South Dennis, MA
So my new flock of bird nerds and I set out today for a nature scavenger hunt, looking for clues, searching for evidence... making connections between what they discovered in the school yard, and how it relates to birds. Every living thing needs:
Food
Water
Shelter
Space
... and today it was our job to inspect the surrounding habitat of the school, to learn which aspects would help local & migrant birds to thrive. What a fantastic job they did! They found nesting materials, food sources, sheltered areas and we caught a glimpse of a seemingly lost Killdeer who was flying way up high over the ball field...poor lil' thing. Winds can truly have a negative effect upon migrants and really any bird at all. We had 20mph gusts to deal with in South Dennis today. Winds are so powerful, they can blow migrants off their course, keep birds from feeding, and hinder their ability to survive. The Killdeer didn't stick around for too long once s/he saw our crowd, but it was nice to catch a glimpse of her/him!
These birds nerds are honing their birdwatching skills and seem to LOVE sharing their enthusiasm for the clues they find and their growing knowledge of habitats. Spring is right around the corner...! One of the best aspects of this particular time of year is that Mother Nature, is definitely leaning in our favor... there are so many bird species to see! (double click photos to enlarge)
Searching for scavenger hunt clues..
Being mindful of the scavenger hunt checklist
Hole in a tree
Tree as tall as YOU!
Bird nerds, screaming "Bird TURDS!"
Discovering animal tracks
Finding roly poly bugs (bird food source) in the bark of a tree
Searching in the dirt and ground cover for more bugs
Found feather!
Happy Birding bird nerds!
