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Author: Val Bentley
SOS Conference 2022
Sussex Ornithological Society Online Conference 2022
The Conference is online again this year with events on the evenings of the 29th and 30th January. We are pleased to welcome four great speakers over the two nights.
Saturday 29th January will be a wader special with talks on Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. Pete Potts and Ken Smith will be revealing the secrets of these two amazing migrants from their long-term studies.
Sunday 30th January we welcome our special guest, award winning author of the fantastic book Rebirding, Ben Macdonald. As a prelude, Tim Squire will talk about the conservation of the South Downs.
Saturday 29th January 7-9 pm
Ken Smith, Sussex Ornithological Society
Tracking Green Sandpipers in space and time
Ken Smith is now retired and lives in West Sussex, but for almost 30 years he worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in what is now the Centre for Conservation Science. Over that time, he worked on a wide range of species and habitats and contributed to many conservation initiatives. Since moving from Hertfordshire, he has joined the scientific committees of both Sussex and Hampshire Ornithological Societies.
Although best known for his long-term studies of woodpeckers, especially the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker project with his wife Linda, these are not his only long-term studies. With a small group of fellow Hertfordshire bird ringers, he carried out intensive studies of Green Sandpipers in the county since the mid-1980s. In this talk he will reveal many new features of the behaviour, ecology, habitat usage and movements of this enigmatic and difficult to observe wader species.
Pete Potts
Greenshank geolocator studies in Chichester Harbour
Pete Potts lives in Hampshire and has run a series of shorebird ringing projects in the Solent for over 30 years with the Farlington Ringing Group, including the Greenshank study. Actively involved with wader research projects from Iceland to west Africa, he has led over 50 international expeditions studying primarily Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits. Pete is an active member of the International Wader Study Group presenting papers & chairing conference sessions.
Pete worked for 32 years in nature conservation and reserve management and was awarded an English Nature SSSI Award. Pete was awarded the BTO Bernard Tucker medal for shorebird work in The Solent. He presented the annual Bernard Tucker Memorial Lecture at the Ashmolean Museum on the Greenshank project. He now undertakes ecological & habitat management consultancy work.
Sunday 30th January 7-9 pm
Benedict Macdonald
A journey into a richer natural and wilder UK full of birds
Ben is a conservation writer, producer in wildlife television, and naturalist, passionate about restoring Britain's wildlife, pelicans included. He has worked in television as a producer for the BBC, ITV, Netflix and Apple. Sir David Attenborough's Our Planet (Netflix), a series he worked on for three years, was awarded two Emmy's in 2019. He is the author of Rebirding, winner of the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation, which is a vision for the Rewilding of Britain and its birds. He will talk about how there is space for incredible wildlife to return to the UK and how changing the vast ecological deserts that dominate our landscape can benefit us all and see wildlife in abundance again.
Tim Squire, Sussex Ornithological Society
Conservation of the South Downs
Tim Squire, as well as being your humble SOS Conference Organiser, is a Ranger for the South Downs National Park Authority. He has worked on many restoration projects of the precious chalk grassland habitat that is so special to the South Downs. He will tell the story of what makes chalk grassland the amazing habitat that it is, the threats to its continuing existence and what we can do to save it.
Non-members are welcome to join us for all or some of the sessions; any donations via the “Donate to SOS” button would be much appreciated!
January events
The SOS apologises that, due to unavoidable circumstances, the winter newsletter, accompanied by the events programme, has been delayed and will not be despatched until the New Year.
