News and comment compiled by Bob Scott and Mike Everett

A conservation strategy for Ireland's birds THE IRISH WH.DBIRD CONSERVANCY, in conjunction with the Irish government's Office of Public Works and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, has produced a Conservation Strategy for Birds in Ireland. This follows on from the RSPB's Strategy for the UK, focusing on the most- threatened species and their relationships to various habitat types. The similarities between the two documents are many, but the conclusions are slightly different, as is to be expected when the geographical unit of Ireland is divorced from Great Britain. This also puts Northern Ireland in die unique position of having two strategies (UK and Ireland) which have to be dovetailed together! The twelve most-mreatened breeding species are Common Scoter Mehmtta nigra. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus, Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus, Grey Partridge Perdix perdix, Common Quail Cotumix coturnix, Corn Crake Crex crex, European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, Northern Lapwing Varwllus vanellus, Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii, Barn Owl Tyto alba, European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus and Corn Bunting Miliaria cakmdra. This assessment omits sporadic breeding species such as Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata and Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypokuca, which are under tfireat only through rarity. The five most- threatened habitats for breeding birds are lowland wet grassland, machair, bogs, fens and waterside vegetation and non-intensive grassland. Other habitats, such as turloughs, are highly threatened, but do not have the ornithological importance to bring them into the list of priorities. The document also clearly highlights the importance of Ireland's Red-billed Choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, wintering waterfowl and breeding seabirds, as well as direats to habitats for wintering birds, such as intertidal flats, salt- marsh and other coastal regions. {Contributed by Dave Allen)

Project Halmahera This year, the In Focus County Bird Race and BirdLife International is working with the In­ the British Birdwatching Fair are both raising donesian Government to set up two protected money for BirdLife International's Project areas on Halmahera -although the authorities Halmahera. Halmahera, a small island in In­ are keen to do this, they lack sufficient re­ donesia, is one of the top world bird-conserva­ sources. Project Halmahera is an opportunity tion priorities. About the size of East Anglia, for British birders to make a fantastic contribu­ together with a few small nearby islands, it is tion to the conservation of one of the world's home to an almost unbelievable 26 species of true bird hot-spots. birds that are found nowhere else in the world. This year's British Birdwatching Fair is If the forest here gents, so do 26 bird species, being held at Rutland Water, on 19th-21st Au­ lost to die world for ever. gust. 238 News and comment 239 Some new discoveries—spiders, birds and monkeys In our never-ending search to bring you news forest of Tanzania. What makes this partridge­ of additions to various lists, be they British or like bird particularly interesting is its apparent world, here are some goodies for you: relationship with similar species in Asia, rather New to Britain: Coleosoma blandwn, a small than those of Africa. tropical spider first described from a male New to the World: Two for the price of specimen from Sri Lanka. Worldwide it is now one—both primates and both from the tropi­ located in such tropical areas as Malaysia and cal forests of Brazil. Both species have a very the Seychelles. In July 1993, however, in leaf limited distribution and very little is known litter beneath the oaks of Queen's Wood, concerning either species. The Black-headed Highgate, London, an adult female was Marmoset Callithrix nigriceps has one of the trapped. There is little doubt that man has smallest geographical ranges for any Amazo­ been closely associated with its new locality, nian monkey, and its future is most precarious. but such niceties seem less important to arach- It is formally classified as 'endangered', as is nologists than to birders. the other new species, Ka'apor Capuchin Cebus New to the World: Xenoperdix udzunguoen.su, kaapori. Present evidence is that this is the more not only a new species but a new genus as widely distributed of the two species, and, in­ well. And it is a bird. Not established by some deed, may have been much more numerous museum splitter, but discovered by a group of before extensive deforestation. Danish ornithologists working in the montane

Site designations in the balance Birding goes soft? KngHsh Nature, one of the Government's na­ Many of us arc old enough to remember the ture conservation advisers, has proposed the times when a visit to a bird observatory was a designation of the Northumberland Shore and chilly experience, shivering through die night the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast as Special as the tilley lamps were pumped, and the Protection Areas under the EC's Birds Direc­ evening meal was prepared on the primus tive. The Department of the Environment has stove. Oh, how things have changed! The received a number of objections from sea- latest news to reach us is that at Dungeness anglers concerned about bait-digging, but no Bird Observatory, Kent, not only are the letters in support. At the time of writing, the shower, freezer, washing-machine, electric date for comments has passed and the even­ stoves and similar equipment well in place, but tual outcome is, therelbre, in the balance. We central heating is now added. Will there be shall keep you informed. any mid-winter birding from now on?

