Jan

10^th  

PHOTO COMPETITION – THE RON ARNOLD SHIELD

We kick off the new year with the Society’s photo competition. You may bring up to eight un-mounted prints of up to A4 size. Full rules in The Magpie

17^th

NATURAL BORN KILLERS – THE BIRDS OF PREY

A look at the world of some of nature’s most successful predators – raptors and owls –  at home and abroad. Chris Ward will show us their adaptations, behaviour & prey

24^th

BECHSTEIN’S BATS IN BUCKS

One of our rarest native bat species, Bechstein’s bat, has recently been discovered living in Bucks. Ecologist and bat enthusiast Chris Damant will tell us the story so far. 

29^th

HANSON CENTRE & STANTON LOW – WINTER WALK

Sunday

A rare winter field trip to Linford Lakes. Should be plenty of wildfowl to see and 2p.m to perhaps over-wintering raptors and owls in surrounding fields. Ample parking space dusk at the reserve car park.SP 844428

31^st

HAREBELLS AND HEATHER – A SUMMER IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SCOTLAND AND THE ALPS

Society member Julie Lane was lucky enough to visit both these mountainous regions last summer. Her talk tonight will compare their montane floras

FEB

7^th

SRI LANKA – AN ADVENTURE IN SERENDIPITY

Our Chairman Steve Brady toured this ancient and biologically diverse tropical island last year. Come and see what he found on the mythical island of Taprobane - a land which deserves to share, with England’s smallest county, the motto: Multum in parvo … much in little!

14^th

SUMMER PLANNING

If you want a say in where we visit over the summer months, or if you are willing to lead one or more walks, make sure you are here. Gordon Redford will be waiting with pencil sharpened. Please bring diaries and OS Maps

21^st

MEMBERS’ NIGHT – 1

A chance for you to address your fellow members. Do you have a prized possession in your natural history collection? Maybe a rare specimen, a special book or perhaps an unusual artefact collected on your travels? Please bring along your favourite(s) and be ready to tell a story.

28^th

LIFE IN A NUTSHELL – THE REG MILLS LECTURE

Nature is full of countless small and minutely detailed things, most of which go completely unnoticed by we humans. John Tyler takes us into this miniature world, where everything from the scales on a butterfly’s wings to a slime mould would fit comfortably into a nutshell.

MAR

6^th

THE BLACK POPLAR WORKING GROUP

How did the UK’s black poplars reach their endangered state? What is being done to safeguard a future for them? Alan Holmes has been working on black poplars for some years and will update us on current action plans to save this iconic tree.

13^th

THE  LIFE AND TIMES OF A MUSEUM ENQUIRIES OFFICER

Mandy Holloway worked as a curator and enquiries officer at the Natural History Museum, London. She will regale us with stories of Surrey dinosaurs, turtles and even a mermaid! If you saw the BBC TV Series ‘Museum of Life’ you won’t want to miss this. 

20^th

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Please come along to our AGM.  This year to include the election of a new Chairman and Officers to the committee.

23^rd

ANNUAL SOCIETY DINNER

Friday

At The Robin Hood, Clifton Reynes. Contact Steve Brady for full details.

27^th

MEMBERS’ NIGHT – 2

A more conventional members’ evening this time. Offers to talk to Martin please.

APR

3^rd

INDIA REVISITED

Sound and vision tonight as Linda and Alan Piggott show us the edited highlights of their Indian trip two years ago.

10^th

NO MEETING – EASTER BREAK

17^th

OTTERS

Dr Daniel Allen is the author of a major new book on otters, which looks not only at their biology but at their place in human culture and folklore. In tonight’s talk Daniel will show how the animal’s identity has been shaped by human interaction.

24^th

PRACTICAL EVENING – WHAT’S THAT CATERPILLAR?

Members often bring caterpillars along to meetings to be identified, so tonight we dedicate an entire evening to these tricky creatures. Think ‘Antiques Roadshow’ but with larvae. Messrs Wickham, Redford, Higgs and Kincaid will do their best to        identify them (or pupae) if you bring some specimens along.

1^st  May 2012 – Next Meeting (Outdoors) –  7.00