Miller+Creek+Middle+School,+CA

What's in our neighborhood?
How would you describe your neighborhood to someone who has never visited? Brainstorm about 10 phrases to describe your habitat, such as lots of trees, some tall buildings, many trees, blacktop everywhere, etc. 1. An intriguing beautiful site filled with forests 2. A pretty land filled with lots of forest-like features 3. Many grass covered hills, and a large creek surrounded by a riparian forest 4. Lots of trees and a clean creek,surrounded by hills 5. Hills near a blackberry-filled creek and a variety of different plants, animals and houses. 6. A healthy regular neighborhood, with a healthy creek running through it. 7. A broad valley surrounded by grass covered hills that rise almost 1,000 feet on all sides. 8. Green grass, lots of trees, good animal habitat with a riparian habitat running down the middle (and lots of Mercedes) 9. Modest homes, established trees surrounding a well cared for creek. 10. A valley that used to be a cattle ranch, now filled with homes and wildlife.

** Write an overall description of your habitat, including a photos if you can. **
==Habitat description: Combining the above - the habitat is a riparian ecosystem, that runs down the middle of a small valley which is covered with homes. Along the sides are grass covered hills and blue skys.==

Our studentswork on restoring our creek, pulling non-native blackberry and ivy, and planting native plants. The area below was worked onJanuary

** Is our neighborhood a suitable place for birds? **
It is, many homes have bird feeders, quail run around the grasslands, vultures and hawks rule the sky, The habitat has old white and coast live oaks, many fruit bearing plants (blackberry, poison ivy, snowberry, toyon and elderberry) as well as good insect habitat in a clear running stream.

** What birds do you regularly see on your bird counts? **
On May 8th our class went for a 30 minute walk near the school and encountered these birds: TOTAL BIRD DIVERSITY ON 5/8/12 = 17 species Many: Black-eyed Junco's, California Towhees, American Crows, White Breasted nuthatches. Some: Blacked-capped chickadee's, Downy woodpeckers, Anna's Hummingbirds, American Robins, Acorn Woodpeckers, Western Scrub Jays, Black Phoebe, Turkey Vultures Few: American Goldfinch, Red Shouldered Hawk, Violet-Green Swallow, Mourning Dove, Oak Titmouse