Fantastic Flyers Camp Review 2014

Fun and flight made for a great week as our Fantastic Flyers campers explored the science and nature of things with wings! And the days really flew by (pun intended). Here are some daily highlights from the week! 

• Day 1: Focus for day was Flight. Made a ‘what flies’ scavenger hunt sheet, then used that for our morning exploration hike. After lunch we learned about the scientist Bernoulli and did some experiments that tested his research. We made bamboo dragonflies (which were the inspiration for modern helicopters), discussed seeds and how they move around, made paper seeds, read a book about dandelions and painted a dandelion, colored kites and had a thistle seed race. We also collected 4 monarch caterpillars and tracked them throughout the week (they were all chrysalises at the end). Day 2: Insects-A-Flutter. Sweep netting was our main activity, and we collected some great specimens of insects that fly (& non-flying ones too). We made butterfly wings and antennae headbands, played a game called Quick Frozen Critters and got to see a monarch butterfly right after it emerged from its chrysalis. 
•  Day 3: BirdDay! Some great volunteers Mr. Paul and Mrs. Nancy came to share their birding skills with the campers and although it wasn’t a great birding day, we did get to see a green heron out in the marsh (some of the campers even saw it catch and eat a frog) and learned how to use binoculars. We made our own binoculars later, put together a bird puzzle, released our monarch into the wild, played Birds and Worms and Birdy Says! We ended the day with our field trip across to Buffalo Harbor State Park to fly our fabulous kites! 
• Day 4: More Birds! So much bird stuff that I had to do another day. We read a book called The Magpie’s Nest, and then partnered up to build a bird’s nest out of natural materials. We also let a second monarch go into the wild (it emerged overnight). We also created life cycle wheels after discussing butterfly and ladybug life cycles. We also had a relay race as bees collecting nectar and the grand finale was making edible bird nests (complete with candy eggs).
• Day 5: Morning was spent on a ladybug hike. The campers had lots of energy so it was a pretty long hike and we found lots of cool ladybug larva, caterpillars and even a little young garter snake. We played a bug movement relay game, Bat and Moth (like Marco Polo), created new bugs out of our names written in script on paper and made a bee maze game to take home. 

See below for some photos from our week's activities.

This was a great group of kids and I wish I had more time to spend with them one on one because they have great imaginations and are so smart! It was a pleasure to have fun and learn along with them (they always teach me so much too). 

I am sad to have this be my last blog entry, as my life adventures are now taking me on a new path away from Buffalo and Tifft back to the Chicago area to be closer to my family. Thank you for sharing your kids with us for a time and valuing nature and all the things it has to teach us. I’ve learned a lot of all the campers I’ve worked with over the years and know a couple of them will be working in my position when they grow up. It’s been a pleasure and I wish you all the best.

Miss Caryn

Aquatic Adventurers Camp Review 2014

Water is Wonderful! And so were my Aquatic Adventurers! This week was full of the wet and wacky, and it was so much fun. We learned about properties of water, all sorts of water critters, had a great day of fishing and learned some tips to help protect our water resources. Below are some highlights:

• Day 1-water scavenger hunt; water of the world demo (a camper was dressed up to simulate where water is located on the earth); Hide and Go Squirt (a great hit because it was a very warm day); Incredible Journey (a simulation game where each camper is a water droplet and travels through the various stages of the water cycle); H20 Olympics (events to learn about the awesome properties of water) 
• Day 2- Our morning we discovered the underwater world of macroinvertebrates-all those grand insects that live most of their lives underwater. We collected dragonfly, damselfly and mayfly nymphs, a giant water bug, water boatmen, backswimmers, plus a couple of fish and many tadpoles. Our afternoon was spent making rainsticks, learning about some of the functions of a wetland and a super interesting presentation from Ms. Lauren about microbeads and other water issues. 
•  Day 3-Mr. Bob joined us to teach the campers about the health of the water from a chemistry perspective. They tested for pH, nitrate, ammonia and dissolved oxygen at a few different sites and compared their findings. Our afternoon was spent learning about frogs through a game and a fun snack!
• Day 4-FISH DAY! Fishing was amazing and I think the campers would’ve done it all day if I had let them. We spent the afternoon playing a few outdoor games, made 2 cool fish crafts and the campers were partnered up and got to develop a plot of land anyway they chose. We then put the plots together to see how the choices of their neighbors affected the water quality downstream. 
•  Day 5- Indoor catch-up day. Watched a couple of clips on the Pacific Garbage Patch, which we had discussed earlier in the week. Each camper designed their own fish, solved a real-life mystery about cholera during an activity called Poison Pump and made wanted posters for aquatic invasive species. Afternoon we spent playing some parachute games and then helped the preserve by removing an invasive called Phragmites. Each camper had a great personality and I laughed so much at their zaniness and was amazed by their creativity! Thank you for nurturing that natural wonder kids innately have and hope you will continue to foster that wonder as these kiddos continued to grow. 

Enjoy the slideshow below that shows you some of the fun stuff we did this week!

 Miss Caryn

Nature Rangers Camp Review 2014

T.A.S.K.S.-teamwork, action, skills, knowledge and sharing...those were the main ideas the Nature Rangers of Tifft Nature Preserve focused on this past week!

We learned teamwork through survival shelter building, games like Insanity and Crocodile River and our Japanese knotweed work project with Mr. Dave.

We took action against bully plants like Japanese knotweed and learned about some other bully plants at Tifft.

Skill-learning included orienteering, survival skills, telescopes, binoculars, fishing, terrestrial and aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling (looking for land and water bugs), firebuilding and stalking prey.

So much knowledge...astronomy, different habitats at Tifft, different types of fish, all about the super cool Sun, edible insects, monarch butterflies, waste and energy.

