News and comment compiled by Bob Scott and Wendy Dickson Government cuts hit ornithological research ALL BTO RINGERS have received a letter from Joe Hardman, Chairman of the BTO Ringing Committee, informing them of new prices for bird rings and equipment that become effective immediately. From now on, the ring for a Mute Swan Cygnus olor will cost nearly £1.00 and that for every Willow Warbler PhyUoscopus trochilus approximately 12'Ap. These prices may be of very little immediate concern to non-ringers, but what they reflect is a quite serious and substantial reduction in funding for the BTO from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Funding by the JNCC has always been a major part of the financial resources available to the national ringing scheme and it reflected the importance placed by Government upon die information gathered as part of the national bird- monitoring programme. It is outrageous that these cuts have been made part way through a long- term contract and in tile middle of a financial year, when the BTO had finalised its plans for the season. This inevitably means that carefully planned work will not now be done. Obviously, there are financial restraints being placed upon the JNCC: they have also cut the monies available for seabird- monitoring, for example (just when the voluntary bodies are demonstrating how important that is). Why not contact your MP and tell him if you think it is right or wrong that the Government resources should be reduced for bird-conservation science? You could suggest that he or she should raise the matter with the Secretary of State. The Bird Fair Binoculars, kids with painted faces, holidays to Rutland Water. Over 12,000 people attended everywhere from Alaska to Australia, slide the 1994 fair and over £40,000 was raised for shows, computer programmes, videos, pagers, the Halmahera appeal. magazines, telescopes, waterproof jackets, The winners of bottles of champagne in peanuts and mealworms, ice creams and hot BB's mystery photographs competition were dogs, ringing demonstrations, paintings and John Spencer of Cambridge on the Friday, E. A'ood carvings, Czechs, Poles, Italians, French, Parnell of Spalding on Saturday and Jeff Dutch and Bulgarians, quizzes and Higgott of Ipswich on Sunday. competitions, rallies, little Egrets Egretla garzetla Many, many people make the Fair possible, and Ospreys Pandion haliaetus, every society but very special thanks must go to Tim imaginable, anti-mosquito clothing, Bill Oddie Appleton and Martin Davies for all their hard and Ian Wallace, children's games, badges and work that makes it happen. If you have not stickers, free hand-outs and plenty to buy. Yes, been yet, be there next year—it's great! Put it it's all at the British Birdwatching Fair at in your diary now: 18th-20th August 1995. 574 News and comment 575 News from Bulgaria We have just received the first copy of the records of species for Bulgaria, such as Finsch's English-language edition of Neophron, the Wheatear Oenantke Jinsckii, Zitting Cisticola magazine of the Bulgarian Society for the Cisticola juncidis and Ring-billed Gull Lams Protection of Birds. The BSPB is one of the delawarensis, and new wintering records of new fledgling societies to become established species such as Black Kite Mihrns migrans and following the political changes in central and Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina. Other eastern Europe. It is now a little over three exciting observations include three records of years old and boasts a membership Slender-billed Curlew Numerous ienuirostris, a approaching 850. This is the first copy of its count of over 59,000 Red-breasted Geese magazine directed at the foreign membership Branta ruficollis and a new possible breeding (the Bulgarian-language editions being far from area for Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agrkoia. easy for most of us to follow). The contents Anyone seeking more information should include short articles on Important Bird Areas contact the BSPB, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 in Bulgaria, the successful construction of Sofia, Bulgaria. The annual subscription for artificial nesting islands at the Atanasovska foreign members is £10—a good way both to reserve, and details of key conservation help Bulgarian ornithology and to open the projects for the Society in 1994. door to some birding in a very exciting Latest bird sightings include first and second country. Italian reminiscences One of your compilers (BS) has just returned and management of areas that had previously from a (literally) Hying visit to the Po Delta, been drained (with EU money). Only small south of Venice, Italy. The most memorable beginnings, 40 ha here and another 100 ha moment of the trip was not the large number there, but at least it was getting wetter rather of Purple Herons Ardea purpurea, Black Terns than drier. The Great White Egrets Egretta alba Chlidomas mger or Zitting Cistieolas