RSPB North West Surrey Local Group letter 2016 - 4 Group Web Site -* rspb.org.uk/groups/nwsurrey

Bird Boxes and Tables :: Ins & Outs :: Nature Ramblings :: Future Events COMMITTEE CHAT

Around 600 bird species have been recorded in the UK. Many of course are common residents or migrants, others are vagrants, losing their way and ending up accidentally on our shores. As previously unrecorded species turn up, the number grows. In July, our very own Western Palearctic specialist, Frank Clark discovered a new species for the UK at Minsmere, a western swamphen.

Swamphens are colourful birds, found in wetlands around the world and are divided into a number of different species. Frank's bird is indigenous to southern Europe and is frequently encountered in Spain and Portugal but none has previously been recorded here. Read Frank's report of this memorable event, and look out for confirmation that the record of a genuine wild bird is accepted by the rarities committee.

Our group continues to be active in the community and, under the enthusiastic events leadership of Mick Cooper, has had stands at events at Knaphill, Cobham, and at the Woodfest at RHS Wisley. All were very successful and as well as being great fun, raised awareness of the RSPB and our group and of course raised valuable funds for the Society. Thanks to all who have contributed to the success of these events.

The group has recently carried out a marketing exercise by sending about 200 mail shots to recent new members of the RSPB living in the group's catchment area, with a view to increasing our membership. The mail shot provided information about the group, and a copy of our newsletter was included. Now if that doesn't make them want to join the group I don't know what will! Already we have had some positive responses so hopefully we shall soon see some new faces. No money was spent on postage thanks to the generosity of many members who volunteered to deliver envelopes in their area.

Shirley Scott has decided to stand down from her role as Secretary, and also from the committee. Shirley was responsible for the spring fayre in May and we are grateful to her for this and for the many other services she provided. Hopefully, Shirley and Nigel will continue to be regular attendees at our meetings.

I am delighted therefore to report that we have two new committee members; Anthony Groves who will take on the Secretary role and Geoff Keen. They will further strengthen our excellent team.

Do read this newsletter, and make a point of coming to our indoor and outdoor meetings. There is a lot to enjoy.

Don’t forget our Quiz Night in January, and make sure you book your place early, as the next Newsletter won’t be out before the quiz.

In closing this chat, the Committee would like to wish the members a very Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year, and we thank you for your support during the year.

The Committee.

Please note the FINAL CUT OFF DATE for the next issue is THE LAST WEEKEND of January 2017.

The views expressed by contributors to this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Committee, the Editor, or the RSPB. 1 * 6 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu Purple Swamphen * RSPB Minsmere – 31st July 2016

At 06.30 on Sunday morning, we were heading north to Walberswick, from Ashford in Middlesex. Our regular site in the New Forest for honey buzzard had been unproductive this year and as the bird at Westwood Lodge seemed to be quite reliable, we thought we would give it a try. We arrived there at 09.10, to hear that the honey buzzard had drifted south, some ten minutes earlier. Deciding to give it a go anyway, we headed on foot towards Westwood Lodge. We were there for only a few minutes, when we spotted the honey buzzard. It drifted slowly towards us from the south and then flew low over our heads, giving some excellent views. Returning to the car, we set off for Minsmere, booked in at the visitors centre and picked up a list of recent sightings. First stop was the breeding stone curlews and after approximately 15 minutes, we got views of one of the youngsters but it quickly disappeared behind a ridge. Moving on, we visited the east hide and then the public viewpoint. Waders on the scrape included green sandpiper, spotted redshank and ruff. Having a quick look at the sea, we passed the sluice and headed to the flooded area in the Konik field. The reeds at the edge of the pool were very high and viewing was a little difficult. However, when the wind blew the reeds down, we managed to see both green & common sandpiper plus a water rail dashing between a gap in the reeds. Then a small wagtail landed on the mud. It had two very distinct white wing bars, was pale in the face, had a solid black bill, an obvious white throat, was grey on the back and it was clearly white under the tail. Getting my friend onto the bird, we watched it for between, five to eight minutes when it flew out of view, into the corner of the pool – calling twice. There was no doubt; this was a juvenile citrine wagtail. Despite assistance from three RSPB staff / volunteers, we were unable to relocate the bird. I decided to move on to check the other pools nearby, to see if the bird had moved to one of them. Reaching the pool behind south hide, my heart stopped. Sitting in the open, in front of the reeds preening, was a large blue bird, with long pink legs (un-ringed). The bird had a large white rear, and had a large red frontal lobe and bill. I believe I actually shouted “purple swamphen”. You’re mad, was what I heard next, it’s a moorhen!! It then went slightly bizarre for several minutes, with me being told by a number of people that it was a moorhen, whilst all the time I was thinking, I need to get the news out now. Fortunately, a moorhen kindly swam in front of the preening bird and several shouts went up - oh my god, it’s a

2 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu swamphen!! At this point, I called the news through to RBA and then again and again, as it wasn’t coming out on the pager. I began trying to find someone with a camera good enough to get a picture. Twenty or so people and no decent camera between them!! At this point, one of the RSPB staff / volunteers who had tried to find the citrine wagtail with me appeared. Frantically trying to get him over to me, he said “have you re-found it?” “No, I have found a purple swamphen”. The disbelief on his face was a picture, but after looking through the scope, he was straight onto the radio. During the radio transmission, the word un-ringed became ringed. The bird then disappeared into the reeds, with no decent picture taken. It did not reappear for some time, in fact not until after I left at 3.00 pm (had friends coming for dinner at 6.00) but as others appeared comments such as “I have heard if it gets too deep in the water it will drown”. I asked why? Because it has so many rings on it!! I quickly corrected this – this bird is un-ringed. During the wait for it to reappear, I heard someone mention that the day before they had seen a bird for a split second, before it disappeared into the reeds. They said that they thought it was just a large moorhen and they had never followed it up. It is possible that the bird had been present since at least the 30th July. As the news spread and more people arrived, I was over the moon to hear the mega-alert on the pager go off, whilst I was driving home. My friend read out the message and I knew that the bird had been seen again and that someone must have got a picture of it. Reaching home, a minute late, I quickly logged on to see if any pictures had been posted. There was at least one on Birdguides and I think three on RBA!! The origin of the bird will obviously come under extreme scrutiny but I hope that finally, purple swamphen will make it on to the British List. Frank Clark Picture taken by Graham Jepsom Our next three Indoor Meetings

Wednesday 23rd November 2016 The Birds of Ancient Egypt, by John Wyatt. John is both an Egyptologist and ornithologist and has combined his specialisms to discover 245 species recorded from the age of the pharaohs. Hear how birds were selected for hieroglyphs, as food, in art, and for mummification.

