Monday 1 November 2021: White Storks – Lucy Groves, Knepp White Stork Project Officer
White storks are breeding in the UK for the first time in hundreds of years.
Monday October 4th 2021: Bat Ecology and Conservation by Ross Baker, Surrey Bat Group Chairman
Given by Ross Baker we explored the range of international and UK bats, with an emphasis on those found in Surrey. Ross is the chairman of Surrey Bat Group having worked with bats in Surrey for over 35 years with Bat Group projects, as a Natural England Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor and trainer, as a consultant (now retired) and as an independent researcher specialising in the rarer woodland bats of Surrey.
Monday September 6th: Hazel Dormice 2021 – Dave Williams, mammal expert
Hazel dormouse photo by Frank Vassen under creative commons
All about Hazel Dormice – habits, habitats, hibernation and how we can help them
Sat 14th August 2021 – Walk at Tices Meadow
The FNW group met with the Tice’s Meadow Bird Group on the mound at Tice’s Meadow Nature Reserve,spotting some of the 200 species of bird that have been recorded on site, including migrating wading birds such as Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plover and more. The group walk also took in the woodlands, grassland and reed beds, with views of the meadow and water bodies on site.
April 2021 – Gilbert White the Gardener – David Standing
Naturalist Gilbert White (1720-1793) is sometimes known as the father of modern ecology. David Standing, the Head Gardener at the Gilbert White Museum in Selborne, Hampshire from 1979 to 2017 gave us a fascinating talk. It follows the detective story of finding out the original layout and planting of his grounds, and made particular reference to White’s natural history observations in his garden.
Below is the list of plant names found in the garden……….
| English Name | Latin name |
| French marigold | Tagetes patula |
| African Marigold | Tagetes erecta |
| Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate | Persicaria orientalis |
| Venus looking glass | Legousia speculum-veneris |
| Flower-of-an-hour | Hibiscus trionum |
| Blue convolvulus | Covolvulus tricolur ‘Blue Ensign’ |
| Curled Mallow | Malva vericillata ‘Crispa’ |
| Painted Lady sweet pea | Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’ |
| Clary Sage ‘Turkestanica’ | Salvia sclarea ‘Turkestanica’ |
| Marvel of Peru | Mirabilis jalapa |
| Hollyhock (single flowered) | Alcea rosea |
| Gold Laced Polyanthus | Primula x polyantha ‘Gold Lace’ |
| Chimney Bellflower | Campanula pyramidalis |
| French Honeysuckle | Hedysarum coronarium |
| Rusty Foxglove | Digitalis ferruginea |
| White Sweet Rocket | Hesperis matronalis albiflora |
| Double sweet rocket | Hesperis matronalis alba-plena |
| Burning Bush | Dictamnus fraxinella |
| Crown Imperial | Fritillaria imperialis |
| Dragon arum | Dracunculus vulgaris |
| Double Hyacinth | Hyacinths orientalis double var |
| Martagon Lily | Lilium martagon |
| Madonna lily | Lilium candidum |
| Purslane | Portulaca oleracea subsp sativa |
| Skirret | Sium sisarum |
| Cardoon | Cynara cardunculus |
| Celeriac | Apium graveolens var rapaceum |
| Apple Nonpareil | Malus domestica ‘Nonpareil’ |
| Medlar | Mespilus germanica |
| Quince | Cydonia oblonga |
| Pear Catillac | Pyrus comunis ‘Catillac’ |
| Melon | Cucumis melo |
| Apothecaries Rose | Rosa gallica officinalis |
| Rosa Mundi | Rosa gallica officinalis versicolour |
| Rose Celeste | Rosa alba ‘Celeste’ |
| Rose Ville de Bruxelles’ | Rosa damascena ‘Ville de Bruxelles’ |
| Rose Rambling Rector | Rosa sp (Rambler group) Rambling Rector |
| Austrian Briar | Rosa foetida |
| Rose Mannings Blush | Rosa rubiginosa ‘Mannings Blush’ |
| Giant Reed | Arundo donax |
| Scorpionsenna | Hippocrepis emerus |
| Laurestinus | Viburnum tinus |
| Laurel | Prunus laurocerasus |
| Holm Oak | Quercus ilex |
| Tulip Tree | Liriodendron tulipifera |
| Cedar of Lebanon | Cedrus libani |
March 2021 – Birds of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica
Keith Betton took us on a wonderful journey to the southern oceans, seeing albatrosses, penguins and many other fascinating birds. Keith is a Farnham resident and an author and broadcaster.
Jan/Feb 2021 – Treasure Hunt
Check out the treasure hunt for nature on Normandy Common. The competition is closed now, but you can still answer the quiz and look for the answers on the Common.