On Monday, May 16th, a group of SHS students took a field trip to Manomet in Plymouth, MA. Manomet is a bird sanctuary with a huge variety of birds. Every year, SHS science teacher Steve Maguire takes his Ornithology classes to Manomet, and it is by far the highlight of the semester. Each semester, Maguire’s ornithology classes compete with each other to identify the most species of birds possible. This friendly competition is taken very seriously, and it makes the academic experience more fun. 

On this field trip, students learned about many different aspects of birding–starting with no calling birds during the breeding season. The tour guide explained how this can disrupt the breeding patterns of certain species. Students were able to see new birds, such as two types of Orioles: the Baltimore Oriole and the Orchard Oriole. These birds look somewhat similar in their coloring and they are incredible birds.

After an hour of birding, students went to the banding lab to get some close-up looks at a few different birds: Gray Catbird, Baltimore Oriole, and Eastern Towhee. 

Students agreed that Manomet is a really cool place to visit: the paths lead visitors to find birds as well as “the Bluff,” a picturesque view over a cliff that overlooks crystal clear water and a wide variety of waterfowl. Students were allowed to eat lunch while looking out at the bluff and enjoying the outstanding view.