Next Meeting:
Sophie Cunnington: Yellow Wagtail Project and other work with local farmers
Friday 25th April, 8pm, St Leonard's Church Watlington
2025 Programme
Most of our meetings are open to all and free for members. Some may require booking and visitors will be asked for a contribution.
| Date | Title | Speaker / Leader | Venue / Location |
| Friday 31st January, 8pm |
AGM: review, look forward, refreshments... |
Multiple Speakers | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 28th February, 8pm | Talk based on the 'Cull of the Wild' book | Hugh Warwick | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 28th March, 8pm | 'Reserves Challenge': visiting all BBOWT reserves in a year | Jon Mason | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 25th April, 8pm | Yellow Wagtail Project and other work with local farmers | Sophie Cunnington | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
|
Thursday 29th May, Time TBC |
Guided visit to BBOWT Yoesden Reserve | BBOWT |
Yoesden Reserve |
| Saturday 28th June, Time TBC |
Open Day, comprising various activities at the Watlington Chalk Pits which WEG manage on behalf of the Parish Council |
Member led | Watlington Chalk Pits |
| Saturday 26th July, Time TBC |
Geologically themed local visit |
Charlotte and David Rushton | TBC |
|
Saturday 30th August, 2pm |
Guided visit to the Lye Valley |
TBC | TBC |
|
Saturday 27th September, Time TBC |
Guided tour of the Broad Arboretum |
TBC |
Little Wittenham |
| Friday 31 October, 8pm |
About advances in biodiversity monitoring, especially the use of new technology |
Tom August (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 28th November, 8pm |
The Changing Wildlife of the Chilterns |
John Tyler | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
|
December |
No Meeting |
2024 Programme
| Date | Title | Speaker / Leader | Venue / Location |
| Friday 26th January, 8pm |
AGM: review, look forward, refreshments... |
Multiple Speakers | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 2nd February, 8pm | Showing of two films by Nicola Shafer: about a Natural Flood Management project in the Evenlode catchment in Oxfordshire; and boosting curlew breeding success along the Upper Thames | Nicola Shafer | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 23rd February, 8pm | Various local River Thame Conservation Trust and Chilterns Conservation Board projects | Nick Marriner | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 22nd March, 8pm (note: not last Friday) | The wonder of moths - mothing with or without a moth trap | Will Langdon | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
|
Saturday 27th April, 10am |
Local walk to experience the birds and other sights and sounds of spring, followed by optional lunch and social | Member-led |
Christmas Common |
| Friday 31st May, 8pm |
Delving into Dung (all about dung beetles) |
Sally-Ann Spence | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Saturday 29th June, 2pm |
Visit to see a River Thame Conservation Trust project(s) |
Hilary Phillips | TBA |
|
Friday 26th July, 8pm |
Standing Up For Trees |
Janet Widdows | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
|
Saturday 31st August, 8am |
'Moth breakfast' (looking at moths caught overnight in a trap, as they are released) |
Marc Botham |
Watlington Chalk Pits |
| Saturday 28th September, 2pm |
Trip to Church Farm, Little Wittenham, to look at the Yellow Wagtail Partnership and their general approach to farming, which includes livestock |
Sophie Cunnington | Church Farm, Little Wittenham |
| Monday 14th October, 1:30 pm |
Fungus Foray: Outdoor event meeting at Cowleaze Wood car park (between Stockenchurch and Christmas Common ///dipping.treaties.buggy). We will investigate the fungi growing nearby on Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve, an area known to be rich in fungal diversity. Participants are reminded that the ground is uneven and often steep and slippery. No foraging of fungi for eating will be allowed. |
Judy Webb | Aston Rowant Nature Reserve |
| Friday 22nd November, 8pm (note: not last Friday) | Robert Barber Lecture | TBA | TBA |
|
December |
No Meeting |
2023 Programme
| Date | Title | Speaker / Leader | Venue / Location |
| Friday 27th January 8pm |
AGM & Annual Social |
Multiple Speakers | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 24th February 7.30pm | Why You Should Love Wasps - an introduction to their enigmatic, weird and wonderful world | Seirian Sumner | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 31st March 7.30pm | The Extraordinary Colour Variations of the Banded Snail - Cepaea | Laurence Cook | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Saturday 29th April -pm | Visit to Withymead Nature Reserve | A warden | Near Goring |
| Saturday 27th May - 2.00 - 4.30pm | Guided Tour of Babylon Plants - Nursery & Meadow | Rick Bennett |
Near Cuxham |
| Saturday 24th June time tba |
Walk to explore the wild flowers of Aston Rowant NNR |
Dr Jonathan Mitchley | Aston Rowant NNR |
| Saturday 29th July - 10:30am |
Guided tour of Wittenham Woods SSSI |
Robin Buxton | Wittenham Woods |
|
Saturday 19th August time 3:00pm |
Visit to Watlington Hill, followed by social at the Spire and Spoke |
Matt Bond (NT Ranger) | Watlington Hill |
|
Friday 29th September 7.30pm |
**UPDATED** Film night: a series of short films on real solutions to climate change, followed by discussion |
WEG Committee |
St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 27th October 7.30pm |
The Plants and Ecology of Chalk Grassland |
Dr Jonathan Mitchley | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Friday 24th November 7.30pm |
Local Geology |
Charlotte Moss and David Rushton | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
|
December |
No Meeting |
2022 Programme
| Date | Title | Speaker / Leader | Venue / Location |
| Friday 28th January 8pm |
AGM with Quiz |
via Zoom | |
| Friday 25th February 8pm | Why Wild Bees Matter | Roselle Chapman | via Zoom |
| Friday 11th March 8pm | What Eggs Reveal About Avian Evolution and Behaviour | Prof Cassie Stoddard | via Zoom |
| Friday 25th March 8pm | Track & Sign - the naturalist's forgotten skill | Bob Cowley | via Zoom |
| Late April | 5 'Birds on your Doorstep' bird walks | Mike Chadwick |
Various local locations |
| Saturday 28th May tbc |
'Flowers on your Doorstep' - walk |
tbc | Watlington |
| Saturday 25th June |
Bumble Bee ID Session |
Roselle Chapman | Watlington |
| Saturday 30th July |
Ants etc. |
Dr Tim King | Aston Rowant NNR |
|
Saturday 27th August tbc |
Nature Walk inc Pub Supper |
Local location + The Spire & Spoke PH |
|
| Friday 7th October 8pm |
Chiltern Hillforts Project |
Wendy Morrison | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| Saturday 29th October |
Track & Sign field session |
Bob Cowley | Location tbc |
|
Friday 18th November 8pm |
The Future of Farming |
Harold Makant | St Leonard's Church, Watlington |
| December |
No Meeting |
Contact us: info@watlington-environment-group.org.uk
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