Wild Words for Wild Wings Birds We Know and Love at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

1. Wild Words for Wild Wings Birds We Know and Love at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

2. By Fourth Grade Studentsat Astoria Park ElementaryTallahassee, Florida2005 - 2006

4. Thanks toa Nature of Learning Grant from theNational Fish & Wildlife Foundation and Sandy Beck Education DirectorSt. Francis Wildlife Association Tallahassee, Florida

5. Project PartnersSt. Marks National Wildlife Refuge St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Association Wakulla Springs State ParkFlorida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Florida Ornithological SocietyLeon Association of Science TeachersInternational Paper CompanyLeon County SchoolsSt. Francis Wildlife Association

6. Special thanks to teachers: Mrs. Virginia Charles Mrs. Donna Nelson Mr. David Rudenborg Mrs. Geraldine Williams

7. and . . . our wonderful birding buddies and volunteers,Diana HardeeKaty NesmithDavid Moody

8. Students became “Bird Detectives” and used special CLUES to identify the birds: Size and Shape Beak or Bill Color and Field Marks Habitat Behavior Song

9. They met permanently disabled birds from the St. Francis Wildlife Association and learned how they can help wildlife.

10. Everyone went on three field trips to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge! They used binoculars and field guides to observe and identify the birds.

11. Then students wrote . . .

12. . . . and illustrated poems about the birds!

13. These are the birds children met at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge this year. Their pictures and their words show how birds can touch children’s hearts.

14. Anhinga The anhinga is the king of the river, a glossy, black jewel glimmering in the sun, a dark shadow hovering above the water.

15. BaldEagle Swooping from the sky, protective mother, confident and brave. . . The bald eagle is a plane soaring. Its head is a white cloud in the summer sky. A bald eagle is a broken bonbon covered in chocolate.

17. Barn Swallow The barn swallow is a rainbow flying.

18. BeltedKingfisher The belted kingfisher is a red flower petal holding a raindrop. A puzzle piece out of place.

19. Black-necked Stilt Lives by the shore. Essentially long-legged. An Oreo cookie. The stilt is staring, shy because of the children. Timid, stiff soldier.

21. Blue Jay A blue jay is a puddle after a rain storm, my best friend’s eyes, a glittering lake, a pair of new jeans. Blue Jay is a blue wave, a shining pool, graceful diamonds in the air.

22. Boat-tailed Grackle Male boat-tailed grackle. Gray like the moon light. Black like midnight sky.

23. Canvasback The canvasback is a scarlet rose with a white stem, a giant bonfire, a sky diver.

25. Common Grackle The female grackle is brown like tree bark, singing the whole day, a soldier and a guard.

26. Common Moorhen Red bill like fire. A slow sloth. A calm cloud floating in the sky.

27. Double-crested Cormorant A mud puddle pooping paint on the ground. A dirty shower curtain. A dead branch in the grass. A black dress caught in a tree. A black scarf flipping in the wind.

29. Eastern Screech Owl Unnoticeable tree bark creature. Brave, safe, protective. A soldier on duty, it spies on its enemies and captures them for lunch.

30. Glossy Ibis A glossy ibis is a rainbow from the sky walking on grass.

31. Great Blue Heron Glossy, sharp heron Searching in the clear water, spearing at his prey. Sitting in the marsh, waiting for his visitor, still heron hunts prey.

33. Great Egret The great egret is a giant snow cone from the sky. A tall white pencil. A can opener on a blue table. An ax with a orange blade.

34. Laughing Gull A laughing gull is a child giggling with joy. The laughing gull is a hyena giggling with funny stuff.

36. Little Blue Heron The little blue heron is a rain-filled cloud just before the downpour begins.

37. Marsh Hawk or Northern Harrier A marsh hawk is a fighter jet soaring across the sky, sensing his target, lowering his wheels, releasing rockets and striking.

39. Northern Parula A wonderful gift in a comfortable tree. What a peaceful bird. Small bluish warbler with white wing bars and a yellow throat, a sky with clouds.

40. Northern Shoveler A spoon with a splash of color. A shovel that digs water. A dipper on the planet Saturn.

41. Osprey A jet, out of control. A fighter plane, with bent wings. A dark, black cloud.

42. Pied-billed Grebe A brown rubber duckie, a chunk of dirt in the water, a slice of chocolate cake on a blue tablecloth.

44. Red-bellied Woodpecker A red-headed zebra, a spear, a nickerknocker. Small, red power drill chisels sharp beak through sweet pines for worms.

45. Redhead The redhead is a flaming baked Alaska, a tomato on a mud flat, a cardboard Lego.

46. Red-shouldered Hawk The hawk sits silently then suddenly dives across the sky, screaming, “Look at me!”

48. Red-winged Blackbird A red-winged blackbird flew gracefully, soundlessly like a dark shadow.

49. Ring-billed Gull It is my cousin’s pierced nose. It is a king surrounded by knights. It is a flashlight guiding sailors.