Conchological Society 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. A comprehensive list of the location of past meetings is available here.
Please contact the leader in advance if you plan to attend a field meeting; and, if you are held up while traveling to a meeting, please contact the leader if possible so that you don't make people wait for you.
CONCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY FIELD MEETINGS 2024
Members are advised to keep a regular watch on this website for updates. The Co-19 uncertainties that impacted the field programme have declined and so it is anticipated that problems and restrictions will be minimal. We will, however, be keeping a close watch on any developments; specific meeting arrangements and other changes will appear on the Society website which Society Members are advised to visit regularly. It is essential for those wishing to attend ANY of the meetings, to contact the leader in advance (ideally at least a few days before) to book a place and obtain further details. Thank you for your patience in this regard.
Last checked 29 September 2024
(Please watch this space for information updates on the 2024 programme. If you would like to offer a field meeting for this year then please do contact Martin Willing (contact details below).
Saturday 12th October 2024. FIELD MEETING (non-marine): Wyre Forest, Worcestershire.
Leaders: Rosemary Hill (rosemaryhi@lineone.net; 0121 443 1459) & Rosemary Winnall.
This will be a joint meeting with the Wyre Forest Study Group (WFSG). Meet at 10.30 at Hawkbatch car park (Forestry England), Callow Hill, DY12 3AF, grid reference SO 761777, What3words fingernails.gifted.stealthier . This site is 3 kms NW of Bewdley town on the B4194. If approaching from Bewdley please note that the bridge in the town is one way from East to West only because of flood defence works. The plan is to investigate a marshy area in a ravine which has some basic flushes and later to look at a local pond where Omphiscola glabra has been recorded. Please inform the leader(s) in advance if attending.
Saturday 5th October 2024 FIELD MEETING (non-marine): Cheddar area, Somerset
Leaders: Chris Billinghurst (chris.billinghurst@btinternet.com; 07770 665311) &
Keith Alexander (keith.n.a.alexander@outlook.com; 07394 251990)
A meeting focusing on updating the Society’s knowledge of Ena montana. This rare snail has been known in the Cheddar area for over 100 years but some of the older records are difficult to localise. The aim of this field meeting is to check if it still can be found in Long Wood Nature Reserve (where it was reported in 1987 by Arthur Chater and again in 1992, by John Boyd), so we have a good chance of finding some, but also another area with no specific records but with apparently suitable habitat in plenty (the privately owned Cheddar Wood, where public access is not normally possible). This meeting will be a joint meeting with the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Please note that both woods are suffering from severe ash die-back and if there is a Met Office weather warning for wind the meeting will be cancelled. Long Wood is now closed for general public access because of the ash die-back so we will be entering by the rear entrance. Walking sticks are advised.
Please also note that mobile phone reception is very patchy on Mendip.
Meet at 10.30am at the Blackmoor Nature reserve car park at Charterhouse for car sharing to a lane where there is very limited parking on the grass verge for no more than 3 cars. It is a short, but steep walk to the rear access of the site and involves climbing a gate. Blackmoor car park is at ST5055 5572, just east of the Charterhouse Centre (not the centre car park).
It is a 15-minute drive from Blackmoor reserve to the Cheddar Wood car park. Meet at the Aggregate Industries office (not quarry) car park at ST4486 5593 on the Cheddar to Shipham road. This car park is the second quarry entrance on the right when travelling from Longwood. Please reverse park – this is a quarry safety requirement.
Further field meetings are currently being planned, (including some opportunistically, often at short notice) the details of which will be posted onto the Conchological Society website. Society members are encouraged to check this regularly for notification of such meetings as well for updates on the other fixed dates.
OTHER
Meeting Programme compiled by Martin Willing. For meetings related matters please contact either Martin Willing (martinjwilling@gmail.com) OR Rosemary Hill, General Secretary (secretary@conchsoc.org).
The Programme Secretary will be very happy to receive any offers to lead field meetings.