The Natural History of Wharfedale 1999

Review of the year 1999
Volume 54

Contents

Reports
Botany - Report on the plants seen during 1999 by Joyce Hartley
Entomology - Report on the Butterflies and moths by Prof. David Howson
Ornithology - Report on the birds seen during 1999 by Peter Riley
Vertebrates - Report on the vertebrates (other than birds) by Nevil Bowland
Weather - Weather report for 1999 by John Ward

Other articles
Foreword by David Alred
Birds and Global Warming by John Ward
Encounters with Woodpeckers by
Things are hotting up - Official! by Mike Atkinson
Ilkley 2000 & Computer Mapping by David Leather
Geological Excursions by David Leather
Winter Walks by Chris Hartley
Michael & Rita Densley - An appreciation by Midge Leather
Obituaries

Foreword

Preceding this foreword you will have seen listed the numerous activities which have formed our Summer 1999 and Winter 1999/2000 programme. They show that we have met together on many occasions and shared our common interest in Natural History across a very wide spectrum. To attain this situation there is much going on behind the scenes, with numerous people giving their time to ensure that these varied events are available to the membership, and that all proceeds smoothly. We have reason to be grateful to everyone so involved for their efforts.

During the year there were three events which gave me special pleasure. Firstly that we recognised the great contribution to our Society over many years by Joan Duncan, who became our first Honorary Life Vice President. Congratulations Joan on a recognition well deserved. Secondly that we were able to have a special lecture in September when Ben Osborne presented ‘Life in The Freezer’ to a large and very appreciative audience of members and friends. Thirdly that we have added Bird Watching Days to our Summer Programme. Over the past few years various members have participated in and gained additional knowledge from the Botany Section Outings and more recently the Geology Field Meetings. These days devoted specifically to Botany, Geology and Ornithology give us a much needed opportunity to share our field knowledge with fellow members.

It is unfortunate that three of our activities this year had little support. I refer to, the Natural History Day at Nell Bank, the Fungus Foray at Norwood Edge and the intended coach trip to Leighton Moss in November. I know that the few who took advantage of the first two events found them full of interest and I believe the coach trip would have been a success if more bookings had been received. As members, do please try to give your support to such items if they form part of the Society programme. If in the coming year you do not wish such events to form part of the programme or if you have views about alternatives please make them known to a committee member.

Our Honorary Secretary for the past three years, Olwen Middleton, has decided that now is the time for someone else to take over. The Society is very grateful to Olwen for doing this essential job for us with such efficiency and enthusiasm. I would finally like to thank all other officers and members of committee and all others within the society who have helped throughout the year.

David Alred

Birds and global warming

Here is an extract from BTO News number 223 which is a ‘Climate Change Special’ and contains a series of articles on the subject.

Hard facts about the world wide effect on birds of global warming are hard to come by but the retreat of the glaciers and the shrinking of both the Antarctic ice cap and the Arctic sea ice indicate strongly that change must be taking place. Moreover, it is an established fact that over the last 150 years worldwide average temperatures have increased by 0.6°C. That does not seem a lot but it is equivalent to us all being shifted 250 kilometres south.

In Britain, evidence of changes has been little more than anecdotal but the BTO, basing its studies on the distributions shown in the two BTO Breeding Bird Atlases of 1968-1972 and 1988-1991 has begun to chart the change. 20 of the 65 most common breeding species are laying earlier than they did 20 or so years ago by an average of 9 days.

The range of British birds has also changed. Of 101 relatively common species (excluding sea birds) 59 had a predominantly southern distribution while the others were predominantly northern. The northern margin of the ‘southern’ species has shifted northwards by 19 kilometres on average. On the other hand there is no evidence which is statistically significant that the ‘northern’ birds have moved further north.

Migration studies also suggest that birds are arriving earlier. Over the 30 year period ending in 1996 the mean arrival date for the wheatear has advanced by four days while that for the cuckoo has advanced by 21 days. The changes for other birds studied fall between these extremes with the average being nine days.

