2011 No. 1 February Reg. Charity No.228966 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE It is with regret that I have to announce that two of our long standing volunteers have resigned. Peter Reay and Ian Farrell between them have served the Society for over twenty-five years. Peter has been editing the Devon Bird Report from 1999 and wrote a section prior to that year. His keenness to ensure accuracy with each report is a testament to him. I worked closely with Peter for six years whilst County Recorder and I know the loss of his service to the Society will be greatly missed. Ian, will be known to members in recent years as our webmaster a job which he performs with enthusiasm and dedication. I first met Ian when acting as legal advisor to the Society on the wording of its new constitution when I first noticed his commitment, business acumen and a keenness to get the job done, a style he showed throughout his service as a trustee on Council, as Chairman of the Publishing Group and right up to present as Vice Chairman. On behalf of the Society I would like to thank both Peter and Ian for their service to the Society and wish them the very best for the future. Whilst Chairman I have set myself various tasks, last year it was the completion of the Birds of Devon book and ensuring the preparation of the Devon Tetrad Atlas was on a sound footing, both thankfully were achieved. This year my task is probably more difficult in that I will attempt to find volunteers to fill vacancies on Council and other posts that are vacant. This is where I hope members will help. Apart from Editor and several section writers working on the DBR, Editor of the Harrier and many other roles urgently need to be filled. I am sure there are many members who have experience of editing and preparing short notes who would be willing to find a few hours to help us. It is important the Society continues to be vibrant, grow and succeed in the future, but this can be only achieved with more volunteers coming forward to help. Hopefully you will be able to help, and if so, please contact me on 01297 34958 for an informal chat. Ian Farrell has been kind enough to store most of our books, data and some archives. Now Ian has stood down and planning to move abroad the Society is now seeking unused office space, even a spare room in a house to store this material. Here again your help is sought, or know of someone who may be able to help, so please contact me. 1 This year will see the continuation of members‟ social evenings enabling your trustees to meet and get to know you. The last was deemed a success and it has been agreed to continue these to eventually cover the whole of Devon. It is the turn next for the members of North Devon, which is provisionally set for April. Other areas will follow. I wish all members a spring and summer of good birdwatching. Mike Tyler GREY WAGTAIL ROOSTS Long term DBWPS member Bill Madge wrote to me recently about a Grey Wagtail roost he had found in a willow overhanging the river by The Mill on the Exe at Exeter. On 16th October he saw five birds. He thought there might be more so returned the next evening and counted 27 Grey Wagtails going to the roost between 18.00-18.20hrs. A week later he checked and again counted 27. Four weeks later the leaves had fallen from the willow tree and the roost was down to just six. Bill goes on to say “Grey Wagtails are just wonderful birds to watch and more so in numbers. I suppose it is no surprise they communally roost but not a sight one comes across regularly like Pied Wagtail sites. I wonder what other Devon records there have been?” A quick look through the last few years‟ records didn‟t show any evidence of roosts. I e- mailed Dennis Elphick our „Pied Wagtails man‟, he mentioned a similar roost at Slapton back in the 1960‟s (Maurice Edmonds) and his own experience of catching birds at a roost in Cheshire in the late 1980/1990‟s. Others I spoke to were not aware of any Grey Wagtail roosts in Devon. I decided to „Google‟ it and to my surprise only one relevant item appeared and it was from the website of our own John Walters (http://www.johnwalters.co.uk). John found a small roost several years ago on the River Dart near where he lives and each year since I understand he has found a roost of varying numbers somewhere in that area. Please contact me if you have any information on Grey Wagtail roosts in Devon. Julia Harris (Asst. County Recorder), 6 Clonway, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6EG. Tel: 01822 853785. E-mail: [email protected] LUNDY EXCURSION – SUNDAY 8th MAY 2011 Sailing from Bideford 9.00am prompt. Boarding from 8.30am Returning to Bideford approx. 