No trips :( But Still Lots of Fun

Today RD class joined VH class to have some fun exploring bird beak adaptations.  We had loads of fun trying to use our "beaks" to pick up "food."

We decided the spoon was like a Spoonbill's beak, the tweezers were like a fantail's beak, the clothes peg was like a Kaka or the Kakapo.  The straw was like the kiwi or pied stilt.

Here we are working together to find out what foods our "birds" liked.

We always have fun times in VH class!  We really do rock!

EOTC T-Shirts

Today we were very creative and designed our EOTC t-shirts.  We practiced drawing lots of different types of birds.  Then we designed our shirts on paper. Next we enlarged our designs onto our t-shirts. We used some amazing textile pastels to bring our designs to life.  Lastly, Mrs H spent two hours ironing (not her favourite past-time) the t-shirts so we could all take them home and share with our parents.

Aren't they cool - we're very proud.

Pauatahanui Inlet Trip

We had fun today visiting Pauatahanui Inlet.  Pauatahanui means ‘big side of the paua shell’ and contains one of the most important salt marshes in the North Island. We saw lots of different plants and some pretty cool birds.  We saw a paradise duck and her ducklings, fantails and new chicks, some shags and a pied stilt.  

Wanda from Guardians of the Inlet taught us about the different birds that can be seen in the inlet and showed us some different plants that the birds in the habitat need to survive.

Paradise Duck and ducklings

Some avid birdwatchers and scavenger hunters.

A variety of nests found around the inlet

Some of the beautiful flora (plants) found in the inlet

Perching shags

Fantail

Pied Stilt

Another fantail

A big thank you to all the parents who made our trip possible - you're fantastic!!!!

Buddy the Talking Starling

A parent sent this amazing news item that was on Campbell Live recently.   Check it out.

Buddy the Talking Starling

We wrote some great explanations about why it would be awesome to have a talking pet.

  

Like a Scientist....

We have been studying NZ birds, especially the birds found on Kapiti Island.
In groups VH class worked together to classify birds how scientists do.
We looked at the different traits of birds and grouped them together just like scientists do.

Traits are characteristics or qualities of things that are similar.   Groups looked at the habitat of Kapiti birds, beak shapes, colours, whether birds fly or are flightless and whether they are native, endemic or introduced birds.


Here are our results.

We worked together really well.  Here were our guidelines.

Let's Get To Know some of the more Common Birds of Kapiti Island

In preparation for our very exciting visit to Kapiti Island during EOTC week let's get to know some of the more common birds found there.  Click on the birds name beside the image to find out more information about each of the birds and hear its song.

White Fronted Tern

Weka

NZ Wood Pigeon

Takahe

Tui

Kaka

Silvereye

Kakariki

Shining Cuckoo

 North Island Robin

Pied Oystercatcher

Pukeko

Pied Stilt

Red Billed Gull

Kingfisher

NZ Pipit

Goldfinch

Long Tailed Cuckoo

 Little Spotted Kiwi

Skylark

Bellbird 

Blue Penguin

Fantail

Black Billed Gull

Black Shag

Australasian Gannet

Whitehead