Oriental turtle dove spotted in Oxfordshire

[Padfield]

I went back to the original to see if there really was a seventh (string I'm afraid, Paul, string!) and was interested to see the night herons' feet as they clasped the branches. They seem to have prehensile toes and grasp all the way round, as if with a thumb on one side:





Guy

[Paul Wetton]

Oh well you can't win em all.

Interesting look at the feet though Guy.

[Gibster]

Forgot to say that I saw the Oriental Turtle Dove on Friday 18th (after missing it on 14th). And yep, the money raised at No 41 is going to Birdlife Malta. Malta has an appalling record of shooting migrant birds. Turtle Doves suffer huge (possibly unsustainable) losses over Malta twice a year, every year. Three of us were happy to contribute £25.

Shame about the p*xy Slaty-backed Gull at Rainham though....

The dove is my 428th BOU British species. (440th if you follow Lee Evan's UK400 Rules.)

Gibster The Twitcher.

[Lee Hurrell]

The dove is my 428th BOU British species. (440th if you follow Lee Evan's UK400 Rules.) Gibster The Twitcher.

What's the difference Gibster? And what's BOU?

Cheers

Lee

[Gibster]

What's the difference Gibster? And what's BOU?

Hi Lee.

The BOU is a long-established body who's main job is to reside over and update the 'official' list of birds recorded in Britain, which includes deliberating on whether a species is genuinely wild, just an escape or even misidentified. They are exceedingly thorough and tend to await all details before making a decision. Which on occasion may take several years (or more!) This is particularly the case with contentious issues, the foremost two being that of taxonomic (re)splits or (re)lumps and the question of provenance of certain vagrants. Are they genuine or are they escapees?

Here's the quote on their Homepage: "For over 100 years the British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) has maintained a list of birds that have been recorded in Britain and Ireland.

Records of birds new to Britain are passed to the British Ornithologists’ Union’s Records Committee (BOURC) by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) after that committee has examined them. The BOURC Secretary prepares a file summarising each record. The file contains original descriptions and supporting documentation, including BBRC comments, correspondence from independent specialists, an analysis of the captive status of the species and its escape likelihood, and extracts from books and journals referring to migration and vagrancy patterns. Records are circulated by post and require unanimous agreement on identification and a two-thirds majority on categorisation. All files are archived for future reference.

The Committee also studies taxonomic advances and initiates research into this field. In October 2002, the Committee’s Taxonomic Sub-committee published a paper in Ibis setting outlining the basis on which they will base their taxonomic decisions (Guidelines for assigning species rank. Helbig et al. Ibis (2002) 144: 518-525).

Information on feral populations is monitored, and reviews are undertaken of older records. Anyone can ask for old or rejected records to be reviewed by the BOURC if they provide fresh evidence to justify re-examination.

This is time-consuming work, particularly when it involves detailed research or discussions with experts who are often based abroad.

The 'Official' British List

The following organisations have indicated their support for the work undertaken by the BOU and its Records Committee in maintaining a list of birds recorded in Britain. They have indicated that the decisions on both status and taxonomy reached by BOURC are accepted by them as comprising the 'official' British List.

● British Trust for Ornithology ● Countryside Council for Wales ● English Nature ● Joint Nature Conservation Committee ● Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ● Scottish Natural Heritage ● Scottish Ornithologists' Club ● Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust ● The Wildlife Trusts "


Then you get folks like Lee Evans (do a Google search, but don't get him confused with the sweaty so-called stand up comedian!) Lee has a profound interest in birds, particularly of those occurring in Britain. Over the years he has amassed a huge amount of data regarding scarce and rare visitors and is undoubtedly an authority on the subject. He has consistently seen and chased more rare birds than almost any other person in Britain ever has. Lee became frustrated with the BOU's decisions regarding what could and couldn't be counted on a person's list, so he formed the UK400 Club, whereby any birder with 400 or more species on their UK list could (for a fee) join up and receive emails and messages etc on latest developments in the British birding scene. Lee's choice of taxonomy is more liberal than that of the BOU. He also allows several contentious species into the 'genuine article' category rather than 'pending' or 'escapee' category. Twitchers hoping to reach 500 species in Britain tend to follow the UK400 Club taxonomy simply because it allows more species than does the BOU list.

However, Lee does come out with some radically daft accusations, personal insinuations and can generally rub folk up the wrong way without seeming to try. Lee G R Evans has often be dubbed Lrge Ego and El Presidente amongst others. He is a man to be admired and respected by those who understand his passion, but he is also an object of unfortunate ridicule.

Imagine the BOU as Butterfly Conservation and the UK400 Club being those members of UKButterflies with over 50 species on their UK list who want to add more. Pete can be the leader. BC say the Black-veined White seen a couple of years ago is a release and therefore untickable. Pete disagrees - the winds were favourable and a supporting cast of commoner migrants arrived at the same time. So he uses his knowledge of butterfly vagrancy patterns to put up a sound argument and tick it. It is now official and other UKButterfly 50Club members can count it too. Even though BC know the guy who released it!

