REVIEW LOCAL REPORT THE WEST MIDLAND BIRD REPORT 1953 (48 pages, 3 half-plates) and 1954 (64 pages, 2 half-plates). Editor: J. Lord, 369, Chester Road, Boldrnere, Sutton Coldfield. Obtainable from J. Sears, 5, Acheson Road, Hall Green, Birmingham 25. Price 6s, each. THE Birmingham and West Midland Bird Club is one of the strongest in the country with membership approaching 500. Its Reports are substantial and well-produced, covering the counties of Warwick, Worcester and Stafford. Classified notes form the main part of the Report and follow the sequence and names used in the B.O.U. Check-List of 1952. Under each species notes referring to each county are listed separately, but not all of the commoner species occuring within the area are mentioned. No indication is given about the standards applied in accepting records, nor whether records are assessed by the editor alone or whether he has the help of a committee; clearly, in a club of this size, no one man can really know the capabilities of all members. In the case of some rarities supporting details are given, but there is no information on how several autumn Arctic Terns were identified. A new Staffordshire reservoir, Blithfield, contributed a number of interesting records in 1954. In addition to the classified' notes there are articles, in the 1953 report on "Breeding birds of the Tamworth district" and "Notes on seasonal population distribution of Curlew"; and in the 1954. report on "Birds of the Malvern district", "Migration of Swifts in north Warwickshire" (5 pages), "Buzzard Survey 1954", and "Birds of Cannock Reservoir" (7 pages). Both Reports contain tables of migrants' arrival and departure dates. In the 1953 report the following records may be mentioned: — Slavonian Grebes in Staffordshire in February, October and November. Little Grebes hatched on late date of 30th September (Staffordshire). Cormorant in Staffordshire with characteristics of Southern race on 30th March. In September one Shag in Warwickshire and 2 in Staffordshire. A Bittern at Aqualate (Staffordshire) in December. A Green-winged Teal in Warwick­ shire [antea, vol. xlvii, p. 244). Garganey bred in Warwickshire. The Ferruginous Duck recorded in Worcestershire in 1951 is now to be placed in square brackets. Goldeneye at Bellfields (Stafford­ shire) reached 70 in January. 5 Long-tailed Ducks recorded (Warwickshire, Staffordshire). A Velvet Scoter at Upper Bittell (Worcestershire) in December. Flocks of White-fronted Geese in January (Worcestershire) and October (Staffordshire). Bewick's Swans in Staffordshire in January and December. Buzzards recorded breeding in one or two localities in Worcestershire. A Kite over Cannock Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 4th August. A 284 VOL. XLIX] LOCAL REPORT REVIEW 285 bird is recorded (in square brackets) as a Marsh Harrier in Staffordshire on 15th November on what appears to be very slender evidence. A Hen Harrier was seen later in the month, also in Staffordshire, and a Montagu's in Warwickshire in April. Osprey in Warwickshire in May and in Worcestershire in September. Quail heard at several places in each of the 3 counties during summer. Oystercatchers in all 3 counties but principally Staffordshire. 4 Little Ringed Plovers in Staffordshire on 20th August. Golden Plovers of the Northern race in spring (Staffordshire). Several Turnstones in Staffordshire. 47 Whimbrel at Bellfields (Staffordshire) on 23rd August. Black-tailed Godwits in March and May, and a Bar-tailed in August (all Staffordshire). Green Sandpiper in winter in all 3 counties. Spotted Redshank in Warwickshire in August, and in Staffordshire in May, August and October. Knot in Worcestershire and Staffordshire in October; Sanderling in both these counties. Great Black-backed Gulls in Warwickshire in February and September and in Staffordshire February-May and October-December. A pair of Common Terns again bred successfully in Staffordshire. A Little Tern in Warwickshire in September, and in Staffordshire in September and on 1st October. A party of 24 Sandwich Terns near Coventry (Warwickshire) on gth September, and others in Warwickshire and Staffordshire in May, July and September. A Razorbill in Worcestershire in May. A Tawny Owl nested on the ledge of a house in Birmingham (Warwickshire). A Hoopoe in Worcester­ shire in April. A Swallow roost at Wychall reservoir (Warwick­ shire) was estimated at 15,000 on 17th September. House Martin at Nuneaton (Warwickshire) on 16th December. Ravens in Worcestershire in March, April and July. A Worcestershire Rookery was