Late morning in early July, ten girls create intently in a hemlock grove. In this, their third day of Wild About Arts Camp, they’ve been given a prompt that requires no paper, no pencils, and no paint — just their imaginations and the forest. They are building small structures from piled sticks thatched with moss.…
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!
As another week of summer camp with the fantastic Wee Wonderers and the pensive WAACers (Wild About Art Camp) simmered to a close last Friday, I began to hear strange, foreign phrases emanating from the mouths of Shaver’s Creek interns such as, “What should we do next week?” and “I’m going to have tons of…
You are curled up on your deck, overlooking a field soaked in summer twilight. Winking between foliage you see them; insect beacons, shamelessly waving their abdomens in the air for the entire world to see. They flicker and frolic through the air, traveling who knows where, with the dancing demeanor of a playful ballerina. Some…
With the middle of May approaching, a lot of us are looking to the leafed-out trees in hopes of finding migrating wood warblers, thrushes, and flycatchers. But to some, migration has already wrapped up and those birds are now sitting on eggs or caring for their young. Hawk watching enthusiasts get an early start on…
We started off the spring 2014 Outdoor School (ODS) season on April 7th, and it was my fourth week as a Learning Group Leader (LGL). Despite my familiarity with the routine, each week of ODS is still special, and I feel emotionally attached to the place, to the kids, and to the experience. What is…
Another year, another Birding Cup, another huge list of birds observed! This year a combined total of 188 different species were discovered by all teams over a 24-hour period! Congratulations are in order for the 23 teams (of 97 birders!) who put their eyes to their binoculars and made this year’s ‘Cup another great event!…
When I sat down recently to think about all the trails I’ve been on in my life, I realized something. Some of my most memorable outdoor experiences happened on those trails. I saw a bear for the first time. I heard a bull elk bugle. I saw tracks of a mountain lion where it had…
It’s almost time for the 2014 Birding Cup! When the clock strikes 7:00 p.m. this Friday, May 2, over twenty teams of birders positioned across central Pennsylvania will focus their binoculars on the first bird they can find, and kick off 24 hours of identifying as many bird species as possible. One team might be…
What lovely days we are having outside! After seemingly never-ending snow this winter, we finally get full days of warmth under the sunshine. Of course, we are not the only ones who have some trouble dealing with the cold weather. While we stay warm indoors and enjoy the service of heating systems and insulation thanks…
A lot goes into the production of maple syrup, and the first step in the transition from sap to syrup is tapping. Part of the challenge and the fun of tapping is that we don’t have total control over it. Instead, we are dependent on the weather and the stored energy of the trees, in…