Natural Lands Trust Preserve Blog

Crow's Nest wildflower update

There are so many things blooming now I haven't been able to keep up with them all. Here are a few recent ones, but first something completely different:

These raccoon kits (there were actually three of them) are in the hickory tree just outside the barnyard. One was on the bird feeder when I walked by and I saw eyes glowing in my headlamp.

There had been a heavy rain between our first and second weeks of camp, and the creek walks each week were completely different: the contours of Pine Creek—the gravel bars, mud flats, and woody debris—were all changed. One thing we noticed was an abundance of raccoon prints in the mud flats everywhere along the creek.

Summer phlox (Phlox paniculata) is now blooming here and there at the preserve. It looks a lot like the flowers of the non-native dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis) that was blooming here earlier. I tell people that phlox has five letters in its name and five petals and "dame" has only four of each.

The aptly-named thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) is also blooming right now, easily found along wooded roadsides.

Blue vervain (Verbena hastata) is blooming again in sunny wet meadows and along the creek. There is a related plant with white flowers that we find here in more shady and drier locations, white vervain (Verbena urticifolia). Its flowers are also not in such upright clusters, like it is having a bad hair day. It is also harder to photograph well, but is common at Crow's Nest.

This is hairy hedge-nettle, Stachys tenuifolia var. hispida, also found in sunny wet locations.

What does Crow's Nest look like this weekend?

The hay has been brought in and we are approaching the peak of summer wildflowers in our meadows.

The barnyard garden is also close to its peak of bloom, timed for its greatest use during summer camp.

Crow's Nest Camp update

All of the campers this week crossed the wire bridge on a hike across Pine Creek and returned on the log bridge. The rough weather danced around the camp hours but never dampened our activities.

We had hayrides each day this week. Having the bridge closed between the visitor center and the hayride destination—the kids' remote campsite—required a little more creativity for the ride logistics but did not diminish the fun. For some trips I strapped my bicycle to the front of the tractor and zipped back across the preserve in minutes to get some land management completed each afternoon between hayrides. The kids walked to the far side of the creek most days to catch the haywagon. I learned that I should do the hayrides more slowly early in the week so that there is room to speed them up later as requested...

Crow's Nest Camp - week two

The first and second grade kids are here this week for camp; we have two different sessions going morning and afternoon. We spend some time in the creek each day, go on hayrides, and play in the barn.

One of the "houses" in the barn is this "painted turtle" shell. The kiddie pool from which it made has had many uses at camp over the years, from part of a model vulture digestive system to a place in which to mix paints for a mural of Audubon birds.

Crow's Nest Camp discoveries

The kids at camp today found this spectacular Io moth at the base of one of their treehouses. We wrapped up the first week of camp—great kids, great weather.

The kids spent the week building and playing in a village of treehouses, then took them apart today to prepare for later weeks' camps, where those kids will build their own.

The other houses they worked on—the examples of sustainable homes—they left up to make available to the younger kids' camps. In addition to the sod house and igloo there is a teepee and a covered wagon.

The most indigenous model houses in our camp collection are a wigwam, a log cabin, and a collier's hut. Here kids build the wigwam; admittedly ours uses old hula hoops, electrician's zip ties, and kraft paper, all left over from past camps.

The kids completed the log cabin inside the barn. The logs are from red maples we cut from the preserve because they were shading some less-common wildflowers in a small meadow.

Collier huts like this once dotted the hills around here, stick and dirt structures used temporarily by colliers while they watched their charcoal piles smolder. Today the forests have grown back and the huts long returned to the earth.

We rounded out camp with free time in the woods to explore, small group hikes like the one pictured below, a creek walk and a hayride.

Mariton -Taxidermy

Our guest speaker was Scott Shoeniger, who owns Hunter's Moon Taxidermy in Springtown.  Scott has mounted some specimens for the Nature Center and I always learn something new when I visit his shop.  He temporarily turned the Nature Center into a Taxidermist's Studio.  He brought several mounts, and a car load of skins.  He showed the children how he turns a tanned animal hide into artwork that captures the animal's energy.  Perhaps because I am not very artistic, I am in awe of a taxidermist's ability to mesh art and science.  They have to know so much about each animal that they mount, and yet they are also sculptors and painters.

The children sat on hides from a Bison, Grizzly Bear, Black Bear and White-tailed Deer.  Then he went through the various hides and talked about where the animal lives, what it eats, and certain adaptations that help it live.  This fit in perfectly with our theme for the week.  In the photo on the right, Scott is demonstrating how a Woodcock flies and finds its food. It is a remarkable bird with some very interesting adaptations.

This is (just) one thing that I learned this morning.  Jack Rabbits have black tips on the tops of their ears.  These tips resemble eyes, so a predator approaching from behind thinks an animal is looking directly at it.  (And you can't sneak up on something that is looking at you.)

