TABLE OF CONTENTS Preamble ... ... ... ... ... 3 Obituaries ... ... ... ... 5 Congratulations ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 Subscriptions ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 The Walmsley Sanctuary ... ... ... ... ... 7 List of Contributors ... ... ... ... ... 8 Cornish Records ... ... ... ... ... 10 Arrival and Departure Tables ... ... ... ... 60 Local Distribution changes in the St. Columb Major district after the 1962/3 winter ... ... ... ... 66 Notes on the winter 1962/3 in the Lizard area ... ... 68 Estimated Loss of Birds Species during the 1962/3 winter in St. Breward Parish ... ... ... ... ... 68 Book Review ... ... ... ... ... ... 70 Isles of Scilly Records ... ... ... ... ... 71 Arrival and Departure of Migrants in the Isles of Scilly ... 84 Observations on Rosevear ... ... ... ... ... 88 The Society's Rules ... ... ... ... 89 Treasurer's Report and Balance Sheet ... ... ... 90 Committees ... ... ... ... ... ... 93 List of Members ... ... ... ... ... ... 94 1 THIRTY-THIRD REPORT OF The Cornwall-Bird Watching and Preservation Society 19 6 3 Edited by J. E. BECKERLEGGE and N. R. PHILLIPS (kindly assisted by R. H. BLAIR) The Society's Membership in 1963 was 622. Five Executive Committees and three General Meetings were held during the year at the Museum, Truro. Several successful field days were held in different parts of the County. On February 23rd Mr. A. G. Parsons gave a talk on Bird Migration which was followed by a lively discussion. At the Annual General Meeting on April 20th, Sir Edward Bolitho was re-elected President and Dr. R. H. Blair re-elected Chairman. Mr. S. A. Martyn had written to notify the Society that owing to ill health he could not continue as Treasurer. His resignation was accepted with regret, gratitude for his services expressed, and the Meeting made him an Honorary Member of the Society. Mr. W. J. Goddard was elected Treasurer: Messrs. J. E. Beckerlegge, A. G. Parsons and N. R. Phillips were re-elected Secre­ taries. Under Rule 6, Mr. R. Khan, Miss M. J. Jones, Mr. T. J. Stephens and Miss E. G. Pickthall retired from the Committee. Mrs. F. E. Lott, Miss H. M. Quick, Miss E. M. Whelan, Mr. C. J. Stevens, Mr. A. H. Jeffreys and Mr. B. R. Pattenden were elected to the Committee. It was agreed that as from January 1st, 1964, the Annual Subscription would be increased to ten shillings. At the Autumn Meeting on October 19th a proposal was put forward that the Meeting rescind the Society's decision not to oppose further the Cornwall River Board's scheme for the Amble Marshes. An amendment that the Meeting had the fullest confidence in the Executive Committee and its decision was passed by a large majority. At this meeting Dr. C. J. F. Coombs showed two films of bird life in Sweden and the Shetlands. The year saw work started on the drainage of the Amble Marshes, an action on the part of the Cornwall River Board which may result in impoverishment of the wild life of the area, and possibly make the Walmsley Sanctuary useless as a refuge for White-fronted Geese. However it is hoped that the Concessions allowed the Society by the River Board will maintain the Sanctuary as a resting and feeding ground for the geese. 3 1963 was noteworthy for the very cold weather of January and February. Comments on the states of our resident birds will be found in the systematic list. Compared with many other parts of the country, most species survived quite well. The Recorder apologizes for the late appearance of the Report, which is due partly to the very welcome mass of information sent in, and partly to the fact that for the first time we have listed species in the 1951 B.O.U. list order. It would greatly help, if in future years members would send in their records according to the Order of the 1951 B.O.U. Check List. Members not possessing the Check List, should send them in according to the order of " The Popular Handbook of British Birds " or " A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe ". Several rarities occurred during the year, including an American Green-winged Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Wilson's Phalarope, Black-winged Stilt, Bee Eater and Great Reed Warbler. Rules of the Ryves Memorial Prize will be published with this and subsequent Reports. The first Award will be made in 1967. Members are requested to send their mainland records for 1964 to the Revd. J. E. Beckerlegge, St. Crowan Vicarage, Praze, Camborne, before January 15th, 1964. Isles of Scilly Records should be sent before January 15th to Miss H. M. Quick, Priglis, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly. 4 NEWQUAY-PORTH RESERVOIR, MELANCOOSE The Society welcomes the news that the Secretary of State has made an Order under the Protection of Birds Act 1954 establishing the Porth