The new WeBS season starts in September and there are sites across Sussex that need new volunteers; now is a really good time to get started with this survey.

WeBS is the principal monitoring scheme for non-breeding waterbirds in the UK which aims to provide data for the conservation of their populations and wetland habitats. The data collected are used to assess the size of waterbird populations, assess trends in numbers and distribution, and identify and monitor important sites for waterbirds.

Once-monthly, synchronised counts are carried out (primarily September to March) at as many wetland sites as possible. Counts can take anything from 15 minutes to 3 hours depending on the size of the site. Dates of the counts are pre-determined by the BTO and are set on Sundays. It is generally accepted that a count can be carried out a day or more either side of these dates if counters have other commitments and there is not an interchange of species with other neighbouring sites.

Sites requiring new volunteers are listed below (updated 25/10/2022). For further information please contact:

CHICHESTER HARBOUR: Pete Hughes (peter.hughes@conservancy.co.uk)

Three vacant sectors: counts carried out each month September to March on a Saturday

ARUN VALLEY: Helen Crabtree (hcrabtree@gmail.com)

Pulborough Brooks (to join existing team): counts carried out each month on a Monday morning

COASTAL SITES: Dave Boddington ( davebodds@yahoo.co.uk)

INLAND SITES: Helen Crabtree (hcrabtree@gmail.com)

Bewl Water (to join existing team)
Bodiam Castle Moat
Darwell Reservoir
Ditchling Common
Forest Mere
Pond Lye
Gravetye Lakes
Herstmonceux Castle Lake
Lurgashall Mill Pond
Manxey Level  (Pevensey Levels)
Manxey Moat  (Pevensey Levels)
Mark Dyke  (Pevensey Levels)
Marsh Foot and Church Farm (Pevensey Levels)
Old Haven  (Pevensey Levels)
Wakehurst Place Lakes
Whelpley Level (Pevensey Levels)

Members may be aware from local news reports that the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) are running a public consultation with a view to finalising an Action Plan in regard to the former cement works site at Upper Beeding. When published and approved, this document would offer prospective developers a guide as to the types of acceptable development for this very large and important site.

The consultation document recognises the importance of this site for wildlife, but assumes that some form of built development is inevitable. A mix of housing, light industrial and tourism uses is envisaged. Unfortunately, the cost of making the site safe so that development could go ahead would be in excess of £23 million, and in order to recover these costs any development will need to be on a large scale – which SOS does not expect to see in a National Park.

The SOS submission makes the case that the lower Adur Valley is already under stress, and roads and recreational use have reduced its value for wildlife. We do not feel that this situation should be allowed to deteriorate further. We also do not believe that development on the huge scale required to provide any return on the investment would achieve the Authority’s stated aim of enhancing the landscape.

Instead, at a time when we face a biodiversity crisis, there is a unique and lower cost opportunity to restore and create an exceptional site for nature and people by allowing the area to re-wild. Indeed this is probably the largest habitat restoration opportunity in the whole of the National Park.

A copy of the Society’s submission letter can be viewed here.

If you wish to input to this public consultation please email your views to the SDNP at planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk or complete those parts of the on-line consultation that you feel are appropriate for your views, here.

The latest guidance from the RSPB is here. This includes further information on the recent outbreaks and their devastating impact on seabirds as well as advice on how you can help, including by reporting dead waterfowl (swans, ducks, geese), any seabirds or birds of prey to Defra.

Tim Squire has organised great Conferences in the past five years. The first three were in-person
events at Clair Hall but when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, bringing with it all the safeguarding
measures and rules, Tim valiantly arranged two on-line Conference weekends, with talks on both
Saturday and Sunday. All were very well attended!

Tim has now stepped down and we’re looking for a volunteer to help organise our next Conference, which we hope will be an in-person event. The role includes
• booking the hall, speakers and stallholders
• compiling and printing the booking forms and programmes
• allocating stallholders to tables
• allocating volunteers to do tasks on the day of the conference
• co-ordinating the team and making sure everyone knows what they are doing on the day

It’s not as daunting as it seems – REALLY. You will join the SOS Membership & Publicity Committee
and be part of a team who help with the bookings, catering, raffle, finances and the technical
equipment – and volunteers help with the tasks on the day. Apart from the week or so in the run-up to the Conference everything can be done to your own timetable. If you are interested please get in touch with Val Bentley on chetsford@talk21.com or 01273 494723

Provisional booking of a suitable venue has already been made and we are really hoping that 2023
will see the return of a “proper” Conference!

Volunteers with Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) squares have the option to survey their squares for butterflies during July and August, as part of the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) which is a collaboration between the BTO and Butterfly Conservation. Volunteers taking on new squares now can take part in the WCBS and then have the option to survey their squares over the winter for the Sussex Winter Bird Survey before breeding bird surveys begin next April.

