LINCOLNSHIRE AUCTION HOUSE INVITING BIDS FOR THREE VOLUMES OF ORNITHOLOGICAL MASTERWORK

                                                  

Lot 436 - expected to fetch up to £100 

THE 1856 edition of the three volumes of A History of British Birds by William Yarrell is up for grabs next month at a Lincolnshire auction. 

Lot 436 also includes three other books:

* Edward Wilson of the Antarctic by George Seaver (1936)

 * Edward Wilson Nature Lover by George Seaver (1937)

* Tales of the Birds by W Warde Fowler (1889))

The sale is on August 2 - ironically the day before (in 1856) Yarrell fell ill after attending church. His symptoms included giddiness  and "wooliness in the brain".

He recovered but suffered a relapse and, despite medical assistance, died on the first day of the following month after encountering breathing difficulties in the Royal Hotel at Great Yarmouth while on a sea trip from London to Norfolk.

No post mortem was conducted, but it was reported that he suffered from 'ossification of the heart' - heart failure.  

The sale is being held by John Taylors at The Old Wool Mart  in Kidgate, Louth, with bidding on the  premises or online (pre-registration required).

A opening bid of £40 has been submitted for the lot but the pre-sale estimate is that a price of £70 and £100 will be achieved.

More details at https://www.johntaylors.com

* See previous blog for review of Christine E. Jackson's excellent  book: A Newsworthy Naturalist - the Life of William Yarrell (John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd)

SEABIRD PLAGUE NOW TAKING SERIOUS TOLL ON TERN COLONIES ON OTHER SIDE OF ATLANTIC

                                                    

What future for common terns such as these two juveniles taking a breather  during migration to Africa?

THE bird flu that has devastated seabird colonies on the British and other European coasts is now taking its toll on the other side of the Atlantic.  

According to the fopremost American bird conservation organisation, the  Audubon Society, early casualties have included several  tern species, with victims compulsively shaking their head - a symptom of neurological issues associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) 

Scientists have been tracking the current strain of HPAI in North America since December 2021 when the first case was detected in Canada. 

It remains unclear exactly how the pathogen arrived, but genetic analysis has shown that the North American strain is descended directly from the European strain. 

"Based on the experience that the European countries have had, it looks like it's not necessarily going to slow down anytime soon," says Samantha Gibbs, the lead wildlife veterinarian at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They’ve been dealing with it for a couple of years now at least, and it’s not just going away."

Terns  have been among the hardest-hit species in recent outbreaks. More than 1,000 Caspian terns on Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan coast have died since late May, with testing identifying HPAI as the cause.

In the Netherlands, where the current European strain has been circulating since 2016, the virus’s impact on Sandwich terns has been catastrophic. 

Thousands of birds across multiple colonies have perished during  the breeding season, with one colony of more than 7,000 birds being completely wiped out earlier this month. 

A research site in Germany, meanwhile, is documenting an exponential spike in deaths during an ongoing outbreak at the Banter See that has killed hundreds of common terns.

Because common terns frequently move around between colonies, a disease outbreak at one colony can  quickly spread to others. 

Meanwhile, it is feared that An HPAI outbreak in Maine, New England, could spell catastrophe for the likes of puffins, Arctic terns, least terns and endangered roseate terns.

Researchers are keeping a particular close eye on the puffins whose historic Maine populations were re-established in the late 1970s by Steve Kress, the founder of Project Puffin and former executive director of Audubon’s Seabird Restoration Program. 

Matters are only made worse by the fact that scientists are helpless to treat sick birds. 

Instead, they say that the best way to support bird populations during avian flu outbreaks is to reduce outside stressors. 

While a healthy, resilient population can withstand disturbances from disease, a population stressed by factors like habitat loss, decreased food supply or pollution will have a harder time rebounding. 

BOOK REVIEW: A NEWSWORTHY NATURALIST - THE LIFE OF WILLIAM YARRELL

                                                               

WAS the godfather of British ornithology a bit of a society gadabout?

