News archive
September 2021
Saturday, 11 September 2021
Next Guided Walk: The Burgh on the South Downs, Wednesday 15 September, 9.30am
Meet at the "Peppering Triangle" in Peppering Lane, at TQ041094 (nearest postcode BN18 9RW, see map PDF attached). Please note that there is limited parking at the Triangle, so you may need to arrive a little early.
It is very important to us in the Local Group that we continue to protect all members of our community. Therefore, we ask all walk attendees to please abide by the latest Government regulations and guidance, and please do not attend if you or anyone you've been in contact with have possible symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days or have been notified that you may have been in contact with someone who has.
Our guided walks are now open to non-members as well as members. Please contact us for more details or to notify us you wish to attend by email on chichesterbirds@gmail.com or phone on 07545 376074.
Saturday, 11 September 2021
Zoom Talk: Birds of the World's Most Remote Islands, Thursday 23 September at 7pm
Keith's talk will take us on journeys to see some of the world's rarest seabirds, and in some of the most remote corners of the seas, from islands in the middle of the Atlantic, 1,750 miles from the nearest continent, where the RSPB is desperately trying to save albatrosses, to rocky islets in the Southern Ocean that are aligned to New Zealand and Australia.
Keith is a media trainer, broadcaster and writer, and, most importantly for us, a keen world birder having seen over 8,500 species in more than 100 countries. Keith is heavily involved in bird monitoring in Hampshire, where he is County Recorder and Chairman of the Hampshire Ornithological Society. He has been a Council Member of both the RSPB and the BTO, and is currently Vice President of the BTO.
Our Zoom talks are open to members (free) and non-members (£4) of the Chichester Local Group, but please book in advance if you'd like to attend. Contact Rob Yarham for more details, how to pay and to book by emailing chichesterbirds@gmail.com or phoning 07545 376074.
Saturday, 11 September 2021
RSPB Chichester Local Group: New Talks Programme!
Indoor Meetings cost £2.50 to Local Group members, and £5.00 to non-members
Zoom Meetings are free to Local Group members and £4.00 to non-member
All talks are held on Thursdays. Indoor Meetings are held at The Pallant Suite, Masonic Hall, South Pallant, Chichester, PO19 1SY at 7.30pm. Zoom meetings start at 7pm - all attendees must book in advance and meeting log-in details will be circulated before each meeting.
23rd September - Zoom. Keith Betton, Birds of the World's Most Remote Islands
14th October - Zoom. Rob Blackler (RSPB), The Stone Curlew Project
28th October - Hall. Sophie Yeomanson (RSPB), Solent's Sea and Water Birds
11th November - Zoom. Cath Jeffs (RSPB), Cirl Bunting Project
25th November - Hall. Bernie Forbes, Costa Rica
9th December - Zoom. Pete Cairns (Scotland: The Big Picture), Scotland: A Rewilding Journey
13th January 2022 - Zoom. Paul Bellamy (RSPB), Understanding Woodland Bird Declines
27th January - Hall. John Mallord (RSPB), Studying Migratory Birds
10th February - Zoom. Matt Eade (Naturetrek), Papua New Guinea
24th February - Hall. Sara Frost (Naturetrek), St Kilda
Indoor Meetings and COVID: It is very important to us in the Local Group that we continue to protect all members and guests and to abide by the latest Government regulations and guidance. Please do not attend if you or anyone you've been in contact with have possible symptoms or have tested positive for Covid in the previous 10 days or have been notified that you may have been in contact with someone who has.
For the time being, we will not be running a raffle and we ask everyone to bring their own drinks. We shall be following the requirements of the Masonic Hall which currently include distancing and extra ventilation, and attendees are encouraged to wear face coverings.
Saturday, 11 September 2021
RSPB Chichester Local Group: New Walks!
Wednesday 15 September: The Burgh, led by Chris Furlepa, Long half day, 9:30am, at Peppering "Triangle", TQ041094
Thursday 30 September: Pagham, Sidlesham Visitor Centre, led by Tracy Bain and Nikki Roodhouse, Half day (2-3hrs), 9:30am, at Sidlesham Visitor Centre
Sunday 10 October: Thorney Island, led by Chris Vine, Long half day (3hrs+), 9:30am, at Thornham Lane
Thursday 14 October: Pulborough Brooks, led by Rob Yarham, Half day, 9:30am, Upperton Barn Visitor Centre
Thursday 4 November: Blackdown, led by Graham Whitehead, Long half day (car share), 9:30am, at The Trundle
Sunday 21 November: Chidham, Cobnor Point, led by Carole Griffiths, Half day, 10:00am, at Sunken Car Park, Chidham Lane
Thursday 2 December: Blashford Lakes, led by Chris Furlepa, Full day, 9:30am, (car share) at Chichester Marina
Sunday 12 December: West Dean Woods, led by Carole Griffiths, Half day, 9:30am, Hylters Lane
Thursday 30 December: Dell Quay, led by Roger Morris, Half day, 9:30am, End Dell Quay Road
Note: It is very important to us in the Local Group that we continue to protect all members of our community. Therefore, we ask all walk attendees to please abide by the latest Government regulations and guidance, and please do not attend if you or anyone you've been in contact with have possible symptoms of or have tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days or have been notified that you may have been in contact with someone who has.
Saturday, 11 September 2021
Join the Team at RSPB Pagham & Medmerry!
The project has been so successful that the team at Pagham is continuing the role under the new name of Volunteer Site Rangers into the autumn and winter, with the aim of protecting important wintering water birds, including the thousands of dark-bellied Brent Geese which return from the Arctic tundra to the Manhood Peninsula to feed every year.
The RSPB is also looking for more volunteers to help out in other roles at Pagham and Medmerry, including the Welcome Team at the Visitor Centre, Practical Conservation Volunteers and Volunteer Reserve Guides to lead walks and help the public.
If you'd like to give a little bit of your spare time to help our local birds at Pagham & Medmerry, then please email the reserves' Volunteer Coordinator, Rob Yarham, at rob.yarham@rspb.org.uk or call on 07545 376074, or drop in to chat to the team at the RSPB's Sidlesham Visitor Centre.
Saturday, 11 September 2021
RSPB Pagham Harbour Breeding Seabirds Success
The RSPB's Ivan Lang reports that the final breeding tallies are as follows:
- Little Tern: 46 pairs (highest since 1982) with 25 fledged (most ever fledged from Pagham on record)
- Sandwich Tern: 243 pairs (highest on record) with 253 fledged (highest on record)
- Common Tern: 7 pairs with 4 fledged
- Black headed Gull: 921 pairs (highest on record) with 2028 fledged (highest on record)
- Mediterranean Gull: 20 pairs (highest on record) with 32 fledged (highest on record)