Egret East Grinstead Local Group
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Egret
East Grinstead Local Group
Newsletter No 71 June 2022
Busby rspb images
Hi Everyone,
At the time of the last issue of the Egret, we were celebrating coming out of lockdown
and regaining some form of normality. Since then, of course, we have seen the start of
the horrible war in Ukraine and a global cost of living crisis. It seems like it is “one
step forward and two steps back” at the moment. All we can do is dig in and do our
best, as usual. With this in mind, I am able to highlight some encouraging steps that
the group is taking to help us get through this.
Indoor meetings are going down very well since we reverted to our familiar face-to-face
approach. After a slow start, numbers are creeping up. Two of the recent presentations were
quite outstanding, even by our own very high standards. Tessa Boase gave us a really
interesting talk on the origins of the RSPB and the women, like Etta Lemon, who spearheaded
the movement. Lucy Groves, from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Project Officer
from the White Stork Project, gave an update on the reintroduction programme that has seen
white storks breeding here in the south east for the first time in several hundred years. Lesley
Berry is currently finalising the programme for 2022/23 and, as a gesture to the successful Zoom
sessions that saw us through the worst period of the pandemic, we have decided to include a
couple of these in the schedule.
The outdoor meetings programme continues to serve up some excellent birding. The annual
coach trip to Minsmere went ahead in May after missing out in 2020 and again in 2021 due to
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the pandemic. Residential trips have also restarted with a delightful 4 day visit to north
Norfolk in February. I would encourage more of you to join us each month as we go out and
about to some of the best birding sites in the area. We cater for all levels of fitness and ability -
there is no better way to learn about birds than by seeing them in the wild.
As our birding year draws to a close, I would like to thank you all for your support - without
you we really would be in a financial pickle. Thanks are also due to our wonderful committee
for their efforts during these trying times.
Finally, in case it has slipped your mind already, don’t forget the AGM, which will take place
on Wednesday 28th September at our usual time. I look forward to seeing you all then.
Thank you,
Shaun Taylor
Leader
https://group.rspb.org.uk/egrinstead/
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Indoor Meetings
The indoor meetings will be held in the Main Hall at East Court, unless otherwise
stated. All the talks start at 8pm, so please arrive around 7.45pm to ensure that
everyone has a chance to settle down before the talk begins. The charge for
members is £4 (for non-members £5), unless otherwise stated.
Still to come from this year’s program
Wednesday 29 June 2022
Britain’s Seabird Cities – Steve Lovell
Wednesday 29 September 2022
AGM
Outdoor Meetings
Still to come from this year’s program
Wednesday 15 June 2022
Looking for Nightjars at Old Airstrip
Meet at Long Car Park (on A22 opposite the Llama Park) at 8.45 pm
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Looking for Nightjars at Hindleap
Meet at Hindleap Car Park, Hindleap Lane at 8.45 pm
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Update on Center Parcs Proposal.
A big thankyou to everyone who contacted Center Parcs and the various local decision-makers
(MP’s and Councillors) to highlight that Oldhouse Warren is the wrong place to build a new
holiday village.
You have all done a fantastic job of raising this issue, which has also gained some excellent
press coverage.
Oldhouse Warren is ancient woodland, adjacent to a SSSI and sits on the high weald AONB.
Such a sensitive site is not suitable for development of any kind and a holiday village is a
substantial development.
It might be possible to build a wooden cabin or two sensitively, but what about 900 of them?
What about the car parks and internal roads, the concrete paths and village centres with
restaurants and shops? Not to mention the huge amount of soil excavation needed to build one
of Center Parcs’ famous tidal swimming pools, along with all the gas, electricity and water
cables and pipes running across the site? And all the cars driving onto it with holiday-goers? A
development of this scale is simply incompatible with ancient woodland.
The RSPB, in conjunction with Sussex Ornithological Society, the Woodland Trust and CPRE-
Sussex, acting as The Sussex Planning for Nature Group, will continue to press for an
alternative site for the new development. If a planning application is submitted for Oldhouse
Warren, we will let everyone know and help you all object in as simple and effective a way as
possible.
Sue Dennis.
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Dartford Warblers are making a comeback! *
The number of Dartford warblers seen in nature reserves has reached a record high as they
make a comeback from the brink of extinction in Britain. Some 183 pairs of the lowland heath-
dwelling bird were spotted in 2021, an increase of 20 per cent on the 152 in 2019, the RSPB said.
This is a 245 per cent increase on the 53 pairs in 2011.
Dartford warblers were on the brink of extinction in the UK after the severe winter of 1963. The
work of the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts to conserve and increase heathland, together with
milder winters, have helped to improve habitat for these delightful little birds, plus other
species such as the nightjar.
Minsmere had 23 pairs in 2019, rising to 37 in 2021. We have several pairs closer to home on the
Ashdown Forest. But Dartfords are still an amber listed species, meaning that they remain
under threat, so there is no room for complacency.
*As reported in The Times, The Guardian and other national newspapers May 2 nd, 2022
Finches
During lockdown, restricted to walking from home, I covered quite a lot of nice habitats on the
south side of East Grinstead and was struck by the low numbers of finches. From the north
bank of Weir Wood reservoir past Standen to the town I recorded no chaffinches. It would be a
nice Group project if people on their regular walks this summer kept a note of what finches they
see and hear and, any signs of successful rearing of chicks. We know that nationally the
greenfinch population has declined significantly, as well as the chaffinch, while goldfinch
numbers are going up.