William Yarrell (1784-1856) loved partying - especially at occasions where good food and fine wines were plentiful.

He was a keen theatre-goer, lover of popular music, played the piano and greatly enjoyed playing cards and other board games.

This much we learn from A Newsworthy Naturalist: the Life of William Yarrell by Christine E. Jackson.

What about his character?

"There is no doubt he was a paragon of virtue,"she writes. "He was liked not because he was upright at a period when that was much appreciated but because he was kind with a sense of humour and fun."

The author insists that Yarrell was not a 'prig', but, notwithstanding her reference to his diverse interests and social life, she cannot prevent herself from presenting him as one of life’s 'worthies'.

The focus of her book falls largely on his capacity for making sense of colossal amounts of wildlife research - both  his own and that of friends and associates, then editing the data to publish two breathtakingly impressive works, History of British Birds and History of British Fishes. 

A Newsworthy Naturalist also contains an authoritative section on his main professional activity as a partner in partner in Jones and Yarrell, a flourishing advertising agency and supplier of books and journals to customers which included Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

Ms Jackson is a librarian by background. As might be expected, her research is meticulous and her approach leaning more to the academic than the anecdotal.

She has written a superb study of Yarrell and rescued his legacy from oblivion. 

But has she really got inside inside his personality and explored the full depth of what made him tick? Maybe she could have been a tad more speculative. 

Somehow one is left with the impression that there is another book yet to be written about the remarkable Mr Yarrell.

* Published at £25 by John Beaufoy Publishing, A Newsworthy Naturalist is available wherever good books are sold as well as from online outlets.

LESS FRENETIC AND MORE RELAXED - GLOBAL BIRDFAIR MAKES A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL DEBUT

RSPB president Miranda Krestovnikoff addresses a Global Birdfair audience

MUCH more  'relaxed' than previous birdfairs. 

That comment from the birding peer, Baron Randall of Uxbridge - a former MP and ornithological consultant to the Government - was echoed by others who attended last weekend's Global Birdfair.

Held at the Rutland Showground outside Oakham, it was a much more sedate affair than its sprawling, frenetic predecessors held at nearby Rutland Water.

With fewer exhibitors, guest speakers and visitors, this year's event  had the feeling more of a garden party in the country than a trade fair.

A few said there was "less atmosphere", but most thought it was more "compact", "friendlier" and "more intimate".

As in the past, the organisers-in-chief were Tim Appleton and Penny Robinson - but this time acting independently rather than under the auspices of the Leicestershire & Wildlife Trust.

The trust's executives had claimed that they lacked resources to continue.

Just to put a guilt trip on attendees, the trust maintained the fair was a contributor to global warming.

The public snub may have had an impact.

The event was boycotted by sister wildlife trusts and by their umbrella organisation's president, Simon King, who historically used to hire a whole marquee to promote his photographic wares.

Other high-profile absentees, whose presence might have been welcomed, were author and blogger Mark Avery and broadcaster Chris Packham.

What is more the economic crisis, the war in Ukraine, political turmoil at home and the sweltering weather may have sapped the public mood and discouraged prospective visitors from making the trip.

Sadly, veteran birder Bill Oddie apologised for his absence, through fragile health, but his friend and former BBC colleague, Stephen Moss, provided a well-received tribute act in the form of a sequence of clips from the former's TV broadcasts of yesteryear.

Both the RSPB and the BTO had a diminished stand presence, compared with previous years, but teams from four journals, Bird Watching, British Birds, British Wildlife and BBC Wildlife, were flying the flag as vigorously as ever.

There were also cameo appearances from the likes of RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight, Natural England chairman Tony Juniper and birding commentator and travel expert Keith Betton.

Covid, too, still cast a shadow. Some visitors wore masks as did exhibitor Martin Kelsey who was promoting the birding tours he hosts in mid-Spain's Extremadura region.

But the underlying mood was definitely one of cheerfulness and optimism. 

Times may be tough, but they won't last for ever.

Let's get on with life, renew old  acquaintances, make new friends . . . and enjoy our birding.

