Events
Unless otherwise specified, you do not need to be a member of the RSPB (or the local group) to join us on our events, and birdwatching experience is not necessary. If you have any questions please call the contact number shown with the event details.
December 2009
Tue8
Illustrated talk: Conservation Work at Rye Meads RSPB Reserve
Location: St Saviour's Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF
Limited parking is available at the side and in front of the church.
AL1 4DF (Google map)
Rye Meads is our nearest RSPB reserve. This timely talk will bring us up to date with the many improvements that have been made recently and the continuing work to improve the open water areas and reed beds for wintering and breeding birds and other wildlife.
Our speaker will be Derek Girvan one of the senior volunteers at the reserve who has first hand experience of the conservation work and the amazing results they are achieving. Please note this change of speaker to that previously advertised.
Time: Doors open at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm start
Price: Admission: RSPB Members £2.00, others £2.50
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678534
Sun13
Bird watching outing to Stockers Lake
Location: Meet in the car park in Springwell Lane, Rickmansworth. OS Map Ref TQ042931
51.627518, -0.495309 (Springwell Lane) (Google map)
Stockers Lake is one of the oldest former gravel pits in the Colne Valley. A winter visit is always good for water birds and sometimes affords sightings of the rarer winter species like goosander and smew. The surrounding fields can also contain redwing, fieldfare and wintering geese.
Time: 9.30 am
Price: Free
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678634
January 2010
Tue12
Illustrated talk: Birds of the Colne Valley in Hertfordshire
Location: St Saviour's Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF.
Limited parking is available either side of the church.
AL1 4DF (Google map)
Steve Charter is our speaker in January and his new talk promises to be an interesting insight into the birds to be found here on our own doorstep in the Colne Valley.
Time: Doors open at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm start
Price: Admission: RSPB Members £2.00, others £2.50
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678534
Sun17
Bird watching outing to Fishers Green
Location: Meet in the car park at the end of Stubbings Hall Lane, north of Waltham Abbey. OS Landranger map ref TL377031.
51.710494, -0.0082 (Fishers Green) (Google map)
Winter in the Lee Valley regional park is always a good time for large numbers of wintering birds. Internationally important numbers of gadwall and shoveler and over 2,500 tufted ducks winter here. In January we will also hope to see winter specials such as goldeneye, goosander and smew.
Time: 9:30
Price: Free
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678634
February 2010
Tue9
Illustrated talk: Sumatra Rain Forest
Location: St Saviour's Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF.
Limited parking is available either side of the church.
AL1 4DF (Google map)
Jean Burns is our speaker for February and has spent a year on sabbatical in the Sumatran Rain Forest. She will join us tonight to share her experiences of this fascinating and endangered environment.
Time: Doors open at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm start
Price: Admission: RSPB Members £2.00, others £2.50
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678534
Sun14
Bird watching outing to Amwell
Location: Meet in the shoppers' public car park in Stanstead Abbots. OS Map ref TL384119.
51.789081, 0.005949 (Stanstead Abbotts Car Park) (Google map)
Amwell is one of the superb nature reserves that line the valley of the River Lee between London and Ware in Hertfordshire. Managed by the Herts. and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, the reserve is based around a former sand and gravel quarry. The varied habitat of lakes, reed beds and surrounding meadows and trees can turn up wintering wildfowl, waders, seasonal migrants and woodland species.
Time: 9:30
Price: Free
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678634
March 2010
Tue9
Illustrated talk: Skomer & Wales
Location: St Saviour's Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF.
Limited parking is available either side of the church.
AL1 4DF (Google map)
We are always delighted to host the return of our good friend Fred Twilley with his fabulous knowledge of the natural world and his superb photographs
Time: Doors open at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm start
Price: How much does it cost? Admission: RSPB Members £2.00, others £2.50
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678534
Sun14
Bird watching outing to Chorleywood House Estate
Location: The Estate entrance is on A404 between Rickmansworth and Amersham. We will meet in the Dell Wood car park. OS map ref TQ035970
51.662261,-0.505003 (Chorleywood House Estate) (Google map)
This is a new venue for the St Albans group despite its being just on our doorstep. The estate is a mixture of habitats with woodland, meadows and the chalk valley of the river Ches. There is also a natural meadow managed by the HMWT for its unspoiled population of wild flowers.
Time: 9.30 am
Price: Free
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678634
April 2010
Tue13
Illustrated talk: Fen Drayton Reserve, Cambridge
Location: St Saviour's Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF.
Limited parking is available either side of the church.
AL1 4DF (Google map)
Our speaker for April is Neil Renwick. We are delighted to welcome Neil back to speak to us again. Neil has taken a new role since we last heard from him; he is now managing the development of the RSPB's new reserve at Fen Drayton. Neil's talks are always fascinating and supported by brilliant illustrations.
Time: Doors open at 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm start
Price: Admission: RSPB Members £2.00, others £2.50
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678534
Sun18
Bird watching outing to The Lodge RSPB Reserve
Location: Meet in the Gatehouse Car Park OS map ref TL191485
52.122432,-0.261048 (The gatehouse car park at the Lodge) (Google map)
The Lodge reserve surrounds the RSPB headquarters and includes a large area currently being converted back to the original heathland habitat. A spring visit promises woodpeckers drumming and calling in the trees, songbirds setting up breeding territories, snowdrops and bluebells on the woodland floor and azaleas and rhododendrons in flower in the headquarters' gardens. New trails also pass by the site of the iron-age fort that perches on the brow of the ridge.
Time: 9:30 am
Price: Free
Telephone: Peter Antram 01923 678634