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Project Nestbox

Solar Eclipse and more spectacles!

In the last 2 days I've been filming in 4 different Schools but luckily for me they were outdoors which meant I could capture a Redkite in Newinn and it also meant that I got to photograph the Eclipse as all the Kids where enjoying it as part of a school activity. I don't post up any of the Children's photo's online as we have only had permission for them to be posted on Richard Evans website @ Project Nestbox and I wouldn't want to upset any of the parents. We did however have such an amazing day in the sun today putting up their nest boxes on the street. 

If you're wondering how I took this photo of the Eclipse, I was lucky that the school were handing out welding glasses to the kids and managed to get the teacher to hold one in front of my lens for me while taking this burst of photos :). Productivity maxed out today! I will really miss working in the Schools! It's such a joyful feeling knowing that the kids enjoyed themselves and most importantly learnt something about wildlife! 

Project Nestbox Update

27 small Tit boxes, 2 Robin boxes, 1 Little Owl and a huge Barn Owl nest box kept Project Nestbox busy today in Monmouth. We tackled it well however with systematic idea's coming from the brains of the bunch ;) I came up with the idea of using the ladder to carry 12 boxes at a time instead of making several trips up and down a muddy bank and it worked absolutely perfectly. 

The Barn owl box was a nightmare though! They are just so large and heavy, you really do need 3 people! Myself, Richard Evans and Ray Williams worked through it well using rope to hall the heavy box into place while it was screwed to the tree. A Woodcock and Goshawk was seen while out but currently without a camera/lens as my gear has yet to turn up... (estimate was today, so not happy!). 

Yesterday I came across and unknown plant! Rather than go through lots of books and crap descriptions online, who better to ask than the knowledgable Iolo Williams himself lol. It didn't take him long to respond and turns out the plant is actually called 'The Lord and Lady's Plant' which was news to me. Turns out they are quite fascinating plants indeed! "they have a penis-like appendage inside the pitcher which attracts insects. These pick up pollen then move on to the next plant. In Welsh, it's called 'pidyn y gog' (cuckoo's penis!!) Because the penis-like appendage appears around the same time as the cuckoo" Iolo Williams random fact of the day for you ;).