The Great Backyard Bird Count!

I first heard about the bird count from Happy Homemaker UK in her post last year about the "Big Garden Birdwatch."  I so desired to do our own bird count but couldn't find information on it anywhere . . . that is . . . until . . . this year!  Those of us around here at ReadMeAStory cannot possibly wait until Friday, February 15, when the Great Backyard Bird Count begins.

So what's it all about?  
From Feb. 15 through Feb. 18, folks across the nation will be spending at least 15 min. (or longer) a day watching the birds in their own backyard.  We'll count, record, and report all the birds we see.

What's the point? Why?
(as copied exactly from http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/whycount.html):

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 and understand the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time.

The longer these data are collected, the more meaningful they become in helping scientists investigate far-reaching questions, like these:

• How will the weather influence bird populations?

• Where are winter finches and other “irruptive” species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others?

• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?

• How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?

• What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?

The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada and sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.

In other words:
We're participating in a science experiment by helping provide research and statistics for the National Audubon Society's various bird studies, including bird migratory patterns.  So by participating only 15 min. a day, we're contributing to legitimate research!

Some of our favorite birdwatching books around here at ReadMeAStory include:

COUNTING is for the Birds by Frank Mazzola, Jr. (c. 1997) covers several developmental skills all at once.  While teaching your child to count to twenty, Mazzola introduces rhyme, bird facts, number recognition, bird species identification, all while weaving together a hidden plotline.

The kids' very favorite bird identification guide is The Pocket Naturalist Guide: South Carolina Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species (State Nature Guides) [Pamphlet] by James Kavanagh (c. 2002).  Read more about this resource on my post about The Pocket Naturalist Guides

Our Yard is Full of Birds (c.1992) by the mother daughter team Anne & Lizzy Rockwell tells a boy's story of bird watching while identifying various species of birds.  Lizzy Rockwell's watercolor and pencil illustrations beautifully capture each bird's unique traits.

Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day (c. 2001) illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell, author Anne Rockwell weaves the idea of pen-pal communication with the Mrs. Madoff's classroom tradition of making Valentine's cards. 

This story immediately catches our young audience's attention as each page details each student's unique Valentine's card creation.  Written from the perspective of an elementary school aged boy named Sam, the Rockwells' book begs to be read a second time -- so the reader better understands the connection of each custom Valentine card in relation to the receiver.  After you read it twice, the kids will want to hear more.

I want to give a shout out to all my readers out their who hunt for "boy" books . . . here's a Valentine's Day read specifically delivered from a boy's viewpoint and sensibility.

By the way, Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell make up a charming mother-daughter team.  To find out more about them, check out Lizzy Rockwell's webpage: http://www.lizzyrockwell.com and Anne Rockwell's webage: http://www.annerockwell.com.  And to check out other book recommendations by Anne and Lizzy Rockwell found on Read Me A Story click on each image:

Apples and Pumpkins

Wow!  Lizzy and Anne Rockwell's Apples and Pumpkins, one of our favorite fall books, received an update.  Take a look at the 1989  cover:

And compare it to the new 2011 cover:

Here's the publishers description:
In Apples and Pumpkins, a little girl spends a glorious fall day picking apples and searching for the perfect pumpkin. This classic story and perennial backlist favorite has delighted audiences for more than twenty-five years, and now it’s been revitalized to reach a new generation of readers. Featuring a new cover and an updated interior with rescanned artwork and reset text, this edition is both familiar and fresh—just like a fall day.

Yep, I knew we had good taste around here.  :)

Happy President's Day!

Here are some brief recommendations before the close of the day.  A fun book for the younger ones, Anne and Lizzy Rockwell team up again to present this introduction to President's Day through the venue of a classroom play.

We really like David A. Adler's Picture Book Biography series!  Adler goes beyond the presidents with his biographies.  However, today I recommend his George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Dolley and James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln.  These stories are best suited for children ages 4-8.  

Apple

We're quickly approaching that time of year when we make our annual family trip to the apple orchard!  And boy, we can hardly wait!  We come back with bushels of apples to share with family and to hoard for ourselves while we're baking apple crisp, apple pie, apple muffins, and making ham apple sandwiches.  It's taken me many tries and many years, but I've finally found a good apple pie recipe.  I've also tweaked my very own apple crisp recipe, which the kids and I make several times a month during the fall.  My mother-in-law, Nancy, makes an incredible apple spice cake that my husband, especially, adores.  I have tried many a time to replicate that cake, but I've finally given up all disappointing attempts.  Last year, my mom tried a new recipe for apple bread that had a praline topping.  Yep, it was another winner.  But Kathy . . . Kathy made the ultimate apple dessert.  Let me set the stage: she invited us to her home outside of Asheville.  It's perched on a mountain, so as you're sitting on her porch, you're looking into these beautiful hardwood trees.  Did I mention the mountain stream winding it's way below?  As we're enjoying the scenery, Kathy pulls an amazing apple tart out of the oven.  I'm here to tell that this tart is a true rustic beauty, cooked to perfection on her baking stone.  But that's not the half of it!  When you pop a bite of that tart into your mouth . . . well, let's just say it's a little taste of heaven on earth!  But the best part is that she gave me her recipe.  Now we can enjoy that calorie stuffed apple goodness whenever we want!

Okay, so now that I'm salivating and wishing for a pastry, what does all this have to do with children's books?  Well, around here, we get ready for apple season before it even starts!

The kids' two favorite apple books are Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.  Quite honestly, I'm not exactly sure why these are such a hit.  Both books feature simple text and illustrations.  However, the kids request these two over and over and over again.  And we read them over and over and over again, right on up until Christmas.

I suggest picking up Apples and Pumpkins before you visit the apple orchard.  It sets the stage by chronicling a typical visit.  The type is large and easy to read, while the font mimics handwritten print, making this an excellent choice for those budding readers in your home who are ready to "spy" words.

One nice thing about Apple Farmer Annie, other than the name Annie, is that it's also available in a Spanish edition: Ana Cultiva Manzanas.  Wellington packs each illustration, making this a good book to count and "spy" items.  And here's where the baking comes in: the last two pages include recipes for applesauce, apple muffins, and applesauce cake.

Please note: we will be checking out more books on apples, pumpkins, and autumn in the coming months.  If you have any favorites, please share with us!