That was the spirit - and long may it prevail!

     

It was good to see secondhand book specialists Pandion back at the fair 

The team from Speyside Wildlife are always welcome

 at the event

Penguins going walkabout - art in action 

Where better for a short break than the Grant Arms Hotel?

                                                      

Wildlife and the city - another artist at work

As ever, the art marquee was particularly busy

The silhouette studies of Sandra Vick (left) attracted particular attention

The team from Azerbaijan were impressive newcomers to the fair

Also making a fair debut was the go-ahead Lincolnshire Bird Club 

David Lindo hosted a Q&A panel with (from left) Mya Bambrick, Celina Chien, Kabir Kaul and Indy Greene

 All the big optical companies were represented including Zeiss who provided much-appreciated binoculars servicing

Not the nicest task, but someone's got to do it - emptying the loos

And so, farewell until next year

A WARM WELCOME AWAITS IN AZERBAIJAN - A BIRDING HOTSPOT RIPE FOR DISCOVERY

Ulviyya (centre left) and Sharifa with their colleagues on their stand at Global Birdfair - the first time Azerbaijan has been officially represented at the event

COME to Azerbaijan for great birding!

That was the message from Ulviyya Safarova and Sharifa Hasanova in a fascinating and very impressive presentation at Gobal Birdfair.

Although a few independent travellers have already discovered what's on offer - not just the birds but also the delicious food and excellent hospitality - the country is not yet well known to the UK birding community.

But that is likely to change as Azerbaijan's energetic tourist board strives to promote its eco-tourism credentials, notably its birdlife which numbers more than 400 species, with the chance of discovering more.

"You can visit a range of habitats in less than a forthnight," enthused Ulviyya, who is a product development specialist for the tourism board. 

"British birders will always be very welcome. It will be privilege to showcase what we have to offer - not just the birds but our countryside and our culture."

Azerbaijan sits on the Caspian Sea and shares borders with Georgia, Russia and Turkey.

As part of their presentation, the two speakers cast a spotlight on the individual bird-rich regions, some of the most impressive species and the best times to visit.

These include:

* Talish Mountains (black-throated thrush, Caspian tit, shikra, semi-collared flycatcher) 

* Nakhchivan (Mongolian finch,grey-necked bunting, Persian wheatear, white-throated robin, Radde's accentor, see-see partridge, Upcher's warbler)

* Agool National Park (grey-headed swamphen, white-headed duck, white-tailed lapwing

* Gizilagach National Park (citrine wagtail, Terek sandpiper, Dalmatian pelican)

* Shirvan National Park (black francolin, little bustard, Menetries' warbler, blue-cheeked bee-eater, marbled duck)

                                                       

* Besharmag Bird Migration Bottleneck (black-winged pratincole, imperial eagle, white-winged lark, pallid harrier)

Those who partake in a whistlestop tour can explore the whole country in not much more than a fortnight, but obviously it is preferable to stay longer to make the most of what is on offer in this enchanting country.

Most travellers will arrive by flight at the country's vibrant capital, Baku, which, incidentally, has another jewel of its own - one completely unrelated to birds.

It was the home of Tofiq Bahramov, the linesman in the 1966 World Cup Final, whose crucial intervention at a critical moment in extra-time encouraged the uncertain Swiss referee to award a goal to England.

Most in the UK believed, mistakenly, that Mr Bahramov was Russian because his homeland was then part of the Soviet Union. But we are happy to put the record straight - he was a proud Azerbaijani!

 

Tofiq Bahramov - legend of football

Outside the stadium, there is a statue honouring the late Mr Bahramov, while inside there is a room dedicated to his life in football - both within his own country and internationally. 

For more information:

Birdwatching in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Tourism Board

Also, The Russian Linesman is available as an e-book via Kindle from Amazon:

https://amzn.to/3csGomW

IT ALL STARTED IN 1966 FOR RICHARD PORTER - UK EXPERT ON BIRDS OF ARABIA

                                                   

IT was in 1966 - the year that England won the World Cup - that Richard Porter made his first visit to the Turkish capital, Istanbul, to carry out research on the migratory flight of raptors over the Bosphorus.

