Word-botching News in brief Our esteemed Membership Secretary, Martin Hodgson, has set us a rather fiendish quiz. 100,000th website record Due to a jam-packed issue there’s no room for the answers (which have In July a record from S Guymer of two some rather detailed explanations!) so they’ll be in the next issue or - if you can’t wait that long - I’ll put them on the SBSG website. Arctic Terns at RVCP took us to a milestone of 100,000 records received 1. Which bird family has a Margaret and a John in it? via the SBSG website. A big thanks to David Williams and Andy Deighton for 2. Name other British birds which have been given human first names their work behind the scenes, and of course to all the members who take 3. Many birds have a white rump, but which bird is named for it? time to send us records, which are the 4. Which bird likes playing in Yorkshire? lifeblood of the group and its work. 5. How is the linnet connected to a Class B drug? Readers’ survey 6. Which member of the Columbidae family spoonerises into a rich American? I was going to put results of the Bulletin reader survey in this issue, but 7. Why is the oystercatcher St Bridget’s emblem? run out of space, so this will be in the 8. Which bird is an Antipodean idiot? next. One of the feature ideas that seemed popular was interviews with 9. Where does the nightjar keep its jar? prominent local birders, so this issue sees the first - with Jon Hornbuckle. 10.Identify ten British birds whose official (not colloquial or dialectal) Next issue will see a chat with Martin names are onomatopoeic Garner. If you have any nominations 11.In which country did the birds live in Aristophanes’s comic play “The for future interviewees - or would like Birds”? to conduct an interview yourself - then let us know by the usual channels. 12.And which bird was ruler of the rest? [Add a mark each for giving the Greek or Latin name.] Cover photo 13.What is the connection between petrel and petrol? 14.Which bird featured on the coinage of ancient Athens and why? This issue’s excellent cover photo is by Andy Deighton. 15.The Ring Ouzel’s name looks to be connected with the French word oiseau. Is it? New members 16.Why did seamen name petrels after St Peter? We welcome David Woodhead, 17.What does the peregrine’s name tell us about its origin? Simon Brook, Mandy Gamsu, Ian Sharp, Andrew Bilton, Chris Bragg, 18.Which people used the same word to name the sparrow and the Richard & Natalie Turnbull, Julian ostrich? Crooks, Catherine Smith, Isaac 19.Do quails quail? Reardon, Edward Cox and Zack Whitehead to the group. 20.Finally, why did the chicken cross the road? Deadline for next Bulletin The next Bulletin will be issued at the November indoor meeting. Please note that any items for inclusion must be received by Pete Mella at [email protected] (for preference), or 21 Lump Lane, Grenoside, Sheffield, S35 8PL, no later than the 31st October. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Indoor Meetings Other groups’ Tristan Reid - “Giving My Right Arm For Turkey” dates Weds Oct 9th 2013, Sheffield University Arts Tower Lecture Theatre 5, 7.15pm 27th September - DOS Indoor Meeting. Mark Sisson talks on ‘The Tristan Reid, known as The Inked Naturalist, has dedicated not only Secret Life of Puffins’. Evergreen his time, but his skin, to the beleaguered birds of Turkey - by having Club, Allestree, 7.30pm, £1 20 of the country’s most iconic species tattooed on his arms. A members, £1.50 non-members. professional ecologist, Tristan was so moved by the plight of birds during a wildlife holiday to Turkey - where fragile biodiversity is 3rd October - RSPB Sheffield threatened by private Hydro Electric Power Plants - he decided to Group Indoor Meeting. Dr Michael commit to his unusual conservation initiative to raise funds and Leach gives a talk entitled: “It’s a funny way to make a living”. awareness for Doğa Derneği, the BirdLife International partner in 7.30pm, Central United Reformed Turkey. Church. £2 for members, £4 for visitors. If the tattoos weren’t enough, Tristan is also embarking on a 4000km walk across Turkey, and tonight will be describing his inspiration for 15th October - DOS Indoor his remarkable dedication to Turkish conservation. Meeting. Joint meeting with Carsington Bird Club. Chris Ward will talk on the birds of Morocco. Dave Gosney - Finding Birds With A Camera 7.30pm, Henmore Room, Weds Nov 13th 2013, Sheffield University Arts Tower Carsington Water. £1 members, Lecture Theatre 5, 7.15pm £1.50 non-members. Sheffield’s Dave Gosney will be familiar to many not only as a long- 7th November - RSPB Sheffield standing member of the SBSG, but as one of the co-founders of Group Indoor Meeting. Jeff Clarke BirdGuides, a tour guide, and the author and film-maker behind the on Biscay and Picos. 