Wednesday 25th January 2017 Back from the Brink, by Andrew Cleave. The inspirational story of the rescue of the Bermuda Petrel from the brink of extinction. The talk will also cover the colourful wildlife of the islands including some endemic birds, migrants, butterflies and marine life in this idyllic spot.

Wednesday 22nd February 2017 Sri Lanka, Jewell in the Indian Ocean, by Chris Ward. A welcome return visit by Chris Ward, this time treating us to the landscapes and wildlife of this lovely island. Chris's images have delighted us in the past so we are guaranteed a welcome escape from winter blues. Come along to our new venue, * Christ The Prince Of Peace Church Hall, Portmore Way, WEYBRIDGE, Surrey, KT13 8JD. The doors open at 7.15 pm for 7.45 to 10 pm meeting. Parking is available just outside. Bird Boxes and Bird Tables

I am sure that many of you have seen the rather fine bird boxes that we sell at the Spring Fayre, our indoor meetings and outdoor events. Also you may have noticed the amazing bird table that is 1st prize in the raffle at the Spring Fayre every year. This has all been going on for as long as I have been involved in the Group so I thought I would try and find out a little more and share this with you. The bird boxes and tables are made by Ron Jackson who is a long standing member of our Group and I asked him how he made them and where he sourced the wood. He replied, ‘the wood that I use is iroko (chlorophora excelsa) also known as kambala or odum, it is an extremely durable wood so it is ideal for external use e.g. nest boxes, but on the down side it gives off a nasty dust. I collect the wood when they are ripping out laboratories to modernise them to replace them with chipboard/formica type worktops, these come in at up to one metre wide and about four metres long, they are joined up with random width boards of between 100 mm and 300 mm. The first thing is to rip down the joins on my circular saw and then any planks that are about 150 mm wide I keep to one side for nest boxes. The wood is about 30 mm thick and covered in holes, scratches and even peoples names carved into it, so needs to be put through my planer several times until it is down to 18 mm. I then take the

3 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu long lengths and cross cut them to the correct size and start the drilling, gluing and screwing process. I do not do all this in one go, just a bit now and then and I normally do four boxes at a time which could take a couple of weeks as students will keep coming in and disturbing me (what a cheek!). Our detailed financial records only go back to 2002/3 and thanks to Angela, our Treasurer, for providing the following information:- 54 bird boxes have been sold at indoor meetings raising £558. A further 36 have been sold at other events raising an additional £376. This makes a remarkable total of 90 boxes sold raising an amazing £934 over the last 14 years for which we have detailed records. I think we can safely assume that since starting to make these boxes, Ron’s incredible efforts have raised well over £1000 for the RSPB. In addition to this he has made at least 14 magnificent bird tables for the Spring Fayre. I am sure you will all join me giving a huge thank you to Ron for all his generous efforts over the years. Ron will be retiring this year and we now only have two boxes left. I thought we should do something special with these boxes and I will let you have more details at a future indoor meeting. Ron's outstanding contribution was suitably honoured by the RSPB by a presentation at our October meeting. Alan Sharps Photo of Ron with his nest boxes by Mick Cooper If I were a swift… Common swifts are usually colonial nesters. In Britain, the species is in decline as a Summer visitor and breeder. Modern housing does not make swifts welcome. My childhood was lived on a small council estate in Godalming. A colony of swifts occupied some of the houses, which were of an unusual design with completely open eaves. How I wish I could still now marvel at screaming parties over the gardens on warm, light evenings, as I did when a boy. Imagine yourself a swift looking for a new nesting place. Here is a hole just big enough to admit you, high on a vertical wall. A dry space is within. Your instincts tell you it is big enough, dry, and seems safe from predators and from animals dangerous because they don’t think what they do (humans, for example). It is in fact safe because it is completely enclosed, and should stay dry because it has drainage holes. You observe it has a depression just right for lining as a nest and grooves in the floor to aid movement—indeed all you want short of a supply of edible insects on tap. In fact, you are inside one of the special bricks which the RSPB and one of the big house-builder firms, working in collaboration, have recently made available. These devices cannot, presumably, be easily added to an existing wall, but are intended to be built in as part of the house construction. What a clever idea. I wish I had thought of it. Some fortunate swifts will be very pleased someone else did. David Shenton

I typed a search on the internet for ‘Swift Bricks’ and found the RSPB info page came up to read. For more info and at a starter page have a look at - * https://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/swift-bricks_tcm9-397697.pdf Geoff the Ed

4 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu The Ins and the Outs Mid-week Walk at * Staines Reservoirs Tuesday 23rd August 2016 Weather: Hot and sunny with a gentle (and much appreciated) cooling southerly breeze, 27C. Not ideal weather for migration as, with perfect conditions, the birds could just keep on going but there were a few treats in store for our small but select band. Two dragonflies that were patrolling the car park were tentatively identified as migrant hawkers by their colour. Highlights of the walk were several common sandpipers, six eclipse plumage shovelers, a small flock of linnets and several family parties of pied wagtails. Most productive was the breeding raft, which still held some young black-headed gulls and common terns being fed by their parents as well as a rather unexpected turnstone and either a ringed or little ringed plover. A dark looking tern fishing over the reservoir also eventually landed on the raft and proved to be a juvenile black tern, my first for several years. After further scanning a small group of lapwings was found on the west bank, along with a grey heron. That was about it for the morning, although we had another brief view of a common sandpiper as we walked back to the car park, where we became very aware how warm the day had become as we descended the ramp and lost the cooling breeze. Peter Hambrook Peter’s photo of turnstone taken in Norfolk in 2011 .

