WBC Programme of Events for 2012
The search for the White-eared Night Heron – David Walsh
Monday January 16
With an estimated global population between 250-999 individuals, the ‘endangered’ White-eared Night Heron was only known to breed in southern China until David completed his BirdLife International survey in northern Vietnam in 2008. David will describe his successful quest to find this bird and give us a fascinating insight into life in remote Vietnamese villages as well as showing us images of some of the other birds encountered during his three recent visits to South-east Asia.
Venue: The Maltings Pavilion, Pinhow Street, Ditchingham, NR35 2RU
Time: 19.30 hrs
North Norfolk—Pink-footed Goose spectacular
Saturday/Sunday January 28-29
Without doubt East Anglia’s most spectacular winter event is the gathering of the geese in North Norfolk. WBC members will meet on Saturday (09.00 hrs) at the Burlington Hotel in Sheringham, where rooms are reserved (Dinner, B&B). After check-in, we will bird-watch prime North Norfolk sites in the afternoon and finish at the harrier roost as dusk approaches. We will socialize after dinner on Saturday evening and perhaps discuss the day’s findings. An early breakfast will be followed by a search for more geese and perhaps seabirds offshore.
Please confirm your booking with Kathy - further details will be given at that time.
Venue: Burlington Hotel, Sheringham
Leaders: Josh MacCallum-Stewart & Steve Piotrowski
Cost: £60/person
Heveningham Hall Estate – conservation day to clear small tit boxes
Sunday February 5
A total of 500 small nest boxes were fixed in 2011 of which roughly a third was occupied. Jon Hunt (owner of Heveningham Hall) has made a generous donation to WBC’s BAP fund in exchange for the club looking after these boxes. The 14th Ipswich Scout Group has offered the help, but adults will be needed to assist. The scouts are hopeful of gaining a number of badges, so this is a chance for WBC members to introduce youngsters into conservation. Please wear boots and protective clothing as it could be cold and wet!
Venue: Meet at Heveningham Hall at 9.00 a.m. (further details are available from Kathy)
Leaders: Steve Piotrowski and Chris McIntyre
Waveney Bird Brain Challenge—Quiz night
Monday February 20
The trophy is now in its rightful place under the ownership of Waveney Bird Club. Our challengers this year will be Lowestoft Lounge Lizards (2009 winners), RSPB Minsmere and Suffolk Birders Information Network Services (BINS). The teams will be strictly controlled by Quizmaster, Chris McIntyre. Audience banter and participation will be actively encouraged and there will also be a special prize for the most knowledgeable spectator! Please come along to barrack/support your team!
Venue: The Maltings Pavilion, Pinhow Street, Ditchingham, NR35 2RU
Time: 19.00 hrs (please note early start)
Rainham Marshes and Abberton Reservoir, Essex
Saturday March 17
One of very few ancient landscapes remaining in London, these medieval marshes alongside the River Thames were closed to the public for over 100 years and used as a military firing range. The RSPB acquired the site in 2000 and has set about transforming it into a nature reserve where we should see wintering wildfowl, gulls and early passage birds. Birds of prey and rarities are regularly reported. There is a visitor centre and a café, with huge picture-windows that overlook the marshes.
At Abberton Reservoir, work by Essex & Suffolk Water’s on their reservoir enhancement project is well underway and making excellent progress. The old concrete edge has been removed leaving shallow muddy margins. Visitors can enjoy walks on this new Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve, the stunning views across the reservoir and find passage birds that occur at this time of year. Dyke Hide has re-opened and there are three hides that overlook Hide Bay and there’s another hide in the new woodland.
The plan is to visit both sites by coach leaving Waveney Valley venues from 07.00 a.m. to arrive at Rainham at 09.00 a.m. then lunch in the café to leave for Abberton at 2.00 p.m. and returning home to arrive at around 7.00 p.m. If there’s enough interest, we may be able to offer non-birding partners to visit Lakeside shopping centre at Thurrock whilst us birders are at Rainham, but please bear in mind that we have limited space on the coach may prevent items being brought back from Ikea!
