Spring Bulbs

Follow our Great Tit nest box camera at St Fagans!http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/2736/

Eight eggs were laid on the 27th of April and finally hatched yesterday. The chicks are so small you can only really see them when they open their mouths. Mr & Mrs Great Tit are now very busy feeding their family in the woodlands at St.Fagans.

 

 

 

 

Winners 2009-10

Pupils were asked to draw and label their daffodils. We received many fantastic drawings!

Professor Plant awarded each school and home educated family with sets of sturdy binoculars and easy to construct birdhouses.

Age:12

Alexandra Jones - Home educated

Age:10

Tabitha Jones - Home educated

Age:9

Huw Butterworth - Home educated

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Spring Bulbs for Schools investigation this year! Participants completed challenges and kept weather records to earn Super Scientist certificates & prizes. Many thanks to the really Welsh company for supplying our daffodils and the 1st prize - a daffodil picking day at their farm near Bridgend. Also a big thanks to the staff at Kenfig Nature Reserve.

The standard was extremely high this year and Professor Plant would like to thank all the schools that made this investigation a success! Below are details of the schools and home educated participants who excelled.

1st place: Pentrepoeth Junior School, Morriston, Swansea. Lead by teacher Kay Mills. Prize: A trip to the really Welsh farm & Kenfig Nature Reserve. 

2nd place: Glyncollen Primary School also of Morriston, Swansea. Lead by teacher Ann Richards. Prize: A pair of digital binoculars.

Home educated winners: The Jones family from Llandrindod Wells and the Butterworth family from Carmarthenshire have shown real commitment to their recording. Prize: A trip to the really Welsh farm & Kenfig Nature Reserve. 

Highly commended schools: Ysgol Nant Y Coed, Ysgol Talhaiarn, Howell's School Llandaff, Ysgol Y Ffridd, Ysgol Porth Y Felin, Pembroke Dock Community school, Ysgol Penycae (Ystradgynlais) Prizes: Super scientist certificates and seedlings for their school. 

Schools noted for their dedication and good record keeping: Ysgol Gynradd Deganwy Primary, Milford Haven Junior school, St. Joseph's R C Primary, Coleg Powys, Glan Conwy, Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn, Ysgol Pen Y Garth, Bishop Childs CIW Primary School, Murch Junior School, Newton Primary, Oakfield Primary school, Windsor Clive Primary, Ysgol Gynradd Brynconin, Ysgol Gynradd Deganwy Primary. Prizes: Each pupil to receive super scientist certificates and seedlings for their school.

Late flowers = late report: Normally by now we are able to compare this years flowering dates with those recorded in previous years, but as it has been so cold - some records are still being sent in. Over the next few weeks Professor Plant will be working on this report and it will be published on the Spring Bulbs for Schools website www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Finally, my daffodils opened on the 28th of March. Here are a few pictures. Many more have now opened in the schools across Wales. Happy Easter!

 

This winter has been the coldest in 30 years - so our flowers have opened much later than usual.  Our first crocus was recorded in Murch Junior School on the 14th of February and our 1st daffodil also at Murch on the 17th of February. 

Since then many more have opened across the country. Study the maps and graphs to find out more. http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/1719/

Finally, this week the daffodils in my garden have produced their buds and hopefully should be ready to open soon! They seem a lot shorter than in previous years. We will study the records to see if this is a trend this year.

Many thanks

Professor Plant

 

Mystery bulb No.1 Can you guess what it is?

Mystery bulb No.2 Can you guess what it is?

 

22/3/2010 Daffodils in Cardiff. Sent in by Mr. Alun Jones