Events
Unless otherwise specified, you do not need to be a member of the RSPB (or the local group) to join us on our events, and birdwatching experience is not necessary. If you have any questions please call the contact number shown with the event details.
June 2019
Wed19
Half Day Visit to RSPB Lakenheath Fen and Thetford Forest
Location: Lakenheath Fen and Thetford Forest, Suffolk.
Postcode: SG8 9ET (Google map)
This annual trip takes us to three impressive venues to see some of Breckland's special breeding birds. We will spend the late afternoon exploring the magnificent Lakenheath Fen reserve, where we expect to see some or (hopefully!) all of bittern, marsh harrier, common crane, bearded tit and hobby. With hundreds of pairs of reed warblers nesting on the reserve this is also one of the best places in the UK to see cuckoo. We will then move on to the NWT reserve at Weeting to look for stone curlew (common buzzard, little owl, spotted flycatcher and woodlark are also possible here). Finally we will move deep into the forest, where we have in recent years had a very high success rate for finding nightjar: fingers crossed! Meet at the RSPB car park on the west side of the B1112, just north of Lakenheath station (O/S 143; TL 722 866). For those wishing to join the trip later in the evening meet at the NWT reserve, Weeting (fee) (O/S 143: TL 756 882) at 7.30pm. Bring a torch (and food and drink if you are starting at Lakenheath) and expect a late night!
Time: 4.00 pm (Lakenheath) 7.30 pm (Weeting)
Price: Free
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
July 2019
Mon22
Butterfly Walk on Therfield Heath
Location: Therfield Heath, near Royston, Herts.
Postcode: SG8 9ET (Google map)
For RSPB members who are interested in butterflies this walk, which will last for about two hours, will concentrate on finding and identifying the chalkhill blue, one of Britain's rarest butterflies, as well as some of the other species that are on the wing at this time of year. Interesting birds in the area will not be ignored! Organised in conjunction with the Herts. and Middlesex Butterfly Conservation Group. Meet at the Royston Sporting Club car park (O/S 154; TL 347 405).
Time: 11.00 am
Price: Free
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
August 2019
Sun25
Own transport trip to College Lake BBOWT (am) and the Tring Reservoirs (pm).
Location: College Lake BBOWT and the Tring Reservoirs, in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire
Postcode: HP23 5QG (Google map)
We start the season with a day out in the Chilterns, looking for resident and migrating birds and other wildlife in this attractive part of the world. Meet at College Lake car park (O/S 165, SP 935 139).
Time: 9.30 am
Price: Free (but note entry charges may apply for the reserve)
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
September 2019
Fri6
"A Plague of Mice: Gough Island and the Tristan Albatross - Andrew Callender and Laura Beesley
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Gough Island is a remote island in the South Atlantic. Two of its endemic species are threatened with extinction. We will hear about the challenge of removing invasive non-native species to save these birds.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun15
Coach trip to Rye Harbour SWT (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage Local Group)
Location: Rye Harbour, East Sussex.
Postcode: SG8 9ET (Google map)
We will explore the varied habitats of this attractive reserve on the East Sussex coast looking for departing summer visitors, coastal and woodland birds and other wildlife.
Time: Coach departs from Hitchin at 7.45am, Letchworth at 8.00am and Stevenage at 8.15am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
October 2019
Fri4
"Titchwell, the Future" - Lizzie Bruce
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
One of the RSPB's most famous nature reserves, Titchwell attracts over 200 bird species per year including breeding marsh harriers and avocets. Discover how it has developed since it was purchased by the RSPB and what is in store for the future.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun20
Coach trip to Holkham and Wells.
Location: Between Holkham and Wells on the North Norfolk coast.
This section of the North Norfolk coast provides excellent habitat for arriving winter visitors as well as passage migrants, such as yellow-browed warbler, in October. The coach will return from Wells.
Time: Coach leaves Hitchin at 7.30am, Letchworth at 7.45am and Royston at 8.05am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
November 2019
Fri1
"Trials and Tribulations of Grassland Waders" - Dr Jen Smart
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Find out about the predation issues faced by waders (in particular black-tailed godwits), solutions to reduce predator impacts and how this is put into practice with Project Godwit.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun17
Coach trip to Blashford Lakes H & IOWWT (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage Local Group).
Location: Blashford Lakes Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust reserve, near Fordingbridge in Hampshire.
This very attractive reserve, located on the edge of The New Forest in Hampshire, provides habitat for a large variety of water birds (including a goosander roost) and woodland birds. Donation (£3.00) requested.
Time: Coach leaves Hitchin at 7.30am, Letchworth at 7.45am and Stevenage at 8.00am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
December 2019
Fri6
"Islander" - Patrick Barkham
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
We go on a journey around some of Britain's most intriguing small islands, meeting their wild residents - from Orkney voles to great skuas. Patrick explores how small islands can be ecological laboratories, warning signals and sanctuaries - for wildlife and us.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun8
Own transport visit to Ferry Meadows (am) and Woodwalton Fen (pm).
Location: Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, and Woodwalton Fen.
