Woody Welcomes Spring by M. K. Sejbl Woody and his family were on their first spring camping trip. While his mother and father were setting up the RV and making lunch, Woody ran out into the nearby woods to explore. “I’ll be back in time for lunch,” Woody promised. But Woody’s parents became worried when he wasn’t back in time. “I hope Woody is alright,” said Woody’s mother. “He always comes home right on time.” “Maybe we should go look for him,” said Woody’s father. “He said he was going near the creek to look for bird’s nests. His class had been studying all about birds and their nests in school. He asked if he could borrow the binoculars so he could watch the birds nest without disturbing them.” “Woody’s been so excited about what he learned,” said his mother. “He told me there are all kinds of different nests. Some birds build nests in trees, some in hollow logs and some, like the desert owl and the kingfisher, actually build their nests underground. I hope Woody didn’t get lost or fall into the creek while looking for nests.” Woody’s mom and dad looked for Woody for an hour before they returned to the campground and asked the other campers and RVers to help find Woody. Soon almost everyone in the campground was walking through the woods looking for the little moose. It didn’t take long for one of the RVers to find Woody sitting under a tree. “Why are you sitting here, little moose?” asked the RVer. “Everyone in the campground is looking for you. Did you get lost?” “Oh, no,” said Woody. “I’m not lost. I just sat down under this tree to take a nap and look what happened! This nest fell from the tree and landed in my antlers. I was worried I’d frighten them if I moved.” “Oh, dear,” said Woody’s parents as they hurried to Woody’s side. “We’ll have to find a forest ranger to help us put these birds back into the tree.” “Oh, well,” laughed Woody, “until the ranger comes to rescue these birds, I guess I’m going to look like a real bird brain!” Platform Nesting FlamIngos and eagles are platform nesters, but what a difference in nests! Flamingos build a low mound of mud and vegetation on the ground near a watering hole. When their young hatch they are only a few feet from their food and water. Eagles build huge platform nests, called aeries, high atop mountains. Their nests may weigh hundreds of pounds and be as large as ten feet across. Fledgling eaglets need to be able to fly before they leave the nest because the ground is a l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g way down. Cup-like Nesting Most North American songbirds, like this cardinal feeding his hungry brood, build cup-type nests. These nests are woven from sticks, twigs and even pieces of plastic they find nearby. Most of these nests are lined with the feathers of the mother bird, and both the mother and father birds help keep the eggs warm until they hatch and share in the difficult task of feeding the hungry babies. Ground Nesting Penguin mothers lay their eggs directly on the icy ground, but they would freeze if they were left there. Penguin mommas and penguin poppas take turns keeping the eggs warm by holding them on their feet until they hatch. Cavity Nesting Barn owls are called cavity nesters, building their nests in small crevices and enclosures. Generally their nests are near barns where they hunt the mice and rats that eat the farmer’s grain. Many other birds, including woodpeckers, nuthatches and other owls also make their homes in cavities. Some birds, like woodpeckers, can enlarge a small hole in a tree until it’s large enough to make a comfy nest. Others just use whatever place presents itself. Most cavity nests are lined with feathers and some birds actually build nests inside of their holes. Excerpted from Woodall's Monthly Regional RV/Camping Publications. Home | Back to Kids' Camping Corner | Back to Stories | Top of Page ©2000. Woodall Publications Corp. All copy and images.