"I was captivated by the muezzins' call to prayer and the spectacle of white storks circling overhead, "he told an audience at Global Birdfair.

Since then, Richard has spent a large chunk of his career in various countries of the Middle East - some of them ravaged by war.

The title of his presentation was "Birding in A War Zone".

He has been an ornithological researcher for various conservation organisations, such as the RSPB, and has trained numerous Arab biodiversity students.

In his talk, he flashed distressing images of precious archaeological sites destroyed by Isis and the environmental devastation wreaked in deserts and the Arabia Sea inm the aftermath of Sadaam Hussein's Iraqi troops being driven out of Kuwait.

                                        

Richard Porter - magic of the Middle East 

Thousands of birds and other creatures perished when they landed in oil mistaken for water on their ancestral migration routes.

Other succumbed as they sought to fly through dense, billowing  smoke from blazing oilfields. 

Although he has never come to personal harm, Richard conceded that he has worked in places where the atmosphere was decidedly sinister.

It was too unsafe for him to train Iraqi students in their own country so the coursework was carried out in neighbouring Syria.

Richard was particularly fscinating on his review of the buzzards, petrels and ibises, terns ands plovers  to be found in unique habitats such as island of Socotra in The Yemen.

Sadly, since their dramatic population decline over the past 50 years, he has few hopes of the slender-billed curlew ever being seen again in any of the countries of Arabia.

BIDDING GOES THROUGH ROOF FOR WARTIME FORT LOCATED NEAR SPURN BIRD OBSERVATORY

 

Mystery bidder - what next for historic estuary fort?

AN historic wartime fort at the mouth of the Humber Estuary this afternoon sold for close to £ half-a-million - almost 10 times the pre-sale guide price!

The Grade II Listed Bull Sand Fort  was Lot 107 in today's online sale conducted by Savills, upmarket estate agents.

Because of the fort's inaccessible location and requirement for total refurbishment, the guide price was a modest £50,000.

But such was the intensity of the bidding that the hammer did not fall until it had reached £490,000.

The identity of neither the vendor, nor the purchaser, have been revealed.

Because the fort is located less than two miles off Spurn Point - and thus likely to be migration stop-off point for rare birds - there was speculation that a wildlife or ornithological group might be an interested party.

But the high price will almost certainly have put it far beyond the means of even the most deep-pocketed of conservation organisations.

RSPB PRESIDENT: 'I FEARED MY HEAD WOULD BE PIN CUSHION FOR BILLS OF DIVING GANNETS'

 

Miranda Krestovnikoff - survived uninjured! 

WILDLIFE film maker and sea diver Miranda Krestovnikoff  has revealed a frightening moment on one of her filming assignments off the UK coast.

She and her crew were eager to secure movie footage of gannets hurtling headfirst beneath the surface of the water in their high-speed quest for fish.

Some artifice was required for the stunt. It involved scores of previously-caught mackerels which would be thrown into the air from a bucket.

Just as the shout of "Mackerels!" came, Miranda had a moment of trepidation as she waited in the water.

What if the birds missed the fish and hit the top of her head, penetrating her skull?

"It was a bit scary,"she confided to an audience at Global Birdfair. "For a split second, I thought my head would become a pin cushion for the bills of the gannets.

"But I quickly reassured myself that they dive with pin-point accuracy, and I was likely to be OK."

What happened? 

"It all went to plan,"she continued. "The birds were true to their reputation. I was avoided. 

"They got their mackerel - and I got some really good footage."

During her talk, Miranda revealed that her favourite birds were puffins because they are always "active, curious, cute and amusing".

Unfortunately, the book she is writing about them has had to be put on hold because her research has been curtailed by restrictions imposed because of avian flu on many of islands their breeding sites.

One of her past filming exploits involved attaching a prosthetic puffin's head to the top of her own so that she could get close-up underwater shots as they swam.

