Sunday, February 5, 2012

Beautiful Birds!

Because Mrs. Ranney's class recently read the story
"Nights of the Pufflings,"
we have become interested in the birds around us!

Below is a slide show of photos Mrs. Ranney has taken of birds she has observed
in a variety of places, including her own backyard!


Feathered Friends! on PhotoPeach




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Here is a video taken by Mrs. Ranney of two kites flying! 
A kite is a raptor. 
Do you know what kind of bird a raptor is?
Can you find and share some facts about kites?







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What birds have you observed?

What bird facts can you share?

A great site for identifying birds and learning more about them is

You might also use 

Just remember to:
  1. Take notes on the facts.
  2. Put your notes into sentences of your own creation.
  3. Add an opinion of your own!
No plagiarism!

11 comments:

  1. Dear Mrs. Ranney and class,

    I am very interested in the Snowy Owl, they are a vibrant white color. They hunt in all different climates, eating many small animals. The Snowy Owl loves to eat lemmings, mice, and small rodents. They will attack humans or wolves if they come near their nest.

    Your student,
    Oliver

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Oliver, good for you for responding so quickly on this post! I think snowy owls are very interesting as well! Do you know where they usually live? Do you know what kinds of owls live here in our area?

      Since snowy owls devour animals, they would be considered carnivores!

      Keep up the great work!
      Regards,
      Mrs. Ranney

      Delete
    2. @Oliver, I loved your facts about the snowy owl. Did you know that there are different owls that live closer to us? I am not naming certain ones, but all owls have talons. They use their talons to crush and knead their prey's skull.

      Owls can camouflage because of their colors. Owls are usually multicolored in brown, tan, and black. These colors help the owl blend in with texture so they look more the same with the environment.

      Owls are nocturnal.

      Do you think you can find more facts about owls? I've got a cool one but I won't give it away!

      Regards,

      Quynh-Anh

      Delete
  2. Dear class,
    One cold morning, we had a mother duck and her 13 ducklings swimming in our pool. My parents hired people to remove them, but they couldn't catch all of them. The mother duck flew away and left her babies. The babies were caught and then placed in a nearby pond. The mother duck flew over our house looking for her babies for a few days. According to World Book, female ducks can lay 12 or more eggs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Melissa,
      I think it would be so exciting to find a family of ducks in my pool! Do you know what kind they were? What color were the ducklings? What color was the mother?

      I would love to hear more details!
      Sincerely, Mrs. Ranney

      Delete
  3. Dear Mrs. Ranney and class,
    One cold afternoon I saw 2 mysterious birds, and those birds were an American goldfinch and an Acorn woodpecker. The Acorn woodpecker was in my acorn tree in my back yard next to my pool.

    Hope you enjoyed my birds,
    Vanessa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Vanessa,
      I think it's wonderful that you saw a goldfinch and a woodpecker! How about finding out a fact about each on to share? For example, what does each bird eat? Or, what kind of nest does each one build?
      Happy birding!
      Mrs. Ranney

      Delete
  4. Dear Mrs. Ranney and Class

    A Red –Tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in North America. Most Red-Tailed Hawks are light brown and pale below. They have rounded and beautiful wings and a short, wide tail. Large females seen from a distance might trick you thinking it’s an eagle! I hope you liked my facts.

    Your Student,
    Gregory

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Mrs. Ranney and class,

    Did you know that Osprey Hanks catch live fish? Osprey Hanks usually catch fish 6-13 inches in length and eat them. The heaviest fish they ever catched was 2.5 pounds.

    That is not all they eat. There are other surprising things they eat. Osprey Hanks eat carcasses, birds, snakes, voles, squirrels, muskets, and salamanders.

    I have never heard of a bird that eats snakes. I guess that Osprey Hanks are very strong.

    Regards,
    Nicole

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Mrs. Ranney and class,

    Did you know that Osprey Hanks catch live fish? Osprey Hanks usually catch fish 6-13 inches in length and eat them. The heaviest fish they ever catch are 2.5 pounds.

    That is not all they eat. There are other surprising things they eat. Osprey Hanks eat carcasses, birds, snakes, voles, squirrels, muskets, and salamanders.

    I have never heard of a bird that eats snakes. I guess that Osprey Hanks are very strong.

    Regards,
    Nicole

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dear Mrs. Ranney and class,

    Did you know that Northern Mockingbirds prey on wasps, bees, ants, butterflies, moths, earthworms, beetles, grasshoppers, and sometimes small lizards.

    I would like if someone could answer this question. Where do Northern Mocking birds live?

    Waiting for an answer,
    Nicole

    ReplyDelete

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