2023 Winged Wonders Camp Day 2
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Day 2!
Campers are excited to go camping!
Winged Wonders campers are sure hardy ornithologists who love the outdoors and love birds and birding. We had an amazing week of adventures in the fields and forests of Tollgate Farm, Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, and Corey Marsh Preserve. Monday ended with a surprise visit from Kathleen Daugherty, birder extraordinaire. We took a wagon ride out to the forest to bird and learn with Kathleen.
The trip to KBS the next day went smoothly, despite hot and stormy weather. Meals were delicious, and we hiked many miles from the lodge to base camp to the education building and museum area, including a trek to Windmill Island to swim.
Our young birders spent time in focused observation with their binoculars. Each was assigned a bird and as the group trekked all the way around the lake, they scouted out their birds using their binoculars and the Merlin ID app.
One rainy day activity was to match particular nests with the images of a variety of types of nests – cavity, platform, cup, etc. We gathered in an ‘I Wonder, I Notice’ circle, looking closely at the features of various feathers. Some campers looked closely at one particular bird of prey feather and identified and drew their feather in their journal. This exercise heightened our use of observation.
Heading to the museum area, campers had the opportunity to fish with hook, line, and sinker. Excited, campers caught several fish, weighing and measuring the fish and recording the data to analyze. They caught over 3,500 grams of fish, enough to feed the bald eagles for 4 days. Soon afterward, campers walked by the rehab enclosures to feed some of the fish they caught to Liberty and Patriot, the KBS bald eagles. They also watched as Avian Caretaker Brendan fed rodents and chicks to three of the red-tailed hawks.
Groups gathered in the light rain to build life-size platform nests of the eagle, raven, red-tailed hawk, and great blue heron. In the process, they researched dimensions and other characteristics of their nest to share with the rest of the group. After lunch, campers took a long walk to Gull Lake, where they jumped in the lake to swim, play, and cool off! After a dinner of yummy fish tacos, campers played games, worked on their skits, and were about to head to camp when severe weather caused a change of plans. Staff gathered gear from the tents and the whole group slept on the floor upstairs in the lodge.
On our way home, we were able to stop at Corey Marsh Biological Research Center to learn about the work of Dr. Jen Owen and her staff and to participate in bird banding and release. After returning home, we continued our birding this time with a hike around the pond at Tollgate, dissected quail eggs, did an egg osmosis lab, created enrichment treats for the chickens and ducks, and much more. As the week drew to a close, Winged Wonders played a hardy game of Wrens and Jays, enjoyed popsicles, performed final skits, and said their goodbyes to their new friends and Winged Wonders Camp!
And that's a wrap on their overnight camping trip! Campers had a blast!
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