"They were baffled," she said. "They couldn't make up their minds about this new kid on the block."

Miranda, president of the RSPB, lives just outside Bristol where, to the delight of her son and daughter, she has created a wildlife haven in her garden.

There are  "loads of wrens", a blackbird with a white head two pairs of green woodpeckers, while other visitors - to the garden's  pond - include herons, kingfishers and  a cormorant which ate everyone of the fish, the largest ones first.

One of the early starbirds was a buzzard that made a feast from the carcass of the goose that the family had enjoyed for Christmas.

For close-up shots of nesting kestrels, she has installed a 24-hour movie camera, with the action providing immense all-day entertainment for the family.

"The camera and fixtures are not that expensive nor difficult to install," she said. "You'll be rewarded many times over if you make the investment."

ARE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ORGANISATIONS 'CHURNING OUT GREY PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN IMAGE'?

David Lindo - courting controversy?

DAVID Lindo - 'The Urban Birder' - was at his forthright best at Global Birdfair.

In a lively Saturday-evening presentation, he lamented the paucity of "creative thinking" among the powers-that-be in how nature and conservation are presented.

Without identifying them by name, he expressed concern that conservation organisations were "churning out grey people in their own image".

As such, much of their output was  uninspiring and unlikely to engage the majority of the community, particularly the young and those of colour.

"What we need is more mavericks," he declared.

The Wryneck says: David Lindo makes some valid points. Much of the communications output from organisations such as the RSPB and the BTO - for instance, in their publications - is dull, repetitive and, all too often, patronising. As a columnist himself, David is, alas, not entirely exempt from his own criticisms. What does he mean by “creative thinking”? Perhaps he could come up with a ten-point charter to guide us through to a brave new birding world.

ARE SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH AND CHRIS PACKHAM 'RELEVANT' TO TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE?

                                                                       

Celina Chien - fresh thinking required 

OLDER wildlife broadcasters such as Sir David Attenborough and Chris Packham have "had their time".

That was the forthright message from Celina Chien, one of the panellists who took part in a Saturday-evening discussion at Global Birdfair.

She went on to describe Sir David's wildlife documentaries as "interesting" but she queried whether his approach was "relevant", especially to young people in a fast-changing world.

Since both Sir David and Chris Packham are widely regarded by some as 'national treasures', the comment did not necessarily go down well with the audience.

But Beijing-born Celina was sticking to her guns. What are needed, especially to inspire the young, are fresh ideas and a more vibrant 'story-telling' approach in how they are presented.

With her keen intellect and a burning passion for all of us to do what is right by the planet, this super-sophisticated and determined  naturalist is surely a shining example of environmental activism - a voice both of the present and of the future.

Also on the panel were three other under-25s - all of them with completely different personalities and all fluent in describing their commitment to birding and nature.

Indy Greene and Kabir Kaul, both aged 17, were less inclined than Celina  to go down the controversy route. They both expressed appreciation for the support they had received from older birders and organisations such as the RSPB.

The former, a countryside management student, is already an authority on the goshawks which inhabit Sherwood Forest near where he lives.

He agreed with an observation from a member of the audience, a former primary school teacher, that it is when they go into secondary school that children seem to forsake interest in nature so as not to seen "uncool".

Kabir has such an articulate and measured speaking style that he looks set for a career in politics, one of the A-level subjects that he is currently studying at school in Middlesex.

Earlier in the summer, he was a visitor to 10 Downing Street to present a nest box for installation in  the back garden - an imaginative finale to his highly successful campaign to have 70 such boxes installed in the grounds of individual primary school all over Greater London.

High on his current agenda is to encourage a greater awareness and enthusiasm for the wildlife of towns and cities.

Meanwhile, the fourth panellist, Mya Bembrick, aged 19 and a student at Bournemouth University, could be headed for a media career.

A talented photographer, she has already written for national titles such as Birdwatching magazine.

Always eager to get stuck into the nitty-gritty of ornithological research, she is training to be a bird ringer and is an active member of the Dorset nightjar study group.

