Otis Spring 2014 by David Waters

The global Great Bustard conservation publication

Otis Spring 2014

ÂŠ David Kjaer

Back with all the latest bustard news

Viva Espana! GBG joins forces with Spain to bring more bustards back to Britain The magazine of the Great Bustard Group

Issue 43

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GBG News

A word from the Director 2013 did see the first eggs from an injured capƟve Great Bustard. One female, Ramona, laid an impressive 9 eggs. All proved to be inferƟle, but this is not uncommon with novice breeders of this species. It was very encouraging to have eggs for the first Ɵme and hopes are high for a capƟve breeding

The Great Bustard Group is the UK registered charity and membership organisaƟon formed in 1998 to re-introduce the Great Bustard O s tarda to the UK.

breakthrough this year. A new release site has been found and leased through the LIFE+ project. Encompassing all that we have learned from the previous

The GBG is acƟvely involved in Great Bustard conservaƟon and is working with other organisaƟons, both naƟonally and internaƟonally to save the world’s heaviest flying bird. President The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tryon Vice Presidents Dr Charles Goodson-Wickes DL John ChiƩy CertZooMed. CBiol. MIBiol. MRCVS Paul Goriup BSc. MSc. Trustees David Bond (Chairman) John Browning Estlin Waters Kevin Duncan Simon Gudgeon

Director David Waters Contact 1, Down Barn Close, Winterbourne Gunner, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6JP. UK

release sites, the new one (which must remain confidenƟal for now) promises much and the release of birds there later this year is eagerly anƟcipated. David Waters, GBG Founder and Director

Once again I find myself oﬀering my apologies for the length of me between edi ons of O s. There is a real reason for this as 2013 was a frustra ng year for the project and much development had to be kept confiden al during nego a ons. But O s is now back with renewed confidence in the future of the reintroduc on and real progress to report.

Spain is proving to be a much easier place to work than Russia. The evidence that Spanish birds are best suited for release in the UK underpins the selecƟon of Spain as providing the donor populaƟon, but other factors further strengthen the case for Spain; it is closer to the UK, and is within the EU so all aspects of the import are more straighƞorward. The density of birds and nests are much higher than in Russia, therefore the birds are easier to find, and of course the potenƟal numbers which may be released in the UK are much higher. AddiƟonally it must be noted

Firstly however, the past year has been a true

that from the UK it is possible to aƩend a

challenge for the project. Having idenƟfied

meeƟng in Madrid and be home the same

the Spanish Great Bustard populaƟon as

01980 671 466

day, a bonus that comes in very handy at busy

being best suited to providing donor stock,

enquiries@greatbustard.org www.greatbustard.org

Ɵmes of year!

inter-organisaƟonal poliƟcs conspired to

OƟs ProducƟon Team Editor: Suzy Smithson Design: Hyperfox Print: Bath Midway Litho Front cover photograph Bustards in flight by David Kjaer Back cover photograph Looking for bustards in Spain by David Kjaer

prevent any progress on geƫng birds from Spain last year. The cessaƟon of sourcing birds from Russia has seemingly taken the moƟvaƟon away from our old partners there to keep acƟve in the field of bustard work. GBG is keen to keep contacts with Russia alive and is in communicaƟon with the Saratov State University and also with Moscow Zoo. The possible implicaƟons of Russia's annexing of parts of Ukraine on internaƟonal travel and conservaƟon are not yet known.

Contents

In this issue

GBG News

As the focus of GBG’s work is directed to Spanish shores we look at the pivotal role Russia played over its many years with the GBG.

OƟs may have been quiet over the winter but the Project site has been buzzing and now spring has sprung at the GBG and we’re back for a new and exciƟng season!

16 10

Meet Duncan Bolton Birdworld’s Curator talks to Lenka Panackova about his work at the park and a lifelong love of wildlife.

The year ahead

Day in the life of a Birdworld keeper As Birdworld becomes the only UK Great Bustard aviary we follow a volunteer keeper for a day.

Bustard Behaviour RSPB’s Louise Jane invesƟgates spring behaviour of the Great Bustards in Britain.

Birding in Spain Rob Miles reports on his recent trip to this beauƟful region.

We take a look at the future of our UK Great Bustards.

The Capercaillie Estlin Waters reports on this inspiring reintroducƟon project.

The move to Spain The first season of working with Spain has begun.

Bustardwatch All the up to the minute news from the Project site in Wiltshire.

GBG leaves Russia

The Fair Isle Hen Estlin Waters writes about a fascinaƟng bird.

GBG News ‘Wiltshire Bustard’ race success

Madrid Zoo offers help to GBG

Gruelling cross country race, the "Wiltshire Bustard" took place on the 2nd March. Organised by Drover Tail and Adventure Racing, the event started and finished at Salisbury Race Course. GBG team and supporters were there to see the runners oﬀ .

Valuable help and guidance has been given to the project from the staﬀ at Madrid Zoo. They undertook the ini al incuba on of the eggs and completed the export paperwork before the consignment was taken to the ferry port for transport to the UK. Look carefully in this picture and you’ll see the racers climbing the hill path

We would like to thank them for their vital support.

Star fundraisers step up again!

Russia

Fred

The gene c work of Dr. Paul O’ Donoghue, and the results of the 2012

lead the way with

Russia. However we are extremely keen to keep some of our ideas and

their

ambi ons in Russia alive. To date our Russian project partners the AN

ac vi es. The latest

areas of collabora on, and it is not clear what they are planning to

of their jumble sales

undertake themselves. A contact with the State University in Saratov

in Durrington raised

has suggested some joint ini a ves but no details have been forthcom-

over £700!

ing to date. Regular contact is kept

but

reless local

f u n d ra i s i n g

Severtsov Ins tute of Evolu on and Ecology have not suggested any

cap ve breeding project,

Rona

Andrews con nue to

release have led the GBG to now source birds from Spain instead of

with Moscow Mosco Zoo and their

and

Rona Andrews

These are regular events and always

the

current

raise large sums. We

poli cal

situa on

would like to once

arising

from

again

Russia's annex-

extend

our

thanks to Fred and

ing of parts of

Rona

and

their

Ukraine may

volunteers, as well as

well

make

all those who dig out

future joint

the jumble and those

work

who

Russia more

a end,

really couldn’t do

diﬃcult.

without you! Fred Andrews

7 5

GBG News

Jimny’s move

Whale watching on a bustard trip? When eggs are transported from Spain to the UK each year the ferry will now be the order of the day. The Portsmouth or Plymouth ferries from either Santander or Bilbao are well known for whale watching opportuniƟes. On a recent trip to Spain, David Waters and Dave Kjaer met with volunteers from ORCA who are ensuring that ORCA volunteers will be on every ferry trip to point out and idenƟfy the whales and dolphins sighted on most crossings.

The Jimny is now at home in Spain The GBG’s Suzuki Jimny is now out in Spain. David Waters and Dave Kjaer took the liƩle 4 wheel drive out

the

Portsmouth

Santander ferry, and later flew back from Madrid. It will be invaluable in Spain searching for nests and when not in use will be kept in a secure, fenced compound belonging to the government Toledo.

administraƟon

in Dave Kjaer on the ferry with volunteer guides from ORCA

New Rearing Pens arrive at the Project site A whole new set of rearing faciliƟes have arrived at the Project site and have been built, ready for this years birds. With the help of Charlie Meads who has been with the GBG for his work experience during his course at Sparsholt College, the custom built pens have been set up inside the large pen. Based on pheasant rearing pens, with larger runs, extra height and more access doors, the pens will accommodate the larger numbers of birds expected in this and future years. By sourcing birds from within the EU the project can benefit from the absence of the

stringent

quaranƟne

condiƟons

imposed on birds from Russia. There will be health checks and proper bio-security measures but these will not be as intrusive The new rearing pens will oﬀer excellent facili es for the season’s chicks

or restricƟve as those in previous years.

GBG News

Thanks to Jones Kitchens Jones Kitchens of Rollestone Street in Salisbury came up trumps when GBG enquired about the possibility of securing an old sink unit for use in the chick-rearing cabin. Expec ng an old sink which may have been rescued from a skip following a kitchen refit, GBG was delighted to receive a new graphite grey, top-of-the-range unit - complete with designer taps! The sink had apparently been ordered for a customer who then changed his mind. GBG’s Dave Bond has done a great job of fi ng the new sink in the chick-rearing cabin, complaining only that it was much be er than his own at home!

