Make Nature GREAT Again!

Lone Survivor

The mission of nature is to quickly start over and build back better. To make Nature GREAT again! We've noticed that it doesn’t take birds long to rebuild broken nests or start preparing for a new brood when there is a loss. Fish and forest animals find places to shelter and survive when dangers threaten. Our recent threat, a liquid manure spill into Crayfish Creek, seemed to have wiped out all water life. Today cheers erupted when we found a lone crayfish survivor. If you were close by, talk about how it made you feel.

You heard the water pollution report from Anton from the Ontario Clean Water Agency. He talked about the findings from water samples taken the day of the spill and two days later. Was there some good news? (yes, the water is clearing up quickly). You also now understand the job of spill detectives (Ministry Compliance Officers) who follow the pollution trail to find out where the spill is coming from, kind of like Storm Chasers. Can you tell a story about their job and how they protect nature? Would you like to be one?

It really is the height of nesting season. Making a nesting map helps us keep track of who is where. Do you remember who has made a home in the 8 nesting boxes or on the ground around the Homestead? (House Sparrow, Killdeer (ground), Tree Swallow, Robin, Chickadee) Why might we be finding more dead chicks or raided nests and how does that connect to the creek? (hungry predators missing the water animals as food). 

Chickadee has some new chicks!

Killdeer Tries Again - Ben thinks these eggs look like stones

Today’s rain reminded us about the water cycle we learned about last week. Do you remember the three forms of water (states of water)? What tricks did you use to change your ice cube from a solid to a liquid? Lynx was the first one done and shared his technique with us.

How did it feel to become an entomologist (someone who studies insects) today when you met with Antman? An insect has a head, thorax, abdomen, and an exoskeleton. Each insect also likes a certain kind of home (habitat). See if you can remember where crickets, giant earthworms, and mealworms like to live. What else did you learn about them?

For our insect scavenger hunt, some of the things you were asked to find were a spider web higher than your waist, an insect home on a plant, and an insect in a different stage of their life cycle. What were some of your favourite discoveries and where did you find them?

You wandered, played and even helped out today…what did you get up to?

On June 11th we’ll be celebrating our final day of 2024/25 together. We want each of you to come with one story of a favourite thing that happened at nature school. Take time to look through the 31 blog posts to remind you of a fall, winter or spring memory you can share. 

Next weeks it’s bug habitat building time, so bring those crinkly croissant containers or other possible home options for your BUG! Happy hunting in your recycling boxes:).