Master of ceremonies for the conversation was David ('The Urban Birder') Lindo who fired in most of the questions, with just a handful from the audience.

The panellists - from left, Mya, Celina, Kabir and Indy

The Wryneck says: Listening to this foursome was enlightening. Definitely 45 minutes well spent, but did they come over as a tad too 'worthy' - like candidates at a party leadership hustings (without the sparks)? They seem to see birding more as a platform for their careers or as a route into politics than as an enjoyable hobby and distraction from the humdrum of daily life. Lighten up, guys - less angst, please, and more fun, adventure, discovery and laughs!

ETHICAL QUESTIONS RAISED OVER BIRD-RINGING DEMONSTRATION AT GLOBAL BIRDFAIR

Please release me! Juvenile great tit feels the pressure

A 'highlight' of Global Birdfair was the bird-ringing demonstration which attracted plenty of curious visitors over the three days.

But was what went on right? Was it ethical?

The songbirds were being trapped out of sight in a copse on the edge of Rutland Showground, venue for the event, ringed, then retained for a few minutes to provide photo-opportunities.

Onlookers were fascinated, but not all were happy with what they saw.

"The stress on those small birds must have been immense," said one woman. "They were helpless. Their hearts must have been going ten to a dozen."

The terror would have been greatest for any birds unlucky enough to have been flailing in a mistnet trap when a sparrowhawk came calling in search of easy quarry.

 

The raptor was itself caught and had the indignity, temporarily,  of being incarcerated in an empty Pringles tube as its vital statistics were taken. 

One observer expressed disquiet that birds were being "harvested", not for research but for the short-term entertainment of humans.

"Some  were being trapped, then re-trapped the following day,"he said. 

"It represented the  worst form of human bird disturbance from so-called conservationists - and with next-to-nil prospect of any meaningful research gains.

"The welfare of the bird should always take priority. That is the first rule of birding, and it was being disregarded.

"I am a long-standing member of the BTO but will seriously consider whether to renew."

                                           

Blackcap, chiffchaff and treecreeper were among the species ringed 

The incident involving the sparrowhawk was posted on social media

 

FUTURE FOR VULTURES LOOKS BLEAK AS THREATS CONTINUE TO CIRCLE

                                           

THIS report in today's edition of The Daily Telegraph chimes with a presentation made by  Vanessa Amaral-Rogers of the RSPB at Global Birdfair.

She revealed that, despite a ban, Asian countries (Nepal excluded) are turning a blind eye to the use of a chemical noxious to vultures in order to treat sick livestock.

She said the RSPB has been carrying out 'covert' checks at pharmacies to establish the extent of the lawbreaking.

The hope is that evidence might persuade authorities to take a tougher line on lawbreaking.

Elswehere, the charity has a team of some 60 scientists working around the world on various projects.

At any one time, it is also has up to 20 reseach students working on their PhD or Masters degrees, plus a team of support staff.

Within the UK, a particular focus has been the environmental of a seed-treating insecticide chemical, Clothiavidin.

According to Ms Amaral-Rogers, one project revealed that traces of it had been found in 51 percent of songbirds and 81 per cent of game birds.

                                          

Vanessa Amaral-Rogers - RSPB science communications executive 

THE UK'S LATEST BIRDWATCHING HOTSPOT? LINCOLNSHIRE STAKES ITS CLAIM

                                         

THE flag has been flying for Lincolnshire at this weekend's  three-day Global Birdfair being held at the Rutland county showground near Oakham.

Although the Lincolnshire Coast does not boast breeding populations of iconic species such as puffins, gannets or choughs, its beaches, mudflats and saltmarsh are a magnet for huge numbers of birds, especially waders, in autumn and winter.

This has prompted the Lincolnshire Bird Club and VisitLincolnshire.com to pool resources on a new tourism initiative.

  

The Lincolnshire Coastal Bird Trail was officially launched on Friday at Global Birdfair.

The following day, LBC chairman Phil Espin gave an illustrated talk both  about the trail and the county's rich birdlife past and present.

