MON 1 – WED 3 GRASSES & SEDGES: Learn the skills for identifying grasses & sedges together with making your own herbarium with Dominic Price. Cost R £280 (NR £199). Pre-booking essential – limited places. Book online at www.kingcombe.org or call 01300 320684.
TUES 2 MOTH IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP, 10.30am & every Tuesday until end September. Learn & marvel at the moths trapped overnight on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Brownsea Island reserve. Workshop open to all & led by DWT wardens. Meet at The Villa on the DWT nature reserve. Event lasts 1-1½ hours depending on the moths! Weather dependent. Boats from Poole or Sandbanks at 10am, fares & National Trust landing charges apply. Suggested donation £3. Please see website, ring 01202 709445 or email [email protected] to confirm the week before.
TUES 2 WEST DORSET VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am – 3.30pm. Booking is essential for new volunteers as places are limited. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Masters on 07557 561624 for further information.
WED 3 THE GREAT HEATH VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am. The group will be visiting various Great Heath reserves & alternating between wildlife survey days & practical conservation/access tasks. The length of the day will vary depending on the day & activity, e.g. survey days will be much shorter. Please contact Sally Wright on 01202 692033 or at [email protected] for more information.
WED 3 A GOOD TERN! – Little tern walk, 2 – 3.30pm. Join us for a walk to see the little terns, one of the UK’s rarest seabirds & help raise money to protect the colony at Chesil. Learn about the plight of this charismatic little bird, find out about the breeding success & get an insight into their fascinating behaviour. All money raised will go directly into protecting the colony. £5 per person (additional donations welcome).Chesil Beach Centre, halfway along the A354 between Weymouth and Portland. Post code: DT4 9XE. Phone 01305 206191 for more information.
WED 3 VOLUNTEERS CONSERVATION TASK, Lorton Meadows NR (Free), 10am – 3pm. Join us for a day of practical work on site, to restore the habitats important for local wildlife, with the Community Conservation Officer. Tools, gloves & drinks supplied. No experience necessary, please bring a packed lunch. Meet at the Conservation Centre. Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, Lorton Lane, Upwey, Weymouth, DT3 5QH. Phone 01305 816546 for more information.
SAT 6 A MORNING WALK ON DWT’S FONTMELL DOWN NATURE RESERVE, led by Amy Corton, DWT Mid Dorset Assistant Warden, exploring the diversity of wildlife at this special site. Steep undulating terrain in places, good walking footwear essential. Sorry, no dogs. 9.30am–12.30pm. Meet at the National Trust car park on Spread Eagle hill (map ref. ST 886187) opposite Compton Abbas airfield (Blandford to Shaftesbury top road). Donation welcome to Dorset Wildlife Trust. Advance booking essential: contact Amy Corton, tel. 07970 847347, email: [email protected]. West Dorset Group
SAT 6 WILD LORTON DAY ‘MOTHS’, Lorton Meadows NR, 10am – 4pm. The Conservation Centre is open for visitors. Come along for a walk around the reserve, follow a self-guided trail, then drop in for a hot drink, watch the birds nesting on screen, peruse our selection of wildlife books & id guides. Discover how beautiful our night-flying ‘butterflies’ are, looking at moths trapped last night, plus children’s activities.Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, Lorton Lane, Upwey, Weymouth, DT3 5QH. Phone 01305 816546 for more information.
SUN 7 WORLD OCEANS DAY – SEASHORE DETECTIVES, 3.30 – 5 pm. Join us to celebrate World Oceans Day & explore the amazing underwater world of the Fleet Lagoon. Use your detective skills to hunt for tracks & signs of marine wildlife along the shore. Spy anemones, sea squirts & scurrying crabs with our underwater seascopes. Meet at the Chesil Beach Centre. Wellies advised. £2 per person.Chesil Beach Centre, halfway along the A354 between Weymouth and Portland. Post code: DT4 9XE. Phone 01305 206191 for more information.
TUES 9 SOUTH DORSET MID-WEEK VOLUNTEERS, Habitat management on a DWT nature reserve near you. Please contact DWT warden James Hitchen on 07436 157328 for further details or to book a place.
TUES 9 WEST DORSET VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am – 3.30pm. Booking is essential for new volunteers as places are limited. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Masters on 07557 561624 for further information.
THUR 11 WILDFLOWER WALK at King Barrow Quarries Nature Reserve, 11am – 1pm. Join us for a guided walk around the disused quarry to discover how wildlife, particularly wildflowers, has recolonised the site, with the Community Conservation Officer. Meet at the entrance to the reserve, by the name stone, on Yeates Road, just off A354 (map ref. SY 689728). Booking essential, please contact the Community Conservation Officer 01305 816546. £1 per person.
THUR 11 PASTURES NEW VOLUNTEER TASK, 10 am. Join the regular volunteering group in West Dorset. Tasks range from hedge laying to Himalayan balsam pulling in locations all over West Dorset. Please contact Nick Gray on 07824 438974 or at [email protected] for details.
