May! I'm always so delighted with how Cape Cod looks & smells the second week of May. We were able to take in more sunshine and we headed toward the woods behind the school to explore the area to, from and around the vernal pool. I handed out bird flash/information cards in the school lobby before we began our walk outside. Each bird card represented a species of bird we've seen on one of our walks. I was pleased that as soon as we walked out the door, a bird sang out...and not one, but at least two of the students recognized the call of a Black-capped Chickadee! We also heard a Song Sparrow in the school yard when we paused to read each card. It was a nice and warm afternoon and perfect for enjoying the outdoors. The birds have been difficult to catch on camera during my quick visits. Capturing them being still at a close enough distance when with this group has been challenging. All of us did get to see a couple of Blue Jays yelling their familiar call out. We even got to hear their mimicry call! It sounded just like a hawk and one of the students figured out that it was a Blue Jay, not a hawk. We discussed how and why mimicry even used through sound is a tool that natural creatures can use to their advantage. As we were watching the gigantic dragonflies zoom over the top of the water, we also noticed a large shadow cast over us as a larger bird swooped high above us between the rays of the sun and where we were standing... a true bird nerd moment. (double click photos to enlarge)
Our List:
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-tailed Hawk
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
American Goldfinch
Blue Jay
Our List:
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-tailed Hawk
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
American Goldfinch
Blue Jay
Reading cool facts about familiar species we've seen during our enrichment birdwalks
Into the woods
Large vernal pool
Watching the giant dragonflies
Dragonflies
Pollution - part of a lawnmower
Learning more about Northern Cardinals
See you Monday!
Happy Birding!
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