Last October, Wood Middle School’s (WMS) sixth grade students took their first class trip to the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. The day of walking, watching and sketching kicked off a series of six full-day field trips — allowing every sixth and seventh grade student the opportunity to birdwatch at the sanctuary and around Crab Cove. Pairs of students used birding guides and binoculars, alongside instruction and advice from expert volunteers. The day ended with games by the water, and each student left with a notebook of diagrams, observations, and resources to continue birding in the future. 

WMS’s connection to the sanctuary began during the pandemic, as a method of providing outdoor, in-person science instruction. Throughout the 2020-21 school year, groups of students, teachers, and parents met by the Bay Farm Bridge for weekend mornings of birdwatching and education. With help from community partner and avid birder Doug Henderson and other members of Alameda’s birding community, the program continued to develop — even after AUSD’s return to classrooms in Fall 2021. 

This year, WMS students from all grades will participate in multiple birding sessions and trips. Eighth grade students will even prepare and facilitate their own activities with groups from local elementary schools. So far, they’ve used eBird from Cornell Lab — a bird tracking app — to record 43 separate species and their migratory patterns. 

An extensive in-school birding program was unusual for most students — yet the community is now realizing its connection to Alameda’s unique ecosystem and circumstances. Our bird sanctuary is ranked among the most diverse in California, and students growing up here have the opportunity to witness incredible numbers of shore and wading birds—some migratory and others full-time residents. Observing seasonal changes in their own ecosystem has sparked curiosity about patterns world-wide; students in all grades now connect their research to a core question: How does a warming climate affect the numbers/types of birds visiting our city? 

Some students are now pitching ideas for after-school birding clubs and sharing their own observations and checklists on eBird. WMS’s teachers and staff believe that the sanctuary and program can become integral to expanding their classes’ understanding and interest in the natural world. With a concrete goal of providing every single student birdwatching and conservation opportunities throughout this next year, we’re proud to consider ourselves a rising community of birders.