Reports from our outdoor trips. Like to find out more? Join us on our next outdoor trip.
Nineteen members of the group managed to negotiate the closures of the M20 for our trip to this excellent Reserve. Established as a Local Nature Reserve in 1970, three years later the ‘Friends of Rye Harbour’ group was formed, over the years these members have played a major role in funding and giving voluntary […]
On Tuesday the group visited Grain Coastal Park. Back home the temperature reached 31.5 C but a beautiful cooling sea breeze made the conditions for us very pleasant. The tide was out (a long way out!) and with the sea and mudflats shimmering in the sunlight, viewing distant birds with telescope and binoculars was difficult. […]
Saturday’s group outing should have been at Stodmarsh, but due to a weekend closure of the M2, it was decided to change venue and go to Rainham Marshes instead. Ten of us met in the car park on what seemed a very pleasant sunny morning after some heavy rain had fallen back in Kent earlier. […]
Samphire Hoe is the newest part of the British Isles, created from the spoils when digging out the Channel Tunnel. It is located close to Dover docks and overlooked by chalk cliffs. It got its name from the rock and golden samphire which are found on the site, following a public competition. Eleven of the […]
For many of those that joined us for this morning visit to Lullingstone Country Park, the highlight was our visit to the Orchid Bank on the golf course. By the time we reached the bank the sun was shining and lots of butterflies could be seen. The star species was probably the Dark-green fritillary which, […]
On a sunny, but blustery day, eleven of us met in the car park and saw three common buzzards quartering over the West flood. A second look found a male marsh harrier in the same area – not a bad start to the day. We decided to head towards Dan’s dock and walking along the […]
The group met up at Thursley common on Sunday, which was the best day of the week weather wise. Thursley common National Nature Reserve is the largest and most important heathland area in Surrey. It has a mosaic of open dry heathland, peat bogs, ponds, and pine and deciduous woodlands. As such it holds a […]
Last Tuesday the group visited the RSPB reserve at Cliffe Pools. We were greeted in the car part by a nightingale in full song – a rather good start to the day. The breeding colony of black – headed gulls on the islands was very impressive (and noisy!) with about 2000 pairs. Keen gull watchers […]