Imagine

A dusty keyboard taps while a shiny black mouse clicks over and over again. My stomach is gurgling from too much morning coffee and my mind is silently pacing on what topic I should write. I step outside to collect my thoughts and then it hits me: imagine a world with no bird song.

As a child, I would often ride my twelve speed bicycle two miles down to grandmother’s house. The times we shared together were mostly spent outdoors in her front yard or along the magical-forested trail at Herman Park. Today, as an adult the most constant sights and sounds I can recall from those times are bird songs.

Ornithologist’s (a person who studies birds) categorize bird music into two distinct groups, one is named a call and the other is termed a song. Calls are non-melodious and are often composed of short notes. Bird calls are often used to alert other birds and to contact other birds. In contrast, bird songs are more musical and complex than bird calls. Songs are used to attract mates and also for protecting a territory. Both bird calls and bird songs are produced by an organ called the syrnx.

The syrnx is located near the base of the bird’s trachea and contains many expandable membrane fibers. Unlike mammals, birds do not have any vocal cords and make their songs by air pressure and membrane vibrations in the syrnx. Through this process, birds are able to both create and alter the pitch/frequency of their song. Since many birds do not have a strong sense of smell they must rely upon their acute sense of sound to survive.

The most effective way I teach children and myself bird songs is to simply put words to them; this learning technique relies heavily on the use of mnemonics. Mnemonics are words or phrases used in helping a person better remember something. An example of mnemonics would be learning the ABC’s through singing the ABC song ,or using the world HOMES to recall the names of the Great Lakes (Heron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).

People are always intrigued when I use bird mnemoics on hikes. I tell them an open set of ears and a creative mind is all one truly needs to learn how to call and identify bird songs. Cheeseburger, cheeseburger says the Black Capped Chickadee as the kids giggle; what cheer, what cheer, cheer, cheer, sings the bright red male Northern Cardinal.

Birds add enjoyment and can increase our quality of life, they also can be indicators of the environment or “a sort of litmus paper” as renowned ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson would say. No matter the human commotion, electrical fuzz or mechanical racket; bird song is and will always be, incessantly beautiful.

I can not imagine a world without bird song. Can you?

Osborne 5k Fun Run

The annual Osborne 5k Fun Run will be held Sept. 17th at Osborne Nature Center.  The course will take runners through the trails at Osborne and cross the shallow Volga River twice.  Funds generated from this event will be used in the Osborne Partners for Education Endowment. This endowment ensures that outdoor education programs at Osborne will continue to be given to students and adults in the area. Forms are available at the Nature Center or online at http://www.claytoncountyconservation.org/

Showy Lady Slipper

The Pink Lady Slipper belongs to the Orchid Family.  The stem is typically 1-2ft tall. The leaves grow up to 7 inches long and 4 inches wide.  The hairs on the stem and leaves contain an acid  that has been known to cause a rash on human skin.  The plant typically has only one to two flowers or "slippers" that give off a fragrance to attract pollinators. This beautiful flower is becoming very rare in Iowa and is currently listed on the state's threatened species list. After much searching, I found this Showy Lady Slipper blooming in Clayton County during the first week of June.

Fawn at Osborne

A young White Tailed Deer Fawn was born at Osborne and has been up and moving around. Visit the park soon to see if you can find her white spots hidden amongst the grass.

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.