A Surrey Safari

Speaker, Geoff Lunn

Over ninety members who braved the wind and rain to attend this month's meeting were treated to an amusing and informative talk which accompanied superb photography of Surrey wildlife.

Using his own garden pond and bird-feeding station in Seale and Sands as a starting point, Geoff showed us photographs of a huge variety of birds, some common and some more rare, such as crossbills, siskins and bullfinches. The clarity and detail of the photographs shown on such a large screen, together with an expert's commentary was an ideal way to learn how to identify many of these less well-known birds.

There was amusing anecdote, as well, with a chronicle of the saving and hand rearing of a very young, green woodpecker which had been ejected from its nest, and the pursuit and capture of a cunning, money-stealing mouse.

As well as birds there were photographs of many wild mammals to be found in the area, all the outcome of many, many hours of patient waiting, sometimes in ingenious 'hides'.

Our own hour of nature watching went by enjoyably and quickly and left us feeling much cheered.

Dawn Mason