29 Dec -1 Jan

The BSBI New Year Plant Hunt - takes place in the first four days over the new year every New Year and people contribute from all over Britain.

See our results for CCG for 2025 amongst all the national results here

In 2022 five members joined the parish walk at Keasden Head (See pictures),

Past CCG NYPH events: 2022 , 2021 (42 species - a record), 2019 , 2018 , 2017, 2016, 2015. It is easy to send in results using an app on a mobile phone.

I did surveys on two different days - one gave 14 species In fact f(not 15 as is entered) and one with 10 plants,(giving a total of 21 DIFFERENT species) then and entry for 12 and an entry for 13 (recorded as near Giggleswcik Golf Club)

but the total of different species for Settle is 27

https://nyph.bsbi.org/results.php

Talk on Curlews and other Waders by Tom Ridgeon

Tom has worked for the RSPB,
monitoring baseline populations of moorland bird species as part of the Green recovery project at High Helbeck estate above Brough in the North Pennines AONB, and now currently works for PBA Applied Ecology continuing to provide surveys that monitor moorland ground nesting birds.
 
Settle Methodist Church, Church St, Settle BD24 9JH
, £5  non-members, school students £1, members free - family membership only £10

What do you know about Craneflies, Mothflies, St Mark's fly, Bee-flies, Midges, Hoverflies?

Come and find out more about these fascinating different types of fly from Derek Whitely who used to work for the Sheffield Museums and Sheffield City Ecology Unit, and who In 1988, founded a journal (Dipterists Digest) to disseminate information about identification and ecology of Diptera (true flies).

St John's Methodist Church Settle BD24 9JH

Yorkshire Naturalists Union Conference in York.

YNU Annual Conference - 1st March 2025

The State of Yorkshire's Nature report: what does it mean for naturalists? The line-up of speakers includes John Lawton, Charlie Fletcher, Africa Gomez, Lori Lawson Handley, Vicky Wilkins, Chris Hassell, Louise Wilkinson, Jon Traill, Sue Hull, Sharne McMillan, and Jane Smart.Booking for the conference, which will be at the Priory Street Centre in York YO1 6ET, will be open in the new year.

4 CCG members atteded.

>140

people there.

CCG Meal at Ruchees. c 6.30pm -Feast night

Sun 23 March

(10:00-13:00)

Settle Action on Climate Emergency Event:

Tree planting opportunity near Malham Tarn. 

Join in with some native tree and shrub planting at Darnbrook Farm, on the Malham Tarn Estate. This is being run by the National Trust as part of the Heart of the Dales Nature Accelerator Project. Find out more and sign-up by contacting Alicia Turner (Woodlands Project Officer) at alicia.turner@nationaltrust.org.uk. Due to the availability of parking at the site there are a limited number of places available and pre-booking is essential. 

Breeding Bird Survey Simulation Walk

3 and 4 April

Simulated i.e. Demonstration BTO Breeding Bird Survey Walk by Richard Candeland. Booking necessary- maximum 6 people (otherwise there will be no birds, as they will all be scared away). It is necessary to book for this- please contact Richard (see below).

The purpose of this walk is to give you an insight into what a British Trust for Ornithology Breeding Bird Survey entails.

What is the Breeding Bird Survey?

The Breeding Bird Survey is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. It has been running for over thirty years and involves a couple of thousand volunteers across the UK. The survey takes place between April and June and the data gathered are used to produce an annual report showing the population trends of the commonest breeding birds in the country.

Each volunteers is allocated a 1-km grid square, which they visit twice in a season. The squares have been randomly selected – not every grid square in the country is surveyed. On each survey visit, the surveyor walks two pre-defined 1-km transects and logs every bird they see or hear.

Practical details.
We will meet at 7am at the Craven Lime Works car park. From there we will walk to our 1-km square. The square is not part of the national survey and we will not be passing on the results of our simulated survey. In the square I have mapped two transects which are similar to those that might be used in a real survey. We will follow the first transect discussing and logging our sightings, then go to the start of the second transect and repeat the process following that transect. We will then return to the car park, where we will collate our survey results.
The total distance walked will be about 4-5km. It is all on public footpaths, but the ground may be damp or slippery and there are some stiles and a busy road to cross (twice). Please wear suitable footwear. The event will last about 3 hours. Binoculars would be useful but are not essential. Surveying is very weather dependent and does not take place if it is misty, raining or windy, which limit bird activity and make it harder to see and/or hear what activity there is. If the weather is unsuitable the event will be cancelled.

Numbers will be restricted to 6 people on each day. Otherwise the group will be too large to manage and the birds will all be scared away! To take part please email Richard Candeland (r.a.candeland AT gmail.com ) by Thursday 27th March stating your preferred date and whether you can make the alternative date, if your first choice is full. Please provide a phone number so that you can be contacted if the event is cancelled.

Talk by Pat Porter from Craven Wildlife Rescue

St John's Methodist Church, Settle, BD24 9JH

Yorkshire Naturalists' Union (YNU)

Now you can find out about events run by the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union (YNU) at their website and by some of the forty or so other natural history societies throughout Yorkshire which are affiliated to the YNU

Colt Park Thursday Volunteers:
Volunteering for Natural England At Colt Park Barn - usually on Thursdays. Please contact Natural EnglandSee Ingleborough NNR Facebook and Ingleborough NNR Twitter

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - See YWT North Yorkshire opportunities for volunteering
Grass Wood Work Party Days - check the list just above - N Yorkshire

ACE Settle: Action on Climate Emergency have a biodiversity group that goes tree planting.

North Craven Heritage Trust

Yorkshire Dales National Park Guided Walks and guided walks of other organisations.
Guided Walks in the the Yorkshire Dales, on various natural history topics. Run by the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Although aimed primarily for tourists, These are very good value for money for locals too. and we don't have to travel far to get to the walks.

Natural History and other courses at Malham Tarn Field Centre.(e.g. Grasses, algae, mosses, moths, and many others).

Plantlife - Own the Nature Reserce: Winskill Stones.

Rainforest-save.blogspot.com - Judith (webeditor)'s blog on raising money to save wildlife habitats and wildlife activities in Craven

North Craven Heritate Trust - Good articles in past issues.

Tony Dilger Photography - TG is a CCG member. Good photos

Craven Speakers Club, Skipton -

English names of mosses

Friends of Dales Rail

Identifying molluscs- easy online key to garden slugs and snails

Yorkshire Dales National Park Biodiversity Action Plan

Craven District Council Local Biodiversity Action Plan (outside YDNP)

Harlequin ladybird survey - News- A new ladybird has arrived in Britain . But not just any ladybird: this is the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis , the most invasive ladybird on Earth.- Look out for sightings in Craven as it comes north.

Fungi Links
See also the websites of
The Mid Yorkshire Fungus Group

Sites that link to us:

Horon-in-Ribblesdale Parish website

Wharfedale Naturalists

YNU