On Saturday 8 th July, the National Trust are having a Bioblitz at White Fen, just north of Anglesey Abbey.

“The idea behind a BioBlitz is for wildlife experts and the wider public to work together to find and identify in the area as many species of plants and animals as possible. The records collected during a BioBlitz form part of a genuine scientific survey of the area. The event is an informal and fun way for young people and other members of the public to learn alongside experts and
share and develop their enthusiasm for nature.”

From 8.00am – 4.00pm they will finding and recording wildlife with local experts and the wider public.

Activities timetable:
8am Moth and small mammal traps open.
10am Bird/Birdsong Walk
11:30am Dragonfly Walk
2pm Plants/Wildflower Walk

Access instructions (provided by the National Trust)

There is limited parking at White Fen – follow White Fen Droveway.
From B1102, drive through Lode village (Lode Road becomes High Street becomes Station Road becomes Fen Road), turn right along
White Fen Droveway (CB25 9HE) and follow to the ‘T’-junction at the end, turn right and you will come to a sign saying White Fen and
a line of bollards along the cycle path – parking is just beyond the bollards.

Why not cycle or walk to us – the Lodes Way (NCN11) crosses White Fen.
What Three Words: https://w3w.co/players.craters.unwound

The Hobson’s Conduit Trust are holding their 5th BioBlitz on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd June. It will be at at Darien Meadow, bordered by Hobson’s Brook, by kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel College. On Friday evening and Saturday morning Trustees will conduct guided walks along Hobson’s Brook and Conduit, while experts lead a programme of mini field expeditions.

The guided walk along the Hobson’s Brook, at 5pm on Friday 2nd June will be for those who wish to find out more about the Hobson’s Brook/Vicars Brook system and the problems of urban drainage.  It will be led by Dr. Steve Boreham, the expert in all local matters geological, hydrological, and ecological. Meet at Darien Meadow off Long Road. The full programme is here.

The Cambridge Flora Group have a visit to Devil’s Ditch planned for Wednesday 7th June. Details will be circulated by Jonathan Shanklin to those on his list.

On Saturday 17th June Guy Belcher and Vic Smith (Cambridge City Council Biodiversity Officers), and Iain Webb, (Wildlife Trust) will be leading a guided walk of the grassland restoration trials on Coldham’s, Barnwell, Stourbridge and Midsummer Commons. Meet at 2pm by the Cromwell Road /  Coldham’s Lane junction on Coldham’s Common, The route on foot will be a mainly off road loop between the sites. It will aim to return to Coldham’s by 4.30. People can obviously drop off or join as they wish.

The Cambridge Group of the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants have their annual visit to East Pit to enjoy the chalk grassland flowers on Monday 26th June. More information on the Trust website .

On 17th June there’s a guided walk of the grassland restoration trials on Coldham’s, Barnwell, Stourbridge and Midsummer Commons. It will be led by Guy Belcher and Vic Smith (Cambridge City Council Biodiversity Officers), and Iain Webb, (Wildlife Trust) . 

Meet at 2pm by the Cromwell Road /  Coldham’s Lane junction on Coldham’s Common and walking a mainly off road loop between the sites. Aiming to return to Coldham’s by 4.30. People can obviously drop off or join as they wish.

The main natural history event in April is of course the Conversazione, our 104th, with displays on a great variety of natural history topics. It is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday 14th and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday 15th April. It takes place in the Elementary Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge.

Photos from the 2019 Conversazione and previous ones can be seen on our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/CNHS1857 – Click Photos, Click Albums, Scroll down to and click on e.g. “Conversazione 2019 Photo Album” to see a record of a joyous and fascinating event.  Or click on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2331765970242486&type=3

It’s not too late to say you want to exhibit! More details and booking forms are here.

Slightly later in April is the Cambridge Literary Festival 19-th -23rd April. The programme includes “six fantastic events focusing on environmentalism, sustainability and the clumate which are sure to be of interest! The events are diverse, ranging from Gaia Vince‘s discussion of migration in light of the climate emergency to Sarah Raven‘s advice for those who wish to grow their own food to Peter Wohlleben‘s children’s event about the natural world around us.”