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Willistown Wild Wings Newswire
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-Duck Hunt 12/13
-Winter Bird Count 12/21
Future Meetings
-Great Backyard Bird Count- February TBD
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Blake Goll
Nature Education Coordinator
Phone: 610-353-2562 Ext. 20
Email: bhg@wctrust.org
WCT Headquarters
925 Providence Road
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-353-2562
wctrust.orgRushton Farm & Rushton Woods Preserve
911 Delchester Rd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073
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Photo caption: Long-tailed Duck by Mike Rosengarten
Third Annual Duck Hunt
Saturday, December 13th from 8-11am
Meet at Rushton Woods Preserve & FarmDid you know that a group of ducks is called a raft? Or that ducks are found all over the world except for Antarctica? There are dabbling ducks and diving ducks, small ducks and big ducks, dull ducks and dapper ducks. Ducks of all kinds are delightful, and so we're inviting you on our Third Annual Duck Hunt during which birders of all ages carpool around together with binoculars and scopes to the different ponds in the area, observing and listing the wintering ducks we find! Grab a friend and enjoy a winter morning with ducks (plus mid-morning hot drinks and snacks!). Register with Blake Goll at bhg@wctrust.org and let us know if you can provide transportation.
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PA Young Birders- Winter Bird Count
Saturday, December 21st from 9-Noon
WCT Headquarters (925 Providence Rd, Newtown Square)
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Photo Caption: PA Young Birders during the Winter Bird Count 2013, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker This annual PA Young Birder event is modeled after the traditional Christmas Bird Count of the National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. For 115 years, this annual count has provided critical data on population trends of birds and is the longest running citizen science survey in the world! Our Young Birders are always rewarded for bearing the cold December weather with exciting discoveries such as owl pellets, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, fox prints in the snow and other great winter bird sightings like American Tree Sparrows. The children learn how to report the bird sightings into eBird, one of the world's largest wildlife databases! We'll end the morning with hot chocolate and some holiday cheer, making wreaths for the birds.
Register with Blake Goll at bhg@wctrust.org and let us know if you need to borrow binoculars.
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What You Missed in November |  
Photo Caption: Northern Saw-whet Owl at Rushton Farm (By Gerald Barton) and Young Birder with Saw-whet Owl before release. We had a big turnout of owl enthusiasts, adults and children, who learned all about the ecology of the Northern Saw-whet Owl and what the Trust is trying to accomplish in the conservation world by banding these enchanting critters. After much anticipation one beautiful Saw-whet Owl was caught, and the group was dazzled as they got to watch the entire scientific process of banding.
Be sure to subscribe (for free) to our bird blog to learn more about birds and see more pictures of the bird banding efforts at Rushton ( wctbirds.wordpress.com)! |
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Thanks for your interest in Willistown Conservation Trust's Junior Birding Club, a chapter of PA Young Birders. Studies have shown that regular experience with nature makes kids healthier, happier and significantly improves their performance in all school subjects. Getting your child involved with PA Young Birders is a wise choice that makes positive waves in your child's future.
Our Mission is to develop a culture of caring
for the natural world and desire to conserve
land, by providing meaningful, thought provoking
experiences with nature, especially birds.
Our Objectives for Your Child:
- Connect intimately to nature in order to foster a lasting love of the natural world.
- Nurture a spirit of discovery and wonder.
- Refine birding abilities and cultivate a wholesome lifelong hobby.
- Develop science skills and understanding
- of the scope of science.
- Create a confident conservation ethic by demonstrating the importance of preserving open space.
- Recognize the interconnectedness of habitat, birds and other wildlife.
- Ensure an ultimate understanding of the positive role humans can play in the natural world
Programs are free unless otherwise noted (although donations are always appreciated), and kids are only expected to bring a desire to learn about birds and explore nature as well as hiking shoes and clothes they don't mind getting dirty! Binoculars are a plus, but we always have a few on hand to borrow. All programs are appropriate for kids ages 8-12, but most are adaptable for younger or older kids as well; just ask me if you are concerned about the age appropriateness of a program.
 
The Willistown Conservation Trust is a non-profit land trust working to protect the rural beauty of the 28,000 acres surrounding Willistown,Pennsylvania. We're dedicated to permanently protecting our countryside from development and inspiring in people a lifelong love of the land and the natural world. Please visit our website to learn more about us, and subscribe to our bird blog to learn about what's been going on at our bird banding station this year.
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