International Mountain Day is observed annually on December 11. Mountains cover approximately 25% of the Earth’s surface, and in Transcarpathia, they encompass 80% of the total area of the region. These elevated landscapes serve as homes for both human communities and diverse flora and fauna. On December 12, 6th-grade students from “MAIN POINT ACADEMY” (a private school), accompanied by their biology teacher Maryna Tafiy, visited Uzhhorod Castle to explore the birds inhabiting the castle hill.
The students began their educational journey with a presentation by Ruslana Dzhahman, a senior researcher at the T. Lehotsky Transcarpathian Regional Museum of Local Lore. She talked about the many various species of birds that live in the Carpathians and showed images of birds that visit the castle park throughout the year. The youngsters learned that the castle hill’s regular inhabitants include great tits, nuthatches, hooded crows, and blackbirds, while the tiniest goldcrests visit only in the autumn and bullfinches only in the winter. Mrs. Ruslana presented a “bird menu” and advised on acceptable things for feeders, given the winter season and the necessity of birds feeding. For example, while humans like cookies and tangerines, birds prefer raw sunflower seeds, unsalted bacon, or apples. The children engaged in a task from the didactic game collection “Learning about flora and fauna by playing” to solidify their understanding. Correct answers were rewarded with a tasty gift, providing additional motivation to submit precise solutions.
In conclusion, the students, along with researchers, strolled through the castle park. They used binoculars to observe birds, and they replenished the feeder with sunflower seeds. Biodiversity expert Mykhailo Bilanych of the IRCEF taught them how to use binoculars and observe birds without causing disturbance. Although the bird count was not extensive, the children still had the opportunity to spot hooded crows and great tits and even identify a jay and a nuthatch by their distinctive calls.
The event was held within the framework of cooperation between the Interreligious and Civil Environmental Forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF) headed by Olexander Bokotey) and the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinators Ivan Tymofeiev (NABU), and Nataliya Kulya (IRCEF).
Ruslana Dzhahman, senior researcher at the Transcarpathian Regional Museum of Local Lore, IRCEF expert
