The Young Naturalists Club met at Brookside County Park on Sunday, June 7, 2015. The club members participated in a discussion about Owls. The children were presented very interesting facts about the how the owl finds its prey, about the exceptional vision and placement of the eyes of the owl, the significance of the serrations on the flight feathers of the owl, and why does an owl produce pellets. The children viewed photos of various owls, noting the detail in the eye discs and coloring of the feathers. Long-eared owl wing feathers were passed around allowing the children to experience the softness of the feathers edge. An owl pellet, found near a local kestrel nest box, was carefully looked at, the tiny bird skull, fine bones and other undigested material all capturing the attention of the children. A short quiz was given, with older members, Vanessa and Ryan, reading the questions aloud. The children then created an owl pin using felt, pine cone pieces and googly-eyes!

The day ended with the filling of the bird feeders and a hike along the trail that encompasses the park. For those that quietly followed the trail, a special sighting of a Black Crown Night Heron was a true reward.

Click to enlarge photos – Photos Courtesy of Janet Gremli