TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Preamble 3 Field Days, 1956 ... 4 The Weather of 1955 5 List of Contributors 6 Cornish Notes 8 Ringing Recovery 27 Arrival and Departure of Cornish-breeding Migrants 28 The Walmsley Sanctuary and Camel Estuary 30 The Cornish Seas 31 The Isles of Scilly 33 Arrival and Departure of Migrants in the Isles of Scilly 38 The Common Buzzard and Associated Problems ... 39 First-Aid for Birds 42 The Macmillan Library 50 The Society's Rules 51 Balance Sheet 52 List of Members ... 53 Committees for 1955 and 1956 65 Index 66 - TWENTY-FIFTH REPORT OF The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society 1955 Edited by B. H. RYVES, H. M. QUICK and A. G. PARSONS (kindly assisted by Dr. R. H. BLAIR) Forty-eight members joined the Society in 1955. We regret the loss by death of twelve members; twelve have resigned, and the resignation of thirty-two more has been assumed by reason of the non-payment of the subscription for three years. This makes a total of 602 ordinary members. The Twenty-fourth Annual General Meeting was held in the Museum, Truro, on April 16th, when Mr. George Edwards, on behalf of the R.S.P.B., showed films of the Avocet and of other birds which might possibly breed in Britain. The Autumn Meeting was held on December 4th, in Truro; and Dr. Coombs showed his films of Birds in Spain. One Executive Committee Meeting was held during the year. Our thanks are due to Mr. Wills for kindly auditing the accounts. Field Days were held on March 12th, at Marazion, and May 15th, near Ladock; that arranged for February 26th was largely offset by the heavy snowfall making access to Tamar Lake very difficult. (Field Days for 1956 will be found on page 4 of this Report). The loss of Major A. A. Dorrien Smith, of Tresco Abbey, Isles of Scilly, will be much felt by the Society. He was keenly interested in bird life and took steps to ensure the protection of breeding birds of the Islands. He had been a member of the Society since its foundation. The Society applied to the County Council for an Order to prohibit Sunday Shooting in Cornwall. The application was con­ curred in by the County Council and forwarded to the Home Office; the Home Secretary agreed to make such an Order, but applicable only to Schedule III birds (i.e., the Sporting birds). Birds in Schedule II (the " Black List ") may still be shot on Sundays. Interesting bird visitors during the year included a Greenland Redpoll, Richard's Pipit, Little Egrets in unusual numbers, Barnacle Goose, Ferruginous Duck, two American Pectoral Sandpipers, Bona­ parte's Sandpiper, Greater Yellowshank and Iceland Gull. 3 Members are asked to send their records for the year before January 15th following, to the Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge, Crowan Vicarage, Nr. Camborne. Members are begged to send their subscriptions to the Treasurer, and not to any of the Secretaries. As already announced, Mr. A. G. Parsons has resigned the post of Joint Honorary Secretary owing to pressure of work. Please send all correspondence to the new Joint Honorary Secretary:— The Rev. J. E. Bcckerlegge, The Vicarage, Crowan, Nr. Camborne. Mr. Parsons will still answer queries about telescopes and glasses. ***** FIELD DAYS, 1956 These will be held as under: May 12th. Lamorran Woods, St. Michael Penkevil, Nr. Truro. Meeting at 2.30 p.m. at the point where the road to Ruan crosses Tregothnan Drive, near Tregonian Farm. " Richards' Bus " for St. Michael Penkivel leaves Truro Quay about 1.10 p.m. August 25th. Devoran, Nr. Truro. Meeting at 2.30 p.m. at the Old Foundry by the river. There will be little walking, as the intention is to allow the tide to gradually drive the Waders up past a vantage point. If time and tide permit, an inspection of the river lower down at Point may be of interest. September 8th. Day Run in the new " Scillonian," leaving Penzance about 9.30 a.m. Cost about 30/- per person. An attempt to see Skuas, Shearwaters, Storm Petrels, and Phalaropes at sea will be made. There would be time to see some Waders in the Scilly Isles also. 4 THE WEATHER OF 1955 By B. H. RYVES The outstanding features of the weather of 1955 were (1) the very unpleasant conditions that prevailed almost throughout the month of May, which was not only vexatious to man