Sara Sandstrom, Nederland. This year Earth Day is April 22, 2021. It is the perfect time to remind ourselves of the wonderfulness of the earth and why and how we need to protect our planet. The first official Earth Day was in 1970. It was formed to educate and engage the public about the state of the earth. By 1990 it had become a global day of celebration and education.

Over the last 51 years momentum has been built around Earth Day to educate our children about the animals and the nature on earth. How do we preserve it? What are the dangers if we do not protect what we have? We need to continue to fight the ignorance and apathetic attitudes that are still pervasive in the world today. 

Locally, Nederland Elementary fourth grade teachers Rebecca Vosteen and Corrie Beauvineau are guiding their students to learn more about some of the birds that can be seen in North America at different times of the year. The students research a bird of their choice and learn what their habitat is and what affects their habitat. They learn facts like migration routes and length of wingspans.They make models of the birds and the eggs and the nests. They make a watercolor painting of the bird, write a small book and use their knowledge to write a poem about the bird.   

At this time of the year when we celebrate Earth Day these fourth graders are gaining an in-depth understanding of some of our most precious and beautiful creatures on our earth.  

Ms. Beauvineau says, “I love this project because it so beautifully integrates high level academic skills with creative expression. Students develop their non-fiction comprehension, research and note-taking skills along with their ability to write informational texts about their birds. They also utilize their math skills to create an accurate representation of their birds’ wingspan. At the same time, they apply this knowledge to creative writing through poetry, sculpture, and painting. At the end of the unit, we hang all of the wings from the ceiling and create a gallery walk for everyone to enjoy. We look at the bird boxes and learn from each other’s research. It is a really engaging project that is fun for everyone.”

The Nederland Elementary fourth graders are excited to share their bird poems with you, their community. Enjoy their creativity and knowledge. 

King of the Prairie 

By: Gideon Livingston

Swooping high in the prairie sky in ever widening circles

Ready to dive upon its prey with ruthless efficiency

King of the Prairie 

Feeds on mammals all sizes and shapes 

Birds it feasts onto 

Beak as sharp as a knife 

used to slice through prey

King of the Prairie 

Nesting high upon the cliffs 

11,000 feet high 

Brown spotted ovals of life these are the eggs of the prairie Falcon 

King of the Prairie 

The Bald Eagle

By: Emmalyn Oline 

 Oh, such elegant win

Soaring in the sky, 

Perching on a stick

Then it swings by.

With the sharpest beak in all the land, 

all the other birds think it is very blain.

The eaglets are attached, when they hatch.

Getting Wet

By: Jensen Prahl

As soon as babies grow

They’ll go on their own

When their able to fly

They’ll be high up in the sky

These are creatures

That have features

Once they are wet

They will be dry before sunset

They have daily routines

To take care of their needs

Sometimes they can be annoying

But at night they can be snoring

Humans eating them taste bad

But the predators think that they’re a tasty snack

When your in their pen it’ll probably smell bad

But if you clean it it won’t smell like that

An Orange Bird

By: Dempsey Nielsen

 An orange bird in the air 

swoops down

gets a branch 

builds a nest with care

It lays a egg 

it takes good care

feeds the babies good and well

They feel happy and fly in the air

When its cold 

it goes south 

All the way to Mexico or New Mexico

It flies far and fast 

though the sky 

After all the flying

 and getting food

They sleep

 in a good nest with their food

 They love their father and family

Taking Flight 

By: Sophia Elertson

A sip of nectar 

Soft and sweet 

Amazing wings 

 soaring beat by beat

Tiny yet powerful

Small yet fierce

Attack without fear

Beautiful and bold

Kind and mean 

Graceful by fight 

Invisible by night

Hear my sweet song

Like Beethoven to the ear

Try to touch me 

But I’m  just too fast for you

The snake will try to injure me 

The Blue Jays try to kill

But I shall stay strong

Helper Bird

By: Myla Yoh

Barn owl

Barn owl

Helpful as can be

Helping farmers every day

Catching lots of prey

Today’s the day a barn owl will lay

An egg

Super silky feathers

Moonlight eggs

Crack crack

Goes the eggs

Soaring through the skies

Catching prey

Feeding barn babies

The prey

That was a long night

Stop your flight

Good night

The Red Black Bird

By: Harrison Kobi

As black as a crow as red like a Northern Cardinal it’s the Red Winged Black Bird.

