Showing posts with label Scouts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scouts. Show all posts

Saturday, 30 January 2016

Making Nest boxes with Cubs and Scouts

You might think that making nest boxes in sessions at Cubs and Scouts might not make much difference beyond the actual boxes that get put up.  You'd be completely wrong.



Chew Stoke Cubs with Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig


We made 15 boxes in Cubs and 10 boxes on Scouts which were spread between the member's primary schools and our comprehensive, Chew Valley School, who put them up in wildlife club.

However, the sessions themselves were practical and enjoyable but at the same time, they did a bird quiz naming birds, listened to a talk about Antarctica where apart from penguins and seals, I talked about my key message, "fight to stop anyone who wants to do anything to damage Antarctica".  Afterwards, lots of them contacted me asking me to post a video I mentioned of a Leopard Seal skinning a penguin.

Both groups were going on to do the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch at the end of January and a nature badge and environmental badge, as well as checking on the nest boxes to see if they are being used and next year whether they need to be cleaned out.

Each of the local primary schools had a nest box and Chew Valley had 16 nest boxes. This is the link to the Chew Valley Gazette article about the project which is on page 46 http://bit.ly/25DqdpY and this was an article on the school website about the boxes http://bit.ly/1W1KSQj

About the Writer


Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig


Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, activist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and Penguins in Antarctica over Christmas 2015, her 7th continent. 


Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter










Saturday, 27 June 2015

Taking scouts to see Nightjar


Today I took my Scout group to the Mendips to look for Nightjar.  In the afternoon it started raining and I thought we might have to cancel the evening.  Then, the weather cleared and looked like it was going to be dry, fine and still - perfect for watching Nightjar hunting insects.



Scouts looking for Nightjar (sorry for the rubbish photo taken on my phone at dusk), Stockhill, Somerset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig


Most of my Scout group don't know anything about birds and so I think it is really important to try and get them interested.  Even if none of them become birders, at least after this evening they may appreciate them and notice them around them.

I had run workshops for Scouts before, but this was the first time a session was allocated to taking them out birding.

First we all met up for a Scout session, going scavenger hunting in the woods.  Then I led them to walk up to where the Nightjar had been seen this year.  I was wondering if it was still too early, but then Dad heard one churring.  We played the churring sound and wing clapping to everyone and showed them a photo pointing out the white in the wing bars.

There were 15 of us out and it was hard keeping everyone quiet.  Then suddenly Dad heard one churring, after that it it went silent.  A few Nightjar started churring in different places and it was really exciting as the noise was unusual and quite spooky.  It was amazing to watch the group so excited at just hearing a bird.  It was a little bit gusty and parents were arriving to pick up the scouts, so by 10.10 pm we  headed back to the car park.


Scouts looking for Nightjar, Stockhill, Somsetset
Photograph taken by Helena Craig


Scouts looking for Nightjar, Stockhill, Somerset
Photograph taken by Helena Craig




Scouts looking for Nightjar, Stockhill, Somerset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

It was brilliant to see everyone mesmerised even if only for a few minutes.  We decided to bring them back next year in May, when they are seen an hour earlier.  Maybe we can also take them out birding again, looking for Starling perhaps.


Scouts looking for Nightjar (sorry for the rubbish photo taken on my phone at dusk), Stockhill, Somserset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig


Scouts looking for Nightjar (sorry for the rubbish photo taken on my phone at dusk), Stockhill, Somserset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Scouts looking for Nightjar (sorry for the rubbish photo taken on my phone at dusk), Stockhill, Somerset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Scouts looking for Nightjar (sorry for the rubbish photo taken on my phone at dusk), Stockhill, Somserset
Photograph taken by Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig



About the Writer




Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig 



Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She is looking forward to going Mountain Gorilla Trekking in East Africa in the summer and watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter












Friday, 26 June 2015

30 Days Wild - Day 26 - 26 June 2015


30 Days Wild - Doing something wild everyday


Day 26 - Today I took my Scout group to the Mendips to look for Nightjar.  It was amazing to watch the group so excited at just hearing a bird churring.

Most of my Scout group don't know anything about birds and so I think it is really important to try and get them interested.  



Scouts looking for Nightjar, Stockhill, Somsetset
Photograph taken by Helena Craig


About the Writer




Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig 



Mya-Rose Craig is a 12 year old young birder, conservationist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She is looking forward to going Mountain Gorilla Trekking in East Africa in the summer and watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent. She has recently been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter