Winter Field Excursions 2023-24
Programme of Winter Field Excursions 2023-24
Guidance for our trips
In the interests of reducing our carbon footprint, the protection of habitats, our treasured landscape and limited venue parking, we encourage you to car share.
Anyone requiring transport or willing to offer a lift please contact us via email at least four days in advance of the trip arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com
We will try to link those who may be able to car share.
You will need to agree to share your email address/phone number with the car share driver/passenger to arrange pick-up times etc. You should agree the transport costs between you.
Bring a packed lunch/ refreshments.
No dogs, other than assistance dogs, are allowed on any of the walks.
Members and friends attend the field trips at their own risk and the Society cannot be held responsible for any accidents or incidents.
In the event of adverse weather conditions, check the Arnside and District Natural History Society website on the evening before the trip to see if it is going ahead. For events where you have booked a place we will email you with an update. arnsideanddistrictnhs.co.uk
Contact details for trip leaders and co-ordinators:
Mike Johnson: 01524 761450 or 07540767744
Alison McLeod: 01524 702861 or 07473049220
Clare Shaw: 07827 867188
Pete Stevens: 01524 733931 or 07933292182
John Webb: 01524 701497
Guided walk at Leighton Moss led John Webb Tuesday 10th October
John has been leading guided walks at Leighton Moss for 17 years; but has never previously led a guided walk for the Society. Whilst the timing of this walk has been arranged to maximise the opportunity for seeing bearded tits it will also cover other aspects of the history and wildlife of the nature reserve.
We expect to finish the walk at 11.00am when we can stop for refreshments at the Leighton Moss café. At this point we will make a decision as to whether to finish, visit other parts of the reserve, or travel a mile to look for waders at the Eric Morecambe hide. Whatever the decision, the event will finish by 1.00pm.
Booking is essential as places are limited to 12. Cost: free to RSPB members, £9 to non-members, half price if you arrive by bicycle or public transport.
Email arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com to book your place.
Meet at Leighton Moss car park at 8.30am. LA5 0SW Grid reference SD 476 750 what3words//trespass.orange.crumble
Leader: John Webb 01524 701497
Guided walk at Leighton Moss led by John Webb Friday 13th October
John will lead this pre-dawn walk to allow us to hear the sounds of the red deer rut, and experience the wildlife wakening on the reserve. After dawn we will look for bearded tits, and spend some time looking at other aspects of the history and wildlife of Leighton Moss.
We expect to finish the walk at 9.30am when we can stop for refreshments at the Leighton Moss café. At that point we will decide whether to finish the session, visit other parts of the reserve, or travel one mile to look for waders at the Eric Morecambe Hide. Whatever the decision, the event will finish by 11.30am.
Booking is required as places are limited to 12. Free to RSPB members, £9 to non-members, half price if you arrive by bicycle or public transport.
Email arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com to book your place. Meet at Leighton Moss car park at 6.30 am.
Postcode LA5 0SW Grid reference SD 476 750 what3words ///trespass.orange.crumble
Leader John Webb: 01524 701497
Fungi of Haybridge Thursday 19th October led by Helen Speed (cancelled due to weather).
October is an excellent time of year to explore woodlands to find interesting and unusual fungi. At last year’s successful foray to Haybridge, led by Helen Speed, we were treated to a wide variety of excellent examples of autumnal fungi.
Helen will take us on a two-mile guided walk around Haybridge to search and identify fungi on this flora and fauna abundant reserve. This walk could take up to four hours. You are welcome to stay to wander around the reserve afterwards.
A hand lens would be a useful tool to bring with you to look at the varied, incredible detail of the fungi.
Meet at Haybridge at 9.30am for 10.00am start Nearest postcode LA12 8JG
Grid reference SD336 876 what3words ///conjured.cabbage.sticky
Entry is free to Haybridge members. Non-members £5 each
Please note that parking at this reserve is limited so car sharing is recommended.
Please email: arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com if you need a lift or can offer one.
* See guidance at the start for more details
Coordinator: Mike Johnson 07540 767744
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre (Coach trip) Thursday 23rd November ( due to insufficient numbers the caoch has been cancelled , we are still going ahead with the trip but by car share please contact the society if you wish to go).
‘As the months get colder WWT Martin Mere is visited by thousands of overwintering ducks, swans, geese and waders’. This includes pink-footed geese, wigeons and whooper swans.
The whooper swans visit each year and usually arrive in large numbers in the first half of November. Pink-footed geese arrive from September.
We also hope to see: lapwing, black-tailed godwit, snipe and ruff, plus the usual passerines. We will have several hides to visit. The walk around the Centre is on the flat.
For more information about Martin Mere see: www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere
You can bring your own lunch and drinks or eat at the Martin Mere café.
Outline trip timings and costs:
We will leave Arnside at 8.00am to arrive at Martin Mere for approximately 10.00 am.
We will leave Martin Mere at 4.00pm returning to Arnside for approximately 6.00pm.
Costs:
Group adult rate £13.10 and concessions £11.80. (In order to take advantage of the group entry rate we propose to pay entry in advance and also hasten our entry into the reserve). WWT members free entry to the reserve.
Final costs for the coach fare have yet to be finalised and will be dependent on numbers attending however we expect it to be in the region of £18 per person. If we fill the coach the cost will be £14.50 to include tip for the driver.
Please contact us at arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com by 14th September if you plan to attend this trip and travel by coach.
We need to confirm the booking with the coach company by this date , once we have numbers we can then work out the final cost and you will be adviced by email shortly after with payment details.