THUR 11 URBAN WILDLIFE VOLUNTEERS, From April until September meet on the second Thursday of the month at the Urban Wildlife Centre, Beacon Hill. For this week meet at 9am for a moth trap opening and 10am for recording/monitoring tasks. For details of each task contact Andy Fale on 07970 552673 or the Urban Wildlife Centre on 01202 692033.
FRI 12 MAKE WILDLIFE WELCOME, 10.30am – 12.30pm. Neil Lucas of Knoll Gardens & experts from The Great Heath team at Dorset Wildlife Trust join forces to explain some of the essential elements for successful wildlife gardening. With a garden tour, specialist talks & question time session, the event is suitable for enthusiastic gardeners, gardening professionals & wildlife lovers keen to further develop their knowledge of the horticultural world. A Knoll Gardens Foundation Event in association with DWT as part of The Great Heath Living Landscape. Tickets cost £10 & must be pre-booked. Contact Knoll Gardens on 01202 873931 or email: [email protected]
FRI 12 – SUN 14 ART OF NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY: Immerse yourself for a weekend with renowned wildlife photographer Colin Varndell learning the techniques for capturing nature. Cost R £280 (NR £199). Pre-booking essential – limited places. Book online at www.kingcombe.org or call 01300 320684.
SAT 13 WILD LORTON DAY ‘OUR MEADOW WILDLIFE’, Lorton Meadows NR, 10am – 4pm. The Conservation Centre is open for visitors. Come along for a walk around the reserve, follow a self-guided trail, then drop in for a hot drink, watch birds nesting on screen, peruse our selection of wildlife books & id guides. Discover the variety of wildlife in Lorton’s meadows – children’s activities, including art, quizzes & more.Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, Lorton Lane, Upwey, Weymouth, DT3 5QH. Phone 01305 816546 for more information.
SAT 13 OUR MEADOW WILDLIFE WALK, Lorton Meadows NR (£2/person, Family Event), 2 – 4pm. Join us for a guided walk through the meadows of Lorton, to discover a variety of wildlife, large & small, to celebrate The Wildlife Trusts’ Our Meadow Wildlife Weekend, with the Community Conservation Officer. Refreshments afterwards. Meet at the Conservation Centre. No unaccompanied children.Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, Lorton Lane, Upwey, Weymouth, DT3 5QH. Phone 01305 816546 for more information.
SUN 14 A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO THE WILDFLOWERS OF CHESIL BEACH, 10am – 11.30pm. Find out more about the fascinating flowers that thrive on Chesil Beach. From wild vegetables to sea pinks, this is a great introduction to local flora. Meet at the Chesil Beach Centre. Adults £3, Children £2.Chesil Beach Centre, halfway along the A354 between Weymouth and Portland. Post code: DT4 9XE. Phone 01305 206191 for more information.
MON 15 – FRI 19 SUMMER PLANTS IN WATERCOLOUR: Paint the abundant flowers & plants of the summer meadows, hedgerows & gardens in this stimulating, friendly botanical painting workshop with Christina Hart-Davies. Cost R £490 (NR £350). Pre-booking essential – limited places. Book online at www.kingcombe.org or call 01300 320684.
TUES 16 WEST DORSET VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am – 3.30pm. Booking is essential for new volunteers as places are limited. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Masters on 07557 561624 for further information.
WED 17 NORTH DORSET VOLUNTEERS, Meet one Sunday a month, on a DWT nature reserve, throughout the year, & various Wednesdays. Practical conservation tasks include habitat management, surveys & monitoring. Tasks subject to change. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Oliver on 07824 874273 or email [email protected]
WED 17 THE GREAT HEATH VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am. The group will be visiting various Great Heath reserves & alternating between wildlife survey days & practical conservation/access tasks. The length of the day will vary depending on the day & activity, e.g. survey days will be much shorter. Please contact Sally Wright on 01202 692033 or at [email protected] for more information.
WED 17 VOLUNTEERS CONSERVATION TASK, Lorton Meadows NR (Free), 10am – 3pm. Join us for a day of practical work on site, to restore the habitats important for local wildlife, with the Community Conservation Officer. Tools, gloves & drinks supplied. No experience necessary, please bring a packed lunch. Meet at the Conservation Centre.Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre, Lorton Lane, Upwey, Weymouth, DT3 5QH. Phone 01305 816546 for more information.
WED 17 NIGHTJAR WALK at Arne RSPB reserve, led by the Warden. Meet 8pm at Arne Reserve car park. Cost £5 (for RSPB members) or £8 (non-members). North Dorset Group.
THUR 18 A GUIDED WALK AROUND MUDEFORD WOOD. Meet at 7pm at Mudeford Community Centre car park, Pipers Drive (map ref. SZ 183931). Bournemouth & Christchurch Group.
