The seventeenth Annual Report of The Wildfowl Trust Edited by Hugh Boyd Illustrated by Peter Scott Price 17/6d. ($3.00 postage paid) Printed fo r t h e w il d f o w l t r u s t b y th e Ber k sh ir e p r in t in g CO. LTD., Reading, Berks., England, 1966 Photographs printed b y c o t s w o l d c o l l o t y p e c o . l t d . The Wildfowl Trust Patron her m ajesty the queen President His Grace the Duke of Norfolic, k .g ., p .c ., g . c .v .o . Vice-Presidents Captain R. G. W. Berkeley The Rt. Hon. The Lord Howick o f Glendale, g .c .m .g ., k .c .v .o . General Sir Gerald Lathbury, g .c .b ., d .s .o ., m .b .e ., a .d .c . Sir Percy Lister, Kt. Sir Isaac Wolfson, B t., f .r .s ., f .r .c .p ., d .c .l . Trustees His Grace the Duke of Beaufort, k .g ., p .c ., g .c .v .o . The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Mansfield John Berkeley H. H. Davis H. C. Drayton Hon. Treasurer Guy Benson Hon. Director Peter Scott, c .b .e ., d .s .c ., l l .d . Council Dr. Bruce Campbell E. A. Maxwell Michael Crichton, o .b .e . R. E. M. Pilcher, f .r .c .s . J. O. Death Dr. G. W. Storey Capt. J. A. Fergusson- Miss P. Talbot-Ponsonby Cuninghame Sir Landsborough Thomson, Dr. J. E. Harris, C.B .E ., f .r .s . C.B., O.B.E., D.SC., LL.D. G. A. J. Jamieson Major General C. B. G. M. Jolliffe Wainwright, c.b. K. Miller Jones The Hon. Vincent Weir C. J. S. Marler J. P. Williams Invited to attend A. G. Harrell (Ministry of Council Meetings Education Assessor) ex-officio Finance Committee Guy Benson (Chairman) R. C. P. Hollond Michael Crichton, o .b .e . G. A. J. Jamieson J. O. Death K. Miller Jones H. C. Drayton Miss P. Talbot-Ponsonby James Fisher Scientific Sir Landsborough Thomson R. C. Homes Advisory {Chairman) Prof. G. M. Hughes Committee Prof. A. J. Cain Sir Julian Huxley, f .r .s . Dr. Bruce Campbell R. E. Moreau R. K. Cornwallis Prof. C. W. Ottaway Dr. H. D. Crofton R. E. M. Pilcher, f .r .c .s . Dr. J. H. Crook Dr. G. W. Storey Dr. G. M. Dunnet Prof. W. H. Thorpe, f .r .s . Dr. J. G. Harrison Major General C. B. Dr. L. Harrison Matthews, Wainwright, c .b . F.R.S. Prof. E. W. Yemm Prof. R. A. Hinde Contents Annual Meport 1964-65 r e p o r t Page 5 18th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7 the collections in 1965, S. T. Johnstone 10 The Wildfowl Trust Brooder, S. T. Johnstone 14 research and conservation, 1965 15 Year-book for 1965 The Bewick’s Swans at Slimbridge. Peter Scott 20 White-fronted Geese at the New Grounds, 1946-47 to 1963-64. M . A . Ogilvie 27 Birds at Borough Fen 1965. W. A. Cook 30 Blood parasites of ducks in the British Isles. M . J. Worms and. W. A . Cook 33 Further congenital malformation in birds bred at Slimbridge. Janet Kear 35 Movements and flock behaviour of Barnacle Geese on the Solway Firth. E. L. Roberts 36 Wildfowl Survey in south-west Asia: progress in 1965. Christopher Savage 45 A study of certain Aythya hybrids. Eric Gillham, James M. Harrison and Jeffery G. Harrison 49 The biology and relationships of the Torrent Duck. Paul A . Johnsgard 66 The process of family disintegration in Black Brant. Robert D. Jones, Jr. and Dorothy M. Jones 75 Field studies on the Harlequin Duck in Iceland.Sven-Axel Bengtson 79 Geese in cold winter weather. Jules Philippona 95 Catching wildfowl by artificial light. Roy H. Dennis 98 British literature on European wildfowl 1961-65. M. A . Ogilvie 101 British literature on European waders 1960-65. M . A . Ogilvie 110 Reviews : W .A.G.B.I. Report and Year Book, 1964-6$ and 1965-66. 113 Die Wildganse Nordeurasians, by S. M. Uspenski 114 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 1964 116 Balance sheet, 31st December 1964 118 Accounts for the year ended 31st December 1965 120 Balance sheet, 31st December 1965 122 Photographs: Section I - Aythya hybrids. Torrent Ducks between pages 48 and 49 Section II - Slimbridge, after page 124 Annual Report 1964-65 The Presidency After serving as President for five years in the first three months of the year the His Royal Highness The Duke of Edin­ project was extended to include the re­ burgh, K.G., K.T.j retired from office under building of the old wooden gate house. the terms of his agreement. His Grace This was completed in time to be in use at The Duke of Norfolk, k .g., p .c., g.c.v.o., Easter. A permanent exhibition in the graciously consented