Inspired to Share

I have been inspired to look up opportunities to work as a citizen naturalist/scientist. So here is a list of what I found. If you are interested in any of these areas, check them out and see if you can get involved!!!

We have done the nest box survery with Cornell in that past. B built the boxes for screech owls, but we never got any to nest. The process was still fun though.

Citizen Science Projects and Opportunities

BIRDS
- Project Feeder Watch Cornell Univ. www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw
- Mich. Audubon Society/ www.michiganaudubon.org
- Kalamazoo Nature Center www.naturecenter.org
- Christmas Bird Counts National Audubon Society www.audubon.org/bird/cbc
- National Nestbox Network / The Birdhouse Network Cornell University www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse
- Misc. programs at Cornell Univ. www.birds.cornell.edu
including Finch Irruptions and Urban Birds
- LoonRanger Program Michigan Audubon Society
Michigan Loon Protection Association www.michiganloons.org
- Great Backyard Bird Count www.birdsource.org/gbbc
- Nation-wide volunteer bird-feeder count on Feb. 13 –16, 2004
- General Bird Watching American Birding Association www.americanbirding.org
- www.birdcount.org

BATS
- North American Bat House Research Project www.Batcon.org
- Bat Conservation International Austin TX World-wide bat education, Organization for Bat Conservation www.batconservation.org

BUTTERFLIES & DRAGONFLIES
- Journey North Web-based participatory learning, variety of bird & non-bird species, www.learner.org
- North American Butterfly Association Web-based life histories, 4th of July Butterfly Count, www.naba.org
- Monarch Larva Monitoring Project Life history of Monarch Butterfly / Milkweed patch study, www.mlmp.org
- http://www.fs.fed.us/monarchbutterfly/citizenscience/index.shtml
- Xerces Society / All insects and invertebrates, great links, www.xerces.org

AMPHIBIANS
- Frog Watch USA National Wildlife Federation & UGGS, www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa
- Michigan Frog and Toad Survey Michigan DNR state-wide spring frog and toad monitoring program, www.michigan.gov/dnr
- Frog and Toad Deformities Tracking site for frogs and toad found with deformities, http://frogweb.nbii.gov
- N. American Amphibian Monitoring Program Nation-wide amphib. Monitoring program. Great links page, www.mp2-pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp

Misc.
- EarthDial A planet-wide sundial network with coordination and tie to Mars probe.
The Planetary Society, planetary.org/mars/earthdial
- Lichen Mapping Example photos, maps and tracking site for lichens (Univ. of Kansas), www.Pathfinderscience.net
- Habitat Preservation The Nature Conservancy www.nature.org/michigan
- Or a local conservancy (like SW Michigan Land Conser.) www.swmlc.org
- Green Building technology and certification, United States Green Building Council www.usgbc.org
- Great Lakes Research and Education Center www.nature.nps.gov/learningcenters
- http://www.chicagowilderness.org/involve/volunteer/index.cfm
- http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/citizen_science/citizen_science.html (there is a star count here for fall 2008)

WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS!!!! - Feline Necropsy with 4H Vet Science

How cool is it when you get an opportunity to do a necropsy with a vet??? Well we had no idea until tonight. So first you might ask, "What is a necropsy?" It is an autopsy done on an animal.

The 4H Vet Science group that B belongs to focuses on - vet science (duh). For tonight's meeting we had a local vet come with actual specimens (cats) and did a teaching necropsy with a small group of students.

WARNING!!! The below photos are graphic so you might need to skip them!!! Not rated for those with a queasy stomach. Go NO further if you don't actually want to see photos of the necropsy!!!

Case Study Details - this necropsy was being done a cat that had been euthanized earlier in the day. The cat had been brought into the clinic the day before with complaints of the owner that the cat wouldn't eat. This cat had been a patient at the clinic for 1 1/2 with persistent urinary troubles and the doctor and owner assumed it was a blocked bladder. After palpatating the bladder the doctor found that was not the case. The cat's temperature was 92 degrees (normal is 100.2-105), so he was extremely cold. The cat's blood sugar was 32 (normal is 78-120), so that was extremely low. After 24 hours of observation, IV and heating pad therapy there had been no change. The owners felt with the cat's advanced age and continual health problems that it was best to let him go. The doctor brought this specimen tonight to see if upon performing a necropsy she could determine the real cause of the illness.

Okay, now I've given you ample time to back out of viewing this post if you can't stand medically explicit photos. I'll start slow, but it won't be long before you are going to see some gross internal stuff!!

First the students had to stretch the cat. Since this cat had recently been put down (euthanized), there was not much rigor mortis. But in order to perform the necropsy the cat needs to be laid on its dorsal (back) side and stretched so the thorax and abdomen area are easily accessible.

