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September Kids Activity Calendar |
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|| KIDS PAGES -- SEPTEMBER ACTIVITY CALENDAR! September Kids Activity Calendar September 1 Make Some Paint from Crushed Rock Have you ever seen color photographs of the cave paintings in Lascaux, France? These powerful paintings (dating back over 15,000 years!) have also taught us what prehistoric peoples painted with. Their paints were generally made with crushed rock mixed with either water or animal blood or fat. Red clay mixed with blood gave them red; yellow was made with ocher, a clay containing iron oxide. White paints were made from white clay or lime; and black was either charcoal or ground-up manganese ore. Modern paints are still made with many natural pigments, and you can make your own paint right at home. Look for nicely colored material (such as clay or crumbly rock) and crush it into a fine powder. (Use a hammer or a mortar and pestle). This is your pigment. To turn it into paint, you need to bind it with a medium. Try liquid starch or soap flakes mixed with water. Corn starch and even corn syrup can be used. Egg yolks are also a possibility (these are actually used to create a paint known as egg tempera). Other binds can be found at an art supply store. Glues and polymers are used in commercial paints and can be bought for making your own. Read the labels on tubes of watercolors or oil paints to see what minerals are used for the various colors. You might get some ideas for your own paints. September 2 Look for Autumn Wildflowers Some plants donât flower until late summer or early autumn. In colder regions, these may be the last to bloom until the following spring. You may know the lovely gentians, plants that grow in moist meadows and along streams. Most species are violet or blue, although there is a yellow gentian. Yellow is also the color of one of the most familiar fall flowers, the goldenrod. Goldenrods come in all sorts of shapes. some of wand-like; others are full and feathery. People who suffer from hay fever often blame the goldenrod. Actually, ragweed and other wind-pollinated plants in bloom at the same time are the culprits. Goldenrod blossoms dye yarn a lovely golden color. Asters bloom in late summer, too. These plants, ranging in color from white to pale blue to deep purples, are sometimes confused with the fleabanes. (Fleabanes bloom earlier in the season, and have fuller looking blossoms). The name aster comes from the Greek for ãstar.ä What color asters can you find growing near you? You may even have some in your garden. Asters, generally with showier blooms than the wild varieties, are popular garden plants. September 3 Watch a September Sunset Have you ever wondered why sunsets (and sunrises) are so colorful? When the sun is low on the horizon, its rays shine through the lower atmosphere, which is full of floating particles, from dust to industrial pollutants. The impurities scatter the light so that only the red and yellow wavelengths are visible to the human eye. In late summer, the amount of dust and pollen in the air is even greater, which is why sunsets this time of year are so spectacular. In fact, you may have noticed how colorful sunsets are in urban areas. Air pollution plays a big part. Other air disturbances, such as dust storms and floating volcanic ash also contribute to unusual sunsets. Out west in dry, desert regions, the sunsets are especially vivid, as any cowboy whoâs ridden off into the sunset will tell you! September 4 Look for Flying Ants Did you know that ants have wings? In late summer, the queens and males grow wings as part of the mating ritual. Sometimes youâll see a whole swarm of flying ants. Itâs a pretty impressive sight, especially when you realize that all the males will die after this point in their lives. Their sole reason for living is to mate with the queen. Once they have fulfilled this bargain, they donât return to the colony. They are eaten by birds and other animals. The queens, however, go into hibernation until the next spring. The eggs they lay will develop into a new generation of workers (the majority of ants - - those that construct the colonies, look after the queens, and raise the young) and mating males. September 5 Dig Up Some Edible Roots The roots of cultivated crops - - carrots and beets, for instance - - arenât the only plant roots that are delicious. This is a good time of year to dig up some of the edible roots that grow in the wild. Cattail rhizomes (the proper name for the roots of this plant) are very good. In fact, the shoots, stalks, rhizomes and pollen are all edible! Cattails grow in marshy areas, so dress properly for wading in water. Take a spade with you to dig up the plants. Peel the rhizomes and cook them like potatoes, or dry them and pound them into a flour that can be used like wheat flour. Other edible roots include the tubers of the day lily, which can be dug up any time after blooming; groundnut tubers; and Jerusalem artichokes, not artichokes at all, but native American sunflowers! Take