Birds Archives

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Clark’s Nutcracker Bird Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Clark’s Nutcracker Bird Nature Study

The Clark’s nutcracker is a bird that not many of us will encounter, especially at a backyard feeder. This bird lives high in the mountains and actually is an important part of the forest’s story. As they cache seeds for their food stores, they are actually helping to broadcast the seeds that may end up sprouting into new trees to replenish the forest.

clarks nutcracker nature journal — We see the Clark’s nutcracker every time we visit Crater Lake National Park here in Oregon.

Although the nutcracker is not a common backyard bird, your family will enjoy learning how birds and their unique habits help humans and the earth.

Fun Fact:

The Clark’s nutcracker has a pouch under its tongue to carry seeds long distances. They bury tens of thousands of seeds each summer as winter food caches. The seeds not retrieved play a crucial role in new pine forests.

Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook pages.

Here are some videos for you to watch in preparation:

Clark’s nutcracker using its bill to get seeds and Clark’s nutcracker .
Make sure to look at the range maps in a field guide or on All About Birds to determine if you might live near this bird’s range.

Birds in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.

Download a sample of the book here: Bird Nature Study Set #1 Sample

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, click on over to the Join Us page at any time.

You may wish to also download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge:Sandhill Crane Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Sandhill Crane Nature Study

Our bird study is leading us to a nature study of the sandhill crane this week. I’ve long admired this bird for its unique story and its migration habits. We currently live in the migratory path of the sandhill crane. I won’t forget the evening my son and I were out on a walk and we heard the sandhill cranes coming with their bugling call far overhead. It was an awesome experience.

Then, last summer, we were out on one of the Cascade lakes and there were sandhill cranes feeding along the shore in the reeds. It was a highlight of my summer to see them up close for the very first time.

Use the Outdoor Hour Challenge to learn more about this amazing bird in hopes that someday you too will encounter it in your travels.

Watch a video and look up a link to get your study started:

Make sure to look at the range map in a field guide or on All About Birds to determine if you might spot a sandhill crane in your area. Don’t forget to think about its migratory path and the time of year you’re most likely to have a sandhill crane in your region. We’ve heard them flying overhead at certain times of the year so make sure you listen to the sound of the sandhill crane which is quite distinct, like a rattling bugle: Sandhill Crane.

Birds included in this ebook: pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.

Download a sample of the book here: Bird Nature Study Set #1 Sample

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, you can click on over to the Join Us page at any time.

You may wish to also download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Snipe Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Wilson’s Snipe Nature Study

This week’s nature study lesson features the very real and awesome snipe. It wasn’t until we moved to Central Oregon and along the river that we even thought this was a real bird! We spent quite a few evenings chasing the sound of the snipe in an attempt to figure out exactly what bird was making such an unusual sound.

Now it’s your turn!

Learn about the snipe, paying special attention to its preferred habitat and the sound that it makes.

Get started with your study of the Wilson’s snipe using the ideas below. As always, remember that the complete nature study lesson is found in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook available to Ultimate and Journey level members.

Make sure to look at the range maps in a field guide or on All About Birds to determine if you have the Wilson’s snipe in your area. Wilson’s snipe can be found among the vegetation (especially cattails, willows, sedges, and rushes) along muddy edges of ponds, vernal pools, and other wet habitats.
Learn the sound of the snipe and memorize it so you can recognize it in the future. Here’s a link to YouTube that has the sound of a snipe winnowing: Wilson’s Snipe.
Watch this YouTube video: Wilson’s Snipe. YouTube video of a snipe eating along the shore: Wilson’s Snipe. You can see in this video why they have a very long bill!

Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.

Download a sample of the book here: Bird Nature Study Set #1 Sample

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, click on over to the Join Us page at any time. A membership will give you access to all 26 ebooks currently available in the membership library. This includes the Bird Set ebook and the Learning About Birds ebook!

You may wish to also download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.

Sample: Print your ebook sample here: Learning About Birds from the Outdoor Hour Challenge.

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Trumpeter Swan Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

Trumpeter Swan Nature Study

Watching swans on a pond is a favorite memory of mine from growing up. The park in our neighborhood had swans, geese, and ducks but there was always something magical about watching a swan move across the water. Maybe it’s their large size or the fairytale connection, but I was always excited to visit the pond and watch these large, graceful birds.

This week you can use the Outdoor Hour Challenge to learn more about the trumpeter swan. As always, remember that the complete nature study lesson is found in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook available to Ultimate and Journey level members.