Leaders: John Grant and Andrew Green (with the help of Roger Smith at Rainham and Andrew Thompson at Abberton)
Venue: The coach pick-up times to be given when booking.
AGM followed by review of the year
Monday March 19
Steve Piotrowski will preside over the AGM, and after the formal business has been completed, BINS will provide a review of the year followed by a pictorial view of WBC’s highlights of 2011.
Venue: The Maltings Pavilion, Pinhow Street, Ditchingham, NR35 2RU
Time: 19.30 hrs
Good Friday Dawn Chorus Walk (+ Hot Cross Buns) at Beccles and Geldeston
Friday April 6
The club’s fourth Good Friday dawn chorus outing will take in a circular 7-mile walk from Beccles through to Geldeston where we will stop at The Lock Inn for a brunch or traditional hot-cross buns, teas and coffees.
The walk starts from the Information Centre close to the car park, then along Fen Lane, then over the old road bridge and along the Norfolk side of the riverbank for approx 1.5 miles. The footpath turns right slightly inland and on reaching the road we head towards Geldeston. Shortly after the Wherry Inn the road comes to a T-junction. We will turn left down Station Road and then follow the track to the Lock Inn. From the Lock Inn we will head across the marsh over a wooden bridge towards an iron gate/stile and then left along the track over a fences and stiles to the Angles Way, then back to Beccles passing the Elizabethan Roos Hall to Puddingmoor Lane and back to the car park.
Leaders: Andrew Green and Steve Howell
Venue: Meet at Fen car park, Beccles at 06.00 hrs
Cost: Please book through Kathy
“Puffin and Choughing” (Skomer and Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire)
Saturday/Monday April 21-23
Dale Fort was built in 1856 in an attempt to deter the forces of Napoleon III from invading the west coast of Britain. Its spectacular location near the entrance to Milford Haven provides it with easy access to a wide variety of superb seashores. Dale provides an ideal base for exploring the spectacular scenery of The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the famous bird-islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm.
The island of Skomer offer extremely important breeding grounds for a great variety of seabirds. The island is managed by the Wildlife Trust South & West Wales under a lease from the Countryside Council for Wales. Skomer is probably the most important breeding site of Manx Shearwaters in the world, with an estimated population of 165,000 pairs. It is difficult to find spots on the island which are not burrowed by them. Puffins breed on Skomer in large numbers as well: approximately 6,000 pairs have been counted. Other birds present in large numbers are Guillemots, Razorbills and passage migrants. The WBC trip to Skomer in 2010 witnessed a good passage of House Martins along with passage Redstarts, Whitethroats and a Hoopoe!
Steve Piotrowski will be running a BTO residential training course on bird identification at the Field Studies Centre at Dale Fort from 20th-22nd and will stay on to help lead this WBC event. Those members who would like to attend the course, and have an extended stay at Dale Fort, should visit the BTO Website (www.bto.org/notices/trgworkshops.htm) or contact Steve Piotrowski 01986 893311. You will need to book early for the course as places are being filled very quickly.
The intension is for WBC members to travel from Suffolk by mini-bus leaving early on Saturday morning and arriving in time for dinner at Dale Fort on Saturday evening. We shall stay overnight in the FSC Centre on Saturday and Sunday nights sailing over to Skomer on Sunday with Monday in reserve in case of bad weather. We shall return on Monday afternoon at the latest and arrive home that evening.
Leader: John Evans and Steve Piotrowski
Venue: Pick up points tba on booking
RSPB Minsmere—Spring Celebration (Minsmere’s 65th birthday)
Saturday/Sunday April 28-29
RSPB Minsmere will need no introduction to most UK birders. It is one of the Europe’s most famous nature reserves and has been carefully manicured for breeding birds by RSPB for 65 years. Minsmere pioneered the use of observation hides and management of wetland areas to enable visitors to see a sample of the huge range of birds that pass along the Suffolk coast. In early May, spring migration will be at its peak and you should see avocets, marsh harriers and bitterns.
