Club news - events, sponsors and requests

updated 26 November 2011

BIRDING TRIPS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR OBC
Further birding trips will be run in 2012.

Yunnan and Beijing - 9-30 April 2012
Tour dates are 9-30 April 2012 - anyone with a few additional days at their disposal could consider arriving early / staying on in order to catch up with e g Brown Eared Pheasant... or even the gravely endangered Jankowski's Bunting.

Yunnan has long been neglected as a destination by travelling birdwatchers. While neighbouring Sichuan undeniably has a lot to offer ornithologically, Yunnan has now relaxed restrictions on access so that some of the least disturbed areas near the Burma border can be visited.

Anyone susceptible to the allure of Thailand and the eastern Himalayas will look wistfully at a map of the region and regret that Burma may remain a tricky destination for ornithological pilgrims for years to come: long-planned tours have been cancelled a few days before scheduled kick-off as the essential permits were whimsically withdrawn, and the situation remains volatile. However, west of the mighty Salween river, in China, steadily improving infrastructure has made accessible a variety of essentially "Burmese" habitats, from forests between 300-2,800m above sea level to paddies & scrub swarming with winter visitors and passage migrants. On this trip we will spend 17 days here, following an itinerary which, drawing on unequalled birding experience in the area, has been carefully planned to maximise field time. We will have time to properly search for the specialities of these secretive forests following a quick visit to picturesque Lijiang, home to the endemic Yunnan Nuthatch, east of the Salween biological divide.

Part of the charm of this scenically arresting, tucked-away and culturally still-authentic corner of the world is that it has yet to be discovered by Western Tourism (as recently as January/ February 2010 we saw just one other Westerner in the course of an 18 day trip!) - nonetheless roads are far better than one might suppose, our accommodations will be comfortable throughout (double rooms with private toilet & hot shower) and the hospitable climate ensures a year-round supply of fresh, palatable food. We'll be expecting a species total of 380-450 on the tour. Anyone opting to arrive at Beijing a day or two in advance could potentially add some Palearctic ultra-heavyweights around China's capital before traveling on (the list of realistic targets now includes Brown Eared Pheasant: watch this space) at Beijing on the first day.

Check the trip report covering the 2008 trip which logged no less than 466 species In 2009 we recorded 440 species with this trip list. Also see the DVD and view BBC's wonderful series 'Wild China', in which Yunnan features strongly, complete with original footage from Joseph Rock's planthunting expeditions into the Gaoligongshan.

View full itinerary.

NE Tibet, Koko Nor, deserts and SE Qinghai, 5-26 August 2012
View full itinerary.

For more details please contact Michael Edgecombe, OBC Promotions Officer, mail@orientalbirdclub.org or Jesper Hornskov at goodbirdmail@gmail.com. (Jesper: tel (fax on request) +86 10 8490 9652; mobile +86 135 1335 9831.)

OBC AGM Minutes and Accounts
The 2010 AGM was held in Cambridge, UK. For reference here are the 2009 AGM Minutes and 2009 Accounts.

Request: Kosi Bird Observatory and Field Education Centre, Nepal
The Wetland Trust is sponsoring Himalayan Nature to establish a bird observatory and field education centre at a site just north of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, which is a well-known corridor for migrating birds. We have already raise £3,000 from friends in Nepal and if we can reach the target of £25,000 by the deadline of the end of 2010 we will be able to buy the full ten hectares that we believe are needed to make the project a real success. Please help us reach this target by sending a donation to The Wetland Trust.

Himalayan Nature has recently started a bird ringing scheme using its own rings and the Nepal government has given full support to our programme of establishing a national ringing scheme.

In addition to being a valuable way of finding out about the populations, life-cycles and migration strategies of birds, ringing can also be a great vehicle for raising public awareness of the need for bird conservation. The bird observatory will have a small information centre and will give opportunities to show birds in the field and in the hand to local people – school children in particular. We will also invite local and national politicians and officials to visit the centre to convince them of the importance of the environment and the creatures that inhabit it. They are the people who can bring about the changes in policy that will conserve and enhance it.

