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photo gallery
. . . Saturday
Walks Programme
Tributes
. . . Ralph
Hollins . . .
Gwynne
Johnson . . .
Dave
Savage
Ralph Hollins -
1931-2021 . . . https://www.brookmeadow.org.uk/tributes/ralph-hollins-1931-2021/
Ralph Hollins Wildlife
Diaries 1997-2018 . . . https://www.brookmeadow.org.uk/tributes/ralph-hollins-wildlife-diaries-1997-2018/
History
of the Havant Wildlife Group
The
Havant Wildlife Study Group began under the tutelage of
Ralph Hollins, the well-known local naturalist, in 1995
with regular weekly meetings on Monday evenings and
nature walks on Saturday mornings. When Ralph retired in
Dec 1997 the group decided to keep the meetings and walks
going on a cooperative, self-taught, basis. Although none
of us are professionals, or in any way experts, we all
had a burning interest in learning more about our local
environment and wildlife. Many of the group subsequently
developed special knowledge and interests which they were
able to share with others, e.g., in birds, plants, fungi
and trees. In December 2005 it was decided to stop the
weekly Monday meetings and to have monthly meetings,
mainly to discuss news and arrange the programme for the
Saturday walks. However,
the ever popular Saturday morning wildlife walks
continued as before. We
are always appreciative of Ralph's constant support (and
occasional admonishment when we get something wrong).
Ralph
Hollins explaining some plants to Ros and Caroline in
Bridge Road car park, Emsworth in June 2007
The walks take
place every Saturday morning from 9.00 to 12.00
throughout the year and visit a variety of sites,
generally within a ten mile radius of Havant. Attendance
is usually around 10, with a range from 5 to 15. The
emphasis is more on wildlife and less on walking.
Progress tends to be fairly slow with lots of stops to
study birds, flowers, insects, fungi, etc. Birds are of
interest all year round, but in summer interest is mainly
on flowers, grasses, sedges and insects. In autumn
attention also turns to fungi. We are particularly
fortunate in the Havant area in having a number of
excellent wildlife sites, which we visit
regularly.
Bridge
Road car park for the Emsworth walk - 26 January 2008
Here is a
more recent group photo taken on Milton Shore - 23
February 2019
Sites visted on a
regular basis include South Moors, Hayling Oyersterbeds,
The Kench, Farlington Marshes, Hilsea Lines, Milton
Common, Emsworth Harbour, Brook Meadow, Hollybank Woods,
Thorney Island, Nutbourne Marshes, Chidham and Cobnor
penisula, Fishbourne Channel, Chichester Gravel Pits,
Pagham Nature Reserve, Stansted Forest, Havant Thicket,
Purbrook Heath, Old Winchester Hill, Catherington Down,
Kingley Vale, as well as various countryside
walks.
GWYNNE
JOHNSON - a
personal appreciation by Brian Fellows
Here is a link to
Gwynne's page . . . Gwynne
Johnson