only what you really need, because the plants have no way of regenerating when you take roots and all. September 6 Make a Seed Chart On a breezy day in late summer or early autumn, you can witness one of the marvels of nature. Along roadsides and in untamed meadows, the air is often thick with the floating seeds of the thistle and milkweed plants. The downy parachutes sometimes travel several mils before settling to the ground! Why do you suppose they do this? If the parent plant just dropped its seeds, the seeds wouldnât stand a chance. The parent plant (especially if itâs a perennial that lives year after year in the same spot) is already using the available water and space and sunlight, so many seeds are designed to travel some distance to find a spot of bare earth. Make a chart that shows some of the ways seeds get around. Divide a large sheet of paper board into six sections, one for each method of dispersal. Glue or tape down actual seeds as you find them. Many can be found this time of year, but check in the spring and summer, too. Seeds have some pretty clever ways of getting around. Helicopters: Maples, Elms, Ashes Hitchhikers: Burdocks, Cockleburs, Beggarâs Ticks Parachutists: Dandelions, Milkweeds, Thistles Delectables: Apples, Cherries, Berries Floaters: Coconuts, Cranberries, Lotuses Missiles: Jewelweeds, Witch hazels, Wood sorels September 7 Collect Wildflower Seeds If you would like to attract a wide range of animals to your property, grow some wildflowers. Cultivated blooms are very lovely, but many birds, bees and butterflies prefer the native plants. How do you go about planting wildflowers? You can buy seeds (and plants, too) for many native species, but why not collect your own seeds? On your walks through meadows look for plants that you would like to grow in your own garden or lawn. Mark the plants with some kind of waterproof marker (dab a bit of paint on the end of a stake), because when itâs time to gather the seeds, many plants will have lost their petals. You may not recognize them. Collect the ripe seeds before they disperse. Only take what you really need. Many wildflower seeds need several months of cold before they are ready to sprout. Either plant them in your garden now, where they will lay dormant until the spring, or put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until itâs time to plan in the spring. September 8 Make a Burdock Figure Burdocks are among the plants that send their seeds hitchhiking. Have you ever come home from a walk through an overgrown field with round burrs sticking to your clothing? Long-haired dogs have a rough time of it when they come in contact with burdocks, too. The barbed burrs get tangled in their fur in no time. Burdock burrs not only stick to other things, they stick to one another. You can use burrs to make figures, such as people or animals. Or make them into a ball, or a pyramid. One man was so impressed by the way that burrs stick to things, that he began playing around with a manmade version. Do you know what he invented? You guessed it - - Velcro®! September 9 Plan a Meal from Your Garden By now youâve probably eaten a lot out of your garden. Why not plan an entire meal with the vegetables and fruits youâve grown? Ask your mother to help you come up with ways to creatively use the produce. Make a steaming vegetable soup, or toss some finely diced veggies into an omelet. Make a vegetarian pizza; toss a spectacular salad. And for dessert, serve up some slices of zucchini bread, or whip us a strawberry shortcake with some frozen strawberries that you picked earlier in the year. Donât forget to include some edible flowers. Nasturtiums give salads a little punch! Other kinds of petals can be candied and used as edible decorations on cakes and cookies. Make your own candied violets, mint leaves, and rose petals. Paint the fresh, dry leaves and petals with a little beaten egg white (just whisk it for a minute or so). Dip each into some extra-fine granulated sugar, and let dry on a sheet of waxed paper. September 10 Hunt for Autumn Mushrooms Autumn is one of the best times to go hunting for edible mushrooms. A walk through the woods in search of them is a treat for the senses. Everything smells so earthy. Just like mushrooms! Some of the choice mushrooms youâll find include the boletes, oyster mushrooms, cauliflower fungus (how do you think this mushroom got its name?), and hen of the woods. Hen of the woods, growing near the ground on tree trunks and stumps looks just like the ruffled feathers of a sitting hen. Donât eat ANY mushrooms unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure they arenât poisonous. Donât go by pictures in a book. Have an EXPERT make sure that the ones you have found are edible. Remember to wash your hands after your handle wild mushrooms. Look for artistsâ shelf fungus, a shelf mushroom that grows on dead trees. You can draw on the underside with a pencil (be careful not to leave any fingerprints). When the fungus dries, the drawing will be permanent. September 11 Make Mushroom Spore Prints Mushrooms reproduce by means of spores. (Remember