The Bath Swifts Survey: David Robertson and Stewart Owen

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

David and Stewart will not only talk about current progress with the RSPB survey of swifts breeding in Bath, but will also provide insights into the strange life history and habits of this remarkable species. Positive action to increase the number of nest sites by providing artificial nest boxes will be discussed, along with efforts […]

Twig Life workshop: Alan Rayner and Rob Randall

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Attached and fallen twigs and small branches of trees are mini-ecosystems in themselves. They support fascinating communities of small plants, animals, fungi and lichens, which contribute in varied and sometimes surprising ways to the life and times of the trees and woodlands they inhabit. Autumn is a good time of year in which to familiarise […]

AGM 2020

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Our Annual General Meeting will be held at 2pm on Saturday 4th January in the Elwyn Room at BRLSI, Queen Square. The business meeting will commence at 2.15pm and will be followed by an illustrated talk on Wildlife Photography by Josh Harris. There will be a raffle,. We will also have a bring-and-buy stall.  There […]

Bog Life workshop: David Goode

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

The living skin of an actively growing bog is composed of a variety of bog mosses (Sphagnum species) each of which grows in a specific micro-habitat. You will learn how to recognise some of the commonest species of bog moss by their colour, structure and microscopic features. Examples will be available for examination by hand […]

Urban Peregrines: Ed Drewitt

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Ed Drewitt is a professional naturalist who has been studying urban peregrines for over 20 years. He will provide an update on colonization of towns and cities together with details of adaptive behaviour that allows these birds to prosper in the urban environment. He is author of “Urban Peregrines” published in 2014, in which he […]

The Cultural Ecology of Meadows: George Peterken

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

George Peterken is one of our most respected ecologists in the UK. He was for many years Head of Woodland Ecology with the Nature Conservancy Council, and after retirement turned his attention to Meadows, publishing a book by that name in 2013. He has a wealth of knowledge on the cultural history and ecology of […]

Bird Song Identification workshop: Lucy Delve

United Reformed Church Grove St entrance, Bath, Somerset

Lucy is well known to many of our members for her advanced skill in listening out for and identifying bird calls and songs. In this workshop she will help us to develop this skill for ourselves, which can so much add to our enjoyment of the outdoors and enhance our wildlife recording activities. Please bring […]

CANCELLED because of Coronavirus: Evolution of Birds and Flight: Dr Dan Field

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Dr Dan Field is a University Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Birds are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrate animals, boasting nearly 11,000 living species. But how did this awe inspiring diversity arise? Dan will discuss recent advances in our understanding of how, where, and when birds […]

Talk by David Goode: My local patch

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Living on Lyncombe Hill, a few minutes walk from Bath Spa railway station yet surrounded by a great variety of wildlife in the woods, meadows, parkland and gardens of Widcombe, David takes us on a ramble through his local patch, demonstrating the value of living close to nature during lockdown. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members […]

80th Anniversary Exhibition at BRLSI (closed Sundays)

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Bath Natural History Society turns 80! Pop in to BRLSI to see the exhibition and meet our helpful volunteers. 80th Anniversary Exhibition at BRLSI,  Queen Square, Bath from 7 to 25 October 2021 Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. The Bath Nats have been recording the variety of wildlife found in the city and its […]

Zoom-only Talk by Mathew Frith: Urban nature; are we at a tipping point for the wild and our wellbeing?

Mathew has a particular interest in the relationship between nature and society in towns and cities. He has 30 years’ experience of land management policy and practice in nature conservation and has worked with various organisations to develop and promote better understanding of biodiversity conservation in urban areas, whether it’s in private gardens, parks, housing […]

Talk by Stephen Parker: Wilding

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Stephen has recently retired from Natural England after working on the Somerset Levels for over 25 years. His main interest is field botany. He is the BSBI recorder for South Somerset. His interest in rewilding and reintroductions dates back to time spent in the Netherlands where he visited a range of sites undergoing Wilding. Doors […]

