Welcome to SDOS

For everyone with an interest in birds and nature in and around Shoreham-By-Sea, West Sussex

Little Ringed Plover


River Adur in Shoreham
The Adur Estuary

The South Downs
The South Downs

Our Society


SDOS provides a social focus for birding and related natural history interests in the Shoreham area. We organise monthly winter talks and field trips throughout the year. We engage in local habitat conservation and work with the community. We have a members' email user group and a developing social media presence. Our mission is to maintain and enhance our members' interest in birds and natural habitats, whatever their initial level of expertise.


Photo Credits: Dorian Mason, Tim Holter

Our Birdwatching

SDOS Area

Click on the map for more information on birdwatching sites in and around our recording area (shaded)


Our Meetings

Other calendars: uk holidays

December

2024

Meeting Time/ Place

Details 

Wed 25th

Christmas Day

 

 

Thu 26th

Boxing Day

 

 

Tue 31st

Field Outing - Shoreham Beach & Widewater

Meet 9:30 am in the lay-by car park on the left just before the sailing club by the river, Shoreham Beach. Map Ref: 198/TQ231048 (///goggle.stole.prepped) Distance 1 mile. Risk Assessment RA 01

Leader: Richard Allan

January

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Wed 1st

New Year's Day

 

 

Tue 7th

Field Outing: East Head & Snow Hill Marsh

Meet at the far west end of East Head car park, West Wittering at 09:30 am. what3words https://what3words.com/spindles.noble.micro. Risk Assessment: https://www.sdos.org/public/RA48.pdf. At least one stile will be encountered and participants might need to assist each other. PO20 8GH

Leader: Bernie Forbes

Thu 9th

Talk - Sussex Barn Owl Study Group

7.30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea, BN43 6PE

A Talk by Terry Hallahan

Tue 14th

Minibus Outing: Rye & Dungeness over 2 days

Departing from Shoreham railway station at 7AM 14/01/2025. Return 15/01/2025. Risk assessments: Rye-https://www.sdos.org/public/RA31.pdf.Dungeness - https://www.sdos.org/public/RA50.pdf .Minibus-https://www.sdos.org/public/RA51.pdf

Leaders: Jenny & Tim Holter

February

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Sat 1st

Field Outing: Henfield Area

Meet at 8.30 am at the Downslink Car Park, Upper Station Road, Henfield (Just past the Old Railway pub) (OS TQ205161 ///utensil.however.pancake) Can be muddy, so wear waterproof footwear. Walk will be approx. 4 hours. No toilets on site, but there are public toilets in the High Street by the bus shelter. (park in the Library car park TQ214160 – there is a parking charge, but you may get away with it if you’re just using the loo!)Risk Assessment: https://www.sdos.org/public/RA37.pdf

Leader: Val Bentley

Thu 13th

Talk - Ashdown Forest, Past, Present and Future

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

A talk by by Ashley Walmsley

March

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Sat 1st

Field Outing: The Sherwood Rough

Meeting time 9am, finish approx 1pm. Bring refreshments. Parking is in the middle of a very long lay-by on the A29, about a mile and a half south of Whiteways roundabout. Lay-by has room for easily a dozen trucks. Beware two smaller parking areas on the A29 just before it. https://what3words.com/limiting.steers.voltages Risk Assessment https://www.sdos.org/public/RA49.pdf

Leaders: Paul Emmerson & Richard Allan

Thu 13th

Talk - Jewels of Gambia

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

A talk by Ashley Grove

April

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

T.B.C.