If you can help this worthy cause then please send a cheque or cash to the following address/bank account to support this initiative:
Kosi Bird Observatory and Education Centre, The Wetland Trust (UK Registered Charity 296531), Elms Farm, Pett Lane, Icklesham, Winchelsea, East Sussex TN36 4AH, UK

Please make cheques payable to The Wetland Trust and write “KBO” on the back to make it clear that your donation is for the Koshi Bird Observatory.

Payments can also be made electronically to The Wetland Trust whose bank account details are:-
Account name The Wetland Trust,
Sort code 400550,
IBAN: GB72 SMCO 4005 5091 3427 70.

If you send a donation electronically please put KBO in the reference box – again to make it clear that it is for the Koshi Bird Observatory
UK tax payers can increase the value of their donation by completing the attached Gift Aid Declaration and sending it with their donation. This will enable The Wetland Trust to reclaim the tax on the amount.
Even the smallest of donations will make a difference! People sending donations of £500 or more will receive will receive donation certificate and assistance in Nepal should they wish to visit Nepal. Please write to Himalayan Nature prior to your visit.
Request from Hem Sagar Baral. Founder President

Advertise in BirdingASIA
Council thanks all those who advertised regularly in the OBC Bulletin and hopes that they will continue to do so in BirdingASIA. Advertisements help to offset production costs and benefit the Club significantly. The standard advertisement rates [black and white] are: full page £135; half page £85; quarter page £60. Colour advertisements are available at extra cost. For more information, contact Richard Thomas

We offer a complete service too: we can construct adverts from the text that you send us, and insert images and logos as required. Alternatively, we can accept your print-ready Pagemaker, Quark or film adverts. Pagemaker is the preferred format. Please contact Richard Thomas, OBC Bulletin Advertising via mail@orientalbirdclub.org.

OBC Corporate Sponsors
The OBC Corporate Sponsorship Scheme has recently changed to allow companies to choose the level of support for OBC, from £200 - £1000+ per annum. This newsletter explains the revised levels and gives examples of how businesses have helped OBC make a real difference to conservation and awareness raising in the Oriental region over the years.

Most payments are due for renewal and we hope that our past supporters will renew for OBC’s 25th Anniversary Year. Please contact Jo Thomas via mail@orientalbirdclub or phone Jo on +44 (0)1480 370593.

Current and recent sponsors include: Asia Ecological Consultants, Asian Adventures, Birdquest, BirdTourASIA, Limosa, London Camera Exchange, Rockjumper Birding Tours, Sunbird, The Bagh Resort, and Wildsounds .

OBC Business Supporting members
The Business Supporting membership scheme was started in 1992 and was intended to become the backbone of the Honorary membership fund. Participants in the scheme pay an annual subscription of £45 and which pays the subscription of three honorary members. At present Business Supporting members support about one third of the 155 honorary members.

OBC Business Supporting members currently include: Bird Information Service, Birdquest, BirdingEcotours, Birdwatch, Tom Gullick, Jetwing Eco Holidays, Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden Corporation, International Taiwan Birding Association, Limosa Holidays, Lynx Edicions, Mountain Trail Holidays Pvt Ltd, Murphy's Wildlife Holidays, Naturetrek, Rockjumper Birding Tours, Semioptera Pty Ltd, Subbuteo Natural History Books, Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, Wild About India, Wildsounds, and Wildwings. OBC Council thanks our Business Supporting members and we look forward to welcoming more in the future.

OBC Supporting Members
The rest of the honorary members are paid for by the Supporting membership scheme. In this case the members pay £25 and support one honorary member. If they wish they may nominate a deserving individual. Currently there are over 110 Supporting members playing a major role in the Honorary membership fund. Join OBC explains how to join the scheme.

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