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Devon Birds
Branch Events▸Programme & Instructions
Devon Birds and its branches hold a number of meetings throughout the year. These include indoor and outdoor Society and branch events, as well as meetings and events held in association with other groups and organisations.
A complete meetings chart for all branches is shown below.
All Devon members are welcome at any meeting organised by the Society or its branches. Many meetings are free or require only a nominal charge to cover hire costs and refreshments. Non-members are also welcome. Other meetings, such as Council meetings, may be restricted, while some, mostly those held in association with other organisations, may charge an admission fee. Every attempt has been made to make this clear in each entry. If in doubt, please contact the event organiser. Contact details are available in the Programme or in The Harrier. An email to info@devonbirds.org will normally bring a quick response from the appropriate officer.
Field meetings may be cancelled in bad weather; if in doubt, please contact the appropriate organiser.
Organisers and leaders of field meetings will take all possible precautions to ensure that the area to be visited is safe and that there are no hazards that could possibly lead to accidents. Where possible, organisers will have walked the route beforehand and will have reported any problems to the appropriate authority.
Members should have a degree of fitness as the terrain may sometimes be rough and any member with any medical condition which might affect them during the field trip is asked to mention this in confidence to the fieldtrip leader. For your own comfort and safety if you are joining a walk please make sure that you wear walking boots or stout shoes and check whether a drink and packed lunch is required and don't forget your waterproofs.
Full Programme
2020 | ||||
| Feb 25 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Exminster Marshes. From A379 take Station Road past the Swan's Nest Inn and over hump-backed bridge to the RSPB car park, at SX953872. Leader Nick Armstrong. | Map |
| Mar 5 | 19:30 – 22:00 | East Devon Indoor | Indoor meeting with speaker(David White-local naturalist and 'Countryfile Calendar' winning photographer. Includes brief business meeting and Branch AGM. To be held at Blue Ball Inn, Sidford. | |
| Mar 10 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | Birding the Silk Road. Speaker: Ian Gasper | Map |
| Mar 11 | 10:00 – 14:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Skern and Northam Burrows. Meet at Tip Road. 2.00pm at Isley Marsh. | Map |
| Mar 16 | 10:00 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Broadsands Beach, Paignton. Meet at beach car park (Pay & Display) at SX896572. AM only | Map |
| Mar 16 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | The Secret life of Long-tailed Tits. Speaker John Walters | Map |
| Mar 17 | 09:00 – 13:00 | Mid Devon Field | Steps Bridge/Dunsford Woods. Riverside walk in the morning. Meet at the car aprk at SX802882. Leader Nick Armstrong. | Map |
| Mar 17 | 09:00 – 14:00 | Plymouth Field | Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham. Meet at Holman Way car park SX968881 for spring migrants. Lead by John O'Connell-Davidson 01752668448 | Map |
| Mar 31 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Fatherford on the East Okement River at SX603948, between Okehampton and Belstone. There is parking for a number of cars. Walk through Halstock Wood and up on to East Hill, returning close to the railway line just east of Okehampton. Leader Chris Walpole. | Map |
| Apr 6 | 10:00 – 14:30 | East Devon Field | Swell Wood/West Sedgemoor, Somerset. Meet at car park at ST360238 for heronry and marshes. AM/PM | Map |
