Scripps/HGTV spend Volunteer Day at Ijams. Thank you!

Many special projects here at Ijams would simply never get done without volunteers. The Ijams staff can only do so much.

That's why we love it when Scripps/HGTV calls and wants to spend one of their Volunteer Days helping us. They usually come en masse with their sleeves rolled up ready to tackle something big, eager to help.

Yesterday, over 45 Scripps volunteers showed up to work on the new ropes course being constructed on the Hunter Site (western edge of Ijams near the overflow parking opposite the front gate). 

That many people can get a lot done quickly, and for that we say "Thank you" over 45 times.

- Text and photos Stephen Lyn Bales

Monarch butterfly commits its future to Ijams park bench

As a life-long naturalist, I'm still overwhelmed, shocked, amazed by the miracle of nature. Generally, on any given day, if you look hard enough you will find something that is truly, well, miraculous; life-affirming in its beauty. 

Although nature is not always beautiful, it is always interesting. And in this case, it is both.

Saturday afternoon, after hours of heavy rain, on a walk through the plaza in front of the Visitor Center, I spotted something miraculous happening. A monarch butterfly caterpillar was beginning to shed its last larval skin and morph into a chrysalis. Inside something astoundingly wondrous happens. The caterpillar breaks down and reforms itself into a butterfly, a classic metaphor for reinventing yourself. 

After a short time, if the fates allow—after all it is quite vulnerable—it will emerge as an adult monarch and fly south to Mexico, having never been there. 

The park bench is dedicated to Donna Young, retired City of Knoxville Greenway Director and I can think of no one more "full of life" than Donna. Perhaps the monarch sensed this was a fortuitous, good karmic bench to risk its fortunes on.

- Story and photos by Stephen Lyn Bales and Rex McDaniel. 

A teachable moment: Kids from Bearden United Methodist at Ijams on a field trip
pause to examine the monarch chrysalis on the park bench.

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Artist Derek White's sculpture showcased at Ijams

Ijams symbol, the great blue heron, cut into 1/2 inch steel, now greets visitors to the park. 
The sculpture is on loan but we hope it finds a permanent home here. 

Clean-cut, as though he used an X-Acto knife on construction paper. 

But, no! It's far more substantial. The metal sculpture of artist Derek White was featured at last weekend's Symphony in the Park at Ijams. His work captures the delicate, flowing lines of nature in a remarkable medium: sheets of steel. A feather that will last a millennium. White creates and sells a variety of products. He can be found at the Farmer's Market every Saturday on Market Square in downtown Knoxville.

Derek White

- Story, photos Stephen Lyn Bales, Jennifer Roder.

28th Annual Symphony in the Park was très bien, enchanting!

Maybe it was the Bach adagio from his "Cantata No. 156," or maybe it was the medley from "Les Miserables," or it was Logan Brill's version of "La Vie En Rose" sang in French, or maybe it was the metal sculpture of Derek White, or maybe it was the food and fellowship or the passing nighthawks that flew overhead at twilight. A great event is the sum of its many parts, and last night's 28th Annual Symphony in the Park at Ijams was just that: a great event!

As always Maestro Lucas Richman and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra were superb blended with the nature sounds as the sun gave way to early evening. Guest artist Logan Brill with guitarist Brian Downing preformed three songs, all beautiful, even oh là là très bien, enchanting. 

Special thanks to Symphony Sponsors Stephen and April Harris; plus Jupiter Entertainment; Alcoa, Inc.; City of Knoxville; Pinnacle Financial Partners; The Trust Company of Knoxville; Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C.; Bryant Research; Knoxville Beverage Company; Knoxville News-Sentinel; Moxley Carmichael; Prestige Cleaners; RockTenn; Southern Shores Development; UT Medical Center and Vulcan Materials Company.

Congratulations to Carol Evans of Legacy Parks Foundation for receiving the Ijams Spirit Award. 

Symphony in the Park is a fund-raiser for Ijams. Congratulations to Ijams staffers: Mary Thom, Sarah, Jenny and Jeff for planning such a wonderful event! And many thanks to the dozens of volunteers.