mushrooms are a type of fungi, they arenât plants at all). What do these spores look like? Make a spore print and find out. You need to use a gilled mushroom, like the kind you buy in the supermarket. Remove the stem and place the mushroom flat side down on a sheet of dark construction paper. Cover the mushroom cap with a small bowl to keep any drafts from blowing away the tiny spores. Carefully life the cap after several hours. Do you see the pattern the spores have made? In nature, spores that land in moist soil or other favorable places develop into mycelium, an underground network of threads. Mycelium is often present for years, undetected until a rain makes the threads swell and pop through the soil. These swellings are mushrooms. September 12 Make Vegetable Prints Potatoes are among the most versatile vegetables. You can bake them, boil them, mash them, and fry them. But did you know that you can also print with them? Cut a potato in half and carve a design on the cut surface. Only the raised part will print, so cut away what you donât want to show. Let the potato dry for at least an hour (the ink will adhere better). Use real ink or slightly watered-down poster paints. dip the potato into the ink, or brush it on carefully with a small brush. Press the potato onto paper, positioning it carefully so that it wonât smudge. Try printing with apples. They have a ready-made design right inside them! Cut an apple in half across its middle. Do you see the star-shaped cavity? Slice an orange in half for another interesting print (let citrus fruits dry for 2-5 days first). Slice green peppers, cauliflower and broccoli flowerets, and mushrooms for other unusual shapes. Print your own greeting cards or wrapping paper (use a grocery bag split open). Experiment with different combinations of vegetables and fruits. September 13 Bring Houseplants Indoors Any houseplants that have spent the summer outdoors should be brought back into the house, soon. It is best to return them well before the heat is turned on, so that they can make the adjustment with no trouble. Even so, your plants will probably lose some of their leaves, so donât worry if this happens. Itâs a good idea to wash your plants before you bring them indoors. If you can, isolate them from other plants for a while, too. A lot of insect pests move indoors right along with your plants. Keep an eye out for white flies, aphids, and spider mites. If you catch these insects before they get a chance to multiply, your plants will thank you. September 14 Make a Harvest Figure Making harvest figures goes back a long way. In England, where ãcornä refers to any grain, such as wheat, rye or oats, they are called corn dollies. Traditionally, the braided dollie represented the corn spirit that ensured a plentiful harvest. The dollie was made with the last sheaf of wheat in the fields, and saved until the following year when a new one was made. Why not make a harvest figure from the plant Americans call corn? All you need to make a corn husk doll is some fresh or dried husks (soak the dry ones in water to soften them), string, and a small bit of cotton. Place the cotton in a piece of husky, twisting and tying it to make the head. Make arms by rolling a single strip of husk and tying it near the ends for hands. Slide the arms through the husk under the head. Tie the waist with string. Arrange five or six husks around the dollâs waist and tie them in place. Carefully fold them down to make a long skirt. Cut the skirt straight across at the hem for a woman; divide the skirt in two and tie each half at the ankles to make a man. Let the doll dry completely. May the harvest be a good one! September 15 Bake a Loaf of Bread Do you and your family ever bake bread at home? Thereâs nothing like a hot loaf fresh from the oven! A very special loaf can be made in celebration of the harvest season. Some breads have two or three types of flour in them, but this one has seven grains! (See recipe below). You may go to a health store for fine the rye, barley, and rice flours, since most supermarkets only stock wheat flours. Gather all the ingredients together, read the recipe instructions carefully, and fill your house with the smell of freshly-baked bread. SEVEN WITH ONE BLOW! Seven Grain Bread (This bread is as delicious as it is nutritious!) 1 envelope yeast 2 cups lukewarm water (105-115 degrees F.) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup rolled oats 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup honey 1 cup rye flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup barley flour 1/2 cup rice flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 3 cups all purpose flour Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of the lukewarm water. Pour the rest of the water over the oats in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add the yeast to the oats; then add the eggs, salt, and honey. Stir until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients, using as much all-purpose flour as you need to make a fairly stiff dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and knead briefly. