A weekend of talks focussed on ringing projects in Scotland and beyond, from Red-throated Divers to Curlews, Crossbills and Rock Doves.
Key information
Date / Time:
From 16:00 on 07 Nov 2025, to 13:00 on 09 Nov 2025
Location: Carrbridge Hotel, Carrbridge, Scottish Highlands
Type: Conference
Level: Licensed Ringer
Led by: Highland Ringing Group
Cost: £25–£150
Places: 200
Join the Highland Ringing Group as they host the 49th Scottish Ringers’ Conference at Carrbridge Hotel.
Tickets are available for accommodation, food and drink for all or part of the weekend, or for day attendance with or without meals on Saturday and/or Sunday.
Location
The conference will be held at the Carrbridge Hotel in the Scottish Highlands.
Getting here
Parking will be available on-site for attendees who are driving to the conference. Please consider car shares if possible, to reduce the carbon footprint of conference travel.
Carrbridge rail station is a 15-minute walk from the hotel and there are bus routes that link directly to the hotel.
Programme
Friday 7 November
16.00 Check-in for delegates with Friday night accommodation, badge collection and socialising
Saturday 8 November
| Time | Programme item | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 09.00 – 09.50 | Registration and coffee | |
| 09.50 – 10.00 | Welcome and housekeeping | |
| 10.00 – 10.30 | The harbinger of storms: ringing Red-throated Divers in Shetland | Logan Johnson |
| 10.30 – 11.00 | Combining ringing and genetics to study Scotland’s wild-type Rock Doves | Will Smith |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee | |
| 11.30 – 12.00 | Distribution and behaviour of Curlews in the Beauly Firth | Bozena Kalejta-Summers |
| 12.00 – 12.30 | Stonechats: interesting results from a colour ringing project | Moray Souter |
| 12.30 – 13.00 | Winter havoc: investigating the 2023/24 mass mortality event of Shags in the North Sea | Josie Hewit |
| 13.00 – 16.00 | Lunch and afternoon free | |
| 16.00 – 16.30 | Coffee | |
| 16.30 – 17.00 | Across 44 woodlands and 12 years: temperature impacts on timings and feeding interactions in woodland food webs | Ally Phillimore |
| 17.00 – 17.30 | How to catch … An examination of different techniques | Highland Ringing Group Experts |
| 17.30 - 17.50 | T to C: Training in the Highlands | Jodie Ross |
| 17.50 – 18.30 | News and questions from the ringing office | BTO |
| 19.30 | Conference dinner followed by quiz | |
Sunday 9 November
| Time | Conference item | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 10.00 – 10.30 | The status of the Scottish Crossbill | Ron Summers |
| 10.30 – 11.00 | A Treasure and a challenge: The positive impact of ecological restoration on raptor populations at WildLand Cairngorms | Ronan Dugan |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee | |
| 11.30 – 11.50 | Using Highland Ringing Group datasets to examine long-term patterns in wader moult | Bob Swann |
| 11.50 – 12.10 | These are not just Knot ... they are Highland Ringing Group colour-flagged Knot! | Thomas Plant |
| 12.10 – 12.30 | Ringing in Khurkh: an oasis in the Mongolian steppe | Logan Johnson |
| 12.30 | Raffle draw, lunch and depart | |
Information for delegates
- Badges (provided) must be worn at all times.
- Please order any items that you wish BTO to deliver to the conference in advance
- Posters are welcome and display boards will be available. Let us know in advance via the booking form.
- If you plan to hold a group meeting e.g. CES, Seabirds etc. let us know so that we can make an
announcement.
Booking options
Various ticket options are available:
- Residential charges include bed and board with meals and tea / coffee
- Day rates include lunch and tea / coffee only (not accommodation or dinner)
Vegetarian meals and other dietary requirements can be included on the booking form.
Residential
Full weekend - £150
- Bed and board for Friday and Saturday night
- Stovies on Friday evening, lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday
Saturday to Sunday lunchtime - £130.00
- Bed and board for Saturday night
- Lunch and dinner on Saturday, and lunch on Sunday
Please note that costs are based on delegates sharing rooms. You are able to indicate who you are willing to share with when booking your ticket.
Day tickets
Day visitor (Saturday) - £60.00
- Talks, lunch and dinner
Day visitor (Saturday) - £30.00
- Talks and lunch
Day visitor (Sunday) - £25.00
- Talks and lunch
Cancellations
Cancellations may be possible up to the end of October. No refunds can be made after October unless your vacancy can be filled.
- For general enquiries, please contact Bob Swann at bobswann14@gmail.com
- For booking enquiries, please contact Bill Taylor at taylorbill@btopenworld.com or on 01309 676312