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General Information about our Field Meetings

All the walks are FREE (except for travel costs, car park or entrance fees) and where trips are stated as morning only, sometimes we may run over a little so it is always a good idea to bring something to eat and drink. Unless otherwise stated, all trips will be led by Andy Harding (contactable on 07884 063589 or ).

Please let the trip leader or Andy know if you are coming to a meeting so we have an idea of numbers and we can then let you know if the trip has to be cancelled at short notice e.g. because of a severe weather warning. We have a Surrey Bird Club Field Trips Whatsapp Group and members are encouraged to join this group to help with travel queries, trip updates, car shares etc. Please message Andy, if you are a member, on the above number to join the WhatsApp Group.

Dave Kiddell is leading some field trips aimed at people who are new birdwatchers and may have been put off joining one of our walks because of their lack of knowledge or identification skills. As well as hopefully seeing some less common birds Dave will help you identify some of the more common species such as separating Crows from Jackdaws and both from Wood Pigeon in flight. Another example is helping you tell your Coots from your Moorhens. Because of this, each walk will be a little slower than our usual walks and last approx. 2 hours. These walks are called “Field Trips for New Birders” and are shown in italics to distinguish them.

Surrey Bird Club is committed to sustainable birding and encourages people to car share and use public transport where practical. Please let Andy know if you want to arrange a lift or use the Whatsapp group to arrange with others.

Children are welcome on trips but must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Non-members are welcome to attend but priority will be given to members if spaces are limited. Also, if a non-member attends 2 or more meetings, they will be strongly encouraged to join the club if they want to attend any more meetings.

Please note dogs are not permitted on these trips.

Field Meetings 2026

Sunday 11th January: Papercourt Marshes, Send, nr Woking

am only | max walk 2.5 miles | flat, easy walking | bring sturdy shoes | scopes only needed at sailing club | no facilities on site (closest WC is Little Waitrose / Shell garage on Portsmouth Road, Send GU23 7JY)

Address: Tannery Lane, Send, Ripley, Woking GU23 7EF; what3words///admiral.carbon.also. Aim for Tannery Studios.

Meet: 09.00hrs at car park at Tannery Studios (plenty of parking). Back at cars around 11.30hrs

A varied walk taking in open farmland, scrub, large gravel pit, farm buildings, The Wey Navigation Canal and River. Expect to see up to 50 species with potential for rarer ducks and grebes at sailing club, mixed flocks of finches, winter thrushes and potential for upto 5 raptor species.

Friday 23rd January: Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire

all day | max 3 miles | relatively flat, easy walking | bring sturdy shoes | scopes useful (especially viewing Southampton Water) | paid parking at Hove-To car park behind the adjacent sailing club or on the sea front £8.80 for day) | WCs nearby at Hove-To public car park | Harbourside cafe next to entrance (with WC) | bring packed lunch or buy lunch at the cafe | please try and car share

Address: Titchfield Haven, Cliff Road, Hill Head, Fareham, PO14 3JT: what3words///sweeper.petulant.iron (Hove-To car park)

Cost for Reserve: £6.50 adult / £5.50 senior citizens / children (5 t0 15 years) £3.50. Apparently can book online but not open when tried but have provisionally reserved 20 places.

Meet: 0900hrs by sea wall opposite the reserve (some may want to get there earlier as the Southampton Water is a very good spot for wintering ducks, grebes and divers). Plan to walk one route in the morning, break for lunch and do the 2nd walk early afternoon. Finish around 1500hrs

A really vibrant reserve with a good variety of habitats and 6 hides. Expectation of 60+ species including overwintering wildfowl (including Dark-bellied Brent Geese and potentially rarer geese), a good selection of waders, raptors and passerines.

