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Contents
Scottish Birds
290 President’s Foreword K. Shaw
PAPERS 291 The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 2011 A.W. & L.M. Brown 302 Sea duck numbers in east Fife N. Elkins
308 Clearing nests of food remains does not influence subsequent nest choice in White-tailed Eagles J.R. Grant, R. Reid & D.P. Whitfield
SHORT NOTES 311 Opportunistic food robbery of Grey Wagtail by Pied Wagtail T. Dougall
311 Multi-species groups of finches feeding on Wych Elm fruits in spring D. Bryant 315 White-billed Diver: new first Scottish record RY. McGowan
317 Attempted predation of Pink-footed Geese by a Peregrine D. Shields
318 Herring Gull catching and eating live bats P.N. Collin
319 Mute Swan and Canada Goose sharing a nest |.J. Andrews
ARTICLES, NEWS & VIEWS
320 Wildfowl in Scotland - a review M. Ogilvie 326 NEWS AND NOTICES 330 Ken Shaw - our new President
7 ERAT SONAR ,
DEC 2 12011 .) \_LIBRARIES
331 SOC Annual Conference - the 75th anniversary
34] The last Great Auk? J.A. Love
348 Birding West Lothian for the BTO/SOC Atlas 2007-11 A. Finlayson 350 Patchwork 2 - Rossie Bog N. Elkins
353 A hawk from a handsaw PW.F. Hadoke
355 Darren Woodhead
358 A reflective view of the SOC on its 75th anniversary S. Anderson 562 NOTES AND COMMENT
564 BOOK REVIEWS
368 OBSERVATORIES’ ROUNDUP The new Fair Isle Bird Observatory is open! D.C. Jardine 371 SOC Lothian Branch trip to Fair Isle - September 2011 D. Main
375 Sandhill Crane, RSPB Loch of Strathbeg, September 2011 - the first record for North-East Scotland D. Funnell
378 Little Egret, Broadford Bay, Isle of Skye, October 2011 - the fourth Skye record S. Bentall 380 Red-flanked Bluetails in Scotland in autumn 2010 M.S. Chapman
BIRDGUIDES REVIEW
384 1 July to 30 September 2011 S. Menzie
INDEX 389 Index to Volume 31 (2011)
PHOTOSPOT BC Puffin Bill Brown
31:4 (2011) Scottish Birds | 289
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As the Club’s landmark 75th year draws to a close, this foreword leaves me with the opportunity to highlight several successful events of the autumn and to acknowledge the personal contri- bution and commitment of so many members.
The Chris Packham lecture in Edinburgh in September celebrated the anniversary with enthusiasm and flair (see pages 327-328) and was an opportunity to open our doors to members and non- members alike.
Along with a superb series of lectures at the annual conference at Carnoustie in October (pages 331-340), we held a well-attended AGM, during which we announced the appointment of our three Honorary Presidents. They are Roy Dennis - for his long term work on rare breeding species especially Osprey, Red Kite and Honey-buzzard as well as his commitment to Fair Isle Bird Observatory; Frank Hamilton - for his enduring dedication to Scottish birds, including his directorship of RSPB Scotland during 15 of its most successful years when many of Scotland’s most important nature reserves were acquired; and Keith Macgregor - for a lifetime’s devotion to birds in Scotland and the SOC and his leadership in introducing new people to bird watching. I have had the privilege to work with all three of them and I know we have made the right choices - my congratulations to all three of them.
The AGM also voted in four new Honorary Members. They are Ian Andrews - for his excellent work on The Birds of Scotland (BS3) and the re-vamp of Scottish Birds, lain Gibson —- for a lifetime’s commitment to bird watching and bird recording in the Glasgow area, Ron Summers for his major contribution to bird research in Scotland, especially on waders and pinewood species, and Professor Mike Harris — for his outstanding work on seabirds and his leadership on the Isle of May. Again, congratulations to them all.
Those that attended will agree, I think, that it was one of our best conferences ever. The lectures were excellent, but I hope the speakers won’t mind if I pick out two: firstly the PhD students from Aberdeen University did an excellent job, giving a variety of short talks about their projects. I am hoping we can increase our connections with Scottish universities, and we are hoping to further boost the number of students we sponsor for the conference itself.
Secondly, I must congratulate Ian Francis, another one of our speakers, and Martin Cook for their work on the superb, recently published, The Breeding Birds of North-East Scotland (see page 364). I think it will inspire others who are involved in similar projects.
Jane Cleaver has now taken up her newly created post as Membership Development Officer. See page 329 She has brought us lots of skills and enthusiasm. Increasing the strength of our membership is a really important task for the club at this time and you can help by inviting non- members to Club events!
Good birding
Ken Shaw, President
31:4 (2011)
Plate 253. Mute Swans, Stenness, Orkney. © Eric Meek
A.W. & L.M. BROWN
Until recently, the Orkney Islands held the most northerly breeding population of the Mute Swan in the UK. This study of the population in Orkney was conducted between 2006 and 2011. The total population in May ranged from 341 to 427 swans. A mean of 60% of the total population comprised non-territorial individuals and two-thirds of the non-territorial population was recorded on the extensive Lochs of Harray and Stenness in central Mainland. The total number of territorial pairs ranged from 75 to 83, of which a mean of 70% bred. Whilst the numbers of both territorial and breeding pairs increased on Mainland during the study period, they decreased in the other islands. A mean of 1.8 cygnets fledged per breeding pair, however, this value was considerably higher in the islands, excluding Mainland, and considerably lower on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. Comparison of the current findings with historical data indicated that the Orkney population has been subject to considerable fluctuation in numbers in recent years having increased by 150% between 1983 and 1990, but decreased by 39% between 2002 and 2006. Notwithstanding, the total population was found to be higher during the study period than at any time prior to 1990.
MrmrramimcrTin
Until the recent establishment of breeding birds in Shetland (Pennington et al. 2004, Brown & Brown 2005), the Orkney Islands represented the most northerly breeding location of the Mute Swan Cygnus olor in Britain. Reynolds (1984) referred to the first record of the species in Orkney in 1869, whilst Buckley & Harvie-Brown (1891) mentioned its occurrence at two sites, possibly from introduced birds. Subsequent expansion appears to have been assisted by the introduction of the species for ornamental purposes on various lochs, and by 1941 the species was considered to be widespread on Mainland and various other islands (Lack 1943, Reynolds 1984) and was regarded as a common breeding bird by 1967 (Balfour 1968). By 2002, Orkney held 10% of the Scottish total population of the Mute Swan (Brown & Brown 2005).
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| 291
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FE ctotiic nt thao AdArita riper my od Bm Fema, Tel { WIL tr 1)17 The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 20/1
The national census of Mute Swans in 1955 (Rawcliffe 1958) was the first to provide a population estimate for Orkney and this was followed by subsequent censuses in 1978, 1983, 1990 and 2002 (Ogilvie 1981, Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005) the results for Orkney being summarised by Reynolds (1984) and Corse (1991, 2003). Further data, including an assessment of productivity, were gathered during the 1990s, but this was restricted to the Lochs of Harray and Stenness on Mainland in relation to a study of the impact of the growth cycle of Canadian Pondweed Elodea canadensis in the lochs (Meek 1993, Meek et al. 2000, E. Meek pers. comm.). Brown & Brown (2006) provided a brief summary of the Mute Swan population in Orkney up to 2005.
This paper presents the current status and population dynamics of the Mute Swan population in Orkney and places those findings into context with the historical data for Orkney and for other Scottish regions.
Study area, aims and methods
The Orkney Islands are situated off the north coast of Scotland, where weather conditions are influenced by the North Sea to the east and the north Atlantic Ocean to the west and ameliorated by the Gulf Stream. The study encompassed the whole of the Orkney Islands from 2006 to 2008 and also Mainland in 2009 and 2011; no fieldwork was undertaken in 2010. The aims were to determine the size of the total population in spring, which comprised non-territorial individuals, territorial pairs and territorial pairs which nested, and also to quantify breeding success and the productivity of nesting pairs. Historical data were collated in order to enable findings from the present study to be considered in the wider context of long-term variations in the numbers of swans, and thereby enable recent changes in the status of the Orkney population to be more clearly understood.
Non-territorial birds, and territorial and breeding pairs, were counted during visits to all water bodies between mid-May and early June. Breeding success and productivity were based on data gathered in September when cygnets were at or close to fledging. On Mainland, Burray and South Ronaldsay counts of non-territorial swans were undertaken each year during a one-week period in late May, thus minimising any impact of birds moving between sites. The latter approach was especially required for the large Lochs of Harray and Stenness, where observations were undertaken, using a 60x telescope, from various vantage points overlooking the two sites, with repeat observations at the beginning and end of the week. Although flocks of flightless moulting swans were not part of the study, complete counts of moulting swans were made by the authors during visits to the Lochs of Harray and Stenness in July 2001 and 2005, and these data have been included to provide a more complete picture of the species. Observers based on the islands, and in particular RSPB wardens, supplemented the authors’ counts. The Orkney Bird Recorder also provided additional information.
Results
In order to analyse the dynamics of the Orkney population, the study area was divided into sub- regions namely the largest island of Mainland, all other islands, Mainland excluding the Lochs of Harry and Stenness, and the Lochs of Harry and Stenness. Coverage was considered to be thorough for all of the islands, except for Rousay in 2008, when it was assumed a minimum of two territorial pairs were present as in previous years and in 2009. It was also possible that a few territorial pairs may have nested later in the season and not been recorded as such, and a small number of swans may have been missed on some islands in September due to a reduction in the number of casual observers. However, such omissions were considered to be minimal.
Total population
Counts of the total number of Mute Swans in Orkney and the sub-regions are shown in Table 1. Over 150 birds were present in 1955 and numbers continued to increase through to the 1983 national census. Following a rapid increase after 1983, numbers peaked at just over 800 swans in
31:4 (2011)
Gaatich Pir Scottish Birds
1990 and were relatively high in 2002. Data from this study indicated that numbers declined rapidly by 2006, declined further in 2007 and then increased in 2008. Whilst counts from 2006 to 2008 were much lower than in 1990 and 2002, they were higher than those prior to 1990, which indicated a long-term increase in the size of the total population since 1955, punctuated by a substantial increase at the end of the 20th century (Figure 1).
Table 1. The total number of Mute Swans recorded in Orkney and its sub-regions, 1955-2011. Data from Rawcliffe 1958, Ogilvie 1981, Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005 and this study.
Year 195535 197S51985)— 19907 72002> 2006." 2007" 2008) 2009 2011 Orkney 154 274 324 810 701 427 54] 419 Mainland 319 258 326 297 463 All other islands 108 83 93 Mainland, excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 84 83 91 96 133 Lochs of Harray and Stenness 235 175 DES 20) 330 900 800 a i) 2 600 Ww 1 = xe) 5 400 = = Zz 200
1955 1978 1983 1990 2002 2006 2007 2008 ® Total population @ Number of non-territorial birds ™ Number of territorial pairs @ Number of breeding pairs
Figure 1. Jotal number of Mute Swans, the number of non-territorial birds and the number of territorial and breeding pairs in Orkney in May 1955, 1978, 1983, 1990, 2002 and 2006-08. Data from Rawcliffe 1958, Ogilvie 1981, Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005 and this study.
Although numbers on Mainland, Mainland excluding the Lochs of Harray and Stenness, and the Lochs of Harray and Stenness fluctuated between 2006 and 2011, the overall pattern was of an increase. Since two-thirds of the Orkney population had been recorded on Mainland between 2006 and 2008, it was possible that the total in Orkney also increased between 2006 and 2011. In order to account for the pattern of change, it was necessary to consider the sub-sections of the total population, namely non-territorial individuals and territorial pairs.
Non-territorial swans
The location of the peak counts of non-territorial flocks, based on 6-figure grid references, during 2006 to 2008, with additional data for Mainland only in 2009 and 2011, is shown on Figure 2. The total number of non-territorial swans in Orkney (Table 2) showed a similar historical pattern of change to that of the total population (Figure 1). Counts from 2006 to 2008 remained higher than those prior to 1990 despite a substantial decline between 2002 and 2006. Numbers in Orkney
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293
The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 2011
declined further in 2007, but increased in 2008, a pattern replicated in each of the sub-regions (Table 2). Between 2009 and 2011 numbers increased substantially on Mainland due to an increase on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness and also in the rest of Mainland. As a mean of 82% of the Orkney total was recorded on Mainland from 2006 to 2008, it was possible that the total in Orkney also increased substantially by 2011.
The presence of a large proportion of the non-territorial swans on Mainland highlighted the importance of Mainland to that section of the population. Moreover, the Lochs of Harray and Stenness held the largest proportion of non-territorial swans on Mainland, with a mean of 76% occurring solely on the Loch of Harray. Sanday was the only other island which held large numbers of non-territorial swans, primarily on North Loch.
Papa » Westray North Ronaldsay
Westray
4 & Sanday Rousay ’ ) ‘ gv a ' Egilsay » yy 4 wd Stronsay Loch of Harray Shapinsay > Loch of Stenness <> 81-238 oa 31-80 @ 11-30 a @ «6-10 @ 1-55 10 km
South Ronaldsay
Figure 2. Distribution and peak flock sizes by 6-figure grid reference of non-territorial Mute Swans in Orkney, 2006-09 and 2011. Data for 2009 and 2011 refer to Mainland only (see text). The Lochs of Harray and Stenness are represented by a central grid reference.
294 | Scottish Birds: 291-301 31:4 (2011)
Table 2. The non-territorial population of the Mute Swan in Orkney and its sub-regions, 1955-2011. Data from Rawcliffe 1958, Ogilvie 1981, Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005 and this study.
Year i955.) 1976) 1955) 19908) 2002, 20067) 2007, 2008) 2009) 2011 Orkney 101 124 170 454 311 269 19] DIS Mainland ZS 156 210 169 321 All other islands 50 55 43 Mainland excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 40 55 43 38 69 Lochs of Harray and Stenness (79 123 167 13] D5)
A mean of 60% of the total population in Orkney was non-territorial from 2006 until 2008 which was higher than previously recorded, except in 1955. It was lower than in Lothian, greater than in Fife and similar to that in Scotland in 2002 (Table 3). Since the non-territorial population included young birds and those which may have bred in previous years, it comprised a reserve of swans with the potential to hold a territory and to breed in subsequent years. The relatively high percentage of non-territorial swans between 2006 and 2008, and the count of over 300 swans in 2011 on Mainland, may be indicative of a further cycle of increase in the total population.
Table 3. Mean percentage values of non-territorial, territorial and breeding pairs fledging at least one cygnet in Orkney, together with mean productivity compared with Lothian and Fife, 2006-08, and Scotland in 2002.
Orkney Lothian Fife Scotland 2006-08 2006-08 2006-08 2002 % of non-territorial swans in total population 60 66 43 61 % of territorial pairs which bred 70 70 76 74 % of breeding pairs which fledged at least one cygnet 50 59 2. - Productivity (number of cygnets fledged per breeding pair) _— ‘1.8 Des DJ) -
Non-territorial counts during the study included first-year birds, which could be identified through retention of brown plumage. Given that 78 cygnets fledged in 2006 and 28 juveniles were recorded in May 2007, the survival rate was 36%. In 2007, a total of 125 cygnets fledged and 40 juveniles were recorded in May 2008, suggesting 32% survival. Assuming no immigration or emigration, mean first-year survival was 33%. This was the first attempt to quantify first-year survival in Orkney, since no data were available for previous years.
Territorial pairs
The total number of territorial pairs in Orkney increased substantially between 1983 and 1990 and was also high in 2002, but numbers declined between 2002 and 2006 (Table 4). A further decline occurred in 2007, which was followed by an increase in 2008, by which time the number of territorial pairs in Orkney was substantially lower than the peak counts of 1990 and 2002, but generally higher than in 1983 (Figure 1). This pattern of change was quite similar to that of the non-territorial population.
Table 4. The number of territorial pairs of Mute Swans recorded in Orkney and its sub-regions, 1983- 2011. Data from Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005 and this study.
Year 1ISSSaen19SO 5200220065) 2007.52008 2009 2011 Orkney 77 178 ISB ug 75 83
Mainland 50 5] 58 64 71
All other islands 29 24 D5
Mainland excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 22 D5 24 29 32
Lochs of Harray and Stenness 28 26 34 5 39
Whilst the pattern of decline between 2006 and 2007 followed by an increase between 2007 and 2008 also occurred in the other islands, it was not the case on Mainland where numbers increased consis- tently between 2006 and 2008, and indeed continued to increase in 2009 and in 2011. Numbers on
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Loch of Stenness
296
The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 2011
the Lochs of Harray and Stenness exhibited a pattern of decline followed by an increase, but the converse was the case on Mainland excluding Harray and Stenness Lochs. These results indicate that changes in sub-regions did not necessarily reflect changes at the regional level. The continuous increase in the size of the territorial population on Mainland between 2006 and 2011 may presage a further increase in the territorial population on Mainland and also in Orkney as a whole.
Breeding pairs
The location of territorial-only and breeding pairs, based on 6-figure grid references, during 2006 to 2008, with additional data for Mainland only in 2009 and 2011, is shown on Figure 3. A central grid reference has been used for the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. Most pairs were found on
_ Papa » Westray New Ronaldsay
Westray
a)
Stronsay
Burray 10 km South s Ronaldsay
Figure 3. Distribution by 6-figure grid reference of territorial only (pink) and breeding (red) Mute Swans in Orkney, 2006-09 and 2011. Data for 2009 and 2011 refer to Mainland only (see text). The Lochs of Harray and Stenness are represented by a central grid reference relating to several pairs.
Scottish Birds: 291-301 31:4 (2011)
freshwater lochs with a few at coastal locations. The number of breeding pairs in Orkney and its sub-regions are shown in Table 5. An increase occurred in the number of breeding pairs in Orkney between 1955 and 1978, but numbers had declined by 1983, a pattern which contrasted with the continuous increase in the non-territorial population at that time (Table 2). As was the case with non-territorial swans and territorial pairs, peak numbers were recorded in 1990 and 2002, but subsequently declined between 2002 and 2006 (Figure 1). In contrast to both the non-territorial population and territorial pairs, the number of breeding pairs in Orkney increased between 2006 and 2007, but declined in 2008. Between 2006 and 2008 the number of breeding pairs in Orkney was lower than in 1978 and in 1983.
Table 5. The number of breeding pairs of Mute Swans recorded in Orkney and its sub-regions, 1955- 2011. Data from Rawcliffe 1958, Ogilvie 1981, Brown & Brown 1985, 1993, 2005 and this study.
Year 1955 1978 1983 1990 2002 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 Orkney 26 75 68 163 126 48 61 58
Mainland 26 Al 43 5] 56 All other islands 22 20 15
Mainland excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 11 22 22 26 25
Lochs of Harray and Stenness 15 19 21 25 Si
Pairs in the other islands decreased consistently between 2006 and 2008 whilst those on Mainland increased consistently. The increase on Mainland was evident on Mainland excluding the Lochs of Harray and Stenness and also on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. The increase on Mainland continued in 2009 and 2011, as was the case on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. Despite those consistent and proportionally substantive increases, it was difficult to determine any trend in the total number of pairs in Orkney given the consistent decrease on the other islands between 2006 and 2008, and the fact that the other islands held a substantial proportion of the region’s breeding population.
The mean percentage of territorial pairs which progressed to breed throughout Orkney from 2006 to 2008 was 70% (Table 3), but ranged between years and varied across sub-regions, being partic- ularly low (63%) on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness, this during a period when the number of pairs was relatively low. However, data from earlier censuses also recorded highly variable values ranging from 92% in 1990 to 65% in 2002 when the number of pairs was comparatively high. The mean of 70% of territorial pairs which progressed to breed compared favourably with Lothian, Fife and the Scottish population.
Productivity of breeding pairs
The number of breeding pairs, the number of pairs fledging young and the number of young fledged from 2006 to 2008 is shown in Figure 4. Half of all of the pairs which bred in Orkney fledged at least one cygnet and this was quite consistent between years, ranging from 48% in 2006 to 52% in 2008 (Table 6). This percentage was lower than in Lothian and Fife (Table 3). Success was greater on the other islands than on Mainland, and poor on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. It also varied between years with the greatest variation recorded on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness, where the percentage was particularly poor in 2006, but increased in the subsequent two seasons.
Table 6. The percentage of breeding pairs of Mute Swans in Orkney and its sub-regions which fledged at least 1 cygnet, 2006-08.
Year 2006 (%) 2007(%) 2008 (%) Mean (%) Orkney 48 49 52 50 Mainland 38 46 49 45 All other islands 59 55 60 58 Mainland excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 45 55 4] 47 Lochs of Harray and Stenness BS 7) Si 44
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The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 2011
140
@ Number of breeding pairs
120 ®@ Number of pairs fledging young ™ Number of young fledged
100
80
Number
60
40
20
2006 2007 2008
Figure 4. The number of breeding pairs of Mute Swan, the number of pairs fledging young and the number of young fledged in Orkney, 2006-08.
The mean number of cygnets fledged per breeding pair in Orkney was 1.8. As no comparable data were available from earlier years, previous work referred to counts of cygnets in July and did not allow for mortality during the subsequent weeks prior to fledging, this figure provided the first assessment of productivity in Orkney. Considerable variation was noted between sub- regions productivity being highest in the other islands and lowest on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness (Table 7). Annual variation occurred within sub-regions and was especially poor on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness in 2006, but increased in 2007 and again in 2008. The mean for the other islands from 2006 to 2008 was 2.3, which was the same as in Lothian and in 2007 the value on Mainland excluding the Lochs of Harray and Stenness was similar (Tables 3 & 7). This suggested that the Orkney breeding population had the capacity to increase productivity when suitable conditions prevailed.
Table 7. Number of cygnets fledged per breeding pair in Orkney and its sub-regions, 2006-08.
