A superb day at Clair Hall yesterday – a full house again, and the speakers were so interesting and informative. Great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones!

David Howey’s personal research on the Kittiwakes nesting at Splash Point gave so much information relevant to Sussex, but also showed how statistics can be misleading.  After the installation of the Rampion Wind Farm, numbers at Splash Point declined dramatically – but on a UK wide scale, so had all other Kittiwake colonies!

Viola Ross-Smith looked at other UK nesting seabirds,  concluding that while the UK is extremely important for their survival, that most of these species are also declining – only Gannets are still doing really well.  Warming waters and overfishing both appear to cause problems with fish stocks leaving parent birds struggling to find enough fish to sustain their chicks. 

While no doubt all of the audience were aware of the White Stork Project, Lucy Groves gave very detailed background to the project, how it fits in with the wider European population, progress so far, and their hopes for the future.

Finally, Jane Smith presented us with both film, photographic and art depictions of the birds of the Hebrides  She spoke about their ecology, including problems with introduced predators, changes in land use, and efforts being made to eradicate the former and mitigate the latter. Though born and brought up in Sussex (daughter of SOS Vice President and former President, Barrie Watson & his late wife Anne) Jane always had a fascination with islands.  She is now very involved with both Project Puffin and FAME (Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment Project). www.fameproject.eu

Grateful thanks to all our volunteers who made the day possible.

During the brilliant day at SOS Conference yesterday, our Sales Team unveiled the latest addition to the SOS clothing range. A t-shirt with snappy Stonechat artwork by Clare Buckle.  Many thanks to Clare for designing this – not part of her role as Secretary to the SOS Scientific Committee!

Apologies for tardiness in updating the list – have been away from computer for several days!

I suspect that virtually all the results are now in and here is the (preliminary) final order

101* Rolling Turnstones

101 Martlets

93  Dynamic Duo

93 Mike’s Mergansers

87 North Wallcreepers

87 The Ryenecks

87 The Great Twits

81 TQ01ers

80 The Great Egrets

80  Wild Park Wanderers

78 Treasurer’s Team

78 Slow but Sure

65 Passing Passerines

61 Fab Four

50 Just the Two of Us

31 LBJs

The Rolling Turnstones and the Martlets both clocked up a very impressive 101 species, but the Turnstones gained a star rating for recording both Common and Siberian Chiffchaff!

There will be a more detailed round up in the Spring Newsletter, by which time I should have all the lists in and can work out the total number of species seen overall, how many species were seen by all teams and how many were “exclusive” to one Team.  Will also by then have some idea of how much has been raised to support bird conservation in the county.

Well done to all, and many thanks for your continued support of the Bird Race and SOS.

SOS Fieldworkers’ meeting Saturday September 28th 2019 at 13.30 – Adastra Hall, Hassocks, BN6 8QH

This new event for SOS is for everyone who enjoys bird watching and recording and taking part in bird surveys and fieldwork in Sussex. The event is free and open to all birdwatchers.

No need to book, just come along if you’re interested!

13.15:  Doors open

13.30:  Welcome and introduction – Ken Smith

13.35:  Recent SOS survey results – Richard Black/Ken Smith

13.45:  Shorebird studies in the eastern Solent – Pete Potts

14.10:  Launch of Sussex Barn Owl Group – Barrie Watson/Terry Hallahan

14.20:  Conservation uses of bird data – Richard Cowser 14.40:  Tea or coffee & biscuits

15.20:  All the good birds of 2018/19 – what did you miss? – David Campbell

15.45:  Bird highlights from the Knepp Wilding Project – Penny  Green

16.10:  Honey-buzzards and Goshawks in Sussex – Mark Mallalieu

16.35:  National seabird census – plans for 2020 – Alison Giacomelli

16.45:  Discussion and close – Ken Smith

Travel by train – Hassocks Station is 10 minutes’ walk from the Hall. Car Parking – there is a small car park at the hall and roadside parking on Keymer Road itself. Other car parks: behind Budgen’s supermarket in Dale Road (with a parking disc, available from adjacent shops), further south in Dale Avenue adjacent to the Pauline Thaw Centre (free) and at the Railway Station.

