Wildlife Camera: 2018 Videos

At the end of 2018, Moor Hall School got a wildlife camera. We posted our first week's video back then, but haven't showed any more outside of school since. Why not check out some of the below footage - this covers the rest of 2018!

Moor Hall Wildlife Camera

Mrs Glare and a group of children were invited by Mr Martin to the local RSPB group to give a talk about the Wildlife Awards they were involved in. The group was so thrilled with the presentation that they gave a gift of £50 which was used to buy the school a wildlife camera. For the past few weeks we have been filming the wildlife that has visited our garden.

Have a look at the video below to see what we captured in our first week.

Climate Action Awards

Taking action for climate change is important at home, but it's just as important at school.

Children taking part in the RSPB Climate Action Awards have been keen to take action. They have spread the message using posters and our club's noticeboard, they have been proactive checking taps, thermometers and lights, they have organised the composting bins and have planted seeds to form wildflower beds.

This morning more 'Greening our School' took place. The school pond is very active with tadpoles at present, helping protect this wildlife area of the school is part of our award action.

Mrs Glare said: "Well done children, you are all doing your bit to help combat climate change."

RSPB Wildlife Action Gold Award

Twelve children have recently been presented with their badges, certificates and stickers for passing the RSPB Wildlife Action Gold Awards. Mr. Fisher from the RSPB attended the assembly to help with the presentation.

Over many months children from the 'Bird Club' have been completing activities to help wildlife and the environment. To gain the Gold Award the children had to complete eighteen tasks, which is a huge achievement.

Thank you children for your hard work and commitment. Well done. 

 

Meeting Peter Holden MBE

All the children from the 'Bird Club' were invited to meet Peter Holden MBE, a national ornithologist who has worked for the RSPB for 47 years.He has written many books, appeared on television and is responsible for the youth membership in the RSPB. He also founded the Wildlife Explorer's Awards and the Big Schools' Birdwatch that we take part in at the school.

He presented a signed book and certificate to some children who have done extra fund raising for wildlife. It was such a privilege for us all to meet and talk to such an inspirational man.

Falconry Display

Children who are working towards their RSPB Gold Wildlife Explorer's Awards had fun attending a falconry display in the school hall in their 'Bird Club' time. Children who already have the gold award and the RSPB Climate Award also attended.

We saw a variety of birds flying: owls including a beautiful Spectacled Owl, a kestrel and a majestic Harris Hawk.The Golden Eagle was large and grand but a little nervous, however the Little Owl was cocky and very noisy! The talk was interesting and informative and we learnt lots of new facts about raptors and owls. 

The event was a fitting treat for all the children's hard work and perseverance in gaining these awards. 

Wildlife Action Awards

We are pleased to say that the children in the Wildlife Explorer's Club have achieved their bronze Wildlife Action Award. Well done from Mrs Glare!
If you would like more information about the award it will be announced on:www.facebook.com/RSPBWilldlifeActionAwards  and on Twitter @RSPB_Learning

RSPB Sandwell Valley

Pictures from the visit to Sandwell Valley have been uploaded to our special events page.

RSPB visitors

Today we were fortunate to have visitors from the RSPB and BirdLife Malta. They initially came to see and listen to a presentation  with Mrs. Glare's 'Bird Club'. The children in the club explained the work they had completed for their Wildlife Explorer's Bronze Award. The visitors then worked on a project  'Nature at Home 'with class 3. We used maps we had drawn of the school grounds to plot habitats we had created for our wildlife. We had informative discussions about wildlife in Malta and ideas about how we could improve our grounds in the future. Mr Winter will try to put a few photographs about our exciting afternoon in the year 3 area this evening. Our visitors were very impressed by the children's knowledge, enthusiasm and behaviour. It would be lovely to hear the children's comments on the blog.

RSPB Sandwell Valley

What a superb afternoon we all had at RSPB Sandwell Valley. Thank you to Mrs Glare for organising the event and well done to all of the children who were so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Some pictures have been added to our special events page.

http://www.moorhall.bham.sch.uk/special-events

Big Schools' Birdwatch!

On the 1st February this year, Class 4, along with Mrs Glare and RSPB visitor Martin Fisher took part in the Big Schools' Birdwatch. This meant that they spent one hour watching out for birds on our school site, and counting the number that visited us.

