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Combined Programme 2011-12

The programme below brings together all the coach outings, local outings, weekend trips and indoor meetings.

The Dreda Farrell Memorial Lecture
Friday 9 September 2011
“On the Trail of the Crane” - Ralph and Brenda Todd
Old friends of the MBS, tour leaders and lecturers. A wonderful mix of wildlife and cultures in four continents showing many species of this amazing bird.

Saturday 10 September 2011
Rainham Marshes, Essex
Habitats: low-lying grazing marsh, reedbeds, wet grassland, ditches, scrub.
Species: godwits, whimbrel; merlin and peregrine hunting over wader flocks.
Facilities: Hides and open viewing areas, Visitor Centre, Cafe, Shop.
Meet: 10.35 Purfleet Station (*Fenchurch Street 10.05, *Barking 10.19).
Reserve information

Saturday 17 September 2011
Sandwich Bay/Pegwell Bay, Kent Route B
Habitats: mudflats, saltings, dunes.
Species: passerine migrants; chats, redstarts, flycatchers; waders and wildfowl.
Facilities: donations invited for Observatory.
Reserve information
Reserve information

Saturday 8 October 2011
Brent Reservoir (Welsh Harp), Cool Oak Lane, Kingsbury
Habitats: reservoir, woodland.
Species: grebes; gulls; snipe.
Facilities: Hides.
Meet: 10.30 Hendon First Capital Connect Station (*Kentish Town 10.12, *West Hampstead (Thameslink) 10.16, *Hendon 10.22). Local buses to West Hendon (Station Rd, Broadway).
Reserve information

Special Event - 16th Springett Memorial Lecture
Thursday 13 October 2011
A talk on "Hampstead Heath and the Flora of London" by David Bevan.
Location: Burgh House, NW3 1LT.
Time: Refreshments at 19.30. Talk at 20.00.

Friday 14 October 2011
“Eat in or Takeaway” - Brian Nobbs
A look at how hummingbirds to vultures find their food. Brian is a retired biochemist, keen amateur birdwatcher and photographer.

Saturday 5 November 2011
Blue House Farm, Essex
Habitats: 600 acre farm on north bank of River Crouch.
Species: Brent geese, wigeon, teal; waders including lapwing, curlew, avocet; peregrine; skylark; corn bunting; Barn owl possible; hares.
Facilities: Hides.
Meet: 10.30 North Fambridge (*Liverpool Street 09.35, change Wickford).
Reserve information

Friday 11 November 2011
"The Wildlife of Northern France" - Roy Croucher
Now running wildlife tours from his home in Northern France, Roy will tell us about birds across the channel. He was an RSPB Officer from 1974 – 1982 and has 30 years experience as a Countryside Ranger.

Saturday 26 November 2011
Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex Route B
Habitats: flooded meadows, ponds, ditches, hedgerows.
Species: wildfowl including wigeon, teal, pintail, (Bewick swan possible); peregrine, buzzard; bullfinch, woodpeckers, fieldfare and redwing, marsh tit.
Facilities: Hides, Visitor Centre, Cafe, Shop.
Reserve information

Saturday 3 December 2011
Amwell Nature Reserve, Hertfordshire
Habitats: canal, lake, reedbeds, woodland.
Species: bittern; wildfowl including smew and gadwall; woodpeckers; possible red kite, buzzard.
Facilities: Hides, no toilets on site.
Meet: 10.20 St Margarets Station (*Liverpool Street 09.42, *Tottenham Hale 09.55).
Reserve information

Saturday 17 December 2011
Regent's Park Pre-Christmas Bird Walk
Habitats: woodland, grassland, lakes.
Species: wildfowl; heronry; woodpeckers; kestrel; water rail.
Facilities: Cafe, Toilets.
Meet: 10.30 at number 2 Park Road, near the traffic lights closest to the park. Morning walk only. Morning only - lunch not required.
Reserve information

Friday 13 January 2012
“Keeping Hampstead Heath Wild” - Meg Game
Hampstead Heath ecologist, keen birdwatcher and leader of Tuesday morning walks, Meg will tell us how the City of London manages the Heath. Followed by our Annual General Meeting.

Saturday 21 January 2012
Elmley Marshes, Kent Route B
Habitats: marsh, mudflats, scrape, seawall, ditches.
Species: flocks of wigeon and teal; wader roost of grey plover, black-tailed godwit and dunlin; spoonbill; harriers, merlin, peregrine.
Facilities: Hides, Toilets.
Reserve information

Saturday 28 January 2012
Two Tree Island, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Habitats: mudflats, saltmarsh, lagoons, grassland, scrub, reedbeds.
Species: waders including avocet, dunlin, turnstone, grey plover, curlew; Brent goose.
Facilities: Hides, no toilets on site.
Meet: 10.30 Leigh-on-Sea Station (*Fenchurch Street 09.40, *Barking 09.54).
Reserve information

Saturday 4 February 2012
Stocker's Lake, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
Habitats: a large water-filled gravel pit with islands; reedbeds, carr, scrub.
Species: redwing; kingfisher; herons; siskin; little owl; wildfowl including possible goosander, smew, goldeneye.
Facilities: Hides, Toilets.
Meet: 10.35 Rickmansworth Station, LU Metropolitan Line (*Baker Street 09.58, *Finchley Road 10.04).
Reserve information