This is a special family event put on by RSPB and WBC will be centre stage giving ringing demonstrations and explaining the wonders of bird migration to many visitors young and old. WBC members are encouraged to support this event, so why not pay a visit to see our ringers at work. If you have an hour or two spare on the Friday 4th May, why not come along to help set up of the marquee? Admission is free to WBC helpers, but normal permit fees apply to non-RSPB members attending as visitors only.
Leaders: Chris McIntyre
Venue: Ringing Marquee from 08.30 hrs
WBC (2-4-6-8-10) Bird Race
Saturday May 26
For fun WBC has this year introduced its 2-4-6-8-10 Bird Race. Quite simply, the rules are as follows: you start from anywhere in Suffolk, 2 of you must see of hear the bird, 4 can be in your team, 6.00am is the earliest you can start, 8 parish’s of where you are going to bird in Suffolk must be submitted upfront and you have a maximum 10 hours in which to bird to the best of your team’s ability. The team must remain together at all times.
Your whole team must then report to Minsmere RSPB by 5.00pm, failure to meet this deadline will disqualify your team.
The whole event will then be judged, over a relaxing BBQ (£5 per head payable on the day) followed by the usual awards ceremony for the third, second and first place winners.
To enter your team you need to e-mail Kathy at kpiotrowski@btinternet.com whereby she will forward you a booking form
Alde/Ore River Cruise on Lady Florence
Sunday May 27
The Lady Florence River Cruise Restaurant is designed to provide a different and exciting fine-dining experience. As the vessel cruises the calm waters of the rivers Alde and Ore, freshly prepared fine foods and drink is served. The rivers offer outstanding scenery to accompany your meal. Every cruise includes an informative commentary on both the intriguing history that made this area and the wildlife which now inhabits it and, of course, your guide will keep you updated on the birds that are encountered. Our dinner cruise will head up river to within sight of Aldeburgh, Iken and Snape, and then return to cover the entire 10-mile length of the National Trust's Orford Ness conservation area, which was previously a key military experimental site - with its eerie pagoda-style buildings. The boat turns again at Shingle Street, where the river enters the North Sea amidst the rolling surf, racing tides and barren shingle banks - an area of wilderness and desolation. We will then circumnavigate the RSPB's Havergate Island bird reserve. The Lady Florence often offers unparalleled views into the flooded interior of Havergate and can get to within metres of unusual seabirds, wildfowl and waders. For further details, please see www.lady-florence.co.uk/
Leaders: Steve and Kathy Piotrowski
Cost: Cruise cost £17.50 per person – food and drinks payable on boat (please note credit cards not accepted)
Venue: Orford Quay at 3.30 p.m. (return at 7.30 p.m.)
Norfolk Broads
Bank Holiday Monday June 4
The Norfolk Broads has been called ‘Britain’s Magical Waterland’ which reflects the mystic beauty of the rivers and its wildlife. Your leaders will take you to some of the more accessible sites for birding, including Hickling Broad, Horsey Mere and Potter Heigham. One of the targets of this fascinating event will be the swallowtail butterfly, which weather permitting should be on the wing by early June.
Leaders: Andrew Green and Steve Howell
Venue: Meet at the car park opposite Latham’s, near Heigham Bridge (TG419184) at 08.30 hrs
RSPB Minsmere—Springwatch
Saturday/Sunday June 9-10
This is a special family event put on by RSPB and WBC will be centre stage giving ringing demonstrations and explaining the wonders of bird migration to many visitors young and old. WBC members are encouraged to support this event, so why not pay a visit to see our ringers at work. If you have an hour or two spare on the Friday (1st June) why not come along to help set up of the marquee? Admission is free to WBC helpers, but normal permit fees apply to non-RSPB members attending as visitors only.
