THE WEST MIDLAND BIRD REPORT No. 22 1955 Price Six Shillings Published July, 1956 Grey Wagtail at nest. Photographed by Mr. S. C. Porter, at a nesting site in Warwickshire, where the bird is a scarce resident. Willow Tit-mouse, photographed by Mr. S. C. Porter at a nesting-hole in Staffordshire. THE WEST MIDLAND BIRD REPORT No. 22 1955 BEING THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BIRMINGHAM AND WEST MIDLAND BIRD CLUB FOR 1955 ON THE BIRDS OF WARWICKSHIRE, WORCESTERSHIRE AND STAFFORDSHIRE. CONTENTS Page OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 5 EDITOR'S REPORT 5 SECRETARY'S REPORT 6 FIELD MEETINGS REPORT 8 TREASURER'S REPORT 8 MUTE SWAN SURVEY 8 NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN OF THL BIRDS BREEDING IN THE CLUB'S AREA ... 10 CLASSIFIED NOTES 14 ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF MIGRANTS . 43 LIST OF MEMBERS AND CONTRIBUTORS ... 47 FINANCIAL STATEMENT 56 OFFICERS & COMMITTEE, 1956. President : H. G. ALEXANDER, 144 Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham. Vice-President : W. E. GROVES, 4 Lvttleton Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Chairman : C. A. NORRIS, Clent House, Clent. Secretary : A. R. M. BLAKE, 472 City Road, Edgbaston. Birmingham. Editor : J. LORD, "Orduna," 369 Chester Road, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield. Treasurer : N. SWINDELLS, 98 Sharman's Cross Road, Solihull, Warwickshire. Field Meetings Secretary : A. T. CLAY, 93 Hamstead Hill, Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. Assistant Secretary : D. R. MIRAMS, 7 Treddles Lane, West Bromwich. Branch Representatives : KIDDERMINSTER : Mrs. M. THURSFIELD, Burnt Wood, Long Bank, Bewdley. STUDLEY : Miss D. M. GARSTANG, Studley College, Studley, Warwickshire. SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE : Mrs. M. NELDER, Philomel, Kineton Road, Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. Committee : A. R. M. Blake, A. W. Cundall, G. C. Lambourne, Mrs. W. Larkin, D. J. Munns, S. C. Porter, J. Sears, Miss M. Turnbull, Miss E. Wilkins. EDITOR'S REPORT The main volume of bird watching continues to be at reservoirs, with the South Staffordshire waters particularly well watched. Many parts of the Club's area only figure occasionally in the Report and more observers from the Stoke-on-Trent, Tenbury and Southam districts, to mention three, would help to keep our knowledge up-to-date. Most of the observations on the birds of the North Staffordshire moors come from the occasional visits of members from the Birmingham region. 5 Amongst the many interesting records the following ma}- be picked out. A Spoonbill, Red-crested Pochard, Brent Goose and Roseate Tern at Blithfield ; a Spotted Crake at Earlswood ; and a Temminck's Stint and Roseate Tern at Belvide. Two occurences of Bee-eaters, one in the spring and the other in the autumn, were in tune with events in other parts of the country. The con- centrations of Black Terns on certain dates did not occur this year and there were no records of Crossbills or Long-eared Owls. Stone- chats were few with no breeding records. Black-headed Gulls bred at two localities in Warwickshire and Wryneck reports were more than usual. Of the migrants, Chiffchaffs and Willow-Warblers arrived late and Swallows, Cuckoos, Redstarts, and House-Martins early. Most of the summer migrants remained later than the average date. One of our members was able to undertake some continuous observations on Grasshopper-Warblers which may lead to interest- ing results. Members are thanked for the careful and systematic notes which have been forwarded. Only a small proportion of the material can be reproduced in the Report but the remainder is often of equal value in completing the general picture of distribution. J. LORD. SECRETARY'S REPORT Indoor Meetings For the first time since the war the average attendance at these meetings has fallen. As was mentioned in the last Report, the average for 1954 was inflated by the exceptional attendance at the Conversazione, which marked our Silver Jubilee, so that, discounting this meeting, attendances have fallen from 131 in 1953 to 114 in 1954, and 105 in 1955. This is unfortunate, for I am certain that the standard of the talks and films remains high, and we are most grateful to all our speakers, who in many cases travel considerable distances in order to speak to us. During the year our meetings were addressed by R. P. Bagnall- Oakley, G. Schaefer, the Chairman, V. C. Smith, D. R. Southall, S. C. Porter, Hugh Boyd and R. E. Moreau. Again, our Chairman was responsible for arranging this programme. We must also thank the Director of the City of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery for the continued use of the excellent facilities afforded by the Lecture Room, and thank his staff for their friendly co-operation. 