Scottish Birds ....... ~ . '." : ........~ .............. ....._ .,.. ':;6"U"I:! :: ::=;~:~''': ; -'' The Journal of The Scottish Ornithologists' Club Vol. 3 No. 1 Spring 1964 FIVE SHILLINGS New, ., Revolutionary ZEISS Binoculars Eric Hosking uSing his leiss binoculars tor bird waiching Specially designed for spectacle wearers Mr. Eric HosMng. F.R .P.S., M.B.O.U ., than that normally obtained when the celebrated ornithologist, says : 'I am using binoculars with spectacles. more than pleased and delighted with my This has been achieved by the use 8 x 30B Zeiss binoculars and have found of an entirely new eyepiece unit. them invaluable now thal I have 10 wear Like all the latest Carl Zeiss speclacles all Ihe tim e'. binoculars, the new 8 x 30 B is With these new Zeiss binoculars also fitted with the unique Zeiss the user-even when w ea ring tele-objective system which spectacles-has the advantage of gives improved performance with a field of view many times larger smaller size. For full details of the unique Zeiss range and the name of your nearest stockist, please write to the sole U.K. Importers : o egenhardt D EGENHARDT & Co. LTD., CARL ZEISS HOUSE, 20/22 Mortimer Street, London, W.1. LANgham 6097 (9 lines) BIRD BOOKS Please support THE BIRD BOOKSHOP by buying all your new Bird Books from The Scottish Centre for Ornithology & Bird Protection 21 REGENT TERRACE, EDINBURGH 7 Managed by the S.O.C., profits help to maintain services to ornithology at the Scottish Centre. We offer expert advice on the largest and most com- prehensive choice of bird books in Scotland. We stock Peters on's American "Field Guides" All orders delivered carriage paid. Terms: Strictly cash with order. Ask for Price List. THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB The Sco.ttish Ornithologists' Club was founded in 1936 and membership is open to all interested in Scottish ornithology. Meetings are held dur­ ing the winter months in various centres and excursions are organised during the summer. The aims and objects of the Club are to (a) encourage and direct the stud)~ of Scottish ornithology in all its branches; (b) co-ordinate the efforts of Scottish Ornithologists and encouage co-operation between field and indoor workers; (c) enCQurage QrnithQlogical research in SCQt­ land in cO-QperatiQn with other Qrganisations; (d) hold meetings at centres to be arranged at which lectures are given, films exhibited, and discussions held; and (e) publish or arrange for the publication of statistics and informatiQn with regard to. SCQttish ornithology. There are no entry fees fQr membership. The Annual subscription is 2j/-; Qr 7/ 6 for members under twentY-Qne years of age and fQr University undergraduates. J Qint membership is available to married couples at an annual subscriptiQn of 40/-. "Scottish Birds" is issued free to members but JQint members will receive only one copy between them. The Club-rQQm, Reference and Lending Libraries at 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh 7, are available to members during Qffice ho.urs, and Qn Wed­ nesday evenings frQm 7 to 10 p.m. during the winter mQnths. The Club BQokshop is open during office hQurs fQ r the sale of new books. The official tie in navy or dark green (17/9, p~st extra) and Club badg~ (2/6) may be obt~ined frQm the Secretary, Mrs GeQrge Waterston, Sc~tttsh Centre for Orlllthoiogy and Bird Protection, 21 Regent T errace, Edmburgh 7 (Tel. WAVerley 6042), who will also forward Membership ApplicatiQn forms, the Club CQnstitution and other literature on request. John Smith'" Co. proudly introduce to The frame is painted and fitted with the bird watchers of Britain a completely lightweight green waterproof canvas, new hide - as Indispensable as binoculars camouflaged in brown. Roof and sides of and as portable as a sleeping bag. the cover are made in one piece, and the entrance flap is fitted with a strong zip Designed by experts in the field of fastener. canvas shelter manufacture, the Hides are Observation slots on three sides light, robust, servlcable and very easy to measure 15' x 5' approx., and the cover erect. Packed in its canvas valise, the Hide is provided with a pocket round its base measures only 28' long x 25 ' dia., and for weighting down, If necessary. weighs only 17 Ibs. Dimensions when fully erected are: Four jointed steel tube legs (i' X 18 3' 6' square at the base to 2' 6' square at gauge) form the frame and fit straight onto the eave, terminating in a pyramid roof 4' four roof members. The centre roof fitting high in the centre. Height from the ground Is permanently attached to one roof to eave 3' 6' . The resulting space accom­ member, while the other three are detach­ modates two people comfortably, with able for ease