Recently, Tommy burst out, "Grandpa Ollie and Grandma Sid are SO lucky!" Upon asking why, I learned that it was because they had a bird feeder. The conversation went on and I discovered that Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Bob are considered lucky because they have a bird bath.
On Thursday, Tommy's entire class went birdwatching at Qurum Park and I was a chaperone. (During the pre-trip meeting, Mrs. Mongardi asked if any chaperones had questions, and a first grader's hand shot up: "What's a chaperone?") I went only because I wanted Tommy to be able to take his birdwatching gear along with him, and I didn't trust him to return with his binoculars. (This lack of trust proved to be legitimate when I collected the binoculars from the ground where they had been left upon discovery of a lizard.) Secretly, I thought it was insane to take sixty (three classes!) first graders birdwatching.
But I was wrong. The kids absolutely loved it and as our bird book promised, Qurum Park is chocked full of birds. We saw mynas, parakeets, egrets, plovers and of course crows and pigeons. And here's the thing: my kid is a really good bird spotter. He clearly has good eyes (phew! I am so hopeful that the Walter genes will dominate there) and his memory is amazing. He's spent enough time with the bird book that he identifies birds easily and correctly. It's impressive. Anyway, when we got back to school, Mrs. Mongardi observed that the trip had probably converted some of the other kids into bird watchers, so that Tommy wouldn't be the only one. I'm not sure he minds either way.
On Thursday, Tommy's entire class went birdwatching at Qurum Park and I was a chaperone. (During the pre-trip meeting, Mrs. Mongardi asked if any chaperones had questions, and a first grader's hand shot up: "What's a chaperone?") I went only because I wanted Tommy to be able to take his birdwatching gear along with him, and I didn't trust him to return with his binoculars. (This lack of trust proved to be legitimate when I collected the binoculars from the ground where they had been left upon discovery of a lizard.) Secretly, I thought it was insane to take sixty (three classes!) first graders birdwatching.
But I was wrong. The kids absolutely loved it and as our bird book promised, Qurum Park is chocked full of birds. We saw mynas, parakeets, egrets, plovers and of course crows and pigeons. And here's the thing: my kid is a really good bird spotter. He clearly has good eyes (phew! I am so hopeful that the Walter genes will dominate there) and his memory is amazing. He's spent enough time with the bird book that he identifies birds easily and correctly. It's impressive. Anyway, when we got back to school, Mrs. Mongardi observed that the trip had probably converted some of the other kids into bird watchers, so that Tommy wouldn't be the only one. I'm not sure he minds either way.
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