Kids Corner Nature Reports
Jane Kirkland visits Kids Corner each month and listens as kids call in to file their own Nature Reports. Jane, an award-winning author dedicated to educating everyone on the nature that surrounds us, says that nature is not a destination. It is right before our eyes, under our noses, and well within earshot! Regular nature breaks benefit us and our natural world - so take a minute to be in it... IN NATURE!
File Your Nature Report ONLINE!
See something cool while out and about? Click the spider (above) and file your Nature Report online - we'll read it during Jane's next visit to Kids Corner!
Jane's series of Take A Walk books are recommended by the National Science Teachers Association and the National Gardening Association, just to name a few, and have won many awards including The National Arbor Day Foundation's Education Award for 2005, a Teachers Choice Award for 2006, and the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval. For more about Jane and TakeAWalk - visit her online at http://TakeAWalk.com
What Should You Do if You Find an Injured Animal?
This summer hundreds (maybe thousands) of kids in the Delaware Valley area will find and “rescue” injured animals. Most find (and many bring home) baby birds and baby rabbits. What should you do if you find an injured animal? Click HERE to read more!
Take a Minute to Be in it: the Eastern Bluebird Trail
Kids Corner visits Bald Eagle Nest
On May 7, Jane and Kathy drove to Maryland to observe a Bald Eagle nest. With them were Becky Prante of Take a Walk Books, and Becky's friend, Jenny Houseal. This is a nest that Jane has been observering for several years. It's about an hour drive from her home and she visits the nest about 2 to 3 times a year between February and June. An eagle's nest is huge (wide and deep) and they spent about an hour watching the nest only able to see the head of an adult. The other adult was not around during that time and they were really hoping to see the adults flying and hear the chicks and adults calling. Despite the lack of activity, everyone was thrilled to see the adult in the nest and to learn (thanks to two photographers who have been there every day for many weeks now) that there is a young chick in the nest. One of those photographers, Woody (www.woodyseagles.com) has been photo-documenting the nest for years. Check out his website and look in the "Susequehanna" eagles section. Jane took some video but because there was so little activity at the nest, it's not great footage - except, of course, Kathy's part:
As a favor, a friend of Jane's (Kevin Loughlin, nature photographer and naturalist) posted a video he took in Alaska this month of many Bald Eagles fishing. Visit this link and click on "Fishing Bald Eagles" http://www.wildsidenaturetours.com
A Blizzard of Snow Geese
On March 16, 2008 Jane witnessed over 100,000 migrating snow geese stop at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, PA - look and listen!
One Creative Crow
For a few days Jane was hearing the drumming of a woodpecker, but with a twist. At the end of the drumming is a little bark, or one note call, or maybe it could have been described as a 'caw'. Every time she heard the drumming, she went out onto her deck with binoculars in hand. Both Downy and Red-bellied woodpeckers had been visiting her feeder and she expected to find one of them. Boy was she surprised when she found the source of the drumming. It just goes to show that you can't depend fully on your ears when you are birding - at least, not unless you're an expert!
Owl Pellets
On this Nature Report, Jane brought owl pellets into the Kids Corner studio and Kathy joined her in dissecting them live on the radio! Here's a video clip of what they looked like!
Below is a photo slideshow of Kathy and Jane dissecting the owl pellets - if you want, click the LISTEN button below as well. A new window will open and you'll be able to hear what happened WHILE you view the photo slideshow!
ListenWant To Know More?
Check out some cool virtual owl pellet dissection videos at Kid Wings. You can also download bone charts from this site!
http://www.kidwings.com/owlpellets/index.htm