Editorial ................................................................................. Eddie Bathgate

The Harrier

Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group

Editorial

Welcome to the Summer edition of The Harrier! We’ve plenty of articles, trip reports and news for you to enjoy. My recent birding highlight was undoubtedly the field trip this month into STANTA and Jonathan Lawley’s trip report is included in this edition. It was great to meet new SOG members and to be out enjoying the flora and fauna with a sharp eyed and keen eared group of people. Watch out for the trip report in the Autumn edition. It has also been great to hear the news from friends of ours that they have Little Owls nesting in their Hadleigh garden: six fledged chicks have entertained them and their children. In this edition I ask you to do two things. If you use the internet to shop, please could you register with ‘Give as you Live’. It takes just a few minutes yet can raise valuable funds for SOG. Secondly, please do book your tickets for the Derek Moore memorial lecture in Ipswich on the 15th November if you can make it. It will be great to see as many as possible of you there. There is a letter to us all from our new President, the well-known journalist, longstanding all-round naturalist and lifelong Portsmouth FC fan, John Grant.

Locally, we have news of the SOSSwift campaign, with lots of boxes and call systems erected and a series of talks to come during July. The RSPB have contributed an article on their work restoring heathland and David & Margie Carter have an update on their move from the west of Suffolk to the east. In regular updates, we have trip reports from Eastbridge and Shingle Street, both very enjoyable outings, and Eddie Marsh has once again contributed the Spring Bird Review (I compiled May – look out for errors – so I now know what a heroic effort it is!). From further afield, the ‘Inglorious Bustards’ Little Owl Photo: James Allen have detailed a year’s birding in the Strait of Gibraltar and Stephen Rutt is once again our SOG exile, this time in Madeira. Rasik Bhadresa, who is fast becoming a regular contributor, describes the dance of displaying waders and Alison Ballantyne has analysed Peter Reading’s ‘Bird Lady’ for our Poetry Corner. After nearly four years this is my final edition as Editor. I would especially like to thank all the writers and photographers who have contributed so much to SOG and The Harrier and made my tenure here so much easier. Please do keep sending in your articles, observations and photographs; The Harrier is, after all, both by and for you all. Eddie PS love you, Granty, but… Up the Cherries!