Here are a couple of suggestions from the challenge:

Learn the sound of the trumpeter swan and discuss how it sounds like a trumpet or horn. Here’s a link to YouTube that has the sound of a trumpeter swan: Trumpeter Swans Taking Off and Trumpeter Swans Landing.
Trumpeter swans are the largest native waterfowl in North America. Here’s a YouTube video that shows a group of trumpeters: Trumpeter Swan.
Visit a nearby pond or river to look for water birds. The trumpeter swan is the largest native water bird in North America so it will be easy to spot. Make sure to listen for the trumpeter swan!

Alternate study: Make careful observations and notes for any water birds you observe during your outdoor time.

Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.

Download a sample of the book here: Bird Nature Study Set #1 Sample

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, click on over to the Join Us page at anytime.

You may wish to also download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.

Posted on April 2, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: American White Pelican Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge

American White Pelican Nature Study

Note: If you download the sample from the Bird Nature Study Set #1, you’ll have the Outdoor Hour Challenge for the pelican to use this week. See the link below.

This week we start with a brand new series of bird studies. These birds are not covered in the Handbook of Nature Study but are rather interesting birds that you may wish to share with your family. I’ll give you a few links to introduce the bird and then Members will be able to go to the ebook for a more complete lesson on the pelican.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Choose a resource to use for the American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.
Make sure to look at the range maps in a field guide or on All About Birds. Take note of the location of their breeding area and migration route.
Here are a couple YouTube videos: Pelicans and More Advanced Video for Pelicans.

An alternate study can be made of the Brown Pelican.

Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.

Download a sample of the book here: Bird Nature Study Set #1 Sample

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, you can click on over to the Join Us page at any time.

You may wish to also download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library.

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

April Nature Study Plans and Printable

April Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

This month we’ll be starting to use the new Outdoor Hour Challenge Bird Set #1 ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library. I’m anxious to get started with this set of bird nature study challenges right alongside you and your family. I birdwatch just about every day but slowing down to take in information about one particular bird is very rewarding. Even if I’m not able to observe the bird in person, learning all about a bird ahead of time prepares me for the time when the opportunity does arise.

Just last week we spotted four killdeer in our back pasture. I easily identified this pretty bird from the details I had read in a field guide and online.

Spotting a new bird is always a thrill!

Please note that all of the birds in this series are ones not found in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Instead, the challenges will be providing field notes for each bird, as well as online links and videos. If you have access to the ebook, you’ll also have notebooking pages and coloring pages to print and use as desired.

4/2/2021 – Pelican Nature Study

4/9/2021 – Swan Nature Study

4/16/2021 – Snipe Nature Study

4/23/2021 – Sandhill Crane Nature Study

4/30/2021 – Clark’s Nutcracker Nature Study

New Printables in the Members Library

Bird’s Egg Study notebook page: One aspect of learning about birds is to learn that each bird has a unique egg. Learning the size, color, and other distinguishing features of a bird’s egg can be followed up with this notebook page.

Click the graphic above to view the complete list of printables available as part of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

Members also have access to the Nature Planner pages in their library. Print out this month’s page and use it to stimulate your weekly nature study time.

Join us graphic

If you’d like to have access to the member’s printables and the newsletter archive, I invite you to join with an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. Click the graphic above to see the many benefits of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

I highly recommend using the ebook for these challenges. I’ll be sharing just a small portion of the challenge each week here on the blog but members will have access to all of the resources for each bird.

Please note that you can opt to use the Learning About Birds ebook with your family if you feel it’s more practical. I realize not everyone will have access to the birds we study each week and the Learning About Birds ebook could supplement your bird study with information from the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Great Backyard Bird Count 2021 Coming Soon!

What? The Great Backyard Bird Count
When? February 12-15, 2021.
Who? Anyone around the world!
How? Count birds in your yard and at your feeders. Report the data to the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Need some more information?
Great Backyard Bird Count

Video: Great Backyard Bird Count

Get prepared with printable checklists for your area…by zip code or town name.

The list below includes the top ten birds counted in the Great Backyard Bird Count in 2020. I would suggest taking a look at the list and use the links to decide if you have any of these particular birds in your local area.

Several of the birds are found on the east coast so make sure to scroll down to “similar species” if you live in other areas to determine if there is a similar bird for you to watch out for in your backyard count.

Top Ten Birds Reported in the Great Backyard Bird Count 2020

5. Blue Jay

7. House Finch

9. Black Capped Chickadee

10. Red-bellied Woodpecker

If you want to start keeping a list of birds you observe, you may wish to visit this entry on:

10 Ideas for a Bird Life List.

Cornell Bird Coloring Book Dove — Download the Cornell Feeder Bird coloring book. The image above is an example that I completed for the mourning dove.