* Pennington and Keyhaven in the sunshine Sunday 11th September 2016 A beautiful September Sunday saw a small but select group join me to explore the lagoons, marsh and intertidal mudflats of Pennington and Keyhaven, nestled just south of the wonderful New Forest and with the downs of the Isle of Wight as the backdrop. Having parked at the rather bijou (small and crowded) car park pretty much between the two parts of the reserve(s), we spent the morning exploring the Keyhaven side including the delightfully named Fishtail Lagoon. This area of rather shallow water gave us our first greenshank of the day, three of them to be precise with two following each other closely in a slightly odd looking feeding pattern, almost sifting through the water as a shoveler would. This end of the lagoon was otherwise dominated by Canada geese but walking up onto the sea wall that protects the marsh and peering over the top, gave us a number of close turnstone and dunlin, very close in fact and seemingly oblivious to the birders, dog walkers cyclists and children, all noisily occupying the sea wall path. The chance to look at these waders close up is always a great thing and brings home just how beautiful these small waders really are, even in winter (some partially so) plumage; a subtle mix of browns, blacks, grey's with a range of pale buffs and whites in streaks and scallops and diamonds. These were joined by ringed plover and the much more wary redshank, not much in the way of close up views of those at this stage. Black tailed godwits are another regular feature, all now solidly in winter dress and

5 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *3 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu wading through some deeper water and creating pretty circles in the water as they went. As ever, little egrets were common across both marshes, comfortably outnumbering the grey heron population. Having enjoyed the slow walk along the sea wall, it was back to the car park via the more direct public footpath, sometimes accompanied by swallows and the odd house martin, stocking up on the local insect life before the long journey to Africa. Lunch was enlivened by watching various visitors attempt tight parking manoeuvres in the bijou parking space before heading back towards the tidal area, but heading east along Pennington Marsh, passing a rare sight indeed these days, a lone corn bunting occupying the hedge along the first part of the afternoon walk. Other passerines were represented by meadow pipit, linnet and goldfinch amongst others. Star passerine for the day was probably wheatear, we had seen one in the morning and found another three towards the end of the walk, perched expertly on barbed wire and like the swallows, getting ready for the long journey south. The tide was on the rise and that was beginning to thin out the birdlife a little. More close waders were nonetheless still with us, joined at more of a distance by small numbers of grey plover, some with summer plumage still partially visible, oystercatchers and curlew. Looking much further out, on a long spit heading in the general direction of the Isle of Wight, half a dozen eider were hauled out just a little way from the local cormorants. Wildfowl were not a massive feature today but we also had some young shelduck, two low flying teal and the odd mallard. In all, we had enjoyed a lot of late summer sunshine, in a beautiful location and with some excellent and often close birdlife, a nice start to the 2016/17 outdoor season. Moving further round, we added a lone bar tailed godwit to the day’s wader tally. Neil Bew Photo of dunlin by Neil Bew

WeBS Around Thorpe Park Sunday 18th September 2016 The season started with the September count around Thorpe. These counts will continue throughout the winter at dates during October November December January February and March. It was considered that as these are not strictly walks or group events, that only the most general detail should be placed here. If you are interested in helping with the annual winter survey, please contact Peter Hambrook.

Mid-week Walk at the * London Wetland Centre, Barnes Wednesday 21st September 2016 Weather: Warm with sunny periods 21C Although this visit was timed with departing summer visitors in mind, it was actually early arrivals of winter visitors that were more obvious, with good numbers of teal and wigeon and a scattering of pochard, pintail, gadwall and shoveler. Lapwing too were much in evidence and even a snipe showed briefly. One of the local peregrines put in an appearance, as did a hobby - the few house martins that were still present managed to keep out of its way. Residents seen included little grebes, great crested grebes, a young green woodpecker, grey herons, cormorants, black-headed, herring and common gulls. Passerines were rather thin on the ground but several Cetti’s warblers were heard, as was a robin, while a chaffinch and a great tit were around the feeders. Non- native birds were ring-necked parakeets and three Egyptian geese. Barnes is a good site for dragonflies but this late in the season only southern hawkers and common darters were noted. A brief visit to the Asian short-clawed otters feeding session on the way back to the cars revealed that there are now only two otters remaining out of the 3-4 that used to be here. Peter Hambrook Photo of a pintail, taken at Slimbridge last January, by Peter Hambrook

