Au Cap schoolchildren enjoy bird-watching |04 March 2013

And it must be plain fun to do that, judging by the enthusiasm shown by a group of Au Cap students.

Friday March 1 was half-term for all public schools, but primary six students of the Au Cap primary school wildlife club decided to experience bird-watching on Ile Hodoul and they really had a whale of a time.

“We decided to do it today as time is not enough during school days. Today, we will spend a whole day bird-watching, visiting museums. It’s fun and we’re loving it,” said one of the students.

With binoculars in their hands in the parking lot of the National Information Services Agency (Nisa) -- which publishes the Seychelles Nation newspaper -- the children took turns at watching the birds build their nests and catch their food.

“We’ve seen grey herons (Ardea cinerea, floranten in Creole), crab plover, whimbrel (korbizo in Creole), and terek sandpiper. They are all wading birds. That is they travel far away from temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa to Seychelles. They come to Seychelles to look for food and avoid the cold temperatures back home,” added another student.

“We’ve seen how they catch their food and how they eat. It’s very interesting. If I had not come with the group, I would have been at home sleeping and would not have discovered these interesting things,” added one of the boys.

Teacher Christelle Jacques, who had accompanied the children, said they will use the experience in TE (Technology Enterprise).
“They will have to create a three-dimension art project and what they have seen today will help them work on their project,” said Ms Jacques, a renown wildlife instructor.
Terrence Vel from the Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles also shared his vast experience to the children.

Before travelling back home the children visited the National History Museum of Seychelles and rivers that flow into Victoria.

G. G.