After six weeks of full-time prep work and three months since the conception of the idea, the Manx Nature Show opened its doors on Saturday 18th February with an attendance of over 150 people.
Over half of the 22 local environmental groups taking part came along to the open day with a stall or activities allowing them to engage the with the public about their work. There was a fascinating display of dried Fungi to view through a microscope, videos of bats in flight, a beekeeping Q/A, litter pickers to borrow, 'hoop the pollinator' game, bird's nest making, people dressed in full bee costumes, rescued hedgehogs, games, quizzes, facts and more. There was so much to do that many attendees spent a number of hours there, engaging with all the groups and drinking plenty of tea! Many people were surprised and delighted to discover the show actually runs for three months, with almost everyone taking away a list of scheduled nature workshops. The environmental groups themselves commented that it was "like having all your friends in one place for the whole day", as the event offered a rare opportunity for all the hard-working groups to be in one space at the same time. MWDW wish to express our gratitude to all the groups taking part and to those who were able to come along on the open day, also to the volunteers at Cathedral Isle of Man for their many hours spent serving refreshments and for generally being fantastic, and to UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man for funding the entire show. We would also like to thank Tony at Heads-up Design for the amazing graphics on the display boards and to Bruce at Hooper's for organising the printing of the boards and to both for their ongoing support. The Manx Nature Show runs until 6th May so keep an eye on the workshops calendar to discover what's on. The show is open to drop into 7 days a week 9am-6pm to look at the displays and do a nature quiz or make a wildlife pledge. There will be kids colouring and the Big Manx Nature Show Scrapbook left out for you to get creative whenever you drop in. Refreshments are available to serve yourself with a donation to the Cathedral. All donations to the running of the Manx Nature Show must go directly to Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch and can be made online here www.mwdw.net/donate/
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The display boards are on their way, meticulously designed by Tony at Heads-Up Design and printed onto eco-friendly boards by Hooper's, both based in Peel. Here is a sneak preview of some of the boards
The ability to spot wildlife lies within everyone's reach, but with our busy lives it can be easy to become oblivious to the busy lives of the wild animals around us. Wildlife is EVERYWHERE, from the army of ants busily scurrying between the paving slabs in the yard, to the myriad of tiny gnats flying around the shady vegetation. Birds flitter through in the trees, shrubs, and hedgerows but in order to really notice their abundance, you must take the time to become part of their world. You must learn to be still and be patient.
Today was one of those rarely glorious winter days on the Isle of Man, with little wind and even some warmth from the sun. I took an hour out of my day to look out from Peel breakwater, wondering if I might spot our resident dolphins Moonlight and Starlight. Sea watching is a beautifully relaxing and rewarding experience allowing you to ‘become part of the coast’ with your binoculars, simply by siting still and gradually noticing the busy lives of the wildlife around you. Just off the breakwater three Atlantic grey seals were snorting and floating around while greater black-backed gulls, black-headed gulls and herring gulls swopped by. Shags flapped past, their broad black wings almost skimming the surface of the water. Offshore, large rafts of gulls bobbed about on the calm silvery Irish sea. I didn’t see the dolphins, but I did see plenty of other wildlife as I entered their watery world while staying safely on land. Throughout the Manx Nature Show I urge you to take time out of your day to become part of nature. You WILL be rewarded. Unesco Biosphere Isle of Man The Manx Nature Show opens In two and a half weeks and we would like to give you a little tour of the Cathedral Isle of Man's beautiful gardens. The snowdrops are coming out and the daffodils are on their way. Song birds flitter through the trees and shrubs. There is a large insect hotel, log pile and a few large tree stumps which all provide excellent homes for invertebrates. A hedgehog house sits in a quiet area near to the compost heap. Yesterday Manx BirdLife had a look at the nest boxes to see if there were any signs of them having been used and came up with some ideas to make them more attractive to birds. Throughout the Manx Nature Show we will be looking at how ecologically diverse the gardens are and findings ways to help make it an even better home for wildlife.
In total 22 environmental groups will be taking part in the show, each getting a beautiful and informal display board inside the Cathedral designed by the amazing Tony at Heads-Up Design and printing by Hooper's, both Peel based. The boards have now gone to print and we are very excited to start putting everything together. The Manx Nature Show is funded by Unesco Biosphere Isle of Man. We open Saturday 18th February with an opening event where many groups will be present, with information and activities for adults and children. The full list of organisations taking part can be found on this website menu bar. |
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