Year 2006 2007 2008 Mean Orkney 1.6 2.0 1.8 1.8 Mainland [2 1.9 1.8 1.6 All other islands 2.4 DS 19 Des Mainland, excluding Lochs of Harray and Stenness 1.8 DD 1.6 1.9 Lochs of Harray and Stenness OW 1.4 2.0 1.4
Moulting population
Non-breeding and breeding birds which failed to produce cygnets or lost their brood of young cygnets tended to flock whilst undertaking their annual moult, any time between May and October. There had been no co-ordinated attempts to assess the size of the moulting population in Orkney. Excluding pairs with broods, a count on 20 July 2001 on Mainland found 724 moulting birds on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness (693 on Harray) with few at other locations (Brown & Brown 2006). Similarly, in 2005 on 3 July there were 255 moulting birds on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness (208 on Harray) with another 44 on the Loch of Bosquoy and 33 on the Loch of Skaill, many of which were still not in full moult. Those counts illustrated the regional importance of the Lochs of Harray and Stenness to moulting swans, the attraction of the Loch of Harray almost to the exclusion of other water bodies, and underpin the most recent cycle of increase and decline in the Mute Swan population in Orkney.
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Scottish Birds
Discussion
By 1941, breeding pairs were widely distributed across Orkney and during that summer 174 individuals were recorded on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness (Reynolds 1984). It was possible that the severe weather during the winter of 1946/47 adversely affected the population, for the total had declined by 1955, when 153 were recorded in the whole of Orkney (Rawcliffe 1958). Results from the present study indicated an overall increase in the total population between 1955 and 2008, but punctuated by two substantial increases in recent decades. Elsewhere in Scotland, detailed studies of the Mute Swan population have been on-going in Lothian since 1978 (Brown €& Brown 1981-2008, 1984, 1999, 2002) and Fife since 1991 (A.W. Brown in Elkins et al. 2003, Brown &t Brown unpublished reports) and populations in both areas have undergone substantial and almost continuous increases since those studies commenced. Although the Scottish population fluctuated between 1955 and 1983, there was an overall increase between 1955 and 2002. The increase in Orkney was, therefore, in line with the national trend.
Meek (1993) documented the initial introduction of the alien Canadian Pondweed in the Loch of Harray in 1982, its subsequent widespread distribution throughout Orkney and the close association between prolific growth of the pondweed and an increase in numbers of Mute Swans. He detailed the rapid increase in the number of breeding pairs on the Loch of Harray, which peaked in 1990 and subsequently declined rapidly. The decline in the abundance of the pondweed coincided with high mortality of Mute Swans throughout 1991, when 250 birds were estimated to have died. Post- mortem results revealed the swans suffered from emaciation, anaemia and high parasite loads. Some swans were thought to have emigrated (Meek ef al. 2000). Corse et al. (2003) noted that high mortality continued in 1992, with a further 103 deaths recorded at the Loch of Harray in May that year; however, they also noted that numbers of swans began to increase in 1993 and continued to do so until 2002. The July moult counts suggested a substantial decline by 2005. Thus, the swan population was subject to two periods of rapid increase and decline culminating in peak numbers in 1990 and again in 2002 interspersed with minimal numbers around 1992 and 2006. By 2011, total numbers had increased, but it remains to be seen if a further period of rapid increase will develop, since the number of breeding pairs in 2008 was fewer even than in 1978 and 1983.
Mute Swans require suitable vegetation to provide shelter from adverse weather conditions and protection from predators during the breeding season, as well as the availability of aquatic plants, mainly macrophytes, as a food resource. In Orkney, there is a lack of trees, shrubs and tall plants around most lochs and also a lack of emergent vegetation. The International Centre for Island Technology (2004) referred to the perimeter of the Loch of Harray being dominated by stones and boulders. This was also a feature of many other water bodies. Additionally, a number of lochs formed part of the public water supply and so were subject to abstraction and draw-down during the drier months of the summer, which exposed larger areas of open shore line. Small numbers of birds were noted feeding on seaweed on the sea shore, whilst those which fed in fields were frequently discouraged by farmers. The main food source appeared to be pondweeds and the work of Meek (1993 and pers. comm.) indicated a dependence on Canadian Pondweed in particular. Differential growth between years and between lochs caused by variable local weather conditions including rainfall, temperature and sunlight may have contributed to fluctuations in the growth of pondweeds and consequently in the numbers of swans in different years and areas of Orkney. Within both Lothian and Fife, numbers of non-territorial birds and breeding pairs at specific sites fluctuated considerably between years dependent upon the prevalence of Canadian Pondweed (Brown & Brown, pers. obs.).
Migration and philopatry may also have affected the numbers of swans at some sites and in some years, however, both were very difficult to quantify since they required long-term marking and monitoring of individual birds. As yet there is no evidence to suggest that the Mute Swan population in Orkney is closed. Such an assumption had previously been made for the population on the Outer Hebrides (Spray 1981a), but subsequent movement of ringed birds from there has
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The status of the Mute Swan in the Orkney Islands, 2006 to 2011
shown that this was not the case (Spencer & Hudson 1980, 1981; Mead & Hudson 1983, 1986; Spray 1981b) and indeed in 1981 an Outer Hebrides ringed bird was located on Shetland (Spencer €&t Hudson 1982). Although Caithness had only a small swan population (Brown & Brown 2005), it is less than 20 km from South Ronaldsay, so the possibility of movement between the Scottish mainland and Orkney could not be discounted, although it was unlikely to involve a large number of birds which would have impacted significantly upon the Orkney population. A number of swans were caught and colour-ringed on the Loch of Harray in the summers of 2003, 2004 and 2005 and subsequent sightings suggested widespread dispersal within Orkney, but no sightings were reported from the Scottish mainland (Adam 2005, 2006; Williams 2007, 2008; Corse 2009, 2010, 2011). Given the assumption of no migration between fledging and the following June, the survival rate of 33% was low compared with 69% during the same period in Lothian (Brown & Brown unpublished data). Whilst the productivity figure of 1.8 was comparatively low, Brown (1997) determined it would have been sufficient to maintain the Lothian population.
The total number of swans counted in Orkney from 2006 to 2008 suggested a long-term increase in the total population, which was in line with the trend in at least two other Scottish regions and Scotland as a whole. That trend was punctuated by two relatively short-term spikes in numbers, these being closely associated with a sharp increase in the abundance of Canadian Pondweed. Both the non-territorial and territorial populations followed a similar pattern and their numbers were most likely sufficient to augment the breeding population if conditions prevailed to support any future increase in the breeding population. No long-term trend was evident in the breeding population whose productivity, although low compared with some other Scottish regions, was probably sufficient to sustain the region’s population and probably had the capacity to increase its productivity when suitable conditions prevailed. It remains to be seen if and when the Orkney population spikes again. It is unclear whether a further peak in Canadian Pondweed will occur (International Centre for Island Technology, 2004), but the population appeared to be in a sustainable condition during the study period.
Acknowledgements
We thank the following people who provided observations of Mute Swans from various Orkney islands: Andrew T. Bramhall, Mike Cochram, Lorna Dow, Alison Duncan, Cath Fotheringham, Paul €& Louise Hollinrake, John Holloway, Jo Hulsman, Eric R. Meek, Barry O’Dowd, K. Sheard, Lee Shields and Simon Wellock. Many thanks also to Jim Williams for providing a copy of all Mute Swan records received for the Orkney Bird Report for the years 2006 to 2009 which helped to fill in some gaps. Eric Meek also provide invaluable data relating to his study of the Mute Swan during the 1990s on the Lochs of Harray and Stenness. Finally, we thank Eric Meek and an anonymous referee for providing constructive comments on a draft of this paper.
References
Adam, R.G. 2005. Ringing Recoveries 2004. Orkney Bird Report 2004: 93-98. [p. 93.]
Adam, R.G. 2006. Ringing Recoveries 2005. Orkney Bird Report 2005: 92-97. [p. 92.]
Balfour, E. 1968. Breeding birds of Orkney. Scottish Birds 5: 89-104.
Brown, L. M. 1997. Measurement of demographic parameters of the Mute Swan Cygnus olor population in the Lothians. Unpublished PhD thesis, Napier University, Edinburgh.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. Mute Swan Cygnus olor Census - Lothians, 1981 to 2008. Lothian Bird Reports 1981-2008. SOC, Lothian Branch.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. Mute Swan Cygnus olor Census - Fife, 1981 to 2008. Unpublished reports.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 1984. The status of the Mute Swan in the Lothians. Scottish Birds Sie tej Ise
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 1985. The Scottish Mute Swan Census 1983. Scottish Birds 13: 140-148.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 1993. The Scottish Mute Swan Census 1990. Scottish Birds 17: 93-102.
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Scottish Birds
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 1999. Changes in the numbers and distribution of Mute Swans in the Lothians in spring from 1978 to 1998. Scottish Birds 20: 18-26.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 2002. Prefledging survival of Mute Swan Cygnus olor cygnets in the Lothians, UK. Bird Study 49: 97-104.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 2005. The 2002 census of the Mute Swan in Scotland. Scottish Birds 25: 1-16.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 2006. Mute Swans in Orkney. Orkney Bird Report 2005: 98-99.
Buckley, T.E. €& Harvie-Brown, J.A. 1891. A Vertebrate Fauna of the Orkney Islands. David Douglas, Edinburgh.
Corse, C.J. 1991. Mute Swan Survey 1990. Orkney Bird Report 1990: 62-65.
Corse, C.J. 2003. Mute Swan Survey 2002. Orkney Bird Report 2002: 86-88.
Corse, C.J. 2009. Ringing Report 2008. Orkney Bird Report 2008: 114-119. [p. 114.]
Corse, C.J. 2010. Ringing Report 2009. Orkney Bird Report 2009: 106-111. [p. 106.]
Corse, C.J. 2011. Ringing Report 2010. Orkney Bird Report 2010: 100-104. [p. 100.]
Elkins, N., Reid, J.B., Brown, A.W., Robertson, D.G. & Smout, A.M. 2003. The Fife Bird Atlas. Woodlands Studios, Dunfermline.
International Centre for Island Technology. 2004. Aquatic plants and vegetation of the Lochs of Harray and Stenness, Orkney, surveyed in August 2002. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 066 (part 9 of 12) (ROAME No. FA1LA02).
Lack, D. 1943. The breeding birds of Orkney. Ibis 85: 1-27.
Mead, C.J. & Hudson, R. 1983. Report on Bird Ringing for 1982. Ringing & Migration 4: 281- 319. [p. 297.]
Mead, C.J. & Hudson, R. 1986. Report on Bird Ringing for 1985. Ringing & Migration 7: 139- 188. [p. 157.]
Meek, E.R. 1993. Population fluctuations and mortality of Mute Swans on an Orkney loch system in relation to a Canadian Pondweed growth cycle. Scottish Birds 17: 85-92.
Meek, E.R., Knight, A.C. & Fairclough, K. 2000. Breeding Mute Swans on the Stenness and Harray Lochs 1998. Orkney Bird Report 1998. Orkney Bird Club. Printsmith, Fort William.
Ogilvie, M.A. 1981. The Mute Swan in Britain, 1978. Bird Study 28: 87-106.
Pennington, M.G., Osborn, K., Harvey, P.V., Riddington, R., Okill, J.D., Ellis, P.M. & Heubeck, M. 2004. The Birds of Shetland. Christopher Helm, London.
Rawcliffe, C.P. 1958. The Scottish Mute Swan Census 1955-56. Bird Study 5: 45-55.
Reynolds, P. 1984. Mute Swan Survey 1983. Orkney Bird Report 1984: 58-61.
Spencer, R. & Hudson, R. 1980. Report on Bird Ringing for 1979. Ringing & Migration 3: 65- 108. [p. 81.]
Spencer, R. & Hudson, R. 1981. Report on Bird Ringing for 1980. Ringing & Migration 3: 213- 256. [p. 230.]
Spencer, R. & Hudson, R. 1982. Report on Bird Ringing for 1981. Ringing & Migration 4: 65- 128. [p. 84.]
Spray, C.J. 1981a. An isolated population of Cygnus olor in Scotland. In: G.V.T. Matthews & M. Smart (eds) Proceedings of the 2nd International Swan Symposium, Sapporo, Japan, 1980: 191- 208. International Wildfowl Research Bureau, Slimbridge, England.
Spray, C.J. 1981b. Movements of Mute Swans from Scotland to Ireland. Irish Birds 2: 82-84.
Williams, J. 2007. Ringing Report for 2006. Orkney Bird Report 2006: 88-93. [p. 88.]
Williams, J. 2008. Ringing Report for 2007. Orkney Bird Report 2007: 115-119. [p. 115.]
Allan W. Brown & Lyndesay M. Brown, 61 Watt’s Gardens, Cupar, Fife KY15 4UG. Email: swans@allanwbrown.co.uk
Revised ms accepted September 2011
31:4 (2011) Scottish Birds: 301
Sea duck numbers in east Fife
302
N. ELKINS
Counts of some sea duck species in east Fife have been declining for the past decade. Sea duck are not monitored well by the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), but local counters have been very aware of the disappearance of large flocks as well as the change in timing of their use of coastal waters. In addition to WeBS counts, casual counts are made throughout the year on an opportunistic basis. Scrutiny of these counts spanning the past 30 years has revealed marked decreases in four species, Common and Velvet Scoters, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser.
The coastal waters around Fife are part of a chain of sites in eastern Scotland that hosts large numbers of sea ducks (Forrester et al. 2007). In recent years, some species have declined in Fife, the reasons for which are unclear. This paper describes and quantifies the decline and offers some explanations.
Six species of sea duck are regularly found along the coast of Fife at various times of the year, namely Eider Somateria mollissima, Common Scoter Melanitta nigra, Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca, Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator, Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis and Goldeneye Bucephala clangula. Species considered here are those that have decreased most noticeably i.e. the two scoter species, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. The majority of these ducks form large assemblages in two main sites, St Andrews Bay and Largo Bay.
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Methods
Due to the combined problems of weather conditions, sea states, coordinating counts and the mobility and distance of birds, sea ducks are poorly monitored by the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), but casual counts are also made throughout the year in Fife and published in Fife Bird Reports.
Core WeBS counts are made monthly from September to March and often in other months. St Andrews Bay forms part of the Tay-Eden SAC (Special Area of Conservation) on the east coast of Fife and for the purposes of this study stretches from St Andrews to the mouth of the River Tay. It has traditionally been divided into several sections, but there have been large gaps in the coverage of each. Birds relocating from St Andrews Bay may also feature in separate WeBS counts for the Eden and Tay Estuaries. Largo Bay lies on the south coast of Fife, forming part of the Firth of Forth SPA (Special Protection Area).
Peak counts for each year were gathered from WeBS, Fife Bird Reports (FBR) and, in a few instances, Scottish Bird Reports. The FBR frequently publishes higher counts than WeBS, due to the partial nature of WeBS counts and the lack of flexibility due to fixed priority count dates; non-WeBS observers tend to count large flocks as opportunity arises and do so throughout the year. Where WeBS section counts are uncoordinated, absolute totals remain uncertain, as flocks can be very mobile within and between count sections, increasing the possibility of duplication. Weather also plays a role in amplifying sea states and disrupting counts, particularly with strong onshore winds. In view of the difficulties listed above, all species, except Goldeneye (which remain close inshore), are doubtless substantially undercounted at times.
Annual peak counts within the past 30 years have been used to determine five-year averages except for Goldeneye, where annual peak counts are illustrated. While caution should be applied when interpreting the data, they do provide an illustration of the decline in numbers at these two sites.
Results
Common Scoter
St Andrews Bay has always been the traditional winter haunt of this species in Fife, but Largo Bay has also hosted a sizeable flock. Since 1980, counts of between 2,000 and 3,000 birds have been made at the former, peaking at 5,000 in the winters of 1987/88 and 1993/94. The last significant count was of 3,000 in December 2004, subsequently decreasing to below 500 by 2010. On this basis, the site no longer qualifies as nationally important for this species (Musgrove et al. 2011).
The Largo Bay flock has exceeded 2,000 birds on several occasions but has generally been below this level. It is not known whether much interchange occurs between the two sites, but the timing
4000 3500 Me St Andrews Bay 3000 @—@ Largo Bay
2500 2000 1500 1000
500
Mean peak count
1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-2000 2001-05 2006-10 Figure 1. Five-year mean peak counts of Common Scoters in St Andrews and Largo Bays, Fife, 1981-2010.
31:4 (2011) Scottish Birds: 303
304
Plate 255. Common Scoter, Fife Ness, Fife, September 2007. © John Anderson
Sea duck numbers in east Fife
ae wi,
Se
of peaks indicates so. Common Scoters can be seen in varying numbers in all months of the year. However, St Andrews Bay held the highest numbers between November and February until 1998 (Elkins et al. 2003), but more frequently in September and October thereafter. There is also a spring peak, at which time maximum numbers are recorded from Largo Bay. The change in timing of the St Andrews Bay peaks suggests that many birds might now only be staging as moulting flocks before moving elsewhere to overwinter. Few scoters penetrate the Firth of Tay and the Eden Estuary but up to 400 regularly winter west of Largo Bay as far as Kirkcaldy. Other sites along the south coast of the Firth of Forth hold significant numbers but the decline is evident even in the wider area.
Velvet Scoter
As with Common Scoter, St Andrews Bay has always held the bulk of this species in winter. Counts exceeded 1,000 in most years from 1985 until 2004, rising during the 1980s to a maximum of 2,400 in February 1988 and January 1990. At this time, a significant proportion of the UK population was present in Fife (Elkins et al. 2003) but since 2005, numbers have been very low, exceeding 100 only in January 2008 and indicating a relocation to winter quarters elsewhere. The Largo Bay flocks have exceeded 500 at times, but a decline began after 2006. A similar decrease has been noted in the moulting flock further north in Lunan Bay, Angus, where peak numbers were formerly reached in late summer and early autumn (Angus & Dundee Bird Report 2007). Peaks in St Andrews Bay occur mainly between November and January, whereas the maximum numbers in Largo Bay are most often in March and April. Small numbers winter elsewhere in the Firth of Forth. Despite the declines, Velvet Scoters are sufficiently scarce in the UK for both the Fife sites to remain as nationally important for this species (Musgrove et al. 2011).
1600 1400 ME St Andrews Bay ==) Largo Bay
1200 1000 800 600 400 200
Mean peak count
1981-85 1986-90 USISS)S 1996-2000 2001-05 2006-10
Figure 2. Five-year mean peak counts of Velvet Scoters in St Andrews and Largo Bays, Fife, 1981-2010.
Scottish Birds: 302-307 31:4 (2011)
Scottish Birds
Peak count
2008/09 }
2000/01 == 2004/05 }
1984/85 \omm 2002/03 2006/07
Figure 3. Annual peak counts of Goldeneye in Largo Bay, Fife, 1981-2010.
Goldeneye
Goldeneyes are widespread in the Firths of Tay and Forth with smaller numbers on inland waters. They are chiefly winter visitors and passage migrants. Very few are present in St Andrews Bay, but a very large winter flock was present regularly in the 1990s at the western end of Largo Bay, frequenting the sewage outfall at Leven and the warm water outflow of the Methil Power Station. All peak counts were made between November and March. The frequency of peaks in March suggests that the flock was augmented by birds on spring passage. Following an immense flock of 4,425 in December 1997, the species decreased markedly after 2001, mainly due to the cleaning up of the outfall and the closure of the power station. Several hundreds also frequented nearby Kilconquhar Loch on occasions, probably from the bay flock, since the species also declined here significantly after 2001.
Plate 256. Goldeneye, Leven, Fife, March 2007. © John Anderson
31:4 (2011) Scottish Birds: 302-307
306
Red-breasted Merganser
Historically, Largo Bay and the northern part of St Andrews Bay have held a substantial number of mergansers, exceeding 1,000 in the latter in the 1980s. The peak numbers have been 1,100 in St Andrews Bay in November 1987 and 774 in Largo Bay in September 1992, but a steady decline has occurred since the mid-1990s (Elkins et al. 2003). This has resulted in the species no longer qualifying as being of national importance in St Andrews Bay (Musgrove et al. 2011). Maximum counts occur in Largo Bay in September and October, but rather earlier in St Andrews Bay. Wintering flocks rarely exceed 100. However, there is also a peak in March elsewhere in the Firth of Forth (Forrester et al. 2007). Timing suggests that non-breeders and moulting flocks pass through east Fife to and from winter quarters elsewhere. Birds move into the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary from time to time, but counts in the Tay have been compromised in the past by mis-identifying the nationally important late summer moulting flock of red-head Goosanders Mergus merganser.
700
600 ME St Andrews Bay ~ M88 Largo Ba 5 500 cia (e) O = 400 a = 300 o = 2
Oo Oo Oo Oo
198 1-85 1986-90 199)1-95 1996-2000 2001-05 2006-10
Figure 4. Five-year mean peak counts of Red-breasted Merganser in St Andrews and Largo Bays, Fife, (I9Si-_ZOIO:
Discussion
Counts of Common and Velvet Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers and Goldeneyes in coastal waters of east Fife have revealed marked declines in the past 10-15 years. Aerial surveys of the region earlier this century (Wilson et al. 2006) located some scoter species up to 7 km from the shore, but the highest numbers were close inshore. These surveys provided figures no larger and often much smaller than shore-based counts suggesting that most ducks are observable from land for much of the time. The changes in local distribution and timing probably reflect the highly mobile nature of these flocks and could merely be due to movements in and out of the area from concentrations elsewhere in eastern Scotland, but there is little local information on the flight lines of ducks moving between sites and on migration. Food supply is the main cause of the Goldeneye decline, but it is not known to where birds have relocated.
The most recent report on WeBS Alerts (Thaxter et al. 2010), which are based on downward trends in numbers over set periods of time, shows that alerts have been in force at times for all four species in the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary and the Firth of Forth. However, unlike this study, the alert system uses only core winter WeBS counts, the irregularity of which renders conclusions problematic.
