by David Hall | Jun 24, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leader: Glen Maddison On a thoroughly miserable cloudy and wet June morning, just 5 members joined me and Janine on this expected 4 hour trip around the meadows and woods near Bath University. I did consider cancelling at the time, but was persuaded to go ahead....
by David Hall | Jun 22, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Green Hairstreak © Mike Williams Leader: Mike Williams A hunt for rare orchids and insects. This was a day that started off well and kept getting better, with perfect weather and a great turnout. We assembled at the Smallgrain picnic area at 11. While waiting...
by David Hall | Jun 15, 2026 | Uncategorised
Bath Natural History Society (BNHS) supported Friends of Sydney Gardens for the Marvellous Moths Morning. This was a ticketed event. Almost 20 tickets were sold and members of the public were able to see up-close moth traps being opened, and identification and...
by David Hall | Jun 14, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leaders: Carole Catling, Alan Feest and Helena Crouch For the 2026 Festival of Nature, Bath Natural History Society provided support to the Friends of Moorlands Park for a day of celebration of nature in the park. The planned programme began with moth trap opening, to...
by David Hall | Jun 5, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Bath Nats group at White Sheet Hill © Phillip Delve Leader: Phillip Delve Having assembled with sun hats, walking poles, and stout boots, 15 members divided into two smaller groups. From the car park, I led the first group down the steep and rugged way to the...
by David Hall | May 23, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leader: Glen Maddison On a cold, grey and windy day, with few breaks in the cloud, and very little in the way of sunshine or warmth, 13 others met me at the Park & Ride on Lansdown. Though my expectations were not too high, the first hour was most encouraging,...
by David Hall | May 7, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leaders: Lucy Starling and Phillip Delve On International Dawn Chorus Day, four of us met on a calm and warm morning, perfect for listening to birds and viewing dragonflies. To the song of Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and the occasional explosive burst of Cetti’s...
by David Hall | May 4, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Bovine conservation workers on Brean Down © Helena Crouch Leaders: Helena Crouch and Alvan White On a fine Spring day, 16 members assembled for the ascent of Brean Down. After negotiating a working digger spreading aggregate on the access road, we set off up...
by David Hall | Apr 29, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leader: Dave Newman This joint RSPB/Bath Nats trip to Hengistbury Head in Dorset was attended by 33 people. Once at the coach drop off point we had a comfort break before all assembling again. At this point we were overlooking mainly a bushy and grassy area where...
by David Hall | Apr 27, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Iford Manor © Phillip Delve Leader: Phillip Delve The Iford Manor car park is in an old orchard, next to the River Frome. Here, while six of us spent some time looking for Dippers, we were assailed by calls of Nuthatches from surrounding trees. As well as the...
by David Hall | Apr 17, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Scarce Fungus Weevil on King Alfred’s Cake at Priston © Mike Williams Leaders: Helena Crouch, Alvan White, Mike Williams and Richard Bottle Fourteen members and guests assembled outside the Ring o’ Bells pub on a fine Spring morning, with a Red Kite circling...
by David Hall | Apr 12, 2026 | Uncategorised
Speaker: Charles Stirton When the booked speaker who was to talk about Harvest Mice failed to arrive, Charles Stirton, founding director of The National Botanical Garden of Wales, kindly stepped in and told us about his work with plants and the teaching of Botany. He...
by David Hall | Apr 10, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Mandarin ducks © David Hall Leader: Tom Rogers Nine members joined the leader on a dry sunny morning in the car park at the end of Frampton on Severn’s village green which is about half a mile long. As the car park was almost full when I arrived time was spent...
by David Hall | Apr 2, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leader: Hugh Williamson After an overnight frost and temperature of 1°C, by the time 10 of us gathered to meet our leader, Hugh Williamson, of Bath Urban Treescape, we had a lovely sunny morning and 12°C. We met at Odd Down Sports Ground in Bath. Our two-hour tree...
by David Hall | Mar 26, 2026 | Uncategorised
As in previous years the Moth Study Group started off the year with the ‘Winter get-together’ at Compton Dando Village Hall. This is generally a very informal meeting to help break up the long almost moth-free winter where members can share their stories and...
by David Hall | Mar 16, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Goldeneye drake © David Hall Leader: Glen Maddison On a cool, windy March morning 12 members plus leader met in the car park at Stockhill and set off on a two-hour circular walk through the forests trails of muddy tracks and tarmac paths. The gusty wind made...
by David Hall | Feb 28, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Mute Swans and Grey Heron © Richard Bottle Leader: Richard BottleSixteen of us met at Newton St Loe Parish Church. Our route took us along Workshop Covert and the Newton Park Lakes, through Melancholy Wood and up to the Wilmington ridge, down to Wilmington...
