Letters

01 May 1979
Comments Letters A symbol for individuals not adult males The present biological symbols ♂ and ♀ indicate the two sexes, male and female. The suggested introduction of a third symbol {Brit. Birds 71: 544-545) seems strangely illogical. If the...
Read More

Reviews

01 May 1979
Comments Reviews The Herons of the World. By Jame s Hancock and Hugh Elliott. London Editions, London, 1978. 304 pages; 61 colour paintings by Robert Gillmor and Peter Hayman, and line-drawings by Robert Gillmor. £46-00 At first sight, this is an elegant illus...
Read More

Notes

01 May 1979
Comments Notes White Storks migrating at night by utilising oil flares During the evening of 24th February 1978, I witnessed a large movement of White Storks Ciconia ciconia over the Gassi Touil oasis in Algeria (30°N 7°E), the birds apparently using the th...
Read More

Mystery photographs: Gadwall

01 May 1979
Comments Main paper A female (or eclipse male) dabbling duck seen by itself can pose considerable problems in identification. Unless it flaps its wings, the revealing speculum colour often remains completely obscured. The presence of other species for comparison grea...
Read More

Bird Photograph of the Year

01 May 1979
Comments Main paper The 91 colour transparencies submitted by 36 photographers for the 1978 competition were of such a very high standard that the three judges-- Eric Hosking, Michael W. Richards and Dr J. T. R. Sharrock--had great difficulty in selecting and then re...
Read More

Fifty Years ago

01 May 1979
Comments Other 'BLACK REDSTARTS IN PEMBROKESHIRE. On November 21st, 1928, a male Black Redstart (Phoenicurus o. gibraltariensis) was seen near the cliffs at Martinshaven, the extreme southwest corner of Pembrokeshire. R. M. LOCKLEY.' 'PINK-FOOTED GEESE IN MID...
Read More

Recommended bird-recordings

01 May 1979
Comments Main paper A list of bird sound disc s and cassettes specially compiled for 'British Birds' by the Curator of the British Library of Wildlife Sounds, with advice and assistance from Jeffery Boswall  Many birdwatchers want to get to know bird sounds b...
Read More

Recent Reports

01 May 1979
Comments News and comment These are largely unchecked reports, not authenticated records This report covers February, but also includes some January records; except where otherwise stated, all dates refer to February. A general feature of this winter's weather has been that no ...
Read More

Stay at the forefront of British birding by taking out a subscription to British Birds.

Subscribe Now