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Newsletter of the Lancaster and District
Birdwatching Society |
June 2001 Editorial
Editor: Pete Marsh |
Introduction
Welcome to the June Newsletter.
We have several interesting contributions in this issue but two things really
struck me whilst assembling this Newsletter. Brian Townson has produced an
article on the on-going "My kind of Birdwatching" theme which reminisces on
his early egg-collecting days. I was reminded of my own "history" with respect
to my long-standing interest in moths. Practical Entomology in those days
involved a killing jar and various sizes of pin and several setting boards along
with a few boxes or cases to house the collection. My early days were spent
with local moth men such as Hector Robinson from Warton and the late Jerry Briggs
from Beetham, poring over collections and getting to know the difficult species.
We used 'South', complete with its accounts of various rare moths discovered
around gas-lamps by retired Victorian clergy. I distinctly remember the day
it all changed. I had returned from the Umbra at Downhill (County Londonderry)
with a Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk Moth in 1971. Pangs of conscience as I watched
its death-throes in a killing jar were exacerbated by my companion's utter disgust
at the whole scenario. I set it and I have never killed a moth for setting
purposes since. Unfortunately, and it is still an on-going source of concern
amongst many of us, some still "have" to be killed in order to identify them
by their genitalia. In general, however, the emphasis is now on photography
and recording, not collecting. Unfortunately, as with the continuing presence
of egg collectors, there are still a few out and out butterfly/moth collectors
in existence and things have to be "kept quiet" or furnished with protective
law (W. and C. Act).
The second thing which struck me whilst compiling this Newsletter was the vast number of sightings from this spring which ''required publishing". I decided to tackle it by hiving off the vast amount of seawatching into a separate article...which then took hours to sort out! Therefore we were very lucky compared to some inland regions, including east Lancashire, where most sites were out of bounds.
The deadline for the next Newsletter is THURSDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER
Please give it to me earlier than that if it involves material which is not ready for publication as it stands (e.g. handwritten stuff). However, if you are not computer-literate, please do not feel as though handwritten stuff is not welcome and be put off submitting anything. Microsoft Word or compatible, please, if you are e-mailing, otherwise please send me printed copy. Thank you.
Pete Marsh (Editor):
17 Albion Street, Lancaster LA1 1DY:
01524/66775 or 07989866487