August 21st – 25th. The European Ornithologists’ Union 7th biennial meeting brought together 380 people from 38 countries to spend 5 days discussing the latest advances in Ornithology. Three people for the Centre for Ornithology were there; Graham Martin, Simone Webber and Jim Reynolds. Meeting in Zurich at the Irchel campus of the city’s University, symposia and plenary talks covered all aspects of ornithology from the latest techniques in tracking birds using GPS, avian personalities, farmland bird declines, and avian senses including vision and olfaction. The lively meeting was unpinned by superb organisation and a convivial social atmosphere allowing international friendships to be renewed and new contacts and collaborative research plans made. One day was set aside for social contact based around excursions to some nearby ornithological hotspots. The Centre trio took the opportunity get up high on the mountains and came up-close to a study population of Alpine Choughs. In the evening a dinner was held with live entertainment provided by an Alpen Horn playing ornithologist.
