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 16 October – Matt Prior, “Nocturnal behaviours of diurnal birds”.
Matt is going to tell us about the diurnal birds that he finds at night in the Wiltshire countryside, and will give us an insight into the behaviours that he has learned from his observations. Thermal imaging has opened our eyes to bird behaviour at night and it has revolutionised monitoring of farmland birds.
Field Meetings.
Tuesday 23 September – Tickenham/Cadbury Camp – Leader Lois Pryce
Meet at the Church of St. Quiricus and St. Julietta, Church Lane, Tickenham off the B3130 Clevedon Road (left from Bristol, right from Clevedon) for a hilly walk which can be muddy after rain. Parking limited so please car share if possible.
Saturday 27 September – Pilning Wetlands/New Passage – Leader Caron Thornton-Trippit
A walk from the foreshore at New Passage along the Severn Way embankment to Pilning Wetland pools and back the same way. The birds should be constantly changing as the tide drops from the 10:42 high tide to expose more mud. We will be looking for ducks and waders, so bring a telescope if you have one. Where the B4055 Easter Compton/Pilning road meets the A403 Avonmouth road, take the B4064 west through Redwick village to a mini roundabout where you go right to New Passage. Park at the dead end if you can keep the road clear enough to allow bin lorries through, or park discreetly further up the road and walk – please car-share if possible. Meet at 09:30 where the Severnside promenade turns east inland along the Chessell Pill at ST 545864, ///: token.prefect.jiffy.
Tuesday 30 September – Bristol City Centre – Leader Alan Craddock
Meet at Millennium Square behind “We the Curious” (suggest you use your bus passes) for an urban walk, flat except for road bridge steps, and possibly even mud free. If bringing a car into the centre of Bristol, the Millenium Square underground car park is closest but expensive. Optional walk up Brandon Hill reserve where there are some steps.
Saturday 04 October – Cheddar Reservoir Leader: Nick Jobson-Wicks
Meet in the southern reservoir car park at 9:30. From the A38 Bristol to Bridgwater road at the top of Shute Shelve Meet in the southern reservoir car park at 9:30. From the A38 Bristol to Bridgwater road at the top of Shute Shelve take the A371 to Cheddar and then on a sharp bend turn right along the B3151 for Wedmore, over a bridge, and almost immediately turn right into Sharpham Road signposted Cheddar Nurseries / Playing Fields / Cemetery. At the end, drive through the blue coloured gates into the car park. This will be a circular walk of around four miles covering about a third of the reservoir bank and the remainder on droves and paths beside rhynes. Walking will be flat and easy but may be very muddy. take the A371 to Cheddar and then on a sharp bend turn right along the B3151 for Wedmore, over a bridge, and almost immediately turn right into Sharpham Road signposted Cheddar Nurseries / Playing Fields / Cemetery. At the end, drive through the blue coloured gates into the car park. This will be a circular walk of around four miles covering about a third of the reservoir bank and the remainder on droves and paths beside rhynes. Walking will be flat and easy but may be very muddy.
Tuesday 07 October – Little Sodbury (Picnic) Leader: Peter Bryant
Picnic walk. Parking is limited so please car share if possible. Park by St Adeline’s Church or use the large verge on the lane beyond. Take the A46 towards Stroud, then first left turn after The Cross Hands (but not the farm track). A scenic walk with stiles, hills and much more, with a breakaway for morning only walkers and a picnic for the rest
Saturday 11 October – Steart Marshes Leader: Dick Best
As it will be high tide, we will meet at 09:00 at the Natural England car park, which is marked on the OS map and is behind Dowells Farm on the left near the end of the road. Don’t stop atthe usual WWT car park, which we will move back to later, unless you want the toilets. High tide is around 09:00, so we should have time to walk to the hides before the waders appear. Directions: Leave the M5 at Junction 23 and take the A38 towards Bridgwater then the A39 to Minehead. Take the bypass at Cannington and head for Combwich and Hinckley Point. Follow the signs to Steart and watch for the brown sign to turn right
Tuesday 14 October – Chew Valley and Lake Leader Mike Landen
Note change of meeting point, this avoids the £4 parking charge; the walk is the same just starts at a different point. From Chew Magna village take the turning (Tunbridge Road) opposite the grass triangle by the Pelican pub. Look for the fire station on your right and take the turning by the side Tunbridge Close and park anywhere along here. We will meet at the fire station for a relatively short walk allowing time to do some birding from the dam wall part way around. There is, of course, the opportunity to drive to Herons Green and/or Herriotts Bridge after the walk. No stiles but expect some mud
Sunday 19 October – Chew Valley Lake Leader: Rob 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.)