Melanie
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Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
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I was surprised at how many owl species there are across the world. I love listening to all their songs and calls. One thing that stuck with me is how the size of their talons depends on the major source of prey.
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This was fun and interesting. The thing that surprised me the most was the gray fox!
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I had never really considered where they nest and how little they prepare their nests. They are also somewhat unusual in that the female begins incubating immediately after the start of laying, so that the young are not all exactly the same age. I wonder if this affects the younger ones? Do they learn by watching their older siblings? Does this give them an advantage? I like that owls are nocturnal and I love listening to their songs and calls (both live and recorded). I really enjoy hearing the little screech owls around our house. Sometimes there are many and seem to be calling from all around us. Especially in late summer. The duets are rather unusual for birds, I think. I guess a bird pair that relies a lot on sound really does need to vocalize with each other.
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I am visiting this website that you recommended. I remember as a youngster, watching Born Free (and reading it) and being fascinated with Joy's pet hyrax, Patty. Thanks for reminding me of how cool these critters are!
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As a teacher, I am SO excited to see a young person so interested in owls and ornithology!! Keep up the great work, Annie.
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The variety of their diets is amazing. Probably why some owls are so successful. I am surprised at how many eat insects. Owls are such an important part of our ecosystem!
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I certainly hear them fairly frequently where I live, but seldom see them. There is a state park near me where a little screech owl often hides in a hole high in a tree and if you really focus, you can just barely make him out. The camouflage is amazing!
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I will use the curiosity mindset and open ended questioning when leading outdoor programs for children and adults through the Virginia Master Naturalist program of which I am a volunteer. I also plan to use these skills as I try to nurture a child's natural curiosity by introducing them to materials in the elementary library where I am a librarian. I hope to use the curiosity mindset and open-ended questioning to get kids to explore on their own through books. If I could take them outside, I would, but I have to leave that to parents!!
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I had several people who inspired me as a child. My father, a United Methodist preacher, taught me the connection between social justice and environmental stewardship. He was the first person I ever heard of who had a compost pile and only gardened organically. No chemicals, ever! My maternal grandmother loved bird (and squirrel) feeding and shared that love with me. She also loved wildflowers and we would amble the woods and talk about them. She purposely encouraged native violets in her flowerbeds! My mother allowed me and my siblings to play in the woods near our house from dawn to dusk, as long as we checked in for meals. Our vacations were mostly spent in nature or in historical areas--no theme parks for us. And I never missed them.
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I enjoy challenging my students to various scavenger hunts, such as find something heart shaped, something yellow, something that comes in pairs, etc. Students will often go above and beyond the challenges presented and find all kinds of interesting things that leads to more questions and more discoveries. I am most curious about sounds in nature, especially bird sound and insect sound. The more I research about bird song, the more questions I have and the more I learn. But what I enjoy most is just listening!
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When my son was young, we would give names to places on our property as we walked and explored. (I am very blessed to own an old, overgrown farm). We made signs for some of these places and trails. Most of the signs still exist and we still refer to areas of our farm as "Rivendale," "North Forty," "Fernwood Trail" and "Sophie's Grove." The names and memories are special to us and we like to note how much things have changed over the years. His friends still come to visit and like to visit these special, named places, too. I could imagine leading a group of kids through a park and having them name special natural areas after things that are meaningful to them, then making a list of the natural things that occur in their special place.
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My grandmother and grandfather fed birds. My grandmother was also a gardener. She always pointed out birds and squirrels and the cool things they were doing. She also introduced me to some really cool wildflowers. To my day, Ghost Pipe is my favorite plant. We discovered it near our cabin together when I was 8 or 9. I am 59 now and I go searching for it every year. I was lucky enough to live near the woods. The woods were my playground. We had paths, places named, streams to splash in. Being outside was a part of my life. One of my favorite things was to catch little toadlets in the spring and make habitats for them. Just for a few days. Then I'd let them go again. I am currently an elementary school librarian. My goal this year is to foster an interest in nature through books.
Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)