Nature Walk Birding Activity at Rancho Blanco

Birding, or birdwatching, involves observing and studying birds in their natural environments. With our current homeschool curriculum in science, my daughter asked for a unit study about birds. At first I was hesitant since The Good and the Beautiful offers a paid unit study for that, and I am afraid that I cannot give enough information for this study. I've gathered a lot of research, and thankfully, I was able to print out lots of sources. And what's more, I was able to book a mini farm tour at a nearby rancho. 

Rancho Blanco is so much more than just a Dates farm! Rancho Blanco now offers staycations and farm tours. Last year, our homeschool tribe wasn't able to include this in our activity, and I guess it is just fitting for this year. To end our first quarter and gather information for the lapbook, I book a farm tour specifically focused on bird watching. 

Along the trails we were given an opportunity to see different types of birds. To name a few, here are some of the shots of birds we found in the vicinity.

ostriches

blue-throated macaw

Eclectus Parrot

Bengala

Sun Conure

Yellow crested cockatoo

not sure with this one since the info board has "peafowl" but it includes different types of turkey in the cage

African Gray Parrot

Philippine Hawk

not sure if this is the Visayan hornbill

Disclaimer: If the bird names are incorrect, kindly message me to make a correction. There is a designated farm tour guide; however, since he is still new to his job, he was sharing limited information only. But I can assess that "Kuya Joel" was friendly enough to help us with our tour. Maybe next time we can ask him efficiently or request through Ms. Cecille, the farm admin personnel.

The weather last Monday was so good—it was neither sunny nor even rainy—that we enjoyed our walk through the trails of Rancho Blanco. My daughter had fun running along the dates trees going back to the parking lot. Aside from the birds, there are also horses, goats, and sheep on the farm. If we weren't afraid that it might rain sometime soon, we could have extended our time there just walking and wandering.

The Rancho Cafe is still in build mode, and they told us that hopefully by November it will start its operation. For staycation and accommodations, you can book The Stable Hotel, Villa Marina and Capsule house. We opt for a daytour instead of a staycation this time. They recommend a pre-booking schedule for farm visits and for them to know the number of persons who will avail the package. You can also book it for events and photoshoots to make it extra special. For other information you may send a message through their Facebook page: Rancho Blanco Event Center and Dates Farm.