For more, visit Cynthia Moxley's The Blue Streak: SIP 

- Story and photos, Stephen Lyn Bales

Young symphony attendee plays among crow sculptures by Derek White

Early morning canoe trip found plenty of atmosphere

This morning's canoe trip on Mead's Quarry Lake was memorable for its mist. Early morning fog blanketed the water as we set out in search of freshwater jellyfish. So there was plenty of moody atmosphere, but no jellies.

Special thanks to AmeriCorps member Victoria for helping me!

- Stephen Lyn Bales

Magic and cuteness abound at Ijams

Fairy dust and enchantment were in the air as 20 glitter-clad fairies alit in the Ijams Visitor Center. 

While it is true that most fairies are hard to find, I was lucky enough to draw a few out to join me for a Fairy Tea Party yesterday. 

Attendees were treated to toadstool cupcakes, complete with white chocolate spots. They mixed their own woodland trail mix with ingredients like dried fairy berries, pixie pretzel pieces and even twinkle sprinkles! 

The event concluded with each fairy planting and decorating their own fairy garden…in case they need to keep a little nature nearby!

I must say that fairies make the most delightful, spirited, giggling guests a hostess could ask for and I look forward to the next event that allows these winged lovelies to make another appearance at Ijams!

- Story and photos by Jennifer Roder.

Let's go (jelly) fishin' at Ijams

It's freshwater jellyfish season! And we know they can be found in Mead's Quarry Lake, so let's go look for them.

UT Students look at jellyfish in a jar.

There is only one species of freshwater jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbii) in the world. Although they are not native to Tennessee or even North America, they have made the jump across the big pond, a.k.a. the Atlantic.

They were first discovered in Mead's Quarry Lake in the late 1990s. The News Sentinel's Morgan Simmons wrote a story about their discovery. I've seen them on past canoe trips there, but not this year...not yet. Being nickel-sized and transparent to translucent makes it a bit tough to find the Lilliputian hydrozoans. Tough, but not impossible.

Ijams member Brian Bonnyman
holds a jar of recently caught
freshwater jellyfish.

After two years on the bottom, living as tiny polyps, the medusa stage of the jellyfish's life usually occurs during the heat of late summer, early fall.

Ijams member, Brian Bonnyman, located several in a lake in Blount County while kayaking last Sunday. So, we know the season is right. (The jellyfish in the photos and video were caught by Brian.) 

We'll be canoeing for jellyfish three times in September.

Saturday, September 7, 8 a.m.

Friday, September 13, 5 p.m.

Saturday, September 28, 8 a.m.

Ijams provides the gear: canoe, paddles, life jackets, guide (That would be me). Fee: $15 for members, $17.50 for non-members. Space is very limited. 

To register call me at Ijams (865) 577-4717, ext. 119. 

- Story and photos: Stephen Lyn Bales, Rex McDaniel. Video: Rex McDaniel.  

 

Letter to the editor: Hummingbird event was wonderful

The following letter to the editor was published in yesterday's Knoxville News Sentinel. (page B2)

"We would like to send our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society [KTOS] for hosting yet another wonderful hummingbird festival at the Ijams Nature Center this past Saturday. Only 3 years old, the festival is attracting throngs of area wildlife enthusiasts of all ages. The speakers and programs were highly informative and the thrill of watching a young child as he gets to release a recently banded hummingbird is simply magical. We certainly plan to attend next year's festival." 

- Steve and Cyndi Routledge, Clarksville, Tenn. 

KTOS and Ijams thanks the News Sentinel and the Routledges for their kind letter. Yes, connecting young people to the wonder of the natural world is indescribably rewarding.

Video: Master Bander Mark Armstrong hands young birder Rachael Barker a recently banded hummer. Watch for its blast off. 

Hummingbirds banded at last Saturday's festival

Last Saturday the third annual Wonder of Hummingbird Festival was held at Ijams. The event is co-produced by the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society (KTOS) and Ijams Nature Center. 

