Big Year
Felix has declared a Big Year: a birder's term for a year in which to find as many birds in a given area as possible. He's doing just birds in the state, and has made a good beginning. The published state list has about 200 birds on it, and in these first weeks of the year he's found 54. Of course, these are the easy ones, but he's satisfied with his start.
Every weekend he can, he joins up with an Audubon group on an outing. Tomorrow morning he'll be catching up with a group in a wildlife reserve. Many times he doesn't know anyone there, so once, when we were looking to join them in a restaurant parking lot to follow along, I asked how we would know them. He told me to just look for a bunch of dark sedans.
I love his enthusiasm, his freedom from self-consciousness, and his willingness to hang out with lots of elderly strangers in the pursuit of a good sighting!
8 comments:
I love it, too! (And dark sedans, how amusing that is!!)
Isn't that what we long for? that our children can interact with any situation comfortably? Congratulations to YOU!
The dark sedans! My daughter (who went to grade school in the '80's) once told me she didn't want to be a teacher because she would have to wear a denim jumper with an apple appliqued on it!
Anna,
Where did you find your information on your state list and how did you locate your local group? I have a birder also and think she would enjoy this.
I am going to do an online search right now btw.
Thanks!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MamaBugs/
Good for Felix! And they wonder about homeschoolers and socialization ;)
There is a website with a list (or a few different lists) for each state and province.
http://www.thayerbirding.com/gbna/checklists_menu.htm
It is pretty exhaustive of the subject. Hope this is useful!
Hmmm I dont know anything about Audbon societies aroudn here. Do you think they are in every town? Id love to get my daughter into one.
Good for your son! This is wonderful , education at it's highest. He will learn so much out with those bird watchers.
And I really like your pot of blue flowers too! I can just imagine how heavenly they smell!
Poor little homeschooled young man, not properly socialized for real life...
:)
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