"Rite of Passage" assignment

I love this assignment, even though I'm not sure if it is what the professor was looking for.

Bird Extravaganza: the Gathering of Feathered Nations

When we first started talking about a Rite of Passage I felt a little overwhelmed. I don’t have much classroom experience and wasn’t really sure how a Rite of Passage could be incorporated into the things I do know (teaching in the fields, Educational Kits, etc). I came up with an idea to create not only personal “steps” in this Rite of Passage, but a classroom goal as well. My hope is that this could be incorporated into outdoor education programs and into the Educational Kits that we send to classrooms. At this point, I must also mention that I think birds are an excellent way to connect kids with nature in general and this Rite of Passage (and the activity that precedes it) can be incorporated into any classroom as an extra activity.

My idea behind this Rite of Passage is not only teaching students how to identify birds but also about their life history (what they eat, where they live, etc). Each student will have a card similar to a BINGO card with blank squares. Students will be shown bird cards, played bird songs and will do various bird-related activities daily, for a month. There will also be a “bird of the day,” including a picture of and life history for the bird, featured every day in class. Before each bird lesson, the teacher will show students birds and play bird songs and have the students write down which birds they think they are seeing/hearing. Time at the beginning of the lesson will also be dedicated to having students talk about the birds they saw at home and on the ride to and from School.

At the beginning of the month, all students will start out as birdwatcher. Each time a student identifies five birds they will become a different type of bird. The levels are: birder, naturalist, scientist and expert. Each week will end with a ceremony where students receive a flag depicting the level they have attained.

Finally, at the end of the month, the Bird Extravaganza: the Gathering of Feathered Nations will happen. Students will make a mask depicting their favorite bird. Students will wear their masks to a gathering of feathered nations, a celebration of birds and the students’ accomplishments. At the gathering, students will be given ribbon to put their flags together with so the flags can be displayed at home. Throughout the month, students will compile information about what birds eat and will compare what birds eat to human foods. Students will wear their masks to the gathering and eat foods inspired by birds. For example, berries, corn, bird nest cookies with chocolate eggs (see recipe), trail mix, cherries, oranges and granola. To mimic nectar teachers can serve simple syrup and ginger ale (sparkling water or lemonade can be substituted) drink (see recipe for Thimbleberry and rosemary simple syrup as an example). Red Kool-aid looks like commercial hummingbird nectar and can be used instead of simple syrup.

My hope is that this activity not only teaches students about birds, but inspires them to learn more about them. I also think this could be a fun activity to bring students together, and encourage a stronger connection to the world around them.

Thesis, projects and birding oh my!

Oh I've had a jolly time birding and a pleasant (though not nearly as jolly) time working on my thesis proposal and big project. I've had a few gnarly conversations with members of the biology faculty at my school regarding indigenous peoples and traditional ecological knowledge and current conservation efforts. Thus I've got myself going in several directions research-wise but...i feel very okay with that. Further birding adventures have offered up great birds and wonderful times. I meet with my committee next week to discuss my proposal. I've got my fingers crossed that I get the "thumbs up." I am actively working on homework right now (despite my desire to not be) but felt compelled to post this song...its is adorable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQdC8YrrZI

I can't figure out how to post the video and quite frankly I don't have the time/desire to figure it out! Soon(ish) I shall post some of the great stuff I have for my collectory!

Birding Break

Delightfully, I decided to take a break from the hussle, bussle and stress of the week to go birding. I've never wandered North Mtn. Park before and there have been white-throated sparrows reported there. Unfortunately I did not see any white-throated sparrows, I DID see many birds that I haven't seen in quite awhile (Fox Sparrow, Pine Siskin and a large flock of female/juvenile Red-winged Blackbirds to name a few). It was nice to be out and about. I then went to see my horse and on the way spotted an adult Golden Eagle on a telephone pole. Lovely!

I've decided on a thesis topic. I had narrowed the project down to three possible focal points (residential vs migratory bird response to playback, response to neighbor vs stranger songs, and response to overlap vs alternating song). Feeling completely unable to make a decision I made several slips of paper for each topic and drew one from a hat. Residential vs Migratory it is! Now to get this thesis proposal finalized!