Spain & conservation politics The idenƟficaƟon of Spanish Great Bustards as being suitable, or indeed, the opƟmal populaƟon from which to source stock for the UK reintroducƟon has allowed a real breakthrough in the project. Early in 2013, GBG established contact with several significant landowners who pledged support to the UK project. As a courtesy the group a empted to contact SEO (the Spanish Ornithological Society - Sociedad Española de Ornitología). SEO are a part of Birdlife Interna onal and are therefore linked with our UK project partner, RSPB. GBG’s a empts at contact were not responded to, nor even acknowledged, and we were later surprised to learn that oﬀence had been taken as SEO would only talk to another Birdlife organisa on. RSPB, (the coordina ng beneficiaries of the current LIFE+ project) were keen to work with their Birdlife partners so in February 2013 requested that GBG cease work in Spain un l the posi on and

Pic to follow

future role of SEO could be established. Much of the proposed work was to be funded through the LIFE+ project so this request was agreed to. It took un l July 2013 for SEO to report back to RSPB that they did not wish to be involved in the project, and thus 2013 was Quite a smart addiƟon to the chick rearing cabin

lost to the UK reintroduc on. Hence the pause in development and lack of an O s magazine.

New dehumanisation costumes Karen Waters has been busy at her sewing machine making the dehumanisaƟon costumes which will be used while rearing the chicks this year. With the larger number of chicks predicted, and all the rearing being done here in the UK, extra suits are required. The opportunity has been taken to modify the old design, making it more comfortable and reducing the

From here GBG took up the reigns again and is now working closely with oﬃcials from Cas lla la Mancha and huge progress is being made. The core Great Bustard popula on in Cas lla La Mancha is found on the Tembleque Plains and it is in this area that egg collec on is taking place. The task of finding Great Bustard eggs is a demanding one. Various techniques have been used and the results con nually evaluated. The next O s will present these findings.

chances of a chick ge ng entangled in the sleeves. Karen, who is an unpaid volunteer,, has managed to fit this task around do doing the GBG accounts, filing Gi Aid, comple ng the hu huge amounts of demanding EU paperwork for the

Life+

project,

working as volunteer membership secretary for the project and looking a er

Fergus

Ramona,

the

and two

Great Bustards in our cap ve breeding aviary. Th Thankyou Karen, our very

David Waters, Javier Gomez-Elvira Gonzalez (The Director General de Montes y Espacios Naturales), Nicolas Lopez Molina, Juan Pablo Castano Lopez.

own ssuperwoman!

GBG News

Join our monthly meeting

Thanks to Birdworld GBG would like to thank Birdworld for once again collec ng throughout 2013 in aid of the project. As well as oﬀering me and incuba on exper se this year Birdworld has been collec ng via their conserva on fund to help the GBG and last month Duncan Bolton presented GBG Director David Waters with a cheque for £1,000.

Volunteers build bothy A joint eﬀort from Birdworld staﬀ and GBG volunteers has returned thee Great usly Bustard Group bothy, previously located at the Hawk Conservancyy in Andover to its former glory The magnificent Manor hotel

and it is now in prime

The monthly GBG mee ng at the Manor hotel in Shrewton is a great opportunity for members to hear the latest news, meet the project staﬀ, learn about the fundraising ac vi es and to really get involved. The Manor oﬀers a wonderful se ng and excellent food at a great price. The GBG is extremely grateful to hosts Cyril and Paula for accommoda ng our mee ngs and suppor ng us so well. We meet at the Manor on the first Thursday of each month at 8pm. Those wishing to enjoy a meal first meet at 7pm. All are welcome to join us at this meal, simply call the Manor on 01980 620216 by lunch me of the day of the mee ng to book your place. Recent mee ngs have included a presenta on by photographer Dave Kjaer on his excellent photography and a film on the Hungarian Great Bustard project. All are welcome, you do not need to be a GBG

posi on beside the Great Bustard

enclosure

Birdworld. Handy viewing windows have been cut into the sides to allow visitors a ‘birds eye’ view of the Great Bustards and the pair are always to be seen here. We would like to say a bigg thankyou to all who took part in the transporta on and build, and to site foreman Darren Elkins for his direc on.

member to a end so please do come along.

Obituary It is with much sadness that the GBG

Build took place on a cold winter’s day

reflects upon the loss of Lyndsay Cowen who died just before Christmas. Lyndsay became involved with the GBG through her son Saul who joined several trips to Saratov and was heavily involved in suppor ng the project in its early years. Lyndsay was never one to look on while there was work to do, and took on the task of

.. but was sƟll completed before dark!

Membership Secretary in her highly organised manner. Lyndsay is much missed by all those who worked with her. The Cowen family links with the Great Bustard do con nue with Lyndsays’ husband, Lewis, who is a regular contributor to O s and Lyndsay will be hugely missed by all at GBG

staunch supporter of the project.

Mark Anderson with GBG’s Dave Bond

GBG News

Stop press

Dave Kjaer joins talk team

Dave is a welcome addiƟon to the talk team The GBG does a large number of talks and presenta ons throughout the year. The style and audience is greatly varied, ranging from Brownie packs and clubs of birdwatchers through to formal a er-dinner speeches. Lynne Derry and David Waters have taken on these presenta ons in the past but are now joined by Dave Kjaer. Dave is highly commended for his superb photography and is well known on the talk circuit himself as a professional photographer. The GBG has used many of his images and it was only a small step to add a few extra pictures to his stock for Dave to have a complete bustard talk. His bustard presenta ons have been very well received by all who have seen them, and he is a very welcome addi on to the talk team. An exciƟng year for our rescued bustards Two of the injured Great Bustards kept by the GBG have started the season with great promise. Fergus, who was hatched in 2004 and injured his

The fortunes of Spanish Steppe Birds

shoulder before his release, and Ramona, who was hatched in 2011 and has an injured wing, have

The Great Bustard is o en referred to as a "Steppe Bird", or even a "Grass-

been leading the way with GBG’s cap ve breeding

land specialist" but in truth it is very much at home in many types of farmed

eﬀorts. Ramona laid her first eggs in 2013, but

landscapes. In both Saratov, Russia and in Spain the Great Bustard is not

these proved to be infer le. On the 21st April this

o en encountered in a natural or semi-natural grassland environment,

year she laid again, with a second egg following

indeed such habitat is rare. The Great Bustard is now more commonly

two days later. Fergus and Ramona have been seen

encountered in a mixed arable landscape, and many types of farming

to have mated, so hopes are high for a break-

actually benefit Great Bustards. Of course the wrong type of farming - too

through this year. The eggs are being incubated at

intensive or too reliant on chemicals will be very detrimental to Great

Birdworld, but will of course be kept separate from

Bustards, and most other birds. Other species

the Spanish eggs. Keep an eye on our website and

-tailed are more truly "Steppe species". Pin-tailed

Facebook page for updates!

Sandgrouse and Li le Bustards are not as

happy

many

farmed

landscapes, and are found in the odd patches le uncul vated or at the sides of tracks. In parts of Spain the popula on of Great Bustards con nues to rise and in the same area the real grassland specialist like the Sandgrouse and Li le Bustard are declining. Great Bustard eggs - the suspense!

Meet Duncan Bolton

Conserva onist & Curator at Birdworld By Lenka Panackova then embarked on what would become a startling career in zoology and conserva on.

A er the comple on of h his studies, Duncan gain gained the posi on of Scienfic Oﬃcer at Bristol Zoo Gardens with par cular responsibility in the Bird, Aquarium and Rep le collec ons. Here, he developed and improved the collecon plan and policy for Bristol Zoo Gardens, laying the founda on for the future focus of the collec ons. In addi on to his responsibilDuncan Bolton - Curator at Birdworld

ity for the animals, Duncan also acted as a representa ve of the zoo at regional and

Imagine if your morning walk to the oﬃce was accompanied by lively chirping, twee ng, parrot squawking and the impressive morning duet of the hornbill.

a few mammals. A er several years, he

na onal professional mee ngs and as the

progressed to a new role as the Senior Bird

Interna onal Species Informa on System

Keeper at Chessington Zoo. Here Duncan had

(ISIS) representa ve within the zoo. ISIS is an

to demonstrate his skills by managing a staﬀ

interna onal non-profit organisa on that

team as well as the en re bird collec on.

works in partnership with zoological associa-

With Duncan at the helm, the team

ons around the world, serving more then

When Duncan Bolton, Curator of Birdworld

succeeded in breeding the Andean Condor

800 zoos and aquariums in 80 countries

bird park in Farnham, walks to his desk his

within the first breeding season a er the

worldwide, providing its members with

steps are accompanied by just such calls.

arrival of the birds. A er three years, Duncan

zoological

Duncan started his career modestly, as a bird

returned to full- me educa on and gained

so ware called the Zoological Informa on

keeper in Harewood Bird Garden near Leeds.

an upper second honours degree in Pure

Management System (ZIMS).

