This week I had the job of taking a class of year 4 children plus three staff on a nature trek to Cliffe Pools, they were from St Helen’s Church of England Primary School half a mile or so away.
We met at 9.30 and had a little look at the flowers left in tribute to Gill Moore as the class included her Grandaughter.
So we slowly made our way towards Radar Pool along the track, stopping to admire the delicate colour and scent of the Dog Rose.
Plenty of Common Blue butterflies were around, much to the delight of the children.
On the path was a strange looking larvae, we were careful not to tread on it, but not before I got a picture of it for later identification.
We also saw some Brimstone, Green Hairstreak and Red Admirals.
I was continually bombarded with questions such as, “What was my favourite bird?” and “What sort of sharks were in the Pools?”
We also heard and saw a Cuckoo sitting on the overhead wires.
Plenty of other birds were about, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Coots and Moorhen, the latter with two swimming chicks. Cetti’s Warbler, Blackcap and Chiff Chaff sang to us as we walked through.
On the way back Marsh Frogs also sang in Allen’s Pond, pretty much pre-occupied and unperturbed by 34 pairs of eyes watching their amorous antics.
And so what was the mystery larvae? It was a Glow-worm larvae.
There is nothing so satisfying as demonstrating to youngsters the wonders of the world around them and as in this case what’s literally on their door-step.
The North Kent Marshes are a very special area and worth preserving at all cost.