Mr. Williams 6th Grade Science Blog

Focus on Feeders! 2012

2012-01-31T05:10:00.000-08:00

Citizen science project offer the opportunity to regular people to contribute to on-going science projects being conducted all around the world. I will be posting various Citizen Science projects that might be of interest to you and your family.

If you have bird feeders in your yard, one local project you and your parents might like to participate in is Massachusetts Audubon's "Focus on Feeders Weekend" project. To participate, you check your feeders periodically throughout the weekend and note the number of species in view at any one time. At the end of the weekend, record the maximum number of birds observed at any one time for each species. You can submit your results on-line or mail in a data chart.

Observations from the bird watching public contribute to a growing database that can provide early warning signs on changes in abundance of bird species that visit feeders. For example, feeder watching in Massachusetts has helped document the decline of House Finch as a result of conjunctivitis, and the northward expansion of Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, and Carolina Wren in response to warmer winters.
For more information and details about this project, click on the link below.
http://www.massaudubon.org/Birds_and_Birding/FoF/

Bird of the Week - XX

2012-01-30T07:03:00.000-08:00

Male

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the White-throated sparrow. The White-throated sparrow breeds in northern New England and Canada. Here in Reading, we will most commonly see the White-throated sparrow in the spring and fall during migration and in the winter. The White-throated sparrow feeds primarily on the ground, scratching the leaf litter with it's feet, looking for seeds, small fruits, and insects. It is also a frequent visitor to backyard bird feeders.

Close up of a male.

It is a large sparrow with a white throat, yellow in the front of the eyes, and white and black stripes on it's head. It's song is a slow series of usually five clear whistles that changes pitch once, on either the second or third note, often described as "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" or "Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada."

Female

Photos from All About Birds

Bird of the week - XIX

2012-01-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the American crow. The crow is widespread, common, obvious, and known to most people. What a lot of people don't know is how complex their life is. Young crows remain with their parents until they can find a home of their own, and individual relationships may last years. Young American Crows do not breed until they are at least two years old, and most do not breed until they are four or more. In most, but not all populations, the young stay with their parents and help them raise young in subsequent years. Families may include up to 15 individuals and contain young from five different years.

American Crows congregate in large numbers in winter to sleep in communal roosts. These roosts can be of a few hundred, several thousand, or even up to two million crows. Some roosts have been forming in the same general area for well over 100 years. In the last few decades some of these roosts have moved into urban areas where the noise and mess cause conflicts with people.
The American Crow appears to be the biggest victim of West Nile virus, a disease recently introduced to North America. Crows die within one week of infection, and few seem able to survive exposure. No other North American bird is dying at the same rate from the disease. If you see a dead crow, do not pick it up! Tell your parents about it.

The American crow is omnivorous. This means it eats food that is animal or vegetable. Things such as waste grain, earthworms, insects, carrion, garbage, seeds, amphibians, reptiles, mice, fruit, bird eggs, roadkill, and nestlings are part of it's diet.
The male and female Crow look alike, however, the male averages slightly larger. Crows live in out area year round. It's common call is a harsh "caw." It also has a variety of rattles, coos, and clear notes.
Photos from All About Birds and Istock photos

Bird of the Week - XVIII

2012-01-17T05:55:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Great horned owl. The Great horned owl is one of the most widespread and common owls in North America. It is not often seen because it is nocturnal, meaning that it hunts at night. It will sit on a perch watching for prey, and then fly out to catch it. It mostly eats small mammals, rabbits, skunks, some amphibians and reptiles, some birds, and even other owls. Small prey is swallowed whole, while larger prey is carried away and riped apart at feeding perches or at the nest.

Great Horned Owls can vary in color from a reddish brown to a grey or black and white. The underside is a light grey with dark bars and a white band of feathers on the upper breast. They have large, staring yellow-orange eyes, bordered in most races by an orange-buff facial disc. The name is derived from tufts of feathers that appear to be "horns" which are sometimes referred to as "ear tufts" but have nothing to do with hearing at all. The large feet are feathered to the ends of the toes, and the immature birds resemble the adults. Females are 10 to 20% larger than males.

Great horned owls have a large repertoire of sounds, ranging from deep booming hoots to shrill shrieks. The males resonant territorial call "hoo-hoo hoooooo hoo-hoo" can be heard over several miles during a still night. Both sexes hoot, but males have a lower-pitched voice than females.

Nesting season for Great horned owls begins in January or February when the males and females hoot to each other. Listen for their hooting at night. I heard a Great horned owl hooting around midnight somewhere in my neighborhood three nights ago!

The best way of locating an owl is to let the other birds do it for you! When you hear a group of crows "cawing" madly, follow the crows and you may find a hawk or an owl. This "mobbing" technique is used by other, smaller birds, too.

Bird Note is a series of radio shows about birds. To listen to a show about the Great horned owl, click on this link.
Photos from All About Birds and National Geographic.

Ooblick

2012-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

To finish up our unit on Matter, the students investigated Ooblick. Is it a solid or a liquid? Oh, it is just happened to be Parent Visitation Day!

Cleaning up!

Fun with Dry Ice!

2012-01-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

To conclude our unit on Matter, we investigated Dry Ice! I purchased 25 pounds of Dry Ice in pellet form from the Acme Dry Ice Co. in Cambridge which Mrs. Lockwood kindly picked up! Dry Ice is frozen carbon dioxide, a normal part of our earth's atmosphere. It is the gas that we exhale during breathing and the gas that plants use in photosynthesis.

It is also the same gas commonly added to water to make soda water. Dry Ice is particularly useful for freezing, and keeping things frozen because of its very cold temperature: -109.3°F or -78.5°C. Dry Ice is widely used because it is simple to freeze and easy to handle using insulated gloves.

