CONTENTS PAGE Preamble ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 The Weather of 1954 ... ... ... ... ... 4 List of Contributors ... ... ... ... ... 6 Cornish Notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Recoveries of Ringed Birds ... ... ... ... 26 Arrival and Departure of Cornish-breeding Migrants ... 26 The Walmsley Sanctuary and Camel Estuary ... ... 28 The Isles of Scilly ... ... ... ... ... 30 Arrival and Departure of Migrants in the Isles of Scilly ... 35 The Tamar Lake ... ... ... ... ... 36 The Macmillan Library ... ... ... ... ... 38 The Society's Rules ... ... ... ... ... 39 Balance Sheet ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 List of Members for 1954 ... ... ... ... 41 Committee for 1954 ... ... ... ... ... 53 Index ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 54 TWENTY-FOURTH REPORT OP The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society 1954 Edited by B. H. RYVES, H. M. QUICK and A. G. PARSONS (kindly assisted by Dr. R. H. BLAIR) Forty-nine new members joined the Society during 1954. We regret the loss by death of seven members; thirteen have resigned, and the resignation of twelve more assumed by reason of non­ payment of subscription. This makes the total of ordinary mem­ bers 607. Mr. Hayman (M.P. for Camborne-Falmouth) was elected an Honorary member at the Annual Meeting, in recognition of his services during the passage through Parliament of the Bird Protec­ tion Act. The Twenty-third Annual Meeting was held in the Museum, Truro, on May 1st. Mr. Hurrell showed his films of Birds of Prey at the nest, and of Flamingoes in the Camargue. At the Autumn meeting on November 6th, Mr. Parsons spoke of his visit to Swedish Lapland, showing some of his own films and photographs. One Executive Committee meeting was held during the year. Our thanks are due to Mr. S. F. H. Wills for kindly auditing the accounts. Field Days were held in Spring and Autumn at Prideaux and Hayle Estuary. The new Protection of Birds Act came into force on December 1st. The action taken by officers of the Society during the course of the Bill through Parliament will be reported in detail to members later on, and a precis of the Act will also be sent them; but owing to pressure of professional work the officer chiefly concerned has been unable to complete this work in time for the Report. The Society has been able to acquire the shooting rights over Ryan's Field (the flooded meadow behind the railway line at Hayle Causeway). It follows that no shooting is permitted there. The River Board propose straightening the course of the River Amble, a part of which flows through the Walmsley Sanctuary. The Sanctuary sub-Committee are keeping in close touch with the Board, in order to ensure the minimum disturbance or alteration within the Sanctuary. 3 Rook-shooting which took place in the Spring was conducted with great brutality and unnecessary cruelty at Mawgan, Newquay. An approach by Col. Ryves to the Pest Officer resulted in his assur­ ance that in future he would exercise a much closer check over the proceedings and ensure that such an occurrence should not be repeated. Miss W. P. Foster has most generously presented to the Society Gould's " British Birds," in memory of her Father, Lewis C. Foster, of Trevills, Liskeard. Since the volumes are much too heavy for postal circulation from the Macmillan Library, it has been decided to house them with Miss Quick at St. Agnes (Isles of Scilly). It is hoped that many members (and indeed others also) may enjoy seeing them there. Interesting visitors during the year included a Nightingale, Greenland Falcon, Canada Goose, Ferruginous Duck, and Yellow- shank. Hoopoes were seen in unusual numbers both in Spring and Autumn. In Scilly the record of a Short-toed Lark was of outstand­ ing interest. Members are asked to send their records for the year to Mr. Parsons, Pare Vean, Redruth, before January 15th. They are also kindly asked to send their subscriptions direct to the Hon. Treasurer, and not to any of the Secretaries. THE WEATHER OF 1954 By B. H. RYVES It is no pleasure to record the weather of 1954. It has been systematically bad almost from start to finish. In my experience here, there has never been anything like it. To sum up, it has been a combination of cold, wet, sunless and blowy days, weeks and months. January. Cold for the first week or so and then a short period of mild days. About