LEARNZ NZ Garden Bird Survey 27th June

On Tuesday we participated in the LEARNZ NZ Garden bird survey.  We entered our data about the bird species we identified in the school grounds and their numbers, onto a national database.

In the lead up to the survey we have been learning about native and introduced bird species and learning about the different ways to classify them such as herbivores, omnivores or insectivores, waders, shore birds, urban, bush or sub-alpine birds.  We have participated in a virtual field trip to Christchurch with the LEARNZ field trip teacher, Shelley.

Rat identification

We have been using DOCs Guide to to the identification and collection of New Zealand rodents by D.M Cunningham and P.J Moors to identify our rats.

Rat data

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/11vGhmNRSK6g2SxBDtEoV-H6MV-F-f7SFoRL8SsENZno/edit?usp=sharing

 

Our first rat!! 27th May

Within two days of setting the traps we have caught our first rat.  Miss Tyson bet us $5 each that it would be the trap next to the bamboo and she was right! We have recorded the data on our new google doc table and are learning to re-set the traps carefully.

 

Keira-Lee, Reanna and Rudy collecting our first rat - A ship rat.
No fear!!

                                 

Our new rat traps 25th May

Today Steve Henderson came to deliver some new rat traps for our Wetlands and to show us how and where to set them.  We are very excited to catch our first rat.  
We have created a google doc to record the species of rat, sex, body and tail length and which trap it is caught in. 
Later we will graph this information, try different lures and places to set.  For now we are using peanut butter, a rat favourite!!

Steve shows us how to bait and set the traps

 

Replanting native plants and trees 17th May

                         

         

       

Thanks to Mr Nicholas for growing native plants and trees in
the school shadehouse.  Today, after weeding along the back of the Wetlands,
we planted some northern rata and hebes. Reducing our Carbon footprint
and providing food for our native birds, butterflies and bees in the future.

Trakka Tunnels indicating predator species in the Wetlands 12th May

Laying first set of trakka tunnel 
cards on the 11th May. 

The trakka tunnels were kindly supplied by Steve Henderson, 

Biosecurity Officer for Northland Regional Council.

Here, Tayla pins one of the tunnels in place.

Mrs Tucker helped us put a bit of peanut butter
in the middle of the ink pad.

Holly holds a card with a clear set of rat prints the next day.

The rats living in the Wetlands
have a ferocious appetite, eating
the peanut butter and the cardboard on
this card that Chelsea is holding.

We used photos from the Trakka tunnel
website to identify which species of predators 
we have in our wetlands.

  

Whio forever Colouring competition 30th March

To get the rest of the school involved in our study of the Blue Duck we decided to run two competitions.  One was the Whio Forever Genesis Energy colouring competition. These are the winning entries from the Senior, Middle and Juniors.

                               

One of our first meetings this year was to begin our inquiry into the Whio (Blue Duck) 22nd Feb

      

Ashton, Tane and Zane discuss the key facts
they have learnt about Whio

The Whio is an indicator species.  This means that their presence 
on fast flowing mountain rivers is an indication of the health 
of the river and absence of predators.