Come Fly With Me

Yesterday we went to Beczak Environmental Center for a class called Come Fly WIth Me. After talking a bit about the Hudson River, Ms. Doreen talked to the kids about migration. She talked about the birds coming back into the Hudson River Valley after spending the winter in Florida or even parts further South. After discussing why the birds fly South for the Winter, (Lack of food, lack of shelter, cold weather,) Ms. Doreen helped the kids make a bird feeder using a small plastic plate, a water bottle, a piece of rope, and a stick. Then the kids painted their bird feeders. Next everyone went outside to play a game about migration. Each child was given a picture of a bird. Each bird was labeled as an early migrator, February and March; a middle migrator, March and April; or a late migrator, May and June. Once they all knew when their birds would migrate, the early migrators took off for their flight North. They were soon followed by the middle migrators and the late migrators. At each station along the way the little birds had to do something before continuing to the North. Sometimes they had to rub their tummies or pat their head. Sometimes they had to hop on one foot. As they made their journey North, some of the birds encounter bad weather, tornadoes, rain, and floods. Some couldn't find food so they either turned around and went South again or some of them died. The little birdies who died got a red sticker on their foreheads and then they went out to help the others. Eventually all of the birds either made it back to the Hudson Valley or well, unfortunately some didn't. Everyone came back inside to discuss what things kept some of the birds from making it back and what things helped others make the trip. It was a very educational day for everyone. Even the birds who died had a good time. As the children were leaving, they were each given a bag of birdseed to put in their bird feeders.
When we got home Dakota hung is birdfeeder in a tree. He filled it with bird seed. Well, he covered the ground with bird seed and got a few grains in the feeder. We'll have to get more from the Peapod man on Thursday.Our next class to Beczak is a hunt For Hatchlings.