Highland

While social distancing remains in place due to Covid-19, SOC Council has decided that all face-to-face indoor branch meetings should be postponed until the end of our 2020/21 winter talks programme in April 2021, when the situation will be reviewed.  This is in order to ensure the safety of our members and speakers. 

However, we are pleased to announce that the branch will be running some virtual meetings, via Zoom, and we hope that you will be able to join us.

An invitation with a link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out a few days before the event via email.  To receive this notice, please ensure that you are on the appropriate mailing list held by HQ.  If you are unsure, you can check your mailing list preferences by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or if you know you do not receive branch notices but would like to, you can sign up here (please note these will only be sent to SOC members).

For instructions on how to use Zoom, please click here.

When:

Highland branch talks are normally held on Tuesdays, but while Covid-19 restrictions remain, the branch will hold virtual meetings in conjunction with Caithness and Orkney branches, who normally meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays respectively.   Meetings will therefore be held on varying days of the week until indoor sessions resume.

On the following days at 7.30pm: 

Thu 5 Nov 2020     David Jardine - Three craws sat upon a wall: Choughs of Colonsay

Tue 1 Dec 2020     Bob Swann - Chasting Scotland's Dragons, followed by Saving Branta

Wed 6 Jan 2021     Al McNee - Scottish Birding 400

Thu 4 Feb 2021      Speaker to be announced

Tue 2 Mar 2021       Speaker to be announced

Tue 13 Apr 2021     AGM & Ben Darvill - Birdsong and Birdtrack

Contact:

Mary Galloway, send Mary an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 07598 320978.

Venue:

Once indoor meetings resume, they will be held at Culloden Library, Keppoch Road, Culloden, Inverness, IV2 7LL (click here for a map of the venue and surrounding area). Please note that the cost is £3 for members and £5 for non-members.

*UPDATE - following the new 6 person / 2 household rules in Scotland in place from 14 September 2020, all branch outings are on hold until further notice*

For guidance on how branches are managing outings in relation to Covid-19, please click here.

There are two outdoor trips per month over the branch outing season – a full day outing on a Saturday or Sunday and a Thursday morning outing. On our outdoor trips, the aim is not just to see the largest number of birds, but to find and watch and enjoy. We think the pleasure comes from birdwatching with like-minded people, learning identification skills, enjoying the splendid sights and taking delighted in the unexpected find. If this whets your appetite and you feel you would enjoy these field trips, then you’d be most welcome to come along.

Details:

Weekend excursions are full day, Thursdays are usually mornings only. Thursday outings will be led by a committee member.

Sun 11 Oct       

Dornoch Firth and Easter Ross Migration (Dean McAskill). Meet Dornoch Airstrip 10am       

Thurs 22 Oct

Weekday Birding. Moray Coast (Pete Gordon). Meet West of The Maltings, Burghead 10am

Sat 7 Nov   

Whiteness (Jonathan Clarke). Meet at Fort George car park 9.30am

Thurs 19 Nov  

Black Isle (Sue Seright). Meet at N Kessock by slipway toilets 9.30am

Sun 6 Dec   

Beginners’ Birding Guided Walk (Sue Sykes). Meet at Old Station, Nethybridge 10am

Thurs 17 Dec

Weekday Birding (Sue Seright). Meeting place and time to be confirmed

2021

Sat 9 Jan              

Bird Race (Carol Miller and Sue Seright). Meeting place and time to be confirmed

Thurs 21 Jan

Weekday Birding (Alister Clunas) - to be confirmed

Sun 7 Feb        

Strathspey Outing (John Poyner). Meet at Loch Garten Car Park at 10am

Thurs 18 Feb   

Weekday Birding (Al McNee) - to be confirmed

Sun 7 Mar  

Day trip to Moray Coast (Mary Galloway) - to be confirmed

Thurs 18 Mar 

The Loch District South of Inverness (Alex Joss). Meeting place and time to be confirmed

Sun 18 April  

Lochaber Outing (Tony Laidler). Meet at Neptune’s Staircase car park 10am

Thurs 29 April  

Dawn Chorus with Birdsong Identification (Simon Cohen) - to be confirmed

Sun 9 May       

Gairloch and Poolewe - to be confirmed

Sat 22 May  

Evening Meet at Loch Ruthven followed by a social - to be confirmed

Contact:

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

Secretary:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 14 Boniface Gardens, Fortrose, IV10 8RP, Tel 07598 320978

Chair:

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Treasurer:

Alister Clunas

Committee members:

Jon Clarke, Alastair McNee, Alex Joss, Bob McMillan, John Poyner and Susan Seright

Committee member & Representative of the branch on SOC Council:

Peter Gordon

Highland recorder:

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Outer Hebrides recorder:

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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 grapevine:

An email sightings service, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Al McNee to be added to the mailing list.

Branch website:

Highland Birds http://www.highlandbirds.scot/ is a website run by and for members of Highland branch, as well as visitors to the region. The site provides information on where to go birding in the region. There is a recording page showing how to submit your records, as well as a gallery of previous rarities and information on how to to purchase the Highland Bird Report.

Birdwatching in the area

The Highland Branch website, Highland Birds, should be your first port of call for information on where to birdwatch across the Highland region. Likewise, if you're planning a trip to Skye and surrounding areas on the mainland, Skye Birds website is also a one stop shop for everything to do with birds and birding in the area!  

Bird recording in this area

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

Highland Bird News- Archive

Click here to view archive issues of the branch's local newsletter, Highland Bird News. 

Highland Bird Report Gazetteer

SOC Highland branch has produced a gazetteer, listing almost 2600 site names referred to in the Highland Bird Report and their grid references. This can be downloaded from the Highland recording area page.