Wickford Wildlife Society 2025 Programme
Wednesday 15th
January 2025 | Indoor | Members Evening. Bring along pictures and stories you would like to share, UK or overseas. Any interesting images of wildlife, slides, digital or real exhibits welcome. 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
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Wednesday 19th February 2025 |
Indoor |
Terri Dawson - Wilderness Foundation UK Terri Dawson, Education Officer For Wilderness Foundation UK, started as a volunteer in 2017 and began working for the foundation in 2018. Her first passion is the natural world and second is sharing nature with young people. Working to Keep People Healthy and Our Planet Wild Through the Wilderness Foundation education and therapy programmes, they help children, teens and adults reconnect to society and themselves through outdoor facilitation, nature based therapy and mentoring. Their mission is to preserve wild places and change lives through nature immersive programmes that educate, inspire and reconnect people facing a number of challenges in their lives. They create opportunities for those wishing to learn more about their relationship with the natural world and what they can do to protect it. Please click here to view their website: Wilderness Foundation | Transforming lives through nature | 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
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Sunday 23rd February 2025 |
Outdoor |
Winter bird watch at Fingringhoe Wick. Wrap up warm, bring binoculars and flask, to join us for our annual winter bird watch. This year we will be looking for raptors and waders at this excellent EWT reserve. Please see full details of the reserve via the EWT website below: Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park | Essex Wildlife Trust Meet in Wickford at 9.00am. |
Tuesday 25th February 2025 | Outdoor | Wickford Memorial Park - Wildlife Walk Join us for a wildlife walk around our local park and the new nature reserve at Beauchamps Meadow. Meet at the Memorial Park Cafe (Hutton's) at 10.30am |
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Wednesday 19th March 2025 |
Indoor |
John Attiwell - UK Dragonflies and Damselflies John Attiwell, Wilder Community Ranger for the Essex Wildlife Trust will present an illustrated talk on Essex’ wonderful Dragonflies and Damselflies, as well as a few from further afield in the UK, and discuss what we can do for these magnificent creatures in our gardens and open spaces. 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
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Monday 24th March 2025 |
Indoor |
Inter-Society Quiz – Great Wakering. This year’s quiz will be hosted by Great Wakering. Come along and support our team on this entertaining night and perhaps win a prize with your wildlife knowledge! 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. |
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Saturday 5th April 2025 |
Outdoor |
Early morning spring woodland walk – Norsey Wood. This is a joint meeting with the Norsey Wood Society. Hopefully there will be plenty of early migrant birds to see and hear at this great woodland site. Please see Norsey Wood Society website here: Timings TBA. |
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Wednesday 16th April 2025 |
Indoor |
Ian & Ros Mercer - Soils - or geology with worms! Ian and Ros Mercer of the Essex Rock and Mineral Society will talk to us about our “Soils”. Soil – earth, dirt, land, ground, loam, humus…? The Latin root "homo-" is related to "humus", "earth" or "born" and so it refers to "earthly being" or "born of the earth" – and thus refers to all of humanity. In answering the question, "What is Soil?", we can begin to realise that “What we do to the land, we do to ourselves.” Soil is the planet’s thin, vital surface layer where geology and biology combine to recycle dead matter back into life. Vitally, plants and animals depend upon the minerals in the rocks and sediments within the land surface. Soil is created continually during an amazing exchange process involving mineral particles, fungi, microbes and small animals, notably earthworms. Minerals are dissolved and their chemical building-blocks transferred into plant roots along millions of threads of fungus; in exchange, the fungus gains energy from ‘sugar chains’ produced by the plants using energy from sunlight shining on their leaves. Ian's talk takes us from the geological - biological interface of soil to the stark reality of the survival of civilisation on this planet. Ian Mercer FGA is a retired geologist and gemmologist who worked for the Geological Survey and Museum from 1965 and for the Gemmological Association from 1990. Please see Essex Rock and Mineral Society Website here: Essex Rock and Mineral Society 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
| Tuesday 29th April 2025 | Indoor | Wickford Memorial Park - Wildlife Walk Join us for a wildlife walk around our local park and the new nature reserve at Beauchamps Meadow. Meet at the Memorial Park Cafe (Hutton's) at 10.30am |
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Sunday 11th May 2025 |
Outdoor |
Spring migrants and bluebells – Hanningfield Reservoir. Join us for a spring walk around the Hanningfield Reservoir reserve. All of our spring migrant birds should be here by now and hopefully bluebells will be in full bloom! Please see Hanningfield Reservoir website here: Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park | Essex Wildlife Trust Meet in Wickford at 9.30am. |
