Stoborough Primary at Studland

Stoborough Primary enjoyed a lovely sunny morning on Studland Beach, followed by a glorious walk along the coast path via Old Harry Rocks and back to Swanage.

Old Harry Rock sculptures. Don't forget the Cracks, Caves, Arches Stacks and Stumps!

Using the real thing in the distance for inspiration

Beautifully decorated with chalk and seaweed

                             
               

Next we did a seashore forage, identifying shells and sea creatures

Girls are excited to find a Shore Crab 

Strolling through the dunes keeping an eye open for the 6 native reptiles!

Taking a short break to look at the Marram Grass, Heather and Woodland
Perfect opportunity for a group photo!

Old Harry up close

St Nicholas Primary Set Sail

St Nicholas Primary jumped aboard a Brownsea Island Ferry for a cruise around Poole Harbour. With the help of RSPB volunteers they managed to spot and identify Spoonbills, Cormorants, Little Egrets and the fastest animal on the planet the Peregrine Falcon.

An unusual visitor....

Whilst looking at the remains of a young Wood pigeon that a Sparrow hawk had half eaten on the front lawn at Leeson, Mike had huge surprise to find a cow standing in front of him.

It was soon rounded up and put back with the rest of the noisy herd.

There's been a few other interesting finds recently. While at Studland Heath with a Primary School, Mike found this caterpillar.

Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia caterpillar. This species feeds on moorland plants such as Heather Calluna and Bramble Rubus. It is quite common on Studland Heath.

Adult Emperor Moth - image from the internet

Duke of Edinburgh Week at Leeson House

Gold Award students from across the UK have recently stayed at Leeson House.They took part in lots of activities to help build towards their Gold Award application. Amazing weather and an enthusiastic group made the week run extremely well.

Beginning the Night Navigation exercise

Conservation work on Studland Heath

Litter pick at Kimmeridge Bay where more than 25 Kg of litter was cleared.

Rockwatch 2013

Rockwatch - the club for young geologists, stayed at Leeson for a week this summer and visited several geologically great sites!

Over looking Chesil Beach

On Portland

Barry and Mike at the clay pit quarry

Sweltering Summer...

It's been a great Summer for fieldwork and wildlife this year!

The view towards Dancing Ledge on our popular walk to the coast

The Six-spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae

Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera have been a common sight during field work this summer.
The name "Ophrys" derives from the Greek word ophrys, meaning "eyebrow", while the Latin apifera means "bee-bearing" and refers to the bee-shaped lip of the orchid.

Large Elephant Hawkmoth's Deilephila elpenor
 have been dominating some of the moth trapping at Leeson.

Life on the Ocean Waves

Ben and Yewstock School took a trip down to Kimmeridge Bay to see what they could scavenge for an art attack in the evening.  From the treasures they found they created a fab Ocean Scene!