Leap into Nature
  • Home
  • Community
  • Primary School
  • Frogs for Life
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Contact

1/5/2014

Site reconnaissance: Bushy Park Wetlands & Koomba Park

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Today was a site 'recon' day for Leap into Nature Club. I like to check out sites to figure out access, what activities to do with the kids and themes to incorporate for future sessions.  

We visited Dandenong Valley Parklands. Within the Parklands we first visited Bushy Park Wetlands.  Lots of ducks to look at and listen to at the bird hide and it has given me some nifty ideas to do with the kids.
Picture
Next up was Koomba Park, one of my sites I surveyed 10 times during my Honours research year... it was fun to be back after 10 years!! We got to listen to one of my favourite frogs calling away, the Eastern Smooth Frog (or Victorian Smooth Froglet)! A frog that breeds in ephemeral wetlands and only during the wet autumn months.
Picture
We then had a sad but interesting experience where we jumped off the beaten track and found a dead Sugar Glider :-( ! We could see a nest box in a nearby tree and were trying to understand what might have happened to the poor little Sugar Glider.  I explained Sugar Gliders glide through the air at night from tree to tree.. my daughter thought maybe it had hit its head as it was gliding and died!  

It gave me a chance to talk about the 'circle of life' and show a photo of a Sugar Glider on the Museum Victoria Field Guide database app:  http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/mv-field-guide-app/  Its a great resource while out 'in the field'.  I also followed it up at home and showed her a photo of a Sugar Glider in a field guide and she drew a lovely picture of a happy, alive, girl Sugar Glider with her watching it at night with the stars and moon out.  I love how she has even drawn little claws as she was able to see these features close up!
Picture
Picture
We had quite an adventurous morning, hope you can join us on LiNC sessions at these great locations.

Share

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

Details

      Sign up to Leap into Nature

    Submit

    Author

    Christina Renowden
    Mother
    Zoologist
    Science Communicator

    Junior Nature Club
    Nature Trackers School Holiday Program
    ​Nature Education Programs
    ​
    Kinder and Primary School

    Archives

    August 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by
  • Home
  • Community
  • Primary School
  • Frogs for Life
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Contact
✕