Riverside Preserve - Wildlife Observations
This Wednesday’s nature school we met at the serene Riverside Preserve. Our theme for the day was Wildlife Observations and boy did nature deliver.
We discussed the biggest threat to our native wildlife: habitat destruction. Then we talked about some of our native animals: official state wildlife:
Bird: Cardinal
Insect: Tiger Swallowtail
Snake: Eastern Garter
Bat: Big-Eared Bat
Freshwater Fish: Brook Trout
Salamander: Red Salamander
We learned from Olivia that male tiger swallowtails smelled like fruit loops. The began our goal for the hike. Everyone received their tools for the hike and nature journals. We reviewed some safety precautions for not only ourselves but the wildlife as well. We ventured to the boat ramp where many students opted for a damper existence while we searched for the wild things. We observed crickets, water bugs, minnows, bees, various butterflies, spiders, frogs, the tiniest toads, snakes as birds. Our voices are outdoor voices and the mammals were not compatible to our energy and stayed hidden for the day. We had very eager journal artists and I couldn’t have been more pleased.
We finished our hike and ate lunch while discussing food webs. It’s was a truly spectacular day! Thank you for joining us!
Hurt No Living Thing
By Christina Georgina Rossetti
Hurt no living thing:
Ladybird nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing,
Nor cricket chirping cheerily,
Nor grasshopperso light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,
Nor harmless worms that creep.
