Minutes of the Committee Meeting 22^nd August 2007

Held at the

National Trust Offices Llandeilo.

Present John Lloyd, George Causley, Rob Hunt, Diana Jones, Owen Harris, Derek Moore, Dave Morris, Wendell Thomas, Colin Jones.

1) Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Angela Lovegrove.

2) Minutes of the meeting held on 20^th May 2007 were accepted as a true record.

3) These were duly approved for posting on the website.

4) Matters arising.

a) Conservation Matters

i) Derek Moore reported that Kidwelly town Council and Carmarthenshire County Council seemed content for low key arrangements for a Reserve on the Coedbach site to go ahead. Derek would continue in discussion with the Wildlife Trust and CCW concerning management and costings. At least one hide was considered essential and the possibility of a reed bed was being mooted. However, there are problems over safe access and parking. Management would depend on the water management situation which was yet to be explored. An appropriate grazing regime would also need to be discussed.

ii) Derek had also reported to the MOD Conservation Officer concerns regarding limited access to the Witchett Pool site. More records would be forthcoming if more permits were granted. The increased security on the road to Ginst Point is also a factor. Derek had also communicated concerns regarding the degradation of the habitat. There has been no definitive reply as yet.

iii) John Lloyd reported that Carmarthenshire County Council were examining the possibility of placing nesting boxes for Dippers under road bridges in the county

b) Publications

i) Ian Hainsworth has sent a first draft of the Site Guide covering about two thirds of the sites to be covered with the request that this be proof read and commented upon. Ian has expressed his willingness to complete the project but would like someone with more experience to take it forward to publication. Rob Hunt undertook to proof read and Derek expressed a willingness to see it to publication.

ii) The Birds of Carmarthenshire is approaching publication. Derek Moore expressed confidence that this and the Site Guide rather than placing a financial burden on the Club might be at least self financing.

c) Bird Report Distribution

No further requests for copies have been received from distributors. Angela Lovegrove who has overseen the distribution would meet with the Treasurer to invoice those distributors who have not yet paid for copies.

Wendell Thomas informed the meeting that sadly Angela had recently lost her husband was moving from the area and was therefore standing down from the Committee.

5) County Bird Recorder’s Report.

Derek Moore reported that preparations for the 2006 Bird Report were further advanced than he might have hoped. In so doing he paid tribute to the invaluable assistance of Colin Jones. All reports were now in; the format had been established and would provide a template for future years. He now knew the position regarding those records being examined by Rarity Committees and some photos have been obtained. He was hopeful that the report would be at the printers by October and on sale before Christmas and undertook to seek advertising to defray the cost of the Report. Colin Jones undertook to attempt to find grant assistance and George Causley offered his expertise in preparing grant applications. Nonetheless there were lessons to be learned to make the process less labour intensive in future years.

There is a need to improve the format in which the records are submitted, the preferred option by far being through the website. Colin Jones pointed out that this still involves many hours of tedious work in transcribing them as they are in a text rather than spreadsheet format. It was also felt that the list of County rarities should be reviewed and streamlined to make reporting simpler.

To address these issues the following action is to be taken:-

i) The Chairman expressed the need to encourage all members to make their records available

ii) Derek and Colin will meet with Mark Newton our webmaster to see what can be done to make the website reporting form more useable. The Committee agreed to pay £10 per month.

iii) Derek Moore will give an illustrated talk at the evening Meeting on November 14^th on the subject of record submission. He also undertook to try to write a further piece for the Bird Report on the subject as it was felt that the education of the membership was key.

Derek also reported that the Record Centre covering the former Dyfed Counties was now established at Whitland under Rob Davies who was a computer expert and might be brought into the discussion. This centre was felt to be the most appropriate place to archive the our records and also the most appropriate agency to deal with the many minor planning enquiries the Recorder now has to deal with. The Centre is undertaking the BAP Wales enquiries matching scheduled species to scheduled habitats.

6) BTO Regional Representative's Report

Colin Jones reminded the Committee that he has relinquished the post of BTO Atlas organiser with immediate effect and will not continue as BTO County Representative beyond the completion of his current term of office at the end of 2008. John Lloyd informed the meeting that he is now the de facto Atlas organiser with Sally Hall assisting in the coastal strip and all parts west of Nantgaredig. All members of the Committee were encouraged to assist with the atlas work and a flier from the BTO would go to each member with the notice of the AGM. The Atlas is expected to generate many useful records.

7) Programme of meetings.

Wendell Thomas reported that recent field trips had proved both successful and enjoyable.

Future Events:

September 1^st Visit to Goldcliffe

October 17^th AGM followed by a talk by John Lloyd on Tree Sparrows

November 14^th A talk by Derek Moore on record Submission

December 5^th Barry and Sandra Stewart on the Birds of India

January 16^th Rob Hunt on the Birds of Australia

February 16^th Field trip to Whitford with Gwent Ornithological Society.

March 16^th The Wonders of the Ross Sea by Nigel McCall.

April Field Trip to Dinas Reserve.

8) Secretary's Report

An e-mail has been received from the BTO asking for Support for the Atlas Survey. This was replied to indicating the steps the Club has already taken and asking for sufficient fliers to enable one to be sent to each member with the notice of the AGM.

9) Newsletter

Diana Jones reported that the next issue was almost ready for dispatch. This will be sent by post to every member along with the notice of the AGM. Diana will forward this to the Secretary in good time for this to be done.

10) Treasurer's Report

The Treasurer reported a satisfactory situation in that the current account stands at £1,483 and the deposit account at £1,015 This means that we will have no problem in covering the cost of the 2006 report while leaving the reserve intact. Given this situation it was felt that there was no need to give notice at the AGM of a subs increase in October 2008.

11) Web Site

Comment was passed as to difficulties experienced in submitting sightings when apostrophes are not recognised and particularly when the rejection of a submission involves a new submission rather than a correction. There was also an enquiry as to whether the facility to search the sightings database has now been lost following recent difficulties with the site. It was confirmed that the records for 1992-98 were now with Mark Newton but there was uncertainty as to whether they had yet been entered on the site due to the recent problems.

Owen Harris agreed to pass these comments on to Mark.

12) Arrangements for AGM

Notice of the AGM needs to be with members by 26^th September. The Secretary will post these by mid September along with the September Newsletter and a BTO flier re the Atlas.

The Chairman commented that Environment Wales pointed had out a shortcoming in our Constitution which needs addressing. Notice must be given to the membership of this proposed addition to our Objectives in order that it may be approved by the AGM.

“To carry out any legal activity in the pursuance of the above objectives”

The post of Vice Chairman is currently filled by Rob Hunt who is a co-opted member of the Committee. Notice needs to be given of the election of a Vice Chairman and a replacement Committee Member for Angela Lovegrove, while pointing out that Rob is willing to continue in office. Nominations to be received by the Secretary no later than fourteen days prior to the meeting.

13) A.O.B.

There was none

14) Date place and time of next meeting.

Tuesday 20^th November 2.00pm at Llandeilo