Thursday 11 April 2019

Horsforth Hall Park

We've been helping out recently with nature classes - Bugs, Birds and Books that my sister in law set up for toddlers/pre-school children, with the idea of getting them outside and exploring nature. She's had a good response and has ended up running three classes during the week and one on the weekend too. Already there are plans for a next block of lessons. Starting children with an early appreciation of nature is definitely the way forward, it's been fun!

A nature picture
 (First rule was no picking flowers, only collect ones on the floor so no flowers were harmed!!)


This past Saturday we stayed after the class and explored around the park a little, despite it not being too far from where I grew up i've never been here until recently. The sound of a Woodpecker drumming followed us around but we never quite managed to spot it. We did see plenty of the usual birds - Magpie, Song Thrush, Crows, Woodpigeons, Great and Blue Tits, a Nuthatch, Goldfinch and overhead circling Red Kites.






There is a Japanese Garden in the park, which originally opened in the 80's and had a big restoration in 2009, it's quite pretty and has a small lake, which had one lone male Mallard.





Whilst we were on our way out we came across a group, with several children who were litter picking the park, it is well looked after and does have play parks too, though we didn't come across those in our walk. Even with a cricket pitch (with it's small cafe/bar our base for the classes) and skate park there is still plenty to walk around.

Goldfinch


Lots of bugs were sunning themselves



Blue Tit playing hide and seek!



I can't seem find any information on birds that have been seen so I guess it's an unwatched spot - in that nobody posts records online at least? It'd be interesting to see what else is found here.

8 comments:

  1. What a great idea of your sister in law - so important to get children into nature at a young age. My two used (a long time ago!!) to go to activities at Brandon Marsh NR and they just loved it.

    The park does look well cared for too :) Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. It is and they do love being outside, all of the kids seemed to have been enjoying it all! Hope you had a good weekend :)

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  2. It looks like a lovely park and a great place to get children interested in nature, I have fond memories of nature walks and the nature table at my primary school:)

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    1. I do too, I loved collecting for the nature table at school. In fact I still pick up pine cones/conkers/acorns for my desk at work!!

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  3. It's a sad state of affairs that we have to run these kinds of sessions to get children outdoors today but lovely to hear you're sister in law is doing it :)

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    1. Well yes it is, hopefully it'll make the right impact with them as they grow older! She's a former teacher so she's worked the classes really well :)

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  4. The more we can involve children the better. Kudos to you for doing it.

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    1. Exactly, they are the future as they say!

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