Dacre Banks, set in the scenic Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, provides excellent birding opportunities - in the woodland south of the village, in the adjoining farmland, and along the river. The woodland provides a home for a number of species including Marsh Tit, Pied Flycatcher and Great Spotted Woodpecker while the farmland often… Read more

Our first trip to see the Peregrines for a while. It's always a treat to see these majestic raptors soaring over the magnificent Cove. And while we admire the Peregrines there's always a chance of Grey Wagtail and Dipper turning up on the beck, Green Woodpecker feasting on ants in the surrounding grassland, Little Owl… Read more

This extensive country park encompasses two major reservoirs (Rivington and Anglezarke), extensive woodlands, and the high moorland of Rivington Pike. These differing habitats are home to a wide range of bird species. At this time of year waders are the main attraction on the reservoirs with both Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, and… Read more

Hutton Roof is an established premier birding location with its open woodland and craggy limestone pavements providing a home for a wide range of species including Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jay, Cuckoo, Redstart, Whitethroat, Tree Pipit, and many more - including Woodcock and Peregrine. As well as its birds Hutton Roof is known for… Read more

For our final indoor meeting of the winter group member Alan Bailey presents his take on the birds of Nepal. This small country has extreme geography ranging from 60 metres up to 8,848 metres. Despite this, with more than 900 species, Nepal boasts 8% of the world's bird species. The variety of Nepal's birdlife is… Read more

Richard and Tamsin Candeland bring us our second indoor talk of the winter on a topic yet to be decided. All Richard will tell us is that it will be "something to do with birds". Whatever wisdom they decide to impart to us one thing is guaranteed: it will be entertaining and informative. Read more

Our first indoor meeting of the winter features Phil Simnett and Sheila Rushton with a snapshot of the birds of New Zealand. This island archipelago has a birdlife all its own with a long list of species found nowhere else in the world, including the Kakapo - the world's only flightless, nocturnal parrot. Before humans… Read more

There aren't many places to see Crossbills these days but Beacon Fell in the heart of Bowland never lets us down. These distinctive but rarely seen little finches - close relatives of the Greenfinch and the Goldfinch - are specially adapted to feed on fir and pine cones and there are plenty of those in… Read more

In November, Martin Mere is a premier winter wildfowl destination with thousands of Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese, and many more, arriving from Iceland. In amongst the geese, waders and other wildfowl abound. But that's not the only wildlife spectacular to be seen in this magnificent reserve with its mix of wetland, farmland and woodland. A… Read more

The RSPB's flagship reserve in this part of the world needs no introduction to birdwatchers. It is home to the largest reed bed in north-west England and also boasts fresh and saltwater lagoons, woodland, limestone grassland, mudflats and coastal marsh. Bearded Tits, Bitterns, and Marsh Harriers stalk the reedbed; wildfowl and other wetland birds flock… Read more