Posts Tagged With: summer camp

Whooooo is that in the Woods?

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Whooooo is that in the Woods?

We are meeting one last animal here at camp at Lake Salamander. Next month we head to Camp E&E by the Sea! This month has just flown by way too fast too! Maybe we’ll come back for a few weeks in August before school starts! The animals we are meeting tonight, is a big bird and one of course that prefers the night! Let’s hope the Great Horned Owl sings tonight!

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Great Horned Owl Fun Facts:

  • Great horned owls have those two fabulous tufts on their heads. Those are not its ears. They are thought to help with camouflage or identify individuals.
  • Their ears are actually on their facial disk and are not symmetrical. The right one is higher than the left. This gives them super hearing and enables them to locate prey that is moving and not in sight!
  • They can catch prey that is larger than themselves, as well as prey as small as scorpions.
  • Great horned owls have powerful talons. They use them to snap the spine of their prey.
  • Females are larger than males.
  • Crows are not the great horned owl’s friend. The owl’s are their top predator, so crows are known to harass them.

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We could sit out here all night and listen to these great and powerful predators call to each other. Just give a listen here!

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Whoooooo’s Crafty?

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Whoooooo’s Crafty?

We’re in the craft cabin today to make stuffed owls! Whooooo is excited as we are? Woohoot! Hehehe! Let’s get started!

Materials:

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  • Felt in browns, black, white & yellow (color not shown)
  • Scissors
  • Felt glue or hot glue (not shown)
  • Hole punch
  • Whole flax seed or stuffing (not shown)
  • Funnel
  • Pattern

Instructions:

  • Cut out all your pieces. Make sure to cut two owls!IMG_4811
  • Use a hole punch to make the irises for your owl’s eye.

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  • Place all the pieces together. We free hand cut a beak.
  • Glue to body parts to the one piece of your owl.

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  • Glue the two bodies together- leaving a small opening at the bottom. If you are using felt glue, let your owl dry before filling it.

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  • Use the funnel to fill your with flax seed. If you do not have a funnel- you can make a cone from paper that will work! If you are using stuffing- just stuff it in with a chopstick.

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  • Glue the bottom opening together! Don’t want your owl to lose stuffing.
  • Then enjoy hanging out with your stuffed owl!

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Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, camp, Children, conservation, crafts, education, Environment, nature, owls, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Say Hello to Our Stinky Friend

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Say Hello to Our Stinky Friend

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The Salamander Woods are home to another night time creature- the spotted skunk! You heard it here folks, not all skunks are striped- some are spotty! We’re going to learn more about them this evening as we roast marshmallows at the campfire!

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Spotted Skunk Fun Facts:

  • These skunks are not very big, only about 21 inches long with tail. They only weigh around 1 1/2 pounds!
  • They are part of the mustelid family, which include weasels, otters and badgers.
  • Spotted skunks are considered to be the most active of all the skunks.
  • They live underground or in trees.
  • These little stinkers stomp their feet before spraying a predator. They then do a handstand to get the best shot at shooting their prey with extra stinky spray.
  • They are omnivores.

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We sure are glad the family of skunks here at camp are friendly. We would hate it if one of our campers was sprayed. Luckily we have a solitary tent for those who make get it! Hahahaha!

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Awesome Opossum!

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Awesome Opossum!

This week- we are staying up late and meeting the critters who are nocturnal and one of our favorite camp nocturnal residents is the opossum! These marsupials get a bad rap, but they are truly amazing! We invited our friend Ophelia Opossum to come and share some neat facts with us here at camp!

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Hi everyone! I’m here to share with you more about me! Yay!!!

  • I am the only marsupial in North America! That’s right- I have a pouch where my babies grow as they develop!
  • The name is Opossum- true possums live all the way around the other side of the world in Australia and New Guinea! So- remember the O!
  • We are mostly immune to venomous snakes! That’s right- we ain’t afraid of those legless reptiles!
  • I love to eat snails, slugs, beetles and most importantly – ticks! Yep- I can eat around 4,000 ticks a week! That’s good because those nasty bugs can transmit some dangerous diseases.
  • You primates think you are the only ones with opposable toes, well I am here to tell you- I have them too! They help me climb!
  • I also have a prehensile tail! I can hang from it, but only for short periods. I can also carry things like grass with it.
  • I have 50 teeth in my mouth! Say cheese!
  • Finally- I do play dead when I am threatened. It is an involuntary response- I can not control it. I can stay in this state for up to 4 hours!

 

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People say we aren’t cute, but I totally disagree! Look at that pink nose and cute ears! We are much more helpful than you realized! Let’s all give the opossums out there some love and respect! Now, who wants to go play opossum with me down by Lake Salamander?

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, marsupial, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dave the Daddy Long Legs!

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Dave the Daddy Long Legs!

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Hi! I’m Dave the daddy long legs! I’m that familiar arachnid that everyone knows, but what do your really know about me? Well campers I’m here to tell you 8 great things about daddy long legs!

  1. I’m not a true spider! Yes, I am an arachnid, but I have one solid body and one pair of eyes. Technically I’m more closing related to scorpions.
  2. I belong to a group of arachnids who are called harvestmen. We get that name because we are spotted near the time of the harvest.
  3. We’ve been on the planet for 400 million years! You can find my relatives on every continent but Antarctica- we leave that cold place for the penguins! Brrrrrrr!
  4. I don’t have venom. So that old wives tail that I’m deadly but my fangs are too short is just a big ole lie, because I don’t have fangs either!
  5. There are around 6,000-7,000 known species of us harvestmen. We come in big and small sizes and let me tell you- some of us are wild looking!
  6. No- my legs do not grow back! So, please leave them on me!
  7. We are clean and tidy. After meals, we run our legs through our jaws to clean them! We’re the cats of the arachnid world! Hahaha!
  8. We’re not in to traveling. We live our whole lives in one small area. So no need to try and sell us a suitcase.

