Teesmouth Club

Newsletter

April 2019 (No.72) Reg.Charity No.508850

CONTENTS

1 Monthly Summaries MONTHLY SUMMARIES

3 Local Outings Martin Blick reviews the birding highlights of the November to February period. 4 Where are Guisboroughs Swifts NOVEMBER 2018

4 Titbits November was also rather exciting, rare and interesting turning up on almost every 6 A Book Worth Reading day of the month. 7 Hurworth Burn Reservoir Three Bearded Tits on Seaton Common on 1st were likely to have been the same three 8 Chopping and Changing noted by the Long Drag in Oct, a singing male Cetti’s Warbler was at Bowesfield from 10 Learning with Dinosaurs 2nd, a ringtail Hen Harrier came in off the sea at Hartlepool on 3rd, and a fourth Cetti’s 11 BTO News Warbler was heard at Haverton Hole from 5th. 13 Treasurers Report On that same day a White-tailed Eagle was found a mile or two South of the Cleveland 15 Report from the Chair boundary near Sleddale, but, despite numerous birders watching it for the next 17 Wetland Bird Survey three days, it did not venture into Cleveland. A Slavonian Grebe was on Bran Sands from 19 Club Membership 6th, a Pallid Swift was reported at North Gare on 7th and two at South Gare on the same 21 TBC Publications day, and three White-fronted Geese were at Scaling Dam on 9th. 22 TBC Clothing Sunday 11th November was Remembrance Day and the 100th anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended the First World War. To the Cleveland birders this will long be remembered as the day that brought single Pallid Swifts to Hartlepool and Seaton Carew, but more importantly, Cleveland’s second (and Durham’s first) Little Swift to Hartlepool. Found mid-afternoon on 11th, it flew up and down the seafront with the Pallid Swift and was seen to go to roost on a house by the Memorial Garden. Next morning it left the roost, flew around for about four hours, then disappeared. Approaching 200 birders White-tailed Eagle, Sleddale Sylvia & Mick Brennan saw it during its 20-hour stay.

1 Interesting birds continued to be found, with Great Northern Divers were at Hartlepool and Rough-legged Buzzard at Scaling Dam and Seal Sands on 9th. An elusive Black-throated Hooded Crow at Hartlepool, both on 13th, Diver was also at Hartlepool from 9th. Hen Harrier on Cowpen Marsh, Bittern on Another ten Waxwings were in RSPB Coatham Marsh and small numbers of Scaup Saltholme car park on 11th, the same day as a and White-fronted Geese, all on 17th and a Shore Lark was found at Marske, 11 White- very tame (unringed) adult Night Heron in fronted Geese were around Saltholme on Locke Park on 18th and 21st. 13th, the last Great White Egret of the year A small movement of Dark-bellied Brent was on Seaton Common on 14th and a Geese was evident on 19th, two Velvet Lapland Bunting was at South Gare from Scoters were on Scaling Dam (again) on 20th 15th. and a Wheatear at Skinningrove from 20th to The last ten days of the month were rather 24th was ‘just’ a Northern Wheatear. A eventful with four Waxwings at Skelton, a juvenile male Smew graced the Petroplus Bearded on Dormans Pool and a pool for a day on 21st and another Bearded Slavonian Grebe at Skinningrove, all on 22nd, Tit was at RSPB Saltholme on 23rd. another five Waxwings beside Seaton After being closed for around four months the Common on 23rd, a Black Guillemot at South Saltholme hide re-opened on 24th, the same Gare and two Bearded Tits on Dormans Pool day as six Taiga Bean Geese were located on on 24th, increasing to four Bearded Tits on Seaton Common and two more Cetti’s 29th. Warblers were heard at Bowesfield. Next day, The biggest flock of Waxwings this winter two Bewick’s Swans graced Back Saltholme, (so far) were 43 by Sainsbury’s, a Long-tailed Duck began a seven-day stay on Middlesbrough on 28th, a Glaucous Gull flew Cowpen Marsh and a Hawfinch was over the Zinc Works Road on 29th, the same photographed at Hutton Lowcross. day as the Green-winged Teal was relocated The 26th saw most of Cleveland’s birders on Dormans Pool, but the most spectacular spending the day in the Wildlife Watchpoint bird to be seen in 2018 was a White-tailed hide at RSPB Saltholme after a Little Bittern Eagle over Sleddale on 31st. was reported by one observer. A Great White This time, assuming it was the same bird, it Egret was on Cowpen Marsh on the same did venture into Cleveland, but was only seen day. Interesting birds continued to arrive, with by one (lucky) observer. Where had it been 2 Tundra Bean Geese on Cowpen Marsh from during the intervening seven weeks? 27th, a Richard’s Pipit at the same place on 28th, then the Little Bittern was seen again on JANUARY 2019 29th by one observer, but crucially, was photographed. Consequently many birders spent many hours over the next few days Quite a lot of interesting birds stayed over staring at the reedbeds from the Wildlife from 2018, including Black Guillemot and Watchpoint, this being the first to be recorded Lapland Bunting at South Gare, Hen Harrier in Cleveland since 1852. around the North Tees Marshes, Bearded Tit and Green-winged Teal on Dormans Pool, DECEMBER 2018 Slavonian Grebe at Skinningrove (which died on 2nd) Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese on Inevitably December was rather quiet, though Seaton Common, Green Sandpipers at there were more Short-eared Owls around Portrack, Spotted Redshank on Saltern Teesmouth than has been the norm in recent Wetlands and several small groups of years, and the first wintering Hen Harrier Waxwings around Cleveland. since the 1986-87 winter was around the Seven Whooper Swans on Scaling Dam on North Tees Marshes. 3rd were the first of the year, a Hawfinch was The Richard’s Pipit was seen on Cowpen at Skelton Castle on 4th, another Slavonian Marsh again on 7th, three Waxwings graced Grebe was off Hartlepool on 9th, 12 RSPB Saltholme car park on 8th, and single Crossbills were in Westworth Wood on 11th,

