Page 7 - Jupiter Ocean Mile - January '22

Jupiter Ocean Mile, Page 7
Northern Notes

Snowbirds daylight hours reduce. Migration cannot begin, however, until
the young birds have fledged in their breeding range and all
By Katie Roundtree, birds have eaten extra food for the long journey. Many species
Director of Finance and double their weight to fuel their migration. Purple martins, as
Administration, Northern an example, eat three times their weight in mosquitoes in a day
Palm Beach County in preparation for the trip.
Improvement District Generally, birds migrate when the weather and atmospheric
Snowbirds (an affectionate structure are good. This means winds are blowing in the direction
name for a subspecies of Homo that they are headed, and tailwinds are available to increase their
sapiens) flock to Florida each speeds. Navigational options for birds include the use of the stars,
winter from all around the sun, and internal sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field as their
world; many can be spotted compass. They also learn routes from other birds.
enjoying Florida’s great Birds using powered flight that involves continuous flapping
outdoors as well as shops and and a level course through the air are often nocturnal migrants.
restaurants in the area. However, there are true migratory birds At night the air is calmer or more stable and predators are fewer. When migrants start moving, they form broad, diffuse waves
of the feathered species that visit or pass through south Florida These can be viewed with a telescope as they pass by the light that merge into great “rivers” of birds. The four main North
during the cooler months. of a full moon. Soaring birds, on the other hand, prefer daylight American “rivers,” or “flyways,” are known as the Pacific,
Annually many bird species migrate as their food supply when they can ride thermals of rising hot air. (Source: South Central, Mississippi and Atlantic. Florida is the southernmost
disappears, water sources freeze, shelter options lessen, and Florida Audubon Society) point within the United States on the Atlantic flyway. The bird
species in these great bird-rivers in the sky pass specific spots
on the map at more or less predictable times. For instance,
when spring’s first yellow warblers, which winter from southern
Mexico south to Peru and Brazil, return northward each year
they reach southern California and southern Florida around April
1. By May 1, their “northern front” lies along a line running
between Washington State and New York State. By June 1,
they’ve reached the Arctic region of northern Canada.
Enjoy the cooler temperatures of the Florida winters and
get out and try to spot some of these transients. There are many
preserves and natural areas that attract birds this time of year.
These areas are rich in food sources and attract birds as either
a destination or stopover on the way to areas further south, like
the Caribbean or South America; similar to our cruise ship ports
attracting visitors cruising to points south. Happy travels!
NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet waste is
washed into lakes or canals the waste decays, using up oxygen
and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen levels and
ammonia combined with warm temperatures can kill fish. Pet
waste also contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae
growth. Overly fertile water becomes cloudy and green –
unattractive for boating and fishing. Perhaps most importantly,
pet waste carries diseases that make water unsafe for humans
and animals alike.
Make Your Child

A Better Reader

By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
School Psychologist
Every child needs to learn
how to read but one in five
children have dyslexia so
it is no surprise that many
kids have problems learning
to read. Warning signs of
dyslexia include having a
family member diagnosed or
suspected to have dyslexia,
slow reading aloud, difficulty
sounding out unfamiliar words, and weak everyday spelling.
Here are three ways you can help make your child a
better reader.
First, make reading enjoyable and capitalize on your child’s
interests since when we are interested in a topic it holds our
attention and intrinsically motivates us. Children who struggle
with reading need adults to read to and with them well into middle
school. While typical readers prefer to read by themselves starting
in about fourth grade, struggling readers continue to need you to
be the guide by their side. Many children enjoy reading graphic
novels such as I Survived or The Baby-Sitters Club.
Next, recognize and verbalize that you notice your child’s
struggle. It is alright to say, “I know reading is harder for
you but you have what it takes to become a good reader. The
more we practice, the better you’ll become.” Teach your child
to have grit which is the ability to start and stick with a task
until it’s finished. Notice your child having grit in a preferred
task and then link it back to the harder task. You might say,
“You really stuck with that project and put in a lot of effort to
finish it. You can have that same kind of grit when it comes
to reading or anything you set your mind to accomplish.”
Third, if your child and you butt heads during academic
work time, hire a well-qualified reading tutor. It takes at least
twice a week tutoring to make a substantial difference in your
child’s reading ability. I have a list of specialized reading tutors
at JimForgan.com/tutor or visit the Lindamood-Bell Learning
Center in Palm Beach Gardens or the Reading Success Center
in Palm City.
We offer dyslexia, learning disability, IQ, and ADHD/ADD
testing. Learn more at JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.