# Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds! *HINT*



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Trouble on the Farm

This was Erne*st Arling*ton's third annual summer link-up with his cousin, Jake Harrier. Jake and his family were delighted to see Ernest. At supper he *raven*ously *dove* into Aunt Willime's chicken soup.

"Noah made an ark," said little red-headed Bill. "Two big zebras got on. Two big giraffes got on. And," he continued, his eyes growing round, "two big, BIG raccoons got on!"

Everyone smiled. "Sounds like Noah had a ful*l ark*," said Jake.

"We saw a raccoon," said four-year-old Lucy after she had swallowed her mouthful of food. "It ate one of our chickens."

"Al's wanting to use a live trap to catch the ****," said Aunt Willime. "We've sure l*ost rich* chickens because of it. But we might just want to make the chicken house raccoon-proof. I don't know if Al considered that possibility," she said, looking at her husband.

"I did." Uncle Al blew a *puff in*to his coffee cup. "But I have an idea," he said in an interesting whisper. He picked up his paper napkin and asked Aunt Willime for a pair of scissors. Then Uncle Al began to cut the napkin into tiny pieces. With each snip, Ernest grew more interested.

"We first saw the raccoon the same day I began networking our computers. That was during the beauti*ful Mar*ch weather," said Uncle Al, giving the napkin a little *whip. "Poor Will*ime! She was out feeding the chickens scraps one evening. It appeared quite suddenly, and she howled. We see it every night now. She's getting used to it." Uncle Al took another snip. "Eli can show you where we first saw the raccoon," he said, smiling at his son.

Ernest saw Bill (whose hair was red) start waving his spoon around. "Be careful with your *spoon, Bill*," Aunt Willime admonished. She scowled at the cucumber she had just taken a bite of. "They're bitter now! I wonder why."
Uncle Al then showed them how a balloon, after being rubbed on a wool sweater, would pick up the pieces of napkin.

"Just hear that rooster crow!" exclaimed Jake. "And it's almost dark. He must think he's the king. Let's go out and try to get a glimpse of the ****. Do you want to see my grape trellis, Ernie?" Jake continued as they went outside. "I pruned a certain grape twig eons ago, and it still won't grow back."

They were about to leave Jake's trellis when Ernest spied a business card in a low spot on the ground. He picked it up. There were barely legible words on it. "A blue J&#8230;a yellow M&#8230;a red I&#8230;"

"J-Mart, Inc. That's where Dad got his wrench," mused Jake.

Suddenly Jake jabbed Ernest's rib. "*Duck*!" he hissed. Both boys crouched behind the pile of firewood. Ernest *crane*d his neck to see what had excited his cousin.

"I see a gleaming pair of eyes," whispered Ernest.

"Yes! See her on the gate?" There, clambering lithely up the gate Al had just installed, was the raccoon! Her flaming orange eyes scanned the chicken coop.

"Do raccoons really eat chickens, Mousey?" wondered Ernest. (Mousey was Jake's nickname.)

"Yes. Those chicken-eating pros prey on chickens while they're roosting. Raccoons wreak havoc, etc., if they can get into the chicken house. Have you ever heard all the stories of the chicken houses they rob in the night? *Hawk*s eat the chickens sometimes, but that's during the day."

In reply Ernest emitted a yell. Jake turned just in time to see a rooster dart out from behind the firewood, peck Ernest's hand, and swiftly retreat. "Hit it, Mousey!" yelled Ernest. Jake leaped toward the rooster and took a swipe for it, but hit Ernest's head instead. "I'm a *goose*," he said. "Sorry."

"My rib is hurting, my hand is hurting, and now my head is hurting," groaned Ernest. "What an adventure. I guess I'm all right."

The raccoon had disappeared under a tarp made of canvas, back behind the chicken house. The rooster jumped on the firewood cockily.

"Look at his hoppin' tail!" Ernest roared with laughter. The rooster strutted around on the pile, jerking his tail up and down.

"Ernie, look!" In the barnyard was a chick, and beside the chick a deep gully. "Let's go in and investigate," said Jake, and they both rushed in.

"*Ow! L*ook out!" Jake exclaimed. The boys tripped over a misplaced shovel. Ernest, who landed on top of Jake, was all right, but Jake wasn't. "I set myself up a booby trap," he said regretfully, rubbing his head, hand, and side. "I forgot to put it away."

The hole turned out to be a pig's footprint.

"I'm afraid we're far from solving the case," sighed Jake. "We sold our last *pig eon*s ago."

"Why do you keep saying that word?" asked Ernest.

Jake looked mysterious. "Because I hid a bunch of birds in this story," he whispered. "Pass the te*st&#8230;or k*eep on trying."


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

This is something I wrote a few years ago just for fun. There are about 60 different kinds of birds hiding in this story. The first one, "starling," is in red as an example.

When you find a bird, post the answer and I'll turn it red so everyone can see it.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Dove


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

:thumb: They can be across multiple words too!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Cool!

Raven


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Chicken


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

duck


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Lark


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

goose


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## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

ostrich


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## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

crane


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Wow! Good job everyone - will take a few minutes to highlight them all!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Puffin! This game is so creative...I love it! :hi5:


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

Thanks Kylee! It was a LOT of fun to make!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

*Re: Bird-Watching - Find the hidden birds in this story!*

OK, here's a hint: The whippoorwill is between the fulmar and the pelican.

With the ones I gave hints for, be sure to tell the word or phrase in which they are hidden, so I know you really did find them!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

pigeon


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Hawks


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Stork


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

:thumb:


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

I found the whippoorwill! It's in this part "giving the napkin a little whip, 'Poor Willime!'"


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Ooo! Can I do two in a row? Cause I just found the fulmar too!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Yes, you can do two in a row.


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Then Fulmar was in the "beautiful March day".


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

OK, I highlighted it!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

spoon bill (that is a bird right?! I think it is.... but I can't remeber!)


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

:thumb:


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

YAY!!!


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Ok I have two!
Owl
Chicken


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Sorry for taking so long, Frosty! There are 3 owls. Which one?
Also, I'm not sure whether to highlight chicken, rooster, etc. because they are part of the story. :chin:


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

In the "Ow! Look Out!" part.  Hm, I guess you could probably just leave those unhighlighted since they are so obvious. LOL


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