Mercer Slough

Grant and I (and his classmates) went to a local wetlands to explore nature with a naturalist (naturally). It was interesting and informative. It was one of the best field trips I have been on. I say this because our 1/2 of the class got to spend the time while it was pouring down rain in the lab and we stayed relatively dry.
The funny thing was that while we were in the midst of the city there is this huge park that is part of the slough and looks like it would be nice and quiet. It was not. There was construction noise all around us from some condo project. Another funny thing: I am new to this school as a mom, so my child keeps mentioning rats in his suggestions of what could live here, what other animals feed on etc. One mom made the comment (thinking she was humorous) that Grant sure knows a lot about rats! Rats! my cover has been blown so soon in the game.

Grant enjoyed looking at all the little swamp critters he found under the microscope. There is a lot of life in a table spoon of swamp water as it turns out. Pretty neat.
Here the girls are all excited, but the male part of the group doesn't look like his tummy is enjoying all these creepy crawlies!

Did you know????? that woodpeckers have a very long tongue with a hook at the end? That they bash their heads at break neck speeds against very hard objects all day long? That they do not get brain damage from this activity? (See? It sometimes is beneficial to have a tiny brain!) AND the best part? That long tongue does not go down their throat, but wraps around their brain to protect it like a helmet! Pretty cool, is that not?