TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Preamble ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 List of Contributors ... ... ... ... ... 5 Cornish Notes ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 Arrival and Departure of Cornish Migrants ... ... 44 Isles of Scilly Notes ... ... ... ... ... 49 Arrival and Departure of Migrants in the Isles of Sciily ... 59 Bird Notes from Round Island ... ... ... ... 62 Collared Doves at Bude ... ... ... ... ... 65 The Library ... ... ... ... ... ... 67 The Society's Rules ... ... ... ... ... 69 Balance Sheet ... ... ... ... ... ... 70 List of Members ... ... ... ... ... 71 Committees for 1961 and 1962 ... ... ... ... 84 Index ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 85 THIRTY-FIRST REPORT OF The Cornwall Bird-Watching and Preservation Society 1961 Edited by J. E. BECKERLEGGE, N. R. PHILLIPS and W. E. ALMOND Isles of Scilly Section edited by Miss H. M. QUICK The Society's Membership is now 660. During the year, fifty-one have joined the Society, but losses by death, resignation and removal from membership list because of non-payment of subscriptions were ninety. On February 11th a Meeting was held at the Museum, Truro, at which Mr. A. G. Parsons gave a talk on the identification of the Common British Warblers. This was followed by a discussion. The thirtieth Annual General Meeting was held in the Museum, Truro, on April 15th. The meeting stood in silence in memory of the late Col. Ryves, founder of the Society, and Mrs. Macmillan. At this meeting, Sir Edward Bolitho, Dr. R. H. Blair, Mr. S. A. Martyn and the Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge were re-elected as President, Chairman, Treasurer and Joint Secretary, respectively. In place of Dr. Allsop who had resigned from the Joint Secretaryship, Mr. N. R. Phillips was elected. The meeting also approved of a motion that Col. Almond be written to, and invited to be a Joint Secretary. Col. Almond accepted the invitation. Dr. Blair paid tribute to the good work done by Dr. Allsop during his term of office, and expressed both his own and the Society's regret at his resignation. Under Rule 6 there were this year no retirements from the Committee. Mrs. Visick, Col. Bertram, Mr. D. P. Holmes and Capt. Cresswell-Evans were elected to the Committee. At this meeting Mr. P. Ashmole showed the B.O.U. Ascension Island film. At the Autumn Meeting in Truro on October 7th, Dr. Blair paid tribute to the late Mr. J. L. Palmer who had done much good work for bird protection in the South West. The R.S.P.B. film " Sea Bird Summer " was shown. 3 There were two meetings of the Executive Committee during the year. The 1960 Report issued to members was an enlarged one, and was a Memorial to the late Col. Ryves, in which were re-published his important researches into the breeding habits of Corn Buntings— researches which made ornithological history when first published. The Society is most grateful to three of our members who supplied illustrations for the Report. Mr. A. G. Parsons supplied the frontis­ piece of Col. Ryves; Mr. R. B. Treleaven supplied three plates of hawks and ten black and white drawings of Cornish birds, and Mr. A. A. Lock supplied a photograph of a Dunlin at its nest at Dozmary. Field Days were held at Marazion Marsh, led by Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge; Godolphin, led by Mr. A. G. Parsons; Mullion, led by Mr. A. G. Parsons; Boscastle, led by Mr. R. B. Treleaven; St. Ives Island, led by Mr. N. R. Phillips, and Portreath, led by Mr. A. G. Parsons. The year was noteworthy for the large numbers of rarities recorded, and for the very large influx of Redwings, Fieldfares, Golden Plover and Lapwings during the cold weather in the latter part of December. Amongst the rare birds recorded were Yellow-Breasted Bunting. Richard's Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Lesser Grey Shrike, White- spooted Bluethroat, Greenland Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Red- crested Pochard, Cory's Shearwater, several Collared Doves, with suspected breeding at Bude, American Pectoral Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson's Phalarope, Terek Sandpiper, four Cranes and seven Mediterranean Blackhearted Gulls. The Society is again indebted to Mr. Wills for auditing the accounts. The Secretaries are willing to give advice to members about binoculars. It would be much appreciated if members would please send subscriptions to the Treasurer and not to the Secretaries. Records of birds seen on the mainland should be sent