Wakering & District
Natural History Society

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Kayakers

News 1The kayakers from HMS Endurance have returned and although they were not successful in circum-navigating James Ross Island they have to be admired for their efforts whilst facing such extreme weather conditions in one of the most hostile continents on earth.

Four members of HMS Endurance ship’s company with three other Royal Navy personnel and one civilian instructor attempted this for charity and raised a lot of money.

 

Richard Abbot, son of our very own society member Iain Abbot, was one of the kayakers to take part in this remarkable achievement.

  • Intersociety Quiz

    Intersociety Quiz

    News 2

    South East Essex Natural History Society has just announced the date and venue for the next Intersociety Quiz. It is to be held on Wednesday 5th March 2008 at 7.30 p.m. in the Royal British Legion Hall, Castle Lane, Hadleigh.

  • Plant Sale

    Plant Sale

    News 3

    Gill and John Threadgold held a plant sale at Millers Farm over the weekend of 14/15 July 2007 and would like to thank all of those villagers, in excess of 60, who turned up to support the event.

  • Les Sorbiers

    Les Sorbiers

    News 4

    Les Sorbiers is a fine period Napoleonic building in the heart of the village of Bareges in France. The building has been restored and modernised to the level expected of high quality family run hotels throughout the Pyrenees.

    There are nine bedrooms furnished in pine, each with shower and washbasin, one has a full en-suite bathroom. At the end of a day in the mountains, you can relax in the comfortable lounge with a drink from the bar. Delicious French cuisine with vegetarian options using the best fresh local produce is offered, complemented by reasonably priced local wines.

    Les Sorbiers is featured in a number of food guides. Even better still, society members have been offered a 10-20% discount (depending on the season) on any bookings for birding holidays. A discount is being offered to our society members.

  • Competition 2007

    Photographic Competition 2007

    News 528 November 2007

    Results of the Photographic Competition 2007


    Dave Gonning has almost done it again, winning four out of the six categories this year. He does not need to surrender the winners shield since he was also voted 1st overall winner with his 'Smooth Newt', 2nd overall winner with his 'Robin' and 3rd overall winner with his 'Grey Squirrel'. Very well done Dave. Early on in the year he had reservations about the quality of his new Olympus camera but it goes to show that good photos are down to the photographer and not just the camera.

    John Threadgold won the 'Other Fauna' category with his ' Italian Wall Lizard'  and Barry Hale won the 'Flora' category with his 'Algarve Seedhead'. Runners-up included Gill Threadgold, Josie Wells, Tamsin Butler Graeme Ward and Richard Kirton. You can have a look at their photographs HERE.

    We would like to thank all of the members who submitted photographs this year, they were all excellent.  Dave Gonning has done remarkably well but has in fact slipped a bit this year and his enviable position will be very vulnerable next year. Fellow members are urged to take your cameras everywhere you go and let your instincts prompt you when to press that shutter. With digital cameras, it does not cost any more to take lots of photographs. The special category for 2008 is 'Clouds'. They are everywhere.

    The Friends of Hadleigh Castle Country Park  website was formed following the conclusion of a successful campaign by another group against a proposal to drive a major road across the Park. The Society is a meeting point for all who are interested in the Park. It is non-political but will campaign where necessary in the interests of the Park. Charitable status was granted in 1993. The site maintains an informative 'Diary of Events and Things of Interest' in the area and if you are interested in keeping Hadleigh Castle Country Park as it is, please visit the site.

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  • Photograph Competitions

    • Competition 2006

      Competition 2006

      Competition 2006

      Dave Gonning was the winner of five out of the six categories this year. He was also voted the overall winner with this photograph of a 'Painted Lady' butterfly.

