Southern Bird No. 43 September 2010 • ISSN 1175-1916 Nelson AGM OSNZ Wader Count June 2010 The Magazine of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand Southern Bird No. 43 September 2010 • ISSN 1175-1916 New Release QUOTATION Within a thick and spreading hawthorn bush, That overhung a molehill large and round, I heard from morn a merry thrush Sing hymns to sunrise, and I drank the sound $49.95 With joy; and, often an intruding guest, I watched her secret toils from day to day, - How true she warped the moss to form a nest, And modelled it within with wood and clay; And by and by, like heath-bells gilt with dew, There lay her shining eggs, as bright as flowers, Ink-spotted-over, shells of greeny blue; This book by Paul Gibson beautifully showcases And there I witnessed, in the sunny hours, 160 of our amazing birds, in 200 pages of A brood of Nature’s minstrels chirp and fly, sumptuous photographs and informative text. Glad as that sunshine and the laughing sky. Available from most bookshops nationwide The Thrush’s Nest by John Clare or order from: CONTENTS Unique Pictorials, PO Box 848, Wanganui 4540. President's Report 3 see - www.upics.co.nz Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 4 Project and Activities Update 8 John Simmons 9 FREE ATLAS FOR NEW MEMBERS!!! Nelson AGM 10 The Society is extending the presentation of a free copy of the Atlas of Bird Distribution OSNZ Wader Count 12 in New Zealand 1999-2004 to each new member joining OSNZ while stocks last. In addition, all new members will receive a copy of the index to Notornis, Fifty years of bird study in New Zealand 1939-1989. Pass the word to people who maybe haven’t got COVER PHOTOS around to joining the Society yet that now is a very good time to do so. Not only do they obtain membership of the premier society for those with an interest in birds and Cover Photos ornithology in New Zealand and the South Pacific but they will also receive these two Front cover: Black-fronted Dotterel by Paul Gibson essential books on New Zealand ornithology. The atlas is an impressive and weighty Back cover: Rock Wren at the Chancellor Hut by book that which will be a delight for anyone with even a small interest in New Udo Benecke Zealand’s birds. Copyright held by the photographers. For details of how to join the OSNZ: We welcome advertising enquiries. Free classified ads are • Visit the Society’s website www.osnz.org.nz and download available to members at the editor’s discretion. Articles for inclusion in Southern Bird are welcome in any form, though a membership form. electronic is preferred. Material should be related to birds, • Contact the Society’s membership secretary: birdwatchers, or ornithologists in the New Zealand and Roger Sharp, 5 Archer Rayner Place, Pacific region, and can include news on birds, members, activities and bird study, literature/product reviews, Greenhithe, North Shore City 0632. letters to the editor, birdwatching sites, and identification. Phone: hm 09 413 8580, wk 09 625 3345 Illustrations are especially welcome, though they must be Email: [email protected] sharp. Copy deadlines are 10th February, May and August, and 1st November. The views expressed by the contributors Contact your local regional representative – contact details to this publication do not necessarily represent those of the are on the inside back cover of this issue of Southern Bird. Ornithological Society of New Zealand Inc. Publisher Published on behalf of the members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand (Inc), P.O. Box 834, Nelson 7040, New Zealand. Email: [email protected] Website: www.osnz.org.nz Edited by Nick Allen, 11 Seagrave Place, Ilam, Christchurch 8041. Phone (03) 358 5994, fax (03) 358 5997, Email [email protected] ISSN 1175-1916 (Print) ISSN 1176-2802 (Online) PRESIDENT’S REPORT ANNUAL GENERAL checklist, and also to consider future options, WEBSITE UPGRADE MEETING WEEKEND such as an electronic version that can be Council decided that the Society’s web updated on an ongoing basis. That committee presence would be upgraded and consolidated The Annual General Meeting and associated is to report to the Council meeting in June to provide better service to members and to Council meetings were held in Nelson over the 2011, at which time those future options will streamline procedures. Bruce McKinlay has first weekend in June. This was a very successful be considered. been appointed to lead this project and is event organised by the Nelson region. On behalf currently working with professionals in that of the members I would like to thank Stuart RARE BIRDS COmmITTEE field based in Dunedin. Wood and his team for their efforts. As I advised in my previous report the I can announce that much of the development Rare Birds Committee has been largely The minutes of the AGM are published