6 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu NWS Regular Meeting Birds in a Cage, by Derek Neimann Wednesday 26th September 2016 Derek Niemann, worked for the RSPB for 25 years, latterly as editor of their young ornithologists magazine, before taking the plunge to become a full time writer. He now writes a fortnightly column in The Guardian on nature related topics. His talk covered the subject of his first book, Birds in a Cage, the story of four distinguished ornithologists taken prisoner of war by the Nazis and incarcerated for the duration of hostilities. This was not a talk embellished by glorious bird photographs. Rather it had its sombre moments as four disparate individuals sought solace from their plight in the very limited bird life visible from the camps. Sometimes only a few crows could be seen, at others waves of migrants crossed the skies. The spring was occupied staring at a nest, goldfinch, wryneck, or redstart, and making exhaustive notes on the comings and goings of the birds. If this all sounds rather dry, the talk certainly was not. Derek was quick to pick up on the humorous aspects of their predicament and their gallows humour attitude towards it. At one stage he crawled under a table to illustrate an attempted escape by tunnel, and at others used a variety of accents, some more convincing than others, quoting German guards and Scottish birdwatchers. Life in a prisoner of war camp was brought to life for us and the talk was illustrated by poignant slides of letters home, interior and exterior shots of the camps, our heroes in military uniform or birding gear, together with other memorabilia of the time. The second half of the talk covered the lives of the men after the war and the essential part they played in spreading the message about nature. Peter Conder, a diffident man became a triumphantly successful leader of the RSPB, George Waterston championed the protection of the newly returned ospreys to Loch Garten, John Barrett spent many years as warden at Skokholm island off the Pembrokeshire coast and John Buxton became a prolific nature writer. For all their successes however, all four were emotionally scarred for life by their experiences and this lent a rather bittersweet tone to the evening. Derek's talk was a departure from the norm and was much appreciated by a good turn out. There is no doubt that our excellent new venue added considerably to the enjoyment of an excellent presentation. Ken Sutton WeBS Around Thorpe Park Sunday 16th October 2016 Of note this time, there was a first at Thorpe this month - never recorded here before was a Jack snipe. Five kingfisher were seen as well! Mid-week Walk at * Papercourt Wednesday 19th October 2016 Weather: Fine and dry but a stiff northerly wind. 13C There was a decent turn-out for this walk around the lock and surrounding countryside. The field opposite the car park held an unusually high number of stock doves gathered in one favoured area, along with a few Egyptian geese, Canada geese and numerous jackdaws, rooks and carrion crows. Crossing the water meadows to the lock, we found a few stonechats on the way, while the lock produced a grey wagtail for some, and a look across the Papercourt Water Meadows reserve revealed one of the resident kestrels plus a red kite overhead, before we walked along the canal path to the Tannery Lane bridge. The Papercourt Farm area, being more sheltered, did produce the resident flock of house sparrows plus starlings, goldfinches and a song thrush, all bathing in a large puddle. Heading towards the sailing club, we managed a limited view of the Papercourt Marshes reserve which added shoveler, little grebe and wigeon to the list plus a briefly seen wren and great spotted woodpecker. The sailing lake held black-headed gulls, two common gulls, gadwalls, coots, moorhens and great crested grebes. Peter Hambrook Photo of a goldfinch also by Peter Hambrook

7 *2 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu My Local Patch Our local patch is * Penton Hook Island which offers a good variety of species, probably the best time to visit being spring and early summer. The only way on to the island is from Penton Hook lock and, as you cross over the second part of the weir, it’s worth looking out for grey wagtails especially at the sides of the “spillway”. Once on to the island, you have a choice of going either left or right. The right hand path often gives good views of kingfishers flying up and down the river. Just over seven years ago, the Environment Agency (EA) decided to try and make the island a bit more of a nature reserve rather than a dog exercise area. One action the EA took was to construct a fish spawning channel around the north-west corner effectively bypassing the main weir. Many of the locals (myself included) were dubious as to whether this really was the intention rather than the EA making sure it spent all it’s budget prior to the end of the financial year. However, the spawning channel has turned out to offer an excellent habitat and nesting area for kingfishers, the small bridge over the channel also offers the possibility of seeing them. Continuing on eventually leads to an open area offering good views of the river as well as literally putting you within sight and sound of Thorpe Park. The path continues back into the wooded area (look out for great spotted woodpeckers) passing an open area on the left that the EA tried to make into a wetland area where nesting swans can often been seen. Unfortunately, the floods a few years ago left it more of a mudbank but the surrounding trees and bushes seem popular with song thrushes. The path eventually brings you back to the weir. There are a number of paths that lead across to the more open middle of the island and it is worth exploring these. The surrounding shrubbery is good for blackcap, chiffchaff, whitethroat and warblers; keep a lookout overhead for red kite which are regular visitors. Alan Pugh Photo of a kingfisher by RSPB Images

What the Devil ! Tasmanian devils are the largest living marsupial carnivore as well as being Australia's only specialised mammalian scavenger. Endemic to Tasmania, they fill a similar niche to brown hyenas or wolverines consuming all parts of a carcass except the largest bones. Around 95% have carbon black fur with asymmetrical and individual white markings on the chest, flank and the base of tail; no two are the same. The remaining 5% are all black. Physically, devils are approximately the size of a solid squat dog; males being generally larger at 8-10 kg (17–22 lbs) whilst females average 6-7kg (13-15 lbs). They have a hyena like stance due to the rear limbs being shorter than the front; their gait is very unusual with the front limbs moving independently of each other in a left right pattern whilst the back legs move together. In terms of food, devils are opportunistic predators, killing weak and injured animals in preference to fit and healthy specimens which require long and dangerous pursuits. They will also scavenge carrion, invertebrates, fish, birds, fruit and vegetation as well as predate on smaller or naive mammalian prey. Young devils are much more agile climbers than adults so their diet includes arboreal mammal and invertebrate species, birds and eggs. Devils are solitary by nature and hunt alone; however, a number of animals will congregate on a carcass making a lot of noise and squabbling although most of this is ritualised threat display or bluff. Their dens range from hollow logs, dense vegetation, thick grass tussocks and caves to abandoned wombat burrows as well as burrows that the devils dig themselves. A female can mate with between 1 and 4 males over a 10 day period and, unusually for a marsupial, it is not necessarily the same male that sires the whole litter; this optimises the genetic strength of the offspring. The gestation period averages 21 days and between 18 and 40 foeti may be born over a one hour period each one about the size of a grain of rice; however, only a maximum of 4 young can be raised 8 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu in the rearward facing pouch. The theory is that if a foetus can complete the journey from cloaca to pouch and fuse to a teat, it is highly likely that it will have a good chance of survival once it becomes independent. The young stay in the pouch for a period of around 16 weeks before being deposited in the den. Initially, they are on a milk diet; however, within about two weeks the female starts to wean them and, around 20 weeks after leaving the pouch, the young are independent. Mortality in juvenile devils is very high - around 75% dying within 12-14 months through starvation and predation from introduced pest species, masked owls and spotted-tailed quolls. With adult devils, mortality usually comes through an inability to compete, typical causes being a loss of mobility through weakened and worn joints or worn and damaged teeth. Both juveniles and adults have a high mortality rate on roads especially from December to March when there are high levels of competition for food and they are drawn to road kill. Dogs and feral pests can also have a huge impact. Tasmanian devils are now classified as being a vulnerable or threatened species because of the many threats to their survival. Unsurprisingly, most threats are associated with the human population e.g. urbanisation and forestry reducing habitat, persecution from landowners; however, arguably the most significant threat is devil’s face tumour disease - but that’s a whole other story. (To be continued) Information and photo provided by:- devils@cradle, Tasmanian Devil Sanctuary, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania; * www.devilsatcradle.com.