the 24th, an " Ice Age " gripped the land— severe frosts, falls of lying snow and cutting easterly winds. February. The " Ice Age " continued with increased venom until the 7th, when rain thawed out the snow and put an end to human and avian misery. On the 6th, when intensely cold, a cock Blackcap fed ravenously on the crumbs on the kitchen window-sill. The rest of the month was mild, and abnormally wet. March. After yet another onset of cold days we were given, on the 7th, a most unexpected spring-like day and this lasted for a few more days. At mid-month, cold returned for several days, but the last ten days gave us excessive falls of rain. On the 11th we watched a Mistle-Thrush building vigorously until late in the after­ noon; large quantities of matted and blackened pine needles were dug out of a rain gutter and carried to the nest. 4 April. The night of the 3rd—4th was very wet and, in the afternoon, a very cold northerly gale sprang up. The Mistle-Thrush described above deserted her eggs and I feel sure this was caused by the extreme wet and cold. The month as a whole proved to be the sunniest of the whole year, but this was marred by the cold nights and keen winds. A prolonged drought accompanied the hot days and cold nights and caused much suffering to crops. May. The long drought ended on the 1st, and bitterly cold days followed with northerly gales. All bird song was effectively stopped. There was a hot day on the 12th and a period of drought again followed. On the 25th there was a deluge of rain and wet weather with cold winds continued till the close of the month. On the 9th I discovered that a pair of Marsh Tits had a nest in a hole of one of my old apple trees (young flew on June 8th); this species was a new breeder for my garden. Less than ten yards from this nest a pair of Great Tits were nesting in one of my boxes; there was a clutch of 10 eggs, all of which were infertile and only deserted after 30 days of incubation. In another box a Great Tit had a clutch of four eggs only (all hatched and flew). June. A generally wet and sunless month, and cold as well. On the 27th typical March weather set in. A very late pair of Great Tits had a nest of eight eggs, from which young flew on July 10th— unusually late. A Blue Tit laid 12 eggs. July. A wintry month from start to finish—sunless, cold winds and much rain. I can never remember such a ghastly July. I wore my warm winter clothes throughout. August. Very little improvement on July—wet, cold and sun­ less. But the last few days were less unpleasant, the 31st being actually warm. September. Very little difference from the previous months— sunless and cold with deluges of rain. The harvest greatly delayed. October. A very unpleasant month like its predecessors—as wet and sunless, but even colder. November. Generally cold with light frosts. During the latter part of the month there were flood rains with severe gales, both of which caused considerable damage all over the land. A " wicked " month, in keeping with the rest. December. Conditions varied from cold to mild. Less rain fell than in previous months. We had no grounds for serious complaints. What a change! 5 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS G.A. Dr. G. Allsop. B.J.A B. J. Ashworth. C.H.B. Capt. C. H. Bailhache. J.E.B. The Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge. R.H.B. Dr. R. H. Blair. E.H.W.B. Lt.-Col. Sir E. H. W. Bolitho. P.S.B. P. S. Bulson. D.C. Miss D. Cade (non-member). P.E.C. Mrs. F. E. Carter. K.M.C. Miss K. M. Cary (non-member). E.J.C. Miss E. J. Clatworthy (non-member) J.M.C. J. M. Clatworthy. H.P.O.C. H. P. O. Cleave. G.G.C. Miss G. G. Clement (non-member). E.O.C. Miss E. O. Comber. W.C.C. W. C. Crowther. R.M.C. R. M. Curber. P.J.D. P. J. Dare (non-member). D.D. D. Devereux (non-member). J.P.D. Brig. J. P. Duke. R.M.F. R. M. Fry. T.J.F. T. J. Fuge. J.G.G. J. G. Gilbert (non-member). W.J.H. W. J. Hall (non-member). P.H.T.H. The Rev. P. H. T. Hartley. E.I.H. Miss E. I. Harvey. H.C.H H. C. Holme (non-member). W.T.H. W. Tregoning Hooper. I.H. Miss I. Hortin (non-member). H.G.H. H. G. Hurrell. T.B.J. T. B. Jago. M.J.J. Miss M. J. Jones. R. & D.K. R. and D. Kahn. H.R.K. Mrs. H. Rait Kerr. B.K. B. King. L.B.L. L. B. Lewis. P.G.L. Major P. G. Lyster. R.H. & M.J.M. Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Meares. J.C.C.O. J. C. C. Oliver. 6 J.L.P. J. L. Palmer. A.G.P. A. G. Parsons. M.P. Mrs.