FIELD NOTES NEWSLETTER OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY ISSUE 12 November 2007

In addition a national programme – OPAL – EDITORIAL Open-air laboratory – will be launched next year. OPAL has been put together under the In this edition of Field Notes you will read of a auspices of Imperial College, London, and wide range of outputs from all the work the involving a very wide range of organisations, Society has been doing over the last decade, both at a national scale and locally. The not least the imminent publication of two Open University will be running a project to books on different groups of insects, and that get entirely new people involved with books on other topics are in the pipeline. identifying wildlife. Participants will be You will also see that this year’s autumn encouraged to set up on-line ‘portfolios’, with conference was attended by a record number ‘surveys’ of the things they see in their of people, which is great news indeed. garden or local patch; to submit digital photos, and build up a collection of these, But how many people are actually involved which they will then be led to identify. The with studying or recording wildlife? More’s the aim is to guide these beginners to the right point, how many feel they can identify things places where they can learn. The Field and make a useful contribution? Also, are we Studies Council is developing ‘packs’ to help getting young, new people coming forward people on the way; while the Natural History keen to learn? Museum is to develop a whole range of facilities, including mobile ‘buses’ to help Nationally, there is a growing concern that, people get involved. Funding from the Big with the plethora of wildlife guides, natural Lottery Fund to the tune of just under £12M is history programmes on TV, ‘Breathing also to be available to assist existing Spaces’ campaigns and the like there are organisations ‘up their act’. At the local level, actually increasingly few people out there that nine regional universities are getting involved, actually know anything much at all about covering all of England. These will run their wildlife and the countryside, because they own local projects, focusing on specific have never actually grown up with it. While aspects. The University of Hertfordshire will our forebears knew their skylarks from their be one of these, concentrating on aspects of song thrushes, or their dandelions from their the wildlife of old orchards across East hawkbits (more or less!), all too few people Anglia. these days have any direct experience of these things, especially at the critical time As the world gets more and more under when they are growing up. pressure from what we humans are doing it is especially important that we know and To meet this need HNHS in partnership with understand our wildlife. the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Keep up the good work. Ed. the Lee Valley Park will be launching a series of Field meetings and Wildlife Training days in the New Year; for details see page 8. Send material for the next issue of Field Notes to the Editor by 15th March 2008

______Page 2: Prepublication offer for the Moths of Hertfordshire, only £26 Page 4: Obituary, Paul Moxey; Page 6: County Wildlife Recorders; Page 7/8: Herts Wildlife Calendar CURRENT ACTIVITIES fungi, hoverflies and other taxa is in progress. The Herts Bird Club started field work this By Peter Delaloye – HNHS Chairman autumn for a survey of breeding and wintering birds to be completed in 2012, HNHS to publish new books on which will probably lead to publication of a new county avifauna. Hertfordshire wildlife As well as setting aside our own funds, we One of the main activities of the Society and have been fortunate to obtain over £15,000 our members is watching, studying additional funding and sponsorship for the monitoring and recording all forms of wildlife. first two books from Butterfly Conservation Analysis of the data collected from these (Herts&Mddx and Upper Thames Branches), activities gives us an insight into the state of the Environment Agency, Herts & Middlesex our wildlife and can be used not only to Wildlife Trust, Hertfordshire County Council, celebrate our wildlife heritage but also to Lee Valley Regional Park, London Natural underpin land use planning and other History Society; and environmental decisions affecting wildlife conservation in the consultancies: Bioscan, Ecological Planning county. The Society aims to make this & Research Ltd, Ecology Consulting and Liz information widely available and has two Lake Garden Design, as well as contributions funds set aside to support the publication of from individual donors, the Herts Dragonfly books. We have already agreed proposals to Group and the Herts Moth Group. fund and publish books on moths and dragonflies (see below) and work on flora, ______‘The Moths of Hertfordshire’ fifth! The number of species present in the county stayed more or less constant from the by Colin Plant, HNHS County Recorder late nineteenth century until after the Second World War and almost all of these losses What is happening to moths in Hertfordshire? took place during the 1950s and early 1960s. How are they surviving the pressures of The distribution maps will have both historical modern life and the prospect of climate and modern records and show changes as change? The publication, in spring 2008, of well as modern day distributions. the Society’s latest book, The Moths of Hertfordshire, will give us the answers to these and many other questions. The work is the fruit of ten years of dedicated and entirely voluntary survey work by members of the Herts Moth Group, compiled and edited by Colin Plant. All available information on Hertfordshire moths, from the earliest record in 1710 to the end of 2006, is drawn together to provide an update of the last county list, published in 1937.

