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 […]
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 […]
Several short talks and reminiscences from members of the Society will illustrate our activities over the years as part of our 80th Anniversary celebrations. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members or £4 guests
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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
Chris has spent his entire working life in nature conservation – latterly employed by Natural England. Since taking early retirement he is still immersed in the natural world – leading tours and day walks, nature photography and more recently writing a book about the Essex Coast. If you would like to contact Chris or find […]
Join the President for coffee and a chat followed, weather permitting, by a short local walk.
Revival of what used to be a popular feature at the start of past indoor programmes. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members £4 guests
Speaker: Andrew Daw, past President, photographer, illustrator and master of the art of origami. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members £4 guests
BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.
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
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
BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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 […]
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
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
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
Agenda to be published neaer the time Wheelchair access is available by contacting BRLSI reception 01225 312084E
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
Speaker: Dr. Helena Crouch, Botanical Recorder for VC6 (North Somerset) for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and Secretary of Bath Nats. Ferns are one of Helena's favourite botanical subjects. This talk was originally scheduled for 4 March 2024 but had to be postponed. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings […]
Contact: Alan Feest to volunteer to help Start / Finish: Timing to follow; an all-day event Meeting place: Moorlands Park, Englishcombe Lane, Bath, BA2 2EE Explorer 155 (ST 739 632) Focus: Biodiversity of park including remnant pasture in urban Bath, and Tree Walk Description: The Friends of Moorland Park aim to assess and improve the […]
(This event precedes the Malaby Gas Biodigester tour, also at Warminster) Leader: Phillip Delve Bookings: Phillip Delve Start: 12:30 Finish: approx. 15:30 Meeting place: Explorer 153 (ST 893 452). Take the Imber Road from Warminster, drive through the MOD houses, turn right towards Battlesbury Barracks just before the rise of Sack Hill, follow the avenue […]
Rob Randall, who died earlier this year, was a nationally renowned botanist, President of Bath Natural History Society and on the trustee board of Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution He left a wonderful, diverse and extensive collection of books on a range of subjects, particularly Natural History, Geology and Ancient History, including many key […]
Doors Open 7.00pm for coffee and chat Speaker: Alan Feest Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 ( Finish 21:00 Description: Alan will demonstrate the deficiencies of the current definition of biodiversity and offer suggestions for a way forward, explaining the approach used in our local surveys. This talk will be an […]
Speaker: Steve Smailes Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: In this illustrated talk, Steve will cover the social and the solitary aculeate wasps of our islands, and briefly touch on the parasitic wasps too. Most people are acutely aware of the […]
Speaker: Dave Pole Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: Many of us use bird ID apps (eg Merlin) or plant ID apps (eg Flora Incognita) on our phones, and there are a host of others available, both free and paid. Many […]
Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 14:00 for a 14:15 start Finish: 16:00 The AGM will commence at 2.15pm, followed by time to socialise over tea and cake There will be a raffle, for which you are encouraged to donate suitable prizes We will also have a book stall, so please bring […]
Speaker: Peter Cooper Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: Harvest mice are Britain’s smallest rodents. They live among tall grasses and shrubs where they weave an intricate cricket ball-sized nest above the ground. They used to be abundant, but numbers have […]
Speaker: Maurice Avent Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: Maurice was fortunate to purchase an SSSI valley close to Bath in 1982 for which he has kept records of butterfly populations for 30 years. He was National Chairman of Butterfly Conservation […]
Speaker: Naomi Johns Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: Naomi is manager of the Birds of Prey Conservation Centre. Chemical pollution is a ticking time bomb and has been for decades. Raptors might hold some of the answers. Biomagnification or biological […]
Speaker: Joe Hampton, Honeygar Wilding Officer, Somerset Wildlife Trust Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: Joe will talk about the long-term “wilding” project to create a more connected landscape for wildlife to help improve habitats the Trust has on its existing […]
Speaker: Professor Tom Brereton Venue: BRSLI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open 19:00 for coffee and chat) Description: Tom is Director of Research for MARINElife, a position he has held since 2008. He is a leader for Naturetrek and also Head of Ecology at Mapperton Estate in Dorset. https://marine-life.org.uk Doors open […]
Speaker: Bath Natural History Society President Lucy Starling, Venue: BRSLI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open 19:00 for coffee and chat) Description: Lucy will tell us about many of her memorable moments encountering a variety of fauna and flora throughout the British Isles, including some encounters during Bath Nats field meetings. […]
This event has been cancelled Leader: Lucy Starling for Catcott and John Garrett for Secret World. NB Limited to 20 participants Text Andrew Harrison on 07814680062 to book. Speaker: George Bethell, Secret World Animal Rescue Start 1: 11:15 at Catcott main hide Start 2: 14:30 at Secret World for the talk Finish: 15:15 Meet 1: 11:15 car […]
Please support your Society by attending the AGM. Further details to follow later. Start: 14.15
Speaker: Matthew Oates Venue: BRSLI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 Description: Matthew Oates is author of His Imperial Majesty, the natural history of the Purple Emperor published in 2020. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £3 members and guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting BRLSI […]
Speaker: Maurice Tennenhaus, Director of Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields (FLHF) Venue: BRSLI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open 19:00 for coffee and chat) Description: Maurice will talk about this not-for-profit Community Interest Company (FLHF) whose mission is to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of land and maintain its wild nature […]
Speaker: Peter Cooper Venue: BRSLI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open 19:00 for coffee and chat) Description: Harvest mice are Britain’s smallest rodents. They live among tall grasses and shrubs where they weave an intricate cricket ball-size nest above the ground. They used to be abundant, but numbers have reduced due […]
Leaders: Carole Catling, Alan Feest, Hugh Williamson and Helena Crouch Contact: Helena Crouch for information or to volunteer to help Start: 9:00 Finish: about 16:00 Meet: Moorlands Park, Englishcombe Lane, Bath, BA2 2EE OS EXP 155 (ST 739 632) what3words:///towers.baking.rescue Focus: Moths, Tree Walk, Biodiversity and Flora Description: The Friends of Moorland Park, Bath Urban […]
NB there is a £5 charge for this event, including refreshments Leaders: Lucy Starling and Phillip Delve assisted by other members of BNHS Moth Study Group Limited number of 25 participants at cost of £5.00 per person. Booking is through Eventbrite, details to follow. Contact: Lucy Starling for information Start: 9:00 Finish: 12:00 Meet: Sydney […]