It is of course recognised that other factors can be playing a part in these changes. Changes in population and changes in food supply may both be significant. So too is the weather pattern, e.g. the frequency of storms and the wind direction. However, continuing study, in which our Society can play a part, will no doubt gradually clarify the situation.

Contributed by John Ward

Encounters with Woodpeckers

During last spring our garden was regularly visited by a great spotted woodpecker. It would arrive with a flourish on the pole peanut container and feed there steadily for as much as ten minutes at a time if not disturbed. From the window we had splendid views of its smart black and white plumage and the flame coloured patch under its tail. There was no red on the nape so we knew our visitor was a female.

Disaster struck on April 29th. At about 7.30pm John, my husband, found a female woodpecker lying unconscious beside our front steps - probably she had flown into the window and knocked herself out. We could see she was still breathing but clearly unable to move. Dusk was approaching and the neighbourhood has its full complement of cats. We were reluctant to leave the bird where she was so, after some discussion, we found a suitable cardboard box and John picked her up and deposited her inside. She gave a very loud squawk at this point which we considered a good sign. The box was put in a dark corner of the garage and we returned to the house. I was not very hopeful of the outcome. My childhood seemed full of a succession of injured birds and animals in cardboard boxes which were invariably stiff and stark by morning, but perhaps a woodpecker, with its specially reinforced skull, would have a better chance of survival. And so it proved.

I came downstairs the following morning to be greeted by a loud hammering which seemed to be coming from the corner of the downstairs bedroom. However, since this room is directly over the garage, I quickly guessed the cause. I opened the front door. The hammering now seemed even louder and resounded across the garden. How long had it been going on - and how many neighbours had it disturbed? Best not to think about that! My main worry was that the bird had somehow got out of its box and was injuring itself in a terrified effort to escape from the garage. But no such thing. As soon as I lifted the box I could feel the bird shifting about, still safe inside, though two round holes had appeared neatly drilled through the cardboard, one facing east, one west. Perhaps she had looked out, found it was still dark and sensibly decided to wait for the dawn. I stepped out onto the drive, carefully lifted the flaps and watched in delight as our visitor shot off at speed with never a backward glance. It was some months before we saw her again.

However, in the following July we began to receive visits from a juvenile great spotted woodpecker. Juveniles are easily identified for they have bright red caps. Ours was also readily identified as a beginner at eating from a peanut holder as it had to land on a nearby fence post, think for a while and then launch itself onto the feeder. Once there it fed voraciously. In fact it seemed to be a very hungry woodpecker, a frequent visitor. Every time we looked out, there was the juvenile on the peanut holder. Then, on 7th August we found the explanation.

We had guests and, spotting the young woodpecker apparently poised ready for the leap onto the peanuts, I pointed it out to them. But it didn’t jump, just crouched there, beak raised and eyes fixed on the nut-holder. As we looked more carefully we became aware of another bird, another juvenile woodpecker, already on the nuts. It wasn’t feeding but clung immobile on the side of the holder nearest its sibling. It had elongated its body to stretch the full length of the holder and its bill pointed straight upwards. The two birds remained there for over half an hour, one staring fixedly at the other which, in its turn, looked steadily heavenwards. So we hadn’t one excessively greedy young woodpecker but two, presumably with more normal appetites.

Visits continued throughout August and, now, knowing there were two of them , I tried to determine some way of telling them appart. One did seem rather niftier at landing on the side of the peanut holder and we had the impression that this one was slightly larger but, since we never again saw both together, it was difficult to be sure of relative size. Then, in Jonathan Elphick’s Birds - a Guide Book to British Birds (BBC 1997), I found some helpful information: in the juvenile stage the black moustache is narrower, streaked white and the line connecting the moustache to the black area which, in the adult, stretches from nape to back is not quite joined up at first.

Things are Hotting Up – official!

Last year Joan Duncan challenged us to think a new thought – ‘PHENOLOGY’. My dictionary says this is ‘the study of the impact of climate on the seasonal occurrence of flora and fauna’. Examples would be the dates that flowers flower, or the dates birds migrate.

