It’s the first day of spring, and Maple Harvest Festival is almost here! Join us this weekend, March 24 and 25, for an action-packed day of maple sugaring demonstrations, interactive teaching stations, live music, Bird of Prey shows, and the ever-favorite all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. Our pancake breakfast features pure maple syrup from regional PA producers,…
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 you may know, at Shaver’s Creek we “trashed” our trash dumpster last year. We now recycle and compost nearly every single item that passes through our facility. Of course, this was not just for our own benefit; we want to inspire people to strive for zero waste in their own homes, and think about…
It's that time of year again – where teachers, naturalists, administrators, students, and environmental education professionals gather for one conference: the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators (PAEE) conference, titled: "Earth: The Educator's Manual." Shaver's Creek staff have been helping to prepare an exceptional event. Expect workshops and presentations on citizen science, engaging diverse audiences, using…
The skunk cabbage is blooming, the sap is flowing, and young bird fancies are turning to thoughts of love—especially if the young bird in question is a bald eagle. Bald eagles start nesting in late February and early March, and the bald eagles here at Shaver’s Creek are no exception. We have three bald…
Our summer camps sure are filling up quickly. Some weeks of camp still have available space, however! This blog post serves as a quick update about the availability of our camps. Due to our member-only registration period in January, many camps quickly reached capacity. You can still receive the discounted summer camp price by becoming…
Children who are allowed free, unstructured time outdoors show increased levels of happiness, cooperation, self-confidence, and tend to maintain a healthier body weight. Kids who take risks outside show improved motor coordination and general ease of movement, especially when involved in physical activities, both functional and recreational. Developing a sense of self is a multifaceted…
Hoot hoot! Our first Owl Prowl of the season is coming up quickly! Join us on Friday, February 24 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. We will take a close look at the injured owls that live at Shaver’s Creek, and learn how owls survive the winter. Then we’ll head outside and try out some of the wild…
The Kids Corner program is up and running:10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center—Discovery RoomWednesdays, February 22, 29, and March 7Cost: FREE thanks to the support of our members and sponsor Growing Tree Toys Exciting, environmental programs for preschool-aged participants and their parents or grandparents! Crafts, games, experiential learning, and more. Last week’s program focused on…
With winter programs happening at Shaver’s Creek like wreath-making and the Solstice Sale & Stroll, it may not seem like we are closed to the general public – but in fact we were, for a couple of months, at least. Of course the staff has been busy – teaching classes both here and on campus,…
Registration for Shaver’s Creek’s 2012 Summer Camps is now CLOSED! Please note that during our member registration period in January and non-member registration in February, many camps were filled. As of May 11, ALL camps are now FULL: Discovery/Explorer 4-day camps: ~ June 26–29 (Full, no waitlist) ~ June 19–22 (Full, no waitlist) ~ July…