TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preamble ... ... ... ... ... 3 The Passing of Mr. T. J. Willcocks ... ... ... 5 List of Contributors ... ... ... ... ... 6 Cornish Notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Arrival and Departure Tables ... ... ... ... 35 The Isles of Scilly ... ... ... ... ... 40 Arrival and Departure of Migrants in the Isles of Scilly ... 50 Wildfowl Counts in Cornwall ... ... ... ... 52 Bird Life on and about the Wolf Rock ... ... ... 54 Some Observations at Dozmary Pool ... ... ... 56 Trethias Island ... ... ... ... ... ... 58 Birds of the Parish of St. Breward ... ... ... 58 Visible Migration from the North Coast of West Cornwall— Part II: Autumn; Part III: Spring ... ... ... 67 Some Further Notes on the Blue-headed Wagtail in West Cornwall ... ... ... ... ... ... 73 The Macmillan Library ... ... ... ... ... 76 The Society's Rules ... ... ... ... ... 78 Balance Sheet ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 List of Members ... ... ... ... ... 80 Committee for 1959 ... ... ... ... ... 94 Index ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 95 TWENTY-NINTH REPORT OF The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society 1959 Edited by B. H. RYVES, J. E. BECKERLEGGE, G. ALLSOP (kindly assisted by H. M. QUICK, R. H. BLAIR & A. G. PARSONS) The membership of the Society continues to increase and has now reached six hundred and eighty-eight; during the year fifty-one new members have been elected, eleven have resigned and three have died. Mr. T. J. Willcocks, of Tregorden, died early in Decem­ ber, 1959. He was one of the earliest and most valued members of the Society and, as Warden of the Walmsley Sanctuary, was well known to all who visited there. Col. Ryves contributes an obituary later in this issue. Tregorden is remaining in the possession of the Willcocks family and the present occupiers are willing to allow members of the Society the facilities at the Sanctuary they enjoyed during Mr. Willcocks' lifetime. It was decided at the Executive Committee that an observation hut should be erected, overlooking the Walmsley Sanctuary, as a memorial to the late Mr. T. J. Willcocks. It is hoped that all members will send a donation for this purpose to the Treasurer, Mr. S. A. Martyn, Pen-y-Bryn, Wadebridge. On February 14th, a meeting was held in Truro at which Mr. Parsons initiated a discussion on the technique of field observation, followed by a short film of terns and waders. It is intended to make this type of meeting a regular feature of the Society's activities. The 28th Annual General Meeting was held in the Museum, Truro on April 11th, at which Sir Edward Bolitho, Dr. Blair, Mr. Martyn, Col. Ryves and the Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge were re-elected as President, Chairman, Treasurer and Secretaries, respectively. In place of Miss Quick, resigned, Dr. G. Allsop was elected a Secretary. Under Rule 6 Miss Wales and Messrs. Bridger, Kennedy, Harvey, Parsons, Southern and Stephens retired from the ex-Committee, and Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Visick, Miss Quick, Miss Whelan and Mr. C. J. Stevens were elected thereto. In recognition of Miss Quick's services to the Society, she was elected an honorary member. At this meeting Dr. Blair showed his film of bird life on the Isles of Scilly. The Autumn Meeting took place on 1st November, when Mr. G. Atkinson Willes of the Severn Wildfowl Trust showed a film of the rounding up, in Iceland, of geese and goslings during their flightless period, prior to ringing and weighing, the birds being released later. He also gave a talk on " Wildfowl Counts," explaining the objects and technique of this work. Cornwall is now included in this pro­ gramme and an account of this innovation is given elsewhere in this report by Mr. D. P. Holmes, the Organiser for the/County. There has been one meeting of the Executive Committee during the year. Field days were held under the leadership of Mr. Parsons, Although they were well attended, it is thought that many more members would find them helpful. Shooting took place on Porth Kidney Beach, Hayle Estuary, in August. Thanks to prompt action by a local member, and the co­ operation of the Police, it was soon stopped. Amongst the more unusual, casual and accidental visitors this year were Avocets at Hayle. It is to be hoped that this portends an extension westwards of their normal wintering area in the south­ west. A Little Egret was present in the same area from mid-October at least, to the end of the year. This is a remarkably long stay for a bird of this species, only exceeded by one in the winter of 1943-44. Other rarities noted include Crested