Forthcoming Outings
Guidance for members
Members intending to join an outing are requested to contact the leader in advance so that lifts can be arranged where possible and members can be contacted in the event of cancellation. The leader will provide advice about the arrangements for the visit. Please ensure that you are aware of these before travelling.
Please be prepared to share fuel & parking costs.
Tuesday 3rd February (Midweek walk) WWT Barnes. Leader: Jonathan Hannam 07745 022695
The reserve doesn’t open until 10am so that’s when we’ll meet, either by the Sir Peter Scott statue near the entrance or in the Observatory. WWT members, please remember to bring your membership cards! The cost of entrance for adult non-members is £19.95 (£18.10 without gift aid), reduced to £18.10 (£16.45 without gift aid) for those over 65 years old. Note that there is a 10% discount on these prices if they are purchased in advanced on-line, up to midnight the day before. This will be a relaxed walk, with plenty of stops. After gathering in the Observatory we will then walk along the South Route to the Peacock Tower before returning to the Visitor Centre for a spot of lunch. This can either be bought in their café or you can bring along your own picnic. We’ll then walk along the West Route, with the aim of finishing the trip between 2pm and 3pm. There are good paths around the site with a number of hides providing good views of the lakes and scrapes. At this time of year, there will be a lot of wintering wildfowl alongside the usual residents and the Bittern should still be present. We’ll be looking out for Redpoll, Siskin and wintering Thrushes amongst the trees.
Sunday 8th February Blashford Lakes. Leader Peter Knox gsw9859@gmail.com
Blashford Lakes postcode BH24 3PJ
Try to arrive by 0930, at centre on the right of the Ellingham Drove. This is an early start as Blashford Lakes is a good distance from Surbiton and the days are still short at this time of year. Blashford is normally an excellent site for viewing winter finches such as Redpoll, Siskin and Brambling. It is also an excellent place to see ducks and water birds such as Goldeneye and Goosander. We round the day off with a visit to Blackwater Arboretum to see Hawfinches going to roost. Do not forget to bring lunch and snacks.
Sunday 15th February Abberton Reservoir Leaders Thelma Caine & Paul Spencer Tel. 07527 448308 Abberton is about a 2-hour drive from Surbiton. Meet at 9.30 on the Layer Breton causeway, Layer Breton Hill just off the B1026. We will leave there at 9.50 to arrive at the Visitor Centre, Church Road, Layer-de-la-Haye CO2 0EU when it opens at 10.00am. The visitor centre has an entry fee (minimum £2). There are toilets here, a shop and a café. Abberton Reservoir is a SSSI Ramsar wetland site of international importance for wildfowl with impressive numbers of wintering duck and other wildfowl. Goosander usually occur here in good numbers and scarcer species reported recently have included Long-tailed Duck, Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Smew, Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes, Bewick’s Swan and Bean Geese. With luck some of these may still be here when we visit! A variety of waders and raptors are also likely. We will explore the reserve which has several hides, and drive to other watch-points around the reservoir before returning to the car park. Bring lunch and a drink. Also, please note it can be very cold here in winter so bring extra layers!