| Apr 6 | 19:30 – 21:45 | Plymouth Indoor | Bird Physiology, Energetics and Migration. Speaker Lucy Hawkes | Map |
| Apr 12 | 08:00 – 15:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Yarner Wood near Bovey Tracey. Meet at Barnstaple old park & ride site at 8.00am (car share) | Map |
| Apr 14 | 09:30 – 14:30 | Mid Devon Field | Burrator Arboretum and Nature Reserve. Meet in car park SX569689. Circular walk, mixed woodland, moorland and wetland. Bring packed lunch. Leader Helen Allin | Map |
| Apr 14 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | Taw & Torridge AGM followed by "Winter on the Algarve". Speaker Richard Beer | Map |
| Apr 20 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | A Greek Birding Odyssey. Speakers Nick & Sara D'Agorne | Map |
| Apr 21 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Budleigh Salterton for a walk along the river, through the fields to the coast path. Meet at the car park (pay & display)in Budleigh Salterton at the mouth of the River Otter at SY073820. Leader Richard Hudson. | Map |
| Apr 23 | 09:30 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Aylesbeare/Harpford Commons. Meet at Joney's Cross car park (opposite Aylesbeare Common entrance) at SY057897 on A3052. AM only | Map |
| Apr 25 | 05:30 – 08:30 | Mid Devon Field | Annual dawn chorus walk around Belstone Parish. Meet at Belstone car park at SX621938. (A suggested donation of £2.50 towards the upkeep of Belstone Village Hall. Leader Chris Walpole. | Map |
| May 2 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Fernworthy Reservoir. Initially meet at the pay & display car park at SX669839 before continuing to the layby near hide. Leader Roger Jewell. | Map |
| May 3 | 08:30 – 12:30 | South Devon Field | Field identification of common birds by song and call. Meet at Yarner Wood top car park at 8.30am. Leaders Nick & Sara D'Agorne | Map |
| May 10 | 10:00 – 14:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Cloutsham, Exmoor. Meet at Watersplash at SS897431 at 10.00am. | Map |
| May 11 | 09:00 – 14:00 | Plymouth Field | Exminster Marshes for Hobbies & Swifts. Meet at RSPB car park SX954872. Lead by Doug Herdson 01752405155 | Map |
| May 11 | 10:00 – 14:20 | East Devon Field | Soussons Down Plantation. Meet on roadside at 'Ephraims Pinch' near Soussons Farm at SX676785. (Visit Challacombe Farm PM). AM/PM | Map |
| May 18 | 09:00 – 14:00 | Plymouth Field | Venford Reservoir for woodland migrants SX685712. Car park at west of dam. Lead by Liz Harris 01752789594. (Please Note: very steep walk in and out of valley) | Map |
| May 18 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Changes during the life of a wildlife enthusiast. Speaker Dave Smallshire | Map |
| May 19 | 09:00 – 13:00 | Mid Devon Field | Meldon Quarry area, meet at Quarry Car Park at SX567922. Variable habitat of woodland, river, moorland and quarry. Interesting for the birds, butterflies and bluebells. Possible Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, and Cuckoo. Leader Annabelle Strickland. | Map |
| May 21 | 09:00 – 13:00 | Mid Devon Field | Meet outside the drive to Challacombe Farm SX695795. Walk to Challacombe Farm and Soussons Forest. Leader Roger Jewell. | Map |
| May 26 | 09:30 – 14:30 | Plymouth Field | Emsworthy, Dartmoor. Meet at public car park SX742761 for cuckoo and moorland species. Lead by Phil & Jill Stevens 01822613545 | Map |
| May 28 | 10:00 – 14:30 | East Devon Field | Ham Wall, Somerset. Meet at the large car park (Pay & Display) at ST449396. AM/PM | Map |
| Jun 1 | 09:00 – 12:30 | Mid Devon Field | Venford Reservoir. Meet at the dam car park (second car park beyond the dam at SX688708. Morning walk. Leader Ian Gasper. | Map |
