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The children explored the anatomy of a pumpkin. They used their senses to smell, touch and taste a pumpkin. They are looking forward to planting some of the seeds that they removed and dried out in the Spring. The children explored the local river. They have planted Rowan tree seeds in class and were trying to identify the best place to plant these in the local area when the time comes. They came upon the local river and explored all the plants and trees surrounding it. They then carried out an impromptu science experiment of floating and sinking natural objects along with predicting which materials would move faster towards the waterfall. During one of the sessions in the park, the morning children discovered the hidden garden. They used materials that they found there to create natural dreamcatchers.

An overnight moth trap had been set by Hugo and wessex home education group gathered to examine the findings . We recorded an incredible 56 species of moth ( a new record for the reserve ).

I have a pair of new hiking boots to break in…which was just the nudge I needed to pick up my John Muir Award after yet another lazy break. More nudges always come in January - the RSPB Birdwatch is approaching and this year (fingers crossed) we’re able to run something resembling our bird ID sessions for the public on National Cycle Network routes, after last year’s were stopped due to Covid. My new boots took me on a 12km walk to Balerno along the canal and the Water of Leith walkway (both route 75) and I decided to count the number of bird species I saw over the 2.5 hours. Twenty four. I’d gone out thinking I might see winter visitors like fieldfares or redwings – nope – or spot a dipper – yes!...and twenty three more, and lots of mud to christen my boots. A good start to a year. Year 3 of this Award, eek. I *will* finish it this year…!

On Sunday’s walk, I had hoped to see a dipper on the Water of Leith and towards the end, I spotted one. It’s a bird I don’t see very often but always look for on watercourses – the bouncing curtsey it makes, and the contrast of the brilliant white bib against the milk and dark chocolatey brown feathers, and the fact that it sings in winter, always makes it heartwarming to see. So, I’ve been delighted to find out that John Muir wrote a whole chapter in ‘The Mountains of California’ about the Stateside cousin of our dipper – the American Dipper or Water Ouzel. He writes: “He is a singularly joyous and lovable little fellow. In form he is about as smoothly plump and compact as a pebble that has been whirled in a pot-hole, the flowing contour of his body being interrupted only by his strong feet and bill, the crisp wing-tips, and the up-slanted wren-like tail. If disturbed while dipping about in the margin shallows, he either sets off with a rapid whir to some other feeding-ground up or down the stream, or alights on some half-submerged rock or snag out in the current, and immediately begins to nod and curtsey, turning his head from side to side with many other odd dainty movements that never fail to fix the attention of the observer. He is the mountain streams' own darling, the humming-bird of blooming waters, loving rocky ripple-slopes and sheets of foam as a bee loves flowers, as a lark loves sunshine and meadows. Among all the mountain birds, none has cheered me so much in my lonely wanderings - none so unfailingly. For both in winter and summer he sings, sweetly, cheerily, independent alike of sunshine and of love, requiring no other inspiration than the stream on which he dwells. While water sings, so must he, in heat or cold, calm or storm, ever attuning his voice in sure accord; low in the drought of summer and the drought of winter, but never silent. Find a fall, or cascade, or rushing rapid, anywhere upon a clear stream, and there you will surely find its complementary Ouzel, flitting about in the spray, diving in foaming eddies, whirling like a leaf among beaten foam-bells; ever vigorous and enthusiastic, yet self-contained, and neither seeking nor shunning your company. Such, then, is our little cinclus, beloved of every one who is so fortunate as to know him.”

A #2minutecleanup today on the Roseburn Path (route 1 of the National Cycle Network) while I was on a walking meeting with a colleague. It felt good to get back to litterpicking and a few people stopped to tell me that they did the same. As one of them said 'You can achieve so much with just one sweep up the path". We bumped into another colleague and had a great catch-up chat, and also saw over 20 bullfinches on our way between Haymarket and Leith, as well as a mistle thrush dashing across in front of us. So, the path benefited from the litter pick-up, but I think we benefited more - from being out in local greenspace and connecting with people. This meeting also gave me a chance to 'share' as part of my Award - gifting the result of a Christmas knitting project to my colleague, who I know looks out for birds on the National Cycle Network routes too, as well as in her garden. Win win win.

Some old photos of Me and a friend on a walk around Loch Ard, on November 27th 2021, the morning after the worst of Storm Arwen. There were a lot of trees down!