Birds of a feather

Children at the Rhythm and Rhyme Childcare Center in Warwick participated in the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count hosted by Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology and the Audubon Society on Feb. 15. The children counted 37 birds, including a Red Tailed Hawk and Brown Headed Cowbirds in a 15-minute period in the area surrounding the center on Ronald Reagan Blvd. A special treat was a large turkey vulture that sprung up from the meadow across the street and flew over the center. “The center is surrounded by marshlands,” said Cathy Hecht, the center’s director, “and in the short time we’ve been located here, we have seen such a wide variety of birds, including regular visits by a small flock of bluebirds who love to perch on the fence surrounding the playground.” The list has been sent to www.birdcount.org so the count can be registered. (Photos by Ray Hecht)