Ijams at Wilderness Wildlife Week for Ninth Year

LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge

New venue for WWW

The 24th Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week has moved to another venue: the beautiful new LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge. The yearly gathering features oodles of free activities and programs designed to connect visitors to nature.

Stop by and visit us at the Ijams booth! Or at one of our six presentations:

Sat. Jan 25, 2:30 PM

TN Owls & Woodpeckers

Greenbrier Hall C - Stephen Lyn

Mon. Jan. 27, 11:30 AM

Putting the Pigeon Back 

in Pigeon Forge

North Room 2 - Paul 

and 1:30 PM

Audubon's "Birds of America"

South Room 1 - Stephen Lyn

Wed. Jan 29, 2:30 PM 

Secrets of Backyard Birds

South Room 3 - Stephen Lyn

Thurs, Jan 30, 3 PM

Ghost Birds: Tanner & the Ivorybill

South Room 2 - Stephen Lyn

Fri. Jan 31, 12:30 PM

IDing Local Birds of Prey

Greenbrier Hall A - Stephen Lyn

Ijams Booth

Wagging walkers walk despite the early morning cold

It may have been cold last Saturday morning. 

OK. It was cold. But that didn't deter the Wagging Walkers from bringing their dogs for a walk and wag.

The third Saturday of every month, Ijams' veterinarian Dr. Louise Conrad leads a dog walk at the nature center, as she walks her own canine companion. (That's her on the far left with Gandalf.) Along the way Dr. Louise reviews good doggy etiquette at the park and helps owners understand the special safety concerns for dogs in nature. 

It's also a good time to ask a trained vet any dog (or cat or bird) related question. The fee for this program is $5 for non-members and free for members. The next Wagging Walk is scheduled for February 15. Please call (865) 577-4717, ext. 110 to register.

Mead's and Ross Marble approved by state as 'Historic Sites'

Tennessee Historic Commission group at Ross Marble Keyhole

This week, Ijams hosted the Tennessee Historic Commission for its State Review of regional properties nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. Both Mead’s Quarry and Ross Marble Quarry were considered within the context of a multiple property nomination for the Tennessee Marble Industry.

GREAT NEWS! Both sites were approved at the state level and will be forwarded to the national panel in Washington, D.C. Final approval should occur within 45-60 days.

Before the meeting, an enthusiastic group hiked out to Mead’s Quarry on a frosty yet clear morning and then onto to the Keyhole at Ross Marble led by Ijams’ Director, Paul James, and Senior Naturalist, Stephen Lyn Bales.

Special thanks to the staff at the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU and in particular, Dr. Susan Knowles for her dedicated and inspiring research and coordination of Tennessee Marble days at Ijams and the East Tennessee History Center.

Thanks to all for bringing worthy recognition to these important historical sites.

- Story Paul James, Ijams Executive Director. Photo Stephen Lyn Bales

EDITOR'S NOTE: Hats off to Paul! Part of the reason this happened is his dedication to uncovering the lost history of Ijams and the quarries. - S.L.B.

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Ijams: A cornerstone of our family for years

Simon

Open letter: Ijams Nature Center has been a cornerstone of our family life since my son (now 9) was a baby. It's been a place to  explore tadpoles and hold birthday parties and, now that he's older, it's a place to hike, canoe and attend nature camps. 

One of my favorite recent memories was building a bluebird house as a family as part of a Saturday morning Ijams program! 

I know that as the years go by Ijams will continue to be a part of our family, and we'll make more wonderful memories there. We are so lucky to live here and I know there are things to see that we haven't even discovered yet!!

- Mary Lucal

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ijams has been providing meaningful outdoor experiences for local urban youth for the past 91 years. - SLB

Winter Day Camp held despite the winter weather

Last Monday, Ijams hosted a Winter Day Camp but the weather turned wintry.

Only one camper was able to make it to the center. What did we do? 

Lauren and Jennifer took advantage of what the day gave them and had fun with one. Call it special attention, but a good time was definitely had by all, even if that all was only one.

- Stephen Lyn Bales. Photos Jennifer Roder. 

Check out Ijams feature in 'Everything Knoxville' for January

Ijams feature. Page 54

 The holidays are over; January finally here. Wow, 2014. 

Now that the festivities are over and you’re sitting there, perhaps a bit cabin feverish, staring at those New Year’s Resolutions to “Get out more. Do more. Exercise more.” And, dare say, “Drop a few pounds,” then Ijams Nature Center is the place for you. The greenspace and wildlife sanctuary in South Knoxville located only a few miles upstream from the University of Tennessee and downtown has grown to over 300 acres. And much of the new acreage is set aside for recreational use. 

