The Count is Done, and the Votes are In!

We were so excited to count the proceeds from the Birdie Bake Sale this afternoon. All in all, we made $151.00. This is more than enough to sponsor a raptor for an entire year at the Leslie Science and Nature Center. This will pay for:

* food and care
* medical care
* training of bird and staff members for educational purposes

Then it was time for impassioned speeches. Children who felt called to do so stood in front of the class and made a pitch for their choice. Children who wanted the turkey vulture mentioned the many cool things about it - the turkey vulture song (by local cool guy Joe Reilly), the fact that these birds are considered nature's recyclers by eating lots of carrion, the fact that they pee and poop on their legs to keep cool and have the main defense of projectile vomiting. I mean, what's not to love? One child who wanted the red tailed hawk mentioned their beauty, and the fact that they are rarer than the turkey vulture. Mostly, he (and at least one other child) were rather repulsed by the other popular choice. Oddly, no one stood up for any of the little cute owls, who so often get a lot of love.

After respectfully listening to all points of view, we had a paper ballot vote. So now, without further ado, may I introduce our pick as the raptor we will sponsor this year:


















































THE GLORIOUS TURKEY VULTURE!