Timberwolf Trail - Week 35 - 2018-19 Edition

This was a week of firsts. We kicked off the week with the release of our first painted lady butterflies.

Hard to see here, but we saw our first killdeer chicks.

We birded as part of our participation in the Great Wisconsin Birdathon and saw our first bird enter one of our newest birdboxes, It wasn't a woodpecker, but it was still a nice catch.

In preparation for our first field trip from other elementary students in the district, we decorated the trail with some new signs. This section focused on our trail camera visitors.

Not the first time, but we played. :)

We worked with high school students for the first time, making and decorating nature crowns.

We saw and chased our first monarch butterfly, through the future prairie, and right to our budding butterfly garden.

We checked ion on our bird friends.

We found many crawling critters ion and around our insect hotels.

We problem-solved, designed, and engineered a first set of shade structures to keep or imaginary sandbox out of the suns hot rays.

We caught our first toad.

We even enjoyed our end of the week with our first attempt at log painting. We used mud of course.

Thought it was a week of firsts, soon it will be a week of lasts. Only a few more weeks of nature kindergarten left.

Tyke Hike #64 - Hartland Service Hike

Identifying garlic mustard is fairly simple. Pulling it is even easier, especially on a day with a nice wet ground. Doing so on a wonderful stretch of the Ice Age Trail is even better.

This morning, twenty-six hikers (or workers) filled over a dozen large bags of garlic mustard along the Bark River in the Hartland Segment.

We did the same stretch last year and it was awesome to see how it has changed. In fact, there wasn't much of the invasive plant along where we pulled last year. However, it was very clear to see where we left off as the remainder of the area was absolutely loaded with it. This gives us a good lesson about where we can pull next time.

Of course, when you work hard, you have to play hard.

This area had so much garlic mustard, it is even growing out of the fallen trees.

Another great morning with some new friends helping make the trail a better place for all to enjoy.

Timberwolf Trail - Week 34 - 2018-19 Edition

Another amazing week of nature kindergarten has come to a close. Hard to believe the year is so close to wrapping up.

We kept busy this week. We birded,

inspected our insect hotels,

checked n our greener-every-minute butterfly garden, woodchipped,

and heard from former nature kindergartners about animal research projects from first grade.

We also started a new round of outdoor stations. We read assorted books about topics like plants and insects,

deconstructed and reconstructed insect hotels,

worked on our sticks and stones alphabet,

searched for and found garlic mustard,

added entries to our nature notebook,

created dandelion art,

and swept for and inspected various insects

We also contused our woodchipping project, even using our woodchip bins a a creative umbrella replacement.

We also continued our nesting box checks. Enjoy the videos below.

We ended the week with a trip to a local favorite: the Homestead Animal Farm.

We held quail chicks,

made beanie babies,

played,

played some more,

played even more,

trekked through the forest and fields on a tractor,

and met many wonderful animal friends,

including Hummer, who successfully spits on me every year.

We also wrapped up with more outdoor stations,. We explored, shared, and played.