Monday, March 30, 2015

3.31.15 - For The Birds - Enrichment Class
Wixon Innovation Middle School - Dennis, MA

Spring.  It is HERE and we're all beginning to believe it!  I had noticed a bird on the way in to the school so I snapped a couple of photos in the hopes that s/he would still be there in a few minutes when it was time for our bird walk.  We were in luck, because that bird and a companion were still there foraging in the brush.  The first bird one of the students spotted was very far in the distance.  I asked if they could identify this particular bird (no photo).  This is when the different skills we have discussed come into play.  They were able to correctly identify an American Robin at about 300 feet away by observing the general size, the habitat and behavior.  AWESOME!  Some of them claimed to be able to see the bright orange breast from that range.  My eyes are SO reliant on binoculars at this point that just seemed crazy to me that they'd be able to see it... but their eyes are younger than mine!  We saw a few species this outing, which was a nice change!   I pointed out some House Sparrow nests I noticed last week built into the no longer operating school bells on the outside of the school.  I asked the students to observe these nests as they're pulling up to school in the buses (for those who take the bus) to see if they notice any interesting behaviors they could tell me about when I see them next week. Each student took a turn recording observations about the American Robin we saw, see log book photo below. (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
American Robin
Song Sparrow
American Crow
Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Pointing out the House Sparrow nest peeking out from the sides of the old school bell
House Sparrow next

Found feather

Bird Log book entry - everyone contributed (started to rain so we didn't have time for the illustration)

'Til next time... Happy Birding Wixon Bird Nerds!  


Sunday, March 29, 2015

3.29.15 Bird Nerd Moment - Mayflower Beach
Dennis, MA

I know, it's just a feather, so simple and such a simply beautiful design. Someday I'll spend hours identifying the feathers I've collected so I can simply say, "That's a Downy Woodpecker's feather.  That's a Northern Cardinal's feather.  That's a Herring Gull's feather."  Loving birds and learning about birds go together for me.  I'm always learning, that's why I enjoy sharing what I know about them so much, and learning from others' experiences and knowledge.  They're a great thing to share I feel, so I just wanted to share this lone feather I came upon on the tidal flats.  SO pretty!



Happy Birding!

Friday, March 27, 2015

3.27.15 - Private Walk - Cape Cod & South Coast Home Schoolers
Scorton Creek - Sandwich, MA

Mud.  We started this adventure off with MUD!  One of the minivans got supremely stuck in the mud, but through perseverance, teamwork & thankfully some guys from MBL (I went to school there for a semester! See BUMP) showing up at the right time... the minivan was rescued and we were off on our walk!  Somehow we were able to sneak this walk in through the rain clouds and no wind to chill us.  The woods were basically ours.  We spotted some cavities in trees when discussing where some birds tough out the storms.  There was not a ton of bird activity, most likely due to the rain storm, but we did make it to the bridge over the creek where we discovered some feathery friends. This is such a sweet bunch of kids, and even though the mud incident delayed our walk, it made for an adventure that NEVER could have happened within the walls of a schoolhouse! (double click on photos below to enlarge)

Our List:
Herring Gull
Bufflehead
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Red-winged Blackbird

Bufflehead

Cavity in a tree (just the right size for bird shelter)


Nest

White Pine Tree grove

Mallard - male

Mallard - female




Great Blue Heron


There is a giant Newfoundland named Lucy in there...


Looking forward to our next outing! 
Happy Birding!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

3.24.15 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets
John Wing Trail - Brewster, MA

I kind of couldn't believe my eyes when we were able to see the boardwalk across the marsh this morning!  It was still coated in a thin sheet of ice, but we safely made it across and over to Wing Island and to the ocean blue!  Cape Cod is still involved in the big melt, but we have rains on the way, sure to help out the situation.  We didn't see or hear too many birds this morning, though the sun was shining and it sure was great to walk on a sandy beach without snow and ice!  I had to sneak a photo of a periwinkle simply because it reminded me of warmer days... they're coming!   We also got to hike a trail we rarely get to go on in the warmer months because it's typically too wild and overgrown.  It's always nice to get a new perspective on a familiar trail.  I am certain that during the next Tuesday Tweets, we will get some great views of the star of the show at CCMNH - the Osprey!  (double click photos below to enlarge & photo credits to *Rick as noted)

White-throated Sparrow
Black-capped Chickadee
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow
American Black Duck
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Northern Flicker
White-throated Sparrow

American Robin

Crow prints in the sand

Herring Gull - *photo credit - RICK

Periwinkle - had to take this because it reminded me 
of warmer days.  They're on their way!