Conclusions
The reduction in food resources that have affected Goldeneyes in Largo Bay may also be a contributory factor in other sea duck decreases at that site. Until the 1990s, Scaup Aythya marila flocks in Largo Bay were substantial (Elkins et al. 2003); now there are very few. However, changes in coastal wildfowl distribution and numbers in the UK have also been related in part to climate change, during which milder winters have allowed birds to remain further north and east
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a = ws 5 ee ee 3 Ress ws 2 = pee ee : :
Plate 257. Velvet Scoter Fife Ness ,Fife, September 2008. © John Anderson
OE
nearer their higher latitude breeding grounds (Holt et al. 2011). In particular, this is likely to influence the Velvet Scoter, which is at the western fringe of its winter range. The distribution of sea duck in UK coastal waters is currently an issue in areas with offshore oil-related activities and wind farms, such as the turbine arrays proposed east of the Firth of Forth. Velvet Scoters tend to be especially sensitive to disturbance (Garth & Htippop 2004) and therefore counts of birds frequenting such areas are of great importance.
Acknowledgements
I thank the WeBS partnership (the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (the latter on behalf of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside, the Countryside Council for Wales, Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage), in association with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) for access to the relevant WeBS counts. I also thank all those observers who have submitted casual counts to Fife Bird Reports and to the editors for publishing them.
References
Elkins, N., Reid, J.B., Brown, A.W., Robertson, D.G. & Smout, A-M. 2003. The Fife Bird Atlas. Woodlands Studios, Dunfermline.
Forrester, R.W., Andrews, I.J., McInerny, 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. The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Aberlady.
Garth, S. & Hiippop, O. 2004. Scaling possible adverse effects of marine wind farms on seabirds: developing and applying a vulnerability index. Journal of Applied Ecology 41: 724-734.
Holt, C.A., Austin, G.E., Calbrade, N.A., Mellan, H.J., Mitchell, C., Stroud, D.A., Wotton, S.R. & Musgrove, A.J. 2011. Waterbirds in the UK 2009/10: The Wetland Bird Survey. BTO/RSPB/JNCC, Thetford.
Musgrove, A.J., Austin, G.E., Hearn, R.D., Holt, C.A., Stroud, D.A. & Wotton, S.R. 2011. Overwinter population estimates of British waterbirds. British Birds 104: 364-397.
Thaxter, C.B., Sansom, A. Thewlis, R.M., Calbrade, N.A, Ross-Smith, V.H., Bailey, S., Mellan, H.J. & Austin, G.E. 2010. Wetland Bird Survey Alerts 2006/2007: changes in numbers of wintering waterbirds in the constituent countries of the United Kingdom, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). BTO Research Report 556. BTO, Thetford.
Wilson, L.J., Dean, B.J., Webb, A., McSorley, C.A. & Reid, J.B. 2006. Wintering seaduck, divers and grebes in UK inshore areas: aerial surveys and shore-based counts 2004/05. JNCC Report, No. 371. JNCC, Peterborough.
Norman Elkins 18 Scotstarvit View, Cupar, Fife KY15 5DX. Email: jandnelkins@btinternet.com
Revised ms accepted September 2011
31:4 (2011) Scottish Birds: 3 7 | 307
Plate 258. White-tailed Eagle
308
Clearing nests of food remains does not influence subsequent nest choice in White-tailed Eagles
@
J.R. GRANT, R. REID & D.P. WHITFIELD
Practical research is important in the understanding and application of conservation management to animal populations. However, when the species concerned has a small population size or is threatened in some other way, it is particularly important to identify and evaluate any effect of the research methods on the individuals studied. Researchers therefore frequently use staged or ‘natural’ experiments to test whether particular field methods introduce biases in results. In birds, such potential biases have been investigated to assess the effects of, for example, the use of colour-rings (Bart et al. 2001) and radio-tags (Kenward 2000).
Dietary studies of raptors often involve clearing nests of prey remains at the end of the breeding season (e.g. Steenhof & Kochert 1988, Mersmann et al. 1992, Katzner et al. 2006). The method can involve some disruption to nest structure when searching through nest material. There is a possibility that such disruption to the nest, even if birds are not actively using it at the time, may disturb parental birds and cause them to shift to another nest site in the following year. Such a change may result in the selection of a poorer nest site; for example in a more exposed location or at increased distance from food resources. In addition, building an entirely new nest would increase energy demand, and a change in nest site can lower breeding success (Desrochers &
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Scottish Birds
Magrath 1993). In a study of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla, we examine the possibility that nest clearing might influence a breeding pair’s nest site choice the following year.
Our study involved the reintroduced population of White-tailed Eagles in western Scotland whose history and biology has been thoroughly documented (Love 1983, 2003, Bainbridge et al. 2003, Evans et al. 2003, 2009, Whitfield et al. 2009). Since the first breeding attempt in 1983, the nest site location and breeding success has been monitored for every breeding territory. In 2008 there were 44 territories occupied by pairs, 35 of which laid eggs, leading to 28 fledged young. All released birds and the large majority of wild-bred nestlings have been individually marked, mostly with patagial wing-tags (Evans et al. 2009). Wild-bred nestlings are typically wing-tagged and/or ringed when aged six to eight weeks.
Dietary studies on White-tailed Eagles in Scotland have been ongoing for many years (Watson et al. 1992, Marquiss et al. 2003, Madders €& Marquiss 2003) and these typically include visiting nests after a breeding attempt has failed or nestlings have fledged, to collect all remains of food items. Nests were situated both on cliffs and in trees. In almost all cases they were rebuilt by research workers following thorough collection of remains and in a very few cases they were left in a structurally safer condition than they were before. For the purposes of the present study, between 1992 and 2008 we recorded the territory identity, year, whether a nest was cleared of food remains (‘clearout’) at the end of the breeding season and whether a different nest was used on the territory in the year following a clearout.
Breeding failure is well known as a factor which can cause birds to change nest site (Haas 1998) and so we considered data only involving successful breeding attempts. We also wished to control for the possibility that our results were not confounded by other sources of potential disturbance and so we included data only from breeding attempts where nestlings had been wing-tagged and/or ringed (Evans et al. 2003). Change in breeding partner can be associated with change in nest site (Desrochers & Magrath 1993), but we could not account for this factor because not all birds were individually marked. However, annual survival of mature adult eagles was high (94 - 97 %: Evans et al. 2009) and dispersal of breeding adults was very low (Whitfield et al. 2009), and so this deficiency should not have introduced a serious bias, as was confirmed in the many cases where we knew the identity of partners between years.
After screening data for potentially confounding factors we had 120 records involving 34 territories with a median of 2.5 data (years) per territory (range 1 - 13). In our analysis, carried out in R 2.8.1 (R Development Core Team 2008), we used a binomial Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) with nest site change (0 or 1) between years x and x + 1 as the response variable and nest clearout (O or 1) in year x as the explanatory variable, with territory identity nested within year x as a random factor.
It was highly unlikely that clearing a nest of food remains had any effect on nest site use in the following year (value = -0.02, SE = 0.38, df = 85, t = -0.06, P = 0.96). It is probably safe to conclude therefore that nest clearouts do not have a detrimental effect on our study population since, if birds do not shift nest sites as a result of the method, then ‘higher order’ manifestations of disturbance, such as reductions in breeding success or survival would not be expected. Examination of such potential effects is important in any research, but especially involving reintroduced populations which may be vulnerable in the early stages of expansion.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to everybody involved over the years who contributed to the Scottish White-tailed Eagle Project newsletters from which most of the nest site information was gleaned. Martin Carty, Joe Hayes, Dave Sexton and Bob Swann supplied additional information on nest site use.
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309
310
Se ee ON mi op aL ed eat genet nl sh bes pore pee Tes im I P = ar pl A= . 3 by ff. See a ASL 24 i | 1 fee fis lEdrNgG NESTS of 100d fremdins does not influence subsequent nest cnoice in White-tailed Eagies ~ J
References
Bainbridge, I.P., Evans, R.J., Broad, R.A., Crooke, C.J., Duffy, K., Green, R.E., Love, J.A. & Mudge, G.P. 2003. Re-introduction of white-tailed eagles Haliaeetus albicilla to Scotland. Pp 393-406 in Thompson, D. et al (Eds) Birds of Prey in a Changing Environment. The Stationery Office.
Bart, J., Battaglia, D. & Senner, N. 2001. Effects of color bands on Semipalmated Sandpipers banded at hatch. Journal of Field Ornithology 72: 521-526.
Desrochers, A. & Magrath, R.D. 1993. Environmental predictability and remating in European Blackbirds. Behav. Ecol. 4: 271-272.
Evans, R.J., Broad, R.A., Duffy, K., MacLennan, A.M., Bainbridge, I.P. & Mudge, G.P. 2003. Re- establishment of a breeding population of White-tailed Eagles in Scotland. In Helander, B., Marquiss, M. & Bowerman, W. (eds) Sea Eagle 2000. Proceedings from an International Conference at Bjorké, Sweden, 13-17 September 2000: 397-403. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Stockholm, Sweden.
Evans, R.J, Wilson, J.D., Amar, A., Douse, A., MacLennan, A., Ratcliffe, N. & Whitfield, D-.P. 2009. Growth and demography of a re-introduced population of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. Ibis 151: 244-254.
Haas, C.A. 1998. Effects of prior nesting success on site fidelity and breeding dispersal: an experi- mental approach. Auk 115: 929-936.
Katzner, T.E., Bragin, E.A., Knick, S.T. & Smith, A.T. 2006. Spatial structure in the diet of Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca in Kazakhstan. Journal of Avian Biology 37: 594-600.
Kenward, R.E. 2000. A Manual for Wildlife Radio Tagging. Academic Press, London.
Love, J.A. 1983. The Return of the Sea Eagle. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Love, J.A. 2003. A history of the white-tailed sea eagle in Scotland. In Helander, B., Marquiss, M. & Bowerman, W. (eds) Sea Eagle 2000. Proceedings from an International Conference at Bj6rk6, Sweden, 13-17 September 2000: 39-50. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Stockholm, Sweden.
Madders, M. & Marquiss, M. 2003. A comparison of the diet of White-tailed Eagles and Golden Eagles breeding in adjacent ranges in west Scotland. In Helander, B., Marquiss, M. & Bowerman, W. (eds) Sea Eagle 2000. Proceedings from an International Conference at Bjérk6, Sweden, 13- 17 September 2000: 289-295. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Stockholm, Sweden.
Marquiss, M., Madders, M. & Carss, D.N. 2003. White-tailed Eagles and lambs: predation or scavenging? In Helander, B., Marquiss, M. €& Bowerman, W. (eds) Sea Eagle 2000. Proceedings from an International Conference at Bjérké, Sweden, 13-17 September 2000: 13-17. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mersmann, T.J., Buehler, D.A., Fraser, J.D. & Seegar, J.K.D. 1992. Assessing bias in studies of bald eagle food habits. Journal of Wildlife Management 56: 73-78.
R Development Core Team. 2008. R: a Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL http://www.R-project.org.
Steenhof, K. & Kochert, M.N. 1988. Dietary responses of three raptor species to changing prey densities in a natural environment. Journal of Animal Ecology 57: 37-48.
Watson, J., Leitch, A.F. & Broad, R.A. 1992. The diet of the Sea Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in western Scotland. Ibis 134: 27-31.
Whitfield, D.P., Douse, A., Evans, R.J., Grant, J., Love, J.,. McLeod, D.R.A., Reid, R. & Wilson, J.D. 2009. Natal and breeding dispersal in a reintroduced population of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. Bird Study 56: 177-186.
Justin R. Grant, Natural Research, Brathens Business Park, Hill of Brathens, Glassel, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, AB31 4BY.
Robin Reid, Ash Tree Cottage, Riding Mill, Northumberland NE44 6DY.
D. Philip Whitfield, Natural Research, Brathens Business Park, Hill of Brathens, Glassel, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, AB31 4BY.
Revised ms accepted July 2011
31:4 (2011)
Snort Notes
Opportunistic food robbery of Grey Wagtail by Pied Wagtail
On 7 May 2011, at Leithen Lodge in the Moorfoot Hills, Borders, | watched a pair of Grey Wagtails Motacilla cinerea collecting food for their young in a nest nearby. At 08:15 GMT, the female Grey Wagtail landed on a telegraph wire near the presumed nest site with only a single larva in her beak. The male landed on the wire close by with a beak full of food items, including some winged insects. He then flew down to the tarmac track below the wires and started to walk towards the nest site. The female stayed put. At this point a female Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii, which was feeding on the tarmac but not collecting food for chicks, lunged at the male Grey Wagtail and caused him to drop his food items. The female Pied Wagtail immediately ate what the Grey had dropped, while he wandered off along the track and short grass verge, picking up inverte- brates from the surface and flycatching.
Over the next 20 minutes no further robbery was witnessed. It appears that the female Pied Wagtail was not habitually targeting the Greys,
but she was obviously capable of doing so opportunistically, possibly following inter- specific aggression.
The Grey Wagtail nest contained five chicks around six days old. It is unlikely that the Pied Wagtail had a brood nearby as she was not collecting food.
I can find no mention of this behaviour in either Simms (1992) or Snow €&t Perrins (1998).
References
Simms, E. 1992. British Larks, Wagtails. Collins.
Snow, D.W. & Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Concise Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
IEORUS. (ae
Tom Dougall, 38 Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 4JL
Revised ms accepted May 2011
Multi-species groups of finches feeding on Wych Elm fruits in spring
Elm trees are well known to provide food for finches in spring (Newton 1972). Amongst the three main elm species in Britain, Wych Elm Ulmus glabra has a northerly distribution and is the only undisputed native species in Scotland. The value of Wych Elm fruits for birds in Scotland, therefore, would have been high relative to those of the introduced English Elm Ulmus procera, which is scarce away from its southern homelands and only an irregular producer of seed in Scotland. Furthermore, the relative importance of Wych Elm for birds could have increased recently following the widespread decline of mature English Elms due to Dutch Elm Disease (DED) (Osborne 1983). Wych Elm has hitherto been rather less affected, especially in the north of Scotland. My observations in lowland central Scotland show that six or more species of finch feed regularly on Wych Elm fruits, including mixed-species groups in the same tree. This suggests that in spite of the
31:4 (2011)
impact of DED, Wych Elm fruits can provide an important food source for many finches in central Scotland, and probably elsewhere, in the early stages of the breeding season.
Wych Elms produce conspicuous bunches of pale green fruits in April, just before their leaves appear. The winged fruits remain on the tree for about two months and drop between May and July, although they only seem to be attractive to finches until late May or, further north, into early June. Middleton (1918) provided an early record of their appeal: “little birds occasionally dart and flutter about the sprays [of Wych Elm], eating the seeds with reliisia’. Isle Ghicl Mok imienTOma Wane GoewiEs involved, although finches and tits are amongst the obvious candidates. More recent records include Greenfinch Carduelis chloris and Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula taking Wych Elm seeds (Newton 1967a & b). Hawfinches
311
Short Notes
Table 1. Finch species recorded feeding on Wych Elm seeds at Bridge of Allan, 2009-11. Maximum number of individuals of each species seen together, and (final column) maximum number of species recorded
feeding together in same tree.
Year Chaffinch Greenfinch Goldfinch Siskin Linnet Bullfinch Species seen together 2009 De SF 6* De De O
2010 1 4* Be 2 O Be 4
2011 De 4* SF O O 3F o
*these species were recorded feeding together in the same tree in each year
Table 2. Occurrence of finches feeding on Wych Elm fruits at Bridge of Allan, 2009-11; earliest and latest observations in each year.
First Last Fruits Number of Days of Year record record unsuitable days feeding observations 2009 10 May 14 May 19 May 5+ 5 2010 23 April 25 May> <4 June 33+ 10 2011 21 April 6 May> <17 May 16+ 12
The ‘<’ and'>' symbols indicate that the dates of events in 2010 and 2011 may be earlier or later than shown, by up to five days, due to gaps in observation schedules. The ‘days feeding’ period may have been underestimated for the same reason, as indicated by + symbol.
32
Coccothraustes coccothraustes also take the seeds in tree crowns in both May and June (Mountfort 1956).
I noted several species of finch making repeated visits to a single multi-stemmed Wych Elm (8 m high) in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire (Upper Forth), over five days in May 2009. They settled quietly in the crown of the tree and extracted the soft seeds singly from each fruit. More than one species was often present and on two occasions five finch species were feeding in the crown at the same time. Maximum numbers for each species in the tree ranged from six Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis to two Linnets Carduelis cannabina (Table 1). While four of the finch species bred in gardens within 200m, the Linnets probably came from further afield. All five species focused their attention on the crown; lower branches and smaller Wych Elms nearby were almost entirely overlooked. The finches only attacked unripe fruits (i.e. with pale not dark seeds and green ‘wings’), either from wholly green fruit bunches or selected from amongst those with a mix of green and browning fruits. Feeding occurred throughout the day, and appeared to involve repeated visits of 1-15 minutes each by a small pool of birds of both sexes. By 19 May in 2009, all the fruits had browned and no further visits were recorded (Table 2).
Observations over the two following years added Bullfinches to the visitors seen to take seeds and confirmed that the pattern of elm seed-eating
detected in 2009 was regular, at least during three years when fruiting was prolific. As in 2009, I recorded feeding finches on every day observations were undertaken (Table 2). Up to four species were present together in the same tree on two or more occasions in both years (Table 1). Feeding visits to Wych Elm in these two years began in late April and continued into mid- or late May, by which time the fruits had browned and again were no longer attractive (Table 2). Interest spread beyond the single tree in both 2010 and 2011, however, with three others being visited regularly for feeding amongst the seven elms in view.
Once settled in the crown, feeding finches were hard to detect; usually silent and often obscured by bunches of fruits and leaves (Plate 259). The
Plate 259. Bullfinch feeding on Wych Elm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, 6 May 2011. © David Bryant
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finches usually pulled pieces from the winged samara in situ, then plucked the fruit and held it in the bill to extract the seed (Plates 260-262). On still days the falling fragments and ‘empty’ fruits often provided the first indication of the presence of feeding birds above. These detailed observations were made much easier by the principal tree being on a slope, allowing eye- level viewing from the house about 10 m away. Complementing this, observations during a period of light winds in 2011 allowed the attacked fruits to be counted beneath a tree growing on cleared ground; at least 2,200 fallen fruits had been plucked and ‘emptied’ by an unknown number of finches over seven days. This illustrates another activity which could alert observers to the presence of finches, at least before the ripe fruits fall and smother the evidence.
Several other species used the Wych Elms at the same time as the finches but were mostly perching or singing. Blue Tits Parus caeruleus, for example, sought insects amongst the elm fruits and were not seen to attack the seeds. Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis, however, were frequent visitors to feed on the fruits. Evidence of intraspecific competition amongst finches came from occasional bouts of chasing, involving Goldfinch (unsexed), Greenfinch (males) and Bullfinch (males). This occurred in spite of an apparent superabundance of fruits and feeding positions, suggesting that chasing might have concerned access to a subset of high quality seeds or involved competition for or protection of mates. In contrast, no interspecific clashes were seen.
The only finch ‘missing’ from my observations, that is known to feed on Wych Elm, was the Hawfinch. It is rare in the Stirling area, however, so its absence is entirely expected. That they cash in too, however, is illustrated by a record of a migrant Hawfinch at Kergord on Shetland, photographed while eating Wych Elm seeds, by Jacqui Herrington in late May 2010 (Plate 263). Calladine & Morrison (2010) list several tree species used by Hawfinches in winter near Perth; and also demonstrate the cryptic behaviour of this species and the consequent risk of bias in determining dietary preferences. Wych Elm was not amongst the trees used, as expected, because their study took place well before any fruits would have
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Short Notes
hig
Plate 260. Goldfinch feeding on Wych Elm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, 4 May 2011. © David Bryant
Plate 261. Greentinch feeding on Wych Elm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, 30 April 2011. © David Bryant
eS } ee 1 § Bisa 4 a) Ye Sen
—
Plate 262. Chaffinch feeding on Wych Elm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, 2 May 2011. © David Bryant
7
Plate 263. Hawfinch feeding on Wych Elm, Kergord,
314
appeared. Hawfinches and other finches probably rely on a succession of buds and seeds as they become available with the arrival of spring; this sequence is likely to be somewhat delayed at more northerly latitudes.
Whilst the Wych Elm is recognised as generally valuable for birds, and its planting is sometimes encouraged by woodland conserva- tionists, it has a particular value because it is one of only a small subset of deciduous tree species that provide canopy-level seed supplies in spring. Certain individual trees, furthermore, provide a popular focus for feeding finches, perhaps because they offer better cover from hunting Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus or protection from the elements and _ other hazards? Hence, the context, or crown structure and density of a Wych Elm, or perhaps the quality or size of its seed, may affect selection by finches. Use of Wych Elm, however, did not appear to be affected directly by access to bird- feeders, since attendance at local feeding stations had tailed off by late March, several weeks before the finches moved onto the elms.
The Wych Elm, in spite being a common native formerly called the ‘Scotch Elm’ in some parts, is sometimes known as ‘Scotland’s forgotten tree’ (Edwards 2009). The importance of Wych Elm for finches may have been under-recorded since detecting silent, near-motionless birds in dense tree crowns can be difficult. While mixed- species finch flocks are common in winter, a feeding-aggregation of up to six species in spring is much less frequent and suggests that for a period of 2-5 weeks in late April and May, Wych Elm seeds provide a useful food source for mainly territory-holding finches. Taking Wych Elm seeds while ignoring seed on nearby feeders suggests that specific nutrients, palatability or digestibility, rather than energy shortages, drives this choice. The soft pulp extracted from the seeds, furthermore, could play a very specific role in preparations for egg laying (Carey 1996). The extent to which use of Wych Elm fruits is related to the availability of other natural seed supplies, whether in tree canopies or at ground level, is unclear.
Elm was the only tree to feature prominently in most finch diets in England in late spring
(Newton 1972). Ensuring the availability of elm seeds in April and May could be a valuable complement to other measures to maintain food supplies for these birds. The retention of weed- rich stubbles overwinter, provision of wild-bird seed crops and enhancement of natural herb-seed supplies, provide important benefits to non- breeding finch populations and other birds of farmland and woodland (Roberts €& Pullin 2007), but do so only until depletion, germination or cultivation occurs in spring. Thereafter, the seeds of Wych Elm, relatively secure from human interference, can help bridge the gap until other plant and animal food supplies increase in May.
References
Calladine, J. & Morrison, N. 2010. The ranging behaviour and habitat selection by three Hawfinches Coccothraustes coccothraustes in late winter in Scotland. Ornis Fennica 87: 119-123.
