHERS' GUIDE GAMBIA tii ppbk £12.75 eld Guide: F : EASTERN AFRICA t . 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Parking: 50 yards past our premises - first left Field Days Alternative venues to Morden at which you can 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 ako be handed m/collected. 1 0.00am to 1.00pm usua Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Riverhead and Sevenooks - Bat and Ball Station 1 August, 5 Sept, 3 October, 7 Nov Pagham Harbour LNR On the B2145 into Selsey, West Sussex 29 August, 26 Sept College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 near Bulbourne, Tring, Herts. 8 August, 1 0 Oct Dinton Pastures Country Park Near Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh and Winnersh Station (B3030) 12 Sept, 14 Nov Bough Beech 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. 15 August, 19 Sept, 17 October, 21 Nov Canon, Helios Kowa, Leica, Manfrotto, Miyauchi, Nikon, Opticron, Optolyth, Sentinel, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. Used items als, on our web site For subsequent Field Day dates, phone or see our website so, Swarovski 1 Leica 1 Zeiss 1 Op UK 1 ILb 01872 263444 www.swoptics.co.i SLRs, Compacts & Adapters Nikon D300s Body £1249 Nikon D90 with 18- 105mm lens £899 Nikon D5000 with 18-55VR tens £599 Nikon D3000 with 18-55VR lens £479 Nikon Coolpoc PI 00 see Web SLR Digiscopmg Adapter FSA-L2 for EDG View our new blog... www.swopticsphoto.com for the latest images Lenses Nikon 70-300mm (M 5 56 ED VR £499 Nikon 300mm MO IF-ED AF-S Nikon Teleconvertor tc 20E ill Nikon Teleconvertor TC-14II « TC-17H £379 Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6 3 DG OS HSM £759 See Web for other available lenses Tripods Jobu Gimbal Junior Kit Jobu Black Widow Gimbal Jobu Gimbal BWG PRO Velbon Geo E540 with PH-157Q head El 99 Velbon Geo E640 with ph i57Q heed £209 Manfrotto Tnpods see Web Accessories f i SLR I Mounts £18 Car Window Mount £42 Velbon Hide Clarnp HC-2528 I £40 Calothenm Cleaning products see Web Zetss / Swarovski Cleaning Kits see V\teb Lexar SD and CF Memory Cards Binoculars see Web Swarovski New EL 8 5x42 Swsrovision i £1595 > 2k Swarovski New EL 10x42 Swarovlsior £1660 Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 8x42 £1159 w Zeiss Victory r FL LT 10x42 £1189 V Leica Ultravid HD 8x42 £1399 Leica Ultravid HD 10x42 £1489 Over 80oTroducts Available Online www.swoptics.co.uk Gift Vouchers Available All prices are subject to change please check wobsite for current prices E&EO 2 6cJ $ South West Optics 22a River Street Truro Cornwall UK TR1 2SJ Swarovski Scopes & Digiscoping ATM 80 HD with 25-50x Zoom & Case £2399 ATM 65 HD with 25 50* Zoom & Case £1899 Swarovski UCA Adapter £239 Swarovski DCA Adapter £159 Swarovski T IS 800 SLR Adapter £399 Swarovski Telescope Rail £112 Zeiss Scopes & Digiscoping Diascope 95 T*FL LT 20-e0x Zoom 4 Cese £1799 Zeiss Digital Adapter £299 Zeiss SLR Adapter £329 Coming Soon Zeis* Photoscope see Web New Diascope Range due ApH 2010 see Web Leica Scopes & Digiscoping APO Tetevid HD 62. 25-50x Zoom 4 Case £2475 APO Televid HD 65 25-60* Zoom 4 Case £1999 Letca Digital Adapter 3 £349 Leica Digital Adapter 4 £79 Leica D-Lux 4 with 4GB SD Card £529 Leica Trica Tnpod with Dhi Fluid Haad £519 Opticron Scopes & Digiscoping HR66 GA FD 18 54* HOF Zoom 4 Case ES80 GA ED 20-60IHDF Zoom 4 Case SDL Z<> 94R Eye piece Optfcft* UDCA Adapter Opttcroh SLR Telephoto Adapter ■ Opticron Panasonic Lumto FS7 Camara Kit £249 Binoculars Opticron DBA Oasis 8x42 & 10x42 Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 Opticron Vera no BGA 8x42 Opticron Countryman BGA T PC 8x42 £249 Opticron Taiga 8x25 & 10x25 Opticron Gallery Scope 8*20 (ctoae fbcua) £70 £539 £339 £295 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com OPTIC Don’t miss our 201 I bargain birding selection Argentina (Andes) 9 days -£2,495 Ecuador (South-east) Panama 13 days - £2,495 (Canopy Tower) 9 days -from £1,995 Ecuador (South-west) 12 days -£2,395 Peru (Andean Endemics) Ecuador 12 days -£2,495 (Tumbesian Endemics) 9 days - £1,995 South Africa (Kruger) Ethiopia 10 days- £1,995 10 days- £1,695 South Africa’s Ethiopian Endemics Western Cape 10 days- £1,695 10 days -£2,095 Florida Sri Lanka 9 days- £1,895 10 days- £1,795 Thailand 10 days- £1,895 Western Australia 12 days -£3,395 Australia (Queensland) 13 days - from £3,495 Bolivia (Lowlands) 10 days- £1,795 Bolivia (Highlands) 12 days- £2,195 Borneo (Sabah) 10 days -£2,495 Gambia 12 days- £1,595 Botswana 10 days -£2,095 Uganda 9 days -from £1,795 Ghana 9 days -£2,095 Brazil 10 day- £1,695 Venezuela (Andean Endemics) 9 days- £1,995 India A wide range of lours 9-16 days -from £1,495 Colombia 12 days -£2,795 Colombia (Central & West) • 12 days -£2,795 Venezuela (Llanos) 9 days- £1,995 Venezuela (Off the Beaten Track) 9 days- £1,895 Kazakhstan 9 days- £1,895 Amazonian Ecuador 1 1 days -£2,295 Malawi 10 days - £2,095 Ecuador (Antpittas) 10 days- £1,995 Zambia 9 days -from £2,195 Morocco 10 days -from £1,395 Ecuador (Choco) 12 days- £2,195 www.naturetrek.co.uk 0 1 962 73305 1 info@naturetrek.co.uk Naturetrek, Cheriton Mill, Cheriton, Alresford, Hampshire, S024 ONG 4ikon Spot-on digiscoping. low you can use Nikon spotting scopes i discover the world of digiscoping. ' ust add a Nikon eyepiece, bracket and Coolpix camera... hen enter, discover and explore an exciting new world of rilliant, up-close images with amazing color and detail Jikon makes it all easy for you with your choice of portable, affordable, user-friendly scopes and all the accessories •ou need. So get into digiscoping now! Spotting Scope RAIII 82 WP + New DS Spotting scope Eyepiece + Digital camera Bracket FSB-6 + COOLPIX P5000/P5UX) Fieldscope ED50 + 16x Wide DS Fieldscope Eyepiece + Digital camera Bracket FSB-6 + COOLPIX P5000/P5W0 Life up close Fieldscope ED82 + Fieldscope Digital SLFI Camera Attachment FSA-LI iD40x ww.nikon.co.uk ?00 230 220 Nikon Sport Opti THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Pacific Diver - new to Britain ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: cl o Chappell Cole & Co, Heritage House, 34 North Cray Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LZ British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian . lycett@bird watch .co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney, Steve Votier Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK — £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. 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The Ultimate in Nature Observatic Zoom deeper into nature and bring to light its stunning d< Thanks to the unique FL concept, the new Victory DiaS< spotting scopes by Carl Zeiss offer unparalleled in brightness and brilliance. The innovative Dual Speed Focus( allows for particularly quick and precise fast coarse and focusing by operating only one control wheel. Combined the new Vario eyepiece, the new Victory DiaScope gets closer to nature by opening up an unrivalled visual experi to all wildlife observers. New: Victory DiaScope WIp rnat-o it THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM British Birds -8 SEP 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Volume 103 • Number 9 • September 2010 482 Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2008 Mark Holling and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 539 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic John R. Mather Regular features 546 BTO research update Chas Holt and Mike Toms 548 Obituary John Gooders (1937-2010) 549 Reviews Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird and Owlet- nightjars of the World Kingfisher The Meinertzhagen Mystery: the life and legend of a colossal fraud Essential Ornithology A Brush with Nature A Naturalist’s Guide to the Birds of Malaysia and Singapore 554 News and comment Adrian Pitches 558 Rarities Committee news 558 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey ■D FSC British Birds aims 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 its position as the respected journal of record; and * interpret good scientific research on birds for the interested non-scientist. © British Birds 2010 Alan Harris Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2008 Mark Holling and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel This is the 35th report of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) and includes details of the status of rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008, with a par- ticular focus on colonising or recolonising species. With the publication of this report, we are now meeting our stated objective of providing an annual update two years after the breeding season being reported on. This enables the data to be used more rapidly to help conservation initiatives for the species concerned. Review of the year 2008 This report includes details of 82 species breeding or showing indications of breeding in 2008, the same number as in 2007. Two species appear for the first time (Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis) and six species occurred in 2008 that did not feature in 2007 (Black Merlin Falco columbarius Duck Anas rubripes. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis, Melodious Warbler Hip- polais polyglotta, Brambling Fringilla montif- ringilla and Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus). A further five species are noted in Appendix 1. In a similar vein to 2007, the breeding season of 2008 was marred by several very wet periods, with particularly heavy rain towards the end of May and in June, an important time for many breeding species. The nests of some ground-nesting and river- side birds were flooded out, especially in low- lying areas of England. The wet weather, coupled with strong winds at times, meant' that fieldwork opportunities were reduced in some areas, perhaps contributing to under- recording of some species. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus numbers reached a new record, with up to 14 breeding 482 © British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 pairs in five Scottish areas and two more in Northern Ireland. This report includes a review of the colonisation of this species from the first successful recorded attempt, in 1978. Gadwall A. strepera populations con- tinue to increase and this species seems likely to be removed from the RBBP list when we review it in 201 1, after the current Atlas field- work is finished. Two wildfowl rarities reported in 2008 are Black Duck and Ferrugi- nous Duck. The former has been reported breeding with Mallards A. platyrhynchos in the past and may have done so in 2008, while there are suggestions that Ferruginous Duck may have made a breeding attempt in 2004 and perhaps since, though not in 2008. For Eurasian Bitterns Botaurus stellaris, 2008 proved to be a record year, with a minimum of 75 booming males reported: welcome news indeed after the apparent stall in population growth in 2006. The increase seems in part to be fuelled by the provision of new habitats away from the coastal reedbeds of East Anglia. Little Egrets Egretta garzetta again increased in numbers and the breeding population is now around 800 pairs, in just 12 years since the first recorded breeding. Flowever, the big news is reserved for Cattle Egret, which becomes the latest addition to the avifauna of the UK. Two, pos- sibly three pairs nested in Somerset following a large influx of Cattle Egrets into southern Britain in the preceding winter. Almost matching it for newsworthiness, a pair of Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia in Dumfries & Galloway raised three young to fledging. As was the case with the Cattle Egrets, the breeding attempt was not discov- ered until late in the season. The rarer grebes do not seem to be faring well at present. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus numbers fell to their lowest levels since the Panel’s records began, and Black- necked Grebe P. nigricollis also posted a further decline. And, after finally making a successful breeding attempt in 2001, Red- necked Grebe P. grisegena is now reduced to a single bird appearing in late summer, so is included in Appendix 1. Generally, there was positive news for raptors. Red Kites Milvus milvus continue to do well in the southern part of their re-estab- lished range, though they are still struggling British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 in northern Scotland in the face of continued persecution. Perhaps the birds released in 2007 in North-east Scotland will fare better; they are off to a good start with the first breeding attempt by a pair in that area in 2008. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla numbers in north and west Scotland increased further and a second batch of juv- eniles from Norway was released on the east coast of Scotland, raising the prospect of breeding pairs becoming established else- where in years to come. Total numbers of Marsh Circus aeruginosus and Montagu’s Harriers C. pygargus are similar to those in previous years, and although not all Hen Harrier C. cyaneus pairs are counted each year, the impact of persecution on this species is evident in the low numbers breeding in England and eastern Scotland. A provisional map from Bird Atlas 2007-11, showing the 50-km squares occupied by Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis, demonstrates that the species occurs quite widely in the UK and that not all breeding pairs are being reported to RBBP, a situation we had long suspected and one that we hope the publication of the map might help to resolve. Over 200 pairs of Ospreys Pandion haliaetus were recorded and 300 young were fledged, both record figures since the recolonisation began 54 years ago. Some species benefit from additional work that helps to inform our knowledge and directs conservation efforts. Such work might be part of a co-ordinated survey, and there was a full survey of Merlins Falco columbarius in 2008, revealing an estimated 1,160 breeding pairs. Others are the subject of investigation by keen individuals. Our records are available for bona fide researchers (contact the Secretary for details) and one current example involves Spotted Crakes Porzana porzana, where the plan is to augment the Panel’s data on this species by extracting records from hitherto unavailable sources. The results will form the basis of a paper for BB in the future. In 2008, the number of Spotted Crakes was the lowest reported in 12 years. In contrast, Common Cranes Grus grus seem to be doing well, and consolidating their recolonisation, with up to 18 pairs present in 2008. Data from all available sources, including the RBBP, are 483 Holling et al. being analysed by a new Crane Working Group, which we hope will provide material for a review in a forthcoming report. The Black-winged Stilt is an occasional breeder in the UK, perhaps becoming more frequent, but it does not have a good history of success here, and the three chicks hatched in Cheshire & Wirral in 2008 were all pre- dated. Among other waders, a brood of Dot- terels Charadrius morinellus on a hilltop in southern Scotland was noteworthy, while there were no records of Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii, the third year in five with no hint of breeding. Purple Sandpipers C. maritima fared little better with one bird on one date, and numbers of Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus were also low. Among the colonists in the gull family, Mediterranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus continue to make gains, while Yellow-legged Gulls L. michahellis struggle to find mates: there was only one pure pair, yet four mixed pairs. Little Gulls Hydrocoloeus minutus, which bred in 2007, failed to register in 2008. The single Scops Owl Otus scops from 2006 and 2007 did not return. Numbers of Wry- necks Jynx torqudla, Golden Orioles Oriolus oriolus and Red-backed Shrikes Lanius col- lurio in 2008 do not inspire confidence that these species will feature annually in our reports in the coming years. Ten years have passed since the last confirmed breeding record of Wrynecks in the UK. In contrast, Cetti’s Warblers Cettia cetti , now with over 2,000 territories, look well established. As usual, a variety of vagrant warblers appeared but little came of their visits to the UK. River, Savi’s Locustella luscin- ioides (formerly a regular breeder), Melo- dious and Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus seem to be represented by singing males only. Marsh Warblers A. palus- tris fared a little better, with at least two pairs breeding. The Panel is now considering certain species for which breeding numbers of par- ticular subspecies fall within the criteria for inclusion by RBBP. Thus, the two rarer island forms of Wren Troglodytes troglodytes , ‘Fair Isle Wren’ T. t. fridariensis and ‘St Kilda Wren’ T. t. hirtensis, were added in 2008, although data were available only for fridariensis. We also received data for both Blue-headed and White Wagtails Motacilla alba alba, with at least two pairs of the latter and two mixed pairs of Blue-headed/Yellow Wagtail M. f. flavissima. Earlier reported records of breeding Blue-headed Wagtails are also reviewed. A survey of crossbills in northern Scotland found that the Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica was more numerous than hitherto recog- nised; indeed, the population could be in the order of 6,800 pairs, putting it well beyond the population size normally considered by RBBP. In contrast, the Parrot Crossbill L. pytyopsittacus is a rare breeder in Scotland with perhaps 100 individuals, although further surveys within its core range are required to establish the true size of the pop- ulation. Bramblings and Common Rosefinches remain scarce and occasional during the breeding season, although how many are being missed? Fieldwork is still underway to check former Brambling sites, using RBBP data, which might increase our under- standing of a species on the edge of its range in Scotland. Continued coverage of the less well-watched parts of Britain & Ireland as part of fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 may also produce more records of these scarcer species. Finally, another rare breeding finch, the Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea, the UK status of which we know little, is absent from this report. For the first time since the Panel considered this species (2003), no breeding records were received, although its similarity to the Lesser Redpoll C. cabaret means that not all redpoll records are easily assigned to species. We ask resident and vis- iting birdwatchers in northern and western Scotland to be vigilant with the recording of redpolls in potential breeding habitat. Bird Atlas 2007-1 I This report is the first to include one of the survey years for the current BTO/BWI/SOC Bird Atlas project, which will collect data at a 10-km-square level for the whole of Britain & Ireland in the four breeding seasons 2008-1 1 ' inclusive. Since this is a four-year project, not all of the country is surveyed within one cal- endar-year, so it is only at the end of the fieldwork that a dataset comparable with those held by the RBBP will be available. 484 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 However, in each of those four seasons, the Atlas can potentially provide additional data on rare species that may not be available through the normal channels. Accordingly, the RBBP and BTO are working closely together to ensure that data are shared (at an appropriate level, bearing in mind data sensi- tivities in some cases). This report has bene- fited from the additional fieldwork by Atlas volunteers and this has allowed the inclusion of some additional sites, for the more restricted-range species in particular. Provisional maps of both Little Egret and Northern Goshawk have been provided by the BTO for inclusion in this report to help illustrate the range of these two species and, in the case of the latter, how a more sensitive species may be mapped to show the distribu- tion without compromising confidentiality. These maps show data submitted to the Atlas up to July 2010 (thus covering more seasons than the records in this report, which is oth- erwise confined to 2008), so there are some discrepancies between the text and the map. Maps such as these will help us to assess the completeness of the RBBP archives and we hope that they will help birdwatchers to see whether they have data that can fill gaps to make Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 as complete as possible. The colonisation (and recolonisation) of the UK by rare breeding birds A species can be added to the list of breeding birds in the UK when there has been at least one instance of confirmed breeding. In the last 100 years, some species have been re- admitted to the list because breeding popula- tions have been re-established following earlier extinctions. Well-known examples are Eurasian Bittern in 1911 and Osprey in 1954 (Sharrock 1976). Since the RBBP’s formation in 1972, 16 species have been added or read- mitted to the list. The box shows these species, together with the year and county of first breeding (from RBBP reports). An asterisk denotes returning species that had ceased to breed in the UK before 1900. (Non- native species are included in a separate RBBP report. The last of these was published in 2007 (Holling et al. 2007b) and the next, covering 2006-08, is in preparation.) Species added to the UK's breeding avifauna since 1972, with year and county of first confirmed breeding shown Cetti’s Warbler 1973 Kent Spotted Sandpiper 1975 Highland Shore Lark 1977 Highland Lapland Bunting 1977 Highland Whooper Swan * 1978 Argyll Purple Sandpiper 1978 Highland Common Crane * 1981 Norfolk Common Rosefinch 1982 Highland Little Bittern 1984 Yorkshire Parrot Crossbill 1984 Norfolk Icterine Warbler 1992 Highland Yellow-legged Gull 1995 Dorset Little Egret 1996 Dorset Eurasian Spoonbill * 1998 Suffolk Red-necked Grebe 2001 Borders Cattle Egret 2008 Somerset Sharp-eyed readers may spot the absence of the Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos in this list. Although it was reported that in 2004 it seemed very likely that breeding had occurred (Holling et al. 2007a), a review for the new atlas of breeding birds in North-east Scotland (Francis & Cook in prep.) suggests that the evidence is insufficient to lay claim to a first confirmed breeding record for the UK. Of these 16 new or returning species, only six (those in bold in the box) have continued to breed on a regular basis and could thus be classed as colonisers (or recolonisers in the case of Whooper Swan and Common Crane). Others appear to be just occasional breeders, the nesting attempt(s) being of great interest at the time, but perhaps of little long-term significance. However, it takes some time to see whether the pioneer pair is followed by others. For a time, the Common Rosefmch looked as if it was here to stay, the Cattle Egret could yet prove to be a successful colonist and it may be that the Parrot Cross- bill was a regular, but undiscovered, breeder in highland Scotland before the first docu- mented breeding in Norfolk in 1984. The dates of first breeding in the box show that the numbers of potential colonists are clumped into two distinct time periods. The British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 485 David Tipling Holling et al. first, 1973-84, includes seven (of ten) species with a bias to a more northerly or northeast- erly origin, notably Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris and Lapland Bunting Calcarius lap- ponicus in 1977, Whooper Swan and Purple Sandpiper in 1978, perhaps reflecting a phase of expansion of many subarctic and boreal forest species in northern Europe, or perhaps they were driven here by weather conditions at the time (Forrester et al. 2007). Of these, only Whooper Swan seems to have estab- lished itself as a permanent member of our breeding avifauna. Five new species were added during 1992-2001, of which three hint at a more southerly origin: Yellow-legged Gull, Little Egret and Eurasian Spoonbill. Cattle Egret in 2008 would also fall into this grouping. However, breeding by southern invaders is not a new phenomenon (e.g. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius in 1938, Black-winged Stilt in 1945, Golden Oriole in 1958, Savi’s Warbler in 1960, Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla in 1962, European Serin Serinus serums in 1967 and Mediterranean Gull in 1968; Sharrock 1976, Brown & Grice 2005) and several of these have since estab- lished breeding populations. The predictions of the impacts of climate change (Huntley et al. 2007) suggest that further new species with a southerly origin, especially colonial wetland species, may be expected. The first breeding of Cattle Egret in 2008 and subsequent developments in 2010 - for example, the breeding of Purple Herons Ardea purpurea in Kent (p. 417), Little Bitterns in Somerset and Spoonbills in Norfolk (pp. 555-556) - hint that these pre- dictions may be coming true. The year 2008 saw repeat breeding by both Eurasian Spoon- bill and Black-winged Stilt, and further con- solidation by species which clearly are colonising our shores, namely Little Egret, Mediterranean Gull, Firecrest and Cetti’s Warbler. 283. Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla, Norfolk, May 2008. Firecrest is one of the species with a southerly origin that is increasing in Britain, but the numbers reported are greatly dependent on the amount of local effort to count territories or visit potential woodland sites. It is useful if county recorders can summarise the effort spent finding this species in their areas. 486 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 The 2008 report Each year we aim to invite specialist authors to contribute additional text to the basic species accounts, and to highlight selected species by including a review of past records, putting the current year into perspective. Taking the broad theme of colonisation of the UK by rare breeding species, this report fea- tures a review of Whooper Swans by David Okill and of Eurasian Spoonbills by Paul Collin, and additional comments on other recent ‘colonists’ in the species accounts. We also invite comments from organisers of national surveys. In 2008, the RSPB co-ordi- nated a survey of Merlins in the whole of the UK and Isle of Man, and of crossbills in Scot- land, and Panel member Mark Eaton (RSPB) has provided summaries of both surveys. Data sources Records are collated from all counties of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man, but not from the Channel Islands. Most of the information presented is submitted by county and regional bird recorders, for whose support we are extremely grateful. The Panel also receives information from a number of other sources, including returns from Schedule 1 licence holders, Raptor Study Groups, national surveys, counts from RSPB reserves, and other, single-species studies (see Acknowl- edgments). In recent years, as the backlog of annual reports has been addressed, and recorders have consequently had a shorter period for assembling and submitting data in time for the report, it is encouraging that the number of contributing counties has risen (fig. 1). This demonstrates not only the commitment of recorders but also the impact of electronic submissions from observers. It is also grati- fying to see a steady decline in the submis- sion of data solely by means of county bird reports. Although such submissions help to complete the national picture in terms of numbers of breeding pairs, they do little to enhance the quality of data in the Panel’s archives. There has been a clear improvement in the quality of submissions from many counties in the last two years and we reiterate our thanks to those recorders who have sup- ported us in this way. Coverage In 2008, submissions were received from a record number of contributing counties (fig. 1 ) and at least some data were available from all counties and regions (fig. 2). Full returns from 66 recorders were supplemented by extracts from four bird reports covering six Welsh counties and Shetland. Data were received from all counties in England except Greater London, although the surrounding counties that include parts of Greater London in their recording areas were able to provide data for their London sec- tions. No data or bird reports were received directly from Gower, Gwent, Montgom- eryshire and Rad- norshire, so limited info r mat ion was extracted from the Welsh Bird Report (Green et al. 2010). In Scotland, once again no returns were received from Caithness and Perth & Kinross, two significant areas for rare Fig. I. Data submissions to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel by year, 2003-08. The total number of contributions received over this period has risen year on year, with the number of sources contributing to each published report reaching a new peak in 2008. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 487 Holling et al. breeding birds. The completeness of this report for these areas is therefore compro- mised for a number of species, except for raptors, which are monitored by the Scottish Raptor Study Groups. It is, however, good to welcome back the following counties after recent absences: Clyde Islands, Herefordshire, Isle of Man and West Midlands. And, for the first time in a number of years, we have been able to include full details of rare birds of prey in Northern Ireland monitored by the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group. Readers should take into account any gaps in the coverage when reviewing the data pre- sented in this report. Because the annual RBBP reports repre- sent an important source of information for conservation bodies, we strive to maximise coverage across the whole of the UK. Conse- quently, any late submissions are still welcome and important; such records will be added to our confidential archives to ensure that annual statistics and the inventory of breeding sites are updated, and summary amendments to our published reports will be added to the RBBP website (www.rbbp.org.uk) in due course. Data inclusion There have been no changes to the acceptance criteria for records since the last report (Holling et al. 2010), from which further information is available. These criteria are also available on the Panel’s website (www.rbbp.org.uk). Species for which only minimal infor- mation was received are listed in Appendix 1. Recording Standards There has been a warm reception to the introduction of RBBP recording stan- dards in 2009 (see www.rbbp.org.uk/ rbbp-recording-standards) and we have seen a noticeable improvement in the quality of data submitted. These stan- dards have helped to demonstrate the need for accurate site information (in the form of six-figure grid references) and more rigorous recording of breeding behaviour to help assess the level of breeding evidence and the numbers of breeding pairs at a site. The importance of nil returns has also been shared with a wider audience. These help us to distin- guish between the confirmed absence of a bird at a site, and a simple lack of' records. Such improvements enhance the value of RBBP data and increase the value of existing information about rare breeding birds in the UK for the long- term benefits of conservation. Fig. 2. Data submission to the Rare Breeding Birds Panel by recording area, 2008. This map shows the level of detail available by recording area. Large (red) dots indicate full submission for all species from recorders, with supplementary data from other sources where applicable: medium-size (green) dots indicate data extracted from local bird reports for all species, with supplementary data from other sources where applicable: small (blue) dots indicate limited species coverage using supplementary data sources only. These other sources include data extracted from Schedule I licence returns, local raptor study group reports, RSPB reserve logs and single-species submissions. 488 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 284. Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris, Norfolk, February 2008. RBBP data provide information on species of high conservation importance and this is reflected in the use of such data in the assessment of designated sites, such as SSSIs and SPAs. Panel data for 21 species, including Bittern, are currently being used in a review of SPAs in the UK. Conservation uses of RBBP data It is RBBP policy to make data available for relevant conservation uses, with appropriate controls to ensure the safety of the birds and their breeding sites. Site-specific information is used by JNCC and the country conservation agencies, and national datasets by the RSPB for survey planning. At present, RBBP data for selected species are being used to assist with a review of the Government’s designated Special Protection Areas and also with a review of the distribution of Northern Goshawk and con- straints affecting that population. The RBBP list The only change to the list of species consid- ered by the Panel since the publication of the last report is the inclusion, for the first time, of all potential breeding records of the rarer races of some species, notably White and Blue-headed Wagtails and the scarcer races of Wren, those breeding on the islands of Fair Isle and St Kilda. It is still our intention to undertake a full review of the list once the results of Bird Atlas 2007-11 are available. The current species list and guidelines on submitting records are available at www.rbbp.org.uk. The Panel The current membership of the Panel (Sep- tember 2010) is as follows: Mark Eaton, Ian Francis, Simon Gillings, David Norman, David Stroud (Chairman) and Mark Holling (Secretary). Members serve in a personal capacity, but some also reflect the interests and requirements of the funding partners, JNCC (on behalf of the country conservation agencies) and RSPB, as well as the BTO. The Panel membership aims to achieve broadly representative geographic coverage and to include members who have active involve- ment in monitoring schemes and specialist research groups, or who participate in various external groups, to facilitate liaison between the Panel and researchers, ringers, surveyors and conservation practitioners. In early 2010, Judith Smith stood down from the Panel after ten years of service. During this time she provided extremely valu- able liaison between the ‘sharp-end’ of county recording and the Panel, especially as the editor of NewsACRE - the regular newsletter of the Association of County Bird Recorders and Editors. We thank Judith for her hard work and contributions over the last decade, which have been very much appreciated. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 489 David Tipling Holling et al. Terminology The recording areas used in this report are the same as in previous reports (see Holling et al. 2007a and www.rbbp.org.uk); these match the bird recording areas used by recorders across the UK. Contra Ballance & Smith (2008), note that Gower and East Glamorgan are presented separately. The Panel attempts to collate all breeding records by bird recording area (usually ‘county’) wherever possible, and we urge contributors to submit records in the same manner, via recorders. In some cases, this is not yet possible, and records are pre- sented under different area groupings, for instance by Raptor Study Group (RSG) area. Thus, the Central Scotland RSG covers an area roughly equivalent to the Upper Forth recording area; the South Strathclyde RSG area includes both Ayrshire and Clyde and some of the Clyde Islands; and the Tayside RSG area equates approximately to the recording areas of Angus & Dundee together with Perth & Kinross. However, North-east Scotland RSG includes that recording area and the eastern part of the Moray & Nairn recording area, and Highland RSG includes not only Highland recording area but also the western part of Moray & Nairn. Scottish Raptor Study Group area boundaries are shown on the group’s website at www.scottishraptorgroups.org/areas The definitions of ‘Confirmed breeding’, ‘Prob- able breeding’ and ‘Possible breeding’ follow those recommended by the European Bird Census Council (Hagemeijer & Blair 1997). Within tables, the abbreviation ‘Confirmed breeding pairs’ means ‘Number of pairs confirmed breeding’. Where tables show the number of occupied territories, these are the sum of confirmed and probable breeding pairs, as territorial birds are classed as being probably breeding, unless a nest has (at least) progressed to the stage where eggs have been laid, in which case the pair is classified as a con- firmed breeding pair. It is important to note that confirmed breeding is not the same as successful breeding; nests that fail with eggs or with young still fall into the confirmed category. A successful breeding pair is one that fledges at least one young bird from a nesting attempt. Where possible, the Panel is now collating figures of young in the nest separately from young fledged, as the latter figure is not always available for some species. Thus, some table headings now show the number of territories believed to have fledged young (based on the evidence presented to the Panel), rather than territories known to have fledged young. Readers should note that in all cases the iden- tity of the birds has been confirmed; it is only breeding status that is possible/probable/con- firmed. Probable breeding is as defined by EBCC (e.g. a pair holding territory), and does not mean that a breeding attempt probably (i.e. was likely to have) occurred. Within each species account, numbers given in the format T-4 pairs’ indicate (in this case) one proven breeding pair and a possible maximum total of four breeding pairs. In the tables, zeroes mean that there were no birds recorded in that area in that year, whereas a rule (-) indicates that no data were received. Square brackets are used to indicate that the total included within them is known to be incomplete, while n/a indicates that data are not available. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 16 sites: 1 1-16 pairs. In addition, another 3-4 naturalised pairs bred and other single birds sum- mered in a total of six counties. Scotland, S Ayrshire One site: one pair bred, with four cygnets recorded in July. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: (1) a pair summered but did not nest; (2) a pair was recorded in August. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: a pair summered but did not nest. Outer Hebrides Three sites: (1) one pair bred with six cygnets recorded in July; (2) one pair bred, seen incubating but no young seen. May have bred at this previ- ously unreported site in 2006 and 2007; (3) pair present for three weeks but did not breed. Shetland Seven sites: seven pairs bred. Five pairs hatched 14 young and a total of six fledged from two broods. Northern Ireland Co. Londonderry One site: one pair possibly bred. Co. Fermanagh One site: one pair bred. David Okill has analysed the Panel’s data and compiled the following review of the status of the Whooper Swan since the first modern breeding record in 1978. As for many species of wildfowl, assessment of the true breeding status of this species is made difficult because of the presence of injured or naturalised birds. Although Whooper Swans are 490 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus large and conspicuous, proving breeding in remote areas can be difficult, especially as the adults can range widely with unfledged young over large areas of uplands. Nevertheless, in 2008 there were I I confirmed wild breeding pairs so this is a species which seems to have successfully colonised Scotland, Northern Ireland and, indeed, the Republic of Ireland (in 2008 a pair nested in Co. Donegal (Hillis 2009)). Historically, there were reports of regular breeding in Orkney in the 1700s and injured birds bred in Shetland in the early twentieth century (Forrester et al. 2007). The present slow and tentative colonisation began in the 1970s and 1 980s. The first records held by RBBP show that after a number of birds summered and a single bird was seen on a nest, the first pair of Whooper Swans nested successfully in 1978, in Argyll, hatching three young. Birds have been present in Argyll for many years and were proved breeding again in 1979 and 2007. Naturalised birds bred in Clyde in 1979, and these birds were present well into the 2000s with breeding confirmed in all but one year between 1979 and 1993, as well as in 2004. In 1988, two pairs nested in the Outer Hebrides, one pair fledging two chicks, but breeding since then has been sporadic and the sites used have not been consistent, at least until recent years. In Orkney, in 1989, a female was recorded incubating a single egg close to a Mute Swan’s C. o/or nest, appar- ently associating with the male. In 1990, what were considered to be wild birds nested success- fully in Perth & Kinross, hatching four young and fledging three. Since the early 1990s, numbers of single birds and pairs summering have increased slowly and instances of nesting have increased from the mid 1990s (fig. 3). A pair bred in Shetland in 1994 fledging three cygnets and by 2000 three pairs were breeding. Numbers in Shetland have fluctuated since then, with five pairs in 2004 and seven pairs in 2008 but only two pairs in 2006; in 2004 at least 14 chicks were known to have fledged. Throughout the rest of Scotland numbers of breeding pairs have risen slowly, with sporadic records of nesting over a wide area, encompassing Ayrshire, Caithness, Highland and the Outer Hebrides. In Northern Ireland, a regular pair has been present since 1996. Elsewhere, there are regular reports of paired birds summering but with no evidence of nesting and the maximum number of confirmed breeding pairs reached double figures only in 2008. Thus, although Argyll and Clyde seemed to attract the early colonists, Shetland is now clearly the main area for breeding Whooper Swans in the UK, with 64% of the total of con- firmed pairs in 2008. However, recent years have seen some consolidation of the populations in British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 491 Alan Harris Holling et al. Fig. 3. Number of confirmed breeding pairs of apparently wild Whooper Swans Cygnus cygnus, 1973-2008. the Outer Hebrides (three pairs in 2008) and regular pairs breeding in Ayrshire (every year since 2002) and Co. Londonderry (since 2004). Breeding by naturalised birds has been reported from Clyde and Highland, as well as several English counties including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire & North Merseyside. There have been a number of instances of single birds building nests, and several cases of hybridisation with Mute Swans; for example, in Shetland two chicks were hatched in 2004 to a mixed pair, although soon after hatching these cygnets died during a period of poor weather. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope 53 sites: 39-1 18 pairs. Owing to the widespread reports of summering individuals and pairs with no evidence of breeding, the total number of pairs presented in this report generally includes only records of at least probable breeding. This is based on the presence of at least a male and a female and records spanning more than one week. However, in areas with less regular coverage of sites, reports of pairs in suitable habitat over a shorter period are included within the possible breeding category. To complete the picture, county totals of pairs summering but where there was no evidence of a breeding attempt are listed for information, although the submission of these records varies between counties and is inevitably somewhat subjective. England, SW One summering pair reported from Somerset. England, SE Essex One site: one pair bred. Summering pairs were reported from Bedfordshire (one), Essex (three), Hert- fordshire (one), Kent (four) and Sussex (26 birds). England, E Northamptonshire One site: one pair probably bred. Summering pairs were reported from Cambridgeshire (six), and Norfolk (seven). England, C Nottinghamshire One site: three pairs bred; also six other summering pairs. England, N Durham Five sites: eight pairs bred, three pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred. At least 24 young reported. Northumberland Two sites: three pairs bred, with two broods totalling 13 young at one site. York- shire Five sites: three pairs bred, seven pairs probably bred and four pairs possibly bred. Also summering pairs reported from Cheshire & Wirral (four), Cumbria (two), Durham (one) and Yorkshire (four). Wales Summering pairs reported from Anglesey (two). Scotland, S Borders Five sites: three pairs probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. Dumfries & Galloway One site: four pairs possibly bred. Scotland, Mid Moray & Nairn One site: one pair bred, with small young seen in early lune. North-east Scotland Two sites: one pair bred, with two large ducklings seen in early July, and one pair probably bred. Upper Forth Two sites: three pairs possibly bred. 492 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Scotland, N & W Argyll Three sites: two pairs bred, one pair probably bred and one pair possibly bred. The brood of five ducklings on Tiree constituted the first confirmed breeding for the island. Caithness One site: one pair pos- sibly bred. Highland Five sites: three pairs bred and 21 pairs possibly bred. Orkney Seven sites: eight pairs bred, 16 pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred. At one site, five broods totalling 14 young were recorded. Outer Hebrides Eight sites: three pairs bred and seven pairs possibly bred. Shetland Two sites: three pairs bred. Northern Ireland Co. Down One site: two pairs possibly bred. Gadwall Anas strepera 634-1,775 pairs. For the third consecutive year, the maximum total number of pairs reported to the Panel breaks the record and the population now appears to be over twice what it was ten years ago, when around 800 pairs were reported. The bulk of the population is still in England, which in 2008 held 93% of the total, compared to a similar 96% in 1998. The breeding pair in Cornwall was actually a mixed pair: a male paired with a female Mallard went on to produce two hybrid young. Gadwall Confirmed breeding pairs Total pairs England, SW 70 292 Avon 5 5 Cornwall 1 3 Devon 3 5 Dorset 5 42 Gloucestershire 3 43 Hampshire 35 100 Isle of Wight 0 1 Isles of Scilly 3 3 Somerset 10 85 Wiltshire 5 5 England, SE 116 337 Bedfordshire 4 4 Berkshire 12 21 Buckinghamshire 1 1 Essex 18 33 Hertfordshire 44 112 Kent 25 116 Oxfordshire 0 10 Sussex 12 40 England, E 101 471 Cambridgeshire [0] 207 Lincolnshire 4 4 Norfolk 74 137 Northamptonshire 2 8 Suffolk 21 115 England, C 93 221 Derbyshire 21 29 Herefordshire 0 5 Leicestershire & Rutland 16 16 Nottinghamshire 19 28 Shropshire 1 4 Staffordshire 7 19 Warwickshire 5 35 West Midlands 20 81 Worcestershire 4 4 England, N 194 298 Cheshire & Wirral 18 23 Cleveland 4 19 Cumbria 0 6 Durham 7 7 Greater Manchester 21 21 Isle of Man 0 1 Lancashire & N Merseyside 57 65 Northumberland 17 17 Yorkshire 70 139 Wales 13 55 Anglesey 0 38 Breconshire 0 1 Caernarfonshire 0 3 Carmarthenshire 11 11 Gwent 1 1 Pembrokeshire 1 1 Scotland, S 7 24 Borders 3 4 Clyde 4 17 Dumfries & Galloway 0 3 Scotland, Mid 5 15 Angus 8c Dundee 0 3 Fife 2 4 North-east Scotland 3 3 Perth & Kinross n/a n/a Upper Forth 0 5 Scotland, N 8c W 12 37 Argyll 1 2 Orkney 10 31 Outer Hebrides 1 4 Northern Ireland 23 25 Co. Antrim 18 18 Co. Armargh/Tyrone 5 7 TOTALS 634 1,775 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 493 Holling et al. Black Duck Anas rubripes 2 sites: 0-2 pairs. Male Black Ducks that formed mixed pairs with Mallards were reported to the Panel in 1977-86 and 1995-97, from Caernarfonshire, Lothian and Scilly. In recent years there has been a long-staying male in Cornwall, but in 2008 a female took up residence in Pembrokeshire and may have bred with a drake Mallard. The Black Ducks discussed here are all believed to be natural vagrants from North America and there are no signs of a sustainable population. England, SW Cornwall One site: a long-staying male (perhaps present in Cornwall since 1999) was again reported, though on 23rd May only, and it was not known whether it paired with a Mallard in 2008. Wales Pembrokeshire One site: a female present between 16th March and 19th May may have bred with a male Mallard. Pintail Anas acuta 23 sites: 4-35 pairs. Fewer confirmed breeding pairs were noted in 2008 but the total number of pairs is the highest reported for over ten years. As in 2007, Argyll and Orkney account for about half of the reported pairs. England, SW Avon One site: one pair probably bred (present from April to mid May when the female disappeared for about two weeks; it was assumed that she was on a nest, though no young were seen). Dorset One site: one pair possibly bred. England, SE Essex One site: two pairs summered. Kent Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. At one site, the appearance of five fledged young in August suggests local breeding but no adults were seen at this site. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: two pairs summered. Suffolk Three sites: three pairs possibly bred; the appear- ance of four juveniles in late July at one site suggests local breeding but captive origin cannot be ruled out. The provenance of five birds present at another site throughout the year is also in question. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: one pair summered. Wales Anglesey One site: one pair summered. Scotland, S Borders One site: one pair bred (a brood of four was seen in July). Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair bred (a brood of five was recorded). Scotland, N 8c W Argyll Four sites: two pairs bred (one brood in late May and another brood, of four, in July), one pair prob- ably bred and four pairs possibly bred. Highland Two sites: three pairs possibly bred. Orkney Three sites: nine pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Garganey Anas querquedula 65 sites: 20-102 pairs. These totals are the highest since 2000. Fig. 4 shows that during the 1990s the maximum number of pairs (on average 121 per annum) was higher than in the 2000s, but the current trend shows numbers rising again. England, SW Devon One site: two pairs possibly bred. Dorset Two sites: one pair probably bred (mating observed in late April) and three pairs possibly bred. Hampshire Three sites: two pairs bred (a brood of three and a single juvenile) and one pair probably bred. Somerset Three sites: five pairs probably bred (pairs present between ' April and June) and six pairs possibly bred. Wiltshire One site: one pair probably bred. After a string of records from March to August, a juvenile seen in August was thought to have fledged locally. England, SE Bedfordshire One site: one pair probably bred (three males and a female were present throughout the spring). Berkshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Buckinghamshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Essex 494 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Fig. 4. Number of breeding Garganeys Anas querqueduta in the UK, 1980-2008. Three sites: three pairs possibly bred. Hertfordshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Kent Five sites: two pairs bred, one pair probably bred and five pairs possibly bred. Sussex Three sites: one pair probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. England, E Cambridgeshire Four sites: two pairs bred and seven pairs possibly bred. Norfolk Four sites: one pair bred (brood of six), one pair probably bred and four pairs possibly bred. Northamptonshire One site: one pair probably bred. Suffolk Five sites: three pairs probably bred and three pairs possibly bred. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. Nottinghamshire One site: one pair bred (four young). Staffordshire One site: one pair bred (nest found). England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: one pair possibly bred. Cleveland One site: two pairs possibly bred. Cumbria One site: one pair possibly bred. Greater Manchester One site: one pair probably bred, with numerous records of male and female in June and July. Lancashire & N Merseyside Three sites: three pairs possibly bred. Northumberland One site: one pair bred (two young seen). This follows confirmed breeding in the county in 2007, the first since 1983. Yorkshire Three sites: six pairs bred (five broods totalling 30 young counted), two pairs probably bred and three pairs possibly bred. Wales Anglesey One site: one pair possibly bred. Breconshire One site: one pair probably bred. Gwent One site: one pair possibly bred. Pembrokeshire One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, S Dumfries 8c Galloway One site: one pair possibly bred. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Loch of Strathbeg: three pairs confirmed (two broods totalling 14 young), plus two further probable and two possible pairs. An exceptional year at this site. Scotland, N 8c W Orkney Two sites: one pair bred (an adult with two juveniles were seen in July) and one pair possibly bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair possibly bred. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: one pair possibly bred. Co. Tyrone One site: one pair possibly bred. Shoveler Anas clypeata 268-1,157 pairs. Although the number of confirmed breeding pairs is similar to that in 2007, the total number of pairs is the highest in three years, but this is probably inflated by the large numbers reported at the Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire, where 328 males were counted in early May (compared with a five-year mean of 78 males in 2003-07). It is a standard census technique to measure the number of potentially breeding ducks by counting males at this time of year. In 2007, the Washes were flooded for much of the summer, meaning that hardly any grassland management took place. Consequently, in the spring of 2008, the Washes were densely vegetated and wet and it is believed that these conditions favoured breeding Shovelers. However, any that attempted to breed in such low-lying habitat would have been affected by flooding in early April and again in late May. It may be spring flooding, such as occurred in both 2007 and 2008 across the main parts of the Shoveler’s range in east and southeast England, which explains British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 495 Graham Catley Holling et al. 285. Male Shoveler Anas clypeata, Lincolnshire, February 2008. Total numbers of breeding Shovelers reported to the RBBP during 2006-08 were 93 1 , 882 and 1 , 1 57 pairs (totals adjusted to include data received after publication), but the 2008 figure is perhaps inflated because of large numbers present at a few sites in spring, many of which may not have gone on to breed. The number of confirmed breeding pairs in both 2007 and 2008 (229 and 268 respectively) was much lower than in 2006 (402) and this may reflect low success rates after summer flooding in the main areas of the species’ range. the low number of broods (and thus confirmed breeding pairs) compared with the total number of pairs. Shoveler Cumbria 1 1 Confirmed Total pairs Durham 3 3 breeding pairs Greater Manchester 2 8 England, SW 8 39 Isle of Man 0 1 Avon 0 2 Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 35 92 Cornwall 0 1 Northumberland 3 3 Devon 2 2 Yorkshire 38 136 Dorset 3 8 Wales 3 38 Hampshire 2 2 Anglesey 0 28 Somerset 1 24 Breconshire 0 1 England, SE 46 186 Gwent 0 6 Essex 21 76 Pembrokeshire 3 3 Hertfordshire 6 10 Scotland, S 1 14 Kent 9 73 Borders 0 2 Oxfordshire 0 9 Clyde 0 5 Sussex 10 18 Dumfries 8c Galloway 1 7 England, E 87 508 Scotland, Mid 4 8 Cambridgeshire 7 329 Angus 8c Dundee 0 3 Lincolnshire 2 2 Fife 1 2 Norfolk 58 118 North-east Scotland 3 3 Northamptonshire 0 4 Scotland, N 8c W 20 80 Suffolk 20 55 Argyll 7 27 England, C 10 20 Highland 0 1 Leicestershire 8c Rutland 1 1 Orkney 8 38 Nottinghamshire 7 9 Outer Hebrides 5 14 Shropshire 1 5 Northern Ireland 2 5 Staffordshire 0 4 Co. Antrim 1 1 West Midlands 1 1 Co. Armagh 1 1 England, N 87 259 Co. Fermanagh 0 1 Cheshire 8c Wirral 2 7 Co. Tyrone 0 2 Cleveland 3 8 TOTALS 268 1,157 496 British Birds 103 • September 20 1 0 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Common Pochard Aythya ferina 410-652 pairs. These are the highest figures reported since the species was added to the RBBP list in 1986. Southeast England proved again to be the stronghold, with 42% of pairs (and 49% of confirmed breeding pairs), mainly in Essex and Kent. Common Pochard Confirmed breeding pairs Total pairs Nottinghamshire Shropshire Worcestershire 6 0 3 10 2 3 England, SW 40 88 England, N 60 85 Avon 2 2 Cheshire & Wirral 19 19 Dorset 18 18 Cleveland 15 15 Gloucestershire 0 1 Cumbria 0 2 Hampshire 10 12 Greater Manchester 10 10 Somerset 10 55 Lancashire & N Merseyside 3 14 England, SE 200 272 Northumberland 1 1 Bedfordshire 1 1 Yorkshire 12 24 Berkshire 1 5 Wales 20 52 Essex 110 113 Anglesey 3 35 Hertfordshire 23 41 Carmarthenshire 16 16 Kent 60 85 Gwent 1 1 Oxfordshire 0 4 Scotland, S 2 4 Surrey 2 2 Borders 0 2 Sussex 3 21 Lothian 2 2 England, E 60 111 Scotland, N & W 4 4 Cambridgeshire 2 27 Orkney 4 4 Lincolnshire 2 2 Northern Ireland 15 21 Norfolk 46 68 Co. Antrim 3 5 Suffolk 10 14 Co. Armagh/Tyrone 12 16 England, C 9 15 TOTALS 410 652 Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca A male seen intermit- tently in Avon from 10th May to 1st Sep- tember was thought to have been a bird seen at the same site as a juvenile in 2006; there was no evidence of breeding in 2008. This species has not been included in the Panel’s reports before, but the full story of a sequence of records that may relate to a probable breeding attempt can now be revealed. A female Ferrugi- nous Duck had been present on a number of dates at Chew Valley Lake during 2000-02, and this bird returned in April 2003, a few 286. A male Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca was seen intermittently in 2008 at Chew Valley Lake, Avon, between May and September (and photographed here in May 2009). It is assumed to be the same bird as a juvenile male first seen at the site in October 2006, and may conceivably have been raised in the UK. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 497 Rich Andrews Holling et al. days before it was joined by a male. The pair was noted together on only three dates, in April and June. They returned in February 2004 and were seen mating in March. In late May and throughout June, the male was seen regularly, as if on guard, but both birds moved away at the end of June and no young were seen. In 2005 and 2006, the pair was recorded together on only one date in each year, so any hopes that a breeding attempt might be repeated faded. However, a juvenile male was found in October 2006, and remained into November. In 2007, a first-summer male, presumably the same bird, was noted on many dates between June and November, and an adult female was also present on three dates in June and August. Given the evidence, it can only be speculated that a breeding attempt did occur in 2004, which seems likely to have failed. It is, however, possible that a further attempt occurred elsewhere in southwest England in 2006, which produced at least one juvenile male. An alternative explana- tion is that the juvenile was the result of ‘egg-dumping’ by the female Ferruginous Duck in another duck’s nest at Chew. Greater Scaup Aythya marila Two sites: 0-2 pairs. After a promising record from Caithness in 2007, the evidence that the Greater Scaup can still be counted among our breeding avifauna is again weak. The records in North-east Scotland were from a well-watched site, so it is unlikely that breeding occurred. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: three birds, a pair and another male, were present between April and July, with the female being elusive from May onwards. In August, five birds in eclipse plumage were recorded. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: two males were recorded on 19th June. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 12 sites: 3-18 pairs. After the complete survey in 2007 found up to 52 pairs, reports received have returned to the normal range of 10-20 pairs, based largely on casual records. In 2008, many of these came from Atlas fieldworkers in Highland and Perth & Kinross. In addition, 15 birds at two sites in early July in Ayrshire appeared to be in potential breeding habitat, yet these records mirror similar reports in previous years at inland waters in midsummer and are not thought to relate to breeding birds. Scotland, Mid Perth & Kinross Two sites: one pair bred and one pair probably bred. Scotland, N & W Caithness Two sites including one extensive site: (1) one pair bred, seen with a brood of four; (2) seven pairs probably bred. Highland Eight sites: one pair bred, four pairs probably bred and three pairs possibly bred. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula At least 59 breeding pairs, including one in England. The pair in Avon constitutes the first con- firmed breeding by apparently wild birds in England. Full details of the nestbox scheme administered by the Goldeneye Study Group were not avail- able for this report so figures are unfortunately not comparable with those of recent years. The number of pairs reported in Highland reflects a sample of what is normally a population of over 80 nesting females. England, SW Avon One pair bred: six downy young were seen on 4th June with two surviving to 14th July at least. England, E Cambridgeshire Three summering males at two sites. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland A male summered but no females were seen after 18th May. Worcestershire A male remained until 1st June. England, N Cumbria One bird summered. 498 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Scotland, S Lothian A single male was recorded at an inland site in June. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Deeside: in 26 monitored nests, 233 eggs were laid and 198 young hatched, of which at least 34 fledged. Scotland, N & W Highland Badenoch 8c Strathspey: in 32 monitored nests, 128 young hatched from 15 successful nests. Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus 98 leks were visited, and a total of 213 displaying males counted, similar numbers to those in 2007. All known lek sites in Scotland are checked at dawn during April; although not an accurate measure of population size, this figure does enable trends at these leks to be monitored and data presented here are comparable with those published in recent reports. Scotland, S Clyde Three leks: three males. Scotland, Mid Moray 8c Nairn 15 leks: 19 males. North-east Scotland 20 leks: 32 males and 21 females. Productivity seemed to be low, with just three chicks found with five hens. Perth 8c Kinross Eight leks: seven males. Scotland, N & W Highland 52 leks: 152 males. Common Quail Coturnix coturnix 1 1-470 singing males or pairs. Confirmed breeding was recorded in four counties: Cumbria (one pair), Leicestershire 8c Rutland (one pair), Northamptonshire (one pair) and Yorkshire (eight pairs). The mean number of Common Quails over the most recent ten-year period is 389, so the numbers in 2008 were slightly above average. The highest numbers seemed to be in northern England, with 29% of all records. Common Quail England, C 35 Total pairs or Derbyshire 6 singing males Herefordshire 5 England, SW 99 Leicestershire 8c Rutland 1 Avon 7 Nottinghamshire 6 Cornwall 2 Shropshire 11 Devon 3 Staffordshire 1 Dorset 5 Warwickshire 3 Gloucestershire 22 Worcestershire 2 Hampshire 19 England, N 138 Somerset 14 Cheshire 8c Wirral 12 Wiltshire 27 Cleveland 2 England, SE 62 Cumbria 23 Bedfordshire 2 Durham 4 Berkshire 11 Isle of Man 1 Buckinghamshire 12 Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 38 Essex 0 Northumberland 9 Hertfordshire 7 Yorkshire 49 Kent 4 Wales 20 Oxfordshire 1 Anglesey 2 Sussex 25 Breconshire 2 England, E 50 Ceredigion 1 Cambridgeshire 9 Denbigh 8c Flint 1 Lincolnshire 12 East Glamorgan 3 Norfolk 17 Montgomeryshire 1 Northamptonshire 5 Pembrokeshire 4 Suffolk 7 Radnorshire 6 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 499 Holling et al. Common Quail cont. Total pairs or singing males Scotland, S 27 Borders 24 Clyde 2 Lothian 1 Scotland, Mid 29 Angus & Dundee 5 Fife 4 Moray & Nairn 4 North-east Scotland 15 Upper Forth 1 Scotland, N&W 10 Argyll 4 Caithness 1 Outer Hebrides 1 Shetland 4 TOTAL 470 Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata 248-267 pairs. These figures represent only a sample of the estimated 1,255 pairs breeding in Scotland (Dillon et al. 2009). In Orkney, the season was protracted with many pairs laying late, suggesting that the birds were not in good condition, but overall it was an average year. For example, on Hoy, where all breeding pairs were monitored, 43 chicks were produced from 32 successful nests at 56 occupied sites, a productivity of 0.77 young per occupied site. In Shetland, however, it was the worst year on record in terms of successful pairs and numbers of young fledged. Many pairs either did not attempt to breed or failed in their first attempt. Pairs that relaid fared slightly better, but this extended the breeding season into September for some. Pro- ductivity estimates included: Fetlar, 16 pairs but only four successful, 0.25 young per occupied site (poorest year since 1990); Yell, ten pairs monitored with 0.30 young per occupied site; Foula, eight pairs with 0.38 young per occupied site. Scotland, S Clyde Two pairs probably bred. Clyde Islands Three pairs bred. Scotland, Mid Moray & Nairn One pair bred. North-east Scotland One pair bred. Upper Forth One pair possibly bred. Scotland, N&W For most areas the following statements are based on only limited information. Argyll One pair bred and three pairs probably bred. Caithness One pair bred, two pairs probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Highland 24 pairs bred, three pairs probably bred and six pairs possibly bred. Orkney 102 pairs bred, including 56 pairs on Hoy where a full survey was carried out. Outer Hebrides Nine pairs bred. Shetland 106 pairs bred and one pair possibly bred. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica 52-73 pairs. These figures represent only about a third of the estimated population of 217 breeding pairs (Eaton et al. 2007b). Scotland, S Ayrshire One pair possibly bred. Clyde Three pairs probably bred. Scotland, Mid One pair bred but failed on eggs, one pair probably bred and one pair possibly bred. Scotland, N&W Argyll Eight pairs located, of which three bred and fledged a total of three young. Caithness Five sites checked held four pairs in total: three pairs bred and one young was fledged from a natural site; the other two (raft) sites failed. Highland 51 pairs found, of which 43 bred. At least 23 young fledged from the 42 monitored nests, meaning that 0.55 young fledged per apparently occupied territory (AOT), the highest for many years. Outer Hebrides Two pairs bred, fledging one young, and one pair possibly bred. Eurasian Bittern Botaurus steilaris 49 sites: 75-87 booming males with 39 breeding attempts at 20 sites. Simon Wotton, RSPB, commented as follows. 2008 was an astonishing year for Bitterns in the UK. The population of booming males increased to its highest level since the monitoring programme began in 1990, and up to or even 500 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 above the twentieth-century peak reached in the 1 950s. There was a minimum of 75 booming males confirmed in England, an increase of 47% on the 2007 figure of 51 boomers. The number of sites supporting at least one booming male also rose, to 42, an increase of 24% over 2007 figures, with a further expansion of range into southwest England. There was a dramatic increase of 44% in the number of nests, to a minimum of 39, and also a large (66%) jump in the number of sites supporting breeding females, to 20. It is possible that increased water levels in late winter and early spring at many sites, after a wet winter, particularly in the Norfolk Broads and the Fens, may have contributed to the sharp increase in booming males and nests. England, SW Somerset Two sites: 2-3 booming males; two confirmed nests. England, SE Hertfordshire One site: 0-1 booming male. Kent Two sites: two booming males. England, E Cambridgeshire Six sites: ten booming males; four confirmed nests. Lincolnshire Seven sites: 6-8 booming males. Norfolk North Norfolk coast Four sites: four booming males; two confirmed nests. Norfolk Broads 15 sites: 21-25 booming males; 11 confirmed nests. Suffolk Suffolk coast Six sites: 24-27 booming males; 15 confirmed nests. Fens One site: two booming males. England, N Cumbria One site: one booming male. Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: one booming male and two confirmed nests. Yorkshire Three sites: 2-3 booming males; three confirmed nests. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Two sites: 2-3 pairs. After a well-documented influx in late 2007, mainly to southwest England (Hudson et al. 2008), it was widely anticipated that some birds may stay to breed, and so it was that breeding was later proved in Somerset, where at least two young fledged. There was a further influx in 2008, so it may be that this species is here to stay, ft will be interesting to see whether the numbers of breeding Cattle Egrets increase in the manner of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta. Cattle Egrets have a history of colonising new areas, and in the twentieth century expanded to South Africa, Australasia, South America and North America as well as northwards within Europe. England, SW Somerset Two sites: two pairs fledged at least two (probably three) young and a third pair probably bred. 287. Juvenile Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, Somerset, August 2008. One of two young fledged in Somerset in 2008, the first breeding record for the UK. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 501 Brian Gibbs Holling et al. Little Egret Egretta garzetta 68 sites: 751-792 pairs. Little Egret has become perhaps the most successful of recent colonists. The total number of sites and pairs reported in 2008 is lower than in the previous year, the first time in 12 years that this has happened, but the number of confirmed breeding pairs (751) reaches another new record (fig. 5). This drop in number of sites may simply reflect less complete reporting from counties where the species is well established, although there is little sign of expansion away from the southern half of Britain. The range is shown by the provisional map from Bird Atlas 2007-1 1, which includes all records of confirmed and probable breeding for the three breeding seasons 2008-10 (fig. 6). Note that when colony counts are given as ranges (e.g. 5-7 nests), this should be interpreted as five pairs confirmed and a further two pairs probably breeding. After two pairs nested in both Berkshire and Scilly in 2007, no breeding activity was noted in either county in 2008. confirmed pairs no. sites England, SW Cornwall Three sites: 16 pairs. Devon At least nine sites: 76-78 pairs bred. Dorset Seven sites: 39-50 pairs. Gloucestershire Two sites: 16 pairs. Hampshire Five sites: 79-87 pairs. Somerset Four sites: 42-43 pairs. Wiltshire One site: 15-20 pairs. England, SE Buckinghamshire Two sites: four pairs. Essex Six sites: 79 pairs. Kent Two sites: 103-112 pairs at Northward Hill RSPB, the largest colony in Britain, and at least ten pairs at the second. Oxfordshire No data (one pair in 2007). Sussex Five sites: 41 pairs. England, E Cambridgeshire Although up to 74 birds were present at the Ouse Washes in June, there appears to have been no nesting attempts in 2008. Lincolnshire Three sites: 22 pairs. Norfolk Four sites: 73-75 pairs bred. Suffolk Six sites: 33 pairs. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: 30 pairs. Yorkshire One site: one pair probably bred (a displaying pair was seen nest-building). Wales Anglesey One site: at least one pair. Caernarfonshire Two sites: at least 41 pairs. Carmarthen- shire At least one pair probably bred. Ceredigion One site: eight pairs bred. Gower Two sites: 18-19 pairs. Gwent One site: five pairs. 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Fig. 5. Number of confirmed breeding pairs of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta and potential or confirmed breeding sites in the UK, 1 996-2008. Fig. 6. The breeding distribution of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta in Britain & Ireland, based on data collected to date for Bird Atlas 2007-1 I. With only three summering birds recorded in the previous breeding atlas ( 1 988-9 1 ), this species has shown one of the largest range expansions in the latest atlas. The two dot sizes indicate probable and confirmed breeding. Map generated in July 2010. 502 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia One site: one pair. This is the first confirmed breeding record for Scotland and the fourth for the UK in recent times, but only the second successful attempt (following that of a pair which reared two young in Lan- cashire & N Merseyside in 1999). Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair bred. After records of a single bird from 27th June and then two birds from 18th August, it was with some surprise that three juv- eniles were found on 23rd August, remaining in the area until 20th September (documented more fully in Collin 2009). Paul Collin, Recorder for Dumfries & Galloway, has compiled this summary of documented nesting attempts by Spoonbills in the UK, to put this important record into context. Given the increasing numbers breeding on the near continent (see Holling et al. 2008), colonisa- tion of the UK by Spoonbills has long been anticipated. They now regularly summer at several sites in East Anglia, often in sizeable groups, with display and nest-building activity recorded at a number of locations since 1 989. The first documented record of eggs being laid (in the modern era) was in 1998 but the attempt failed. Despite the seemingly large number of both birds and nesting attempts (ten nests were built in 2002, for example), Spoonbills have been slow to establish, with nesting attempts disrupted by Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes, Grey Herons Ardea cinerea and even Common Coots Fulica atra (see below). Spoonbills seem highly sensitive to distur- bance and in both instances of successful breeding the pair failed to return the following year. It seems surprising that the first successful breeding attempts were in the west, rather than in the wetlands of East Anglia, but if the species is to become established as a regular breeder it is more likely in the east, closer to the Dutch breeding colonies. Breeding attempts by Eurasian Spoonbills in the UK since 1989 (confirmed records shown in bold) 1989 Suffolk One pair nest-building. 1995 Norfolk Up to four present from April to August; nest-building noted. 1996 Cheshire & Wirral At least six birds at two sites; display and nest-building noted. 1997 Cheshire & Wirral One pair nest-building at a 1996 site. 1997 Suffolk Possible nesting attempt. 1998 Suffolk One pair laid two eggs that were lost to a Fox; this was the first confirmed egg-laying in the UK since 1668. 1998 North-east Scotland One pair present from May to July, copulation seen but no nest- building. 288. Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, Dumfries & Galloway, August 2008. This adult was one half of the pair that fledged three young in the county in 2008. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 503 Keith Kirk Oliver Smart Holling et al. Breeding attempts by Eurasian Spoonbills in the UK since 1989 cont. 1999 Cleveland Two birds, occasionally three, seen throughout the summer and observed carrying sticks. 1999 Lancashire 8t N Merseyside One pair reared two young from three eggs laid. 1999 Norfolk Four pairs noted carrying sticks. 1999 Suffolk One pair but no nesting activity reported. 2000 Lancashire & N Merseyside One adult and a first-summer at the 1999 site, but no breeding activity noted. 2000 Norfolk One pair built a nest that was quickly dismantled by Common Coots. 2000 Suffolk Four pairs but no breeding activity reported. 2001 Dumfries 8c Galloway One pair built four nesting platforms but was displaced by Grey Herons. 2002 Suffolk Nineteen individuals, possibly nine pairs, tended ten nests; no birds fledged and it is unclear whether eggs were laid. Breeding thought to have been disrupted by Foxes. 2004 Cumbria Three adults summered, display and nest-building seen. 2004 Suffolk Two adults and two first-years visited the 2002 site. 2006 Suffolk Two pairs built two large nests, but both deserted. 2007 Cheshire & Wirral One pair and a subadult, display and stick-carrying noted. 2007 Suffolk Sixteen birds recorded, two pairs built two large nests, eggs were laid in at least one of these, with a bird still sitting in late June, but both nests were deserted. 2008 Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair fledged three young. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus 13 sites: 29 pairs, one mixed pair, and singles at two other sites. Stuart Benn, RSPB, commented as follows. In mainland Scotland, 29 pairs were located and 14 young reared (38 and ten, respectively, in 2007). This is the lowest number of pairs recorded since regular monitoring began, in 1971. Productivity was 0.48 young per territorial pair, a little below the long-term average of 0.56. Twelve sites were occupied by pairs in 2008 (the lowest ever) and a further two by just a single bird; only six sites produced young (the second-lowest ever). All the above figures give cause for concern. In 2008, sites within Special Protection Areas (SPAs) held 18 pairs (62%) and produced six young (43%), significantly fewer than the 37 pairs (53% of the popula- tion) in the late 1990s (Stroud et al. 200 1 ). At Loch Ruthven, I 3 pairs bred but no young were reared. This is the first year of total breeding failure since I 982. Three of - the last five years at this site have had poor or zero productivity. The reasons for this 289. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus, Mull, Argyll, May 2008. are unclear although, 504 British Birds 1 03 September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 after an exceptionally dry spring, water levels were very low in 2008. For the third year running, a female Slavonian Grebe paired with a Great Crested Grebe P. cristatus in England but the pair was again unsuccessful. Eggs were laid but the nest was deserted owing to excessive disturbance at the site. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland One site: one mixed pair. A female paired with a Great Crested Grebe and laid eggs but the nest was deserted. Scotland, Mid and N & W Moray & Nairn/Highland 12 sites: 29 pairs reared 14 young; in addition, two single birds were present at two other sites. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 17 sites: 28-43 pairs, at least 32 young fledged. In their review of records up to 2004, Martin & Smith (2007) reflected on an increasing population and speculated that there may be further increases if sites are not disturbed. However, since 2002 the number of sites has declined from 26 to 17 and the number of confirmed pairs from 50 to 28. There has been some loss of sites, yet also new ones established. This species continues to be vulnerable and we reiterate the impor- tance of careful and continuous monitoring of known sites, and of following up pairs found in early spring in potential breeding habitat. England, SE Hertfordshire One site: three pairs fledged four young, and one pair possibly bred. Kent One site: one pair possibly bred. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: one pair fledged one young. This is the first breeding record for the county since 1992. Lincolnshire One site: one pair fledged three young. England, C Nottinghamshire Two sites: two pairs probably bred. At one, the pair was noted as having failed but it is not known if eggs were laid, while at the second a pair was present in May and a juvenile was seen in early August. Staffordshire One site: one pair possibly bred, but abandoned the site owing to recreational disturbance. England, N Cheshire & Wirral One site: 14 pairs bred and one other pair probably bred. Seventeen young fledged. Durham One site: one pair possibly bred: the pair was seen mating in spring but did not stay to nest. Greater Manchester One site: three pairs bred, fledging two young. Northumberland Three sites: (1) one pair bred, fledging one young from a brood of three, and two pairs possibly bred; (2) two pairs bred, but abandoned the site after egg-laying; (3) one pair possibly bred. Yorkshire Three sites: (1) two pairs bred, fledging two young; (2) one pair bred, fledging two young; (3) three pairs possibly bred. Scotland, S Borders One site: two pairs possibly bred. Although present from early April until mid July, with display recorded, no nests were built. Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus 21-34 pairs; at least 30 young fledged. Mean values in the previous ten years are 20 confirmed breeding pairs and 41 territories (1999-2008), so 2008 was an average year. However, more pairs were confirmed breeding than in 2007, when productivity was low because of wet weather during the critical months of June and July. England, SW Eleven territories occupied in three counties. Six pairs bred, fledging ten young. England, SE Seven territories occupied in three counties. Seven pairs bred, fledging ten young. There were also 2-3 non- breeding adults, not apparently attached to a territory, seen in the region. England, E, C & N Six territories occupied in four counties. Three pairs bred, fledging at least four young. There were perhaps as many as seven other birds reported from the breeding areas but these were not associated with territories. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 505 Holling et al. Wales Seven territories occupied. Four pairs bred, and three were successful, fledging four young. Also at least two sites with just single birds reported. Scotland Two territories occupied in two recording areas. One pair bred, fledging two young. In addition, there was evidence of occupation of a site in a third area. Red Kite Milvus milvus A minimum of 994 pairs, but a realistic total would be in excess of 1,500 pairs. As suggested in previous reports, the numbers of Red Kites in England and Wales are now such that full moni- toring of the population is no longer feasible and the figures presented here are minima for most counties. The situation in Scotland is described more accurately, but although the re-established population in the southwest (where breeding began only in 2003) is growing rapidly, persecution is continuing to restrain populations farther north. However, the latest re-establishment project, in North-east Scotland, had its first breeding pair in 2008, although no young were hatched. We are grateful to the Welsh Kite Trust for collating much of the data summarised here. Smart et al. (2010) confirmed that the growth of the population in northern Scotland is being severely restricted by illegal killing. They compared the performance of two populations where equal numbers of young birds were released over the same period, as part of the initial phase of reintroducing the species, in Scotland (Black Isle, Highland) and England (Chilterns). While the population in the Chilterns has thrived, reaching approximately 320 breeding pairs by 2006, the Black Isle population has struggled, reaching just 41 pairs over the same period. This was much lower than expected, and the population in 2009 had still reached only 49 breeding pairs. Monitoring of both populations showed that production of successfully reared and fledged Red Kite chicks was very similar, indeed among the highest in Europe. Thus the low growth rate of the Black Isle population does not reflect food supply or poor breeding productivity. Instead, the study demonstrated that low survival rates of young birds in their first and second years of life is the main factor limiting population growth of the Scottish birds, and that illegal killing accounts almost entirely for their poor survival prospects. Most Red Kites in Scotland and England breed for the first time when two years old, so persecution is severely reducing the number of new recruits in the Black Isle population. In the absence of persecution, modelling suggests that the annual survival rate of young kites would have been high enough to allow the Black Isle population to grow at the same rate as that in the Chilterns and, by 2006, northern Scotland would have held over 300, rather than 41, breeding pairs. More encouragingly, if illegal killing was to be stopped, the population is likely to respond quickly, probably reaching 300 breeding pairs within ten years. England A minimum of 295 pairs bred. However, the population in southern England, centred on the Chilterns and mainly in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, was believed to be 400-500 breeding pairs. The following lists give total number of pairs by county, although in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire these represent gross underestimates. England, SW Hampshire 8, Wiltshire 5. England, SE Bedfordshire 2, Berkshire no proved breeding but indications of a probable breeding pair, Buckinghamshire 49, Hertfordshire 1, Oxfordshire 25, Sussex 3. England, E Cambridgeshire 5, Lincolnshire 1, Norfolk probable breeding at two sites, Northamptonshire 95. England, C Herefordshire 1, Leicestershire & Rutland 3, Shropshire 7. England, N Durham 21, Northumberland 2, Yorkshire 67. Wales A minimum of 566 pairs bred, but it is estimated that the total population in 2008 lay between 750 and 900 pairs, fledging over 600 young. The 2008 distribution of known breeding or territorial pairs by recording area was Breconshire 62, Caernarfonshire 3, Carmarthenshire 80, Ceredigion 208, Denbigh & Flint 2, East Glamorgan 2, Gower 13, Gwent 4, Meirionnydd 9, Montgomeryshire 55, Pembrokeshire 16 and Radnorshire 1 12. 506 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Scotland 133 pairs bred. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway 31 pairs fledged at least 54 young. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One pair bred: a pair from the 2007 re-establishment scheme near Aberdeen laid eggs but the eggs tailed to hatch. Perth & Kinross (Tayside RSG) 32 pairs fledged at least 44 young. Upper Forth (Central Scotland RSG) 23 pairs fledged at least 31 young. Scotland, N & W Highland 46 pairs fledged at least 81 young. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 35-44 pairs. The following summary was taken from the newsletter of the RSPB’s Sea Eagle project team. The 2008 breeding season was not as successful as 2006 and 2007. However, it was the third- best year on record in terms of number of chicks produced. In addition, two new pairs were located, bringing the total number of occupied territories to 44. The new pairs were located on the Outer Hebrides and in Wester Ross (Highland). As in 2007, 35 pairs laid eggs but in 2008 only 21 broods hatched; 20 pairs were successful, fledging 28 young. A large proportion of the breeding failures occurred on the Outer Hebrides, where only two of 11 pairs bred successfully and this was the main reason why the number of chicks fledging was lower than in 2006 and 2007. The breeding failures there were attributed to poor weather during incubation. Scotland, N & W Argyll Nine pairs bred, of which seven fledged eight young, and a further two territorial pairs. Highland 18 pairs bred, of which 1 1 fledged 16 young, and a further four territorial pairs. Outer Hebrides Eight pairs bred, of which only two were successful, fledging four young, and a further three territorial pairs. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 374-392 breeding females/pairs. These figures indicate similar numbers and a comparable distri- bution to 2007, and indeed to the survey year of 2005, although it is likely that not all pairs are reported to county recorders in the core counties of eastern England and Kent. The population is likely to be in the order of 450 pairs. England, SW Isles of Scilly One pair bred, fledging two young. Somerset As in 2007, several females summered at one site but the only males were those passing through, and none lingered. England, SE Essex 15 pairs bred and one pair possibly bred. Kent An estimate of at least 90 breeding pairs was again given, although details of only six breeding pairs were received. Sussex One pair bred and one pair probably bred. England, E Cambridgeshire 21 pairs fledged at least 16 young. Lincolnshire 90 pairs bred. Norfolk A minimum of 83 pairs bred, with a further two pairs probably breeding and one possible breeding pair. Suffolk At least 52 pairs bred and eight pairs possibly bred. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside Six pairs bred. Northumberland One pair probably bred. As in 2007, nest- building was reported at one site but the pair moved away. Two juveniles later in the season may have fledged locally. Yorkshire 1 1 pairs bred and one pair probably bred. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway An unpaired female frequented a suitable breeding area from May to September. Scotland, Mid Fife/Perth & Kinross Four pairs bred, fledging three young. Moray & Nairn One pair possibly bred: a male and female arrived in April but left the area in May. North-east Scotland One pair probably bred. Scotland, N & W Argyll Two females present, one seen carrying nest material on two dates, but no males recorded. Orkney One pair probably bred. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 507 Phil Jones Holling et al. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 362-501 monitored pairs fledged a minimum of 442 young. Displaying males with no signs of mates were recorded from a further three English counties and in several parts of Northern Ireland. It is unfortunate that only limited data were available from the important Isle of Man population, the size of which was as high as 57 territories in 2004. Hen Harrier Occupied Confirmed Territories believed Min. no. territories breeding pairs to fledge young young fledged England, N 24 23 9 29 Cumbria 2 2 1 1 Derbyshire 1 0 0 0 Lancashire & N Merseyside 12 12 7 23 Northumberland 1 1 1 5 Isle of Man 8 8 n/a n/a Wales 28 27 11 35 Breconshire 2 1 1 3 Caernarfonshire n/a n/a n/a n/a Denbigh & Flint 6 6 6 21 Meirionnydd 7 7 n/a n/a Montgomeryshire 6 6 4 11 Radnorshire 7 7 n/a n/a Scotland, S 114 45 25 65 Dumfries & Galloway RSG 15 14 4 21 Lothian & Borders RSG 4 2 1 2 S Strathclyde RSG (Ayrshire, Clyde, Clyde Islands) 95 29 20 42 Scotland, Mid 77 56 25 76 Central Scotland RSG 8 5 3 12 North-east Scotland RSG 15 9 4 8 Tayside RSG 54 42 18 56 Scotland, N & W 221 197 97 227 Argyll RSG 61 51 32 91 Highland RSG (inch Caithness) 50 45 23 64 Orkney 65 60 20 10 Outer Hebrides (Uists only) 45 41 22 62 Northern Ireland 37 14 7 10 TOTALS 501 362 174 442 Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus 12 sites: 11-16 pairs fledged a minimum of 14 young. The small English popula- tion continues to hold its own, though productivity in 2008 was the lowest since 2002. Although some eggs were lost to predators, several pairs relaid and went on to fledge young. One ' chick was lost to disease and another nest was deserted. One fieldworker com- mented that late-developing winter cereals forced birds 508 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 to nest in grass grown for silage or oil-seed rape, and success was lower in these crops. England, S Six sites: four pairs bred (two pairs each fledging three young), and five pairs possibly bred. England, E Lincolnshire Two sites: two pairs bred, and fledged one young each. Norfolk Four sites: five pairs bred, fledging six young. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 280-439 pairs. Numbers of moni- tored and reported pairs were similar to those of recent years, although it is believed that this species is widely under-recorded. In part, this is due to its secretive behaviour for much of the year, but also because it suffers from persecution (even though it has full protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981), as well as wilful or acci- dental disturbance of nesting sites, so observers are reluctant to share information. The best way to collect information on numbers is to look for displaying birds in the early spring. Regular presence at a site indicates that a territory is occupied and this information should be passed to county recorders so that it can be collated by the RBBP, in order to compile a more complete picture of numbers and trends across the UK. Given the sensitivity attached to this species, Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 will not display maps at 10-km- square level. Fig. 7 shows the dis- tribution of records submitted to the project for the three breeding seasons 2008-10, by 50-km grid squares. Accipiter gentilis in Britain & Ireland based on data collected to date for Bird Atlas 2007-1 I. For this sensitive species, mapping at 50-km-square resolution protects the location of individual sites whilst still conveying the broad pattern of distribution. The three dot sizes indicate possible, probable and confirmed breeding. Map generated in July 2010. Northern Goshawk England, SE 0 6 Confirmed Total pairs Bedfordshire 0 1 breeding pairs Buckinghamshire 0 3 Kent 0 1 England, SW 50 57 Sussex 0 1 Devon 10 13 England, E 3 8 Dorset 1 1 Norfolk 2 3 Gloucestershire 26 27 Northamptonshire 0 2 Hampshire 10 10 Suffolk 1 3 Somerset 0 0 England, C 38 65 Wiltshire 3 6 Derbyshire 13 20 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 509 Holling et al. Northern Goshawk cont. Confirmed breeding pairs Total pairs Herefordshire 12 27 Nottinghamshire 3 7 Shropshire 10 10 Staffordshire 0 0 Warwickshire 0 1 Worcestershire n/a n/a England, N 47 71 Cheshire & Wirral 0 1 Cleveland 0 5 Cumbria 4 9 Durham 0 5 Lancashire & N Merseyside 1 3 Northumberland 26 26 Yorkshire 16 22 Wales 48 136 Breconshire 0 12 Caernarfonshire 0 3 Carmarthenshire n/a n/a Ceredigion 0 2 Denbigh & Flint 0 2 East Glamorgan 4 23 Gower n/a n/a Gwent 16 19 Meirionnydd 1 4 Montgomeryshire 3 14 Pembrokeshire 0 30 Radnorshire 24 27 Scotland, S 57 57 Ayrshire 0 0 Borders 34 34 Clyde 1 1 Dumfries & Galloway 21 21 Lothian 1 1 Scotland, Mid 30 32 Fife 0 1 North-east Scotland 30 31 Perth & Kinross n/a n/a Scotland, N & W 1 1 Highland 1 1 Northern Ireland 6 6 TOTALS 280 439 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos Results of Golden Eagle monitoring by Scottish Raptor Study Groups (Etheridge et al. in prep.) and the Northern England Raptor Forum are presented below. Data were available for a total of 271 home ranges, against the population of 443 pairs estimated following the 2003 national survey (Eaton et al. 2007a). The mean number of young fledged per monitored nest was 0.50, similar to that in recent years. Golden Eagle Singles * Probable Confirmed Total Successful Min. no. breeding pairs breeding pairs pairs pairs young fledged England, N & Scotland, S 2 0 i i 1 1 Angus & Dundee 0 0 5 5 2 3 North-east Scotland (inch E Moray' 1 0 15 15 5 6 Perth & Kinross 1 2 12 14 6 7 Upper Forth 0 3 6 9 4 4 Argyll 3 6 55 61 34 36 Highland (inch W Moray & Nairn) 17 15 74 89 40 46 Outer Hebrides (Lewis & Harris) 0 0 26 26 11 11 Outer Hebrides (Uists) 1 1 25 26 11 11 TOTALS 25 27 219 246 114 125 * Total includes home ranges occupied by single birds or showing signs ot occupation but no pair seen. Osprey Pandion haliaetus 181-215 pairs. At least 312 young fledged from 151 successful breeding pairs. The excellent cov- ' erage in 2008 meant that, for the first time during this recolonisation period, over 200 pairs were recorded, a significant milestone in the Osprey’s recovery; the total of over 300 young fledged is also a record for the modern era. Productivity was high in the more recently occupied parts of the range in southern Scotland and Wales, which bodes well for further consolidation and expan- sion. 510 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 England, C Leicestershire & Rutland Two pairs bred and one non-breeding pair. Three young fledged from the one suc- cessful nest at Rutland Water. Up to four other birds summered in the county. England, N Cumbria One pair again fledged three young at Bassenthwaite Lake, and the male and female of a second pair present elsewhere from mid June were seen copulating. Northumberland One pair was seen displaying and attending a nest platform at Kielder Water. England, elsewhere Two non-breeding pairs. Wales Meirionnydd One pair fledged three young at Glaslyn. Wales elsewhere One pair seen displaying in the vicinity of an artificial nest, with a male present from late April and a female from late June. Scotland, S Borders Eight pairs bred, fledging 19 young, and one other territorial pair. Dumfries & Galloway One pair bred, fledging three young, a second pair on territory and three other possible breeding pairs. Scotland, Mid Angus & Dundee Seven pairs bred, fledging ten young, and three other territorial pairs. North-east Scotland 17 pairs bred, fledging 27 young, and three other territorial pairs. Perth & Kinross 42 pairs bred, fledging 69 young, and four other territorial pairs. Upper Forth 17 pairs bred, fledging 34 young, and two other terri- torial pairs. Scotland, N & W Argyll 14 pairs bred, fledging 22 young, and one other territorial pair. Highland/Moray & Nairn 71 pairs bred, fledging 1 19 young, and at least ten other territorial pairs. Merlin Falco columbarius 391-458 pairs monitored; new national estimate of 1,160 pairs. A national survey of Merlins was undertaken in 2008 and, below, Mark Eaton describes the results of the survey. Although the figures in the table immediately below are not directly comparable with those from the national survey, they are presented here in familiar format because monitoring effort in recent years has been similar and these totals can thus be compared with those in previous reports. Note that they are based on sample monitoring areas only and the figures are known to be incomplete in some areas. Merlin Territories occupied Confirmed Territories believed Min. no. by pairs breeding pairs to fledge young young fledged England, SW 1 0 0 0 England, C 25 20 15 58 Derbyshire 21 19 14 56 Shropshire 2 0 0 0 Staffordshire 2 1 1 2 England, N 145 114 82 284 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 Cumbria 20 11 9 27 Durham 33 33 27 92 Greater Manchester 4 1 0 0 Lancashire & N Merseyside 15 14 9 29 Northumberland 20 20 13 41 Yorkshire 53 35 24 95 Wales 28 9 7 21 Breconshire 3 0 0 0 Carmarthenshire 2 1 1 2 Denbigh & Flint 3 3 3 9 East Glamorgan 0 0 0 0 Meirionnydd 6 0 0 0 Montgomeryshire 6 5 3 10 511 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Holling et al. Merlin c ont. Territories occupied Confirmed Territories believed Min. no. by pairs breeding pairs to fledge young young fledged Radnorshire 8 0 0 0 Scotland, S 51 50 29 93 Dumfries & Galloway RSG 11 11 5 15 Lothian & Borders RSG 28 27 20 65 South Strathclyde RSG 12 12 4 13 Scotland, Mid 82 79 21 56 Central Scotland RSG 5 5 1 1 North-east Scotland RSG 33 31 n/a n/a Tayside RSG 44 43 20 55 Scotland, N & W 113 110 53 160 Argyll 1 1 1 4 Highland (including Caithness) 38 38 17 44 Orkney 18 16 7 19 Outer Hebrides 37 37 14 42 Shetland 19 18 14 51 Northern Ireland 13 9 5 16 TOTALS 458 391 212 688 The first UK-wide survey of Merlins was conducted in 2008, 14 years since the 1993-94 British survey. In addition to extensive coverage of study areas by raptor study groups and other volunteers, RSPB fieldworkers covered a sample of 10-km squares across the UK, from which country and UK estimates have been extrapolated. The survey produced an estimate of 1,160 breeding pairs (95% confidence limits 912-1,532) of Merlins in the UK, and 1,128 in Britain, with the latter suggesting a decline of 13% (not signif- icant) since 1993-94. The additional table below presents a national breakdown. Although the power to detect spatial patterns of change is limited by the margin of error around estimates, the declines since the last survey appear to have been greatest in England with, for example, only a single territory left in southwest England. Merlin No. of breeding pairs in 1993-94 No. of breeding pairs in 2008 Change in estimate (%) Scotland 818 (635-1,100) 733 (539-1,004) -10 England 401 301 (175-566) -25 Wales 81 92 (60-128) 14 Northern Ireland n/a 43 (23-72) n/a Britain 1,291 (1,108-1,500) 1,128 (874-1,509) -13 United Kingdom n/a 1,160 (912-1,532) n/a Figures in parentheses are 95% confidence limits. England and Wales received full census coverage in 1993-94. All estimates of change are not statistically significant. Hobby Falco subbuteo 279-1,142 pairs. The numbers of confirmed breeding pairs presented here largely reflect local monitoring effort rather than actual numbers present and hence are similar to those reported in recent years (five-year mean 248 confirmed breeding pairs). However, the 2008 figure for total - pairs is the highest ever, the first time it has exceeded 1,000, although this is still only half the estimated UK population of c. 2,200 pairs (Clements 2001). The increase in the number of pairs reported is consistent across all regions, except Wales and Scotland. The higher numbers may be due to a continuing increase in the population, but may also reflect more careful assessment of numbers at a county level, as encouraged by the Panel (guidelines on estimating county popula- 512 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Hobby Falco subbuteo tions of Hobby are available on the RBBP website under species information), aided by the gen- eration of more records through Atlas fieldwork. Totals derived from estimates provided by county recorders are shown in the table here, except where marked *. Hobby Northamptonshire 3 12 Confirmed Total Suffolk 14 56 breeding pairs pairs England, C 66 160 England, SW 60 259 Derbyshire 35 35 Avon 3 10 Herefordshire 6 19 Cornwall 0 1* Leicestershire 8c Rutland 2 14 Devon 10 19 Nottinghamshire 6 6* Dorset 3 36 Shropshire 2 13 Gloucestershire 11 30 Staffordshire n/a n/a Hampshire 9 71 Warwickshire 8 41 Isle of Wight 1 5 West Midlands 4 4 Somerset 4 20 Worcestershire 3 28 Wiltshire 19 67 England, N 18 42 England, SE 78 452 Cheshire 8c Wirral 14 21 Bedfordshire 1 2 Greater Manchester 0 7 Berkshire 1 12 Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 2 6 Buckinghamshire 2 18 Yorkshire 2 8 Essex 12 22 Wales 6 24 Greater London 2 2* Breconshire 1 8 Hertfordshire 8 104 Carmarthenshire 2 3 Kent 28 200 Denbigh 8c Flint 0 1 Oxfordshire 10 10* East Glamorgan 0 0 Surrey 8 34 Gwent 3 4 Sussex 6 48 Montgomeryshire 0 1 England, E 51 204 Radnorshire 0 7 Cambridgeshire 8 20 Scotland, S 0 1 Lincolnshire 0 80 TOTALS 279 1,142 Norfolk 26 36 * These totals usually reflect actual nest counts and are unlikely to represent the number of pairs in the county. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 847-1,045 pairs. As with the reporting of many of the less-rare raptors, the numbers presented here largely reflect local monitoring effort rather than actual numbers present. The following table is based on sample monitoring areas only and the figures are known to be incomplete in some areas, although comparable with those of previous years. Nevertheless, the increasing numbers of Peregrines is reflected in the total number of occupied territories, which exceeds 1,000 for the first time in a non-survey year. It is good to be able to report more meaningful numbers for Northern Ireland; the last time we had comparable figures was 2004. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 513 Don Powell Holling et al. Peregrine Falcon Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged England, SW 166 144 [86] [160] Avon 11 8 7 20 Cornwall 16 13 13 32 Devon 69 69 40 93 Dorset 29 29 16 n/a Gloucestershire 8 8 2 3 Hampshire 8 8 3 6 Isle of Wight 5 3 3 2 Isles of Scilly 2 0 0 0 Somerset 15 3 n/a n/a Wiltshire 3 3 2 4 England, SE 55 40 [28] [68] Bedfordshire 2 2 0 0 Berkshire 0 0 0 0 Essex 9 5 n/a n/a Greater London 1 1 1 4 Kent 19 11 8 19 Oxfordshire n/a n/a n/a n/a Surrey 2 0 0 0 Sussex 22 21 19 45 England, E 7 4 4 11 Cambridgeshire 2 1 1 3 Lincolnshire 3 2 2 5 Norfolk 1 0 0 0 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 Suffolk 1 1 1 3 England, C 93 84 [49] [107] Derbyshire 26 25 15 33 Herefordshire 15 12 n/a n/a Leicestershire & Rutland 6 6 6 16 Nottinghamshire 5 4 3 10 Shropshire 19 19 15 35 Staffordshire 9 9 6 7 Warwickshire 5 3 1 1 West Midlands 3 3 n/a n/a Worcestershire 5 3 3 5 England, N 168 149 [86] [191] Cheshire & Wirral 2 2 1 3 Cleveland 2 2 1 3 Cumbria 61 59 33 79 Durham 7 7 6 13 Greater Manchester 6 5 4 13 Isle of Man 12 6 4 10 Lancashire & N Merseyside 26 20 n/a n/a Northumberland 26 26 23 37 Yorkshire 26 22 14 33 Wales 149 101 [82] [120] Anglesey 6 n/a n/a n/a Breconshire 16 7 4 7 Caernarfonshire 4 4 4 6 Carmarthenshire 10 10 3 5 Ceredigion 2 2 1 3 Denbigh & Flint 11 11 11 24 East Glamorgan 21 21 21 35 Gower n/a n/a n/a n/a 514 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Peregrine Falcon cont. Territories occupied by pairs Confirmed breeding pairs Territories believed to fledge young Min. no. young fledged Gwent 9 n/a n/a n/a Meirionnydd 7 7 n/a n/a Montgomeryshire 2 2 1 2 Pembrokeshire 42 37 37 38 Radnorshire 19 n/a n/a n/a Scotland, S 150 131 82 204 Dumfries & Galloway RSG 55 50 31 65 Lothian & Borders RSG 61 50 35 101 South Strathclyde RSG 34 31 16 38 Scotland, Mid 127 98 76 159 Central Scotland RSG 24 17 16 35 North-east Scotland RSG 42 34 23 47 Tayside RSG 61 47 37 77 Scotland, N & W 60 44 32 66 Argyll RSG 22 16 12 23 Fair Isle 1 1 n/a n/a Highland RSG 13 13 9 20 Orkney 12 7 4 8 Outer Hebrides 11 6 6 13 Shetland 1 1 1 2 Northern Ireland 70 52 49 120 TOTALS 1,045 847 [574] [1,206] Water Rail Rallus aquaticus 320 sites: a minimum of 972 territories; 86 pairs confirmed breeding. In this, the third year of data, the total number of territories is a little lower than in 2006 and 2007, but 320 is the most sites logged. We encourage observers to record all observations during the breeding season to help county recorders estimate the numbers present at each site, and ultimately build a UK-wide list of breeding sites for this species. Water Rail Sites Territories Sussex England, E Cambridgeshire 13 32 3 23 315 9 England, SW 46 132 Norfolk 15 60 Avon 1 2 Northamptonshire 3 3 Cornwall 3 3 Suffolk 11 243 Devon 6 10 England, C 32 68 Dorset 5 6 Derbyshire 3 3 Hampshire 20 61 Herefordshire 1 1 Isle of Wight 2 2 Leicestershire & Rutland 3 3 Isles of Scilly 1 1 Nottinghamshire 3 3 Somerset 6 43 Shropshire 1 1 Wiltshire 2 4 Staffordshire 4 32 England, SE 55 113 Warwickshire 9 14 Bedfordshire 5 8 West Midlands 3 3 Berkshire 5 7 Worcestershire 5 8 Buckinghamshire 2 2 England, N 69 132 Essex 2 20 Cheshire 8t Wirral 6 6 Hertfordshire 7 9 Cleveland 4 7 Kent 17 31 Cumbria 7 9 Oxfordshire 1 8 Durham 5 5 Surrey 3 5 Greater Manchester 12 39 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 515 Holling et al. Water Rail cont. Scotland, S 17 48 Sites Territories Ayrshire 5 10 Borders 7 14 Lancashire 8c N Merseyside 4 7 Clyde 2 18 Northumberland 17 17 Dumfries 8c Galloway 3 6 Yorkshire 14 42 Scotland, Mid 13 37 Wales 26 85 Angus 8c Dundee 1 7 Anglesey 4 37 Fife 4 5 Breconshire 3 7 North-east Scotland 7 18 Caernarfonshire 3 12 Perth 8c Kinross 1 7 Carmarthenshire 1 1 Scotland, N 8c W 29 41 Ceredigion Denbigh 8c Flint 2 4 3 4 Argyll Highland Orkney 13 6 7 13 18 7 East Glamorgan 1 2 Outer Hebrides 2 2 Gower n/a n/a Shetland 1 1 Gwent 1 10 Northern Ireland 1 1 Pembrokeshire 1 3 Co. Antrim 1 1 Radnorshire 6 6 TOTALS 320 972 Spotted Crake Porzana porzana Nine sites: 20 singing males. Nine is the lowest number of sites recording Spotted Crakes in a single year since 1996 (the ten-year mean is 18). It seems that the species was concentrated in rather few places in 2008 and over half the birds reported were at just two, albeit extensive, sites in Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire. Site records refer to single calling birds unless stated. England, SE Kent One site. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: up to four singing males, with the first heard on 13th June, and the maximum on 23rd June, after spring floods had receded. Norfolk One site: 24th April and 4th May. Suffolk Two sites: (1) one heard on 8th May only; (2) one on 10th and 1 3th— 1 6th June but two on 1 7th— 20th June. England, N Yorkshire One extensive site: up to seven calling males with records from late April to mid July. Scotland, N 8c W Argyll Two sites: two calling males at one and one at the other. Highland One site. Corn Crake Crex crex 1,191 singing males. This was not a survey year so counts in the core areas of the Inner and Outer Hebrides may be a little low. The overall impression, however, is that although there is some redistribution between years, overall numbers are now stable. Tiree again posted the highest total, with over 400 calling birds counted. England, SE Berkshire One site: one singing male, 1 7th— 27th June. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: 14 singing males. Lincolnshire One site: one singing male in May. England, N Yorkshire One site: one singing male, 1 8th— 27th June. Scotland, S * Borders Two sites: two singing males on single dates. Dumfries 8c Galloway One site: one singing male present most of summer. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: one singing male on 1 5th June only. Scotland, N 8c W Argyll Total 740: Mainland 4, Coll 1 18, Colonsay 8c Oronsay 67, Iona 50, Islay 82, Mull 8, Staffa 1, Tiree 408, 516 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Treshnish Isles 2. Highland Total 29: Mainland 14, Canna 3, Eigg 0, Muck no count, Rum no count, Skye 12. Orkney Iotal 21: Burray/South Ronaldsay 2, East Mainland 2, Egilsay 4, North Ronaldsay 1, Papa Westray 4, Sanday 2, Stronsay 1, West Mainland 5. Outer Hebrides Total 374: Barra & Vatersay 70, Benbecula 25, Bern- eray 7, Harris 8, Lewis 68, Mingulay 2, North Uist 102, South Uist 92. Shetland Total 2. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: one singing male 27th May to at least 6th June. Co. Fermanagh Three sites: two singing males in May and one in May and June. Common Crane Grus grus Six sites: 11-18 pairs. The number of sites and pairs reaches a new high since recolonisation began, in 1981. It has been a long, slow process, with limited breeding success in some years, but it now is beginning to look as though the Common Crane is once again an established part of the British avifauna (Boisseau & Yalden 1998). A UK Crane Working Group has been set up within the last 12 months and RBBP will be working with it to establish definitive data on this species. We hope to be able to give more information in the 2009 report. England, E Norfolk One extensive site: eight pairs bred, fledging four young. There were also three other pairs, two of which probably bred while the third was a non-breeding pair. Suffolk One site: two pairs laid eggs but no young fledged. One pair lost their chicks to a predator a few days after hatching; chicks from a second attempt were also predated, at about two weeks old. The second pair produced one chick but that was pre- dated when about three weeks old. England, N Yorkshire One site: one pair bred, fledging two young. A non-breeding pair was also present. England, elsewhere Three sites in three counties: three non-breeding pairs in potential breeding habitat. Great Bustard Otis tarda One site: one pair bred. England, SW Wiltshire One site: one female from the reintroduction scheme laid eggs that, as in 2007, were infertile. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus One site: one pair bred. This is only the seventh confirmed breeding attempt in the UK and became the subject of media attention when the RSPB set up viewing facilities under their ‘Aren’t Birds Brilliant?’ scheme. However, like most other attempts since the first (and successful) nesting in Nottinghamshire in 1945, this one ended in failure. The only other successful attempt by this species was in Norfolk in 1987. England, N Cheshire & Wirrai One site: one pair bred. A pair arrived at Neumann’s Flash on 25th April and subsequently laid eggs. Three eggs hatched on 28th May but two chicks were lost to predators on that date and the third chick was predated on 20th June. 290. Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus, Neumann’s Flash, Cheshire & Wirrai, April 2008. All three chicks from this breeding attempt were predated. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 517 Steve Young/ Birdwatch Holling et al. Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 79 sites: 1,299 pairs. The Avocet recolonised England in the 1940s, with an unsuccessful breeding attempt in Norfolk in 1941, and the first successful breeding in Essex in 1944 (Brown & Grice 2005). Since then, it has become a conservation success story and, with breeding recorded at 79 sites in 2008, is now present at more sites than ever before, including more than ten inland ones. The range is now extending north along the east coast with the first breeding for Cleveland in 2008, following the colonisation of Durham in 2006. Avocet No. sites Confirmed breeding pairs Min. young fledged England, SW 2 17 19 Hampshire 2 17 19 England, SE 26 308 128 Essex 16 89 50* Greater London 1 1 n/a Kent 5 173 60* Sussex 4 45 18* England, E 36 762 120 Cambridgeshire 6 21 36 Lincolnshire 8 161 30* Norfolk 14 380 43 Suffolk 8 200 11* England, C 2 5 10 Nottinghamshire 1 1 n/a Worcestershire 1 4 10 England, N 12 200 60 Cheshire & Wirral 1 7 0 Cleveland 1 2 7 Durham 1 1 2 Lancashire & N Merseyside 4 80 44 Yorkshire 5 110 7* Wales 1 7 12 Gwent 1 7 12 TOTALS 79 1,299 349* * Fledged totals not available from all sites. Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus Eight counties: 350 confirmed pairs fledged 171 young. Monitoring by RSPB, supported by Natural England, covers most of the population each year, amounting to 294 pairs in 2008. In addition, two estates in Suffolk held a further 56 pairs, bringing the national total to 350 breeding pairs, two more than in 2007. The total number of young fledged was down by 31%, however. This was the lowest number of young per fledged breeding pair since 1990 (see fig. 8) and is thought to reflect a combination of wet weather at crucial times in the spring and summer and the loss of set-aside land which has been providing feeding areas later in the season. The figures given in the table below are for proven breeding pairs only. Stone-curlew Confirmed Young Oxfordshire 4 3 breeding pairs fledged One other county 2 0 England, SW 99 33 England, E 238 133 Hampshire 15 2 Cambridgeshire 1 0 Wiltshire 84 31 Norfolk 140 77 England, SE 13 5 Suffolk 97 56 Berkshire 7 2 TOTALS 350 171 518 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Fig. 8. Number of confirmed breeding Stone-curlews 8 urhinus oedicnemus and minimum number of young fledged in the UK, 1 990-2008. Wet weather in summer and loss of set-aside habitat led to 2008 being the poorest year for productivity since 1990, when monitoring began. Note that owing to access problems in 2001 not all breeding pairs could be counted, and in both 2001 and 2002 the figures for the number of young fledged are also incomplete. Nevertheless, the trends over the last ten years, and in particular the poor productivity in 2008, are clearly visible. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 530 pairs. Revised figures for the 2007 Little Ringed Plover Survey revealed just over 900 con- firmed and probable breeding pairs (Conway et al. in prep.). In contrast, 2008 saw incomplete coverage, especially in counties in southeast England, northern England and Wales, where numbers are higher than those reported here. In Scotland, the total of 22 pairs contrasts with the situation ten years previously: just three pairs bred in 1997, none in 1998, and one in both 1999 and 2000 (Forrester et al. 2007). This increase is in line with the predictions of Huntley et al. (2007) on the effects of climate change. Little Ringed Plover Confirmed and probable breeding pairs England, SW 49 Devon 2 Dorset 2 Gloucestershire 6 Hampshire 27 Somerset 2 Wiltshire 10 England, SE 83 Bedfordshire 8 Berkshire 17 Buckinghamshire 3 Essex 8 Hertfordshire 8 Kent 13 Oxfordshire 10 Surrey 5 Sussex 11 England, E 51 Cambridgeshire 16 Lincolnshire 7 Norfolk 18 Northamptonshire 3 Suffolk 7 England, C 163 Derbyshire 35 Herefordshire 27 Leicestershire 8t Rutland 11 Nottinghamshire 16 Shropshire 9 Staffordshire 28 Warwickshire 20 West Midlands 4 Worcestershire 13 England, N 122 Cheshire 8t Wirral 5 Cleveland 2 Cumbria 11 Durham 11 Greater Manchester 19 Lancashire & N Merseyside 22 Northumberland 7 Yorkshire 45 Wales 40 Breconshire 8 Carmarthenshire 5 Denbigh & Flint 1 East Glamorgan 5 Gower 3 Gwent 4 Meirionnydd 5 Montgomeryshire 4 Radnorshire 5 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 519 Oliver Smart Holling et al. Little Ringed Plover cont. Scotland, Mid 18 Confirmed and probable Angus & Dundee 2 breeding pairs Fife 7 Scotland, S 4 Moray & Nairn 1 Borders 3 North-east Scotland 8 Clyde 1 TOTAL 530 Dotterel Charadrius morinellus The main range of the Dotterel in the UK is the mountainous area of Highland, Moray & Nairn, North-east Scotland and Perth & Kinross. In 2008, data relating to around 30 breeding pairs in Highland and North-east Scotland were received. In Borders, five hilltops were visited in late May and early June and on one a trip of nine Dotterels was recorded, but the birds were absent on a follow-up visit. The following records relate to breeding or potential breeding away from the main range. The confirmed record from a remote hill in southern Scotland is especially note- worthy. England, N Cumbria One site: three males and three females were found in suitable breeding habitat but there was no further evidence of any nesting attempts. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair bred. A male with a brood of two small young was found. 291. Dotterel Charadrius morinellus, C airngorms, Highland, May 2008. A breeding record in 2008 from southern Scotland was notable, but the main population in the Scottish Highlands is poorly monitored. Results of repeat surveys of well-defined areas of suitable habitat would be especially useful in helping to keep track of population changes. 520 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima One site: one alarming bird. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: a single bird was reported in potential breeding habitat and alarm-calling briefly, but there was no further evidence of breeding. Ruff Philomachus pugnax Five sites: Up to 18 females and 61 males. Large leks of birds in northern England promise much but no evidence of any breeding attempts was noted. No leks were recorded in Cambridgeshire in 2008, although up to 40 birds were present in April 2007. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside Two sites: (1) up to seven males and five females at a lek in early May, with mating observed and three males and a female still there on 9th June; (2) a male and female in early May. Yorkshire One site: up to 54 birds including 46 males were reported at a lek. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: up to six lekking males and two females were present in mid May and early June. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: two females in June with one male and one female lekking on 9th June. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 14 sites: 59-66 pairs. Having become extinct as a regular breeder during the eighteenth century, the Black-tailed Godwit bred only sporadically in England during the first part of the nineteenth. The recolonisation of England began when regular nesting recommenced in 1952, and up to 65 pairs were breeding in 1972 (Brown & Grice 2005). In Scotland, the first confirmed breeding record was as recently as 1946 (Caithness) and the colonisation of northern parts of the UK by the race islandica began with the establishment of regular breeding populations in Shetland in 1949 and Orkney in 1973 (Forrester et al. 2007); this in turn reflected increases in core Icelandic breeding areas (Stroud et al. 2004). Since 1973, when the Panel first collected data, overall numbers in the UK have remained stable, with a 35-year mean of 14 sites (range 5-24) and 43 confirmed pairs (20-72), with most comprising birds of the nominate race nesting mainly in eastern England. Fig. 9 shows the trends of the two races separately and reinforces the importance of recording trends at the level of populations or races. The numbers of nominate limosa in the UK fluctuated dramatically in the 1980s but since the early 1990s have steadily recovered (albeit to levels that are historically depleted), while the islandica story is one of gradual colonisation. The recovery of the limosa population in the UK is not reflected in Europe, where declining numbers resulted in the formal agreement of an International Single Species Action Plan (Jensen et al. 2008) by the Contracting Parties to the African-Eurasian Waterbirds Agreement. Fig. 9. The contrasting population trends between the two races of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa breeding in the UK, 1980-2008. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 521 Holling et al. L. /. limosa 52-57 pairs England, SW One site: one pair bred, but the nest was washed out in summer floods. England, SE Kent Two sites: (1) four pairs bred, all failed; (2) three pairs bred, all failed. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: 40 pairs fledged 34 young. Norfolk One site: three pairs bred, but all failed owing to flooding and predation of young; also two displaying males which did not breed. Suffolk One extensive site: a single male was seen displaying at two coastal sites from March to at least mid June. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: one pair bred. Two males and a female were present, and made two nesting attempts, but although four young hatched from the second attempt, none fledged. Yorkshire One site: one pair probably bred. They were thought to be incubating in April but the site was flooded out and the attempt failed. Scotland, S Dumfries & Galloway One site: one pair probably bred. Two birds summered and although they were not thought to have bred, the occurrence of two small juveniles in early September suggests that a brood might have been reared locally. These birds were not assigned to race but are assumed to have been limosa. L I. islandica 7-9 pairs Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: one displaying bird was present in mid May. Scotland, N & W Orkney One site: four pairs bred with at least two being successful. Shetland Three sites: three pairs bred and one pair probably bred; at least two young fledged. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Four counties: 6-39 pairs. This is a very poor total, partly a reflection of limited surveying of the main population in Shetland (although, as described in the 2007 report, there has been a sub- stantial decline there in the last 25 years). Atlas fieldwork in Shetland provided a wider spread of records but the full extent of the decline will be clearer when the results of a Whimbrel survey conducted in 2009 are available. Scotland, N & W Caithness One site: one pair possibly bred. Orkney One site: five pairs bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair possibly bred. Shetland Just 16 AOTs (including one confirmed pair) were recorded in a survey of core areas on Unst and two pairs in a sample area of Yell. On Mainland, Fetlar and Out Skerries, Atlas records indicate probable or confirmed breeding in 14 tetrads. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Four sites: 1-4 pairs. One pair was again confirmed nesting in the traditional area of Highland, while the three other records stem from Atlas fieldwork in the area. Breeding in Scotland has remained at this low level since the first confirmed breeding, in 1959 (Forrester et al. 2007). Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one pair bred at a usual site; elsewhere, one bird was seen on four occasions in suitable habitat throughout May and June and into early July and may have been part of a breeding pair, while there were single-date records of possible breeders at two other sites. Greenshank Tringa nebularia 75 sites: 18-107 pairs. These are the highest figures published by the Panel, reflecting additional reporting by a small number of researchers licensed to study this Schedule 1 species at the nest, but they still comprise just a sample of the estimated population of 780-1,420 pairs (Hancock et al. 1997). We are keen to hear from anyone who might be willing to study Greenshanks in defined areas to help the Panel with population monitoring. A Schedule 1 licence would be required if the study involved work at or close to nests. Scotland, N & W Argyll One site: one pair probably bred. Caithness Six sites: one pair bred and 22 pairs probably bred. 522 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Highland 46 sites: 15 pairs bred, 35 pairs probably bred and nine pairs possibly bred. Outer Hebrides 15 sites: two pairs bred, six pairs probably bred and nine pairs possibly bred. Shetland Seven sites: seven pairs possibly bred. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Nine sites: 1-19 pairs. The full census reported in Holling et al. (2010) found 11-27 pairs at 20 sites. Scotland, N & W Caithness One site: one pair probably bred. Highland Seven sites: one pair bred, 13 pairs probably bred and three pairs possibly bred. Outer Hebrides One site: one pair possibly bred. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Nine sites: 17 breeding males. This is another low total, similar to the position in 2007. Scotland, N & W Outer Hebrides Two sites: two apparently breeding males. Shetland Seven sites: 15 apparently breeding males. Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus 37 sites: 543-592 pairs/territories, including one mixed pair. Surprisingly perhaps, there were fewer colonies reported in 2008 than 2007 (although the number is the second-highest ever) but the number of pairs is a new record. The breeding population is still concentrated along the south coast of England between Dorset and Kent (87% of the total). The first confirmed breeding record was in 1968 in Hampshire, which until recently remained the most important county for the species (Kent has now taken on that mantle). Fig. 5 in the Panel’s report for 2003-04 (Holling et al. 2007a) shows the phenomenal increase in the breeding population since the early 1970s, and especially since the mid 1990s. England, SW Dorset One site: 87 nests. Hampshire Three sites: (1) 86 pairs at Langstone Harbour fledged 41 young; (2) 26 pairs bred with only one young reported; (3) 23 pairs on territory early in the season but only two pairs bred after the licensed collection of Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus eggs, with one young possibly reared at this site. Isle of Wight One site: seven pairs present but only two pairs bred, fledging four young. England, SE Essex Three sites: 16 pairs bred. Kent Four sites: (1) 76 pairs bred; (2) 74 pairs bred; (3) 60 pairs bred; (4) one pair bred. Sussex Three sites: (1) 63 pairs bred with at least 39 young fledged; (2) nine pairs bred with at least nine young fledging; (3) up to five pairs displaying in April did not stay to breed. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: a pair was present for a week in April but not subsequently. Norfolk Five sites: (1) five pairs fledged one young; (2) three pairs fledged five young; (3) one pair bred and one pair probably bred; (4)— (5) one pair present at each site but no evidence of breeding. Suffolk Two sites: (1) six pairs bred with at least five large young seen, and up to nine other pairs present; (2) two pairs bred but no young reared. England, C Leicestershire & Rutland One site: a pair of 2nd-summer birds was noted displaying, but were present only in April and July. Staffordshire One site: two pairs bred. One of these fledged two young and the other laid eggs that did not hatch. This is the first successful breeding in the county. England, N Cheshire & Wirral Two sites: (1) two pairs bred with two young seen in nests; (2) one pair on territory did not lay eggs. Cumbria One site: two pairs bred but outcome was not known. Greater Manchester One site: one mixed pair (with Black-headed Gull) hatched one young. Lancashire & N Merseyside Three sites: 14 pairs bred. Yorkshire One site: two 2nd-summer birds displaying and copulating in April and present into May but did not nest. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: at each a pair consisting of one adult and one 2nd-summer bird was seen displaying during April but did not nest. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 523 Holling et al. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: two pairs fledged two young. Co. Down One site: one pair (an adult and a 2nd- summer) bred but although eggs were laid they did not hatch. Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis Two sites: one pair and four mixed pairs. Unlike the previous species, this one shows little sign of expansion. Five ‘pairs’ is the most recorded since breeding was first recorded (in 1995), but as has often been the case, most are actually teamed up with either Lesser Black-backed L. fuscus or Herring Gulls L. argentatus , rather than a bird of the same species. England, SW Dorset One site: one pair bred. Two young hatched and one fledged. Hampshire One extensive site: four mixed pairs bred. Two birds were paired with Lesser Black-backed Gulls and two with Herring Gulls. All nests were in rooftop colonies, but not all at the same one. Eight young from these mixed pairings hatched and six fledged. Little Tern Sternula albifrons Minimum of 1,562 pairs at 64 colonies. This figure is almost identical to the ten-year mean of 1,565 pairs. The following summary was compiled by Sabine Schmitt, RSPB. With May 2008 being warmer and drier than average, hopes were high for a successful breeding season but another wet and windy summer depressed productivity at most UK colonies. Inclement Little Tern No. sites Confirmed breeding pairs Min. young fledged England, SW 10 100 10 Dorset 1 10 0 Hampshire 8 90 10 Isle of Wight 1 0 0 England, SE 10 104 [15] Essex 5 80 15 Kent 2 18 n/a Sussex 3 6 n/a England, E 14 887 482 Lincolnshire 2 60 2 Norfolk 10 784 447 Suffolk 2 43 33 England, N 7 218 98 Cleveland 2 64 67 Cumbria 1 64 15 Isle of Man 1 9 13 Northumberland 2 51 2 Yorkshire 1 30 1 Wales 1 105 104 Denbigh & Flint 1 105 104 Scotland, S 1 0 0 Ayrshire 1 0 0 Scotland, Mid 3 53 28 Angus & Dundee 1 20 17 Moray & Nairn 1 12 0 North-east Scotland 1 21 1 1 Scotland, N & W 18 95 [40| Argyll 1 1 60 39 Caithness 1 5 0 Highland 1 2 0 Orkney 2 10 1 Outer Hebrides 3 18 n/a TOTALS 64 1,562 777 524 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 - 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 weather conditions were exacerbated by high predation levels at many sites but food availability at most of the larger colonies was good, resulting in a more successful season than in 2007. In western Scotland, breeding success was high on Tiree, whereas on the neighbouring island of Coll most of the birds present did not settle. Productivity in the east of Scotland was the highest there for nine years (0.6 1 chicks per pair). In contrast, northeast England had its worst season since 2004, although the number of breeding pairs remained stable. Food shortages affected sites in the north of that region, while the weather and predation affected productivity at other colonies. The only success story in northeast England was a colony in Cleveland, where one chick per pair fledged; all other sites in the region combined fledged very few young. In northwest England, a long-established colony in Cumbria was abandoned, probably because of the presence of large gulls; the terns relocated to a nearby island, where at least 15 young fledged from 64 pairs. Colonies in eastern England faired better: Scolt Head (Norfolk) had a highly successful season and, for the first time in four years, a good number of young fledged at Minsmere (Suffolk). However, the UK’s largest colony, at Great Yarmouth (Norfolk), fledged a disappointing 0.5 chicks per pair. It was one of the worst seasons on record for southeast England, where the number of breeding pairs has more than halved since 2001. In 2008, a total of 104 pairs raised only 15 chicks to fledging. At Rye Harbour (East Sussex), no Little Terns nested for only the second time since 1970. In contrast, the colony at Gronant (North Wales) was very productive for a third consecutive season. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Four sites: 76 pairs fledged 49 young. The steady decline in recent years continues, but the overall total is largely determined by the number of pairs nesting at the main colony on Coquet Island. England, S Hampshire A single bird in a mixed tern colony was recorded on seven dates between 15th May and 8th July but no breeding attempt was made. England, N Northumberland Coquet Island: 71 pairs raised at least 45 large young. Scotland, Mid Fife One site: two pairs fledged one young. Northern Ireland Co. Antrim One site: three pairs fledged three young. Wryneck Jynx torquilla One site: one bird. Ten years have now passed since the last confirmed breeding record. Despite improved coverage of some remote parts of highland Scotland during Atlas fieldwork, there is no recent evidence to suggest that Wrynecks are now nesting in the UK. This is particularly disap- pointing given that the species was identified as a priority for action under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan in 1998. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: two records of what may have been the same bird on two dates in June. Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Four sites: 2-8 pairs. Although the maximum number of pairs reported here is higher than in recent years, two of these probably relate to passage birds and breeding was recorded at only one site. England, SE Kent One site: one singing male and a second (unsexed) bird in late May. England, E Cambridgeshire One site: one pair possibly bred, with at least one male present. Norfolk No breeding records for the second year in a row. Suffolk One site: two pairs bred and three pairs possibly bred. Wales East Glamorgan One site: one calling bird on two days in June. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 525 Holling et al. Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio Three sites: four unpaired males and one other single bird. After successful breeding in 2005 and 2006, then two unsuccessful attempts by the same pair in 2007, no birds returned to Wales in 2008; and, despite recent instances of successful breeding in Scotland, there was only a single bird recorded there this year. England, SW One site: three males apparently holding territory in suitable breeding habitat. The first two were noted from 22nd May, with three on 25th-29th and two remaining to 20th June. They were noted singing and per- forming display flights but no females were seen. England, E Norfolk One site: a male was present from 16th June to 31st July. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one bird recorded on four dates in June. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 278-442 pairs. These figures include all monitored pairs in the UK. Although only 31 pairs were monitored on the Isle of Man (where 37 pairs were recorded in 2005), the increasing population is now thought to number around 160 pairs. Single birds were also recorded in the breeding season from Lancashire N Merseyside and Dumfries & Galloway. Red-billed Chough Confirmed Total Gower 4 5 breeding pairs pairs Meirionnydd 18 20 England 2 3 Montgomeryshire 0 1 Cornwall 2 3 Pembrokeshire 67 73 Isle of Man 31 160* Scotland 45 60 Wales 199 218 Argyll: Colonsay & Oronsay 19 20 Anglesey 24 25 Argyll: Islay 26 40 Caernarfonshire 64 68 Northern Ireland 1 1 Ceredigion 19 22 Co. Antrim 1 1 Denbigh & Flint 3 3 TOTALS 278 442 East Glamorgan 0 1 * estimated total Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla 25-584 territories or singing males. After a doubling of the number of territories reported between 2006 and 2007, slightly fewer were reported in 2008, but the figures depend heavily on targeted effort by dedicated individuals in key areas, perhaps in particular Sussex where 179 terri- tories were identified in 2007 (cf. 103 in 2008). New sites in Cleveland and Herefordshire and records from Cambridgeshire (where single singing birds were reported in 2003, 2005 and 2006) and Warwickshire (where a pair bred in 2005) hint at some expansion of range. In compiling these totals, records of singing males as well as indications of territory through repeated observations are treated as equal, even though many reports relate to single sightings only (often because follow-up visits are not possible). This perhaps exaggerates the totals but gives a clearer picture of overall distribution. England, SW Gloucestershire Five singing males. Hampshire Six pairs bred, and a further 180 territories or singing males were identified. One extensive site (New Forest) held 112 territories. Somerset Six singing males. Wiltshire One pair bred and a further 29 territories or singing males. England, SE Bedfordshire Two pairs bred and a further four singing males. Berkshire Four pairs bred and a further 70 singing males. Buckinghamshire Two territories. Essex Two pairs probably bred and a further five singing males. Hertfordshire 1 1 territories or singing males. Oxfordshire Two territories. Surrey Eight territories or singing males. Sussex 103 territories or singing males. England, E Cambridgeshire Four singing males. Norfolk Five pairs bred, and a further 69 territories or singing males. 526 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Suffolk 51 territories or singing males. England, C Derbyshire Two pairs bred, and a further four territories or singing males. Herefordshire One pair bred. Warwickshire One singing male. England, N Cleveland One singing male in late May was unusual since Firecrest has not yet bred in Cleveland. Wales Breconshire Two singing males. Radnorshire Four pairs bred. Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus At least 61 sites: a minimum of 589 pairs. The number of birds is close to the five-year mean of 586 pairs, and comparison with the 2007 report shows a remarkable stability in numbers, or at least reporting. It is difficult to count breeding pairs precisely, which is why the total given com- bines confirmed and probable breeding pairs. The increase in the number of sites reflects improved reporting from Kent and Norfolk. Bearded Tit Minimum Confirmed no. sites and probable Norfolk 18 113 breeding pairs Suffolk 7 229 England, SW 7 28 England, N 3 131 Dorset 3 14 Lancashire & N Merseyside 1 18 Hampshire 3 1 1 Yorkshire 2 113 Somerset 1 3 England, SE 21 73 Wales 1 4 Essex 5 14 Gwent 1 4 Kent 13 50 Scotland, Mid 2 6 Sussex 3 9 Moray 8t Nairn 1 1 England, E 27 347 Perth & Kinross 1 5 Cambridgeshire 2 5 TOTALS 61 589 292. Juvenile Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus, Lincolnshire, July 2008. Given their reedbed nesting habitat, providing proof of breeding for Bearded Tit is largely based on observations of fledged juveniles. Birdwatchers are encouraged to submit sightings of recently fledged juveniles to recorders, but breeding can be confirmed at that site only if it is certain that the young were fledged there.The RBBP combines the totals of confirmed and probable breeding pairs to produce the annual population estimate. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 527 Graham Catley Simon Gillings Holling et al. Wood Lark Lullula arborea 1,143 territories. Assessment of the Wood Lark population is only really possible when a full survey is organised; the last time this happened, in 2006, 1,771 territories were counted and a population estimate of 3,064 territories derived (Conway et al. 2009). Wood Lark Singing males/ Sussex 78 territories England, E 467 England, SW 380 Lincolnshire 12 Devon 7 Norfolk 206 Dorset 36 Suffolk 249 Gloucestershire 1 England, C 37 Hampshire 325 Derbyshire 1 Wiltshire 11 Nottinghamshire 18 England, SE 240 Staffordshire 18 Bedfordshire 1 England, N 19 Berkshire 44 Yorkshire 19 Surrey 117 TOTAL 1,143 Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti 2,257 singing males or territories. Cetti’s Warbler nested for the first time in the UK in Kent, probably in 1972 and definitely in 1973, the year that the RBBP first presented an annual report of rare breeding birds (Sharrock et al. 1975; Brown & Grice 2005). The colonisation of the UK followed a northwards expansion across Europe from the Mediterranean that began during the first half of the last century. Since then, the population has risen pretty consistently, passing 100 singing males as early as 1977, then 500 in 1996, 1,000 in 2003, and 2,000 in 2007 (see fig. 10). This is a success story to rival that of the Little Egret. Notable among the 2008 data was the first breeding record for Bedfordshire. Fig. 10. Number of singing males/territories of Cetti’s Warblers Cettia cetti in the UK. 1973-2008. Population growth was moderate until the start of the present decade, when it began to climb more dramatically. 528 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Cetti’s Warbler Singing males/ Northamptonshire 19 territories Suffolk 178 England, SW 752 England, C 34 Avon 53 Derbyshire 0 Cornwall 5 Leicestershire & Rutland 2 Devon 85 Nottinghamshire 0 Dorset 100 Shropshire 1 Gloucestershire 19 Staffordshire 2 Hampshire 161* Warwickshire 19 Isle of Wight Somerset 29 270** Worcestershire 10 Wiltshire England, SE 30 760 England, N Cheshire & Wirral 2 1 Bedfordshire 1 Greater Manchester 1 Berkshire 48 Wales 237 Buckinghamshire 4 Anglesey 8 Essex 121 Breconshire 2 Greater London 1 Caernarfonshire 1 Hertfordshire 15 Carmarthenshire 45 Kent 388** Ceredigion 0 Oxfordshire 14 East Glamorgan 21 Sussex 168 Gower 49 England, E 472 Gwent 105 Cambridgeshire 35 Meirionnydd 0 Lincolnshire 1 Pembrokeshire 6 Norfolk 239 TOTAL 2,257 * Although 161 territories ** These figures are based were counted, the county recorder provided an estimate of over 200. on 2007 figures. Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 2,081 territories. This compares with an estimated 3,214 territories in England and Wales in 2006 during the last full survey (Wotton et al. 2009). Note that a survey in 2008 of sites in Wales located 79 territories (Green et al. 2010) but the county totals shown here in square brackets are those figures submitted directly to us. Counts marked with an asterisk are thought to be incom- plete and therefore represent minima, but the counts for Ceredigion, Gloucestershire, Radnor- shire and Yorkshire refer to possible breeding only, with birds being recorded for a limited period only (in Gloucestershire), or to single birds present in the breeding season. In Yorkshire, for example, the record refers to an unmated male present from May to August, but it is included to document the potential northwards range expansion (this individual and the one in Ceredigion were the first records of the species in those counties). Dartford Warbler Total England, SW 1,259 Cornwall 10 Devon CO * Dorset 295* Gloucestershire 2 Hampshire 693 Isle of Wight 12 Somerset 160 England, SE 621 Berkshire 8* Surrey 515 Sussex 98 England, E 109 Norfolk 2 Suffolk 107 England, C 12 Staffordshire 4 West Midlands 8 England, N 1 Yorkshire 1 Wales 79 Anglesey [4] Ceredigion [1] East Glamorgan [14] Gower [20] Pembrokeshire [8] Radnorshire [1] TOTAL 2,081 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 529 Phil Jones Holling et al. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Scotland, N & W Orkney One site: one singing male from 8th to 17th June. One site: one singing male. River Warbler first appeared in these reports in 1984 (Norfolk), while in 1995 (Cambridgeshire and Greater Manchester) and 1996 (Northumberland and Stafford- shire) there were two separate singing birds. This is the first time the species has appeared in this report since 1998. Breeding has never been confirmed in the UK (and proving it would be dif- ficult as males generally cease singing when paired). The nearest regular breeding areas are in southern Sweden and Germany. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides One site: one singing male. In Norfolk, a singing bird was recorded on 9th and 10th May but not subsequently. Consequently, one (or perhaps two) in Kent was the only one to qualify for this report; the short duration of the song periods does not suggest that breeding took place. England, SE Kent One site: one singing male from 2nd to 9th June and (it or another bird) from 2nd to 10th July. Note that these records have not been submitted to BBRC for verification. Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta One site: one singing male. Even though Melodious Warblers breed in northern France, the species remains just a scarce passage migrant in the UK, recorded especially in the early autumn on the south coast. This species appeared in the RBBP reports of 1989 and 2000 but both of those records were of single-day birds that would not satisfy our current criteria for inclusion. Another record, from 2003, not submitted to RBBP at the time, is more relevant: a singing bird was present on 1 st — 8th July in County Durham. That bird and the 2008 record given below thus constitute the only hint of breeding by Melodious Warbler in the UK to date. England, N Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: one singing male on 7th— 2 1 st May. The bird was trapped on the last date and not seen subsequently. Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris Seven sites: 2-9 pairs. This is a somewhat more encouraging picture than that for 2007, when there were records from just three sites. Nonetheless, it appears that the species is no longer able to maintain a toehold in Kent. In fact, since the breeding records in Shetland and Yorkshire, together with the potential breeding attempt in Sussex, are all from coastal sites, one could argue that Marsh Warbler is becoming an opportunistic breeder in the UK. With these and other recent records, it may be worth paying particular attention to singing birds in coastal scrub along the south and east coasts of Britain. England, SE Kent One site: one singing male recorded for over a week. 530 British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Sussex Two sites: two singing males. At one of these sites a juvenile trapped at the end of August may have fledged locally. England, E Norfolk One site: one singing male present from 30th May to 5th June. Suffolk One site: a female with a brood patch was trapped on 17th June, indicating at least probable breeding in the area. England, N Yorkshire One site: one pair bred, fledging at least three young, one pair probably bred and a further singing male was thought to be unpaired. Scotland, N & W Shetland One site: one pair bred. A male was present from 11th June and in early August a pair was seen feeding two recently fledged young. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus Two sites: two singing males. Only records where birds remain at a site for over a week are included and yet again the only evidence of occupation for this species is singing males. England, E Suffolk Two sites: (1 ) one singing male on 1 1th May and 8th-9th June was believed to be the same bird; (2) one singing male on 17th— 18th May and 29th-30th May was also thought to refer to just one bird. Fair Isle Wren Troglodytes troglodytes fridariensis St Kilda Wren Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis These two races were added to the RBBP list in 2008, but only data on fridariensis were available. The population of this vulnerable race is monitored annually and in 2008 it was estimated to be 20-24 territories. At present there is no monitoring of hirtensis populations, but a partial survey took place in 2009 and details of that will be in the next report. Historically, full counts of the main island of Hirta occurred in 1957 (117 territories), 1990 (145-157) and 1993 (113-117) (National Trust for Scotland data). Forrester et al. (2007) considered the population of the St Kilda Wren to be in the order of 230-250 breeding pairs, while the Fair Isle Wren is much scarcer, with an estimated 25-30 breeding pairs only. 293. Fair Isle Wren Troglodytes troglodytes fridariensis, Fair Isle, May 2008. In 2008, the population of the distinctive Fair Isle race of the Wren was only 20-24 territories, making it one of the rarest regularly breeding passerines now monitored by RBBP. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 482-538 531 Don Powell Holling et al. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris 7 sites: 1-7 pairs. Fieldfares are renowned for their fluctuating breeding numbers (see fig. 4 in Holling et al. 2009) and, following just a single breeding pair in 2007, there were seven potential breeding records in 2008. These were spread widely across Scotland, as well as in northern England and North Wales, but the only confirmed breeding was in Shetland, where one pair laid eggs but failed to rear any young. Two records of single, one-day birds in late May (Borders) and late June (Denbigh & Flint) are not included in the totals, although it is possible that they were of summering birds. England, C Derbyshire One site: one pair probably bred, with two present on 23rd May and one seen on five dates in early June. England, N Cumbria One site: one pair probably bred. A single bird was recorded on five dates between 5th May and 3rd June, and both a male and a female were recorded separately on one date. Scotland, S Borders One site: one reported on three dates in May and July. Clyde One site: one pair possibly bred. A pair was seen feeding together on 26th May but there was no further evidence from this site. Lothian One site: one pair probably bred. Several sightings of one bird in early May culminated in a record of an alarming pair on 8th May but there were no further sightings despite regular searching. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one pair possibly bred. Shetland One site: one pair bred, laying a clutch of five eggs, which did not hatch. Redwing Turdus iliacus 24 sites: 7-27 pairs. These figures are a little higher than those reported in recent years, partly owing to more records from Highland as a result of Atlas fieldwork. This species’ long-term decline was described in Holling et al. (2010). The record from North-east Scotland is notable as the only recent confirmed breeding records here were in 1975 and 2005. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: one pair bred, fledging three young in early June, and one singing male. Scotland, N & W Highland 22 sites: six pairs bred, three pairs probably bred and 14 pairs possibly bred, based largely on the occurrence of singing males. Shetland One site: two pairs possibly bred. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros 49 sites: 20-54 pairs. The maximum number of pairs is the highest since 2005, when 60 pairs were reported. In part, this reflects the wider spread of records (from 21 counties in both 2005 and 2008 compared with just 12 in 2006 and 13 in 2007). However, this species suffers from low reporting rates, partly because it tends to nest in poorly watched industrial or derelict urban areas, and Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros partly because there are few consistent sites used from year to year. More information from Greater London would certainly help to provide a more complete picture, however. Some of the pairs in the southern counties of - England are cliff nesters, so not all are associated with the weedy, industrial town- centre sites seen as typical of this species. 532 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 England, SW Avon One site: one pair bred. After the first confirmed breeding record for Avon in 2007, a pair again bred; four young hatched but died in heavy rain at the end of May. Dorset One site: one pair bred. Hampshire Four sites: four singing males, each on one date only, but two were at former breeding sites and were not fol- lowed up. England, SE Bedfordshire One site: one pair possibly bred where breeding was confirmed in 2007. Berkshire One site: one singing male in an area where breeding has occurred previously. Essex One site: one singing male. Greater London Two sites: two pairs bred. A regular site surveyed three times in the spring produced no sightings. Hertfordshire Two sites: (1) one pair bred; (2) one pair possibly bred (a lone juvenile was seen in late June). Kent Four sites: three pairs bred, two pairs probably bred, and one singing male. Surrey Two sites: two pairs possibly bred. Sussex Seven sites: three pairs bred (two broods, each of three) and four singing males. All of these sites are coastal, with some nests in inaccessible cliff sites. England, E Cambridgeshire Two sites: two singing males. Lincolnshire One site: one pair bred. Norfolk Two sites: three pairs bred and one pair probably bred. Suffolk Five sites: one pair bred, fledging at least two young, one pair possibly bred and three singing males. England, C Derbyshire One site: one singing male on 10th May only. Leicestershire & Rutland One site: one singing male. Warwickshire One site: one pair probably bred. West Midlands Three sites: one pair bred and two males in breeding habitat. England, N Greater Manchester Three sites: one pair bred at a very public city-centre site, fledging three young on 18th July; and two pairs possibly bred. Yorkshire Four sites: two pairs bred and three singing males. Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava Three sites: 2-3 mixed pairs. This distinctive race has not featured in RBBP reports before, but was added with effect from the 2008 season, as explained in the introduction. The paragraph below is a brief review of its status to date but we welcome any additional data to complete the picture. As it is a race rather than a full species, the Blue-headed Wagtail may have been under- recorded in the past and we encourage rigour in future reporting so that we can better under- stand the status of breeding flava wagtails. Historical reports refer both to pure pairs of Blue-headed Wagtail and to mixed pairs with Yellow Wagtail M. f flavissima. Brown & Grice (2005) mentioned 18 instances of pure Blue- headed pairs breeding in five English counties, with mixed pairs being ‘often formed’. In Wales, a pair bred in Montgomeryshire in 1968-1971 (Lovegrove et al. 1994), and a mixed pair bred in Gwent in 1996 (Welsh Bird Report). There are three records of pure pairs breeding in Scotland since 1968, and in most years 1-3 Blue-headed-type wagtails are seen among Yellow Wagtails in the areas where the latter breed regularly (Forrester et al. 2007). In Northern Ireland, there is a confirmed breeding record from Co. Antrim in 1963 (Hutchinson 1989). England, SW Somerset One site: a male paired with a female Yellow Wagtail. England, C Staffordshire One site: a male was seen carrying food into an area with nesting Yellow Wagtails. England, N Greater Manchester One site: a male, present since late April, paired with a female Yellow and the pair was seen with four juveniles in late July and early August. Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla f. flava British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 533 Simon Gillings Holling et al. White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba Three sites: two pure pairs and a third, probably mixed, pair. Reports of pure pairs of White Wagtails, or ot mixed pairs with Pied Wagtails M. a. yarrellii, have been submitted in just four years since the first, in 1994. It is unlikely that all instances have been reported, however, as White Wagtails are fairly regular breeders in Shetland (Pennington et al. 2004). From 2008 onwards, we intend to collate such records more thoroughly, and it is encouraging to report three pairs involving White Wagtails in 2008. England, SE Surrey One site: one pair. A single female White was first noticed gathering food on 31st May at a site in neighbouring Berkshire, but the nest was finally located, on 11th June, about 100 m over the border into Surrey. Two juveniles fledged on that date and were later seen in Berkshire. The male parent was never firmly established but a male Pied was seen briefly, displaying to the female on 13th June. Scotland, N & W Shetland Two sites: two pairs. In both cases the adults were recorded carrying food in mid July Brambling Fringilla montifringilla One site: 0-1 pair. In addition to a single potential breeding record, there were two records of singing males from the Outer Hebrides, but as both were recorded on single dates they are assumed to have been passage birds. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: heard on three occasions but could not be relocated despite extensive searching. Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica Records from just two sites were received by RBBP but Atlas records were submitted from a wider area within Highland. In addition, in 2008 the RSPB co-ordinated a survey of crossbills and Mark Eaton outlines some results as follows. The first-ever survey of the Scottish Crossbill was conducted between January and April 2008 (Summers & Buckland 2010), following the development of a novel survey technique that entailed luring crossbills to systematically selected survey points by playing crossbill excitement calls through a loudspeaker. All crossbills responding to this lure were counted, sexed and tape- recorded, the last to allow subsequent identification to species (Summers et al. 2002). In addi- tion, a knowledge of how crossbills respond to the lure with increasing distance was used to calculate estimates of abundance for the different species. Crossbills were recorded at 451 of the 852 points surveyed in 3,506 km2 of coniferous woodland in northern Scotland. There were estimated to be 13,600 adult Scottish Crossbills (95% confidence intervals 8, 1 30-22,700), which equates to approximately 6,800 pairs, as well as 27,100 Common Crossbills (95% C.l. 14,700-38,400) and 100 Parrot Crossbills. The Scottish Crossbill estimate far exceeds previous estimates for this species (e.g. 300-1,250 pairs, BirdLife International 2004), although numbers and particularly the distribution of crossbills are likely to vary considerably between years and are dependent on coning patterns. Given the limited number of records typically received by the Panel, and the sizeable population (for example, Scottish Crossbills are commoner than breeding Ringed Plovers Charadrius hiaticula in the UK), RBBP will now need to consider whether this species remains on the RBBP list! Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland One site: one pair bred with two further pairs present. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: one pair bred. In addition, breeding birds were assumed to be present at a second site. Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus Records were received from two sites (see below). As summarised above, Summers & Buckland (2010) confirmed that Parrot Crossbills are genuinely rare breeding birds in Scotland with maybe 100 individuals found in 2008. However, this estimate has very wide confidence limits, and a 534 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 294. Parrot Crossbills Loxia pytyopsittacus, Speyside, March 2008. A survey of crossbills in Scotland in 2008 found around 100 Parrot Crossbills but further work is required to translate this into the number of breeding pairs. The Panel receives very few records of this species directly, yet all records from breeding habitat are important, especially if combined with breeding evidence. We encourage birdwatchers visiting pine forests in northern Scotland to ensure that their sightings are submitted to county recorders. more robust estimate would require a dedicated survey of this species alone, within its more restricted range. Scotland, Mid North-east Scotland Two sites: birds present at both during the breeding season but no further evidence. Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Two sites: 0-2 pairs. The first recorded breeding of Common Rosefinch was in 1982 (in High- land) and since then there have been four other confirmed breeding records in Scotland (For- rester et al. 2007). Breeding was first recorded in England in 1992 and that preceded a sequence of records that hinted at a colonisation process (Wallace 1999). But after a peak of five confirmed breeding pairs in 1992, the last breeding pair in the UK was in Cumbria in 2001. A blank year fol- lowed, and since then records have been largely restricted to occasional singing males in spring, with the number of adults remaining on site for at least a week never exceeding two. Few stay as long as a month, as the 2008 birds did. It is unlikely that the showy (but single) male in Upper Forth attracted a mate, but the male in Highland clearly did. Frustratingly, in the latter case, there was no evidence of a breeding attempt. Common Rosefinches are still arriving in Britain each spring, but at present colonisation seems an unlikely prospect. Scotland, Mid Upper Forth One site: a singing male was reported between 19th June and 14th July. Scotland, N & W Highland One site: on 30th May a singing male was accompanied by a female carrying nest material. The male was still singing on 2nd July, but the female was not seen again. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes At least 47 sites: 28-78 pairs. The number of potential breeding pairs reported to the Panel remains much lower than the last estimate of the breeding population, based on Gibbons et al. (1993), of 3,000-6,500 pairs. Results of Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 will hopefully provide more informa- 8 ritish Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 535 Sheila Blamire Holling et al. tion on numbers through a better appreciation of range and abundance; some county bird reports indicate that much larger numbers are observed in late winter than are found during the breeding season. These data have not been included here, but it is interesting to speculate how such late-winter gatherings relate to the number of breeding pairs in a given area. The results from regular ringing in Gloucestershire, noted below, are a good example of this. England, SW Gloucestershire One site: one pair possibly bred. However, trapping at two sites in early May indicated a local population of 53-191 birds, which demonstrates the apparent level of under-recording in core areas (Lewis 2010). Hampshire At least 19 sites within the New Forest: 20 pairs bred and 13 pairs probably bred. A singing male was reported from another locality on one date only. Wiltshire Small numbers were reported from three main sites throughout the year but no figures relating to potential breeding were received. England, SE Hertfordshire One site: one pair bred (a family party with three juveniles in June). Kent One site: one pair bred (but the county population is estimated to be 50-70 pairs). Sussex Three sites: one pair probably bred and two pairs possibly bred. England, C Derbyshire One site: one pair possibly bred. England, N Cumbria Four sites: two pairs bred, one pair probably bred and nine pairs possibly bred. Lancashire & N Merseyside One site: one pair bred. Yorkshire One site: two pairs probably bred and three pairs possibly bred. Wales Gwent Six sites: six pairs probably bred and four pairs possibly bred. Meirionnydd Two sites: one pair prob- ably bred and one pair possibly bred. Radnorshire Seven sites: three pairs bred and four pairs possibly bred. Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Casual reports from the main breeding areas of the Cairngorms (within both the Highland and North-east Scotland recording areas) amounted to 20 breeding pairs, of which two were con- firmed breeding (nests with young). Elsewhere, there were reports in early May of birds at two mountain-top sites in western Highland. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus 93 pairs reported. The Devon figures are just a sample of the population, which is still limited to two counties in southwest England. The figures from Cornwall come from the reintroduction scheme described in Holling et al. (2010). England, SW Cornwall 11 pairs bred, fledging 15-20 young. An additional male held territory. Devon At three sites, 67 pairs bred with a further 14 territories recorded. Appendix I. Other species considered by the Panel also recorded in 2008. The following five potentially breeding species were recorded during the breeding season in 2008 but showed no further signs of breeding than are documented here. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis An unpaired male was present at one site in Cheshire & Wirral in January and then from April to the end of the year. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer One bird, paired with a Black-throated Diver, was present on an inland loch in mainland Highland, apparently for the fourth consecutive summer, but there was again no evidence of a breeding attempt. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena For the fifth consecutive year, a single bird was present on a loch in Fife, from 8th June to 28th August. This suggests post-breeding dispersal rather than a return to a potential breeding site. 536 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Rare breeding birds in the UK in 2008 Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis A single male was reported displaying over a three-day period in early June at a site in Cambridgeshire. Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina Four records of Icterine Warbler were submitted, all relating to birds in potential breeding habitat in June, but none qualifying for a potential terri- tory. In early June, singing males were recorded in both Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, both present for just two days, while in mid June another was singing for just one day in Bucking- hamshire. Also in mid June, one was trapped in Northamptonshire but not seen subsequently. The following species was recorded during the breeding season in 2008 but only limited informa- tion was available. Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa Reported from St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, where 68 occupied burrows were monitored, involving 48 pairs which were confirmed breeding. Acknowledgments The data collated for and summarised in this report are supplied to the Panel by a wide range of contributors, to whom we are most grateful. We would like to recognise in particular the assistance of county and regional recorders (not least for dealing with additional requests or queries where necessary, and for reviewing an early draft of this report), as well as the many specialist study groups, conservation organisations and numerous individuals. Valuable supplementary data were submitted from a number of national monitoring schemes, both by professional organisations and by dedicated amateurs. These are referenced in the species accounts where appropriate. Important information for many species was supplied by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Natural England (NE), Countryside Commission for Wales (CCW), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH),the BTO and the RSPB. We are especially grateful to the Schedule I licensing officers who supplied data for 2008: Jez Blackburn (BTO), Jo Oldaker (NE), Christine Hughes (CCW) and Ben Ross (SNH); and to Andy Young (RSPB Wales), who collated Schedule I species data from Wales on behalf of CCW and the Panel. We also wish to thank the following individuals and groups, who provided species information or collated data from other schemes on behalf of the Panel: Jake Allsopp and the Golden Oriole Group, Dawn Balmer; Stuart Benn, Stephen Blain, Roger Broad, Dave Butterfield, Rob Clements, Tony Cross and the Welsh Kite Trust, Brian Etheridge, William George, Doug Gilbert, Mark Grantham, Paul Hillis, Dave Leech, John Marchant, Andy Musgrove.Tim Poole, Robin Reid, Sabine Schmitt, Simon Wotton, Malcolm Wright, Robin Wynde and Andy Young. Many individuals, too many to name, have provided support or advice in some context over the last 1 2 months. The following volunteer authors were responsible for the additional texts: Stuart Benn (Slavonian Grebe), Paul Collin (Eurasian Spoonbill), Mark Eaton (Merlin, Scottish Crossbill and Parrot Crossbill), David Glue (colonising species in general), David Okill (Whooper Swan) and Sabine Schmitt (Little Tern). Thanks are also due to the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Raptor Study Groups, the Wiltshire Raptor Group, the North of England Raptor Forum, the Sea Eagle Project Team and the Osprey Study Group, who monitor important raptor populations, the JNCC/RSPB/SOTEAG Seabird Monitoring Programme for its data on seabirds and the BTO for access to data from the BTO/WWT/RSPB/JNCC Wetland Bird Survey and Bird Atlas 2007-1 I.The Bittern Monitoring Programme is organised annually by RSPB and Natural England, through Action for Birds in England. The Secretary would also like to thank: all current and past members of the Panel for support and encouragement; Jill Andrews and Aisling Holling for assembling much of the data which underpin this report; Ian Andrews, for providing guidance on the best use of the RBBP database; and Denis Corley, who has again helped to assemble statistics from RBBP reports, and continues to search through published data for records not submitted to the Panel. References Ballance, D. K„ & Smith, A. J. 2008. Recording areas of Great Britain. Brit. Birds 101: 364-375. BirdLife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife International, Cambridge. Boisseau, S., &Yalden, D.W. l998.The former status of the Crane Grus grus in Britain. Ibis 140: 482-500. Brown, A., & Grice, R 2005. Birds in England. Poyser London. Clements, R. 200 1 .The Hobby in Britain: a new population estimate. Brit Birds 94: 402-408. Collin, P N. 2009. First breeding of Eurasian Spoonbills in Scotland. Scottish Birds 29: 40-4 1 . Conway, G„ Wotton, S., Henderson, I., Eaton, M., Drewitt, A., & Spencer; J. 2009. The status of breeding Woodlarks Lullula arborea in Britain in 2006. Bird Study 56: 3 1 0-325. Dillon, I. A., Smith, T D„ Williams, S. J., Haysom, S„ & Eaton, M. A. 2009. Status of Red-throated Divers in Britain in 2006. Bird Study 56: 147-157. Eaton, M. A„ Dillon, I. A., Stirling-Aird, P K„ & Whitfield, D. R 2007a. The status of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in Britain in 2003. Bird Study 54: 2 1 2-220. British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 537 Holling et al. — .Austin, G. E„ Banks, A. N„ Conway, G„ Douse, A„ Grice, RV„ Hearn, R„ Hilton, G., Hoccom, D„ Musgrove, A, J„ Noble, D. G., Ratcliffe, N„ Rehfisch, M. M„ Worden, J„ & Wotton, S. 2007b. The State of the UK's Birds 2006. RSPB, BTO.WWTi CCW, EHS, NE and SNH, Sandy, Bedfordshire. Forrester R. W„ Andrews, I.J., Mclnerny, C. J„ Murray, R. D„ McGowan, R.Y, Zonfrillo, B„ Betts, M.W., Jardine, D. C„ & Grundy, D. S. 2007. The Birds of Scotland. SOC, Aberlady. Gibbons, D. W„ Reid, J. B„ & Chapman, R. A. 1 993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1 988-199 1 . Poyser London. Green,]., Pritchard, R., & Tyler S. 20 10. Welsh Bird Report No. 22: 2008. Welsh Birds 6: 108-216. HagemeijerW. J. M„ & Blair M.J. (eds.) 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Poyser London. Hancock, M. H., Gibbons, D.W., & Thompson, R S. 1 997. The status of the breeding Greenshank Tringa nebularia in the United Kingdom in 1 995. Bird Study 44: 290-302. Hillis, J. R 2009. Rare Irish Breeding birds, 2008. The Annual Report of the Irish Rare Breeding Birds Panel (IRBBP). Irish Birds 8: 571-582. Holling, M„ & the Flare Breeding Birds Panel. 2007a. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2003 and 2004. Brit. Birds 100:321-367. — & — 2007b. Non-native breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Brit Birds 1 00: 638-649. — & — 2008. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2005. Brit Birds 101: 276-3 1 6. — & — 2009. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2006. Brit. Birds 1 02: 1 58-202. — & — 2010. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2007. Brit Birds 1 03: 2-52. Hudson, N„ & the Rarities Committee. 2008. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2007. Brit. Birds 101:51 6-577. Huntley, B„ Green, R. E., Collingham.Y C., & Willis, S. G. 2007. A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Durham University, RSPB and Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Hutchinson, C. D. 1 989. Birds in Ireland. Poyser Calton. Jensen, F. R, Bechet, A., & Wymenga, E. (compilers) 2008. International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa I. limosa & L. I. islandica. AEWA Technical Series No. 37. Bonn, Germany. Lewis, J. M. S. 2010. Monitoring Hawfinches - another option. Brit Birds 103: 245-247. Lovegrove, R., Williams, G., & Williams, I. 1994. Birds in Wales. Poyser London. Martin, B., & Smith, J. 2007. A survey of breeding Black-necked Grebes in the UK: 1973-2004. Brit. Birds 100: 368-378. Pennington, M. G., Osborn, K„ Harvey, RV„ Riddington, R.. Okill.J. D., Ellis, R M„ & Heubeck, M. 2004. The Birds of Shetland. Christopher Helm, London. Sharrock, J.T R. 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. Poyser Berkhamsted. — , Ferguson-Lees, I. J., & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. 1975. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1973. Brit. Birds 68: 5-23. Smart, J., Amar A., Sim, I. M.W., Etheridge, B., Cameron, D., Christie, G„ & Wilson, J. D. 2010, Illegal killing slows population recovery of a re-introduced raptor of high conservation concern - the Red Kite Milvus milvus. Biological Conservation, doi: 1 0. 1 0 1 6/j.biocons.20 1 0.03.002 Stroud, D. A., Chambers, D„ Cook, S., Buxton, N., Fraser B., Clement, R, Lewis, R, McLean, I., Baker H., & Whitehead, S. (eds.) 2001. The UK SPA network: its scope and content. JNCC, Peterborough. — , Davidson, N. C.,West, R„ Scott, D. A., Hanstra, L.Thorup, O., Ganter B„ & Delany, S. (compilers) on behalf of the International Wader Study Group. 2004. Status of migratory wader populations in Africa and Western Eurasia in the 1990s . International Wader Studies 15: 1-259. Summers, R.W., & Buckland, S.T 2010. A first survey of the global population size and distribution of the Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica. Bird Conservation International Available on CJO I I Jan 20 1 0 doi: 1 0. 1 0 1 7/S0959270909990323 — .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 144: 393-410. Wallace, D. I. M. 1 999. History of the Common Rosefinch in Britain and Ireland, 1 869- 1 996. Brit Birds 92: 445^f7 1 . Wotton, S., Conway, G„ Eaton, M„ Henderson, l„ & Grice. R 2009. The status of the Dartford Warbler in the UK and the Channel Islands in 2006. Brit Birds 102: 230-246. Mark Holling, The Old Orchard, Grange Road, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39 4QT; e-mail secretary@rbbp.org.uk The Rare Breeding Birds Panel is supported by JNCC, RSPB and the BTO Find out more about the Panel at www.rbbp.org.uk ®jncc Joint Nature Conservation Committee Rare Breeding Birds Panel 538 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 482-538 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic John R. Mather Abstract On 12th January 2007, a diver was discovered at Farnham Gravel-pit, Yorkshire, and was identified as a juvenile Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica the following morning. It remained at Farnham until 4th February and was seen by many observers. The circumstances of its discovery, together with identification, taxonomy, distribution and subsequent records of Pacific Diver in Europe, are discussed. Pacific Diver has now been added to Category A of the British List and this represents the first record of the species for Britain and the Western Palearctic. On the evening of 12th January 2007, 1 received a phone call from June Atkinson (JEA), the Harrogate and District Naturalists’ Society’s (HDNS) hon- orary warden at Farnham Gravel-pit, near Knaresborough, Yorkshire, with news that a presumed Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica had been on the South Lake at Farnham during the late afternoon. Although the light was poor, she saw enough of the bird to appreciate that it looked slightly atypical, with some resemblance to a very small Great Northern Diver G. immer, lacking as it did a white rear-flank patch. I arrived at Farnham at 9.00 am the next morning, where I met JEA and Brian Darby- shire (BD), who had earlier been watching the diver (which had by then flown off to the far end of the North Lake). They assured me that, although carefully looked for, the white rear-flank patch was definitely not present. It was at this point that I suggested the possi- bility of it being a Pacific Diver G. pacifica. From the causeway between the two lakes we could see the bird in the distance on the North Lake, so at that point I left JEA and BD and drove to the far end of the North Lake where I found the bird only 25 m from the shore and showing well in excellent light. 1 was able to examine it closely through 12x binoculars and, having several times had experience of the species along the Pacific coast of North America, quickly realised that it was a first-winter Pacific Diver. During the half-hour that I had the diver under observation, it dived regularly and was obviously in good condition. After taking notes, I set off back to the South Lake, meeting BD en route. He told me that the diver had just flown over, heading back to the South Lake. When I returned there, a few HDNS members had arrived and were watching what they thought was a Black- throated Diver, so I explained to them that it was, in fact, a Pacific. After some discussion, I drove home to Knaresborough and, from my extensive collection of study skins, returned with ten juvenile and winter-plumaged Black- throated and Great Northerns, which I dis- played on site, and explained the differences. During the first few days of the bird’s stay, several excellent photographs were taken by Les Lancaster and Ian Webster. The discovery was no little reward for JEA who, as hon. warden, is on site daily throughout the year and in all weathers. © British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 539-545 539 Mather In view of subsequent events, it is impor- tant to give some details of the site and access to it. Farnham Gravel-pit is a restored quarry site covering 80 ha in total including two large lakes, the North Lake of 24 ha and the South Lake of 10 ha. During the 1950s and 1960s, my colleagues and I, under the aus- pices of Knaresborough Ringing Station, had permission to watch and ring birds in and around the working quarry. A rifle club also had a long association with the site, the range being left over from World War II, when a munitions factory was situated next to what was to become the North Lake. The area was restored during the 1970s and early 1980s, and once the lakes were established, the fishing rights were leased to an angling club, the North Lake was leased to a yachting club and the rifle club became a legal tenant, all paying substantial rents. As a consequence of my long association with the sand and gravel company during the working life of the quarry, and the owner’s awareness of the importance of the restored site for wildlife, my permission for access was extended by mutual agreements to HDNS, who were allowed to erect a hide and manage the environs of the South Lake for wildlife. This arrangement continues today; access is through a locked gate and, in addition to the legal tenants, only HDNS members who have purchased keys for the gate and hide are able to gain entry. Since HDNS has no legal right of access, the diver posed a dilemma given that news of its pres- ence would clearly attract many birders. We con- sulted the official site users, who were adamant that they did not want large numbers of people on the site. We, at HDNS, were mindful of our long- standing but unofficial position and the potential 295 & 296. First-winter Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica, Farnham GP, Yorkshire, January/February 2007. 540 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 539-545 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain of adverse relations with the owners and legal tenants if things got out of hand. Although not wanting to suppress the event, as demon- strated by our early consultations, we felt unable to release the news. On 27th January, however, news of the diver was leaked and birders began arriving in force on Sunday 28th January. Many were parking along the adjacent minor, but busy, road; some sought permission to view the North Lake from the grounds of a lakeside factory; and, since there were clearly going to be difficulties with parking, the police were alerted. The anglers were by then also aware ot the developing situation and anxious to avoid uncontrolled access to the site. A classic case of the potential problems caused by crowds gathering at a private, multi-use site was developing but, fortunately, through the good offices of the angling club members, acting partly on recommendation of the police, the site was eventually opened on 30th January. The gate was manned by Jack Lambert, the water bailiff, and his colleagues and parking organised by HDNS members. The end result was very satisfactory and many people, including some from as far afield as the Netherlands and Belgium, were privileged to be able to view and photograph the first Pacific Diver for the Western Palearctic. Many visitors complimented the site organisers on the efficient and well-con- trolled parking and viewing arrangements and it is a great pity that a minority, ignorant of the true background, levelled misguided criticism and ill-informed comments at what turned out to be a successful event. The diver stayed until 4th February, when it left the site to the northwest. Details of the bird and its discovery were also published by Atkinson & Mather (2007), Mather (2007) and Taylor et al. (2007). Appearance and identification characters When I first set eyes on the bird, I was imme- diately struck by its fine, sleek appearance. It was clear that there was definitely no white flank patch and that the flanks were brown from the lower breast to the tail. I judged the upperpart pattern to be subtly different from that of most juvenile/first-winter Black- throated Divers I have seen, in that there was British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 539-545 only a suggestion of the oval area of broader pale-edged mantle/scapular feathers (the counterpart of summer plumage) and it was more evenly barred throughout (although this is variable; plate 297). An obvious differ- ence from Black-throated was the completely dusky-brown cheeks with white restricted to a small area below the eye. A thin dark throat strap was also obvious. The crown and hind- neck were a smooth, pale brown -grey, which looked very pale and almost silvery in bright light, particularly when the bird was relaxed and the feathers puffed out. Separating the brown-grey hindneck from the white fore- neck and breast was a thin, blackish line; this terminated in a dark patch below the ear- coverts from which extended the throat strap. The dark band across the vent was not seen well until some days later as the bird rolled to preen. The bill was straight and relatively thin, tapering to a fine point and lacking the markedly downcurved culmen of most Black-throated. Given good and sustained views at reason- able range, the initial identification of Pacific Diver in non-breeding plumage, particularly first-winter birds, may not be too difficult if all the main features are seen well. The two most important are the absence of a white rear-flank patch and the dusky ear-coverts (on Black-throated, the ear-coverts are typi- cally whitish, contributing to a cleaner, more sharply defined face and neck pattern); other key characters, although they are rather vari- able between individuals, include the dark vent strap, the dark throat strap, and bill size and shape. Several previous articles have dealt with the identification of Pacific Diver, and those by Walsh (1988), Birch & Lee (1995, 1997) and Littlewood (1996) are par- ticularly useful. Vent strap Much emphasis has been placed on this feature. Although present in varying degrees in all species of diver, and sometimes almost absent except for a small dark area at the sides, it is generally thought to be consis- tently more prominent in Pacific than Black- throated. However, some adult Black- throated can have a particularly well-marked vent strap, much broader than on some Pacific (see plate 298). Plate 299 of the 541 Ian Webster Ian Webster Mather Farnham bird is quite misleading as it is the dark lower flank and the left tarsus in this image that show as a broad, black band. Throat strap A well-defined dark throat strap is typical of Pacific Diver, especially adults, but it is not present in all individuals; many juveniles show only a limited dark strap and some- times none at all, and there is a record of a juvenile Black-throated with a diffuse, dusky throat strap (Birch & Lee 1995; Littlewood 1996). the former. In addition, the culmen may not be so markedly convex for its whole length, being proximally flatter in Pacific. This is unlikely to be anything other than a sup- porting feature, given that the bill structure of Black-throated varies so much according to age and sex (see plates 297 & 300). Another, more subtle character is the head shape, which can appear more rounded in Pacific, generally lacking the peaked forehead and flatter crown that Black-throated some- times shows, but in my view this is too sub- jective and dependent on the bird’s posture to be of any real value. Bill size and shape The bill has been shown to be subtly different between Pacific and Black-throated, being generally finer and also thinner at the base in Taxonomy Pacific and Black considered to be 297. Black-throated Divers Gavia arctica. Upper, adult male, Cleveland, 24th February 1 979. Lower, juvenile female, Northumber- land, 7th February 1994. Note the extreme difference in bill shape and size, and the broader, pale edges to the scapulars of the lower bird, typical of a juvenile. ■throated Divers were long conspecific but have been shown to breed sympatri- cally in western Alaska and northeast Siberia (AOU 1998). Accordingly, Pacific was given specific status by AOU in 1985 (AOU 1985). As part of the review of the Farnham bird, the BOU Taxonomic Sub-committee also recommended that the two be recognised as dis- tinct species (Knox et al. 2008) and this has been adopted by BOU (BOU 2010). 298. Adult male Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica, Cleveland, 24th February 1979, showing very broad vent strap. Breeding and wintering range Pacific Diver breeds in the northern parts of North America and extreme northeast Siberia. In Alaska, breeding occurs north to Point Barrow, and south in southwest Alaska to at least the vicinity of Port Moller on the Alaska Peninsula. It does not, apparently, breed on the Aleutian Islands or on Kodiak but conflicting reports for these two local- ities have been published (Russell 2002). In Canada it breeds in the extreme 542 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 539-545 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain northern interior of British Columbia with a small, disjunct population some 450 km to the south in west-central British Columbia, the southern Northwest Territories (Great Slave Lake), extreme northeast Alberta, northern Manitoba and Ontario (Hudson Bay coast), Twin Island and other small islands in central James Bay, west coast of St Lawrence Island. It also breeds east to north and south Baffin Island and the west coast of Ungava Bay. It may breed in western Green- land, although the evidence is currently largely circumstantial. The species also breeds in northeast Siberia, where it is sympatric with Black- throated Diver of the race G. a. viridigularis. The main wintering areas are the Asian and North American coastlines of the northern Pacific. Substantial numbers fre- quent the coastal regions of Japan where, for example, they greatly outnumber Black-throated at the Inland Sea of western Japan. The species also winters along the coasts of the Korean Peninsula, but records from eastern China are seemingly few, although it has occurred as a vagrant south to the coastal waters of Hong Kong (Leader 1999). The majority of Asian wintering birds are assumed to come from the Siberian population. In North America it is numerous in winter along the Pacific coast south to Baja California, Mexico, and occasionally appears on the inland waters of the western states. It is recorded sparingly along the eastern seaboard of the USA from Maine to New York, with a tendency in recent years to occur more frequently and is now being seen almost annually. Summary of Pacific Diver occurrences in Britain and Europe Accepted British records Farnham Gravel-pit, Yorkshire, juvenile, 12th January to 4th February 2007. Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, juvenile, 2nd February to 20th March 2007; presumed same, 16th January to 11th Feb- ruary 2008 and 25th-26th February 2009. Mount’s Bay, Penzance, Cornwall, adult, 17th February to 10th March 2007; presumed same Marazion 23rd-29th November 2007. 299. Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica, Farnham GP, North Yorkshire, 12th January to 4th February 2007.The broad, black mark visible across the vent in this photograph is created by the dark lower flank and the left tarsus, giving a misleading impression of the extent of the vent strap. 300. Black-throated Divers Gavia arctica. Upper, adult male, Cleveland, 24th February 1979. Lower, juvenile female, Northumber- land, 7th February 1994. Note the extreme difference in bill size (length of culmen, adult male 69 mm, juvenile female 53 mm). British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 539-545 543 Ian Webster Les Lancaster Ian Webster Mather Slimbridge to Sharpness in the Severn estuary, Gloucestershire, 1 8th— 19th November 2009; presumed same Severn Beach, Avon, 27th November 2009. Marazion, Cornwall, 2nd November 2009; presumed same Carnsew Pool, Hayle, Cornwall, 19th November to 9th December 2009. Records elsewhere in Europe During winter 2009/10, birds were reported from the Channel Islands, Ireland and Spain. In each case, if accepted, these will be the first records for their respective recording area or country. Santona, Cantabria, Spain, juvenile, 7th December 2009. Grande Havres, Guernsey, Channel Islands, juvenile, 4th-14th January 2010; presumed same 28th March 2010. Oranmore, Co. Galway, adult, 30th January 2010; presumed same between Doorus Pier, Co. Galway, and Finvarra Point, Co. Clare, 4th March to 2nd May 2010. Conclusion It was, perhaps, inevitable that this wide- spread and migratory species would arrive in Britain in due course, most probably with its larger cousin the Great Northern Diver, many of which are presumed to originate from North America, as the Icelandic breeding population is considerably smaller than the numbers wintering around the coasts of Britain & Ireland. In fact, the subsequent records of Pacific Diver in 2007 coincided with an obvious arrival of Great Northern Divers in Britain. Acknowledgments Thanks are due to June Atkinson, who located the bird and telephoned me on the first evening; Mike Brown, President of HDNS, who, together with June, was involved in preliminary discussions with the official site users and the police regarding the anticipated invasion of birders; the angling club members, particularly Jack Lambert, whose unilateral decision it was to open the site on 30th January; Les Lancaster who took the first photographs of the diver (Atkinson & Mather 2007), and visited the site at dawn each morning of the diver's stay to ascertain its continued presence; Scott Gillihan, Executive Officer of the American Ornithologists’ Union, for supplying details of Nearctic status; Ken Limb of HDNS, who ably assisted June with parking and viewing arrangements; Ian Webster who photographed the specimens in my laboratory; and also those photographers who submitted their work for publication. References American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU). 1 985. Thirty- fifth supplement to the AOU Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 1 02: 680-689. — 1 998. Checklist of North American Birds. 7th edn. AOU, Washington DC. Atkinson, J. E„ & Mather, J. R. 2007. Pacific Diver at Farnham Gravel Pit - a new bird for the Western Palearctic. Harrogate and District Naturalists' Society Bird Report 2007: 9- 1 0. Birch, A., & Lee, C-T 1 995. Identification of Pacific Diver a potential vagrant to Europe. Birding World 8: 458M66. — & — 1 997. Arctic and Pacific Loons: field identification. Birding 29: 106-1 15. British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 2010. Records Committee: 38th Report. Ibis 152: 199-204. Garner M. 2008. Frontiers in Birding. BirdGuides, Sheffield. Knox, A. G., Collinson, J. M„ Parkin, D.T, Sangster G„ & Svensson, L. 2008. Taxonomic recommendations for 301. Birders watching the Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica, Farnham GP North Lake, 3rd February 2007, the day before its departure. 544 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 539-545 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain British birds: Fifth report. Ibis 1 50: 833-835. Leader; R J. 1 999. Pacific Loon: the first record for Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Report 1 997: I 14-1 17. Littlewood, N. 1996. Black-throated Divers and throat straps. Blrding World 9: 32 1 . Mather, J. R. 2007. It's a Pacific, to be specific. Birdwatch 177: 57-58. Roselaar; C. S„ Prins.T G., Aliabadian, M„ & Nijman.V. 2006. Hybrids in divers (Gaviiformes).J. Ornithol. 147: 24-30. Russell, R.W. 2002. Pacific Loon ( Gavia pacifica ) and Arctic Loon ( Gavia arctica). In: Poole, A., & Gill, F. (eds.), The Birds of North America, No. 657. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and AOU, Washington DC. Taylor G., Garner M„ & McLoughlin, J. 2007.The Pacific Diver in North Yorkshire - a new Western Palearctic bird. 8 irding World 20: 20-25. Velasco, D. L. 20 1 0. Identification of the first Pacific Diver for Spain. Birding World 23: 14-19. Walsh, T 1988. Identifying Pacific Loons. Birding 20: 12-28. Dr John R. Mather, Eagle Lodge, Knaresborough, Yorkshire HG5 8EP Editorial comment Martin Collinson, Chairman of BOURC, commented: ‘Time will tell whether the floodgates really have opened for this species, whether it was previously overlooked, or whether we are benefiting from recent reduction in ice coverage on the seas of polar North America. It seems unlikely that too many Pacific Divers have been slipping under the net in recent times. ‘Private landowners, anglers, yachting clubs, gun clubs and local natural history societies are not always the most natural of bedfellows, so when this diver set down at Farnham Gravel-pits there was a potential public relations disaster waiting to happen. Add to this an element of mis- communication and apparent mistrust between different sectors of the birding community, with a few grumbles of suppression thrown in, and the plot elements would not have looked out of place in an Ann Cleeves novel. Fortunately, and as is so often the case, the worst fears of landowners and tenants were unfounded, and successful, mutually beneficial, viewing arrange- ments were possible. Congratulations are due for the pragmatic resolution of access issues, and luckily the bird itself co-operated and hung around long enough to be twitchable. ‘Many of the field identification criteria for this species are either not diagnostic or relatively subjective. The feather colour of the anterior tibial tract is dark in Pacific Diver, white in Black- throated (hence the thigh patch), and this remains the most robust distinguishing feature. In combination with the supporting plumage and structural features, a secure identification is pos- sible. Pacific Diver is closely related to Black-throated Diver and although mating is generally assortative in their area of geographical overlap in northeast Siberia, mixed pairing has been observed and hybridisation has been inferred, if not proven (Roselaar et al. 2006). The hybrid possibility is probably vanishingly small in a vagrant context, but should nevertheless be borne in mind. What should also be borne in mind is that direct comparisons in the field between Pacific Diver and Black-throated Diver normally involve the larger, big-billed subspecies of the latter, G. a. viridigularis (which has also been previously treated as a separate species). Structural differ- ences between G. pacifica and nominate G. a. arctica may not always be so obvious. ‘In this case, supported by excellent descriptions and photographs, BOURC was able to accept the identification with little debate. Vagrancy was clearly possible, and there was no question mark over the provenance of the bird, so Pacific Diver was added to Category A of the British List.’ Adam Rowlands, BBRC Chairman, commented: ‘This record finally broke the credibility barrier for this species, proving that the expectation that it was a potential vagrant to our shores was realistic. Had the confiding Yorkshire bird not been discovered, it remains unknown whether the subsequent more distant bird off the Cornish coast and the initially more challenging Pem- brokeshire individual would have been identified. In the absence of the Yorkshire record, the later birds would have undoubtedly presented BBRC with a more complex assessment process. In reality, these individuals greatly assisted in improving our knowledge of the distinguishing fea- tures between Pacific and Black-throated Divers and that knowledge continues to grow as more individuals are discovered in Europe. The evolving debate and resolution of the identification criteria enabled this record to be accepted on its first BBRC circulation, between May and July 2007. However, this species can still present a difficult identification challenge and observers are urged to gather as much detail as possible to support their claims. As well as the references men- tioned above, Garner (2008) and Velasco (2010) provide valuable additional information.’ British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 539-545 545 BTO'V research update Latest ups and downs from WeBS The 2008/09 results from the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), covering the period from July 2008 to June 2009, illustrate mixed for- tunes for waterbirds wintering on our wet- lands. In recent years, several species have shifted their distribution in response to climate change, generally involving a northeasterly shift - for example, that demonstrated for waders by Maclean et al. (2008) and dis- cussed in the previous WeBS update in BB (Brit. Birds 102: 701-702). On the UK’s estu- aries, four of our most widespread and familiar wintering waders are now in steady decline, and in 2008/09 the national indices for Dunlin Calidris alpina, Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula , Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata and Common Redshank Tringa totanus were all at their lowest levels for at least 20 years (fig. 1). Meanwhile, the trend towards reduced winter ice cover in Scan- dinavia and elsewhere in northern and eastern Europe may be associated with the decrease in numbers of many ducks in the UK. Declines are particularly pro- nounced in diving ducks, and from a range of habitat contexts, encompassing the inland Common Pochard Aythya ferina, the coastal Red-breasted Mer- ganser Mergus serrator , and the more generalist Common Gold- eneye Bucephala clangula (fig. 2). In contrast to these declining species, eight species (or popula- tions) reached all-time highs in Britain in 2008/09. Among the geese, these included re-estab- lished Greylag Goose Anser anser and naturalised Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis , as well as the UK’s internationally important - wintering populations of both Pink-footed Goose A. brachy- rhynchus and Svalbard Barnacle Goose. Others that continue to rise are the Avocet Recurvirostra 546 © British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 546-547 BTO research update avosetta , as well as Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyp- tiaca and Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata (fig. 3). Populations of the last three species continue to spread out from their original respective strongholds; for example, 2008/09 saw particularly marked increases in peak counts of Egyptian Goose from WeBS sites at the edge of the species’ range, from Leicester- shire south to Hampshire. Results from Bird Atlas 2007-11 (www.bto.org/birdatlas) will undoubtedly provide further evidence of the distributional change in these three species and provide an indication of increases prob- Chas Holt, WeBS National Organiser Emerging infectious disease hits The emergence of new diseases can threaten wildlife, livestock and humans alike. Although their impacts on individuals are often well known, their effects at the popula- tion level are poorly documented, especially for widespread species. The emergence of trichomonosis in garden birds, first reported in 2005 in Britain, coincided with systematic work on disease in garden-visiting birds being carried out through the Garden Bird Health initiative (GBHz)’. Following the first confirmed case in a finch in April 2005, and small numbers of other disease incidents later the same year, we saw a dramatic increase in reported cases in the summer of 2006. The species most com- monly affected was the Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. This late-summer pattern was to repeat itself in subsequent years, with the centre of the disease changing over time. Work carried out through the GBHz , and just published in the journal PLOS One, iden- tified Trichomonas gallinae, a protozoan para- site known from pigeons and some raptor species, as the causal agent. Another component of the work involved examination of data collected through reports of diseased birds received by the Zoo- logical Society of London and RSPB, which allowed lead investigator Becki Lawson to establish the seasonal and geographic pattern of the outbreak and to identify regions showing different levels of disease prevalence. Mike Toms, Head of Garden Ecology British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 546-547 ably occurring at sites not covered by WeBS. If you would like to plug any such gaps, and count a wetland for WeBS on a monthly basis, please contact the WeBS office at webs@bto.org or visit www.bto.org/webs, where the latest WeBS report can be down- loaded. WeBS is a partnership between BTO, RSPB and JNCC in association with WWT. Maclean, I. M. D„ Austin, G. E„ Rehfisch, M. M„ Blew, J., Crowe, O., Delany, S„ Devos, K„ Deceuninck, B„ Gunther K„ Laursen, K.r van Roomen, M„ & Wahl, J. 2008. Climate change causes rapid changes in the distribution and site abundance of birds in winter Global Change Biology 1 4: 2489-2500. doi: 1 0. 1 I I I /j. 1 365-2486.2008,0 1 666,x Greenfinches Data from the BTO Garden BirdWatch (GBW) and the BTO/RSPB/JNCC Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) from the identified regions were then examined to see if this emerging infectious disease was having a population-level effect. Examination of GBW reporting rates for Greenfinches in the different disease regions, both before and after the 2006 outbreak, sug- gested that the disease had reduced the Greenfinch population. The BTO’s Rob Robinson looked at the BBS data in more detail, revealing remarkable declines in both Greenfinch and Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs populations. By the summer of 2007, breeding populations of Greenfinches and Chaffinches in the high incidence region had decreased by 35% and 21% respectively, rep- resenting mortality in excess of half a million birds. Mortality in areas where the disease was less common was lower, providing strong evidence for a causal link. The disease still seems to be prevalent and work is ongoing to look at the longer-term implications and to establish why the Greenfinch is so suscep- tible. GBHz (www.ufaw.org.uk/gbhi.php) involves the BTO, Zoological Society of London, RSPB, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Scottish Agricultural College, University of Liv- erpool and the Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre, and is supported by the garden bird supplies industry and others. 547 Photographer unknown Obituary John Gooders (1937-2010) John Gooders, who did more than most to broaden the horizons of Britain’s bird- watchers, died on 18th May 2010 after a long illness, aged 73. He was a prolific author and his books guided many of us in learning about birds. 1 first knew of John in 1970 as I collected Birds of the World in weekly instal- ments - and with it I got my paperback copy of his classic Where to Watch Birds (published in 1967, the first of his 40 bird books). These opened up a lifetime’s interest for me. WtWB was an instant hit. Birdwatching was becoming a mass-participation pursuit and here was a guide to the key sites in Britain where people could find the birds that they had only seen in field guides. This pioneering work preceded the glut of site guides that now dominate the birding publi- cation lists; it was followed by Where to Watch Birds in Britain and Europe in 1970. Forty years ago, this was a DIY guide to the Camargue, the Coto Donana, the Danube Delta and beyond. Britain’s travelling birders never looked back. Between 1959 and 1966 John taught in London schools, and then became a lecturer at the Avery Hill teacher training college until 1969. With the success of his first book, however, John took the brave decision to leave his safe career in teaching and venture into full-time writing. For two months in 302. John Gooders at Heathrow in the 1980s. 548 1970 he was able to study bird migration in North Africa as a result of a Churchill Fellow- ship. He worked on scripts for Anglia Televi- sion’s Survival series and edited its house magazine, The World of Survival. He also worked on the BBC series The World About Us. During the 1970s he wrote 19 bird books and in the 1980s another 14. Sourcing bird photos for his various publishing projects led him to establish the photographic library Ardea with his first wife, Su. It now holds hundreds of thousands of digital images and transparencies, the work of leading photog- raphers throughout the world. Having whetted the appetite of birders keen to travel beyond Britain, Gooders formed his own travel company in 1980 with his second wife, Robbie. Birding Tours oper- ated for the next 23 years on every continent bar Antarctica. He firmly believed that eco- tourism helped to conserve the wildlife that the travellers want to see. I met John for the first time when I came to Rye Harbour in 1984 and he brought his ‘Birding’ guests to watch the birds. In 1988 he made a series of films about his special bird- watching places for TVS and I was pleased that he chose Rye Harbour, among others. When John and Robbie moved to Winchelsea in 1990, they became more regular visitors, and in 1998 he became Chairman of the Friends. For ten years we worked together on many projects that have made a big differ- ence to the wildlife and to the visitors... and the membership almost doubled to 1,800. This was not his only direct contribution to conservation, for he also raised funds for towers specially designed for the increasingly rare Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni to nest in, in Portugal and southern France. For his last 20 years John was a resident of Winchelsea, one of the country’s smallest towns still with its own mayor and part of the ancient Cinque Ports Federation. He was installed as mayor in 2006, joining a list of holders of that office dating back to the twelfth century. Barry Yates © British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 548 Reviews FAUNA OF ARABIA Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia By Michael C. Jennings Fauna of Arabia, Vol. 25, 2010 Hbk, 772pp, 106 colour photos, numerous figures and maps ISBN 978-3-929907-83-4 Subbuteo code M20733 £102.00 BB Bookshop price £98.00 In 1984, Michael Jen- nings embarked on an ambitious project to map the breeding birds of Arabia. Now, a generation later, the fruits of his labours have been published. The result is a very handsome, large- format book, which maps and describes all 273 species that have been proved to breed within the Arabian Peninsula (including the Socotra archi- pelago). A further 24 species that are considered possibly to breed, or which may be likely to breed in the future, are also included. No fewer than 20 species (7% of the total) are feral breeders estab- lished from introduced birds, while 23 species (8%) are endemic to the region (according to the author’s admittedly fairly conservative taxonomy). The project, affectionately known by the acronym ABBA (probably not a reflection of the author’s musical tastes), includes records and field observations from more than 500 contributors, a near-complete search of relevant literature and an extensive trawl through museum specimens. Perhaps most impressively, the author has person- ally undertaken 40 field surveys, largely at his own expense, to survey poorly recorded areas in the region. The resulting data have been plotted metic- ulously onto a grid of 1,142 half-degree squares. The coverage achieved is indeed impressive, espe- cially considering the extreme aridity of much of the region and its inevitable remoteness. Only 106 squares (9%) have no records at all, and most of these are in the Empty Quarter, where there are few breeding birds. Coverage was inevitably not uniform, with predictable concentrations of records from the environs of cities and other well-watched areas. Consequently, 30 widely scattered squares each have more than 50 breeding species, but more than 300 squares have fewer than ten individual records throughout the entire atlas period. The species accounts comprise the bulk of the book and average around two pages per species. Almost all are illustrated with an attractive line- drawing and a large map. Only a few species are unmapped, and these are escaped or unproven birds. Generally, each species has only a single map, but Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto has four, to demonstrate its rapid spread in the past four decades. The maps are large and very clear, occu- pying a little over half a page each, with a key to the symbols used in the top-right corner. The dots are sized according to confirmed breeding, probable breeding and presence, with blue symbols for records during the atlas period, and red for pre- 1984 records. Instances of breeding in captivity or sheltered conditions are shown where relevant. The texts are thorough and formulaic, summarising the distribution and status in Arabia and including details of breeding ecology where known. A few species have been authored by regional experts, but the majority were compiled by the author. The extensive introductory material is a major feature of the work. This section, running to more than 120 pages, comprises an introduction and five main chapters. These sections are illustrated with more than 100 colour photographs of birds and habitats, mostly of a very high standard. The Intro- duction describes the origins and mechanics of the project, including the collection of records and data sources. In chapter 1, we learn about various aspects of Arabian ornithology, including endemism, nomadism and the problems of exotic introductions in Arabia. Chapter 2 covers climate and altitude, geology and topography, vegetation, habitats and zoogeography. Chapter 3 looks at regional bird communities, with Arabia being divided into ten avifaunal regions based on habitat types, topographical features and zoogeographic influences. In Chapter 4, conservation issues are explored, including habitat change, pollution, hunting and other human exploitation. A summary of conservation action undertaken by the seven constituent countries is also provided. The final chapter looks at the breeding birds, discussing breeding seasons and providing an explanation of the subsequent species accounts. At the end of the book, a useful table of the breeding birds includes estimates of population size and an assessment of SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 549-553 549 Reviews status. A gazetteer lists all the place-names men- tioned in the text together with co-ordinates and atlas-square numbers. Appropriately, the bibliog- raphy was compiled by Effie Warr. Despite the book’s title, this is much more than an atlas. It is a treasure trove of information on Arabia’s birds and a baseline for future research. Anyone with an interest in the region will surely want a copy. It is beautifully produced and well edited, and the glossy paper is perfect for the reproduction of maps and photographs. The book was produced as a special volume of the long- running Fauna of Arabia series, which is effectively a journal; unfortunately, that means that it comes with a high price tag. Flopefully, a more affordable edition will also be produced because it would be a great shame if this major work did not reach the wider audience that it deserves. Nigel Redman Nightjars Potoot, Fropmouthv Oilbird ^ and Owlct-mghtym ^ of the World | m i * i Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird and Owlet-nightjars of the World By Nigel Cleere WILDGuides, 2010 Hbk, 464pp, many colour photographs ISBN 978-1-903657-07-2 Subbuteo code M20534 £45.00 BB Bookshop price £40.00 In 1998 Nigel Cleere brought us Nightjars: a guide to Nightjars and related nightbirds. That was one of the ‘Flelm guides’ and was illustrated with full colour plates by Dave Nurney. It was a comprehensive study of this group with lengthy texts, including long plumage descriptions, detailed accounts of behaviour and much more. Twelve years on, this current work is quite a contrast: lavishly illustrated with many superb photographs, it is somewhat minimalist on text, at least in the species accounts. The first 60 pages include the usual introductory sections with chap- ters on distribution of the Caprimulgiformes, plumage and structure, general biology, and tax- onomy of the Caprimulgiformes, but these are also illustrated with many large photographs so the text is much reduced compared with the introductory chapters in the early work. Photography has moved on in leaps and bounds since 1998, of course, and the vast majority of images in this new book have been taken since the earlier title was published. Indeed, it is doubtful whether a book of this kind could have been produced in 1998 and undoubtedly it would have contained far more photographs of specimens; the current volume does include these for a few species still lacking decent field shots, but they are now comparatively few. Clearly, the purpose of the current guide is to reproduce in one place as comprehensive a collection of photo- graphs as possible of this fascinating group, and in that it succeeds admirably; page after page of stun- ning images reproduced at a large size (just two to a page in a large-format book). But I have to admit that given the difficulty of identifying most of these birds in the field - especially nightjars, where within tropical regions at least, a number of species can occur together - I would have liked to see more text on identification. The author does include a Main Confusion Species heading, but sometimes this simply states ‘none’. While this is clearly appropriate for species with limited ranges or where few other species occur (for example, on Caribbean islands), it doesn’t seem very helpful for species that have a wide distribution across conti- nents where there are lots of other species (for example, Little Nightjar Antrostomus parvulus , widespread across much of central South America; Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus, widespread across India and much of southeast Asia; and Swamp Nightjar C. natalensis, widespread across much of Africa). I certainly don’t find these species so distinctive as to regard them as having no con- fusion species within their extensive ranges. But I’m picking on just one aspect here. Large and detailed maps are included for all species, brief summaries are given for length, identification, vocalisations, habitat, breeding, range and status. And perhaps this is enough in a photographic guide of this kind. Those wanting more detailed informa- tion about any particular aspect will probably still want to refer to the author’s earlier work, but overall this is a superb book with a magnificent collection of stunning photographs and can be recommended. David Fisher SlffilO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 550 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 549-553 Reviews Kingfisher By David Chandler and Ian Llewellyn New Holland, 2010 Hbk, 126pp, many colour photographs ISBN 978-1-84773-524-9 Subbuteo code M20597 £12.99 BB Bookshop price £1 1.50 An impressive collection of photographs provides the foundation for this book, the majority taken by Ian Llewellyn and including images from within the nest tunnel as well as a good mixture of close-up and land- scape shots of adult birds. The accompanying text by David Chandler provides an informal overview of this enduringly popular bird, the 'blue blur’ as he likes to call it, pitched primarily at a general audience but with sufficient detail to be of interest to more serious students of the species. There are plenty of interesting anecdotes that help to enliven the text, some from the literature and others based on the authors’ own observations. My favourite involved a plucky indi- vidual that was seen to blast its way through a snow- covered layer of ice, popping back up through the hole it had just made with a fish! A rather less fortu- nate bird found itself ‘glued’ to the metal pipe it was perching on by the onset of freezing weather. Person- ally, I would have liked to see a little more detail about the conservation status of the species and its prospects for the future but, that apart, this is an informative and enjoyable book. Ian Carter The Meinertzhagen Mystery: the life and legend of a colossal fraud By Brian Garfield Potomac Books, 2007 Hbk, 353pp, eight black-and-white plates ISBN 978-1-59797-160-7 Subbuteo code M20073 £23.00 BB Bookshop price £20.00 In recent years, as the extent of Richard Meinertzhagen’s ornithological deception has become apparent, there has been increasing scrutiny of the recorded details of this and other areas of his apparently epic life. The ‘legend’ of Richard Meinertzhagen has been widely published. Most famously it includes such ‘Boy’s Own’ tales as the Haversack Ruse (in which he claims to have dropped a haver- sack containing forged documents designed to divert Turkish reinforcements from the British attack on Beersheba in 1917). His story also encompasses a lifetime of military and expedi- tionary adventure: the gunfights, murders and massacres in the Middle East, East Africa, and India, his ‘licence to kill’ on espionage and intelli- gence service missions, such as the elimination of a cell of Spanish communists and the rescue of one of the Romanov children. There are also his pre- war meetings with Hitler, where he notoriously carried a revolver and later regretted not taking his opportunity to use it. The thesis of Brian Garfield’s book is that although these events have been published and republished many times, in most cases the only documentary evidence that they actually occurred lies within Meinertzhagen’s own diaries or in accounts that originated or were influenced by Meinertzhagen himself. However, Meinertzhagen’s ‘diaries’ are not a contemporary account of events as they happened, but were often written some time, sometimes years, later than the dates they purport to cover; large tracts were revised several times with the benefit of hindsight, and to the aggrandisement of the man. When the facts can be crossed-checked - usually a tedious process of sifting through continental plates of military or biographical records - they are found to be incon- sistent with the truth and are, at best, based loosely on reality, or complete fabrications. Very few of the legendary episodes in Meinertzhagen’s life appear to have really happened. The Haversack Ruse is an exception in that there was a haversack and Mein- ertzhagen was involved in putting it together. But it was not his idea, he did not drop it in Turkish territory, and when the Turkish army found it they saw through the fabrication and ignored it. This leads to the tragic conclusion of the book. Meinertzhagen was an exceptionally intelligent SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 549-553 551 Reviews and able man who could count genuine scientific and other achievements in the course of his busy and high-profile life. But his achievements were never enough - he felt the need to exaggerate them and invent new ones for posterity. Garfield paints a picture of a man with a malignant narcissistic pathology who was protected and covered by his peers in upper echelons of the class system that he perpetuated, such that at the time of his death he may have felt that he had got away with it. Those who knew Meinertzhagen well were usually aware of some area of his activities where he behaved dis- honestly. The contribution of this book is to bring the separate ornithological, personal and military deceptions together in one place, and enable the reader to catch a glimpse of the whole of the man, as he recedes into the metaphorical Hall of Mirrors where he lived his life. Martin Collinson Essential Ornithology By Graham Scott Oxford University Press, 2010 162pp, 33 colour photographs Hbk, ISBN 978-0-19-856998-5 Subbuteo code M20747 £60.00 BB Bookshop price £54.00 Pbk, ISBN 978-0-19-856997-8 Subbuteo code M20748 £27.50 BB Bookshop price £24.75 As stated on the back cover, this volume provides the reader with a ‘concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds’, with chapters on evolution, reproduction and migration in addition to more ecological subjects such as foraging, predator avoidance and population/community ecology. I wouldn’t disagree with the follow-up statement that this is probably a ‘must read’ as an introduc- tion to the subject for degree-level students taking a relevant course. I was rather less convinced by the suggestion that the book will also appeal to a ‘broader audience of professional researchers, con- sultants, and amateur ornithologists’. The text is certainly very readable, is bang up to date, and use- fully includes ‘key references’ and ‘concepts’ as notes in the margin, where relevant. I also liked the ‘flight path’ feature, which provides clear cross-ref- erencing to other sections of the book with related topics. There are, however, a number of books on the market dealing with bird biology which cover the same subject areas in considerably more detail than this volume and are therefore likely to be more useful as sources of reference for both pro- fessional and amateur ornithologists. The current volume looks rather poor value for money at £60.00 for a hardback of under 200 pages that is by no means lavishly illustrated. The paperback version may be a better bet for financially hard- pressed students, who are likely to benefit most from this text. Ian Carter A Brush with Nature By Richard Mabey BBC Books, 2010 Hbk, 256pp ISBN 978-1-84-607913-9 Subbuteo code M20640 £12.99 BB Bookshop price £1 1.50 Although he was already a well-known and successful wildlife and environment writer well before its publication, Richard Mabey probably first became known to many people through his remarkable Flora Britannica - the groundbreaking book that was to lead to Mark Cocker’s Birds Britannica. All along the way, Mabey was contributing a column to one of the world’s very best environment maga- zines, BBC Wildlife, it is a selection of these contri- ' butions, going back over 25 years, that is the basis of A Brush with Nature. A BRUSH WITH NATURE 25 years of personal reflections on the natural world RICHARD MABEY SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 552 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 549-553 Reviews The sequence is not chronological, but by broad subject headings. There are seven of these, reflecting the author’s wide range of wildlife and wildlife-related interests. I thought at first that allotting just 35 pages to birds was a bit mean, but I then discovered that birds were a recurring topic throughout the other chapters: the articles, when you read them as a selected collection, are actually about the whole complex web of life which so clearly fascinates the author. With that thought in mind, you cannot but enjoy them. You are there in the field, looking at real birds, plants or whatever - or, as you read the final section on ‘Issues’, you are pitched into the debates about reintroductions, Ruddy Ducks Oxyura jamaicensis, the arrogance of certain sectors of the field sports movement and their scribes. . . and so on. In the book’s preface, Richard Mabey describes how he set out to ‘remind readers of the great English language tradition of nature writing, which seemed to have died from neglect - and from an avalanche of soulless coffee-table books’. The articles, however, evolved into much more than that, seeking out how the ‘breakdown of the links between specialist natural history and the arts, politics, morals and our culture as a whole’ came about, and exploring how that breakdown might be repaired. To understand that story properly, you will have to read this book; borrow it from the library if you decide not to buy it. You will agree with Mabey that things have improved a lot; you will probably disagree with some of his arguments (though, I venture to suggest, not too many), while appreciating his even-handed and commonsense approach. You will find, too, a man who not only loves and understands his subject matter, but also has the enviable ability to tell us how and why. I think that he is already part of that great writing tradition he set out to recall and revive. Mike Everett A Naturalist’s Guide to the Birds of Malaysia and Singapore By G. W. H. Davison and Yeap Chin Aik Beaufoy Books, Oxford Pbk, 176pp ISBN 978-1-906780-21-0 Subbuteo code M20680 £9.99 BB Bookshop price £8.99 This small photographic pocket guide describes itself as an ‘easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 bird species most frequently seen in Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore’. But with 656 species recorded from Peninsular Malaysia alone, of which 445 are resident, this is quite a claim as this guide barely scratches the identification surface. A representative selection of species, both residents and winter visitors, from a variety of habitats is included, and most are illus- trated with a single photograph, although for some two are used. These are of a high standard and taken by some of the most renowned birders and photographers active in the region. Although space is limited, the majority are reproduced at a useful size, and accompanied by short texts describing the species, its distribution, habits and habitat, and conservation status. This book seems to be aimed at all-round natu- ralists with an interest in identifying birds they encounter on a casual wildlife walk. Many of the species illustrated are fairly common and readily found in and around gardens, parks, secondary forest and scrub, and wetlands. A few species typical of primary rainforest and montane forest are also included. While many of the birds illus- trated are common and widespread throughout this vast region, others are much less so. Superb photographs of such rarely seen species and highly sought-after species including Malaysian Peacock- Pheasant Polyplectron malacense, Whitehead’s Trogon Harpactes whiteheadi, and Bornean Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiatus are included, which few except the most dedicated of birders are likely to come across. With bird names given in English and Bahasa Malaysia, this book will appeal to a local audience and overseas visitors, and it is to be commended for the high quality of the photographs selected. But, as with most photographic guides, it is unlikely to accompany keen birders, who will travel with one or more of the comprehensive field guides to the region that illustrate all species in a variety of plumages. Peter Kennerley SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 549-553 553 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds World Heritage Site embarrassment for UK Government Two out of five of the UK’s natural World Heritage sites are in danger of being added to a blacklist because non-native rats and mice are killing and eating the unique bird species confined to them. At a UNESCO meeting in Brasilia in early August, the UK Government was warned that the outstanding natural qualities for which Henderson Island, in the Pacific, was listed would be jeopardised if rats are allowed to continue plundering unique seabirds and their eggs. Another UK Overseas Territory - Gough and Inaccessible Islands - is already under threat of being added to a danger list if non-native House Mice Mus musculus are not removed from the South Atlantic Island before 2014. Between them, the two islands support eight species of bird found nowhere else on earth, and several of these are being driven to extinction by the introduced rodents. Commenting on the decision, Tim Stowe, the RSPB’s International Director, said: ‘There are only 180 natural World Heritage sites, and the UK has responsibility for five. It is extremely embarrassing that the UK is failing in its duty to protect sites and species solely in our care. We are urging the UK Government to take action to ensure the future of the 33 species of bird found in the UK Overseas Territories that are threatened with extinction. ‘The removal of rats from Henderson Island is one of the most pressing conservation actions of our time. It costs only £1.7m and the RSPB has already raised more than half of the cost from its members and others. A detailed plan is in place, and specialists are on stand-by to act. Unfortu- nately, time is running out. If the outstanding funds are not raised within the next two months, the eradication cannot take place in 201 1, with the result of the cruel death of another 25,000 chicks and the knowledge that species are at greater risk of extinction.’ These comments came in the wake of Richard Porter’s call for action in an editorial in the last issue of BB, and Michael Brooke’s paper on Hen- derson in the same issue. Countryside cuts are coming The UK Government has primed the British public for deep cuts in public expenditure and it seems that the countryside will not be spared. The conservation agency Natural England could cut nearly a third of its 2,500 staff - 800 jobs - if and when an expected 30% budget cut is imposed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Although the job losses will be phased in over four years, 400 are likely to go in the financial year 2011/12, according to an e-mail to staff from the chief executive, Helen Phillips. The severe cut in Natural England’s budget will not be restricted to staffing: the agri-environment schemes critical for restoring wildlife habitat on farmland across England will be hit too. And this prospect has galvanised Wildlife and Countryside Link, which is marking 30 years of co-ordinated conservation action by the UK’s conservation and landscape charities in 2010. Paul de Zylva, Chair of Wildlife and Country- side Link, said: ‘Defra and its agencies like Natural England spend just 0.5% of the Government’s budget, yet their investment in the countryside brings huge benefits in wildlife, clean air and 554 water, flood alleviation, carbon sequestration and pollination. A healthy natural environment is not a luxury but fundamental to our existence. The Deputy Prime Minister [Nick Clegg] has said it would be morally wrong to leave our children and grandchildren with huge debts. It would be just as immoral to bequeath them an impoverished environment and an England that is in many ways diminished.’ The Wildlife and Countryside Link, which includes the RSPB, WWT and the Wildlife Trusts, paints a bleak picture of an ‘austerity countryside’, where the loss of public money for protected sites such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) has left the country’s best wildlife sites sadly degraded. Reedbeds are dry and clogged with brambles; heathlands have vanished as scrub begins to take over. Wetlands have dwindled and rivers and canals have become clogged by invasive plants, which threaten native species. The loss of money for wildlife-friendly farming has seen farmland birds resume their slide into extinction. Bat popu- lations are clinging onto survival in isolated pockets, facing starvation due to the dwindling © British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 554-557 News and comment insect populations, while the country’s flower meadows have all but vanished. England’s uplands have become degraded; their wildlife is in decline, and their ability to lock away carbon and provide clean drinking water for mil- lions sadly reduced. On the coasts, cuts have undone years of work to manage remaining and newly created coastal habitats such as saltmarsh and saline lagoons, impacting wildlife and flood protection. There are fewer people too. Without cash to keep paths and bridleways open, huge swathes of the English countryside and coast are effectively closed to millions. Locked up in towns and cities, unable to enjoy the country’s breathing spaces, people are less healthy, costing the NHS millions of extra pounds each year. In turn, the rural economy is denied the large sums of money visitors to the countryside spend each year. Paul de Zylva said: ‘Such a picture is not an exaggeration, but nor is it an inevitability. Minis- ters will need to make difficult choices about which areas of public spending offer the best value for money.’ High Level Stewardship on the high wire? Perhaps the first casualty will be High Level Stew- ardship (HLS) payments, which have been chan- nelled to farmers in England and Wales to reverse the alarming decline in farmland birds. The RSPB is understandably concerned about the future of HLS. A snapshot is the rural county of Cumbria, where £58m is currently invested in landowners signed up to HLS agreements. The RSPB under- stands that there are no proposals to withdraw funding from existing agreement holders. However, the organisation is concerned about the future accessibility of this funding so is advising interested farmers to sign up to the scheme while it is still available. Many farming families are dependent on agri- environment payments for their economic survival and would risk unemployment if this funding was not available. Greg Penellum manages 350 ha of the Lakeland fells through HLS to benefit breeding waders. ‘Without the funding through the old Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme and now HLS, I would not be able to deliver these ben- efits for the environment or the public,’ says Greg. ‘What’s more, since HLS makes up over 50% of my farm’s income, the business would be unsustain- able if it was cut.’ HLS also has economic benefits for the wider Cumbrian economy. A recent Defra study showed that 80% of all Environmental Stewardship expen- diture is spent locally. For every £1 invested in HLS, £1.43 is spent within a 40-minute drive of the agreement holder. This means that if HLS was cut, contractors, suppliers and local shops would all feel the pinch. David Morris, the RSPB’s farmland bird advisor for the North West, said: ‘In Cumbria, threatened species such as Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix , Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquatus and Tree Sparrow Passer montanus would slip even further into decline if HLS funding was cut. Rare and important habitats such as blanket bog, coastal saltmarsh, reedbeds and wet meadows would be doomed without HLS funding to secure their management. These areas are some of our most important for wildlife, tourism, and carbon storage.’ Once bittern, twice bred The RSPB is celebrating a double whammy of breeding herons with the confirmed nesting of Little Bitterns Ixobrychus minutus at its Ham Wall reserve in Somerset. The news comes hard on the heels of the announcement that Britain’s first breeding Purple Herons Ardea purpurea have suc- cessfully fledged at least one youngster at RSPB Dungeness in Kent. The Purple Herons were a first - and the Little Bitterns are a second. The first British breeding record was a quarter of a century ago at Potteric Carr in Yorkshire, where a pair raised three young in 1984. Ray Summers, RSPB warden for Ham Wall, said: ‘We are all absolutely delighted. Since we took on the land at Ham Wall back in the mid British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 554-557 555 Phil Jones Andrew Bloomfield News and comment 1990s we’ve been working hard to recreate a pris- tine wetland. To have nesting Little Bittern is a fan- tastic seal of approval for the work we’ve done; it really demonstrates the quality of the site for wildlife.’ He added: 'We first saw the male back in May. Although he kept very much under cover, we could hear him calling and occasionally flying back and forth over the reeds. To our surprise, we then started to see a female. We kept our fingers crossed and kept watching the site. Then we started to see the female flying regularly to the same spot in the reeds, a sure sign the bird was taking food to youngsters in the nest - we couldn’t believe it! And finally we had the news we’d been waiting for with the first sightings of a juvenile.’ Somerset is establishing a reputation for rare breeding herons: in 2008 the first Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis to nest in Britain were recorded in the county. It’s no coincidence that the RSPB and other partners are effecting landscape-scale change to regenerate wetlands in Somerset. The RSPB’s reserve at Ham Wall is part of a huge and ambi- tious plan to recreate a vast area of wetlands in the Brue Valley, known as the Avalon Marshes. The project is being delivered by a coalition of wildlife organisations including RSPB, Natural England, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Hawk and Owl Trust. Tony Whitehead, of RSPB South West, said: ‘Having Little Bittern breed for only the second time in the UK — at Ham Wall - demonstrates the power of landscape-scale nature conservation. If you get the conditions right, the birds will turn up.’ The next long-legged breeder in the county will probably be the Common Crane Grus grus when another RSPB partnership - the Great Crane Project reintroduction - gathers momentum in the Somerset Levels and Moors. And Spoonbills are nesting too Not to be outdone by the RSPB, Natural England has announced that a breeding colony of Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia has been nesting at Holkham NNR in Norfolk this summer. It’s the first time in more than 300 years that a Spoonbill colony has been established in Britain. Indeed, just four iso- lated breeding records have been logged in modern times (see p. 503). By early August, four nesting pairs had fledged a total of six young, with at least a further two pairs still feeding young in their nests. Sightings of one or two spring passage birds are typical for north Norfolk, but attention was aroused when a total of nine Spoonbills - mostly adults in full breeding plumage - arrived in the area. The Spoonbills set up home in the mixed breeding colony of Great Cormorants Phalacro- corax carbo. Grey Herons A. cinerea and Little Egrets Egretta garzetta already on the site. Michael Rooney, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager at Holkham, said: ‘A lot of careful work has gone into creating and managing ideal habitats for a range of nesting birds at Holkham, 303. The breeding Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia at Holkham, Norfolk, in July 2010; this photo shows an adult and two fledglings in a nest (and a Little Egret Egretta garzetta facing away). 556 British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 554-557 News and comment so it is very exciting that the reserve has become a safe haven for a breeding colony of Spoonbills. As several pairs nested successfully this year, we hope that the birds will return and establish a perma- nent colony in future years.’ Natural England manages the freshwater marshes at Holkham to cater specifically for wetland breeding birds. Maintaining high water levels through the spring into midsummer is crit- ical and has resulted in a dramatic increase in the population of many breeding species. Michael Rooney continued: ‘Many (if not most) of the Spoonbills that visit Holkham and other areas of England originate from the increasing breeding population in the Nether- lands. As numbers have been increasing in western Europe in recent years, expectations have been high that Spoonbills would soon colonise Britain.’ Great Bustards are thriving too Continuing the rare breeding bird theme, the Great Bustard Otis tarda reintroduction project www.greatbustard.org has confirmed improved breeding success this year with at least four nests and four chicks. The bustard, which became extinct in Britain as a nesting bird in 1832, nested successfully last year, when two pairs fledged two chicks on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire. David Waters, Founder and Director of the Great Bustard Group (GBG), said: ‘Last year was a milestone for the project; this year really does give confirmation that the project is well on its way to achieving its aims of a self-sus- taining population in the UK. After so many years of work, it is great to see the results.’ A reintroduction trial, led by the GBG, began in 2004 using bustards reared from eggs taken from farmland in southern Russia. The chicks are reared in Russia in a partnership with the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Evolution and Ecology, a branch of the Russian National Academy of Science. When the chicks are about six weeks old they are flown into the UK, and after a period of quarantine they are released on Salisbury Plain. The first bustard nest from the project was in 2007, and there were further nests in 2008 but the eggs from those clutches were infertile. In 2009 the oldest males became sexually mature, and the first Great Bustard chicks for 177 years were hatched in the wild in England. Despite predictions that the inexperienced females would not successfully rear chicks, two were fledged, although sadly one was predated shortly after fledging. Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Conservation Director, said: ‘Restoring lost wildlife and lost landscapes to Britain are among the RSPB’s most important objectives. The encouraging signs that the return of the Great Bustard is edging closer is fantastic news. There are still some noticeable species gaps in England, but we will strive to restore some of those species which man has thoughtlessly removed over successive generations.’ The reintro- duction project has been led by the GBG and costs £130,000 a year. The RSPB provides some funding and shares the expertise of its staff. Durham Bird Club wins £30,000 on the Lottery Durham Bird Club has been awarded £30,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund for an innovative new avifauna of the county. The Birds of Durham Her- itage Project is much more than a book, however, although it will culminate in the publication of the first overview of the county’s birds for 60 years. The project sets out to ‘Bring the wildlife of the past to the people of tomorrow’. Besides a county avifauna, the project partners are planning a programme of public events, lec- tures and guided walks, the creation of bird her- itage interpretation panels and production of a suite of online resources, all of which will tell the tale of the county’s bird heritage. The project is being led by the Durham Bird Club, with support from the Durham Upland Bird Study Group, the Durham Wildlife Trust, the Natural History Society of Northumbria and the Teesmouth Bird Club. Paul Anderson, Chairman of the Durham Bird Club, said: ‘The Club has long harboured an ambi- tion to produce a new county avifauna and now, with the offer of magnificent support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we will be able to achieve this aim, and so much more. Ultimately, the Birds of Durham Heritage Project has been created to lead people to a greater appreciation of the county’s birdlife, and the history attached to it.’ He added: ‘This project is, of course, a huge task for an amateur club such as ours, but through the support of the HLF and our partner organisations, we have been able to appoint a consultant as a pro- fessional project co-ordinator. Our chosen project co-ordinator is Keith Bowey, who was previously the project manager for the multi-award-winning Northern Kites Project and will be well known to many people across the Northeast for his work on Red Kites and other wildlife in the region.’ British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 554-557 557 Rarities Committee news Richard Schofield confirmed as new BBRC member Following the request in BB (p. 313) and elsewhere for candidates to replace our longest-serving member, John Sweeney, in June 2010, Chris Mclnerny was nominated by Bob McGowan and seconded by Ron Forrester. Consequently, there was an election to decide whether Chris or the BBRC nominee, Richard Schofield, would join the Committee. The election was carried out as per item 2.2.4 of our Constitution (see www.bbrc. org.uk/constitution.pdf). Both nominees met the criteria for BBRC membership and had a sound knowledge of the Scottish birding scene. It was clearly a difficult decision for the voters (representing recording areas and bird observa- tories) and both candidates received broad support. However, Richard Schofield was the winner and is confirmed in post, along with Steve Votier, who has been co-opted to the Committee, and Nic Hallam, who has also been confirmed in post as a serving member unopposed after his year co-opted. The recent turnover in BBRC membership, owing to unforeseen circumstances for individual members, has led us to review our current process for rotating membership. If we maintain our current policy of annual retirement for the longest-serving member, the next retirement would be James Lidster in 2011, which would mean that James had served a term of only five years. As a result of the potential impact on the collective knowledge of the Committee, a decision was made to postpone annual retirement and offer all current Committee members a minimum term of eight years and a maximum of ten. Our consti- tution will be reworded to reflect this change. There will still be the opportunity for other candi- dates to be nominated during the coming year for the position vacated by Lance Degnan, to which Steve is currently co-opted but, assuming that all members decide to serve their full minimum term, the next retirement and new position will not arise until April 2014. Adam Rowlands BBRC British Birds RaritiesCommittee BBRC is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd Chairman Adam Rowlands, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 1 7 3BY; e-mail chair@bbrc.org.uk Secretary Nigel Hudson, Post Office Flat, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OLL; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early July to early August 20 1 0. Headlines Unusually it was the heron family that deserves first mention, with a pair of Little Bitterns breeding in Somerset and a colony of Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia in Norfolk (see pp. 556-557), as well as the successful Purple Herons in Kent, 558 a handful of Cattle Egrets (though none in southwest England) and Black Storks in Devon and Kent. A Madeiran Storm-petrel off Galley Head would be the second for Ireland, if accepted. Inland, there were good records for Staffordshire (Franklin’s Gull) and Nottinghamshire (Baird’s Sandpiper), while other rare waders included a Pacific Golden Plover, three Semipalmated Sand- © British Birds 103 • September 2010 • 558-560 Recent reports pipers and a Terek Sandpiper, and the long-staying White- tailed Lapwing at Dungeness still pulled in the crowds. A popular Whiskered Tern in Cleveland and an early Paddyfield Warbler in Shetland were also note- worthy. 304. Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis, 10 km southeast of St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, August 2010. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Mins- mere (Suffolk), long- stayer to 8th August; Chew Valley Lake (Avon), presumed returning male, 8th August. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Filey Brigg (Yorkshire) long-stayer to 25th July, same West Runton/Sheringham, 27th July and Win- terton (all Norfolk), 28th July; Burra, 17th July then Wester Quarff (both Shetland), 31st July. Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus During pelagics off Scilly, two 17th July, singles 22nd, 26th, 28th July and 6th August; Galley Head (Co. Cork), seven, 18th July; Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), three, 19th July; Sher- ingham, then Cley (Norfolk), 23rd July. Madeiran Storm- petrel Oceanodroma castro , Galley Head, 18th July. (Essex), 25th-26th July; Ingrebourne Valley (Greater London), 30th July; Dungeness (Kent), 1 st— 8 1 h August; Eyebrook Resr (Leicestershire & Rutland), 3rd-4th August; Needingworth GP (Cambridgeshire), 8th August. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from: Cambridgeshire, Co. Cork, Hampshire, Kent, Nottinghamshire, Som- erset and Co. Wexford. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Dungeness (Kent), at least one breeding adult and a juvenile to 8th August; Little Bittern Ixo- brychus minutus Walton Heath (Som- erset), breeding pair, at least one remaining to 5th August. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Doxey Marshes (Stafford- shire), 25th-29th July; Vange Marsh 305. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius, Dunster, Somerset, July 2010. British Birds 1 03 • September 2010 * 558-560 559 Gary Thoburn Ashley Fisher Stef McElwee Recent reports 306. Juvenile Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, Cleveland, July 20 1 0. Sandwich Bay (Kent), 25th July; Summer Leys (Northamptonshire), 25th-27th July. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Burrator Resr (Devon), 2nd August; Sevenoaks (Kent), 4th August. Black Kite Milvus migrans Lavenham (Suffolk), 12th July. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Cley, 14th July; Breydon Water (Norfolk), 7th August. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Oronsay (Argyll), 26th July; Sutton Bridge (Lincolnshire), 7th August. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva South Uist (Outer Hebrides), 4th-8th August. White-tailed Lapwing Vanellus leu- curus Dungeness, long-stayer to 21st July. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Lady’s Island Lake and Tacumshin Lake (Co. Wexford), 1 1 th— 12th July; Port Carlisle (Cumbria), 29th July to 5th August; Lodmoor (Dorset), 4th— 5th August. White- rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Breydon Water, two, 18th July, at least one to 19th; Saltholme Pools (Cleveland), 28th July; Tacumshin Lake, 30th July to 2nd August; Gibraltar Point (Lincolnshire), 8th August. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Idle Valley (Nottinghamshire), 6th-9th August. Buff- breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Titchwell (Norfolk), long-stayer to 17th July; Collieston (North-east Scot- land), 2nd and 7th August. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolo- paceus Caerlaverock (Dumfries & Gal- loway), 2nd August. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Blennerville (Co. Kerry), 12th— 22nd July. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis mac- ularius Dunster (Som- erset), 17th July. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Inner Marsh Farm (Cheshire), 31st July to 7th August. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla , Ballycastle (Co. Antrim), 7th July to 4th August. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan Chasewater, 1 5th— 24th and 29th-30th July, then Gailey Resr (both Staffordshire), 31st July to 1st August. Amer- ican Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus, Blennerville (Co. Kerry), 11th July to 5th August. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Henham Park (Suffolk), 17th July. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Saltholme Pools/ Dorman’s Pool (Cleveland), 28th July to 8th August. Alpine Swift Apus melba Berry Head (Devon), 15th July; Summer Leys, 17th July; South Ronaldsay (Orkney), 3rd-7th August. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus Walder- slade (Kent), long-stayer again 14th July. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Thorpe- next-Haddiscoe (Norfolk), long-stayer to 16th July. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Unst (Shetland), 6th August. European Serin Serinus serinus Rainham Marshes (Greater London/Essex), 7th August. 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If you are keen to see or photograph the birds of East Anglia, then your trip really isn’t complete without a visit to Warehouse Express, where you will receive a warm welcome and a shared enthusiasm. For more information, visit www.warehouseexpress.com, call 01603 208462 or visit www.twitter.com/wextweets. /“Xi on photography o express W Classified advertising Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds. Copy deadline: 10th of the month. 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 Optical Equipment Birdwatching Holidays Birdwatching Holidays 240 SPECIES INCLUDING SEA Eagles Spectacular Coastal scenery Unforgettable BIRDWATCHING "‘T'iK-foyget-bubte ( " SKYE THE ISI AND & LOCH Al SH www.skye.co.uk Binoculars & Telescopes Top Makes, Top Models, Top Advice, Top Deals, Part Exchange Show Room Sales 01925 730399 FOCALPOINT www.fpoint.co.uk Creditldebit cards accepted Books SECOND NATURE Secondhand/antiquarian books on birds/natural history bought/sold. Back Lane, Knapton, York Y026 6QJ. Tel: 01904 339493. E-mail: SecondnatureYork@aol.com www.secondnaturebooks.com BACK NUMBERS of bird and natural history periodicals. Free catalogue from D. & D. H. W. Morgan, The Pippins, Allensmore, Hereford HR2 9BP. E-mail: stjamestree@uk2.net, www.birdjournals.com Holiday Accommodation Overseas MADEIRA WIND BIRDS - Selvagens Islands Expeditions, Madeira Land and Sea Birdwatching, www.madeirawindbirds.com and www.madeirabirds.com FOR SALE In stunning location on Shetland’s Island of Birds UNST 1st floor flat, Muckle Flugga Shore Station, adjacent Hermaness NNR. 3bed, sitting/diner, kitchen, bathroom, garage, double glazing, c.h. Garden list includes Blyth’s, Marsh, GR Wblr, Hoopoe, RbFIy, C Rose, rare moths & Orcas! Offers over £80,000 are invited Further particulars/Home Report from: Anderson & Goodlad, 52 Commercial St., Lerwick, Shetland ZEI OBD tel.: 01 595 692297 or e-mail solicitors@anderson-goodlad.co.uk or e-mail owner: wendy@muckleflugga.shetland.co.uk Pager Service A NEW FLEXIBLE bird news service from Rare Bird Alert Now wherever you go birding in Britain you can instantly turn on birdnews for that area! CALL today or go onlline for more information www.rarebirdalert.com Tel: 01603 457016 •Wl 3 r ) | £jl Larger format BB Binders are available in the following options: Wirex - Royal Blue or Brown, Cordex - Brown only. We also now have in stock binders for the old size (A5) BB available in Brown Wirex only. Price for all binders: £8.95 each Either complete and return the attached order form, call the British Birds office or order online at ^2JTO2^^^^Wjusing our secure site. Please supply Binder(s) in: □ Royal Blue Wirex Q Brown Wirex Brown Cordex Brown Wirex (old size) at £8.95 each. I enclose my cheque for £ payable to British Birds. Name: Address: Tel No: Post Code: British Birds, 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel and Fax: 01 424 755155 : E-mail : subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk REPAIRS & SERVICING OF ^ BINOCULARS & TELESCOPES Optrep Optical Repairs 50th YEAR IN OPTICS www.opticalrepairs.com 01243 601365 E-mail: info@opticalrepairs.com Optrep (Ref: BB), 16 Wheatfield Road, Selsey, West Sussex PO20 ONY (5 minutes from Pagham HLNR) for articles, news, subscriptions, back issues, binders and much more besides . . . www.britishbirds.co.uk Kay Optical (1962) UNRIVALLED EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND SERVK • Sales & Repairs • Binoculars • Telescopes • Tripods, e www.kayoptical.co.uk and www.bigbinoculars.co.uk 89(B) London Rood, Morden, Surrey SM4 5HP Tel: 020 8648 8822 Fax: 020 8687 2021 Email: info@koyoptital.co.uk Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 (lunch 1-2) Location: Southern edge of Greater London. 15 mins drive from M25. (for example via the A3, then take the A298 Wimbledon/Merton slip-road) 2 mins walk from Morden underground (turn right). See our website for o Parking: 50 yards past our premises - first left ■ Mail order ■ Same day despatch • Part exchange > Used items ■ Package deals > Credit available Field Alternative venues to Morden at which you can try and buy our equipment in the field are given below. We aim to show our full range of equipment Hnwc but 11 he*Ps us 10 y°u y°u ,et us know your interests before each L/Uyb field Day. Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 1 0.00am to 4.00pm usi Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Riverhead and Sevenoaks - Bat and Ball Station 5 Sept, 3 October, 7 Nov, 5 December Pagham Harbour LNR On the B2145 into Selsey, West Sussex 26 Sept, 31 October Dinton Pastures Country Park Near Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh and Winnersh Station (B3030) 12 Sept, 14 Nov College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 near Bulbourne, Tring, Herts. 10 October Bough Beech 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. 1 9 Sept, 1 7 October, 21 Nov, 12 Dec Canon, Helic Kowa, Leica Manfrofto, Miyauchi, Nikon, Opticron, Optolyth, Sentinel, Swarovski, Zeiss, etc. Used items al: on our web sil For subsequent Field Day dates, phone or see our website Swarovski I Leica I Zeiss I Opticron I Nikon I Authorised Main Dea 01872 263444 www.swoptics.co SLRs, Compacts & Adapters Nikon D300s Body £1249 Nikon D90 with 18- 105mm lens £899 Nikon D5000 with 18-55VR lens £599 Nikon D3000 with 18-55VR lens £479 Nikon Coolpix PI 00 see Web SLR Digiscopmg Adapter FSA-L2 for EDG £ 599 Lenses Nikon 70-300mm f/4 5 5 6 ED VR £499 Nikon 300mm f/4D IF-ED AF-S Nikon Teleconvertor TC-20E ill Nikon Teleconvertor TC-14II ♦ TC-17U £379 Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM £759 See Web for other available lenses Ufet- \j|f i Tripods Jobu Gimbal Junior Kit Jobu Black Widow Gimbal Jobu Gimbal BWG - PRO £479 Velbon Geo E540 with ph-1570 head £199 Velbon Geo E640 wrth ph- 157Q head £209 Manfrotto Tripods see Web -®\ Accessories *rnm SLR T Mounts £18 .Tf* Car Window Mount £42 T*1 Velbon Hide Clamp HC-2528 £40 Calotherm Cleaning products ‘1 see Web Zeiss / Swarovski Cleaning Kits see Web Lexar SD and CF Memory Cards see Web Binoculars Swarovski New EL 8 5x42 Swarovislon £1595 ► A Swarovski New EL 10x42 Swarovislon £1660 Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 8x42 £1159 w Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 1 0x42 £1189 r Leica Ultravid HD 8x42 £1399 Leica Ultravid HD 10x42 £1469 View our new blog... www.swopticsphoto.com for the latest images www.swoptics.co.uk Gift Vouchers Available All prices are subject to change please check website for current prices E&EO Swarovski Scopes & Digiscoping ATM 80 HD with 25-50x Zoom & Case £2399 ATM 65 HD with 25-50x Zoom & Case £1899 Swarovski UCA Adapter £239 Swarovski DCA Adapter £159 Swarovski TLS 800 SLR Adapter £399 Swarovski Telescope Rail £112 Zeiss Scopes & Digiscoping Diascope 85 r FL LT 20-60x Zoom & Case £ 1 799 Zeiss Digital Adapter £299 Zeiss SLR Adapter £329 Coming Soon Zeiss Photoscope New Diascope Range due April 2010 see Web see Web Leica Scopes & Digiscoping APO Televid HD 82. 25-50X Zoom 4 Case £2475 APO Televid HD 65, 25-50X Zoom 4 Case £1999 Leica Digital Adapter 3 £349 Leica Digital Adapter 4 £79 Leica D-Lux 4 with 4GB SD Card £529 Leica Trica Tripod with DHi Fluid Head £519 Opticron Scopes & Digiscoping HR66 GA ED i8-54x HDF Zoom 4 Case £699 ES80 GA ED 20-60zHDF Zoom 4 Case £679 SDL £oom Eye-piece £229 OptkM UDCA Adapter £96 Opticroh SLR Telephoto Adapter £149 Opticron Panasonic Lumix FS7 Camera Kit £249 'W Binoculars Opticron DBA Oasis 8x42 & 10x42 £539 Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 £339 Opticron Verano BGA 8x42 £295 Opticron Countryman BGA T PC 8x42 £249 Opticron Taiga 8x25 & 10x25 £89 Opticron Gallery Scope 8x20 (ctoae focus) £70 outh West Optics la River Street Truro Cornwall UK TR1 2SJ 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com OPTIC Don’t miss our 201 I bargain birding selection Argentina (Andes) 9 days -£2,495 Western Australia 12 days -£3,395 Australia (Queensland) 13 days - from £3,495 Bolivia (Lowlands) 10 days- £1,795 Bolivia (Highlands) 12 days- £2,195 Borneo (Sabah) 10 days -£2,495 Botswana 10 days -£2,095 Brazil 10 day- £1,695 Colombia 12 days -£2,795 Colombia (Central & West) 12 days -£2,795 Amazonian Ecuador 1 1 days -£2,295 Ecuador (Antpittas) 10 days- £1,995 Ecuador (Choco) 12 days- £2,195 Ecuador (Cock-of-the-Rock) 9 days T £1,695 Naturetrek Ecuador (South-east) 1 3 days -£2,495 Ecuador (South-west) 12 days -£2,395 Ecuador (Tumbesian Endemics) 9 days- £1,995 Ethiopia 10 days- £1,695 Ethiopian Endemics 10 days- £1,695 Florida 9 days- £1,895 Gambia 12 days- £1,595 Ghana 9 days - £2,095 India A wide range of tours 9-16 days -from £1,495 Kazakhstan 9 days- £1,895 Kenya 10 days- £1,895 Malawi 10 days -£2,095 Morocco 10 days -from £1,395 Nepal A wide range of tours 9-12 days -from £1,695 Panama (Canopy Tower) 9 days -from £1,995 Peru (Andean Endemics) 1 2 days -£2,495 South Africa (Kruger) 10 days -£1,995 South Africa’s Western Cape 10 days -£2,095 Sri Lanka 10 days- £1,795 Thailand 10 days- £1,895 Uganda 9 days -from £1,795 Venezuela (Andean Endemics) 9 days- £1,995 Venezuela (Llanos) 9 days- £1,995 Venezuela (Off the Beaten Track) 9 days — £1,895 Zambia 9 days -from £2,195 ( T HU ST) >4116 HOLIDAYS WITH 100% FINANCIAL PROTECTION IATA www.naturetrek.co.uk 0 1 962 73305 1 info@naturetrek.co.uk Cheriton Mill, Cheriton, Alresford, Hampshire, S024 ONG m m . M . s' § { 1 1 9 y ! 99 HI I \ ft '19 HjS& ) kS^m a~- Nikon's latest glass and lens coating technologies you unparalleled clarity and colour fidelity throughc your field of view, while legendary ergonomics ens comfortable and intuitive use for hours on end. See nature the way it deserves to be seen: througl Nikon. . ■e 1917 /. nikon.co.uk 730 770 Nikon Sport Op THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 6 OCT 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY ritish Birds ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: c/o Chappell Cole & Co, Heritage House, 34 North Cray Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LZ British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors Sec www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney, Steve Votier Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OPA; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non exclusive, royalty-free> copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. 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See www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/promotions.htm for terms and conditions. 5 GA ED or HR 66 GA ED/45 £699 ) GA ED or HR 80 GA ED/45 £849 nited period claim a Free Birdwatcher's Pro Tripod (SRP £168) with any purchase of an HR ED Fieldscope plus ■piece from a participating stockist. See www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/promotions.htm for terms and conditions. ED Fieldscopes ;ned and engineered without compromise, HR ED fieldscopes deliver itional performance, sublime handling and total reliability. Features include: /in ED 5 element APO objective lens system for ibeatable resolution figures ^htweight nitrogen gas filled magnesium body, fully otected in soft touch textured rubber armour xiated N-type coating throughout for maximum ightness and excellent colour contrast ide wheel focusing, retractable lens hood with egrated objective lens cover rge footprint +/- 90° rotating tripod sleeve lly compatible with SDL, HDF & HR eyepieces lephoto option for SLR photography i year guarantee SDLv2 1 8-54x/24-72x £259 8-54x/24-72x £229 r 20xWW/27xWW £129 r 28xWW/38xWW £149 ; of telephoto options available more information on the complete range of icron equipment and a copy of our current Product Guide 01582 726522 or visit us online at www.opticron.co.uk 470, Unil 21, Titan Court, LaporteWay, Luton, Beds, LU4 8YR, UK Fax: 01582 723559 Email: salescoplicron.co.uk BIRDGUIDES-f better birding through technology Birds of Northern Europe for iPhone □ Available on the AppStore www.birdguides.com/iPhone Subscription Services BIRD NEWS EXTRA - internet service for birdwatchers who want to see more birds. What's about in any county Where to look for any species What's been seen near you Subscription to our online magazine with over 1 700 articles Searchable archive of sightings since 2000 BIRD NEWS BRONZE: Annual subscription to 1 service £40.00 (includes free webzine) BIRD NEWS SILVER: Annual subscription to 2 services £50.00 (includes free webzine) BIRD NEWS GOLD: Annual subscription to 3 services £60.00 (includes free webzine) BIRD NEWS PLATINUM: Annual subscription to all 4 services £70.00 (includes Iris Pro + free webzine) V, BWPr BWP/ is the most comprehensive ornithological multimedia reference work ever published, covering every species you are ever likely to encounter in Europe. Definitive information on over 970 species, six million words of text, over 5,500 annotated illustrations, over 2,700 video clips, maps, comprehensive audio recordings and powerful new software features compatible with both Windows and Macintosh. 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Imagine integrating your own personal photo library with this definitive reference. audio recordings of both songs and calls annotated illustrations by top bird artists superb portrait photographs for many species definitive text accounts from the Concise edition of Birds of the Western Palearctic information on typical behaviour, identification and plumage variations images showing nests, eggs and flight shots detailed distribution maps for Europe quick search by species name or part of name bird names organised alphabetically or by family, with collapsible headings intuitive navigation using gestures and flip-to-horizontal mode pinch zooming for visual assets species names available in 15 languages EMAIL ALERT - select which news you're interested in and we send you an email whenever there's news that fits your criteria (ora personal daily bulletin). Works with PDAs, BlackBerrys & iPhones. BIRD NEWS ANYWHERE it's just like looking up sightin gs on the internet, except you can do it from anywhere using your mobile phone, iPhone or iPod Touch or PDA. You can retrieve the latest details of any bird in any county or all the latest sightings near you. BIRD TEXT ALERT -we alert you automatically of the latest sightings by sending you a personalised SMS text message when we have news that matches your specified interests (includes 100 free SMS credits). Monthly subscription to any 1 service (includes free webzine) Only £5 All prices correct at time ol going to press Order online or call 0800 91 93 91 ** (outside UK +44 1909 560 992) www.birdguides.com BirdGuirtes, PO Box 4104. Sheffield. S2S9BS at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve 30th & 31st October Wickham I'l H y. We will once again be holding one of our popular Optics Weekends in the delightful surroundings of Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve. 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New: Victory DiaScope ZEIS We make it v British Birds Volume 103 • Number 10 • October 2010 562 S3 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Nigel Hudson and the Rarities Committee THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - 6 CCT 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY FSC Mixed Sources British Birds aims to: * provide an up-to-date magazine for everyone interested in the birds of the Western Palearctic; * publish a range of material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy as well as the latest ornithological news and book reviews; * maintain its position as the journal of record; and interpret scientific research on birds in an easily accessible way. © British Birds 2010 ZEISS Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Nigel Hudson and the Rarities Committee This is the 52nd annual report of the British Birds Rarities Committee. After the milestone of our 50th anniversary in 2009, it feels somewhat like a return to business as usual. However, we continue to endeavour to improve our operations and procedures and this year brought a signifi- cant advance in the means by which we share files electronically. That may not sound earth-shattering but it has helped voting members to process records more quickly, to everyone’s benefit. While efficiency is always an important goal, we are conscious that it should not be at the expense of quality. Our ability to process decisions more quickly and then report them automatically via the Work in Progress files on the BBRC website (www.bbrc.org.uk) may lead to decisions reaching the public domain without the benefit of a final consensus check for the Committee, or without the opportunity to fully explain the circumstances and situation. In particular, two examples during the current year have caught the attention of the birding community. These are the putative Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens in the Home Counties in late winter/early spring 2009, and the series of ‘orange-billed’ and Elegant Tern Sterna elegans claims that the Committee has been investigating for some time. Various different aspects of our regular procedures are associated with these records, but the fundamental issue under- lying the decision-making process is broadly similar in both cases. The tern files had been circulating for several years and had increased in both volume and complexity throughout that period. Their origin lay in the days when BBRC files were entirely paper-based and travelled around the country in the hands of 562 the Royal Mail. Their progress in this format stuttered and faltered as each member tried to resolve the situation and reach a conclu- sion. Throughout this period new informa- tion was arriving from Europe, where birds bearing a significant resemblance to some of the British claims were visiting, and some- times lingering in, Sandwich Tern S. sandvi- censis colonies. This proved valuable in some respects, with evidence that some of these birds were considered to be Elegant Terns (and news that Elegant Tern genes had been identified in material obtained from one of the individuals, although that particular bird was considered to be a hybrid on morpholog- ical characters). Eventually, one of our members took it upon himself to bring a fresh approach to the assessment and pre- sented an impressive case, advocating that the series of records from Devon in 2002 should in fact be considered as separate individuals. This analysis has not yet led to a unanimous conclusion among BBRC members, however, and we are still awaiting further input from Europe. The Spanish Rarities Committee is currently not accepting any claims of Elegant Tern (and is waiting for the results of genetic analyses of blood samples from an orange- billed tern near Valencia), while the French are continuing their investigations, including an involvement with the Spanish molecular work. Nonetheless, we felt that there was a need to retain some momentum with our apparently long-winded deliberations. There- fore, we resolved to pass the files on to BOURC, subject to a potential revision of the- BBRC recommendations should the Euro- pean analyses provide significant new results. The gull file is quite different. For a start, there is no stack of VHS video footage to analyse, and no weight of printed material to © British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 wade through. There are, however, plenty of web-based images, digital video and discus- sion, a fair proportion of which became available to the Committee after we had reached a preliminary decision based on the description and images submitted from one of the locations that the bird visited. We reached a fairly quick decision based on this initial evidence, but it was soon apparent that we needed to revisit that early decision as more material became available. At the time of writing, investigations are still progressing and the initial decision has been pended until the outcome of the full circulation relating to all the observation dates is available. While the procedural circumstances that led to these announcements are rather dif- ferent, the challenges facing the Committee in reaching a decision are similar. Both involve species groups that are prone to hybridisation and the challenge is to deter- mine where the boundaries of an ‘acceptable’ individual lie. The birds themselves are fasci- nating and it would be a shame to have to consider relegating any of them to a cursory Not Proven entry at the end of the report - should the outcome be that they appear unsafe to accept as confirmed representatives of their respective species. Our intention is to publish papers relating to these files in due course, but the final resolution may still be some time away. We hope that the birding community will support a longer process to achieve a more robust outcome rather than a rushed decision that may require future revision. On the subject of long-winded processes, the reviews and recirculations of records of Redhead Aythya americana, North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffmus baroli, Great Snipe Gallinago media and Royal Tern Sterna maxima continue. The Great Snipe review has now progressed to one that is likely to consider winter records only. The Druridge Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris review continues, with Committee members now able to view every single individual frame of the submitted video footage, thanks to work by Martin Collinson and his col- leagues at Aberdeen University. We have opted to allow each member to review the files individually and submit their provi- sional comments and vote on the review independently. At the end of this process the comments and votes will be circulated to all and a final decision will be made. Since this record is currently accepted, a majority vote in favour of Not Proven will be required to change that outcome. Once again, a final decision may be some time away. Completed or near-complete reviews include: the southern skuas Stercorarius skua antarcticus/hamiltoni/lonnbergi/maccormicki (with two records published here and another en route back to BOURC), Ehren- berg’s Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus (which will require liaison with BOURC before the final decision can be determined), and Hornemann’s Redpolls Carduelis h. hornemanni, many of which are published here. A paper on the identification criteria for the redstarts has already been published (Brit. Birds 102: 84-97), but we hope to prepare papers on the other reviews in due course. These will follow other reviews published in the past 12 months, relating to the Green Farm Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata (Brit. Birds 102: 617-621), Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans (Brit. Birds 103: 142-183), ‘Amur Wagtails’ Motacilla alba leu- copsis (Brit. Birds 103: 268-275), ‘Siberian Chiffchaffs’ Phylloscopus collybita tristis (Brit. Birds 103: 320-338), Yellow-nosed Alba- trosses Thalassarche chlororhynchos (Brit. Birds 103: 376-384) and ‘Eastern Woodchat Shrikes’ Lanius senator niloticus (Brit. Birds 103: 385-395). The focus of these papers has been largely on the identification criteria that have evolved from the Committee’s delibera- tions, reflecting a key objective of the BBRC to ensure that we share this information as it evolves. While the efforts to expand the species comments in our annual report have been generally well received, we are often asked why we do not attribute comments to indi- vidual authors. When we made the decision to expand the comments, we moved away from the traditional practice where one or two different members each year were responsible for writing all the comments for a report. Nowadays, all of the Committee members are involved in preparing the com- ments. Each member takes about five or six species and drafts a comment that remaining members then have the opportunity to British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 563 Hudson et al. review and contribute to. Although we have discussed attributing comments to the orig- inal author, we feel that the process is a col- lective one and that the comments should reflect the Committee’s view rather than individual member’s views. This is equally true of the papers in the series ‘From the Rarities Committee’s Files’, although in these instances the main authors are credited, as it is felt that the series title reflects the collective input of the wider Committee. The year 2010 has also witnessed the first membership election during my tenure as chairman (Brit. Birds 103: 558). Although a membership election is always rather stressful and uncomfortable for the nomi- nees, we are very grateful that people are willing to stand and we remain convinced that the process is imperative to retain the democratic values at the heart of our consti- tution. Indeed, there is the possibility of another election in the coming months, to confirm the appointment of Lance Degnan’s successor (a post to which Steve Votier is cur- rently co-opted). However, we are conscious that, in recent years, changes in the personal circumstances of several previous members have led to a series of unavoidable early retirements. And, if we retained the current protocol of an annual retirement of the longest-serving member, that would translate into a five-year term rather than the average 8-10 years that has been a more typical stint for voting members. We are therefore pro- posing to amend our constitution to allow all members the opportunity to serve a minimum term of eight years. This is impor- tant for ensuring consistency with decisions and developing the collective knowledge and experience of Committee members. Moving on to an analysis of the year’s records, the following table might suggest that 2009 was a relatively lean year for rarities compared with the impressive numbers in 2008. In the past 12 months, BBRC has reviewed 521 records relating to the main year of the report (i.e. 2009), compared with 727 in the preceding 12 months. However, if the c. 200 records from 2008 of the two species removed from the list on 1st January 2009 (White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii and Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis) are taken out of the equation, the two years were virtually 564 2009 2008 2007 Acceptances - current year 459 660 527 Not Proven - current year 62 67 81 Acceptances - previous years 104 103 57 Not Proven - previous years 50 40 32 TOTAL 675 870 697 Corrections 11 22 34 Number of taxa in accepted records 113 134 130 identical. Nonetheless, the number of taxa considered by the Committee was the lowest for some time, meaning that 2009 was gen- uinely leaner in terms of the variety of rare species and subspecies. The table suggests that the number of corrections appearing in each report is falling and we hope that this represents the success of the improved com- munication channels between observers, recorders and BBRC that have been intro- duced by our current Secretary. The acceptance rate returned to the 84% of 2007 and it appears that last year’s high of 87% was skewed by the influx of Cattle Egrets (which accounted for nearly a quarter of all records considered, and of which 97% were accepted). We still consider records of images submitted to BirdGuides (www.birdguides.com) and Rare Bird Alert (www.rarebirdalert.com) as valid submis- sions, but the number of occasions when we need to rely on records obtained by this route appears to be declining. In 2007, 4% of records were assessed in this way but in 2009 that figure had fallen to Just 1%. It appears that more observers are submitting evidence to support their finds, which is extremely encouraging given the overall shift in the opposite direction at county level and across Europe. We remain convinced that active co- operation from the birding community is the most effective route to a prompt and com- , prehensive annual report of rare birds and we are keen to maintain and enhance this rela- tionship. Clearly, the web-based Work in Progress file is an important part of inter- acting with birders. British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Late submission has resulted in about 45 records (8%) not making this year’s report. Another 15 (<3%) have proved more diffi- cult for the Committee to assess and a final decision has not yet been made. We hope to include these records in the 2010 report, but we do continue to encourage observers to submit their records as soon as possible after the observation so that they have the best possible chance of being included in the report for the year concerned. All in all we are aware of about 15 records that are still outstanding, meaning that some 97-98% of the year’s records have been submitted for consideration, almost identical to the sub- mission rate for last year’s report. One partic- ularly important area that suffered from late documentation in 2009 was Fair Isle. We fully understand that the trials and tribulations associated with building a new observatory meant that there was less time for paperwork but nevertheless it remains a great disap- pointment to have an incomplete dataset from such a special island for rarities, and we hope that 2009 was a one-off. As always, the report includes some stun- ning rarities, and we report on the first records for Britain of Amur Falcon Falco amurensis , Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata, Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coro- natus and Citril Finch Serinus citrinella , together with the first and second ‘southern skuas’. Other highlights include: • 2nd Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata • 2nd, 3rd & 4th Brown-headed Cowbirds Molothrus ater • 3rd Baikal Teal Anas formosa, Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis, American Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis, Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla and Black- burnian Warbler Dendroica fusca • 4th & 5th Pacific Divers Gavia pacifica • 5th Royal Tern Sterna maxima, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis and Balearic Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator badius • 6th Oriental Pratincole Glareola mal- divarum • 6th & 7th Hudsonian Whimbrels Numen- ius phaeopus hudsonicus • 7th Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus and Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis • 8th & 9th Veerys Catharus fuscescens • 9th & 10th Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters Merops persicus We also have further reports of ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’ Aegithalos caudatus caudatus and ‘Black-bellied Dipper’ Cinclus cinclus cinclus, while ‘Ashy-headed Wagtail’ Motacilla flava cinereocapilla appears in the report for the first time since 1959 and the intergrade M. f. cinereocapilla x iberiae makes a first appearance. We intend to publish an update on the progress of other RIACT forms as a separate note in a forthcoming issue of BB and then to keep this up to date via the website to ensure that observers and recorders are informed about these files. A number of other ‘firsts’ remain in circulation as referred to in last year’s report (Brit. Birds 102: 530), but we are now also considering ‘Azorean Yellow-legged Gull’ Larus micha- hellis atlantis (although a formal claim of the individual from Cornwall is still awaited) and ‘Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler’ Sylvia cantil- lans moltonii, and have passed on a Fregetta petrel record to BOURC. The end of this report includes an eclectic group of species for which the origins of the individuals concerned were considered suspect. This is an issue that has exercised the Committee for decades; indeed, the following statement, from the introduction to the 1964 report, remains pertinent today: ‘A word is necessary on the problem of birds which have or may have escaped from captivity. The number, both of species and of individuals, imported into this country by dealers increases annually. Many species on our list, as well as others, which could occur in Britain in a wild state, either already are or may be kept in captivity. It is usually not pos- sible for us to establish with certainty whether any individual bird reported to us has, in fact, come from such a source - although we make every endeavour to do this - owing to the almost endless possibilities involved (for example, birds may escape from captivity on the Continent and then visit this country). Therefore, if any of our readers has information suggesting that a record pub- lished by us relates to an “escape”, we hope that they will let us know so that we may reconsider the matter... Before leaving this British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 565 Hudson et al. question, we would point out to observers that the “tameness” or “wildness” of an indi- vidual bird is often no indication of origin in this respect. Birds which are known to have escaped from captivity are often very “wild” and others which can hardly have done so are sometimes very “tame”.’ The species that cause the Committee the greatest headaches are Lesser White-fronted Anser erythropus and Red-breasted Geese Branta ruficollis , Baikal Teal Anas formosa , Bufflehead Bucephala albeola. Hooded Mer- ganser Lophodytes cucullatus and Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus. We will continue to endeavour to develop consistent criteria for assessing records of these species, but we greatly welcome any input from local birders or recorders who may have valuable informa- tion to inform our decisions. Should any clear criteria or patterns emerge, we intend to publish these, but at present we see no alter- native to continuing to review them on a case-by-case basis. It should be noted that it requires a majority of BBRC members to vote for suspect origin before an individual bird is considered unacceptable as wild. We can only make a judgement on the available evidence, and this is often (much) less definitive than that available to support the identification process. Consequently, birders can and do reach their own conclusions on the validity of these judgements. We would also like to take the opportunity to reiterate that species which are considered only in Category E may still have the opportunity to be considered for Category A by BOURC should a potential candidate for genuine vagrancy arrive, as happened with Hooded Merganser during the past decade. Adam Rowlands Chairman, BBRC Acknowledgments Once again, we wish to thank all the observers and photographers who sent details of their rare-bird observations to BBRC, either directly or via county recorders or the BirdGuides or Rare Bird Alert online galleries. We are extremely grateful to county and regional recorders and their records committees for the invaluable work that they undertake in supporting BBRC. We also thank all those individuals who updated information on earlier sightings, often following the posting of Work in Progress files throughout the year While they may not be acknowledged in the report, their contribution remains significant for improving the accuracy of the report. BirdGuides and Rare Bird Alert have continued to assist, particularly by enabling the submission of photographs for consideration by BBRC. We would particularly also like to thank the following individuals for their help in various Committee matters in the past 1 2 months: Per Alstrom, Nick Askew, Zul Bhatia, Jez Blackburn, Javier Blasco-Zumeta, Hans Bister Colin Bradshaw, Oscar Campbell, Martin Collinson, Greg Conway, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Ian Dawson, Alan Dean, Adrian Drummond-Hill, Steve Dudley, Bob Flood, Chris Gibbins, Robert Gillmor Mark Grantham, Andrew Harrop, Paul Harvey, Chris Kehoe, Steve Keightley, Peter Kennerley, Howard King.Yann Kolbeinsson.Juhani Kyyro, Paul Leader Rob Llewellyn, Tomas Lundquist, Graham Madge, John Martin, Bob McGowan, Killian Mullarney, Keith Naylor Dick Newell, Urban Olsson, Gerald Oreel. David Pearson, Mike Pope, Richard Porter Mike Prince, Magnus Robb and the Sound Approach team, Chris Rowland, Michael Schaad, Deryk Shaw, Jimmy Steele, Bryan Thomas, Reg Thorpe, Arnoud van den Berg, Edward van Ijzendoorn and Dave Walters. In addition, John Marchant continued in his role as Archivist and Brian Small in the role of Museum Consultant, while Ross Ahmed, Rob Fray, Andy Musgrove and Keith Naylor provided the Secretary with valuable support. The Dutch Birding editors kindly provided electronic copies of papers from their journal for reference purposes. We are also extremely grateful to Ian Lewington for producing our superb new logo, featuring a Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica; the BTO for their continued generosity in providing space and facilities for our archive; all the staff at the NHM.Tring, for their continued support; and last, but by no means least, the wives, partners and families of all BBRC members for their stoical resolve in allowing their husbands, partners and fathers to be associated with the whole process. BBRC continues to be supported financially by Carl Zeiss Ltd, and their support for the last 29 years has been invaluable in allowing the Committee to carry out its work. 566 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Systematic list of accepted records The principles and procedures followed in considering records were explained in the 1958 report {Brit. Birds 53: 155-158). The following points show the basis on which the list has been compiled: 1. The details included for each record are (1) county; (2) locality; (3) number of birds if more than one, and age and sex if known (in the case of spring and summer records, however, the age is normally given only where the bird concerned was not in adult plumage); (4) dates(s); (5) if trapped or found dead and where specimen is stored, if known; (6) if photographed or sound-recorded (and this evidence assessed by the Committee); and (7) observer(s), in alphabetical order. 2. In general, this report is confined to records which are regarded as certain, and ‘probables’ are not included. In cases of the very similar Eastern Phylloscopus orientalis and Western Bonelli’s Warblers P. bonelli , however, we publish indeterminate records, and this also applies to those of frigatebirds Fregata, Zino’s/Fea’s Petrels Pterodroma madeira/ feae and Booted Hippolais caligata and Sykes’s Warblers H. rama (see also Brit. Birds 94: 395). 3. The sequence of species, English names and scientific nomenclature follow the ‘British Birds’ List of Birds of the Western Palearctic ; see www.britishbirds.co.uk/ bblist.htm 4. The three numbers in parentheses after each species name refer specifically to the total number of individuals recorded in Britain (i) to the end of 1949, (ii) for the period since 1950, but excluding (iii) those listed here for the current year. The decision as to how many individuals were involved is often difficult, but a consensus view is represented by ‘presumed same’ (counted as the same in the totals) and counting those records for which it is less certain whether the birds involved were the same or not as different in the totals. An identical approach is applied to records of a particular species recurring at the same, or a nearby, locality after a lapse of time. In considering claims of more than one individual at the same or adjacent localities, the Committee requires firm evidence before more than one is accepted. 5. The breeding and wintering ranges for each species are given in parentheses at the end of each species account. 6. The following abbreviations have been used in the main text of the report: BO = Bird Observatory, CP = Country Park, GP = Gravel-pit, Resr = Reservoir, SF = Sewage-farm. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis (9, 65, 0) Hampshire Lymington and Hurst area, adult, 31st October 2008 to 6th February (M. P. Moody, S. P. Piggott, M. Ward et al), see also Brit. Birds 102: 532; also seen Sussex. Sussex Chichester Harbour, adult, 12th February to 8th March, photo (B. F. Forbes, A. C. Johnson et al.); also seen Hampshire. (Breeds Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia. Migrates SW to winter in coastal regions of W Black Sea in Romania & N Bulgaria. Small numbers regularly winter in the Netherlands, Greece & Turkey. Some may still use former wintering areas along Caspian Sea.) Baikal Teal Anas formosa (1,2,0) 2002 Oxfordshire Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt, male, 22nd-24th December, photo (S. Thomson et al.). 2001 Suffolk Minsmere, first-winter male, 18th November to 29th December, photo (P. Green, W. T. S. Miles et al); see Brit. Birds 95: 524, now on Category A. After a long and chequered history, this species finds itself once again on the British Fist. A recent review of the status of Baikal Teal was initiated by BOURC on the basis of evidence for natural vagrancy in Denmark, based upon the analysis of stable-hydrogen isotopes (Fox et al. 2007). Another analysis of stable-hydrogen isotopes, this time of feathers from a first-winter male Baikal British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 567 Steve Duffield Hudson et al. Teal shot in Essex in 1906, yielded very similar results to those from the bird collected in Denmark, strongly suggesting natural vagrancy (Votier et al. 2009). This, together with an inves- tigation of the captive status of Baikal Teal during the late nineteenth and early twentieth cen- turies, and the age and moult cycle of the Essex specimen, meant that it was accepted as the first for Britain (Elarrop & McGowan 2009). Following on from these results, the first-winter male at Minsmere, Suffolk, in 2001, at a suitable location and excellent time of year, was then accepted into Category A of the British List, while the Oxfordshire bird in 2002 also turned up at an expected time of year and with no indication of captive origin. (Breeds E Siberia from Yenisey River E to Anadyr & Kamchatka, N to 70°N. Winters South Korea & lower Yangtze River, China, with small numbers regular in E & S Japan.) Black Duck Anas rubripes (0, 34, 3) Cornwall Walmsley Sanctuary area, male, 16th September, photo (D. Julian, C. Selway et al), pre- sumed same as Colliford Resr 2007 (Brit. Birds 101: 520) and Bodmin 2008 (Brit. Birds 102: 533). Isles of Scilly Tresco, male, 10th December into 2010, photo (E. A. Fisher et al.). Shetland Loch of Hillwell, Mainland, two, male & female, 9th May, same Scatness, Mainland, 1 1th May, photo (G. F. Bell, P. V. Harvey, R. Riddington et al). (Breeds E North America from Labrador S to North Carolina & W to Manitoba. Most are resident or dispersive but N breeders migrate to winter in coastal SE USA.) Blue-winged Teal Anas discors ( 1 0, 220, 5) Cleveland Haverton Hole, adult male, 23rd September to 26th October, photo (M. A. Blick et al.), presumed same as Saltholme Pools 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 533. Hampshire Titchfield Haven, male, 28th August, photo (G. Barrett, R. A. Powell), presumed same IBM Lake, Cosham, 31st August, photo (T. M. J. Doran et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 409). Orkney Near Kirkwall, Mainland, male, 27th April, photo (A. E. Duncan, K. Woodbridge). Outer Hebrides Howmore, South Uist, three juveniles, two males, one female, 14th September, photo (S. E. Duffield et al.) (plate 307). 2008 Cleveland Saltholme Pools, adult male, 14th November, photo; previously accepted as a new bird but now presumed same as Haverton Hole 2007, Brit. Birds 102: 533. (Breeds from S Alaska, across much of temperate Canada to SC USA. Migratory, wintering in S USA, Mexico, Caribbean & N South America.) 307. Three juvenile Blue-winged Teals Anas discors (two males, one female), Howmore, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, September 2009. 568 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis (0, 145, 5) Argyll Loch Skerrols, Islay, female or first-winter male, 9th-24th January, photo (J. M. Dickson et al). East Glamorgan Cosmeston Lakes CP, first-winter male, 26th December 2008 to 2nd January, photo (G. N. Smith et al), see also Brit. Birds 102: 533-534, presumed same Cardiff Bay or Cosmeston Lakes CP, 3rd-14th and 19th January, 10th February to 8th May and 11th October into 2010, photo (per G. N. Smith, East Glamorgan Recorder). Nottinghamshire Holme Pierrepont, adult male, 26th October 2008 to 13th April, photo (A. M. Clewes et al), see also Brit. Birds 102: 533-534. Perth & Kinross Loch Leven, adult male, 24th-28th January, photo (J. S. Nadin, K. D. Shaw et al). Loch Leven, second adult male, 24th January to 18th February, photo (J. S. Nadin, K. D. Shaw etal), presumed same as Loch Leven December 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 533-534. Shetland Loch of Benston, Mainland, adult male, 12th May to 24th June, photo (M. S. Chapman, A. & L. Graham et al). Upper Forth Blair Drummond, adult male, 1 5th— 1 8th April (C. Pendlebury et al), presumed same as Blair Drummond 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 533-534. Warwickshire Draycote Water, adult male, 1st October to 2nd November, photo (per birding information services). Yorkshire Hornsea Mere, male, 13th-22nd April, photo (B. Richards etal). 2008 Berkshire Wraysbury GP and Queen Mother Resr, adult male, 5th— 1 5th October, photo (C. D. R. Heard et al). 2008 Cornwall Loe Pool and Helston Boating Lake, female, 4th November to 6th December, photo (A. Blunden, S. Bury et al). (Breeds from C Alaska through Canada to Hudson Bay & S to Washington & South Dakota. Isolated populations E of Great Lakes. Winters along both coastlines of USA, in E from New Jersey to Mexico, W Indies, C America to N Colombia.) King Eider Somateria spectabilis (68, 144, 5) Fife Kincraig, second-winter male, 25th December 2008 to 6th April, photo (M. Ramage per Fife Recorder); also seen Lothian. Kent Dungeness, adult male, 20th January (P. Beraet), presumed same Galloways and Lydd area, 14th- 15th February, photo (O. J. Leyshon et al); also seen Sussex. Lincolnshire Freiston Shore, male, 5th September to 18th October, photo (P. R. French et al). Lothian Aberlady and Yellowcraig, second-winter male, 2nd-7th February, photo (K. Gillon, M. Griffin et al); also seen Fife. Shetland Mousa Sound, adult male, 29th October 2008 to 2nd March (per Shetland Recorder), see also Brit. Birds 102: 534-535. Wadbister Voe and Laxfirth, Mainland, second-summer male, 3rd— 1 1 th April, perhaps since 30th March, photo (M. S. Chapman, C. & H. Hughson et al). Haroldswick, Unst, first-winter male, 21st December, photo (R. Brookes). Sussex Off Pett Level, adult male, 1 1 th— 1 3th January, photo (C. Dean et al), presumed same Pett Level, Rye and Camber area, 1 7th— 1 8th January, photo (per Sussex Recorder); also seen Kent. Yorkshire Flamborough Head, first-winter male, 25th-27th February, photo (J. Dobinson, S. Jackson et al). (Breeds from Kanin Peninsula E across Arctic Siberia, including Novaya Zemlya & W Svalbard, Arctic Alaska, N Canada & N Greenland. European population winters along ice-free coasts of White Sea, N Norway & Iceland. Pacific population winters in Bering Sea.) Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica (0, 3, 2) Avon Severn Beach, adult, 27th November (M. Hayes, R. F. Reader et al); also seen Gloucester- shire. Cornwall Long Rock Beach, Marazion, adult, 2nd November (F. Jiguet), presumed same Carnsew Pool, Hayle, 19th November to 9th December, photo (C. C. Barnard etal.) (plate 308). British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562—638 569 Matt Sallis Hudson et al. 308. Adult Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica, Carnsew Pool, Hayle, Cornwall, November 2009. Gloucestershire Slimbridge to Sharpness, Severn Estuary, adult, 1 8th— 19th November (M. J. McGill, G. Youdale et al.); also seen Avon. Pembrokeshire Llys-y-Fran Resr, adult, 25th-26th February (D. J. Astins, R. Dobbins et al.), presumed same as Llys-y-Fran Resr 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 535-536. (Breeds NE Siberia from lower Indigirka River E to Chukotskiy Peninsula, & N North America from Alaska E to Hudson Bay & S Baffin Island. Winters in Pacific Ocean, in Asia S to Japan & E China, & in North America S to Baja California & Sonora, Mexico.) Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris (I, 23, 2) Cornwall Porthgwarra, first- or second-year, 26th July (A. R. Jones, B. Mellow, S. Rogers, R. B. Wynn et al.). Isles of Scilly Off Peninnis, St Mary’s, fifth-year, 21st September, photo (E. A. Fisher, R. L. Flood, D. Thompson et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 410; plate 309). These two records helped to ensure that the first decade of the twenty-first century boasted more records of this spectacular bird than any previous decade during the BBRC era (see fig. 1). After a small peak in the 1960s, records of apparently new birds had been in steady decline until the upsurge in the current decade. This increase is set against an overall decline in the global popu- lation, attributed to the impact of incidental mortality in long-line and trawl fisheries (www.birdlife.org). Now with seven records (or rather individ- uals), southwest England edges ahead as the region where this species has been most fre- quently reported, closely followed by Scotland (six) and northeast England (four). However, an analysis of records by county reveals that York- shire has the most records (four), followed by Cornwall (three), with Scilly, Norfolk, the Outer Hebrides and the 'At sea’ category being the only other recording areas to exceed a single record. Fig. I. Records of Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris in Britain, 1 950-2009, by decade. 570 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 309. Fifth-year Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, off St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, September 2009. The July bird off Cornwall comes at the beginning of the autumn season, which is the peak period for observations in Britain (over two-thirds of records are between this date and early November). Adults represent the predominant age class of birds for which the age was recorded, being twice as frequent as immatures. Given this preponderance of adults, it seems highly likely that a number of records may refer to the same individuals returning to our waters, and the actual number of individuals may be less than the total given in the statistics above. However, the young birds this year demonstrate that new blood is still arriving. Howell (2010) offered valuable advice on the moult and ageing of this species at sea, updating the work of Jiguet (2000). If these criteria can be applied to help with accurate ageing of individuals, this will further benefit our understanding of the frequency of potential new arrivals, but we recognise that that is not so easy on distant birds seen from coastal headlands, when observers can be forgiven for enjoying the rare privilege of connecting with one of these southern giants in our waters. Bryan Thomas’s stunning photographs of the September bird from Scilly {Brit. Birds 102: plate 410; 103: 309) must represent some of the finest images of this species ever captured in the North Atlantic. (Breeds on islands in S South Atlantic & Indian Oceans. In non-breeding season, disperses N throughout southern oceans as far as Tropic of Capricorn.) Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeiralfeae (0, 35, 5) At sea Sea area Portland, 50 km south of Bridport, Dorset, 22nd August (P. Jones et al). Cornwall Porthgwarra, 30th August to 2nd September (R. N. Kelsh, J. R. McCallum, A. F. Mears, R. B. Wynn et al). Devon Prawle Point, 31st August (M. Darlaston). Budleigh Salterton, 20th October (C. Townend). Northumberland Fame Islands, 5th October (J. Mason, D. A. Still et al). 2007 Outer Hebrides Labost, Isle of Lewis, 24th August (T. ap Rheinallt). Phrases like ‘constantly moving target’ and ‘one surprise after another’ aptly describe the ongoing state of flux with regard to the identification, taxonomy and potentially occurring taxa of Ptero- droma petrels in the North Atlantic. In the case of breeding Pterodroma petrels in the northeast British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 571 Bryan Thomas James McCallum Hudson et al. Fea's Petrel/Petrels, Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra, August- September 2009. I Sighting 1 Sighting 30th August 09, 11.25-11.29 Moving west, just outside Runnel Stone Buoy cl ,5km Seen in good light when low cloud + fog cleared. At this distance appeared a similar mid grey tone above with fractionally paler rump and tail. Slightly darker bar across upper rump. Obvious dark face and top of head. > James McCallum The bird was on its own and the initial impression was similar to that of a great shearwater but soon it was clear that it wasn't this species. As soon as it showed its underside the combination of dark underwings and pale body made the identification straight forward. The body was gleaming white with no hint of a breast band. Due to all the excitement no other details were noted. ■‘*l > 31st August 09. 15.21 - 15.24 Moving west inside the Runnel Stone Buoy at cl km Overcast but bright. This bird looked a surprisingly dark lead grey above with minimal contrast between rump and tail but again having darker bar just visible across its back where the rear edge of the wings meet. In addition the tip of the tail was seen to be clearly darker. Sighting 3 2nd September 09 11.51 - 11.52 Moving west well inside Runnel Stone Buoy at 700m Head and neck markings _ as before. The bill could be seen to be relatively heavy but it was impossible to judge accurately during the time seen. I have no idea whether these sightings relate to one wandering individual or whether two or more birds were involved. Being unfamiliar with this group I have no experience as to how their field impressions can change in different light conditions. The white inner underwing coverts noted, as was exact shape of neck markings which appeared as a grey smudge finishing level with darker ear coverts. Dark face mask merging with top of head. Heavy rain showers. Periodically easing then the visibility would become good as the showers receeded out to sea and immediately seabirds commenced moving close inshore The light was not so different from that on 31st Aug but the plumage looked quite different being mid grey above with an obviously paler rump and tail. u n Body heavier and wings longer than Manx There was a suggestion of a darker 'M‘ pattern starting from the primaries moving diagonally across the coverts to meet on the rear scapulars and upper rump No darker tip to the tail was seen but the white flanks could be seen spilling over the rump. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae, Porthgwarra, Cornwall, August-September 2009. Atlantic, it has been said that ‘Calls, owing to their role in species-specific recognition in these birds, should be given priority over other charac- ters for species separation’ (Bre- tagnolle 1995). After Robb et al. (2008), there is no avoiding the fact that the Fea’s Petrels breeding on the Desertas (‘Desertas Petrels’) are now a poten- tial split (already adopted as a sepa- rate species by the Dutch CSNA and CDNA Commit- tees). When this is combined with new data on the at-sea appearance of ‘Desertas’, Fea’s and Zino’s Petrels (Shirihai et al. 2010), questions keep coming about the identifi- ability of this cryptic species complex in British waters. Perhaps so-called ‘pale-winged Zino’s’ may prove recognisable (though they are propor- tionally very rare), but otherwise our best hope of adding (or maintaining) species on the British List may well lie in the increasing use of data-logging technologies or satellite transmitters. British seawatchers should not be disheartened by the ‘cryptic taxa phenomenon’: it is an unavoidable reality of our day. Hearteningly, every account of the annual sprinkling of Zino’s/Fea’s Petrels is still replete with sparkling adjectives describing a very special encounter with nature. And what else is waiting to be added to the British List? A new Pterodroma might not be too far away. During the short period of assessing 2009 records, BBRC members found themselves looking at an old record of Black-capped Petrel P. hasitata and a submission from an experienced seawatcher of a petrel thought to be Herald Petrel P. arminjoniana or possibly even an Atlantic, Petrel P. incerta. Meanwhile, a credible-looking Soft-plumaged Petrel P. mollis was photographed by Graham Catley off northern Norway in July 2009, and in January 2010 news broke of a Bermuda Petrel P. cahow tagged with a data logger which indicated that it may have come very close to Irish waters (note that the margin for error using this form of recording is ± 200 km). The target might be moving, the potential species list growing, the taxonomy in flux, but the 572 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Pterodroma petrels, cryptic or other- wise, remain a magnificent sea- watching quarry. (Zino’s confined to mountains of Madeira where entire world population is c. 65-80 pairs; non-breeding range unknown. Fea’s breeds on Bugio in the Desertas and also Cape Verde Islands. Outside breeding season disperses throughout N Atlantic.) Fig. 2. Records of Zino’s/Fea’s Petrels Pterodroma madeira/feae in Britain, 1 950-2009 (the dots reflect the recording areas concerned, not particular sites). Note that the map includes the three birds accepted as Fea’s (rather than Zino’s/Fea’s): two in recording area Isles of Scilly, one in Sea area Sole. The map gives encouragement to seawatchers in most parts of Britain: this is not a species (like, for example, Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus) that is seen predominantly on pelagic trips in the Southwest Approaches. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus (c. 260, 226, 5) Isle of Man Ballaugh, male, 7th April, photo (S. Corlett, N. Pinder et al). Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick and Lower Moors, St Mary’s, two, 10th May to 6th June (female 1 0th — 1 9th May, male 10th-25th May and again on 6th June), photo (S. Arlow, J. & M. Broadgate, K. Webb et al). Leicestershire & Rutland Cossington Meadows, juvenile, 19th October, photo (A. S. Allen, J. Graham, S. M. Lister). Somerset Walton Heath and nearby, adult male in song, 6th June to 21st September, photo (A. Ashman et al). An interesting batch of records. The bird on the Isle of Man was found hanging in a net at a wildlife park but thankfully was disentangled and then released unharmed. Not surprisingly, it then skulked away, never to be seen again. The pair on the Isles of Scilly caused some confusion as the first report came in of a male, and subsequent reports simply repeated (inaccurately) ‘male still present’. But the truth was that two, a male and a female, had arrived and then quickly moved a kilometre to what was potentially suitable breeding habitat. Unfortunately, the male sustained a wing injury and nothing came of the liaison. The Somerset bird had one of the longest recorded stays, extending to over 100 days, while the Leicestershire bird was almost the latest ever in the past 50 years. Last year’s report commented that autumn records have become extremely rare (less than 1 in 20 in recent years) and suggested checking such late records for Least Bittern /. exilis. Perhaps the finders of this bird had been reading that comment, as they specifically men- tioned checking for rufous tones on the neck and wing-coverts - unfortunately there were none. (Widespread, patchy & declining in Europe N to 53°N. To E, breeds to 60°N in Russia, & E to Kazakhstan & NW China. W Pal. population migratory, wintering mainly in E Africa, S from Sudan & Ethiopia. Other populations largely resident or dispersive in N Indian subcontinent, sub-Saharan Africa & Australia.) British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 573 Hudson et al. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (69, 71,1) Cambridgeshire Wicken Fen, first-summer, 24th May to 14th June, photo (per Cambridgeshire Recorder) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 226); also seen Suffolk. Suffolk Felixstowe Ferry and Kingsfleet area, first-summer, 1 8th— 20th May (W. J. Brame, R J. Holmes, J. Zantboer); also seen Cambridgeshire. ( W Pal. breeding population small & fragmented, centred on Mediterranean basin, from S Spain to Black Sea & E to Kazakhstan, with large population in Danube Delta. Northern populations migratory, wintering in N tropical Africa. African population largely resident.) Black Stork Ciconia nigra (22, 165, 2) Carmarthenshire Near Llanelli, 1st June (B. E. Jones, S. Lewis). Durham Bishop Middleham, 16th October (D. Charlton, J. Olley). 2008 Buckinghamshire Dancer’s End, 23rd June; note revised location, Brit. Birds 102: 547-548; also seen Hertfordshire. 2008 Cambridgeshire Paxton Pits, 4th May (C. & J. Timms et al). 2008 Hertfordshire Near Tring, 23rd June; note additional location and county, Brit. Birds 102: 547-548; also seen Buckinghamshire. 2006 Kent Hadlow, Tonbridge, 28th May (W. Baker). (Breeds from C Iberia & E France through C Europe to Russia & in small numbers into N Greece & Turkey. To E, breeds widely in small numbers in forested temperate regions of Russia & Siberia to Russian Far East. Most are migratory, wintering in Africa, S & SE Asia. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (340, 126, 38) Main arrivals Carmarthenshire Coedbach Marsh, Kidwelly, immature, 3rd September, photo (M. Halpin et al .), presumed same Pembrey, total of 25 immatures, some of them colour-ringed (including HH4, MR3, MVP, NJF), 4th-6th September, photo (per R. Hunt). Devon Axe Estuary, Axmouth, six immatures, 19th September, photo (G. M. Haig et al.). Essex Canvey Island, seven immatures, 5th September (M. Outten). All the following records are presumed to be birds from one of the above arrivals - see comments below Anglesey Alaw Estuary, 12, 17th September (C. J. Lane). Llyn Parc Mawr area, 22nd September to 2nd October, photo (C. Basterfield et al.). Carmel Head area, 26th September (M. Sutton et al.). Argyll Loch Sween, 25th-26th September, photo (J. MacCallum, P. Daw, M. Rea et al.). Avon Chew Valley Lake, 6th— 1 2th September, photo (R. Mielcarek et al.). Chew Valley Lake, four (including L9M, N4C), 26th September, photo (R. M. Andrews et al). Severn Beach and New Passage, 14th October, photo (P. Baber, P. D. Bowerman, P. Buckle). Caernarfonshire Bardsey, ten, 18th September, photo (A. Clarke, R. Jones per Bardsey Recorder). Cambridgeshire Ouse Washes and Sutton Gault, seven (including HR7, PJP), 7th-22nd September, photo (A. Hitchings et al). Near Little Thetford, four, 27th September (S. E. Barbato). Paxton Pits, lst-llth October, photo (M. R. Davis, D. Hollin et al). Maxey GP, 8th-28th October, photo (L. Smith et al). Carmarthenshire Coedbach Marsh, Kidwelly, 13th September (D. Davidson). Cornwall Marazion, 27th-29th September, photo (D. S. Flumm et al). Windmill Farm, The Lizard, 30th September to 1st October, ringed (A. R. Pay et al). Cumbria Kent Estuary, six, 24th September (per A. Stott). Rockcliffe Marsh, 4th October, photo (R. Irving, I. Kinley, D. Thexton). Derbyshire Willington GP, 18th October, photo (R. Pittam, M. Roome, K. Walker). Devon Thurlestone Marsh, 25th September (P. Marshall et al). Dorset Liltlesea, Weymouth, six, 19th September, photo (I. Dodd, A. G. Duff, P. A. Lawson). Radipole Lake, six, 19th September, photo (A. Neilson et al). Essex Holland Haven (PJP), 19th September (A. Mullins etal). 574 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Gloucestershire Lydney Marsh lakes, 15th October (N. J. Phillips et al). Frampton and Saul Warth, 16th October, photo (M. McGill et al). Hampshire Pennington Marsh, six, 19th September (T. Parminter etal). Hertfordshire Tyttenhanger GP, London Colney, 21st September (S. Blake). Kent Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry, 6th — 1 5th September, photo (M. Heath et al). Oare, 1 1th — 1 2th September, photo (M. Heath, M. E. Wright et al). Dungeness, five, 21st September to 4th October, photo (D. Walker et al). Stoke Marshes and Fleet, 8th-20th October, photo (M. Orchard etal). Sandwich Bay, 1 1th— 1 2th October, photo (per Sandwich Bay BO). Lincolnshire Covenham, 23rd-26th September, photo (J. R. Clarkson etal.) (plate 310). Norfolk Caistor St Edmund area, three (including NJF), 18th-26th September, photo (A. Brazil, J. Emerson, P. Woolnough et al). Berney Marshes, 19th September (P. R. Allard et al). Cantley Marsh, two, 20th September (P. R. Allard et al). Breydon Water, 25th September (P. R. Allard, D. Birchall, P. Riley). Breydon Water, 26th-27th September (P. R. Allard etal). North-east Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, 9th-26th October, photo (A. & G. Guthrie, D. & S. Parnaby et al). Near Loch of Strathbeg, 24th December (per North-east Scotland Recorder). Northumberland Druridge Bay area, 25th September to 23rd October, photo (R. Hammond etal). Nottinghamshire Langford Lowfields, 27th September (G. L. Gamage, J. Straw etal). Pembrokeshire Nevern Estuary, Newport, nine, 18th September (S. Baxter). Pembrokeshire/Ceredigion Teifi Marshes, 1 3th— 1 8th September (H. Thomas et al. per Pembrokeshire Recorder). St Dogmaels, Teifi Estuary, nine, 18th September (W. James). Somerset Meare Heath, 26th September to 12th October, photo (J. Fish et al. per Somerset Recorder). Catcott Lows, four (including L9M, N4C), 3rd October into 2010, photo (B. D. Gibbs, E. Wall et al. per Somerset Recorder). Staffordshire Drayton Bassett, 1 7th— 30th October, photo (per birding information services). Suffolk Hen Reedbeds, Reydon, 8th September, photo (R. Drew, B. J. Small et al). Boyton Marsh, three (including PJP), 1 0th— 27th September (one 1 0th— 2 1 st, two 22nd-24th, three 25th-27th), photo (A. M. Gregory et al. per Suffolk Recorder). Bawdsey, 19th September (P. J. Holmes). Hollesley, one (PJP), 20th-21st September, photo (W. J. Brame et al). Pakefield, Southwold, Walberswick and Minsmere, 4th October, photo (C. Naunton, B. J. Small, M. Thompson et al). Felixstowe and Landguard Point, 6th October (M. James, N. Odin, J. Zantboer et al). Cavenham Heath, 10th October, photo (L. Gregory, T. Humpage). Minsmere, 18th October, photo (N. J. 8c R. K. Moran et al). Sussex Pagham Harbour, 20th-28th September, photo (C. W. Melgar, D. & W. Richardson, J. Wichall et al). Scotney GP, two, 22nd September, photo (M. R. Eade, J. Everitt). Cuckmere Haven, 28th September (J. & L. Curson, N. J. N. Pope et al). Carter’s Flood, Pett Level, 9th— 1 1 th October (P. James et al). Pagham Harbour, two, 30th October to 2nd November, photo (T. J. Edwards, K. M. & M. A. Galtry, M. D. Shaw et al). Ferring Rife, Worthing, 31st October, photo (M. P. & T. Hall, C. Hope). Upper Forth Black Devon Wetland, Clackmannan, 9th November, photo (J. S. Nadin). Warwickshire Fisher’s Mill, 17th-30th October (per Warwickshire Recorder). Wiltshire Dean Valley, 2nd October (P. Combridge per Wiltshire Recorder). Worcestershire Grimley area, 20th November into 2010, photo (J. & T. Weale et al). Yorkshire Spurn, 3rd October (J. M. Turton et al). 1974 Essex West Thurrock Marshes, 5th May; note additional location and county, Brit. Birds 68: 312; also seen Kent. The Glossy Ibis influx in September and October was one of the main rare-bird events in 2009. But deciding just how many birds were involved was an impossible task. A few of the birds had been colour-ringed and eight individual ring codes were noted in the submissions (HH4, HR7, L9M, MR3, MVP, N4C, NJF, PJP). From the sightings of these birds it is evident that individuals separated from the group they arrived with; that some met up with other stray individuals; and that some ventured widely, for example, flying from Wales to East Anglia (MVP 8c NJF), or Essex to Cambridgeshire and on to Suffolk (PJP). At least one (HH4) continued eastwards, where it British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 575 Graham Catley Hudson et al. was sighted at Moorhauser Polder, Germany, on 7th-9th December. Knowing that some individuals were definitely being reported from multiple sites, we have taken a pragmatic and minimalist approach to estimating the numbers involved. There seem to be three flock arrivals: the first group (of 25), arrived in South Wales on 3rd-4th September, followed shortly afterwards by seven in Essex on 5th September, and a later group of six appeared in Devon on 19th September. Part of the Welsh flock dispersed on the day of their main arrival to leave just ten, but their companions managed to avoid detection until 12, presumably from that group, were seen over Anglesey almost two weeks later. Similarly, the Essex birds quickly moved on, to Cambridgeshire, while the Devon flock was tracked along the south coast, being seen in Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and finally Kent two days after their arrival (although one bird was left behind, probably in Sussex). The dispersal pattern was often eastwards, and sometimes northwards, but sightings north of the Midlands were few. Of note are six on the Kent Estuary in Cumbria on 24th September followed by one the next day in Northumberland and the first reliable Scottish sighting, in Argyll that same day. The northernmost bird reached Loch of Strathbeg in North-east Scotland on 9th October, where it remained until 26th, and the last sighting of the year came from this area on Christmas Eve. Although it is possible, even likely, that other sightings elsewhere in the country could be from new arrivals, it is equally possible that they could relate to birds dispersing from these original flocks. Rather than try to justify these assumptions, we leave it to readers to decide how many birds there could have been. The sightings listed above give the ring numbers where known to help that assessment. Six of the ringed birds (HR7, L9M, MR3, MVP, NJF, PJP) came from the Donana National Park in Andalusia, Spain, where they were ringed as nestlings in May and June 2009. Ring N4C was put on a bird in the Camargue, France (date unknown), and we have no details for ring HH4. Whether the Camargue bird was picked up en route, and thereby gives an indication of the direction of travel of the Spanish birds, or met his cousins in England is not known. As well as the 38 or more birds which reached Britain, two further flocks arrived in Ireland: 12 reached Co. Wexford on 1st September, followed by 11 in Co. Kerry on 13th October. Again, some birds had rings showing that they came from Spanish colonies, and proving that they were different from those in Britain, and point to a movement of at least 60 birds from their southern breeding areas. (Regularly breeds France & Spain; otherwise, European breeding range centred N & W of Black Sea in Ukraine & Romania, with small, declining population in Balkans. To E, breeds from Volga River to Kazakhstan. Palearctic population migratory, most wintering in E Africa, but W European population wintering Morocco & Mediterranean basin. Resident or dispersive populations occur in Africa, S Asia, Australia, E USA & the Caribbean.) 3 I 0. Immature Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus and farmyard companion, Covenham, Lincolnshire, September 2009. 576 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (2, 23, 2) Cambridgeshire Near Toseland, near-adult male, 29th June (T. Inskipp), presumed same near Graveley, 5th August (T. Inskipp), and near Aldreth, 6th-9th September, photo (S. Stirrup et al .) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 412). Norfolk Aylmerton, juvenile, 1st May, photo (A. P. Benson). Prior to 1993, the Pallid Harrier was an exceptional rarity in Britain, with only three records. Since then there have been no fewer than 24 records, which amounts to a significant change in status. These changes mirror increases in Scandinavia, but contrast with declines in the key breeding areas in the steppes of Russia, Kazakhstan and China, which render the species as Near Threatened. The reasons for these contrasting trends in the east and west of the bird’s range are not well understood, in part because of the difficulty involved in obtaining robust population estimates for a species that breeds at low density across large areas. In the past decade the number of records has remained relatively stable, with no more than two per annum since the record-equalling five in 2003. This remains a super bird to find and much credit is due to the finders of the two listed above. Although the majority of records relate to young birds in autumn, spring is also a good time to look for migrating Pallid Harriers. Summer is also not a bad time - as well as the subadult male in Cambridgeshire in 2009, there are summer records from Essex in 1993, Orkney in 1995 and Kent in 2002. The Norfolk record was a fine reward for a sharp-eyed local-patch worker, and photographs suggested that it was still in full juvenile plumage. This limited post-juvenile moult is a consistent feature of Pallid Harriers and differs somewhat from the more extensive moult typically shown by Montagu’s Harriers in their first year of life. Given good views, identification of males and juveniles should not prove too difficult, although female-type birds remain a challenge to confirm. However, recent hybrid pairings between Pallid and Hen Harriers C. cyaneus (Forsman 2009) mean that identification is not always entirely straightforward, so attention to detail remains crucial. (Fragmented range on steppe grasslands from Ukraine E through Russia to 100°E & S to Kazakhstan & NW China. Occasionally breeds to W of main range in Europe. Migratory, wintering throughout much of E & C Africa & the Indian subcontinent.) Amur Falcon Falco amurensis (0, I, 0) 2008 Yorkshire Tophill Low, first-summer male, 14th September to 15th October, photo (D. Mansell, J. Hirschfield et al.) {Brit. Birds 101: plate 386; plate 311). This species has been on the radar of keen rarity-hunters in recent years. A series of spring adults observed in Italy during 1995-98 (with further claims until 2002 at least), along with an adult male in Sweden in 2005 and a claim from Hungary in 2006, demonstrated that it was capable of vagrancy to continental Europe and that evidence may have led would-be finders to focus on the identification of an adult wandering to Britain in summer after leaving African wintering grounds via a European (rather than Asian) route. At one point, a ringing recovery of a bird shot by a gamekeeper in Dumfries 8c Galloway in September 1984 suggested that this species may have been overlooked previously, since photographs revealed the bird to be an adult male Amur Falcon (Grantham 2005). This unlucky individual had been hit by a car in Yorkshire, taken into care and then released before being shot by the gamekeeper, and had previously been released from a rehabilitation centre in France on 25th July 1984 where it had been ringed as a Red-footed Falcon F. vespertinus. This bird was found to be of captive origin by the French Avifaune Com- mission (CAF) and accepted to their Category E (Crochet et al. 2006), so this proved to be a dead end in more ways than one for Amur Falcon being admitted to the British List (and the record was not reviewed officially by BBRC). Corso 8c Clark (1998) clarified the identification features, drawing particular attention to the detail that would enable non-adult plumages of Amur Falcon to be distinguished from the equiv- alent ones in Red-footed and their paper was augmented by one focusing specifically on second- calendar-year birds (Corso 8c Catley 2003). This level of detail was to prove critical in the British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 577 Keith Scovell Hudson et al. identification of the Yorkshire bird reported here. Although present for a month, the bird was widely believed to be a first-summer male Red-footed Falcon almost throughout its stay (despite some observers harbouring suspicions that it might be an Amur Falcon) and it was only when a selection of images were published on the internet, revealing the diag- nostic pure white axillaries, that the true identity was revealed. Many observers who had travelled to see birds such as Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola and Brown Shrike Lanius 311. First-summer male Amur Falcon Falco amurensis , cristatus on the east coast, in Tophill Low, Yorkshire, September 2008. doing so passing not too far from Tophill Low on their journey, were now kicking themselves for bypassing ‘just another Red- footed Falcon’! What if they had gone to see the bird? Would they have been able to resolve the identification in the field? Or had the bird moulted the diagnostic feathers towards the end of its stay (and thus have been extremely difficult to identify even if they had ventured to see it?). Any birder who has struggled to record accurately the finer details of underwing patterns on a fast- flying falcon will understand the potential difficulties inherent in confirming such a subtle iden- tification in the field. Although fortunate views of a bird soaring overhead may reveal sufficient detail to make a confident identification, without such views it would be all too easy to overlook such a major rarity. It once again reinforces the value of the improvement in photographic tech- nology, enabling such detail to be captured on flying birds and then assessed almost instantly on the back of the camera or on a computer. Mansell (2008) discussed this Tophill Low bird, providing a valuable update to the previous identification papers and highlighted the suite of subtle characteristics that enable the identification of an Amur Falcon in this plumage. It is interesting to speculate how the bird may have arrived in Britain. The date of discovery coincided with a significant displacement of raptors across the North Sea, including Honey-buz- zards Pernis apivorus and records of Scandinavian-ringed Common Kestrels F. tinnunculus. It therefore seems quite possible that the Amur Falcon arrived with this movement. The mid- September date also appears rather early for a bird arriving from its breeding range in the Far East. Perhaps it is more likely to have moved into Europe from Africa earlier in the summer, presumably undetected (as it was in the field in Britain throughout its stay), and then arrived in Yorkshire as part of its autumn migration back to Africa. Observers will not need to be reminded that any putative Red-footed Falcon encountered should be checked carefully for this species. The next one will undoubtedly prove particularly popular. (Breeds Mongolia, NE China and SE Siberia. Winters southern and eastern Africa.) Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus (222, 157, 3) Argyll Loch Gorm, Islay, adult, white-morph, 21st March, photo (I. K. Brooke et al.). At sea Sea area Fair Isle, BP Clair oil platform, c. 55 km west of Shetland, immature, white- morph, for a few days around 3rd October, photo (S. Devlin, S. A. Maydew per North Sea Bird Club) (plate 312). Cornwall Newquay, immature, white-morph, 3rd-4th April, photo (S. G. Rowe, S. Turner et al.)-, also seen Isles of Scilly. 578 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Gower Llanddewi area, Rhossili, immature female, white-morph, 17th— 19th December, photo (A. Lucas et al.). Isles of Scilly Many islands, immature, white-morph, 27th December 2008 to 5th January, photo (per Isles of Scilly Recorder), see also Brit. Birds 102: 549, presumed same St Mary’s and Tresco, 5th-7th March, photo (per Isles of Scilly Recorder); also seen Cornwall. (In Europe, most numerous in Iceland & Norway, smaller populations breeding N Sweden, Finland & Arctic Russia. To E, breeds across Arctic Siberia, Alaska, N Canada & Greenland. European birds mostly resident but high-Arctic breeders from N Canada & Greenland migratory, occasionally wintering S to NW Europe.) Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla (65, 15, I) Yorkshire Spurn, first-winter or female, 7th October, photo (A. Roadhouse et al). A well-deserved find, late in the day, for a Spurn regular; this bird would doubtless have attracted a larger audience had it stayed longer. Although historically a more regular visitor, this remains a very rare bird in Britain in recent times, with just 16 records during the BBRC era. With a single record in the 1960s and four in the 1970s, there was an upsurge in records between 1989 and 2001, when ten were discovered, but this is the first since then. During the BBRC period there have been arrivals in all months except April and July (although there are historical records in both of these months), with May and June being most favoured. Autumn records stretch from 11th August to 12th November (although there is a pre- 1950 record on 6th August), with most in October. An eastern bias is evident, with the southeast accounting for five of the 16 and northeast England a further four. Historically, Norfolk was the most favoured county, so it is a little surprising that there has been none from East Anglia recently. Since 1950, several have been found dead or exhausted, or were trapped, while two were ‘discovered’ by cats (Fleckney, Leicestershire & Rutland, 19th May 1970; and Normandy Marsh, Lymington, Hampshire, 17th March 1990), and the famous bird at Mowbray Park, Sunderland ( 1 7th— 20th May 1989) was in a thoroughly atypical setting. Given the somewhat fortuitous finding circumstances surrounding a significant proportion of recent Baillon’s Crakes, there seems little doubt that quite a few must slip through British reedbeds unnoticed. (Locally common breeder from Spain E through Mediterranean Basin to Ukraine, occasionally N to the Netherlands. To E breeds across warm temperate Asia to Japan. European breeders migrate throughout S Europe to winter sub- Saharan Africa. Elsewhere, winters Indian subcontinent & SE Asia to Singapore. Other races breed Australasia & southern Africa.) Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis (0, 2, I) Highland Sarclet then Latheron, Dunbeath, Helmsdale, Brora and Kildary, adult, 29th September, photo (D. Brown, T. C. Lowe); also seen Orkney. Orkney Burwick, South Ronaldsay, adult, 22nd-29th September, photo (P. Higson et al.) (Brit. 3 I 2. Immature Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus, BP Clair oil platform, c. 55 km west of Shetland, October 2009. British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 579 Photographer unknown Adrian Webb Hudson et al. Birds 1 02: plate 4 13; plate 313); also seen Highland. Only the third British record, all of which have been found in the Northern Isles (fol- lowing those on Fair Isle on 26th-27th April 1981 and at Exnaboe, Shetland, on 17th— 26th September 1991). Although this year’s bird was identified on 22nd September, it had been present from 12th according to the local farmer. Fortunately, it stayed around for another week, allowing a steady stream of admirers to make the trek to Orkney. Just after 10.00 hrs on the morning of 29th September, the bird flew off from Orkney. It just so happened that, following the news going out on the bird information services, two birders in Caithness picked it up again over Loch Sarclet and managed to follow it as far as Brora in Suther- land. This was not the end of the story, however, as what must have been the same bird was subsequently photographed in southwest France, near Dax in the Landes department, where it was seen for a few days up until 12th October. This is not the first Sandhill Crane to get itself on more than one national list, as the individual in 1991 left Shetland and turned up in the Netherlands on 28th-30th September 1991. Only two other birds have been seen in Europe: at Galley Head, Co. Cork, on 12th- 14th September 1905; and at Akraberg, SuQuroy, Faeroe Islands, on 14th October 1980. The first was shot and the second found injured, and both were identified as belonging to the small, northern subspecies canadensis. None of the British records has been assigned to a subspecies, although the Arctic-nesting canadensis (‘Lesser Sandhill Crane’) is by far the most likely of the six races to occur. (Breeds NE Siberia and North America from Alaska E to Baffin Island, S to NE California to Michigan, and SE USA from S Mississippi to Florida, also Cuba. Northern breeders winter C and SW USA to NW and C Mexico. SE USA breeders resident.) Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus (134, 254, I) Cambridgeshire Maxey GP, female, 25th April, photo (C. Lines et al.)', also seen Suffolk. Suffolk Tinker’s Marsh, Walberswick, female, 21st April (W. Russell, S. Skingsly); also seen Cambridgeshire. (Breeds along Atlantic coast of France & locally throughout Mediterranean basin to Black Sea. To E, breeds from S Siberia & C Asia to NW China & S to Hong Kong. Most European birds winter in sub-Saharan Africa &, increasingly, in SW Iberia. Asian breeders winter across S & SE Asia & S China. Other distinctive races occur in Australasia, the Americas & Hawaii.) Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola (32, 65, 4) Cambridgeshire Tubney Fen, 1 1th August, photo (T. Dee, C. Spottiswoode et al.). Lincolnshire Frampton Marsh, 8th— 9th August, photo (S. Rummery, S. Wilson et al). Norfolk Blakeney, Cley and Salthouse, 1 5th— 23rd May, photo (per Norfolk Recorder) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 227; plate 314); also seen Yorkshire. Yorkshire Swillington lugs, 23rd-25th May, photo (R. Leighton, M. K. Taunton et al.)', also seen Norfolk. Pulfin and High Eske, 20th-23rd luly, photo (D. G. Hobson, A. D. W. Tongue et al.), presumed same Tophill Low, 24th— 25th Inly (per birding information services). 3 I 3. Adult Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, September 2009. 580 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Along with others in this report, this species illustrates quite nicely the difficulties in assessing the number of individual vagrants in a given year. In this case, the bird in Lincolnshire was helpfully missing at least two inner primaries from its left wing, a feature that was not noticed in any other sighting. The timings for the bird in May strongly suggest that it travelled from Norfolk north to Yorkshire. That leaves the second sighting in Yorkshire, in July, and that from Cambridgeshire, in August. Without any firm evidence to the contrary, we have taken these as two different birds, making a total of four in the year, but we accept it could be argued that all of this year’s records relate to just one, wide-ranging individual; in previous years, Collared Pratincole has shown itself to be a highly mobile rarity. Yorkshire, now with seven records, is the best county in Britain for this species. The most frequent of the three pratincoles on the British List, Collared Pratincole has been a near-annual visitor since well before the BBRC period. Fig. 3 illustrates that the 1970s was the glory decade, and that numbers dwindled to a low point in the 1990s, but the latter part of the 2000s has seen a return to old form. The reasons for this recent upturn in fortunes may be partly due to increased observer coverage, but there could be other underlying factors. The possibility of a link with climate change remains unproven and, unlike some other southern European wetland species, Collared Pratincole is not predicted as a potential colonist. Recent years may have seen a surge in numbers of Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus and Great White Egrets Ardea alba , and breeding attempts by Little Bitterns Ixobrychus minutus. Cattle Egrets Bubulcus ibis, Purple Herons A. purpurea and Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia, but these are all species for which a slightly warmer Britain may be quite suit- able. The Collared Pratin- cole requires extensive, flat open areas with sparse, short vegetation close to wetlands. A colonial nester, it has undergone extensive declines across Europe since the 1970s as a result of habitat loss, disturbance and the increased use of pesticides (BirdLife Inter- national 2004; Huntley et al. 2007). It is in fact pre- dicted to undergo further declines as a direct result of climate change, as southern wetlands dry out and there is precious little potential habitat farther north to move into. Is it possible that the recent British records reflect a greater number of birds roaming around Europe looking for potential breeding sites? This species shows an interesting pattern of Fig. 3. Records of Collared Pratincoles Glareola pratincola in Britain, 1 950-2009, by five-year period. A I A2A3 Ml M2 M3 Jl J2 J3 Jl J2 J3 A I A2A3 SI S2 S3 O I 0203 N I N2 N3 Fig. 4. The arrival pattern of Collared Pratincoles Glareola pratincola in Britain, 1950-2009, by ten-day period. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 581 Richard Ford Steve Gantlett Hudson et al. occurrence (fig. 4). Arrivals peak in the last ten days of May and this period accounts for a third of all records. The comparatively few records in the first ten days of June is somewhat sur- prising, but even more noticeable is the paucity of autumn records. Perhaps this also supports the theory touched on above that movements are linked with the search for suitable breeding grounds. (Breeds locally in Mediterranean basin from N Africa & S Iberia to Black Sea, most in S Spain, Portugal & Greece. To E, breeds across SW Asia to Pakistan & Kazakhstan but distribution highly fragmented. Winters sub-Saharan Africa. Other race resident in Africa.) Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum (0, 5, I) Kent Dungeness, 3rd June, photo (D. Roche et al); also seen Sussex. Sussex Pagham Harbour, 28th-29th May, photo (C. W. Melgar, M. White et al.) (plates 273, 315); also seen Kent. Oriental Pratincole is an exceptional vagrant to Britain, with a total of just six records. The first of these was found at Dunwich, Suffolk, in July 1981, before being relocated at Old Hall Marshes, Essex, in October of the same year. Following a seven-year gap, the next was a long-stayer on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, from June to Sep- tember 1988. The events of 1993 are firmly etched in the memories of those birders around at the time, when an adult found in horse paddocks at Gim- ingham, Norfolk, on 14th May pro- ceeded to tour the north Norfolk coast for the rest of the summer, putting in its final appearance in the Titchwell ' area on 1 7th August. Further sightings followed in Sussex in late August and Suffolk on 4th and 19th September. At 315. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum, the time, these were accepted as dif- Pagham Harbour, Sussex, May 2009. ferent individuals but, with the benefit 3 I 4. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola, Cley, Norfolk, May 2009. 582 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 of hindsight and knowing the extreme rarity of this species in Europe, it would seem more likely that only one was involved, rather than three. However, the statistics presented here follow the view that they were all different birds. All of the British records have been found east of a line between the Wash and Pagham Harbour. The 2009 bird was found initially at Pagham on 28th May and was relocated some 140 km east at Dungeness on 3rd June, seemingly bypassing several apparently suitable areas on the way. It was initially reported as a Collared Pratincole G. pratincola, but the excellent series of images taken at Pagham quickly resolved the identification (see pp. 460-463). The pratincoles can still pose a difficult identification challenge, especially poorly seen or distant birds. Separating the two ‘red-winged’ species can be particularly difficult and observers are encouraged to consult the excellent article on the identification of Collared and Oriental Pratincoles by Driessens & Svensson (2005). (Breeds SE Transbaikalia and NE Mongolia to NE China, S throughout much of E Asia and Indian subcontinent to Sri Lanka, Malay Peninsula and Philippines. Southern breeders resident or dispersive, northern breeders winter S to Australia.) Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (2,32, I) Kent Reculver area, 10th May, photo (M. Heath, C. & M. Hindle et ah), presumed same Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry, 12th-25th May, photo (M. Heath, A. D. Jordan et ah), and Elmley, 25th May (G. Allison et ah); also seen Norfolk. Norfolk Ringstead and nearby, 31st May to 12th June, photo (S. Noakes et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 228; plate 316); also seen Kent. Black-winged Pratincole is outnumbered in Britain by Collared Pratincole G. pratincola nearly 3:1, so fig. 5. The arrival pattern of Black-winged Pratincoles Glareola this bird, being the first nordmanni in Britain, 1950-2009, by ten-day period, since 2001, proved justifi- ably popular. Black-winged Pratincole shows a notice- ably different pattern of occurrence from that of Collared (fig. 5), with the peak arrival period between 21st August and 10th September. In fact, any pratinco le first discovered in this early autumn period seems overwhelmingly likely to be Black-winged. Quite why this should be the case is unclear, but is probably connected to its more east- erly distribution. In this respect, the spring arrival of this year’s bird was 316. Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni, near Ringstead, unusual. It was also Norfolk, June 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 583 Steve Gantlett Hudson et al. unusual in that it was located repeatedly as it toured around Kent, then moved north to spend two weeks in Norfolk. This species has undergone an even more dramatic decline in its European breeding range than Collared Pratincole, and is now classified as Endangered (BirdLife International 2004). Most of the population breeds in Asia, on steppe grasslands near wetlands in central Asia, in habitats similar to those favoured by Collared Pratincole. It can, however, tolerate longer vegetation such as wormwood, grassy meadows and even arable fields ( BWP ), and this may be reflected morpho- logically by it having distinctly longer legs than Collared Pratincole. In a similar vein to Collared Pratincole, the future is uncertain for this species if the climate models are accurate. Approximately 80% of its current range is predicted to become unsuitable, while any potential new areas to the north would be drastically reduced in extent (Huntley et al. 2007). (European breeders confined to N Black Sea in Romania & Ukraine where extremely rare & declining. To E, more numerous across steppes of S Russia to E Kazakhstan. Winters NE Namibia & Botswana, S to northern Cape & E to W Natal, South Africa, & W Swaziland. Some apparently regularly winter Ethiopia.) Killdeer Charadrius vociferus (4, 47, 2) Norfolk Saddlebow, 1 1th January (D. & J. Bridges et al.). Outer Hebrides Loch Stiapavat, Isle of Lewis, 6th April (B. A. E. Marr et al). (Breeds S Alaska, S Canada & throughout USA to Mexico. Northern breeders migratory, wintering S USA & Mexico to Colombia. Other races resident in Caribbean & South America.) Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus (0, 5, 0) 2002 Lincolnshire Rimac, female C. m. atrifrons, 1 1 th— 1 5th May, previously published but without racial attribution, Brit. Birds 96: 566. 1991 North-east Scotland Donmouth, adult or first-summer C. m. mongolus, 1 8th— 1 9th August, photo (D. J. Bain, K. D. Shaw, G. Smith, A. Webb et al), previously accepted as Greater Sand Plover C. leschenaultii, Brit. Birds 85: 525. Sand plovers, as they have done so for the last 30 years, continue to provide much fodder for anyone interested in frontier identification matters. It seems a very long time indeed since Mike Rogers came up with the following pithy summary of differences between Greater C. leschenaultii and Lesser Sand Plovers: ‘The Lesser Sand Plover is quite a pleasing little bird. The Greater strikes me as an ugly brute, with a body too small for its legs, a head too large for its body and a bill too large for its head. Perhaps, like the camel, the Greater Sand Plover was designed by a committee?’ {Brit. Birds 75: 96). One record that has in many ways epitomised the recent debate (and progress) is that of an adult bird on the Don Estuary in North-east Scotland, in August 1991. Although it was originally submitted and accepted as a Greater, murmurings over the ensuing years suggested that the bird may have been a Lesser. Garner et al. (2003) highlighted key differences between the northern breeding mongolus and central Asian atrifrons groups of Lesser Sand Plovers. In late 2003, Andy Webb (one of the original observers of the Don plover) resubmitted the record to BBRC as a Lesser. He concluded that it was ‘probably of the race mongolus or possibly stegmanni'. The record was reviewed and accepted unanimously by BBRC as a Lesser Sand Plover and passed to BOURC for consideration as a first for Britain. The key issue with BBRC and BOURC was to ascertain whether it could be identified confidently to one of the two groups, widely considered to be ‘incipient species’. The bird’s heavily worn summer plumage in mid August made the critical plumage details' more difficult to discern than for the two subsequent British records of mongolus seen in fresher, more distinctive (adult male breeding) plumage, in July 2003 and July 2004. However, the excel- lent original field notes from several observers and careful study of a range of photos of the bird established the presence of ( 1 ) at least some dark feathering on the rear flanks and (2) a contrast- ingly darker tail. These are clearly features of birds in the mongolus group. Together with the head 584 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 pattern, which conformed to that expected for mongolus in late August, as well as bill shape, the bird is identifiable as the first British Lesser Sand Plover of the mongolus group, with no anom- alous characters. BOURC concurred with this decision in March 2010. Lesser Sand Plovers (of either group) remain extremely rare vagrants to Britain, and with the spectre of a species split looming, the finders of Britain’s next one will no doubt be aware of the need to get the precise racial identification established as quickly as possible, as there must be a few gaps on the lists of Britain’s keenest listers. A list of all British records attributed to racial grouping is as follows: mongolus group Adult or first-summer, 1 8th— 19th August 1991, Donmouth, North-east Scotland. Adult male, 22nd-26th July 2003, Keyhaven, Hampshire. Adult male, 8th-9th July 2004, Aberlady Bay, Lothian. atrifrons group Adult male, 14th— 16th August, 1997, Pagham Harbour, Sussex. Female, 1 1th— 15th May, 2002, Rimac, Lincolnshire. (Nominate mongolus group breeds in mountains & tundra of Arctic E Siberia, Kamchatka & Komandorskiye (Commander) Islands. Distinct atrifrons group breeds from C Pamir & Tien Shan mountain ranges S to N Kashmir & E to the Tibetan Plateau. Winters along tropical coasts of S & E Africa, Persian Gulf, Indian subcontinent, S China, SE Asia & Australia.) Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii (0, 14, 0) 1991 North-east Scotland Donmouth, adult or first-summer, 1 8th— 19th August; previously accepted as Greater Sand Plover, Brit. Birds 85: 525, now accepted as Lesser Sand Plover (see above). (W Pal. race C. /. columbinus breeds locally in C Turkey, Jordan & perhaps Armenia. Other races breed from E Caspian Sea across C Asia to Mongolia & NW China. Winters along tropical coasts of E Africa, Persian Gulf, Indian subcontinent, SE Asia & Australia.) Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva (2, 67, 4) Argyll Sandaig, Isle of Tiree, adult, 30th August to 1st September, photo (J. Bowler, K. Gillon). Kent Cliffe Pools, adult, 8th July, photo (G. Nicholls, J. J. Shaw). Norfolk Breydon Water, adult, 22nd July to 3rd August, photo (K. R. Dye, A. Grieve, B. J. Small et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 351; plate 317). Northumberland East Chev- ington, adult, 11th July, photo (D. Elliot, P. C. Fletcher, A. D. McLevy et al). 2002 Cumbria Selker, adult, 3rd August; note revised location and year (previously listed as 2003), Brit. Birds 98: 650. (Breeds across Siberian tundra from Yamal Peninsula E to Chukotskiy Peninsula, including New Siberian Islands, & W Alaska. Small numbers winter regularly Kenya & Persian Gulf, main wintering range from Indian subcontinent to S China & S Japan, S through SE Asia to Australia, New Zealand & islands in C Pacific.) 3 I 7. Adult Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva, Breydon Water, Norfolk, July 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 585 James Kennerley John Malloy Hudson et al. Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius (3, 40, 0) 2007 Kent Grove Ferry, first-winter, 21st December (M. P. Wilson). (Breeds from Volga & Ural Rivers E across steppes of SE Russia & W/C Asia to E Kazakhstan; now rare & declining throughout much of range. Most migrate to winter in NE Africa, smaller numbers to Pakistan & NW India.) Avon New Passage, juvenile, 26th Sep- tember, photo (B. Lancastle, J. P. Martin et al). Northumberland Cresswell Pond, adult, 1 8th— 25 th August, photo (A. Curry, M. S. Hodgson et al.) (plate 318). Outer Hebrides Aird an Runair, North Uist, 23rd May, photo (A. Fawcett, B. Rab- bitts, J. Swalwell). South Ford, South Uist, juvenile, 20th 318. Adult Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla, Cresswell Pond, August, photo Northumberland, August 2009. (g £ Duffield) 2008 Suffolk Minsmere, adult, 18th July (D. Fairhurst, R. Harvey et al). (Breeds on tundra of W Alaska, E across Arctic Canada to S Baffin Island & coastal Labrador. Has bred extreme NE Siberia. Migrates across Great Plains & E seaboard of USA to winter in C America & coasts of tropical South America to Brazil & Peru.) Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii (I, 215, 9) Anglesey Traeth Dulas, juvenile, 4th-9th September, photo (D. Wright, P. Moore et al). Alaw Estuary, juvenile, 1 5th— 1 7th September (K. G. Croft et al). Argyll Gott Bay and Vaul Bay, Isle of Tiree, juvenile, 26th-28th September, photo (J. M. Dickson et al). Cornwall Marazion, juvenile, 3rd-21st September, photo (M. Warren et al). Davidstow Airfield, juvenile, 3rd-24th September, photo (A. D. Jordan et al). Lothian Belhaven Bay, juvenile, 7th— 1 1th November, photo (C. N. Davison, K. Gillon et al), presumed same Whitesands Bay, 30th November into 2010, photo (C. N. Davison et al.) (Brit. Birds 103: plate 13). Norfolk Hickling Broad, adult, 8th— 1 2th August, photo (T. E. Allwood, A. J. Kane et al). Outer Hebrides Rubha Ardvule, South Uist, juvenile, 10th— 1 2th September, photo (A. Stevenson et al). Kilpheder, South Uist, juvenile, 2nd October, photo (J. B. Kemp). 2008 Northumberland Cresswell Pond, juvenile, 19th September (A. D. McLevy, G. Smith.). 2004 Isles of Scilly Abbey Pool and South Beach, Tresco, juvenile, 30th August to 9th September; - previously accepted as a new bird but now presumed same as Tresco and St Mary’s from 29th September, Brit. Birds 98: 653. (Breeds in extreme NE Siberia on Chukotskiy Peninsula & Wrangel Island, E across N Alaska & Arctic Canada to N Baffin Island & NW Greenland. Migrates through North American interior to winter in South American Andes, from S Ecuador to Tierra del Fuego.) Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla (0, 88, 4) 586 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus (0, 27, I) North-east Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, adult, 9th— 1 1th July, photo (D. & S. Parnaby et al). (Breeds on tundra ot NE Alaska to Hudson Bay, Canada. Migrates through interior & E USA to winter C South America from E Bolivia & S Brazil to NE Argentina. Occasionally winters N to Mexico, Caribbean & S USA.) Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata (0, 2, 0) 2007 Isles of Scilly Lower Moors, St Mary’s, first-winter, 3rd October, photo (A. Duckett et al.), presumed same 1 1th October to 22nd April 2008, photo (J. A. Lidster et al.) (Brit. Birds 101: plate 36). I he Isles of Scilly continue their monopoly of this species, partly because of the islands’ geographical location, but also because it is one of the best places in Britain to observe snipes at close quarters. I here were no records in 2009 but the long-stayer reported here, which appeared in October 2007, remained until April 2008. The first sighting of this bird involved a retrospec- tive identification from photographs taken on 3rd October, and came to light after it had been identified in the field on 1 1th October. The field criteria for this species are a work in progress, with BBRC ideally wanting photo- graphs ol the upper- and underwing, as well as the spread tail if possible. One observer on Scilly spent many hours studying the 2007/08 bird, as well as other potential candidates, and his field experience and continued checking of Common Snipes G. gallinago seems to suggest that not many are being overlooked there, as might at first have been thought. As the field criteria for vagrants continue to evolve, the discovery in 2010 of two different dis- playing birds in northern Europe adds a new dimension to the mix. In Finland, an odd-sounding drumming snipe was confirmed as that country’s first Wilson’s in 2010 (although it had appar- ently been present during the two previous summers). Soon afterwards another displaying bird was discovered in Iceland. Wilson’s Snipe generally has 16 tail feathers, whereas Common Snipe generally has 14 - although a small proportion may have 12, 16 or even 18 ( BWP ). Wilson’s uses the two sets of thinner, ‘banana-shaped’ outermost tail feathers while drumming to create a quite different sound (from that of Common), which has been likened to the call of a Tengmalm’s Owl Aegolius funereus. After Yann Kolbeinsson discovered the bird in Iceland, he raised a very inter- esting question: if a Common Snipe had 16 tail feathers, would it still use only the outer set for displaying, or could it use two outer sets and therefore sound a) different from a Common Snipe with 14 tail feathers and b) like a Wilson’s Snipe? The consensus seems to be that if a Common Snipe has ‘extra’ tail feathers, they would most likely be ‘standard’ tail feathers, rather than those designed and shaped for display. A recent paper (van Casteren et al. 2010) confirms that the drumming noise is created by the flutter of the outermost tail feathers, and the authors’ model predicts that it is the width of the outer feathers that determines the pitch. Assuming that Common Snipes with 16 tail feathers have the same outer-feather shape as those with 14 (and it appears that they do), then they should produce the same noise in flight. Wilson’s produces the higher-pitched noise because of the narrower outer rectrices. Other features under investigation include the vocalisations of flushed birds. Will a sound recording of a bird in flight clinch a record in the near future? And what of those old ‘possible Pintail Snipe G. stenura claims from Scilly in several autumns during the 1970s and 80s? Those birds were said to sound funny, and look odd; could they have been Wilson’s too? (Breeds throughout North America from N Alaska & N Canada S to N California & North Carolina. Winters SW Canada & throughout USA & C America to N South America.) Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus (6, 188, 13) Argyll Loch Gruinart, Islay, 26th April, photo (J. R. How et al.). Avon Chew Valley Lake, juvenile, 23rd September to 2nd October, photo (R. M. Andrews, D. J. Angell, R. Mielcarek et al.). Cheshire 8c Wirral Inner Marsh Farm, two juveniles, 26th September to 17th October, photo (C. E. Wells et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 415), presumed one of same, 28th— 3 1 st October British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 587 Hudson et al. (C. Wells per Cheshire Recorder). Cumbria Port Carlisle, first-winter, 13th November into 2010, photo (R. H. Jones et al.). Fife Ballo Resr, juvenile, 1 3th— 1 9th September (H. E. M. Dott et al.). Hampshire Ibsley North GP, juvenile, 1 1th October, photo (R. A. Hume et al). Isles of Scilly Abbey Pool, Tresco, juvenile, 22nd September to 10th October, photo (W. H. Wagstaff et al). Lancashire & North Merseyside Fleetwood, juvenile, 19th September, photo (I. Gardner et al. per L&NM Recorder). Marshside, juvenile, 24th-25th September, photo (S. J. Riley per L&NM Recorder); then two juveniles (one presumed to be the first Marshside bird), 5th-6th October (per L&NM Recorder), presumed same, Banks Marsh, 1 2th— 3 1 st October, photo (W. C. Aspin, J. F. Wright et al. per birding information services). Cockerham Sands, Cockerham, juvenile, 1 3th— 2 1 st October, photo (S. G. Piner et al). Outer Hebrides West Gerinish, South Uist, first-winter, 9th February, photo (J. B. Kemp), presumed same Loch Bee, South Uist, 22nd February (A. Stevenson per B. Rabbitts); presumed same as South Uist 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 555-556. Howmore, South Uist, juvenile, 12th Sep- tember, photo (S. E. Duffield et al). With 13 new individuals discovered (plus another remaining from the previous autumn), 2009 matches 1977 as the best year for this species in Britain. Following a single spring record - on Islay in April (of a bird that was accompanied by a Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes\) - no fewer than 12 were located between 12th September and 13th November, with the last bird found having already settled on its wintering site. Notably, seven of those autumn birds were around the wader-rich estuaries of the Irish Sea: two each by the estuaries of the Dee, the Ribble and More- carnbe Bay, and another on the Solway. Although it often seems more logical to adopt a minimalist approach to the recording of rare birds, lumping sightings at different sites in the same area as the same bird, the cluster of juvenile Long-billed Dowitchers in northwest England in September/October 2009 showed that such decisions are rarely straightforward. This group of dowitchers disproved each and every assump- tion that was made as the autumn progressed, culminating in five being recorded simultaneously (at various sites) and an additional bird being separable by virtue of its structure (an exception- ally long bill). (Breeds primarily Arctic Siberia, where breeding range expanding W to Lena River delta. North American range restricted to coastal tundra of W & N Alaska, E to Mackenzie River. Migrates through USA to winter coastal S USA to N/C America.) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus North American race, ‘Hudsonian Whimbrel’ N. p. hudsonicus (0,6, I) Outer Hebrides Bornish, South Uist, juvenile, 12th September, photo (A. Stevenson et al). 2008 Isles of Scilly Porthloo, St Mary’s, juvenile, 5th— 28th September, photo (E. A. Fisher et al.) (plate 319). Even if it has not (yet?) been split by the BOU’s Taxonomic Sub-committee, many birders are happy to recognise that Hudsonian Whimbrel is, to all intent and purposes, a good species — indeed, the turnout of over 1,200 visitors to Cumbria to see one found summering on Walney Island in 2007 provided ample testament to that fact. The first-summer in Cumbria was the first confirmed record for England, and the very next year it was followed by England’s first juvenile, on the Isles of Scilly in September 2008. Being the first record for the islands, it was much appre- ciated and well photographed during its three-week stay on St Mary’s, but documentation arrived too late for the 2008 BBRC report. Britain’s seventh Hudsonian Whimbrel was seen in - 2009 but, being a one-day bird in the Outer Hebrides, did not attract much attention. It repre- sents the fourth record for Scotland, where all previous records concern individuals seen in Shet- land (on Fair Isle in May 1955 and August 2007, and on Out Skerries in July-August 1974). Although there are a few other records of Hudsonian Whimbrel in western Europe, it is still a very rare visitor, and there seems no tangible reason as to why this large wader crosses the 588 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Atlantic so infre- quently. It stages on the eastern seaboard of the USA during both the southbound and the north- bound migrations and it is capable of long transoceanic flight, so perhaps the reason is no more complicated than that its flight is sufficiently strong to prevent it being displaced by bad weather. Hud- sonian Whimbrel is, however, a con- firmed wanderer that has also been recorded in Australia, New Zealand and West Africa, so for an individual to reach Britain simply requires it undertaking a purposeful flight. Once here, lost birds may team up with nominate Whimbrels and migrate back and forth with them, so although there are not yet any confirmed east-coast records, it seems possible that one could turn up anywhere in Britain that Whimbrels are encountered on passage. Normally, European phaeopus exhibit a prominent white rump flash, but observers should be aware that the Asian form variegatus (also a potential vagrant here) could cause confusion as it has a (sometimes profusely) sullied rump patch. Faced with a candidate hudsonicus, it is best to check not only that the rump is all-brown, but also that the underwing-coverts are tawny-buff and wholly barred with dark brown. A partic- ularly bold head pattern and slightly longer bill may also be apparent but, as always, good photo- graphs should clinch the deal (and also help to eliminate from the equation the admittedly remote possibility of Eskimo Curlew N. borealis). (Breeds on tundra of W & N Alaska & N Canada E to Hudson Bay & Greenland. Migrates through Canada & USA to winter in coastal regions of S USA, S to Chile & Brazil.) Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus (0, 70, 3) Cheshire & Wirral Heswall Shore, 1 4th — 15th July, photo (S. Hinde et ah). Cleveland Saltholme Pools, 16th— 1 7th June, photo (J. B. Dunnett, J. Grieveson, R. Hardy et ah); also seen Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point, 17th June, photo (G. Williams per Staffordshire Recorder) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 283); also seen Cleveland. Yorkshire Patrington Haven, 23rd May, photo (B. Richards et al.). (European range restricted to small population in N Gulf of Bothnia, Finland, & Belarus. To E, breeds widely but locally throughout N Russia to E Siberia. Winters widely along coasts of S & E Africa to Persian Gulf, Indian subcontinent, SE Asia & Australasia.) Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius (5, 150, 9) Anglesey Malltraeth, 2nd June, photo (P. Snow). Argyll Heylipol, Isle of Tiree, juvenile, 31st August, photo (J. Bowler, K. Gillon). Clyde Endrick Water, Stirlingshire, adult, 28th November to 17th December, photo (M. Culshaw, C. Pendlebury, A. Sampson et al). Devon Topsham, first-winter, 20th November into 2010, photo (T. Worfolk etal). 319. Juvenile Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, September 2008. British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 589 Ashley Fisher Hudson et al. Essex Havengore Island, Foulness, juvenile, 18th October, photo (C. Lewis). Abberton Resr, first- winter, 15th November into 2010, photo (per birding information serv- ices) {Brit. Birds 103: plate 45). Hampshire River Test, Lower Brook, first-winter, 20th November to 17th December, photo (S. Ingram, N. Jones, M. Rafter et al.). Shetland Quendale, Main- land, juvenile, 1 1 th — 18th October, photo (P. V. Harvey, R. Riddington, R. A. Schofield et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 451 ). Yorkshire North Cave Wetlands, 20th— 2 1 st June, photo (G. A. Dayes, R. Schofield et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 284). 2008 Cornwall Camel Estuary, adult, 6th-7th August, photo (D. A. Conway et al.). A fairly typical crop in terms of arrival dates and geographical spread, this year’s total of nine is the second-highest on record, following the 1 1 in 2007. Five-yearly totals are shown in fig. 6. Following the clarification of the key features to separate this species from Common Sandpiper A. hypoleucos in the 1970s, the significant upturn in UK records is obvious. This is a species for which the overall population is thought to be declining, so increasing numbers of observers have presumably helped to maintain the bird’s status over here. There are records from all months, but most are found in autumn, with the August-October period accounting for 52% of all records and a clear peak in late September and early October. Spring passage is marked by a secondary peak in May and June, accounting for another 28% of all records. Predictably, the most favoured recording areas are Scilly and Cornwall, with 28 and 1 1 respectively, and the southwest region as a whole accounts for 36% of all records. The remainder are fairly evenly spread and this is a species that is a realistic target for watchers of inland waters. (Breeds over much of North America from W Alaska to Newfoundland & S to California, Texas & North Carolina. Some winter in coastal USA to S of breeding range but most winter in C America, Caribbean & N South America, S to N Argentina & Chile.) Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria (6, 26, I) Shetland Ristie, Foula, 6th-9th May, photo (R. B. Wynn et al.) (plate 320). This is the first spring record for Britain. While it is often suspected that American waders in spring are birds that have crossed the Atlantic the previous autumn, this seems unlikely in this case. It arrived following a deep Atlantic depression that also brought records of two Black Ducks Anas rubripes, a Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis, a Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan, and two Laughing Gulls L. atricilla to Shetland in the same month, one of the Laughing Gulls being found minutes earlier by the same observer. All the previous Solitary Sandpipers in Britain have turned up between July and November. The earliest involves an old sight record from Kent on 18th July 1908, but there are three other ' records in July. September is the peak month, with almost half the sightings (16), but very few have been seen in October and there is only one record for November, on St Agnes, Scilly, on 4th— 6th November 2005. Scilly accounts for the lion’s share of records, with 12, while another three have been seen in Fig. 6. Records of Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius in Britain, 1950-2009, by five-year period. 590 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Cornwall, but the other English records are curiously clustered towards the southeast, with 12 records east of a line through Not- tingham and Swindon (including no fewer than four from land- locked Hertfordshire). The Foula bird was only the sixth for Scotland, following the first for Britain in Clyde some years pre- vious to 1869, one on Fair Isle in September 1992, and three in the Outer Hebrides since 1990. There are five Irish records, all in the southwest in autumn. There are two races of Solitary Sandpiper, with the nominate race breeding in the east of the range, and cinnamomea in the north and west. Although the differences in plumage are slight, there are substantial differences in DNA and there have been suggestions that the two races are best treated as separate species (Parkin & Knox 2010). None of the British records has yet been assigned to subspecies, despite suggestions that the Fair Isle bird showed characters of the nomi- nate race (McGowan & Weir 2002). Further investigations into the racial identity of vagrants are ongoing, but the results are so far inconclusive. (Breeds C & S Alaska through subarctic Canada to Quebec & Labrador. Migrates throughout USA & winters Caribbean & C America, S to Argentina.) Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (19, 276, 6) Argyll Foch Gruinart, Islay, 26th April, photo (J. R. How etal). Essex Maldon, first-winter, 16th March, photo (M. & P. Triston), presumed same Blackwater Estuary, Maldon, 1 3th— 24th April, photo (S. D. Wood et al). Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, adult, 1 2th— 28th August, photo (E. A. Fisher, A. D. Jordan et al.). Fothian Aberlady, adult, 22nd July to 20th December, photo (D. Allan et al.) (Brit. Birds 103: plate 14). North-east Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, juvenile, 16th— 18th September, photo (D. Funnell etal). Suffolk Southwold and Walberswick, adult, 5th December 2008 to 16th February (B. J. Small et al. per Suffolk Recorder), see also Brit. Birds 102: 557. Yorkshire Wheldrake Ings, adult, 22nd July, photo (P. Piringer, R. S. Slack etal), presumed same Pauli Holme Strays, 24th-30th July, photo (A. D. W. Tongue et al). (Breeds throughout much of subarctic Alaska & Canada, east to James Bay. Migrates through USA where some overwinter but majority winter from Caribbean & C America to Chile & Argentina.) Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (6, 128, I) Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, adult, 29th July to 7th August, photo (R. L. Flood et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 352). (Occasionally breeds Finland & Baltic countries to Ukraine & W Russia. To E, breeds commonly in forest-steppe region of Siberia to Mongolia & NE China. Winters throughout sub-Saharan Africa, especially E Africa, & Indian subcontinent E to S China & SE Asia; also Australia.) British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 591 Russell Wynn Hudson et al. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor (0, 226, 2) Gloucestershire Slimbridge, first-winter, 7th— 12th November, photo (G. Bradbury et al). Lancashire & North Merseyside Martin Mere and Marshside Marsh, first-winter, 2 1 st— 29th August, photo (G. Taylor per L&NM Recorder). The two records this year continue a trend towards lower numbers that has been apparent since 1991 (see fig. 7). The decade 2000-09 has the lowest total since the 1960s and is evidence of a genuine decline (given the increase in observer effort during the intervening period). Although there is some evidence of a population decline from some North American studies, the situation is not clear and it is difficult to correlate the apparent change in fortunes on this side of the Atlantic with global population trends in this species. The Slimbridge bird is the second-latest ever (after one on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, on 13th November 1984), while the August record falls at the beginning of the peak season for Wilson’s Phalarope (over 60% have turned up between 21st August and 30th September). As might be expected for a Nearctic vagrant, southwest England has notched up the most sightings (25%), but less intuitively this is followed by northeast England, then Scotland and East Anglia. Cornwall is the most favoured county, yet Norfolk, Yorkshire and Cleveland vie for joint second with Cheshire & Wirral. The surprisingly high proportion of east-coast sightings include a reasonable number of young birds, suggesting that arrivals from North America continue east- wards after making landfall. (Breeds interior W Canada south to California & throughout mid-west states of USA; also S Ontario. Most migrate through interior USA & winter in South America from Peru S to Argentina & Chile.) Great Skua Stercorarius skua Southern hemisphere races S. s. antarcticuslhamiltonillonnbergil maccormicki (0, 2, 0) 2002 Gower Aberavon and Southgate, 1 st— 1 6th February, photo (D. G. Carrington, S. J. Moon, A. Suter et al). 2002 Isles of Scllly Gugh Bar, St Agnes and St Mary’s, 7th October 2001 to 14th January, photo (P. A. Dukes et al.) (Brit. Birds 101: plates 221 & 222). For nearly 30 years now, circumstantial evidence that South Polar Skua S. (s.) maccormicki could be occurring unrecognised in British waters has gnawed at the pioneering aspirations of British seawatchers. It was, therefore, something of a bombshell when DNA evidence of two suspected maccormicki from Scilly and Glamorgan was in favour of them belonging with the Brown Skua S. (s.) antarcticus/hamiltoni/lonnbergi complex (Votier et al. 2004). Subsequently, the data proved insufficient to nail specific identification and the identification has paused, for the time being, on the non-specific designation of ‘southern skuas’ (Votier et al. 2007). Paused is the key word. Of the two records listed here, data from the Gower bird are consider- able, including mtDNA, biometrics, primary moult score and photographs that show aspects of plumage and structure. Consensus favoured an identification of maccormicki , though with some facets just not fully resolved for all BBRC and BOURC members. For the time being, therefore^ both records are accepted as ‘southern skuas’ only, though they are likely to be revisited before long. Further discussion covering the issues involved is found in Newell (2008). The record of a bird at West Bexington, Dorset, in January 1996, is currently in circulation with the BOURC for assessment as the first record of ‘southern skua’ for Britain. 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s Fig. 7. Records ofWilson’s Phalaropes Phalaropus tricolor in Britain, 1 950-2009, by decade. 592 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Issues affecting the assessment of ‘southern skuas’ include the following: • Theie is still some outstanding work with DNA analysis (HVR1) to be completed for the Scilly and Glamorgan birds, which could be illuminating. • Young birds, which are more likely to wander into the North Atlantic, are also colony-shy and, therefore, exhibit some of the least-known plumages in terms of appearance and moult. In this respect, experience and photos of breeding adults from Antarctica are not particularly helpful. Even then, not all birds on breeding grounds (and photographs of them) are neces- sarily identified correctly! • Though not necessarily a major issue, hybridisation in the southern skua complex remains part of the wider picture when identifying vagrants (see Koeppen & Scheil 2001, for example). • The specimen records need (re)assessing. These include a maccormicki-Uke bird collected at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in October 1869 ( Sea Swallow 43: 74-76), and held at Norwich Castle Museum, which has DNA consistent with a southern skua; and at least one other at the NHM, Tring, with maccormicki- like features (including one initially found alive in a field in Oxfordshire in October 1917). • Our peers on the Spanish Rarities Committee have been similarly circumspect with a bird off La Palma, Canaries, in October 2005 (Winkel 2009), which, despite having a strong likeness to maccormicki has, for now, been accepted only as ‘southern skua sp.’ • The taxonomy of the southern skuas is complex and research suggests that speciation is still ongoing (Ritz et al. 2008). Currently, the Taxonomic Sub-committee of BOURC is examining the available evidence to determine the most appropriate treatment of this group. While data collection and analysis is ongoing, it is hoped that the identification of some of these birds will eventually be resolved. What is clear is that there is no going back. Veteran watchers of seabirds have good reason to be vigilant, especially in the autumn and winter months; these pelagic wanderers are expected to occur again. Although many features have been showcased for maccormicki, the headlines remain: cold and plain. All nominate Great Skua plumages have some degree of internal marking to the feathers, especially on the wing-coverts, and warm tones are usually present from juvenile through to adult plumage. (Nominate race breeds N Atlantic. Race maccormicki breeds Antarctica and migrates north to ‘winter’ in N Pacific and N Atlantic. Other races breed S South America and islands in southern oceans, north to Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island in S Atlantic. Outside breeding season most are resident or disperse widely within southern oceans.) Laughing Gull Larus atricilla (I, 183, 7) Argyll Sorisdale, Isle of Coll, second-summer, 2nd June, photo (S. Wellock et al), presumed same Loch a’ Phuill, Isle of Tiree, 13th June, photo (J. Bowler, A. Robinson et al). Hampshire Testwood Lakes, second-summer, 24th May, photo (I. Pibworth). Lancashire & North Merseyside Marton Mere, adult, 25th May, photo (T. Sharpies per L&NM Recorder). Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, adult, 19th June, photo (W. T. S. Miles et al). Pembrokeshire Skomer, adult, 21st May (D. Boyle). Shetland Ristie, Foula, adult or second-summer, 6th May, photo (R. B. Wynn). Boddam, Mainland, second-summer, 1 7th — 3 1 st May, photo (M. Mellor et al) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 229). Putting aside the impact of Hurricane Wilma on the statistical record of Laughing Gulls in Britain (making it appear that early November is overwhelmingly the best time to find one), this species does in fact have a habit of materialising at almost any season - and the 2009 crop were all in spring or early summer. Most of them were one-day wonders and the two records from Shetland were thought probably to refer to different individuals, one of which lingered, touring South Mainland during the second half of May. After the remarkable and record influx of over 50 birds in November/December 2005 in the wake of Wilma, Laughing Gull has now reverted to more familiar form. In 2006 there were 22 individuals recorded and many of these were clearly remnants from the previous year. Given that so many arrived in Britain in late 2005, not to mention those elsewhere along the Atlantic British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 593 Hudson et al. seaboard, notably in Spain and Ireland, it was a little surprising that by 2007 most had seemingly dispersed and just six were seen in Britain. With so many displaced across the Atlantic, it was not unrealistic to hope that reorienting and lost birds might be encountered in successive years but, in fact, quite the reverse was true, and none at all was seen in 2008. Perhaps the majority found their way back across the Atlantic, and perhaps this is not really so surprising for a highly adapt- able and pelagic species. Previously considered a pest in North America and eliminated from much of its breeding range until given protection in 1913 (Mailing Olsen 8c Larsson 2003), it is now increasing in many parts of the USA and is surely set to continue to appear regularly in the BBRC Annual Report. (Locally common from Nova Scotia, S along E seaboard of USA to Florida & Gulf coast, the Caribbean, & C America to N Venezuela. Southern populations largely resident but N breeders winter within southern breeding range.) Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan (0, 60, 3) Ayrshire Barassie, first-winter, 16th— 1 8th January, photo (B. D. Kerr, A. A. Murray et al). Essex Canvey Island, second-winter, 29th-30th November (M. Bailey, D. Petrie, J. Saward). Orkney Holm Sound, Mainland, adult/second-summer, 12th July to 16th October, photo (K. E. Hague et al); also seen Shetland. Shetland Garths Voe, Mainland, adult/second-summer, 1 1 th— 1 2th May, photo (M. S. Chapman et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 181), presumed same Norwick and Westing, Unst, 24th-25th May, photo ( J. J. Gilroy et al. per Shetland Recorder); also seen Orkney. The first British record of Franklin’s Gull was in 1970, when an adult was found in Hampshire {Brit. Birds 64: 310-313). There were three others in the 1970s and ten in the 1980s, raising hopes of an increasingly upward trend. But the pattern during the 1990s and 2000s has been one of blank years (1993, 1995, 2001 and 2003) and better years (notably the six in both 1991 and 2007). Its status on this side of the Atlantic has to be set against a marked population decline in its North American breeding range, perhaps by up to 90% in some areas between 1960 and 2000 (Mailing Olsen 8c Larsson 2003). It is therefore not surprising that Franklin’s Gull remains a rather erratic visitor to Britain and seems unlikely to be anything other than a true rarity. However, it undertakes one of the most impressive mass autumn migrations, with spectacular flocks (involving up to tens of thousands of birds) moving through the Great Plains and across the Gulf of Mexico, and that in turn makes it vulnerable to displacement during the hurricane season in that region. In 2009, a second-summer or adult spent just 48 hours on Mainland Shetland before disap- pearing, being found again on Unst 12 days later. Last seen there on 25th May, it was then redis- covered in Orkney and seen at various locations on East Mainland until 16th October. Long-staying individuals such as this are not unprecedented and the Hampshire bird of 1970 was present for 85 days. (Breeds locally throughout interior provinces of temperate W Canada, E to Great Lakes & S to mid-west USA. Winters along Pacific coast of South America, from Guatemala to Chile.) American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus (0, 25, I) Devon River Otter Estuary and Budleigh Salterton, first-winter, 1 3th— 20th February and 6th— 1 6th March, photo (M. Knott et al). 2006 Outer Hebrides Rubha Ardvule, South Uist, second-winter, 29th-30th August, photo (J. L3. Kemp). 2004 Outer Hebrides Gramsdale, Benbecula, first-winter, 20th February to 1st March, photo (A. Stevenson et al). 2002 Outer Hebrides Gramsdale and Market Stance, Benbecula, first-winter, 20th January to 9th March, photo (B. Rabbitts, A. Stevenson et al). Gramsdale, Benbecula, first-winter, 2nd February to 12th April, photo (B. Rabbitts, A. Stevenson et al). Gramsdale, Benbecula, first-winter, 3rd February (B. Rabbitts, A. Stevenson et al), presumed same 2nd March to 12th April, photo (B. 594 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 |.| I fh*^ f I’1 . $ fy^ JjtM FT p1' At P'J'1 l ,-l's ( I fyJ1~ ‘ — i£‘kilik*. iU*' * Jv h / F jvth 4* :M . h-< im L'/'jL'J' Qy-^&s /r-fc - Sc e-jwArf ^ (fin (■**•+*) &*■* ^ y£H*r« «.* / ) y>* ./ bn^L^/\ tii /r^cLa* Co** * n /I ,i* f*T/. Ji*S f*t {( "* y^pbfr juJosti- l*» itt\v / ;V«* IV*'-' ~/l— /kcvi«^ HcW'Afr - rioUllh'f bend'. / fane* Ojfc^ _ K, ,<^ H/i/c'i £*«,.> 3//J k-//> Uc-y,U— /W/t aih Juvenile Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola (and Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca), Hirta, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, October 2009. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola (1,40, I) Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, juvenile, 4th October, photo (W. T. S. Miles et al.). (Breeds across Siberia from Irtysh River in W Siberia, N to 64°N, & E to Yakutia & Sea of Okhotsk, & to the south from SW Siberia & NE Kazakhstan through Mongolia to Ussuriland & N & NE China. Winters from Sri Lanka & NE India to S China, & S throughout SE Asia.) Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata (7, I 13, 5) Northumberland Long- stone, Fame Islands, 29th September, photo (). Moss, A. Scott, D. A. Still). Orkney North Ronaldsay, juvenile, 12th October, trapped, photo (R. J. Butcher et al). Shetland Scatness, Main- land, 7th October, photo (S. ). Minton, M. Reeder et al.). Out Skerries, ju- venile, 1 1th- 15th October, photo (M. J. McKee,' C. Turner, T. Warrick) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 460; plate 336). Balta- sound, Unst, juvenile, 336. Juvenile Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata. Out Skerries, Shetland, October 2009. 612 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 12th- 14th October, trapped, photo (M. G. Pennington, R. M. Tallack, B. H. Thomason etal). (Singing males tegular in eastern Finland. To E, discontinuously from C Urals E across much of Siberia to Kamchatka, Kuiil Islands, Hokkaido & NE China. Winters in Indian subcontinent, from Nepal E through NE India into SE Asia & Philippines.) River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis (0,35, I) Highland Applecross, Wester Ross, male in song, 28th June to 14th July, photo (G. Jones, R. & H. Maskew, R. Youngman et al .) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 287; plate 337). The Wester Ross bird was the second singing male in as many years to take up temporary residence in northern Scotland. The distinctive, pulsating song of Britain’s rarest Locustella provides the only realistic means of finding one away from Shetland and, given that many of the singing males have been found at inland sites, this is another species to keep rarity finders on their toes in late June and July. (Breeds C & E Europe from Germany to C Finland, & E through C Russia to W Siberia. Southern limit extends to Croatia & Ukraine. Migrates through Middle East & NE Africa to winter in E Africa.) Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides (-, 569, 5) Essex Lee Valley CP, male in song, lst-30th May, photo (per birding information services). Kent Stour Valley, 1 1 th— 27th April, photo (A. J. & P. A. J. Morris, M. P. Wilson etal). Sussex Undisclosed location, three (juvenile, 26th July to 5th August; adult, 6th August to 15th September; juvenile, 9th September), all three trapped and photographed (observers withheld). 2004 Kent Grove Ferry, 18th July to 3rd August; note revised dates, Brit. Birds 98: 675-676. The historical record of this species in Britain was covered in detail by Slack (2009), who used data collated by Keith Naylor to analyse occurrence patterns during the period 1983-97 when this species was not assessed by BBRC. We are extremely grateful to Keith for providing his data to allow us to revise our statistics (as sharp-eyed readers will have noticed) between the 2008 and 2009 reports. The showing this year matches the average of about five per annum that has prevailed since about 1995. While several other species have enjoyed a significant revival in their fortunes following reinstatement to the BBRC list, this has not been the case with Savi’s Warbler, which has remained a genuine rarity since reappearing in this report in 1999. Fig. 9 shows the break- down of records by five-year period and reinforces the message of decline; the last five years show the lowest number of reports since the 1950s. Models of the European breeding distribution in 2100, taking into account anticipated climatic changes, show this species expanding its breeding range in Britain & Ireland (Huntley et al. 2007). If suitable habitat is retained and climate models prove to be reliable, we may expect this species to be removed from the BBRC list again at some point in the future. Indeed, in some parts of Europe it has shown a sustained increase in recent years (e.g. in Estonia, where the 337. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis, Applecross, Wester Ross, Highland, July 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 613 Ian Fulton Hudson et al. species colonised in 1977 and 5,000-8,000 pairs were estimated by 2002; Elts et al. 2003). However, populations closer to Britain are either stable or showing a steady decline, which is thought to be linked to wintering conditions in the Sahel. If conditions on the wintering grounds are a major driver of population levels, it will prove Fig. 9. Records of Savi’s Warblers Locustella luscinioides in Britain, more difficult to 1 950-2009, by five-year period. predict the long-term fortunes of the species in Britain. Kent maintains its recent status as the best county for this species, but the Essex record, perhaps surprisingly, is only the fourth from that county, following two in 1981 and one in 1983 (Wood 2007). Since Essex is sandwiched between two counties, Suffolk and Kent, where the species is far more frequent, this must surely reflect the lack of suitably extensive Phragmites habitat. The autumn records from Sussex are also of significant interest. This species is typically located from April to July by its distinctive, buzzing song and the only other currently accepted autumn records since 1999 have been from Kent on 29th September 2008 and Norfolk on 28th August 2004. One trapped on Fair Isle on 30th September 2003 was suspected of referring to the eastern subspecies L. 1. fusca and is still under investigation. It has proved very difficult to estab- lish the limits of variation within the forms to determine whether fusca can be identified with confidence in an extralimital context, but we hope to reach a conclusion on this record soon. The Kent bird is the only autumn individual not to have been trapped. It is not clear whether the great rarity of autumn migrants is genuine or just a reflection of the species’ extremely skulking nature. A recent analysis of the autumn migration period of Savi’s Warblers in Hungary (Miholcsa et al. 2009) suggested that departure dates appeared to become earlier during the period 1989-2004. Another study of autumn migration from Portugal (Neto et al. 2008) highlighted the species’ migration strategy. Adults deposit significantly more fat ahead of their departure, enabling them to undertake a non-stop flight with a potential range of 530-1,630 km, than young birds, which were considerably lighter and had an average potential flight range of about 125 km. It could be that the shorter migratory hops of young birds may make them less prone to displacement to Britain than immatures of similar species and that the predominant occurrence pattern of overshooting and wandering adult Savi’s in spring and summer respectively is a genuine reflection of the species’ occurrence. The low number of trapped birds in autumn would appear to support this hypothesis, and may also imply that the Sussex juveniles had not travelled a great distance before they were detected. Field observers and ringers are reminded of the importance of collecting adequate details to support the acceptance of records of this species. Although the song is relatively easy to identify with experience, sound recordings should be taken whenever possible. Descriptions of trapped birds should be comprehensive, ensuring that salient plumage and biometric features are ade- quately recorded and supported by good-quality photographs if possible. (Breeds W Europe, from Iberia to the Netherlands; range contracting to SE but expanding to NE, into Baltic countries. To E, occurs through temperate Russia S through Ukraine to Black Sea coasts, & E across C Asia to NW China & W Mongolia. European birds winter in W Africa from Senegal to N Nigeria; Asian birds winter in NE Africa.) 614 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata (I, 114, 3) Norfolk Blakeney Point, unaged, 1 1th September, photo (P. Nichols, A. M. Stoddart, E. Stubbings et al). Shetland Channerwick, first-winter, 1 1th— 12th September, photo (J. Brown etal). Yorkshire Spurn, first-winter, 12th— 14th September, photo (G. Armitt, L. Nixon, A. Roadhouse et al). (Range expanding W, now breeding in S Finland. To E, breeds C Russia & W Siberia to Yenisey valley, C & N Kazakhstan to W Mongolia & W Xinjiang province, China. Winters N & peninsular India, S to Karnataka.) Booted/Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais caligata/rama (0, 3, I) Durham Marsden Quarry, 29th September ( J. P. Cook et al). This record was submitted as a Booted Warbler, but the Committee felt that the details observed were insufficient to rule out the possibility of Sykes’s. Observers are reminded of the need to eliminate Sykes’s when submitting claims of Booted Warbler. Although many Booteds are readily identifiable, variation in key structural, plumage and bare-part features means that others are separable from Sykes’s only with careful and prolonged views, and some may even now prove unidentifiable in such circumstances on present knowledge. The difficulties in identification were highlighted by the controversial Booted Warbler on Scilly in October 2006 {Brit. Birds 102: 617-621). (Booted Warbler: see above. Sykes’s Warbler breeds S Kazakhstan to W Xinjiang province, NW China, S locally to Persian Gulf states, Iran, Afghanistan & N Pakistan; winters N & W India, occasionally S to Sri Lanka.) Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola (1,72, 3) Caernarfonshire Bardsey, unaged, 17th September, photo (R. J. Else etal). Cheshire & Wirral Hilbre Island, 5th-9th June, trapped, photo (J. Elliot, C. J. & S. R. Williams et al.). Norfolk Snettisham Coastal Park, first-winter, 1 5th October, trapped, photo (T. Girling et al). 2008 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, first-winter, 11th October, trapped, photo (R. D. Brown, S. D. Stansfield et al); note revised observer, Brit. Birds 102: 579. (In Europe, restricted to Black Sea coasts from N Bulgaria & Danube Delta E to Ukraine. To E, breeds widely across steppes of S Russia & SW Siberia, Kazakhstan, NW China & W Mongolia, S to Uzbekistan & N Pakistan. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent N of Sri Lanka.) Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum (9, 89, 5) Shetland Lower Voe, Mainland, first-winter, 2nd-5th October, photo (G. Armitt, L. Nixon et al). Southdale, Fetlar, first-winter, 4th October, photo (P. V. Harvey, R. Riddington, B. H. Thomason et al). Sullom Plantation, Mainland, first-winter, 7th October (M. S. Chapman, R. W. Tait). Hoswick, Mainland, first-winter, 11th October (P. M. Ellis et al.). Quendale, Mainland, first- winter, 29th November to 1st December, photo (R. Riddington et al). 2008 Norfolk West Runton, first-winter, 26th-27th September, photo (J. E. D. Furse, P. J. Heath, R. Millington et al). 2007 Norfolk Gramborough Hill, 30th September (J. E. D. Furse, R. Millington, I. P. Prentice et al). 2007 Shetland Ham, Foula, 30th September to 5th October, photo (A. W. Lauder, K. D. Shaw et al). (Breeds widely throughout S Finland, Baltic countries & European Russia to 64 N. To E, extends across C Siberia to Lake Baikal & upper Lena River, S through W Mongolia & NW China, Kazakhstan & Tajikistan to N Pakistan. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent S to Sri Lanka & E into NW Burma.) Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (7, 228, 5) Fair Isle Lower Leogh, 30th— 31st May, trapped, photo (per Fair Isle Recorder). Schoolton and Shirva, 15th July, photo (per Fair Isle Recorder). Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, male in song, 13th-17th May, photo (R. L. Flood etal). Northumberland Gosforth, male in song, 7th-29th June, trapped, photo (I. Davidson, C. Redfern et al). British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 615 John Carter Hudson et al. Shetland Out Skerries, 28th May to 3rd June, photo (B. Marshall et al). 2008 Yorkshire Staveley, male in song, 24th May, sound recording (R. Evison, R T. Treloar et al). (Breeds discontinuously throughout much of continental Europe from Iberia to Greece, N to S Sweden & Finland, & E across S Russia, Turkey & Caucasus to W Siberia. C Asian race zarudnyi breeds from Volga to NW China & W Mongolia. Winters throughout C & S Africa.) Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis (0, 6, I) Kent Pegwell Bay, male in song, 6th September to 16th December, photo (I. & S. Hunter et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 459; plate 338). The total now moves on to seven records but, given that five of these have been since 2000, perhaps the long-predicted colonisa- tion of southern England is a step closer. Despite being the longest-stayer of any so far recorded in Britain, this bird could be frustratingly difficult to catch up with and a signif- icant number of would-be observers had to make repeat trips in order to see it. There is a single record from Norfolk (Cley, 24th August 1976, presumed same Holme, 29th August to 5th September 1976), but otherwise it is the south-coast counties of Dorset and Kent that have provided all the other records, with three each. The autumn arrivals have all turned up between 24th August and 13th September and presumably relate to dispersing Juveniles. The spring/summer arrivals span the period from 15th May to 24th June. Males are most likely to be discovered as they display over their territory uttering their simple, repetitive ‘zit... zit... zit...’ song. (Resident throughout Mediterranean basin, & N along Atlantic seaboard of W France. Elsewhere, other races breed throughout Indian subcontinent, S China & S Japan to SE Asia & N Australia, & in sub-Saharan Africa.) Dipper Cinclus cinclus North European race, ‘Black-bellied Dipper’ C. c. cinclus (-, 3, 0) Norfolk River Glaven between Glandford and Hunworth, 1st November 2008 to 16th March, photo (per Norfolk Recorder), see also Brit. Birds 102: 572. 2008 Yorkshire Watton, 24th November 2007 to 29th March, photo (M. Coverdale per Yorkshire Recorder) (Brit. Birds 101: plate 122). (Breeds Scandinavia, Baltic countries & W Russia. Outside the breeding season, resident or dispersive to S & W of breeding range.) White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma (27, 44, I) Isle of May First-summer, 2nd June (K. Brockie et al). With one record (plus another from Fair Isle still under consideration), 2009 may seem to be typical of recent years. What certainly is notable, however, is that one chose to make landfall on the Isle of May on the unprecedented date of 2nd June. With only two previous spring records of 338. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis, Pegwell Bay, Kent, November 2009. 616 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 this striking Asian thrush (Cheshire & Wirral on 7th May 1964, Shetland on 28th April 2005), this must rank as one of the major surprises of June 2009. Considering that this species is spreading westwards, and that one was even holding territory in Finland in 2009, this bird seems just as likely to have been a spring overshoot from the east as an individual that had wintered in western Europe or West Africa. (Palearctic race Z. d. aurea widespread in C & S Siberia from Yenisey River to Ussuriland, S to N Mongolia, extreme NE China, Korean Peninsula & Japan. Small population extends W to foothills of European Urals. Winters widely across S China, Taiwan & S Japan to Indochina & C Thailand. Nominate race resident or altitudinal migrant in Himalayas, SW China & Taiwan.) Veery Catharus fuscescens (0, 7, 2) Shetland Ham, Foula, first-winter, 1 st— 7th October, photo (H. & J. Aalto et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plates 421 & 428). Whalsay, first-winter, 2nd-5th October, photo (A. Seth, P. Stronach et al.) (plate 339). This year saw the first recorded multiple arrival of this, the most distinctive of the Catharus thrushes. Both individuals made landfall on Shetland: the first on Foula, followed a day later by one on Whalsay. Both proved to be twitchable for those making the effort, and both shared their chosen island with a Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavil This juxtaposition of east and west was even more marked on Foula, where the two shared the same small area of habitat and were occasion- ally even seen next to one another (Brit. Birds 102: plate 428). The distribution of records in Britain is interesting: uniquely for a Catharus, there are no records from Scilly. Moreover, the two Cornish birds turned up in almost the same spot (one at Porthgwarra, the other at St Levan), while the two Devon birds were both found in a mist-net in Millcombe Valley, Lundy, albeit ten years apart. The Scottish records are, unsurprisingly, all from islands, with previous records from North Uist (Outer Hebrides), North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and Unst (Shetland). The Unst individual was famously snaffled by a cat before the majority of Shetland’s listers could connect with it, and the pres- entation of one wing to those travelling to see it was scant compensation! Considering that Veery has a rather northerly breeding distribution and winters in southern Brazil, with at least a proportion of the population undertaking long sea cross- ings, it is unsurprising that it has occurred in Britain. Perhaps more unexpectedly, Veery has only now overtaken Hermit Thrush C. guttatus in number of records, the latter having occurred in Britain eight times. Hermit Thrush has a roughly similar breeding distribution in the eastern half of North America, but is a relatively short-distance migrant, with many birds wintering within the USA and only a minority making it as far south as El Salvador. 339. First-winter Veery Catharus fuscescens, Whalsay, Shetland, October 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 617 Hugh Harrop Kevin Woodbridge Hudson et al Hermit Thrush does not even cross the Gulf of Mexico, so is not particularly well adapted to long sea crossings (Bevier et al. 2005). With the last twitchable Hermit Thrush being on Tresco (Scilly) in 1993, many birders will be hoping that this species evens the score before too long. (Breeds Canada from S British Columbia, E to Newfoundland, S through warm temperate USA, E of Rocky Mountains & S to N Arizona & Georgia. Winters N South America from Colombia to NW Brazil.) Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus (0, 18, I) Orkney North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 5th— 6th October, photo (P. A. Brown et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 422; plate 340). This delightful Asian stray was first recorded in Britain in Northampton- shire in 1964, and the 2009 Orkney record sees Scot- land draw level with England, with nine records apiece. Fourteen of the 19 have turned up in October, with single records in December, April and September, and two in May. Three records in 1964 represented the only sightings in that decade and one in 1978 was the sole record in the 1970s. A golden age followed, with seven in the 1980s and six in the 1990s, and observers in the first half of the 90s could easily have anticipated this species becoming an annual fixture in this report, with no indication of the return to great rarity that has happened since. The 2009 bird was the first since one on the Outer Hebrides in 2001, the only other bird to be recorded in the current decade. (Breeds Siberia from Yenisey River E to coast of Sea of Okhotsk & Kamchatka, S to Lake Baikal, N Mongolia & Amurland. Migrates across much of China to winter Taiwan, Indochina & Thailand S to Singapore, Sumatra, Philippines & N Borneo.) Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis (2,62, I) Devon Scorriton Down, first-winter male, 27th— 28th October, photo (J. Walters et al.). (Breeds C & N Urals, E across W Siberia & E Kazakhstan to NW China, winters Iraq to N India, E through Himalayan foothills to Bhutan.) Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia (I, 180,3) Lincolnshire Donna Nook, first-summer, 16th May, trapped, photo (J. P. Siddle et al.). North-east Scotland Sands of Forvie, 1 6th— 17th May, photo (H. Maggs, C. Reid, D. Short et al.). Yorkshire Spurn, male in song, 1 5th— 1 6th May (D. Wozencroft et al.). 2008 Yorkshire Spurn, male in song, 28th May ( ). Harriman, A. A. Hutt et al.). Three typical records in 2009, all on the east coast and bang in the middle of May. May is by some distance the best month for finding this species (62% of all records), and the ten-day period of 1 1 th— 20th accounts for more than a quarter of all records. Geographically, Fair Isle and Shetland are the best bet for finding a Sprosser, followed by Fife, Yorkshire, Norfolk and 340. First-winter Eyebrowed Thrush Turdus obscurus , North Ronaldsay, Orkney, October 2009. 618 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Lincolnshire. Away from the Northern Isles and the east coast it remains a great rarity: for example, just three records from Dorset, two from Scilly, one each from Wales and Devon and (still) none for Cornwall. The best year on record is 2008, and the additional bird reported here raises the total for that year to 13. (Widespread throughout E Europe with population increase during 20th century. Range still expanding NW into SW Norway, & locally abundant in S Scandinavia & Baltic countries. C European range extends from Denmark, SE to Romania & Ukraine, & through temperate European Russia to S Siberia. Winters E Africa, from S Kenya to Zimbabwe.) Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus (2, 59, 7) Durham Whitburn Coastal Park, first-winter, 15th October, trapped, photo (A. George et al). Shetland Sandgarth, Mainland, first-winter, 1 2th— 14th October, photo (M. S. Chapman et al.) (plate 341). Quendale, Mainland, first-winter, 15th October, photo (R. Riddington et al.). Suffolk Minsmere, first- winter, 1 4th— 2 1 st October, photo (J. H. Grant et al.). Yorkshire Spurn, female or first-winter male, 17th October, trapped, photo (P. Collins et al.). Spurn, first- winter, 17th-27th October, trapped, photo (S. Nash et al). Bempton Cliffs, first- winter, 23rd-25th October, photo (T. Dolan et al. per Yorkshire Recorder) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 457). 2008 Lincolnshire Salt- fleetby/Theddlethorpe Dunes, first-winter, 8th November, trapped, photo (A. R. Lowe et al). (Small population breeds NE Finland but main range extends through cool temperate forests of N Eurasia from E Russia & Siberia to Kamchatka, N Japan & NE China. Winters S China, Taiwan & S Japan through SE Asia to N peninsular Thailand. Distinctive race rufilatus of Himalayas & W China, some- times treated as distinct species, descends to lower elevations during winter.) Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Eastern race, ‘Siberian Stonechat’ S. t. maurus (I, 338, 2) Kent Bockhill, female, 24th October, photo (P. Chantler etal). Nottinghamshire Bevercotes Park, Walesby, male, 16th-29th December, photo (P. Palmer, R. J. Stevens et al.) {Brit. Birds 103: plate 47). 2008 Outer Hebrides Europie, Ness, Isle of Lewis, female or first-winter male, 5th October (T. ap Rheinallt). 2004 Sussex Hastings CP, 22nd October (A. S. Grace). This distinctive subspecies teeters on the brink of removal from the BBRC list, but a few more 341. First-winter Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, Sandgarth, Mainland, Shetland, October 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 619 Larry Dalziel Martin Goodey Hudson et al. poor showings like this (the worst year since 1976, when there were also just two) will be suffi- cient to ensure that it remains a BB rarity. Of the two from 2009, the late October bird in the southeast is fairly typical, but the male that lingered for two weeks in Nottinghamshire in December is particularly noteworthy. The autumn months from September to November account for 92% of the total; the annual average is between five and ten records but there were some bumper years in the 1980s and 90s, with the 32 in 1991 making it the best year to date. (Breeds widely across N Asia from N Urals S to N Caspian Sea, Mongolia & N China, E to Kolyma basin, Okhotsk coast & N Japan. Winters from N Indian subcontinent to S China & SE Asia. Other races occur S Asia & Africa.) Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka (2, 54, 2) Fife Fife Ness, first-winter male, 26th— 3 1 st October, photo (K. D. Shaw et al.). Suffolk Shingle Street, female, 19th October, photo (J. A. & P. R. Kennerley et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 458). 2007 Devon Skern, Northam Burrows CP, first-winter male, 1 6th— 1 9th November, photo (R. Churchill, R. Doble et al). Although there are no fail-safe characters, the identification of the 2007 Devon Pied Wheatear, which was widely touted at the time as a possible eastern Black-eared Wheatear O. hispanica melanoleuca, was reached using the following combination of characters: • Upperparts (including crown): Greyish-brown, quite an earthy colour with a suggestion of blackish bases to the scapulars and perhaps some mantle feathers. The presence of greyish fringing pointed to Pied and the warmer, browner tones of late autumn melanoleuca were lacking. • Supercilium: Prominent, particularly broad and flaring behind eye, and being a deeper ochre- buff colour in front. No evidence of black feather bases in supercilium. First-winter melanoleuca tend to show obvious black in front of and just above eye and consequently the supercilium runs clearly above the eye in melanoleuca (not ‘through’ it) and is less striking. The supercilium on the Devon bird was very similar to that of other vagrant first-winter male Pieds. • Black on throat: With head-on views the black appeared to extend slightly but clearly onto the breast and also to extend to the side of the nape, which is more indicative of Pied. • Fringes of coverts and remiges: Whitish fringing to upperwing-coverts lacked the extensive deep buff fringing of melanoleuca , though this is probably best regarded as a ‘soft’ feature that is sometimes difficult to interpret. (European range centred on Black Sea, reaching E Romania & Bulgaria. To E, small numbers in S & E Ukraine, but occurs widely across S Russia, S Siberia, Kazakhstan & Mongolia to N China, E to Gulf of Bohai. Winters in NE & E Africa, & SW Arabian Peninsula.) Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica (I 1,44, I) 342. First-summer male Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, June 2009. Isles of Scilly Porth Askin, St Agnes, first-summer male, 2nd-3rd June, photo (D. & G. Ayling et al.) (plate 342). Vagrant Pied O. pleschanka and Black-eared Wheatears can still provide one of the thorniest iden- tification challenges as exempli- fied in this report by the June Black-eared on Scilly, and the' November 2007 Pied in Devon. With two distinctive sub- species, the eastern melanoleuca and western hispanica, Black- 620 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 eared Wheatear is already split by some authorities, and this year’s Scilly bird, the first since 2002, inevitably sparked debate. The pattern of black (depth on neck sides, above the eye, over the bill base) appeared to fall into the uncomfortable overlap zone between the two taxa for first-summer males. Perhaps the most helpful character was to be found in the upperpart tones. Ongoing research has found that the gingery- orange hues on the upper- parts of spring male hispanica are always strongest on the nape and upper mantle, and remain even when the plumage has faded (usually to bright white) on the forecrown and lower mantle. This is in contrast to melanoleuca, on which the crown can be washed with a dirty, greyish-ginger colour, but the mantle still becomes pale (see also Ullman 2003). Among several features, the presence of some grubby greyish-brown tones on the crown of the Scilly bird and an almost white mantle would, therefore, favour identi- fication as melanoleuca (although we are still investigating this). The results of a subspecies review of British records of Black-eared Wheatear were presented in the 2002 and 2003 reports (Brit. Birds 96: 589-590, 97: 598-599), but our knowledge continues to be refined and in due course that may enable us to assign birds such as the 2009 individual, which would have been considered unsafe using the criteria deployed in the full review. (Breeds Mediterranean basin; nominate hispanica in NW Africa & Iberia, E to France & N Italy, eastern race melanoleuca from S Italy to Greece, & SW Asia from Turkey to S Caucasus, S to Israel & SW Iran. Winters N tropical Africa from Senegal & N Nigeria to Ethiopia & Eritrea.) Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti (9, 103,0) 2008 North-east Scotland Don Mouth and Murcar, first-winter male, 15th November, photo (N. A. Littlewood, R. Mavor), presumed same Girdle Ness, 24th-30th November, photo (K. Hall et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 31). (Breeds widely but discontinuously across arid & desert regions of N Africa from Morocco to Middle East, N to S Caucasus, & across C Asia from C Iran & N Pakistan to Mongolia & N China. Some N African birds resident, but many winter in Sahara & Sahel region of N Africa from Mauritania E to Ethiopia & Somalia. Asian breeders winter Arabian Peninsula to NW India.) Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla (0, 2, I) Shetland Tresta, Fetlar, first-winter, 22nd September to 5th October, sound recording, photo (M. Garner, R. Riddington, B. H. Thomason et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 425; plate 343), same Gloup, Yell, 9th— 17th October, photo (B. H. Thomason et al.). With a first-summer male in Yorkshire in April and a first-winter in Shetland in October, the year 2003 ushered in Britain’s first records of Taiga Flycatcher. There was a general expectation that this recently elevated ‘new species’ was probably overlooked and that more records would quickly ensue. But, with only four other records on the west European stage (one in Sweden, three in France) and a six-year gap before the appearance of Britain’s third, its status as extreme rarity remains unshaken. This year’s Shetland bird delighted many by its prolonged stay at two Fig. 10. Records of Black-eared Wheatears Oenanthe hispanica in Britain, 1950-2009, by five-year period. From a peak in the late 1980s and early 1 990s, Black-eared Wheatears have now become rarer than at any previous time in the BBRC period. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 621 Rob Brookes Hudson et al. locations, on dif- ferent islands; remarkably, it was rediscovered on Yell by one of its orig- inal finders, some 1 7 km northwest of its first touch- down on Fetlar. Identifying an autumn Taiga Fly- catcher in Britain remains a chal- lenge. Analogous to the situation with Flume’s Phyllo- scopus humei and Yellow-browed Warblers P. inor- natus, there is an unfolding picture of greater intraspe- cific variation than is generally under- stood and a conver- gence of some characters between Red-breasted F. parva and Taiga Flycatchers. A virtually all-dark bill, a tertial pattern akin to that of Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola, white orbital ring and grey tones about the head are all typical of first-winter Taiga. These features can, however, also be found to varying degrees (not necessarily all together) on some Red-breasted Flycatchers. Exceptionally, colder-toned first- winter Red-breasted can even have a rather grey-white appearance to the breast, where the normal yellow-buff tones are limited, and on a very few the uppertail-coverts can be confusingly dark, and appear similar in tone to, or even slightly darker than, the central tail feathers. To be confident about the identification of a first-winter Taiga Flycatcher, it is important to see as many of the suggested identification criteria as possible and, preferably, to see them very well, in a range of different lights and leave with photos! The most critical characters are as follows: • An essentially cold, obviously grey zone covering the breast region (described by the team who identified the Fetlar bird as the most immediately obvious difference from Red-breasted Flycatcher), with yellow-buff limited to, at best, the lower flanks and perhaps a little in the carpal area. • Black uppertail-coverts (which can be frustratingly difficult to see well), darker than the central tail feathers. • The fast, rattling call remains the single-best character, delivered with a quality that recalls a Wren Troglodytes troglodytes and at about twice the speed of the call of Red-breasted Flycatcher. Like Red-breasted, it also seems highly likely that Taiga has a greater repertoire of calls than the rattle, including trisyllabic calls from the wintering grounds (BWP). A bird from Tregaseal, Cornwall, in November 2009 remains under consideration. (Breeds Siberia from Ural Mountains E to Sakhalin & Kamchatka, S to N Altai, Baikal region, N Mongolia & Amurland. Winters from NW India, E to S China & S to Malay Peninsula.) 343. First-winter Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla, Tresta, Fetlar, Shetland, September 2009. 622 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis (I, 27, 2) Dorset Southwell, Portland, first-summer male, 28th April to 2nd May, sound recording, photo (D. & P. Saunders et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 184; plate 344). Fife Denburn Woods, first-summer male, 16th— 19th May, photo (D. Clugston et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 232). The singing male at Port- land was the first readily accessible Collared Fly- catcher in England since one at Filey, Yorkshire, on 21st-22nd May 1985, and was one of the highlights of the spring for many English birders. Scottish birders had their chance to enjoy this delightful species a fortnight later, when another male turned up in Fife. The Dorset bird was the earliest-ever spring arrival; discovery dates of Collared Flycatcher now stretch from 28th April to 20th June (with 21 in May, including 1 1 in the last third of that month). The continued difficulty of identifying this species in autumn is demon- strated by there still being just one accepted record at this time, a bird trapped on Fair Isle on 8th October 1986. Both of this year’s records were notable for involving (quite) long-stayers. Aside from the one at Foreness, Kent, from 24th May to 9th June 1984, no previous Collared Flycatcher had lingered as long as five days, as the Dorset bird did, and only one had stayed for four, as the Fife bird did. With the exception of individuals shot on Shetland in 1947 and found dead in Cumbria in 1964, 15 records relate to birds present for one day only and eight others stayed for just two. Two strong claims of female Collared Flycatchers (26th May 2008 on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, and 1 2th — 13th May 2009 on Bryher, Scilly) remain in circulation, ensuring that they are appraised critically by both the Committee and external experts of flycatcher identification. There are currently just two accepted records of female Collared Flycatchers: on Out Skerries, Shetland, on 25th May 1976 and North Ronaldsay on 31st May 1999. (Scattered pockets breed E France & S Germany but more numerous through C & E Europe to temperate regions of European Russia W of Urals. Isolated populations breed on Swedish islands Gotland & Oland, & S Italy. Winters in E & C Africa, from Tanzania to Zimbabwe.) 344. First-summer male Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis, Southwell, Portland, Dorset, April 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 623 Peter Saunders Hudson et al. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Central Mediterranean race, ‘Ashy-headed Wagtail’ M. f. cinereocapilla (1,3,0) 2006 Norfolk Pentney GP, male, 9th— 1 0th April, photo (D. E. Balmer, P. M. Wilson et al). This is the first appearance of this species in a BBRC report since the request for submissions (Kehoe 2006). Two previous records were published in the 1959 BBRC report {Brit. Birds 53: 427), which explains the statistics above. We are aware that this form has occurred in the inter- vening years, although the reports that we have been able to trace support the assumption that it is sufficiently rare to be considered by BBRC. We welcome all reports of potential Ashy-headed Wagtails, including well-documented historical records. The 2006 Norfolk bird was well documented and a classic example of cinereocapilla. It showed a small pale fleck behind the eye, but this is not considered to be a barrier against acceptance as this form. The identification of this (and other) races is complicated by the notorious tendency for intergradation between the various forms of flava wagtail, and also by occasional aberrant individuals that masquerade as a different form entirely, thought to be a consequence of simple genetic mutation (Odeen & Bjorklund 2003). The vocal affinities of cinereocapilla and iberiae are closer to feldegg , so a description of vocalisations and, ideally, a sound recording is a key require- ment to support claims. We are also keen to collect records of all apparent ‘southern’ Yellow Wagtails, which may represent variation within cinereocapilla and iberiae or intergrades between these two forms. While it is difficult to confirm that genetic influence from other forms, such as flava, may be involved, we intend to collate all records of such individuals in Britain to help our understanding of the frequency of occurrence and establish a vagrancy pattern. This approach is being taken in parallel with the Dutch rarities committee (CDNA), who have recently published the first records of cinereocapilla (van der Vliet et al. 2007; Groenendijk & van Saane 2008) and indeterminate cinereocapilla/ iberiae (Ovaa et al. 2008) for the Netherlands. A paper summarising the assessment criteria proposed by BBRC for these forms is in preparation for BB. Observers of potential candidates should attempt to record any vocalisations and are advised to pay particular attention to the colour of the crown, nape and ear-coverts; the extent of the white throat and demarcation from the yellow upper breast; and the extent and coloration of any supercilium markings. (Breeds Sardinia, Italy, Sicily, SW Slovenia and NW Croatia, intergrading with M.f. iberiae in S France and NE Spain. Winters WC Africa from Mali to Nigeria, E to Lake Chad.) Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava M. f. cinereocapilla x iberiae (0, 1 , 0) 2007 Outer Hebrides Borve, Benbecula, male, 1 st— 28th June, photo (S. E. Duffield et al). See the comments under Ashy-headed Wagtail, above. This individual showed a broad white supercilium behind the eye, extending to the rear edge of the ear-coverts. For this reason it was considered best to publish it in the intermediate category at the present time. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava SE European & W Asian race, ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ M. f. feldegg (0, 13,2) Norfolk Titchwell, first-summer male, 25th April, photo (per Norfolk Recorder) (plate 345). Kelling Water Meadows, male, 20th May, photo (M. Nash, N. Rogers). Following the first (a male on Fair Isle in May 1970), only a dozen more Black-headed Wagtails' were accepted between then and 2006, with 1985 being the only year in which more than one was seen (males in Northumberland and Suffolk, both in June). Two more can now be added to the total and, with two males seen in Norfolk, 2009 becomes only the second year in history to boast multiple records. All British records involve either adult or first-summer males, and the finding 624 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 of the first female is still eagerly awaited. Some females are surpris- ingly distinctive in appearance and, as with males, the call is a very useful identification aid. However, again as with males, a written description may not necessarily suffice; good pho- tographs and a sound recording would be the ideal evidence. Black- headed Wagtail appears to be expanding its range in the Balkans and adjacent regions of southeast Europe, and vagrancy has now been proved in West Africa. Here on the western seaboard of the Atlantic, we are well placed to receive more wayward examples of this attractive summer migrant. While a truly black-headed male is the ultimate goal, the reality is that not all candidates are completely clear-cut. Although the ‘near thing’ is arguably an equally valid expression of the wonder of wagtail variation, the truth is that only pure-looking individuals are likely to survive the assessment process. Any minor anomaly (such as a fleck or two of white in the supercilium) immediately generates suspicion, as such fea- tures may imply a degree of impurity; even if the bird strongly resembles feldegg in other ways, the possibility of it being a hybrid will need to be considered. As our understanding of the problem evolves, it may yet come to pass that a slight relaxation of criteria could allow a less exclusive classification of records, leading to ‘non-classic’ individuals falling within the less strin- gent parameters of a broader ‘Black-headed Wagtail group’. (Breeds Balkans & Greece E through Turkey to E Kazakhstan & Afghanistan, & S to Iran. Western populations winter Nigeria to Uganda & S to Congo, eastern populations winter NW India.) Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola (0, 217, 12) Cleveland Saltholme Pools, first-winter, 23rd-24th August, photo (R. C. Taylor et al). Cornwall Marazion Marsh, first-winter, 29th August to 7th September, photo (D. Parker, P. Semmens et al). Dorset Lodmoor, adult male, 6th May, photo (S. D. Carey). Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool and Salakee, St Mary’s, first-winter, 10th— 1 1th September, photo (D. Jewell, M. Turton et al). Simpson’s Field, Tresco, first-winter, 25th-30th October, photo (P. Agland, M. Nash et al). Kent Sandwich Bay BO, female, 21st May, photo (I. Hodgson, J. de Villeneuve). Norfolk Cley, first-summer female, 1 2th— 1 4th May, photo (M. Golley et al. per Norfolk Recorder). Scolt Head, first-winter, 16th September, photo (V. Francis, N. M. Fawton, M. E. S. Rooney). Orkney Garso, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 18th October (A. E. Duncan et al). Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, first-winter, 13th— 18th September, photo (W. T. S. Miles et al). Shetland Haroldswick, Unst, first-winter, 19th— 21st September, photo (R. M. Tallack et al) [Brit. Birds 102: plate 420). Quendale, Mainland, first-winter, 21st September (R. Riddington). 345. First-summer male Black-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg, Titchwell, Norfolk, April 2009. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562—638 625 Steve Gantlett Hudson et al. Fig. II. Records of Citrine Wagtails Motacilla citreola in Britain, 1950-2009. This year’s crop of 12 is typical of recent times, and on a par with the arrivals in 1996 and 2000. Fig. 1 1 shows that the overall trend is rising steadily, and this can be expected to continue if west- ward expansion of the breeding range is maintained. In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 210,000-520,000 breeding pairs, and is increasing (BirdLife International 2004). Most of these are found in Russia, but the species is expanding westwards - for example, it First bred in Belarus in 1982 and now breeds there regu- larly (Hagemeijer & Blair 1997). Smaller outlying populations are now found in Finland, the Baltic states and Poland, with isolated breeding recorded from as far west as Germany. Europe comprises only a small proportion of its entire range, and the state of populations farther east is unknown. Given the breeding-range expansion and the increase in records in western Europe, it would appear to be doing quite well. Potentially, Citrine Wagtails may be confused with some flava wagtail variants, and any con- tender with a bright yellow head and grey mantle is not necessarily a Citrine. British birders should note that as the European population increases and expands westwards, it would seem likely that hybridisation with flava wagtails will become more frequent, and perhaps we can expect to see these hybrids (the identification of which would be extremely difficult) occasionally in Britain. Citrine Wagtail is probably best divided into two subspecies: nominate citreola and the extralimital calcarata. Alstrom 8c Mild (2003) listed a further three races, werae , quassatrix and sindzianica, but included them within citreola owing to a lack of morphological differences among them. All the British records are assumed to belong to citreola, and all the adult males have been of this form. (Nominate race breeds in N Russia, from E Kola & Kanin Peninsula across N Siberia to Taimyr Peninsula & S to C Siberia. To south, small numbers now breed regularly in Belarus, Baltic countries & occasionally S Finland; otherwise from Ukraine & S Russia, E across Kazakhstan & Mongolia to N China. Black-backed race calcarata breeds C Asia to Tibetan Plateau. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent, S China & SE Asia to peninsular Thailand.) Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni (1,318, 18) Cornwall St Levan, 29th October, photo (S. & T. Carson, R. J. Kelly et al). Nanjizal, 1 0th— 26th November, trapped (M. D. Wallace, K. A. Wilson). Devon Lundy, 23rd-24th October, photo (A. Jayne, R. J. Taylor et al.). Hampshire Sandy Point, Hayling Island, 24th October, photo (A. C. Johnson et al). Isles of Scilly Sunnyside, St Mary’s, 31st October to 2nd November, photo (B. J. Small et al). Kent Sandwich Bay BO, 1 8th— 2 1 st October (K. Ellis, I. Hodgson et al.). Norfolk Wells, 30th October (J. R. McCallum). Shetland Hametoun, Foula, 4th-5th October, photo (K. B. Shepherd et al). Mainland, eight: Quendale, 6th October, photo (I. Cowgill, R. Riddington); Kergord, 7th— 1 1th October, photo (K. B. Shepherd, N. D. Wright et al.), and a second bird there on 9th (D. M. Bryant et al); Sullom, 8th October (M. S. Chapman, G. N. Smith); Geosetter, 20th October (R. M. Fray, M. A. Maher,- S. J. Minton); Levenwick, 26th October (R. M. Fray et al.); Swinister, Sandwick, 31st October (J. Brown et al.); Grutness, 4th November, photo (R. Riddington). Vatshoull, Whalsay, 1 1th October, photo (B. Marshall et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 453). Yorkshire Flamborough Flead, 5th November, photo (1. Marshall et al.). 626 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 (European range restricted to N Urals. Widespread across C & E Siberia to N China, Kamchatka, Kuril Islands & Japan. Winters widely across S China, Taiwan & throughout N & C parts of SE Asia. Those in Himalayas & mountains of WC China winter throughout Indian subcontinent.) Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi (4, 77, 10) Fair Isle Kenaby and Quoy, 30th September to 1st October, trapped, photo (C. A. Holt etal). Shetland Ham, Foula, 30th September to 8th October, photo (K. B. Shepherd et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 428). Mainland, Five: Pool of Virkie, 2nd— 3rd October (P. V. Harvey, M. Lawson, R. Riddington); Sandgarth, 3rd-8th October (M. S. Chapman et al.); Brae, 4th-6th October, photo (E. Parnell et al.)-, Scalloway, 8th October, photo (A. J. Culshaw, S. Smethurst et al.)-, Veens- garth, 1 1th October (J. Swalwell et al.). Skaw, Whalsay, 2nd-7th October, photo ( J. L. Irvine et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 418; plate 346). Uyeasound, Unst, 3rd-4th October, photo (G. Thomas et al.). Out Skerries, 5th— 1 1th October, photo (M. J. McKee, C. Turner, T. Warrick et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 454). With ten records, 2009 equals the previous best year, 1994, for this boldly marked pipit. Unlike 1994, but true to form, all of the 2009 records came from Shetland and Fair Isle, and spanned the period 30th September to 11th October. As can be seen in fig. 12, the vast majority of British records have turned up between 21st Sep- tember and 10th October. In fact, this species exhibits an extremely narrow window of occurrence, in both timing and geography. With 42 records, Fair Isle accounts for nearly half of the total occurrences, but the rest of Shetland is close behind with 35. This year’s influx was scattered throughout the length and Fig. 12. The arrival pattern of Pechora Pipits Anthus gustavi in Britain, 1 950-2009, by ten-day period. 346. Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi, Whalsay, Shetland, October 2009. British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 627 Hugh Harrop Gary Thoburn Hudson et al. breadth of Shetland. Given that one was found on Isle d’Ouessant, France, on 9th October, just how many more made landfall on the North Sea coast in this period? Indeed, Shetland remains the best place to see this species in the Western Palearctic, a position that it seems unwilling to relinquish easily. The only spring Pechora was on the Calf of Man on 4th-9th May 1991. Interestingly, this came after an autumn that had seen singles recorded in Dorset, Cornwall and Co. Cork. It seems likely to have been a migrant returning to the breeding grounds after successfully wintering somewhere in the west. That we have not had more spring records of this unobtrusive but striking pipit is unsurprising, given that even where they occur regularly on migration, such as Flong Kong and Beidaihe in coastal China, they are both highly skulking and occur in only small numbers. (Breeds within narrow region of scrub-tundra & taiga of subarctic Eurasia, from Pechora region of NE Russia across Siberia to Chukotskiy Peninsula & Kamchatka. Migrates through E China & Taiwan to wintering areas in Philippines, N Borneo & N Sulawesi. Isolated race, menzbieri, breeds NE China & Amur River region of SE Russia.) Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens (l, 15, I) Shetland Da Smaalie, Hametoun and Ham, Foula, 29th September to 3rd October, photo (K. B. Shepherd et al.) {Brit. Birds 102: plate 419). 2008 Isles of Scilly Stinking Porth, Bryher, first-winter, 3rd-7th October, photo (K. Rylands, A. White et al.) (plate 347). (North American race A. r. rubescens breeds W Greenland, N & NW Canada, & Alaska, winters W & S USA, Mexico & C America. Asian race japonicus vagrant to W Pal., breeds NE Siberia W to Baikal region, winters N Pakistan & NW India to S & E China, S Korea & S Japan.) 347. First-winter Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens, Bryher, Isles of Scilly, October 2008. Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella (0, 1,0) 2008 Fair Isle Auld Haa, adult male, 6th— 1 1th June, trapped, photo (M. Gee, T. H. Hyndman, D. N. Shaw et al.) (Brit. Birds 101: plate 184; plate 348). With birders now exploring ever more remote corners of Britain, it may sometimes seem that Fair Isle is being eclipsed, but the island still manages to pull out something special every now 628 Rritish birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 and again. Citril Finch becomes the 31st species added to the British List from Fair Isle, and the island is obvious signs of captivity, which there weren’t), but even in the hand ageing was not straightfor- ward. It was in adult-type plumage but, as many finches may have a full post-juvenile moult, this is not a clear indication of age. A DNA sample was also taken, which may yet give clues as to the origins of the bird. With identification straightforward, provenance was the next hurdle to overcome. Many birders may remember that Citril Finch was on the British List until a specimen from Norfolk in 1904 was re-examined and found to be a Yellow-crowned Canary Serinus canicollis (Knox 1994). With the Norfolk bird’s removal, it was thought that the species was unlikely to occur, since wisdom has it that Citril Finch is a sedentary species. Alpine species do move, however, even if only altitudinally, and Alpine Accentors Prunella collaris and Wallcreepers Tichodroma muraria are proof that altitudinal migrants may wander farther afield. In many parts of their breeding range, however, Citril Finches are migrants. In Switzerland, birds winter regularly in only one canton, in the southwest, and even in milder winters never more than a third of the population remains ( BWP ). Birds ringed in the Alps have been recov- ered near Barcelona, Spain, and in central Italy, while the potential for birds to move even farther is demonstrated by two records from Cueta, the Spanish enclave in northern Morocco (Slack 2009). North of the breeding range there is a wide scatter of records from northeast France to Poland but, with the exception of a few extralimital records in potential breeding habitat, these are almost all between September and early April (Hyndman 2008). In terms of the Fair Isle bird, the most interesting potential vagrant is one from Finland, the only other record as far north and in late spring. This bird, an adult female, was among Siskins Carduelis spinus at a feeding site at Kikkonummi, 40 km west of Helsinki. It was trapped on 17th May 1995 and remained until 2nd July but, intriguingly, one of the accompanying Siskins caught around the time of its arrival had been ringed in central Italy earlier in the year (Topp 1995). That record is currently placed in Category D of the Finnish List, although part of the reasoning was an absence of similar records of long-distance vagrancy for the species. (Breeds in mountain ranges in C Spain, the Pyrenees, and Alps north to S Germany and E to N Slovenia. Largely sedentary although many birds disperse from higher elevations outside the breeding season.) responsible for three of the last 12 additions (prior to Citril Finch was the far-eastern double of Chestnut-eared Bunting Emberiza fucata and Rufous- tailed Robin Lus- cinia sibilans in October 2004). Once the initial rr . I juil iiiaic n-iu m i men CUfUUClli UUMCHU, rd.il Ibie, OfJetldMU, une zuuo. worn on, the iden- J tification of this bird was never in any doubt. It was trapped (partly to see if there were any 348. Adult male Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella, Fair Isle, Shetland, June 2008. 348. Adult male Citril Finch Carduelis citrinella, Fair Isle, Shetland, June 2008. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 629 Mark Breaks Hugh Harrop Hudson et al. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Greenland race, ‘Hornemann’s Redpoll’ C. h. hornemanni (II, 45, 22) Orkney North Ronaldsay, three: first-winter, 29th September to 2nd October, trapped, photo (A. E. Duncan, K. Woodbridge et al.); 2nd October, photo (P. A. Brown); 17th October, photo (R. J. Butcher et al). Outer Hebrides Skallary, Barra, first-winter, 1 st— 5th October, trapped, photo (K. Gillon et al), presumed same Nasg, Barra, 10th October (S. Green per K. Gillon). Shetland Foula, five: Burns, 12th May, photo (R. B. Wynn); North Harrier area, 27th September to 15th October, photo (H. & J. Aalto, P. R. French et al); Harrier, 28th September to 12th October, photo (P. Eele et al); Hamnabreck and Ham, 28th September to 4th October, photo (G. Taylor et al); 3rd-15th October, photo (M. Wilkinson et al). Unst, six: Famba Ness, 3rd October, photo (M. G. Pennington, R. M. Tallack); Uyeasound, 3rd-4th October, photo (M. G. Pennington, R. M. Tallack et al); Saxa Vord, 7th— 1 7th October, photo (D. Fairhurst, H. Gerrard et al); Haroldswick, two, 7th October, photo (D. Fairhurst, H. Gerrard et al); Saxa Vord, 1 3th— 1 7th October, photo (M. G. Pennington et al). Mainland, three: Cunningsburgh, first-winter, 4th-5th October, photo (J. Nicolson, G. N. Smith et al.) (plate 349); Upper Voe, 8th— 1 3th October, photo (J. J. Sweeney et al); Fower Voe, male, age uncertain, 10th October, photo (S. Scott), presumed same Sandgarth, 18th October, photo (M. S. Chapman). Out Skerries, two, 6th-9th October, photo (M. J. McKee, C. Turner). Mid Yell, Yell, 1 1 th— 1 2th October, photo (D. M. Bryant et al). Funzie, Fetlar, 1 1th October, photo (B. H. Thomason et al). 2008 Fair Isle Setter and Skadan, lst-2nd October, photo (A. Banwell per Fair Isle Recorder). 2008 Outer Hebrides Fochmaddy, North Uist, 12th October, photo (S. E. Duffield, B. Rabbitts et al). North Focheynort, South Uist, 2nd November, photo (S. E. Duffield). 2008 Shetland Norwick, Unst, first-winter, 1 st— 8th October, photo (D. Cooper, B. Kay et al). Norwick, Unst, 1 8th— 2 1 st October, photo (M. G. Pennington et al). Cullivoe, Yell, 3rd-5th October, photo (B. H. Thomason et al). Isbister, North Roe, Mainland, 19th October (R. M. Fray, B. H. Thomason). 2007 Shetland Skaw, Whalsay, 4th-5th October, photo (A. Seth, P. Stronach et al). Quendale, Mainland, 1 2th— 1 4th October, photo (H. R. Harrop et al). North Collafirth, Mainland, 14th October, photo (A. Lees, S. Mitchell et al). Norwick, Unst, first-winter, 13th October, photo (M. G. Pennington, M. Smith). West Yell, Yell, first-winter, 13th-23rd October, photo (J. H. Ballantyne, D. Preston, B. H. Thomason et al). 2006 Shetland Her- maness, Unst, two, 29th-30th April, photo (M. G. & M. J. Pennington, J. Swale). Foula, 4th— 13th October, photo (J. M. & T. P. Drew, K. D. Shaw, M. A. Wilkinson). Arctic Redpoll was removed from the list of species con- sidered by BBRC on 1st January 2006, but the nominate race, hornemanni, was retained, as much the rarer of the two 349. First-winter Hornemann’s Redpoll Carduelis h. hornemanni, Cunningsburgh, Mainland, Shetland, October 2009. 630 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 subspecies. The backlog of records presented here is partly due to the time it has taken to estab- lish and apply identification criteria, but it also reflects a sudden upsurge in records. Hornemanns Redpoll is actually one of the more distinctive taxa within the redpoll complex. I here are two main identification problems: distinguishing it from the other race of Arctic Redpoll, exilipes, known as ‘Coues’s Redpoll’; and excluding some of the pale ‘Northwestern’ Common Redpolls C.flammea which may occur in Britain. As far as the two races of Arctic Redpoll are concerned, the key differences are structural, with hornemanni being significantly larger than exilipes. There is little overlap in terms of several key biometrics and most trapped birds should be straightforward to identify to subspecies level. A number of the birds recorded in recent years have been trapped, with the biometrics helping to confirm the identity and showing that these birds match the appearance of untrapped birds. Plumage is more difficult as there are few absolutes but some hornemanni may appear quite distinctive. We may have a bit of a ‘Wilson’s Snipe situation’ here: the sum of the whole might amount to something distinctive, but there are apparently no diagnostic features. In fact, exilipes could conceivably show all of the plumage features typically associated with hornemanni but very few individuals actually show all of them. In brief, hornemanni in fresh plumage in autumn typi- cally sport a distinctive combination of features, especially dazzlingly white underparts, fine flank streaking, a restricted deep-buff wash to the face, and greyish scapulars; but claims should still include an assessment of size. It is also worth noting that hornemanni tends to occur earlier in the autumn than exilipes. Most records of hornemanni are between late September and mid October, whereas exilipes usually occurs later in the autumn (for example, the last major influx, in 1995/96, did not begin until November). However, some pale redpolls in Britain may not be Arctic Redpolls at all (even leaving aside the existence, or otherwise, of especially pale ‘Mealy Redpolls’ C. f. flammea). In recent years it has become clear that ‘Northwestern’ redpolls C. f. rostrata/islandica from Iceland and Greenland are turning up regularly in the Scottish islands. Among these are a few unusually pale birds, which are clearly not Arctic Redpolls as they have heavily streaked rumps or undertail-coverts (but not necessarily both). These are a clear pitfall for the unwary, although exactly what they are is unclear, the pale birds in Iceland being something of a taxonomic and identification conun- drum. The exact number of Hornemanns Redpolls that have occurred in Britain is unclear. Not all records prior to 2005 were identified or published to subspecies, and it is known that some prob- able hornemanni have been claimed, yet not published as such in BBRC reports. Perhaps a review is in order, but there are many records and very few are likely to be identifiable to subspecies from the available evidence. If observers are aware of good claims that are not published as hornemanni, then BBRC would welcome details. Nonetheless, it is clear that the influxes of horne- manni that have occurred since 2005 are unusual and there is little evidence for similar influxes in the past. Coues’s Redpoll, however, does occur in large influxes and its removal from the BBRC list came after Arctic Redpoll (of both races) had amassed a total of over 825 records, including 431 in the 1995/96 influx. This massive influx clearly affected our perception of the occurrence of exilipes, especially as there was evidence of further influxes in the past, which may have been overlooked because of the problems of identification. For example, in Shetland there was an influx in 1984 and probable influxes, when pale birds were seen but descriptions not submitted, in 1965 and 1972 (Pennington et al. 2004). Since 2005, however, exilipes seems to have become genuinely rare once more. During this period there have been just single accepted records in Shetland and Fair Isle, the latter an unusually plumaged and unseasonable bird in July. Despite the recent increase in hornemanni, perhaps Arctic Redpoll as a species could yet be readmitted to the BBRC list in future? (Breeds Ellesmere & Baffin Island to N Greenland, on E coast S to Scorsby Sound. Disperses erratically to S of breeding range in winter, reaching NW Europe irregularly.) British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 631 Hudson et al. Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera (73, 171, I) Fair Isle South Light, male, 23rd July, photo (S. J. Davies, A. Seward et al). 2008 Shetland Sumburgh Head, Mainland, 18 (two males, three females, 13 juveniles), 6th-20th August; note revised dates of arrival, six on 6th, 13 on 7th, 14 on 8th, 18 on 9th, decreasing to three on the last date, Brit. Birds 102: 590-592. (Old World L. 1. bifasciata is local resident within larch Larix forests of N Eurasia from N Russia to E Siberia, reaching Sea of Okhotsk & S to Baikal region. Breeds irregularly in Finland & very occasionally Sweden & Norway. In non- breeding season occasionally disperses as far as NW Europe. Nominate race leucoptera breeds across N North America.) White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis (I, 34, 0) Cheshire Wirral Helsby, 14th December 2008 to 1 1th April (D. & R. George et al). Hampshire Old Winchester Hill, first-winter male, in song, 5th November 2008 to 17th July, photo (D. K. Compton, K. McCoy, D. Mead et al.)-, see also Brit. Birds 102: 593-594. The Hampshire bird, present well into the summer, represents the longest-staying individual of this species in Britain. (Breeds North America from SE Yukon E to Newfoundland, S to Great Lakes & N USA to New Jersey. Winters SE USA, from Massachusetts S to Florida, Texas & into N Mexico & California.) Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos (2, 46, I) Cornwall Nanjizal, male, 9th-19th January (K. A. Wilson). (Breeds temperate Russia from W Urals to upper Kolyma River, S to S Siberia, SE Kazakhstan, Mongolia, lower Amur River & Sakhalin. Isolated population breeds Qinghai & Gansu provinces, C China. Small isolated wintering populations regular W Italy & C Israel. Otherwise winters S of breeding range from Turkestan E through Himalayan foothills to C & E China, N of Yangtze.) Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala (7, 182, I) Northumberland Brownsman, Fame Islands, first-winter, 14th September, photo (J. Cockram et al). (Breeds from C Italy to Greece, Turkey, N Iraq & W Iran, N through Caucasus to Ukraine & S Russia. Winters in W & C India.) Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater (0, I, 3) Fair Isle Auld Haa, male, 8th— 1 0th May, photo (S. J. Davies, S. Hutchinson, G. K. Stout et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 185; plate 350). Northumberland Belford, male, 25th April to 2nd May, photo (G. Bell, M. Jones, E. & S. Robertson). Pembrokeshire Angle, male, 1 4th— 1 5th July, photo (per Pembrokeshire Recorder). Being a short-distance diurnal migrant, Brown-headed Cowbird may seem an unlikely candidate for transatlantic vagrancy, although there has been one previous record from Britain: at Ardnave Point, Islay, Argyll, on 24th April 1988 (Brit. Birds 87: 284-288). It breeds throughout the USA and southern Canada and northern birds are migratory, typically departing from the breeding grounds in September and October and returning between April and mid May. Ringing recoveries show that migrants travel up to 850 km south of the breeding range, where they mingle with flocks of resident cowbirds, other Icterids and the introduced Common Starlings Sturaus vulgaris in a more hos- pitable climate (Dolbeer 1982). Chandler Robbins, in his predictions of future landbird vagrants to Europe (Brit. Birds 73: 448-457), noted that it was captured so infrequently during the autumn that he had excluded it from his analysis. He did, however, comment that Larkin et al. (1979) had' encountered it more than 1 10 km offshore from New England in mid October 1971. The unprecedented arrival of three birds this year, two in late April and early May (plus another in mid July that seems more likely to have arrived earlier in the year), points to an unusual displacement of northbound migrants across the Atlantic. Another strong claim, from a 632 British Birds 103 • October 2010 • 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 garden in Norfolk, was seen too briefly for it to be accepted, but was a very near miss. The previous British record was also in spring, as was the only other accepted record from the Western Palearctic, an adult female found dead in Telemark, Norway, on 1st June 1987. Furthermore, claims from Durham, France and Norway in May 2010 point to a developing theme of spring occurrences that matches the established pattern shown by 350. Male Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater, Fair Isle, Shetland, Nearctic sparrows. The ^009. arrival of the Fair Isle bird coincided with an influx of Nearctic vagrants to Shetland, including a pair of Black Ducks, a Solitary Sandpiper and both Laughing and Franklin’s Gulls. Flowever, it seems unlikely that Brown-headed Cowbirds could make an unassisted transatlantic crossing and, like the Nearctic sparrows, most or all are assumed to have hitched a ride somewhere along the way (and so the timing of the Fair Isle bird’s arrival with four species quite capable of an unassisted crossing may simply be coincidental). As climate patterns change, perhaps we are wit- nessing a shift in the timing or direction of the northward migration of Nearctic sparrows and Brown-headed Cowbirds, making them more predisposed to the effects of North Atlantic weather patterns and more prone to displacement into the transatlantic shipping lanes? In North America, cowbirds often form large flocks and associate with Common Starlings. It is an extremely common brood parasite, believed to be partially responsible for the decline of several songbirds. Since 1972, a programme of trapping in north and central Michigan has reduced brood parasitism in the near-threatened Kirtland’s Warbler Dendroica kirtlandii from 70% to 3% (www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index. html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=9 1 1 4&m=0). After these three arrivals and those in 2010, perhaps we can expect more in the future. Watching garden feeders seems to be the best bet for finding one, although scanning through post-breeding flocks of Starlings may also be worthwhile. (Breeds E Canada from C Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia, and NE USA from C Minnesota to Massachusetts, S through Appalachian Mountains to SW Carolina and NW Georgia. Winters from Guatemala S to Peru and Venezuela.) Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca (0, 2, I) Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, probably first-winter male, 1 2th— 14th September, photo (I. McNee, W. T. S. Miles, S. Money) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 427; plate 351). Blackburnian Warbler has a heady combination of extreme rarity, jewel-like appearance and an evocative name, making it one of the most mythical of vagrants. Previous British records are restricted to one on Skomer, Pembrokeshire, on 5th October 1961, and one on Fair Isle on 7th October 1989. Slightly farther afield in the Western Palearctic, there has been just one other record, a first-winter female found nearly dead on board ship about 75 km northeast of Horni, Iceland, in either September or November 1987 and now residing in the Iceland Museum of Natural History. This can truly be said to be one of the most exclusive rarities on the British List, and this year’s bird, coming 20 years after the last, could not have chosen a more remote location (one that precluded a twitch being a realistic option). This discovery was the latest in a long line of enviable finds from the small team on St Kilda, and is just reward for the months of hard work and isolation there. British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 • 562-638 633 Steve Minton Will Miles Hudson et al. 35 I . Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca, Hirta, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, September 2009. Although North American Dendroica warblers can be tricky to age in the autumn, it was felt that the darkish eye-stripe and relatively bright underpart coloration suggested that it was a first- winter male. (Breeds E Canada from C Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia, and NE USA from C Minnesota to Massachusetts, S through Appalachian Mountains to SW Carolina and NW Georgia. Winters from Guatemala S to Peru and Venezuela.) Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata (0, 40, I) Fair Isle The Plantation and Auld Haa, 1 5th— 16th October, trapped, photo (S. J. Davies et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 465). 2008 Isles of Scilly Parsonage area, St Agnes, first-winter, 8th— 1 5th October, photo (L. Amery et al.). (Breeds widely across North America from W Alaska E throughout Canada to Newfoundland, S to Maine. Migrates through E USA to winter in South America from Panama to Chile & E Argentina.) References Ahmed, R., & Adriaens, R 20 10. Common, Asian Common and Pallid Swift: colour nomenclature, moult and identification. Dutch Birding 32: 97-105. Alstrom, R, & Mild, K. 2003. Pipits & Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm, London. Bevier; L. R„ Poole, A. E, & Moskoff.W. 2005.Veery Catharus fuscescens. In: Poole, A. (ed.), The Birds of North America Online. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca. Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/l42 doi: 1 0.2 1 73/bna. 1 42 on 31/7/2010. BirdLife International. 2004, Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 1 2). BirdLife International, Cambridge. Braune, B. M., Mallory, M. L., Gilchrist, H. G., Lectcher; R. J„ & Drouillard, K. G. 2007. Levels and trends of organochlorines and brominated flame retardants in Ivory Gull eggs from the Canadian Arctic, 1976 to 2004. Science in the Total Environment 378: 403-417. Bretagnolle.V. 1995. Systematics of the Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis (Procellariidae): new insight from the study of vocalizations. Ibis 1 37: 207-2 1 8. Corso, A., & Catley, G. R 2003. Separation of transitional second calendar-year Red-Footed Falcon from Amur Falcon. Dutch Birding 25: 153-158. — & Clark, W. S. 1 998. Identification of Amur Falcon. Birding World I 1:261 -268. Crochet, P-A„ Dubois, RJ„ Jiquet, F„ Marechal, R L., Pons, J-M„ &Yesou, R 2006. En direct de la CAF. Decisions prises par la Commission de I'avifaune frangaise en 2004-2005. (From the CAF files: recent decisions, 2004-2005. Ornithos 1 3: 244-257. (In French with English summary) Dolbeer R. A. 1 982. Migration patterns for age and sex classes of blackbirds and starlings./ Field Ornithol. 53: 28-46. Driessens, G., & Svensson, L. 2005. Identification of Collared Pratincole and Oriental Pratincole - a critical review of “ characters. Dutch Birding 27: 1-35. Duivendijk, N.V. 20 1 0. Advanced Bird ID Guide: the Western Palearctic. New Holland, London. Elts, j„ Kuresoo, A., Leibak, E„ Leito, A., Lilleleht.V., Luigujoe, L., Lohmus, A., Magi, E., & Ots, M. 2003. Eesti lindude status, pesitsusaegne ja talvine arvukus 1 998-2002. Hirundo 1 6: 58-83. Forsman, D. 2009. Hybrid harriers on the move. Birding World 22: 469-470. 634 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Fox, A. D., Christensen, T. K., Bearhop, S., & Newton, J. 2007. Using stable isotope analysis of multiple feather tracts to identify moulting provenance of vagrant birds: a case study of Baikal Teal Anas formosa in Denmark. Ibis 1 49: 622-625. Garner; M., Lewington, l„ & Slack, R. 2003. Mongolian and Lesser Sand Plovers: an identification overview. Birding World 1 6: 377-385. Get nigon, J. 2008. Premiere mention franqaise de la Sterne royale Sterna maxima, au banc d'Arguin (Gironde). Ornithos 15 (3): 148-149. Gilchrist, H. G., & Mallory, M. L. 2005. Declines in abundance and distribution of the Ivory Gull ( Pagophila eburnea) in Arctic Canada. Biological Conservation 121: 303-309. Grantham, M. 2005. An Amur Falcon in France, North Yorkshire and Dumfries & Galloway — a belated first for the Western Palearctic? Birding World 1 8: 289. Groenendijk, D., & van Saane, E. 2008. Italiaanse Kwikstaarten te Camperduin en bij Flevocentrale in april 2006. Dutch Birding 30: 7- 1 2. Hagemeijer W. J. M., & Blair M. J. (eds.) 1 997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: their distribution and abundance. Poyser London. Harrop, A. H.J., & McGowan, R.Y 2009. Britain's first Baikal Teal. Brit Birds 102: 691-696. Howell, S. N. G. 2010. Moult and ageing in Black-browed Albatrosses. Brit. Birds 103: 353-356. Huntley, B., Green, R., Collingham.Y, & Willis, S. G. 2007. A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Hyndman.T. 2008,The Citril Finch on Fair Isle - a new British bird. Birding World 21: 243-249. Jiguet, F. 2000. Identification and ageing of Black-browed Albatross at sea. Brit Birds 93: 263-276. Kehoe, C. 2006. Racial identification and assessment in Britain: a report from the RIACT subcommittee. Brit. Birds 99: 619-645. Knox, A. G. 1994. Removal of Citril Finch from the British & Irish List. Brit. Birds 87: 471-473. Koeppen, U„ & Scheil, S. 2001. Beringungsbericht derVogelwarte Hiddensee 1999/2000: Skua hybrid Catharacta maccormicki x (C. maccormicki x C. chilensis). Berichte der Vogelwarte Hiddensee 1 6: 26-27. Larkin, R. R, Griffin, D. R.,Torre-Bueno, J. R., & Teal, J. 1 979. Radar observations of bird migration over the western North Atlantic Ocean. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 4: 225-264. Mailing Olsen, K„ & Larsson, H. 2003. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Helm, London. Mansell, D. 2008. The Amur Falcon in East Yorkshire - a new British Bird. Birding World 2 1 : 432-A35. McGowan, R.Y, & Weir D. N. 2002. Racial identification of Fair Isle Solitary Sandpiper Brit Birds 95: 3 1 3-314. Miholcsa,T,Toth, A., & Csorgo.T. 2009. Change of timing of autumn migration in Acrocephalus and Locustella genus. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 55: 175-185. Miljeteig, C., Strom, H., Gavrilo, M.V., Volkov, A., Jenssen, B. M., & Gabrielsen, G.W. 2009. High levels of contaminants in Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea eggs from the Russian and Norwegian Arctic. Environ. Sci.Technol. 43: 5521-5528. Moon, S.J. 1 983. The eventual identification of a Royal Tern in Mid Glamorgan. Brit Birds 76: 335-339. Neto, J. M„ Encarnacao.V., Fearon, R, & Gosler A. G. 2008. Autumn migration of Savi’s Warblers Locustella luscinioides in Portugal: differences in timing, fuel deposition rate and non-stop flight range between the age classes. Bird Study 55: 78-85. Newell, D. 2008. Recent records of southern skuas in Britain. Brit. Birds 101: 439^44 1 . Odeen, A., & Bjorklund, M. 2003. Dynamics in the evolution of sexual traits: losses and gains, radiation and convergence in Yellow Wagtails ( Motacilla flava). Molecular Ecology 1 2: 2 1 1 3-2 1 30. Ovaa, A., van der Laan, J., Berlijn, M„ & CDNA. 2008. Rare birds in the Netherlands in 2007. Dutch Birding 30: 369-389. Parkin, D.T, & Knox, A. 2010. Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland. Christopher Helm, London. Pennington, M. G., Osborn, K., Harvey, RV., Riddington, R., Okill, J. D., Ellis, R M„ & Heubeck, M. 2004. The Birds of Shetland. Christopher Helm, London. Ritz, M„ Millar C., Miller G. D„ Phillips, R. A., Ryan, P, StemkopffV., Liebers-Helbig, D., & Hans-Ulrich, R 2008. Phylogeography of the southern skua complex - rapid colonization of the southern hemisphere during a glacial period and reticulate evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 49: 292—303. Robb, M„ Mullarney, K., &The Sound Approach. 2008. Petrels Night and Day. The Sound Approach, Poole. Shirihai, H., Bretagnolle.V., & Zino, F. 2010. Identification of Fea’s, Desertas and Zino’s Petrels at sea. Birding World 23: 239-275. Slack, R. 2009. Rare Birds, Where and When: an analysis of status and distribution in Britain and Ireland.V ol. I . Rare Bird Books, York. Topp, A. 1 995. Sitruunhemppo - kevaan yllataaja. Alula I: 100-102. Ullman, Ml. 2003. 'Black-eared Wheatear’ at Aagtekerke, the Netherlands, in June 1 996. Dutch Birding 25: 98-99. van Casteren, A., Codd, J. R., Gardiner J. D., McGhie, H„ & Ennos, A. R. 2010. Sonation in the male Common Snipe is achieved by a flag-like fluttering of their tail feathers and consequent vortex shedding.]. Experimental Biol. 2 1 3: 1 602- 1 608; doi: 1 0. 1 242/jeb.034207. van derVliet, R. E„ van der Laan, J., Berlijn, M„ & CDNA. 2007. Rare birds in the Netherlands in 2006. Dutch Birding 29: 347-374. Vangeluwe, D„ & Bulteau.V. 2003. Focus on the African Royal Tern. Alula 9: 3. Votier S. C., Bowen, G. J., & Newton, J. 2009. Stable-hydrogen isotope analyses suggest natural vagrancy of Baikal Teal to Britain. Brit Birds 1 02: 697-699. Bearhop, S„ Newell, R. G., Orr K, Furness, R. W„ & Kennedy, M. 2004. The first record of Brown Skua Catharacta antarctica in Europe. Ibis 146:95-102. Kennedy, M„ Bearhop, S., Newell, R. G„ Griffiths, K„ Whitaker H„ Ritz, M. S., & Furness, R.W. 2007. Supplementary British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 635 Hudson et al. DNA evidence fails to confirm presence of Brown Skuas Stercorarius antarctica in Europe: a retraction ofVotier et al. (2004). Ibis 149:619-621. Winkel, E. 2009. 'Southern skua' off La Palma, Canary Islands, in October 2005. Dutch Birding 3 1 : 20-23. Wood, S. 2007. The Birds of Essex. Christopher Helm. London. Appendix I. Records of former BBRC species, removed from the list prior to 2009 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 2008 Carmarthenshire Penclacwydd, 10th May, photo (B. Stewart). Banc-y-Lord, Kidwelly, juvenile, 5th September (D. Davidson). Banc-y-Lord, Kidwelly, adult, 1 4th— 2 1 st September (D. Davidson). Penclacwydd, 24th October (D. Williams et al.). 2008 Cheshire & Wirral Ness, 24th February, photo (D. King), presumed same as Neston and Burton 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 543-546. 2008 Devon Kingsbridge Estuary and Aveton Gifford, five, 27th January to 24th March, photo (P. Sanders et al), presumed same Aveton Gifford, three, 1 8th— 26th March (per birding informa- tion services). Boshill Cross, Colyford, 10th-20th March, photo (S. D. Waite et al). Boshill Cross, Colyford, 29th May to 3rd June, photo (S. D. Waite et al). Axe Estuary, adult, 2nd June, photo (S. D. Waite et al). Axe Estuary, 29th September to 9th October (S. D. Waite et al). Saltram, Ply- mouth, two, 1 5th— 16th October (S. Green). 2008 Dorset Upwey and Buckland Ripers, six, 24th November 2007 to 27th May, photo (D. Croxson et al. ); six last seen on 20th January, five to 24th January, three to 5th March, two to 27th April and one to 27th May, see also Brit. Birds 102: 543-546. Bere Regis, adult, 12th January to 9th February; note revised dates, Brit. Birds 102: 543-546. Corfe Mullen, 1 st— 2 1 st March, photo (N. Hopper et al). Lodmoor, 21st August (D. Croxson). 2008 East Glamorgan Kenfig Pool, 31st March (N. Donaghy). 2008 Sussex Withyham, 29th January (W. Harvey). Watlands, Udimore, 20th April, photo (P. Bonham per Sussex Recorder). 2008 Yorkshire Hellifield Flash, 30th January (G. Threlfall). 2007 Kent Grove Ferry, two, 19th October, photo (M. P. Wilson). (In Europe, common & widespread in S Spain & Portugal, and range expanding north in France. N populations disperse outside breeding season, mostly into Africa. Widespread resident throughout much of Africa, S USA, N & C South America. Distinctive race, corotnandus, sometimes treated as a full species, breeds S & SE Asia N to S China & Japan, Australia.) Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus 2003 Highland Strathy South, first-summer male, 6th June, photo (J. Hunter, J. Middleton per M. S. Scott). (Breeding range highly fragmented across wooded steppe of E Europe from E Hungary to temperate Russia, E to Baikal region. Numbers breeding in Europe small & declining. Migratory, wintering in SW Africa.) Appendix 2. Records where identification accepted, but considered a likely escape and placed in Category E (see Ibis 136: 253) Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Devon Blackhi II and Exe Estuary, adult, 28th October into 2010, photo (M. Knott et al). North-east Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, adult, 3 1st May to 4th June, photo (D. J. J. Gill, A. Rigg et al). Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus Cleveland Scaling Dam, juvenile/first-winter male, 25th August (M. A. Blick et al), presumed same Fort Clarence and Saltholme, 1st September to 4th October, photo (J. B. Dunnett et al. per M. A. Blick), and Hemlington Lake, 12th October, photo (J. Regan et al). 636 British Birds 1 03 • October 20 1 0 * 562-638 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Dorset Radipole Lake, first-summer male, 15th June 2008 into 2010, photo (C. E. Richards etal), see also Brit. Birds 102: 599. 2008 Dorset Abbotsbury, first-summer male, 16th— 17th September (per Dorset Recorder), presumed same as Radipole Lake 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 599. (Breeds S Alaska, E across S Canada 8c N USA to Newfoundland, 8c S to Oregon, Virginia 8c locally almost to Gulf coast. Winters coastally, from S limit of breeding range to California 8c Florida.) Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus Gwent Llanhennock, 5th October, photo (B. Press per Gwent Recorder). Appendix 3. List of records not accepted This list contains all current records not accepted after circulation to the Committee, ft does not include a) those withdrawn by the observer(s) after discussion with the Secretary; b) those which, even if circulated, were not attributed by the observer(s) to any definite species; c) those mentioned in ‘Recent reports’ in British Birds if full details were unobtainable; or d) certain escapes. In the vast majority of cases, the record was not accepted because we were not convinced that the identifica- tion was fully established; only in a very few cases were we satisfied that a mistake had been made. 2009 Blue-winged Teal Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, 4th September. Erwarton Bay, Stour Estuary, Suffolk, 23rd March. Lesser Scaup Little Marlow GP, Buckinghamshire, 18th October. King Eider Loch of Strathbeg, North-east Scotland, 5th May. Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri Bowmore Harbour, Argyll, 25th September. Black-browed Albatross Noup Head, Westray, Orkney, 30th May. Albatross Thalassarche sp. Off Salcombe, Devon, 23rd July. Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan Rumps Point, Cornwall, 28th August. Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro Pendeen, Corn- wall, 20th August. Frigatebird Fregata sp. Huddersfield, Yorkshire, 24th November. Glossy Ibis Near Baglan, Gower, 6th September. Deeping Lakes, Lincolnshire, 13th September. Near Mathry, Pem- brokeshire, 14th October. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Stodmarsh and Seaton GP, Kent, 6th-24th January. Pallid Harrier Hanwood, Shropshire, 26th March. Eleonora’s Falcon Falco eleonorae Avon Beach, Christchurch, Dorset, 31st May. Great Warley, Essex, 5th October. Southend- on-Sea, Essex, 28th October. Rainham Marshes, Greater London/Essex, 20th September. Bockhill, Kent, 23rd October. Gyr Falcon Nar Valley Fisheries, Norfolk, 15th August. Stromness, Mainland, Orkney, 8th December. Baird’s Sandpiper Carsethorn, Dumfries & Galloway, 8th October. Stilt Sandpiper Langness, Isle of Man, 10th September. Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Noster- field, Yorkshire, 20th July. Spotted Sandpiper Wigtown, Dumfries & Galloway, 1st March. Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Kinneil Lagoon, Upper Forth, 24th December. Marsh Sandpiper Pitsea, Essex, 11th May. Old Hall Marshes, Essex, two, 17th August. Coombe Hill Meadows, Gloucestershire, 15th August. Levington Creek, Suffolk, 30th August. Gull-billed Tern St John’s Lake, Torpoint, Cornwall, 19th July. Caspian Tern Lydney Ponds, Gloucestershire, 5th August. Whiskered Tern Colebrook Lake, Moor Green Lakes, Berkshire, 2nd May. Snowy Owl Tulliemet Hill, Perth 8c Kinross, 7th February. White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus Saffron Walden, Essex, 15, 18th August. Pallid Swift Etherow CP, Greater Manchester, 21st March. Little Swift Apus affinis Reskageage Downs, Cornwall, 31st October. Rayne, Braintree, Essex, 20th May. Marwick Head, Mainland, Orkney, 16th November. Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius Helston, Cornwall, 2nd July. Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus Sutton, Surrey, two, 1st January to 11th December. Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes Whitgrave, Staffordshire, two, 30th August. Ardingly, Sussex, 21st May. Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, 15th April. Arctic Warbler Capel le Feme, Kent, 22nd October. Kergord, Main- land, Shetland, 11th October. Booted/Sykes’s Warbler Langass, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 4th October. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Blakeney Point, Norfolk, 17th— 20th September. Great Reed Warbler Patrington Haven, Yorkshire, 27th May. White’s Thrush Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, 5th November. Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus Huntley, Gloucestershire, 13th January. Red-flanked Bluetail Atwick, Yorkshire, 16th October. Siberian Stonechat Ardvergnish, Mull, Argyll, 23rd British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562—638 637 Hudson et al. October. Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura Lundy, Devon, 1st April. Citrine Wagtail Walmsley Sanctuary, Cornwall, 26th August. Old Town Bay, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, 28th October. Loch of Strathbeg, North-east Scotland, 28th August. St Govan’s Head, Pembrokeshire, 10th August. Olive- backed Pipit Beacon Point, Newbiggin, Northumberland, 7th October. Two-barred Crossbill Tod Slack, Loch Ettrick, Dumfries 8< Galloway, 3rd July. White-throated Sparrow Kirkcolm, Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway, 1 0th— 1 5th July. Brown-headed Cowbird Weybourne, Norfolk, 7th May. 2008 Black Stork Cramlington, Northumberland, 31st July. Collared Pratincole Wray, Lancaster, Lan- cashire & North Merseyside, 2nd May. Franklin’s Gull Stithian’s Resr, Cornwall, 1 1th May. American Barn Swallow H. r. erythrogaster Ogston Resr, Derbyshire, 22nd November. Hume’s Warbler Sandwich Bay, Kent, 2nd November. Loch of Strathbeg, North-east Scotland, 1 2th— 15th November. Newbiggin- by-the-Sea, Northumberland, 9th November. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Lundy, Devon, 14th Sep- tember. Booted Warbler Lundy, Devon, 28th September. Black-bellied Dipper Boarhills, Fife, 11th December. Black- throated Thrush Holme, Norfolk, 30th— 3 1st October. Red-flanked Bluetail Titchwell, Norfolk, 25th September. Collared Flycatcher Sandwich Bay area, Kent, 17th May. Black-headed Wagtail Adur Valley, Upper Beeding, Sussex, 2nd-3rd September. Citrine Wagtail Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hampshire, 1st September. Carnan, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 7th September. Claddach Valley, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 24th September. Hornemann’s Redpoll Burravoe, Yell, Shetland, 6th October. Two-barred Crossbill Barkland, Fair Isle, 7th-14th September. Papa Westray, Orkney, 28th July. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola Brockley, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, two, 5th May. 2007 Fregetta petrel sp. Sheringham, Norfolk, 10th December. Masked Booby Sula dactylatra Near Needles and Alum Bay, Hampshire, 29th July. Little Bittern Carlton Marsh, Yorkshire, 28th March. Black Stork Lissett, Yorkshire, 25th August. Pallid Harrier Loch Tarbert, Isle of Jura, Argyll, 1st October. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Red Rocks, Cheshire & Wirral, 6th— 1 0th October. Ashy-headed Wagtail Lundy, Devon, 1st May. South Tawton, Dartmoor, Devon, 26th November. Hornemann’s Redpoll Oban Trumisgarry, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 3rd November. 2005 Glossy Ibis Rye Harbour, Sussex, 9th July. Hudsonian Dunlin C. a. hudsonia Oare Marshes, Kent, 5th September. Pallid Swift Sea Palling, Norfolk, 2nd November. 2004 Hornemann’s Redpoll Howmore, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1 1th October. 2003 Black Kite Milvus migrans Cheesefoot Head, Hampshire, 19th January to 5th March. 2002 American Herring Gull Ardivachar, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 27th-28th April. Booted Warbler Canary Wharf, Greater London, 6th October. 2001 Nutcracker Forton, Lancaster, Lancashire & North Merseyside, 14th January. 1996 Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax Great Linford, Buckinghamshire, 16th November. 1995 Black Kite Milvus migrans Brent Resr, Greater London, 5th August. 1987 Hume’s Warbler St Margaret’s, Kent, 23rd November. 1980 Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata Near Rockall, At sea, 26th February. British Birds RaritiesCommittee BBRC is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd Chairman Adam Rowlands, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 17 3BY; e-mail chair@bbrc.org.uk Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 0PA; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk 638 British Birds 1 03 • October 2010 * 562-638 JBBUTEO Natural History Bookshop To see all the books listed here and browse hundreds of titles covering ornithology and manyother wildlife and natural history subjects go to www.wildlifebooks.com/bb Code SI 590 \L OFFER FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF THE MIDDLE EAST Porter, Richard/ Aspinall, Simon M01283 pbk £24.99 THE ADVANCED BIRD GUIDE: ID of Every Plumage of every Western Palearctic Species Duivendijk, Nils van M20592 pbk £14.99 HOLOGY of RARE BIRDS PLANTS MANAGING NATIVE BROADLEAVED WOODLAND Forestry Commission M 20690 pbk £30.00 MANAGING YOUR WOODLAND FOR WILDLIFE Blakesley, David/Buckley, Peter M20760 pbk £12.99 WOODLAND CREATION FOR WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE: Principles and Practice Blakesley, David/Buckley, Peter M20761 pbk £24.95 PLANTS AND FLOWERS OF MALAYSIA Polunin, Ivan M20650 pbk £25.00 RETILES AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF CYPRUS Baier, F D/Sparrow, M20625 hbk £44.99 is, Dominic 7 hbk £24.99 » Poyser FACING 7TION , Paul/Collar, Nigel/ n, Stuart/Pain, Debbie 1 hbk £45.00 OF INDIA A Literary ogy dut Jamil B hbk £23.99 4AL HISTORY WEL HUNTER ;, Chris 5 pbk £17.99 \LES FROM UARY bilip r pbk £9.00 CCH OF HARRIERS Donald '. hbk £38.00 OLD WORLD VIPERS: A Natural History of the Azemiopinae and Viperinae Phelps, T M20629 hbk £70.99 DAVE GOSNEY GUIDES FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH GOA Gosney, Dave M20635 pbk £7.50 FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH GOA Gosney, Dave V60046 DVD £15.95 by Owe Cone? FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH GOA Pack NORTH SPAIN FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH SPAIN Gosney, Dave M20636 pbk £7.50 FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH SPAIN Gosney, Dave V60047 DVD £15.95 FINDING BIRDS IN NORTH SPAIN Pack Gosney, Dave V80088 DVD & pbk £20.00 SOUTHERN CYPRUS FINDING BIRDS IN SOUTHERN CYPRUS Gosney, Dave M20752 pbk £7.50 FINDING BIRDS IN SOUTHERN CYPRUS Gosney, Dave V60048 DVD £15.95 FINDING BIRDS IN SOUTHERN CYPRUS Pack Gosney, Dave D V80089 VD & pbk £20.00 INSECTS SPIDERS OF INDIA Sebastian, PA M20624 hbk £30.00 ANT ENCOUNTERS: Interaction, Networks and Colony Behaviour Gordon, Deborah M M20651 pbk £13.95 BUGSBRITANNICA Marren, Peter M20659 hbk £35.00 THE LARGER WATER BEETLES OF THE BRITISH ISLES Sutton, Peter M20749 pbk £12.50 SEALIFE LIFE IN THE GREEK SEAS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN Simeonidis, Noelle & Dinos M20661 pbk £23.95 SEASHORE SAFARIS Explore rocky pools and sandy shores of Britain Oakley, Judith M20699 pbk £9.99 ECOLOGY DO FARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ALTER BELOW- GROUND BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION?: Implications for Sustainable Land Management Stockdale, E A/Watson, CA/ Black H I J/Philipps, L M20762 pbk £15.00 It's easy to order from Subbuteo Natural History Books . . . simply call +44 (0)1 743 709420 or go to our website www.wildlifebooks.com/bb where you can order online, or print out an order form to post or fax. Whichever way you choose to order, please quote code SI 590 so we can ensure 5% of the sale is paid to British Birds to support the journal. Gosney, Dave V80087 DVD & pbk £20.00 For book or ordering enquiries, please call or email us at info@wildiifebooks.com. wildlifebooks.com/bb Postage for UK delivery is just £2.25 per order. Orders over £50 are post free. International delivery -please contact us for a quote - we will only charge you postage at cost. Classified advertising Payment for all classified advertisements must be made in advance by VISA, Mastercard or by cheque payable to British Birds. Copy deadline: 10th of the month. 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 Books SECOND NATURE Secondhand/antiquarian books on birds/natural history bought/sold. Back Lane, Knapton, York Y026 6QJ. Tel: 0 1 904 339493. E-mail: SecondnatureYork@aol.com www.secondnaturebooks.com BACK NUMBERS of bird and natural history periodicals. Free catalogue from D. & D. H. W. Morgan, The Pippins, Allensmore, Hereford HR2 9BP. E-mail: stjamestree@uk2.net, www.birdjournals.com Holiday Accommodation Overseas Birdwatching Holidays Birdwatching Holidays m 240 SPECIES '“TdHfovge-ttidMe ( " k INCLUDING SEA n EAGLES SPECTACULAR COASTAL SCENERY SKYE UNFORGETTABLE THF IS! AND & LOCHALSH BIRDWATCHING www.skye.co.uk Suffolk Optical Equipment MADEIRA WIND BIRDS - Selvagens Islands Expeditions, Madeira Land and Sea Birdwatching, www.madeirawindbirds.com and www.madeirabirds.com Scotland LINDISFARNE RESERVE. Three 4* Gold sc cottages sitting at the water’s edge with panoramic views to Holy Island and Bamburgh. Very comfortable, sleeping 4, 6, or 8 or a group, www.lindisfarnebaycottages.co.uk Tel: 07565 891 795 Aldeburgh Snape Near Minsmere and Walberswick. Luxury 4-star Swiss Cottage B&B. Tel: 01 728 635040 for special BB rates. www.theswisscottage.co.uk REPAIRS & SERVICING OF ^ BINOCULARS & TELESCOPES Optrep Optical Repairs 50th YEAR IN OPTICS www.opticalrepairs.com 01243 601365 E-mail: info@opticalrepairs.com Optrep (Ref: BB), 16 Wheatfield Road, Selsey, West Sussex PO20 ONY (5 minutes from Pagham HLNR) Binoculars & Telescopes Top Makes, Top Models, Top Advice, Top Deals, Part Exchange Show Room Sales 01925 730399 FOCALPOINT www.fpoint.co.uk Credit/debit cards accepted British Birds; Binders Larger format BB Binders are available in the following options: - Royal We also now have in stock binders for the old size (A5) BB available in Brown Wirex only. Either complete and return the attached order form. using our secure site. call the British Birds office or order online at Please supply Binder(s) in: [ Royal Blue Wirex [ j Brown Wirex [ j Brown Cordex Brown Wirex (old size) at £8.95 each. I enclose my cheque for £ payable to British Birds. Name: Address: Post Code: Tel No: E-mail: 88 Bird Photograph of the Year Calendar 201 I 4 British Birds Bird May 20 1 1 The NEW 2011 BB Bird Photograph of the Year calendar features all the winning images from the 2010 competition. All profits from the sale of the calendar will be donated to the British Birds Charitable Trust to be used in support of worthwhile conservation and research projects. Please send a cheque made payable to British Birds for £7.98 to British Birds, 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF OR telephone 0 1 424 755 1 55 with your credit card details. lexible birdnews services from RBA une into all the local birdnews wherever you go birding! 9 nee 1991 we have been birders first choice for instant, reliable and accurate birdnews. iw, our unique new pager offers all birders a flexible and affordable birdnews service. i the field - RBA pagers tm Shetland to Scilly, you choose the news you want, when you want All our local birdnews areas are pre-programmed into the pager so jj can change your areas whenever you like, as often as you like! whether you are out birding every day, going on holidays or ending a weekend away birding you will always be right up date with all the local birdnews. n your PC - RBA Online In the field - Mobile phones Constantly updated birdnews, photo galleries, birdnews maps plus much much more B Instant birdnews alerts on your mobile phone. Easy to use and 1 ideal for occasional use. www.rarebirdalert.com Birdnews to pagers, mobile phones and the internet since 1991 17 Keswick Close, Norwich NR4 6UW Tel: 01603 457016 Email: admin@rarebirdalert.com 118oesign co uk Cambridgeshire Bird Club Farming & Bird Conservation Conference in collaboration with Saturday 16th October Cottenham Village College Sunday 17th October Farm visits in Cambridgshire A programme of lectures, displays and stalls, plus an opportunity to visit farmland sites in the county that demonstrate a variety of approaches to farming and environmental conservation. Tickets only £17.50. Booking essential. For more information and to book, contact Vicki Harley 01954 250340; email: vicki.harley@care4free.net Or go to www.cambridgebirdclub.org.uk Kay Optical (1962) UNRIVALLED EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE • Sales & Repairs • Binoculars • Telescopes • Tripods, etc 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.to.uk Open: Mon-Sat 9-5 (lunch 1-2) Location: Southern edge of Greater London. 15 mins drive from M25. (for example via the A3, then take the A298 Wimbledon/Merton slip-road) or 2 mins walk from Morden underground (turn right). See our website for a map. Parking: 50 yards past our premises - first left > Mail order - Same day despatch ■ Part exchange > Used items • Package deals • Credit available Field Alternative venues to Morden at which you can try and buy our equipment in the field are given below. We aim to show our full range of equipment HflX/C ^ut ^e*Ps us 10 ^e*P y°u y°u *el us know y°ur ,nlereil5 M°re each Field Day. Repairs can also be handed in/collected. 1 0.00am to 4.00pm usually. Sevenoaks Wildfowl Reserve On the A25 between Riverhead and Sevenoaks - Bat and Ball Station 3 October, 7 Nov, 5 December Pagham Harbour LNR On the B2145 into Selsey, West Sussex 31 October, 28 Nov Dinton Pastures Country Park Near Reading (M4, A329(M) Woodley turnoff) then A329 to Winnersh and Winnersh Station (B3030) 14 November College Lake Wildlife Centre On the B488 near Bulbourne, Tring, Herts. 10 October Bough Beech 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. 17 October, 21 Nov, 12 December 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 website 33 Swarovski I Leica I Zeiss I Opticron I IV.3 01872 263444 Nikon I Authorised Main Dealer www. s woptics . co . u SLRs, Compacts & Adapters Nikon D300s Body Nikon D90 with 18-1 05mm lens Nikon D5000 with 18-55VR lens Nikon D3000 with 18-55VR lens Nikon Coolpix PI 00 SLR Digiscoping Adapter FSA-L2 for EDG £1199 £829 £599 £479 £329 Demonstration Day Stithians Watersports Centre £529 Swarovski Scopes & Digiscoping ATM 80 HD with 25-50x Zoom & Case £2555 ATM 65 HD with 25-50x Zoom 4 Case £1989 Swarovski UCA Adapter £235 Swarovski DCA Adapter £159 Swarovski TLS 800 SLR Adapter £439 Swarovski Telescope Rail £112 Lenses Nikon 70-300mm f/4 5.5 .6 ED VR £499 Nikon 300mm f/4D IF-ED AF-S £969 Nikon Teleconvertor TC-20E ill £399 Nikon Teleconvertor TC-14 ll ♦ TC-17 ll £379 Sigma 150-500mm f/s-e 3 DG OS HSM £759 See Web for other available lenses Sunday 10th October 10am - 4pm Tripods Jobu Gimbal Junior Kit 3 £299 Jobu Black Widow Gimbal £389 Jobu Gimbal BWG - PRO £499 Velbon Geo E540 with PH-1 57Q head £199 Velbon Geo E640 with PH-157Q head £209 Manfrotto Tripods see Web Nikon - New EDG Range Zeiss - New Photoscope Leica - New Televid 82 Opticron - Full Range Swarovski - New El’s, SLC’s Zeiss Scopes & Digiscoping Zeiss Digital Adapter £299 Zeiss SLR Adapter £329 Zeiss Photoscope £4300 New Victory Diascope 85. 20-75, case £2399 New Victory Diascope 65. 15-56, case £1999 New Victory Diascope 85. 20-60. case £2199 Leica Scopes & Digiscoping APO Televid HD 82. 25-50x Zoom & Case £2599 APO Televid HD 65, 25-50x Zoom & Case £1999 Leica Digital Adapter 3 £349 Leica Digital Adapter 4 £79 Leica Trica Tripod with dhi Fluid Head £519 Leica V-Lux20 £495 Nikon EDG New EDG 85, 20-60, case New EDG 65, 16-48, case New EDG 10x42 New EDG 8x42 New EDG 7x42 New EDG 8x32 New EDG 10x32 Binoculars Swarovski New EL 8 5x42 Swarovlsion Swarovski New EL 10x42 Swarovlsion Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 8x42 Zeiss Vdory T* FL LT 10x42 Leica Ultravid HD 8x42 Leica Ultravid HD 10x42 £2039 £1799 £1699 £1599 £1449 £1449 £1549 Free Car Parking, Facilities, Refreshments Over 800 Products Available Online www.swoptics.co.uk Opticron Scopes & Digiscoping HR66 GA ED 18-54* HDF Zoom 8 Case E699 ES80 GA ED 20-6CBHDF Zoom 8 Caae £669 SDL Zoom Eye-piece £229 Opticron U DC A Adapter £96 Opticron SLR Telephoto Adapter £ 149 Opticron Panasonic Lumix FS10 Camera Kit £265 £1595 £1660 £1159 £1189 £1439 £1519 Gift Vouchers Available All prices are subject to change please check website for current prices E&EO gH Binoculars Opticron DBA Oasis 8x42 & 10x42 £549 Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 £369 Opticron Verano BGA 8x42 £295 Opticron Countryman BGA T PC 8x42 £249 Opticron Taiga 8x25 4 10x25 £89 Opticron Gallery Scope 8x20 (dose focus) £70 Opticron Aurora 8x25 or 10x42 £085 South West Optics 22a River Street Truro Cornwall UK TR1 2SJ 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com OPTICJ GREATER FUNCTION, LOWER WEIGHT ATM / STM. 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Since 191' www.nikon.co.uk 0800 230 220 Nikon Sport Op THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Brown Flycatcher: new to Britain Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: c/o Chappell Cole & Co, Heritage House, 34 North Cray Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LZ British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. Directors and trustees are volunteers who draw no remuneration. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News 8t comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel 8c fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian . lycett @bi rd watch .co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, John Sweeney, Steve Votier Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 OPA; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Worjc (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you are warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Juvenile Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcitiellus , Avonmouth, Avon, September 2010. Part of an influx of SDanish-rineed juveniles into Britain & Ireland in autumn 7010 Rirh Amlrrws Binoculars, Telescopes & Accessories Aurora BGA Designed to be smaller, lighter, sharper with a wider field of view and better close focus compared to any previous Opticron BGA model, the Aurora BGA delivers the ultimate balance between size and weight, resolution and field of view currently available on the market today. For a limited period claim £50 cashback with any purchase of an Aurora BGA 8x42 or 10x42. See www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/promotions.htm for terms and conditions. Offer valid on UK purchases made between 01/09/2010 and 30/1 1/10 subject to availability. 8x42 £739, 10x42 £739 Available in 8x42 (7.2°) and 10x42 (6.5°) - in a choice of colours with finished weights under 670g and 30 year guarantee. t ED Fieldscopes igned and engineered without compromise, HR ED (scopes offer the enthusiast exceptional optical ormance combined with sublime handling and reliability. 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See www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/promotions.htm for terms and conditions. more information on the complete range of ticron equipment and a copy of our current Product Guide 01582 726522 or visit us online at www.opticron.co.uk V 370, Unit 21, Titan Court, Laporti- Wiiy, Luton, Bods, LU4 8YR, UK Fax: 01582 723559 Em.iil: salcsf opticron.co.uk Nature in Focus Canon, Paramo Directional Clothing and Wild Arena are proud to announce a series of exciting one day photography roadshows around the UK. These inspirational events will celebrate the art of nature and landscape photography with thought-provoking seminar sessions from renowned photographers Ben Osborne, David Ward and Philip Malpas. Plus practical outside sessions with Charlie Hamilton James. A unique opportunity to also get product advice from the experts and to try out the latest imaging equipment. Dates 8th Nov 201 0 Martin Mere, Lancashire 1 0th Nov 201 0 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire 12th Nov 2010 Arundel, West Sussex Don’t miss out - book now at www.canon.co.uk/natureinfocus Canon ES 80 SD v3 With SDL 20-60x Zoom Eyepiece & Green Stay-on Case E.& O.E. Prices include VAT @ 17.5% and are subject to change without notice Goods subject to availability london camera exchange P*jr 1 5 The Square, Winchester 01962866203 AWARD > 12008 winchester@LCEgroup.co.uk . 20 x Wide field of view T5 X Maximum zoom h razor-sharp deta. Victory DiaScope 65 T* FL and Victory DiaScope 85 T* FL, available with straight or angled viewing. The Ultimate in Nature Obsarvati Zoom deeper into nature and bring to light its stunning < Thanks to the unique FL concept, the new Victory Dia spotting scopes by Carl Zeiss offer unparalleled i brightnessand brilliance. The innovative Dual Speed Focus allows for particularly quick and precise fast coarse an focusing by operating only one control wheel. Combine! the new Vario eyepiece, the new Victory DiaScope get closer to nature by opening up an unrivalled visual expe to all wildlife observers. New: Victory DiaScope British Birds THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 1 I NOV 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Volume 103 • Number I I • November 2010 640 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline Eileen C. Rees and Jan H. Beekman 65 I Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain Paul Harvey 658 Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers: identification and ageing Paul J. Leader Regular features 672 Letters Rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper Robin Prytherch The Wiltshire Hawk Owl and a plea for caution in the rejection of historical records Pete Combridge, James Ferguson- Lees, Peter Cranswick, Rob Turner and Paul Castle 675 Note Goosanders taking bread Harry E. M. Dott, Peter Herkenrath and Robin M. Sellers 677 Obituaries R. B. (Dick) Treleaven (1920-2009) R. E. (Bob) Emmett (1926-2010) 680 Reviews Advanced Bird ID Guide The Biggest Twitch Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher The Peregrine, The Hill of Summer & Diaries: the complete works of J. A. Baker Farmland Birds across the World Birding Dordogne National Geographic Bird Coloration 686 News and comment Adrian Pitches 692 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey ■O FSC Mixed Sources British Birds aims to: ♦> provide an up-to-date magazine for everyone interested in the birds of the Western Palearctic; publish a range of material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy as well as the latest ornithological news and book reviews; * maintain its position as the journal of record; and interpret scientific research on birds in an easily accessible way. © British Birds 2010 Conservation Priority Species Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline Eileen C. Rees and Jan H. Beekman Abstract Whereas most European swan and goose population trends are currently stable or increasing, the northwest European Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii population is of conservation concern because its numbers are in decline. Bewick’s Swan numbers rose during the 1 960s- 1 990s, but a co- ordinated international census in January 2005 recorded a total of c. 21,500 birds, a 27% decrease on the peak count of 29,277 in January 1995. National trends indicate that numbers have continued to decline since then. A Bewick’s Swan action planning workshop in St Petersburg in September 2009 attempted to identify major threats to the birds and to develop the monitoring, research and conservation work required to halt and reverse the population decline. It was evident that no single issue could explain the decline in numbers since the mid 1990s, and that the combination of factors (including weather and habitat changes) affecting the swans’ survival and productivity should be examined further. A Single Species Action Plan, which is now in draft, is due to be finalised and sent for government consultation by the end of 2010, in preparation for adoption at the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) Technical Committee in March 201 I and implementation thereafter. Introduction Of the three species of wild swan that occur in Britain, the Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii is perhaps the least familiar to many British birdwatchers. The Mute Swan C. olor is not only resident throughout the year but has a widespread distribution, frequenting a variety of wetland habitats ranging from slow-flowing rivers to lakes, ponds and estuaries, and is also found in urban areas (Rowell & Spray 2004). The migratory Whooper Swan C. cygnus occurs across much of Scotland and Ireland, where it can be found in small groups or large flocks in freshwater habitats and on agricul- tural land (Robinson et al. 2004; Worden etal. 2009). Bewick’s Swans have a more localised distribution, being found mainly in southeast England (notably on the Ouse Washes and the Nene Washes), but also in southwest and northwest England, and feed mainly on arable crops and pasture (Worden et al. 2006). Numbers of all three species increased in Britain during the second half of the twen- tieth century, with the recovery of the Mute Swan population being attributed in part to a reduction in the incidence of lead poisoning following the ban on the sale of lead fishing weights in 1987, and also to increased sur- vival and productivity of the species owing to mild winters in recent years (Kirby et al. 1994; Rowell & Spray 2004). Increasing 640 © British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline population trends were also noted for many European goose species at this time and this, like the increasing numbers of Whooper and Bewick’s Swans, has been attributed both to the birds’ use of improved agricultural areas (notably arable crops and fertilised pastures; van Eerden et al. 1996, Madsen et al. 1999, Fox et al. 2005), and to reduced mortality rates due to bans on hunting throughout Europe (Ebbinge 1991). Additionally, a reduction in sewage spills and in the use of agricultural fertilisers has improved water quality, benefiting the growth of submerged aquatic vegetation in shallow lakes and bays. Swans in particular are strongly dependent on submerged vegetation for parts of the year (see Brouwer & Tinbergen 1939, Beekman etal. 1991). However, while other goose and swan populations have either stabilised or con- tinued to increase in recent years, the north- west European Bewick’s Swan population is now in decline (see below), raising concern among conservationists and the wider public across the birds’ migratory range. There is particular concern that, as a large Arctic breeding bird with a narrow time window for breeding and raising offspring, the Bewick’s Swan may be an early indicator of how climate change influences population trends in other long-distance migrants, because the consequences of climate change (e.g. short- term weather variability) are predicted to be more pronounced and to occur more rapidly at high latitudes (Watson et al. 1998; Anisimov et al. 2007). The Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta b. bernicla , also a high- Arctic breeder, has shown a similar recent decline in numbers. This paper reviews the Bewick’s Swans’ migration and ecology, provides an update of recent population trends and considers threats (known and potential) for the species. Plans being put in place to address the population decline are also described. Species and populations The Bewick’s Swan and its conspecific, the Whistling Swan C. c. columbianus (which is native to North America), both breed at high latitudes and together have a pan-Arctic breeding distribution. Bewick’s Swans nest on Russian tundras from Cheshskaya Bay, Arkhangelsk, to Chaun Bay, Chukotka, whereas the Whistling Swan breeds in Alaska and Arctic Canada, with small numbers also occurring in far eastern Siberia where it may interbreed with Bewick’s (Evans & Sladen 1980; Syroechkovski 2002). The two subspecies of Cygnus columbianus are known collectively as Tundra Swan (as suggested by Palmer 1976) and this name has commonly been used for the Whistling Swan in North America since the 1980s. There have been increasing moves towards referring to Bewick’s Swans as Tundra Swans in recent years (e.g. following the BOU recom- mendation that Bewick’s and Whistling Swans be treated as a single species; Sangster et al. 2004), but this can cause confusion when referring to the swans’ distribution in east Asia where both races occur. 352. A small group of Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii in Estonia, on their way north back to their breeding grounds, April 2004. British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 641 Markus Varesvuo Rees & Beekman Three Bewick’s Swan populations are recognised globally, and these follow very dif- ferent migratory flyways (fig. 1). The north- west European population, estimated to number 21,500 birds in January 2005, breeds on the open maritime tundras of European Arctic Russia. This population migrates west along the Arctic coast of Russia, then south- west over Karelia and along the Baltic coast, to winter in western Europe. Staging areas in the Baltic countries are used for several weeks for refuelling in both autumn and spring; the White Sea is also an important site during spring migration, when most of the swans feed there prior to the breeding season (Beekman et al. 2002). The availability of high-quality food sources (particularly pondweeds Potamogeton ) at the White Sea is considered crucial, not only for completing spring migration but also for laying down resources for egg production (Nolet & Drent 1998). The majority (>90%) of Bewick’s Swans in the northwest European population spend the winter in the Netherlands, Britain and Germany but several hundred birds winter in Denmark and Belgium, with smaller numbers in France and Ireland. Numbers wintering in Ireland have diminished sub- stantially in recent years (see below), which may in part be attributed to the swans having a more easterly distribution in warmer winters. Much less is known about the Caspian/west Siberian population, which numbers some 1,000 birds wintering on the Caspian Sea. The Caspian-wintering swans are thought to breed in the Arctic reaches of western Siberia, and may include birds nesting on the Yamal and the Gydan Penin- sulas, though this is not known for certain. In particular, whether there is any overlap in breeding distribution with swans from the northwest European population (to the west) or the eastern population (to the east) is unclear. Information on the migration route is also patchy, but observations suggest that the swans follow the Ob River and the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains to Kazakhstan before heading west to the Caspian wintering grounds (Syroechkovski 2002). Resightings in China of swans fitted with neck-collars in the Lena Delta, in the far north of Siberia, indicate that Bewick’s Swans breeding on and to the east of the Lena Delta are from the eastern population, which winters in China, Japan and Korea (Bird Ringing Centre of Russia pers. comm.). Information on population size and trends in Fig. I. Distribution of the three Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii populations (derived from Syroechkovski 2002 and Bowler 2005), described in the text as the northwest European, Caspian/west Siberian and eastern populations. Breeding areas are in red, wintering areas in purple, and migration routes indicated by arrows. Note that the boundaries of the three populations’ breeding distributions are not known, and whether or not birds from different wintering sites coincide on the breeding grounds has yet to be determined. 642 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline 353. Part of a flock of 15,000 Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii counted at Fengsha Lake, China, in February 2008, here seen roosting with Swan Geese Anser cygnoides and Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea in the foreground (count data included in Cong et al. in prep.). numbers for the eastern population was unclear during the twentieth century. Although midwinter counts showed that numbers in Japan increased from the 1980s onwards, there was very little information on the status of the species within China and relatively few (< 1 00) birds now winter in the Republic of Korea (Moores 2005). The total population was estimated at 40,000 birds by the end of the 1990s (Miyabayashi & Mundkur 1999), of which nearly 30,000 were in Japan (Albertsen & Kanazawa 2002). More recently, however, counts of Bewick’s Swans wintering in the Yangtze River floodplain in China during surveys co-ordinated by Mark Barter and Cao Lei in 2004 and 2005, as part of a WWF-China waterbird monitoring pro- gramme (Barter et al. 2004), has resulted in a substantial increase in population estimates for the eastern population. A total of 65,114 Bewick’s Swans were counted in February 2005 (Barter et al. 2006), and the eastern population is now put at 92,000 birds (Wet- lands International 2006). Although surveys within China have been less extensive since 2005, continued annual counts of lakes in the Yangtze River floodplain suggest that 65,000-123,000 Bewick’s Swans winter in the region (Cong et al. in prep.; plate 353). Popu- lation estimates for the eastern population may therefore be revised upwards when next reviewed. Bewick’s Swan life-cycle: an overview Bewick’s Swan research undertaken by Wild- fowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) since the 1960s and by Dutch scientists since the 1980s has provided many insights into behaviour, British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 640-650 ecology and migration strategies along the Northwest European flyway (full review in Rees 2006). The swans have high annual sur- vival rates (initial analyses indicate >80% adult survival from one year to the next; Scott 1988) and are long-lived, with eight individuals known to have reached at least 25 years of age. It was found at an early stage that the swans are almost entirely monoga- mous; only three cases of ‘divorce’ have been recorded in >40 years of studying the species (Rees 2006). Whooper Swans and Mute Swans, in contrast, do occasionally switch mates. They may also pair for the first time at one year old, whereas Bewick’s Swans do not pair until at least two years old (Evans 1979). These differences between the species have been ascribed to differing constraints on the swans’ migratory and breeding cycles. British Mute Swans are largely sedentary and Whooper Swans have a much shorter (800- km) migration than Bewick’s Swans to their breeding grounds in Iceland, where part of the population (up to 1,500 birds) overwin- ters (Worden et al. 2009). Bewick’s Swans, on the other hand, are wholly migratory; the birds must breed, moult and embark on their 3,000-4,000-km migration to the wintering grounds in the four months that the tundra is habitable (late May to late September). Long-term pair bonds are therefore consid- ered to be particularly advantageous for Bewick’s Swans, since the swans have little time for courtship or pair formation on arrival on the breeding grounds. Pair forma- tion occurs mainly in the non-breeding flocks during the summer months and has not been observed in the wintering range (Rees et al. 1996). Individual-based studies 643 Eileen Rees Nick Cottrell/WWT Rees & Beekman have shown that the likelihood of a pair being observed with cygnets in the wintering range increases with the duration of the pair bond (Rees et al. 1996). Moreover, although the marked annual variation in the popula- tion’s breeding success is associated with weather conditions in the Russian Arctic (Poorter 1991), pair duration remains an important determinant of an individual’s breeding success (Rees et al. 1996). Resightings of colour-ringed birds and (particularly) satellite-tracking individual birds on migration has shown that the north- west European Bewick’s Swan population uses just two or three main staging areas for resting and refuelling during the journey between the breeding range and wintering grounds (Beekman et al. 2002). The maximum flight distance that Bewick’s Swans can cover without refuelling has been esti- mated at 2,000 km, so the swans need at least one stopover site for putting on the fat (energy) required to complete each journey. Northern Germany and northern Denmark provide important departure and landfall sites within the wintering range; farther north, the two key staging areas are in the Baltic region (used in both spring and autumn) and in the White Sea (used only in spring), while a large pre-migratory gathering (5,000-15,000 birds) is found on the Pechora Delta in autumn (Rees et al. 1997; Beekman et al. 2002). The fact that the swans do not stop off at the White Sea staging area in autumn (individual birds have been recorded migrating from the Pechora Delta to Estonia in just 48 hours; Rees 2006) has the coinci- dental benefit of ensuring that aquatic macro- phytes in the region (which constitute such important pre-breeding food for the swans) are not depleted just before the dormant winter period (Beekman et al. 2002). Bewick’s Swans traditionally fed on sub- merged vegetation in aquatic habitats in their European wintering range, but major land- scape changes during the twentieth century precipitated a change in the swans’ diet. In particular, drainage of wetlands and intensifi- cation of agriculture in the second half of the century, with farmers increasingly fertilising grasslands and planting arable crops, saw the swans move from feeding primarily on pondweeds (notably Potamogeton pectinatus and P. perfoliatus), stoneworts ( Chara spp.) and eelgrass ( Zostera spp.) to a greater use of improved pasture and, from the 1970s onwards, utilisation of harvest waste (stub- bles, potatoes, sugar beet) and winter cereals. The loss of wetland sites and the deteriora- tion of water quality through eutrophication led to a lack of traditional aquatic food sources for the birds. This negative develop- ment has been reversed in the Netherlands in recent years, and pondweed and stonewort vegetation has returned, but disturbance of swan flocks by (kite) surfers is now a major problem at these sites. Meanwhile, although the more numerous eastern Bewick’s Swan population continues to feed mainly on sub- merged vegetation (particularly Vallisneria tubers) in its stronghold in the Yangtze River floodplain, here too there are concerns that changes in water quality and lake hydrology fol- lowing the con- struction of the Three Gorges Dam may be affecting the swans’ food supply and thus the ” future viability of this population (Cong et al. in prep.). 354. Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii on their wintering grounds, in the Rushy Pen at WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, December 2007. 644 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline National and international trends for the northwest European population A key tool for assessing the conservation status of a population is the regular assess- ment of its numbers and distribution. Trends in the numbers of Bewick’s Swans wintering in the UK are monitored annually as part of the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), with mid- monthly counts being made at key sites during October-March inclusive. Similar mid-monthly counts of key sites are con- ducted in other European countries, for example the Netherlands. The mid-January counts for the UK and for other countries across Europe are included in the Interna- tional Waterbird Census (IWC), co-ordinated by Wetlands International, which determines trends for the population as a whole. Since the mid 1980s, the IWC has been augmented by co-ordinated International Swan Censuses (ISC), made at five-yearly intervals, which aim to achieve improved coverage and to count (nearly) all birds in the population, to determine the total population size and to verify the trend data (Beekman 1997). Both international monitoring pro- grammes have described substantial changes in the northwest European Bewick’s Swan population over the years, and the patterns are similar irrespective of the methods used. Population size increased from an estimated 9,000-10,000 birds in the mid 1970s to around 16,000 birds in the mid 1980s (Beekman et al. 1985; Dirksen & Beekman 1991), 26,000 birds in January 1990, and a peak of 29,277 birds during the ISC counts in January 1995 (Beekman 1997). Num- bers then declined, with 23,500 swans counted in the January 2000 ISC and 21,500 in January 2005 (fig. 2). This represented a decrease of 27% over the decade. Counts made in Britain 8< Ireland for the ISC in January 2005 found a c. 5% decrease in comparison with the January 2000 census, with the drop in numbers being most evident in Ireland and western parts of Britain (Worden et al. 2006). That the decline wasn’t more marked in the UK can to some extent be attributed to numbers on the Ouse Washes holding up rel- atively well in the early twenty-first century, with a peak count of 7,491 recorded at the site in winter 2004/05. However, numbers there have also diminished annually during the period 2005/06-2007/08 inclusive (Holt et al. 2009). In the Netherlands, the decline was much more pronounced: in 2005 the numbers were less than half those counted in 1995 (SOVON data). Numbers wintering in Germany have increased in the past two decades, probably as a result of mild - and especially wet - winters, but the increase there falls way short of matching the decline in countries farther west, such as the Nether- lands, Britain and Ireland. Although counts during the most recent ISC (conducted in January 2010) are still being collated, national trends and IWC trends indicate that the population has continued to decline from 2005. Trends in WeBS data show a worrying 46% decrease in numbers wintering in the UK between 1996/97 and 2008/09 (Calbrade et al. 2010; fig. 3), which may be due both to a shift in winter distribution (with fewer swans reaching western sites in recent milder winters) and to a genuine reduction in population size. The Fig. 2. Total population estimates for the northwest European Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii population since 1971/72 (open circles = Wetlands International estimates; filled circles = co-ordinated International Swan Censuses; Beekman 1997, Beekman et al. unpubl. data) and annual trends in numbers from 1986/87 to 2007/08 (IWC trends; Wetlands International unpubl. data). British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 645 Rees & Beekman Fig. 3. Trends in the numbers of Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii wintering in the UK, 1966/67-2008/09 (WeBS data; Calbrade et al. 2010) (UK index = 100 in winter 2008/09, UK trend = 100 in winter 1978/79). 800 600 - 400 ■ 200 ■ □ Cygnets O Adults/yearlings seen previously at Slimbridge □ New adults/yearlings Fig. 4. Number of new/returning Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii (adults and yearlings) recorded in winter atWWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. The number of cygnets (all new to the site) is included to illustrate annual variation in breeding success. former is evident in a drop in the proportion of new individuals reaching western sites such as WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, in recent years. On average, 47-48% of birds identified each winter in the 1970s-1990s were new, compared with 42% in the 2000s (fig. 4), the latter after several exceptionally poor breeding seasons (<8% cygnets) from the mid 1990s onwards. The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I- WeBS) and SOVON reports in the Nether- lands also found a worrying post-2005 decline in Bewick’s Swan numbers (Koffijberg et al. in press). Although the IWC data do not show a marked decline between January 2005 and January 2008 (fig. 3), there is no sign of a recovery in numbers across Europe, with indices for January 2008 being the lowest for 20 years. The ISC census conducted in January 2010 coincided with severe winter weather across Europe, which almost certainly caused the swans to move westward into their tra- ditional winter haunts. This new population estimate will therefore have the advantage of not being influenced by uncertainties, such as an eastward shift in the swans’ distribution into less well-covered regions. Bewick’s Swan action planning workshop Given the increasing concern for the north- west European popula- tion, a Bewick’s Swan action planning work- shop was held on 25th-28th September 2009 to address the issue. The workshop drew together 30 experts on Bewick’s Swans from through- out the birds’ range to pool knowledge and data, to identify the key threats to the birds and to develop the monitoring, research and con- servation work required to improve the con- servation status of the species. The workshop was organised jointly by Wetlands Interna- tional, the Wetlands International/IUCN- Species Survival Commission Swan Specialist Group and the WWT, and was hosted by Lenoble Priroda in St Petersburg. During the course of the meeting it became evident that there was no single issue that could explain the decline in numbers since the mid 1990s, and that the combina- tion of factors (including weather and habitat changes) affecting the swans’ survival and productivity (i.e. the demographic variables underlying trends in numbers) should be examined in more detail. It was shown, for example, that overall breeding success, recorded throughout the wintering range in 646 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline late autumn, reached an average of just 8% cygnets over the past two decades, which is clearly insufficient to make up for annual adult mortality rates estimated at 10-15% (Beekman unpubl. data). While individual swans do occasionally switch migratory flyways (e.g. three Bewick’s Swans ringed in Britain have been recovered along the Caspian flyway; Rees 2006), it was considered unlikely to have occurred at a sufficiently large scale to account for the diminishing numbers because Bewick’s Swans (particu- larly adult birds) generally show a high level of site fidelity in the wintering range (Rees 1987). A review of the sites of international importance for the species, undertaken by national delegates at the workshop, found that most of the main wintering sites in western Europe and staging areas in the Baltic countries are legally protected under the EU Birds Directive (as Special Protection Areas). Many are also classed as Ramsar Sites. However, management plans for these Natura 2000 areas are only just being developed and it is unclear whether or not the plans include specific measures aimed at improving water management, increasing aquatic food stocks and carrying capacity, and halting human dis- turbance, especially at crucial stopover sites during the Bewick’s Swans’ migration. Sites within Russia are also protected as federal or regional reserves under Russian legislation, but it was noted that the swans are particu- larly vulnerable to changes at the key spring staging site on the White Sea. It was agreed that the con- servation of the species depends on the management of all sites used by the birds throughout their migratory range, including about a dozen key staging sites that require improvement in their management pro- grammes and to have their protection status maintained. Threats: known and potential Although the combination of factors causing the northwest European Bewick’s Swan pop- ulation decline has yet to be confirmed, several threats to the swans’ survival and breeding success have been identified. For instance, the breeding success for the popula- tion is strongly influenced by weather condi- tions in the breeding range (Poorter 1991), with initial analyses suggesting that the com- bination of a warm spring followed by a return to freezing conditions during the incubation period is associated with breeding failure (Syroechkovsky et al. 2002). Annual variation in the onset of freezing conditions in autumn and early winter is also likely to affect cygnet survival but this has not been studied in detail. Similarly, little is known regarding the effects of predator abundance in the breeding range on Bewick’s Swan breeding success. Predator-prey cycles are closely linked with goose and wader breeding success in the Russian Arctic, with these birds reproducing particularly well in peak lemming Lemmus years, when the lemmings provide a good food source for Arctic Foxes Vulpes lagopus (Summers et al. 1998). Several known causes of Bewick’s Swan mortality, such as illegal hunting, lead poi- soning and collisions with power lines, are still extant but their influence is thought to be either stable or declining. Collectively, these do not seem to be the only reason for the population decline over the past 1 5 years. 355. Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii, WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, March 2010. British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 640-650 647 David Tipling Rees & Beekman 356. Bewick’s Swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii, WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, February 2009. Illegal hunting is still very high for a species protected throughout its migratory range, but the 22.7% of birds with pellets in their body tissues (determined by X-raying swans caught at Slimbridge) in the 2000s is lower than the 34.1% recorded in the 1970s and 38.8% in the 1980s (Newth et al. in prep.). Construction of wind turbines along the migration route is a relatively recent phe- nomenon, and although windfarms may be problematic if sited inappropriately, there is little evidence to date for Bewick’s Swans col- liding with turbines. Since the relatively large Whooper Swans dominate the smaller and lighter Bewick’s Swans at sites where both species occur (Black & Rees 1984), Whoopers may displace Bewick’s from feeding areas in winter and from nest-sites in summer, particularly if a longer breeding season enables Whooper Swans to breed successfully at high latitudes. So far there is no conclusive evidence for competition between the two species having a significant effect on Bewick’s Swans: an assessment of the swans’ wintering distribu- tion in the UK in the mid 1990s found that the two species co-existed happily enough, with numbers increasing at some sites simul- taneously (Rees et al. 1997; Rees & Bowler 1996); while, although the density of terri- torial Whooper Swan pairs in the Pechora Delta increased between 1980 and 2000 (Shchadilov et al. 2002), there is no evidence so far for them colonising Bewick’s Swan ter- ritories c. 50 km to the north. Nevertheless, given that the increasing numbers of geese and Whooper Swans in Europe will be util- ising the same or similar food resources as the Bewick’s Swans, the issue of whether competition with other species is now contributing to the Bewick’s Swans’ population decline, or whether northward range shifts by Whooper Swans may affect the Bewick’s Swans in the future, should perhaps be considered more rigorously. Oil spills and other catastrophic events remain a threat for a species that congregates in large numbers at relatively few sites. In particular, oil exploration continues in the Russian Arctic, and an oil spill at the impor- tant breeding and moulting grounds in the Nenetskiy State Nature Reserve, or in the White Sea staging area, would have a devas- tating effect on the population. Disease out- breaks such as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 are also a risk. Both Whooper and Mute Swans died during the main H5N1 outbreak in Europe in 2005, but fortunately there were no cases of mass mor- tality recorded for Bewick’s Swans at that time. Future plans for species conservation Following the workshop, Wetlands Interna- tional is now developing a Flyway Action Plan for the conservation of the northwest European Bewick’s Swan population. The main goal of the plan is to halt the ongoing decline, promote population recovery and maintain the population at or above its 2005 level (S. Nagy pers. comm.). The Action Plan, to be submitted to the Technical Committee of the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agree- ment ( AEWA) for approval in March 2011, will provide a framework for taking forward co-ordinated actions recommended within 648 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 640-650 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline the plan. Specific actions, some of which are already underway, will include continued monitoring of population trends, research into the causes of the population decline, and habitat management (including further site protection, improved water management directed to aquatic food stocks and banning disturbance by (e.g.) hunters, boats and surfers) for improving the swans’ survival and productivity. In particular, the question of whether there has been an increase in mortality rates in recent years (and, if there has, the reason for this to be identified) must be addressed urgently. Implementation of the plan is to be led by the WI-IUCN SSC Swan Specialist Group in collaboration with the relevant governmental organisations, research institutes and non-governmental conservation organisations. This conserva- tion effort will take place over the next ten years, after which the status of the population will be reviewed and the need for any further action will be considered. Acknowledgments We are grateful to all contributors to Bewick’s Swan studies over the years and to participants in the Bewick’s Swan Action Planning workshop in September 2009. Andy Musgrove kindly provided the data for UK Bewick's Swan trends, which had been gathered and reported by counters as part of the UK's Wetland Bird Survey scheme. Similarly, Szabolcs Nagy and Simon Delany made the International Waterbird Census data available for illustrating trends in Bewick's Swan numbers for the population as a whole. Baz Hughes, Julia Newth and anonymous reviewers made helpful comments on an earlier draft of the text. We are grateful to Robin Jones for preparing fig. I . References Albertsen, J. O., & Kanazawa, Y. 2002. Numbers and ecology of swans wintering in Japan. In: Rees, E. C„ Earnst, S. L„ & Coulson, J. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Swan Symposium, Waterbirds 25 (Special Publication I ): 74-85. Anisimov, O. A., Vaughan, D. 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The Mute Swan Cygnus olor in Britain and Northern Ireland 1 960/6 1 -2000/01 . Waterbird Review Series, WWT/JNCC, Slimbridge. Sangster G., Collinson, J. M„ Helbig, A. J., Knox, A. G., & Parkin, D.T 2004.Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: second report. Ibis 146: 153-157. Scott, D. K. 1988. Reproductive success in Bewick's Swans. In: Clutton-Brock,T H. (ed.), Reproductive Success: 220-236. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Shchadilov.Y M„ Rees, E. C., Belousova, A. V., & Bowler J. M. 2002. Annual variation in the proportion of Bewick's Swans and Whooper Swans breeding in northern European Russia. In: Rees, E. C., Earnst, S. L„ & Coulson, J. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Swan Symposium, 200 1 . Waterbirds 25 (Special Publication I ): 86-94. Summers, R.W., Underhill, L. G„ & Syroechkovski, E. E. 1 998. The breeding productivity of Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Curlew Sandpipers in relation to changes in the numbers of Arctic Foxes and lemmings on the Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia. Ecography 21:573-580. Syroechkovski, E. E. 2002. Distribution and population estimates for swans in the Siberian Arctic in the 1 990s. In: Rees, E. C., Earnst, S. L., & Coulson, J. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Swan Symposium, 200 1 . Waterbirds 25 (Special Publication I): 1 00- 1 13. Syroechkovsky, E.V., Litvin, K. E., & Gurtovaya, E. N. 2002. Nesting ecology of Bewick's Swans on Vaygach Island, Russia. In: Rees, E. C„ Earnst, S. L., & Coulson, J. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Swan Symposium, 200 1 . Waterbirds 25 (Special Publication I ): 221-226. van Eerden, M. R., Zijlstra, M„ van Roomen, M„ & Timmerman, A. 1 996. The response of Anatidae to changes in agricultural practice: long-term shifts in the carrying capacity of wintering waterfowl. Gibier Faune Sauvage 1 3: 68 1 -706. Watson, R.T, Zinyowera, M. C„ & Moss, R. H. (eds.) 1998. The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: an assessment of vulnerability. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Wetlands International. 2006. Waterbird Population Estimates. 4th edn. Wetlands International, Wageningen, the Netherlands. Worden, J., Cranswick, RA„ Crowe, O., McElwaine, G., & Rees, E. C. 2006. Numbers and distribution of Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii wintering in Britain and Ireland: results of international censuses, January 1 995, 2000 and 2005. Wildfowl 56: 3-22. — , Crowe, O., Einarsson, O., Gardarsson, A., McElwaine, G„ & Rees, E. C. 2009. Population size and breeding success of the Icelandic Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus: results of the January 2005 international census. Wildfowl 59: 1 7-40. Eileen C. Rees, WWT, Martin Mere, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire L40 OTA; e-mail Eileen.Rees@wwt.org.uk Ian H. Beekman, ARCADIS, PO Box 1018, 5200 BA ’s Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands; e-mail Jan.Beekman@arcadis.nl ^ 650 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 640-650 Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain Paul Harvey Abstract A Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica was found and trapped on Fair Isle on 1st July 1992. It remained on the island the following day but was not seen thereafter. The identification was accepted by BBRC and BOURC. Owing to doubts that it had occurred in a wild state, BOURC originally placed the record into Category D, which forms an Appendix to the British List. Following further British records of the species in 2007 (in Yorkshire) and 2008 (on Fair Isle), BOURC reviewed the first Fair Isle bird, which was accepted as the first British record, and placed all three individuals into Category A of the British List. Early morning trap-rounds on Fair Isle in midsummer are typically uneventful affairs so, despite the overnight switch to northeast winds, I left the Observatory at 07.00 hrs on 1st July very much on autopilot. I was accompanied by John Lumsden and Jack Keiser, both visitors to the Observatory. By the time we had reached the patch of sallows Salix and conifers known as the Plan- tation, I had trapped just two Rock Pipits Anthus petrosus. But as I entered the Planta- tion, what looked like a small greyish warbler flitted towards the southern catching box of the Heligoland trap; unfortunately it brushed the mesh and then escaped through a small hole. I was intrigued by the bird, unsure as to what it was, so we waited for a short while hoping it would reappear. After ten minutes or so, I decided to ring the Rock Pipits at the small ringing hut just to the south of the trapping area. Upon my return to the Plantation, the mystery bird was flushed again and it alighted briefly on the heather bank opposite, some 30 m away. Its stance and large eye suggested that it was a flycatcher, but surely it was too small and clean for a Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, while the lack of white in the tail ruled out Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva. Things were getting exciting! The bird flew back into the Plantation and after an agonising ten minutes of searching I managed to relocate it in the canopy. It was clearly very small, unstreaked and, furthermore, showed a striking pale whitish eye-ring and pale lores. When I saw the size and shape of the bill and extent of the pale orange on the lower mandible, my adrenalin levels were such that I could barely hold myself steady. It surely had to be a Brown Flycatcher! At this stage I saw the bird land on a post deep inside the catching area and immediately dashed in, flushing it into the catching box. A brief in-the-hand exami- nation was enough to dispel any lingering doubts: I was holding Britain’s first Brown Flycatcher M. dauurica ! It was now 08.30 hrs and I returned hastily to the Observatory and showed the bird to an astonished Nick Dymond, Roger Riddington, Roy Taylor and Steve Votier. A quick phone call was made to Nick Riddiford, who lives in the south of the island, and he appeared in no time at all, breaking one or two cycling records in the process. The bird was examined in the hand, ringed, photographed and a detailed description taken, before being released back at the Plantation just after 09.00 hrs. Detailed description The following is based upon a combination of field observations and the in-the-hand description. Structure A small, dumpy, shortish-tailed, large-headed flycatcher. The bill was incredibly broad at the base and appeared almost boat-shaped, while © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 651 Paul Harvey Harvey the dark eye was strikingly large. The primary projection was approximately equal to the length of the exposed tertials (although it could appear slightly shorter or longer in the field depending on the stance) and similar to the distance between the wing point and the tail tip. The primaries extended about half to three-quarters of the way down the tail. Head The most obvious feature was the prominent pale eye-ring, merging with the equally prominent pale lores. The pale supercilia above the lores at times appeared to meet over the bill base. Occasionally there appeared to be a slightly paler area behind the upper rear of the eye. The orbital ring was dark, accentu- ating the apparent size of the eye. The crown and nape appeared grey in strong light but showed some olive tones in duller conditions. The fore-crown was slightly paler and occa- sionally appeared warmer. The ear-coverts were grey, often appearing greyer than the crown. On either side of the face, a creamy submoustachial area, flecked with grey, extended around the base of the ear-coverts and was bordered by a fairly prominent dark malar stripe running from just short of the bill to below the ear-coverts. In bright light conditions the malar stripes could disappear completely. The chin and throat were white. Upperparts The nape, mantle and back were greyish, always contrasting markedly with the brownish wings and tail. In the shade or in poor light conditions, however, there appeared to be some olive tones to the upperparts. The rump was slightly browner and the uppertail-coverts were grey. Underparts The colour of the underparts varied according to the light conditions. In very strong light the whole of the underparts appeared white, whereas in dull or shaded conditions there was a marked greyish suffu- sion on the sides of the breast; this some- times even appeared to extend right across the breast to form a greyish pectoral band. The flanks also occasionally showed a greyish suffusion. The chin, throat and undertail- coverts always appeared white, the chin and throat contrasting markedly with the grey suffusion on the breast in dull light. Wings The primaries and secondaries were brownish, often looking quite bleached. The tips of the longest primaries were heavily abraded, the inner ones less so, while the secondaries appeared a little fresher. The tertials were also heavily abraded, two with triangular notches in the tips, brownish in colour and with the rem- nants of a pale buff fringe. The primary coverts and the large feather of the alula were bleached brown, the central feather of the alula was a darker ‘fresher’ brown, presumably having been moulted at an earlier date. The lesser and median coverts were greyish-brown. The eight outer greater coverts on the left wing (seven on the right wing) were bleached brown with heavily worn tips. However, the outer four feathers (on each wing) still showed an obvious buff tip on the outer web of the feather while the remaining juvenile feathers had worir away in the shape of the missing buff tip. The innermost greater covert on the 357. First-summer Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Fair Isle, July 1992. 652 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain left wing (the inner two on the right wing) was clearly fresher and greyer-centred, with a neat greyish-white fringe. Tail The tail appeared square-ended and the rectrices were brownish and heavily abraded. Two feathers were broken (at about halfway, the pattern of the break typical of that seen when birds have broken tail feathers) and a third (outer feather) had worn down to the shaft. Bare parts The upper mandible was dark horn, the lower mandible orange/straw on the basal two-thirds, with a dark-horn distal third. The gape was a stunning yellow, almost resem- bling that of a freshly fledged juvenile passerine! There were five pairs of prominent rectal bristles. The legs were purple-horn, with a yellowish rear, but in the field essen- tially appeared dark blackish. The iris was dark brown and the pupil black. Biometric data wing length 72 mm tail length 47 mm bill - length to skull 15.4 mm bill - width at rear of nostrils 7.5 mm bill - depth at rear of nostrils 3.4 mm weight 12.4 g The fat score was assessed as 2 on a score of 0-5, 5 being the maximum. Behaviour The bird fed in typical flycatcher fashion, generally within the canopy of the Planta- tion, when frequent, amazingly loud bill- snapping could be heard. Sometimes it would sit motionless, concealed within the canopy, for minutes at a time. It rarely left the Planta- tion, where it performed for about 50 visiting birders over its two-day stay. On the after- noon of 2nd July, it was seen feeding farther afield and was last seen near the Gully trap that evening. Identification Once I had calmed down, the identification was relatively straightforward. The combina- tion of size, lack of any streaking in the plumage, lack of white in the tail, bill structure British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 and the extensive yellow on the lower mandible quickly removed Spotted and Red- breasted Flycatchers from the equation. Fortu- nately, I had spent some time birding in southeast Asia in the 1980s, and two identifi- cation articles on potential vagrant eastern fly- catchers had been published in the popular British birding press the previous year (Alstrom & Flirschfeld 1991; Bradshaw et al. 1991), so I was reasonably well versed with the relevant identification criteria. Grey-streaked Flycatcher M. griseisticta has distinct streaking across the breast and down the flanks and shows less yellow/orange on the lower mandible, so was easily ruled out. Siberian Flycatcher M. sibirica can appear more like Brown, but typically shows a much stronger dark wash (occasionally even smudged streaks) down the sides of the breast, some- times split by just a pale central band. In addi- tion, Siberian shows much less distinct pale (browner-washed) lores than Brown, and has a smaller, narrower bill with a less prominent pale base to the lower mandible. Ageing and moult The bird was aged as a first-summer based mainly on the pattern of the greater coverts: a number of these (eight on the left wing and seven on the right) were clearly retained juvenile feathers. The uppertail-coverts, perhaps the most worn tract of the contour feathers, also showed some pale tips (despite the degree of wear) and it seems likely that these were also retained juvenile feathers. The general state of abrasion of the remiges and rectrices was also more in line with a first- summer than an adult. Unlike Spotted Fly- catcher, which has a complete winter moult. Brown Flycatcher has a complete summer moult. This individual would, therefore, have carried its flight feathers, some greater coverts and possibly its uppertail-coverts since it left the nest some 12 months earlier. Weather conditions and associated arrivals During the latter half of May and most of June 1992, northern Europe was dominated by anticyclonic conditions with an associated easterly airstream. During this period there were record numbers of some common and scarce migrants on Fair Isle, including Spotted 653 Paul Harvey Harvey Flycatchers, Icterine Hippolais icterina and Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix as well as nine Red-throated Pipits Anthus cervinus, five Black-headed Buntings Emberiza melanocephala , two Greenish Warblers P. trochiloides and a Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola. Although westerly con- ditions were more prevalent on Fair Isle during the latter part of June, an anticyclone briefly re-established itself over Scandinavia at the end of the month bringing northeast winds on 1st July when the Brown Flycatcher was found. All attention focused on the fly- catcher that day but a wider search of the island on 2nd July produced Fair Isle’s first Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva as well as a Marsh Warbler A. palustris and the third Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio in four days. Elsewhere in Britain, a Greenish Warbler was trapped at South Walney, Cumbria, on 30th June (Brit. Birds 86: 516). Range and distribution Brown Flycatcher is now generally treated as monotypic. It breeds in southern and eastern Siberia from the Yenisey River east to Amur- land, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. It also breeds in northern Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and south to northeastern China. It migrates to winter from the eastern Himalayas east to southern China and south to Sri Lanka, Indochina and the Malay Penin- sula to the Philippines and Greater Sundas. The species is, therefore, a long-distance migrant which shares parts of its breeding and wintering range with other species that originate in Siberia and occur as vagrants to Britain. Origin and status I was initially concerned about the heavily abraded tail feathers, and the prospect that that could be the result of damage sustained in captivity. It was thus a welcome relief when I opened Svensson (1992) to find that the species has a complete summer moult. I considered it quite plausible that this indi- vidual could show this degree of abrasion some 12 months after it had left the nest. Nevertheless, it was heartening that highly experienced ringers such as Nick Riddiford and Nick Dymond agreed with this view. Indeed they seemed less concerned by the degree of wear and damage than I was. We were aware that the timing of the record was very unusual for a Siberian vagrant, most of which occur as young birds in autumn. We did, however, feel that an arrival date of 1st July is what might be expected if the bird had overshot its breeding grounds on its spring migration and just kept migrating. For example, Arctic Warblers P. borealis , many of which winter in the same areas as Brown Flycatchers, had occurred pre- viously in Britain at similar times: at Titch- well, Norfolk, on 5th July 1975 (Brit. Birds 69: 350) and on Fair Isle on 3rd July 1982 (Brit. Birds 76: 515). These individuals had presum- ably overshot their breeding grounds after a long migration from their wintering areas. Given that the Brown Flycatcher is a long-distance migrant that winters in the tropics, the state of the plumage was consistent with what might be expected of a first- summer in early July. Although the arrival date was unusual, it could be explained by a spring migrant overshooting the breeding range. The record was sub- 358. First-summer Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica , Fair Isle, July 1992. 654 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain mitted to BBRC in the belief that it repre- sented a genuine vagrant. Original submission to later review The record was sent to BBRC in late 1992 and the identification accepted unanimously; it was passed on to BOURC in March 1993. Although the latter committee accepted the identification, categorisation was a much more complex affair. After some deliberation, they decided to place Brown Flycatcher in Category D, for reasons outlined by Parkin & Shaw (1994). BOURC considered that the arrival date did not conform to the expected autumn arrival pattern for an insectivorous Siberian vagrant reaching Britain, nor did it match the arrival dates of the two Brown Fly- catchers that had reached western Europe prior to 1992. Although BOURC was not aware of any Brown Flycatchers having been advertised or imported into Britain since 1970, the availability of related species com- bined with the difficulty of identification made it possible that the species could have been imported inadvertently (and unde- tected). Other European records By 1992 there had already been two accepted records in Europe, so the discovery of one in Britain was not entirely unexpected. One was recorded in Denmark on 24th-25th Sep- tember 1959 (Christensen 1960), and one was in Sweden on 27th-30th September 1986 (Hirschfeld 1987). The discovery of two subsequent birds in Britain - an adult at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, on 3rd-4th October 2007 (Baines 2007), and a first-winter on Fair Isle on 24th-25th September 2008 (Shaw 2010) - showed that vagrancy by Brown Flycatcher to Britain was a reality and reignited interest in the 1992 Fair Isle bird. After they had been accepted by BBRC, the two recent Brown Flycatcher records were reviewed by BOURC, which in turn prompted the circumstances of the 1992 Fair Isle record to be re-examined. Although no additional evidence to suggest the likely origin had emerged, no hard evidence that the species occurred in the captive bird trade in Britain or elsewhere in Europe had come to light. Once again the unusual date was alluded to, and also the worn condition of the bird’s plumage, although the latter was found to be consistent with that shown by museum specimens taken in June and July. Consequently, BOURC accepted the 1992 Fair Isle bird as being of wild origin, and Brown Flycatcher was added to Category A of the British List (BOU 2010). A further European record occurred during the intervening period, in Greece on 4th September 1993 (Slack 2009). Further comments on the arrival date Since 1992, spring occurrences of Siberian vagrants have, occurred with greater regu- larity. The relatively early arrival dates of the majority of these individuals suggest that they have probably wintered successfully in western Europe, or slightly farther afield, and then been found as they undertook a north- ward spring migration. Britain’s first Taiga Flycatcher F. albicilla (Lassey 2005) is surely a classic example of this, being located as early as 26th April in 2003. The increasing number of Yellow-browed Warblers P. inornatus now wintering in western Europe also support this suggestion. This pattern is perhaps to be expected as it would seem highly unlikely that many genuine spring overshoots would reach western Europe from their wintering grounds in southeast Asia or India. The phenomenon of spring ‘overshooting’ seems to be widely accepted by ornithologists today. Whether this represents genuine over- shooting during a relatively long-distance northward spring movement, individuals actively moving north to locate territories or mates, genetic malfunctions that fail to switch off the migratory urge, or some com- bination of these is still largely conjecture. Should a bird such as the Fair Isle 1992 Brown Flycatcher undertake such a move- ment, however, I would contend that an arrival date of 1st July is not unexpected. Consider the dates of late-spring records in western Europe of two similar-sized migra- tory insectivorous passerines whose winter distribution overlaps with that of Brown Fly- catcher - Arctic and Lanceolated Warblers Locustella lanceolata. Arctic Warblers have bred in small numbers in eastern Fenno- scandia for some time. These individuals have one of the longest migrations of any British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 655 Paul Harvey Harvey 359. First-summer Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Fair Isle, July 1992. passerine species wintering in southeast Asia. Hagemeijer & Blair (1997) indicated that breeding birds arrive in Finland from mid June onwards and that warm springs result in higher numbers. In Britain there are now ten records of Arctic Warblers in June and July (Slack 2009). Nine have occurred in Shet- land, six between 21st June and 10th July, with another on 19th and two on 30th July. The tenth individual was found at Titchwell on 5th July. This occurrence pattern is pre- cisely what one might expect of individuals overshooting their breeding grounds. The second species, Lanceolated Warbler, which also shares some of its wintering range with the Brown Flycatcher, is experiencing some- thing of a westward range expansion and now occurs regularly in Finland and occa- sionally breeds. Lindblom (2008) docu- mented 95 records of Lanceolated Warbler in Finland, 91 of them in spring (it is perhaps not surprising, given their skulking nature, that so many records are of singing males). What is interesting, however, is their arrival dates. The earliest record was on 16th June, with 34 found in June, 56 in July and one in August. The majority were found between 22nd June and 12th July. The arrival in Finland is later than that in the main breeding range in Russia, where it is common before mid June. In both cases, the late arrival is possibly just a function of the distance Paul Harvey, Headlands, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS travelled. Although this is little more than conjecture, it seems plausible that an arrival date of 1st July in Shetland is just what one might expect for a Brown Flycatcher reaching Europe if it did indeed ‘over- shoot’ its breeding grounds. With an ever-increasing number of obser- vers in western Europe, it will be interesting to see whether we get further major Siberian vagrants between mid June and mid July. References Alstrom, R, & Hirschfeld, E. 1991. Field identification of Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers. Birding World 4:271-278. Baines, R. 2007. The Brown Flycatcher in East Yorkshire. Birding World 20: 425^128. Bradshaw, C., Jepson, R J„ & Lindsey, N. J. 1991. Identification of brown flycatchers. Brit Birds 84: 527-542. British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 20 1 0. Records Committee: 38th Report. Ibis 1 52: 1 99-204. Christensen, N. H. 1 960. Brun Fluesnapper (Muscicapa latirostris Raffles) ved Blavand efterar 1 959. Dansk Orn. Foren. Tidsskr. 54: 36-40. Hagemeijer W.J. M„ & Blair M. J. 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: their distribution and abundance. Poyser London. Hirschfeld, E. 1987. Sallsynta faglar i Sverige 1986. Var Fagelvarld 46: 441-456. Lassey, R A. 2005. Taiga Flycatcher in East Yorkshire: new to Britain. Brit. Birds 98: 542-546. Lindblom, K. 2008. Booted Warbler and Lanceolated Warbler in Finland. Alula 1 4: 84-90. Parkin, D.T, & Shaw, K. D., on behalf of the BOURC. 1 994. Asian Brown Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher and Pallas's Rosefinch. Three recent decisions of the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee. Brit. Birds 87: 247-252. Shaw, D. N. 20 1 0. Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle, 24-25 September 2008: the second Scottish record. Scott. Birds 30: 73-75. Slack, R. 2009. Rare Birds, Where and When. V ol. I . Rare Birds Books, York. Svensson, L. 1 992. Identification Guide to European Passerines. 4th edn. Stockholm. 656 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain Editorial comment Martin Collinson, Chairman of BOURC, provided the following summary ot the hurdles which this record of Brown Flycatcher had to overcome before being admitted into Category A of the British List: When Paul Harvey clamped his binoculars on Britain’s first Brown Flycatcher, he could have little suspected the time it would take to get it into Category A. Nor could he have anticipated the totem-like status this bird (and its partner in crime, the Mugimaki Fly- catcher Ficedula mugimaki at Stone Creek, Yorkshire, on 16th— 17th November 1991) would achieve in discussions of the perceived chasm between ordinary birders and the establishment (as repre- sented by BOURC). The initial decision to place the species in Category D was not universally welcomed, given that none had been found in trade during assessment of the record, but in hind- sight was clearly the right one. Twenty other species of eastern flycatcher had recently been imported to the UK, and species were found in trade that had been incorrectly identified or never been advertised. Add to that the widespread potential for illegal import and it was a realistic possi- bility that Brown Flycatchers were in captivity in Europe in 1992. Asian Brown Flycatchers are still listed on some cagebird-related websites such as www.softbillsforsale.com, and even though none appear to be currently advertised, the species certainly must have featured on the aviculture radar until relatively recently. When the Fair Isle individual turned up outside the main migration period, with a tatty plumage, which, while not inconsistent with a wild origin, did not inspire confidence, there was enough doubt in BOURC’s collective mind to preclude full acceptance in Category A. ‘So, what changed? It is fair to say that there was no single defining factor that tipped the balance, but a combination of events and new information. Obviously, there was the occurrence of two birds in Britain in the autumns of 2007 and 2008 at a period when, thanks to the EU-wide ban on imports from 1st July 2007 due to bird flu, there would not be any wild-caught birds in (legal) trade. Although one of these (the Flamborough bird) was almost certainly an adult, they unambiguously got this species over the “credibility barrier” for wild occurrence in Britain. Even in 1992, however, the previous autumn records from Denmark and Sweden might have suggested that there was actually not much of a credibility barrier to surmount. ‘It had already been established that the poor state of the bird’s tail was not in itself a problem, and this was reinforced by a continuing pattern of other species turning up as “midsummer” migrants in the Northern Isles, in plumage states very similar to this Brown Flycatcher. ‘Another continuing supporting factor, as explained by Paul Harvey in this paper, is the realisation that the 1st July date is not as anomalous as previously thought. The developing pattern of late June and July records of Arctic Warbler, which was not as obvious in 1992 as it is now, is a strong argument that spring overshooting of eastern vagrants can and does produce such occurrence dates during the pro- tracted northern spring. Prior to 1992, you would have got very long odds on the possibility that Britain’s first Brown Flycatcher would turn up in July but, with the benefit of this new information, there seems to be no further reason to deny this individual its place in the record. BOURC concluded that the balance of probability is overwhelmingly that it was a wild, natural vagrant and placed it in Category A. ‘The initial assignment of the 1992 individual to Category D was seen as being overly conser- vative in some circles, with widespread sympathies that the observers had been harshly treated. It does, however, underline the value of Category D as indicating “Doubt”, not “Dumped”. The potential of this species to occur as a vagrant was always apparent, but so was its potential to escape from a cage, hence the doubt. Species are held in Category D for a limited time to determine whether further occurrences or new knowledge allow BOURC to confidently assign them to A or E. On this occasion, Category D did its job and a satisfactory judgement on the provenance of the bird became possible.’ Adam Rowlands, Chairman of BBRC, commented: ‘Brown Flycatcher had long been an antici- pated vagrant to our shores (see e.g. Brit. Birds 73: 392). Although at least one previous record from Britain had proved unacceptable to BBRC (Holy Island, Northumberland, on 9th September 1956), the identification of the first Fair Isle bird was well established and left no doubt. Paul’s account summarises the record’s transition from Category D to A accurately and there is little else to add. Despite the repeat showing in 2007 and 2008, the species remains a potential gem for rarity hunters. If it is seen well, identification should not prove to be a signifi- cant hurdle, but the prize of finding Britain’s first Grey-streaked or Siberian Flycatcher remains.’ British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 651-657 657 Alan Harris Siberian Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers: identification and ageing Paul J. Leader Abstract In the light of recent records of Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica in Britain, this short paper looks at the identification and ageing of this species and two closely related potential vagrants from east Asia: Siberian Flycatcher M. sibirica and Grey-streaked Flycatcher M. griseisticta. Differences in structure and plumage are summarised, and particular attention is paid to ageing and moult. Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Siberian Flycatcher M. sibirica, and Grey-streaked Flycatcher M. griseisticta are three superficially similar flycatchers which are common, long-distance migrants in east Asia. Brown Flycatcher has already reached Europe on several occasions, including single records from Denmark, Sweden and Greece plus three accepted records from Britain (Fair Isle 1992 and 2008 and Flamborough Flead, Yorkshire, 2007; Hudson et al. 2009, Harvey 2010). In addition, one was seen in Yorkshire Throughout this paper only the northern taxa of Siberian Muscicapa s. sibirica and Brown Flycatchers M. d. dauurica are discussed. Although there exists another ‘Brown Flycatcher’ in Asia (Sumba Brown Flycatcher M. segregata ), the English name of Brown Flycatcher for M. dauurica has a long history in Europe and there seems little need to add the modifier ‘Asian’ to avoid potential confusion with Sumba Brown Flycatcher. For M. s. sibirica , 1 prefer the English name Siberian Fly- catcher over Dark-sided or Sooty Flycatcher (both of which are widely used in Asia) to distinguish the northern migratory populations from three very similar Sino-Himalayan taxa (which are morphologically distinct from nominate sibirica, * being smaller, much darker and showing more heavily marked underparts, and are either resident or short-distance migrants; Vaurie 1959). This group (the Sino-Himalayan taxa or ‘ cacabata group’) is sometimes treated as a distinct species, Dark-sided Flycatcher M. cacabata. In this context, it is of note that plates 294-295 in Bradshaw et al. (1991) showing a ‘Siberian Flycatcher’ were taken in Sichuan Province, China, in May (G. Speight pers. comm.). As a consequence, they depict the taxon rothschildi (i.e. part of the 'cacabata group’; Vaurie 1959), which breeds in this region of China and is not representative of nominate sibirica. The latter is the only taxon likely to reach Europe as a vagrant. 658 © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 658-671 Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers 360. First-winter Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica , Hong Kong, China, 6th September 2006. Note especially the pale, cold grey upperparts of this bird compared with Siberian M. sibirica and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta. The broad pale fringes to the tertials and greater coverts, and especially the pale ‘hooks’ extending up the feather shaft at the tips of the latter are typical of first- winter Brown Flycatchers. Note also the primary projection, which is slightly shorter than the length of the exposed tertials, and the relatively long tail. The extensively pale lores of this individual results in the eye-ring being difficult to discern in front of the eye but very conspicuous behind it. This view shows the typically large bill of this species as well as the predominantly pale lower mandible. in early September 2010. Although neither Siberian nor Grey-streaked Flycatchers have yet occurred in western Europe, other passerine migrants that occupy a similar breeding range have reached Europe, which suggests that both flycatchers are potential vagrants. Furthermore, there is a remarkable record of a vagrant Siberian Flycatcher from Bermuda (Wingate 1983). While the identification of ‘brown fly- catchers’ has been addressed in the past, most notably by Bradshaw et al. (1991) and Alstrom & Hirschfeld (1991), it seems timely to revisit this topic in the light of the recent British records of Brown Flycatcher and also improvements in bird photography. In this paper, emphasis is placed on ageing these species in the field, especially where this has implications with regard to species identifica- tion. In addition to studying all three species in the field, museum specimens have been examined and, for the biometrics presented here, a sample of 20 specimens of each species were measured. These specimens comprised a mixture of adults and first-years and were restricted to individuals of northern migratory populations. Ageing Brown Flycatcher In autumn, first-winters can be separated readily from adults by the presence of neat, pale edges to the greater coverts and tertials, while the tips of these feathers have a broader pale area with a characteristic ‘hook’ (or ‘thorn’) extending back along the feather shaft. These differ from the narrower, greyer fringes to the tertials and greater coverts shown by adults, and which lack the obvious hook pattern. It should be noted that on some adults the tertial fringes are paler than the greater-covert fringes. See plates 360-364. In broad terms, similar distinctions between adult and first-winter birds are apparent in the other two species, though there are important differences too, described below. British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 658-671 659 Martin Hale Alan Harris Leader Fig. I. Wing length (mm) and tail length (mm) of Brown Muscicapa dauurica, Siberian M. sibirica and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta (n = 20 for each species). Fig. 2. Diagram showing the relative proportions of wings and tail of first-winter Brown Muscicapa dauurica (left), Siberian M. sibirica (middle) and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta (right). Note the progressively longer primary projection and shorter extension of the tail beyond the wing-tip. Siberian Flycatcher First-winter Siberian Flycatchers usually show a less obvious pale hook at the tip of the greater coverts than first-winter Brown, and often lack the pale hook at the tip of the tertials. Adults have less well-marked pale fringes than adult Brown Flycatchers and, on some, the greater coverts appear uniform and unmarked. This pattern is never shown by fresh adult Brown, although these tips can abrade during winter and may be lost by the spring. See plates 365-371. Grey-streaked Flycatcher The greater coverts and ter- tials of first-winter Grey- streaked have a well-defined pale edge and (broader) tip but feathers in both tracts fre- quently lack any hook at the tip, resulting in a broad pale tip of even width. See plates 372-376. Timing of post-juvenile moult A useful character that helps with species identification is the timing of post-juvenile moult. On average, this takes place distinctly later in Siberian Flycatcher than in either Brown or Grey-streaked, both of which undergo a post-juvenile body moult before they migrate. Siberian Flycatchers that retain extensive juvenile plumage on the upperparts and underparts are recorded regularly from August to October, and occasionally into November. In comparison, during the same 660 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 658-67 1 Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers Table 1. Comparison of wing length (mm), tail length (mm) and wing/tail ratio in Brown Muscicapa dauurica, Siberian M. sibirica, and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta wing length tail length wing/tail ratio mean* range mean range range Brown Flycatcher 69.2 ± 1.7 66.5-72.0 47.9 ± 1.7 45.0-51.0 1.36-1.52 Siberian Flycatcher 79.7 ± 2.0 75.0-85.0 51.6 ± 2.0 47.0-55.0 1.48-1.62 Grey-streaked Flycatcher 85.8 ± 1.9 83.0-89.0 49.5 ± 1.9 46.0-53.0 1.66-1.84 * ± standard deviation. N = 20 for each species. Table 2. Relative length of second primary (P2) compared with other primaries in Brown Muscicapa dauurica , Siberian M. sibirica, and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta. Figures represent percentage of individuals meeting each criterion, n = 20 for each species). P2=P3/4 P2=P4 P2=P4/5 P2=P5 P2=P5/6 Brown Flycatcher 0 0 0 45 55 Siberian Flycatcher 0 10 90 0 0 Grey-streaked Flycatcher 25 65 10 0 0 Table 3. Comparison of bill width (mm) measured at proximal edge of nostrils in Brown Muscicapa dauurica, Siberian M. sibirica, and Grey-streaked Flycatchers M. griseisticta (n = 20 for each species). bill width mean range Brown Flycatcher 5.8 ±0.2 5.3-6. 1 Siberian Flycatcher 5.4 ±0.3 4. 8-5. 8 Grey-streaked Flycatcher 5.4 ± 0.3 4. 7-5. 9 period, first-winter Grey-streaked may show just a small number of retained juvenile feathers (if present, these are usually among the longest uppertail-coverts), while young Brown Flycatchers only exceptionally retain juvenile feathers on the upperparts. There is much individual variation in the timing of the post-juvenile moult in Siberian Flycatcher; in some, it is completed as early as mid September, while in others it has barely commenced in mid November. Observations in China in autumn (between August and early November) suggest that a bird retaining more than c. 25% juvenile body plumage is invariably a Siberian Flycatcher. Structural differences Wing shape and primary projection There are distinct structural differences among the three species. Most important is an increase in wing length (and wing/tail ratio) from Brown through Siberian to Grey- streaked (table 1, figs. 1 & 2), which in turn gives a progressively longer primary projec- tion and more pointed wing shape (table 2). These differences are clearly apparent in the field. In Brown, the primary projection is shorter than the exposed tertials, in Siberian it is equal to or up to 20% longer and in Grey-streaked normally 20% longer than the length of the exposed tertials. In both Brown and Siberian, the primary tips typically fall level with or slightly short of the tips of the longest uppertail-coverts, while in Grey-streaked the primary tips typi- cally extend beyond the longest uppertail- coverts. With flycatching birds, the distinctly long and pointed wings of Grey-streaked can be rather obvious, as can the more rounded wing of Brown Flycatcher. Siberian Fly- catcher shows a rather pointed wing and is more similar to Grey-streaked in this regard. Bill When viewed from below. Brown Flycatcher typically has a straight-sided or slightly convex bill, whereas both Siberian and Grey- streaked show slightly concave or straight sides to the bill, and the bill generally appears less bulky. Note, however, that the base of the bill can be similarly broad in all three species (table 3) and that a small minority of Siberian and Grey-streaked have a bill shape identical to that of some Brown Flycatchers. However, when viewed from the side, the bill of Siberian is normally shorter and finer than that of both Brown and Grey-streaked, and both Siberian and Grey-streaked have a British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 658-67 1 661 Leader smaller pale area at the base of the lower mandible than Brown (such that on some individuals of both species the lower mandible can appear all dark in the field). Plumage differences Head pattern Brown Flycatcher has distinctly pale and unmarked lores; a conspicuous, whitish eye- ring; a well-defined submoustachial and a neat lateral throat stripe; and a pale ‘half- collar’, giving it a subtle but quite distinctive appearance. In comparison, Siberian Fly- catcher typically shows less extensively pale lores, a strong lateral throat stripe but less well-defined submoustachial, while the pale half-collar is often ill-defined or absent. Together, these characters combine to create more of a uniformly hooded effect. Grey- streaked Flycatcher shows less well-defined pale lores than Brown but a more conspic- uous lateral throat stripe, and some streaking on the otherwise pale submoustachial. It can sometimes have light streaking on the throat, and also shows diffuse streaking on the crown, a feature not shown by either Brown or Siberian. Owing to the more obviously and extensively pale lores of Brown Fly- catcher, the part of the eye-ring in front of the eye can be difficult to see in that species, giving the impression of an incomplete eye- ring. The eye-ring on Grey-streaked Fly- catcher typically appears complete, owing to the contrast with the darker lores, but is often rather narrow and frequently slightly thicker behind the eye. Siberian usually shows a very obvious eye-ring (partly a function of the darker and plainer head of this species), which broadens conspicuously behind the eye. Upperparts In fresh plumage, Brown Flycatcher has dis- tinctly greyer and colder upperparts than the darker brown upperparts of both Siberian and Grey-streaked. Underparts Brown Flycatcher is the least well marked of the three species on the underparts, showing grey-brown sides to the breast, extending as a diffuse wash across the centre of the breast (sometimes, especially in adults, this can 662 include ill-defined streaks). A few birds show a darker and more clearly defined breast- band. Grey-streaked Flycatcher always shows very dark, well-defined streaks on the breast and flanks; the contrast of these streaks being enhanced by the clean white ground colour of the underparts. Siberian Flycatcher is more variable below than either Brown or Grey-streaked. This can cause confusion as the underparts of some may resemble those of a well-marked Brown Flycatcher, while others can appear more similar to Grey-streaked. Young Siberian Fly- catchers that retain largely juvenile plumage in autumn are distinctly spotted across the breast and onto the flanks, but those more advanced into first-winter plumage show dark brown flanks and breast (this colour generally extending farther down the flanks than in Brown). Adult Siberian Flycatchers are rather similar to first-winters but gener- ally appear more streaked. Although the underpart streaking can be quite diffuse on some birds (and similar to a well-marked Brown Flycatcher), in boldly marked birds the underparts are entirely streaked. When compared with Grey-streaked, the streaks are much less distinct and may coalesce to form much longer streaks down the breast. Siberian may also show diffuse dark centres to the longest undertail-coverts, a character which the other two species never show. Wing-bars First-winter Siberian Flycatchers tend to have more obvious rufous tones to the pale greater-covert tips than either Brown or Grey-streaked. Underwing-coverts The underwing-coverts of both Siberian and Grey-streaked are dark grey-brown, conspic- uously darker than the rest of the underwing. The underwing-coverts of Brown Flycatcher are a paler mid brown, less obviously darker than the rest of the underwing. Retained juvenile feathers As well as the differences in timing of post- ' juvenile moult discussed above, there are subtle differences in the pattern of the retained juvenile body feathers. The pale spots on retained juvenile feathers on the British Birds 1 03 • November 20 1 0 • 658-67 1 Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers head, mantle and scapulars of Siberian Fly- catcher tend to be rather triangular (broadest at the tip of the feather), relatively small and have the dark part of the feather the same colour as the replaced, adult-type feathers. In Grey-streaked these pale spots are also trian- gular, but narrow towards the feather tip and the dark part of the feather is subtly darker than the replaced, adult-type feathers. In Brown Flycatcher, the pale areas are distinctly rounded and the dark part of the feather is blackish and thus distinctly darker than replaced adult-type feathers. Behavioural differences Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers tend to select conspicuous perches (often higher up in the tree canopy), and Siberian has a very conspicuous habit of frequently returning to one preferred perch when for- aging. Brown Flycatcher will often forage at a lower level and choose less conspicuous perches when feeding. Brown also undertakes shorter foraging flights than Grey-streaked and, especially, Siberian; the latter will often take long, rather acrobatic flights, which further emphasises the habit of returning to a preferred perch. Clearly these differences may count for nothing when encountering a vagrant on a treeless northern isle, but in certain circumstances they can be helpful. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Mark Adams at the British Museum of Natural History (Tring) for arranging access to the skin collection there. I would especially like to thank Martin Hale, Michelle Wong and Peter Wong, whose excellent photos form the basis of this paper. References Alstrom, R, & Hirschfeld, E. 1991. Field identification of Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers. Birding World 4: 271-278. Bradshaw, C„ Jepson, R J., & Lindsey, N. J. 1991. Identification of brown flycatchers. Brit Birds 84: 527-542. Harvey, R 20 1 0. Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain. Brit. Birds 1 03: 651-657. Hudson, N., and the Rarities Committee. 2009. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2008. Brit. Birds 1 02: 528-60 1 . Vaurie, C. 1 959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna: a systematic reference. Order Passeriformes. Witherby, London. Wingate, D. B. 1 983. A Record of the Siberian Flycatcher ( Muscicapa sibirica ) from Bermuda: an extreme extra-limital vagrant. Auk 1 00: 2 1 2-2 1 3. http://elibrary.unm. edu/sora/Auk/v I OOnO I / p02l2-p02l3.pdf Paul J. Leader, do Asia Ecological Consultants, 127 Commercial Centre, Palm Springs, New Territories, Hong Kong Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 658-67 1 Alan Harris Martin Hale Michelle & Peter Wong Leader 664 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 658-67 1 36 I . First-winter Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica , Hong Kong, China, 362. First-winter Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica, Hong Kong, China, 6th September 2006. A well-marked individual showing a sullied brown wash I 3th October 2007. Note the grey-toned upperparts, short primary projection, to the centre and sides of the breast, similar to some Siberian Flycatchers extensively pale lores, conspicuous whitish eye-ring (but not prominent in front M. sibirica. However, note the extensively pale lores, eye-ring apparently lacking of the eye) and rather neat head pattern. The bill is large, with a conspicuous in front of the eye, neat head pattern and extensively pale lower mandible. yellow base to the lower mandible. 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As well as the well-defined underpart streaking, note the the first-winter in plate 374. well-defined lateral throat stripe narrow eye-ring, and large, mainly dark bill. Michelle & Peter Wong Michelle & Peter Wong Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers cd C 1c U txo oo c £ £ 2 W> S o T. cd a o CD +-» *- bO w in QJ 5 -q ■a. q) 3 L> 'C OO viz | « ^ cd i- Q_ a» _c cu u «q rd it LL. CU xj -£ ^ O) n £ 0) o V) 2 § (J ^ _jj ai 3 -£> XI O < s • o £ «-> 00 no — O Cd w C 00 ■- cd u g? txo ^ §-£ s> rd Q_ “ o x 4-» a) bO uo E ^ D - "D CD cd CD d) L_ O X) < LO cd a; £ _c w L CL "O C bO rd c «. O 00 — rd a; *-> _c s_ *-> CD cd 4-» 4-> “O O c Z rd r< oo w i_ o CD o > CN| O L- u CD L_ _Q CU O 4-J 4-» rd U (U 0 s_ bO LJ ’ | .00 CD "O ic w CD bO _c S *L- 00 rd _C C Z3 3 O L. "O rd _v. _C 4-> U_ British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 658-67 1 671 Letters Rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper In their recent short paper (Brit. Birds 103: 401-404), Nobuhiro Hashimoto, Danny Rogers and Richard Chandler described and illustrated a ‘rapid moult’ sequence of a Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea. I wonder whether the moult was actually as rapid as they claim. During the course of bird ringing (mainly passerines), I routinely find what appears to be a perfectly neat bird with little obvious sign of moult. Then, when the underpart feathers are blown into (to check for fat and pectoral muscle condition), it is revealed to be in full body moult. Underneath the visible old feathers lies a mass of new feathers growing from their pinions (‘in pin’). Some such birds begin to look a little lumpy, or scruffy, when the moult is well advanced. So, regarding the Curlew Sandpiper, was this also the case when it was first seen? Plate 222 shows some slight lumpiness in the feathers. I feel sure that if the bird could have been handled, a mass of breeding plumage, in pin, would have been found below the old Robin Prytherch, 23 Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4DL Editorial comment Nobuhiro Hashimoto, Danny Rogers and Richard Chandler have com- mented: ‘We agree with Robin that the actual moult must have taken longer than the change in appearance, a point we attempted to cover in our note (first paragraph, p. 404), but we welcome the opportunity to clarify the issue. The apparent lumpiness of the feathering in plate 222 does indeed seem consistent with the idea that a lot of unseen feathers were already in growth when the bird was photographed. So too does a count of the outer scapulars. It is also likely that the bird was still growing body feathers when last photographed eight days later, when the outer scapulars were still short. The slim appearance of the bird on that date perhaps results from the loss of large old contour feathers, and their replacement with feathers that were not quite fully grown. ‘It is worth pointing out that in the course of a moult, each old feather is pushed out by a new one growing in the same follicle. Though the actual moult is likely to have taken longer than the gross change in appearance, the moult must nevertheless have been very fast, with a large propor- tion of the feathers growing concurrently. This is shown, for example, by the even length of the still-growing outer scapulars in plate 227, which must, it seems, have commenced growth almost simultaneously. We speculate that this bird did not commence body moult until it arrived at its Japanese staging area, since it appears that Curlew Sandpipers (as well as other wader species) suspend body moult before they depart from Australia on northward migration, which involves an initial flight of several thousand kilometres.’ feathers. Allowing for the unseen growth of these feathers, the overall period of moult would have been lengthened considerably. During a moult, every bird must still rely on the insulating properties of its feathers. It seems reasonable to expect that the pattern of feather replacement must be adapted to effect this requirement (see also ‘Moult’ in Camp- bell & Lack 1985). While the majority of feathers are growing and are therefore less efficient insulators, the retention of some old feathers which overlay them must help, espe- cially over the most vulnerable area of the body. The remaining old feathers would then be dropped and replaced as the new feathers are close to fully grown. This could give the appearance of a ‘rapid moult’. On the head and neck, where feathers are relatively short, the changes are more obvious. Reference Campbell, B., & Lack, E. 1 985. A Dictionary of Birds. Poyser Calton. 672 © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 672-675 Letters The Wiltshire Hawk Owl and a plea for caution in the rejection of historical records Any review of historical bird records is a difficult process, requiring careful research and much circumspection. Records of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century rari- ties usually concern birds that were shot or trapped and subsequently made up into cabinet skins or mounted specimens, many of which no longer exist. Exact details of col- lection, such as date or locality, are often not documented to modern standards, while in certain cases fraudulent activity has been proved or is strongly suspected. Thus, we recognise the considerable problems faced in the BOURC’s review of Hawk Owls Surnia ulula in Britain (Harrop 2010), yet we believe that the case for now rejecting the nineteenth-century record in Wiltshire is far from established. Smith (1887) reported that a Hawk Owl killed on Salisbury Plain, by a Mr Long of Amesbury during severe weather ‘some thirty or more years since’ (so, before 1857), was at that time in a Mr Rawlence’s ‘fine collection’ of bird specimens. Harrop considered the record unacceptable because ‘Most contem- porary and subsequent authorities either ignored or overlooked the record... com- bined with the lack of any detail about the date and circumstances of collection.’ But the first part of this statement is remarkably inaccurate: in fact, the Wiltshire Hawk Owl was discussed in more detail by Morres (1878) and was included without question or qualification by, for example, Saunders (1899), Hartert et al. (1912), Coward (1926-40) and Witherby et al. (1938-41). While more recent authorities may have simply compiled, rather than reviewed, old records, it was nevertheless also accepted by Bannerman & Lodge (1953-63), Hollom (1960-80), BOU (1971), Sharrock & Shar- rock (1976) and others up to Brown & Grice (2005); indeed, it is difficult to find any recognised national list or review that does not include it, at least in a numerical total. Moreover, it has been accepted in all live Wiltshire avifaunas: Smith (1887), Peirson (1959), Buxton (1981), Palmer (1991) and, most recently, Wiltshire Ornithological Society or WOS (2007). Regarding the second part of Harrop’s statement, while some details of the Wiltshire Hawk Owl’s history are still limited, there is much more information available than Harrop allowed and far more than we sum- marised in WOS (2007). Morres, who had actually corresponded with Long, reported that the owl had been killed by either Long or his brother in ‘the parish of Amesbury’, prob- ably before 1853. (‘My brother died in 1853, and I am nearly positive it was before his death.’) These uncertainties may seem suspi- cious to some, but can be explained because Long was unaware of the owl’s rarity, and therefore its significance, until ‘Mr Rawlence chanced to see it... I felt great pleasure in giving it to him to add to his beautiful collec- tion.’ Had Long obtained the owl from another source, he would have had no reason not to say so and probably also known what species it was. Investigations of historical registers by Ian Collins ( in lift.) now show that the Amesbury resident of the two Long brothers was William Long (c. 1827-1884), a sheep farmer with a substantial estate; that ‘a Mr Rawlence’ was James Rawlence, a well-known land agent and sheep farmer of Bulbridge House, Wilton; that in 1942 the Bulbridge House col- lection was presented by a grandson, Major Maurice Rawlence JP, to the Blackmore Museum, Salisbury, of which he was a trustee; and that, with Major Rawlence’s agreement, part was passed almost immediately to Liver- pool Museums while other specimens were burnt, presumably because of poor condition. The Hawk Owl is not on the list of specimens sent to Liverpool and, by then around 90 years old, seems likely to have been among those destroyed. Crucially, its identification had been confirmed by Richard Bowdler Sharpe (Saunders 1899; see Mearns & Mearns 1988 for a summary of Bowdler Sharpe’s dis- tinguished ornithological career). It should also be noted that Rawlence’s full name was cited in the first published reference to Bowdler Sharpe’s identification ( Proc . Zool. Soc. 1876: 334-335). Consequently, it is known where the owl was collected; that it was killed by one or British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 672-675 673 Letters other of the Long brothers; that the speci- men’s importance was not immediately realised; that Long did not benefit financially; and that it was eventually identified correctly. So we have everything except a date, which seems highly likely to have been in the early 1850s and, because of the reference to ‘severe weather’, probably in winter. It is, of course, possible to construct a scenario to discredit almost any record, but given the evidence above and that the circumstances were inves- tigated by Morres, it seems unwarranted to discard part of our ornithological history without clear evidence of an error or a delib- erate attempt to deceive. A Hawk Owl in landlocked and thinly populated Wiltshire may seem improbable, but becomes less so when consideration is given to how social conditions in the Vic- torian and Edwardian eras affected the distri- bution of rare bird records. Many more people were then employed in the British countryside, keepers were out on foot every day and gangs of farm labourers worked the land almost constantly in spring and summer. Working-class wages were very poor, as noted by Smout (2008), and thus there was a strong incentive to supplement them by other means, including the selling of unusual birds to the local taxidermist or landowner. Bird-trappers were also a feature of the time; as pointed out by Wallace (1999), three of the first four Common Rosefinches Carpodacus erythrinus in Britain - in 1869, 1870 and 1892, interestingly all in the southern half of England - were obtained by such bird-catchers. Similarly, in recent years, ringers have added to the Wiltshire list, in areas not necessarily considered prime locali- ties by today’s rarity hunters, a Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica in 2004, and a Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia and a Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus in 2008 (all accepted by the BBRC). Clearly, it is right and proper to review all records thoroughly and carefully, to ensure confidence and credibility in the British List. There have been examples of fraud in the past (and a few much more recent ones also), which must be excluded, along with records for which there is simply insufficient evi- dence. But to ensure an accurate official record, there is clearly an equal need to exer- 674 cise caution that any reassessment is not overly critical. Whilst a Hawk Owl in Wilt- shire may at first sight seem improbable, it is far from implausible, not least compared with frequent modern surprises. What, for example, are the chances that any rarities committee of the present day would consider either of the two small auks from the North Pacific found in Devon’s coastal waters in the last two decades - the Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus in three successive springs/summers in 1990-92 (Brit. Birds 87: 307-310) and the Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix in November 2006 (Brit. Birds 101: 131-136), both seen by many and well photographed - to be genuine records, had they been shot in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries? Yet nineteenth- and early twentieth-century authors, well aware of the problem of fraud, did not blindly accept records of rare birds (see, for example, Saunders 1899 on Pine Grosbeaks Pinicola enucleator), while in the case of the Hastings Rarities (Nicholson 8c Ferguson-Lees 1962) it should be noted that much contemporary disquiet had surround- ed them, which had led to questioning by H. F. Witherby and a subsequent decline in the numbers of unusual records emanating from the area (Bircham 2007). We can see no good reason for the retro- spective dismissal of old records, such as the Wiltshire Hawk Owl, provided that (a) they were fully acceptable to such key authorities of the past as Saunders and Witherby; (b) there is no evidence of contemporary doubts; and (c) no subsequent evidence to discredit them has come to light. Any incorrect rejec- tion of such records runs the risk of dis- torting history, not least because we know that vagrancy patterns change. Care must be taken that, in our quest for a wholly defen- sible official British List, we do not under- mine its value by dismissing historically valid data. In the light of the arguments and new information set out above, we urge the BOURC to reconsider its decision and, we hope, reinstate the Wiltshire Hawk Owl (reconsideration would be in line with its published Commitment: www.bou.org. uk/reccommit.html). British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 672-675 Letters Acknowledgments We should like to thank Eddie Wiseman, who chased a reference, and, in particular; Ian Collins, one of our colleagues in the compilation of Birds of Wiltshire (2007), for his valuable historical researches both then and now. References Bannerman, D. A„ & Lodge, G. E. 1 953-63. The Birds of the British Isles. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh & London. Bircham, R 2007. A History of Ornithology. Collins, London. British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 1971. The Status of Birds in Britain and Ireland. Blackwell, Oxford. Brown, A., & Grice, R 2005. Birds in England. Poyser, London. Buxton, J. (ed.). 1981. The Birds of Wiltshire. Wiltshire County Council Library & Museum Service, Trowbridge. Coward.T A. 1 926-40. The Birds of the British Isles. I st— 5th edns.Warne, London. Harrop, A. H. J. 20 1 0. Records of Hawk Owls in Britain. Brit. Birds 103:276-283. Hartert, E., Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F„ & Witherby, H. F. 1 9 1 2. A Hand-List of British Birds. Witherby, London. Hollorm, R A. D. 1960-80. The Popular Handbook of Rarer British Birds. I st— 3rd edns. Witherby, London. Mearns, B., & Mearns, R. 1 988. Biographies for Birdwatchers. Academic Press, London. Morres, A. R 1 878. On the occurrence of the rarer species of birds in the neighbourhood of Salisbury. Part I . Raptores. Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine 1 7: 95- 1 27. Nicholson, E. M„ & Ferguson-Lees, I.J. 1 962. The Hastings Rarities. Brit. Birds 55: 299-384. Palmer; S. 1991. Wiltshire Birds. Wiltshire County Council Library & Museum ServiceAA/iltshire Ornithological Society, Trowbridge. Peirson, L. G. 1959. Wiltshire Birds. Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Society, Devizes. Saunders, H. 1 899. An Illustrated Manual of British Birds. 2nd edn. Gurney & Jackson, London, Sharrock,J.T R„ & Sharrock, E. M. 1976. Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland. Poyser; Berkhamsted, Smith, A. C. 1887. The Birds of Wiltshire. Porter London, & Bull, Devizes. Smout, C. 2008. The Cheshire Kermadec Petrel. Brit. Birds 101:21 1-213. Wallace, D. I. M. 1999. History of the Common Rosefinch in Britain and Ireland, 1869-1996. Brit. Birds 92: 445M7 1 . Wiltshire Ornithological Society. 2007. Birds of Wiltshire.WOS, Devizes. Witherby, H. F„ Jourdain, F. C. R.,Ticehurst, N. F., & Tucker B. W. 1 938-H I . The Handbook of British Birds. Witherby, London. Pete Combridge, James Ferguson-Lees, Peter Cranswick, Rob Turner and Paul Castle, c/o 16 Green Close, Whiteparish, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP 5 2SB Editorial comment We understand that BOURC has decided to reconsider the Wiltshire Northern Hawk Owl in light of this letter. We should also like to take this opportunity to put on record that the fees for the Hawk Owl paper were donated to the Fair Isle Bird Observatory appeal (www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk). Eds Note Goosanders taking bread Following recent Notes in BB concerning unusually tame Goosanders Mergus mer- ganser taking bread (Brit. Birds 102: 279, 509-510), we have received a number of items of correspondence on the subject. Harry Dott confirmed that he had noted a single Goosander mingling with Mallards Anas platyrhynchos, Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula, Common Coots Fulica atra and Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridi- bundus in January 1991 at Blackford Pond, Edinburgh. All the birds were jostling together in a close group, attempting to seize pieces of bread being thrown into the water by three people no more than a metre from the birds. The Goosander behaved in exactly the same way as the other waterbird species. Similar behaviour by two male and three female Goosanders was noted at Figgate Pond, Edinburgh, in March 2006. Peter Herkenrath reported similar behav- iour at Nyon on Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) in Switzerland, where in Lebruary 2010 some 20 Goosanders (including c. 15 drakes) mingled with Mute Swans Cygnus olor, Mallards, Common Larus canus and Black-headed Gulls at a feeding station. The Goosanders were very quick in catching the bread that people threw out and, indeed, were often quicker to respond than the other birds. © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 675-676 675 Robin Sellers Note 377. Goosander Mergus merganser MAI 5923 among friends at Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, September 2009. Peter also found references to the behav- iour in the German ornithological literature. Vol. 3 of the Handbuch der Vogel Mitteleu- ropas (Bauer & Glutz von Blotzheim, 1969) states in the chapter on the Goosander ‘Juveniles that grow up on busy lakes and hungry birds in winter are fed with bread on occasion’ (translation Peter Herkenrath); while Wiist, in his Avi- fauna Bavariae (Vol. 1, 1982), writes ‘Single Goosanders or families spend time on city lakes and may become so tame that they are fed by people’ (translation Peter Herken- rath). Finally, Robin Sellers contacted us to report sightings (passed on to him from various sources) of Goosanders eating bread from a second site in Cumbria (i.e. in addition to Bowness-on-Winder- mere), one in Derbyshire, one in France and one in Switzerland. He also men- tioned that one of the two birds that was the subject of his original note {Brit. Birds 102: 279) became so tame that it was caught - by hand - and ringed. A second bird was caught at Bowness-on-Windermere, again by hand, the fol- lowing winter; this (see plate 377) evidently did not deter it in its quest for sliced white bread! References Bauer K. M„ & Glutz von Blotzheim, U.N. 1969. Handbuch der Vogel Mitteleuropas.V 61. 3. AkademischeVerlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt a.M„ p. 479. Wiist, W. 1982. Avifauna Bavariae.V ol. I. Ornithologische Gesellschaft in Bayern, Miinchen, p. 331. Harry E. M. Dott, 8 Mortonhall Park Gardens, Edinburgh EH 17 8SL Peter Herkenrath, c/o UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 ODE Robin M. Sellers, Crag House, Ellerslie Park, Gosforth, Cumbria CA20 1BL Editorial comment It seems that the Goosander may be an example of a species that can observe a behaviour being used by another species and copy it in an opportunistic way; and cer- , tainly this behaviour is more widespread than we were aware. We shall continue to receive other examples of this behaviour with interest, but will not publish further reports unless a new aspect to the behaviour is apparent. Eds 676 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 675-676 Obituaries R. B. (Dick) Treleaven ( 1 920-2009) Dick was recognised as one of the foremost authorities on the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus and his extraordinary knowledge of and infectious enthusiasm for the bird brought him into contact with specialists all over the world. Born in 1920, he went almost straight from Dulwich School into military service and served with distinction with the 14th Army in Burma. Passing through London on his return, he chanced upon an exhibition of paintings of birds of prey and was immediately smitten with the Peregrine. He had always wished to be an artist and soon afterwards made the acquaintance of the painter who was to be his guide and mentor, George Lodge. Back with the family outfitters business in Launceston, he looked for Peregrines on the coast of north Cornwall and soon discovered that, although recovering from their wartime destruction, they were still thin on the ground. He became a falconer in order to see the bird up close, but never had any desire to keep a Peregrine himself, preferring the excitement of watching them in the wild. His regular visits to the coast in the late 1940s marked the start of 60 years of dedicated Peregrine fieldwork and observations. In the mid 1950s, he found that the population was declining rapidly for no obvious reason and by 1961 he felt that the time had come to document what was becoming a very worrying sit- uation (Brit. Birds 54: 136-142). Having been one of the first to raise the alarm, Dick soon made a signifi- cant contribution to identifying the problem by sending 1 I bSTSS* " l 00\ in for analysis a bird that had clearly died from some form of poisoning. The subse- quent investigations eventually established the likely cause and, in due course, but only after a great deal of controversy with the chemical manufacturers, a very effective ban was eventually imposed on certain pesticides. Thereafter the situation slowly began to improve and, in 1969, to Dick’s surprise and delight, he found a pair breeding again in Cornwall. In 1977 he produced his (very readable) first book Peregrine: the private life of the Peregrine Falcon , a first-hand account based largely on his own observations and illustrated with his own drawings. He also published a number of articles, one of which, on the previously neglected subject of hunting, is one of the most important in its field (Z. Tierpsychol. 54: 339-354). 1 well remember asking Derek Ratcliffe one day about various aspects of hunting and his immediate response was to refer me to Dick Treleaven. The loss of his wife, Marjorie, in 1980, after 27 years of marriage, was a great blow, while in more recent times he also lost his stepdaughter but kept in close touch with his 378. Dick Treleaven at his favourite Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus eyrie, ‘Black Rock’ in north Cornwall, July 1995. © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 677-679 677 Denis Corley Obituaries step-grandson, now living in Australia. Dick was never alone for long, however, as he had a constant stream of visitors. They came not only to watch Peregrines with him but also to draw upon his ever-increasing knowledge of his subject. Amongst them were a number of TV film makers, and after playing a key role in the production of ‘The Princess and the Pirate’ in 1982, he himself became the subject ot ‘Skyraiders’ and ‘Winged Assassins’ in 1991. In 1998 he published his second book, In Pursuit of the Peregrine, which incorpor- ated another 20 years of his experiences. Over six feet tall and very much the artist, Dick cut a colourful figure whether on the cliffs or in his studio. He painted a prodi- gious amount and was a founder member of the Society of Wildlife Artists, exhibiting each year in London. He had a great love of litera- ture and also ran a local book club, as well as being a keen fisherman. He had numerous other interests too, including motor racing, jazz music, aircraft, rugby and cricket. He was unstinting in giving guidance and advice and was an inspiration to all who met him. His conversation was often tempered with his dry wit and if a visitor pointed out that some aspect of a bird’s behaviour seemed odd, he would explain that the Peregrine obviously hadn’t read the appropriate part of the book on the subject! In 2007 he was awarded the MBE for serv- ices to ornithology. Now the Cornish cliffs are not the same without him - we have lost a remarkable character. Denis Corley R. E. (Bob) Emmett ( 1 926-20 1 0) Honey-buzzards lose faithful guardian Born in Lambeth on 14th March 1926, but soon living in Acton, Bob Emmett came quite late to committed birdwatching, stimulated by the enthusiasm of his younger brothers Robin and Ernest and regular Sunday morning walks in Kew Gardens with his father. He had walked very many miles over the Lake District fells before he and his friends took to the Scottish high tops. It was on his quest to climb the ‘Munros’ (summits over 3,000 ft) that he first met with montane species and formed his lasting attachment to raptors. In the late 1950s, and in spite of his less-than-ideal eyesight, Bob became very keen. He and his small band of close friends took to motorbikes and formed the original twitchers, commuting at weekends between London and Norfolk, often propelled by Richard Richardson’s private grapevine. Bob also joined the larger team led by John Parslow that founded and manned the St Agnes Bird Observatory on Scilly, from 1957 to 1969. Bob’s home-processed photographs of the first Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis were among the first envy- making rarity images. His other services to the magic isle included new lives for the lighthouse generator, the observatory cooker and any other ‘duff’ object in the way of progress. 678 1 i tC. Or \ OOJ It was, however, the summer of 1958 that set the pattern of Bob’s most remarkable service to birds. On 29th June, as a member of a dedicated band led by Howard Med- hurst, he shared in the discovery of the first modern nest of Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus. The location and guarding of the New Forest’s very few pairs became Bob’s chosen duty for the next 50 summers, his study and expertise extended by other hunts for raptors from Finland south to France. Convinced that they should do nothing to increase the disturbance of their ‘ponies’ (alias HBs!), the New Forest Group kept their observations secret and so suffered some crit- icism from the RSPB and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. Actually, a few key people had been informed immediately and Max Nicholson (then Director of the Nature Con- servancy) slapped SSSI status on the first nest-site forthwith. Even when news of the birds did leak, the original guards still kept their watch logs secret, but one of Bob’s last acts was to part with them on disk for posterity. Until he changed to a minivan in 1969,' Bob’s basic field kit remained uncomplicated (especially compared with that of today’s cyber-birders), being essentially total fitness, ‘ancient bins’, a Broadhurst Clarkson ’scope British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 677-679 Obituaries and only two wheels. Yet his camping craft and cuisine was four decades ahead of Ray Mears and MasterChef. His ancillaries included the only tins rigged to allow the brewing of fresh tea (from leaves, never bags) aloft in tree canopies. Hence the constant hits of ‘elixir’ that helped to sustain his remark- ably patient watches for raptors, and gave rise to my daughter’s nickname for him, ‘Cup of Tea Bob’. Incidentally, he taught cricket and also played football into his forties and squash well past 50! Although his public writing ran only to the odd letter in BB, Bob Emmett was devoted to classical English Lit- erature and true folk music. He had seen every one of The Bard’s plays, often several leading actors over, and had studied the Willughby & Ray Ornithology in great detail, as much for ‘the wonderful prose’ as its early science. In the latter he spotted the intriguing absence from the 1676 ‘British List’ of the Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis, the only bird of prey that he disliked, for its habit of eating too many members of its own tribe. In his working life, he was an ace craftsman of the Technical Division of EMI, ‘building the things that inventors dream up but cannot make’. These included an early guidance system for heat- seeking missiles. Nor was such the end of his skills. I remember particu- larly a mobile gold- plating kit (for tired jewellery) and above all the annual fermenta- tions of heady home-brewed wines which bubbled audibly to a finish in the loft of his home and were distributed to friends under the ‘EM (fruit) WIN’ label, as famous a brand as those of Hilda Quick of St Agnes and Dick Homes of the London NHS. Bob never married but his care for family, friends and ‘fellow slaves’ was repaid in their great affection shown to him in his last weeks. Although he had shrugged off kidney cancer 20 years earlier, Hodgkin’s lymphoma challenged him in 2009. At first the odds were good but Bob succumbed to respiratory collapse on 18th June 2010. He leaves behind scores of people who give thanks for his unpretentious (but not unopinionated) and utterly engaging character. My favourite memory has to be of him at Egginton Sewage-farm, Derbyshire, on 15 March 1964. Our target was a Killdeer Charadrius vociferus and for once Bob was infirm, with a broken leg, plastered up to knee level. Yet he dragged the increasingly sodden and finally loose cast through ‘septic mud’ for three hours of ‘constant lash’ (Bob- eze for pouring rain) and finally got the much-prized Yank. His salute said it all: ‘Bril- liant, SALUBRIOUS, well worth a leg!’ Four cheers for you, Bob. D. I. M. Wallace, with assistance from Pete Colston, Howard Medhurst and Ernest Emmett 379. Bob Emmett, with Upper LochTorridon and Ben Alligin behind him in May 2001, one of the GlenTorridon Munros that are his chosen resting place. British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 677-679 679 Ernest Emmett Reviews Advanced Bird ID Guide By Nils van Duivendijk New Holland, 2010 Pbk, 304pp ISBN 978-1-84773-607-9 Subbuteo code M20592 £14.99 BB Bookshop price £13.49 A little kitbag lives in my car boot. Spare binocu- lars, gloves and hats, waterproof trousers, a weathered copy of the Collins Bird Guide and two red Silvine notebooks. The red Silvines are my version 2. Version 1 was written in about 1980 and used to live in my old waxed jacket. The idea was to have a couple of pocket-sized booklets listing all the key features for the tricky identifications and vagrants I might encounter. My dream was that one day I would publish these little bullet-point booklets - surely others would value such a tool, the ideal accessory for the keen birder, packed with fast-tracked ID informa- tion. But I never got them published and instead Nils van Duivendijk has done something similar, only made a much better job of it. The Advanced Bird ID Guide is far more comprehensive than any- thing 1 had conceived and much nicer looking! Originally published in Dutch in 2002, this guide has been extensively updated in this long- awaited English version. It covers some 1,300 species and subspecies, and it’s hard to imagine more detail and data squeezed into such a well- organised, compact space. It’s like no other field guide, indeed bird book of any kind, that you will have seen before. No illustrations — well, apart from two plates of comprehensive monochrome topographical illustrations near the start. The rest is text, just text. The first impression is of a handy, compact, notebook-sized, softback book. An inviting colour front cover features a ‘three-fingered’ adult female harrier in flight — Pallid Circus cyanurus or Montagu’s C. pygargus ? These are not always easy, so I decided to check the harrier section to see how well it would perform in helping me confirm (or otherwise) my ID hunch. A quick check reveals an immense amount of data on harriers. And in less than two minutes the photo is easily assessed - yes, it’s a Montagu’s. Each species section has a pink left-hand margin highlighting which age/sex/plumage cate- gory is being discussed. Next to this, the bullet- point list of characters ranges from 2-3 lines (e.g. ‘Mediterranean Storm-petrel’ Hydrobates ( pelag - icus) melitensis) to 1-2 pages (e.g. Lesser Black- backed Gull Larusfuscus). Earlier this year I was in Shetland, looking out over the seaward entrance to the Pool of Virkie, slurping tea. A shorebird caught my eye as it flew in and, grabbing binoculars, I could see that it was a Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola. A smart ‘looker’ with lots of black below. BB editor Roger Riddington came in from his office and I casually mentioned that I’d just seen a Grey Plover flying past. ‘Yeah, yeah,’ he said, unimpressed (a combi- nation of earlier idle chat about what you just might see from this spot and my failure to appre- ciate that Grey Plovers, particularly sum-plum ones, are not that common in Shetland explained his scepticism). I tried a bit harder: ‘No really, it was one,’ I said, ‘and an adult male to boot!’ Actu- ally I tagged the ‘male’ bit on for effect as 1 didn’t know for sure how to tell adult males and females apart, I just had an inkling. Out came the Advanced Bird ID Guide: was there anything in my hunch that the bird was a male? Sure enough, 1 discovered, like Golden Plovers P. apricaria, Grey Plovers differ between the sexes in the amount of black on the underparts: fuller black on males and a little more patchy and broken up in females. 1 also learnt about tail patterns, crown patterns and hind toes. Much of this information is of course in other identification guides. The crucial difference is that whereas I would have looked through two or three other books over a 10-15-minute period, it took about 2-3 minutes to access the same data from ‘Nils’. I have previously worked with Nils on the very thorny subject of ‘Steppe Buzzard’ Buteo buteo vulpinus identification. So I am already familiar with his incredible attention to detail and sharp eyes. As I have thumbed through the content of his book again and again, I have discovered details about species and subspecies which are well ADVANCED BIRD ID GUIDE THE WESTERN PALEARCTIC SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports d 680 © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 680-685 Reviews beyond my ability ever to commit to memory. It’s hard to see how it won’t quickly become part of my normal kit - one for my car kitbag and one for the bookshelf at home. At such a reasonable price, too, it’s likely to reduce the hesitation to purchase. So yes, I am a fan. In summary, this book is the perfect answer to burgeoning libraries. A one-stop shop for bullet- point ID features from essential to quirky. It’s a must-have. Martin Garner The Biggest Twitch By Alan Davies and Ruth Miller Christopher Helm, 2010 Pbk, 302pp, 16pp of colour photos ISBN 978-1-4081-2387-4 Subbuteo code M20608 £12.99 BB Bookshop price £1 1.50 They had planned a year off, on a leisurely world birding tour. Instead, they embarked upon a gruelling marathon that saw them criss-crossing the planet for 52 weeks as they relentlessly chased a world record. When it was pointed out to Alan Davies and Ruth Miller that the late James Clements had managed to see 3,662 species in a calendar year, they accepted the challenge to beat his total. The couple sold their home, gave up their jobs and in 2008 they embarked on The Biggest Twitch. The first ‘big year’ book was Wild America by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher, which detailed their 30,000-mile road trip in 1953, logging 572 species. It was followed by Kenn Kaufman’s Kingbird Highway (in 1973, aged 19, he hitchhiked around North America and saw 671 species). More recent additions to the genre are The Big Year by Mark Obmascik (three birders competed in 1998 across North America and the winner saw 745 species) and The Big Twitch by Sean Dooley, who blew his inheritance chasing a species list of 700+ in Australia in 2001. British year-list competitions seem rather pitiful in comparison, with maxima around the 380-species mark, but it’s gratifying to report that two Brits have taken the ‘sport’ to a whole new level. The Biggest Twitch is subtitled ‘around the world in 4,000 birds’, so I’m not spoiling the ending when I tell you that Alan and Ruth smashed the world record. Indeed, they beat the Clements total with two months to go. (Inciden- tally, the top four world listers, with 8,400+ species on their life lists, are all British so there is one pursuit where Britons remain world beaters.) Readers conscious of their carbon footprint should look away now. Although The Biggest Twitch has undoubtedly raised the profile of the world’s threatened birds, many of which ended up on the list, the participants clocked up an awful lot of air miles. The year started in Arizona before Mexico and the first trip to Ecuador. From Ecuador it was a long haul to Ethiopia and Ghana before Alan and Ruth started chasing spring migration northwards, from southern Europe to North America and back to northern Europe. At the mid-point of the year, they headed for the southern hemisphere: South America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru) and southern Africa. Then a month in Australia, a week in Malaysia, a month in India and back across the globe to Ecuador to finish the year in one final bird-rush. The rules were simple: taxonomy followed Clements ( The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World , 6th edn) and both Alan and Ruth had to see (or hear) a species for it to count on the list. This meant that the couple were literally inseparable for the entire year, with the inevitable tensions that would arise in any relationship of such close prox- imity. Remarkably there seems to have been only one major row! Their account of the year is jointly written, with Alan and Ruth writing alternate chapters. The result is essentially a very long trip report from 27 countries with accounts of sessions in the field interspersed with descriptions of meals and accommodation. But it’s compelling reading (note that the final species list is not in the book but should be available on the website www.thebiggest twitch.com). Two questions arise after reading this book: how much did it cost and did the couple really enjoy this rollercoaster year where sleep and food were in short supply but birds were not? The answer to the first question is £100,000 - or roughly £25 per tick. And the answer to the second Around the world in 4.000 birds BIGGEST SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 680-685 681 Reviews is a definite ‘yes’. Alan and Ruth saw some won- derful birds during their once-in-a-lifetime adven- ture and, reading between the lines, they would not refuse the opportunity to do it all again in an attempt to break their own record and maybe even log 5,000 species in a year. This is a very good book for dark and dismal winter evenings. Put it on your Christmas list and, as an alternative Christmas party game, work out your own personal itinerary around the world. One final thought. Hollywood has woken up to the romance/comedy potential of competitive bird racing. The film of The Big Year starring Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman is scheduled for release in 2011. The Biggest Twitch - The Movie would be a great follow-up. Perhaps Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie could play Alan and Ruth? Adrian Pitches Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher By Stuart Winter New Holland, 2010 Pbk, 206pp ISBN 978-1-84773-693-2 Subbuteo code M20594 £7.99 BB Bookshop price £7.00 Stuart Winter has done birdwatchers a great service with his tabloid columns. Of all the newspapers to host a weekly birding column, the Daily Star seemed an unlikely pioneer. Granted, Parus major appear on Page 3 every day, but would ‘White Van Man’ embrace news stories about twitching, bird of prey persecution or the plight of the albatross? Well, Stuart Winter has informed, educated and entertained Star readers - and latterly those of the Sunday Express - since 1994 and in so doing he’s given an insight into the world of birds to a whole new audience. Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher is the autobiography of a Bedfordshire boy turned tabloid journalist. It’s also an account of the most newsworthy events in British birding since the early 1990s. Stuart learnt his birding in the landlocked Home Counties. His early encounter with Sir Peter Scott, when the great man crash-landed his glider on Stuart’s school field, is a particularly good story, while his first trip to Minsmere, in May 1970, was a defining moment with a sighting of the ultra- rare Little Egret Egretta garzetta... yes, times have changed. But as a cub reporter straight from school, and then as a news-agency hack with a young family, Stuart did not have much opportunity to indulge his birding. A rare exception was a cunning ruse to secure a job interview in Manchester while Britain’s first Marmora’s Warbler Sylvia sarda was summering across the Pennines in South York- shire. Trudging across miles of heather in his inter- view suit left him rather mud-spattered and dishevelled - and the job had gone when he arrived - but Stuart saw the bird. It was one of his best days with British birds. And it provided the spark for Best Days with British Birds, a collection of essays by the leading birders of the day, which was published in 1989 by British Birds, co-edited by Stuart and Malcolm Ogilvie. Stuart joined the Daily Star in 1989 and it was another vagrant bird that secured him that job. At his interview with then-editor Brian Hitchen, he was asked about his hobbies. He confessed to being a birdwatcher and said the bird he most wanted to see was the Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris marooned in the northern hemi- sphere that returned to Shetland every spring. The editor recognised that the lonely vigil of ‘Albert’ at Hermaness was a great story and Stuart was hired. But it was Hitchen’s successor, Phil Walker, who gave Stuart his first tabloid birding column. Walker was a fellow birder but also a true ‘red top’ man. When asked why the Star had started a column about birds, he told the UK Press Gazette: ‘It’s the only way I can get more tits in the paper...’. The cover of Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher has a classic red masthead and offers ‘Scandal! Celebrity! Intrigue!’. In truth, the biggest revelation concerns a glaring omission from Stuart’s world list: he has yet to see a Puffin Fratercula arctical You’ll have to read the book to find out why. Adrian Pitches TALES OF A TABLOID TWITCHER Scandal • Celebrity • Intrigue REVEALED: THE TRUTH ABOUT BIRDWATCHERS AN EXCLUSIVE BY STUART WINTER SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 682 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 680-685 Reviews The Peregrine, The Hill of Summer & Diaries: the complete works of J. A. Baker Collins, 2010 Hbk, 416pp ISBN 978-0-00-734862-6 Subbuteo code M20811 £20.00 BB Bookshop price £18.00 This volume is a compilation of the only two books written by J. A. Baker: The Peregrine (1967) and The Hill of Summer (1969). It has a warm and well-considered introduction by Mark Cocker, and some excerpts from Baker’s ornithological diaries, selected and introduced by John Fanshawe. Known primarily for their literary merit rather than their ornithological content. Baker’s books are perhaps not what one might expect to see reviewed in British Birds. They are important mainly because they provide some of the acknowl- edged finest examples of literary prose describing British landscapes and nature, and could be con- sidered forerunners to some of the more evocative natural history writing of today. Both books abound with beautiful and arresting descriptions of landscapes, skies and weather, as well as of bird behaviour. Most of the behaviours that Baker describes are familiar enough, but what is aston- ishing is the innovative and evocative way in which he brings them to life using the written word. In his introduction, Mark Cocker tells us that J. A. Baker was an Essex man, who lived all his life (1926-87) in Chelmsford. He left school at 16, and in his working life he became the manager of the Chelmsford branch of the Automobile Associa- tion, and then later of a Britvic depot. He had a love of poetry and opera, but no known contact with writers or artists, and appears to have been rather a lone birder. Despite his job with the AA, he did not drive and was limited in his birding to areas within cycling distance of his home, centred on the Chelmer Valley and Blackwater Estuary. Only an hour from central London, this area has altered greatly since Baker’s time, owing to a com- bination of urban encroachment and intensified agriculture. The observations on which Baker based both his books were made in the period 1955-65, the time of peak use of organochlorine pesticides, when Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus were in headlong decline. In compiling The Peregrine , Baker pooled his observations from ten winters to present them in diary style as though they were made in a single winter. This might partly explain why he would appear to have had far more frequent encounters with Peregrines than other birders of the time. Soon after The Peregrine appeared, it aroused sus- picions because, among many typical observa- tions, it mentioned other things that were unexpected of Peregrines: such as birds eating worms turned up by a plough, or hovering. He also recorded the remains of 619 winter prey items, which to some seemed an ambitiously large number. Mark Cocker defends these observations, pointing out that anyone who spent so long watching Peregrines, and learnt how they used the local landscape, would almost certainly record rare events that others had missed, and learn where to look for prey remains. He comments that Baker’s observations of Peregrines flying after sunset, though unknown at the time, fall little short of more recent but unequivocal evidence that Pere- grines sometimes hunt at night. In general, however, Baker’s descriptions of bird behaviour indicate that he was a very perceptive observer, who could well have seen things that others missed. While The Peregrine was based on winter observations, arranged around one species, The Hill of Summer was based on ten years’ worth of spring, summer and autumn observations from the same area, but is centred on no particular species. It therefore lacks the theme of the first book, and is perhaps less gripping, as it arranges observations by both month and habitat, such as the pine wood in May, the beech wood in June, the heath in July and the estuary in August. The diary excerpts, at the end of the volume, reflect the wealth of birdlife present in this part of Essex in Baker’s day, and what one could expect to see on a walk or cycle ride. It seems that Baker did not write much down at the time, but compiled his daily accounts after he had returned home, and that excerpts from these accounts were later devel- oped into the text of his books. In conclusion, I feel that this volume makes good bedtime reading, not so much for its ornithological content as for the richness and pleasure of the prose, and for a taste of rural southeast England before it suffered from all the usual forms of modern-day development. Ian Newton S0BBUTE0 The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 680-685 683 Reviews Farmland Birds across the World Edited by Wouter van der Weijden, Paul Terwan and Adriaan Guldemond Lynx Edicions, 2010 Hbk, 144pp, colour photographs, maps ISBN 978-84-96553-63-7 Subbuteo code M20548 £21.99 BB Bookshop price £16.99 Farmland not only covers a large part of the earth’s landscape, it accounts for a disproportionately high part of the land that is found closer to human habitation. This means that what most people frequently experience as ‘the countryside’, especially in the Old World and in more urbanised societies, is made up of agricultural land. In turn, this means that most of the birds that they encounter are, by some definition, farmland birds. In Britain, declines in farmland bird populations have made them a cause celebre for conservation in the past decade or so, reflecting the cultural significance of species like Sky Lark Alauda arvensis and Grey Par- tridge Perdix perdix , despite the fact that the habi- tats and bird communities of farmland have little to do with what is really ‘natural’. This book does a great job of putting concern about British and western European farmland birds, and the bird communities themselves, in an international context. The book is well organised into chapters on different farming systems, from grassland through arable, rice and crops taken from trees, to coffee and cacao, with an additional chapter on birds in farmyards. Introductory chap- ters put farmland and its birds in context, while prospects for conservation and management in the future are described in a concluding chapter. As well as the book being beautifully illustrated with high-quality photographs, the text is nicely partitioned into a very readable main text and sup- plementary boxes describing specific issues, such as conservation initiatives of particular bird-farming associations. This makes the book excellent for dipping into, and it includes a wealth of information about a huge range of types of agriculture and the relationships that birds have with it, both positive and negative. Thus, areas of conservation concern are covered, but so are prob- lems with birds as agricultural pests and the roles of birds in providing economic benefits in farming systems. Farmland Birds across the World is basically a coffee-table book and I would not recommend it as a definitive academic review on any of the sub- jects it covers, but I found it very interesting and enjoyable to dip into, and a good introduction to issues from all over the world. Although wildlife in ‘natural’ habitats is important, of course, this book represents a timely reminder that a huge range of valuable species and communities essentially live with us and are important both as indicators of the health of our environment and in their own right. Gavin Siriwardena Birding Dordogne By David Simpson BirdGuides, 2010 Pbk, 24pp, black-and-white illustrations, maps ISBN 978-18-98110-52-1 Subbuteo code M20694 £7.50 BB Bookshop price £6.75 Situated in the region of Aquitaine in southwest France, the Dordogne is superb for birding and this booklet gives six main areas to explore. Perhaps the most obvious is the Dordogne Valley itself, running some 60 km between Bergerac and Sarlat. But in the north there is the Verteillac Plain, with Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax, Stone-curlews Burhinus oedicnemus, Tawny Pipits Anthus campestris , Rock Sparrows Petronia petronia and other flat-country birds. The Landais and Double Forests to the west of Bergerac give a mixture of pine and deciduous woodland and sandy heaths with nesting Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus and Dartford Warblers Sylvia undata. Farther south, the Lot Valley is an open stony plain near Cahors where you have the chance to find Ortolan SUBBUTEn The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 684 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 680-685 Reviews Buntings Emberiza hortulana. Other areas covered by the booklet are the Vezere Valley between Le Bugue and Montignac with its limestone outcrops, and the Faux Plateau with its nesting Montagu’s Harriers C. pygargus and Red-backed Shrikes Lanins collurio. Each site is described together with a list of target birds and an annotated map. There is also a list of 175 species that occur in the area - although this could have usefully indicated their status and in which seasons they are present. When I first visited the Dordogne in the 1980s it involved a lengthy car and ferry journey, but now there are plenty of flights to Bergerac Airport from various UK airports. For those who want more from a holiday than just birds, the Dordogne valley has 1,500 castles and many other tourist attractions, so there is much on offer. Keith Betton National Geographic Bird Coloration By Geoffrey E. Hill National Geographic, 2010 Hbk, 256 pages, colour illustrations and photos throughout ISBN 978-1-4262-0571-2, Subbuteo code M20812 £16.99 BB Bookshop price £15.29 At the time of writing, a male House Finch Carpodacus tnexicanus of unknown origin, which was first recorded at Land’s End in April in yellow plumage, is sat on rooftops at East Prawle, Devon, moulting into a more familiar red plumage. Geoffrey Hill, although more familiar in birding circles for his attempts to document the existence of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers Campephilus principalis in Florida (see Ivorybill Hunters: the search for proof in a flooded wilderness , OUP, 2007), is a professional ornithologist who studies the control and evolu- tion of bird coloration. One of his main study species is the House Finch, and in this book he makes a good job of showing that an under- standing of how and why birds get their pigments and patterns is relevant to birders. The stated objective of the book is to explain to non-professionals what scientists know about bird coloration. With that in mind, the text is kept simple, technical terms are explained clearly in side bars, and the whole book is generously illus- trated in colour with high production standards. There are 14 main chapters, each of which covers the basics of one aspect of the mechanics and biology of pigments and colour patterns. There is a fair bit of repetition in the text, which keeps it easy to understand and which means that each chapter almost stands alone for the casual reader. Hill’s writing style is easy to follow, but the book’s popular style and coffee-table look belies the fact that it is up to date and packed with interesting snippets of information and facts. Few birders will not find something in here that opens their eyes to areas of bird biology that they had not previously considered. There are boxed ‘Birder’s Notes’ of variable usefulness throughout. The book is written from the perspective of US-based author and audience, and many of the examples used are of Nearctic species, but nods are given to Palearctic birds when these are appro- priate — for example, the studies of Robins Erithacus rubecula by David Lack and the long- term studies of Pied Ficedula hypoleuca and Col- lared Flycatchers F. albicollis in their continental areas of range overlap. There are no citations in the text and only a cursory bibliography. For further information, the reader is directed to the author’s previous technical volumes, Bird Col- oration (Harvard University Press, 2006). House Finches pop up many times throughout the book, and the reader will not have to consult other sources to understand that carotenoid pigments (yellows and reds) need to be obtained through diet, and yellow carotenoids may be converted chemically to red once eaten. A House Finch that is deficient in carotenoids (perhaps through a diet in captivity) or in poor physiological condition (maybe again through captivity, disease or a high parasite load) has yellow feathers, but if its diet or health improves it will produce red feathers at the next moult. This appears to be what has happened to the British individual. Clearly the Devonshire cream teas are good for its constitution. Geoff Hill has produced an excellent, acces- sible, thought-provoking book that deserves to be read by anyone wanting to know more about the fascinating plumage patterns of birds. Martin Collinson SUB6DTE0 The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 680-685 685 John Harding/ BTO News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Nuthatch pushes north Three years, 2.6 million Roving Records, 2.9 million BirdTrack records and 144,000 timed counts on... and we are in good shape as we head into the final year of fieldwork for Bird Atlas 2007-11. The support from birdwatchers across Britain & Ireland has been fantastic - thank you! Winter coverage is looking really good, with 94% of the Timed Tetrad Visits required now com- plete and comprehensive species lists in many 10- km squares. The areas still to cover are the tricky ones, which are difficult to reach or have few bird- watchers living nearby, so we need all the help we can to finish off. The priority areas for fieldwork in the final winter, starting on 1st November, are Ireland, mid and west Wales, north Cornwall, Isles of Scilly, Shetland, east Lincolnshire and northeast Yorkshire. Elsewhere there are a few tetrads that require timed counts and 10-km squares that need more general birding. The Atlas website www. birdatlas.net gives further information in the ‘Latest results’ section. The wealth of atlas records and good coverage at this stage of the Atlas enables us to take a close look at the distribution maps and highlight changes in range, both expansion and contraction. We can also pick out species that we suspect are under-recorded, such as breeding Hawfinch Coc- cothraustes coccothraustes and Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, and appeal for more records. One species that has expanded in range over Sitta europaea in winter 2007-10. Each dot represents a 10-km square. the last forty years is the Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea. A count of the number of 10-km squares occupied by Nuthatches in previous atlases shows a steady overall increase: 1,174 (Breeding, 1968-72), 1,151 (Winter, 1981-84), 1,270 (Breeding, 1988-91), 1,531 (Winter, 2007-10) and 1,547 (Breeding, 2008-10). The current winter distribution is shown in fig. 1 and clearly shows expansion in east and mid Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and in the south and central belt of Scotland since the last Winter Atlas. However, the provi- sional map also suggests losses in East Anglia, especially the eastern 10-km squares of Norfolk and Suffolk. Dis- cussion in the Migration Atlas (Wernham et al. 2002) suggests that the fragmented nature of the wood- land in eastern England may mean that some areas lack sufficient sources of colonists to maintain local popula- tions. During the final winter we need help from all birdwatchers to fill in gaps in the 10-km-square species lists and to ensure that a minimum of 380. Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea. 686 © British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 686-692 News and comment eight tetrads in a 10-km square have been covered for timed counts. Take a look at the coverage in your local area in the ‘Regional Results’ (www.bto.org/birdatlas/latest_results/regional resultsnav.htm) on the Atlas website to see where your help is needed most or contact me at dawn.balmer@bto.org for further information. UK Government allows oil drilling The coalition government has given the go-ahead for the first deepwater drilling in British waters since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, in a move that will alarm seabird conservationists. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said that the strictest possible regulation was being applied to Chevron, which planned to start operations on a new well to the west of Shetland within days of permission being granted on 1st October. ‘We can confirm that the Secretary of State has given consent to Chevron’s Lagavulin Prospect. The Government is deter- mined to drive forward our move to a low-carbon economy and develop the UK’s renewable energy sources but this cannot happen overnight. The fact is that in the meantime we will be dependent on oil and gas,’ DECC said in a statement. The department claimed that it was a choice between producing hydrocarbons in UK waters, where there is one of the most robust safety and regulatory regimes in the world, with all the eco- Reference Wernham, C.V.,Toms, M. R, Marchant, J. H„ Clark. J. A., Siriwardena, G. M„ & Baillie, S. R. (eds.) 2002. The Migration Atlas: movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland. Poyser London. ( Contributed by Dawn Balmer ) off Shetland nomic benefits that will bring, or paying to import oil and gas from elsewhere. ‘All lessons learnt from the Gulf of Mexico have been applied to this well. Close scrutiny of the well will continue, by the Health and Safety Executive, by DECC and by Chevron itself,’ it added. But Greenpeace said that it would take legal action against the Government to try to prevent the drilling, having previously tried to disrupt the drill ship by occupying it and then sending out swimmers in front of it. ‘It’s irresponsible for the Government to give the green light for deepwater drilling when it’s clearly not learnt the lessons from the BP oil disaster,’ said Greenpeace executive director John Sauven. ‘Without waiting to learn the lessons from the Gulf of Mexico and without waiting for public and expert opinion, [Chris] Huhne has made the bizarre decision that there is a low risk of harm from Chevron’s deep-sea drilling and there is no need for an environmental assessment of its effects,’ he added. Ecuador looks for donations to prevent oil drilling Meanwhile, Ecuador is launching a one-of-a-kind initiative to protect a jungle reserve that contains not only enormous biodiversity but also 20% of the country’s crude oil reserves. In exchange for not drilling for crude in a 200,000-ha area of Yasuni National Park, in the east of Ecuador, the Ecuadorean Government is asking rich nations, foundations and individuals to give it $3.6 billion - about half the revenue Ecuador would receive from drilling in that part of Yasuni, which borders Peru on the western edge of the Amazon river basin. At least 600 bird species are found in the one- million-hectare Yasuni forest - more than a third of Ecuador’s 1,500+ species. The non-drilling ini- tiative applies to three oil fields - Ishpingo, Tam- bococha and Tiputini, collectively known as the ITT section. It’s a new approach to conservation and the Ecuadorean Government realises that it might not find enough support for the initiative. But if it works, Ecuador says that 407 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would be kept from entering the atmosphere. A $27-biIlion environmental damages suit is being heard in a neighbouring province, where residents say that Chevron (the company licensed to drill for oil off Shetland) is responsible for pol- luting the jungle with faulty drilling practices. This and BP’s recent Gulf of Mexico oil-spill disaster could bolster Ecuador’s pitch for the ITT initiative. Ecuador will issue certificates to contributors promising their money back, without interest, should the country ever decide to exploit the oil. Officials say that the first wave of contributions is likely to come from countries such as Germany and Spain. Chile is expected to contribute $100,000, making it the first official donor to the initiative. Ecuador, a member of OPEC, has given itself until the end of 2011 to raise the $100 million in seed money that the Government says is needed to make the initiative viable. The fund is to be administered by the United Nations Develop- ment Programme, which is encouraging oil-rich countries to refrain from drilling in environmen- tally sensitive areas. Ecuador wants to collect the full $3.6 billion by 2024. British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 686-692 687 News and comment Fifteen new Marine Protected Areas The UK Government has submitted 15 marine sites to the European Commission to be included within the European Natura 2000 network of pro- tected areas. Among them is the designation of Liverpool Bay as a Special Protection Area (SPA) to conserve internationally important populations of Red-throated Divers Gavia stellata and Common Scoters Melanitta nigra. The Outer Thames Estuary has also been designated an SPA to protect Red-throated Divers. This is a significant conserva- tion achievement, the culmination of a great deal of effort by a great many people. The other 13 candidate sites (awaiting EC rati- fication) are offshore Special Areas of Conserva- tion (SACs) designated for their reef or sandbank ecological value. Clockwise from east to west they are Inner Dowsing, Race Bank and North Ridge; North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef; Hap- pisburgh, Hammond and Winterton; Margate and Long Sands; Bassurelle Sandbank; Lyme Bay and Torbay; Prawle Point to Plymouth Sound and Eddystone; Lizard Point; Land’s End and Cape Bank; Shell Flat; Red Bay; North-West Rockall Bank; and Wyville Thomson Ridge. The sites were selected on the basis of the best scientific evidence available. Designation should help to protect vul- nerable marine habitats, including reefs, sea caves and sandbanks. Sandbanks act as nursery grounds for many commercial fish species, such as plaice Pleuronectes platessa and sole, but also support the sandeel Ammodytes communities that are such an important part of the food chain for seabird popu- lations. Two possible SACs subject to another consulta- tion by Natural England are Lune Deep and Prawle Point to Start Point. And a possible SAC being consulted upon by JNCC is Dogger Bank. (The designation of Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation is a legal require- ment of the 2000 EU Habitats Directive.) Two decades of bird persecution in the UK According to the RSPB’s 20th annual Birdcrime report, 2009 was another shocking year for the per- secution of birds of prey in the UK, with incidents of shooting, trapping and poisoning. With 384 reported persecution incidents involving raptors (224 in England, 123 in Scotland, 17 in Wales, 1 1 in Northern Ireland and 9 unassigned), 2009 was the second-worst year for these crimes in the last decade. Only 2007, with 389 cases, was worse. Twenty years of reporting in Birdcrime has revealed that several police-force areas suffer higher levels of bird-of-prey persecution. In England, top of the league is North Yorkshire (with 64 confirmed incidents since 1990), followed by West Mercia (61), Northumbria (58), Devon & Cornwall (57) and Cumbria (47). Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Conserva- tion Director, said: ‘Wildlife crimes are an abhorrent feature of our countryside. Over time, egg-collecting has diminished, but the killing of birds of prey is as big a threat today as it was two decades ago. Earlier this year, the former Wildlife Minister - Huw Irranca-Davies - was one of more than 210,000 people to sign a pledge to protect birds of prey. This is a powerful voice and we will not rest until their cries have been heard by Government.’ In 2009, the Labour Government announced that bird-of-prey persecution was one of the top wildlife crime priorities. In the light of the current spending review by the coalition government, the RSPB is concerned that resources to tackle wildlife crime will be seen as a soft option. The RSPB wants to see a commitment from the present Gov- ernment to tackling these crimes, as well as long- term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and a full wildlife crime review in England. The conflict with land managed for the shooting of gamebirds remains the main problem for birds of prey, particularly the upland grouse-shooting estates in northern England and Scotland. The RSPB is con- cerned that the shooting industry appears unable to self-police this problem and the Society believes that new legislation is required to make the managers and employers of those committing these crimes legally accountable. Options such as vicarious lia- bility - that holds these people accountable for crimes committed by their staff - and removing the shooting rights for individuals and errant estates need to be considered. These measures would provide a significant deterrent without imposing a burden on legitimate shooting interests. Birding the Channel Islands The Channel Islands bird list has been updated up to the end of 2009. The list features a couple of new species (Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis and Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis) and the total for the islands now stands at 365 species. A pdf can be downloaded from either of the main islands’ birding websites (www.jerseybirds.co.uk or www.guernseybirds.org.gg). (Contributed by Glyn Young) 688 British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 686-692 News and comment Zino’s Petrel colony devastated by forest fire A massive forest fire on the island of Madeira has killed several breeding adult Zino’s Petrels Ptero - droma madeira and 65% of this year’s chicks. The ‘Freira’ is Europe’s rarest seabird and is classified as Endangered by BirdLife. It’s one of the rarest birds in the world, nesting only on six mountain ledges in central Madeira. Intensive conservation action over the past 20 years has seen its population grow to almost 80 pairs. In mid August, fire swept along Madeira’s central massif, where the Zino’s Petrel colony is located. Many nestlings were still in the nest burrows. The initial results were shocking: 25 young and 3 adults were found dead, and only 13 young fledglings were found alive in their underground chambers. As well as causing the death of the birds, the fire exacerbated soil erosion and several nesting burrows disap- peared. Ana Isabel Fagundes of SPEA (BirdLife in Portugal) said: ‘The loss of 65% of this year’s potential young is a huge blow to the Zino’s Petrel. Our immediate conservation efforts are focusing on helping the remaining fledglings to survive and minimising the risk of further soil erosion on the breeding ledges.’ Subsequently, more chicks have succumbed, some at least as a result of the ground being barren, making food for predators scarce and the petrel chicks more vulnerable, and the death toll of juveniles now appears to be at least 32 (see freira.org/follow-up-of-fires-on-zinos-petrels- breeding). Immediate action by Parque Natural da Madeira (PNM) staff involved removing petrel corpses and laying bait for rats around the barren nesting areas. Burnt bushes and trees were also removed to avoid the risk of adult birds colliding with them on their nocturnal visits to feed the remaining chicks. The PNM and SPEA have now developed an action plan for the breeding colony. Immediate measures include covering areas with anti-erosion materials and constructing artificial nesting burrows, both of which have proved successful at other seabird colonies on neighbouring Bugio island. BirdLife has set up a secure online donation web page to collect urgent funds for Zino’s Petrel: www.justgiving.com/zinos-petrel-disaster British List approaches 600 The recent elevation of four new species to the British List (see last month’s BBRC report, Brit. Birds 103: 562-638) has taken the total to 592. A further addition is perhaps waiting in the wings: the putative Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum trapped in Cornwall in October 2008. But, since BOURC has bounced this back to BBRC for further consideration, that species’ admission to the British List will have to wait. The ‘empids’ are fiendishly difficult to iden- tify, even with full biomet- rics. The arrival of another, on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, in September this year (see plate 384) will further con- centrate the minds of the records committees — and the twitchers who trudged 5 km across the famous Blak- eney shingle in a howling gale to see the bird. With taxonomic revisions likely to boost the British List in coming years, the UK total should reach 600 by the middle of the decade, if not sooner. So now’s the time to make your wild guesses in our rigorously unscientific lottery, Name the 600th British Bird! Will it be Willet Tringa semipalmata , Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris or Menetries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea ? Or will a ‘species upgrade’ (how about Two-barred Greenish Warbler P. trochiloides plumbeitarsus) be the one to take the crown? All suggestions/bets gratefully received at the N&c e-mail address. 38 1 . Menetries’s Warbler Sylvia mystacea - a realistic candidate for the 600th for Britain? British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 686-692 689 Markus Varesvuo News and comment 30-year-old Arctic Tern wins the Sterna prize An Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea nesting on the Fame Islands off the Northumberland coast is now 30 years old, making it the oldest known in the UK. Ringed as a nestling on the Fames on 28th June 1980, it was retrapped on Inner Fame this summer. It was ringed in 1980 by a team of wardens that included John Walton, now the National Trust’s property manager for the islands. John Walton said: ‘This is a remarkable dis- covery, especially as only one in 50 birds that are ringed is subsequently caught again. Back in 1980 I was in my second year as a seasonal warden. [Since then,] CE60645 will have flown close to one million miles, raised any number of chicks, sur- vived predators and storms and still looks in bril- liant shape. In contrast, I have led a relatively sedentary existence and kept adventure to a sen- sible level, but alongside the tern I look knackered!’ David Steel, Head Warden on the Fame Islands, added: ‘It would be great to see CE60645 next year and the team will certainly be keeping an eye out for the bird. The oldest known Arctic Tern is a 34- year-old American so it would be nice to see this bird, one day, claim the record.’ Norfolk Spoonbills fledge ten young Britain’s first Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia colony for more than 300 years (Brit. Birds 103: 556-557) produced ten young birds, Natural England has revealed. Six pairs of Spoonbills nested at Holkham NNR in north Norfolk, in a mixed colony that included Great Cormorants Phalacro- corax carbo, Grey Herons Ardea cinerea and Little Egrets Egretta garzetta. Senior reserve manager Michael Rooney said: ‘The birds have benefited from nesting in dense trees surrounded by water, remote from human disturbance. We’d like to thank birdwatchers for leaving the nesting birds alone during those vital early weeks when the adults were feeding their young. Six successful nests could be a sign of things to come here at Holkham, but only if the adults return knowing they can rear their young undisturbed.’ And Bitterns are booming too Eurasian Bitterns Botaurus stellaris have enjoyed their most successful year since recolonising the UK a century ago. The breeding success in 2010 is all the more remarkable as it follows the ‘Big Freeze’ in December/January that was known to have adversely affected Bitterns at many sites. The UK monitoring programme has revealed the presence of 87 ‘booming’ males in 2010, five more than in 2009, when the previous peak was recorded. Researchers from the RSPB and Natural England - through the Action for Birds in England programme - recorded Bitterns in reedbeds in several English regions. However, the stronghold remains East Anglia, which held 62 males (down one from last year), principally along the Suffolk coast, in the Norfolk Broads and (increasingly) in the Fens. Encouragingly, this Red-listed bird is showing signs of increasing its range, as booming males were recorded at 47 sites (43 in 2009). For example, there were three booming Bitterns in the Somerset Levels in 2009, but 14 males were recorded in 2010. Hopefully, the species’ four-fold increase will consolidate its return to this network of wetlands. Slavonian Grebe mystery September’s report from the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (Brit. Birds 103: 504-505) highlighted the continuing decline of the British breeding popula- tion of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus. Notably, no young fledged at the Highland stronghold of Loch Ruthven in 2008 - nor did they in 2009. However, there was a marked improvement at the site in 2010, when six young grebes fledged. Now RSPB Scotland is trying to unravel the mysteries of Slavonian Grebe breeding biology. ‘Slav’ Grebes began breeding in the UK only in 1908, in the Scottish Highlands, and their popula- tion today remains restricted to northern Scotland, where just 22 breeding pairs remain, the lowest level since monitoring began. Stuart Benn, RSPB Scotland’s Conservation Officer for the South Highlands, said: ‘What is clear is that while popu- lations are thriving in Iceland and Norway, things aren’t going so well here. It would be good to find out why that is and what things we, as conserva- tionists, could be doing to turn around the for- tunes of Scotland’s Slavonian Grebe population. To do this we’ll need to focus our research on key • * areas such as the role of weather and climate, when and why chicks die and compare our results with other countries whose populations are faring well.’ Despite the worrying decrease in the UK popu- lation, 2010 was one of the best breeding seasons 690 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 686-692 News and comment in recent years. A total of 17 chicks fledged this summer, six of them at the RSPB’s Loch Ruthven reserve, which remains the best place in the UK to see breeding Slavonian Grebes. It is unclear exactly why, after two years of no young, Loch Ruthven’s breeding pairs were successful in 2010, but it’s thought that a drier and less stormy spring may have helped. Nests are destroyed by waves, so windy conditions can be damaging. Steph Elliott, Site Manager at Loch Ruthven, added: ‘Our work for Slavonian Grebes is very much trial and error at the moment. Over the winter months, we will be carrying out some major restoration of sedge beds on the reserve. This is crucial nesting habitat for the grebes and by removing sediment and areas of succession we can make sure the water depth is at the right level for the grebes to build their nests. We’re also hoping to install nesting rafts next spring, which will hope- fully protect vulnerable nests from damage and allow more chicks to fledge.’ Red-backed Shrikes breed in England After a gap of almost two decades, Red-backed Shrikes Lanius collurio have bred in England once again, despite the attentions of convicted egg- collectors visiting the breeding site. This is the first successful nesting in England since 1992, when the last pair bred in East Anglia, and it’s particularly heartening after the RBBP reported that Red- backed Shrikes failed to breed anywhere in the UK in 2008 {Brit. Birds 103: 526). In 2010, a pair nested on Dartmoor, in Devon, and was kept under close guard after their arrival in May to guarantee a successful breeding attempt. RSPB staff and volunteers from the Dartmoor Study Group and Devon Bird Watching & Preser- vation Society spent more than 2,600 hours on site, working around the clock. The watch was a wise precaution as a number of convicted egg- collectors visited the site during the operation. RSPB’s Kevin Rylands said: ‘We were delighted with the first sightings of the pair in May, but even more delighted when they settled down to nest. Although it’s been hard work, the efforts of all our staff and volunteers have really paid off and we had three youngsters flitting about the site.’ He added: ‘Surveys have shown that Dartmoor holds a wealth of species previously widespread in lowland areas, such as Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and Whinchat Saxicola rubetra. The shrikes will have arrived on spring migration and found the site to their liking. The extent of habitat and numbers of large insects on the moor have no doubt contributed to the success of this nest.’ Roger Smaldon, one of the team of dedicated volunteers, commented: ‘The last recorded breeding on Dartmoor was near Meldon Reservoir in 1970, so this nesting attempt was far from expected, especially when the national picture has been almost totally negative for the past two decades. It means a great deal to be part of the team monitoring this success and, in these days when so many species are under threat, it is a priv- ilege to be a part of this positive happening.’ British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 686-692 Recording of rare non-native breeding birds Our non-native avifauna is typically under- reported by birdwatchers, yet includes several exotic species which have their own recording challenges, such as Golden Pheasant Chrysolo- phus pictus and Eagle Owl Bubo bubo. Regular collation and reporting by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) are the main means by which the national populations are monitored. RBBP would like to make a final plea for any new data on breeding rare non-native species for the three seasons 2006-08. Guidelines on what data are most useful are available on the RBBP website www.rbbp.org.uk under ‘Non-natives’. In general, the Panel is especially keen to collect records of nests or broods, but for the more elusive non-native pheasants and Eagle Owl, records of individuals are also requested to help confirm numbers and distribution. The data are required urgently for the next report on rare non-native breeders, which will be published in BB early in 2011. Data for all these years have already been received from county recorders and other sources, including from Bird Atlas 2007-1 1 for 2008. The criteria for deciding which non-natives are reviewed by RBBP are the same as for native species. In general, our main list of species con- sists of those where the UK breeding population is fewer than 300 pairs nesting each year (although species with populations up to around 1,000 pairs are also monitored). Thus, with effect from 2008, Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri was removed from the list and, with effect from 2009, Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicertsis has been added. Data should be sent to the RBBP Secretary at secretary@rbbp.org.uk before 22nd November 2010, while that for subsequent seasons should be submitted to county recorders in the usual way. ( Contributed by Mark Holling) 691 News and comment Correction We apologise that plate 301, in the recent article ‘Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic’, was attributed incorrectly: the photographer was Ken Limb and not Ian Webster. County Recorder changes Devon Steve Waite (38 Durley Road, Seaton, Devon EX12 2HW; e-mail: devon- birdrecorder@lycos.com) has taken over as Recorder from Mike Langman. Isles of Stilly Nigel Hudson has new contact details (Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, ScillyTR21 OPA; e-mail nigel@carnithen.co.uk). Lancashire & N Merseyside Steve White has a new e-mail address (stevewhite 1 02@btinternet.com). Worcestershire At present the County Recorder’s post is vacant, but records can still be submitted via worcs-recorder@westmidlandbirdclub.com BB binders Some readers may have noticed that the latest BB binders are a slightly different colour. The firm producing covers for our binders went into liqui- dation and a new supplier of cover material had to be found. The new ones are very slightly darker brown, but otherwise identical. We hope that readers will appreciate the reasons for this. Give a Christmas gift that lasts all year! Yes, you’ve got it, a subscription to BB - the perfect present. And this Christmas there’s even more reason to do so. The Advanced Bird ID Guide (reviewed by Martin Garner in this issue, see p. 680) is free with a gift subscription (these are for new UK subscriptions only, not renewals; details on the back of the carrier sheet that came with this issue). What’s more, you can choose either to keep the free book yourself or to give it with the gift subscription. And, if you can’t be tempted by that, perhaps a BB cal- endar solves one or more Christmas present dilemmas. Featuring the top images from this year’s Bird Pho- tograph of the Year competi- tion, this super calendar is a steal at £5.99 + £1.99 P&P, available from the BB subscription office - tel. 01424 755155 or e-mail subscriptions@ britishbirds.co.uk Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early August to early October 2010. Headlines Ironically, in an extremely exciting period, two of the rarest birds were not specifically assigned to species, with a frigatebird off the Scottish east coast and an Alder/Willow Flycatcher (though most probably an Alder) in Norfolk, while a third major rarity, a Rufous-tailed Robin in Orkney, was found dead. Otherwise those catching the eye included a Green-backed Heron, a Red-necked Stint, two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper, a European Roller, two Red-eyed Vireos, three Black- throated Thrushes, a Brown Flycatcher, an Isabelline and a Black-eared Wheatear, two 692 Bobolinks, a Northern Parula and a Yellow- rumped Warbler. Much focus was on the Northern Isles, and an incredible list from there, mostly from Shetland, included a dozen Arctic Warblers (out of 14), three Pallas’s Grasshopper Warblers (out of four), all four Lanceolated, both River Warblers, one of the two Eastern Olivaceous, one of the five Booted Warblers, three of the four Sykes’s, three of the four Paddyfields and six of the eight Blyth’s Reed Warblers. In addition they enjoyed a White’s Thrush, two ' Swainson’s Thrushes, six of the 13 Red- flanked Bluetails, nine Citrine Wagtails, five of the seven Olive-backed Pipits and three Buff- bellied Pipits - quite a haul. © British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 692-698 Recent reports American Wigeon Anas americana Glaslyn Marshes (Caernarfonshire), 30th August to 17th September; Tarbert (Co. Kerry), 3rd October. Baikal Teal Anas formosa Chigbor- ough Lake (Essex), of unknown origin, 2nd October. Black Duck Anas rubripes Achill Island (Co. Mayo), 16th August to late Sep- tember. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Fen Drayton (Cambridgeshire), 14th August; Shannon Lagoon (Co. Clare), 1 2th— 25th Sep- tember; Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), 13th Sep- tember, then two, 17th September to 4th October; Risley (Cheshire & Wirral), 16th-23rd September; Achill Island, five, 18th September, one to 25th; The Geragh (Co. Cork), 19th September; Smerwick (Co. Kerry), 21st September, then two there on 25th; Rahasane (Co. Galway), 22nd Sep- tember; Ballyshonack (Co. Waterford), 25th September; Courtmacsherry (Co. Cork), 26th September; North Bull Island (Co. Dublin), 26th September; Knockaderry (Co. Water- ford), two, 26th-28th September. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Records from Avon (up to three), Suffolk (up to two), Northampton- shire and Yorkshire. Lesser Scaup Aythya afifinis Draycote Water (Warwickshire), 24th September to 10th October. King Eider Soma- teria spectabilis Kessingland 12th September, then off Minsmere, Dunwich and Sizewell (all Suffolk), 12th September to 10th October; Burghead (Moray & Nairn), 8th-9th October. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii Bluemull Sound (Shetland), 3rd October. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeiral feae Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare), 24th August; Kile um min Head (Co. Mayo), 15th September; Cley (Norfolk), 17th Sep- tember; Kilnsea, then Easington (both York- shire), 18th September. North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffmus baroli Meols (Cheshire & Wirral), 14th September; Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 1st October. Wilson’s Storm- petrel Oceanites oceanicus During pelagics off Scilly, singles on 18th, 20th and 23rd August, and three on 21st. In Ireland, two from a pelagic off Co. Kerry on 10th August, and then from land singles off Bridges of Ross on 8th and 24th August and 14th September, and two past on 11th September; one off Galley Head (Co. Cork) on 20th August and two past on 21st; and in Co. Donegal singles off Melmore Head on both 28th and 29th August and one off Fannad Head on 28th. Frigatebird sp. Fregata South past Peterhead (North-east Scotland), and North Berwick (Lothian), 8th September. Green-backed Heron Butorides virescens Pentewen (Cornwall), 6th— 10th October. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Kilnsea, 15th September; Angle Bay (Pembrokeshire), 10th October. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Records from Cambridgeshire, Devon, Essex, Gwent, Kent, Lincolnshire (two), London and Som- erset (three). Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Buckinghamshire, Cam- bridgeshire, Carmarthenshire, Co. Cork, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Co. Down, Hamp- shire, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire (two), Nottinghamshire, Somerset (two), Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Co. Wexford, Co. Wicklow and Yorkshire. Purple Heron Ardea 382. First-winter Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor, Tacumshin Lake, Co. Wexford, September 2010. One of the highlights of a superb run of American waders at this site in autumn 2010. British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 692-698 693 Paul & Andrea Kelly, www.irishbirdimages.com Fraser Simpson Recent reports 383. Juvenile White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus, Hyde Park, London, September 2010. A very popular bird that stayed several days in central London. purpurea Dungeness (Kent), at least one of the breeding pair to 30th August, and a juvenile to at least 14th August; North Fore- land (Kent), 14th August; Christchurch (Dorset), 28th August; Martin Mere (Lan- cashire & N Merseyside), 3rd September; Sandwich Bay (Kent), 5th September; Bee’s Head (Cumbria), 12th September. Black Stork Ciconia nigra Grantown-on-Spey (Highland), 9th— 10th September. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus After a scatter of singles in August, the first sign of another large influx of juveniles from Spain was the arrival of ten at Rogerstown (Co. Dublin) on 23rd August, followed by 20 (six with Spanish rings) at the Otter Estuary (Devon) on 7th September. The Otter Estuary birds remained to 12th, with 18 of the same group over Beer (Devon) on 13th, arriving Dungeness the same day, and 16 staying there to 15th. Nineteen were seen over Catford (Greater London), on 16th, presumably the same group with three addi- tions. Other flocks included four at Boscastle (Cornwall) and five at Pegwell Bay (Kent), both 9th September. Other reports came from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Co. Clare, Dorset, Flintshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Co. Kildare, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Sussex, Co. Wexford and Wiltshire. In total, around 40 arrived during September and at least eight remained to mid October. Black Kite Milvus migrans Records from Cornwall, Greater London, Hampshire and Suffolk. Red-footed Falcon Falco vesper- tinus records from Greater London (up to three), Kent and Norfolk. Kentish Plover Charadrius alexan- drinus Records from Essex, Kent (one or two), Leic- estershire & Rut- land and Suffolk. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Records from Argyll, Co. Clare, Co. Cork (three), Co. Kerry (two), Orkney, Outer Hebrides (two), Scilly, Shetland (two), Sussex, Co. Wexford and Yorkshire. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva South Uist (Outer Hebrides), long-stayer to 12th August. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Alk- borough Flats (Lincolnshire), 1 8th— 24th August; Dawlish Warren (Devon), 23rd-25th August; Tyninghame Bay (Lothian), 27th August to 15th September; Blennerville (Co. Kerry), 4th-6th September; Ballylongford (Co. Kerry), 18th September; Abberton Resr (Essex), 3rd-9th October. Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis Ferrybridge (Dorset), 27th September. White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Records from Cleveland, Co. Cork (two), Cornwall, Kent, Co. Kerry (three), Co. Mayo, Outer Hebrides and Co. Wexford (two). Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Idle Valley NR (Nottinghamshire), long-stayer to 10th August; Tacumshin, 1 2th— 25th Sep- tember; Blackrock (Co. Kerry), 1 9th— 26th September; Mullet Peninsula (Co. Mayo), 20th September; Strangford Lough (Co. Down), 26th September; Carrahane (Co. Kerry), 3rd October; Holland Haven (Essex), 7th— 1 0th October. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata Patrington Haven, 22nd-23rd August, then Kilnsea/Spurn (all Yorkshire), 23rd August; Greatham Creek (Cleveland), 20th— 2 1 st September. 694 British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 692-698 Recent reports Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus Pyefleet Channel (Essex), 22nd-27th August; South Care, 1 Oth— 11th September, then Seaton Snook (both Cleveland), 12th Sep- tember. Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis A scatter of records throughout August after the first, at Snettisham (Norfolk) on 13th. Then widespread, with a total of well over 70, arriving mainly 17th-22nd Sep- tember, 26th-28th September and 30th Sep- tember to 6th October. Larger numbers were in Ireland (with eight at both Ballycotton, Co. Cork, and Tacumshin Lake on 10th Sep- tember and six at Carrahane on 25th Sep- tember) but Britain also fared well, notably Argyll and Scilly (both with up to eight), Outer Hebrides (six), Kent (five) and Shet- land (five). Great Snipe Gallinago media Spurn, 4th September; Loula (Shetland), 1 2th— 1 4th September; Covehithe (Suffolk), 1st October. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Inner Marsh farm (Cheshire & Wirral), 25th-26th August, same Connah’s Quay (Llintshire), 28th August to 3rd September, 20th-26th September and 8th October; Colliford Lake (Cornwall), 30th September. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius St Mary’s (Scilly), 14th September to 6th October; St Ives (Cornwall), 18th September; Exe Estuary (Devon), 19th September to 10th October. Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Seaton (Devon), 1 0th-— 1 1th October. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Inner Marsh Farm, long-stayer to 16th August; St Agnes, 9th— 1 3th August, then Tresco (both Scilly), 1 5th— 1 6th August; Achill Island, 1 1 th— 1 9th September; South Uist, 1 8th— 19th September and 3rd-6th October; Lough Beg (Co. Derry), 19th September; Tacumshin Lake, 25th September to 4th October; Newport Wetlands (Gwent), 28th-29th September. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Hayle Estuary (Cornwall), 6th September; Ventry (Co. Kerry), 6th-7th Sep- tember; Tresco, 8th- 16th September; Grove Ferry (Kent), 9th-23rd Sep- tember; Gibraltar Point (Lin- colnshire), 1 3th— 15th September; Tacumshin Lake, 16th September to 4th October, also seen at Kilcoole (Co. Wicklow) 22nd-24th September; Dowdeswell Resr (Gloucestershire), 29th-30th September; Welney (Norfolk), 2nd- 10th October. Great Skua Stercorarius skua Large numbers along English east coast on 24th September, including 200 Chapel Point (Lincolnshire), 627 Sheringham (Norfolk) in 3'A hours, 197 Spurn, 100 Shell Ness (Kent), 70 Reculver (Kent), 47 Burniston (Yorkshire), 42 Flam- borough Head (Yorkshire) and, inland, 42 Foul Anchor (Cambridgeshire). Other skua spp. were also involved, particularly Long- tailed Skuas Stercorarius longicaudus. There were notable movements of other seabirds in September, including Sooty Shearwaters Puffmus griseus (e.g. 512 past Flamborough Head and 226 past Filey (Yorkshire), on 26th) and Leach’s Storm-petrels Ocean- odroma leucorhoa (e.g. 1,700 past Hilbre (Cheshire & Wirral), 1 4th— 1 8th September, together with other large numbers off Ireland and northwest England). Also, on 25th-26th September, inland movement of Northern 384. Juvenile Alder/Willow Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum/traillii, Blakeney Point, Norfolk, September 2010. One of the highlights of the entire autumn, this seems most likely to have been a juvenile Alder Flycatcher. British Birds 1 03 • November 2010 * 692-698 695 Mike Lawrence Alastair Wilson Recent reports 385. First-winter Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama , Burrafirth, Unst, Shetland, August 2010, The first of three Sykes’s Warblers in Shetland during the period, though another in Northumberland in August drew the largest crowds. Gannets Morus bassanus included 11 in Cam- bridgeshire (including nine in Cambridge), nine in Northamptonshire, seven in Newport Pagnell and several others in Bucking- hamshire, at least three in Greater London, two in Staffordshire and singles in Berkshire, Leicestershire & Rutland and Shropshire. Laughing Gull Larus atricilla, Ballycastle (Co. Antrim), long-stayer to 24th August. Amer- ican Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus, Blennerville, long-stayer to 5th September. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia Whitburn (Durham), 28th and 31st August and 11th September, presumed same Tynemouth (Northumberland), 29th August, Ryhope (Durham), 4th September. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Cley, 25th August. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Saltholme Pools (Cleveland), long-stayer to 25th August, then same individual reported from Shropshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Not- tinghamshire, Cheshire & Wirral, Flintshire and Glamorgan. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Records from Cam- bridgeshire, Cumbria, Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire & Rutland, Norfolk, Northumberland, Orkney, Perth & Kinross and Yorkshire. Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus Mullet Penin- sula, one from 12th August to late September at least; Lewis (Outer Hebrides), 17th Sep- 696 tember and 1st October. European Roller Coracias gar- rulus Easington, 1 2th— 1 3th Sep- tember. Alder/Willow Fly- catcher Empidonax alnorum/traillii Blak- eney Point (Norfolk), 25th-27th Septem- ber. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Firkeel (Co. Cork), 6th October; South Uist, 10th October. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Forton Lake (Hampshire), lOth-llth Sep- tember; Gibraltar Point, 10th October. Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Kelling Quags, also Salthouse (both Norfolk), 1 7th— 1 9th August, and (remarkably) same St Mary’s, 8th— 1 3th September. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Records from Cleveland, Co. Cork, Cornwall and Scilly (two). Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Pegwell Bay, 9th October. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Records from Dorset, Lincolnshire, Perth & Kinross, Sussex and Yorkshire. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides After the first, on 9th August in Orkney, about 18 were found, 13 of those turning up between 27th August and 10th September. Apart from singles in Co. Cork, Cornwall and Scilly, all were in the Northern Isles and east- facing coastal counties. Arctic Warbler Phyllo- scopus borealis Fair Isle, two: 14th- 15th and 31st August. Shetland, c. 10: Unst, 18th August and 28th September; Sumburgh Head, 4th— 5th and 23rd-27th September, Seafield 12th September, Kergord 23rd-24th September, Sullom 26th September, Busta House 30th September; Out Skerries, 4th Sep- tember; Fetlar, 28th September. Holme (Norfolk), 6th — 16th September; South Uist 8th September. Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi Records from Norfolk (five), North- east Scotland, Northumberland, Shetland British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 692-698 Recent reports (two) and Yorkshire (two). Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Records from Cleveland, Kent, Northumberland (two), Shetland (two) and Yorkshire. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli Lundy (Devon), 4th Sep- tember; Whalsay (Shetland), 9th— 1 5th Sep- tember; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 10th— 1 1th September; Bempton Cliffs (York- shire), 1 1 th— 1 2th September; Wells Woods (Norfolk), 26th-28th September; Great Saltee Island (Co. Wexford), 26th September. Sub- alpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Fair Isle, 26th September. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola Fair Isle, 22nd-26th Sep- tember; Out Skerries, 8th October; Whitburn, 9th October; Fetlar, 9th October. Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata Foula, 28th Sep- tember; Fair Isle, 3rd October; Unst, 6th-7th October; Out Skerries, 9th October. River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis Quendale (Shet- land), 20th September; Fladdabister (Shet- land), 30th September. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida Flamborough Head, lst-3rd September; Ireland (Shetland), 12th September. Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata Blakeney Point, 27th August; Grimston (York- shire), 4th September; Bamburgh (Northum- berland), 8th September; Needs Oare Point (Hampshire), 1 2th— 1 5th September; Quen- dale, lst-2nd October. Sykes’s Warbler Hippolais rama Druridge Bay CP (Northum- berland), 1 5th— 16th August; Unst, 16th— 1 7th August; Channerwick (Shetland), 2nd-9th October; Fetlar, 6th October. Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Teift Marshes (Ceredi- gion), two, 1 6 th — 1 8th August; South Milton Ley (Devon), 16th August; Radipole Lake (Dorset), 18th August; Newport Wetlands, 30th August; Slimbridge (Gloucestershire), 1st September; Steart (Somerset), 4th September; Dungeness, 10th September. Paddy- field Warbler Acro- cephalus agricola Unst, 23rd August; Quendale, 10th and 27th September; Pannel Valley (Sussex), 28th September; Foula, 30th September. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Dursey Island (Co. Cork), 26th-27th September; Quendale, 27th Sep- tember; Wester Quarff (Shetland), 27th Sep- tember; North Ronaldsay, 30th September, with another on 1st October; Newburgh (North-east Scotland), 30th September; Marsden Bay (Durham), 1st October; Fetlar, 3rd-7th October; Out Skerries, 9th October. Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundi- naceus Slapton Ley, 25th September. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Pegwell Bay, 9th Sep- tember. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Records from Co. Cork, Cornwall (possibly four), Devon, Dorset and Orkney (two). White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma Sandwick (Shet- land), 26th September. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Barra (Outer Hebrides), 9th- 10th October; South Uist, 10th October. Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus Fair Isle, 15th September; Levenwick (Shetland), 2nd-3rd October. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis Melvich (Highland), 2nd October; Warham Greens (Norfolk), 10th October; Uradale, Scalloway (Shetland), 10th October. Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica Bempton Cliffs, 5th September. Thrush Nightingale Lus- cinia luscinia Fame Islands (Northumberland), 14th August; Foula, 1 1 th— 1 6th September. British Birds 103 • November 2010 • 692-698 697 Hugh Harrop Lee Gregory Recent reports Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans North Ronaldsay, found dead, 2nd October. Red- flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus Fair Isle, two, 27th September; Corton (Suffolk), 28th Sep- tember; Fife Ness (Fife), 28th September; Unst, 28th September; Whalsay, 30th September; Pakefield (Suffolk), 30th September; Tresta (Shetland), 8th October; Geosetter (Shetland), 8th October; Newbiggin (Northumberland), 9th October; East Hills (Norfolk), 9th October; St Mary’s Island (Northumberland), 9th— 10th October; Saltburn (Cleveland), 10th October. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Low- estoft North Denes (Suffolk), 10th October. Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica St Mary’s, 9th- 10th October. Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola Spurn, 15th August; Ogston Resr (Derbyshire), 28th— 30th August; St Agnes, 1 st— 4th September; Elmley Marshes (Kent), 1st September; Nanquidno (Cornwall), 3rd-7th September; Unst, 6th and 17th September; Chew Valley Lake (Avon), 7th September; North Ronaldsay, 10th September; St Mary’s, 1 2th— 1 3th September; Rousay (Orkney), 17th September; Yell, 20th Sep- tember; Fair Isle, 22nd-23rd September; Lewis, 23rd September; Northrepps (Norfolk), 25th September; Beadnell Bay (Northumber- land), 26th September; North Roe (Shetland), 26th September; Out Skerries, 2nd-10th October; Sandwick, 3rd-7th October; Lerwick (Shetland), 10th October. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Fair Isle, 30th September and 10th October; Out Skerries, lst-2nd October; Deerness (Orkney), 6th— 7th October; Stiffkey, 9th— 1 0th October; Barra, 9th October; Quen- dale, 9th October. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus records from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Fair Isle, Norfolk, Orkney, Scilly and Shetland. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens Fair Isle, 20th-30th September; Yesnaby (Orkney), 27th September; Eshaness (Shetland), 28th September to 6th October; Truska (Co. Galway), 2nd-3rd October. European Serin Serinus serinus St Agnes, 10th October. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Unst, two, 1 9th— 20th , one 2 1 st— 27th, with another 27th September to 6th October; Yell (Shetland), 1 9th— 26th September; North Ronaldsay, 20th-26th September; Fair Isle, 23rd-27th September and 2nd-4th October; Fame Islands, 24th September to 1st October; Mizen Head (Co. Cork), 2nd October; South Ronaldsay (Orkney), 8th October. Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus Wide- spread influx from August, reaching many eastern and western shores, and as far south as Scilly. Large concentrations included 350 South Uist; 275 North Uist; 195 Fair Isle; 156 North Ronaldsay; 129 Tiree (Argyll); 110 Barra; 80 Northcoates Point, 50 Horseshoe Point and 52 Donna Nook (all Lincolnshire); 83 Fetlar; 80 Eshaness; 74 Lewis; 71 Balchrick and 50 Thurso (both High- land). House Finch Carpodacus mexi- canus East Prawle (Devon), long-stayer to 9th October. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Out Skerries, 2nd-7th October, then two 8th October; St Agnes, 7th October. Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus Eglwys Nunydd Resr (Glamorgan), 20th September; Skomer (Pembrokeshire), 8th October. Northern Parula Parula americana Tiree,' 25th— 29th September. Yellow- rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), 5th October. 387. Fi rst-winter Northern Parula Parula americana, Tiree, September 2010. 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Conference proceedings Free to view online at www.BOUPROC.net including The Impacts of Non-native Species, Climate Change and Birds and Lowland Farmland Birds BOU | PO Box 417 | Peterborough | PE7 3FX | UK Tel & Fax: + 44 (0) 1 733 844 820 Email: enquiries@bou.org.uk www.bou.org.uk Funding ornithological research Ornithological Research Grants Career Development Bursaries SOUTH WEST Swarovski I Leica I Zeiss I Opticron OPTICS 01872 263444 www. swoptics . co . u k 0 SLR’s and Compacts Nikon D300s Body £1199 Nikon D7000 Body £1099 Nikon D90 with 1 8-105mm lens £829 Nikon D5000 with 18-55VR lens £599 Nikon D3100 with 18-55VR lens £579 NikonCoolpixPlOO £329 Nikon Coolpix P7000 £489 4 Lenses Nikon 70-300mm f/4 5-5.6ED VR £499 Nikon 300mm f/4 IF-ED AF-S £999 Nikon Teleconverler TC-20E III £399 Nikon Teteconverter TC-14E II & TC-17E II £379 Sigma 150-500mmf/5-6.3 DG OS HSM £759 See Web for other lenses available Tripods and Gimbals Jobu Junior v3 BWG-J3K Gimbal £299 Jobu Heavy Duty BWG-HD Mk 2 Gimbal £389 Jobu BWG-PRO B Gimbal £499 Velbon DV-7000 Tnpod £139 Velbon Geo E540 with PH-1 57Q head £199 Velbon Geo E640 with PH-1 57Q head £209 Manfrotto Tripods - see Web Nikon EDG Nikon EDG 85 with 20-60x zoom £2039 Nikon EDG 65 with 1 6-48x zoom £ 1 799 Nikon FSA-L2 SLR Adapter for EDG £529 Nikon EDG 8x42 £Call Nikon EDG 10x42 £Ca)l Nikon EDG 8x32 £1449 Nikon EDG 10x32 £1549 Binoculars Swarovski NEW EL 8.5x42 Swarovision £1595 Swarovski NEW EL 1 0x42 Swarovision £ 1 660 Swarovski SLC 8x42 HD £1359 Leica Ultravid 8x42 HD £1439 Leica Ultravid 10x42 HD £1519 Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 8x42 £1159 Zeiss Victory T'FLLT 10x42 £1189 Swarovski Scopes & Digiscoping J ATM 80 HD with 25-50x zoom & case £2555 ATM 65 HD with 25-50x zoom & case £1989 Swarovski UCA Adapter £235 Swarovski DCA Adapter £159 Swarovski TLS 800 SLR Adapter £439 Swarovski Telescope Rail £112 Zeiss Scopes & Digiscoping New Victory Diascope 85. 20-60x & case £2199 New Victory Diascope 85. 20-75x & case £2399 New Victory Diascope 65. 15-56x & case £1999 Zeiss Photoscope £4499 Zeiss Digital Adapter £299 Zeiss SLR Adapter £329 Leica Scopes & Digiscoping APO Televid HD 82, 25-50x zoom & case £2599 APO Televid HD 65, 25-50x zoom & case £2299 Leica Digital Adapter 3 £349 Leica Digital Adapter 4 £79 Leica Tnca T ripod with DH 1 Fluid Head £5 1 9 Leica D-Lux 5 - Available Oct’ 1 0 £630 Leica V-Lux 2 - Available Oct’ 10 £675 Opticron Scopes & Digiscoping HR66 GA ED, 1 8-54x SDL v2 zoom & case £899 ES80 GA ED, 20-60x HDF Zoom & case £669 GS52 GA ED with 1 2-36x HDF Zoom £379 Opticron SDLv2 zoom eye-piece £259 Opticron UDCA Adapter £96 Opticron SLR Telephoto Adapter £149 Opbcron Panasonic LumixFSIO Camera Kit £265 Binoculars Opticron Aurora BGA 8x42 & 10x42 Opbcron DBA Oasis 8x42 & 10x42 Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 Opticron Verano BGA 8x42 Opticron Countryman BGA T PC 8x42 Opbcron Taiga 8x25 & 10x25 Opticron Gallery Scope 8x20 (close focus) £685 £549 £369 £295 £249 £89 C70 View our new blog... www.swopticsphoto.com for the latest news and reviews H Over 800 Products Available Online www.swoptics.co.uk Gift Vouchers Available' All prices are subject to change Please check website for current prices E&E South West Optics 22a River Street Truro Cornwall UK TR1 2SJ 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com OPTICS Don’t miss our 201 I bargain birding selection Argentina (Andes) 9 days -£2,495 Ecuador (South-east) Panama 13 days - £2,495 (Canopy Tower) 9 days — from £1,995 Ecuador (South-west) 1 2 days -£2,395 Peru (Andean Endemics) Ecuador 12 days -£2,495 (Tumbesian Endemics) 9 days - £1,995 South Africa (Kruger) 10 days- £1,995 Western Australia 12 days -£3,395 Australia (Queensland) 13 days -from £3,495 Bolivia (Lowlands) 10 days- £1,795 Ethiopia 10 days- £1,695 South Africa’s Western Cape 10 days -£2,095 Ethiopian Endemics 10 days- £1,695 Bolivia (Highlands) 12 days- £2,195 Sri Lanka 10 days- £1,795 Florida 9 days- £1,895 Borneo (Sabah) 10 days -£2,495 Thailand 10 days- £1,895 Gambia 12 days- £1,595 Botswana 10 days -£2,095 Uganda 9 days -from £1,795 Ghana 9 days -£2,095 Brazil 10 day- £1,695 Venezuela (Andean Endemics) 9 days- £1,995 India A wide range of tours 9-16 days -from £1,495 Colombia 12 days -£2,795 Colombia (Central & West) 12 days -£2,795 Venezuela (Llanos) 9 days- £1,995 Kazakhstan 9 days- £1,895 Venezuela (Off the Beaten Track) 9 days- £1,895 Amazonian Ecuador 1 1 days -£2,295 Malawi 10 days -£2,095 Ecuador (Antpittas) 10 days- £1,995 Ecuador (Choco) 12 days- £2,195 Zambia 9 days -from £2,195 Morocco 10 days -from £1,395 Nepal A wide range of tours 9-12 days -from £1,695 HOLIDAYS WITH 100% FINANCIAL PROTECTION Naturetrek, www.naturetrek.co.uk 0 1 962 73305 1 info@naturetrek.co.uk Cheriton Mill, Cheriton, Alresford, Hampshire, S024 ONG Nikon ST- Nikon's latest glass and lens coating technologies you unparalleled clarity and colour fidelity throughc your field of view, while legendary ergonomics ens comfortable and intuitive use for hours on end. See nature the way it deserves to be seen: througf Nikon. Nikon Sport Op THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ? DEC 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY ISSN 0007-0335 British Birds Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: c/o Chappell Cole & Co, Heritage House, 34 North Cray Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LZ British Birds is owned and published by BB 2000 Limited, the directors of which are John Eyre (Chairman), Nick Askew, Jeremy Greenwood, Ciaran Nelson, Ian Packer, Adrian Pitches and Richard Porter. BB 2000 Limited is wholly owned by The British Birds Charitable Trust (registered charity No. 1089422), whose trustees are Richard Chandler, Jeremy Greenwood, Ian Newton and Peter Oliver. Directors and trustees are volunteers who draw no remuneration. www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News & comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel & fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Ian Lycett, Solo Publishing Ltd, B403A The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London N22 6XJ Tel: 020 8881 0550; Fax: 020 8881 0990 ian.lycett@birdwatch.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, Richard Schofield, Steve Votier Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR2 1 OPA; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton FRS, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Libraries and agencies - £92.00 Individual subscriptions: UK - £49.00 Overseas surface mail - £56.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office Printed by Hastings Printing Company Copyright: When submitting articles, letters, commentary, text, photographs, artwork, figures or images (the ‘Copyright Work’) to the Editor, you are agreeing to grant to British Birds a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, copyright licence to use, edit, alter, adapt, translate, copy, publish, continue to publish or republish the Copyright Work, (and/or an edited, adapted or translated version of it or part of it) in all forms, formats and media (including, but not limited to, print, digital and electronic forms) anywhere in the world. You must ensure that by submitting a Copyright Work that you are not infringing the Copyright of any other person. By submitting a Copyright Work you arc warranting that you are the Copyright Work owner and that you have the right to grant the non-exclusive licence described above. For the avoidance of doubt, the Author/Artist shall remain the owner of the Copyright Work. Front-cover photograph: Northern Long-tailed l it Aegithalos caudatus caudatus , Southwold, Suffolk, October 91)10 Bill Bnctnn Binocular^, Telescopes & Accessories Aurora BGA Designed to be smaller, lighter, sharper with a wider field of view and better close focus compared to any previous Opticron BGA model, the Aurora BGA delivers the ultimate balance between size and weight, resolution and field of view currently available on the market today. For a limited period claim £50 cashback with any purchase of an Aurora BGA Bx42 or 1 0x42. See www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/promotions.htm for terms and conditions. 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Please send a cheque made payable to British Birds for £7.98 to British Birds, 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF OR telephone 0 1 424 755 1 55 with your credit card details. 88 Bird Photograph of the Year Calendar 201 I British Birds Bird BBorograTlCTTTw May 2011 OPTICS 01872 263444 www.swoptics.co.uk SLR’a and Compacts Nikon D300s Body £1199 Nikon D7000 Body £1099 Nikon D90 with 18-1 05mm lens £829 Nikon D5000 with 18-55VR lens £599 Nikon 03100 wilh 18-55VR lens £579 Nikon Coolpix P100 £329 Nikon Coolpix P7Q00 £489 Lenses Nikon 7Q-300mm f/4 5-5.6ED VR £499 Nikon 300mm f/4 IF-ED AF-S £999 Nikon Tetecon verier T C-20E III £399 Nikon Teteconverter TC-14E II & TC-17E II £379 Sigma 1 50-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM £759 See Web for other lenses available Tripods and Gimbals Jobu Junior v3 BWG-J3K Gimbal £299 Jobu Heavy Duty BWG-HD Mk 2 Gimbal £389 Jobu BWG-PRO B Gimbal £499 Velbon DV-7000 Tripod £139 Velbon Geo E540 with PH-157Q head £199 Velbon Geo E640 with PH-1 57Q head £209 Manfrolto Tripods - see Web Nikon EDG Nikon EDG 85 with 20-60x zoom £2039 Nikon EDG 65 with 1 648x zoom £ 1 799 Nikon FSA-L2 SLR Adapter for EDG £529 Nikon EDG 8x42 £Call Nikon EDG 10x42 £Ca» Nikon EDG 8x32 £1449 Nikon EDG 10x32 £1549 Binoculars Swarovski NEW EL 8.5x42 Swarovision £1595 Swarovski NEW EL 1 0x42 Swarovision £ 1 660 Swarovski SLC 8x42 HD £1359 Leica Ultravid 8x42 HD £1439 Leica Ultravid 1 0x42 HD £ 1 51 9 Zeiss Victory T* FL LT 8x42 £ 1 1 59 Zeiss Victory T‘ FLLT 10x42 £1189 Swarovski Scopes & Digiscoping ATM 80 HD wilh 25-50x zoom & case £2555 ATM 65 HD with 25-50x zoom & case £1989 Swarovski UCA Adapter £235 Swarovski DCA Adapter £159 Swarovski TLS 800 SLR Adapter £439 Swarovski Telescope Rail £112 Zeiss Scopes & Digiscoping New Victory Diascope 85, 20-60x & case £2199 New Victory Diascope 85, 20-75x & case £2399 New Victory Diascope 65. 15-56x & case £1999 Zeiss Photoscope £4499 Zeiss Digital Adapter £299 Zeiss SLR Adapter £329 Leica Scopes & Digiscoping APO Televid HD 82, 25-50x zoom & case £2599 APO Televid HD 65, 25-50x zoom & case £2299 Leica Digital Adapter 3 £349 Leica Digital Adapter 4 £79 Leica Tnca Tripod with DH1 Fluid Head £519 Leica D-Lux 5 - Available Oct' 1 0 £630 Leica V-Lux 2 - Available Oct 10 £675 Opticron Scopes & Digiscoping HR66 GA ED, 1 8-54x SDLv2 zoom & case £899 ES80 GA ED, 20-60x HDF Zoom & case £669 GS52 GA ED with 1 2-36x HDF Zoom £379 Opticron SDLv2 zoom eye-piece £259 Opticron UDCA Adapter £96 Opticron SLR Telephoto Adapter £ 1 49 Opticron Panasonic Lumix FS10 Camera Kit £265 Binoculars Opticron Aurora BGA 8x42 & 1 0x42 £685 Opticron DBA Oasis 8x42 & 10x42 £549 Opticron Imagic BGA SE 8x42 £369 Opticron Verano BGA 8x42 £295 Opticron Countryman BGA T PC 8x42 £249 Opticron Taiga 8x25 & 10x25 £89 Opticron Gallery Scope 8x20 (dose focus) £70 View our new blog ... www.swopticsphoto.com for the latest news and reviews Over 800 Products Available Online www.swoptics.co.uk Gift Vouchers Available E&EO All prices are subject to change. a Please check website for current prices JSA.Z SCI juth West Optics la River Street Truro Cornwall UK TR1 2SJ 01872 263444 sales@swoptics.com OPTICS "Puffins can sometimes be incredibly confiding, coming to within metres of you if you sit quietly near their nesting colony. They an stunning birds, but to truly appreciate their colour and form, goo binoculars are a must". SIMON KING, Wildlife Film-Maker. 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. Dlease telephone: 01 707 871 350 or visit www.zeiss.co.uk. We make it vis ZEISS £ i THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM British Birds - 7 DEC 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Volume 103 • Number 12 • December 2010 700 Editorial Roger Riddington 702 The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Andrew Stanbury, Mary Davies, Phil Grice, Richard Gregory and Simon Wotton 7 1 2 Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher and Robert L. Flood 72 1 Variation in the appearance of adult and juvenile Leach’s Storm-petrels on St Kilda Will Miles Regular features 7 1 8 BTO research update Tim Harrison and David Glue 720 Obituary John Warham (1919-2010) 728 Letters The status of eastern Woodchat Shrike in Italy Andrea Corso The taxonomic status of Least Tern F. M. Gauntlett 730 Notes Exceptional brood of Gadwalls John Cloyne Marsh Harrier hunting over water Jim Rushforth Unusual breeding behaviour of European Bee-eaters in Malta Michael Sammut and Natalino Fenech Eurasian Jay eating unripe barley seeds Simon Aspinall Blue Tits fighting in nestbox Barry Willcock Blackbirds and snails Graham Martin and Simon Aspinall White Wagtail brandishing stick in winter territorial dispute Ann Marie Ackermann and Ted T. Cable 735 Reviews Atlas of Rare Birds The Jewel Hunter Birds of the Middle East Silent Summer: the state of wildlife in Britain and Ireland A Birdwatching Guide to South- East Brazil Facing Extinction Effects of Climate Change on Birds Finding Birds in Southern Cyprus 742 News and comment Adrian Pitches 746 Recent reports Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey FI FSC Mixed Sources tow TmTSmamuXtiumt cm n coc-ooitd *— |*uj** ^ f | ^ British Birds aims to: ♦> provide an up-to-date magazine for everyone interested in the birds of the Western Palearctic; * publish a range of material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy as well as the latest ornithological news and book reviews; maintain its position as the journal of record; and interpret scientific research on birds in an easily accessible way. © British Birds 2010 Editorial Sitting at my desk in early November, trying to summon the inspiration for a way into this editorial, I was putting off the inevitable by listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 being broadcast from China. The speed at which development continues throughout that vast country is almost unimaginable; the description of tower blocks being thrown up everywhere, clustered together ‘like too many pencils crammed into a jam jar’, stuck in my mind. It took me back ten years, when 1 was just coming to the end of my last visit to China, and I wondered how easy it would be nowa- days to cycle round the backstreets of Beidaihe and find all the eastern buntings British birders dream about in bird-filled weedy fields. On the flight back from Beijing after that trip, my thoughts kept jumping between Yellow-browed Emberiza chrysophrys and Pallas’s Reed Buntings E. pallasi , and the prospects of an interview for the BB editor’s job, just a week or two down the line. Ten years ago, BB was in a precarious posi- tion. Partly to put into context our present optimism but also as a way of marking the tenth anniversary of the present regime, and drawing a line under the climb out of one of the deepest troughs that have pockmarked BB's hundred-odd years, it seems worthwhile to reflect on the events of summer 2000. Peter Oliver takes up the story: ‘Amanda and the late Christopher Helm, then the owners of BB, came to the conclu- sion that the journal was no longer viable - costs were far in excess of revenues - and that, reluctantly, they would have to close down the business. For a number of people, that was a decision that had, if at all possible, to be reversed. A group of five, marshalled by Richard Chandler, reviewed the situation and we concluded that it should be possible to reduce costs to a level that the business could sustain. If that were supported by a recapital- isation, there would be a fair chance that BB could be saved. A number of individuals were approached for financial support and more than 20 very generous supporters, including the RSPB and the Helms, came forward with 700 loans, even though the understanding was that it would probably not be possible to repay the money. An over-riding principle of the rescue was that the ownership of BB should protect it from the potentially changing priorities of individual or corporate ownership. A deal was therefore reached with the Helms whereby the journal was taken over in June 2000 by a company (BB 2000 Ltd) which itself would be wholly owned by a charitable trust - ‘The BB Charitable Trust’. Neither the directors of the company nor, of course, the trustees would draw any remu- neration and in the event of any available surpluses, these would be channelled through the Trust for the benefit of ornithology. ‘Thus were the present arrangements established and, crucially, a new editor was appointed shortly thereafter. The business model, supported by a steadily refreshed edi- torial approach and a very efficient back office, has been sufficiently successful that the original supporters’ loans have been repaid in full. In addition, some donors most gener- ously waived their loans. Furthermore, it has recently been possible for some modest sums to be passed through the charity to support ornithological causes. When the rescue arrangements were established in 2000, the trustees and the directors were one and the same. Since then, there has been a deliberate policy of recruiting new directors to provide specific skills, enabling all but one of the trustees to relinquish his directorship. Never- theless, as the principal asset of the Trust, trustees take an active interest in the develop- ment of BB 2000 and all have the right to attend board meetings should they so wish. BB is now in a stable and reasonably sound financial situation, the editorial policy con- tinues to evolve and it looks forward to the future with considerably more certainty than it did a decade ago.’ Looking back now, it is clear that I took on the job with unrealistic expectations of how long it would take to turn the ship around. BB is by no means a publishing supertanker, but the implementation of sus- tainable changes with modest resources, in an © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 700-701 Editorial era where print media is struggling to adapt to an electronic age, has still taken time. That said, it is immensely satisfying that BB is now secure once again and the prospects for the future are excellent. It’s especially pleasing that, even in these challenging economic times, our circulation has grown consistently over the past year or more, and the team is working hard to make sure we maintain that growth. One tool that will increasingly help us in a world where, like it or not, the future is elec- tronic is our website. The first phase of a wholesale redevelopment of the BB website has just been completed, and you can see the results at www.britishbirds.co.uk. Fundamen- tally, the first phase has put in place the foun- dations for subsequent stages, where we shall look to provide the option of an electronic subscription, and all the advantages that can bring, such as links to our archive and to other sources on the web, making for a much more interactive product. The flexibility for readers to make as much or as little use of this as they want is important, however, and the commitment to those who simply want a magazine in their hand every month remains paramount. Increasingly there will be extra material on the new site that doesn’t find its way into the print journal for whatever reason (pre- dominantly space). News stories, for example, will appear on the website as they break; not all of them will make it into Adrian’s selection for the printed News & comment section, which will remain just a sample of the highlights of the mass of bird- related news items available. For papers where there are many more photos available than we can print (and that’s increasingly the case), the option to print an extra selection, with informative captions, on the website is an extremely useful outlet in some cases. It’s a point that many contributors made in our recent reader survey, and we think it’s some- thing that a majority of readers will use. Allied to the new BB site, plans for a revamped BBRC website, a long-overdue project, will come to fruition sometime in 2011. This will ultimately provide a much more rewarding experience for rarity- minded birders, making it their first port of call when asking questions about the status of rarities on the BBRC list, whether in terms of details of previous records and the pattern of occurrence of a particular species, the status of current submissions or the ID cri- teria used by BBRC to assess claims. Finally, in the run-up to Christmas, it would be remiss of me not to exhort readers to minimise the hassle of Christmas shop- ping (something that resonates with me almost as much as the thought of finding a rare bunting) by drawing attention to the gift subscription form on the back of the carrier sheet that came with this issue. Not only is BB a splendid present for birding friends/family, but the excellent Advanced Bird ID Guide by Nils van Duivendijk (pub- lished in association with BB and reviewed by BBRC’s Martin Garner in the November issue) is available free with a new UK sub- scription taken out before Christmas - and you can opt to either keep hold of the guide for yourself or pass it on to the recipient of the new subscription. Next year promises to be another good one for BB , with a pleasingly diverse mix of content already in press, including papers on seabirds, Sociable Lapwings Vanellus gre- garius, blouse Sparrows Passer domesticus and the identification of Siberian Stonechats Saxicola torquatus maurus. Raptor and migration enthusiasts in particular will enjoy the January issue, which contains an article outlining the scale of autumn migration on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, and a fasci- nating paper describing the results from satellite tracking of a German Hobby Falco subbuteo followed over two complete migra- tion cycles between Germany and southern Africa. The prospect of a great deal of com- pletely new information about bird migra- tion, as the progress of miniaturisation of satellite-tracking equipment continues, will surely be one of the most exciting aspects of birding in the coming decade. Read all about it in BB. Roger Riddingtoti British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 700-701 701 The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Andrew Stanbury, Mary Davies, Phil Grice, Richard Gregory and Simon Wotton Abstract A survey of breeding Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus in the United Kingdom in 2009 recorded an estimated 862 territories (95% confidence limits 785-975), in 136 occupied tetrads. These were confined largely to south Devon, but a small population now exists in Cornwall as a result of an ongoing reintroduction project. From the lows of the 1980s, the UK Cirl Bunting population continues to recover, in terms of both abundance and distribution. Between 2003 and 2009, the population estimate increased by 24% and the number of occupied tetrads by 15%. However, there is little evidence to suggest that the species is naturally recolonising areas beyond its core range in south Devon. Further work will evaluate recent trends in relation to agri-environment scheme delivery. The Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus is a scarce and localised breeding bird in the UK whose population has seen changing fortunes over the last two centuries. The bird is resident in the UK, but the popu- lation is at the northern edge of the species’ global range, which is largely confined to southern Europe. The Cirl Bunting was not discovered in the UK until 1800, when Colonel Montagu recorded birds at Kings- bridge in Devon (Holloway 1996). Following this, the species appears to have gone through a period of expansion. A population zenith occurred between the late 1800s and the 1930s, when the bird was found in 39 coun- ties as far north as north Wales. This expan- sion was probably fuelled by both a continental influx and successful breeding in Britain (Evans 1997). Having once been widespread in southern England and Wales, Cirl Buntings then suf- fered a steady decline, a trend that became more pronounced during the 1970s (Sitters 1982). National surveys of the species con- ducted in 1982 and 1989 gave population estimates of just 167 and 118 territories 702 respectively (Sitters 1985; Evans 1992). By 1989, Cirl Buntings were confined largely to south Devon. This collapse in population was probably due to the decline in traditional mixed-farming practices leading, in partic- ular, to the loss of invertebrate-rich grass- lands and weed-rich overwinter stubbles, which are known to be key foraging habitats for the species (Evans & Smith 1994; Evans et al. 1997). In 1995, the Cirl Bunting was included in the list of priority species in the UK Biodiver- sity Action Plan (BAP), and the RSPB and English Nature (now Natural England) launched a species recovery project. Since then, there have been encouraging signs of recovery. A national survey in 1998 estimated 453 (95% confidence limits 415-504) terri- tories, although the birds remained confined to south Devon (Wotton et al. 2000). Another national survey, in 2003, estimated the population at 697 (95% confidence limits"* 645-770) territories (Wotton et al. 2004). This was a significant landmark because it meant that the UK BAP target for 2003 (550 territories - UK Biodiversity Group 1999) © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 702-71 I The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 had been exceeded by nearly 150 territories. Most of the increase occurred within the core breeding areas, with the population showing only very limited signs of range expansion. Conservation action for the species has focused on delivering its year-round habitat requirements through bespoke prescriptions within agri-environment schemes. Indeed, the recovery of the Cirl Bunting has rightly been celebrated as a success story for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS), with the species showing significantly higher increases on CSS land (146%) compared with non-CSS land (58%) between 1992 and 2003 (Wotton & Peach 2008). However, CSS was superseded by Environmental Steward- ship (ES) in 2005 and concerns have been raised over whether the new scheme will be as effective as its predecessor at conserving Cirl Buntings. The Cirl Bunting has been used as a flag- ship species to promote environmentally sen- sitive farming practices within south Devon, with the aim of conserving a range of wildlife. Recent research has shown that agri- environment scheme prescriptions targeted at Cirl Buntings also provide benefits for plants and animals more generally (Michael Macdonald in prep.). Despite the recent population recovery, the Cirl Bunting remains on the Red list of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK (Eaton et al. 2009). One of the UK BAP targets seeks to ensure a wider geographical spread of the species by re-establishing popu- lations outside their south Devon range. In 2003, a partnership project involving the RSPB, Natural England, the National Trust and Paignton Zoo (with veterinary support from the Zoological Society of London) was launched to re-establish a population in southwest Cornwall. Since 2006, young Cirl Bunting chicks have been collected under licence from core areas in south Devon and hand-reared by trained aviculturists, with the aim of releasing a minimum of 60 birds each year at the release site. The final year of these releases is planned for 2011 (Cath Jeffs pers. comm.). Monitoring at the release site will continue, to establish whether the population becomes self-sustaining. The objectives of the 2009 survey were as follows: 1. to obtain a revised estimate of the abun- dance and distribution of the Cirl Bunting by means of a full population census; and 2. to investigate the effectiveness of agri- environment schemes (both CSS and ES) 388. Male Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus, Devon, July 2008. British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 702-7 1 I 703 Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Stanbury et al. in conserving the Cirl Bunting (and other high-priority farmland birds) in south Devon. This paper reports on the results of the UK population census. Further papers will assess the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes in delivering the recovery of priority farmland birds in south Devon. Methods Survey area The survey area was defined on a tetrad (2 km x 2 km square) basis. All tetrads occupied by Cirl Buntings during the previous national survey, in 2003, together with any additional squares in which the species had been recorded subsequently, provided a ‘core area’ of 145 tetrads in south and east Devon. All core squares were surveyed. In addition, a ‘buffer’ area, defined as the 149 tetrads adja- cent to those in the ‘core’, was surveyed to assess potential range expansion (fig. 1). The re-established population in Cornwall was covered in the same manner, with four ‘core’ tetrads and 12 ‘buffer’ tetrads surveyed. Since 2003, there have been a number of sightings reported from elsewhere in southern England. The same core/buffer- tetrad selection process was used and an additional 36 tetrads were surveyed in south- east Cornwall, north Devon, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and the Mendips (Somerset). Addi- tional outlying areas in the Channel Islands were not covered, as the species no longer breeds there (Michael Dryden pers. comm.). Field methods The survey followed the same methods used for censusing Cirl Buntings since 1989. Each tetrad was visited twice during the breeding season. The first visit was carried out between the beginning of April and the middle of June, and the second between the middle of June and the end of August, with a minimum of two weeks between each visit. Surveys were conducted almost entirely during the morning. Tetrads were covered by walking all public rights of way (including all roads and footpaths), and areas of public open access. Singing Cirl Buntings are audible for up to 500 m (Gilbert et al. 1998), which means that the majority of tetrads could be covered using this method. Access to private land was organised in some cases, but this was very rarely necessary. RSPB staff conducted the majority of the fieldwork, but volunteers surveyed 42 tetrads. As in the 2003 survey (Wotton et al. 2004), the following priority farmland bird species were also recorded: Grey Partridge Fig. I. The core survey area in 2009, with ‘core’ tetrads shown in blue and ‘buffer’ tetrads in red. The inset map shows the full extent of survey coverage in southern England. 