The New Year is here – and with it we start celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society, which includes the Herts Bird Club.

Keep an eye on the website for information about anniversary year activities, and make a diary note of these three upcoming events:

• Wednesday 22 January (8pm): entomologist Adrian Dutton will give the 2025 Gerald Salisbury Memorial Lecture talking about the saproxylic beetles of Panshanger Park. His survey work at the 1,000 acre site near Hertford has revealed its national importance for beetle species that require decaying wood habitats. The lecture, jointly organised with Welwyn Natural History Society (WNHS), takes place at Welwyn Civic Centre, Prospect Place, Welwyn AL6 9ER. There is a £5 entry charge for non-WNHS members.
• Saturday 8 March (2 - 5.30pm): Speakers for the Herts Bird Conference include Ken Smith reporting on the conclusion of a long-running study of Green Sandpipers at Lemsford Springs and James Heywood of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) who will be looking back on 30 years of the national Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). We are again grateful to Affinity Water for hosting the event at their offices in Tamblin Way, Hatfield AL10 9EZ. £5 entry charge.
• Friday 21 March to Sunday 6 July (11am to 5pm daily): The HNHS 150th anniversary exhibition (working title: 'Wild about Hertfordshire') at St Albans Museum, St Peter's Street, AL1 3DH. Planned exhibits include a celebration of the geology and wildlife of Hertfordshire’s chalk streams and a display from the Society’s collection of rare botany books (dating from the 15th century!). Work from local photographers will feature, including past winners of the ‘Bird Photograph of the Year’ competition. There will be wildlife talks and trails as well as quizzes, dressing up and other activities designed for children and families.