Banbury Ornithological Society
Registered Charity No.1001397
c/o Bankside Cottage, The Square, Epwell, Banbury. OX15 6LA
Trustees’ Annual Report, 15[th] November 2020 to 14[th] November 2021
Trustees
Nicolas Carter Doreen Knight Roger Stein Michael Lewis
Trustees are recruited from long-standing members who have contributed to the Society.
Structure & Management
The Banbury Ornithological Society is a membership association managed by a Committee which is elected at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with the Constitution. The Committee meets on a monthly basis. This year, due to Covid 19 restrictions, it was not able to use its meeting room in 6 Cranleigh Close, Banbury. All but one meeting were “virtual”. In October, the Committee held a Special Meeting to consider the continuity of bird recording and IT services following the sudden death of a Committee Member. As well as coordinating and planning Society activities and the annual programme, the committee also looks to safeguard the assets, 7 Nature Reserves, 4 owned by BOS and 3 managed, 6 Cranleigh Close and deposited funds.
Activities and Objectives
The Society exists to encourage and co-ordinate the scientific study of birds in the BOS area and to ensure the welfare of birds within the framework of economic necessity.
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1) The conservation of birdlife, principally through the maintenance of 7 Nature Reserves.
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2) Scientific research into birdlife by partaking in national bird surveys, and also organising and undertaking local surveys through a programme of fieldwork, and publishing the results.
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3) Educating the public about birdlife by organising a programme of speakers.
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Achievements and Performance
The BOS continues to work with and receive support from many organisations. Wildlife has benefitted this year because of The Society’s interaction with :- RSPB, The Local Wildlife Trust, Cherwell District Council, Thames Water, BTO, The Neal Trust, The Upper Thames Wader Group and Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre.
Fieldwork- which could be regarded as the core activity of the Society. During 2021 the BOS has continued to provide opportunities through its regular surveys: - Monthly records collection. Winter Random Squares. Summer Random Squares. Short Day Count. Long Day Count. -- Not possible with Covid 19 restrictions.
The level of monthly records submitted continued as normal despite Covid 19 restrictions.
Members have contributed to various BTO surveys where it was considered safe to do so.
Reserves & Conservation
Reserves.
A meeting of Reserve Wardens was held in the hide at Bicester Wetland Reserve. Reserve Wardens prepared plans and budgets for 2021/2022 for Committee approval. The Committee and partner organisations consider the Nature Reserves are all well managed and are improving.
Bicester Wetland Reserve.
Thames Water provided £2,500 for re-profiling of the edges of Cattle Bridge Pool and further improvements to the wader scrapes. Bicester Gateway Project.
This is a Biodiversity Plan for improvements to Bicester Wetland Reserve. The £30,000 project is funded by a nearby hotel development and administered through Cherwell District Council. Planning conditions required archaeological and amphibian surveys, which are now completed.
Thames Water provided £5,500 for planting a wild flower meadow. Preliminary ground preparation has started and the wild flower seed has been purchased.
Balscote Quarry Reserve.
Sand Martins bred in the tower for the second successive year. The public viewing area has been improved and an additional seat was installed.
The grassland management plan is delivering bio-diversity gains.
Glyn Davies Wood.
HS2 fenced and started works on the land compulsorily purchased together with the temporary “buffer strip”. However in October, HS2 notified that this area will also be compulsory purchased. This will leave 5 acres of woodland.
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Pauline Flick Reserve.
Highways England felled trees in June near the old railway bridge abutment which is scheduled for removal and landscaping.
Grimsbury Woodland.
The woodland has been declared a District Wildlife Site. Thames Water carried out a tree safety inspection.
The Nature Reserves continue to provide space for breeding, feeding and sanctuary for passing birds and other wildlife as well as excellent opportunities for members and others to watch and study birds. Maintaining these reserves would not be possible without regular, well considered, hard work done by Reserve Wardens and the volunteer teams that they lead. The Committee are pleased to have substantial funding available to support this activity.
Ringing
Members continued limited ringing at some of our Nature Reserves.
Conservation/Planning.
The Society continues to make comments on local planning schemes. This year the Society was consulted on 3 privately owned potential Wildlife Reserves and one, DunsTew Quarry Reserve, is now open to the public.
Cherwell Swifts Project.
Project observers continue to discover and report “new” colonies. More artificial nests, both wooden & brick are being fitted and there is more evidence of successful usage. Liaison with Cherwell District Council has led to provision of artificial nest sites in new builds as a condition of Planning Permissions.
Curlew Conservation Project.
The Society joined in the formation of The Upper Thames Wader Group and led work for the Cherwell catchment area. Members took active roles in nest finding, fencing, monitoring and ringing. 1 Curlew was successfully fledged in our area.
Tree Sparrow Conservation Project.
Records for Tree Sparrows have been poor. However, feeding at Balscote Quarry Reserve and at the Natural Burial Ground have benefited other farmland species.
Encouraging young birdwatchers.
Due to Covid 19 restrictions it was not possible to interact with pupils at Bloxham Primary School as they did not take part in the RSPB Big School Bird Watch.
Recording and Communication
New arrangements, allowing access to BTO BirdTrack records for the BOS area, enables their inclusion into the BOS Monthly Newsletter. This major advance gives members an alternative method of submitting records via PC, tablet or mobile phone.
