Hello one and all, welcome back to the best nature program of all! Find your most cozy hat, pack a few layers and tag along for an adventurous day in the life of a Knee High Naturalist.
Bundled up with layers and gear, we were so excited to be back here! We smiled and laugh as we raced down the path, excited to explore with our friends once more. Today, our Talking Tub had artifacts from animals like turtles and frogs, focusing on things that live in water or near bogs. We examined a Box Turtle shell, noticing that it was all one piece and a wonderful source of protection and shelter! We looked at the different life cycles of frogs and speculated what life cycle we might see at the Discovery Boardwalk. After this, we explored, flipping rocks and logs, always in search of something more. We found a few sluggish roly-polies, sleepy and cold in the chilly morning. We event found a nest of ants and their tiny white eggs, not yet ready to hatch and move their legs. We gently tucked them back in and decided it was time for our day to begin! We raced and zoomed to pick all of the cones, settling in on our blanket to hear what will come. We sang our Good Morning Song and got on our way, eager to celebrate such a beautiful day!
We quickly washed our hands and dug into snack, enjoying carrots, pumpkin seeds and all the yummy things our family packed. As we ate, we chatted and listened to friends to tell stories about their dogs and cats. Eventually, we decided it was time to read a quick story called Watersong by Tim McCanna. We listened as a fox made his way through rain storms in the river, searching for friends and sometimes dinner. After we wrapped up snack, we talked about the weather and decided it was another cold, sunny Fall day! We colored or scrambled on the rocks until Ms. Sara (Director of Conservation) brought us a very special gift…a big Walking Stick! We gathered around, oo-ing and ah-ing at the incredible insect, looking so much like a twig that we had so much respect. Nervous at first, but then excited to try, we took turns holding the friendly little guy. He crawled over our hands and up our arms, down our backs and around our sides—tickling as he walked across our skin, we giggled and asked to hold him again.
After we all got our fill of observing such a cool critter, we gathered under an oak tree and put it on a low limb, hoping maybe it will drop its eggs in the leaf litter. We briefly learned about salmon and their incredible life cycle before hitting the trail! We quickly found a fuzzy Wooly Bear caterpillar and took a moment to observe it before moving on, in search of sun and something fun. We decided to stop and take in the view where the river sparkled so bright it dazzled our whole crew! We continued on, finding two more Wooly Bears along the trail and many deer tracks who traveled here, as well. Beautiful pink and purple Asters danced in the wind as we walked the sunny trail and grinned. Eventually we got to the special spot where we stopped and took a moment to give frogs and turtles some thought. Knowing that they were probably feel safest with quiet, calm friends, we slowly crept onto the boardwalk looking for signs of these awesome amphibians and reptiles!
We learned that reptiles and amphibians are cold blooded, meaning they get their warmth from the environment around them! We figured that after a chilly night in the water, some of these friends may be sunning and getting warm above water. We found two frogs on a log and signs of tiny fish darting to and fro, though life at the boardwalk seemed to be moving slow. We laid down and dutifully studied the water’s edge, sometimes dipping in our hands for a quick refresh. While we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the beautiful Fall day, it was time to end our play. We trekked back through the tall grasses, stopping to admire the soft rustling of fall leaves in the wind. We trekked up the newest set of steps and up, up, up until we needed a rest. We found crab apples and left them for the birds before brushing off our boots of the fresh dirt. With all of layers packed back in our bags, we set off to meet our families!
Thank you all for another amazing Autumn day in the lives of your Knee High Naturalists! We had so much fun meeting new critters and soaking up the sun. We look forward to seeing you again in two weeks when we say Bye Bye to some of our favorite birds!