Saturday 21st February (morning) Horton Country Park Leader Paul Spencer
Join Paul on a ‘’Three hour’’ stroll around his local patch on what is first winter club trip at this site. A mixture of woodland, hedgerows, open horse fields, and ponds Paul has recorded around 40 species this winter including Firecrest, Siskin and Peregrine (divebombing Buzzards on one occasion). Currently Redwings are present in small numbers but if lucky we may get a big flock on a horse field or even hear them singing! Meet Paul at 8.30 am in Filby Road, Chessington near the entrance to the Castle Hill LNR part of the park, which is about 300 yards from the Copt Gilders bus stop served by the 71-bus route. If you require more details phone Paul on 0208 391 5656 (evenings only)
Sunday 1st March Acres Down. Leader: Peter Knox gsw9859@gmail.com
All day car outing to Acres Down, probably the best site in the New Forest for watching raptors. A hill-top ridge provides a good vantage point overlooking a large tract of woodland. The main target species will be Goshawk, who should be “sky dancing” at this time of year. It’s a good idea to bring some kind of camping seat. However this is dependent on the weather: if the weather forecast is particularly poor, the outing may be cancelled or an alternative destination arranged. Rendezvous: Acres Down Car Park at 8:30am (nearest postcode is SO43 7GE). Directions: from the A31 driving west, turn off at Stoney Cross just after the Esso Petrol Station (signed: ‘Emery Down’). Go south 1¼ miles and turn right at crossroads with the signpost: ‘Acres Down’. Continue over the ford and pass the Acres Down Farm Tea Rooms (which are closed). The free car park is at end of the track. The viewpoint has no benches, which is a ½ mile walk over uneven ground. The nearest public toilets are at The Swan Inn or the New Forest National Park Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst (2 miles away). There are also motorway services on the M27 at Rownham, just north of Southampton. After lunch, we may take a walk locally looking for Firecrest, Crossbill, Siskin, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Woodlark. Or we may relocate elsewhere in the New Forest, to be decided on the day. Bring lunch and a hot drink. If attending, please inform the Leader in advance.
Wednesday 11th March (Midweek, morning) Hogsmill River Walk. Leader Stephen Waters 07949 646987
Meet at Hogsmill nature reserve, Lower Marsh Lane 9.15 leaving after 10.Walking along the Hogsmill, finishing in Bushy park 1.30 – 2.00 walking back to the reserve to pick up cars.
Sunday 29th March, Rainham Marshes RSPB. Leader: Rebecca Dunne 07879 645971
Meet at 9.30, bring lunch and drinks as there is nothing at the reserve. Please advise Rebecca if you intend to come. Rebecca will organise lifts, if possible, alternatively you can get to Rainham on public transport. Purfleet railway station is a 20-minute walk away on the Thames path (C2C line from Fenchurch Street) – full details are on RSPB website.
A peaceful paradise for wetland birds on the outskirts of the capital. This superb reserve on the banks of the Thames teems with wildlife throughout the year. See RSPB Rainham Marshes website for the latest sightings. The circular walk around the reserve is 2.4miles on flat paths but shorter walks close to the Visitors’ Centre are possible if you don’t want to do the whole circuit. All 4 hides are open. A lot of overdue cutting back has been done improving views across the reserve.
Our visit will include an additional walk along the Thames path to look over the foreshore and maybe Wennington Marsh (part of the reserve closed to the public) and the landfill mound.
Meet at 9.30 at RSPB Rainham Marshes car park, New Tank Hill Rd, Purfleet, RM19 1SZ Free entry to the reserve. Parking is free for national RSPB members if you display your card. Nonmembers parking charge £5
Visitor’s centre open with great views of the reserve and comfortable seating. Unfortunately, the recently installed self-service hot drinks set-up has been removed so please bring all food and drink. (You’ll pass a Greggs nearby at the garage on A1306 Arterial Road RM19 1TS open until 4pm!) Toilets open 9:30am to 4:30pm
Sunday 12th April, Dungeness RSPB. Leader: Chris Turner Tel: 07909 992956
Sticking out into the English Channel the Dungeness peninsular is one of the south-east’s birding hotspots. This is especially the case in the middle of April when spring migration should be well and truly under way. The order of play will depend on the weather and if anything unusual is about. However, we would expect to spend much of our time at the main RSPB reserve and the ARC pits. Here we should see returning migrant warblers, Wheatears as well as good numbers of terns, waders, herons, egrets and other water birds. A spring Garganey is always on the cards, while scarcities such as a Blue Headed Wagtail or even a Hoopoe or an Osprey is a possibility
If we have onshore winds we will spend a little time sea watching, where both Arctic and Pomarine Skuas are possible alongside flocks of migrating sea duck and waders moving along the channel.
Meet at the RSPB carpark at the northern end of the ARC pit carpark at 9:30. This is on the other side of the road from the entrance track to the RSPB reserve at Boulderwall Farm. What3words/// blurs.wash.towns
Remember to bring your RSPB membership card to ensure that you get free parking and entry to the RSPB reserve. There are facilities at the RSPB reserve. Bring lunch, although the Dungeness Fish Hut on Dungeness Road should be open. It is exceptional if you like that sort of thing.
