BBAASSIINNGGSSTTOOKKEE LLOOCCAALL GGRROOUUPP DECEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke Contents: From The Group Leader Notices What’s Happening? December’s Outdoor Meeting January’s Outdoor Meeting November’s Outdoor Meeting Namibia: To Hobatere For Mountain Zebras, Mountain Squirrels … And… “Mountain Giraffes”? Local Wildlife News Quiz Page And Finally! Charity registered in England and Wales no. 207076 From The Group Leader Welcome to the December, dare I say Christmas Newsletter! Now that the winter's truly with us, as those attending recent walks will attest to, it's surely time to once again look forward to the coming year, the meetings to attend, the wildlife to look for and enjoy, both within the presentations and out in the field, and all that the RSPB and Britain can offer. We're all very fortunate in that we live in the latter and that we have the former protecting so many areas, with our help, for wildlife, both for now and, hopefully, the future. Hopefully, once again, we'll all get the opportunity to make the most of the special sites under the protection of the Society, some of which the Local Group will be visiting, both locally and further afield on forays to Norfolk etc. in the coming year. Yet again earlier this year the Local Group placed a donation with the HQ to help with work on these sites, so if you do visit any of the c.200 reserves please do remember that your generosity continues to help maintain these, and of course the wildlife that flourishes on them; perhaps you paid for those reeds that the ‘pinging’ Bearded Tit you’re trying to watch are remaining all too elusive in! At the AGM earlier this year the Treasurer, Gerry, explained about changes that we thought ought to be brought in with regard to the annual donation, primarily the way in which such monies would be raised in the future. It’ll be interesting to see how these changes affect the anticipated 2016 donation, which will undoubtedly be discussed at some length both prior to and during the AGM. Finally, I'd like to wish all of you the very best for the festive season and the coming New Year, when both I and the other Committee Members look forward to seeing and talking with you about all things RSPB and bird-oriented. Have a very relaxed and peaceful Christmas with your families and then get back out birding on New Year's Day! Peter E. Hutchins Notices Don. Rossington It is with regret that I have to inform you of the loss of another Local Group Member, Don. passing away peacefully earlier this month after a lengthy period of debilitating illness. We pass on our heartfelt condolences to his family. A long-standing Member, Don. continued to attend and enjoy the Indoor Meetings even after his health started to fail him and he was unable to actively bird. His funeral will take place in Aldershot on 22nd December. Evening Walks It's pleasing to be able to report that up to six people have volunteered to lead in the Evening Walks Programme during May / June 2016. If leading just one apiece this leaves just a few more 'gaps' to be filled, hopefully the coverage of these to be confirmed in the near future and the completed Programme then to be publicised. If you're yet to 'volunteer' but feel able to do so please do contact a Committee Member as soon as you're able, we'd hate for you to miss the opportunity to do so! The dates that the Evening Walks will take place on are as follows: May 3rd, 11th, 17th and 25th. June 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. Subscriptions These are now overdue! During the 2015 Annual General Meeting the subscription rates were discussed and it was agreed, on response to suggestions from the floor, that this be raised to £15, as highlighted in a mailing to all Members of the Local Group during the 'summer break'. Please see Gerry Gardner to subscribe once again to your Local Group, bringing any queries relating to this to his attention on doing so, or by contacting him on 01189 – 700859 or [email protected] Please do spread the word about the Local Group, as every person involved adds to that which we can do to both help and enjoy birds, other wildlife and the sites that they so depend upon. Fair Isle In July During the summer several locals spent time on Fair Isle, finding the experience perhaps far more rewarding than anticipated, their previous visits always having been in the autumn; the peak time for birds of more note to be recorded about the island. Due to this it's been proposed that a further visit is made, during summer 2016, to take in the seabird colonies, skua-dotted moors, flower-filled meadows, archaeology, stunning scenery and open spaces where access is unlimited. Activities to be participated in are to include petrel ringing, heligoland trap rounds, wildlife and travel presentations and the daily 'log call' during the evenings, visiting the museum and croft cottage industries, warden guided and other exploratory walks about the island, as well as taking in the wildlife on the way to and from the island. Accommodation will be in the Bird Observatory, newly built and opened as recently as 2010, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening refreshments included within the cost. If you find the thought of being inches from Puffins, 'encouraged' by Bonxies and Arctic Skua to leave their territories, watching dolphins, whales and seals from the ferry and rafts of thousands of auks from the island, seeing flowering Oyster Plant covering the foreshore and blood-red fields of flowering Sorrel, watching seals loafing on the beaches, being 'sung' to sleep by Storm and Leach's Petrel, encountering south-bound migrants and looking for the Northern Lights attractive, please get in touch for further details. Peter. British Birds We’ve been given a number of copies of British Birds that are no longer of use to the original owner, these covering the years 2001 to 2008; in total 96 issues and the Index for each of the eight years. If you’d be interested in purchasing any of these please contact the Group Leader. They will also be on sale at the Indoor Meetings, with a price of £1 per issue or £10 for a year, 12 copies and the Index, having been suggested. As always, any profits gained through the sale of these items will go to the RSPB and its’ continuing work. Brian’s Bees The honey that has been on sale at Indoor Meetings is still available! In three varieties! Thank you to all those that purchased this locally sourced product, and to all those that do you in the future! Please do remember when considering to source honey in the future that this is both locally produced, some of you may even know the bees, and that a donation to the Group is made on each purchase! Local Group Website The Local Group website continues to be worked upon by our trusted band of computer- literates, well Tim. Carr, so if you haven't been to the site during the Summer Break, why not take a look and tell us what you think. Any thoughts on what we should, or should not, include within the site will always be appreciated, this then helping to make the site more relevant to current group members, and helping to get across the right message to potential members. Link: http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke/ Newsletter Mailings Do we have your email address? If not, please do pass it on so that the Group can communicate with you in a more environmentally sensitive manner! The monthly Newsletter being an example of this, saving resources, money and time by being mailed to you, rather than hard copies being created and perhaps only sitting partially read until the next one appears. With regard to this, it’s hoped, seemingly never-endingly, that the lack of hard copy will be resolved in the future! Bird Food We are happy to supply any bird food to you at any time, just call on 01256 – 770831, 07895 – 388378 or mail us on [email protected] and we will arrange delivery to you. If you have any requirements that are not listed, please do let us know and we will ensure that they are available when you, or your birds, need them. The below are examples of just a few of the items that we can supply. Please do enquire after anything else and we will provide you with a cost, time of delivery etc. As both of us are currently working in / about Basingstoke delivery can be expected to be completed within a day of an order being received – can you get that service anywhere else? Prices vary according to the seasonality of the foods, where we are able to source them from, and so on: Wild Bird Mix – Peanuts – Black Sunflowers – Sunflower Hearts – Niger – Fat Squares – Fat Pecker Balls – Birdboxes – Feeders – Wildfowl Food – Bat Boxes – Mealworms – Suet Pellets – Hedgehog Feeders. A variety of items will be available at most Indoor Meetings but if there is something ‘missing’ that you want, please do let us know. Peter & Alison What’s Happening? A few of the forthcoming local events that will hopefully help keep you entertained as the days continue to disappear under darkness: Basingstoke Natural History Society [email protected] Canadian Bears Date 12th January Time 20:00pm An illustrated presentation by Lee Morgan United Reformed Church, London Street, Basingstoke For further information please contact: Patricia & Colin Stubbs: 01256 323324; Diane Rampton: 01256 467533 or Nicola Williams: 01256 353194.