Dry Ice changes directly from a solid to a gas -sublimation- in normal atmospheric conditions without going through a wet liquid stage. Therefore it gets the name "dry ice."

Dry Ice Challenges!

You and your partner will try the following Dry Ice activities. Follow the proper science safety rules at all times and do not pick up the dry ice with your hands! Write your observations for each activity. When done, answer the questions below and do two sketches of activities we did today on the back of this paper.
A. Place your piece of dry ice on your desk top and watch it. Did it melt? What do you observe?

B. Put a tiny piece of dry ice into cold water. Does it sink or float? Try poking it with your tweezers. What can we infer about its density as compared to water?
C. Put several drops of water on a piece of dry ice. Observe.
D. Press the metal paper clip against the dry ice. Observe.
E. Compare dry ice in hot and cold water.

Questions

a. What is dry ice made of?
b. What happens to solid dry ice at room temperature?
c. Are the molecules in “solid dry ice” different from the molecules in “dry ice gas”?
d. What makes the solid carbon dioxide change to gaseous carbon dioxide?

Bird of the Week XVII

2012-01-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Male

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the American goldfinch. The Am. goldfinch is a small, colorful, abundant songbird. American Goldfinch is frequently found in weedy fields where it eats the seeds of weeds, flowers, and other plants. It is a common visitor to backyard bird feeders where it will often appear in flocks.

The Goldfinch is a small bird, about 4 - 5 inches long, with a small, pink, pointed, conical bill. It's wings are dark with large, white wingbars. The body is bright yellow to a dull brown and it's tail is short and notched. The breeding male is a bright yellow with a black cap and wings.

Male

The American Goldfinch is one of the latest nesting birds. It usually does not start until late June or early July, when most other songbirds are finishing with breeding. The late timing may be related to the availability of suitable nesting materials and seeds for feeding young.

Female

Photos from All About Birds.

Drying Out – Learning About Evaporation Thursday, January 5th, 2012

2012-01-06T05:29:00.000-08:00

Drying Out – Learning About Evaporation

What factors influence how fast or slow something dries out? What conditions allow for evaporation to happen the quickest? To investigate these questions, you and your partners will get one paper towel and find the mass of it using the electronic balance at the front of the room. Record its mass here ______g.
Next, measure out 25ml of water using a graduated cylinder and pour it into a beaker. Stuff the paper towel into the beaker so that it absorbs all of the water.
Now you are ready to begin. Write the time it is now here ________. Ready, set, go! Dry out the paper towel until it is back to its original mass. You may use anything you can find in the classroom to help you provided that it is safe. NO OPEN FLAMES ARE ALLOWED! Record the time you finished here _______.
Under what conditions will evaporation happen the fastest? List 4 factors below.

1. Heat - the more, the better.
2. Circulating air (wind) - the more, the better.
3. Surface area - the more, the better.
4. Humidity - the lower, the better.
How does your clothes dryer at home incorporate (use) these factors to dry your clothes?

Liebeg Condenser

2012-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

The Liebeg Condenser demonstration.

Today we used the Liebeg Condenser to help us better understand the terms evaporation and condensation. This model also helped the students to see the Water Cycle on every small scale.
I dissolved some salt and red food coloring in some tap water. One of the students tasted it and quickly spit it out as it was too salty. This solution was poured into a Boiling flask and then heated using the Bunsen burner. We watched it steam and then boil. The steam was diverted down the Liebeg Condenser where it came in contact with a colder surface created by circulating cold water. It is in this area that the steam condensed, changing its state to a liquid where it then dribbled out and into a cup. The class observed that this water was clear and our taster noticed that it was no longer salty tasting.

The Liebeg Condenser

A close up of the Boiling flask going into the Liebeg Condenser.

Out comes the fresh water!

Here is our fresh water!.

This shot shows the salt and food coloring left behind.

Bird of the Week XVl - Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

2012-01-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

Male House sparrow

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the House Sparrow. The House Sparrow is not native to North America. It was introduced into Brooklyn, New York, in 1851 and has now spread successfully across North America. The House sparrow is the noisy sparrow-like bird you see nesting in store signs and in and around buildings. The House sparrow almost always stays near people and their buildings.

Female House sparrow

The House sparrow is a small, stocky songbird with a thick bill. It is about 6 -7 inches long with a wingspan of about 7 - 10 inches. It has wing bars and an unstreaked chest. The male has a black throat and white cheeks.

The House sparrow lives here year round and eats seeds from bird feeders, weed seeds, and insects.
Photos from All About Birds.

Can Matter Change It's State?

2011-12-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

This week we investigated the question, "Can matter change it's state?" Each team of students had a beaker of crushed ice and heated it up for 20 minutes. They recorded the temperature of the contents of the beaker every 30 seconds. The students graphed the data.

BOTW XV - Monday, December 19th, 2011

2011-12-19T05:22:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the White-breasted nuthatch. The "upside down" bird is a common bird of deciduous forests and wooded suburbs. The White-breasted Nuthatch can be seen hopping headfirst down the trunks of trees in search of insect food. It frequents bird feeders and takes sunflower seeds off to the side of a tree, where it wedges them into a crevice and hammers them open. In winter, the White-breasted Nuthatch joins foraging(feeding) flocks of Chickadees and Tufted titmice. This behavior helps protect the flock of birds from predators.

The White-breasted nuthatch is about 5 -6 inches long and has a mass of between 18 - 30 grams. It's upper parts are blue-gray with a bright white face and underparts. It's long bill is straight or slightly upcurved. The males and females look alike with the male having a black cap and the female having a grayer cap. They eat insects, seeds, and nuts. Its call is a yank-yank-yank.

