Sunday 19th April 2020 10:30 AM SZ 0322 7733 Wednesday 27th May 2020 10:30 AM SU 0635 4214 Tuesday 30th June 2020 10:30 AM SU 0736 9232 Durlston Country Park NNR Blakehill Farm Leader: Ben Cooke Leader: Martin Buckland Leaders: Dave Green and Martin Buckland A trip to Dorset to seek out and find Durlston's speciality: "One of our gentians is missing ". We have been invited to Most of Blakehill has been well visited and recorded, Early Spider-orchid. In addition we will explore the site for seek out Early Gentian whose numbers have dipped here however one or two areas still could still benefit from any other species unfamiliar in . Note: as this site over the years. However this meeting is not restricted to another inspection so come and see what we can find. This is coastal, it is likely to be steep and uneven in places. Parsonage Bank and we will be free to wander and enjoy meeting is also ideal for beginners and improvers as Dave Meet at Durlston CP car park, south of Swanage. There will the reserve as a whole; we may well find Burnt Orchid. Green will be on hand to direct a separate group for be a charge of £5 (2019) for all day parking. Meet at Cherry Lodge Farm, SP3 4ET. Access off the training. B3083 between Winterbourne Stoke and Shrewton. Meet at Blakehill car park just off the B4040 Cricklade to Malmesbury Road, nearest postcode SN6 6RA. Saturday 25th April 2020 10:30 AM SU 2074 3694 th Porton Down Sunday 14 June 2020 10:30 AM SU 1887 2363 Wednesday 8th July 2020 6:30 PM ST 8804 4428 Leader: Pat Woodruffe Bioblitz: Standlynch Farm Smallbrook Meadows Our aim is to search out the less common spring-flowering Organiser: Martin Buckland species of mouse-ear that have been recorded here, We have been invited to join a weekend of Bioblitzing at Leader: Dave Green hopefully adding to this whilst also enjoying other early Standlynch. Water meadows, downland reversion, ancient A casual evening stroll through water meadows surrounded plants. woodland and arable are all available to survey and record. by the Rivers Were and Wylye. There are no botanical Meet at the Conservation Room within the car park area. According to numbers of attendees we may well split into targets other than just to enjoy what we find at this (Nearest postcode SP4 0BF). Please note this is an all day smaller groups so please bring a GPS if you have one. All botanical delight. meeting and it will be difficult to escort members off site maps and recording cards will be supplied. Meet at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Car Park in Smallbrook other than in an emergency. Security checks need to be Meet at Standlynch Farm, SP5 3QU, 2km north of Road. In Warminster, turn south off the B3414 Boreham made so those members wishing to attend must supply Downton. Road into Smallbrook Road which leads you to the car name, date of birth and car registration number to Pat by park. 20th March 2020. Sunday 21st June 2020 10:30 AM ST 7976 3501 th Whitesheet Hill Saturday 18 July 2020 10:30 AM SU 2800 1930 Saturday 9th May 2020 10:30 AM ST 8405 7479 Leaders: Penny Lee and Martin Buckland Plaitford Common, Castle Combe Valley We will explore the corner of this large area of chalk Leaders: Pat Woodruffe and Dave Green Leader: Dave Green downland that lies in Wiltshire. We hope to find and see We will explore Plaitford Common for acid-loving flora. We A walk within the Wiltshire Cotswolds on limestone soils. Frog Orchid, Meadow Saxifrage and perhaps Field may well find Star Sedge, Chaffweed, Chamomile and We hope to visit Out Woods and Danks Down Wood to find Fleawort. Marsh Clubmoss, all of which have been recorded there in Angular Solomon's-seal, Herb-Paris and possibly Lily-of- Meet in the small car park in White Sheet Lane a little over the past. the-valley. Note: some of the route may involve steep 1km east of the B3092.There is a steep climb up the hill Meet at Plaitford Village Hall car park. (Nearest postcode walking. from the carpark. SO51 6GY).This is on the north side of the A36, just past Meet at the public car park in Ford village. (Nearest The Shoe Inn (coming from Salisbury direction) and postcode (SN14 8BA).Take the minor road off the A420 opposite some large commercial glasshouses. toward Thickwood and the car park is just after The White Hart on the left. We may then decant into a few cars and Contacts: move on from here or use this as a base to walk from. Jane Brown ------07804 [email protected] Martin Buckland ------07758 [email protected] Friday 15th to Monday 18th May 2020 Ben Cooke ------07792 [email protected] Paul Darby ------07919 [email protected] Suffolk Residential Meeting Dave Green ------07900 [email protected] Organisers: Pat Woodruffe and Dave Green Penny Lee ------07948 [email protected] Exploration of the southern part of the Breckland, the fens Ailsa McKee ------07746 [email protected] and ancient woodland of the central part of the county. John Moon ------01264 [email protected] Sharon Pilkington ------07801 [email protected] Contact Pat Woodruffe for details. Pat Woodruffe ------07966 [email protected] Saturday 1st August 2020 10:30 AM SU 0918 4614 Sunday 6th September 2020 10:30 AM ST 853 858 Larkhill & Westdown Ranges Flora Recording: ST88 Sherston Area Leaders: Sharon Pilkington and Penny Lee Organiser: Sharon Pilkington Today we shall botanise in an area of Salisbury Plain that is Although formal recording for the BSBI Atlas normally out of bounds to the public. Booking is essential. Project has come to an end, there are still parts of the Meet at the car park just north of the Bustard Inn adjacent county with very few records. This recording day will Vedette 9. (Nearest postcode SP3 4DT). From there we will target poorly-worked areas of ST88 hectad in NW take fewer vehicles into the plain. Numbers are limited, and Wiltshire. We'll meet initially in Sherston and head off in it's for WBS members only. Please contact Penny Lee from small groups to record areas nearby. All maps, March 14th to book your place. As military training on the forms and instructions will be provided. Please bring plain can change rapidly, this meeting could be cancelled at a GPS if you have one. very short notice. Meet near the Post Office on the High Street. (Nearest postcode SN16 0LH). There is on-street parking along Wiltshire Botanical the High Street but if it is very busy it may be necessary Saturday 8th August 2020 10:30 AM SU 2336 5006 to park on nearby roads. Salisbury Plain CCDA Society Leader: John Moon Sunday 25th October 2020 10:00 AM SU 258 291 Another visit to Salisbury Plain, this time visiting the Cross- Fungus Recording Day Country Driving Area where we hope to see some interesting annuals on the track edges, not least Broad- Co-ordinator: Ailsa McKee leaved Cudweed. We will also explore water plants in the In this meeting we’ll seek out and record the fungi of permanent and seasonal areas on the CCDA as well as Bentley Wood. Whilst the meeting starts at 10am we searching the nearby beech woods for Bird's-nest Orchid will assemble at 12:30pm to identify the specimens and maybe even Yellow Bird's-nest. gathered. Bring suitable clothing for rough muddy Meet at Tank Crossing DD just off the A338, north of conditions and also a snack and drink. This is a joint Tidworth from where we will then drive on for about a mile meeting with the Friends of Bentley Wood and the to our destination. As with all matters on the plain, last Salisbury & District Natural History Society. minute changes may occur and access disallowed. If so, an Meet at the Eastern Clearing car park which is alternative site nearby would be visited. 500m into the wood from the turning off the minor road at SU2639 2929. This is just over 2km north of West Dean village. Sunday 16th August 2020 10:30 AM SU 2772 6430 Field Meetings 2020 Chisbury Wood and Bewley Pond Leaders: Paul Darby and Jane Brown A walk from Great Bedwyn to Chisbury Wood. This area is very rich with over 190 species recorded since 2000, not least three species of wood-rush. We will also attempt to find an old record of Round-leaved Crowfoot at Bewley Pond. Please note that most meetings in this programme are For further information, contact Meet outside the Church (nearest postcode SN8 3PF) from all day so bring a packed lunch. Martin Buckland where we will commence our walk. Parking is available We regret that we are unable to accommodate dogs Tel: 07758 284786 along Church Street. on our field meetings. Email: [email protected] Every effort is made to inform participants of known difficulties associated with visits. However all those We welcome members’ friends to our attending WBS field meetings do so at their own risk. meetings, beginners and experts alike …. Please remember to bring suitable clothing, footwear and, if necessary, sunscreen. http://www.wiltsbotsoc.co.uk