Awards for Mid Sussex birdwatchers

At the Sussex Ornithological Society’s Annual Conference at Haywards Heath on 25th January, two local residents received engraved glass goblets from the Society’s President, Alan Perry, in recognition of their work on behalf of the Society and of the birdlife of the county.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Feb 2014, 08:00 BST
Robin Harris, Audrey Wende and Barbara Mortlock (Robin Harris is from Mountfield near Hastings)Robin Harris, Audrey Wende and Barbara Mortlock (Robin Harris is from Mountfield near Hastings)
Robin Harris, Audrey Wende and Barbara Mortlock (Robin Harris is from Mountfield near Hastings)

With her late husband Derek, Barbara Mortlock of Haywards Heath joined the SOS in 1983 and started submitting records. After early retirement in the mid-1980s they were able to do regular birding mainly at Weir Wood reservoir, Ashdown Forest and Splash Point. In 1985, when Southern Water Authority gave up running the fishery and recreational activities at Weirwood, they were asked to take over the Bird Log and to collect the Wetland Bird counts for the reservoir, which they did until 2006, the year before Derek’s death. In 1989/90 Barbara started collecting the old records for Weirwood dating back to 1954 and produced “Birds of Weirwood 1954-1989”, published in January 1992. A second book updated the story to the end of the 20th century. Barbara became bird recorder for Weirwood and was among the founder members of the Friends of Weirwood Society, formed in 1996, and she continues to send in bird records from the site.

Audrey Wende, with her late husband Maurice, has been a resident of Wivelsfield Green for over 40 years, was a founder member of the village WI, and President of the Chailey Women’s Institute for several years. She joined the Sussex Ornithological Society in 1984 and helped with the Society’s Conference catering until 1990, when she took over the “job” – which she is still doing in 2014! Audrey became “temporary” Outings Organiser in 1995, and is still very much involved in arranging the birding outings for members, including setting up monthly mid-week walks. She has served on the Society’s Council for a total of 15 years – seven of these as Chairman - and then took over the role of “Swift Champion” in 2008, liaising with local people to find out where Swifts nest and delivering Swift nest boxes throughout the county.

Report and picture contributed by the Sussex Ornithological Society.

Related topics:Haywards Heath