At the Beach in New Zealand - explore and discover what lives there

"At the Beach" includes a lift-out identification card

"At the Beach: explore and discover the New Zealand seashore" was published in 2012 and is now a New Zealand Bestseller. The book comes with a lift-out (double-sided) identification card in the inside back cover. This is very popular, as it can be taken to the beach separately from the book. Unfortunately it can also get easily lost! I've noticed school and library copies often have it removed too. so Ned and I thought it should be available as PDF for schools and libraries to print out. 

One side of the handy lift-out card

Here's one way I used the card this week.  I was exploring the rocky shore with some young children and we found this crab.

At first we thought it was a purple shore crab, because it was - well - purple! But a quick look at the card (see top LH corner) made us realise the claws were much more like that of a New Zealand half crab. Just to check this identification I posted it in iNaturalist and a scientist quickly confirmed this.

To download a copy of the identification sheet PDF to keep with your copy of "At the Beach" go to  https://www.pottonandburton.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/At-the-Beach-identity-card.pdf

"At the Beach: explore and discover the New Zealand seashore" is by Gillian Candler and illustrated by Ned Barraud.