Prairie Days 2010

Prairie Days is Huge Success!

The last weekend of September is a busy one for Darke County, and it was certainly a busy one at Darke County Park’s Shawnee Prairie Preserve! Prairie Days 2010 was a huge success this year with lots of “200-year-old people” in pioneer costume, amazing pioneer related crafts, more vendors than ever before, horse and wagon rides, yummy foods and snacks and most of all, a record attendance of nearly 4,000 visitors!

Each year Prairie Days has been growing, not just in activities offered, but also in attendance. In the most recent years, we expected just around 3,000 people to attend over the two day period. This year’s festival has exceeded all expectations! We had the biggest Saturday turnout ever and were very busy on Sunday as well. All in all, we had a wonderful weekend and are sorry that it went by so fast!

If you attended Prairie Days 2010; THANK YOU! If you missed out this year (and even if you did visit), please visit our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/groups/dcparks/ to see what all the hubbub is about! And put next year’s Prairie Days on your calendar NOW- September 24 & 25, 2011.

Did you take some pictures while at Prairie Days? Why not upload them to Flickr to show everyone what YOU experienced during this fun filled event?

Finally, a HUGE Thank You goes out to the more than 150 plus volunteers, demonstrators and vendors who helped make Prairie Days 2010 such a wonderful event and assisted the staff in making sure that all who visited had a amazing experience. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Campers vs Wild

On the week of August 1-6, campers age 10-12 participated in Darke County Parks’ Campers vs. Wild summer camp. The goal of this camp was to teach campers how to survive if they were ever lost in the wilderness. They were shown several methods for the necessities and then practiced many of these when we “dropped them in the woods” for a “survival” overnight experience!

On Monday campers learned how to use primitive tools in order to make a fire. Various techniques were discussed and then practiced, including 18^th century style Flint and Steel, bow drill, 9volt battery and modern flint/steels. All campers were taught that fire can be very dangerous, but is also a needed and useful tool. By the end of the week, all campers were able to make fire using their own modern fire steel!

The second day of camp, campers learned how to gather water from a stream by using materials found around them. They practiced using whatever they could find, in this case, litter that many of them would have either ignored or picked up to throw away. This made gathering water a lot easier than using their hands many campers stated. They also learned the importance of boiling water after it was collected so that it could become more drinkable. They were taught that while boiling the water will help make the water safer to drink, a water filter of some sort is required to remove many other contaminates. Campers were also taught how to use an orienteering compass; they were given a basic understanding of how it worked and were then tested by doing a quick compass course which lead them all over the grounds of Shawnee Prairie.

On Wednesday campers learned how to make a debris shelter out of the natural materials found around them. Their goal was to make a small shelter that was just big enough for one of the two team members to fit into and that would keep them dry during a rain storm and warm from the evening chill. Many campers enjoyed this, even if they were donating blood to the mosquitoes at the same time! Several of the campers created quite the cozy shelters!

Thursday night campers arrived around 6:00 pm and were then “dropped” in the wilderness with staff. Upon entry of the wilderness it was discussed that because we were in a mock survival situation, we must find a camp site, set up shelter, gather water and get a fire going. Campers were split into small teams that would then delegate the camp chores out to one another. After they all worked on their own camp site for a short while, staff split the groups up for various chores with a representative from each team assisting in the needed goals of the team. Campers had build their shelter, and collect water (which was not consumed) and had to gather dry fire materials (which was hard due to an early am rain!). Once they returned to camp, their water was placed at the fire, their fire pits were dug and they finished working on their shelter. As darkness drew near, the staff had a surprise for campers… a nice warm meal cooked over the fire! Many campers were happy they wouldn’t have to spend the night gathering grubs and other critters for food! By the time darkness hit, all teams had their shelters completed and their bedding material ready for the night. After some ‘scary’ stories from a wandering Longhunter, the campers readied themselves for bed… they were worn out!

After a camp breakfast, campers were set to work gathering up their belongings and returning the camp site to its natural look by dismantling their shelters. Shortly thereafter, campers were picked up by their parents and returned home (and probably their comfy beds!).

For more information on camps and activities that Darke County Parks offers please go to http://darkecountyparks.org, or call us at: 937-548-0165.

Early Morning Discovery Hike - Aug 17, 2010

What a wonderful morning for a hike! This week's Tuesday morning Early Morning Discovery Hike was a wonderful way to re-start our 1.5 hour hikes now that summer camps are over for 2010. We had birds singing, dragonflies swooping, butterflies floating and flowers blooming... all withwonderfully cooltemperatures of 65 degrees and nearly zero humidity! Awesome morning for a hike in August to be sure.

