Eider June 2003
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The Eider is the Quarterly Newsletter of the Argyll Bird Club: Scottish Charity Number SC008782 For the electronic version to be a success, I June 2003 Editorial need a steady supply of coloured material. Digital cameras seem to be all the rage, so uring my first year as editor, I I am hoping “suitably equipped” members Editor have been impressed and de- will be willing to send me the occasional D lighted by the material that mem- digital photo (jpeg files are preferred). Steve Petty, Craigielea, Kames bers have provided for The Eider, which Subjects could include holidays, land- has gradually grown in size. In trying to scapes, plants, birds and action shots of Tighnabruaich, Argyll PA21 2AE field trips etc. They could also be used to provide a more attractive outlet for mem- Phone 01700 811235 ber’s articles, a number of changes are illustrate an article for The Eider. planned over the next few issues. Members without their own computer, E-mail: [email protected] Various ways of adding colour to the who would like to see the electronic ver- newsletter have been evaluated. Unfortu- sion, might be able to persuade family or nately, printing or photocopying coloured friends to download and print a copy of Inside this issue: pages is both time-consuming and expen- the coloured-version for them. The elec- sive. One alternative is to produce an elec- tronic version will be posted on the club’s tronic version each quarter, in addition to website (see back page for address) about Migration Watch 2 two weeks after the mailed version is the black and white version for mailing. Spring Meeting Report 2 The electronic version would be available posted. to ABC members with access to an online As spring is such a wonderful time of the The Swift’s Tale 3 computer. It would be sent to them as a year in Argyll, I was expecting very little pdf (portable document format) file at- for this issue, so I am extremely grateful to 40-years Ago 4 tached to an e-mail - pdf files can be read the following for their contributions: BTO by both PCs and Macs, providing they Staff, Paul Daw, Shelley Fouracres, Bob Recent Reports 4-7 have Acrobat Reader installed. This soft- Furness, David Merrie, George Newall, ware can be downloaded free of charge. Margaret Staley and Michael Thomas. Members can then save the newsletter on A Poem 7 their computer and print a copy if re- Eiders & Mink (continued from 8 quired. Autumn Meeting front page) Developing an electronic version has a To be held in the Cairnbaan number of advantages to members and the Papers from Journals 9 club. First, it would be available to mem- Hotel, near Lochgilphead on bers before the mailed version. It would be Saturday 8th November as adults but the ducklings have a low forwarded on the day it is sent to Bob survival to maturity, eider populations are Furness for photocopying and dispatch by The programme will appear in especially vulnerable to factors that in- post. Second, the quality would gradually crease the death rate of adults. But eider improve with the addition of colour. Third, the September Eider females return each year to nest in exactly it is hoped that members who opt for the the same spot. So it is relatively easy to electronic version will decide they can do measure their survival rate by a statistical without the mailed version, so saving the analysis of recaptures of birds in a series club postage and production/dispatch Eiders and Mink on of years. We are collecting data each year costs. Members who decide they are inter- on the female eiders of the Burnt Islands ested in the electronic version, would be the Burnt Islands to do just this given a three-issue trial, starting with the September issue, when they would receive In 2000, we were able to make a crude both versions, after which they would be he Burnt Islands lie in the Kyles of calculation of the size of this population asked to decide which version they want. Bute, between the north tip of Bute by mark-recapture analysis. Clive Craik T and Colintraive on the Argyll marked clutches of eggs and counted If you are interested in receiving the elec- mainland. In recent years these islands these. A few days later we visited and tronic version for this trial period have been visited each May by Clive ringed females. By counting the propor- (September, December and March is- Craik and assistants in order to carry out a tion of marked and unmarked nests and sues), please let me have your e-mail survey of breeding seabirds and to look knowing the numbers Clive marked and address as soon as possible. This will for signs of mink killing birds that nest on how many nests we checked we could enable me to send you the electronic ver- the islands. A few years ago David Ander- estimate that there were around 450 to 600 sion of this issue, so you can see the im- son started ringing eider ducks incubating eider nests. This made the Burnt Islands provement over the mailed version and to on nests on these islands, and I have car- ensure that you can access the pdf file. ried this on. Because eiders are long-lived Bob Furness’s article is continued on page 8 The Eider tails about Mike’s trip can be found in the conference, and thanks also to so many Migration Watch September 2002 issue of The Eider. members who turned up to an indoor meeting when the weather outside was he BTO/BirdWatch Ireland Migra- Alan Spellman rounded off the morning excellent! tion Watch website is up and run- session with an absorbing account of T ning again and we hope that we can Mull’s natural history, which hopefully Editor improve on our success of last year, will have encouraged additional members broaden our geographical coverage and to book up for the field trip to Mull during encourage recorders to submit records 6-8th June that Rhona Campbell is organ- Migration Watch throughout the whole spring. ising (see the March 2003 issue of The Eider). This was also Alan’s first Power- April Update The website (see box) has a new look to it point presentation – well done! The talk this spring; we have added new features to highlighted the existence of a website This was recently sent to ringers, but I’m the results pages and have included a devoted to birds on Mull (see box) sure it will be of interest to ABC mem- stop/start button to the animated maps so bers—Editor that you can view each week at your lei- Mull Birds Website sure. We have incorporated comments f you're heading out ringing this made by recorders last season and have weekend, why not take the time to improved the layout of many of the pages, http://www.mullbirds.com I note down some numbers for any so hopefully the whole website is much migrants you see and submit a species easier to use. After lunch, Andy Wilson from the list to Migration Watch? Ringers are in BTO’s Scottish office, ably presented an ideal position to record such skulking Migration Watch Website information about the Migration Atlas and species as Garden and Grasshopper The BTO’s Migration Watch website. The Warbler and know whether those two http://www.bto.org/migwatch Migration Atlas was published in Decem- Redstarts on your patch were the same ber and must rate as one of the out- bird or not. This sort of information is standing achievements of the BTO. It uses very useful as it can complement field Migration Watch has started a bit earlier ring recovery data to provide a compre- sightings by other birders. To spur you this year so that we can record some of the hensive account of the movement patterns on, check out how the Bird Observato- very early migrants that turn up at the end of individual species, with each account ries are doing this spring at of February, but also encourage recorders being written by an acknowledged expert. http://www.bto.org/migwatch/text/info/o to send in their sightings of winter visitors Details about this essential book for bird- bservatories.htm and wintering warblers, so that we get a watchers can be found in the last issue of With the migration season now well better idea of their locations before they The Eider (editorial). One of the main under way, now is a good time to look at start migrating. aims of the Migration Watch website is to some of the April highlights from Mi- If you require any further information gration Watch. about Migration Watch please email Despite Britain and Ireland being bathed [email protected] or if you have any in sunshine, the start of April saw con- good ideas or contacts we can use to pro- tinued poor weather over southern mote Migration Watch then we would like Europe, which held up the bulk of our to hear from you. returning migrants. However, there were two very early Spotted Flycatcher on Dawn Balmer (BTO, Migration Watch 29 and 30 March, but the next arrival Organiser) was not seen until 12 April. Early Night- ingales were also seen at several sites after the first in Cambridgeshire on 27 Spring Meeting March, with the main arrival also being ike Gear opened the conference slightly early. The most exceptional with a fascinating account of a arrival was a Honey Buzzard in Flint- M recent trip to Costa Rica, where provide a database on the timing of arriv- shire on 8 April! his group saw 420 species of birds.