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 2017
Sunday 1 January 10am – 4pm
Shellness & Capel Fleet
Meet at the seawall at Leysdown to visit the hamlet of Shellness & see the wader roost, TR042699 (ME12 4RJ). Afterwards to Capel Fleet raptor watchpoint TR013689 (ME12 4BA) to see marsh harriers & short-eared owls. Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
Thursday 12 January 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“INCREDIBLE INDIA” by Andrew Lapworth. Andrew will take us to the wonderful tiger reserves and national parks of North & Southwest India to show us birds and other wildlife.
Saturday 14 January 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
Tuesday 24 January 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“BLUE BIRDS OVER THE WHITE CLIFFS” by Tony Morris. Illustrated talk from Tony, an expert bird-watcher who knows the birds of the Dover cliffs very well.
Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 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 2017 BGBW!
Sunday 29 January 10am—4pm
Dungeness Lighthouse and RSPB Dungeness reserve (wc)
Park in the Old Lighthouse car park, TR088169 (TN29 9NB). Gulls on the patch & gannets & grebes on the sea. Later at the RSPB reserve TR067184 (TN29 9NF) large flocks of ducks including goldeneyes & pintails. Also egrets and possibly bitterns. Leaders: Sue & Cliff Provins
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February 2017
Thursday 9 February 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“WILDLIFE OF SOUTH ESSEX” by Neil Phillips. With Essex just a short ferry crossing over the River Thames, learn more about its flora & fauna.
Saturday 11 February 10am – 4pm
Sevenoaks KWT (wc)
Meet in the visitor centre car park, TQ519566 (TN13 3DL). Ducks, geese, grebes and siskins & redpolls in the alders. Leaders: Peter & Karen Hall
Sunday 26 February 10am – 4pm
Oare Marshes KWT
Meet at the car park, TR013647 (ME13 0QD). Large roosts of wintering waders on the pools, avocets, godwits, dunlin & plovers. In the reed beds stonechat, bearded tits and reed bunting. Leaders: Jeff & Wendy Kirk
Tuesday 28 February 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“A LOOK AT GARDEN BIRDS & VISITING BIRDS” by John Lawrence. John will remind us of the wonderful variety of birds that visit our gardens.
March 2017
Thursday 9 March 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“THE LAND TIME FORGOT, NEW ZEALAND & ITS BIRDS” by John Buckingham. A new talk from John, with lots of endemic species.
Saturday 11 March 10am – 4pm
East Blean Woods KWT & Grove Ferry (wc)
Meet at the reserve car park, on Hicks Forstal Rd, TR193643 (CT3 4JS). Woodland birds including tits, treecreepers, nuthatch & woodpeckers. Afterwards to Grove Ferry for marshland birds & wildfowl TR236631 (CT3 4BP) Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
Tuesday 21 March 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“CREATIVE IMAGES OF COMMON SPECIES” by Jodie Randall. Jodie became fascinated with nature & photography at an early age. She makes regular trips in Kent to capture images of nature in all its glory.
Saturday 25 March 10am – 4pm
Rainham Marshes RSPB (wc)
Meet in the reserve car park, TQ551790 (RM19 1SX). Waders & wildfowl with maybe a view of the barn owl. In the reed beds, bearded tits, reed buntings & stonechats. Leaders: Hazel & Steve Cullum
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April 2017
Saturday 8 April 10am—4pm
Grain & Northward Hill RSPB (wc)
Meet at the car park at TQ886767 (ME3 0BS). Waders & ducks on the vast mud flats and in the scrubby bushes migrants such as blackcaps & chiffchaffs. Afterwards to NH to find more early songbirds. Leaders: Norman & Sandra Hogben
Thursday 13 April 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“INCREDIBLE INDIA” by Andrew Lapworth. Andrew will take us to the wonderful tiger reserves and national parks of North & Southwest India to show us birds and other wildlife. Please note, the presentation is a change from our original programme.