Apologies for the length of that reply, but you did ask

Gibster.

[Lee Hurrell]

Crikey

Thanks Gibster. I'm familiar with Lee Evans but only through the Twitching programme that was on a few months back.

It sounds admirable that such records are kept, even down to feral populations.

On one hand it seems strange that there is a body or even an individual that decides on whether your sighting is genuine or not. But then if I saw a Black Veined White on a Sussex down I guess I would question whether it was a release or a genuine migrant. If BC then published that a release had taken place it wouldn't sit quite right that I had seen a new species to me, in the wild as it were.

I guess this goes back to the thread about butterfly releases - is it right to say you've seen (or rather, add to your list) a Marbled Fritillary from Finemere Wood?

Cheers

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

And as if by magic, 'Twitchers; A Very British Obsession' is repeated tonight on BBC4 at 19.30 and 03.00.

Cheers

Lee

[Gibster]

It sounds admiral that such records are kept, even down to feral populations.

That's ADMIRABLE not admiral, Lee Guess your thoughts are more deeply embedded in the world of butterflies than you realise!

Sorry to be a grammar Nazi...must be the borderline Asperger's kicking in!!!

Gibster.

[Lee Hurrell]

Doh.....it would seem they are.

Original post edited so I don't seem such a numpty, although thanks for pointing that out!

Cheers

Lee

[alex mclennan]

Gibster makes reference above to Malta's appalling record of shooting birds. I returned home this afternoon after spending two weeks on the island. During my stay, there was a severe rain storm which lasted all day. The following day the Malta Times reported that three flocks of spoonbills, totalling about 70 birds, had been seen flying along the coast seeking shelter from the storm. They were being tracked by 'hunters' in cars. The bodies of 11 spoonbills were later found, shot. These are protected birds and the killing was a criminal act but I doubt that any prosecutions will ensue.
Alex

[Jack Harrison]

At exactly this time last year, I had a holiday in Malta. On one day, we went to Gozo, hired a taxi and had an excellent tour round Gozo. We stopped at a point on the north coast of the island and I “innocently” asked what all the little shelters were for. “Shooting rabbits” replied our guide. I didn’t press the point but they are obviously "extremely successful" ( ) at shooting rabbits – I didn’t see a single one while I was there.

But in all fairness, I have to say nor I did not see a single shooter. I certainly don’t condone the Maltese culture of bird shooting; but nor for that matter do I agree with their religion. These aspects of the Maltese way of life will eventually change albeit slowly.

I do have to add that the Maltese people are friendly and most welcoming to the British.

Jack

[Gibster]

I do have to add that the Maltese people are friendly and most welcoming to the British.

Hmmmm....try telling that to the poor chaps who have the temerity to question the motives of said hunters. Having the tyres shot out of your car in the middle of nowhere is not what I would call friendly or welcoming. Not according to my friend who's hire car it was. Visiting foreigners have to be very wary about what is said in front of a Maltese shooter on his own island.

I certainly don’t condone the Maltese culture of bird shooting; but nor for that matter do I agree with their religion. These aspects of the Maltese way of life will eventually change albeit slowly.

Well it would be nice to think so, but I disagree. Same as if a bunch of tourists told us to stop trapping our moths in our gardens else they'll boycott our country.

Gibster.

[Piers]

Hmmmm....try telling that to the poor chaps who have the temerity to question the motives of said hunters. Having the tyres shot out of your car in the middle of nowhere is not what I would call friendly or welcoming.

...but it is to be expected if you have do have the temerity to have a pop at these guys. Was the chappy surprised at this response? Lucky for him he wasn't made to 'squeel like a pig'...

Felix.

[Jack Harrison]

I do have to add that the Maltese people are friendly and most welcoming to the British.

Hmmmm....try telling that to the poor chaps who have the temerity to question the motives of said hunters.

I would expect the same reaction if I were to tell someone that I don't like the religion of their country - you just don't do that. Look at the way western troops have to be extremely careful in Afghanistan to respect cultural sensibilities. The British might find Afghan cultural behaviour incomprehensible but we cannot enforce our ways - it is their country.

Jack

[Gibster]

All of which leads us nicely back to what I was saying a few posts back.

Malta has an appalling record of shooting migrant birds. Turtle Doves suffer huge (possibly unsustainable) losses over Malta twice a year, every year.

I don't envy Birdlife Malta, good luck to them! For the sake of all birds passing over Malta I hope they make inroads into changing the attitude of the Maltese males.

Tourism and fishing are massively important to the economy of Malta. I wouldn't like to see the populace held to ransom, but I sympathise with (amongst others) the RSPB's suggestion to go elsewhere for your hols and bring pressure to bear against the Maltese government by writing to them condemning the ongoing slaughter of birds.

Imagine going into Bentley Woods and discovering that the gun-toting landowner was covering everything with DDT and herbicides and extending the car park to 3000 car capacity. And Natural England were unresponsive to your pleas. Kinda put a dampener on your trip wouldn't it?

Rant over. The Oriental Turtle Dove is still present in Chipping Norton today, still showing from various gardens.

Gibster.