PROGRAMME OF EVENTS - FEBRUARY - AUGUST 2012
GO STRAIGHT TO:
STOP PRESS - FEBRUARY - MARCH - APRIL - MAY - JUNE - JULY - AUGUST
SOME USEFUL INFORMATION:
All events are open to all members.
INDOOR MEETINGS
These usually consist of talks, slide shows or discussions.
Indoor meetings are distinguished by a yellow shaded background in the programme below.
Some indoor meetings are held at Camley Street Natural Park, Camley St, London NW1 0PW. This is located close to St Pancras International Station. It is a short walk from Kings Cross and St Pancras stations along Pancras Road. See MAP .
Other indoor meetings are held at the Seminar and Learning Centre, Sherfield Building, Imperial College, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ. This is labelled as building no.20 on this MAP. Walking from South Kensington Underground station, take the pedestrian tunnel that leads towards the museums. Follow the tunnel to its furthest extent. On leaving the tunnel in Exhibition Rd, turn left to reach the college campus.
OUTDOOR MEETINGS
These are field meetings or guided tours. Lunch and Tea should be brought on all whole-day meetings. You do not need to have a car - where the programme says 'cars needed' this is to remind drivers they will need to pick up people at the station or meeting point. At meetings involving cars, those receiving lifts are expected to contribute to the cost of petrol used.
For more information on our on-going surveys at Bookham Common and Hampstead Heath, and our Bookham Field Study Days, visit our SURVEYS page.
TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO OUTDOOR MEETINGS
Train times where given should be checked, as timetables change and engineering works take place on Saturdays and Sundays. There is also an extensive programme of engineering works taking place on the Underground at weekends at present.
'NR' in the programme refers to National Rail lines (as opposed to Underground/Docklands Light Railway lines).
For NR train times and information, phone 08457-484950, or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk, or www.thetrainline.com, or the websites of individual train companies. The latter are a useful source of information about current and planned engineering works.
For London bus, Underground, DLR and Tram information,
phone 020-7222 1234, or visit the TFL website:
MAPS
OS Landranger grid references are supplied for some of the events listed. You can obtain a local map by copying and pasting the grid reference into an on-line map provider such as streetmap.co.uk.
COACH TRIPS
These go to well-known wildlife sites in the South and East of England. Bookings must be made in advance using the booking form that is mailed to members. It can also be downloaded here. Members can bring guests (at the same rate per person) so long as they are included on the booking form. The coach trip organiser is Neil Anderson TEL: (020) 8578 2464.
Members are asked not to travel to coach meetings independently, although in some cases the organiser may be prepared to allow this if application is made in advance.
Coaches normally leave from the road alongside the south entrance to Embankment Underground station. Occasionally they can pick up at a second point en route on the outskirts of London (check with organiser). Bear in in mind that engineering work and weekend line closures are taking place on the Underground - please check in advance whether your route to Embankment station will be affected.
STOP PRESS
FEBRUARY 2012
1 Weds. 18.30. Room 10, SALC, 5th floor, Sherfield Building, Imperial College. London Garden City: Discussing findings of the research project. Chloë Smith, GiGL. Ecology and Entomology.
4 Sat. Ornithology (London Bird Club). Rutland Water for wildfowl, scarce grebes, tree sparrow and divers. Neil Anderson. Coach trip 08.00 from Embankment U'grnd Station. Bring lunch. £16 to leader - use coach booking form. £3.20 permit fee.
9 Thurs. 18.30. Room 10, SALC, 5th floor, Sherfield Building, Imperial College. Quiz. Led by George Hounsome and John Swindells. Botany.
11 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
12 Sun. Ornithology (London Bird Club). East India Dock for redshank, ducks, and perhaps black redstart and kingfisher. George Kalli. Meet 10.00 East India Station (DLR). Am only. (No toilets).
12 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Lichens on trees - update. For more information see SURVEYS page.
16 Thurs. 19.00. Room 10, SALC, 5th floor, Sherfield Building, Imperial College. The Rutland Water Osprey Reintroduction Project. Tim Mackrill. Tim will describe the translocation of ospreys to Rutland Water in the late 1990s, their breeding successes, the migration of these wonderful birds to their winter home in West Africa, and their return early in April to their breeding grounds on Rutland Water. Ornithology (London Bird Club).
