We began on Monday by covering a couple of pinecones with peanut butter and sunflower seeds, and then hanging them outside for the birds. We also added more sunflower seeds to our feeders.
On Monday afternoon, we went outside to watch the birds some. Content to just sit and watch for a while, my son carried a chair out into the yard, not far from the feeder, and sat patiently waiting. I decided to follow suit, and we sat there together, watching and enjoying being out in nature. Before long, the birds began to ignore us and came to the feeder. My son took several photographs that day, and then took more on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Wednesday, we selected one photo - a male cardinal sitting on our fence - to draw in our nature journals. I found that I noticed so much more about the cardinal while drawing him (from his photograph) than I ever would have by just studying the photograph alone! In order to draw a bird, you have to look very closely at all the little details...and it was this close observation that helped me to really see, and remember, him!
This was the first bird we captured on film on Monday. It appears to me to be a sparrow. Notice the signs of spring in this photo! We're having warm weather here!
This one is a Chickadee. The Chickadees would fly to the feeder, grab a seed, and then fly away to a nearby tree to eat! It was hard to catch a photo of them! In this photo, it appears that he's holding the seed with his feet, while eating it.
I think this one's a dove.
A Female Cardinal.....
And her mate.
A Robin.
My son also caught several photographs of flying birds, but we weren't able to see the birds well enough, even on the photographs, to identify them.
We really had a lot of fun observing the birds this week! Tomorrow my son has an art class to attend, and he's already asked if we can leave home a little early so that we can stop off at the park to observe some birds there!
The whole experience was so much fun!! Barb, if you're reading this, thanks so much for getting us started on this with your Squidoo page!
Posts
I am so delighted to have helped you get started with birding...it is a very satisfying and enjoyable activity that you can do with your children. You are so right..when you slow down to really look at something in order to sketch it into your journal, you really get to "see" it in a new way.
ReplyDeleteI hope to see you and your son participating in some of the upcoming challenges too so try to fit a few in as the weather improves.
Tell your son he did a great job with the photos! Love the chickadee with the seed between his feet!
Thanks for sharing your link with the OHC.
Hi Barb,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! Yes, we're planning to participate in some more of the outdoor challenges! I think this is just what we needed in our homeschool!!
The weather here is very nice. It's in the 70's outside today. It is going back down to the 30's tonight, but the highs are supposed in the 60's or 70's all week! We won't have to dig under snow to search for insects and other tiny things in the ground next week! :-)
We don't have that one book you mentioned (Discover Nature in Winter), but it seems odd to me to be buying that now when we're having spring weather here. I checked the local bookstores and the library and they don't carry it, so I'd have to buy it from Amazon. We might just wait until next year to buy it.. What do you suggest? Will we be using it for several more challenges this year?
Wonderful way to learn ~ beautiful pictures and vey interesting! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Janiece,
ReplyDeleteI think that 3rd one is a dark-eyed junco. It's a kind of sparrow. Unless it was really big.
Nice blog! I have to start following you!