Butterfly and Bee Border




White-Tailed Bumble Bee



Black 5-Spot Ladybird



Goodness me - the plants in the butterfly border really seem to have come on over the weekend and there are now many flowers coming into bloom.  Today we spotted a white-tailed bumble bee, who was making frequent return visits, a black 5-spot ladybird, a hover fly and a damsel fly.  We have yet to spot our first butterfly so please keep watching and let me know when and what you see. 

Mrs Golding

Green Day Wildlife Report

What a fantastic green day we had - the bug hotel looks awesome and we found lots of bugs and beasts to fill it up! My job for the day was to take the children on nature hunts looking for all the different types of wildlife that live in our school grounds. The children really enjoyed looking under all the stones and logs, picking up worms and slugs and trying to count the legs on the centipedes.....this is what we found:




Our wildlife sightings board




Hawthorn Shield Bug



Snail

Leopard Slug

Black Beetle

Bugs: ants, spiders, ladybirds, centipede, earwig, hoverfly, black beetle, caterpillar, bumble bees, earthworms, leopard slugs, snails, woodlice, blackfly, greenfly, a white butterfly and my favourite Bug of the Day - two hawthorn shield bugs.

We also kept our eyes and ears open for birds and saw or heard:
blue tit, blackbirds, starling, woodpigeons, swifts, magpies, crows, great tit and definitely Bird of the Day was a magnificant sparrowhawk!

Thanks to all the children for their enthusiasm during green day, I hope you had a lot of fun

Mrs Longmoor

Green Day

Here are photographs of some of the wonderful things we did on Green Day. 



Filling the bug hotel



Oh look!  A ladybird

Crissie Croc and his mini bug hotel

I drilled this log with my Dad!

  

Rolling up cardboard to put in

Year 2 answering questions

Hunting for minibeasts

   

... and then looking at them more closely

 

Year 2 made Carbon Monsters

Our completed bug hotel

The sun shone for Green Day!  based on recent weather it could have been a wash out but all our activities went ahead as planned.  The whole school took part in the activities and in the year of being awarded the Green Flag it truly felt that we were being 'green'.


Building on out 'Biodiversity' theme for this term, we looked at the idea of caring for all living creatures and plants.  The children got to meet a range of creatures who live over at Wilsthorpe School.  Many thanks to Mr Lonsdale and students for bringing a tarantula, milk snake, harvest mouse and gecko.  The children were very excited to have the opportunity to handle these animals.


In the Wildlife Garden we built a bug hotel to give insects a place to shelter and breed and do their beneficial work for our plants and vegetables.  All the children participated in adding to each layer.  We created different habitats by using wet and dry materials; newspaper and card, flowerpots, logs, bark, tiles, pinecones. All the children were excited to join in and are looking forward to revisiting and seeing which bugs and insects have moved in.


Mrs Longmoor's wildlife walks proved very popular and a large array of birds and insects were seen sharing our school grounds.  It was wonderful to see the children slowing themselves down and patiently looking amongst the plants.


Consolidating our earlier project of 'Waste', the Year 2's created some junk models of the Carbon Monster.  It really felt that the seeds of inspiration for the next generation of eco-warriors has been sewn.


I'd like to say 'goodbye' as Eco Coordinator and hope you keep up the good work. It's been such a privilege to share Parklands Eco journey. 


Mrs Hallows


A huge, huge thank you to all concerned and especially to our volunteers: Mrs Hallows, Mr Ellis and Mrs Longmoor.  Every single child in the school helped to build the bug hotel and must feel very proud. 

Mrs Golding

In the Garden

It has been a terrible year so far for growing things but, on the bright side, at least we haven't had to water the plants much! 

Butterfly & Bee Border

Butterfly & Bee Garden - the seed mix (from a reputable source, Lakeland Plastics) has been a little disappointing but the weather has not been particularly helpful!  Nevertheless, the border is at last looking as if it is doing something and I am delighted to say that one or two flowers have blossomed.  I have made a decision to leave a small number of certain weeds in the bed as I feel certain that the butterflies and bees won't object!

Carrots - are progressing painfully slowly, again the weather will have taken it's toll, but I haven't given up hope yet!

Salad Leaves

Cabbages - most have been eaten by slugs or snails but 2 have survived.  One of these has bolted due to the cold spell!

Salad Leaves - a very healthy crop is growing in one of the tyres in the wildlife garden.  I will sow some more with Gardening Club in the remaining empty spaces.

Potatoes - these appear to be doing very well so watch this space.

Potatoes

Ornamentals - now that half term is behind us, it is time to put in some ornamental planting in the train (Gardening Club).  If I'd had a crystal ball, I would have planted before half term and not worried about the watering!!!  I can feel a red, white and blue theme coming on... after all, it is still the Jubilee year and we'll be flying the flag during the Olympics too.

Mrs Golding

Storm.... possibly the final post

Image courtesy of Nottingham Trent University

Our Nottingham peregrine falcon, Storm, has taken his first flight over the half term and is spending increasing amounts of time flying between the ledges on the university building and away from the nest.  This means that the cameras are likely to be turned off by the end of this week.  While it is sad to see him go, it is also extremely rewarding to think that he will be out there looking for a lady falcon and, in years to come, rearing chicks of his own.  Here then is a final photograph of this wonderful bird, sitting on the ledge and looking all grown up. 

Mrs Golding

Peregrine Falcon Chick Named 'Storm'

  

















Following thousands of online votes, Nottingham's Peregrine Falcon chick has been named 'Storm', very fitting when you think of the dreadful weather he has endured.  He is the 17th chick raised by this wonderful pair in just 6 years.  His adult plumage is growing fast and he is spending more and more time out on the ledge, exercising his legs and stretching his wings... so keep watching as he could take his first flight at any time.  Here are some photographs of his incredible life journey so far.   



Only 3 eggs so far!

 

Hatching!


      



 



Both parents feed chicks



Sheltering chicks from rain



Keeping a watchful eye



After ringing



Images courtesy of Nottingham Trent University 

Follow the peregrine falcons live and see video footage and photographs of the past few weeks at www.ntu.ac.uk/falcons 

Mrs Golding