18 Sat. Ornithology (London Bird Club). Southend for waders, Mediterranean gull, perhaps ring-billed gull and divers. David Darrell-Lambert. Meet 10.00 ticket office Southend Central Station (NR Fenchurch Street). Long half day. Bring lunch. (Toilets).
18 Sat. Ecology and Entomology. The ecology of Fallow Deer in Richmond Park. John Lock. Meet 10.30 Sheen Gate car park (20 mins walk from Mortlake Station (NR Waterloo) or bus 33/493/337. Bring binoculars, lunch, hot drinks.
25 Sat. Ornithology (London Bird Club). Trent Park for mandarin duck, woodpeckers and perhaps buzzard. Pete Lambert. Meet 09.00 Cockfosters Station (Picc), OR 09.30 Trent Park car park. AM only. (Toilets).
26 Sun. Botany. North Downs for winter botany. Paul Bartlett. Meet 10.30 Box Hill & West Humble Station (TQ167519) (NR Victoria). Cars not needed. Bring lunch.
MARCH 2012
4 Sun. Birds. South Ealing Cemetery for woodpeckers, coal tit, sparrowhawk and goldcrest. Andrew Peel. Meet 10.00 South Ealing Station (Piccadilly). AM only. No toilets.
4 Sun. Botany. Thursley for heathland and mire bryophytes . Pete Howarth. Meet 10.30 at Moat Pond car park (SU899416 on east side of Thursley Road). Cars not needed. Bring lunch. Joint with the Surrey Botanical Society.
10 Sat. 10.00. Angela Marmont Centre, Natural History Museum. Identification Workshop: Introduction to beetle families. Max Barclay, Senior Curator of Beetles, NHM. Hands-on workshop using pinned/carded specimens. Numbers limited to 12 participants. Booking required. Contact Claudia Watts (020 7515 4206, cmwatts@bultitude.com) to reserve a place.
10 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. First monthly meeting of this half year. Second Saturday of each month. For more information see SURVEYS page.
17 Sat. Birds. Cheshunt for siskin, goldeneye, and other wildfowl. Roy Woodward. Meet 10.00 Cheshunt Station (NR Liverpool Street). Long half-day. Toilets.
18 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Mosses. First monthly meeting of this half year. For more information see SURVEYS page.
22 Thurs. 19.00. Camley Street Natural Park. Red Kites in the Chilterns. Phil and Ann Farrer. Ann was Group Leader of Hemel Hempstead RSPB Members Group and Phil is a Chartered Biologist and photographer. Both have been involved with the Red Kite release project in the Chilterns and their talk presents a history of this majestic bird in Britain and its reintroduction to the Chilterns and elsewhere.
31 Sat. Botany. TQ3079 Westminster. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 11.00 Westminster Station (District/Circle). All points of the compass meet here. Cars not needed.
31 Sat. Birds. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for wildfowl, gulls and tawny owl. Pete Lambert. Meet 09.00 top of escalators, Marble Arch Station (Central). AM only.
APRIL 2012
14 Sat. Birds. Fairlop for spring migrants. Alan Bell. Meet 08.30 Fairlop Station (Central). AM only. No toilets.
14 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
21 Sat. Birds. Rye Harbour for Mediterranean gull, terns, yellow wagtail, wheatear, whimbrel and other waders. Neil Anderson. Coach trip. 08.00 from Embankment Underground Station. Bring lunch. £16 (use coach booking form) plus £1 donation for reserve.
22 Sun. Botany. Darlands Lake. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Dave Bevan. Meet 10.30 Totteridge and Whetstone Station (TQ261940, Northern). Cars needed. Bring lunch.
22 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Trees of the Heath. For more information see SURVEYS page.
25 Weds. 19.00 Camley Street Natural Park. What Happened To London's House Sparrows? Dave Dawson. Exploring current ideas on the decline of the house sparrow in urban areas, especially London. Dave has examined data from counts in Wimbledon Park, LB Sutton and a walking transect from Chessington South to Nine Elms. Information from this case-study in SW London supports some existing ideas on the decline in house sparrows, but not others.
