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
Tuesday 2 September
Andy Summers – How is climate affecting our birds in the Highlands of Scotland
Wednesday 17 September (online)
Alasdair Reid, John Simpson & speaker TBA – SOC Branch Survey Work
Tuesday 7 October
Alan Knox – Out of the dark: breeding Nightjars in NE Scotland
Wednesday 15 October (online)
Dr. Stephen Moss – Britain’s Favourite Birds
Tuesday 4 November (online - note this talk will be hosted on Teams rather than Zoom)
Gavin Ross – National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU)
Wednesday 19 November (online)
Douglas Russell – Interesting Bird Nests & Eggs – writing a popular book on 250 years of avian architecture
Tuesday 2 December
Nick Baker – Ring Ouzels followed by Christmas social
Thursday 4 December (online)
The Great Auk – Q & A with Prof. Tim Birkhead
Wednesday 10 December (online)
Laurie Campbell – Photographing birds: more than just the species
Tuesday 6 January (online)
Ellie Owen – Looking after a million seabirds: NTS’s work to protect and restore Scotland’s seabirds
Wednesday 21 January (online)
Adam Nicolson – Birds in the Hebrides and a Sussex wood; Q & A
Tuesday 3 February (online)
David Steel – The Isle of May
Wednesday 18 February (online)
Liz Myhill – Evocative encounters with the natural world; a talk & demonstration
Tuesday 3 March
Rachel Steenson – Spring with the Midlothian Dippers
Wednesday 18 March (online)
Prof. Tim Birkhead – The Most Perfect Thing; Q & A
Tuesday 7 April
AGM & Thomas Plant – Inverness Urban Sparrowhawks
Wednesday 15 April (online)
Prof. Claire Spottiswoode – Show me the honey: communication between people and wild birds in Africa
Contact:
Mary Galloway, send Mary an email or phone 07598 320978.
Venue:
In-person meetings 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 there may be a small charge to cover room hire.
Outings
We plan to hold two outdoor trips per month – 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.
Booking is essential through the leader of the day and places are restricted. Time and place to meet will be given at time of booking. Car sharing is only with agreement between driver and passengers.
Details:
Weekend excursions are full day, Thursdays are usually mornings only. Thursday outings will be led by a committee member.
Further outings will be announced in due course.
Contact:
Mary Galloway, tel. 07598 320978 or email
Branch Committee
Secretary:
Mary Galloway, 07598 320978
Chair:
Treasurer:
Carol Miller
Committee members:
Jon Clarke, Andy Douse, Alex Joss, Caroline Pearson, John Poyner, Fiona Reid, Sue Sykes and Alice Taylor
Committee member & Representative of the branch on SOC Council:
Peter Gordon
Highland recorder:
Outer Hebrides recorder:
Position vacant
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.
Minutes from the 2025 Highland Branch AGM
Click here to download a copy of the minutes from the 2025 Highland Branch AGM.
Branch grapevine:
An email sightings service, contact Al McNee to be added to the mailing list.
Branch website:
Highland Birds 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 download the latest Highland Bird Report and purchase back issues.
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! 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 Highland region.
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 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.
