Radical Raptors!

Visit Children's Services at the Main Library on Tuesday afternoon, August 9, to meet some awesome birds of prey -- up close and personal.  Soarin' Hawk, a local bird rescue, will be with us to teach us about these amazing animals.

Radical Raptors
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Click here to find some great books about raptors in the library's catalog.  We'll help you find them the next time you visit the library, or put some on hold to pick up at your nearest library branch.

Celebrate Urban Birds

Calling all ornithologists!   Here's your chance to contribute to science and learn about birds at the same time.  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is offering free Celebrate Urban Birds kits to families who would like to learn about and observe 16 bird species in urban settings.

While you're at it, stop by the library to pick up some great bird books!

Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters

Can a tsunami happen here? Or an earthquake?...these are questions many adults are hearing after the tragic happenings in Japan this past weekend.

Sharing stories of hope and goodwill in the midst of chaos, such as Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa, or A Mama for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer, may be a help to some children.

Reading Rockets has just published a list of web-based resources, including kid-friendly news reports of the events in Japan, ways to help children cope with disasters, and basic information about earthquakes and tsunamis.

Several of Children's Services Booklists provide resources for children and adults on coping with with disasters:

• Fears Booklists
  
• Talking with Kids about Violence Booklist
  
• Therapy and Healing Booklist
• Peace Booklist

Do you have other resources that you've found? How have you used them with your children?

The Great Backyard Bird Count!

Hey, friends! Here's a great chance to help scientists learn about birds.

It's the Great Backyard Bird Count!

To participate, simply watch and count the number of birds you see in your backyard or some other location from Friday, February 18 through Monday, February 21.
Then record what you see here. Anyone can participate -- kids and adults.

Invite a friend or two to get involved -- the more information the scientists can gather, the more will learn. How many birds do you think you will see?

amazing photographs

Nic Bishop is an author and photographer of many award winning books for children. He has a doctorate in biological sciences and a passionate interest in animals. His books are filled with the most amazing photographs of animals. We all get so excited when a new Nic Bishop comes across our desks. Check out his website for a taste of what he does www.nicbishop.com
His latest offering is Lizards and it does not disappoint; the photographs are beautiful.
Stop by the library and check out our selection of Nic Bishop books - you will love them.

Thank you Sierra Club

Today is the anniversary of the Sierra Club which was founded by the famous naturalist, John Muir in 1892. The Sierra Club promotes conservation of the natural environment by influencing public policy. It has been especially important in the founding and protection of our national parks.

Yucky Worms

Who would want to be friends with a wiggly, slimy, yucky worm?
You can't even tell which end is which!
But there's more to these lowly creatures than meets the eye. Find out where worms live, how they move, and why gardeners consider them friends in this humorous and informative look at the unappreciated - and fascinating - worm.

ACRES Land Trust

Are you looking for a fun outdoor activity to do with your kids? Check out the ACRES Land Trust website for a list of Nature Preserves in our area. Plan a trip to hike, birdwatch & look for signs of spring.

My family enjoyed a hike yesterday in the sunshine. We saw a pileated woodpecker, a cardinal, and several robins. We spotted a nest up high in a tree, but couldn't figure out who it belonged to. We noticed a lot of leaf buds on the trees. It isn't very green out there yet, but we plan to watch the season change.

Find a nature preserve near your home and check it out!

Hurray! It's March!

Today is the first day of March -- which means spring is right around the corner. I even heard birds chirping this morning outside my window!

At eNature.com, you can listen to the calls of over 550 different kinds of birds, all from North America. Just click on a link to one of the bird types, make sure your computer's speakers are on, and listen!

Animal Tracks

If there's snow around your house, chances are good that you may find some tracks in the snow. Can you tell what animals may have been there by looking at their paw prints or tracks? Feel free to visit us at the Library to find a book on identifying animals by their tracks.

In the meantime, you may want to check out this online guide from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Happy Tracking!

Let's Go Outside!

As children get older and more socially active, it becomes
harder and harder to come up with stimulating outdoor activities that
appeal to them and allow them to connect with the whole family.
Let's Go Outside by Jennifer Ward
is full of great ideas to get the 8 to 12 crowd away from the electronics and enjoying the last few months of good weather!

Fun Nature Website!

Check out eNature.com for lots of information about wildlife.

Tonight I read about

• what happens to birds in a hurricane
• how to identify what animals are in the area by their scat
• how much scientists don't know about dragonfly migration

and

• what plants, animals, and birds might be living in my backyard

Check it out! (And then come to the Library for more books on these subjects!)