7.3.14 - Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History - KidSummer Birding 101
Museum Trail - Brewster, MA

On our last morning together we vowed to spend more time outside, which of course is half the fun of watching birds!  The kids donned their binoculars and we headed out to add to our list of birds we've observed throughout the week.  We played a quick game of Bird Bingo (which I actually call Bird BING!) When we returned to our classroom, I talked about three words and their meanings and how we can make a difference in the natural world for the good, beginning with the birds.  Our Bird Nerd Words were: Biodiversity, Conservation & Ecology.  We talked about what our human impact has had on and will continue to be on the earth.  KidSummer director Barbara Knoss stopped by our room and heard us talking about pollution and she let us know of an incredible book "Moby Duck" about 28,800 bath toys being lost at sea.  I also showed the kids eBird, an on-line data base of birds part of an enormous Citizen Science Project through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  I showed them how to, with parental permission, log on and enter their data when they want to after they've either been birdwatching, or if they've seen something unusual.  Kids are so computer savvy because they've never had life without them.  They can really make a difference in helping the birds, simply by recording what they've seen and heard, so that scientists can be aware of populations. (click on photos to enlarge)
Our List:

Osprey
Barn Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
American Robin
Grey Catbird
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle

Visiting the vitrine near the marsh & recording a finding or two

Osprey on the nest perch, juveniles in the nest

Feathers were found here and there

This sure didn't look like it belonged on the salt marsh

Some ribbon found tangled in the shrubs - pollution.

Helium & balloons can truly be tragic for wildlife. 

Carrying our Bird Nerd Friend for crossing Route 6A

Bird droppings on the wild grape vine!

 

  Junior Bird Nerds

 

I so enjoyed the perspective of these smart and interesting KidSummer Bird Nerds in training!  I hope they continue caring as much as they already do about the birds and the nature surrounding them.  As I suspected, I learned a lot from them too!  Remember kids...it's COOL to be a Bird Nerd!  Especially on Cape Cod! 

Happy Birding!