For four days each February, birdwatchers of every skill level can participate in a global event for the love and wellbeing of birds.
Join us October 14th through November 18th (one day per week) for Session II
With all of the wonderful apps available, it is still a good idea to have a shelf of guides to call on. We love paging through them while planning our next exploration, exploring their beautiful illustrations, and carrying our favorites with us for quick reference.
BRDC recently hosted a Primitive Technology course as part of Galax Middle School Enrichment Week. The students were engaged with a variety of hands-on activities that connected them to skills used by early American Indians and materials found in their backyards.
"Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs."
Birding with campers at Grayson Highlands State Park 6/29/13 Julie Slater, intern at GHSP, and Blue Ridge Discovery Center have joined forces for a series of on-site programs this summer and fall. (See previous blogs regarding the currency of this association through BRDC’s Fish Bugs program.) Our choice of study for this program was Sullivan Swamp (defined as an Appalachian shrub bog), with a strong focus on birds.
Through Eric Harrold's tireless outreach, BRDC is now engaged with the Methodist Camp Dickenson here in Grayson County with a series of summer programs focused on birds and ecology. Avian Adventures made its first foray last Thursday, June 13th, and along with guide Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Eric led a group of 13 kids for a walk around the riverside property.
BRDC High School Birding Presentations
On May 23
rd
, Eric Harrold, with assistance from Scott Jackson-Ricketts, gave a brief introduction to bird identification and field guide use to five high school classes at Galax City High School.
All presentations were organized by Ms. Emily Brown and held in her classroom.
88 young people participated.
Eric had the kids use the Sibley’s Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, by showing them slides of certain species for them to find in the guide.
While the kids thumbed through the field guide, he pointed out the basics of field identification, including plumage, silhouette, habitat, behavior and other clues to sorting out one bird from the next.
Contained in the slide show was a live connection to Cornell’s Lab or Ornithology website, allowing the kids to hear bird songs and make further comparisons.
This, especially, caught their attention…listening to the wide variety of bird noises.
This effort was all in preparation for a field trip slated for the next day, in Grayson Highlands State Park, where a select group would try out their new found skills.
(See previous post.)
Scott Jackson-Ricketts
On Wednesday, February 13th, the day after our BRDC led field trip to Burkes Garden, Eric and I spent the entire day in Emily Brown's classroom introducing BRDC and birding through Avian Adventures to all five classes. (Refer to previous post.)
We used Sam Starkey's (a supporting science teacher also from Galax High School) photos for the focus of our presentation. In the picture above, we have from left to right: Bill Sturgill, Eric, and Emily...along with rapt students. Eric referred to the target birds we discovered on Tuesday, and extrapolated from there to discuss behavior, plumage, feeding strategies, habitat, migratory events, and associated land use practices within the garden.
We engaged the students by taking questions...many of which were quite sophisticated...and attempted to answer them. Emily instructed each student to respond on paper how interested they were in becoming involved in this program, who would be willing to make time for field trips, and who among them might be available for supporting an art component.
Eric and I are convinced that we have in Emily, Sam and the school staff, a enthusiastic group through which to work. We are honored to be invited into the Galax City School system, and look forward to more field trips and related programs.
Below are two more pictures from the field trip day...rolling along!
Scott Jackson-Ricketts
