Today was truly a magical spring day. Our morning activity focused on bird features and drawing birds to the best of our ability. We used bird guides to pick a bird that we like and draw what we see, draw its size, as close to color matching as possible, match the wing bars, and other features too. After we all finished using our guides, we tried to ID the birds our other friends drew.
![students drawing birds students drawing birds](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53709587259_8831dd10c2_c.jpg?itok=-2ltuPVY)
Last week when we were at the brook, we each collected a rock or two that we paint and place by the plants for bird's garden. All the plants that are located in this garden were planted during one of our summer camp weeks in 2023 and are great for birds! They either provide wonderful seeds or welcome insects for the birds to eat. Learn more about how to make your own plants for bird's garden! We painted some wonderful designs on our rocks and we will lay them out next week. We painted some wonderful designs on our rocks and we will lay them out next week. While we were painting, we learned there was a beaver at Beaver Pond! We quickly dropped everything and rushed to the pond. We saw the beaver swimming around, and also saw a giant snapping turtle swimming too.
![students looking at Beaver students looking at Beaver](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53709587264_9579f7b989_c.jpg?itok=0yoz6Lp7)
![painting rocks painting rocks](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53708344032_a6b7984ff2_c.jpg?itok=FAmB2RaF)
After we finished painting, we enjoyed a game of camouflage before going back to Beaver Pond to explore some more. While at the pond we caught 2 pickerel frogs, 20 eastern newts, 2 tadpoles, and a few other critters. We also enjoyed a wonderful moment with a rose-breasted grosbeak and listened to so many spring bird arrivals!
![student catching in beaver pond student catching in beaver pond](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53705008936_c1b27e8813_c.jpg?itok=WcGLypnt)
![student getting a newt out of a net student getting a newt out of a net](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53705342049_a66ac07f7b_c.jpg?itok=vjZOS1ZU)
In the afternoon we explored and played in the woods, we even stumbled upon a robin's nest too! We also wanted to do some math work, so in the dirt everyone worked together to answer some addition, subtraction, and multiplication questions.
![students writing on the ground students writing on the ground](https://vt.audubon.org/sites/default/files/styles/bean_wysiwyg_full_width/public/53705444680_f4fd3d6a32_c.jpg?itok=KkiivOJ3)
We ended our wonderful spring day with skit writing and journaling too!