January 'Everything Knoxville'

Even through the canoes and paddleboards are stored for the winter and won’t resurface on Mead’s Quarry Lake until next April, there are hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty meandering about the hillsides.

• Educational Programs: In 2014, Ijams will be celebrating its 91st year of nature-related programs. Originally in 1923, it was the Girl Scouts, but now programs are geared to all age groups—youngster and oldster alike...

For the rest of the story, check out the January issue of Everything Knoxville. 

- Stephen Lyn Bales

2014 brought early blessed event, a hundred times over

Mantis egg case hatching

Back from the holiday break. 

Probably the best Christmas/naturalist story comes from education director Jennifer Roder and her husband Wayne.

Their live Christmas tree came pre-decorated. 

Jen noticed two praying mantis egg cases (called oothecae, or singular ootheca) on the branches. Inside, where it was warm, time speeds up for the miracle of life contained inside.

Four days into the New Year, one of the oothecae started to hatch. Within a very short time their livingroom came alive with hundreds of tiny crawling, hungry baby carnivorous insects. Mantises are good to have in the garden, not so good parlor.

"Mantises everywhere!" Jen wrote. Surprise!

- Stephen Lyn Bales. Photos by mantid mama Jennifer 

First of the Hobbit Days celebrated at Ijams

Ijams Nature Center celebrated the release of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” last Saturday. 

Hobbits, elves and wizards alike found something fun at this Hobbit-themed event. They made cloak pins, Hobbit ears, Hobbit door pendants and even decorated their own furry feet cookies (sounds gross, tastes great!). All this Middle Earth fun and they didn't even need to travel to the Lonely Mountain!

- Jennifer Roder, Sabrina DeVault, Stephen Lyn Bales

 

Dr. Louise holds Gandalf and, yes, that's his real name!

Scrawny dog? No, make that a coyote spotted near Ijams

South Knoxville coyote. Not great photo quality but I shot it with my cell phone out the car window.
(I did manage to park the car first.) 

Driving to Ijams is always a joy for naturalists. With over 300 acres, you never know what you'll see or hear. 

Last Thursday, a flock of sandhill cranes flew past. Beavers, even otters, are sometimes seen in the river, both red and gray foxes are present and the birdlife varies with the season.

Two weeks ago, I saw something I had never seen. On my way to work just after crossing Chapman Highway on East Moody—the major in and out of the business district since repairs are being made to the Henley Street Bridge—there it stood; bold as brie.

At first glance, I thought I'd spotted a skittish, scrawny dog watching traffic from a hillside, yet, in a flash, I realized it was NO DOG. There was a coyote (Canis latrans) a scant two miles from downtown Knoxville, south of the river, during the noon hour, a brazen assault on my world view. Wow. (I think we all need flexible world views, don't you?)

Karyn Adams, president of the Ijams board, has seen one in that general area as well.

First a wily coyote, is a roadrunner too much to hope for?

Beep!  Beep!

- Stephen Lyn Bales

Holiday shopping tip: Adopt an Animal at Ijams

Dr. Louise Conrad is in charge of all animal care at Ijams including the great horned owl

Turkey Vulture

Here's an idea for a gift for someone that has everything and needs nothing. Adopt one of the education animals at Ijams for a year. 

No, the animal doesn't come home with you, although having supper with a turkey vulture would be most entertaining. She's a very fastidious eater; always cleans her  carcass. 

What you do provide are the funds for veterinary care and food for an animal for a year. Prices vary. Care for a darter is less than care for a great horned owl. Our albino box turtle eats less than the red-tailed hawk. And, although it's the larger of the two, our mudpuppy eats less than the screech-owl, as does the painted turtle. Oh, the advantages of being cold-blooded.

Albino box turtle

Adopters get a certificate. And when they visit Ijams the satisfaction of knowing they have helped care for a captive animal. 

For more information call Sarah at (865) 577-4717, ext. 124.

- Stephen Lyn Bales 

Painted turtle

Ijams TN Naturalists end 2013 schedule after 16 classes

2013 TN Naturalists class on last outing with Mead's Quarry Lake in background

The Tennessee Naturalist Program at Ijams is an ongoing series that introduces participants to the wonder of the state’s amazing natural resources. A total of 16 sessions, each either two, three or four hours long, were held in 2013. 

