Ecotots make class bird feeder

By Mary Templeton

The first day of Spring was a perfect day to recognize our feathered friends, the birds!  The Budding Ecotots in Mrs. Holloway’s class at Ocean Drive Elementary School met with members of the Yaupon Garden Club for their monthly meeting on Friday, March 20.

YGC member Mary Templeton reviewed the topics they have learned about each month before introducing club member Sue Hagan who shared a book about birds. YGC member Joy Murray provided the students with an interesting pamphlet entitled “Guide to Birding for Kids” and helped the students discover all about the featured birds. Club member Margaret Graham guided the students as they matched birds to their descriptions on a colorful fact sheet provided by The National Wildlife Federation.

Recycled plastic cups were given to each student to use as a bird feeder. After observing Mary Templeton make bird food, Yaupon Garden Club member Graceann Phillips assisted in helping each student add the bird food to their feeder. The homemade bird feeders were placed in a Ziploc bag which also contained a recipe for Bird Food and Hummingbird Food and each student was given a Hummingbird Feeder. Mary Templeton demonstrated how to make liquid food for Hummingbirds and how to place the liquid into a Hummingbird Feeder. This Hummingbird Feeder was presented to Mrs. Holloway to hang outside the classroom.

Today the Budding Ecotots learned interesting facts about birds and were also able to help the environment by recycling plastic cups for the class bird feeder. They are excited about being able to provide nourishment for the birds in their yard.