Smiles Abound At Daddy & Me Day

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center hosted more than 150 guests this afternoon at Daddy & Me Day, a fun, free event for our wonderful members. Crafts, live animals and planetarium star shows made it a special afternoon for dads, daughters and sons.
We don't know what the moms did with their afternoon off, but we have a feeling they value this member perk as much, if not more, than the Dads! If you want to know about Center membership, visit the membership page on our website. Kudos to all the Dads who took time to spend a special afternoon with their kids!

Kids Making A Difference

Hats off to the "Purple Pandas!" That's the name of a group headed up by two hard-working and generous 4th graders from the Glenview Center for Childcare and Learning in Bay Village. These girls have been combining their creativity, entrepreneurial skills and philanthropy to make and market bead jewelry, etc. to classmates.
Most of the items on the sales table that they set up in the hallway sell for just .10 or .15 cents each, and yet they've managed to raise enough to "Adopt An Animal" at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center (they selected the Leopard Gecko) and have amassed another $50 (and counting) to give to charity.
It just shows that you're never too young to make a difference! Our non-profit mission thrives because people of all ages are willing to share their energy and resources. Thanks Purple Pandas!

Saw-whet Release on WKYC-TV

Here's the WKYC-TV (Channel 3) story on the Saw-whet owl release from March 26, 11 p.m. news.

Rehab Owl Release, Plus One!

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Program successfully released two rehab patients last night, with a small crowd of animal lovers and media attending. A Saw-whet Owl, which was banded this week as it completed recovery from a broken scapula, flew to a nearby stone fire ring and kept its intense eyes on the assembled admiring crowd before eventually flying up to a nearby tree.

Wildlife Specialist Amy LeMonds also released a Woodcock from rehab, which immediately took to the sky and winged its way back into the wild (see video clip below). Look for coverage in upcoming issues of both the West Shore Sun and Westlife newspapers.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center performs wildlife rehabilitation at no cost to the public, relying on donations to fund this specialized animal care. Thanks to everyone who contributes to the program.

Saw-whet Owl Banded

Our Saw-whet owl rehab patient, who's almost ready for release back into the wild, will be part of a program that helps us to understand birds better. Master Bird Bander Gary Fowler put a uniquely numbered silver band around the rehab patient's leg, as Lake Erie Nature & Science Center Rehabiltation Specialist Amy LeMonds assisted today. According to the Bird Banding Laboratory website, bird banding is a technique used to study the movement, survival and behavior of birds. The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the United States Department of the Interior and the Canadian Wildlife Service.

Gary is one of only 2,000 people who hold the Master Bird Bander permit issued by the Federal Government. Saw-whets are the smallest of Ohio's owls and so small that the adults are often mistaken for babies. Based on the coloration of the primary and secondary feathers, Gary says this owl was born last year.

If you're interested in witnessing the return of this owl back into the wild following its rehabilitation here, you can join us on Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's back porch Thursday, March 26 at 5 p.m. for the scheduled release.

Summer Camp Scholarships Available

Did you know you can apply for a scholarship to help fund summer camp at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center? The Cleveland Clean Air Century Campaign established the Rev. Marvin J. Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund for Youth to assist young people, ages 5 to 17 years old, who wish to attend a camp, class or workshop with an emphasis on the environment. Scholarship awards vary, up to $100, and depend on the program cost.

Youth scholarship selection "is not based on financial need but on level of interest shown in environmental topics through schoolwork extracurricular activities, hobbies, or volunteer activities." The applicant is responsible for finding the program for which they want scholarship assistance. You can research a camp or class at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center on our website or download a copy of our Summer Program Guide (pdf) here.

Then, print out the Scholarship Application and Guidelines (pdf) and apply today!

Buzzards In Bay

It seems there's never a dull moment at Eagle Cliff Road in Bay Village. Our friend Stephen Watterson, who recently shared some great photos of the Bald Eagle that's been frequenting the our "neighborhood" this spring, has some new photos of some other large winged creatures hanging out along Lake Erie: Turkey Vultures. In fact, there is a whole flock of the large birds, also known as Buzzards, resting along the shore.

The resident Turkey Vulture at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is always a "hit" with kids when he appears at our Meet An Animal programs. That's because these fascinating birds exhibit a host of gross-out behaviors that are "no-no's" in the human world, including nose-picking, “bed-wetting” and vomiting. Turkey Vultures have the distinction of dining on road kill and other carrion and regurgitate the foul-smelling stuff to scare off predators.
Thanks for sharing, Stephen!

Rehab Patient Becomes Animal Ambassador

One recent rehab patient at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, an Eastern Screech Owl, is unfortunately destined to become an educational animal instead of returning to the wild. This owl was brought into the Kenneth A. Scott Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Program with missing metacarpals or “finger” bones in the wing. We don’t know what kind of trauma caused the amputation of the digits, but this is a permanent injury that will prevent this owl from ever flying well again.

The Eastern Screech Owl is one of the three most common owls in Ohio. This tiny owl is often mistaken for a baby because, as an adult, it's only about 9 inches tall and weighs about 6 ounces.
There are two colors of Screech Owls, red and gray. As you can see in the photo, this one is the red phase. Eastern Screech Owls nest in tree cavities like a woodpecker does. Standing dead trees are important to them not only for nesting sites but also as a food source as the dead tree becomes infested with bugs. In addition to insects, they eat small mammals, small birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Before this bird can become an animal ambassador, we need to acclimate it to being around people in a non-threatening manner. Once it’s comfortable, it’ll be ready to help us educate and inspire. Watch for it to be out with our live animal presenters. -Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist Amy LeMonds