Carey, C. 1996. Avian Energetics and Nutritional Ecology. Chapman & Hall, New York.
Edwards, I. 2009. Scotland’s forgotten tree. The Botanics 37: 10.
Middleton, G. 1918. Some old wells, trees and travel tracks of Wordsworth’s Parish. The St Oswald Press, Ambleside.
Mountfort, G. 1956. The Hawfinch. New Naturalist, 15. Collins, London.
Newton, I. 1967a. The adaptive radiation and feeding ecology of some British finches. Ibis 109: 33-98.
Newton, I. 1967b. The feeding ecology of the Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula L.) in southern England. Journal of Animal Ecology 36: 721-744.
Newton, I. 1972. Finches. New Naturalist, 55. Collins, London.
Osborne, P. 1983. The influence of Dutch elm disease on bird population trends. Bird Study 30: 27-38.
Roberts, P:D. & Pullin? AvS2 3200725 the effectiveness of land-based schemes (incl. agri- environment) at conserving farmland bird densities within the U.K. Systematic Review No. 11. Collaboration for Environmental Evidence, CEBC.www.environmentalevidence.org/SR11.htm
David Bryant, 36 Kenilworth Road, Bridge of Allan FK9 4EH
= me penta | & A) ata
Cima: adm prvantOeveter
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Revised ms accepted June 2011
31:4 (2011)
White-billed Diver: new first Scottish record
The Birds of Scotland states that the first Scottish record of White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii was collected at Aberdeen on 17 December 1891, with the specimen held at Chelmsford Museum [CHMER_ E135441] (Forrester et al. 2007). That specimen had hitherto been identified as a Great Northern Diver Gavia immer and its true identity was only recently established (Green & Forrester 2005). Prior to the discovery of the Aberdeen bird, a bird found dead at Whiteness Voe, Shetland on 21 January 1946 was acknowledged as the first Scottish record.
In 2008, following closure of the exhibition galleries of National Museums Scotland (NMS) for major refurbishment, a close examination of a small number of mounted birds was considered worthwhile. One was a juvenile diver (NMS.Z 1890.33) that had been collected by Mr Erskine St Clair Steele on the Sutherland coast in January 1890 and donated to the museum. It had been accessioned, and then exhibited, as a Great Northern Diver. A contemporary ledger indicated the specimen was a male and this has been confirmed by DNA-sexing (M. Collinson, in litt.).
With the first claim of White-billed Diver in Scotland only made in the mid-1940s, it is not difficult to see that any diver, other than Red- throated and Black-throated, acquired by the museum in the 19th century might have simply been assumed to be Great Northern Diver. This would particularly be the case for birds in non-adult plumage.
identification
Earlier statements on ‘diagnostic’ bill shapes for White-billed and Great Northern Divers have been shown to be unreliable, and there are further difficulties for juvenile birds as bill dimensions of the former do not attain classic adult shape until, or beyond, first-summer (Burn & Mather 1974).
To further complicate the issue of bill
appearance, the culmen of the Sutherland bird was rather poorly painted at some time in the
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Plate 264. The Sutherland White-billed Diver specimen collected in January 1890 © NMS. Note that the bill has
been painted.
past, and this has concealed the natural colour. This effectively obscures one key characteristic that might be useful in separating these two species. In addition, the ranges of culmen, tarsus and wing lengths overlap for the species, the latter compounded by moult of remiges during December to March. The challenge was to demonstrate that sufficient features exist to prove this particular specimen is a White-billed Diver.
The most concise and detailed document for identifying diver species in the hand is the Gaviidae section of the Handbook on Oil Impact Assessment which gives a number of morpho- logical characteristics that define all four (or five, if pacifica recognised) species (Camphuysen 2007). As the culmen length, shape and colour and wing length of the Sutherland bird are non- diagnostic for identification, the following key features were examined.
Number of tail feathers. Eighteen in White- billed Diver, 20 in Great Northern Diver. The number recorded for the Sutherland bird was 18.
Primary shafts. Light brown or whitish in White- billed Diver, dark brown or blackish in Great Northern Diver (Plate 266). The shaft streaks of the Sutherland bird are pale (Plate 265).
Mantle feathers. Mantle feathers in juvenile White-billed Divers show ‘broad, light terminal fringes’ and Great Northern Divers show ‘light terminal fringes’ (Camphuysen 2007). The
515
Short Notes
Plate 265. Primary shaft streaks of the Sutherland specimen showing the pale colouration typical of White- billed Diver. © NMS
Plate 266. Dark primary shaft streaks of a typical Great Northern Diver (NMSZ 1980.60.27). © NMS
Sutherland bird shows broadly fringed mantle feathers typical of White-billed Diver (Plate 267).
One other distinctive character is also evident in this specimen. The two rami of the lower mandible are joined for c. 50% of the length of the lower mandible (Plate 268). For Great Northern Divers, the rami are only joined at the tip (c. 10% of the length) (Plate 269); see Burn €t Mather (1974) for diagrams.
Conclusion
On a number of key diagnostic characters, it is possible to demonstrate that the specimen collected on the Sutherland coast in January, 1890 is a White-billed Diver. In May 2011 SBRC ratified the identification and accepted this juvenile male as the first Scottish record.
Acknowledgment
I thank Dr A.G. Knox who alerted me to his suspicions over the identification of this
316
——
Plate 267. The mantle of the Sutherland specimen showing broad, pale terminal fringes. © NMS
Plate 268. The underside of the bill of the Sutherland specimen showing mandibular rami fused along c. 50% of length. © NMS
Plate 269. The underside of the bill of Great Northern Diver NMSZ 1980.60.27 showing mandiular rami fused only at tip. © NMS
specimen and suggested it was worth a closer inspection. Dr J. Martin Collinson, University of Aberdeen, kindly arranged DNA-sexing of a tissue sample.
References
Burn, D.M. & Mather, J.R. 1974. The White- billed Diver in Britain. British Birds 67: 257-296.
31:4 (2011)
Camphuysen, C.J. 2007. Gaviidae: Divers or loons. Technical documents 4.1, Handbook on Oil Impact Assessment, version 1.0. Online edition, www.zeevogelgroep.nl/CJC/documents /GAVIIDAE.pdf
Forrester, R.W., Andrews, I.J., McInerny, 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. The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Aberlady.
Short Notes
Green, N. & Forrester, R.W. 2005. Yellow-
billed Diver in Chelsmford Museum - the earliest record for Scotland. Scottish Birds 25: 59-61.
R.Y. McGowan, Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Email: b:mcgowan@nms.ac.uk
Revised ms accepted June 2011
Attempted predation of Pink-footed Geese by a Peregrine
On 13 October 2010, on an upland plateau around 400 m altitude in rural Inverness-shire, I witnessed a predation attempt by a female Peregrine Falco peregrinus on a skein of Pink- footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus. Around 100 geese were flying over the plateau in a southerly direction at an altitude of over 100 m when a female Peregrine appeared from behind. She raced towards the skein; alarm calls going up from the geese as she neared. Flying directly into the skein, she split it in two before selecting one of the halves and flying into that one. She did this again until there were only four geese left in the group she was following. From there her tactic changed, and instead of flying level with the geese she then took up position slightly above the single goose she had selected to chase. No more than a metre away from it, the Peregrine forced the goose downwards. The goose, flying rapidly, began to lose height quite quickly in an attempt to evade its attacker with the peregrine following every move. Both were at 10-20 m above the ground when my view was obscured by a knoll. While all the other geese rejoined the main skein, neither the final goose nor the Peregrine were seen again.
I witnessed this behaviour again the following day. Exactly the same tactic was used to break up the skein until only four geese remained. As before, an individual was selected, chased and forced lower and lower. Again on this occasion, my view was obscured by a knoll which they flew behind. This was no more than 2 km from the site of the first attack and may have been the same bird given the rarity of Peregrine sightings in this area.
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Some goose species have been shown to be able to inflict serious injury to falcons of similar size to the Peregrine (Hayes 1976). Red- breasted Geese Branta ruficollis will nest in protective association with Peregrines (Quinn et al. 2003). However, there are several records of predation attempts by both adult and juvenile Peregrines on various species of geese (George 1979, Stabins 1995). This suggests that, while geese are occassionally taken, they are not a common prey of Peregrines.
References
George, R.R. 1979. Snow Goose taken by Peregrine Falcon. Raptor Research 13: 88-90.
Hayes, G. 1976. So “Tahoe” hath her desires. Journal of the North American Falconer’s Association 15: 33-36.
Quinn, J.L., Prop, J., Kokorev, Y. & Black, J.M. 2003. Predator protection or similar habitat selection in red-breasted goose nesting associations: extremes along a continuum. Animal Behaviour 65: 297-307.
Ratcliffe, D. 1993. The Peregrine Falcon (2nd Edition). T. & A.D. Poyser.
Stabins, H.C. 1995. Peregrine Falcon predation on an Aleutian Canada Goose. Journal of Raptor Research 29: 36.
Donald Shields, 6 Towerhill Crescent, Invernesss IV2 5FZ.
Revised ms accepted July 2011
Sil
Plates 270-71. Herring Gull catching then eating presumed Common Pipistrelle, Garlieston, Dumfries & Galloway,
July 2011. © Maureen Nicol
318
Herring Gull catching and eating live bats
A remarkable piece of video taken by Maureen Nicol shows a Herring Gull Larus argentatus standing on the ridge of a tiled roof and very adeptly catching bats as they leave a roost. This footage was taken by Maureen whilst visiting Garlieston, a small coastal village in Wigtownshire, south-west Scotland. The video was taken during the last week of July 2011, and, although edited, shows the gull gulping down, ‘five bats) =i a few eimmuies (www.youtube.com/ watch?v= AffGN50YCFY). I visited the site on 13 August, by which time the bats had abandoned the roost.
The activity of the Herring Gull was first noted during the third week of July and it visited regularly but not daily until around the end of the first week of August. The last bats were seen on about 10 August. It appears that only a single gull had learned the skill of catching bats; on occasions a second gull was in attendance, but never seen to attempt to catch a bat.
The bats were roosting below the cement roof tiles and had not entered the roof space. They were leaving the roost by a number of holes below the ridge tile and at a point where the cement pointing at the gable end of the tiles was cracked. The size of the roost was not known, but it was thought to hold hundreds of bats; this is supported by the frequency of bats leaving the roost on the video. It was assumed to be a maternal roost of Common Pipistrelles Pipistrellus pipistrellus.
On one evening the gull was seen to consume 11 bats in a 15 minutes period. In addition the house owner regularly had to collect dead and injured bats from the path below the roost. The gull quickly grabbed the bats as they exited but before they could take flight. It then simply swallowed them whole and alive within a few seconds. There was no thrashing or beating of the prey to stun or kill it. Over a three week period this gull could have consumed in the region of 50 to 100 bats, which would have had a significant effect on that particular roost.
The house was an end of row terrace, south- west facing, over-looking a wooded estate of grazed pasture, about 500 m from the shore. By early August, 400 Herring Gulls were roosting on the shore.
Eleven species of birds have been recorded consuming bats in the British Isles and it is estimated that they consume in the order of 200,000 bats a year (Speakman 1991). Cramp €& Simmons (1982) quote a wide range of food items both predated and scavenged by Herring Gulls and mention Herring Gulls recorded in aerial pursuit of a number of items including a large bat, possibly a Noctule Nyctalus noctula, which was killed and partly eaten (Cleeves 1969).
I thank Stephen Welch for bringing the video to my attention.
31:4 (2011)
References
Cleeves, T.R. 1969. Herring Gull catching and eating bat. British Birds 62: 333.
Cramp S. & Simmons K.E.L. (eds) 1982. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume 3. Oxford University Press.
Speakman J.R. 1991. The impact of predation by birds on bat populations in the British Isles. Mammal Review 21: 123-142.
Short Notes Paul N. Collin, Gairland, Old Edinburgh Road, Newton Stewart DG8 6PL.
ee ee Email: pncollin@live.co.uk
Revised ms accepted September 2011
Mute Swan and Canada Goose sharing a nest
Several pairs of Mute Swans Cygnus olor, Canada Geese Branta canadensis and Greylag Geese Anser anser nest on the River Esk in Musselburgh, Lothian. As numbers have increased, nest sites have been at a premium, and there is often conflict between geese and swans. However, there are also cases of unexpected mutual tolerance. In 2002, three pairs of Mute Swans nested together on a small island (Brown €& Brown 2004). In 2011, this same island saw Mute Swan and Canada Goose nest side by side, effectively in the same nest.
On 20 April 2011, a female Mute Swan (colour- ringed LST) was sitting on one swan egg and one goose egg, with another swan egg by the water’s edge and a Canada Goose trying to sit on the same nest. On 23rd, the roles were reversed with the Canada Goose sitting on the eggs, and the Mute Swan standing nearby. For the next four weeks, both birds sat adjacent to one another, effectively on the same nest, but it is not known if the eggs were in one clutch or had become slightly separated. On occasion, the wing of one bird was over the other, and
sae
Plate 272. Mute Swan and Canada Goose using the same nest, Musselburgh, May 2011. © LJ. Andrews
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after rain, the goose was seen to drink water from the swan’s back. Unfortunately, after 30 May, incubation became erratic, and eventually (by 6 June) both pairs deserted.
In 1998, a pair of Greylag Geese at Glendevon Farm pond, Winchburgh, Lothian, laid eggs, but these were incubated by a Mute Swan that then reared the four goslings (Kelly 1999). In addition, a pair of swans at Dalmahoy Golf Course, Lothian, raised two goslings in 2004 (Brown & Brown 2006).
References
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 2004. Lothian Mute Swann Census 2002. Lothian Bird Report 2002: 122-131.
Brown, A.W. & Brown, L.M. 2006. Lothian Mute Swann Census 2004. Lothian Bird Report 2004: 130-138.
Kelly, D.K. (ed.) 1999. Lothian Bird Report 1998. Lothian Branch, SOC.
lan J. Andrews, 39 Clayknowes Drive, Musselburgh EH21 6UW E-mail: ijandrews@live.com
Allan Brown, Lothians and Fife Swan Study Group, commented: “Swans and geese often do not mix well at the nesting time - Greylags often nest earlier than the swans and take the best breeding sites resulting in _ occasional fights/disputes. Apparently Mutes are even used as a Canada Goose deterrent in the USA! Sharing a nest with a Canada Goose, both species laying eggs in the same nest and both species incubating (if the clutch is complete) is a new one on me.”
Revised ms accepted August 2011
319
320
Articles, News & Views
ae a4, bore sale
Plate 273. Greenland White-fronted and Barnacle Geese. © Clive McKay
Oe a
Wildfowl in Scotland - a review
M. OGILVIE
In the third of our 75th anniversary review series, Malcolm Ogilvie reflects on the development of wildfowl counting in Scotland and the changes that have occurred over recent decades in the numbers of our swans, geese and ducks.
Seventy-five years ago, in 1936, the British Section of the International Committee for Bird Preservation (a direct forerunner of BirdLife International) set up a special sub-committee to inquire into the status of wildfowl in the British Isles. There was considerable concern at the time over perceived declines in populations of several species, though this was nearly all based on anecdotal information, The sub-committee decided that all available information should be brought together and published, and in due course two volumes under the heading ‘International Wildfowl Inquiry’ appeared. Volume | (published in 1941) was entitled “Factors Affecting the General Status of Wild Geese and Wild Duck”. The authors of the
Scottish Birds
various chapters reviewed such matters as conditions on the breeding grounds, punt- gunning, ringing and abundance of eelgrass Zostera, and included such luminaries as Dr A. Landsborough Thomson, C.T. Dalgety, Major W.M. Congreve and C.W. Mackworth Praed. The second volume had already been published by this time, coming out in 1939 and entitled ‘The Status and Distribution of Wild Geese and Wild Duck in Scotland’. It had a sole author, John Berry (later Director, Scotland, of the Nature Conservancy), but with the considerable acknowledged assistance of the Misses E.V. Baxter and L.J. Rintoul, who undertook the task of collecting and collating reports from observers all over Scotland, as well as searching the literature for published records.
John Berry's book was a masterly review of the situation at the time, summarising the status of each species across Scotland as best could be done using the material to hand. While some of the accounts are necessarily sketchy, others give
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a reasonable full picture of the situation in the 1930s, and it has certainly been possible to use them as valuable records, at least of distribution if not numbers, against which to measure more recent changes.
The Second World War brought a temporary end to the activities of the Wildfowl Inquiry Sub- Committee, but in 1947, the members undertook the task of examining any long-term trends. The method adopted was to persuade observers to carry out synchronised monthly counts at as many wildfowl haunts as possible. The Wildfowl Count Scheme, as it was called, was funded, almost from the start, by the Nature Conservancy (whose Director-General, Max Nicholson, was an enthusiastic supporter of amateur bird surveys), enabling the appointment in 1952 of a full-time organiser, George Atkinson-Willes. In 1954, the scheme was taken over from the sub-committee by the Wildfowl (and Wetlands) Trust, and George moved to Slimbridge where he stayed until his retirement in 1987, by which time the Wildfowl Count Scheme had, together with the BTO’s Birds of Estuaries Enquiry, become the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) and had grown from covering a few hundred sites to about 2,000. The records, originally received on paper forms and collated by hand, can now be submitted online and manipulated in a sophisticated database. And in addition to ground counts of inland and coastal wetlands, aerial surveys have revealed what is happening offshore where substantial numbers of seaducks have been discovered in a number of areas of shallow sea.
It became apparent quite early on that the Wildfowl Count Scheme did not cope very Satisfactorily with geese which, with the exception of the Brent Goose, and more recently feral Greylags and Canada Geese, tended to use wetlands just for roosting and so were absent at the time most counts took place. Hugh Boyd, the Wildfowl Trust's first research officer, was already investigating the status of geese in Britain when the Wildfowl Count Scheme arrived at Slimbridge. With their more concentrated populations, Hugh Boyd was able to institute annual autumn censuses for several species, which still continue today and still rely on the efforts of a great many dedicated amateurs,
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plus, as more and more important goose roosts have been given protection, the ever-growing numbers of reserve wardens. In Scotland, where the great bulk of the Pinkfoot and Greylag populations wintered during the 1950s and 1960s, Hugh gained the invaluable help of enthusiasts such as Valerie Thom (Perthshire) and Willy Brotherston (Lothians), each of whom acted as local organisers in their respective areas. To fill in the gaps in coverage of the autumn censuses, Hugh spent two-three weeks around the time of the census date carrying out counts and assessing annual breeding success of the geese. | joined him on these regular trips in 1961 when | became his assistant, and we were usually accompanied by various friends who were happy to take part in the dawn and dusk counts which are the most efficient times to census the geese. When Hugh got head-hunted by the Canadian Wildlife Service in 1967, | took on these and other goose censuses, and also got involved in national censuses of swans. The still-continuing work of Allan and Lyndesay Brown on Mute Swans enabled me to leave the organisation of the censuses in Scotland in their capable hands.
Two other geese wintering in Scotland, the Barnacle Goose and the Greenland White- fronted Goose, caused more problems when it came to regular censuses. The Svalbard population of Barnacle Geese was, and still is, relatively straightforward as it is just a question of covering their known feeding areas (and hopefully discovering previously unknown ones as the population continues to grow) around
Plate 274. Barnacle Geese. © Malcolm gilvie
ga. .8, Dente Scottish Birds
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their exclusive wintering area of the Solway Firth. The Greenland population, on the other hand, is distributed mainly on about 30—50 islands (the majority small and uninhabited) between Orkney in the north and Islay in the south, while if a complete census is required, the range continues south through western Ireland from Donegal to County Kerry, again with the emphasis on small uninhabited islands. The answer, pioneered by Hugh Boyd in 1959, was aerial surveys. Barnacle Geese are compara- tively easy to see from a light aircraft flying at around 800 feet (and as slowly as Is safe). The aircraft causes the geese to fly making them much more visible than when on the ground and, with pilots using their skill to keep the flock in the view of an observer sitting alongside, it is possible to count flocks of up to 1,000—2,000 with reasonable accuracy, as determined by comparisons with photographs. The latter can never be relied on completely — flocks can split up or do not conveniently fit in the viewfinder. Fortunately, the largest flocks to be counted from the air are rarely more than 1,000 and often only tens or very low hundreds. The major haunt of Islay has always been far easier to count on the ground, and the same Is true of the growing numbers on Tiree and at the few mainland Irish sites. The one drawback of aerial surveys is the cost, and so Barnacle censuses have only ever been carried out at intervals of about five years. However, with 60-65% wintering on Islay, regular censuses there, often a number of times each winter, coupled with age counts, give a good indication of how the total population is performing.
The knowledge of Greenland White-fronted Geese wintering in Britain was accumulated only slowly, bearing in mind that the subspecies was only identified as such as recently as 1948. Hugh Boyd gathered what information he could, and the various haunts, often only holding very small numbers, became known during the 1950s. Like the Greenland Barnacle Goose, Islay held by far the largest numbers in Scotland and | began to count these as accurately as possible once or twice a winter from the mid-1960s. Elsewhere, our knowledge remained patchy and, in particular, tt was hard to assess what was happening to overall numbers. Major Robin Ruttledge was concerned at declines taking
place in the numbers of Greenland Whitefronts wintering in Ireland, with habitat loss of bogs and wet places a major consideration. In 1979, Robin and | published a report on numbers across the British and Irish range (there is a small population in western Wales, but none in England) which showed a dramatic decline in numbers (much worse in Ireland than in Scotland) and we made a strong plea for measures to reverse this. By very happy coincidence, our “wake-up” call had already been answered (!), by the founding in 1978 of the Greenland White-fronted Goose Study by a group mainly comprised of Aberystwyth University students who mounted an expedition to the West Greenland breeding grounds in summer 1979. From that initial interest stemmed the Greenland White-fronted Goose study group, covering the range of the goose from Greenland to Ireland, which not only carries out twice-annual censuses across the wintering range but has published a “Flyway Plan” to take forward the conservation and management of this vulnerable population across its range.
