Saturday 30 June 2018

Friday 29 June 2018

30 Days wild - Day 29th Bat Watch Punt

This evening we had a fab time on a punt watching Pipistrelle bats and some Daubenton's bats. There was a member of the Wildlife Trust on board who was able to do all the explaining about bats. It lasted 90 minutes and 50% of the ticket cost goes to support to Wildlife trust. (no photos of actual bats because they are so quick)




Wednesday 27 June 2018

30 days Wild - day 27 Cambridge Botanical Gardens

After school we went for quick stroll round the Botanical Gardens. The only disappointing thing was the fact they had sold out of ice-cream. P declared it "..the most beautiful place".





Tuesday 26 June 2018

30 Days Wild - Day 26 River Dipping

We went dipping in the river by Byron's pool where there are little wooden jetties to stand/kneel on making it a little safer! We saw Banded Demoiselles flying over the stream. We didn't catch lots but we did catch a damselfly nymph, a young stoneloach and some phantom midge larvae.



Monday 25 June 2018

30 Days Wild - Day 25 Car Dyke Fen

After riding, E and I walked a small part of Car Dyke Fen in Waterbeach
. The dyke was part of an 85-mile Roman canal that ran from Cambridge to Lincoln, where possible using navigable rivers, but where not, using man-made cuts. The extant stretch in Waterbeach is not that long - about half a mile before it is cut off by the railway line to Cambridge - but fascinating nonetheless. It is amazing to stroll alongside the weed-filled ditch to realise how ancient it is, and the scale of the undertaking - when built it was 24 metres wide!


Sunday 24 June 2018

30 days Wild - Day 24 Concert at Kings

We went to the Singing on the River concert in glorious sunshine. It is an informal concert where Collegium Regale, the King's College Choral Scholars, sing from punts on the river behind King's. We had a picnic before it starts, but next year I am going to try and get there before it opens it get a coveted spot near the front to be able to see and avoid people talking loudly all the way through the singing! It doesn't last long and it very child friendly.


 

Saturday 23 June 2018

30 Days wild - Day 23 Wimpole History Festival

Not so wild today, but the girls and I spent the morning at Wimpole at part of the weekend's history festival. We did have a quick wonder round the grounds and enjoyed eating outside. We also heard Kate Pankhurst talk about daring suffragette leader Flora Drummond (aka the General) to get votes for women; Noor Khan who sent secret messages during World War 2 and the pirate queen, Sayidda Al-Hurr. The girls enjoyed her talk so then we bought her books and got them signed. We then also enjoyed a History of Science Show. We had lots of fun and will definitely look to see what is on next year! 



Wednesday 20 June 2018

30 days Wild - Day 20 Wildflower walk

We went for a walk around Trumpington Meadows where we looked at the different bees and insects on the flowers. It is not a massive place so we only walked for about half an hour before going home to do homework.





Tuesday 19 June 2018

30 Days Wild - Day 19 Waterfowl

Today we walked down to Hobson's Conduit to see the birds that were there!


Monday 18 June 2018

30 Days wild - Day 18 Disecting Owl Pellets

Today we dissected owl pellets. P really enjoyed working out what the different bones were and tried to work out what species the were from.


Saturday 16 June 2018

Friday 15 June 2018

Thursday 14 June 2018

Sunday 10 June 2018

30 days wild - Day 10 RSPB Hope Farm Open Farm Sunday

Today P and I went to an Open Farm event run by the RSPB talking about how they use nature-friendly farming on a farm they own to help wildlife at the same time as growing crops.
P really enjoyed the opportunity to climb on the tractors.
 We had a tractor ride round some of their fields - I loved the beautiful hedgerows.

 There was a talk about bird ringing and we got to watch whilst they measured a couple of tits they have caught.
 P got to help release the blue tit.
 She enjoyed pond dipping.