BTO Berks/Oxon Birders Conference – Correction to contact phone number

In the recent publicity about the BTO Berks/Bucks Birdwatchers Conference (to be held at the Civic Centre, Britwell Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire on Saturday 23rd February) an incorrect BTO contact phone number was shown.

If you would like to book a place please contact Chris Morley at BTO Thetford on 01842 750050 (not 01862 as shown).

Apologies for any confusion or frustration caused.

Chris Robinson –

Change to meeting 9th January

Sadly, Mike Mockler can no longer join us on 9th January but he has promised to bring us his talk “Africa ? 100 not out” as soon as we
can arrange it. We are delighted that Gordon Langsbury can step into the breach and bring us “Wild Florida” a tour of a wonderful place
for birding, based on Gordon’s eighteen trips there over the years. So, we look forward to seeing you all at Room 109, Palmer Building to
start the year in fine style.

Colin Wilson –

BOC Annual Photographic competition March 19th 2008

We are pleased to invite entries for the competition this year. We are delighted that Dave Cromack, Editor of Birds Illustrated, will join
Gordon Langsbury FRPS as judges for the competition which should leave to some lively debate and discussion.

The full 2008 rules are attached but this year we will be only showing digital photographs (no slides) and entries are limited to five in
each category, as opposed to four in 2007.

There will be prizes, including vouchers and a choice of book from Dave Cromack and, in addition to the Gordon Langsbury cup, a years
subscription to Birds Illustrated for the overall winner. So please submit your photographs by 10 March by email or CD to Colin Wilson,
as outlined in the rules.

We look forward to seeing you there whether a photographer or not, to help us choose the overall winner. Past winners are shown on our
website and we hope the quality we have seen in the past will be reflected yet again.

Colin Wilson –

Reminder – Berkshire swift & swallow survey

If you took part in the survey of breeding swifts, swallows and house martins then now is the time to send in your record forms. We would prefer that you send them as a spreadsheet, but paper records are also acceptable. Send spreadsheets to swiftswallow@berksoc.org.uk, or send paper copies to Berkshire Swift and Swallow Survey, 62 Northcott, Bracknell, RG12 7WS.

Thanks to all who took part.

Bill Nicoll –

South-west London Reservoirs Closed

In response to the latest Foot and Mouth outbreak Thames Water have closed the following sites to birdwatchers: Queen Mother
Reservoir, Queen Mary Reservoir and Knight and Besborough Reservoirs. For more information read the press release
on their website.

Marek Walford –

Come and join in the Atlas work ? training events

1 November sees the start of our 4 year atlas survey work and we still need as many helpers as possible. Many are already claiming ?ownership? of their local tetrad for timed winter and summer visits, but there are many opportunities for them, and every birdwatcher in the county, to convert normal birdwatching observations into valuable data for this exciting project, by becoming ?roving? recorders during the next 4 years. We can supply tetrad maps to help you know precisely where you are recording and the necessary forms to allocate your sightings to the project. For a taster of the national bird atlas work which runs concurrently with our own and uses the same recording system have a look at www.bto.org/birdatlas – it?s really easy.

We have allocated two sessions for training and question answering in preparation for the survey work. We hope to see all Tetrad Surveyors and Roving Recorders at one of these days. Some information you?ll need will be sent prior to these events which are:

September 30th (10am to 1pm) at:

Frank Hutchings Community Hall, Bradley-Moore Square, Harts Hill Rd., Thatcham, RG18 4HQ SU524679

(From Reading take the A4 towards Thatcham. As you start to enter Thatcham proper take the first turning on the right (Floral Way). This is at the first roundabout after Panasonic. Go up Floral Way to the first roundabout and take the first left. Bradley-Moore Square is immediately on the right.
Coming from the west, go through Thatcham on the A4 and take a left at the last set of traffic lights as you exit the town (Harts Hill Road). Or if you miss that, Floral Way is the next left).

OR

October 20th (10am to 1pm) at:

Braywick Nature Centre, Hibbert Rd, Maidenhead, SL6 1UU (SU895795)

(1km South of Maidenhead on A308, Hibbert lane on left-hand side just past cemetery. Car park 100 metres)

We hope you can join in and come on one of these days so please telephone Brian Clews for the Bray venue ( 01628-525314 brian.clews@btconnect.com) or Colin Wilson (01252 837411 or colin.wilson@berksoc.org.uk) for the Thatcham event . Feel free to use these contacts also to register for Atlas work, making your birding contribute something of tangible benefit in years to come.

