Page 2 - Out Birding Winter 2024

Contents
4-10 Event Reports
10 Extra Events
11 Events at a Glance
12 View from the Chair
13 Quarterly Commi􏰀ee Mee􏰁ng
14-19 Minutes of AGM 20-21 New Horizons
22 Regional Contacts
23 Commi􏰀ee Members
Cover: Redwing & Fieldfare: Mike Pollard Back cover: Event groups
Gree􏰁ngs,
The November edi􏰁on of Out Birding tradi􏰁onally features the full minutes of the Annual General Mee􏰁ng which was held in September. They fill many of the pages and provide a very good insight into the work of individual commi􏰀ee members during the year as well as showing you how decisions are made and new policies and working prac􏰁ces developed around them. If you have any ques􏰁ons arising from the minutes, please do not hesitate to contact Andy Webb or any member of the commi􏰀ee.
Other members of the club have also been busy and have sent me a good number of field event reports which might bring some sunshine into your life as the dark days of winter set in. You can find them on pp 4-10.
On p 5 there is a report from Pat Blundell about an event at Point of Ayr in North Wales. Thanks to dog walkers and the general busy nature of the place, she
and four others adjourned to Burton Mere where they saw a Hudsonian Godwit. This sigh􏰁ng gave the GBC its first new bird since 2019. The new list will be published next year.
Coincidentally, Mike Pollard also saw the bird at Connah’s Quay on the Dee Estuary and he describes the encounter in a very interes􏰁ng ar􏰁cle on pp 20-21 together with a great photo showing it with both Black and Bar-tailed Godwits.
Mike has recently volunteered to be the Regional Contact for Wales, a post long vacant. Many thanks to him.
There are s􏰁ll some events to come before the end of the year on p 11. I have been birding in many areas of the country and a quick look at the places to be visited tells me that leaders have chosen sites with a warm visitor centre so no excuse!
With this mailing you will receive your 2025 Calendar of Events in which you will find dozens of opportuni􏰁es to get out birding with like minded people in beau􏰁ful places. As always, Eva and Sue have done sterling work in producing it and we owe them a very big thank you.
That just about wraps things up for 2024. Mike’s winter thrushes on the cover remind us of the approach of that season: let’s hope it’s kind to nature.
Pat
Copy date for the next edi􏰁on is 5th January 2025
Views expressed in OB are the views of the contributors and are not necessarily shared by the editor, commi􏰀ee or members of the GBC.
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