Category: Information

This Saturday we will be looking around Rabbit Ing Country Park to see what Hoverflies and Other Insects are about. Like the one in the photos, two species of the many that we have seen recently. The recent rains have given nature the much needed boost, so there will be plenty to see. Details have been emailed to members; if you want to join us for the morning please get in-touch at [email protected]

This Saturday our walk take us to Burton Bank; on the look out for signs of Spring. Meeting at 10am the walk will be around two hours. We have already emailed members of the meeting point, along with some background information on the area. Drop us an email if you want to join us.

And on Wednesday the 19th, for our last indoor meeting, we have a presentation entitled Yorkshire’s Birds & Wildlife; by our guest speaker John Gardner.
Everybody is welcome.

Our winter programme has been published for both indoor and outdoor meetings. Look for the ‘programme’ page on this website! Here are some tasters of what is coming up.

The indoor meetings will include our Christmas get-together on December 18th; with the ever popular (fun) quiz, compiled by Jill. We will be starting off with Gardening for Wildlife on October 23rd. And we also have a presentation on Bees, Beekeeping and the Asian Hornet to look forward to.

Our next outdoor field visit on October 12th takes us to a local nature site at Stairfoot. Then on November 9th, we have our annual fungi walk. A chance to share knowledge into the fungi we observe, as we often find over 20 different species. This often sees many of us on our knees for a closer look at what we find and get some good photos.

As usual our outdoor meeting may change from the published visit, as they all depend on a successful reconnaissance of the group leader for the day. And of course the British weather can have an impact on our walks too.

On Saturday November 16th the YNU (Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union) will be having their AGM in Barnsley. at the Library@the Lightbox. Barnsley Nats are hosting the event. There are two presentations and a blue plaque is being unveiled.

Information on our meetings is also emailed to people on our email list. To be included please drop us an email at [email protected]

Our next field visit is to the Monk Bretton Priory and Barnsley Main areas on Saturday March 9th, and our next indoor meeting is on Wednesday 20 March, a talk on Wildflower Meadows.

Barnsley Nats brings together people who share an interest in natural history and the wildlife of the Barnsley area. We have a programme of meetings and field visits throughout the year. Monthly indoor meetings take place from October to March at Worsbrough Common Community Centre. Field visits take place on the first Saturday morning of each month and on Wednesday evenings replacing the indoor meetings in the summer. See our programme page for details. Details for each event are also provided on this page.

On Wednesday 24 January, it was our AGM: 7pm at Worsbrough Common Community Centre. Alongside the AGM was a review of our last year, illustrated by images of field visits in all weathers; followed by a film on developments in the Dearne Valley and at Carlton Marsh. Plus time to talk to each other and have a discussion.

The committee is losing some members and we would very much like to see some new faces. The Society can only continue if members support it!

Are you willing to lead a field visit?
Or keep a record of what we see?
Can you suggest a new site for a field visit?
Can you recommend a speaker?
Or suggest a topic for a talk or ID session?
Would you be willing to help plan the future programme of field visits
or talks and other indoor sessions?
Are you interested in taking on some administrative jobs?

Just let us know!

Here are the notes of the annual general meeting together with the report of the activities in the previous year: …

A major discussion at the AGM was on the financial implications of having to change our venue for indoor meetings.

We came to the conclusion that for the following year (2025) we would have to raise the personal subscription to £15 in order to pay for room hire and external speakers. We will start collecting 2025 subscriptions in October 2024.

We previously agreed to keep this year’s (2024) subscription at £10 and most members have already paid. If you haven’t paid and wish to stay a member, please pay your subscription as soon as you can.

If you attend some of our meetings just occasionally and do not wish to be a member, you may wish to make a contribution at the meetings you attend.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the excellent Nats Christmas Fuddle. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did.

We are now looking forward to next years programme of indoor and field meetings, so till then a Happy Christmas and New Year.

All the Best, Doug and Jill

Thanks to everyone for coming to our Christmas Social yesterday and making it such an enjoyable event.

Thanks to Jill for a very enjoyable quiz. The nature table with rocks, lichens, beach finds and a 1950’s collection of eggs, kept people interested. Thanks too to Alan for downsizing the contents of his book shelves. And then Dennis showed us his invertebrate collection; yes all alive and fascinating.

Many thanks too for all the delicious food which was brought and sampled, a very good end to an enjoyable year of field visits and nature talks.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and see you again in 2024, with our first field visit to Adwick Wetlands, on Saturday January 13th.