It now looks that the breeding attempt by Peregrine Falcons in the clock tower has failed. All indications were that eggs were laid during late March and early April and if all had gone according to plan, they should have been hatching about now (eggs are usually incubated for 31-33 days). Unfortunately, no birds have been seen at the nest or perched nearby on the clock tower for several days now so it seems certain that the nest has been abandoned. We do not know why this breeding attempt has failed but the most likely cause is that the eggs have been eaten by predators, perhaps crows, ravens or gulls. Although peregrines only raise one brood each year it remains possible that the birds will make a second attempt to breed and we remain vigilant in case that happens.

Adrian Plant

Hello everybody!

Last week we introduced you into the wonderful world of washing paper. This time, we are going to show you a video where you are able to enjoy a real process.

The lithograph prints were mounted in poor quality mounts and for that reason we decided to remove all of them. The prints were attached to the backing with an animal glue along the very top edge on the back. When put in a bath of water it can be removed easily with the brush. That is what you are going to watch in the video. Enjoy!

Bydd Amgueddfa Cymru yn dyfarnu Tystysgrifau Gwyddonwyr Gwych i naw deg pump o ysgolion ar draws y DU eleni, i gydnabod eu cyfraniad i Ymchwiliad Bylbiau’r Gwanwyn – Newid Hinsawdd.

Llongyfarchiadau anferth i bob un o’r ysgolion! Mae rhestr o’r enillwyr isod, ydy’ch ysgol chi yno?

Diolch i bob un o’r 4200 disgybl a helpodd eleni! Diolch am weithio mor galed yn plannu, arsylwi, mesur a chofnodi – rydych chi i gyd yn Wyddonwyr Gwych! Bydd pob un yn derbyn tystysgrif a phensel Gwyddonydd Gwych, ac fe fyddan nhw’n cyrraedd eich ysgol tua canol mis Mai.

Diolch yn fawr i Ymddiriedolaeth Edina am eu nawdd ac am helpu i wireddu’r holl  broject!

Enillwyr 2014

Diolch i’r tri enillydd wnaeth anfon y nifer fwyaf o ddata tywydd.  Bydd pob un yn derbyn trip ysgol llawn hwyl i atyniad natur.

• Ysgol Clocaenog yng Nghymru
• Ysgol Gynradd Abronhill yn yr Alban
• Ysgol Gynradd Gymunedol Dallas Road yn Lloegr

Ail safle

Bydd pob ysgol yn derbyn tocyn anrheg i brynu offer ar gyfer eich projectau garddio.

• Ysgol Gynradd Cross Hands yng Nghymru
• Ysgol Gynradd Wormit yn yr Alban
• Ysgol Gynradd Gatholig y Cymun Bendigaid yn Lloegr

Clod uchel

Bydd pob ysgol yn derbyn tystysgrifau, pensiliau, hadau blodau’r haul a hadau perlysiau.

• Abergwili VC Primary
• Archbishop Hutton's Primary School
• Arkholme CE Primary School
• Balshaw Lane Community Primary School
• Bleasdale CE Primary School
• Burscough Bridge Methodist School
• Carnforth North Road Primary School
• Christchurch CP School
• Combe Primary School
• Coppull Parish Church School
• Cutteslowe Primary School
• Darran Park Primary
• Freuchie Primary School
• Gladestry C. in W. Primary
• Glyncollen Primary
• Kilmaron School
• Raglan VC Primary
• SS Philip and James CE Primary School
• St Athan Primary School
• St Blanes Primary School
• St Ignatius Primary School
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Leyland
• St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School
• St Michael's CE (Aided) Primary School
• St Nicholas Primary School
• St Patrick's Primary School
• Stanford in the Vale CE Primary School
• Ysgol Bro Eirwg
• Ysgol Deganwy

Cydnabyddiaeth arbennig

Bydd pob ysgol yn derbyn tystysgrifau, pensiliau a hadau blodau’r haul.

• Auchengray Primary School
• Britannia Community Primary School
• Cawthorne's Endowed Primary School
• Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
• Culross Primary School
• Greyfriars RC Primary School
• Holy Trinity CE Primary School
• John Cross CE Primary School
• Llanishen Fach Primary School
• Red Marsh School
• St Anne's Catholic Primary School
• St Laurence CE Primary School
• Woodplumpton St. Anne's Primary School
• Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau
• Ysgol Terrig
• Ysgol Y Plas

Ysgolion i dderbyn tystysgrifau

Bydd pob ysgol yn derbyn Tystysgrifau Gwyddonwyr Gwych a phensiliau.

