tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40907353367721900112024-03-18T21:05:49.118-07:00Mr. Williams 6th Grade Science BlogMr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.comBlogger414125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-74165988587699011162012-06-14T12:28:00.003-07:002012-06-14T12:28:38.883-07:00Field day 201!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting the costumes ready for the parade.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cotton candy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A peppermint!<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today was the annual Parker Middle School Field Day. Our homeroom did really well in all of the events and had a great time</span>! <span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our costume theme was, "Willie Williams's Candy Factory".</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nerds! - The candies!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixie sticks surrounded by Jolly Ranchers!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Bubble gum, M7M, Jolly Rancher, and a Reese's cup!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilky Way!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">York peppermint patty and a Butterfinger.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reese's Cups!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hersheys bar and a Watermelon Jolly Rancher.<br />
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<br />Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-42417472906224647192012-05-29T11:34:00.000-07:002012-05-29T11:34:36.812-07:00Bird of the Week - XXXlV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-YTH0EiLUrDPhLqwjpMWUTa69fZy5g01B5mhlodDrOSisTeZhOned3eMuwVYFo_tr2vOl9cilFwgqXk1YcxTQ4BQqnKWGuj6tD704LA4x8W-9cQvgsK-bEM-TGpFTiR9MUJcbZa1C5s/s1600/Bluebird1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-YTH0EiLUrDPhLqwjpMWUTa69fZy5g01B5mhlodDrOSisTeZhOned3eMuwVYFo_tr2vOl9cilFwgqXk1YcxTQ4BQqnKWGuj6tD704LA4x8W-9cQvgsK-bEM-TGpFTiR9MUJcbZa1C5s/s320/Bluebird1.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id" target="_blank">Eastern Bluebird</a>. It is not a common bird in Reading. As a matter of fact, I saw my first Bluebird in Reading in April of 2008. We just don't have enough of the necessary habitat to attract a lot of Bluebirds. The Male Eastern Bluebirds are vivid, deep blue above and rusty or brick-red on the throat and breast. Blue in birds always depends on the light, and males often look plain gray-brown from a distance. Females are grayish above with bluish wings and tail, and a subdued orange-brown breast. Blue tinges in the wings and tail give the grayer females an elegant look. Eastern Bluebirds sing a fairly low-pitched, warbling song made up of several phrases.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can find Eastern Bluebirds in open country with patchy vegetation and large trees or nest boxes. Meadows, old fields, and golf courses are good places. Bluebirds typically sit in the open on power lines or along fences, with an alert, vertical posture. When they drop to the ground after an insect, they make a show of it, with fluttering wings and a fairly slow approach, followed by a quick return to the perch. Eastern Bluebirds eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eastern bluebirds nest in cavities (holes). These holes may be in old trees, old fence posts, etc. They take readily to nest boxes erected in the proper habitat. The male Eastern Bluebird displays at his nest cavity to attract a female. He brings nest material to the hole, goes in and out, and waves his wings while perched above it. That is pretty much his contribution to nest building; only the female Eastern Bluebird builds the nest and incubates the eggs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eastern Bluebirds typically have more than one successful brood per year. Young produced in early nests usually leave their parents in summer, but young from later nests frequently stay with their parents over the winter. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best place to see Bluebirds in Reading is at the Bare Meadow Conservation land off of Pearl St. Two years ago, a pair raised 3 broods (families)! I observed 1 male bird there this spring.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds.</span><br />
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<br />Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-41345803470009249682012-05-21T06:26:00.001-07:002012-05-21T06:26:35.316-07:00Bird of the Week - XXXll<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Chimney swift in flight.</div>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaEdJYMU7ZOITmL4MLHWAJRHauvzWatRqstVF_FDDcX-8_NY_UufsTh0qcM5r2oTz50LSLD7OU41uMx6IIzDJZ06zRcYwNI7AeSA-3NuUSJe3mFwCSIMStOykXokuCxowaMi3uNzc-I0/s1600/chimney+swift3.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaEdJYMU7ZOITmL4MLHWAJRHauvzWatRqstVF_FDDcX-8_NY_UufsTh0qcM5r2oTz50LSLD7OU41uMx6IIzDJZ06zRcYwNI7AeSA-3NuUSJe3mFwCSIMStOykXokuCxowaMi3uNzc-I0/s320/chimney+swift3.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You will often see, and hear, several Chimney swifts in flight together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9JMgagjO23o5yo2WOb0HDd4Llsxd2tR2ApYj6ZcTBF73VEGmO_ZYU9hJQe95O3-xkYJWZe9kQYklsTGFNwdD6hlkBsqoPjSTbDJB9GTBZWyDi9TlGhLZEBMzzEhOGogvq2wsutifJw0/s1600/Chimney+swift+nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9JMgagjO23o5yo2WOb0HDd4Llsxd2tR2ApYj6ZcTBF73VEGmO_ZYU9hJQe95O3-xkYJWZe9kQYklsTGFNwdD6hlkBsqoPjSTbDJB9GTBZWyDi9TlGhLZEBMzzEhOGogvq2wsutifJw0/s320/Chimney+swift+nest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is very rare to see a Chimney swift nest.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weeks "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/id" target="_blank">Chimney swift</a>. A "flying cigar," the Chimney Swift is rarely seen perched. Its high-pitched twittering is a familiar sound during summertime as it flies high above, catching small flying insects. The Chimney swift has a fast, erratic flight. They are among the most aerial of birds, flying almost constantly except when at the nest or roosting at night. The Chimney Swift bathes in flight, gliding down to water, smacking the surface with its breast, then bouncing up and shaking the water from its plumage as it flies away. Chimney swifts feed on flying insects by pursuing the flying insects and catches them in their bill. They feeds in flocks or alone. Chimney swifts can devour over 1,000 insects in a day!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's nest is a half saucer of woven small twigs held together with saliva. It's glued with saliva to inside wall of chimney. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds. </span></div>
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</div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-33886315953398867942012-05-07T05:52:00.002-07:002012-05-07T05:52:13.116-07:00Bird of the Week - XXXl <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OJXgTgAA3pWhTZxZCfqSXhyAUT3ykk5p1eEHPPYwoq5OjlkDaPJFTb-IbQ3gddICaqsiIOedeI63vEKaoSMji6UO8TxthgsuP01wJgDVSzw44ti2zfYBA3FKFNoG6yyvg-oPdWSNFP4/s1600/Baltomore+oriole+M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-OJXgTgAA3pWhTZxZCfqSXhyAUT3ykk5p1eEHPPYwoq5OjlkDaPJFTb-IbQ3gddICaqsiIOedeI63vEKaoSMji6UO8TxthgsuP01wJgDVSzw44ti2zfYBA3FKFNoG6yyvg-oPdWSNFP4/s320/Baltomore+oriole+M.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Male Baltimore oriole.</div>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP9A_U8MQHpXig4KgtdOZxoDy70LsHja5AF8039sABc9JJCslY1ME9oy-U63Q-6Nf9uTW_BH4CIpcJhoen7mO3nYTxnk_UAkKCnzM31O41TYI5-6Z0iV7hUbCvstWAZZt99YVaK_8pkE/s1600/baltimore-oriole-female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmP9A_U8MQHpXig4KgtdOZxoDy70LsHja5AF8039sABc9JJCslY1ME9oy-U63Q-6Nf9uTW_BH4CIpcJhoen7mO3nYTxnk_UAkKCnzM31O41TYI5-6Z0iV7hUbCvstWAZZt99YVaK_8pkE/s320/baltimore-oriole-female.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Female Baltimore oriole.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/id" target="_blank">Baltimore oriole</a>. This is the time of the year that the Baltimore oriole returns to Reading from it's wintering grounds in Central and South America. The male Baltimore oriole has brilliant orange and black plumage. It's wings, throat, back, and tail are black while it's underparts, shoulders, rump, and the tip and edges of tail are orange.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8rMCz_5jkKFozRz9LUxw3897XDHbqbY0DUj9Q0YiERB-_UttV82q2qDVHl9KE2f8MqyolJ8WjFD_Yy3iy0IA0KGaGWpvPtcZz5MJYf7xhc7trgAOlq7ktDB_EuHUWpkPbSmBcF04n38/s1600/baltimore+oriole+nest.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8rMCz_5jkKFozRz9LUxw3897XDHbqbY0DUj9Q0YiERB-_UttV82q2qDVHl9KE2f8MqyolJ8WjFD_Yy3iy0IA0KGaGWpvPtcZz5MJYf7xhc7trgAOlq7ktDB_EuHUWpkPbSmBcF04n38/s320/baltimore+oriole+nest.bmp" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Baltimore oriole at it's nest.<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Baltimore oriole breeds along woodland edges and open areas with scattered trees, especially deciduous trees. They also frequent parks and wooded urban areas. There nest is gourd-shaped and woven from hair, plant fibers, and synthetic fibers. It is hung by the rim from thin branches or a fork in a tall tree.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Baltimore oriole eats caterpillars, fruits, insects, spiders, and nectar. They can sometimes be attracted to your backyard by putting out halved of oranges or grape jelly!</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's song is a series of rich whistled notes interspersed with rattles. It's call is a chatter.</span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds </span><br />
