If you’ve been into the library lately, you may have noticed that our winter theme is birds.
They’re on the windows, hanging from the ceiling, and even “hidden” around the library for our scavenger hunt. I have always been a bird lover. As a young child, I was captivated by feathers. I had quite the collection. The vibrant colors alone made them like treasures to find! I was fascinated by eggs and the whole life cycle of birds. All I wanted for my birthday was an incubator! Candling chicken eggs and watching the chick inside grow bigger day by day became an obsession. My love of birds followed me to college and inspired me to take Ornithology 101. I loved it so much that I decided to apply for an internship at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, MO. I see the summer that I spent there as an invaluable life experience. Yep, I’m a bird nerd. And darn proud of it!
This year, I decided to expand on my love for birds and become involved in my first ever bird count! The Great Backyard Bird Count (launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society) was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time. The count is four days every February. This year happens to be the 25th year and it is scheduled for February 18th- 21st, 2022!
That is why from now until after the count, we are all about birds here at the library. I’ve got multiple activities set up to help kids (and parents) learn more about our fine feathered friends. We are also bringing back story time in February! Friday, February 4th at 3:30 join me at the library for a bird themed story, followed by a quick bird feeder craft to help attract more birds to your yard! Then, on Friday, February 18th at 3:30, come for another bird themed story time, followed by an outdoor bird count with yours truly! We will take a short walk and count all the birds we see and hear for 15-30mins (If weather is cooperative) and submit our count to the GBBC.
If you are unable to attend in person, take and make bags will be available for the bird feeder craft. Bags will also include a bird count sheet that may be used to count birds for the GBBC if you’d like to count at home and submit your own numbers. Yay for citizen scientists!