Birds in Leicestershire and Rutland
In 1978 Ronald Arthur Overton Hickling wrote the following: Perhaps members would like a reminder of the scope of the book.
Birds in Leicestershire and Rutland
No Longer in Publication
Birds in Leicestershire and Rutland
By Ronald Arthur Overton Hickling
Published by Leicestershire & Rutland Ornithological Society, 1978
200 Pages
Illustrated
ISBN: 0901041084
In 1978 Ronald Arthur Overton Hickling wrote the following:
“Perhaps members would like a reminder of the scope of the book. It will be about 200 pages, in hardback. The jacket design is specially drawn by Robert Gillmor and is a most arresting and exciting drawing of Great Crested Grebes in display. Introductory matter includes a survey of the major bird habitats in the county supported by 36 photographs. A reprint of the more important articles published in our annual report since 1941 then follows.”
The main section of the book is an account of our birds, as recorded by members, from 1941 to 1977. There is also a summary of the nineteenth century records published by Montagu Browne and Reginald Haines. Maps illustrate the divisions of the county and its geology, and the Atlas results have been re-analysed and re-presented. Drawings by Robert Gillmor decorate the main text.
Reviews
I was a schoolboy when ‘Birds in Leicestershire and Rutland’ appeared on the shelf in my local library. I was one of the first to borrow it and was enthralled by the accounts of some of the species that had been recorded in the two Counties. The piece on visible migration at Croft Hill by Robert ‘Eric’ Pochin kindled an interest in the site for me, which still burns strong today. This was an important piece of work and, despite the species accounts being generally quite brief, this book was a major achievement for the Society at the time. From a present-day perspective, it is a shame that there wasn’t more written about some species, such as Turtle Dove, which is given the briefest of summaries. Nevertheless, it is still worth trying to find a second-hand copy if you haven’t already got one.
Carl Baggott
LROS County Bird Recorder (2025)