Leader: Steve Piotrowski
Venue: Ringing Marquee from 08.30 hrs
Dunwich Heath (Nightjar Watch)
Wednesday June 27
A rare and precious habitat that is also quiet and serene, wild and dramatic. Dunwich Heath is home to special species such as the Dartford Warbler, Nightjar, Woodlark, ant-lion, adders and much more. This will be an inspiring mid-summer visit, made even more exciting by the specialist species that we may encounter. The target for this evening walk will be the mysterious and frequently unseen Nightjar that breeds on Dunwich Heath. The Nightjar normally arrives in Suffolk in late April, but most typically in May, the first sign of their return is the eerie ‘churring’ song given by the male from a perch within its territory. Nightjars will be in the peak of their breeding season by late-June and an early-evening start will give us the chance to search for other species as we wait for the appearance of Nightjars as dusk approaches.
Leader: Andrew Green and Steve Howell
Venue: Meet at RSPB Minsmere Reserve car park at 18.30 hrs
Machio, Madeira including excursion to the Desertas Islands
Monday July 2 to Monday July 9
The numbers of birdwatchers visiting the Madeiran archipelago have increased dramatically in recent years mainly due to the endemic species and races and the excellent opportunities to watch seabirds and cetaceans from the mainland or pelagic expeditions. The hot spot is Porto Moniz, the number one site for sea watching and a good reason for many birders to visit Madeira. Pico do Areeiro hosts the endemic Zino's Petrel and a nighttime visit to listen for these birds will live long in the memory. WBC is offering an opportunity for partners to have a combined holiday, so if you are happy to sit by the pool and read a book or walk the levaders whilst your partners are out birding then this is the trip for you.
We will stay in the four-star Dom Pedro Baia hotel in Mochico for where we have options for excursions. For seabird enthusiasts, the trip could include a lifetime experience of an Atlantic pelagic or a ferry ride to the Desertas Islands in search of specialised seabirds and cetaceans. However, we have lots of flexibility, so if you’re a land lover then you could simply enjoy the birds along with the tranquillity of this beautiful island.
Numbers are likely to be limited, due to boat capacity, so places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and available only to WBC members. Please contact Kathy by telephone or email who will give an update on costs and tour availability.
Leaders: Steve Piotrowski and Chris McIntyre
Cost: Approximately £480 per person, including flights and hotel B&B accommodation based on twin room sharing. Boat fees are in addition to the price quoted and cost will depend on the excursions chosen.
RSPB Minsmere Family Day (including WBC ringing demo)
All day every Thursday from July 26 to August 30
For the fifth successive year, WBC has been asked to take a key role at RSPB’s prestigious family events. WBC ringers will host one of the marquees to give ringing demonstrations and explain the wonders of migration to the many visitors young and old. RSPB’s Family Days will take place every Thursday throughout the school holiday period. If members have any free time to help with setting up, putting up our marquee, cutting net lanes, etc., on Wednesday 27th July, it would be very much appreciated, so please ring Kathy.
Leader: Steve Piotrowski
Venue: Meet at Ringing Marquee at 09.30 hrs
Rutland BirdFair - “The world’s largest international birdwatching event”
Saturday August 18
Described as the birdwatcher's Glastonbury, BirdFair encompasses the whole spectrum of the birdwatching industry whilst at the same time supporting global bird conservation. This is the event of the year if you're into birds and wildlife. There are hundreds of stands selling the latest products for wildlife enthusiasts. You'll find everything, from scopes to sculptures, binoculars to bird food, eGuides to eco-holidays!