After that description of some of the ways that wildfowl counting has developed in Scotland in the last 75 years, with a perhaps not unsurprising bias towards geese, what has happened to wildfowl populations over that same period? It is not possible to compare all species across the whole period, but, concen- trating on the commoner ones, | will attempt to describe what has happened to them over the last several decades. To do this, | have relied heavily on ‘Birds of Scotland’ to give me recent totals, and the excellent references therein for some of the earlier ones.
Swans
Mute Swans were first censused in Scotland in 1955 when a total of about 4,000 birds, including c.500 breeding pairs, was reported. Numbers have grown slowly since, being knocked back in severe winters, and at the time of the last census, 2003, a total of 5,000-8,000 birds was found/estimated, including 1,012 breeding pairs. Coverage was probably better in 2003, accounting for some of the increase, but other facts include greater tolerance to the species and expansion onto waters at higher altitudes. The
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Plate 275. Whooper Swan. © Lang Stewart
Whooper Swan passes through Scotland in considerable numbers in autumn, with individual flocks of over 1,000 reported on a number of occasions. However, national censuses are carried out in January by which time many of these have moved on, and numbers in Scotland since the first census in 1986 have varied from 3,527 that year to 4,142 in 2005, but this was in the face of an increase in the total Iceland population of from 16,742 to 26,366.
Geese
Bean Geese are one of the most difficult species to summarise as this was probably the commonest grey goose in Scotland in the nineteenth century, though there are no figures to look at. It is assumed that then, as now, It was the Taiga Bean Goose (Anser f. fabalis) wintering here. Numbers then clearly underwent a major decline, and by the 1930s, the main wintering flock was of 400-500 on the Dee marshes in Dumfries & Galloway. After the war, this flock gradually declined, disappearing completely in the 1980s. Other small flocks, rarely more than 100, appeared in a few other haunts, but none permanent, until the establishment of the flock based manly on the Slammanan Plateau, which currently numbers around 250-300.
When Hugh Boyd started his annual censuses of Pink-footed Geese in 1960, the total population, almost all in Scotland, was under 50,000. The most recent count (November 2009) was 355,000 of which over 200,000 were in Scotland, though there were probably more than that as the birds arrived in September—October before moving onward into England. In contrast, the Iceland Greylag Goose
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population, which almost entirely winters in Scotland, was once increasing at about the same rate as the Pinkfoot, from a total of about 30,000 in 1960 to a peak of about 115,000—120,000 in the mid-1980s, but it then went into reverse, falling back to under 80,000 by the early 2000s. It has made some recovery since to a approaching 110,000, accompanied by a remarkable shift northwards to Orkney where 80,000 have been counted. However, at least 10,000 of these are thought to belong to the resident Scottish Greylag population which has grown from no more than 1,000 in the early 1980s to at least 30,000 in 2009.
Greenland White-fronted Geese were not counted accurately across Scotland until 1983, when there were about 7,500, slightly more than half of which were on Islay. A steady increase took them to just over 20,000 in 1999 with c.14,500 on Islay. Since then, numbers have fallen back to under 12,000 with no more than 7,000 on Islay. This pattern has been repeated across the rest of the range (mainly in Ireland), and the total population is now some 23,000 compared with nearly 35,000 ten years ago.
The Svalbard Barnacle Goose population wintering on the Solway presents an astonishing conservation success _ story, increasing from a few hundred in the 1950s to the present 34,000. Anecdotally, there were probably some thousands present on the Solway before the Second World War, but disturbance from wartime airfields and overshooting are thought to be the main reasons that brought the population down to its parlous post-war state. The Greenland
Plate 276. Pink-footed Goose. © Lang Stewart
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Barnacle Geese have also increased consid- erably, if not quite as drastically, in the last 50 years, from c.14,000 in the early, of which c.10,000 were in Scotland and the rest in Ireland, to 70,500 in spring 2008 (the latest census) of which just over 58,000 were in Scotland and the rest in Ireland. In the 1930s, there were about 4,000 Brent Geese (believed to be Light-bellied) wintering in the Moray Firth where they had probably been even more plentiful in the previous century. Overshooting and a disease attacking the eelgrass on which they fed caused the abandonment of the area by the 1940s. Since then, only very small numbers (mostly tens) winter, but flocks of hundreds pass through the Hebrides in autumn and spring.
Ducks
Shelducks as measured by the WeBS annual indices seem to have been remarkably stable in numbers for the last 40 years, perhaps more, though this masks local increases and declines. It Is estimated that the Scottish population ts around 7,000 birds with about 1,750 breeding pairs. The common dabbling ducks all have broadly similar wintering populations, Wigeon (76,000-96,000), Teal (c.37,500 — but with massive confidence limits of 22,500—125,000) and Mallard (65,000—90,000). Wigeon numbers fell during the 1960s and early 1970s, but have since recovered to old levels. Teal, contrastingly, have grown steadily and are now about five times more numerous in winter than they were in the mid-1960s. Mallard halved in numbers between 1965 to 1975 but have since fluctuated with a present level of perhaps a further 20% below that of 1975. Breeding pairs are difficult to estimate, and changes in them even more so, but current totals are put at Wigeon (240-400 pairs), Teal (1,500—2,600 — thought to be on the low side) and Mallard (17,000—43,000).
Wintering numbers of Pintail (4,000—5,000) are accurately described as “volatile”, while the tiny breeding population, principally in Orkney, hovers around 20—25 pairs. Probably no more than 400-750 Shoveler winter in Scotland, though there are regularly 1,100—1,600 in the country during autumn migration. Breeding numbers increased from the 1950s to the 1990s, but have declined since then, with a
current population of probably no more than 200-250 pairs.
Changes in local feeding conditions, i.e. at Musselburgh and Lochs Harray and Stenness in Orkney, are thought to have been mainly responsible for the substantial changes seen in wintering Pochard numbers, accounting for most of the more than halving in numbers to the present 4,000—6000. Some 25-50 pairs are thought to breed and numbers may be slowly increasing. Wintering numbers of Tufted Duck, put at 11,000, have been remarkably stable over the last four decades, but the breeding population has increased and spread over the same period, with currently some 2,250—2,700 Pairs, and now perhaps showing some signs of levelling off. Scaup, more than Pochard, suffered a massive crash in wintering numbers when the Edinburgh sewage works were built at Seafield in the 1970s, dropping from 30,000—40,000 in the late 1960s to under 100 by the early 1980s. There was little indication that more than small numbers of these birds remained in Scotland, or indeed Britain. The present Scottish population is between 4,000 and 8,000.
The Eider is second only to Mallard in the number of breeding pairs (c.20,000), while the total wintering population is put at 64,500. There have been many local fluctuations but overall numbers seem to be relatively stable. Another seaduck showing apparent stability in wintering numbers is the Long-tailed Duck, with about 15,000 birds. Their offshore locations are difficult to survey from land, but recent aerial surveys have not revealed significant additional numbers. Common (25,000—30,000 wintering) and Velvet (2,500-3,500) Scoters are both found in their largest numbers on the east coast of Scotland where counting conditions are often not the easiest. Recent aerial surveys are helping, but have not, as yet, located substantially more birds offshore, as has been the case off England and Wales. Trends in wintering numbers are difficult to assess, though in the last few years there appear to have been definite declines in both species at their haunts in Fife. The breeding population of Common Scoters in Scotland seems to be declining, from 95 pairs in 1995 to 85 nine years later, with the near-desertion of an important haunt on Islay since then.
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Plate 277. Eider. © Malcolm Ogilvie
Like the two scoters, the Goldeneye has shown recent declines in its Fife wintering haunts, which as yet have not been reported from elsewhere. Goldeneyes in Scotland declined sharply in the 1970s, with only some of the 4,000 wintering in the Firth of Forth relocating following the building of the Edinburgh sewage works. The current winter population is put at 10,000—12,000 having been reasonably stable for the last three decades. In contrast, the breeding population, from its genesis in 1970, now numbers 80-100 pairs, a great testament to the nest-box scheme instigated by Roy Dennis and now continued by the Goldeneye Study Group.
Wintering Red-breasted Mergansers have shown local declines in recent years, including in Fife, but while their numbers have long been subject to considerable fluctuations after a period of rapid growth in the 1970s and 1980s, there does seem to have been downward trend nationally in the last 10-15 years, with the present population put at c.8,500. Censusing the breeding population has been fraught with methodological difficulties and the current c.2,000 breeding pairs is of doubtful accuracy. It has proved difficult to count Goosanders, too, whether in winter or summer. Thus, the wintering population is given the very wide range of 2,600—12,200 birds, with the picture confused by the irregular presence of large moulting flocks in late summer/autumn. Breeding numbers and distribution have both shown a long-term increase, since the 19th
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century indeed, but in the last three or four decades the overall situation seems to have stabilised, with increases in some. areas balanced by declines in others.
The state of the commoner wildfowl in Scotland shows a remarkably healthy situation, with substantial increases in many species in the last 50 or so years, particularly geese, stability in others, and only a few in decline. There has been a huge increase in the protection of wildfowl over this period, especially the creation of wetland reserves, both inland and on the coast, coupled with restrictions on shooting and, importantly for some species, increased protection on the breeding grounds away trom Britain. Hazards, perhaps especially the threat of oil pollution to marine species, but also freshwater pollution, recreational disturbance and some persecution of species thought to be in conflict with, for example, fishing, still exist, but so far have only rarely had major effects on other than local populations. This summary is also a tribute to the far sighted people who set in train regular counts of wildfowl all those years ago, and to those who have continued to fund it ever since. The very many volunteer counters provide the information which the relatively few profes- sionals are able to turn into vital statistics showing just how our bird populations are doing. The verdict is “mostly fine”, thanks to you alll.
Malcolm Ogilvie Email: Malcolm @ogilvie.org
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NEWS AND NOTICES
New SOC members
We welcome the following new members to the Club: Ayrshire: Mr A. Macintosh, Mr A.J. Winnington, Borders: Mr R.M. Greenshields, Clyde: Mr P. Chand, Mrs G. Emmanuel, Dumfries: Mr R. Clarkson, Miss E. Petrie, Fife: Mr R. Campbell, Mrs J. Richard, Highland: Mr J. Hammond, MrJ. Poyner, Mr P. Stronach, Lothian: Mr G. Boyle, Ms J. Cleaver, Mr M. Duck, Mr & Mrs D. Ferguson, Ms R. Hunter, Mr & Mrs K. Kneller, Ms H. Macaulay, Mr D.F. Mackenzie, Ms M. Malcolm, Mr R. Wells, West Galloway: Mr S. Flower.
200 Club
The latest prize winners are: August: 1st £30 K. McGregor, 2nd £20 Mrs PM.Millar, 3rd £10 Mrs E.Smith. September: Ist £30 Mr & Mrs Bielby, 2nd £20 Dr L.H.Campbell, 3rd £10 Neil Hudson. October: 1st £30 Mrs E.Trevathen, 2nd £20 Mrs A. McVie, 3rd £10 Duncan Watt.
New members are always welcome. They must be over 18 and SOC members. Please contact: Daphne Peirse-Duncombe, Rosebank, Gattonside, Melrose TD6 9NH.
SOC Annual Report 2010/11
We regret that a batch of the annual reports printed by sponsor company XOS were faulty (e.g. pages out of sync or missing). A correct version of the report is available on the SOC website on the Members’ Page. If you prefer to receive a replacement copy by post, please Comliace Wns Oniles On O75 S71SSO0. Wie apologise for any inconvenience caused if you have received one of the bad copies.
Honorary Presidents
As part of the 75th Anniversary celebrations, Council considered the position of Honorary President of the SOC; a position which had remained vacant since the death of Donald Watson in 2005. At the AGM, members elected three new Honorary Presidents, in recognition of their services to Scottish ornithology:
Roy Dennis — for his life-long conservation of Ospreys in Scotland, his work on the Red Kite and White-tailed Eagle projects and wider work
on raptors; his work as Chairman of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Trust and development of the Scottish Bird Report during the 1970s.
Frank Hamilton — who as RSPB Director Scotland for 15 years was instrumental in development of many of Scotland’s most important reserves and for significantly furthering the conservation of birds.
Keith Macgregor — who has led ‘birding for beginners’ courses in the Lothians for half a century, greatly increasing local understanding of birds and for unstinting work as a volunteer for the SOC during this time.
Having more than one Honorary President is not Unique in the Club's history, indeed the ‘good ladies’ Evelyn Baxter and Leonora Rintoul were the first Honorary Presidents in 1948, along with the Rev. John M McWilliam. Donald Watson was appointed Honorary President in 1986 along with Valerie Thom.
Honorary Members
Following the election of the Honorary Presidents, four new Honorary Members were appointed by Council; each has made an invaluable contri- bution to ornithology in Scotland.
lan Andrews — for his leadership in recording and publishing about Scotland's birds.
lain Gibson — for his service as the Clyde area recorder for over 35 years, the longest standing local recorder in Scotland.
Professor Mike Harris — for his outstanding leadership in seabird studies.
Ron Summers — for his research contribution to Scottish ornithology across a wide range of species including in particular waders and pinewood specialists.
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Scottish Birdwatchers’ Conference 2012 (a joint Argyll Bird Club, BTO, SOC meeting) Saturday 17 March 2012, Corran Halls, Oban
A date for your diary... The Scottish Birdfair 19-20 May 2012, Hopetoun House, West Lothian. www.scottishbirdfair.org.uk
Club Officials
At the AGM in October, David Jardine handed over the post of President to Ken Shaw and Chris Mclnerny became Vice President. On Council, Jeremy Wilson retired by rotation and lan Thomson was elected as his replacement.
Waterston House Events
Exhibitions:
fOommmivne to Coast by Darren Woodhead, showing until 25 January 2012. Deepddes O55—55/.
The Environment by Group XII Textile Artists, 28 January to 22 February: Africa In Sight by Carol Barrett, 25 February to 4 April: Paul Bartlett, 7 April to 30 May
Optics Demo Day: Sunday 13 May 2012, 10 am—4 pm Viking Optical Ltd.
Branch Updates Clyde Chairman: Darren O'Brien (e-mail: darrenian obrien@gmail.com, telephone 07540 379516)
Kids’ Corner at Waterston House
Our ‘Kids’ Corner’ in the library is proving very popular so far with visiting little people to HQ! We've been thinking of having such an area of the library for younger visitors for a while and
Plate 278. Jo-Jo and Freddie. © Marta Franco
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thanks to Karen Bidgood's initiative, it's finally up and running — Karen purchased a beanbag and a special colourful box with junior books and quizzes (a work in progress that we shall continue to add to) from 200 Club funds. One of our new volunteers, Marta Franco, took this photo of a couple of young lads from Aberlady enjoying the new facilities.
SBRC - seeking a new member for the committee
SBRC is seeking a new member for the committee to replace Alan Brown, the current Chairman, who retires later this year. To maintain geographical representation across Scotland SBRC would prefer a candidate from the south-east of the country. Any potential candidates should send their name to the Secretary (Chris.McInerny@glasgow.ac.uk). If more than one name is put forward, a ballot will be instigated with Local Recorders having one vote each.
Chris McInerny, on behalf of SBRC
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ees d Plate 279. Dave Allan and Chris Packham, Waterston House, 24 September 2011. © Dave Allan
75th Anniversary Lecture — ‘A Wild Life Exposed’ with Chris Packham
On 24 September 2011, an audience of over 500 gathered in the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh to hear Chris Packham, the BBC TV Spring- and Autumnwatch presenter, give his lecture ‘A Wild Life Exposed’ to celebrate the Club's 75th Anniversary. Following a short introduction by Club President David Jardine, lan Darling, a former President of the SOC and now the Chairman of RSPB Council, gave a short history of the development of the SOC before introducing Chris.
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a e/t Plate 280. Chris Packham in “full flow during the 75th Anniversary lecture. €
Chris’ two-part lecture lasted over two hours and the audience of members, friends and members of the public were entertained by a series of his stunning images which took them all over the world. From winter shots of tigers and foxes, where he discussed the importance of conserving large scale habitats and working with man, rather than just trying to conserve species, to beautiful slow-shutter artistic shots of dragonflies and damselflies, the evening was spent in the company of a real professional.
He took us behind the scenes of his attempts to create his perfect image of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in a stand of white Silver Birches against a red background. It was the near-perfect image; for perfection he just needed to counter- weight the cut logs, which he had baited with peanuts and fat to attract the bird, to prevent them moving from the vertical when the bird landed in his photographer's ‘rig’.
Chris’ photography covered a wide range of natural history, including some wonderful shots of plants and elephants at a waterhole, but the best bird shots were from Gambia where he delighted the audience with some beautiful images of Black-winged Stilts against an orange background (the reflection of a truck coming to the sewage works!) and some exquisite shots of Egyptian Plovers.
© The Queen’s Hall
Earlier, Chris Packham had visited Waterston House, where he was presented with one of the few remaining copies of The Birds of Scotland and enjoyed viewing Keith Brockie’s exhibition. While there he met with SOC staff and the public.
The prize winners of the free draw held on the evening were: Leo du Feu, SOC Lothian (signed Chris Packham book Back Garden Nature Reserve); Andrew Sandeman, SOC Lothian (signed Chris Packham Elephant photograph); Sue Goode, SOC Lothian (Scottish Birds field guide) and Andy Stewart, Cumbernauld (one- year SOC membership).
| ChrisGPackham Chris == Leamed a lot about the regions bird life and hope talk was okay - thanks to all those who came to the Queens Theatre .
Mee ChrisGPackham Chis Pac : But not as tempting as the pap new Birds of Scotland which they have produced - top class and testament to years of superb field work
me = ChrisGPackham Chris Packham Complete with amazing Tae gallery and views . Secondhand books very tempting too
mg ChrisGPackham chris Pac On Sat went to Edinburgh and a q@eaiy enjoyed the hospitality of the Scottish Omithologists Club _ Fab new centre at Aberlady Bay -
Figure 1. Download of Chris Packham’s tweet about the lecture. The SOC bursts into the social media!
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The lecture allowed the SOC to make a big splash as it broke into the social media field when Chris Packham ‘ tweeted’ about his lecture to all his followers ... there’s over 20,000 of them, effecting a super endorsement of the Club. Watch out all you tweeters for more developments on this front shortly!
Thanks for a wonderful celebration Chris! David Jardine
Raptor Reports Update
In the next few months, production of the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Reports will be brought up to date. At present, the 2008 report can be viewed and downloaded as a pdf on the Scottish Raptor Study Group's website www.scottishraptorgroups.org. It is hoped that the 2009 report will be available on the website from the end of November 2011 and the 2010 report is due to be completed by spring 2012.
New Membership Development Officer for the SOC
Jane Cleaver has been appointed as the SOC's new Membership Development Officer (MDO). Despite not starting work officially until 10 October, she rolled up her sleeves and helped at the 75th Anniversary lecture in the Queens Hall in late September, where she successfully recruited three new members.
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Jane is originally from Lenzie, near Glasgow and following a BSc (Hons) in Zoology at Glasgow University, she worked as the RSPB Black Grouse Information Officer at Crieff, before becoming the Visitor & Publicity Officer at Vane Farm. She has also volunteered for SWT, the Nature Conservancy Council New South Wales, SOS Tobago and with the RSPB at Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow. She brings a lot of useful experience, enthusiasm and contacts to this new post in the SOC. Her contract is for 18 months, with an option to extend.
Council recognised the need for an MDO who would work to increase membership (including younger members) and to raise the profile of the SOC. This would be done through direct membership recruitment by the MDO, strengthening the branch network and developing new models which will support the membership of the Club (e.g. developing the website). A key purpose will be to generate a culture of membership recruitment within the SOC.
Jane will be involved in: M developing and running a series of recruitment events HM training of SOC branches/members/staff in recruitment and membership retention M preparing and issuing press releases which help to raise the profile of the SOC assisting in the review and updating of the SOC website to improve the Club's digital profile (e.g. on social networking sites) establishing a ‘teaching about birds’ programme (in conjunction with partner organisations) through SOC branches ensuring that materials for the ‘teaching about birds’ programme are available for use by branches
The SOC is dependent on developing more members who can continue to record, monitor and enjoy Scotland's birds in the medium- to long-term. Please help Jane as she works to help the Club achieve this.
Jane’s email address is jane.cleaver@the- SOc.org.Uuk David Jardine
Plate 281. Jane Cleaver. © Ruth Carruthers
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Ken Shaw /@
Plate 282. Ken Shaw. © Kathy Shaw
Following the October AGM, our new President is Ken Shaw, who Is well known to many in Scotland and further afield. Here we welcome Ken, and ask him to tell us a little about himself and his vision of the future for the SOC.
How did you get into birdwatching?
| was born in 1952 in Glasgow, and like many of my generation, my interest in birds began through egg collecting. | studied at Paisley, starting in the late 1960s, and here my interest grew and | took part in several projects on waders on the Clyde. Through the 1970s, as a hobby | spent much of my time in the Scottish uplands, and this is still where my heart really lies!
You've worked in several ornithological jobs through your career. Tell us about those.
My first contract was with the RSPB in 1979, working on Golden Eagles in the Lake District. After a brief spell in Edinburgh as Development Officer, | returned to the north of England as RSPB Assistant Regional Officer and became involved in many species protection schemes there. Later, | came back to Scotland as Area Officer for Grampian and Tayside and this gave me the chance to work with many of my favourite species. | then became Regional Manager for East Scotland. The last 11 years of my time with RSPB was as Site Manager at Vane Farm, doing important work increasing numbers of lowland breeding waders. I've been a freelance ecologist since 2006, and involved with several EU projects particularly in central Europe, together with
guiding in Europe and the Indian subcontinent. I'm also a professional bird surveyor and trainer.
What are your main bird interests?
| think of myself as an all-round birdwatcher who has worked on many species. For example, my recent publications have been on species as varied as White-billed Diver Whinchat and Madeiran Petrel! Fieldwork for the BIO/SOC Atlas has been a big part of my last five years and | really enjoy local atlas work. But, | also really enjoy pioneering rarity finding work on islands, especially Foula. | am a great supporter of the bird observa- tories and have spent much time on the Isle of May, North Ronaldsay and on Fair Isle, where | have been a director of the bird observatory Trust. | have been a county recorder and also served on the British Birds Rarities Committee, Scottish Birds Records Committee and the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee.