What Happens to Matter When It is Heated?

2011-12-15T09:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday and today we did three different activities to help us understand what happens to matter when it is heated or cooled. The three activities were called, "The Ball & Ring" activity, "The Mood Ball" activity, and the "Balloon on a Flask" activity.

The classic "Ball & Ring" demo!

It's expanding!

Now it's contracting!

A real nice sketch of the Ball & Ring demo showing the expansion and contraction of a solid.

A very good write-up of the Ball & Ring demo.

The students were able to clearly see that matter expands when heated and ccontracts when cooled. When heat energy is added to matter the molecules move faster causing the substance to get bigger, or expand. When heat energy is taken away, or cooled, the molecules slow down causing the substance to contract.
The students also observed that this meant that the volume of the substance increased when heated and decreased hen cooled. Some students were able to make the connection that heating or cooling a substance could change its density.

The "Mood Ball" activity showing that liquid expands when heated and contracts when cooled.

Hard at work!

Another fine sketch of the days activity!

A very good write-up of the days activity.

Heated air expands.

A very nice sketch of the "Balloon on a Flask" activity showing the expansion and contraction of a gas (air) due to heating/cooling.

BOTW XlV - Monday, December 12th, 2011

2011-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Cooper's hawk. As the backyard bird feeding season gets underway, be on the outlook for this fleet hawk dashing into your feeding station and grabbing a bird for a meal! The Cooper's hawk is a medium sized hawk with rounded wings and a long tail. Adults are steely blue-gray above with warm reddish bars on the underparts and thick dark bands on the tail. Juveniles are brown above and crisply streaked with brown on the upper breast. Cooper's hawk and Sharp-shinned hawks can be difficult to tell apart. Here is an article that points out the differences between the two hawks.

The Cooper's hawk rarely flaps its' wings continuously when flying, but rather flies with a flap - flap - glide pattern.

Cooper's hawks frequent wooded habitats from deep forests to leafy subdivisions and backyards. They use their long tail like a rudder so that they can maneur quickly through trees, bushes, etc. in pursuit of its prey - small birds. An attack maneuver they will sometimes use is to fly fast and low to the ground, then up and over an obstruction to surprise prey on the other side.

First photo from: http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20060326085647.jpg
Second photo from All About Birds.

Is Air Matter?

2011-12-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

We jumped right into our unit about Matter by asking the question, "Is air matter" Our working definition of matter is: Matter is anything that has weight and takes up space. We the a demonstration called, "Tha Flask" to help us see that air does take up space. Next, we massed a balloon to see that air does have weight.

Study Parties!

2011-12-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

The past two mornings I have held 7:15AM Study Parties for the upcoming test on Density. I brought in a box on Munchkins to help them "study". Each party had more than 20 kids in attendance!

Density - Is all water the same? - 11/30/11

2011-12-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

1. Which is denser, warm water or cold water?

2. Which is denser, salt water or fresh water?

Hot water (red) is less dense than cold water (blue).

Let's get some of this ice, cold water!

Carefully layering the fresh and salt water.

Fresh water (yellow) is less dense than salt water (green).

Liquid Densities - 11/29/11

2011-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

We have been exploring the densities of various liquids in class. The students made a Density Column using alcohol, fresh water, vegetable oil, and glycerin.

These 4 items layer out quite nicely with glycerin on the bottom and alcohol on the top.

BOTW Xlll - 11/28/12

2011-11-28T04:38:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Northern mockingbird. The Mockingbird is a medium sized songbird, about 8 - 10 inches long with a wingspan of about 12 - 14 inches. It is pale gray above and whitish below, with a long tail. It has a thin bill. The Mockingbird has two white wingbars and large white patches show in the wings when it flies.

The Northern Mockingbird is known for its long, complex songs that include imitations of many other birds. It is a common bird of hedgerows and suburbs, and has been slowly expanding its range northward. The Northern Mockingbird is a loud and persistent singer. It sings all through the day, and often into the night.

The Mockingbird is found in areas with open ground and shrubby vegetation, such as in parkland, cultivated land, and suburbs. It eats insects and fruit. The male and female birds look alike.

Photos from All About Birds.

Annual Turkey Trot - Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

2011-11-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

A long standing Parker tradition, the "Turkey Trot" was held this morning. This annual event has been held for at least the past 36 years. Originally, it was held using real, live turkies! It is similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey, only now it is Pin the Wattle on the Turkey! There are 3 winners, one from each grade. A monetary donation is made in their name to "Turkeys 4 America". In addition, this year's Turkey Trot was used to help promot a food drive for the Reading Food Pantry.

Bird of the Week Xll - Monday, November 21st, 2011

2011-11-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the House finch. The House finch is a bright red and brown-striped bird of the cities and suburbs. The House Finch comes readily to feeders. It also breeds in close association with people, and often chooses a hanging plant in which to put its nest.

The House finch is a medium-sized finch, about 5 - 6 inches long with a wingspan of about 8 - 10 inches. The male is bright red on it's head, chest, and rump and the female is brown and striped. It has a short, thick bill that is rounded on the top edge. It has two, thin, white wing bars. The House finch can easily be confused with the less common, but similar looking Purple finch. Click here for an article about telling the 2 species apart.
The House Finch was originally a bird of the southwestern United States and Mexico. In 1940 a small number of finches were turned loose on Long Island, New York, and they quickly started breeding. They spread across the entire eastern United States and southern Canada within the next 50 years. In the early 1990's, the House finch population was greatly reduced due to an avian (bird) form of conjunctivitis.
Photos from All About Birds.

