Introducing Birding for Kids, a public program sponsored by San Francisco Nature Education

In October 2009 Linda Grant, veteran naturalist and Program Coordinator, led the first Birding for Kids walk for children ages six to twelve. Birding for Kids is held on the first Saturday of the month at the San Francisco Botanical Garden (Strybing Arboretum) in Golden Gate Park. A brief instruction period about birds includes learning songs and calls, handling feathers to understand how birds fly and observing different beaks to learn how they are adapted for finding food. The visitors then enjoy a leisurely walk through the garden’s microclimates in search of birds.

http://www.sfnature.org/newsletter/2009sep_newsletter.pdf

Great Blue Herons at Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park

Between January and May of 2009 more than 1000 students from five underserved San Francisco public schools visited Stow Lake to see the nesting Great Blue Herons. San Francisco Nature Education naturalists, including Linda Grant, helped 3rd graders view the Heron chicks with binoculars and high-powered spotting scopes. This is the 16th year that Great Blue Herons have nested at Stow Lake. The total number of fledglings stands at 129!

http://www.sfnature.org/newsletter/2009junejuly_newsletter.pdf

San Francisco Nature Education

Linda Grant, Creator of Spot 'n' Jot Field Logs, Becomes a Volunteer Naturalist with San Francisco Nature Education

The SFNE school programs focus on providing nature-related educational enrichment to students from underserved communities. San Francisco parks are used as natural classrooms to observe local and migratory birds and to provide inspiring and engaging natural experiences. In the fall of 2007, Linda led field trips in the SF Botanical Garden and in the spring of 2008, she began assisting with classroom visits and nature walks for 3rd graders.

http://www.sfnature.org

Spot 'n' Jot Joins San Francisco
Nature Education Advisory Board

Spot 'n' Jot, a six year sponsor of the San Francisco Nature Education’s annual bird calling contest, has joined the Advisory Board in November 2007. San Francisco Nature Education provides interactive environmental education programs that develop leadership and stewardship in youth and adults.

“Spot ‘n’ Jot is a convenient and easy way to keep a record of birds and notes about the trip itself. Since the cards are numbered, I always know how many birds I’ve seen without having to go back and count them as I did when using a notebook.Very handy”

— Sandra L., Houston, TX

“I just returned from a week of looking for Puerto Rican endemics & used the Spot 'n' Jot cards. They work really well! They are easy to use & tough enough for use in rugged field conditions. Thanks again!”

— Kelly F., Patagonia, AZ.

“As a leader of numerous birding field trips, I found Spot 'n' Jot to be the simplest and easiest way to keep a record of new birds, locations and any notes about the trip itself. It's also a great gift for friends. I never leave home without a Spot 'n' Jot!”

— Nancy H. DeStefanis
Director, San Francisco Nature Education

“Spot 'n' Jot is a wonderful tool for birders, a great way to organize a day's birding experiences. I enjoy being able to look back on my trips and remember not only all of the birds that were spotted, but also important notes such as weather, date and place -- facts which I might not otherwise have recorded in an ordinary notebook. (Spot 'n' Jot reminds me to do this) The graphics and layout of the cards are visually satisfying, and the organization of the information is workable. Why didn't someone think of this sooner? Thanks, Linda!”

     —Betty R., Castro Valley

“My friend gave me a pack of your Spot 'n' Jot Field Logs as a gift and I have not left home without one since! I keep one in my pocket at all times, and an extra pack in the car. It really is the perfect thing for keeping field lists and notes, and I love that I can file them and be able to retrieve info so easily. No more lost field notes on scraps of paper or having to search forever through notebooks to find a particular day's list! Finally, a field aid that really works! Bravo!”

— Billie S., San Francisco