And the SOC? What do you think are the issues you have to get to grips with?
I've been a member of SOC most of my adult life - | first went to a meeting in Glasgow in the early 1970s, and I've been a member of both the Edinburgh and Grampian branches over the years. This is my second time on Council, and it's great to be back on Council now we are in a better financial position! | would like to say a huge thank you to the last five or six presidents who have seen us through many storms to calmer waters. But, we must build on this, and there are lots of challenges. The main priority is to increase membership and perhaps most pressing of all, continue David Jardine’s important work of encouraging young members. To this end, we have recently employed Jane Cleaver as a membership development officer.
As | get older the tradition of Scottish ornithology has become very important to me. As Scotland's bird club, the SOC must be a serious player but it must also be enjoyable to be a member! There is much to be proud of over last few years — for example, The Birds of Scotland and Scottish Birds, but we do have to keep looking forward. There is a real opportunity for the SOC to be a little higher profile and confident enough to be an equal partner in some interesting up and coming projects. | intend to play my part in making that happen.
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SOC Annual Conference - the 75th anniversary
Plate 283. The hotel © The owners
The special location for our 75th Anniversary conference in October 2011 was Carnoustie Golf Hotel & Spa, Angus. The sea breezes over the famous links and some lovely sunshine ushered the 180+ delegates into this grand hotel's spacious accommodation and very well- appointed conference room on the Friday evening. After aq warm welcome from President David Jardine, the first lecture commenced.
Bird Migration - lan Newton
lan Newton opened the conference with the keynote lecture on bird migration, 40 years almost to the day since he gave his first presen- tation to the SOC. He approached this huge subject by posing, then answering the question as to why birds migrate south for the winter and, less obviously, why they come back in spring. The basics and mechanics of bird migration were explained in lan’s usual clear and concise way. He expanded on the theme that birds exploit the benefit of moving to improve both winter survival and then returning to gain a breeding advantage. Food supply was central to everything.
The story line was illustrated throughout with some fascinating insights into the research work carried out as our knowledge of the subject improved. Peter Berthold’s ground-breaking work with caged Blackcaps showing migratory restlessness was a good example as he shed light on the variation in migratory directions taken by these birds. The physical aspect of migration was graphically shown by examples of
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Articles, News & Views
rapid build-up of fat before migration, with different strategies adopted by species such as Sedge Warbler and Brent Geese.
We were introduced to the world of obligate and facultative migration, namely compulsory or optional movements and irruptive behaviour. Work on the latter has revealed some astonishing journeys - a Redpoll moving between Belgium and China, a distance of more than 8,000 km.
lan also traced the improvements in study methods from the early ringing programmes. He highlighted the work of pioneers like David Lack and his interpretation of birds on radar schemes, his angels on radar screens, and his ‘sacrifice’ in volunteering for work on Orkney. Enormous advances in technology in recent times have revolutionised the study of migration, and Roy Dennis's work tracking Ospreys, Honey-buzzards and Golden Eagles with online viewing of birds’ progress Is now part of our ornithological culture. Amazing journeys are being revealed such as the female Bar-tailed Godwit which made the longest recorded non-stop flight, from Alaska to New Zealand, an incredible 224 hours of direct flying.
Geolocaters and satellite tags are now able to dramatically extend our knowledge and can throw up surprises like a tagged Gyr Falcon spending a winter at sea between Greenland and Iceland, hunting seabirds and auks from drifting icebergs.
Plate 284. Jan Newton signing copies of his books. © Jimmy Maxwell
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Anyone not initially switched on to the sheer complexity and mysteries of migration, certainly was by the end of the lecture. lan gave us a wonderful start to the weekend with his usual very high standard of presentation and as a follow up, his Collins New Naturalist book Bird Migration is a must.
Gordon Riddle
There now followed a special drinks reception (kindly sponsored by Swarovski), where David toasted the SOC in its 75th year and the audience sipped their champagne and _ soft drinks as Keith Macgregor cut the magnificent SOC birthday cake. A very fitting and enjoyable start to the weekend.
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Plate 287. Talk at the mill © Jimmy Maxwell
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oe —<S Se — a hes Soe 3 Plate 288. Bruce Lynch and friends ringing. © Jimmy Maxwell
Saturday saw a choice of activities for delegates. Firstly a bird ringing demonstration at the NTS's Barry Mill, where Bruce Lynch and friends caught and ringed a large variety of the local birds and explained all the subtle feather signs of moult, ageing etc and demonstrated many technical details in the ringing process. Another choice was to be shown round the actual Water Mill, hearing the fascinating story of milling through the ages and see the mill in action. This was a beautiful woodland location with Dippers constantly calling as they flew past down the stream. A third choice was to drive down to Arbroath to view the two Dusky Warblers there - rare little gems that teased the visitors with tantalising views along a gully of dense willows and scrub.
After a buffet lunch, the main lectures of the day
on the theme “Celebrating the Achievements of the SOC” got underway.
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A Changing Scene - Local Recorders’ Network and the SBRC - Chris Mcinerny Chris took us through past and present Scottish recording schemes, emphasising that bird recording is a core activity of the SOC that allows birders to contribute towards conservation. Local recording within the regions complements that from surveys, and the recent great strides in online recording, through a partnership with the BTO and others in BirdTrack, allow searches and analyses that potentially greatly ease the load of Local Recorders in producing bird reports. These are now annual in most SOC areas, which follow on from the original faunal areas that preceded the formation of the Local Recording network since the 1950s. Until 2001, records were initially drawn together to produce Scottish Bird Reports, since when progress in digitising has allowed the SOC to begin the development of a searchable online database. A built-in delay will prevent these data from overtaking the publication of local bird reports.
Plate 289. Chris Waltho chats to Chris Mclnerny. © Jimmy Maxwell
Chris also described how records of scarce and rare species are validated. The rarest species in Scotland are validated by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC), while lesser rarities are delegated to the Scottish Birds Rarities Committee (SBRC) comprising seven experts drawn from different Scottish regions. Below this comes a third level, at which local committees validate species that are unusual in their areas. Using Scottish Birds as a medium, the SBRC publishes an annual report dealing with records post-dating the publication of The Birds of Scotland. \t also produces articles on important identification problems and reviews past records where necessary. The future of recording in Scotland will increasingly use online systems in which Local Recorders will be crucial.
Norman Elkins
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Scottish Local Bird Atlases - a NE success story - lan Francis and Martin Cook This atlas is superbly designed, printed, illustrated and written and Is a fine addition to the suite of Scottish (and British) local atlases produced over the last 20 years. Those of us engaged in local atlases concurrent with the UK and _ Ireland national bird atlas wuill find so much in this atlas to inspire US as we move towards completion. The survey for the ‘new NE Atlas’ covered five breeding seasons 2002-06 and this period was chosen because It would be 20 years after the previous survey (of Aberdeenshire) for The Birds of North-East Scotland Atlas (1990). The new atlas covers Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray, an area of close on 9,000 km2 with 2,340 tetrads and may be the largest tetrad atlas ever undertaken. Breeding species number 153, with 16 gains and 6 losses from the previous atlas. Gains include Gannet, Kingfisher and Red Kite; losses include Greenshank and Wryneck. Increasing species include Buzzard and Tree Sparrow; decreasing species include Lapwing and Capercaillie. Introductory chapters cover methodology and a detailed description of bird habitats, fully illustrated. Following the species accounts, analytical chapters cover distribution patterns, species richness, changes in_ bird populations and current problems of conser- vation. The atlas is a fine tribute to the 348 people who participated in the work. With copies of this latest tetrad atlas available at the conference, lan (joint editor with Martin Cook) had no difficulty giving us an effective sales pitch! Graham Pyatt
Plate 290. /an Francis with Martin Cook. © Jimmy Maxwell
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The way we were - a blether with Frank Hamilton and Keith Macgregor
Computer and projector switched off, two armchairs lifted onto the stage - enter two gentlemen, discreetly wired for sound, each with a glass well-charged to refresh. Keith Macgregor and Frank Hamilton, elder statesmen of our club, had been invited to reminisce together about times past.
Within moments, we were transported back to when they first met in 1943! Travelling with them by bicycle and bus to the birdwatching sites of their wartime boyhood, most notably Aberlady Bay, and the sight of terns, waders, Shelduck and geese. Undaunted by the shooters and nudists, they counted and recorded the avifauna. What began then was a lifelong passion. Keith took Frank to the SOC in Edinburgh. Crucially, although the club was less than ten years old, it functioned on many levels - scientific, artistic and adventurous. Older members willingly mentored the boy apprentices to be ready for the return of George Waterston and the post-war expansion of avian research. By 1949, the pair were on the Isle of May, trapping, nesting, ringing and recording.
Our animated raconteurs moved us on to a 1950s trip to South Uist, by now in a Morris 8 motor car, being craned onto the boat!
Frese,
Plate 291. Keith Macgregor with Frank Hamilton. © Jimmy Maxwell
Chance meetings with James Fisher, Roger Tory Peterson and Jack Longlands; finding a Wilson's Phalarope at Rosyth in 1954: tales of SOC Conferences and dead or alive Yellow- billed Cuckoo...
All too soon, the 30 minutes had run its course, with one glass empty, the other half-full and an audience wanting more!
The Way We Were? At 75 years old, we should look back, SOC, and learn. Duncan Watt
Tea and coffee now and a chance to look round the various stalls. SOC Bookstall & Shop, Subbuteo Books, Second Nature, Viking Optical Ltd., along with displays by Angus & Dundee Bird Club, BTO, RSPB, SWT and the photographer Eric McCabe. The afternoon's lectures continued.
Seeing ourselves as others see us
- Andy Douse
As the Ornithological Policy and Advice Manager for SNH, Andy Douse was in an ideal position to give us an outsiders view of the SOC and point out some of our strengths and weaknesses, guided by the opinions (sometimes colourful) of some of his colleagues. A general view that emerged was of the need for the SOC to maintain its identity, distinct from the RSPB and BIO, despite a recent tendency for the distinction from the latter to become somewhat blurred. The SOC’s network of local recorders and annual bird reports, collecting data from so many amateur birders, means that we hold a very valuable source of information on Scotland's birds, but one that in the past has not been used as much as it should have been because it was not accessible through the National Biodiversity Network. With cuts in funding for SNH and other government-sponsored bodies coming, the role of the SOC in providing data from amateur birders could and should be developed. There is a potential to deliver a huge amount of information, perhaps as a web-based “one stop shop” for local ornithological data.
The role of the Club in the Building Bird Monitoring in Scotland and Integrating Bird Recording in Scotland projects are good examples of the new role we should pursue.
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Plate 292. Andy Douse. © Jimmy Maxwell
However, when questioned about the SOC, none of Andy’s colleagues mentioned Scottish Birds or BS3, despite the fact that they regularly use these publications. The public profile of the SOC could be raised.
Finally, Andy suggested that in future the SOC should get more involved in public debate on environmental and conservation issues. In light of this, it was gratifying that after the talk, David Jardine was able to announce that, after an absence of many years, the SOC has now re- joined Scottish Environment LINK. Andy Douse’s talk provided much food for thought for members, and particularly Council, in plotting our course for the next few years.
Roger Hissett
Plate 293. Stuart Rivers. © Jimmy Maxwell
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The Adventures of the Barra Boys - Stuart Rivers In a talk appropriately entitled “Adventures” of the Barra Boys, Stuart Rivers delivered an entertaining and lengthy account of recording vagrants on the island. Although this could not be considered a piece of heavy scientific research, it did without doubt demonstrate that there is a considerable passage southwards over our western seaboard as well as the east coast and over mainland Britain. The bird-finding forays of this dedicated band of enthusiasts were limited often by long periods of rainy weather, but the strategy of routinely checking all the areas of cover on the island, mainly in gardens, seemed to be paying off. They found the Barra residents very friendly and welcoming and not at all annoyed at the garden searches. Sea and shore watching too were fitted in to the daily schedule. The list of species recorded was lengthy and unexpectedly included many transatlantic storm-blown vagrants which do not have much significance in relation to the west coast migration route. However, | leave the reader to ponder if a Red- eyed Vireo on Barra would exhibit the same enthusiasm as our speaker.
Campbell McLellan
There now followed the SOC 75th AGM
David Jardine began by sharing with the audience the very sad news that well-known SOC member Ken Halliday had passed away just two days before the conference.
After last year's Minutes were adopted, he moved on to significant changes at SOC - details covered the digitisation of Scottish Birds, grateful acknowledgement of legacies, the success of the Chris Packham lecture, the Club’s role at next year’s Scottish Birdfair and the welcome increased involvement of students with SOC.
His President's Annual Report emphasised the current strength of our financial position and welcomed all the new additions to the SOC website with the database etc. The appointment of Jane Cleaver as our Membership Development Officer was a sure sign of rejuvenation within the Club. David thanked all the committees for their work, Council and all the hard-working staff at Waterston House.
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Plate 294. 75th Anniversary conference group photo, Carnoustie, 29 October 2011 © Angus Boyd (www.anguspho
tography.com). To purchase a copy of this photograph (or a choice of 18 others) just go to www.angusphotography.com _ and select Online Albums, then Events and look for SOC; pictures can be purchased online or alternatively contact Angus
vA Photography, 1A High Street, Carnoustie DD7 6AN Tel: 01241 859255. At short notice, the following delegates have
been identified. We apologise if some names are missing or are incorrect; we will publish an update in the next issue.
OANDARKNN =
Keith Brockie Mike Martin Eleanor Martin lan Darling David Clugston Frank Hamilton Des Thompson Brian Etheridge Stuart Benn Chris Rollie Wendy Mattingley Anne Cotton Paul Speak Neville Crowther Ray Murray Malcolm Porteous Eric McCabe Eilidh McNab Duncan Watt Danny Oliver Janet Jardine Angus Hogg Jimmy Maxwell Paddy Grant
Heather Woodbridge
Ap 28 29 30 SS]
lvan Draper George Thomas Barbara Helm Malcolm Ogilvie Dawn Thompson Brian Boag Arthur Bastable lan Thomson Gordon Riddle Graham Cooper Joan Wilcox Sue Crowther Graham Pyatt Lesley McCabe Sarah McBride Bob McGowan Mike Beard Chris Mcinerny Anne Reid
Dick Vernon Martin Cook Morag Maxwell Susan Sidaway Jenny Cook Ron Forrester
Ken Shaw
Roger Hissett
Kathy Shaw
Lyn Duncan
Alan Fox
Alan Drever
Roger Gooch
David Palmar
Anne Davidson Alan Sidaway
Carol Ogilvie Rosemary Boag Torquil Johnson-Ferguson Ron Downing Margaret Johnson-Ferguson Keith Macgregor Bobby Smith
Karen Miller
Peter Rathbone Wendy Hicks Norman Elkins Gillian Herbert Rosemary Davidson Alison Creamer Chris Wernham
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79 Paul Taylor
80 Jean Kinnear
81 Ros Pyatt
82 Arthur Kinnear
83 Haling Newton
84 lan Newton
85 Jeremy Greenwood 86 Alan Duff
87 Bill Torrance
88 Stephen Hunter 89 Mark Holling
90 Andy Douse
91 Duncan Davidson 92 Liz Barclay
93 Dorothy Macgregor 94 David Jenkins
95 Kevin Woodbridge 96 Chris Waltho
97 Derek McGinn
98 Campbell McLellan 99 Janet Palmer
100 Robert Greenwood 101 Alan Knox
102 Rosie Riddle
103 Jane Cleaver
104 Kathryn Cox
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105 Ina Clark
106 John Clark
107 Jean Stewart 108 Lesley Creamer 109 Frances Elliot 110 Gordon Elliot 111 Peter Holt
112. Carol James 113, Tom Lawson 114 Eleanora Forrester 115 Tom Gray
116 Noreen Stabler 117 Biddy Gray
118 Margaret Jenkins 120 Edna Haydock 121 Margaret Mylne 122 Jean Burton 123 David Jardine 124 lan Hopkins 125 Cherle Smith 126 Anna White 127 Joan Howie 128 Sue Goode
129 lan Francis
130. Mike Thornton 131 Bob McCurley
132 135 134 [B5) 136 IY, 138 139 140 14]
142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 15]
[535 154 155 156
Jean Torrance Phil Dean
Janet Crummy Jon Cook Barbara Cartwright Muriel Draper Rosalind Garton Brian Pirie Alistair Duncan Gavin Woodbridge Alison Duncan Harriet Trevelyan Angela Hissett Heddy Merrie David Merrie Robert Mitchell Ruth Mitchell Doreen Main Joan Cooper Prerrette Young Jean Southall Geoff Sheppard Stuart Craig Gavin Boyle
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Plate 294. 75th Anniversary conference group photo, Carnoustie, 29 October 2011 © Angus Boyd (www.anguspho tography.com). To purchase a copy of this photograph (or a choice of 18 others) just go to www.angusphotography.com and select Online Albums, then Events and look for SOC; pictures can be purchased online or alternatively contact Angus
336
Keith Brockie
Mike Martin Eleanor Martin lan Darling David Clugston Frank Hamilton Des Thompson Brian Etheridge Stuart Benn
Chris Rollie Wendy Mattingley Anne Cotton
Paul Speak Neville Crowther Ray Murray Malcolm Porteous Eric McCabe Eilidh MeNab Duncan Watt Danny Oliver Janet Jardine Anqus Hogq Jimmy Maxwell Paddy Grant Heather Woodbridge
Scottish Birds
27 28 29 30 3] 32 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 4l 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 5]
53
Ivan Draper George Thomas Barbara Helm Malcolm Ogilvie Dawn Thompson Brian Boag Arthur Bastable lan Thomson Gordon Riddle Graham Cooper Joan Wilcox Sue Crowther Graham Pyatt Lesley McCabe Sarah McBride Bob McGowan Mike Beard Chris Mcinerny Anne Reid
Dick Vernon Martin Cook Morag Maxwell Susan Sidaway Jenny Cook
Ron Forrester
y Photography, 1A High Street, Carnoustie DD7 GAN Tel: 01241 859255. At short notice, the following delegates have been identified. We apologise if some names are missing or are incorrect; we will publish an update in the next issue.
54 55 56 57 58
Ken Shaw
Roger Hissett
Kathy Shaw
Lyn Duncan
Alan Fox
Alan Drever
Roger Gooch
David Palmar
Anne Davidson Alan Sidaway
Carol Ogilvie Rosemary Boag Torquil Johnson-Ferguson Ron Downing Margaret Johnson-Ferguson Keith Macgregor Bobby Smith
Karen Miller
Peter Rathbone Wendy Hicks Norman Elkins Gillian Herbert Rosemary Davidson Alison Creamer Chris Wernham
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99
Paul Taylor
Jean Kinnear
Ros Pyatt
Arthur Kinnear Halina Newton lan Newton Jeremy Greenwood Alan Duff
Bill Torrance Stephen Hunter Mark Holling
Andy Douse Duncan Davidson Liz Barclay Dorothy Macgregor David Jenkins Kevin Woodbridge Chris Waltho Derek McGinn Campbell McLellan Janet Palmer
100 Robert Greenwood
101 102 103 104
Alan Knox Rosie Riddle Jane Cleaver Kathryn Cox
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105 Ina Clark
106 John Clark
107 Jean Stewart 108 Lesley Creamer 109 Frances Elliot 110 Gordon Elliot 111 Peter Holt
112 Carol James 113, Tom Lawson 114. Eleanora Forrester 115 Tom Gray
116 Noreen Stabler 117 Biddy Gray
118 Margaret Jenkins 120. Edna Haydock 12] Margaret Mylne 122 Jean Burton 123 David Jardine 124 lan Hopkins 125 Cherle Smith 126 Anna White 127 Joan Howie 128 Sue Goode
129 lan Francis
130 Mike Thornton 131 Bob McCurley
132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141
142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 15]
153
154
155
156
Jean Torrance Phil Dean
Janet Crummy Jon Cook Barbara Cartwright Muriel Draper Rosalind Garton Brian Pirie Alistair Duncan Gavin Woodbridge Alison Duncan Harriet Trevelyan Angela Hissett Heddy Merrie David Merrie Robert Mitchell Ruth Mitchell Doreen Main Joan Cooper Pierrette Young Jean Southall Geoff Sheppard Stuart Craig Gavin Boyle
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Alan Fox then talked the audience briefly through the Accounts, thanking Jean Torrance for her help and the auditor for his advice. The last financial year was the best for a long time, mainly due to large legacies, sales at Waterston House involving Dave Allan's art initiatives and the fact that Birds of Scotland is now sold out. SOC has given grants to The Breeding Birds of North-East Scotland atlas production and also towards the Isle of May work at the Lower Light. (For this lan Darling later thanked SOC and all the individual contributors). Solar panels had been installed at Waterston House showing an annual income of £2,500. Alan also mentioned another very recent legacy of around £100,000 from Jan Donnan from Dumfries & Galloway.
There now followed the first election of Honorary Presidents of SOC for many years. Those proposed were Roy Dennis, Frank Hamilton and Keith Macgregor and these were duly accepted amidst hearty endorsement from all those present. David Jardine now retires as President and he warmly wished Ken Shaw every success for his period in office when he was elected by the members present. Ken then formally proposed Chris Mclnerny as Vice President and this was unanimously seconded. Mike Martin (Honorary Secretary) and Alan Fox (Honorary Treasurer) agreed to continue in post. There are normally 12 Honorary Members chosen for their outstanding contribution to ornithology in Scotland. At the moment there are four vacancies and Council had decided that Honorary Memberships should be bestowed on lan Andrews, lain Gibson, Ron Summers and Mike Harris. On Council, retiring member Jerry Wilson is now replaced by lan Thomson.
Finally, the inspection of the accounts will remain in the hands of Sandy Scotland.
Ken Shaw announced the date of the next SOC AGM as 27 October 2012 and finished by paying a very warm tribute to David Jardine as retiring President.