With 512 A4-sized pages packed with new and bang up-to-date information, this book gives the status and distribution of all the 1549 moth species ever recorded in Hertfordshire; with distribution maps for all 1287 species recorded since the end of 1994 – including the micro-moths.

Puss Moth Trevor James Perhaps the most shocking statistic in the book is that 262 species have not been seen Interestingly, over the same time frame there since at least 1994. Although some may just was a rise in new species added to the be under-recorded, it is frightening to think county list suggesting that as one group of that up to 17% of Hertfordshire’s moths may species vanishes it is replaced by another. now be extinct in the county. That’s almost a Thus, whilst some losses can be directly 2 attributed to habitat loss, pesticide use and myxomatosis (the latter removing rabbits and ‘Dragonflies and Damselflies of allowing scrub to invade downland) others Hertfordshire’ may reflect changes rather than losses. For example, we are losing the Garden Tiger by Alan Reynolds, Tom Gladwin and moth, but we have gained the Red-green Christine Shepperson (HNHS County Carpet and the Least Carpet, both now Recorder) widespread and common residents here. The book will cover the 19 species of Climate-induced changes in some species dragonflies and damselflies recorded in may be less direct and can perhaps provide Hertfordshire based on a six year survey by useful indicators for monitoring ‘global the Herts Dragonfly Group. There will be a warming’. Freyer’s Pug, for example, has foreword and introductory sections on history, always had a single generation of adults each topography, geology and the Atlas project. year, in May to early July. However, Colin’s The species accounts will cover the book shows a very clear change to a double- occurrence and distribution with maps at a brooded life-cycle in Hertfordshire, as shown tetrad (2km x 2km) scale, proof of breeding, in this flight chart – a phenomenon so far not flight periods (based on 14,671 records) seen elsewhere in Britain. Many other species richness and evaluation of sites. A species are also showing changes, with chapter on where to watch dragonflies in adults often flying later in the year than they Hertfordshire will focus on the top 11 sites (5 did ten years ago. of which are Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust nature reserves). Individuals max of 41 in week 23

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jly Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Banded Demoiselle Trevor James Flight chart for adult Freyer’s Pug

