Events

Field Trip to Rainham Marshes

Location: Coach departs from Vicarage Road, Stourbridge (opposite site of old Corbett Hospital car park - see Links page)

Situated on the London-Essex border this RSPB reserve has been restored to wet grassland interspersed with reed-fiiled ditches and rough grassland. A small area of scrubby woodland and the presence of the tidal Thames increase the habitats available to birds. There is a visitor centre with toilets and shop.

Stout footwear and warm, waterproof clothing recommended.

Time: Depart 7.00 am prompt

Price: £15 per person

Booking essential

Telephone: 01384 376790

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

All Bugs Bright and Beautiful

Location: Stourbridge Town Hall

This season's non-bird talk will be about butterflies and other insects.

Time: Start 7.30 pm

Price: RSPB members £3.00 Non-members £3.50

Telephone: 01384 390035

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Field Trip to Frampton Marsh

Location: Coach departs from Vicarage Road, Stourbridge (opposite the site of the old Corbett Hospital car park - see Links page).

Frampton Marsh is a new RSPB reserve situated on the Wash just south of Boston. Much of the site is being converted to reedbed with the aim of attracting bittern and bearded tit as breeding species. Another part of the reserve has mud scrapes which we hope will attract waders. Beyond the sea wall bounding the reserve we may see raptors such as marsh harrier over the neighbouring salt marsh. The reserve also lies next to the River Witham and it is possible to walk to where the river enters the Wash. At this time of year we expect to see wildfowl and other water birds plus early spring migrants. There is a visitor centre and three other large hides on the reserve.


Stout footwear and warm, waterproof clothing are advisable.

Time: Departure 7.00 am prompt

Price: £15 per person

Booking essential

Telephone: 01384 376790

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Saving Special Places Abroad

Location: Stourbridge Town Hall

Helen Byron will talk about the support the RSPB provides to BirdLife and its Partners in their campaigns to protect key biodiversity sites from damaging developments. She will present a number of recent and current cases including the Via Baltica road in Poland, wind farms on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, the Tana River Delta in Kenya and Lake Natron in Tanzania.

Helen works in the International Biodiversity Policy Unit within the International Division at the RSPB. She leads a small team which specialises in working with BirdLife International and its national Partners to protect Important Bird Areas (IBAs) under threat from inappropriate development. Helen has worked as a lawyer and has an Environmental Technology MSc and PhD from Imperial College, London.

Time: Start 7.30 pm

Price: RSPB members £3.00 Non-members £3.50

Telephone: 01384 390035

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Field Trip to Bempton and Flamborough

Location: Coach leaves from Vicarage Road, Stourbridge (opposite site of old Corbett Hospital car park - see Links page)

Bempton is the site of England's only gannetry and also holds breeding guillemot, razorbill, puffin and fulmar. The reserve has a visitor centre and shop. Seabirds are also present at or off Flamborough Head and migrants will be on passage.

Stout footwear and waterproof clothing are recommended

Time: Departure 7.00am

Price: TBA

Booking essential

Telephone: 01384 376790

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Favourite Worcestershire Nature Reserves

Location: Stourbridge Town Hall.

Local naturalist and photographer Gordon Forrest has spent many years recording the wildlife on our local nature reserves. In this talk he will be telling us about his favourite reserves.

Time: 7.30 pm start.

Price: RSPB members £3.00 Non-members £3.50

Telephone: 01384 390035

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Field Trip to Ynys-Hir

Location: Coach leaves from Vicarage Road, Stourbridge (opposite the site of the old Corbett Hospital car park see Links page).

Ynys-Hir is an RSPB reserve on the mid-Wales coast, adjacent to the Dyfi estuary - it was the location for the 2011 BBC Springwatch event. As well as oak woodlands, which host redstart, wood warbler and pied flycatcher, there are reedbeds, open water and views over the saltmarsh. A pair of ospreys nested nearby in 2011 and with luck they may return in 2012.

Stout footwear and warm, waterproof clothing recommended

Time: Depart 7.00 am

Price: £15 per person

Booking essential

Telephone: 01384 376790

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk

Field trip to Lakenheath and Weeting Heath

Location: Coach leaves from Vicarage Road, Stourbridge (opposite the site of the old Corbett Hospital car park see Links page).

Weeting Heath is known for stone curlew and woodlark whilst Lakenheath is the only regular breeding site for golden oriole. At the latter location there is also the possibility of seeing cranes, hobbies and cuckoo.

Stout footwear and warm, waterproof clothing recommended.

Time: Departure 7.00 am

Price: £15 per person

Telephone: 01384 376790

E-mail: djbstourbridge@yahoo.co.uk