The kids were back to science class today studying birds and migration at the Chippewa Nature Center. This has been an amazing experience for us, worth the small amount of money I pay for Ben and Kyrie to have 90 minutes of hands-on instruction in topics I know little about. Everleigh and I were wandering around checking out the rushing water in the river, watching a mama owl sitting with her new baby in a tree, and enjoying ourselves when I saw a little bird struggling outside a window. A woman was watching intently and I asked her if it had hit the window. She nodded yes and said he was a goner. He was on his back kicking, then stopped for a minute, chest still heaving. I decided to tell a staff person. It's a Nature Center! The receptionist calmly came with me and picked it up and held it. She did a brief check and said he would be fine but they would put him in a paper bag for awhile. The dark calms the bird and when he's relieved himself, they know he is ready to fly again. She spent some time educating us. I asked if the kids in classes could see him and she took him to Ben's class and let the children touch him gently. And then the same with Kyrie's class.
We all learned what to do if a bird survives flying into a window; how to help and what to look for.
I 'm so grateful for the break the Science Center gives me and for the opportunity the kids have to learn from teachers enthusiastic about science and to have time with other kids their age.
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