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Monthly Newsletter.
This regular communication was even more welcome during “Lockdowns” and continues to inform and stimulate members.
Monthly Meetings.
Members have again enjoyed a wide range of subject matter at our meetings. All 9 indoor meetings were arranged via “Zoom” and attracted a similar number as would have attended in person. Three outdoor meetings went ahead, with up to 30 members enjoying the walks. One of these, held at a member’s dairy farm, was particularly interesting and a good opportunity for members to catch up in person.
Website
The Society Website is regularly refreshed and continues to attract new members and is a good “shop window” for the Society.
Social Media
The Society Facebook page is in regular use to share news amongst the local birdwatching community.
Annual Report
2019 Annual Report was published in February and distributed to members free of charge.
Archives Review & Management
All Annual Reports from 1956 have been transferred into digital format and made available to anyone via our Website.
Financial Review
Items worthy of special comment.
Receipts
Bicester Gateway project.
Cherwell District Council released the agreed Biodiversity Plan funding £27,947.00.
Thames Water grant towards the wildflower meadow £5,500.00.
Payments
Bicester Gateway Project £8,336.00
Includes:Archaeological fees. £3,780. Initial ground preparation. £1,300 Wild Flower seed. £2,970.
The Committee considers that the Society’s finances are sound. Anticipated income from increasing memberships, rent and interest will continue to fund plans for the future.
The Society has no outstanding debts but there may be unknown expenses in future as a result of Ash Die-back on our Nature Reserves.
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All assets are held in the names of the Trustees. Included in funds is £736.90 held on behalf of The Cherwell Swifts Project.
The Trustees acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the Committee and the many other members without whom The Society would not achieve so much.
November 2021
Registered Charity No. 1001397
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGiAND AND WALES Banlwry Omrthological Socl£ty Recei tsand ents accounts CC16a Forthe period 1Y11r2020 14111r2021 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restrictsd Endowment funds funds fund5 rarest £ tothe Deawt£ tothe r¥rest£ ¥) ts neStE iothA r•èare5t£ Totsl funds Lastyear A1 Recei Gift ad Grants Oofiations Bank Interest Rent. 6 Qanigh Cth8 miscd1ee0us 536 33.447 452 T53 799 902 HS2 ss incon AR) 443 14003 sset a see tablè . Sale 1.3ha land to HS2 InTStment sa 9,005 tota 9.005 27.0 A3Pa ments Meetings Speakers Newsle. %%tb5ite. annL rewts Idlife projects MaiDtenantr, natwe reset%*s Insuran Bank Charges Legal fees Maintena. 6 ¢rangh Cl Poswe. stati SUbsp5 s¢eliineous 115 410 402 235 1.549 858 4.669 667 60 921 1534 410 1064 3.019 3,019 t02 102 676 18 18 35 117 62 16.421 Sub total 16N21 19.146 A4 Asset and inv8Stment Sub total 16.421 16.421 19,146 Net of receipts/(paymonts) AS TTansfef5 between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 27.88 27.887 7.86 117,654 145.541 117.654 145.541 109,792 117.6 CCXX R1 accounts ISSI 2910112022
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted nds to vart5t£ Restricted funds Endowment lunds noare&t£ 81 Cash funds 61,181 ed) day rKkn. Total cash funds 145.$41 Restricttd funds to £ Endowment fvnd¥ funds to rafv8t£ Dpta.. I to nearKtÉ Fun¢J to ¥thich Detslls C1 lopttonaQ Current value onal B3 Investment as80ts Fu towhtch asset bel Details Current value iona (110Oionall B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Details FLtrKI tothi¢h AM1 OL When due onal B5 Liabllltles sy4ftl by one or tritstEes on bèh8Lf ol al the trustees Signatu Pn"nt Name Date of ioval GCKX R2 c1)un ISSI
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of bApJ&ty CA h)ni•L04ioL &( i On a¢¢ounts for Ihe year ended Charty no {if any) 100 1497 Set out on pages I ret to Ihe trustees cm my exIna of the accounts of the aLe chwFty (Ihe Trf) f(Ylhe year en(kd Responsibilities and As the charty trustees of Tru& Y are reSIS1b1e forthe preparalx)n basls of report of the accounts in accordancewilh ts rwuirem&)ts of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I reF(rt in respect of my examination of Ihe Trust's accounts carried out un(kr s&tion 145 of the 2011 Act 2nd in carying (xrt my examination, I have f(knl the apFIatle DilS given by the Charity CornmissKJn ufftler secknon 145(5Mbl of the ACL I have ¢¢)mpletd my examinatth. I confim that no materia matters have cometo my attent (other than that disclosed ') in connection with the examinalKm which gves MeCe to bdieve that in, any matetial Independent examinerfs statement ac¢(MJntiNJ we kept in Cdance with Secti 130 of the Act or the accwnts do xcc¥d with accountiry records I have rm) concems arKI have come across no olher matters in connectK)n wrth the examry)abon to which attent ShOd drawn in order to ena8 nderstandiro of the accnts to be reached. e delel brackets rfthey do nc¢ ap. Signed." FFI Relevant professional qualificalion(s) or body (If any)- Address: IER October 2018