Please book with the event leader in advance – anytime up to the afternoon before the event. Please include your mobile phone number and email address, as we may have to contact you if numbers on the walks are limited, or if we have to cancel the event due to the weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Please don’t forget to let us know if you wish to change your plans. We will only use your personal details to contact you about the events you have booked for.

If you enjoy the event, we would be very grateful if you would consider a donation to the Dorset Branch of Butterfly Conservation. You can donate online or if you would rather not use an online payment, please see our ways to donate page.

    Friday 8 December

    Conservation Work Day

    Portland Sites

    The Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation and EuCAN will be collaborating this winter with the Dorset Wildlife Trust on tasks on a variety of sites on Portland on the second and last Fridays of each month from 10.00 am. Please contact Nigel for details of today's task

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point:
    • #291

    Saturday 9 December

    Brown Hairstreak Egg Search

    Alners Gorse and Rooksmoor, Hazelbury Bryan

    This is the chance to take part in our annual Brown Hairstreak egg search for some or all of the day. It is a very valuable way to assess the status of this species on the two sites. The Blackmore Vale has traditionally been one of the strongholds of the Brown Hairstreak in the county. The eggs are quite easy to see once you get your eye in and are more easily counted than the elusive butterflies, so this is an important exercise, Training will be given if you are unsure what to look for. Wear wellingtons (!) and bring a packed lunch if attending all day. The afternoon egg search will carried out on Rooksmoor. Leader: Dr Martin Warren. 10.00 am Alners Gorse - map reference ST 737100, meet at the reserve entrance at 10.00 am, with lunch at 12.30. 1.00 pm Rooksmoor meet at the Alners Gorse hut. Wellies essential. Please park on or beside the verge along the straight stretch of road from Kings Stag - not on the bend - or park in the reserve car park if it is not waterlogged. If the forecast is bad for today, we will aim to do this survey tomorrow December 10th instead. Please book in advance for this event - by email to Nigel Spring or text to 07981 776767 including your mobile phone number in case we need to contact you if the plans change because of the weather.

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: 10.00 am at Alners Gorse reserve entrance on the road from Hazelbury Bryan to Kings Stag beside the Hazelbury Bryan village sign and 30 mph sign. Park on the wide straight road verge well away from the dangerous bend. For the Alners Gorse count, meet at the reserve entrance. For the Rooksmoor count, meet at the Alners Gorse hut on the reserve at 1.00 pm. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=16rqdzG3Wmlk0fbxxjMoOxUeVJBWr84p7&ll=50.89497440922551%2C-2.3789932767706046&z=15 What3Words: reframe.laughs.terminology
  • Grid ref.: ST736100
    •       Map#85

    Friday 12 January

    Conservation Work Day

    Portland Sites

    The Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation and EuCAN will be collaborating this winter with the Dorset Wildlife Trust on tasks on a variety of sites on Portland on the second and last Fridays of each month from 10.00 am. Please contact Nigel for details of today's task

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point:
    • #292

    Sunday 21 January

    Conservation Action Day

    Lankham Bottom Butterfly Reserve

    Butterfly Conservation volunteer workparty joint with the Dorset Countryside Volunteers from 9.30 am t0 4.00 pm. We will be working with our friends in the DCV continuing with the task of reducing the bramble and thorn scrub on the reserve. Bring loppers and bowsaws if you have them and PPE if you are a registered brushcutter user. Also bring your refreshments and lunch. Meet inside the main gate for a 9.30am start or park and walk to find us if you arrive later. It would help us (but is not essential) if you let me know if you plan to join us during the day. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=1-s2R9VHQDKgEjZLs9RgJEZy0cs0&ll=50.80014567324031%2C-2.5558661499999946&z=17

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: The Reserve entrance is off the minor road from Cattistock to the A37, about half a mile from the A37. Park between the two gates at the reserve entrance,
  • Grid ref.: ST606004
    •       Map#238

    Friday 9 February

    Conservation Work Day

    Portland Sites

    The Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation and EuCAN will be collaborating this winter with the Dorset Wildlife Trust on tasks on a variety of sites on Portland on the second and last Fridays of each month from 10.00 am. Please contact Nigel for details of today's task

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point:
    • #293

    Saturday 17 February

    Butterfly Trends in West Dorset and Portland

    Toller Porcorum

    All are welcome to attend this presentation of the results of the West Dorset Transect surveys, Wider Countryside project, casual, website and garden records in 2023 and the resulting trends in butterfly numbers. Please come along if you might also be interested in helping with any sort of butterfly recording in 2024 or joining in several of the butterfly counting walks. After a presentation on the county and regional results for 2023, we will have talks by invited experts, but if members would like to contribute news, photos or other information from their walks feel free to do so. Please, if possible, contact Stephen Brown in advance if you wish to do so. The programme includes presentations by 1. Daisy Meadowcroft and James Cartwright on Why Moths Matter! 2. Photos, news and videos from members 3. A presentation on Butterfly Conservations Landscape Strategy in the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase Refreshments will be available and contributions of cake and biscuits will be welcome.

