Recent Rare Bird Club events
 www.rarebirdsyearbook.com
Rare Bird Club Honorary Presidents: Graeme Gibson and Margaret Atwood.
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23rd January – 2nd February 2010 - Excursion to Cambodia
Members enjoyed a special 11 day excursion to Cambodia to enjoy a combined programme of fantastic birdwatching and cultural site visits hosted by BirdLife’s Cambodian Conservation Team. Members had good sightings of the elusive and Critically Endangered White–shouldered Ibis plus many other rare species.
They also met the BirdLife front line conservationists and saw at first hand the conservation work involving local communities.
30th November 2009 - Washington DC, USA
A number of members enjoyed a special reception and meeting Prince Albert II at the Embassy of Monaco in Washington DC. The audience was informed about the collaboration between the Prince Albert II Foundation and BirdLife International & Audubon (BirdLife in the US) to conserve the oceans, forests and threatened species.
October 2009 Black Tie Dinner in aid of BirdLife International – Sandringham House, Norfolk
HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT kindly hosted a private reception and dinner in the Library Room at Sandringham House, the Royal Family’s private estate in
August 2009 Club Luncheon at the British Birdwatching Fair, Rutland Water, England
50 or so Club members and special guests enjoyed an informal Club luncheon on the opening day of the British Bird Fair. All the profits from the Club luncheon this year went towards the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Program which Bird Fair itself has been supporting for three years. Its aim is to give a fighting chance of survival to all 192 species listed as Critically Endangered.
July 2009 Club Dinner in Cambridge hosted by HIH Princess Takamado of Japan
In her capacity as President of BirdLife International, HIH Princess Takamado hosted a special dinner in Cambridge to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the Club. Around 40 members attended including some from Japan who were presented with special thank you certificates for their generous support. BirdLife’s Chief Executive – Dr Marco Lambertini gave a visual presentation on BirdLife’s four cornerstone conservation programs to save the world’s seabirds, conserve migratory birds, protect forest habitats and prevent species extinction.
May 2009 Reception at the House of Lords, Westminster, London
Thanks to Club member Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone, members enjoyed a special reception in the River Room of the House of Lords launch BirdLife’s Migratory Birds Appeal. Guest speaker and Honorary Club President – Margaret Atwood spoke passionately about the need to support this work which aims to halt the alarming decline in migratory birds.
April 2009 Birding and cultural trip to Shikoku and Okinawa Islands, Southern Japan
A group of Japanese Club members accompanied HIH Princess Takamado on a visit to the Shinto shrine at Kotohira-Gu to meet the High Priests who raised significant funds for BirdLife’s conservation work in Asia. A smaller group of European Club members visited Okinanwa for a short birding trip and were rewarded by spotting the elusive and rare Okinawa rail.
February 2009 BirdLife presentation and coastal birding trip to Renesse, the Netherlands
Twenty or more Club members in the Netherlands gathered in Renesse to enjoy a special event hosted by Volgelbescherming Nederland (VBN - BirdLife’s Dutch Partner). Members heard at first hand from Fred Woulters – Director of VBN about their achievements and the contribution to global conservation as a leading BirdLife Partner.
Dr Marco Lambertini – BirdLife’s Chief Executive who thanked Dutch Rare Bird Club members for their support and answered questions about BirdLife’s conservation programs. After lunch, Club members enjoyed the afternoon birding in the Winter sunshine on the nearby Zeeland coastal reserves where 56 different species were seen. The day finished with a farewell dinner in the medieval castle restaurant at Landgoedhotel Moernmond.