Yorkshire Bird Report 2010

Almost a year ago I reviewed the 2009 Annual Bird Report of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union (YNU); I'm delighted to have the opportunity to review the recently published report for 2010. Craig Thomas continues the good work with Jill Warwick as assistant editor plus a compiling team of 11 including the five Vice County Recorders. An increasingly hefty tome and excellent value at £10, it's even more of a bargain when you consider that YNU members receive a copy as part of their membership fee.

What do you get for your hard-earned £10 note? A lot of information, 232 pages (24 more than the 2009 report) and 303 Category "A" species accounts, with one new bird for the county: an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough Head from 1st–3rd September. The records from over 1,500 birders are included and 43 club or local reports are an invaluable source of information. More than 30 excellent photographs enliven this professional product. The YNU reports have proved to be an invaluable help to me while validating records for the BTO Atlas (2007–2011): a quick check frequently confirmed a record or associated records that had luckily found their way into the report, thus eliminating the need to contact the observer(s). As I remarked last year, Yorkshire is a big place and there are many good birding spots that I will never visit so it's useful to get a feel for the range of species that are likely to turn up in these far-flung corners of the county.

It is always difficult to pick out highlights from systematic lists in a large report like this but here are a few that caught my eye: Squacco Heron (four previous records); Montagu's Harrier (a pair bred successfully on the North York Moors, the first such attempt since 2007); Black-winged Stilt (12 previous records); Turtle Dove (scarce and continues to decline). I made a brief reference to the parlous stare of the Hen Harrier while reviewing the 2009 report and I cannot let the opportunity pass without comment; I quote from the introduction to this species: "Numbers breeding on upland moors across England are perilously low, primarily due to illegal persecution by some gamekeepers on grouse moors." The report does not record any proof of breeding in Yorkshire and one can only assume that if breeding did occur the editors sensibly chose not to disclose any details.

We have come to expect excellent photography and this edition does not disappoint; congratulations to all the photographers and Swallowtail printers for excellent reproduction. My favourites are Red-backed Shrike by Dave Mansell, Long-tailed Tits at Fairburn by Gary Shilton, and Pallas's Leaf-warbler in flight by Darren Chapman. The Report is essential reading for anybody interested in current Yorkshire ornithology.