Trip reports

Report on Indoor meeting - Birdwatching Pioneers of Northumberland - a talk by Ian Kerr

Rainbow over Holy Island - photograph by Brian Moorhead

Tuesday, 9 June 2009

Brian Moorhead (re)introduced Ian Kerr, who had previously addressed an indoor meeting, and had also joined members on their last field-trip to Holy Island.
Ian explained that he would be talking about 'Bird-watching Pioneers of Northumbria, from Hancock to the 21st century'. Or at least some of them - he told us that when he joined Tyneside Bird Club about 50 years ago its members included ranks of field ornithologists, who worked all week in pits and factories, who didn't keep written records, and of whom there is no written record. Those bird-watching pioneers are lost to history. Ian went on to talk about a number of others, those for whom records were kept.
His talk included reference to John Hancock, Rev. Henry Tristram, Abel Chapman, George Bolam, Sir Edward Grey, Geoffrey Watson, Richard Perry, George Temperley, Eric Ennion and Grace Hickling.
Ian's talk explained the contribution made by each of these pioneers, and also contained some interesting and amusing anecdotes. Here are just a few examples:
John Hancock was a renowned taxidermist as well as an ornithologist. We were shown a picture of him working on a Gyr Falcon for the 1851 Great Exhibition. We were told how his bird-watching trips took him on foot from his home in Gateshead to Blyth, and back. We were also told how the gun was at this time the accepted means of recording a 'sighting'. Hancock's 'sighting' (shooting) of a Yellow-browed Warbler was for 40 years Britain's only record.
George Bolam wrote the earliest definitive textbook on 'Birds of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders', but became embroiled in controversy when he was found in possession of Red Kite eggs, which he explained were already hatched when he came across them.
Geoffrey Watson was the first resident ornithologist on Holy Island. Like his contemporaries he used a gun - in fact a shot-gun cartridge filled with sand rather than lead shot, which could kill a bird without marking it. It was known as 'sparrow dust'. Many of the birds that Watson shot can still be seen in the Hancock Museum (or Great North Museum as it is now known - to Ian Kerr's regret).
Richard Perry spent the years of WW2 looking out to sea off Holy Island. At one point he saw a flock of 5000 Snow Bunting, and announced his discovery by sending a postcard to the Hancock Museum!
Eric Ennion pioneered the ringing of small migrants, also the use of the mist-net. Reference to Eric Ennion brought us close to the present day since he had taught some well-known local ornithologists - in particular he taught Brian Little, who taught Bryan Galloway, who in turn taught Ian Kerr!
Ian's fascinating talk was enjoyed by 36 people, who joined with Brian Moorhead in showing their appreciation.
Clive Morphet