May not be big but don’t underestimate it                                                                                                             

take one wrong step and you could have bruises for weeks. 

When you hear it it’s too late you look up as it swoops down either you wake up where it happened or in the hospital.

Most of them are calm but don’t be fooled by how beautiful and majestic they are.

Ones hunted now free to have a beautiful life. 

Sharp Eye 

By: Hollis Edmondson

Little snake moves though the grass

swiftly with a sharp eye and fast movement 

the sandhill crane catches its food and heads back to meadows to eat.

It is spring now and mating 

has begun love at first site

the men show off by a dance while protecting their colts from the raccoons

sharp beak goes through like scissors cutting paper.

Colts on their own all alone again

time to migrate to Alaska for the summer

once again we meet the snake moves

through the grass catch it and dinner is served.  

The Eye

By: Theo Shakespear-Kern

It flies from Maine to Canada high to low 

eating on the go 

swift wing sharp eyes the hawk is rendy to dive 

there is food with one swift move

papa’s bring supper home.

In high cave twins lay

the smell of dead fish reeks and in the nest bone lay astray 

It’s has been gray but in all that gray something lays open

two blue eyes and two green the kids have lighted the day at once 

the family flies away.

By the light of day the hawk swoops down to get it’s prey

but they have more fears today a big truck is hertling it’s way

with one flap of its wings it’s out of harm’s way

but wait it’s still hungry no food today

the day is gray the dark is near it tries again and again but no luck

but then there’s a human coming it’s way.

I should fly away but there in its palm is food.

Food the sweet taste of food and after it meal it flies away 

ready for another great day.  

The Ospreys Fish

By:Ashlyn Prendergast 

Ospreys swish

And catches a fish

In its sharp black talons

It turns its prey forward 

To fly high in the sky

And dives down to its nest to eat

Powerful Bird of Prey

By: Anthony Galindo 

Golden eagle

  Fast as time

Likes to eats sweet meat            

   It likes to snatch their prey by its neck 

  It has a sharp beak

  it likes to eat prairie dog 

The Big Snowy Owl

By: Isabella Watts

It is cold 

the sun is setting 

now it is time for the 

snowy owls to come out.

Looking for food 

For the young 

Found food 

Now it is time 

to go 

Home 

right in time 

the sun is coming 

Time to go to bed.

The Killer Bird

By: Evan Crapsey

 A sleek mystique flyer to be found in rocky cliffs

 Only a bird willing to fight will live but the 

Smallest birds will not live to fight another day

Better hope to god you will survive  this 

Bird has nothing in its way 

Better hope this bird doesn’t swoop down

If it does say goodbye and

Say hello to heaven. 

Eagles Prey

By: Irie Adeva-Fox

Run away 

but it’s too late 

Eagle caught 

up to its prey

It grabs 

the mouse 

with its sharp claws

A good dinner 

For the Golden Eagle  

Time for Today

By: Lillian Troy

Time for dinner time for flight 

time to hide in the night 

I’m an omnivore eating meat 

plants are nutritious also for me

Lots of friends lots of fun

time to gobble in the sun 

shallow holes about 1 inch deep

8-11 inches wide and 9-13 inches long 

this is how I will belong

I do not migrate to warmer places

I mostly stay in colder places

my head is bold my body is feathered

keep an eye out as you drive

I might be along the forest side   

Clark’s Nutcracker

By: River WIlliams

You might recognize me 

as black and greyish-white

I am often found in a campsite.

