Announcements

• Next indoor meeting, Friday 12 September - Professor Jeff Ollerton. Birds and Flowers. In person at St John's Church, Hills Road, Cambridge.

• Next field trip,  Saturday 25th October 2025, 10.00am - 12.30pm.  Wild Ken Hill, West Norfolk - see Meetings page.

• Picture of the Month for July is Roger Hardie's Oystercatchers - see it here

• Photo of the Year for 2024 was voted by members to be Chris Kenyon's Hobby.  Congratulations to Chris.  Runner-up was Jan Michalec's Marsh Harriers and in third place was Rachel Lennard's Bearded Tit.  See them here

• Club e-Bulletins up to  November are now available to all to read.  They contain records, photos, articles and event reminders: read  the recent ones here

• The 2023 Annual Report (No. 97) is now available to purchase.  Look here for details.

Other announcements

• We are saddened to hear of the passing of Chris Thorne, who died on 9th August. He was 90.  As well as being the organiser and administrator of the Wicken Fen Group for more than forty years he also served as the Chairman of the Bird Club for the first year after the new Constitution was agreed.  Peter Bircham is writing an obituary.

• The CBC recording checklist can be viewed and downloaded here

• Club Bulletins back to the first issue in 1951 have now been digitised and were added to the website in 2021- read them here

• The 2019 Annual Report (No. 93) is now available to read on this website - read here  2020 and 2021 Annual Report scoming shortly.

• Do read Bob Jarman's Centenary Lecture presented at the Club's Centenary Dinner 16 April.  Read here  Also to be found under 'Publications'

Friday 12 September - Jeff Ollerton. Birds and Flowers. In person at St John's. (Wilkinson Room, St. John’s Church, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8RN. Doors open 7.00pm and the talk starts at 7.30pm.    http://streetmap.co.uk/map?X=546359&Y=256294&A=Y&Z=110)

During a career spanning more than 30 years, Professor Jeff Ollerton has established himself as one of the world’s leading experts on pollinators and pollination. Author of more than 170 articles and book chapters, his highly-cited, ground-breaking research has been used by national and international agencies to support efforts to conserve pollinators and their pollination services.

Hummingbirds, and the balletic ways in which they feed on flowers, are familiar to most people. But they belong to just one of at least 74 bird families that are known, or suspected, to be pollinators. In this talk Jeff will be discussing his recent ground-breaking book "Birds & Flowers" and telling the story of how ecologically and culturally important the relationships between plants and birds have become since they first evolved at least 50 million years ago. 

October Field trip 

Saturday 25th October 2025, 10.00am - 12.30pm Wild Ken Hill, West Norfolk.

The Club has booked a bespoke guided walking tour to the Wild Ken Hill estate on the Wash led by Carl Chapman. Prompt booking is highly recommended as places are limited with a group maximum of 15 club members per tour. In the event of reaching the maximum group size, a follow- up visit can be arranged, subject to demand.  More details on the Meetings page

Centenary Lecture presented by Bob Jarman on 16 April 2025 at the Club's Centenary Dinner

Read here  Also to be found under 'Publications'

Recent annual Cambridgeshire Bird Reports

• The Cambridgeshire Bird Report 2023 No. 97 has been published.  Copies can be purchased from the Club - see here 

• The Cambridgeshire Bird Report 2019 (No. 93) is now available to read online - see here 

Request by the RSPB for bird volunteers to help in farm surveys - respond asap

Jenny Atkins of the RSPB is asking for birding volunteers to help in farm surveys.

She says “I’m posting on behalf of the RSPB for a non-member of this group [Cambirds}.

Dear Cambs Birders,

I’m looking for your help this breeding season. I’m an Agricultural Project Manager for the RSPB and manage the Volunteer Monitoring of Farm Wildlife. It is designed to: 

• Give farmers an understanding of what birds are on their farm and how abundant they are. 

• Help farmers and volunteers understand more about wildlife within the farmed landscape. 

• Connect farmers with advice and case studies to assist them plan conservation. 

• Provide opportunities for volunteers to gain new skills and experience through an enjoyable and rewarding activity.

The survey season runs from 1st April to 30th June. Within this time period, we require an initial visit to a farm to be carried out and then two survey visits.

We will endeavour to pair volunteers with a farm which should be no further than approximately 25 miles from their home (and pay travelling expenses) and in Cambs. at least, currently need a volunteer in each of the following areas: Feltwell, Littleport, Ely, Soham (x 2 farms), Welney, Southery

Please feel free to drop me an email at jenny.atkins@rspb.org.uk (jenny DOT atkins @rspb DOT org DOT uk) as soon as possible because already we’re in the process of matching volunteers to farms and need to wrap it up in the next few days.

Thank you.

Jenny Atkins”