Scouts are always treated to warm up and team-building exercises before we start work or educational programs. Click here for a photo album.

Scouts scan for an oriole nest on the IRC property. The parents came back later, after the kids were gone. Click here to see pictures of the orioles at their nest.

Scouts and adult volunteers get together to weed the study garden which had become quickly overgrown during the wet and rainy spring.

Diary of a Restoration

5th Installment, June 17, 2003

It has only been two weeks since the prairie was planted from seed, so there was little we could show the scouts in the way of progress. Instead, we decided to set aside the first truly warm day of summer for educational programs, a sign-painting project and a brief weeding of the study garden. Click here to go back to the previous installment to see pictures of the prairie planting.

After warm-up exercises, scouts broke up into groups and took turns weeding, painting a sign announcing the "Prairie in Progress," and helping with other chores.

It was too hot to work for very long, so the remainder of the time was spent on a nature walk led by Jacques Nuzzo. Scouts had a chance to see bee hives, find an oriole nest built right out in plain view, and hike into some areas of the property requiring more restoration work.

The parents tending the oriole nest decided not to hang around while 53 scouts stared up at their nest. Naturally, they came back shortly after the girls left for the day, We'd like to share some pictures. Click here to see both oriole parents at the nest.

The girls were also treated to the release of two American kestrels that had been admitted to the Illinois Raptor Center for rehabilitation.

Scouts also heard brief presentations about prairies and native plants. They are starting to learn why native plants are valued over exotics due to the complicated relationship between plants, animals, birds, butterflies and other insects. It is our hope to teach the scouts a little bit about nature's delicate balance, and how we can help preserve it.

Nearly all of our diary entries include photo albums as well. To view the most recent album, click here.

More activities are now in the planning stages. If you have questions about this unique partnership, email the Illinois Raptor Center at: barnowl@illinoisraptorcenter.org.