During the autumn members joined in a national scheme, the UK Phenological Network, to record arrival dates of autumn migrants, departure dates of swifts and swallows, and the progress of fruiting and autumn colouring and leaf fall of some of our common trees. We weren’t always convinced of the accuracy and therefore the usefulness of our observations, but nonetheless we sent them on to the Institute for Terrestrial Ecology which is part of the National Environmental Research Council based in Huntingdon. They have bulked our records with others from all over the country to form a national picture of how things were in 1999. There is a national interest in what is happening to our climate, and we are not the only people sending in reports. Meanwhile Nevil Bowland searched earlier Nats Annual Reviews for similar information, and we sent that off as well.

While we were busy on this the newspapers were beginning to carry pieces on the subject from a variety of interested parties and scientific experts.

A London University professor of environmental change reported that in Norway there has been a 1-degree Centigrade rise in temperature since 1930. As a result, a number of plants have died out low down on the slopes of the mountains and now can be found only about 1000 feet higher up. No problem for Norway, maybe, since they still have plenty of mountain to go but, says the professor, if the same thing goes on here in Britain it will be a different story. We don’t have much more height for plants and animals to retreat to here if it warms up, and scientists are agreed that it will continue to warm up, perhaps by another degree Centigrade by year 2030. Scottish Natural Heritage say that will be enough for snow bunting, ptarmigan and dotterel virtually to disappear as breeding birds from the British Isles. Many of the Scottish rare alpine plants will die out, losing the battle for survival as lower-slope plants progressively invade their preferred habitats until they are even forced off the summits. They will have nowhere to go then and become extinct from the UK.

The National Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society are setting up a joint scheme to monitor the effect of global warming on Britain’s historic gardens, many of them carefully nurtured and developed over periods as long as 300 years. Planting schemes today designed to last into the 24th Century will need shrewd guesses about what species will best cope with changes in climate, be it drier conditions, or wetter ones, or whole new ranges of pests from southern Europe colonising us.

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is selecting 100 out of its 32,000 world species to watch for earlier flowering dates – Mock Orange, Judas Tree and also Ox-eye Daisy, Marsh Marigold and their famous Bluebells.

Then, just a couple of days before Christmas, the heads of the UK and USA meteorological offices issued a joint statement about the climatic records for 1999. The temperature in central England had been the warmest since 1659. The US had its second warmest year since 1880. The rate of change seems to be about 1 degree Centigrade every 50 years – quite enough to produce dramatic effects.

The scientists seem to agree that the reason for this global warming is the ‘greenhouse effect’, resulting from an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Also, they agree that there is no ‘natural’ explanation for what in geological terms is such a rapid rate of increase in carbon dioxide concentration, and that the only plausible explanation is the effect of changes in human activities over the last hundred and fifty years. We have made two main kinds of change – our rapid destruction of the world’s forests, and our increased burning of ‘fossil fuels’ (coal and oil). The forest loss itself impinges in two ways on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels – first, carbon dioxide is produced simply by burning trees down (or using them for firewood), and second, no other kind of ground cover is as good at absorbing carbon dioxide as were the forests that have gone. We need to remember the world population has quadrupled since 1900, and with that comes demand for wood, cleared land, and all forms of energy. These increases in demand aren’t just going to stop.

So, ‘things are hotting up’, as is now generally agreed. Was that true here in Wharfedale last autumn? That’s a bit more difficult to say. We’ve only had one go at observing it. Making your mind up after just one season is a bit like looking at a snapshot of kiddies playing by a water’s edge, and working out whether the tide is coming in or going out (or whether there’s no tide at all because the water is a lake, not the sea). You need a longer and a wider look. So we have been encouraged to continue our local studies this year and I have been sent a stock of report forms for spring observations.