Conference Dinner and Ceilidh
The spacious, comfortable dining room easily housed all the guests. Service was extremely fast and efficient and the meal itself of high quality. The after-dinner speaker this year was
g% 2 olf Leo a4 Bias
Malcolm Ogilvie, who recounted for us all the previous times he had been persuaded to perform this task even having been originally excused by Irene Waterston from ever having to do it again in the future! This all led humorously to the traditional toast to the guests.
The Ceilidh part was conducted by the Orwell Ceilidh Band and featured the usual variety of Scottish dances, all beautifully performed by this splendid group, as usual assisted by Heather Woodbridge from North Ronaldsay. Wendy Hicks did her now traditional Salsa spot where members were initiated into the seemingly simple basic steps and thereafter succeeded variously to advance in the style. Great fun!
Sunday's lectures were titled “A Broad Kirk - Celebrating Scotland's Birds”
4 iS Zia
Plate 295. Brian Etheridge and Des Thompson. © Jimmy Maxwell
Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme
- Des Thompson and Brian Etheridge
Des Thomson gave a well-structured account of the 19 species of raptors breeding in Scotland, making quite stark comparisons between their relative success or failure. Detailed explanations of the factors involved followed, be they direct human persecution, loss of habitat, climate change or some subtle interplay of these components. The study of Golden Eagles was cited as the first comprehensive study and protection of a species and should be considered for tackling the severe Hen Harrier problem. No punches were pulled and in the second part of the talk Brian Etheridge described the harrier situation as a disgrace - the direct use of language being one of the refreshing aspects of this paper. Much time was spent explaining
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the teamwork needed for success in this field, and praise was duly awarded to the many stalwarts of the monitoring group. In fact, a feeling of confidence and competence was generated - the right people are in place for this complicated, but very necessary job!
Campbell McLellan
Progress in our understanding of Scotland's seabirds - the FAME project - Ellie Owen The Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment (FAME) project is a joint venture by the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal. Its aims are not only to do research on seabirds, the effect of fisheries etc., but to recommend sites for designation as Marine Protected Areas and advise on their subsequent management, communicate scientific findings to decision makers, NGOs and the general public, and to advocate better management of human impacts on the marine environment.
At a time when Scotland's internationally important breeding seabirds are in trouble, Ellie reported on her studies on the foraging movements of some of these. As well as traditional methods such as surveys from boats and planes, detailed information is now coming from the use of GPS, time depth recorders (TDRs) and geolocation devices. By combining GPS and TDR, a very detailed picture of feeding trips can be obtained, showing not just the distance and route travelled but the effort put into hunting in the chosen area. Geolocation devices require less battery power so can operate for longer periods but are less precise.
A total of 750 foraging tracks have shown that many birds are travelling great distances from their nests to find food. While Kittiwakes from Copinsay were recorded making six-hour feeding trips (including a freshwater bath) to sites 85 km away, Guillemots and Razorbills from Fair Isle sometimes had to travel more than 300 km to fish, and a Fulmar from Orkney made a two-day trip to the Norwegian coast. Tracking has shown that Razorbills from Colonsay exploit the eddy currents caused by the strong tidal movements north of Jura. Dr Owen cautioned that several of the favoured foraging areas coincide with those designated for future offshore windfarms.
Roger Hissett
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Plate 296. Ellie Owen. © Jimmy Maxwell
From Starlings to Cuckoos to seabirds
- research highlights from the University of Aberdeen
Within the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences of Aberdeen University a number of postgraduate students, co- ordinated by Jane Reid, are working on the population ecology of birds and we had short presentations from five of them.
Daisy Brickhill is extending an existing long- term study of Starlings on Fair Isle, looking at brood sizes and survival in relation to habitat quality for the species. On this treeless island, Starlings nest in drystane dykes and it Is fairly easy to get access to their nests. The population peaked at 160 pairs in 2008, but has fallen recently. Parts of the island seem to support more-or-less successful groups and Daisy is using colour-ringing of chicks to find out what happens to birds born in the different groups.
Chloe Denerley is involved in a new project on Cuckoos, which have declined by 65% in north- east Scotland over the last 30 years. She Is trying to establish whether the numbers of the host species (e.g. Meadow Pipit) or of the hairy caterpillar, main food of Cuckoos, is mainly responsible for the decline. Caterpillars are more
Plate 297. Daisy Brickhill, Evelyn Philpott, Lucy Quin Jane Reid and Chloe Denerley. © Jimmy Maxwell
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frequent in heath than rough grass or pasture habitats but overall may be themselves declining.
Lucy Quinn is involved in a long-term project on tracking the movements of Fulmars in winter. Fulmars from Eynhallow (Orkney) and trom Little Saltee island off south-east Ireland are being compared. Females travel further in winter than males and even reach the Russian islands in the east and Greenland in the west of their range. Females who travelled further in winter tend to be more successful breeders, a finding that could have several explanations!
Evelyn Philpott is concerned with the possible effects of exploiting tidal energy on seabirds in the locality of installations. Tidal energy varies greatly around Scotland and it does seem that seabirds find food where there are faster flows. She has been studying bird behaviour off the south end of the Isle of May and relating it to various measurements of water chemistry, biology and flow rate. Future plans include installing a small turbine.
Hannah Grist is participating in a Centre for Ecology & Hydrology study of the wintering behaviour of Shags on the east coast from Caithness to the Farne Islands. Chicks born on the Isle of May have been colourringed. The birds winter throughout the east coast. A line of equally- spaced birds on the concrete of Fraserburgh pier behave territorially, defending their metre of concrete from all-comers! Many of them may have come from Isle of May. Aberdeen Harbour has had 64 colourringed Shags behaving similarly. Hannah would like to hear from anyone who sights colourringed Shags (shags@ceh.ac.uk). (In Hannah's absence Jane made the presentation).
Graham Pyatt
75 years of bird conservation in Scotland - Paul Walton
A typical Paul Walton performance, live, of themes and variations.
The title was the core, but from the beginning, Paul encompassed the world of ages past, emphasising the cultural relevance of human symbiosis with wildlife illustrated by the Pictish ‘Eagle Stone’ found hear Huntly, then suddenly showing a world graph from ‘Nature’ 461 2009 article.
Plate 298. Paul Walton. © Jimmy Maxwell
Paul Walton is a hugely enthusiastic and most authoritative scientist who, with the heart and art of a poet, communicates matters of concern and pride for what has been achieved and what could be achieved in years to come. “Had they known then what we know now, the Great Auk could have been saved from extinction.”
His tracing of the Scottish history of bird conser- vation was meticulous. Taking from George Waterston in 1936 the key theme of ‘nurturing’, Paul showed how, during the War, subtle changes in attitude to our national heritage by the civil service led to nature conservancy getting serious, presaging the advances in the 1950s and the forestry disasters of the 1980s - but the partnership of RSPB, SOC ef al. managed to reverse Government incentives to attempt the regeneration of Caledonian forest.
Now what? 75 years on, we still have to nurture the planet that humanity has colonised. Can the SOC step up to operate our space more safely?
Duncan Watt
The raffle was then drawn by Frank and Keith, realising the sum of £526 and thanks were expressed to all the donors. The 200 Club, still generating funds regularly for the SOC and organised by Daphne Peirse-Duncombe, was as usual handled by Vicky McLellan.
Ken Shaw then thanked all concerned and committed himself to a term of hard work as new President on their behalf, thanked everyone for coming in such encouraging numbers and wished members a very pleasant journey home.
Jimmy Maxwell
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£
Tig G a Ai
Plate 299. Stac an Armin and Boreray,
re
with Stac Li behind. © John flere
Articles, News & Views
aa %
The last Great Auk?
J.A. LOVE
And | am the last of my family ... Once we were a great nation, and spread over all the Northern Isles. But men shot us so, and knocked us on the head, and took our eggs... And soon | shall be gone, my little dear, and nobody will miss me...’
The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley (1863)
Martin Martin's A Late Voyage to St Kilda published just after his visit in 1697 was the first detailed account of the St Kildans and their way of life. A Gaelic speaker, Martin learnt much from the St Kildans about the Great Auk, details that exist nowhere else. Martin described the birds that were so important to the islanders:
‘The Seafowl are first, Gairfowl being the
stateliest, as well as the largest ... it lays its egg upon the bare rock, which if taken away, she
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lays no more that year... its egg is twice as big as that of a Solan Goose, and Is variously spotted, black, green and dark; it comes without regard to any wind, appears the first of May, and goes away about the middle of June.’
When Martin wrote, the old Julian calendar was still in use and it is necessary to add 13 days to his dates, which brings the breeding cycle more in line with what we know about other auks. In his Great Auk Islands (Poyser 1993) Tim Birkhead has argued that the Great Auk’s chick may have quit its nesting rocks when only five days old, much sooner than most other auks.
A manuscript in the National Library of Scotland, probably written by the Rev. Neil Macleod, a brother of two St Kilda Factors for the owner Macleod of Dunvegan, recollects a visit made in 1746:
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Articles, News & Views
Plate 300. Great Auk. © John Love
‘The Gernhell is the most remarkable fowl about St Kildg, for his enormous size and rarity, his wings are so very small in proportion to his bulk that he does not fly; they are taken by surprising them where they sleep, or by intercepting their way to the sea ... they lay their eggs a little later above the sea mark on rocks easy of access; they carry off their young soon to feed them at sea.’
It is obvious that the Great Auk was now a rarity. Another account of St Kilda, written by the Rev. Kenneth MacAulay, appeared in 1758. He lamented:
/ have not had an opportunity of knowing a very curious fowl, sometimes seen upon this coast, and an absolute stranger... in every other part of Scotland. The men of Hirta call it the Garefowl... It makes its appearance in the month of July. The St Kildians do not receive an annual visit from this strange bird... It keeps at a distance from them, they know not where, for a couple of years. From what land or ocean it makes its uncertain voyages to their isle, is perhaps a mystery in nature.’
It is also clear from this that only 60 years after Martin's visit the Great Auk no longer bred on St Kilda. It may have been scarce in 1697 since a flightless bird would be easy prey for a community that depended upon seabirds. The St Kildans did not bother to eat Razorbills or Guillemots, but they relished the eggs. According to Martin, the islanders knew that the smaller auks would lay again, even a third time, if the first was removed early enough. Being larger, the Great Auk provided more meat, but they were aware that it did not relay. Whether they killed them for meat or took their eggs, the islanders may have hastened the Great Auk’s extinction on St Kilda. Hungry European sailors readily consumed the adults in great numbers when on the other side of the Atlantic and this was undoubtedly the main cause of decline and, by the 1840s, the ultimate extinction of the species.
By the end of the 18th century, there is hardly a mention of the Great Auk anywhere in Britain. At the beginning of the next century, one was known to have frequented the Orkney island of Papa Westray for several years. The collector William Bullock arrived in 1812 only to be told that the female had been stoned to death and ‘for many years now’ only the male was being seen.
Mr Bullock had the pleasure of chasing [the Great Auk] for several hours in a six-oared boat but without being able to kill him, for although he frequently got near hime, so expert was the bird in its natural element, that it appeared impossible to shoot him. The rapidity with which he pursued his course under water was almost incredible.’
In his General History of Birds Dr John Latham noted how, as soon as Bullock departed, the local boatmen knocked the bird down with an oar — a ‘lucky stroke’ which secured for the Natural History Museum its finest stuffed specimen, and the only one known with confidence to have a British provenance. However, according to the Orkney zoologist James Traill, Professor of Natural History at Aberdeen University, the bird was shot a fortnight after Bullock left. Traill supposed that they tried to nest on the island, but the egg was washed off the rocks when the birds laid. According to Traill’s sister, who sent the specimen on to Bullock, the bird was taken in
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the summer of 1813. Bullock's collection was sold to the museum in London in 1819. Several decades later JA. Harvie-Brown was shown the exact spot where the bird was found and includes a photograph of ‘the /ast resting place of the Great Auk in life’ in A Vertebrate Fauna of the Orkney Islands published in 1891. A monument on Papa Westray now commem- orates this as the last Great Auk in Britain. It may have made the last breeding attempts in Britain but it certainly was not the last to be seen.
In 1885 the ornithologist Symington Grieve wrote a monograph on the Great Auk, where he quotes a note by the Fife ornithologist, Rev. John Fleming, in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal of 1824 which tells of a Great Auk captured on St Kilda ‘three years ago’:
‘Two young men and two boys, who were in a boat at the east side of the island, observed it
sitting on a low ledge of the cliff.. At last becoming frightened by the approach of the men, it leaped down towards the sea, but only to fall into the arms of the youths, who held it fast. Five years ago (1880) one of the boys, Donald McQueen, was still living, aged 73. From these men the bird was obtained by Mr McLellan, the tacksman of Glass or Scalpa [Harris].’
At Scalpay, we are told, the bird was presented to Mr Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson. As engineer to the Board of Commissioners of Northern Lights, he was on the annual tour of inspection in the yacht Regent. Rev. Fleming doubtless appreciated the bird's rarity and together they intended to keep the Great Auk alive as long as possible and then present its body to the Edinburgh University Museum. In volume 10 of the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, Fleming (1824) gave this description of his Great Auk:
Plate 301. Sheep on Boreray with Stac Li. This shows the only possible ledge (lower left) that a Great Auk could have got ashore, and in fact virtually the only landing place for humans too, May 2010 © Stuart Murray
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‘It was emaciated, and had the appearance of being sickly; but, in the course of a few days, became sprightly, having been plentifully supplied with fresh fish, and permitted occasionally to sport in the water, with a cord fastened to one of its legs, to prevent escape. Even in this state of restraint, it performed the motions of diving and swimming under water, with a rapidity that set all pursuit from a boat at defiance.’
However, after Stevenson and Fleming had left the ship at the Mull of Kintyre, the Great Auk escaped. In his Birds of the West of Scotland Robert Gray gave a rather confused account of this incident in 1871, and added that a dead Great Auk was said to have been washed ashore near Gourock a short time after. Later, another dead specimen was found floating in the sea off Lundy.
By 1831, on his visit to St Kilda, the naturalist George Clayton Atkinson could discover little about the species. In the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science (1830) Professor William MacGillivray of Aberdeen included it amongst The Birds of the Outer Hebrides:
‘Alca impennis, the Great Auk — an Gearbhul —The late Mr MacNeill, who was long tacksman of St Kilda informed me that it occurred there at irregular intervals of two or three years, but | have not heard of its having been seen on the coast of the Outer Hebrides‘
MacGillivray’s 18-year-old son John visited St Kilda in July 1840. He was told:
‘..by several of the inhabitants [that the Great Auk was] of not unfrequent occurrence about St Kilda, where, however, it has not been known to breed for many years back. Three or four specimens only have been ever procured during the memory of the oldest inhabitant.’
J.A. Harvie-Brown mentioned a curious incident on St Kilda, his synthesis of various accounts being quoted in A Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides (1888). The first incident took place in 1821 and has already been referred to. Henry Evans was a keen sportsman and naturalist with estates in Jura who often
sailed to St Kilda in his private yacht and was confident in the accuracy of his source.
‘The bird, trightened by men on the cliff jumped into a boat in which was a boy of fourteen years of age, named Donald MacQueen, whose son of the same name — now a man of from fifty to fifty-five years of age — gave Mr Henry Evans these particulars, and heard his father say he caught the bird thus. It was on the main island, te St Kilda itself [Hirta].
‘But it also seems, from Mr Evans's information, that another bird was caught on Stac an Armine, in or about 1840, by some five men who were stopping there for a few days. Three of them were Lauchlan McKinnon, about thirty years of age — and now, or till recently, alive — his father-in-law, and the elder Donald MacQueen before mentioned — both now dead. McKinnon told Mr Evans that they found the bird on a ledge of rock, that they caught it asleep, tied its legs together, took it up their bothy, kept it alive for three days, and then killed it with a stick, thinking it might be a witch. They threw the body behind the bothy and left it there. McKinnon described the bird to Mr Evans, so that the latter has no doubt about its having been a Garefowl.
It was Malcolm McDonald who actually laid hold of the bird, and held it by the neck with his two hands, till others came up and tied its legs. It used to make a great noise, like that made by a gannet, but much louder, when shutting its mouth. It opened its mouth when any one
ee Bias A Pa Plate 302. The sloping south face of Stac an Armin
showing the situation of the bothy about a third of the way up. © John Love
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came near it. It nearly cut the rope with its bill. A storm arose, and that, together with the size of the bird and the noise it made, caused them to think it was a witch. /t was killed on the third day after it was caught and McKinnon declares they were beating it for an hour with two large stones before it was dead: he was the most frightened of all the men, and advised the killing of it. The capture took place in July. The bird was about halfway up the Stack. That side of the Stack slopes up, so that a man can fairly easily walk up. There is grass upon it and a little soil up to the point where they found the bird. Mr Evans says that he knows there is a good ledge of rock at the sea-level, from which a bird might start to climb to the place. Mr Evans tried in vain to fix the exact year in which this event happened, but could only get 1840 as an approximate estimate.’
By the middle of the 19th century, the St Kildans did not even know what a Great Auk was. This seems strange, for Donald MacQueen himself had been the boy who had laid hold of the auk in 1821. Thus, tragically, around 1840 they clubbed to death the last British example and one of the very last Great Auks in existence. It Is strange that none of the naturalists visiting at this time mentioned this incident. Indeed, only MacGillivray referred to the Great Auk at all. More Significantly, nor did the island minister, Rev. Neil Mackenzie, mention this last Great Auk in his bird notes. Amongst these, his son the Rev. J.B. Mackenzie could find nothing about the species.
‘.. but from conversations | had with him | know that he made all possible inquiry. None of the natives then living had ever seen it but they had heard of a bird of that kind, which they vaguely described. After consideration of all that he could ascertain about it, his conclusion was that at the time when the island was uninhabited it did breed there in some numbers, but that after the island was inhabited it gradually got exterminated by the frequent robbing of its eggs. This could very easily be done, as the places where it could land and breed were very few, and all on the main Island and near the village.’
We know from later visitors that one or two of the men from the 1821 incident would still have
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been living so it is strange that they never seemed to have confessed this to their minister. Yet the accepted accounts indicate that the last Great Auk was killed just before Mackenzie's departure for the mainland in 1844 (not 1843 as sometimes reported). Or was it?
Henry Evans reckoned that the garefowl had been killed around 1840. Perhaps, as Mary Harman first suggested in an article in the Hebridean Naturalist (1993), the islanders were ashamed to admit to it; they might have feared that the good Reverend would have disapproved of their killing it as a witch. But, it is just possible the incident happened after the Rev. Mackenzie left St Kilda in 1844. If this was the case, then it might qualify as the last Great Auk on the planet!
Here we need to add a note of scepticism. Charles Dixon, in his ‘Ornithology of St Kilda’ published in /bis (1885):
‘am convinced that much of the information which has been gathered at St Kilda respecting the Great Auk is very unreliable... None of the young men know anything about the species, not even by name. The Great Auk’s only link with the present day is the grey-haired weather- beaten old St Kildan with whom | conversed respecting its visit so long ago.’
This man could only have been Lachlan McKinnon (1808-95), the sole survivor of the incident. It was he who had advocated killing the bird. Intriguingly, Dixon claimed the event had taken place 40 years earlier, which tantalisingly might put it at 1845! Maybe that is why MacGillivray, Wilson and the Rev. Mackenzie did not mention the incident; it might just have taken place after they all left. Apparently, Malcolm (Calum) Macdonald died in 1846. Whatever the date of the incident, if indeed it took place at all, it could just vie with the last two Great Auks killed on the island of Eldey, off south-west Iceland in 1844 as the acknowledged final extinction event of the species.
In July 2010, Andrew Wiseman of the School of Scottish Studies drew my attention to some papers and manuscript notebooks in their collection which were being examined by staff of
Cenitich Rird SSfNnTIChR Hirsi « >] ¢ OUIsn £988 CD
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the Carmichael Watson Project. They were compiled by well-known Gaelic folklorist Alexander Carmichael who visited St Kilda on 22 May 1865. Interestingly, he collected a song written by the mother of 76-year-old Euphemia MacCrimmon, whose father was killed on the diffs hunting seabirds. Her mother composed the song which was translated by Calum Ferguson (1995, 2006):
M’eudail thusa, mo lur 's mo shealgair, You're my treasure, my hero and my hunier,
Thug thu ‘n-dé dhomh ‘n sul an gearrbhall. Yesterday you gave me the Gannet and the garefowl.
Na h-edin a’tighinn, cluinneam an ceol!’ The birds are approaching, let me hear their music!
Amongst the many slips of paper upon which Carmichael took down notes on naiural history is one with an account of the ‘1840’ incident on St Kilda:
About 40 years ago or so say about 1848 a party of S/t] K[ilda] people found a Gearrabhal on Staca-li, a stack near Borrery. They brought it home but did not know what bird it was, what to do with it nor what to make of the bird. They knew not what to make of it and they came io no decision that night. They tied a strong cord or rope to its leg and fastened a stake to the other end of the rope and fixed this in the ground. Thus they left the bird all night tethered behind the house like one of their cows. ‘Nuair thig Ia thig comhairle’ ‘When day comes council comes.’ But the bird had his revenge in the noise he made and the sleeplessness he caused. He cried all night long and made night hideous with his noise. He screamed and roared like a creature possessed and the people got no sleep no rest. In the morning the people mez as usual in the daily parliament (Comhairle) and among other matters what they were to do with this demoniacal bird-like creature they caught. The parliament which is composed of all the heads of families in the place and which mez daily [decided] that this strange bird or bird-like creature must be possessed of gq demon and that it was only a demon that could make [the] noise it made all night long. They therefore decreed that the bird must be put to death and
J
so the bird was put to death accordingly. Every man in the community set upon the poor bird with sticks and stones and staves and attacked him till he was ae a And as the bird took a deal of killing the people were the more con firmed that he was posse len
belaboured him accordingly. 7 es bird was then thrown to the dog
and torn asunder by dogs and year when hey C came to discover their mistake they were search ing about for bits of the broken
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Carmichael’s y di thorough accounts by visiting omitho severa al
n \ ic Wa Ways. ID
ee ibly ead on and be out (Plate 303). But Stuart Mu several times and, know
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that Great Ane were probably just as 1 Once ashore the bird would not have been ul |
tO progress an) further so wou
Carmichael ai
sometime later he had stroked this out and inserted 1848, suggesting he was being more precise with his facts. One _ significant inconsistency is that apparenily Malcolm (or Calum) !
ha>-Doa — 2h A namairoy Paar i i; MacDonald, the perpetrator, had died in i Dp
G e oe EVE Rs a ee October 1846. lf Carmichael's dates
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forward the date of the ‘1840’ incident by a few years, at least as far as the summer of 1846 then the killing of this last St Kilda Great Auk would have taken place after the accepted extinction date (1844) in Iceland.