Gaining a grounding in the skills of animal

Zoology at Leeds University. Suﬃciently

husbandry he worked with birds, rep les and

equipped with specialist knowledge Duncan

Duncan with GBG Director David Waters, agreeing 2014’s Great Bustard incubaƟon at Birdworld.

data

recording

and

sharing

With some of 2013’s penguin chicks

Vet John Chitty (left) of Anton Vets in Hampshire with Duncan. The welfare of the park animals is of utmost importance to Duncan A er seven busy years at Bristol Zoo, always

At Birdworld, Duncan is responsible for all

striving to make a diďŹ&#x20AC;erence and seeking out

aspects of the animal collec ons, including

improvements, Duncan became the Curator

Birds, Aquarium and Farm stock and is always

of Animals at Bristol Zoo Gardens.

striving to ensure that the maximum benefit is gained from animals in cap vity through

Now possibly at the peak of his career, he

both direct field conserva on links and the

became responsible for the animal depart-

animals' inspira onal displays.

ment strategy and day-to-day opera ons with five taxonomic sec on heads repor ng directly to him. As well as making a significant contribu on to a number of exhibit developments within the

In the past year, Duncan has worked in a close partnership with the Great Bustard Group and has welcomed a pair of Great Bustards to the park.

Recording data on the eggs is essential

zoo, including the award winning seal and penguin exhibit, Duncan also emerged onto

Both bustards, Nelson and

the global front by taking the lead in the

Morgana,

animal so ware development (ZIMS) and by

transferred from the

represen ng the zoo at global professional

Hawk Conservancy cy

mee ngs and workshops.

in Hampshire, are

who

were

doing well in In April 2007, ten years a er becoming the

their spacious

Curator of Animals at Bristol Zoo Gardens and

enclosure,

with a firm goal of making a real contribu on

with

towards the conserva on of threatened

running high

species and habitats, Duncan accepted the

for the breed-

posi on of Curator of Birdwold in Farnham,

ing season.

hopes

where he remains today.

11 1

Bustardwatch

A year at the Project Site Andrew Taylor reports on the past season’s observaƟons birds tested the waters with threatening

fran cally circled him and pecked at him,

overtures, followed by instant submissive

which resulted in ever wilder displays. Then

behaviour.

Yellow 22 squa ed down and Purple 5 (s ll

Spring

puﬀed up!) grabbed the back of her neck and

Spring brought the start of the lekking season

a male mallard, only Yellow 22 had no water

and our male bustards, now firmly in a hierar-

to be pushed under, only mud to be pushed

chy, were keen to get started. The most

into! Seeing this was quite a privilege as it

dominant male, Purple 5 (six years old), was

has very rarely been witnessed in the wild.

proceeded to mate with her. It was rather like

filmed during early mornings and late nights displaying to females, with his earliest start being recorded at 02:30. His eﬀorts a racted the a en on of a second year female, Black

Through observing the bustards throughout the year, interes ng observa ons have cropped up.

17, who expressed lots of interest in his

Andrew rearing young bustards

It’s been a year since our last in-depth report on our bustards behaviour and a lot has happened.

behaviour, though not quite in the right way!

In spring it became apparent that during the

Black 17 was caught on camera pulling a beak

displaying period the amount of me a male

full of feathers out of Purple 5’s tail, while he

bustard spends on feeding drops significantly.

was displaying. Undeterred by this inappro-

In fact, this year it appears to have more than

priate a en on, he con nued to strut his

halved, compared to other mes of the year.

stuﬀ.

The other interes ng observa on made

He was recorded displaying over a

period of 84 days.

during the display season was that no male bustards were recorded in flight during the

Winter During the winter of 2012/13, our adult bustards spent most of their me conserving energy and feeding. However, as the end of winter approached, behaviours changed, the aggression amongst males increased and

Purple 5’s a empts paid oﬀ one morning, when his displaying caught the a en on of Yellow 22 (an eight year old female), and an a empted ma ng ensued, only for Purple 5 to fall oﬀ!

observa ons. Bustards are not typically prone to flying and are more at home walking, however, outside of the displaying season male bustards were being recorded flying around, albeit only very occasionally.

they turned their a en ons to establishing a Older males engaged in

Half an hour a er this slight embarrassment,

full-blown wrestling matches, while younger

he a empted displaying again. Yellow 22

pecking order.

Summer For a bustard, summer signifies the end of the male’s du es and the start of the female’s. T5, a second year female, was the first to take to her responsibili es, and we were able to observe her throughout her nes ng a empt. It is not impossible for a second year female to breed successfully; however, young females do not always get it right.

T5 laid an egg and proceeded to incubate it for 52 days, before she gave up. It turned out that the egg was inferƟle. Maybe next year she will inves gate the males in the spring and get it right. Despite not laying a fer le egg, her nes ng a empt has provided us with invaluable informa on on what happens at the nest of a bustard. She also shows great promise for next year. Black 17, unlike T5, did follow the displaying males around, but apparently never figured out why they were displaying. Black 17 made no nes ng a empt this year. However, unexpectedly she was observed inves ga ng T5’s nest, for a good three minutes, while T5 was oﬀ feeding. Maybe between the pair of them they can figure out the process for next

year! The liaison between Yellow 22 and

bird burs ng out into a fran c array of all

Purple 5 did result in a fer le nest, along with

possible bustard postures. This frene c

even more informa on on nes ng females.

ac vity at first appears as if our young birds

As ma ng is rarely seen, and nes ng female

have literally gone hopping mad. However,

bustards are hard to locate, li le informa on

focus on the diﬀerent parts of the outburst,

exists on how long it takes a female to put a

and you can see the diﬀerent postures adult

nest down once mated.

bustard’s use in life emerging from all that

This year we gained addiƟonal observaƟons on this process, with Yellow 22 being tracked unƟl she nested, seven days aŌer maƟng.

chao c jumping around.

Unfortunately, she was not quite so obliging when choosing her nes ng site and it soon became impossible to observe her. We do know she incubated her egg(s) un l hatching, then a week a er hatching she disappeared from the area.

Unfortunately, when she

reappeared there was no chick in tow.

Autumn This appears to be when our young birds take centre stage. Young males, having lost out in the late winter establishment of hierarchy e, barely get and not yet being sexually mature, erefore, the a look in at the spring leks. Therefore, ds’ training autumn becomes the young birds’ grounds.

At this Ɵme of year it is o not too uncommon to see a second year male pracƟcing a display rouƟne and geƫng carried away with throwing a twig or two around. The autumn also appears to be a

me when the young

birds learn and prac ce their various

postures

d needed

eat throughout life, such as threat postures, submissive behaviour and aggressive stances. Whilst out watching en a young the birds, I have occasionally seen

GBG Abroad

Russia David Waters reports The end of an era The terminaƟon of the sourcing of eggs from Saratovskaya in Russia in early 2013 marked the end of a chapter of the GBG’s history. In the winter of 2012/13 changes in the situa on in Russia, the study of the superb birds of 2012 and the results of gene c work carried out by Dr O’Donoghue (see O s 42 – The Right Birds - pg 10, and Gene c Analysis - pg The team in Russia who made the exports of rescued bustard chicks to UK possible.

24) clearly iden fied Spanish birds as being more suitable for release in the

My first trip to Russia was in 2002. I was travelling with two colleagues who were also on their first trip to the country.

understandable. I was ex-military and a

UK.

serving Police Oﬃcer and one of my two

The early years in Russia were par cu-

colleagues was Paul Toynton. Paul is

larly stressful. In 2003 the Russian side

something of a conserva on legend, and was

was prepared to export birds to the UK,

at the

me the ecologist employed by

We were met at the airport by a person who

but the UK licensing authority, then

Defence Estates to look a er Salisbury Plain,

spoke no English, but who was holding a sign

DEFRA, had not yet concluded whether

and as such had a senior grade in the Ministry

bearing my name. We were escorted to a

they would grant a licence to release

of Defence. One could imagine the mental

paid of old Lada taxis and engaged in the cut,

the birds in the UK.

cogs turning in the old Soviet mentality heads

thrust and wait of Moscow traﬃc before

when a Policeman and an oﬃcial from the

Having survived the stressful games of

being escorted to the train at Paveletski

Ministry of Defence visited to talk about

ge ng CITES permits (both Russia and

Railway sta on. Some 17 hours later we

Great Bustards.

the UK insis ng the other issued a

arrived in the city of Saratov. A large delega-

permit first before the other would The trip was successful, and I was able to

reciprocate!) problems with health

return, then for the following 9 years was About half of our hosts were security service

cer ficates at Heathrow, even though

able to export Great Bustards to the UK.

minders. This was apparent by their lack of

the wording was straight from the

Along the way the GBG hosted many Russians

knowledge of bird species, and the fact that

head of the UK Veterinary Laboratory

in Britain, took them inside the Houses of

they breezed through the high security we

Agency,

Parliament, lunched with successive High

had to go through when we met the Oblast

hitches, the following years always

Sheriﬀs and had a Russian General march and

Governor. The Director of the branch of the

presented new challenges.

lay a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday

Russian Na onal Academy of Science had to

parade. The Russians in turn hosted myself

Some of these have been covered in

be frisked and checked but the two "ecologi-

and others from the GBG in Saratov and

previous issues of O s. They were all

cal assistants" merely flashed the inside of

Moscow and gave a unique set of experi-

overcome, the general consequence

their wallets to be waved through.

ences unlikely to found elsewhere: chasing

has been the greying of my hairs and

wolves on snow mobiles when the tempera-

considerable increases in my blood

ture dropped to -40 degrees, boat trips on

pressure, but the project lives on and it

the River Volga when the temperature could

is because of these years in Russia that

top +40 degrees, hand-feeding Cheetahs and

we are where we are today.

on awaited us.

