Spot the Peregrine Falcons !
We are going to meet up with Rick Taylor of the SSGEP, and try to spot the Peregrine Falcons which roost in one of the Churches in Galashiels.
Trophic Cascades
and Apex Predators
When working with children, the natural world around us is full of terrific topics and themes on which build a learning activity. It may be learning about different tree species, and how to measure the heights and ages of trees. Or perhaps you might choose to do a topic on insects that can be found in the playgroup garden ?
But what about the 'bigger' picture ? Why is it that we aren't over-run with some animals, and hardly see any others ? Why is it that we don't see as many rabbits as we used to, but that now we seem to have more Buzzards in the Borders than we did 10 years ago ?
The Trophic Cascade
In recent decades, ecologists (people who study the natural relationships between the air, land, water, animals, plants, etc) have discovered something that they refer to as a 'trophic' cascade. This is a concept whereby the removal of one species (of plant or animal) from an area can have an impact on other aspects of the ecology of that area. For example. A farmer is suddenly over-run with mice eating the grain in his barn ... what would he do to combat this ? So ... he gets half a dozen cats, and, within a few weeks, the mouse problem, if not completed eradicated, will almost certainly be less of a problem.
But Mrs farmer is up in arms, because all of a sudden she has had an infestation of caterpillars on her prize nasturtiums, and she has no idea where they have come from.
They have arrived because the cats have killed or chased off the mice, and it was the mice that controlled the caterpillar population, because not only did the mice eat the grain ... they also enjoy a nice juicy caterpillar every now and then ! By adding cats to the ecology of the area, the farmer has unwittingly tipped the balance of the species in the area, and caterpillars now have much fewer natural predators !
This is the idea of the trophic cascade. Remove one species, and you may inadvertently change the ecology of the area. The effects of the removal of that species 'cascade down', hence the name trophic cascade. (Trophic just means 'relating to feeding and nutrition').
Apex Predators
Apex predators are those animals (can also be plants !) that have no predators. In other words ... they eat other animals, but there is nothing that eats them. They are at the 'top' of the food chain ! In our example, the cat would appear to be at the top of the food chain ... unless of course the farm gets visited at night by foxes. Or if there are any large birds of prey in the area. Or even dogs.
Any of these things could take out the population of cats, the mice return, and, in short order, everything goes back to how it was.
But our example is a very simple example. It serves to demonstrate how the trophic cascade works on a very small scale, and, let's face it, for really young children, that might be enough, but older children may have a thirst for knowledge and want to know more.
To watch a video on Trophic Cascades and Apex Predators, click the link below.
As a child you may have been taught a nursery rhyme about an old lady that swallows a fly. In a sense, this song is all about the food chain, and so, for younger children, this is a fun way to learn the concept, although I usually change the ending so that she doesn't die !
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project
Helping Reinforce The Population Of One Of Scotland’s Iconic Species, The Golden Eagle, In The South Of Scotland.
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project aims to reinforce the small, isolated and vulnerable population of Golden Eagles in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway.
Through a series of translocations over a period of 5 years, the project aims to increase numbers and prevent the loss of Scotland’s National Bird from Southern Skies.
Five custom built aviaries have been constructed and sited at a confidential location in the Southern Uplands where the translocated eagles will spend a brief 2 months before being released into the Moffat Hills.
Funded by Heritage Lottery and LEADER Scottish Borders and D&G, the project aims to bring together all countryside users to ensure the wellbeing and successful future of the Golden Eagle in the South of Scotland and to secure a place for this iconic symbol of wilderness and freedom for future generations to come.
(South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (goldeneaglessouthofscotland.co.uk))
So what IS this activity ?
Find evidence of their diet !
We are going to go on a kind of treasure hunt. Except the treasure old bones, and the hunt is just a wander around the church steeple !
Identify to identify what the Falcons have been eating !
With the help from expert Rick Taylor of the SSGEP, we are going to lay out our finds, and try to determine what the falcons had for breakfast !
