In Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold spoke of a bird that refuted this notion: “the utility of a game bird is to serve as a target, or to pose gracefully on a slice of toast.” Throughout his essay, Leopold’s prose makes it clear that witnessing the theatrics of the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) provided him…
The Naturalist Notebook
Welcome to the Shaver’s Creek blog! The entries here are posted by staff, interns, and volunteers, and aim to keep you informed about the programs, updates, and natural history happenings here at the Creek. Enjoy!
Why did the turtle cross the road? To get the other side. ‘Tis the season of turtle crossings; they’re roaming the roads at all hours of the day and night and they might need your help. Every spring turtles begin moving around their territories for many reasons. Males might be looking for a female to…
Pencils down at 7:00 p.m. Saturday — the 24th hour of the Birding Cup has come and gone. Collectively, 186 species were seen or heard—a wonderful species count with many highlights. Now it’s time to declare the winners! The Birding Cup goes to: Raiders of the Lost Lark Part II: In Search of the Holy…
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, teams comprised of both rookie and veteran birders will take up their binoculars in search of as many bird species as they can see or hear. The annual Birding Cup is a 24 hour event, and in addition to being great fun and an opportunity to collect data…
What do barn owls have in common with Brussels sprouts, or kestrels with kale? Farms! These are connections we’ve been talking about in the past few weeks with farmers at the Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Penn’s Valley Conservation Association. Farmland raptors like the American kestrel, barn owl, and short-eared owl provide natural pest control…
At 5:45 in the morning, Shaver’s Creek’s raptor center is a very different place than it is during daylight hours. Owls, as we so often say, are nocturnal. The owls at Shaver’s Creek are no exception, so when raptor center intern Emily Hurley and I entered the owl enclosures in preparation for an early morning…
This post was written the week of November 13th. As the fall season continues to approach winter’s frigid arrival, moves are being made in the Raptor Center to adapt to the seasonal transition. Though our birds are winter-hardy, there are many things we can do to provide a more comfortable abode for the winter weather…
If you haven’t joined us for Kid’s Corner yet, you still have the chance to join the fun! Kids Corner is a free two-hour program for toddlers and pre-K children with accompanying adults. This season we are learning all about patterns. There are all kinds of patterns in nature. So far we’ve learned about texture,…
On Saturday, November 8, Hawk Mountain hosted Golden Eagle Day. Shaver’s Creek staff has participated in this program for several years and invited current interns to attend for professional development. Jason Beale, program director of live animal care, and Jon Kauffman, raptor center assistant, facilitated three shows that focused on bird of prey adaptations and…
The fall season has so much to offer. Whether it is the beauty of the changing leaves or just the crisp air, there is something interesting for everyone. The plethora of leaf litter and dead flowers brings dreadful anticipation of winter to some, but to others, this is one of the best times of the…