Freshwater is the heartbeat of its surroundings – many species depend on it for their survival. A river or steam provides a home (or habitat) for water life and also supports the land around it. They are fun places for us to spend time around too, and great for spotting wildlife!
Many birds rely on freshwater habitats, from ducks and swans to dippers and kingfishers.
Whether you’re off on a walk round a loch, along a river, or down your local pond, there will no doubt be birds to spot! Birdwatching is a great mindfulness activity and a good way to start learning about the fascinating lives of birds. You can print some spotter sheets (download below) to take with you to help you identify your finds. Bring a pencil to and tick off the species you spot too!
As you watch the birds, can you observe different behaviours, such as searching for prey, watching out for predators, or socialising?
You may spot people feeding the ducks on your walk. If you want to join in, remember to choose healthy options – things like peas, sweetcorn and lettuce are great options! This keeps the ducks healthy and hap-pea!
What you will need:
- Printed activity sheet(s)
- Pen/pencils
- Clipboards (optional)
- Binoculars (optional – you could make your own binoculars using our guide below)
How to go birdwatching:
- Head out on a walk by a river, loch or pond with your bird spotter sheets and see what species you can find!
- The key to birdwatching is to be as stealthy and quiet as you can – you don’t want to scare the birds away! If using binoculars, remember to stop walking before using them to avoid any falls.
- What types of birds can you see? If you spot one from the sheet, tick it off! If you don’t know what it is, note down some features, or take a photo, so that you can try to identify it later.
Did you spot one bird species more than others? Are there some you didn’t see? Why do you think that is – perhaps not the right time of year, bad weather, or not the right location?
Share your birdwatching experience with us by using #DiscoverLearnPlay