Challenger Learning Center Field trip - Thursday, November 17th, 2011

2011-11-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

Today, 36 students went to the Christa McAuliffe Challenger Learning Center on the campus of Framingham State College. This simulated flight to Mars was the culmination of work the students did in four after school sessions with Mrs. Jordan and Mr. Williams. The after school sessions focused on space science, team work, problem solving, and communication.

Lunch time on the campus of Framingham St.!

Sink, Float, & Density

2011-11-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

We have been investigating the concept of Density in class the past week We have studied Buoyant Force using tanks of water, fishing bobbers, assorted materials that sink and float, and we have tested aluminum foil boats to see how many marbles they can hold before they sink.
We also eplored the relationship between the volume of water and it's mass.

Bird of the Week Xl - Monday, November 14th, 2011

2011-11-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

Male Hairy woodpecker

This weeks' "Bird of the Week" is the Hairy woodpecker. The Hairy woodpecker is one of the most common woodpeckers in North America. It comes readily to feeders where it will eat suet(beef fat) and seeds. The hairy woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker, about 7 - 10 inches long with a wingspan of approximately 13 - 16 inches. It's plumage (feathers) are black and white with a plain black back. It's bill is thick and rather long. The male has a red patch on back of it's head while the female has a black patch.

Female Hairy woodpecker

Identifying a Hairy woodpecker from a Downy woodpecker can be tricky. One of the best ways to tell them apart is to look at the proportion of the bill to the head length when viewed from the side. The Hairy Woodpecker's bill is usually greater than one-half the depth of the head. The Downy woodpecker (BOW #4) has a bill less than one-half the depth of the head. Click here to see a good article about telling the two birds apart.
Photos from All About Birds.

Bird of the Week X - Monday, November 7th, 2011

2011-11-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

This weeks "Bird of the Week" is the is the European starling. The Starling is not native to North America. All the European Starlings in North America descended from 100 birds released in New York's Central Park in the early 1890s. Today, European Starlings range from Alaska to Florida and northern Mexico, and their population is estimated at over 200 million birds. Its successful spread is believed to have come at the expense of many native birds that compete with the starling for nest holes.

The Starling is a stocky, black bird with a short, square-tipped tail. It is about 8 - 9 inches long. It has pointed, triangular wings and has a long pointed bill which is yellow in the breeding season (spring and summer). It has shimmering green and purple feathers in the spring. The male and female birds look very similar.
While many Starlings migrate, some do winter over in our area. Starlings eat many kinds of invertebrates, fruits, grains, seeds, and garbage. They forages(look for food)in open, grassy areas. They feed in large flocks, often with blackbird species. Starling nest in cavities (holes) in trees.
Photos taken from All About Birds.

Bird of the Week lX - Monday, October 31st, 2011

2011-10-31T04:43:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Dark-eyed junco. I selected the Junco for this week's BOTW because I saw my first one of the season on Sunday! The Junco is a medium sized sparrow that is gray with a black hood and a white belly. It has white, outer tail feathers that are quite visible when it flies. It's eyes are dark, it's legs are pink, and it's bill is "whiteish". The male and females look similar with the females being a little more paler and browner.

Male junco.

The first photograph is of a male and the second photograph is of a female.

Female Junco

Junco's are the "snowbirds" of our area, appearing around here only in the winter. They are very common at back yard bird feeders and will sometimes appear in flocks of 25 birds or more. The Junco feeds primarily on the ground, scratching the ground looking for insects and seeds.

Photos taken from All About Birds.

Finding volume

2011-10-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

She is being extra careful!

We have been finding the volume of various things the past week. We found the the volume - the amount of space matter takes up - of water using a graduated cylinder. We used various sized graduated cylinders.

Add caption

Measuring and recording data for their set of Wood Blocks.

We have just finished determining the volume of a regular shaped object - a rectangular prism - using a ruler. We drew rectangular prisms and used the formula V = L x W x H to get the volume. The units are cubic centimeters ( cm3 ).

Comparing their results.

A full se of class data for the Wood Blocks!

Bird of the Week - Vlll Monday, October 24th, 2011

2011-10-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Mourning dove. Believe it or not, the Mourning dove is one of the 10 most abundant birds in North America. This medium sized, pigeon like bird is about 9 - 13 inches long with a wing span of approximately 15 - 18 inches. It has a small head with a long pointed tail and a light grayish-brown body. There are black spots on its wings. The sexes similar in appearances, but the males are slightly larger and slightly more colorful, with a bluish crown and pink chest.

Mourning doves feed mostly on ground, especially on relatively bare ground, where they eat seeds. Mourning doves usually feed in pairs or flocks.
In many states in the country, the Mourning dove is a game bird, meaning that it can be legally hunted.
To hear a two minute radio program about the Mourning dove, click here and then click on Play MP3

Photos taken from All About Birds.

New England Aquarium's Women in Science program - Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

2011-10-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate again to be selected to participated in this years New England Aquarium's "Women in Science" middle school program. Assistant principal Beth Beaulieu, parent Deb Gilburg, and myself escorted 9 girls into Boston for the day-long program. The girls worked cooperatively on a problem while they ate breakfast. After an explanation of the day, we headed into the aquarium with a leader and visited 4 different areas. These included the Fur seal demonstration, the touch tank, the Penguin exhibit, and the veterinarian center. At each place, the girls were tasked with observing and recording various things. They used various pieces of equipment to help them.
Upon completion of this, we gathered together to discuss our findings and to reflect on what we did. After lunch, we returned to the aquarium where we had free time to explore exhibits of our choice.

