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It wouldn’t be a school break at Bowhill without some family friendly nature connection. This summer has seen adventurous families take on the den building challenge, identify an abundance of aquatic critters in the Loch and discover the wonders of a very biodiverse Bowhill.
Pond Dipping
Pond dipping is always a favourite activity and I always really enjoy watching kids, and adults, become absorbed by the microscopic underwater world.
Freshwater ecosystems are fascinating, with an array of producers (plants) and consumers (beasties) contributing to a complex food web. Not only this, but the Upper Loch also acts as a breeding ground in the summer months, for an array of species.
Our finds this summer included many nymphs and larvae, but also a really good number of efts (baby newts) and a lot of water boatmen! As well as getting to grips with their identification skills, participants also learned about aquatic lifecycles.
Den Building
Den building skills were really put to the test this summer and I can honestly say that Storm Florin threw her worst…. to no avail! The three dens that were built just before the storm, looked no different after the amber warning had past.
In addition to good positioning, orientation and a solid structure, families explored their creative home maker styles with some brilliant additions. From beds to campfire seating (don’t worry, no fires were lit), each den looked wonderfully comfortable and it was lovely to watch families enjoying a picnic in the shelter of their dens.
Nature Walk
New for 2025 was the afternoon nature walk and this involved a relatively short route, but lots and lots to discover!
Starting out, families were tasked with recognising and identifying the differences between leaves and noticing the differences, including looking at oak leaves. English oak (Quercus robur and also known as Pedunculate oak) and Sessile oak (Quercus petraea) have subtle differences that allow them to be correctly identified.
This autumn keep an eye on the acorns, with English oak having acorns on stems (hence the name pedunculate) and Sessile oak having acorns in clusters at the base of leaves. Birds were looked at with the same critical eye and by using binoculars, we were able to see the differences between ducklings and the resident Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis).
A personal favourite is looking at the damselflies and dragonflies, and this year we were really treated to lots of female Migrant hawker dragonflies (Aeshna mixta) on the vista. It took a very keen eye to spot them blending in amongst the grasses and sadly I didn’t manage a good snap.
More Mini Rangers... for tots!
Get involved with our Mini Ranger activities!
During the school term, we run Friday morning sessions for preschool children, offering the perfect combination of an introduction to nature and the great outdoors, alongside the chance to enjoy the Soft Play.
Sessions are offered in blocks and spaces are limited, so booking in advance is recommended to guarantee your child’s place.
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