before January 15th to the Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge, St. Crowan Vicarage, Praze, Camborne. Records of birds see on the Scillies should be sent to Miss H. M. Quick, Priglis, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly. Would members please send in their reports in the Handbook Order. Or if they do not possess the Handbook, at least under the heading of Species; and not, repeat not, in diary form. If records are submitted in diary form it makes hours of extra work for the editors of the Report. At the Annual General Meeting in 1962 Mr. A. G. Parsons was elected to be one of the Honorary Secretaries, with special respons­ ibility for all matters concerning protection. Members wishing to report any infringement of the 1954 Bird Protection Act should contact him as soon as possible. The Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge is responsible for records, Col. Almond for general administration and Mr. N. R. Phillips for the Members' Lists. 4 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS W. E. A. Col. W. E. Almond G. A. Dr. G. Allsop D. H-A. Deaconess D. Hargood-Ash J. E. B. Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge W. R. B. Lt.-Col. W. R. Bertram R. H. B. Dr. R. H. Blair E. H. W. B. Lt.-Col. Sir Edward Bolitho R. B. R. Burrows (non-member) F. E. C. Mrs. F. E. Carter R. F. C. R. F. Champion H. P. O. C. H. P. O. Cleave E. M. C. E. M. Cock M. Ct. M. Coath E. O. C. Miss E. O. Comber M. C. M. Cummins R. M. C. R. M. Curber W. H. D. W. H. Dady P. E. P. Evans N. B. E. N. B. Exelby J. S. G. J. S. Gilbert A. H. G. A. H. Glanville E. G. E. Griffiths B. F. H. Revd. B. F. Harvey D. G. H. D. G. Healy N. H. N. Higman D. P. H. D. P. Holmes W. A. H. W. A. Holmes A. C. H. A. C. Hosking A. J. A. Jeffreys S. J. Miss S. Jerram D. L. J. Dr. D. L. Johnson M. J. J. Miss M. J. Jones W. J. J. W. J. Julyan R. K. R. Khan 5 B. K. B. King G. C. L. G. C. Lainchbury J. L. J. Lawry A. A. L A. A. Lock R. H., M. J. M. Mr. & Mrs. Meares M. F. M. M. Professor M. F. M. Meiklejohn J. L. F. P. J. L. F. Parslow A. G. P. A. G. Parsons B. P. B. Pattenden R. D. P. R. D. Penhaliurick R. J. P. R. J. Pentreath B. R. P. B. R. Perrett (non-member) S. P. S. Perring (non-member) N. R. P. N. R. Phillips D. R. Miss D. Roberts E. G. R. Captain E. G. Roper R. J. S. R. J. Salmon A. C. S. A. C. Sawle D. F. S. D. F. Smith F. R. S. F. R. Smith M. S. Mrs. M. Southgate B. S. S. Mrs. B. Spenlove-Spenlove T. J. S. T. J. Stephens C. J. S. C. J. Stevens M. T. Mrs. M. Thomson P. R. T. P. R. Thwaites G. G. T. G. G. Trenerry P. V. Mrs. P. Visick E. H. W. E. H. Ware R. P. W. Mrs. R. P. Weeks E. M. W. Miss E. M. Whelan D. W. Miss D. Whitaker G. E. W. Miss G. E. Whitaker K. O. W. Miss K. O. Wilson 6 CORNISH NOTES 1 RAVEN. Nested successfully 150 ft. up in the steel girders of the police radio beacon on Hensbarrow, one thousand feet above sea level. W.J.J. C.J.S. 2 HOODED CROW. February 10th—15th. At Zennor, one. R.K. May 27th. At Trethvas Pastures, Lizard, one. A.G.P. 3 CARRION CROW. October 2nd. At Widemouth Bay, five birds stood on the sands in a semi-circle. One bird left the rank followed by a second. These walked slowly before the standing birds making frequent bows and sometimes crouching in front of them. The performance lasted, with slight variations, for nearly ten minutes. Meanwhile a single crow on the rocks nearby was constantly gesticulating, opening and closing its bill. This is just one of the many autumnal meetings of the Corvidae one sees on the coast. F.E.C. July 2nd. At Poldhu a young Carrion Crow seen with a white bar on each wing, and on July 20th at Polurrian Cove nearby, three juveniles with white wing bars seen. N.B.E. 4 ROOK. June 19th. One completely grey bird feeding with a flock. A.A.L. 5 JACKDAW. April 5th. In Union Place, Truro, two Jackdaws, possibly a pair were stripping bark off Elm twigs and flying off with it. Bark, apparently live, was stripped up to nine inches to a foot long, like peeling a banana. Both birds worked together. D.P.H. 18 HAWFINCH. December 17th. At Widemouth Bay, one in a larged mixed flock of finches (Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Reed Buntings principally). F.E.C. 21 SISKIN. October 15th. At Hot Point, one. A.G.P. November 23rd. Near Tregony, two. M.C. December 2nd. Near Tregony, a party of about 12, with Blue and Marsh Tits. G.A. December 12th. At Ruan Lanihorne, one. M.C. 30. LINNET. A roost of c. 100 birds established early in the year in a large clump of Gorse close to Par Station, last seen roosting there on April 4th.