Written by Kat Kelley.
For our first two days of class, however, we didn’t go out to the Environmental Center. On the first day, Dr. Ahern took the class down into the Gullies with our binoculars to test our previous bird knowledge. Although our adventure involved quite a lot of slipping in the snow, we all had fun exploring and listening to Dr. Ahern explain different ways to identify our flying friends.
Two lovebirds (Downy Woodpeckers) enjoy a romantic meal at a birdfeeder, via new-jersey-birds.com.
Our second day, though it was less eventful, was just as entertaining. We ate breakfast at Dr. Ahern’s dining room while he explained our plans for the day, then dispersed to different parts of his house to watch the birds flying around the feeders in his backyard. Eventually, the entire class ended up in front of a pair of sliding glass doors in his basement so as to watch the bird from a ground view. While we were watching, Dr. Ahern told us different ways to discern one type of bird from another. We learned how to identify a species by its flight pattern, how it interacts with other birds, even to see the subtle differences between male and females.
So far, this class seems like it will be hard work but at the same time entertaining and engaging and I am excited to see what new adventures Dr. Ahern has planned for us in the future.
Would enjoy seeing the remainder of the class review.