Finally, my "big project" for one of my classes is about Birds (shocking, I know). This project will include notes about the birds I see in my daily life, thesis related papers and whatnot, anything I find in the media about birds, quotes from other people about birds in their lives and things of this nature. Kind of following a "Birds in our Daily Live" kind of theme. I'm calling it "Growing Up Bird." Which reminds me that I will probably write about the similarities between juvenile birds and humans (I see many of them!). Anyone out there interested in contributing your thoughts and experiences, whether daily or growing up, please leave a comment with your quote, story, etc. Thanks!

I've come to realize that my life is quite literally all about birds right now. The majority of my projects are about them, I'm birding regularly and my spare time is filled with thesis research/proposal writing. I'm certain I've never been happier!

Thesis Project woes

I feel as though every time I talk about my thesis I feel more confused. Or like the project just keeps ballooning. Then shrinking. Then becoming something new. Something partially new, really. I've discovered that there isn't nearly as much research about Bewick's wren song/singing behavior as I'd like. That I will likely have to gather some baseline-type data myself (do they sing at dawn or dusk? do they have both type one and type two songs? what is their "normal" singing behavior?). There is talk about banding wrens to no for sure which birds I am monitoring. AND the coupe de grace is studying the effects of playback on the documented singing behavior. I can't tell if I've bitten off more than I can chew or not. What I do know is, I adore wrens, Bewick's wrens are not commonly nationwide and Bewick's wrens seem to be studied very little (outside of Donald Kroodsma who's PhD dissertation, from Oregon State, in the mid-70s involved Bewick's wrens at Finley NWR). Whew!

Klamath Basin/Shasta weekend

Man, oh man! I took a break from the homework deluge (already) this weekend and headed to the Klamath Basin. The lakes were all predominantly ice and therefore the waterfowl birding was not quite what I'd hoped for. Still saw large flocks of snow and canada geese, some ross's geese, tundra swans and various ducks just not the size or variety I'm used to in the Klamath Basin. There were also many bald eagles, a juvenile golden eagle (hurray), rough-legged hawks, several loggerhead and northern shrikes (the first time I've seen a northern shrike!), a townsend's solitaire (also a first), cassin's finches, a great-horned owl and red crossbills (a first that I have been waiting most of my life for!). This is not a complete list, but an exciting list nevertheless. We hiked Captain Jack's Stronghold at sunset. We drove from Klamath Falls to Weed, a side of Shasta I've never seen. I find the Klamath Basin/Mt Shasta/Lava Beds part of this region to be so amazing. Breathtaking. A wonderful way to start the year/term. Here's to a year of great birding!

"Collectory"

The "big project" for one of my classes is to be a collection of something we are interested in, related to our "subject" and related to adolescent development. Logically I have decided to work on collecting bits and pieces about birds (I basically have a collectory at home of bird-related "stuff"). I'm not sure how to relate this to adolescent development, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Additionally, I discovered that I have to pay $2 EACH for Interlibrary Loan journal articles. This could be expensive as SOU doesn't subscribe to a great deal of the journals I need access to for my thesis. I still haven't heard from one of the professors that agreed to be a member of my thesis committee. I've got to track him down this week. I also still need to find a third (or forth) member. It has been recommended that I contact the ornithologist at the USFWS Forensics Lab in Ashland. I'd be pretty excited if he agreed to be on my committee. I've also greatly refined my project (I think) and am feeling more excited about things overall. Also, more concerned about time, timing and things of that nature. Ah well, the life of a graduate student!

Winter Term 2012

Today, the last day of winter break, finds me thinking about the coming months. About the mountains of homework. Of art I'm sure I'll want to create. Of the birding I will do for fun and for my thesis. Here I am, one being, alone in this world. Content to just be me. Hoping for so much.

While recently in Eugene, I saw the largest female red-tailed hawk I've ever seen. This seems like a good sign to me. Of what, I am not sure. Sanity. Success in school. Continued happiness in being alone. Whatever it is, I delighted by the discovery!