Reservoir at Melancoose as a bird sanctuary as from the 1st August 1964. Members wishing to visit this reservoir should obtain permits from one of the secretaries. OBITUARIES The Society has learned with regret of the death of the following members, notified since the last issue of the Annual Report: Mr. H. P. O. Cleave of Wadebridge; Miss E. G. Cordiner of Penzance; Mr. W. C. Crowther of Looe; Rev. C. A. W. Girling of Par; Mr. T. B. Jago of Marazion; Mrs. M. E. Johnson of Mawnan Smith; Mrs. E. M. Martyn of Wadebridge; Miss E. L. Pagan of Cheltenham late of Penzance; Miss G. A. Parker of Mylor; Mrs. A. B. Powell of Saltash; Mrs. F. Rougier of Mawnan Smith; Mr. M. T. Rowe of Penzance; Mrs. E. M. Wall of Trebetherick, Wadebridge; Miss E. Westrup of St. Buryan; Miss M. Willmore of Falmouth. Miss Pagan, Mrs. Rougier and Miss Westrup were Founder Members. CONGRATULATIONS Our congratulations are extended to Dr. C. J. F. Coombs on being invited to become a Founder Member of The Society of Wildlife Artists. Also to one of our Junior Members, Michael J. Reed of Porth- curno, for winning the individual prize of the Wildfowl Trust's Wildfowl Identification Competition for corporate members, thus helping his school to win the first prize in Group A (over 16). APPEAL FOR NEW MEMBERS At present our membership stands at something over 600 and it is felt that in order to maintain the Society in a healthy and active condition efforts should be made to increase this to at least 1000. With this end in view a leaflet giving an account of the activities of the Society together with a note of its achievements over the first 33 years of its existence has been prepared and is now available for distribution. We therefore appeal to all members to help by distributing these leaflets and so introducing the Society to their friends and acquaintances. Supplies (please state number required) can be obtained from the Honorary Treasurer and Registrar: Mr. W. J. Goddard, " Cheyney", Constantine Bay, Padstow, Cornwall. SUBSCRIPTIONS As from the 1st January, 1965, subscriptions will be as follows: Full Members - - - - - lOs.Od. per annum. Each additional member of the same family sharing the same literature 5s.0d. per annum. Junior Members that is all persons under 18 years of age - 2s.6d. per annum. ALL subscriptions are due on the 1st January each year and those not payable by banker's order should be sent to the Honorary Treasurer and Registrar. Applications for membership and any information affecting member­ ship, such as changes of address, should also be sent to the Honorary Treasurer and Registrar: Mr. W. J. Goddard, " Cheyney", Constantine Bay, Padstow, Cornwall. Payment of Subscriptions Under Deed of Covenant The Society is inaugurating a scheme for the payment of subscriptions under Covenant, whereby your subscription can, possibly, give increased assistance to the Society. A member, by using the procedure for " cove­ nanted " annual subscriptions, and who is liable to United Kingdom income tax at the full standard rate, can benefit the Society by an amount dependent upon the standard rate of income tax. At the present rate of tax a covenanted subscription of lOs.Od. is worth 16s.4d. to the Society. For full particulars please apply to the Honorary Treasurer and Registrar. 6 THE WALMSLEY SANCTUARY lst October, 1963. When the Walmsley Sanctuary was officially recognised most of us thought that it was safe for many years to come. References in our Reports for 1954 and 1960 to the plans of the River Board to alter the course of the River Amble to reduce flooding should have warned us all, as it did Mr. Parsons, that the Sanctuary might be adversely affected. We consulted our solicitor who confirmed that the River Board had powers to enter our Sanctuary, to deepen the channel, to alter the course of the river, and to levy charges on us for this work. The result of this, in addition to possible disturbance of our geese, will be to dry up and de-salinise the Sanctuary, to the detriment of the feeding value for geese. This summer the Minister approved the scheme and the River Board lost no time in preparing to implement it. Practically all the other riparian owners were in favour. Our friends the Nature Conservancy and the Cornwall Naturalists' Trust offered their support if we resisted to the bitter end, but they could not deny that the Board's legal position was such that resistance could not be expected to be successful. The River Board recognised the special position of the Sanctuary and offered, providing we refrained from further opposition, to help us by:— 1. Doing no work in the Sanctuary during the winter months, when geese might be present, in any year. 2. To provide sluices allowing of re-entry of sea water to the river, to delay or prevent de-salinisation, to be operated by us.