That young, lady with the + on her shirt is the veterinarian, Dr. Michelle. Talk about WONDERFUL!!! Not only did she talk to the kids like they had a brain, but she was so encouraging to them and really wanted the to jump right in. She was not limiting at all, answered every one of their questions and really welcomed them asking and learning. We could not have asked for a better teaching experience. Although I did comment to the leader that Dr. Michelle looked like she was young enough to be my daughter :) (showing my signs of age I guess)
Abdomen incision made with a scalpel. What you see is just fat deposits that have been removed by one of the students.
This would be the small intentines (which look normal and healthy) and the bladder red ball in the lower part of the opening). The bladder is clearly inflamed, larger than normal, and Dr. Michelle suspects this to be part of the problem.
Mr. Michell stops to answer all kinds of excellent questions from the students!

One of the students has removed one of the kidneys and is working on cutting it open, like Dr. Michelle said, "cut it open like you would a bagel." Once the kidney was removed the doctor thought it looked normal size and color, but was very 'lumpy' and she suspected that all played a part in the problems that this cat (Simon) was having.
Cross section view of the kidney.
B makes a thorax cut from the abdominal incision.
B is listening about the heart and lungs, which the female student closest in this photo is actually working to remove some of the fatty issue from around the heart.
Normal, healthy, feline heart.

Once they were done discussing the lungs, Dr. Michelle asked how many lobes of liver did a cat have? A cat has 5 liver lobes.
Normal, healthy liver lobe.
Once the necropsy was completed the students had to suture the specimen back up. About a year ago these students were taught how to suture and they have been (supposedly) practicing on their suture boards. Dr. Michelle gave them a refresher course.
And then they began.
Final findings: Dr. Michelle concluded that based on the cat's past urinary/bladder problems and current symptoms that Simon probably had an advanced double kindey infection, which was brought on by the long history of urinary and bladder problems. There is no way to know, without blood tests if Simon could have ever fully recovered or the extent to the damage the infection was doing.

The family who donated Simon for our teaching workshop was glad that these future veterinarian students could get the benefit of learning from their cat. Simon will be creamated sometime this week and laid to rest. We are grateful to Simon, his family and Dr. Michelle for making this learning project possible!

Now really, how cool is that??!!!

Birds of Prey

Thank you Huron River Watershed Council!!!! During their open house, which was held this evening, we were treated to a wonderful presentation and discussion about some of the local area birds of prey. The Leslie Science Center (some of you know that after about the age of 7 hasn't been much challenge for us) did a wonderful presentation tonight. Must be when they are presenting to adults the presentation is better. The woman from the center was so informative, and adults really do ask better questions than kindergarteners :) At the open house she was there with 3 birds and a few interprative items. Who knew the Leslie Science Center now had a raptor program??!!! Check out what we got to see below.

Great Horned Owl



Outside of a Great Horned Owl wing. Find out what is special about their wings here.
Underside of the Great Horned Owl wing
Talons and leg of a Great Horned Owl

American Kestrel Eastern Screech Owl Talons and leg of a Red Tailed Hawk

If you are really interested in owls, check out the Owl Page. There are TONS of pages on the web on owls, from info, to calls, to statistics, and photos - you can even get owl ring tones (who knew). You can even visit a virtual owl pellet dissection website!

Although the HRWC was doing this as an open house for their membership drive, we were happy to participate in the educational part of the evening. And might I recommend, if you are in the Ann Arbor area, taking another look at the Leslie Science Center. I think maybe they have upped their game a little (we plan to check out the outdoor bird enclosures sometime this week).

Just when you think you've heard or seen enough on birds of prey, you learn a little bit more each time you attend a demonstration!!!

Apple Snail Embryology

So far our progress in learning the embryology of the apple snail has turned up zip ;( B's snail has laid 3 different egg clusters, but we have not been able to see much under the microscope. At this point we are assume she is either laying unfertilized eggs or we just have no clue what we are doing ;) We'll keep working at it, as it seems the egg supply is endless. Below is a single egg.

Surprisingly, when B tried to remove an egg from the cluster, we found that the cluster was hard. The mositure that was between the eggs when they were laid had hardened into a protective coating. So it is almost like a piece of crystalized honey comb, or something like that, but hard. Which makes getting an intact egg out of the cluster difficult without damage.
As I am typing the above B called out, "Mom come here!" Below is what he found. At the end of the pointer there is a moving "thing". B suspects it is like a worm or bacteria (we need more research). It was great to finally see something. I'm sorry that it is hard to make out what is there. The camera keeps focusing on the moisture and not on the actual this I want to take the photo of. B is still working on the next egg. Maybe there will be more?
The "labratory" where research is taking place. (Yes, that's my downstairs bathroom. Lucky scientist gets to group his specimens in the dining room and use the bathroom for his research.)