Did You Know ? :- Raptors, most owls (including 87% of barn owls) and even hedgehogs contain rat poison. According to a recent bulletin from the UK Health & Safety Executive – Chemicals Regulation Directorate, the EU looks set to ban the sale of all anti-coagulant rat poisons to “amateur” users from 30th June 2018. From 1st April 2017, “professional” users e.g. farmers, gamekeepers, pest controllers will have to meet the requirements of the new Stewardship Regime which requires proof of attendance at an approved training scheme. Time will tell whether the above measures will lead to more “responsible” use of rat poisons and a gauge of that will be the levels of rat poison in dead barn owls. (Source: The Barn Owl Trust Feedback Spring 2016)

Did You Know ? :- There is an area in Eastern Europe where wildlife is starting to thrive. Deer, elk, wild boar, wild pigs and wolf sightings are all increasing in numbers. Also, brown bears, European bison and lynx have all returned to the area. Tour operators are starting to organize short trips there; however, before you rush off to book, it’s important to note that the area is Chernobyl. Personally, I’m going to wait 20,000 years until the radiation level falls to a safe level. (Source: Wanderlust Travel Magazine April 2016)

RSPB items London bat case Fines and costs for bat roost removal cost developers more than £5,000. On 17 September 2015, City and Westminster Developments of Aston Mews, 103 Kilburn Lane, London, W10 4AN, pleaded guilty at Hendon Magistrates' Court to destroying bat roosts at Great North Way, Barnet, contrary to Regulation 41 of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. The company was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay £85 costs plus a victim surcharge of £450. In order to develop an area of land, City and Westminster Developments wanted to demolish four buildings. Bat surveys were undertaken, with roosts identified in three of the buildings. Despite being aware of the roosts, on 19 August 2014, demolition of one building took place, destroying a common pipistrelle roost. This case is of significance as it is the first prosecution of this nature within the Metropolitan Police area. The Bat Conservation Trust is grateful to DC Sarah Bailey of the force's Wildlife Crime Unit and to the CPS for its work on this case. Article sourced from RSPB Publication, ‘Legal Eagle’, March 2016, issue 78 Photo from the same article by Rosie Corner, entitled: ‘A common pipistrelle roost was destroyed when one of the buildings was demolished’.

9 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu Cryptic Bird Quiz - 2

1 PC Plod keeps stopping him ? 2 Musically a thief ? 3 Looking for a white jewel ? 4 Named after the man trying to turn back the tide ? 5 Played for England and Nottingham Forest ? 6 Evening beer ? 7 Sharp shooter a bit short ? 8 Old prisoner ? 9 Dan Dare and Mekon were in it ? 10 Sounds like extra chicken ? 11 RN pirate ship? 12 Has a laughing call from Oz ? 13 Telephoned a wader ? 14 Sounds as though it sticks well ? 15 Scottish musician in the dunes ? 16 Has sun burned legs ? 17 Invoice for soup utensil ? 18 Sequel to Goldfinger ? 19 Wise bird from a farm building ? 20 Larger than the song version ?

This Quiz was set by Alan Pugh.

Answers are on the next page.

10 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *1 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu Did you miss these Snippets from the BBC ? Photos from the corresponding BBC article / page.

Why these little birds are being hunted Hundreds of thousands of migrating songbirds are killed every year, but police are fighting back. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37556946

Migrating birds 'more reluctant to leave UK' suggests Fair Isle study Migrating birds such as swallows and house martins are increasingly reluctant to leave the UK and return to Africa, a study on Shetland's Fair Isle has suggested. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-37484437

Origami bird gets BBC reporter in a flap An origami bird that can be controlled with gestures is on show at the Ceatec technology exhibition in Japan. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37568222

'Flying ivory' hornbill bird gains extra protection An Asian bird species under threat for its ivory like helmet has gained extra protection at the Cites conference in Johannesburg. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37483535

Rare nightjar enjoys record year in Dumfries and Galloway Numbers of one of Scotland's rarest birds have reached their highest recorded level in Dumfries and Galloway. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-37562127

Exmoor Zoo penguin deaths may be malaria The deaths of every penguin at a zoo may have been caused by a disease spread by migratory birds. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-37483925

Thousands of birds flee after firework scare Tens of thousands of pink-footed geese have been scared away from an Angus nature reserve after fireworks were set off there. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-37774049

The Earliest Birds Probably ‘Quacked’ The oldest fossilized remains of a syrinx, a bird’s equivalent of a voice box, has been described. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04b3myz

Parrot fossil unearthed in Siberia A parrot fossil has been unearthed in Siberia - the furthest north one of these birds has ever been found, a study reports.

