Wrapping up 2015 Bird Sleuth program at Grayson County High School

We had two working classes: Becky Absher’s ecology and Deb Greif’s/Kathy Davis' math analysis. Working with both classes from March through April, Blue Ridge Discovery Center focused on acquainting the students with local birds, their habitats and behavior. Starting in early March, we divided up our instruction time between in-class studies and outdoor walks behind the school. Through Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology curriculum, called Bird Sleuth, we watched a series of videos dedicated to the skills of bird id and natural history. Outside, along Stinky Creek, we set up a few bird feeders to draw in common feeder birds, giving us the opportunity to put our new-found skills to test.

When the weather turned to warmer days, we initiated a series of field trips to offer the kids a chance to observe birds in different habitats while giving them ideas for developing their hypotheses, a crucial component of this program. We began at the Grayson County Recreation Park, moving on to the Matthews State Forest and Don Philen’s farm in Baywood. Our last field trips were held at the Cox’s Chapel Low Water Bridge.

As questions morphed into hypotheses, the students created a series of observable phenomena as presented:

• There are more small birds than large birds (small and large defined by the study groups)

• There are more birds found in a coniferous forest than a hardwood forest

• The dimorphism displayed by birds of the same species is mostly explained by sex

On May 21, Greif and Kathy Davis held a presentation ceremony for their class, (while Absher’s class had previously conducted an internal review). What follows is a series of photos from the ceremony, in celebration of the student’s hard work. BRDC is appropriately grateful for the chance to work inside the public schools with such support at Absher, Greif and Davis have offered. We are also grateful to the kids who, regardless of their inherent interest in birds, go away with an experience that they will never forget.

And to top off the ceremony, as she did last year, Deb Greif made a bird cake!

Bird Sleuth at Grayson County High School

In consideration of spending more time outdoors, and that we are studying birds, the BRDC guides decided to initiate this year’s Bird Sleuth in March, not January, as we did last year.  This Cornell Lab of Ornithology program has different components, and the one we chose for this year is called “Most Wanted Birds” which offers a more basic approach to bird study.  

We are working in two Grayson County High School classrooms:  Becky Absher’s 2nd block and Deborah Greif’s and Kathy Wilson’s  4th block, twice each week for all of March and most of April.  Both classes average 10 students, smaller than last year, offering us a better opportunity to fully engage each student.  The reception has been positive.  By the end of March we should have accomplished most of our indoor studies, and will concentrate on bird identification in the field through a series of short field trips to local ‘hot spots’.

The main goals of Most Wanted are to familiarize students with birds’ size and shape, habitat preference, behavior, feeding strategies and other identification clues.  We study songs, body parts and the nomenclature, molting regimens, flight patterns and seasonal expectations including migration patterns.  Gaining skills with field guides and binoculars are essential to the success of field identification.  The students are keeping journals including written descriptions and sketching exercises.  

Behind the school, along the now infamous Stinky Creek, we have set up several bird feeders, which amazingly attract quite a variety of passerines, or songbirds…including Carolina Chickadee, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, and Blue Jay…while scratching on the ground beneath the feeders we can expect Song Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wren, and White-Throated Sparrow.  

Along the trail we often startle the territorial Northern Mockingbird, and above us American Crows call, and both Black and Turkey Vultures soar.  But so far, the most exciting thing that has happened surprised even our adult birding guides.  Just as we arrived at Stinky Creek one afternoon, everyone noticed much activity in the brushy area that included some leftover berries.  From a decent distance, we all put our binoculars on the action which turned out to be a largish flock of Cedar Waxwings.  How many?  My guess is 30 to 40.  After everyone got good looks through the lenses, we stealthily moved closer, and eventually ended up within arm’s reach of the oh so beautiful waxwings, who seemed not to be bothered one bit by us.  Every single one of us understood that this was a special event not soon to be repeated.