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Field meetings

Author & date of last revision: bas.payne on 30 October 2012

Field meetings take place between late March and early November. They usually support the Society's Marine and Non-Marine recording schemes, local recording schemes, or conservation minded landowners, but may also include activities such as visits to fossil mollusc locations. It is advisable before turning up for these meeting to check you are suitably dressed and equipped; and please check that you are familiar with the Society's general code of conduct and health and safety policy.

Please contact the leader in advance if you plan to attend a field meeting; and, if you are held up while travelling to a meeting, please contact the leader if possible so that you don't make people wait for you.

The Programme Secretary will be very happy to receive any offers to lead field meetings.  

 

Field meetings for summer 2013:

We are arranging the programme at the moment.  Details will be posted in due course, and will be published in the March number of Mollusc World.

Please note the following dates which have already been arranged:

Saturday 8 June 2013:  Codford, Wilts.:  President's garden party and field event.

20-26 August 2013:  Strangford Lough, N. Ireland:  Porcupine marine field meeting.

Saturday 7 September 2013:  Woolacombe, N. Devon:  Bioblitz.

Saturday 12 October:  Wyre Forest, Worcs.:  Slug and fungus foray.

 

Calendar of field meetings

Saturday 8 June 2013: Codford, Wilts.
Contact Mike Allen (aea.escargots@gmail.com, 01985 850 713, 07828 103 454)

The President invites you to a Conchological day - visit him and his lab on Saturday 8 June at 11:30.

i) a sojourn in the garden with tea or wine and other conchologists
ii) visit the lab, where 4 microscopes will be set up - bring your snails
iii) a demonstration of processing samples from an archaeological site
iv) buffet lunch in the garden (or inside if wet)
v) a walk up the county lane and examination of field side hedges for some typical hedge species
vi) see the snail sculptures
 
At Redroof, Green Road, Codford, Wiltshire. Prebooking is essential preferably by email (or phone) - by Monday 27 May please (please indicate any dietary requirements).
 
Sunday 23 June 2013: East Wittering, Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex
Contact June Chatfield (01420 82214 - home)
Conchological Society

For marine molluscs, land snails and Eocene fossils.  In the morning when the tide is in we will walk westwards along the promenade in the direction of West Wittering dunes, investigating land snails and the top strand line.  We will meet again, after lunch, at 2pm at the original car park meeting point to look for marine molluscs, including shells of Pandora albida, and walking eastwards for fossil molluscs such as Venericor (large false cockle).  Low water will be at about 17:00 (+0.6m).
 
Meet at 11.00am at the car park at the end of Bracklesham Lane (continuation of B2198 going to the shore) SZ804963. It is not a particularly large car park so the leader will investigate other parking options to be posted on the website nearer the date or from the leader by telephone.
 

 

 

 

Saturday 13 July 2013: Docklow Ponds, Herefordshire
Contact Rosemary Hill (secretary@conchsoc.org)
Conchological Society

 Further details will be posted in due course.

 

Saturday 10 August 2013: Chimney Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall
Contact Dave Fenwick (davidfenwicksnr@googlemail.com, 01736 448392)
Good marine rock locality.

 

Meet at 12:00 the top of the slipway, on the west side of Jubilee Pool, Penzance at  SW 475 298. Car parking on road close-by and across the road at a council Pay and Display car park.  As this event is in the middle of the holiday season, parking may be a problem, however there are many places to park within walking distance.  Low water will be at about 14:00 (+0.9m).
 
 
 
 

 

Strangford Lough, Co. Down: 20-26 August 2013
Contact Centre for Environmental Data and Recording and Seasearch NI

Strangford LoughJoin us for a week of marine recording on the shores and in the sublittoral of beautiful Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland. How many species can be found in seven days?

Strangford Lough is the only Marine Nature Reserve in the United Kingdom (Lundy Island & Skomer are now technically Marine Conservation Zones), with many important intertidal and sublittoral habitats, and on-going conservation concern over the decline of Modiolus beds and associated species.

Historically Strangford Lough has been a significant research area for marine biologists, with ~1500 marine species recorded. Of these, more than 280 species of mollusc have been recorded living from the Lough. More up-to-date and detailed recording would be welcome. A recent survey for marine aliens has resulted in a number of new species records and extended distributions. More information concerning these species within the Lough would be very timely.

Logistically, it is an easy area to survey and host a field trip, as Portaferry, the principle town on the Ards Peninsula, has a Marine Station Laboratory (Queen’s University Belfast). The Laboratory can accommodate up to 40 scientists, and is available without cost to any participant. Strangford Lough is normally sheltered from bad weather.

There is a wide range of accommodation to suit any requirement. There are good transport links to Northern Ireland via ferries and airports. There are also easy links to travel through the Republic of Ireland.

As well as morning intertidal trips to a variety of shores, there is also a chance to take part in Seasearch diving and subtidal collecting. There will be an informal forum for the exchange of knowledge concerning identification of marine species and habitats.

Please click for more information on costs, accommodation, directions and for the booking form: Blitz the Lough! 2013.

Porcupine Marine Natural History SocietyNational Museums of Northern IrelandConchological Society Great Britain and IrelandNorthern Ireland Environment AgencyDept of Environment Marine Division