Activities at Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary

Nature Discovery Day Camp 2008

Dates: June 23–26, 2008 / 9 am–3 pm
Grade Range: Students entering 5th or 6th grade
Enrollment: Limit 18 (minimum 14)
Cost: $225 Michigan Audubon members / $250 non-members
Early Registration: $25 discount for early registration by May 15
Deposit: $50 by May 30 / Final payment due by June 12
Final Registration: June 6, 2008

This four day camp will be offered at Michigan Audubon’s Lake Bluff sanctuary in Manistee by Nature Discovery based in Williamston, Mich. Nature Discovery’s mission is to enhance awareness of and sensitivity toward Michigan’s living resources through natural science education.

The camp instructors will be Jim and Carol McGrath. Jim McGrath, Nature Discovery’s founder, is an MSU alumnus with a degree in wildlife biology and over 20 years experience as a professional interpretive naturalist. Carol McGrath is a specialist science teacher for Fairview Elementary and other schools in the Lansing area.

The Nature Discovery Day Camp is designed for students with a strong personal interest in the wildlife of Michigan. A limited enrollment allows for a high-quality, friendly, uninhibited atmosphere with “get into it” and “get dirty” expectations.

Amphibian/Reptile Discovery Of 53 amphibian and reptile species to be found in Michigan, Nature Discovery cares for over 40 of them. Specimens will be kept in aquariums and pools on-site, and will be available for hands-on exploration. Students will learn identification, behavior, habitat and conservation issues related to each species.

Bird Exploration Birding hikes on a few mornings will emphasize identification of Lake Bluff’s rich bird diversity, by sight and by “ear.” Students will also keep daily checklists of their finds, and keep records of nesting activity on the Lake Bluff property.

Insect Investigation Students will not only identify species encountered, but classify them to their taxonomic orders, as well. The entire class will work on amassing a diverse insect collection that will be permanently displayed at the Lake Bluff Center. Students will delve into techniques of capturing, pinning, mounting and labeling well over 100 specimens.

Tree, Shrub, Vine and Wildflower Identification Ecological relationships between much of the flora and fauna will be discovered throughout the week and largely learned while students are “in the habitat” birding and insect-collecting.

For additional information contact Wendy Tatar at the Michigan Audubon office: programcoordinator@michiganaudubon.org; 517-886-9144.

Contact Lake Bluff