26 Thurs. 18.30. Seminar and Learning Centre, Sherfield Building, Imperial College. The Flora of Birmingham and The Black Country. Professor Ian C Trueman.
28 Sat. Entomology. Richmond to Ham riverside for early season invertebrates. Stuart Cole. Meet 10.30 Richmond Station (District/NR London Overground). Bring lunch and hand lens.
28 Sat. Birds. Wandsworth Common for spring migrants. Peter White. Meet 09.30 ticket office Wandsworth Common Station (NR Victoria). AM only. Toilets.
29 Sun. Birds. Crossness for early migrants and waders. George Kalli. Meet 10.00 Belvedere Station (NR Charing Cross). Bring lunch. No toilets.
29 Sun. Botany. TQ3872 Lewisham. Bluebells. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 11.00 Grove Park Station (TQ406721 NR London Bridge). Cars not needed.
MAY 2012
5 Sat. Entomology. Denbies Hillside. Chalkland butterflies and other insects. Neil Anderson. Meet 10.30 Dorking Station (NR Victoria). Bring lunch, binoculars, sweep net and hand lens. Cars needed.
6 Sun. Birds and Botany. Totteridge and Darlands Lake for woodland birds and spring flowers. Robin Blades. Meet 10.30 Totteridge and Whetstone Station (Northern). Bring lunch. No toilets.
6 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Survey of the plants of the “Secret Garden”. NB Different meeting point: Parliament Hill café (TQ 282861). For more information see SURVEYS page.
12 Sat. Birds. Sewardstone for warblers, skylark and meadow pipit. Martin Shepherd. Meet 09.30 Enfield Lock Station (NR Liverpool Street). Bring snack. No toilets.
12 Sat. Botany. London Zoo. Sven Seiffert. Meet 10.30 main office reception opposite east service gate. Nearest stations Mornington Crescent and Camden Town (Northern). Cars not needed. Bring lunch. This is one of several meetings to record the flora of the ZSL.
12 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
13 Sun. Birds. Wormwood Scrubs for summer visitors with The Urban Birder, David Lindo. Meet 09.30 East Acton Station (Central). Bring snack. No toilets.
16 Weds. Botany. TQ 3672 Sydenham. Skylark, Fairy Flax. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 15.00 Lower Sydenham Station (TQ368713 NR London Bridge). Cars not needed.
19 Sat. Birds. Farnham Heath for woodlark, tree pipit, perhaps redstart. Pete Lambert. Meet 09.00 Farnham Station (NR Waterloo). All day. Bring lunch. No toilets.
20 Sun. Fungi. A spring foray. Ted Tuddenham. Contact Ted no sooner than 10 May (020 8374 5167 or mycorec@blueyonder.co.uk) for meeting point and location. Start time will be 10:30.
26 Sat. Birds. Titchwell for booming bittern, marsh harrier, breeding waders, bearded tits and hopefully scarce or rare migrants. Neil Anderson. Coach trip. 08.00 from Embankment Underground Station Bring lunch. £16 (use coach booking form).
26 Sat. Botany. TQ3879 Beckenham. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 11.00 Ravensbourne Station (TQ386702, NR Blackfriars). Cars not needed.
26 Sat. Entomology and general Natural History. Crayford area. Invertebrate recording at the Old Orchard/Gun Club/Braeburn Park site, Crayford (TQ 509740), about to become a new LWT reserve. Chris Rose. Meet 10.30 Crayford Station (NR Charing Cross). Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens. Good for botany and birds as well as insects.
JUNE 2012
2 Sat. Botany. Tolworth Court. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Ron Parker. Meet 10:30 Tolworth Station (TQ199656, NR Waterloo). Cars not needed. Bring lunch.
3 Sun. Birds. Forty Halls and Hillyfields Park for nuthatch, swallow, woodpeckers, breeding mandarin duck, kingfisher and warblers. Andrew Peel. Meet 10.30 Enfield Town Station (NR Liverpool Street). Long half-day. Bring snack. Toilets and café.
3 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Flowers of the Heath, including survey of exclusion areas. For more information see SURVEYS page.