Nightjar news New warden for Cape Clear Vaurie's Nightjar Caprimulgus cenlralasicus was Although bird observatories in general have known only from a single specimen taken in experienced a trough in terms of visitor western China in 1929. Then came the news, numbers, interest in the Republic's only bird not known to the Western world until 1993, observatory remains strong. Perhaps it is the that 'several1 specimens had been collected by renowned social scene and the friendliness of Chinese ornithologists from Beijing University the islanders that brings birders back, though in 1975, the collection site being only some we suspect that Cape's record for seabird 250 km from the original record. News has, passage and October rarities has an effect. unfortunately, just been passed on that the The Council of CCBO is delighted to specimens in fact refer to the European Night­ appoint Alan D'Alton as Warden for the 1994 jar C. eiiropaeus so it is back to being the season. Alan has been a regular visitor to Cape rarest of all, just a single record. since his teenage days and is particularly Good news, however, of another nightjar, interested in sketching the island's avifauna Satanic Eared-nightjar Eurostopodus diabolicus. during his stay- ~he was formerly employed as Confined to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a graphic artist in his native Dublin. For the species had not been seen since 1931. Now information on bookings write to K. Grace, 84 comes news that members of a KmgBird Tour Dorney Court, Shankill, Co. Dublin. have seen what may well have been this {Contributed by Oran O'Sullwan) species in the Lore lindu National Park. 240 News and comment Bluebirds over . . . New date for OBC meeting A splendid little leaflet entitled 'Birdwatchins The Oriental Bird Club's Manchester meeting in White Cliffs Country', written by Pett will take place on 18th June (not 25th June), at Findley and illustrated by John Hollyer, tell: the United Reform Church, Elm Road, you where to go birchvatching in the Dovei Gatley, near Manchester, Details from the area. For a copy, telephone the White Cliff: Meetings Officer, OBC, c/o The Lodge, Countryside Project on Dover (0304) 241806. Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 21)1,.

Weather service for ornithologists When is just the right time to head for the east tures and full explanatory text for 'all bird en­ coast, or St Ives Bay, or Dungeness? We all thusiasts'. Different numbers will give you know just what a critical part the weather satellite images, national weather situation, or plays in what birds will be where and when. A a five-day outlook (either nationally or in one new service, introduced by Telephone of seven regions). The calls are charged at 36p Information & Services and the Meteorological per minute cheap rate and 48p per minute at Office, may well help plan the weekend's other times. A satellite image, with very fine venue. The new system is called 'Weathercall detail, takes some six minutes to be transmit­ Fax', but to take part you need ready access to ted—some £3.00 a time. It is an interesting a fax machine. Set up with this extra piece of idea, but somehow we cannot believe that technology (one presumes you already have a birders will be the major users of the system. telephone, pager and assorted electronic gad- Perhaps we shall be proved wrong? Further in­ getry), a simple call will deliver to your fax formation from TIS, London (071) 975-9000. machine a hard copy of charts, satellite pic­

Stanley Cramp Seabirds in Iberia Stanley Cramp, who died in 1987, was Apparendy the final count for the number of acknowledged as having devoted a lifetime breeding pairs of Audouin's Gulls Larus to ornithology {Brit. Birds 85: 387-414) with a audouinii in the Ebro Delta colony, Spain, in close association with this monthly journal. 1993, was a staggering 9,360. Andy Paterson Further acknowledgment to Stanley now exists tells us that this, and lots more data on the sta­ in a newly described subspecies of the Fan- tus of Iberian seabirds, will be published in tailed Raven Corvus rhipidums slanleyi (Dutch May 1994. The book, entitled 'Avcs marinas Birding 15: 258r262). The author, C. S. de Iberia, Baleares y Canarias', will be in Roselaar, states 'The nvw subspecies is named Spanish, but with extra-long English sum­ in honour of Stanley Cramp, OBFJ (1913-87), maries and in a format that will be easily initiator of BWP. Stanley had a strong interest understood. In addition to the information on in both crows and the Middle East, Without status, the book includes an introduction by his stimulating correspondence throughout the Bill Bourne and details of all the rare seabirds first five volumes, the handbook would never in Iberia and the island groups. have reached its present status.'

