Reading RSPB

ON October 25 the Reading RSPB group was delighted to be able to host a Zoom lecture by Steve Menzie from the Falsterbo bird observatory in Sweden.

Steve has worked at the observatory during each spring and autumn migration season since 2012 and has been based permanently there as observatory manager since 2020.

His long experience meant that he was able to give us a detailed picture of the observatory’s work and gave a real sense of the excitement of seeing mass movements of birds.

Falsterbo’s position south of Malmö means that breeding birds from all over Scandinavia and Russia have to pass through there on their way south in autumn and north in spring.

Systematic counting of migrating birds at Falsterbo started in 1920 and has provided a mass of data.

Between two and four million birds are counted each year between August 11 and November 20 and this provides valuable data on the success of each breeding season.

The official count is provided by just two people, although the observatory is a hot spot for visiting birders from all over Europe.

The observatory also hosts visiting groups and school parties and provides courses to educate and inspire the next generation so this work that is so important for conservation continues.

On November 8 there will be a talk by Andrew Cleave on the Bermuda petrel and on December 13 we will have our annual members’ evening, with short talks by members of the group and festive food and drink.

We will kick off the new year with a talk on January 10 about the birds of Cuba. On Sunday, October 16 the group visited Keyhaven Marshes on the Hampshire coast near Lymington.

It was a lovely sunny day and we saw good numbers of ducks such as wigeon, teal and pintail, which overwinter in the marshes, as well little stint and curlew sandpiper, which pass through in the autumn.

Ruff, golden plover and grey plover added to the tally of 55 species and, as a farewell to summer, there were still around 20 to 30 swallows hawking for insects over the pools.

On Tuesday, October 18, 10 members of the group met for a walk around Hosehill Lake, a Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust reserve near Theale. There was glorious sunshine once the early mist had cleared.

Overwintering ducks were again in evidence, as were herons and little egrets. It was an excellent walk with a total of 41 species identified.

On November 15 there will be a midweek trip to Port Meadow and on Sunday, November 20, a minibus trip to the coastal RSPB reserve of Pagham Habour.

On Sunday, December 18 there will be a minibus trip to Stockers Lake, a Herts and Middlesex nature reserve, near Rickmansworth.

The last outdoor meeting of the year will be a walk at Dinton Pastures on Tuesday, December 20.

Trips in 2023 will start with a visit to Dorney Wetlands, near Windsor, on Sunday, January 15 and a trip to Bury Down, near West Ilsley, on Tuesday, January 17.

All indoor meetings are held at Pangbourne village hall and start at 8pm. Visitors are very welcome. There is an entrance fee of £5 for non-members, juniors half price. New members are always welcome with annual membership set at a modest £15 (£10 for juniors).

For more information, visit www.reading-rspb.org

Judith Clark