Talks
We're delighted to share details of the meetings season (September 2023 - April 2024) for members to enjoy. The full list, which will be held as a hybrid (online/in-person) programme, will be added to the website in due course.
More information about each meeting will be emailed to members around a week in advance of the event. To receive these emails (including Zoom joining instructions and workshop booking information, where applicable), you must be signed up to the Branch News & Events - Talks & Workshops mailing list.
When:
7.30pm
Our talks programme has now finished for the season but will be restarting in September. Further details will be announced in due course.
Contact:
David Parmee, mobile 07769 704821
Venue for in-person meetings:
The Cornerstone Centre, St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ (click here for a map of the venue and surrounding area). *12 March meeting only venue: SOC, Waterston House, Aberlady, EH32 0PY.
Outings
Details of outings will be sent by email a week to ten days in advance to those branch members who have signed up for communications (click here if you haven't already done so). Details will also be available at indoor meetings. If you have any questions, please contact David Parmee.
Those marked ** are specifically designed for those with temporary or long-term mobility problems. They involve much less walking than normal and perhaps also the opportunity to sit and watch from a hide or a vantage point. That is not to say that these walks are not open to all members – everybody is welcome, as usual!
Sun 12 May
The Hirsel, Coldstream. Meet at 10.00am (Leaders: Hazel Kennedy and Colin Shepherd)
Wed 29 May
**Royal Botanic Garden & Inverleith Park. Meet at 10.30am (wheelchair accessible) (Leader: David Parmee)
Sun 16 June
St Abb’s Head. Meet at 10.00am (Leader: Rosie Filipiak)
June (date to be confirmed)
Firth of Forth boat tours with BlueWild (Organiser: Mike Thornton)
Sun 14 July
Lammermuir Reservoirs. Meet at 10.00am (Leader: David and Gill Parmee)
July (date to be confirmed)
Firth of Forth boat tours with BlueWild (Organiser: Mike Thornton)
Sun 4 August
Aberlady Bay LNR (birds and much more). Meet at 10.00am (Leader: Stan da Prato)
Thu 5 September
**Figgate Park (wheelchair accessible). Meet at 10.00am (Leader: David and Gill Parmee)
Sun 29 September
Thorntonloch, Torness & Skateraw. Meet at 10.00am (Leader: Richard Leslie)
Wed 16 October
**Dalgety Bay, Fife. Meet at 10.00am (Leader: David Parmee)
Sun 20 October
Lindisfarne (meet at 9.45am, causeway open 0930-1500) (Leaders: David and Gill Parmee)
Sun 17 November
Musselburgh Lagoons. Meet at 10.00am (Leader: Ian Andrews)
November (date to be confirmed)
Junior Goosewatch
Sun 15 December
Gosford House & Aberlady Bay walks (meet at 11.00am) followed by Christmas Lunch at Craigielaw Golf Club at 1:30pm (Leaders: Stephen Hunter and Hilary Maxfield; lunch plans: David Parmee)
Contact:
David Parmee (Tel: 07769 704821 (preferably by WhatsApp message or text), or email David)
Branch Committee
Secretary:
David Parmee, 07769 704821
Chair and representative of the branch on SOC Council:
Vice-chair:
Position vacant
Treasurer:
Committee members:
Andrew Matthews, Alec Sibbald, Mike Thornton, Gill Parmee
Lothian recorder:
Other Information
Lothian is currently the largest SOC branch, with over 1000 members from across the region. We hold monthly talks between September and April and field trips throughout most of the year. We also have a discussion group, where we consider local conservation issues and organise survey work, see below for details.
East Lothian Winter Atlas 2020-21
Lothian SOC Discussion Group coordinated what had been intended to be a one-season winter atlas of East Lothian (for further information, click here). Owing to Covid-19 restrictions during the survey period, it is intended that some further fieldwork will take place in the 2021-22 winter (November to February). Plans will be discussed at meetings of the Discussion Group when they recommence in September, and details will be posted here in due course.
Talks reminders:
Members who've consented to Local Branch news and events e-communications from SOC, are sent a reminder about forthcoming talks (with more information on the speaker and subject where possible), usually a week or so in advance of the meeting. If you don’t already receive these alerts and would like to, please make sure you've completed a Mailing List Consent Form to allow the Club to contact you. If you've already completed a form, check your junk/spam/clutter folders to make sure our emails aren't landing there. Still nothing? Contact Headquarters as we may not have a correct or up to date email address on file for you.
Branch newsletter
Lothian Bird E-Bulletin is periodically emailed to branch members and includes details of branch talks, outings and activities locally as well as summaries of recent outings and other branch-related news. Read the latest issue here.
AGM minutes, Chairman's Report and Annual Accounts:
Please click on the links below:
Lothian branch AGM Agenda 2024
Lothian branch SOC Chairman's report 2023-24
Lothian branch AGM Minutes 2022-23
Lothian branch accounts 2023-24
Discussion group:
Lothian Discussion Group meets September to April, on the first Wednesday evening of the month to plan local survey fieldwork and review results, discuss atlas work and other activities. Meetings are held at 7.30pm in Waterston House. These are open to all SOC members. For more information on the group please email Mark Holling.
Social media:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/birdinglothian
Birdwatching in the Lothians
Click here for our guide to Birding the Lothians.
Click here to download the SOC’s free guide: Birdwatching on the East Lothian coast
Bird recording in the Lothians
Visit the Lothian recording area page for details of the latest bird report, back issues, species considered locally and the latest Lothian Bird Records Committee decisions and for Local Recorder contact information.
Volunteering at Waterston House
Waterston House, SOC headquarters, is located in Lothian region, on the outskirts of Aberlady village. Please visit our volunteering page for more information.
Lothian Bird Bulletin Archive
Click here to download archive issues of Lothian Branch newsletter.