Hopefully they shared some of these things (and more) with you throughout the week. We also made a sign for all the volunteers that helped us that will be included in a thank you card.

Some big highlights for the campers were:

• using natural materials to build a survival shelter, and the survivial rules of 3
• fishing
• superhero sidewalk shadows
• solar oven-baked cookies
• sweepnetting for land bugs in the grassland
• dipnetting for water bugs in the marsh
• helping Mr. Dave with the Japanese knotweed work project (getting rid of an invasive (bully) plant
• searching for and finding a monarch caterpillar and watching it grow
• going in the portable planetarium and learning about the stars and constellations
• edible fires and roasting marshmallows on a real fire

How the 5 days flew by! Not sure what some of this stuff is...quiz your campers and see how much they remember!
I enjoyed getting to know each camper and I hope they had a great time working with all of us. They accomplished their TASKS and earned their Nature Ranger badge (see beginning of entry).

Below is a slideshow of photos of campers throughout the week. There is a slight delay but it should start playing on its own.

2014 Scales, Scales, Scales Camp Review

What a great first week of camp we had at Tifft! We started off the week learning about reptiles and the difference between facts about them and myths that people have created. We then went on a hike looking for some of the reptilian inhabitants of the Preserve. Our search was not very successful, yielding only a few turtles hanging out in the marsh. We did get to see a turtle nest that a predator had dug up about a month ago! We had a special visitor Monday afternoon, who brought many of her slimy and scaly friends with her. While the slimy friends aren't reptiles, it was a nice way to compare and contrast reptiles and amphibians. All the adults present were very impressed with the campers knowledge about reptiles and amphibians. 

Day 2 we moved onto the most difficult to guess scaly animals (reptiles and fish were easy to figure out!), butterflies and moths! We went on a butterfly and moth scavenger hunt and found that early July when there is a late spring isn't the best time for caterpillars and chrysalises/cocoons, but we did get to see many different kinds of moths and butterflies flitting about. We did a matching game and then a reinforcement activity about the difference between moths and butterflies and also what they have in common. Snack was especially yummy, turning a banana into a caterpillar and then into a butterfly! 

Day 3 was much awaited since some of the campers got hints that it would be the day we'd finally go fishing, and oh what a morning it was! We were not going to let the rain keep us in and got everyone in rain gear, only to have the clouds part and the sun appear a short time later. The hooks were barely hitting the water and the fish were already biting! We had many friends who caught their first ever fish, and only 2 of the group that did not catch any at all. We had purchased 4 containers of red worms, each with supposedly 24 worms and each worm was split into at least 2 pieces of bait. We had 17 campers, and fished for about an hour and a half. Meghan decided this sounded like time to do some math. During lunch everyone reported the number of fish they caught and assuming that no one was telling a fish story, we added up all the numbers, figured out how many worms we had and found that 17 campers + 1 1/2 hours + 192 worms = 59 fish!!!!!!! That is the best day of fishing anyone at Tifft can remember. We then went over fish anatomy, went fishing indoors with magnets and played Pin a Fin on the Fish. It was a very exciting and memorable day. 

It was already our last day of camp and with it came the rain, and rain, and more rain. We took advantage of a rainy morning inside to finish up some projects and play some games. We had a snake race and found that most of us did not make very good snakes! We played a game using only our sense of touch to try and identify and then draw what we could only feel inside of a bag. It was tricky! By afternoon all the time inside was just too much, and we had to get out. Some of us were afraid that the little bit of rain we encountered would make us melt, it must be because we are so sweet. We ended the week with one of Meghan and Kimberly's favorite activities, turtle races, trying to get our paper turtle to the finish line before anyone else. 

We definitely had a wonderful week with a great bunch of friends, human and scaly!

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our adventures:

Wonders of Winter (WOW) Discovery Camp Highlights

WOW-it’s been a crazy winter in 2014! And we finally had a great one for our February break camp! Miss Caryn, Ms. Kimberly, Ms. Liz, Ms. Lauren and Ms. Kelsey all had a great time getting to know the 10 campers we had for the week, and together, we learned and saw lots of new things.

Here are some of the highlights:

Day 1:

• To start off, we brainstormed what the word winter brought to mind, and then started a sheet to track the weather all week long. We learned how to use a thermometer then put it to the test outside by braving the single digit temps, but bright sunshine, recording the air temps and then compared different depths (top, middle and bottom) of a large snowbank to see if the temperatures were the same or different.  We also looked for ‘hearts’ in nature on our walk, and got to draw our findings.
• Letting the sun warm up the day a little more, campers got out on the trails on snowshoes in the afternoon, discovering many deer and rabbit tracks, but not seeing much animal activity. They also worked together on teams for a snow relay, filling buckets with snow and piling it up as quickly and as big as possible.
• In honor of Presidents’ Day, we had a George Washington snack, made from vanilla wafers, mini-chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows. Yummy way to pay tribute!
• We finished the day by mixing colored water into buckets and ice cube trays, then outside they went to ‘set’ for Tuesday activity.

Day 2:

Winter weather in full force again! Snow and very windy conditions made it look like a snow globe outside many times throughout the day.

• We started the day by making an animal track guide. We also played a game snow/ice/blizzard while waiting for the weather to cooperate for outdoor adventures.
• We strapped on our snowshoes again, braving the cold and wind, and got a chance to test out an anemometer (wind meter), recording measurements over 25 miles per hour. We found some calmer conditions back by the wetland, where we discovered all sorts of cool stuff: deer fur on the ice, beaver tracks and fresh chew marks, plus their lodge, 7 deer browsing on the edge of the ice and bird foot and wing prints in the snow.
• We searched to no avail for icicles around the preserve, but did manage to start an experiment to create our own indoors. We also collected a cup of snow from different areas and did an experiment to see if they all would melt at the same rate and end up with the same amount of water at the end.
• We rounded out the day getting to use our ice from Monday, as well as colored water in spray bottles, to make ice and snow sculptures, and making edible snowflakes.