Event organiser Ken Smith, 01243 786079, ken.smith.lsw@gmail.com

Sussex Ornithological Society Council positions are held for five years from the date of the Annual General Meeting, so we are always looking for new volunteers from the membership to get involved with the running of the Society.

In 2020, there will be vacancies for the positions of Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and Surveys and Projects Officer.   Looking further ahead to 2021, we will be looking for a new Recorder, Bird Report Editor and  Press and Publicity Officer.

As a member of Council, you would be invited to attend five evening meetings per year, and to contribute thoughts and suggestions to all aspects of the many interesting and varied aspects of running the Society.  We are a very friendly and welcoming bunch, and if you think you might be interested in a particular role that requires the completion of specific jobs or functions, then we will fully coach and support you on a trial basis, until you (hopefully) reach a point where you feel sufficiently able to take on that role in full.

We welcome any age and level of experience, so if you are interested in finding out more about SOS Council positions, then please get in touch with Chris Davis secretary@sos.org.uk, to find out more

Please note the time of this walk is 9.30am NOT 2pm as printed in the Programme card.

Now 18 Teams (surely a record?) have completed their Race, and the totals stand at

107  Ruff ‘n’ready (Tim Squire, Josh MacCallum Stewart)

97 The Martlets (Peter Plant, Hugh Horne, Peter Davis, Sophie May Lewis, Gary Trew)

96 Dynamic Duo (Elliot Chandler, John Thorogood)

96  Mike’s Mergansers (Mike English, Jan Jupp, Lesley Milward, Mike Russell, Charles Waters)

91 Wild Park Wanderers (Ben Benatt, Paul Cole, Peter Whitcomb)

91 Rolling Turnstones (Colin & Juliet Nicholson, Alan & Angie Locke)

89 Slow but Sure (Cliff Dean, Alan Parker et al)

88 Ryenecks (Bob Greenhalf, David Bentley, Kelvin Cawte, Pat Bonham)

81 Leisurely Gentlemen (Alan Perry, Joe Nobbs)

77 Treasurer’s Team (John Hall, Ted Merrikin, John Underwood)

73  The Great Twits (Chris Barfield, Nigel Barnes)

66 TQ01ers (Jackie,Pete, Alice, Mark & Linda)

64 Just the Two of Us (Brian Crawford & Kathleen Hutchinson)

57 Fab Four ( Val Bentley, Nigel Colgate, Will Green, Nigel Parsons)

56 Passing Passerines (Sarah Cooper, Alison Playle, Erica Hutchby, Sue Dennis)

55 West Weald Wanderers (Dave Burges, Paul Matson)

50 Adur Hobblers (Brian Clay, Chris Fox, Clive Hope, John Newnham)

38 The LBJs (Tim & Samuel Roberts)

Well done to all  and many congratulations to Josh and Tim on their success this year!

If you are planning to do the Race – remember it has to be during the first two weeks of January – don’t forget to let me know and to ask for a Race pack.

My team are up for it again!

Val Bentley: chetsford@talk21.com or ring 01273 494723

There are still places at the Annual Conference for SOS members on Saturday 26th January at Clair Hall, Haywards Heath.

Tim Squire has put together a really interesting  programme:  Mark Mallalieu on the extraordinary influx of Hawfinches in the winter of 2017/18 (he seems to be finding more this winter!), Rachel White from Brighton University on her Bird Buddies project, Georgina Bray from RSPB’s Hope Farm on sustainable farming and its benefits for wildlife, and Peter Holden MBE talking on Nesting Strategies.  Plenty of stalls including the second-hand natural history books to help you while away your time between sessions.

If you have mislaid your booking form, which went out with the autumn newsletter, please contact Val Bentley on chetsford@talk21.com

Please note that the grid reference given in the newsletter is incorrect.  The meeting place is the northern car park at Lord’s Piece which is SU990173.