Into the creek!

Today I got to take a group into the river which is one of my favorite activities. We found tracks from raccoon and deer, scat from deer and geese, duck feathers, beaver chews, and spider webs. We also searched for macro invertebrates and found tons of them including some metamorphosed stone flies that never hatched! One cool thing that happened was watching deer cross the river just downstream of us.

Ready to go again!

After a year of learning about environmental education at the University of Idaho McCall Outdoor Science School, I am back in Boise with a new set of skills and a new confidence.

I am getting ready to serve again, this time at the MK Nature Center in Boise. The center is owned and operated by Idaho Fish and Game and funded by federal conservation fees brought in by the sale of hunting gear and ammunition. The center features indoor and outdoor space, and the highlight is the stream walk, a path which winds through a scale model of a watershed and features glass windows which allow students to view fish in the habitat.

This will be a new experience and I can't wait to get started!

Once more with the trash can volcano.

We presented this lesson at a local library and set off the volcano on the back patio. We weren't sure what would happen since we usually do this on grass of sand. The concrete gave it a great hop!!!!

Hoo Hoo Lives in Hull's Gulch?

We have a pair of owls that nests in the cliffs near our office. From what I have been told, they have been there since the facility opened in 2005. They usually have 3-4 offspring, but it looks like they only produced 1 this year. We use this often for our lessons as baby owls are a great attention getter. We take the kids on a hike and set up spotting scope where they can observe from 150 yards away.

Here is a mother and baby hiding under a sagebrush. Notice the mother in the bush? Photo: Jan Vinney, Seattle

Here's a good shot of the baby in a tree. It is about two months old here. Photo: Jan Vinney, Seattle

We also have red-tailed hawks that nest in the area. Their nest is directly above a hiking trail ans we can often see the young poking their heads over the side of the nest to observe us. We hike out into a nearby meadow and set up the scopes. One day, a large female landed right above us so no one needed binoculars to see HER.

Red-tailed hawk watching my group.

My group watching the red-tailed hawk.

Bees are fun for any age.

I am generally more comfortable with older students. I get a little nervous when I have a lesson for kindergartners, especially if I am doing it myself. I did this bee lesson with a group of little ones and they are just so fun! I couldn't resist posting some photos of their beautiful artwork.

Service Groups.

One of the things I was able to accomplish as an AmeriCorps volunteer was to help the organization develop a way to handle incoming service-learning requests. I made a simple database that they can use to match requests with activities. Since it's inception, the program has had over 100 volunteers perform almost 300 hours of service!

These photos are from an TRiO Upward Bound group that came out to work and learn.

Weeding and cleaning up our pollinator garden.

This driveway is neglected and overgrown. They got it cleared out in no time.

The group poses in front of our signature art piece.

My First Summer Camp!

Truth be told, I went to my first summer camp many many years ago in the 1970's. I spent the day on the beach and got a really bad sunburn. The staff called me "lobster boy" for the rest of the week. It was fitting since my dad was a crab fisherman.

This summer, however, I got to lead my first summer camp. Coordinating outings, buying snacks, and planning for every activity was a lot more time consuming than I thought. Fortunately, my AmeriCorps partner Sheralynn has done this before and had some great suggestions for making things run smoothly. We had two sessions of camp and by the second one, I was feeling like a pro.

The camps were some of the most fun I have had yet. Having the same group for a week gave me a chance to bond with them and learn more about who they were. Although this was camp, we tried to teach when we could and followed a hydrology theme for the week. I am looking forward to more of this type of activity. It's fun to recognize them when you are out other places.

Posing for a group photo at the top of Bogus Basin on day one.

Day two features a loooooong hike down Hull's Gulch. At the bottom we have root beer floats!

Midway down the hike. The group all gets matching bandannas to promote team thinking. They also dunk them in the creek to stay cool.

The first week couldn't float the river because it was too high so we went to the Birds of Prey center and met a falcon.

Float trip on week two was super fun (and wet)!

This sneaky snake was hanging out in a tree along the bank of the river. Crafty!

I was worried that they wouldn't want to go in the water. I think I was worried for nothing.

On Thursday we got to visit the Boise River Wildlife Management Area where biologist Krista Muller talked to them about how animals get food and water, and the importance of good habitat.

Krista took us to the wildlife underpass where we got to pose for the wildlife cameras.

In the afternoon we got our feet wet looking for macroinvertebrates in the Boise River.

Friday we visit the Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve to learn about wetlands and have a photo safari.

The whole thing ends with a big water fight at Ann Morrison park!