VoI.14 No.2 ISSN 0038 9144 Scottish Birds The Journal of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club Editor: Valerie M. Thorn. Assisted by: S. R. D. da Prato and R. W. Furness. Scottish Birds, the official journal of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, publishes original material relating to ornithology in Scotland; papers concerned with status and distribution are particularly invited. All papers are considered by an Editorial Panel and, where appro­ priate, are scrutinised by specialist referees. Authors are advised to invite comment from friends or colleagues, and if necessary to make amendments, before submitting their papers. Short notes on unusual observations or records are also accepted. (Advice on the submis­ sion of contributions will be found on the inside back cover.) Papers and short notes should be sent, in the first instance, to The Editor, Scottish Birds, 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH75BT. '!Wo numbers of Scottish Birds are published each year, in early June and December. The winter number contains the Scottish Bird Report, which includes rarity descriptions (these should be sent to the SBR Editor: Angus Hogg, Kirklea, Crosshill, Maybole, Ayrshire KA19 7RJ). Scottish Birds is issued free to members of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, who also receive a quarterly newsletter, Scottish Bird News, which carries items of topical interest, Club news and notices, and book reviews. Details of SOC membership rates are given below. Scottish Birds and Scottish Bird News are available to non-members at a subscription rate (1986) of £25 .00. Binding arrangements are available for Scottish Birds; volumes cover two calendar years. For information on advertising contact the Business Editor, Jacquie Clark, at 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BT. The ScottIsh Ornithologists' Club was formed in 1936 to encourage all aspects of ornithology in Scotland. It has local branches in Aberdeen, Ayr, the Borders, Dumfries, Dundee, Edin­ burgh, Glasgow, Inverness, New Galloway, St Andrews, Stirling, Stranraer and Thurso, each with its own programme of field meetings and winter lectures. The Club's headquarters are at 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BT. The Waterston Library (probably the best ornithological library in Scotland), is available for reference during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). The SOC Bird Bookshop is one of the world's leading ornithological booksellers; it carries a large stock of English language titles and can supply any Natural History book in print. Much ofthe business is by mail order, but personal callers are welcomed during office hours. The current catalogue is available on request. The Bird Bookshop is run by the SOC for the benefit of ornithology in Scotland. SOC annual membership subscription rates Adult. .. £10.00 Junior (under 18, or student under 25) ..................................... £4.00 Family (husband & wife, & children under 18) .............................. £14.50 Life Individual . ......... .. £200.00 Family . .............. ........ £300.00 Pensioner Individual . ............. £6.00 Family . ..... .. .. ...... .. ... .... £8.50 vrrocrrN(Q O"rrCCAJL CENTRE 51 iUDTITIAN !ROAD EDINEURnH Telephone 031 22~ ~45g Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? Or maybe upgrading your present model? Then visit our optical centre in Edinburgh where we have an extensive range of instruments at competitive prices. We continue to offer a friendly professional service. You will be encouraged to take your time so you can be confident of making the right choice. We welcome part exchanges and offer a full repair and overhaul service. I look forward to meeting you. ~~ Manager. PEREGRINE HOLIDAYS 1985/86 Special Interest Tours Directors Raymond Hodgkins, MA(Oxon), Patricia Hodgkins, MTAI Neville Wykes, FAAI With Guest Lectures and a Tour Manager: By Air and Inclusive. S PRI~G IN CRETE Mar 16-30 Birds, Flowers At the \finos Beach Hotel, Aghios Nikolaos. A long running tour (since 1970) which finds the early Cretan Spring al its freshest with migrants on the move and orchids already in bloom. Dud/er Jles B.Se. (Birds): Dr A nthony Pellec (Flowers). £755 PEWPONNESE Apr 2-16 Birds & Flowers Athens, Corinth, Olympia. Pirgos, Bassae. Pylas, Methoni, Neslor's Palace, Langada Pass, Sparta, Mystra, \1onemvassia, the ~an i, L. Taka, Talon. Famous sites linked by the itinerary and a feast of Natural His tory in one of the most fascin ating areas of Greece. Andy Gos/er (Birds): Dr Sue Eden (Flowers). £700* PORTUGAL 30 Mar-Apr 6 Flowers Based at the Hotel Atlantico. Estoril/Casc ais. Led by Dr Humphry Bowen. £299* JORDAN Apr 8-21 Birds Amman, AzraQ. Ommanad Castles, Jerash, ~adeba , Ml. Nebo, Kerak, Petra, Aqaba. A follow-up to our very successful 1986 taur. Led by John Parrolt BSc. £1000* TURKEY Apr 17-May I Birds & Flowers Istanbul, Bursa , u fu Dag, Lake Apolyant , Troy, Pergamon, Sardis, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Priene, Didyma, \1iletos, Aphrodisias, Izmir. Paul H . Davies MA (Flowers): Tiro Dean (Birds). £765 WESTERN CRETE May 1-15 Flowers, Nat. History Concentrates on this comparatively unfrequented