Month / June 2015

by jo

Headley Heath Glow Worm Walk

Calling all young nature lovers! The National Trust on Headley Heath is inviting guests to join them on a children’s night time stroll looking out for glow worms. Well worth the late night at the start of the summer holidays, the walk, which will be held on Friday 24 July from 9 -11pm, is a special chance to see these rare bugs. Suitable for ages 5+, the short walk will start with a warming hot chocolate and an introduction to the magical world of these glowing insects.

Glow worm on Headley Heath credit Andrew Wright

Ranger Will Frost, who has looked after Headley Heath for the past 4 years says “glow worms are usually found on grassy slopes, verges and hedge banks on heaths and open grasslands, especially in chalky and limestone areas. We’ve spotted them over several years on Headley Heath and we can’t wait to share the magic of them with our younger visitors. Truly a magical sight and one that they’ll remember for years to come”.

Suitable for ages 5+, tickets for the event cost £6 per person and need to be booked in advance by calling 01372 220644. The event, which will start at 9pm will last until approximately 11pm.

Did you know? Five facts about glow worms:

  • There are four types of glow worm: Tropical, U.S., New Zealand and European.
  • They are neither worm nor fly, but are in fact beetles, resembling woodlice more than a beetle with the female glowing strongest to attract the male.
  • They are most commonly seen between late May to September.  They glow for a few hours at a time and usually stop after mating.
  • Adult glow worms can’t feed and live only 14 days. The adult female glow worm has a glowing life of only a few weeks until she mates and dies shortly afterwards.
  • The light from the glow worm is cold and is a form of Bioluminescence. It is caused when a molecule, luciferin, is oxidised to produce oxyluciferin with the enzyme luciferase acting as a catalyst in the reaction.
by jo

Polesden Lacey Photography Competition

Polesden Lacey is holding a competition in search of their ‘Photographer of the Year’ for 2015.

polesden lacey wild flowers

The property itself is a photographer’s playground offering bags of inspiration, including sweeping views, idyllic formal gardens and Edwardian interiors crafted by the gentlemen who designed the Ritz. This year’s competition asks for photographs on the theme ‘Celebration of Colour’ capturing the vivid colours of Polesden Lacey wherever they might be found.

Ten finalists will be selected, one of whom will be named Polesden Lacey’s ‘Photographer of the Year’ and win the prestigious Spectrum Award. All finalists, including the winner, will have their work made large as photographic installations and displayed throughout the grounds at Polesden Lacey in their Autumn photography exhibition, which begins in September.

The judging panel will be made up of Polesden Lacey staff including Head of Collections, Jonathan Marsh, and one of Polesden’s top volunteer photographers, Eddie Hyde.

“People love sending us their photos of Polesden,” says Camilla Morgan, Polesden Lacey’s Marketing Officer. “Some of the photos are so beautiful that they end up in our leaflets or on the website. The competition is a way for us to showcase the work of our most talented visitors.”

You can enter the competition by liking Polesden Lacey’s Facebook page and posting up to two photos on their wall. You must include the words ‘Celebration of Colour’ in your post. You may also enter via email but everyone is advised to read more about how to enter the competition, including the rules, terms and conditions on the Polesden Lacey website. The submission deadline is midnight on Friday July 31st.

To enter, go to www.facebook.com/PolesdenLaceyNT or for more information visitwww.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesdenlacey or call 01372 452048.

by jo

Wildlife Jack – I Want to Fly by Ed Kellie

Wildlife Jack – I Want to Fly comes from The National Trust via Pavilion Books and is based on the Wildlife Jack tv series.

Wildlife Jack - I Want to Fly

Wildlife Jack – I Want to Fly has been described by Chris Packham as “a great introduction to nature” – and when you’re young anything which makes it interesting has to be a good thing. So what’s the story about?

Jack is an ordinary boy who lives in the city but he loves birds and animals and learning more about their world. His Grandad is an explorer and gives Jack a very special book, full of pictures from his adventures. As they read it together, Jack’s bedroom transforms around him and his own wildlife adventure begins.

Jack uses his special ability to talk to birds and discovers their extraordinary world. He learns about their ability to fly and wishes for wings of his own.

Wildlife Jack - I Want to Fly inside

H says “he tries to fly, and in the book we get to learn about all the different types of birds, and what they look like. I like the pictures of them, as it helps me learn what they look like when I see them in real life” – I think this may be the case for me as well! There are also interesting bird facts on the front and back covers which H has enjoyed learning about.

The illustrations are the same as the show – photos of birds alongside the cartoons of Wildlife Jack.

Wildlife Jack is a new series on the Disney Channel, is narrated by Chris Packham, and is aimed at 2-6 year olds. The series uses film footage of birds with Wildlife Jack being a cartoon and is a great entry-level into the world of nature. You can understand why Chris Packham is involved.

Wildlife Jack – I Want to Fly book has lots of facts in it about birds – handy as H loves to learn. The story itself is a simple one, not too many words so ideal for very young readers, but enough information that even more experienced readers will learn at the same time. We love it!

The National Trust publish this book via Pavilion Books, with a rrp of £6.99 and is available to buy now (affiliate link).

We were sent the book for the purpose of review, all opinions are our own.