That first trip was an eye opener; the sheer size of the fields, the vastness of Russia itself, the enthusiasm for vodka and the warmth of the welcome, despite the obvious suspicions. The suspicions were, to a degree at least,

Walruses at Moscow Zoo and swimming in a

hole cut in the ice to name but a few! Imre Fater explaining habitat work in Hungary

and

innumerable

other

On a personal note I shall miss many aspects

when I was in hospital in Russia with very

of my Russian life - I was there for up to 3 ½

painful kidney stones.

months a year for 11 years. I shall not miss many aspects of working in Russia: the heat,

Spain is now the centre of opera ons for the

the dust, the paperwork and the long long

GBG outside the UK. What a joy to be able to

hours of travelling, all of which were energy

leave home in the early morning, have a

sapping.

lunch me mee ng in Madrid and be home in

I shall however miss the breadth and richness

could take up half the day.

me for dinner! In Russia buying a train cket of experience Russia oﬀers. Who could forget the expert in the white lab coat giving a Russian Winters were an experience!

lecture to our project vet John Chi y and Ruth Manvell (a world renowned virologist)

Schools were visited in the local Russian

on the risks of radia on and our shocking

towns, and some Russian children and teach-

failure to test the birds for it - while they were

ers hosted in the UK, par es of school

wai ng in the oﬃce of the head of the

children were employed to work at the field

regional state veterinary department?

sta on and presenta ons given to students of all ages. Government ministers were met with and local farmers entertained and has the ever-present vodka been men oned? All this was to support the programme of rescuing Great Bustard eggs from nests

The ‘radia on expert’ was curtly dismissed by the head vet, when he arrived, on the grounds that he was merely a contract electrician fixing the lights in the oﬃce!

destroyed during the cul va on of the fields,

Whilst out on a census our car was once

and then expor ng some of the resultant

charged by an irate camel which appeared

chicks to the UK.

from nowhere, but was certainly upset by

In 2012 it became clear to all those working in the project that the Russian birds were exhibi ng a migratory tendency in their first year. Early in 2013 the results of the gene c

study

The EU does s ll have some paperwork concerning protected wildlife and borders, and rightly so, but it is a frac on of that needed when we were opera ng in Russia. Yet I s ll find myself looking back with a smile at the experiences I had, the characters I met and the many, many months I spent in the wonderful, memorable provinces of Russia!

something! Then there was the thirsty local oﬃcial from a small market town who always told me that Winston Churchill came to the village of Krasney Kut to buy his bread as it was the best in the world. And finally I must acknowledge the expert and kindly care I was given

O’

Paul

Donoghue were available and the Spanish popula on was iden fied as being more suited for release in the UK. I was keen to keep the Russian end of the GBG's work alive, either through educa on, work,

d field

con nued

census

trips

other

coopera on. Some future collabora on with the Saratov State University is currently under discussion, but the current poli cal and military situa on in Ukraine may well spell the end of eﬀec ve joint work on the Great Bustard, at least at an organisa onal level. The field staƟon at Diakovka (inset leŌ) The teams in Russia (above and inset right)

The Iberian

evidence to support

popula on ld was widely held ll to be gene cally

this sugges on, but as it appeared in print it was widely w believed.

he rest of dis nct from the the worlds popula on.

The opera ons of the GBG in Russia

Bustard popula on came from Spain..

In January 2013 the GBG idenƟfied landowners in Spain who were willing to assist with the UK Trial ReintroducƟon.

and its aim to raise awareness of the species

The theory was that, having entered the Iberian Peninsular across the Straits of Gibraltar the birds were then unable to negoƟate any crossing of the Pyrenees and became isolated.

there, along with staﬀ changes in the Russian

Through the LIFE+ project mee ngs, Natural

partner organisa on made it harder to

England (now the licensing authority)

export larger numbers of birds from the

indicated that the ma er of only using eggs

country, with only 6 birds total for a years

from nests destroyed or abandoned through

work on more than one occasion.

cul va on need no longer apply, and the changes in the licence to release could be

Working with the University of Chester, the

amended to allow the use of eggs collected

Despite many other bird species being able to

GBG sought to compare the diﬀerent Great

from viable nests in Spain.

nego ate the Pyrenees, including Li le

Bustard popula ons which may be suitable

Bustards, this idea was circulated in the

for release in the UK.

conserva on and scien fic press and was

In February 2013 RSPB and SEO, the Spanish Birdlife partner, met and GBG was asked to

the 1970s and 80s.

The university undertook a comparison of the geneƟc analysis of Great Bustard samples from Russia, Germany and Spain and from historical specimens from the UK.

One of the explana ons given in the ar cle

The UK LIFE+ project made a contribu on to

for the failure of the project to generate stock

the laboratory material costs of this analysis.

for repopula ng the UK was that the majority

The results showed that there was very li le

An applica on was submi ed to the Spanish

of the birds used were Iberian and therefore

varia on between the popula ons and that

authori es for the collec on of Great Bustard

unsuited to the UK la tude. There was no

the closest popula on to the old UK Great

eggs and now in 2014 collec on is underway.

generally accepted. Further dampening on the use of Iberian birds came from an ar cle published in the scien fic press about the failure of a cap ve breeding project run by the Great Bustard Trust in Wiltshire during

cease any ac vity in Spain connected with the collec on eggs, as RSPB and SEO would take on the ac on. At the end of July that year SEO reported to RSPB that they did not wish to be directly involved in the proposal and the ma er was then taken up again by GBG, by which

me the 2013 season was

over.

GBG Future

2014 - a huge step forward David Waters reports With the go ahead at last obtained for egg collec on in Spain, a plan was devised and a new way forward for the Great Bustard UK Reintroduc on Project was born.

Egg CollecƟon

egg collec on staﬀ will reduce the chance of

Any eggs which

eggs le

ore may hatch before

hatching successfully.

By taking

them as early as possible the greatest chance

he UK transport to the

is given to the females to lay a second clutch.

can

This is based on the experiences and conclu-

returned to the nest. By conduc ng this

sions of the Crane (Grus grus) project which

assessment in the field the returned eggs

collected eggs in Brandenburg for chick

should stand every chance of comple ng

release in the UK.

natural incuba on under the mother. It

Permission was sought for up to 100 eggs to

completed

are

should be noted that the closer the eggs

be collected in Cas lla La Mancha. In contrast

The number of nests located and the number

come to hatching the greater the loyalty the

to the collec on of eggs from the Saratov

of eggs collected is reported to the Govern-

female displays to the eggs.

region of Russia, here the popula ons are

ment oﬃce. Staﬀ from the Government

known to be suﬃciently large (and in a much

oﬃce were invited to par cipate and oversee

Collected eggs are placed in travel incuba-

smaller area) to tolerate early collec on of

the collec on of the eggs.

tors, modified by the GBG to ensure that the

this number of eggs from any nests found, rather than just those threatened by agricultural opera ons.

CollecƟon permission

Local assistance is u lised for loca ng nests, but physically removing an egg is only undertaken by named project staﬀ.

The collec on of the eggs began in May 2014 and is being conducted under the provision of licences issued by the oﬃce of the Director General, Environment, in Cas lla La Mancha (Toledo). This oﬃce also holds the responsibility for the export permission.

Egg collec on is done under the direc on of the GBG (with GBG staﬀ helped by RSPB staﬀ and with addi onal assistance from the estates involved). The GBG have supplied two vehicles and an addi onal two vehicles from RSPB LIFE+ can also be used.

The licences issued by the Spanish authories list the specific areas where egg collecon may take place. The Spanish authori es have a responsibility to monitor the Great Bustard popula on and are ac ve in doing so. The numbers of nests found is being recorded along with their loca on, and this informa on will contribute to the base line for the ongoing monitoring of the donor popula ons.

CollecƟon procedures The aim of the egg collec on opera on has been to collect them as quickly as possible. All the eggs from an iden fied nest must be taken, as disturbance and tracks le by the

The first week of May is considered to be the peak period for laying first clutches. To avoid

poten ally hot local weather does not overheat them during transit – overhea ng is a greater problem than cooling. Eggs are held for a short period in a suitable incuba on room on or close to the collec on area and then taken to Madrid Zoo. A shu le system takes the eggs from the collec on area on a daily basis, or as required, to Madrid Zoo.