by David Hall | Feb 14, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Goosanders at Corsham Court © Mike Smith Leader: Phillip Delve We met at Corsham Cemetery car park. While nine of us assembled, Blue Tits, Goldfinches and Redwing were seen in the bare hedges around the car park and a small flock of Stock Doves landed in the...
by David Hall | Jan 31, 2026 | Uncategorised
Leader: Lucy Starling Five members joined me for a walk in search of resident birds and winter migrants. The weather was not particularly favourable but at least it was not windy. A Buzzard circled over the Batheaston car park as members arrived and we heard and saw...
by David Hall | Jan 17, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Murmuration at Shapwick © Andrew Harrison Leader: Lucy Starling The date of this meeting changed at the eleventh hour because of the forecast for bad weather on Thursday. Unfortunately, four members who had booked could not make the 7th and two were unable to...
by David Hall | Jan 9, 2026 | Uncategorised
Above: Greater Dodder (Cuscuta europaea) in flower by the River Avon, Bath © Helena Crouch Leader: Helena CrouchThe weather was cold but gloriously sunny as 23 members and guests assembled beside the river for our annual New Year Plant Hunt. This event, organised by...
by David Hall | Dec 19, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Otter on the River Avon upstream of Pulteney Bridge, Bath © Keelia Chen At about midday on 15 December I was heading along the riverside path and noticed that a large amount of debris including some large branches had collected on the upstream side of Pulteney...
by David Hall | Dec 15, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Rushy Pen © Katie Chapman Leader: Lucy Starling Seven participants (two pulled out at the eleventh hour) joined Glen Maddison and me at this wonderful WWT centre within an hour’s drive of Bath. With a high tide of 9.00 metres at 9.32am, the Estuary Tower...
by David Hall | Nov 29, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Kingfisher at Herriott’s Bridge © Phillip Delve Leader: Phillip Delve At first light, while the lake was obscured by low mist and the surrounding fields enveloped in hard frost, I observed a flock of Redwings drinking the water running down Stratford...
by David Hall | Nov 18, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Bath Abbey Cemetery © Lucy Starling Leader: Lucy Starling Ten members joined me on a cloudy morning, in a light, chilly, easterly breeze for a three hour amble. We started with a fly-by Cormorant, Black-Headed Gulls, (winter visitors to Bath), plus a number of...
by David Hall | Nov 11, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Caucasian Wingnut, Pterocarya Fraxinifolia © Carole Catling Leader: Hugh Williamson A group of 20 met at the starting point, The Lime Tree Cafe on the Claverton Down Campus of the University of Bath. Our BNHS president, Lucy Starling, introduced the leader,...
by David Hall | Nov 6, 2025 | Uncategorised
Speaker: Tom Brereton Tom Brererton, as Research Director of Marine Life for over 30 years and 25 years leading Naturetrek trips, has as an in-depth knowledge of the lives and habits of the Cetaceans. In the area covered in Tom’s talk 30 species of Cetaceans have been...
by David Hall | Oct 29, 2025 | Uncategorised
Leader: Tom Rogers Nine members joined the leader at White Sheet Lane on Mere Down. The weather was dry and overcast but not as cold as it can be here. Mere Down lies between Kingston Deverill and Mere and is a National Landscape (formerly AONB: Area of Outstanding...
by David Hall | Oct 13, 2025 | Uncategorised
Speaker: Joe Hampson Joe Hampson, Re-Wilding Officer for the Somerset Wildlife Trust, enthusiastically engaged the small, but interested audience in BRISLI as to how he and his colleagues plan to re-wild the 81-hectare Honeygar Farm, on the Somerset Levels. They are...
by David Hall | Sep 30, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Green Elf Cup (Chlorociboria aeruginascens) © Helena Crouch Leaders: Nathan Orr, Alan Rayner and Helena Crouch The day of our annual fungal foray dawned misty and autumnal, but the sun broke through as twenty-four members assembled at Stockhill. We were...
by David Hall | Sep 27, 2025 | Uncategorised
Report by: Lucy Starling As the Society’s President I attended the Guildhall event which focused on preserving and enhancing the natural world in and around the city, and recognising its benefits to the health and well-being of residents and visitors to Bath. I was...
by David Hall | Sep 18, 2025 | Uncategorised
After a windy night with some rain, and a cool morning, a total of 18 people gathered for the moth trap opening at 9.00 am. First, we were able to examine and identify a few moths which had been potted up previously as they were found outside the trap. Then, on to the...
by David Hall | Sep 13, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Stoney Littleton longbarrow © Catherine Turner Leaders: Catherine Turner, Paul Barton, Karen Funnel, John Garrett Walking down the narrow lane to Stoney Littleton car park we saw a pheasant. On arrival the rain started to come down heavily and most of the local...
by David Hall | Sep 12, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Dictydium cancellatum, Entry Hill © Mike Williams Leaders: Alvan White and Mike Williams A heavy downpour in the morning put many participants off, however after a stint sheltering in the nearby café, the weather eased and cleared. The recorded history of the...
