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In the backyard of the Junior School, Grade 2 students can now identify many of the birds that frolic on the beaches and soar in the skies around them. There is a variety of shore and water birds living in the habitat surrounding the Beach Campus and, thanks to a local artist, our students have been able to learn specific details about them.
Bird paintings by Dr. Tim Edgell were displayed throughout the Beach Drive Campus for over 25 years. During construction these paintings were taken down and put in storage, but Dr. Edgell is now refurbishing the paintings so that they can once again be displayed on the playground.
Using their research skills, the Grade 2s explored picture research of the nearby shore and water birds to start learning more about the animals around us.
“We wanted them to become bird experts,” said Mrs. Sarah McLeod. “They now have this new found knowledge that they can share with their peers out in the playground.”
At the beginning of the project, students would say “There’s a bird” but now they can identify them and say “There’s a bald eagle, or there’s a raven.”
The shores of Junior School Campus are part of the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the Oak Bay portion is one of a number of regionally important wintering grounds for migratory birds. This project allowed the Grade 2 students to better understand the different birds they see around them everyday and to learn why it is important to protect their habitat.
“It celebrates that unique location of our school and the wildlife that calls it home,” said Mrs. McLeod.
In art class with Ms. Nancy Fletcher, the students painted the birds that they researched to go along with the riddles they created to help test the knowledge of their classmates.
“I have black, yellow and gray feathers.
I have a sharp beak.
I have yellow eyes.
I have feathers on top like hair.
I have a long neck.
I live by the shore.
I eat fish.
I sound like, ‘fraahhhnnnk.’
I am a Great Blue Heron.”
- By Sapphire
“I have black feathers.
I have a long, orange beak.
I have white eyes.
I have webbed feet.
I have a long head.
I have a pointy tail.
I live in the water along the coast.
I eat plants and fish.
I hatch from eggs.
I sound like a whistle.
I am colourful.
I am a Surf Scoter. “ - By Ollie
“I have gray feathers.
I have a yellow beak.
I have red eyes.
I have dark yellow feet.
I have dark tips on my wings.
I have a 38 centimetre wingspan.
I live mostly near the coast.
I eat worms, fish and insects.
My babies come from an egg.
I sound like, ‘mewed.’
I am grayer when I am an adult.
I am smaller than most gulls in the region.
I am special because my call is higher than most gulls.
I am a Mew Gull.”
– By Annika
“I have red, white and blue feathers.
I have a long beak.
I have black eyes.
I have webbed feet.
I have a pointy tail.
I have a gray beak.
I live near rocky, saltwater shorelines.
I eat insects.
My babies look like me but are smaller.
I am a male and I have a piercing whistle.
My mate, the female has a nasal quack.
I am special because I have blue feathers.
I am a Harlequin Duck.”
-By Wyatt
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