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape into loaves and place in two greased loaf pans. Cover with a towel and let rise for about one hour. Bake the loaves in a pre-heated oven (375 degrees F.) for about an hour, or until the tops are nicely browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove the pans and cool on a rack. Makes two loaves. September 16 Note the First Frost The first frost of the season can take you by surprise, but you donât want to let that happen if you still have tomatoes on the vines, or other plants in the garden that will wither with cold. How do you know when the first frost will hit? Well, you canât be sure without listening to a weather report every evening. But your local nursery will be able to tell you when the first expected frost will be. Based on records that are kept every year, they know when the autumn frost is likely to occur. But, of course, it does vary from year to year. Why donât you keep a record of when the first killing frost of each year occurs? Make a note, too, of the last spring frost. This information can go into a gardening journal, and be referred to every year. September 17 Watch for Monarch Butterflies Everyone has heard of birds migrating, and even whales and caribou, but did you know that a number of insects also travel long distances from summer to winter homes? The monarch butterfly is probably the best known of these, as millions of them head south, joining with others as they leave Canada and make their way to Florida and Mexico. The butterflies that can be seen now are not the same that made their way north the preceding spring. Those that leave the warmer climate in spring lay eggs along the way, and are replaced by newly-hatched adults that continue the journey. But the adults that fly south in autumn are truly remarkable. For most, the journey is a 2,000 mile one! Birds and butterflies arenât he only animals that migrate. some fish make long trips. You may have heard about salmon. They migrate from the streams where they are born to the Pacific Ocean, where they live two to five years before returning to the very same streams to spawn and die. Several species of turtle migrate, as do a number of mammals. Whales living off the coast of California and caribou in Canada make regular trips from breeding grounds to feeding grounds. Other continents have their migratory species, as well. There are eels that hatch off the cost of south America that make a three year trip to Europe. There they live for several years before making the return journey to this side of the Atlantic to spawn and die. September 18 Pot Bulbs for Indoor Blooms The bulbs you plant in the garden now wonât bloom until the spring, but you can pot some that will bloom earlier, indoors. Look for tulips, narcissus, and hyacinths wherever bulbs are sold. Bulbs can be planted in pots with or without holes (use sand or small pebbles for containers that have no holes). Water them thoroughly and place them in a cold spot, such as an unheated basement, cold frame or even your refrigerator! (The temperature needs to be about 35-50 degrees F.). Tulips require 12 to 14 weeks of cold; narcissus 10 to 12; and hyacinths and crocuses each need about 6 to 8 weeks. Bulbs that are forced for indoor enjoyment canât be re-forced, nor do they do much if planted outdoors in the garden. Compost them and buy new ones the following year. There are some bulbs, though, such as amaryllis, freesia, and calla lilies, that do continue blooming for many years, with proper care. Their culture differs from the bulbs that bloom just the one time. Ask for them at your local nursery. You can root bulbs in water. There are clear vases specially shaped to cradle bulbs, with plenty of room for their roots. September 19 Go On a Hawk Watch Most migrating birds fly at night. They spend their days resting and refueling for the long trip. But some fly by day, and among the most spectacular are the raptors, or birds of prey. Hawks arenât the only ones that can be seen heading south during the day. (Eagle, storks, and pelicans all do the same). They are just the most recognizable. Why do these birds fly during the sunlit hours? They need to fly during the day because they take advantage of rising warm air currents known as thermals. Watch these birds, rising in the air in a spiral. When they are high enough, they soar ahead to the next thermal mass. These enormous birds barely need to beat their wings to propel themselves! The best thermals occur along cliffs and mountain ridges. Is there some place near you where you can go in search of the birds, which often travel hundreds at a time? Call your local nature center or science museum. They often organize hawk watches. Even if you canât get to a likely spot to watch from, look up in the sky, whenever you have a chance. You may catch a glimpse of a few of the graceful gliders on their way south. September 20 Watch the Harvest Moonrise The full moon in September is called the harvest moon, and itâs a very special full moon. It rises in the sky at a much lower angle than