6 Weds. Botany. South Wimbledon. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Ron Parker. Meet 18.30 South Wimbledon Station (TQ258700 Northern). Cars not needed.
9 Sat. Birds. Wimbledon Common for bird song. Pete Lambert. Meet 09.00 Windmill Car Park (TQ230725). Bus 93 to Windmill Road from Putney or Wimbledon Station (NR Waterloo or District). AM only. Toilets.
9 Sat. Botany. Chatley Heath. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. George Hounsome. Meet 10.30 West Byfleet Station (TQ042611, NR Waterloo). Cars needed. Bring lunch.
9 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
10 Sun. Entomology and general Natural History. Warren Farm with Jovita Kaunang. Meet 10.30 Cheam Station (NR Victoria) or car park at TQ237635. Buses 213, 151 and X26. Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens. Joint with BENHS (to be confirmed).
17 Sun. Botany. Rammey Marsh. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Robin Blades. Meet 10.00 Enfield Lock Station (TQ363988, NR Liverpool Street). Cars not needed. Bring lunch. No toilets.
19 Tues. Botany. TQ3777 Deptford Power Station. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 15.00 Deptford Station (TQ371774 NR London Bridge). Cars not needed.
23 Sat. Entomology and general Natural History. Royal, Bagmoor and Elstead Commons. Scotty Dodd, Surrey Wildlife Trust Ranger. Meet 10.36 Brookwood Station (NR Waterloo 10.00, please check times). Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens. Joint with the British Plant Gall Society.
28 Thurs. Botany. Pot luck in the East End. John Swindells. Contact John no earlier than 11 June (020 8981 3553 or john.swindells3@sky.com) for location. Start time will be 18.30.
30 Sat. Ecology and Entomology. Oxshott Heath and Esher Common for heathland ecology and entomology. Stuart Cole. Meet 10.30 Oxshott Station (NR Waterloo). Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens.
30 Sat. Botany. TQ5878 and TQ5978, developed land in an old chalk pit at Thurrock. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Mary Smith (book on 01708 228921). Meet 10:30 Chafford Hundred Station (TQ589787, NR Fenchurch Street). Need help on the day? call 07903 052095. Free parking in retail areas over the footbridge W of station. Cars not needed. Bring lunch. Joint with the Essex Field Club.
JULY 2012
3 Tues. 17.30. Angela Marmont Centre, Natural History Museum. Workshop on Umbellifers. John Swindells. Bring specimens. Botany.
7 Sat. Entomology and general Natural History. Leith Hill. Sam Bayley (National Trust). Meet 10.30 Dorking Station (NR Waterloo). Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens.
8 Sun. Botany for beginners and chalk flora. Paul Bartlett. Meet 10.30 Box Hill and West Humble Station (TQ167519, NR Victoria). Cars not needed. Bring lunch.
8 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. General entomology. Tristan Bantock. Bring hand lens, sweep net if you have them. For more information see SURVEYS page.
14 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
14 Sat. Bookham Common Field Study Day. Dragonflies and other insects. Neil Anderson (020 8578 2464). Meet 10.30 Bookham Station (NR Waterloo). Bring lunch. Boots recommended.
15 Sun. Botany. Wild plants at Kew. Tom Cope. Meet 10.30 outside Jodrell Gate entrance, Kew Road (TQ189772), opposite Gloucester Court. Nearest Station Kew Gardens (District or NR). Bring lunch. Book place with George Hounsome 01483 766842 (maximum number 15). Meeting will include some recording for the Royal Botanic Gardens at a site within the Gardens.
21 Sat. Birds. Tooting Common for young sparrowhawks. Peter White. Meet 09.30 south entrance Tooting Bec Station (Northern). AM only. (Toilets).
21 Sat. Ecology and Entomology. Ruislip Woods NNR. Woodland butterflies and general natural history. Neil Anderson. Meet 10.30 Reservoir Road. Buses H13 and 313 from Ruislip Station (Metropolitan and Piccadilly). Bring lunch, binoculars, sweep net and hand lens. Joint with Ruislip Natural History Society.