The aim of the Herts Moth Group is to ‘enjoy’ The book is expected to be A5 or B5 format, the study of moths, and the aim of this book about 100 pages, printed in full colour with to let people ‘enjoy’ the results. So, for photographs of each species. We hope to example, English names (where available) launch a prepublication offer prior to are applied in addition to the scientific names publication in the spring. and the text employs clear English whilst Linda Smith trying hard to avoid specialist terms that are not in common usage. Although it is not an identification guide it is copiously illustrated in Websites update full colour throughout, making it even more attractive to non-specialists. Both the Society’s main website and the Herts Bird Club website are going to be ‘The Moths of Hertfordshire’ will be upgraded. We plan to make it easier for published in spring 2008 by the Society, at HNHS officers to keep the websites up to £45, but pre-publication copies can be date and include facilities for you to submit all reserved at the offer price of £26 (inclusive your wildlife records through the website. We of UK postage and packaging). Use the form hope this will give everyone improved access downloaded from www.hnhs.org or write with to records and enable better use to be made your name, address and cheque for £26 of monitoring data. The websites will also (payable to HNHS) to Linda Smith, 24 have pages dedicated to other specialist Mandeville Rise, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 groups. 7JU. 3 HNHS Autumn Conference a great extended BirdTrack to allow you to enter a success species list for a tetrad, we will not be developing such a capability locally. However, I am optimistic Our main Conference this year was held at that a regular extraction from the BTO site will Rothamsted on 10th November, and we had a allow the new maps to be frequently updated, record turn-out of 106 people, almost filling the showing you just how your work is contributing to hall! Subjects this time focused around surveys the county picture. Data from other surveys, such and atlases of one sort or another. We heard as the RSPB/BTO/JNCC Breeding Bird Survey from Alan Reynolds of the Dragonfly Group about and records submitted to BirdTrack the work that had been carried out to survey the (www.birdtrack.net) will also feed into the atlas. County’s dragonflies and damselflies since 2000, Chris Dee (BTO Regional Representative and and the progress towards publication of the book Herts Bird Atlas Organiser) which is described above. Andrew Wood stood in 26 Broadleaf Avenue, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts., for Colin Plant to give us a good run-through of CM23 4JY. ([email protected] ) some of the results of the Moth Group’s work that will be published shortly in the new book, Obituary: including both declining and some increasing Paul Moxey, 1938 - 2007 moths, with splendid photos of various species. Trevor James then gave some outline results from Paul’s sudden death in August has robbed us of a the survey of the County’s flora that ran from very well known local naturalist and 1987-2003, and soon to be published, showing conservationist who had been an active member that not only are there vastly more plants now on of HNHS for over 40 years. We last saw him and record for the County than ever before, but also his wife Tricia at our AGM in March. that there are many species increasing, contrary to what we might think, and not all aliens. He Paul was brought up in the Harrow area and in the also highlighted that one output of the survey was early 1960’s became a pioneer of the then that, as from now, a new Red Data List of embryonic conservation movement. He was Hertfordshire’s flowering plants and ferns has instrumental in setting up the Herts and Middlesex been defined. Finally, Chris Dee gave us a Wildlife Trust in 1964, a notable achievement. He rousing talk about plans for the new Bird Atlas, in was one of the founding Trustees and continued parallel to the national BTO atlas survey, which as a council member until 2005 when he was had just been launched (see his piece below). made a Vice President. In 1970 he was appointed the Warden and Director of Studies of the new The message from all these talks was that the Epping Forest Conservation Centre, where he Society has been and remains very busy! remained until 1992. After that he worked as an independent ecological consultant and expert Hertfordshire Bird Atlas survey launched advisor to both the Trust and the Society.

The Hertfordshire Bird Atlas survey work got off to Paul’s early work on the pollen record in Epping a great start on 1st November with volunteers Forest, published in 1978, was one of the already signed up for over 220 2km square survey highlights of his career and is still much quoted. plots. But if you are not already involved it is not His analysis proved beyond doubt that around too late. To find out more or offer to help, go to 4000 BC Epping Forest was dominated by Small- www.hertsatlas.org.uk or contact me using the leaved Lime. The change to Hornbeam was details below. Fieldwork for this new county bird probably down to man's intervention in opening up atlas is running in parallel with the national Bird the original woodland. Paul’s work and that of Atlas 2007-11. For Hertfordshire, we are aiming to others showed that small-leaved lime was the produce tetrad scale winter distribution maps for dominant tree in much of the original ‘wildwood’ of the first time, and repeating the breeding season southern England. The relevance for us is that the atlases of 1972 and 1992. At the time of the last same probably occurred in Hertfordshire. atlas, the internet was in its infancy, but the Herts Bird Club did enter the data onto a computer For Sale - bound volumes of HNHS database and shared the gradually evolving maps Transactions 1879-1923 at indoor meetings. With advances in technology we can now do a much better job of providing Robert Jenkins is offering for sale 17 volumes of feedback, more quickly and in a more interactive HNHS Transactions bound in half vellum and and visually appealing form. To this end the dated October 1879 (when HNHS was founded) results from the 1967-72 and 1988-92 county to June 1923. They are in very good condition and tetrad breeding season atlases and the 1981-84 belonged to his late father, Arthur, who was a national winter atlas results at the 10km scale are keen birdwatcher and member of both the HNHS provided online at www.hertsatlas.org.uk/. Here and the Letchworth Naturalist History Society. He (on the ‘Resources’ page) you can also download is hoping for £300 for the full set, but offers will be instructions and recording forms and see how the considered. Please contact Robert Jenkins direct county fieldwork is progressing. Since the BTO on [email protected] or by phone: 01704 has developed an online data entry interface and 878884 for further details. 4 MEMBERSHIP MATTERS area and returned frequently throughout his life. The earliest Hertfordshire records of dragonflies New Honorary Treasurer (4 species), lacewings (8 spp), mayflies (16 spp), and other orders of insects are due to him. His Peter Oakenfull stood down as Treasurer this collection of British insects, which was purchased autumn, but we are pleased to welcome Ken by the British Museum (now in the Natural History Pearman, who took take over in November. Ken, Museum) after his death, contains many from Maple Cross, is a retired bank auditor and specimens obtained in the county. has worked and travelled abroad extensively. He was Regional Head of Audit for Barclays Africa Southern Region until 2004 and now does voluntary audit work for a number of charities, including some projects in Africa. Ken is a keen birder and is also treasurer of Maple Lodge Conservation Society. The HNHS Management Committee extends thanks to Peter Oakenfall for all his hard work as our Treasurer over the last two and a half years. Linda Smith, HNHS Secretary