2 a drake Red-crested Pochard was on Wynyard would not normally come out of hibernation lake on 14th-15th and a Black-throated Diver until April. was in Hartlepool harbour, also on 15th. An icy North wind blew on 17th bringing LOCAL OUTINGS APRIL 2019 TO AUGUST snow showers which did not last. A pale- 2019 bellied Brent Goose joined the Canada Geese at Haverton Hole, and an early Marsh Harrier was over Dormans Pool, both on the same COWPEN BEWLEY WOODLAND day. Three White-fronted Geese were at PARK Scaling Dam from 18th, the same day as two Scaup were on Coatham Marsh and a Great Tuesday 23rd April 2019 Northern Diver was off South Gare. Relatively little was seen for the remainder of Join Dave Nelson to explore this local nature the month; two Hawfinches were at Skelton reserve. A good selection of common Castle from 22nd, a Glaucous Gull was in the woodland species should be seen and early Hartlepool area, also from 22nd, and a summer migrants such as Willow Warbler, Rough-legged Buzzard was on Liverton Moor Chiffchaff and Blackcap should be well on 28th. established. Meet at the nature reserve car Night time temperatures were regularly below park at 10.00 a.m. freezing in the last week and all areas of Leader: Dave Nelson Tel: 01642 824755 freshwater froze over to some degree; the lowest temperature was -7 C on the last SUMMER MIGRANTS AT FLATTS morning of the month. LANE COUNTRY PARK MIDDLESBROUGH FEBRUARY 2019 Tuesday 7th May 2019 A significant fall of snow was evident on 1st- 2nd although relatively little was seen. Meet in the car park at 9.15 a.m. at Flatts A Ruddy Shelduck was at Scaling Dam on Lane Visitors Centre for a walk in search of 4th and 11th, a presumed returning Black summer migrants and other resident birds Swan was on Stockton Riverside from 5th with Geoff Myers, who knows this area very and a Black-throated Diver was at South Gare well. Hopefully summer visitors should on 6th. include the usual warblers including Lesser The first named storm of the year (Storm Whitethroat, Blackcap and possibly Garden Erik) tracked North East above on Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler. Many 8th, bringing us strong winds and rain, but the other resident woodland species should also only bird displaced was a single Little Auk be present. that passed Hartlepool on 9th Leader: Geoff Myers Tel: 01642 461850 The first Red Kite of the year was over Stockton on 14th, followed by one over NIGHTJARS Grinkle Park next day, the first two Avocets of the year were on Seal Sands on 16th, the June 2019 same day as a Caspian Gull was on Dormans Pool and the Green-winged Teal was re- A very popular annual outing to Guisborough located on Dormans Pool on 20th. Forest to see the Nightjars. It is intended to The last week of the month was unseasonably visit here on a June night. Seeing and hearing warm and sunny with temperatures of 15C- them is very much influenced by the weather. 19C on several days. This brought a male It is therefore the plan to advertise this walk Marsh Harrier from 24th and a movement of at a later date on the website whenever the Whooper Swans on 25th but also significant weather conditions look favourable. numbers of butterflies (of four species) that

3 RSPB SALTHOLME WILDERNESS WALK

Saturday 20th July 2019

Meet in RSPB reception at 10.00 a.m. and join Chris Sharp for a walk around the perimeter of the Reserve. A good selection of summer visitors should be present. Sedge, Reed and Grasshopper Warblers are almost guaranteed. The first returning waders should also be passing through. Leader: Chris Sharp Photo from www.swift-conservation.org If any member knows where they breed in SEATON SNOOK Guisborough, either in the town centre or on the nearby estates, please let me know. Saturday 31st August 2019 Alternatively, if anyone fancies trying to track them down this summer I would love to hear Meet at the end of the Zinc Works Road at from you to help reduce the number of areas 16.30. Join Graeme Joynt for this outing I’ll need to check. Fortunately, Swifts are which has been arranged to coincide with a visible and noisy in their breeding areas, and very high tide. Hopefully good numbers of dusk as well as dawn visits are equally passage waders should be present. Whimbrel, effective. You can contact me by email Grey Plover, Knot, Ringed Plover and Dunlin [email protected] or phone 01287 are amongst the targets but something scarcer 63819. may be present amongst the large numbers of Mark Askew the smaller waders which are often present here at this time of year. The Snook should also hold several species of tern at this time. TITBITS Roseate Terns have been regular at this time of year in recent years. A selection of bird related Leader: Graeme Joynt news items and facts

WHERE ARE GUISBOROUGH’S SWIFTS? CAN YOU HELP?