The BBS is a national monitoring scheme administered by the BTO and jointly funded by the BTO, JNCC and RSPB. It has been running since 1994 and its primary aim is to provide population trends for common and widespread bird species in the UK.

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. There are more than 150 BBS squares across Sussex, covering every type of habitat, and new volunteers are always needed.

Volunteers must be able to recognise common and widespread birds by sight and sound, but previous experience of survey work is not necessary. Help and support from experienced volunteers can be arranged if required.

For the WCBS, volunteers walk their usual BBS routes and record butterflies. Volunteers must be able to recognise common butterfly species but no special expertise is required.

The BBS squares (asterisks indicate priority squares that have been surveyed before) in Sussex which currently need volunteers are (updated 23/8/2022):

SU7800 near West Itchenor
SU7808 near Woodmancote*
SU8102 near Bosham Hoe*
SU8307 near West Stoke*
SU8527 near Milland*
SU8605 central Chichester*
SU8624 Tote Hill near Midhurst
SU8926 Henley Common
SU9017 Heyshott*
SU9113 near East Dean*
SU9127 near Fernhurst*
SU9304 Westergate*
SU9729 near Northchapel*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
SZ8199 near Birdham
SZ8696 Pagham Harbour*
SZ8698 Sidlesham*
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ1323 Dragon’s Green
TQ2022 Cowfold*
TQ2122 Cowfold*
TQ2828 Staplefield*
TQ2836 central Crawley
TQ3122 near Haywards Heath*
TQ4612 near Ringmer*
TQ4738 near Blackham*
TQ4938 near Blackham*
TQ5026 High Hurstwood
TQ5130 central Crowborough
TQ5128 near Crowborough*
TQ5220 Blackboys*
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5511 Lower Dicker*
TQ5738 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ6000 Eastbourne Upperton*
TQ6419 Earl’s Down*
TQ7111 near Ninfield*
TQ7811 Hollington*
TQ8326 Northiam Station*
TQ8413 near Three Oaks
TQ8518 Udimore*
TQ8722 Peasmarsh*

For further information, please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com.

The RSPB update here has helpful information and advice for birdwatchers on Avian Flu, which you may find helpful if you encounter dead birds.

Because of work commitments David Campbell has had to stand down as the SOS Swift Champion. The SOS thanks him for the enthusiasm and effort he has put into this role.

Happily, Dave Boddington has agreed to take on the mantle of our Swift Champion.  Dave is a member of the SOS Scientific Committee and is already well known to many Swift Groups across Sussex.  He is also the BTO’s Assistant Representative for Sussex, which role he will continue.  He can be contacted on swifts@sos.org.uk

The RSPB Operation Turtle Dove project is looking for some help in Sussex. If you see a Turtle Dove please could you record your sighting on BTO Birdtrack and let me know on the contact details below.

Any help identifying where in Sussex Turtle Doves are should help the project engage with potential land owners to improve/create Turtle Dove habitats.

The RSPB is looking at repeating some of the national Turtle Dove survey squares from last year in Sussex. If you would be interested in becoming an RSPB volunteer and helping to survey for Turtle Dove please do get in contact at matthew.twydell@rspb.org.uk with the square you are interested in. The survey consists of 2 visits to the square between now and the end of July, each visit should only be a few hours of your time.

The following squares are free to survey

TQ1921
TQ1820
TQ1719
TQ1718
TQ1717
TQ1916
TQ2118
TQ2217
TQ2216
TQ2317

You can find more information about the project here https://operationturtledove.org/

Thanks

Matt
RSPB Turtle Dove Conservation Advisor

The County Recorder role is becoming vacant soon.

If you have a keen interest in the county’s birds, broad experience from Britain and overseas of rare and scarce species and some spare time, do please consider putting your name forward.

The Recorder works with a very experienced Assistant Recorder, a team of assessors and the Database Manager, so it’s very much a collective effort in which you will always feel well-supported. You will be a member of the Society’s Scientific Committee and Council.

BirdGuides and Rare Bird Alert give complimentary membership to county recorders.

If you are interested in finding out more about what the role involves, please contact Mark Mallalieu (Chair of Scientific Committee) at mallalieum@gmail.com or call on 07736 788 077.

This is a call to help survey the last remaining squares before the 14th of May.

There are still some squares left with the Sussex Nightingale survey. The methodology states that 2 visits need to be undertaken but if you are able to just undertake one visit to the available squares this week it would be of great help as this would increase the coverage of the survey.

Please forward this onto anyone you think might be interested as well.

http://sosnightingales.birdsurvey.org.uk/

Any sightings outside of the survey should be recorded on BTO birdtrack.

A big thanks to all the survey volunteers who have undertaken a square so far.