Try This! - Write from a Bird Cam

From Catherine Flynn:

I’ve loved birds since I was a little girl and they’ve inspired me ever since. I’d always rather be outside watching birds, but sometimes it’s not possible to observe them in their natural habitat for an extended period of time. For this reason, I’m a big fan of bird cams. The notebook entry I’m sharing was made last spring while I observed a great blue heron via a Cornell Ornithology Lab camera. (http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/) Sadly, this camera isn’t working at the moment, but the lab has several others that are. Find a bird that you’re interested in and prepare to be amazed!

While you observe, try to use as many sensory words as you can to capture the image of the bird and its habitat. Note the shape and color of its beak, legs, and wings. Compare them to objects others are familiar with. If the camera is equipped with sound, be sure to jot down what you hear. This will give an added dimension to your observations. Also pay close attention to how the bird moves. Ask yourself, “What could it be responding to?” 

Here's mine:

Click to Enlarge this Notebook Page

Most of my jottings and noticings in this entry were inspired by Lorraine Ferra’s wonderful book, A Crow Doesn’t Need a Shadow. (Peregrine Smith Books, 1994) Ferra’s book includes advice on keeping a nature journal, taking poetry field trips, and much more.

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Catherine is a literacy specialist at a K-8 school in Northwestern Connecticut. She helps first graders learn to read and works with classroom teachers, helping them improve and refine all aspects of literacy instruction. She can be found on Twitter at @flynn_catherine or on her blog, readingtothecore.wordpress.com.