At the Autumn meetings I will happily collect any information members have and try to make
out what the position is around East Grinstead.
Phil Holland
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Sue Dennis
PUBLICISING OUR RSPB GROUP.
We try to get our talks into free magazines like EG Living, on posters in what seem like
reasonable places, on our website and on the SOS ‘recent sightings’. It has been pointed out that
much ‘what is on’ information is now spread by social media, so I need help from anyone who
is a member of their community Facebook group or anything similar to place news of our
activities as they feel appropriate.
‘The local RSPB group has a good talk on BRITAIN’S SEABIRD CITIES at East Court on 29
June starting promptly at 8pm; anyone is welcome, £5 entry’
If it is appropriate for the particular social medium some personal extra info might be good,
such as
‘I went to the last talk in May which was about the return of breeding Storks to the Knepp re-
wilding project, and it was jolly interesting’ or ‘At the break for refreshments I learn a lot
about birds and where to go’ or ‘I went on a visit to RSPB Pulborough with the group and had
a good day’.
Phil Holland
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Outdoor Meetings Update
Even Storm Eunice couldn’t stop us in February! The day after the main storm, a small
group of us managed to get through to RSPB Rainham Marshes in Essex, to enjoy a good
morning’s birding, albeit with the woodland area closed down because of the storm
damage, before the rains returned and brought events to an early close.
Storm damage at RSPB Rainham Marshes
The March outing, by contrast, was conducted in splendid spring weather. We took
advantage of the dry conditions to visit Castle Water, the part of Rye Harbour NNR we
usually miss out because of the long walk over difficult terrain. The overwintering black
necked grebe was the star of this show with a strong supporting cast that included ruff
and avocet.
black-necked grebe
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ruff avocet
Kevin’s decision to change to a venue closer to home in April resulted in our best attendance
since the pandemic started. Everyone wants to hear the beautiful song of the returning
nightingales and where better to go to hear them than the RSPB reserve at Pulborough
Brooks. The supporting cast wasn’t bad either. Most of the spring migrants were present in
force. Pick of the passerines were the blackcaps and the whitethroats. The stand out
waders included a greenshank and a common sandpiper.
blackcap whitethroat
greenshank and common sandpiper
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Perhaps the most satisfying outing was our coach trip to RSPB Minsmere with the East
Surrey Group in May. It is 3 years since our last visit and this was yet another sure sign
that things are slowly returning to normal. The experience itself was right up there with
the best of them with bitterns aplenty, nightingales singing, hobbies dominating the skies
and a superb stone curlew on its nest as a parting bonus.
bittern_courtesy of RSBP Minsmere
stone curlew on nest courtesy of Martin Jeffree
As we approach the end of our birding year, we look forward to the annual visit to the Knepp
Castle Estate where we will target the delightful white storks. We must not forget too that it’s
also that time of year when we look for nightjars and honey buzzards in the Ashdown Forest.
Do try and join us – you are very welcome!
Trip reports for all of these outings can be found on our website using the link below.
https://group.rspb.org.uk/egrinstead/
Bob Hastings
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Outdoor Meetings 2022-23
Meet at 9.30 am unless otherwise stated
RSPB Dungeness
Sat 24 Sept 2022 Meet in reserve car park TN29 9PN
Looking for autumn migrants.
Rye Harbour NNR
Sun 30 Oct 2022 Meet in reserve car park TN31 7TX
Looking for autumn migrants and returning winter visitors
Fishbourne Creek then West Dean Woods
Sat 26 Nov 2022 Park in Dell Quay Road by Crown and Anchor pub PO20 7EE
Coastal birds then we move inland looking for hawfinches
RSPB Rainham Marshes then Bough Beech
RM19 1SZ
Sun 11 Dec 2022 Meet in reserve car park
Looking for winter water birds
Swale NNR Isle of Sheppey
Sat 7 Jan 2023 Meet in reserve car park ME12 4RP
Looking for raptors
RSPB Dungeness
TN29 9PN
Sat 25 Feb 2023 Meet in reserve car park
Looking for winter water birds
Castle Water/Rye Harbour NNR
TN31 7TX
Sun 12 Mar 2023 Meet in reserve car park
Looking for winter water birds
RSPB Pulborough Brooks
Sat 8 Apr 2023 Meet in reserve car park RH20 2EL
Looking for nightingales
Stodmarsh NNR
Sun 23 Apr 2023 Meet in reserve car park CT3 4BB
Looking for hobbies, cuckoos and turtle doves
Coach Trip to RSPB Minsmere
Sun 7 May 2023 Meet at Godstone Green 07.15 sharp RH9 8DU
With the East Surrey RSPB Local Group
10East Grinstead RSPB Local Group – committee members
Hon. President: Nick Walker. Group Leader: Shaun Taylor
Treasurer: Lindsay Williams. Indoor Meetings: Lesley Berry
Membership Secretary: Lindsay Williams. Newsletter: Jenny Hyde
Website: Bob Hastings. Pin Badges: Terriss Bacon
Publicity: Phil Holland. Minutes Secretary & Sales: Susan Dennis
Outdoor Meetings: Kevin Hyde. Wildlife Explorers: Hilary Rowberry
The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife,
tackling the problems that threaten our
environment.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC0376
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