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Well I hope now that you more about me and my cousins, it will make you appreciate us! Don’t worry- we won’t bite :)!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Craft Day- Clay Butterflies!

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Craft Day- Clay Butterflies!

We’re in the craft cabin today and we’re making clay butterflies! Does everyone have a seat and their supplies?

Materials:

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  • Scissors
  • Butterfly pattern
  • Exacto knife
  • Oven baked clay in multiple colors
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling pin

 

Instructions:

  • Cut out patterns.

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  • Warm up the clay with your hands or hooves.

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  • Roll out your clay with the rolling pin on parchment paper.

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  • Place your butterfly on the clay and cut around it. Be careful with the exacto- ask an adult for help if you need too.

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  • Use the other clay colors to decorate your butterfly. Make sure you press these into your butterfly or they can fall off.

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  • If you are going to hang your butterfly, use a chopstick to poke a small hole.

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  • Bake your butterflies at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.

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  • Add magnets or string to your butterflies so they can fly all over!

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As always- show us your work campers! Post to Instagram and tag us! Post to our Facebook wall or tweet us! Woohoo!

 

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Categories: adventure, Animals, butterflies, camp, Children, conservation, crafts, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Butterflies!

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Butterflies!

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Today we’re learning about butterflies in camp! We have some fun facts and a great poem written by Edmond! Butterflies are his favorite! It is a myth that they were originally called fluttebys, but it still makes us giggle.

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  • Butterflies are insects.
  • They have six legs, two antenna and a segmented body.
  • They have 4 wings. Those wings are covered in tiny scales.
  • Butterflies have a 4 stage life cycle; egg, larva (caterpillars), pupa (chrysalis) and adult.
  • Female butterflies lay their eggs on plants.
  • Most caterpillars are herbivores, where as their adult form the butterfly is a nectar eater.
  • There are around 20,000 species of butterflies.
  • Butterflies are found on all continents except Antarctica.

 

 

Oh Butterfly- by Edmond Horse

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby

You are a gorgeous bug!

Oh Butterfly, Flufferby

You start in a cocoon so snug.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

How I love your colors so.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

We love to watch you grow.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You have the most delicate wings.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You make me want to sing.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

It’s time for you to pollinate.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You are top rate!

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You taste with your feet!

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

That is just so neat!

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You are most special.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

You stop by each and every blossom.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

I could watch you all day.

Oh Butterfly, Flutterby,

My love for you will never stray!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, butterflies, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, poetry, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hello Crayfish!

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Hello Crayfish!

It’s almost the end of cave week here at Camp E&E! We met one really cute little critter in the caves on our way out.

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Southern Cave Crayfish Fun Facts:

  • These little crayfish spend their entire lives in caves.
  • Cave crayfish lack sight! They use touch and smell to get around.
  • Most cave crayfish are translucent.
  • Females are larger than men.
  • They are one of the largest animals in the cave ecosystem. Due to a lack of food, animals evolve to be smaller in these dark habitats.
  • The cave ecosystem can be low in oxygen.
  • Southern cave crayfish can live up to 15-20 years.
  • They eat insects and blind cave fish!

These crazy crayfish are so cool! They are slow to grow and live  long life due to the lack of resources in the cave system. These caves are not for the weak!

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blind in the Cave

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Blind in the Cave

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We are enjoying spelunking with the campers this week! Deep in the cave there is a lake, it is part of the same system of water that makes up Lake Salamander! It is in the cave lake we can find some of the most interesting and alien like animals on the earth! Make sure you have on your head lamps campers!

blind cave fish

Blind Cave Fish Fun Facts:

  • These little fish only get up to 4 1/2 inches long.
  • Blind cave fish have lost their ability to see and some of have even lost their eyeballs. Crazy right!?
  • They use their lateral lines along their bodies to get around. Those lateral lines detect different kinds of pressure.
  • They eat bat droppings.
  • Scientists think the fish lost their eyesight to reduce energy use!

 

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These little fish were such a fun find! Woohoo! Camp is just the best!

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bat Fun Facts

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Bat Fun Facts

We love our bat friends! They come out every night by camp searching for mosquitoes.   Brown bats are the ones we see the most at camp! They live just inside the caves on the other side of the lake. These little buddies can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes an hour! Yay! Let’s learn more about bats!

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  • Bats are the only true flying mammal on earth!
  • There are around 1,200 different species.
  • Bats have specialized wings that help them fly- bat wings have five appendages- including a thumb on top to help them climbs.
  • Bat wings are covered in a thin membrane called the patagium.
  • Scientists believe that bats evolved around 100 million years ago.

brown bats

  • Bats are nocturnal.
  • Bats use echolocation to detect prey, especially flying insects.
  • Most bats are very social and live in large groups.
  • Some bats do sleep upside down.
  • When a bat’s feet are gripped around a branch upside down they are in a relaxed position. When humans make a fist, their muscles are rigid. That is the opposite with bat feet! Pretty neat huh? 

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These beneficial little critters don’t spend all of their lives in caves, they must come out to find food every night! We just love them!!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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