Check out what one of our motion sensored Bird Cam owners caught on their camera last year – how exciting to see a Heron! The fish in their pond certainly need to be protected from those beady eyes. The cunning squirrel also makes an entrance to pinch the bird’s seed balls! What birds and animals could you discover in your school garden? Bird Cams are fascinating for children – not only for bird watching but also to capture visitors to the garden. The cameras are ideal for forest school areas or school gardens. Binoculars are also perfect for viewing birds from a distance. The children can view and identify what wildlife have visited their gardens.
Here are the RSPB’s top 5 tips:
- Birds are often easier to spot if they’re coming to feeders. Place bird feeders around your school playground.
- Turn your classroom into a hide by sticking sheets of sugar paper over windows and leaving a small slit for the children to peer through. This will hide you from the birds, encouraging them to approach closer.
- Not sure what species you are looking at or seen something unusual? Answer the simple questions on the RSPB’s Bird Identifier to find the answers.
- Consider getting a bit messy by letting your class make their own bird food and bird feeders. Recipes are available on the RSPB’s website.
- Write up (or get your children to write up) an account of your birdwatching session and send it to us and to the RSPB to share on our education blog. A great way to showcase the work that you and your class have done!
To help identify 10 common garden birds, please download our free all about birds poster to use in your classroom here.
For a D&T inspired classroom activity use this class pack of easy to construct bird houses with pre-cut wooden pieces. An ideal, focused, practical task for joining techniques and structures.
Free Resources
A range of resources and content for a range of ages is available FREE from the RSPB Discover and Learn section of their website.
