Where and what to buy for birders at Christmas?

What does the birder want for Christmas? Is it new bins, a scope, a carbon fibre tripod, or maybe a hide clamp? Or for photographers, a new digital camera, an adaptor or an eyepiece, a compact flash card or new camera battery? Local birders have the advantage of London Camera Exchange on their doorstep, in Station Road, Reading. Even more relevant is that LCE offer a discount to all ROC members. Just make sure you mention the ROC when you visit the shop.

If you fancy the discount but haven?t yet joined the ROC just consider the benefits of joining, regular indoor and outdoor meetings, newsletters, the annual Birds of Berkshire reports are free, and discounts are available plus you have the largest Club community of birdwatchers in Berkshire. The additional benefit is also that you will be supporting the Club that pays for the retention and publication of the full records of Berkshire birds on behalf of the County Recorders, something all birders should all care about. And the cost is incredibly small ? just £15 a year and £20 for a family ? maybe this is the gift you want for Christmas!

The ROC is indebted to LCE for many years of sponsorship of the Birds of Berkshire annual reports and they are currently stocking and selling the 2002 Report for us ? you can see it in the window. Please go along and check out their product range this Christmas ? a recent purchase, not in stock, was still available to me the very next day at a fabulous price!

Colin Wilson –