More on those gulls Gone for ever Herring Larus argentatus, Yellow-legged In the context of the impact of man on migra­ /,. cachmnans and Lesser Black-backed Gulls tory birds, it is sobering to be reminded by L. fust-us 'represent a superspecies. Our data Professor Peter Berthold (Bird Migration, 1993, imply that gene flow between the 3 gull species reviewed on pages 220-221) of the current esti­ must be negligible and furthermore, that they mates that human influences will reduce the represent rather young species which may number of plant and animal species on Earth have split 100 000-500 000 years ago. The by between 50% and 90% over the next 100 recognition of /... cackhnans as a distinct species years. Thus, even if all conservation measures is supported by molecular evidence.' So say are totally successful, half the world's current Michael Wink, Ute Kahl and Petra Heidrich living species will be extinct before the year {J. Om. 135: 73-80). AD2100. God help us! QTRS) News and comment 241 Biodiversity and sustainability There was a time when the word than just words, and that clear action follows 'Environment' was linked almost solely to in the months ahead. For those of you with a wildlife and the countryside. It was associated little spare reading time, 'Biodiversity with conservation organisations wishing to safe­ Challenge' is available from the Biodiversity guard Britain's flora and fauna. Then, some­ Challenge Group, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, how or other, the word was hijacked. It began Bedfordshire SG19 2DL; summaries of the DoE to be used for a wider meaning. It included, Strategy are available from DoE, PO Box 151, among other things, housing and roads, and London El 5 2HF. The full document (Cm 2426) eventually we were presented with the is available from HMSO bookshops at £22.00. Department of the Environment. Flicking through these various publications Now the discussion is all biodiversity and can be quite fascinating, There are stated sustainability. The voluntary conservation sec­ targets for a whole range of bird species, tor (including, among others, Friends of" the including increasing Slavonian Grebes Podkeps Earth, RSNC, RSPB and WVVF) has pro­ aurkm to at least 80 pairs within 10 years, and duced a document entitled 'Biodiversity maintaining both the Wryneck Jjnx torquilla Challenge—-an agenda for conservation in the and Red-backed Shrike Lanius attune as UK UK'. This was followed by no fewer than four breeding species. The one we really like ap­ documents from the Department of the pears under 'Coleoptera' (beetles): 'Agljiptinus Environment: 'Sustainable Development: The agathidioides (a beetle) An endemic British UK Strategy'; 'Biodiversity: The UK Action species known only from one male and one fe­ Plan'; 'Climate Change: The UK Programme'; male collected from a Moorhen's Gallinula and 'Sustainable Forestry: The UK chkrropus nest in Potter's Bar, Hertfordshire, on Programme." Lots of words running to hun­ 14th April 1912. Clarify true world status and dreds of pages. Let us hope that it is more protect if rediscovered.'

BTO membership soars Twitchers to become criminals? Having enrolled over 1,300 new members in It may just have escaped your notice, but the 1993, the BTO is poised to recruit its 10,000th 'Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill', cur­ member in 1994. If you are not a member, rently going through Parliament, has a section then now is a good time to join. Thanks to the entitled 'Collective Trespass or Nuisance on generosity of Ixka Camera UK, a £700 pair of Land'. This is intended to combat problems I^eim binoculars will be presented to the lucky such as new-age travellers and hunt saboteurs. new member who is number 10,000. If you It does, however, give powers to the police to should be unlucky enough to be number 9,999 remove trespassers if 'two or more persons' are or 10,001, there is still a good deal to be had. involved, and, if they fail to leave, or return Basic membership costs £ 19.00; pay by Direct again within three(!) months, they are liable for Debit and get a £3.00 discount plus vouchers a term of imprisonment. Now, we are not sug­ worth £15.00 against books and bird-sound gesting for one minute that this will present recordings: total cost, £1.00. Full details from any problem to the well-behaved birder, but if Sue Starling Slumus vulgaris^), BTO, The Nun­ a landowner had a 'mega' on his property, nery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU. and was particularly unhelpful, then . . .

