The SOC has 15 local branches around the country from Orkney to West Galloway.
Meetings Programme
We've more events than ever planned for SOC members to enjoy, both on a local and Club-wide scale. New for 2023/24 was the introduction of skills-based workshops to help develop birdwatching knowledge and expertise, and we're continuing that in our 2024/25 programme.
Branches run a programme of meetings for members, arranged in conjunction with the monthly programme (September - April) of Club-wide online talks organised by staff. With close links to partner wildlife and environmental organisations, such as the BTO, RSPB and NatureScot, our members have the opportunity to hear some of Scotland’s top ornithologists and conservationists speak. Presentations by leading wildlife artists and photographers also feature in the line-up, which generally runs from September – April annually. Please note that most branches ask for a small donation from attendees to help cover the cost of refreshments and venue hire.
Some branches offer a mix of in-person and online (Zoom) talks. Further details are available on the individual branches' pages (see links above). The 2024-25 season will restart in September 2024, and a copy of the first half of the programme is available to download below. Please keep an eye on the local branches' pages for any updates.
DOWNLOAD THE SEP-DEC 2024 MEETINGS PROGRAMME
Access to a programme of meetings across Scotland
Although members are affiliated to their nearest branch of the Club, you’re free to attend meetings organised by any of the other branches too. So if you’re going up north for your holidays or working down south for example, do have a look and see if there’s anything on around the time of your visit!
Branch Outings
A number of branches organise a programme of outings for members to enjoy. These are a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals whilst bettering your bird ID skills. There’ll always be someone on hand to help with the trickier aspects of field identification.
Updates are available on the individual branch pages.
Branch Committees
Branch activities are co-ordinated by a committee – see the individual branch pages for further information and committee contact details.
Other activities
Often branches are involved in survey work, contributing to national Atlas projects or locally, to the annual bird report, in conjunction with the Local Bird Recorder. Details, where available, are provided on the local branch pages.
Thinking about joining the SOC?
Non-members interested in finding out more about the Club, our activities and membership, are more than welcome to come along and sample one of our talks or outings. Please contact the relevant branch secretary in advance to let them know to expect you- we look forward to seeing you soon!
