Borders

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 talk will be emailed to members around a week in advance of the event. To receive these emails (including Zoom joining instructions for online meetings), you must be signed up to the Branch News & Events - Talks & Workshops mailing list.

When:

7.30pm

Wednesday 13 December 2023
Prof. Debbie Pain – Lead from ammunition: A toxic problem affecting birds and other animals (online). For further information, please click here.     

Monday 8 January 2024
Kat Mayer – Progress with the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve (in-person)

Wednesday 17 January 2024
Q & A with Prof. Tim Birkhead & Prof. Neil Metcalfe – The Great Auk (online). For further information, please click here. 

Monday 12 Feburary 2024      
Gavin Ross – National Wildlife Crime Unit investigations; who, what, where, why, when and how? (in-person)

PC Gavin Ross represents Police Scotland on the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Gavin will cover the structure of the Unit and the network of Wildlife Crime Officers north of the border. He’ll highlight the vital role of intelligence in tackling wildlife crime, examine some real-life case studies, and look at how we can play a part.

Wednesday 21 February 2024
Ros Green, Claudia Tapia & speaker TBA – Tracking birds' movements (online). For further information, please click here.

Monday 11 March 2024      
AGM & Members' Night (in-person)

Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will include the election of the branch officers for next season, there will be refreshments and social activities to enjoy.

Wednesday 20 March 2024
Dr. Phil Atkinson, Dr. Jude Lane & speaker TBA (NatureScot) – Avian flu (online). For further information, please click here.

Monday 8 April 2024
Simon Wotton/Dr. Leah Kelly (TBC) – AGM and Results of the 2023 Hen Harrier Survey (in-person)

Once widespread in the UK, the long-suffering Hen Harrier has fallen victim to habitat loss, land use change, and persecution. The sixth national Hen Harrier Survey is hot off the press, and our guest speaker considers the results. How is the species fairing in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and what has changed since the first survey of 1988-89?

Wednesday 17 April 2024
Helen Aiton & Michal Jezierski  & Kevin and Mike Sinclair – SOC Endowment Fund Projects (online). For further information, please click here. 

Contact:

Malcolm Ross, send Malcolm an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Venue for in-person meetings:

Trinity Centre, 20 High Cross Avenue, Melrose TD6 9SU (click here to view a map of the venue and surrounding area)

Excursion details will be sent to SOC Borders branch members by email, if you have signed up for this (or click here if you haven't already done so).

Further outings will be announced here in due course.

Contact:

Malcolm Ross or send Malcolm an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Secretary and representative of branch on SOC Council :

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 01573 450695

Joint Chairs:

Elise and Malcolm Ross

Treasurer:

Richard Jackson

Engagement Officer:

Alasdair Reid

Webmaster:

Bridget Khursheed

Borders recorder:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Borders Birds, Borders Branch Website

The branch has recently launched a fantastic new website - you can take a look at it here.

Whether you are new to birdwatching, an experienced birder, or somewhere in between, the purpose of the website is to get you involved and further your enjoyment of Scotland's wonderful birdlife. Keep up to date with the latest local news or find out what birds you can expect to find in the region with a comprehensive bird list. The Recording and Reporting section contains useful information on how to report bird sightings, and there's a handy Resources section which includes links to local and national surveys.

Social media:

The branch has recently launched a new Facebook group - this is a public group, so all posts are available for anyone to see. However, to post you must be a member and answer a couple of very quick questions to get access. The branch also has a Twitter page.

If you would like to join the SOC Borders Branch News Group (Borders Birds) then please email the group owner, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The group has been primarily set up for members to post interesting sightings of birds in the Scottish Borders area and find out "what's about".  

Talks and outings 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. A similar reminder service operates for outings. 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.

AGM minutes, Chairman's Report and Annual Accounts

Please click on the links below:

2022 AGM minutes

Chairman's Report April 2022

Financial Statement 2021-22

Discussion Group:

Borders Discussion Group meets from September to March on a Monday evening (usually the Monday after the branch meeting) in Melrose. The meetings are usually announced on the Borders Bird News Forum and are open to anyone wishing to attend.

Birdwatching in the area

Click here for a guide of recommended sites to visit in the Borders and to download the branches’ free, full-colour birdwatching guide to the area.

Click here for our guide to Birdwatching on the Berwickshire coast

Bird recording in the area

Visit the Borders recording area page for details of the latest bird report, back issues, species considered locally and for Local Recorder contact information.

South-East Scotland Bird Atlas

Find out more here.