Sessions were taught by the Ijams education staff: Jennifer Roder, Peg Beute, Dr. Louise Conrad, Sabrina DeVault and Stephen Lyn Bales. By the end of the 16 classes and required volunteer hours,  the attendees will be Certified Tennessee Naturalists. 

For a look back at a couple of the classes taught in warmer weather click: Jen or Peg. 

For information or to enrollment for 2014 classes call Jen at (865) 577-4717, ext. 130.

For more information about the statewide Tennessee Naturalist Program, visit our website at Ijams TN Naturalists. 

Sandhill cranes spotted flying over Ijams this morning

NEWS FLASH: A flock of at least 19 sandhill cranes flew over Ijams within the hour: 9 a.m.

Dr. Louise Conrad and I first heard their distinctive bugling calls and then spotted them, circling, gaining altitude east of the nature center before they continued their migration south perhaps to Hiwassee Wildlife Management Area.
 
Luckily, we heard no shots since the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission recently passed (much to the chagrin of 88 percent of the state's respondents) a limited hunting season on the beautiful birds.

"Commission members allowed the sandhill crane hunt despite massive opposition from Tennesseans who answered polls -- and attended the commission's two-day meeting in Knoxville," reported Louie Brogdon in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "The commission received more than 1,000 responses from the public about the crane hunt; 888 opposed it."

Here's a thought: With so many European starlings out there, millions of them, pests, nesting in dryer vents and newspaper boxes, destructive to other species, who needs another bird to shoot? And besides hitting a starling is a better display of marksmanship than shooting a four-and-a-half foot tall crane that doesn't choose a mate and start raising a family until it's five years old.

In January, Ijams often leads a carpool outing to Hiwassee to see the gathered cranes. Watch our website for details.

- Stephen Lyn Bales

Holiday on-line auction benefits both CTV and Ijams

Just in time for the holidays! CTV-Knoxville: Community Television Knoxville is hosting an on-line Holiday Gift Auction that ends this Saturday. Proceeds from the event go to both CTV and Ijams, two Community Shares agencies. 

To shop and bid click: Holiday Gift Auction.

CTV does great work, giving people and groups a voice and access to the public airways. Plus, gavel to gavel coverage of local government meetings. Stay informed, watch CTV! Check it out: CTV.

Watch this Saturday, Ijams' own Peg Beute live on air, noon until 2 p.m. And, bid and bid often.

- Stephen Lyn Bales  

Pirates gather to celebrate a birthday at Ijams

Ahoy Matey! There was a plethora of pirate pups recently at Ijams. Well, actually it was a pirate themed birthday party. 

This time, Lilah (darling one middle back row) celebrated her eight birthday with a gathering of pirates. Aaaagh!

Ijams hosts over 100 birthday parties a year and although the theme may be whimsical, the nature lessons we teach are real. Generally we show a few live education animals and then go outside looking for tadpoles or salamanders or whatever happens to crawl out from under a log.

For more information about a birthday party at Ijams in 2014 call Sabrina at (865) 577-4717, ext. 116. 

- Stephen Lyn Bales

Discovery Trail barred owl makes another appearance

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Barred owl on Discovery Trail. 

Ijams visitor Bill Hahnemann emails, "This guy (gal?) is probably a local park celebrity and by it's stoic behavior, accustomed to human traffic along the trail, but I just thought I would let you know it gave me quite a surprise on my walk through the park on Monday afternoon.  What a beautiful creature and what a moment it was to be in its presence.  I love Ijams!"

Although the great blue heron is the icon we use on our logo, perhaps we should consider the barred owl instead. They are so often seen by visitors, it's almost like they're on staff.

- Stephen Lyn Bales. Photo by Bill Hahnemann

Eagle Scout project restores Ijams' Plaza Pond

Eagle Scout Clifford Stallworth

Ijams would like to thank Eagle Scout Clifford Stallworth.

For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Stallworth of Troop-6 Boy Scouts of America, Knoxville, raised funds to rent a $250 pump to remove silt from the Plaza Pond in front of the Ijams' Visitor Center.

Stowers Equipment rental Company donated the $200 rental of intake and discharge hose for the project. 

They deepened the pond and removed vegetation to maintain the site as a viable pond and keeping it from evolving into a plant-filled swamp. 

Local scouts—first the Girl then the Boy Scouts—began coming to Ijams to fulfill their badge requirements in 1923. That's 90 years ago!

- Story by Ed Yost. Photos by Alan Easley and Stephen Lyn Bales

Troop 6 and volunteers

And a week and replenishing rain later, a pond reborn!