Milton Keynes Natural History Society

06/05/2026

Field Meeting Highlights: Blackhorse Wood & Linford Manor
05.05.2026

What a lovely evening to explore one of our most varied local sites. We began with a wander through Linford Manor Park, then crossed the canal bridge into Black Horse Wood, where the mix of mature deciduous trees, birdsong and fresh ground flora made the whole place feel alive.

Our photos from the walk capture just a few of the plants and tiny woodland residents we spotted along the way.

A big thank you to our walk leaders for guiding us, and to everyone who joined us for such a peaceful, nature‑filled evening.

The full report will be up on our website soon https://mknhs.org.uk/

If you enjoyed this walk — or if you’ve been thinking of joining us — our next field meeting is next Tuesday. These are friendly, easy‑going outings and a great way to get to know local wildlife. Everyone is welcome to come along and see what we discover. https://mknhs.org.uk/programme-2/

18/04/2026

📝 New Article on the MKNHS Website!
Birding in Norfolk by Joan Hughes.
It’s a lovely write‑up of a day exploring one of the UK’s best birding regions, full of sightings and highlights from the trip.

Read it here: https://mknhs.org.uk/birding-in-norfolk-19-march-2026-joan-hughes/

Photo above: Brent Geese Branta bernicla (All photos © Joan Hughes) On a beautiful, dry and sunny day I set off along the Norfolk coast road travelling northwards to RSPB Titchwell Marsh, once desc…

16/04/2026

Our Summer Programme is now up on the website.
Non‑members are welcome at all events and you don’t need to book in advance — just come along and enjoy the session.

Full programme can be found here ➡️ https://mknhs.org.uk/programme-2/

We hope to see you there.

24/02/2026

🌿 Weekly Indoor Talks Continue! 🌿
Milton Keynes Natural History Society meets every Tuesday evening for our indoor talks programme, running right through to late April.
You can explore the full programme here:
👉 https://mknhs.org.uk/programme-2/
These sessions are free for members, and we kindly ask non‑members for a £2 donation to support the Society’s work.

After the indoor season finishes, we’ll move straight into our weekly field meetings, which run from May through to the end of August — a great chance to get outdoors and explore local wildlife together.

Everyone with an interest in nature is warmly welcome.

19/01/2026

📸 MKNHS Photo Competition 2026
Members of Milton Keynes Natural History Society are invited to enter their best nature photographs for this year’s competition.
🗓 Closing date for entries: 03 February 2026

Open to MKNHS members only
(Non‑members are welcome to join the Society if they’d like to take part.)
There are five categories and each member may submit up to 2 images per category—that’s up to 10 photos in total.

❇️Birds
❇️Invertebrates
❇️All other animals, including mammals, fish, etc.
❇️Plants and fungi
❇️Habitats, geological, astronomical

All images must have been taken in the UK between 01 January 2025 and 03 February 2026.

Full details, including how to submit your photos, are available here:
🔗 https://mknhs.org.uk/photo-competitions/photo-competition-2026/

08/12/2025

📝 New Article on the MKNHS Website!
Julie Cuthbert recounts her latest wildlife adventure in pursuit of a very special bird. It’s a tale of patience, persistence, and the joy of discovery.
👉 Read the full story here:

Above: Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (Photo Julie Cuthbert) It has long been a mission of mine to see a Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus). My fascination with these beautiful long-curved-beake…

02/12/2025

🍂 Trip Report Now Available!
The Plant Group’s report from the visit to Shenley Wood is live on our website. Highlights include the recording of 15 Ancient Woodland Indicator species, confirming Shenley Wood’s rich biodiversity and its status as an ancient woodland!

https://mknhs.org.uk/mknhs-plant-group-shenley-wood-trip-report-sunday-12th-october-2025/

Photo above: Black Bryony – Tamis communis (Photo © Janice Robertson) Introduction Shenley Wood was the location of the Plant Group’s first field event on 28th April 2024. That was a wet and …

10/11/2025

📢 Next MKNHS Talk – CORNISH CHOUGHS – FROM BUST TO BOOM
Once extinct in England, the red-billed chough is now soaring again over Cornish cliffs. Judith Lloyd returns to share the remarkable recovery story of this iconic bird—and what it means for UK conservation.
📅 Tuesday 11th November 2025
⏲️ 8.00pm–9.30pm (Doors open at 7:30pm for tea, coffee and a friendly chat)
📍 Cruck Barn, Milton Keynes
More info ➡️ https://mknhs.org.uk/programme-2/
No need to book, just turn up!
£2 for non-members or become a member for only £25 per year

02/11/2025

🔎Spot the Odd One Out!
All of these round structures are part of a life cycle… but not all from the same kind of organism!
This image shows four fascinating forms—three are fruiting bodies of lichens, used for reproduction. One, however, is something entirely different: a structure formed as part of a wasp’s life cycle.

Can you tell which one doesn’t belong?
Drop your guess in the comments: A, B, C, or D?

31/10/2025

📢 Next MKNHS Talk – EMBERTON COUNTRY PARK AT SIXTY
This year marks a special milestone for Emberton Country Park, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary! But did you know it was one of the first country parks ever established?
Join us as Samuel Flowers from Milton Keynes City Council takes us through the fascinating history of the park, its evolving landscape, and the rich biodiversity it supports today. If you’ve visited recently, you may have noticed some exciting new habitat creation projects taking shape—come along to learn more!
📅 Tuesday 4th November 2025
⏲️ 8.00pm–9.30pm (Doors open at 7:30pm for tea, coffee and a friendly chat)
📍 Cruck Barn, Milton Keynes

More info ➡️ https://mknhs.org.uk/programme-2/
No need to book, just turn up!
£2 for non-members or become a member for only £25 per year