Day 3:

• Winter makes me think of evergreens, so Wednesday we started out talking about trees and the different kinds, including watching a video called “C is for Conifer”:
• .
We also examined our ‘icicles’ that formed overnight.

The sun was shining and temps moderated, so we spent a good amount of time outside in the morning. We started off with an ice scavenger hunt, taking turns hiding colored ice cubes in the snow and then finding them. We also placed regular ice cubes in solid colored containers, to see if the color container affected the melt time of the ice. We then strapped on our snowshoes and explored another trail. We searched out and  ‘met the conifers,’ investigating the different types of needles and cones, as well as collecting some for an art project for later on. We also learned how to use and tested out binoculars, looking for birds and getting to see one, the black-capped chickadee, up-close. We also took out some Behr paint sample cards to see if we could determine the ‘color’ of the snow (the campers decided it was ‘popped corn’).

Our afternoon was spent talking about winter animal adaptations, helping an ‘insect’ stay warm with different types of insulation, playing iceberg hopping (where the campers had to work together to ‘make it across an ocean’ without stranding other campers),  and enjoying some hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Day 4:

• Today was our last snowshoe-able day, so we went on a long hike to the northern end of the preserve, and observing deer fairly up-close. We also read a book called Under the Snow, to see how ‘unseen’ animals survive in the winter.
• Our afternoon flew by as we experimented with Insta-snow, used the cones and needles we collected to paint, doing an indoor scavenger hunt and enjoying some fresh popped ‘snow’ AKA popcorn.

Day 5:

Warmer weather forced us indoors for our final day. We explored the night sky with a visit to our indoor planetarium, as well as learning how to use a star chart and making a planesphere. We also made ice-salt drawings, made each other into snowmen, had a snowball tossing contest, a penguin waddle race, turned one camper into a polar bear, examined a polar bear fur and made our very own bird suet cakes to take home. Whew!

Thank you for allowing us to help foster the love of nature in your camper throughout the week. Hopefully we’ll see you this summer! Happy almost spring!

To see photos from our adventures, watch the slideshow below.

Miss Caryn and the Tifft staff

Scales, Scales, Scales Camp Review

Scales, Scales, Scales

Day 1

Although all the campers we anxious to jump right into fish, we started our scaly explorations with animals in the order Lepidoptera. What’s that you ask? Butterflies and moths of course! We started the day reading a few short stories to learn what it means to be a butterfly or moth. We then ventured outside on a butterfly and moth scavenger hunt, using a “bingo board” to locate different butterflies and moths, look for different behaviors, and identify some plants they use for their survival. We were lucky to find a milkweed tussock moth caterpillar and a monarch caterpillar hanging out on their favorite, the milkweed. We brought the monarch caterpillar back to the Visitor Center for observation over the next few days. Our little friend molted during the first night! We spent the rest of the day learning about the differences between butterflies and moths and also characteristics they share. Snack was themed of course, using a banana, pretzels, raisins and chow mein noodles to create an extremely yummy butterfly. We tried to play a silly caterpillar game outside after snack, but late afternoon giggles took over! Although not a scaly critter, we did get the awesome experience of seeing an adult cicada just emerging from its nymph form. When we came back to check on it a short while later the process was already complete but the cicada was still hanging out waiting for its wings to dry a bit before taking off. We also found lots of exoskeletons left behind on trees from adult cicadas emerging.

Day 2

Wednesday brought the fish! We started the day with the help of two seasoned fisherman, Paul and Bill, assisting us in a fishing excursion. We made good use of the fairly new DOT fishing pier at the western end of Lake Kirsty. Many campers caught their first ever fish! It was an at times frustrating, but very exciting morning. We spent some time learning about different characteristics to identify each species caught, and learn some of the silly names for parts of a fish. I wonder how the scientist that named the skinny part between a fish’s body and tail (caudal) fin decided upon the name caudal peduncle! After lunch, we started our fish craft out of recycled pop bottles. They looked great all hung up together on our room divider! We also learned about Gyotaku, or the Japanese art of fish prints, and made fish prints using rubber fish.  For snack everyone got to go fishing again! This time using a pretzel stick for a rod and cream cheese for the bait to catch goldfish crackers. Some campers turned these ingredients into crazy sculptures instead. At Tifft, we think it’s ok to play with your food though (at least sometimes!) We also got to run around and play some games outside including a fish tag game where the fish (most of the campers) tried not to get eaten by a bigger fish (a small group of campers) by hiding in safe spots.

Day 3

Already our time together was coming to an end, but not before we talked about our last group of scaly creatures, REPTILES! This was a day that was long awaited by many of the campers. We went for a long walk hoping to encounter some of the reptiles that call Tifft home. We weren’t too successful with reptiles but saw LOTS of frogs and other animals. Unfortunately that is the one tricky thing about nature camp, we can’t always plan for what we are going to see, but it makes it really exciting when we see something we weren’t expecting. Some campers did get to see a Northern Water Snake from a distance in the marsh and a Painted Turtle basking on a log before it got scared into the water. After lunch, we had a special guest, Mary, who brought many of her reptile (and a few amphibian) friends with her to share. We got to hold a Ball Python and a Fat-tailed Gecko! Our final activity for camp was having turtle races! No, not those kinds of turtle races J We colored turtles and raced them across long “tracks” of yarn. This was the one time we got a little TOO loud, but we just couldn’t control our excitement.

Well there we have it, another successful summer of camp at Tifft. All the Tifft staff had a great summer getting to know all the new campers and welcoming back lots of familiar faces. We hope to see you all back sometime soon :)

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our adventures: Scales, Scales, Scales Photos

Nature Rangers Camp Review

What a great week of having great summer nature fun and learning T.A.S.K.S (teamwork, action, skills, knowledge and sharing)!