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</div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-51230519178894406402012-05-02T09:35:00.000-07:002012-05-02T09:39:14.750-07:00More LINX Wind Vehicles pictures<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_A3MiPtBr-cLHoSFmB6KEvb0KzoER30ZScavo6gVRdGU2R6Y4H-dO8WrMzTESAe8razqhvCadE1DPKap3-EXTyyiroxYZWAZRP2Yn25zlaPeuFqOLwLaQodt8HEZMfGuabSl4qUFtbo/s1600/LINX+2012+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_A3MiPtBr-cLHoSFmB6KEvb0KzoER30ZScavo6gVRdGU2R6Y4H-dO8WrMzTESAe8razqhvCadE1DPKap3-EXTyyiroxYZWAZRP2Yn25zlaPeuFqOLwLaQodt8HEZMfGuabSl4qUFtbo/s320/LINX+2012+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to test!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making some adjustments.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost ready!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The students have been doing a great job with their LINX Wind powered vehicles! More than 75% of the students have accomplished the task and are now working on extra credit.</span><br />
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<br /></div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-14693956676286340912012-04-30T10:12:00.001-07:002012-04-30T11:34:33.291-07:00Bird of the Week - XXX<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjfQ3_U_F2BKrHMamtnO8QQAF5SDH1v92LmzOy3wuH9svlU5zeIGuMwfz03g2KLEiBe8cxd2ptC1_qFcz-HK7iWcBdtDS1iyzPwT1MUhCzfZzEp8dG9f17o7YlO868kwM39z2ZIFnWxg/s1600/rubythroatedhummingbird4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjfQ3_U_F2BKrHMamtnO8QQAF5SDH1v92LmzOy3wuH9svlU5zeIGuMwfz03g2KLEiBe8cxd2ptC1_qFcz-HK7iWcBdtDS1iyzPwT1MUhCzfZzEp8dG9f17o7YlO868kwM39z2ZIFnWxg/s320/rubythroatedhummingbird4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Ruby-throated hummingbird.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyGj9k6hYXt_ZeihzYzeZ-l2e85lcJsYDCPpL7biUtWsc-GF7oeP3YMZ0WKttDL_elGkkhcZ-jmORanIi7t_p9Rp6NlBWB_IWVT5r88FktrQwhqOnFYkkBy0kvt7zuS-z_tNJIcGAj10/s1600/RTHummingbird+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyGj9k6hYXt_ZeihzYzeZ-l2e85lcJsYDCPpL7biUtWsc-GF7oeP3YMZ0WKttDL_elGkkhcZ-jmORanIi7t_p9Rp6NlBWB_IWVT5r88FktrQwhqOnFYkkBy0kvt7zuS-z_tNJIcGAj10/s320/RTHummingbird+004.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little guy flew into a classroom window.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the<a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/id"> Ruby-throated hummingbird</a>. This little, brilliant jewel has just started showing up here in Reading. These little birds zip into your yard, hover, feed, and zip off. Hummingbird feeders and flower gardens attract these beautiful birds. The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds in eastern United States. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are bright emerald or golden-green on the back and crown, with gray-white underparts. Males have a brilliant iridescent red throat that looks dark when it’s not in good light. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fly straight and fast but can stop instantly, hover, and adjust their position up, down, or backwards with exquisite control. They often visit hummingbird feeders and tube-shaped flowers and defend these food sources against others. You may also see them plucking tiny insects from the air or from spider webs. The Ruby-throated hummingbird spends the winter in southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When you click on the link to All About Birds, be sure to watch some of the videos of them. </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Photos from All About Birds and National Geographic.</span><br />
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<br />Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-29977421476049015692012-04-26T09:11:00.000-07:002012-04-26T10:45:59.052-07:00LINX Wind Powered Vehicles<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpk4iWNBrBeGBYkNkkBlgAd0nMDjfBE5RRWE6bouZdHldLtKnOCv5Fa6CeSaGIJ13SLkkk1F-0IrN6FdvDmqYdVg0HVdFUtkGagwoX4-Z6SdLLoPtzPfrjATXHymWwBEb5Vg_LELH0dU/s1600/Straw+Rockets+2012+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpk4iWNBrBeGBYkNkkBlgAd0nMDjfBE5RRWE6bouZdHldLtKnOCv5Fa6CeSaGIJ13SLkkk1F-0IrN6FdvDmqYdVg0HVdFUtkGagwoX4-Z6SdLLoPtzPfrjATXHymWwBEb5Vg_LELH0dU/s320/Straw+Rockets+2012+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First, we have to decide on a plan.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWItEtN5gydVeSJjLxyBTbkwJn35laR8HlwP4uc8yJ3pD8secAUDWPVRZAMqfDS_9wdfWRgf1dEonrIQSu5C5AqO_vNSZQhM9eaP5DHRmClvailcHZlxMUJF56605Vi_b6yy_FKVtNUKg/s1600/Straw+Rockets+2012+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWItEtN5gydVeSJjLxyBTbkwJn35laR8HlwP4uc8yJ3pD8secAUDWPVRZAMqfDS_9wdfWRgf1dEonrIQSu5C5AqO_vNSZQhM9eaP5DHRmClvailcHZlxMUJF56605Vi_b6yy_FKVtNUKg/s320/Straw+Rockets+2012+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carefully aligning their vehicle.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To culminate our Energy, Force, and Motion unit, the students will be desihning, constructing, and testing a wooden, wind powered vehicle. The students are working in teams of thre and their goal is to construct a vehicle with a base leass than 200 square centimeters that will travel 8 meters in less than 12 seconds and it must do this twice in a row. This is our third day working on this project and the kids are off to a great start!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxtu2-Q2QrD5JFft3Q7q0RbfNV9pJOuT1E8oHoUc8aFyO5j6JMxlRBNRllIecENtlgClKh2_hMqmnIOJPedoDSKPokVhV-GHoXCsP1tU1y13w8PUqAI5JsLiOgDRKPl83_cbv8yetJNw/s1600/Straw+Rockets+2012+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxtu2-Q2QrD5JFft3Q7q0RbfNV9pJOuT1E8oHoUc8aFyO5j6JMxlRBNRllIecENtlgClKh2_hMqmnIOJPedoDSKPokVhV-GHoXCsP1tU1y13w8PUqAI5JsLiOgDRKPl83_cbv8yetJNw/s320/Straw+Rockets+2012+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a great looking sketch!<br />
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<br /></div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-74756398941252020252012-04-09T04:31:00.001-07:002012-04-09T07:36:30.942-07:00Bird of the Week - XXIX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIYe4xz3eVNzsKTk9ZhwkJ_krAfeLXccpSgiYH3kpwGPZEj-6qM9oDltA7sgHJyE5yZyqYe6q0Elr3h0fs12-4LBiQm1TzDDFuskwhyphenhyphen-83wiAt44PpzUiQQtye22-xh2XnCP5_me_alI/s1600/flicker1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIYe4xz3eVNzsKTk9ZhwkJ_krAfeLXccpSgiYH3kpwGPZEj-6qM9oDltA7sgHJyE5yZyqYe6q0Elr3h0fs12-4LBiQm1TzDDFuskwhyphenhyphen-83wiAt44PpzUiQQtye22-xh2XnCP5_me_alI/s320/flicker1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id">Northern flicker</a>. This large woodpecker is the fourth woodpecker to be on the Bird of the Week, along with the Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied woodpeckers. Flickers are large, distinctive woodpeckers that are often seen on the ground in open areas, eating ants and beetles. In flight, these large brown, woodpeckers have a white rump that is very visible and a flash of yellow in the wing. The face is gray and there is a black patch just below the throat. The male has a red "moustache". There call is a long, loud, "laughing-like" sound. Look for flickers in open habitats near trees, including woodlands, edges, yards, and parks. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds. </span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-78987214914848016122012-04-04T10:23:00.002-07:002012-04-04T10:32:00.410-07:00Roller Coasters!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqkq4PssBsNTp3PtiHOeCdILqTQPpHr1UIeOPCVx1dS0LpJQUUOFbKhpjHspyudly0XFGiMwU8HD0vDhqEgW2ZjRwff6vi_PcYWp39bIqnqezFOORhdshwgfYc2DzzkkNugFIBqpnvpc/s1600/Roller+coasters+2012+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqkq4PssBsNTp3PtiHOeCdILqTQPpHr1UIeOPCVx1dS0LpJQUUOFbKhpjHspyudly0XFGiMwU8HD0vDhqEgW2ZjRwff6vi_PcYWp39bIqnqezFOORhdshwgfYc2DzzkkNugFIBqpnvpc/s320/Roller+coasters+2012+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To better understand the terms <em>average speed</em> and <em>velocity</em>, the students designed and built simple roller coasters out of Hot Wheel tracks and other tracking material.</span><br />
