Kuna High School

What's New

That's not a Seagull it's a Ring Billed Gull

Today I took one of my orninithology classes around the school for a short field trip. Each time is a little more gratifying because they are learning more each class session. Today I noticed two things that were kind of fun. First, as we walk out of the school we always encounter birds because that is where our feeders are set upl Normally I always remind them to stop there and always look at all the birds because even though there are usually our fair share of house sparrows and house finches, you never know when something different may have snuck in. Today I was delayed for just a couple of minutes so they were out ahead of me. When I got out there they were all standing there, binoculars up and talking about what they were seeing. I get the feeling they were just doing it because that is what they are supposed to do but they were doing it because it is fun. The second thing happened on the same field trip. We were standing out in the practice field for the marching band and a gull flew over. Someone said, "hey, there goes a seagull" then a couple of people said, "that isn't a seagul, it's a ring billed gull". I immediately said, "how did you know it's a ring billed gull"? They said that they knew it because everbody is always correcting them when they say "seagull". Everybody is former students. Most would not admit it in front of me but they admit it in front of each other that, that orninithology thing is pretty fun.

Monty Tish and Slim

Mr. Monty Tish and Slim the Golden Eagle were our guests today in second hour Ornithology. Mr. Tish did a fabulous job. He told us all about what he does as a bird rehabilitatpr and what is involved becoming one. He went over things that a lot of people don't really think about when one has to house birds so they can be rehabilitated. For example, he does not get any money to buy food for the birds that stay with him while they are being rehabilitated. One year he fed his birds over a thousand pounds of meat. He told us all about how Slim came to live with people and how he has done several movies and commercials and all of the interesting and famous people he and Slim have met over the years. The very best thing was when some of the students were able to hold Slim! Don't wait too long to schedule Mr. Tish to come to your class because it is well worth the time and how often does anyone get to see a Golden Eagle this close.

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We Were Accidental Observers

Last Wednesday the second hour ornithology class and I were out looking at the feeders in front of the school. I was explaining the differences between the house sparrow and house finches that were on the feeder and all over the ground. It is a new semester so I have a fresh batch of budding bird enthusiasts. I mention the Merlin that has been hanging around and how she likes to get breakfast and lunch at our feeders. All of the sudden there was a big commotion and a big wind went right through us and right past my ear and poof...feathers were floating to the ground. The Merlin kept flying but alas she flew away hungry. I think the sparrow used us to get away from the Merlin. The feathers we saw floating to the ground were feathers the sparrow lost when the Merlin grabbed at her. What a thing to see first hand. I have never seen anything like that, that close. It was one of the best natures experiences I ever have and all of the students agreed that it was amazing. Why did we get so lucking? Because we were out there. I have an excellent principal that sees the value of letting us use the outside of the school as a lab. This is going to be a hard act to following since it happened on the first day of the new semester. I guess it gives us a good reason to keep looking.

Our Feeders are Really Busy

The past few days we have been having a really hard time keeping up with our feeders. We fill them up yesterday and today the feeder with the sunflower seeds is completely empty. We are also starting to get a reputation. It is not enough that we are the nerds of the school but now we are the Bird Nerds. A label and reputation that we are all very proud of. I and the students in the ornithology class are starting to get a lot of comments from other students, teachers, and people that are coming into the school. They notice the feeders but the fun thing is that they notice the birds on the feeders. We had a visitor to our feeder that is starting to become a popular attraction around the school but one day just after we came back from Thanksgiving break she made and appearence at the feeder. The female merlin that hung out most of the winter last year and is back again this winter took one of the eurasian collard doves from our ground feeder. We didn't see her take the dove but she took it about twenty feet away and sat on a bench in front of the school and ate her meal. What a great opportunity to teach students about other aspects of bird watching. This was an example of how some birds use our feeders for other reasons as well as preator prey relationships.

What we've seen this school year

Observations

Species	Count	Disposition	Date and Time	Link
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)	5	Ground	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)	5	Feeder	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)	10	Feeder	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)	1	Feeder	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)	2	Flying	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)	2	Perched	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)	5	Ground	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)	1	Ground	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)	1	Flying	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)	3	Feeder	04/30/2018 - 12:15pm	Details