| Jun 3 | 20:45 – 22:30 | Plymouth Field | Cann Woods. Meet at car park SX547596 for Nightjars. Bring a torch and a bat detector if you have one. Lead by Chris Marcol 01752341354 | Map |
| Jun 11 | 10:00 – 14:30 | East Devon Field | Venford Reservoir, Holne. Meet at car park north of dam at SX685712. AM/PM | Map |
| Jun 15 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Wildlife on the road to nowhere… Birding in the Pantanal. Speaker Jeffery Hacon | Map |
| Jun 16 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Belstone Cleave and Belstone Tor on the north edge of Dartmoor. Meet at the car park in Belstone at SX622938. Possible Cuckoo, Wheatear, Snipe and Ring Ouzel. Leader John Laws. | Map |
| Jun 29 | 10:00 – 14:30 | East Devon Field | Trendlebere Down - Hisley Woods. Meet at second car park on right of downs (signed as 'Middle' car park) at SX781796. AM/PM | Map |
| Jun 30 | 10:00 – 14:00 | Mid Devon Field | Meeth Quarry Reserve and Ash Moor. Interesting birds and butterflies. Meet in the DWT car park at Meeth Quarry at SS539084. Leader Digby Greenhill. | Map |
| Jul 11 | 19:00 – 22:30 | Mid Devon Field | Cookworthy Forest. An evening walk to see and hear Nightjars. Plan on a walk in the general area before settling at the vantage point to view the Nightjars. Meet at the car park at SS416017. The entrance to the forest is situated just north of Halwill Junction on the A3079. Leader John Laws. | Map |
| Jul 13 | 10:00 – 14:30 | Plymouth Field | Aylesbeare Common for heathland species including Dartford Warbler and butterflies. Meet at Joney's Cross car park opposite reserve entrance SY056897. Lead by John O'Connell-Davidson 01752668448 | Map |
| Jul 13 | 21:00 – 23:00 | East Devon Field | Mutters Moor, Sidmouth for Nightjar walk. Meet at Peak Hill car park at SY109872. Bring torch. | Map |
| Jul 20 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Birding in Texas. Speakers Peter & Carol Leigh | Map |
| Jul 29 | 20:45 – 22:30 | Plymouth Field | Cann Woods. Meet at car park SX547596. A second date for Nightjars, hopefully with juveniles. Bring a torch and a bat detector if you have one. Lead by Chris Marcol 01752341354 | Map |
| Jul 30 | 09:30 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Blackhole Marsh, Seaton. Meet at Wetland Car Park (Through cemetery) at SY248914. AM only | Map |
| Sep 6 | 10:00 – 15:30 | Taw & Torridge Field | Tamar Lakes. Meet at Upper Tamar Lake at SS288117 (charge in top car park, free at bottom).Lower Tamar Lake at 2.00pm | Map |
| Sep 7 | 09:30 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Otter Estuary. Meet at White Bridge, South Farm Road, Budleigh Salterton at SY076830. AM only | Map |
| Sep 8 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | Secret life of the Long-tailed Tit. Speaker: John Walters | Map |
| Sep 10 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Berry Head National Nature Reserve at TQ5 9AP. Meet at the car park for Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Gillard Road, Brixham (pay & display) at SX940562. Leader Nick Armstrong. | Map |
| Sep 14 | 19:30 – 21:45 | Plymouth Indoor | Dartmoor's Secret Nature - a 20 year study | Map |
| Sep 21 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Insight into breeding birds of the Arctic Circle. Speaker Dave Scott | Map |
| Sep 23 | 09:30 – 14:30 | Plymouth Field | Seaton Wetlands. Car parking through Seaton Cemetery SY248914 nearest post code EX12 2SP. For wetland species. Lead by John O'Connell-Davidson 01752668448. Car share to leave 7.30am at Ivybridge Station Park & Ride PL21 0DH | Map |
| Sep 24 | 09:30 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Dawlish Warren. Meet at end of main car park (Pay & Display) at SX980787. AM only | Map |