£2 – £4

Zoom only: Annual General Meeting, Saturday 8 January 2022

Our Annual General Meeting for 2022 will be held at 2.00 pm on Saturday 8th January 2022  by Zoom. The original plan to hold it at BRLSI has been changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A Zoom lnk has been emailed to members. The business meeting will commence at 2.15pm, but there will also be […]

Talk by Fred Rumsey: Parasitic plants

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Fred Rumsey was for over 20 years the British plant specialist at the Natural History Museum. He has recently co-authored a BSBI handbook on the Broomrapes of Britain and Ireland, following the earlier publication of one on Eyebrights. In this talk he will look at parasitic plants from around the world, those we can find […]

£2 – £4

Talk by Chris Jones: Introducing Beavers – the pros and cons

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Chris is the Restoration Director of the Beaver Trust. The talk will include the biology of Eurasian beavers, and their status internationally. It will focus particularly on introductions in the UK discussing successes and problems. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

£2 – £4

Members’ Round Table at BRLSI

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Join the President for coffee and a chat followed, weather permitting, by a short local walk.

Members’ slides

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Revival of what used to be a popular feature at the start of past indoor programmes. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Midsummer In Sweden, A Smorgasboard of Swedish Wildlife

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Andrew Daw, past President, photographer, illustrator and master of the art of origami. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Round Table Meeting

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.

Creating And Managing Wild Flower Meadows

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Dan Merrett The Bathscape Manager has had plenty of experience, having been involved in schemes to create species-rich grassland before moving to Bath. We hope to follow-up this talk with a visit to one of the local examples of a man-made wild flower meadow. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Presidential Address – Plant Pests and Parasites

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Rob Randall will illustrate some of the problems that plants encounter in their struggle to survive and strategies they employ to ensure that they do. They are not always successful ,of course. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Annual General Meeting

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Round Table Meeting

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.

Linking Environment and Farming

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Jeremy Padfield runs a mixed farm at Stratton-on-the-Fosse, as a LEAF Demonstration Farm. LEAF encourages and helps land-owners to farm sustainably and aims to educate the public about the benefits to the environment of sustainable land management. See Stratton Farms | LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception.

Beetles and Their World

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Mike Hackston, An entomologist and botanist, will introduce us to the world of beetles. Mike is a teacher and produces a range of educational material on the internet, including identification keys Mikes Insect Keys (google.com) Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084

Bird Song Workshop

Sydney Gardens Community Pavilion Bath

Leader: lucy starling, past President and expert on bird song recognition. Sydney Gardens Community Pavilion (inside entrance at end of Bathwick Street) Start: 10:30 am, followed by a short walk round the Gardens.  

Our Changing Bird Population

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

A Tale From A Birder's Log Book Speaker: Chris Vines, Bird Recorder for Bath Natural History Society. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084

Members’ Evening – Short Talks by Members

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Venue: BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath Please contact the President  if you wish to give a short talk. Doors open: 19:00 for refreshments and a chat. Start: 19:30 Finish: 21:00

The Wrong Kind Of Bees

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Steve Smailes. An introduction to Solitary Bees and Bumblebees, their diverse natures and lifestyles, both in the garden, and the wider countryside. Steve's uncle was a beekeeper so his interest in bees began at an early age. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests […]

Planning Meeting

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Help the Programme Committee plan our summer field programme and next year's indoor programme. Coincides with the BRLSI's coffee morning. Followed by a local field meeting - at Henrietta Park – see next event this date Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Bath’s Forgotten Trees

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Hugh Williamson, one of the organisers of the Bath Urban Treescape trails. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Presidential Address: Strandline Plants and Dune Formation

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Rob Randall. An in-depth study of the developing dune system in Sand Bay. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Annual General Meeting

Agenda to be published neaer the time Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Wildlife of Costa Rica

BRLSI - Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, Somerset

Speaker: Kate Souter, Magazine Editor for Bath Nats. Kate will report on her recent holiday in the Caribbean. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E