Our Ocean Institute Naturalist helps us measure the juvenile Gray Whale’s length.Baleen.Using combs to simulate baleen.Anther Ocean Institute Naturalist shows us some marine mammal bones. Here she is holding a dolphin skull.Searching for intertidal animals in the harbor rocks.Listening to a story about the sea.This Naturalist showed us the length of a squid using the…
Crazy Hat Day & More Critters from the Deep!
Turquoise & Burgundy made wetland dioramas!Red & Purple made “Oceans in a Jar.” I’m sure glad I saved all those jars!Black & White played a mysterious game in the Redwood Forest.Turquoise & Burgundy made 3D tidepool creatures!Blue & Green made ocean collages.Kathy teaching the kids about jellyfish.Kate taking the Yellow & Orange kids for a…
Wet n’ Wild Week One: Fabulous Fishes and Bodacious Birds!
The Black & White Group play Wet n’ Wild Jeopardy. Yellow and Orange made sea star art! The Purple and Red Groups made Fish Print Tee Shirts. Animator Brandon Strathman (from Family Guy) shows campers how to illustrate ocean animals. The Purple & Red Groups made crayfish after seeing and touching the real thing. Turquoise and Burgundy made banks…
Habitat Helpers Naturama!
What can you do with those stale bagels? Give them to the birds! Spread Peanut Butter and coat with native seeds to make a yummy treat for your feathered friends. Tashi & Jane got a promotion to Camp Teacher status for the day – they ran a teaching station using recycled toilet paper rolls and…
Endangered & Extinct
Red & Purple made hummingbird feeders out of recycled water bottles! Here we have Red & Purple playing charades. Blue & Green learned about extinct species, and created “fossil footprints.” Black & White learned about tidepool creatures! Junior Naturalist Julia reads a story about insects at the Marsh. Turgundy went on an endangered species scavenger…
Fish and Crawdads and Bears, Oh my!
OK, well, maybe there weren’t any BEARS, but things got a little “fishy” today at the Nature Center!The Blue & Green group practiced the Japanese art of Gyotaku, or “fish printing.” Gyotaku (gyo=fish, taku=rubbing) was invented in the early 1800’s in Japan by the fishermen to record their catch. This was their livelihood (not sport…
It’s Fun Being Green!
They say knowledge is power. Our habitat helpers learned all about the animals and plants in their habitats today. In the photo above, the Black & White group explore the aquatic creatures that live in our Muddy Pond. Invasive, non-native species are the second greatest threat to endangered species, after habitat destruction. Turgundy learned about…
Field Trip to the Ecology Center!
Today the ENC Nature Campers visited the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano!The Folks at the EC were kind enought to provide organic, locally grown oranges for snack! They also gave us yummy organic animal crackers.Who says kids don’t like to eat fruit!?We recycled all of our cans and cups!Max gave us a tour of…
Helping the Habitat – Nature Camp at the ENC
Making coffee filter butterflies.Learning about and making compost.Creating our own bandannas.Hiking through the tickle ferns.This dragonfly flew by during a hike to search for arthropods!Using magnifying lenses to search for arthropods.Checking on the Monarch caterpillars – they’re getting huge!
Habitat Helpers Camp at the ENC
ENC Campers show off their re-usable water bottles. Plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil per year (USA Today). That much energy could power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year.In roughly the last 10 years, the amount of plastic bottles being recycled increased from about 775…
Naturama!
During Naturama Day, Campers rotate between 5 stations, where they spend time with each of the Camp Teachers & participate in fun activities!Meghan & Jeanine taught the kids about scat, then the kids made edible owl pellets! Looking at Bear Scat.Making edible owl pellets. Sama tells a hummingbird legend and Mark helps the kids make…
Campers take flight & visit the OC Zoo
The highlight of our Zoo experience was definitely the petting zoo! This little goat’s name is “Unforgettable.” These are definitely the most spoiled goats I’ve ever met! Meghan competes for a seat in the petting zoo. Jeanine points out an Island Fox. All of the animals at the OC Zoo and there because they are being rescued. Then we…