CollecƟon cessaƟon The loca on and collec on of eggs in Spain poses new challenges compared with Russia since nes ng habitats are diﬀerent. However, local assistance was oﬀered.

taking eggs which may hatch before or during

The collec on of the eggs is done under the

the transport phase to the UK, all eggs

direct control of the GBG and any legi mate

collected a er 15th May must be assessed in

concern over the impact on the donor

the field before they are removed.

popula on, transmission of disease or other

Egg collec on teams are equipped with a set of scales and callipers. The measurements and weight of the egg are used to calculate the fresh weight, and then the predicted hatch date of the egg.

ma er is discussed immediately with the Government office. Problems in these ma ers may result in the restric on or cessa on of the egg collec on or export. Communica on between the staff collec ng eggs at the different estates is constant and any direc on to cease the collec on must be implemented promptly.

to implement the rearing regime according to the number and age range of chicks, local

Great Bustards were recently shown to undertake.

weather, site security and maintenance. Rearing will be conducted at the GBG’s

The Spanish Great Bustards are known to be

Project site, with GBG making its oﬃces

far more sedentary and it is expected that the

available to GBG and RSPB staﬀ who may

birds will not move far away from the area of

sleep at the site to enhance security. The

release. Nevertheless, to assist following

rearing will be done on the model used

individual behaviour and loca ng birds that

successfully in 2012 and closely matching

might move away, radio tags will be fi ed to

that now used by the German Great Bustard

a number of the released birds.

Project.

The eggs will hatch at Birdworld, Farnham

Egg incubaƟon

Subject to securing a non-conven onal

A combina on of inside and outside rearing

marking permit from the BTO (Bri sh Trust

space will be suﬃcient to rear the birds

for Ornithology) the tags will comprise

whatever the weather and numbers of chicks

necklace-mounted radio transmi ers that

involved. The rearing units will be situated

have been previously used successfully on

inside the large fox-proof pen at the Project

released females. However, these will diﬀer

site giving a secure environment for the

from ones used in the past by having a biode-

young chicks to be exercised.

gradable link (such as a surgical suture) in the

In Madrid Zoo the eggs have been kept in

loop so that they detach a er about 24

incubators supplied by the GBG and in

Release procedure

condi ons compliant with the health screen-

When the birds are close to two months old

if similar necklace tags can be used on male

ing protocol developed by the GBG.

they will have developed some flight capabil-

Great Bustards as they develop a gular pouch

ity and will be moved for release at one of the

later in life.

Transport The eggs are being transported from Madrid Zoo by road to the northern Spanish ports

months. Trials will be undertaken to establish

iden fied release sites according to an agreed schedule. No birds are intended to be released at the original Project site.

and then by ferry to Portsmouth. The ferry

It is intended that a minimum of 50% of females will be fi ed with the radios, and up to 5 males. Given that bustards tend to move

company has agreed to provide cabins with

A facility has been arranged by GBG away

around in flocks, this number of tagged birds

suﬃcient power outlets to run the mobile

from the Project site to house any birds

will be suﬃcient to monitor most of the birds

incubators. Preference has been given to the

permanently or temporarily unfit for release.

most of the me. A Land Rover with a radio

GBG in booking to ensure that cabins with

This comprises a specifically built pen that is

mast will be u lised to follow the tagged

the least engine vibra on and pitch-and-roll

both secure and secluded. The owner of the

birds and the provision of aircra has been

are available.

loca on of this pen is an experienced avicul-

agreed in principle (as used by the GBG in

turalist and the rearing regime may be

previous years) in case a bird moves further

adapted to reflect the intended use of the

afield.

IncubaƟon At the me of wri ng collec on is in progress and transport to Britain is imminent. On

bird(s). The pen will be empty at the me of the egg import.

arrival in the UK the eggs will be driven to the

In addiƟon, all the released birds will carry both a BTO ring and a colour ring on their legs.

incuba on facility at Birdworld, Farnham.

Monitoring

Incuba on will con nue here under an

The monitoring programme encompasses

agreed disease and health protocol overseen

every stage of the procedures described

The possible use of colour marking feathers

by Curator Duncan Bolton. Within two days

above (nest loca on, clutch size, collec on

by dye or paint is also being explored. The

of hatching, the Great Bustard chicks will be

date and person, incuba on, rearing regime,

principal aim of the marking and use of

taken by car to the GBG site in Wiltshire. A

diet, feather condi on and veterinary

transmi ers is to be able to account for the

dedicated rearing unit will hold them and all

records) as well as post-release movements

birds during their first winter.

rearing will be conducted in accordance with

and behaviour.

the stated health and disease protocol.

Rearing A staff management plan has been prepared to ensure that sufficient staff will be available

It is very unlikely that the Great Bustards from Spain will exhibit the long-distance dispersal to the southwest which the Russian

If they survive this period and do not widely disperse they can be judged to have a produc ve future.

GBG Research

Bustard Behaviour in the Spring RSPB’s Louise Jane reports This arƟcle is extracted from a report which covers the period of 2nd April to 28th June 2013.

subsided in these

compared to that from

three

October 2012 to March 2013. Between April and

tthe

June 2013 the top three ee male ac vi es at release site

season of Great Bustards. Both release sites

one were res ng and vigilance

feature along with the area in which the two

followed by walking. Full displaying was

oldest

over-wintered.

observed as the fourth most likely ac vity.

Release site one was the main site of ac vity.

However, if you look at all the diﬀerent

bustards

at release site two during this period. PK2 displayed here for six days. This is our first known occurrence of a male displaying to female bustards away from release site one.

The birds covered in this report include P5 (Purple 5, sixth year male), PK2 (Pink 2, third year male), PK5 (Pink 5, third year male), BK09 (Black 09, second year male), BK17 (Black 17, second year female) and O15 (Orange 15, ninth year female). All these birds are marked with wing tags. T5 (Transmi er 5, second year female) has no visible markings as her necklace radio transmi er was lost during her travels. Y22 (Yellow 22, eighth year female) has a necklace transmi er s ll a ached (although not transmi ng since 2006). This however is very diﬃcult to see. The 2012 UK-hatched birds included in this report are L08 (Lime ring 08, first year male), L09 (Lime ring 09, first year male), L25 (Lime ring 25, first year female) and L26 (Lime ring 26, first year

ing together, such as: par al displaying, stru ng around with tail up and full display, then displaying becomes third most to likely The Great Bustard isthe returning ac vity. Males as a but groupsurely spent almost Britain. Slowly this as much me displaying as beingcommonvigilant. incredible bird, once This configura on of how much me is spent on a par cular ac vity becomes more

place in the BriƟsh countryside, is expected when you consider the fact that making the rolling hills of Wiltmale bustards are being studied as a group. shire its home aŌer an absence Behaviour amongst individual males during of 175 years. this me of year will vary significantly. At this

of year, only the and more Themepublic is following theolder reintroduc on dominant males spend large amounts of me displaying. Younger males and lower ranked males will display when the opportunity arises, this may not be very o en.

Therefore, younger and lower ranked males are very likely to spend their Ɵme conserving energy for when the opportunity does arise. This could explain why resƟng comes out as the top acƟvity for male bustards as a group at this Ɵme of year.

female). L05 (Lime ring 05, first year male)

From the observa ons collected this year,

who appears in the report is a 2012 Russian-

male bustards were found to be displaying

reared bird. He remains a cap ve bird within

between

the release pen, due to sustaining a broken

inclusively.

wing during quaran ne.

bustards spent res ng during this period

Release site one Observa ons took place between 2nd April and 28th June 2013, totalling 38 hours and 2 minutes. We hoped to record how behaviour at release site one has changed when

11th

March

and

The amount of

order

th li months. the earlier

components that can be counted as displayHowever, a significant occurrence happened

pecking

havi having been established in

These dates pertain to the key breeding

female

months,

presumably due to

4th

June

me male

con nued to follow the trend set in the previous reports, and increased by 7%. However, the amount of me male bustards spent being vigilant was at its lowest in these three months compared to the previous six months. The level of aggression also slightly

Between 2nd April and 28th June, the percentage of Ɵme male bustards as a collecƟve spent on feeding dropped by 4% compared to the previous three months. However, this figure includes all the male bustards, dominant and submissive. When the individual bustards are looked at separately, a more prominent change occurs in dominant birds. This is shown in a separate sec on, which looks at all the data collected over the display season. The other change to point out is that for October 2012 – March 2013, feeding featured as the male bustard’s third most likely ac vity. During this reporting period feeding featured as the fi h most prominent ac vity.

Release site two

and barking at the first year birds and on a

slightly reduced the amount of

Three birds visited this release site during this

few occasions, he even pecked them.

spend being vigilant compared to previous months.

period, two females and one male. With no other male bustards around PK2 was free to spend more of his me on displaying.

While PK2 was displaying the two females were also present. However, they expressed no interest in him and conƟnued their normal behaviour of feeding and walking etc.

me they

PK5 was in a lower posi on than expected from his age. This is likely to be because he

PK2. PK2 this year became the first male

cannot extend his wings fully. This may be

bustard to display to a female bustard away

making PK5 less willing to see a stand oﬀ

from the established lekking ground at

through to a physical fight. If PK5’s disability

release site one.

constrains his movements, he may be more

O15 and Y22. For the first ten days of the

likely to contribute to his posi on in the

report, O15 and Y22 spent most of their me

social structure of the male bustards along

in an oilseed rape field away from any release

with his age.

