As I promised with my Facebook post, I am going to share with you an awesome new project that I have been working on. I became a Geauga Park District volunteer last year. Most of my volunteer time has been spent photographing their events all over the county. But a few months ago, I was given an opportunity that I could not pass up.
An email went out to some volunteers about a new program that was starting at the West Woods. It was called Bird in Hand. Basically, they were looking for volunteers to stand out in the bitter cold with black oil sunflower seeds in your hand and wait…..and wait….and wait some more until the birds got brave enough to land on your hand and take a seed. Crazy right? Well, guess who was first in line to sign up for that program ….. me!
At first, the bird feeder was hung in a tree just off the trail, and the volunteers/staff members would take it down every night and put it back up every morning. Then, a shepherds hook was installed with a baffle to prevent small critters from helping themselves to all the seeds. The deer quickly learned that there was a tasty treat in the woods and proceeded to knock the feeder down….twice. So, after a bit of new cable to hang the feeder and some adjustment in the placement of the shepherds hook, the feeder has found its permanent home and the birds are quite pleased about it.
From what we heard from other parks with this program, we thought it would take weeks, even months, for the birds to get on board with this program. But not our Geauga County birds. Within 48 hours, Geauga Park District staff members Nora, Dottie, and John (who were the first ones to stand out patiently at the feeder) were hand feeding the black capped chickadees. We must have some pretty smart birds, or really trustworthy people, here in Geauga County.
Each morning that I had volunteered to freeze my butt off (I mean feed the birds), I would get all bundled up, head down the Sunset Overlook Trail, and stand at my post. The birds were either really hungry or they liked me right away, because I had 10 birds land in my hand and eat on my first trip out to the feeder. IT WAS SO EXCITING…..and addicting! The naturalists and staff would laugh when they would see me there all bundled up so early in the morning day in and day out. They would tell me, “Stacey, you are addicted, and it’s great!”
I would stand out there sometimes just for 15 minutes if the weather was bad, and sometimes for an hour if the weather was tolerable. I not only enjoyed being so close with the birds, but also just watching all the nature around me. I am learning to identify the birds by only their sound, which is quite challenging. I saw four deer one morning enjoying a drink down at the creek. I scared a big fluffy fox squirrel one morning that was enjoying a snack underneath the feeder. It was not too happy that I interrupted, and it let me know by barking at me from up in a nearby tree.
Before I left the West Woods each day, I would fill out a log book at the front desk with my numbers for the day. We recorded how many of each type of bird was seen, was hand fed, the weather conditions, and any other animals that were around. The chickadees are the only birds so far that have been brave enough to hop in my hand, but I am confident that with time, other types of birds will do it as well. I had a tufted titmouse one morning that was seriously considering landing on my hand. It got within a few feet of me on the shepherds hook and flew toward me, but chickened out at the last second.
So, now it is your turn. Watch this HILARIOUS video by Chief Naturalist John Kolar telling you all about this new program. Then head up to the West Woods yourself and try it out. Let me know about your experience in the comments below or feel free to send me an email at stacey@littleacornmedia.com.
Nature Center Exhibit
While you are at the West Woods, don’t forget to stop into the Nature Center’s new exhibit, Something’s Afoot – Nature Just Won’t Stay Put. Over the past year, staff and volunteers have been creating and setting up this exhibit for park visitors to enjoy and to learn about how nature moves.
This interactive exhibit will show you the many ways that animals, plants, and even rocks can move. You will see how many modern day inventions were modeled after the way that animals get around. There are several buttons around the nature center that will show you how some animals fly when you push the button. Visitors can learn about the Monarch butterfly’s migration and life cycle. Several stations in the exhibits have short videos to watch that were created by the Interactive Multi-Media Tech students at Auburn Career Center.
Ask the front desk for a passport when you complete the exhibit. They will stamp your passport each time you visit. When you collect 3 stamps, you will earn a patch. When you collect 6 stamps, you will get a FREE nature guide. I bought this guide years ago in the TreeTops Nature Store and I love it. It is great to take in the woods to help you identify things along your adventure.
For more information about the West Woods, read this article that I wrote last year.