Bird of the Week Vll - Monday, October 17th, 2011

2011-10-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Tufted titmouse. This small, gray songbird has a short tuft on its head and and its black eye is prominent in its pale gray face. The male and female look alike. It's song is a loud, whistled "peter, peter, peter, peter" and is one of the first bird songs of spring. The tufted titmouse eats insects and seeds.

The tufted titmouse is a common backyard visitor, frequenting feeders in the winter and nesting in holes in trees.

First photo taken from Cornell's All About Birds and the second one is with permission of Barbara Miers.

By Golly, By Gum!

2011-10-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

By Golly, By Gum experiment sheet.

Trident!

Getting ready to mass the 5 pieces of gum.

Massing our gum.

Today we practiced using the balance scale and the scientific method by doing the fun experiment, "By Golly, By Gum". Did question posed was, "What happens to the mass of gum after chewing it for 10 minutes? We decided that we would first mass the gum, second, we would chew the gum for 10 minutes, third, we would mass the chewed gum, and last, we would compare the results.
We collected a lot of data, and on Monday we will graph it and learn how to read a food label.

Ready, set, chew!

School's pretty cool when I can chew gum!

Recording the data.

Massing the chewed gum.

Here is all of the data we collected in this class.

Using a Balance Scale

2011-10-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today, the students were introduced to the Pan Balance Scale. The students learned how to first "balance" the scale before using it. Then we discussed the metric units of mass and then we practiced massing various objects.

Bird of the Week Vl - October 11th, 2011

2011-10-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Red-tailed hawk. The Red-tailed hawk is the most common and widespread hawk in North America. It is a bird of open country, but also frequents woodlots and suburban backyards. It is frequently seen sitting on utility poles where it watches for rodents in the grass along the roadside.

This large hawk has long and broad wings. It's wing span is between 45 - 52 inches. That's 4 1/2 feet! The tail is broad and red and most commonly has a pale chest and dark band across it's belly.
The Red-tailed hawk is a sit-and-wait predator, usually watching from elevated perch and then flying down to capture small and medium-sized mammals, birds, and reptiles. It will take young birds and squirrels out of their nests sometimes.

Around here, the Red-tailed hawks' nest is a large bowl of sticks in tall tree. You may also see their nest atop of a utility (light) pole along the highway.
While many eastern Red-tailed hawks migrate, there is a sizable number that live around here year-round. These photos were taken in October, 2009 right outside my classroom window! This hawk caught and ate a Gray squirrel.
Photos by Mr. Williams

Can you see the squirrel he is sitting on?

Bubbles experiment, continued

2011-10-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

We all have our homework!

Now that the experimenting is done, it is time to examine the results and compile them into a lab report. The students wrote their qualitative observations for homework the other night and are now finishing up their conclusion by answering several questions. In addition, they are doing a drawing of the experiment.. The final drafts will come next week.

Bubbles!

2011-10-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we began our first, formal science experiment following the Scientific Method. This experiment, called "Bubbles", allows us to bring together the Science Safety, Lab equipment, and Metric Measuring that we have been working on this year. It is also an interesting way to introduce the studnets to the Scientific Method.

Name:_____________________________________Date:___________________Group:_________

Title: Bubbles

1. Problem: Given the supplies you have, which brand of dish washing liquid will make the biggest bubble?

2. Research:

3. Hypothesis:

4. Experiment:

A. Materials (list)

soap solution
dropper
paper towels
metric ruler
straw
safety glasses

B. Procedures (numbered sentences)

First, make a data chart. Then:
1. Obtain your materials, clear off your desk, and read the entire experiment before you begin.
2. Put __ drops of soap solution on your desk.
3. Place the end of the straw under the surface of the bubble. Blow gently in the other end to create a bubble on the surface of the desk.
4. As soon as the bubble bursts, measure the diameter of the bubbles footprint and record it. Wipe the surface dry and repeat from step # 2.
5. Practice this several times until you are good at it. Once you are good at blowing bubbles, record the diameter of the next 5 bubbles you blow under the Grand Finale. (Remember, it’s the next 5 bubbles you blow, you can’t pick and choose the bubbles you want.)
6. Find the average diameter for those 5 bubbles and record it.
7. Clean up.

5. Observations:
Your observations will include 2 things. One is your data chart. On your final draft you can write, “See data chart” and attach your data chart to the end of your lab report. This is known as your Quantitative results.

The second part of your observations will be the Qualitative results. This is where you write what happened and any interesting things you observed.

6. Conclusion: In your own words, you will answer questions A, B, C, and D that are on your Scientific Method Guidelines sheet. For this experiment, I also want you to answer the following questions.

1. What are the controls in this experiment? The controls are the parts of the experiment that are kept the same throughout the experiment.

2. What is the variable in this experiment? The variable is the part of the experiment that is changed. It is what you are testing.

3. What are some possible sources of error in this experiment? A source of error are things outside of your control that might have had an impact on the results of your experiment.

7. Repeat the work.

Bird of the Week - V

2011-10-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Canada goose. The Canada goose is the most wide spread and common goose in North America. This large waterbird has a black head and a long, black neck with a white chinstrap. It's breast is a light tan to cream color with a brownish back and a white undertail. The sexes look alike. It's call is a loud "honk."

There are 11 subspecies of the Canada goose, varying widely in size, with some Canada geese weighing about 7 pounds and ranging almost up to 20 pounds. The Canada goose is a popular game bird, often targeted by hunters.
The sight of migrating Canada geese flying high in a "V" shape form in the fall is quite a sight. Over the past 60 years, there has evolved a fairly large, non-migratory population of Canada geese here in Massachusetts. Many of these birds have become a nuisance, fouling town commons, golf courses, playing fields, and water supplies.
Canada geese feed in flocks and are herbivorous. That means they eat a variety of plant species and parts, especially grasses, sedges, grain, and berries.
Photos from All About Birds.