Locations on the coastal trail are:

* Alkborough Flats

* Cleethorpes Seafront

* Donna Nook

* Coastal Country Park

* Gibraltar Point

* Freiston Shore

* Frampton Marsh

The new tourism initiative is supported by heavyweight conservation organisations such as Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England.

                                               

Phil Espin - putting Lincolnshire on the birdwatching map 

The trail can be explored online at:

www.visitlincolnshire.com/birdwatching 

 * Keep checking The Wryneck for further exclusive reports from Global Birdfair

SHOULD THERE BE AN OLYMPIC GAMES FOR PUFFINS?

 

From The Sun newspaper (July 16, 2022)

BYGONE BIRDING: 'GROUSE-SHOOTERS ARE FEW WHILE NATURE-LOVERS ARE MANY AND INCREASING'

                                                   

Buzzard - 'soaring flight is picturesque addition to the scenery'

Report from the Ealing Gazette & West Middlesex Observer of March 11, 1922 

On behalf of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sir Montagu Sharpe, chairman, and Mr Frank Lemon, honorary secretary, have addressed the following letter to The Times:

"The attention of the Council of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has repeatedly been drawn to an account in The Field of December 10 of last year's activities of the Argyllshire Vermin Club. 

"Whilst appreciating the necessity of keeping down the numbers of predatory beasts and birds in the interest of creatures necessary for the support of man, we fear that such wholesale destruction as that described may have disastrous effect on the avifauna of the British Isles.

"It is the killing of 160 buzzards and 475 hawks which arouse our anxiety.

"We cannot help suspecting that there are species which it has been the persistent endeavour during the past half-century of naturalists and ornithologists to protect. 

"We also fear that in order to have accomplished so much, the killing may to some extent have been done by pole-traps and poison, the use of both being illegal. 

"In addition to their illegality, the use of such instruments is to be deplored, both on account of the cruel sufferings which they inflict on their victims and because of their indiscriminate action. 

"We earnestly hope that the executive officers of the vermin clubs of Scotland will see their way to draw up and enforce strict rules which will effectually prevent indiscriminate slaughter and which will forbid the killing of interesting and rare birds.

"These include white-tailed and golden eagles (the former well-nigh extinct in Great Britain), harriers, kestrels and merlins, as well as buzzards which are useful and innocuous and whose soaring flight is a most picturesque addition to the scenery and one which gives immense pleasure to nature-lovers.

"If we may be allowed to say som, the sight of native avifauna on its own ground is of greater value than is the rigid preservation of grouse because, whilst grouse shooters are few, nature lovers are many - and their numbers are increasingly the wide world over." 

SEVEN-HOUR TWITCH: CRICKET GROUND, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Yorkshire quickie Shannon Gabriel bowls to Surrey's Hamish Amla

Situation: Third day of four, Yorkshire CCC v Surrey CCC

Date: July 13, 2022

Time: 11am - 6pm

Weather: Sunny and hot

Target species: Red kite (perhaps one might pass overhead)

Star species seen: Swift

Other species seen: Herring gull, pied wagtail, feral pigeon

Amla cuts a disconsolate figure after being dismissed (caught at second slip) for 79 in Surrey's first innings

60-MINUTE TWITCH: SOUTH CLIFF GARDENS AND SOUTH BAY, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Scarborough - Queen of the Yorkshire Riviera

Date: July 12, 2002

Time: 2.30-3.30 pm 

Weather Overcast, humid, very warm

Target species: Spotted flycatcher

Star species: Stonechat

Other species recorded: Herring gull, woodpigeon, blackbird, song thrush, stock dove, rock dove, carrion crow, goldfinch, great tit, blue tit, robin, wren, swallow, dunnock, house sparrow, chiffchaff, whitethroat, rabbit, grey squirrel.

Stonechat from afar

                                                 

Woodpigeon

Juvenile robin

South Cliff Gardens - home to multiple trees and shrubs

Plenty of habitat for songbirds . . 

. . and also some cliffy terrain