Herefordshire Ornithological Club ANNUAL REPORT 1988 No. 8 Vol. 4 £2.00 HEREFORDSmRE ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB No. 8 Vo!. 4 OFFICERSANDCOMMITTTEE19" President J.L.FOX Vice Presidents:- P.W. HINDE, M.B.O.U., Dr. C.W. WALKER, M.C. A.G.FYSHE Chairman:­ A.J.SMITH Hon. Secretary:­ I.B.EVANS 12 Brockington Drive, Tupsley, Hereford. Tel:(0432)265509 Hon. Treasurer:- I.T.STONE Chantries, Grosmont, Abergavenny. Hon. Recorder:­ K.A.MASON The Sett, Common Hill, Fownhope. Tel: Fownhope 546 Hon. Field Secretary:­ K.A.MASON Hon. Editor:­ A.MARCHANT Hon. Bulletin Editor:­ P.GARDNER Committee:- Miss. W.O. DAVIES D.PARR Mrs. F.R. FRANCIS C.J. PARRY (Resigned) R. HALL (Resigned) L.F. VICKERS F.W. MARSTON (Resigned) Dr. W.H.D. WINCE Co-opted Mrs. J.M. BROMLEY HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB RULES 1. NAME. The Club shall be called the Herefordshire Ornithological Club. 2. OBJECTS. The objects ofthe Club shall be (a) to further the study ofbirds in the field, and (b) to assist in their preservation. 3. MEMBERSlllP. The Club shall consist of a President, a Chairman, a Secretary, a Field Secretary, a Treasurer, an Editor, a Recorder, and Ten Committee Members and Ordinary Members. The President and the Chairman to retire after serving a term of three years. The Secretaries, the Treasurer, the Recorder and the Editor shall be elected annually. The three senior of the ten Ordinary Members of the Committee shall retire annually and they shall not be eligible for re-election for a period of 12 months. The Officers and Ordinary Members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and th~ Officers shallbeeligibleforre-election. Nominations for the Committee must be received in writing by the Hon. Secretary by February 14th. 4. CONDmONSOFMEMBERSlllP. Members shall be required to support and keep the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Any members failing to supportandkeep this law shall berequired to resign. Members shall not divulge to unauthorised persons (e.g. known collectors of skins and/or eggs) information in a manner likely to be detrimental to the objects of the Club. 5. SUBSCRIPTIONS. (a) Junior members, over 12 but under 18 years ofage, £3. Ordinary members, 18 years and over, £5. A married couple, £7.50. Any additional members ofa household £1. .. Subscriptions are payable on January 1st or on election to membership. Corporate Members: Kindred bodies, Schools, etc. Subscription £5 per annum. Honorary Members: As approved by the majority present at the Annual General Meeting. (b) All subscriptions subsequent to those paid on admission shall be due on January 1steach year. Where a memberhas beenelected onorafter 1st September in any year, there will be no further liability to subscribe in the year immediately following that of his or her election. Any member whose subscription is six months in arrears shall cease to receive the Club's publications and, should the subscription not bepaid by December 31st, his or her name shall be deleted from the list ofMembers. 6. MANAGEMENT. The Secretary shall keep Minutes of the Meetings and prepare such literature as shall keep the Members informed of the Club's activities. 7. MEETINGS shall be held as often as deemed desirable at the discretion ofthe Officers. 8. REPORT. There shall be an Editorial Committee of at least three Members including the Secretary, appointed at an ordinary Committee Meeting. These shall prepare and present an Annual Report and such special reports as may be decided upon. 9. ALTERAnONS OFRULES. An alteration ofthe Rules may be made only if proposed at one meeting, printed on the agenda for the following meeting, and passed by a two-thirds majority of those present. HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITIIOLOGICAL REPORT 1988 367 DONALD PARR M.B.O.U. 1921-88 Donald Parr was a serving member of the H.O.C. committee whose wide experience and abilities will be sadly missed, for his interests and achievements in the world ofornithology extended far beyond our County boundary. Prior to his retirement from the Civil Service in 1980 he had engaged in a surprising numberofbirdingactivities which includedbeing afounder memberofthe Surrey Bird Club in 1957 and going on to serve variously as their Secretary, Chairman and President - he was a Vice-President up to the time ofhis death in December 1988. A ringer for 35 years, he was for two terms Ringing Secretary to the Surrey Bird Club and SecretaryandOrganiser oftheHersham Ringing Group. He edited 'The Birds of Surrey 1900-1970' (Batsford 1972) and was for two spells B.T.O. representative for the County. He was elected M.B.O.U. in 1963. He was a widely travelled birdwatcher,leading many ornithological tours to the Continent and the Near East. In 1973 he led an expedition to Portugal for the B.O.D. and was joint leader of expeditions to Turkey and later to the Red Sea. A founder Council member of the Ornithological