BENTLEY PRIORY
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Day trip - start: 09:30am
Morning visit to Bentley Priory Nature Reserve. Meet 9.30am at Stanmore station (Jubilee line, Zone 5). Then short bus trip to entrance. Woodland, scrub, unimproved grassland, deer park.
OARE MARSHES
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Day trip - start: 10:03am
Oare Marshes is a Kent Wildlife Trust reserve on the north Kent coast, opposite the Isle of Sheppey. Good for passage waders including little stint, marsh harrier, kingfisher, yellow wagtail, whinchat, etc. We will take the 10.03am train from Victoria to arrive at Faversham at 11.10, from where we will take a local bus or shared taxis to Oare village. There are no facilities at the reserve. Bring lunch.
PAGHAM HARBOUR
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This local nature reserve, managed by West Sussex County Council, is on the south coast. The walk from the visitor centre goes out to the seashore, passing tidal pools and creeks which can hold a variety of waders and wildfowl. At the time of our trip, waders can be expected on passage from their summer breeding areas to their winter habitats. There are hedges and shrubs which can produce a number of smaller birds. On arrival at the beach, we will scan the sea for grebes, divers, wildfowl. £1 donation per person is requested. Visitor centre and toilets.
RAINHAM MARSHES
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Day trip - start: 10:05am
We will meet at 10.05am at Purfleet station (trains start from Fenchurch Street). The new RSPB reserve of Rainham, Wennington and Aveley Marsh is on the north bank of the Thames and opened for public access in 2006. It consists of a large area of former flood meadows now managed predominantly as wetland, marsh and pools with an area of woodland. The reserve attracts birds on migration and we can also expect to see waders, raptors and wintering wildfowl. There is a visitor centre overooking the reserve, with a cafe, toilets and a shop. Admission charge of £2.50 for non RSPB members. Bring lunch.
HOOK-WITH-WARSASH
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This nature reserve, managed by Hampshire County Council, is on the River Hamble near Southampton. There is a good network of footpaths, taking in a variety of habitats. We hope to arrive in time to see the high-tide wader roost, which can be spectacular. No admission charge. Public toilets.
MINSMERE
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This well-known location is the RSPB's flagship reserve on the Suffolk coast and a very popular destination for our Group. There is a wide range of habitats, including extensive reedbeds, lagoons, woodland, heathland and seashore. Bittern, marsh harrier and bearded tit are present all year, and on our visit we hope to see large numbers of starlings flying to their evening roost. The nature trail takes in a number of hides overlooking various habitats. There is a large visitor centre, shop and tearoom. Admission charge of £5 for non RSPB members.
WICKEN FEN
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve is owned and managed by the National Trust. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and provides an important area of increasingly rare ancient fenland habitat which supports a wide variety of species of birds and animals. One of the attractions at this time of the year is to see hen and marsh harriers coming in to roost towards the end of the day. Admission charge for non-National Trust members £4.75.
STOCKER'S LAKE
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Day trip - start: 10:00am
This Local Nature Reserve in Hertfordshire is based around disused gravel pits. Wildfowl present in winter usually include smew, goosander and goldeneye. There is also grass and woodland, attracting winter thrushes and other small birds. Meet at 10am at Rickmansworth Station. This can be reached by Metropolitan Line, or by rail from Marylebone Station. Bring lunch. There are some hides, and public toilets.
TWO TREE ISLAND
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Day trip - start: 10:00am
We will meet at 10.00am at Leigh-on-Sea Station - trains start from Fenchurch Street. This National Nature Reserve is situated in the Thames Estuary, near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, and is reached by a causeway a short walk from the station. The perimeter offers extensive views over the tidal mudflats with a good chance of seeing avocets, other waders and brent geese, of which large numbers winter here. The interior of the island consists mainly of grassland and scrub with passerines and, hopefully, owls and raptors. There are no facilites on the island. Bring lunch.
