Whoo..Whoo...It's You! Wonder Bugs Wednesday!

Emma Test-driving the Owl Mask!

Whoo..whoo? It’s Miss Tara here to say that we had a hoot yesterday and today! The brief puppet show got some laughs when the silly Blue Jay thought a pine cone was a mouse!  Then, we set up stations for the wonder bugs to explore owl sight, owl feathers & flight, owl pellets, owl talons and prey, and owl books. There was also one area off to the side where wonder bugs could sort the puppets for whether or not they are nocturnal. The biggest fun each day was wearing the Great Horned Owl masks, playing with the wings, trying on the talons and posing for pictures!

The outside hike on Tuesday was a bit longer since the sun was shining and it felt warmer. Plus, there were lots of tracks to find and many mouse tunnels to explore and follow! On Wednesday we found two piles of owl pellets under the big hickory tree. Nobody missed out though because the owl pellets were the ones I made for eating or tearing apart!  We also followed raccoon tracks under and around the pine trees.

“Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” I do, that’s who, and snack was a big hit again this week. With our masks on we got to eat “mice” that ate the fruit. We made a food chain! And the “slices of mices” were yummy; banana bread and apple bread decorated with mouse faces and tails.

By the time the wonder bugs left each day they were brimming with knowledge! Owls hunt at night, cough up owl pellets, have huge eyes that don’t move, fly silently, and are mostly feathers. But that’s not all!  Is there anything you learned that you want to share? Are there any pictures that you would like to share (since I forgot my camera)?  If so, please pass along your facts and pictures to our usual blogger, ALNC's Development & Communications Coordinator, Alanna. You can also check out this site to view some pictures from a dedicated fellow naturalist and super mom who brings her kids to Wonder Bugs.

And finally, wouldn’t it be neat to go owling together some time? With night coming still relatively early in the day, this could be a reality for our wonder bugs. We could read Owl Moon, hike and drink cocoa! If you are interested contact Miss Tara to discuss possible options.

Whoo..whoo..whoo,

Miss Tara
 
Give a hoot about these books:

Night Science for Kids by Terry Krautwurst (ISBN 1-57990-411-4) The owl section will help you continue your owling at home. Plus there are a lot of great ideas for things to do when the sun (but not the fun) goes down. You will need to adapt for younger wonder bugs, but it is worth the effort!

The Book of North American Owls by Helen Roney Sattler (ISBN 0-395-60524-5) This is a neat book for focusing on one small group of birds. The first few chapters discuss all things owls followed by descriptions, drawings and range maps for each North American owl species.


What’s next? Fox Trot! Tuesday/Wednesday March 8/9, 2011

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but around here it’s the fox you have to look out for. Join us for a fascinating foxy adventure!