Every day a packed programme of events is offered. Three separate timetables boast a fantastic variety of lectures. The Events Marquee hosts quiz shows, question and answer sessions, exclusive book launches and family-based entertainment. The Birdfair Auction offers you the chance to bid for a whole host of lots, donated by our exhibitors, ranging from holidays, to artwork, to unique one-off experiences, with all the monies raised going directly to the Birdfair project.
WBC will provide a coach to ferry people to and from Rutland Water leaving from various pick up points in NE Suffolk from 7.30 a.m. onwards.
Leaders: Steve and Kathy Piotrowski
Venue: Time and pick up points to be agreed with Kathy
Migration Watch—Blythburgh and Hen Reedbed
Sunday Sept 16
This field trip is a repeat of the very successful event led by Roger and Andrew in 2009. The idea is to explore the Blyth estuary and then look at SWT’s Hen Reedbed. From here, you will be in prime position to explore other east-coast birding hotspots such as Benacre, Covehithe Broad and Southwold. The second part of the itinerary will be decided on the day. This is an all-day event, but if members wish to leave early they should consult with the leaders.
Leaders: Roger Walsh & Andrew Green
Venue: Meet at Blythburgh White Hart at 08.00 a.m.
Waveney Stardust Cruise
Sunday September 30 (date tbc)
Following on from our series of fabulous cruises on the Waveney Stardust, WBC has again chartered the boat, and will sail from Oulton Broad in the afternoon. The boat is designed primarily for disabled and/or elderly parties and the 42ft long boat is crewed by volunteers. Passengers’ needs are catered for throughout from helping them aboard to preparing tea or coffee. Hopefully, members will appreciate that as a club we pride ourselves in that we offer something for everyone. We also hope that you will understand that if we are over-subscribed then priority for places will be given to those members who, perhaps, find other trips too challenging to attend.
WBC has reserved the boat for an exclusive, half-day cruise enabling us to view spectacular landscapes such as those at Breydon Water, Berney Marshes, Somerleyton and Burgh Castle.
Leaders: Steve Piotrowski and Andrew Green
Cost: £12/head including teas, coffees and biscuits, which are available on-board. Members are advised to bring along packed lunch and additional drinks.
Venue: Pick up at Broadland Chalet Marina, Marsh Lane, Oulton Broad NR33 9JY at 10.00 for 10.30 hrs sailing and we envisage a return to the quay at around 19.00 – 20.00 hrs. If you are delayed en route, please ring the on board telephone 07803 145672, otherwise the boat will not wait!
For further details on the Waveney Stardust charity see: www.waveneystardust.co.uk
Weekend Migration Watch—Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Saturday/Sunday October 13-14
Orford Ness is the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe. This National Trust nature reserve contains a variety of habitats including shingle, saltmarsh, mudflat, brackish lagoons and grazing marsh and has proved to be a magnet for migrating birds. Regular monitoring by members of Landguard Bird Observatory has demonstrated the importance of the site as a migrant stop-off point. The Ness is also important for breeding birds and its coastal shingle flora include a large number of nationally rare species. There are toilets onsite and, although the tracks and paths that circumnavigate the reserve are level, access to and from “the island” is difficult for disabled visitors. The walk will be leisurely, but is approximately 6 miles long. This event will formally start at 8.00 a.m. on the Sunday, although there is limited availability for a few members who wish to stay overnight in the self-catering dormitory block.
Please park in the Orford Town Council pay-and-display car park close to the quay. The cost of the current permit and ferry fees (approximately £8) will apply, which is payable with booking or on the quay. Confirmation of NT’s 2012 permit fees to be published at a later date.
Leaders: Chris McIntyre and Mike Marsh
Venue: Meet at Orford Quay for boat at 08.00 a.m.
Farmland Birds – Steve Piotrowski
Monday October 15
Steve has been birdwatching in Suffolk for 50 years and has worked as an SWT farmland bird advisor since 2006. He has played a pivotal role in guiding farmers wishing to enrol into the Government’s Environmental Stewardship scheme and has instigated a countywide survey on foraging habits of finches and buntings. Steve will talk to us about the declines in a number of farmland bird species and discuss the aims, objectives and early results of his Foraging Farmland Bird study. The talk will include an update on the Barn Owl project, Britain’s best loved farmland bird.