Colin Wilson –

2007 programme

The BOC is pleased to announce it?s new programme of indoor and outdoor events for the new season. This is the 60th anniversary year of the Club and we hope the programme will be seen as exceptional in its variety and quality. Top billing has to go to the visit of Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB in November, perhaps the number one bird conservationist in the country, if not the world, the RSPB now having over one million members. But please have a look at our other speakers who will provide a wealth of interesting hours about ornithology in so many shapes and forms. You will also see the programme of trips, local and distant which aim to make sure your birdwatching year is varied and enjoyable and full of many different bird sightings in good company.

Colin Wilson –

Parking Charges at Lavell’s Lake

Sad news – Visitors to Lavell?s Lake need to be aware that Wokingham District Council are now demanding £1.00 to park cars at the Lavell?s Lake car park. The charges apply from 10am to 4pm every day and tickets must be bought from over the counter at the Golf Course clubhouse opposite. A hefty £80.00 penalty is being imposed on those who do not display a valid ticket. The proceeds are said to be going towards the “management costs” of the Country Park.

Ruth Angus –

New hide at Lavell’s Lake

The new hide (photo: Ruth Angus)

BOC members and other birdwatchers visiting Lavell?s Lake will be delighted to see the new spacious Tern Hide that became accessible for the first time on Wednesday 8th August.

The original hide, built in 1987 has enabled thousands of birdwatchers to obtain excellent views and take stunning photographs of perching kingfishers, visiting waders including the elusive bittern, water rail and more recently, little egret all of which are becoming regular visitors. During the winter months large numbers of birdwatchers both individually and in club groups converging on the area and cramming into Tern Hide had proved that the old hide has outlasted its usefulness. With the current array of optical equipment from small telescopes to cameras with enormous zoom lenses, finding a place to sit and appreciate the birds had become a problem. But all has changed.

Visitors will see that this is comparable and even superior to many hides situated at celebrated birding locations in the UK. The official opening date has yet to be decided.

The replacement hide, which was a conglomerate idea involving FOLL headed by Fraser Cottington, Dinton Pastures Countryside Parks Department and the contractors, has been financed by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. It is part of a plan of several years in the making, with extensive works on the reed-beds and provision of pathways just some of the many achievements leading up to this icing in the cake! To be able to accommodate more folks keen to get a glimpse of a bittern or two, when they are about, this is a gem of a facility and will surely be a valuable mecca that will be constantly utilised in future years.

However, the plan does not end there! There is a Friends of Lavells Lake member?s only hide at Lea Farm awaiting final planning permission and the date of construction is hoped to be announced shortly. This goes to prove how exciting the world of birding is becoming around these parts of Berkshire.

In all the excitement, we must not forget the numbers of hours volunteers have put in behind the scenes, to get the waterbeds and scrapes up to the standard so desired by our visiting bitterns, water rails and other waterfowl. The Friends of Lavell?s Lake organise work parties on the 4th Sunday of every month and always welcome extra volunteers to lend a hand for a couple of hours on those days. If you can give some time, just come along or phone Fraser Cottington 07855 333616 for information about the tasks in hand. Tea and coffee are provided.

Friends of Lavell?s Lake guided walks are also held for a couple of hours on the 2nd Sunday of the month, starting at 9am and BOC members are regular visitors to the area throughout the year. If you are unfamiliar with the Lavell?s Lake and Lea Farm area, why not call one of the contacts who will put you in touch with a guide.

In the meantime, on behalf of all BOC members and visiting birdwatchers, I would like to thank all those involved in giving us spacious Term Hide II – a place where many peaceful and pleasant hours will be wiled away, all-year round and for years to come. Thank you.

Ruth Angus –

Volunteer bird surveyors needed for cat predation study

Background

The domestic cat is the most popular companion animal in Britain, with an estimated population of 9 million free-ranging pets. Unlike feral cats, the abundance of free-ranging pets is not linked to prey abundance and, as a result, they can reach very high densities (>100 cats/km2). Consequently, even if each individual pet kills only a small number of prey animals each year, the collective number killed by all cats can be substantial. Cat predation has, therefore, been implicated as a potentially significant factor negatively affecting wild bird populations. Unfortunately, there are few data to substantiate or refute this claim.

This project aims to redress this lack of information by comparing the number of prey animals killed by pet cats within selected 1-km squares within Reading with estimates of pre-breeding bird density and productivity as a first step in assessing whether cat predation appears to be important or not.

How you can help

I am looking for volunteers who would be able to survey breeding birds in one or more 1-km squares within the urban area of Reading during 2007. Surveys will be conducted in accordance with the BTO?s Breeding Bird Survey methodology.

Contact details

If you would like to participate in this project, or would like further information, my contact details are:

Dr Phil Baker

School of Biological Sciences

University of Reading

Tel: 0118 378 4566

Email: p.j.baker@reading.ac.uk

Phil Baker –