(As an aside note, the word "birds" starts to look REALLY funny if you have typed it out ten or more times!)
In our school this past month, we have been studying birds. We have emptied our library of all Audubon encyclopedias and books that help you identify the different species. We have attuned our ears to hear the birdsongs around us. Making oneself more aware of the beauty and "wildness" that you can discover in your own backyard helps you slow down and appreciate what God created!
Here is just a smattering of what we have found and identified so far...
Male Red-Breasted Nuthatch. They are easy to spot even though they are tiny...just look for a little bird bouncing upside down along the trunks of the trees! They feed upside down, extracting insects from underneath the bark of the trees. And yes, this little fella is truly upside down, I have not adjusted the photo at all!
In our school this past month, we have been studying birds. We have emptied our library of all Audubon encyclopedias and books that help you identify the different species. We have attuned our ears to hear the birdsongs around us. Making oneself more aware of the beauty and "wildness" that you can discover in your own backyard helps you slow down and appreciate what God created!
Here is just a smattering of what we have found and identified so far...
Male Red-Breasted Nuthatch. They are easy to spot even though they are tiny...just look for a little bird bouncing upside down along the trunks of the trees! They feed upside down, extracting insects from underneath the bark of the trees. And yes, this little fella is truly upside down, I have not adjusted the photo at all!
Male Lesser Scaup. We went to our library to find this handsome guy. Our library has a man-made lake behind it and it attracts all kinds of waterfowl! What a treat in our own city. I just love the detail God put into the tiny feathers on the Scaup's back. And have you ever seen a duck with yellow eyes before?
Male Northern Flicker. This striking specimen made his presence known by drumming on our gutters! Apparently in breeding season they do that to attract a mate and make their territory known to other males. The boys had fun drawing this one!
Male House Finch. I have lived in this house for three years and I have never seen one of these before! Actually, I wasn't exactly bird watching at that moment. I was busy putting laundry away in my room and I startled a pair of finches into a nearby tree. Well, I grabbed my camera quickly and quietly snapped a photo of the dashing pair!
We have lots more photos. So far we have identified over 10 birds that frequent our neighborhood! Who knew there was such variety in modern suburbia?
This weekend the boys are going to the free Home Depot kids workshop to make, of course, birdhouses! Our unit study on birds is turning out to be a lot of fun!
We are using these fabulous books from the library to aid us in identifying the birds we find:
National Audubon Society's
North American Birdfeeder Handbook
By Robert Burton
The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher
By The National Audubon Society
Birds of Oregon--Field Guide
By Stan Tekiela
The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible
By Sally Roth
The Backyard Bird-Lover's Guide
By Jan Mahnken
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