Brewster, MA
On our final Birding 101 together I wanted not only to sneak in a bird walk as we do each day, but also to spend some time enjoying the wonderful museum where the programs are based. It also helped that it's an air conditioned space and I wouldn't have to be as concerned with dehydration! We've certainly shared some entertaining stories and accounts of bird sightings that we viewed together, or that the KidSummer Kids have experienced while they were enjoying summer with their families here on Cape.
I was hoping that we might be fortunate enough to see a bird that we hadn't seen all week, and somehow, the universe rewarded us with... a GREAT EGRET!!! What a sight! S/he was flying and one of the bird nerds asked why they flew with their neck all tucked in. When we later visited Bird Alley on the lower level of the museum, I pointed out the Great Egret there along with the Great Blue Heron. I talked about that enormous beak they have and what they use it for. I also noted how much it probably weighed and imagine carrying all that weight in flight at the end of a long graceful neck - not too efficient. They fly that way to conserve energy and to keep their physique more streamlined when in flight. A beautiful design.
We enjoyed our museum visit as well, and they truly appreciated the woodcarvings and painting in the Eldredge Arnold Room. He was an award winning wooden carver of birds and his artistry is remarkable! They are accurately life-sized and incredibly detailed! The museum is lucky to have a few of his wood carvings on loan, and the Ring-necked Pheasant has been permanently donated & prominently displayed in the Marshview Room.
I'm going to miss these bird nerds. We learned from each other, laughed together and certainly enjoyed seeing and hearing the native bird species of Brewster! (double click photos to enlarge)
Our List:
House Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Black-capped Chickadee
American Goldfinch
European Starling
Barn Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird
Osprey
Great Egret (!!!)
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Northern Cardinal
Testing their knowledge
The Garden Troll is frightening...
I mean REALLY SCARY!!!
House Sparrow - male juvenile
Bird Nerds
Checking out beetle & bird damage of a fallen tree
Testing out silhouette bird ID
Recording findings in the vitrine
American Robin
Playing in the virtual sandbox, a new addition to the museum
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Chipmunk, adorably posing with wildflowers
Northern Cardinal - male
Checking out the artistry in the Eldredge Arnold Room
Ring-necked Pheasant
Enjoying the museum's aquatic residents
The wonders of the jellyfish
Some nature finds
Happy Birding Young Bird Nerds! Thank you for a wonderful week!
