Katie found a dead (unfortunately) Ruby Crowned Kinglet among the leaves in our yard this weekend--such a thrilling discovery! We have never seen one, and so though we were sad it had died, we were excited to have the opportunity to observe one so closely.
Warning: if you don't like to look at dead birds, click away from here.
Isn't it beautiful? I placed the tiny bird in a freezer bag and put it in our freezer to preserve it so that we can take it out and observe it more closely when we have time. We'll make a sketch for our nature journals, learn as much as we can about the Ruby Crowned Kinglet, then back into the freezer it will go so that my mom (a true bird lady ~ grin! ~) can see it, too, when she comes for a visit. After that, we'll dispose of it.
Weird, you say? I won't tell you what she's saved in her freezer for us to observe.
I know there are home educators and others among us who wouldn't dare touch a feather, let alone pick it up and bring it into their home. Guess we feather-and-dead-bird-collectors are on the fringe. It's a great place to savor the nature around us.
