Natural History Society of Northumbria

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Natural History Society of Northumbria Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Natural History Society of Northumbria, Nonprofit Organization, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Inspiring wonder in the natural world, from the Tees to the Tweed, since 1829 🏛️🌿

We protect and manage Gosforth Nature Reserve and, from our home at the Great North Museum: Hancock, help everyone discover and care for North East nature.

24/10/2026

A Rowan with a twist 🌳

Rowan trees are famous for their bright red berries, but did you know that some species produce white fruits instead? Hupeh Rowan is an unusual tree with clusters of pale berries held in dense clusters, which can remain long after its leaves have fallen.

In the latest video from our tree trail series, NHSN Ouse Burn Naturalist, James, takes a closer look at this unusual tree and the features that make it stand out.

Keep an eye out for Hupeh Rowan next time you’re exploring the !🌿

Fungi season is heating up along the ! 🍄As autumn gets underway, more fungi are popping up across the corridor, and the...
24/10/2026

Fungi season is heating up along the ! 🍄

As autumn gets underway, more fungi are popping up across the corridor, and there have been some lovely finds recently. From the striking Spectacular Rustgill to the curious Collared Earthstar, there’s plenty to catch the eye. One particularly exciting discovery was the rare Fluted Bird’s-nest, a great reminder of how much there is still to discover in our local green spaces.

Have you spotted any fungi on your walks lately? Whether it’s a familiar bracket fungus on a tree stump or something you’ve never seen before, we’d love to hear about it!

🔎 Share your sightings on iRecord and help us build a better picture of the wildlife living along the Ouse Burn corridor: https://ow.ly/JYSR50ZYOv2

📸 Chris Barlow & James Common

Our free continue next Monday! 🍂Join us at Newcastle University’s Curtis Auditorium on Monday 26 October for two more ...
22/10/2026

Our free continue next Monday! 🍂

Join us at Newcastle University’s Curtis Auditorium on Monday 26 October for two more talks. Doors open at 6pm.

6.29pm: Bringing Lessons from the Rainforest back to the North-East, with Joe Crutwell, graduate of the NHSN Field Skills Programme

7pm: First Steps with 8 Legs: An Introduction to the Harvestmen of the North East, with local naturalist Ian Beddison

Looking for something creative to do with the kids this Halloween? 🦇Join NHSN and Northumberland Bat Group at Gosforth N...
21/10/2026

Looking for something creative to do with the kids this Halloween? 🦇

Join NHSN and Northumberland Bat Group at Gosforth Nature Reserve for a fun, hands-on afternoon discovering Newcastle’s fascinating nocturnal neighbours!

🦇 Learn fun facts about bats and why they’re so important
🎨 Design your own bat poster
🧡 Make a mini bat from air-dry clay to take home

No experience needed, and you can drop in and out at any point during the session!

📅 Saturday 31 October
⏰ 2–4 pm
📍 Field Studies Room, Gosforth Nature Reserve

Children of all ages are welcome, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Booking Link in the comments.
Image: Soprano Pipistrelle by B. Dougal

Last week, children from Dwellbeing Shieldfield, part of Shieldfield Artworks, came along for an evening nature walk at ...
21/10/2026

Last week, children from Dwellbeing Shieldfield, part of Shieldfield Artworks, came along for an evening nature walk at Gosforth Nature Reserve and had a brilliant time!🦌

The children took part in an autumnal nature walk and minibeast search, saw Roe Deer in the field and enjoyed a snack watching the sunset. ☀️

It is all thanks to your donations for making these trips possible and allowing everyone to experience the wonderful wildlife the North East has to offer.

It was so amazing to see the beautiful autumn fungi watercolours created last Tuesday in the third session of Mark Bletc...
20/10/2026

It was so amazing to see the beautiful autumn fungi watercolours created last Tuesday in the third session of Mark Bletcher's workshops. These paintings were inspired by the many drawings of Sarah Dickson held in the North East Nature Archive (NENA). Sarah was born on 30th August 1821 and died 16th October 1896, however we have little information about her beyond this. Archive volunteer Alan Hart highlights that women in the Victorian Era were gradually able to establish themselves as artists of note (as men of the period were) yet Sarah's work also includes the Latin names and species classifications of the plants. Her detailed work positions her as a great artist and naturalist of her time, getting to share this in workshops is a lovely way to continue her legacy.

These workshops were very well received, keep an eye out for more from Mark Bletcher on our website and visit his page Mark Bletcher Art ! 🍄🎨

A fantastic year for dragonflies along ! 🔎It’s been an exciting year of dragonfly and damselfly surveys along the Ouse ...
19/10/2026

A fantastic year for dragonflies along ! 🔎

It’s been an exciting year of dragonfly and damselfly surveys along the Ouse Burn, with 19 species recorded. Among the highlights was evidence of breeding Willow Emerald Damselflies at Gosforth Nature Reserve!

A huge thank you to the Reece Foundation for making this work possible, and to Neha Mujumdar, whose enthusiasm as an NHSN volunteer has helped us learn so much more about the dragonflies and damselflies in 2026.

Our latest blog looks back at the highlights of the 2026 survey season and explores the species discovered along the way.

Read more: https://www.nhsn.org.uk/dragonflies-on-the-ouse-burn-way-2026/

18/10/2026

Two new wildflower meadows are taking root at Jesmond Old Cemetery!

We've been working with Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery to sow a mix of grasses and wildflowers, helping create more space for nature in our local green spaces.

The flowers won't appear overnight. These mostly perennial plants need time to establish, but we're looking forward to seeing how the meadows develop over the next couple of years.

Follow along to see their progress!

Discover the secret lives of mammals! 🦊Ever wondered what wildlife is passing through your local green space while you'r...
17/10/2026

Discover the secret lives of mammals! 🦊

Ever wondered what wildlife is passing through your local green space while you're not there? Or which mammals are visiting your garden after dark?

Camera traps offer a fascinating glimpse into the hidden lives of our wild neighbours, capturing footage of animals going about their business when we're not around.

Join us for a new Camera Trapping for Mammals course and discover how you can use this technology to find out more about the mammals living around us.

🎟️ Find out more and book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/camera-trapping-for-mammals-tickets-1984949011928

A big thank you to Co-Navigate! 💚🌿This week, we welcomed a couple of team members from Co-Navigate to Gosforth Nature Re...
16/10/2026

A big thank you to Co-Navigate! 💚🌿

This week, we welcomed a couple of team members from Co-Navigate to Gosforth Nature Reserve, where they rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into some practical conservation work.

Looking after a nature reserve takes plenty of teamwork, and we're always grateful for the people who give their time to help wildlife thrive.

Thank you both for your hard work and enthusiasm. We hope you enjoyed getting stuck in at GNR!

Address

Barras Bridge
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE24PT

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

0191 208 2790

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