Talks
We're delighted to share details of the meetings season (September 2025 - April 2026) for members to enjoy. This year’s programme will be held as a hybrid (online/in-person) programme.
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
Monday 8 September
Glyn Young – Saving the Madagascar Pochard
Wednesday 17 September (online)
Alasdair Reid, John Simpson & speaker TBA – SOC Branch Survey Work
Monday 13 October
Talk & speaker TBA
Wednesday 15 October (online)
Dr. Stephen Moss – Britain’s Favourite Birds
Monday 10 November
Bob Swann – Are Buzzards in trouble?
Wednesday 19 November (online)
Douglas Russell – Interesting Bird Nests & Eggs – writing a popular book on 250 years of avian architecture
Monday 8 December
John Walker – Jacomars, Jaguars and more from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest to the Pantanal
Wednesday 10 December (online)
Laurie Campbell – Photographing birds: more than just the species
Monday 12 January
Steve Willis – Looking ahead to the Bird Atlas 2027 - 2031
Wednesday 21 January (online)
Adam Nicolson – Birds in the Hebrides and a Sussex wood; Q & A
Monday 9 February
Prof. Tim Birkhead – The Great Auk: its Extraordinary Life, Hideous Death and Mysterious Afterlife
Wednesday 18 February (online)
Liz Myhill – Evocative encounters with the natural world; a talk & demonstration
Monday 9 March
Laurie Campbell – My time with Golden Eagles
Wednesday 18 March (online)
Prof. Tim Birkhead – The Most Perfect Thing; Q & A
Monday 13 April
AGM & Members’ Night
Wednesday 15 April (online)
Prof. Claire Spottiswoode – Show me the honey: communication between people and wild birds in Africa
Contact:
John Turner, email
Venue for in-person meetings:
Eildon Suite, Melrose Rugby Club, Greenyards, Melrose TD6 9SA (click here to view a map of the venue and surrounding area)
Outings
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 in due course.
Contact:
John Turner, tel 07702 457007 or send John an email
Branch Committee
Secretary :
John Turner, tel 07702 457007 or send John an email
Chair and representative of branch on SOC Council :
Neil Stratton
Treasurer:
Richard Jackson
Engagement Officer:
Alasdair Reid
Webmaster:
Bridget Khursheed
Borders recorder:
Other Information
Borders Birds, Borders Branch Website
The branch has a fantastic website which it launched in 2023 - 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 its own 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 an X (Twitter) page.
If you would like to join the local WhatsApp group which has been primarily set up for members to post interesting sighting of birds in the Scottish Borders area, simply search for 'SOC Borders Bird Sightings'. There's also a SOC Borders Branch News Group (Borders Birds) which can be joined by emailing the group owner, David Parkinson - this is now mostly used to post talks and outings reminders.
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.
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.
