Field Lesson 2
On the Wing
Overview: Students learn how to bird watch with binoculars and owl senses. Students identify birds based on their physical characteristics, habits and habitat.

Location: Outdoors

Learner Outcomes:

1. Students will be able to correctly use and care for a pair of binoculars.
2. Students will be able to create one birds name for a bird they observe based on their physical characteristics, the habitat they are found in or habit they are exhibiting.

Materials

1. Great-horned owl wing and feathers, hawk wing
2. Binoculars one per student
3. Photo of Yellow-headed Blackbird.
4. Colored Pencils
5. Journal Sketch page
6. Field guide with large pictures.

Preparation

1. Scout an a walking route with a variety of birds.
   

Owl Senses

Ask. . .

1. What bird do you think can help us be good bird watchers- this bird can see at night, sneak up on its prey without a sound and has very good hearing.

Explain. . .

1. Owls use their senses to help them live in a nocturnal environment. On our bird walk we are going to act like owls. To do this we need to know a couple things about owls.
2. Owls are very quiet and move slowly. They have specially designed feathers that are very soft and silent when they move (flap owl wing as compared to hawk wing). Pass around specimens.

Do . . .

1. Let's move around for the next 15 seconds being as silent as we can. Let's also let our neighbor know we see something by tapping on their shoulders and pointing in that direction.

Explain. . .

1. Owls listen carefully. Often their face is shaped to hear well (show picture), see the big discs, If we put big discs behind our ears (demonstrate) this will help us hear better. Sometime you cannot see birds, , . if we listen, using our owl ears, we can hear their songs and calls or hear them rustling in the leaves or splashing in the water.
2. Owls have very good eyesight We will be using binoculars to spy on birds from far away without scaring them.

Explain & Do. . .

1. Show how to use the binoculars first with your pair first, and then hand out and go through the show again.
2. Place the strap around your neck- leave them on until we return
3. Fit to eyes- show which part moves, adjust to their eye width.
4. Focus- This is the rolling focus wheel (indicate) While sitting right here, you can practice on an object nearby: stare at the object before putting the binoculars up to the eyes, bring the binoculars up without looking away from the object, roll the focus
5. Do not walk with binoculars up to eyes. (Demonstrate how you can walk into something.) Try your binoculars, raise your hand if you have any problems and an adult will help.
6. Side note: If students are using insect repellent explain that the repellant can melt the rubber on the binoculars. Ask them not to spray insect repellent near the binoculars and to wipe any extra off on their pants before handling the binoculars. Remind them not to touch the lenses.

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