Togher N.S.

Scientists tell us that if we look at Europe from outer space we will see a green wave moving up across it in springtime.
This is caused by the opening of the buds on the trees and hedges. It begins in the south of Europe in February and it moves up across Europe as temperatures rise.
It is much colder in the centre of Ireland than it is along the coast. The sea keeps the coast warmer than counties in the centre of Ireland. So maybe in Ireland spring moves inland from the coast. The Greenwave mass experiment sets out to see what happens.
New species in 2011
In addition to the five species we investigated last year (ash, hawthorn, horse chestnut trees, the primrose and the swallow) we are looking out for frogspawn. Frogs breed very early in the year when they come out from hibernation. So finding frogspawn is one of the very earliest signs of spring. One of our pupils in third class took a photo of frogspawn on the 28th of January!
check out www.greenwave.ie for more findings!