Watch out for the Oriental Chestnut Gall Wasp
InsectsOn Sunday afternoon 19th April I was walking over my local patch, Netley Common, and I noticed some curious and strikingly red galls on the leaves of a young Sweet Chestnut (illustrated). I later identified these from the Internet as caused by the Oriental Chestnut Gall Wasp Dryocosmos kuriphilus. The galls are not described in
Fishlake Meadows and Barge River walk
Birds . Field Trip . Insects . UncategorizedA group of six joined Julian Moseley on this walk from the HWT car park at Oxlease Gardens, up the Barge River canal and into the core of Fishlake Meadows in glorious weather. We saw or heard at lease 34 bird species. The highlight was the warblers – we all got to see a singing
Hamble Bird Walk 11th April 2026
UncategorizedThis was a joint walk with the Hampshire Ornithological Society. There were 4 SNHS members and 10 HOS members present for all or part of the walk, which lasted from 10.30am to 3pm. We set off in cloud from Hamble Point but the sun soon came out as we traversed Hamble Common and then passed
UV Night Walk at Peartree Green 4th April 2026
UncategorizedJamie Wylie kindly led a group of 19, including several society members, on a one and half hour slow walk around the upper part of Peartree Green. It was a highly unusual event and everybody, including the four children present, were issued with UV torches that radiated just beyond the naked eye range at 365
Peartree Green – early spring stroll-22nd March 2026
Field Trip . Flora . InsectsA small but enthusiastic band of five SNHS and Friends of Peartree Green members enjoyed an early spring stroll in the hazy sunshine of a Sunday afternoon Peartree Green, between Woolston and Bitterne. We found several bee orchid rosettes, puzzled over a speedwell species – was it Green Field Speedwell? We weren’t sure. We found
Talk – ‘The Mysteries of Bird Migration’- by Keith Betton
UncategorizedOn Monday evening 9th March 2026 23 members of the society and invited members of the Hampshire Ornithological Society joined us at the Unity 12 Hall in Southampton to listen (and watch) Keith’s talk on bird migration. This was unusual subject for us and Keith was able to draw on his experience all over the
Shirley Pond Park at Lordsdale Greenway LNR 22nd February 2026
Birds . Bryophytes . Ferns . Flora . Insects . Natural HistoryA group of nine (seven SNHS members and two members invited from the Friends of Shirley Park) looked for wildlife between Old Mill Way and Dale Road in the new Lordsdale Greenway Local Nature Reserve. It rained most of the two hours but we carried on regardless. A particular highlight was the discovery of one
Southampton Old Cemetery early spring walk 8th March 2026
Birds . Flora . Natural HistoryNine members and guests of the society and the Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery gathered for a short circuit of the 180-year old Victorian cemetery in dull weather conditions. We saw the expected mix of flora, including the first hybrid bluebells, and also lesser celandine, primrose, wood anemone, spring crocus, sweet violet and trees like
On not so little pines…
Natural History…do mighty Cedar trees grow. In this case, a Himalayan Cedar. Nature Note by Graham Manchip There is a tree in my local patch. I believe it to be a Himalayan Cedar Cedrus deodara around 30ft or more tall and, although I had seen the top, I had never seen the base as it was
A touch of summer…
Natural History . Photography…in frosty February. The opening of ‘Chasing Butterflies’ – a retrospective of John Vetterlein’s 13-year obsession with photographing butterflies – was absolutely heaving at the Harbour Lights Cinema in Southampton last evening. A selection of his best work is on display in the gallery space until the 27 February and covers common and less common