Friday 10 February 2012
“Urban Dwelling Peregrines” - Ed Drewitt
A reporter for BBC wildlife programmes, commentator for RSPB Avocet cruises on the Exe, this high profile speaker specializes in a subject relevant to us city dwellers.
Further information

Saturday 18 February 2012
Rye Harbour, East Sussex Route B
Habitats: shingle, saltmarsh, sand dunes, rivers, pits, grazing marsh, reedbeds, farmland.
Species: red-throated diver; Brent geese, eider, common scoter, wigeon, scaup, goldeneye, smew; bittern and rarer grebes possible; merlin, peregrine, hen harrier, short-eared owl.
Facilities: Hides, Toilets, Coffee shop near harbour.
Reserve information

Friday 9 March 2012
“Have Wings Will Travel” - Dominic Couzens
Author, freelance writer and professional ornithologist, Dominic is well known to many of us from classes and previous talks and will fill us in on migration.
Further information

Saturday 10 March 2012
Banstead Common, Surrey (Canons Farm. Banstead Woods)
Habitats: farmland, woodland.
Species: buzzard, sparrowhawk; little owl; fieldfare, redwing; skylark; yellowhammer, brambling, lesser redpoll; stonechat; all three woodpeckers possible.
Facilities: no toilets on site.
Meet: 10.35 Kingswood Station (*Victoria 09.36).
Reserve information

Saturday 31 March 2012
Dungeness Observatory and RSPB reserve, Kent Route B
Habitats: shingle beach, reedbeds, lagoons.
Species: early migrants including wheatear, swallow; black redstart and firecrest possible; waders including bar-tailed godwit, whimbrel, ruff; terns, gulls, wildfowl; peregrine and marsh harrier.
Facilities: Cafe, Hides, Visitor Centre, Shop.
Observatory information
RSPB Reserve information

Friday 13 April 2012
“A Birding Safari to the Philippines” - Richard Eden
A widely travelled birdwatcher for 20 years and former Oriental Bird Club Council Member. A little known area, Richard will take us from one end to the other of this long archipelago putting the bird life into context.

Saturday 14 April 2012
Oare Marshes, Kent
Habitats: grazing marsh with freshwater dykes, scrapes, seawall, saltmarsh.
Species: waders including godwits and curlew; wildfowl including garganey; divers; grebes; marsh harrier, peregrine; bearded tits; sedge warbler; reed bunting; yellow wagtail; wheatear; terns.
Facilities: Hides, no toilets on site.
Meet: 10.40 Faversham Station (*Victoria 09.22 OR *St.Pancras 09.25). Then local taxi/cars to reserve.
Reserve information

Friday 11 May 2012
At Camley Street Natural Park, Kings Cross, St. Pancras. “Protecting London’s Wildlife”
Helen Burton of the London Wildlife Trust. A walk around this two acre site near Kings Cross followed by a talk on the work at Camley Street. Walk 19.00. Talk ends 21.00. Reserve information

Saturday 12 May 2012
Paxton Pits, Cambridgeshire
Habitats: large water-filled gravel pits with islands; meadows, grassland, scrub, woodland, reedbeds.
Species: nightingale; raptors including hobby; warblers; hirundines.
Facilities: Hides, Visitor Centre, Toilets. £2.50 donation requested (includes tea/coffee).
Meet: 10.15. St Neots Station (*Kings Cross 09.23, *Finsbury Park 09.27). Then taxi/cars to reserve.
Reserve information

Saturday 19 May 2012
Minsmere, Suffolk Route A
Habitats: woodland, heathland, reedbeds, lagoons, scrapes, beach.
Species: waders including avocet, godwits; common and little terns; marsh harrier, hobby; bittern; bearded tit; nightingale; sand martin; warblers; marsh tit.
Facilities: Hides, Visitor Centre, Cafe, Shop.
Reserve information

Friday 8 June 2012
Hampstead Heath Stroll
Habitats: lakes, grassland, scrub, woodland.
Species: kingfisher; kestrel; great crested grebe.
Bring Binoculars. Bring your friends! Sometimes ends in the pub.
Meet: 19.00 Hampstead Heath Station (London Overground). Prompt departure!
Reserve information

Saturday 9 June 2012
Cheshunt, Lee Valley, Hertfordshire
Habitats: large water-filled gravel pits with islands; rivers, ditches, wet grasslands, woodland.
Species: wildfowl; waders including green sandpiper; hobby; nightingale; kingfisher; warblers.
Facilities: Hides, Toilets.
Meet: 10.20 Cheshunt Station (*Liverpool Street 09.58, *Tottenham Hale 10.10).
Reserve information

Saturday 16 June 2012
The New Forest (Beaulieu Rd, Bolderwood), Hampshire Route B
Habitats: heathland, woodland.
Species: hobby; honey buzzard and goshawk possible; redstart; wood warbler; firecrest; crossbill; lesser spotted woodpecker; cuckoo; Dartford warbler; tree pipit; woodlark; dragonflies.
Facilities: Toilets, refreshments at Bolderwood.
Reserve information