Over 1,000 attended the birding fest which included several local vendors, a hummingbird banding demonstration and a full day of activities and speakers.

Ijams wants to especially thank Billie Cantwell, KTOS President, for all of her hard work/organizational skills, Master Bander Mark Armstrong, Curator of Birds at the Knoxville Zoo, and his team of banders and all the other members of the bird club for their dedicated help and support.

Mark says a total of 42 hummingbirds were banded in the practice session and the day of the festival itself. One male was caught four times, so either he didn't figure out what the cage-trap was or he liked been held and coddled. 

Also, we thank festival sponsors: Wild Birds Unlimited, Perky Pet, Prism Pools and Visionary Horizons Wealth Management. 

Many have asked me, "How do you catch and band something as lively and tiny as a hummingbird?" 

Here's a series of photos illustrating the process that only takes a few minutes, start to finish.

- Photos and text by Stephen Lyn Bales

Gar Secrist removes hummer caught in cage.

Patty Ford transports two hummers to banding station

Master Bander Mark Armstrong weighs, measures and attaches 
a leg band to each hummingbird. 

Mark Armstrong holds adult male hummingbird about to be released. 

After banding, hummer is laid on the outstretched hand of a visitor and then BLAST OFF!

See hummingbirds banded at Saturday festival

The third annual Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival is Saturday, August 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission $5, children under six are admitted free.

Presented by the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and Ijams Nature Center, visitors will have the opportunity to see ruby-throated hummingbirds up-close at a banding demonstration by Mark Armstrong, a certified Master Bander.



Hummingbirds will be harmlessly captured, weighed, measured and banded before being sent on their way.

Banding provides a way to document hummingbird movement during migration. August and September are busy migration months in Tennessee with thousands of hummingbirds moving south on their way to wintering grounds in Central America and southern Mexico.

Festival speakers include:

• T. David Pitts, Professor of Biology, UT Martin will talk about “The Hummingbirds that Nest in Your Yard”

• Marcia Davis, Birdlife Columnist for the Knoxville

• David Unger, Professor of Biology, Maryville College

• Steve McGaffin, Naturalist and Educator for the Knoxville Zoo

• Lynne McCoy, a local wildlife rehabilitator

• Peg Beute, Ijams educator

Festival sponsors: Wild Birds Unlimited, Perky Pet, Prism Pools and Visionary Horizons Wealth Management.

Happiness is riding in a canoe with your Mom at Ijams

Ijams provides a safe place for kids to explore the wonder of nature. Just ask Joseph! Last Saturday he and his Mom joined our canoe exploration of Mead's Quarry Lake.

Craspedacusta sowerbyi
(Wiki media)

We were searching for freshwater jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbyi), which we didn't find, but they are tricky to locate, as ephemeral a creature as one can imagine living at Ijams: small, transparent, active, living down in the water.

A follow-up e-mail from his Mom revealed the young adventurer didn't mind. "Joseph told me this evening that his happiest moment of the day was being out in the canoe!"

Ijams has been providing these kinds of outdoor adventures for young people for at least 90 years, since the days H.P. and Alice Ijams and their four daughters lived here.

Ijams daughters: Jo, Martha, Mary and Elizabeth in a canoe at Homesite Pond, 1923

- Photo and text by Stephen Lyn Bales  

Alice Ijams garden demonstration site taking shape

Volunteers work to fill raised gardening beds. 

What's new at Ijams, you ask? 

We are relocating all of our greenhouse, organic garden and compost demonstration sites to one central location.

The site will be dedicated to the late Alice Yoe Ijams, an avid gardener, who tended her own greenhouse here over 70 years ago.  

Located beside the solar panels on the Universal Trail, the site is beginning to take shape. Last week volunteers helped fill the raised beds.

Peg Beute, our own avid gardener, will be hosting volunteer work days every Wednesday in August from 9 a.m. to noon. It's a good chance to see the site take shape and get your hands dirty. Plus, Peg will provide  the refreshments.

Special thanks to all volunteers who have helped so far!

- Stephen Lyn Bales

Greenhouse relocated from Homesite