Tues 3 September 2019 at 9.30am Sun 24 November 2019 at 10.30am Sun 16 February 2020 (pick-up at 8.00am*) LOCAL WALK: Darrick & Newstead Woods, Orpington CAR / TRAIN TRIP: RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex COACH TRIP: Lymington & Keyhaven Marshes, Hants A walk through ancient woodland, looking for These marshes and reedbeds by the Thames are home to The Solent coast is a magnet for Brent geese, seaducks, woodpeckers in the meadow, as they forage for yellow a rich birdlife. Meet in the visitor centre car park (RM19 wildfowl and waders, including curlew (listen out for their ants. Meet in the community centre car park, opposite the 1SZ), a 15-min walk from Purfleet train station. haunting call). It’s also a great place for kingfishers. junction of Broadwater Gardens and Sherlock Drive, Orpington (BR6 7UA). Sun 8 December 2019 (pick-up at 8.00am*) Sat 22 February 2020 at 9.30am MINI BUS TRIP: Isle of Sheppey, Kent LOCAL WALK: Joydens Wood, Dartford Wed 11 September 2019 at 7.00pm Led by Jonathan Barnard, and visiting a variety of sites. There’s an abundance of birdlife in this historic area of TALK: More than just a dot – how to photograph Raptors, owls, waders, winter migrants and maybe even woodland and heathland. Park in Norfield Drive, Dartford wildlife, David Darrell-Lambert seals. Who knows what will turn up at this birding hotspot? (DA2 7NY). Meet at the nearby Summerhouse Road David is the author of Birdwatching London and an expert entrance. wildlife photographer. Find out how to get the perfect shot. Wed 11 December 2019 at 7.00pm Christmas Wildlife Quiz and festive celebrations Wed 11 March 2020 at 7.00pm Sun 22 September 2019 at 10.00am A light-hearted wildlife quiz with questions suitable for all, TALK: The Long Spring, Laurence Rose CAR TRIP: Riverside Country Park, Kent including beginners. Please bring your own refreshments. In 2016 the RSPB’s Laurence Rose journeyed from the Located on the Medway Estuary, this is an ideal spot to Mediterranean to Arctic Scandinavia, keeping pace with watch autumn migrants. Led by Jonathan Barnard, birding Sun 29 December 2019 at 9.30am spring’s arrival and the two billion birds that migrate north. tour guide. Meet in the visitor centre car park, 333 Lower LOCAL WALK: Hayes Common, Hayes, Bromley The result was his acclaimed book The Long Spring. Find Rainham Road, Rainham, Gillingham (ME7 2XH). Hayes’ parks and Common are perfect places to spot out how a continent awakens from its winter slumber. popular woodland birds. Meet at Hayes station (BR2 7EN). Wed 9 October 2019 at 7.00pm Thurs 19 March 2020 at 9.30am TALK: Albatross Task Force, Nina da Rocha Wed 8 January 2020 at 6.00pm LOCAL WALK: Sydenham Hill Woods (LWT), London Find out about the high-seas heroes saving the lives of TALK: Bromley Swift Survey 2019: The Results! Look out for kestrel, firecrest, nuthatch and green thousands of seabirds. Nina leads the RSPB's work in the Survey Organiser Peter Smart shares the results from the woodpecker in Southwark’s green lung. Meet outside The Southern Ocean to save albatrosses from extinction. second year of our survey. Monthly talk follows at 7pm. Wood House pub in Crescent Wood Road (SE26 6RS). Sun 20 October 2019 (pick-up at 8.00am*) Wed 8 January 2020 at 7.00pm Sun 29 March 2020 at 10.00am COACH TRIP: RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk TALK: An Evening of Birdsong, Adrian Thomas CAR TRIP: Crossness Nature Reserve, Bexley Bearded tits, bitterns and cranes are the stars of this In 2015 the RSPB's Adrian Thomas set out (with his tent Sitting alongside the Thames, Crossness supports diverse Fenland reserve. There’s a chance of spotting an otter too. and alarm clock) to record and write the RSPB Guide to birdlife and water voles. Meet at Norman Road (DA17 Birdsong. Join Adrian as he shares his lifelong love 6JY) where the warden will open the gates for us to park. Wed 30 October 2019 at 9.30am affair with birdsong and his tips on how to identify the birds LOCAL WALK: Footscray Meadows, Bexley behind the songs. Sun 5 April 2020 from 11.00am to 4.00pm Rich in natural history with the river, woods and meadows Spring Bird & Heron Watch, Kelsey Park, Beckenham providing home to a wide range of species. Meet in the car Sun 19 January 2020 at 10.30am Annual joint event with the Friends of Kelsey Park. Guided park off Rectory Lane, Bexley (DA14 5BP). CAR TRIP: Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, Sussex walks at 12 & 2.00pm. Meet at the stalls overlooking the This beautiful coastal reserve hosts thousands of winter lake in Kelsey Park, Manor Way, Beckenham (BR3 3LS). Wed 13 November 2019 at 