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 10 September
Talk & speaker TBA
Wednesday 17 September (online)
Alasdair Reid, John Simpson & speaker TBA – SOC Branch Survey Work
Wednesday 8 October
Teresa Frost – Insights and impacts from waterbird monitoring
Wednesday 15 October (online)
Dr. Stephen Moss – Britain’s Favourite Birds
Wednesday 12 November
Glyn Young – Saving the Madagascar Pochard
Wednesday 19 November (online)
Douglas Russell – Interesting Bird Nests & Eggs – writing a popular book on 250 years of avian architecture
Wednesday 10 December
Ken White – Patagonia Part 2
Wednesday 10 December (online)
Laurie Campbell – Photographing birds: more than just the species
Wednesday 7 January
Chris Rollie – South Atlantic and Antarctica
Wednesday 21 January (online)
Adam Nicolson – Birds in the Hebrides and a Sussex wood; Q & A
Wednesday 11 February
Ian Bainbridge – The East Atlantic Flyway for coastal birds
Wednesday 18 February (online)
Liz Myhill – Evocative encounters with the natural world; a talk & demonstration
Wednesday 11 March
Steve Willis – Tracking Cuckoos: changing technology and new discoveries
Wednesday 18 March (online)
Prof. Tim Birkhead – The Most Perfect Thing; Q & A
Wednesday 8 April
Malcolm Haddow – Woodland habitats and the life in and beneath the canopy
Wednesday 15 April (online)
Prof. Claire Spottiswoode – Show me the honey: communication between people and wild birds in Africa
Contact:
Heather Stevenson, 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).
Outings
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).
Contact
Heather Stevenson, tel: 01387 248535
Branch Committee
Secretary:
Heather Stevenson, 01387 248535
Chair:
Andrew Turney
Treasurer and representative on SOC Council:
Alex Banwell
Committee members:
Jon Diggle, Edmund Fellowes and Sue Grieve
Dumfries and Galloway recorder:
Gavin Chambers and Alyn Chambers, dgrecorder@gmail.com
Other Information
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. In addition, the SOC's award-winning Where to Watch Birds in Scotland app is free to download, and includes many excellent birding sites in the region.
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.
