branch excursion programme spring - autumn 2010

Ayrshire

Contact Jim Thomson, 01292 570351. Trips are in conjunction with RSPB Central Ayrshire Local Group on a car-share basis. For updates on arrangements and details of other SOC Ayrshire events, please visit the Ayrshire Birding web site.

• Sat 24 Apr: Loch Doon – high ground dawn chorus. Meet at the dam at Loch Doon at 6.00am. Finish around 10.00am. Please remember to bring some breakfast!
• Sat 22 May: Birdwatch on the Isle of Arran. Meet at 9.15am at Ardrossan ferry terminal for 9.45am sailing to Brodick. Travel to Blackwaterfoot and Lochranza will be by local bus services. (Don't forget your travel card if you have one.) Return on 7.40pm sailing to Ardrossan.
• Sat 19 Jun: Wigtown Bay LNR – birds & bookshops. Coach trip leaving Ayr 8.00am, seven hours in and around Wigtown. Dinner will be arranged, return to Ayr for 9.30pm.

Borders

Contact Ray Murray, 01721 730677.

• Thu 25 Mar: Thornylee for raptor display. Leaders: Ray Murray & Malcolm Henderson. Meet at Thornylee car park (NT411363) at 9.00am.
• Thu 8 Apr: Tweedbank for spring song. Leader: Andrew Bramhall. Meet at Gunknowe Loch car park (NT517345) at 9.00am.
• Sat 24 Apr: St Abb's Head for migrants. Leader: Fran Evans. Meet at St Abb's Head car park (NT913674) at 8.00am.
• Sat 15 May: Tweed Haughs for Yellow Wagtail & riverine birds. Leader: Ray Murray. Meet at Sprouston village green (NT755351) at 9.00am.
• Tue 22 Jun: Jedburgh area for birds of prey signs and owl boxes. Leader: Malcolm Henderson. Meet at Harestanes (NT641244) at 9.00am.

There will also be a weekend residential stay in mid June at Craikhope Outdoor Centre to allow a breeding atlas blitz on Craik Forest and the upper Teviot watershed. Full details to be arranged.

Caithness

Contact Stan Laybourne, 01847 841244. (No outings planned.)

Central Scotland

Contact Roger Gooch, 01259 742326. (No outings planned.)

Clyde

Contact Hayley Douglas, 07715 634079. (No outings planned.)

Dumfries

Contact Pat Abery, 01556 630483.

• 6-9 Apr: South Yorkshire trip.

Fife

Contact Karen Dick, 01334 848278, or the leader.

• Sat 24 Apr: Birnam Hill. Leader: Ian Cumming (01334 473773).
• 28 - 31 May: Orkney long weekend. Leader: Jean Stewart (01334 475763).
• Sat 26 Jun: Kemback Woods: Owls and Woodcock. Leader: Paul Taylor (01334 828925).
• Sat 10 Jul: Tay river cruise to Perth (FULL). Leader: Les Hatton (01334 870988).
• Sat 24 Jul: Second Tay river cruise to Perth (dependent on numbers). Contact Les Hatton (01334 870988) for availability.
• Sun 12 Sep: Outhead and St. Andrews Bay. Leader: Karen Dick. *** Note change of date ***

Grampian

Contact Graham Cooper, 01339 882706. (No outings planned.)

Highland

Contact Ann Sime, 01349 862650, or the leader. Meet at 9.00am (9.15am Thursdays) at Inverness Retail Park, near Burger King, unless otherwise stated. Weekend outings are full day, Thursdays are mornings only.

• Sun 18 Apr: West Coast divers. Leader: Kevin Davis (01381 600545). Meet at 8.00am.
• Thu 6 May: Capers, bacon butties & ring ouzels. Leader: Ann Sime. Meet at 6.00am.
• Sat 8 May : Dawn chorus. Leader: Simon Cohen (01349 830365).
• 20 - 23 May: Mull. Leaders: Sinclair Dunnet and Ann Sime.
• Sat 12 Jun: Rum & Eigg. Leader: Ann Sime. Meet at 8.00am. (Note: This is a change of original date.)

