Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1234806
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 APRIL 2020 6 CULTURE NATURE All falcons are special, but there is something extra special about the darker ones. One of these is the red-footed falcon (M. żumbrell), with the male a dark blue-grey all over, except for the rust-red 'trouser' area. It is (usually) a frequent spring visitor to our shores, as it migrates north to breed. A gregarious bird, it likes to travel in groups and nest in colonies. Falcons are not particularly large birds of prey, and the red-footed is one of the smaller falcons. So its food is mostly large insects like grass- hoppers and dragonflies, which it often catches in flight. Now that human hunters are infesting the countryside for the next couple of weeks, red-footed falcons will no doubt be among the thousands of birds that will be illegally shot dead – you know, to slake that "socio-cultural" urge to kill. Happy Easter to all. Text: Victor Falzon Photo: Aron Tanti 707. RED-FOOTED FALCON 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 603 Find out more: www.foemalta.org/maltafarmmap STAYING at home can actually be fun! Heritage Malta is calling out to all kids aged up to 16 to par- ticipate in the art contest - Be The Artist. Every two weeks, Heritage Malta will be announc- ing a new theme for which kids will be invited to create their work of art and then to upload an image of it on Heritage Malta's Facebook event page. The best 10 submissions of each theme will be displayed in Heritage Malta's portal www.heritage- malta.org and later on this year, they will also be ex- hibited at MUŻA, Malta's national-community art museum. The first theme - Prehistoric Temples - will run from 13 April to 26 April 2020. Participants will be provided with guidelines and they have to create a drawing or graphic representation of an element of their choice from any of the prehistoric temples of Malta. For more information, visit Heritage Malta's Face- book page Heritage Malta art contest for kids ART cannot be separat- ed from the societal shifts everyone is experiencing and cannot be excluded from the current social distancing transformation of daily life. This is why Blitz Val- letta is continuing its activities online – on its web- site and social media platforms – including online projects as well as an interactive public programme. Online galleries - launching in May Blitz Valletta has now ded- icated a section of its website to online exhibitions which can be experienced from any- where. The first exhibition will launch in May 2020, with Blitz Valletta offering sub- scription to a mailing list for notifications about the launch. As with everything Blitz Val- letta does, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the artists' practice and the specific work selected for display. Kid at home Blitz Valletta's first online public engagement project is dedicated to children and fam- ilies as they are a core part of its audience. The children's pro- gramme is typically linked to its exhibi- tions, however, since its galleries are shut at the moment, Blitz Val- letta has developed a new educational meth- od to inspire its young audience and remind them that art is a powerful tool for imagination and healing. The format of each activity is either inspired by the history of art of the twentieth century, or by an artist's practice. Blitz has collaborated with various Malta-based and international artists in its community to pro- duce an ever-growing series of artistic activities, ranging from performance to drawing and sculpture. Blitz Valletta's online platform for contemporary art