Coach Outings Programme
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We normally have 8 coach trips each September - June season within about 3h of London.
MBS Membership covers the September - June programme each year. Our 2024-25 Coach outings programme is posted below.
We continue to charge £25 to MBS Members and £30 to non-members for seats on our 53-seater coaches (with WC).
Please note coach details - boarding time and place, return journey, what to bring etc are all in the column to the right on a pc or laptop screen.
Please pay for coach trips using the relevant PayPal button below each coach trip (remembering to click on the arrow to select non-member if appropriate).
To book your seat on the coach you must also send an email to birdsmbs@yahoo.com stating destination and/or date and your phone number.
You can pay for e.g. 2 members or 2 non-members using these buttons but not e.g. 1 member and 1 non-member or seats on different coach trips.
You will also find "shopping cart" buttons on a separate page if you wish to try more complex combinations of bookings.
If you wish to book by post & cheque or need to discuss alternative methods of payment please email birdsmbs@yahoo.com.
Saturday 11 January 2025
Abberton Reservoir, Essex Wildlife Trust
Habitats: Reservoir, reed beds, marsh, rough pasture, woodland.
Species: numbers of wintering wildfowl incl. Goosander, Goldeneye, Pochard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal; possible Bewick’s Swan, scarcer Grebes and Divers; Dunlin, Golden Plover; Great White and Little Egrets (Cattle possible); Peregrine, Buzzard; Fieldfare, Redwing, Kingfisher, Stonechat, Linnet, Skylark.
Facilities: Visitor Centre (cafe, shop, & toilets), hides & screens.
A £2 donation to Essex Wildlife Trust is requested (will be collected on the coach - please bring cash).
Reserve information
Saturday 15 February 2025
Pagham Harbour RSPB West Sussex
Habitats: estuary, sea, rough pasture, dykes, marsh, saltmarsh, scrub.
Species: Brent Geese, Pintail, Wigeon, Shelduck, Teal, Eider, Goldeneye, Red-Breasted Merganser; Divers, scarcer Grebes; Mediterranean Gull, Avocet, Greenshank, Lapwing, Golden and Grey Plovers, Knot, Dunlin, Bar-Tailed and Black-Tailed Godwits, Curlew, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank; Peregrine, Buzzard; Merlin, Hen Harrier, Short-Eared Owl possible; Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Chiffchaff.
Facilities: Visitor centre, toilets, hides, viewing platform.
Reserve information
Saturday 29 March 2025
Rye Harbour, Sussex
Habitats: Saltmarsh, shingle, pools, reedbeds, scrub, mudflats, sea.
Species: Grey Partridge, Little and Great White Egrets, Bittern; Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Goldeneye (Scaup and Long-Tailed Duck possible); Marsh Harrier. Peregrine (Merlin, Hen Harrier, Barn and Short-Eared Owls possible); Golden and Grey Plovers, Sanderling, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Rock Pipit, Skylark, Stonechat, Bearded Tit, Cetti's Warbler.
Facilities: Visitor Centre, toilets, viewing platform, hides, cafes, pub.
Reserve information
Saturday 26 April 2025
Fingringhoe Wick, Essex Wildlife Trust
Habitats: Sea, saltmarsh, gravel pits, woodland, scrub.
Species: Nightingale (20+ pairs), Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge & Reed Warblers; Cuckoo, Swallow, Sand Martin, Skylark, Shelduck, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Common Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Kingfisher.
Facilities: Visitor Centre, toilets, hides.
We will be asked for a small donation to Essex Wildlife Trust which we'll collect on the coach.
Reserve information.
Saturday 31 May 2025
Thursley NNR, Surrey
Habitats: Heathland, bog, pools, woodland.
Species: Heathland, bog, pools, woodland. Birds: Common Redstart, Woodlark, Tree Pipit, Dartford Warbler, Cuckoo, Linnet, Stonechat, Reed Bunting; woodland birds; Swallow, Martins, Swift, Curlew, Teal, Hobby, Buzzard. Prime site for dragonflies (over 20 species recorded).
Facilities: Toilet break enroute before and after visit (and loo on coach).
Reserve information
Saturday 7 June 2025
Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk
Habitats: Heath, woodland, scrub, freshwater marsh and reedbeds, dunes, sea.
Species: Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Buzzard, Bittern, Little and Great White Egrets, Bearded Tit, Reed/Sedge/Grasshopper Warblers; Nightingale; Common/Sandwich/Little Terns; Kittiwake; Shelduck, Garganey, Avocet, Stone Curlew; Kingfisher, Water Rail, Linnet, Stonechat, Skylark, woodland birds. Otter, Red Deer. .
Facilities: Toilets, Visitor Centre, Cafe, Hides.
Reserve information.
Earlier this season
Saturday 26 October 2024
Dungeness Observatory, ARC Pits & RSPB Reserve, Kent
Habitats: Sea, shingle spit, rough pasture and scrub, marshes, pasture & scrub, gravel pits.
Species: Gannets, Brent Geese, Common Scoter, Gulls, Porpoises (Sea); Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Finches; Woodlark, Firecrest possible; Winter visitors; Peregrine.
ARC Pits / RSPB: Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard; Grey and Red Legged Partridges, Bearded Tit, Raven, Marsh Harrier, Great White and Little Egrets. Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Whinchat, Ring Ouzel all possible.
Facilities: Toilets and cafe at Observatory; Hides at ARC Pits; Toilets, Visitor Centre, Hides at the RSPB reserve.
Although a number of coach bookers had to cancel for health and other reasons, 42 people were on this 1st MBS coach outing of the season. 82 bird species seen/heard including Black Redstarts, Peregrine and Firecrest at the Power Station and ducks, Lapwing and March Harrier at the Arc Pits. On the RSPB reserve highlights included Great White + Cattle Egret, Hobby and Black-necked Grebe.
Reserve Observatory information and RSPB information
Saturday 7 December 2024 CANCELLED ahead of Storm Darragh
Reculver Country Park, Kent Will rechedule for 2025.
Habitats: Sea, coastal farmland, reed filled dykes, oyster pond, lagoon.
Species: Brent Geese, Red-Breasted Merganser, Common Scoter, Eider, Razorbill, Guillemot; Scarcer Grebes and Gulls possible; Oystercatcher; Ringed, Golden and Grey Plovers, Sanderling, Snipe, possible Purple Sandpiper; Peregrine, Merlin; Stonechat, Corn Bunting probable; Shorelark, Snow Bunting, Black Redstart, Firecrest possible.
Facilities: Visitor Centre, toilets.
Reserve information.
Local Outings
Our 2024-25 programme
Reports
Reports on past outings and events:
