Park life |
Parks are great places to see wildlife. Take a few tips from the 'Hands on
Nature' team as we get close to wildlife with three activities that you can do
near your home. Or why not find out about new parkland locations to visit! | Deer watching at Richmond Park |
Here
are three activities that you can try out throughout the year in parkland areas.
Happy nature watching! Red Kite adventureHarewood
Estate in Yorkshire is set in beautiful grounds, including areas of natural woodland. One
of Harewood's main attractions is its Red Kites breeding programme. These
magnificent birds can be seen flying high above the estate. Red kite
identification
* Red kites have long wings with a wingspan over
1.5 metres (five feet).
* Look out for the Kites' rust-red plumage with
white patches and black tips under their wings.
* The birds have a grey
head and red chestnut on their backs and chests.
* Look out for the Red
Kite's distinctive forked tail which can be compared with the Buzzard with its
rounded, fan-shaped tail.
* Red Kites love to hover using thermals -
a slightly windy day is ideal for seeing them floating on the air currents. Batman
returnsSet on the shores of the Upper Lough Erne, Crom is one of Northern
Ireland's most important conservation areas. It is also home to bats and
is a great place to watch these nocturnal creatures. Look out for bat watching
events throughout the summer months. Richmond Park's capital wildlifeOne
of London's four Royal parks, Richmond is the largest open space in the capital,
covering almost 1,000 hectares of natural habitats. It's home to a huge
variety of wildlife so here's some top tips on how to uncover its nature. Wildlife
tips
* Lift up fallen logs to look for invertebrates - but make
sure you put them back! * Dawn and dusk are good times to look for mammals
such as rabbits, deer and bats. * A jam jar and a magnifying glass is useful
for examining freshwater life - but make sure you put it back where you found
it. |