PK2 was recorded displaying from the 2nd to the 7th May 2013 at the second release site. In the absence of a more dominant male PK2 spent a high proporƟon of his Ɵme displaying, compared to when P5 was present.

At release site one, males displayed for 84

However, PK2 failed to impress Y22, as she

days, from 11/03/2013 to 04/06/2013.

was seen 19 days later back at release site

likely to back down in a stand-oﬀ, even though he is the older and slightly bigger bird. This could explain why he is found below a second year male in the pecking

Non-release site

order. L05 also has a wing injury, which is also

site. They moved on 11th April to release site two.

one ma ng with P5. While being observed, During the first ten days of this P5. This year P5 was the only male mature O15 expressed no interest in PK2 displaying, report they moved on four separate occasions to a chalk grass- enough to breed, next year PK2 will join him and it is unknown whether she expressed any interest in any males this year. Next year PK2 land site, approximately three in this status. will be old enough to breed and it will be kilometres away from the oilseed P5 is the dominant male at interes ng to see if he challenges P5 for rape field they over wintered in. release site one and he spent a dominancy of release site one or a empts to Y22 made one addi onal trip to the chalk large proporƟon of his Ɵme establish a new lekking ground at release site grassland site on the 15th April. O15 displaying. He was even caught two. disappeared from the second release site for on a CCTV camera displaying at BK09. BK09 a empted to display this year at just over a month. It is thought that she may 02:30 in the morning. release site one. However, being amongst the

have a empted to nest in this me. However, it is unclear as to where this may have been. Regardless of this, when she reappeared she had no chick with her. She then disappeared again a few days later for another month. On the 27th August she had reappeared in the same place she had over wintered. Next year we hope to gain a clearer idea on where O15 is going during the breeding season.

P5 was the only male towards which female

youngest males around did not help him. He

bustards were observed expressing any form

was seen displaying in fields around the

of interest. He mated with Y22 and his

lekking site, nevertheless, he was not

displaying caught the a en on of BK17,

observed in full display at the actual lek site.

although for BK17 ma ng was not observed.

The fact that BK09 displayed more in a field

Although T5 nested, she was never observed

away from the lek site might explain why his

showing any interest in P5. During 2013, O15

percentage of me spent displaying is higher

was not seen in the presence of any male

than PK2’s, an older and more dominant bird.

bustard, so it is unknown if she mated while

Male breeding season behaviour

unobserved or if she remained unmated. The

During February and the beginning of March,

females from 2012 were in confinement

the

hierarchical

during this period, so it is not possible to tell

structure. This seemed to aﬀect the amount

if P5 would have caught their a en on as

of me each bird dedicated to displaying.

well.

The first year birds squabbled between themselves, however no clear pecking order formed at this stage.

P5 appeares to have spent less me than the

males

established

BK09 spent a fair amount of me threatening

Though BK09 never got the chance to display to any females, he was observed following them around, especially T5. This could be due to the fact that she over wintered with the males.

other males on vigilance while he was

BK09 did have the highest levels of observed

displaying. However, the diﬀerence is only

aggression during this period. He spent 3%

between 1 and 2% of his me less than the

more of his observed me being aggressive,

other displaying males. On the whole, adult

compared with the other two key males that

males as a group at this me of year, have

were present during the breeding season.

Estlin writes..

The first bird re-introduc on in Britain n Estlin Waters reports with the Red Kite and the © David Kjaer

Corncrake. As well as the Capercaillie in the 19th century, the White-tailed (Sea) Eagle was re-introduced into Scotland in the 20th century.

The third

re-introduc on in Britain is our Great

Bustard

the

21st

century. The Capercaillie, the largest grouse in ds the world, breeds mainly in pinewoods from northern Spain across to Asia. We know rather li le about the originall na ve © David Kjaer

own if it Sco sh popula on and it is not known formed a dis nct subspecies. Theree is also

ssuited ited to

some evidence that the bird bred in northern

Capercaillie and,

England in former

mes and there was a

to repay Lord Breadalbane’s hospitality, he

popula on in Ireland which died out rather

arranged for his friend Llewellyn Lloyd to

earlier than that in Scotland. Its ex nc on in

capture some Swedish birds.

Scotland is thought to have been due to the destruc on of the pinewoods and probably A spectacular bird. Female (above), male (right)

climate change but the final ex nc on was aided by hun ng by man.

The first na ve bird to be exterminated in Britain and then successfully re-introduced by man was the Capercaillie (Cock of the Wood, Tetrao urogallus).

The

na ve

popula on

Capercaillie

decreased and died out in Scotland with the last recorded birds being shot at Balmoral in 1785.

This Lloyd did by having no ces read out in churches at the end of divine services. He also gave instruc ons “to the peasants” how to snare them without damaging them and oﬀered ample rewards.

Llewellyn Lloyd, a Quaker spor ng

writer and naturalist living at Venersberg in

This was successful and Sir Thomas sent his

Re-introduc on is diﬀerent from introduc-

southern Sweden, had tried to interest

head keeper, Larry Banville, from Shering-

on, where man introduces species that

landowners in re-introducing the Capercaillie

ham (in Norfolk) by stagecoach to Harwich

were not here previously, such as the

in Scotland but the few a empts in the early

and then by sailing boat to Sweden. Sir

Red-legged Partridge and the Li le Owl.

19th century involved small numbers of birds

Thomas said that this should be done “at

Re-introduc on is also diﬀerent from birds

and were not successful.

whatever cost” and in “the requisite

that become ex nct in Britain and then re-establish themselves on their own, such as the Avocet and the Osprey in the 20th century. Reintroduc on also should not be confused with colonisa on when birds that did not previously nest in Britain colonise it on their own as have the Collared Dove and the Li le Ringed Plover. In Britain recently there have been several transloca ons of birds which were not ex nct in Britain but were released in parts of the country not then in their breeding range, or where the numbers were in decline. This has been done

The successful reintroduc on was at Taymouth Castle by Kenmore in Perthshire in 1837 and 1838. According to his great grandson, Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton was oﬀered the grouse shooting around Taymouth Castle by Lord Breadalbane as a relaxa on a er he had piloted the an -slavery and reform of the penal legislaon through parliament. Sir Thomas thought the woods around Taymouth Castle well

numbers”. This re-introduc on has been carefully documented from several diﬀerent sources though accounts vary in minor details. The main accounts are from Larry Banville, St Thomas’ head keeper, and from a detailed study by J A Harvie-Brown. HarvieBrown sent out over 450 circulars (ques onnaires)

landed

proprietors,

factors, foresters and gamekeepers and most were returned. Harvie-Brown wrote one of the earliest books on a single species of bird.

nest very soon a er hatching and can feed themselves. The popula on grew rapidly and spread, mainly to the north and east. Lord Breadalbane’s head keeper, James Guthrie, es mated that a er 25 years there were 2,000.

By 1863 over 1,000 Capercaillies were esƟmated on the Taymouth estate alone. The birds spread naturally, the females arriving in new areas first. The success was such that other proprietors followed and more birds and eggs were brought to Scotland.

Many eggs were

hatched under Greyhens. At least 25 further releases were made in the 19th century and birds were imported from Austria, Norway and Finland as well as Sweden. Thus at least two

subspecies

Capercaillie

were

introduced in Scotland. So successful was the re-introduc on that there were translocaons of birds from Taymouth to other parts of Scotland. The re-introduced Capercaillie popula on reached its peak about the beginning of the First World War. It is now much reduced in numbers but s ll present. Releases have con nued, even in England,

and 35 were released in Cumbria in 1971 but none were seen there since 1978. The Capercaillie

There are many diﬀerences and many similari es between this first re-introduc on

The Capercaillie in Scotland was published in

Some of the 13 cocks and 16 hens had

and that of the Great Bustard.

1879, with over 170 pages and a detailed two

damaged their head and neck feathers but

overland and by sea for the young birds was

page map to show the then range of the bird.

the birds were generally very healthy and

much slower than by aircra

Incidentally, Harvie-Brown does not label his

were gradually released. They were carried

damage may have been more severe. Diet of

map

out at night in large baskets which were

chicks, especially in cap vity, was a problem

placed in the woods so that the birds could

for the Capercaillie and gamekeeping and

escape at will. Further birds were brought

predator control was more eﬃcient in 19th

from Sweden including 16 hens in 1838. It

century Scotland. For both re-introduc ons

was known that Capercaillie could be kept in

birds had to be in “the requisite numbers.”

semi-domes ca on

Much

introduc on

nor

re-introduc on but as a restora on.

Larry Banville came back with 29 Capercaillie via Hull and Dundee by sailing packet and steamboat and so on to Taymouth Castle by mule and cart. The journey from Sweden, with the birds in crates, took 15 days and the whole trip over three months.

and

would

breed.

the

success

Travel

and feather

for

both

However greater success was recorded when

re-introduc ons depended on the drive and

eggs laid by cap ve Capercaillies were placed

enthusiasm of those commi ed to the cause

in the nests of wild Greyhens (female Black

and the support of many others.

