Feed

Week 7 for IHS with the Kinghorn Coastal Rowing Club. Today we started the time trials on the loch. Each team got a warm up lap of the loch then a timed sprint. The first team set a fantastic time, but it wasn't to be. The unbeaten Ellie, now assisted by little sister Lucy (and a bit of a tail wind!) completed the course a full 8 seconds faster. When not rowing the teams went off into the woods, and watched each other from different vantage points around the loch. A great laugh and a chat back at the shed was had before heading back to school. It's a real buzz watching the group come together in their teams, and mixing so well with each other and the Rowing Club. The ducks were fascinated by the group too! Photos by Liz from the Rowing Club and Mr Nicol.

Last week, our group started working towards their Discover and Explore Challenges at Saltwells National Nature Reserve. We did a guided walk led by Emma, one of the wardens. We looked at the sites woodland and grassland habitats, geology and industrial history. We saw the remains of the old coal mine bell pits, a scheduled monument in Saltwells Wood. In Spring, we are looking forward to seeing bluebells flower here and throughout the woodland. A buzzard flew over Doultons Clay Pit and landed on an oak tree. Two members of the group saw a fox by the Old Tub Line, where fire clay was transported from the Clay Pit to the canal. It was a lovely surprise to see a buzzard and a fox. It reminded us of one of John Muirs quotes we read in a lesson which says “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks”. This week our group started the JMA Conserve challenge by helping wardens manage an area of grassland called Reservoir Bank known to us locals as “Razza Bank” because it is next to Netherton Reservoir. We collected our tools and as we walked to Razza Bank, we did a litter pick and saw a Sparrowhawk along the way. Work started cutting back bramble using loppers and shears. We raked up the bramble to make a dead hedge. There were lots of ant hills made by yellow meadow ants. We hope to see green woodpeckers feeding on them and black knapweed flower later in the year. Next week our group will continue their Conserve challenge with our grassland management project at Razza Bank.

Day 5 finds us back to the tree plantation taking care of the trees gifted to us by the Woodland Trust. If anyone is aware of where we can get more of the the big green tubes please get in touch. We were also graced by a couple of visitors, we disturbed a couple of Roe deer, Red Kite and a Hare. We also had time to investigate some scat and decided it was most likely to be Pine Martin. The group was introduced to a map, always a useful skill as it does not run out of batteries and pacing always an anti-social task, 'Don't speak to me I am counting'. To finish our day we played a mega game of Predator and Prey, a stalking game trying hard not to be spotted by Mr Milton (Hawkeye)

We have cleared our fire pit area and managed to have a bit of fire (not much dry kindling around at this time of year). Marshmallows and hot chocolate were consumed!!

Using a mirror we changed the way we look at our woodland. Looking into the canopy of the woodland we had to be guided by a friend so that we didn't trip over the uneven ground. We discovered the world above us was full of life and if we were quiet enough we could see birds nesting.

We made a sign to stop people walking on our flowers and got rid of more weeds 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

Today we were calculating the age of the trees in our local woodland (without cutting them down!) We measured around the trees and then did a bit of maths.... our oldest tree in the woodland near us is around 160 years old. It was around before the Titanic sank and definitely before any of us were around!

Today we were continuing weeding and expanding our planting space.