Stand Still Like the Hummingbird

A Hummingbird has adopted our villa pond and takes great interest in us when we are there.

It seems to be an Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna), which are very common in California.  We'll know better when we can get a picture of it.

Many of the native plants we planted recently are hummingbird attractors, so we will be seeing lot more in the future.

Is this our new friend?

Strong reasons make strong actions

40 liter bag of expanded clay pellets

Using shade cloth as a filter to wash the pellets

AP Environmental Science students rinsed and added the last of 1000 liters of clay pellets to our 2 large aquaponics systems (~500 liters each).  We got a grateful Bee visitor on this very hot day.

Rinse and add 1 bag of pellets at a time

Leftover sludge

Adding Pellets to media beds

Assembly line

Keeping it level

Success!

Happy Bee

Pump and Bell Siphon Installed

Pumps and bell siphon were successfully installed today!

Filling Tank to Test Leaks

Fish Tank Needs More Silicone

Attach Pump to PVC Pipe

Silicone Pump to PVC Pipe

Pump Fills 2 Beds at Once

Pump Works!  Brings Water to Far End of Media Bed

Installing Bell Siphon

Bell Siphon Works!

Bell Siphon Oxygenating Fish Tank

The Cullens are closer to home

Alverno Science Club is making good progress on our 2 bat houses, which will eventually house 200 bats.  They are almost ready to paint, and we are closing in on a good location on campus.

Bat House Presentation

Science Club discusses final details of bat houses

Sanding

Compartments added

Thanks Eco Super Heroes!

Native Wildflowers are starting to bloom around St. Francis

Pond is looking good
Some Natives have flowers already!

Water lilies are starting to show leaves at the water's surface!
We also see a couple of buds!

New Natives need 3 gallons of water per week until established 

Meeting Molly!

How super fun!!  Molly Peterson, the Environment Correspondent at KPCC public radio, was at Water Day and interviewed Alverno students about their Save An Ugly! Endangered Species twitter campaigns (AP Environmental Science assignment). 

She tweeted about them and followed and retweeted more!

World Water Day Success!!

Water Day was a huge success!  Alverno Students did an amazing job preparing and presenting the 5 water projects in the school competition.  Alverno Science Club and AP Environmental Science students won the Grand Prize and 4 additional prizes!

Video of Water Day projects
Water Bloopers
APES bloopers

Water Project Presentation Powerpoint

SUCCESS!!

  

Grand Prize ($300): “Aquaponics System” Excellence in their presentation of “Blue Sky Thinking” and innovative use of technology 

Prize ($200): “Storm Water Diversion Project” Best Infrastructure Adaptation for Conservation

Prize ($200): “Native Plants”  and “Water Barrels” Best Environmental Conservation Strategy

Prize: ($200): “Pond Aquatic Ecosystem” Best Use of Nature

Alverno Water Projects

Aquaponics Project Presentation

Pond Aquatic Ecosystem Presentation

Storm Water Diversion and Rain Barrels Presentation

Native Plant Gardens Presentation

Setting up portable aquaponics system 

Judges talk to students about aquaponics 

Congresswoman Judy Chu also stopped by the Alverno booth to congratulate the students on their amazing work.

Alverno Booth
(including lemons and grapefruit picked on campus)

Picking grapefruit and lemons for Water Day

Picking grapefruit and lemons for Water Day

Our friends from Compassionate Rescue were in the booth next to ours, and Alverno students demonstrated the LifeStraw Family 1.0

Compassionate Rescue Booth

How LifeStraw works

LifeStraw Family 1.0

Water Day Pledge

Water Day 2015 Memorial Park