Day 33 Is it a frog, is it a toad ........

It's the last weekend of the holidays so why don't you make the most of it and go outside, run around, feel the wind in your hair, the rain or sun on your face (you never know which it will be these days!), cartwheel on the grass and jump around!

If you're looking for somewhere to go, you could try Stockwood Open Space, with it's open grassland, woodland, hedges and ponds, it's a haven for wildlife and a playground for young adventurers. Look out for frogs, toads and newts around the ponds, particularly if it's wet when you go. Not sure how to identify a frog from a toad? Then use Froglife's identification guide to help you. Pondering over what type of newt you have found? Then check out the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation group's website to help clarify your smooth newt from your palmate newt.

If you explore the woodlands then keep your eyes open for tawny owl pellets. Owls, like other birds of prey, cannot digest all of their food so they compress the feathers, fur and bones of their prey in their gullet and regurgitate it as a pellet. Tawny owls, who like to live in the woods, produce grey, loosely packed pellets about the size of a thumb and these can be found below feeding spots such as a tree stump or fence post. If you do find one, soak it in a little water and prize it apart with a cocktail stick or toothpick. You can then be a detective and discover the bones of whatever little creature has been the owls last meal. It could be a vole or mouse, maybe a shrew or even a bat. A good guide to dissecting owl pellets can be found here, see how many animals your owl had for his tea. Did you know...that when tawny owls make their twit twoo sound, it's actually a male and female calling to each other?

Finally, why not take some photos or draw some pictures whilst your out and about, you could take them into school when you go back and tell your class all about your adventures. Hope you had a great holiday!