‘’Camp Robber’’ is the name 

I am sometimes called

If you look away 

I might steal your snacks!

My diet is mostly pine seeds

either fresh or stored

But if you hold out your hand with a treat

I won’t get bored!

I have a unique way of making my nest

Together with my male partner

 We both gather materials to build the nest our very best.

One of the coolest things about me, 

  I can store pine seeds in a pouch under my tongue.

I bury the seed in the ground for food later 

And if I forget where I buried the seeds

You may find they have turned into Pine trees.

Fooled By Me

By: Zac Stover-Winter

I’m more complicated than you think

Watching over my young even while I sleep

My eyes change color as I age

And my wingspan is too wide to fit in a cage

I’m more complicated than you think

I can kill prey in just a blink

Be wary if you are a vole 

You’re a little snack to go into my bowl

I’m more complicated than you think

I fool people out of sync

Although I’m flashy with my tail of red

People may think I am an eagle instead

I’m more complicated than you think

I’m a Red-Tailed Hawk with killer instinct 

The Beautiful Bird

By: Dylan Ralph

Tall, as still as a tree  

Looking and waiting 

For a fish to, STAB! 

5 feet in size, 

The color of snow, 

and a long size bill 

with only 15 pounds

and 22 - 24 years of life

She has a wingspan of 7 feet

Lays 1 to 3 eggs, 

migrates 2,400 miles

Per year 

and grows to be

4.3 to 5.2 feet in height

Crazy Little Flyer

By: Meko Eich

I fly so fast I’m a swift little bird

I strike my flower with my tiny little beak

I like to eat my food if it is a sweet 

I fly so fast nothing can divide me

You can not touch me 

When it is night I’m out of sight

A cat mite crawl up to me but I am too awesome for you to catch me

I am a beautiful bright blossomed flying through the sky

You may hear me nearby

I am colorful if I am a he

Say goodbye because you can’t catch me

I am a hummingbird as fast as I can be

However I am very interesting

I have three eyelids

And I eat spider webs

And that is me as sweet as I can be  

Dancing Giant

By: Alyssa Mites

Dancing to impress her

In the chilly weather,    

Your eggs on the ground

Better keep there  

Up there your flying

Way up in the sky

Going so far

Wings spreaded wide

Stay with the swoop

Don’t get behind

Growing so tall

But right now they’re small 

Soon they’ll outgrow young children

And dance like they’re father

Getting a mate 

The cycle continues

The numbers grow

But still some die

Now they’re father is in the sky

Looking down at them

Oh how proud he is

Mother is there to

Generation after generation

Some will die

Some will live

But all will be happy

Diving Bird

By: Dylan Karowe

On top of a cliff

 Or down on an island

 Coastline or

Mountain chain

In the sky 

it sees prey

In an instant he’s at 

100 200 300 400 MPH

Bam stund 

just like that

Its head goes off

Time to eat to its nest 

till the morn

to soar again   

Silently Waiting In The Night

By: Saphire Denning

Silently flying through the night

Looking down from the sky

Waiting for its prey to come lurking out

 of its place it will hide

With there tufts on their head they are safe

By warning others

“STAY AWAY!”

With this warning most won’t come

But maybe, they are not safe from some...

Born to Fly

By: Paul Garrigou

Traveling, flying, knowing so many things to learn

going out of the nest 

learning  to fly at 6 weeks 

made for flying pros.  

Only gets 17 years to learn before they parish 

Learn, fern, burn burning through years of learning

soon to say goodbye.

So many subspecies 1 and 2 and 3 

So many subspecies never say we are done you better run 

before a flock of us to come.

The Great Blue Heron

By: Sebastian Hutchison                                

In the water big and silent 

You will see them hunting or in their nest 

Their call not sweet to hear 

A group of them is a hernery very loud not nice for the ears 

A predator not bothered 

Eating the fish insects small birds small mammals and the amphibians in its lake

Eggs sky blue high in the trees 

Can kill a human 

But very rarely 

The biggest heron 

Living in the marshes lakes ponds grasslands swamps mangroves and islands

Silent but deadly 

Built for its home 

Ready for a meal 

In the home 

The bill thick and sharp

Wingspan 7 to 6 feet 

It’s the Great Blue Heron   

Small Dart

By: Isla Harmon 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 

 so miniscule and fast  

like a small dart 

in the sky.

