As we finish up the school year studying birds, our Marvelous Creator and generous Lord has given us not one, but two bird's nests to watch and enjoy.  The photo above is a nest in an ornamental weeping cherry tree in our front yard and the photo below is higher up in a magnolia tree in the backyard.  (We can see momma robin fly in and out but don't get to see the eggs.) 

Look closely and you'll see her head peeking out of the nest.  She sat so still while I took the picture. :-)  We can watch her from our kitchen window.   God is so good!

We are using the Apologia Elementary Science book "Flying Creatures of the 5th Day" and notebooking along the way.  Click on the "Science Spotlight" category to read more.  :-)

We've had a major focus on flying creatures this year in Science.  It has been a fun and interesting study using Jeannie Fulbright's book "Flying Creatures of the 5th Day" brought to you by Apologia.

We studied butterflies (and moths and skippers!)  in December but just recently purchased the Painted Lady caterpillers and hatched 5 of our own.  They were from an Insect Lore kit.  You send in a postcard to have your caterpillers delivered when your ready.

Here are the fuzzy little critters in the jar they arrived in.  It comes with brown gue on the bottom which they eat.   They are about a 1/2 inch long when they arrive but grow alarming fast and look hideous after 5 days:

Next comes the chrysalis stage.  All 5 morphed within 2 days of each other.  Once their all snug inside their temporary homes you transfer them to the netted cage that comes with the whole package deal.  Then the waiting begins....

On a Sunday morning, about 9 days later my daugher noticed one had emerged:

Throughout the day, in an 8 hour span, all 5 emerged!  They drip red liquid which looks horrible, like they are bleeding, but it is perfectly normal.  It's actually left over coloring from their wings.

We enjoyed watching them for a few days.  You are not suppose to release them unless the air temperature is a constant 55F or higher.  This is the reason why we waited until Spring.  Our cat especially liked them and one evening we arrived home to find their home tipped over on the floor -- but they were all fine.

We fed them sugar water soaked in cotton and orange slices.  You could easily thier proboscis unfurl before they ate. 

Finally the day came to set them free...

 Highly recommended!

We are in the midst of a 2 month long study of all things bird related!   I found this link through our Apologia Zoology 1 course web-site.

Any of you who are doing a bird study or just enjoy birds will want to view this neat video of a Mhyna bird "talking".   He speaks so clearly, it's really neat.  The video is about a minute long and you can view it full screen.

Hear the Mynah Bird
(click)

The Great Backyard Bird count is next weekend February 16 - 19th.   I plan on participating this year with DS11 and DS6 .   This coincides perfectly with our Science curriculum this year!  (Anyone doing Zoology 1 care to join us?!)  It looks very easy to participate in the count. ( See information below. )  You don't even have to commit to everyday.   And you have just enough time to set out a new bird feeder and stock up on seed before it starts.  

 Here is the list of top states and provinces from the 2006 count: 

Top 3 Provinces:
1) Ontario (1,309)
2) British Columbia (424)
3) Alberta (317)
Top 10 States:
1) New York (3,978)
2) Pennsylvania (3,173)
3) Virginia (2,863)
4) North Carolina (2,847)
5) Ohio (2,833)
6) Texas (2,754)
7) California (2,550)
8) Georgia (2,507)
9) Florida (2,263)
10) Michigan (2,071)

Great Backyard Bird Count web site! Then watch the maps as more and more people enter their reports.

That's it! Now get ready to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count because when it comes to watching birds, kids count!

I think it's going to be fun!   Now I  need to get a Northeastern US field guide!