HOS “Birding Basics” Workshops

Birding basics

HOS Workshop by Sue Lambert
HOS Workshop by Sue Lambert

We want to help our members and others to learn birding skills and build on those that they have already, so we have decided to launch a series of occasional workshops under the brand of “Birding Basics”. These will be available for a limited number of people each time to ensure that the tutor(s) can work closely with a manageable number of people. Workshops will be repeated from time to time to make sure that everybody who wants to attend can do so. There will be a small charge to cover basic costs.

Over the last few years, Birding Basics have proved very popular, so we have planned some further workshops (see below). We are keen to help you to improve your birding skills and knowledge, so please let us know if there is any particular training that you would like to see provided.

Getting to know waders

HOS is proposing to run two small group training walks for inexperienced Birders as a trial for a new approach to help those new to birding to build confidence in spotting and identifying birds. In the first instance members who have joined since 2024 will be invited. Aimed specifically at HOS Members with little or no prior experience of birdwatching, these walks will be for limited numbers of participants and will be deliberately relaxed in nature, to allow time to discover and explore the species found in a particular habitat or area.

The first two of these walks, both focusing on waders and wildfowl, will be led by Mike Henning and will be held in the Keyhaven area on Sunday 27th September and on Wednesday 14th October. They will start at 10:00 and run for approximately 3 hours, covering a distance of about 3 miles in total.

If you would like to attend, please email Mike at mikehenninggolf@gmail.com to secure a place. Please note, as numbers are limited to 10 per walk, allocation of places on these walks will be on a first come, first served basis.

Bird Song Walks

These walks are training sessions, with a limited number of places. There will be a charge for these courses. The walks will be from 0700-1000 approx to get the best of the early singing birds, and we ask for £10 towards HOS’s Conservation and Research Fund for each person. (HOS Young Members go free). There is no need to send money – just pay cash on the day.

To book on one of these walks, when announced, you will need to email the following to Keith Betton (keithbetton@hotmail.com)

  1. The date and location of the walk(s) you wish to attend
  2. Your name
  3. Your mobile phone number
  4.  Your email address