As I arrived at The Swan to collect Alan, Sarah and Sam it was looking like a glorious spring day. The plan for the day was to search all of our regular Otter sites around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland. Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Robin were all singing, Little Egret were stalking through the shallows (almost a permanent feature of our coastal trips now), Cormorant and Goldeneye caused momentary panic as they slipped beneath the water’s surface, Stonechats tail-flicked atop coastal bushes and Meadow Pipits were song-flighting. Towards the end of the day we came across a species that is always attention-grabbing, as a Kingfisher flew downstream towards us before crossing the river and perching in a low bush, sitting obligingly as we trained our ‘scopes on it.
As we travelled between sites, Sam’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge generated a keenly contested quiz. Not on wildlife though, this was a quiz on the solar system and astronomy! Now, I thought my knowledge of the universe was good, but thanks to an enthusiastic 7 year old, I finished the day with it expanded 🙂
Comments
2 responses to “Life, the universe and everything; Otter Safari 04/04/2015”
Martin thank you for a wonderful day and helping me learn more about the otters and also the wider universe, I now want to be an guide in the dark sky’s national park! I had a lovely day and whilst I didn’t see the otters this time you tried your hardest to help me find them and I’ll be back soon with an improved knowledge of solar system to teach you some more facts!!!!
Sam aged 6 and three quarters!!
Sam, it was a pleasure to meet you (and your mum and dad too, of course!), and to be challenged with so many questions 🙂 No matter what age we reach, there’s always something new to learn – like how many moons Saturn has 🙂
You’ll make a great Dark Sky guide 🙂
best wishes
martin