Even though the weather has been a little crazy lately, I have enjoyed some really nice days out.
At the beginning of May I had my first event with students from Anniesland College. This year they will participate in three different activities in a Brownfield site in Glasgow. The first time I visited the site it seemed that everything had gone on holiday for the winter. However, with spring’s arrival the place is full of life! The day started with and ice breaker game to get to know each other. We ended up all connected with a ball of wool and having a good laugh.
After this we looked for signs of spring and found plenty: the first flowers of the season, orange tip butterflies and bumblebees buzzing around.
Brownfield sites are excellent for invertebrates and it was proved during our second session. The students hunted for invertebrates in the area and we found so many minibeastes that we ran out of pots! After having a good look at them we set them free to continue with their busy lives.
I also joined Buglife in two of their events at Fallin Bing this month. They were part of the project “Fallin Bing; From Coalfield to Brownfield” in which my colleague Paul Gunn (NC trainee) is taking part. On the first day we enjoyed a Bug walk around the bing run by Suzanne B. (Buglife). On the second, more than twenty people participated in a wildflower planting in order to enhance the meadow for pollinator species. It was a great day with nice weather and lots of laughs!
Finally, I took part in the first big event of the season in Rouken Glen a few weeks ago. Hundreds of people visited our stall in which they could have a look at terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates but also get their hands dirty in the arts & crafts section. Moreover, those who participated in our citizen science activity had the chance to make their own badge! The event was a real success and I look forward to the next one.