Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival - Bird Edition 2013

As we finish up this month of challenges focusing on birds, I feel a little sad that it is over. I know we can continue learning about birds at any time but I like the intense focus of learning about one particular topic. I feel so privileged to have been able to travel to Florida during this time and learn a bit about some new birds...just enough to make me anxious to some day go back again.

We also thoroughly enjoyed our time counting birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count and the anticipation of seeing which visitors we would have this time. It made me realize how much I enjoy counting birds and keeping it going from November to April with Project Feederwatch. If you want to participate this coming year, sign-ups start on March 1 and you would start counting each week in November of 2013. It is a little different than the GBBC so pop over and read about it if you think your family might want to get involved.

[See bottom of this post for the Crowe's Nest Media giveaway winner announcement!]

Here are our families birds entries from this month's study (in case you missed one):
Watching Birds From Our Observation Station
Barn Owl Study Using All About Birds 
How to Be a Better Birder: Learning Bird Calls 
Things We Learn With The Great Backyard Bird Count: 2013

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Pilgrims at Tinkers Creek - Finch entry

Bird Grid Study
Lisa from Pilgrims at Tinker Creek shares their Finches entry with the carnival as part of their Bird Grid Study. What a treat to see their finches at the feeder and a Pine siskin too! I loved this glimpse into their Virginia bird study.

Diana from Homeschool Review submitted their bird entry - Nature Study: Birds with the OHC. She shares their seasonal visitors: Robins, Starlings, and Cedar Waxwings. I love that she has been anticipating their return and then actually got to see them. There is such value in continuing seasonal nature study!

Heidi from Home Schoolroom has put all of their bird goodness into their entry Nature Study-Birds for you to enjoy. Lots of wonderful ideas in this entry but my favorite is their customized backyard bird field guide cards...awesome! She also lists their Great Backyard Bird Count observations for you to see.

Nadene from Practical Pages shares their swallow story with carnival readers: Swallows. They are now on the hunt for the swallow's nest....love the continuing study.

Barbara from The Schoolhouse on the Prairie joins the carnival this month with their entry Weather, Rocks, Birds, and Blessings. She recaps their last three month's nature study along with a photo of their new bundle of joy.  

Rachel at United for Christ has submitted their entry Outdoor Hour Challenge Birds for you to view. She shares how they are finding new birds in each place they live and are keeping a life list. Don't miss reading her entry!

Sarah from GranWood Explores shares their Outdoor Hour-Birds entry for you to enjoy. She has included some additional resources and ideas for our own bird study.  Always so much to learn!

Michelle from Following Footprints has gathered their whole awesome month of bird study into one entry that will encourage you in your own studies. Backyard Bird Watching. I love watching a love for birding unfold!

Owl  Pellet Dissection at Academia

Owls
Robin from Academia compiled their whole month of bird related nature study into her entry: Birds! Don't miss seeing their bird-themed nature table and their bird observation spot. They also had an owl pellet dissection party and share their results. Wonderful example for us all!

Alice from Redwoods Homeschool shares their entry Birding with the carnival for this edition. Don't miss seeing their wonderful owl notebooking pages for their nature journals....and they ate owl cookies too!

Sarah from GranWood Explores submits their Outdoor Hour Owl Study for your to enjoy.  This entry is rich with additional ideas and resources for your own owl study. Check it out!

Carol from Journey and Destination joins the carnival from Australia with her entry: Nature Study-Birds, Blooms, and Bugs. I enjoyed seeing her colorful birds and reading about their owl experience.

Kris from On the 8th Day has an awesome owl study and activity to share with the carnival: The Art of the Owl.  I really enjoy seeing families take a topic of interest and go deeper. Enjoy her short video too!

Bethany from Little Homeschool Blessings shares her entry: A Hawk, An Owl, and an Eagle with you. They were able to complete their studies and journals and then follow-up with a real live visit with a red-tail, an owl, and an eagle at their local library. Excellent!

Bird Calls
Alex from Life on a Canadian Island captured their Black-Capped Chickadee and did some reading in the Handbook of Nature Study. I love the song of the chickadee and once you hear it you will be able to recognize it from then on.

Tufted Titmouse - Pilgrims at Tinker Creek

Bird List
Lisa from Pilgrims at Tinker Creek shares their Great Backyard Bird Count list with the carnival. I loved seeing their actual list and the variety of birds they observed over the weekend. 

Mother Robin from Mother Robin's Notes from the Nest shares two entries with the carnival: Our Backyard Bird Paradise and OHC: Great Backyard Bird Count. She shares some wonderful ideas for placing birdfeeders in the yard, types of feeders and seed, and then their official first ever GBBC story. 

Winter at the Beach-Rocks from Life on a Canadian Island

Potpourri
Alex from Life on a Canadian Island put together a wonderful photo essay she calls Winter at the Beach-Rocks for carnival readers. This was part of last month's rock study and a wonderful view into their Canadian rocks.

Jen from Snowfall Academy joins the carnival from her new African home with their Monthly Nature Notebook and Our New Tree Study where she shares their first mango tree study. Won't it be fun to watch as their year progresses?

Diana from Homeschool Review shares their 2nd Snow of the Year...in which they take a walk in the fresh snow and find all kinds of things to enjoy.

Rock Study - Outdoor Hour Challenge: Rachel's entry from last month's theme is a wonderful example of how you can make your study as simple as you need too.

I hope you'll consider promoting the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival on your blog, Twitter, Facebook or other social media. For your convenience, you can copy and paste the following update for Twitter or Facebook:

Latest Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival posted @HBNatureStudy. Theme is Birds! http://bit.ly/Wn178X #nature #playoutdoors  #homeschool

Don't forget to share your blog entries with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. All entries done in March are eligible for the next edition. The deadline for entries is 3/30/13 and you can send them directly to me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com or submit them at the blog carnival site (link on the sidebar of my blog).

I want to thank this month's blog sponsor Crowe's Nest Media for creating such a wonderful series of DVDs for us to share with our children.

Your Backyard: Birds
Your Backyard: Monarch Butterflies 

Everyone who entered this carnival was entered into a random drawing for their choice of DVD's from Crowe's Nest Media. 
The winner is.....Alicia C. from RedwoodsHomeschool! 

Congratulations!