Leader: Mike Johnson 07540 767744
South Walney Nature reserve Wednesday 29th November 2023
Meet at South Walney car park at 10.00am grid ref SD215 620 what3words//stance.fried.wealth
As high tide is12.15pm it will give us time to walk out to the hides to view the birds close inshore . The walk is about 3 miles.
Entry is free for wildlife trust members and there is a charge of £3 for non-members of the trust.
We should see various types of gulls, geese, ducks, waders , Merlin along with seals and their pups.
If anyone requires a lift, and anyone willing to care , please contact the society by email at arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com
Leader Mike Johnson 07540767744
Winter tree identification and optional Christmas lunch, Silverdale Thursday 7th December
Jill Webb will lead the walk around south Silverdale including Woodwell. Most people can identify trees in the spring and summer. This is your chance to learn something about identifying trees in the winter when most of the leaves will have fallen. Jill has previously led winter tree identification walks and will be able to share her wealth of knowledge with us.
If you have a hand lens please bring this along with you. We will be back at the Silverdale Hotel for 12.30pm in time for the Christmas lunch at 1.00pm. Booking is essential and payment is required in advance. Details to follow by email when we have the Christmas menu and costs.
For the walk meet at the Silverdale Hotel, Silverdale at 10.00am.
Postcode LA5 0TP Grid reference SD 458 748 what3 words ///skirting.folk.helm.
You can go on the tree walk, just do lunch or both.
Contact: arnsidenaturalhistorysociety@gmail.com to book the lunch or with any queries. Please email asap so we have an idea of numbers who want to join us for the meal.
Leader: Jill Webb
2024
Looking for Hawfinches Tuesday 30th January
This sometimes, elusive bird which feeds in the treetops has a beak adapted for cracking the toughest of seeds. In winter it can be difficult to spot however its bulky silhouette is distinctive. Over 20 birds were spotted in Coldwell Parrock area in 2023. We hope they won’t disappoint in 2024.
Mike Johnson will lead us through Coldwell Parrock to look for the hawfinches. We will then walk through Back Wood to overlook Silverdale Moss looking for overwintering ducks, marsh harriers and possibly bitterns. We will walk through Challan Hall and Gait Barrows to look for overwintering thrushes and aim to be back to the car park for 1.00pm.
Meet at Gait Barrows car park at 9.30am or the adjacent laybys.
LA5 0JF Grid reference SD478 775 what3words ///bounded.clapper.cosmetic.
Leader: Mike Johnson 07540 767744
Bird Watching at Rossall Point, Fleetwood Marsh Nature Reserve - Monday 12th February
We will walk to Lookout Station at Rossall Point www.wyre.gov.uk/rossallpoint
High tide of 10.6m at 12.50pm.
Grid reference SD 31868 48004 what3words location ///worldwide.plump.suspend
Postcode FY7 8LF.
The car park is at the north end of Fleetwood golf course. On OS map look for the Lookout Station. Meet at the car park, off Princes Way (the coast road) at 10.30am.
Directions: M6 south to J33, follow A6 south to Fleetwood. Turn on to A586 south of Garstang, this becomes the A585 (signed towards Fleetwood). At a large roundabout in Fleetwood with a statue in the middle of it (looks like Eros), take the first left (Fleetwood Rd) and continue straight along to the sea (the name changes to Beach Rd after another roundabout). At the roundabout at the end of Beach Rd, turn left and immediately right under a barrier into a rough car park. Park at the far side by the dunes nearest the Lookout Station.
We will drive to other sites after high tide depending on time and weather conditions.
Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park Grid reference SD 3352 4647 what3words ///stutter.refusals.potential Postcode FY7 8TW
From the Rossall Point car park retrace your steps back to the Eros roundabout and go straight across to the B5268 (Fleetwood Rd). Almost immediately turn left into Jameson Road (2nd left after crossing the roundabout, immediately after the first left into the caravan park). Brown sign for Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park. Drive for about one mile, past the recycling centre and along a fenced road with lots of fly tipping. Park at the circle at the end of the road.
Our advice is to familiarise yourself with the route via a road atlas or google maps etc, before travelling, and/or use a satnav. The relevant OS Map (1:50,000) is 102 Preston & Blackpool. The journey from Warton to Rossall Point is approximately an hour.
Leader: Pete Stevens 07933 292182
The Geology and Fossils at Far Arnside with Tim Tranter March Friday 15th
This area of the Arnside and Silverdale AONB is made up of three types of carboniferous limestone – Dalton, Park, Urswick and is interspersed in some areas with shale. On this walk, geologist Tim Tranter will introduce us to areas of this limestone which can be seen along the coast.
Tim will lead us through the fields to the beach and foreshore at Far Arnside with frequent stops at points of interest and plenty of opportunity to look in detail at the fascinating features of this area. The walk offers the chance to see all three limestone formations of the AONB and to study the details of a fault zone as well as look at well-preserved different species of coral fossils (depending on beach conditions).
The fossils found in this area represent life forms which in habited the earth over 300 million years ago so please don’t expect a Tyrannosaurus Rex
We are hoping to park at: Holgates Caravan Park, Middlebarrow Plain Cove Road, LA5 0SH
Grid reference for Holgates car park is SD 454 759 what3words ///gent.crumbles.thread (This is opposite the site of the old Leeds Children Holiday Home).
We have to contact Holgates early March to confirm we can park and an email will be sent out to members to confirm parking arrangements.
Please park at the entrance and car share where possible. We will meet at 9.30am. We expect the walk to finish by 1.00pm. If you have a hand lens you may want to bring it along to enhance your fossil viewing experience.
Coordinator: Clare Shaw 07827 867188