Farming and Wildlife
2024-05-20 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
A talk by local farmer, Ann Padfield, on the relationship between farming and wildlife.

Garden Wildlife Week
2024-05-31 - 2024-06-06
The Spring Bank Holiday falls on the last Monday in May. It’s also known as the late May bank holiday, Pentecost or Whitsun. This makes it the perfect time to kick off National Garden Wildlife Week, as most schools and work places are closed, allowing more of us to get outside and enjoy our gardens. The week serves as a reminder that gardens are not only spaces for human enjoyment, but also crucial habitats for a variety of creatures.

During National Garden Wildlife Week, conservation organisations, community groups, schools, local authorities and voluntary groups are encouraged to organise various activities. Events include creating wildlife-friendly habitats, planting native trees and wildflowers, and building bird nest boxes, bee hotels, bat boxes, and ponds. Gardeners are encouraged to offer open days, guided walks, talks, and hands-on sessions that provide practical tips and ideas for transforming their outdoor spaces into havens for wildlife.

One of the central themes of National Garden Wildlife Week is biodiversity. In a world dominated by mono-culture agricultural practices, gardens offer a much needed refuge. Parks and gardens can provide opportunities to plant different and diverse plants. These support wider eco-systems, attracting more wildlife. They offer food and habitat for a multitude of mini beast, birds, hedgehogs and other animals. We have lost over 90% of natural wild meadows in the UK and birds and animals are all in steep decline. By choosing a diverse range of plants that flower over many months, we start improving the environment and help nature recover.

Top 10 idea for the week ;

Make a wildlife garden quiz. Here’s some ideas to get you started:
a) How many different birds can you hear?
b) Collect as many different leaves as you can.
c) Can you find a tree with flowers?
d) Try and identify as many flowers in the garden as you can.
e) Can you find an ants nest?
Take sheets of paper and crayons outside and take as many bark rubbings as you can.
With an adult’s help design and build your very own bird nest box.
Make home made bird food. Try different ingredients and watch and learn which birds like which type of food. Some eat seeds, others fruit and even more eat insects and fat.
Create a water feature for wildlife. It can be as small as a bowl or as large as a pond. Make sure there is a shallow end (for birds to bathe, animals to escape and mini beasts to come and go). It will need plants and native British water plants are best. Choose plants that grow under water (oxygenators), plants that grow on the surface, like water lilies and plants that like roots in the water but grow out and upward. These are called marginal plants.
Create a bug house or mini beast habitat. Collect lots of sticks, logs, stones, bricks and other items. Broken short lengths of bamboo shoots (and other hollow stemmed plants) are ideal. These can be made into a simple heap in a quiet spot, or bundled together and hung from trees. Many people make a stack of pallets and insert all the assembled goodies in the gaps. Try to have one side facing south in full sun, and the other facing north in shade. Notice the different animals attracted to the different habitats.
Make a gap for hedgehogs. Modern gardens often have strong impenetrable fences and hedgehogs need lots of gardens for their habitat. By creating a ‘gap’ (about 13cm x 13cm is ideal) in your fence and encouraging neighbours to do the same, helps hedgehogs travel and flourish.
Plant a tree. There is something wonderful about planting a small seed, such as an acorn and watching it grow throughout your life. Try collecting different seeds and nuts and see what grows. Plant an acorn in a pot and grow it until it is 60cm tall and then plant it in a place where it can grow to 30m or more!
Go for a night walk. These days we tend to retreat indoors or live under artificial lights. Look for a place, like a wood, and go out after dark. No torches! You’ll be amazed at how well your eyes adjust and your hearing becomes even more attuned to all the night creatures roaming. Please do not go alone and children should always be accompanied by an adult during night walks.
Nature is proven to be beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical health. Simply get outdoors and do as much as you are able or happy to do. Stand, sit or lay quietly and simply absorb all the wonder of the natural world we all share.