but which made life difficult for breeding birds; (2) the wonderful warm and dry summer, which was vouchsafed to us throughout July and August and—to a lesser degree—in September. January. On the whole a really cold month as well as a wet one. There were hard frosts with a little snow on the 4th. February. An " Ice Age " gripped the land for the major part of the month. The frosts were severe and there were many falls of snow. March. The cold of February continued (to a lesser degree), caused largely by biting Easterly winds. April. Following the cold of the previous months, it was pleasant to experience days of sunshine and a long period of drought; which latter was excessive for farms and gardens. May. Except for a few closing days, the month was a most unpleasant and difficult one both for man and bird. There was almost ceaseless Easterly winds, deluges of rain, frosts and, on the 18th, snow all over the country though we luckily escaped. Birds had a hard time. June. Very variable. There were some pleasant, warm days, but on the 11th and 12th a severe gale blew from the South with torrential rains. On the whole it was a wet and cheerless month. Birds had many tribulations. July. Almost throughout, a great drought and heatwave pre­ vailed. A joy to mankind, but a tussle for crops in the garden. August. The weather of July continued all through the month— heat and drought. I can never remember the like for so long a period of time. September. Though rather cooler, September emulated the wonderful conditions of July and August. October. Variable. Almost a heatwave on the 11th. On the 6th there had been a gale. The latter part of the month was definitely cold and there were some heavy rainfalls. November. On the whole, a mild month with only a few cold days around mid-month. Normal rainfall and no frosts. December. A mild month with normal rainfalls and some light gales. No frosts. 5 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS L.P.A. L. P. Alder (non-member). G.A. Dr. G. Allsop. C.H.B. Capt. C. H. Bailhache. J.E.B. The Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge. S.V.B. Miss S. V. Benson (non-member). A.T.B. A. T. Beswetherick. R.H.B. Dr. R. H. Blair. E.H.W.B. Lt. Col. Sir E. H. W. Bolitho. E.A.R.B. Major E. A. R. Burden. E.L.B. Miss E. L. Butler. F.E.C. Mrs. F. E. Carter. N.J.C. N. J. Carter (non-member). H.C. H. Cavendish (non-member). H.P.O.C. H. P. O. Cleave. D.C. D. Cross. R.M.C. R. M. Curber. P.J.D. P. J. Dare (non-member). R.D. Mrs. R. Dewey. G. & J.D. Mr. and Mrs. Durrell (non-members) R.M.P. R. M. Fry. H.H.H. H. H. Hosking. H.H. H. Howard (non-member). H.G.H. H. G. Hurrell. T.B.J. T. B. Jago. A.J.J. A. J. James (non-member). M.J.J. Miss M. J. Jones. H.R.K. Mrs. H. Rait Kerr. F.J.L. F. J. Lawry. E.L. E. Leete (non-member). W. & M.L. Mr. and Mrs. Leon (non-members). L.B.L. L. B. Lewis. J.H.F.M. J. H. F. Mance. R.H. & M.J.M. Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Meares. M.J.M. M. J. Merriit (non-member). D.J.M. D. J. Mitchell (non-member). J.L.P. J. L. Palmer. A.G.P. A. G. Parsons. E.M.P. Miss E. M. Paynter. M.P. Miss M. Pellow. 6 G.P. G. Phillips (non-member). N.R.P. N. R. Phillips. L.P. Miss L. Pool. A.B.P. Mrs. A. B. Powell. H.M.Q. Miss H. M. Quick. B.S. B. Sage (non-member). A.V.S. & F.R.S, A. V. and F. R. Smith. B.S.-S. Mrs. Spenlove-Spenlove. T.J.S. T. J. Stephens. C.J.S. C. J. Stevens. M.T. Mrs. M. Tunnard. M.P.V. Mrs. M. P. Visick. G.W. G. Warner. O.G.W. O. G. Watkins (non-member). M.A.W. M. A. Webster. E.M.W. Miss E. M. Wheelan. T.J.W. T. J. Willcocks. 7 CORNISH NOTES FOR 1955 It is understood that the status of common birds is not normally recorded in the Report. From members' records received over a number of years it is now realised that certain of our less common birds occur regularly each year, if only in small numbers. (List given below). Therefore records of their normal appearance will no longer be printed in the Report, though notes of unusual numbers, dates, or localities will still be published. Please continue to send records of these birds, so that fluctuations in status and locality may be noted. White Wagtail. Bar-tailed Godwit. Chiffchaffs (wintering). Black-tailed Godwit. Garganey. Knot. Pochard. Curlew Sandpiper. Tufted. Ruff. Goldeneye. Green Sandpiper. Common Scoter. Greenshank.