If attending, please let Chris know in advance so we can arrange lifts is possible.
Wednesday 22nd April, (Midweek Walk) Pulborough Brooks, RSBP. Leader: Mike White 07981 037004
Meet Mike in the car park at 09.45am. Postcode RH20 2EL. Parking: Members Free. Non-members £3.00 payable by using “Pay By Phone” app or at the Welcome Hut by cash during opening hours. Remember to bring your membership card, non-members charge £4.00. The visitor centre, open from 10.00am – 4.00pm, houses the Toilets and Shop. The café has hot drinks and a limited amount of hot/cold food.
The reserve is 630 acres of wet grassland, woodland, hedgerows, meadow and heath within the Arun Valley SPA & SCA.
Weather permitting our principal target for the day will be Nightingale which should have arrived within the last 2-3 weeks and will be establishing territories. Past visits have afforded some excellent views of this species. Bullfinch are also a Pulborough speciality. Many migrant warblers should be arriving, so Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Willow Warbler are all possible. Raptors should include Buzzard, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and possibly the local pair of White-tailed Eagles. Waders and several duck species should also be present.
Sunday 26th April, Otmoor RSPB Reserve and Farmoor. Leader: Paul Spencer
We will meet at the RSPB car park in Otmoor Lane at 9.00am. Sat Nav OX3 9TD; Grid ref SP570126.
Otmoor is a lovely nature reserve of wetland oasis of meadows and reed beds. The visitor trail leads you alongside an expansive flood plain and grazing marsh, home to wading birds (including the elusive Bittern and Common Crane) and wildfowl (often Garganey). Warblers (nine species in 2024) are plentiful in spring including Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and with luck Grasshopper Warbler, Last year we saw 2 Marsh Harriers and 10 + Hobby. Red Kites and Buzzards are usually plentiful. This year we might go to the second reedbed screen as Glossy Ibis have been regularly seen there in recent months.
Sunday 3rd May (morning), Staines Moor. Leader: Leader: Thelma Caine 07527 448308
Meet at 9.00am in Moor Lane, Staines. Park on the roadside on the left beyond the houses at TQ 032722 (Sat Nav TW18 4YT).
This is an interesting habitat of grassland, bisected by the R. Colne and also includes marshy areas, scrub, woodland and several small gravel pits. Skylarks, Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits all breed here and Little Egrets are regular in the marshy areas. A variety of Warblers are present in spring, including Sedge Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler. Wheatears and Whinchats frequently occur on passage and other summer migrants are expected as well as birds of prey which could include Hobby. If wet, wellingtons are essential.
Thursday 7th May (Midweek Walk, morning) , Chamber Meads NR, Leader: Cat Coull 07443 030945
This will be a car free, gentle stroll starting from the Tolworth M&S bus stop served by buses K1, K2, 265, 281, 406, 418. Tolworth Station is across the roundabout. We’ll meet from 9.45 onwards to get the 10.05 406 bus to Grange Mansions (if coming from Epsom/Ewell this is the Eight Bells stop and walk back). Crossing the road we’ll congregate before walking through the woods down the side of the Hogsmill to Chamber Meads wetlands where there’s good seating round the ponds. From there it’s about a further 20 minute walk to Ewell Court with its large ornamental pond and heronry with more seating round the pond and a nice place for snacks or sandwiches, before a visit to the Secret Garden Cafe for coffee and more. After refreshments you can walk up the road to the 406 bus stop for the short journey home, or those who wish to continue, I’ll lead the walk back towards Tolworth via the new Wetlands at Tolworth Court Farm where we’ll hopefully spot the conservation cattle and egrets. The surfaces are mainly flat with a few gentle slopes, but of course it is muddy when wet and if a bit unsteady, like me, I’d advise a walking pole or stick. Please call me, Cat, to let me know if you’re coming or with any other queries.
