News and Comment Peter Conder and Mike Everett CITES Meeting the Second Meeting of the New World Vultures), to Appendix II
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News and comment Peter Conder and Mike Everett CITES meeting The second meeting of the New World vultures), to Appendix II. This parties to the Convention on International will enable close monitoring of owls, hawks, Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was eagles and other species which are often held in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, in highly vulnerable to threats from trade, March. Delegates representing 39 parties to especially falconry (Habitat). the Convention attended, and a further 15 states were present as observers, as well as 55 non-government organisations. The dele Countryside and Wildlife Bill The pro gates to the meeting had to consider 300 indi posed Bill to cover the EEC Bird Directive, vidual changes to the three appendices of the habitat protection, wetlands and the former Convention. The most significant change re Countryside Bill (see Habitat, no. 6, 1979) has garding birds was the addition of all birds of been given the title of the Countryside and prey, both nocturnal and diurnal (except Wildlife Bill. Final details from the Depart- Continued. 45 46 News and comment ment of the Environment are awaited with Winter atlas work has now started in interest by the voluntary wildlife con France and the Netherlands and will soon servation bodies, which will undoubtedly start in Norway and the United Kingdom. wish to comment on its content. Methodology for winter atlas surveys will be a major item for consideration at the next WEBS Conference The prime aim of the EOAC meeting, at Leon in Spain in Septem Working-group of European Bird Protection ber 1981. The following officers of the EOAC Societies (WEBS) is to strengthen national were elected for 1979-81: Dr J. T. R. bird protection societies throughout Europe Sharrock (UK, chairman), Dr Pierre by discussing problems and sharing solu Devillers (Belgium, treasurer), Dr K. Stastny tions. The working group has just completed (Czechoslovakia, joint-secretary, eastern its third conference, hosted in 1979 by the Europe) and Dr F, J. Purroy (Spain, joint- RSPB in England; delegates from member secretary, western Europe), societies in 17 countries met and discussed issues affecting their work, such as the im Extinct Quango The Advisory Committee plementation of the EEC directive on the on Bird Sanctuaries in the Royal Parks has Conservation of Wild Birds and their (in its present form) advised Ministers on Habitats, the roles of advisory committees bird conservation in the Royal Parks for 32 under this directive and, after implementa years. The Committee has been responsible, tion, the difficulties expected in enforcing the with the enthusiastic and effective co laws in some areas. Later, societies ex operation of the relevant departments, for changed ideas for fund-raising. During dis providing many sanctuaries, which have cussions of youth projects, a Europe-wide ensured the successful breeding in recent migration phone-in which would cover years of waterbirds such as Grey Heron Ardea Europe from Malta to Lapland was tenta cinerea and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps tively welcomed as an idea to combine cristatus, and provided safe nesting areas for education and co-operation. Further dis insectivorous birds, which have increased cussions covered oil pollution, and possible because of London's cleaner air. It has also conflicts with farmers and game-rearing given advice on improving the general interests as Goshawks Accipiter gentilis habitat for birds, including tree planting, increased under protection. (Contributed by provision of shrubs and maintenance of A. B. Gammell) lakes. During this time, the number of species breeding regularly in Inner London has European atlas news At its fourth meet increased from 29 to 40. This is largely due to ing, at Gottingen in the Federal German increases in breeding species in the Royal Republic in September 1979, the European Parks in that area. The Committee has main Ornithological Atlas Committee confirmed tained a network of Official Observers who its resolve to institute and co-ordinate have provided the vital data on changes in fieldwork during 1985-88 in every European the bird life of the Royal Parks throughout country, leading to publication in 1990/1991 the London area and their observations have of an Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Europe. There been published in a series of regular reports. will be a map of the summer distribution of The Committee and the Official Observers every species nesting in Europe (using the 50 are unpaid and the costs—the use of official X 50 km squares of the UTM grid), with a time and so on—of running the Committee facing page of English text, in the style must be minute. familiar in the British and Irish The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. The The Ministry has informed