'Liverbirds' WEXING ABOUT

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Singing Bird International Dawn Chorus Day -

An early start- 6.30am, saw some of our WEX's on a Dawn chorus adventure. Led by our enthusiastic Ranger Paul we entered the woods.The smell of wild garlic- Ransoms filled the air, Bluebells nodded their delicate heads in the dappled light on the woodland floor, whilst our ears absorbed the cacophony of birds voices announcing the new day to the world. Jackdaws sang 'jaah, jaah', Crows replied kaa. Our beautiful Robin red breast sang from the bough his wistful warbling song, from the undergrowth a tiny Wren's explosive rattling call, Blackbird's proclaiming their territory sang strong their intensive flutes and trills shattering the air, high from his post a male Chaffinch filled his tiny lungs and let loose his song accelerating and ending with a flourish. Blue tits we saw and heard their sweet see see see note whilst their great tit cousins shouted 'teacher or churred in alarm, and as for the Chiff Chaff well he never stops proclaiming his name.

Our morning wasn't just about birdsong though, Paul pointed out nest sites and Woodpecker holes, left the children awestruck as they examined the intricacies of 2 old nests he magically produced from a box, a Robin's and a carefully woven Long tailed tits nest. He regaled us with stories like way is a Horse Chestnut tree so called, were did our beautiful cherry blossom trees come from, do you know the difference between a Spanish and a English Bluebell? and what was that terrible screaming he'd recorded in the park in the middle of the night.....and one last thing kids, remember when you really don't want to go to school today, you could have been one of the poor waifs who had to make the bricks that built Croxteth hall, 12hrs a day, with only their finger prints left on the baked bricks to remember them by.

Indoor meeting with RSPB guest speaker Chris Tynan

	was the talk on Wading Birds given by Liverpool RSPB's Group Leader Chris Tynan.
	and a Wild Art competition. Well done to Matt and Joe our Winners. Both received art gift packs.

Wednesday 8th April 2009 was launch day for the Liverbirds and a chance for our WEX's to make some tasty Fat cone feeder feeders for our feathered friends. Duly taken home to hang in Liverpool and Widnes gardens our group were asked to record what birds were attracted to this fast food feast. Here's the results: Numbers: number of kids reporting, not number of birds seen!

House Sparrow 1, Starling 1, Robin 1, Blue tit 2, Great tit 1, Blackbird 1, Magpie 1, and Squirrel 1!