Turkey River Poetry

In stillness of the night


A waxing moon shines over the devils elbow,

Crystal rays of light break through the summertime haze of a hot June night.

Two white pines form an ancient window into the past

While sculptures of limestone pose,

above layers of shifting clay.



The Turkey River flows freely through these bends,

Carving rocks, nourishing all that is green-

A constant coolant to a feverish machine,

She wonders if one day we can make amends-
and stop filling her home with silt-laden sands.

At Cape Carp,

Shifting sands inspire conscious minds-

Kindred spirits heal together.

Native stories are delivered

From the moon-lit Turkey River,

A resource caught between natural piety and human peril-


Tonight her petition glitters under the June moon tan:

To form a unified voice and make a human connected stand

Against the impoverishment of a naturally connected land.

Field Trip Season

The spring school field trip season has concluded at Osborne-time to focus on the junior naturalist camps coming up next week. During the month of May, the Osborne Nature Center hosted over 20 field trips to the park. Certain days were double booked with kids and one day was even triple booked!  As crazy as these days can be, I always remember them when it is a freezing day during the cold month of January and I am inside wishing for a warm spring day to be out teaching the kids.

Raptor Nestlings

We have had both Great Horned Owls nest and Red-Tail Hawks nest at Osborne Nature Center near the Volga River.  A Great Horned Owlet (young owl) was spotted two weeks ago in his nest and had nearly all his flight feathers. Two Red-Tail Hawk Nestlings have also been observed and will be leaving the next within the next two weeks. Stop in the office to inquire about the nest location.

Grape Jam

A friend of mine from Elkader recently reported the stores in Clayton County were running low on grape jam.  This comes during a time when Baltimore Oriole's are flocking to hummingbird feeders and grape jam feeders by the dozens. Several avid birder's in the county have reported seeing the most Oriole's in years, one couple reported they needed to fill their grape jam feeders nearly 4 times a day!  The less common Orchard Oriole has also been spotted at several jam feeders. So now is the time to brighten up your day! Set some grape or rasberry jam out in a small container and watch the color come your way.

Is spring here

Although it does not fully feel like spring has arrived yet, reports of grey mushrooms and nesting bluebirds have come through the Osborne Welcome  and Nature Center. Last week, while checking our bluebird boxes, I found two bluebirds who were sitting on a full brood of eggs. I also have noticed several species of warblers coming through the area including the easy to spot yellow rumped warbler. This bird is easy to identify by the bright yellow patch on its rump-hence its name.  Regardless of the dreary weather, the signs are fastly approaching-letting us know spring is here.

Junior Naturalist Camp 2011

The Junior Naturalist Camp season has started at Osborne Nature Center. The Junior Naturalist Camp is held during the summer at Osborne. The camp is open to Clayton County 6-8th grade students. The Junior Naturalist program focuses on exploring nature and the environment. Activities are led by Naturalists at Osborne Center, local resource specialists and sportsmen. Each grade level has a different theme and participates in a variety of activities. Some activities include: geocaching, canoeing, tubing, archery, night hikes, Bird ID, and survival skills. Sign up quickly as the deadline is May 18, 2011.

For more information simply vist the LINK below for a copy of the Junior Naturalist Brochure.

http://www.claytoncountyconservation.org/JNPbrochure11.pdf