Julie,

I have voluntarily provided young kids with birding classes and walks over 
the years.  This is one thing I am heartbroken over, knowing this will not 
continue.  Kids stop me in the hall all the time, asking about birds.  I 
keep my iPod on me always to show them pictures or play songs.  Yesterday, a 
first grader, with tears in his eyes came to me.  I told me he'd seen a 
picture of a hunter, holding a dead turkey, and "he was SMILING!"  I tried 
to explain that there are people that respect nature and are also hunters. 
This was hard for him to grasp.  He felt people don't need to hunt any more, 
they can just go to the store. I mentioned the farm unit his class is 
working on, that many animals are raised for meat.  I told him I believe 
that people are animals too, just smart ones that wear clothes and go to 
school, but still choose to eat meat.  He thought this over.  Later he told 
me, "Well, we could just eat vegetables!"  I responded, "Perhaps you'll grow 
up to be a vegetarian!"

See you next week!

Ali

-----Original Message----- 
From: vtfiliberti
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 10:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] A birth announcement

Ali, first just let me say that I love your stories!
I too was enthralled by 4 little fluff-balls that appeared today right 
outside my window. They all spent the day exploring the roof in the sunshine 
and quite frequently taking cover under mom to warm-up and snuggle and 
snooze. Clearly, I knew I was NOT going to get a lot of work done once I 
discovered them. I called home for my daughter to bring my camera down to 
me. It was a photo op that was too good to be true!
The thrill for me throughout the day was showing off the new family to the 
staff and all the curious kids who stopped to see what I was looking at. My 
window was not the sole vantage point, for the roof lies right outside a 
fairly large picture window at the end of our elementary upstairs hallway. 
This window is complete with a window seat large enough to accommodate all 
the curious onlookers that stopped to watch and ask questions. Truthfully, I 
had a blast sharing my knowledge and my passion today!  I really hope they 
stick around through tomorrow so more kids will get to see them. My hope for 
them is a safe get-a-way over the weekend with no little romping feet to get 
in their way!

Julie
Fairfax


On May 16, 2013, at 6:47 PM, Alison Wagner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi~
>
> This morning while walking up the path along the ball field to 
> work/school, I received a birth announcement from right field.  An adult 
> Killdeer with a “broken wing” alerted me to the hatching of their brood! 
> There were no chicks to be seen.  I checked the protected grassy alcove 
> near the old high school where the chicks spend their first day once they’ve 
> landed (from the roof), but no sign of them there either.  At break time, 
> I investigated further...heading to the top floor of the vacant Hinesburg 
> High School building.  It’s a perfect vantage point for viewing  the stony 
> roof of the 1958 elementary wing where they nest.  However, in the seven 
> years I’ve worked at this school, I have never been able to locate a nest 
> or chick!  Today was different.  One Killdeer parent flew in to take over 
> brooding duties and nearby a fluff ball of a chick on stilts was foraging 
> among mossy islands covering roof rocks.  If not for its telltale 
> hick-up-bop, I’m not sure I woul!
d have been able to find the little deer.
>
> But the story doesn’t end there.  Every year I have shared the Killdeer 
> debut with anyone willing to stop and look.  My motto, “everyone is a 
> birder, it’s just some people don’t know it yet,” is revealed on their 
> faces when they do SEE!   Awesome stewards have emerged as well!  We 
> (humans) have unintentionally created this breeding habitat for them with 
> so many dangerous obstacles to navigate.  It’s the least we can do to 
> provide (minimal) accommodations to see they reach the safety of the 
> fields....Adults watch from a distance as adult Killdeer lead their young 
> around the building, past curbs and storm drains, away from traffic and 
> traps like open sheds.  They redirect kids charging outside for recess. 
> One year signs appeared in the upper parking lot:  Careful Baby Birds! 
> And then there’s Jason!  He maintains the grounds, and is always on alert 
> while mowing.  He knows to watch for the adults’ distraction display, that 
> it means the young may be hunkered !
down in the grass and impossible to see.  Today I noticed he’d installed a 
steel cage over a storm drain in the grassy alcove area.  Nice!
>
> But really, the very best thing to happen over the past seven years, 
> happened today when I shared the enthusiasm and joy of seeing these birds 
> with the newest member of the club....the principal!
>
> Ali
> Hinesburg Community School