Druids Lodge near Salisbury

Title: Druids Lodge near Salisbury
Description: A late winter visit to this primarily arable downland area, but with a short walk beside the River Till. The walk is about five miles long, a little undulating in parts, but nowhere very steep. At this time of year we would hope to see a good collection of farmland birds including Yellow and Corn Buntings, Raven, and several species of raptors. The meeting is likely to last until early afternoon so some lunch should be brought. Meet in the lay-by on the east side of the A360 Salisbury to Shrewton Road ; SU 100391
Leader Granville Pictor (mobile 07767 731650)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2012-02-19

Blashford Lakes near Ringwood

Title: Blashford Lakes near Ringwood
Description: A return visit to this Hampshire Wildlife Trust reserve which lies between Fordingbridge and Ringwood. This site produces good numbers and a wide variety of wildfowl, and there should be lots of winter woodland birds around as well. Lunch should be brought as weather permitting there is the prospect of a further walk in the New Forest in the afternoon. There are toilets on site at Blashford Lakes. Meet in the car park near the Tern Hide, left off Ellingham Drove at SU 151083, on the opposite side of the road from the Visitor Centre.
Leader David Winnie (mobile 0797 115 5131)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2012-02-05

Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, Gloucestershire

Title: Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, Gloucestershire
Description: Meet in the car park outside the main entrance. An admission fee will be payable by non members of the Trust. At this time of the year wildfowl numbers are at their peak, with many Bewick Swans and White Fronted Geese present, plus the chance of a scarcer goose. Waders will also be seen, and Peregrine is all but guaranteed at this time of the year. All day meeting; toilets and other facilities are available on site.
Leader Graham Stacey (mobile 07915 832060

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2012-01-18

Cotswold Water Park

Title: Cotswold Water Park
Description: Meet at Neigh Bridge car park SU 017947, near Somerford Keynes. This will be an all day meeting , with the possibility of visiting nearby Blakehill Farm (Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve) if reports from earlier weeks suggest it is worth a visit. The Water Park should provide a wide range of waterfowl including Smew and Goldeneye; a chance to get your year list off to a flying start!. Please bring lunch and waterproof footwear
Leader Brian Crookes (mobile 07954 386722)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2012-01-07

Studland and Shell Bay, Near Swanage.

Title: Studland and Shell Bay, Near Swanage.
Description: An early winter visit to this excellent coastal area which usually produces a big and varied list of species. We will search the bays for Grebes, Divers and sea duck and take a look over Poole Harbour where we should see a wide variety of waders and more wildfowl. There is a chance of Dartford Warbler and Hen Harrier on the heaths while around the car parks we could see the resident Ring-necked Parakeets. Meet in the Knoll National Trust car park about a mile north of Studland village at SZ034834. All day meeting so bring lunch.
Leader John Osborne (mobile 07890 047431)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-112-18

Fyfield Down, near Marlborough

Title: Fyfield Down, near Marlborough
Description: A winter walk on the Marlborough Downs where we hope to see a wide range of farmland birds, some raptors, and possibly Short Eared Owl. Meet in the car park which can be reached by turning north off the A4 on the west side of Marlborough. The car park is about a mile up the road at SU159700.
The walk is likely to last into the early afternoon so some lunch should be brought.
Leader Laura Mynott (mobile 07743 123946)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-12-04

Blakehill Farm and Lower Moor Nature Reserves

Title: Blakehill Farm and Lower Moor Nature Reserves
Description: A morning visit to two Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserves in North Wilts. At Blakehill Farm there is the possibility of Merlin, while Snipe and Jack Snipe should be seen on the adjacent Stoke Common Meadows. Nearby, Lower Moor is situated at the Western end of the Cotswold Water Park and holds a variety of wildfowl plus Kingfishers. Wellington boots advisable at Blakehill. Enter Blakehill Farm Nature reserve off the B4040 at the main entrance, SU074924 , drive down the gravel track to the tarmac road, and turn right to the car park near the information board.
Leader Robin Griffiths (mobile 07761290725)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-11-13

The Severn Estuary north from Severn Beach

Title: The Severn Estuary north from Severn Beach
Description: A return visit to this well-known birding area last visited in 2009. If the wind is blowing up the estuary with luck we may find species which are more typically found further out to sea; Leach’s Petrel is occasionally seen in late autumn and on the last trip we saw Pomarine Skua.. Whilst the area is over-supplied with motorways, Severn Beach is not actually accessible from any of them and must be reached via the A403 from the north or south. Note also that all the bits of road adjacent to the sea are called Beach Road – park on the northern section opposite house numbers 77 to 91, ST539851. All day meeting so bring lunch.
Leader David Wall (mobile 07919 087034)

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-11-02

Great Ridge Wood and Boyton Down, near Sherrington

Title: Great Ridge Wood and Boyton Down, near Sherrington
Description: This will be a walk through mixed woodland and chalk down and farmland. We should see a wide variety of birds at this time of the year including some early migrants such as Redwing and Fieldfare. The walk is about 5 miles long and the meeting will probably last until the early afternoon so lunch should be brought. Meet at the end of the tarmac road coming up from Sherrington at ST 955369
Leader Frank Lowe.

Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-10-26

Cornwall Long Weekend

Title: Cornwall Long Weekend
Description: This is a repeat of the very successful trips of autumns 2007 and 2009. We will again be based in the Penzance/St Ives/Hayle area which will give us easy access to prime bird watching areas such as the Hayle Estuary, Porthgwarra and St Ives Head. We should see a wide variety of birds depending on weather conditions. Sea watching should reveal shearwaters and skuas, whilst the estuaries and marshes should hold good numbers of wildfowl and waders. There are many small valleys in the area which should provide some interesting passerines with always the chance of a rarity.
Members will need to book their own accommodation in the area, and, as with past long weekend trips, we will aim to meet up in the evening to make the most of the trip. As perhaps not everyone will want to come for all four days, we will have some prearranged meeting places for at least the first two days
The leader will be Granville Pictor (tel 01722 325408, mob 07767731650), and if those planning to go could contact him in good time, he will provide details of the meeting places and other details of the trip

Start Date: 2011-10-06
End Date: 2011-10-09

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