A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Child's ID Booklet

I'm thinking about making up a little ID booklet for the kids in my daughter's class. I would only include the birds seen most in our area. Thought it might be a pretty neat project to work on for the next Backyard Bird Count. It might get the kids interested.

Any thoughts or ideas on this? Thorn? Is there possibly already something similar out there?

Annette

There could be, Annette. There are probably about 200 species of birds in your area in the course of the year. Contact your local Game and Fish Commission. They will probably have a Non-game Animal / Endangered Species department that have all sorts of goodies about birds in your area. We here in Nashville Tennessee have pretty much the same species of birds that you do there. My contact was Bob Hatcher, head of the Non-game species for the state of Tennessee and an old friend of the family. He has since retired, but stays active in birding.

Annette, Feeder birds and yard birds would probably be the best to do a booklet on, because they are the easiest birds for the kids to see. All the kids have to do is set up a feeder and, VOILA, these birds magically appear to feed. Use any of my photos you want.

That's what I was thinking....the feeder/yard birds. I set up a new feeder yesterday and the birds found it almost immediately! I had a couple of tufted titmice and the mom and dad bluebirds out there yesterday evening. Didn't see any of the "youngsters" like I did last weekend. HA! They are ut there right now again! I'm glad I put up the new feder where I can see it from my computer!

I am also looking for a very simple birdfeeder design that the kids could maybe make in class one day so that they wouldn't have to go out and buy one. I think I've seen one somewhere made out of a gallon jug that would be easy enough for the kids.

Thanks for the offer to use your photos! They are really good ones, and I'll be sure to credit you if I do use them! LOL I'll even send you a copy if you want!

Annette