SOS Council is pleased to announce that we have recently supported the RSPB with £20,000 for the purchase of approximately 20 acres of land beyond the Ferry Pool behind Pagham Harbour (towards the sewage treatment works).  This area has potential for wet grassland habitat, the large high hedgerows will benefit farmland bird species, and it is an important extension to the area of land managed for conservation at the Harbour.

The purchase was also supported by the Environment Agency, as a first step in replacing the SSSI wet grassland due to be lost when the new intertidal area of habitat is created at nearby Medmerry as part of the flood protection coastal realignment scheme there.

The RSPB is currently in discussion with the EA with a view to managing the new habitats at Medmerry once they are created. In a separate initiative, the RSPB has also been invited by West Sussex County Council to discuss taking over the management of Pagham Harbour LNR. Negotiations are ongoing on both, and SOS Council remains in close contact with RSPB as these projects progress.

Congratulations to the 6 teams who have already reported back to me about their Race. The Muppets are in the lead at present with 103, Bonnie & Clyde in second place with 95, (without leaving Thorney & Pilsea!), Wild Park Wanders in third with 90, the Hen Harriers have 89, The TQ01ers 76 and bringing up the rear as always, the Henfield Birders on 59 - see their Reports on the Sightings pages.

So far three of the four teams who also did the Race last year have beaten their 2009 totals - well done. And it's great to have two new teams involved (Bonnie & Clyde and the TQ01ers)

In view of the poor driving weather in many parts of Sussex this past weekend, and the fact that the winter newsletter is very late, the stipulation that Races should be completed within the first two weeks of the month will be relaxed to the first three weeks, thus including the weekend of 16th/17th January. If anyone still has problems after the 21st, please get in touch with Val Bentley on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Good luck to all those who still have to "race" ....and drive carefully!
Val Bentley.

A reminder that if you have forgotten to book a place at the Conference, there are very few spaces available now, so contact Val Bentley on 01273 494723 or on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it as soon as possible.

The conference fee is £8 and includes coffee and biscuits on arrival and a ploughman’s lunch.

If you need a new challenge for the new year, then why not consider participating in the BTO Breeding Bird Survey?

Survey plots are randomly-selected 1-km squares of the National Grid, and the same squares are surveyed each year. Volunteers visit their squares three times each year during the breeding season, once to record simple habitat data, and twice to walk a fixed route, recording birds seen and heard. Volunteers must be able to recognise common and widespread birds, but previous experience of survey work is not necessary.

The BBS squares in Sussex which currently need volunteers for the 2010 breeding season are (updated 9/2/10):

SU8920 Midhurst
SU9127 Fernhurst
TQ0124 Wisborough Green
TQ0318 Stopham Bridge
TQ5231 Crowborough
TQ5639 Tunbridge Wells
TQ8016 Westfield

If you are interested and would like to find out more, please contact Helen Crabtree at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 01444 441687, or visit the BTO website www.bto.org/bbs for more information.