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</div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-711783771667832832012-04-02T05:50:00.000-07:002012-04-02T05:50:26.642-07:00Bird of the Week - XXVIII<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVSIANmsYNXIHQ8LUQ9i6dSxm7moXmFB_vd5jV7MhTlUNofKYg_q3KjYrnA3Pe7d8CXg6M5WwELTPXMLCrEQ4TyaoJk02UJF4_5BEyjZ-ibmfI5IwX-iXYLwBaiGAoFKERx-lNzXzjeg/s1600/Screech+owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVSIANmsYNXIHQ8LUQ9i6dSxm7moXmFB_vd5jV7MhTlUNofKYg_q3KjYrnA3Pe7d8CXg6M5WwELTPXMLCrEQ4TyaoJk02UJF4_5BEyjZ-ibmfI5IwX-iXYLwBaiGAoFKERx-lNzXzjeg/s320/Screech+owl.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey phase Screech owl.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRlh9mMc58u5gMUZh_3kO8YGPo3KOT0nuwxCNML_oaOilg57FTUFe2u3yh0IGm8aiUoo6ArQ38UR7syMvmGOCi29DSiIEmqe_UXpkatKYRBprqkVbKCRjjldlJEFZbZNe4Q5b0-u-CrE/s1600/Screech+owl+red+in+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRlh9mMc58u5gMUZh_3kO8YGPo3KOT0nuwxCNML_oaOilg57FTUFe2u3yh0IGm8aiUoo6ArQ38UR7syMvmGOCi29DSiIEmqe_UXpkatKYRBprqkVbKCRjjldlJEFZbZNe4Q5b0-u-CrE/s320/Screech+owl+red+in+hole.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red phase Screech owl in a hole in a tree.<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/id">Eastern Screech owl</a>. This small owl, about 10", has ear tufts and can be found in either a brownish-gray color or a reddish-brown color. The male and female birds look alike, with the female slightly larger. Believe it or not, the Screech owl is common in Reading, however, because it is nocturnal, we don't often see or hear it. They found in most habitats with trees, including urban and suburban areas. If you are careful, patient, and lucky enough, you may spot a Screech owl sitting in a hole in a tree. You may hear one of it's two common calls at night; a descending whistled whinny, or a whistled trill on one pitch.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbG8aAR2tak4MVBa5XEA6JnWszVyPB_Q8waaZ_r2P3uyFLoiRJrxACF0uWMGCy_X10vuW0VN4e3PFS6o2bvxD06_cZwYIucwvRSbzjGeXpYXbXBlLImgKCIG3aMgy3J2u4MDNAVNl378/s1600/Screech+owl+Katie+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbG8aAR2tak4MVBa5XEA6JnWszVyPB_Q8waaZ_r2P3uyFLoiRJrxACF0uWMGCy_X10vuW0VN4e3PFS6o2bvxD06_cZwYIucwvRSbzjGeXpYXbXBlLImgKCIG3aMgy3J2u4MDNAVNl378/s320/Screech+owl+Katie+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken by a former student of mine in her backyard.<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Screech owl hunts and eats large insects, small rodents, crayfish, earthworms, and small songbirds. They nest in tree cavities (holes) and will readily nest in man-made nest boxes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds and Roger Tory Peterson print from Bird Watchers Digest. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7d4Y56Z0QSUenKmvRtMFHtGJxM9bAE6pSusYNQ-Dsi_vkZ3iV1_fVbHMb1Jan__MtmcyXP0a3UoAaVOpKiJmDyzZYmQ68JRnAkZ9cYpm3l9u_KMeLStffdyWkWLPJfYFEugVqEAuB8/s1600/Screech+owl+in+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdl7d4Y56Z0QSUenKmvRtMFHtGJxM9bAE6pSusYNQ-Dsi_vkZ3iV1_fVbHMb1Jan__MtmcyXP0a3UoAaVOpKiJmDyzZYmQ68JRnAkZ9cYpm3l9u_KMeLStffdyWkWLPJfYFEugVqEAuB8/s320/Screech+owl+in+box.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey phase Screech owl in a nesting box.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5k7dyLMWS7WAZteoYmZKrailexrfmbia6p2gkEgCDNZABKjfEot1gR_l1pguFAi8S5j6fyqRvbnYeZlKRmugXKXJClZ1NsECLpscW488jWGiUC55xJgGYcORGg1t8tXmR-nbyaiBzkA/s1600/screech+owl+Peterson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5k7dyLMWS7WAZteoYmZKrailexrfmbia6p2gkEgCDNZABKjfEot1gR_l1pguFAi8S5j6fyqRvbnYeZlKRmugXKXJClZ1NsECLpscW488jWGiUC55xJgGYcORGg1t8tXmR-nbyaiBzkA/s320/screech+owl+Peterson.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting done by Roger Tory Peterson, From Bird Watchers Digest.<br />
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</tbody></table>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-64706568237508522652012-03-26T08:26:00.001-07:002012-03-26T08:26:51.596-07:00Snowy owls!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqCv2IHjAV0UOipjiBIDk_554CXdQzBoEgDRkzKulEBK1FoY-CpKgKwdcUsWnOz2BQ4xeKT0GLeOahV620zMFy3CbGtVcVu1WV0_uP4Oo-_sUcgqVMp5gHGhQFfHAqB8uxGFeMRhxHug/s1600/dave+2%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqCv2IHjAV0UOipjiBIDk_554CXdQzBoEgDRkzKulEBK1FoY-CpKgKwdcUsWnOz2BQ4xeKT0GLeOahV620zMFy3CbGtVcVu1WV0_uP4Oo-_sUcgqVMp5gHGhQFfHAqB8uxGFeMRhxHug/s320/dave+2%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To be this close to this impressive bird is incredible!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I had the wonderful opportunity to see and hear Norm Smith speak about his almost 30 years of working with Snowy owls! Norm is the director of the MA Audubon Society's Blue Hills Trailside Museum. He has been studying Snowy owls since 1981. He has been doing research into their migration patterns and their ecological requirements. He has obtained the necessary permits and permissions to capture Snowy owls at Logan airport. He has color marked and leg banded most of these birds. In addition, he has attached satellite transmitters to some of the birds. The data collected via satellite telemetry on these birds will provide critical information on the physical health and the elusive migration patterns of Snowy owls wintering in Massachusetts. To learn more about the MA Audubon's Snowy Owl Project,<a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/Birds_and_Birding/snowyowl/index.php"> click here.</a> These photos were used with the permission of Sean Riley <a href="http://10thstreetbirding.blogspot.com/">http://10thstreetbirding.blogspot.com/</a> and Dave Larson <a href="http://www.larsonweb.org/2012/normandsnowy.html">http://www.larsonweb.org/2012/normandsnowy.html</a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTFoVVs40zQpPwS2TsXU2cIWL35pQihV9e3rC-09EdpZyOPTwzWsNRpaBXW1xmkZ6oLdCBf0jteas2EyxSqF_iQrAu05vTVGgHcqzuTZ_S5yhyU6XpzTpH4SwPQ3GK8Piv3hUpfrFUcQ/s1600/closeface%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTFoVVs40zQpPwS2TsXU2cIWL35pQihV9e3rC-09EdpZyOPTwzWsNRpaBXW1xmkZ6oLdCBf0jteas2EyxSqF_iQrAu05vTVGgHcqzuTZ_S5yhyU6XpzTpH4SwPQ3GK8Piv3hUpfrFUcQ/s1600/closeface%5B1%5D.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful close-up of this magnificent bird!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_yqwv1PEWWloy-fOM3t-nrN4tw2tUT1Txf6nYdLibjBQzhf4V0Ut0fGppRDYs10Fm0FNsVRPhDOFfLpcqN6pA4bHxjgliiPt_eJ0GqXj25MUkrTgDg7lKWjVS_zStwvKhD2bX-XyDPs/s1600/dave+W+with+wing%5B2%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_yqwv1PEWWloy-fOM3t-nrN4tw2tUT1Txf6nYdLibjBQzhf4V0Ut0fGppRDYs10Fm0FNsVRPhDOFfLpcqN6pA4bHxjgliiPt_eJ0GqXj25MUkrTgDg7lKWjVS_zStwvKhD2bX-XyDPs/s320/dave+W+with+wing%5B2%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am holding the wing of a Snowy owl. This bird met it's death at Logan airport and Norn uses these parts for education purposes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki0J1lwwHpqURUlQ480UnORy-4KiqiQuw07s-G2_YzGM9CbXKNj9M_Yj36WdKpPGPUYZVe1da0qzUc5-10kGVrK47kru6yEdI-zZ2sjp01Mst8VRtCF8BpBhqQbKML7nqaSC_lPk7DMo/s1600/snowyowl-3-24-12-a1%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki0J1lwwHpqURUlQ480UnORy-4KiqiQuw07s-G2_YzGM9CbXKNj9M_Yj36WdKpPGPUYZVe1da0qzUc5-10kGVrK47kru6yEdI-zZ2sjp01Mst8VRtCF8BpBhqQbKML7nqaSC_lPk7DMo/s320/snowyowl-3-24-12-a1%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those eyes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYqc_R5dw0fb_wRrglkkeqDL-5yumwzA0v9PEErjIr_flXHKwo1OnNnvUsO0Pkh2uCqd1mWnmOVRXhZL0cDxqoBO_Angtajp7sX_MPMWtZU_e2GNrcpIsxozoltEN6M7Rd56D1doshDA/s1600/snowyowl-3-24-12-b1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYqc_R5dw0fb_wRrglkkeqDL-5yumwzA0v9PEErjIr_flXHKwo1OnNnvUsO0Pkh2uCqd1mWnmOVRXhZL0cDxqoBO_Angtajp7sX_MPMWtZU_e2GNrcpIsxozoltEN6M7Rd56D1doshDA/s320/snowyowl-3-24-12-b1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is Norm pointing out something of interest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHN3kW5F-FJcCrEnSn7yiVHyPo-5ARTr1MF4uKT_BMim2GuEEItbCrU-jbR9jv3IrFtHgjadz9MFsXplG7e8E26SHQPCzcP0pGStIeYmGeRwRJbBzYOGqO5uI8OHFRvXLqHboxbMM6ZM/s1600/snowyowl-3-24-12-d1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHN3kW5F-FJcCrEnSn7yiVHyPo-5ARTr1MF4uKT_BMim2GuEEItbCrU-jbR9jv3IrFtHgjadz9MFsXplG7e8E26SHQPCzcP0pGStIeYmGeRwRJbBzYOGqO5uI8OHFRvXLqHboxbMM6ZM/s320/snowyowl-3-24-12-d1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm and the Snowy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvavwU7Oj1NBUGZPxRXJ-YZy-uU6q2xtN1TmbyFZRR7zC1JTdVBXJmvEfDHm272hU39SIxjTt1qCmWm0GOHhUVsTZ-w0ptY_70RoVmbXnH-qsVtphfJ1rSUoiyBK_a5KNgULZNjmJa5c/s1600/snowyowl-3-24-12-g1%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvavwU7Oj1NBUGZPxRXJ-YZy-uU6q2xtN1TmbyFZRR7zC1JTdVBXJmvEfDHm272hU39SIxjTt1qCmWm0GOHhUVsTZ-w0ptY_70RoVmbXnH-qsVtphfJ1rSUoiyBK_a5KNgULZNjmJa5c/s320/snowyowl-3-24-12-g1%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The owl is set free!</td></tr>
