CANCELLED - WILD ETHIOPIA – Steve Cale, artist, photographer and tour guide provides a look at the fantastic wildlife and habitats of this huge amazing country. Home to many rare and unusual creatures such as Stresemann’s Bush Crow and Simien Wolf, many of which are fascinating but critically endangered!  

BIRDS of HEL! – Jonathan Forgham has completed this 50 mile walk twice, once in April for migratory birds and then in freezing February for winter species. A fascinating place with plenty to offer bird watchers. In total over 80 species were recorded along the ‘Footpath to Hel’. (after AGM at 19:30)

BIRDING along the FRENCH ATLANTIC COAST – Dougal Urquhart takes us on a journey to various coastal locations such as Il de Noirmoutier, Il de Re, Arcachon Bay, Marais d’Orx and down to the Spanish border, which is particularly rewarding in autumn when migrants are heading south.

The GAMBIA – ‘Swallow Birding’ Steve Grimwade takes us around many of the birding highlights of the smallest country in Africa and along the river Gambia; Goliath Heron, various species of Bee-eater and Roller, owls and other raptors all feature in this excellent presentation. Highly recommended

BIRDS of NORTH and NORTH-EAST BRAZIL – Graham Ekins takes us to this fabulous and rarely visited area of Brazil, home to 185 of the 325 Brazilian endemics. Lear’s Macaw, Araripe Manakin, Fringe-backed Fire-eye, Slender Antbird, Giant Snipe, Long-tailed Nightjar, Rusty-barred and Tawny-browed Owls all feature! Graham’s most popular talk – Not to be missed

On the TRAIL of the CRANE – PART ONE – Ralph and Brenda Todd take us on a journey through Europe. Following the migration route from the Cranes breeding grounds in Spain, through northern France into Sweden where they congregate for their courtship ritual and dances and finally into Finland. Ralph and Brenda also touch on the history and future of Cranes in England?

‘HOOKPOD’ – Becky Ingham from Hookpod Ltd demonstrates this excellent invention that benefits the birds that roam the southern Oceans without affecting the catch yields of the fishermen. Species like the Wandering Albatross, Petrels and Shearwaters can glide over the waves safely without the fear of becoming caught by conventional fishing methods.

ALASKA BIRDS and WILDLIFE – Dr Samantha Franks, a research Ecologist with the BTO, entertains us with the fabulous species to be found in the largest state in America. More than twice the size of Texas! Horned & Tufted Puffin, Divers & Bald Eagle all feature in the mountains, glaciers & temperate forests.

OWLS of the WORLD – Dr Michael Leach has encountered 86 of the 133 species of Owl alive today. In this talk he looks at many of these and tells of his adventures working with them around the globe for more than 20 years. We will meet, amongst others, Great Horned, Snowy, Pygmy, Great Grey and Spectacled Owls. And the biggest of them all, the deer-stalking Eagle Owl! Not to be missed 

GOSHAWK and WHINCHAT – Dr Ian Henderson, BTO Senior Research Ecologist International Research, delivers two excellent talks about two very different species. The Goshawk is famous for being an elusive species but so much has now been learnt from their tracking studies in the ‘Brecklands’. The Whinchat has declined rapidly in the last 20 years. Research on Salisbury Plain        and in Africa investigated their migration and about their winter destinations