Lammergeiers of the Spanish Pyrenees
Ashley has had a passion for nature and the great outdoors from a very young age. He is a recommended speaker for the RSPB, BTO and Royal Horticultural Society and gives around 50 talks a year . His subject matter for the talks is taken from his travels, which began in The Gambia and so became the obvious destination for his first guided tour.
Lammergeiers, otherwise known as the Bearded Vulture, have to be on most birdwatchers list of must-see in your lifetime birds and this lecture doesn’t disappoint in showing just why that is. The species fills a unique niche in the food chain, and is without doubt a truly fascinating bird, with its 9′ wingspan, stunning plumage and almost dragon like features, it’s no wonder they are an attraction to us all.
The talk explains about their life history, where they can be found and shows the other species that share its world, including Golden Eagle, Griffon and Monk Vulture along with various smaller birds. The lecture also has some movie footage of Lammergeier and golden Eagle and includes some highlights of a second Spanish site ideal for watching golden Eagle and vultures.
Birding Israel
Mike explores this small, Middle Eastern country’s dramatic habitat diversity and its influence on the distribution of many birds, along with the importance of its geographical position as a key migration flyway for some of the world’s most vulnerable species. The talk includes an overview of the key birding sites, providing an insight into the birds which are likely to be encountered during autumn, winter and spring and highlights recent regional conservation initiatives for migrants, wintering and breeding birds.
JOHN EYRE, Hants OC: The Birds of Wallacea – where continents collide
Wednesday 1st November 2017
Wallacea, named after the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, consists of a large group of mainly Indonesian islands lying between the Asian and Australasian continents. Positioned as they are on the interface between the two landmasses, the islands are home to many endemic birds some with their origins in Asia and some in Australasia. The talk will cover visits to some of the islands including Sulawesi, Halmahera and the Lesser Sundas.
image: Lesser Sulawesi Honeyeater – a member of a large, mainly Australasian, bird family.
CHRIS FOSTER, BOC , University of Reading. A birder’s guide to insects and the birds that depend on them
Heath Fritillary – one of Britain’s rarest species of butterfly (Chris Foster)
21st March 2018
In late summer, when birds are moulting and hard to find, many birders turn to insects like butterflies or dragonflies for entertainment. But beyond these showy creatures there’s a whole world of less-obvious insects that are equally fascinating and often represent key food sources for the birds we love. Chris’s talk will introduce insects group by group through the eyes of the birds which depend on them. Using tips and tricks familiar to birders – from ‘jizz’ to recognising songs – he’ll also show that birders already have the skills to start identifying insects out of what can seem a bewildering multitude of species.
Ray Reedman (BOC). Workshop on the identification of land birds
Compare a Mistle Thrush with a Song Thrush…
Wednesday 11th April 2018
This evening is designed to refresh the skills needed to identify many of the garden, woodland, heathland and downland birds to be found in our region.
N.B. This will take place at Earley St Peter’s Hall, Church Rd., Earley
Photographic Competition
The 2017 overall winner: Fighting Pheasants by Michael Miller
Wednesday 7th March 2018
Whether a photographer or not, there is always something to learn about birds and there are many photographs of high quality to enjoy. A team of two experienced practitioners will evaluate photographs of birds in three categories:
Portrait, Action and Behaviour, Flight.
The overall winner of the Gordon Langsbury Cup is chosen by the audience from the three category winners.
(Rules and details are on the dedicated page of this web-site.)
Professor ALEX KACELNIK, University of Oxford. Bird Intelligence
NB NEW DATE
Postponed to Wednesday 28th February 2018
In recent seasons we have heard about several aspects of bird biology, but this time we consider their brains. Birds know far more than you might think: some species exhibit forms of intelligence that are superior to young humans. They make quite complex decisions and can even select and use tools. This talk will focus on laboratory work on intelligent problem-solving and tool use in crows and cockatoos and will be supported by video films, etc. It promises to be fascinating.
Professor MARK FELLOWES, University of Reading. Red Kites & other urban birds
Red Kites are now a familiar sight over Berkshire and neighbouring counties
Wednesday 7th February 2018
Over the past few years, Mark has led a series of studies into urban birds and the effects of human interaction with them. One of the most obvious and iconic actions has been the reintroduction of Red Kites, which many of us now consider to be visitors to our local gardens. But what about our individual actions? When we decide to feed birds, put up nest boxes, keep cats, or garden in a certain way, our actions inevitably have a bearing on the birds. Are our best intentions always valid? Mark will be discussing the results of his department’s research into the interaction between birds and humans. There is food for thought here.
GRAHAM LENTON, photographer. Black, white, grey and gold in Finland
Wednesday 24th January 2018
Graham Lenton returns to BOC to remind us that the craft of the professional wildlife photographer comes at a price, but that the colours are worth the effort if the birds in the lens are assorted Black Grouse, Snowy and Grey Owls and Golden Eagles, among others. He says that the place to photograph birds is on the Finnish-Russian border, but warns that we need to don plenty of thermals to do so, even in April. Fortunately, Graham has also worked in warmer places to study wildlife and has spent many years lecturing on the topic.
image: Northern Hawk Owl (Graham Lenton)
ROB ROBINSON, BTO researcher. Why do we ring birds?
Wednesday 10th January 2018
By 2002, bird ringing was about 100 years old and the BTO had enough data to publish a weighty 884-page volume on the migratory behaviour of British birds, based on its ringing data. For many birdwatchers, ringing is something of enigma, a sub-set of amateur and professional ornithology which brings ringers (banders in America!) into intimate contact with delicate or feisty birds. A lot of birds get netted, bagged, weighed and measured and the data gets recorded. But then what? Rob will discuss why this activity has been so useful in understanding our birds.
image: Starling wearing a lightweight ring