Venue: The Maltings Pavilion, Pinhow Street, Ditchingham, NR35 2RU
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Snape Marshes and North Warren
Saturday October 27
Snape is an exciting area of nature reserves managed by RSPB and SWT. Wetland areas are being created this winter and will include new reedbeds and freshwater marshes to benefit wildlife such as otters, water voles, kingfishers, bitterns, marsh harriers and dragonflies. Access to the RSPB marshlands is currently restricted to guided walks only and WBC members will be exclusively guided by the new Reserve Manager, David Fairhurst, nobly assisted by John Grant.
North Warren is a delightful RSPB reserve containing grazing marshes, reedbeds, heathland and woodland, so we will migrate to this birder’s paradise in the afternoon. Thousands of ducks, swans and geese use the marshes in late autumn and winter, which can be viewed either from the old railway track or from the Thorpeness to Aldeburgh road.
Leaders: David Fairhurst and John Grant
Venue: Meet at Snape Maltings car park 8.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m.
Mark Cocker - Crow Country (joint meeting with SOG)
Monday November 19
Mark Cocker is a Norfolk-based author, journalist and naturalist who write regularly for The Guardian and The Times. He is well known in Britain for his work on wildlife. His eight books include Birders: Tales of a Tribe and Birds Britannica, a hugely acclaimed study of the cultural importance of birds in his home country. His book Crow Country (2007) was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction and is currently working on a new book – Birds and People. Mark has travelled the world in search of wildlife, broadcasts on BBC Radio as well as lecturing and teaching regularly on the subjects of wildlife and nature writing.
This will be a fund-raising event in aid of local wildlife projects.
Venue: The Fisher Theatre, Broad Street, Bungay, NR35 1EE
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Cost: £5.00 per person (tickets available only from Fisher Theatre Box Office. Tel: 01986 897130) – early booking is advised
WBC Christmas Social Night
Saturday December 22
This will be a fantastic night of celebration judging by last year’s event. Included is a superb carvery dinner with an excellent vegetarian option, a bird quiz, an after-dinner speech by a guest speaker and music. Could you ask for more? So, come along and join in the fun!
Venue: The Maltings Pavilion, Pinhow Street, Ditchingham, NR35 2RU
Time: 7.30 p.m.
Notes:
• Members are advised to register their interest with Kathy (01986 893311) on events they wish to attend.
• The club reserves the right to alter or cancel any event. Only those that have registered an interest for that particular event will be informed of any changes. The leader may choose to alter the itinerary on the day.
• Most outdoor events are all-day, so it is advisable to bring sufficient food and drink.
• Young people (15 or under) are very welcome providing they attend with a responsible adult.
• Members are asked not to bring dogs.
• Appropriate footwear and warm clothing is advisable on all field events – no loud colours please.
• For safety reasons, should you choose to leave an event early, then you should inform the leader on the day.
• This WBC website ( www.waveneybirdclub.com ) will be used as the club’s main point of information including changes to events.
• Members are advised to register their interest with Kathy (01986 893311) on events they wish to attend.
• The club reserves the right to alter or cancel any event. Only those that have registered an interest for that particular event will be informed of any changes. The leader may choose to alter the itinerary on the day.
• Most outdoor events are all-day, so it is advisable to bring sufficient food and drink.
• Young people (15 or under) are very welcome providing they attend with a responsible adult.
• Members are asked not to bring dogs.
• Appropriate footwear and warm clothing is advisable on all field events – no loud colours please.
• For safety reasons, should you choose to leave an event early, then you should inform the leader on the day.
• This WBC website ( www.waveneybirdclub.com ) will be used as the club’s main point of information including changes to events.