Under the present coronavirus restrictions, visits to Queen Mother Reservoir for birding cannot be considered a permitted activity. Permit holders are asked not to visit the reservoir until the current stay at home instruction is relaxed and we advise that visits may be recommenced.

Stay safe.

Renton Righelato 26th March 2020

With our programme of events cancelled and many of us in self isolation, it brightens the day to watch Fraser Cottington’s video blogs made in and around the Lavell’s Wetland Trust sites. These are fun and instructive with some good sequences of birds that you probably won’t see in your garden.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEElyVlyaSBYA51Z9U1YYAw

To comply with the new guidelines, all BOC outdoor walks and excursions are cancelled up to the end of June, including the East Berks RSPB coach trip to Minsmere.

N.B. At present we are still planning for the October trip to Norfolk to go ahead. Those interested should contact Marcus I’Anson as soon as possible.

As you will know, Richard Burness, our County Recorder, passed away unexpectedly on January 29th. With his experience as a birdwatcher and his unassuming personality, Richard earnt the gratitude and respect of the birding community and brought together and led a very effective Records Committee – he is sadly missed.

The BOC and NDOC are seeking to appoint a new County Recorder and we would welcome expressions of interest from suitably qualified people. The Recorder will be an experienced ornithologist with a knowledge of Berkshire’s habitats and birds. He/she will have good communications skills and be comfortable with handling large datasets, creating reports and editing them. A summary of the duties of the Recorder can be found on the BOC website. Expressions of interest are invited (before 30^th April please): in the first instance please contact Robert Godden (godden_robert@yahoo.com) or Renton Righelato (Renton Righelato; tel 0787 981 2564) to discuss the role.

In the interim, Andy Horscroft, Secretary to the Berkshire Records Committee will be our acting Recorder to whom records can be sent,, together with supporting material where needed, at records@berksoc.org.uk

Robert Godden

The BOC has been given a number of county bird books of some historic interest to offer to members, all in good condition:

Birds of Norfolk. MJ Seago, second edition, 1977

The Birds of Suffolk. WH Payn, second edition 1978

Lakeland Birds. WR Mitchell and RW Robson, second edition, 1976

Birds of Derbyshire. RA Frost, 1978

Birds of Kent. DW Taylor, DL Davenport and JJM Flegg, 1983

Birds of Hertfordshire. Tom Gladwin and Bryan Sage,1986

The Birds of Essex. Simon Cox, 1984

We also have:

Birds of Prey their biology and ecology. Leslie Brown, 1976

If you would like any or all of these, please contact Renton Righelato 

Richard Burness, Berkshire’s County Recorder for birds, died unexpectedly on 29th January, aged 76. His funeral was held today, 27th February 2020. Richard was a well-kown and well-loved Berkshire birder, who took on the role of Recorder four years ago and quickly gained the admiration and respect of all of us who worked with him, in the BOC and NDOC, on the Berkshire Records Committee and in the wider birding community.

A meteorologist by trade, he served many years on North Atlantic Ocean Weather Ships, worked on surveys of cetaceans in the years leading up to the global whaling ban in 1986 and contributed to bird surveying across the UK. An appreciation of his birding life can be seen here.

Our sympathies go to Patricia, his wife, and the rest of his family and close friends.

In memory of Richard and in lieu of flowers, donations are invited to Bracknell Foodbank, the Humane Research Trust or the Berkshire Ornithological Club.

In the light of torrential rain forecast for much of the day on Thursday 20th, we have postponed this trip for one week, i.e. until Thursday 27th February. All other details pertain.

Ray Reedman

On Wednesday 19th February, Tim Guilford, Professor of Animal Behaviour at the University of Oxford will inaugurate a new series of annual joint lectures between the BOC and the University of Reading.  Tim’s acclaimed work on shearwaters is giving us fascinating insights into the way in which these remarkable birds live and find their way around the oceans.

Venue: 20:00h  19th February in Palmer Building  room 109, on the Whiteknights Campus of the University of Reading.

All are welcome. There is no charge to members of the University of Reading and the BOC, others £4.

Unfortunately, due to the anticipated major storm, this trip has been cancelled. Refunds or credit will be arranged.  RReedman

Can you help us to find out what is happening to our Little Grebes? The Club’s Grebe survey will be running for one more year and we need your help to visit more of Berkshire’s water bodies this Spring and Summer. It is an easy survey with a simple online questionnaire to complete when you have visited a lake, pod or stretch of river.

Go to our Grebe survey page for details and a list of water bodies.