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 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 17 September (online)
Alasdair Reid, John Simpson & speaker TBA – SOC Branch Survey Work
Thursday 2 October
Gavin Ross – National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU)
Wednesday 15 October (online)
Dr. Stephen Moss – Britain’s Favourite Birds
Thursday 6 November
Anna Leschinski – Raptor monitoring in the Falkirk Area
Wednesday 19 November (online)
Douglas Russell – Interesting Bird Nests & Eggs – writing a popular book on 250 years of avian architecture
Wednesday 10 December (online)
Laurie Campbell – Photographing birds: more than just the species
Wednesday 21 January (online)
Adam Nicolson – Birds in the Hebrides and a Sussex wood; Q & A
Thursday 5 February
Iain Livingstone – Clyde Ringing Group activities at Kinneil
Wednesday 18 February (online)
Liz Myhill – Evocative encounters with the natural world; a talk & demonstration
Thursday 5 March
AGM & Members’ Night – Roger Stewart & Billy Thomson: Drone use in bird surveys & Bean Goose update
Wednesday 18 March (online)
Prof. Tim Birkhead – The Most Perfect Thing; Q & A
Wednesday 15 April (online)
Prof. Claire Spottiswoode – Show me the honey: communication between people and wild birds in Africa
Contact:
01786 823 830
Venue:
In-person meetings will be held in the General Purpose Room, The Allan Centre, Fountain Road, Bridge of Allan, FK9 4AT (click here to view a map of the venue and surrounding area). This is on the doorstep of the University of Stirling and students are always very welcome to attend!
Outings
Outings details will be sent to SOC Central Scotland branch members by email, if you have signed up for these (or click here if you haven't already done so). Alternatively please contact Neil Bielby.
Further outings will be announced in due course.
Contact:
Neil Bielby 01786 823 830 or send Neil an email.
Branch Committee
Secretary and Treasurer
Neil Bielby, 01786 823 830
Acting Chair and representative of branch on SOC Council:
Eilidh McNab
Vice-chair
Eilidh McNab
Committee members:
Michael Cook, Rick Goater, Roger Gooch, Billy Thomson, Ken Wilkinson
Upper Forth recorder:
Assistant recorder:
Neil Bielby (as above)
Other Information
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.
Social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/UpperForthBirds or type ‘Upper Forth Birds’ in the search bar
Twitter: www.twitter.com/upperforthbirds
Branch newsletter
Central Scotland branch's newsletter Whinchat 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. Archive issues can be found here.
Birdwatching in the area
Click here for a guide to Birdwatching the Upper Forth
The Birds of Clackmannanshire
For the first time ever, the birdlife of Clackmannanshire has been systematically recorded to produce an ornithological atlas for the County. Click here to read more about it.
Bird recording
Visit the Upper Forth recording area page for details of the latest bird report, back issues, species considered locally and for Local Recorder contact information.
