TN Naturalists @ Ijams shout "Hurray for Herps"

The 2015 class of the TN Naturalist @ Ijams met last Saturday for their fifth in a series of 12 classes. This time it was a brief look at herpetology.

In the morning, Dr. Louise Conrad taught the reptile portion of the curriculum and after a lunch break, Stephen Lyn Bales followed up with amphibians. After indoor workshops, both sessions explored the many places and ponds at the nature center looking for "herps," i.e. snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads, salamanders and newts.  

This is the third year that Ijams is involved in this state-wide program. In addition to the 12 classes, students must put in 40 hours of volunteer work at Ijams or elsewhere. After all the classes and volunteer requirements are met, the students become certified Tennessee Naturalists. 

- Photos by Warren Hamlin and Allen Coggins. Thanks!

Click below links for a look back at the first four classes

Birding: 1

Tennessee Trees

Ferns and Wildflowers

Introduction

TN Naturalist @ Ijams first bird class held

American kestrel

The 2015 class of the TN Naturalist @ Ijams met last Saturday for their fourth of a series of classes. 

This was the first of two programs dedicated to birds, their habitats, nesting habitats, seasonal movements and more.

2015 is the third year that Ijams is involved in this state-wide program. In addition to the 12 classes, students must put in 40 hours of volunteer work at Ijams or elsewhere. After all the requirements are met, the students will become certified Tennessee Naturalists. 

- Stephen Lyn Bales. Photos by Warren Hamlin. 

Photo by News Sentinel: Paul Efird

Photo by News Sentinel: Paul Efird

Click below links for a look back at the first three classes

Tennessee Trees

Ferns and Wildflowers

Introduction

Ijams birding group visits Chota, listens for Chucks

Ijams staff members Dr. Louise Conrad and Rex McDaniel

Thank you to all who joined Ijams for our recent sunset picnic at Chota, the Cherokee Peace Town. The site is sacrosanct and spiritual. It remains as it was to the Native Americans so long ago, a place of peace.

We visited the Memorial and paid our respects at the grave of Oconastota, the great Cherokee Warrior Chief who died of old age at Chota in 1783.

Our group also hoped to hear male Chuck-will's-widows and whip-poor-wills calling in the twilight. Both are possible.

In the end, we heard only Chucks, and ironically the closest was in the parking lot where our picnic began.

In the dark, Jason Dykes made an audio recording of that one greeting us as we arrived back at our cars guided by our flashlights. Click: Jason's chuck. 

Thank you, Amy and Jimmy for providing the picnic!

- Stephen Lyn Bales

 

 

20th WaterFest welcomed 600 first graders to day of fun, learning

"Water, water everywhere, let's have some fun with it!" (Paraphrasing Coleridge.)

The 20th annual WaterFest held at Ijams was splashing spectacular! Over 6oo first-grade students and their teachers learned about the importance of water and maintaining good water quality, plus there were a lot of water-centric activities. Splish! Splash!

WaterFest is a free field trip for area students that comes at the end of the school year.

Special thanks to WaterFest partners and sponsors: the Water Quality Forum, CAC AmeriCorps, KUB and the East Tennessee Foundation. 

Oh, the watery memories!

- Story and photos by Stephen Lyn Bales