Postcode: PE2 5UU (Google map)
We haven't visited Ferry Meadows, parkland with lakes, woodland and bird hides on the edge of Peterborough, for over 15 years! Those who wish to can then move on later to the wild, mysterious, habitat of Woodwalton Fen, which hosts wintering raptors and one of the world's highest concentrations of Chinese water deer! Meet at the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre (O/S 142, TL 151 969 - parking charge).
Time: 9.30 am
Price: Free
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
January 2020
Fri3
"My Journey in Wildlife Photography" - Ben Andrew
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Ben is an amateur wildlife photographer and RSPB staff member (he runs the RSPB's photographic library). Ben details his journey into photography, successes and failures and how he has developed specific photo projects to tell stories through imagery.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun19
Coach Trip to RSPB Lakenheath Fen
Location: RSPB Lakenheath Fen reserve, near Brandon in Suffolk.
We will spend the whole day at this excellent RSPB reserve in Suffolk with its huge reed bed, neighbouring river and attractive woodland. Wintering birds to look out for will include marsh harrier, bittern, water pipit and possibly common crane.
Time: Coach leaves Hitchin at 8.00am, Letchworth at 8.15am and Royston at 8.35am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
February 2020
Fri7
"Nightjar Migration and Movements" - Greg Conway
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Greg is a Research Ecologist at the BTO and tells us about the use of tracking technology to reveal nightjar migration and foraging movements during the breeding season.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun16
Coach trip to RSPB Titchwell Marsh (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage Local Group).
Location: RSPB Titchwell Marsh Reserve on the North Norfolk coast.
Titchwell Marsh is a fantastic place to visit in winter. Water birds and gulls throng the lagoons, waders dig for food on the beautiful, sandy beach and at sea there have been regular sightings of long-tailed ducks, rare divers and grebes at this time of year.
Stevenage: 7.35am. Hitchin: 7.45am. Letchworth: 8.00am. Royston: 8.20am.
Time: Coach departs from Stevenage at 7.35am, Hitchin at 7.45am, Letchworth at 8.00am and Royston at 8.20am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
March 2020
Fri6
"Amphibians and Reptiles" - Helen Muir-Howie
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Helen will help us to identify all the British reptiles and amphibians and will inform us about their biology and habitat requirements.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun15
Coach trip to Attenborough Gravel Pits Notts. Wildlife Trust reserve (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage Local Group).
Location: Attenborough Gravel Pits, near Nottingham.
We will stroll along the banks of the River Trent and the adjacent gravel pits and woodland looking, amongst many other things, for early summer visitors and late departing winter visitors.
Time: Coach departs from Stevenage at 7.35am, Hitchin at 7.45am and Letchworth at 8.00am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
April 2020
Fri3
"Owls, a Cultural History" - Mike Toms
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Mike, author of the New Naturalists' tome 'Owls', explores the changing ways we have viewed owls through the centuries and how this has shaped our current conservation interest in them.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun19
Coach trip to Walberswick, in Suffolk.
Location: Walberswick, near Dunwich on the Suffolk coast.
We look forward to a relaxing day out on the Suffolk Coast, exploring the varied habitats between Walberswick and Dunwich and looking and listening for birds such as Dartford and sedge warblers, as well as booming bittern.
Hitchin: 7.15am. Letchworth: 7.30am. Royston: 7.50am.
Time: Coach leaves Hitchin at 7.15am, Letchworth at 7.30am and Royston at 7.50am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
May 2020
Fri1
"Wildlife Gardening" - Betty Cooke
Location: "The Settlement", Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City.
Postcode: SG6 4UB (Google map)
Any size of plot can be adapted to attract more wildlife with not too much effort or cost. We hear about the amazing creatures that have visited or stayed to breed in Betty's medium-sized garden. The talk will be preceded by a short AGM.
Time: 7.30 pm
Price: Visitors £3.00. Local Group members free.
Telephone: 01763249459
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
Sun17
Coach trip to The Peak District (Tittesworth Reservoir and RSPB Coombes Valley)
Location: In the Staffordshire Peak District (Tittesworth Reservoir and RSPB Coombes Valley reserve, near Leek).
This is our only trip that offers the chance to see upland breeding birds, such as pied flycatcher, goosander, common sandpiper and possibly dipper, in their (beautiful) natural habitats!
Hitchin: 7.00am. Letchworth: 7.15am.
Time: Coach departs Hitchin at 7.00am and Letchworth at 7.15am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com
June 2020
Sun14
Coach trip to RSPB Strumpshaw Fen (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage Local Group).
Location: RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, between Norwich and Great Yarmouth in the Norfolk Broads.
Swallowtail butterflies and a plethora of dragonflies should be amongst the non-birdwatching highlights of our final coach trip of the season, as we visit the magnificent RSPB Strumpshaw Fen reserve in the Norfolk Broads. Birds to look out for will include bitterns, hobbies, marsh harriers and bearded tits, amongst many other species.
Time: Coach departs from Stevenage at 7.20am, Hitchin at 7.30am, Letchworth at 7.45am and Royston at 8.05am.
Price: Coach Fares: £16.00 (adults); £8.00 (juniors under 18)
Booking essential
Telephone: 01462451320
E-mail: martinrjspc@hotmail.com