Sunday 23 April 5am—9am DAWN CHORUS
Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve
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.
Tuesday 25 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 with café. Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings.
May 2017
Saturday 6 May 10am—4pm
Stodmarsh NNR (wc)
Meet in the reserve car park, TR221608 (CT3 4BE). Hobbies & swifts feeding over the lake & reed bed. Marsh harriers active, woodland birds singing. Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
Thursday 11 May 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
AGM followed by a talk on the wild & beautiful ‘Loch of Strathbeg’ by Geoff Orton.
Sunday 21 May 10am—4pm
Thursley Common NNR
Meet in The Moat car park, SU899416 (GU8 6LW). A special habitat with hobby, redstart, woodlark & Dartford warbler as well as numerous dragonfly species. Leaders: Paul & Maria Yetman
Tuesday 23 May 10am – 1pm
Swanscombe Marshes
Meet at The Pier Hotel, TQ588751 (DA9 9NN). A chance to visit one of the last remaining freshwater marshes in our area which has reed beds, mud flats & scrub. Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
June 2017
Sunday 4 June 10am – 4pm
Broadwater Warren RSPB reserve
Meet in the car park off Broadwater Forest Lane TQ554372 (TN3 9NZ). Previously a conifer plantation, now being restored to heathland. Yellowhammers, woodlark, tree pipits and maybe three woodpeckers. Leaders: Irene & Terry Robson
Saturday 17 June 8am departure COACH TRIP
RSPB MINSMERE (wc)
Avocets, marsh harriers, bitterns & bearded tits, a lovely reserve with woodland, heathland, coast & pools full of wildlife. Visitor centre, café & hides. Organiser: Sally Jennings
Tuesday 27 June 10am – 1pm
Lullingstone Country Park (wc)
Meet at the visitor centre TQ526638 (DA4 0JF). A walk along the River Darenth to see grey wagtails feeding young, tits, warblers & perhaps kingfisher. Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings.
July 2017
Saturday 1 July 10am – 4pm
The Chase, Dagenham (wc)
Meet in the Millenium Centre car park TQ509860 (RM7 0SS). A new Essex venue with visitor centre. Lakes with wildfowl, woodland full of song birds and woodpeckers. Afterwards to Rainham Marshes. Leaders: Hazel & Steve Cullum
Sunday 16 July 10am – 4pm
Elmley NNR (WC)
Meet at the reserve car park, TQ938679 (ME12 3RW). A small parking fee. The open landscape of Elmley Marshes has lapwings gathering in flocks, avocets with young, marsh harriers & other birds of prey. Leaders: Paul & Maria Yetman
Tuesday 25 July 10am – 1pm
Cliffe pools RSPB
Meet in the car park off Salt Lane, TQ724763 (ME3 7SU). Cliffe attracts all kinds of waders, wildfowl & small birds. We hope to see avocets & terns with swallows, swifts & martins overhead. Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
Sunday 30 July 10am—4pm
Thameside Nature Park, Essex (wc)
Meet at the car park, TQ696806 (SS17 0EQ). Superb views over Mucking Flats SSSI and the Thames Estuary at this new and expanding reserve. Visitor centre, trails and hides. Leader: Sue Healey
August 2017
Saturday 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
Tuesday 22 August 10am – 1pm
Northward Hill RSPB (wc)
Meet at Bromhey Farm car park TQ768764 (ME3 8SR). A summer walk in the woodland & marsh of this lovely RSPB reserve. Leaders: Malcolm & Sally Jennings
Friday 25 August 6:30pm start EVENING VISIT
Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve
Meet outside the entrance of the reserve car park off Salt Lane, TQ724763 (ME3 7SU). Passage waders, such as sandpipers and whimbrel, with gulls & terns. Insect repellent recommended. Leaders: Neville & Louise Lunness-Barnes.
