This week, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Alex, a falconer and friend of the preschool who brought his three-year-old Peregrine Falcon, Mel, by the school to teach us a little bit about these amazing birds. 

​Peregrine Falcons are raptors, a group that includes owls, hawks, falcons, vultures, and our locally beloved ospreys. Raptors can be identified by their strong, gripping feet and talons (for catching their prey), sharp beaks (for tearing meat), and big eyes on the front of their heads which can clearly spot prey up to several miles away. 

​We learned that Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animals in the world, and can fly at speeds of over 200 miles per hour when they’re plummeting down to the ground to catch their prey. In fact, the birds' unique anatomy has even inspired the design of fighter jets. 

It was an informative visit, which became unexpectedly exciting and noisy when a group of about ten Stellar’s Jays spotted the falcon, and started calling out alarms from the treetops above the school. Mel was trying to be on her best behavior, but became noticeably agitated by the jays. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about raptors in our region, check out the blog of Raptors of the Rockies, or this Big Sky Journal article about a falconer in Wyoming. ​

​Thanks, Alex and Mel!

​Missoula is full of wonderful little pockets of nature, and there’s something particularly special about the wilder, more untended areas, where kids can witness the life cycle of the forest in action. We recently took a field trip to the Tower St. Open Space, a city-owned parcel of wilderness a few blocks west of Reserve St., an amazing slice of riparian habitat just off of one of Missoula’s busiest thoroughfares. 

Along a side channel of the Clark Fork River, we heard chickadees, Canada Geese and flickers, watched a family of mallards take flight, and saw evidence of beavers in the numerous chewed-off trees branches. We checked out woodpecker holes, climbed on a huge fallen-down cottonwood tree, and did a wilderness scavenger hunt. The morning started out with a snowstorm, which gave way to sun and blue skies, and then the snow started again as we hiked out. Truly springtime in Montana. 

It was incredible to watch the kids work together as they navigated the sometimes tricky terrain. The snow made things slippery, but plenty of hands were extended to help one another out. What a team!

Eggs can be an excellent tool for hands-on math lessons. By collecting the eggs in a bucket, and then adding or removing them, the kids develop early math skills.

​We always try to use our “math language” during this activity, using words like “plus” and “minus” even as we embed the math into a story problem to make it more concrete for their creative little minds (“If a fox came along and ate two of the eggs….”). ​

Some kids like to bring in produce scraps for the birds, which can encourage dialogue about food waste, and the food cycle. It can also provide a handy motivating tool on reluctant mornings. A gentle reminder that the chickens are waiting for their food can be a great way to get kids excited about getting out to the door!
 
If you’re interested in spending more time around chickens or other farm animals, there are plenty of places in and around Missoula to do so. The PEAS Farm, in the Rattlesnake, has chickens and pigs and is open to the public. It’s a great place for a low-key self-guided farm visit. Hawthorne Farm, on Miller Creek, has a bunch of farm animals, including bees (and some kid-sized beekeeping costumes to try on). Contact them first about coming for a visit, and bring along some cash for honey or eggs! If you’re looking to go a bit farther afield, a trip to the Wild Rose Emu Ranch in Hamilton is well worth the drive. These birds are fascinating, and kids can see the emus at every stage of life, from the turquoise eggs to the giant adult birds. Call first to arrange a visit.  
 
Any other local farms you like to visit? Leave a note in the comments!