| Oct 6 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Crowdy Reservoir and Davidstow Airfield, Cornwall. Meet at the car park for the dam at SX138833. | Map |
| Oct 11 | 10:00 – 16:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Greylake & the Somerset Levels. Greylake RSPB Reserve at 10.00am. Then on to Shapwick & Ham Wall (Ashcott Corner). RSPB new car park (charge for non-members). Bring RSPB membership cards. | Map |
| Oct 12 | 10:00 – 14:00 | Plymouth Field | Soar & Starehole Valley. Meet in NT car park (near airfield) SX713375 for passage migrants. Lead by Jacki & Kev Solman 01752491851 | Map |
| Oct 13 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | South African Game Parks are not just for Elephants & Lions. Speakers: Philip & Gill Marlow | Map |
| Oct 19 | 10:00 – 14:30 | East Devon Field | Shipley Bridge, Nr South Brent. Meet at car park at SX680628 for walk to Avon Dam. AM/PM | Map |
| Oct 19 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Birding the Silk Roads. Speaker Ian Gasper | Map |
| Oct 20 | 09:30 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Dawlish Warren. Meet at the first car park (pay & display) on the right at the mini roundabout before the tunnel entrance. At SX978785. Leader Nick Armstrong. | Map |
| Nov 9 | 10:00 – 13:00 | East Devon Field | Emsworthy Gate Reserve (Nr Saddle Tor, Dartmoor). Meet at small car prk at SX744760 on B3387 (Hay Tor to Widecombe road). AM only | Map |
| Nov 9 | 19:30 – 21:45 | Plymouth Indoor | Branch AGM. Speaker to be confirmed | Map |
| Nov 10 | 10:00 – 13:30 | Plymouth Field | South Efford Marsh. (possible muddy footpath to hide) Parking near the site is very limited. Nearest car park is by the Timbers roundabout Aveton Gifford SX692472. Lead by John Lloyd 01752338415 | Map |
| Nov 10 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | TBA. Speaker: Colin Humphrey | Map |
| Nov 11 | 10:00 – 16:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Fremington Creek & Isley Marsh. Meet at Muddlebridge lay by at 10.00am. Meet at Power Station Lane at 2.00pm for Isley Marsh. | Map |
| Nov 16 | 19:30 – 21:30 | South Devon Indoor | Understanding the ecology and decline of the Wood Warbler. Speaker Malcolm Burgess | Map |
| Nov 17 | 10:00 – 13:30 | Mid Devon Field | Roadfor Reservoir. Meet at layby near hide at SX435930. Interesting mix of dabbling and diving ducks, waders and gulls. Leader Digby Greenhil. | Map |
| Nov 19 | 09:30 – 12:30 | East Devon Field | Exminster Marshes. Meet at RSPB car park at SX953872. AM only | Map |
| Dec 8 | 09:00 – 14:30 | Mid Devon Field | Fingle Bridge. A walk along the river followed by Mid Devon Branch Christmas Lunch. Meet outside the Fingle Bridge Inn at EX6 6PW. Return for lunch at 12.30pm. Contact Nick Armstrong for information. | Map |
| Dec 8 | 19:30 – 22:00 | Taw & Torridge Indoor | Antarctica & South Atlantic Odyssey: seabirds & marine mammals | Map |
| Dec 11 | 10:00 – 14:00 | Plymouth Field | St Johns Lake and River Lynher for waders (possibly muddy walk along river). Meet at Wacker Quay SX390550. Lead by Doug Herdson 01752405155 | Map |
| Dec 13 | 10:00 – 15:00 | Taw & Torridge Field | Barnstaple Leisure Centre to Ashford Garden Centre. Meet at Leisure Centre Car Park at 10.00am. Take your own lunch or eat at garden centre restaurant. | Map |
| Dec 14 | 10:00 – 13:00 | East Devon Field | NT. Knighteshayes, Tiverton. Meet at first car park signed 'Cricket pitch/parkland' (Pay & Display) at SS956146. AM only. Lunch optional. | Map |
Add these events to your calendar — Devon Birds | East Devon Field | East Devon Indoor | Mid Devon Field | Mid Devon Indoor | Plymouth Field | Plymouth Indoor | South Devon Field | South Devon Indoor | Taw & Torridge Field | Taw & Torridge Indoor