Starting at the Top

FOREST FOOD CHAIN

I began thinking about food chains earlier in the week.  I thought about starting with a tree--plants are the first link in the chain.  But I was stymied with all the possibilities.  And the weather had not yet warmed enough to get photos of insects under the bark.  My plan was tree--insects--woodpecker.  I felt that this was important because many of the students I talk to think that woodpeckers eat wood!

As the weather warmed, I thought of flower, insect....then what?  Too hard I thought.

Finally, I looked out my window early this morning and saw a Barred Owl sitting perfectly still at the top of a dead snag.  I only noticed him when he moved his head.  Then suddenly, he flew even closer to me and landed on a broken bench in my yard.  Now, to get the picture.  I had to zoom all the way with my small point and shoot, but I did get a photo of the bird.

Now it would be easy.  I would work backwards from the top of the chain, back down to the plant.  The photographic food chain I made follows. 

Another problem students have is placing the arrows in the correct direction.  The arrows indicate energy flow, not what an animal eats.  So instead of the arrow going from the worm to decaying leaves, it is the other direction.

Keep scrolling to see my owl photograph!!