Grouse).

How the birds survived is not

detailed but Capercaillie chicks leave their

Birding Abroad

Birding in Andalucia and Extramadura Rob Miles reports on an incredible trip I had always wanted to go on a dedicated birdwatching holiday, as my wife and son always complain if I spend too much Ɵme with my binoculars on family holidays.

occasionally swooping down to pluck snails or small, but very vocal, frogs from the lake surface. In the evening we went for a stroll on the edges of Doñana and were rewarded with a distant Spanish Imperial Eagle, a lovely close view of a Woodchat Shrike and a flock of Collared Pra ncoles overhead; I saw 44 species of birds that day, and even heard a Nigh ngale.

Day 2. This was the day we were to experiGriﬀon Vulture

ence the true beauty of the Doñana Na onal Park and we were underway by 8am.

Returning to Doñana, we enjoyed good views of both Greater and Lesser Short-toed Larks,

El Rocio

Calandra Lark, Purple Heron, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Avocet, Li le and Black-

And so it was that a er reaching the tender

necked Grebes, Squacco Heron, Gull-billed

age of 60, I joined an enthusias c group of

erns and a trio of Great Spo ed

fellow birders from Bristol to fly to Southern

Cuckoos hun ng insects on the road-side

Spain for a week’s birding. I expected to see

verge. A se ng sun highlighted a majes c

some very special birds, including Great

Purple Swamphen stru ng across a shallow

Bustards, and I was not to be disappointed.

lagoon.

Day 1. We flew early to Malaga and were

At the end of the day I had seen, or heard 75

met by our guide for the week, San ago Villa

diﬀerent species of birds including many I

of Spainbirds. Our base for the first 3 days was the small town of El Rocío, on the edge of the Doñana Na onal Park in Andalucia. This is a truly deligh ul town with dusty tracks and hitching rails outside houses as the locals ride around on horseback. On the edge of town is a pre y lake, the Madre de las Marismas, in which horses graze on the reeds and Spoonbills and Black and Whiskered Terns fly by. We ate “raciones”, large bowls of tapas, on a trestle table under a 600 year-old olive tree in what was, for us, unusual bright sunshine.

Black Kites wheeled overhead,

Great Spo ed Cuckoo

had never seen before (“lifers”). Glossy Ibis We stopped by a small stream on the edge of

Day 3.

the park and a Zi ng Cis cola gave a virtuoso

ahead with a trip to the marine saltmarsh,

performance on the end of a nearby branch

the Marismas del Odiel and the breakwater

and we were extremely lucky to spot an

at the mouth of the Odiel river outside

elusive Li le Bi ern fishing quietly from a log

Huelva. A brief stop at a woodland glade on

across the stream about 15 m away. The park

the way gave us close views of Azure-winged

is surrounded by a low fence to stop the

Magpies, a singing Serin, a foraging Hoopoe

threatened Iberian Lynx from running out

and Tree Sparrows. On reaching the Odiel

into the road and this provided a great

marsh we heard lots of Marsh Frogs calling,

number of posts from which to watch the

and saw Redshank, Greenshank, Spoonbills,

Iberian Yellow Wagtail, Crested Larks, Wood-

Li le Egrets, Dunlin, Grey, Ken sh and Ringed

chat Shrikes, Northern Wheatears and our

Plover and an Osprey. A group of European

first Melodious Warbler.

We stopped to

Pond Terrapin sunned themselves on a log.

admire a lively colony of nes ng White Storks

We visited the Juan Carlos I breakwater and

at Villamanrique before heading oﬀ to the

saw Collared Pra ncole, Sanderling, Whim-

tranquil José Valverde vistor centre and

brel,

se led down to watch Glossy Ibis, Black-

Warbler, Li le, Sandwich and Black Terns and

winged S lts, Greater Flamingoes and a

a couple of Audouin’s Gulls amongst the

colony of nes ng Ca le Egrets and Black-

numerous Black-headed Gulls.

crowned Night Herons at close range.

A very diﬀerent day’s birding lay

Redstart,

Bonelli’s

and

Sardinian

small woodland trees like cork oak and olive,

and we saw no more than three all day. The

great for Azure-winged Magpies, Orphean

other bird I was desperate to see was the

Warblers, Serins, Garden Warblers and

Roller and these had just arrived from Africa.

Sardinian Warblers, seen by all. We even saw

On a track near Monroy we saw at least 30

a Sharp-ribbed Salamander and a Na erjack

birds; there because the local bird-groups

Toad res ng up in an empty swimming pool

had put up nest-boxes for these on all of the

(we released the toad into some long grass

telegraph poles. Only the occasional Lesser

because it was a long climb back up the ramp

Kestrel had used these boxes as well.

le for any creatures stranded in the pool). We watched House Mar ns gathering mud in Blue Rock Thrush

Day 4. We le

El Rocío to journey onwards

to Extramadura. We stopped in a wood (Palacio Acebron) that was teeming with singing Nigh ngales, Cuckoos, Hoopoes, Serin and Ce ’s Warblers and Short-toed Treecreepers. A nearby lake (La Rocina) gave

front of us for their nests whilst Swallows hawked for insects all around the meadows. We headed to the Cas llo de Monfragüe where we had stunning views of Griﬀon Vultures and a close view of a Blue Rock Thrush. On the journey home we saw Black Vultures and a Black-eared Wheatear.

AŌer watching Rollers we saw a Montagu’s Harrier driŌing over, another Great SpoƩed Cuckoo and a small flock of Black-bellied Sandgrouse, two of which whizzed close by in a blur of movement. A Short-toed Eagle posed for us on an empty

good views of Savi’s Warbler, Spoonbill,

post. We visited a small ravine leading to a

Whiskered Tern and Purple Swamphen. On

reservoir and the mountain pastures were a

the tracks I saw Woodlark, Stonechat,

delight, covered in Spring flowers. A fully

Bee-eaters, Melodious Warbler and Wood-

awake adult Sero ne Bat crawled around in a

chat Shrike.

We stopped at the Alange

bush by the path, Extramadura is certainly

reservoir for Gull-billed Terns, Montagu’s

full of surprises. We visited Trujillo where

Harrier, Blue Rock Thrush, Thekla Lark,

Lesser Kestrels wheeled over our heads in

Sardinian Warbler, Crag Mar ns and Alpine

profusion, Swi s darted around the roo ops

Swi s. A er a lengthy journey we arrived at

and White Storks cla ered their bills from the

our hotel in Torrejon El Rubio, on the edge of the Monfragüe Na onal Park.

Day 5.

We visited the Salto del Gitano

viewpoint, where the early morning light on the mountain gave us excellent views of nes ng Black Storks and Griﬀon Vultures. Huge vultures dri ed lazily by and one bird posed on a nearby rock. Other great birds seen here were more Spanish Imperial Eagles (a breeding pair), two hun ng Bonelli’s Eagles, chasing a Red-legged Partridge (which got away!), a Blue Rock Thrush, several Rock Bun ngs, a Black Redstart, Egyp an Vulture and Short-toed Eagle.

In the lake formed by a bend in the river a European OƩer with two cubs driŌed out into the water, caught a large fish and brought it back to its’ cubs.

Spanish Great Bustards in flight

Day 6.

This was the day for seeing Great

watch a female Golden Eagle on her nest in a distant tree and also saw an Iberian Grey

Bustards, necessita ng a very early start to

Shrike.

be out on the Cáceras plain by 7.30am. In the

Bee-eaters nes ng colonially in a river-bank.

early morning mist we stopped on the “B” road from Santa Marta de Magasca to Cáceras and were rewarded by seeing a flock of 12 Great Bustards in a roadside field. The females were busy feeding whilst one amorous male tried to interest the ladies with his impressive “inside-out” display, but they remained unimpressed. Some of the birds took oﬀ and dri ed over the road, the others flew in a diﬀerent direc on. We saw several solitary male Great Bustards throughout the day, but never another flock, perhaps they had dispersed to feed and the females weren’t quite ready to breed, a er what had been a cold and wet Spring in Extramadura as well as in UK. Amongst the short turf we saw

Our guide stopped at a water trough and

a large flock of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, but

showed us the

ny but deligh ul Bosca’s

these were very wary birds and we never saw

In the a ernoon we visited the

these close. We also saw Li le Bustard that

Dehesas, mountain pastures covered with

morning, but never more than one at a me

Newt.

steeple of the local church. We stopped to

Day 7.

On the way home we watched

All good things must end, so we

faced our final day with some sadness, but s ll hopeful of seeing more birds. We were travelling to Madrid for our evening flight but had a full day for the journey so we stopped near Arrocampo and saw both Black-winged Kite and Penduline Tit, building its’ woven nest by the lake. We visited a local quarry looking for Eagle Owls but these recently reared their brood which had fledged and dispersed. Instead we saw large numbers of unusual

flowers including Woodcock,

Green-winged and Naked-man Orchids. A wonderful holiday, graced by great weather and lots of birds, my personal tally was 151 diﬀerent species with 30 “lifers”. Some of our group managed 165 diﬀerent bird species, but I guess you can’t see them all; at least I’d seen wild bustards!