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-37764327

20 Mistle thrush Mistle 20 10 Moorhen 10

19 Barn owl Barn 19

9 Eagle 9 Smilers

18 Goldeneye 18

8 Grey lag Grey 8 Why did the chicken say

17 Spoonbill 17

7 Snipe 7 ‘Meow, oink-oink, bow-wow

16 Redshank 16

6 Nightjar 6 and moo’?

He was studying foreign languages! foreign studying was He 15 Sandpiper 15 5 Woodcock 5

14 Barnacle goose Barnacle 14

4 Knot 4 You know, these really ARE getting worse?

13 Ringed Plover Ringed 13

3 Oystercatcher 3 I’ll bet you can do better - send your Smiler in to

12 Kookaburra 12

2 Magpie 2 the Ed. Don’t worry if you can’t, I still have

11 Frigate 11 1 Noddy 1 LOADS more… Quiz answers - how did you do?

11 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *10 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu Nature Ramblings

The Humboldt Squid If like me, when you hear the word 'Humboldt', you will be immediately drawn to think of the Humboldt Penguin. Well, this is a birding group after all, so I’ll forgive you, but I am taking a tangent to relate some details about the Humboldt Squid. The Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas), is also known variously as jumbo squid, jumbo flying squid, pota, or diablo rojo. This creature is among the largest of squids (with it's mantle length recorded being 1.5 m or 4.9 feet), it is predatory, and lives in waters of the Humboldt Current in the eastern Pacific Ocean. They can weigh up to 50 kg or 100 lb. They have been known to be aggressive to humans for uncertain reasons, perhaps during feeding time frenzies. They usually travel in shoals of up to 1,200 individuals, and can swim at speeds up to 24 kmh, or 15 mph. They possess bioluminescent photophores and can rapidly change their body colour (metachrosis). They are known to flash red and white while hunting giving rise to another name in Spanish - diablo rojo, or 'red devil'. The colour changes can rapidly cycle through many shades, which may be too fast for the human eye to see the transitions, Life time of these squid is usually about one year, but larger individuals have bee noted to attain about two years. Their usual depth is between 200 and 700 metres (660 to 2,300 feet). Their usual range is between Tierra del Fuego to California. They are fished commercially, most commonly in Mexico and Peru. The squid serve the European market, mainly Spain, Italy, France and Ireland, and also Russia, China, Japan, South East Asia and increasingly both North and South Americas. The photo on the right depicts a fisherman with his 52 lb specimen caught. No details were given to name or date, but impressive! All info was sourced from Wikipedia. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt_squid Also found under the BBC - Steve Backley hunted this creature in his BBC Deadly-60 programmes. * http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00kf6jh Please feel free to look at the web sites shown and clickable above. There may well be others you can find on the internet as well. Geoff Porter

12 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *3 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu

From my Spiel Chucker, but not at Thorpe… Hello again, I don’t think I’ve been squeezed too much this time so I’ll give you a quick reminder of the electronic newsletter. The printed newsletter is exactly the same as the electronic version, excepting you cannot click on the links within it. The front page has a banner at the top where you can click the text to take you to the relevant page/section. Every page has a Menu box on the top right. A click on this will send you straight back to the top of the front page. Most items or events scattered in the newsletter will have an asterisk in front of the text, or even within the article. This designates a point to click for more information. Some photos also have a clickable section - my ugly mug above has one such ‘hotspot’. Most names, and all Officers will have hotspots for quick email address. There are NO single pixel, or point, hotspots which could possibly be a spurious link which I advise you to NEVER click on. All of the ones I have placed in the newsletter will be of a size relative to the text or the photo. Also, if you were to hover your mouse pointer over a hotspot, you should find that the pointer will change shape and the link will show in a text box below your pointer, obviously this depends on your own computer settings. There is a blue button at the bottom left of each page. This has a graphic of a computer mouse on its top, and an asterisk with a number alongside it on the body. This is just an advisory symbol showing how many hotspots are inserted on that page. Note that you cannot click on this! Now then, with all this going on, I still have to fill the newsletter every quarter. Sometimes it seems that I will fail as items, articles and information don’t arrive with me. Other times there seems too much and it becomes a real squeeze to get everything in. Thankfully so far I have managed to juggle all this and get the newsletter out and on time (just!). I could always do with more items or reports from YOUR perspective, especially if you have been doing anything ‘extra’ for wild life. For instance, do you volunteer at a nature site, take part in sponsored events, regularly help out in street collections? I am sure that other readers would appreciate a different view of RSPB supporter’s lives and the ways you help nature. If you have any other thoughts for articles or just a letter, please don’t hesitate in sending to me. I would intend to use everything that comes in to me, and thank you in advance. You will note the recipe is missing this time. There are a lot of items coming in and something had to go. There are also further items promised which will be of some interest. The article of Dickens Thames will also be rested after this issue. There is a lot more to reproduce, but perhaps you may be feeling these old items are not really relevant to this newsletter. Of course, if you think otherwise, feel free to raise an email and let me know. Geoff Porter

Welcome! We are happy to welcome three new members this time.

We look forward to meeting you at our meetings or events later in the year. Steve Andrews, Deborah and Brian Chubb

Don’t forget the ‘Free Meeting’ voucher is still available should you know of someone who could use it.

13 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *2 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu Please note: All articles contained in this news letter remain the copyright of the author and cannot be used in full or part without their express agreement.