HOLKHAM
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
Holkham is situated on the North Norfolk coast near Wells. Habitat in the National Nature Reserve includes dunes, tidal saltmarsh, pine woods, grassland, and there is mature woodland and a large lake in the grounds of Holkham Hall. The area is excellent for wintering pink-footed, white-fronted and brent geese, and there is a good chance of seeing barn owl, snow bunting and twite. No admission charge.
LEE VALLEY COUNTRY PARK (CHESHUNT)
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Day trip - start: 10:00am
The Lee Valley Country Park, a regular destination for our Group, is an extensive area of wild habitat not far to the north of London. We can expect to see a good selection of wildfowl, hopefully including smew, goldeneye and goosander, with maybe some waders, and a good chance of seeing wintering bittern for which the Park has become well-known. There are hides and toilets. Bring lunch. We will meet at 10:00am at Cheshunt Station (National Rail trains depart from Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale).
STODMARSH
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
Stodmarsh is a Natural England reserve near Canterbury in Kent. There is a riverside path, through large areas of reedbed, plus woodland and pools. Birds include hobby, bearded tit, Cetti’s warbler. There are public toilets. No other facilities on the reserve, but refreshments are available at the pub at Grove Ferry as we return to the car park at the end of the day.
LEE VALLEY COUNTRY PARK (CHESHUNT)
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Day trip - start: 10:00am
The Lee Valley Country Park, a regular destination for our Group, is an extensive area of wild habitat not far to the north of London. As well as wildfowl and waders, we can expect to see a variety of summer visitors including warblers, common tern and, hopefully, nightingale. There are hides and toilets. Bring lunch. We will meet at 10:00am at Cheshunt Station (National Rail trains depart from Liverpool Street and Tottenham Hale).
ASHDOWN FOREST
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
Ashdown Forest, which covers an extensive area in East Sussex, includes open heath, grassland, bogs, scrub and woodland. This mixture of habitats means it attracts a diverse range of bird and animal species. Resident birds include stonechat, meadow pipit, Dartford warbler, lesser redpoll, bullfinch, and summer visitors to the Forest include skylark, yellowhammer, cuckoo, woodlark, common redstart, hobby. We will visit various habitat areas during the day. Public toilets are available.
FRYENT COUNTRY PARK
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Morning trip - start: 09:45am
A general wildlife walk around the hay meadows, ponds and ancient hedgerows of Fryent Country Park (Local Nature Reserve) for birds, butterflies, flowers and trees. Meet 9.45am at Kingsbury tube station (Jubilee Line, Zone 4). Toilets only at start and end of trip.
NEW FOREST (BEAULIEU ROAD)
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Day trip - start: nearest train to 9:00am
We will catch the nearest train to 9.00am from Waterloo to Beaulieu Road. From here we will walk in an area of the New Forest which is good for redstart, woodlark, crossbill and can yield Dartford warbler. There are no facilities. Bring lunch. Check here nearer the date for specific train details.
HICKLING BROAD
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This Norfolk Wildlife Trust National Nature Reserve in the Broads includes a large area of open water, plus reedbed, fen, grazing marsh and woodland. Birds which should be present at the time of our visit include hobby, marsh harrier and bittern. We will also hope to see the beautiful swallowtail butterfly. Facilities include hides, a visitor centre and toilets. There is an admission charge or £3.25 for non Norfolk Wildlife Trust members.
TITCHFIELD HAVEN
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This National Nature Reserve on the Hampshire coast is owned and managed by Hampshire County Council. Habitat includes water, reedbeds, scrape, woodland and grassland. Birds at this time of year include common and sandwich tern and a variety of waders, some of which will have bred. There is a nature trail with hides and also a cafe, toilets and a small visitor centre. There is an admission charge of £3.70, including for RSPB members.
RYE HARBOUR
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Coach trip - start: 08:00am
This local nature reserve is on the south coast of England, near Rye in East Sussex. The path leads across shingle and grassland and past lagoons to the coast. We can expect a variety of seabirds, wildfowl, terns, and waders on migration. Toilets are available at the start of the route.
