Junior Birder

Photo by Lisa Hupp/USFWS

Hey there, Jr. Birders! Things may look a little different this year, but we want you to go out with your families and see the birds, do some fun activities, and learn more about our wonderful flying friends!

Visit DAILY for new activities to explore with your family!

Parents can use the hashtag, #KBayShorebird2020, to share Junior Birders’ adventures on social media!

Have fun, be observant, and enjoy the return of our feathered friends!

OBSERVE

Share your drawings, poems, photos, or reflection with us here. We’ll share your great work next year.

GET STARTED

Check out these games from All About Birds! Let us know your favorite game and share with us one new thing you learned.

GOT BINOCULARS?

Arrange pick-up with The Center for Alaska Coastal Studies by calling: 907-235-6756.


Sunday, May 10th – Mother’s Day Movie

Happy Mother’s Day! Grab your popcorn and snuggle up with mom (and the family) and enjoy Piper, a short film about a sandpiper learning to feed on its own.

Piper – Pixar Animation Studios

Saturday, May 9th – Virtual Field Trip to Mud Bay

Join Ranger Kendra with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge on a virtual field trip to Mud Bay! See some of the amazing shorebirds that stop to rest and refuel during their long migration journeys, get helpful hints on how to identify some of the most common shorebirds that stopover in Kachemak Bay in the spring, and dig into the mud to find out exactly what those little birds with big appetites are eating!

Mud Bay Virtual Field Trip

Color By Number

Create a shorebird with this color-by-number coloring page. Download below, or pick up a copy in the outside drop box at The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.


Friday, May 8th – Learning About Loons


Common Loon. Courtesy of Sunil Gopalan/Audubon Photography Awards

Join Ranger Kendra with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge to learn all about loons, this year’s featured bird family! Discover loon habitat, adaptations, and their amazing vocal calls. Record and share your loon call with us here.

All About Loons with Alaska Maritime NWR


Thursday, May 7th – Explore Louie’s Lagoon

Join us on a virtual field trip to Louie’s Lagoon in search of Shorebirds. Seth Spencer, School Program Education Coordinator for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, shows us all the special things to look for while you explore.  For extra fun, download the habitat bingo card (or pick up a copy outside of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies), and head out to explore!

Episode #1: Visit Louie’s Lagoon

Episode #2: Visit Louie’s Lagoon

Habitat Bingo

For extra fun, download the habitat bingo card (or pick up a copy outside of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies), and head out to explore!

Don’t forget to take pictures of what you find, or draw a picture of something cool and share it with us here.

Down By the Bay Education Series LIVE at 2pm

Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies Presents:
Amazing Shorebirds

Join the LIVE Zoom session at 2:00 pm to join a naturalist and learn all about shorebirds.

Bring a list of at least one bird you have seen this week! This event will include a short virtual field trip, live Q&A, and step-by-step directions for an at-home science activity. This series is designed for 4th-8th grade students, but younger learners with help from parents or caregivers are welcome to participate too.

E-mail katieg@akcoastalstudies.org for further directions or if you need assistance. Please contact us with any accessibility needs or concerns.


Wednesday, May 6th – Get Ready To Bird!

Time to find your boots & binoculars, and get ready for Junior Birding at the 2020 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival! Here are some bird guides to download and print at home, so you can start looking for birds!


Thanks to all the Junior Birders who participated in 2020!

Want your discoveries to be included in next year’s Junior Birder Ceremony? Be sure to share with us HERE.

We can’t wait to see you at the 2021 Festival and continue working to the next level of our Junior Birder Badges!