Welcome to the SBSG website
Sheffield Bird Study Group was formed in December 1972 as a forum for birdwatchers in and around the city with an active interest in ornithology. The group's recording area, covering twelve 10km squares with the city roughly in the middle, is hugely diverse, stretching north to the outskirts of Barnsley, south to Chesterfield, east to the lowlands beyond Rotherham and Bolsover, and west to the highest tops of the Peak District National Park.
We aim to promote an interest in birds in the community, provide something of interest to all levels of birder, co-ordinate fieldwork and recording in the area, and work with and complement the work of like-minded local and national organisations for the benefit of birds. SBSG is registered charity No 510857. Click here for more.
Diary Dates
Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust Blacka Moor volunteer work days
Sat 2nd Feb and Thurs 21st Feb
The next work day is Saturday 2nd February continuing work enhancing the area near the stepping stones for Willow Tits by selectively taking out some of the Sycamore. For the mid-week volunteer work day on the 21st February we will be carrying on with some Rhododendron control in Strawberry Lee plantation.
Tools and gloves are provided, but please wear warm, waterproof clothing, and sturdy footwear, bring a packed lunch and drinking water. We will be meeting in the usual place, Stony Ridge Car Park car park (SK 29581 80251) at 10am.
Saturday 23th February 2019
The 10th South Yorkshire Natural History Day
“What’s Going On in South Yorkshire?” - A Festival of Amateur Natural History
Treeton Miners Welfare, Arundel Street, Treeton, S60 5PW
Visit here for more details
Programme
10.00 Building opens and setting up of displays
10.30 Welcome and introduction
Bob Croxton, Peter Clegg, Alistair McLean
10.40 A short history of Sheffield Ornithology. Bob Croxton
11.00 The rediscovery of a live population of the Sundew Plume Moth Buckleria paludum 127 years to the day that G. T. Porritt first found this species on Thorne Moors (18 July 1891). Helen Kirk
11.20 Brownfield Insects in the Dearne Valley. Derek Whiteley
11.30 BREAK
12.00 South Yorkshire's changing bird populations. Geoff Carr
12.30 The work of the Burnet Trust, who manage several wildflower meadows in North Doncaster. Louise Hill
13.00 LUNCH BREAK
14.00 The re-wetting and invertebrates of Lindholme Moor, a lowland peat bog to the west of Doncaster. Mick Oliver
14.30 The Fight for Crayfish. Paul Hobson
15:00 Recording Flies in South Yorkshire. Derek Whiteley
15.20+ Informal chat and drinks. Dismantle displays.
Saturday 23 March 2019
BTO Yorkshire Birdwatchers' Conference 2019
9.15am to 5pm, Ron Cooke Hub, University of York, Deramore Lane, York, YO10 5GE
You are invited to join us for this one-day BTO Regional Conference. This is a popular event, so don’t leave it too late to book your place!
The programme includes talks from Tim Birkhead plus local speakers and staff from the BTO. Tickets cost £25 and include coffee, tea and buffet lunch. The full programme and location details are available here.
You can book your conference place either online, by post with a booking form or by phoning the Supporter Team (Mon-Fri) on 01842 750050.
News
An account of the Birds of the Huddersfield District was written in 1915 by Huddersfield man Seth Lister Mosley and is one of the most important books in the history of local and national ornithology. However, it is very rare and little known outside specialist circles, but is full of interest for a present day public. Now Huddersfield Birdwatchers’ Club brings it to life again in digital form for the benefit of a modern day audience. And it is available to download free of charge here.
The HBC recording area starts at the SBSG's northern border, with Langsett Resr being shared between us, so this publication is of great interest to local ornithologists and gives a fascinating insight into bird population changes over the last century.
Membership
Good news for younger members
Free membership is now available for persons under the age of 25. The age limit was previously 22. And it’s available regardless of whether you’re in full time education or not. Existing members should by now have received revised membership certificates from Martin Hodgson, the Membership Secretary. If you haven’t but you think you ought to have, or if you are a paying member who now qualifies for free membership, please contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Help Sheffield University and SBSG support the Sheffield Peregrines
With your help we can provide more opportunities for people to learn more about these amazing birds as well as carry out important research. You can support the Sheffield Peregrines Project by donating through the Virgin Money Giving page.
Click on this link to learn more about the plans for the project and to donate:
EU General Data Protection Regulation
As you may know, the EU General Data Protection Regulation comes into force on May 25th. To ensure that SBSG conforms to this regulation, we have reviewed the ways in which the Group holds personal data in connection with our membership, and have agreed a data protection policy. If you have concerns about the data that SBSG holds in relation to your membership, or the ways in which that is held and managed, please contact the membership secretary, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In particular we identified the holding of your telephone number as desirable but not necessary. If you would like it to be deleted from your record, please contact Martin. We will assume that if you do not contact Martin on this front you are happy for your details to be held by the Group and used to manage your membership in the ways outlined in the policy.' Details of our policy can be found at the top of the page.
Appeal for legal challenge on behalf of Hen Harriers
An appeal from Mark Avery to raise funds for a judicial review with full details here.
“Instead of tackling the key issue of criminality, Michael Gove's Department for the Environment (DEFRA) has proposed something called 'brood management' which involves removing chicks from nests near grouse moors. That might help grouse moor owners but it won't help Hen Harriers”.
Membership
Good news for younger members
Free membership is now available for persons under the age of 25. The age limit was previously 22. And it’s available regardless of whether you’re in full time education or not. Existing members should by now have received revised membership certificates from Martin Hodgson, the Membership Secretary. If you haven’t but you think you ought to have, or if you are a paying member who now qualifies for free membership, please contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.