Evening meetings take place on the first and third Tuesday of each month (between October & March) at Pangbourne Village Hall starting 7:45pm. Visitors are welcome at our indoor meetings at a charge of £3. If you wish to become a member click here. Our programme of field trips and informal walks takes place throughout the year and is listed here.

Winter 2017/2018

3^rd October David Cliffe
Presidential Address: The Photographs of Ken Grinstead
Ken was a committee member, editor of The Reading Naturalist and an excellent natural history photographer. Following his death in 2010, the Society received some 10,000 of Ken’s slides. This talk will show some of the slides, now in digital format, and make suggestions as to how they might be utilized.

17^th October Dr. Tom Oliver (Reading Univ.)
Impact of climate change and land use on butterflies.
In the UK, we have a wealth of natural history data collected by dedicated volunteers which is very useful for understanding the impact of environmental change on butterflies. Dr. Oliver will show how detailed analysis of the data enables environmentalists to make informed decisions for butterfly conservation.

7^th November Des Sussex (Natural England)
Damselflies and Dragonflies in Southern Lowland Britain.
The talk will cover both common and scarcer species of damselflies and dragonflies and their habitats, with particular reference to localities in Berkshire. Des will discuss their lifecycles, and include details of some conservation actions taken to help these wonderful insects. Joint meeting with BBOWT.

21^st November Katrina van Grouw
A very Fine Swan Indeed: Art, Science and the Unfeathered Bird.
If you’d expect a book about bird anatomy to be specialized and academic, think again. The Unfeathered Bird is a unique combination of art and science aimed at anyone interested in birds. Join Katrina as she discusses her inspirations for the book, and the 25-year journey to create it.

5^th December Dr. Tara Pirie (Reading Univ.)
Leopards in South Africa.
Dr. Pirie will talk about South African leopards including general biology, her research and the methods used to identify them using their coat patterns. The talk will include information about the extremely rare strawberry/erythristic leopard captured on camera.

19^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2018

2^nd January Tony Rayner
Conservation – my way.
Tony’s Presidential Address in 2003 was about creating a private nature reserve from scratch. 14 years on, this talk seeks to outline the development and uses of this Cholsey site. Expect to hear about education, cider and a book.

16^th January Dr. Michael Keith-Lucas
Climate Change – What will happen to your garden?
Our speaker will talk about the effect of climate change on the plants in our gardens, and how it is affecting agriculture and wild species throughout the year. Michael has made an in-depth study of this topic over many years, so come along to hear a very well informed talk.

6^th February Dr. Seirian Sumner (UCL)
Why you should love wasps.
Everyone loves bees and is awe-struck by ants but no-one loves wasps. Dr. Sumner’s mission is to make you think differently about these insects: there are 100 times more species of wasps than ants and bees combined, and their populations are declining at rates faster than bees. Without wasps your garden would be swamped with insect pests and spiders. But the main reason our speaker loves wasps is because their social behaviour is extraordinary and has many parallels with our own. Come along to find out!

20^th February Lizzie Croose (Vincent Trust)
On the trail of polecats and pine martens, Britain’s most elusive mammals?
This illustrated talk will present information on the ecology of polecats and pine martens, and the trials, tribulations and pleasure of studying them. Joint meeting with BBOWT.

6^th March Prof. Richard Fortey FRS, FRSL
The History of a Beech Wood.
Prof. Fortey owns a small patch of Chiltern beech wood, and has spent several years researching its natural and human history to understand more about the origins and dynamics of our “ancient” countryside. Prof. Fortey is a paleontologist, natural historian, writer and TV presenter. Author of The Wood for the Trees.

20^thMarch AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2016/2017

4^th October Jan Haseler
Presidential Address: The ghost of field trips past
This talk compares sightings on recent field trips with wildlife reports from members of the Society for the years 1880 – 1959 and tells how the Society’s publications have chronicled historic changes to our local countryside.

18^th October Dr. Martin Bidartondo (Imperial College)
Heathlands underground
Joint meeting with BBOWT. Britain’s heathlands are of global significance for biodiversity conservation and are fascinating habitats to understand ecology. In the last few years we have gained new information on how trees invade heaths and how bryophytes aid heathers. Come to hear this popular speaker describe how the intimate links between fungi and plants shape our heathlands.

1^st November Prof Alex Rodgers (Oxford Univ.)
Wonders, old threats and new dangers in the oceans
The deep-ocean ridges of the Southern and Indian Oceans host an amazing range of habitats including cold-water coral reefs, gardens and hot springs. So far only 0.0001% of this habitat has been explored. Now it faces conflict not only with the deep sea fishing industry but also the prospect of mining on the ocean floor. How do we sustainably manage these issues?

15^th November Irene Texidor Toneu (Reading Univ.)
Who took the roots away? Moroccan medicinal plants.
A wide range of plants in the High Atlas Mountains are harvested for medicinal use by the rural communities and sold in the souks. This talk will explore the medicinal plant diversity in Morocco and the factors that threaten the conservation of some important wild populations of medicinal plants.

6^th December Prof Mark Fellowes (Reading Univ.)
By accident and by design: how our decisions affect our garden birds.
Joint meeting with RSPB. Our gardens are home to an incredible diversity of wild life. Every day we collectively make decisions that determine what lives and what dies on our doorsteps. In this talk Prof Fellowes shares examples from his research of the consequences for garden birds from blackbirds to red kites.

20^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2017

3^rd January Prof. Paul Hadley (Reading Univ.)
Safeguarding the future of chocolate
Prof. Hadley will talk about the history of cultivation of cocoa, the making of chocolate and the current problems facing the crop. Farmers need improved cocoa with higher productivity and greater resilience to unfavourable climatic conditions, combined with more sustainable farming practices. The speaker is Director of the Centre of Horticulture and he has been working on cocoa crop improvement for over 35 years.

17^th January Prof. Helen Roy (C.E.H.)
Unravelling the story of an alien invader – the harlequin ladybird.
The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, was first recorded in the UK in 2004. What followed is a remarkable story of inspiring contributions from people across the country furthering our understanding of the ecology of this invasive non-native species.

7^th February Dr. Markus Wagner (C.E.H.)
Rare arable wildflowers and their preservation in the modern agricultural landscape.
Agriculture has changed markedly since the 1940s with profound effects on arable ecosystems. This talk will focus on research into formerly widespread but now rare arable plants. Bring your smartphone to this talk for an introduction to CEH’s new Rare Arable Flowers mobile phone app.

21^st February Dr. Lucy Aplin (Oxford Univ.)
Cultured birds? Social networks and foraging traditions in great tits.
Do animals use their social networks to learn new behaviours? Can this be considered “cultural”? Building on the well-known “milk-bottle” innovation, our speaker has researched these questions in great tits at Wytham Woods in Oxfordshire. By using tracking technologies and wild experiments, Dr. Aplin has studied the process by which such innovations spread in populations.

7^th March Dr. Timothy King (Oxford Univ.)
Ants, ant intelligence and ant-hills.
After reviewing ants, our speaker will describe how an ant’s body is equipped for efficient communication and how colonies are organized. The yellow meadow ant builds the familiar mounds in pastures. Dr. King will explain how it increases animal and plant diversity, drawing on his research at Aston Rowant NNR.

21^st March AGM and Members’ Evening

Previous seasons

Winter 2015/2016

6^th October Jan Haseler
Presidential Address: The wildlife of the Streatley Hills

20^th October Carl Hunter Roach
A local view of Bird Ringing

3^rd November Dr. Richard Comont (Data Monitoring Officer, Bumblebee conservation trust).
The plight of the bumblebee.

17^th November Owen Mountford (C.E.H )
Between the Woods and the Water: the Natural History of Romania

1^st December Prof Peter Worsley ( Reading Univ.)
The Sulham Gap area from a geological perspective.

15^th December Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2016

5^th January Peter Creed (Nature consultant and author)
Wild orchids in Berks, Bucks and Oxon

19^th January Timothy Walker (Oxford Univ.)
Sex, Lies and Putrefaction

2^nd February Dr. P. Morris (Author)
The Edible Dormouse- a protected pest coming your way!

16^th February Dr. Tom Hart (Univ. Oxford)
Beyond Bases: 21^st century techniques to monitor Antarctica

1^st March Erika Degani/ Samuel Leigh(Reading Univ.)
Can novel crop rotations enhance multiple ecosystem services?

