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Hertfordshire Branch Programme Chairman: Trevor James. The contact address for this branch is: Mrs. C. James, 56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, Herts SG7 5PE. Tel. 01462 742684. Or alternatively E-mail: herts@bna-naturalists.org 2008 Saturday 17th May MIMRAM VALLEY MEADOWS. Leader: Tom Gladwin. Meet at car park under Digswell viaduct [TL 246149] at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, field guides and binoculars. Sunday 1st June TRING PARK & WOODLANDS for insects. Leader : Trevor James. Meet in Hastoe Lane, Tring at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, field guides and bug boxes. Sunday 15th June WALKERN AREA mainly for flowers. Leader: Graeme Smith. Park along road in village and meet in centre of village opposite Froghall Lane [TL 288262] at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, field guides and binoculars. Sunday 29th June FOLLY FARM, LONG MARSTON for survey of private fields. Leader: Paula Shipway. Meet in main road through Puttenham village by telephone box [SP 887147] at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, field guides, hand lens and binoculars. Sunday 13th July BRECKLAND TOUR for all sorts of wildlife. Leader: June Crew. Meet at Grime’s Graves at 10.30am [TL 816901]- cost £2.90. 7 miles NW of Thetford off A134. Then on to Weeting Heath NR [TL 757880] (small charge) for Stone Curlew. Then Lakenheath NR (free) just north of level crossing or just over a mile south of Hockwold, off B1112 [TL 722864]. Bring packed lunch, field guides and binoculars/ telescope. Sunday 27th July (afternoon/evening) RABLEYHEATH for birds and other wildlife. Leader: Merle Gwyn. Meet at road junction [TL 238188] at 2.00pm. Bring field guide and binoculars. Afterwards at Robin Hood & Little John pub for supper. Saturday 9th August (afternoon/evening) NORTHAW GREAT WOOD LNR for insects. Leaders: Trevor James, Peter Alton & Merl Gwyn. Meet in car park at Northaw Great Wood [TL 282040] at 2.00pm for walk then evening insect study. Bring picnic supper, field guides, binoculars, bug boxes and £1 for parking. Sunday 31st August BALLS WOOD & HERTFORD HEATH for fungi. Leader: Kerry Robinson. Meet at the Jolly Pindar PH [TL 351108] at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, fungi field guide and collecting basket/ tubs. Sunday 7th September GOBIONS for fungi & Autumn wildlife. Leaders: Paul & Elizabeth Burnham. Meet at car park at Gobions Open Space [TL 250039] at 10.00am Bring packed lunch, fungi field guide and collecting basket/ tubs. 20th-21st September NEW FOREST WEEKEND. Details to be circulated. Sunday 5th October RYE MEADS & ROYDON for birds. Leader: Trevor James. Meet at Rye House [TL 386099] at 10.00am. Bring packed lunch, field guide and binoculars. Sunday 26th October HATFIELD FOREST for wildlife in ancient woodland. Leader: Mike Demidecki. Meet at NT car park [TL 547203, Landranger map 167] at 10.30am. Bring packed lunch, field guides and binoculars and £4.20 for car park charge (free if a National Trust member). Joint meeting with the new Central & North Essex Branch of BNA. Notes: Map references are taken from the OS Explorer maps. Ring the leader if you need help with map references. Please wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear and don’t forget sunhat, barrier cream and plenty to drink in hot weather. With thanks to all those who lead our meetings. |
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Hertfordshire Branch Highlights from 2007 |
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In February a hardy group from Herts BNA spent a weekend in Southwold in Suffolk. We watched Marsh Harriers and listened to Cetti’s Warblers but the birds that stole the show were the starlings. Their bedtime routine was a breathtaking spectacle and brought back memories from long ago as they swirled in the sky before pouring down into the reed beds. Members also enjoyed an afternoon and evening meeting – a break with our usual morning tradition! On the first Saturday in June we gathered in one of Hertfordshire’s prime sites to look mainly for invertebrates. Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve usually comes up trumps with something less common but the somewhat dull and overcast conditions did not help us much on this occasion. However, a reasonable ‘bag’ of specimens was ‘swept’ from ground vegetation or ‘beaten’ from shrubs and trees and duly examined on site by members. Many species were new to members – it is unheard of for a BNA meeting to yield nothing new, such is the incredible variety of wildlife to be found! |
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 Small Copper Butterfly . © Paula Shipway |
 Hybrid between Southern Marsh Orchid and Heath –spotted Orchid. © Paula Shipway |
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In the early evening, we adjourned to the ‘Baker’s Arms’ at Bayford where the landlord was happily surprised to discover a hungry hoard on the other side of the bar. A very jolly evening was had by all and it was agreed that we should do it again, especially as it gave an opportunity for any members unable to come out on field meetings to join in the evening conviviality. Members coming out to our mid June meeting at Frogmore Meadows near Sarratt were rewarded with the sight of a beautiful orchid growing close to the River Chess, Dactylorhiza x hallii, a hybrid between Southern Marsh Orchid and Heath-spotted Orchid. Rain was a main feature of our BNA meetings during the summer but it didn’t spoil the excitement of discovering Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Birdsnest) on Oddy Hill, near Tring, which was a new record for the site and the first record for Hertfordshire for twenty years. We also found Epipactis purpurata (Violet Helleborine) growing close by in Bull’s Wood. Following the very wet summer we weren’t surprised to find plenty of water in the River Gade at Water End where we were intrigued to find Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap) growing on top of the Tussock Sedges round the edge of one of the springs. The wet summer was followed by a warm spell and in October we were delighted to be able to watch two small copper butterflies dancing in the autumnal sunshine on the the edge of Bencroft Wood where we enjoyed a restful picnic. |
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