Quantock Hills Blog
Wonders of wildlife
- Ranger Andy, a Long Eared Owl named Otus and some defensive wood ants
Posted by Andy Harris on 05 September 2011
The Discover Wildlife event which took place in Ramscombe for a group of children and their parents was especially rewarding this weekend .
The odd shower failed to dampen spirits as we explored the forest and looked for its wildlife, or at least signs of it. Chris Sperring of the Hawk and Owl Trust joined us with Otus his captive Long Eared Owl. Otus proved to be a great success and managed to captivate his audience. He was particularly interested in the contents of the small mammal live capture traps for some reason!
It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to bring the forest alive, and we were able to show everyone there a few of our favourite Ranger secrets. Like demonstrating how wood ants defend their colony (with the aid of a split cane and some litmus paper) or to see the size difference between an adult wood mouse and a juvenile.
Thanks to all the children (and their parents) that showed so much enthusiasm and to Chris and Otus for their help.
Our next event will be on Sunday 11th September, celebrating the International Year of the Forest. We will be out playing and enjoying the forest at Great Wood with the Forestry Commission team, so do come and join us. for details on how to book please go to the events page of this website.
Andy.
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