STOP PRESS - Herts Bird Report 2005 should be available in December Recording and recorders

The county recorders will be meeting on Tuesday th 20 November to a full programme of discussion / His earliest work, Catalogue of British Animals, decision making. One of the small changes we was issued in manuscript form between 1808 and have made is to invite to the meeting a 1812. During a relatively short-lived interest in representative of specialist groups in the County ornithology he wrote six volumes on birds for a e.g. dragonflies, mammals etc., and in addition a series started by George Shaw (General Zoology representative from Hertfordshire Biological or systematic natural history. London. 1800-26). Records Centre. Subjects on the agenda are: He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society at how should we deal with requests for data, the age of 23. In 1818 the Trustees of the British archiving of data and mentoring. We will also be Museum successfully requested his employers to welcoming a proposed new recorder. Adam Ellis release him from his post in the Admiralty Office from the Environment Agency has offered to step to assist William Leach in rearranging the in to cover the crustaceans and also the museum’s entomological collection. On his return freshwater fish of the County. The meeting is to the intolerable “animosity of his superiors” soon be held at the University of Hertfordshire’s led him to take early retirement. Thereafter until Bayfordbury Field Station near Hertford. We his death in 1852, he worked in an entirely expect a lively meeting. voluntary capacity at the British Museum, where Ronni Edmonds-Brown, he arranged and catalogued the near 7,000 Chair HNHS Recorders’ Committee specimens in the Linnaean Phalanae.

