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2 SBSG Bulletin 211 Northern England Raptor Forum Annual Review out now The Northern England Raptor Fo- raven, that occur in or transit tre for Ecology & Hydrology rum published their 2010 Annual through, the NERF region. Each • A Tale of two Ospreys, a report Review in November 2011. species report includes a historical from Cumbria detailing the different overview, population and conserva- stories of 2 chicks as they The Review opens with reports from tion status together with threat as- migrated from the UK to Western Paul Irving, Chair and Ian Court, sessments. Monitoring and produc- Africa: Phil Cheesley & Pete Davis Secretary. The thought provoking tivity data from each NERF Group is Lake District Osprey Project foreword by Richard Saunders, Or- presented in a tabular format fol- • Monitoring Nests with Cameras: nithologist, sets the tone for the lowed by individual group reports. Nigel Butcher, Technical Develop- Review. ment Officer, RSPB Part 3: the following articles are • National Merlin Survey 2008: Part 1: summaries the activities presented in this section Steve Ewing and Mark Eaton, undertaken by the Forum during • A Review of the RSPB Birdcrime RSPB 2010, including geographical and Report 2010: Guy Shorrock, Senior • Conservation Project for Lesser habitat coverage, conservation Investigations Officer, RSPB Kestrels in the Alta Murgia National status of raptors in the NERF region • Monitoring Raptor Demography on Park, Italy: Pino Giglio & Marco and persecution data recorded by a National Scale: Dr Dave Leech, Gustin, [translated by Gabriele Zam- members. Senior Research Ornithologist, belli] BTO Part 2: the species report, covering • Predatory Bird Monitoring Copies can be purchased from all 23 species of raptor, including Scheme: Lee Walker, PBMS, Cen- Steve Downing for £12. Email [email protected] News in brief Donation thanks their Wyming Brook and Fox 2703s hide clamp, complete with Hagg reserves. The first is on two way head and a Q/R A very big thanks to the 15th January. system. For more details please anonymous, and generous, contact Sarah Smith on member who made a donation [email protected], or 07539 The work includes the clearing of £100 to the group‟s Atlas 546313. of trees and scrub, and tools, Fund at the October indoor gloves, hot drinks and biscuits meeting. Also, please note that New members are provided. The work days run although several members have 10am-3pm, meeting at the been in touch in recent weeks to The group welcomes new Wyming Brook car park on sponsor a species for the Atlas, members Simon Rowlands, Redmires Road. there are still plenty of species Janice Connell, Roger Kay, David Mowbray, Tessa Pirnie, up for grabs, and anyone Kate Thomas and Jean Wilson. interested should get in touch Weekday work days are also A warm welcome to you all, we with a member of the committee continuing on the first Tuesday hope you enjoy your for more details. of the month - for more details of memberships in 2012! any of the above contact Wyming Brook [email protected]. Cover photo volunteer days Kowa scope for sale. This month‟s cover shot is a Sheffield Wildlife Trust are Waxwing at Crookes, taken by The following item is for sale - a running bi-monthly, third-Sunday Andy Deighton. workdays throughout 2012, at Kowa TSN-661 with 20x to 60x eyepiece, Skua case, Cullmann Deadline for next Bulletin The next Bulletin will be issued at the March indoor meeting. Please note that any items for inclusion in the Bulletin must be received by Pete Mella at [email protected] (for preference), or 21 Lump Lane, Grenoside, Sheffield, S35 8PL, by Saturday 26th February. Bulletin by email More and more members have agreed to receive their Bulletins by email, and now well over half of you are on our email list, meaning we have been able to cut our print run considerably, and make big savings on postage. Many thanks to all members who have agreed to this, and if you would like to switch over to receiving your Bulletin in pdf format then please email me at [email protected]. www.sbsg.org.uk 3 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Indoor Meetings OTHER DATES TO NOTE 18th Jan - Dearn Valley Tour Tim Melling - Wild Western Canada (RSPB) - Guided walk around the Wed 8th February 2012, Sheffield University Arts Tower, Lecture Theatre 5, 7.15pm RSPB‟s Dearne Valley reserves, starting at Old Moor. 10am-12noon, £3 RSPB members, £5 non- Dr Tim Melling is the RSPB‟s Senior Conservation Office for the North members. Booking essential - 01226 of England, and former Secretary of the BOU Records Committee. If 751593 or [email protected] that wasn‟t enough in itself to convince you of his ornithological 29th Jan - Big Garden Birdwatch credentials, he has a lifelong interest in natural history, gained his (RSPB) - Family event at RSPB Old PhD in butterfly ecology, is a tour leader for Naturetrek, and came Moor. 10am-3pm, events free but usual reserve charges apply. overall second in Radio 4s natural history quiz „Wild Brain‟. Tim is an accomplished speaker on natural history topics, and will be sharing 2nd Feb - RSPB Sheffield Group with us the wonders of Western Canada, on what promises to be an Indoor Meeting. Tim Melling will be excellent talk. giving a talk on „Mexico‟s Great Wildlife Spectacle‟. 