The Official RSPB Manchester Group Site

The current season's meetings

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Group Leader: Peter Wolstenholme

The Committee

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The Group is based on the city of Manchester in the Northwest of England. As well as Manchester it contains the SK8 region of Stockport. There are several thousand members in the group who are all regularly sent leaflets on group activities throughout the year.

The Manchester group contains Didsbury within it's boundaries, where the founding meetings of the RSPB were held over a hundred years ago. Initially these were to attack the millinary trade's use of rare birds' feathers in the manufacture of hats but, of course, the organisation's activities rapidly spread from this limited aim to one of active intervention to save birds' habitats and research into their migration patterns in cooperation with international partners.

The Group Leader, Peter Wolstenholme, has been an active Ornithologist from his earliest years. Whilst working he took advantage of long school holidays to further his interest by travelling to foreign countries and leading evening classes in Ornithology for the Manchester branch of the WEA. Since retiring from teaching he has expanded these lectures.

Manchester RSPB Group Meetings

Event Duration Location Detail For more information conact Calendar

17/01/2009 to 18/01/2009 Solway Firth A weekend trip to the Solway led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying one night at Castle Douglas. The coach will be picking up at Cheadle Hulme Precinct, Gatley Crossroads and the Gateway Hotel. We hope to visit the Solway coast, Loch Ken area, Lauriston Hills, Murray's Monument area and Caerlaverock. Possible species: geese, red kite, raptors, swans, barn owl, ducks, waders. The trip will be organised by Mrs V Wolstenholme. Please send a non-returnable Ł50.00 deposit to 31, South Park Road, Gatley, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 4AL along with an sae.
26/01/2009 Hough End Centre Film Premiere. Gordon Yates presents his new film ‘Islay, Queen of the Hebrides’ in the Anderton Suite, Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Manchester, M2 I 75K at 7.30 pm. tickets, Ł5 each, including refreshments (but not drinks), by post from Mrs B. Borthwick. Because we need to know numbers, this will be an all ticket meeting. Gordon will be selling pictures and DVDs. There will be RSPB sales. Mrs B. Borthwick, 8 Norwood Road, Gatley, Cheadle, SK8 4AJ (sae please). Cheques payable to RSPB Manchester Local Group.
12/05/2009 to 17/05/2009 Speyside, Scotland A trip to Scotland led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying five nights at Grantown-on-Spey. Coach 12-17 May leaves 8.30 am Tuesday, picking up at the Gateway Hotel and Gatley Crossroads, and returns approximately 8.00 pm Sunday. Possible species include sea eagle, divers, merganser, puffin, black guillemot, osprey, capercaillie, black grouse, crested tit. Last year we recorded over 120 species in Scotland. To book please send a non-returnable deposit of Ł100 per person (payable to S. Rydz) and a DL sae to Mrs Sheila Rydz, 28 St Johns Road, Altrincharn, WAI4 2NA.
07/06/2009 to 10/06/2009 A trip to East Anglia led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying three nights. Coach leaves 8.00 am Sunday, 7-10 June picking up at the Gateway Hotel, Gatley Crossroads and Cheadle Hulme, and returns approximately 9.00/9.30 pm Wednesday. We hope to visit Blakeney. Minsmere, TItchwell, Cley and Salthouse Heath for avocet. turns, bearded tft and waders. We should record over 100 species during the trip. Organised by Mrs Valerie Wolstenholme, 31 South Park Road, Gatley. Cheadle, SK8 4AL to whom a non-returnable deposit of Ł90 (together with a DL sae) should be paid ensure a place.

Not sure where St James Church is?

The hall is behind the church, accessed from a side road. There is no parking in the hall yard itself but there is parking space across the main road from the Church or in the surrounding roads.

Locate Golden Days Garden Centre

Want to know where the Hough End Centre is?

Where a phone number has been given, please call in the week leading up to the trip. All trips will commence from the Gateway Hotel, Parrswood, Manchester unless otherwise stated. Don't forget wet weather gear, a good pair of walking shoes, and packed lunches for day trips.

For local sites around the Greater Manchester area, please visit Manchester Birding

Manchester RSPB Group Meetings
Event Duration	Location	Detail	For more information conact	Calendar
17/01/2009 to 18/01/2009	Solway Firth	A weekend trip to the Solway led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying one night at Castle Douglas. The coach will be picking up at Cheadle Hulme Precinct, Gatley Crossroads and the Gateway Hotel. We hope to visit the Solway coast, Loch Ken area, Lauriston Hills, Murray's Monument area and Caerlaverock. Possible species: geese, red kite, raptors, swans, barn owl, ducks, waders.	The trip will be organised by Mrs V Wolstenholme. Please send a non-returnable Ł50.00 deposit to 31, South Park Road, Gatley, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 4AL along with an sae.
26/01/2009	Hough End Centre	Film Premiere. Gordon Yates presents his new film ‘Islay, Queen of the Hebrides’ in the Anderton Suite, Hough End Centre, Mauldeth Road West, Manchester, M2 I 75K at 7.30 pm. tickets, Ł5 each, including refreshments (but not drinks), by post from Mrs B. Borthwick. Because we need to know numbers, this will be an all ticket meeting. Gordon will be selling pictures and DVDs. There will be RSPB sales.	Mrs B. Borthwick, 8 Norwood Road, Gatley, Cheadle, SK8 4AJ (sae please). Cheques payable to RSPB Manchester Local Group.
12/05/2009 to 17/05/2009	Speyside, Scotland	A trip to Scotland led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying five nights at Grantown-on-Spey. Coach 12-17 May leaves 8.30 am Tuesday, picking up at the Gateway Hotel and Gatley Crossroads, and returns approximately 8.00 pm Sunday. Possible species include sea eagle, divers, merganser, puffin, black guillemot, osprey, capercaillie, black grouse, crested tit. Last year we recorded over 120 species in Scotland.	To book please send a non-returnable deposit of Ł100 per person (payable to S. Rydz) and a DL sae to Mrs Sheila Rydz, 28 St Johns Road, Altrincharn, WAI4 2NA.
07/06/2009 to 10/06/2009		A trip to East Anglia led by Peter Wolstenholme and staying three nights. Coach leaves 8.00 am Sunday, 7-10 June picking up at the Gateway Hotel, Gatley Crossroads and Cheadle Hulme, and returns approximately 9.00/9.30 pm Wednesday. We hope to visit Blakeney. Minsmere, TItchwell, Cley and Salthouse Heath for avocet. turns, bearded tft and waders. We should record over 100 species during the trip.	Organised by Mrs Valerie Wolstenholme, 31 South Park Road, Gatley. Cheadle, SK8 4AL to whom a non-returnable deposit of Ł90 (together with a DL sae) should be paid ensure a place.