Bird Meetings and Events
Tue 31 Mar 2026 (7.30pm for 8pm)
'Where the Wild Things Are' – 150 years of Hertfordshire Natural History Society
HNHS Secretary David Utting reviews its distinguished history, contrasting the activities and equipment of Victorian natural historians with the way we go about things today (plus future challenges).
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
Wed 08 Apr 2026 (8pm)
An introduction to Maple Lodge Nature Reserve
Christina Bessant will talk about this beautiful local nature reserve.
Organised by: RSPB Watford Local Group
Wed 08 Apr 2026 (9.45am)
Local walk at Standon
The Lordship, Standon. A walk around glorious Hertfordshire countryside. Parking by St Mary’s Church in Standon High Street. Postcode: SG11 1LA.
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
Wed 13 May 2026 (8pm)
Conservation work at Hillfield Park reservoir
This talk by Josh Kalms of the HMWT will focus on recent major works to improve habitat on this important local wetland area
Organised by: RSPB Watford Local Group
Tue 26 May 2026 (7.30pm for 8pm)
The status of butterflies in Hertfordshire and Middlesex
The speaker is county butterfly recorder Andrew Wood, author of 'Butterflies of Hertfordshire and Middlesex'.
The United Reformed Church Hall, Mill Lane, Broxbourne, EN10 7BG (Wheelchair accessible)
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
Sun 07 Jun 2026 (9.30am)
Heartwood forest walk
In early June the forest is buzzing with summer wildlife attracted to the wildflower meadows and nesting birds are actively feeding their hungry offspring. Meet at Heartwood Forest car park. Nearest postcode: AL4 9DQ.
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
Wed 17 Jun 2026 (9.45am)
Therfield Heath walk
For farmland birds, spring migrants and butterflies. Meet in the Royston Heath Sports Centre car park. Postcode SG8 5BG. (T).
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
Wed 15 Jul 2026 (9.45am)
Broxbourne Woods and Heath walk
. A wander through this area is excellent for butterflies, dragonflies and other insects. Meet at 9.30am Free parking at Broxbourne Woods West car park. Postcode SG13 8NZ.
Organised by: RSPB South East Herts Group
HNHS News
How to help Swifts – the 2026 Herts Bird Conference
The 2026 Hertfordshire Bird Conference attracted a full house of HNHS/Bird Club members and friends on Saturday 7 March to hear fascinating talks on Swift conservation, birds in urban greenspaces and the 'journey' of a bird record submitted through the Bird Club website.
Videos of all the main presentations can be found on the HNHS YouTube channel
Swifts are our fastest bird in level flight and famously only land when nesting. They otherwise feed, drink, sleep and mate on the wing.
North Hertfordshire exhibition extended by two weeks!
We are pleased to announce that the popular HNHS exhibition 'Wildlife - for the Record' will continue for an extra fortnight at North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin. The final day will now be Sunday 1 March.
The exhibition is the concluding event in celebrations to mark the Society's 150th anniversary. It features species and habitats that are special to the north of the county, and wildlife exhibits from the museum's store that are not normally on display.
Discovering Hertfordshire's 22 species of wild orchid
Orchids are one of the most glamorous and diverse plant groups on earth, with 28,000 species worldwide. However, only 51 are known in Britain and Ireland – and just 22 grow in Hertfordshire, according Co-county Flora Recorder, Ian Denholm.
Giving the 2026 Gerald Salisbury Memorial Lecture on 22 January he provided an overview of all the county's extant species and seven others that have disappeared in the past 60 years. These ranged from those like Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) that is thriving in a warming climate to the exceptionally rare Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) that flowered on a Herts. gravel extraction site for two years before being destroyed in 2020.
A video of Prof. Denholm's lecture, written with fellow orchid expert Prof Richard Bateman, can be viewed on the HNHS YouTube site.