However, Nevil’s historical survey of our records from 1978 on already shows that here in Wharfedale there is a link between ‘phenological phenomena’ and climate. The earliest finding-dates for frogspawn seem to correspond both to March mean temperature and to January-to-March mean temperature, and are running about 6 days earlier per degree warmer in each case. Swifts are leaving Wharfedale earlier, which appears to match a national trend. The reason for this may be that food insect supplies are lower, and as swifts seem to produce only single broods they will end raising their young earlier and maybe lay smaller clutches. Insect supplies may be lower because tree buds are breaking earlier before eggs have time to hatch. If so the caterpillars which produce the swifts' food supplies will be having less time to feed before their food leaves mature and become uneatable. More observations are needed before all this can be confirmed.

So, watch this space! The Sahara, or a new olive grove, could be coming to a moor near you! Or maybe the Gulf Stream will be diverted further north and we shall all freeze in the winter like they do in New England, which is nearer the Equator than we are. Whatever, the Earth’s atmosphere is warming up and that, however it works out locally, almost certainly means change. Phenological observations are an important contribution to spotting what is happening up in the clouds and what is happening and going to happen to our weather, our flora and our fauna, here in Wharfedale, in England, and across the whole Earth.

Michael Atkinson

Ilkley 2000

The video entitled Ilkley 2000 was launched at Rombalds Hotel at the end of October 1999, and was deemed a great success. WNS was one of the participating societies and David Leather was on the production team. The 47 minute video includes scenes of badgers at their sett, newts at Nell Bank, bluebells in Middleton Woods and glacial scouring at Hangingstone quarry. At the present time (February 2000) 900 copies have been sold and £4,500 is now available for particular needs among local youth and children’s groups. The director and cameraman, Darren Potter of Zoom Video Productions in Burley, is keen, with the help of local naturalists from the Society, to carry out further filming of natural history in mid-Wharfedale with a view to producing a wildlife video of the area.

DL

Computer mapping

A start has been made in putting our records on computer. First was the production of an outline map of Wharfedale which can be used to produce dot distribution maps of species within our area. We have begun, with help from Joyce Hartley who has already put species of some plants on maps by hand, and Mike Atkinson who has keyed in the records of some of those. An example of one of the fern species, Maidenhair Spleenwort, is shown here. As more records are entered, we will be able to see how many species are found in each square. However the computer software does not show other important information such as details of where and when found, and by whom. After we have got used to using the distribution map software (DMAP) we will need another program to replace the record card itself, with all its various notes, dates, grid references and so on. Some of the modern computer programs can include, for example, a detailed map as to where the species was found or even a photograph of it.

David Leather

Geology Excursions

Five field meetings took place during the year, meeting at 10am Ilkley Old Bridge.

Valley of Desolation (6 May 1999) The geology of the area lies near the base of the Millstone Grit Series, within the Grassington Grit Group. The party descended into Posforth Gill and examined an exposure of glacial till which included ice-scratched pebbles of limestone – easily scarred by the harder pieces of gritstone. The waterfall shows an impressive 10m of sandstone dipping at about 20° to the north-west. Boulders of limestone in the beck were beautifully scalloped. At the upper falls the sandstone was coarser with quartz pebbles, a feature of the Grassington Grit. Climbing out of the gorge up a zig-zag path we had a fine view of the Valley of Desolation. On the way back we examined a landslip which occurred in 1978 and now planted to stabilise the slope.

Moor End leadmines, Upper Wharfedale (10 June 1999) We climbed up the track to the mines from Kettlewell. Moorend shaft was sunk between 1850 and 1858 and lies on the 1,500 foot contour. Over its 20 year lifetime it may have produced 1,000 tons of ore. Minerals on the large tip heaps included galena (lead sulphide), barite (barium sulphate), fluorite (calcium fluoride), calcite (calcium carbonate) and some sphalerite (zinc sulphide). There was some interesting industrial archaeology, including a pit for a waterwheel. John Hobson had provided additional information: ‘a 16ft waterwheel drove a 7ft diameter drum for the winding shaft, while the tail race led to another wheel pit used to drive ore crushers’.

