Posted January 1, 2015
I wanted to wish everyone a great 2015!
Posted December 22, 2014
Fellow ‘OutdoorEdGuy’ Sean, friend Laura, my wife, my daughter, and me, all spent Saturday looking for birds. It was the 80th annual Kitchener Christmas Bird Count (CBC). As copied for the Audubon website: “From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become […]
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Posted December 18, 2014
At Laurel Creek, we have these big snails in our pond called “Chinese Mystery Snails.” That’s their name. You can read about them here This snail is from China, and is a common aquarium species that is sold in pet stores. You can buy one at Pet Smart for $2.79 (don’t). I assume that our […]
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Posted December 16, 2014
When students first arrive at the centre as part of their Biodiversity unit, I often tell them that biodiversity is one of my favourite topics of all-time. I am so inspired and curious about all of the living things that surround me each day. I am fortunate to be able to explore this with students […]
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Posted December 12, 2014
The 7 whooping cranes of Operation Migration’s Class of 2014 arrived at St Marks Wildlife Refuge in Florida yesterday, ending their 2,000 km ultralight-led migration from Wisconsin. The birds will winter there, and return, unaided, to Wisconsin next spring where they will hopefully raise their own broods in the wild. This was year 14 for […]
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Posted December 11, 2014
Filling the bird feeders in the morning when I arrive at work is one of the most peaceful and inspiring times of the day for me. It’s quiet, this morning there is a fresh snowfall, and every day is different. The birds seem to know the guy in the red coat is bringing a fresh […]
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Posted December 4, 2014
Probably every day a student goes home with a big wodge of burs stuck to them. While I watched a student trying to remove some burs I got to wondering about the hooks that allow burs to stick. What do they look like? So, I pulled out my the PNNL clip/laser pointer macro lens and […]
Read more about The hook, how a bur sticks. »
Posted December 3, 2014
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Posted November 27, 2014
When I got out of my car at Blair this morning, I heard a familiar sound, a welcome one that’s been absent here for a while. A flock of about a dozen pine siskins were in the tree tops, and eventually came down to dine at the nyger feeder. Siskins are birds of the conifer […]
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Posted November 26, 2014
I have some Grade 1 classes coming to visit the Blair OEE Centre beginning next week. At school they are, or will be studying two science topics – Characteristics and Needs of Living Things, and Daily and Seasonal Cycles. Miss Morsink’s class from Crestview P.S. have been brainstorming some questions to ask when they get […]
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