PETERBOROUGH BIRD CLUB

About us

Welcome to the web-site of Peterborough Bird Club. We are a friendly group and warmly welcome new members. Whether you are a beginner or an expert the Club aims to bring people together who have a shared interest in birding in Peterborough and surrounding areas. 

The Club runs a programme of indoor talks from September to April in central Peterborough. Topics recently have included local conservation projects such as the Nene Washes, the Ouse Washes and the Great Fen; research on seabird behaviour, migration and the impact of global warming and of Avian Influenza; farming and wildlife; and overseas birding destinations such as Colombia, Florida, Morocco, Northern Europe, Scotland, the Pantanal and the Spanish Pyrenees. 

The Club arranges two outdoor trips per month between September and June. Destinations include local sites eg. Rutland Water, Deeping Lakes, Nene Washes... and further a field eg. the RSPB reserves at Frampton, Lakenheath and Titchwell and Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserves at Cley and Weeting Heath... Recently, we have added some completely out-of-area trips to East Yorkshire and Kent. These are free to attend apart from entrance and car park fees and accommodation (where appropriate) once you get there.  

The 2024/25 programmes can be found in articles under the NEWS tab or in the Calendar tab on the appropriate day. 
 
Learn more about us below and apply to become a member by clicking on the ASK TO JOIN button. Membership is £12 per year but under 21’s and students in full-time education can join free of charge. Alternatively, you are welcome to attend one of our Indoor meetings for a small donation or one of our many Outdoor events free of charge. We look forward to meeting you.

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Upcoming Events

  • RSPB Snettisham Outdoor Event

    Date
    Location
    Snettisham
    Start the new PBC year with a bang at the world renowed Snettisham Wader Spectacular. This date has one of the highest tides of the autumn and necessitates an early start. There is a walk of 1 to 1.5 miles to the hides and best view point. No facilities. 

    Anybody with an interest in nature, from beginner to expert, are welcome to join us on our Outdoor Events that are free. It is a good way to get to know existing members and possibly improve your expertise.

    Meet: At the RSPB car park at Snettisham at 07:30. This car park can get very busy. There is an alternative public car park just along the road towards the beach. 
     
    Post code:  PE31 7RA 
    Map ref:  
    Leaders: Stewart Short and Ian Gordon 
        

  • Avian Influenza Indoor Event

    Date
    Location
    St Mark's Church Hall
    Avian Influenza

    DR PHIL ATKINSON
    Since the start of the recent 2021 outbreak of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the UK, a number of different quantitative sources on the mortality associated with HPAI have been collated by statutory nature conservation bodies and conservation and volunteer-based organisations. These ranged from detailed post-hoc assessment of mortality in individual sites, ongoing data entry into 3 national databases by site managers, to ad-hoc observations submitted by birdwatchers in the BTO BirdTrack app and website. For some species, specific assessments of mortality in a site or group of sites has been published. The UK hosts international important numbers of breeding waterbirds and this species group was most affected with minimum estimates of mortality in some common species exceeding 10% of the UK’s breeding population . Most affected were Great Skua, Norther Gannet, Barnacle Goose and Black-headed Gull. Other Gull, Tern and Auk species were also heavily impacted. During the outbreak management guidelines were put in place and a number of data gaps and research priorities identified.
     
    Phil is responsible for the portfolio of work in the Framing Futures team at BTO. The focus of the team’s work is to use BTO’s science to track the impacts of, and inform responses to, future climate change, wildlife disease and other new environmental threats to the UK’s wild bird populations.

    To see his web site click

    Click for location details

    Indoor Events are free to members and we warmly welcome nature loving non-members for a small donation of £2.50 cash on the door.


     

  • RSPB Frampton Marsh Outdoor Event

    Date
    Location
    Frampton Marsh
    Now one of the RSPB top reserves. This is a half-day visit timed around the high tide. Hopefully will see plenty of waders with a good chance of Harriers, Merlin, Peregrine and Short-eared Owls etc.  Facilities and café on site. 


    Anybody with an interest in nature, from beginner to expert, are welcome to join us on our Outdoor Events that are free. It is a good way to get to know existing members and possibly improve your expertise.

    Meet: At reserve at 1000. Parking available at reserve. There is a charge for non-members. 
     
    Post code:  PE20 1AY 
    Map ref:  
    Leaders: tbc
        

Recent sightings

  • Avatar of a Turtle dove on a cyan background

    Brant Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan and 82 other species seen near Dungeness

  • Avatar of a Petrel on a blue background

    White-rumped Sandpiper, Eurasian Teal, Common Moorhen and 34 other species seen at Titchwell Marsh RSPB

  • Avatar of a Scops owl on a amber background

    Grey Heron, Common Kingfisher, Red Knot and 37 other species seen at Frampton Marsh RSPB

  • Avatar of a Scops owl on a amber background

    Temminck's Stint, Little Stint, Eurasian Spoonbill and 1 other species seen at Titchwell Marsh RSPB

  • Avatar of a Petrel on a blue background

    Common Redshank, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose and 38 other species seen at Frampton Marsh RSPB

Photo Gallery