branch meeting programme 2011/2012

Welcome to the 2011/2012 Winter Meetings Programme. We hope that you enjoy the selection of topics and speakers this year. Please support your local branch by going along once a month to listen to the superb presentations and to meet up with your fellow SOC members.

Your SOC membership entitles you to attend meetings anywhere in Scotland so, if you find yourself away from home in another branch area, feel free to go along to any of the meetings. It's an excellent opportunity to make new friends and contacts.

Ayrshire

Meet at Monkton Community Church and Pioneer Cafe (Tue 7pm for 7.30pm). Contact: Gordon Riddle 01655 750335.

  • 13 Sep: Chris Rollie – Peregrine.
  • 11 Oct: Ayrshire Branch on tour, highlighting Leighton Moss & Martin Mere.
  • 08 Nov: Ian Thomson – My life with birds.
  • 13 Dec: Members' Night.
  • 10 Jan: Dave Fairlamb – The changing scene at Mersehead.
  • 14 Feb: John Busby – With the artist's eye.
  • 13 Mar: Paul Walton – History of bird conservation.
  • 10 Apr: AGM & Ken McGinigal and Joyce Reid – Muirshiel Hen Harrier project: A video history.

Borders

Meet at Scott Room, George & Abbotsford Hotel, Melrose, (Mon 7.30pm). Contact: Graham Pyatt 01721 740319.

  • 12 Sep: Tony Lightley – Forestry Commission bird conservation.
  • 10 Oct: Clive McKay – Visible migration and BirdTrack.
  • 14 Nov: Hannah Grist – Linking life-histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 12 Dec: Members' Night.
  • 16 Jan: Neil Grubb – Birds of Roslin Glen (including HD videos - joint with RSPB).
  • 13 Feb: Graham Bell – Siberian dream: Expedition to find nesting Ross's Gulls.
  • 12 Mar: Glen Duggan – Extinct and rare birds of the world.
  • 09 Apr: AGM & Social Evening.

Caithness

Meet at Thurso Club, Janet Street, Thurso (Wed 8pm). Contact: Stan Laybourne 01847 841 244.

  • 05 Oct: Hannah Grist – Linking life-histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 02 Nov: Chas Holt – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 08 Feb: Ken Shaw – Western Palearctic birder: A guide to some difficult species.
  • 07 Mar: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds.

Central Scotland

Meet at The Allan Centre, Fountain Road, Bridge of Allan (Thu 7.30pm). Contact: Roger Gooch 01259 742326.

  • 06 Oct: Ron Forrester – Birds of Africa.
  • 03 Nov: Clive McKay – Visible migration and BirdTrack.
  • 01 Dec: Robin Whytock - The Grey-necked Rockfowl and other birds of the Ebo Forest, Cameroon.
  • 12 Jan: Iain Livingstone - Ringing abroad.
  • 02 Feb: Neil Morrison – Short-eared Owls: Separating the facts from the fiction.
  • 01 Mar: Stan da Prato – Greenland & Svalbard: the Scottish connection.
  • 05 Apr: John Calladine - The Scone Palace Hawfinch Project.

Clyde

Meet at Zoology Department, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ (Mon 7.30pm). Contact: Hayley Douglas 07715 634079.

  • 12 Sep: Members' Night.
  • 03 Oct: Mike Thornton – Andalucian nights and their top avian predator: The Eagle Owl.
  • 07 Nov: Peter Slater – The how and why of bird song.
  • 05 Dec: Gary Turnbull (Strathclyde Police) - Wildlife crime.
  • 09 Jan: To be announced.
  • 06 Feb: Fergus Gill - Teenage kicks.
  • 05 Mar: Jeremy Greenwood – How your birdwatching has changed government policy.
  • 02 Apr: AGM & Members' Night.

Dumfries

Meet at Cumberland St Day Centre, Dumfries (off Brooms Rd Car Park) (Wed 7.30pm). Contact: Pat Abery 01556 630483.

  • 07 Sep: Cat Barlow – Moorland demonstration project.
  • 12 Oct: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds.
  • 09 Nov: Clive McKay – Visible migration and BirdTrack.
  • 14 Dec: Jeremy Brock – Spanish Steppes: Birds of the Laguna de Gallocanta.
  • 18 Jan: John Threlfall – Wildlife art.
  • 08 Feb: Gordon Yates – Birdlife through 40 Pennine years.
  • 14 Mar: Derek McGinn – Birds of Western Australia.
  • 04 Apr: AGM & Edmund Fellowes – Spitsbergen.

Fife

Meet at St Andrews Town Hall Supper Room (Wed 7.30pm). Contact: Karen Dick 01334 848278.

  • 14 Sep: Rob Armstrong – Madagascar.
  • 12 Oct: James Bray – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 09 Nov: Hannah Grist – Linking life histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 07 Dec: Members' Night (NB change of date from 14 Dec).
  • 11 Jan: Will Cresswell – Our African birds.
  • 08 Feb: Angus Hogg – Seabirds of the Western Pacific.
  • 14 Mar: Glen Duggan – Scientific voyages of discovery.
  • 11 Apr: AGM & Members' Night.