The mystery does not end there, for | recently came across references on the _ internet, posted by James E. Ducey on 10 April 2010, that suggest other Great Auks may have survived beyond this date in Canada and Greenland. Robert Randolph Carter was first officer on the brig Rescue which in 1850-51 was searching for the lost Franklin Expedition. In his journal, not to be published for another 150 years, Carter frequently mentioned birds of various species. On 16 August 1850, when the ship was off Cape York, Melville Bay in northern Greenland, he wrote:
‘The hills here at least 1000 feet high and very steep. The Commo saw a fox. Docr Kane saw a beast like a weasel and got into a bog trying to get a shot at it /| killed three dovekies which came here to look at the strangers on a piece of floating ice. And so we left standing up the coast again. Brooks shot a Great Auk.’
..nothing more! Henry Brooks was the bosun/first officer on ‘Rescue’. The ship's position was 75°59'N and 60°47'W, further north than the accepted range of the species. Alfred Newton gave the range as ‘within the limits of the Arctic Circle’ based on a bird that had been killed in 1821 at Disco, on the western coast of Greenland. Cape York is 200 miles further north.
Ducey goes on to cite a record dated December 1852 on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and another dead specimen picked up the following year in Trinity Bay, St John’s, Newfoundland. Both are quoted, but dismissed, by Symington Grieve in his monograph (1885). Given that the species always seems to have been more numerous on the Canadian coasts of the North Atlantic, these new records do not seem surprising. The last two seem to have been ignored in any subsequent history of the Great Auk and the accepted wisdom is that the species became extinct in 1844, when two individuals were clubbed to death, and their egg smashed, by some Icelandic fishermen. St Kilda
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may well surpass that date by 2-4 years, so could claim the last on the planet were it not for some unauthenticated reports that a few Great Auks survived into the next decade on the other side of the Atlantic.
My thanks to Murdo Macdonald and Stuart Murray for comments on the manuscript, and to Andrew Wiseman at the School of Scottish Studies for drawing my attention to the blog piece.
References
Anon. 2009. The Last Great Auk. carmichaelwatson. blogspot.com/2009/10/last-great-auk-.htm! and /last -great-auk-l.html. Blogs posted 27 & 29 October 2009.
Atkinson, G.C. 1831. [on his visit to St Kilda]
Birkhead, T. 1993. Great Auk Islands. Poyser, London.
Buckley T.E. & Harvie-Brown, J.A. 1891. A Vertebrate Fauna of the Orkney Islands. Edinburgh.
Dixon, C. 1885. The ornithology of St Kilda. /bis 5: SSH, SSIS SSZ.
Ducey, J.E. 2010. Great Auk killed in 1850 at Cape York? wildbirdsbroadcasting.blogspot.com/2010/04/ great-auk-killed-in-1850-at-cape-york.html. Blog posted 10 April 2010.
Ferguson, C. 1995. Hiort; far na laigh a’ghrian. Acair, Stornoway.
Ferguson, C. 2006. St Kilda Heritage. Acair, Stornoway.
Flemming, J. 1824. Gleanings of natural history, during a voyage along the coast of Scotland in 1821. Edinburgh Philosophical Journal 10: 95-101.
Gray, R. 1871. The Birds of the West of Scotland. Murray, Glasgow.
Grieve, S. 1885. The Great Auk or Garefowl. London.
Harman [Bones], M. 1993. The Garefowl or Great Auk (Pinguinis impennis). Hebridean Naturalist 11: 15-24.
Harvie-Brown, J.A. & Buckley, T.E. 1888. A Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides. Edinburgh.
Latham, J. 1821-24. General History of Birds.
Macaulay, K. 1764. The History of St Kilda. London.
MacGillivray, W. 1830. The Birds of the Outer Hebrides. Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science.
MacKenzie, N. 1905. Notes on the birds of St. Kilda. Annals of Scottish Natural History 14: 75-80, 141-153.
Macleod, N. [?date]. Unpublished manuscript in the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Martin, M. 1697. A Late Voyage to St Kilda. London. (Reprint 1986 James Thin, The Mercat Press Edinburgh)
John Love
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Birding West Lothian for the BTO/SOC Atlas 2007-11
A. FINLAYSON
Like so many other people, | signed up as a volunteer recorder for the BIO/SOC Atlas scheme, which ran from November 2007 to July 2011. Being resident in Linlithgow, it was natural that | should get involved primarily with recording in West Lothian. This is a relatively small county, and so it was possible for me to visit practically all of tt during the four years of the survey period. This county is not one of the best areas for rare or unusual birds, probably because it lacks a significant area of coastline. It has only a small part of the inner Firth of Forth estuary, from near Blackness in the west to near South Queensferry, a distance of c.6 km, and the area Is also quite far from the east coast proper. West Lothian consists mainly of farmland and moorland, urban areas, a few reservoirs, large areas of conifer plantations, some deciduous woodland, rivers, and areas of bog/marsh. The Union Canal also runs right through the county.
Where to go
The best site is the stretch of coastline (Plate 304). Brent and Barnacle Geese, Arctic and Great Skuas, Curlew Sandpiper and Greenshank are all fairly regular autumn migrants, and other species recorded include Red-backed Shrike,
Firecrest, Yellow Wagtail, Little Stint, Great Northern Diver, Iceland Gull, Merlin, Peregrine, Manx Shearwater, Ruff, Whimbrel, Lesser Whitethroat, Jay and Nuthatch.
Other places worth a visit are Linlithgow Loch (NTO00775), Lochcote Reservoir (NS975738), Bangour Reservoir (NT014718), Bathgate Bog (NS977677), Tailend Moss (NTO03678), Easter Inch Moss (NTOOO665), Almondell Country Park (NTO80684), Calder Wood (NTO70665) , Hermand Birchwood (NTO30620), Linhouse Glen (NTO72643), the River Almond ponds at Livingston (NTO22663), and the reservoirs at Cobbinshaw (NTO19582), Crosswood (NTO57575) and Harperrig (NTO95610).
Doing the Atlas survey
It turned out to be a wonderful experience. In May 2009, right in the middle of the project, | retired and was able to devote much time to it. | have lived in West Lothian since 1990, and thought | knew the county pretty well. But one of the best features of the project was the amount of new areas | discovered, many of which, apart from being good for birds, turned out to be lovely places simply to visit and explore. Even in summer 2011, right at the end
Plate 304. Blackness Bay, Lothian, April 2011. © lan Andrews
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of the four-year period, | was still finding new sites, such as around Fauldhouse Moor (NS932619) and the community woodland at East Whitburn (NS965645).
The weather often decided how comfortable it was in the field, and it also had an effect on the birds. A great number of field trips took place in inclement weather, but you just had to get on with it, and as everyone knows, the last two winters were horrendous, with severe effects on birds.
Another aspect worthy of note was the attitude of the people | met when out and about. In remote country districts, especially in winter, the majority of birds were often to be found around human habitation, usually farms or isolated country cottages. Many people took a great interest in what | was doing. Some wanted to know what the survey was all about, others were very keen to tell me of the local birds they had seen themselves. Like most birdwatchers, | am also interested in other forms of wildlife, and one spin-off from the survey was coming across other creatures, e.g. coming eyeball to eyeball with a Red Fox at Tailend Moss, with five Roe Deer present there at the same time, and watching with pleasure the northward march of the Comma butterfly into West Lothian. In April 2011, thanks to a spell of exceptionally good weather, | found two new sites for Green Hairstreak butterfly (only one had been reported in the county in 10 years) and a new site for the Emperor Moth near Cobbinshaw Reservoir.
Birding highs and lows If | had to pick out some highlights, | would perhaps choose the following:
M@ Finding a site where | could consistently see wintering Hen Harriers.
M Whooper Swans which wintered in fields near Bangour Reservotr.
M@ The number of Common Crossbills present in the conifers in the south-west in different locations.
M@ Discovering many more Tree Sparrows.
@ Sharpening up my ID skills - for example, the songs/calls of Redpoll, - a species far commoner than | had thought.
@ Finding a Quail at East Whitburn in June 2011 (a locally rare species).
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Plate 305. Tree Sparrow. © Harry Scott
And if | had to pick out one highlight above all, | think | would choose the last day of the last winter session of the last year of the atlas. It involved the 10-km square NTO5E, the only one still coloured Orange on the map. In other words, the expected total of species had not been achieved. | was fortunate enough to bag seven new species during the course of that day, which was enough to tum the colour from orange to red.
And the lows? Not too many, fortunately:
M@ The loss of Redstart and Tree Pipit as breeding birds at Hermand Birchwood (although Spotted Flycatcher is still hanging on there).
M The decline of birds at Tailend Moss. Numbers much lower than when | used to visit in the 1990s, partly due to human disturbance.
@ Not now finding any Short-eared Owls in West Lothian.
M Worst of all - the decline of so many species compared with the 1988-94 local survey.
Conclusion
When the invitation came to join in the survey, | hesitated, as | had never taken part in anything quite like this before. | wondered whether it was really for me. Would | be able to devote enough time to it? Would it become a routine chore? Was | competent enough? Could | be bothered with the form filling? But within a few weeks, | was completely hooked and enjoyed the whole project immensely. Indeed, | am quite sad that it has now finished. So, for anyone else who has also swithered about taking part in surveys, | would just say this - if you love birds (or butterflies, or whatever), don't hesitate. You have nothing to lose and you might well end up having a life-changing experience!
Allan Finlayson
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Plate 306. Rossie Bog from the south. © Norman Elkins
Patchwork 2 - Rossie Bog
N. ELKINS
Having described one of my local patches in SB 30: 139-141, another, larger site is also worthy of note. Rossie Bog is one of the most extensive and undisturbed marshes in Fife. A large area of marsh, unimproved neutral grassland and semi- improved acid grassland as well as small areas of mature coniferous and deciduous woodland are bordered by arable fields and improved grassland together with a working farm. The area covers approximately 2 km2, but almost 3 km2 if the peripheral fields are included. The marsh itself covers about 80 ha.
The bog originated from ‘Loch Rossey’. This 120 ha loch (apparently once a commercial fishery) was drained by 1805, Rossie drain having been dug in 1740. By 1882, the bed of the old loch was quoted as being ‘good meadow and pasture land’ but ‘not all suitable for crops’. Early Ordnance Survey maps (early 20th century)
have a note ‘liable to flooding’. The present open water in the bog itself was mapped as small ponds by 1969 and their winter size is much larger now. Water levels fluctuate, and some drainage has been attempted in the past, invariably unsuccessfully.
As the land ts privately owned, observations have primarily been made from the minor road along the eastern edge of the site. It is only now that the number of visiting birders is on the increase as in the past it has not been well known. | have been watching and recording there for 25 years. Latterly | surveyed the tetrad in which the bog lies for Bird Atlas 2007-11 but it is a difficult area to work with much of the marsh itself unapproachable. It is possible to walk round the periphery but this depends on water levels and can be almost impossible in winter. If water levels are high and vegetation is low e.g. in late winter, much of the
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large wildfowl population is visible with a ‘scope. In autumn, when vegetation is high and water levels low, wildfowl are impossible to count successfully. The following account is based entirely on my own observations.
Wildfowl are the most abundant group at Rossie. Both Greylag and Pink-footed Geese use the bog as a roost and the adjacent fields for feeding. Up to 1,000 of the former and 2,000 of the latter can be found in mid-winter. They are often joined by Whooper Swans, which build up rapidly in late autumn. Peak numbers exceed 70 in most winters but have reached well over 100 at times. In four of the winters that | have watched the bog, a handful of Bewick’s Swans have been recorded, including an 11-year-old marked bird in 2002. Mute Swans occasionally breed. A few Barnacles, Canadas and White- fronts appear occasionally and a Red-breasted Goose accompanied the Greylags in 2011. Ducks are prolific. All common species occur, with peaks often difficult to ascertain. Realistic
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: ; ee
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Plate 307. Rossie Bog from the east. © Norman Elkins
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counts have been made over the years of Wigeon (peak 900) and Teal (1,350). Peak Mallard numbers are unknown and small numbers of other species appear such as Gadwall (peak 21), Pintail (66), Shoveler (40), Tufted Duck (15), Pochard (8) and Goldeneye (13). Other waterfowl include Moorhen, Coot and Water Rail, all of which breed, and a heronry holds up to 11 pairs. Cormorants visit in winter.
Another group, the waders, have shown a Surprising diversity, mainly during migration. Up to 12 pairs of Lapwing, three pairs of Redshank and at least four pairs of Snipe breed in most years. Sightings are usually made on the wet meadows surrounding the marsh, where migrants have included Common Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Ruff, Whimbrel and Wood Sandpiper. In winter, flocks of up to 600 Lapwing and 70 Curlew are found, although the latter may reach 100 in spring.
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. Mute and Ses LS Las Buzzards are the commonest raptor with three
— # breeding pairs, with Kestrels mainly in winter and Sparrowhawks regular visitors. Hen Harriers and Peregrine are regular in winter and Marsh Harrier and Merlin have occurred. Since the local releases of White-tailed Eagles, these magnificent birds have graced the area at times.
The marsh in summer is home to up to three Grasshopper Warbler territories and at least 30 pairs each of Sedge Warbler and Reed Buntings. Small flocks of up to 20 of the latter feed in the field in winter along with a similar number of Yellowhammers, although 60 of this species have been recorded. Other seed-eaters include winter flocks of Chaffinches and Goldfinches (up to 60 each), Linnet (up to 180) and Siskin (up to 50 in the woodland). Both House and Tree Sparrows are present all year round. Both frequent farmland with up to 50 of each in winter and at least three pairs of each breeding around the farm. The surrounding patches of woodland hold all the a = common warblers and other woodland Plate 309. Snipe. © Norman Elkins passerines, as well as a healthy population of Jays
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and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Green Woodpeckers are scarce. The fields round the marsh are home to a good population of Skylarks and, in winter, flocks of up to 60 are present.
The marsh has no wildlife designation, not even an SSSI. It is sorely in need of one, but at present there are no plans, despite speculation of further drainage. The greater the understanding of the bog’s wildlife, the more likely it is to attract the right attention from conservation bodies. Local wildlife groups keep a watching brief but it is essential that all birders record what they find.
Norman Elkins
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an Elkins
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Plate 310. Skylark. © Norm
A hawk from a handsaw
P.W.F. HADOKE
Having an active, but unstructured, interest in garden visitors is usually enough to alert me to the appearance of something unusual on our patch. This happened recently (on 1 October 2011), whilst | was standing at my back door looking into my suburban garden in Burntisland, Fife. My attention was caught by some unusual activity in one of several mature Buddleias in the garden. There was obviously something larger than the usual Blue Tit or Wren moving clumsily amongst the leaves.
My first thought was of Sparrowhawks, probably because | had seen a Sparrowhawk in the town on two of the three preceding days. Almost immediately | revised this identification to “possible” Blackbird given the apparent size of the visitor. | then had a glimpse of brown, speckled plumage more suggestive of a Kestrel. This train of thought flashed rapidly through my head and it was within 30 seconds of the original observation that | called my son and a
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visiting friend to come and see. As they arrived at the door, a small hawk appeared amongst the leaves, then flew unsteadily out of the bush and tried, but failed, to fly over the perimeter wall. Falling back it landed on the chimney before flying down to perch on the edge of the roof.
Since, like Hamlet, | know just enough to “tell a hawk from a handsaw”, | was aware that this was a bird | had never seen before. Given its size, this left Hobby and Merlin as the two native species most likely to fit the bill. The three of us watched as the bird flew over the perimeter wall and we rushed around the side of the house to find ourselves almost face to face with the visitor. It was sitting on the wall eating something from its claw. The bird still appeared dazed which allowed us to walk quietly to within about 10 feet of its perch; close enough to get a good view of its brown speckled front and yellow legs. It was apparently eating a butterfly, as wing-parts fluttered down the wall. On
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finishing eating, it turned its back, giving us a good view of its brown wing feathers and brown barred tail. As we watched it turned its head full 180 degrees (much to the delight of the two boys) to give us a very suspicious glare. Notable on its light brown face were two faint, but discernible, darker brown “tear tracks” or “moustaches” which had me thinking “Hobby”. It also had such a distinctive short and stubby beak that the two boys commented on it. When it turned away again it showed a light brown nape with a darker brown central, vertical stripe. Its plumage was rather tousled, suggestive of a juvenile. After several minutes the bird flew back into the garden and we were able to retrieve a couple of fragments of the butterfly (clearly a Red Admiral) that it had been eating.
There was no further sign of the bird when we returned to the garden but consultation of various books indicated very clearly that it was most likely a young female Merlin, rather than a Hobby. A little later | got another good view of it when, returning to the house, | was alerted by a ruckus from our bantams, upon which the Merlin flew down and landed on our fence,
Plate 311. The Merlin. © Patrick Hadoke
once again holding a butterfly. It fed briefly on the fence then hopped down onto the ground to complete its meal. Finally, it jumped back onto the fence, paused briefly, voided, and then flew off out of the garden; this was the last we saw of it. During this episode, | had been able to get to within c.12 feet of the bird. Once again, discarded wing fragments indicated it had been eating a Red Admiral.
| am fairly confident of the identification of our visitor as a juvenile, female Merlin. I'm not sure how to account for some of its behaviour but would speculate that in stooping for butterflies in the Buddleia it had collided with our boundary wall (which is obscured by the shrubbery) and stunned itself. Whatever the reason, it was a delight to see this uncommon bird and doubly fortunate that my son and his friend were able to share in the experience. What is more, | hope to add the Merlin to the small list of birds that | can now confidently distinguish from ironmongery.
Patrick W.F. Hadoke
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en oad 2 ..
©
"22nd December 2010. Clear frosty start, temperature well below freezing, crunch to snow so -6 / -8 or so. Still in this period of Arctic conditions, snow has been on the ground since 30th November. Overcast by 10:30 am with heavy snow over lunch / early afternoon giving at least another inch of cover. | settled and waited by the apple tree beside the old A1 for thrushes to arrive. As | laid the washes of colour on, | was so used to the paint freezing in small rosettes of colour, textures created by the conditions. As it began to snow heavily the temperature rose significantly, not the instan- taneous freezing point as before and it was amazing how helpful this was.”
My diary extract taken from part of a series of large Fieldfare paintings. Painted all outside and direct in brush with watercolour, as all of my work is, it describes how the elements are as much a part of painting as is the subject for me. | am a passionate field painter, and | believe that working outside for me brings a sense of the
Plate 313. Pallas’s Warbler and Goldcrests in autumn Whitebeam (Watercolour 560mm_ x 380mm). Text on the painting reads: 77th October 2010, Torness, Lothian. Overcast and calm after the strong easterly of the weekend. Beautiful bird, silent among the twitters and buzz of cresties.
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Plate 312. Darren Woodhead with Sula, Amazondean, Lothian, July 2009. © John Macgregor
Darren Woodhead
Articles, News & Views
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Subject onto the page that | would struggle to do any other way. | have no studio, just the field. Having moved from Musselburgh into the heart of East Lothian two years ago, | have channelled my time and energy into a solo exhibition, which has seen me focus on the area and
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subjects around our new home. The show, which will be the last of the SOC’s 75th Anniversary year, will showcase this new work.
| am and always have been passionate about working direct from the natural world outside, and have a fascination for watercolour. Yes, there are days when my page has been wiped clean with a sudden onslaught of rain or snow yet somehow, whether it is how | have had to tie the board to the trees to escape the buffeting wind or how ice has formed intricate patterns in the washes of colour, the environment has had a say in the end result. It is this unpredictability that grips me.
As a young naturalist, | grew up practically spending all of my spare time outdoors with a small group of friends. But being passionate about art | wanted to describe things by drawing what | saw but this was so much easier said than done. Inspired by the work of Joseph Crawhall and Charles Tunnicliffe, | began using watercolour and it rapidly became an obsession. Through the support and enthusiasm showed by great artists
Plate 314. Fieldfare and Waxwing in Buckthorn (| Watercolour 660m
and friends such as John Busby and the late David Measures, it became possible to have a way of keeping the energy and life of the subject.
When | give talks and demonstrations, | always recall how watercolour changed for me one day. It was grey, wet and windy, a day off from working on the boats that took people around a beautiful island reserve in Pembrokeshire. As | painted a dead Mole that | had just found, direct in brush, texture was created by the paint giving a perfect feel to the velvety coat of the Mole. Suddenly, watercolour had a life of its own. It is such a delicate simple medium but incredibly complex at the same time. Everything around tt, the moisture, the weather, the paper, paints and even water that | use affects the finished image. | have spent many years now pushing pure brush paintings, nothing is pre-drawn, just colour working next to colour.
After studying at the Royal College of Art in London, we moved to south-east Scotland, where my first book, ‘From Dawn Till Dusk’ explored this new environment. Drawing and painting as much
pia
ainting
a = Ses <——
mx x 1016mm). Text on the p
reads: 5th February 2010. Fieldfare and Waxwing feeding on Buckthorn, Gullane. Overcast with the promised rain arriving mid-morning then relentless by early afternoon. Fresh south-easterly wind, cool. Again huge numbers in excess 2.000 but positioned myself in usual valley, the dins, chirping, twittering so absorbing.
Waxwings around mid-afternoon but mobile
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men fe me
~ 5 Fane ms a hn + -
Plate 31 Tyninghame pines. After a run of cold weather since 27th November, pines now bounang with Woodcock. In this small area near channel, around 30 birds with groups of 8—10 feeding together. First time | have ever seen Woodcock like this. Fed all day, preferring to remain motionless to danger first before either scuttling for cover or rising vertically to wing. When fed, held bill in ground for three to four seconds presume foraging with tongue. Same birds working same ground