built amongst girders supporting insulators. About 50 Magpies occupied a Worcestershire roost in January A Worcestershire Blackbird was brooding 4 eggs on 30th December (this is additional to the records of winter nesting given antea, vol. xlviii, pp. 124-125). Black Redstarts nested in the centre of Birmingham (Warwickshire). Marsh Warblers recorded in Worcestershire and bred in S. Staffordshire. A description is given of a Tawny Pipit in Staffordshire on 29th December (antea, vol. xlvii, p. 443). Variant Yellow Wagtails were seen in May in Warwickshire and Staffordshire. Great Grey Shrike in Warwick­ shire in October. A flock of about 350 Tree Sparrows in Stafford­ shire on 28th March. The 1954 Report includes the following records:-—Black- throated Diver in Staffordshire in January and December, and Great Northern Divers in the autumn. At Blithfield reservoir (Staffordshire), which had begun to fill only 18 month previously, there was a colony of at least 30 nests of Great Crested Grebes in a small area, and 335 birds on 25th August; a Red-necked Grebe there in September and October. Slavonian Grebes in Staffordshire in December. Black-necked Grebe bred in Warwick­ shire for the first time. A Gannet at Bittell reservoir (Worcester- 286 BRITISH BIRDS [VOL. XLIX shire) on 28th July. Several Shags in Staffordshire in the autumn. Garganey in Warwickshire, April-June. Pintail reached 36 at Blithfield (Staffordshire) in December. Several Scaup were seen in each of the 3 counties, notably 3 drakes in July at Alvecote (Warwickshire), where also Pochard bred. Long-tailed Duck in Staffordshire in January, April, November and December. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers on 25th April: the first Warwick­ shire record for over 50 years. A number of records of Shelduck in all 3 counties. Grey Lag Goose in Staffordshire. One, probably 2, pairs of Buzzards bred in Warwickshire, 13 pairs (plus probably another 7-11 pairs) in Worcestershire, and one pair in Stafford­ shire. A bird thought to be a Goshawk in Worcestershire on 14th May. Marsh Harrier at Alvecote (Warwickshire) on 8th May, and an Osprey in Staffordshire in August. Hobby in Worcester­ shire on 27th June. Small numbers of Red Grouse on Cannock Chase (Staffordshire). 8 Black Grouse at a N. Staffordshire "lek". Oystercatchers seen in each of the 3 counties. Little Ringed Plovers on several dates in Worcestershire and Staffordshire. A Grey Plover at Blithfield (Staffordshire) on 1st October. Two parties of Golden Plovers of the Northern race identified in spring (Staffordshire). A Great Snipe in Staffordshire on 25th April. Curlew extending range, breeding in many areas. Black-tailed Godwit in Worcestershire in May, and one in September at Blith­ field (Staffordshire) where also Bar-tailed Godwits in May and September. Spotted Redshank in Warwickshire in September and October. Knots seen in all 3 counties. Little Stint, unusual in spring, at Cannock reservoir (Staffordshire) in April and May. Great Black-backed Gull in Staffordshire through the summer, also seen in spring and winter. 2 adult and an immature Little Gull at Blithfield (Staffordshire) on 3rd September; Kittiwake there in April, September and December, also in Warwickshire in December. Marked concentrations of Black Terns on 9th May and 5th August, when about 100 and 200 birds respectively in the area of the 3 counties (cf. antea, vol. xlviii, pp. 148-169 and 300- 307). Arctic Terns reported in spring and autumn without observer or features being mentioned. Little Tern in April in Warwick­ shire and 3 as late as 30th October in Staffordshire. 5 Sandwich Terns in Staffordshire on 2nd July. Hoopoes in Warwickshire in April and October, and one in Worcestershire in May. Ravens in Worcestershire in April and December. Black Redstarts in winter in Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Marsh Warblers increased in Worcestershire: at least 6 pairs in one locality. Garden Warbler with aberrant song reappeared for 4th year near Kidder­ minster (Worcestershire). A winter Chiffchaff in Warwickshire on 6th February. Very late Yellow Wagtails were seen, 2 in Warwickshire on 29th October and one on 30th, and 2 in Worcestershire on 4th November (antea, p. 79)—but the latest date given in the table of migrant departures at the end of the Report is 13th October. Blue-headed Wagtails in Warwickshire in April and June. A party of 21 Bullfinches in Staffordshire on VOL. XLIX] LOCAL REPORT REVIEW 287 22nd December. A Snow Bunting at Cannock reservoir (Staffordshire) on 10th March. P.A.D.H. .