FINAL COPY DATE FOR THE 2017 - 1st news letter RSPB North West Surrey Local Group Please let me have your items for the news letter as soon as possible, to avoid a last minute rush. Topical items should arrive with myself well before, but not later than - The group was established in 1974 and is run entirely by volunteers. We hold regular monthly indoor meetings between September and June, excluding Saturday 28th January 2017. December, at *Christ The Prince Of Peace Church Hall, Portmore Way, Items may be submitted in the usual ways which include, but are not limited to :- WEYBRIDGE, Surrey, KT13 8JD. There is ample car parking outside. TEXT / ARTICLES Outdoor meetings are held throughout the year, both locally and further afield. ● Written or typed items on paper via the post; Members of the public are welcome to attend all the indoor meetings, and at local ● Faxed copies of your work, but not photographs; and regional outdoor meetings. ● My preferred text formats are the standard office programs and text files If you would like more information, please contact our (MS Word, Wordpad, Notepad, Star Office and Open Office) etc. I also *membership secretary at the address given or visit our web site: can usually open and use files created in these and other office systems’ *rspb.org.uk/groups/nwsurrey. own publication programs where you can insert your photo as a guide to me for your preferred layout. I can also take items as a pdf file if you prefer to create one. ● I would ALWAYS ask for the photo to be sent as a separate item and at a GROUP MEMBERSHIPS & INFORMATION high resolution. ● All indoor meetings are held, by kind permission of the Church Governors, at *Christ The Prince Of Peace Church Hall, Portmore Way, WEYBRIDGE, PHOTOGRAPHS Surrey, KT13 8JD. ● Actual photographs via the post; ● Monthly meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month from ● Photos by email should be sent at a high resolution / size. My preferred September to June, excluding December. Details may be found in the size is not less than 1 mb file so I can crop if necessary. 2 mb and larger programme at the back of this newsletter. Meetings commence at 7:45 pm and are ideal, but not more than 10 Mb maximum please. finish at 10 pm. Doors are open at 7:15 pm. There should be ample parking POST, FAX OR EMAIL ? at the church. Nearby roads can also be used if necessary. Railway stations ● If you have no computer access, it should be obvious - post the items to at Weybridge and Addlestone are reasonably close too. me. ● Non-group members and Wildlife Explorers members are welcome to all ● Computer created works should ideally be sent by email. events. Wildlife Explorers members are free. All other visitors are asked to ● Via my DropBox link - please email me if you wish to use it. donate £3 towards the costs of the indoor meeting. ● ALL items can also be placed onto a CD or DVD and posted to me if you ● There is an optional donation to the group for non-members at outdoor meetings. prefer. Alternative reusable storage media such as DVDRW, CD-RW, SD ● Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult. card or USB stick are also welcome by post. (*) ● NWS Group Membership for the year 2016 - 2017 is £12 for individuals or £20 ● I can accept faxes of your work, but please avoid sending any photos by for couples. Please contact the *Membership Secretary at the address given fax - they do not reproduce well and will not be used. on the back page. Please note that you do not have to specify how you wish your article to be laid out. ● The membership year starts with the September indoor meeting, and You can of course make suggestions for paragraphs and headings etc. membership is valid from September 1st to August 31st. Membership is for the current year only although for new members it is not necessarily from their If you have a preferred other way to send items, please let me know and I’ll advise if joining date. I can utilise that method. ● Please renew promptly, either by post (please enclose a SSAE), or by (*) If you require your posted items returned, especially if sent on re-writeable media Standing Order, or at the indoor meetings. (DVD/CDRW, SD card, USB stick, etc etc), please enclose a stamped SAE, or return label and stamp (as appropriate), and I will return these item(s) once recorded We operate a grace period; however, please note:- on my computer, by the next available post. 1. Memberships that have not been renewed by the 31st I have targeted final dates for receipt of your submissions to the expected four December immediately following expiry, will be regarded Newsletters, of the last full weekends of January, April, July and October, at the as having lapsed until the due subscription is paid. very latest. 2. Anyone with a lapsed membership will be required to pay Should the newsletter become full before this date, I reserve the right to the visitor’s fee of £3 at all meetings attended, until their delay those late received items until the following newsletter. membership is renewed. I am limited to just sixteen pages as per the current layout. Due to the costs of printing 3. Anyone renewing a lapsed membership between April and post, I cannot go above this. If you are able to take the newsletter in electronic and September will NOT be entitled to the extra period format then please enquire with Alan Sharps / The Committee. given to new members. All items sent in for the news letter will be utilised wherever possible. Please respect this grace period. Finally, thank you all in advance for your valuable input. Geoff Porter, Editor

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will teem with life once again. We also play a leading role in a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations.

The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International, a partnership of conservation organisations working to give nature a home around the world.

