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

2019
May 24	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Fernworthy Reservoir. Initially meet at car park (pay & display) SX669839 prior to continuing on to park in layby near hide. Leader Roger Jewell	Map
May 24	09:30 – 15:00	Plymouth Field	Challacombe Farm, Dartmoor. Meet at Bennett's Cross car park SX679815 for cuckoo and moorland species. John O'Connell-Davidson - 01752668448.	Map
May 30	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Meeth Quarry and Ash Moor. Interesting site for birds and butterflies. Meet in the DWT car park at Meeth Quarry SS539084. Leader Digby Greenhill	Map
Jun 2	09:00 – 16:00	Plymouth Field	Ham Wall Reserve, Somerset. Meet at Ham Wall car park BA6 9SX Ashcott Road. Car share to leave at 7.00am at Ivybridge Station Park and Ride PL210DH. For wetland species. Doug Herdson - 01752405155	Map
Jun 4	09:30 – 15:30	East Devon Field	Venford Reservoir, Holne. Meet at car park north of dam SX685712. am - pm	Map
Jun 9 – Jun 11	12:30 13:00	Mid Devon Field	3 day trip to Dorset. Day 1 - meet at car park, RSPB Radipole, SY674804 for the afternoon. Overnight at Premier Inn, Mercury Road, Weymouth DT3 5HJ (to be booked individually). Day 2 - meet at car park RSPB Arne 9.00am for the day. Overnight at Premier Inn as before. Day 3 - meet at car park Chesil Beach 9.00am, for the Little Tern colony, with 1 hour boat trip on "Fleet Explorer". Travel home pm. Booking essential as maximum of 20 places. Please advise Annabelle Strickland (email: jfajstrickland@outlook.com or tel: 01392439685) to confirm your attendance for Day1 and/or Days 2 & 3. You are welcome to just attend one day if you prefer.	Map
Jun 12	21:00 – 22:30	Plymouth Field	Cann Woods. Meet at car park SX547596 for nightjars. Bring a torch. Chris Marcol - 01752341354	Map
Jun 17	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	The Birds of Extremadura - Peter & Carol Leigh	Map
Jun 18	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Hollocombe nr Winkleigh EX18 7QE. Woodland and streamside walk. Meet in the latby opposite the former Chapel or Manse at the higher end of the village SS631111. Leader Helen Allin (01837810163)	Map
Jun 22	09:30 – 15:30	East Devon Field	Fernworthy Reservoir, Chagford. Meet at clearing near large shed at west end of reservoir (near bird hide) SX660837. am - pm	Map
Jun 23	21:00 – 22:30	Taw & Torridge Field	Hartland Forest. Meet at Welsford Moor Forest Track 1 mile south of Baxworthy Cross on A39 SS278208. Leader Roger Doble	Map
Jul 2	21:00 – 22:30	East Devon Field	Bicton Common for Nightjar evening. Meet at Four Firs car park SY031863. Bring a torch	Map
Jul 3	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Throwleigh Common - to include moorland edge, quiet lanes, fields & woodland. Meet in layby SX659914. Leader Mary Wallis	Map
Jul 15	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	The Birds of Coto Donana - Peter & Carol Leigh	Map
Jul 16	09:30 – 15:30	East Devon Field	Hay Tor. Meet at 2nd (middle) car park SX763769. am - pm	Map
Jul 27	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Belstone - woodland trails to Priestacott and on to the moor at West Cleave/East Okement valley, over Watchet Hill to the River Taw valley and back to Belstone village. Distance about 6km. Meet at Belstone village hall car park SX621938, postcode EX20 1RB. Leader Chris Walpole.	Map
Aug 19	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	Ups and downs of a Parish bird survey - Brent Birders	Map
Aug 31	08:30 – 15:30	Plymouth Field	Boat trip to the Eddystone. Leave from Lockyear Quay, Plymouth at 8.30am. Cost per person £34.00. To book contact Liz Harris - 01752789594	Map
Sep 3	09:30 – 12:30	East Devon Field	Dawlish Warren. Meet at end of main car park (pay & display) SX980787. am only	Map
Sep 5	09:30 – 14:30	Plymouth Field	Seaton Wetlands - car parking through Seaton Cemetery SY248914. For wetland species. Car share to leave 7.30am at Ivybridge Park & Ride PL21 0DH. John O'Connell-Davidson - 01752668448	Map
Sep 8	10:00 – 16:30	Taw & Torridge Field	Tamar Lakes. Meet at Upper Tamar Lake (parking charge) SS288117. Lower Tamar lake at 2.00pm	Map