Kilometer walk

2011-09-30T07:22:00.000-07:00

Now that our Bird Migration study is over, it is back to Metric measurement. To help the students get a better grasp of how long a kilometer is, we went for a "Kilometer Walk" today. It took an average og 9 minutes and 50 seconds to complete the 1Km walk.

Plum Island Field Trip

2011-09-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

A Great egret.

Lesser and Greater yellowlegs.

On top of the observatiion tower.

We had a very successful field trip today to the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury and to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport. At the SPL Farm, the students participated in the 2 hour "Dirt Detectives" program where they become archaeologists as they survey a site map, explore interior archaeology via trap doors, excavate a mock pit using actual tools of the trade, and analyze authentic artifacts to learn about activities at the farm in the past 300 years.

While at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, the students extended their study of Bird Migration by looking for the bird they researched in class.

Lunch on the beach!

What a crew!

Bird of the Week lV - Sept. 26ty, 2011

2011-09-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Female Downy woodpecker.

Downy woodpecker in flight.

This week's BOTW is the Downy woodpecker. The Downy woodpecker is the smallest and most common American woodpecker. It is found throughout most of North America from Alaska to Florida. It lives in a variety of habitats from wilderness forests to urban backyards, and comes readily to bird feeders. This small woodpecker is about 6 - 7 inches long. It has a black and white plumage and a small, pointed bill. The male has a small, red patch on the back of its head while the female has a black patch. Can you tell which photograph is of the male?

Which one is the male?

They eat small insects found on the branches of trees and the stems of weeds. They nest in the cavity (hole) in a tree or tree branch.

Photos from All About Birds.

Bird Migration Project - Day 6 The Last Day

2011-09-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

We're done!

We're almost done!

All of the classes went to the computer lab today to attempt to put the finishing touches on their "mini" field guide they created for the bird they researched.

Bird Migration Project - Day 5

2011-09-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

The students are really getting the hang of using MicroSoft Word! There are still some struggles with formatting all of the text and photos, but they are making excellent progress. We had our first completed "mini" field guides today! Tonight, the students are going to attempt to access their document through Edline. This might not work for some students. It will depend on the machine they have at home and the operating system they are using.

Mrs Powers really knows the technology!

Hard at work!

These guys are hard at work, too!

Bird Migration Project - Day 4

2011-09-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

We were back in the library today using the computers. The students are really making progress in taking notes. Many students began putting their notes, photos, and range maps into their document. They are getting a lot of practice formatting their information using MicroSoft Word!

Bird Migration Project - Day 3

2011-09-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

We are very fortunate here at Parker to have several COW's. Not the milking kind, but, Computers On Wheels! It is a mobile set of laptops for the students use. Today we brought the COW into my classroom and had the kids use them for their Bird Migration projector. The kids spent a lot of time visiting the 3 bird identification websites and reading about their bird and taking notes.

Science Safety Posters

2011-09-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

All of the students designed and made a poster illustrating one of the science safety rules we have been learning.

Science Safety Poster Assignment

Your Assignment is to design and make a poster illustrating one of the Science Safety rules we’ve discussed in class. The following is a list of guidelines to help you. This assignment is due next Friday, (Sept. 16th).

• Your grade is based on three things:

1. How effectively the rule is communicated

2. Creativity

3. Neatness

• You must illustrate only one rule. You do not have to write the rule on your poster. You can communicate it through the use of symbols, pictures, etc.

• Do a lot of planning! Sketch out several drafts of ideas on math paper.

• The minimum size of the poster is 14 inches by 18 inches. The maximum size is 18 inches by 24 inches.

• If you want to use a sense of humor, come up with a catchy saying.

• Put some thought into a color scheme.

• Don’t make your poster too busy.

• You may use colored pencils, markers, crayons, paints, cut paper, stencils, etc.

• The poster should be your own work.

Bird of the Week - lll

2011-09-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

Male Cardinal

This weeks "Bird of the Week" is the Northern Cardinal. This medium-sized songbird has a large crest on it's head and a heavy, conical bill. The face is surrounded by black and the male is entirely a brilliant red while the female is grayish-tan with a red tail and wings.

Female Cardinal

This common bird is a winter fixture at snow-covered bird feeders throughout Massachusetts in the winter and is very popular. The female Northern Cardinal sings, often from the nest. The song may give the male information about when to bring food to the nest.

Female and male Cardinal.

The male cardinal fiercely defends its breeding territory from other males. When a male sees its reflection in glass surfaces, it frequently will spend hours fighting the imaginary intruder.
Photos from "All About Birds".

Male Cardinal bathing.

Bird Migration Project - Day 2

2011-09-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

The template for how the final project will look like

Today, the students reviewed how to retrieve their saved template. Next they learned how to have multiple tabs open simultaneously so that they could go from one to another. We next cover how to cite their photo source using Bib Me. They then spent time visiting the 3 bird identifications sites and reading about their bird.

All the sites we'll be using are on Edline.

Hard at work!

The "All About Birds" website.

Hard at work!

Bird Migration Project

2011-09-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

We will be taking a little time off from our Metric Measuring activities to begin some research into Bird Migration. We will be learning why birds migrate and how they migrate. The highlight of the project will be the research the students do about one particular bird they are assigned. Working in the computer lab under the direction of Library Media Specialist Mrs. Ferrazzani and Computer Technology Specialist Mrs Powers, the students will create a mini field guide of their bird. They will take this field guide with them when they visit the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

I know what you're doing!

