5 Rivers trip

Today we went down to 5 Rivers Environmental Center to visit a pond. This is the theme of the month in the Mud Puddles Nature Lab so we got right into it! It was an excellent trip! Maddie found 3 trees she doesn't have in her tree identification book: white willow, shagbark hickory and horse chestnut. 

New Visitor Center

Maddie talking with a barred owl. He liked her but did not like it when Brian and I came over too! 

white willow

We took off down the Old Field Trail but didn't see much beyond trees and bees until we reached the pond. I noticed a turtle sunbathing. Turned out to be a painted turtle then a Great Blue Heron came down and landed on a log which set off all the frogs! 

Its hard to see but the blue heron is over there on the log! I promise!

Then a green backed heron came and landed on this log right next to us. He is there I promise! I was trying to stay out of Little Owl's way!!

14 (not all in this picture!) Canada Geese then came parading by!

They looked like they had come to play! I think the parents were perhaps giving beginning flying lessons because they kept swimming about like they were going to take off when they were diving under!

After we watched them for a bit and the herons flew off we continued around to the other side of the pond. There we were able to get down closer to the pond and found frogs and frog eggs!

Can you find the frog?

The white floating things are eggs! 

Then we continued back to the car with no more eventful sightings and headed for home! It was a good day!!