7.00pm wildfowl and waders including golden plover and godwits. TALK: Knepp Wildland, Penny Green Meet in the car park by the Martello Tower (TN31 7TX). Wed 8 April 2020 at 7.00pm Described by Chris Packham as “conservation’s TALK: Going loco over Gola cocoa, Rosie Miles salvation”, this pioneering rewilding project has seen Tues 28 January 2020 at 9.30am Find out how eating chocolate could help save a nature return to a Sussex farm: from turtle doves to LOCAL WALK: Crystal Palace Park, London rainforest. Join Rosie for an evening about the RSPB’s nightingales, and Britain’s first breeding white storks for Redwing, fieldfare and woodpeckers can be found in this project to save threatened wildlife and support local hundreds of years. Penny Green is Knepp’s ecologist. famous park. Meet at the information centre at the Thicket communities in the Gola Rainforest of Sierra Leone. Road entrance (SE19 2GA). Fri 15 November 2019 at 9.30am Sat 18 April 2020 at 9.30am LOCAL WALK: Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve KWT, Kent Wed 12 February 2020 at 7.00pm LOCAL WALK: Ruxley Gravel Pits, Sidcup A haven for birds with diverse plants, fungi and other TALK: Mrs Pankhurst’s Purple Feather, Tessa Boase A leafy oasis for wetland birds, plants and invertebrates. wildlife. Meet in the reserve's car park (TN13 3DH), a 15- The scandalous story of 'murderous millinery', women's Meet at Edgington Way entrance (DA14 5AD). We will min walk from Sevenoaks or Bat & Ball train stations. emancipation – and the birth of the RSPB. Tessa is an open the gates for cars to drive through to park. Arrive author and regularly writes for national newspapers. early but not before 9.00am. Booking essential. Sun 26 April 2020 (pick-up at 8.00am*) Sat 13 June 2020 at 2.00pm COACH TRIP: RSPB Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk GARDEN PARTY: Petts Wood Expect booming bitterns and fluffy avocet chicks to be two The inaugural RSPB Bromley Local Group Garden Party highlights of our trip to this special reserve of diverse with views across allotments, park and woodland typical of habitats, including a pristine beach overlooking The Wash. our local area. Tea, cake and fundraising for the RSPB. Friends and family welcome. Park in Diameter Road (BR5 Tue 28 April 2020 at 6.00am 1RP) and walk to 6A Ember Close, Petts Wood, BR5 1AP. LOCAL WALK: High Elms Country Park, Orpington Booking essential. Experience the joy of the dawn chorus with Bob Harrop in a wonderful chalk grassland and mixed woodland setting. Sun 21 June 2020 (pick-up at 8.00am*) Bromley Local Meet at the main car park in High Elms Road (BR6 7JH). COACH TRIP: Dungeness, Kent The unique shingle landscape will be ablaze with colourful Fri 8 May 2020 at 9.30am wildflowers. Seabirds and ducks will be raising their Group LOCAL WALK: Crofton Woods, Petts Wood chicks, while hobbies circle overhead. The reintroduced Explore the wildlife of this ancient woodland on London short-haired bumblebee is making a comeback here – Clay, amongst the largest of its kind in Greater London. we’ll meet up with the project team to find out the latest. Meet in Eynsford Close car park (BR5 1DP). Wed 1 July 2020 at 9.30am Wed 13 May 2020 at 7.00pm LOCAL WALK: Scadbury Park, Chislehurst TALK: The Butterfly Isles, Patrick Barkham Explore meadows, farmland and woodland in this wildlife The beguiling story of a quest to find all 59 of Britain’s gem. Meet in the Old Perry Street car park (BR7 6PW). butterfly species in one unforgettable summer. Join Patrick as he shares his search for our emperors and admirals. Sun 12 July 2020 at 10.00am This will be a special evening with one of our country’s CAR TRIP: Ranscombe Farm, Cuxton, Kent finest nature writers. Patrick writes for The Guardian on Managed by Plantlife, this is a nationally important site for natural history. He is the author of Islander, The Butterfly wildflowers. A great place to see butterflies, bumblebees, Isles and Badgerlands. dragonflies and birds of prey, as well as fallow deer and the elephant hawk-moth. Meeting place to be confirmed. Sun 17 May 2020 at 10.00am CAR TRIP: RSPB Northward Hill, Kent If you want to hear nightingales, this is the place to be! TALKS – are held at the United Reformed Church, The reserve is also home to breeding waders (including Widmore Road, Bromley, BR1 1RY. Doors open at avocets), rare bees and butterflies, and offers fine views 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start, ending by 9.00pm. Cost: £3.50. across the Thames Estuary. Meet in the car park off Programme of wildlife Northwood Avenue, High Halstow (ME3 8SX). LOCAL WALKS – start at 9.30am and end around midday.