6 Bird Study The Club either participated in or initiated an unprecedented number of enquiries or surveys during the year. Particular atten- tion has been paid to two surveys sponsored by the British Trust for Ornithology. The first, concerning the Mute Swan, was perhaps the most successful ever launched in the breadth of its appeal and response. A report of the results appears on page 8. The second, concerning the winter distribution of Coot, has not been so widely publicised. This was primarily because the organisation already existed for the provision of the required information through the medium of the monthly Wildfowl Counts. These counts now cover 27 waters in the Club's area, and the numbers of Coot held by these waters were considered to provide a sufficiently large sample of the total population. This enquiry is primarily concerned with the migrations of the species, and by regular counts from all parts of Britain it is hoped that the direction and magnitude of these movements will be determined. Observers have also been asked to report all aspects of flocking and feeding behaviour. The regular Wildfowl counts continue, and it is appropriate here to praise the pertinacity of counters in continuing with this long-term project. Several counters have not missed a visit to a water on the day of the count for the last nine years ; or, if they could not take the count personally, they have unfailingly arranged for a colleague to take their place. Without such co-operation, the effectiveness of the work of the Regional Organiser would be seriously reduced. Counters have, for the 1955-6 season, willingly added to their "chores" by counting the Coot and Great Crested Grebes as well, and are by far the most regular and abundant source of information for the "Bird Notes" in the monthly Bulletin. Counters will be asked during 1956 to provide a detailed description of the area of their count ; this is the first step in an ambitious project to compile a complete register of all waters known to, or likely to, hold Wildfowl in the British Isles. Three surveys have been initiated by the Club and its members. The first is really not an original survey, but a revision of the West Midland Bird Distribution Survey conducted by our Chairman during 1950. It appears in this Report, on page 10. The Urban Bird Survey was promised in the last Report, and was launched in January, 1956, when the purpose of the survey and the information required were explained in the January Bulletin. As the survey requires a year's run, not even a preliminary report will be possible before 1957. Two members, J. Sears and A. W. Cundall, have produced a Report on the Birds of Earlswood, comprising a brief description of the area and a Classified List of the birds recorded there. The purpose of this report was to provide the Nature Conservancy with evidence of the importance of the area ornithologically with a view to having it scheduled. 7 A cknowledgments. Once again I must thank those who have helped me during the year. Mr. Clay continues with his help at committee meetings, and Mr. Mirams has taken over full responsibility for the work involved in the Urban Birds Survey. Mr. Sears, although he has no such title, is rapidly becoming our Hon. Librarian. I would also like to say how much I appreciate the way in which members keep me so well supplied with information for the monthly Bulletins. The "Bird Notes" therein would be a very poor affair if they relied on personal observations. A. R. M. BLAKE. FIELD MEETINGS REPORT Field Meetings were held throughout the year and continue to be well supported. One of the most popular meetings has always been that paid to the Northampton Sewage Farm and it is regrettable from an ornithological point of view that modernisation has rendered it unattractive to the passage migrants : fortunately we were able to obtain permission to visit the exterior farm at Nottingham where the authorities and members of the local bird club were most co-operative. Beginners field meetings were also held and appear to have been very much worth while. A. T. CLAY. TREASURER'S REPORT The accounts for 1955 are printed on a later page. The surplus of £11 over the year is attributable to a variety of causes, including an increase in receipts from current subscriptions and an unusually low expenditure on indoor meetings. Although the increased subscription in 1957 will be of great help, rising costs are likely to make 1956 a difficult year financially, unless we all make an effort to get new members. N. SWINDELLS. MUTE SWAN SURVEY A survey into the distribution of this species in Great Britain and Northern Ireland was organised by the B.T.O. during 1955. The Hon. Secretary, who acted as Regional Organiser, had access to all records received from the general public in response to Radio and Television appeals, with the result that the coverage was far more comprehensive than would otherwise have been possible in the West Midlands.