work of the website is being paid for by non-functional over the last two years. in this issue of Southern Bird, but there were sponsorship from T-Gear, who were looking Council, during its meeting, considered the several actions taken over the weekend at opportunities to make a difference to a factors leading to this problem and decided that I wish to more fully report on as part of conservation-type organisation. I acknowledge that the systems under which the committee this report. the work of Ingrid Hutzler in making the had been operating were a major cause of necessary applications and providing the the difficulties. COUNCIL MEMBERS details to bring this to a successful conclusion. As previously reported Richard Holdaway, Council therefore decided to disband the Further details of this sponsorship will be Phil Battley and Paul Scofield retired from Rare Birds Committee, and the processes made available in due course. Council. Each has made major contributions under which it had been operating. A new to the running of the Society’s affairs, and committee was then established with new FINANCIAL REPORTS hopefully will continue to do so into the future. terms of reference and new operating As members will be aware audited There was no election as the number of procedures. This committee is to be called financial reports for 2008 and 2009 have not nominations did not exceed the number of the Records Appraisal Committee and it been available at the last two Annual General vacancies. Peter Frost, Murray Williams and will operate under the convenorship of Meetings. This situation arose during the Colin Miskelly were, therefore, elected to Colin Miskelly. Biz Bell has been appointed handover between the previous Treasurer Council for three-year terms. All three have as secretary, and the committee is already Mark Nee and the current Treasurer Paul already accepted roles within Council and are operating. A fuller report from Colin is in Garner-Richards. I can now report that the sharing the workload that enables the Society this edition of Southern Bird, providing more auditors have completed their work on both to operate so successfully. details on how it will operate. The committee years of financial accounts and these will be is presently working through the backlog of published in Southern Bird. records, but I would urge any members who CHECKLIST I wish to acknowledge the work that Paul The fourth edition of the checklist was have been withholding records to now submit them and have them processed. has put into achieving this outcome, and the officially launched immediately prior to assistance that Mark provided in guiding him the Annual General Meeting. The guest It should be noted that the posting of through the necessary paperwork. speaker at that launch was Neil Clifton, records on email newsgroups, or similar, Nelson/Marlborough Conservator, who does not mean that they get accepted into As stated at the Annual General Meeting was representing the Director General of the official record. It is necessary to submit a the operating capital of the Society has the Department of Conservation. Neil spoke report to the Records Appraisal Committee been declining and this is reflected in these of the value of having data and information for review and consideration. The process has accounts. However, now that we have a good available to guide the Department in their been considerably streamlined, but it is still factual base we can budget for the future on a work, and that the checklist would become one necessary to have a means of checking sightings much firmer footing. of the key tools relating to avian conservation to have them verified and confirmed. in New Zealand. SUBSCRIPTIONS As can be seen from the minutes of the Following the launch, on behalf of the EXECUTIVE OFFICER As confirmed at the Annual General Annual General Meeting Council’s motion to Society, I presented Dr Brian Gill with a increase subscription rates generated a lively Robert Falla Memorial Award, to his surprise. Meeting the executive officer, Ingrid Hutzler, has been of real benefit to the workings of discussion which considered all aspects of this However, this was richly deserved following proposal. At the end of this debate the motion not only his work with two editions of the the Society and Council intends to renew her contract for a further two-year period. to increase subscription rates was passed by a checklist, but also his input into ornithological reasonably small majority. study over an extended period. However, due to a change in her circumstances and Ingrid’s desire to undertake further While the increase in subscription rates The balance of the checklist committee was educational opportunities, her hours will appears to be fairly substantial, it needs to awarded meritorious service awards.