Save the Birds of Princessvlei
– 24 April 2015 (part 1).
This is a working partnership with the CBC and the Princessvlei Forum.
24 April 2015 – CBC members Celia Wolfe, Anne Whitelock, Gillian Barnes and Anne MacLeod were the Bird Guardians assisting the groups of local school children – the Guardians of the Future – return to 2015 around the southern and eastern shoreline of Princessvlei on their top secret mission in 3015 – Save the Birds.
The year is 3015.
The world is full of sounds – bleeps, sirens, robotic voices, machinery.
But not a twitter, or a chirp, or a squawk can be heard.
Where have the birds gone? What can be done to get them back?
Will a band of intrepid time travellers be able to save them?
The beginning of the Mission.
Brendon Bussy the Time Lord giving guidance to the Guardians of the Future, before their departure through the portal back to year 2015 on their Mission.
Behind him is the Spirit Guide – Bridget Pitt and on his left are the Bird Guardians with Bird Guardian Emma Oliver.
On a sunny warm afternoon everyone gathered under the trees at Princessvlei at the time portal gate to receive instructions and guidance from the Spirit Guide and Time Lords on what to do and how to succeed with their Mission.
The Back Ground.
In the year 3000 the gaint Ghrussypuk City No.1 has no birds, only vast entertainment and shopping districts. One day whilst exploring a very old video-phone recycling district called Dah Flay, they find amongst the trash an old 2000 video called “The Birds of the Princessvlei”. Realising that where they were standing was once a place where birds (now extinct) used to live, they realise that they have now found their mission.
Save the Birds! So now they are the Guardians of the Future.
Visitors from the year 3015 arrive at the Princessvlei time portal to go on the mission.
Gathered at the the portal were the Time Lords (teachers with the hard hats and some without). The Spirit Guide – Bridget Pitt and the Bird Guardians together with the children on a mission. They formed themselves into groups of 6, and each had a duty to perform.
1 a scribe,
2 artists,
2 scouts,
1 map maker.
Each group would have a leader chosen as a spokesperson for the group.
When the groups enter the portal gates back into 2015 at Princessvlei, they have to gather information about the birds they see and observe and record this information on their recording devices – paper and colour pens. They were all issued face masks for the journey duration so that they did not transmit and or carry back viruses from the different time. If they left their cell phones on, when they went through the portal gate the phones would definitely get viruses and not be able to work when they return.
They were allocated 1 hour to do their research, before the sound of a vuvusela would signal for them to rush back through the portal gates as quickly as possible. If they are too slow and the portal gates closed before they got there, they will be stuck in the year 2015.
On their return back to 3015, each team will present their findings to the whole group and suggest how they will Save the Birds.
Time Lord Brendon announced “Please gather here everyone and get yourselves into your groups”. Bird Guardian Emma handed out labels and pens so each Guardian of the Future has a name tag. “You cannot leave the portal without a name tag, this is 3015”.
The boys from Hyde Park made their name tags on a volunteer’s back. “There is enough for everybody dont worry”.
All the groups were issued with written instructions, paper, pens and a surgical masks.
All lined up and were almost ready to go.
Spirit Guide Bridgit encouraged the Guardians of the Future to be careful, responsible, inquisitive and to bring back as much information as possible.
Bishop Christopher Gregorowski in blue top swopped his sun hat for a Time Lord hat. Teacher Kim Dorje listened in she was coming along too.
Time Lord Paul Hendricks recorded proceedings on his data capturing device.
Anne Whitelock and her group checked to see they all knew what they are going to do before they set off through the portal gates.
Leaving the 3015 time portal back into 2015.
Before leaving through the portal everyone received some padkos in a packet, peanuts and raisins to keep their energy up while travelling around Princessvlei in 2015. Time Lord Brendon reminded all to wear their masks before they leave through the time portal into 2015.
The scribes scribing, the map makers making maps and the artists recording the the items they were finding. “What can we see through the trees. There is water down there”.
“What could those things be up in the tree?” “Somebody said a birds house”. “A weaver bird nest”.
“It makes it from grass and weaves it with its bill or beak”. The artist drew a nest. One of the map makers recording the scene from the bank of a river.
Time Lord Ebrahim Abrahams recorded activities of one of his John Graham Primary School teams with Bird Guardian Gillian Barnes.
“This scout may have seen something of interest.”
A sample of a map of the area this team produced.
Teacher Ingrid Solomons helping one of her Hyde Park Primary School Guardians with the information gathering.
Anne MacLeod identifying some feathers which have been found. “What are feathers used for? she asked.
Teacher Kim helping the team with some queries. Bird Guardian Celia Wolfe demonstrated how birds fly.
These guys were getting into the team thing. The boys receiving some help from Bird Guardian Emma.
Bird Guardian Anne Whitelock told the girls about the birds which make different nests in the trees.
Bird Guide Gillian Barnes at this flowering tree looking to see if any insect eating birds are nearby.
Meantime peering through a “secret portal window” The Council could be seen discussing the Mission and keeping a lookout with their “monitoring devices”.
“What is that splashing about in the water?” “Could it be a bird we are searching for? “Yes, it is a Great White Pelican, washing itself”.
Meantime this group has found something interesting in the grass. “What is it?” “A spider!” “Someone said it is a Baboon Spider!” “Maybe a Rain Spider?” said someone else.
They were debating what that sound could be coming from the reeds. “Is it a bird or is it a frog?”
“Look over there girls, that looks like a Pelican on the water.”
“Look at this flower, do birds eat flowers?” “Maybe.” Some of the sketches of a flower, feathers, insects, leaves and a bird so far. “What is this?” “A Dragonfly” someone said.
“Look over here everyone, what is this?” “A squirrel tail” said someone.
“How did it get here?” asked Bird Guardian Celia. “Where is the body which belongs to the tail?” she asked.
There was some head scratching and thinking going on.
“Could it have been a dog or a cat that caught the squirrel?” “What is a dog or a cat?”
“No, it was a bird of prey” they said. “What kind of bird? asked Celia. More head scratching. “An owl” said someone.
Over the far side the groups were working through the data sheets they had to use to bring back as much information as possible. This so they they could work out a plan, how to Save the Birds.
On the other side of the bridge along the eastern shore, this group was searching for clues. It was getting very close to the time, when we will all be called back through the portal gates.
The Time Lords had been letting the teams know how their research time was ticking away.
Return to the time Portal Gates.
The sound of the horn had the closet teams scampering through the gates. “Made it back into 3015!” “Run everyone, run!” they shouted.
“We made it, we made it!” Anne Whitelock came scampering through the portal with Celia Wolfe. “Run, run, faster! The portal gates are closing!” “Look how the gate is closing”. “Wow I just made it, but I am not the last person.” “Here come the last two. Hurry, hurry!”
The gates of the portal being held open so the last persons could get in. So everyone was accounted for, back at the assembly point. We then went to the Jolly Carp to hear the presentations by the groups.
Photographs by Gavin Lawson.
Gavin Lawson.