• All Saints' CE Primary School
• Balcurvie Primary School
• Ballerup Nursery
• Blenheim Road Community Primary School
• Brockholes Wood Community Primary School
• Brynhyfryd Junior School
• Catforth Primary School
• Chatelherault Primary School
• Cleddau Reach VC Primary School
• Cobbs Brow Primary School
• Coed-y-Lan Primary School
• Flakefleet Primary School
• Glencairn Primary School
• Golden Hill School
• Henllys C/W Primary
• Hillside Specialist School
• Ladywell Primary School
• Lakeside Primary
• Lea Community School
• Manor Road Primary School
• Manor School
• Milford Haven Junior School
• Newport Primary School
• Pinfold Primary School
• RAF Benson Primary School
• Rogiet Primary School
• Rougemont Junior School
• Scotforth St Paul's CE Primary School
• St Bernadette's Primary School
• St Gregory's Catholic Primary School
• St John's CE Primary School
• St Nicholas C/W primary school
• Trellech Primary School
• Tynewater Primary School
• Woodstock CE Primary School
• Ysgol Bro Tawe
• Ysgol Glan Cleddau
• Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn
• Ysgol Nant y Coed
• Ysgol Rhys Prichard
• Ysgol Santes Tudful
• Ysgol Sychdyn
• Ysgol Y Berllan Deg
• Ysgol Y Faenol

Cystadleuaeth Darlunio Cennin Pedr 2014

Llongyfarchiadau i’r disgyblion canlynol am greu darluniau botaneg arbennig! Gwobr yr enillwyr fydd pecynnau gwylio adar yn cynnwys binocwlars bach.

• 1af: Abbey – Coppull Parish Church School
• 2il: Louise – SS Philip and James CE Primary School (Pink 3)
• 3ydd: Amelie – Stanford in the Vale CE Primary School

Da iawn, rydych chi wedi gwneud gwaith ANHYGOEL.

Athro'r Ardd

Hope all of you had a good Easter!

Now is time to show you one of the most interesting process in paper conservation, the washing treatment. But, can we wash a sheet of paper once it is already made?? Yes, we can. Before washing we have to keep in mind how the art work was made, such as the stability of the ink, damage to the paper, etc. I need to test EVERYTHING to make sure I don’t wash it all away!

We only do the washing if the paper need it. In the lithograph prints we found some dirt, tears, folds, creases, stains and foxing*. Washing them would remove the dirt, some stains and foxing and at the same time would re-forms the hydrogen bonds between the fibres, reinforcing the paper strength and improving the appearance too.

After this process, we deacidified the prints to neutralize the acidity in the paper with an alkaline solution. The alkali reserve will remain in the paper, ready to act against future acidification.

*Foxing: reddish-brown spots (the colour of a fox) over the surface of the paper which can be caused by a mold activity or a chemical reaction due to metal impurities in the paper.

Last week we created a storm in the galleries at National Museum Cardiff with our Easter workshops. Families who took part got to make their own pop-up landscapes inspired by John Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831. This activity was part of the Aspire programme, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund.

Here are some of the mini masterpieces created.

We were impressed by the variety of skies! Some were stormy and brooding. Others filled with colour and light. Butterflies, bees, and a murder of crows all made an appearance – and, of course, some beautiful rainbows.

If Constable were alive today he surely would have approved! For him the sky was the most important part of a painting. It creates feelings, mood and emotions. I wonder what mood our families were in when they created theirs?

Whatever mood they were in at the time, they left the workshop feeling happy! Families were asked to complete the sentence ‘the workshop made me feel...’, and to hang it on our specially-created comments cloud. ‘Happy’ was the most popular response! Here are some others:

The workshop made me feel…

• Happy happy and I loved it a lot - Jack
• Interested because I like learning about Constable
• Hapus fel y gog achos rwy’n hoffi celf a chrefft
• Welcome ♥

Find out more:

Explore Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 with this interactive guide.

Download a free pack for teachers from our Learning Resources page.

Download our Landscape and Lights family trail

Aspire

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows was purchased by Tate with assistance from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Manton Foundation, the Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service, National Galleries of Scotland, and Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, 2013.

To secure the painting, a unique partnership initiative was formed between five public collections: Tate Britain, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Colchester and Ipswich Museums, Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum and the National Galleries of Scotland. This initiative, named Aspire, is a five-year project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund enabling the work to be viewed in partner venues across the UK. National Museum Cardiff is the first venue to display the work.