After a cracking Christmas spent in Manchester, I returned to Uni in mid-Jan.
It’s been a few weeks of work hard, play hard; here’s what I’ve been up to….
Read more: All The Young Dudes
Semester 2
This semester I’m studying 3 new modules.…
- Landscape Evolution is how weathering and erosion can affect and change a landscape, which I find really interesting, ‘cos I love learning about glaciation and so on.
- Global Environmental Issues is exactly what it says on the tin; how humans impact the world around us. I learnt something really interesting about how crushed igneous (volcanic) rock can help to absorb CO2, which is potentially a solution for absorbing greenhouse gases.
- Practical Science Field Skills, we had a chilly walk around the Loch surveying trees using compass bearings and maps, which was right up my street.
Hoping the field skills are off campus, preferably in the Cairngorms or on Mull 😉
Society Groups
I’ve signed myself up to 6 society groups; from film appreciation to wild water swimming, though given the recent temperatures it will be a while before I do that! Weds afternoon is Uni’s community gardening group. The first few sessions have been spent doing a bit of winter maintenance, weeding, mulching and making plans for spring, including clearing an area to create a potato patch. I also did a little bit of willow work to create a lovely, living hedge and was victorious in pulling out some reed grass, which I replanted elsewhere. The weather’s been a bit mixed and had to be cancelled at times due to strong winds. It’s deffo been the highlight of this semester, there’s honestly nothing better than spending time with like-minded people chatting away, whilst pottering around and it gave me a much needed dose of vitamin G!
It was pretty cool doing the Big Garden BirdWatch from Uni’s community garden too. Amongst the common garden birds, we were treated to views of a wee flock of bullfinch and even a siskin. Again, it was dead nice to meet like-minded people; made me feel right at home.
Walks from Campus
We’ve had some grim weather up in Scotland, at times the wind has been so bad that lots of society activities have been cancelled. I’ve managed some great walks when the weather’s been ok, including a magical walk in Hermitage Woods. The woods are accessed literally straight out of my communal door; they are a dense, mixed woodland rich with plants, wildflowers and wildlife, honestly, they are stunning. Me and my mate Kai spent some time uncovering old ruins, part of the hermitage ruins, which have inspired me to try and write a script as part of my Air TV society.
On another walk I poked some puffballs, watched roe deer strutting through the fields, stumbled across newly emerging foxgloves and a fairytale carpet of snowdrops was the icing on the cake. One of my regular walks from Campus is Dumyat (pronounced duh·mai·uht), the smallest of the Ochils. It’s not a particularly steep or difficult climb, but once you reach the summit, you’re rewarded with fab views. In the wee walks around the campus Loch, I’ve been treated to regular views of goldeneye, goosander and teal and some very aggressive swans, got a fair few bite marks off ’em, when I was giving ’em some grub.
Wildlife watching
Back at home, over the Christmas and New Year break I visited a fair few nature reserves. Great to catch up with my mate, Indy and I finally saw a BRAMBLING !!! (not just one either, a decent flock of em). Also saw/heard Hawfinch, Crossbill, Goshawk, Raven, Great White Egret and Cattle Egret. It was worth every inch of an epic 45km bike ride.
Me and my mate Ben, had a fab walk round St Aidan’s, where we heard the twinkling call of bearded tits, but sadly didn’t see ‘em.
Had my Derbyshire fix too, on the search for some winter fauna. Me and Dad had a hike round the Longshaw Estate for bramblings and later a great grey shrike, we were unsuccessful. We then went on the hunt for hawfinch, we were also unsuccessful. That’s wildlife for you! But we were treated to a small flock of waxwings that flew relatively close to us to drink from a small puddle over at Hassop.
Over at St Aidan’s again, Dad and I got extremely wet, but it was well worth it, as we were treated to unbelievable views of a glossy ibis as well as golden eye, marsh harrier, red kite and possibly a bittern?? It was cracking to be back birding with my Dad.
Projects for ‘24
Had my first interview of the year with young naturalist, Rufus for RSPB’s Wingbeat Magazine, out in Spring.
I’ve got a few things in the pipeline for late spring into summer, but otherwise if it’s pretty much a repeat of the above, that’ll do me!
