Saturday, July 14, 2012

Birdwatching Class and Bird Walk

On Thursday the 12th, my dad and I lead a birdwatching class for children at the Majestic View Nature Center.  About 9 kids showed up with about the same number of parents.  The class included a lesson in how to use binoculars, identification of common Colorado birds, a short bird walk and finding neat birds in the bird books.

The kids trying out the binoculars.



My dad showing how to use the binoculars and going over some common Colorado birds.


Short bird walk by the lake.

On Saturday morning, my dad and I lead two bird walks for the children and anyone else who wanted to join in.  Three of the kids and their families came as well as a few other local birders.  Some of the species we saw included: Black-capped Chickadee, a female Wood Duck, Red-tailed Hawk, numerous Red-winged Blackbirds, Black-crowned Night-heron, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker and a surprise, last minute appearance by a Cooper's Hawk as we and another family were about to leave the refuge. 

Here are some photos from the walks: 

Checking out Northern Flickers and Red-winged Blackbirds.

A posing Red-winged Blackbird.

American Robin enjoying choke cherries.

Looking for birds.

Checking out birds in the trees across a pond.



My dad explaining the flight characteristics of the American Goldfinch.


Scanning the western section of the refuge.



Female Red-winged Blackbird. Took me a good few minutes to find it.

A Red-tailed Hawk that flew directly overhead.

Common Grackle in the brush.

Black-capped Chickadee in the trees.

The Cooper's Hawk that made an appearance.

In other news, Joyce, a member of the Two Ponds board, went and lobbied at Senator Mark Udall's meeting to try to get funding for a nature center at the refuge! Hope it went well and if you want to, contact Senator Udall and support this effort!
Also...a male Calliope Hummingbird visited our feeder today! Along with the Broad-taileds that have established their territory here and the male Rufous Hummingbird that has come by recently and seems to be hanging around.

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