We had a number of new campers join us for Nature Rangers this summer, so we took a nice long exploration hike to start off our week, while discussing living and non-living things. We also investigated wilderness survival, the Rule of 3's and learned how to make a survival shelter out of natural items found in the woods. We also talked about being prepared for outdoor adventures and discussed some wilderness scenarios and how to make good decisions outdoors.
To start Day 2, Mr. Bob joined us and took us on a time travel adventure as we learned the history of the property of Tifft Nature Preserve. We also explored the marsh at Lisa Pond, looking for macroinvertebrates, small fish, and tadpoles. Campers voted to have a lunch 'on the trail' so we found a shady spot and enjoyed a picnic lunch before heading back for some free time. The afternoon found us practicing our orienteering skills, having popsicles for snack and designing a water strider (an insect that can 'walk' on water) out of craft materials.
Wednesday was action morning, as we worked with Mr. Zach and Mr. Forest on an invasive species resource management project. We learned all about Japanese knotweed (invader species) and helped roll weed barrier fabric out to keep this bully plant from invading more of the forest. We also got to spread wood chips to cover the fabric and water some tree saplings that had been previously planted in the area. The campers worked really hard and it was great to see the finished project. We also had a visit by a blue-spotted salamander, which we rarely ever see here at Tifft. In the afternoon, Ms. Kimberly guided us through a great nature journaling workshop-sketching, painting and getting us to really take a different look at nature in a variety of ways.
Day 4 was a hot and sticky day, but the clouds stuck around in the morning to allow us to have a fabulous morning of fishing. Mr. Paul and Mr. Bill came in to share this fishing knowledge and quite a few campers caught their first fish ever! The afternoon brought out the sunshine and our energy. A round of  Everybody's It, followed by a teamwork game called Insanity let us enjoy the sticky, sunny day. We then created a 'Thank You' picture to be included in a note for all our guest speakers this week, with each of us designing a letter to make the message. Our last experiment of the day was trying to force some worms out of their hiding places in the soil. Evidently worms don't like mustard, so we mixed up mustard powder and water and spread it on the garden. Our experiment didn't work, but it was fun to guess what would happen.
Friday brought a little rain so we started indoors playing a large version of Bananagrams, and then Mr. Walt joined us and helped us learn more about the Iroquois Indians and how they used nature in their daily lives. We got a chance to use pump drills, fire bows and drills and made a message sticks, as well as learning about lots of other tools they used. The rain let up to allow us to take a nice walk out to the marsh to look for frogs, turtles and insects. We finished up our day with learning some knots, making a survival knot bracelet and learning about fire and fire safety. We had the best snack of the week, roasted marshmallows and edible fires, before our time for the week ended!
Campers did a great job doing the work to earn the NR badge and hopefully had a fun week too!
Here is a photo album so you can see some of our adventures: Nature Rangers Photos
Thanks for letting me send time with your campers this week and share some of my knowledge with them. I had a great time getting to know each one of the campers!
Miss Caryn

Noisy Nature Camp Review

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Noisy Nature campers investigated the world of sound in nature
-ask your campers if noise and sound are the same thing :)

Our week was filled with all things that croak, chirp, cheep and buzz. We started the week off with a bird walk with experienced birders/Tifft volunteers Mr. Paul and Mrs. Nancy. Other big highlights of the week included getting to visit the newest inhabitants at Tifft, our honeybees, in their hive, thanks to Ms. Lauren; listening for the heartbeat of a tree with stethoscopes; making our own instruments out of recycled items; learning about the different kinds of owls, thanks to Ms. Kimberly; and of course, collecting bugs and hearing their sounds.

We also created our own 'ears' and did some sound exploration on the trails (sound bingo was a hit), learned a lot about cicadas (including finding one that had just become an adult and watched it change colors overnight, then released it), tried worm 'grunting', listening to music inspired by nature and had lots of fun playing games, just exploring and enjoying nature, including frogs, butterflies, dragonflies, deer and bees, and free play time.

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our adventures: Noisy Nature Photos
In the album, there are 2 videos of the campers with their recycled instruments, so be sure to listen to them!

Thanks for letting your nature explorer spend some time with us this summer and hope to see you in 2014!

Miss Caryn

Adventures Afloat and Ashore Camp Review

Adventures Afloat...

Our new crew arrived early Monday morning bright eyed and ready for adventure!  16 new campers circled up with staff to make introductions, go over the plan and goals for the week and get ready to board the Spirit of Buffalo.  New crew got involved in ship operations right away, with participants forming two "watches" (traditional "teams" of crew that operate the ship), electing Watch Captains and dividing up responsibilities such as handling dock lines, raising sails and cleaning up the deck.  Once all sails were set and we were under way on the lake, we embarked on some basic seamanship training in navigation techniques (plotting a course, determining location, using a compass) and speed calculations using some left over veggies, a stop watch and a whole lot of math!  After striking sail we came back to the dock, ate lunch and got ready for the second half of our adventures afloat.  In the afternoon, Watch A learned basic kayak strokes and embarked on a kayaking expedition up the Buffalo River, where they practiced their new paddling skills  and learned about the history, industry and environmental issues affecting the Buffalo River.  Watch B was busy practicing their traditional rowing skills with our friends at the Buffalo Maritime Center aboard two War of 1812 wooden bateaux, traditional rowing vessels used by the British to transport goods and soldiers from ship to shore.  Watch B rowed across the Buffalo Harbor to the Outer Harbor, where they embarked on a nature hike of Times Beach Nature Preserve and spent time cooling off and exploring the world of invasive aquatic plants at Wilkenson Pointe Park on the Outer Harbor.  Watch B then rowed back to the Central Wharf and spent some time in the shade before heading home.

