Bird Watching

Our Friday Friends group spent the morning at one of the local conservation areas today to learn about birds.  I am always impressed with their programming.  The leaders are exceptional, and obviously enjoy what they are doing.  The kids today explored different bird habitats, spoke about how to identify different birds, played a few games, and too a peek into a bluebird nesting box.  The highlight for everyone was discovering a red winged blackbird nest along the lake.

The other great thing about this place is that, because of how often we are here, the kids are all completely comfortable here.  They run off exploring the forest, the meadow, and the lake, and know exactly where they are going.  It was hilarious to see the instructor pulling out what seemed to be a part of an old trombone, and letting loose with a rather off-key summons to the kids to call them back.  I only wish that we had someplace like this closer to home.  William always asks, within a day or two of visiting here, where he can go to explore and build a fort on his own close to home.  At 9 years old, the concept of how anyone could 'own' a forest just doesn't make sense.