Activities in 2022
What people say about us
Here is some of the feedback we have had from our members
Creatures of the Night
Karen is incredibly knowledgeable and has a wonderful manner. She engages people of all ages - for the oldest to the youngest - and we all have fun, as well as learning a lot "
John Obee’s Bird Walk 20th March:
Hedgerow Walk 2nd April:
Karen is amazingly knowledgeable about all things botanical and patiently answered all my kids’ questions without dumbing down the science while also keeping the adults"
Walks
9:30am - 11:30am
Led by John Obee
A two hour walk to look for migrant and resident birds around the lake.10:30am - 12:30pm
Led by Karen van Oostrum
A local country walk around Great Hampden to see the flowers found in our hedges in Spring.
This was a free event with 17 people coming along, including 7 children, They enjoyed a gentle stroll through flat countryside, looking at what the plants in our fields, hedges and woods are doing at this time of year.
Led by Tony Marshall
Led by Karen van Oostrum
A local country walk around Great Hampden looking at what the plants in our fields, hedges and woods are doing at this time of year
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Led by Karen van Oostrum
A country walk looking at the abundance of fruits, nuts and seeds around Great Hampden, ideal for families with children, and suitable for anyone who enjoys a gentle stroll through flat countryside.
11:00 - 12:30
A 3 mile figure of eight walk through the woods to the John Hampden monument and back via Kiln Common Orchard.
Talks
A Zoom talk given by Simon Nicholls
Simon described our departing winter visitors and incoming summer migrants and explained what to look out for and, more importantly, listen out for in our local woodland and gardens as the seasons change.
We could see Spring in the Chilterns through different eyes and hear through different ears as we took a tour of our area to see residents and visitors alike.
Always wanted to know how to separate Mistle and Song Thrushes , Blackbird and Starling? Simon gave us the tools and the tips of his 37 year love affair with the Birds of Buckinghamshire and help us identify better the birds of our local area.
"The Glow-worm" - a talk by John Tyler
Tuesday 14th June at Great Kingshill Village Hall
John Tyler (Naturalist) took an insect's-eye journey through the life of this fascinating creature, from egg to adult, looking at how it hunts and feeds, how it defends itself and of course how (and why) it produces its magical light, as well as giving tips on how to see them.
Prestwood Village Hall - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
The talk "What Makes Chilterns Woodlands Special" was given by John Morris
John has been working in the Chilterns since 1983 helping owners to care for their woods, mostly small woods under 20ha. Until 2020 this was for the Chiltern Woodlands Project but he is now working as a consultant, continuing to help woodland owners. Most of his work is in the Chilterns, where many of the woods are ancient, over 400 years old, dominated by beech and containing interesting flora and historical features.
He is currently working with the Chiltern Society in their woods and also manages the Royal Forestry Society's 74 hectares of Hockeridge and Pancake Woods near Berkhamsted. He is a keen photographer and will illustrate his talk with photos he has taken in the Chilterns.
Other activities
Open Day at Boug's Meadow
Activities included:
● The story of Boug’s Meadow
● Chalk stream environment
● Butterfly conservation
● A Nature Trail
● And more….
For more information about Boug's Meadow or National Meadows Day contact bougs@prestwoodnature.org
- An evening of fun, looking and listening for some of the beautiful night-flyers and creatures that visit this lovely wildlife oasis slap bang in the heart of Great Missenden.
- Hunting for bugs before the sun goes down.
- Listening out for passing bats on the detectors and other sounds of the night.
- Helping put out some 'wine ropes' to entice night flying moths.
- Making a mask.
This was a FREE, fun, family-friendly event .