Here are the details of our planned outdoor trips. For general information on outdoor trips please visit the outdoor trips page.
Close enough to home to make the most of the short winter days, but always good for waders, gulls and “lbjs” flitting through the trees. If we get lucky: Bittern, Siskin, Water Rail, Owls…. Facilities: Café and toilets Cost £3.00 (plus Wildlife Trust charge – free to Trust members – card required or additional payment on entry of £2.50 or £1.50 for over 60’s.) We should find plenty of water fowl on the reservoir and then check out the margins for waders. We may also find good numbers of finches and tits in the woods and shrubs Facilities: Café and toilets £3.00 https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/carsington-water/ A change to the original plan to visit the Ouse Fen, as there are no hides or facilities and a lot of walking! We will travel to the Ouse Washes, which have proved successful in the past. Marsh Harriers and plenty of varied water fowl are present all year round. We will also visit the Nene Washes which have produced Cranes and Short-Eared Owls in the past. Toilets at Ouse Washes. £3.00 https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/ouse-washes/ https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/nene-washes/ Lots of reedbeds, shallow water and big open skies should enable us to see a wide range of birds on this Yorkshire site. Bittern, Kingfisher and Tree Sparrows are regular sightings. Hopefully there will be several different raptors Facilities: toilets. £3.00. https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/fairburn-ings/ A different time of year to last year’s visit which was in the Spring, so we should see plenty of newly fledged birds before they disperse to their various wintering grounds. Let’s hope there is not too much wind, so we can find Bearded Tits and possibly Bitterns Facilities: Café and toilets. Cost £3.00 https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/titchwell-marsh/ A first visit to this Yorkshire site, on the outskirts of Leeds. Waders pass through the Aire Valley on their migration. Green Sandpipers and Black-tailed Godwits are seen in large numbers. We may also see Bittern and Short-Eared Owls there Facilities: Visitor Centre has light refreshments and toilets. Cost £3.00 https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/staidans On the outskirts of Rickmansworth, the River Colne runs through mature gravel pits and defunct watercress beds. Established willows and alders alongside a canal create a diverse habitat for waterfowl including Goosander and Smew and we might see Bearded Tits and Bittern Facilities: Café and toilets.. Cost £3.00 https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/stockers-lake With more hides than anywhere else that we visit and a variety of lagoons hosting waterfowl and waders, we never fail to have a good count of birds even though it will be one of the shortest days of the year Facilities: Visitor Centre sells hot drinks. Toilets. Cost £3.00 (plus £4.00 if not a member of Rutland Water – cards will be required on the day)
This trip will be free to all members so why not come along and join us. Full information was sent with the August newsletter or ask any Committee member for details.