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.

All of us have a role to play in trying to lessen the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The leadership of Devon Birds have therefore recommended that all Indoor Meetings and Field Trips should be postponed for the foreseeable future.

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
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