Many of us are listening to the birds around us more intently than ever this spring. Some are wondering what bird is making which noise. Others are wondering when they will be able to hear some of their favourite birds again.

To help keep us connected during lockdown, SOS member Charlie Peverett is running early morning Zoom calls three times a week. These are open to anyone who would like to share the sound of the birds around them, to learn and ask questions, or even just to listen.

Since starting in March over 30 species of bird have been heard, from many locations in Sussex, but also from as far as the City of London, Bristol, Herefordshire, North Yorkshire and Glasgow. There are people feeling much better equipped to identify the birds in their back garden, and more experienced birders who are sharing their knowledge.

The calls are free, you just need to have the Zoom app downloaded and a pair of headphones to listen via your phone or laptop.

If you or someone you know might like to join in, you can find out more and sign up to join the call via the link below.

https://wwweventbrite.co.uk/e/up-with-the-birds-tickets-101520191626 (it is free)

Alternatively email Charlie at cpeverett@gmail.com  if you’d like to find out more.

(While not an SOS project, we think it may be of interest to our more tech-savvy members!)

In view of the postponement of the Society’s AGM due to the current restrictions, we are making two reports for 2019 available for view online.

At the AGM, the meeting will adopt the Trustees Report and Financial Statement.

View Summary of Activities

View Trustees Report and Financial Statement

The RSPB were hoping to share this information at the AGM about how SOS funding is being used. Due to the current situation this will not be possible but you can read the report by clicking here.

Volunteers for this survey are asked to follow current government guidance. This survey can take place in 2020 during May and June at a reduced level with just two visits.

New volunteers in Sussex are being sought to help to monitor national breeding woodcock numbers. Annual monitoring of roding woodcocks has taken place at a number of sites across the UK each year since 2003; a summary of the results can be found at http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/woodcock-survey/results.

Three visits to a site are required between 1st May and 30th June, commencing 15 minutes before sunset and lasting a total of 75 minutes. For each visit a volunteer remains at a designated point and counts the number of times that roding birds are seen or heard. Full details, including survey methods, can be found at http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/woodcock-survey.

Listed below (updated 2/1/21) are sites that have been surveyed previously and where roding woodcocks are likely to be encountered; if you are interested in conducting surveys at one of these sites please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com. Also listed are sites that are already being monitored by existing volunteers. Sites not listed below can also be monitored if they are thought to hold breeding woodcocks; please contact Helen Crabtree with a grid reference and a site name if you are interested in conducting surveys at another site. Although the surveys are conducted at designated points, the sites are 1-km squares, and counting points should be separated by at least 1 km to avoid double-counting of roding birds.

SU8128 Chapel Common
SU8516 Westdean Woods
SU8529 Stanley Common
SU8626 Woolbeding Common ALLOCATED
SU9119 Ambersham Common
SU9129 Blackdown
SU9418 Lavington Common ALLOCATED
SU9518 Duncton Common
SU9807 Rewell Wood ALLOCATED
TQ0615 Northpark Wood
TQ2130 St Leonard’s Forest ALLOCATED
TQ3034 Worthlodge Forest
TQ3327 River’s Wood (Balcombe)
TQ4230 Chelwood ALLOCATED
TQ4233 Broadstone Warren ALLOCATED
TQ4332 Ashdown Park ALLOCATED
TQ4432 Asdown Ridge ALLOCATED
TQ4528 Marlpits
TQ4530 Pippingford Park ALLOCATED
TQ4627 Duddleswell ALLOCATED
TQ4630 Old Lodge
TQ4828 Poundgate ALLOCATED
TQ5223 Waste Wood (Hadlow Down)
TQ5431 Hornshurst Wood (Rotherfield) ALLOCATED
TQ5536 Broadwater Warren
TQ5736 Hargate Forest ALLOCATED

Please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com if you have questions about this survey or would like more information.

Volunteers for this survey are asked to follow current government guidance.  This survey can take place in 2020 during May and June at a reduced level with just one visit.

This national monitoring scheme is administered by the BTO and jointly funded by the BTO, JNCC and RSPB. It has been running since 1994 and its primary aim is to provide population trends for common and widespread bird species in the UK. Population trends for Sussex are also produced and published in the Sussex Bird Report.