Teesmouth Bird Club are hoping to work with the Guisborough Town Hall Gateway Project to install Swift nestboxes as part of the UP, UP AND AWAY planned restoration of the 19th Century listed building. Swifts apparently still breed in the Airline pilots flying at high altitudes are town in small numbers, and it would be useful sometimes surprised to see birds flying at the to know exactly where. same height.. Researchers at Exeter University have estimated that Ruddy Shelducks crossing the Himalayas reach heights of 6800 m. (22000 ft). Mount Everest is 29,029 ft high, including the snow cap. Mallard have reached 21000 ft so the estimated figure for Ruddy Shelducks makes it the highest flying duck . However,

4 these heights are dwarfed by the records for many physical features of birds were already other species : evident in dinosaurs. These include feathers, Bar-headed Goose – 29000 ft the possession of which has been considered the defining feature of birds. Even coloured Whooper Swan – 27000 ft were developed by dinosaurs when they Alpine Chough - 26500 ft started nesting in the open and needed camouflage. There are only two pigments (red Bearded Vulture – 24000 ft and blue) in birds’ eggs, and examination of Andean Condor – 21300 ft dinosaur eggs from around the world showed the presence of the same pigments, including Bar-tailed Godwit – 20000 ft (breeds on in the eggs of small, carnivorous dinosaurs Arctic and known for non-stop flight journey. such as Velociraptor. The bird migrates in flocks from New Zealand to Alaska and has longest non-stop flight of any bird). SMALL BIRD ,BIG BITE White Stork – 16000 ft Analysis of the biting force exerted by a wide At these altitudes, the air pressure is low so range of creatures has shown that the more effort must be put in the wing beats to Galapagos Large Ground Finch has, for its maintain height and speed. This extra energy size, the most powerful bite (70 Newtons). On needs an equivalent quantity of oxygen which this basis, this is considerably more than the in turn requires highly efficient lungs It is estimated force of Tyrranosaurus rex. It now becoming apparent that efficient lungs would be interesting to see where the were inherited from dinosaur ancestors.. Hawfinch is in the list of big biters. Although dinosaurs have been regarded as slow, lumbering creatures, some were quick and active. In addition to this, they lived at a PEACOCKS SHAKE, RATTLE AND time when there was less oxygen in the air. ROLL, BUT PEAHENS PREFER BLING..... The evolution of efficient lungs would be the A displaying Peacock is always an impressive consequence of this, and the high flying birds performance with the peahen almost are the beneficiaries of it. surrounded by the brightly patterned tail (or upper tail coverts to be precise; the actual tail is smaller and a plain reddish brown). But SHRIKES KILLING BY USING there is more to the display than just colours , WHIPLASH as the males also rattle their feathers which Storing their prey for later consumption is not resonate at a frequency of 25.6 Hz. Peahens the only feature of shrikes. More impressive have a crest consisting of filoplumes which is their ability to kill prey larger than are sensitive to vibrations, especially to 25.6 themselves. Research filming Loggerhead Hz. To see if the vibrations alone would Shrikes shows that they grip their prey by the attract the peahen, a female was blindfolded back of the neck and then fling them round while the male displayed. She did not with a force sufficient to cause whiplash respond, so the tail colours are the important injuries. aspect of the male’s display.

BIRDS AND DINOSAURS Although some scientists stick resolutely to BAND (“Birds are not Dinosaurs”), but with the many fossils being found in , it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that birds are descended from Dinosaurs (coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs to be precise). In fact,

5

RE-INTRODUCTION OF WESTERN BLUEBIRDS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND. We are familiar with the process of re- introducing birds of prey like Osprey, Sea Eagle and Red Kite by removing surplus young birds from the nest after they can feed themselves and containing them in large enclosures. Feeding is done without the birds ...... AND SO DO RED-LEGGED seeing that humans are the providers. Once PARTRIDGES capable of strong flight, they are released, but food is regularly left in the vicinity until they A male Red-legged Partridge can’t compete are fully independent. Key to the success of with a Peacock, but plumage is still important the process, is the innate behaviour that birds for attracting females, in particular the male’s return to that area where they first learned to black ‘necklace’. The more complicated the fly. pattern, the more attractive the bird. The complexity of the pattern can be measured A novel variation on this theme is being mathematically by calculating the fractal successfully practised in North America dimension. It proves that the bird is healthy, using young Bluebirds from Washington as experiments where the birds had a State and relocating them in Canada on restricted diet, their FD and disease immunity Vancouver Island, where the population has were reduced. become locally extinct. Pairs are encouraged to use nest boxes and when the nestlings are OLD MOTHER ALBATROSS sufficiently large, their parents are mist netted Medical advances allow women to have and they, and the young, are driven to the new babies at older ages, but they cannot compete site. The time involved for the journey is such with a Laysan Albatross called Wisdom, said that the nestlings are hand-fed en route. At by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to be, at their destination they are placed in a least 68 years of age, the oldest wild bird in in a large aviary along with their parents. the world. She breeds on the Midway Atoll Food is provided and so strong is the urge to National Wildlife refuge where she has laid parent, that the adults continue to care for the an , which has hatched. In her lifetime, young using the food provided. When the she has raised 31 chicks. young are sufficiently mature, the door of the aviary is left open and the family party PLASTICS...... AGAIN remains in the vicinity until they migrate for Plastics are still causing problems for birds. the winter. Next spring the young birds return This time it’s the chemicals (phthalates) that to their release point to breed and their soften the plastic so it can be formed into parents, fixated on their natal area of fabrics and yarns. They have been found in Washington State, return there again to breed. the yolks of Arctic breeding Fulmars. Once Simples! the chemical has been absorbed into the bird, Alistair McLee it can then be absorbed by the developing egg. It can interfere with hormonal development by mimicking œstrogen and testosterone. Eric James