September 2017
Saturday 9 September 10am – 4pm
Rainham Marshes RSPB (wc)
Meet in the reserve car park TQ551790 (RM19 1SX). Dragonflies, marsh frogs, geese, ducks & migrants such as sandpipers. Leaders: Claire & Jim Haslem
Thursday 14 September 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
“EAT IN OR TAKE AWAY” by Brian Nobbs. Brian’s talk will show how, from Humming birds to Vultures, birds exploit an amazing range of food sources.
Sunday September 24 10am – 4pm
St Margaret’s Bockhill & Samphire Hoe (wc)
Meet in the memorial car park, TR373451 (CT15 6DT) for peregrine, ravens & fulmars on the cliffs. At Samphire Hoe afterwards meet in the car park, TR300396 (CT17 9FL). Black redstart & sand martin on the cliffs with fulmars, ravens & peregrines. Leaders: Neville & Louise Lunness-Barnes.
Tuesday 26 September 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“INDIA – NAMERI, EAGLE’S NEST & KAZIRANGA RESERVEs” by Dr Brian Summerfield. The birds & wildlife of the Indian nature sanctuaries that protect tigers, leopards, rhinoceros & hundreds of other special species.
October 2017
Saturday 7 October 10am—4pm
Dungeness Lighthouse & RSPB Reserve (wc)
Park at the RSPB reserve at TR067184 (TN29 9NF) to see ducks, various egrets & returning migrants such as wheatears. We may visit the Old Lighthouse later, where scrubby bushes attract firecrests & warblers. Leaders: Sue & Cliff Provins
Thursday 19 October 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
GRAVESEND GROUP’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY – Mike Clarke, the RSPB’s Chief Executive, will join our celebrations and talk about the work of the RSPB.
Saturday 21 October 8:30am departure COACH TRIP
Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve
The lovely Arun Valley is a refuge for wildfowl in winter. Plus fieldfares & redwings in the hedges, stonechats on the heathland and siskins & redpolls in the woodland. Visitor centre & café. Meet outside Gravesend Railway Station (DA11 0RS). Organiser: Hazel Cullum
Tuesday 24 October 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“HYMENOPTERA—THINGS THAT STING” by Nikki Gammons. Nikki returns to tell us more about the importance of bees and other similar species.
November 2017
Saturday 4 November
Volunteering day
Details to be announced later in the year on our website & at meetings
Thursday 9 November 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls “
LESBOS” by Howard Vaughan. Howard will banish our winter blues with descriptions of the birds & other wildlife of the sunny Greek island of Lesbos.
Sunday 19 November 10am – 4pm
Sevenoaks KWT reserve (wc)
Meet in the car park, TQ519566 (TN13 3DL) . Ducks, geese, grebes and maybe a kingfisher too. Refreshments available. Leaders: Norman & Sandra Hogben
Tuesday 28 November 2pm – 4pm Masonic Halls
“FLORA & FAUNA OF SOUTH EAST ENGLAND” by Brian Gallop. An illustrated talk on the wildlife we can see closer to home.
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December 2017
Saturday 2 December 10am – 4pm
Cliffe pools & Northward Hill RSPB
Meet in the car park off Salt Lane, TQ724763 (ME3 7SU). Cliffe Pools attracts numerous wintering waders & wildfowl, including avocet, godwits, goldeneye & grebes. To NH for lunch and to visit Gordon’s Hide. Leaders: Claire & Jim Haslem
Thursday 14 December 7:30pm – 9:45pm Northfleet School for Girls
A social evening – To end the year, no formal talk, just a relaxed evening in which we can meet, review the year and enjoy some festive refreshments.
Sunday 17 December 10am – 1pm
Leybourne Lakes Country park (wc)
Meet in the car park, TQ696602 (ME20 6JA), just off the A228. A half-day visit to see fieldfares, redwings, wintering wildfowl & grebes. Leaders: Jeff & Wendy Kirk