The 54 Acre Outdoor Wildlife Classroom
2024-06-17 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Rob Gayler

Big Butterfly Count
2024-07-12 - 2024-08-04
This year’s butterfly count will take place between Friday July 12th and Sunday August 4th. Its marked on our calendar and you can easily set a reminder from there.

It only takes 30 minutes of your time on any of the dates.

The most common species in the 2023 count was the Red Admiral, 248,077 were recorded, an increase from 2022 of 338%!

The Gatekeeper was next with 222,896 sightings.

Try to grow some butterfly friendly plants in the garden such as buddleia, red valerian, sedum, hebe, lavender, wild marjoram and there are plenty of other varieties as well.

Happy butterfly spotting!

The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) we see.
Big Butterfly Count website can be found, here.

AGM / Garden Party
2024-07-15 12:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Repentance Cottage, Drapers Corner, Greensted, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LS
All members are invited – entry will be a contribution of £5.

Hedgehog Rescue
2024-09-16 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Stephanie Callister-Jarrold.

Plastic pollution: is zero waste a reasonable Solution?
2024-10-21 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Vicki Daws

A countryside Winter
2024-11-18 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Anne Brooks

My Travels in Argentina
2024-12-16 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Christine Feetham

World Wildlife Day 2026
2026-03-03
World Wildlife Day happens on March 3 every year…
…and celebrates the diversity of life on this planet, from the enormous blue whale to the delicate monarch butterfly. For over 60 years, WWF has sought solutions to protect wildlife by applying the best science available and working closely with local communities and Indigenous peoples.
Unfortunately, we’re losing biodiversity—the rich variety of life on Earth—at an alarming rate. We’ve seen a 69% average decline in the number of birds, amphibians, mammals, fish, and reptiles since 1970, according to the 2022 Living Planet Report. This loss affects our health and well-being—and the future of the planet.
But there is good news. WWF has been part of successful wildlife recovery stories ranging from southern Africa’s black rhino to black-footed ferrets in the Northern Great Plains. And this, in turn, is helping to protect rich and varied ecosystems while ensuring people continue to benefit from nature. World Wildlife Day gives us an opportunity to focus on solutions and see the importance of saving our planet’s incredible wildlife.

Owl talk by Owls and Birds of Prey Rescue - Suffolk and Essex
2025-02-17 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Stephanie Callister-Jarrold

No meeting March due to hall closure
2025-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London)

Gardening for Wildlife
2025-04-14 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Mary Venables

Hedgelife
2025-05-19 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Ian Metson

Tales from the Riverbank
2025-06-16 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Liz Huxley

Big Butterfly Count 2025
2025-07-14 - 2025-08-06

AGM and Garden Party
2025-07-21 12:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Repentance Cottage, Drapers Corner, Greensted, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LS

Alpacas
2025-09-15 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Isabel of Lough Rynn Alpacas

Wildlife of Costa Rica
2025-10-20 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with William Knuckey

History of Bee Keeping
2025-11-17 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Tricia Moxey

Wildlife Party
2025-12-15 13:45 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR

Big Garden Bird Count
2026-01-23 - 2026-01-25
Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s biggest citizen science wildlife survey.
In 2025, over 590,000 people took part – and you could be with them.
You will need to register on the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch page in December.
On the day of the Big Garden Birdwatch itself, taking part couldn’t be simpler!
You just spend an hour watching the birds in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park, and tell them what you’ve seen. If you see very few birds or none at all, that’s also really useful information for us, so please let us know.

National Nest Box Week
2026-02-14 - 2026-02-21
National Nest Box Week, celebrated from 14th February each year, is an initiative designed to encourage people to help provide homes for birds by putting up nest boxes in gardens, parks, and open spaces.
Please have a look at their website for all you need to know.