6 Evolution of birds on Southern section of Gondwana A BOOK WORTH READING

The Ascent of Birds, Prof John Reilly Pelagic Publishing £21.57 h/b, £18 p/b Based on reviews in British Birds and the BTO Bird News, this was judged the 5th best bird book of 2018. After the asteroid impact and the resulting volcanic activity which eliminated the dinosaurs, the remaining were the ancestors of modern birds, crocodiles, turtles, A surprise in the Godwit’s Story is the use of snakes and mammals. This book explains Quantum effects in navigation. how the surviving birds evolved into the over There are several evolutionary trees, but also 10,600 species of today. In the Prologue, the a recommendation of the website author freely admits that the arrangement of onezoom.org which has comprehensive trees the book is copied from Richard Dawkins’ for a range of creatures including birds – and ‘The Ancestor’sTale’, which was human beings. It is possible to zoom in to see recommended in a previous Newsletter. Each more detail and how long ago that splits chapter concentrates on one group of birds, occurred. though it can expand to similar or related species. Chapter one, for example, is the Tinamou’s Tale, a South American bird HURWORTH BURN RESERVOIR - which flies little but is capable of brief but PLANNING APPLICATION fast bursts to escape danger. The chapter also covers the evolution and distribution of Ratites (totally flightless birds : Ostriches Some two years ago, an application was (Africa), Rheas(South submitted to Durham C C planning office. It America),Cassuaries(East Indies and was for a leisure centre with caravan pitches, Australia), Emus(Australia), Kiwis(New lodges, a “hub” for refreshments, aquatic Zealand), and extinct birds: Moas(New sports plus the usual accompanying services. Zealand) and Elephant bird(Madagascar). These were to be sited on the western shores Chapter 13, the Parrot’s Story, demonstrates of the water body. Aware of its status as a the effect of geology as it covers the break up Local Nature Reserve ( LNR) aquatic events of the supercontinent Gondwana, which had were to be restricted to the west of some been formed by plate tectonics bringing all notional boundary running the length of the the continents together. As it broke up, reservoir. Unsurprisingly, there was huge different populations of primitive birds were opposition from our and Durham Bird Club, isolated and then evolved separately. Further local residents, individuals who enjoyed the changes forming land bridges and ocean visual aspect plus the proximity to nature and currents then allowed mixing of different crucially from the ecologist officer within the populations to give the distributions we see planning department. today. Visual aspect, and crucially, the element of disturbance were the prime factors which led to the planning officers’ recommendation to the planning committee that the application should be refused. The applicant’s agent’s claims that the disturbance would be minimal, had no supporting evidence of credibility. Proposed mitigation measures were irrelevant

7 and comprised merely the token hedges; tree when two species are combined into one, as planting; altering the shore’s edge in a few happened with Carrion and Hooded Crows. places and an unenforceable, restraint originally depended on preventing craft crossing a median line. The comparisons of morphology (bird structure) presence of otter was brushed aside, as was and to some extent behaviour, such as the the fact that the caravan pitches were to be on response of one taxon to the call and song of the very field edge used by the wintering another. birds. Both facts somehow evaded their Developments in the reading of genomes acknowledgement. In desperation it was means that species can now be compared in inferred that the birds could relocate to nearby more detail, with differences in individual Crookfoot Reservoir. The club pointed out genes identified. that any suitable habitat would either be fully occupied already, or if not so, then this site Dabbling ducks was already too disturbed to be at full These were all in the Anas, but genetic carrying capacity. If all these reasons were comparison shows that Gadwalls are closely not sufficient, objectors’ ringing evidence that related to the Falcated Duck and this pair are the curlew utilising Hurworthburn close to wigeons. To recognise these changes, additionally used the Tees SPA, so making the species should be moved to the genus the reservoir functionally linked to this highly Mareca, though this is not universally designated site. supported, not even by the Dutch who are The application was rejected by the planning normally the first to approve changes. committee 11 to 0, with one abstention. Calidris species However, it may well be that the applicant could appeal, but since the application does Ruff and Buff-breasted Sandpiper have been not involve actual housing, the “golden transferred to this genus ( the Ruff is closely thread” of presumed approval, so beloved by related to the Broad-billed Sandpiper and the the National Planning Policy Framework Sharp-tailed Sandpiper). The genus now (NPPF), should not be pertinent. We must consists of : wait and see. • Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris One significant feature to emerge from this • Red knot, Calidris canutus exercise, is the importance of birders’ • Sanderling, Calidris alba recording details of their observations with • Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla the relevant bird club(s). One never knows • Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri when the information could become key • Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis evidence • Little stint, Calidris minuta Ali McLee January 2019 • Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii • Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta

• Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla CHOPPING AND CHANGING • White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris Taxonomists cannot resist re-organising their fuscicollis groupings of birds. Eric James summarises • Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii some recent changes. • Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos • Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Many birdwatchers do not take much notice • Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea of the frequent changes in birds’ scientific names except when a sub-species is separated • Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima off into a full species and presents an • Rock sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis ‘armchair tick’ to those who have seen both • Dunlin, Calidris alpina taxa, such as Yellow-browed Warbler and • Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Hume’s Leaf Warbler( although there is still • Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris some doubt about this split). Less welcome is subruficollis

