Monthly Archives: May 2014

Meet Owen the Birder

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Mass Audubon

Owen Lawson

More than 800 birders took part in Bird-a-thon, Mass Audubon’s annual fundraiser where teams spend 24 hours competing to see (or hear) the most species. But this year Owen Lawson, age 6, stood out.

Along with his dad, Justin, the first-grader at the Elmwood Street Elementary School in Millbury recorded 102 species, and raised $230 for Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester.

But Bird-a-thon is just one part of Owen’s master plan. Since the beginning of 2014, he’s been pursuing his own “Little Big Year” in New England. (“Big Year” refers the quest by birders to identify the most species in North America in a calendar year.)

Owen’s original goal for 2014 was 200 species. But as of today, he’s already at 220! Many of these species were spotted using a pair of well-worn binoculars. “I use my grammy’s,” Owen said. “It’s much easy to pick up, because my dad’s is more heavier.”

Speaking of dad, it’s little surprise that Owen’s favorite birding partner is his father, who serves as trip planner, driver, and bird mentor. “When I go with my dad, I see lots of stuff,” he said.

For Justin Lawson, birding is a serious avocation, but his wishes for Owen are to see beyond the birds, to make a broad connection with nature. “I want my sons to be educated about the outdoors, but more important, develop an early appreciation for it.”

Owen is already on his way emulating his father as a birding mentor. “I think when I grow up I want to tell my kids about birds,” he said. “And I always make sure to tell my little brother when I see a bird.”

Justin is clearly doing a good job. In addition to birds and birding, Owen is intrigued by tide pools, and the critters he spies in the shallows. A whale-watch is on tap for this summer. And he plays on baseball and soccer teams.

As Owen puts it, “I guess I just like running around and looking at stuff. And up at the sky.”

Some Owen the Birder fun facts:

  • Started birding two years ago
  • Has now birded in 10 states
  • First Bird: Merlin, at Worcester airport
  • Best Bird of 2014: Painted Bunting
  • Number of “life birds”: 235
  • Favorite bird: Great Grey Owl (seen only in picture books—so far)

Follow along on Owen’s Little Big Year by checking out the Lawsons’ blog, which includes pictures taken by Owen and check out his fundraising page.

Blog Roundup

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Hillary T.

In addition to the Your Great Outdoors blog, Mass Audubon has several other blogs that focus on specific subjects. Here are some of their most recent posts.

Vision Through the Years

When the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) movement was beginning in the early 80s, growers and consumers alike were motivated by the idea that people had lost connection with food production on local farms, and would eagerly embrace the opportunity to visit a farm once per week to pick up a share of the season’s harvest.

Now, almost 40 years later, the newest trend in CSA farming is the weekly home delivery of a boxed share. It’s a measure of farmers’ marketing sense that we continually find ways to increase the appeal of our products, yet it’s possible that in the near future people may again find themselves becoming curious about what it’s like to be on the farm that produces these wonderful boxes of food. Continue reading

The Many Mysteries of the Horseshoe Crab

Whether it’s the basic question, “What is that thing?” to “How have they managed to survive 400 million years?”, horseshoe crabs have always provoked curiosity. Now, with horseshoe crabs declining around the world, the more urgent question is, how can we help them?

Starting in 2000, Wellfleet Bay has been surveying local beaches for horseshoe crabs during spawning season to try to get a handle on local population status and to tag crabs to study their movement patterns. Continue reading

A Closer Look at a Part of the Facilities Master Plan

Throughout the off-season, the Wildwood team has been hard at work developing a facilities master plan for camp based on our own observations and camper and family feedback. It became clear that one area of focus for us will be the expansion of our trails and pathways. Continue reading

Spring has Sprung

Baltimore orioles among the apple blossoms are a sure sign of Spring at Broadmoor. The Old Orchard Trail is the perfect place to find them. Look up. Turkey vultures maybe soaring over the fields. These birds are now nesting in Massachusetts. Continue reading