Day Two brought more intense heat but our crew was not deterred!  The morning was spent reviewing seamanship and sailing skills, with Watch Captains taking the lead in handling dock lines and setting sail.  We spent the morning on the lake exploring a series of Lake Erie-specific topics, such as the benthic layer (we took a sample of the benthos with our Ponar grab and filtered the sample), plankton (catching plankton in the tow net and identifying it in the shipboard microscope lab), Lake Biology (using our shipboard Lake Tank to identify fish species and learn about their ecology) and Water Quality (taking water samples and completing a series of tests on chemical properties such as nitrates, phosphates and dissolved oxygen).  We even captured a weather balloon that had fallen into the lake and was floating outside the mouth of the Buffalo River!  Our young crew recorded data in their log books, struck sail and disembarked for lunch once we returned to the dock.  While afternoon activities were much the same, with the opposite Watches participating in kayaking and rowing and we were treated to a guided tour of Times Beach Nature Preserve by Jay Burney, the president of the Preserve's "Friends" Group.

...and Ashore!

Wednesday our crew could leave their sea legs at home as they headed inward to Tifft Nature Preserve to learn about the dynamic history and ecosystems that make it a gem in the City of Buffalo. The campers’ time at Tifft started with a walk exploring the past uses of the land that is now the Preserve with seasoned volunteer, Ruth Lasure (otherwise known as Osier J) and seeing first hand the ability for nature to reclaim itself after years of industrial use. Ruth also shared her interest in wildflowers that grow at Tifft with the campers. Much relief was found from the morning heat in the newly air conditioned Visitor Center while having an overview of the many misuses of PowerPoint to prepare for our presentation on Friday. After lunch we took the KidWind challenge working in teams to try and create the best wind turbine blades for maximum speed. We then moved onto a discussion about land use decisions and their affects on neighboring aquatic systems. The imagination the campers had in developing their plots of land was insightful and quite entertaining as well! The day quickly came to an end but not before we started a “meet and greet” with some preserved specimens of common local aquatic invasive species.

Thursday morning we welcomed Tifft volunteers Paul and Nancy (Pine and Nettle) Vigyikan, who came to share with us their love and expertise of birding. Tifft is recognized as an Important Bird Area due to its location on the migration flyway, as well as a nesting area for many species. It was quite a fruitful morning of birding with one of the favorites being the Green Herons we were able to see up close in the marsh.  We moved onto a quick (and messy) activity showing how the topography of the land determines how watersheds form. It was then time for the campers to get to work and remember what it was they did the last three days! Tifft staff assisted campers in developing a Powerpoint to present on Friday. Campers were then able to go out as they were finished and sweep net for insects at the base of Tifft’s mounds. The find of the day was a good sized Praying Mantis.

On Friday morning, we had a great showing of parents, who participated with their young crew members back aboard the Spirit of Buffalo in learning how to set and strike sail, steering and participating in science stations that campers chose to teach to the parents.  They chose navigation and speed calculations...showing their aptitude for the science of traditional seamanship.  The morning concluded with a  boat-building competition in which parents joined their campers in designing a boat that could hold weight without sinking.

Although our lunch plans were altered at the last minute, we were still able to enjoy the gorgeous breezy day eating lunch al fresco at Tifft. The campers then nervously presented a PowerPoint presentation highlighting their adventures throughout the week to some of the parents. We hope this gave a great insight into what the campers spent their week immersed in. The campers and Tifft staff also led the parents through a short walk out to Tifft’s 75 acre remnant cattail marsh, to share some of the campers new knowledge about Tifft with their parents.

Upon our return, campers paired up with their parents or another camper to create their own fish species, taking into careful consideration different adaptations that fish have to aid in their survival. It was a wonderful cooperative activity that had everyone digging into the depths of their creativity. Parents and campers were then invited to stay for fishing or able to leave early if they preferred. We had some great catches from both campers and parents! 

Thank you to all the parents that were able to take time out of their day on Friday to spend time learning along with (and from) their children. This was a fantastic crew who we would welcome to be afloat and ashore again with us any time!  Nice job!

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our adventures: Adventures Afloat and Ashore Photos

BUOE and Tifft Staff :)

Spy on Nature Camp Review

Our Spy on Nature Detectives discovered how to view nature in a whole new way! Camp Educators Kimberly and Angie guided campers in observing and capturing the natural world with a paint brush and a camera. They also made creative crafts such as nature names, a nano trail brochure, and pressed flower bookmarks. Campers also explored the far reaches of the preserve with hikes to the southern Mounds and Lisa Pond. Thank you to our campers for great memories, great fun, and great new friends in the great outdoors!

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our other adventures: Spy on Nature Photos

Ms. Angie also posted a little information on our photo blog: Photo Blog

BIG & little Critter Encounters Camp Review

Summer camp started on the wings of a cool breeze, but it did not deter our 18 campers from having a great adventure learning all about the BIG & little (and in between) of the natural world. Ms. Mary led the campers through 3 days of exploration as we investigated lots of insects, properties of water and measurement. Campers got to use cool tools like binoculars, magnifying glasses, microscopes and eye droppers, as well as making and keeping their own nature journals. Bubbles were a big hit (despite the rainy conditions) and so was doing some amazing experiments with water (even using a drop as a magnifier). We also visited with some of Ms. Mary's friends: a giant millipede, a mouse and a rat. Seems like the days were over just after they started!

Here is a photo album so you can see some of our other adventures: BIG & little Photos

Hope this camp was a BIG hit with your nature explorers! Thanks for your support of Tifft and hope you had a great summer!
Miss Caryn

2013 Summer Camps

It may still feel like winter outside, but it's never to early to start thinking about summer! This summer Tifft is offering brand new camps along with old favorites like Nature Rangers, and Scales, Scales, Scales. It's sure to be a summer full of fun, friends, wildlife, and science! Register before Friday May 17^th and receive $10 off the advertised price (excluding Adventures Afloat and Ashore). Buffalo Museum of Science members save 10%. All dates and prices included in the camp description. See you this summer!

