Many birds from the African continent escape the intense heat of summer by travelling north to breed. Some of these transit through the UK while others stay for extended periods a time. After months of feeding and breeding, the first signs of Autumn will trigger their need to fly home. August is therefore the perfect opportunity to witness the majesty of the summer migration preparations.

Tutor, Dan Banks, will discuss how and why certain birds in Surrey migrate after the summer months. He will describe the different types of birds that move from place to place and their migration routes. As Dan is an active member of the British Trust for Ornithology, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share on the reasons for ringing birds and the importance this activity holds in understanding avian migration.

Dan will discuss how to identify a variety of different birds, but will specifically focus on the Hirundine family, which consist of swallows, martins and swifts as well as the plethora of reedbed birds that settle in Tice’s Meadow. In the afternoon you will have a guided walk around the nature reserve, seeing and identifying these birds in their natural habitat. Finally, every bird we see will be recorded and added to the ‘BirdTrack’ records app.

About your tutor Dan Banks:

Having started as a volunteer with the Sussex Wildlife Trust, I have subsequently been employed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust. Initially this was as their Education Intern and I am now the SWT Citizen Science Officer.

I have always been interested in the natural world. As a teenager, I became increasingly fascinated in ornithology, subsequently studying Ecology and Wildlife Conservation at Brighton University. I then worked in South Africa on a project mapping the nests of raptors. I am now a licensed ringer with the British Trust for Ornithology, adding to my growing knowledge of how and why birds migrate. I have spent time on a migration ringing project in Greece, where we were recording migrating raptors and other birds moving through.

Summer Migrating Birds