The Summer walks take place on Tuesdays, with occasional Saturdays or Sundays. The walk will move off at 7pm except for mothing nights and weekend walks, times for these are given in the description. Please arrive 15 minutes before the walks are due to start, so we can run through the risk assessment, and site description as appropriate.

Grid references are given in the description. You can locate a Grid reference on a map or by searching Grid reference finder in your browser or Play store or Apple I-store app. Post codes are given where they are close to the parking. What 3 words details are also given in the description and this app can also be found in Play Store or I-store

For any forthcoming Society activity, each member who is planning to participate should assess his/her own risk and that of their household having regard to his/her own health and circumstances. This requirement is in accordance with the Society’s Constitution that states ‘Members taking part in any meeting or activity do so at their own risk.’

A printable pdf of the Summer programme (January- April) will be made available soon.

April

23      ECLIPSES OF THE WORLD – WITH WILDLIFE – Sheridan William
Final Spring meeting
7.30 for 8.00 in the Cruck Barn, Bradwell Abbey, Alston Drive, Milton Keynes MK13 9AP
In this talk postponed from December 2023, Sheridan Williams will tell us about his travels to see total eclipses around the world, together with some of the outstanding wildlife he has encountered in the processs.

28   SHENLEY WOOD: MKNHS Plant group – Leaders Carla Boswell and Jenny Mercer
Meet at 1015 for 10.30 start; the meeting will finish at 12.30
The first of the Plant Group’s activities in 2024 will centre on field work at different habitats where we will practise our identification skills at the species level initially concentrating on flowering plants (and, where we can, grasses, rushes, sedges and trees) and listing species observed in a systematic way. Improving identification skills will rely heavily on the sharing of knowledge between participants.
Please register your interest by sending an email to joeclinch@btinternet.com
Meet at the Merlewood Drive car park, Shenley Wood.  MK5 6GG (off Tattenhoe Street). grid ref: SP823356, what3words: timed.luck.parked

30    PILCH FIELD: Leader – Jenny Mercer
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Pilch Field is one of the very few SSSIs in north Bucks, designated for their very rich flora and variety of habitats – some old ridge and furrow, limestone slopes and species-rich wet areas along spring lines. Early spring delights the eye with Cowslips on the ridges and Green-winged orchids on the banks. For the ‘orchidophiles’ there are other species together with many showy flowers as well as several ’greens and browns’ of significance, e.g. Adders-tongue fern.
See also: www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/pilch-field and https://mknhs.org.uk/pilch-fields

Grid Ref: SP 749 321. Postcode MK17 0NX. What 3 words: socket.gala.inserting
Parking by the roadside, but avoid the very sharp bend!
Or we may be able to arrange parking in Clare Conway Crapps’ Orchard opposite that corner. If this is the case there will be a notice or a person to wave you in.

May

7        Not Yet Arranged

14      HAZELEY WOOD and NORTH BUCKS WAY – Mike LeRoy and Martin Ferns
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Woodland planted in1991/92 with Oak, Birch and Hornbeam on former arable land to form Hazeley Wood. Several surveys of the woodland and its wildlife were carried out by Milton Keynes Natural History Society. We will walk there along North Bucks Way which is an ancient green lane flanked by overgrown hedges that we will take a look at.
Meet in car park at Oakhill, at west end of Portway (H5) where it joins Otterburn Crescent.
SP815361 – MK5 6LY – totals.kilowatt.hugs.

SAT 18  RAMMAMERE HEATH, BRAGENHAM WOOD AND KING’S WOOD – Charles Kessler and Mike LeRoy
10.15 for 10.30 – 12.30     
Distinctive habitats and flora of heathland with acid grassland; and trees and flora of remnant Ancient Woodland on Greensand and Clay. Parts of a National Nature Reserve.
Share cars. Meet at Stockgrove car-park off Brickhill Lane (£4 up to 3 hours)
SP920293 – faces.locker.layers
Postcode LU7 0BA is for nearest houses; continue up road for 500+ meters
Park entrance on left

21      WATERHALL PARK – Carla Boswell
Meet at 1845 for 19.00 start
A gentle walk through meadows with trees and patches of wild flowers in Bletchley: the river at your side as you walk out, the canal on your way back.
Park in Dobbies Garden Centre, Watling Street,  Bletchley MK17 9JH – SP887339 – feed.escape.oval

28      OUSE VALLEY – Gary Fowler
Meet at 1845 for 19.00 start
A walk along the river Great Ouse as it goes under the railway viaduct and skirts the northern edge of the Flood Plain Forest, a chance to feed some fish and watch birds. Although the paths are hard gravel it may be wise to bring wellies if it has been wet.
Park in the ‘viaduct’ car park off Wolverton road/Haversham road.
SP817421 – qualify.regularly.nowadays

June

4        SANDHOUSE LANE NATURE RESERVE – Di Parsons
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
A small nature reserve off the A5, packed with Flowers and butterflies. At its centre it has a brick-pit which is now a water-filled lake. The lake is surrounded by trees and is home to several types of orchids and many types of insects; in particular, Bedfordshire’s first Downy Emerald Dragonfly – an insect scarce north of the Thames was found in 2006.  It is also interesting because it was once an asphalt works and flowers attempt to grow in tarmac showing the effect of such a restrictive substance on the growth.
Meet in the car park of the Flying Fox pub, on Sheep Lane just off the A5 south of Little Brickhill, from where we will car-share to the site. MK17 9HD – SP933304 – eruptions.breached.slid