BIG & little Critter Encounters Discovery Camp     

July 1-3

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

For ages 5-7

What's underfoot and in the water? There's no telling what we will discover as we explore the macro (BIG) and micro (little) worlds of wildlife!  Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: June 26. Members: $90 per child. Non-Members: $100 per child. Late pick-up: 3:30 – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Spy on Nature Discovery Camp

July 9-11

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11

I spy... a wild time!  Explore the outdoors Sherlock Holmes-style as we combine the art of observation with nature journaling and photography. Drawing, story-writing, photography, and detective work are in store as we investigate the mysteries of the great outdoors and create artistic masterpieces of our own! Members: $121.50 per child. Non-Members: $135 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 2. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Adventures Afloat and Ashore

July 15-19

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 12-14

Join Tifft Nature Preserve and Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education (BUOE) for a discovery adventure on water and land!  Campers spend two days afloat sailing on the tall ship Spirit of Buffalo, learning seamanship, team work and sailing skills, and participating in Science Learning Stations (plankton, water quality testing, invasive species, benthic exploration, navigation, helmsmanship, buoyancy using nets, live and preserved specimens, microscopes, visuals, maps and sampling techniques.)  Campers also spend time kayaking and experience traditional rowing in wooden bateaus upon the Buffalo River. Campers then spend two days ashore exploring the marsh, pond, grassland and forest habitats at Tifft Nature Preserve.  Highlights include an up-close look at the aquatic life of the marsh including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians and fishing on Lake Kirsty.  To conclude the program, parents can join their camper for a morning ride on the ship, picnic lunch, and presentations at Tifft in the afternoon or join in for part of the day!  BUOE (Monday/Tuesday/Friday AM) and Tifft Nature Preserve (Wednesday/Thursday/Friday PM). Members:  $315 per child (includes lunch on Friday). Non-Members:  $325 per child (includes lunch on Friday). Late pick-up: 4:30PM – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 1. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Noisy Nature Discovery Camp

July 22-26

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11 

CROAK! BZZZ! CHEEP! Experience the symphony and (sometimes) cacophony of nature around us and explore what all that noise is really all about! Members: $171 per child. Non-Members: $190 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 17. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

My Side of Tifft Discovery Camp

July 31-August 3

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For boys ages 12-14

Turn summer reading into a summer camp adventure, based on Jean Craighead George’s classic “My Side of the Mountain.” This boys-only camp will take a walk on the wild side, including an on-site outdoor overnight on Friday night. (Camp will conclude after breakfast on Saturday morning.) Members: $157.50 per child. Non-Members: $175 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 12. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Nature Rangers Discovery Camp

August 5-9

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11

Nature needs your help! While learning to preserve, protect and enjoy nature’s wonders, rangers will complete T.A.S.K.S. (Teamwork, Action, Skills, Knowledge and Sharing) to earn a TNP nature ranger badge. Members: $171 per child. Non-Members: $190 per child.Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 31. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Scales, Scales, Scales Discovery Camp

August 20-22

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

For ages 5-7

What do fish, reptiles and butterflies all have in common? Scales! Investigate Tifft’s scaly species and get the scoop on the stupendous world of scales! Members: $90 per child. Non-Members: $100 per child. Late pick-up: 3:30 – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: August 14. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Nature Girrlzz Discovery Camp

August 27-29

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
For girls ages 12-14

It’s all about girl power! This girls-only camp encourages girls to get out and truly be ‘wild (young) women,’ while focusing on cooperation, self confidence, and leadership skills, and following in the footsteps of Jane Goodall and other great nature girls. Members: $121.50 per child. Non-Members: $135 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: August 21. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

WILD Winter Wonderland Discovery Camp

Well, this camp was definitely WILD, but more in the wild weather category than anything else! We started Tuesday with rain, which turned into snow and then bitter cold temps and wind, but we still managed to have a great 3 days (even having to be stuck inside all day on Wednesday). We focused a lot on adaptations and looking for clues in nature! We ended up learning a lot and making some great observations!

Here's a recap of our 3 days of winter nature fun!

Day 1

• Rain kept us inside for an hour so we read Rabbit's Winter Walk by Lorna Hussey to imagine we were outside.
• Rain stopped so out we went for a hike. Saw deer, cardinal, & investigated an uprooted tree and another tree that had a hollow area at its base that we thought made an excellent animal home
• Rain returned so we came back in and recorded observations in our journals
• Lack of real snow led us to investigate some 'indoor snow'- which is Insta-Snow powder (I told the kids I'd let them know where to get it so here is the link: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/instant-snow) We did a variety of experiments with varying water amounts, salt and even food coloring
• After learning about salt and cold, we tried an experiment using ice cubes, string and salt. Since it didn't work the first go around, we added another variable and made the ice cube trick work!
• Snack was a science experiment too---we made popcorn in a big popcorn machine!
• Ended our day with q-tip snow storm/men painting

Day 2
This was an all indoor day (minus about 10 minutes) because of the single digit windchills and high winds but it was fun anyway!

• discussion of adaptation and what main types animals use in the winter
• Riley shared some nature scene clues from his house, including a praying mantis egg case, a snake skin and some deer bones (he even let each camper take a bone home!). Looked at the deer bones under a microscope
• Experimented protecting an 'insect' for winter with an insulation activity. Insect was small container of water that each camper tried to keep warm by protecting it with one of the following materials: feathers, wool, cotton, shredded paper, rocks, sand, and foam peanuts. (Look for our results in the picture slideshow)
• Our outdoor venture was to look for a natural item to use to make an ice suncatcher. While looking, we discovered a deceased red-winged blackbird. We made some visual observations about it and the campers worked together to bury it under the snow.
• Put together our ice suncatchers
• Made igloos out of cornstarch building blocks
• Created snowflakes out of old puzzle pieces
• Ended the day with a winter scene investigation map activity

Day 3
Despite another chilly day, we bundled up and headed out on the trails and it was worth the wait!
Today was also Bird Day-Birthday! One of our campers had a birthday and we celebrated by learning all about Birds!