Notes on past Herts naturalists: Stephens’ works which are of most interest to Hertfordshire naturalists are his Illustrations of No. 3 – James Francis Stephens British Entomology; or a Synopsis of Indigenous (1792-1852) Insects (1828-46), A Systematic Catalogue of Born at Shoreham, Sussex, on 16th September, British Insects (1829), and A Manual of British 1792, James Francis Stephens’ education began Coleoptera (1839). These, and supporting papers at the Blue Coat School, Hertford. Following the in the Natural History Museum contain many death of his father, Captain William James records of species that were found in Stephens RN in 1799, he was sent to Christ’s Hertfordshire. Stephens described nearly 2,800 Hospital School, London, in 1800. On leaving species of British native insects. Some of these, school in 1807 his uncle, Admiral Stephens, although I have been unable to determine exactly arranged employment for him in the Admiralty how many, are based on specimens collected in Office, Somerset House, where he worked until our county. taking early retirement. Encouraged by his father his lifelong interest in entomology began in the After his death, Stephens’ comprehensive library three years he was at school in Hertford. In that was purchased by Henry Tibbats Stainton and period he “collected insects from The Meads [i.e. later presented to the Entomological Society of King’s Meads] and woodlands around the town London, now the Royal Entomological Society. whilst exploring the local countryside”. He became very fond of the Revd. Tom Gladwin 5 LIST OF RECORDERS Geology Dr John Catt, 27 Watling Street, St Albans, AL1 2PY, e:mail: [email protected] Amphibians and Reptiles Dr Jenny Jones, 23 North Road, Hertford, SG14 Grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches and 1LN, e:mail: [email protected] earwigs, John Widgery, 12 Bushcombe Close, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos., GL52 9MX Ants Phil Attewell, 69 Thornbury Gardens, Boreham Lacewings and allies Wood, WD6 1RD, e:mail: [email protected] Revd. Tom Gladwin, 99 Warren Way, Digswell, Welwyn, Herts, AL6 0DL Bees and wasps e:mail: [email protected]) Raymond Uffen, 4 Mardley Avenue, Welwyn, AL6 0UD, e:mail: [email protected] Leeches David Leeming, Spindlewood, 45 West End, Birds Ashwell, Baldock, Herts, SG7 5QY Tony Blake, 9 Old Forge Close, Stanmore, Middx, HA7 3EB; e:mail: [email protected] Lichens Andrew Harris, 136 Trowley Hill Road, Flamstead, Bugs (aquatic) St Albans, Herts, AL3 8DZ Dr Stuart Warrington, 8 Redwoods, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 7NR Mammals e:mail: [email protected] Dr Jenny Jones, 23 North Road, Hertford, SG14 1LN, e:mail: [email protected] Bugs (terrestrial) John Widgery, 12 Bushcombe Close, Mayflies Woodmancote, Cheltenham, Glos., GL52 9MX Judy England, c/o Environment Agency, Apollo Court, 2 Bishops Square, St. Albans Rd. West, Butterflies Hatfield, Herts., AL10 9EX. Dr John Murray, “Field End”, , e:mail: [email protected] Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8HS e:mail: [email protected] Molluscs Pryce Buckle, 14 Roughdown Road, Boxmoor, Beetles Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP3 9BJ Trevor James, 56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, e:mail: [email protected] Herts, SG7 5PE e:mail: [email protected] Mosses and liverworts Christopher Tipper, 48 Cotterells, Hemel Assistant Recorder (water beetles) Hempstead, Herts., HP1 1JE Dr Stuart Warrington, 8 Redwoods, Welwyn e:mail: [email protected] Garden City, Herts, AL8 7NR e:mail: [email protected] Moths Colin Plant, 14 West Road, Bishops Stortford, Caddis Flies Herts, CM23 3QP,e:mail: [email protected] Dr Ronni Edmonds-Brown, c/o Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Spiders Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB Doug Marriott, 19 Winton Drive, Croxley Green, e:mail: [email protected] Herts, WD3 3RF, e:mail: [email protected] Crustacea (aquatic) Stoneflies (Position vacant) Dr Ronni Edmonds-Brown, c/o Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Dragonflies and damselflies Lane,Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB Christine Shepperson, 63 Station Road, e:mail: [email protected] Smallford, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0HB. Vascular plants Flies (especially Syrphidae) Trevor James, 56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, Dr Malcolm Aldridge, Clunie Cottage, Ayot St Herts, SG7 5PE Lawrence, Welwyn, Herts, AL6 9BX e:mail: [email protected] Fungi Other groups Alan Outen, 14 Fairfax Close, Clifton, Shefford Records to: Herts Biological Records Centre, Beds, SG17 5RH Environment Department, Hertfordshire County Council, County Hall, Hertford, Herts, SG13 8DN. e:mail: [email protected] 6 HERTFORDSHIRE WILDLIFE SUN 13 JAN: VER VALLEY for birds Meet at Drop Lane car park [TL 150 021] at 10 CALENDAR a.m. Leader: Merle Gwyn (01707 322321). Bring for November 2007 – April 2008 lunch, guides (BNA)