The dates for events during January are:
| Date | Venue |
| Sat
8 Jan |
Rye Harbour LNR: Meet in car park at 09.30 hrs 189/TQ941189. Half day. Leader: Chris Bentley, Warden (a small donation to the reserve welcomed). New Visitor Centre has toilets and food. |
| Sun
16 Jan |
RSPB Pagham Harbour: Meet at RSPB Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre at 09:30 hrs 197/SZ857966 access from B2145 south of Sidlesham. Public transport: Stagecoach route 51 link service from Chichester bus station to Selsey stops outside visitor centre. Half day. Leader: Andrew House |
| Wed
19 Jan |
Amberley Wildbrooks: Meet in Amberley Village at 14.00 at the junction of Church Street and High Street. 197/TQ032132
Please park considerately in the village best near the school and walk to meeting point. Our aim is to walk out over brooks until dusk for raptors and owls. Wellingtons are essential, it will be muddy 2.5 miles. Leader Bernie Forbes (07852 8208860)
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| Sat & Sun
29/30 Jan |
SOS Conference: See separate post for details of online events and how to attend. |
SOS New Year Bird Race 2022
NEW YEAR BIRD RACE 2022
January 2021 saw a pandemic-affected Race where it was only individuals or teams of two who could take part, and they had to stay local. However, 15 “teams” raised nearly £1200 through donations and sponsorship, and amassed a species list of 119. Living near one of the coastal hotspots was a major advantage, though the highest total, of 71, came from the Arun Valley, and was submitted by our Newsletter Editor!
With Christmas just around the corner, and with the hope that “normal” rules will apply in 2022, it is time to start thinking about organising teams and routes, and to twist a few arms to get sponsorship. Some members prefer to just give a personal donation, and several teams stick to a particular area, trying to better their previous year’s total, or to find new species for their patch. Whatever is organised the main aim of the Race is to enjoy it, have a great day’s birding and make a contribution to bird conservation in Sussex.
Here are the main rules for the Race:
- it must be carried out on a single day in the first two weeks of January
- you must confine yourself to within county boundary
- teams should consist of at least 2 people
- all members of the team should see or hear the species claimed, unless the team consists of 4 or more, in which case 3 must record the species
Good luck to everyone who takes up the challenge – I’m sure my team will be ready to trek the round the Henfield countryside once again, hopefully in a team of four rather than two teams of two!
The Race Pack for 2022 is available from Val Bentley on chetsford@talk21.com or ring 01273 494723.
Now’s the time to join SOS!
Membership is only £14 p.a. (£17 joint). If you join before the end of 2021 your membership will run to the end of December 2022, so you will get THREE Sussex Bird Reports for your year’s subscription – the most recent (2019), the 2020 edition, hot off the press, PLUS the 2021 report which will be published later in 2022.
In addition, we are planning a full programme of walks in 2022, a “virtual” Conference, and you will receive 4 newsletters a year, by post or email as preferred.
Life membership is a bargain £200 (Joint Life £250), and if you are a full-time student or Under 21, the rate is just £4.50
Too good an offer to miss? Click on “Join us” on the toolbar.
We are working on setting up an online payment facility, but until then, bear with us and use cheque or bank transfer to make your first payment.
SOS Outings Programme 2021
Many thanks to Mark Wright (Outings Organiser) for arranging the following events from this month until the end of the year They will be subject to any future covid-19 restrictions that may be applied.
| Date | Event |
| Saturday
28th August |
Whitbread Hollow, Beachy Head: Meet at 9.00 a.m. at Dukes Drive, Holywell corner at western end of Eastbourne promenade. (199/TV601972.). Access: no-charge street parking; Public Transport: Southern Rail to Eastbourne Station; Stagecoach route 3 from station to Foot of Beachy Head/St Bede’s School. Habitat guide: chalk cliff-top grassland and coastal scrub. Half day. Leader: Mark Wright |
| Sunday 5th September | Arlington Reservoir: Meet at 09.00 at the reservoir car park (TQ527074). Public transport: Southern Rail to Berwick station (half mile south of reservoir); by car: reservoir car park (charge) or layby outside. Toilets; cafe. Two hour circular walk including footpath across fields and over R Cuckmere. Leader: Mark Wright |
| Saturday
11th September |
Thorney Island: Meet at corner of Thornham Lane at 9.30 a.m. 197/SU757049. All day, lunch required. Warm clothing recommended. Leader: Richard Senior |
