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 […]

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!       The t shirt […]

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 […]

SOS Marsh Tit survey 2020 Background Both Marsh Tit and Willow Tit, the two Poecile species in Sussex, have declined nationally. The later species is the second fastest declining species in the UK, after Turtle Dove, having declined by 93% since the 1960s. A Sussex survey for Willow Tit in 2019 failed to find a […]

The International Swan Census 2020 takes place over the weekend of 11-12 January and will gather information on numbers of Bewick’s and whooper swans as well as information on breeding success and habitat use. In Sussex the following sites will ideally be checked during or near the census weekend: Knepp Millpond River Arun (Arundel to […]

In 2020 the BTO and RSPB will jointly be running a national survey of breeding waders in wet meadows. This will be a repeat of the 2002 survey, requiring visits to the sites surveyed in 2002 and with the addition of any new wet grassland sites that are identified. It is possible that the survey […]

Click here to read the 2019 update to this survey.

We are now taking bookings for the Annual Conference on Saturday 25th January 2020. The booking form was sent to members with the Autumn newsletter, but in case you have mislaid yours, a copy is available by clicking here. Please note that the Conference is for SOS members only.

Our aim is to ensure ongoing and consistent monitoring of the Sussex Barn Owl population. With ©90% of Barn Owls now breeding in nest boxes it is vital we maintain and grow the status of this enigmatic bird through effective management of these and other breeding sites. We are a small Sussex based group of […]

Now is a good time of the year to consider taking part in the BTO Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), because if you take on a BBS square you will also have the option to take part in the Sussex Winter Bird Survey (SWBS) by surveying the same square over the coming winter. The BBS is […]