Details of meetings, including a comprehensive programme of mid-week meetings, can be found in Bird News, (the club’s monthly publication for members)
W/E meetings start at 09:30 and on Tuesdays at 10:00, unless otherwise stated.
Please note the revised Safeguarding Policy
Indoor meetings.
The Club’s indoor meetings will be held at the Newman Hall, 28 Grange Court Road, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4DR.
Thursday 20 November – Peter Cranswick, ‘Saving the Madagascar Pochard’
Saving the world’s rarest bird. Last seen in 1991, some 20 Madagascar Pochards were found by chance on a
remote lake in 2006, literally teetering on the brink of extinction. An emergency rescue mission was scrambled to bring birds into captivity, buying time to devise a long-term plan. But finding a new home for a duck in one of the world’s poorest countries, where most wetlands are heavily degraded, in a hard-to-reach location, throws up many and varied challenges. Hear how a pioneering approach, some innovative thinking, and not a little determination is helping keep this duck’s head above water.
Field Meetings.
Sunday 19 October – Chew Valley Lake Leader: Robert Hargreaves
Meet at 09:30 at Herriotts Bridge where there is plenty of parking. This walk will explore the public access areas so no permits will be required. Due to the distances involved, we will drive between locations, with the exception of a walk between Woodford and the Dam. We hope to see any interesting new arrivals as well as the normal wintering wildfowl.
Tuesday 21 October – Leap Valley, Downend Leader: Joyce Donkor – Kate Cashmore
Meet on Bridgeleap Road, BS16 6TW, and please park considerately in residential roads. Nice walk along a little known valley on the eastern side of Bristol with varied habitats including a stream, reed fringed pond, open grassland, a bluebell wood with mature trees, blackthorn thickets and a small, protected wetland. Path may be muddy, there are no stiles but two gentle slopes
Tuesday 28 October – Bleadon levels nature reserve Leader: Jane Cumming
Meet at the public car park at Weston Sewage Treatment Works near Bleadon. Directions: head towards the hospital at Weston-Super-Mare but before you reach it turn south at the roundabout onto the A370. In Bleadon village turn right at the Anchor Inn onto Accommodation Road signposted to Brean and Berrow. After half a mile and immediately after the railway bridge turn right onto an unsigned road with a 20mph sign. (Take care it is on a blind corner.) Follow this road for half a mile, through the Wessex Water gate and on past the well-marked bridle path. The car park is on the right 100 yards further on, or if it’s full you can park at the end of the road beyond that. Bring a telescope to look for bird roosts on the River Axe. A very easy walk, flat and mostly on a cycle path. (The STE is open on weekdays only – Mon-Fri, 08.00 – 15.30.)
Sunday 02 November – Avalon Marshes Leaders: Giles Morris and Bob Buck
Meeting duration is 10:00 – 13:00. Meet at 10.00hrs in the RSPB Ham Wall Reserve car park at Ashcott Corner.From the middle of Meare Village on the B3151 Wedmore to Glastonbury road, take the minor road south, with a brown reserve signpost. After approximately one mile the car park is situated on the left just after the Railway Inn and the drain bridge, NB – not the Shapwick car park, which is on the other side of the road. Level walking, but may be muddy in places. Parking charges: RSPB members are exempt at the Ham Wall car park. Remember to display your RSPB card in the windscreen and remove all valuables from parked cars. The Avalon Reserves should be full of wintering ducks, herons/egrets, harriers and waders and there may be wintering passerines – Siskins, Redpolls and thrushes. There’s always a chance of Bitterns and Bearded Tits, so lots to hope for. We shall start at Ham Wall, but may move on to Shapwick, Catcott or Westhay.
Tuesday 04 November – Purdown / Long Wood Leader: Graham Blacker
Meet on Romney Avenue, Lockleaze for a lovely walk around Purdown and Stoke Park towards Duchess Pond, Hermitage and Long Wood, while looking out for the wood sculptures. Should be good underfoot with a couple of stiles. This walk hasn’t been used by the BOC for 19 years.
Sunday 09 November – Clevedon Leader: Howard Taffs
Meet at 09:30 at the entrance to the cemetery on Old Church Road for a walk around Wains Hill, then onwards to the River Kenn and back.
Tuesday 11 November – River Avon / Ham Green Leader: Judy Copeland
Park in MaCrae Road, Ham Green, Pill (turn off Pill Road/Ham Green at Lodway Cricket Club). Meet at the bus
stop opposite the Anchor Inn. Arrive in time to catch the 10:06 X4 bus towards Bristol, to Leigh Court. Alternatively coming out of Bristol catch the 09:20 or 09:40 X4 Portishead bus and meet at the gateway to Leigh Court (next stop after the George Inn, Abbots Leigh) at about 10:10. We will walk down through the woods to the Avon towpath, along the river then uphill back to the cars. Do not forget your bus pass.
Tuesday 18 November – Goblin Combe / Cleeve Leader: Alastair Fraser
From Bristol take the A370 to Cleeve. Turn left onto a minor road signposted ‘Village Hall, Environmental Centre’. Park by the old quarry. Mainly mixed deciduous woodland, some conifer, farm and open areas. No stiles, one steep ascent, one gradual descent with two steeper sections. Can be quite muddy in parts.
Sunday 23 November – RSPB Ham Wall / Shapwick Heath NNR. Starling murmuration meeting Leader: Nick Page
The final location depends on where the roost is. Meet at Ham Wall car park at Ashcott Corner at 14:00. Updates may be sent out via email and Whatsapp. From the middle of Meare Village on the B3151 Wedmore to Glastonbury road, take the minor road south, with a brown signpost to the Nature Reserve. After approximately one mile the car park is situated on the left just after the Railway Inn and the drain bridge, NB – not the Shapwick car park, which is on the other side of the road. Level walking but may be muddy in places following rain. Parking charges apply for non-RSPB members; RSPB members are exempt (place membership card in the windscreen). The car parks can fill up on the weekends so we will do some birding as we make our way to the roost, though please note the location does vary from night to night so there is no 100% guarantee to see it.
Tuesday 25 November – Stanton Drew Leader: Alan Craddock
Meet at the upper car park of the Druids Arms, Stanton Drew. If coming from the A38 turn onto the B3130 and go through Winford and Chew Magna before turning right at the toll house to Stanton Drew. If coming from the A37 Wells Road, turn onto the B3130 north of Pensford and turn left at the toll house. There is a narrow bridge and sharpish double bend in the village before coming to the Druids Arms on your left. The car park is beyond the pub. Take the second entrance to the car park up a short incline to the upper car par park. Stone circles, disused railway viaduct but no stiles. Can be muddy in places with some minor road walking up a hill coming back out of Pensford.
Saturday November 29 – Eastville Park / Stoke Park Leader: Rich Scantlebury
Meet at the bottom of Elmgrove Road on Thingwall Park at 09.30. As it is a Saturday the Eastville car park will be full up with Park Run runners.