8.00pm Tickets available from Mark Humfrey Morada, St. John‟s Lane, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 9DD Tel: 01271 344556 Adults - £25 Children £16 2 DIARY DATES Field Meetings EAST DEVON 16th Mar West Charleton Marsh – meet Ashburton Arms pub SX752426 10.00am 25th Mar Tarr Steps, Exmoor – meet c/p SS872324 10.00am 5th Apr AGM – Guest Speaker Stan Davies – Blue Ball Inn Sidford A3502 7.30pm 10th Apr Somerset Levels, W.Sedgemoor, Greylake – meet Swell Wood c/p ST360238. 10.00am PLYMOUTH 7th Mar Slapton SX783795 – meet tank c/p 9.30am TAW & TORRIDGE 20th Mar Beara Charter Farm SS524384 – meet at farm. 10.00am Leader – Gerald Nicholas 17th Apr Woody Bay SS676486 – meet at lower c/p 10.00am Indoor Meetings SOUTH DEVON Held at Court Farm Inn, Abbotskerswell at 7.30pm 21st Mar Falconry and Hybridisation Steve Hopper 18th Apr Birding the South Island of New Zealand Dave Norman TAW & TORRIDGE Held at Park Community School, Barnstaple at 7.30pm Admission £2.50 including refreshments. 8th Mar AGM followed by Climate Change not as bad as we thought! Mike Towns 12th Apr Galapagos and The Amazon Gill & Phil Marlow All Members are welcome at any meeting organized by the Society or branches. Field Meetings may be cancelled in bad weather, if in doubt, please contact the appropriate organiser – details in the Programme. Organisers and Leaders of field meetings need to take all possible precautions to ensure that the area to be visited is safe and that there are no hazards that could possibly lead to accidents. If possible, walk the route beforehand and report any problems to the appropriate authority. REMINDER – END of YEAR RECORDS If you have yet to submit your 2010 records, please send them to the Assistant Recorder/Data Manager – Julia Harris [email protected] as quickly as possible for inclusion in both the 2010 database and Devon Bird Report. If you need to latest electronic spreadsheet or any help with submitting your records please contact – Julia Harris Tel: 01822 853785 E-mail: [email protected] 3 STOKE WOODS – MANAGEMENT PLAN The managers of the paintball company operating in part of the Stoke Woods SSSI are looking to gather baseline data on the range of species found in the woods they operate in and the abundance of those species. The information gathered will inform future management of the site with regards to woodland management to provide necessary habitats and the provision of nest boxes where natural sites do not exist. Past records suggest that Pied Flycatcher have bred and that several pairs of Wood Warblers were present although none have been recorded in recent times. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker have also been recorded here in the past and a thorough search for them may prove fruitful. If you are interested in conducting this survey work please contact – Jemma Box BSc (Hons), Forest and Land Management, Coppers, Yarcombe, Honiton, Devon EX14 9LS.Tel: 01404 861400 (office)Mob. 07590 775162 E-mail: [email protected]. Nik Ward Tel: 01392 424270 TAW/TORRIDGE BRANCH FIELD MEETING Sunday 9 January 10.00am at Hartland Point – attendance 16 members – Leader: Norman Briden. With Lundy Island standing out clearly in the distance, and Guillemots and a lone Gannet flying past, members gathered to view Barley Bay. A lone Peregrine flew past landing on the headland, where another joined it. At sea several Red-throated divers were spotted, and riding the waves with them were Guillemots, Black-backed gulls and Cormorants. Two ravens were then sighted on the same headland as the Peregrines. On to Taw Forest where we hoped to spot Great Grey Shrike which had been over wintering, no luck, but Goldcrest, Long-tailed tits and four Buzzards calling overhead. On to Bude Marsh, and in a clearing in the reeds Shoveler and Gadwall were seen, and a Kingfisher perched in a bush above. A Water rail was seen by some, also good numbers of Reed buntings. A little further on two Pied and a Grey wagtail seen on the river bank as we made our way along the path bordering the marsh. Many Snipe were present along the cleared channels of the reed bed, also Teal and Wigeon. In open boggy fields at the end of the reserve we saw many Canada geese, Lapwing, Wigeon, Teal, Starling, Snipe, Meadow Pipit and a lone Dunlin! To finish the day we called at Bursdon Moor hoping to see Hen harriers coming in to roost.