[obol] 4th Grade Birders- Silverton

[JohnPam]

Hello OBOLers,

We have started walking the playground brushline with a new bunch of 4th
grade birders: teaching them some rudimentaries on the donated bins (Leupold
& Stevens especially)  and seeing what can be seen in these warm summerlike
days. We go out in small groups of 3-4 and walk the edge of the playground
where oak trees, wild cherry, black hawthorne, etc. are thick. Started
yesterday.

Most of the kids saw Turkey Vultures overhead before they glided away last
week. A few have seen some Cedar Waxwings as well. On walks the past two
days, we have seen BC Chickadee, Eu Starling, Am Crow, and a large group of
Western Scrub Jays. We heard the descending whistle-like call of the
White-crowned Sparrow but couldn't quite see him. One of the Scrub Jays was
so brilliant he looked like he belonged in a tropical forest rather than an
oak tree in Oregon. OK, we saw only a very few species to start but it was
exciting (!!!) anyway. Believe me! Sensory overload!

At least half a dozen kids asked many questions about birds and some even
stayed to talk to me when recess started. Yes, this is "Citizen Science" but
mainly it is a lot of fun to see the real world with new eyes.

This is under the auspices of Cornell's Classroom FeederWatch/ BirdSleuth
and Mrs. Rindy's 4th Grade Class at Robert Frost Elem in Silverton. Pam is
on staff and will be hopefully also be able to take the students out on some
15 minute bird walks as time permits this fall and winter. If all the
details can be worked out, we will again take the 4th graders over to the
nearby Oregon Gardens ponds to see/hear Virginia Rails and any other
marsh-loving birds that are over there. (I checked yesterday and both upper
ponds had Rails squawking back at me to the combo Rail/Sora track I sent
their way.)

Good Birding,
John Thomas (& Pam Reid)
Silverton