It was going to be perfect. My students and parents were to arrive at 9am. Using this and these, I’d pit the kids against the adults in a raucous game of Name That Bird. Then we’d bundle up, sling on our ‘nocs, and head outside to count birds. My plan was for us to spend the first fifteen minute count period at our backyard feeder and a second hiking the woods behind our house. Then we’d head back indoors to tally our data and eat the fourteen thousand cookies my kids and I baked yesterday. Perfect, yes?
Almost.
It was pouring rain at 5am.
And at 6am.
By 8am, I began making calls to parents.
Sigh.
BUT, by 9:30am the rain had let up some and it was brightening outside. A few chickadees appeared at the feeder. Perhaps all was not lost? Although none of my students would be there to take part, my family and I decided to brave the slush and see what data we could collect for scientists at the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Count 1 (at the feeder):
4 Black-capped chickadees
3 Nuthatches
6 Goldfinches
1 Gull (he was flying so we couldn’t identify him further)
1 Blue jayCount 2 (in the woods)
1 Dark-eyed junco
1 Nuthatch
1 Chickadee
1 Red-tailed hawk (spotted by my six year-old just as she was about to leave the count for warmer destinations … like the kitchen)
1 Hairy woodpecker
Not bad! Not bad at all!
We’ll submit our data to the National Audubon Society later today; first we’ve got some cookies to eat.
Did you count birds today? What did you see?