to serve for a period Wolfson Hall explaining the scientific work of three years and was elected at the of the Trust’s research unit was opened to Annual General Meeting in May 1965. the public in the summer of 1965, and at the end of the year work was begun on a Council and Committees supplementary exhibition relating the work The Officers, Council and Committees of of the Trust to nature conservation and to the Trust as at 31st December, 1965, are other problems confronting mankind. shown on page 2. Meetings of the Council Two new observation hides were built were held in London on 6th January, in 1965, one in the Rushy Pen providing 9th March, 22nd July and n th November visitors in winter with a view of the visiting and of the Finance Committee on 23rd Bewick’s Swans, and one overlooking the February, 15th July and 4th November. flash in the Tack Piece and connected to the The annual meeting of the Scientific Trust’s grounds by a fenced corridor, Advisory Committee was held at Slim­ which passes through a tunnel under the bridge on 22nd March. entrance to the Tack Piece. Annual Gemerai Meeting and Dinner Identification Competition The Eighteenth Annual General Meeting There were 82 entries for the Trust’s was held at the Royal Society of Arts on Fourth Wildfowl Identification Competi­ 13th May, and the Annual Dinner took tion for Schools, which was held at the place at the Hyde Park Hotel the same New Grounds on 20th March. Leighton evening. The minutes of the Annual Park, who have always distinguished General Meeting will be found on page 7. themselves in this event, swept the board The speakers at the Dinner were Ian by taking the first three places in Group A, MacPhail, Peter Scott, James Fisher, and Stephen Potter. the first, third and fourth in Group B, with Bristol Grammar School in second Development place, and the first place in Group C, The Research Centre was finished and followed by two teams from Beaudesert taken into use on ist February, 1965, and Park second and third. ANNUAL REPORT 5 BoroBgli Fein D ecoy Trust’s two collections in 1965. The table The Duck Decoy at Borough Fen was below gives a comparison with recent opened to the public on 22nd and 23rd years. May and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. M. Pilcher Finance again very kindly explained its history and working to over 150 visitors. There was a further substantial increase in 1965 in the cost of running the Trust and Gosling Party the total expenditure, including £3,000 About 200 children came to the annual spent on capital development and £2,500 party for Gosling Members at Slimbridge invested in an increase in gate house on 23rd December, 1965, and very much stocks, exceeded £100,000. This was just enjoyed the film Flap, which was shown by covered by revenue, but with no margin Tony Soper. for further repayment of loans. Loans were however reduced by £4,300 to £7,200 with Members5 Collections money accrued from 1964. In 1965 the following members kindly In September a letter was sent to opened their collections of waterfowl to members asking them if they would con­ fellow members of the Trust: C. J. Bird, sider making bequests to the Trust in their Arthur Cadman, T. Curtis, J. O. Death, Wills. In response a number expressed A. W. E. Fletcher, R. Law, Miss E. their intention of leaving legacies to the Manasseh, E. A. Maxwell, A. McLean, Trust: others said that they preferred to Mrs. B. Micheli, Mrs. C. Mumford, send an immediate donation and these George Newman, F. W. Perowne, R. E. M. donations reached the welcome total of Pilcher, G. R. Pryor, G. L. Reid, Shrews­ £1,100. This sum is not included in the bury School, E. O. Squire, R. J. Stainsby, revenue mentioned above, but was credited Mrs. P. V. Upton, J. Williams, D. Winde. to a special Contingency Reserve. The Accounts and Balance Sheets for Visitors both 1964 and 1965 will be found on In spite of an appallingly wet summer pages ï 16-122. there were over 180,000 visitors to the 1961 1962 1963 1964 196s Slimbridge I5i >533 162,030 130,143 151,180 141,841 Peakirk 33,203 30,982 29>434 43=678 42>735 184,736 193,012 159,577 1943858 184,576 MEMBERSHIP As will be seen from the figures below the to the increase to £1 ia the rate of sub­ Trust’s membership increased during 1965 scription, authorised by the Annual by 188.