It is interesting to see how many of each species visited us during that hour. Our results break down as follows (click for a bigger picture): 

We have submitted these results to the RSPB and have received an official Big Schools' Birdwatch certificate and the official RSPB status of 'Bird Friendly School'.

If you would like more information on the Big Schools' Birdwatch, and to see the whole countries most spotted birds, please visit the RSBP Schoolswatch website.

RSPB Bird Watch

Photos from the RSPB Big School Bird Watch have been added to our special events page. To find out more about the RSPB click on the following link -  http://www.rspb.org.uk/  You can submit a garden birdwatch via this site.

Moor Hall Bird Club - RSPB Wildlife Action Awards

Some of the childrens work has been put onto the RSPB Facebook page. Use the link below and scroll down: you should see three posts, one titled "MOOR HALL SCHOOL BIRD CLUB RECEIVES GOLD AWARD" and the other two are close by.

https://www.facebook.com/RSPBWildlifeActionAwards

R.S.P.B. Bronze Wildlife Award

Over the past weeks Mrs. Glare's 'Bird Club' have been working towards their RSPB Wildlife Awards, making bird food, hedgehog boxes, raising funds, visiting a reserve, recycling and collecting litter.

The first stage awards are Bronze: well done to all the children who have achieved this Award. In assembly today Mr.Martin Fisher from the RSPB. presented their certificates along with stickers and a badge.We are very proud of our achievements. Kate achieved the award too - we're sorry she missed the assembly.

RSPB Middleton Lakes Bird Walk

Mrs Glare took the Bird Club to RSPB Middleton Lakes Bird Reserve today as part of their bronze wildlife awards. We viewed a heronry and rookery before heading down to the lakes to view a selection of water birds. 
We saw many species of birds and even had time for a game of 'Pooh Sticks' on the bridge in the 'Woodland trail'.
Lots to learn, lots of fun!

Bird food collection bottle

Last year the 'Bird Club' created a 'Wildlife Garden' as part of their RSPB gold award.
The garden is thriving and attracting a large selection of birds and our feeders are fully in use! To help us keep up with the demand, please donate any loose change into the 'bird food collection bottle' in the entrance hall. Any money donated will be used to buy food for our birds. Thank you.

Bird Sale

Last Monday the Bird Club held a sale to raise money for wildlife. As part of our bronze RSPB Wildlife Award, we have to raise awareness and involve others to help our local community.

We had made bookmarks, masks and finger puppets. We had a fun time selling and made £32! We are giving £15 to RSPB Middleton Lakes and keeping the rest for bird food for our wildlife garden.

Well done Bird Club!

Bird Club Visit Bourne Pool

Mrs Glare took the children from the Bird Club to Bourne Pool to investigate water birds (Moorhens, Coots etc)

They bought food and fed the Canadian Geese and Koi Carp. They are working towards their Silver and Gold RSPB Wildlife Explorers Awards.

Why not take a look at some photos of the day? Click on the pictures to view a bigger version!

Moor Hall Wildlife Garden Rejuvenation

One of the outside areas here at Moor Hall School has just undergone an amazing tranformation! As part of their silver and bronze RSPB Wildlife Award, Bird Club were tasked with creating a brand new wildlife garden at school.

For this feat, Bird Club members had to clear, survey and dig the area, which they have been working extremely hard on for the last month. They also gave up their Saturday last weekend to come into school to plant up the area. Mrs Glare and an artist had designed some signs, and the children spray painted them before they went into the garden. The garden itself has numerous features to attract new wildlife, such as a birdbath and feeders, a log-pile and a marshy area. All this can be seen on the before and after picture above - click on it to see what a difference the wildlife garden has made!

Huge thanks to Mrs Glare and the Bird Club for undertaking this task, to the helpers on the day, and to those parents and garden centres who donated plants for the garden!

Bronze Wildlife Action Award

Several children from Bird Club have been awarded the Bronze Wildlife Action Award, recognising them for "carrying out special tasks to improve the environment for birds, wildlife and people".

In the picture above we can see Martin Fisher from the RSPB, alongside all the children who won the award, in an assembly where they were presented their certificates.

A big congratulations to these children for achieving this award. Everyone at school is extremely proud of you - especially Mrs Glare!

(click images for larger versions!)