Messina's illegal hunting The Strait of Messina is a key route for bird In the last 13 years, special observation migration from Africa to Europe, together with camps have been organised, helping to halt the Bosphorus and the Strait of Gibraltar. illegal hunting and taking a census of the Thousands of birds of prey and hundreds of migrating birds. This year the camp will be storks are concentrated in this area each year. managed by WWF Italy, along the Sicilian In spring 1993, more than 25,000 birds of 29 side of the Strait of Messina, from 2nd April to species were counted, including 5,000 Honey- 28th May. To participate and receive more buzzards Pernis apivorus in one day. information about 'Spring in the Strait' Unfortunately, there is also intense poaching activity, please contact WWF Italy—Camps activity. In past years, WVVF registered more Office, Via Donatello, 5/B, 20100 Milano, than 1,000 shots and 50 birds of prey killed in Italy; telephone 02-29.40.42.60. a day. 242 News and comment Cull of Goosanders and Cormorants on the Welsh border Licences issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Cormorant numbers and behaviour, and on Fisheries and Food, for shooting Great the output of fish. If there is a continuous Cormorants Phatacrocmax carbo and Goosandersturnove r of Great Cormorants on any water, Mergm merganser on the river Wye, are the latest then birds that are scared away or shot would in a series issued elsewhere, e.g. in Cumbria be rapidly replaced by immigrants, rendering and the Yorkshire Dales. In 1988, the MAFF attempted control ineffective. was advised that the adoption of management Would that the MAFF adopted the view of tactics to alleviate the 'problem' {of Great the government in the Netherlands (where Cormorants at fish farms and inland waters) is angling waters are public) that birds have as a much more promising line to take than an much right to feed in the waters as anglers to attempt to kill birds. A lack of information fish. (Contributed by Stephanie Tykr) exists on the effect of shooting on Great

Two tasks for the YOC in May Young ornithologists get older In the close fishing season, the YOC and the The Announcement (page 199) that 'BB' is National Federation of Anglers will be asking taking over the annual competition to find the young conservationists and anglers to count Young Ornithologists of the Year will, we Mute Swans Cygnus olor on their local river, hope, be welcomed by readers and especially lake or canal, and at the same time collect dis­ by the up-and-coming generation of Veal bird­ carded fishing-line. Similar collections have watchers' (see Brit. Birds 87: 43). taken place three times in the last 15 years. It The top age group is now 17-21, so the will be interesting to learn if the situation has competition and title should now have greatly improved. added status. On 21st and 22nd May, thousands of Do you know a good young birder who youngsters will take part in 'Birdathon '94', should be encouraged to enter this year? The seeing as many birds as possible in one day rules are simple, and entering is even simpler and raising money (the target is £25,000) to (notebook + name + age + address + SAE). buy an extension to the RSPB's Suriingham The prizes will, we hope (sponsor allowing), be Marsh reserve in Norfolk. Good luck to them. well worth winning, too.

Honour for George Dunne t Forktail-Leica Award Among the new Commanders of the Order of IAca Camera UK is involved with an annual the British Empire in the New Years Honours award from the Oriental Bird Club. The list was Professor G. M. Dunnet, Chairman of recent winner of the £1,000 award is J. G. the Salmon Advisory Committee, for services to Uttangi, who will be using the money to conservation, but best known to us for his work survey the birds of a little-known protected on Fulmars Fulmmus gkwuiHs. Our warmest con­area of the Anshi National Park, India. The gratulations from all the !BB' team. area is threatened by extensive forest clearance as part of a hydro-electric dam development The information collected will, it is hoped, Neotropical Bird Club off the assist in tire conservation of at least part of a ground genetically diverse semi-evergreen forest. The inaugural meeting of the newly formed The annual award is given for projects club membership at 350- will be held at based in the Orient and related to globally- City Village Hall, Norfolk, on 29th May. The threatened bird species. Further information proceedings start at 12 noon. Further details from Melanie Heath, OBC Conservation from David Wege on Cambridge (0223) Officer, c/o The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire 277318. SG19 2DL.

