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.Use this table to jump to the events for that month
January Events February Events March Events April Events
May Events June Events July Events August Events
September Events October Events November Events December Events
January 2018
Saturday 6 January 10am – 4pm
Shellness & Capel Fleet
Meet at the seawall at Leysdown to walk to Shellness & see the wader roost, (TR042699) ME12 4RJ. Afterwards to Capel Fleet raptor watchpoint (TR013689) ME12 4BA for marsh harriers & short-eared owls.
Leaders: Sue, Sally & Malcolm
Thursday 11 January 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Birding Alaska” by Barry Wright. Enjoy spectacular scenery and hear about the special birds and mammals living in this wild land.
Sunday 21 January 10am – 4pm
Dungeness Lighthouse and RSPB reserve (WC)
Park in the Old Lighthouse car park (TR088169) TN29 9NB. Gulls, gannets & grebes & later at the RSPB reserve (TR067184) TN29 9NF ducks, egrets (and possibly bitterns) on the new RSPB islands.
Leaders: Sue & Cliff Provins
Tuesday 23 January 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“Wildlife of Speyside” by Duncan MacDonald. Join us for this Scottish tour through Speyside’s unique habitats and exciting wildlife.
Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 Jan 1 hour
Big Garden Birdwatch
Record the wildlife you see in your garden for 1hr. Submit your results on the RSPB website and be part of the 2018 BGBW!
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February 2018
Sunday 4 February 10am – 4pm
Elmley NNR (WC)
Meet at the reserve car park, (TQ938679) ME12 3RW. A small parking fee. An excellent location for wintering wildfowl, waders and raptors.
Leaders: John & Pauline Beard
Thursday 8 February 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Birds beyond the boughs” by Simon Ginnaw. Simon’s new presentation on the secret behaviour and ecology of our best-loved woodland and garden birds, accompanied by birdsong!
Saturday 17 February 10am – 4pm
Cliffe Pools RSPB
Meet in the car park off Salt Lane, (TQ724763) ME3 7SU. Cliffe attracts all kinds of waders, wildfowl & small birds in winter, including birds of prey such as marsh harrier & peregrine.
Leaders: Hazel & Steve Cullum
Tuesday 27 February 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“Bats in the belfry – Badgers in the bypass” by Martin Newcombe. What does a professional naturalist do all day. Is he paid to watch birds? or is there more to it than that? A look at a ’new’ profession.
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March 2018
Sunday 4 March 10am – 4pm
Sevenoaks KWT reserve (WC)
Meet in the car park, (TQ519566) TN13 3DL Ducks, geese & grebes with siskins & redpolls in the alders. Refreshments available.
Leaders: Jeff & Wendy Kirk
Thursday 8 March 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Regua – Brazil” by Alan Martin. Restoration and deforestation in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, and how it will eventually become a holiday destination.
Saturday 24 March 10am – 4pm
Stodmarsh NNR (WC)
Meet in the reserve car park, (TR221608) CT3 4BE. Tits, woodpeckers, thrushes & early migrants in the woodland & marsh harriers active over the lake & reed beds.
Leaders: Paul & Maria Yetman
Tuesday 27 March 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“Padlers, waders and swimmers” by Don Wilkes. Birds to be seen in or around water local to Thanet.
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April 2018
Thursday 12 April 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“RSPB’s natural secrets” by Peter Holden. Over 13,000 species of wildlife inhabit nature reserves, so no visit should ever be dull!.
Sunday 15 April 10am—4pm
Blean Woods RSPB
Meet at the reserve car park (TR126592) CT2 9DD. Woodland birds including tits, treecreepers, warblers, nuthatch & woodpeckers.
Leaders: Norman & Sandra Hogben
Tuesday 24 April 10am – 1pm
Riverside Country Park (WC)
Meet in reserve car park, (TQ808682) ME7 2XH. Wildfowl and waders plus the possibility of early migrants such as cuckoos & chiffchaffs. Visitor centre + café.
Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
Sunday 29 April 5am—9am DAWN CHORUS
Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve (WC)
Meet in Cliffe village car park near the church (TQ735766) ME3 7QR. The bushes & scrub at Cliffe are ideal for song birds. Nightingale, blackcap, whitethroat, song thrush, cuckoo and turtle dove.
Leader: Paul Yetman
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May 2018
Thursday 10 May 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
AGM followed by “Nature conservation in the Thames Estuary” by Rolf Williams. Ongoing work on the ground plus an aerial view of the latest developments.
Sunday 13 May 10am—4pm
Ashdown Forest
Meet car park opposite Old Lodge reserve on the B2026 (TQ470305) TN22 3JD. Common redstart, woodlark, tree pipit, hobby & spotted flycatcher! More details at www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk
Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
Tuesday 22 May 10am – 1pm
Cobham Mausoleum
Meet in the car park at the end of Lodge Lane, Cobham (TQ680683) DA12 3BS. A walk through Cobham Woods to hear Spring bird song & see woodland flowers.
Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
Sunday 27 May 10am – 4pm
Conyer Creek and Oare Marshes KWT reserve
Park near the public house (TQ961647) ME9 9HR Water birds on the Swale & passerines in the scrub & bushes. After to Oare Marshes (TR013647) ME13 0QD to see a wader spectacle on the scrape.
Leader: Sue Healey
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June 2018
Saturday 2 June 8am departure COACH TRIP
RSPB MINSMERE (WC)
A lovely reserve with woodland, heathland, coast & pools full of wildlife. Visitor centre, café & hides. Details on website.
