Now is a good time of the year to consider taking part in the BTO Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), because if you take on a BBS square you will also have the option to take part in the Sussex Winter Bird Survey (SWBS) by surveying the same square over the coming winter.

The BBS is a national monitoring scheme 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 annually. 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 150 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, and some informal group practice sessions will be planned for March 2020 to which new volunteers will be invited.

The BBS squares (asterisks indicate priority squares that have been surveyed before) in Sussex which currently need volunteers for the 2020 breeding season (updated 17/12/19) are:

SU7802 Cobnor Point
SU8624 Tote Hill near Midhurst
SU9017 Heyshott*
SU9113 near East Dean*
SU9127 near Fernhurst*
SU9216 Graffham Down*
SU9228 near Blackdown*
SU9618 Coultershaw Bridge* (Waterways BBS: River Rother)
SU9705 Walberton*
SZ7996 East Wittering*
SZ8696 Pagham Harbour*
SZ8698 near Sidlesham*
TQ0124 near Kirdford*
TQ0819 near West Chiltington*
TQ1904 Lancing*
TQ2122 Cowfold*
TQ2631 Tilgate Forest*
TQ2721 near Goddard’s Green*
TQ2828 Staplefield*
TQ3304 Brighton Whitehawk
TQ4002 Telscombe*
TQ4136 Ashurst Wood*
TQ4313 Upper Wellingham*
TQ4738 near Blackham*
TQ4800 Seaford*
TQ4806 Firle Beacon*
TQ4900 Seaford*
TQ5226 near Crowborough*
TQ5228 near Crowborough*
TQ5435 near Eridge Station*
TQ5514 near Chiddingly
TQ5738 Tunbridge Wells*
TQ5901 Willingdon
TQ6419 Earl’s Down*
TQ6727 near Stonegate*
TQ7028 near Hurst Green
TQ7311 near Bexhill*
TQ8013 Baldslow*
TQ8413 near Three Oaks
TQ8518 Udimore*
TQ8613 Guestling Green
TQ8722 Peasmarsh*

For further information about the BBS, please contact:
Helen Crabtree
BTO Representative for Sussex
Phone: 01444 441687
Email: hcrabtree@gmail.com

For further information about the Sussex Winter Bird Survey, please contact:
Christine George
Email: sussex.wbs@gmail.com

Due to unforeseen circumstances the date of this walk has been changed to Thursday 10th October.

The date in the Newsletter will now be incorrect.

All other details remain the same.

SOS Fieldworkers’ meeting Saturday September 28th 2019 at 13.30 – Adastra Hall, Hassocks, BN6 8QH

This new event for SOS is for everyone who enjoys bird watching and recording and taking part in bird surveys and fieldwork in Sussex. The event is free and open to all birdwatchers.

No need to book, just come along if you’re interested!

13.15:  Doors open

13.30:  Welcome and introduction – Ken Smith

13.35:  Recent SOS survey results – Richard Black/Ken Smith

13.45:  Shorebird studies in the eastern Solent – Pete Potts

14.10:  Launch of Sussex Barn Owl Group – Barrie Watson/Terry Hallahan

14.20:  Conservation uses of bird data – Richard Cowser 14.40:  Tea or coffee & biscuits

15.20:  All the good birds of 2018/19 – what did you miss? – David Campbell

15.45:  Bird highlights from the Knepp Wilding Project – Penny  Green

16.10:  Honey-buzzards and Goshawks in Sussex – Mark Mallalieu

16.35:  National seabird census – plans for 2020 – Alison Giacomelli

16.45:  Discussion and close – Ken Smith

Travel by train – Hassocks Station is 10 minutes’ walk from the Hall. Car Parking – there is a small car park at the hall and roadside parking on Keymer Road itself. Other car parks: behind Budgen’s supermarket in Dale Road (with a parking disc, available from adjacent shops), further south in Dale Avenue adjacent to the Pauline Thaw Centre (free) and at the Railway Station.

Event organiser Ken Smith, 01243 786079, ken.smith.lsw@gmail.com

Sussex Ornithological Society Council positions are held for five years from the date of the Annual General Meeting, so we are always looking for new volunteers from the membership to get involved with the running of the Society.

In 2020, there will be vacancies for the positions of Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and Surveys and Projects Officer.   Looking further ahead to 2021, we will be looking for a new Recorder, Bird Report Editor and  Press and Publicity Officer.

