Dumfries

We're delighted to share details of the meetings season (September 2023 - April 2024) for members to enjoy. 

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

Wednesday 13 December 2023
Members' Night (in-person)

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. A recording of Debbie's talk will be circulated after the event, for those members wishing to attend the in-person meeting that is also being held on 13 December (details above).

Wednesday 10 January 2024 *please note change of speaker*
Huw Connick – Identifying divers and grebes in winter plumage Workshop (in-person). Booking required

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

Wednesday 14 February 2024
Stan da Prato – Warbler identification by sight and sound Workshop (in-person). Booking required - places limited

Stan da Prato will help you to identify the warbler species that breed in Scotland. We’ll listen to their songs and calls, and learn a little about how they live and their migrations.

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

Wednesday 13 March 2024
Speaker TBA  – Sedbergh Swift group (in-person)

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

Wednesday 10 April 2024
Simon Wotton/Dr. Leah Kelly (TBC) – 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 consider 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:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel: 01387 248535

Venue for indoor meetings:

Dumfries Baptist Church Centre, Gillbrae Rd DG1 4EJ (click here for a map of the venue and surrounding area).

Branch outings have resumed, and details of upcoming walks will be announced here in due course. Excursion details will be sent to SOC Dumfries branch members by email, if you have signed up for this (or click here if you haven't already done so).

Sun 10 Dec        Southerness. Meet at 9am at the car park at Southerness.

Contact

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., tel: 01387 248535

Secretary and representative on SOC Council:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 01387 248535

Chair:

John Riddet 

Treasurer

Alex Banwell

Committee members:

Christine Dudgeon, Edmund Fellowes, Robin Thomson and Andrew Turney

Dumfries and Galloway recorder:

Gavin Chambers and Alyn Chambers, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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.

Nearby branches of the SOC

Find out more about Stewartry branch Visit the West Galloway branch page

Birdwatching in Dumfries

Click here for a guide of recommended sites to visit and to download a free, full-colour birdwatching guide produced by D&G Council Ranger Service. 

Bird recording in this area

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