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</div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-10596376063583035902012-03-26T08:26:00.000-07:002012-03-26T08:26:17.862-07:00Signs of Spring - Natures Green is Gold<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Nature's Green Is Gold</em> by Robert Frost </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nature’s first green is gold,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Her hardest hue to hold.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Her early leaf’s a flower;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But only so an hour.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then leaf subsides to leaf.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So Eden sank to grief,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So dawn goes down to day.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nothing gold can stay.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As you are out and about on the lookout for signs of spring to record in your journal, keep this classic poem in mind. Spring time colors are stunning. Greens evolve into golds and reds. Spend some time looking for these special, subtle spring time colors.</span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-8455338535562087182012-03-26T08:25:00.001-07:002012-03-26T08:25:48.510-07:00Signs of Spring journal writting activity<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtYW51o1eETB2xblZM5p04EovUUqS0YoW_JHKECJ9SZRnlhWdlCKQluZ7LmIaJakR5WD3utpC2ZMclruvoHnM7mIpRSpev5MJGUSzYa8WxEWyx8T-rkMUfMvN4NmAn-D0l8n33maDv64/s1600/SOS+journal+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtYW51o1eETB2xblZM5p04EovUUqS0YoW_JHKECJ9SZRnlhWdlCKQluZ7LmIaJakR5WD3utpC2ZMclruvoHnM7mIpRSpev5MJGUSzYa8WxEWyx8T-rkMUfMvN4NmAn-D0l8n33maDv64/s320/SOS+journal+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>“Signs of Spring” Journal Writing Project</strong></span></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>“Observation is not only the most fundamental science process skill, it is also the most fundamental act of a caring person” Anon.</strong></span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the next few months, I want you to be on the lookout for signs that spring is approaching. Even though spring, or the Vernal equinox, officially arrives on March 20, we all know that spring isn’t really here on that date. I have included a list of some signs of spring for you to be on the look out for, but there are many more. Use your senses! Listen, smell, see, and feel. Each entry must include the following information in your “Signs of Spring” journal:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A. Date</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B. Time</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">C. Location</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">D. Description</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">E. Sketch</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your written journal entry should be at least two paragraphs long. A paragraph is 4 – 7 sentences long. Your writing should be descriptive, based on your observations. You may also be more creative and include creative writing such as poetry, your own art work, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could also include information such as temperature, wind speed, rainfall, etc. This information may be obtained from the weather page of a newspaper, an almanac, or on-line.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your observations might be of one particular thing or event, and you may follow up with additional observations of that same thing. For instance, if you have a Maple tree in your yard, you might first observe when the sap begins to flow. Next, you might notice that the buds are beginning to swell. Next, you might record when the leaves are beginning to first open, and last, you could write when the tree is fully leafed out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may want to comment on how big something grew, how many, or the frequency of, something you saw, or any other subtle changes you observed. Use your senses! Listen, smell, see, and feel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your drawings should be observational art, not imaginative art. They need to communicate information. Give evidence in your drawings – size, shape, color, motion, contour lines. Use the “Tips for Nature Sketching” sheet that Mrs. Davis wrote. In addition, I will accept digital photographs you take yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To successfully do this assignment, you will have to get outdoors where you will have a first hand opportunity to use all of your senses to observe the world around you</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will start the “Signs of Spring journal the week of February 6th. Though it is the height of winter, there are little changes happening that let us know that spring is coming. I will let you know the dates the journal entries are due. We’ll continue this until early June. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Journals will be checked and graded!.</span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-54421225379667591112012-03-26T08:25:00.000-07:002012-03-26T08:25:17.572-07:00Signs of Spring calendar<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Signs of Spring Calendar - 2012</strong></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">February</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1st Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Feb. 2, Groundhog Day. 6 more weeks of winter if the groundhog sees its shadow?</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• On warm, sunny days look for signs of snow fleas at the base of tree trunks, like a sprinkling of pepper on the snow.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Great horned owls begin to nest. Listen for their hooting at night and early dawn.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• February 7th. Full moon 11:38AM. The Snow or Hunger moon</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2nd Week </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Skunks emerge to mate about this time of year. Listen for their fights and squabbles late at night.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Wherever there is open, clear, running water, look for stoneflies on the south-facing banks of streams. One of the few insects that is active in winter, it can sometimes be seen crawling across ice or snow. Stoneflies are one of the better indicators of clean, unpolluted water.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• February 14th – Sunrise 6:43AM Sunset 5:15PM Length of Day 10 hours 32 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3rd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• February 19th. Red Sox pitchers and catchers report to Ft. Myers, FL for spring training.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• February 21st – New moon. 5:37PM</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for the spring songs of Chickadees (“chick-a-dee-dee-dee”) and Tufted-titmouse (a loud, whistled “peter-peter-peter”)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Maple sap starts running. Look for little icicles at the tips of sugar maple twigs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Foxes and raccoons begin their mating season around this time. Listen at night for fights.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• On the wet days of late winter, look for turkey-tail and other shelf fungi on old tree trunks and stumps.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4th Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• First of the returning Red-wing blackbirds appear.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Starlings, House finches, Cardinals, and other birds begin singing their spring songs. Spring is in the morning air.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Feb. 28th Sunrise 6:22AM Sunset 5:33PM Length of Day 11 hours 11 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">March 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1st Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for flights of Mourning cloak butterflies on warm days.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for emerging Skunk cabbage in moist woodlands as soon as the ground thaws in these areas.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Check the woodland edges for the swelling buds of pussy willows.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Mud season is upon us.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2nd Week </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 8th. Full moon. The Sap moon.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 11th. Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00AM.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 14th Sunrise 6:57AM Sunset 6:51PM Length of Day 11 hours 52 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Migratory American woodcocks return to their breeding grounds. Watch for their courtship flights at dusk over old fields and listen for their “peent” call.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Red-winged blackbirds, Grackles, and Brown-headed cow birds are steadily returning around now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Painted turtles are among the earliest turtles to come out of hibernation. They have even been seen swimming below ice.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3rd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Chipmunks emerge from underground winter sleep.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 20th – Vernal Equinox. The first day of spring. Day and night are equal in length.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Look for flights of returning migratory ducks in your local freshwater wetlands and ponds. Ring-necked ducks, Green-winged teal, Wood ducks, Black ducks, and mallards are all heading to their breeding grounds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Salamander migration begins on the first warm, rainy night. Watch for them crossing roads in wooded areas.