A very sunny hello from Newtownabbey!
Pondlife work shops still going well, i had another school out on the 3rd of May – Hillcroft School. They all have various learning difficulties, some more serious than others, however a practical activity like pond dipping engages them so well and some of the kids could have fished with their nets and trays all day i reckon 🙂
Other tasks have included working with a local artist on some ideas for a design for some new interpretation panels to go in at Six Mile Water Park in Ballyclare. We have a plan for one abut the history of the river and one concentrating on the biodiversity of the river and the park together. Others include one for the pond area and we have just had a few workshops with some local schools to help design a panel for the conservation area in the park. All will be revealled in September time.
I have been on a few training days recently, one looking at Ground Beetle species and a Mammal Residential Weekend with the Mammal Society at Derrygonnelly Field Studies Centre. The Beetle workshop was good, beetle identification is pretty complex though, so one to lock myself in a room with a microscope i think!
The mammal weekend was great craic! Intense study time, kept us busy all day and the centre provided some well needed grub 🙂 It was weird using the mammal traps, brought back some memories of when i trapped in the jungles of Cambodia, except the small mammals there where huge raja rats and tree shrews that like to bite! We trapped both nights we were there and i caught one Wood Mouse, a lady of 27g i named her “Woodina.”
Got pipped to the post by another trainee for the heaviest catch prize by 1g! grrrrrrrrrrrr!
On the Saturday we took ourselves off on a long walk to seek out some dung, dens, etc. Amazing view from Lough Navar Forest Park! Make me appreciate the country i live in 🙂
Along the walk we were very lucky to see a range of mammal signs including: squirrel, badger, fox, pine martin, otter, hare and deer.
The course concluded with an exam on mammal identification, i recommend anyone to do it, but the test aint that easy! Mostly know your dung and furry lolly pops! (pelts of species)
Above: Pine Martin Scat. Right: Fox dung.
Below: The group at Lough Navar view point, im hiding behind the guy on the left at the back!
Back in the office at Mossley Mill it was time to prepare for “Earth Day” an initiative through the local council offices to promote sustainable living in the council and in the community. I volunteered to dress up for the occassion as a giant bumblebee! What better way to jolt people out of their computer zombie modes before tea break! 🙂
My stall was to promote “Thrifty Gardening” through the use of recycled pots, ice cream tubs, decorated jam jars for tea lights and painted tin cans for wall planters. We had a pledge competition and a charity shop chic dress code, with prizes galore! The day pulled in approx 100 staff including the mayor and local councilors. 🙂
