Tree and nature ID book and Camera ideas for present for 10 year old

arrowman

Looking for a good tree and plant ID pocket type book for my 10 year old for a present.

She likes nature and the environment and when i take the family for walks in local forests/ parks I often get asked what's this tree/ what's this plant?
I am starting to struggle once we move beyond the common ones that most people know.

So I want to get her a small, concise and easy to use identifier to cover trees and plants of Ireland.
She also wants to take photographs of nature (and other things as well). She has mentioned a camera phone but I am not giving in to that for at least another 5 years or so. Any suggestions on a cheap and cheerful digital camera for that age?
I looked at the recently released Polaroid ones but the cost of the film would turn me off it (nearly €2 a pic I reckoned)
I have a small printer for printing photos she could use that when she needs to print one which is why I am thinking digital.

Del.Monte

Appletree Press publish a hand series of pocket size nature books: https://www.appletree.ie/cat/nature.htm


Trees book here: https://www.appletree.ie/cat/books/4200.htm

Zoe Devlin's book The Wildflowers of Ireland, a field guide is very accessible.
Flowers grouped by colour, hundred of photos; its not specifically aimed at children, but I think a bright inquisitive ten year old would be well able for it, and get loads of use out of it too.
In Easons, Dubray online etc.

mobby

I contacted www.crann.ie a great source of knowledge, they recommended the swatches supplied by National Biodiversity Data Center €6 link here. http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/product/tree-swatch/

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mobby wrote: »

I contacted www.crann.ie a great source of knowledge, they recommended the swatches supplied by National Biodiversity Data Center €6 link here. http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/product/tree-swatch/

I've used these and they are good. Expensive for what they are though. I've done up laminated sheets myself, showing leaves, buds, fruits etc for the common trees and children have got great use out or them. Pictures are readily available online.

endacl

What’s your budget for the camera?

magicbastarder

the (british) woodland trust's app for tree ID is very good; i have used it on android, not sure if it's available on iphone.

arrowman

Thanks for all the suggestions - those appletree books look good but I'm not sure whether they are pocket size and suitable for taking on a walk.

endacl wrote: »

What’s your budget for the camera?

I suppose around €60 - €70 - not sure really doesn't have to be fancy just point and click.

ThunderCat

Binoculars might be a good idea instead of the camera. They will allow her to see much more detail in the leaves and trees as well as the birds and squirrels that reside there. These would be perfect:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-8X21-DPC-I-Binoculars/dp/B00006FDUG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=olympus+8*21&qid=1574869053&sr=8-1

baaba maal

I'd agree with the binoculars idea- will do wonders for the observation skills. My bias on this is that I frequently see people pointing camera phones at wildlife, but not really taking things in.

As an aside, a friend went on a trip to Iceland a couple of years ago and took a boat trip to see the aurorae from out at sea. The captain actually stopped the boat as everybody had their phones out videoing it and told everybody to put the bloody phones away- if they wanted to get stunning photos of the lights they should google them and instead just experience the phenomenon above their heads without trying to document them. Good advice I thought!