For a chance to be featured in next week's issue:
Post an original nature-inspired haiku or photo
to social and tag #findyourcentre.
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Dear friends,
Have you been hearing more feathered friends and seeing more budding trees when you step outside lately? It's not difficult to tell that at last, spring is in the air and signs of life are popping up everywhere.
There are many opportunities to enjoy early spring while still spending most of our time at home. In fact, slowing down a bit and familiarizing ourselves with the wonders of nature in our own yard can reveal some unexpect
ed and welcome surprises. This week's adventure guide encourages you to explore and experience your own yard or neighborhood in brand new ways.
As always, when planning your next adventure, it is important to stay up-to-date and follow all rules and regulations related to COVID-19 prevention and safety. Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking or running as long as social distancing is maintained is an allowable individual activity per Pennsylvania's stay at home order, and PA DCNR offers
helpful guidance about recreating outside safely during this time.
Explore safely, and happy adventuring!
Your ClearWater Crew
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Rediscover your backyard, with birds
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The return of robins is one of the first signs of spring, and with their eggs being produced around Easter, it is no wonder that spring is synonymous with birds. While some of our spring-time friends are actually here all year, the majority of them migrate huge distances. Many of our classic spring and summer songbirds overwinter in South American forests and make harrowing voyages of thousands of miles every year. Between migrations of these transients and summer residents returning to raise their young, mid-spring often brings the greatest variety of birds to our region.
A good number of these feathered friends visit feeders and can been seen near your home. This makes this week’s adventure a perfect opportunity to explore the birds in your backyard world. Depending on the habitat that surrounds your home and the time of day you are outside, you might see any number of bird species. Review these bird finding tips, then click the blue button below to find out what species you can step out your door and begin looking for today.
Bird Finding Tips:
- Try to locate the source of the bird call before looking through binoculars or scopes
- Keep your eyes looking at the location while raising the binoculars or moving eyepieces
- Remain quiet and still, patience pays off when watching for birds
- Have a field guide or birding app nearby to match what you see and hear in real life with illustrations and recordings
- Mark frequently used pages in field guides or apps to make finding them easier in the moment
- If bird behaviors change suddenly look for predators like cats or hawks
- Most of the birds listed are most easily identifiable by their sounds, as they are often well-camouflaged.
- A good pair of binoculars or spotting scope is almost essential for some of the smaller species, but for those with a keen eye, there are techniques for finding them among multitudes of branches and leaves.
Backyard Adventure with Birds:
- Try taking a quiet walk around your home or neighborhood at sunrise, then again at sunset. Observe the differences in bird sounds, sunlight, plants, and weather. What walk did you enjoy the most, and why? Share your experiences with us at: adventure@clearwaterconservancy.org.
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Help protect important habitat
Central Pennsylvania is a 'migratory highway,' so every action we take has huge impacts on thousands of species of migrating birds. Our many forested ridges and often large patches of unfragmented forests offer an unparalleled avenue for species to make their annual treks. This is one of the many reasons ClearWater works hard to protect and connect these natural landscapes through conservation easements and land transfers to state agencies such as DCNR or the PA Game Commission.
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As curbside recycling pickups have been temporarily halted, here are some creative ways to reuse your recyclables until you can take them to recycling drop offs!
Click on the activity below to access step by step instructions
on how to make a
Recyclable Bird Feeder!
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Are you interested in volunteerism and how you may be of service to your community and environment? Applications are being accepted for
Pennsylvania Master Naturalist
program training courses for Fall 2020 (Aug-Oct). This program is designed to develop a local corps of “master volunteers and service providers” through intensive natural science training and local conservation service work. To learn more, consider
attending a brief webinar on April 14 from 4:30-5:00 p.m.
Email Emma at
emma@clearwaterconservancy.org
to register and receive an invitation and link for the webinar.
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Here's a spring-inspired recipe for making bird biscuits out of birdseed, flour and water! This is a fun and easy recipe for kids to make with you and develop their baking skills! Click on the image below for full instructions.
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Before you mow...
Click on the image below to learn more about their benefits and uses.
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Your Gift Makes a Difference!
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We understand that these are very uncertain times as our communities face many unexpected challenges related to COVID-19, and that focusing on the many wonderful things around us, including the air, land, water and natural resources is difficult.
Yet it seems that now, more than ever, we are relying on the peace and beauty provided by our region's natural surroundings to heal and replenish our bodies and minds. These surroundings, when healthy and connected, also contribute to the health and connectedness of our community. Simply put, the healthier our region's natural resources are, the healthier we are as well.
Whether appreciating our forested ridge lines from your front window, venturing outside for a small family adventure, or wetting a fishing line in a gurgling trout stream, ClearWater is dedicated to helping people feel more connected to the outdoors and the people they explore the outdoors with.
Despite the disruption to our lives in this historic time, ClearWater Conservancy is grateful for our community which understands and supports the conservation of this beautiful place we call home. If possible, please help us continue this legacy of community conservation. Thank you!
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