Pg. 1 has crafts, games, snacks, science, etc. click here
BIRD WATCHING...
WHERE DO YOU START?
Some of the best bird watching is in your own back yard. Many colorful birds are there to see every day. It's easy to learn the birds that live around you.
YOU'LL ONLY NEED TWO THINGS to start watching birds...A BOOK AND BINOCULARS!
BINOCULARS let you see the birds up close. They let you see details of undersides and wings when the birds glide overhead.
A BOOK IS YOUR 'FIELD GUIDE' and will help you learn the birds' names. It's like having an expert by your side so you'll know what you're seeing.
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Two good books for bird watching with kids:
1. The Young Birder's Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
SWritten by a Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest
2. Backyard Bird Walk by Jane Kirkland... A great resource for parents and teachers who want to bird with kids. It teaches youth how to find and observe birds' nests without harming them. It shows how to tell what a bird eats by looking at its bill and tells how to help an injured bird.
HAPPY BIRDING!
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HAVE YOU FOUND A BABY BIRD?
FYI: AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER... we all have the delema of what to do when we see a little bird (or bunny) and the parents aren't visible... (This would be a good thing to go over with your kids!)
HERE'S WHAT TO DO
... Do not pick up the bird unless you are VERY sure it needs help. Sometimes, the mother will leave her baby alone for a specific reason. She could be watching from a nearby tree or burrow, getting food, or chasing away a predator, or playing decoy to one.
2. Do not remove the animal or bird from its den or nest UNLESS you KNOW the parents are dead. Only then should you consider becoming a foster-parent.
3. If a young bird has fallen out of its nest, PUT IT BACK.
4. The old saying that birds will abandon their chicks if humans have touched them is not true. Birds have a very poor sense of smell, so you may safely place the baby in its nest. Remember, though, that the mother may have pushed the baby out. She could be teaching it to fly.
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Some other tips in this case are:
1. If you have eggs, leave them alone. It is illegal to possess wild bird eggs. The parent birds will usually re-nest and start over.
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2. If the chick is partially hatched, or hatched but has no feathers yet, put it in the nest. If you either can't see or reach the nest, you may put the baby in a plastic berry basket lined with paper towels to form a cup that you have placed securely on the trunk of the same tree.
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3. If the baby is completely covered with feathers, chances are it is supposed to be out of the nest. You can place it on the top of a shrub away from predators.
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4. Do not put the baby bird or animal in the wrong nest or burrow! Unlike the temporary nest you made above, putting the baby in the wrong natural nest can mean its death! Other birds and animals often kill those they see as "interlopers."
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6. Wait and watch, first, to see what animal is using the nest site.
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7. If the nest itself has fallen out of the tree, you can often put it back. Again, use a berry basket or a small square of screening as a base, and tie the nest to a limb. But don't use an old nest as a frame, because it could have mites or bacteria which could contaminate the newer nest.
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8. If the baby is obviously in need of medical treatment, call a veterinarian or animal-rescue center. Basic first aid for bleeding and other emergencies is okay, but do not attempt to feed baby birds or give them water. They could choke.
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9. While you're waiting for help, keep it warm and dry. You can use a heating pad on low setting, or a sealed jar of warm water, or a hot-water bottle.
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10. Keep a towel between the animal and the heat source. Keep it out of direct sunlight. Baby animals, especially birds, can overheat quickly.
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11. Release the animal when it has recovered. Try not to turn your patient into a pet. Wild animals belong in the wild. They are unpredictable, and find it hard to adapt to our ways. Furthermore, it is ILLEGAL to raise young birds and some animal species.
11. Finally, you should understand that despite your best efforts, some animals will die. That is also part of Nature's ways.
Information is provided by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the National Wildlife Federation.
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WHEN IS BIRD DAY?
Year Bird Day National Bird Day International Bird Day
2012 Fri. May 4 Thur., January 5 Sat., May 12
2013 Sat. May 4 Sat., January 5 Sat., May 11
2014 Sun. May 4 Sun, January 5 Sat., May 10
2015 Mon. May 4 Mon., January 5 Sat., May 9
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FOUND THIS GREAT FEBRUARY BIRD IDEA!
(There are also games, print-outs and bird-fun on the site!)
The Great Backyard Bird Count (or GBBC) is an event that takes place over four days in February each year. It's very easy! All you have to do is watch birds in your yard, a nearby park, or maybe at your school. Then you tell what you saw by entering your bird list online. They collect that information from people all over the United States and Canada SO SCIENTISTS CAN LEARN WHAT KIND OF BIRDS ARE BEING SEEN IN THE WINTER AND WHETHER THERE ARE MORE OR FEWER THAN BEFORE!
Click here - to learn more about how to participate.
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See Pg. 1 for crafts, bird feeders, games, science, snacks, etc.
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February is also Wild Bird Feeding Month! See the 17 bird feeder ideas on page 1!
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