Volunteer work

Day in the Life of a Volunteer Birdworld keeper by Lenka Panackova a

li le

cool

water

mist onto the he snakes and African frican Land Snails, record the room temperatures and humidity then phew, the penguin talk is over and I’m back to my usual du es again.

11.20am. This

me is spent doing a variety

of tasks. Keepers spend literally hours preparing a wide variety of food for the birds. For instance, meat-ea ng birds may need to have chicks chopped and ready in individually labelled pots, and there are several kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables to be diced into small cubes and again divided for each individual species and bird.

11.45am.

A quick collec on of fish in the

bucket and I’m walking to the pelican enclosure

Working at Birdworld as a volunteer is a great opportunity to gain experience with animals

I started my voluntary work for Birdworld at the beginning of September 2013, aŌer just a few visits to the park.

arrived an hour before me, in feeding the birds in our own, and some mes other, departments. This will usually take a couple of hours as there are a lot of bowls to be made up and distributed. This also gives me the opportunity to have

A er an interview with Duncan, the park’s

a quick peak at how Morgana and Nelson, our

Curator, I was oﬀered a voluntary keeper’s role

two Great Bustards, are doing - and indeed,

in its Educa on department. Educa on at

they are looking well, with Nelson being

Birdworld is an important part of the park,

par cularly protec ve of his girl Morgana.

where the team strives to promote an under-

Sneaking five minutes with Noddy, the macaw,

standing of all birds, conserva on of their

is frequently a real treat. Le ng him out of his

environment, as well as training their show

aviary for a quick flight over the park and then

birds.

enjoying a private moment of singing and

The Educa on department is responsible for delivering public penguin feeding talks, a birds

11am.

usually miss this one because, being the ‘new

consists of a keeper’s presenta on of informa-

kid on the block’, I have been given the impor-

on on the species and a demonstra on of

tant task of cleaning the s ck insects! It sounds

experience, however it isn’t easy. It is hard work, where one o en chases one’s own tail to keep up - where does the me go! This is a run-down of a typical day.

9am.

I arrive at Birdworld ready to start my

work and join the keepers, who will have

breeding and feeding habits and their rela onship with humans. A few ques ons from the public are answered and then I’m back to the Educa on sec on.

makes the morning very special.

a wonderful outdoor flying display. Each show

Being a volunteer at the park is a rewarding

as providing an informa ve talk about their

nodding together to an Addam’s Family tune

of prey tour, a fun Discovery Theatre show, and

either its skills or a direct feed of the birds.

where we feed our four White Pelicans as well

The first penguin talk is upon us. I

Training birds is a big part of the day

like a boring job but trust me - it’s absorbing and more than a li le tricky having to remove twenty or so s ck-insects from the thorny bramble and transfer them onto their new and freshly arranged foliage, ensuring at the same me that their limbs remain a ached and intact! A quick feed of the Bearded Dragon and gecko follow - they both enjoy live insects, then I spray

It’s not just birds at the park!

the park. Firstly we are Training during the Outdoor Flying Display

12:00 noon. One of my favourite ac

The owls are incredible birds to train

vi es

There are also other fellow birds to be

is the cleaning of the parrot aviaries. This is

trained - Sheila and Harold are two kooka-

where I get the opportunity to talk to the

burras who are trained to fly to desired

Citron-crested Cockatoo Snowy, and share a

des na ons using fresh chicken meat as a

peanut or two with Xingu, a stunning macaw

treat. There are also owls Mozart and Oscar

who provides me with astute supervision

and an impressive caracara called Stanley.

whilst his aviary is being cleaned.

In between chopping, cleaning and washing up, a good amount of Ɵme must be spent weighing and training the birds in our secƟon.

1 pm.

Now it is me for the Discovery

Theatre live show, an indoor live bird demonstra on in which a variety of birds show their skills, and again fly over the heads of a keen audience. Needless to say

demonstra ng how good Harold, the kookaburra is at flying to the desired spots within the arena and collec ng a piece of meat on his way. This is a great opportunity for the public to experience Harold flying directly over their heads, o en too low as I haven’t quite mastered the correct height of handing him his treat. Then in comes Stanley, proving how clever caracaras are, by taking a wooden puzzle apart in order to gain access to his meat.

that Noddy, one of the macaw’s used for this

And lastly the star pair of the show!

demonstra on is the star of the show, and is Mole, a ny Burrowing Owl, is being trained to

Charlie

eager to tell everyone that he indeed is a

fly to a desired des na on and walk through

macaws, demonstrate their flying skills

parrot and can show you his ‘big wings’

various pipes which are neatly set up in his

then oﬀer the public a stunning photo

when asked.

opportunity, posing with their keepers.

Once the show is over and all birds are safe in their aviaries, there is more bird training to be done.

3.30 pm.

aviary. To train Mole means making a kissing noise to get his a en on, then placing either a small piece of chicken or a mealworm on the spot he is to fly to. The same trick works if he is trained to go through various pipes on the ground. One of my recent tasks was to target train

and

Xingu,

our

beau ful

Here comes another

penguin talk, however, I also give this one a miss to do some more training with Mole and Sheila, and feed Mozart the Bengal Eagle Owl, both macaws Charlie and Noddy and Barn Owl Do y.

Jacob and Elwood are hornbills who share the

two Scarlet Macaws - Marmite and Twiglet.

same aviary and enjoy being trained outside.

The training involved poin ng the coloured

They are currently learning to fly from one

p of a s ck to an area within the aviary and

branch of a tree to another on a command.

the macaw’s task was to walk to the twig and

The trick to this is being equipped with a small

tap it with their beak. A reward was a click

pot of chopped grapes and a “clicker”.

with my clicker and a peanut.

4 pm. A

When one of the hornbills is released, we take

2 pm.

aviaries, a quick dash takes place to

one of the grapes and place a hand on the

legs and brains (mine is currently experienc-

branch we would like the bird to fly to. As soon

ing an overload as I am s ll absorbing the

as it lands on the desired branch, we click the

knowledge and trying to keep it all in my

clicker to make a sound acknowledging that

head!)

the bird has done well and it is given the grape.

Lunch me! Time to rest our poor

I also need to somehow en ce Reeba, the Red-legged Seriema from the Discovery Theatre into a carrier box so I can transfer her to her aviary. er everyone is back to their

collect several dead chicks and rats for the Owl Prowl. Once this is done, the keepers review and finish their daily recording, making sure that everything has been done.

This is repeated several mes un l the session

2.45 pm. Now it is

ends. The trickiest part is to return the

of the display arena. Birds are weighed and

hornbills safely to their aviary. Needless to say

placed in their carrier boxes - and it is me

- they will ocasionally enjoy a free flight around

for the outdoor flight show. This is the

the park, much to the keeper’s despair!

biggest show of the day and very popular at

me for a quick set up

4.30 - 5pm. The kitchen is cleaned, all washing up is done, bird’s diaries are completed, phew! Is it me to go home now?

Estlin writes...

The Fair Isle Hen A report by Estlin Waters This originally wild bird, probably from north-central Europe, is one of only six Great Bustards recorded in Scotland over the last 200 years. The only previous record for Shetland was of a female shot at Hillswick on 19th May 1936. The mounted specimen is in the Anderson High School in Lerwick.

The Fair Isle hen was found on cro land on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 11 January 1970.

mice. Gordon had been Assistant Warden at

project on Salisbury Plain which was then

the Fair Isle Bird Observatory during the 1960

just starƟng. The Fair Isle hen lived for 10

and 1961 seasons.

years in the Great Bustard Trust’s enclosure

Recognised by the islanders as an asset to the community, they took the unusual step of oﬀering him (a non-islander) the large cro at Se er. He lived on Fair Isle for 15 years. In his care, the bird’s condiƟon slowly improved and she was released on 24 February. With more bad weather, the bird again deteriorated and she was retrapped at night on 5 March. Her

at Porton Down (Salisbury Plain). She was somewhat lame in her right leg and showed no breeding behaviour. Finally she died from exposure aŌer being liŌed by a gale and blown into neƫng in which she became entangled.

A post-mortem examina on in March 1980 found she weighed 3.35 kg, her plumage was reasonable and her condi on was thought average for a bird at that me of the year.

With short days and bad weather, the bird

weight increased from 3.2 kg in February to

was in poor condiƟon and was caught by

4.6 kg in March. In view of her failure to

torchlight five nights later by Gordon Barnes

thrive on Fair Isle, she was put in a crate and

There was no sign of disease and death was

who fed her on cabbages and some dead

flown south to the Great Bustard Trust’s

due to trauma and shock.

The Fair Isle Hen has an interesƟng history

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