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Pussy willows are fuzzed out about now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for family, friends, relatives, and neighbors to say their favorite weather or nature proverb.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 22nd. New moon 10:39AM</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4th Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• March 28th Sunrise 6:33AM Sunset 7:07PM Length of Day 12 hours 34 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• The winter constellations are moving westward. Watch for the last days of Orion and Pleiades.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• On warm days and nights, listen for the soft, ducklike “quack” call of Wood frogs from vernal pools in wooded areas.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Willow branches start turning green.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• On sunny days, watch for early garter snakes in sunny locations around rocks and rubble, near grasses.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Red maples bloom; look for the reddish haze in wooded swamps.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">April 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1st Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for the jingle-bell-like call of spring peepers about this time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Tree swallows return to the area. Watch for them “hawking” insects over ponds, marshes, and wet areas.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Robins are returning.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Red Sox first game. @ Detroit.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 6th Full moon 3:20 P.M.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2nd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Forsythia blooms yellow about now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Yard grass turns green. Hay fields and old fields are still brown.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Red Sox home opener vs. the Rays.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 14th Sunrise 6:04AM Sunset 7:26PM Length of Day 13 hours 22 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• In wooded areas, listen for the muffled drumming sounds of the male Ruffed grouse. They get up on an old log, extend their wings in an arc, and then in a very quick motion, flap their wings. They start slowly and build up speed. This causes a loud, drumming-like sound the males use to attract a mate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for blooming woodland wildflowers now, before the leaves come out on the trees.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3rd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Snakes and turtles emerge from their winter quarters. Watch for them basking in sunny areas. Snakes prefer south-facing rocky slopes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Pine warblers, Barn swallows, and Yellow-rumped warblers are returning around now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Crab apples and azaleas are blooming.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for these returning birds: Towhees, Brown thrashers, House wrens, and Chimney swifts.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch the ground for ants and Ladybugs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 21st. New moon. 3:20AM. Watch for the sickled-shaped, spring constellation, Leo in the eastern sky. A sure sign of spring.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 22nd – Earth Day. The 41st anniversary of Earth Day.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 22nd – Lyrid meteor shower. Best seen just before dawn looking south.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4th Week </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 28th Sunrise 5:43 AM Sunset 7:42 PM Length of Day 13 hours 59 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Toads should be singing by this time; listen for their long trill from nearby swamps and marshes..</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• April 30th - This is the eve of the Celtic first day of summer and the date of the Roman festival Floralia. Both were celebrations of flowers and love.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for the whistled “old, Sam peabody-peabody-peabody” song of the white-throated sparrow.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• “If apple trees bloom in April the crop will be plentiful- if they bloom in May the crop will be poor.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">May 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1st Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• May 5th. Full moon. 11:36PM The Flower moon.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Black-and-white warblers, yellow warblers, and Baltimore orioles return.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for early butterflies such as Spring azure, Cabbage white, and Common sulphur.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Trout lilies, Columbine, Trillium, and other woodland wildflowers are still in bloom.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2nd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• May 14th Sunrise 5:23AM Sunset 8:00PM Length of Day 14 hours 37 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Wood thrushes, Catbirds, and Veeries return.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• The second week in May marks the height of the warbler migration. Over 20 different species of these small, colorful songsters will pass through eastern Massachusetts on their way to their breeding grounds. Watch for them in the tree tops and shrubbery. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Mayflies are swarming.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen to the dawn chorus of singing birds. It starts as early as 4:30AM and it is a caucfony of sound</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3rd Week </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• May 20th. New moon 7:48PM. . This is a good night to watch the sky for spring constellations</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• The Dogwood trees blossom about now. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for blooming lilacs. “When the yellow forsythia blooms it's the time to prune roses and fertilize the lawn.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Dragonflies and damselflies reappear about now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Trees will put out their leaves about this time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Scarlet tanagers, Rose-breasted grosbeaks, Red-eyed vireos, and Broad-winged hawks return</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4th Week May 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• May 28th Sunrise 5:11AM Sunset 8:13PM Length of Day 15.02 hours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Earthworms mate about this time of year. Watch for them on soggy nights.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• In coastal areas, this is the height of the shorebird migration.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Monarch butterflies and Dragonflies move northward around this time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Tiger swallowtail butterflies can be seen now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Lady slippers and Jack-in-the pulpit bloom in shady woodlands.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">June 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">!st Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 3-4, 2012: Partial eclipse of the Moon In North America, this will be fully visible only from western Alaska</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 4th. Full moon 7:11AM. Rose moon or Strawberry moon.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Watch for tadpoles in ponds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June bugs appear. Watch for them around porch lights and at screen windows.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for Bull frog choruses from freshwater marshes and ponds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for the bubbling song of the Indigo bunting (sweet – sweet – chew-chew- sweet- sweet)</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2nd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 14th Sunrise 5:06AM Sunset 8:24PM Length of Day 15 hours 18 minutes</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 19th. New moon 11:03AM. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• First hatch of mosquitoes begins about this time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Field wildflowers bloom around this time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Orchids and bog-loving wildflowers bloom.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Baby birds begin appearing about this time; watch for them on lawns and in shrubbery. Most seemingly lost babies are not orphans, their parents are nearby.