Taylor
Forum Replies Created
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I found it interesting how many other animal or bird sounds could be mistaken for owl sounds. When I was a kid, I always thought dove sounds were owl like. It just shows how sound identification of a bird, especially owls, can be a challenge as you get started. Of the owl sounds, I think that of the Great Horned Owl is what I have heard in person in my area, where as for the Barn Owls I have heard them on nest live cams.
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That was an interesting read for me as well, and I really wanted to know more. I'm not surprised if other raptors cough up pellets, but I look forward to reading more!
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Hi Paul, I had never heard those sayings about owl eyes in my time with wildlife rehabilitation. Thank you for sharing as they are now phrases that I will keep with me in the back of my head. It was also interesting to see the Barred Owls could hear so far.
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I'm not really surprised, as I already had a general idea of what owls ate, even the fish owls as I had read a book on them. However, I still found the slides interesting because they covered owl species that I don't know well and enjoyed learning more about them.
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As I continue taking the class, there will probably be many memorable things I will learn and love sharing with others. However, to me right now, I am amazed by how much owls can eat in a year and how many species of owls there are! I also enjoyed seeing the various art pieces made by many different cultures to celebrate or revere owls.
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I have seen two Great Horned Owls and one Barn Owl in the wild. One of the Great Horned Owls and the Barn Owl were seen on different days at my favorite hiking areas as they were sleeping in pine trees. The second Great Horned Owl was seen near my home sleeping in a tree. I haven't seen an owl recently, but I still see white washing and pellets or hear the owls at night.
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I think my family were the main ones to inspire me to appreciate and want to actively take care of the natural world. This was due to the fact that they gave me so many opportunities to be in nature and learn more about the different topics that interested me about nature. I think one thing that stands out in mind the most about my early experiences are the large number of reference materials I have collected since then and still use today.
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Continue learning, being curious and open minded, and finding ways to incorporate the "Try It!" activities during outings.
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My favorite way to go explore nature is to have no agenda before arriving at the park or nature preserve I visit. This way any discovery, bird spotting, or any other activity is just as exciting as the next. As far as my curiosity, I feel that I am always learning something new about birds, but I have started my journey in learning about the bugs and plants in my area as these are topics I am not as familiar with.
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Hi Ditsha, I like the idea of using weather to your advantage in trying to find ways to enjoy nature at anytime!
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I am partial to the idea of following your child's interests, as it can make exploring or connecting with nature a lot more interesting and personalized. There are so many things to explore in nature, so why not start with the most interesting topics first and see where that takes you. To that end, I think that the "Choose Your Own Adventure", "Imagination At Play", "Exploring With Equipment", and the activities suggested at the end of the lesson are great ways to foster your child's interests in exploring nature together.
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I don't think I have a specific moment that ignited my passion for nature, as I was very fortunate as child to have had countless experiences enjoying the natural world near me. As a kid, I loved learning about birds and other animals that I would come across at my local beaches, parks, and various other locations I visited as my family went about our daily activities. With that being said, I am very glad that my experiences made me the nature loving adult I am today. My goals for this class are to learn more about the natural world and find ways to help others connect with or enjoy nature as much as I do!
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Hummingbirds and Towhees are fairly common in my area. On a cursory glance these birds are similar in their drive to raise young, find food and clean water, and use songs for communication. (There are probably more similarities that I cannot think of right now.) As for differences, I have noticed a few more between these two birds than their similarities. It seems only the hummingbirds in my area migrate (not the Towhees), hummingbirds and Towhees eat different food, both Towhee parents seem to raise their children together, and Towhees don't seem to be as territorial as hummingbirds.
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There have been so many memorable things I have learned in this course that it is hard to choose my favorite. I have enjoyed learning the mechanics of how hummingbirds fly, the science of torpor, and hummingbirds in art just to name a few. However, what I have enjoyed the most is that I am excited to share what I have learned in this class with others to help them enjoy these magical birds as much as I do.
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I think what surprised me were some of the statistics and facts shared in this lesson. For instance, I knew hummingbirds needed to rest or conserve energy, but I didn't know that this could account for about 75% of their day. I also found it interesting to learn what it takes for hummingbirds to be able to fly and hover to do their daily tasks, as it was more complicated than I thought.
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I haven't got the chance to experience the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird yet, but I look forward to seeing them in the future! I agree that hummingbirds are entertaining to watch.
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Yes! I see two hummingbird species on a regular basis when I go on short walks or long hikes in my area. These species are the Anna's Hummingbird and the Rufous Hummingbird, which I learned in this lesson are considered to be in the hummingbird genetic group called Bee.
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Once I know where my future garden will be, I will look forward to answering my question on the area's native plants. This class has provided so many wonderful resources, like the native plant databases, that I am excited to look into and find the plants that work for me and my area. From there my only question would be: What birds will I see?
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Hi Anita! You made a great point about trying to identify native and non-native plants being a challenge and I hadn't thought about consulting a Master Gardner for help. I also found what you said about your dog and ground cover plants to be interesting, as I hadn't thought about it before. I will try to keep these things in mind when doing my gardening to create the best harmony for all. Thanks!
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This lesson has been helpful for me to identify the plants and items I can use in my future yard to attract birds. I really look forward to learning about some of the plant species presented in this lesson to see what is local to me, as well as how help them grow!