The past 8-9 weeks have been crazy busy around the Park District with 7 summer camps, scout camps, public programming, paddling and more. Looking back, it's hard to believe it's Fair time and the summer is already on its way out. Due to the increased number of camps this year, these emails took a back burner, but with the end of camp, we will resume our weekly

emails to update you on what is happening in the natural world around you

and within the Park District. In addition, the new Nature Notes

for autumn

2010 is done and will be emailed out later this week!

This week's hike provided a tantalizing glimpse at what's to come as summer gives way to autumn in the coming weeks. We had increased bird

activity, there were butterflies everywhere (even with the cool temps) and

most of all the mosquitoes were almost nowhere to be found!

While the bird species numbers weren't as high as they may climb as we head into autumn migration, we still had nearly 30 species this morning. We had many of the usuals with a few "fun" birds making themselves known. We had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling as we wrapped up the hike. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been sparring for bragging and feeding rights at the various feeders located around the Nature Center. We even

had a good look at a low-flying Great Blue Heron as we walked through

the back prairie.

In addition to the birds this morning, we had many insects to feast our eyes on (and very few to donate blood to!). We had amazing looks at several butterflies, including Pearl Crescent, Northern Pearly-eye, Eastern Comma,Common Buckeye, and a Delaware Skipper. All of these beauties were moving a bit slow this morning with the dew and the cool temps, which was perfect for viewing as we were able to really study each individual and

get a good ID without the use of a net.

We also got several good looks at some of the resident Dragonflies and Damselflies of Shawnee Prairie.

These included a Ruby Meadowhawk,

Widow Skimmer

and several Ebony Jewelwings. If you've yet to discover the wonders of Ohio's Odonata (the order of insects that includes dragonflies and damselflies), you're missing out! These amazing creatures love to eat mosquitoes, can fly up to 30 mph (think how fast that would be if your car was only 2" long...), can see up to 60 feet away and live in nearly all parts of the world.

This week's hike was a great one and we are looking forward to many more before the cold of winter shows itself. If you have Tuesday mornings off and available, join us in the parking lot of the Nature Center of Shawnee Prairie Preserve, just off OH-502 outside Greenville at 8am. Most hikes last around 1-1.5hours. Bring binoculars if you have them... if not, there are a few pairs available to borrow for the hike.

We'll see you at the Fair!

Observation date: 8/17/10
Number of species: 26

Great Blue Heron 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Mourning Dove 3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 5
Carolina Wren 2
American Robin 3
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 5
Indigo Bunting 3
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Common Grackle 2
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Pioneer Living Camp

Darke County Parks

Have you ever wonder what it was like to live in the 18^th century? Well, this is what twelve 6 - 7 year old children did for an entire week at Shawnee Prairie Preserve. Throughout the week the children took part in several different activities, chores and games that children in the late 1790s did on a daily basis. The campers began the week by learning a few new skills such as cooking and sewing. We churned butter and prepared Johnny Bread for breakfast. Then all the campers successful made a bean bag, which later was used for games. On Tuesday, the campers made tin-smithed lanterns which early pioneers would have used while feeding the animals in the barn once the sun went down. They also prepared lye soap, which once cured, they took home and put to use. The campers also enjoyed making and walnut-dyeing their checkers for their home-made checkerboard in addition tolearning how to make their own jump ropes. Volunteer of the Parks, Tom Smith, stopped by in 18^th century garb to show the frontier skill of woodworking, demonstrating various tools. Thursday campers explored how candles where made by dipping their own beeswax candles. To wrap up the week, a campers used the skills they had learned all week to help create a wonderful meal over the hearth and then enjoyed a checkers tournament on their newly created game boards. It was a fun-filled and busy week for these young pioneer children from games, to crafts to skills and even a few chores, they now have a good idea of what childhood would have been like in the late 18^th century!

If you happened to miss out this year for this Pioneer Camp make sure you check the Nature Notes for Summer Camps in 2011. For more information please contact Darke County Parks at 548-0165 or info@darkecountyparks.org.

Nature Explorations

Darke County Parks

Summer is time to explore nature’s playgrounds throughout DarkeCounty Parks; this is exactly what a dozen of6 - 7 year olds did for an entire week! The campers enjoyed learning about bugs, butterflies, aquatic macroinvertebrates, birds, and flowers. Early Monday morning, after learning a new skill of how to properly catch a butterfly, campers set off with an adult leader to catch butterflies throughout the prairies. On Tuesday, the campers discovered the difference between reptiles and amphibians and were able to touch several live herps. Campers then used a kick seine net and also used hand nets to explore a section of Greenville Creek at Worth Family Preserve. We discovered many critters that call this wonderful section of Greenville Creek home. Thursday campers discovered that feathers are what makes a bird a bird. They also enjoyed a Bird Talk from Brukner Nature Center (involving live birds!) and making their own personal bird feeder to attract birds into their backyard. To wrap up the week a flower was dissected and the function of each part of the flower was determined. Campers pressed prairie plants in their own personal flower-press and made a picture out of dried flowers.