7.30pm, Central United Reformed Church, Chapel Walk, Sheffield. AGM + Review of 2011 15th Feb - Dearn Valley Tour This meeting will be the group‟s Annual General Meeting, also (RSPB) - Guided walk around the including a review of the ornithological highlights of 2011. RSPB‟s Dearne Valley reserves, starting at Old Moor. 10am-12noon, £3 RSPB members, £5 non- members. Booking essential - 01226 Field Meetings 751593 or [email protected] 18th Feb - South Yorkshire Natural Ringing demonstration History Day - 10am-6pm, Treeton 4th February, Blackburn Meadows Village Community & Resource Centre. A full day of presentations This event will be run by Kev Bower of the Sorby Breck Ringing and displays by local Natural History Group. Keep your eyes on the SBSG website for further details nearer groups. the time. 24th Feb - DOS Indoor Meeting. Martin Garner will be giving a talk on „Frontiers of Birding‟. 7.30pm, The Derwentdale raptor watch Evergreen Club, Allestree, Derby. March, details tbc 1st Mar - RSPB Sheffield Group Our annual pilgrimage to Derwentdale will take place once again in Indoor Meeting. Mike Taylor will be early March, hoping to see display from the area‟s resident raptors, speaking on „Peak District Birds. 7.30pm, Central United Reformed that may include Goshawk and Peregrine, as well as Buzzard, Kestrel Church, Chapel Walk, Sheffield. and Sparrowhawk, and perhaps something even rarer. Crossbills and Ravens are also a distinct possibility on what usually turns out to be a 10th Mar - DOS Indoor Meeting. memorable field meeting. See the SBSG website for announcements The speaker will be Nigel Slater, on nearer the time. „Garden Birds and their songs‟. 7.30pm, Methodist Church Rooms, Buxton. For the full 2012 programme of meetings, see page 7 Group contacts Bulletin Recorder Secretary Pete Mella Kevin Gould Richard Hill 21 Lump Lane 27 Craggon Drive 22 Ansell Road Grenoside New Whittington Sheffield Sheffield S35 8PL Chesterfield S43 2QA S11 7PE Tel: 07961922908 Tel: 01246 261383 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 4 SBSG Bulletin 211 Tributes to Dave Herringshaw David Herringshaw died at his production of the bird report to contributed to several volumes. Sheffield home on 21st organisation of surveys on a He was active in the BTO, YNU November 2011, aged 63, from variety of species such as Ornithology Section and South a ruptured duodenal ulcer. Kestrel, Swift, House Martin, Pennine Raptor Group, but was Although he had been in ill- Magpie and Rook. In 1975 he never happier than when health for some time, his tragic decided the group was big watching Goshawks in N death was unexpected as his enough to undertake a five-year Derbyshire and S Yorkshire, health seemed to be breeding bird survey based on where his knowledge of the improving. David played a geographic tetrads, way before species was unrivalled. major role in the re-vitalisation of this type of survey became well- the Sorby Natural History known. Dave‟s qualities as a teacher did Society in the late 1960s and not go unrecognised. He was early 1970s, and then became It was a great success largely widely held as being the best one of the main founders and due to Dave‟s drive and his biology teacher in Sheffield and the driving force behind the leadership and support for the was appointed Head of Science Sheffield Bird Study Group from strong Junior Section. He had at Myers Grove, a large 1972 throughout the 1970s and recruited keen youngsters from comprehensive school. With his 1980s. his Myers Grove School, such ability to make easy contact with as Ian Francis, Keith Clarkson, the pupils and willingness to I first met Dave in 1971 when I David Gosney, Clive McKay, help anyone with problems, he enrolled on his Workers Andy Deighton and David found his time was being Educational Association evening Marshall, and from further afield increasingly spent on the vital course on bird-watching (as it the likes of Bill Sutherland and “pastoral” side of the school, was then known). I was soon David Glaves, and trained them leading to his appointment to its inspired by Dave‟s enthusiasm in fieldcraft and the importance management team and and vast knowledge to devote of keeping a field notebook. eventually to the assistant more and more of my spare time Many of these fledgling birders headship of the school.