Measure twice, cut once!

2011-09-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

The students are practicing making accurate linear (length) measurements using the metric system. Before they make their actual measurements, they are estimating the distance first. Estimating is an important skill that isn't used, or taught, enough, in my opinion. The students are using metric rulers, meter sticks, metric tape measures, and a meter wheel.

Being as accurate as possible!

Hey, I'm taller than that!

We need to record all of our results!

These tape measures are long!

Start with 0.0 right up against the wall.

Bird of the Week - ll Monday, September 12th, 2011

2011-09-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week is the Blue jay. This is a very common back yard bird here in Reading and a frequent visitor to feeders. This large, showy, noisy, blue bird has a crest with white spots in the wings and tail. The upper parts of the the bird are various shades of blue. The male and female birds look alike.

While many Blue jays migrate, others live year-round in our area. Some people don't like Blue jays because they are loud and aggressive and occasionally eat the eggs and nestlings of other birds. Blue jays can mimic the calls of certain hawks.

Science Lab equipment

2011-09-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

As part of our introduction to Science saftey, the students are learning the names and uses of various pieces of Lab equipment.

Pan balance scale

Beakers.

Test tube, test tube rack, and test tube tongs.

Data chart

Graduated cyclinder

Erlenmeyer flask

Bird of the Week l - Sept. 6th, 2011

2011-09-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

Black-capped chickadee

"Chicka-dee-dee-dee. Chicka-dee-dee-dee." This is the call of the Massachusetts state bird, the Black capped chickadee. This little bird is a back yard favorite and is easily recognized. It has a small, short bill with a black cap, black bib, and white cheeks.

The Chickadee lives in Reading all year round. They nest in cavities (holes) in trees and will also nest in nest boxes. They feed on insects, seeds, and berries. They love to come to back yard feeders, often hanging upside down to feed. In the winter, they will often gather in small flocks travelling around the neighbor hood looking for feeders and natural foods.
Photos from All About Birds.

Buff-breasted sandpiper - Crane Beach

2011-09-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some marginal photos I took of a Buff-breasted sandpiper working the upper wreack line at Crane Beach. Click on the photo and it will get bigger, giving a better view of this beautiful bird.

Crane Beach Black skimmers!

2011-09-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

I had four, immature Black skimmers today at Essex Point on Crane Beach. There were also 3 Roseate, 33 Common, 5 Least, and 1 Forster's tern there also. Also present were numerous Herring, Ring-billed, and Greater black-back gulls along with 27 Bonaparte's gulls.

Immature Black skimmer - Essex Point, Crane Beach, Ipswich.

Forster's tern

Ruddy turnstone

Bonaparte's gull

Terns & Gulls

Science Safety!

2011-09-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Science safety is very important and is taught and stressed all year long. Today, we began learning some of the main, science safety rules. We also investigated some of the science safety equipment in the classroom.

The First Day of School! Wed,. August 31st, 2011

2011-08-31T11:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone is ready to go!

Something new to learn!

I love my new locker!

Have to copy my schedule!

Welcome back! It's great to see all of the new students! Everyone is pumped for a new year! We here at the Parker Middle School will do our very best to help you make this year a great one.

Cross over game.

Getting to know one another activity.

Here we come!

Element of the Day - Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

2011-06-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a dull, bluish-gray, non-magnetic metal. I am the fourth most common metal in use and am used to coat steel to prevent rust and corrosion. I am also used in the alloy brass. In addition, I am used in some batteries and compounds of me are also used in deodorants and sunscreens. Small amounts of me are necessary for the human body. Pennies made after 1981 are made of of mostly me with just a thin copper coating.

Element of the Day - Monday, June 13th, 2011

2011-06-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

Who am I? Under regular conditions I am a dark-purple/dark-brown solid. I am primarily used in medicines to clean and disinfect wounds, photography, and in dyes. Table salt is often fortified with me. I am rare in the solar system and Earth's crust, however, compounds with me in them are very soluble in water and I am concentrated in seawater. I am necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland in the human body.

E-mail me with your answer at:
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us
Include the element's chemical symbol in your answer.
Image taken from: http://www.bridgat.com/food_additives-b803_8.html

Bird of the Week - XXXV - Monday, June 13th, 2011

2011-06-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

The last "Bird of the Week" is the Eastern Bluebird. 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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
Photos from All About Birds.

Element of the Day - Friday, June 10th, 2011

2011-06-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a colorless, oderles, non-toxic gas that is much lighter than air. I am the second most abundant and second lightest element in the known universe and am one of the elements believed to have been created in the Big Bang. I am used in balloons and blimps.

E-mail with your answer at:
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us
Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: abbmoonwalks.com

Element of the Day - Thursday, June 9th, 2011

2011-06-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a hard, slivery-white, grayish, magnetic metal. I have been used since ancient times. 30% of the world's supply of me comes from Canada. I am used in alloys, coins, magnets, some kinds of batteries, and plating (covering) other metals. E-mail me with your answer at:
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us

Include the element's chemical symbol.

Image taken from: wholesalebatteries.us

Element of the Day - Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

2011-06-08T04:43:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a colorless, inert gas that, while common in the universe, I am rather rare on Earth. I am used in advertising signs and lights.

