Rewilding —what’s it all about? : February 22nd 2023

Glen Feshie –an example of rewilding

Chris Tomson is giving a talk on Rewilding on Wednesday evening, 22nd February at Barnsley Town Hall. Your chance to find out ‘what’s it all about’!

Chris’s illustrated presentation looks at the larger rewilding projects including Glen Feshie, Carrifran, Haweswater and Knepp but also looks at smaller scale projects in Yorkshire.

We are really looking forward to Chris’s talk and the discussion it will no doubt generate. It’s an opportunity to learn more about a hot topic.

Everyone is welcome at this Barnsley Nats event, so if you know someone who would be interested, do let them know.

Wednesday 22nd February, Barnsley Town Hall, 7pm.

[use the Experience Barnsley Entrance and ring the bell on the left of the door to get in]

Carlton Marsh Field Visit : February 11th 2023

Now with SSSI status, its mix of reedbed, fen, scrapes, marsh, meadows and wet woodland makes Carlton Marsh a great place to visit, in any season. 

It was quite quiet when we visited; we were pleased to see the two Whooper swans, as well as mallard, moorhen, gadwall and almost 20 teal; and in the bushes some dancing long-tailed tit. And of course we looked at the fungi, lichens and plants.

A highlight was searching for over-wintering herald moths!

https://www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/carlton-marsh-nature-reserve

South Yorkshire Natural History Day : February 18th 2023

A good number of Barnsley Nats folk joined naturalists from across South Yorkshire for a programme of talks and chat on Saturday 18 February. Highlights included a tour of Brockadale nature reserve and the story of Scruffy the Crow! We’re looking forward to next year’s day of natural history.

Click on the blue link for the programme.

South-Yorkshire-Natural-History-Day-2023Download

Programme to September 2023

Here is our programme to September 2023.
From April it consists of fields visits on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

There are two indoor meetings: a talk on ‘Rewilding’ by Chris Tomson on February 22nd and a talk on ‘True Bugs’ by Stuart Foster on March 22nd.

You can see the programme on the ‘Programme’ page. To see it here without downloading it, just click on the blue link.

Nats programme to September 2023Download

Aspects of Biodiversity in Barnsley : January 25th 2023

Header for online Barnsley Biodiversity Action Plan: http://barnsleybiodiversity.org.uk/

‘Aspects of Biodiversity in Barnsley’ was a presentation given by Peter Roberts at the Barnsley Nats meeting at Barnsley Town Hall on Wednesday 25 January, following the AGM. His presentation included lots on the landscapes, habitats and wildlife found in Barnsley. He touched on the problems they face as well as on what we should do to conserve them. Peter also covered the importance of wildlife records and the role of the Barnsley Biological Record Centre.

His talk was based on the information in the Barnsley Biodiversity Action Plan. Have a look, it’s online at http://barnsleybiodiversity.org.uk/ Comments welcome!

The records that Barnsley naturalists and others provide are really helpful. Let’s carry on recording the wildlife of Barnsley.

Barnsley Nats Annual General Meeting 2023

Barnsley Nats Annual General meeting took place on Wednesday 25 January 2023 at Barnsley Town Hall. The previous agm was in 2019; the 2020 agm was cancelled because of the covid-19 pandemic restrictions. After the business meeting, there was a presentation on Aspects of Biodiversity in Barnsley

There were questions, comments and suggestions for the programme and publicising the society..

We re-elected the members of our committee. New committee members would be welcome; get in touch to find out more about it. We meet three times a year and have plenty to talk about!

The papers for the meeting are attached:
[Just click on the link to read online]

Report on the years 2020-23

Nats-Agm-2023-ReportDownload


2020-23 accounts

Nats-accounts-2020-23Download

Nats Christmas Social : December 2022

A trip down the microscope with Howard, Jill’s Christmas Quiz, and Cake!

Thank you to everyone who came to our Christmas Social; a nice get-together.

Thanks especially to Howard for his great presentation exploring the microscopic world — how he, together with Alwyn, matched the music with the movements was brilliant!

Thanks too to Trevor for thinking of showing us the video on the ‘power of nature’. If anyone missed it, we can forward it to you: just get in touch.

And thanks as always to Jill for setting the annual Christmas Quiz. It was a great quiz, and nice to be able to do it in person this time rather than online.

And good to have time together to chat with some cake!

Doug gave out copies of a New Year Quiz —here it is.
[Click on the link to view without downloading]

2023-New-Year-QuizDownload

Here are the answers!

2023 New Year Quiz AnswersDownload

Field visit to an icy Elsecar : December 10th 2022

We had a great frosty time on Saturday 10th December viewing the birds in the open water left free of ice on Elsecar reservoir with more Great Crested Grebes than usual. And a Water Rail spotted briefly coming out on the ice.

We started by going into the woods near Elsecar Heritage Centre to immediately hear and see a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Spotting the remaining fungi as well: including Oyster mushroom(Pleuratu ostreatus), Sulphur Tuft(Hypholoma fasciculare) and Willow Bracket(Phellinus igniarius).

Then retiring to the Milton Arms or the Teepot Cafe.

Wildlife on the Yorkshire Coast : November 23rd 2022

Coastline towards Bridlington, seen from Scarborough

Wildlife on the Yorkshire Coast, a presentation by Geoff Carr on Wednesday 23rd November was fascinating. Geoff covered a whole stretch of coastline with great images of the birds and other wildlife to be found. He pointed out for us the slippages down the cliffs that have preserved former grassland habitats now lost above the cliffs. A great talk that provoked a lot of discussion.

Birds of Open Water at Anglers Country Park : November 23rd 2022

On Saturday 12th November we have a field visit to Anglers Country Park for the birds of open water and scrub; looking for fungi as well. We will start with the hide(s) and go on round the water and possibly into some woodland areas.

We are meeting at 10 am in the main car park at Anglers Country Park, Haw Park Lane, Wintersett, WF4 2EB, grid reference: SE375153.
Car parking free for 2 hours, £2 for 3 hours.