Club name change

Following the postal ballot in favour of the Club adopting the name ?Berkshire Ornithological Club?, members voted formally to amend the constitution on 21st March (for 120; against 24). The reasons for the change are:

1. The great majority of the Club?s 330 members live in Berkshire and just over its southern border. The majority (60%) live outside the greater Reading area (ie Reading, Earley and Woodley) , spread right across the county.




2. The Club has increasingly carried out the role of a county club. For example it maintains the county database, supports the County Recorder, funds and produces the county annual reports and manages the Birds of Berkshire Conservation Fund.




3. The name better reflects the nature of the Club as it has evolved and will enhance its attractiveness to people outside the Reading area, so strengthening membership. It will provide a clear focus for ornithological issues across the Berkshire and would give the Club more influence outside Reading with the media, local authorities etc.

Reading, which is towards the geographical centre of the county, will continue to provide the focus for indoor meetings. The Club will continue to work with other bird clubs in the region and hopes to establish a platform for collaboration across the county.

The Committee will be meeting shortly to finalise the details of the change, which it is intended to implement for the 2007/8 season.

Renton Righelato –

60th Anniversary Dinner

On the evening of March 9th almost 70 members and guests gathered at Caversham Heath Golf Club to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Club.

After a very good dinner (and the odd glass of wine) everybody was suitably entertained by a typically witty speech by Jeremy Greenwood (BTO Chairman), followed by some words of thanks to various officers of the Club by Chairman Neil Bucknell. At this stage Robert Gillmor was charged with presenting very well deserved awards to Phil & Carole White, Brian Uttley and Peter Standley for the many and various services they have performed for the Club and to the birds and birdwatching in Berkshire over many years (probably more than they would care to remember). Then, after a pleasant chat over a cup of coffee, goodnights and farewells were said and a very enjoyable evening came to an end.

Brian Uttley and Robert Gillmor

Carole and Phil White and Robert Gillmor

Peter Standley and Robert Gillmor

Top table

Top table

Ted Rogers –

Birds of Wiltshire

The Wiltshire Ornithological Society has recently completed its work on the long awaited new ?Birds of Wiltshire? and it will be
available from April 2007.

Until 30th June it will available at the Special Publication price of £35, either by ringing the WILDGuides sales line
(01628 529297) or by post to WILDGuides, PO Box 680, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 9ST. Further information is available on the
Wiltshire Ornithological Society Web site.

Ted Rogers –

Black Redstarts in Reading

During 2006 there were only a few records of Black Redstarts in Reading, including one of a juvenile in August and interestingly a pair, for a while at least, at Coley. However, we would like to continue to monitor the status of this bird in our area and early morning surveys provide the best chance of locating birds when they are singing.

This year on 24th March the clocks leapt forward making dawn around 7am, a time just bearable on a Sunday morning! Hopefully birds will be claiming territory at least by this time. The best song I have heard was for a few minutes not at first light but as soon as it could be called full light.

The plan is to do a communal search on two Sundays – April 22nd and May 6th, allowing people to search around any possible areas in the Reading area for a while, before meeting up at the top of Garrard Street car park at 7am (yes am!) to share what?s been found. Please join in if you can.

As always any records or info would always be welcome so that I can keep tabs on the general picture. (Please note that records should be supplied to John Lerpiniere and to www.berksbirds.co.uk or on a spreadsheet to the ROC in the normal way. Sensitive breeding records will not be published by berksbirds.co.uk or by the ROC)

John Lerpiniere (tel 0118 9426225, email johnle@ntlworld.com)

John Lerpiniere –

Deadline for the photographic competition

Don’t forget the closing date for digital photographs is 7th March. Colin has agreed to extend this date to 10th March for late entrants so please make sure you send your emails or CDs to him on time ? contact details below. If you want to participate but have a problem with the closing date please let Colin know as soon as possible and we will do what we can to help.

We need a few more entries in the digiscoping category to make a fight of it and remember they can be from anywhere, not just from Berkshire.

Slides can be brought on the night for the non digital section.

Prizes will be vouchers from LCE Reading.