14 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *9 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu The INs, the OUTs & The WeBS in 2016 November 2016 OUT Sun 13th (TBC) WeBS November 2016 In Weds 23rd NWS Regular Meeting - The birds of Ancient Egypt, by John Wyatt. (KS) John is both an Egyptologist and ornithologist and has combined his specialisms M 7 14 21 28 to discover 245 species recorded from the age of the pharaohs. Hear how birds T 1 8 15 22 29 Were selected for hieroglyphs, as food, in art, and for mummification. W 2 9 16 23 30 * Christ The Prince Of Peace Church Hall, Portmore Way, WEYBRIDGE, T 3 10 17 24 Surrey, KT13 8JD. F 4 11 18 25 The doors open at 7.15 pm for 7.45 to 10 pm meeting. S 5 12 19 26 Parking available just outside. S 6 13 20 27 OUT Thurs 24th * Dorney Wetlands / Jubilee River (10:00 – 13:00) 2.5 miles. (PH) We shall be looking for winter thrushes and wildfowl. Good chance of a red kite. December 2016 Meet in the small car park (please car-share if possible) on the right of the B3026 just before crossing the river channel if coming from Dorney village. GR: SU 929794. M 5 12 19 26 Loos and food available at the nearby garden centre. T 6 13 20 27 Please car share if possible at these sites as car parking is limited. W 7 14 21 28 T 1 8 15 22 29 OUT Sun 27th * Oare Marshes (NB) F 2 9 16 23 30 Get close to waders and wildfowl with good chance of harriers across this small but S 3 10 17 24 31 excellent site north of Faversham; grazing marsh, sea wall, scrapes. S 4 11 18 25 Park at GR: TR 013647 at 10.00. January 2017 December 2016 M 30 2 9 16 23 OUT Tues 13th * Farlington Marshes (10:00 - 13:00) 2.5 miles. (PH) T 31 3 10 17 24 This is our easiest to reach coastal site and offers something different from our W 4 11 18 25 usual inland walks. We will be looking for winter visitors such as geese, waders T 5 12 19 26 and, with luck, short-eared owls. Meet at reserve end of car park adjacent to the F 6 13 20 27 A27. No facilities, so you may wish to stop at the Queen Elizabeth country park en S 7 14 21 28 route.GR: SU 679044. If tides are suitable and there is interest, we could try for the S 1 8 15 22 29 purple sandpipers at Southsea Castle after lunch. Please car share if possible at these sites as car parking is limited. OUT Sun 18th WeBS February 2017 M 6 13 20 27 T 7 14 21 28 Future Events in 2017, W 1 8 15 22 More details will follow in later newsletters. T 2 9 16 23 F 3 10 17 24 (STC) Subject to Confirmation. (TBA) To Be Agreed) IN Weds 22 Mar Barry Kauffman-Wright - S 4 11 18 25 The role of the Police Wildlife Crime officer. (KS) S 5 12 19 26 2016 OUT Sat Mar 25 Tices Meadow/Thursley Common (NB) Happy Christmas Everybody ! Info Sun 26 Mar BST starts March 2017 OUT Weds Apr 19 Pulborough Brooks (PH) 2017 OUT Sun April 23 Dungeness (NB) M 6 13 20 27 OUT Sun Jan 1 Papercourt (NB) IN Weds April 26 Bruce Fowkes - T 7 14 21 28 OUT Weds Jan 11 Thorpe Park (PH) Operation Turtle Dove (KS) W 1 8 15 22 29 Event Sat 14 Jan NWS Quiz Night OUT Sat May 6 RSPB NWS Spring Fayre T 2 9 16 23 30 Out Sun 15 Jan WeBS (PH) OUT Sat May 20 Details to be confirmed (NB) F 3 10 17 24 31 IN Weds 25 Jan Andrew Cleave - OUT Tue May 23 Thursley Common (PH) S 4 11 18 25 Back from the Brink. (KS) IN Weds 24 May From Hills to High Water. The Thames S 5 12 19 26 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend (Sat 28 - Mon 30 Jan) as a Wildlife Corridor, by Brenna Boyle. (KS) OUT Sun Jan 29 Harty Ferry Plus Elmley Reserve (NB) OUT June ? (TBC) Nightjar walk - details will follow (NB) April 2017 OUT Thu Feb 9 Moor Green Lakes (PH) OUT Thu June 8 Frensham Little Pond (PH) OUT Sun 12 Feb WeBS (PH) IN Weds 28 June NWS AGM M 3 10 17 24 IN Weds 22 Feb Chris Ward - Event Sat July 1 Group BBQ - Please book early! T 4 11 18 25 Sri Lanka, Jewel In the Indian Ocean (KS) OUT Thu July 6 Bookham Common (PH) W 5 12 19 26 OUT Sun 12 Mar WeBS (PH) OUT Tue Aug 29 Barnes WWT (PH) T 6 13 20 27 OUT Weds Mar 15 Barnes WWT (PH) OUT Thu Sep 14 Staines Moor (PH) F 7 14 21 28 BST Changes on the last Sunday in March and October. S 1 8 15 22 29 S 2 9 16 23 30

© RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 15 *5 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654 Menu

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS

NORTH WEST SURREY LOCAL GROUP

YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS and OTHER CONTACTS

GROUP LEADER : Alan Sharps T. 01784 244665 E. [email protected] TREASURER : Angela Pugh T: 01784 457714 E: [email protected] SECRETARY: Anthony Groves T: 0789 1571825 E: [email protected] MEMBERSHIPS: Mick Cooper T: 01784 251708 E: [email protected] Post to - Mick Cooper, c/o 95 Station Crescent, Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 3HN.

INDOOR MEETINGS: Ken Sutton (KS) T: 01784 436098 E: [email protected] MID WEEK OUTINGS & Peter Hambrook (PH) T: 01932 346565 E: [email protected] WeBS:

WEEKEND OUTINGS: Neil Bew (NB) T: 07941 403094 E: [email protected]

COMMITTEE MEMBER: Alan Pugh T: 01784 457714 E: nwscommember@ yahoo.com COMMITTEE MEMBER: Frank Clark T: 01784 421240 E: [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBER: Diane Vowles T: 01784 430655 E: [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBER: Geoff Keen T: 01932 844329 E: [email protected]

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Geoff Porter T: 07946 419664 E: [email protected] & WEBSITE F: 07092 040983 Skype: geoff.flc Post to - Geoff Porter, c/o 12 Ashbee Close, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5HQ. General Information NEW TO BIRDWATCHING? SAFETY All are welcome at any of our outdoor meetings, but if you are While most sites visited have normal public access and are well new to bird watching please do let the leader know if you would maintained, please do take care and do not ignore any safety appreciate a little assistance. notices or instructions. Participation in outdoor meetings is CLOTHING entirely at your own risk. Please ensure that you wear appropriate clothing for the TRIP LEADERS conditions expected. Good walking boots are usually sufficient, The weekend field trips will usually be led by Neil Bew, but unless the weather has been excessively wet. Waterproofs are occasionally others may lead instead. strongly recommended if rain is forecast. Mid-week trips will usually be led by Peter Hambrook, assisted FOOD & DRINKS by our co-leader, Steve Williams. Please bring packed lunches on the all-day trips as we eat The leader will be there in all but extreme conditions. where and when we can, so that we can continue to watch birds. If in any doubt please ring the appropriate leader to check. If the weather is hot don’t forget to bring plenty to drink, as most LEADER CONTACTS of the reserves and sites we visit do not have catering facilities. For mid-week walks and for information on the WeBS, contact Peter Hambrook, 01932 346565. RESERVES For weekend walks contact Neil Bew, 07941403094. Access to most reserves is free, however some do charge admission and/or car parking fees. When visiting RSPB TRANSPORT reserves (or others if you are a member of that organisation), Most outdoor trips are by car but with very occasional coach or don’t forget to bring your membership card, otherwise you will minibus outings. If you require a lift please contact the outdoor have to pay the non-members fee which sadly is usually non- leader, who may be able to arrange this for you. refundable.

16 © RSPB North West Surrey Local Group – 2016 *12 © The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity in England and Wales no. 207076, in Scotland no. SC037654