Pelagics in the Western Approaches Departing from Penzance on the good ship 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 21st and 23rd August Chalice will be a series of two-day pelagic and 9th September. Further details on Buxton birding trips out to the Western Approaches. (0298) 25513. Departure dates in 1994 arc 5th, 7th, 9th, Mews and comment 243 Additions to British & Irish list Two species with records accepted by both the The Norfolk Baird's Sandpiper Calidris BBRC and the BOURC have been admitted bairdii claimed in 1903 (BriL Birds 3: 29; 86: 22, to Category A of the British & Irish List in the 199) was rejected, and that on St Kilda, Outer latest BOURC report (Ibis 136: 253-256): Hebrides, on 28th September 1911 accepted Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma as the first British & Irish record. monorhis Three individuals, ail females and all A record of one species was withdrawn by at Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear, (1) 23rd July the observer: Yellow-nosed Albatross 1989, (2) 26th July 1989 and (3) 6th/ 7th July IXomedea chbrorhynchos (at sea off Cornwall, 29th 1990, 30th/31st July 1991 and 29th/30th July April 1985); and a record of another species 1992. was not accepted because the identification was considered not to have been established Spectacled Warbler Sylvia wnspicillata Filey, beyond doubt: Eastern Phoebe Sayomis North Yorkshire, cT, 24th-29th May 1992. phoebe (Slapton, Devon, 22nd April 1987, The report also adds two races to the British preceding the accepted Lundy record, Brit. & Irish List: the North American and east Birds 86: 500, by two days). Siberian race of Common Scoter Melanittii Records of four species were not admitted nigra amaicana (Gosford Bay, Lothian, 6% 31st to the list, even though identification was December 1987 to 1st January 1988) and the accepted, because of the low-vagrancy but central Russian race of Common Gull Lams high-escape potential: Ross's Goose Ansa (anus hand (three, all trapped: Essex, 18th ro.ssii, Red-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus. February 1984; West Sussex, 21st January Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena and 1987; Kent, 31st January 1987), for which the Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanihocephahis BOURG comments 'identification of this race xanthoaphalus. In addition, Painted Bunting in the field is not recommended.' Passmna ciris was removed from Category U Two Far-Eastern species, both possible for the same reason. vagrants but also kept in captivity and also These changes bring the current total therefore possible escapes- are placed in number of species on the British & Irish list to Category D, which does not form part of the 552 (made up of 524 in Category A, 19 in British & Irish List: Asian Brown Category B and 9 in Category C); a further 21 Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurka (Fair Isle, species are held in Category D. Shetland, first-summer, lst-2nd July 1992) and The address of the BOU is c/o The Natural Mugimaki Flycatcher Fkedula mugimaki History Museum, Sub-department of (Sunk Island Battery, Stone Creek, Ornithology, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 6AI\ Humberside, first-winter o* , 16th-17th November 1991). R & M Conference 1994 I thought last year's conference was a good report on the Braer tanker stranding, which one and so was this. The presence of several took place just one year before, a report very heads of European ringing schemes, in the UK much from the man on the spot. I also listened for their annual meeting, had enabled the con­ with a mixture of admiration and envy to John ference organisers to include three of them Willsher's description of how to create a ring­ among the speakers. Lukas Jenni, of ing site from scratch- -first buy your farm, Vogelwarte Sempach, Franz Baerlcin, of then create wetlands, then reedbeds, then . . . Vogeiwarte Helgoland, and Rinse Wassenaar, ring 50,000 birds a year. As a change from of Vogeltrekstation Arnhem, gave excellent birds, Tony Hutson told us much more about talks on, respectively, ageing and sexing of bats than the one fact that all ringers know: a European passerines, a Euro-African study of bat caught in a mist-net invariably bites the migration, and the way in which the Dutch hand that frees it. ringing scheme is organised. Finally, last year's critic of the Ringing The other talks ranged equally widely, and I Office duly got himself elected on to the BTO especially enjoyed Peter Rock's study of roof- Ringing Committee. He told me that he did nesting gulls in Bristol, which also took him not approve of what I wTote last year on this down their migration route through Portugal subject, so watch this space next year to see to Morocco; Beatrix Arroyo's delightful what impact he has made and how I report it. account of .her study of Montagu's Harriers {MAO) Circus pygargus in Spain; and Dave Okill's 244 Mews and comment Birds in Beds The Seventh Bedfordshire Ornithological thoughts on 'Managing Bedfordshire's Conference, held at Silsoe Agricultural College Reserves for Birds' and Karen Bradbury of the on 13th November 1993, was attended by RSPB continued the conservation theme with about 180 participants. The previous six con­ an ebullient account of 'Wild Birds and the ferences were held during 1949-54, with the Law'. In a lighter vein, Barry Trevis described speakers including such eminent names as birding in the Andes, and Gordon Langsbury W. B. Alexander, R. P. Bagnall-Oakeley, Dr took us on a photographer's trip through Bruce Campbell, James Fisher, E. M. Europe. Nicholson, B. W. Tucker and G. K. Yeates. For me, however, the highlight of the day David Kramer, President of the newly was David Harper's description of his research formed Bedfordshire Bird Club, chaired the into Corn Buntings Miliaria calandra on the 1993 Conference. To set the scene, ex-County South Downs. Would any male Homo sapiens Recorder Paul Trodd gave a 'Brief History of be able to 'deal* with ten females, as do the Birds of Bedfordshire', noting the large re­ some male Corn Buntings? The male's pre­ cent increase in numbers of fieidworkers, but occupations elsewhere leave his females to decrease in Hawfinches Coccothraustes coc- attend to all the nest-building, incubation, mtAraustes, the latter perhaps not unconnected brooding and feeding duties. The current with their habit of perching in tree-tops and population decrease in the UK is about 10% the increase in Eurasian Sparrow-hawks Accipiter annually, resulting in part from changes in nisus. cereal agriculture: more wheat, but less of Rob Hume gave a potted history of the the favoured barley. journal British Birds, founded in June 1907 and Paul Trodd, who conceived and organised still flourishing today. the event, deserves an all-embracing thank- Richard Woolnough, the Bedfordshire & you. It was a huge success. {Contributed by Barrie Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust's Director of Harding Conservation, opened a few eyes with his

