Classroom 2 Ornithologists
Watch our Local Birds!

We have been very lucky to see several species of birds at our very own window bird feeder.

Black Capped Chickadees (lots!)
Chestnut-backed Chickadees (occasionally)
Dark Eyed Juncos (occasionally)
and...
Male and a female downy woodpeckers (occasionally)

We have seen even more species of birds in the tree outside our classroom door.
We keep a suet block in a wire basket and a hanging bird feeder with wild bird seed mix.
Each week we roll a molasses-crisco-buttered* pine cone in seeds.
(* We switched from peanut butter when we had a peanut allergy in the class.)

Black Capped Chickadees (lots!)
Chestnut-backed Chickadees (several times)
Dark Eyed Juncos (lots!)
Northwestern Crows (regular visitors)
Bushtits (occasionally, but in groups of 20+)
Downy Woodpeckers (several times)
Hairy Woodpeckers (occasionally)
Flickers (occasionally)
Song and Fox Sparrows (occasionally)
White Crowned Sparrows (occasionally)
House Sparrows (quite often)
Starlings... the "greedy birds" (2-5 at a time)
Crows (1 to 4 at a time)
Varied Thrush (several times)
Stellar's Jay (occasionally)
House Finches (occasionally)
Yellow Warbler (once)
Spotted Towhee (several times)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (once)
Rufous Hummingbirds (several times!)

 

The surprise of 2004 was finding that DUCKS had discovered our tree feeder!
(They eat the seeds that fall under our tree and paddle in the parking lot puddle!)
a male and a female pair of mallard ducks

Out in Nestor park, we have seen other birds as well.

Seagulls
Bald Eagles!
Robins
Pigeons

How to tell the difference between a hairy woodpecker & a downy woodpecker

Here are a few photos from our classroom.
It's pretty hard to get a bird photo when you are "doing school lessons" !!!

The surprise of 2004 was was a male and female pair of mallard ducks discovered our "bird feeder tree".
The female nibbles away on dropped seeds and suet while the male stands guard.
Afterwards they like to go paddling in the parking lot puddle!

 

Black-capped Chickadee at our window feeder.

Spotted Towhee in our feeder tree.

 

Northwestern Crows under our tree.

We kept this stunned junco warm until it was ready to fly away.

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Of course the children in Classroom 2 aren't the only people who enjoy bird watching! Mrs. Boekhout has been in email contact with one of our local bird watchers, Linda Timbs. Linda wrote an article in the Community Newspaper about constructing a squirrel-proof and bear-proof bird feeder! (Birds aren't the only ones that like bird seed!) Linda has an amazing collection of birdfeeders in her yard... and has kindly sent some of her photos of local birds!

Thank you, Linda, for the following great bird photos!

Now here's a selection of wonderful bird feeders!

American Goldfinch

Pileated Woodpecker

 

Merganser (front) and American Coot (back)

 

Bald Eagle

 

Great Blue Heron

 

Robin's eggs

 

White Crowned Sparrow