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Saturday 21st June 2025 |
Outdoor |
Longest Day Walk – Galleywood Common. Our longest day walk this year will take place at Galleywood Common. Afterwards we will retire to a local pub for refreshments. Please see Galleywood Common website here: Galleywood Common Chelmsford - Love Your Chelmsford Meet in Wickford at 7.00pm. |
| Tuesday 24th June 2025 | Indoor | Wickford Memorial Park - Wildlife Walk Join us for a wildlife walk around our local park and the new nature reserve at Beauchamps Meadow. Meet at the Memorial Park Cafe (Hutton's) at 10.30am |
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Friday 4th July 2025 |
Outdoor (Evening) |
Moth Night, Bats & Stargazing - Wick Country Park. A joint event with the Friends of Wick Country Park. We will set out lamps to attract moths and have telescopes available if we get a clear sky. We will also try and detect flying bats. Meet at the Wick Country Park Pavilion from 9.00pm onwards. Note - booking is essential as numbers are restricted. Please contact us via email to book your place. |
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Sunday 14th September 2025 |
Outdoor |
Autumn Migration – Wallasea Island. An autumn walk around this great RSPB reserve looking for migrating birds and perhaps Clouded Yellow Butterflies and other interesting insects. Please see RSPB Wallasea Island website here: Wallasea Island Nature Reserve, Essex Meet in Wickford at 9.00am. |
| Tuesday 30th September 2025 | Indoor | Wickford Memorial Park - Wildlife Walk Join us for a wildlife walk around our local park and the new nature reserve at Beauchamps Meadow. Meet at the Memorial Park Cafe (Hutton's) at 10.30am |
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Saturday 11th October 2025 |
Outdoor |
Fungus Foray - Norsey Wood. Our annual Fungus Foray at Norsey Wood where members of the Wickford Wildlife Society will be there to help lead walks and identify specimens. This is a joint meeting with the Norsey Wood Society. The Car park is at Outwood Common Road, Billericay, CM11 1HA. Meet at Norsey Wood - 9.45am for a 10.00am start. |
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Wednesday 15th October 2025 |
Indoor |
Martin Singleton - Wild New Zealand Martin Singleton of the Wickford Wildlife Society will present a talk on the fabulous wildlife of New Zealand. Due to millions of years of isolation in New Zealand’s past, and it being the last large land mass to be colonized by humans, there are many unique types of flora and fauna native to the islands. Originally, New Zealand had very few predator mammals, leading to the increased evolution of flightless birds, including the national bird, the Kiwi. Martin's talk will cover both North and South Island and a few of the many smaller islands and the remarkable flora and fauna to be found here. 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
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Wednesday 19th November 2025 |
Indoor |
Emma Bickford – The Magic of Moths. Join moth enthusiast Emma as she reveals the captivating world of the UK’s moths. Drawing on her experiences working in the Cairngorms and with Butterfly Conservation, Emma will introduce the incredible diversity and beauty of these often-overlooked insects. 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
| Tuesday 25th November 2025 | Indoor | Wickford Memorial Park - Wildlife Walk Join us for a wildlife walk around our local park and the new nature reserve at Beauchamps Meadow. Meet at the Memorial Park Cafe (Hutton's) at 10.30am |
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Wednesday 17th December 2025 |
Indoor |
AGM and Christmas social. Celebrate the festive season with fellow members. All visitors welcome to learn more about our society and enjoy the free tasty buffet! A quiz or short talk will also take place. 7.45pm for 8.00pm start. |
NOTE - entrance to the hall is at the rear and NOT via the
main church doors.
There is adequate parking in front and behind the Church. Note that there is no longer free parking at the rear of the church and you will be charged if your car is not registered with the church. Wickford Central Car parks are within walking distance of the church hall and will be free during the times of our indoor meetings.
Teas and Coffees are available during the interval.
Doors Open -
7.45pm
Meetings Start - 8.00pm prompt.
Admission - Members £2.00 - Non-Members £3.00
Outdoor Meetings
Unless otherwise specified, outings will depart from the Wickford Central Council Car Park (next to the Co-Op) at the times shown above.
Please note that times will vary according to the location of the meeting. There are sometimes spare places in cars travelling to the different locations, so anyone needing transport can normally get a lift. In case of a change of venue or timings, it is advisable to contact Martin or Marie Singleton on the phone numbers detailed for confirmation of all outdoor meetings.
We aim to arrive back in Wickford at around 1pm but this is
of course, approximate and very much dependent on the wildlife we see on the
day.
If you wish to travel direct to any location, map references
and directions will be provided.
Venue Map
Please click here for local map of Indoor Meeting venues and for normal Outdoor meeting place.