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
Sunday 21 April – New Forest, Telegraph Hill Leader: Saul Alonso, RSPB Warden
BOC contact: Mike Jackson
An RSPB warden will lead us into one of their most recently acquired reserves. This New Forest site should provide songs and sightings of newly arrived warblers, chats and flycatchers, as well as resident breeders and raptors. The distance of the walk and start time will appear in next month’s Bird News. The meeting point is the car park just opposite Telegraph Hill with space for 20 cars.
Tuesday 23 April – Marshfield Leader: Chris Perry
Meet at Marshfield on the A420. Park in the lay-by on the south side of the Marshfield bypass near Tanners Walk. The specialities of this area are Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer with the possibility of Grey Partridge and Quail.
Sunday 28 April – Portland SY 670755 Leader: Alastair Fraser
Meet at Ferrybridge on Portland Causeway at 10:00. Allow at least two and a half hours from Bristol. We will visit various places on Portland including a sea watch at the Bill and a visit to the quarry to look for Little Owl. Car parking charges apply at Ferrybridge and the Bill. Mainly flat walking, uneven underfoot, not usually muddy.Arrangements may change at short notice so let the leader know if you intend to come.Also, the leader will need a lift from BS9. No lift, no leader!
Use the members’ WhatsApp group to arrange car share
Tuesday 30 April – Puxton Leader: Gareth Roberts
Meet by the parish noticeboard in Puxton village. Please car share if you can do so as parking is very limited. From A370 two miles west of Congresbury (going towards Weston-super-Mare) turn left at Hewish, signed Puxton and brown tourist sign for Holy Saviour Church. (If approaching from M5 J21 stay on A370 at first Puxton sign and turn right at Garden Park Garden Centre). On entering Puxton turn right at the signpost (to Hewish and Westonsuper-Mare) and park on the left after the church path. Please keep off the soft verges. A walk around Avon Wildlife Trust’s Puxton Moor reserve. Flat with two stiles (can be bypassed). Can be muddy and wet. A mixture of
grazed pasture, reed-lined ditches, mature hedgerows, and river; hopefully, with birds to match.
Saturday 04 May – Inglestone Common Leader: Mike Jackson
Meet at the Lower Woods GWT Nature Reserve car park at 09:00 for this morning only walk. From Wickwar take Chase Lane to cross a cattle grid onto Inglestone Common. Continue for about 850 yards and take the track to the right which leads to Lower Woods Nature Reserve car park. We will walk through the woods to the Common where we hope to see late and early migrants as well as territory holding breeding residents.
Tuesday 07 May – Oldbury Power Station (Picnic Walk) Leader Di Bunniss
Meet in the free car park of the power station for a gentle walk along the Severn Way, past the yacht club, through the village and back along a green lane. Maybe muddy after rain. Those who wish to can picnic in the orchard and explore the Oldbury lagoons after lunch
Friday 10 May – Highnam Woods Leader: Lewis Thomson, RSPB Gloucester (BOC contact re lifts etc: Nick Page
EVENING MEETING. Meet 19:30 at the RSPB car park (open from 19:15) on A40, four kilometres west of Gloucester. Turn right at brown reserve sign, less than 100m after a garage/shop on the left. A site for Nightingale at the western edge of the range, as well as for usual woodland species. Footpaths can be muddy – please bring boots and maybe wellies just in case. A small torch may be useful for walking back as it gets dark. BOC is making a contribution to RSPB Gloucester for access to the car park, and for the leader’s time. A donation of £2 pp to BOC on the day would be appreciated.
Sunday 12 May – RSPB Ham Wall Leader: Nick Page
Meet at 09:00hrs in the RSPB Ham Wall Reserve car park at Ashcott Corner. From the middle of Meare Village on the B3151, Wedmore to Glastonb ury road, take the minor road south, now 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. Parking charges: RSPB members are exempt (place membership card in the windscreen). This is usually the best time of the year in the Avalon Marshes. We hope to see Bitterns, Hobbies, Egrets, Cuckoo, a big selection of warblers. We aim to finish at 13:00.
Tuesday 14 May – Angidy trail (Tintern) Leader: Graham Blacker
Pass the ruins of Tintern Abbey, take first left Forge Road just before Wild Hare café, drive for 300 yards to Wireworks car park on the right where we meet. Quite steep climb for first ten minutes, couple of small inclines, no stiles, few steps, couple of fallen trees to overcome. Can be some deep mud if we have had rain. This is a lovely walk following the Angidy river and hopefully finding plenty of birds, including Dipper and maybe Goshawk. Chance to explore Tintern afterwards where there are cafes to choose from.
Sunday 19 May – Quantocks Leaders: Nick Hawkridge & Robin Martin
Meet at Bowling Green car park in Holford at 10:00. Turn left off the A39 in Holford village and drive down the lane to a small car park. We aim to walk through Hodder’s and Slaughterhouse Coombes, then up over the open ground to Bicknoller Post, across Longstone Hill or Lady’s Edge before dropping down into Holford. Bring a picnic lunch and stout footwear. This four mile meeting will last into mid-afternoon. Target species are Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit. Open ground may deliver Whinchat, Cuckoo and possibly Dartford Warbler.
Tuesday 21 May – Leap Valley, Downend Leaders: Joyce Donkor, and Kate Cashmore
Meet on Bridgeleap Road BS16 6TW. This is a residential road so please park considerately. Gather at the beginning of the road opposite the Trident pub. It is a lovely walk along a little known valley on the eastern side of Bristol with varied habitats including a stream, open grassland, a bluebell wood with mature trees, blackthorn thickets and a small pond with protected wetlands. Paths may be muddy. There are no stiles but two slight inclines and a number of steps leading to the cycle path. The steps can be avoided if necessary.
Saturday 25 May – Angidy trail (Tintern) Leader: Graham Blacker
Meet at 09.30. Pass the ruins of Tintern Abbey, take first left Forge Road just before Mad Hare café, drive for 300 yards to Wireworks car park on the right hand side. Quite steep climb for the first ten minutes, a couple of small inclines, no stiles, few steps, and a couple of fallen trees to overcome. Can be some deep mud so bring wellies. This is a lovely three and a half mile walk following the Angidy river and hopefully finding plenty of birds, including Dipper and maybe Goshawk. Chance to explore Tintern afterwards where there is a good selection of cafes.
Tuesday 28 May – Pilning Wetlands/New Passage Leader: Lois Pryce
At B4055 (B4084) Easter Compton/Pilning junction with A403 Avonmouth road, cross and continue 500m northwest through Redwick village to mini-roundabout. Take right turn to New Passage along New Passage Road (Redwick Road), crossing over M4. Then either park at end of road near yellowish Caroline Cottage (but only if road clear enough to give bin lorries access and turning); or park further back up road and walk back (half mile or less). Car share if possible. Meet where the Severnside promenade turns east inland along the Chessell Pill. Bring scopes if possible. Walk includes estuary and foreshore from New Passage, along the Severn Way embankment beside the salt marsh and Pilning Wetland pools, and alongside path by inland pools, returning the same way. Though not a circular walk, the birds should be constantly changing as the tide rises or falls.