LANARK FIELD TRIP

Grant's class took a field trip to Lanark in Millbrook yesterday. Lanark is home of the Alabama Wildlife Federation headquarters and Alabama Nature Center, a conservation education center. Boy was this a field trip made for Professor! It was also one made for daddy, and Grant was pumped Chris could go.

They learned the difference between soil and dirt:

That's the "soil doctor." He was quite comical and very animated in his teaching. He told the students that EVERYTHING comes from soil. That "without soil, y'all would be butt naked." Boy did that cause a riot. HA!

They got to see a barn owl:

She showed us more times than I can count how far it can turn its head. I felt like I needed a chiropractic adjustment after watching it.

Next was a black vulture:

That is one nasty bird. I know they are much-needed (I like to think of them as the garbage disposals of nature) but nonetheless nasty. As if it weren't bad enough that they eat roadkill, they also poop on their feet to cool themselves in the heat. HOWEVER, we learned that what comes out is actually cleaner than what goes in so... it's all good. And almost perfectly on cue, it pooped. Again, riot.

Last was the grand finale...

The bald eagle. It's gorgeous. I was enthralled. That part was my favorite.

Even as fun as that was, though, I think the next part was Grant and Chris' favorite:

It was a catch and release "fishing trip" (which was good being that most of the brim caught would be better suited in my fish bowl than on my plate) but you never would've known it by the kids' reactions when they caught one. You would've thought they were catching trophy bass.  :) The students fished in pairs and naturally Grant and Seth were partnered up.

 

Hotdogs were used as bait, and if you can believe it the only things hooked were fish - no students. :)

It was definitely one for the books, and I think Professor thoroughly enjoyed having us both there. Chris and I are both soaking it up while we can because it won't be long before we're not cool anymore. ;)