On Wednesday 15 October Te Mahia School students went on two field trips. One bus load travelled to Opoutama wetlands(http://www.iserve.co.nz/users/nznfrt/nznfrt.org.nz/htdocs/index.php?page_id=105) where DOC ranger, Malcolm Smith, explained some features of wading wetland birds, using real bird models, and compared them to other birds who visit wetlands. The students walked to the raupo beds and listened for bittern calls, watched pukeko, and some also heard fern birds and saw swallows. After the freshwater wetlands they travelled to Oraka where the tidal wetlands of Maungawhio
Lagoon provide a habitat rich in food for dotterels nesting on the beach, and migratory godwits, knots and others.
Meanwhile another busload arrived at Mahia Beach to learn about the new sewerage system from on-lot installations, pump station, and settling ponds. After seeing a septic tank being installed at a private property the students saw a model which was explained by Jason Schirnack, Project Managing Engineer, and followed the story of filtration at septic tank, pumped liquid to the pump station, then 16 l per sec is pumped uphill to the settling ponds. The students then went to the settling ponds to learn what happens there.After lunch at the beach the students swapped destinations and experienced their second field trip of the day. It was a hot,beautiful day packed with action and information, which they are still processing.Jenny Scothern