Indoor meetings are held at the 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
A few talks this year will use the Zoom platform. The Zoom link will be sent to members before the day of the meeting.
There is a £2.00 charge for non-members at in-person indoor meetings. If the Zoom platform is used, a link is available on request to guests (non-members). Check the details for each talk and if Zoom is an option, please email webmaster 'at'Cambridgebirdclub.org.uk .
There is a break for coffee, tea and biscuits with ample time to talk to friends and colleagues. A raffle is held with several prizes. Contributions by members are welcomed.
Field trips are organised by Erica Towner - The Club organises several field trips for members in the summer months. Contact / booking via Erica Towner: fieldtrips@cambridgebirdclub.org.uk when the trips have been announced.
Please check the website later for the finalised July date (August to be added later).
Contact/booking via Erica Towner fieldtrips@cambridgebirdclub.org.uk
The Friday evening field trips will start at 19.00 or 18.30 on site with final details emailed to individual members already registered in advance of each meeting.
Friday 15th May: RSPB Nene Washes, Eldernell, near Whittlesley 19.00 start
Early booking recommended.
Visit led by Peter Beckenham, Nene Washes Site Manager.
The RSPB manages 800 hectares of this 1,522 hectare internationally important wetland site which is almost entirely lowland wet grassland managed for breeding waders, including Black-tailed Godwit. Since 2010 Cranes have bred on site. The wash bank provides great views over the flood plain meadows.
Final details, including parking and meeting place will be sent in late April/early May and will depend on water levels and breeding bird activity.
Friday 12th June: Dunkirk, near Pymore, Tony Martin’s Fenland rewilding project 19.00 start
Booking essential.
Visit to this private reserve led by Tony Martin
In April 2007 a 3ha (7.5ac) scrape was created and flooded in farmland at the hamlet of Dunkirk, near Pymore, 6km NNW of Ely. Within weeks, islands in the scrape were occupied by breeding waders, including avocets. The site has developed considerably since then including providing home to a thriving colony of Sand Martins. Tony Martin, who owns and created the site, will host the visit. We will visit each area, including the hide and the Sand Martin colony in small groups.
Friday date tbc July: RSPB Ouse Fen 19.00 start
Organised by Richard Taylor, Site Manager.
Working together, Hanson and RSPB are transforming a working sand and gravel quarry into the Ouse Fen nature reserve which, when complete, will have the most extensive reedbed in the UK. The focus of the visit will be conservation management and the vision for the site.
Final details on the website soon.
January 16th. Zoom Stanislas Wroza. Identifying migratory birds by sound. Stanislas is a leading researcher in bioacoustics and is author of the recently published Identifying migratory birds by sound. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/identifying-migratory-birds-by-sound-inbritain-and-europe-9781399410076/
February 13th. Zoom Dusty Gedge. A look at two London-based studies on Green roofs and Black Redstart. Dusty has been a birdwatcher all his life and has broad interest in nature whether it be wild bees, butterflies or wildflowers. Birds led to his career in green infrastructure. Currently the President of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations (EFB) and founder of Livingroofs.org, Dusty Gedge is a recognised authority, designer and consultant on green roofs and green infrastructure.
The talk starts at 7:30pm, with the Zoom meeting opening at 7:15pm.
March 13th. St Johns CLUB AGM, and a talk by Mike Toms. Mike will bring us up to date with the latest research and thinking behind feeding garden birds. A subject guaranteed to provoke debate and discussion. Mike is Head of Communications at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), responsible for science communication. Much of his work is geared towards public engagement in ‘Citizen Science’, delivering quality research through networks of keen amateurs. He has been with the BTO since 1994 and has also worked on owls, bird migration, monitoring methods, garden ecology, and mammals (amongst others) during his time with the organisation.
April 10th. St Johns Marcus Kohler. Marcus will provide an insight to the club on the relationship between the counties’ birds and wildlife with the planning and development industry and the part ecology plays on how planning policy decisions are made. Marcus is a well-known county birder and ecologist who runs his own ecological consultancy. He has travelled extensively in pursuit of birds and wildlife.
September 11th. Zoom Dale Forbes. Dale is co-author of the recently published Field guide to Habitats of Europe. A guide for Naturalists and Ecologists, the subject of his lecture. https://www.nhbs.com/habitats-of-europebook Dale grew up in the forests and savannas of South Africa, developing a love for nature from a young age. After completing an MSc in Zoology, he moved to Central America to continue his work in conservation biology, working on Scarlet Macaws and Whale Sharks.
October 9th. Zoom Tim Jones. A year at magical Spurn. Tim guides us through the ornithological year at this famous east coast migration hotspot in Yorkshire. Tim is a very keen birder, freelance ornithologist and naturalist, he is also part of the management team at Spurn Bird Observatory
November 13th. St Johns Marek Borkowski. Marek will entertain us with tales of living alongside one of Europe’s premier marshland sites, and home of the Great Snipe. Since 1976 he has given guests a unique experience of the fauna, flora, habitats, history and everyday life in the Great European Wilderness (now NE Poland) from the local perspective of host permanently living and protecting nature here, above all the home Biebrza Marsh and the ancient Bialowieza Forest.
December 11th. St Johns Christmas social. A blend of members talks and presentations sprinkled with a festive mince pie or two. The perfect recipe for Christmas!