15^th March AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2014/2015

7^th October Dr. Michael Keith-Lucas
Presidential Address: The natural history of Shetland

21^st October Emma Rothero (OU)
Floodplain meadows: a natural and cultural history

4^th November Prof. Jeremy Thomas OBE (Oxford Univ.)
Butterflies that live with ants

18^th November Marek Borkowski (Wildlife Poland)
Pole position in nature conservation

2^nd December Katherine Booth-Jones (Reading Univ.)
Tracking tropical seabirds: the influence of genes and environment on dispersal

16^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2015

6^th January Dick Greenaway (Chairman West Berkshire Countryside Society)
Where did our woods come from? A short history of woodland in southern England

20^th January Alan Potter (Brunel microscopes)
Microscopes and natural history

3^rd February Dr. Helen Read (Conservation Officer, Burnham Beeches NNR)
Pollards and pollarding, with particular emphasis on Burnham Beeches

17^th February David Cliffe
Flowers of Greece: south and north, autumn and spring

3^rd March John Tyler (Naturalist)
The island of crabs

17^th March AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2013/2014

1^stOctober Dr. Owen Mountford
From Wilderness to Cabbage Patch to a new Waterland – the Changing Face of Fenland

15^th October Dr. Malcolm Storey
Fungi in the Garden

5^th November Martin Townsend
Oak Processionary Moth: history and life history in Berkshire and elsewhere

19^th November Prof. Ben Sheldon
Half a century and counting: population studies of the Great Tit population at Wytham Woods.

3^rd December Chloe Hardman
Wildlife-friendly farming in the UK

17^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2014

7^th January Dr. Michael Keith-Lucas
Presidential Address:How Plants solve Crime

21^st January Martin Woolner
A close and friendly look at some British spiders

4^th February Dr. Martin Bidartondo
Fungi and plants working together

18^th February Dr. Glynn Percival
What’s New in Tree Protection?

4^th March Malcolm Brownsword
Butterflies and Orchids of the Upper Thames Region

18^th March AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2012/2013

2^nd October Prof. Chris Bucke
Presidential Address: European Mountain Flowers

16^th October Roger Dobbs
Practical woodland management – does all our blood, sweat and tears really help wildlife?

6^th November David Redhead
Understanding the Brown Hairstreak Butterfly

20^th November Brian Clews
Wildlife of the JubileeRiver

4^th December Des Sussex
The Thames Basin Heaths

18^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

8^th January Dr Peter Spillett
The Pantanal – Home of the Jaguar

22^nd January Jennnifer and Victoria Wickens
British Bees: an Introduction

5^th February Darren Mann
The Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford – Just a load of dead bugs?

19^th February Dr Daniel Allen
Otters of the World

5^th March Dr Phil Baker
Urban Cats

19^th March AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2011/2012

4^th October Nathan Callaghan / Mark Lee
Traffic Pollution and the Environment

18^th October Helen Whiteside
The Real Life of Fantastic Mr. Fox

1^st November Dr. Fred Rumsey
Ferns of the British Isles

15^th November Prof. Georges Dussart
Slugs and Snails and….? The life and loves of a soft-bodied animal

6^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

2012

3^rd January John Eyre
Gilbert White – the man who started us all bird-watching

17^th January Dr. Renton Righelato
Bird Conservation in Ecuador

7^th February Prof. Chris Bucke
Presidential Address: Photosynthesis

21^st February Jo Hodgkins
Lowland Meadows of England: their history, conservation and wildlife

6^th March Rob McBride
Offa’s Dyke First Ever Ancient Tree Survey

20^th March AGM and Members’ Evening

Winter 2010/2011

5^th October Graham Saunders (Presidential Address)
Ancient Medicine

19^th October Catherine Side and Ray Winger
The Islands of the Hauraki Gulf

2^nd November Paul Stanbury
Wildlife of Madagascar

16^th November Dan Carpenter
Earthworms

7^th December
Christmas Party and Photographic Competition

4^th January Peter Spillet
Peru, Land of Incas, Earthquakes and Biodiversity

18^th January James Butler
An Evening on Safari

1^st February Samantha Cartwright
Conservation of the Mauritius Kestrel

15^th February David Cliffe
As we were – 130 years of the RDNHS

1^st March Dr Malcolm Storey
The Seashore

15^th March Members’ Evening, AGM and Book Sale

2009 Winter

Date	Title	Speaker
6^th October	Presidential Address – AncientGardens:	Graham Saunders
20^th October	Antarctica to Ascension:	Martin Sell
3^rd November	Flowers and fumigants – a brief history of botany at Kew:	Prof. David Mabberley
17^th November	The Darwin Conspiracy / Wallace:	Roy Davies
1^st December	Diatoms and Red Tides:	Prof. Jane Lewis
15^th December	Christmas Party and Photographic Competition	n/a