• Learned how to use binoculars and made drawings in our journals of some bird mounts
• Hike took us to marsh, where we spotted beaver lodge and some fox tracks in the snow along the edge of the marsh
• Learned up close a little more about the black-capped chickadee
• Ended up spotting a trail of small blood drops that we followed to figured out what might've happened but the case ended up unsolved
• Hung up our ice suncatchers
• A couple of campers strapped on some snowshoes in the bit of snow we had and everyone had some free time outside
• Took a short walk up the mounds and stalked a large group of deer
• Made a pecking woodpecker craft
• Ended up making cardinal/chickadee headband

Below is a slideshow with photos from our adventures! To see the captions, roll cursor over bottom frame and click on the white balloon.



The time sure flew by and it was great to see some returning campers and meet some new campers! Before you know it, it will be summer and I'm looking forward to more camp fun!

Thank you so much for your support of Tifft and have a Happy Spring!
Miss Caryn and Mr. Jay

Winter Camp is Coming!

Wild Winter Wonderland Discovery Camp

Snow days in nature-no way! In store is snow-play, as we frolic through our frozen world to figure out the facts and fiction of how nature survives in winter. Daily snack provided. Please bring lunch in a reusable container.

Ages 5-8

Tuesday, February 19 -Thursday, February 21

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Non-Members: $100 per child

Late pick-up: 3:45 – 5:00 PM at $5 per half hour, per day

Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration

Tifft

Pre-registration required. Please call 896-5200, ext. 201. Registration Deadline:  February 12

Check out some of our favorite winter camp moments from 2012! 

Taking a lovely snowshoe stroll

Spotting Tifft's wildlife

Playing outside in the snow

Constructing snowflakes

Herp, Herp, Hoorah! 2012 Camp Review

Herp, Herp, Hoorah! Campers' Families-

Hoorah for Herps! Our largest group of campers for the summer helped end our summer camps for 2012 with a lot of energy and excitement. Here's a recap of our 3 days together.

Day 1: Introduction to Tifft and Herps

• An adventure hike to explore the grasslands, forest and marsh areas of the preserve started our day off. We saw lots of frogs and turtles in the marsh, as well as birds and deer, but not any snakes.
• After a picnic lunch and some free time, we played "Herp or Not", as we discussed what makes a herp a herp.
• Pairs worked on puzzles of different herps to learn a little more about them (the puzzles had facts & myths on them, which we reviewed upon puzzle completion)
• For snack, we made turtles out of cream cheese, Ritz crackers, thin pretzel sticks & raisins. The kids were very creative in making their own turtles.
• After snack, we read Turtle Crossing by Rick Chrustowski together and learned a lot about the life of a turtle as it grows up from an egg to an adult.
• We finished the day by turning some small petri dishes into turtles. The campers got to design the shells either by mosaic, drawing or a combination of both. This bunch again showed their creativity with this activity.

Day 2: Amphibians

• We ran out of time on Tuesday to observe George, our box turtle, so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to do that before the end of the week. George was a little timid, but the campers got to touch his shell and see some of the cool adaptations he has.
• Out to the marsh to make some more observations of amphibians. We saw lots of frogs again, as well as a young snapping turtle crawling around in the marsh mud. 
• On our way back to the cabin, we went up the mounds and played "capture the prey", which is similar to 'red light, green light'...camper tried to sneak up on me (a mouse) as they (snakes) came down the mounds. If they were spotted, they had return to the end of the line.
• After lunch, Miss Kimberly led them through a frog catching fly craft. The campers made some really great patterns on their frogs. 
• Story time today included If Frogs Made Weather by Marion Dane Bauer and some poems from Toad By the Road by Joanne Ryder. 
• After snack, each camper 'became' a frog, and they learned about different calls of frogs. We then played "frogs on the  move", where groups of frogs moved across the 'pond' collecting eggs. They could only move if their species call was heard. 
• We ended the day by breaking out the playdoh and working through frog metamorphosis: egg, tadpole, growing legs, up to adult frog.

Day 3: Snakes

• Painting project started our day: we used pieces of citrus fruit trays to make snakes. The campers got to make whatever pattern/colors they wanted.
• Before our hike, we set up an experiment to check temperatures of different colored snakes. 
• Another hike in search of snakes found us one water snake in the marsh, and some cool birds (including egrets and a green heron)
• We checked on our snakes after lunch and discussed the hard life of being an ectothermic (cold-blooded) animal.
• In the afternoon, Miss Kimberly treated us to a visit with her two snakes: Guinness, a black rat snake, and Sausage, a ball python (with a missing tail).
• We read Slither & Crawl by Jim Arnosky, which talked about different types of reptiles.
• Today snake snacks were a big hit. Campers used a banana and rolled them in cinnamon/sugar to give them some color. They then could add sunflower seed scales and a fruit leather strip tongue before eating them.
• Sophia showed her salamander to the campers, and then we headed outside to run off some of the sugar from snack. Some of the campers ended their time by working on a beaded snake project.

Time flies by when we're having fun! I learned some new things again this year about herps and I hope the campers did too.
Below is a slideshow with photos from our adventures! To see the captions, roll cursor over bottom of frame and click on the white balloon.




