Some of our new Family Nature Explore Club members
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Family Nature Explore Club
10/12/08
Thanks to all the wonderful families who came out for Family Nature Explore Club! We explored bird migration, learned the basics of binoculars, discovered the "coffee" connection, created three dimensional migrant maps, and played some great migration games. Katerina presented a great powerpoint about the connection between the coffee we buy and the birds we love. Vicki kept the younger kids on the move with games and learning about migratory birds. I really enjoyed watching parents help their children with the geography of the maps. We all got to see a Common Yellowthroat, Great Egret, Anhinga, and Belted Kingfisher along Sims Bayou. The Metlife blimp even swooped down for a look at what was going on! In November we will discover the world of bird banding, orienteering, and we'll all learn how to be "Nature Detectives". Join us!
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AIdan meeting one of our new ducklings.
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Bayou Buddies
by Vicki Vroble
10/11/08
For D week, the preschoolers learned all about ducks. Class was extra special this week thanks to Judy Cody who generously donated 2 ducklings to our education animal collection. Everyone loved watching them swim round and round in our play pool. We're hoping Scooter the rooster will take them under his wing and show them the ropes at Sims. Join us next week for E is for Earthworm! We have many spaces available in our Thursday class!!!
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National Night Out
by Vicki Vroble
10/10/08
Sims Bayou was proud to host another National Night Out on October 7th. Residents of Park Place and Reveille communed over delicious hot dogs prepared by neighbors Fred and Ramiro. There were lots of familiar faces and new acquaintences were made as well. The gathering would've gone on much longer had darkness not set in so quickly. Plans for outdoor lighting at the nature center are underway to better facilitate evening events. Special thanks to Linda Del Angel for serving food and to Lucy Goldsmith for inviting members of the local AARP group.
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Troop 1190 working hard at SBUNC
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What Hurricane?
9/27/08
Wow! What a day! I cannot express enough thanks to Boy Scout Troop 1190 for their hard work today clearing the debris on the trails. Jim Winn and Andrew Beck worked their magic with the chainsaws and Pam Smolen, Vicki, Katerina, and myself were kept busy hauling limbs and making brush piles. Troop 1190 is the same troop that built most of the trails, boardwalk, and bayou deck. Sincere thanks goes out to Peter Christie for helping organize the work crew. We still have a few boardwalks to fix and a few big trees to deal with but we are almost 100% back in business. Now if only we had power!!!!!
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Sunny Days
9/25/08
Work continues at SBUNC to clean up debris from Hurricane Ike. Andrew Beck has made great progress with his chainsaw and this Saturday the scouts who built the trails and boardwalks will be helping to clear debris from the woodland trails. Andrew also helped us complete the new quail aviary. The two Northern Bobwhite Quail have a new home with prairie grasses and some great logs curtesy of Ike. Bayou Buddies continued today with "B is for Beaver". The kids built a great beaver lodge and enjoyed Vicki's wonderful lesson. The gardens are full of hummingbirds and butterflies. Scooter, the rooster, still rules the roost and we have discovered that he loves macaroni and cheese. He helps us rake and till the soil and he is great at catching worms for our box turtle. Every day brings new discoveries at Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center. If you have a pre-schooler come for Bayou Buddies on Friday!
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Work continues
9/20/08
Well I just got power restored at my house in Spring Branch. It has been a major chore to keep the mouse and rat freezer going. The generator that we were so happy to get from my parents had to be duct taped together many times. My family was so great about letting the power run to the rodent freezer instead of other things. Flavio and Guillermo have worked wonders with the chain saw in the front yard at SBUNC. Vicki and I are so grateful. We are planning a party next Saturday for our volunteers and supporters. We don't expect to have power but will BBQ and enjoy the hummingbirds. Anyone who has helped at the sanctuaries or just loves SBUNC is welcome! We will set up the croquet and have other fun games. Scooter will be anxious for some walks! Please come! We will get things going at noon. Thanks!
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IKE
9/17/08
Vicki and I are busy trying to restore order to Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center. We have neighborhood kids helping remove debris. The biggest danger besides the downed power lines are the ants. There are ants just about everywhere. Fire ants are inflicting great pain on everyone. Crazy ants are all over the place. The neighbors said they were told it would be 3 weeks before power is restored. River Drive is still impassable. Thanks to all of our neighbors who have helped! We move forward a much stronger community! Kids are playing football in the backyard as Vicki and I straighten downed shrubs and bushes. We hope everyone is safe and well.
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Great-tailed Grackle looking scruffy!
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Look - it's a plane, it's a bird, it's a kite!
8/20/08
As summer comes to an end we are all feeling a little worn out and scruffy. Birds are busy molting in preparation for cooler temperatures or migration. Be sure to watch the skies above your neighborhood. Mississippi Kites have descended on Houston in great numbers as they head south. I watched several dozen stream above my house last night. They are magnificent to watch in the air! Chimney Swifts are gathering in large numbers around town. Please join us next Tuesday for Swift Night Out at the Whole Foods Market on Bellaire Blvd. Last night 272 swifts were counted entering the shaft. Whole Foods is providing snacks and everything kicks off at 7 PM in the parking lot! Thanks to Pam Smolen and Mary Ann Beauchemin at the Nature Discovery Center for keeping the counts going. It is a fun family event. Don't miss it!
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