It’s December and that means one thing: the annual Christmas Bird Count! Well, maybe to birders that’s what it means, but for everyone else, it is a time for celebrating the holidays. Here are some gift ideas for the budding naturalist and nature lover in your life:
Sibley Birds, Second Edition
The Sibley Guide to Birds has long been my favorite field guide. David Allen Sibley’s paintings are amazingly lifelike and represent almost all identifiable forms (male, female, juvenile, subspecies, in flight, etc) for each species. The second edition that came out earlier this year builds on that masterpiece.
A Little Brown Bat Story
The newest publication from Maine Audubon and Islandport Press, this is the tale of our flying furry friends and their ongoing struggle with disease. A great gift for kids, this book has beautiful illustrations and fun projects!
Bird Feeders
Give the gift of birds! You can help connect someone with birds by bringing them (and other wildlife) to their front yard. There are lots of different feeders on the market with different purposes so think about who you are giving one to and where they live. Personally, I’d recommend the Squirrel Buster Plus – we just added one to our set up at Gilsland Farm and haven’t had a squirrel on it yet!
Audubon Singing Birds
These singing toys are great for all ages and so many species are available. Who wouldn’t want an adorable Piping Plover chick for the holidays?
Look Up! Birdwatching in Your Own Backyard
This Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor winner is a great book to introduce young people to birding. Recommended for ages 8-12, this book provides an ‘in’ for kids to get hooked on nature at an age where it is easy to be distracted from it. It reads like a ‘how to’ but takes a very funny and entertaining approach to getting started.
Come visit us to see these products and more at our Nature Stores in Falmouth and Holden. You can also check them out online!
-Doug
Meet Doug Hitchcox, Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist
A Maine native, Doug grew up in Hollis and graduated from the University of Maine in 2011. Throughout college Doug worked at Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center and was hired as Maine Audubon’s staff naturalist in the summer of 2013, a long time “dream job.” In his free time, Doug volunteers as one of Maine’s eBird reviewers, is the owner and moderator of the ‘Maine-birds’ listserv and serves as York County Audubon board member and Secretary of the Maine Bird Records Committee.
