What’s new?
9 May 2008
On the wing!
The Great Fen Wildlife Watch Group meets for the first time
Young nature fans spent the morning of Saturday 19 April at the Wildlife Trust's newly refurbished Countryside Classroom at Ramsey Heights in Cambridgeshire, at the first ever meeting of the Great Fen Wildlife Watch Group for children.
The children spent time learning about owls and other birds, and exploring the Claypits Nature Reserve looking for birds and signs of other wildlife. By dissecting owl pellets, they discovered that the owls on Darlows Farm had been eating shrews, voles and mice. The youngsters also learnt how the soft feathers of a barn owl allow it to swoop almost silently on its prey, and were able to view the claws and hooked beak on preserved specimens.
Despite the cold easterly wind and the shortage of birds, the youngsters, parents and grandparents, enjoyed their walk round the reserve and found a lot to see, hear and talk about. They heard chiff chaff, willow warbler and green woodpecker, and found out about the history of the nature reserve which is on the site of a Victorian Brick and tile works.
Helen Moore, centre manager at the Countryside Classroom said "It was good to see the youngsters totally absorbed. If the Great Fen Project is to succeeed in the long term it will be by the enthusiasm and efforts of todays young people. We have an established a team of leaders all passionate about wildlife and the Great Fen Project, who are willing to give time to pass on their knowledge and enthusiasm to young people."
The Great Fen Wildlife Watch group for children aged 7-11 meets on the third Saturday of the month usually at Ramsey Heights Countryside Classroom. The next meeting is Wetland Safari on Saturday 17 May between 10am - 12pm when we will be exploring the underwater world of the claypits, home to great crested and smooth newts, dragonfly larvae and much more.
To find out more about the Great Fen Wildlife Watch Group, e-mail ramseyheights [at] wildlifebcnp.org or phone Helen on 07703 582065. The Great Fen Wildlife Watch group is one of a network of groups across the three counties. See Wildlife Watch for more information.