Meg

Activity 1:  Why birds matter to me. My Dad is responsible for fostering my interest in birds. When I was a child, I remember how vigilant he was about keeping the bird feeder well-stocked during the winter, his efforts to keep the neighbor's cat away, and how he would point out the different birds at the feeder by showing me his field guide. To this day, I enjoy when he calls letting me know there's a hawk in the backyard terrorizing the frequent flyers at his birdfeeder. I hope parents realize that by sharing their interests, they can shape the next generation of enthusiasts, whether it be birding or any other hobby.

Activity 3: Although only one bird species was vocal at the time, I now have an understanding of the behavior. I could hear the urgency in a robin's call in my parents' backyard, so I ventured outside to see what was provoking it. I spotted the neighbor's cat crouched in the flowers below the birdbath. Thanks to the robin's mobbing, the cat's hunting attempt was thwarted and no birds were harmed!

I downloaded Merlin and used it to identify a barred owl and a gray catbird. The catbird was trickier because I was trying to identify it by size and color, and it didn't even come up as an option. I finally had to snap a photo of it, which quickly helped me identify it.  I've never heard of a gray catbird before, so I was happy to learn something new.

Hi Mary! That's a great shot of Baltimore Orioles. I have lived in Maryland for 13 years, and I finally saw an Oriole about two years ago. I felt like, "Yay! I am now officially a Marylander!" Thank you for sharing!