BRANCHES - Plymouth

We will meet at the Otter Estuary pay and display car park on South Farm Road – SY 070 830.

The approximately 4km walk will be Plymouth Branch’s first exploration of this developing wetland site.  In 2021 the Lower Otter Restoration Project was initiated because the 200 year old sea defences were starting to fail.  With work completed in 2023, a range of specialist habitats have been protected and enhanced and the intertidal saltmarsh, mud flats, reedbed and scrub support good numbers of breeding and overwintering birds.  Over 120 bird species have been recorded on the site.  In mid September Swallows, House and Sand Martins may still be congregating as they prepare to fly south.  We will be hoping for good views of passage migrants, particularly, interesting species of wader and possibly Osprey as well as seeking out resident species such as Kingfisher.  Both Otter and Beaver are known to inhabit the area, however, given the timing of our visit, it maybe being too optimistic to hope for sightings of these mammals!

For further information please contact the event leader John Lloyd 07811 232206

We will meet at the National Trust car park near the airfield at SX 712 375 (pay and display for non-NT members).

Visiting at this time of year we hope to enjoy a last encounter with summer migrants such as Wheatear and Willow Warbler as well as seeing some moorland species starting to relocate for the winter.  The fields typically attract large flocks of finches, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and we will search the hedgerows and margins for Yellowhammer and Cirl Bunting.

Our approximately 6km walk will take us through farmland and into the sheltered valley.  We will spend time looking in the dense scrub, small stunted trees, ponds and stream which as well as providing food and shelter for the usual array of species also sometimes harbour a rarity.

For further information please contact the event leader Chris Marcol 07976 359647

We are delighted to be welcoming Dr Lucy Hawkes to our September meeting to hear her inaugural talk on a project that is close to her heart and one that has been at the forefront of her mind especially over the last 12 months.

As you have struggled to cope during the five heat waves you may have spared a thought for how wildlife has been managing. Lucy’s presentation will give us an insight into how amazing bird’s bodies are and how they cope with all sorts of challenges from low oxygen, high blood sugar, ultra-endurance exercise, ageing and obesity.

This is an opportunity for Lucy to share her love of how birds work as she embarks upon writing a book. This is aimed at the general public and will provide fascinating insights to all those questions you haven’t yet even thought to ask.

Much of Lucy’s time is spent thinking about how brilliant birds are. She is based at the University of Exeter in the Life and Environmental Sciences faculty. She is a National Geographic Explorer and a physiological ecologist known for her extensive work on migration which has included research in to Sea Turtles and trans-Himalayan flights of Bar-headed Geese.

Meetings are held in the Spurgeon Hall of Mutley Baptist Church on Mutley Plain PL4 6LB and start promptly at 7.30 pm.

Suggested donation £5.00

Refreshments are available.

There is a public car park opposite the church hall entrance.  Please note that parking arrangements have changed in recent months.  Charges apply 24 hours a day, however the first 2 hours are free.  Please check the signs on each level carefully for more detailed information.  Parking is available at specific times on neighbouring roads, e.g. Napier Terrace and Gordon Terrace.  Always consult the on street parking signs for information about restrictions.

The hall is up a flight of stairs. Easier access via 6 stairs is available but please contact Liz Harris 07812 135891  elizmharris@yahoo.com in advance.

We will meet at the car park at SX 748 761 before embarking on our approximately 4km walk around the Devon Wildlife Trust Reserve where we hope to encounter a number of species of thrush.  These include winter visitors such as Fieldfare, Redwing and flocks of Mistle Thrush together with Ring Ouzel, our only summer visiting thrush, which is a regular autumn passage migrant.  The latter use this site as a feeding stop off as they move down from upland areas in the north, before heading to the Atlas Mountains in north west Africa for the winter.

With the effects of climate change becoming more noticeable the timing of visits to see these birds is becoming more problematic.  In 2023 Ring Ouzel seemed to arrive early and stay later at a number of Dartmoor sites.   In 2024 there were fewer sightings at what had been key locations the previous year, perhaps due to a lack of berries.  In 2025 we missed them at this location by a day!

We will be on the look out for many other species including Raptors, Golden Plover, Meadow Pipit and Green Woodpecker.

For further information please contact the event leader Chris Marcol 07976 359647

We will hold a short AGM at the start of the evening so that we can spend the majority of the meeting listening to our guest speaker.  The details of the speaker and their presentation will be available in the new year.

In the meantime please save the date!

Meetings are held in the Spurgeon Hall of Mutley Baptist Church on Mutley Plain PL4 6LB and start promptly at 7.30 pm.

Suggested donation £5.00 

Refreshments are available.

There is a public car park opposite the church hall entrance with free parking after 6.00pm on the top tier only.  You need to register your car for this using the ticket machine and display the printed ticket.  Charges apply on other levels of the car park.  Parking is available at specific times on neighbouring roads, e.g. Napier Terrace and Gordon Terrace.  Always consult the on street parking signs for information about restrictions.

The hall is up a flight of stairs. Easier access via 6 stairs is available but please contact Liz Harris 07812 135891  elizmharris@yahoo.com in advance.

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW VENUE, DATE AND TIME FOR THIS EVENT

We will meet on Marine Drive, Hannafore near the HM Coastguard building at SX 255 523.  There is parking on this no through road and toilets nearby.

Our approximately 3km walk will be along the path that runs parallel to the shore in search of gulls, divers and grebes while also keeping a watchful eye on the scrub at the top of the shore for pipts, warblers and crests. We will venture along the South West Coast Path to gain views across to Looe Island, a Cornwall Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve.    (High tide is at approximately 14:30.)

You are advised to bring wellies as some sections of the coast path can be very muddy at this time of year.

For further information please contact the event leader Doug Herdson 07910 078599

PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE AND START TIME (AS SHOWN ABOVE)

We will meet at Marine Drive, Torpoint SX 438 547. From here we will walk round to Chapeldown Road, to scan St John’s Lake for waders on the exposed foreshore.  (High tide expected at 16:33).

We will then relocate to Wacker Quay which is about 4 miles along the A374 where we will walk along the River Lynher (approximately 4km). The car park and path can be very muddy so it is advisable to bring wellies. This second venue will provide opportunities to observe further species of wader such as Avocet, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit. We may be fortunate enough to see Spoonbill which are occasional visitors.  The numerous seed and fat ball feeders will allow us to watch a wide range of small woodland birds at close range.

To end the day there will be the opportunity to return to Marine Drive to see what the incoming tide brings with it, hopefully an array of divers, ducks and grebes.

For further information please contact the event leader Mary Johnson 07891 844516