Blashford Lakes - Lesley Staves
This complex of lakes and woodland north of Ringwood often provides surprises, and the feeders usually attract Siskin, redpoll and Brambling in winter. Leaving Newbury at 8.45, we will hope to be in the reserve carpark off Ellingham Drove from the A338 at 10. Bring food for the day. GR 195/SU151083

Sub Antarctic New Zealand - St Mary's Church Hall, Greenham
For this evening we will welcome Dr Peter Gasson with this talk on his recent travels in southern New Zealand and the islands to the south. Dr Gasson is a plant anatomist at Kew Gardens, but he is also an accomplished bird photographer. Meeting starts at 7.30pm

Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes - Jim Burnett
It is a number of years since the Club visited these lakes in Somerset. They have a good range of over-wintering wildfowl and winter visitors could be in too. The hides at both Chew and Blagdon give good views (£5 permit per person), the lakes also being visible from the roads. Leaving Newbury at 8.15am, we should be at the Tea Shop at picnic area No 1 at 10. Bring food for the day. (GR 172/ST 573614)

Annual General Meeting - St Mary's Church Hall, Greenham
After the usually short business part of the meeting, we will welcome local ecologist, Adrian Hickman, with his talk "Ground Nesting Birds on Greenham Common". Meeting starts at 7.30pm.

London Wetland Centre - Mike Taylor
A full day visit to this flagship WWT reserve in south London. On our last winter visit there we had Jack Snipe and other unusual species often drop in. Meet at Terry's in Donnington at 8.30am or in the reserve car park at 10. Entrance fee applies to non-members, but discount vouchers are available. Bring food for the day, or eat in the restaurant there.

Post-Christmas Walk - Lesley Staves
As a change from our usual morning walk, we will take an afternoon stroll on Bury Down looking for wintering owls and raptors. This should certainly ease the excesses of Christmas! Meet at Terry's in Donnington at 1.30pm or in the car park on the Ridgeway at 2pm. GR174/SU479841

Speen Moors - Terry Jackman
A slight change to the timing of our regular walks this year - about a month earlier each time, to note any differences in what we record compared to the previous 3 years. Meet at 9am in Northcroft Leisure Centre carpark (parking charges apply). A flat easy walk for all abilities. GR 174/SU463663

Members' Afternoon - St Mary's Church Hall, Greenham
Our usual New Year social afternoon of short talks from members with tea and cakes. Please let Bob Lyle know if you have any photographs you would like to show, and gifts of cakes will be welcome at the hall on the day. Hall opens at 2pm for a prompt 2.30 start.

Donnington Lake and Bagnor - Alan Lindsay
Starting from Donnington Castle we will walk down into Donnington Grove near the lake and through to Bagnor alongside the river Lambourn. Meet in the castle carpark at 9am for morning walk. GR174/SU461691

"Swifts" - Kintbury Coronation Hall
For our joint meeting with Kintbury Wildlife Group, we have Jan Stannard of Swift Conservation giving us a talk about these iconic summer visitors, how they live and breed and how we can encourage them to nest on our homes. Meeting starts at 7.30pm in the Coronation Hall, Inkpen Road, Kintbury, RG17 9TX. There will be a raffle.

Christchurch Harbour - Leader tba
A full day visit to this area of reeds, mudflats and marshes to see what we can find - waders, ducks, grebes, with hopefully some winter specials. Leaving Terry's house at 8.30am we will meet in the recreation ground carpark on the right just beyond the Ship in Distress pub on Stanpit Road at 10. Bring food for the day. GR195/SZ173926

Blakehill Farm Nature Reserve - Jim Burnett
This Wiltshire W T reserve can be very good for Short-eared Owls in winter, and being an old airfield offers easy walking on mostly tarmac paths. After lunch we could visit the nearby Cotswold Water Park to look for wintering wildfowl. Meet in the car park at GR173/SU068920, on the Malmsbury road just outside Cricklade at 10am. Bring food for the day, or just stay for the morning.

Greenham Common - Lesley Staves
A morning walk on the Common, looking and listening for early spring migrants. Woodlark should be singing by now, Dartford Warblers guarding breeding territories and summer migrants such as Wheatear be passing through. Last year we put up a Jack Snipe! Meet in the Control Tower carpark at 8.30am. GR 174/SU499652

"Wader Quest" - St Mary's Church Hall, Greenham
We welcome Rick and Elis Simpson for our last evening meeting of the season, with their talk on their charity Wader Quest. This was formed to raise money and awareness for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and has developed into worldwide protection and advice on all waders at risk from human activities. Rick is an accomplished speaker and Elis' photographs are superb. Meeting starts at 7.30pm.

Pennington and Normandy - Leader to be arranged
A full day visit to this area of coast near Lymington where spring passage should be well under way, with some wintering birds still lingering. Leaving Newbury at 8.30am we will meet at the end of Lower Pennington Lane at 9.45. Bring food for the day. GR196/SZ318927