The Dark Side

Sholing Valleys Study Centre presents a free evening of nocturnal activities.
This event is part of the Urban Wild festival run by Southampton National Park City.

Times: 16:30 until 21:30

You're invited to learn about some of the wildlife that comes out when the sun goes down. Our nocturnal theme will celebrate:

 

Hedgehogs
We thought we would kick off the evening with a mammal often voted as the UK's favourite. And to join us we have our lovely friends at Hamble Hedgehogs. They help rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured or distressed Hedgehogs and return them to the wild. A small family run charity, they have been going since 2016. They can tell us all about all they do, and what we can do to help them.
Time: 17:00-18:00
Suitable for children and adults.

 

Badgers
Join our very own Nature Watch lead Gem and explore the world of badgers. Find out answers to the question “What do badgers eat?” with a minibeast hunt in the woods. And become an expert tracker with our search for prints in the mud.
Time: 18:00-19:00
Suitable for children

 

Owls
Sholing Valleys’s conservation lead Mac will take you on a whistle stop tour of these curious birds. If you like hands-on activities, and want to get involved in a citizen science project this session is for you. We will show you how to process owl pellets (provided by the Mammal Society). Exploring the difference between rodent and shrew skulls, and identifying the different bones. This project will help the Mammal Society to track the advance of the Greater white-toothed shrew. A non-native invasive species that was only discovered in the British Isles in 2021, by a cat named Jeff! Mammalogists are concerned that greater white-toothed shrews could displace our native small mammal species and impact habitats and biodiversity in Britain, as they have done in Ireland. Currently, research is underway to assess the impact of the greater white-toothed shrew in Britain, including through the ‘Searching for Shrews’ survey, where owl pellet dissection is being undertaken to identify their spread.
Time: 19:00-20:00
Suitable for supervised children. Aimed at adults.

 

Birds
Creative Writing Evening Session. With Yarrow Townsend, New Forest National Park Writer in Residence. As evening approaches, this is an opportunity to explore writing outdoors. We'll be taking our inspiration from the world of birds, who are busy in May and active as we approach dusk. Bring along your notebooks or sketchbooks (drawing and scribbling encouraged). You'll be guided through beginner-friendly activities where you'll find your creativity and soak up the evening atmosphere. This event runs for one hour and is aimed at adults, but keen young people can attend if accompanied by a grown up.
Time: 19.30- 20.30.
Ages: 16+
Limited places. Booking required via Eventbrite

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Moths
Did you know there are over 2,500 moth species in the UK alone! Do you know the difference between a moth and a butterfly? Do moths fly towards the light? What’s the cutest, moth or butterfly caterpillar? Want to learn more about one of our most misunderstood insects, then join our moth session. We will set up our two special moth traps and survey what comes out. With wildlife photographer Pedro Pires and moth expert Chris Thain.
Time: 20.30- 21.30.
Ages: 12+

 

Bats
The event will end with a guided bat walk led by our Bat walk leader along with Veronica Zamora-Gutierrez, lecturer in Ecology at University of Southampton. This walk is aimed at grown-ups, as we will go into more detail than we usually do. While we will listen to the calls of bats and uncover the fascinating truths behind these misunderstood creatures, we’ll debunk common myths, such as the belief that bats are blind. When in fact, they have an extraordinary ability called echolocation; a kind of "sixth sense" that helps them navigate in the dark. We’ll also explore the origins of the name "old mice", unravel how folklore and legends—like Dracula—have shaped our perception of bats. And discuss their true role in ecosystems as pollinators, pest controllers, and seed dispersers. It will end at the pond to listen to the bats using our bat detectors.
Time: 20.30- 21.30.
Ages: 16+
In the past, we have limited this to 80 people. Preference will be given to those that book in advance. Email sholingvalleysLNR@gmail.com

 

Ages are for guidance only.

 

If you have any questions, please email us sholingvalleysLNR@gmail.com