Anything can turn-up during winter, especially if January is a cold month. Current rarer birds reported (31/12/25) – Glossy Ibis, White-fronted Geese, Sandwich Tern, Goosander, Water Pipit

Sunday 8th February: Elmley National Nature Reserve / RSPB Raptor Viewpoint

PLEASE REGISTER WITH ANDY AS TICKETS ARE BEING ORGANISED. MAXIMUM OF 20 CAN ATTEND + ANY ELMLEY MEMBERS (members must also register a booking online for the day but no charge).

all day | relatively flat, easy walking | max 4 miles | bring sturdy shoes & warm clothes | scopes useful | parking onsite at both venues | WCs at Elmley only | bring packed lunch | please try and car share

Address: Elmley Nature Reserve, Kingshill Farm, Old Ferry Road, Isle of Sheppey (Postcode: ME12 3RW; What3Words ///fabricate.dunes.purifier).

RSPB Capel Fleet Raptor Viewpoint: Harty Ferry Road, Leysdown-on-sea, Sheerness ME12 4BG; What3Words ///stencil.suits.sway

Cost: £10 per person (Elmley only / Raptor Viewpoint is free)

Meet at 09.00hrs, at the entrance to the Reserve where you are checked in.

A 2 centre visit at this excellent winter birding venue with the focus on ducks, rarer geese, gulls, waders and with the possibility of upto 9 raptor species.

There is an entrance charge of £8 per adult with children under 16 going free.

Suggest we get through the entrance and gradually make our way by car to the visitor parking which is about a mile away. You cannot get out of the car along this route but use your car as a hide as there will be lots to see on your way in. We can meet in the car park at 09.30/45 (there is no hurry to get to the car park).

The morning will be spent walking eastwards towards the 3 hides, taking in the skeins of ducks and geese and looking out for both Marsh and Hen Harrier and potentially upto 4 species of owl (which we saw in February last year).

2nd stop will be the RSPB Capel Fleet Raptor Viewpoint where we can scan the fields and open country at all points of the compass whilst watching the Marsh Harriers coming into roost, with the occasional Hen Harrier. Previous visits have yielded Merlin, Peregrine, Great Egret, Common Crane, Whooper Swan, Green Sandpiper, Ruff and Barn Owl and is an excellent spot to watch the resident flock of Corn Buntings. . There is no walking involved here.

Wednesday 18th February: Abberton Reservoir Nature Discover Park and Copt Hall Marshes, Essex

all day | flat gentle walking in / out of hides | max walking 2 miles | bring sturdy shoes and warm clothes | free parking at all locations | WCs and cafe at Abberton | please try and car share

Addresses and timings: Meet at 0900hrs at the Layer Breton Causeway at the western end of the Abberton Reservoir (CO5 7RR / what3words///informs.fantastic.passively ). Park along the road on the left when you arrive.

10.00hrs: Layer de la Haye Causeway, where again we can park (CO5 7RW / what3words///bloodshot.playback.shipwreck) . Aim is to then drive the very short distance to the Visitor Centre.

The Reserve has 3 hides so we will plan to visit them all and then stop for lunch (either bring your own or buy from the cafe) at 1300hrs.

1330hrs: leave to visit the look-out at Billets Farm (2 minute drive) followed by a short drive to Copt Hall Marshes (CO5 7RD what3words///variances.questions.leaned). Finish around 1600hrs.

Costs: Abberton ask for a donation of £2. REMEMBER to pay the Dart Charge – best to book in advance for both ways (search Pay Dart Charge).

This is a really exciting day of birding with the main Reserve being managed by Essex Wildlife Trust with a huge expanse of water viewed from a number of vantage points and excellent hides. Expect huge numbers of wildfowl, with the chance of rare grebes, divers, swans and ducks such as Greater Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Goosander and Smew. Last visit at this time we also had Goldeneye, White-fronted Goose, Black-necked Grebe, Great Egret, Caspian Gull, Golden Plover and the long-staying Great Grey Shrike.

Full Field Meeting Itinerary 2026

*please note the dates for the Global Bird Fair is for information only. There is no Group outing planned for this event, but is well recommended with tickets available from early 2026 from www.globalbirdfair.org.

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Here is some feedback from one of our trips “we learnt such a lot but also everyone was so friendly & we had some lovely chats, sharing suggestions of places to visit, stories of bird related holidays & even book recommendations.  We would love to join the Club”

For all enquiries email Andy Harding at