| Saturday 9th October | Beachy Head (Birling Gap/Shooters Bottom): Meet at sea side of National Trust café at 9.00 (TV 5538 9611) accessible off A259 from East Dean on Beachy Head road. Parking at NT car park (charge for non-members). Half Day. Leader: Mark Wright |
| Sunday
17th October |
Cissbury Ring: Meet in National Trust car park (Approach from Nepcote Lane, Findon) 198/TQ139084 at 9.30 a.m. Parking at NT car park can be limited but an alternative is to use the car park signed from A24 Findon and take path to left and walk up to the meeting point. Public Transport: Stagecoach route 1from Worthing station. Half day. Leader: Mark Wright |
| Sunday 22nd November | Selsey/Church Norton: Meet at 9.00 a.m. in the Selsey seafront car park at southern end of B2145. 197/SZ851923. Afterwards to Church Norton. Half day. Leader: Andrew House. |
| Saturday
27th November |
The Burgh (South Downs): Meet 13.30 a.m. at “The Triangle”, Peppering Lane, Burpham (OS sheet 197 TQ042095); limited parking – careful parking required to allow as many as possible. Distance 3.5 miles. Half day. Leader: Bernie Forbes |
| Saturday
4th December |
Dungeness RSPB: Meet at 9.30 a.m. at the reserve’s ARC Pit Car Park (TR062197) opposite main entrance to reserve (membership card or entrance fee required for subsequent entry to main reserve). All day (bring lunch). Leader: Mark Wright |
29th & 30th June mid-week walks at Pett Level (members only)
There are still some places left on these two walks.
Places limited and must be prebooked
Meet at 09.30 at the big layby on Pett Level Road, beside the pools (TQ900144). We will spend around an hour looking over the sea, foreshore and pools nearby, so latecomers will still find us there. We will then move on for a longer walk around the levels. Total about 4 miles, finishing at about 1.30 – 2.00pm. Toilets in Pett Level village. Bus 101 Hastings-Rye (hourly) will stop at the pools by request. BOOKING ONLY, numbers restricted to 10 per outing, please contact Chris Barfield, the leader, to book (cjrbarfield@gmail.com or 07508 633909).
Seaford Seawatch – Sunday 2nd May (Members only)
Places limited and must be prebooked
Meet at 07.00 on the beach just to the right of the Splash Point groyne, as seen from the bathing huts, 198/TV488982. Telescope and deck chair useful, warm clothes advisable. Half day, leader Simon Linington.
In order to comply with covid regulations for groups of five plus leader, email Audrey Wende at mauwende@delta18.plus.com to book your place. Depending on numbers we will either have one group of five members, or possibly two groups, with Mark Wright leading another group nearby.
April mid-week walks (members only)
We are able to offer the following two walks this month led by Val Bentley in her local patch at Henfield. These were planned for February, but had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
Please note that the “rule of 6” applies, and hence the group will be limited to the leader plus 5 others, so places must be prebooked by contacting Val on chetsford@talk21.com or on 01273 494723
Other social distancing measures should also be followed, and there should be no sharing of optical equipment etc.
Wednesday 14th April: Henfield Downslink walk 1 (½ day)
A walk north along the old railway line and River Adur at Henfield. Meet 9 am at the Downslink car park, Upper Station Road TQ205161 (immediately after The Old Railway pub, formerly The Cat & Canary). Particularly suitable for those new to birdwatching as we will be aiming to identify different birds by their song. Wellies recommended if it has been wet beforehand. Approx 3 miles, level, no stiles.
Friday 23rd April: Henfield Downslink walk 2 (½ day)
A walk south along the old railway line, mill stream and fields between Henfield and Small Dole. Meet 9 am at the Downslink car park, Upper Station Road TQ205161 (immediately after The Old Railway pub, formerly The Cat & Canary). Particularly suitable for those new to birdwatching as we will be aiming to identify different birds by their song. Wellies recommended if it has been wet beforehand. Approx 4 miles, mainly level walking, one slightly awkward stile.
SOS Sussex Bird Photographer of the Year 2020
Many thanks to everyone who submitted entries for the Sussex Photographer of the Year Competition 2020-2021. As to be expected, the standard of entries is extremely high, and it will be a very difficult task to choose the winners. We plan to announce the results at the SOS AGM, which is to be held on the evening of Friday 7th May on Zoom, as well as on our website. The competition winners and runners-up will be contacted in advance.
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