Baildon Moor (22 July 1999) From Bracken Hall Countryside Centre we walked along the margin of Shipley Glen, more or less on the upper surface of the Millstone Grit series, which showed massive current-bedded gritstone, often with quartz pebbles on the surface of bedding planes. Passing a double stone circle we visited an old quarry with bits of highly micaceous sandstone lying about. Up the side beck we noted black shale outcropping in the bank, a sign of a fault between that and the massive sandstones in the quarry. Going up the road and onto Baildon Moor we examined the spoil heaps of one or two of the old bell pits or shallow mines, finding the beautifully lined fossil bivalve Dunbarella sp., as well as crushed examples of the goniatite Gastrioceras sp. in the marine shale. Small lumps of coal were washed out on the surface. Higher up we noticed large pieces of hard, whitish gannister, a pure silica sandstone that occurs beneath coal seams. Some contained traces of plant rootlets. From the top of Baildon Moor we had a fine panorama of the surrounding district, including four parallel glacial spillways to the west.

Attermire Scar, near Settle (16 September 1999) Starting from Stockdale Lane in a shower of rain, we visited Scaleber Force on the retreated scarp of the Great Scar Limestone near the South Craven Fault. In the Kilnsey Limestone was a good specimen of Nautilus, the coiled, partitioned shell which lives on today in deep oceans. We passed the steep slopes of High Hill in Reef Limestone, Sugar Loaf with Yoredale (Hawes) limestone outcropping near the track, and on to Attermire Scar. We looked into Victoria Cave, discovered in 1837 (the year of Queen Victoria’s coronation) where brown bear, spotted hyena, lion and hippopotamus had once lived (dating back 120,000 years). Neolithic and many Romano-British artefacts had been found here. Attermire Scar, and Pikedaw along the mid- Craven fault produced magnificent scenery.

Pikedaw, near Malham (14 October 1999) We began this excursion at Malham, continuing our examination of the mid-Craven fault area. After looking at the Bowland shale in Sell Gill we climbed up the side of Pikedaw Gill, almost on the fault itself, with a huge landslip to the left. On the right were limestones that had been silicified, almost like a hard sandstone. We visited Pikedaw Level, marked by a stone entrance to the lead mine with the date 1872 on the lintel. The calamine mine higher up has a metal trap door covering a shaft. They mined zinc carbonate (calamine) here which encrusted the floor of a cavern system. Some 5,000 tons were extracted up to 1830. At Pikedaw Head Gate there was evidence of copper minerals in the spoil heap, which was mined before the discovery of the calamine. We returned north of Pikedaw and on to Cove Road.

David Leather


Winter walks

As in previous seasons I am happy to report that the programme of winter walks continues to go from strength to strength. On 10 January 1999 our group of stalwarts met at Farnley for a walk around Lindley Wood Reservoir where we were rewarded with the sightings a group of goosanders, that splendid sawbill, fish-eating bird, which has drawn attention from the Duke of Devonshire in recent years, and a flock of Golden Eye. The latter put on a display of whistling and dancing in a ring which is a sight not too many folk are privileged to witness. Later we wandered back by way of Haddockstones Farm, returning to the cars – until the following great adventure.

February Filldyke found us in upper Nidderdale, meeting in Lofthouse where we perambulated along the Nidderdale Way in the general direction of Scar House and Angram Reservoirs. Passing by Thorpe House, we saw two Rough-legged Buzzards soaring on the thermals – a magnificent spectacle – and we all stood there transfixed until this brace of natural wonders finally went on their way, passing from our sight but not from our minds. Further on, Dick Burrow proved his mettle; we suddenly became aware of him standing firm and still, staring into some woodland running down the hillside towards the River Nidd that splashed below us. Then with a furtive gesture he drew our attention to three or four roe deer trotting down the valley side, turning to and fro among the trees. Again, we watched until these graceful creatures disappeared from our view. Such animals are not easy to spot, and to observe them the way Dick did that day reveals the mark of the true countryman. Later, on the track to Foggy Gill, Olwen Middleton showed us an outcrop of shale-coal, an interesting geological find. Then we ended up at Doug and Olwen’s caravan for a refreshing cuppa – a perfect ending to a wonderful day.

