Hi Everybody
The Charities Bazaar took place on November 10th and volunteers helping on the day were: Megan Taylor, Fiona Fox, Graham Brown, Kathie Brown, Doreen Sinclair, Grace Currie, Davina Brown, Thora Craigie, Thelma Irvine, Maggie Currie, Kate Barrett, Pauline Wilson & Jim Williams.
Kate Barrett kindly donated a beautiful hand-made cot duvet for the raffle and this was won by Dora Mackay of Rendall. Kathie Brown contributed two of her CDs of Christmas music which I am sure will be really appreciated by the winners. The raffle raised £61 which was pleasing as every other charity also had a raffle. Goods to the value of £307 were sold.
Grace Currie & Davina Brown help out at the Charities Bazaar
Feed the Birds Event
The photo below shows Field Teacher Lindsey Taylor (left) with some young enthusiasts busy making goodies to attract their garden birds. The event took place in Wellpark Garden Centre on 13th October and, in spite of bad weather during the morning, quite a number of people sought advice on winter bird feeding and were able to see photos, samples of berries and plants, and take away information leaflets.
Annual General Meeting
It was fine to see a good attendance for this last Thursday 8th November when local group officers and RSPB's Andy Knight reported on the year's events.
Long-serving Treasurer Jim Williams retired and Graham Brown has now been elected in this position. Julie Rickards has been elected onto the committee.
The Local Group Committee is as follows: Chairman/Group Leader Dick Matson, Treasurer Graham Brown, Secretary Pauline Wilson. Committee: Grace Currie, Kathie Brown, Julie Rickards. We will also liaise closely with representatives of the WEX Group, Jane Beckwith and Kate Thompson.
Following the AGM we were joined by members of the SOC for a most interesting illustrated talk by the RSPB's Rory Crawford entitled 'Scotland's Seabirds - a Mystery Wrapped in Contradition'.
Many thanks to Pat Matson for providing and serving refreshments.
Jim Retires
I don't actually know how long Jim Williams has been Treasurer of the Orkney Local Group but I do know it's a long time so perhaps it's understandable that he now wishes to hand over the job to somebody else! Graham Brown now takes over.
On behalf of the RSPB Orkney Local Group I would like to thank Jim for all his work during his time as Treasurer and hope we will continue to see him at local group events in the future. My photo shows Jim (left) receiving a long service award from Eric Meek in October 2010.
Loons Hide Sessions still going
Wardens are still present in the Loons Hide for a couple of Friday mornings yet:
November 16; December 14.
Why not go along and see what's about at this popular reserve? See Fraser Macnaughton's photo sent yesterday of Snipe at the Loons.
Orkney RSPB Wildlife Explorers Programme
Orkney WEX is aimed at children aged 8-12. Younger children are welcome as long as a responsible stays with them. Unless otherwise stated all meetings are charged at £1.50 for RSPB members and £2 for non-members. Contact: Jane Beckwith on 01856-841212 or Kate Thompson on 01856-851835 or email: orkneyrspbwildlifeexplorers@hotmail.com
Sun 18th Nov. Seal Pup Watch. Meet: Venue in South Ronaldsay to be confirmed. Time: 1-3pm
Sun 9th Dec. WEX “Wildabout Christmas” Party! Join us for making Christmas crafts and celebrate Christmas with us. Meet: Indoor venue in Kirkwall to be confirmed. Time: 2-4pm.
Photo Competition
In association with the Orkney Camera Club the RSPB Local Group is running a photographic competition under the title “Wild Orkney: the Way I See It”. The competition is open to Orkney residents and visitors of all ages and photos should focus on one of the following categories:
Wild Open Spaces
Wonderful Colours of Orkney
Waves and Water
Wondrous Nature in Detail
The competition runs from now until the 30th April 2013. Entries should be dropped off at “Visit Orkney”, the Travel Centre, West Castle Street, Orkney, KW16 3AG or posted (clearly labelled “Photographic Competition”) to RSPB, 12-14 North End Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3AG. Visit http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/orkneycameraclub/ for further information and to download an entry form.
Time is going by; most people have a camera nowadays so I hope lots of our local group members have a crack at this competition and make all the planning worthwhile.
Stocking Fillers
As usual, I have a couple of suggestions for the Christmas stocking. Those who have not yet bought a copy of The 2011 Orkney Bird Report, painstakingly put together by Jim Williams and his team, might like to give one as a present for a birdie friend. Costing only £7 it's packed with facts and figures on Orkney birdlife.
Tim Dean's pocket version of his Orkney Birds is a super little book, and let's not forget Eric Meek's Birds of Orkney which should be in the shops but, if not, is definitely for sale in the RSPB Stromness office.
Stamps please!
I hope the increase in the price of postage doesn't have too much effect on the RSPB's campaign to Save the Albatross. Orkney members and the public have been brilliant over the past few years in saving used stamps. Now's the time of year when we are showered with mail so please take a second to tear off those stamps and save them for our good cause. Please take them to SAS Supplies, Laing Street, Kirkwall or they can be dropped off at the Stromness Office.
Members' comments
The photos which are sent out regularly often bring comments from our members, so here are a few:
On the cute Goldcrest pics Frances Roebuck of Rousay remarks:Pauline ... what a lovely perk in this job you do for us! Tar I can not see birds so well as Ian's camera... so Thanks again too to Ian! Frances o' the Glebe Rousay
On Isobel Kennedy's Crossbill photo I heard from Joan Howlett all the way from New York state:Again thanks for the pictures, Pauline. I'm thinking your Crossbill is the Loxia scotica. We have a Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), your Common and the White-winged Crossbill which I don't think you get. Both flourish in the nearby Adirondack Mountains in winter. Joan also remarks on the Goldcrest photos: Thought at first your beautiful Goldcrest was the Golden-crowned kinglet which we have here in summer and migration. But yours is Regulus regulus and ours is Regulus satrapa. Ours is 10cm long and yours is just a bit tinier at 9cm.
On receiving Fraser Macnaughton's photos I heard from Elaine Henderson: Great pictures again!
The recent influx of Waxwings also brought emails from our members:
Mary Wells from Holm: Just a wee note to let you know that we had 9 waxwings outside our lounge window feeding on cotoneaster berries yesterday lunchtime. How excited was I? There was a mention on the Autumnwatch programme last week that there had been several sitings in Orkney of waxwings. We didn't see one last year so it was a treat to see them yesterday.
From Maggie Currie, following the Waxwing photos: Lovely! There were a dozen or so on the bushes behind Garden House (NHS) in New Scapa Rd today.
From Doreen Sinclair: Had four in the garden in middle of Kirkwall yesterday. They did not stay long but nice to see.
From Joan Howlett in America once again: They are in our neck of the woods now, too, Pauline. We have two waxwings -- the Bohemian, pictured here and the Cedar which you do not get. The Bohemian waxwing is at the southern end of its territory when it arrives here late fall, early winter. Joan.
Well, that must be about it for now. Please sent any items of interest for my next email. Many thanks.
Pauline W/Local Group Sec.