Life On The Tallgrass Prairie: this that and the other

Showing posts with label this that and the other. Show all posts

Monday, February 21, 2022

Saturday On the Tallgrass Prairie - February 19, 2022

Saturday was a beautiful day in southwest Missouri! The sun fairly gleamed as it's light spilled out over the frozen prairie landscape.

The creek sang merrily as it made its way across the low-water bridge, moving along to bigger things downstream.

There was evidence of beavers hard at work along it's edges. The following two photographs were actually taken the Monday before...

I had bison on the way in to work Saturday morning and bison on the way home that night. I even had bison in the middle between opening and closing!

There were bison on the west side of the park on my way in to work that morning...

"Betcha can't see me now!"

...bison came past the nature center around 10:30 a.m...

Looking Through the Diorama and Out the East

Window of the Nature Center

...and, then, I saw bison on the south end of the park on my way home...

It was great!!! It's been twenty-six years since first discovering the bison at Prairie State Park, going on eight years of working with them, and I never ever get tired of seeing them!

Until next time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might enjoy reading...

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Around The Border and Along The Edges

I decided to take a little trip around the border and along the edges of our backyard this afternoon to see what I might find there. Here are a few of the things that I discovered and observed...

New England Asters Growing Along the Back Fencerow

Late Boneset Growing Along the Edge of the Grapevines

An Empty Snail Shell

A Lovely Shelf Fungus Growing on a Dead Branch

More Fungi and Lichen Growing on Another Branch

A Pecan

A Large Fungus Growing Out of an Old Stump

A Wooly-Worm Making His Way Along the Edge of the North Shed

A Live Snail Inching His Way Along Not Too Far Behind the Wooly-worm

Tiny Brown Mushrooms Growing Behind the North Shed

These are just a few of the things that I discovered and observed on my walk around the border and along the edges of our backyard today. What can be found around and along yours?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

Recent and related posts that you might be interested in reading...

Early Morning on the Tallgrass Prairie

Modern Day Cowgirls (Well, Sort Of)

Sunday, January 29, 2017

A Return To Life On The Tallgrass Prairie

It's been well over a year since I last posted anything on this blog and many changes have taken place in that time. I'm still working at Prairie State Park in southwest Missouri and I'm still loving my job...more than ever, in fact!

When I was hired on at the park in June of 2014, my position was basically one that consisted of secretarial and janitorial-type duties. Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, somehow, I ended up in a different position and have been a year-round seasonal naturalist for about a year and half now. In that time I have presented multiple programs to children and adults of all ages and attended several training sessions. I have learned much and, hopefully, have educated others along the way.

It is my goal to return to a consistent sharing of my experiences and adventures of life on the tallgrass prairie and, as I have time, go back through my pictures and stuff and catch you up with some of what I've missed along the way.

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

Thursday, March 26, 2015

We're Getting Ready For A Stampede At Prairie State Park This Fall! Won't You Join Us?

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Wildlife Scene Investigation Day Camp Pics - 7/12/14

Thought you all might enjoy a few pics of our Wildlife Scene Investigation Day Camp. The event was held on July 12, 2014. Quite a few children were in attendance and, as you can see from the pics below, they had an absolute ball!

Investigator Darla Deermouse and Detective Catori Coyote

A few of our cadets getting ready for class at Prairie State Park's Wildlife Scene Investigation Academy.

Cadets ready and waiting for class at Prairie State Park's Wildlife Scene Investigation Academy.

Crime Scene #1 - It seems that campers at Prairie State Park's campground awoke to find that the cooler that that had left OUTSIDE...ON THEIR PICNIC TABLE...had been stolen. (Not a very good idea...huh?) Detective Coyote and Investigator Deermouse had located the stolen items and had already marked the crime scene. We accompanied Detective Coyote to the crime scene where cadets helped her discover who the perpetrators were and solve the crime.

Crime Scene #1 - See the prints? Do you know who committed this crime?

Cadets take a hike on the prairie to discover scat, tracks, and other signs of wildlife along the trail.

Crime Scene #2 - It seems that someone broke into Prairie State Park's VC and left quite a few clues as to who they were behind. Can you guess who might have visited our VC after hours by these clues?

(By the way...this scat was perfectly safe for visitors. It was made by park staff using all edible ingredients...except the bison fur that was used in the coyote scat.)

Cadets investigating Crime Scene #2.

Our cadets making and enjoying edible "scat".

Crime Scene #3 - Hmmm...a deer skin, skull, jaw bone, and a shell casing. What could have happened here?

At this scene our cadets took all they had learned about tracks and scat and, with just a little oversight from Detective Catori Coyote, marked and solved this crime scene all on their own.

Detective Coyote explains a few final details in what to look for when reading tracks and scat and other signs that might be left behind at a scene like this one.

Cadets investigating Crime Scene #3.

At the end of the day cadets graduated from the Wildlife Scene Investigation Academy with honors.

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Camping 101

On Saturday, June 28th, Prairie State Park hosted a special program on camping basics. Not many attended, but we still had a good time. Here are few pics from our day...