The March walk discovered us once more in the lovely verdant village of Burton Leonard, though this time the weather wasn’t as kind to us as the previous year. Nevertheless our intrepid covey sallied forth via the field paths down to the point where the historic Ripon Canal meets the River Ure. This venerable artificial waterway was constructed in 1822 to enable boats to shift cargoes of lead, stone and coal from Ripon, all the way to Kingston upon Hull. As we wandered on our way we were recompensed for the bad weather with views of great flocks of Greylag and Pink-footed geese swirling and turning through the air and then coming into land like some graceful downy ballet, truly a sight to move the most cynical heart, and one that most certainly made up for the incessant drizzle. On the home lap we were delighted by the sight of a jaunty little Reed Bunting which greeted us merrily as it flitted from reed to reed along the banks of an overgrown drainage ditch.

By the old tradition we ended this particular season in our native recording area up at Buckden in the glorious limestone country of Upper Wharfedale. Leaving the National Park car park we wandered up the old Roman road via Buckden Raikes. I oft times wonder how many folk who came this way know or even care that here in this remote wondrous spot, almost two millennia ago, some nameless legionnaire soldiers toiled and moiled to build a road so that even we today may climb and wonder, as they did, at such grand vistas that are found up here. Do their Ghosts gaze down from Paradise upon the rugged groups of ramblers, with heavy rucksacks on their backs as they struggle up this mighty eminence, and give a wry smile and think: ‘I helped build that road, do they see me there?’ So, we passed on by way of Cray and Scar House to Yockenthwaite, where some of us ventured to seek out the enigmatic Stone Circle, symbol of an earlier age and stamped by a Dales’ version of Fred Flintstone, for what we do not know. Following the infant Wharfe back to Buckden we were graced by Grey Wagtails hopping about the rocks along the river, and also some goosanders. The redoubtable Olwen Middleton found some Toothwort growing on some Holly roots – well-spotted Olwen. So another season ended.

Autumn came and the start of a walk from Barden Bridge. We went along to Skyrethorns, by way of Parceval Hall, then up by Trollers Gill, where the Barguest haunts, and proceeded to Kail Hill and down Onion Lane to Appletreewick. The river yielded views of Goosander and the delightful little Dipper, and some excitement from a group of white water rafters shooting the rapids, which held our attention for a spell. This, coupled with the golden leaves so plentiful in October made for a day to remember.

In November we ended up at Thruscross using the paths to circumnavigate the reservoir which hides the village of West End and its flax mills of long ago. We observed a few tits in the trees, though there was not much on the water; nevertheless we all had an enjoyable walk.

December’s walk found me having to hand the reins to David and Joan Alred as that Sunday I had to work, but this route went from Ripley around to Cayton Grange and thence on to High Cayton Farm where there is the site of a medieval village (dissolved along with Fountains Abbey), plus a horse engine house and Bee boles.

However, come January 2000 I was back in action at Pateley Bridge, when we wandered up the River Nidd where we observed a pair of Goosanders. Then we went up towards Heathfield passing a field barn with a curious carving on a door lintel, and proceeded to Ashfold Gill, in past times the boundary between the estates of Fountains and Byland abbeys. It still has many melancholy memories of the leadmining industry. We came down by Brondstone Dub, where a place was made in the stream for farmers to wash their sheep, thus adding the final touches of preparation for Pateley show.

Eventually we went down the road and through fields passing Eagle Hall on the right and, to the left across to the far side of the valley, the famous Scot Gate Ash quarry. Geoff Blacker spoke eloquently of this in his vibrant lecture on the Stone Industry of Nidderdale. The tramway which once ran down from the quarry to the railway, enabling the quarried stone to be moved to all parts of the country, can still be seen as a green track, with the ingenious passing place for the wagons marked out so well.

So as we returned to Pateley Bridge and the cars, yet another well attended winter walk came to a close. By the time you see this, dear reader, at least two more walks will have passed into the history books, one around the Lower Washburn area, in February, and also, by popular request, the Mosaic Walk in March. In April, the final one of the season will be Limestone Magic once again, so see you there.