Cisticola and Gull-billed Terns Gelochelidon nilotica juncidis—all three of which seemed to be seemed to appreciate it. everywhere—but took place in a garage while One final point: whilst watching the Italian refuelling the car. Revealed during a casual Sparrows Passer (dormstkus) italiae from the hotel Hick through an Italian hunting magazine— window, BS gained the clear impression that, provided as reading material for customers compared with the House Sparrows P. waiting for their petrol tanks to be filled— dormstkus back home, their tails were longer located amongst the recipes for deer, rabbit and inclined to be fanned at the tip. Was this and wild boar, were explicit instructions on just an illusion brought on by the sun and the how to prepare, cook and eat Song Thrushes vino, or is it a case of distinctive jizz? Is there Turdus phiknmks and Sky Larks Akrnda awensu. a difference in the length of the wing, primary On the plus side, lxnvever, there were the projection, or length of tail? Anyone like to first signs of EU money funding the re-flooding comment? Some winter birding ideas Classic 1995 calendar Why not try these this winter, but wrap up Help celebrate Northern Ireland's coastline warm: and its birds in 1995. With help from their Nov. 5: Wirral high-tide birdwatch (Parkgate, many friends, the RSPB Northern Ireland Cheshire)—contact 0513-367681. Office has produced a very special calendar for Nov. 10: Goose watch (Ynvs-Hir, Dyfed)— 1995. Each month is illustrated with a high- contact 0654-781265. quality image by photographers Rene Pop, Nov. 14: Wildfowl watch (Hoddesdon, Steve Young, Arnoud van den Berg, Chris Hertfordshire)—contact 0992-460031. Gomersall and Anthony McGeehan, and an Nov. 27: Estuary birdwatch (Copperas Bay, original vignette by Killian Mullarney. There Essex)- contact 0255-886043. can be little doubt that this will become a Dec. 17 & 18: Harrier roosts (Blacktoft Sands, collectors' item and we strongly suggest that Humberside)—txmtact 0405-704294. you do not miss the boat. The calendar is now Dec. 19: Christmas quackers wildfowl (Islay, available (for £5.50 inch p & p) from the Strathclyde)—contact 0496-85440. RSPB, Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast BT8 -IQT. 576 News and comment Kowa BIY presentation The annual get-together at The Mall Galleries for the presentations of the Bird Illustrator of the Year awards has become one of the highlights of the year for the many bird artists who attend. The sponsorship by Kowa telescopes ensures that this tradition continues and brings broad smiles to the faces of the winners who receive Kowa scopes as part of their prizes (plates 168 & 169). 168. BIRD ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR 1994, Ren Hathway, receives his engraved salver and Kowa telescope from Mr Kenji Ajima, (Kowa Europe), London, July 1994 (Steve Hickeyi'Pyser) 169. BIRD ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR: front row, left to right, Max Andrews (winner of The Richard Richardson Award), Tim Worfolk (third), Ren Hathway (first) and Dan Powell (second); back row, left to right, Alan Harris (judge), Dr Tim Sharrock (judge), Mr Kenji Ajima (Kowa Europe), Robert Gillmor (judge) and Keith Shackleton (judge), London, July 1994 (Steve Hkhy/Pyser) News and comment 577 Birding abroad If you are thinking of going birding anywhere obtainable, price £1.00, from Steve in the world, there are two organisations that Whitehouse, 5 Stanway Close, Blackpole, it is worth contacting before you plan your Worcester WR4 9XL. trip. From the Netherlands comes the Dutch The first, based in the UK, has just Birding Travel Reports Service, offering a very produced its latest catalogue of birdwatching similar operation and shortly to be publishing reports based upon trips by amateur birders: a its new catalogue. The majority of the items collection of sightings and site details from the are in English. A quick comparison of the two Pacific islands to the Falklands, from China to shows very little duplication, so for now it is Corfu. Described as essential to the travelling necessary to consult both. Contact lb birder's library, The Foreign. Birdwatching ReportsHuysman , Postbus 737, 9700 AS Groningen, and Information Service Catalogue, August 1994Th is e Netherlands. Rare breeding birds in Ireland Viewing difficulty We read with interest (IWC News 80: 5) the 'N & c* is clearly in Mike Everett's blood: he following: 'The best reference for the status of cannot avoid keeping his eyes open for us. It breeding birds is perhaps the report of the was Mike who spotted that Paul Jepson, whilst (UK) Rare Breeding Birds Panel in British writing on the avifauna of Halmahera, Birds, surely a model of how data can be Indonesia, in World Birdwatch (16: 2), presented. Interested parties should get in inadvertently made a classic statement: 'the touch with IWC head office.' hardest bird to see is the Invisible Rail If the IWC does decide to create a Habroptih wallacii.