As a member of Council, you would be invited to attend five evening meetings per year, and to contribute thoughts and suggestions to all aspects of the many interesting and varied aspects of running the Society.  We are a very friendly and welcoming bunch, and if you think you might be interested in a particular role that requires the completion of specific jobs or functions, then we will fully coach and support you on a trial basis, until you (hopefully) reach a point where you feel sufficiently able to take on that role in full.

We welcome any age and level of experience, so if you are interested in finding out more about SOS Council positions, then please get in touch with Chris Davis secretary@sos.org.uk, to find out more

As you may know SOS are organising a survey of breeding Turtle Doves this summer. The survey started in mid-May and I am sure many of you have already been our surveying birds. Turtle Doves are now settling into their territories and are being seen at feeding sites and are purring regularly. The SOS survey is based on a random selection of tetrads where birds were recorded during the 2008-11 atlas. We selected about 60 tetrads in total and so far we have allocated 48 of these to observers…but there are 13 where we are still looking for volunteers. As you can see from the list below, many of these are in and around Ashdown Forest where we know there are still reasonable numbers of Turtle Doves.

The survey runs from mid-May until the end of July so there is still plenty of time to get involved. The methods are very straight forward – simply check out the suitable habitat in your tetrad and listen out for purring doves. What a great way to spend a couple of early mornings in summer.

We are still looking for people to cover the following tetrads:

SU92T Ebernoe Common
SU92Z Rondwyck House, Ebernoe
TQ42E Chelwood Common
TQ42J Chelwood beacon
TQ42N Nutley
TQ43F Llama park/Pippingford
TQ43R Jumper’s Town
TQ62H Great Broadhurst Farm
TQ63D Frant Station
TQ73A Flimwell/Union Street
TQ81J Brede/Broadland Row
TQ81X Pannel Farm/Elms Farm, Pett
TQ82K Beckley Woods

If anyone is able to take on one of more of these squares please contact Ken Smith (01 243 786079 ken.smith.lsw@gmail.com) for the instructions, maps and survey forms. Thank you.

Ken Smith

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 5/5/19) 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 ALLOCATED
SU8529 Stanley Common
SU8626 Woolbeding Common ALLOCATED
SU9119 Ambersham Common
SU9129 Blackdown ALLOCATED
SU9418 Lavington Common ALLOCATED
SU9518 Duncton Common
SU9807 Rewell Wood ALLOCATED
TQ0615 Northpark Wood ALLOCATED
TQ2130 St Leonard’s Forest ALLOCATED
TQ3034 Worthlodge Forest ALLOCATED
TQ3327 River’s Wood (Balcombe) ALLOCATED
TQ4230 Chelwood ALLOCATED
TQ4233 Broadstone Warren ALLOCATED
TQ4332 Ashdown Park
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 ALLOCATED
TQ5736 Hargate Forest ALLOCATED

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

Our city-wide surveys over the last two years helped identify 105 nest sites for Brighton Swifts. Our 2019 survey will build on the data gathered since 2016 and will help our work to protect and expand existing colonies. We’ll be looking to monitor our known ‘hot-spot’ areas as well as increase coverage in other parts of the city. We need new volunteers to join our group of experienced surveyors from the last two years to help us survey swifts in Brighton during May-July to help reverse a 53% decline in populations over the last 20 years. If you live in the Brighton & Hove area and would like to help protect these fantastic birds please check out our volunteer swift surveyor role here or contact john.cuthbert@rspb.org.uk for details.

The Forestry Commission is looking for able and/or aspiring birders to help record the breeding birds of our ancient Wealden woodlands across East Sussex. If you have a good ear and eye for woodland birds and can spare a few early mornings this spring then please get in touch, we would love to hear from you.

We look after woodlands throughout East Sussex, as well as a couple in West Sussex, and can find a site to suit you. If this is something you would like to get involved with then please contact us on info.wealdbeat@forestryengland.uk or 07881501846.

Assistant Editor. We are looking for a volunteer for Assistant Editor (part of the Editorial Team) of the Sussex Bird Report.

Anyone interested in gaining a deeper insight into Sussex birds and a knowledge of preparation of the publication is invited to contact Peter Plant – breditor@sos.org for further details.

Species Account Writers. Anyone wishing to join the talented group of Species Account Writers should also contact Peter Plant before we get started on the Report for 2018.

South Downs National Trust are running a wild life camp out  for staff and volunteers on Newtimber Hill across the weekend of the 18th and 19th of May.

Is anybody interested in joining them to help record the dawn chorus?

Camping and breakfast will be provided.

Contact Helen Osorio
Membership and Visitor Welcome Manager
Helen.Fitzgerald@nationaltrust.org.uk

South Downs NT
Devil’s Dyke Estate