At the Kidderminster branch October meeting, Mike Wilkes, FRPS, spoke about fauna and flora in Ecuador's Mindo cloud forest, where birdlife includes warblers, and there is a conservation programme to ensure the survival of condors.

On the volcanic Galapagos Islands wildlife includes frigate birds, blue and red-footed boobies and waved albatross, co-existing with marine and land iguanas, tortoises and lizards.

The November outdoor meeting comprised a drive to "red kite country", the Elan Valley, then Gigrin Farm, Rhayader. Members saw around 200 red kite in the sky above their feeding station then, coming down among buzzards, raven, a heron and a peacock, to collect food.

The next indoor meeting is on Wednesday, November 26 at St Oswald's Centre, Kidderminster, at 7.30pm, when award-winning photographer Wendy Conway will present an illustrated talk entitled A Bird's Eye View of Lesvos.

On Sunday, November 30, the outdoor meeting will visit Blithfield Reserve.

For further information contact 01562 67748.