Survey plots are randomly-selected 1-km squares of the National Grid, and the same squares are surveyed each year. Volunteers visit their squares three times each year during the breeding season, once to record simple habitat data, and twice to walk a fixed route, recording birds seen and heard. There are more than 200 BBS squares across Sussex, covering every type of habitat, and new volunteers are always needed.

Volunteers must be able to recognise common and widespread birds, but previous experience of survey work is not necessary. Help and support from experienced volunteers can be arranged if required.

The BBS squares (asterisks indicate priority squares that have been surveyed before) in Sussex which currently need volunteers for the 2021 breeding season (updated 16/6/2020) are:

SU7802 Cobnor Point
SU8624 Tote Hill near Midhurst
SU9017 Heyshott*
SU9113 near East Dean*
SU9216 Graffham Down*
SU9228 near Blackdown*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ0608 Angmering Park*
TQ1531 Broadbridge Heath
TQ1904 Lancing*
TQ2631 Tilgate Forest*
TQ3304 Brighton Whitehawk
TQ3916 near South Chailey*
TQ4002 Telscombe*
TQ4313 Upper Wellingham*
TQ4738 near Blackham*
TQ4800 Seaford*
TQ4817 near Isfield*
TQ4900 Seaford*
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5514 near Chiddingly
TQ5738 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ6419 Earl’s Down*
TQ7028 near Hurst Green
TQ7311 near Bexhill*
TQ8013 Baldslow*
TQ8413 near Three Oaks
TQ8518 Udimore*
TQ8613 Guestling Green
TQ8722 Peasmarsh*

For further information, please contact Helen Crabtree, 01444 441687, hcrabtree@gmail.com.

As you were probably expecting after the government’s statement yesterday, the decision has been taken to postpone the AGM until such time as restrictions are lifted.

THIS SURVEY HAS BEEN CANCELLED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SURVEY WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2021

In 2020 the BTO and RSPB are jointly running a national survey of breeding waders in wet meadows. This will be a repeat of the 2002 survey, requiring visits to the sites surveyed in 2002 and with the inclusion of any new wet grassland sites that have been identified. In addition, a sample of farmland sites with specific agri-environment scheme options in place (wet grassland management and lapwing plots) will also be surveyed. This survey will primarily be organised in Sussex by Helen Crabtree (BTO Regional Representative for Sussex); surveys of RSPB sites will be organised by RSPB staff.

In Sussex the wet grassland sites to be surveyed for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows:

Coultershaw Bridge to Shopham Bridge
Snow Hill (East Head)
North Stoke to Houghton
Arundel to Offham
Offham to South Stoke
Adur Levels
Upper Cuckmere Valley
Pevensey (Hooe Level West)
Pevensey (Waller’s Haven South)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Pevensey (Manxey Level South)
Wet Level (Wittersham)

The first-priority selected farmland sites with wet grassland management and/or lapwing plots for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows (most of these sites are not entire 1-km squares but very small areas and in some cases just individual fields):

SU7800 nr West Itchenor
SU8302 Dell Quay
SU9816 Sutton End
SU9915 Bignor Park
TQ0629 nr Billingshurst
TQ2110 Upper Beeding
TQ2118 Shermanbury
TQ2714 nr Hurstpierpoint
TQ3407 Bevendean
TQ3930 nr Horsted Keynes
TQ4418 nr Isfield
TQ4519 nr Isfield
TQ9719 Camber

Lower-priority selected farmland sites with wet grassland management and/or lapwing plots for which volunteers are still being sought (updated 19/3/20) are as follows (most of these sites are not entire 1-km squares but very small areas and in some cases just individual fields):

SU7409 nr Emsworth
SU7909 nr Funtington
SU8017 Beacon Hill
SU8116 North Marden
SU8314 Chilgrove
SU9312 Upwaltham Hill
SU9420 Selham
SU9429 Northchapel
TQ0008 nr Arundel
TQ0306 nr Warningcamp
TQ0508 nr Burpham
TQ0627 nr Billingshurst
TQ0705 nr Angmering
TQ0807 Patching Hill
TQ0909 Blackpatch Hill
TQ1210 nr Findon
TQ1209 nr Findon
TQ1609 Steyning Bowl
TQ2107 Mill Hill
TQ2412 nr Fulking
TQ3507 Newmarket Hill
TQ3608 nr Kingston
TQ3909 nr Lewes
TQ4004 nr Telscombe
TQ4306 nr Rodmell
TQ4501 Newhaven
TQ4738 nr Hartfield
TQ5033 nr Friar’s Gate
TQ6712 nr Boreham Street
TQ7624 nr Bodiam
TQ8325 Northiam
TQ8719 Udimore

