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.

Indoor Meeting Weds 13th March 7.15pm

Review of the Year 2023 with Andy Deighton + 2024 AGM

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We'll still be meeting in person at LT2 of The Diamond Building as usual, but alternatively this year we are also including on-line access to the meeting for those that can't attend personally. Obviously we would love to see you there and also for a social get together as normal in the University Arms afterwards.

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Below is the MS Teams link - for those attending the SBSG AGM on Wednesday 13 March remotely:

AGM DOCUMENT PACK HERE

The meeting itinerary:

Welcome & general announcements - RDH

Annual General Meeting - a meeting pack will be circulated with the e-newsletter, which will include the Chair's Annual Statement, the report by the Honorary Secretary and the report by the Honorary Treasurer on the annual accounts. On the night, Richard Hill and Ron Blagden will run through the AGM items together in tandem. 

Birds in the Sheffield Area 2023 - presented by Andy Deighton

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Andy is a stalwart of the SBSG and is regarded as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable birders in the group. No doubt he will be sharing some of that knowledge with us on the night. This should be an entertaining review of the year by Andy - one not to be missed!

Hannah Tench  - Tree Swallows

Recorder's Report - RPB

Next meeting & close

Followed by drinks in the University Arms


 
 
 

The Incompleat Birder

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Martin Hodgson is the latest SBSG member to author a book

It’s a light-hearted account of his struggle over the years to gain some competence in birding.  In short, a story without a happy ending!  Printed by the University Press in the same style as the Annual Report, Martin hopes that it will attract people to make it their own.  Priced at £10 and containing 127 pages with many colour photos, it will be on sale at the March meeting and £2 of every copy sold that evening will go to SBSG.  Those who are interested but can’t make the meeting should contact him on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 


Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group

The Peak District Raptor Monitoring Group are fund raising to buy some Satellite tags to go on Short-eared Owls, this year and next. Below is the link to their Go Fund Me page. The details of who Raptor Aid are are included, along with details about NERF. 

Raptor Aid Grant Fund & Short Eared Owl Tag Fund, organized by Jimmi Hill

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2023 Ring Ouzel reports for Eastern moors and Stanage/ North Lees 

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The reports detail the results of Ring Ouzel surveys and monitoring carried out in 2023 across the Eastern Moors Partnership estate and the Stanage - North Lees estate

Eastern Moors

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Birds in the Sheffield Area 2020

Editor: Richard Hill 

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Birds in the Sheffield Area 2020 was published in December 2023 with help of the major sponsors Foothills and Sheffield Photographic Centre.

The cover of a Bittern in the Rother Valley was created by Ben Green and the text is interleaved with colour illustrations by Ben Green and Richard Dale. The colour photographs are courtesy of  A. Deighton, P. Garrity, R.D. Hill, M.N. Reeder, M. Smethurst, R. Twigg and D. Wood. It has a total of 170 pages. 

This edition is dedicated to the memory of Philip Ridsdale – 1984–2020. 

Main Contents:

  • A review of the birding year, 2020
  • Systematic List of records for the year 2020
  • Arrival and departure dates of migrant species in 2020
  • Bitterns in the Rother Valley – a new breeding species
  • Bearded Vulture in the Peak District – New to the Sheffield Area
  • A colour map of the SBSG recording area

The cost is £7 if collected, or £10.50 to include postage and packing. The report is free to qualifying members.

Anyone interested in obtaining a copy of this, or any other of our annual reports, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details.


Sheffield RSPB Group

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The programme of speakers for the group for 2024 can be found here.


MEMBERSHIP LATEST

A reminder that when you first access your SBSG account in January you will be asked to renew your membership or continue as a guest. The Membership Mojo information pack can be found here - it has detailed joining/renewal instructions to help you with any queries.


SBSG Indoor Programme for 2024 now released

Our new exciting programme for 2024 can be found here

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Details of the 2024 opportunity for young birders can be found here - get your application in now!


SBSG U25’s YOUNG BIRDER'S BURSARY 2023

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To highlight the success of our recently trialled SBSG U25’s Young Birder’s Bursary in memory of Phil Ridsdale, recipient and SBSG U25s member Stephanie Webb has created a brief summary report of her findings regarding her experience. The report details her personal experience at Spurn Bird Observatory, including positive and negative feedback, and further recommendations. Highlights include Stephanie’s overwhelmingly positive experience at Spurn, which allowed her to connect with other young birders and gain valuable volunteering experience at a UK bird observatory. Stephanie's report on her experience can be found here.

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ringing demo


WYMING BROOK CLOSURE

Removal of diseased Larch Trees - Forestry work has started at Wyming Brook and all the public rights of way on the reserve are currently closed. Here is the map showing the closures for your reference.

TTRO Wyming Brook Drive and Path Closures winter 2023 24 with date


Easyfundraising

New QR Code to use when shopping on-line - why not take a picture and store it on your phone for use in the future

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If you shop online, don’t forget to support SBSG at no extra cost by channelling through easyfundraising  - Here's how to do it 


Results from the National Willow Tit survey

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In recent years, our endemic race of willow tit (Poecile montanus kleinschmidti) have been lost from large areas of southern and eastern England and from parts of north and south Wales. Senior Conservation Scientist Simon Wotton explains why a survey was needed for this woodland birds, and what it shows us.


A blast from the past

For those of you looking to while away the long winter nights, a copy of the 1985 publication Birds of the Sheffield Area by the late Messrs. Hornbuckle and Herringshaw has just been uploaded to the site. Available to members, it can be found via the "publications" tab under the annual reports section.  

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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:

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