Northern Flicker


Northern Flicker *photo credit - RICK

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: April 14th 9:30am $2Members/$4Non-members
Happy Birding!

Monday, March 23, 2015

3.23.15 - For The Birds - Enrichment Class
Wixon Innovation Middle School - Dennis, MA

We are still trudging through snow on our bird walks and we decided to explore the southern side of the school at the edge of the field and forest.  Only one photo for this trip as we did not encounter any birds singing or flying or foraging for food.  We did get a glimpse of the solar farm on Wixon's property.  I was hoping to maybe see a hawk, or any raptor gazing over the cleared out area surrounding the solar farm.  No luck.  The solar farm project in the D-Y district is certainly something that makes me happy & proud.  Not that I had a thing to do with it, but clean energy is good for all of us, certainly for wildlife.  I just happen to live in the district. I love that this community supports such green efforts.  We discovered a great trail, still covered in snow and ice, that we'll be sure to check out as things get warmer in the next several weeks.  We listened to the sounds in the woods, the wind and the crispy brown oak leaves, still clinging to the branches.  One of the students in our group had mentioned a vernal pool that he and his family had registered into/through Google earth. I'm hoping were fortunate enough to discover both waterfowl and songbirds in and around this water source within this habitat on a future walk.  
Someone's feathers...

'Til our next meeting & bird walk... Happy Birding Bird Nerds!

Friday, March 20, 2015

3.20.15 - Private Walk - Cape Cod & South Coast Homeschoolers
Cape Cod Canal  Sandwich, MA

I've been very fortunate leading bird walks for so many reasons, and one of the best reasons is meeting wonderful nature loving people.  A lovely family joined in on Tuesday Tweets last fall and their mom contacted me to lead 4 private walks for their fantastic group of home schooled students!  This was our first walk together as a group and we had an incredible amount of sightings!  It was the perfect way to spend the first day of spring, as chilly as it was, outdoors & celebrating nature through the birds and our unique environment on Cape Cod.  Janice - Common Eiders eat crustaceans, mollusks and sea urchins from the ocean floor.  I can't wait for the next walk!  
(double click photos below to enlarge)

Our List:
Black-capped Chickadee
Brant
American Crow
Herring Gull
Surf Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Eider
Long-tailed Duck (!!!)
Common Loon
Black Scoter
Ring-billed Gull
Horned Grebe
Red-throated Loon
Brant 
Brant 
American Crow

                                              Red-breasted Merganser (1st year male)

Surf Scoter - male

Long-tailed Duck (male)  A FIRST FOR ME!

Long-tailed Duck diving (male)

Long-tailed Duck - female & male

Long-tailed Duck - male & female

Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Common Eider - females

Common Eiders flying west through the Cape Cod Canal

Human garbage - pointed out by one of the young home school students


You can barely see the Sagamore Bridge in the distance

Common Eider - male


Sandal shaped driftwork

Common Eiders at the mouth of the canal


Common Eiders




Common Eiders - male & female

This solitary Common Eider male did not seem bothered by the enormous barge

Brant on the wing 

Red-breasted Merganser - male

Common Loon




                                  
Common Loon - non-breeding plumage

Horned Grebe - non-breeding plumage

Common Loon - non-breeding plumage

Horned Grebe

Common Loon  - non-breeding plumage

Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe

Brant & Herring Gull

Herring Gull & Great Black-backed Gull (for comparison)

Common Eiders flocking through the canal to avoid a large barge

Looking forward to our next bird walk home schoolers!  That walk is going to be tough to beat!  Happy Birding!