Monday 3 March

The day before our trip we met Reyne and Graham who came to our classroom and shared their knowledge of different species of birds and told the students about migration and nesting birds.  They also gave the students some advice on how to get the best experience from the excursion we were going on.  The quieter and calmer we walk on the beach, the more birds we will see.  

They brought with them some treasures such as replica bird eggs and feathers. They answered the students’ questions and enjoyed the enthusiasm of Grade 3-4.  

Tuesday 4 March 

A warm day greeted us at Scamander Conservation area where we began our adventures.  

Reyne met us and walked us down to the beach and told us about the two activities we would be completing at our first location.  

The groups used the binoculars to spot the different birds and were very excited to see about 10 different ones. They used bird fact sheets to identify the range of birds they were seeing.  For most of the students it was the first time they had used binoculars and they were very interested in how to use them properly following the clear instructions from Reyne.  

The other activity saw Reyne taking the students for a short, but very informative walk along the shore.  The students learned about the different ways birds find food and the different food they eat.  They also spotted different items of treasure such as shells, feathers and different types of seaweed but left it there on the beach where it belonged as habitats and food sources.  

They also learned about the different ways in which the beach is used, with areas for dogs on leads, free dog walking and spaces just for the birds.  

We then travelled back on the bus to our next stop at Diana’s Basin.  Here the students joined in with several different activities whilst also enjoying some free time playing on the sand and lunch on this beautiful day. 

They learned about birds nesting areas and all about their eggs as well as playing some animal related board games on the beach.  They had great fun dressing in bird masks and trying to get food from a variety of different jars representing different areas on the beach such as pebbles, long grass and sand. This was a team effort and lots of fun was had. There was also an animal version of celebrity heads to practise their questioning skills and knowledge of animals.  

Reyne was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader, and the students learned a lot from her. 

Thank you to Reyne and Graham.