Bird Migration - Flyways

While hiking the Riverside Trail at the Montshire Museum of Science, we came along this sign which explains bird migration. The route 91 corridor, from the mouth of the Connecticut River (in the Long Island Sound) to the Canadian border, plays an important role in New England bird migration. This exhibit is aimed at educating the public in the importance of migratory birds (and insects, i.e. the Monarch butterfly) in our environment and the need to protect the environment along these bird flyways. Migratory birds and insects need three distinct environments in which to survive: their winter home, their summer home, and safe "rest stops" along the path from one home to the other. Urban development and mowing along the sides of highways has decreased the number of safe stopping areas, and has limited food resources.

You can visit the Nutty Birdwatcher for more information about birds and migration. This site has maps of North American Bird Flyways, bird identifications, habitat information, feeding suggestions, and a list of further links.

Learning While on Vacation

Recently while touring through Vermont for a family vacation, we made a stop at the Montshire Science Museum in Norwich. The entire family agrees that this museum was worth the stop. Inside you will find many hands-on learning activities in the following disciplines: Light and Vision;Sound; Air and Weather; Anatomy; Astromony; Environment; Live Animals; Math, Mechanics and Motion; and Water and Flow. Outside the museum the fun and learning continues. In the Science Park, you will experience what happens when science meets a water park. Plan on getting wet, you definitely need to bring the right clothes in order to fully experience this exhibit. The museum is located on 100 acres of land bordered by the Connecticut River. They have several well maintained hiking trails for you to explore.

I highly recommend taking advantage of museums like this to expose kids to science and to the fun of learning. Learning doesn't only take place in the classroom.
Hiking the River Trail (Above)


(Left) Aerial View from the top floor of the museum building overlooking the The Science Park- where science and water fun meet!

Crickets are Nature's Thermometer

With the current heat wave, I have noticed the nighttime cricket chirps more. Why? Remember that old wives tale about counting the cricket chirps to determine the outside temperature? I did. With a little searching for related internet links, I learned that the snowy tree cricket is responsible for the chirping that we hear. According to several sites, the simple formula to determine temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, is to count chirps for 15 seconds and add 39. Or count for 13 seconds and add 40. A more complicated formula is to count the chirps per minute, subtract 40, divide by 4 and then add 50 [(chirps/min-40)/4 + 50]. Visit Dartmouth Chemistry for an even more advanced mathematical explanation of this natural phenomenon, known as the Arrhenius equation. The equation is a function of temperature and can also be used to describe the rate of an ant's walk or the flashing pattern of fireflies.