usual. It looks like itâs moving almost parallel with the horizon! This full moon is huge, or at least thatâs the way it seems. When the full moon (any full moon) first clears the horizon, itâs right behind the familiar shapes of trees and buildings. Once the moon is high in the sky it seems so much smaller, although, of course, the size never changes. Prove this by cutting a circle of paper to size when the moon is low and comparing it to the moon when itâs way up high. (Do this indoors, tracing the moon on a thin piece of paper held against a window). Because the harvest moon stays near the horizon for longer, it seems bigger than ever. The harvest moon is often brilliantly colored when it first rises, too. Like the breathtaking red and orange sunsets of late summer and early fall, the moon takes on these fiery colors because of all the dust and pollen in the air. September 21 First Day of Autumn! The 21st or 22nd of September signals the arrival of autumn, one of the most colorful seasons of the year. While it means the end of the growing season in most parts of the United States (at least the outdoor one), the autumn is a wonderful time to be out-of-doors. Gone are the bothersome insects and the scorching heat of summer. Thereâs lots to explore before the real cold and snows of winter set in. Autumn is also called fall, although that term really belongs to the time when the leaves are falling from the trees. This day in September is actually the autumnal equinox. Like its counterpart in spring, this means that the length of the day equals that of the night, everywhere on earth. In recognition of the first day of autumn, plan a simple outing in the woods, or cook up a simple outing in the woods, or cook up a special harvest dish. Gather up some of the autumn-blooming wildflowers to decorate your home. Autumnâs here at last! ãJust after the death of the flowers, and before they are buried in snow, There comes a festival season When Nature is all aglow.ä September 22 Read a Story or Poem About Autumn Thereâs a special look, feel, and smell to autumn. What do you like best about this season? Autumn Song Elizabeth-Ellen Long (poem) Fall from ãThe Four Seasonsä Jack Prelutsky (poem) Harvest Home Arthur Guiterman (poem) Julian in the Autumn Woods Milena Lukesova (story) September 23 Look for Woolly Bear Caterpillars Who doesnât know the woolly bear caterpillar? This hair brown-banded black caterpillar is found everywhere this time of year. It is popularly thought that the wider the brown band, the worse the winter will be! (Note: One of our avid readers of this website says the wider the brown band the easier the winter will be). There is no truth in any of this, of course. Or is there? What is true is that the woolly bear spends the winter curled up beneath logs and in hollows. Wrapped in its cocoon, it doesnât stir until spring, when it emerges as a rather plan and surprisingly delicate moth known as the Isabella tiger moth. September 24 Watch for Woodchucks The end of September is about the last time youâll see the woodchuck before it retreats to its winter den to hibernate. You can see woodchucks up on their haunches, or scurrying back to their burrows as they fatten up all they can before settling down for the winter. Woodchucks spend their summers in one type of burrow, a complex network of underground chambers, often built into hillsides. Come September, they seek refuse under the roots of trees. The tangle of growth offers them some protection when they are in the defenseless state of hibernation. Woodchucks are among a number of animals that truly hibernate. They spend roughly half of their lives in this state! A good deal of attention is paid them, possibly because of the annual observance to which they lend their other common name - - Groundhog Day. September 25 Watch Squirrels Hoarding Food Throughout the fall, squirrels are busy gathering food that will help carry them through winter. Hereâs another myth you may have heard. The more food the squirrels are seen hoarding, the worse the winter will be! Once again, our furry friends canât be trusted as weather predictors! It is also commonly supposed that squirrels remember where theyâve buried nuts, and later return to dig them up. Squirrels actually rely on their sense of smell. Some hidden nuts that they donât unearth sprout and grow to become trees. What kind of squirrels do you have on your property or in a nearby park? Are there any red squirrels in residence? These are smaller than gray squirrels, and not quite as noisy! There are also nocturnal squirrels known as flying squirrels. They donât actually fly, but with the help of wide flaps of skin, they can glide for up to 30 feet from one tree to another. September 26 Look for Masses of Ladybugs Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home! Home for the ladybugs this time of year may be your lawn. Ladybugs hibernate in large groups, nestled in among the roots of grass. You can sometimes spot them preparing to go under. Ladybugs are not true bugs. They are a type of beetle; in fact, their other common name is ladybird beetle. They are among a number of animals and plants with the word ãladyä in their name. Have you ever heard of ladyâs mantle or ladyâs bedstraw? The ãladyä is in honor of the Virgin Mary, often referred to as ãOur Lady.