The Field Secretary is
John Newbould, telephone 01305 837384,
john_newbould
btinternet
com
Meetings will start at 10.30am, unless otherwise indicated. Members attending meetings should wear suitable footwear and clothes and bring sufficient food and drinks for a day in the field. We regret that a parent or guardian must accompany young people, under the age of 18. Please telephone John Newbould on 01305 837384 or Peter Hatherley on 01202 882861 before travelling; because of the high price of petrol, leaders will not attend in adverse weather conditions.
Bryan Edwards is wishing to update the County's records of grasshoppers, bush crickets and earwigs with a view to publishing an atlas at the end of 2009. Members are asked to send records to Bryan at Dorset Environmental Records Centre (DERC). The timing of this project is fortuitous, as Dr Helen Roy of the Biological Records Centre has recently announced a national project for this group.
Thursdays, October 1, November 5, December 3 2009: River Frome winter wildlife. This is the ninth season of regular winter bird count of waders and water-fowl in the Frome Valley. We start around 9.00am and finish around 1.00pm, meeting at the lay-by east of the B3143 Piddlehinton road on the B3150, east of Dorchester, SY 704 911. We visit, by car, around 12 places between there and Wareham. Please telephone John Newbould to take part.
Thursday May 27, 10.30am: Nether Cerne. Meet near the Church at SY 670 983 with lunch. The day is by invitation of Mr E. Gallia. The farm is a mixed arable, together with set-aside strips, chalk grassland slopes, woodlands and a stream together with ponds.
At the DIRG meeting in February, Bill Shreeves highlighted some under-recorded areas for butterflies, including SY 79 and ST 50 in particular. It is very difficult to make a date as such recording is very weather dependent, but I am willing to look in these areas in July. If anybody will help please contact John Newbould.
Enquiries please to the Field Secretary.
Thursday June 25th, Pilsdon Pen. Meet at the lay-by on the B3164 on Cockpit Hill, ST 445 009. This National Trust site requires an update of its natural history. There is an excellent example of Pillar Mounds at its northern end.
Joint Meeting with Dorset Invertebrate Recording Group: Thursday July 9th, Studland Estate (National Trust): We have been asked by the National Trust to look at under-recorded areas of wet woodland adjacent to the Knoll Beach Education Centre. Wellingtons advisable. Meet 10.30am at the centre car park, SZ 033 836. Contact John Newbould regarding free admission before the meeting.
Thursday July 16th, Ringstead Estate (National Trust). Meet in the car park at its eastern end SY 760 823. Access is via Upton from the A353. For Chalk Carpet and to monitor populations of Lulworth Skipper and Field Garlic.
For events of the Dorset Flora Group, follow this link.
See also the Dorset County Boundary Survey programme.