8 • Spoon-billed sandpiper, Calidris pygmaea Grey crested tit, dichrous • Genus • Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus Bridled titmouse, Baeolophus wollweberi • Ruff, Calidris pugnax titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus Juniper titmouse, Baeolophus ridgwayi • Surfbird, Calidris virgata Tufted titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor In addition to this, the sequence of sub-orders Black-crested titmouse, Baeolophus atricristatus in the Charadriiformes is now: waders, skuas, • Genus , Sittiparus varia auks, terns and gulls. Owston's tit, Sittiparus owstoni Iriomote tit, Sittiparus olivaceus Falcons Chestnut-bellied tit, Sittiparus castaneoventris White-fronted tit, Sittiparus semilarvatus Genetic analyses have revealed that falcons • Genus are not closely related to the other diurnal White-browed tit, Poecile superciliosus Sombre tit, Poecile lugubris raptors, as had long been assumed, but instead Père David's tit, Poecile davidi are more closely related to the parrots. The Marsh tit, Poecile palustris Caspian tit, Poecile hyrcanus parrots and falcons are more closely linked to Black-bibbed tit, Poecile hypermelaenus , Poecile montanus the than are any other groups. As a Sichuan tit Poecile weigoldicus result, the position of these groups in a Carolina chickadee, Poecile carolinensis Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapillus taxonomic sequence has been changed, with Mountain chickadee, Poecile gambeli the falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots Mexican chickadee, Poecile sclateri (Psittaciformes) now positioned between the woodpeckers (Piciformes) and the passerines Plenty for world listers there! (Passeriformes). And there’s more...... (See ‘A Book worth reading’, elsewhere ). Penduline tits (Remizidae) and tits (Paridae) are removed from and placed in their own superfamily, Paroidea, based on new information about their evolutionary Titmice relationships. The Scientific names of these were quite simple, apart from Long-tailed, Penduline Finches and Bearded, the species were in the genus These have undergone a significant revision. , implying a close relationship and a In addition to a change in sequence, of most common ancestor. Genetic analysis, immediate relevance there are changes to the however, shows that the Blue Tit is closely generic names for Linnet and Twite (now related to the in North Africa and Linaria), the redpolls (now Acanthis), Siskin the Canary Islands, so all three are now (now Spinus) and Common Rosefinch (now classed as caeruleus. Other titmice Erythrina). have been allocated to several genera. These are :

• Genus Cephalopyrus Fire-capped tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps • Genus Sylviparus Yellow-browed tit, Sylviparus modestus • Genus Melanochlora , Melanochlora sultanea • Genus Black-breasted tit or rufous-naped tit, Periparus rufonuchalis Rufous-vented tit, Periparus rubidiventris Coal tit, Periparus ater • Genus Yellow-bellied tit, Pardaliparus venustulus , Pardaliparus elegans , Pardaliparus amabilis • Genus Lophophanes European crested tit, Lophophanes cristatus

9 LEARNING WITH DINOSAURS the Science Museum. Each morning, I would walk past Sophie the Stegosaurus on the way By Olly Dove up to the bridge room, a friend I now miss After studying a BSc. in Zoology at the saying hello to. Every week brought about a University of Manchester, Olly Dove went on new topic: phylogenetic reconstruction, to complete an MSc. in Taxonomy and principles of taxonomy, genomics, to name a Biodiversity at ICL and the Natural History few. We had a schedule that focused more on Museum. Her next step was braving a contact hours with our lecturers than other residential volunteer placement at RSPB master’s courses, and had an almost full 10am Saltholme until April 2019. After working to 5pm timetable. with plovers in Madagascar last year for her Our lecturers comprised mostly of staff from master’s dissertation, Olly hopes to continue the NHM, and a few visitors from Imperial. to study avian biology in the future. Before the course, I had never been aware of how much research occurs at the NHM, as, when visiting as a tourist, you only ever see the visitor engagement side, and just a snippet of the science. Being taught by experienced researchers in each field was fantastic, and we got to learn how to construct phylogenetic trees using complicated computer matrices, how to align genomic codes for comparison, and much more. The lecturers were nearly all wonderful and enthusiastic for us to learn, and there was a much closer bond between us and our lecturers than you would find in an undergraduate hall, as it is in postgraduate studies that you start being seen as future coworkers in the eyes of researchers.

Olly Dove with her completed master’s thesis at the Natural History Museum in After completing my Zoology undergraduate degree in 2015, I didn’t expect to find myself returning to academia anytime soon. Yet, as of September 2017, I found myself standing outside the Natural History Museum of Olly Dove in her mobile hide in south-west Madagascar observing London (NHM), about to embark on an MSc. plover families in Taxonomy and Biodiversity. The course For my thesis, I had the good fortune to travel was run by a partnership of two organisations: to Madagascar to join a plover research team the museum and Imperial College London, on the south-west coast near the fishing and it was mostly the opportunity of learning village of Andavadoaka. We were studying amongst the dinosaurs in the museum that the parental care in three species: Kittlitz’s, attracted me to begin with. Madagascan and white-fronted plovers. I The majority of my lectures were held at the spent many hours in a portable hide museum, in a small room on the top floor of a (essentially a tent on wheels that I would do bridge joining the museum with its neighbour, my best to avoid sinking into the salt marshes

10 with) observing families. Part of my personal work was attempting to use a new coding BTO NEWS MARCH 2019 system for behaviour, and assess what factors affect how the parents behave with their Breeding Birds Survey and Waterways chicks. Breeding Birds Survey Our work was sadly cut short, however, as there was not enough rainfall last year, It is heartening to report that a number of new meaning that the lake in our field site did not volunteers have recently signed up to the fill up enough, reducing the number of Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in Cleveland breeding plovers in the area. This was not the this year. Only two recording sessions per end of my work, though, as I was able to use 1km square are required (plus an additional a backlog of data from the past six years. It short visit to record habitat) each taking no also allowed some time for travelling and more than two hours. The following squares volunteering for another organisation on an are still available to allocate for 2019. expedition into the rainforest in the east. NZ3311 Dinsdale, Darlington area. NZ6819 Brotton NZ6914 Moorsholm area. NZ7016 Liverton NZ7017 Liverton Mines

All BBS squares are valuable to the survey and it would be great to have full coverage. Full details are on the BTO website www.bto.org where you can register. Please contact me on 07510 996977 or [email protected] if you think you can help.