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Painted, Snapping, and Spotted turtles lay their eggs about this time of year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3rd Week</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 21st – Summer solstice, the longest day of the year. There is 15 hours and 19 minutes of day.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• June 18th. Last day of school!</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• First Meadow crickets can be heard about now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Fireflies begin appearing in grassy areas.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Kingbirds nest; young Baltimore orioles call from hanging nests.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Listen for the haunted, fluted song of the Wood thrush </span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-42206323095562253632012-03-26T04:42:00.000-07:002012-03-26T04:42:49.348-07:00Bird of the Week - XXVII<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheExGKFniXehKy3zopnRmiFLkPJxRrTvUeWmw3GVLVAJUepK6Zx0VEi5OwARl-wvEzRhqZB_QGNQAtMjQRC433VUobnel4zZZktlkOgnFA3N9hme4TaVSInlUHmwCsSrcHVN5VAoJWzUg/s1600/Turkey+Male.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheExGKFniXehKy3zopnRmiFLkPJxRrTvUeWmw3GVLVAJUepK6Zx0VEi5OwARl-wvEzRhqZB_QGNQAtMjQRC433VUobnel4zZZktlkOgnFA3N9hme4TaVSInlUHmwCsSrcHVN5VAoJWzUg/s320/Turkey+Male.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #009900;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This week's <em>"Bird of the Week"</em> is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/id/ac">Wild Turkey</a></span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. If you have ever seen a Wild turkey, you can't miss it! They have a bronzy iridescence to their body feathers and their wing feathers are barred black and white. The male is much larger with a more prominent beard, and it's head and neck are completely bare, often with a blueish color and with red wattles. A wattle, or beard, is the skin that hangs from the turkey's throat.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwVI2AhW5m7HJCNgj_fdZoAzO80W3J5Q1ANnLIDya2BEO1-Epr96KS6u-n6-sXPVxe1X_M5FwwPX_lNJLsVF4NpLXfLPa0szmOPGIH3KegjFtP4AAVsLFpKsvF2665DAmdwBvhP-7ei4/s1600/Turkey+Female.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwVI2AhW5m7HJCNgj_fdZoAzO80W3J5Q1ANnLIDya2BEO1-Epr96KS6u-n6-sXPVxe1X_M5FwwPX_lNJLsVF4NpLXfLPa0szmOPGIH3KegjFtP4AAVsLFpKsvF2665DAmdwBvhP-7ei4/s320/Turkey+Female.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><span style="color: #009900; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The male Turkey, called a tom, gobbles to attract females, called hens. When she appears, he struts around her. He has his tail fanned and held up vertically, lowers his wings so that the wingtips drag on the ground, raises the feathers on his back, throws his head back onto his back with the bill forward, and inflates his crop. He makes occasional deep "chump" sounds, followed by a low "humm," and accompanied by a rapid vibration of his tail feathers. During the strut his facial skin engorges and the colors intensify, especially the white forehead.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #009900; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Baby turkeys</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> are called "<a href="http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/turkey.htm">poults</a>." The male Wild Turkey provides no parental care. When the eggs hatch, the chicks follow the female. She feeds them for a few days, but they quickly learn to feed themselves. Several hens and their broods may join up into bands of more than 30 birds. Winter groups have been seen to exceed 200. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dT5qMiLU83TJI3KGW8rhlNHS4-Wne6vj2o5LDUlPEYXlWKnp4-sMMJQ4zd1LLO6dBzEkWBYpmYci6AhJGAThNhyDR94EThg4RwniSw6NF0b_0z2bUPGnummzQOEFZCIdNma26Fdsxbk/s1600/Turkey+Flock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dT5qMiLU83TJI3KGW8rhlNHS4-Wne6vj2o5LDUlPEYXlWKnp4-sMMJQ4zd1LLO6dBzEkWBYpmYci6AhJGAThNhyDR94EThg4RwniSw6NF0b_0z2bUPGnummzQOEFZCIdNma26Fdsxbk/s320/Turkey+Flock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #009900; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Wild turkey was a main part of Native Americans and early settlers diet. By 1857, there were no more Wild turkey's in Massachusetts due to over hunting. In 1972 and 1973, the <a href="http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/facts/birds/turkey/turkey_restoration.htm">Massachusetts Department of Wildlife</a> released 37 Wild turkey's that were captured in New York into western Massachusetts. These turkeys survived and bred and between 1979 and 1996, Mass wildlife officials trapped more than 500 turkeys in the Berkshires(western Mass) and released them elsewhere in the state. Today, there are an estimated 20,000 Wild turkeys in Massachusetts! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #009900; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Photos from All Abot Birds.</span></span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-56013787415660066762012-03-21T10:47:00.000-07:002012-03-21T10:47:47.312-07:00The Law of Conservation of Energy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA25-w_YkY656D9qS4yZgnMRAQlvO_yvvxCq81t7IU6YOT1hRu9HIdVU1eAAlFvz5KJZqJ5kAqTYmcQR5eFjl476fgqa-WPjYwZov1P54MVemFQcdXBC9LdJAZwMcQb3FWeFfIwqTYJw/s1600/Law+of+Conservation+of+Energy+2012+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA25-w_YkY656D9qS4yZgnMRAQlvO_yvvxCq81t7IU6YOT1hRu9HIdVU1eAAlFvz5KJZqJ5kAqTYmcQR5eFjl476fgqa-WPjYwZov1P54MVemFQcdXBC9LdJAZwMcQb3FWeFfIwqTYJw/s320/Law+of+Conservation+of+Energy+2012+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2844Xnr6s-Uyfz0exPbfqiVmHHJAzOQqLXfeKqjwz63kqHELUld_tcrWxwqXIOKG7ZvQD4lzEsMJC3j3JWtZpw7S71ozriiSNQT2jjR_WMxkf_krfpn9QQ1G5z3eFm-0J6kOgPaoOTwA/s1600/Law+of+Conservation+of+Energy+2012+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2844Xnr6s-Uyfz0exPbfqiVmHHJAzOQqLXfeKqjwz63kqHELUld_tcrWxwqXIOKG7ZvQD4lzEsMJC3j3JWtZpw7S71ozriiSNQT2jjR_WMxkf_krfpn9QQ1G5z3eFm-0J6kOgPaoOTwA/s320/Law+of+Conservation+of+Energy+2012+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This theory states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form of energy to another.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We can put this another way:</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">* Energy cannot be made</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">* Energy cannot be destroyed. It is never "used up."</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Energy can just change from one form to another.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The amount of energy you start out with is the same amount of energy you end up with. Only the forms of energy change.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We did many activities and drawings to help learn about this theory.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwGyA9v3UbzudDxTBDgu3GKH1FOHdp8GTm6Pbihln_S-NEpWc02BULU_UuatkdIM-3_GeWrcXTD9PLspyYkCQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-70056383819095803732012-03-19T04:32:00.000-07:002012-03-19T04:32:50.057-07:00Bird of the Week - XXVI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgWwYZZehw6Iq6VDfVZYe86FmV3TUR537UeGIF1q33ZT68MnasENfEYZLCRf89eAIQ82CcgO8KJde580bgg6fD5sk4AqxhHJN7sqLXC1ztXJxegbBLvSi7Ej5iswCiOfougyXn7wgKgM/s1600/Robin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgWwYZZehw6Iq6VDfVZYe86FmV3TUR537UeGIF1q33ZT68MnasENfEYZLCRf89eAIQ82CcgO8KJde580bgg6fD5sk4AqxhHJN7sqLXC1ztXJxegbBLvSi7Ej5iswCiOfougyXn7wgKgM/s320/Robin+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id/ac">American robin</a>. The Robin is the first true sign of spring for many people. The American Robin is a familiar sight pulling up worms on suburban lawns. The Robin is a large thrush with gray back and wings and red underparts. It has a dark head with white eye crescents (marks above and below the eye). The males and females look alike with the female paler, especially on the head.</span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The American Robin eats both fruit and invertebrates. Earthworms are important during the breeding season, but fruit is the main diet during winter. Robins eat different types of food depending on the time of day; they eat earthworms early in the day and more fruit later in the day. Because the robin forages (eats) largely on lawns, it is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning and can be an important indicator of chemical pollution. Robins will occasionally winter over here in Reading, surviving on berries.</span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In early spring, Robins can often be seen a big flocks in grassy fields feeding. </span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robins have adapted very well to human-modified habitats. I bet you have seen and heard Robins in your yard, and maybe even have found a Robin nesting in a bush or shrub in your yard. Robins mate in the spring from April through July and may have as many as three broods (families). Their loud, musical, whistled song sounds like, "cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up."</span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds. </span><br />