Grampian

Meet at Sportsman's Club, 11 Queen's Road, Aberdeen (Mon 7.30pm). *PROVISIONAL VENUE* Contact: Graham Cooper 01339 882706.

  • 03 Oct: Chas Holt – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 07 Nov: Thomas Cornullier – Harriers.
  • 05 Dec: Innis Sims – Ring Ouzels.
  • 09 Jan: Ian Patterson – Long-term changes in bird numbers on the Ythan estuary: The curse of the green weed?
  • 06 Feb: Ken Shaw – Identification of difficult species in the Western Palearctic.
  • 05 Mar: Jonathan Osbourne – The Isle of May: Jewel of the Forth.
  • 02 Apr: AGM & Jane Reid – Choughs (to be confirmed).

Highland

Meet at Culloden Library, Inverness (Tue 7.30pm). Contact: Kathy Bonniface 01808 511740.

  • 13 Sep: Bob Swann – BirdAtlas 2007-11, the final update.
  • 04 Oct: Hannah Grist – Linking life-histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 01 Nov: Chas Holt – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 06 Dec: Mandy Cook – BirdTrack.
  • 10 Jan: John Carruthers – Wanderings of a wildlife guide.
  • 07 Feb: Ken Shaw – Western Palearctic birder: A guide to some difficult species.
  • 06 Mar: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds.
  • 17 Apr: AGM & talk by Pete Mayhew (RSPB).

Lothian

Meet at Meadowbank Stadium, London Road, Edinburgh (unless otherwise stated) (Tue 7.30pm). Contact: Doreen Main 01620 844532.

  • 06 Sep: Graeme Wallace – Wildlife of Southern Amazonia and the Pantanal.
  • 11 Oct: Peter Slater – The how and why of birdsong (Waterston House, Aberlady).
  • 08 Nov: Hannah Grist – Linking life-histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 13 Dec: Members' Night.
  • 10 Jan: Alan Heavisides – Breeding raptors in Lothian and Borders.
  • 14 Feb: Paul Walton – Making conservation succeed in Scotland.
  • 13 Mar: Glen Duggan – Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds (Waterston House, Aberlady).
  • 10 Apr: AGM & Members' Night.

Orkney

Please check time and venue before each meeting (Thursday). Contact: Colin Corse 01856 874484.

  • 06 Oct: Hannah Grist – Linking life-histories; or where to find Shags in winter.
  • 03 Nov: Chas Holt – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 09 Feb: Julian Smith – St John's Pool.
  • 08 Mar: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds.

Stewartry

Meet at Kells School, New Galloway (unless otherwise stated), (Thu 7.30pm). Contact: Joan Howie 01644 430 226.

  • 22 Sep: Elizabeth Tindal – Wild Goose and Osprey.
  • 13 Oct: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds (Ken Bridge Hotel).
  • 10 Nov: Clive McKay – Visible migration and BirdTrack.
  • 15 Dec: Brian Morrell – Incredible journeys.
  • 12 Jan: Chris Rollie – Peregrines in Dumfries & Galloway, followed by New Year's Welcome.
  • 09 Feb: Gordon Yates – Birdlife through 40 Pennine years.
  • 15 Mar: Derek McGinn – The birds of Western Australia.
  • 29 Mar: AGM & Members' Night (NB: There is no April meeting).

Tayside

Meet at Methodist Church Halls, 20 Marketgait, Dundee (Thu 7.30pm). Contact: Brian Boag 01828 686669.

  • 08 Sep: Mandy Cook – The Wetland Bird Survey in Scotland.
  • 19 Oct: Niall Benvie – The wonders of natural history (Wednesday; five local groups at Dundee University, Perth Road).
  • 03 Nov: Ron Summers – Crossbills of Scotland.
  • 08 Dec: Christmas Night: Bob McCurley – Birds of Angus Part 2, and Brian Boag – Bats and badgers.
  • 05 Jan: Ron Downing – The magic of Merlin study.
  • 09 Feb: Angus Hogg – Seabirds of the Western Pacific.
  • 08 Mar: Stan da Prato – Greenland & Svalbard: the Scottish connection.
  • 05 Apr: AGM and Members' Night.

West Galloway

Meet at Stranraer Library, North Strand Street, Stranraer (Tue 7.30pm). Contact: Geoff Sheppard 01776 870 685.

  • 11 Oct: Mike Betts – Bhutan, the unexplored east: Monasteries and birds.
  • 08 Nov: Clive McKay – Visible migration and BirdTrack.
  • 13 Dec: Karl Munday – The wildlife of NTS Threave Estate.
  • 10 Jan: Members' Night & New Year Celebration.
  • 07 Feb: Gordon Yates – Birdlife through 40 Pennine years.
  • 13 Mar: Derek McGinn – Birds of Western Australia.