If Scott's presentation wasn't exciting enough, we saw two fawns when we took our walk.  The children froze and stayed quiet, and the fawns stood in the trail for a few minutes before heading into the brush.  It was a pretty neat experience.

Our Nature Camp is over, and I have some wonderful people to thank.  A big Thank You is extended to Virginia Derbyshire, Carole Mebus, Hannah Patterson, Bill Wallace and Scott Shoeniger.  They made the camp awesome.  We had a wonderful group of children this week who explored nature with enthusiasm, energy and sensitivity.  (All photos by Carole Mebus.) 

Carole took photos each day of our activities.  She then spent her afternoon processing them so they could be posted with explanation on the Nature Center wall the next morning.  When the children arrived each morning, they could show their parents what they had done the day before.  Carole also emailed me photos so that I could use them in these blog entries.  The photos are an awesome part of our camp.

Mariton - Bird Nests

Amazing structures.  Today at Nature Camp, nests were the focus.  Virginia started the morning with a discussion about the different types of nests, locations and the materials used by different bird species.

Nests are temporary nurseries; built only to protect eggs and raise chicks until they can fly.  Then they are abandoned.  When you consider that most nests are built using a beak and one foot for tools, you come to realize what an architectural wonder they really are.  Bird nests are protected by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Mariton holds a permit for collecting nests (after they have been abandoned).  While it may seem like a silly law, there was once a thriving trade in birds nests.  A trade that, in fact, threatened certain species' survival. 

On the trails, we were fortunate to find a couple nests in trees where the children could see them.  Then, we checked a couple of the nesting boxes in the meadow.  I monitored boxes yesterday, so I knew which boxes I could open without disturbing birds.  This is a Bluebird nest that held 4 eggs last week.  This week it was empty, so something got into the box and ate the eggs (perhaps a mouse, chipmunk, or snake).  I think the parents moved to Box #16, where we saw a pair of Bluebirds this morning.

When we returned to the Nature Center, the children were challenged to build their own nest using shredded paper.  Next time you see a nest, consider how you would construct it using two pairs of chopsticks.  You too will gain a new appreciation for the wonder of bird nests.  The children were allowed to use both hands and even help each other, and they came away with a new understanding.  All photos by Carole Mebus.

Crow's Nest: Critters around the preserve

We've seen some interesting insects around the preserve at camp. Among them, the silver-spotted skipper on the gooseneck loosetrife (Lysimachia clethroides) in the barnyard garden. This plant by the way, though native is very aggressive in the garden—to the exclusion of some of the other perennials.

And as we play in the creek damselflies flit around us...

Mariton - Birds and Camp

Yesterday we talked about Mammals; today it was Birds.  Bill Wallace was our guest speaker.  He showed slides of birds that the children might find at their homes.  Bill talked about the types of habitats that different birds prefer, and things that we can do to make our yards more attractive for bird watching.  He also talked about bird songs as a way to find and identify different birds.

We distributed binoculars and taught the children how to use them properly.  This is easier said than done.  Even adults have difficulty finding what they are looking for with binoculars.  First, you find the object with the naked eye.  Then, you concentrate and don't move (don't even move your eyes).  Without taking your eyes off of the object, you bring the binoculars directly to your eyes.  Practice on an object in the yard, and soon you will bring the binoculars to your face perfectly every time.

After watching a pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the feeder, we took a walk.  Our goal was to count at least 15 different species of birds.  We ended up with 19!  Here Bill is showing them holes made by Pileated Woodpeckers.  (All photos by Carole Mebus.)

Mariton - Camp Day Two

We played a game to review the differences between Mammals and Birds to start the morning.  I pointed to a variety of objects in the Nature Center and the children had to identify whether it was a mammal or bird (and why).  Here I am holding up a bird skull.  The kids saw the beak and declared "Bird!"  They were pretty adept at identifying animals that might give an adult pause.  Since they proved their mettle, we went out on the trail.

We stopped in the Bird Blind to watch the show.  The Tufted Titmouse and Black-capped Chickadee were the first to show.  It wasn't long before Eastern Chipmunks started to venture out to feed on birdseed scattered on the ground.  A squirrel made an appearance on one of the bird (or should we say wildlife?) boxes.  A Cardinal and Robin also showed up.  The children were in no hurry to leave the Blind.  I think that lends credence to the idea that children can be as entertained watching a bird feeder through a kitchen window as they are by a television or computer screen. 

We played a couple games like "What Animal Am I" and "Bat and Moths".  It is a fun way for the children to learn a little more about the different animals.  In this photo the children ask Yes and No questions to figure out what kind of animal our subject is thinking of.

We found these weathered bones on the trail.  (A trail I have walked hundreds of times and never noticed before today.)  We didn't have a skull, so I am still not sure what the bones were.  We will try to solve the mystery before Camp ends.  (All photos by Carole Mebus.)