Officers 1973-74 President: Dr. C. J. F. COOMBS, Greenwith Place, Perranwell, Truro Chairman: Mrs. M. P. Visick, Trendain, Perranwell Station, Truro Vice-Chairman : W. J. Julyan, Elm View, Carthew, St. Austell General Secretary : W. J. A. Woodward, Lewidden, Penrose, St. Ervan, Wadebridge Treasurer & Registrar : P. R. G Marriott, 59, Daniell Road, Truro Assistant Treasurer & Registrar: P. J. Dwyer, 27, Trenance Road, Newquay Field Meetings: F. M. Couch, Old Polzeath, Wadebridge Conservation: G. Jackson, Treweege Barton, Stithians, Truro Editor: J. E. Beckerlegge, St. Crowan Vicarage, Praze, Camborne Assistant Editor: N. R. Phillips, Cucurrian Mill, Nancledra, Penzance Secretary for the Isles of Scilly: Miss H. M. Quick, Priglis, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly Committee Members: Mrs. A. Robinson, Mrs. S. D. Johns, B. Wilson, retire 1974; Mrs. J. B. Bax, T. O. Darke, H. P. K. Robinson, E. G. Roper, retire 1975; B. N. Boothby, S. D. Gunn, D. R. Carter, R. J. Salmon, Mrs. K. West, retire 1976. and the Officers ex-officio. CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING AND PRESERVATION SOCIETY Forty-Second ANNUAL REPORT 1972 P. S. Brewer, Printer. Helston. Tel. 2767 Secretary's Report for 1972 Our membership has passed the 1,100 total, in spite of the economic difficulties facing all Societies. Two well attended General Meetings, and four Executive Committee Meetings were held. At the Annual General Meeting on April 15th, proposed alterations in Rule 3 concerning membership were unanimously approved. These alterations abolished the lower age limit for Junior members, and form­ alised the fee of £20 for Life Membership. After the election of Officers and the presentation of Officers' Re­ ports, an R.S.P.B. film entitled "Winged Aristocrats" was shown to mem­ bers present. At the Autumn General Meeting on November 11th, the Chairman Dr. Coombs, outlined plans for dividing Cornwall into 12 areas, each having a Conservation representative, approved by the Committee, who would report to the Conservation Officer any new developments affecting Bird Life in their area. They would also liase with other Conservationists, and try to prevent overlapping or duplication of efforts. The Treasurer, Mr. Marriott, gave details of the expenditures to be met in connection with our work on Conservation. The improvements at Marazion Marshes, approximately £70. (Similar amount contributed by the Duchy of Cornwall). The proposed new Hide at Stithians Reservoir would cost approximately £400. He would be asking the Members to sub­ scribe to a fund to help meet some of the costs of the Hide. The Chairman thanked all those who helped to make the Field Day, "Bird Watching from a Train" such a success. He felt that this unusually large gathering of members had enhanced our reputation and increased the enthusiasm for Bird Watching among those present. Mr. Cecil Stevens was also thanked for originating the idea. Following this Meeting, our member, Mr. Roy Phillips, gave an ac­ count of his recent visit to Afghanistan and Kashmir, illustrated by many excellent colour slides. During the year the Executive Committee had appointed 7 Wardens to keep a watchful eye on the Walmsley Sanctuary. Wardens would report trespassers to the owners or the Police, should interference to Bird Life be observed. Action was also taken over limiting the public disturbance of birds at Porth Reservoir; the illegal shooting of birds at Trengwainton, and the future control of Bird Life in the Hayle Estuary. Also under active consideration is the formation of an R.S.P.B. branch in Truro to which the Committee would give its full support. A programme of Field Days for Juniors in the Truro area is being arranged. During the year we held 14 Field Meetings, covering all parts of the County. W.J.A. Woodward, Hon. Gen. Sec. 2 Treasurer's Report The year under review was a successful one for the Society and the financial position improved considerably. The final accounts showed an excess of income over expenditure of £395-34. Most of this money has been put aside for expenditure on the new hide at Stithians which the Society intend to erect in 1973. The expenditure on annual reports was held down during the year to £340-35 but increasing printing costs are still a cause for considerable concern. Sales of annual reports brought in the sum of £76-25. The bulk of this money came from the Isles of Scilly. The total assets of the Society now stand at £3,495-68 less the amount of £224-19 still outstanding to the Cornwall River Authority. The Society's thanks are due to Mr. P. J. Dwyer, the Assistant Treas­ urer and Registrar, who ably undertook to handle covenanted subscript­ ions and to Mr. A. F. Reynolds for kindly auditing the accounts. 