Save the Birds of Princessvlei
24 April 2015 (part 2).
Gillian Barnes setting her group off down to the shoreline.
This is a working partnership with the CBC and the Princessvlei Forum.
The Princessvlei Forums Project – Meeting the Birds – is part of a series to introduce local school children to a holistic approach to experiencing Princessvlei.
A number of organisations and individuals were involved on the day. The Princessvlei Forum, CTEET, Cape Bird Club and Children’s Art Centre were some.
CTEET had a tent up with live animal educational presentations. The CBC members did guided bird walks called “Meeting the Birds” along the shoreline to introduce the school children to the birds of Princessvlei.
Art teacher Ayesha Price from Children’s Art Centre, Zonnebloem did outdoor sketching classes with each school group, using charcoal and paper as the medium. Ingrid Solomon is the school teacher in the background. All the drawings went back to school with the teacher for them to finish the project in class.
There was a music and cultural group by local musicians and performance artists too. The group of Hyde Park Primary School children listened to Emile Jansen tell them about the cultural, historical facts and legends of Princessvlei. Emile is a performance artist and runs Heal the Hood. Also the leader of the hip hop music group Mixed Mense.
The South Peninsula High students in the maroon tops listening to the stories about Princessvlei. Inside the tent Hyde Park Primary were told about the frogs and toads.
Bridget Pitt brought some colourful birds made from recycled plastic containers for a workshop. The floating wetland is still there and the plants appear to be alive and well. This WESSA project was launched on 22/03/2014.
The local fishermen were waiting for a bite.
This was a Leopard Toad display and information about them, to the group of South Peninsula High students. There were squeals and squawks from some of the girls at the thought of touching a toad. The Corn Snake is used for live presentations as it adapts well to gentle handling. Anne Gray, Bridget Pitt, Matilda Smith, watched the live animal display along with others in the background.
Then there was a demonstration of a wetland filtering water through plastic bottles filled with various materials natural and man made. The turn of the older students from South Peninsula going through the introduction, concepts and instruction of the art class.
The Zeekoevlei Primary children eventually arrived after phone calls with directions to Princessvlei, for the introduction talk about Princessvlei. They listened to the CTEET staff telling them about all the creatures to be seen at Princessvlei.
There was excitement, anticipation, wonder and a little angst at what could be in those big glass tanks. There were some “bang” faces having to go past the big Pelican, when filing into the tent. They had never before seen a Pelican or any other of these birds so closeup.
Afterwards they went on a short walk with Gillian Barnes to the shoreline and a talk about the different birds seen at Princessvlei. They had to leave early before the music programme unfortunately.
There were some musical sounds coming from behind this tree. This is what I found itr was a warmup for the musicians.
After the whole group had something to drink and eat they were given a musical performance.
The transport of the Zeekoevlei Primary children to Princessvlei was sponsored by; Glendower Whisky and Strettons Gin.
Photographs by Gavin Lawson.
Gavin Lawson.