704 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 702-7 1 I The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 389. A typical mixed-farming landscape in south Devon, with spring-sown barley, low-intensity grasslands and scrub, which provides year-round habitat for Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus (July 2007). Perdix perdix, Common Kestrel Falco tinnun- culus, Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus , Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur , Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia , Linnet Carduelis cannabina, Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella and Reed Bunting E. schoeniclus. These data are presented in a separate paper (Stanbury et al. 2010). Data analysis and population estimation The tetrads surveyed in the core and buffer areas were assumed to cover the entire breeding range of the Cirl Bunting. Field observations were analysed to produce a maximum and minimum number of territo- ries within each tetrad, based on the interpre- tation of breeding activity described in Gibbons et al. (1993). The minimum number comprised ‘confirmed’ and ‘probable’ territo- ries, while the maximum figure included ‘possible’ breeding birds that showed no signs of breeding activity. Adjacent Cirl Bunting territories were classed as different when they were more than 200 m apart on different visits. Evans ( 1992) found that conducting four visits during the breeding season located almost all (99%) of the territories present. However, it is possible to estimate the number of territories that may have been missed in tetrads surveyed only twice by using a correction factor derived from a sample of tetrads visited four times. In the 2003 survey, a stratified random sample of 25 core tetrads and 16 buffer tetrads was visited four times, 24 of which were occupied (Wotton et al. 2004). From this sample, the proportion of territories found after the first two visits was calcu- lated and used as a correction factor. In 2009, owing to the limited resources avail- able and the increased survey area to cover, each tetrad was visited only twice, so the correction factor derived from the 2003 survey was applied to all tetrads in the 2009 survey. The new population estimates are thus derived from a census corrected in this fashion. The confidence limits1 presented here incorporate the uncertainty in applying that correction. 'Confidence limits were obtained by bootstrapping (Greenwood 1991) from the 24 four-visit tetrads in 2003 to obtain 999 population estimates. These values were sorted and the 25th and 975th estimates taken as the lower and upper confidence limits respectively. It was also possible to produce 95% confidence limits of the percentage change in the population between 2003 and 2009, by deriving 999 percentage change estimates from the bootstrapped 2003 and 2009 population estimates. To increase comparability between the 2003 and 2009 surveys, the 2003 bird data from the 24 occupied tetrads visited on four occasions were reanalysed using just the first- and third-visit records. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 702-71 1 705 Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Stanbury et al. Results During the 2009 survey, 687 Cirl Bunting ter- ritories (including 37 possible breeding terri- tories) were identified. Almost all of these (676) were located in south Devon, with con- centrations around the Kingsbridge, Dart and Teign estuaries. Single territories were found in both east Devon and southeast Cornwall, while the other nine were located around the reintroduction site in Cornwall. Of the 330 tetrads surveyed, 136 were occu- pied, all but three of those in Devon (the remainder in Cornwall). Cirl Buntings remain concentrated in south Devon, with 57% of territories being found within 1 km of either the coast or estuaries. No birds were located elsewhere in the country, despite searches of areas outside the core range where there have been recent reports. Sixty-seven additional Cirl Bunting terri- tories were identified within the survey area from other sources, such as the reintroduc- tion project, Devon Bird Watching & Preser- vation Society and local birdwatchers. Again, these were located either within their core range (64) or at the Cornish reintroduction site (three). The additional territories were not included in any population estimate as the methods were not comparable with pre- vious Cirl Bunting surveys. Coverage of five core tetrads was missed in 2009, but tetrad totals were extrapolated from the overall change between 2003 and 2009, and these were included in the population estimates. National population estimates The population estimate for the UK in 2009 is between a minimum of 849 (758-982, 95% cl) and a maximum of 862 (785-975, 95% cl) territories. As Cirl Buntings are a difficult species to find, particularly where they occur at low densities, the maximum number of Cirl Bunting territories (i.e. including ‘pos- sible’ breeders) was considered to represent a more accurate assessment of true population size within a tetrad (Wotton et al. 2004). Trends in population, distribution and tetrad occupancy since 1989 are summarised in tables 1 & 2, and figs. 2 & 3. The results of the 2009 survey indicate that there has been a 23.7% increase in popu- lation size since the previous survey in 2003. Despite being considerably less than the 54% increase seen between 1998 and 2003, the increase in occupied tetrads remained consistent (15%). The 95% confidence limits of the 24% increase between 2003 and 2009 were 21.4% to 26.6%, showing that this increase is significant. Table I. The maximum number of Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus territories found during full national surveys since 1989. Data from Evans (1992, 1 994), Wotton et al. (2000, 2004) and this survey. Year Tetrads surveyed Tetrads occupied Pop'1 estimate ( max) % change between surveys 1989* 104 52 118 (108-131) — 1993 127 95 352** + 198% 1998 263 103 453 (415-504) +29% 2003 281 118 697 (645-770) +54% 2009 330 136 862 (785-975) +24% * Includes two territories in Cornwall and two in Somerset. ** High survey effort in 1993 led to the assumption that all birds were detected (Evans 1994). Table 2. Tetrad occupancy by Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus since 1989. Data from Evans (1992. 1 994), Wotton et al. (2000, 2004) and this survey. Survey year Tetrads surveyed Occupied tetrads % change in occupied tetrads No. of tetrads with ten No. of tetrads colonised No. of tetrads abandoned between or more since last since last surveys territories survey survey 1989 104 52 - 0 - - 1 993 127 95 +90% 5 51 8 1 998 263 103 +8% 7 32 24 2003 281 1 18 + 15% 23 36 21 2009 330 136 + 1 5% 21 29 11 706 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 702-71 I The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Fig. 2. Trends in Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus population estimates (red circles, with 95% confidence limits) and tetrad occupancy (blue squares) since 1989. Data from Evans (1992, 1994), Wooton (2002),Wotton et al. (2000, 2004) and this survey. Fewer new tetrads were colonised in 2009 compared with 2003, but occupied-tetrad retention was much higher during this survey. Interest- ingly, the number of tetrads holding more than ten terri- tories showed a slight decrease, from 23 to 21 (table 2). Changes in Cirl Bunting distribution across south Devon Although the population in the ‘core’ range has shown a 22% increase over the last six years, this trend is not consistent across south Devon (fig. 4). Of the tetrads occupied in either 2003 or 2009, 54% have seen increases, while declines were detected in 36%, some of which were within areas that hold high densities (the remainder were unchanged). Discussion The 2009 survey has shown that the Cirl Bunting population in the UK has increased by 24% since 2003, to an estimated 862 (785-975) territories. Much of this increase has occurred within the bird’s core range, in south Devon. Particularly encouraging are the increases around the upper Kingsbridge Estuary, west of Salcombe, inland from Dawlish and the isolated population in the upper Teign Valley. Also of note is a pair that successfully bred on the east side of the River Exe in east Devon, the first for over 20 years (although a male was seen in east Devon during the 2003 survey), and a pair just across the Devon border at Rame Head, in Cornwall. 390. Low-intensity coastal grassland with hedgerows and scrub is ideal breeding habitat for Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus in south Devon; Labrador Bay, June 2008. British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 702-7 1 I 707 Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Stanbury et al. Fig. 3. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus distribution by tetrad in (a) 1989, (b) 1993, (c) 1998, (d) 2003 and (e) 2009.The four sizes of filled circle show 1-3, 4-8, 9-14 and 15-26 territories; note that for 2009, the occupied tetrads at the reintroduction site in Cornwall are not shown. Data from Evans ( 1 992), Evans ( 1 994),Wotton et al. (2000), Wotton et al. (2004) and this survey. It is also encouraging to note that the per- centage increase in number of occupied tetrads was very similar to that seen in the previous survey, indicating that, despite the smaller population increase, the expansion into new areas has continued at a similar rate. Away from their core range, a small pop- ulation of 12 territorial males and 13 nesting females now exists at the reintroduction site in Cornwall. These birds fledged at least 42 young in 2009 (Stuart Croft pers. comm.). No birds were found elsewhere in the country despite coverage of the areas where there have been recent reports. Results from the previous national survey, in 2003, found that the Cirl Bunting had increased across the majority of its range (Wotton et al. 2004). However, data from 2009 have shown that although there has been an overall increase in abundance, the picture is not uniform across the species’ range. Declines have been recorded in a number of core areas, such as around the middle reaches of the Salcombe estuary, the north side of the lower Teign estuary, Abbotskerswell, and the mouth of the River Dart. Some of these were highlighted as areas that showed the main increase between 1998 and 2003 (Wotton et al. 2004). There are also declines on the coast between the Rivers Yealm and Avon, just east of Plymouth. If the latter trend continues, it will result in the population along this coast becoming iso- lated from the main breeding concentration. Some of the main increases detected during this survey have been in tetrads that held relatively low numbers in 2003, an encouraging sign of expansion. Some of the tetrads that contained large populations in 2003 have shown little change in numbers or even declines. This could be due to a number of factors, such as a decline in habitat quality or extent or simply the fact that the 2003 population was near the carrying capacity of an area. The UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan for the Cirl Bunting (www.ukbap-reporting.org.uk) had a target of 1,050 pairs within 140 occu- * pied tetrads by 2010. This was based upon a net increase of 50 pairs per year and a range expansion of 16 tetrads every live years. If on schedule, the 2009 population should be at 1,000 pairs within 137 tetrads. Data from this 708 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 - 702-7 1 I The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Fig. 4. Changes in Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus distribution across south Devon between (a) 1998 and 2003 and (b) 2003 and 2009. Blue circles show increases of 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12 territories per tetrad and red circles show declines of 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9 territories per tetrad. Unchanged tetrads are shown as black diamonds. Data from Wotton et al. (2000),Wotton et at. (2004) and this survey. survey show that although the range is close to the target, the current population size falls short by around 140 pairs. A number of factors could be inhibiting the continued recovery of the species. There is evidence that cool wet summers can have a negative effect on Cirl Bunting productivity (Cath Jeffs pers. comm.), so the recent poor summers may have been a contributing factor. Grasshoppers and crickets (Orthop- tera) are an important food source for Cirl Buntings during the chick-rearing period (Evans et al. 1997), and their abundance is often linked to climatic conditions (Ragge 1965). Land management issues, such as the lack of spring-sown barley, may have con- tributed to some of the local declines. The national loss of set-aside in 2007 might have also played a part, as set-aside stubbles were known to be a key winter foraging habitat (Buckingham et al. 1999), especially where none were being provided in agri-environ- ment agreements. Past research has demon- strated that by working with farmers and using the agri-environment schemes, the species recovery project has been effective in delivering optimal Cirl Bunting habitat and facilitating the recovery of the species (Wotton & Peach 2008). However, the CSS 391. Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus nest in dense cover, such as thick thorn hedgerows and scrub; Cornwall, June 2008. British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 702-7 1 I 709 Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Stanbury et al. was superseded by ES in 2005. Further analysis will assess whether the new scheme is effective for this species and may highlight some of the reasons behind local trends. Conclusions The 2009 survey showed that Cirl Buntings continue to increase in both abundance and distribution in the UK. However, the limited range expansion during the period of popu- lation recovery over the last 20 years (fig. 3) suggests that it is unlikely that Cirl Buntings will expand greatly outside south Devon in the near future. Where declines have been observed (fig. 4b), further investigations are required to understand and act upon the reasons behind them. Targeted conservation action needs to be directed at Cirl Buntings on the edge of their range, to consolidate and enhance range expansion. Since the last survey in 2003, the reintroduction project has established a small population in Corn- wall, although further releases are required to ensure that this population becomes self- sustaining. Acknowledgments The project was funded by Action for Birds in England (AfBiE), a conservation partnership between Natural England and the RSPB.The authors would like to thank all the volunteers who took part and those landowners who gave access permission. Thanks also go to Jen Dunsten Cath Jeffs, Helene Jessop, Michael MacDonald and Kevin Rylands for their help, support and comments. Thanks must also go to Mike Langman and the Devon Bird Watching & Preservation Society for sharing their records. References Buckingham, D. Evans, A. D., Morris, A. j., Orsman, C.J., & Yaxley R. 1999. Use of set-aside land in winter by declining farmland bird species in the UK. Bird Study 46: 157-169. Eaton, M. A., Brown, A. F., Noble, D. G., Musgrove, A. J., Hearn, R. D„ Aebischer; N.J., Gibbons, D.W., Evans, A., & Gregory, R. D. 2009. Birds of Conservation Concern 3: the population status of birds in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Brit. Birds 1 02: 296-34 1 . Evans, A. D. 1 992. The number and distribution of Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus breeding in Britain in 1 989. Bird Study 39: 17-22. — 1 994. Cirl Bunting Population Monitoring - results of the 1 994 breeding season. RSPB, Sandy. — 1 997. Cirl Buntings in Britain. Brit Birds 90: 267-282. — & Smith, K.W. 1994. Habitat selection of Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus wintering in Britain. Bird Study 41: 8 1-87. — , — , Buckingham, D. L, & Evans, J. 1997. Seasonal variation in breeding performance and nestling diet of Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus in England. Bird Study 44: 66-79. Gibbons, D. W„ Reid, J. B„ & Chapman, R, A. 1 993. The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1 988- 1991 . Poyser London. 392. Male Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus feeding in winter stubble at Labrador Bay RSPB reserve, Devon, March 2009. 710 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 - 702-7 1 I The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Gilbert, G„ Gibbons, D.W., & Evans, J. 1 998. Bird Monitoring Methods: a manual of techniques for key UK species. RSPB, Sandy. Greenwood, J.J. D. 1991. Estimating the total number and its confidence limits. Appendix to: Shrubb, M„ & Lack, R C. The numbers and distribution of Lapwings Vanellus vanellus nesting in England and Wales in 1 987. Bird Study 38: 20-37. Holloway, S. 1 996. The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1875-1900. Poyser London. Ragge, D. R. 1965. Grasshoppers, Crickets & Cockroaches of the British Isles. Frederick Warne, London. Sitters, H. 1 982. The decline of the Cirl Bunting in Britain, 1 968-80. Brit. Birds 75: 105-108. — 1 985. Cirl Buntings in Britain in 1 982. Bird Study 31: I - 1 0. Stanbury, A., Davies, M., & Wotton, S. 20l0.Trends in some farmland birds in South Devon, 2003-2009. Devon Birds 63 (2): 17-22. UK Biodiversity Group. 1 999. Tranche 2 Action Plans Volume I - Vertebrates and Vascular Plants. English Nature, Peterborough, Wotton, S. R. 2002. A sample survey of the Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus population in Devon in 2002. Unpubl. RSPB report, Sandy. — & Peach, W. 2008. Population Changes and Summer Habitat Associations of Breeding Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus and other Farmland Birds in Relation to Measures Provided through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in Devon, England. RSPB Research Report 30, Sandy — , Langston, R. H. W„ Gibbons, D. W„ & Pierce, A. J. 2000. The status of the Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus in the UK and the Channel Islands in 1998. 393. Weedy barley stubbles offer a good source of winter forage for Cirl Buntings Emberiza cirlus; Labrador Bay RSPB reserve, Devon, March 2009. Bird Study 47: 138-146. — , Rylands, K., Grice, R, Smallshire, D„ & Gregory R. 2004.The status of the Cirl Bunting in Britain and the Channel Islands in 2003. Brit. Birds 97: 376-384. Andrew Stanbury, Richard Gregory and Simon Wotton, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SGI 9 2DL; e-mail simon.wotton@rspb.org.uk Mary Davies, RSPB, South West England Regional Office, Keble House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX 1 1NT Phil Grice, Natural England, Northminster House, Peterborough PEI 1 UA 71 1 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 702-7 1 Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Ren Hathway Scopolis Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher and Robert L. Flood Abstract A Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea of the nominate race diomedea, often referred to as ‘Scopolis Shearwater’, was seen and photographed from a boat approximately 10 km south of the Isles of Scilly on 2nd August 2004. This sighting constitutes the first accepted record of Scopolis Shearwater for Britain. Although there had been several previous claims of this distinctive race, they lacked sufficient supporting documentation and proved to be inconclusive. The sighting described here was brief and light conditions poor but a set of photographs proved the bird’s identity. Elimination of the much commoner Cory’s Shearwater C. d. borealis is discussed. The status of Scopolis Shearwater off Scilly is considered. On the evening of 2nd August 2004, along with two other birders, John Higginson and Bryan Thomas, we were on board MV Sapphire, approximately 10 km south of the Isles of Scilly. At about 20.00 hrs, a large shearwater appeared from the west, directly in line with the setting sun. It was initially called as a Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis and then as a Cory’s Shear- water Calonectris diomedea. We turned around to see it approach the starboard side when, at about 30 m range, it banked to our left and headed off past the bow. As it banked, we scrutinised the underwing pattern, looking for the only diagnostic feature that separates the nominate race C. d. diomedea (‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’) from the regularly occurring Cory’s C. d. borealis (Gutierrez 1998). EAF momentarily thought he saw the Scopoli’s pattern. Although we were concentrating on the underwing, we did register a relatively slim bill, head, body and wings; it is not surprising that the bird in sil- houette was first called as a Great Shearwater. It then banked through 180° and flew back alongside the boat at a distance of about 40 m, moving directly in line with the sun again, before banking left once more. We continued to study the underwing, but were severely hindered by the harsh light condi- tions. As far as we could see, the pattern seemed to ‘ghost’ that of Cory’s and this swayed our thinking away from Scopoli’s at the time. The bird then headed off to the southwest and was not seen again. Without a photogra- pher on board, the bird’s departure would have been the end of the story. However, BT managed to' take a series of seven digital photographs; the first to last separated by just 80 seconds, spanning 712 © British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 • 71 2-7 1 7 Bryan Thomas Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain 394 & 395. ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’ Calonectris d. diomedea, 10 km south of Scilly, August 2004. the entire duration of the sighting. After the event, BT’s skills at the computer revealed the bird’s underwing pattern, and he e-mailed one image to RLF for his comments. RLF was immediately able to confirm that the shear- water showed the unambiguous and diag- nostic underwing pattern of Scopoli’s. The identification was supported by other plumage and structural features, discussed below. Description Plumage Our bird closely resembled Cory’s Shearwater but had dark-bordered white inner webs to the primaries, forming white ‘fingers’ that extended beyond the underwing-coverts, along much of the length of the primaries, and were especially obvious on all of the longer outer primaries. Cory’s is not known to show this pattern. Howell & Patteson (2008) studied primary pattern variation on the underwing of Cory’s and Scopoli’s Shearwaters and concluded that: birds with distinct white fingers on three or more primaries, including P10 (the outermost), might be presumed to be Scopoli’s; yet those with less distinct pale fingers on two or three primaries among P8-10 could be either Cory’s or Scopoli’s; those with a short whitish finger on P9 or P10, with other primaries dark, may be pre- sumed to be Cory’s; while those with all-dark primaries are certainly Cory’s. In addition, our bird showed one dark spot at the base of the outermost primary, as do most Scopoli’s, whereas Cory’s usually shows two (Robb et al. 2008). There are also subtle plumage differences but these are subject to changes in light conditions and human interpretation. Nevertheless, our bird appeared to be paler or even greyer on the head and neck than a typical borealis Cory’s, and the head plumage faded into, rather than contrasted with, the pale sides of the neck. Structure The relatively slim bill, head, body and wings of our bird will be evident to any birder who has scrutinised the more bulky, typically fierce-looking Cory’s Shearwater, with its stout bill, thick neck and heavy body. The wings appeared relatively short and slim compared with Cory’s. Flight behaviour Scopoli’s Shearwater is, on average, smaller and lighter than Cory’s, with shorter and slimmer wings. In our opinion, this translates into differences in travelling flight between the two under the same wind conditions. We both agreed that, given the circumstances, our bird had a faster, less heavy flight than we would expect of a Cory’s. Indeed, flight jizz British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 • 71 2-7 1 7 713 Bryan Thomas Bryan Thomas Fisher & Flood has attracted our attention to three probable Scopoli's seen off Scilly (see below). Discussion As described above, the plumage and struc- ture of the August 2004 bird were outside the range of Cory’s Shearwater, with which we are extremely familiar, and leave no doubt that it was a Scopoli’s Shearwater. Moreover, the combination of petite, slim bill, head and body is suggestive of a female; male Scopoli’s are, on average, larger in these respects and can overlap with female Cory’s (Howell & Patteson 2008). In August, breeding adults are typically in heavy primary and secondary moult (e.g. www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsi027. htm). As our bird showed no primary or secondary moult, this suggests that it was not an adult, while juvenile Scopoli’s Shear- waters do not fledge until October (R. Gutierrez in litt.). In most Procellariiformes, immatures moult earlier than adults and progressively synchronise moult by the time they breed (Brooke 2004). An immature Scopoli’s (i.e. a bird hatched in the previous calendar year or earlier) will probably com- plete primary and secondary moult before August. All things considered, the Scilly Scopoli’s seems most likely to have been an immature female. Previous observations During c. 450 short-range pelagic trips off Scilly, made between June and September, 2000-09, we observed what we considered to have been two certain Scopoli’s (one accepted by BBRC, the other submitted and under consideration) and three probable Scopoli’s (see below). Although the sample size is small, these may indicate the most likely period for vagrancy by Scopoli’s off south- west England. To date, there has been no sug- gestion of a Scopoli’s moving among a strong passage of Cory’s. The vast majority of the nearly 300 Calonectris shearwaters sighted from our pelagic trips were undoubtedly Cory’s. Thus, our experience suggests that Scopoli’s is both rare and irregular off Scilly. Date Comment 2nd August 2004 Accepted by BBRC 4th August 2004 Probable (two) 4th July 2009 Submitted to BBRC 27th July 2009 Probable The accepted/submitted sightings were made at point-blank range making it possible to record the diagnostic underwing pattern. The three probable records, at moderate range, showed extensive white on the outer primaries of the underwing but the details of the actual pattern remained uncertain. 714 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 • 71 2-7 1 7 Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain However, all three were convincing, appearing small, slender, greyish on the upper surface, and had the flight jizz of Scopoli s. In addition, a tew less convincing sightings not mentioned above could have been of Scopoli’s, or Cory’s near the extremes ot the ranges of plumage, size and/or struc- ture. Distribution Outside the breeding season, both taxa range widely in the Atlantic as far south as South Africa and South America, mainly between November and February, though the distri- bution of each is uncertain owing to identifi- cation problems at sea. The entire breeding range of Scopoli’s Shearwater lies within the Mediterranean basin apart from a small outpost on the Atlantic coast of France (Mays et al. 2006). The breeding range of Cory’s Shearwater covers the Northeast Atlantic islands with a small colony reported in the Mediterranean (Gomez-Dias et al 2006). Cory’s Shearwater, with 96,500-136,500 breeding pairs, is more numerous than Scopoli’s, which has a population of 63,000-70,000 breeding pairs (Thibault et al. 1997). Scopoli’s thus represents c. 30-40% of the combined population. Yet, off North Car- olina, USA, in May and June it is estimated that no more than 5-10% of Calonectris shearwaters appear to be Scopoli’s, though in August 10-20% may be Scopoli’s (Howell in prep.). Off Scilly from June to September the percentage of Scopoli’s is very small, much smaller than that recorded off the eastern seaboard of the USA. Conclusions drawn in the recent literature regarding at-sea distri- bution may need to be reconsidered (i.e. Gutierrez 1998, Camphuysen & van der Meer 2001). Acknowledgments Our thanks go to Ricard Gutierrez and Steve Howell for their useful contributions. References Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels across the World. OUR Oxford. Camphuysen, C. J„ & van der Meer J. 200 1 , Pelagic distribution, moult and (sub-)specific status of Cory’s Shearwaters Calonectris [d.] diomedea / borealis wintering off southern Africa. Marine Ornithology 29: 89-96. Gomez-Dfaz, E„ Gonzalez-Sori's, J„ Peinado, M. A., & Page, R. D. M. 2006. Phylogeny of the Calonectris sheawaters using molecular and morphometric data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 4 1 : 322-332. Gonzalez-Soli's, J„ Croxall, J. R, Oro, D„ & Ruiz, X. 2007. Trans-equatorial migration and mixing in the wintering areas of a pelagic seabird. Front. Ecol. Environ. 5: 297-30 1 . Gutierrez, R. 1 998. Flight identification of Cory's and Scopoli's Shearwaters. Dutch Birding 20: 2 1 6-225. Howell, S. N. G. In prep. Photographic Guide to North American Albatrosses and Petrels (provisional title). Princeton University Press. — & Patteson, B. 2008. Variation in Cory’s and Scopoli’s Shearwaters. Alula 14: 12-16. Mays, G., Durand, J-M., & Gomez, G. 2006. Premiere nidification du Puffin cendre [Calonectris diomedea ] sur la faqade atlantique franqaise. Ornithos 1 3: 316-31 9. Navarro, J., Forero, M. G., Gonzalez-Sons, j., Igual, J. M., Becares, J., & Hobson, K. A. 2009. Foraging segregation between two closely related shearwaters breeding in sympatry. Biol. Lett. 5: 545-548. Robb. M., Mullarney, K., &The Sound Approach. 2008. Petrels Night and Day. The Sound Approach, Poole. Thibault, J. C., Bretagnolle.V., & Rabouam, C, 1997, Cory’s Shearwater ( Calonectris diomedea ). BWP Update 1:75-98. E. Ashley Fisher, Trehill, Silvester’s Lane, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NA Robert L. Flood, 14 Ennor Close, Old Town, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0NL; e-mail tubenose@tiscali.co.uk Editorial comment Adam Rowlands, Chairman of BBRC, commented: ‘This record completed full circulation around BBRC in February 2006 (although the images of the bird were awarded the Carl Zeiss Award before the assessment process had been completed - reinforcing the value of this documentary evidence - see Brit. Birds 98: 600-603). There had been two previous claims of this form from land-based seawatchers, on the Yorkshire coast in July and August 2002, which had encouraged the Committee to determine the acceptance criteria for field observations. This research (developed from extensive field experience of both forms within their respective breeding ranges, and reference to museum material at the BMNH, Tring) indicated that relatively close-range views in optimum conditions would be required to confirm the salient features of Scopoli’s Shearwater in British waters and the circumstances of the Scilly claim reinforced that opinion. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 712-717 715 Fisher & Flood 'BBRC research recommended that the key features for acceptance were (in order of impor- tance): • Underwing pattern Crucial to determining the identification of Scopoli’s. The coloration of the under-surface of the outer primaries must be observed, assessed and described carefully, and preferably photographed. In optimal views the white tongues on the longest primaries of Scopoli’s (outer 3-5 and potentially more on some individuals) appear as pale “fingers”, giving the impression of a more extensive area of white on the underwing than the solidly dark area of Cory’s. Caution is required when light conditions cause the dark areas to appear paler grey on Cory’s, and prolonged observation may be required in such circumstances. • Structure Scopoli’s tends to have a slimmer body and wing shape, although it was felt that these differences could be difficult to appreciate on a lone individual and at distances exceeding 400 m. According to figures presented in BWP Update Vol. 1(2) (1997), Cory’s is typically 46% heavier than Scopoli’s, which would explain some of the difference in perceived body bulk between the two forms, but, equally, the heaviest (presumably male) Scopoli’s overlap in weight with the lightest female Cory’s, which suggests that there could be an overlap in the structural differences between the two forms. The situation is further compli- cated by geographical variation, with populations of Scopoli’s in the eastern Mediterranean tending to be smaller than western and central Mediterranean populations, and variation in size among Cory’s from different island groups. • Bill shape The slimmest-billed Scopoli’s can be quite striking compared with the typically heavier-billed Cory’s, although it was considered that this feature should be used with caution owing to individual variation and is difficult to determine at viewing ranges greater than 200 m. • Head and breast pattern Though hard to observe and very dependent upon light conditions, Cory’s can appear darker-headed or with a dark area around the eye, so that the head con- trasts with the paler upperparts. It would appear that this is not typically the case on Scopoli’s, where the head frequently looks the same colour as the rest of the upperparts. It was also sug- gested that Scopoli’s tend to show less solidly dark markings on the breast sides than Cory’s. Both of these distinguishing features were considered to be supportive rather than diagnostic. • Upperwing pattern A suggestion that Scopoli’s tends to show a more conspicuous dark diag- onal line across the upperwing-coverts compared with the more uniform upperwing of Cory’s was not reinforced by the BBRC research. However, in flat light or overcast conditions this feature may be more prominent in Scopoli’s and may support the identification. • Flight behaviour Field observations of the two forms for the initial BBRC research did not support the proposed differences in flight behaviour between the two. However, further obser- vations suggest that, although the feeding flight may be similar, the direct flight of Scopoli’s may be more “flappy”, with typically 5-7 flaps between glides compared with about three flaps for Cory’s. As with many seabirds, the flight action is dependent upon the wind conditions, but no consistent differences in similar wind conditions were identified. We note the com- ments regarding flight action by the observers of the Scilly bird with interest and it clearly remains to be determined whether this will prove to be a useful distinguishing character. ‘Our analysis determined that the Yorkshire claims did not meet the criteria for acceptance {Brit. Birds 96: 606), but made the assessment of the Scilly claim relatively straightforward. It was accepted unanimously on the first circulation. As described by the observers, the Scilly individual was relatively striking and the structural features relatively clear-cut, which may indicate that it was indeed a smaller female. A full comment on this record accompanied its publication in the 2008 BBRC Annual Report {Brit. Birds 102: 539-540), where further references may be found. The 2009 Scilly record referred to above is currently in circulation with BBRC. ‘Observers of future potential Scopoli’s are reminded of the pitfalls highlighted by Howell & " Patteson (2008), who pointed to significant overlap in key features as a consequence of individual variation within the two forms, concluding that a proportion of individuals will be unidentifiable “at sea”. They established that some Cory’s have white tongues in the 7th— 9t h outermost primaries, demonstrating that even the most significant feature separating the two forms needs 716 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 • 71 2-7 1 7 Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain to be used with caution.’ Martin Collinson, Chairman of BOURC, commented: ‘The criteria that must be fulfilled in older to secure the identification of Scopoli’s Shearwater C. d. diomedea has been carefully researched by BBRC and others, as described above. Many nominate individuals will not be iden- tifiable under field conditions, and it is difficult to imagine circumstances that would have allowed the acceptance of a first record without supporting photographs. On the basis of the extensive white or greyish-white ‘tongues’ on the outer 4-5 primaries, producing an impression of a dark trailing edge on the outer wing, together with the small-billed, slim-bodied appearance of this individual, the identification appeared sound. The range of individual variation in the mostly North Atlantic C. d. borealis has, perhaps, not yet been fully documented. Some borealis also show more white or grey on the primary bases than others (for example, a short pale tongue’ on P9) but there is nothing to suggest that any ever approach the entirely typical diomedea- like appearance of the Scilly bird in this regard. ‘Given that the submitted images were backlit (which can make the primaries of Cory’s Shear- water appear translucent) and had been enhanced, BOURC had to consider whether the photo- graphs were misleading. However, six of the seven images showed the underwing, from a variety of angles and with different relationships to the incident light, and it was clear that the observed primary pattern was no mirage. The bird was obviously wild, and BOURC was happy to add this taxon to the British List. ‘Genetic data suggest that borealis may be more closely related to the morphologically distinct Cape Verde Shearwater C. d. edwardsii than to nominate diomedea (Gomez-DIaz et al. 2006). It is arguable that the complex should be split into three species, and there will be continued interest in further records of this “insurance tick”. It is, however, too early to speculate on the status of Scopoli’s Shearwaters in British waters, or on potential patterns of occurrence. As stated above, they are not necessarily going to be found among large movements of Cory’s Shearwaters. The available evidence suggests that nominate diomedea and borealis show some degree of separation in foraging ranges and dispersal strategy. In particular, where the two taxa breed sympatrically in the Chafarinas archipelago (southwest Mediterranean), preliminary satellite-tracking data have suggested that borealis pass through the Strait of Gibraltar and forage along the Atlantic coasts of Portugal and Spain, in contrast to nominate diomedea, which forage only around the breeding colonies (Navarro et al. 2009). Satellite tracking outside the breeding season localised borealis, but not diomedea, off South America, and found a tendency for diomedea to disperse to western Africa (Gonzalez-Solls et al. 2007). In contrast, both taxa winter off South Africa, associated with the Benguela and Angulhas Currents. It is possible, therefore, that diomedea and borealis migrate substantially independently. A small colony of Scopoli's Shearwaters has been identified on the Atlantic coast of France (Mays et al. 2006), and if these are the primary potential source of British records, then the statistics suggest that the taxon may remain extremely rare in comparison with borealis .’ British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 712-717 717 David Tipling BTO'V research update Food provision and changing garden bird communities Care for wild birds in gardens has changed enormously in recent decades, particularly with respect to food supplementation. Garden feeding was once an activity based on the provision of kitchen scraps, but millions of pounds are now spent annually on food and associated feeding equipment in the UK. Around half of UK householders now feed birds in their gardens (Davies et al. 2009; Fuller et al. in press), with some 50,000- 60,000 tonnes of bird food provided per annum (Glue 2006; BTO data). Bird foods have also diversified, with specialised seeds and live foods now presented alongside an array of other products. The impact of such changes has been charted through the BTO’s Garden Bird Feeding Survey (GBFS), which has just cele- brated its ruby anniversary. The GBFS is restricted to around 250 gardens each year and is a winter-only survey. Participants record weekly peak counts (the maximum number of a particular species seen at any one time) of birds using food or water that has been provided for them. GBFS data have revealed that the use of garden feeding stations is influenced by factors operating at larger spatial scales, many of which are linked to the availability of natural food supplies. For example, Chamberlain et al. (2007) demonstrated that when beechmast is scarce in the wider countryside several species use food in gardens in greater numbers, including Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major, Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius, Great Tit Parus major , Coal Tit Periparus ater and Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea. The GBFS has also shown that, in several species - including Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, Song Thrush Turdus philomelos, Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Flouse Sparrow Passer domesticus and Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs - numbers in gardens correlate strongly with those in populations at large (Chamberlain et al. 2005), so the GBFS can be a useful indicator of broader population trends. During the course of the GBFS, the diver- sity of birds visiting gardens has risen from an average of 17 (suburban) and 21 (rural) species in the 1970s, to 23 and 25 species respectively since 2000. The GBFS has recorded an incredible 176 species over the past 40 years, with the latest addition, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, recorded taking food supple- ments in Buckinghamshire last winter. Perched high Several species have experi- enced considerable success in modern gardens, none more so than the Goldfinch Cardu- elis carduelis. In the 1970s and 1980s, its average weekly peak count per garden was 0.05 individuals but by the 1990s this had risen to 0.5 and then 397. Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis squabbling over nyjer seed in a Norfolk garden; this species has increased markedly in gardens in Britain in the past decade. 718 © British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 • 71 8-720 BTO research update to 1.1 individuals in the last decade. Goldfinches appear to have bene- fited from the diversification of food supplements in gardens, especially the provision of oil-rich seeds such as nyjer and sunflower hearts. Wood Pigeons have also become increasingly common, with an average weekly peak count per garden of 0.2 individuals in the 1970s and 1980s, rising to 0.5 in the 1990s and to 1.2 individuals in the last decade. Greater production of oilseed rape has been associated with increased overwinter survival rates of this species and feeding in gardens is likely to have contributed to this trend. Over the past 40 years, other species that have undergone notable increases include Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Nuthatch. On the slippery garden path There have also been many well- publicised declines, such as that of the House Sparrow. Loss of nesting and foraging habitat, heightened competition for food from other species, increased predation pressure from domestic cats Felis catus , and disease have all been implicated. GBFS counts show the decline clearly, an average weekly peak count per garden of 16.3 individuals in the 1970s was down to 6.1 in the last decade. GBFS counts of the Starling and Song Thrush have also fallen markedly over the same period. There are also emerging concerns. In 2010, the disease Understanding the graphs • ‘Mean PCI’ is the Mean Peak Count Index (i.e. the average weekly peak count per garden) • The black line represents all sites combined • The green line represents rural gardens • The red line represents suburban gardens British Birds 1 03 • December 20 1 0 • 7 1 8-720 719 BTO research update trichomonosis received much publicity for its negative impact on Greenfinch Carduelis chloris populations (Robinson et al. 2010; see also Brit. Birds 103: 547). GBFS counts bear out this downturn with the average weekly peak count per garden more than halving in the past six winters. The future Forty years of the GBFS have revealed many important trends in gardens and as our world becomes increasingly urbanised, the value of the survey will continue to grow. These important results have come to light only through the dedicated observations of UK householders. The BTO is indebted to their support and would like to encourage others to make their garden observations count by contacting BTO Garden BirdWatch, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU; tel. 01842 750050; e-mail gbw@bto.org References Chamberlain, D. E., Gosler A. G., & Glue, D. E. 2007. Effects of the winter beechmast crop on bird occurrence in British gardens. Bird Study 54: 120-126. — .Vickery, J. A., Glue, D. E., Robinson, R. A., Conway, G. J.,Woodburn, R.J.W., & Cannon, A. R. 2005. Annual and seasonal trends in the use of garden feeders by birds in winter Ibis 147: 563-575. Davies, Z. G„ Fuller; R. A., Loram, A„ Irvine, K. N., Sims, V„ & Gaston, K. J. 2009. A national scale inventory of resource provision for biodiversity within domestic gardens. Biological Conservation 1 42: 76 1 -77 1 . Fuller R. A., Irvine, K. N., Davies, Z. G„ Armsworth, R R., & Gaston, K.J. In press. Interactions between people and birds in urban landscapes. Studies in Avian Biology. Glue, D, 2006. Variety at winter bird tables. Bird Populations 7: 2 1 2-2 1 5. Robinson, R. A., Lawson, B.,Toms, M. R, Peck, K. M„ Kirkwood, J. K„ Chantrey, J., Clatworthy, I. R„ Evans, A. D„ Hughes, L. A., Hutchinson, O. C., John, S. K., Pennycott.T W., Perkins, M. W., Rowley, R S., Simpson, V. R„ Tyler K. M„ & Cunningham, A. A. 2010. Emerging infectious disease leads to rapid population declines of common British birds. PLoS ONE 5: e 1 22 1 5. doi: 1 0. 1 37 1 /journal. pone.00 12215. Tim Harrison, Garden BirdWatch Development Officer, and David Glue, Research Ecologist Obituary John Warham (191 9-20 1 0) John Warham provides an example of what can be done in ornithology. A small, enter- prising, intelligent person, an acute and knowledgeable observer, and pleasant to deal with, he was born in {Halifax, Yorkshire, and was educated in Retford, Nottinghamshire. It was here that he studied the birds of a patch in Sherwood Forest, eventually publishing a splendid account of them illustrated with flash photography, Bird-watcher’s Delight (Country Life, 1951). His early adult life was interrupted by the Second World War, when he joined the British Army, being demobilised as a Captain in 1946. He then pursued bird photography, spending 12 years travelling around Australia with his wife Pat, visiting offshore islands while she went nursing, writing papers, popular articles, and books about wildlife photography and cinematography (both 1966). When I called on him at his subsequent exhibition in London, the other visitor was a respectful young David Attenborough. Having done virtually all he could in bird W l ( ) ) photography, he resumed his education at Durham University, ascending the academic steps to DSc in 1985. Meanwhile, he had taken up a teaching post at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, in 1966, and resumed his visits to subantarctic islands, studying first the crested penguins and then the petrels, and writing copiously about them. He collaborated with Dom and Vin Serventy in a classic Handbook of Australian Sea-birds (Sydney, 1971), and eventually con- centrated on the petrels, doing original research around the world on such subjects a§ their stomach oil and voices, and eventu- ally writing two large books on The Petrels: their ecology and breeding systems (1990) and The Petrels: their physiology, behaviour and conservation (1996), saying nearly all that could then be said about them. A remarkable record and achievement. W.R.P. Bourne 720 © British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 720 Short paper Variation in the appearance of adult and juvenile Leach’s Storm-petrels on St Kilda Geographical variation in the plumage of Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leu- corhoa has been well documented, both between distant populations across the species’ Pacific and Atlantic range and in relation to dark-rumped storm-petrels (e.g. Ainley 1980, Bourne & Jehl 1982, Ainley 1983, Power & Ainley 1986, Vaughan 1990, Bretagnolle et al. 1991, Cubbitt et al. 1992, Morrison 1998, Brooke 2004, Howell & Pat- teson 2008, Flood 2009). However, plumage variation within the populations at British and Irish breeding sites is not well described. This short paper summarises observations of the variation in the appearance of adult and juvenile Leach’s Storm-petrels on St Kilda, in the Outer Hebrides, and considers potential similarities to other storm-petrel species. St Kilda is the stronghold for breeding Leach’s Storm-petrels in Britain & Ireland, holding an estimated 45,400 occupied nesting sites, c. 94% of the population (Mitchell et al. 2004; Forrester et al. 2007). During fieldwork there between May and October in both 2007 and 2008, consider- able variation was observed among adults and juveniles examined in the hand - when mist-netted for ringing, when handled at burrows (both under licence), or when recently fledged juveniles were found disorientated on land. Individuals were also observed in field conditions in natural light at sea and around mist-nets (at dawn). In addition, field observations during the hours of darkness were carried out using a Leica BIM 35 night scope, which enabled good views of plumage pattern and variation of many individuals, both at sea (in a variety of weather condi- tions) and at breeding colonies. Adults During the two field seasons, 570 adult birds (i.e. those in non-juvenile plumage) were examined in the hand (as described above), while an estimated 4,000+ field sightings of adults were made. These observations included both breeding and non-breeding birds. Typical plumage Basic plumage features of the majority of adults closely matched standard field-guide illustrations of the species. However, throughout the observation period (May to October), the dark plumage tones of almost every adult were predominantly brown, although newly moulted feathers were greyish-black and glossy. Many birds exam- ined in the hand showed at least some new feathers (see below) but, with one exception (fig. 1), these were relatively few and restricted to the head, body and tail. The pale carpal bar of all adults was tinged brown, even when recently moulted (fig. 1), and was often poorly defined within the other brown Fig. I. Adult Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, July 2007. A freshly moulted individual with entirely new plumage. © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 721 Short paper Fig. 2. Inner wings of Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, September 2008. Adult (a) and newly fledged juvenile (b), showing typical colours and differences in the definition of the pale carpal bar. Note also the unusually abraded juvenile greater coverts (see text p. 726). tones of the wing. This was particularly striking when compared with the distinctive pale grey carpal bar of juveniles (fig. 2). In general, brown feather tones were linked with older plumage, presumably as a result of bleaching and wear, and emphasised the increasingly worn plumage state of adults from May onwards. Plumage variation Rump patch The majority of adults showed a ‘textbook’ rump (fig. 3c): large, white, V-shaped, extending slightly onto the rump sides, and with a dark central dividing line, narrow dark shaft-streaking to the white feathers and occasional, indistinct dark spots at the upper and lower ends of the rump. In about 10% of birds the rump patch appeared more square- shaped than V-shaped (e.g. fig. 3b, which also lacks a clear dark dividing line). About a third of all adults showed one or more of the following anomalies: little or no dark central divide to the rump; a square or band-shaped rump; or white extending down the rump sides (e.g. similar to that in fig. 3f). Rarely (c. 20 field sightings), individuals showed all three of these characteristics, and at such times species identification was initially uncertain (see below). A completely white rump (e.g. fig. 3a) was rare (<1% of all sight- ings), as were adults with a predominantly dark rump. Fig. 3e shows the darkest bird encountered, judged to score 8 on the Ainley scale (where 1 is entirely white and 1 I is entirely dark; Ainley 1980). The darkness of the rump in fig. 3e was partly due to some unusually dark feathers but also to extensive Wear and abrasion revealing underlying darker plumage. Birds with similar rump patterns to that in fig. 3e were also seen in the field, but none was judged to be darker than this. Wear and abrasion of the rump feathers of the bird shown in fig. 3e (photographed on 26th July 2008) could potentially have continued until the rump feathers were replaced. Since this can occur as late as Feb- ruary or March (Ginn & Melville 2000; Flood & Thomas 2007), it is quite conceivable that Leach’s with a darker rump than that shown here could occur. Primary-shaft bases The colour of the feather shaft at the base of the outer primaries was examined in the hand, specifically the area just beyond the tips of the primary coverts, which is white in Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels O. monorhis. Most Leach’s had dark or blackish-brown shafts (e.g. fig. 4a), but about a quarter of birds showed light brown to pale yellow feather shafts in this area (e.g. fig. 4b). Only one individual (in 570 examined) had clearly white bases to the outer primary shafts (fig. 4c). Pale feather shafts never extended more than 20 mm beyond the tips of the primary coverts; were never observed on more than the outermost six primaries (and extent decreased towards the inner primaries); and could not be seen on birds at sea during day or night observations (but were visible on several birds seen at very close (<10 m) range at breeding colonies). From these relatively few observations, there was no evidence to suggest that pale outer primary shafts were correlated with rump pattern. Tail shape Most adults, whether in the hand or in the field, showed the classic, deeply forked tail, but roughly 5% of all field sightings involved birds with an atypical tail shape - mostly rather short and square-shaped. Of those examined in the hand, about 15% showed an unusual tail shape - in most, the tail was 722 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 Short paper Fig. 3. Variation in rump pattern of Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa (a-e adults, f juvenile), including an example of white plumage extending down the rump sides (3f); St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, 2008. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 723 Short paper either asymmetrical or with a shallow fork (e.g. fig. 5), though none was truly square- shaped. Inevitably, such variation was more difficult to determine in the field. Normal processes of moult and regrowth of tail feathers can greatly reduce the forked appearance of the tail, and (rarely) can tem- porarily produce a square or only slightly forked shape (e.g. Flood & Thomas 2007, Robb et al. 2008). boss of feathers or plumage damage unrelated to moult was encountered on approximately 10% of birds examined in the hand, and this can also affect tail shape. Timing of moult None of the adults examined in the hand (mostly in June and July) showed any evi- dence of wing moult, approximately 10% showed signs of tail moult, and around half were moulting some head and body feathers. Nonetheless, feather colour and contrast can be subtle and difficult to assess, particularly in artificial or varying light, and it is possible that tail and body moult may have been under-recorded. Clear evidence of moult was never detected in the field. All individuals in tail moult on St Kilda were also undergoing body moult. In most cases, moulting birds were caught away from breeding colonies in response to tape-lures, and may have been non-breeders, which are thought to moult earlier than breeding birds (Baker 1993). However, extensive head and body moult has been recorded in breeding adults in July and tail moult nor- mally begins in August (Hedd & Montevecchi 2006; S. C. Votier pers. comm.); wing moult typically com- mences after they leave the breeding grounds in late September and October (Baker 1993; BWP; 2006). One individual caught in July 2007 (fig. 1) had extraordinarily fresh and glossy plumage relative to every other adult examined and had clearly completed full body, tail and wing moult very recently. Similarities with other species Variation among the Leach’s Storm- petrels observed on St Kilda incor- porated some features closely resembling those of other Ocean- odroma storm-petrels, including ‘band-rumped’ (i.e. Madeiran Storm-petrel O. castro of various subspecies) and ‘dark-t umped’ (e.g. Swinhoe’s and Matsudaira’s Storm- Petrel O. matsudaira) species. Fea- , tures of band-rumped Oceanodroma petrels included: 1) ‘band-shaped’ rump patch, with no central dark divide and with white extending down the rump sides; 2) short and Fig. 4. Variation in shaft colour of the basal part of the outer primaries of adult Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, July 2008. 724 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 Short paper Fig. 6. Tertials, rump and tail of newly fledged juvenile Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, September 2008. White outer edges to the tertials, unworn juvenile rump pattern, and contrast between the grey mantle and black tail are shown on a typical individual (6a). Less typical (6b) are heavy abrasion, matting and twisting of the tail feathers, abrasion to the tertials, and no trace of a central dark divide to the rump. Fig- 5. Fig. 5a shows an example of an aberrant asymmetrical tail, where the right side appears short and square, and the left normal. This shape was caused by the loss of the outermost feather and missing tips to the second-, third- and fourth-outermost tail feathers on the right side. Loss of feather tips may result from an exposed portion of the feather being particularly weathered or bleached and thus weakened. Fig. 5b shows an individual in tail moult, in which the basic forked shape is retained even while the outermost feathers are renewed. (almost) square-shaped tails; and 3) long wings relative to other Leach’s Storm-petrels. The last was noted only in the field, on birds with short and more square-shaped tails, and were seen on just two sepa- rate occasions. Both were observed in the field at extremely close (<3m) range through a night scope, for at least 15 minutes; and, in the face of initial excite- ment that here was a different species, both were heard to emit classic Leach’s chatter calls! Plumage features resembling dark- rumped Oceanodroma petrels included: 1) partially dark rump patches, appearing wholly dark only when seen at long range at sea; and 2) white bases to the outer primary shafts. These two features were never seen together on a single individual, and never appeared well defined or unchanging in field conditions, or ser- iously suggested a species other than Leach’s. was probably an illusion created by the proportionately short tail. Leach’s showing all three of the above features Juveniles Observations were made in September and October 2008 of six disorientated fledglings encoun- tered on land and British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 725 Short paper Fig. 7. Outer wing of Leach’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa , St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, September 2008. Typical adult (a) and typical newly fledged juvenile (b), showing differences in colour tones and in the shape of the primary tips (broader and more rounded in adults). Fig. 7c shows an example of a newly fledged juvenile found with damaged and matted remiges. 19 juveniles examined and were surprisingly different from adult plumage. Most striking were a lack of any distinct brown tones; and the strong contrast of the head, lesser/median coverts, scapulars and mantle (which were grey) with the tail (see fig. 6) and remiges (e.g. fig. 7), which were jet-black with a blue sheen. Furthermore, the carpal bar was pale grey, and well defined between the darker grey inner wing and bluish-black remiges (see fig. 2b). All juveniles also showed obvious white outer edges to the tertials (fig. 6), but these were visible only at close range in the field. The rump patches of most were large, white and V- shaped; extended slightly onto the rump sides; had only a suggestion of a central dividing line; and showed thin dark shaft-streaking and neat, narrow, black edges to the tips of all the white feathers (fig. 6a). The plumage, including wings and tail, was mostly fresh, unworn and glossy (but see below). of 13 unfledged birds sampled in burrows for parasite collection. All had probably had little or no exposure to light, weather and the sea. The six disorientated birds were seen well in field conditions at sea, through binoculars, after release during daylight. Typical plumage Several plumage features were common to all Plumage variation There was little variation in the appearance of these juveniles, and none in terms of the shaft colour of the outer primaries (entirely dark bluish-black) or tail shape (sym- metrical and deeply forked). Fea- tures resembling other storm-petrel species were not found. There was slight variation in the white rump patch, which extended down the rump sides on one bird (fig. 3f) and on five others lacked any trace of a dark central divide (see fig. 6b) Wing and tail damage Wing and tail damage was found on two disorientated juveniles and four of those within burrows. The damage included: primary tips missing (see fig. 7c); heavy abrasion to coverts (e.g. fig. 2b); and webs of remiges and tail feathers misshapen, matted and frayed (e.g. figs. 6b and 7c). Grit and mud inside burrows, infestations of feather parasites, or acidic run-off draining through 726 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 Short paper burrows may be possible causes. There was no evidence of high parasite burdens, but late summer 2008 was exceptionally wet and flooding of burrows may have been unusu- ally prevalent that season. Storm-blown juveniles with such abraded and damaged extremities seen at sea or wrecked inland in September and October could easily be mis- taken for adults with heavily worn plumage. Acknowledgments WM was funded on St Kilda by NERC and NTS through a CASE studentship to Glasgow University. Thanks to Terry Fountain (fig. I) and RoryTallack (figs. 2, 6 and 7) for their photographs; to Tony Bicknell, Terry Fountain, Elizabeth Mackley, Elizabeth Masden, Roger Riddington, Magnus Robb, Killian Mullarney and The Sound Approach, Deryk Shaw, Rory Tallack and Steve Votier for great company, advice, and help with fieldwork on Hirta and Dun; to Sarah Money (NTS), Susan Bain (NTS), and staff on the QinetiQ base for excellent guidance and logistical support on St Kilda; to Matt Parsons and Ian Mitchell (JNCC) for their general encouragement and loan of the night scope; and to Bob Furness, Richard Luxmoore and Steve Votier for critical feedback on an earlier draft. References Ainley, D. G. 1 980. Geographic variation in Leach's Storm-petrel. Auk 97; 837-853. — 1 983. Further notes on variation in Leach’s Storm- petrel. Auk 1 00: 230-233. — , Lewis, T.J., & Morrell, S. 1976. Moult in Leach's and Ashy Storm-petrels. Wilson Bull. 88: 76-95. Baker K. 1 993. Identification Guide to European Non- passerines. BTO.Thetford. Bourne, W. R. R, & Jehl.J. R. 1 982. Variation and nomenclature of Leach’s Storm-petrels. Auk 99: 793-797. Bretagnolle.V., Carruthers, M„ Cubitt, M„ Bioret, F., & Cuillandre, J-R 1991. Six captures of a dark-rumped, fork-tailed storm-petrel in the northeastern Atlantic. Ibis 133:351-356. Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels across the World. OUR Oxford. BWPi. 2006. Birds of the Western Palearctic Interactive (DVD). BirdGuides & OUR Oxford. Cubbitt, M., Carruthers. M„ & Zino, F. 1992. Unravelling the mystery of the Tyne petrels. Birding World 5: 438-442. Flood, R. L. 2009. 'All-dark' Oceanodroma storm-petrels in the Atlantic and neighbouring seas. Brit. Birds 1 02: 365-385. — & Thomas, B. 2007. Identification of 'black-and- white' storm-petrels of the North Atlantic. Brit Birds 1 00: 407-442. Forrester; R.W., Andrews, I.J., Mclnerny, C.J., Murray, R. D„ McGowan, R.Y., Zonfrillo, B., Betts, M. W„ Jardine, D.C., & Grundy, D. S. (eds.) 2007. The Birds of Scotland. SOC, Aberlady. Ginn, H. B„ & Melville, D. S. 2000. Moult in Birds. BTO, Thetford. Hedd, A., & Montevecchi, W. A. 2006. Diet and trophic position of Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa during breeding and moult, inferred from stable isotope analysis of feathers. Marine Ecology Progress Series 322: 29 1 -30 1 . Howell, S. N. G„ & Patteson, J. B. 2008. A Swinhoe's Petrel off North Carolina, USA and a review of dark storm-petrel identification. Birding World 2 1 : 255-262. Mitchell, R l„ Newton, S. F„ Rate I i fife, N„ & Dunn.T E. 2004. Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland. Poyser London. Morrison, S. 1 998. All-dark petrels in the North Atlantic. Brit Birds 9 1 : 540-560. Power D. M„ & Ainley, D. G. 1 986. Seabird geographic variation: similarity among populations of Leach's Storm-petrel. Auk 1 03: 575-585. Robb, M„ Mullarney, K., &The Sound Approach. 2008. Petrels Night and Day. The Sound Approach, Dorset. Vaughan, T 1 990. Variation in Leach's Petrel. Birding World 3: 3 1 8. Will Miles, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 721-727 727 Letters The status of eastern Woodchat Shrike in Italy The recent paper describing the identifica- tion criteria of the eastern form of Woodchat Shrike Lanins senator niloticus (Rowlands 2010) also summarised the accepted Euro- pean records of this taxon. However, some published Italian records are seemingly not widely known about and this letter seeks to address the status of niloticus in Italy. Row- lands included one old record, a bird col- lected at Messina, Sicily, on 21st April 1915 (see also Iapichino & Massa 1989, Corso 2005). Brichetti & Fracasso (in press) give additional published historical records, as follows: Castelporziano (Roma), without data (Chigi 1912); Bari, April 1875 (Salvadori 1913); and Turin, 2nd May 1885 (skin pre- served at BMNH, Tring; Boano 2007). More recent published records of niloticus in Italy are as follows: adult male, ringed and pho- tographed, at Lampedusa, Pelagie Islands (in the Sicilian Channel), 24th April 1997 (Corso 2005), and another (photographed) there on 9th April 2007 (A. Corso in Ruggieri & Sighele 2008); adult male, photographed, Linosa, Pelagie Islands, 14th April 2005 (H. Larsson in Ruggieri 2005). In recent years, several birds observed by myself and others in Sicily and in southern Puglia (southeast Italy) have shown inter- mediate characters, such as a large white wing-panel at the base of the primaries yet with limited white on the central tail feathers, and other such intermediate birds have been ringed (see Brichetti & Fracasso in press). However, the confirmed/photographed records listed above appear to refer to genuine niloticus. As Rowlands concludes, it is important to base safe identification on birds showing the full suite of key identifica- tion characters. Acknowledgments I wish to thank Pierandrea Brichetti for his help with this letter; and also my birding team MISC for the Sicilian data. References Boano, G. 2007. Gli uccelli accidental in Piemonte e Valle D'Aosta. Aggiornamento 2005. Riv. Piem. St Nat 28: 305-366. Brichetti, R, & Fracasso, G. In press. Ornitologia Italiana. Vol. 7. Alberto Perdisa. Chigi, F. 1912. Osservazioni intorno alia presenza in Italia del 'Lanius pomeranus badius' Hartl. Riv. Ital. Orn. I (I s.): 140-146. Corso, A. 2005. Avifauna di Sicilia. L’EPOS ed, Palermo. Iapichino, C., & Massa, B. 1 989. The Birds of Sicily. BOU Checklist No. I I, Tring, Rowlands, A. 20 1 0. Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike. Brit Birds 103:385-395. Ruggieri, L. (ed.) 2005. EBN Italy Yearbook 2005. EBN Italy, Verona. - & Sighele, M. (eds.) 2008. EBN Italy Yearbook 2007. EBN Italy, Verona. Salvadori.T 19 1 3. Le varie forme di Averla capirossa in Italia. Riv Ital. Orn. 2 (I s.); 153-165. Andrea Corso, Via Camastra, 10 - 96100 Siracusa, Italy; e-mail voloerrante@yahoo.it The taxonomic status of Least Tern Yates (2010) addressed the taxonomy of the Least Tern Sternula antillarum but the split from Little Tern S. albifrons has been accepted for a long time in the New World. They were considered separate species by Sibley & Monroe (1990), who cited Massey (1976) as their source, 22 years earlier than the source by the same author mentioned by Yates but omitted from his list of references. The earlier work clearly influenced the authors of regional field guides because five of the six in my possession published since 1983 have split them (National Geographic 728 Society 1983; Stiles & Skutch 1989; Raffaele et al. 1998; Ridgely & Greenfield 2001; Hilty 2003). The odd one out is Hilty & Brown (1986). The two taxa were also split by Howard & Moore (1991), del Hoyo et al. (1996), Dickinson (2003), Gill 8c Wright (2006) and BirdLife International (www.birdlife.org). Such widespread and long-standing acceptance of species status of the two taxa makes the fence-sitting posture adopted by the BOU look isolated and precarious. © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 728-730 Letters References del Hoyo, J„ Elliott, A„ & Sargatal, J. (eds.) 1 996. Handbook of the Birds of the World.Vol. 3. Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Dickinson, E. C. (ed.) 2003. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd edn. Christopher Helm, London. Gill, E, & Wright, M. 2006. Birds of the World: recommended English names. Christopher Helm, London. Hilty, L. S. 2003. Birds ofVenezuela. Christopher Helm, London. — & Brown, W. L. 1986. A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Howard, R., & Moore, A. 1 99 1 . A Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 2nd edn. Academic Press, London. Massey, B.W, 1 976. Vocal differences between American Least Tern and the European Little Tern. Auk 93: 760-773. National Geographic Society. 1 983. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC. Raffaele, H., Wiley, J„ Garrido, O., Keith, A., & Raffaele.J. 1 998. Birds of the West Indies. Christopher Helm, London. Ridgely, R. S., & Greenfield, R J. 200 1 . The Birds of Ecuador.Vol. I . Christopher Helm, London. Sibley, G. S., & Monroe, B. L. 1 990. Distribution and Taxonomy of the Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven and London. Stiles, G. F., & Skutch, A. F. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Christopher Helm, London. Yates, B. 20 1 0. Least Tern in East Sussex: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic. Brit. Birds 1 03: 339-347. F. M. Gauntlett, 55 Larkfield Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 8NQ Editorial comment The Taxonomic Sub-committee of BOURC commented as follows: ‘Contrary to the impression of fence-sitting on a decision that should be a ‘done deal’, the Taxo- nomic Sub-committee of BOURC (TSC) has been working on Least Tern for over ten years. Widespread acceptance, at least by field-guide and checklist editors, of the decision by AOU in 1983 to split Least and Little Terns was perhaps to be expected, but does not imply that these authorities all critically reviewed the evidence. From the TSC perspective, several unresolved ques- tions remained. It is only in the last five years that new research and papers, some of which were due to TSC’s proactive role, have clarified the situation, although at least one important paper is still awaited. The Little Tern group represents a wide-ranging polytypic complex and it is perhaps unwise to make new taxonomic decisions on the basis of study of birds from only a small part of the world range. One problem, which delayed the identification of the British record of Least Tern for several years, was the status of West African S. albifrons guineae - whether these birds were “Least” or “Little”, and what their calls sounded like. New recordings eventually established that they called like European Little Terns, though genetic studies have still not been performed. A mtDNA genetic study (Bridge et al. 2005) showed that American antillarum and Little Terns from Australia (S. albifrons sinensis) were genetically distinct and suggested that S. albifrons was sister to Fairy Tern S. nereis. No European individuals were included in the study, and there was no indication whether or not nominate Little Terns were likely to be genetically similar to S. a. sinensis. Some samples from Norfolk were subsequently sourced and Allan Baker, senior author on Bridge et al. (2005), has uploaded a preliminary gene tree (see http://barcoding.si.edu/presentations/ Argentina%20Presentations/Baker-Presentation.ppt). Albeit with small sample sizes, the new data show that English Little Terns are genetically similar to Australian Little Terns, and together they form a clade that is sister to Fairy Tern, to the exclusion of Least Terns. Of course, mtDNA alone does not always accurately represent the relationships between taxa, but nevertheless this repre- sents strong evidence that Least Tern should be split from the rest of the complex as a single polytypic species, S. antillarum. There is a continuing possibility that there may be other cryptic species of Little Tern that are yet to be recognised. The TSC understands that these data are being prepared for formal publication. The apparently consistent differences in call between Least Terns and Little Terns (Massey 1976, 1998) have been inferred to be important for species recog- nition, and there is no evidence that the Sussex bird successfully bred during its years at Rye Flarbour. Other tentative evidence exists from Midway Atoll, in Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Pyle et al. 2001), that the taxa may show some degree of assortative mating: in summer 1999, two Little Terns and three Least Terns arrived at Sand Island, Midway Atoll, and subsequently one pair of Little Terns and one pair of Least Terns attempted (unsuccessfully) to nest within 5 m of each other. Given that they arrived apparently unpaired, it could be argued that Little Terns chose Little Tern mates, and Least Terns chose Least Tern mates, though the numbers of birds involved British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 728-730 729 Letters are too small to make any meaningful conclusion. ‘On a world scale, Least Terns and Little Terns have large ranges and are not of sufficiently high conservation concern to make a taxonomic decision an urgent priority. While the sum of evidence points strongly towards a split of these taxa, TSC feels it is important that, if at all pos- sible, the available molecular evidence for relationships among Least Terns and various popula- tions of Little Terns is formally analysed and published in full, especially because these terns may not represent a simple two-way split. This underlies the length of time it is taking to produce a scientifically defensible recommendation.’ References Bridge, E. S., Jones, A. W„ & Baker A. J. 2005, A phylogenetic framework for the terns (Sternini) inferred from mtDNA sequences: implications for taxonomy and plumage evolution. Mol. Phylogen. Evol. 35: 459-469. Massey, B.W. 1 976. Vocal differences between American Least Terns and the European Little Tern. Auk 93: 760-773. — 1998. Species and subspecies limits in Least Terns. Condor 100: 180-182. Pyle, R, Hoffman, N., Casler B., & McKee, T. 200 1 . Little and Least Terns breeding on Midway Atoll: identification, range expansions and assortative breeding behavior North American Birds 55: 3-6. Notes Exceptional brood of Gadwalls On 4th June 2009, I observed a brood of 1 1 newly fledged Gadwalls Anas strepera being led by a female across the main lagoon at Win- chester Sewage Treatment Works, Hampshire. On 10th June, I was amazed to see what I assumed was the same female (no other broods were present and they are not easily overlooked at this site) with a brood of 1 7 young. This is one of the main sites in Hampshire for nesting Gadwalls, the first breeding record for Hampshire being here in 1983. Since then broods have been seen in most years. About 20 pairs are usually present up to mid May, but considerably fewer pairs nest successfully. Between 1983 and 2008, a total of 60 broods was recorded: usually 1-6 per year (but 1 1 in 2001), with a mean of 2.3 per year and a maximum brood size of 12. In BWP, the usual maximum brood size is given as 12, exceptionally 15; Gates (1962) reported first-clutch sizes in the USA in the range 10-12 (with fewer in subsequent clutches); and Bellrose (1980) reported broods in North America of 5-13. Malcolm Ogilvie (in litt.) has commented that both brood amalgamation and instances where two or more females lay in the same nest can occur in almost every duck species in the northern hemisphere (and that very large clutches are nearly always the result of the latter); Sayler (1992) found that 2-13% of Gadwall nests were parasitised in some way. The Winchester brood of 17 is notable, at least in a British context, where there appears to be no pub- lished evidence for either brood amalgama- tion or egg-dumping in the Gadwall. All 17 young remained alive and attended by the female until at least 13th July, when they began to merge with other Gadwalls on the lake. Summer 2009 was particularly poor for breeding Gadwalls at this site, the only other broods observed being of one young from 6th July to 12th August and two on 9th-22nd August, suggesting a high level of predation (the most likely culprits being Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes and Carrion Crows Corvus corone). Acknowledgments I should like to thankTony Fox and Malcolm Ogilvie for their comments. References Bellrose, F. C. 1 980. Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America. 3rd edn. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg. Gates, J. M. 1962. Breeding biology of the Gadwall in Northern Utah. Wilson Bull. 74 ( I ): 43-67. Sayler R. D. 1 992. Ecology and evolution of brood parasitism in waterfowl. In: Batt, B. D. J., Afton, A. D., Anderson, M. G., Ankney, C. D„ Johnson, D. H„ Kadlec, j. A., & Krapu, G. L. (eds.). Ecology and Management of Breeding Waterfowl. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. John Cloyne, 2 Fordington Road, Winchester, Hampshire S022 5AL 730 © British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 730-734 Notes Marsh Harrier hunting over water The recent note by Keith Mudd (Brit. Birds 103: 409) recalled the following. On 1st March 2006, 1 watched a female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus drifting across the flooded washes at Holkham, Norfolk. Over open water, the harrier hovered then swooped at a Common Coot Fulica atra, which immediately dived to escape. The harrier appeared to follow the coot’s progress under water and swooped again as soon as the coot attempted to surface. This was repeated four or five times until the harrier successfully picked off a somewhat exhausted coot. The harrier held the coot below the Jim Rushforth, 42 Rawnsley Drive, Kenilworth surface of the water and, after about two minutes, began to flap its wings in an attempt to lift the prey. Although the coot appeared to be too heavy to lift clear of the water, the effect of the harrier flapping its wings, together with assistance from a strong north- westerly wind, was sufficient to enable the harrier to drag the coot across the surface of the water. It hauled the coot about 3 m, rested for a minute or so, then resumed its task. Eventually, the harrier successfully dragged the coot a total of about 10-12 m to the edge of some Common Reeds Phragmites australis , where it proceeded to pluck the carcase. Warwickshire CV8 2NX Editorial comment John Webb also reported his observations of a female Marsh Harrier successfully plucking a young Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus from the water’s surface at the RSPB’s Leighton Moss reserve, Lancashire & North Merseyside, in July 2010. This involved a clean pick-up, the raptor remaining airborne throughout. Having caught the gull, the harrier flew to the far bank of the mere where, partially obscured, it appeared to feed on the young gull. After about ten minutes, it flew off with the prey remains towards a known nest-site. We shall not publish further reports of Marsh Harriers hunting over water unless they contain particularly unusual aspects of behaviour. Eds Unusual breeding behaviour of European Bee-eaters in Malta The European Bee-eater Merops apiaster is a common passage migrant in Malta and in recent years larger numbers have been recorded during autumn. A similar trend has been noted in Sicily (Corso 2005). This species was heavily persecuted in the past and large numbers were shot, a situation that is fortunately on the decline. Spring hunting has not been permitted for three years, and in autumn hunters have been shooting fewer birds, partly because of stricter enforcement but also because hunters are responding to public pressure to reduce illegal hunting. European Bee-eaters are typically noisy birds, often heard before they are seen, but breeding birds in Malta are unusually quiet. The first confirmed breeding record was in 2006, when a pair bred at Fawwara (Bal- dacchino & Azzopardi 2007). NF inspected the site and discovered that the pair had raised four young. In 2007, two pairs bred at the same place and three young fledged. In 2008 a single pair bred in the same area, raising three young in a nest-site in a semi- disused quarry. In 2009, three pairs bred, fledging at least five young from two sites. One of the pairs had a male helper, which regularly provided food. Also during 2009, another pair with three young was noted in Gozo (Fenech 2010). During our observations and monitoring of the nest-sites, we realised that the birds were unusually silent. The behaviour of the birds was quite typical when they were well away from the nest (generally they remained within 2-4 km of the nest-site), and they were heard calling regularly as they hawked for insects. But within 1 km of the nest-site, they would fall completely silent. As they approached nearer, they would typically perch in a nearby tree or low-lying bush, some 300-500 m away from the nesting hole, and remain silent, and utter a single, lower-pitched ‘kruup’, barely audible to human ears at a distance of 500 m. This may have alerted the other pair member, in British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 730-734 731 Notes the nest hole, of their arrival. The birds waited outside the nest hole for only a few minutes if no disturbance was noted, but sometimes they waited more than 30 minutes. During long waits, the single, low-pitched note would be uttered only a handful of times, with long pauses between. When the coast was clear, the returning bird would take one direct flight straight into the hole, always keeping silent during the approach. We are not aware of such behaviour being mentioned in the literature and do not remember encountering it elsewhere. During observations in nearby Sicily, the adult birds glided and called noisily directly above the breeding site, while a similar behaviour was noted in breeding sites in Tunisia. The reason why the birds breeding in Malta are so silent is indeed curious. Acknowledgments We would like to thank Joe Borg for alerting us to the first breeding pair; and to several farmers, some of whom are also hunters, who were both happy and proud to have breeding birds. We also would like to thank the following for accompanying us during the long hours of observations: Chris Cachia Zammit, Joseph Grech and Juan Ellul Pirotta, and, last but not least, the late John Azzopardi. References Baldacchino, A. E„ & Azzopardi, J. 2007. L- Ghasafar li jbejtu fl-ambjent naturali tal-Gzejjer Maltin. Malta University Publishers, Malta. Corso, A. 2005. Avifauna di Sicilia. L’EPOS, Palermo. Fenech, N. 20 1 0. A Complete Guide to the Birds of Malta. Midsea Books, Malta. Michael Sammut, 1 1 Sqaq Rigu, Birkirkara BKR 2131, Malta Natalino Fenech, 90 Greece Street, Naxxar NXR 05, Malta Eurasian Jay eating unripe barley seeds In late June 2009 and again in 2010, an adult Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius was observed repeatedly pillaging unripe (green but full-grown) barley seedheads, the seeds apparently then being eaten on each occa- sion. All observations were from the same corner of one particular field at Cley, Norfolk, with pillaging continuing over a period of several days in both years. On each occasion the Jay flew down from a conven- ient hedgerow tree, landed on the stiff stem of an Alexanders Smyrnium olusatrum growing profusely alongside the hedge, and then, in one relatively adept leap forward and downwards, beheaded a selected barley stalk in mid-air and flew the short distance back to the tree. Here it manipulated the severed seedhead, picking out the individual grains. One or two minutes later, the entire process was repeated. Up to six heads were seen being taken in a single session before the Jay moved off. Only one Jay foraged at a time, but I believe that more than one individual was involved. The young from the local nesting Jays had fledged prior to these observations, so it clearly wasn’t intended food for nestlings. Simon Aspinall, Paston, Church Lane, Cley, Norfolk NR25 7UD Editorial comment Although this seems an unusual food item for an adult Jay, the seeds are presumably high in liquid starch content and the use of cereals as a food source has been reported before (e.g. BWP). We included this account partly for the detail of the method of foraging. Blue Tits fighting in nestbox On 6th May 2010, with the aid of a camera mounted in a nestbox in my garden, I wit- nessed a savage fight between the female Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus that had built the nest and another Blue Tit. At the time of the fight, four eggs had Jieen laid, and earlier in the day 732 I had observed a Blue Tit removing one of, these from the nest; it was dropped to the floor under the lx>x. 1 switched on the camera mid afternoon to see the resident female and the intruder locked in combat in the cup of the nest. Each clasped the other’s breast with British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 730-734 Notes its claws, and was vigorously pecking at the head (particularly, it seemed, the eyes) of the other. After about four minutes, the owner ejected the intruder, and it became clear that all eggs had been removed from the nest. After a period of time in which the nest was deserted, a female Blue Tit (re)appeared with nesting materials and subsequently laid and incubated a clutch of eight eggs. I presume that the fight centred over competition for either a mate or a nest-site. Barry Willcock, 9 Stonedelph Close, Ainsworth, Bolton BL2 5SH Editorial comment Such tights are perhaps not uncommon (though the growing popu- larity of nestbox cameras has made them more accessible recently), but the egg removal in this case is interesting. Footage ot a similar encounter can be viewed on the BTO ringers’ website at http://btoringing.blogspot.com/2009/05/fighting-blue-tits.html Blackbirds and snails Jan Dawson’s observation of a Blackbird Turdus merula eating a snail by breaking its shell {Brit. Birds 103: 362) reminded me of an incident at Church Norton, Sussex, some years ago when I watched a male Blackbird pick up a large Garden Snail Helix aspersa and proceed to swallow it whole. The entire procedure took at least eight minutes with the bird opening its bill wide around the snail, jerking its head back and attempting to swallow and then dropping it before repeating this action with the snail disap- pearing further down each time. I was fasci- nated because the snail appeared as large as the bird’s head and, if nothing else, swal- lowing it looked excruciatingly painful. The bird eventually got the snail entirely into its gullet where, presumably, the shell would be crushed but, disturbed by walkers, it flew off still with a huge lump in the throat! Graham Martin, 1 Park Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire NN7 2HS Jan Dawson’s note prompts me to describe the following observations from my own garden in Norfolk. In early April 2010, the shells of a large number of predated Great Pond Snails Lymnaea stagnalis were noticed smashed on the tiled path adjacent to a small garden pond. I assumed that the likely culprit was a Song Thrush T. philomelos, a daily visitor at least to drink here, or even a mammal. This assumption was revised when I observed a male Blackbird returning repeat- edly to a floating island of rhizomes to select a snail. Having chosen its prey, the Blackbird proceeded to bash the snail (in the same manner as a ‘classic’ Song Thrush) on the nearby path until broken open and then eat the contents. This foraging behaviour con- tinued into early May, whereafter (what I presumed was) the same Blackbird foraged on invertebrates from the lawn and no further snails were removed. As far as I could determine, only one Blackbird was involved and at no time did I see it take either of the otherwise locally abundant terrestrial snail species, Helix aspersa or Cepaea nemoralis, which remained the exclusive preserve of the local Song Thrushes. Perhaps almost as sur- prising as a Blackbird eating aquatic snails is that Song Thrushes don’t do so (though of course in the hardest weather the pond is frozen and the snails unavailable). Simon Aspinall, Paston, Church Lane, Cley, Norfolk NR25 7UD White Wagtail brandishing stick in winter territorial dispute Winter territorial aggression in wagtails is well documented (Zahavi 1971; Watanabe & Maruyama 1977; Davies 1981; Olschlegel 1985; Ohsako 2001). On 10th January 2010, with Germany lying under lalanket snow cover, AMA observed a territorial skirmish between two White Wagtails Motacilla a. alba on a compost heap in the Naturpark Stromberg, c. 40 km north of Stuttgart. The warmth produced by decomposition kept British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 730-734 733 Notes 3-4 patches of about a square metre in area clear of snow, and the dispute was over one such snow-free patch. One bird had been for- aging for invertebrates and a confrontation started immediately upon the arrival of a second bird. Following an aerial (frontal) confrontation with claws, the birds dropped to the ground, one bird on its back, the other standing on its rival’s belly and continuing to fight. The subordinate eventually freed itself and flew off into an adjacent orchard. The victor immediately picked up a stick, about the length and diameter of a cigarette, and, holding it perpendicular in its bill, chased the other bird out of sight. About a minute later, both birds returned to the compost heap, this time without the stick, and fought again briefly. One flew to a compost heap about 40 m away, emitted a two-note call, and then flew away. The other emitted a one-note call (‘tzit’), followed by repeated two-note alarm calls (‘ziLITT’), and remained on the dis- puted patch. We are aware of only three other bird species that have been reported to brandish sticks in territorial disputes. Male Blackbirds Turdus merula have been described carrying sticks, leaves, apple pieces and grass roots in protracted territorial skirmishes with other males. The birds held the items perpen- dicular in the bill and chased their rivals (Howard 1952; Shanks 1953; Warren 1983). Baida (2007) described an incident in which a Steller’s Jay Cyanocitta stelleri thrust a 10- cm-long pointed stick in a weapon-like manner at an American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos during a dispute over a feeding platform. The crow then lunged at the jay, and the jay dropped the stick, which the crow picked up and held in its bill while chasing the jay. A fourth species, a captive Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, was observed beating a Western Gopher Tortoise Gopherus agassizii with a stick held in the bill until the turtle moved out of reach, but it was unclear whether this involved territoriality or predation (von Lawick-Goodall 1970). With respect to the Blackbird, Stephan (1999) interpreted the behaviour as an attempt to intimidate the opponent by extending the apparent size of the bill in a confrontation. This interpretation is plau- sible for the stick-brandishing wagtail observed here. Two factors known to increase winter territorial aggression - scarcity of food (Olschlegel 1985) and patchily (rather than uniformly) distributed food resources (Zahavi 1971) - were relevant in this case. References Baida, R. R 2007. Corvids in combat: with a weapon? Wilson J. Ornithol. I 19 (I): 100-102. Davies, N. B. 1981 .Territorial behaviour of Pied Wagtails in winter Brit Birds 75: 26 1 -267. Howard, L. 1 952. Birds as Individuals. Collins, London. Ohsako.Y 200 1 . Spacing patterns and winter dominance relationships among three species of wagtails (Motacilla spp.) in Japan. Jpn J. Ornith. 50: 1-15. Olschlegel, H. 1985. Die Bachstelze. Die Neue Brehm- Bucherei/A. Ziemsen Verlag, Wittenberg Lutherstadt. Shanks, R. 1953. Blackbird Behaviour Notornis 5 (6): 202-203. Stephan, B. 1 999. Die Amsel. Die Neue Brehm- BuchereiAA/estarp Wissenschaften, Hohenwarsleben. von Lawick-Goodall, J. 1 970. Tool-using in primates and other vertebrates. Adv. Stud. Behav. 3: 1 95-249. Warren, R. 1 983. Blackbirds holding leaves during territorial disputes. Brit Birds 76: 536-537. Watanabe, M„ & Maruyama, N. 1 977. Wintering ecology of White Wagtail Motacilla alba lugens in the middle stream ofTama River M/sc. Rep. Yam. Inst Orn. 9: 20-43. Zahavi, A. 1971 .The social behaviour of the White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba wintering in Israel. Ibis I 13:203-21 I. Arm Marie Ackermann, Karlstr. 34/1, 74357 Bonnigheim, Germany Prof. Ted T. Cable, Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources, Kansas State University, 2021 Throckmorton Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; e-mail tcable@ksu.edu 734 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 730-734 Reviews Atlas of Rare Birds By Dominic Couzens New Holland, 2010 Hbk, 240pp, many colour photographs, maps ISBN 978-1-84773-535-5 Subbuteo code M20607 £24.99 BB Bookshop price £22.49 The title of this very enjoyable book is somewhat misleading. This is not a gazetteer of rare-bird sites but rather a collection of 50 extraordinary stories of birds on the verge of extinction - and some that have apparently already gone over the brink. There are (excellent) maps and they vividly illustrate the tiny ranges of so many threatened species, many of them single-island endemics. But this book is pri- marily a collection of intriguing tales accompanied by some superb photographs, many of which are the only ones of the species ever taken. Dominic Couzens has divided his 50 species accounts into ten chapters. All of the five species per chapter share a common theme. For example, those that are Back From The Brink (e.g. California Condor Gymnogyps californianus and Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon), those that face Threats In Many Guises (e.g. Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena and Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi ), or, sadly, those that may be Lost Causes (e.g. Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi and Spoon -billed Sand- piper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus). There are also Discoveries (e.g. Udzungwa Forest Partridge Xenoperdix udzungwensis and Araripe Manakin Antilophia bokermanni). Rediscoveries (e.g. New Zealand Storm-petrel Oceanites maorianus and Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata ) and Contro- versies (e.g. Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis and White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala). And then there are Unexpected Calamities (e.g. White- rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Sooty Falcon Falco concolor). Many of these stories will be familiar to BB readers, but many will not. What is familiar is the depressing litany of human activities that have driven all these birds towards extinction: hunting, habitat destruction, introduction of alien preda- tors, pollution. Each of the species accounts is engagingly written and all are commendably up to date (the book was written in association with Bird Life International). And even the most well-informed readers are likely to learn something new about the species under review. Did you know, for example, how close the Laysan Duck Anas laysanensis came to oblivion? In 1930 this Hawaiian endemic was reduced to a handful of males and one female. She did nest that year but her clutch was eaten by a migrant Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahi- tiensis ! Happily, she laid another clutch and the Laysan Duck lived to fight another day. Today the duck has been introduced to Midway Island from Laysan and the population is increasing. Mean- while, the Bristle-thighed Curlew is declining. . . Much closer to home there are species deep in trouble, including Sooty Falcon, Bald Ibis Geron- ticus eremita , Houbara Bustard Cldamydotis undu- lata and Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola. The Sooty Falcon is an intriguing species. It summers in the deserts of Northeast Africa and the Middle East before breeding in autumn to coincide with the southbound migration of its passerine prey. Then, like the ecologically similar Eleonora’s Falcon F. eleonorae, it migrates to win- tering grounds in Madagascar. Sooty Falcon was not regarded as a threatened species until recent survey work in Saudi Arabia suggested a popula- tion there as low as 500 pairs. A dwindling win- tering population in Madagascar of just a few thousand was what first rang alarm bells. But why the species has declined is a mystery. And then there are the enigmas, the species that may have gone before we even realised they were in trouble. The Night Parrot Pezoporus occidentalis of the Australian desert, the White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae only ever seen at one lake in Thailand, the Pink-headed Duck Rlwdonessa caryophyllacea of Northeast India... the list goes on. Dominic Couzens places these tantalising species in The Pending Tray. More poignantly, perhaps they should be categorised as Gone But Not Forgotten. Read this book to remind yourself of what we’ve lost - and what we can still save from oblivion. Adrian Pitches SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 735 Reviews The Jewel Hunter By Chris Gooddie WILDGuides, 2010 Pbk, 320pp, many colour photographs ISBN 978-1-903657-16-4 Subbuteo code M20756 £17.99 BB Bookshop price £16.00 An intrepid British birder, he gave up his job and set off on a global quest to see more species than anyone else had ever managed in a calendar year. Sounds familiar? Well, yes and no. This was not The Biggest Twitch (Brit. Birds 103: 681-682). In fact, Chris Gooddie only wanted to see 32 species, so arguably this was The Smallest Twitch. But those 32 species are some of the most elusive, and most beautiful, birds in the world: the pittas (Pittidae). Only two other birders have seen all the world’s pittas, and neither of them had done so in a single year, but that’s what Chris set out to do. In February 2009, in Thailand, the pit- taquest was launched... Pittas are thrush-sized passerines that bounce around in the darkest recesses of the dwindling forests of Asia, Africa and Australasia. They are real gems: strikingly coloured and hard to obtain. Hence their alternative name of ‘jewel-thrushes’. The Jewel Hunter is the account of Chris Gooddie’s search for these gems, and it’s a gripping yarn. In his quest he stepped well off the beaten track. Indeed, to borrow Chris’s writing style, he stepped right off the track, slid down the slope into the gully below, then crawled on his belly across the leech- infested forest floor to grab the beauties by the scruff of their beautifully patterned napes. That was meant to be a fanciful analogy but essentially it’s an accurate representation of what Chris did on every single mission. Very few pittas give themselves up easily and going ‘off trail’ is often the only way to see them. The same recesses favoured by pittas are also home to some of the planet’s most venomous snakes... as Chris’s frame- filling photo of Wagler’s Pit Viper Tropidolaemus wagleri in Sulawesi confirms! Many birders have sought pittas in Thailand or Malaysia but very few will have visited New Britain, the Solomons and the islands of the Sula Sea. Apart from the two African species (legendary skulkers) and the two Australian species (legend- ary show-offs), pittas are concentrated in Asia. Borneo, Vietnam, the Philippines and scattered Indonesian islands are the key destinations for the dedicated pitta hunter. What is the appeal of pittas? Chris describes them as ‘so maddening and yet so alluring’. This is his attempt to describe his pitta obsession after he ‘connected’ with an Eared Pitta Pitta phayrei in Thailand: ‘They provide the ultimate hunt; they are variously wily, elusive, cryptic, sneaky, crepuscular, shy and unpredictable. Their habits are mercurial, mysterious and contrary.’ A bit of a challenge, then. In that context, the target of ‘only’ 32 species looks a lot more daunting. And Chris was not restricting his search to the 32. Aware that Banded Pitta P. guajana is arguably better regarded as three species, Chris made sure of his ‘insurance’ ticks as he trav- elled across Malaysia and Indonesia. Various Red- bellied P. erythrogaster and Hooded Pitta P. sordida subspecies were also notched up en route to ensure that the retrospective year list would reflect the vagaries of taxonomic fashion in years to come. So, did Chris achieve his goal? I won’t spoil the story’s ending: it’s a rollercoaster ride - and a great read. And there are pictures to go with the words: Chris managed to take some very good photos of these fiendishly unco-operative birds. The Green- breasted Pitta P. reichenowi in Uganda is a stunner. The tale is told with humour but with thoughtful interludes. On landing the Ugandan pitta, Chris reflected: ‘Perhaps this is how a hunter feels as he stares down at the limp body of his prey, stilled at his feet. There can only be one first time — and there would never be another first time for Green- breasted Pitta.’ Thought-provoking for all listers. And there was one intriguing sub-plot to the Year of the Pitta. Would Chris’s long-suffering girl- friend still be there when he finally returned home? Well, a romantic trip to Sri Lanka (Indian Pitta P. brachyura coupled with a marriage pro- posal) secured their relationship and now he’s back home saving up for his next venture. Here’s a thought: there are 50+ species of Antpitta (Gral- lariidae) in South America... and they’re really hard to see! Buy this book and savour how a truly committed birder can live the dream, 'l’o learn much more about pittas, visit Chris Gooddie’s website www.pittasworld.com. Adrian Pitches SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 736 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 Reviews Birds of the Middle East (second edition) By Richard Porter and Simon Aspinall Christopher Helm, 2010 Pbk, 384pp, many colour illustrations and distribution maps ISBN 978-0-7136-7602-0 Subbuteo code M01283 £29.99 BB Bookshop price £26.99 This edition, now appearing in the Helm Field Guides series, has benefited from a major revision of both plates and text, partly because of the great increase of information in the 14 years since it first appeared and partly to accommodate a new layout. The whole text and the maps are now opposite the plates, in which many of the figures from the first edition have been rearranged, while many others have been repainted. About 100 additional species (or potential species) are described and the number of plates has gone up from 112 to 176 (though the average number of species per plate is down to about five). Three of the original four illustrators, John Gale, Mike Langman and Brian Small, have pro- vided excellent new work, especially on waders, gulls, larks and warblers. Rearranging the figures to allow for the text opposite has led to a few rather empty-looking plates, because the originals were drawn at a size to allow for more figures per plate, and have not been enlarged. Moreover, the reduced number of species per plate and reposi- tioning has not always improved quick compar- ison: Eurasian Black Vulture Aegypius monachus (here named Cinereous Vulture) might have been better shown on the same page as Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus instead of being with two eagles. On the other hand, the Crested Honey- buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus now appears next to Honey-buzzard P. apivorus, and the Socotra Buzzard Buteo socotraensis makes its first field- guide appearance and illustration. New technology, new taxonomy and greater field experience all conspire to render field guides out of date even before they are published, and the authors acknowledge the contentious and con- fusing nature of taxonomic changes. Here, the family sequence is updated in line with the OSME checklist (which follows Dickinson et al. 2003, The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World), beginning with partridges and pheasants. However, here we have a guide to an area at the very hub of three major zoogeograph- ical regions and it is tiresome, to say the least, that the African Bird Club checklist, the Oriental equiv- alent and the Collins Bird Guide each follow other, and different, authorities for this purpose. For this reviewer, the prime function of a field guide is quick access to information, which means knowing where to look without using an index. How much better it would be if all checklists and field guides were to follow the widely accepted lists of Dickinson and the IOC (the latter is updated online every few months) and the IOC list of rec- ommended English names. Within families and genera, the latest taxo- nomic treatment is followed. Contentious or potential splits are accorded a trinomial scientific name, with the specific name of the parent taxon given in brackets, while a binomial is used for ‘good’ species. The text draws effectively on the latest research into groups such as the large white- headed gulls, which now get a greatly expanded treatment, with eight taxa fully described and illustrated, compared with only three previously. There is also an extremely useful table of compara- tive features and primary moult periods. The accounts for families such as shrikes, tits and war- blers also reflect the taxonomic attention they have been receiving lately, with excellent new plates. Among the owls, the Arabian Scops Owl Otus [senegalensis] pamelae is treated as a potential split from African Scops Owl O. senegalensis and the Socotra Scops Owl O. [senegalensis] socotranus is given specific status. The very pale, desert race of the Little Owl Athene [noctua] lilith is also a pos- sible split. Among the crows it is suggested that the Iranian race of the Hooded Crow Corvus [cornix] capellanus and the eastern race of Carrion Crow C. [corone] orientalis may be good species. Drawing attention to these potential ‘splits’ highlights implications for their conservation. A great deal of work has gone into improving the distribution maps, which incorporate new data on both distribution and status. The penalty of the field-guide layout is that they are now half the size of the maps in the first edition (which showed only breeding distribution). The new maps show breeding areas in two ways - resident breeders in green, migrant breeders in orange - with blue- hatched areas indicating passage or winter visitors. Birds of the Middle East Richard Porter Simon Aspinall IllutlrjuJ t, Joim Celt. Mite Lewfmmm jmJ Brum Smell SOBBUTEfl NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 737 Reviews The wealth and transitional character of the avifauna of the Middle East is apparent throughout this guide. There are both African and Oriental representatives in many families, and continuing fieldwork will surely discover addi- tional species, especially perhaps in eastern Iran. In summary, this is by far the most up-to-date and authoritative account of the birds of the Middle East, and amply reflects the expertise and wide field experience of the two authors. It is a massive advance on its predecessor and handier to use - in every way, to use the new catchphrase, ‘fit for purpose’. Every birder visiting the Middle East will need a copy. Martin Woodcock Silent Summer: the state of wildlife in Britain and Ireland Edited by Norman Maclean Cambridge University Press, 2010 Hbk, 765pp, colour plates, figures, tables ISBN 978-0-521-51966-3 Subbuteo code M20670 £27.99 BB Bookshop price £25.00 I belong to that gener- ation which was heavily influenced by Rachel Carson’s land- mark book: Silent Spring. Surely even the youngest reader knows that this book, more than anything else, drew the world’s (well, the biological world’s) attention to the devastating effects that polluting chemicals were having upon our wildlife? 1 remember tutorials on this subject and the birth of a whole generation of ecologically active biologists. The book was truly a milestone in twentieth- century biology. The title of the present book sug- gests a similar contribution. Elowever, it is not as political as Rachel Carson’s. It is more a review, by a series of individually eminent scientists, of the state of our wildlife today. The scope is very wide, ranging from individual species such as the Grey Partridge Perdix perdix through groups such as dragonflies, bumblebees and amphibia to commu- nities such as the seashore and offshore waters. There are also interesting and informative chapters on introduced species, urbanisation, chemical dis- charges - apparently, over 200,000 man-made chemicals are discharged into the environment, with serious effects upon a wide range of plants and animals. Birders will be especially interested in the avian chapters. Rob Robinson from the BTO gives an excellent overview of the state of bird populations, showing how the initial fieldwork for the first Atlas and for the Common Birds Census has led to the remarkable efforts of (largely) volunteer bird- watchers and ringers to ensure that our avian pop- ulations are perhaps the best quantified in the world. The data generated from nest recorders, breeding bird surveyors, garden bird watchers and the like provide the ammunition for the conserva- tion movement to use in its efforts to conserve the populations to which Rachel Carson first drew our attention. It is, however, sobering to reflect on how much weaker are the data for most other groups of plants and animals. And, if the data are weak for groups within our islands, they are even thinner overseas. Mike Pienkowski writes an interesting account of the situation within and among the various overseas territories for which we still retain a degree of responsibility. Plants and animals on UKOTs continue to disappear - many of them endemics for which we surely have a moral, as well as legal, responsibility. Clearly, lack of resources is key, and Mike shows how this is recognised (if not acted upon) in Westminster. How many species could be saved if a fraction of the money spent on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan was directed towards them? This is a heavy book - both literally and metaphorically, and some parts I found hard work. Not because the text is tedious or turgid, but simply because of the wealth of detail concerning groups that I had not thought about much since undergraduate days: Hemiptera (bugs) and ‘river- flies’ (may, caddis and stone). Rachel Carson’s book was a landmark; this important work (at a surprisingly modest price) has provided us with more of a catalogue of man’s carelessness. Most of the species discussed are suffering at our hands. 1 was left with the chilling thought: what is hap- pening to the beasts that lack any sort of charisma - like protozoa, liverworts or slime-moulds? David T. Parkin SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 738 British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 735-74 1 Reviews A Birdwatching Guide to South-East Brazil By Juha Honkala and Seppo Niiranen Portal do Bosque, 2010 Pbk, 416 pp, many colour photos and maps ISBN: 978-952-92-7192-4 Subbuteo code M20805 £27.99 BB Bookshop price £25.00 Southeast Brazil is undoubtedly a must- visit area. Home to a fabulous avifauna, with many special endemics, the area offers spec- tacular birding in a wide range of habitats. Given that these habitats are often found amongst stun- ningly beautiful scenery, and that one can experi- ence the joys of Brazil whilst birding them, only adds to the overall appeal. All one needs, binoculars apart, are good field and site guides, and this book purports to be both. In fact, it is primarily a site guide to the states of Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, with a field guide to the Agulhas Negras area thrown in. How this arose is explained in the introduction, and whilst there is some merit in both the site guide and the field guide, the book does not truly succeed as either. The choice of sites will inevitably cause prob- lems, especially when trying to cover an area of nearly a million square kilometres. That these sites hold almost a thousand species of which nearly 15% are Brazilian endemics adds further compli- cations. Including, for example, the sites of Paraty and Salesopolis, which hold little to interest vis- iting birders, whilst neglecting the recently popular, and endemic-rich, Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu (Regua) and Pico do Caledonia is baf- fling. The site information will certainly get one there but by covering the chosen 53 sites in just 112 pages, little room is left for further informa- tion. Where might I best look for Buff-throated Purpletuft Iodopleura pipra at the Ubatuba Fazendas? Too many photos, often of no relevance, and too little text might well leave readers frus- trated by a list of wished-for targets and not enough help in locating them. In the heart of this region is the Agulhas Negras area, in the northwest corner of Rio de Janeiro state abutting Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. Most famous for the incomparable Itatiaia National Park, this rela- tively small area holds 471 species, which are covered in a 233-page photographic field guide. Whilst this is not my favourite format for a field guide, the authors have assembled a fine collection of photographs. These should, together with the brief text, enable users to identify most of the birds encountered in this small area. However, half of the birds of southeast Brazil are not covered here, so that while birding the majority of sites in this guide, another, more com- plete field guide will need to be carried. Some useful contacts and websites are listed at the end together with a checklist of the region’s birds. This nicely produced book will help those wanting to spend a few days in the Agulhas Negras/Rio de Janeiro area. Its usefulness dimin- ishes the farther from this core area one travels. Richard Schofield Facing Extinction Facing Extinction By Paul Donald, Nigel Collar, Stuart Marsden and Deborah Pain Poyser, 2010 Hbk, 312pp ISBN 978-0-7136-7021-9 Subbuteo code M20751 £45.00 BB Bookshop price £40.00 Facing Extinction is about the, for now, world’s rarest birds and the race to save them from oblivion. About ten percent of the world’s 10,000 species of bird are currently consid- ered threatened by IUCN, with nearly 200 being deemed ‘Critically Endangered’, facing the immi- nent prospect of extinction. On the bright side, birds are seemingly comparatively well off; some 80,000 species of plant, perhaps 25 percent of all known species, are now listed as threatened - although clearly you can’t have the one, birds, without the other. Succinctly written, with refreshing language and style, concepts about rarity and extinction are The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 739 Reviews presented in ready fashion (guaranteed no unintel- ligible statistics), making for an informative, if sobering, read. Included are sections on the nature of rarity; distribution and causes of rarity, including why some species in specific areas are inherently prone to be endangered; why island endemics are especially vulnerable (or in many instances already extinct); saving the worlds rarest birds and ‘the lost and the found’. The main themes of the book are examined using twenty in-depth case studies, each tackled in separate chapters. The lost and found section, by way of example, covers Gurney’s Pitta Pitta gurneyi and Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti (both extant) and Slender-billed Numenius tenuirostris and Eskimo Curlews N. borealis (both possibly gone for good). Each theme is preceded by a lengthy introductory chapter, itself a fact-filled essay well worth reading; these and the following related chapters outline a range of problems faced and potential in- and ex-situ solutions, some highly imaginative. The case studies give a back- ground history and describe any scientific research conducted to establish the cause of a species’ decline, along with the driving socio-economic and political forces as relevant. Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius is a particularly good, well- researched case in point. Some associations, of cause and negative effect, may come as a surprise. Accelerated loss of the high-altitude Polylepis woodland, home of Royal Cinclodes Cinclodes ari- comae, cut down to keep increased numbers of vis- iting ecotourists warm at night, is an undisputed own goal. There is copious use of colour photographs of subject species and their habitats, pencil sketches and maps, and easily interpreted charts and tables. Over a thousand references are cited and, increasing the book’s utility, there is a comprehensive index. Although certainly a useful synthesis and stimu- lating read, just who the book’s intended target audience might be is uncertain, especially given its price. We mostly know the threats faced and prob- ably also what needs to be done, at least in general, to save almost any species, such that while the ‘race’ may, with cautious optimism, be one we can usually win, it is likely to be never-ending. Indeed, the book concludes with a chapter assessing where rarity will occur in the future, and why. This may serve to keep conservationists gainfully employed, though, regret- tably, rarely ahead of the game. At £45 this tome is expensive, too expensive to guarantee ready sales, and even if, as stated, all roy- alties go to BirdLife International’s Preventing Extinctions Programme, it would be better to borrow a copy and make a donation directly to BirdLife instead. Students of conservation practice should certainly read this scholarly book. Simon Aspinall Effects of Climate Change on Birds worn mioui* | mou* | nnt n ' f V /*- Effects of Climate Change on Birds Edited by Anders Pape M0ller, Wolfgang Fiedler and Peter Berthold OUP, 2010. 