A sunny morning made for a promising start to the Year 6 Science Field Trip to Dinton Pastures Country Park. We were welcomed into the education room where we were told a brief history of the park and some of its aims before dividing into groups for the activities.

In the fields of long grass sweep nets were used to trap small invertebrates. There was much squealing and excitement as bugs, flies and spiders were transferred into magnifying pots for closer observation. The air was full of darting damselflies but these proved particularly elusive and only one unlucky victim was caught. We then moved into the woods to look under trap doors at the invertebrates such as slugs, woodlice and ants that prefer to live in damp, dark places. Then everyone put on a blindfold to walk across the bridge to see what it would be like to use only the sense of touch to find your way around.

We returned to the centre for lunch where we tried to recycle as much of our waste as possible. The rubbish that couldn't be recycled was weighed to find the school that brought the least waste with them. Sadly we didn’t win!

After lunch we went for a 30 minute walk to see the many birds that live on the lakes at Dinton Pastures.

Pond dipping provided a contrast to the meadow work. We were first shown the various adaptations that freshwater invertebrates have to allow them to breathe. This was fun as some children got to dress up as diving beetles or mayfly nymphs. At the pond each group had a net and a specimen tray. There was an awful lot of pond weed but we still managed to find water scorpions, mayfly and stonefly nymphs, caddis fly larvae and lots of water boatmen and beetles. Everyone enjoyed pond dipping and there was great excitement each time something new was found.