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</span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-26768662825511825782012-03-16T10:15:00.001-07:002012-03-16T10:17:55.701-07:00EMS Common Craft videos<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Common Craft videos we created about the Electromagnetic Spectrum are finally up. They can be found at: <a href="https://wsparkermiddleschool.eduvision.tv/default.aspx">https://wsparkermiddleschool.eduvision.tv/default.aspx</a></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Scroll down and click on group 65, 66, 67, or 68 to see these excellent videos!</span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-52637296400544386182012-03-16T10:08:00.000-07:002012-03-16T10:08:59.852-07:00Energy, Force & Motion<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are kicking off our new unit on Energy, Force, and Motion by investigating Potential and Kinetic energy. Using different toys, the students demonstrated the toy with potential energy, them with kinetic energy, and then they identified the force that was neede to change the potentail energy into kinetic energy.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dznIDt1jgQK3Yyp5Zcl7C0N3D-06ml6m89v1cQRnwMTojH-zkjQH7T4xdAIOMjlV3n_fRaWfdADT3O0dZwKjQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-14884051160476509222012-03-12T04:36:00.000-07:002012-03-12T04:36:40.404-07:00BOTW - XXV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gLrnpDzD2-L9sLvfnJLxLDWeW9_hVBgpcngzColtWSAj7idPQZwgxnT5mlavdwqpdTLfYn08nNgg1UW2iImCqLzod2-EBqMIhicPqUJ4PQ7YIIt-TVDAlEs84El_4_76l0ZMid-_3F4/s1600/Woodcock1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gLrnpDzD2-L9sLvfnJLxLDWeW9_hVBgpcngzColtWSAj7idPQZwgxnT5mlavdwqpdTLfYn08nNgg1UW2iImCqLzod2-EBqMIhicPqUJ4PQ7YIIt-TVDAlEs84El_4_76l0ZMid-_3F4/s320/Woodcock1.jpg" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYV8VzvQidQjZwV3kTEb37wBsvqOnGAPQPHdh9tIdO8k5byso95nygKyKkfeX9X6qsd8d1Q0TLg8U4yTq8UVmRomCjBtY2IiJbgs2_6S2vJ90up_OYQeG3PUO3YwHRPo65bEKTlrzPJyQ/s1600/woodcock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYV8VzvQidQjZwV3kTEb37wBsvqOnGAPQPHdh9tIdO8k5byso95nygKyKkfeX9X6qsd8d1Q0TLg8U4yTq8UVmRomCjBtY2IiJbgs2_6S2vJ90up_OYQeG3PUO3YwHRPo65bEKTlrzPJyQ/s320/woodcock2.jpg" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is a bird you probably haven't seen before, but does nest here in Reading. It is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/id/ac">American woodcock</a>. The American woodcock is a shorebird that lives in forests! The American Woodcock is most frequently encountered at dusk when the male's chirping, peenting aerial displays attract attention. Otherwise the superbly camouflaged bird is difficult to discover on the forest floor where it probes for earthworms. The flexible tip of the American Woodcock's bill is specialized for catching earthworms. The bird probably feels worms as it probes in the ground. A woodcock may rock its body back and forth without moving its head as it slowly walks around, stepping heavily with its front foot. This action may make worms move around in the soil, increasing their detectablity.The Woodcock is plump, with a round head, no apparent neck, and a long bill. It's coloring is shades of brown, buff, and gray which allows it to camouflage itself quite nicely. The American woodcock is a gamebird, meaning that it can be leagally hunted.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The male American Woodcock has an elaborate display to attract females. He gives repeated "peents" on the ground, often on remaining patches of snow in the early spring. After a time he flies upward in a wide spiral. As he gets higher, his wings start to twitter. After reaching a height of about 300 feet, the twittering becomes intermittent, and the bird starts chirping as he starts to descend. He comes down in a zig-zag, diving fashion, chirping as he goes. As he comes near the ground he silently lands, near a female if she is present. Then he starts peenting again. You can observe this spectacular courtship display at the Bare Meadow Conservation Land, off of Pearl St. here in Reading. They display just before dawn and again at dusk. To listen to a brief podcast entitled, "Woodcock's Sky Dance", <a href="http://www.birdnote.org/birdnote-transcript.cfm?id=1491">click here</a> and then click Play MP3.</span><br />
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</div>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-50580069884249370052012-03-05T04:35:00.000-08:002012-03-05T04:35:03.128-08:00BOTW - XXIV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovNDb8-uNRRTJFcI7dG_aygZCzKxWQNISGvYS5JfkmfBM6Ww7J0H7hImPtmGW3HjlZ0cjclK_st_cv4x09TozcfG_wY7bJ993zE3_ZQctJEu5auQ9xpivbEUAjmUk_6zaTgVN15O_xZI/s1600/mallardM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovNDb8-uNRRTJFcI7dG_aygZCzKxWQNISGvYS5JfkmfBM6Ww7J0H7hImPtmGW3HjlZ0cjclK_st_cv4x09TozcfG_wY7bJ993zE3_ZQctJEu5auQ9xpivbEUAjmUk_6zaTgVN15O_xZI/s320/mallardM.jpg" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mallard/id/ac">Mallard</a> duck. The Mallard is one of the most common of all ducks, and is found throughout North America. It is found in all kinds of wetlands and is a familiar inhabitant of urban park ponds. If you have wetlands near you, there is a good chance you have seen these ducks occasionally in your yard.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vHhqLviun_7TOXw_8OIZEqgP42xRDH77D6-L21spPNL2BEIgYr1M199w-kgcwoMexKt_ydLHZllNPlxzsUqbJD_X9OGXTnObXMsEPCmCyhtCxPGtvGpzZtjD9nHpucSJYF23sNCzoNE/s1600/mallard+i+flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vHhqLviun_7TOXw_8OIZEqgP42xRDH77D6-L21spPNL2BEIgYr1M199w-kgcwoMexKt_ydLHZllNPlxzsUqbJD_X9OGXTnObXMsEPCmCyhtCxPGtvGpzZtjD9nHpucSJYF23sNCzoNE/s320/mallard+i+flight.jpg" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDoRqMSFxGlGTX86oo6vRVVbkWhs-TtbGuGDkZbia1hRBpQYaClJ9FwCK7KqnbzlVSei9LihSpEAOfrnwCk7eFWESZnJb6g4rGlZyPhUUvjETe7WTRSe21dK5G9rj44Kw60Wb4iQtZo4/s1600/mallard+with+babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDoRqMSFxGlGTX86oo6vRVVbkWhs-TtbGuGDkZbia1hRBpQYaClJ9FwCK7KqnbzlVSei9LihSpEAOfrnwCk7eFWESZnJb6g4rGlZyPhUUvjETe7WTRSe21dK5G9rj44Kw60Wb4iQtZo4/s1600/mallard+with+babies.jpg" uda="true" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Mallard is a large (almost 2 feet long) dabbling duck. Dabbling means that it tips upside down to feed on aquatic ( water) vegetation. They weigh between 2 -3 pounds and have a wing span of about 3 feet. The male has an iridescent green head, rusty chest, and gray body. The female is mottled brown. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mallards will eat insects and larvae, aquatic invertebrates, seeds, acorns, aquatic vegetation, and grain. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds</span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-90024623647496331372012-02-27T05:45:00.000-08:002012-02-27T05:45:31.858-08:00Bird of the Week - XXIII<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLqneDgGYPR-BU8Tsu5mBtdCICsG0KzXqyzMd04z5D8mafAtAvBQa7ssqegzC3VFakg5KeLhAQZOtjyCg-kZHa6QK8Ljn8M5f0pqJFYNvMC-J-E8MHzDX3nabOuCuQLOKkdKILvgqcR4/s1600/redwingedblackbirdM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLqneDgGYPR-BU8Tsu5mBtdCICsG0KzXqyzMd04z5D8mafAtAvBQa7ssqegzC3VFakg5KeLhAQZOtjyCg-kZHa6QK8Ljn8M5f0pqJFYNvMC-J-E8MHzDX3nabOuCuQLOKkdKILvgqcR4/s320/redwingedblackbirdM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Red-winged blackbird.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Common grackle.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week's BOTW isn't one bird, but two! Red-winged blackbirds and Common grackles are two of the earliest returning migratory birds to our area and serve as signs of spring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps the most abundant bird in North America, the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/id/ac">Red-winged blackbird</a> is one the the earliest returning migratory birds in our area. After spending the winter in the southern part of the United States, they arrive back here in Reading from the end of February through early March. Saturday (Feb.26th), I observed a flock of 11 Red-winged blackbirds, with several of them singing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Red-winged blackbird is a medium-sized songbird that has a moderately long, slender bill and a medium length tail. The male is black with a bright red to reddish-orange patch on it's wings. The female is totally different appearance, looking a lot like a large, dark sparrow. It's song is a harsh, gurgling trill described as "kon-ka-reee".</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNacQk9kte7237xTF2j9-1eJ-ts3NxboHdCudVPCNtAkxeTXt14Uz0994s_k2v_xNYWxQ_tMJs1J-x4zdFnO7JsnqZzNVWW2fLOBYZFByuMBhHDkXzaUJ13nNyeJPz5bZgpk3iSW2u0U/s1600/Redwinged+blackbirdF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNacQk9kte7237xTF2j9-1eJ-ts3NxboHdCudVPCNtAkxeTXt14Uz0994s_k2v_xNYWxQ_tMJs1J-x4zdFnO7JsnqZzNVWW2fLOBYZFByuMBhHDkXzaUJ13nNyeJPz5bZgpk3iSW2u0U/s320/Redwinged+blackbirdF.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Red-winged blackbird.