Sat 8  ROOKERY PITS – Matt Andrews and Martine Harvey
Details to be advised

11        NORTH LOUGHTON VALLEY PARK – Joe Clinch
Meet at 1845 for 1900 start
The planned walk will include the site of the Roman Villa at Bancroft, the North Loughton Valley Park, and the windmill at Bradville. There should be a reasonable range of birds, insects, and plants, and it is hoped that that the Bradville bee-orchids will still be in flower.
Meet at the Parks Trust North Loughton Valley Park car park at Bancroft Park, Constantine Way off H2 Millers Way, MK13 0RA – SP826404 – panthers.reflector.necklace
(not the adjacent Bancroft Park Residents Club car park)

18        SHENLEY WOOD PONDS – Martin Kincaid
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
We have visited Shenley Wood itself many times but here is a different slant, looking at the nature in the ponds outside the main wood.
Park on Foxcovert Road MK5 6AA – SP 825 356 – bucks.proved.softly

25      Not Yet Arranged

July

2        LINFORD LAKES NATURE RESERVE– Martine Harvey
Meet at or before18.45 for 19.00 start
Linford Lakes has been restricted because of the development of new facilities, but now is our chance to catch up with this wildlife rich area of woods and lakes.
Meet in the Reserve Car park, MK14 5AH – SP842427 – presides.engrossed.output
Please arrive early so that you can be given access through the padlocked gate off Wolverton Road.

Sat 6  HOWE PARK WOOD NATURE DAY
11.00 am-4.00 pm
The annual celebration of Howe Park Wood SSSI and its wildlife hosted by the Parks Trust.
Could you spare an hour or two to show people our display and tell them about the Society? Offers to Martin Kincaid please.
Park at Howe Park Wood Centre car park: SP830344 – roadmap.softly.september

 

9            SHERINGTON CHURCH – Peter Meadows
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Sherington Churchyard and Butterfly Garden is a churchyard which is managed sensitively for wildflowers and insects together with an adjacent piece of land equally rich in wildlife.
Park in Church Road (NOT Church End) Sherington, MK16 9PB – SP 891467 – sounds.wide.vowed

16      BLUE LAGOON NATURE RESERVE – Martin Kincaid
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Blue Lagoon is a very important site for dragonflies and butterflies. The main feature of this Reserve is a large, deep, water-filled pit (remaining from the former brickworks) which gives it its name. Woodland, grassland meadows and scrub surround it. With willows of different types and plants such as common-spotted orchid, bee orchid, cowslip, ragworts, spotted medick, white and red campion for the plant lovers, and many different birds, reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies and butterflies for everyone.
The Park has been renovated recently, with new paths and cycleways, so it will be interesting to see what has been done.
Parking off Drayton Road, Bletchley (signposted), go under railway bridge 150m to car park. SP870325 – tilt.crowned.lied

Sat 20 or Sun 21    HIGGS/REDFORD MOTHING NIGHT – COLLEGE WOOD
21.00 start. Day to be confirmed near the time
This is a joint event with the Bucks Invertebrate Group, who provide several moth traps. In 2021 in ideal weather we recorded well over 200 moths. (Full list is on the MKNHS website)

A later start than normal to allow for some good mothing time, weather permitting. Fold up chairs, torch, and a flask of something to drink have been helpful in the past.

Meet in the roadside car park south of Nash: MK17 0EH – SP786327 – luring.intruding.blacken
Extra parking inside the gate will be available on Saturday/Sunday

23   No Event

30      OLD WOLVERTON CANAL – Jenny Mercer
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
The walk is easy, mostly on metalled paths, and crosses just 2 grassy fields towards the Iron Trunk aquaduct.  The focus will be on identifying plants of wet places – for example fairy flax, water dock and figwort are locally common on this route. Over 150 plants were identified a decade or more ago on a Society walk led by Roy Maycock supported by Mary Sarre.  The riverside walk should be alive with dragonflies and other insects.
Meet at the Holy Trinity Church car park, Old Wolverton, MK12 5NH – SP804412 – unloading.forklift.sunblock

August

6            MAGNA PARK LAKE – Gary Fowler / Martin Ferns
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
This business park was once countryside. We will see the Broughton Brook and a pond associated with it.
There is a very small car park at SP915390 – ambushed.crowd.elevates   If there is no space, park on Fen Street or local service roads.

13          BOW BRICKHILL WOODS – Derek and Judy Taylor
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Details to follow.
Park in the area near the church:  SP912343 – went.humble.likely

20     WESTBURY FARM: EARLY MOTHING – Ayla Webb and Martin Kincaid
Meet at 18.45 for 19.00 start
Westbury Farm is a semi-wild garden with plenty of cover and food for moths. As the evenings are drawing in moth traps will be set up early at the normal start time, so we can look at later types of moths.
Park at MK5 6AA – SP826356 – severe.tripped.liners or on Foxcovert Road

 

For any forthcoming Society activity, each member who is planning to participate should assess his/her own risk and that of their household having regard to his/her own health and circumstances. This requirement is in accordance with the Society’s Constitution that states ‘Members taking part in any meeting or activity do so at their own risk.’