Events

Illustrated Talk - The Malverns by Ian Butler.

Location: Sandhills School, Terrett Avenue, Headington, Oxford.
Postcode: OX3 8FN (Google map)

Ian has lived in Malvern for several years and knows that the Malvern Hills are full of wildlife throughout the whole year. Shown through stunning photography this talk will introduce Ian's favourite walks and locations.

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £3 (£2 for full time students). FREE to Oxford Local Group members and children.

Telephone: 01608811568

E-mail: paddygallagher@hotmail.com

Car Sharing Trip to Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire.

Location: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Worth a visit at any time of the year. In winter there are always large numbers of overwintering wildfowl including lots of red-crested pochards. Also a good chance of seeing smew, goosander and great white egret.
We will explore 3-4 of the many lakes depending on what has recently been seen.
Paths can be very muddy at this time of year so suitable footwear should be worn.
Not a full day, probably leaving site around 2pm.
There is a visitor centre at the entrance to the water park.

Time: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Price: Petrol costs are shared by car occupants.

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865723868

E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk

Illustrated Talk - Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia by Graham Lenton

Location: Sandhills School, Terrett Avenue, Headington, Oxford.
Postcode: OX3 8FN (Google map)

THIS TALK WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 2019 BUT HAD TO BE CANCELLED.

The last remaining wildlife refuge in the world, Antarctica. This talk focuses on the birds and wildlife of this exquisite region. Graham visits the Falkland Islands and then the remote island of South Georgia with its enormous king penguin colonies. Finally to the Antarctic peninsula with its blue icebergs and marine mammals and more penguins, six species in all, and all the other birds of that region - albatrosses, petrels and skuas.

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £3 (£2 for full time students). FREE to Oxford Local Group members and children.

Telephone: 01608811568

E-mail: paddygallagher@hotmail.com

Car Sharing Trip to Tring Reservoirs.

Location: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Comprising of four individual reservoirs. Startops End, Marsworth and Tringford reservoirs are all close together and Wilstone reservoir is a short distance to the west. Large numbers of wintering wildfowl on the open water include Shoveler, Teal, Goldeneye, Goosander and occasionally Smew. Lapwing and Golden Plover flocks rest at Wilstone reservoir when not feeding in the surrounding fields. Marsworth often has overwintering bittern. Little Owls breed around the reservoirs and are most easily seen in the winter, sitting in the old leafless willows.

We will probably leave site about 3pm.
There is a café near the car park at Startops End and a total of 3 public hides but no other facilities.

Time: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Price: Petrol costs are shared by car occupants.

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865723868

E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk

Illustrated Talk - Unnatural Selection by Katrina Van Grouw.

Location: Sandhills School, Terrett Avenue, Headington, Oxford.
Postcode: OX3 8FN (Google map)

Katrina is former curator of ornithological collections at the Natural History Museum, Tring and author of 'The Unfeathered Bird'. She returns to introduce her new book, an exploration through stunning illustrations of evolution at the hand of man.

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £3 (£2 for full time students). FREE to Oxford Local Group members and children.

Telephone: 01608811568

E-mail: paddygallagher@hotmail.com

Car Sharing Trip to Summer Leys, Near Northampton.

Location: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Summer Leys, in the Upper Nene Valley, is primarily a wetland, with some grassland and woodland habitats. The old gravel pits attract a good range of wildfowl. At this time of year we should see some migrant waders and a good chance of early sand martins and chiffchaffs.

Paths can be muddy in places.
We will probably leave site about 3pm.
There are 5 hides on site but no other facilities.

Time: Cars leave at 8.30am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Price: Petrol costs are shared by car occupants.

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865723868

E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk

Coach Trip to Beaulieu Road Station, New Forest.

Location: Coach leaves at 7.45am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

This is a lovely area of heath and woodland that offers up a chance to see some special birds - goshawk, hawfinch, redstart, woodlark and crossbill if we are fortunate, along with a number of more common species. We will explore a couple of areas of the forest on foot where paths can get a little muddy in wet weather. There are no facilities in the forest.

Time: Coach leaves at 7.45am from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Price: About £20 depending on numbers.

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865723868

E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk

Illustrated Talk - Wings Across America by Ian Porter.

Location: Sandhills School, Terret Avenue, Oxford.
Postcode: OX3 8FN (Google map)

A member of Oxford Photographic Society for over 30 years, Ian will take us with his camera across America from Florida to Alaska via New Mexico, Yellowstone National Park and the Canadian Rockies.

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £3 (£2 for full time students). FREE to Oxford Local Group members and children.

Telephone: 01608811568

E-mail: paddygallagher@hotmail.com

Group Holiday to Lake Kerkini, Northern Greece.

Location: Transport to be arranged to UK airport.
Postcode: OX3 7RR (Google map)

PLEASE NOTE THE DATE HAS CHANGED FROM THAT PUBLISHED IN THE 2019/20 BROCHURE

This 8 day holiday is based at a good quality hotel on the shores of Lake Kerkini.
This national park is situated along the migratory flyway for thousands of birds en route to the Balkan region, the Black Sea, the Hungarian Steppes and beyond into Russia. The variety of birds, butterflies and wildflowers is amazing.
Along with visits to several sites around the lake we will venture into the adjacent mountains and some mountains further afield at over 2500 metres.

What is included in the price:
• Airport transfer
• Seven nights hotel accommodation with breakfast, evening meal and wine.
• Six full days of guided birding and some birding on arrival and departure days.
• A morning boat cruise.
• Guiding services and all land transportation.
• All entrance fees, tolls, taxes and parking fees.
• A "tick-list" of seasonal birds of the region and evening bird-log.

Not included are flights to/from Thessaloniki approx. £160? return

For more information please contact REG COX

Time: To be confirmed.

Price: £950 + flights. Single supplement £150

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865761402

E-mail: reg.cox@btinternet.com

Car Sharing Trip to Greenham Common, Berks.

Location: Cars leaves at 7pm from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

This is a late evening visit where we should see tree pipit, woodcock and nightjar, plus maybe a woodlark. The trip is dependent on the weather and could be cancelled if it is wet.

We will be on site until just before it gets dark so do bring a torch. Insect repellent is also advisable.

Time: Cars leaves at 7pm from Sports & Leisure Centre, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane, Marston, OX3 0NQ - just off the Oxford northern by-pass.

Price: Petrol costs are shared by car occupants.

Booking essential

Telephone: 01865723868

E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk

Illustrated Talk - Wildlife and Landscapes of Scotland by Philip Mugridge

Location: Sandhills School, Terret Avenue, Oxford.
Postcode: OX3 8FN (Google map)

Philip's biology degree led to a particular interest in birds and then photography. He has now expanded his images to include all types of wildlife and landscapes.

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £3 (£2 for full time students). FREE to Oxford Local Group members and children.

Telephone: 01608811568

E-mail: paddygallagher@hotmail.com