Author: Barnsley_Nats

Saturday June 8th – Wharncliffe Heath

Our field visit this coming Saturday, 8 June, is to Wharncliffe Heath and Crags. This follows the presentation by the Wharncliffe Heathlands Trust earlier in the year about the local nature reserve there with its heathland, grassland, ponds, woodland and even wood pasture. Now we are having some warmer weather we are spotting more wildlife on our field visits. With the trusts plan to manage this site by natural means we should have plenty to see.

Meet on Station Road, Deepcar, at 10am near the bridge over the river Don from which we will walk up to the Heath and Crags. We recommend good footwear. Grid Reference SK291981. Post Code S36 2SQ.

Autumn 2019-Winter 2019

We are working on our next round of programme events for our indoor meetings and field visits.

If there is anything you would like us to try and arrange please contact us. We are always open to ideas.

While our outdoor field visits tend to concentrate on the plant and animals we come across; and many are based on a specific topic; our indoor meetings often include a wide range of topics that takes into account the very diverse aspect that influence the nature we experience. With site history, human activities and planning being just the tip of the iceberg.

Wednesday May 29th – Lowe Wood

This Barnsley Nats field visit is to part of the Falthwaite and Lowe Wood local wildlife site which is off the road between Gilroyd and Stainborough.

Led by Alan Crossland, the site includes wooded and grassland areas, a stream and some reedbeds. The Dove Valley Trail skirts the site. It’s a good time to visit for both birds and plants. 

Meeting: 7pm Wednesday 29 May; in the car park area on the way into Strafford Industrial Park off Gilroyd Lane. Grid reference: SE324041; Post code: S75 3EJ.

Wednesday May 15th – Cortonwood

For this weeks evening walk we have Philip Jay as our leader. Philip will be taking us for a look at the nature around Cortonwood. With Philip working in the area he has seen a wide variety of wildlife; so there should be plenty to see.

Our meeting point is the Asda Living / Halfords car park. Grid ref: SE407014 or Google Maps postcode S730TB. With our usual 19:00 start time

Wednesday May 1st – Nabs wood

This field visit is to Knabs Wood; Jill Hayler will be our leader for the evening. Our main topic will be woodland flowers. Because of the beautiful weather we have just now this should be an action packed outing; with the late spring flowers merging with the early summer flowers. With the usual multitude of questions from the group, I’m sure Jill will be busy. As usual there will be a keen interest in anything we spot along the way.
Doug Brown will be helping Jill lead the group.
This is a Woodlands Trust site; with more information on the area on their website.

We will be meeting for a 7 pm start at grid ref SE295040 or at the junction of Moorend Lane (S754QZ) and House Carr Lane, for Google maps users. There looks to be limited parking at the entrance to the woods so please take care if you need to park near properties by leaving residents enough space.

Saturday April 13th

We will be having a look at the Wogden Foot LNR and the TPT. With the recent publicity in the Barnsley Chronicle about work due to commence that will see this section of the TPT being dug-up and out of action for possibly three years.

This will be a field visit with a difference; it is the last planned visit this area, as a group, before this work commences. Hopefully we will be able to obtain a good biological record.

The meeting point for this walk is the car park at grid ref. SE158024 or if you are using Google Maps you need Windle Edge, Dunford Bridge,the car park is across the road from Don View

WORRIED MAN: Doug Brown at the Dunford Bridge Trans Pennine Trail site. Picture: Wes Hobson. PD086696

Wednesday 3rd April

This is the date for our next indoor meeting:
Wildlife and Management at Wharncliffe Heath LNR.
This will be a joint presentation by Dave Buttle, Albin Smith and Andrew Hill. Their combined knowledge will surely keep us entertained. Presentations about any of the Local Nature Reserves are normally multi-topical and this one will be no exception.

Yet again, for our last indoor meeting of our Spring/Summer programme, we had a fascinating presentation about the work that this trust is doing in the LNR. Thee trust are taking a softer slower approach to restoring the ecology; which is therefore allowing the natural species to, somewhat, lead the way. More details of their work can be obtained from their website at http://www.whtrust.org.uk .
This link will also can also be found on our Links page for easier access in the future.

Wednesday 20th March

Wings across the Ings – the Garganey Trust is creating new habitats on the farmland between Broomhill Flash and  Wombwell Ings. Some of this farmland is being converted into wet grassland, open water and reedbeds. They have now obtained the final planning consent and work started in February.
 
Jeff Lunn, chair of the Garganey Trust, is giving an illustrated talk on the “Wings across the Ings” project at this meeting of the Barnsley Nats.

There are bound to be lots of questions and discussion; as usual from our members and visitors.

Following Jeff’s talk and questions, we have the Barnsley Nats’ annual general meeting. 

We would like to know how you see the future of the Society, so please come full of ideas and suggestions.

All welcome

This proved to be a fascinating presentation, so many complex issues were covered by Jeff. Along with the nature and conservation, we were given an insight into the history of the Gargney Trust, historical land use of the Ings to securing funding.

Further information about the Trusts work can be found on their website. http://www.garganeytrust.org.uk
This link is also being posted on our Links page to enable easier access.