32 1 pop, 4pp colour plates, 75 figures Hbk ISBN 978-0-19-956974-8 Subbuteo code M20842 £65.00 BB Bookshop price £58.00 Pbk ISBN 978-0-19-956975-5 Subbuteo code M20843 £34.95 BB Bookshop price £31.00 This book consists of a series of 18 papers on different aspects of the interaction between climate change and bird biology, plus introductory and concluding sections by the editors. Despite the fact that some of the first warnings about the effects of global warming on avian populations came from Britain, it is a little depressing to note that almost all of the papers are written by non-Brits. Whether this reflects conscious or unconscious prejudice by the editors, I doubt. I think that it has more to do with the parlous state of funding for ecological and evo- lutionary research on birds in our islands. On the cover, the publishers state that the book is aimed at ‘professional avian biologists and ornithologists’, commenting that it will also benefit graduate students of avian ecology, evolution and conservation. I should say at the outset that this is not an easy read. Indeed, many of the ‘birdy’ stu- dents who I have met would run a mile at the sight of the equations derived from stochastic analyses and the (sometimes) four-dimensional graphs! It is not for the faint-hearted. That said, this is an important review of the, current thinking about our bird populations and how they are being influenced by the gradual SOBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports 740 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 Reviews warming of the biosphere. An opening paper reviews the physical evidence for climate change. I found this one of the most interesting as it is objective and critical, but still concludes that our world is changing fast: sea ice is shrinking, snow cover is contracting, extremes of heat and precipi- tation are likely to increase, sea levels will rise as the water warms and expands. Worrying stuff, and not just the hysterical ranting of eco-freaks! The next six papers report on methodological procedures for studying long-term datasets: time series analysis, mark-recapture, and the like. These are tough going, but will be valuable reviews for those involved with this research. Then on to the biology, with papers on timing of breeding, migra- tion patterns, food availability, bird communities, genetics and evolution. These are excellent and thought-provoking reviews that repeatedly stress the importance of long-term studies of natural populations. The kind of research that is increas- ingly difficult to finance in an era of short- termism and three-year projects. One of the most important papers is a review of the consequences for conservation. These authors believe that some habitats will become increasingly fragmented, so that species that are presently quite common will become scarce, and many that are already scarce will become extinct. Upland species in Scotland like Ptarmigan Lagopus muta have nowhere to go: their dispersal abilities are limited and there prob- ably won’t be any suitable habitat left anyway. This book is aimed at serious professionals, but its contents and conclusions are sobering and deserve a wider readership than it will likely reach. There may be an opening here for BB to approach some of the authors and commission articles written in the more ‘user friendly’ style that its readers appreciate and of which 1 know the authors are capable. David T. Parkin Finding Birds in Southern Cyprus By Dave Gosney www.easybirder.co.uk 2010 DVD (65 mins) and 34-page booklet Subbuteo code V80089 BB Bookshop price £20.00 The whole of Cyprus offers excellent birding opportunities at almost any time of year. In winter it hosts interesting migrant waders such as Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii, during migration periods it is a valuable stopover for species crossing the Mediterranean, and in summer it is home to two endemics - the Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca and Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax. The DVD, filmed in March, covers the southern half of the country and features a total of 70 species and 20 sites. Starting with the Paphos headland in the southwest, the journey continues through sites including Phinikas, Aspro pools, Mandria fields and Paphos Sewage-farm, Cape Drepanum and the Avagas Gorge. In the northwest there are visits to Polis and the Akamas peninsula, Evretou and Theletra. The Troodos Mountains are featured with footage of the endemic races of Coal Tit Periparus ater Cypriotes, Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius glaszneri, Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae and Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra guillemardi. Just south of here on the coast we are taken to Kensington Cliffs and all the popular sites around Akrotiri. Dave’s journey continues well to the east, and around Larnaca we are shown sites such as Akhna Dam, Paralimni Lake, Sotira pools, Ayia Napa, Cape Greco, Oroklini marsh and Larnaca Sewage- pools. The footage is of good quality (with stereo sound) and while the expected species are shown, there are a few surprises, including Cream- coloured Courser Cursorius cursor and the nomi- nate race of Isabelline Shrike Lanins isabellinus - both of which are very rare in Cyprus. The com- mentary on this DVD is very helpful, and while it must have been tempting to show just a dozen sites, the coverage is really thorough. The accom- panying booklet gives excellent sketch maps, which are all referenced back to the DVD, and GPS co- ordinates are given to help with finding the exact locations. Keith Betton SUBBUTEO The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Recent reports British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 735-741 741 A/ve Henricson News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds UK Government helps to fund rat eradication on Henderson Island Despite swingeing cuts to the public sector, the UK Government has managed to find £200,000 to help fund the eradication of rats from the World Her- itage site of Henderson Island in the Pacific. Envir- onment Secretary Caroline Spelman made the welcome announcement at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Nagoya, Japan, on 27th October. The RSPB had announced the previous week that, with or without additional government backing, it had provisionally decided to embark on a £1.7m programme to eradicate Pacific Rats Rattus exulans from Henderson in August 2011. This costly operation on the other side of the world is necessitated by the threat of extinction to the endemic Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata, whose young are predated by the alien rats intro- duced by Polynesian settlers centuries ago. A further three petrel species (Herald Petrel P. heraldica, Murphy’s Petrel P. ultima and Kermadec Petrel P. neglecta), which also nest on Henderson, part of the Pitcairn UK Overseas Territory, will also benefit when rats are removed. Historically, the island’s petrel population was thought to number a possible five million pairs, but the rats have shrunk 398. Henderson Petrel Pterodroma atrata. this population to 40,000 pairs. Each year over 25,000 petrel chicks (95%) are eaten alive by the rats, leaving few chicks to survive to adulthood. Dr Tim Stowe, the RSPB’s International Director, said: 'Henderson Island is one of the most remote places on earth. But its wildlife is not immune from problems. Non-native Pacific rats have been ravaging the island’s wildlife. Four of the island’s unique bird species have become extinct and the island’s remaining species are vul- nerable to extinction unless we remove the rats.’ The RSPB has budgeted the eradication pro- gramme at £1.7m. The UK Government was asked for grant aid of £0.5m and has now come close to providing that sum. RSPB fundraiser David Agombar said: 'We are grateful that the Govern- ment has accepted their responsibility for the Hen- derson Island World Heritage site. They have now contributed £413,000 to the project, which is pretty close to the £500,000 we asked them to con- tribute.’ The RSPB now needs to find up to £400,000 to complete the funding package to remove rats from Henderson. The operation will begin next August, provided the funding is secured by July. It’s intended that a team of contractors and their equipment, including two helicopters, will be brought in by ship. Besides its internationally important seabirds, Henderson supports four species of landbird, all of them endemic: the Henderson Reed Warbler Acro- cephalus taiti, Henderson Crake Porzana atra, Hen- derson Fruit Dove Ptilinopus insularis and the Henderson Lorikeet Vini stepheni. Once the rats are removed, the RSPB believes that the populations of these birds will rise as they are freed from competi- tion and predation by the non-native rodents. RSPB’s Jonathan Hall commented: ‘Henderson will be the largest tropical or subtropical island in the world to be cleared of rodents. Once it is cleared, we could find new species of insect, which are cur- rently at population levels which are too low to be detected due to rat predation - and who knows what other secrets the island may still hold?’ A paper on Henderson Island and its birdlife appeared in the August issue of BB ( Brit. Birds 103:” 428-444) and it was accompanied by an editorial by Richard Porter in which he made an impas- sioned plea to the UK Government to honour its biodiversity commitments in the UK Overseas Territories. Happily, they seem to have listened. 742 © British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 742-746 News and comment Lewis escaped but will Shetland? Monster turbines - Shetland is most familiar to readers as featuring heavily in the Recent reports pages. Perhaps less appreciated is Shetland’s extensive blanket peat moorland, home to breeding Red-throated Divers Gavia stellata, Merlins Falco columbarius, Whim- brels Numenius phaeopus, skuas, high densities of commoner waders such as European Golden Plovers Pluvialis apricaria and Dunlins Calidris alpina, and a huge population of Sky Larks Alauda nrvensis. Even less well known outside the islands are plans by the consortium Viking Energy Ltd to construct a massive windfarm in the central Main- land of Shetland. Viking Energy (VE) began as a partnership between Shetland Islands Council (SIC), Scottish and Southern Energy, and local firm Shetland Aerogenerators (which operates five medium-sized wind turbines at Burradale, north of Lerwick). Potential conflicts of interests led to the SIC trans- fering its involvement to the Shetland Charitable Trust (SCT), a body that manages revenue from the operation of the Sullom Voe oil terminal but is, confusingly, controlled by SIC Councillors. In early 2008, a local group - Sustainable Shetland (www.sustainableshetland.org) - was formed to fight the project and now has over 700 members. In spring 2009, VE published its Environmental Statement (ES) for a 150-turbine windfarm. These were to be monster turbines, 145 m high and erected on hills already 200-280 m high. The project to export electricity to mainland Scotland would depend upon an AC/DC converter station and a £500m interconnector cable. Over 2,000 objections were received by the Scottish Govern- ment, including from statutory bodies such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scot- tish Natural Heritage, as well as NGOs such as the RSPB. Concerns expressed included the amount of peat displaced and the project’s ‘carbon audit’ (i.e. would it ultimately do anything to counter climate change?), disturbance to breeding birds, and dis- puted calculations over the numbers of Red- throated Divers, Whimbrels, Arctic Skuas Stercorarius parasiticus and other species that would be sliced up by turbine blades during the next 25 years. In response to this opposition, VE produced an Addendum to the ES in October 2010 which reduced the project to a ‘mere’ 127 turbines and 104 km of access roads - and claimed a mind- boggling carbon payback time of less than a year. At the time of writing (10th November) few seem willing to challenge competently this last ridicu- lous claim before time runs out to object to the Energy Consents Unit on 19th November. Given the Scottish Government’s current zeal for ‘renew- able’ energy, despite any seeming environmental cost, there is a real risk that this project will be nodded through in the New Year. (Contributed by Martin Heubeck) Severn barrage proposals shelved Controversial plans for a Severn Estuary barrage tidal-energy project costing £30bn were dropped by the UK Government in October. The 10-mile (16- km) dam was intended to run from Weston-super- Mare to Cardiff and its supporters claimed that it could have produced up to 5% of the UK’s energy. However, the feasibility report concluded that it would be difficult to attract private investment and the project represented ‘high risk’. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said: ‘The study clearly shows that there is no strategic case at this time for public funding of a scheme to generate energy in the Severn Estuary. Other low-carbon options repre- sent a better deal for taxpayers and consumers.’ The RSPB has welcomed the Government’s decision to abandon plans to build the barrage. Martin Harper, RSPB Head of Sustainable Devel- opment, said: ‘Climate change threatens an envir- onmental catastrophe for humans and wildlife. Harnessing the huge tidal power of the Severn has to be right, but it cannot be right to trash the natural environment in the process. ‘A barrage like the one proposed between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare would not only destroy huge areas of estuary marsh and mudflats used by 69,000 birds each winter and block the migration routes of countless fish, but, as con- firmed by this report, it would dramatically increase risk of flooding to residential properties. ‘The Government study needed to demonstrate that a big barrage could form a cost-effective part of a radical plan to tackle climate change. It is clear today that a barrage does not make economic sense. ‘It’s a great shame that we have been fixated on outdated, environmentally destructive technology. We have consistently called for investment in more innovative and potentially less destructive schemes on the Severn, which take environmental considera- tions into account in their design. The Government has signalled it will be prepared to review this deci- sion if the strategic context changes. We now want the Government to announce that only truly sustain- able solutions which respect the estuary, its people and its wildlife will be considered in the future.’ British Birds 1 03 • December 2010 * 742-746 743 News and comment All change at Fair Isle Bird Observatory As Britain’s most northerly bird observatory winds down after another season, there are changes on all fronts for next year. This has been the 12th and final year that Deryk and Hollie Shaw have been at the helm, the longest period any couple has been in charge during the 62-year history of the obser- vatory, and a reign that has encompassed three firsts for Britain and a great deal more besides. In the early part of 2011, David and Susannah Parnaby will arrive on the island to take their place. David is currently working as a visitor and publicity officer for the RSPB, based at Loch of Strathbeg, in Northeast Scotland, so their migra- tion, accompanied by their young daughter, Grace, will not be too much of a long haul. Roy Dennis stood down as chairman of direc- tors in November after an even longer stint (of 16 years), making way for BB Editor and former FIBO warden Roger Riddington. Roy’s tenure culmi- nated in the ambitious project to build a multi- million pound new observatory, to which the finishing touches are being put as we go to press, in time to claim the final tranche of grant money from major funders (the Scottish Government, the Shetland Islands Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise). Although the project has endured a difficult final few months, after Orkney- based contractors A. H. Wilson went into liquida- tion, there is at the end of it a terrific new building ready to greet birders at the start of the new era in 2011 - and hopefully another first for Britain waiting in the wings. First bird observatory in Nepal It may be a landlocked Himalayan country with no coastal islands or headlands, but plans are well advanced for the first bird observatory in Nepal. Himalayan Nature (www.himalayannature.org) has a modest (by Western standards) target of £25,000 to buy 10 ha of land north of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve. The organisation wishes to estab- lish the Kosi Bird Observatory and Field Education Centre in this well-known corridor for migrating birds. Himalayan Nature has recently started a bird- ringing scheme using its own rings and the Nepal Government has given full support to its pro- gramme for a national ringing scheme. In addition to being a valuable way of finding out about the populations, life-cycles and migration strategies of birds, ringing can be a great vehicle for raising public awareness of the need for bird conservation. The bird observatory will have a small information centre and birds will be shown in the field and in the hand to local people - schoolchildren in particular. The observatory appeal fund is administered by The Wetland Trust in the UK. As charity donations are now popular Christmas presents, why not con- tribute to the fund? If you can help this worthy cause, then do send a cheque to: Kosi Bird Obser- vatory and Education Centre, The Wetland Trust (UK Registered Charity 296531), Elms Farm, Pett Lane, Icklesham, Winchelsea, East Sussex TN36 4AH, UK. Make cheques payable to ‘The Wetland Trust’ and write ‘KBO’ on the back to make it clear that your donation is for the Kosi Bird Observa- tory. UK taxpayers can also Gift Aid their dona- tions. People sending donations of £500 or more will receive donation certificates and assistance in Nepal should they wish to visit this terrific country. Please contact Himalayan Nature prior to your visit. Wizards threaten Indian owl population A hard-hitting report by Traffic, the wildlife-trade monitoring network, has revealed that black- magic rituals are posing a significant threat to half of India’s 30 owl species. And the Indian environ- ment minister’s response suggests that a fictional wizard - Harry Potter - could be responsible for further inroads into the owl population. The Traffic report, Imperilled Custodians of the Night (which sounds like the title of a Harry Potter novel), was released in the run-up to Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light, in November. The sacri- fice of owls on auspicious occasions appears to be a regular practice. Black-magic practitioners, fre- quently referred to as ‘tantriks’ in India, prescribe the use of owls and their body parts such as skull, 744 feathers, ear tufts, claws, heart, liver, kidneys and bones for ceremonial pujas and rituals. The most sought-after owl species are the largest, especially those with ear tufts, which are thought to bestow greater magical properties on the birds. Hunting of, and trade in, all Indian owl species is banned under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 ol India. But the Traffic research uncovered at least 15 species of owl in the illegal live bird trade*. The Indian Government welcomed the report and the Minister of Environment and Forest, Jairam Ramesh, said at the report launch: ‘Diwali should be a time for celebration across our nation, not one when our wildlife is plundered to feed ignor- ant superstition. India’s wildlife already faces many British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 742-746 News and comment pressures; the additional burden of being killed out of ignorance and fear is not one that has any place in our modern society. 'Owls are as important to our ecosystem as the Tigers or any other better-known charismatic species. It is important that the threat to owls is brought to light during the festival of Diwali and concrete action is undertaken to curb such trade.’ But the minister also blamed the increasingly affluent Indian middle class and their obsession with boy wizard Harry Potter for the illegal trade in owls (which feature prominently in the books/ films as flying postmen). ‘Following Harry Potter, there seems to be a strange fascination even among the urban middle classes for presenting their chil- dren with owls,’ Mr Ramesh said. The report’s author, Abrar Ahmed, said that he decided to Capercaillie and Corn Crake on Some Christmas cheer from the Highlands and Islands is the news that populations of both Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and Corn Crake Crex crex increased in 2010. Forestry Commission Scot- land has reported the fourth consecutive annual increase in the number of Capercaillie males dis- playing at lek sites on the national forest estate. Kenny Kortland, Species Ecologist for the Commission, said: ‘We’ve put over ten years of work into managing forests in ways that will improve the conditions for the Capercaillie. Over the last six years, we’ve really focused on moni- toring the results of that effort in forest blocks where this amazing bird occurs. We’ve recorded higher numbers than we did ten years ago, but the last four years have given us an unbroken year-on- year increase in numbers. Back in 2000 we counted only 31 lekking cocks, and this year we counted 27 active leks and a total of 61 lekking cocks. ‘It just goes to show that it is possible to recon- cile conservation management of a species with other objectives. In fact, we are noticing that investigate the owl trade after being asked by a friend to procure a live white-coloured owl for her son’s Harry Potter-themed 10th birthday party. * The species illegally traded include: Barn Owl Tyto alba , Eastern Grass Owl T. longimembris , Spotted Owlet Athene brama , Indian Eagle Owl Bubo bengalensis, Dusky Eagle Owl B. coromandus , Spot-bellied Eagle Owl B. nipalensis, Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum , Asian Barred Owlet G. cucu- loides, Collared Owlet G. brodiei, Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia, Oriental Scops Owl O. sunia, Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonetisis, Tawny Fish Owl K. flavipes, Mottled Wood Owl Strix ocellata and Brown Wood Owl S. leptogrammica. The full report can be downloaded at: www.traffic. org/species-reports/traffic_species_birds 1 2.pdf the up Capercaillies appear to breed well in pine forests managed for timber production, and plan to inves- tigate the reasons for this.’ Meanwhile, RSPB Scotland reports that the Corn Crake population has increased for the first time in three years, to just under 1,200 birds. After long-term declines dating back to the early twen- tieth century, the species was hauled back from the brink following the introduction of a successful conservation programme in 1993, a partnership between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Government and, most importantly, farmers and crofters. It aimed to maintain habitat by offering financial support to manage land in a way that was sympathetic to Corn Crakes. Since the start of the scheme, the Scottish Corn Crake population has trebled, reaching a high of over 1,200 in 2007. Despite a modest, but con- cerning, decline in 2008 and 2009, counts con- ducted this year show that the total Scottish population of calling males was back up to 1,193, an increase of 66 on the previous year. Win a Jewel Hunter T-shirt Two years ago, N&c reported on Chris Gooddie’s ambi- tious quest to spend a calendar year in search of all of the world’s pittas (Pittidae). Chris spent 2009 on his mission and his book — The Jewel Hunter — was published recently (see review on p. 736). Chris has kindly donated one of the limited edition Jewel Hunter T-shirts as the prize for a N&c Christmas quiz. And the quiz question is... What was the first species of pitta that Chris saw during his ‘big year’? E-mail the answer to adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk by 31st December and the sender of the first correct answer out of the proverbial hat will win the T-shirt. Happy 399. Sula Pitta Pitta (erythrogaster) Christmas to all BB readers - and good birding in 2011. dohertyi, Peleng, Indonesia, August 2009. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 742-746 745 Chris Gooddie/ www.pittasworld.com News and comment New RBBP member The Rare Breeding Birds Panel (RBBP) has welcomed Andrew King to its membership. Andrew is County Recorder for Breconshire and has a particular interest in the monitoring of breeding birds. He will serve as an independent member of the Panel, replacing Judith Smith, who retired from the RBBP earlier this year. Further information on members of the RBBP can be found on the Panel’s website (www.rbbp.org.uk/ rbbp-panel). Next year will see two RBBP reports published in BB: the report on non-native breeding species for 2006-08 and the main report, covering 2009. New county bird recorders Isle of Man Chris Sharpe, Greenbank, 33 Mines Road, Laxey, Isle of Man IM4 7NH; tel. 01624 863220; e-mail chris@manxbirdlife.im Fife Malcolm Ware, 15a King Street, Inverkeithing, Fife KY11 1NB; tel. 07733 991030; e-mail mw 1 60598@hotmail.co.uk Highland Hugh Insley, 1 Drummond Place, Inver- ness IV2 4JT; tel. 07831 479804; e-mail hugh.insley@btinternet.com Lothian (wef 1st January 201 1 ) Stephen Welch, 25 Douglas Road, Longniddry, East Lothian EH32 OLQ; tel. 01875 852802; e-mail lothian- recorder@ the-soc. org.uk Corrections BBRC 2009 Report The following error occurred in the species comments for Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus {Brit. Birds 103: 605). The record from Orkney in 2009 and the record from the Isle of Wight in 2008 were both the first records for those recording areas, not the second, as stated. Thanks to IOW Bird Report editor Martin Hunnybun for drawing this to our attention. And Keith Naylor pointed out the following error in the statistics for Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius {Brit. Birds 103: 589): the pre-1950 statistics should read 1 not 5. A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans In the review of this book {Brit. Birds 103: 416), reference was inadvertently made to Cuban Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis levis, when the taxon concerned was Cuban (Hook-billed) Kite Chondrohierax {uncinatus) wilsonii. Recent reports Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Eric Dempsey This summary of unchecked reports covers early October to early November 2010. Headlines In contrast to the previous two months it was, as expected, invaders from the Nearctic that stole the headlines, with Ireland’s first ‘Northern Harrier’, an American Bittern in Cornwall, a Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, found dead, a Common Nighthawk in Durham, no fewer than seven Red-eyed Vireos, two Hermit Thrushes in the Outer Hebrides, a Grey-cheeked Thrush and three more Buff-bellied Pipits, all in Ireland. A good variety of American waders featured too, including a Solitary Sandpiper in Devon. Giving balance to east/west relations were a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a Pallid Swift, a trio of rare shrikes, three Black-throated Thrushes, Pied and two Black-eared Wheatears and a Yellow-breasted Bunting, as well as 746 (remarkably) another 17 Red-flanked Bluetails and an influx of Waxwings. Seen offshore were two Fea’s Petrels, a Little Shearwater and an albatross sp. in Norfolk. American Wigeon Anas americana Slimbridge (Gloucestershire), 21st-22nd October and 4th November; Wheldrake Ings (Yorkshire), 26th October to 7th November. Black Duck Anas rubripes Achill Island (Co. Mayo), long-stayer to 8th October. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Shannon Lagoon (Co. Clare), long-stayer to 16th October; North Bull Island (Co. Dublin), to 3rd November; Knockaderry (Co. Water- ford), two to 25th October; Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), two to 21st October; Coonagh (Co, Limerick), 9th October. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Records from Avon (up to four), Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk and York- shire. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Draycote Water (Warwickshire), long-stayer to 17th © British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 746-750 Recent reports 400. American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, Walmsley Sanctuary, Cornwall, November 2010. October; Innermessan, 12th October, same Loch Ryan (both Dumfries & Galloway), 16th October; Ballygawley (Co. Sligo), 3rd-4th November; Cardiff Bay (East Glamorgan), 7th November. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Burghead (Moray & Nairn), long-stayer to 5th November; Minsmere/ Dunwich (Suffolk), long-stayer to 7th November; North Ronaldsay (Orkney), 13th- 14th October, same Fair Isle, 1 5th— 20th October; West Voe (Shet- land), 1 st— 7th November; Spurn (Yorkshire), 7th Nov- ember; Flamborough Head (Yorkshire), 7th November. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii South Nesting (Shetland), 24th October and 6th November. Albatross sp. (Diomedeidae) Salthouse (Norfolk), 30th October. Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeiralfeae North Ronaldsay, 16th October; Flamborough Head, 16th October. North Atlantic Little Shearwater Puffinus baroli Pendeen (Cornwall), 23rd October. American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus Trewey Common, 25th— 3 1 st October, same Walmsley Sanctuary (both Cornwall), 1 st— 6th Nov- ember. Green-backed Heron Butorides virescens Pentewen (Cornwall), long-stayer to 7th November. Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Angle Bay (Pembrokeshire), 10th October to 7th November; Morpeth (Northumberland), 7th-8th November. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Records from Avon, Cambridgeshire, Car- marthenshire, Cornwall, Devon, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Pembrokeshire, Scilly, Somerset and Suffolk. Great White Egret Ardea alba Records from Angus, Argyll, Car- marthenshire, Cumbria, Devon, Dorset, East Glamorgan, Hampshire, Kent, Lancashire & N Merseyside, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Co. Wicklow and Yorkshire. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Gann Estuary (Pem- brokeshire), 24th October; Rothersthorpe (Northamptonshire), 4th November. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Records from Anglesey, Devon, Dorset, Dumfries & Galloway, Gloucestershire, Kent (seven at East Mailing on 11th October), Norfolk, Northumberland, Suffolk, Co. Tyrone and Co. Wexford. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Hollingworth Lake (Greater Manchester), 4th-7th November. 40!. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps, Hollingworth Lake, Greater Manchester, November 2010. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 746-750 747 Gary Jenkins Gary Thoburn Paul Kelly (www.irishbirdimages.com) Recent reports 402. Juvenile ‘Northern Harrier’ Circus cyaneus hudsonius, Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, November 2010. The first for Ireland. Black Kite Milvus migrans Toe Head (Co. Cork), 9th October; Tory Island (Co. Donegal), 9th— 10th October; Weston Cliff (Devon), 19th October. ‘Northern Harrier’ Circus cyaneus hudsonius , Tacumshin, 29th October to 4th November. Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus Fife Ness (Fife), 2nd November. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica Records from Co. Clare, Co. Cork (3), Co. Derry, Devon, Highland, Co. Kerry, Lin- colnshire, Norfolk, Outer Hebrides (2-3), Scilly (2), Shetland and Co. Tipperary. White- rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Clon- akilty (Co. Cork), 8th October; Tacumshin, 12th October, with three there on 22nd; Kid- welly (Carmarthenshire), 15th October; Swords Estuary (Co. Dublin), 16th October; Clonea (Co. Waterford), 24th— 3 1 st October. Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii Holland Haven (Essex), long-stayer to 21st October; Tacumshin, 10th October. Sharp-tailed Sand- piper Calidris acuminata , Rogerstown Estuary (Co. Dublin), 16th— 18th October. Buff- breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Eshaness (Shetland), two long-stayers to 12th October; Davidstowe Airfield (Cornwall), long-stayer to 12th October; Ferrybridge (Dorset), 16th October; Sennen (Cornwall), 1 7th— 24th October. Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus The Cunnigar (Co. Waterford), 9th— 24th October. Spotted Sand- piper Actitis macularius Strand (Shetland), 1 1th October; St Agnes (Scilly), 27th October to 6th November. Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Seaton (Devon), 1 Oth— 1 5th October. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Gle- namaddy Turlough (Co. Galway), 9th— 12th October; Port Meadow (Oxfordshire), 14th October to 7th November; Ballycotton (Co. Cork), 15th October; Tacumshin, 1 Oth— 3 1 st October. Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Kilcoole (Co. Wicklow), long-stayer to 13th October; Grove Ferry (Kent), 1 7th— 1 9th October. Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan Foremark Resr/Willington GP (Derbyshire), 28th October to 5th November. Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia Bardsey (Caernarfonshire), 21st October; Sunderland (Durham), 24th October. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leu- copterus Inner Marsh Farm (Cheshire & Wirral), 1 4th— 1 8th October. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus South Uist (Outer Hebrides), found dead, 4th November. Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Horden (Durham), 11th October. Pallid Swift Apus pallidus Dunwich, 30th October. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Firkeel (Co. Cork), 6th-7th October and another on 1 4th— 1 9th October; Seaton Carew (Cleve- land), 11th October; South Uist, two 11th October, at least one to 12th; Dursey Island (Co. Cork), 12th October; St Agnes, 14th— 18th October. Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Flamborough Head, 7th November. Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus Scousburgh (Shetland), 12th— 16th October. Southern Grey Shrike Lanius merid- ionalis Loch of Strathbeg (North-east Scot- land), 14th- 18th October. Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator Hartlepool Headland (Cleve- land), long-stayer to 17th October. Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus Dawlish Warren, 11th October; Titchfield Haven (Hampshire), two, 12th October; Rainham Marshes (Greater London/Essex), two, 21st- 748 British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 746-750 Recent reports 23rd October; Dungeness (Kent), 23rd-27th October. Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi Sand- wick (Shetland), 1 1th— 1 2th October; Fair Isle, 1 3th— 1 4th October; Toab (Shetland), 14th— 1 5th October; Gugh (Scilly), 16th— 17th October; Cot Valley (Cornwall), 20th October. Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus Tynemouth (Northumberland), long-stayer to 11th October; Fair Isle, 11th October; Scarborough (Yorkshire), 1 1th— 16th October; Fetlar (Shetland), 1 1 th— 12th October; Flowick (Northumberland), 12th October; St Mary’s, 27th October to 7th November. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phyllo- scopus bonelli Lerwick (Shetland), 1 1th— 1 5th October, same 29th October to 1st November. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Bryher (Scilly), 1 2th— 15th October; St Mary’s, 1 5th— 25th October. Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Loop Head (Co. Clare), 10th— 1 1th October. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dume- torum Fair Isle, 1 1th- 18th October. Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus After a scat- tering in the Northern Isles from around 16th October, a widespread influx occurred, including 250 Stromness (Orkney) on 25th and 570 Lewis on 28th October. Larger numbers built up in mainland Scotland, including 1,000 Castletown (Highland) and 700 Kincorth (North-east Scotland) on 30th October, 600 Dunnet Bay (High- land) and 1,000 Bridge of Don (North-east Scotland) on 1st November, 800 Glasgow (Clyde) on 6th and at least 2,000 Inverness (Highland) on 7th November. Farther south concentrations were smaller, including 100 Halifax (Yorkshire) 29th, 1 17 Barrow (Lan- cashire & N Merseyside) 31st October, 115 Ashington (Northum- berland) 2nd November, 104 Hexham (Northumberland) 5th, 130 Great Yarmouth 6th and 100 Norwich (both Norfolk) 7th November. Rose-coloured Starling Pastor roseus Records from Cornwall (1-2), Hampshire, Scilly, Shetland (2), Sussex and Yorkshire. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Brevig, Barra (Outer Hebrides), 9th— 1 1 th, then Castlebay, also Barra, 1 4th— 1 6th October; Loch Druidibeg, South Uist 10th October. Grey- cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus St Martin’s, 19th October. Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis Kirkwall (Orkney), 16th October; Sharpenhoe Clappers (Bedfordshire), 18th October; Fair Isle, 23rd-28th October. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus St Mary’s Island (Northumberland), long-stayer to 12th October; Scoughall (Lothian), 11th October; Burnham Overy (Norfolk), 11th October; Weybourne (Norfolk), 11th Oct- ober; Queenamidda (Orkney), 11th October; Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), 12th October; Waxham (Norfolk), 1 2 th— 1 4th October; Kergord (Shetland), 1 4th— 1 5th October; Troswick (Shetland), 15th October; Fair Isle, 16th October; Mires Loch (Borders), 16th October; Holme (Norfolk), 17th October; Lowestoft (Suffolk), 1 7th— 24th October; Lundy (Devon), 18th October; St Martin’s, 19th-23rd October; Hayling Island (Hamp- shire), 19th-23rd October; Skomer (Pem- brokeshire), 25th October; Dungeness, 6th November. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola torquatus maurus Galley Head (Co. Cork), 8th-9th October; Kelling (Norfolk), 10th October; Stonehaven (North-east Scotland), 10th October. Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka St Mary’s, 12th October. Black- eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica St 403. Adult Isabelline Shrike Lanius i. isabellinus, Scousburgh, Shetland, October 20 1 0. British Birds 103 • December 2010 • 746-750 749 Hugh Harrop Eric Dempsey Steve Young/ Birdwatch Recent reports Unst (Shetland), 14th- 15th October. Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus Dursey Island, 10th October; Cape Clear Island, 1 0th— 1 4th October; Loop Head, 11th October; Pendeen, 13th October; Tresco (Scilly), 13th October; Porthgwarra (Corn- wall), 14th, 16th and 24th-25th October; Land’s End, 14th October; Kilnsea (Yorkshire), 14th October; Saltholme Pools (Cleveland), 14th October; Stiffkey (Norfolk), 15th October; St Mary’s, 17th October; Boddam (Shetland), 17th October. Buff- bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens Eshaness (Shetland), long-stayer to 11th October; Pilmore Strand (Co. Cork), 12th October; 404. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, St Martin’s, Scilly, Clonea, 1 7th — 24th October; October 2010. A popular bird on Scilly in October 2010, Carne Harbour (Co Wexford) there have now been at least 30 this autumn - at this rate, for , . , ( . , how much longer will Red-flanked Bluetail be a BBRC rarity? 405. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens, Carne Harbour, Co. Wexford, October 20 10. This species battled with Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus for the title of most common North American passerine in autumn 2010. Mary’s, 9th— 13th October; Donna Nook, 12th October. Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Fair Isle, 10th- 13th October; Fame Islands (Northum- berland), 1 2th— 1 5th October; St Mary’s, 13th October; Quendale (Shetland), 13th October; European Serin Serinus serinus Pegwell Bay (Kent), 19th October; St Mary’s, 2 1 st— 27th October, with two 28th-29th October; Durl- ston (Dorset), 22nd October; Barton on Sea (Hampshire), 24th October; St Agnes, 30th October; Dungeness, 7th November; Out Skerries (Shetland), 7th November. Arctic Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni In Shetland, two on Unst (11th October, 1 3th— 16th October), four on Mainland (Wester Quarff, 17th October, Virkie/Toab 23rd- 29th October, Mossbank 24th October, Sumburgh 4th Nov- ember) and three on Fair Isle ( 1 2th— 1 3th, 1 6th— 1 8th and 20th-25th October). House Finch Carpodacus mexi- canus East Prawle (Devon), long- stayer intermittently to 22nd October. Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola Dursey Island, 9th October. Yellow-rumped Warbler Den- droica coronata Cape Clear Island, 5th— 13th October; Inishmore (Co. 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See nature the way it deserves to be seen: through Nikon. Since 1 91 7 www.nikon.co.uk nonn o^n oon Nikon Sport Opt British Birds THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM : 2 DEC 2010 PRESENTED TRING LIBRARY Index to Volume 103 2010 British Birds Volume 103 (2010) Main contents January 2 Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2007 Mark Hollitig and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 53 Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire: new to Britain John Sanders February 80 The Eskimo Curlew in Britain Tim Melting 93 Green Warbler on Scilly: new to Britain Nigel Hudson 100 The population biology of Common Sandpipers in Britain T. W. Dougall , P. K. Holland and D. W. Yalden 115 The J3B/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2009 Roger Riddington, Dawn Balmer, Peter Hearn, John Marchant, Robin Prytherch and Peter Wilkinson March 142 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Identification of Caspian Gull. Part 1: typical birds Chris Gibbins, Brian J. Small and John Sweeney April 206 Great Blue Heron on Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher 213 Using stable isotopes to investigate the provenance of an Eagle Owl found in Norfolk Andrew Kelly, Kevin Leighton and Jason Newton 223 The breeding population of Northern Wheatears at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009 Dave Fulton 229 The decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain limes Sim, Chris Rollie, David Arthur, Stuart Benn, Helen Booker, Vic Fairbrother, Mick Green, Ken Hutchinson, Sonja Ludwig, Mike Nicoll, Ian Poxton, Graham Rebecca, Leo Smith, Andrew Stanbury and Pete Wilson May 260 'Amur Wagtail’ in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic Stephen G. Addinall 268 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of 'Amur Wagtail’ Adam Rowlands 276 Records of Hawk Owls in Britain Andrew H. J. Harrop 284 Satellite tracking the migration of birds in eastern Asia Hiroyoshi Higuchi June 320 From the Rarities Committee’s files: The status in Britain of 'Siberian Chiffchaff’ Alan Dean, Colin Bradshaw, John Martin, Andy Stoddart and Grahame Walbridge 339 Least Tern in East Sussex: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic Barry Yates July 376 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain Adam Rowlands, Pauline Kidner and Paul Condon 385 From the Rarities Committee’s files: Identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike Adam Rowlands August 428 Important Bird Areas: Henderson Island Michael Brooke 445 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010 Richard Chandler, Tim Appleton, Robin Chittenden, David Hosking, Peter Kennerley, Chris Packham and David Tipling 460 The Carl Zeiss Award 2010 Adam Rowlands 464 Isotope forensic analysis does not support vagrancy for a Marbled Duck shot in Essex Tony (A. D.) Fox, Keith A. Hobson, Graham Ekins, Mark Grantham and Andy J. Green September 482 Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2008 Mark Holling and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 539 Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic John R. Mather October 562 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009 Nigel Hudson and the Rarities Committee November 640 Northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline Eileen C. Rees and Jan Id. Beekman 651 Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain Paul Harvey 658 Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Flycatchers: identification and ageing Paul J. Leader December 702 The status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009 Andrew Stanbury, Mary Davies, Phil Grice, Richard Gregory and Simon Wotton 712 Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain E. Ashley Fisher and Robert L. Flood Index Index to Volume 103 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 2009’, but excluding those in News & comment’, ‘Recent reports’, requests and reviews. In general, races are included in the index only if they are specified in the titles of papers or notes or in a photograph caption, or are included as a main entry in the Rarities Report; (2) scientific nomenclature under generic name only and following The ‘British Birds’ List of Birds of the Western Palearctic (see www.britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/20l0/03/BB-list.pdf); (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’, ‘Conservation research news’, ‘News and comment’, ‘Rarities Committee’ and ‘Recent reports’; (5) ‘Reviews’, which are listed together in alphabetical order of authors reviewed. Accipiter gentilis, see Goshawk, Northern fiisus, see Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Ackermann, A. M., & Cable, T. T., White Wagtail brandishing stick in winter territorial dispute, 733-4 Acrocephalus agricoin , see Warbler, Paddyfield arundinaceus , see Warbler, Great Reed dumetorum , see Warbler, Blyth’s Reed palustris , see Warbler, Marsh Actitis hypoleucos, see Sandpiper, Common macularius, see Sandpiper, Spotted Addinall, S. G., ‘Amur Wagtail’ in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic, 260-7, plates 129-32 Aegithalos caudatus, see Tit, Long-tailed Albatross, Black-browed, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; moult and ageing, 353-6, plates 181-5; accepted records, 570-1, plate 309 , Wandering, photograph, 427, plate 241 , Yellow-nosed, new to Britain, 376-84, plates 195-8 Alcedo atthis, see Kingfisher, Common Alectoris rufa, see Partridge, Red-legged Al-Hajj, R., photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 391-2, plates 207-1 1 Alle alle, see Auk, Little Alterburg, R., photograph of Caspian Gull, 142, plate 48 Amengual, E., photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus , 392, 395, plates 212, 216-17 Anas acuta, see Pintail carolinensis, see Teal, Green-winged clypeata, see Shoveler crecca, see Teal, Eurasian discors, see Teal, Blue-winged formosa, see Teal, Baikal penelope, see Wigeon, Eurasian querquedula, see Garganey ruhripes, see Duck, Black strepera, see Gadwall Andrews, R., photograph of Ferruginous Duck, 497, plate 286 Announcements: 52 Anthropoides virgo, see Crane, Demoiselle Anthus gustavi, see Pipit, Pechora hodgsoni, see Pipit, Olive-backed rubescens, see Pipit, Buff-bellied Appleton, T., see Chandler, R., et al. Apus pallidus, see Swift, Pallid Aquila chrysaetos, see Eagle, Golden Ardea cinerea, see Heron, Grey herodias, see Heron, Great Blue purpurea, see Heron, Purple Ardeola ralloides, see Heron, Squacco Arlow, W., photograph of Caspian Gull, 170, plate 87 Arthur, D., see Sim, I., et al. Asio flammeus, see Owl, Short-eared Aspinall, S., review of Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows, 196; Eurasian Jay eating unripe barley seeds, 732; Blackbirds and snails, 733; review of Donald et al.: Facing Extinction, 739-40 Auk, Little, behaviour at sea in the breeding season, 410-1 1 Austin, R., photograph of Yellow-nosed Albatross, 377, plates 195-6 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 751 Index Avocet, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 34; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 518 Aythya affinis, see Scaup, Lesser collaris, see Duck, Ring-necked ferina , see Pochard, Common marila , see Scaup, Greater nyroca , see Duck, Ferruginous Azzopardi, J., see Sammut, M. Balmer, D., see Riddington, R., et al. Barlow, R., photographs of Hawk Owl, 278-9, plates 145-6 Barnacal, B., photograph of Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, 474, plate 280; of Liben Lark, 474, plate 28 1 Baston, B., review of Gomersall & Tipling: Wildlife Photography Masterclass: a beginner’s guide to wildlife photography (DVD), 251; photograph of White-throated Sparrow, 425, plate 240; photograph of Tawny Owl, second, Bird Photograph of the Year 2010, 448, plate 258 Batty, C., photographs of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 264, plates 131-2 BB/ BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2009, 115-17 Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked, accepted records, 604-5, plate 328 — — , European, unusual breeding behaviour in Malta, 731-2 Beekman, J. H., see Rees, E. C. Bell, C., photographs of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 261, plates 129-30 Benn, S., see Sim, L, et al. Betton, K., review of Chansgard: The History of Ornithology, 126; of Gosney: Finding Birds in Andalucia (DVD and booklet), 131-2; of Ballance: Birds in Counties: second supplement, 132; of Dee: The Running Sky - a birdwatching life, 132; of Dingier et al: The Sounds of Raptors and Falcons (2 CDs), 252; of Rebassa et al.: A Birding Tourist's Guide to Majorca, 363-4; of Hilbers: Finnish Lapland, 364; of Gosney: Finding Birds in North Goa (DVD and booklet), 472; of Gosney: Finding Birds in North Spain (DVD and booklet), 472; of Simpson: Birding Dordogne, 684-5; of Gosney: Finditig Birds in Southern Cyprus (DVD and booklet), 741 Bird Photograph of the Year 2010, 445-59, plates 257-72 Bittern, American, photograph, 747, plate 400 — , Eurasian, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 16; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 500-1, plate 284 , Little, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 16; accepted records, 573 Blackbird, behaviour of male giving ‘ultra- crystallised’ song, 304-6; removing snail from shell, 362; and snails, 733 Blamire, S., interactions between breeding Black Swans and Mute Swans in Cheshire & Wirral, 194-5, plates 103-5; photograph of Great Spotted Woodpecker, 370, plate 190; of Parrot Crossbill, 535, plate 294 Bleitz, D., photographs of Eskimo Curlew, 82-83, 92, plates 17-20, 25 Bloomfield, A., photograph of Eurasian Spoonbill, 556, plate 303 Bluetail, Red-flanked, accepted records, 619, plate 341; photograph, 750, plate 404 Bluethroat, photograph of ‘White-spotted Bluethroat’, L. s. cyanecula, 374, plate 193 Bombycilla garrulus, see Waxwing Booby, Masked, photograph, 436, plate 250 Booker, H., see Sim, L, et al. Botaurus lentiginosus, see Bittern, American stellaris, see Bittern, Eurasian Bourne, W. R. P„ letter on dark-rumped storm- petrels and others, 65-66; review of Ashmole & Ashmole: The Carrifran Wildwood Story, 199; of King: Attending Alaska’s Birds: a wildlife pilot’s story, 365-6; nest excavation by Wryneck, 411; obituary of John Warham, 720 Bradshaw, C., see Dean, A., et al. Brambling, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 534 Branta hutchinsii, see Goose, Lesser Canada ruficollis, see Goose, Red-breasted Breaks, M., photograph of Fair Isle Wren, 531, plate 293; of Citril Finch, 629, plate 348 Brooke, M., Important Bird Areas: Henderson Island, 428-44, plates 242-56 Brookes, R., photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 331, plate 170; of Arctic Warbler, 610, plate 333; of Taiga Flycatcher, 622, plate 343 BTO research update: 189-93, plates 101-2; 357; 546-7; 718-20, plate 397 Bubo bubo, see Owl, Eagle scandiacus, see Owl, Snowy Bubulcus ibis, see Egret, Cattle Bucephala clangula, see Goldeneye, Common Bunting, Black-headed, accepted record, 632 , Cirl, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 49-50; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 536; status in the UK in 2009, 702-11, plates 388-93 , Corn, photograph, 450, plate 260 , Pine, accepted record, 632 , Rustic, photograph, 242, plate 123 , Snow, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 49; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 536 752 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Burhinus oedicnemus, see Stone-curlew Burns, W„ photograph of Waxwing, 254, plate 126 Bustard, Great, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 33; photograph, 452, plate 262; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 517 Buteo rufinus, see Buzzard, Long-legged socotraensis, see Buzzard, Socotra Buzzard, Long-legged, first breeding record of North African race B. r. cirtensis in continental Europe, 399-401, plates 220-1 , Socotra, photograph, 419, plate 233 Cable, T. T., see Ackermann, A. M. Cade, M. photograph of Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, 611, plate 335 Cain, Christine, photograph of Mike Madders, 188, plate 100 Calidris bairdii, see Sandpiper, Baird’s ferruginea, see Sandpiper, Curlew himantopus, see Sandpiper, Stilt maritima, see Sandpiper, Purple pusilla, see Sandpiper, Semipalmated temminckii, see Stint, Temminck’s Calonectris diomedea, see Shearwater, Cory’s Capercaillie, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 14; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 499 Carduelis carduelis, see Goldfinch flammea, see Redpoll, Common hornemanni, see Redpoll, Arctic Carl Zeiss Award 2010, 460-3, plates 273-7 Carpodacus erythrinus, see Rosefinch, Common mexicanus, see Finch, House Carter, I., review of Lever: The Naturalized Animals of Britain and Ireland, 125-6; of Tingay & Katzner: The Eagle Watchers: observing and conserving raptors around the world, 469-70; of Chandler & Llewellyn: Kingfisher, 551; of Scott: Essential Ornithology, 552 , J„ photograph of Brown Shrike, 139, plate 46; of Pallid Swift, 315, plate 159; of House Finch, 480, plate 282; of Pacific Diver, 540, plate 296; of Crested Lark, 608, plate 331; of Zitting Cisticola, 616, plate 338 Castle, P., see Combridge, R, et al. Catharus fusee seen s, see Veery Catley, G., photograph of ‘Siberian Stonechat’, S. t. maurus, 140, plate 47; of Snowy Owl, 373, plate 192; of Oriental Pratincole, 422, plate 235; of Shoveler, 496, plate 285; of Bearded Tit, 527, plate 292; of Glossy Ibis, 576, plate 310 Cettia cetti, see Warbler, Cetti’s Chaffinch, Common, photograph of nest, 193, plate 102 Chandler, R., photograph of Common Snipe, 368, plate 189 , , see Hashimoto, N., et al. , , et al.. Bird Photograph of the Year 2010,445-59, plates 257-72 Chantler, R, photograph of Blue-cheeked Bee- eater, 604, plate 328 Charadrius dubius, see Plover, Little Ringed leschenaultii, see Plover, Greater Sand mongolus, see Plover, Lesser Sand morinellus, see Dotterel vociferus, see Killdeer Chiftchaff, Common, the status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ P. c. tristis, 320-38, plates 162-74; presumed ‘brevirostris’ -type wintering in Jordan, 406-7, plate 229 , Iberian, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 44; photograph, 315, plate 160; accepted record, 61 1 Chittenden, R., photograph of Green Warbler, 94, plate 26 , , see Chandler, R., et al. Chlidonias hybrida, see Tern, Whiskered leucopterus, see Tern, White-winged Black niger, see Tern, Black Chough, Red-billed, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 42; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 526 Chroicocephalus Philadelphia, see Gull, Bonaparte’s Ciconia boyciana, see Stork, Oriental White nigra, see Stork, Black Cinclus cinclus, see Dipper Circus aeruginosus, see Harrier, Marsh cyaneus, see Harrier, Hen macrourus, see Harrier, Pallid pygarSus> see Harrier, Montagu’s Cisticola juncidis, see Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Zitting, accepted record, 616, plate 338 Clamator glandarius, see Cuckoo, Great Spotted Clangula hyemalis, see Duck, Long-tailed Cloyne, J., exceptional brood of Gadwalls, 730 Coccothraustes coccothraustes, see Hawfinch Coccyzus americanus, see Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cocker, M„ review of Pittie: Birds in Books: three hundred years of south Asian ornithology - a bibliography, 470 Collinson, M., review of Garfield: The Meinertzhagen Mystery: the life and legend of a colossal fraud, 551-2; of Hill: National Geographic Bird Coloration, 685 Columba palumbus, see Pigeon, Wood Combridge, P., review of Sielicki & Mizera: Peregrine Falcon Populations: status and perspectives in the 21st century, 252 , , et al, letter on the Wiltshire Hawk Owl and a plea for caution in the rejection British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 753 Index of historical records, 673-5 Condon, P., see Rowlands, A., et al. Conservation research news, 118-20, plate 41; 347-9 Cooper, D., photographs of Siberian Chiffchaff, 332, plates 171-2 , J., see Stronach, P. Corley, D., obituary of R. B. (Dick) Treleaven, 677-8, plate 378 Corrections: 692; 746 Corso, A., letter on status of eastern Woodchat Shrike in Italy, 728 Corvus corax, see Raven, Common Cottrell, N., photograph of Bewick’s Swan, C. c. bewickii, 644, plate 354 Coturnix coturnix, see Quail, Common Coutts, D., photograph of Hawk Owl, 281, plate 149 Cowbird, Brown-headed, accepted records, 632-3, plate 350 Cowgill, I., review of Reece: The Status of Birds in Nottinghamshire, 249-50 Crake, Baillon’s, accepted record, 579 , Corn, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 31-32; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 516-17 , Henderson, photograph, 434, plate 247 , Spotted, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 31; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 516 Crane, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 32-33; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 517 , Demoiselle, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302, plate 154 , Hooded, photograph, 290, plate 152 , Red-crowned, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302, plate 153 , Sandhill, accepted records, 579-80, plate 313 , Siberian, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302 , White-naped, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302, plates 152, 155 Cranswick, P., see Combridge, P., et al. Crex crex, see Crake, Corn Crossbill, Parrot, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 48; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 534-5, plate 294 , Scottish, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 48; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 534 , Two-barred, photograph, 316, plate 161; accepted records, 632 Cuckoo, Great Spotted, accepted records, 601-2 , Yellow-billed, accepted records, 602-3, plate 326 Curlew, Bristle-thighed, photograph, 436, plate 249 , Eskimo, in Britain, 80-92, plates 16-25; letter commenting on paper, 240 Cuthbert, R., photograph of Henderson Island, 432, plate 245 Cyanistes caeruleus, see Tit, Blue Cygnus atratus, see Swan, Black columbianus, see Swan, Bewick’s cygnus, see Swan, Whooper olor, see Swan, Mute Dalziel, L., photograph of Red-flanked Bluetail, 619, plate 341 Darlaston, M., photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 324, plate 164 Davies, M., see Stanbury, A., et al. Davis, P., Common Ravens and Grey Herons, 244-5 Dawson, J., Blackbird removing snail from shell, 362 Day, K., photograph of ‘White-spotted Bluethroat’, L. s. cyanecula, 374, plate 193 Dean, A., et al, the status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’, 320-38, plates 162-74 Dempsey, E., photograph of Buff-bellied Pipit, 750, plate 405 , , see Nightingale, B. Dendrocopos major, see Woodpecker, Great Spotted Dendroica fusca, see Warbler, Blackburnian striata, see Warbler, Blackpoll Diomedea exulans, see Albatross, Wandering Dipper, accepted records of north European race, ‘Black-bellied Dipper, Cinclus c. cinclus, 616 Diver, Black-throated, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 16; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 500; photographs, 542-3, plates 297-8, 300 , Great Northern, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 536 , Pacific, in Yorkshire: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic, 539-45, plates 295-6, 299; accepted records, 569-70, plate 308 , Red-throated, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 15-16, plate 1; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 500 Dott, H. E. M., et al, Goosanders taking bread, 675-6, plate 377 Dotterel, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 36; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 520, plate 291 Dougall, T. W., et al., the population biology of Common Sandpipers in Britain, 100-1 14, 754 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index plates 29-40 Dove, Henderson Fruit, photograph, 435, plate 248 Dowitcher, Long-billed, photographs, 258, 372, plates 128, 191; accepted records, 587-8 Dryocopus martius, see Woodpecker, Black Dubois, P. J., presumed ‘brevirostris- type Common Chiffchaffs wintering in Jordan, 406-7, plate 229 Duck, Black, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 494; accepted records, 568 , Ferruginous, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 497-8, plate 286 , Long-tailed, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; photograph 457, plate 269 , Marbled, isotope forensic analysis does not support vagrancy for bird shot in Essex, 464-7, plate 278 , Ring-necked, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50 , Ruddy, photograph, 74, plate 1 1 Duckett, D., photograph of Herring Gull and Northern Gannet, 452, plate 263; of Grey Heron, 456, plate 268 Duckhouse, B., photograph of Whiskered Tern, 598, plate 322 Duffield, S., photograph of Blue-winged Teal, 568, plate 307; of Ivory Gull, 596, plate 321 Eagle, Golden, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 25-26; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 510 , White-tailed, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 22; ‘snowballing’, 409, plate 230; photograph, 454, plate 266; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 507 Eaton, J., photograph of possible Motacilla alba leucopsis x M. a. alboides intergrade, 273, plate 142 Edelsten, T., photograph of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 272, plate 140 Editorial: 71, plate 10; 318—19; 426-7, plate 241; 468, plate 279; 700-1 Egret, Cattle, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 501, plate 287; accepted records, 636 , Little, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 17; photograph, 459, plate 271; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 502 Egretta garzetta, see Egret, Little Eider, Common, photograph of American race, S. m. dresseri, 257, plate 127 , King, accepted records, 569 Ekins, G., see Fox, A. D., et al. Elkins, N., letter on Eagle Owls in Britain, 240-1; Goldcrest flycatching, 304 Elorriaga, J., & Munoz, A-R., first breeding record of North African Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus cirtensis in continental Europe, 399-401, plates 220-1 Emberiza calandra, see Bunting, Corn cirlus , see Bunting, Cirl leucocephalos, see Bunting, Pine melanocephala, see Bunting, Black-headed rustica, see Bunting, Rustic Emmett, E., photograph of R. E. (Bob) Emmett, 679, plate 379 , R. E. (Bob), obituary, 678-9, plate 379 Empidonax alnorum/traillii, see Flycatcher, Alder/Willow Everett, M„ review of Mabey: A Brush with Nature , 552-3 Fairbrother, V., see Sim, L, et al. Falco amurensis , see Falcon, Amur cherrug, see Falcon, Saker columbarius, see Merlin naumanni, see Kestrel, Lesser peregrinus , see Falcon, Peregrine rusticolus , see Falcon, Gyr subbuteo, see Hobby tinnunculus, see Kestrel, Common vespertinus , see Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Amur, accepted record, 577-8, plate 311 , Gyr, photograph, 204, plate 109; accepted records, 578-9, plate 312 , Peregrine, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 28-30; predation of Balearic Shearwaters, 350-3, plates 175-80; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 513-15 , Red-footed, photograph, 421, plate 234; accepted record, 636 , Saker, photograph, 352, plate 180 Fenech, N., see Sammut, M. Ferguson, D., Red Kites playing catch?, 243 Ferguson-Lees, J., see Combridge, P., et al. Ficedula albicilla, see Flycatcher, Taiga albicollis, see Flycatcher, Collared Fieldfare, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 46; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 532 Finch, Citril, accepted record, 628-9, plate 348 , House, photograph, 480, plate 282 Firecrest, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 42; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 526-7, plate 283 Fisher, D., review of Cleere: Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Gilbird and Owlet-nightjars of the World, 550 , E. A., Great Blue Heron on Scilly: new to British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 755 Index Britain, 206-12, plates 110-12; photograph of Great Shearwater, 559, plate 304; of Hudsonian Whimbrel, 589, plate 319; of Pallid Swift, 604, plate 327 , , see Flood, R. L. , , & Flood, R. L., Scopoli’s Shearwater off Scilly: new to Britain, 712-17, plates 394-6 , Ian, photograph of Pacific Diver, 540, plate 295 Flood, R. L., see Fisher, E. A. , , & Fisher, E. A., Wilson’s Storm- petrels off the Isles of Scilly: a ten-year analysis, 2000-09, 396-9, plates 218-19 Flycatcher, Alder/Willow, photograph, 695, plate 384 , Brown, on Fair Isle: new to Britain, 651-7, plates 357-9; identification and ageing, 658-71, plates 360-4 , Collared, accepted records, 623, plate 344 , Grey-streaked, identification and ageing, 658-71, plates 372-76 , Siberian, identification and ageing, 658-71, plates 365-71 , Spotted, nest reconstructed for second clutch, 245; aerial courtship-feeding, 306 , Taiga, accepted records, 621-2, plate 343 Ford, Richard, photograph of Oriental Pratincole, 460, plate 273; 582, plate 315 Fox, A. D., et al., isotope forensic analysis does not support vagrancy for Marbled Duck shot in Essex, 464-7, plate 278 Fratercula arctica, see Puffin cirrhata, see Puffin, Tufted Freakley, M., Pied Wagtail pursuing Common Kingfisher, 362, plate 187 Fregata minor , see Frigatebird, Great Frigatebird, Great, photograph, 436, plate 250 Fritigilla coelebs, see Chaffinch, Common montifringilla , see Brambling From the Rarities Committee’s files: identification of Caspian Gull. Part 1: typical birds, 142-83, plates 48-97; proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 268-75, plates 133-42; the status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’, 320-38, plates 162-74; Yellow- nosed Albatross: new to Britain, 376-84, plates 195-8; identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike, 385-95, plates 199-217 Fulmar, photograph, 449, plate 259 Fulmarus glacialis , see Fulmar Fulton, D., the breeding population of Northern Wheatears at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009, 223-8, plates 115-17 — , I., photograph of River Warbler, 613, plate 337 Gadwall, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 9-10; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 493; exceptional brood, 730 Galerida cristata, see Lark, Crested Gallinago delicata, see Snipe, Wilson’s gallinago, see Snipe, Common Gallinula chloropus, see Moorhen Gannet, Northern, photographs, 452-3, plates 263-4 Gantlett, S., photograph of Collared Pratincole, 582, plate 314; of Black-winged Pratincole, 583, plate 316; of Black-headed Wagtail, 625, plate 345 Garganey, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 1 1 ; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 494-5 Garner, M., review of van Duivendijk: Advanced Bird ID Guide, 680-1 Garrulus glandarius, see Jay, Eurasian Gauntlett, F. M., review of Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names, 249; letter on the taxonomic status of Least Tern, 728-30 Gavia arctica, see Diver, Black-throated immer, see Diver, Great Northern pacifica, see Diver, Pacific stellata, see Diver, Red-throated Gelochelidon nilotica, see Tern, Gull-billed Gibbins, C., et al., identification of Caspian Gull. Part 1: typical birds, 142-83, plates 48-97 Gibbs, B., photograph of Cattle Egret, 501, plate 287 Gillmor, R., review of Woodcock: Safari Sketchbook: a bird painter’s African odyssey, 469 Glareola maldivarum, see Pratincole, Oriental nordmanni, see Pratincole, Black-winged pratincola, see Pratincole, Collared Godwit, Black-tailed, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 37; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 521-22 Goldeneye, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 13-14; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 498-9 Goldfinch, photograph, 718, plate 397 Gooddie, C., photograph of Sula Pitta, 745, plate 399 Gooders, John, obituary, 548, plate 302 Goodey, M., photograph of Black-eared Wheatear, 620, plate 342 Goose, Lesser Canada, photograph, 203, plate 107 — , Red-breasted, accepted records, 567 Gorman, G., Black Woodpecker excavating a cavity in autumn, 41 1 Goshawk, Northern, breeding in the United 756 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Kingdom in 2007, 24-25; apparent nesting association with Firecrests, 243-4; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 509-10 Grantham, M„ see Fox, A. D„ et al. Gray, S., photographs of Common Sandpiper, 105, 109, 112, plates 35, 37, 40 Grebe, Black-necked, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 18-19; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 505 , Pied-billed, photograph, 747, plate 400 , Red-necked, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 536 , Slavonian, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 18; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 504-5, plate 289 Green, A. J., see Fox, A. D., et al. , M., see Sim, I., et al. Greenshank, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 37-38; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 522-23 Gregory, L., photograph of Northern Parula, 698, plate 387 , R., see Stanbury, A., et al. Grice, P., see Stanbury, A., et al. Grus canadensis, see Crane, Sandhill grus, see Crane, Common japonensis, see Crane, Red-crowned leucogeranus, see Crane, Siberian vipio, see Crane, White-naped Gull, American Herring, accepted records, 594-5 , Bonaparte’s, accepted records, 595-6 , Caspian, identification. Part 1: typical birds, 142-83, plates 48-97; status in Malta, 185-7 , Franklin’s, accepted records, 594 , Glaucous-winged, in Gloucestershire: new to Britain, 53-59, plates 3-4; putative photograph, 461, plate 275; accepted record, 595 , Herring, photograph, 452, plate 263 , Ivory, accepted records, 596-7, plate 321 , Laughing, accepted records, 593-4 , Little, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 39 , Mediterranean, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 38—39; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 523-24 , Yellow-legged, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 39; photograph, 350, plate 175; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 524 Gutierrez, R., letter on Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels in Spanish waters, 66 Gypaetus barbatus, see Lammergeier Haematopus ostralegus, see Oystercatcher Hale, M., photograph of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 269, plate 134; of Oriental White Stork, 299, plate 156; of Brown Flycatcher, 659, 664, plates 360-1; of Siberian Flycatcher, 666-7, 669, plates 366-7, 371 Haliaetus albicilla, see Eagle, White-tailed Flallam, N., photograph of American Black Tern, 599, plate 323 Hamblin, M., photograph of Short-eared Owl, winner, Bird Photograph of the Year 2010, 447, plate 257 , T., photograph of Great Bustard, 452, plate 262 Harrier, Hen, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 23-24; winter roosting behaviour in northern England, 60-61; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 508; photograph of ‘Northern Harrier’, C. c. hudsonius, 748, plate 402 , Marsh, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 22; hunting over water, 209, 731; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 507 , Montagu’s, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 24; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 508-9 , Pallid, accepted records, 577 Harrop, A. H. L, records of Hawk Owl in Britain, 276-83, plates 143-9 , H., photograph of Blyth’s Reed Warbler, 78, plate 15; of Northern Gannet, 453, plate 264; of Long-tailed Duck, 457, plate 269; of Western Bonelli’s Warbler, 611, plate 334; of Veery, 617, plate 339; of Pechora Pipit, 627, plate 346; of Hornemann’s Redpoll, 630, plate 349; of Buff-bellied Pipit, 697, plate 386; of Isabeiline Shrike, 749, plate 403 Harvey, P., review of Parkin & Knox: The Status of Birds in Britain & Ireland, 307; Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle: new to Britain, 651-7, plates 357-9 , R., photograph of Lesser Kestrel, 314, plate 158 Hashimoto, N„ et al., rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper, 401-4, plates 222-7 Hathway, R., photographs of Eskimo Curlew, 88, plates 23-24 Hawfinch, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 48-49; monitoring - another option, 245-6; hazards of man-made material to nesting birds 27, plates 124-5; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 535-6 Hay, A., photographs of Ring Ouzel, 230, 236, plates 1 18, 122; of Cirl Bunting and its habitat, 703-10, plates 388-93 Hearn, P., see Riddington, R., et al. British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 757 Index Henricson, A., photograph of Henderson Petrel, 440, plate 254; 742, plate 398 Hering, J., 8c Packert, M., DNA analysis of a juvenile Common Snipe on Corvo, Azores, 184-5, plates 98-99 Herkenrath, P., see Dott, H. E. M., et al. Heron, Great Blue, on Sciliy: new to Britain, 206-12, plates 110-12; , Grey, effect of Common Ravens on heronries, 244-5; photograph, 456, plate 268 , Purple, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 17-18; photograph, 417, plate 232 , Squacco, accepted records, 574 Heteromirafra sidamoensis, see Lark, Liden Higuchi, H., satellite tracking the migration of birds in eastern Asia, 284-302, plates 150-6 Himantopus himantopus , see Stilt, Black-winged Hippolais caligata , see Warbler, Booted icterina, see Warbler, Icterine polyglotta, see Warbler, Melodious rama, see Warbler, Sykes’s Hirundo rustica , see Swallow, Barn Hobby, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 27-28; apparent predation attempt by Common Kestrel on chicks at the nest, 244; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 512-13 Hobson, K. A., see Fox, A. D., et al. Holden, D., photograph of Eastern Crowned Warbler, winner, Carl Zeiss Award 2010, 463, plate 277 Holland, P. K., see Dougall, T. W., et al. Holling, M., review of Fray et al. : The Birds of Leicestershire and Rutland, 124-5 , , 8c the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2007, 2-52, plates 1-2; rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2008, 482-538, plates 283-94 Holmes, J. 8c J., photographs of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 269,270, plates 133, 135 Holt, C., review of Mabey: The Barley Bird: notes on the Suffolk Nightingale, 363 Honey-buzzard, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 19-20; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 505-6 , Oriental, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302 Hoopoe, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50 Hosking, D., see Chandler, R., et al. Howard, R., photograph of Corn Bunting, 450, plate 260 Howell, S. N. G., moult and ageing in Black- browed Albatrosses, 353-6, plates 181-5 Hudson, N., Green Warbler on Sciliy: new to Britain, 93-99, plates 26-28 , , 8c the Rarities Committee, report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2009, 562-638, plates 307-51 Hutchinson, K., see Sim, I., et al. Hutton, D., photographs of Common Sandpiper, 110-11, plates 38-39; of Great Reed Warbler, 424, plate 239 Hydrocoloeus minutus, see Gull, Little Hydroprogne caspia, see Tern, Caspian Ibis, Glossy, accepted records, 574-6, plate 310 Important Bird Areas: Henderson Island, 428-44, plates 242-56 Ixobrychus minutus, see Bittern, Little Jay, Eurasian, eating unripe barley seeds, 732 Jenkins, G., photograph of Pied-billed Grebe, 747, plate 400 Jynx torquilla, see Wryneck Kehoe, C., review on Myers: A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, 127; of Philipps 8c Phillips: Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, 128 Keighley, S., photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 391, plates 205-6 Kelly, A., et al., using stable isotopes to investigate the provenance of an Eagle Owl found in Norfolk, 213-22, plates 1 13-14 , P 8c A., photograph of American race of Common Eider, S. m. dresseri, 257, plate 127; of Long-billed Dowitcher, 258, plate 128; of Wilson’s Phalarope, 693, plate 382; of ‘Northern Harrier’, C. c. hudsonius, 748, plate 402 Kennerley, J., photograph of possible Motacilla alba leucopsis x M. a. baicalensis intergrade, 273, plate 141; of Pacific Golden Plover, 585, plate 317 , P., photograph of White-naped Crane, 295, plate 155; review of Davison 8c Aik: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Birds of Malaysia and Singapore, 553 , , see Chandler, R., et al. Kerr, I., male Barn Swallow passing food to female, 304 Kestrel, Common, attempting to predate Hobliy chicks at the nest, 244 , Lesser, photograph, 314, plate 158 Kettle, A., photograph of Purple Heron, 417, plate 232 Kidner, P., see Rowlands, A., et al. Kilgour, R., photograph of Spotted Sandpiper, ' 139, plate 45 Killdeer, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 36; accepted records, 584 Kingfisher, Common, pursued by Pied Wagtail, 362, plate 187 758 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Kings, D., the use of nestboxes by Moorhens 410 Kirk, K„ photograph of Eurasian Spoonbill, 503, plate 288 Kirwan, G. M„ review of Ridgely 8< Tudor: Birds of South America: passerines, 129; of van Perlo: A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil, 130; of Lawson: Where to Watch Birds in Costa Rica, 365 Kite, Black, photographs, 138, 204, plates 44, 108 , Red, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 20-21, plate 2; playing catch?, 243; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 506-7 Koskinen, H„ photographs of Caspian Gull, 154, 172, 174, plates 59, 91, 96 Kumar, D„ photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 393, plate 213 Kyyro, J„ photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 395, plates 214-15 Lammergeier, photograph, 201, plate 106 Lancaster, Les, photograph of Pacific Diver, 543, plate 299 Lane, M., photograph of Lammergeier, 201, plate 106; of Red-crowned Crane, 292, plate 153; of Marbled Duck, 466, plate 278 Langsbury, G., photograph of Common Starlings, 451, plate 261 Lanius collurio, see Shrike, Red-backed cristatus, see Shrike, Brown isabellinus, see Shrike, Isabelline meridionalis, see Shrike, Southern Grey minor, see Shrike, Lesser Grey senator, see Shrike, Woodchat Lapwing, Sociable, accepted record, 586 , White-tailed, photograph, 422, plate 236 Lark, Crested, accepted records, 608, plate 331 , Liben, photograph, 474, plate 280 , Wood, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 43; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 528 Larus argentatus, see Gull, Herring atricilla, see Gull, Laughing cachinnans, see Gull, Caspian glaucescens, see Gull, Glaucous-winged melanocephalus, see Gull, Mediterranean michahellis, see Gull, Yellow-legged pipixcan, see Gull, Lranklin’s smithsonianus, see Gull, American Herring Lawrence, M., photograph of Two-barred Crossbill, 316, plate 161; of Alder/Willow Llycatcher, 695, plate 384 Leach, L, photograph of Black Kite, 204, plate 108 Leader, P. J., Brown, Siberian and Grey-streaked Llycatchers: identification and ageing, 658-71, plates 360-76 Lee, J. R, photograph of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 390, plate 203 Lees, A. C., review of Dudley: A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, 68-69; of Newton: Bird Migration, 413-14 Leighton, K., see Kelly, A., et al. Lewington, I., photograph of American Black Tern, 461, plate 274 Lewis, J. M. S., monitoring Hawfinches - another option, 245-6 Limb, K., photograph of crowd watching Pacific Diver, 544, plate 301 Limnodromus scolopaceus, see Dowitcher, Long- billed Limosa limosa, see Godwit, Black-tailed Lindquist, T., photographs of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 389, plates 200-1 Locustella certhiola, see Warbler, Pallas’s Grasshopper fluviatilis, see Warbler, River lanceolata, see Warbler, Lanceolated luscinioides, see Warbler, Savi’s Loong, L. Y., photograph of Brown flycatcher, 665, plate 364 Lophura nycthemera, see Pheasant, Silver Lorikeet, Henderson, photograph, 434, plate 246 Loxia leucoptera, see Crossbill, Two-barred pytyopsittacus, see Crossbill, Parrot scotica, see Crossbill, Scottish Ludwig, S., see Sim, L, et al. Lullula arborea, see Lark, Wood Luscinia luscinia, see Nightingale, Thrush svecica, see Bluethroat Madders, Mike, obituary, 188, plate 100 Maher, M., photograph of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 390, plate 204 Main, L, Eurasian Sparrowhawk taking nestling Song Thrushes, 303 Malloy, J., photograph of ‘Black-headed Wagtail’, M. f feldegg, 374, plate 194; of Semipalmated Sandpiper, 586, plate 318 Malpass, M„ photograph of Eastern Crowned Warbler, 609, plate 332 Mansell, D., photographs of Siberian Chiffchaff, 327, plates 166-7 Marchant, J., see Riddington, R., et al. , J., see Dean, A., et al. Marmaronetta angustirostris, see Duck, Marbled Martin, G., Blackbirds and snails, 733 Martinez, N., letter on the Crimean Peninsula: a zone of intergradation of Common Redstart subspecies, 405-6, plate 228 Mason, P, letter on the nest of Golden Oriole, 359 Mather, J. R., Pacific Diver in Yorkshire: new to British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 759 Index Britain and the Western Palearctic, 539-45, plates 295-301 Mawson, G., apparent nesting association between Northern Goshawks and Firecrests, 243-4 McElwee, A., photograph of Iberian Chiffchaff, 315, plate 160 , S., photograph of Lesser Canada Goose, 203, plate 107; of Gyr Falcon, 204, plate 109; of Whiskered Tern, 560, plate 306 McGrady, M., obituary of Mike Madders, 187-8, plate 100 McKee, M., photograph of Marmora’s Warbler, 423, plate 238; of Lanceolated Warbler, 612, plate 336 McMinn-Grive, M., see Wynn, R. B., et al. Melanitta fusca, see Scoter, Velvet nigra, see Scoter, Common Melling, T., the Eskimo Curlew in Britain, 80-92, plates 16-25; review of Gosney: Finding Birds in Morocco: the deserts (DVD and booklet), 198 Menzie, S., behaviour of male Blackbird giving ‘ultra-crystallised’ song, 304-6 Merlin, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 26-27; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 511-12 Merops apiaster, see Bee-eater, European persicus, see Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Messenbird, G., photograph of Glaucous- winged Gull, 461, plate 275 Middleton, P., winter roosting behaviour of Hen Harriers in northern England, 60-61 Miles, W., photograph of Blackburnian Warbler, 634, plate 351; variation in the appearance of adult and juvenile Leach’s Storm-petrels on St Kilda, 721-7 Milvus migrans, see Kite, Black milvus, see Kite, Red Minton, S., photograph of Brown-headed Cowbird, 633, plate 350 Molothrus ater, see Cowbird, Brown-headed Moon, A., photograph of Brown Shrike, 605, plate 329 Moore, D., review of Hilbers & Knapp: The Nature Guide to the Cevennes and Grand Causse - France, 69-70; of Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Camargue, La Crau and Les Alpilles - France, 69-70; Manx Shearwaters feeding alongside Fin Whale, 360, plate 186 Moorhen, use of nestboxes, 410 Morris, P., photograph of Lanceolated Warbler, 458, plate 270 Morus hassanus, see Gannet, Northern Motacilla alba, see Wagtail, White/Pied citreola, see Wagtail, Citrine flava, see Wagtail, Yellow Mott, L„ photograph of Oystercatcher and Fulmar, third, Bird Photograph of the Year 2010, 449, plate 259; of Arctic Tern, 455, plate 267 Mudd, K., Marsh Harrier hunting over water, 209 Muscicapa dauurica, see Flycatcher, Brown griseisticta, see Flycatcher, Grey-streaked sibirica, see Flycatcher, Siberian striata, see Flycatcher, Spotted Nadin, J., photograph of Baird’s Sandpiper, 77, plate 13 Nason, R., photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 333, plate 173 Neophron percnopterus, see Vulture, Egyptian New to Britain: Glaucous-winged Gull, 53-59, plates 3-4; Green Warbler, 93-99, plates 26-28; Great Blue Heron, 206-12, plates 1 10-12; Brown Flycatcher, 651-7, plates 357-9; ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’, 712-17, plates 394-6 New to the Western Palearctic: ‘Amur Wagtail’, 260-7, plates 129-32; Least Tern, 339-47; Pacific Diver, 539-45, plates 295-301 Newman, P., photograph of White-tailed Eagle, 454, plate 266 News and comment: 72-75, plates 1 1-12; 133-7, plates 42-43; 200-2, plate 106; 253-6, plate 126; 309-12, plate 157; 367-71, plates 188-90; 417-20, plates 232-3; 473-8, plates 280-1; 554-7, plate 303; 686-92, plates 380-1; 742-6, plates 398-9 Newton, see Kelly, A., et al. , I., review of Zwarts et al.: Living on the Edge: wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel, 197-8; of Baker: The Peregrine, The LLill of Summer & Diaries, 683 Nicholson, D., Common Kestrel attempting to predate Hobby chicks at the nest, 244 Nicoll, M., see Sim, I., et al. Nicolson, J., photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 323, plate 163 Nightingale, B., 8c Dempsey, E., recent reports, see Recent reports , , see Sharrock, ). T. R. Nightingale, Thrush, accepted records, 618-19 Numenius borealis, see Curlew, Eskimo phaeopus, see Whimbrel tahitiensis, see Curlew, Bristle-thighed Nunn, P., photograph of ‘grey-and-white’ Common Chiffchaff, 334, plate 174 Nuthatch, Eurasian, photograph, 686, plate 380 Obituaries: Mike Madders, 187-8, plate 100; Dick Brown, 371; Martin Gilbert, 371; John Gooders, 548-9, plate 302; R. B. (Dick) Treleaven, 677-8, plate 378; R. E. (Bob) 760 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Emmett, 678-9, plate 379; John Warham, 720 Oceanites oceanicus , see Storm-petrel, Wilson’s Oceanodroina leucorhoa , see Storm-petrel, Leach’s monorhis, see Storm-petrel, Swinhoe’s Oenanthe deserti, see Wheatear, Desert hispanica , see Wheatear, Black-eared oenanthe, see Wheatear, Northern pleschanka, see Wheatear, Pied Oliver, P., behaviour of Little Auks at sea in the breeding season, 410-1 1 Oriole, Golden, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 41; nest, 359; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 525 Oriolus oriolus, see Oriole, Golden Osprey, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 26; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 510-11 Otis tarda, see Bustard, Great Otus scops, see Owl, Eurasian Scops Ouzel, Ring, decline in Britain, 229-39, plates 118-22 Owen, E„ photograph of Puffin, 136, plate 43 Owl, Eagle, stable isotopes used to investigate the provenance of one found in Norfolk, 213-22, plates 113-14; letter on provenance of some British records, 240-1 , Eurasian Scops, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 41 , Hawk, records in Britain, 276-83, plates 143-9; letter on the Wiltshire record and a plea for caution in the rejection of historical records, 673-5 , Short-eared, photograph, 447, plate 257 , Snowy, eating Eurasian Teal, 360-1; photograph, 373, plate 192; accepted records, 603 , Tawny, photograph, 448, plate 258 Oxyura jamaicensis, see Duck, Ruddy Oystercatcher, photograph, 449, plate 259 Packert, M., see Hering, J. Packham, C., see Chandler, R., et al. Pagophila ehurnea, see Gull, Ivory Pandion haliaetus, see Osprey Panurus biarmicus, see Tit, Bearded Parkin, D. T., review of Mason & Allsop: The Golden Oriole, 67; of Green & Green: Echoes from Cape Clear: a year in the life of an Irish island and its Bird Observatory, 68; of Maclean: Silent Summer: the state of wildlife in Britain and Ireland , 738; of Moller et al: Effects of Climate Change of Birds, 740-1 Partridge, Grey, no parasite infection from Common Pheasant, 123; unusual display, 408 , Red-legged, no parasite infection from Common Pheasant, 123 Panda americana, see Parula, Northern Parula, Northern, photograph, 698, plate 387 Pender, J., photographs of Wilson’s Storm- petrels, 396, 398, plates 218-19 Pennington, M., review of Waring et al.: Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd edn), 70; photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 329, plate 168 Perdix perdix, see Partridge, Grey Perlman, Y., photographs of Green Warbler, 95, plates 27-8 Pernis apivorus, see Honey-buzzard ptilorhyncus, see Honey-buzzard, Oriental Petrel, Henderson, photographs 440, 742, plates 254, 398 , Kermadec, photograph, 441, plate 255 , Murphy’s, photographs, 438-9, plates 252-3 , Zino’s/Fea’s, accepted records, 571-3 Petursson, G., letter on two records of Great Blue Heron in Iceland, 359 Phalarope, Red-necked, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 38; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 523 , Wilson’s, photographs, 423, 693, plates 237, 382; accepted records, 592 Phalaropus lobatus, see Phalarope, Red-necked tricolor, see Phalarope, Wilson’s Phasianus colchicus, see Pheasant, Common Pheasant, Common, do not spread parasites to Grey and Red-legged Partridges, 123 , Silver, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 14-15 Philomachus pugnax, see Ruff Phoenicians ochruros, see Redstart, Black phoenicurus, see Redstart, Common Phylloscopus bonelli, see Warbler, Western Bonelli’s borealis, see Warbler, Arctic collybita, see Chiffchaff, Common coronatus, see Warbler, Eastern Crowned ibericus, see Chiffchaff, Iberian nitidus, see Warbler, Green orientalis, see Warbler, Eastern Bonelli’s Pigeon, Wood, and the saltmarsh habitat, 303; " diet, 303-4 Pintail, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 10-11; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 494 Pipit, Buff-bellied, accepted records, 628, plate 347; photographs, 697, 750, plates 386, 405 , Olive-backed, accepted records, 626-7 , Pechora, accepted records, 627-8, plate 346 Pitches, A., review of Behrens et al.: Birding Ethiopia: a guide to the country’s birding sites, 414-15; of Spottiswoode et al.: Where British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 761 Index to Watch Birds in Ethiopia, 415-16; of Davies & Miller: The Biggest Twitch, 681-2; of Winter: Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher, 682; of Couzens: Atlas of Rare Birds, 735; of Gooddie: The Jewel Hunter, 736 Pitta (erythrogaster) dohertyi, see Pitta, Sula Pitta, Sula, photograph, 745, plate 399 Platalea leucorodia, see Spoonbill, Eurasian Plectrophenax nivalis, see Bunting, Snow Plegadis falcinellus, see Ibis, Glossy Plover, Greater Sand, accepted records, 585 , Lesser Sand, accepted records, 584-5 , Little Ringed, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 35-36; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 519-20 , Pacific Golden, accepted records, 585, plate 317 Pluvialis fulva, see Plover, Pacific Golden Pochard, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 12-13; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 497 Podiceps auritus, see Grebe, Slavonian grisegena, see Grebe, Red-necked nigricollis, see Grebe, Black-necked Podilymbus podiceps, see Grebe, Pied-billed Poecile montanus, see Tit, Willow palustris, see Tit, Marsh Pope, M., photograph of eastern Woodchat Shrike, L. s. niloticus, 387, plate 199 Porter, R. L, unusual display of Grey Partridge, 408; editorial, 426-7; photograph of Socotra Buzzard, 419, plate 233 , , & Quiroz, D., social behaviour of the Egyptian Vulture, 61-64, plates 5-9 Porzana atra, see Crake, Henderson porzana, see Crake, Spotted pusilla, see Crake, Baillon’s Potts, G. R., letter on pheasants, parasites and partridges, 123 Powell, D., review of Woodhead: Up River: the song of the Esk, 250-1; of McCallum: Wild Skeins and Winter Skies: paintings and observations of Pink-footed Geese , 250-1 Poxton, I., see Sim, I., et al. Pratincole, Black-winged, accepted records, 583-4, plate 316 , Collared, accepted records, 580-2, plate 314 , Oriental, photographs, 422, 460, plates 235, 273; accepted records, 582-3, plate 315 Priddle, D., photograph of Common Sandpiper, 108, plate 36 Procelsterna cerulean, see Ternlet, Blue-grey Prytherch, R., letter on rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer Curlew Sandpiper, 672 , , see Riddington, R., et al. Pterodroma atrata, see Petrel, Henderson madeira/feae, see Petrel, Zino’s/Fea’s neglecta, see Petrel, Kermadec ultima, see Petrel, Murphy’s Ptilinopus insularis, see Dove, Henderson fruit Puffin, photograph, 136, plate 43 , Tufted, photograph, 462, plate 276; accepted record, 601, plate 325 Puffinus gravis, see Shearwater, Great mauretanicus, see Shearwater, Balearic puffinus, see Shearwater, Manx Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, see Chough, Red- billed Quail, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 499-500 Radford, A. P., Spotted flycatcher nest reconstructed for second clutch, 245; Wood Pigeon diet, 304; aerial courtship-feeding by Spotted flycatchers, 306; Wren feeding on earthworm, 361 Rafferty, B., Common Stonechats feeding through a hole in the ice, 411-12, plate 231 Rail, Water, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 30; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 515-16 Rallus aquaticus, see Rail, Water Rarities Committee, news and announcements: 313; 558 Raven, Common, predation on Grey Heron heronries, 244-5 Rebecca, G., see Sim, I., et al. Recent reports: 76-78; 138-40; 203-4; 257-8; 314-16; 372-4; 421-4; 479-80; 558-60; 692-8; 746-50 Recurvirostra avosetta, see Avocet Redman, N., review of Jennings: Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia, 549-50 Redpoll, Arctic, accepted records of Greenland race, ‘Hornemann’s Redpoll’, C. h. hornemanni, 630-1, plate 349 , Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 48 Redshank, Common, photograph, 77, plate 14 Redstart, Black, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 47; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 532-3 , Common, the Crimean Peninsula: a zone of intergradation of subspecies, 405-6, plate 228 Redwing, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 46-47; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 532 Rees, E. C., & Beekman, J. H., northwest European Bewick’s Swans: a population in decline, 640-50, plates 352-56 Regains ignicapilla, see Firecrest Remiz pendulinus, see Tit, Penduline 762 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Reviews Arlott: Birds of the West Indies, 471 Ashmole & Ashmole: The Carrifran Wildwood Story, 199 Baker: The Peregrine, The Hill of Summer & Diaries, 683 Ballance: Birds in Counties: second supplement, 132 Behrens et ai: Birding Ethiopia: a guide to the country’s birding sites, 414-15 Buckley et al: The Birds of Barbados, 131 Chandler & Llewellyn: Kingfisher, 55 1 Chansgard: The History of Ornithology, 126 Cleere: Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird and Owlet-nightjars of the World, 550 Couzens: Atlas of Rare Birds, 735 Davies 8c Miller: The Biggest Twitch, 681-2 Davison 8c Aik: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Birds of Malaysia and Singapore, 553 Dee: The Running Sky - a birdwatching life, 132 del Hoyo et al.: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows, 196 Dingier et al. : The Sounds of Raptors and Falcons (2 CDs), 252 Donald et al: Facing Extinction, 739-40 Dudley: A Birdwatching Guide to Lesvos, 68-69 Fray et al.: The Birds of Leicestershire and Rutland, 124-5 Garfield: The Meinertzhagen Mystery: the life and legend of a colossal fraud, 551-2 Gomersall 8c Tipling: Wildlife Photography Masterclass: a beginner’s guide to wildlife photography (DVD), 251 Gooddie: The Jewel Hunter, 736 Gosney: Finding Birds in Andalucia (DVD and booklet), 131-2 Gosney: Finding Birds in Morocco: the deserts (DVD and booklet), 198 Gosney: Finding Birds in North Goa (DVD and booklet), 472 Gosney: Finding Birds in North Spain (DVD and booklet), 472 Gosney: Finding Birds in Southern Cyprus (DVD and booklet), 741 Green 8c Green: Echoes from Cape Clear: a year in the life of an Irish island and its Bird Observatory, 68 Hilbers: Finnish Lapland, 364 Hilbers: The Nature Guide to the Camargue, La Crau and Les Alpilles - France, 69-70 Hilbers 8c Knapp: The Nature Guide to the Cevennes and Grand Causse - France, 69-70 Hill: National Geographic Bird Coloration, 685 Honkala 8c Niiranen: A Birdwatching Guide to South-East Brazil, 739 Jennings: Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia, 549-50 Jobling: Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names, 249 King: Attending Alaska’s Birds: a wildlife pilot’s story, 365-6 Kirwan: A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans, 416 Lawson: Where to Watch Birds in Costa Rica, 365 Lever: The Naturalized Animals of Britain and Ireland, 125-6 Mabey: A Brush with Nature, 552-3 Mabey: The Barley Bird: notes on the Suffolk Nightingale, 363 Maclean: Silent Summer: the state of wildlife in Britain and Ireland, 738 Mason 8c Allsop: The Golden Oriole, 67 McCallum: Wild Skeins and Winter Skies: paintings and observations of Pink-footed Geese, 250-1 Moller et al.: Effects of Climate Change of Birds, 740-1 Myers: A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, 127 Newton: Bird Migration, 413-14 Parkin 8c Knox: The Status of Birds in Britain & Ireland, 307 Phillipps 8c Phillipps: Phillipp’s Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, 128 Pittie: Birds in Books: three hundred years of south Asian ornithology - a bibliography, 470 Porter 8c Aspinall: Birds of the Middle East (2nd edn), 737-8 Rebassa et al.: A Birding Tourist’s Guide to Majorca, 363-4 Reece: The Status of Birds in Nottinghamshire, 249-50 Ridgely 8c Tudor: Birds of South America: passerines, 129 Sample: Collins Bird Songs and Calls (3 CDs), 471-2 Scott: Essential Ornithology, 552 Sheppard: Capturing the Moment, 199 Sielicki 8c Mizera: Peregrine Falcon Populations: status and perspectives in the 21st century, 252 Simpson: Birding Dordogne, 684-5 Spottiswoode et al: Where to Watch Birds in Ethiopia, 415-16 Svensson et al.: Collins Bird Guide, 2nd edition, 248 Tingay 8c Katzner: The Eagle Watchers: observing and conserving raptors around the world, 469-70 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 763 Index van der Weijden et al: Farmland Birds across the World, 684 van Duivendijk: Advanced Bird ID Guide, 680-1 van Perlo: A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil, 130 Waring et al: Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (2nd edn), 70 Winter: Tales of a Tabloid Twitcher, 682 Woodcock: Safari Sketchbook: a bird painter’s African odyssey, 469 Woodhead: Up River: the song of the Esk, 250-1 Zwarts et ai: Living on the Edge: wetlands and birds in a changing Sahel, 197-8 Riddington, R., editorial: 71, 318-19; 700-1; photographs of Siberian Chiffchaff, 322, 325, plates 162, 164; review of Svensson et al: Collins Bird Guide, 2nd edition, 248 , , et al. The BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2009, 115-17 Robinson, J., photograph of Northern Wheatear, 226, plate 1 17 Rodriguez-Molina, A., see Wynn, R. B., et al Rogers, D., see Hashimoto, N., et al Rollie, C., see Sim, I., et al Rosefinch, Common, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50-51; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 535 Rowlands, A., proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of Amur Wagtail’, 268-75, plates 133-42; identification of eastern Woodchat Shrike, 385-95, plates 199-217; The Carl Zeiss Award 2010, 460-3, plates 273-7 , , et al, Yellow-nosed Albatross: new to Britain, 376-84, plates 195-8 RSPB Images, photograph of Lesser Whitethroat, 133, plate 42; of Dr Mike Clarke, 367, plate 188 Ruff, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 36-37; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 521 Rushforth, J., Marsh Harrier hunting over water, 731 Sage, B., Wood Pigeons and the saltmarsh habitat, 303; Wood Pigeon diet, 303-4 Sallis, M., photograph of Pacific Diver, 570, plate 308 Sammut, M., & Azzopardi, )., the status of Caspian Gull in Malta, 185-7 , , 8( Fenech, N., unusual breeding behaviour of European Bee-eaters in Malta, 731-2 Sanders, J., Glaucous-winged Gull in Gloucestershire: new to Britain, 53-50, plates 3-4 Sandpiper, Baird’s, photograph, 77, plate 13; accepted records, 586 , Buff-breasted, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 537 , Common, population biology in Britain, 100-14, plates 29-40 , Curlew, rapid moult to breeding plumage by a first-summer bird, 401-4, plates 222-7; letter, 672 , Green, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 37; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 522 , Marsh, accepted record, 591 , Purple, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 36; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 521 , Semipalmated, accepted records, 586, plate 318 , Solitary, accepted record, 590-1, plate 320 , Spotted, photographs, 139, 559, plates 45, 305; accepted records, 589-90 , Stilt, accepted record, 587 , Terek, accepted records, 589 , Wood, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 38; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 523 Saunders, P„ photograph of Collared Flycatcher, 623, plate 344 Saxicola torquatus, see Stonechat, Common Scaup, Greater, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 13; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 498 , Lesser, accepted records, 569 Schofield, R., review of Buckley et al: The Birds of Barbados, 131; of Kirwan: A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico & the Caymans, 416; of Arlott: Birds of the West Indies, 471; of Honkala & Niiranen: A Birdwatching Guide to South-East Brazil, 739 Schols, R., photograph of Brown Flycatcher, 665, plate 363 Scoter, Common, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 13; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 498 , Velvet, photograph, 454, plate 265 Scott, L., ‘snowballing’ White-tailed Eagle, 409, plate 230 Scovell, K., photograph of Long-billed Dowitcher, 372, plate 191; of Amur Falcon, 578, plate 311 Sellers, R. M., see Dott, H. E. M., et al Serinus citrinella, see Finch, Citril Sharrock, J. T. R., & Nightingale, B„ letter on identification of Willow Tit and Marsh Tit, 121-2 Shaw, D„ photograph of the new Fair Isle Bird Observatory, 75, plate 12 764 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Sheai water, Balearic, predation by Peregrine Falcons, 350-3, plates 175-80 , Cory’s, ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’, C. d. diomedea, off Scilly: new to Britain, 712-17, plates 394-6 , Great, photograph, 559, plate 304 , Manx, feeding alongside Fin Whale, 360, plate 186 Shoveler, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 1 1-12; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 495-6, plate 285 Shrike, Brown, photograph, 139, plate 46; accepted record, 605, plate 329 , Isabelline, photograph, 749, plate 403 , Lesser Grey, accepted records, 605 , Red-backed, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 41-42; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 526 , Southern Grey, accepted records, 606, plate 330 , Woodchat, identification of eastern race, L. s. niloticus , 385-95, plates 199-217; accepted record of west Mediterranean islands race ‘Balearic Woodchat Shrike’, L. s. badius, 607; Corso, A., letter on status of eastern race in Italy, 728 Sim, I., et al, the decline of the Ring Ouzel in Britain, 229-39, plates 118-22 Simpson, F., photograph of White-winged Black Tern, 694, plate 383 Siriwardena, G„ review of van der Weijden et al: Farmland Birds across the World , 684 Sitta europaea, see Nuthatch, Eurasian Skua, Great, accepted records of southern hemisphere races, S. a. antarcticus/ Hamilton i/lon n bergi, 592-3 Small, B. J., see Gibbins, C., et al. Smart, O., photograph of Slavonian Grebe, 504, plate 289; of Dotterel, 520, plate 291 Smith, L., see Sim, I., et al. Snipe, Common, DNA analysis of a juvenile on Corvo, Azores, 18-5, plates 98-99; photograph, 368, plate 189 , Wilson’s, accepted records, 587 Somateria mollissima , see Eider, Common spectabilis, see Eider, King Sparrow, White-throated, photograph, 425, plate 240; accepted records, 632 Sparrowhawk, Eurasian, taking nestling Song Thrushes, 303 Spoonbill, Eurasian, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 18; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 503—4, plate 288; photograph, 556, plate 303 Stanbury, A., et al, the status of the Cirl Bunting in the UK in 2009, 702—1 1, plates 388-93 , , see Sim, I., et al. Starling, Common, photograph, 451, plate 261 Steel, R., photograph of Velvet Scoter, 454, plate 265 Stercorarius skua, see Skua, Great Sterna dougallii, see Tern, Roseate hirundo, see Tern, Common maxima, see Tern, Royal paradisaea, see Tern, Arctic Sternula albifrons, see Tern, Little antillarum, see Tern, Least Stilt, Black-winged, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 517, plate 290; accepted records, 580 Stint, Temminck’s, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 36 Stoddart, A., letter on Eskimo Curlew, 240 , , see Dean, A., et al. Stonechat, Common, photograph of ‘Siberian Stonechat’, S. t. maurus, 140, plate 47; feeding through a hole in the ice, 41 1-12, plate 231; accepted records of eastern race, ‘Siberian Stonechat’, S. t. maurus, 619-20 Stone-curlew, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 34-35; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 518-19 Stonier, R., photograph of Black Kite, 138, plate 44 Stork, Black, accepted records, 574 , Oriental White, satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302, plate 156 Storm-petrel, Leach’s, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 51; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 537; variation in the appearance of adults and juveniles on St Kilda, 721-7 , Swinhoe’s, in Spanish waters, 66 , Wilson’s, off the Isles of Scilly: a ten-year analysis, 2000-09, 396-9, plates 218-19 Strix aluco, see Owl, Tawny Stronach, R, 8c Cooper, J., Snowy Owl pellet containing Eurasian Teal, 360-1 Sturnus vulgaris, see Starling, Common Sula dactylatra, see Booby, Masked Surnia ulula, see Owl, Hawk Svensson, L., & Vinicombe, K. E., letter on the malar stripe, 241-2 Swallow, Barn, male passing food to female, 304 Swan, Bewick’s, northwest European Bewick’s Swans, C. c. bewickii: a population in decline, 640-50, plates 352-56 , Black, interactions with breeding Mute Swans in Cheshire 8c Wirral, 194-5, plates 103-5 , Mute, interactions with breeding Black Swans in Cheshire 8c Wirral, 194-5, plates 103-5 , Whooper, breeding in the United British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 765 Index Kingdom in 2007, 9; satellite tracking migrating birds in eastern Asia, 284-302; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 490-2 Sweeney, J., see Gibbins, C., et al. Swift, Pallid, photograph, 315, plate 159; accepted records, 603-4, plate 327 Sylvia borin , see Warbler, Garden curruca, see Whitethroat, Lesser mystacea, see Warbler, Menetries’s sarda , see Warbler, Marmora’s undata, see Warbler, Dartford Tams, T., photograph of Lesser Yellowlegs and Common Redshank, 77, plate 14; of Black- throated Thrush, 191, plate 101 Tarsiger cyanurus , see Bluetail, Red-flanked Tauraco ruspolii, see Turaco, Prince Ruspoli’s Teal, Baikal, accepted records, 567-8 , Blue-winged, accepted records, 568, plate 307 , Eurasian, eaten by Snowy Owl, 360-1 , Green-winged, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 50; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 536 Tern, Arctic, photograph of Arctic Tern, 455, plate 267 , Black, photograph of American race, American Black Tern’, C. n. surinamensis, 461, plate 274; accepted record of American race, American Black Tern’, C. n. surinamensis, 599-600, plate 323 , Caspian, accepted records, 597-8 , Common, photograph, 459, plate 272 , Gull-billed, accepted records, 597 , Least, of antillarum/athalassos/browni group in East Sussex: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic, 339-347; letter on the taxonomic status of Least Tern, 728-30 , Little, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 39-40; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 524-25 , Roseate, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 40-41; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 525 , Royal, accepted records, 600-1, plate 324 , Whiskered, photograph, 560, plate 306; accepted records, 598-9, plate 322 , White-winged Black, photograph, 694, plate 383 Ternlet, Blue-grey, photograph, 438, plate 251 Tetrao urogallus, see Capercaillie Thalassarche chlororhynchos, see Albatross, Yellow-nosed melanophris, see Albatross, Black-browed Thoburn, G., photograph of Spotted Sandpiper, 559, plate 305; of Buff-bellied Pipit, 628, plate 347; of American Bittern, 747, plate 400 Thomas, B., photograph of eastern Woodchat Shrike, I. s. niloticus, 388, plate 200; of Black-browed Albatross, 571, plate 309; of ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’, 713-14, plates 394-6 Thrush, Black-throated, photograph, 191, plate 101; accepted record, 618 , Eyebrowed, accepted record, 618, plate 340 , Song, nestlings taken by Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 303 , White’s, accepted record, 616-17 Tipling, D., photograph of Hawk Owl, 279, plate 147; of Wandering Albatross, 427, plate 241; of Firecrest, 496, plate 283; of Eurasian Bittern, 489, plate 284; of Bewick’s Swan, 647-8, plates 355-6; of Goldfinch, 718, plate 397 , , see Chandler, R., et al. Tit, Bearded, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 43; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 527, plate 292 , Blue, fighting in nestbox, 732-3 , Long-tailed, accepted record of northern race, ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit’, A. c. caudatus, 609 , Marsh, identification, 121-2 , Penduline, accepted records, 607-8 , Willow, identification, 121-2 Tomlinson, D., photograph of Little Egret, 459, plate 271 Treleaven, R. B. (Dick), obituary, 677-8, plate 378 Tringa flavipes, see Yellowlegs, Lesser glareola, see Sandpiper, Wood nebularia, see Greenshank, Common ochropus, see Sandpiper, Green solitaria, see Sandpiper, Solitary stagnatilis, see Sandpiper, Marsh totanus, see Redshank, Common Troglodytes troglodytes, see Wren Tryngites subruficollis, see Sandpiper, Buff- breasted Turaco, Prince Ruspoli’s, photograph, 474, plate 280 Turdus atrogularis, see Thrush, Black-throated iliacus, see Redwing merula, see Blackbird obscurus, see Thrush, Eyebrowed philomelos, see Thrush, Song pilaris, see Fieldfare — — torquatus, see Ouzel, Ring Turner, R., see Combridge, P., et al. Upupa epops, see Hoopoe Vanellus gregarius, see Lapwing, Sociable leucurus, see Lapwing, White-tailed 766 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 Index Varesvuo, M„ photographs of Eagle Owl, 215, 219, plates 110-12; of Rustic Bunting, 242, plate 123; of Bewick’s Swans, 641, plate 352 Veery, accepted record, 617-18, plate 339 Vickers, M„ photograph of Southern Grey Shrike, 606, plate 330 Vini stepheni , see Lorikeet, Henderson Vinicombe, K. E., see Svensson, L. Vireo olivaceus, see Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed, accepted records, 605 Viscardi, R, photograph of Hawk Owl, 280, plate 148 Votier, S., photograph of Siberian Chiffchaff, 331, plate 169 Vulture, Egyptian, social behaviour, 61-64, plates 5-9 Wagstaff, W., photographs of Great Blue Heron, 207-9, plates 110-12 Wagtail, Citrine, accepted records, 625-6 , White/Pied, White Wagtail breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 47-48; ‘Amur Wagtail’, M. a. leucopsis, in County Durham: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic, 260-7, plates 129-32; proposed criteria for BBRC assessment of claims of ‘Amur Wagtail’, M. a. leucopsis, 268-75, plates 133-42; photograph of possible Motacilla alba leucopsis x M. a. baicalensis intergrade, 273, plate 141; photograph of possible Motacilla alba leucopsis X M. a. alboides intergrade, 273, plate 142; pursuing Common Kingfisher, 362, plate 187; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 528-9; brandishing stick in winter territorial dispute, 733-4 , Yellow, photograph of ‘Black-headed Wagtail’, M. f. feldegg, 374, plate 194; Blue- headed Wagtail, M. f. flava, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 528—9; accepted record of central Mediterranean race, ‘Ashy- headed Wagtail’, M. f cinereocapilla, 624; accepted record of M. f. cinereocapilla x iberiae, 624; accepted record ot SE European & W Asian race, ‘Black-headed Wagtail’, M. f feldegg, 624-5, plate 345 Walbridge, G., see Dean, A., et al. Wallace, D. I. M., letter on size and vector of vagrant Green Warblers, 358—9; obituary of R. E. (Bob) Emmett, 678-9, plate 379 Wallen, M., photograph of Red-footed Falcon, 421, plate 234 Warbler, Arctic, accepted records, 610, plate 333 , Blackburnian, accepted record, 633-4, plate 351 , Blackpoll, accepted records, 634 , Blyth’s Reed, photograph, 78, plate 15; accepted records, 615 , Booted, accepted records, 615 , Booted/Sykes’s, accepted record, 615 , Cetti’s, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 44; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 528-9 , Dartford, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 45; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 529 , Eastern Bonelli’s, accepted record, 611, plate 335 , Eastern Crowned, photograph, 463, plate 277; accepted record, 609, plate 332 , Garden, photograph, 312, plate 157 , Great Reed, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 46; photograph, 424, plate 239; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 500; accepted records, 615-16 , Green, on Scilly: new to Britain, 93-99, plates 26-28; size and vector of vagrants, 358-9 , Icterine, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 45; possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 537 , Lanceolated, photograph, 458, plate 270; accepted records, 612-13, plate 336 , Marmora’s, photograph, 423, plate 238 , Marsh, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 45-46; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 530-1 , Melodious, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 530 , Menetries’s, photograph, 689, plate 381 , Paddyfield, accepted records, 615 , Pallas’s Grasshopper, accepted record, 612 , River, possible breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 530; accepted record, 613, plate 337 , Savi’s, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 45; accepted records, 613-14 , Sykes’s, photograph, 696, plate 385 , Western Bonelli’s, accepted records, 610-11, plate 334 Warham, John, obituary, 720 Watson, M., see Westwood, N. ). Waxwing, photograph, 254, plate 126 Webb, A., photograph of Sandhill Crane, 580, plate 313 Webster, I., photographs of Black-throated Diver, 542-3, plates 297-8, 300 Westwood, N. J., 8< Watson, M., hazards of man-made material to nesting Hawfinches, 27, plates 124-5 Wheatear, Black-eared, accepted record, 620-1, plate 342 , Desert, accepted record, 621 , Northern, the breeding population at Clee Hill, Shropshire, 1998-2009, 223-8, British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 767 Index plates 115-17 , Pied, accepted records, 620 Whimbrel, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 37; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 522; accepted records of North American race, ‘Hudsonian Whimbrel’, N. p. hudsonicus , 588-9, plate 319 Whitethroat, Lesser, photograph, 133, plate 42 Wigeon, Eurasian, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 9; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 492-3 Wilkinson, P., see Riddington, R., et al. Willcock, B„ Blue Tits fighting in nestbox, 732-3 Wilson, A., photograph of Sykes’s Warbler, 696, plate 385 , R, see Sim, I., et al. Wong, M. & P., photographs of ‘Amur Wagtail’, 270-2, plates 136-9; of Brown Flycatcher, 664, plate 362; of Siberian Flycatcher, 666-8, plates 365, 368-70; of Grey-streaked Flycatcher, 669-71, plates 372-6 Woodbridge, K., photograph of Eyebrowed Thrush, 618, plate 340 Woodcock, M., review of Sheppard: Capturing the Moment , 199; of Porter 8c Aspinall: Birds of the Middle East (2nd edn), 737-8 Woodpecker, Black, excavating a cavity in autumn, 411 , Great Spotted, with yellow vent, 370, plate 190 Wotton, S., see Stanbury, A., et al. Wren, feeding on earthworm, 361; Fair Isle Wren, T. t. fridariensis, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 531, plate 293; St Kilda Wren, T. t. hirtensis, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 531 Wright, M., photographs of Tufted Puffin, 462, 601, plates 276, 325 Wryneck, breeding in the United Kingdom in 2007, 41; nest excavation, 411; breeding in the United Kingdom in 2008, 525 Wynn, R. B., photograph of Solitary Sandpiper, 591, plate 320 , , et al, the predation of Balearic Shearwaters by Peregrine Falcons, 350-3, plates 175-80 Xenus cinereus, see Sandpiper, Terek Yalden, D. W., see Dougall, T. W., et al. Yates, B., Least Tern in East Sussex: new to Britain and the Western Palearctic, 339-347; obituary of John Gooders, 548, plate 302 Yellowlegs, Lesser, photograph, 77, plate 14; accepted records, 591 Yomiuri Newspaper Company, photograph of Demoiselle Crane, 293, plate 154 Young, S., photograph of Ruddy Duck, 74, plate 1 1; of White-tailed Lapwing, 422, plate 236; of Wilson’s Phalarope, 423, plate 237; of Common Tern, 459, plate 272; of Black- winged Stilt, 517, plate 290; of Royal Tern, 600, plate 324; of Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 602, plate 326; of Red-flanked Bluetail, 750, plate 404 Zonotrichia albicollis, see Sparrow, White- throated Zoothera dauma, see Thrush, White’s List of illustrations Pages 2 Common Scoters ( Dan Powell) 14 Common Quail ( Phil Jones) 17 Purple Heron ( Dan Powell) 19 Black-necked Grebes ( Phil Jones) 23 Hen Harrier (Richard Allen) 31 Spotted Crake (Phil Jones) 34 Stone-curlew (Dan Powell) 39 Little Gull (Dan Powell) 43 Bearded Tit (Phil Jones) 44 Cetti’s Warbler (Phil Jones) 49 Cirl Bunting (Dan Powell) 53 Glaucous-winged Gull and Herring Gulls (Alan Elarris) 93 Green Warbler (Brian J. Small) 100 Common Sandpiper (Ben Green) 142 Caspian Gull (Richard Johnson) 206 Great Blue Heron (Ren Hathway) 223 Northern Wheatear ( Richard Allen) 229 Ring Ouzel (Ben Green) 27 6 Hawk Owl (Ben Green) 339 Least Tern (Alan Harris) 376 Yellow-nosed Albatross (Richard Johnson) 482 Merlin (Alan Harris) 491 Whooper Swan (Alan Harris) 508 Montagu’s Harrier (Phil Jones) 513 Hobby (Dan Powell) 528 Cetti’s Warbler ( Simon Gillings) 530 River Warbler (Phil Jones) 532 Black Redstart ( Dan Powell) 533 Blue-headed Wagtail (Simon Gillings) 555 Little Bittern ( Phil Jones) 658 Siberian Flycatcher (Alan Harris) 663 Brown Flycatcher (Alan Harris) 712 Scopoli’s Shearwater (Ren Hathway) 768 British Birds 103 • Index to Volume 103 BOOKS — Handle with care Name Address If undelivered, please return to: Blissett Bookbinders Roslin Road, London W3 8DH www.blissetts.com • e-mail: admin@blissetts.com To Blissett Bookbinders Roslin Road, London W3 8DH I enclose cheque/RO. for £ for binding The rate for binding is £27.60 per volume, which includes the cost of packing and return postage (UK only). 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