Sunday 10th May, Pagham Harbour RSPB. Leader: Mike White 07981 037004
Meet in the RSPB Visitor Centre car park at 9.00am. Postcode PO20 7NE Grid Ref SZ 85696 Toilets are open 9.00am-5.00pm, Visitor centre for hot drinks/ice creams 10.00am-4.00pm. Note: Parking charges are now in operation for non-members. £3.00 per day. Members place membership card on dash. We will start with a look at the resculptured Ferry Field and then remain flexible, possibly taking a short walk along the Medmerry trail for warblers before moving to Church Norton.
Thursday 21st May (Midweek Walk, morning) Farnham Heath RSPB. Leader: Thelma Caine 07527 448308
Meet 9:30am in the car park which the RSPB share with the Rural Life Centre, Reeds Road, Tilford, GU10 2DL. Turn left off the A31 at Farnham and head south on the B3001. Take the right-hand fork, signposted Tilford, immediately past the level crossing. Keep to that road. Just outside Tilford village it is signed to the Rural Life Centre. Follow those signs. Entrance is on the right after 0.5miles. Turn left after entering the car park and park at the top near the entrance to the RSPB reserve. Toilets are over the miniature railway line, on the left, by the RSPB sheds.
Farnham Heath RSPB reserve is a lowland heath within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Heathland birds that breed here include Tree Pipits, Stonechats, Woodlark, Redstart and Dartford Warblers. Along the walk we should also see Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Woodpeckers, Finches and birds of prey including Kestrel, Buzzard and maybe Hobby.
Sunday 31st May 2025, Splash Point and Seaford Head. Leader: Rebecca Dunne (07879 645971)
All day car sharing trip Bring lunch Please advise Rebecca if you intend to come. An outing to the East Sussex coast. NB If rarities are present nearby, we may adapt the programme below so do let me know if you intend to join us.
The chalk cliffs at Splash Point host the largest breeding colony of Kittiwakes between Devon and Northumberland but last year they had very poor breeding success, so we’ll have a look and see how they are doing. Rock Pipits also breed here. We will investigate and do a bit of sea watching. Next, we’ll drive up to South Hill Barns on Seaford Head and walk along the cliffs, searching through the sheltered scrub and woodland for warblers etc on the way. We’ll picnic on the species rich chalk grassland above the cliffs (good for butterflies), looking over the Seven Sisters (a wonderful view if it’s clear). Fulmar, Raven and Peregrine nest along here. Then we’ll walk down into Cuckmere Haven to look over the famous ‘Cuckmere Meanders’, saltmarsh and pools. We’ll probably return to the sea front at end of the day for another look at the cliffs and maybe a Holy Cow ice-cream!
Meet 9:30am: at Splash Point, Seaford Nearest postcode BN25 1JJ but keep going to the southernmost end of the Esplanade. Public toilets on the seafront near the Martello Tower Drinks kiosk on the seafront by the toilets and at South Hill Barns.
June 7th, Sunday (all day): Stodmarsh
June 17th, Wednesday (morning): Midweek: Thursley Common
June 20th, Saturday (evening): Nightjars
June 28th, Sunday (all day): Knepp Wildlands
July 5th, Sunday (morning): Butterfly Walk: Epsom Common
July 26th, Sunday (all day): Oare Marshes
August 23rd, Sunday (all day): Cliffe Pools RSPB
September 9th, Wednesday (all day): Midweek: Cissbury Ring
September 20th, Sunday (all day): Dungeness RSPB
September 30th, Wednesday (morning): Midweek: Bushy Park
October (Fri-Sun): Residential Weekend
October 14th, Wednesday (morning): Midweek: Kempton NR
October 18th, Sunday (all day): Farlington Marshes
October 25th, Sunday (all day): Rainham Marshes RSPB
November 8th, Sunday (all day): Two Tree Island
November 18th, Wednesday (morning): Midweek Walk
November 29th, Sunday (all day): Pulborough Brooks RSPB
December 6th, Sunday (all day): Rye Harbour
December 16th, Wednesday (morning): Midweek: Barnes WWT