Trip reports

Male blackcap in hawthorn bush

Sunday, 28 April 2013

A good day for summer migrants - at last! More...

Red squirrel in Scots pine tree

Saturday, 13 April 2013

Dolphins, badgers, ptarmigan, black grouse, black throated divers ..... More...

Jubilee River and Christmas Common

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Lesser red poll, Mediterannean gull, raven, red kites galore ........... More...

Male merlin perched on mossy hummock, Shetland Isles

Sunday, 3 March 2013

A good day on the Isle of Sheppey. Six different raptors, large numbers of wigeon, pintails, avocets, golden plovers, lapwings ......... More...

Marsh Harrier (female), close up of head

Sunday, 17 February 2013

Lovely weather and a good bird total. A marsh harrier makes a spectacular kill..... More...

Long-tailed tit perched on branch

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Water rail, common snipe, golden eye, sparrowhawk, scaup at Amwell - and we're the goal of Treasure Quest on 3 Counties Radio! More...

Otmoor RSPB Reserve, Oxfordshire

Sunday, 9 December 2012

Great sights and sounds from the starling roost! Well worth waiting for.... More...

Whooper & Bewick's swans feeding in ploughed field

Sunday, 18 November 2012

Great weather for our first coach trip - long-billed dowitcher, bittern, common crane, loads of ducks and waders..... More...

Titchfield Haven and Farlington Marshes

Sunday, 21 October 2012

A quietish day's birdwatching. Highlights a peregrine - and a plastic woodpecker...... More...

Barn owl looking over its shoulder

Wednesday, 19 September 2012

Waders galore and lots of owls. And many more ..... More...

Male green woodpecker feeding on ground

Sunday, 16 September 2012

A gentle, uneventful start to our new season....... More...

Redshank perched on post

Sunday, 24 June 2012

Hobbies, 7 bullfinches, common terns with young, lots of dragon flies............ More...

Nightjar on ground among heather

Saturday, 26 May 2012

Great views of woodlark, redstarts, and nightjars More...

Minsmere landscape

Sunday, 13 May 2012

We had a glorious day, sandwiched between cold, wet ones, for our final coach trip of the season. The sun was out the gorse was in flower, trees were leafing up, and Minsmere was alive with birds, ,though the recent flooding had been a setback for many of the Scrape's ground nesters. 34 of us were on the trip More...

Gannet with chick at nest, Bass Rock

Friday, 20 April 2012

A good weekend including a very close encounter with a peregrine! More...

Wheatear in spring

Sunday, 15 April 2012

Red-crested pochard, Jack snipe, ringed and little ringed plover, plenty of nesting activity.... More...

Chiffchaff standing on gorse

Sunday, 18 March 2012

Great views of a Cetti's warbler, 100 plus fieldfares and redwings, red kites galore ........... More...

Water rail feeding at waters edge

Sunday, 22 January 2012

A good day for redpolls - and blustery weather........ More...

Male goldeneye

Sunday, 8 January 2012

Smew, water rail, great spotted wood pecker - all in the 'scope together More...

Goosander on water

Sunday, 11 December 2011

Bittern, water rail, great northern diver, goosander, golden eye ...... More...

Dark-bellied brent goose on water at Hayling Island

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Highlight of the day - a huge flock of Brent geese low over head More...

Flock of birds over flooded fields, Cliffe pools, Kent

Sunday, 16 October 2011

Star of the day - an adult Isabelline shrike! More...

Dark-bellied brent goose on water at Hayling Island

Saturday, 1 October 2011

Fantastic weather for a trip aboard historic Thames barge 'Thistle'. Birding highlights: little tern and Mediterranean gull More...

Hobby chasing dragonflies

Sunday, 18 September 2011

A good day for raptors, plus red-crested pochard, green sandpiper, kingfisher, lots of house martins .... More...

Nightjar on ground among heather

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Great three days birding not too affected by a very mixed bag of weather. And lots of butterflies! More...

