Hertfordshire's breeding Peregrines and kleptoparasitic ducks in the Lea Valley will feature at the 2022 Bird Conference taking place online on the morning of Saturday 19 March (10.30am to 1pm).

Award-winning naturalist Barry Trevis will talk about exciting developments that led to breeding by Peregrine Falcons at three county sites being reported in the 2020 Herts Bird Report (with further news to come).

Graham White, another HNHS award winner and the RSPB's Head of Reserves Ecology, will focus on 30 years of BTO Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) results from the Lea Valley. His title 'The Rise and Fall of the Coot Mugger', however, anticipates particular interest in an innocuous-looking species of duck.

The Zoom address for the online conference is : https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83934461830. (Meeting ID: 839 3446 1830). The link will be open from 10.15am onwards and participants are asked to join in good time for a prompt start at 10.30am.

Favourite annual features to be enjoyed will be Graham Knight's 'What did you miss?' round-up of notable county bird sightings in 2021, Martin Ketcher and Murray Orchard's update on BTO surveys and the chance to vote online for the 2021 Herts Bird Photograph of the Year.

10:15: Zoom meeting opens to participants

10.30: Welcome and introduction - Rupert Evershed, Chairman, Herts Bird Club

10.40: Hertfordshire's Breeding Peregrines - Barry Trevis

11.25: BTO survey update - Martin Ketcher and Murray Orchard

11.35: BREAK

11.45: 2021, what did you miss? Graham Knight

12.00: The rise and fall of the Coot-mugger: 30 years of WeBS in the Lea Valley - Graham White

12:50 2021 Photo of the Year winner announced - Tom Speller

12.55: Closing remarks - Rupert Evershed

13:00: Conference ends

Photograph ©Barry Trevis