It flies here and there 

like a small blur to the eye.

HUM!!! HUM!!! 

goes the bird’s wings 

as they motion in figure eights.

Light green and red necked males 

Impress females

They beak poke and dogfight 

To protect their favorite flowers 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 

so miniscule and fast 

like a small dart

in the sky.

Red Tailed Hawk

By: Danette Gioia

Swooping 

in the air 

diving down 

catching prey 

in the mist  

flying 

swooping 

oh the red tailed hawk 

it’s large like a bald eagle  

the magnificent 

red tailed hawk   

Wood Thrush of Predator

By: Tyler Begin 

What is that 

is it a robin no it is not it is a wood thrush

looking around. 

Spots the pray 

swooping down looks 

it will hit the ground 

but it swoops up

at last second with a worm in its mouth.

Silent but deadly to the prey 

then it swoops down. 

Long trip ahead for the small bird it has to fly across the Gulf of 

Mexico twice in a night. The wood thrush 

is singing a sweet tone

Arctic Wings Of Wonder

By: Rowan Keeney    

A snowy wonder flies thru the snow with its white

colored wings below the coves where they await 

unseen the snowy wonder sits on a perch to look out 

at the kingdom of wintery lurch.

The diving wonder catches their prey with the big black talons 

Of great dismay. She catches the small mammals.

Like a rival queen to fight for her prey just watch she’s unseen

Her long wings up to 6 feet will glide the tundra like a great glaring hawk

With her eyes as yellow as gold she will watch her owlets like her only friends.

Baltimore Orioles

By: Caiden Stackpole

Hollow bones make it light 

When in flight 

A beautiful sight 

Of black, orange and white 

Migrating from cold to warm 

Climates ever changing

Bright colors always flashing 

Baltimore oriole omnivore 

Eating fruit insects and nectar 

Night Flyer                                      

By: Kylie Harrington

Flying in the night so very silently 

Unseen with the naked eye 

Unnoticed to see without light 

No one notices me 

I am most unseen in the night 

I fly unnoticed 

Why move I am good were I am 

Why should I move 

Hunting in the night is so easy 

Why hunt in the day 

Diving from a platform

In the night

No one shall catch me sleeping

For I am in a tree

Flying is my specialty 

It’s impossible to catch me

I live in a unnoticed tree

Why try to catch me 

I don’t like the water

The sky is flavor 

Super Snowy Egret

By: Phinneas Wallace

This beautiful bird of gruesome flight

With hollow bones to make it light

When now in bound will put up a fight

No insects spared that day

See there the predator comes

To have no mercy to eat those bugs

Grab your fate and say goodbye 

From those delicious flies

With a diet of fish and frogs and more

Whom lives in marshes and swamps and shores

Thus its beak is pointy it thinks

“When to stab my prey?”

See there the predator comes

To have no mercy to eat those bugs

Grab your fate and say goodbye 

From those delicious flies 

A New Day!

By: Leila Tarleton

I opened my eyes for the first time in forever

kept in an egg when I was born 

fed by my mother and loved by my father

Here I am about to fly to the south while soaring in the sky 

I take a nap in the sun then I go and have some fun 

The Curious Falcon

By: Legend Teller

Lives in a field

hunts by day

soaring through 

the misty morning air 

Hovering 

scanning 

SWOOSH!! 

Diving in and out snatching

With its talons snatching mice, 

other birds

And insects all about 

soaring back 

to its nest to share

with its mate 

and young ones and 

will go to sleep 

Soon this cycle 

will repeat 

but the young ones will do it.

(Originally published in the April 22, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)