by David Hall | Sep 10, 2025 | Uncategorised
Leader: Karen Funnell The weather forecast was horrid, and a discussion was had whether to proceed with this trip. Those that had signed up agreed that we would give it a go, and we were rewarded with an (almost) dry 2 1/2 hour walk. Twelve members met at the gates of...
by David Hall | Sep 6, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Common Crane © Andrew Harrison Leader: Lucy Starling Eight members joined me to explore the wild parts of the reserve including the Summer Walkway before a high tide at 12 noon. Here we located over flying Yellow Wagtails by their calls and easier to see Barn...
by David Hall | Aug 28, 2025 | Uncategorised
Leader:David Westgate This was a follow up evening from the previous visit to Elm Farm on May 19. There were nine of us, including our host Philippa Paget, and leader David Westgate of Avon Bat Group. After an introductory talk from Philippa and a demonstration of...
by David Hall | Aug 23, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Hornet nest © Mike Williams Leaders: Alvan White, Maico Waites (of Bristol Naturalists’ Society) and Mike Williams Folly Farm is a 250-acre nature reserve owned and managed by Avon Wildlife Trust. The outing was a joint collaboration with Bristol...
by David Hall | Jul 31, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Greater Dodder at Watership Farm © Mike Williams Leader: Alvan White The survey of Watership Farm has become an annual event: five of us assembled to continue exploring this rich but private site, welcoming a new member to her first BNHS survey. Watership Farm...
by David Hall | Jul 31, 2025 | Uncategorised
Leader: Tom Rogers Nine members joined the leader in Faulkland Lavender Farm car park. The day started dry and bright as we walked into the lavender fields. Here it was noticeable that due to recent early hot dry weather the lavender flowers were past their best,...
by David Hall | Jul 22, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Beaver Dam at Longleat © Alvan White Leader: Dr Thomas Lewis (Conservation and Research Manager) We welcomed new members the Carr family, Katie Chapman, and Richard Hanahan. The meeting was an intriguing one, covering much more than the Beavers on the estate....
by David Hall | Jul 18, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Band-eyed Brown Horsefly © Mike Williams Leaders: Alvan White and Mike Williams The start of another heatwave with lots of sun and a blue sky, the temperature was projected to reach reach 26°C, and indeed it did. At the car-park, we found an abundance of...
by David Hall | Jul 5, 2025 | Uncategorised
Bushy Norwood © Mike Williams Leaders: Mike Williams, Carole Catling, Alvan White We welcomed new member Amy Ridgway and potential new members Mark Rodbourne and Katy Birch. Alongside bats we had high hopes of seeing or hearing other bird and mammal species. We learnt...
by David Hall | Jul 2, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Dark Green Fritillary © David Hall Leader: Glen Maddison On a muggy, warm, overcast morning twelve members set off through the top scrub and out onto the open chalk grassland of Martin Down. Immediately we spotted all four Common Whites including recently...
by David Hall | Jun 27, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle (Rutpela maculata) © Mike Williams Leaders: Carole Catling, Helena Crouch, Mike Williams & Alvan White As a contribution to the 2025 Festival of Nature, members of BNHS supported the Friends of Charlcombe Community Nature...
by David Hall | Jun 21, 2025 | Uncategorised
Above: Lunch break at Manor Farm © Richard Bottle Leaders: Helena Crouch and Laurie MacIntyreTwenty members arrived at Manor Farm on a sunny day and assembled in the lovely garden for convivial coffee and cake. A bright yellow Goldenrod Crab Spider was admired by some...
by David Hall | Jun 15, 2025 | Uncategorised
Heal © Phillip Delve Leader: Phillip Delve The Heal Rewilding Trust purchased this redundant 460-acre dairy farm in 2022 to allow nature to take its course and promote biodiversity. This is our second Nats meeting here, following the first back in the winter. I set...
by David Hall | Jun 14, 2025 | Uncategorised
BNHS group at the Friary © Phillip Delve Leader: Laura Mulholland Around 22 people, mainly society members, including six who joined on the day, gathered in the delightful grounds of the Friary, Hinton Charterhouse. The monastery at Hinton Priory was only the second...
by David Hall | Jun 9, 2025 | Uncategorised
Leader: Carole Catling As part of the American Museum and Gardens’ “Day of Nature”, three moth traps were run overnight in the gardens, followed by a Nature Walk led by Mike Williams. Phillip Delve and Robert Kelsh ran their MV traps and Ewan Basterfield ran his...
by David Hall | Jun 1, 2025 | Uncategorised
Arne view © Tony Cook Leader: Dave Newman Tony Cook writes: On a warm and sunny morning 35 Bath RSPB/BNHS members gathered for this month’s coach trip to Arne RSPB. As a 34-seater was sent Dave the leader had to sit in the small seat by the driver. I sat in the back...
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