the advisory EOAC hopes to raise sufficient funds for a committee that, in future, advice will be full-time co-ordinator during 1984-90. With obtained by informal contacts. This proce the welcome addition of Dr Olav Renno as dure is unlikely to be as efficient as a 'provisional co-ordinator' for the USSR, the committee which can press for action as well EOAC now includes delegates from 24 as give advice when sought. There appears to member countries. It hopes that Austria, die be little justification for winding up this Faeroe Islands, the German Democratic committee, apart from the cosmetic value of Republic, Iceland and Luxembourg, where removing one name from the list of Quangos. contracts have already been established, will soon appoint delegates and participate. Maurice Brown of Hawk Mountain The There remain only two outstanding gaps: curator emeritus of Hawk Mountain Sanct Albania and Greece. uary (Pennsylvania), Maurice Brown, has News and comment 47 died. Maurice Brown made an extraordinary Also odd is the choice of the 1880 Act as a contribution to the conservation of and cause for celebration. The RSPB marked in concern for raptors. His book, Hawks Aloft, 1969 the centenary of the Sea Birds Preser tells the story of the transformation of Hawk vation Act 1869 as 'the first Act to protect Mountain from a slaughter point for migrat birds for other than sporting purposes' (Birds ing raptors into an observatory that has done 2: 267-270). Following the 1869 Act, Par as much as any other institution concerned liament passed two Wild Bird Protection with birds to catch the imagination of visitors Acts, in 1872 and 1876. Neither was very and to help in the education of new genera satisfactory and both were repealed when the tions of birdwatchers and conservationists. 1880 Act was passed. The 1880 Act hardly Maurice Brown was the guiding genius from fared any better, however, and was so defec the earliest days of the sanctuary, and the tive that it earned the unenviable title of international raptor conservation movement 'principal' Act in quick time. (The term will forever be in his debt. (Contributed by 'principal' is applied only when an amending Michael J. Thomas) Act is passed.) In this case, the first amending Act came in the following year, but the confusion arising from the 1880 Act was The Lincolnshire Bird Club This new apparently not really cleared up until the club, covering Lincolnshire and south Hum- Wild Bird Protection Act of 1896. berside, has been formed to encourage and co-ordinate general birdwatching in the two SOC Conference The thirty-second annual counties, including the participation in conference of the Scottish Ornithologists' county and national surveys and censuses, Club was held during 26th-28th October migration and sea-watching, and to monitor 1979 at die Marine Hotel, North Berwick, the successes and failures of the local with an arctic bird theme. The main session breeding and wintering bird populations. of the conference opened with Dr Jeremy The Lincolnshire Bird Club will promote Greenwood giving an excellent survey of the indoor meetings with talks or films on the Arctic from a bird's viewpoint. He was second or third Wednesday in each month followed by Malcolm Ogilvie discussing the through the winter. These meetings will be Scottish connections of arctic birds and then held at a variety of centres, to cater for by Harry Green's paper on Greenland breed birdwatchers from places as far apart as ing waders in Britain, which told of results of Scunthorpe and Spalding. The Club intends work undertaken in biological expeditions to to publish regular newsletters and an annual Greenland. bird report. The inaugural meeting was held at Horncasde on 14th November 1979. The Sunday morning session began with Membership: ordinary £5, family £6, under three short talks on ornithological research in 18 and senior citizens £2.50, corporate £10. Norway and Scotland by John Innes, Dr Application forms and further details are Chris Spray and David Merrie. Finally, Dr available from the hon. secretary: R. N. Hugh Boyd of die Canadian Wildlife Goodall, 3 Kettleby View, Brigg, Humber- Services lectured on the geese of the side. Canadian Arctic. As usual, the conference lived up to its reputation of providing good speakers on interesting subjects in excellent Protection of Birds Act centenary stamps surroundings. This January, the Post Office is issuing a set The usual BB mystery photograph com of four stamps, depicting Dipper Cinclus petition attracted 70 entries. Three of the five cinclus, Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, Yellow species were correctly identified by seven Wagtail Motacilla flava and Moorhen entrants: Gary F. Bell, Alan Brown, Jean Gallinula chloropus, designed by Michael Burton, Dr Edmund Fellowes, Ian Gray, Warren, to mark the centenary of the Wild Angus Hogg and Chris Spray; and the only Birds Protection Act 1880. Splendid as the person to identify four correctly was Bob idea is, all the birds are associated with water Scott.