Thank you so much for your support of Tifft and giving your nature explorers a chance to learn some new stuff with us!
Enjoy what's left of the summer & hope to see you again soon.
Best,
Miss Caryn

Nature Rangers 2012 Camp Review

What a week we Nature Rangers had!

16 campers ventured into a week-long adventure, exploring TASKS (Teamwork, Action, Skills, Knowledge and Sharing) and earning their Nature Ranger Badge.

Here's an overview of our week of TASKS.

Day 1:

• of course we started out our time with a great hike around the preserve, while introducing the importance of observation as a Nature Ranger
• we also played an observation game later in the day
• played Arrows, which was an observation game and a mind game too. The first round campers had to point and say the direction that the arrow (held by me) was pointing. To make it interesting, the other rounds we did opposites. They had to point the opposite way and say the direction, or say the opposite direction while pointing the correct direction. This was a little more difficult for them but they had a lot of fun.
• we learned a lot about the sun today too (besides that it made us hot and sweaty)
• we made sun dials
• teams worked together on a sun scavenger hunt
• we used solar-activated fabric to make a print to attach to a bandanna later
• we learned about a solar oven & our snack was cookies baked in it (yum!)

Day 2:

• Wetland and Water was a big theme today. 
• Big adventure  was out to the wetland to learn about the water quality and life that lives underwater. Due to the lack of rain, sun and little snowfall from the winter, our marsh was pretty dried up along the edge, but we still found some interesting animal life and learned that the water is pretty clean. Mr. Bob, one of our volunteers, worked with the campers to test pH, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, nitrate and ammonium levels in the water. We also used our dipnets to find macroinvertebrates such as dragonfly, damselfly and mayfly nymphs, snails, and backswimmers, as well as a few fish and one crayfish exoskeleton. 
• after lunch, the campers learned more about the marsh and its importance through a game called Wetland Metaphors, and also dissected some pieces of two marsh plants, cattail and purple loosestrike, as they learned about invasive species and the adaptations that make them successful.
• Direction/Map/Compass was the other focus today.
• As a group, we went on a scavenger hunt of Tifft, which served as an introduction to directions and how to read a map. 
• We then did a compass reading activity, which was a bit challenging but the campers seemed to get the basic idea. 

Day 3: TREE DAY

• We started the day with "We All Need Trees", where each camper was given an item and had to determine if the item had anything to do with trees. Each item, which ranged from maple syrup to a rayon skirt to cork and paper, was actually made by some part of a tree. 
• We also set up an experiment using a plastic bag to cover leaves on part of a tree and sealed it up to see what happened. Campers thought it was going to blow up like a balloon.  Thursday, we discovered that it had inflated a bit, but that it was also filled with water that had been transpired by the leaves. It was a good discussion of other important benefits from trees.
• Today was our big action day. We worked with Mr. Andrew to help out Tifft's forest. Campers learned earlier in the week that Tifft wasn't always a nature preserve and looked much different when the Native Americans used this land as a hunting grounds. The forest has also changed since Tifft became a preserve and Mr. Andrew told campers about the forest project that's been happening over the last 3 years (over 1500 trees have been planted). To help these new trees have a good chance to survive and to also get rid of some invasive plants (Japanese knotweed and European buckthorn), the campers worked on spreading wood chips around the bases of the saplings planted along Rabbit Run East. They also pulled out some newly growing knotweed and buckthorn, and even watered the tree saplings, which needed it with the lack of rain this summer.
• After lunch we ventured back out and learned about some survival skills and the Rule of 3 (ask your campers if they remember that one!). After a brief discussion, the campers worked together to create a survival shelter out of items found in the forest. Due to time, the shelter wasn't completely finished, but they had fun crawling into it anyway & were sad when we took it apart, which was the last step in the shelter process.
• Snack was a skill-lesson, as the campers learned about building a proper fire with edible items. We made an A-Frame fire, learning about tinder, kindling and fuel, as well as proper fire building etiquette. The favorite part, of course, was being able to eat the fire. 
• Our last activity of the day was called Birds and Worms, where campers became birds and had to collect pipe cleaner 'worms' that were scattered on the ground. The game required teamwork and also touched on camouflage and why some animals have bright colors versus drab colors. 

Day 4:

• Morning activity was fishing. Campers worked well together to help bait hooks with squirmy worm and enjoy the beautiful day by the lake. The group caught about 10 fish, including bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and green sunfish. We had a few campers catch their first fish ever, and many had 'the one that got away'.
• Another action project was in store as we did a shoreline sweep along Lake Kirsty, collecting enough garbage to fill 1/4 of a blue Buffalo garbage tote. 
• The relaxing morning pent up some energy so the campers played freeze tag to run around and get some exercise. 
• We also played two teamwork games called Insanity and Alligator Alley. 

Day 5:

• Rain threatened to come in on our last day, but stayed away to allow us to be outside. We had another guest, Mr. Walt, who did a nature journaling workshop with the campers. Mr. Walt was a graphic designer before retiring and enjoyed showing his nature drawing tricks with the campers.
• We then walked to the top of the mounds, after getting to see some wild turkey polts (young) with their mom. On our way down the hill, we played a Native American stalking game.
• Another teamwork game called Star Wars after lunch was followed by another round of Alligator Alley, popsicles for snack (the sun did come out and heat things up) and two fish games: Keep the Fish in the Pond (water balloon in a parachute) and Pass the Fish (water balloon).  
• Our last activity was making little fish out of beads.

Campers earned their Nature Ranger badges and also received a Leave No Trace card to remember some of the rules of being respectful to nature.

Below is a slideshow with photos from our adventures! To see the captions, roll cursor over bottom of frame and click on the white balloon.


It was a hot week, but it was lots of fun and it was great to meet some new campers and see returning faces as well. Hopefully you will learn something new from your Nature Ranger and enjoy the rest of the summer.Thank you for your support of Tifft as well.
Best,
Miss Caryn