The survey will require three visits between the middle of April and the end of June to map the locations of displaying or breeding waders. Simple habitat and land management measures will also be recorded during the fieldwork. Surveyors will need to be able to identify common wader species by sight and sound, and also to be familiar with display and territorial behaviour. Please contact Helen Crabtree at hcrabtree@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer to survey one of the sites listed above or would like more information.

The Annual General Meeting is fast approaching and we are looking for members to fill the following Council roles:

Secretary:  This is a pivotal role within the Society. Would suit someone with good organisational skills, to take the minutes of Council meetings (5 a year) and look after the day to day correspondence of the Society.

Newsletter Editor:  The Editor produces four newsletters a year. Most articles are written by members; the Editor has to make sure there is enough suitable material, obtain more if needed and look for and obtain permission to use photographs. The material has to be drawn together, edited if necessary, and pasted up in desk top publishing software (Adobe InDesign) for which training will be given.

Editor of Sussex Bird Report; This post falls vacant in 2021, but it would be really helpful if someone could shadow the current Editor this year to learn the ropes.  The Sussex Bird Report is our flagship annual publication and we need someone who can co-ordinate the team of writers, and keep to deadlines – and do a lot of chasing!

Council members are invited to attend five meetings a year and also to contribute thoughts and suggestions to all aspects of the many interesting and varied aspects of the Society.  You will be given full help and support from Council to help you settle into the role.  No matter how large or small you feel that the amount of time is that you can offer, all existing SOS Council and committee members would agree that volunteering to get involved at any level in helping to run SOS is a really worthwhile and beneficial experience, and you get to know a really nice team of people as well.  To find out more about what is involved in supporting SOS by becoming an active part of an SOS committee, please contact Chris Davis via secretary@sos.org.uk

The breeding season is already underway for some birds. Please respect the special protection for species listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (see list here).

For scarce breeding species in Sussex, please consider carefully the risks of disturbance before reporting sightings on social media, including this website, unless the sites are well-known and protected. If in doubt please contact me at recorder@sos.org.uk.  If entering records on BirdTrack consider marking them as “sensitive”. In addition, please avoid publicising locations of nests of other species that could be vulnerable to disturbance. And if you are lucky enough to find something really rare that might be breeding, please also avoid publicity, at least until protective measures, where practicable, have been put in place.

We do want records of scarce breeding species as well as of commoner species, including as much breeding evidence as possible for all species. Providing breeding evidence is really important for conservation purposes. We receive all BirdTrack data including breeding evidence provided that you have authorised the BTO to pass us your records.

If you find a new potential breeding site for a scarce breeder, please do let me know straight away at recorder@sos.org.uk to help ensure that annual coverage is as complete as possible. For Stone-curlews, we can actually make a difference to nesting success if we know that a breeding attempt is in progress and can liaise with the farmer, so please report sightings to the RSPB Stone-curlew Project Team Richard.Black1@rspb.org.uk and for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, for which a long-term project is underway to monitor breeding success, please inform Ken Smith at ken.smith.lsw@gmail.com.

Many thanks.

Mark Mallalieu
SOS Recorder and Chair of Scientific Committee

The society apologises for the incorrect headings in the table showing the results from the recent three seasons for the Sussex Winter Bird Survey in the 2018 Sussex Bird Report (pages 205-208). The three columns for each season should be headed:

Column 1 (% of squares): is the percentage of 1-km squares (to the nearest whole number) in which that species was recorded.

Column 2 (Av Enc/Occ Sq): is the average number of encounters to one decimal place that have been noted during both the early and late survey for any square in which that species was detected (please note this may be the same bird encountered in both the early and the late survey).

Column 3 (total encountered): represents the total encounters recorded of that species during SWBS for that winter period. In all cases, this represents the sum of the early survey plus the late survey and may include two recordings of the same bird.

An empty cell indicates the species was not recorded during either survey period for that specific winter.