BNA Conference 2015: Bugs, Birds and Antlers

The British Naturalists' Association held their national conference in Epping Forest yesterday. The BNA is 110 years old this year, which makes it an association of some standing by any account. It attracted as speakers Nick Baker, Professor Ian Newton, and Norma Chapman, outstanding naturalists all.

BNA 2015 National Conference held in Forest School, Epping Forest

I attended the conference with my partner Natasha, as my second BNA conference and her first. The day commenced in the Great Hall of Forest School with an introduction from BNA chairman Roger Tabor, and then we dived straight into the Field Workshops. Attendees had to choose which session to attend, ranging from "Botany and Bats" to nature haiku writing, which was no easy task! Natasha and I elected to attend the Spider Safari first, followed by a session of Owl Pellet Analysis. Attendees then reconvened in the Great Hall for a buffet lunch, and this was superb.

The afternoon consisted of presentations and talks in the Theatre. A number of awards and fellowships were received by the worthy, and then attendees were treated to talks from Nick Baker on 'Building a Naturalist', Norma Chapman on 'Deer in Britain', and Professor Ian Newton on 'Bird Migration'.

The conference was excellent throughout, and I would very much recommend attending one! If you want to know more about the BNA, you can visit their website at www.bna-naturalists.org.

Nick Baker receiving a BNA Fellowship Honoris Causa

Nick Baker delivers his talk, 'Building a Naturalist'

BNA Brightlingsea Boat Trip

On 25th January we joined the BNA (British Naturalists' Association) for one of their events: a Brightlingsea Creek Boat Trip. The BNA ran two boat-trips on Brightlingsea Creek in Essex, with local bird specialists on board as guides. In between there was a talk in Brightlingsea’s historic Wreck House overlooking the harbour, from former Assistant Harbour Master Brian Percival, covering his experiences and sightings of wildlife in the harbour. The building itself was fascinating, and Brian's records of wildlife were impressively detailed and persistent over a long period of time.

The Wreck House, Brightlingsea, Essex

Natasha and I attended the talk first, and then took the second boat trip onto the creek. It was cold out on the water in January, but there was much birdlife to see and we were in knowledgeable company. BNA Brightlingsea posted their list for the day on facebook, and included: redshank, little grebe(dabchick), avocet, grey plover, ringed plover, green plover ( lapwing), dunlin, black tailed godwit, shellduck, curlew, oystercatcher, marsh harrier, brent goose, grey lag goose, herring gull, black headed gull, turnstone, pigeon, mallard, teal and mute swan. Phew! Quite a list.

Ritchie Jacobs shares his knowledge of Brightlingsea birdlife

A variety of birds were spotted in and over the creek