Swallow-Watch@Brisley

Class 3 has increased in size over the past few days and the new residents are providing many WOW moments along the way!!

Our chief swallow watcher in Year 6 realised that something was going on under our gazebo roof and after half term pointed out that there was a nest and parents flying to and fro regularly.   Presented with that perfect opportunity we set up our own swallow watch.   It has been absolutely fascinating to follow the progress over the past weeks.   First we counted five eggs and recorded how often the parent was on the nest.   We weren't sure when they were laid, but it was on the 7th June that we first spotted them.   We found out according to the book that they were incubated for 11-14 days.   We were thrilled when on the morning of 17th June there were two chicks in the nest.   It was fascinating and we watched carefully over the next few days as both parents went for food.  

One of the parents incubating the eggs in the very neat, but small, nest.   The webcam can be seen on the right and it includes a   microphone too.	Is that children I can hear playing down there?  Please don't wake my children...

The chicks are growing - we can see five now - and their mouths look huge when they gasp for food when Mum lands on the edge of the nest and tweats at them.    We were astonished to find out that swallows fly between 5,000 and 6,000 miles from South Africa to the UK, because they can't find enough to eat in South Africa.   Furthermore they often return year after year to the same nest.  We expect to have the chicks in our classroom for another two weeks or so - and are thrilled with the amazing opportunity they have given us all to enjoy nature at its best from our front row seats. 

Fun at the Fete

We were delighted that Jeremy Goss agreed to open our combined school and church Fete on 12th June and very much enjoyed having him with us on the day.   He spoke to the children, gave them hints about how to play good football and officially opened our new gazebo.

The football tournament went very well and the teams looked very colourful in their new house t-shirts.   It was a brilliant afternoon with lots to do for all ages and our celebrity rounded it off by presenting of medals to all participants in the tournament. Congratulations to Sandringham House!  Jeremy was most impressed by the strong community spirit and was very generous with his time.