The sound of the blue jay calling takes me back to my grandmother’s backyard. I can remember hearing them cry out a warning as we would run through her grass paths and hide behind the massive live oaks. These beautiful birds are relatively easy to spot and serve as sever sports team mascots! The blue jay has a range of calls, including one that mimics the call of the red-shouldered hawk! This … [Read more...]
The Robin – The Most Common Bird You See
The first bird I learned to identify was the robin, so although it is not my favorite - that spot belongs to the tufted titmouse - it does hold a special place in my heart. These orange-breasted birds are easy to spot and hear as they are typically the first ones to wake up in the morning! American robins are found all over the US and many stick around through the winter months as they can puff … [Read more...]
Careful, Kowalski, You Need To Know This About Penguins First
My kids love the Penguins of Madagascar on Netflix - the antics of those birds crack us all up! And so when we visited an aquarium on a recent field trip, we had to spend quite a bit of time observing their penguins. We saw firsthand how these birds fly through the water and waddle on land. Penguins are flightless birds. They have “wings” that act like flippers instead - so they can’t soar in … [Read more...]
Have You Seen This Wonderful Winter Bird? {Cardinal}
The male cardinal is an easy bird to spot, thanks to its bright red plumage. The cardinal is one of the first birds our daughter learned to spot and it remains one of her favorites! Cardinals have a rare reddish beak which is offset by a circle of black feathers close to their eyes. The male is dressed from head to toe in beautiful red feathers, while the female has a crown of red with a dress … [Read more...]
Just in time for Thanksgiving {Turkey Nature Study}
Turkey hand-prints, turkey pine cones, and a whole host of other turkey-related activities are popping up all over the internet. So, I thought that it was about time that we talk turkeys - that is turkey nature study! Back in the early 1900’s, wild turkeys were hunted to near extinction. Nowadays, thanks to restoration programs, the wild turkey can be seen (or heard) in many forests throughout … [Read more...]