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Stephen Brown
  • Phone: 07748 730399
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: 2.00 pm at Toller Porcorum Village Hall. From the A356, drive down into Toller Porcorum, over a small bridge then second right(School Lane) then left into Church Mead to Village Hall. From Bridport follow sign to Toller Porcorum, then down into village, over old railway bridge, then first left (School Lane) and then left into Church Mead to Village Hall.
  • Grid ref.: SY562980
    •   
  • Postcode: DT2 0DT
    • Map#25

    Friday 1 March

    Butterfly Trends in East Dorset

    Broadstone

    All are welcome to this presentation on the trends in butterfly numbers revealed by the monitoring in east Dorset surveys in 2023 including casual, website and garden records. Walks covered are those at Avon Heath, Badbury Rings, Bishops Court, Garston Wood, Hengistbury Head, Kinson Common, Moors Valley, Mude Valley, Pamphill Moor, Redhill, Sopley Common, Sovell Down, Stanpit, Stour Valley, Upton Heath, West Moors and Wimborne St. Giles and also the Wider Countryside walks After a presentation on the county and regional results for 2023 we will have talks by invited experts, but if members would like to contribute news, photos or other information from their walks feel free to do so. Please, if possible, contact Stephen Brown in advance if you wish to do so to rearrange the programme. The programme includes presentations by 1. Daisy Meadowcroft and James Cartwright on Why Moths Matter! 2. Photos and videos from members 3. A presentation on Butterfly Conservations Landscape Strategy in the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase Please come along if you are interested in helping with any sort of butterfly recording in 2024. Refreshments will be available and contributions of cake and biscuits will be welcome.

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Steve Brown
  • Phone: 07748 730399
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: 7.00 pm at Broadstone War Memorial Hall in Tudor Road postcode, BH18 8AW. This is in a one-way system and best accessed via Station Approach and Moor Road.
  • Postcode: BH18 8AW
    • Map#13

    Friday 8 March

    Butterfly Trends in North Dorset

    East Stour, near Gillingham

    All are welcome to attend this presentation of the results of the north Dorset Transect surveys, Wider Countryside project, casual, website and garden records in 2023 and the resulting trends in butterfly numbers. Please come along if you might also be interested in helping with butterfly recording in 2024 or signing up for any of the butterfly counting walks. Refreshments will be available and contributions of cake and biscuits will be welcome.

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Robin George
  • Phone: 01747 824215
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: 7.30pm. East Stour Village Hall, next to the playing field on the left of the B3092 road from East Stour to Gillingham.
  • Postcode: SP8 5JY
    • Map#17

    Friday 8 March

    Conservation Work Day

    Portland Sites

    The Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation and EuCAN will be collaborating this winter with the Dorset Wildlife Trust on tasks on a variety of sites on Portland on the second and last Fridays of each month from 10.00 am. Please contact Nigel for details of today's task

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Nigel Spring
  • Phone: 07981 776767
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point:
    • #294

    Thursday 14 March

    Butterfly Trends in South Dorset

    Corfe

    All are welcome to attend this presentation of the results of the south Dorset Transect surveys, Wider Countryside project, casual, website and garden records in 2023 and the resulting trends in butterfly numbers. Please come along if you might also be interested in helping with any sort of butterfly recording in 2024 or joining in several of the butterfly counting walks. After a presentation on the county and Purbeck results for 2023, attendees are encouraged to contribute to the meeting by way of a short presentation on their experiences or with pictures. Please contact the organiser in advance if you wish to do so.

    See event booking information
  • Contact: Lorraine Munns
  • Phone: 07973 853628
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Meeting point: 7.30 pm in the Main Hall at Corfe Village Hall which is situated behind the library in East Street, Corfe.
  • Postcode: BH20 5EE
    • Map#15