Category: Information

Recommended by the Wharncliffe Heath Trust at their presentation on April 3rd

Ferel; G Monbiot
Grazing Ecology and Forest History; F Vera
Wilding: I Tree

“Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have knees that bend to the ground.”

This little witty rhyme may be used to separate these three plants into there correct category.
The stems of sedges and rushes are solid; in cross-section the stems of rushes are round, while those of sedges are triangular and so have edges.

Wednesday 2nd October
We are looking forward to seeing you all at the first indoor meeting of our Autumn and Winter Programme. As usual, we start with a members evening sharing knowledge and observations. This of a less formal structure than the meetings with guest speakers. Very much a catch up and news of what everyone has spotted over the break; multi-topic and hopefully with some interesting finds, images and stories. Please take part: it’s always really interesting to hear from a variety of people.

Our printed Autumn and Winter Programme will also be available. 

Our Autumn and Winter Programme starts with an indoor meeting on Wednesday October 2nd; Presentation by Members. A chance to have a catch-up on what our members have been doing over our summer recess.

Planning for our Autumn Winter programme is taking place. If anybody would like us to include something please drop us a line. As usual we are aiming for an array of field visits and indoor meetings. Nature inspired along with the many scientific processes behind them.

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

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.

A good crowd of people heard Ron Marshall talking about Chile yesterday evening at a Barnsley Nats meeting.

Lots of fantastic images of the landscape and wildlife with some great shots of a family group of pumas. Well done Ron.

Barnsley Nats brings together people with an interest in the natural world in and around Barnsley. We like to learn about wildlife and all aspects of nature and to share knowledge and information. There is also a social dimension to our activities.

We have a programme of talks and field visits throughout the year. We will put more on this our revamped website soon