SK58 News

News Archive

18th January This year is Tetrad Atlas year! For new members, every two years we survey the entire 10km SK58 square recording all the adult birds. Although this sounds quite daunting, it isn't really- being a 10km square, we divide it into tetrads. A tetrad is 2km x 2km square, of which there are 25 in SK58. We ask members to pick one or more tetrads and on x2 1 hour visits between late April and early July, record all the adult birds taking exactly one hour to cover a route through your tetrad. This could be a favoured location within SK58, or you could try a completely unfamiliar section of SK58 and discover new areas, and possible hidden populations.

Tetrad allocation, recording forms, maps and instructions will be handed out at the February and March indoor meetings. For consistency, ideally we would like folk to cover the same tetrads as previous years.

Map of SK58

6th January Every year SK58 Birders run a friendly year list competition, to record the most species in SK58 in the calendar year. Over the years the number of species recorded has declined slightly, reflecting the range of species we've lost, although there have been some gains.

Our congratulations to Mick Clay who took the honours for 2025, with 122 recorded. A certificate to commemorate this achievement will be presented at the AGM at the January indoor meeting.

We're running the competition again this year, and its not too late to enter. Its good fun and adds another dimension and purpose to local birding. If you want to put your name down, just let the recorder know.

16th December "Wishing all current, past and future... members of SK58 Birders a peaceful Christmas and prosperous New Year"

9th December We were saddened to hear of the untimely passing at the age of 73 of Honorary Life Member Harry Vilkaitis. Harry was one of the original and active SK58 members, up to his retirement and subsequent relocation back to his parents' homeland in Austria seven years ago, where he created and enjoyed a garden nature reserve.

In the early days Harry was an avid ringer (I don't think we ever saw him with a pair of binoculars?) and was instrumental in advancing our knowledge of SK58 birds through his ringing efforts. An example of this was the winter passage of thrushes. Any casual observation at sites such as NAPT would record say 20 Blackbirds on a winter's day visit. A visit a week later would yield another count of 20. Any birder would therefore assume it was a stable/ static population of wintering Blackbirds. But… ringing and the lack of recaptured birds at this constant effort site, revealed birds were actually passing through. With no recaptures (or very few), revealing thrushes and in particular Blackbirds were transient, the 20 Blackbirds departing, replaced by a different 20 Blackbirds - this sort of data, only coming to light through Harry's ringing efforts week in and week out. It's through this Harry was made an Honorary Life Member in March 2023, reflecting his long-term and dedicated ringing and record submission.

Back in July 2025 we pulled out a photo from the archive from November 1993, for our News page, of Harry with a freshly caught and ringed Redwing. Harry also appeared in the SK58 Birders promotional video, way back in 2000.

Our thanks to Bob Croxton for passing on this sad news and to Geoff & Lyn Facer who continued to email Harry until recent months. Rest in peace Harry.

On a different tack, please remember subs are due in January, although you can pay now for 2026, and a reminder the AGM is held during the January meeting. For membership renewals email membership@sk58birders.com and if you wish to nominate someone, help or even stand at the AGM, then let one of the group organisers know before the organisers meeting on 21st January.