Events
All are welcome to our field meetings and lectures, which are free to members, and are open to visitors on payment of a fee of £3 per person.
Lectures take place at fortnightly meetings held between October and March (inclusive) on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 pm in the Friends Meeting House, 12A Queen Parade, Harrogate HG1 5PP.
Field meetings are held throughout the year and give opportunities to pursue specific interests and learn about biodiversity in different habitats.
Reports of past excursions can be found on this website (under Trip Reports).
Please note the following precautions for field meetings: stout footwear and suitable outdoor clothing should always be worn. Bring plenty of food and drink, with sun blocker and insect repellent when relevant. Participants take part entirely at their own risk and are responsible for their personal safety and the security of their personal belongings.
Of course the weather can never be guaranteed, so some events may have to be altered slightly to work around any inclement precipitations! Also note that return times are approximate only.
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Notes for botanical field trips
Please email or ‘phone the organiser to say you are coming, this will make it possible to car share – many of the venues have little parking; also changes to the printed programme may have occurred. Please bring next-of-kin name and phone number.
Contact Details:
Contact: Kerry Morrison or Muff Upsall (see membership card or Members' Area for contact details)
Notes for ornithological meetings led by Mike Smithson
All meetings are self drive / car share but the resumption of the coach trips is being kept under review. Please contact Mike Smithson beforehand if you intend to come (contact details in the Members' Area).
Please also supply Mike with an emergency name and phone number either prior to coming or when you arrive. As with most field meetings a packed lunch and suitable clothing is recommended.
Fairburn Ings
May 8, 2024 at 10:00 am - May 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Location: Meet at RSPB Fairburn Ings carpark at 10.00. RSPB members park for free.
Price - £3, free to members
Summer migrants, waders, waterfowl, egrets and spoonbills should be here.
Event Organiser: Mike Smithson
Woodland Flora of Rougemont Carr
May 15, 2024
Location: tba
Price - £3, free to members
Further details to follow. This is an all-day event.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Event Leader: Bruce Brown, WNS
Yorkshire Dales
June 7, 2024
Location: TBA
Price - £3, free to members
Upland limestone flora including hopefully Mountain Avens. Further details TBA.
Event Organiser: Muff Upsall
Event Leader: Kevin Walker
Stainburn Forest for Nightjar
June 11, 2024 at 9:00 pm - June 11, 2024 at 11:00 pm
Location: Meet at the carpark on Norwood Lane at 9.00 PM.
Price - £3, free to members
Looking for Nightjars and Woodcocks as dusk approaches. We usually return to the cars for 11.00.
Event Organiser: Mike Smithson
Botany of the Malham area
June 27, 2024
Location: TBA
Price - £3, free to members
Botany of the Malham area including hopefully special permission to visit Great Close Mire. Further details to be announced.
Event Organiser: Muff Upsall
Event Leader: Kevin Walker
Askham Bog YWT
July 9, 2024 at 1:30 pm
Location: Askham Bog YWT Car park
Price - £3, free to members
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Event Leader: Alastair Fitter
Nosterfield Nature Reserve
August 20, 2024 at 10:00 am - August 20, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Location: Meet at Nosterfield N.R. carpark at 10.00
Price - £3, free to members
The area consists of several lakes as well as the reserve. We will be looking for the local summer breeding migrants and returning waders.
Event Organiser: Mike Smithson
‘The ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough’ -Past, Present & Future.
October 2, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
The ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough dates back to the 12th century and stretched out west beyond Blubberhouses. Its unfortunate demise dates back to the 1770 Enclosure Act instigated by the Duchy of Lancaster. Today many ancient forests are being reinvigorated and there is great potential for the forest in the developing Yorkshire White Rose Forest and the Governments proposed coast to coast Northern Forest – 50million trees by 2050 aiming to 1] absorb carbon dioxide, 2] retain water flow 3] create urban and rural areas of wellbeing 4] increase biodiversity in the region
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: David Rhodes
Projects and Progress at the White Rose Forest
October 16, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
Introducing the White Rose Forest and our part in the England Community Forest (ECF). Explaining the processes and challenges of woodland creation through case studies of key projects across our area and summarising our progress. With particular focus on the Royal Forest of Knaresborough and the wider SUNO catchment.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Emma Hosker
Fungus foray
October 24, 2024
Location: tba
Price - £3, free to members
Hold this date, details to follow
The breeding behaviour of Curlews
October 30, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
The curlew year and lessons learnt from 3 years of close observation of curlews during their breeding season. Establishing the causes, in the Darley Beck area, of poor breeding success, and measures taken by DBCP to improve it.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Clive White
The Skell Valley Project
November 13, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
Project manager Nabil Abbas will provide an overview of the Skell Valley Project, a 4-year partnership project which is working to improve landscape resilience, support nature recovery, research & celebrate heritage and engage people in protecting the landscape of this North Yorkshire valley.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Nabil Abbas
Collaboration for Conservation: Working together to protect North Yorkshire’s White-clawed Crayfish.
November 27, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
The background/ ecology of white-clawed crayfish including the threats they face and reason for decline, with an introduction to the North Yorkshire Crayfish Forum and action plan for crayfish in North Yorkshire, past and current crayfish projects, and what you can do to help.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Vanessa Barlow
‘In the footsteps of Pallas’ – an account of a two week trip to Central and Western Mongolia in 2023
December 11, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
A number of birds and animal species were searched for with the names attached to the 18th century Prussian zoologist – plus much more! Especially the prized big cat of the Altai – the beautiful ‘Ounce’.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Colin Slator
Trees and Fungi – part 2
January 8, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
A further look at the relationships between the two using examples from Yorkshire woodlands.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Andy Woodall
Butterfly Conservation, 30 years and still counting
January 22, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
Trends in Yorkshire’s butterfly abundance and distribution’ with an emphasis on new Nidderdale species like the Silver-washed fritillary and what happened in 2023, the effects of climate change and other drivers.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Nick Hall
The World of the Honey Bee
February 5, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting house, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
A brief insight into the wonders of the world of Apis mellifera and other bee species, including evolution, anatomy and environment, plus sections on how to help and what to plant. There may even be one or two rather bad bee jokes!
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Sarah Haynes
Birds in Music
February 19, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
In this varied talk with audio illustrations, Kevin will outline some of the many ways our feathered friends have been depicted in music over the centuries. Many familiar species will be featured although there could well be a few musical birds that can’t decide what species they are! All the musical extracts will be fairly short and there will definitely be something for all tastes!
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Kevin Paynes
Spiders in the Garden
March 5, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Location: Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Price - £3, free to members
Gardening for wildlife has become a major topic in recent years but there is still an emphasis on attracting bees and butterflies. Spiders are equally important. Geoff will explain some of the biology, and often bizarre lifestyles, of a selection of the common spiders to be found in Yorkshire gardens, and how to encourage them to take up residence.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Presenter: Geoff Oxford
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