Intertidal Launch

The Intertidal sculpture had it's official launch on the 13th July down at Totland Bay. The sun came out and sponsors, artists and local supporters turned out in great spirits for their 'fish n chips' and to witness the grand unveiling. As it is hard to actually unveil a sculpture that is sited in the sea we got our very own Jo 'Debbie McGee' Johnson to unveil the interpretation panel instead (see below).


Intertidal is the first of the 'What if?' ideas to be interpreted and made into a reality and is funded via business sponsorship and Art Plus, the Award Scheme for Art in Public Places.

To see photographs documenting the project log onto www.flickr.com/photos/julianwinslow .
Many thanks to all involved, particularly the 'fish man', Dave Badman.



Jo, Ian + What if? book, Longtail Scaler, and Bramble.

Station(ary)

After the disappointing vandalism of the new suitcase sculptures at Merstone old railway station, harmony was restored as they were heriocally rebuilt like the phoenix rising from the flames. Ok, that is very slightly over the top but you get my drift.

Famously "not looking for retribution", Mr George is now said to be merely waiting for his train home.

He may be waiting some time.

Winged Terror

Inspired by the fabulous and very recent find of Pterosaur bones on the beach at Compton by a family on holiday here, we've made something of a discovery of our own.
Painstakingly bought from Dinosaur Isle ( a real fossil hot-spot by the way) and expertly restored back in our laboratory, it seems to be some kind of dwarf flying reptile not yet described in the standard texts on the Jurassic fauna.
We have heard whispers that others have found, from the same rich deposits on the middle and lower shelves in the north-east corner of the gift shop, dinosaur remains containing what seems to be a rudimentary Squeek Mechanism - amazing!

Not quite Kaa

Look at this!

It's a Grass Snake, but just a little one (see the nearby snail).

Turned it up during recent reptile survey work along with stacks of Slow Worms (see below).
This is such a beautiful creature - the yellow collar is the key identification clue. Although this is a baby, Grass Snakes can be really BIG - 1.8m+ !!

And here are the SWs . We seem to be finding tremendous numbers this year, but maybe that's just because the weather's rubbish and they're far to cold to be out and about when we come calling.

The larger darker adults are on the left and the paler juveniles on the right. Grown-ups in the kitchen drinking tea, kids all crowded round a DS or a PSP - the usual story.

Rare Species

Spot the difference

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Nige

Troll

Wetlands Week 2007

Look how much fun we had during Wetlands Week 2007 with over 200 school children looking for bugs and pretending to be a flounder. Wetlands Week is funded by Leader+ and delivered by Island 2000.








We all had an absolutely corking week learning about wetland habitats and wildlife. Four Island schools participated during the week and attended workshops run by Ian, Hannah and Jo from Island 2000, Jill Mears from the Environment Agency and Kathy Grogan from Wight Wildlife.



Jill's Minibeast Safari went down a storm, with all the children scouring the hedgerows for bugs and insects to view in their magnifier pots. We used the excellent FSC field guides to identify everything that was found.














Look at all the weird and wonderful minibeasts that the children made using arts materials brought by Island 2000's Arts team.


















Kathy Grogan and her team from Wight Wildlife laid on some exciting games and activities to show the children how different species were adapted to life in wetlands areas. We all had great fun pretending to be frogs eating flies and curlews eating worms.

New poetry installation

Installed at last - Edward Lyon's poem 'Oasis' on top of a big piece of stone. It looks like it's been there for years doesn't it? If you want to take a look for yourself, it's by the bus stop outside the Oasis shop on Carpenters Lane (near St Helens).