Heronries Census

The year 2018 was the 90th anniversary of the Olly Dove with white-fronted plover chick (chicks and adults were Heronries Census, which began in 1928. measured and ringed for a long-term research project) During this time, more than half of the known All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my active heronries have been covered in most postgraduate studies, and it has encouraged years, but more comprehensive surveys me to even contemplate the possibility of a organised at regular intervals have attempted PhD one day. Sadly, with rising tuition fees to increase the levels of coverage. The last but student loans not rising at the same rate time this was done was on the 75th (yet the interest on them afterwards manages anniversary in 2003, so the 90th anniversary to), many may not be as lucky as I was to was a good opportunity for another full continue their studies. I hope that those that survey. As at the end of January 2019, records do want to pursue postgraduate courses can had been submitted from over 1,250 sites find sufficient grants and scholarships to help visited in 2018. In recent years we have them do so, as it is an experience I would received counts from around 700 to 800 sites recommend. annually and we would like to thank all those observers who have helped us to achieve such an impressive level of coverage. There were at least two or three Cleveland sites that were not surveyed in 2018, so please get in touch if you can help.

11 English Farm Woodland Bird Survey about 350 squares requested to date, so it would be great if each English region could This is a new survey funded by Natural aim to get coverage of at least 5-10 squares. England. Since 1988, over 22,000 farm Access has been granted for over 700 survey woods have been planted in England. The squares (these are high Priority and colour woods are mostly small, between 1 and 5 Blue on the request map) which aren't hectares in size, which will make survey currently being covered so please select these coverage quite quick and if possible; the two such sites in Cleveland are straightforward. These farm woods were at Wynyard and Hutton Lowcross. The planted in a wide variety of settings, ranging remaining Green squares are available and from complete isolation through to alongside access permission is being requested but not existing established woodland. This provides guaranteed. a very interesting natural experiment to assess how well birds have colonised these new Link: woodlands on farmland. This survey plans to https://www.bto.org/volunteer- provide data on how birds have colonised surveys/english-farm-woodland-bird-survey woods planted in farmland. There is a map online enabling volunteers to sign up for a Contact: Daria Dadam or Greg Conway square. ([email protected])

Many of the woodlands are small and will be Leavers questionnaire fairly quick to cover. Four morning visits are required between 15 March 2019 and 15 July BTO have created a questionnaire aimed at 2019, to record all birds in and around the volunteers that have retired from the Breeding farm wood plot. Registrations will be Bird Survey, Waterways Breeding Bird recorded on site maps, using standard Survey, Heronries Census and the Woodcock BTO species and activity codes, mainly to Survey. Please note that Garden BirdWatch have their own survey. accurately plot all individuals and help avoid double counting. A summary of the number If you are a volunteer and have recently of territories detected will then be retired or withdrawn from one of these determined from each survey visit. Some schemes it would be great if you could basic, but essential, habitat recording will be complete the questionnaire (it will take just a required for farm woods, to record the few minutes). This will give us insight into features such as tree species, boundary type the way we run surveys, our online systems and mammal activity. and the level of feedback we provide. Link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/retiring_fr BTO, through the Forestry Commission will om_survey seek permission from the landowner, and then provide contact details to the volunteer. Due Mike Leakey, to this complexity around permissions, and BTO Regional Representative for Cleveland personal contact details of landowners, BTO is handling the allocation of squares to volunteers. Coverage is currently modest with

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

THE CLUB COMMITTEE (Chairman) Barbara Crinson (Vice Chairman) Brian Clasper (Hon Secretary) Chris Sharp (Hon Treasurer) Mark Askew) (Ordinary Member)Alistair McLee (First Appointed 2013) (Ordinary Member) Dan McKie (First Appointed 2016) (Ordinary Member) Julie Mason (First Appointed 2017) (Ordinary Member) Mike McGrory (First Appointed 2017) (Ordinary Member) Tom Horne (First Appointed 2018) (Ordinary Member) Barbara Keville (First Appointed 2018)

RECORDS SUB-COMMITTEE MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP CONSERVATION SUB-COMMITTEE SUB-COMMITTEE (Chairman) Tom Francis Chris Brown (Chairman) Chris Sharp (Chairman) Alistair McLee Graeme Joynt John Fletcher Graham Megson Graham Megson Eric James Vic Fairbrother Mark Rowbottom Julie Mason Alan Snape Ian Kendall Brian Clasper Barbara Crinson Chris Bell Mark Askew Geoff Iceton Ian Foster

Honorary Treasurer’s Report 2018

The club’s finances effectively broke even in 2018, with increases in publications income and interest being offset by slightly reduced subscriptions and significantly higher postage (as forecast last year, primarily a timing anomaly). The donations we made were partly in lieu of lecture fees; overall costs for the lecture meetings are substantial –they are well attended but we can always squeeze a few more in for any member wanting to extract full value from their subscription!

There remains no reason to propose any change to the subscription fees at the present time.

Mark Askew

13 14 REPORT FROM THE CHAIR FOR 2018

The purpose of the report from the Chair each April is to present a summary of the club’s activities throughout the year.

Our regular events held for the benefit of members have included 8 well-attended indoor meetings and 13 outdoor birding trips, providing great opportunity for everyone to forget their worries and just enjoy the natural world in the company of like-minded people. We have produced 3 newsletters and the glossy annual report given to all members is, yet again, of the highest quality. Marsh Tits and many other woodland birds In July last year, a few of us were involved seem to appreciate what we have provided for creating a new feeding station at Rosehill them but they, unreservedly, give back the Primary School. The club donated nest boxes most immense pleasure to us, the onlookers. I and birdbaths to enhance the grounds and firmly believe that Ted would have loved his make the whole site more attractive to birds. seat and what we have created in his memory. Let’s hope the children reap the benefit of our Our ringers intend to set the nets at the site on efforts and some become the birders of the a regular basis and the ringing totals are future! already on view within the display cabinet inside the lodge. A number of our members are regularly repairing, modifying and erecting new nest boxes across the county and a small team are vigilant in the maintenance of our various feeding stations. I liaise with the Friends Group at Stillington and it is thanks to them that the feeders at that site remain topped up throughout the winter. This, in turn, enables our ringers to go and set the nets and find out more about the birds using the forest park. Lots of us have enjoyed the spectacle of seeing dozens of Tree Sparrows and woodland birds on the feeders and this winter, the visiting Willow Tit and Bramblings have been an added bonus. A considerable amount of survey work has been carried out by a few of our key players The feeding station at Lockwood Beck has and it is so heartening to see that we have been a revelation and has, indeed, surpassed about 40 members out in the field taking part all expectations. There is no doubt that it is in the National Willow Tit survey. Please the easiest place in the county to enjoy continue to lend your support to all the stunning views of Treecreeper. The forthcoming surveys – they sharpen your numerous Siskins, Redpolls, the bolshy