Lothian

Contact Gillian Herbert, 0131 337 0767 (or SOC HQ) for details, or come along to a Lothian SOC indoor meeting.

• Sun 25 Apr: Comrie & Glen Lednock. Leader: Sid Morgan.
• Tue 18 May: Woodhall Dean. Leader: Tom Gillies.
• Sun 23 May: Pressmennan Wood & Barn's Ness. Leader: Tom Gillies.
• Sun 20 Jun: Kilconquhar & Isle of May. Leaders: J Robinson & D Atkins.
• Sun 18 Jul: Lammermuir Hills. Leader: Tom Gillies.
• Sun 8 Aug: Thorntonloch to Dunbar. Leaders: Doreen & James Main.
• Sun 12 Sep: Lochore Meadows. Leader: Tom Gillies.
• Sun 10 Oct: Lindisfarne. Leader: David Atkins.

Orkney

Contact Colin Corse, 01856 874484. (No outings planned.)

Stewartry

Contact Joan Howie, 01644 430226 or Geoff Packard, 01556 670466.

• Sun 11 Apr: An introduction to local birdlife. Meet at Carlingwark car park, Castle Douglas at 10.30am for a 1.00pm finish, followed by an afternoon walk at Threave. The Stewartry contribution to the Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival.
• Sun 18 Apr: Mennock Pass, Wanlockhead to Elvanfoot.
• 15-22 May: A week in the Outer Hebrides.
• Tue 1 Jun: Leighton Moss, possibly with an overnight stay.
• Mon 21 Jun: Water of Luce to Penwhirn.
• Jul & August: Cruises on P.S. 'Waverley' for seabirds etc.
• Fri 16 Jul: Wigtown coast & lochs.
• Sat 28 Aug: Garlieston.
• Fri 24 Sep: Mersehead Reserve.

Tayside

Contact Bob McCurley, 01382 462944.

• Sun 11 Apr: Murton & Forfar Loch. Leader: Jon Cook. Meet Forfar Loch Rangers' office at 9.45am.
• Sun 23 May: Isle of May: Joint outing with ADBC. Leader: George Rodger. Boat sails from Anstruther at 9.00am. Meet at Crichton Street car park at 7.45am or Anstruther at 8.40am.
• Sun 13 Jun: Killiecrankie / Loch of the Lowes. Leader: John Campbell. Meet at Crichton Street car park at 9.00am or National Trust car park at Killiecrankie at 10.00am.
• Tue 6 Jul: Glen Esk / Loch Lee: Joint outing with ADBC. Leader: Bob McCurley. Meet at Edzell village car park at 10.00am.
• Sun 8 Aug: Barry Buddon open day. Leaders: Bob McCurley, Graham Smith and Jim Cook, annual local groups' outing. Meet at Monifieth football pitch car park at 10.00am.
• Sun 12 Sep: Fifeness / Guardbridge: Joint with ADBC. Leader: Bob McCurley. Meet at Crichton Street car park at 9.00am or at Guardbridge Hide at 9.30am.
• Sun 10 Oct: Autumn migrants/Angus coast. Leader: Jon Cook. Meet at Crichton St. car park 9.00am or East Haven car park 9.30am.

West Galloway

Contact Geoff Sheppard, 01776 870685.

• Sat 10 Apr: Glen Luce & Luce Bay. Meet at Glen Luce viaduct at 2.00pm.
• Wed 28 Apr: Aldouran Glen. Meet at Leswalt village hall at 7.00pm.
• Sat 8 May: Cree Valley woodlands. Meet at 11.00am or 2.00pm for either a full day excursion, or join for the morning or afternoon session only, at RSPB Wood of Cree car park.
• Sat 5 Jun: Mull of Galloway & Auchie Glen. Meet at 11.00am or 2.00pm for either a full day excursion, or join for the morning or afternoon session only, at RSPB Mull of Galloway car park.
• Sun 4 Jul: Monreith. Meet at car park adjacent to Monreith House 2.00pm.
• Wed 4 Aug: Corsewall Point. Meet at Corsewall Point car park at 7.00pm.