Sifting Shovel

A sifting shovel for sifting particulate matter from a volume of material, the sifting shovel comprising:

• a shovel head with a base plate, a sifting plate disposed in spaced relation relative to the base plate, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a proximal end wall wherein the sifting plate has a plurality of apertures therein, wherein the base plate, the first and second side walls, and the rear wall together define a reception volume for retaining a volume of material, wherein the base plate, the sifting plate, and the first and second side walls have distal ends that are generally aligned in a lateral plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sifting shovel and that together define an open mouth of the shovel head, wherein the sifting plate and the base plate are fixed in relation to one another, wherein the apertures have a maximum aperture dimension, wherein the open mouth of the sifting shovel has a substantially consistent minimum opening height, wherein the minimum opening height is greater than the maximum aperture dimension, wherein the apertures are diamond shaped and substantially consistent in size and shape, wherein the shovel head has a height that increases from a distal tip of the shovel head to a proximal end of the shovel head whereby the shovel head has a truncated wedge shape;
• and
• an elongate handle with a proximal end fixed to the shovel head for enabling control and manipulation of the sifting shovel;
• whereby the shovel head can be inserted into a volume of material, material smaller than a given size can be sifted through the apertures and into the reception volume, and material greater