Coach Outings Programme
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We normally have 8 coach trips each September - June season within about 3h of London.
Our September 2023 - June 2024 programme is posted below.
In the light of higher coach costs post-Covid and although we are now opening up our 53-seater coaches (with WC),
we are continuing to charge £25 to MBS Members and £30 to non-members.
Please note coach details - boarding time and place, return journey, what to bring etc are all in the column to the right on a pc or laptop screen.
Please pay for coach trips using the relevant PayPal button below each coach trip (remembering to click on the arrow to select non-member if appropriate).
To book your seat on the coach you must also send an email to birdsmbs@yahoo.com stating destination and/or date and your phone number.
You can pay for e.g. 2 members or 2 non-members using these buttons but not e.g. 1 member and 1 non-member or seats on different coach trips.
You will also find "shopping cart" buttons on a separate page if you wish to try more complex combinations of bookings.
If you wish to book by post & cheque or need to discuss alternative methods of payment please email birdsmbs@yahoo.com.
Saturday 27 April 2024
Dungeness Observatory, ARC Pits & RSPB Reserve, Kent
Habitats: Sea, shingle spit, rough pasture and scrub, marshes, pasture & scrub, gravel pits.
Species: passage divers, gulls, terns; Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Hobby; Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwing, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel; Garganey; Little and Great White Egrets; Bearded Tit, Tree Sparrow, Wheatear, Sedge and Reed Warblers, Meadow Pipit
Facilities: Toilets and cafe at Observatory; Toilets, Visitor Centre, Hides at the RSPB reserve.
Reserve Observatory information and RSPB information
Saturday 18 May 2024
Ashdown Forest (Old Lodge), Sussex
Habitats: Heath, woodland, grassland.
Species: Hobby, Buzzard, Raven; Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Spotted Flycatcher, Woodlark, Tree Pipit, Common Redstart, Cuckoo. Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Warblers incl. Willow, Garden, Common Whitethroat. Dragonflies, butterflies.
Facilities: Visitor Centre, loos.
Reserve information.
Saturday 8 June 2024
Minsmere RSPB & Dunwich Heath, Suffolk
Habitats: Heath, woodland, scrub, freshwater marsh and reedbeds, dunes, sea.
Species: Marsh Harrier, Hobby; Common, Sandwich and Little Terns; Kittiwake; Stone Curlew, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Avocet; Bittern; Shelduck, Garganey; Warblers incl. Sedge, Reed, Grasshopper, Cetti s; Nightingale; Marsh Tit, Stonechat, Sand Martin, Kingfisher. Otters, Red Deer.
Facilities: Toilets, Visitor Centre, Caf , Hides.
Reserve information. and Dunwich Heath
Earlier this season
Saturday 28 October 2023
Hook-with-Warsash, Hampshire
Habitats: Shingle, grassland, wetland and woodland at the mouth of the River Hamble.
Species: Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Greenshank, Green and Common Sandpipers, Dunlin; Shelduck; Water Rail; Peregrine, Buzzard; Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Bearded Tit, Kingfisher, Rock Pipit.
Facilities: WC, pub.
Reserve information
35 people enjoyed the day despite being hampered by flooded paths. Highlights included Short-eared Owl, Red-throated Diver, Avocet, Pintail, Brent Geese, Buzzard and Great White Egret. They also enjoyed great views of a Greenshank feeding with a group of Redshank. The group saw and heard a total of 69 species.
Saturday 2 December 2023
Rye Harbour, Sussex
Habitats: Saltmarsh, shingle, pools, reedbeds, scrub, mudflats, sea.
Species: Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Scaup, Long-Tailed Duck; Bittern, Great White and Little Egrets; Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Barn Owl (Merlin, Hen Harrier, Short-Eared Owl possible); Grey and Golden Plovers, Sanderling, Curlew; Bearded Tit, Kingfisher, Rock Pipit.
Facilities: Visitor Centre, toilets, viewing platform, hides, cafes, pub.
Reserve information
32 people were on this coach trip. We'd arranged a 1/2h extension with the coach company in the hope of catching the Bittern roost from the viewing platform. No Bitterns were seen but everyone seemed to enjoy their day despite the cold. 70 species with highlights including Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Kingfisher, Fieldfare and Marsh Harrier.
Saturday 27 January 2024
Pulborough Brooks RSPB West Sussex.
Habitat: Wet grassland, pools and scrapes; fields and woodland.
Species: Wildfowl incl. Teal, Wigeon, Pintail; Bewick s Swan possible; Lapwing, Black-Tailed Godwit, Snipe; Peregrine, Buzzard, White-Tailed Eagle, (Hen Harrier & Short-Eared Owl possible); Redwing, Bullfinch, all 3 woodpeckers, Marsh Tit.
Facilities: Visitor Centre with Cafe, toilets, hides.
Reserve information
40 MBS members enjoyed this 10-4 day at Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve. Some of us sadly missed Sea Eagle, Bullfinch, Redpoll, Redwing, Fieldfare and waders but most managed good views of Peregrine, Snipe, Stonechat, Red Kite and large numbers of Pintail and other ducks. It was also lovely to watch the flurry of little birds on the feeders - tits, finches, Nuthatch, House Sparrows and the larger Great Spotted Woodpecker. Total 68 species.
Saturday 24 February 2024
Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire
Habitats: Fresh and saltwater marsh, salt lagoons, grassland, scrub, sea.
Species:divers and scarcer grebes possible; Brent Geese, Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Red-Breasted Merganser, possible Sea Duck; Black and Bar-Tailed Godwits, Ruff, Grey and Golden Plover; Peregrine (Merlin, Hen Harrier, Short-Eared Owl Possible); Kingfisher, Dartford Warbler, Rock and Water Pipits, Skylark.
Facilities: Toilets, pub
Reserve information
43 people enjoyed a mild and sunny day on the Hampshire coast. The highlights included Spoonbill, a male Scaup, Mergansers on the Sea, a Slavonian Grebe and lots of Brent Geese barking softly to themselves. Some people also saw Bearded Tit, Dartford Warbler and Kingfisher. The group saw a total of 80 species.
Saturday 23 March 2024
Abberton Reservoir, Essex Wildlife Trust
Habitats: Reservoir, marsh, grassland, woodland, scrub.
Species: Wigeon, Pochard, Goldeneye, Teal, Goosander, Bewick s Swan, scarcer grebes and divers possible; Lapwing, Golden Plover, Dunlin; Great White & Little Egrets (Cattle possible); Peregrine, Buzzard; Corn and Reed Buntings, Skylark, Kingfisher.
Facilities: Visitor Centre (cafe, shop, & toilets), hides & screens.
Donation to EWT requested.
Reserve information
36 people enjoyed a day of changing Spring weather - a strong chill wind at the Layer de la Breton causeway and a lunchtime hail shower with some sunny intervals before and after. 73 species seen and/or heard. The birds-of-the-day were seen from the Island Hide - a distant Black Throated Diver and a nearer flock of 5 Lesser Scaup. Other highlights included Goldeneye, Goosander and the singing of Skylarks.
Local Outings
Our 2023-24 programme
Reports
Reports on past outings and events:
