[mou] A day in St Paul with a flock of third graders (long)

[Alt, Mark]

	I have been taking birding trips with school kids since my kids
were in kindergarten 15 years ago, and I always get more than I give,
and I see more than I expect. I do a lot of suburban schools with
wetlands and woodlands nearby. It is easy to find habitat and the  birds
are all around. I seek out opportunities to do urban schools, where
habitat consists of intermittent trees, alleyways and ball fields  I
presented on 10/27  to 2 groups of 3rd graders at a charming school,
Highland Catholic, in St. Paul, a block away from the intersection of
Cleveland Ave and Ford Parkway . I arrived an hour ahead like always,
scouting the area, finding small yards with no active feeders,  a loose
flock of Dark-eyed Juncos on the School grounds and a flock of House
Sparrows in an overgrown garden .  I threw a bucket of bird seed in the
alleyway to give birds something to come to - the biggest challenge is
getting a bird to sit still long enough to show 26 kids what it looks
like in a scope, this is one of my tricks.=20
	 I was introduced as the "Birdman", addressed them in the
classroom on "the rules",  then we marched outside where I could
dispense binos and field guides. I ensured every kid had either binos or
a field guide (they are paired up), that kids with glasses had bino
eyecups rolled down. I led them to where I had seen Juncos alongside the
school. I lifted my eyes up to scan for Juncos and was surprised to see
a raptor sitting placidly in the top of a Norway Spruce 20 feet away, an
adult male taiga race Merlin.  All had great views, and I told them it
was probably migrating south to where the food and habitat met its
requirements. Merlins did nest in the Cities but since t was such a dark
bird, it likely was a migrant. I had 6 copier of Stan Tekiela's raptor
book and we got it out and saw what the bird  looked like in print. I
explained  the flock of Juncos qualified as food for the is bird, and
the large trees in the area gave it plenty of cover and vantage perches
from which to hunt, fulfilling a habitat need. A thick spruce like the
one it was in could give it a safe place to sleep, fulfilling another
critical habitat need. The kids were all fixedly staring upward at the
small raptor. A set of street sweepers drove up. spooking the bird, and
it flew out of sight. =20
	We relocated it twice on our walk, affording everyone a close-up
view of this rocket of a bird.  As it perched upright on the top of a
large elm, 2 Blue Jays came into view. The must be inexperienced with
Merlins, as they went to pick on the placid bird, one pecked at it where
it sat perched.  The kids were still viewing it from scopes and binos
form about 75 feet away in clear view.  It flapped twice to get above
the jays, then wheeled and compressed its body into a dart.  It shot
downward out of sight, rolling and veering as it stooped behind a house.
You could hear the Blue Jays screaming, but you couldn't tell what was
happening where, then the Merlin appeared right overhead and in a stiff
winged glide with quivering wingtips, it paused for several seconds
before darting down again to punish its harassers.  This was repeated 4
times, then the Merlin returned to its perch and settled in again.=20
	A crow came winging from the North  in a series of swooping
glides headed right for the Merlin. I knew what was coming, so I called
it out to the class. All eyes were upon the Crow.  As it got within 100
feet of the Merlin, the Merlin flapped to gain some elevation, veered
right and became an air to air missile.  The crow tried to turn (it
didn't have time) and was pummeled by an angry Merlin from 5 different
angles.  It fled the scene.  The Merlin must have followed it out of
sight for we lost it from view.  We marched back to the school and were
treated  to a farewell flyover by the feathered fighter jet, the Merlin.
The kids were all so excited, prey/predator relationships in the wild 2
blocks from their school was a real treat.  I described the natural
habitat of the area, what it would have looked like 200 years ago and
why there would be Merlins there -some trees were still around. I talked
about what how we have to learn about needs of wildlife so we can help
them survive.  I told them about the MOU, St/. Paul Audubon and asked
them to get adults in their lives to take them on bird walks, set up
feeders, join a bird club.=20
	The second class had heard of the Merlin at recess and were all
fired up with anticipation.  Of course, no Merlin was found for this
group, but 10 minutes watching a Downy Woodpecker work over a large elm
was well spent, and a sharp-eyed kid named Leo spotted a raptor
overhead. A Cooper's Hawk was climbing into the sky. We all got good
looks at this long-tailed Hawk as it soared, flap-flap and soared again
on its way to a suitable altitude, then took off to the south. We set up
the scope on a Junco feeding in a yard for this group.  The kids were so
quiet, polite, well-behaved, and attentive, they were two of my best
classes ever.  I told them they are now officially Birdwatchers, and
they should find ways to continue in their new hobby, and that they now
had a responsibility to make sure they do things that are good for
birds, so they can continue to see them.  What a gift to see things
through the eyes of a child.  I agree more and more with Bob Jannsen's
quote, that Birds really are a manifestation of God's Grace on this
earth, as are children. You combine the two and it can be pure magic.

Mark Alt
Brooklyn Center, MN
mark.alt@bestbuy.com

"Birds and their songs are important to me, they add to my enjoyment of
life"=20


Mark Alt
Manager of Project Management
Best Buy Co., Inc. Logistics
Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com <mailto:Mark.Alt@bestbuy.com>
(w) 612-291-6717
(Cell) 612.803.9085