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One Primary 5 class at Duddingston Primary in Edinburgh took part in the Big Schools Birdwatch this year, after being encouraged by one of their own pupils, nine year old Johnny Blairford . Julia Horton , from the Times Educational Supplement Scotland , joined in the fun, and you can read her full report...

In October this year, the Mersehead Moorhens, RSPB Scotland’s most southerly Wildlife Explorer Group, visited a local residential centre to work with some of their residents in their wildlife garden. This was an opportunity that the Moorhen’s were extremely excited about, having been involved...

Are you ready to take part in the UK’s largest tree celebration? National Tree Week begins this Saturday, 24th November, and runs until 2nd December, giving you plenty of time to get involved in many of the organised activities running all over the UK, or to have fun taking part in your own tree...

Autumn is, in my opinion, the best time of year for some outdoor art work. There's such a variety of vibrant colours around, plenty of leaves, seeds and twigs lying around to gather up, and the weather hasn't quite reached the point where your fingers are frozen within minutes of being outside...

Scotland's newest RSPB Youth Group has just launched in spectacular style, so for a peek at the kind of brilliance and opportunity our groups attract please read on for an account written by a brand new Phoenix - Annie, aged 16. Edinburgh Phoenix Diary, 27th May 2012 The temperatures were...

You may well have already heard this morning that the question of how to connect more children to nature is back in the news again? The National Trust has launched a new report highlighting the issue , as well as an online enquiry to gather public opinion on what should be done. In a week where...

Glasgow’s remarkable wildlife will be the centre of attention next Sunday (February 19) as The Urban Birder, David Lindo, pays the city a rare visit. As well as urban birding, David’s talk will also look at urban conservation issues and what can be done to help our city birds. His book, The...

If your class or group enjoyed counting birds for the Big Schools Birdwatch try extending their learning and interest even further by finding out about bird behaviour and bird song. This months RSPB WildSquare survey is all about listening out for common (and easily recognisable) bird song and bird calls...

Glasgow’s schoolchildren have been celebrating Scotland’s amazing wildlife with an art competition organised by RSPB Scotland. Drawings, painting and sculptures were created as part of the RSPB’s annual Big Schools’ Birdwatch (which this year runs from 16-30 January) and all...

Last week RSPB Scotland hosted “Christmas Tweats”, a well-attended CPD (continuous professional development) event at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The event focused on how teachers and their classes can get school grounds wildlife-friendly ready for Christmas. Teachers enjoyed...

Christmas is a time of year when it’s very tempting to shut out the cold grey outside world and cosy up inside with all those lovely new gadgets and gizmos and a great big tin of chocolates. However we should also remember that this time of year is particularly special in the natural calendar,...

Should all children be given the right to access – and enjoy – the countryside? Here is an interesting short article suggesting just that, as well as talking about the many benefits we all know this brings. However, while I am convinced that all children should have regular contact with...

Have you planned any tree-planting for National Tree Week which runs from 26 November to 4 December? If you have planned something, tell us about it! We'd love to hear about what you'll be doing! If you haven't thought about it, then I urge you to think about how you could get involved at...

The new November / December WildSquare survey has just started. In this winter survey participants will be looking for signs of the winter starting. They will be searching for tree nuts such as acorns, conkers and beech nuts, looking out for winter berries and trying to find some special Christmas plants...

Over the last few days here in Birmingham, it has properly started to feel like Autumn. I love this time of year. The golden sunlight showcases nature's beauty brilliantly and forces you to look more closely at tiny details you haven't seen before. I love the cool crisp air in the morning. I...

Halloween is just around the corner and what better way to mark the occasion than a Nocturnal Nature Expedition with your brave adventurers at Wat Tyler Park ? Learn about the secret world of nocturnal creatures on Friday 28 th October by joining the RSPB for a spooky family evening, you never know...

Many of you will be pondering on ‘ reduce reuse recycle’ and how to incorporate it into your teaching and daily routine this year. I thought for this blog I would take a moment to reflect on the importance of Reuse and to give you some examples that might give you some inspiration in the...

Play England, part of the leading children's charity NCB, has been awarded £500,000 for the Exploring Nature Play project. This project aims to help children explore and enjoy the nature around them. The interactive map can provide useful information for schools and families alike. Offering...

It’s that time of year again! We’ve just opened our Big Schools' Birdwatch 2012 web pages for you to have a look at, and to register for next year’s event. What is Big Schools' Birdwatch? I’m sure many of you visiting this blog may not have heard of the Big Schools'...

Last year the RSPB showed the wide range of benefits to children of them having contact with nature. Our ‘Every Child Outdoors’ report brought together lots of research on the positive impacts on children’s learning, physical and mental health, and development of interpersonal skills...

So you’ve got your classroom all sorted, you’ve labelled the drawers, dusted the books and changed your displays, but have you thought about the space outside your window? The grounds of schools can sometimes be damp and dismal places, with little reason for cheer. However, I know some...