The Planning Process and Biodiversity

Our next indoor meeting takes place on Wednesday March 6th. With a presentation by Trevor Mayne. Trevor is Barnsley Council’s biodiversity officer and is back to give us further insight about how the planning process can protect wildlife and encourage developers to consider and perhaps even enhance biodiversity.

So no doubt lots of discussion and questions on this highly complex but interesting topic!

Hedge Survey Field Visit on Saturday March 2nd

Having a look at a hedgerow with a Naturalist’s eye: Catherine Artindale is leading a field visit to a hedgerow and its neighbouring area in Stairfoot.

Weather permitting we will record plants and wildlife species, see what we make of Hooper’s hedgerow dating hypothesis, look at this brownfield site, see how nature is recovering, and check out a small wood and Yew plantation.

Meeting at 10am in the Stairfoot shopping precinct car park off Wombwell Lane. (near Tesco’s, B & M & Pets At Home )
OS grid reference SE37700509

If coming by car, drive in the main entrance by the traffic lights on Wombwell Lane, bear left and then take the first left into the car park that abuts the main road; it’s opposite Pets at Home (the former Carpetright store).

Saturday 23rd February

There are two activities that we have the option of attending on this date. South Yorkshire Natural History Day or Your Woods Your Future

South Yorkshire Natural History Day.
This event is taking place at the Treeton Miners Welfare, Arundel Street, Treeton, S60 5PW; OS grid Ref SK430876. The meeting will start at 10:00 am and finish at approximately 15:20 pm. Off street parking is available for visitors travelling by car. Buses run from, both, Sheffield and Rotherham; please check www.travelsouthyorkshire.com for up to date information.
There are planned intervals throughout the day; with refreshments available from the bar; prices reasonable.

There will be a number of talks, presentations and displays on many natural history topics of South Yorkshire. Ornothology, Sundew Plume Moth, crayfish and flies are among the topics being covered; full details on the Sorby website.

Booking a place at this event is free and can be done via email to Peter Clegg [email protected]. Further / changed information can be obtained from the Sorby website

Your Woods Your Future
This event will take place in The Ironworks building in the Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Elsecar, S74 8HJ, OS Grid Ref SK384999. This meeting will start at 10:00 am and finish at 16:00 pm approximately. There is a large car park at the Heritage Centre to which is on Wentworth Road (SK384998). From there it is a short walk into the Heritage Centre grounds; which consist of a number of building with good signposting enabling you to get to the correct one. Elsecar Train Station is a short walk away; with trains from both Barnsley and Sheffield. Please check times and be aware that some trains do not stop at Elsecar. Buses run from Barnsley; please check on times and services; www.travelsouthyorkshire.com. Tea and Coffee are mentioned on the itinerary, but no there is no mention of cost. There is a cafe in the Heritage Centre and a pub on the edge of the car park.

This presentation is organised by the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership (DVLP). Some of the topics being covered are woodland archaeology, biological recording and Willow Tits; all of the topics are related to the woodland environment.

To book to attend this event please go to www.eventbrite.com/e/your-woods-your-future where there is a link to the Register page

30 Years of Garden Wildlife

Our next indoor meeting will take place on Wednesday February 20. Featuring a presentation by John Bowers entitled 30 years of Garden Wildlife.

John has recorded the wildlife – birds, butterflies, moths, bees and much more – in his garden in Headingley Hill for well over thirty years. His article in the YNU’s ‘The Naturalist’ – based on his records – supports the idea of the importance and richness of suburban gardens for wildlife and biodiversity.

He is a long-standing member of both Leeds Naturalists’ Club & Scientific Association and Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union.

Barnsley Town Hall, 7pm, Wednesday 20 February – all welcome.

Some sad news:

Gordon Bristowe, Barnsley Naturalist and Scientific Society President for over 15 years, passed away early on the morning of Wednesday  6th February following time in hospital and a care home.

We remembered Gordon at our Barnsley Nats meeting on that Wednesday evening.
He was our President for many years, a fount of knowledge on all aspects of natural history, and always ready to share his knowledge.
Originally a ‘birder’ he developed a keen interest in all forms of plants. He surveyed a number of kilometre squares in Barnsley for the South Yorkshire Plant Atlas and contributed his extensive plant records to the Barnsley Biological Record Centre.
Gordon was a keen and expert photographer and was instrumental in bringing the Society – and its members  –  into the digital age. He launched the society’s website, took care of all of the society’s equipment, and supported their use for digital presentations at meetings.
We have many memories of Gordon and he will be much missed.

    Field visit: Bat roosts

    Following on from the presentation in November by Rob Bell about local Bat roosts , he is leading us on a field visit to a roost on Monday morning 21st January. Rob is an ecologist and licenced for bat roosts. 

    We are meeting in the car park at Oxspring at 10.15am, ready to set off for 10.30am. We will be walking for a mile along the TPT and then down a bit of a rough footpath. The car park (SE 272019) is just a little down Sheffield Road from the Wagon and Horses Pub.

    Please let us know if you intend coming.