Brewster, MA
I love welcoming a new flock of Bird Nerds and Monday is always a little overwhelming with the amount of information and simply getting to know each other. It's great how our connection with birds can make it easier to learn each other's names and find out who is interested in learning new information about the birds we'll see while we're together this week.
One of the things I really like about birdoculars, which may seem simple and weird to point out, is that I like how they double as name tags. I'm always searching for another way to waste less. Waste drives me bonkers and when we construct our birdoculars, I am sure to discuss just how important it is for the environment to both recycle and reuse as many materials as we possibly can. I also like to remind the Bird Nerds that like it or not... someday they'll be in charge of saving our planet. I realize that's a lot of pressure! I mention it though, in the hopes that they'll share their own ideas and innovate in ways we can't imagine yet in order to benefit all... the plants, the creatures and the habitats we need to take care of.
We had an eventful first bird walk, with sightings of Eastern Kingbirds! For some of the young Bird Nerds, this was their first time ever to see an Eastern Kingbird. We are SO fortunate that so many species are willing to share their space with us, while we admire them from a distance and appreciate their beauty! I'm looking forward to our week and it is just the BEST to have some familiar faces back in my group! (double click photos to enlarge)
Our List:
House Sparrow
Blue Jay
American Crow
Gray Catbird
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Eastern Kingbird
American Goldfinch
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Mourning Dove
Osprey
Common Tern
Great-crested Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
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| House Sparrow - female ...taking a dust bath |
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| House Sparrow - female |
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| Playing the bird memory game while getting to know one another |
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| Birdocular experts! |
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| Discussing the pollinators of the planet & hoping we get some time in the butterfly house this week |
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| Maps are important and helpful so you stay on the trail |
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| Learning about biodegradable and NON-biodegradable items |
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| Enthusiastic about the trail markers |
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| Eastern Kingbird |
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| Eastern Kingbird |
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| Pointing out the Eastern Kingbird - Bird Nerds doing their thing! |
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| Osprey on their nest on the salt marsh |
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| Bird Nerds using their birdoculars like PROS! |
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| Eastern Kingbirds |
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| Checking our wingspans at the solar calendar |
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| Pointing out the tree with the fungus... or whatever that ooze is from the tree trunk. This crazy oak tree is almost rectangular! |
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| A beautiful view of Cape Cod Bay |
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| Enjoying the trail |
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| Cape Cod Bay View |
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| On look out and listening for birds on the trail... |
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| All Bird Nerds should be able to identify Poison Ivy |
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| Poison Ivy growing as a vine on the Pitch Pine |
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| We learned from Stephen, a volunteer at the museum, that the white growths on the tree were incidental fungus. It grows because of the boring beetle holes in the bark. |
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| Carefully & gently waiting for a tiny inchworm to drop into her hand. SO well done! |
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| Look closely, there's a tiny green inchworm being very gently handled. The Bird Nerds did a great job at being careful not to hurt it. |
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| Another view of the dune trail leading to the bay |
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| Photo op on the stairs! |
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| Blue Jay - juvenile silhouette. S/he was bending over cleaning his/her feathers while perched on a branch |
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| House Sparrow - female |
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| The garden troll |
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| Found feather I'm excited to hear which birds were seen and or heard both on the way home from Birding 101 and also on the way in tomorrow morning! Happy Birding young Bird Nerds! |
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