Bexley RSPB Local Group was 25 years old in March 2004. Website editor Eric Brown traces the history of the Group with the help of background and statistics from founder Ralph Todd.

Abba, The Bee Gees and Brotherhood of Man all hit Number One in the Pop charts, Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest dominated the old First Division and James Callaghan presided over a wobbling Labour government.

The year was 1978 and one man’s observational powers were about to light a spark that brought the Bexley RSPB Group to life.

Ralph Todd, along with his wife Brenda, was running a similar group in Central London when he noticed the large number of RSPB stickers on cars in his home area of Bexley. He told RSPB HQ staff this suggested a demand for a Local Group in the Borough. They responded with enthusiasm and support and so the RSPB Bexley Local Group was launched.

In September 1978 an amazing 240 people met to show an interest and the first official meeting took place on 23 March 1979 with Northward Hill RSPB reserve warden Bob Scott talking about "Herons on a Hill".

Someone with a sense of humour must have fixed the first car field outing as it was arranged for Northward Hill on Sunday 1 April! The "fools on a hill" who turned up on a cool, wet April morning squelched through liquid mud for a close look at herons at their nest sites.

The first newsletter had been sent to 800 people but in error. It should have gone to 1,100, a good percentage since RSPB membership at that time was just under 300,000. The firsts continued with an initial local meeting at Joydens Wood on 13 May 1979 and the first coach trip to Minsmere RSPB Reserve. Charabanc hire to Suffolk on 9 June cost just £141.

Many members were itching to get more involved nearer home though. Soon they were begging the Northward Hill warden to let them help manage the reserve. Ever since then a small but determined group of members has visited the reserve regularly to help with scrub bashing, tree planting and a whole host of other tasks – it must be great fun as they’ve been over 100 times.

Fundraising for the RSPB soon became another important aspect of Group activities. In 1980 the first Autumn Fair was arranged and it became an annual event like the Spring Plant Fair where local residents stock up on plants and other goodies for their gardens.

Cash continues to be raised for the Society with the figure long exceeding £50,000. This funds RSPB work not only at Northward Hill but in varied projects throughout the UK and even included purchase of four motor cycles for our Birdlife partner in Nigeria where wardens needed to patrol a huge wetland reserve to prevent poaching.

During those formative years the Bexley Group was considered among the top five of the RSPB’s 170 Groups nationally. Over the years it expanded its catchment area to include members from as far away as Blackheath and Bean. Membership increased threefold during the first 25 years to over 3,500 while RSPB membership as a whole rose from just under 300,000 to over a million in the same period.

The social element of Group birdwatching was not neglected. At least one marriage has occurred among the Group’s ranks and many long-term friendships established. The Group has hosted celebrity guest lectures, an art exhibition by internationally famous bird artist Charles Tunnicliffe, arranged orchestral evenings of bird themed music, shown films and attended hundreds of events to promote the RSPB.

Group weekends to places as diverse at North Norfolk, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Wales have been organised and even day trips to birdwatch in France. Children and families played a growing part in Group activities and beginners to birdwatching are made welcome to the programme of informative indoor lectures, field meetings and working parties. A Group web-site www.bexleyrspb.org.uk was launched in 2001 with information about activities, news and recent sightings.

In 2004 the Group celebrated its 25th anniversary with Ralph Todd attending a party evening for members on September 17 to mark the milestone. At this point about 227 indoor meetings of illustrated talks, 228 coach outings and 236 local walks and car trips had been undertaken by members.

During those 25 years marked changes in bird populations occurred. In Bexley song thrush, house sparrow, starling and chaffinch declined. Yet kingfishers can be seen every month of the year, great spotted and green woodpeckers along with jays, ring-necked parakeets and long-tailed tits are more regular visitors to the garden.

Another significant gain is the little egret. The grey herons that so inspired early members have almost been outnumbered at Northward Hill by what, 25 years ago, was considered exclusively a Mediterranean bird. The little egret has even been seen in Bexley, mainly along the River Shuttle and River Cray at Foots Cray Meadows.

What changes will the next 25 years bring?