bird watchers

Yesterday I took the little explorers to the Austin Nature and Science Center (one of Catcher's favorite places) for some urban bird exploring. There was a bird thing going on; it was pretty dorky, but then again visiting the nature and science center is pretty dorky in and of itself. Before we went on a bird migration path exploration--or something like that--and before we made our own bird feeders, we had to stop by the old dino pit for some prehistoric digging.

Here's Scout scoping out the pits. She wanted the pink shovel that the three year-old boy next to her was wildly wielding. He wouldn't trade her for the blue one. Eventually she threw herself down in the sand in protest and demanded lunch. Thank goodness I had it in waiting.

Although Catcher has found dozens of "bones" in these pits, I guess the novelty hasn't worn off. He was primed for another big dig.

Tillie played with rocks and ate sand. After a picnic lunch and building our own bird feeders out of tangerines and some doughy-seedy mush, we were ready to head back home and catch some birds. Or at least feed them.

Back home, Catcher is showing off his tangerine bird thing. I thought we would hang them in the back yard, but he suggested the little tree in the front so he could keep an eye on it from his bedroom window.

Scout wanted to hang hers in the back yard until she heard the front yard was leading in the popular vote. Here she is showing us her masterpiece...

and here she is just being Scout.

After we got the feeders in place, we waited.

And waited and waited (under the tree) for the birds to come eat. We haven't seen one yet.