Lark, Short Toed Lark, Water Pipit, Waxwing, Aquatic Warbler, Reed Warblers in a second local­ ity, Red-necked Grebe, Collared Dove and Pomatorhine Skua. The Society is now a Corporate Member of the British Trust for Ornithology and receives the Trust's publications regularly. The Journal of the B.T.O., Bird Studies, is in the library. Some mem­ bers of the Society have this year taken part in the Trust's enquiry into the status and changing habits of the Greater Spotted Wood­ pecker. The Society is also a Corporate Member of the Council of Nature. At the Autumn Meeting it was decided that in future the data of the Arrivals and Departures of all migrants should be recorded, and not only Cornish-breeding species. To do this properly more information will be needed, and members are asked to send all they can. At the same time, no one must feel hurt that his or her record is not included in the report; everyone cannot submit the first or last date. All data are valuable in forming the picture of migration in and through Cornwall. The Home Office, by Order No. 2009, 1959, has made Trethias Island a bird sanctuary with effect from January 1st, 1960. A brief account of how this has been achieved is given in this report by Mr. J. L. Palmer, an honorary member of the Society, to whose generosity and pertinacity this success is mainly due. A grant was made by the Society which enabled the St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Observatory Report to be published. Members are asked to send their mainland records for the year to the Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge, St. Crowan Vicarage, Praze, Cam­ borne, before January 15th. Records arriving after that date may be too late for inclusion in the report. Isles of Scilly records should be sent to Miss H. M. Quick, Priglis, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly, before January 15th, Members should send their subscriptions to the Treasurer, and not to any of the Secretaries. The Society is grateful to Mr. Wills who has again been good enough to audit the accounts. 4 THE PASSING OF MR. T. J. WILLCOCKS It is quite unthinkable that this Report should reach publica­ tion without words of sincerest tribute to the sterling qualities of Mr. Wiilcocks. He passed to his Rest early in December, mercifully without a previous period of serious ill-health. I first knew Jimmy Willcocks in the early 1920's, when we soon became close friends. I was a local Honorary Secretary of the R.S.P.B. and he was an Honorary Bird Watcher in it. He was one of my keenest and most helpful supporters throughout my activities in 1930 in connection with the founding of the Society. He became, of course, one of the inaugural members. In 1939, when the Walmsley Sanctuary became the property of the Society, T. J. W. gave valuable help and advice. The sanctuary is on the border of his farm at Tregorden. From that time up to his death T. J. W. has been a tower of strength to the Society. He kept a close watch on the birds which visited the sanctuary, and saw to it that the Laws of Bird Protection were strictly enforced. He was not only a keen, but also a very skilled ornithologist. Rarely did any new visiting bird escape his eagle eye. Further, he was always in close touch with all birds in the Camel Estuary below and beyond the boundary of the sanctuary. He was greatly respected by all persons who dwell in the neighbourhood. The name of " Walmsley Sanctuary " and " Jimmy Willcocks " are closely knitted together, and the former has suffered a severe blow by the loss of its better half. Birds of prey (notably Montagu's Harriers) commanded his close attention and affection. Not only the members of the Society, but also all his many fiends outside it will deeply miss him. B. H. RYVES. The Society is to erect an observation hut overlooking the Walmsley Sanctuary as a memorial to Mr. Willcocks. Please send your donations to the Treasurer, Mr. S. A. Martyn, Pen-y-Bryn, Wadebridge.—Eds. 5 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS G. A. Dr. G. Allsop. W. E. A. Lieut.-Col. W. E. Almond. J. E. B. Rev. J. E. Beckerlegge. A. B. A. Beswetherick. R. H. B. Dr. R. H. Blair. G. B. G. Brenton. P. E. C. Mrs. F. E. Carter. H. P. O. C. H. P. O. Cleave. E. M. C. E. M. Cock. E. C. E. Cohen (non-member). M. C. Mrs. M. Cuddy. B. W. E. B. W. Edwards (non-member). N. B. E. N. B. Exelby. C. V. E. C. V. Eyre. R. G. R. Gendall. J. S. G. J. S. Gilbert. A. H. G. A. H. Glanville. B. F. H. Rev. B. F. Harvey. H. H. Miss H. Harvey. C. J. H. C. J. Henty (non-member). D. P. H. D. P. Holmes. M. R. H. M. R. Holmes (non-member). H. R. K. Mrs. H. Rait Kerr. R. K. R. Khan. B. K. B. King. J. F. H. M. J. F. H. Mance. H. M.-G.