C.C.F

August, 1965

Last summer holidays Mr. Craine took a party of boys to the Isle of Man for a fortnight. The party consisted of G. M. Barton, N. C. P. Marsden, M. A. Groundwater, A. J. Moss, L. N. Thomson and J. R. Young.

For the first six days we stayed at the Calf of Man Bird Observatory, where we trapped and ringed birds. The birds were caught in "Mist nets" and "Heligoland traps", taken back to the farmhouse where we were staying, ringed, weighed and measured, and finally set free. During our stay we caught and ringed over a hundred birds including a kestrel, a tree pipit, a garden warbler and many young migrating swallows.

The latter part of the holiday was spent on Langness, camping, which was most enjoyable. Langness is a southerly peninsula on the Isle of Man, and is suitable as feeding grounds for waders, and also has thick banks of gorse which provide cover for passerines. We set up some large, sixty foot wader nets along the seashore here. In these we caught many waders including Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank and a curlew.

We also put up some mist nets, around the camp site, to try to catch some passerines; in this we were most successful catching Whinchats, Stonechat, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and a Spotted Flycatcher. We were visited by a Short-eared Owl several mornings, which swooped on small birds caught in the net, seven times, but unfortunately it did not get itself caught.

Some days we went trapping birds in mist nets along the banks of the River Silverburn, where we caught several blue-tits which flew into the net in family parties of six or seven at a time. Here we also caught Robins, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Tree Creeper, Great Tit and House Martin.

We saw huge flocks of Curlew on Langness, and this was also a favourite place for Herons to go fishing, there were twelve at one time. During our stay on the Isle of Man we also saw a Bar-tailed Godwit and an Arctic Skua, with several members of the Tern family.

We had a most successful week on Langness, ringing 272 birds of 33 species. Fortunately the weather was gloriously hot and everyone had a marvellous time, thanks to Mr. Craine and the hospitality of his family. G.M.B.

YOUNG FARMERS' CLUB

This term one meeting and three visits took place. At our first meeting, on the 6th of April, Mr. E. S. Hart, Head of the Agricultural Safety Division of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, gave a talk, illustrated by some particularly gruesome films, on farm safety. His talk mainly dealt with machinery and the people who were in charge of machines, and he stressed very much the importance of the farm labourer's acquaintance with machinery.

The first visit of the term was to Southburn Estates, where Mr. D. Wells showed a party of sixteen members around the buildings and land. One of the most interesting features of the visit was the self-feed "haylage" system which had been installed in the buildings for winter feeding. 35

On the 13th of June sixteen members went out to Mr. Spilman's farm at Helperby. This was a very interesting visit and we were able to see most of Mr. Spilman's land by touring around in a Land Rover and the School minibus. Afterwards Mrs. Spilman provided a most appetising and welcome tea.

The last visit of the term was on the 27th of June when members went out to the West Riding Institute of Agriculture at Askham Bryan. Mr. Thomas, the Vice-Principal, who is on our Advisory Committee, showed us the Institute's flock of sheep and the dairy herd. He also supplied us with some very interesting information about the crops. Unfortunately time was limited and we were unable to see the whole of the farm. T.H.V.

WALKING CLUB

The Walking Club has continued to function this term under the easy guidance of the pun-gent Mr. Coulthard, though with few new members. Walks totalling more than 150 miles have been completed, ranging from the Dales to the Wolds, and from Osmotherly to Ravenscar.

A list would be tedious, but among walks that stand out are a scramble along the cliffs at Ravenscar, which gave some the opportunity for a bathe, and others a race to avoid wet feet; a ramble up a valley near Goathland; and a glorious afternoon spent round Hawnby with Mr. Williams, when a trout was nearly caught. A feature of the walks was the way in which the group split into small parties, each going its own way, at its own speed. It is to be hoped that this was due to the diversity of interests within the club, and not to the incompatibility of its members. Opportunity was thus taken for Geological and Botanical surveys, for the exchange of puns, and for general discussion, centered mainly on whether the party, and the bus, would end up home and dry.

At the end of term two Lyke Wake expeditions were made. The first was a successful attempt to complete the Walk E-W in under twelve hours, and this was achieved in foggy conditions, with only minutes to spare, by Burnell, Perks, Hothersall and Goodwill. This crossing gained a front page report in the Press. The second expedition was more in accordance with the spirit of the Walk—a nineteen hour marathon by four stalwarts, navigated in thick mist by Hancock.

Next year the Walking Club will have a new character, with a new set of members. The present contingent leave with the Club established, ambitions fulfilled, and with happy memories of pleasant afternoons on the moors. D.A.B., N.J.H., O.G.H., D.J.M.

THE BRITISH SHIP ADOPTION SOCIETY

A present the School is associated with M.V. "Rothesay Castle", as Capt. Graham assumed command on 29th March. This ship is refrigerated throughout, and was built by the Greenock Dockyard Co. in 1960. It has a gross tonnage of 9,650, a speed of 16 knots, and can carry 10,210 tons of cargo. At present it is engaged in the S. African fruit trade, which involves an outward passage without cargo, very quick loading at S. African ports, and a high degree of centralised control, at first by the S. African Fruit Control Board, which decides on ports, types and quantities of fruit, 36