15 senses, whilst being educational and often As your Chair, I have represented the Club at fun. meetings of Hartlepool Power Station, the Tees Valley Nature Partnership, supporting Ali McLee, the Tees Nature Tourism Marketing Group and also Sabic. For the past 4 years I have sat on the Scaling Dam Wildlife Advisory Group, alongside Martin Blick and in association with Northumbrian Water, and that role will continue. I must extend my thanks to the remaining Trustees for their support and particularly Brian Clasper and Mike McGrory who came to my rescue so admirably at evening meetings when I was incapacitated with a broken ankle.

We have welcomed Alan Crossley as our new POSTSCRIPT County Recorder and also Barbara Keville and Tom Horne onto the Trustees Committee. I have sought permission to share an email We have also had great pleasure welcoming with you. This was sent to me in January Chris Francis to Teesside. I personally have from John Money, who is a key player in our thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him construction team. since he took over as manager at RSPB

Saltholme. Visitors to the reserve love the “Hi Barbara recently re-furbished Saltholme Pools Hide and the re-profiling of the adjacent water We had to do some emergency repairs at bodies. The new bunds created in association Lockwood today. The Silver Birch pole with all the Environment Agency operations feeder was rotten and had snapped off at at Greatham Creek are beginning to vegetate ground level, plus Woody Woodpecker must over and we are all enjoying having our have thought he was a Beaver, and had tried access re-established in that area. to hammer it down TWICE. It was removed

and replaced with a Sycamore log – it’s a bit A small working party, led by Jamie Duffie, shorter but it has already been infested with is busy formulating a new website. When this Treecreepers! We had to work under a is launched, I would ask everyone to be constant barrage of abuse from the Marsh patient. It may require some initial fine- Tits, they were even feeding on one pole tuning, but we will have the ability to develop whilst we were working on the other. You and enhance it as time goes by. would think they never got fed, hungry little

X*!%>X^s. We have braced the pole with a Sycamore branch, but we have left the larger twigs on it. The Tits now have a new approach to the table, sitting in the new twigs before it’s their turn to hit the table and run (OK Fly).”

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It is obvious from the above why we describe the Marsh Tits as “bolshy” and it is also an indication of the commitment shown by a few individuals to the maintenance and ongoing success of all our project work.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Total Full Family Junior S/C Life Hon 2005 287 134 95 - 39 14 5 2006 317 157 89 - 52 14 5 2007 346 156 119 - 51 14 6 2008 421 176 170 - 55 14 6 2009 487 203 190 1 73 14 6 2010 521 209 209 2 78 13 5 2011 538 225 214 2 79 13 5 2012 548 312 217 1 13 5 2013 509 286 200 2 14 7 2014 488 261 207 2 12 6 2015 476 266 189 2 13 6 2016 480 268 192 1 13 6 2017 470 267 182 1 14 6 2018 453 266 166 1 14 6

As can be seen from the above table the club Thanks go to Eric for all the work he has put membership fell again in 2018 but the overall in on producing the newsletter over the past total still compares favourably to the numbers few years. 10 years ago. Our website manager Jamie Duffie continues At £12 the membership fee still remains to oversee a website that gains praise from excellent value. Despite the fact that the everyone who logs on. The site is well used junior membership rate was reduced to only and with the ever increasing use of twitter as £5 at the AGM in April 2016 the virtual non a means of reporting sightings and publishing existence of juniors is perhaps a worry for the photographs represents the best way of future. The club’s subscription rate compares visitors to the area to keep up with what’s favourably with other county bird watching around. The club is in the process of societies. updating and modernising the website and hopefully it will be better than ever and more As in previous years the many hours of free user friendly. time given by certain members is worthy of mention. Both Dave Nelson and John Fletcher The annual bird report is also a publication have shown many new members the main the club can be rightly proud of. As a past bird watching sites in Cleveland and I am sure member of the records sub-committee I know their efforts are much appreciated. Special the amount of time that is spent collating the thanks go to Eric James and Jamie Duffie records and writing and checking the report. who edited the newsletters in 2018. Jamie has The recorder Tom Francis, the editor Graeme now taken over from Eric on a full time basis. Joynt and the rest of the compilers must be

17 thanked for their efforts. The 2017 bird report work undertaken over many years Eric James is bigger and better than ever. After many will be given the “Ted Parker award” at the years service both Tom and Graeme stepped AGM.This award was introduced in memory down at the end of 2018. Their enthusiasm of Ted and is given to members who and commitment over many years has been contribute significantly to the club and its admirable. Thanks continue to go to Chris aims. Eric follows on from Vic Fairbrother, Brown who formats the report before Don Page, Russell McAndrew, Jamie Duffie publication. and Tom Francis as the previous recipients of the award. As thanks for his work as editor of the newsletter, part organiser of the “breeding Chris Sharp birdssurvey” and the huge amount of survey

