Two workshops for bird watching will be available for kids aged 8 to 15 years. The two-day workshops focus on several sides of “birding. Each workshop costs $15 per child, plus $8 Park Admission fee per vehicle. Space is limited to 13, so registration is necessary.
One of the great satisfactions in working with children is when they learn to identify a bird on their own. “There’s a Grebe!” an excited kid yells from a seat on the tour boat. When children are given the tools, they use them with joy, enthusiasm, and loud voices! Birding can become a lifetime hobby and is a great way to spend time outdoors.
Kids Learn Birds is a birding class for kids. There are many popular field birding classes for adults in Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley, but few opportunities for children. Santa Barbara County Park Naturalists are very happy to collaborate once again with Cachuma Lake Nature Center docents in offering this field-learning experience to our younger community.
The two-day workshops focus on several sides of “birding”. Kids learn:
• What makes a bird and not a mammal
• How to watch birds outdoors in their own habitats and study how they behave
• How to look at a birds using games and drawing —their shapes, colors, and sizes—to understand how to identify them
• How to use field guides showing what birds live in our area
• How to use binoculars (provided) to gain technical experience with birding tools
The workshop takes place at Cachuma Lake County Park. On the first day, they start by spending time inside the Nature Center learning bird basics. Then they go outdoors and look for birds in various habitats the Park. They meet back at the Nature Center for snacks and to talk about was seen. On day two, they will review “looking” skills and then set out on the pontoon tour boat to “bird watch” around the lake. After the birding boat trip, the class will head back to the Nature Center to make a list of all the birds we identified, and celebrate with juice and healthy snacks. Please come, kids! Learn birds with us!
Space is limited; please call to sign up!There are two workshops, two days each, for children 8 to 15 years.
Session One: Tuesday June 23 and Thursday June 25, 9 am to Noon
Session Two: Tuesday June 30 and Thursday July 2, 9 am to Noon
Each workshop costs $15 per child, plus $8 Park Admission fee per vehicle. Space is limited to 13, so registration is necessary. Parents and siblings are welcome to join us on the boat trip on day two for an additional fee of $15 adults/$7 children (sorry, no children under 4 years old).
Please call naturalists Liz Mason Gaspar or Melissa Kelly at (805) 688-4515 for more information and to register.