Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1110343
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 APRIL 2019 CULTURE ENVIRONMENT Quite a mouthful for such a small bird. It would be just another LBJ (little brown job) were it not for its pièce de résistance: that long rust-red tail, which the bird makes sure you won't miss by regularly cocking it almost vertically and spreading it to show off the black and white edges, then shuts and lowers it slowly. And repeat! The rufous-tailed scrub robin (M. rożinjol tax-xagħri) is a bird of dry open country with low shrubs and scattering of small trees, like tamarisk. It often comes down to the ground, its sandy col- our blending well with the shallow pockets of soil, now fast drying out. It is a very scarce migrant which, however, turns up more or less every year in spring – there was one recently along the western cliffs – but never stays long. This bird is at home in the warm dry Mediterranean climate, where it breeds, and is quite unknown in northern latitudes. In au- tumn it flies south across the Sahara and spends the winter in central Africa. Text: Victor Falzon Photo: Aron Tanti 658. RUFOUS-TAILED SCRUB ROBIN Writing Stars in Rome Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 561: Book your seat at: www.foemalta.org/EU2019 ON Friday 5 April, 60 children from Year 5 classes in State Schools of Malta and Gozo, participated in a Writing Stars day in Rome organised by the National Literacy Agency. The Writing Stars initiative is a creative writing opportu- nity for nine-year-old children who have excelled in the writ- ing component of the English and Maltese annual examina- tions. During this one-day trip to Rome, the children were en- gaged in reading and writing activities related to the capital city of Italy. Through a series of pre-writing strategies they produced drafts of a number of written pieces. Throughout the day the chil- dren had a guided tour of Vat- ican City including St Peter's Basilica, and met with Cardi- nal Angelo Comastri, Arch- priest of St Peter's Basilica. During this field trip the children also visited the gar- dens of the Vatican City, Fon- tana di Trevi, Piazza di Spagna and the Church of Trinità dei Monti. The Writing Stars initia- tive was inspired by the fam- ily writing activities, Xalati ta' Kitba, organised monthly, by the National Literacy Agency, in various localities around Malta and Gozo. These activities are an excel- lent opportunity for parents and caregivers to spend qual- ity time with their children in a fun and educational setting. The Writing Stars initiative is a creative writing opportunity for nine-year-old children who have excelled in the writing component of the English and Maltese annual examinations