We've been spoilt with more amazing weather today and so we made the most of having membership to the Wetlands and arrived early so that we could have a peaceful wander before the afternoon workshop.
Friends also had the same idea so we met up with them for a picnic lunch outside...suncream was required!
We saw plenty of ducklings and goslings, all very cute and witnessed the lapwings performing their aerial mating displays high in the blue skies. We also got to see and hear a Spitfire go overhead a couple of times which was very unexpected and a bit of a treat too.
Today's session focused on hedgerows but included a talk and look at eggs in incubation, some of which are due to be transported to Slimbridge for specialised care and the boys were also shown a variety of moths which had been sedated by being kept in a fridge, all of which were wetland varieties of moth and very beautiful close up, one even looked as though it had a superhero mask!
It was reassuring to hear that we're not the only ones to have limited success with the reed seeds but Monica encouraged everyone to keep monitoring and watering them, changing position and care if necessary.
Outside the kids were shown a stretch of hedgerow and asked to examine and identify the variety of bushes contained within it. To start with, and with unaccustomed eyes, it was tricky, but with a little help from Monica who has a wealth of knowledge we think there was approximately 7 including Dog Rose, Hawthorn, Privet, Bramble, Sloe, Myrtle, Viburnum. This month's take home task is to find a nearby hedgerow and monitor it for wildlife etc.
Connor had the hawk eyes today and spotted a tiny bright yellow spider in amongst the virburnum; sadly noone was able to identify it but Mark (the other tutor) took some photos to show a colleague.
Their next task was to plant some saplings in the wild garden area, adjacent to a newly installed weaved willow fence which would grow and take its place as the willow dies and disintegrates. Wetland staff had already done the hard bit and dug some holes so the kids dropped the saplings in along with a cane and then wrapped them with a plastic tube to protect them from greedy ducks and geese. Finally they trod the earth back in place around the saplings and watered them. It'll be interesting to watch them grow over the coming year.
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| Greylag Geese |
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| All together now "aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh" |
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| Mum keeping an eagle eye |
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| Could have sat and watched them for hours |
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| Marsh Marigold maybe? |
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| Canadian goose and goslings |
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| Variety of eggs for incubation |
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| Eggs in incubation |
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| Transportation box for eggs going to Slimbridge |
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| Identification chart and different eggs |
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| Candling helps show what's going on inside the eggs |
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| Cowslip, one of my favourites |
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| A little stoat anxiously trying to cross the path |
This sounds great - I'm not surprised that stoat is looking nervous - if he's after young birds or eggs their parents will be after him!
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