Sep 10	09:00 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Hembury Woods. Mature, deciduous woodland. Meet at layby at the edge of the road SX730680. The layby provides access to a track with "P" and picnic area on the map. Leader Annabelle Strickland	Map
Sep 10	19:30 – 21:30	Taw & Torridge Indoor	How to be a Bird Detective - Martin Unwin	Map
Sep 16	19:30 – 21:45	Plymouth Indoor	The Colour of Birds' - Roger Avery, Previous Senior Lecturer in Zoology at Bristol University	Map
Sep 16	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	The RSPB's work to help breeding Curlew in lowland Somerset - Richard Archer, Senior Conservation Officer, RSPB SW England	Map
Sep 17	09:30 – 12:30	East Devon Field	Beer Head. Meet at end of lane SY224886. am only	Map
Oct 4	09:30 – 14:30	East Devon Field	Exminster Marshes. Meet at RSPB car park SX953872	Map
Oct 8	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Emsworthy Mire. Meet at the DWT Reserve car park, off the B3387 on road from Bovey Tracey to Widecombe-in-the-moor SX743774 (TQ13 7TT). Leader Nick Armstrong	Map
Oct 8	19:30 – 21:30	Taw & Torridge Indoor	Birding the Inca Trail - Andy Smith	Map
Oct 12	10:00 – 14:00	Plymouth Field	Soar and Starehole Valley. Meet in NT car park (near airfield)SX713375 for passgae migranys. John Lloyd - 01752338415	Map
Oct 17	09:30 – 12:30	East Devon Field	Emsworthy Gate Reserve (Nr Saddle Tor, Dartmoor). Meet at small car park SX744760 on B3387 (Hay Tor to Widecombe road). Am only	Map
Oct 20	10:00 – 16:00	Taw & Torridge Field	Greylake & Somerset Levels. Meet at Greylake RSPB ST398347. Moving on to Shapwick/Ham Wall (Ashcott Corner) RSPB new car park ST449397. Charge for non members of RSPB. Bring RSPB membership card	Map
Oct 21	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	A Guianian Adventure - Birds of Guyana - Ian Gasper	Map
Oct 22	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Shipley Bridge/Avon Dam. Meet at car park SX680628. Leader Roger Jewell	Map
Nov 9	09:30 – 13:30	East Devon Field	Blackhole Marsh, Seaton. Meet at Wetland car park (through cemetery) SY248914.	Map
Nov 11	19:30 – 21:45	Plymouth Indoor	AGM followed by 'Conserving Cranes and Curlew on the Somerset Levels' - Richard Archer, Senior Conservation Officer RSPB South West England	Map
Nov 12	19:30 – 21:30	Taw & Torridge Indoor	Bird Ringing on Lundy. History and aims of bird ringing, with some examples of how it is being used in specific studies on Lundy - Chris Dee	Map
Nov 13	10:00 – 16:00	Taw & Torridge Field	Fremington Creek & Isley Marsh. Meet at lay by at Muddlebridge SS508324. Followed by Isley Marsh, meet at Power Station lane at 2.00pm	Map
Nov 18	10:00 – 15:30	East Devon Field	Ham Wall, Somerset. Meet at large car park (pay & display) ST449396. am - pm. Option to visit RSPB Grey Lake on A361 at ST399346 in afternoon	Map
Nov 18	19:30 – 21:30	South Devon Indoor	The Wildlife of Madagascar - a trip to another world - Roger Duggleby	Map
Nov 19	09:30 – 14:30	Mid Devon Field	Roadford Reservoir. Meet at layby near hide SX435930. Leader Digby Greenhill	Map
Nov 22	10:30 – 13:30	Plymouth Field	South Efford Marsh (possible muddy footpath to hide). Parking near the hide is very limited, the nearest car park is by the Timbers roundabout Aveton Gifford SX692472. John Lloyd - 01752338415	Map
Dec 7	10:00 – 14:00	Plymouth Field	St John's Lake and River Lynher for waders (possible muddy walk along river). Meet at Wacker Quay SX390550. Doug Herdson - 01752405155	Map
Dec 12	09:30 – 14:30	East Devon Field	Woodbury Castle. Meet at car park SY032872. am only. Followed by indoor meeting - details to be arranged.	Map
Dec 12	09:30 – 15:30	Mid Devon Field	Chudleigh Knighton Heath and possibly Hennock. Heathland, woodland and farmland. Meet at Chudleigh Knighton car park SX842775. Followed by Mid Devon Branch Christmas lunch - location to be confirmed. Leader Nick Armstrong	Map
Dec 15	10:00 – 15:00	Taw & Torridge Field	Leisure Centre to Ashford. Meet at Leisure Centre car park EX31 2AP. Take own lunch or eat in the Garden Centre.	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