Think again. Healthy outdoor play for kids has declined significantly in the past generation, according to physical education experts. (Kids examine insect at Okeeheelee Nature Center in Florida)

In a 2004 study, 70 percent of moms interviewed said they played outdoors every day as children, while only 31 percent said their children play outdoors as often. And the study’s author says the trend is growing as television programs and computer games are increasingly designed to target youngsters. “Even two years after the study, children are staying indoors more and developing poor eating and physical activity habits—and at a younger age,” says Rhonda L. Clements, professor of education at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY, and a past president of the American Association for the Child’s Right to Play.

Clements urges parents, educators and recreation specialists to get children... Read On

Pete Dunne leads the way this summer. He's got two new books that every birder will find interesting. Dunne is director of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Cape May Bird Observatories and one of the top birders in the country.

"The Art of Pishing: How to Attract Birds by Mimicking Their Calls" (2006, Stackpole, $17.95) highlights Dunne's sense of humor, while teaching how to pish. Pishing, high pitched notes made by pursing the lips and making hissing "p" sounds, arouses the natural curiosity of birds and often brings them into view as they search for the noisy intruder. It even includes an instructional CD.

Dunne's second title, "Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion: A Comprehensive Resource for Identifying North American Birds" (2006, Houghton Mifflin, $29.95) is a long overdue effort that complements any field guide to birds.

Each of 691 accounts offers detailed descriptions of... Read On

But sharp-eyed city residents are well aware that wildlife is all around us. Deer, foxes, herons, Bald Eagles, pelicans and even Beavers--rarely seen in the past--are regulars in Fort Collins. And you can see one or more of them on any given day.

"It's not your imagination--there really are more animals around," said Kevin Cook, a naturalist who has studied wildlife in the area since arriving in the mid-1970s. "Many animals have adapted to life in the city and are thriving."

For many residents, the sight of a deer grazing near a busy street, or of a Great Blue Heron soaring overhead, has become a common occurrence.

And anyone who... Read On

Last week's mystery bird is a Ruff, according to Jack Lewnes of Port Republic, MD

For more nature photographs, see the
Gallery on WindStar's web site and Nature's Best Photographs Album in the American Wildlife Blog.

MARLENE CONDON, Crozet, VA relates what she learned about Joe Pye Weed, a favorite plant for both butterflies and bees. When joe-pye-weeds start to bloom, you know that summer is winding down and fall will soon be here, along with less insect activity. But for now, the raspberry-tinged blooms of the joe- pye-weeds bustle!

TOM PATRICK, Myersville, MD took a walk through WindStar's demonstration wildflower meadow and was devastated by what he didn't find-- butterflies. Are you missing butterflies in your habitat? Tell us by clicking on "Comments" at the end of the blog article.

If you are registered to receive the FREE American Wildlife Blog, you can add comments to any of the articles, and if you want to pen your own article, send it to wildlife@windstar.org with the subject line "New Blog Feature."