4 CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING AND PRESERVATION SOCIETY Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31st December, 1972 Expenditure Income £ P £ P £ P £ P Subscriptions to Societies: Subscriptions: British Trust for Ornithology 2 50 Annual Membership 730 38 Royal Institution of Cornwall 6 30 Life Membership 90 00 Royal Society for the 820 38 Protection of Birds 2 10 Tax refund on covenanted subscriptions 61 21 South Western Naturalists Union 2 75 Donations 47 19 Wildfowl Trust 1 05 Rent, Walmsley Sanctuary 52 00 Cornwall Conservation Forum 2 00 Interest: 16 70 War Loan 31 56 Printing and Stationery: Cornwall County Council Annual Reports 1971 340 35 Mortgage Loan 175 00 Typing and Duplicating 44 91 Bank deposit account 1 20 Other Printing and Stationery 45 66 207 76 430 95 Miscellaneous Income: Postages, Secretaries Expenses etc: Sale of Annual Report 76 25 Postages 89 48 Sale of Neckties 20 20 Bank Charges 20 25 Sale of Badges 12 00 Secretarial Expenses 122 55 Sale of Hide keys 5 78 Hire of Rooms, Projector, Films 30 54 114 23 Insurance 12 50 Hide keys 6 00 Rents—Shooting rights and hide 2 00 Miscellaneous 5 46 288 78 Walmsley Sanctuary Contribution to Cornwall River Authority 100 00 Marazion Marsh Improvement 71 00 Excess of Income over Expenditure 395 34 £1 ,302 77 £1,302 77 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st DECEMBER, 1972. Liabilities and Fund Balances Assets Accumulated Fund: £ p £ p £ p £ p Investments Balance at 31.12.71 1681 45 £902-24 3.5% War Loan at market • Add: Excess of Income over price at 31.12.72 324 72 Expenditure for the year 395 34 8.75% Cornwall County Council Mortgage Loan 2000 00 2076 79 2374 72 Deduct: Depreciation on War Debtors 318 69 Loan 49 63 Bank Balances: 2027 16 Current Account 816 98 Legacies Fundi: Deposit Account 32 14 Balance at 31.12.1972 1214 10 849 12 Creditors 254 42 Postage and stamps in hand 3 15 £3495 68 £3495 68 Outstanding Liability: In respect of the Walmsley Sanctuary (River Amble Improvement Scheme) payable to the Cornwall River Auth­ Stock of Ties and Badges ority £224 19 Stock of Society Ties at cost £65 10 Report to the Members of the Cornwall Bird-Watching and Preservation Society. I have examined the above Balance Sheet dated 31st December, 1972, and the Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended on that date with the books of the Society and certify that they are in accordance therewith. A. F. REYNOLDS, Hon. Auditor. Altreations to Rules (Current from January 1st, 1974) Rule 6. (Management) After 'must have been received by the Secretary', insert words 'at least 10 days before the Annua! General Meeting'. Delete'before the beginning of the Annual General Meeting'. Add Rule 9. This Society shall neither be dissolved, nor amalgamated with, nor subordinated to any other body without the consent of 2/3rds of the members, at a General Meeting at which business is transacted, and in respect of which dissolution amalgamation or subordination prior notice must have been given under Rule 8. For the purpose of this Rule, Mem­ bers may vote by post.' Editorial The Reverend John Beckerlegge became assistant editor to the late Col. Ryves in 1956, at a time when the latters failing health, at over eighty years of age meant that the compiling of records and production of the report became largely the responsibility of the assistant. Since that time the membership has doubled and the volume of rec­ ords received increased enormously, but J. E. B. has continued the time- consumming practice of acknowledgement and correspondence regarding details and descriptions with courtesy and patience beyond the norm. The CBWPS owes him a dept of gratitude for the hundreds of hours of tedious work undertaken on our behalf over the past sixteen years. Now that ill health and extra duties in The Church have forced his retirement as Editor we wish him a rapid recovery and more time to enjoy the Birds of Cornwall in the Field. By coincidence, it is exactly twenty years since the first record from N.R.P. appeared in an Annual Report of the CBWPS. The same issue carried a splendid colour plate of a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater by Roger Tory Peterson, an account of lectures to the society by Niko Tinbergen and the late Ludwig Koch, and a monochrome photograph by A.G. Parsons of the Breeding Territory of Wood Sandpiper in Swedish Lapland. It was 80 pages long, cost One hundred pounds, three Shillings and Sixpence including plates, against subscriptions of One Hundred and Thirty Two Pounds Twelve shillings and Sixpence from five hundred and ninty mem­ bers. There were three Editors; Col. Ryves, Miss Quick and Mr. Parsons, and one assistant—Dr. Blair. It probably came out in May. The report of a society such as ours has a twofold purpose, the first is to present to the members an account of the year by bringing together the observations and records in a readable and entertaining form, and at the same time to further the Conservation of Cornish Birds by spreading knowledge and informed opinion.