News - Society News

Our second Member's Day will take place on Saturday 15th September, between 1.30 and 5.30 p.m. It will again feature the Society's AGM and a variety of interesting talks on aspects of Somerset birds and birdwatching, and will be a good opportunity for Members to socialize. Our first such event in 2017 was well received and the food was enjoyed by all present!. So please come along and give us your support. Click here for the Programme. There will be a raffle and a ringing table. A map showing the location of Cheddon Fitzpaine Village Hall can be found here.

In order to speed up proceedings at the AGM, we are publishing various AGM documents in advance. Please click on the following links for the relevant documents:

AGM 2018 Agenda

Draft Minutes of 2017 AGM

2017 Financial Statement

Membership Report

List of Officers to be elected

It should be noted that the Agenda includes a proposed rule change relating to young members.

While the list of Officers for election includes Jeff Hazell, the current Membership Secretary, Jeff has indicated that he wishes to relinquish this role by the time of the 2019 AGM. So we are seeking someone to take over from Jeff in the near future. If anyone is interested, please contact Jeff at jeff.hazell@somersetbirding.org.uk.
Brian Hill is stepping down as Indoor Meetings Secretary at the forthcoming AGM but, since he has prepared next year's programme, we will not need a replacement immediately. If anyone is interested in the role (it doesn't have to be a committee member), please contact Brian at brian.hill@somersetbirding.org.uk for more information.

The 2016 Somerset Bird Report will be available at the indoor meeting on Thursday 16th November. Members who are unable to collect their copy in person will receive it in due course in the post. Details of price for non-Members can be obtained here.

We are pleased to announce that the Society has made a donation of £1,000 towards the cost of setting up a webcam for the Taunton Peregrine Falcon Project.

This year, a pair of Peregrine falcons arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church in Taunton. Both birds were ringed, the female in Bath in 2015, and the male in Exeter in the same year. The birds appeared to establish a territory; it is hoped they will breed in 2018.

Somerset County Council has agreed to contribute £3,500, half-of the cost, leaving the Project to secure another £3,500. The Society has in recent years made it a policy to contribute to worthy bird-related projects in the County, e.g. the new hide at Shapwick Heath and bird food at Cary Moor, so our General Committee unanimously agreed to make a donation of £1,000, leaving the Project to find £2,500. Individuals can contribute - see https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tauntonperegrinesproject.

The header photo shows Society Vice-President Brian Hill handing over our cheque to the Revd. Rod Corke, the Vicar of St. Mary's.

We will post further news of the Project as it develops.

Our first Member's Day will take place on Saturday 8th April, between 1.30 and 5.30 p.m. It will feature the Society's AGM and a variety of interesting talks on aspects of Somerset birds and birdwatching, and will be a good opportunity for Members to socialize. Other societies have been successfully offering something similar for a few years now, and we hope that ours will be as well received and become an annual fixture. So please come along and give us your support. Click here for the Programme. There will be a raffle (which will include books donated by NHBS) and a ringing table. A map showing the location of Cheddon Fitzpaine Village Hall can be found here.

In order to speed up proceedings at the AGM, we are publishing various AGM documents in advance. Please click on the following links for the relevant documents:

AGM 2017 Agenda

Draft Minutes of 2016 AGM

2016 Financial Statement

Membership Report

List of Officers to be elected

The Society is seeking someone to monitor Pied Flycatcher nestboxes in Holford Combe in the Quantocks this spring. The essential task is to ascertain when the pulli are ready to be ringed, so more than one visit per box will be needed. A reasonable standard of fitness is required as boxes are on the slopes of the combe. If you are able to help, in the first instance, call Brian Hill on 01823 443504 or e-mail brian.hill@somersetbirding.org.uk