Birdwatching camp
Other - other
The Bird Watching Camp in Búcson has been organized by the Katona Mihály Elementary School every spring since 2008. The spring observation of birds and nature is a week-long process, which is carried out by the school's students and interested parties under the guidance of experts. Among the experts are Mihály Katona from the Hungarian Ornithological Institute, János Gúgh from the Slovak Ornithological Institute, and Csaba Sándor, a forest engineer. Birds are observed in various habitats (inhabited areas, arable land, meadows, forests, wetlands) every year. Other activities of the camp include: counting swallow nests, winter bird feeding, placing birdhouses, cleaning loess walls, crafts from natural materials, etc. During the camp, in addition to the observations, participants can listen to various lectures every year, not only about birds, but also about astronomy, travel, and weather. ; The school's students who wish to participate in the camp prepare serious projects every year related to the bird of the year and a current astronomical topic. These works (mostly posters) are archived in the school from the past ten years. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary, the camp's logo and poster were also created. A publication was also produced, edited by Mihály Katona, in which the birdlife and natural values of Búcs are displayed based on the notes made in the first 5 years. Thanks to János Gúgh, the camp participants can not only get acquainted with the local values, but also discover a natural treasure in the wider area every year. The camp also had such renowned speakers as András Reisz, Ottó Zombori, and Lajos Aradi. In the past 10 years, almost 100 students have participated in observing and mapping birds, and there were students who participated in every camp from the age of third grade, as long as they were students at the school. The school intends to continue organizing the camp, setting an example for other schools that this is also a way to instill a love for the wonderful nature that surrounds us.