YNU/YCS Malham Tarn meeting. Conchological Society members welcome.

Meet at Kew Gardens Railway Station (London Underground, District Line, Richmond branch and the North London Line) (map reference TQ 192767) at 12:00 h.   The low tide is late in the day (about 18:20 h) so we will look at two local Balea biplicata sites first and then make our way to the River Thames.   There is an exposure near Chiswick Bridge of a subfossil deposit (about 300 years old) on the foreshore near low tide mark that contains an interesting assemblage of freshwater molluscs.   Corbicula fluminea is now well established in the area and

Haugh Woods are about 350 ha in extent and are situated on the Woolhope Dome about 5 miles southeast of Hereford. This is a limestone area nationally important for butterflies and moths but in which molluscs are under-recorded. From Hereford, take the B4224 towards Ross-on-Wye. At Mordiford turn left just after the ‘Moon’ pub, then follow the signs for Haugh Wood and Woolhope. The main car park is about 2 miles along this road on the left hand side. There are no toilets.

The Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland is generally very much under-recorded, and we hope to remedy this to some extent by visiting various woodland sites in Dumfries-shire, most of which are, unusually for this area, on base-rich soils.

On 21 May, meet at 10:00 h at the lay-by near Stenhouse Cottage next to Stenhouse Wood SSSI (NX 797931) on the minor road that turns off north-west from the road between Tynron and Moniaive. In the afternoon we shall move on to Chanlockfoot SSSI (NX 802990).

Meet at 10:30 h at the main car park in Gargrave, grid ref. SD 932543.

Titchfield Haven near Fareham has an interesting mix of molluscan habitats both marine, freshwater and land. It has a muddy sand/bound shingle beach that is usually rich in dead shells, including the Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) that came into Southampton Water via dumped live clams from the transatlantic liners in the 1950s and these continue to thrive. The very low almost Spring tide will allow us to explore the shore for live records and also seaweed (including reds) for washing.

Joint meeting with Doncaster Naturalists. Meet at 10:30 h at the burial ground on Guest Lane, Warmsworth, grid ref. SE 549013.

Guest speaker Terry O’Connor (University of York)

Joint meeting with the Flitvale local Wildlife Trust group. Bedfordshire's most important wetland and an SSSI, Flitwick Moor is a blend of fen, meadow, wet woodland and fragile peaty soil, supporting mosses, ferns and flowers. Although this is generally a low pH habitat, previous records have included Phenacolimax major and it will be useful to discover whether this species is still present. Meet at 10:30 h at the car park at the end of the small track at Folly farm, grid ref. TL046354. Bring wellingtons and a packed lunch.