The James B Harrison Foundation hosted a Fall Merit Badge Workshop on November 22, 2022, welcoming 20 Scouts to Harrison-Long Point. Scouts had the option of completing the Bird Study or Nature Merit Badge. The courses were taught concurrently with the assistance of members of the local Texas Master Naturalist Coastal Prairie Chapter. We’d like to thank our wonderful volunteers for their assistance and our two merit badge counselors Rick Adams (Bird Study) and Ron Grimes (Nature) for leading the courses. Each course had several requirements that Scouts must complete in order to earn their badge. The bird study badge focused on bird-related topics such as bird anatomy, how to identify birds, and various birding tools like field guides and binoculars. The Scouts then went to the field to identify 20 birds, including 5 by sound. Scouts participating in nature merit badge learned about several forms of nature including birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and plants. For the field portion of the badge, Scouts had to identify 8 birds, 3 mammals, 3 amphibians/reptiles, identify 3 fish and collect identify plants. For the project portion of the workshop, Scouts joined efforts to create bird nesting boxes and bird feeders.
Scouts participating in the birding field trip portion of the bird study merit badge workshop.