E-mail me with your answer @
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us

Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image from: global-b2b-network.com

Element of the Day - Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

2011-06-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a strong, gray, magnetic metal used in the construction of buildings, steel, and machines. My density is 7.87 g/cm3. E-mail me with your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us

Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: mesh-wirecloth.com

Bird of the Week - XXXlV - Monday, June 6th, 2011

2011-06-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Song sparrow. This small song bird is common here in Reading, perching out on a branch singing it's song. The Song Sparrow sings a loud, clanking song of 2–6 phrases that typically starts with abrupt, well-spaced notes and finishes with a buzz or trill. In between, the singer may add other trills with different tempo and quality. The song usually lasts 2-4 seconds.

Song Sparrows are medium-sized and fairly bulky sparrows. For a sparrow, the bill is short and stout and the head fairly rounded. The tail is long and rounded, and the wings are broad. Song Sparrows are streaky and brown with thick streaks on a white chest and flanks. The streaks come together to form a large, central spot. On a closer look, the head is an attractive mix of warm red-brown and slaty gray, though these shades, as well as the amount of streaking, vary extensively across North America. The Song Sparrow is one of the most familiar North American sparrows. They eat mainly seeds and fruits, supplemented by many kinds of invertebrates ( insects) in summer.

Element of the Day - Monday, June 6th, 2011

2011-06-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am the second most abundant element (after oxygen) in the Earth's crust. I am used in making glass and ceramics, however, I am most well known for being the principal component of most semiconductor devices, especially microchips.

E-mail me your answer at dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us

Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: thewrangler.com

Element of the Day - Friday, June 3rd, 2011

2011-06-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a yellow colored, solid, non-metal. A compound of me can smell like rotten eggs. Compounds of me are used in making rubber, some medicines, and some fertilizers. Approximately 85% of me is converted to H2SO4. I am an essential component of all living cells.

E-mail me with your answer at
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us
Include the element's chemical symbol.
Image taken from: dl.unew.edu.com

Element of the Day - Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

2011-06-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a soft, metallic chemical element found in limestone, chalk, and marble. I am needed for the healthy development of teeth and bones. I am often fortified (added) to foods. I am the most abundant metal by mass in most animals. My name comes from the Latin word "calcis" meaning lime. Who am I? E-mail me the correct answer and its chemical symbol at:
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us.

Element of the Day - Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

2011-06-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

Who am I? I am a very dense, silver-colored, liquid metal that is poisonous. I used to be used in thermometers and am still used in some dental amalgams (fillings). I am named after a Roman god known for speed and mobility. I am also associated with a planet. E-mail me with your answer at:
dwilliams@reading.k12.ma.us.

Include the element's chemical symbol!!

Bird of the Week XXXlll - Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

2011-05-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

This weeks "Bird of the Week" is the Chimney swift. 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!

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.
Photos from All About Birds.

Bird of the Week XXll - Monday, May 23rd, 2011

2011-05-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Ruby-throated hummingbird. 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.

When you click on the link to All About Birds, be sure to watch some of the videos of them.

Bird of the Week - XXXl - Monday, May 9th, 2011

2011-05-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Baltimore oriole. 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.

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.

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!

It's song is a series of rich whistled notes interspersed with rattles. It's call is a chatter.
Photos from All About Birds

Bird of the Week - XXX - Monday, May 2nd, 2011

2011-05-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Northern flicker. 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.
Photos from All About Birds.

Bird of the Week - XXlX - Monday, April 25th, 2011

2011-04-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

This was taken in a backyard on Springvale Rd. in Reading

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Eastern Screech owl. 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.

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.

Photos from All About Birds and Roger Tory Peterson print from Bird Watchers Digest.

Bird of the Week - XXVll - Monday, April 4th, 2011

2011-04-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Mallard 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.
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.

Mallards will eat insects and larvae, aquatic invertebrates, seeds, acorns, aquatic vegetation, and grain.

Bird of the Week XXVl - Monday, March 28th, 2011

2011-03-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the American robin. 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.

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.

In early spring, Robins can often be seen a big flocks in grassy fields feeding.

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."
Photos from All About Birds.

Bird of the Week XXV - Monday, March 21st, 2011

2011-03-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

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 American woodcock. 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.
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", click here and then click Play MP3.

Bird of the Week - XXlV - Monday, March 14th, 2011

2011-03-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Carolina wren. 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.

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.
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 plans you could follow to build a shelter box for Carolina wrens, or other small birds, to use at night.
Photos taken from Cornells All About Birds

Bird of the Week - XXlll - Monday, March 7th, 2011

2011-03-07T06:16:00.000-08:00

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.
Perhaps the most abundant bird in North America, the Red-winged blackbird 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.
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".

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.
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.
The Common grackle 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.

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.

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.
Photos from All About Birds and USGS.gov

Bird of the Week - XXll - Monday, February 28th, 2011

2011-02-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

This week's "Bird of the Week" is the Red-bellied woodpecker. This is the third woodpecker to be a "Bird of the Week". the other two were the Downy woodpecker and the Hairy woodpecker. The Red-bellied woodpecker is a relative new-comer to our area. It is a great example of a bird expanding it's range northward. It is not considered migratory, but it is at the northern edge of it's range and may move farther south in very cold winters. Ten years ago, the Red-bellied woodpecker was very uncommon around here. Now, we see it more frequently at feeders and in the backyard. While it's belly is covered in a light, red wash, it is easier to spot by the red on the back and top of its head.

The Red-bellied woodpecker is a medium to large-sized woodpecker, approximately 9 inches long with a wingspan of about 13 - 17 inches. It has a red hood from the top of it's head to the back of it's neck. It's back is barred black and white.

It will glean (eat ) insects from the bark of trees as well as using it's long bill to probe for insects in dead wood. The Red-bellied woodpecker will store food in cracks and crevices of trees and fence posts.

Photos from All About Birds and Bird Watchers Digest.