Barn Owl Web Cam

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This is a unique opportunity to observe a pair of Barn Owls and their owlets.
via live feed from an owl box is located in a residential backyard in San Marcos, CA that is 15 feet off the ground. The mother owl appears to be a first time mom. The owl is about 14 inches tall. She laid her first egg on February 13th. Owlets are expected around mid to late March. Incubation is 30 to 34 days. Owlets will hatch in the order laid, unlike chickens which hatch together.

The male has a white chest and face. He usually shows up after dark but has spent an entire day with the female. The female is named Molly and the male McGee. The Barn Owl is widespread but usually a scarce species. They are strictly nocturnal and rarely observed in flight during daylight hours.

Lesson Plan:

1.) Observe the Barn Owls on the cam and discuss your observations. Research any questions that arise during the observation.

See also Birds of Prey

Printables:
Barn Owl Coloring page

Owl Blank notebooking elements

Owl Pellet Dissection packet

Online Resources:

Molly's Box Blog

Outside photos of The Owl Box, Molly and McGree

Barn Owl information, sounds & photos

Virtual Owl Pellet Dissection

Purchase owl pellets

Birds of Prey

"Birds of prey---powerful eagles, hawks, and owls---have very different lifestyles from Florida's backyard songbirds. Also known as raptors, they are predator, hunting and feeding on smaller animals (called prey) such as insects, mice, rabbits , fish snakes, and even other birds. They often eat sick and weakened animals, sometimes even dead animals (called carrion) and they help to keep the population of rodents and insect pests in check." The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida; page 102

Discussion Questions:

1. What physical characteristics do all birds of prey or raptors have in common?
2. Name five types of raptors that can be found in Florida.
3. What animal used to be considered a bird of prey but is no longer considered one by Ornithologists? Why is this bird no longer considered a raptor?
4. What is the difference between a diurnal animal and a nocturnal one?
   

Activities:

1. Go on a field trip to learn more about birds of prey.
2. Choose one raptor to study and include in your notebook.
3. Study the beaks and talons of raptors up close. Draw pictures for your notebook.
4. Print out worksheet and have students circle the raptor talons
   

Suggested Reading:
Peterson Field Guides for young naturalists: Birds of Prey by Jonathan P. Latimer/Karen Stray Nolting

Online Resources:
PDF on Raptors
Conserve Wildlife Raptor Page
Sea World's Raptor Sheet
Raptor Related Words
Skulls Unlimited
IBC (The Internet Bird Collection)
Global Raptor information network

Field Trip Suggestions:

Busch Wildlife Animal Sanctuary

Tour the sanctuary and see several birds of prey on exhibit. Inquire about educational lectures featuring birds of prey.

Okeeheelee Nature Center

Take a nature walk and explore the nature center. Book a group tour and attend the incredible "Raptor Chapter" lecture.

Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
Tour the Audubon Center for birds of prey or book a group tour and get an even more up close look at the amazing birds of prey currently housed at the center.

Bird Beaks

Lesson Plans
Eduplace.com Bird Beak Lab
Ranger Rick Naturescope: Birds, Birds, Birds lesson plan

Online Resources:
Backyard Nature Bird Beaks Page
Teacher's Domain Bird Beak Gallery
Bone Clones Osteological Reproductions

Activities:
1.) Visit Peekabeak to learn how birds use their beaks like a tool.
2.) Visit Natural History Museum's Bills and Beak page. Print out and include in lapbook.
3.) Print out the Bird Beak Record Sheet and create a lab activity.
4.) Print out build-a-bird-kit and include in notebook
5.) View Teacher's Domain Bird Beak Gallery with your students and have them guess what type of food the bird eats based on their beak.

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive is a 7-mile auto tour through one of the best wildlife viewing areas within Merritt Island National Widlife Refuge.

It was created in 1963 when NASA created Kennedy Space Center. The refuge provides a buffer for space operations while also protecting key habitat such as wetland, hardwood hammock, and scrub ecosystems. Black Point Wildlife Drive and Cruikshank trail (named after wildlife photographer Allan D. Ruikshank) provide excellent viewing opportunities for migratory birds. Some of which are federally listed. There are twelve stops along the self guided tour (don't forget to pick up your tour brochure before beginning). The park is open year round from sunup to sundown, but is subject to closure during NASA shuttle launches.

