Diane Cook, a teacher at the Copper Hill School, in Ringoes, N.J., recently won a statewide contest for the best lesson plans that incorporate Duke Farms' Bald Eagle Cam.

I paid a visit to Diane's school computer lab last week to see for myself -- amazing stuff.

For a look at how Diane uses the Eagle Cam in the classroom, click here.

For an interview with Diane, click here.

For samples of Diane's fourth-graders' blog posts (like the one above), click here.

Marsh Warden Mike Limatola and I are leading our free Celery Farm guided walks again this spring. The last one is this Saturday -- May 2 -- at 8 a.m.

The 90-minute walks, open to nature lovers of all ages and abilities, are designed to acquaint more people with the 107-acre Celery Farm. We'll look for birds,  bugs, frogs, turtles and weird plants.

We'll have a spotting scope or two, but bring binoculars if you have them.

Note: We suggest wearing long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes to reduce the chances of ticks.

The walks begin at the end of Green Way (a right turn off of northbound Franklin Turnpike, just before Crescent Avenue).  (Directions are in the left-hand column.)

The walks are sponsored by the Fyke Nature Association, which helps maintain the Celery Farm.

E-mail Jim Wright -- wrightjamesb (@) gmail.com -- to rsvp or get more info. Check this blog, celeryfarm.net, for updates, last-minute weather advisories for the walk, and directions to the Celery Farm and Green Way.

Please e-mail me with a description for verification, and we'll get it back to you if it's yours.  (Thanks, Krzysztof and Rob!)

wrightjamesb(at)gmail.com

Barbara Dilger reports:

On Sunday, Stiles and I saw what looked to be a blue and silver Mylar balloon (maybe they are trying to tell us that the baby hawk will be a boy) that kept moving in the Red-shoulders' nest.

It was not the wind -- it seemed that something was underneath it and moving it about.  

We watched for a pretty long period of time, then all of a sudden Laura flew out from underneath it.

Alice Leurck shared a few of her photos from Saturday's walk -- one is of the charismatic Yellow Warbler.

The other is of a Ruby-crowned Kinglet showing his crown (not easy to get).

(Thanks, Alice!)