ROYAL SOCIETY for the PROTECTION of BIRDS

East Surrey
RSPB Group
for local birdwatchers

We hold indoor meetings at the White Hart Barn, Godstone, every second Wednesday of the month (except August) – Everyone is welcome.
We run all day field trips every month, and some half day field trips during the winter months. Anyone is welcome to join us. There is always someone leading trips to give advice and hints on identification etc.

EAST SURREY RSPB GROUP
The second week in March saw lesser redpolls finally turn up in my garden much later than in recent years with a maximum number of seven in the garden at one time. March 14th saw two brambling in the garden, one male and one female, this being the first time that I have had two of these delightful birds in the garden at one time. Locally, early March saw flocks of waxwings reported from Warlingham, Coulsdon and the Holmethorpe area. A bittern was seen again briefly on the Bay Pond at Godstone on March 5th. A red kite was seen at Chelsham on March 7th and one over Godstone on February 28th. At Holmethorpe a white-fronted goose, a red-crested pochard, dunlin and a Mediterranean gull were all seen in the first two weeks of March, and an oystercatcher at the end of February. To the south of us along the Sussex coast the first of our summer migrants were seen by the middle of March, with swallows, sand martins, wheatear, chiffchaff and ringed plover reported in ones and twos. By the time you read this article the first of these birds will have arrived in our area or have started to pass through to travel further north. Recently there have been reports of common cranes and spoonbills in Sussex, so you may be lucky and see these birds should they pass through our area.
The group indoor meeting in April is on Wednesday 13th at the White Hart Barn, Godstone starting at 8.00 pm. This meeting is preceded by our AGM which usually lasts about ten minutes. The speaker for the main meeting is Peter Holden  who will give a talk entitled “A Celebration of Birds”  Recollections with film clips of his forty years work for the RSPB. This is a change to our previous list of monthly meetings.
Everyone is welcome, admission £3.00.

The field trip in April is on Sunday 17th  to Selsey Bill and Church Norton in Sussex, looking for sea birds and summer migrants. Meet at Godstone Green car park at 8.00am, bring a packed lunch, cold weather clothing and walking boots. We try to share cars and therefore fuel costs. For further information see our website www.eastsurreyrspb.co.uk

Members get involved in survey projects for various organisations and fund raising events in the local area.
The group is willing to give advice and information on all birding matters in the local area.The East Surrey RSPB Group was formed in 1983 after a meeting held at Bletchingley School on October 17th 1983, where all RSPB members living in the local area were invited. From the number of people attending the meeting it was obvious that there was a basis of interest in having a group based in East Surrey to enhance the enjoyment of many birdwatchers in the district.

A local committee was elected with the aim of providing monthly indoor meetings, monthly field trips and to plan fund raising events to support the many RSPB conservation projects, both in the British Isles and abroad. Initially the group held its indoor meetings at the White Hart Barn, Godstone, but as numbers attending these meetings rose, we moved the venue to Caterham School for a number of years, but moved back to Godstone as the White Hart Barn provided better facilities. Over the years the group has been able to attract some big names in the birding world to give talks at our meetings.

The monthly field trips have covered most of the prime birdwatching sites in South East England, even running coach trips to such places as Slimbridge, the Ouse Washes, Dorset and Minsmere in Suffolk. The tally of bird species seen on these trips now stands at well over two hundred.


The group has raised over thirty thousand pounds over the years, this money going to support RSPB projects in Nigeria, Morocco, Greece and Spain. In the British Isles we have provided funds for projects on many RSPB Nature reserves, as well as monies towards educational schemes run by the RSPB. Currently we are providing funds for the first RSPB Nature Reserve in Surrey at Farnham. Funds have been raised over the years by such events as film shows, art and craft exhibitions, sponsored bird counts, and sales at many local events.

For further information about the group’s forthcoming events, all our latest news and our latest newsletter see our website – www.eastsurreyrspb.co.uk
For general information about the RSPB see website – www.rspb.org.uk