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive is a major destination for birders from throughout the world and is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Over 320 species have been documented so no matter what season you visit, you are likely to see a variety of birds. The peak season for birding is the cooler months between October and April with optimum conditions occurring from December to February. During these periods, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds use the refuge as a temporary rest stop or spend the entire winter season loafing in refuge impoundments which creates excellent birding opportunities. During warmer months, after the migratory birds have returned to their northern breeding grounds, resident wading birds, shore birds, songbirds and raptors forage in refuge marshes, open waters, and forested uplands to feed their young.

Environmental Educational opportunties are available at the center for grades K-9 making it a wonderful field trip destination.

Tips:
Bring field guides and binoculars to help you identify what you are seeing. If you do not have these items you may borrow them through the loaner optics program that is available at the visitor's center.

The park is most active in the early morning or late afternoon, plan your visit around these times for optimal viewing.

Be on the look out for volunteers or guides who frequent the drive to assist visitors. You will benefit from talking to these knowledgeable and friendly guides.

There are many other wildlife recreation opportunities available at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in addition to Blackpoint Drive including: manatee observation deck, fishing and hunting and canoeing and kyaking. Don't forget to stop off at the Visitor information center which includes interpretive exhibits, a educational video on the refuge , bookstore and 1/4 mile boardwalk.

Considerations:
Buses or Vehicles over 29 feet are not permitted on the drive.
There is no fishing, crabbing or boat launching permitted off the drive.

Related Resources:
Merritt Island Wildlife Association
Nature Photography from within the Refuge
Canaveral National Seashore
Great Florida Birding Trail Guides
Florida Wildlife Commission Publication request form.
Birdwatching Basics

The Visitors Center, located 5 miles east of US1 in Titusville on SR402, is open from 8am to 4:30P Monday-Friday and 9A-5P on the weekends. The center is closed Sundays from April-October. Please call 321.861.0667 for more information.

Birds: The fun of watching birds

You may have thought that you have to be an expert to identify birds, but birding can be enjoyed by anyone, year-round in Florida, wherever you are.
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 95

Birdwatchers are generally more observant than the average person. How else to explain the fact that a birder can identify a bird after, in some cases, only a brief look? In order for a birdwatcher to do so, they must be able to observe color patterns, call notes, overall shape, how it moves or flies, the shape of its wings and even the shape of the bird's bills.



Introducing young children to birdwatching not only exposes them to nature but encourages them to develop their observation skills as well as patience and concentration. Did you know that Florida has the third greatest number of different bird species of any state in the nation? As a Florida resident or educator you have a unique opportunity to expose your students to a variety of local and migratory birds using only basic equipment and bird identification skills .



Suggested Activities:

1. Go on a nature walk and see how many types of birds you can identify.
2. Learn more about the local birds you've seen and create pages on them in your notebook.
3. Participate in the Great Backyard Bird count (see below)
4. Can you name all of the birds pictured in chapter 19 of your book?
5. Create a "life list" with a checklist of all the birds you have seen in your lifetime. It can be detailed to include date, time, and weather or simple, only listing the birds you have seen. If you want to keep it simple, consider adding gold stars in your field guide to identify the birds you have seen.
6. Build a bird feeder and check on it regularly for visitors. Consider joining Project Feederwatch.
   
7. Become a member of the National Audobon Society
8. Practice using your field guide. Do you know how it is arranged and grouped? Field Guides are grouped and arranged similarly to a dictionary or encyclopedia. Once you've determined how your guide is arranged or grouped use sticky notes to divide the sections.
   

Suggested Reading:
The Burgess Bird Book for children by Thornton W. Burgess
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock

Additional online resources:
Whatbird? online field guide
Cornell lab of ornithology
Great backyard bird count
Project Feeder watch
Florida Birding Trail
National Audubon Society Kids' Page
Birdwatching Basics from the Florida Wildlife Commission