The Ornithorium
by Hannah Postlethwaite
A series of fun and educational avian-themed activities.
Birds have a long-held magic for me. Perhaps it is their ability to fly- that they experience a kind of freedom, that most of us, as people can but imagine. Or their sheer diversity: there are 11,000 different species in all manner of shape and size! Or even, as surviving relatives of dinosaurs, their utter resilience. That they have walked, flown and swam the globe, in all extremes of climate, since time immemorial, not only speaks of their absolute adaptability, but to my mind an innate wisdom. Their song and comical air are an instant balm to me and I think we have an awful lot to learn from them.
One of the great things about Lockdown is that people have taken notice and been appreciative of the wealth of wildlife on their doorstep. The lack of traffic and noise pollution has brought birdsong to the fore; and whilst the world of people came to a standstill, nature carried on regardless, and indeed flourished.
The Ornithorium is a series of avian-themed tutorials inspired by this zeal with a wish to further engage, educate and raise awareness. It is a celebration of our wonderful feathered friends!
Contact details:
kannacrafters@gmail.com / hpillustrate@gmail.com
Facebook & instagram: @KannaCrafters
Starling Decorations
In this video you will learn about Starlings whilst making your own decorative art works inspired by their patterned and iridescent feathers.
download Template:
Click to download:
Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins
In this video you will learn about the similarities and differences between Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins and make your very own versions of each bird.
download Template:
Template 1
Click to download:
Template 2
Curlew Card Crown
Celebrate the Curlew by making a card crown inspired by their amazingly long beak!
Seasonal Bird Feeders:
In this video you will learn how to make your own seasonal bird feeders.
How to make a nest
In this video you will learn how to make a nest using toilet roll tubes and weaving.