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Life at ICS
It’s Birdland at ICS!
Did you know that the ICS is a bird-friendly habitat zone? Our new bird feeding station in the Outdoor Classroom has revealed a host of fascinating fine-feathered friends, both permanent residents and those traveling through during spring migration. The feeding station has featured the following “regulars”:
As well, there is the occasional spectacular visitor to the feeder area – such as the brown thrasher sighted on June 2 “hunting and pecking” beneath the black oil sunflower seed feeders – and the Baltimore orioles seen in the cottonwood and sycamore trees along the Pennsy Trail and bathing in the Outdoor Classroom pond. There have also been reported sightings of yellow warblers, Carolina wrens, a pair of scarlet tanagers (striking, to say the least), cedar waxwings, and, in the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” category, a bald eagle our CFO, David Nidiffer, saw last month in his backyard after crashing into his house. Right here in Irvington! (See Mr. Nidiffer for details.) In the field south of the school, a red-tailed hawk frequents the airspace as it hunts from above. And last March, flocks of sandhill cranes were first heard – an unearthly “croaking” call you’ll never forget – then seen flying in V-formation flocks above the school property, as they migrated to spend the warmer months up north.
Thanks to Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIBI), as part of the recent Lilly Day of Service workday, a grounds improvement project that took place on May 15, the ICS was allotted $200 for bird feeders and seed from Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU). The WBU store on 82nd Street kindly donated several seed feeders to the school (one fondly nicknamed “The Time Machine,” a contraption designed to feed songbirds and prevent larger birds from accessing the seed). The bird equipment and supply purchase included 100 pounds of oil sunflower seed and several hummingbird feeders. (Anyone interested in donating bird seed or funds to cover future seed purchases this fall, please contact .)
Our Bird Habitat
The ICS is fortunate to be located in a natural bird habitat area. The wooded lots, the Pennsy Trail corridor, and the extensive acreage south of the school with its dense small trees attract many varieties of birds beyond what’s been “officially” sighted by members of our school community.
Of note, our pond, with its new and improved water quality, thanks to Mr. Stenger and student volunteers, receives many winged visitors, especially in the morning. A wren house has been stationed in one of the small trees near the Outdoor Classroom and some nesting activity is occurring. Two nesting boxes installed in the Outdoor Classroom during a KIBI workday in October 2006 are now homes to a pair of chickadees and house sparrows.
Several hummingbird feeders were filled and hung in the Outdoor Classroom last Friday. We’re hoping to attract some ruby-throated hummingbirds to stay for the summer. (Did you know that hummingbirds’ wings beat at more than 60 times per second?)
An Invitation
Please feel free to visit our Outdoor Classroom’s observation area – the hallway doors directly behind Mr. Ballard’s office – to see what’s going on in birdland. And, be sure to ask Mr. Ballard to borrow his birding glasses (AKA binoculars) to get a close-up of the activity.
Warning: bird watching can be extremely contagious and can cause stress relief, awe, and greater environmental appreciation. So if you’ve got the bug and want to confirm your sightings, visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website at www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/. Happy birding!
Posted Wed Jun 04 at 8:01 am