Backyard fun for all the family………..

We are incredibly fortunate to have so many amazing birds visit our backyard. From the majestic Eagles and Vultures to the tiniest Humming Birds.

American Robin on the Rowan (Mountain Ash)

When we moved to British Columbia we noticed everything seemed so much bigger. Even the backyard birds-in particular the Robins. Back in Scotland the backyard Robin is half the size of the American Robin.

Connecting Kids to Nature

Not only do birds brighten up your day with their beautiful chorus, they also are fascinating to watch with your family.

Bird watching is so much fun. Kids are naturally curious and love to learn. The behavior of wild birds is what makes them so fascinating to watch.

Several weeks ago, birds flocked to the garden for the Rowan berries and the acorns that festooned the Mighty Oaks . There seemed to be a sense of urgency.

Look who flew in………

A Stellar Jay lands on the fence post-what’s he looking for?

I think he has his eyes on the Acorns………….

I took lot’s of photographs trying to catch the Jay with his prize possession. No luck, then my husband asked for the camera and captured this great shot-first time.

Children and Nature were meant to be together.

For a child, capturing wildlife on camera is such a thrill…especially birds. All our children love to take photographs. They use the camera as much as my husband and I.

Encourage your children to make a bird journal. Samuel loves to draw, so he is adding lot’s of bird sketches along with his photographs, to his journal.

Borrow a Bird Guide book from your local library.

Binoculars are a favorite with Sam..especially when we are on our deck watching the Vultures soar.

Encourage the birds to your yard

Sam managed to catch this little Chickadee on camera-they are so incredibly fast.

Bird Feeder

Now that most of the berries and acorns have been eaten, the birds will need your help. Make your own bird feeder by recycling an old plastic bottle and watch your children’s reactions as birds begin to arrive at your feeder.

Sam made this bird feeder back in Spring

Birds particularly like feeders hung in trees, because the branches provide perching spots when the birds aren’t actually feeding.

Put a Bird Box up

The first thing we added to our backyard when we arrived almost 5 years ago, was David Jnr’s bird box. He painted it, then climbed up the ladder and attached it to the tree.

Let your children paint their very own bird box.

Some birds are really hard to spot!

This makes it a fun activity for children when they really have to hunt for the birds. Samuel and Jasmine  spotted this Wood Pecker-what camouflage!

This Wood Pecker is our natural Alarm Clock…sometimes he goes off a little too early!

Birds are an Inspiration

Children are born with a sense of curiosity, joy and wonder about the natural world — climbing trees, picking berries, splashing in puddles, planting seeds, listening to bird song and chasing butterflies — but they are spending less time than ever before outdoors. A sense of discovery will allow children to appreciate the beauty of nature and the natural treasures it holds, and through discovery, they will gain respect for the wildlife and will ultimately want to help protect it.

My hope is that my Little Humbug book characters inspire children to go outside and discover the birds, the trees, the bees and the butterflies in their own backyard or the local park or forest.

Introducing one of my book characters : LUCY THE BIRD KEEPER

Lucy is like a mother to all the little birds of the forest. She treasures each precious moment spent with her feathered friends. That is why she’ll make time to join them, at first light, in the sweet singing of The Dawn Chorus.

Lucy the Bird Keeper Doll is a Butterfly Girl and comes cocooned in a chrysalis just like real butterfly. The cocoon was designed to double as the packaging-eliminating the need for wasteful packaging.

Tags: bird watching, connecting kids to nature, kids outdoors, Lucy the Bird Keeper, Lucy the Butterfly Girl, Nature, wildlife

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Artists, Design, Environment, Family, Illustration, Nature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.