<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Red-winged blackbirds breed in a variety of wetland and grassy areas, including swamps, marshes, meadows, and fields. The male Red-winged blackbird flashes and displays the red patches (epaulets) on it's wings to attract a mate. The males vigorously defend their territory, chasing any birds that comes into it, trying to drive them away.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77QyZLIEf3TpPbxlHiGEdySBTDqWxm0Du62x7q5mRz6x1GN_0I9Zulj2OSBZpaKO0SlXzAMlvjRoM7JRipFljX3QFKIR0QA6XifyPtwu0Z052xjE-HcyViKR6vJHPH5G3PgfA5pzaSt4/s1600/Red-WingedBlackbirdmaledisplaying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77QyZLIEf3TpPbxlHiGEdySBTDqWxm0Du62x7q5mRz6x1GN_0I9Zulj2OSBZpaKO0SlXzAMlvjRoM7JRipFljX3QFKIR0QA6XifyPtwu0Z052xjE-HcyViKR6vJHPH5G3PgfA5pzaSt4/s320/Red-WingedBlackbirdmaledisplaying.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mal Red-winged blackbird displaying.<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 75% of the Red-winged Blackbird diet is seeds. During the breeding season, they also eat insects, especially dragonflies, mayflies, and caddis flies as they emerge from their aquatic larval stage. In winter, grain is an important source of food, and many birds feed on corn stubble and at feedlots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id/ac">Common grackle</a> is a large blackbird, approximately 12 inches long with a wingspan of about 16 inches. It is an iridescent black all over with a long tail that looks keel-like in flight. It's eyes are yellow and it has a fairly long, black bill. The head, neck, and breast are a glossy, purplish-green or blue. The female is slightly smaller and less glossy than the male. It's song is a harsh, unmusical "readle-eak," like a rusty gate. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9MAxCLyI1GrD0vptUmxEPPBSN3vA5WRsnT-g-iPoM2tB7-BDaoOkFUmV8Qj1Xvk9UAVpzJeq2LoWTWJLMhT6ElgVRqovawILLh0F_Ihtpm_BUgGo7XybCqcuV0_7INk_ZS5KIpbsIAM/s1600/Common+Grackle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9MAxCLyI1GrD0vptUmxEPPBSN3vA5WRsnT-g-iPoM2tB7-BDaoOkFUmV8Qj1Xvk9UAVpzJeq2LoWTWJLMhT6ElgVRqovawILLh0F_Ihtpm_BUgGo7XybCqcuV0_7INk_ZS5KIpbsIAM/s320/Common+Grackle2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common grackle.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It spends the winter in southern United States and is one of the earliest returning migrant birds, often returning in March along with flocks of Red-winged blackbirds. It forages (eats) on ground, often in large flocks with other blackbirds where it will eat insects, other invertebrates, grain, seeds, acorns, and fruit. The Common Grackle is an opportunistic forager (hunter of food), taking advantage of whatever food sources it can find. It will follow plows for invertebrates and mice, wade into water to catch small fish, and sometimes kill and eat other birds at bird feeders.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fxBeqlXUzUi0_0mZZLKhItB_C36O8Ofo34R_5MNrpjUSQBVa5FtxcEpC3co2O3NsrZ8g0ghtX9LK2OU9OPRLPhYg2zV-5O2YwGD7QKCsw_fsNQLDmVRNiSRUnKXLjBXYw77lG2eFRGE/s1600/common+grackle+flock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fxBeqlXUzUi0_0mZZLKhItB_C36O8Ofo34R_5MNrpjUSQBVa5FtxcEpC3co2O3NsrZ8g0ghtX9LK2OU9OPRLPhYg2zV-5O2YwGD7QKCsw_fsNQLDmVRNiSRUnKXLjBXYw77lG2eFRGE/s320/common+grackle+flock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flock of Common grackles.<br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Common grackle breeds in much of central and eastern United States and Canada, living in a variety of open areas with scattered trees, including open woodland, boreal forest, swamps, marshes, agricultural areas, urban residential areas, and parks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Photos from All About Birds and USGS.gov </span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-9064804718420034772012-02-17T07:14:00.000-08:002012-02-17T07:20:25.874-08:00Great Backyard Bird Count 2012<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/whycount.html">Great Backyard Bird Count</a> is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent and in Hawaii. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Why Count Birds? Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Your counts can help us answer many questions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How will this winter's snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Are any birds undergoing worrisome declines that point to the need for conservation attention?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Scientists use the counts, along with observations from other citizen-science projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and eBird, to give us an immense picture of our winter birds. Each year that these data are collected makes them more meaningful and allows scientists to investigate far-reaching questions.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Please consider participating in this years <a href="http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/whycount.html">Great Backyard Bird Count</a>! </span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-11167797674431730482012-02-13T04:41:00.000-08:002012-02-13T04:41:00.540-08:00Bird of the Week - XXII<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwG5G65UX6-FIy3EnKOAmYsssYfJ5O2pVmsV03gopNGrZJxFJNnYbyvhJMmbi3CeZbhVOejJlvAdOc6boXb8fzytX06Y9BkGG-JFprkWUGGXyEvaiQLnY0hlsWpWhXUEREss__dwrI9aY/s1600/Carolinawren1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwG5G65UX6-FIy3EnKOAmYsssYfJ5O2pVmsV03gopNGrZJxFJNnYbyvhJMmbi3CeZbhVOejJlvAdOc6boXb8fzytX06Y9BkGG-JFprkWUGGXyEvaiQLnY0hlsWpWhXUEREss__dwrI9aY/s320/Carolinawren1.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week's "Bird of the Week" is the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/id/ac">Carolina wren</a>. Twenty years ago, it would have been very rare to see a Carolina wren in Reading. Now, they are fairly common around town. This bird is a great example of range expansion, that is living organisms expanding the range in which they live. The Carolina wren is a bird of the Southeast but now can be found in all most all of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire and southern Maine. It can be found in a wide range of habitats, from swamps to forest to residential area. They requires moderately dense shrub or brushy cover. They eat primarily insects, but can be found around winter bird feeders eating suet.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Carolina wren is a small, buffy, songbird with rusty colored underparts. It oftens holds it tail in the upright position and it has a white eye stripe. The sexes look alike with the male slightly larger. The Carolina wren's song is a very loud, clear, 3-syllabled chant, like "tea kettle - tea kettle - tea kettle." It is one of the few birds that will sing in the dead of winter.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Carolina wren is quite creative as to where it will nest and roost at night. It will nest in hanging plants, tipped over flower pots, nest boxes, it will even nest in garages if the door or window is kept open. Last winter, I had a Carolina wren roost (sleep) in my Christmas wreath hanging on my front door! Here are <a href="http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/print.php?id=289">plans you could follow</a> to build a shelter box for Carolina wrens, or other small birds, to use at night.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos taken from Cornells All About Birds </span>Mr. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16227510747695106283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090735336772190011.post-54158281191613752032012-02-09T07:31:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:31:34.035-08:00Pompeii Field Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtEJeluF_R0trWAOis4SV5f9AUqi450aC9kjyC_ZLWxmL3CoXQ6OmypF7MjZUsMmc3stzDbmqcJE_CNXIJFtfcsNLFr_jxprfapOcsUvZcTRIgNX08KGQ2ZHABctfdEJFHYvUbSd-fsA/s1600/Pompei+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtEJeluF_R0trWAOis4SV5f9AUqi450aC9kjyC_ZLWxmL3CoXQ6OmypF7MjZUsMmc3stzDbmqcJE_CNXIJFtfcsNLFr_jxprfapOcsUvZcTRIgNX08KGQ2ZHABctfdEJFHYvUbSd-fsA/s400/Pompei+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Our Team took a field trip to the <a href="http://www.mos.org/">Museum of Science</a> in Boston to visit the <a href="http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/coming_soon&d=4837">Pompeii exhibit</a> as part of the Social Studies curriculum. In addition, we also saw the IMAX movies <em><a href="http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/imax&d=5144">Ring of Fire</a>.</em></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana;">We also visited the<em> <a href="http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/current_exhibits&d=700">Beyond the X-Ray</a> exhibit</em>, the <em><a href="http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/current_exhibits&d=4754">Cosmic Light</a></em> exhibit, and the <em><a href="http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/current_exhibits&d=215">A Bird's World</a> </em>exhibit where the kids looked for some of the Birds of the Week they have been learning.</span><br />
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