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January 31, 2003
A joint Press Release from BOU and BBRC
31 January 2003 - A joint Press Release from BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS UNION RECORDS COMMITTEE and BRITISH BIRDS RARITIES COMMITTEE
Ascension Frigatebird
Tiree, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
9 July 1953
Added to Category A of the British List
The British Ornithologists Union Records Committee (BOURC) has added Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila to Category A of the British List following the reidentificaton of a bird found moribund on the island of Tiree, Inner Hebrides, Argyllshire, Scotland on 9 July 1953 (sight record, specimen) and originally identified as Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens. With no other records, Magnificent Frigatebird is therefore removed from the British List.
The bird, an immature female, was found exhausted on 9 July 1953 and died later the same day. The body was taken to the National Museum of Scotland where it remained for nearly fifty years, its identity as Magnificent Frigatebird unquestioned.
The record was recently reviewed by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) following a decision by the Association of European Rarities Committees (AERC) to bring European rarities committees into line with a standard date of 1950 for Category A records. Prior to this, the accepted date for Category A in Britain was 1958, the date when BBRC was formed. During the circulation, BBRC members Brian Small and Grahame Walbridge suspected a misidentification and undertook detailed research to confirm the identity as Ascension Frigatebird. Identification of immature frigatebirds is not straightforward and this research broke new ground.
At the same time that Magnificent Frigatebird is removed from the British List, it is added to the Isle of Man List following the discovery of an exhausted bird at Scarlett Point, Castletown, on 22 December 1998. The bird, an adult female was taken into care, where it died 10 months later (October 1999). The detailed description plus photographs left no doubt that the bird was correctly identified, though unfortunately the corpse was not retained. Thankfully the original observers of the Tiree frigatebird sent the body to a museum otherwise Ascension Frigatebird would have been denied its rightful place on the British List.
There will be a full paper appearing in British Birds outlining this remarkable event.
These changes mean that the British List remains on 565 species
(Category A = 542; Category B = 14; Category C = 9).
For further information, you can contact –
Eric Meek, Chairman, BOURC Tel 01 856 850 176 Email eric.meek@bou.org.uk
Tim Melling, Secretary, BOURC Tel 01 484 861 148 Email bourc.sec@bou.org.uk
Steve Dudley, BOU Administrator Tel 01 733 844 820 Email steve.dudley@bou.org.uk
Colin Bradshaw, Chairman, BBRC Tel 0191 257 2389 Email drcolin.bradshaw@btinternet.com
Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 28, 2003
OSME Grant
OSME have awarded a grant of $700 from its Conservation and Research Fund to support vital work at the Armash Fish Farm in Armenia. Vasil Ananian, the recipient of the award will coordinate monthly bird counts at the Fish Farm, focusing on globally threatened species using the area such as Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris and White-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala and will identify those habitats which are of greatest importance to birds. One of the most important aspects of the project is to train local enthusiasts and amateurs in the basics of bird identification and encourage them to assist during the survey.
Keith Betton, Chairman of OSME says, "OSME wants to advance the study of birdlife throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly focusing on either countries
or species for which we have little information. This project is a good example of how we can help fieldworkers by subsidising their local costs."
Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (1)
January 16, 2003
Chris Mead Dies
The BTO announced the following press release today. Chris Mead was well known to birders in Britain and also around the world on the internet as he was a regular contributor to UKBN newsgroup
Chris Mead
1940-2003
It is with great sadness that we must announce the sudden death of Chris Mead, who died quietly in his sleep last night (15/16 January). For many people, the name of Chris Mead has been synonymous with the BTO and he was still providing help and advice up until yesterday evening. His services to the Trust and his knowledge of migration in particular will be sorely missed. An appreciation of his contribution to the world of ornithology will appear in the January/February issue of BTO News and on the web site.
Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2003
BTO Garden BirdWatch
The successful launch of an internet version of the all-year BTO Garden BirdWatch has contributed to a massive rise in participants in December - over 600 new volunteers to provide weekly information on the birds moving in and out of our gardens. The information which they are finding out is fascinating!
Visit www.bto.org and click onto Garden BirdWatch. Things to look out for:
- animated maps showing the arrival of Blackcaps in November
- rapid decline in London House Sparrows, but not so marked elsewhere
- movements of greenfinches into gardens as autumn berries diappear
Why not join the scheme - either electronically or by sending a cheque for £12, made payable to BTO, to GBW (Surfbirds), BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.
Posted by Surfbirds at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)