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. They meetings will resume in September.
Field Meetings.
Sunday 19 April – RSPB Ham Wall/Shapwick Heath – Inc Young Persons Leader: Robin Martin
Meet at 09:30 in the RSPB Ham Wall 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 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 11 bridge, NB – not the Shapwick car park, which is on the other side of the road. Level walking but may be muddy in places (boots or wellies recommended). Parking charges apply for non-RSPB members; RSPB members are exempt (place membership card in the windscreen). The walk will be around the Ham Wall site initially. A scope can be useful. If there is anything unusual around, we may also visit Shapwick Heath. We will be looking for the usual wetland birds and spring migrants. Suitable for families and young persons. Likely to finish at 13:00, but could visit other reserves locally in the afternoon if desired.
Tuesday 21 April – Angidy trail, Tintern Picnic Walk Leader: Graham Blacker
Pass the ruins of Tintern Abbey, take first left Forge Road, drive for 300 yards to Wireworks car park on the right where we meet. Quite a steep climb for the first ten minutes, couple of small inclines, no stiles, few steps, couple of fallen trees to overcome. Can be some deep mud just for a short stretch if we have had rain. This is a lovely walk following the Angidy river and hopefully finding Dipper and maybe Goshawk. We will continue a little further up the valley than previously. Chance to explore Tintern afterwards with plenty of cafes. Do look at the Angidy website.
Sunday 26 April – New Forest Leader: Jane Cumming
Meet at 10:00 at the Ashley Walk car park on the B3078 east of Godshill and Fordingbridge. Allow two hours for the drive from Bristol. This will be an all-day meeting, comprising a walk of about four miles through woodland and heathland. Bring a picnic lunch and waterproof clothing/footwear, as after rain the New Forest can be pretty soggy underfoot. We hope to see some of the forest residents such as Dartford Warbler, Hawfinch and Woodlark as well as spring migrants (Redstart and Willow Warbler should be in). Please contact Jane a few days before so she can organise car sharing
Tuesday 28 April – Folly Farm Leader: Jean Oliver
Meet in the Avon Wildlife Trust’s car park. Folly Farm has a brown tourist sign from the A368 Weston-super-Mare to Bath Road. Follow the narrow lane for about half a mile to the car park. The farm includes a variety of habitats. There could be mud after rain. four stiles, two hills.
Tuesday 05 May – Westhay Moor Nature Reserve Leaders: Elaine Lambert and Nick Jobson-Wicks
We will partly follow the Otter trail, then onto London Drove and North Chine Drove eventually turning back onto the reserve at Daggs Lane which takes us back to the car park. A lovely circular walk which may be muddy after rain. We will stop in bird hides along the route. Note that there is a £3 parking charge.
Friday 08 May (evening) – Highnam Woods Leader: Lewis Thomson, RSPB / Gareth Roberts BOC
EVENING MEETING. Meet at 19:30 at the RSPB car park (open from 19:15) on A40, 3.5 miles west of Gloucester. Turn right at the 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. Torch and insect repellent useful. BOC is making a contribution to RSPB Gloucester for access to the car park, and for the leader’s time, so a donation of £2 pp paid to Gareth on the day would be appreciated.
Tuesday 12 May – Wapley Bushes (Optional Picnic) Leader: Alan Daniells
If coming via Westerleigh, ignore the brown sign to Wapley Bushes just before the railway bridge. Park near the reserve entrance on Shire Way in Yate, between Cherrington and Maisemore (sideroads). A walk through the green flag community award reserve, including wildflower meadow, plantations and semi-natural ancient woodlands. We will finish with an optional picnic in the meadow. Some easy hills, no stiles but can be muddy when wet.
Sunday 17 May – Quantocks Leader: Robin Martin
Meet at 10:00 at the carpark in Holford. 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 19 May – Puxton Moor Leader: Gareth Roberts
Meet by the parish noticeboard in Puxton village. Please car share if you can as parking is 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 Weston-super-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 by-passed). Can be uneven, muddy and wet. A mixture of grazed pasture (likely to be cattle), reed-lined ditches, mature hedgerows, and river; hopefully with birds to match, and with early season dragonflies.
Saturday 23 May – Watercress Farm, Wraxall – inc Young Persons Leader: Alastair Fraser
Meet at 09:30. Watercress Farm is a rewilding project. The site includes rough pasture, formerly arable fields,
woodland and a small river. Uneven underfoot, no stiles, can be muddy in places, one small incline. From Bristol take the Clevedon Road B3130 towards Wraxall. Pass the gatehouse to Belmont Estate on your right then a sign for Wraxall on the left. 200 metres further on there is a sign to Watercress Farm on the left. Go down the farm lane to the car park. From the opposite direction, pass through Wraxall and the turn off is on the right about half a mile from the village.
Tuesday 26 May – Priors Wood, Portbury Leader: Judy Copeland
Meet in Station Road in Portbury village for a walk through Priors Wood, Please do not park in The Priory pub car park. This extensive and attractive woodland, part of which is an Avon Wildlife Trust reserve, should provide plenty of bird song. Some hills, could be slippery, one avoidable steep hill with steps going up it.
Sunday 31 May – RSPB Ham Wall/Shapwick Heath Leader: Peter A Bryant
Meet at 09:00 in the RSPB Ham Wall 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 signpost to the Nature Reserve. After approximately one mile the car park is situated on the left just after the Railway Inn and the drain11 bridge. NB – not the Shapwick car park, which is on the other side of the road. Level walking but may be muddy in places (boots or wellies recommended). Parking charges apply for non-RSPB members; 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, and a big selection of warblers. We aim to finish at 13:00.