ä September 27 Pick Some Apples Fall is apple picking time! See if thereâs a pick-your-own orchards near you, or stop at one of the roadside stands that offers a variety of apples. Youâll be lucky if you find twenty different kinds of apples for sale. Did you know that at the turn of the century nearly one thousands varieties were available in this country? Commercial growers need to concentrate on apple varieties that ship and store well. But some of those apples skimp on taste. Have you ever had a Northern Spy? Or a York Imperial? The names are almost as delicious as the apples? They are usually found near where they are grown. What can you do if you canât find any of these interesting-sounding apples? Grow your own! There are currently about 60 varieties available to home gardeners. Donât despair if you only have a small yard. Most varieties can be grown as dwarf or semi-dwarf trees. Remind your parents that ãan apple a day. . .!ä September 28 Make Some Applesauce Mmmm, applesauce! Applesauce is great as a side dish with pork, as a dessert, or eaten as a snack. Have you ever made your own? Itâs as easy as . . .applesauce! Most applesauce is a blend of two or more varieties of apple. Experiment with the kinds you find at your supermarket or roadside stand. Core and peel six apples and put them in a heavy saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add a little water or juice to the pan to keep the apples from sticking. Cook them over low heat until they are soft. (Have your parents help you at the stove). Let the apples cool slightly before mashing them with a fork or potato masher. Good tasting apples need no sweetening, but a sprinkling of cinnamon or a few drops of lemon juice adds a nice touch. Chill the applesauce thoroughly in the refrigerator before serving. Yum! Remember Johnny Appleseed? John Chapman was a real man, but the stories that are told bend the truth just a little! September 29 Gather Some Ripe Nuts Are you ready to go nutting? Nuts in backyards and back woods are ripening and getting ready to fall from the trees. Try some of these tasty morsels. Youâll have to be quick, though, and beat the squirrels to them! True nuts are hard-shelled, one-seeded fruits. Acorns and hazelnuts are two examples of true nuts. (You probably know that peanuts arenât really nuts, but neither are almonds, Brazil nuts, or cashes!). Many nuts, true or otherwise, are delicious. Look for acorns, beechnuts, hickory nuts and pine nuts, to mention just a few of the delectable varieties. What do you do with the nuts youâve found? You prepare, cook and eat them... see below... Acorns roasting over an open fire... You may have heard that acorns are bitter. Many are, but the nuts from the bur, live, white and gambel oaks are not as bitter as some. Even so, boil the shelled kernels in water to get rid of any tannin. Cook them for 15 minutes; pour off the liquid, add fresh water, and boil them another 15 minutes. do this until the water no longer turns brown. Roast the nuts in a 300 degree F. oven for about an hour. Chop them up to use in recipes that call for nuts. The black walnut and butternut (a relative) are both delicious, but among the messiest nuts to harvest. You have to strip the husks off before the inner kernels get saturated with bigger juice. But the husks are hard to strip from the shells, and they contain a dye that leaves clothes and skin stained. (You MUST wear old clothes and rubber gloves). Even the shells are hard to crack! Try hammering them on a rock placed in a box (to catch the flying debris). The nuts from nut-bearing pines such as the ponderosa and pinon are very small but scrumptious! Spread a tarp under the trees and shake the nuts loose. Eat them raw or roasted (put them in a 300 degree F. oven for about an hour or until the shells turn brittle). Spread the cooled nuts on a table and roll them with a rolling pin to crack the shells. September 30 Find Out Which Birds Winter in Your Area Soon the sky will be filled with birds that are flying south for the winter. How far south do they go? It depends, but many species that spend their summers in Canada, feel they have gone far enough south once they reach the United States. Some birds donât travel very far at all. Others are considered permanent residents wherever there is enough food for them year-round. Do you know which birds will be spending the winter where you live? Do a little detective work. check out some of the bird identification books. Many include maps that show the summer and winter ranges of the birds. Or ask at your local nature center or science museum. The Audubon Society is also helpful. Their annual Christmas count includes all the species that are spotted in December in various locales. Learn which birds you are likely to have as visitor to your feeders during the winter months, and plan to include some of their favorite foods. |