Latest News
Sub-lingual oral fistulas in Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscata)
The paper shown above can be found under Ascension Island. Comments please to John Hughes via the Personal Message facility on the Messageboard.
Change of Website Management
You will all be aware that at the 2009 AGM, Andy Harrison was voted in as the next WebSite manager with tech support being handed
over to Tony Giles. They will be bringing new ideas to the website and will keep current Messageboard subscribers up to date on handover.
Recent Events
The annual extreme AOS trip was to Scotland this year when after an 11 hour trip north we started birding at 0345 hrs.
B-n and R-n Divers, Slab Grebes, Crested Tits, Ospreys, Capercaillie, Red Grouse and more, made up for the poor weather. Even
that encouraged a Snow Bunting to join us in a blizzard on Cairngorm but a snow whiteout prevented views of Ptarmigan. This was
Tony Kaduk's last trip with AOS for a while as he returns to Canada soon. Happy Birding Tony, thanks for your company, and we
await our invitation in a year's time to Canada during migration!
John Hughes' evening Quail Survey did not reach last year's exeptional totals but gave us the best views possible of a complete
Whinchat family, with inevitable Stone Curlew calling in the background.
For those not birdwatching at the Cotleigh Brewery stand at Earls Court on Wed 5 Aug, the next event is Thursley Common in August
followed by the September Portland weekend in the company of the RNBWS.
The MOD Bird Count
In partnership with the BTO, the Defence Estates Environmental Support Team will run the annual MOD Bird Count
through BirdTrack. This will allow us to monitor birds on the Defence Estate and at the same time contribute to the national
database. It will also allow us to retrieve data, for local analysis or as part of the national bird picture. It has been a
protracted struggle and we have yet to see how we can fully exploit this new collection and collation tool. But many thanks
to all who contributed in any way to achieving this goal and for the patience of all surveyors as we worked to this solution.
Cats and seabirds: effects of feral Domestic Cat Felis silvestris catus eradication on the population
of Sooty Terns Onychoprion fuscata on Ascension Island, South Atlantic
The paper shown above can be found under Ascension Island. Comments please to John Hughes via the Personal Message facility on the Messageboard.
Calling all Ringers
Yes I know that they are 'rare breeds' in the AOS but this is actually a pre-cursor for all Service Ringers.
There is an opportunity to go ringing in West Africa (Ghana and maybe Burkina Faso) as part of a very new project
for which a pilot visit is being conducted between Nov 09 and Feb 10. No details as yet but it will be self funded,
self sustaining, and involve 2 weeks concentrated ringing under arduous conditions. The same conditions apply for
seasoned bird surveyors. Just at the moment I (surveys member) am trawling for 'interest' but as plans develop, people will be kept informed. Please contact the surveys member
through the web-site.
Events in 2009
A recent meeting of the AOS Committee confirmed the Expeditions and Events for 2009. Please note that there are one or
two changes to dates and that a couple of members would actually rather go on operations than dip publicly on an AOS field
day. The programmes for RNBWS and RAFOS will be included where known and we will endeavour to meet in the field when
possible. Field trips will be notified on the 'front page' and also on the message board. Contact numbers for expedition
organisers are included on the events page or drop an e-mail to
The Secretary
through the 'Contacts' link for details of other activities within the Society.
Message Board Registration
The numbers of members registered on the Message Board is slowly increasing and we have managed to recruit a few individuals through this means. Please give it your support.
