Herefordshire Ornithological Club ANNUAL REPORT 1994 Vcl. 5 Nc. 4 £2.50 HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB ANNUAL REPORT 1994 Volume 5 No. 4 Edited by I.B. Evans CONTENTS Officers & Committee 150 Editor's Report 151 Obituaries '" 154 Nest Box Scheme 1994 155 Dar"ic Rings 156 Ringing Reports 1994 159 Y.O.C. Hereford Group 162 Report on the Status of Birds in Haugh Wood 163 Accepted Records 1994 170 Collared Pratincole at Lugg Bridge Farm 203 Escapes & "Snippets" 207 Antipodean Crow? 209 List of Contributors 210 Report Exchanges 210 AffiliatedAssociations 210 H.O.C. Club Rules 211 H.O.C. Income & Expenditure Account 1994 215 Published: May 1995 by The Herefordshire Ornithological Club Price - £2.50 Illustrated by LB. Evans HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB Vol. 5 No. 4 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 1994 President J.L. Fox Vice Presidents P.W. Hinde, M.B.O.D., Dr. C.W. Walker, M.C., A.G. Fyshe Chairman A.J. Smith (January -April) Acting Chairman J.R. Pullen (May - December) Hon. Secretary I.B. Evans (R.S.P.E. Representative) 12, Brockington Drive, Tupsley, Hereford, HRl ITA TEL: 01432 265509 Hon. Treasurer LT. Stone 5, Tollstone Way, Grosmont, Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 8ER TEL: 01981 240318 Hon. Recorder K.A. Mason (B.T.O. Representative) The Sett, Common Hill, Fownhope, Herefordshire, HRl 4QA TEL: 01432 860546 Hon. Field Secretary K.A.Mason Hon. Bulletin Editor P. Gardner Committee G.S. Bilbao A.H. Eveleigh J.R. Pullen Miss L. Caldicott Mrs F.R. Francis P. Thompson Mrs. H. Dwyer C.E. Lankester C. Wells (Press Officer) co-opted: S.P. Coney (YOC Leader) P.J. Eldridge 150 EDITOR'S REPORT It gives me great pleasure to present the 44th. Herefordshire Ornithological Club'sAnnual Report for 1994. The presentation is similar to that of 1993 with the systematic list having been compiled by the same team with the addition of one new member as follows:- Chris Wells Little Grebe to Peregrine Gerry Bilbao Red Grouse to Little Auk !for Evans Stock Dove to Redstart Dan Thomas - Whinchat to Treecreeper Peter Eldridge - Great Grey Shrike to Corn Bunting Keith Mason Reading and commenting on the whole text. It is pleasing to note that over ninety members contributed to the systematic list. The editorial team rely wholly on the records submitted by members without whose help there would be no report. Our grateful thanks go to all contributors for their observations. There was one possible new addition to the County list, a Desert Wheatear at Castleton on 7th. Nov. details of which have been sent to BBRC. The total number of species seen during the year was 160 plus Black Swan. A number of uncommon species were recorded including Black­ necked Grebe, Common Scoter, Red Kite, Osprey, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Yellow-legged Gull, Black Tern, Long-eared Owl, Black Redstart and Firecrest. Worthy ofspecial note was the Collared Pratincole at Lugg Mill Pond on the 20th. May, only the 2nd. record for the County. Undoubtedly the most unusual, another 2nd. record, was the Little Auk at Dilwyn on the 6th. December. Original articles on any aspect ofHerefordshire ornithology are welcomed by the editor. All papers that are submitted will be carefully reviewed and considered for publication in the annual report. The editor would also welcome short notes on any interesting or unusual behaviour by birds recorded within the County. At a committee meeting on the 12th.April Mr. Alan J. Smith resigned as Chairman. Alan joined the H.O.C. in 1958'and at the A.G.M. on the 7th. May 1971 he was appointed Recorder for both Herefordshire and Radnorshire in succession to Mr. R.H. Baillie, M.B.O.U. one time Recorder, Report Editor and Secretary for fifteen years. Alan held this post for sixteen years until he was succeeded by Keith Mason in 1987. He was elected Chairman at theA.G.M. held on the 15th. March 1984 on the retirement ofThmAmmonds who had been Chairman for some twenty four years. The grateful thanks of the H.O.C. is extended to Alan for all his efforts on behalf of the Club over a period of thirty six years. 