Categories
- Calendar
- Critters
- Eco-minded
- Events
- Flowers
- Fundraising
- Hit the Trails
- Honey Fest
- Kids
- Nature Center
- Nature's Noel
- News
- Other
- Plant Sale
- Programs
- Restoration
- Summer Camp
- Syrup Fest
- Weather
Paddle Day is coming!
Yes, I know we’ve been quiet lately but we’re working on something really exciting we’ll be ready to unveil shortly! In the meantime, we’ve got a few special programs to tell you about.
First, PADDLE DAY is coming this Saturday, Jan 29th. If you’re a kayaker, a canoeist or other paddle enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this! Eco-adventurer John Pearson will share some of his recent excursions across America in a beautiful and exciting photo-narrative. John Craun will tell you why Isle Royale is a MUST on your destination list and he’ll show you his latest creation – an Aleutian biadarka! It’s a beautiful wooden kayak he’s constructed that you’ll definitely want to see. Registration opens at 12:30…cost is $7/ICNC members; $10/non-members
We’ve got three workshops coming up for folks interested in chickens. First, noted author and co-host of the wildly popular “Chicken Whisperer” radio show – Patricia Freeman – will Skype in to the Nature Center on Sunday, Feb 6th at 2pm for a presentation on integrating chickens with gardens and increasing your backyard production. We’ll also have a presentation on coops and fencing. If you’re raising chickens or thinking about it, you’ll want to be here! Cost is $7/ICNC members; $10/non-members.
And if you’re thinking you want to raise chickens and want to know more about it, come to our Basic Chicken Workshop on Saturday, February 19th at 2pm. This is the workshop required by the City of Cedar Rapids before a permit will be issued for residents to raise hens in their backyards. This same workshop will also be presented on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:00pm at the new Theisen’s location (1800 51st St NE…formerly Econofoods). Thanks to our friends at Cargill and Nutrena for helping us with the Theisen’s workshop! Cost for either workshop is $7/ICNC members; $10/non-members.
If you’re interested in more information or to register for these events, give us a call at 319-362-0664. See you at the Nature Center!
Bug Academy this weekend!
Are you getting ready for winter? The bugs are! Join Indian Creek Nature Center and expert “bug guy” Joe Zito for Bug Academy this Saturday, October 9th at 1 PM. Joe will tell us all about how bugs stay snug in the winter!
For more info, visit the program calendar on our website!
September means honey!
It’s that time of year again! Are you ready for Honey Fest?
The Nature Center bees have been very happy – and busy, of course – this year, and they’re ready for you to come out and enjoy their hard work. Join us this Sunday, September 19th from 1 – 4 PM for our annual Honey Fest!
This year’s festival has an arts theme. Local artists will be practicing their crafts throughout the grounds. (Don’t miss artist and author Claudia McGehee and her scratchboard wonders – she will be signing books too!) In addition, we’ll have all of the usual favorites: games and crafts, great food, and our live bee beard and bee bonnet this year will be American Gothic inspired. Don’t miss it!
And don’t forget to take something sweet home with you: The Creekside Shop is stocked with Nature Center honey, honeycomb, honey sticks in a variety of flavors and much more!
(The photo in this post is taken from Sweet Virginia‘s website. Sweet Virginia looks like an amazing cause – get rewarded for donations with honey!)
New Kid in Town
There’s a new species of dove arriving in Eastern Iowa. Well, the species isn’t new, but its presence here is. It’s the Eurasian Collared Dove and they’re spreading quickly across the United States.
You can see he looks a bit like a cross between a pigeon and a mourning dove. Wikipedia describes him like this:
It is a medium sized dove, distinctly smaller than the Wood Pigeon, similar in length to a Rock Pigeon but slimmer and longer-tailed, and slightly larger than the related Turtle Dove, 30–33 cm long from tip of beak to tip of tail, with a wingspan of 47–55 cm, and a weight of 125–240 g. It is grey-buff to pinkish-grey overall, a little darker above than below, with a blue-grey underwing patch. The tail feathers are grey-buff above, and dark grey tipped white below; the outer tail feathers also tipped whitish above. It has a black half-collar edged with white on its nape from which it gets its name. The short legs are red and the bill is black. The iris is red, but from a distance the eyes appear to be black, as the pupil is relatively large and only a narrow rim of reddish-brown iris can be seen around the black pupil. The eye is surrounded by a small area of bare skin, which is either white or yellow. The two sexes are virtually indistinguishable; juveniles differ in having a poorly developed collar, and a brown iris.
The dove seems to prefer urban areas and often comes to feeders – a bonus for spotting this new guy. The Iowa DNR told us that since it is a dove, it is protected as Iowa law prohibits the shooting of any dove species. We haven’t seen one yet, but if you do… let us know!
What on Earth?
To the untrained eye right now, our front walk looks like a giant slip n slide.
(Namely to my untrained eye. And I’m not recommending the front walk for its slip n slide properties.)
So what are we really doing at the Nature Center this week?
Meet our new permeable pave. Installed by Eggleston Concrete, the front walk will now work to soak up some water and help it find a way down into the ground instead of running right off into the road (and ultimately into Indian Creek).
Over a layer of rock, the busy-as-bees (and almost as numerous) workers, laid down a rough, porous concrete. (In this picture you can see the permeable pave meeting up with another run-off resistant surface: our grass pave.)
Watch for an update on what the finished product will look like – and who gets to walk on it first!
