Montreal COP15

Montreal COP15 biodiversity logo

Biodiversity is hard to measure, poorly understood, mobile, mostly invisible and inherently complex. The last COP9 agreement, from 2010, was an abject failure, where not a single target was reached. A key focus of the recent Montreal global biodiversity conference, COP15 (held jointly with Kunming, China), was ‘30×30’: protecting at least 30% of land and sea by 2030.

Just before Christmas, the meeting secured an historic global framework (The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030.  This was apparently forced through by the Chinese president, ignoring objections from some African states who wanted … Read more

Security

Surrey Bird Club would like to remind birders of the dangers of the theft of birding equipment from cars and even the risk of mugging. Unlike most other personal possessions, our equipment is easily visible to casual observers and valuable items become an obvious target for the ruthless who are out to make quick and easy money, regardless of the impact on others. The well-known bird watching sites and car parks, often quite remote, are a convenient focus for these activities.

There are a number of recommendations which it is worth considering at the start of a new year.

  • Watch
… Read more

January 2023

Tuesday 31st

Jack Snipe, Beddington Farmlands (I Jones).
Jack Snipe, Beddington Farmlands (I Jones).

Beddington Farmlands: Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper and 4 Shelduck (I Jones/A Wilkinson).

Bisley: male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (A Clifford).

Effingham Forest: 7 Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (BirdGuides).

Holmethorpe SP: Mediterranean Gull on Water Colour Lagoon 2 (N Hadden).

London Wetland Centre: Bittern, Water Pipit, female Goldeneye and 2 Shelduck (M Bravery/C Dewhurst/A Wilkinson).

Monday 30th

Cutt Mill Ponds: 2 drake and 2 redhead Goosander (D Smith).

Effingham Forest: 4+ Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (M White).

Frimley: Hawfinch briefly by community centre on … Read more

Patchwork Challenge

Patchwork Challenge Logo

The birding fraternity has seen a shift in attitudes recently, with many birders turning their attention from twitching to more intensive study of a local patch. The advantages of watching a local patch are obvious. Low fuel costs, environmental benefits and travel time aside, great pleasure can be derived from getting to learn a place inside out, adding detailed information to the bird databases and getting value from common species that otherwise wouldn’t get a second glance. The Patchwork Challenge adds a structure and a little friendly competition to patch birding.

The score each bird earns will be related to … Read more

Season’s greetings

Winter 22 Tices (Colin Varndell )

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year to all members.

21/12/2022 (Photo: Colin Varndell at Tice’s Meadow)

December 2022

Saturday 31st

London Wetland Centre: Bittern on Main Lake; also Jack Snipe and 2 Shelduck (A Salmon).

Friday 30th

London Wetland Centre: 2 Bitterns on Main Lake; also Water Pipit, Jack Snipe, Pintail, Goldeneye, Brambling and Dartford Warbler (R Dunne/A Salmon).

Sutton Place: 3 Jack Snipe at Triggs Lock (C Badenhorst).

Thursday 29th

Mediterranean Gull, Papercourt GPs (R Clark).
Mediterranean Gull, Papercourt GPs (R Clark).

Beddington Farmlands: Water Pipit and drake Shelduck (Z Pannifer).

Chessington: Jack Snipe at Rushett Farm (A Quinn).

Effingham Forest: 4 Hawfinches at Dick Focks Common (S Portugal/C Smith).

Leatherhead: drake and redhead Goosander on … Read more

Petitions

There are two active petitions to Parliament which might be of interest to Surrey Bird Club members:

Limit the shooting season of Woodcock

Mark Avery, Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay (Wild Justice) want the opening of the Woodcock shooting season to be pushed back to 1 December. 160,000 Woodcock are shot for fun across the UK whilst their population is declining. The Defra Secretary of State has powers to vary the shooting season.

Limit the shooting season of Woodcock – Petitions (parliament.uk)

Deadline: 25 January 2023

Make swift bricks compulsory in new housing to help red-listed birds

Swifts have declined … Read more

RSPB talk for SBC members

The reformed RSPB Crawley & Horsham Local Group invites Surrey Bird Club to attend a free Zoom meeting:

Saving special places

by Dr Andre Farrar, Protected Area Campaigner, the RSPB

Wednesday, 23 November 2022: 7.30 pm

To take part in this event, please email: 

We will send you the link to join the Zoom meeting a few days before the event.

Imagine the confusion as a bird returns to the place that a few months previously had provided for all its needs. But now the landscape has changed, nesting scrub has gone to be replaced by roads and houses, … Read more

November 2022

Wednesday 30th

Brent Goose, Beddington Farmlands (D Warren).
Brent Goose, Beddington Farmlands (D Warren).

Beddington Farmlands: Brent Goose on North Lake; also Shelduck (S Thomas/D Warren).

London Wetland Centre: Dartford Warbler on Wader Scrape; also female Goldeneye (M Wheeler/A Wilkinson).

Papercourt Water Meadows: Water Pipit in fields off Tannery Lane (J Hobden).

Worcester Park: Little Bunting briefly near stables at Lower Morden Equestrian Centre at 12:00 but no further sign by 13:10; 10th Surrey record pending acceptance (C Northwood).

Tuesday 29th

Beddington Farmlands: Shelduck on North Lake (D Warren).

Cutt Mill Ponds: 7 Goosander (5 drakes and 1 redhead on … Read more

SBCRC decisions

The latest batch of decisions from the Surrey Bird Club Records Committee can be read here.