area of Crete, Xenia Hotel, Chanea. Vi sits Akrotiri, Falasarna, Omalos and Askifou Plateaux, Samaria Gorge (descent and stay at Ag. Roumelli with boat 10 Loutro), this tour IS no" ex tended to two weeks and will explore as much of W. Crete as possible, following the great success of the 1986 tour. Led by Dr. Denis Owen. £760 CEPHAWNIA May 2-16 Birds & Flowers The island has very varied habitats (seashore, marsh, fo rest and mountain) and a rich nora and fauna. " Acres of orchids" and exotic migrants. Led by John Parrorr B.Sc., and Dr. Sue Eden . £520 LAKES PRESPA & OHRm May 16-30 Birds & Flowers Our third visit to this essentially Balkan area of Greece, and the enchanting environs o f Byzantine Ohrid. Thessalaniki (Axias Delta, L. Karoni.), Pell., Edessa, Ohrid (L. Ohrid, SI. Naum), PeIJiser National Park, Fl orina (L. Prespa). Led by Dr. Denis Owen and Dr. Sue Eden. £775 ICELAND June 11-18 Birds A new and exciting tour visiting the Snaefellsnes Peninsula & Western Fjords: Led by Mone Hirons M.Se. £550* NORTHERN GREECE June 13-27 Photography This is a new and exciting photographic itinerary staning and finishing in Salonika based on the experience of the II years of this very successful tour. Thessalonika (Salonika)-LilOchoron-Prioni-Mt. Olympos-Volos-Pelion­ Tzangarada-Larissa-Plain of Thessaly·Trikala-Kalambaka-Meteora-Katara Pass-Metsovon-Ioannina-Dodona-L. Pambotis-Monodendron-Aoos & Vicos Gorges-Konitsa-Kozani-Veria-Thessaloniki. ud by Ben Crawshaw ARPS. £710 GOLF & SITES OF RHODES Sep/ Oct Golf & Sites This follows our previously successful Golf Tour led by Ncville Wykes, who apart from administering our Bird & Flower Tours, is an excellent golfer. Visits will be arranged to Lindos, Valley of Butterflies and Kamires. £t.b_n. BIRDS OVER THE BOSPHOROUS Oct Birds A revived tour - Istanbul/Bursa/ Ulu Dag/ Lake Apoly.nt/ Camlica Hills (Eagles/Storks etc). £t.b.n. PHILIP OF MACEDON Nov Ancient History A repeat of our two previously successful tOUTS. Salonika (Roman and Byzantine), Pella (Alexander'S birthplace), Dion, Vergina (Tomb of Philip of Macedon), Kavalla, Thassos (Genoese Citadel, Greek ruins), Philippi, Drama, Serres. £t.b.n. AUTUMN IN CRETE Nov 4-15 Birds Based at the Minos Beach Hotel, Aghios Nikolaos from where optional excursions will be arranged to - ~1:~:!~1~~~n~~~~t~~6~~~~~~fe~~~t~~t~!(~!o~raJr~~~~~~::~n~~~:~~~LaSSilhi £550* XMAS IN THE SUN (Tunisia/ Crete) Dec/ Jan Sites JO days holiday in Tunisia based on 4- hotel on half board basis. OR 2-week holiday at the Mines Beach Hotel. ~~ehr~~~ . Nikolaos on Crete - optional excursions in each country arranged to places of interest. Please register £t.b.n. INDIA .. Our agents arc working on a full " AIl Seasons" brochure with summary itineraries for all parts of India ... Please request .. should be available in the Spring 1987. * = provisional PEREGRINE HOLIDAYS AT TOWN AND GOWN TRAVEL 40/ 41 South Parade, Summertown. Oxford OX2 7JP Tel : Oxford (0865) 511642 AIDI SRN June 1986 Fully Bonded HIGHLAND FIELD STUDIES Mosses and liverworts Bla irgowrie. Perthshire April 17-21 Spring Flowers Blairgowrie. Perthshire April 25-May 3 Exploring Morvern Ardtornish. Argyll May 23-30 Dandelions Blairgowrie. Perthshire May 24-29 Exploring Morvern Ardtornish . Argyll May 3().June 6 Mountain Flowers Blairgowrie. Perthshire June 27-Jul y4 Sedges and Rush es Blairgowrie. Perthshire July 11-18 Wild flowers of Tayside Blairgowrie. Perth shire July 18-25 Natural History Photography Blairgowrie. Perthshire August 1-8 Exploring the Highlands Abriachan . Inverness-shire August 15-22 Exploring Tayside Bla irgowrie. Perthshire August 22-29 Bryophytes Blairgowrie. Perthshire September 11-18 Natural Hi story of Skye Harlosh . Skye Qct 3-10 Bird s of Morvern Ardtornish. Argyll Qct 1()'17 Autumn in Tayside Blairgowrie. Perthshire Qct 17-24 Birds of Autumn Blairgowrie. Perthshire Qct 23-25 Informal relaxed courses for both beginners and experts in some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. with expert guidance and tuition_ Based mostly in comfortable hotels and guest houses. Further details of these and the full programme available (s.a.e. please) from: BRIAN S BROOKES MBE MSc, Highland Field Studies, Glenshieling, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 7HZ. Telephone: Blairgowrie (0250) 4605. Hampshirl! mi[ra The Microscope Shop, Oxford Rd, Sutton Scotney, Hants S021 3JG. Telephone: (0962) 760228 MICROSCOPES FOR THE NATURALIST We specialise in the postal sale of low-power stereomicroscopes and high-power microscopes together with a wide range of accessories for the microscope. We understand the needs of the amateur and professional naturalist and can advise on the selection of suitable outfits or accessory items by post to satisfy both your technical requirements and your budget. Send for a copy of our current catalogue and comprehensive price-list. No stamp nor envelope required. The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland Compiled by PETER LACK This companion vo:ume to The Alias of Breeding Birds in Brilain and Ireland maps the distribution and abundance of 192 main species and is derived from surveys organised by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Irish Wild bird Conservancy.