YO '77: Rachel Warren Rachel Warren was Young Ornithologist of Rachel is a trainee ringer with the the Year in 1977, winning the senior section at Runnymede Ringing Group in Surrey, with the age of 13. She. won the prize for identify­ which she was involved in a ringing trip to ing bird songs and calls at the BTO Portugal. She has also spent some weeks volun­ Conference in December 1993, where we in­ tary wardening on RSPB reserves at Minsmere vited her to tell us what she has been up to since and Loch Garten, and recently also on Skomer. we presented the YOY award to her in 1977. She is now working at the Centre for She told us that her most exciting ornitho­ Environmental Technology at Imperial College, logical experience to date has been her in­ London, where she runs a computer model re­ volvement in 1993 in a project studying lating to the European acid-rain problem. Long-tailed Manakins Chiroxiphia linearis at Rachel would welcome news of any long- Monteverde in Costa Rica. term or vacation-length ornithological opportu­ Rachel read Natural Sciences at Newnham nities, whether voluntary or for a professional, College, Cambridge, obtaining an upper sec­ anywhere in the world. ond class degree in 1985. She then joined the We cannot but comment with pride that the Cavendish Laboratory, obtained a PhD in ex­ Young Ornithologists of the Year competition perimental physics and next spent two years at seems to have provided encouragement at just the University of Colorado studying the chem­ the right time for a very able environmentalist- istry of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) replace­ cum-birdwatcher. We wish Rachel well in the ments, essential in calculating global-warming future. Any offers should be sent to Dr Rachel and ozone-depletion potentials. Warren, Flat 24, 7 Elm Park Gardens, She also worked on a study of the breeding London SW10 9QG. success of the local Mountain Bluebirds Sialia We should like to hear news of any other currucoides. Young Ornithologists. News and comment 245 Silly corner May 'Bird Watching' We do not normally make fun of sister maga­ The May issue of the monthly Bird Wakhing zines and journals; after all, we are all human magazine includes a photo-feature on display­ and mistakes slip through. Since, however, Bird ing birds; assessments of the best-selling Watching magazine claimed egg on its own tripods; how to find Temminck's Stints Calidris face, this one must be worth a mention. The tetnminckii, little Ringed Plovers Charadrius du- January 1994 issue of that illustrious and pop­ bius and summer migrants; details of the best ular publication reported that 'The British birdwatching sites in Worcestershire, Speyside Trust for Ornithology's New Breeding Atlas and Devon; a debate on the origins of the re­ was recently launched in the presence of HRH cent Black-faced Bunting Emberiza spodocephah; The Duck of Edinburgh'. They were quick to and colour photographs of rarities, including follow up in the February issue, under the Black-faced Bunting, Bufflehead Bucephala albe- heading 'Duck-egg on our faces', with a letter ola and Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea. from a reader asking if it will be accepted by the Rarities Committee? How good it is to see REGIONAL NEWS TEAM that the fun has not departed the birding scene! Dave Allen—Northern Ireland Tim Cleeves—Northeast Frank Hamilton—Scotland New Recorders Barrie Harding—East Anglia Andy Webb, 4 Morningside Place, Aberdeen Oran O'Sullivan—Republic of Ireland ABi 7NG, has taken over from Ken Shaw as Alan Richards-—Midlands Recorder for Grampian (except Moray). John Ryan—Southwest Andrew MacKay, 68 Leicester Road, Mark- Don Tayloi—Southeast field, Leicestershire I.E67 9RE, has taken over from Roger Davis as Recorder for Leicester­ Dr Stephanie Tyler—Wales shire. John Wilson—Northwest

Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of 'British Birds'