      This photograph, which also won the 'Other Fauna' category was taken hand-held in Hawkwell Country Park and Nature Reserve in August this year with an Olympus 765 Ultra Zoom Compact Camera. Breakdown of results is as follows:

        1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place
      BIRDS 'Sparrow Hawk' by Dave Gonning 'Great Crested Grebe' by Dave Gonning 'Young Mallards' by Richard Kirton
      MAMMALS 'Red Squirrel' by Dave Gonning 'Vole' by Gill Threadgold 'Deer' by Dave Gonning
      OTHER FAUNA 'Painted Lady' by Dave Gonning 'Ruddy Darter' by Dave Gonning 'Garden Spider' by Richard Kirton
      FLORA 'Sunflower' by Richard Kirton 'Teasel' by Dave Gonning 'Yellow Rattle' by Barry Hale
      HABITAT 'Frog' by Dave Gonning 'Pond' by Gill Threadgold 'Spider on Web' by Dave Gonning
      PATTERNS IN NATURE 'Peacock Feathers' by Dave Gonning 'Gooseneck River' by Jenny Williams 'Red & Green Leaf' by John Threadgold
      OVERALL WINNER 'Painted Lady' by Dave Gonning 'Sparrow Hawk' by Dave Gonning 'Sunflower' by Richard Kirton

    • Competition 2007

      Competition 2007

      Competition 2007

      Dave Gonning has almost done it again, winning four out of the six categories this year. He does not need to surrender the winners cup since he was also voted 1st overall winner with his 'Smooth Newt', 2nd overall winner with his 'Robin' and 3rd overall winner with his 'Grey Squirrel'. Very well done Dave. Early on in the year he had reservations about the quality of his new Olympus camera but it goes to show that good photos are down to the photographer and not just the camera.

      John Threadgold won the 'Other Fauna' category with his ' Italian Wall Lizard'  and Barry Hale won the 'Flora' category with his 'Algarve Seedhead'. Runners-up included Gill Threadgold, Josie Wells, Tamsin Butler Graeme Ward and Richard Kirton. You can have a look at their photographs HERE.

        1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place
      BIRDS 'Robin' by Dave Gonning 'Gosling' by Richard Kirton 'Common Tern' by Dave Gonning
      MAMMALS 'Grey Squirrel' by Dave Gonning 'Golden Necked Ground Squirrel' by Gill Threadgold 'Bighorn Sheep' by John Threadgold
      OTHER FAUNA 'Italian Wall Lizard' by John Threadgold 'Frog' by Josie Wells 'Ruddy Darter Dragonfly' by Dave Gonning
      FLORA 'Algarve Seedhead' by Barry Hale 'Cosmos' by Dave Gonning 'Red Shrub' by Graeme Ward
      HABITAT 'Dragonfly Larval Skins' by Dave Gonning 'Saltings & Mallow' by Tamsin Butler 'Bracket Fungi' by Barry Hale
      CAMOUFLAGE 'Smooth Newt' by Dave Gonning 'Moth' by Barry Hale 'Speckled Bush Cricket' by Dave Gonning
      OVERALL WINNER 'Smooth Newt' by Dave Gonning 'Robin' by Dave Gonning 'Grey Squirrel' by Dave Gonning

    • Competition 2008

      Competition 2008

      Competition 2008

      The Year 2008 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer

    • Competition 2009

      Competition 2009

      Competition 2009

      The Year 2009 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer

    • Competition 2010

      Competition 2010

      Competition 2010

      The Year 2010 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer

    • Competition 2011

      Competition 2011

      Competition 2011

      The Year 2011 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer

    • Competition 2012

      Competition 2012

      Competition 2012

      The Year 2012 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer

    • Competition 2013

      Competition 2013

      Competition 2013

      The Year 2013 Has Not Arrived Yet

        1st Place
      BIRDS 'Bird 1' by Unknown Photographer
      MAMMALS 'Mammal 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OTHER FAUNA 'Other Fauna 1' by Unknown Photographer
      FLORA 'Flora 1' by Unknown Photographer
      HABITAT 'Habitat 1' by Unknown Photographer
      SPECIAL CATEGORY 'Special Category 1' by Unknown Photographer
      OVERALL WINNER 'Overall Winner 1' by Unknown Photographer