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I loved learning about owls that I had no idea existed! Of course owls live all over the world, but I didn't realize how different they could be! I especially liked learning about super rare owls.

The perch-and-pounce technique kind of reminds me of when flycatchers wait for an insect to fly by before they quickly dart towards and grab their prey. However owls can do this in complete darkness using only their hearing.

Activity 1: There's this saying in the introduction in my field guide: "Birding is not an escape from reality. Birding IS reality!" (Kenn Kaufman's Field Guide to Birds of North America.) Birding helps me see the good in the world. For a long time I've seeking escape into other worlds (which is very far from a bad thing!). This shows me that I can still find a lot of good without having to look very far. Activity 2: I'm already beginning to practice citizen science, and I don't even drink coffee. I want to get into citizen science more seriously now after what I have learned. I want to plant more native plants in my family's garden for sure. Single use plastics, get ready to be reused! Activity 4: This course has inspired me to delve into citizen science. I enjoy watching birds and learning about them, so why not use what I learn to help them! As soon as this whole virus thing is over, I'm going to attend the Wasatch Audubon meetings whenever I can. I need to find some people to go birding with.

Activity 1: The first place I went was my front yard, which is in a suburban area. There are a few big trees, and lots of wide open grassy yard. It is also near a busy road, and surrounded by houses and telephone poles. I House Sparrows and House Finches in the trees. I saw starlings poking around in the grass in my yard. I saw doves on the telephone poles. Next, I went to a nearby pond. Here, there is a large-ish body of water with a bridge over it. There's a rock barrier separating a secluded spot from the rest of the pond. There are a few smaller willows. Here, I see many Mallards and coots. I also see Barn Swallows catching bugs over the water and perching under the bridge. I see gulls and cormorants perching on the barrier.

Activity 4: Right now, I expect to find House Finches, and a few Lesser Goldfinches. In six months, I'd still expect to find house finches, but I wouldn't see any Lesser Goldfinches. Instead, I might see Cedar Waxwings.

Most of these were done from my yard. Activity 1: European Starling and House Finch. The starlings have long, slender bills. The finches have a lot stubbier bills that are taller. The starlings are a lot bigger than the house finches, they are about the size of a robin. The finches are sparrow-sized. Activity 2: The European starling, Eurasian Collared Dove, and House Sparrow, all sport the color black. The European starling is all black with brown speckles.The male House Sparrow has black as a sort of bib and as spectacles. The Eurasian Collared Dove only has black on the "collar" on the back of it's neck. Activity 3: The European Starling (there are a lot by my house if you couldn't tell,) likes to probe in the ground for bugs to eat. Robins do this, too, but like to pull up whole worms! I've seen house finches eating the leaf buds on one of our trees. Activity 4: Red-tailed Hawks vary in color pattern, but usually have brown backs and heads, and can have tan undersides with black speckles. Their cry is a high, piercing KyEEAAHHH. They often glide high on thermal drafts, then descend with claws outstretched to snatch their prey.

Also forgot to mention that when they land in my neighbors tree, the fling chunks of bark right off!