Colin Wilson
Blakeney, St Catherine’s Road
Frimley Green, Camberley
Surrey
GU16 9NP
Tel 01252 837411
Mobile 07899 066687
Email: Colin.wilson@theroc.org.uk

Ted Rogers –

60th anniversary dinner

Details of the 60th Anniversary dinner have been sent to all members of theClub and this will take place on 9th March at Caversham. Members and guestsare welcome and all you need to do is tell Ray Reedman, John Roberts or TedRogers and they will put you on the list.

As a special event on the evening we will be raffling the Robert Gillmorpainting of a Bearded Tit used for the Birds of Berkshire 2003. Robert haskindly donated this to the Club and tickets will be on sale at our meetings,on the night, or you can send a cheque to John Roberts for as many as youlike. The tickets will be priced at £1 each.

Colin Wilson –

Moor Green Lakes website

The Moor Green Lakes Group now has a website that provides information for members and potential members about Moor Green Lakes and
the activities of the Group. A summary of what may be seen at this Nature Reserve is available as well as news of the Group
activities. Information about joining the Group is also available at:

www.mglg.org.uk

Colin Wilson –

Calling all botanists out there!

Delphine Hoyle who has been Moor Green Lakes Plant Recorder since the beginning of the Reserve and has decided the time is right to step down. The Group therefore needs a replacement.
The surveying has evolved over the years. In the early years Delphine and others surveyed around Colebrook lakes at the end of the bird nesting season. However, it was felt that a quantitative survey of the grassed areas would give a more useful measure of the changes in plant communities and hence a guide for future management. Since 1997, an annual survey of 10 random samples (1 Sq. meter) were taken, 5 on the north shore and 5 on the south shore of Colebrook Lake North. In each of the samples the species present were quantified on the basis of frequency and occurrence and abundance. In 2005, a separate survey of the grasses in the sample squares was carried out. In addition, surveys of the coppiced woodland next to Colebrook Cut and ?Corner Wood? were carried out in 2005 and 2006. Results are published in our annual reports to members. Delphine wishes to thank all those who helped her with these surveys over the years.
A full explanation of the procedures will be given by Delphine to the new Recorder for the Reserve. We would appreciate someone coming forward to help with this. It is an opportunity to give something back to a nature reserve where we all enjoy nature in a lovely setting. If you want to know more please contact Peter Scott on 01252 878205 or email ppscott@aol.com. Delphine will be glad to pass on the benefit of her experience.

Colin Wilson –

Kennet Valley Park Update

The ROC has received the following text from the Prudential?s representatives indicating further delays before their application can be submitted. We will try to see which changes have lead to the revision of the application and whether they affect our representations.

In November 2006 the planning applications which werer submitted to West Berkshire, Reading and Wokingham Councils in July were withdrawn. This was to allow further opportunity to consider and address comments raised during the consultation period. Since then a number of meetings have been held with stakeholders through which we have sought to understand more fully the various concerns that exist and to clarify and explain our proposals in response.

In addition to addressing feedback from stakeholders, consideration is being given at this time to Government guidance which has been published since the preparation of the initial planning applications. Whilst the guidance remains supportive of the principle of development at Kennet Valley Park, inevitably some amendment of the scheme is required as a consequence. Therefore, we are currently looking to amend the applications to reflect these issues and now anticipate the submission of revised planning applications towards the end of this year.

A newsletter is available as a download at www.kennetvalleypark.com. Alternatively, if you would like a copy sent to you as an email attachment or by post please email info@kennetvalleypark.com or call 0118 975 3040.

Colin Wilson –

22 February 2007

Birds in a Village; A Century On

W H Hudson became one of the best-known naturalists of his era and, as co-founder of the RSPB, his numerous books on wildlife have been sought after over the last century. One of his books, Birds of a Village, considered the difference between birds in the city of London where he was based, with those of ‘a pretty country village an hour’s train ride from the capital’. His writings on his observations from a summer’s stay in this village became his famous book. Now, a hundred years on, club member Brian Clews, who happens to live in the very village Hudson based himself in, examines Hudson’s findings and compares them with the present situation, highlighting changes that many a rural setting in the UK will recognise. Birds in a Village; A Century On retails at £14.50 and is available on sales@wildguides.co.uk or 01628-529297.

Renton Righelato –