Posts Tagged ‘blog’
Creatures & Critters: Turtle Edition
Meet Ada, Darling, and Teddy! Ada and Darling are red-eared sliders and Teddy is a ornate box turtle. The Nature Center is home to these three turtles. Red-eared sliders are brightly marked and their carapace looks like a bowl turned upside down. The shell of a red-eared slider is divided into “scutes.” They look like Read More »
Read MoreWas the Turkey Almost Our National Bird?
Word on the street is that the turkey was almost our national bird. With Thanksgiving Day occurring this week, what better time to dig deeper into this question. Back when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were given the task to design Read More »
Read MoreNuts about Squirrels
Squirrels are one of the most common critters around, but how much do you know about this remarkable rodent? Here are 10 facts that will make you nuts about squirrels! The Indian giant squirrel is the biggest species of squirrels. It can grow up to be 36 inches long! The African pygmy squirrel is the Read More »
Read MoreHow’d the Hedgehog Get Its Name?
There are 15 species of hedgehogs in the world. Each species is similar, but they each have small characteristics and habitual differences. The typical body length of a hedgehog is 5 to 12 inches long and the average length of the tail is 1-2 inches. They weigh about 1-2 pounds. The hedgehog has quite a Read More »
Read MoreBat Appreciation
October is bat appreciation month! Overall, bats get a relatively bad reputation for their unique characteristics. While it is bat appreciation month, we should really appreciate them all year long. Bats offer a variety of benefits. Here are some of the great work they do for their ecosystems: They control the insect populations. Bats eat Read More »
Read MoreHow Do Chickadees Survive Winter?
The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common birds in the northern half of North American meaning you have probably seen one or many in your backyard. Since these birds are so common, you might have noticed they’re still around eating from birdfeeders. But shouldn’t they be migrating by now? Most birds have migrated Read More »
Read MoreOsprey Diary: Transition time
I was sitting on the nest like any other day when I felt it. Tap, tap, tap. A soft rhythm was coming from inside one of my brown speckled eggs. Tap, tap, tap. It was time. I had done my job and the babies were ready to break out of their shells and meet us Read More »
Read MoreSee the larva inside the indoor bee hive
Graphic from beesinfo.info When looking at the indoor honeybee hive at the Dickinson County Nature Center, take a step back and look from different angles. The honeycomb is shiny with lots of nectar that the forager bees have begun to bring in this spring, most likely from the plethora of dandelions that are in Read More »
Read MoreColor match trek in the Nature Playscape
Yesterday, I stopped at the local hardware store and picked up a few paint chips to take into the Nature Playscape at the Dickinson County Nature Center. I thought I would play a little game and see what colors in nature I could match to my paint chips. The outdoor play area has so many Read More »
Read MoreMake your own backyard birding binoculars
Birding is such a popular hobby because everyone can do it. Whether you are backyard birding, taking a hike or even boating, you can always catalogue the birds that you see. The he Dickinson County Nature Center features nests of some of the most common birds you might see right outside your window. (Grackles, blackbirds Read More »
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