Organiser: Hazel Cullum
Sunday 24 June 10am – 4pm
Rye Harbour NNR (WC)
Meet at the reserve car park, (TQ941189) TN31 7TU. Common, Little & Sandwich terns nesting or feeding young. Gulls, including Mediterranean gulls, with young, right in front of the hides.
Leaders: Hazel & Steve Cullum
Tuesday 26 June 10am – 1pm
Northward Hill RSPB (WC)
Meet at Bromhey Farm car park (TQ768764) ME3 8DS. A walk round the reserve to see & hear Spring birds; nightingales, whitethroats, blackcaps.
Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings.
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July 2018
Saturday 14 July 10am – 1pm
Volunteer day
Light task. Details to be announced on the website and at meetings.
Leaders: Paul & Sue
Tuesday 24 July 10am – 1pm
Sevenoaks KWT reserve (WC)
Meet in the visitor centre car park, (TQ519566) TN13 3DL for a Summer visit to see flowers, butterflies & dragonflies and ducks & geese with their young.
Leaders: Sally & Malcolm Jennings
Saturday 28 July 10am—4pm
Dungeness RSPB reserve (WC)
Park at the RSPB reserve at (TR067184) TN29 9NF. A Bee Walk with bee identification expert, Nikki Gammans, as well as visits to the hides to see the new islands in action. We may visit the beach or ARC pits later.
Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
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August 2018
Sunday 12 August 10am – 4pm
Oare Marshes KWT reserve
Meet at the car park, (TR013647) ME13 0QD. Godwits, plovers and dunlin returning in summer plumage. Bearded tits & yellow wagtails.
Leaders: John & Pauline Beard
Friday 24 August 6:30pm start (evening visit)
Northward hill RSPB Reserve
Meet at Bromhey Farm car park (TQ768764) ME3 8DS. A dusk walk near marshes & woodland. Bats, owls and sunset. Insect repellent recommended.
Leaders: Neville & Louise Lunness-Barnes
Tuesday 28 August 10am – 1pm
Cliffe Pools RSPB reserve
Meet in the car park off Salt Lane, (TQ724763) ME3 7SU. A bee identification walk with our usual birdwatching today, led by one of the Bee Conservation team.
Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
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September 2018
Saturday 8 September 10am – 4pm
Grove Ferry (wc)
Meet in the reserve car park (TR236631) CT3 4BP. Active marsh harriers with swallows & swifts on migration. Sandpipers & other waders on the pools.
Leaders: Peter & Karen Hall
Thursday 13 September 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Footloose in Namibia” by John Lawrence. Independent travel in Africa, including the Skeleton Coast and Etosha National Park.
Sunday 23 September 10am – 4pm
Rainham Marshes RSPB reserve (wc)
Meet in the reserve car park, (TQ551790) RM19 1SX. Waders & wildfowl with a view of the barn owl. In the reed beds; bearded tits, reed buntings & stonechats.
Leader: Sue Healey
Tuesday 25 September 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“Wildlife on your doorstep” by Victoria Golding. A close look at the wildlife of our local natural places.
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October 2018
Saturday 6 October 10am—4pm
Dungeness Lighthouse and RSPB reserve (WC)
Park in the Old Lighthouse car park, (TR088169) TN29 9NB. Gulls, gannets & grebes on the sea. Later to the RSPB reserve (TR067184) TN29 9NF All kinds of ducks – shovelers, wigeon, goldeneyes & pintails, with egrets, herons and harriers.
Leaders: Sue & Cliff Provins
Thursday 11 October 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Broadwater Warren” by Alan Loweth. How to make a nature reserve, transforming a sterile and gloomy conifer plantation into a haven for wildlife.
Sunday 21 October 10am – 4pm
The Chase, Dagenham (wc)
Meet in the Millenium Centre car park (TQ509860) RM7 0SS. A repeat visit to this Essex venue with it’s various habitats. Lakes with wildfowl, woodland with tits, finches and woodpeckers.
Leaders: Norman & Sandra Hogben
Tuesday 23 October 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“A walk along the tees” by Andrew Lapworth. Scenery, birds and flowers along the River Tees, including Upper Teesdale with it’s rare plants and special birds such as breeding waders, ring ouzels and black grouse at their leks
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November 2018
Saturday 3 November 10am—1pm
Volunteer day
Details to be announced later in the year on our website & at meetings.
Leaders: Paul & Sue
Thursday 8 November 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“Catalonia” by Neil Phillips. Come & enjoy Neil’s presentation on the birds & wildlife of a spectacular region of Spain
Sunday 18 November 8:30am departure COACH TRIP
London Wetland Centre WWT
A great day outdoors in the centre of London! Wild nature alongside collections of birds WWT are helping to conserve. Visitor centre & café. See website & newsletter for details.
Organiser: Hazel Cullum
Tuesday 27 November 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“Spitzbergen” by Tony Morris. Hear about one of the coldest places on earth with it’s arctic birds, polar bears and breath-taking scenery, whilst enjoying a hot drink in the warm.
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December 2018
Saturday 1 December 10am – 4pm
Cliffe Pools RSPB
Meet in the car park off Salt Lane, (TQ724763) ME3 7SU to see wintering waders & wildfowl, including avocet, godwits, goldeneye ducks & grebes.
Leaders: Peter & Karen Hall
Thursday 13 December 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
A social evening – A meeting to review the year and enjoy some festive refreshments.
Sunday 16 December 10am – 1pm
Riverside Country Park (WC)
Meet in reserve car park, (TQ808682) ME7 2XH. A half-day visit to see the birds and enjoy the wide open landscape of the Medway Estuary in winter. Visitor centre with café.
Leaders: Claire & Jim Haslem
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