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CONFERENCE REPORT

BIRDS AND ECOLOGICAL ISLANDS: PATTERNS AND PROCESSES

The BOU’s 2001 Autumn Scientific Conference hosted jointly with University College Cork, Ireland, 21–23 September 2001
by Sian Whitehead

So where were you all?! A rather disappointing UK attendance was more than compensated for by a strong Irish representation at the recent BOU/UCC conference in Cork, Ireland. For those of us expecting the traditional Irish hospitality, we were far from disappointed, and a pleasing mix of stimulating company, thought-provoking talks, fine food and, of course, free-flowing Guinness were all there for our enjoyment.

The meeting met my now established high expectations of BOU conferences – an opportunity for both professional and amateur ornithologists to come together in an informal atmosphere; an opportunity to listen to some of the leading authorities in the field of ornithological conservation; an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new ones; and an opportunity to provoke stimulating discussion about current issues.

One of the key messages I got from this conference is actually how privileged we are, here in the UK, to have such a wealth of bird data that stems from a huge volunteer-base. In that respect, we are leaving Irish ornithologists trailing as they rely mostly on hard-working staff resources to collect the data that they need to designate sites, understand trends and target management. However, I was also impressed by the exciting times that lie ahead for Irish ornithology, with so much still to find out. Confirmed breeding records of new species are now few and far between in the UK. In Ireland they are still occurring as additional survey effort confirms new sites and species. Application of the known to the unknown is also possible, as demographic patterns in UK populations are applied to lesser-studied Irish populations.

This conference also reminded me of the tenacity of ornithologists. This was clearly demonstrated in accounts of fieldwork, with Oscar Merne leaping into aeroplanes to chase after migrating Greenland White-fronted Geese, and David Gibbons and colleagues braving erupting volcanoes to study the elusive and declining Montserrat Oriole. Equally, it was shown by the commitment of others to making their findings available to a wider audience: despite finding himself stranded in the electronic island of his laptop, Bill Sutherland rose to the occasion superbly on the first morning to deliver his keynote address that he had spent half of the previous night having to reformat. Meanwhile, Andy Gosler won the battle against a dodgy burger to tell a very neat tale of niche partitioning, competition and island effects in tits.

The joint organisers at the BOU and UCC, in particular John O’Halloran and his dedicated team of ornithologists which make up the Zoology and Ecology Department at UCC (several of whom presented there work over the weekend), deserve our thanks for organising such a stimulating meeting.

All in all, an excellent couple of days, and well worth risking the migratory hazards of ferry, bus and rail travel, from one island to another.

The BOU would like to thank the University College Cork and their staff, in particular John O’Halloran, Thomas Kelly, Josephine Pithon and Katherine Kelleher, for their help and support in the organisation and hosting of the conference, as well as the individual speakers and their respective organisations for presenting their work at the conference. In particular, the BOU would like to acknowledge the support of BirdWatch Ireland, Dúchas, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

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