Chris Hartley

Michael and Rita Densley

An appreciation of their time as WNS members

Following Mike’s retirement from the museum service in Rotherham, the WNS were privileged to have Mike and Rita as members while they lived in Baildon. They were always ready to share their knowledge of remote parts of the world, of Spain, Ireland, Russia or even Norfolk – and, with friendly enthusiasm, to advise on where to see rare birds or insects, or how to photograph dragonflies. They have so many friends and contacts in the Natural History world. When we caught our very rare Red Admiral butterfly and needed advice on how to deal with it, Mike was immediately able to put us in touch with Don Russwurm, the authority on aberrations in butterflies. Always active in the YNU Ornithological Section, Mike agreed to be the WNS Recorder for Ornithology for 1996 and 1997. He encouraged the use of Field Note Return Forms and correct scientific species order, and he produced full and professional reports.

The major achievement in 1999 for the Densleys was the publication of Mike’s book about Rhodosthia rosea, a strikingly beautiful, small gull which is very rarely ever seen. It has a snowy white head and neck with a narrow black collar, delicate black bill, black eye with orange orbital ring, and red legs. The upper parts are blue-grey and, in summer, the underparts are rose pink. The white wedge-shaped tail has the central feathers clearly protruding and dark edged.

‘In Search of Ross’s Gull’ published by Peregrine Press of Horsforth (tel. 01132 585495), is the result of forty years of fascination with this very rare bird, and the book is his masterpiece. Meticulously researched (there are nine pages of bibliography including five papers by Mike himself), and illustrated with eighty plates and eight maps, this account is also extremely readable by the non-ornithologist, who will enjoy the adventurous human touches. There is also a wealth of ornithological and historical information and the index is excellent.

In his travels, ranging like the bird, from Bridlington to Alaska and Siberia, Mike was supported by numerous local naturalists, the YNU, the BTO, the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and, of course, Rita! and also met descendants of the explorer Sir James Clark Ross, who first collected the bird in 1823. Many congratulations to Mike and Rita on producing this magnificent book, and all good wishes for their new life in Harrogate.

Midge Leather

Obituaries

Dorothy Singleton was very interested in wildflowers, inspired – together with Joan Duncan – by the botany mistress at Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Otley. She passed on to her children her love of gardening, wildlife and love of the countryside. She was knowledgeable especially on pot plants and cacti, was a member of both local and national natural history societies and enjoyed many excursions both at home an abroad. She took part in botany expeditions and added records to the Wharfedale Naturalist Society.

Judy Conyers came to Ilkley in the 1960s having returned from London as secretary to actress Dame Flora Robson. She was interested in flowers and had a lovely garden at Bridge House near the Old Bridge in Ilkley. Early on she attended Grantly Hall weekends and was a regular attender at naturalist lectures and other events – always cheerful.

Barbara Knowles (died April 1999) joined with her sister, Phyllis, in 1946. Both often took part in Society outings and were very interested in the countryside, especially the Yorkshire Dales and Scotland. Barbara was very interested in gardening. In later years she paid several visits to her relatives in Australia, and had a tour of China. She was interested in geography and wildlife and, going round the world several times, gave her a wide experience of natural history in different countries. She was an enthusiastic member of the WNS and a regular attender at meetings.

Albert Berry (died Christmas, 1999) Joined with his wife Dora attending meetings over a number of years. Albert was a meticulous craftsman and engineer. He developed his own microscope so that he could take photographs under polarised light. He photographed the moon rocks when the Society had them in their care (from NASA) in the 1970s. More recently he gave a short illustrated talk to the WNS of his microscope slides depicting growing crystals, amid gasps from the audience at the beauty and colour of them. He also had a set of slides ready of the wild arum (cuckoo pint) including details of the interior of the flower, though these were never shown. Albert and Dora would often make excursions to Chelker Reservoir to view the mating displays of the Great Crested Grebe. Dora (died April 1998) was a great plant and wildlife observer. She made some exquisite pressed flower pictures and cards. Albert has left his microscope to the Society.