Download and save the Cornell Feeder Bird coloring book. This book has many of the most common birds you’ll see in your backyard and it makes a perfect complement to your family’s bird nature study.

Don‘t forget about the Learning About Birds ebook in the Member’s Library.

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge: Flicker Bird Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Flicker Bird Nature Study

Since writing this challenge years ago, we’ve moved to Central Oregon where we have an abundance of Norther flickers. I observe them every day at my bird feeder right outside my window. They’re such beautifully colored birds and I never get tired of watching them cling to our tree and then swoop down to the suet feeder. Their large size makes them easy to identify but we often hear them long before we see them. You may also see them land on the ground so don’t be surprised about that behavior.

I hope that you can use the links in the original challenge to look at and hear the sounds of the Northern flicker. If you would rather study another tree clinging bird, you’ll find several links in the challenge to get you started.

View the original challenge here: Outdoor Hour Challenge – Flicker.

If you have access to the Winter Nature Study Continues ebook, there are two notebook pages to choose from for your nature journal.

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, click on over to the Join Us page at any time.

You can use the discount code NATURE5 to receive $5 off your Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

You may wish to download and use the Learning About Birds ebook available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library. There are lots of birds included in this ebook, including tree clinging birds like the woodpecker and the nuthatch.

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge- Intro to Birds – Chicken Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Chicken Nature Study

“The purpose of all these lessons on the hen are: (a) To induce the child to make continued and sympathetic observations on the habits of the domestic birds. (b) To cause him involuntarily to compare the domestic with the wild birds. (c) To induce him to think for himself how the shape of the body, wings, head, beak, feet, legs, and feathers are adapted in each species to protect the bird and assist it in getting its living.” Handbook of Nature Study

Do you raise backyard chickens? Do you have friends or neighbors that have chickens? Use the ideas in this week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge to learn more about these interesting birds! The lessons in the Handbook of Nature Study can apply to all sorts of birds as well as chickens, so read through the lesson suggestions to find something to observe up close and then create a nature journal.

View the original challenge here:

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Chicken.

If you have access to the ebook, there are two notebook pages to choose from for your nature journal.

Sample to view: Outdoor Hour Challenge Autumn Nature Study 2015 Sample Pages

If you don’t have a membership yet, click the graphic above and join today for immediate access to the 26 ebooks and so much more! Remember that all levels, even the Discovery level membership, include access to all of the archived newsletters!

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge Sapsucker Bird Nature Study

Did you hear that? Rattle, tat, tat, tat! Run, look out the window, there’s a sapsucker visiting again. I hear their tap or their call and I try to sneak a peek. There is such joy in seeing this colorful woodpecker each year, a reward for the effort put into learning about him and all the other birds that come to visit.

sapsucker in yard april 2020 — Sapsucker in our yard this past April 2020.

Your family can learn about this interesting and beautiful woodpecker with this Outdoor Hour Challenge.

View the original challenge here: Outdoor Hour Challenge – Sapsucker.

If you have access to the ebook, there are two notebook pages to choose from for your nature journal.

Alternate study: Take a bird walk and look especially for birds you observe in trees.

Sample to view: Outdoor Hour Challenge Autumn Nature Study 2015 Sample Pages

Topics in this ebook include:

Swallows and swifts
Catfish
Jewelweed
Prickly lettuce
Cockroach
Field horsetail
Catbird
Calcite, limestone, marble
Chicken
Turkey
Hedgehog fungi
Sapsucker
Brooks

You may want to look at the Learning about Birds ebooks for additional bird study ideas using the Outdoor Hour Challenge. There are two other woodpeckers featured in this book: downy woodpecker and hairy woodpecker.

You’ll find this ebook in the Member’s Library.

Category: Birds

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Clark’s Nutcracker Bird Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge:Sandhill Crane Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Snipe Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: Trumpeter Swan Nature Study

Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge: American White Pelican Nature Study

To purchase an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, you can click on over to the Join Us page at any time.

April Nature Study Plans and Printable

Great Backyard Bird Count 2021 Coming Soon!

Don‘t forget about the Learning About Birds ebook in the Member’s Library.

Outdoor Hour Challenge: Flicker Bird Nature Study

You can use the discount code NATURE5 to receive $5 off your Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

Outdoor Hour Challenge- Intro to Birds – Chicken Nature Study

View the original challenge here:

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Chicken.

Outdoor Hour Challenge Sapsucker Bird Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!