2010 Spring

Date	Title	Speaker
5^th January	Beavers:	Derek Gow
19^th January	Eels – a threatened species?:	Dr. Brian Knights
2^nd February	A botanist’s view of a tourist destination – the Canarian flora:	Frances Watkins
16^th February	Swift conservation:	Edward Mayer
2^nd March	Glow-worms:	John Tyler
16^th March	Members’ Evening, AGM and Book Sale

2008 Winter

Date	Title	Speaker
7th October	Presidential Address: SU76 Finding the butterflies in a 10K square.	Jan Haseler
21st October	Mr Toad, Ratty & Mole.	Rod d’Ayala
4th November	Otmoor, a new RSPB reserve.	Dr Alan Parfitt
18th November	Aspects of the natural history of the Arctic.	Prof. Peter Worsley
2nd December	Work towards a new Flora of Morocco.	Dr. Stephen Jury
16th December	Christmas Party & photographic competition.

2009 Spring

Date	Title	Speaker
6th January	(Mis)adventures in Tien Shan.	Prof. Chris Bucke
20th January	Pollen and archaeology.	Dr. Michael Keith-Lucas
3rd February	The wildlife of Peru and Ecuador.	Andy Tucker
17th February	The fall and rise of farmland birds in Britain. How can we make agriculture work for wildlife in Britain?	Prof. Keith Norris
3rd March	Mad March Hares.	Prof. Stephen Harris
17th March	Member’s evening, AGM & book sale.

2007 Winter

Date	Title	Speaker
2nd October	Moor Copse – the Wildlife Haven on our Doorstep	Jan Haseler
16th October	Coral Reefs – the Jewels of the Sea	Dr. David George
6th November	The Ridgeway	John Tyler
20th November	St. Kilda	Alastair Mackay
4th December	Bengal Tigers	James Butler
17th December	Christmas Party

2008 Spring

Date	Title	Speaker
8th January	Bird Watching Identification – a New Approach	Terry Bond
15th January	Fungi of the Rain Forest	Prof. John Hedger
5th February	The Natural History Museum – an Insider’s View	Stuart Hine
19th February	Stop Climate Chaos	David Nobbs
4th March	Greenham Common	Andy Phillips
17th March	AGM and Members’ Evening

2006 Winter

Date	Title	Speaker
3rd October	Presidential Address – December in Patagonia	Prof. Chris Bucke
17th October	Purple Emperor mythology & Silver-studded Blue	Matthew Oates & Grahame Hawker
7th November	The New Forest	Mike Read
21st November	Fungi of Wales (Fungi of the Rainforest by Prof. John Hedger postponed at short notice)	Dr Gareth Griffith
5th December	Christmas Party (including photo competition)

2007 Spring

Date	Title	Speaker
2nd January	The Nightjar	Philip Palmer
16th January	Namibia & its flora	Dr Michael Keith-Lucas
6th February	The Galapagos Islands	Prof. Sir Ghillean Prance
20th February	Moths	Martin Harvey
6th March	The Hedgehog	Dr Pat Morris
20th March	Member’s Evening (including AGM & book auction)

2006 Spring

Date	Title	Speaker
3rd January	Butterflies of the Harris garden	Jan Haseler
17th January	South Africa – Land of contrasts	Barry Oxley
7th February	The importance of ponds	Dr Stephen Head
21st February	Flowers & wildlife of Iran	Ian Green
7th March	Bat conservation in Oxfordshire	Reg Tipping
21st March	Member’s evening (including AGM & book auction)

2005 winter

Date	Title	Speaker
4th October	Footprints in the mud (Java)	Prof. Chris Bucke
25th October	Lundy – Island of contrasts (N.B. 4th Tuesday not 3rd Tuesday)	Prof. Jennifer George
1st November	European Dragonflies	Graham Vick
15th November	Returning wild flowers and better farming to the countryside	Charles Flower
6th December	Christmas party (including a photo competition)

Indoor programme