Miller+Creek+Middle+School

All information on this page is written by sixth grade students. (except this sentence!!!)

Hello, my name is Natasha. Our school, Miller Creek Middle School, is located along a beautiful riparian forest, in which Miller Creek runs through. The creek is not fast, but is a pretty calm and shady place. On the trails near the creek much grows, such as: buttercup flowers, willow trees, bay laurel trees, oak trees, big, medium, and small trees, thistle, poison oak, ivy, black berry bushes, grass, California poppies, coyote bushes, daisies, and non-native plants. The ivy climbs up the trees. There are many trees located in our school area. They provide shade in parts of the forest, but not all places. There are bugs and dragonflies. Squirrel’s live in this area as well. The trails/paths are lade out with gravel. The soil next to the creek is dry and the bank of the creek has piece's of cement dug into it. On the opposite side of the creek there is a line of fences from the people who live there. About a mile from the creek there are hills. And finally the creek is about 6 miles long, and about 1 mile from the school, it goes under the freeway.
 * 1. Share about your habitat (consider sharing photos and a description about what it's like where YOU live)!**

Yesterday we went on a 20 minute walk near our school and we saw these birds: American Crow / Chestnut- Backed Chickadee / Oregon Junco / Red-Shouldered Hawk / California Towhee / American Robbin Downy Woodpecker / House Finch / Turkey Vulture - Violet/ Green swallow - Cedar Waxwing / Bushtit During other class walks we also found these birds: Anna's Humming Bird / Swainson's Thrush / Bewicks Wren / Acorn Woodpecker / W Schrub Jay / Tree Swallows / Warbling Viero White- Breasted Nuthatch / Nuattalls Woodpecker / Oak Titmouse / Barn Swallow / Allen's Hummingbird
 * 2. What birds do you see?**

We have kids doing a bake sale to raise money for supplies to plant a garden-Ethan, Natasha, Salomi, Annabelle, Taylor, Nathaniel, Cameron, Celine, Morgan M, Skyler, Morgan J - Money was used to buy organic, native plants that attract songbirds: Toyon and Huckleberry. Three kids went to the International Bird Migration festival-Jack, Toran, Jess. They observed migrations scientists set up 10 mist nets and conducted a bird banding, catching, measuring station for 6 hours. Here an Allens hummingbird was caught. Jake is watching the Decorah eagles video for a half hour Some other kids are making a poster of how house cats are effecting the population of song birds-Katrin/Erin Rose,Morgan/Taylor A few other kids are making bird nesting boxes-Connor/Brendan, Jess/Annabelle We have a couple people planting for two hours in our planting box-Kalie and Rachel We also have a few kids refilling the bird feeder once a week all summer-Taylor We have three people maintaining bird bushes once a week- Morgan/Taylor, Skyler Backyard obsrvations will be done by Cameron and Celine
 * 3. Share your actions!**