Dinosaurs
2026-03-16 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Keith Snow

International Bat Appreciation Day
2026-04-17
Each year on April 17th, International Bat Appreciation Day reminds us of the roles bats play in our daily lives.
April is also the best time of the year to observe bats, as they are now beginning to emerge from hibernation.
The observance is an excellent time to learn about the role bats play in nature.
Since bats are considered “insectivorous” creatures, they rid our world of many annoying insects.
In one hour, a bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes.

Birds of Prey Rescue
2026-04-20 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with by Stephanie Callister-Jarrold

Fingrehoe Wick
2026-05-18 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Liz Huxley

Fingringhoe Wick was Essex Wildlife Trust’s first nature reserve (1961), some years later it was where the Trust opened their first visitor centre. Sixty years on visitors are still coming to see this magical place. Set in a spectacular position overlooking the Colne Estuary the reserve offers a sense of real peace and quiet and a chance to escape from it all.

World Bee Day
2026-05-20
World Bee Day is a chance to celebrate bees, their crucial role as pollinators, and their importance to our ecosystems.
Yet, they’re increasingly at risk from factory farming, land clearing, and the use of pesticides, so World Bee Day is also an opportunity to highlight the plight of bees around the world.
Let’s use this day to protect the bees and, in turn, protect our planet.

Ready for some interesting facts about bees? Let’s go:

Bees have five eyes, two large ones and three smaller ones in the centre of their heads.
Bees and flowers are interdependent, as bees need pollen and nectar for food, while plants need bees to enable their reproduction.
Bees carrying pollen look like they have two orange sacks stuck to their hairy legs.
A third of the world’s food production depends on bees, as they pollinate three quaters of the most popular global crops.
Factory farming and pesticides are hurting bees. Though designed to kill pests, these chemicals are incredibly harmful to bees.
Bees are losing their natural habitat to farming, as trees, meadows, and other plants are being cleared to make way for livestock and crops to produce animal feed.
Bees don’t want to sting you. They’re more docile than hornets and wasps and only sting when they feel threatened.

Stag Beetles Need You!!
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-30
June marks Stag Beetle Month in the UK, a period when these impressive insects emerge from their underground pupal chambers to fly at dusk in search of mates.
This annual event raises awareness of their life cycle, habitat needs, and conservation status, encouraging people to spot, record, and protect them.
If you see one send in the details to The Essex Field Club.
5 Interesting Facts
Antler-like Mandibles: Male stag beetles (Lucanus cervus) can measure up to 7.5 cm from the tip of their jaws to the end of their bodies. Their enlarged mandibles resemble deer antlers and are used in non-injurious “wrestling” contests to flip rival males off logs or branches.
Remarkably Long Larval Stage: After eggs are laid in decaying wood, larvae feed on rotting stumps and fallen logs for 3–7 years, growing slowly through several instars. Only after this lengthy development do they pupate and emerge as adults.
Short Adult Lifespan: Once they transform, adult stag beetles live for just a few weeks. They typically fly on warm, humid evenings from late May through July, relying on energy reserves built up as larvae and sometimes feeding on tree sap, nectar, or overripe fruit.
Dependence on Deadwood: Ideal habitats include deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, parklands, and gardens with ample deadwood—old stumps, fallen branches, and log piles. Without suitable rotting wood, larvae cannot develop, making even small piles of decaying timber crucial.
Protected but Declining: Stag beetles are a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and are legally protected from sale or harm. However, numbers have declined by nearly half since the 1960s due to loss of deadwood, urbanisation, and light pollution.
By leaving logs to rot naturally, creating “log piles” in gardens, and recording sightings during June and July, you can help ensure that future generations continue to enjoy one of Britain’s most fascinating beetles.
If you see one you can take part in the Great Stag Hunt…

Beasts of Borneo by Peter Merrett
2026-06-15 14:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Toot Hill Village Hall, 2 Toot Hill Road, Toot Hill, Ongar, Essex, CM5 9LR
An afternoon with Peter Merrett