For more information please contact Darke County Parks at 548-0165 or info@darkecountyparks.org.

Birds, Birds, Birds!

Birds, Birds, Birds camp was held at the Darke County Parks this summer and the topic was, you guessed it, birds! The week startedoff withBrukner Nature Center bringing in a few of their rehabilitated birds, including a crow, and turning our intern, Travis, into a Turkey Vulture to further illustrate what makes a bird a bird. The camp covered many bird-related topics such as food, feathers, nests, migration and eggs. Each camper received a pair of binoculars and a Birds of Ohio Field Guide, both of which were put to good use with bird hikes every day. The campers traveled to bird watching sites at the Greenville City Park, Turkeyfoot Preserve and Shawnee Prairie Preserve. When they weren’t bird watching, the campers were busy building bluebird boxes, bird feeders and a nest large enough to fit all of the campers. The campers snacked on various bird-themed snacks, including home-made bird seed, yummy “earth worms”, and miniature bird nests complete with eggs throughout the week. If your 8-9 year old missed out this year, be sure to sign up to receive Darke County Parks’ Nature Notes emails or printed newsletter so you can get them signed up for summer camps in 2011.

Extreme Adventure Camp

On the week of June 14-18, campers at Shawnee Prairie Preserve participated in the “Extreme Adventures Camp”.

Campers arrived bright and early for camp Monday morning; their parents were given the rundown of what each day of camp would be about, what the camper’s were required to bring each day for camp. Campers were then introduced to the staff at Shawnee Prairie as well as the new intern, campers then introduced themselves and camp then got under way. Campers then piled into the van at the nature center and were on their way to Camp Yale. Camp Yale is a outdoor team building and leadership development site. After arriving campers were introduced to the guide that would be instructing them for that day, the first activity that campers did was to form a circle a beach ball was thrown to a camper they had to say their name and then pass it to another camper. After everyone said their name the game got harder now campers had to keep the ball in the air, and only hit it once. After a few times they were getting no where, finally someone spoke up and offered a suggestion and then that got the ball rolling. As the day went on the activities got harder, and others required a little more thinking on the part of the campers. Many of the campers had to go outside their box by either being in charge of the group for an activity, or just saying their opinion. But all campers rose to the challenge that was in front of them, even though it may have taken awhile they all did very well. The last activity of the day was going down the zip-line and everyone really enjoyed that activity.

On the second day of camp, campers as well as staff went paintballing down at I-70 paintball. I-70 paintball is located in Huber Heights. Many of the campers had never paintballed before, while others have gone a few times. A few of the campers were a little hesitant at first, but once they got out on the field and fired their gun they really took to the sport. Unfortunately there were Air Force ROTC cadets out on a training exercise and were using the main field, but campers got to use the air soft course which was equally as fun. Campers were allowed to join the Air Force cadets for a couple of games. At the end of the day all campers and even the staff were worn out, but all in all everyone really seemed to enjoy it.

The third day of camp was devoted to being on the water, particularly in kayaks, and even a little treasure hunting. The Darke County Parks staff took campers up to Lake Loramie. Again like most other activities done earlier in the week not to many had been kayaking before. Part of the day was just trying to teach the campers about paddling, and how to stay afloat. After lunch campers got back into their kayaks and were given GPS’s and some coordinates, these coordinates were used to find a treasure that someone had hid. This is also know as Geocaching, and is very popular. When the box is found the finder writes their name and the date. If you take something out of the box you are supposed to replace it something that belongs to you. Campers were also allowed to place their own geocache somewhere out on the lake, the name of the cache was called Desperate Attempt. That name was chosen because as the day went ton the winds slowly started to pick up making it hard to paddle. All campers really seemed to enjoy kayaking, and were sad when they found that they had to go back home.

Thursday June 17^th campers headed out to Caesar Creek State Park where they would do an overnight campout. When campers arrived at their campsite they ate lunch, and then set up camp. Once camp was setup campers then went on a nature hike on some of the different trails at the state park. After the sun went down everyone was around the campfire, talking about things done earlier in the week. Once the moon came out Darke County Park Staff took campers out on a owl hike, though only a few owls were heard the billions of lightning bugs put on a show that amazed everyone.

Friday morning rolled around and campers slowly started coming out of their tents after hearing some loud and rude noises of cars in the parking lot. Campers got some breakfast in them and headed back to the nature center. Once back to Shawnee Prairie campers unloaded the van, and waited to be picked up to go home.