Campie Primary School

P2/3 and both P2 classes had a fantastic time when they went to the Newhailes Estate woodlands to learn more about the different nocturnal animals and birds that live there.
Newhailes Fun with P2/3! on PhotoPeach

Nocturnal Animals at Newhailes on PhotoPeach

Newhailes Adventures on PhotoPeach

Stuart Whittaker, the National Trust for Scotland Ranger, met the children and taught them all about what makes night animals eyesight special. He explained that they have curved lenses which are covered in a reflective film called tapetum. He also showed us bat boxes high up in the trees and described how bats use their senses, in particular their echo location hearing to spot their prey when they are hunting and flying in the dark. Stuart had also set two different types of traps; a paint trap and a sand trap which allowed us to see mice tracks and fox prints. The other trap which he had set up was called a camera trap and you can see some of the photographs from it on one of the slideshows…we think that they are amazing!
Foxes at Newhailes on PhotoPeach

Awesome Outdoor Laerning at Newhailes! on PhotoPeach

Everyone had great fun during the morning break exploring the woods, eating their snack ‘al fresco’, swinging in the hammock, building dens and climbing the rope ladder.
Newhailes Adventures on PhotoPeach

The final nocturnal animal or bird of prey that Stuart introduced us to was the Barn Owl. First he read the story, Owl Babies by Martin Waddell before showing us some real owl pellets that the Barn Owls in Newhailes had coughed up. They were full of mice bones and other delicacies, delicious! Stuart explained that the Barn Owls are protected and had been living in Newhailes for only four years so they are very special.
Nocturnal Newhailes on PhotoPeach

Owls at Newhailes on PhotoPeach

We would like to extend an enormous thank you to Stuart for a really exciting and active outdoor learning experience, one that we will all remember for a long time.