October 2024

14 Buckden Roundabout October 2024 School & Gulls BUCKDEN CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY ACADEMY September 2024 We returned to school on Thursday 5th September after a well needed summer break, we hope everyone enjoyed the school holidays and we have all returned to school refreshed and ready to start the new school year. After a week of taster days, our new Reception children are now in school full time and after some initial tears all the chil- dren have all settled in wonderfully and are enjoying the start of their school journey. We have also welcomed new families to the area and have therefore seen a number of new children join us higher up in the school, we wish them well at Buckden Primary and hope they enjoy making new friends. Our Year 6 children started the second week of term by going straight off on their Residential trip to Norfolk Lakes. They had a fabulous time taking part in lots of activities especially on the Lakes. They all came back very tired but have made some great memories. We are looking for a new Site Manager to hopefully join us from December. So, if you or anyone you know would be in- terested in the role, please express your interest by emailing office@bpa.act - academytrust.org so that we can send you fur- ther details. As we start the beginning of the school year can we take the opportunity to remind our parents and visitors about parking around the school area. We all need to be aware of the needs of the local residents as well as the traffic and parking regula- tions around the school. The area in front of the school marked with yellow lines is not a ‘ dropping off ’ area. As well as being very dangerous due to passing cars and the pedestrian walkways, this part of the road needs to be kept clear at all times as it is the access area for emergency vehicles. Extra parking spaces are available at the Millennium Centre, which is a short walk from the school. Thank you for adhering to these guidelines, they have been put in place for the safety of everyone who comes to the school at the beginning and the end of the day. Gulls by Greg Belcher Gulls are probably one of the most maligned groups of birds in the country. Seen as aggressive, fearless thieves of chips and ice cream, it is actually their grace, power and intelli- gence that sets them apart. Of the 54 species of gull most are found in the northern hemisphere from the temper- ate regions all the way up into the Arctic circle. Other species occupy the same regions in the southern hemisphere, but they are rarely found in the tropical regions of the world. Nearly all are inhabitants of the coast, only two or three species ever venturing out onto the deep oceans of the world. 8 species breed in the UK with the most numerous being the Kittiwake, 380,000 pairs nest around the rocky cliffs of northern Britain but these numbers are eclipsed by the Black - headed Gull when winter migrant visitors swell the UK population to around 2.2 million birds. In total there are 26 species of gull confirmed as visiting the UK with the latest addition to the list being the Cape Gull, a species from southern Africa, that was spotted at Grafham Water in August of 2022. Their size can vary from the Little Gull, a bird of 120g and a wingspan of 65cm to the Greater Black - backed Gull weighing in at 1.75kg with a spread of 1.5m. A similar physiology and col- ouration, at first glance, makes all gulls look alike, the only difference being the black head of some species. In fact, there are variations throughout the world, Ross ’ s Gull has a pink blush to its chest, the Ivory Gull is all white and a few species are all grey. Further variations in colour of the legs, beak and eye help to distinguish different species. Gulls are probably the only group of birds that are complete masters of their environment. They have sturdy legs that help them walk and swim well. They are excellent flyers, their large strong wings enabling them to glide effortlessly in all but the strongest gales. The one gap in their skills is perch- ing, only a few of the smaller species are capable of this most avian of tasks. They also have the most prodigious appetite and a broad palale, finding food wherever they can. Scavenging on the shoreline, predating or robbing other birds even opening shellfish by dropping them onto rocks. It is this adaptability that has drawn the birds into towns and cities. In the mid19th century gulls first ventured inland seek- ing out new sources of food, finding rich pickings in the waste tips of man. Nearby buildings provided excellent substitutes for coastal cliffs and the habit of dock workers feeding their leftovers to the gulls cemented the relationship between man and bird. Recently, however, this relationship has soured. The gulls opportunistic scavenging, including a famous episode of thefts of packets of crisps from a shop, and the noise and smell from their urban nests have become a problem that has turned man against bird. But worse for the birds, man ’ s environmen- tal conscience - reduction in landfill sites, less bycatch from fishing boats - have reduced the food available. This has result- ed in the arch villain, the Herring Gull, dropping in numbers by 60% since the 1980’ s, a fall so bad that it is now on the Red Data list of UK birds un- der most threat. Black headed gull Dolphin gull Kelp gull