Nightingale singing

Sunday, 19 June 2011

Great to hear turtle dove, nightingale and Cetti's warbler - even if we didn't see them ........... More...

male stonechat perched on bramble

Saturday, 4 June 2011

Our usual afternoon and evening trip in June. A good day for redstarts - but without some of the regulars! More...

Male redstart perched on branch

Sunday, 15 May 2011

A two centre trip. Heath and woodland, then coastland and scrapes. Fledglings time ........ More...

Male blackcap in hawthorn bush

Sunday, 17 April 2011

A pleasant walk in lovely weather, with a modest bird list More...

Redshank perched on post

Sunday, 13 March 2011

A good day for ducks and waders - and a timid Highland bullock More...

Welney Wildfowl and Wetland Trust

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Escaped greater flamingo and Harris hawk, besides the whooper swans we were expecting..... More...

View over A.R.C. gravel pits, Dungeness

Sunday, 23 January 2011

Glaucous gull, a great day for grebes - and bitterns for some........... More...

Marsh Harrier (female), close up of head

Saturday, 15 January 2011

Firecrest and otter at Lynford thousands of geese and two rarities on the coast More...

Fishers Green and Amwell

Sunday, 9 January 2011

A bracing start to the New Year! Smew, white-fronted and pink-footed geese, siskins, a cormorant with indigestion......... More...

Great spotted woodpecker on branch

Thursday, 16 December 2010

Winter ducks and woodland birds and relatively good weather! More...

Tyttenhanger

Sunday, 12 December 2010

A perched kingfisher the best view of the day.... More...

Short-eared owl sitting on the ground

Sunday, 21 November 2010

Superb views of a peregrine feeding! More...

Male wigeon swimming

Saturday, 23 October 2010

A fine sunny day. large flocks of lapwings, a peregrine falcon... More...

Chiffchaff standing on gorse

Sunday, 19 September 2010

Hobby, kingfisher, swallows and house martins on the move, loads of red kites. More...

Turtle dove

Monday, 12 July 2010

The trip started with lots of stone curlews near Tuddenham. Then on to Flitcham Abbey Farm to see turtle doves and a row of four little owls! A buff breasted sandpiper was the star bird at Titchwell. Spotted flycatchers in the church yard at East Barsham. Read on for Ashley's account of the two guided days... More...

Hobby chasing dragonflies

Sunday, 6 June 2010

Cuckoo calling, bittern booming, hobbies hunting, loads of damsel flies............ More...

Osprey in larch tree

Sunday, 9 May 2010

A two-stop coach trip with great views of ospreys and other nesters. Loads of warblers. A close encounter with a newt fence! More...

Wheatear in spring

Friday, 23 April 2010

A great weekend in a mix of habitats. Our bird total an impressive 112, including puffin, skuas, terns, garganey, tawny owl, lots of wheatears...... More...

Bittern walking on edge of reedbed

Sunday, 21 March 2010

A lovely spring day by the Solent. Mediterranean gulls, great northern diver, good views of a bittern............ More...

Male wigeon swimming

Sunday, 14 February 2010

A good day on the Isle of Sheppey. Raptors, big flocks of geese, ducks and waders, grey partridge, corn buntings, rock pipits ....... More...

Bittern feeding in reedbeds

Sunday, 3 January 2010

A bracing start to the New Year! Highlights - bittern, smew, red-crested pochard, marsh tit............. More...

Tyttenhangar

Sunday, 20 December 2009

Two brave people went on a very cold trip to Tyttenhangar gravel pits. More...

Flock of pink-footed geese at dawn over Loch of Strathbeg

Saturday, 5 December 2009

From firecrest to great white egret and pink footed geese wih all sizes in between! More...

Whooper & Bewick's swans feeding in ploughed field

Sunday, 22 November 2009

A good day - defying the weather forecast! Bewick's swans, swirling starlings, loads of ducks, geese and waders. More...

Male lapwing in breeding habitat

Sunday, 25 October 2009

In the morning at Jubilee River a mix of birds on a blustery day. Kites galore at Christmas Common in the afternoon. More...