22 Sun. Botany. Stanmore Common. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Dave Bevan. Meet 10.30 Stanmore Station (TQ176926, Jubilee). Cars needed. Bring lunch.
24 Tues. Botany. TQ3175 Shakespeare Road Sidings. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 16.00 Brixton Station (Victoria).
28 Sat. Birds and Entomology. Amwell for breeding warblers, waders, buzzard, butterflies and dragonflies. Roy Woodward. Meet 10.00 St Margarets Station (NR Liverpool Street). Bring lunch. No toilets.
28 Sat. Botany. Virginia Water, Obelisk Pond and Cow Pond for recording. George Hounsome. Meet 10.30 Virginia Water Station (TQ001680, NR Waterloo). Cars needed. Bring lunch. Joint with the Surrey Botanical Society.
28 Sat. Entomology and general Natural History. Yeading Brook Meadows and Ten Acre Woods. Neil Anderson. Meet 10.30 footbridge over Yeading Brook, Shakespeare Avenue (TQ109820). Buses E6 from Greenford (Central) or Hayes and Harlington (NR Paddington) or 140 from Northolt (Central). Bring lunch, binoculars, sweep net and hand lens.
AUGUST 2012
4 Sat. Ecology and general Natural History. Surveying the Shuttle River corridor, an under-recorded Site of Interest for Nature Conservation in the early stages of a major restoration programme. Chris Rose. In the afternoon the River keeper and others will join us. Whole walk approx 5 miles. Meet 10.30 Bexley Station (NR Charing Cross), return to Sidcup Station Bring lunch, hand lens etc. No toilets.
5 Sun. Birds. Beddington Farmlands for tree sparrows and waders. Derek Coleman. Meet 09.30 Hackbridge Station (NR Victoria). Stout footwear recommended. AM only. No toilets.
11 Sat. Birds. East India Dock for terns, kingfisher, passage waders and maybe black redstart. George Kalli. Meet 10.00 East India Station (DLR). Bring snack. Long half-day. No toilets.
11 Sat. Botany. Paglesham for saltmarsh flora. Tim Pyner. Meet 10.30 Rochford Station (TQ873904, NR Liverpool Street). Cars needed. Bring lunch. Joint with Essex Field Club.
11 Sat. Bookham Common Survey. For more information see SURVEYS page.
11 Sat. Bookham Common Field Study Day. Grasshoppers and Bush crickets. Sarah Barnes (sarah.j.barnes@virgin.net). Meet 10.30 Bookham Station (NR Waterloo). Bring lunch. Boots recommended.
18 Sat. Birds. Dungeness for skuas, terns, egret species, wader passage (maybe a Yank?), general migrants, black redstart, tree sparrow. Neil Anderson. Coach trip. 08.00 from Embankment Underground Station Bring lunch. £16 (use coach booking form). Fee for RSPB reserve for non-RSPB members.
18 Sat. Botany. TQ3579 Surrey Docks. Beautiful Brownfields. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 11.00 Canada Water Station (East London Overground, Jubilee Underground). Cars not needed.
18 Sat. Entomology and general Natural History. Park Downs, Chipstead. Roger Hawkins. Meet 10.30 Chipstead Station (NR London Bridge) or Holly Lane car park (TQ273582). Bring lunch, sweep net, hand lens. Joint with BENHS (to be confirmed).
19 Sun. Hampstead Heath Survey. Early season fungus foray. For more information see SURVEYS page.
25 Sat. Birds. East Tilbury for avocets and other waders, passage terns. Pete Lambert. Meet 09.30 East Tilbury Station (NR Fenchurch Street). All day. Bring lunch. No toilets.
26 Sun. Botany. London Zoo. Sven Seiffert. Meet 10.30 main office reception opposite east service gate. Nearest stations Mornington Crescent and Camden Town (Northern). Cars not needed. Bring lunch. This is one of several meetings to record the flora of the ZSL.
30 Thurs. Botany. TQ3678 Deptford Wharf. Monad recording for the London Flora Project. Nick Bertrand. Meet 16.00 Surrey Quays Station (East London Overground). Cars not needed.
Photo credit: Dormouse in Rowan Tree by Peter Gasson