Sometimes it’s hard for me to know whether a puzzler is too easy, too hard, or just right. What did you think about last week’s puzzler, featuring just a beak and eye of a bird? Did you recognize it as that of a great blue heron?
Great blue herons are wading birds that you look for fish in the shallow water and then, with lightning quick speed, shoot out their beaks to snag fish, frogs, snakes, crayfish and small mammals out of the water. They may impale larger fish with their dagger-like bills.
Great blue herons have a wingspan of 6 feet and a height of 3 feet. Even for that impressive size they only weigh 5-6 pounds. That of course is because like other birds, their bones are hollow. Did you know great blue herons nest in colonies called heronries? They prefer dead trees for their giant stick nests and don’t mind close neighbors. Sometimes as many as 500 nests can be grouped together and the birds will return to the same spots each year.
Shall we do another part of a bird as a puzzler? Let’s look at another beak. See if you recognize it.
Hi, Sharon, I would set the level of difficulty for your puzzlers low for the young set, or at least some of them should be somewhat less difficult for young people because you want to maintain their interest as the future stewards who will care for the fauna, flora, and their fragile habitats.
I am in my seventieth year, and want to know that Nature will be left in good hands. A same-aged, female cousin just told me she likes birds but not enough to read about them. I think I would define her as a superficial naturalist, one who needs to improve!
Murray,
Yes, I agree about the puzzler being easy enough to encourage people to try. Thanks for the input. I will make a few easier! This latest one is a bit too hard I think. Thanks for reading!