Adult black-tailed godwit in summer plummage, at the RSPB Snettisham nature reserve, Norfolk

Sunday, 11 October 2009

A grand trip aboard historic Thames Barge 'Thistle'. Fine weather, several hours under sail, great food, lots of birds on the mud flats. More...

Adult black-tailed godwit in summer plummage, at the RSPB Snettisham nature reserve, Norfolk

Sunday, 11 October 2009

A grand trip aboard historic Thames Barge 'Thistle'. Fine weather, several hours under sail, great food, lots of birds on the mud flats. More...

Snipe perched on fence post

Sunday, 20 September 2009

A promising start to the new season. Fine weather with good views of a little owl, red kites, yellow wagtails.... More...

Barn owl looking over its shoulder

Monday, 13 July 2009

A very good break. Stone curlew, golden oriole, turtle dove, Montagu's harrier, barn owl - what more could you want? More...

Hobby chasing dragonflies

Saturday, 20 June 2009

Our regular afternoon and evening trip in June. Highlights tree pipits, woodlarks and nightjar - and plenty of dragonflies. More...

Marsh Harrier (female), close up of head

Sunday, 31 May 2009

Biggest turnout of the season for this coach trip. Dry and sunny. Great views of gull chicks, goslings, marsh harriers in flight. More...

Yellow wagtail in winter wheat

Sunday, 19 April 2009

A chilly day, but Spring had arrived! Good views of yellow wagtails and butterflies More...

Cuckoo perched in tree

Thursday, 16 April 2009

While looking for water voles we found our first cuckoo of the year! And did see voles! More...

Male bearded tit perching on Phragmites

Sunday, 15 March 2009

Fantastic weather - dry, sunny and mild, with great light for bird-watching. 63 bird species, one butterfly, grey seals and Konik horses seen. More...

Male goldeneye

Sunday, 8 February 2009

Fine, cold, breezy weather on the first weekend after the big snow, a total of 47 species for the day. Highlights - scaup and mandarin duck. More...

View over lagoon, Titchwell Marsh RSPB reserve

Sunday, 25 January 2009

RSPB Titchwell Marsh - decidedly damp - but not half as wet as we'd been expecting! Plenty of birds about -90 species seen. More...

Tree sparrow on twig

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Fourteen members of the group had a rewarding walk. More...

Adult bittern wading in reedbed at Lee Valley Country Park

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Dry, overcast, still - and very, very cold! A mixed bag of 58 bird species, and a herd of fallow deer. A good start to the year! More...

Goosander on water

Thursday, 18 December 2008

A level walk with little mud in mild weather. 38 species were seen. More...

Otter among seaweed

Sunday, 7 December 2008

A full weekend away in Norfolk - good weather, good birds and otters. More...

Dark-bellied brent goose on water at Hayling Island

Sunday, 23 November 2008

On the coach trip to Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, after starting with heavy rain and strong wind, a total of 80 species was seen. More...

Water rail feeding at waters edge

Sunday, 2 November 2008

First impressions - very good! Amwell was a new site for all the small select group who attended. More...

Thames Barge Trip

Saturday, 18 October 2008

A great day out, perfect weather and we saw some birds. More...

Sunday, 21 September 2008

The Group's first trip of the season. A great day out! More...

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

7 attended the John Hurrell walk round Stockers Lake More...

Sunday, 18 May 2008

23 joined the coach trip to Arne More...

Wednesday, 19 March 2008

John Hurrell walk - Croxley Common Moor - 19 March More...

Sunday, 16 March 2008

Harty Ferry - 16 March More...

Sunday, 17 February 2008

Ouse Washes - 17 February More...

Thursday, 14 February 2008

John Hurrell walk - Whippendell Woods - 14 February More...

Sunday, 27 January 2008

Coach Trip to Cley. More...

Tuesday, 15 January 2008

John Hurrell walk, Stockers Lake More...

Sunday, 6 January 2008

Shared transport trip to Fishers Green. More...

Adult male siskin on feeder

Sunday, 11 January 2004

 More...