of packing and carrying. camera and binoculars. dOHN SMITH AND CO. (LONDON) LTD. Hainault Works, Hainault Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex. Scottish Birds THE JOURNAL OF THE SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB Contents of Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 1964 Page Editorial 1 Current research on Red Grouse in Sco.tland. By David Jenkins, Adam Watson and G. R. Mi11er 3 Isle of May Bird Observatory and Field Station Report for 1963. By Nancy J. Gordon 14 Rock Doyes in Scotland. By Raymond Hewson (plates 1-2) 22 Short Notes Some notes on Golden Eagles (Lea MacNally) (plate 3) 26 Food at a Buzzard's nest (Lea MacNally) 26 Goshawk in North and South Argyll (A. G. Gordon, T. D. H. Merrie) Zl Spotted Crake in Midlothian (R. W. ]. Smith) 31 Snowy Owls in Aberdeenshire, Banff, Shetland and Orkney (F. C. Gribble; L. S. Taylor; C. J. Booth; Edward Balfour) 31 Scarlet Grosbeak on Auskerry, Orkney (P. T. B. Slater) 34 Current Notes 35 Obituary Miss Helen C. Todd 43 Reviews The Birds of the British Isles. Vo!. XII. By D. A. Bannerman; illustrated by G. E. Lodge. Reviewed by R. Seath 43 Birds of the Atlantic Islands. Vo.!. 1. A History of the Birds of the Canary Islands and of the Salvages. By D. A. Bannerman; illustrated by D. M. Reid-Henry. Reviewed by 1. D. Pennie 45 Wildfowl in Great Britain. Edited by G. L. Atkinson-Wi11es. Reviewed by H. Milne 46 The Birds of South Roxburghshire. Bv V';. S. Medlicott. Reviewed by the Editors 47 Instructions to Young Ornithologists. Ill. Bird Migration. By R. Spencer. Reviewed by W. Austin 48 Birdwatching. By E. A. R. Ennion. Reviewed by T. C. Smout 49 Requests fo r Information 50 Official Sectio.n-The Scottish Ornithologists' Club 51 Edited by Andrew T. Macmillan, 66 Spylaw Bank Road, Edinburgh 13 A ..i .. ted by D. G. Andrew and T. C. Smout BUline .. Editor T. C. Smout, 93 Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh 9 ===== Out of this world Visit ... HOLIDAY CRUISES PITMAIN BEAG, Kingu.. ie, now run as a small Field Centre accommodating up to 15 visitors. ORKNEY Set at the foot of the Monadh­ Iiath range, with the forests and marshes of the Spey, the Cairngorm Nature Reserve, and AND the wild country of upper Badenoch within easy reach. Both Moray Firth and West SHETLAND Coast visited on day expeditions. For birds, the district is at its best in May, June and October FROM LEITH & ABERDEEN (autumn migration can be im­ Send PC for booklet of pressive). wonderful sailing holldays /. In Company's latest llhips and approved hotels. All­ inclusive from about £13 YOU WILL BE WELCOME- ..• to £44. to come and study on your NORTH OF SCOTLAND, ORKNEY own, or to join any item in the '" SHETLAND SHIPPING CO LTD programme of Field Holidays, o.~p t .14, Matthews' Q.uay, Aberdeen by the day, weekend, week or longer. Special arrangements for groups from Schools, Training Colleges, Youth organisations and Oubs. It is also a good ski-ing base in winter (when there are birds, too!) KYLE & GLEN MINICOACHES WE ALSO ARRANGE­ Let us show you the wild life Highland and Over.eas Field and glorious scenery of the Cairn­ Holiday.-general Natural His­ gorms and Northern Scotland. tory holidays in Scotland and You can stop when you wish to on the Continent. 1964 pro­ visit nature reserves, watch birds gramme includes Sutherlanc:l, and take photographs. Scandibavia, Austria, Holland, We recommend a two-day trip Portugal and France. to the R.S.P.B. Handa Binl Reserve. For all details, write to: Day rates for family and. school parties very reasonable. Write for COLIN MURDOCH, brochure to: PitmaiD B_g, D. C. HULME, KINGUSSIE, Inverne•• ·.hire. Muir of Ord Ro ..·.hire Tel. Kingussie 300. Telephone Muir of Ord 363 u Scottish Birds THE JOUR NAL OF THE SCOTTISH ORN ITHOLOGISTS' CL UB Vol. 3 No. 1 Spring 1964 Edited by A . T . M ACMILLAN with the assistance of D . G. ANnREW and T . C. SMour. Business Editor, T. C. SMOUT, Cover Design (Gr eenshanks) by LE!{ FULL E R TON, P ublished quarterly, Editorial One thousand pages. As we embark upon Volume 3, with more than 1000 pages already in print, it is gratifying to see Scottish Birds spreading slowly along our bookshelves. Placed beside the 5'9" required for The Scottish Naturalist and its transient relative The Annals of Scottish Natural History we may still seem rather slender, 'but we have at least the feeling that a beginning has been made; we need no longer feel diffident at our lack of a respectable past, now that we have two previous volumes, covering 5! years, to which we can refer. By way of celebration we are making some minor typo­ graphical changes, within the range of typefaces available to us, and we trust that these will generally be considered improvements.