Field Outing: Sea Watch Ferring, April 2025

Meet at 8am at the end of Sea lane, Ferring, in front of the tamarisk bushes. (OS 197/TQ101016 what3words :https://what3words.com/loads.torn.lakes .Risk Assessment:https://www.sdos.org/public/RA03.pdf

Leader: Clive Hope

Wed 9th

Field Outing: Beginners Session. RSPB Pulborough Brooks

Meet by the ‘welcome hut’, just before the entrance to the cafe and shop at 10.00am.If you are an RSPB member then you must bring your RSPB membership card with you, otherwise you will have to pay to enter the reserve. Non RSPB members will have to pay an entrance fee and will also have to pay to park. Risk Assessment RA11 RH20 2EL

Leader: Tony Benton

Thu 10th

Talk - Ringing

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

A talk by AGM and Val Bentley

Fri 18th

Good Friday

 

 

Mon 21st

Easter Monday

 

 

Sat 26th

Field Outing: Hope Gap, Cuckmere & Seaford Head

Meet at South Hill Barn at 8.15 am approaching from Chyngton Way. OS 199/TV505980. https://what3words.com/effort.commoners.infringe.Dist 3 mls. Afterwards by car to Splash Point for Kittiwakes://www.sdos.org/public/RA04.2.pdf

Leaders : Jenny & Tim Holter

May

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Sun 4th

Field Outing: (Nearly) Dawn Chorus Lancing Ring

Meet at 8 am what3words https://what3words.com/connector.chapters.kneeled. Risk Assessment :https://www.sdos.org/public/RA33.2.pdf BN15 0QW

Leaders: Paul Emmerson & Richard Allan

Mon 5th

Early May bank holiday

 

 

Fri 9th

Field Outing: Woods Mill

Meeting in car park at Woods Mill 18.45. An evening walk around the reserve and then cross the road and wander down the Mill Stream to hopefully hear Nightingales. Bring torch as it will be getting dark by the time we return, at around 10pm. Could be one muddy section.Risk Assessment RA06

Leader: Val Bentley

Mon 26th

Spring bank holiday

 

 

August

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Wed 20th

Field Outing: Thorney Island

Meet 09:00, parking at north end of Thornham Lane OS:SU757049 what3words: https://what3words.com/swept.clean.rails. Risk Assessment:https://www.sdos.org/public/RA23.pdf

Leader: Clive Hope

Mon 25th

Summer bank holiday

 

 

September

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Sat 6th

Field Outing: Cissbury Ring

Meet at 08.30 at the top car park adjacent to the Ring from Findon Village & Nepcote. what3words https://what3words.com/attends.mute.months. Risk Assessment: https://www.sdos.org/public/RA24.pdf

Leader: Clive Hope

Sat 20th

Field Outing: Church Norton & RSPB Pagham Harbour

Meet at 09.30 a.m at the car park adjacent to St.Wilfred's church at Church Norton . what3words :https://what3words.com/property.sonic.scribbled. We will then relocate to the RSPB Pagham Harbour visitor centre & Ferry Pool. Risk Assessment :https://www.sdos.org/public/RA28.pdf

Leader: Bernie Forbes

October

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

T.B.C.

Field Outing - Goring Gap & Ferring Rife

Meet at 8:30 am at the bottom of Sea Lane Ferring. Map Ref: 197/TQ101015 Dist 3 mls. what3 wordshttps://what3words.com/reject.monday.lovely. Risk Assessment:https://www.sdos.org/public/RA03.pdf

Leader: Clive Hope

Thu 9th

Talk - Seabird City

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

A talk by Steve Lovell

November

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Thu 13th

Talk - Birding around the roof of the world

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

A Talk by Roger Smith

Sun 23rd

Field Outing: Beeding Brooks

Meet 1:30 pm in Pound Lane, Upper Beeding just before the stables. Some styles on walk - bring wellies. Map Ref: 198/TQ197111. what3words: ///thrilled.waters.disgraced 3 miles Risk Assessment: https://www.sdos.org/public/RA21.pdf

Leader: Terry Goble

December

2025

Meeting Time/ Place 

Details 

Thu 11th

SDOS Members Evening

7:30pm St Nicolas and St Mary C.E.Primary School, Shoreham-By-Sea BN43 6PE

 

The above dates may change without warning


All events are subject to change,possibly at short notice. Any such changes will be notified to members by email. RAxx in the event details indicates the risk assessment number, click here for the full list.