Inspired Ornithology (and a little history lesson)

I was doing dishes in the kitchen, when Little Hen grabbed this book of the library shelf, thumbed through the pages, and began to draw one that spoke to her. 

What a great Pileated Woodpecker!

I used the opportunity to talk about who John James Audubon was (he’s one of my favorite people from history – Tum Tum’s middle name is in his honor).  Little Hen asked more questions about woodpeckers, and that began a wonderful exploration on the internet and in my bird books about woodpeckers – their anatomy, habits, habitats, and the rediscovery of the once-believed-extinct Ivory-Billed.  It was a great afternoon of discovery that covered art, history, and science.