Scottish Birds
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SCOTTISH BIRDS / THE JOURNAL OF THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB Volume 7 No. 3 AUTUMN 1972 Price SOp SCOTTISH BIRD REPORT 1971 OBSERVE & CONSERVE BINOCULARS TELESCOPES SPECIAL DISCOUNT OFFER OF ~6 33 °% POST/INSURED FREE Rc/nil 111·ice Our l ldt e SWIFT AUDUBON Mk. II 8.5 X 44 £49.50 £33.50 SWIFT SARATOGA Mk. II 8 X 40 £32.50 £23.90 GRAND PRIX 8 X 40 Mk. I £27.40 £20.10 SWIFT NEWPORT Mk. 11 10 X 50 £37.50 £2. 6.25 SWIFT SUPER TECNAR 8 X 40 £18.85 £13.90 ZEISS JENA JENOPTEN 8 X 30 £32.50 £20.80 eARL ZEISS 8 X 30B Dialyt £103.15 £76.90 CARl ZEISS 10 X 40B Dialyt £119.62 £87.95 LEITZ 8 X 40B Hard Case £131 .30 £97.30 LEITZ 10 x 40 Hard Case £124.30 £91.75 ROSS STEPRUVA 9 X 35 £51.44 £39.00 HABICHT DIANA 10 X 40 W/ A (best model on market under £61) £60.61 £48.41 Nickel Supra Telescope 15 x 60 x 60 £63.50 £47.50 Hertel & Reuss Televari 25 x 60 x 60 £62.00 £46.50 and the Birdwatcher's choice the superb HERON 8 x 40 just £12.50 (leaflet available). As approved and used by the Nature Conservancy and Forestry Commission. All complete with case. Fully guaranteed. Always 76 models in stock from £9 to £85. Available on 7 days approval-Remittance with order. Also available most makes of Photographic Equipment at 25 % to 37t % Discount. 8end for separate price list. Ask for our free brochure 'Your guide to Binocular/ Telescope Ownership' and price list. HERON OPTICAL COMPANY (Dept. S8), 15 8hort Croft. Doddinghurst, Brentwood, Essex. Tel. Navestock 3498 (Approx. October onwards Coxtie Green 73498) Please despatch to me immediately .................... .. ........ .. for which I enclose £ .......... ..! .. ..... Please send me your Free Brochure described above plus Binocular/Telescope/Photographic Price List. (Delete as appropriate) Name ....... ................................. ..... ............. ... ................ .. .. .. Address ................ .. ............................................................ .. ........ .. .................... ....................... ...... ............................ (8B) COLOUR SLIDES ,,~ . t;.. We are now able to supply 1101 . slides of most British Birds from our own collection. and SUTHERLAND from that of the R.S.P.B. ARMS HOTEL Send 15p for sample slide GOLSPIE and our lists covering these SUIHERLAND and birds of Africa-many fine studies and close-ups. SCOTI-AND Telephone: Golsple Z16 FOR HIRE We have arranged to hire out Situated on the main North slides of the RS.P.B. These Road near the sea, Golspie are in sets of 25 at 40p in offers invigorating open air holidays to all. cluding postage, per night's hire. Birds are grouped In addition to its unique according to their natural golf course, it has fine loch fishings, sea bathing, tennis, habitats. bowls, hill climbing, unrival led scenery, including inex W. COWEN, Keswick haustible subjects for the field sketcher and artist and is an ornithologist's paradise. It is, indeed, impossible to find elsewhere so many nat ural amenties in so small a compass. The astonishing diversity of bird life in the vicinity BI RDS has been well known to or nithologists for many years, and but it is still possible to make surprising discoveries in Sutherland. ISLANDS The Hotel is fully modem, St KUda, Orkney but retains its old world Shetland, Hebrides charm of other days, and en· joys a wide renown for its good secondhand comfort and fine cuisine. books on these Fully descriptive broch and all branches ures, including birdwatching, of natural history will gladly be forwarded on for sale and wanted request. Central Heating. Lists from Proprietor, Mrs F. HEXLEY DAVID WILSON Garage &: Lock-ups available 95 Worlds End Lane AA. R.A.C. R.S.A.C. WestoD Turvllle Aylesbury, Bucks. SWANS BIG GAME and B I R D S SAFARIS 21 DAYS £430 VISITING THESE NATIONAL PARKS AND GAME RESERVES Nairobi, Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru, Tsavo, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Mara, in Kenya and Tanzania A GUEST LECTURER accompanies each Safari and his expert and personal knowledge of East Africa, its animals and birds, its history, peoples and customs, highlights your enjoyment. DEPARTURES Jan. 17, 24, 31; Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28; Mar. 7; June 27; July 18; Aug. 8, 29; Se pt. 19; Octo 10, 31. BEACH AND TREE-TOPS SAFARIS A great opportunity to combine the thrill of seeing East African Wildlife with the enjoyment of beautiful beaches. 21 days from £305 Send this Coupon for Free Brochure I To SWANS SPECIALISED SAFARIS 237/238 (W20) Tottenham Court Road, London, I W1 P OAL. Telephone OHl36 8070 Please send me your 12 page colour brochure on Big Game and I Birds Safaris I Name.. .. ........ ... .......... ... ...... ... ....... .. ........... ........... ... ...................... ............................... I Address ............................... ......... ........ ....... ................................................................. .. L __ SCOTTISH BIRDS TIlE JOURNAL OF THE SCOTIISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 SBT CONTENTS OF VOLUME 7, NUMBER 3, AUTUMN 1972 Page Editorial 105 Scottish Bird Report 1971. By R. H. Dennis (plates 9-12) 107 The Scottish Ornithologists' Club 163 Edited by T. Delaney, 31 Starbank Road, Edinburgh EH5 3BY Assisted by D. G. Andrew Business Editor Major A. D. Peirse-Duncombe, Scottish Ornithologists' Club, 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BT (tel. 031-556 6042) Will tomorrovv's adults care about the countryside? To make sure they do, the RSPB has taken another step into the future by opening Loch Leven Nature Centre This centre is designed for schools and the general public. There is a resident teacher in charge. We like visitors.. so bring the family-there's lots to see nature trail, large exhibition room, children's nature discovery room, three tripod-mounted binoculars--and wildlife in plenty, in a lovely scenic setting. JoIn the RSPB and help to build more nature centr.s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, ~B 17 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. TeJ. 031-5565624. Route: From main Edinburgh-Perth road, just south of Kinross, turn east on 69097. Centre 2 miles. Closed Mon. & Fri. SCOTTISH BIRDS THE JOURNAL OF THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB Vol. 7 No. 3 Autumn 1972 Edited by Tom Delaney, assisted by D. G. Andrew Editorial S.O.C. Research Committee. The fifth and final year of field work for the BTO Atlas is now complete. An unusual merit of this enquiry was that wherever he lived a birdwatcher could contribute useful records, and he did not have to be an expert. Thus many people had their first experience of taking part in a co-operative scientific enquiry; and results have been far be yond what anyone expected at the start. The Council of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club was keen that after this Atlas work was finished the enthusiasm it had created should not be lost. In January therefore it appointed a Research Committee consisting of Andrew T. Macmillari (Chairman), Roy H. Dennis and Dr Ian Newton to suggest and coordinate Scottish ornithological projects-these might be for the whole of Scotland or of a more local nature. Branch representatives were asked to invite their local committees to submit suggestions. The Research Committee met several times and has sub mitted a detailed report to the Council, as well as dealing with other matters referred to it. The primary purpose of the committee is to provide impetus for SOC members and others who would like to take part in useful fieldwork in Scotland. This will be done by suggesting projects to the Council and by commenting on any that are referred to it. The committee will be glad to receive sugges tions for enquiries, now and at any time. It particularly favours short simple projects from which published results will emerge quickly, and ideally will aim for a geographical and seasonal spread offering something for everyone. Enquiries into matters of specifically Scottish interest which would not be considered on a wider basis will be especially attractive, and those with a bearing on conservation problems are likely to be preferred over more abstract ones. At times enquiries run by the BTO and others may be commended; and it is not intended to divert people from important national enquiries run by such bodies. The committee will consider any project put to it, but in the 106 EDITORIAL 7(3) absence of suggestions will put forward its own ideas. Before any enquiry, whether at Scottish or local level, is given official Club backing it will have to meet certain minimum require ments, including a worthwhile aim, enthusiastic and competent organisation, a planned timetable, and publication of results. Official backing by the Council will mean that a project is pub licised (in Scottish Birds and elsewhere) as a Club enquiry, eligible for necessary finance and subject to supervision by the Council. Branches also will publicise these enquiries, and some may decide to set up field groups to co-ordinate the work of their members. The committee will consider the value and aims of an en quiry, and the means of achieving them, but will not become involved in running it. It is absolutely essential to get good organisers to run each enquiry, because nothing discourages observers so much as feeling that their efforts have been wasted in contributing to a badly run enquiry, where perhaps results are not published, or the organiser does not answer letters, or makes insufficient effort to find people to cover all areas and to see that they do in fact cover the places they take on. It is not necessarily the most experienced ornithologists who make the best organisers. The committee will be very glad to hear from anyone who feels able to undertake the work of running an enquiry or to suggest the name of someone who might be asked.