Becoming an Owl Trainer

In January, I became an environmental education intern. As a certified teacher, my decision to join the team was primarily due to opportunities to teach school programs, teach at Outdoor School, or teach Kids Corner programs. Never did I truly imagine I would get to “teach” an owl. During the first two weeks of training,…

Start Your Own Victory Garden!

As part of Shaver’s Creek’s Human Nature Series, we work to bridge the gap between the natural world and our health through a series of public workshops. To continue these conversations, we’re providing more information and resources in our Naturalist Notebook! “Dig on for Victory!” “Food is ammunition — don’t waste it!” These, among many…

The Health Benefits of Gardening

As part of Shaver’s Creek’s Human Nature Series, we work to bridge the gap between the natural world and our health through a series of public workshops. To continue these conversations, we’re providing more information and resources in our Naturalist Notebook!

Animythology: Fossils

It’s common to see animals in movies and books act a certain way. There are the wise old owls, such as Owl from Winnie the Pooh, and the friendly heroic dogs, such as Lassie. But have you ever wondered why we give these traits to certain animals? “Animythology” hopes to compare the mythology of animals…

Finding a New Rhythm

As quickly as the rhythm of spring had begun at Shaver’s Creek — with a rush toward planning festivals, school programs, and camp trainings — it just as quickly came to a halt. Suddenly, the Shaver’s Creek team of interns and coworkers were forced to be physically distant. “Fine,” I thought, “it will be okay;…

Golden Days

“Bird, above the snag, a glass up!” Conversations halt as we all concentrate on locating a distant dot against the blue sky. Could it be a falcon? A Bald Eagle? Or perhaps the famed beauty of the Appalachian flyway, a Golden Eagle? The voice of raptor expert Nick Bolgiano punctuates the silence with confidence. “That’s…

Birding Cup 2020: More than a “Virtual” Success!

Joyful? Grateful? Astonished? We’re having trouble finding the perfect adjective for our reaction to the overwhelming response to the 2020 Virtual Birding Cup! We didn’t know what to expect when we decided to put aside the competition and to embrace the camaraderie of the birding community in the face of a global pandemic, but we…

Animythology: Corvids

Species are often depicted in books and movies with the same characteristics. There are the wise old owls, such as Owl from Winnie the Pooh, and the friendly heroic dogs, such as Lassie. But have you ever wondered why we give these specific features to certain animals? Animythology is my attempt to explore this topic…

Exciting News from Animal Care!

The Animal Care Program has exciting news. Susquehanna — Shaver’s Creek’s resident Peregrine Falcon — has laid her first egg on Friday, April 3, and another on Friday, April 10, and they’re beautiful! Eggs take a lot of energy to lay, so we are making sure Susquehanna has plenty to eat. The fact that she…