7.30pm, influential and invaluable birding travel booked and DVDs in the Central United Reformed Church. ‘Finding Birds In...’ series. Tonight he takes us through some of his £2 for members, £4 for visitors. experiences and photographs. Field Meetings Forthcoming field meetings are a visible migration watch at Redmires in October, and another trip (TBC) in December. Please see the Bulletin for more details nearer the time. Club contacts Bulletin Secretary Website Pete Mella Richard Hill http://www.sbsg.org 21 Lump Lane 22 Ansell Road Twitter Grenoside Sheffield http://www.twitter.com/shefbirdstudy Sheffield S11 7PE Facebook S35 8PL [email protected] http://www.facebook.com/sheffieldbirdstudygroup [email protected] South Peak Raptor Study Group Annual Report 2012 The South Peak Raptor Study Group confirmed the NT's concerns regarding located but none were successful. (SPRSG) was formed in 1998 to the persecution of raptors, and One nest was pulled down from the monitor breeding success of scarce outlined their major project to review tree, and the eggs were found on the raptors in the South Peak. Broadly management of the moors owned by ground; another nest contained nine speaking, their study area extends the NT in the High Peak (see http:// eggs (normal clutch size for this northwards into the Upper Derwent www.high-peak-moors.co.uk/public- species is 3-4), all from the same Valley, and southwards into the whole consultation/). female, suggesting she had “lost” two of the White Peak, including the Another important initiative is the partners during the season. Staffordshire Moors, south Derbyshire, formation of the Peak District Initiative Elsewhere in the SPRSG recording and central Derbyshire as far as the on Birds of Prey. This was set up by area, eight pairs were located, four Nottinghamshire borders. In 2012, for the Peak District National Park were successful, fledging nine young. the second time, they have combined Authority in an attempt to facilitate co- PDRMG reported a number of their Annual Report with that of the operation between shooting interests sightings of the species, including a Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group and raptor workers, with the aim of pair displaying, but there were no (PDRMG) whose study area includes boosting raptor numbers in the Dark confirmed breeding attempts. The the Dark Peak (excluding the Upper Peak, and 2012 was the year that the report noted that, nationally, the Derwent Valley), the Goyt Valley and project first went “live”. In particular, species continues to face persecution, the Macclesfield Forest. Both groups they have set five-year targets for particularly from sites associated with work within the Northern England sustainable populations of Merlin, commercial game shooting but also Raptor Forum (NERF). In the following Peregrine and Short-eared Owl, and it from egg collecting and theft of young. summary of their report. the table is hoped that other species will be Insensitive forestry operations, and the shows data for the SPRSG study area, included in the near future. Mike Price felling of trees in occupied territories to enable comparison with previous reported some early positives from the present a growing threat. years, but PDRMG data is included in initiative, including ongoing excellent Peregrines are targeted by four the species accounts where relationships with keepers on the appropriate. groups: egg collectors, gamekeepers, south side of Glossop, and an pigeon fanciers, and people who take The Report was introduced by Trevor improving relationship with chicks or near-hatching eggs. It is Grimshaw (who has taken over from Broomhead Moor estate. One Jamie clear that many of the large number of Mick Taylor as co-ordinator of SPRSG) Horner has been appointed as an breeding failures near grouse moors and Steve Davies (PDRMG). They independent field worker to ascertain can only be attributed to human began by pointing out that 2012 was accurate breeding data and to interference. In Upper Derwentdale, the wettest year since the groups facilitate co-operation between raptor where disturbance has been rife in began collecting records, and the wet workers and shooting interests. More recent years, none of the three weather together with the heavy April about this can be found if you enter traditional sites were occupied. snow inevitably impacted on breeding Peak District initiative on birds of prey Elsewhere in the SPRSG area, where success. However, persecution is into your favourite web search engine. the species is normally more another major factor in parts of the The table below summarises the data successful, breeding attempts were recording area, and the report for breeding success over the past five made at 21 monitored sites but only welcomed the conviction of Glenn years; in general, the number of six were successful, fledging eleven Brown, the gamekeeper who was fledged young can be assumed to be young; of the remaining 15 sites, most found guilty of using a live pigeon in a the minimum.