Kids help with Great Backyard Bird Count
Barrington area participants took part in the 16th Great Backyard Bird Count, a Leave No Child Inside-related youth education class with Citizens for Conservation and Prairie Woods Audubon on a blustery Saturday.
After a brief description of the global bird count along with photos of commonly viewed birds, children and caregivers ventured outdoors with clipboards in hand in search of birds.
Clouds were unfortunately rolling in quickly due to the snowstorm in southern Illinois, keeping the birds at bay. Counted were a cardinal, blue jay, chickadee, mallards, cedar waxwing, and a surprise visit by flickers pushed north by the southern storm.
Total count was six species and 18 birds, considerably less than the 12 species and 151 birds counted in 2013.
Once back inside the warm pavilion, everyone thawed out with a warm hot chocolate and the children were instructed by Citizens for Conservation volunteers in making a pine cone bird feeder.
Special thanks to Prairie Woods Audubon Society for providing the ever popular (appreciated by both children and caregivers) Audubon Adventures activity books.
Citizens for Conservation offer both private and public year-round educational opportunities. To learn more, email youth-ed@citizensforconservation.org, call (847) 382-7283 or visit www.citizensforconservation.org.
Registration is now open for the April 5 "Astronomy" class, the May 10 "Birds and Plants of Grigsby Prairie," and for the Leave No Child Inside-related camp "Beginning Naturalists" for children ages 4-5.
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