Hi, my woodland school area recently got vandalised. I had a circle of logs to sit on, balancing logs, stepping logs and a hazel structure. This was all burnt a couple of weeks ago. The woodland school is for the barnowls pre-school, who i volunteer for. I am now worried that because of the actions of a few all of the children at the pre-school are going to miss out on a vital part of their education. The area was set up for free play and group activities. Could anyone help me by donating something for my woodland school as there are no funds available to purchase anything. I would be willing to tell the droitwich advertiser about anyone who comes forward with donations, so it would be good for any possible businesses that come forward. Anyone who might be able to help can contact me at andrewparkes1974@hotmail.co.uk or by my phone 07583194637.
Thank you Andrew.
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Wednesday 10 August 2011
The cervidae family.
Part four the sika deer.
Sika deer were introduced to Britain from Asia about one hundred and thirty years ago. Feral herds escaped from country parks. The sika deer is closely related ti the red deer. They are mostly active at dawn and dusk where their is a lot of human activity. Rutting takes place for the sika deer between late September and November. Males are called stags, they will thrash around in bushes and fray bark with their antlers. They do this to show their dominance and hold a territory. Female sika deer are called hinds, their young which are born singly in June are called calves. The stags cast their old antlers between April and May with the new antlers being formed in August. In summer the sika deers coat is spotted, with a light chestnut brown coat. They have rounded ears with lighter hair on their forehead. This darkens on their brow to give a frowning look. They have a white tail and a white rump. They mainly graze on grass and sometimes shrubbery, they live in mixed woodland, they may also be found occasionally in coniferous woodland. The stag stands about eighty four centimeters at its shoulder, the hind is slighty smaller. Their noise is a quiet squeaking noise, but this increases at the rut so they can gather their females at their harum enableing them to mate. Fights between males can be feirce and sometimes can be fatal.
Sika deer were introduced to Britain from Asia about one hundred and thirty years ago. Feral herds escaped from country parks. The sika deer is closely related ti the red deer. They are mostly active at dawn and dusk where their is a lot of human activity. Rutting takes place for the sika deer between late September and November. Males are called stags, they will thrash around in bushes and fray bark with their antlers. They do this to show their dominance and hold a territory. Female sika deer are called hinds, their young which are born singly in June are called calves. The stags cast their old antlers between April and May with the new antlers being formed in August. In summer the sika deers coat is spotted, with a light chestnut brown coat. They have rounded ears with lighter hair on their forehead. This darkens on their brow to give a frowning look. They have a white tail and a white rump. They mainly graze on grass and sometimes shrubbery, they live in mixed woodland, they may also be found occasionally in coniferous woodland. The stag stands about eighty four centimeters at its shoulder, the hind is slighty smaller. Their noise is a quiet squeaking noise, but this increases at the rut so they can gather their females at their harum enableing them to mate. Fights between males can be feirce and sometimes can be fatal.
Saturday 6 August 2011
Precession.
The earths axis of rotation is itself rotating, just as a leaning spinning top slowly rotates while the main barrel is whizzing around. The earths axis goes through a cycle of precession once every twenty three thousand years.
Obliquity of the ecliptic.
The earths tilt is 23.5 degrees, which is an oblique angle, the earth is also spinning 23.5 degrees away from the perpendicular. The obliquity of the ecliptic is the angle between the axis of rotation of the earth and the ecliptic plane in which the earth rotates the sun. The angle varies between 22.5 to 24.5 degrees. It takes an average of forty one thousand to complete the obliquity cycle. The earths tilt is what causes us to have our seasons.
Thursday 4 August 2011
Habitats.
Part eight the nettle feeders.
Nettle patches-found in fields, farmyards, orchards and gardes throughout the British isles are breeding grounds for aristocrat butterflies. Small tortoiseshells, red admirals, peacocks and commas breed regularly on nettles, and painted ladies breed on them occasionally. Butterflies bask on the plants and lay their eggs on the nettles tender young leaves. The stinging hairs have no effect on their hard, light bodies. However they do not feed from the drab flowers, which are a pour source of nectar. When the young caterpillars of small tortoiseshells and peacocks hatch, they live together in a mass of spun silk, eating the nettle tops. Res admiral caterpillars are solitary and live in a secluded leaf tent. The advantage of feeding on nettles is that most grazing animals leave the nettles alone because they are tough and will sting them. In fact, more than forty species of insects, including aphids, bugs and beetles, are completely or partially dependant on nettles for food or shelter. This is why in any area nettles are so important for so many different insects, but some birds will predate the caterpillars. Stinging nettles do what we call pheno plasticity, i have mentioned this in a previous blog but basically its way the nettle control the light for themselves. A female red admiral lays a single egg on a nettle leaf. She will move onto other leaves to lay more eggs. As peacock caterpillars develop they look distinctly black with orange feet, they are also covered in spines. Small tortoiseshell caterpillars make jerking movements with their heads whenever the nettles are disturbed by a predatory bird. The sudden movement often startles the bird and drives it away. Most nettle-feeding caterpillars leave the mettle patch to form their chrysalis. They often wander many yards to find a suitable place, such as a fence rail or post, tree bark or garden sheds.
Nettle patches-found in fields, farmyards, orchards and gardes throughout the British isles are breeding grounds for aristocrat butterflies. Small tortoiseshells, red admirals, peacocks and commas breed regularly on nettles, and painted ladies breed on them occasionally. Butterflies bask on the plants and lay their eggs on the nettles tender young leaves. The stinging hairs have no effect on their hard, light bodies. However they do not feed from the drab flowers, which are a pour source of nectar. When the young caterpillars of small tortoiseshells and peacocks hatch, they live together in a mass of spun silk, eating the nettle tops. Res admiral caterpillars are solitary and live in a secluded leaf tent. The advantage of feeding on nettles is that most grazing animals leave the nettles alone because they are tough and will sting them. In fact, more than forty species of insects, including aphids, bugs and beetles, are completely or partially dependant on nettles for food or shelter. This is why in any area nettles are so important for so many different insects, but some birds will predate the caterpillars. Stinging nettles do what we call pheno plasticity, i have mentioned this in a previous blog but basically its way the nettle control the light for themselves. A female red admiral lays a single egg on a nettle leaf. She will move onto other leaves to lay more eggs. As peacock caterpillars develop they look distinctly black with orange feet, they are also covered in spines. Small tortoiseshell caterpillars make jerking movements with their heads whenever the nettles are disturbed by a predatory bird. The sudden movement often startles the bird and drives it away. Most nettle-feeding caterpillars leave the mettle patch to form their chrysalis. They often wander many yards to find a suitable place, such as a fence rail or post, tree bark or garden sheds.
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