A Bird's Eye View

Hello All, For STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) day, I visited Bristol Zoo with the school. We went to Bristol zoo because it is a fun, different and exciting way to learn, and it has so many experiences that can’t be gained from the classroom. A highlight of the day was a talk from a zookeeper. The purpose of this talk was to inform us of what the zoo does and to raise awareness of conservation worldwide and why conservation takes place. It provided an opportunity to meet some of the animals with whom he works (Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches, a Brown Rat called Bob and Egyptian Tortoises). The cockroach was surprisingly still when held in the hand, and had feet that gripped your palm. The sleek and cold feeling of its back on your finger is something that can’t be gained from just looking, and the experience of this helped us connect with animals. Bristol Zoological Gardens is one of the leading zoos in the UK, with hundreds of species resident.  ...

 Hello! This week had an excellent garden find: an Elephant Hawk Moth larvae! These caterpillars are up to 10cm long, and are described by Chris Packham as "one of Britain's super bugs" and "every child's dream!" A high accolade indeed from the often scathing man! Anyway, once they have metamorphosed, the adult moth is often mistaken for a slow bat in flight, with a wingspan between 7 and 10cm. They usually take a bit of searching for, but this stood out on the lawn like a sore thumb...at first mistaken for hedgehog droppings until I saw it moving!  This was a very confiding caterpillar, with a therapeutic thump in my hand. Soon after these photos, I moved it to cover to protect it from avian predation...there are plenty more caterpillars for the Dunnocks!  Although these chunky chaps aren't mega rare, they are scarce enough to celebrate, and I shall now be on the lookout (next year) for some pink and beige-green Elephant Hawk-Moths.  To...