Compiled by HNHS on behalf of natural TUES 22 JAN: HOWLANDS BAPTIST CHURCH, history organisations in Hertfordshire THE COMMONS, WELWYN G.C. ‘Jersey Zoo and the work of Gerald Durrell’ Illustrated talk by Barry Kaufmann-Wright; Meet at Visitors are welcome at all these meetings, 8pm (HMWT-WHGroup) children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult, there may be a small charge. Please check SAT 2 FEB: AMWELL GRAVEL PIT for Smew with organisers in case of any last minute and Marsh Tit. Meet at St. Margarets Station, changes. HNHS cannot accept responsibility for 10.30 a.m. Leader: Roy Woodward. Bring lunch. details of meetings included in this list. Visitors welcome. (LNHS) SAT 24 NOV: CHESHUNT GRAVEL PITS for SUN 3 FEB: BENINGTON - WALKERN wildfowl identification. Meet at Benington Church [TL 296235], 10am, no Meet: 10.00 a.m. at Cheshunt Station. Leader: dogs (LNS) Pete Lambert. Bring lunch. (LNHS) SUN 10 FEB: RSPB MINSMERE COACH TRIP TUES 27 NOV: HOWLANDS BAPTIST Leave John Lewis bus stop, Welwyn Garden City, CHURCH, THE COMMONS, WELWYN G.C. 7.30 am (return approx. 6.30 pm). £12 (plus ‘An inconveneint truth’ award-winning film by Al reserve entrance fee for non-RSPB members). To Gore about climate change. Meet at 8.00 pm; £2 book phone Vicky Davies, 01707 390064. including coffee (HMWT-WHGroup) (HMWT-WHGroup) SUN 2 DEC: EVERTON, SANDY TUES 12 FEB: THE SETTLEMENT, NEVELLS Meet at Sandy station [TL 177487], at 10am, no ROAD, LETCHWORTH dogs. (LNS) ‘Natural history in Hertfordshire since the early days’, by Trevor James, BNA and HNHS WED 12 DEC: CIVIC CENTRE, OLD WELWYN Recorder for plants and beetles. Meet: 7.30 p.m. ‘The Christmas Robin’: talk by Tom Gladwin. (LNS) Meet at 8pm visitors, £2. (WNHS) WED 20 FEB: CIVIC CENTRE, OLD WELWYN WED 12 DEC: GOFFS OAK METHODIST ‘India: its birds, people and the Taj Mahal’ – CHURCH HALL, NEWGATE STREET RD. talk by Richard Popple. Meet: 8.00 p.m. (WNHS) ‘Over the sea to Skye’ by Barrie Mason. Meet 8.00 p.m. Refreshments (small charge). (CNHS) SAT 23 FEB: TRENT PARK for woodpeckers and other woodland birds. Meet at Cockfosters SAT 15 DEC: BRAMFIELD AREA for winter Underground Station, 9.00 a.m., or at Trent Park wildlife car park, 9.30am; Morning only. Leader: Robert Meet at Bramfield in Bury Lane car park beyond Callf. (LNHS) village hall [TL 288157] at 10am. Leader: Trevor James Bring lunch, guides & binoculars. (BNA) TUES 26 FEB: HOWLANDS BAPTIST CHURCH, THE COMMONS, WELWYN G.C. THURS 27 DEC: LEA VALLEY BIRD WALK ‘The joys of Spring’ Illustrated talk by June Meet at Hartham Common car park, Hertford [TL Crew. Meet at 8.00 p.m. (HMWT-WHGroup) 327130] at 10am, Train from Hertford East to Stanstead Abbots, walk back on towpath, via SUN 2 MARCH: NORTON GREEN - Amwell and Kings Meads Reserves; Pub lunch in ALMSHOEBURY Ware; booking essential (HMWT-WHGroup) Meet at Woodman pub, Norton Green [TL 228233], 10 am; No dogs. (LNS) SUN 6 JAN: BALDOCK – WESTON PARK Meet at Woodlands Way, London Rd, Baldock [TL SAT 8 MARCH: OUGHTONHEAD COMMON, 248327], 10am, No dogs. (LNS) for early flowers, birds and insects Meet at end of Westmill Lane, Ickleford [TL TUES 8 JAN: THE SETTLEMENT, NEVELLS 170309] at 10am. Leader: Trevor James (01462 ROAD, LETCHWORTH. ‘Walking on the wild 742684). Bring lunch, guides & binoculars.(BNA) side’: celebrating 100 years of the Letchworth Natural History Society, by Brian Sawford, SUN 9 MARCH: President; Meet at 7.30 p.m. (LNS) Woodpeckers & walk to Ayot Ford via Brocket Park. Meet at Sherrardspark car park, WGC [TL 228140], at 10am (HMWT-WHGroup) 7 HERTS WILDLIFE CALENDAR – continued TUES 8 APRIL: THE SETTLEMENT, NEVELLS ROAD, LETCHWORTH. ‘God’s acre: the fauna SAT 15 MARCH: ROTHAMSTED HARPENDEN and flora of churhyards’, by Anne Doody. Meet: Herts Bird Club / BTO conference – Breeding 7.30 pm (LNS) Birds of Hertfordshire, 2.00-6.00, £7 tickets from Tim Hill, 82 Pentley Park, Welwyn Garden City The Countryside Management Service AL8 7SG, 01707331358, [email protected] organises a “Walks & More” series of activities, see website: www.hertsdirect.org/environment SUN 23 MARCH: WEST CHESHUNT AREA for early flowers and insects. Meet at Cheshunt KEY to organisations church [TL 346201] at 10am Leader: Peter Alton BNA British Naturalists Association (Herts) (0208 3867504) Bring lunch (BNA) contact Mrs Chris James. 01462 742684 CNHS Cheshunt Natural History Society TUES 25 MARCH: HOWLANDS BAPTIST contact: June Crew. 01992 465638. CHURCH, THE COMMONS, WELWYN G.C. HMG Herts Moth Group ‘Outer Hebrides – Flower of the West’ contact Colin Plant. Tel. 01279 507697. Illustrated talk by Brian Sawford. Meet at 8pm Email: [email protected] (HMWT-WHGroup) HMWT Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust Welwyn- Hatfield Group, SAT 29 MARCH: HAVERS COMMUNITY contact Neale Holmes-Smith, 01707- CENTRE, BISHOPS STORTFORD 324313 or Dave Laming 01438 798213 Herts Moth Group Annual Indoor Meeting, at LNHS London Natural History Society 1.00pm (HMG) contact: John Edgington. 020 7837 7800) LNS Letchworth Naturalists Society SUN 6 APRIL: PRESTON & PINNACLE HILL contact: Judie Starkey, 01462 632171 Meet St Mary’s Sq, Hitchin [TL 185291], 10am; No WNHS Welwyn Natural History Society dogs. LNS) contact: Robin Cole. 01438-813403. ______Field Meetings and Training Courses - new programme for 2008! HNHS CONTACTS

