2008 Hampshire Bird Report
November 16, 2009
The Hampshire Bird Report for 2008
Published by the Hampshire Ornithological Society in October 2009
Well, I am always excited on receiving this publication, not only because of its usual high quality but also of its wonderful ‘new’ printing aroma. Hampshire Bird Reports of late have been of the highest accolade and bar those produced by the Isles of Scilly and Spurn Point, have been consistently the best on offer – and this 2008 report is certainly no exception.
It is a mammoth 258 pages and a brilliant, sumptuous affair. The design layout, size and content are perfect and the text layout extremely pleasing on the eye. It really is a pleasure to read and an essential addition to my library. Front cover is Steve Lavington’s superb imagery of the displaying male Black-winged Stilt on the Beaulieu River at the end of June 2008 whilst Richard Ford’s depiction of the very juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Pennington Marshes in early October 2008 adorns the back cover. On opening the
first few pages, one is soon greeted by the first of many of David Thelwell’s eloquent watercolours and these, amongst others, enhance the report throughout.
Alan Cox provides the review of the year on pages 13-27 and although an impressive 267 species were recorded all told – none were new to the county list in 2008. In fact, one species was ‘lost’ – a record of Madeiran Storm Petrel from November 1911 being belatedly rejected by the BOURC. The highlights of the year included the very popular juvenile White-tailed Sea Eagle, a twitchable Glossy Ibis, a pair of Black-winged Stilts, a further influx of Cattle Egrets and the regularly returning adult Red-breasted Goose. Rarest
of the year however was the totally (and inexplicably) suppressed White-throated Sparrow at Old Winchester Hill, first recorded in October 2008 (and not widely twitched until news was finally released in April 2009).
Pages 26-195 are solely devoted to the all-important Systematic List of Species and this is a typically absorbing read. Species sequence and taxonomy follow that of the less traditional latest BOU offering and is written by a team of selective writers. As usual, the layout is excellent and I adore the choice of colours in highlighting different texts. WeBS count totals are attractively relayed via easy-to-glance tables and each species is given a detailed review. The photographs used were of the highest quality and reproduction, whilst David Thelwell’s artwork was added to by equally attractive works by Dan Powell and Jan Wilczur.
Reading through the Systematic List threw up some interesting data: 2008 was the best year for Whooper Swan since 1964, 5 Greenland White-fronted Geese occurred, the population of non-naturalised Snow Geese have virtually died out; Hampshire is most likely the best county for Black Brant; Egyptian Geese now number over 156; 2000 Gadwall winter in Hampshire, as well as nearly 1,000 Pintail; at least 83 pairs of Little Egret bred; a French Great White Egret returned for a sixth winter; eight pairs of Honey Buzzard
oversummered; Red Kites continue to spread; Northern Goshawks now number at least 30 individuals in the New Forest; some 24,300 Dunlin winter in the county – and on it carries.
What I also enjoyed about the Systematic List was its detail devoted to the scarcer ‘forms’ – with individual sections highlighting all of the records say for Pale-bellied Brent Goose and White Wagtail.
Appendix One on pages 196-199 features the escapes and others and includes further proof of the British colonisation of the Australian Black Swan and a record of a ship-assisted Common Yellowthroat. Then towards the back of the report, we have the featured articles and as always, an essential read.
Pete Carr produces an update after ten years of the Little Egret colonisation (pages 208-213) whilst pages 214-224 highlight the changes in status of the breeding birds of Martin Down NNR (note how European Turtle Dove bucks the national 86% decline by holding stable), Marcus Ward summarizes 5-years worth of patchwork study on pages 225-232 and Keith Betton and Richard Jacobs fully document the county status of Red Kite on pages 236-243. The report concludes with the 2008 Ringing Report on pages 244-256 and like everything else this report throws at the browser, full of interesting and very readable anecdotes.
Truly an annual report to be very, very proud of. Exceptionally well done.
The report can be obtained from Margaret Boswell, 5 Clarence Road, LYNDHURST, SO43 7AL and is priced at £10.50. Alternatively, receive it free when you join HOS via Christine Maclean, 6 Jukes Walk, Moorgreens Road, West End, SOUTHAMPTON, SO30 3EF.
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