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WETLAND BIRD SURVEY TEESMOUTH - WINTER 2018/2019 SUMMARY

November December January February March 04 02 20 17 17

Little Grebe 34 23 15 5 20 Great Crested Grebe 20 9 24 0 15 Cormorant 99 57 100 76 22 Mute Swan 20 21 27 24 24 Greylag Goose 139 88 66 258 110 Shelduck 247 435* 417* 386* 340* Wigeon 1854 2090 3350* 4060* 2800* Gadwall 188* 183* 157* 93 110 Teal 1121* 1984* 496 594 316 Mallard 150 190 249 154 157 Pintail 10 16 17 23 11 Shoveler 57 80 91* 113* 77 Pochard 30 29 49 39 61 Tufted Duck 46 60 68 74 106 Eider 14 18 0 2 13 Goldeneye 23 26 54 49 52 Red-br. Merganser 42* 30 27 45* 47* Coot 368 422 467 347 314 Oystercatcher 566 474 558 682 702 Ringed Plover 6 0 49 37 16 Golden Plover 975 1272 1532 226 0 Grey Plover 144 152 137 125 1 Lapwing 2818 4571* 3312* 1045 159 Knot 21 146 230 20 69 Sanderling 21 59 6 240** 125* Purple Sandpiper 27 45 55 42 40 Dunlin 110 366 364 330 51 Ruff 0 0 0 0 0 Snipe 12 37 2 2 1 Black-tailed Godwit 113 2 54 84 65 Bar-tailed Godwit 40 28 37 40 7 Curlew 306 448 410 582 523 Redshank 723* 831* 915* 716* 434 Turnstone 128 63 96 85 61

* Indicates a count of >50% of national importance ** Indicates a count of national importance

N.B. ‘Teesmouth’ includes Hartlepool Bay.

All WeBS data are collected on behalf of the WeBS Partnership, which retains exclusive rights to the sale or supply of these data for commercial purposes.

19 WETLAND BIRD SURVEY TEESMOUTH - WINTER 2018/2019 SUMMARY

Coverage was excellent with 130 of the scheduled 131 sector counts completed over the five months.

Teal (1984, December) and Black-tailed Godwit (113, November) tallied their highest winter peak counts on record (utilising data which goes back to the 1988/1989 winter). Wigeon (4060, February) also had another great winter with numbers again falling slightly shy of the 4400 individuals required for national significance. Gadwall (188, November) failed to reach nationally significant numbers during the winter period, the first time this has occurred since the 2014/2015 winter.

Knot (230, January) recorded their lowest winter peak, again utilising historic records which date back to the 1988/1989 winter. Cormorant (100, January) had another poor winter, as did Mute Swan (27, January) with this winter’s peak count comparable to those from the 1990’s. The downward trend in wintering Pochard numbers continues with a peak count of 61 being well down on the highest recorded of 242 from the 1995/1996 winter.

Other notable records from the winter counts included Slavonian Grebe (1, December), Taiga Bean Geese (6, December), Long-tailed Duck (3, January and February) and Glaucous Gull (1, February).

Following this winter’s series of counts, the Tees and Hartlepool Bay WeBS recording area is of national significance for Sanderling.

Adam Jones WeBS Local Organizer March 2019

20 TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB – Publications

PRICES SLASHED….PRICES SLASHED…PRICES SLAS

Birdwatchers of Teesmouth 1600 to 1960 £1 +£1 p.&p.

Teesmouth Bird Reports 1958-1973 on a CD £2.50

Birds of Tees-side 1962-67 by Phil Stead £2.50 Birds of Tees-side 1968-1973 by Martin Blick £2.50 Birds of Tees-side (1964) by Phil Stead £2.50 (published in NHS Transactions).

Cleveland Bird Reports:- No complete sets now available, but have one with 1987 missing (can complete set with CD). (Postage extra if not collected-10kg).

1974 to 2016 £2.00 each where available. (Out of print 1974, 1976, 1978 to 1988 on a CD) Plus £1.00 for p.& p. per copy.

2017 £7.50 each (£5.00 for TBC Members) Plus £1.50 for p.&p. per copy

Barn Owl at RSPB Saltholme: Print @ £2 each (Postcards 5p)

Car Stickers: £1.00

Cheques should be made payable to “Teesmouth Bird Club” with orders, and sent to: John Fletcher, 43 Glaisdale Avenue, Middlesbrough, TS5 7PF.

Please pass on unwanted copies of Club publications to John, particularly those that are “Out of print”, so that they can be resold to other members.

J.Fletcher [email protected] 01642-818825

20th March 2019

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Teesmouth Bird Club

Teesmouth Bird Club clothing merchandise with professionally embroided emblem ,various colours, any size. Produced locally.

QUANTIT ITEM DESCRIPTION SIZE Y UNIT PRICE S, M , L, XL,XXL,XXXL FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT NAVY BLUE £19.00 FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT BOTTLE GREEN £19.00 FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT BLACK £19.00

REGATTA FLEECE , ZIPPED FRONT, NAVY BLUE £25.00 REGATTA FLEECE, ZIPPED FRONT,BOTTLE GREEN £25.00 REGATTA FLEECE , ZIPPED FRONT, BLACK £25.00

ACRYLIC BEANIE HAT, BOTTLE GREEN £8.00 ACRYLIC BEANIE HAT, NAVY BLUE £8.00

BASEBALL CAP NAVY BLUE £9.00

SIZE CHEST S 34-36" NAME ...... M 38-40" TEL. NUMBER ...... L 42-44" ADDRESS ...... XL 46-48" ...... XXL 50-52" ...... XXXL 54-56" ......

POST CODE ......

Return to Brian Clasper,1 Queens Drive, Sedgefield, Co.Durham TS21 2JJ (email: [email protected]). Cheques made payable to `Teesmouth Bird Club`.

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