151 During the year 38 field and indoor meetings were held. The field meetings were planned so that a variety of habitats could be visited giving members the opportunity of seeing most of the birds that are to be found within the County and to give a taste of the possibilities further afield. The meeting at Harley Dingle on the 18th. September was led by Linda Caldicott while Steve Coney, on the 19th. November, led us on what seemed an assault course through the Radnorshire Nature Trust's Reserve, Bailey Einon at Shaky Bridge near Llandrindod Wells. Helen Dwyer led a meeting over Hergest Ridge on the 22nd. May. This was followed on the 5th. June by Peter Eldridge leading a party to the Cotswold Water Park. Once again Tony Eveleigh led six meetings, Ashleworth on the 29th. January, Ross Wye Walk on the 9th. April, R.S.P.B. Reserve at Highnam Wood on the 20th. May, Pecket Stone on the 1st. July, Stapleton Castle on the 21st. August and Holme Lacy on the 8th. October. The meetings at Sollers Hope on the 11th. May and Aramstone, Kings Caple on the 12th. June were led by Mrs. F.R. Francis. Alan Marchant led the meetings at Kenfig Pool and Dunes on the 13th. March, Olchon Valley on the 26th. March, Llandegley on the 17th. April, Llyn Heilyn on the 7th. August and the Severn Estuary on the 11th. December. Keith Mason guided members to Letton Court and Leach Pool on the 15th. January, Whitcliff and High Vinnals on the 27th. February and Glasbury and Llan Bwch­ Llyn on the 6th. November. A delightful evening was spent at Whitwick Manor on the 14th. July by kind invitation of Mrs. J. Oram, few birds were seen but we all thoroughly enjoyed the wine and biscuits afterwards! Our grateful thanks Mrs. Oram. The Haugh Wood census on the 30th. April was organised by Ifor Preece. John Pullen also led six meetings, Tregaron Bog on the 12th. February, Forest of Dean on the 14th. May, Skomer & Ramsey Islands weekend on the 24th. - 26th. June, Kentchurch on the 23rd. July, Llandegfedd Reservoir on the 3rd. September (only two members saw the Spotted Crake!) and Haugh Wood on the 15th. October. The New Forest Weekend and a visit to Portland Bill was once again led by John Vickerman from the 19th. to the 23rd. October. Our grateful thanks go to all leaders and to those landowners who gave us permission to visit their properties. Indoor meetings proved extremely popular again and produced some interesting talks combined with a high standard of coloured slides. The first meeting ofthe year was the members' evening on the 20th. January with a video presentation by Keith & Chris Mason on "Norway and its Birds" followed by a thirty year old cine film of a Round Britain Cruise taken and presented by Beryl Bayliss with the assistance ofAlan Parry 152 on the projector. Thanks to the efforts ofKeith Mason we were extremely lucky to be paid a visit on the 2nd. February by Bobby Tulloch ofShetland fame and President ofthe Shetland Bird Club whose talk/slide show on "The Falkland Islands" attracted an audience of over ninety members. This was followed on the 17th. February by Charles Brown ARPS who gave a most interesting lecture on "The Hebrides". The winter programme concluded on the 24th. March with "The Birds ofThe Gambia" presented by Ifor Evans. "The Poetry of Birds" was the title of John Gower's lecture on the 30th. September. John was the PublicAffairs Officer at the Welsh Office of the RS.PE. This was followed on the 21st. October by a second visit from Gareth Thomas FRPS who disclosed the "Secrets ofthe Teme". On the 16th. November we were introduced to "The Gentle Art of Sea Watching" by Graham Rees, past Chairman ofthe Welsh Ornithological Society, who had travelled from Haverfordwest to be with us. Our final meeting ofthe year, on the 7th. December, was an extremely interesting and informative lecture on "Birding in Eilat" by Gerry Bilbao one of our own members. This meeting concluded with the usual offering of mince pies that proved so popular, disappointing certain members who had hoped for some 'left overs' to take home! Sincere thanks to Elaine Evans and Josephine Field for making the mince pies and to Chris Mason for organising the refreshments after each meeting. Our thanks also go to all our lecturers. In conclusion our sincere thanks to Mr. & Mrs. P. Gardner for producing the quarterly bulletins, a task they have undertaken since February 1972, to Charles and Sharron O'Gorman for running the draw at indoor meetings, to Mr. T. Davies for auditing the accounts, to the members of the Editorial Committee for their assistance and guidance, to Barry and Helen Dwyer of Curlew Text of Kington for their advice on the format and printing ofthe report, to all members for their continued support ofthe H.O.C and finally to John Pullen who has so ably conducted the affairs of the Club since agreeing, at short notice, to be acting Chairman until the annual general meeting of 1995. I.B. EVANS 153 OBITUARIES It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Miss W.M. Gibson on the 27th. February. Miss Gibson was a long- serving and loyal member who, together with her great friend Miss F.E.