OSME Summer Meeting & AGM 2011

Saturday 16th July 2011, BTO, Thetford, Norfolk, UK

The 2011 OSME Summer Meeting and AGM will be held on Saturday 16th July at the British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk, UK. Doors will open at 10.00 – join us for tea/coffee. Once again we have a varied programme with presentations spanning the OSME area – from Socotra to Kazakhstan via the Caucasus and Cyprus. All are welcome.

Summer Meeting Programme

11.00 Introduction Geoff Welch

11.15 The Development of a Network of Protected Areas in the Northern Part of Cyprus
Phil Cannings
This presentation will describe an EU supported process for establishing a network of protected areas within the northern part of Cyprus, the habitats and species used as selection criteria and the measures being taken to encourage protection and sustainable use within these areas. The presentation will describe the areas and the species present, and discuss the challenges of undertaking a project like this in a divided and disputed territory.

12.00 An Introduction to the Manych Wetland and the Caucasus Area of Russia
Jeff Gordon
This is an illustrated introduction to the Manych Wetland in the North Caucasus Foothills where the speaker had a Dacha, a holiday-home, which he visited at least monthly. Manych is one of Europe’s ornithological undiscovered treasures, rich in migrant and breeding species and completely unexplored by western birdwatchers.All photographs have been taken by the speaker who is not a photographer but with the advent of digiscoping found that this new technique was purpose built for him since it did not require patience or prior knowledge.

14.15 The Taxonomy of Socotran Birds
Guy Kirwan
This talk discusses the taxonomy of birds breeding on Socotra with a special focus on the archipelago’s endemics. Since the OSME survey in 1993, there has been a considerable upsurge of interest in the status and distribution of birds (and other biota) on these Yemeni islands, as well as their relationships and systematics. As a result, the number of generally recognised species endemic to Socotra has risen by at least three, while on the other hand a number of subspecies usually considered unique to the archipelago are probably best treated as synonyms of often widespread Afrotropical taxa. The talk will focus on the author’s own work, including some ongoing and still unpublished, but will also cover other recent publications that have discussed Socotran bird taxonomy.

15.15 The Importance of the Middle East for Migrating Sociable Lapwings
Rob Sheldon
The Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius is a Critically Endangered species that breeds in the central Asian steppes, primarily in Kazakhstan. Research suggests that the magnitude of the recent population decline can not be wholly explained by reduced breeding success. The majority of birds migrate through the Middle East into north-east Africa with a small number wintering in the Arabian Peninsula. Satellite tracking has recently suggested that key stop-over sites include south-western Russian and eastern Turkey, with birds passing through Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. This talk will outline the importance of the Middle East for Sociable Lapwings and will outline conservation efforts underway to help reverse the population decline.

16.00 Saving Kazakhstan’s Birding Heritage
Andrew Lassey & Sal Cooke
Andrew Lassey, a long time supporter of OSME, has visited Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries over 15 times carrying out detailed bird studies and bird ringing with local teams. His knowledge of Kazakhstan’s birds, its ornithological history inspired Sal to join his party and together they will give different perspectives of the country, its birds and travelling across the Steppe.

OSME Annual General Meeting

The AGM will take place at 13.45 – the Agenda is as follows:

Vice-Presidents (10 year term)

The following are continuing in office:

Imad Atrash (2012); Dr Ghassan Ramadan-Jaradi (2012); Mrs Mona Ramadan-Jaradi (2012); Ramaz Gokhelashvili (2016); Sherif Baha el Din (2016); Ali bin Amer Al Kiyumi (2016); Dan Alon (2017); Dr Akram Eissa Darwish (2017); Ali Adhami Mirhosseyni (2018); Sergey Sklyarenko (2018); Azzam Alwash (2019); Melis Charalambides (2020).

Council Members (Trustees elected for a 5 year term)

The following are continuing in office:

Geoff Welch (Chairman, 2012); Ian Harrison (Secretary, 2013); Nick Moran (2015) Robert Sheldon (2014); Mike Blair (ORL List Master) (2013); Guy Kirwan (Librarian) (2012)

The following has resigned since the 2010 AGM: Richard Bonser. The following will be ending their term of office at this year’s AGM: Chris Lamsdell; Richard Prior.

Currently Co-opted Council Members (appointed by the elected Council)

John Warr (Treasurer & Membership); Effie Warr (Sales & Distribution); Peter Cowan (Editor, Sandgrouse); AbdulRahman Al Sirhan (Website Manager)

Nomination: Helen Demopoulos

Further nominations should be sent to the Secretary (e-mail: secretary@osme.org) to arrive as soon as possible. Council would be pleased to welcome any members who can assist with maintaining OSME as one of the premier regional bird clubs.

  1. Apologies for absence
  2. Minutes of the 32nd Annual General Meeting (10th July, 2010)
  3. Matters arising
  4. Presentation and adoption of the Accounts for 2010
  5. Appointment of accounts examiner for 2011
  6. Election of Officers
  7. Any other business.

Dinner We have arranged a meal at the Dolphin Inn in Thetford after the meeting – we ate there in 2010 and is excellent value. We hope you will be able to join us at this social occasion. Please let Ian Harrison know on 01545 571022 or by email at secretary@osme.org – from whom further details can also be obtained.

Breckland Birding Trip As a new departure we have arranged a birding trip on the morning after the Summer Meeting (Sunday 17th July 07.30 – 10.30). This will be led by Nick Moran (BTO) and there are possibilities of seeing Stone Curlew, Woodlark, Firecrest, Common Crossbill. Contact Ian Harrison on 01545 571022 or secretary@osme.org to reserve a place and to obtain more details. We hope you can join us!

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