FRI 19 SUMMER BIRDS ON BROWNSEA, 11am – 1pm. Discover the birds of Britain’s favourite nature reserve with Dorset Wildlife Trust. Never mind the TV, see the bird breeding season for yourself with spectacular views of the famous Brownsea Island lagoon & its nesting islands. Meet at the public hide by the cormorant sculpture (100m from the quay). Boats from Poole or Sandbanks at 10am. No DWT charge but normal boat fares & National Trust landing charges apply. Limited places so BOOKING ESSENTIAL on 01202 709445 or 01202 692033 or email [email protected].
SAT 20 WALK AT KINGCOMBE MEADOWS, 10am – 1pm, led by Bryan Edwards, Dorset Environmental Records Centre. Sherborne Group
SAT 20 WILD COCKTAILS: Wild food & booze extraordinaire. John Wright guides you through the joys of creating wild plant infusions & summer cocktails with plenty of tastings along the way! Cost £65. Pre-booking essential – limited places. Book online at www.kingcombe.org or call 01300 320684.
SUN 21 KINGCOMBE SUMMER PICNIC: Celebrate summer with a scrumptious picnic & guided walk amongst our famed wildflower meadows with our resident plant folklore guru Nick Gray. Adult £30 Child £15. Pre-booking essential – limited places. Book online at www.kingcombe.org or call 01300 320684.
SUN 21 NORTH DORSET VOLUNTEERS, Meet one Sunday a month, on a DWT nature reserve, throughout the year, & various Wednesdays. Practical conservation tasks include habitat management, surveys & monitoring. Tasks subject to change. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Oliver on 07824 874273 or email [email protected]
SUN 21 A GOOD TERN! – Little tern walk, 11am – 12.30pm. Join us for a walk to see the little terns, one of the UK’s rarest seabirds & help raise money to protect the colony at Chesil. Learn about the plight of this charismatic little bird, find out about the breeding success & get an insight into their fascinating behaviour. All money raised will go directly into protecting the colony. £5 per person (additional donations welcome).Chesil Beach Centre, halfway along the A354 between Weymouth and Portland. Post code: DT4 9XE. Phone 01305 206191 for more information.
SUN 21 VISIT TO MICHAEL EVANS’ OPEN WILDLIFE GARDEN, Farrs Coach House, Cowgrove, Wimborne (¼ mile approx from Wimborne F.C.), 2 – 5pm. £3 donation requested to DWT. Ample parking next door at Farrs House (map ref. SY 998003). Wimborne Group.
TUES 23 ISLE OF PURBECK MID-WEEK VOLUNTEERS, Habitat management on a DWT nature reserve near you. Please contact DWT warden James Hitchen on 07436 157328 for further details or to book your place.
TUES 23 WEST DORSET VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am – 3.30pm. Booking is essential for new volunteers as places are limited. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Masters on 07557 561624 for further information.
THUR 25 PASTURES NEW VOLUNTEER TASK, 10am. Join the regular volunteering group in West Dorset. Tasks can range from hedge laying to Himalayan balsam pulling in locations all over West Dorset. Please contact Nick Gray on 07824 438974 or at [email protected] for details.
THUR 25 AN AFTERNOON WALK ON MIDDLEBERE HEATH led by Mike Massey (01929 551537). Meet at 2.30pm on the road to Arne from Norden (map ref. SY 963864) – park on the verge. A walk towards the harbour to look at birds of the heath & the harbour, plus other wildlife spotted on the way. Isle of Purbeck Group.
FRI 26 THE HEATH at DUSK, 9 – 11pm. As night descends on Upton Heath, experience the sights & sounds of the emerging nocturnal wildlife. With luck nightjars & bats will be out & about. Meet at the end of Beacon Road (BH17 7BQ) off Pinespring Drive / Roman Road, Corfe Mullen. Poole Group.
SAT 27 UPTON HEATH, a guided walk taking in the regeneration after the fire, with Andy Fale, DWT Warden. Meet 10am at the Urban Wildlife Centre, Beacon Hill Lane, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3RX. Donation £2 to DWT. Planned as a prelude to a talk in 2016. Limited to 15 max – booking essential. Contact Andy Fale by email at [email protected] West Dorset Group.
SUN 28 URBAN WEEKENDERS, 9 – 10am moth trap, 10am – 12 noon wildlife survey on Upton Heath. Meet at the Urban Wildlife Centre BH21 3RX to help discover the wildlife of the heath. Families welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Please check website, contact Sally Wright on 01202 692033 or email [email protected] for more information.
TUES 30 WEST DORSET VOLUNTEER WORK PARTY, 10am – 3.30pm. Booking is essential for new volunteers as places are limited. Please contact DWT Warden Steve Masters on 07557 561624 for further information.
TUES 30 KAYAK SAFARI, Fine Foundation Marine Centre, Kimmeridge. Experience wildlife like never before with our clear-bottomed kayaks & goggle-viewers. 3 x 2hr sessions, £25 per person, 6 per session. 2hr session includes guided safari in Kimmeridge Bay. BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Purbeck Marine Centre, Kimmeridge, Wareham, BH20 5PF. Map Ref: SY 909787 Phone 01929 481044 for more information.