Society of the Middle East and its Secretary from 1978-82, he edited their journal 'Sandgrouse' from 1980 onwards. He was a major contributor to many important surveys and reports dealing with birds (including raptor studies) and pollution problems associated with oil extraction in the Near East, e.g. Report to B.P. International Ltd. 1984. After his retirement he moved to Malvern in 1982 and produced a Bird Report for the years 1985-87 for the Malvern Hills Conservators - he was Chairman of their Wildlife Advisory Body in 1987. He became a member of the Wychavon Ringing Group in 1982 and was their Chairman in 1985. He took a keen interest in the birds ofHerefordshire and Radnorshire. Donald Parr's industry and talent during a lifetime ofinterest in birds and wildlife has producedrecords which will continue to be ofgreat value to all interested in conversation far into the future. 368 HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGICAL REPORT 1988 EDITORIAL During the year the Club's Recorder, Mr. A.J. Smith, and Secretary, Mrs. J.M. Bromley, retired from their posts having served the Club for 17 and 15 years respectively. The Club is very much indebted to them for their time and effort spent on the Club's behalf during their years in office. Their services have not beenlosthowever, as Mr. Smithcontinues to be ClubChairman and Mrs. Bromely has been co-opted to the Committee. Mr. K.A. Mason has taken over as Recorder and Mr. lB. Evans agreed to become the Club Secretary. It is sad to record the death ofDonald Parr on December 4th following a short illness. He was a valuedmember ofthe Committee and Editorial Sub-Committee and had led a number of field meetings. 1988 was notable for the first breeding records of Goosander and Black Redstart. The former was not unexpected as it continues to expand its breeding range and is now recorded within the County throughout the year. The latter, however, was totally unexpected considering that it isa comparatively rare passage migrant within the County. Other 'firsts' were Little Egret, Egyptian Goose and Ferruginous Duck. The year produced several other highlights beginningwithfivePintailonLuggmeadowsonJanuary5thandfourWhitefronts at Castleton on 7th. A Firecrest was seen at Burghill on15th. A generally quiet spell followed until March 31st when an adult Night Heron was found on the Herefordshire/Shropshire border at CayqJuu:n. April began well with a Long­ eared Owl in Cother Wood from 2nd-8th and also on 8th an Osprey was seen at CriftinFordBridge. AtCastletonon 17tha Red-breasted Merganser, a Dunlinand a Greenland Wheatear were noted. A Hoopoe was presented at Berrington on 22nd/23rd and a second Osprey for the year was in Foy area on 25th. Four Whimbrel were seeninflight at UpperEggletonon May4thand the same species was also noted at How Caple on 9th. A Little Egret, found at Sink Green on 15th, remained only very briefly before flying off southwards. A third Osprey was reportedfrom belowCastleton on June2nd. Thefirst Woodlarkfor almost twenty years was seen flying over Ewyas Harold onJuly 8th and a Wood Sandpiper was at Aymestrey SP from 28th- August 5th. Seven Oystercatchers were at Whitney onAugust 6th, a Dunlin at Castleton on 13th and a Re<tshank at Aymestrey SPon 15th. Thenexttwomonths were quiet until October 31st when anEgyptianGoose wasseenatHamptonBishop. A drakeFerruginousDuckwas discovered atLinton on November 4th where itremained until early 1989. A SnowBunting was seen at British Camp on December 10th; a Great Grey Shrike made a brief stop at Eastnor Deer Park on 28th before moving to Castlemorton Common in Worces­ tershire and finally the only Waxwing to appear in the County during the '88 invasion was sadly killed flying into a window at Lugwardine on 31st. MEMBERSHIP and FINANCES. There has been no significant change in the membershipofthe Clubwith the number ofnewmembers tendingtoreplace those who have resigned. A statement ofthe Club's finances will be found at the end of this Report. CLUB ACTIVITIES. Club outings were held during the year at Talybont, Whitcliffe Ludlow, Uyn Hilyn, Hampton Bishop Wye, Symonds Yat Rock, Uanbedr, Uandegley, Four Stones, Haugh Wood (twice), Leach Pool and River Wye, Queens Wood Dmmore, Harley Dingle, Ednol, Elan Valley, Pilleth/ Hendregenny, Olchon Valley, Shaky Bridge, The Begwns, Glasbury, Goodrich HEREFORDSHIRE ORNITIlOLOGICAL REPORT 1988 369 area, Ashleworth and Twyning Hams, Foy Wye and Severn Estuary. In addition several members spent six days on Islay in the InnerHebrides at the beginning of April. Thanks go to all landowners who granted us permission to visit their properties and to all leaders of the various meetings. Indoor meetings included a Members' evening and illustrated talks by Gerry Lewis, 'Breeding Birds ofthe Black Mountains'; Dr. John Raines, 'The Birds of Thailand'; Mrs. Valerie McFarland, 'Wildlife of the Dee Estuary'; Chris Mead (BTO), 'Bird Migration'; David M.