Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) singing ©nebirdsplus
These lessons start off with words, then the story. You can practice writing with the Slate Work.
“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, …” (Song of Solomon 2:12a KJV)
LESSON LVI.
strong round dry bill worked
sends claws flit God spring
“How does the bird make the nest so strong, Willie?”
“The mother bird has her bill and her claws to work with, but she would not know how to make the nest if God did not teach her. Do you see what it is made of?”
“Yes, Willie, I see some horse-hairs and some dry grass. The old bird must have worked hard to find all the hairs, and make them into such a pretty, round nest.”
“Shall we take the nest, Rose?”
“Oh no, Willie! We must not take it; but we will come and look at it again, some time.”
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) Building Nest 1 ©Earle Robinson
SLATE WORK.
[Illustration: Script Exercise:]
God made the little birds to sing,
And flit from tree to tree;
‘Tis He who sends them in the spring
To sing for you and me.
LESSON LVII.
feathers a go’ fly worm crumb feed’ing
ug’ly off feed brown guess things
Grey Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Feeding at Nest WikiC
“Willie, when I was feeding the birds just now, a little brown bird flew away with a crumb in its bill.”
“Where did it go, Rose?”
“I don’t know; away off, somewhere.”
“I can guess where, Rose. Don’t you know the nest we saw some days ago?
What do you think is in it now?”
“O Willie, I know! Some little brown birds. Let us go and see them.”
“All right; but we must not go too near. There! I just saw the old bird fly out of the bush. Stand here, Rose. Can you see?”
“Why, Willie, what ugly little things! What big mouths they have, and no feathers!”
“Keep still, Rose. Here comes the old bird with a worm in her bill. How hard she must work to feed them all!”
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 