This year HNHS has got together with the Herts Chairman: Peter Delaloye and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Lee Valley 9A The Meads, Bricket Wood, Regional Park Authority to arrange a joint St Albans, AL2 3QJ programme of wildlife training workshops. These Tel: 01923 662456 build on the successful series run by HMWT and [email protected] LVP in previous years.

The expanded programme will include new and Secretary and Registrar: Linda Smith exciting workshops, such as Woodpeckers, 24 Mandeville Rise Reptiles, Grasses and Sedges, a river day (river Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7JU sampling and use of labs in the afternoon to take Tel: 01707 330405 a closer look at what you caught) and bird ringing, [email protected] as well as retaining firm favourites such as Dragonflies, Bats and Trees, which always prove Editor of the ‘Hertfordshire Naturalist’ very popular. All our workshops will be led by Stuart Warrington skilled leaders from HMWT, LVRPA or HNHS; 8 Redwoods, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7NR ecologists or local naturalists. Tel: 01707 885676 The programme will run from March 2008 to [email protected] February 2009. The majority of workshops will be held at the weekend running from 10am to 1pm Editor of ‘Hertfordshire Bird Report’ for half-day workshops, or until 4pm for full-day Ted Fletcher workshops. However, to get the chance to see Beech House, Aspenden, Buntingford, SG9 some of our best-loved animals some will have an 9PG; Tel: 01763 272979 earlier start. They will be open to anyone Email: [email protected] (minimum age 12 years) and we hope they will appeal to younger people. Editor of ‘Field Notes’ Trevor James Details will go out in the New Year to members in 56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, SG7 5PE a variety of formats and will be available on web Tel: 01462 742684 sites of participating organisation. Alternatively [email protected] contact the co-ordinator at the Trust, Jennifer Gilbert at [email protected]. Ronni Edmonds-Brown 8