???? Insect Hunting in January in Michigan ????

We had the pleasure of working with the Huron River Watershed Council today searching for Stonefly nymphs in the local area rivers. BURRRR!!!!

When you ask B what he wants to be when he grows up his answer always varies, but it never had anything to do with field work. And for the life of me I have no earthly idea why?! He LOVES field work like this. And he must since he was eager to go out in mid 20s weather, in the snow to search for stonefly nymph in local waters. (thankfully the sun was out and there was no wind, so we didn't get cold)

Yes, you've read right. We were searching for insect larva, in Michigan, in January!!! And the reason for the timing??? Well the elusive, underwater Winter Stoneflies cannot be found during most of the year; they come to life only during the winter months when most fish are too sluggish to eat them.

This is actually a long term study that is done in Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. And the reason for this??? These aquatic insects, by their sensitivity to environmental conditions, tell us about problems in the river and its streams. Stoneflies are great biological indicators!

We worked with a team, which consisted of Ken (our wader/collector), M (the scribe and data recorder), Tori, B and W (all tray pickers). The process included:

1) Ken would get a water sample, that was later tested for pollutants,
2) Ken could use a catch net and scrap along the bottom with his boot and net the disbruis he stirred up, 3) Ken would empty the contents of his net into white trays,

4) then those of us not in the river would pick through the trays for specimens,
5) we could collect the stoneflies and put them in vials,

6) then number of samples, presents of stoneflies, time in river, etc were all recorded onto the data sheets. At the end of our collection (at 2 different river sites), all the equipment, data, and specimens were returned to the office.

Even though we were only searching for stonefly, we couldn't help but notice the other macroinvertibrates present, like mayfly nymph and caddisfly nymph. And before we left for our collection sites we were told to actually look for the adult insects on the banks covered with snow. Unfortunately, neither of our sites had any adults present! But B does have one in his collection and that specimen is shown below.

We are hoping to do a few more activites with the HRWC in the future. It's a great organization and they welcome children participating, which is great for us!

Apple Snail Breeding

Can you imagine working on an Apple Snail Breeding project at school??? Well at CrossingRhodes homeschool, that is exactly what B is doing (in my dining room, no less).

Yes, in one of those countless tanks that B has going, his female apple snail laid eggs today. In 10-14 days he should be the proud owner of baby snails (which he plans to feed to the pea puffers, which if you remember is in the PPP tank). If apple snails interest you, you can check them out here. B is pretty sure it was his Golden Apple Snail that laid the eggs. (he also has a breeding pair of Blue Mystery Snails - which are very similar).

On the above website, there is an embryology page - I'm thinking we should try to get an egg every fews days and check them out under the microscope. If we do, watch of an on-blog embryology class :)

SNOW DAY!!

Snow days in Michigan are not uncommon. And right now most children are off of school for the holiday break. But when you homeschool, do you ever really get a day off???!!! Earlier this week Mother Nature treated us (some think) to over a foot of snow. What better thing to do on a sunny (but chilly) morning than..... GO SLEDDING!!!!! Don't you wish you could have joined us? It was a scheme to get out of doing government school work. Completely thought up by B.

Now to be honest, these two have way more energy than me. I can't believe how many times they walked up and slid down. The Law of Gravity says, "what goes up must come down." Many times today we found the exact opposite, when sledding - what goes down must walk back up! Does that mean these kids were defying gravity???

When I finally told them we had to leave for lunch, they were huffing and puffing, red cheeked, and laughing all the back to where the truck was parked. We all say, never let gravel pits die!!!! They can always be recycled into some snowy day fun.

Gag Gift Gone Bad!!!!

Funny Christmas story. Most of you know that B has been very into tropical fish since this past summer. He always has at least one tank going and sometimes as many as three. I, on the other hand, have been less than enthusatic (just another thing to clean and take care of is my motto). About 4 months ago when we were in fish store and we saw these adorable dwarf puffer fish or pea puffers. My saying that they were cute was 'stored away' in B's mind. (as his teacher I wonder why he doesn't remember other, more important things, so keenly)
Anyway...for Christmas B got me a gag gift of 4 baby dwarf puffer fish. He figured I would roll my eyes and basically give them to him. Well surprise!!!! I wouldn't want him to be disappointed that I didn't like his gift right? What kind of mother would that sort of thing? Today while we were out shopping, for tank supplies, I found these pink plants. Now puffers have to have plants to hide in, so naturally I decided I would set my tank up around these plants. B could not stop me!!!! As we left the store, after being there for what seemed an entire SAT session, I was laughing because what started as a gag gift has turned into the only PPP tank in town. Pink Pea Puffer Tank!!!! Now the gag is on B, who made part of his gift the care of my fish. So I'm certain he is the only boy for miles that I now taking care of a 'pretty in pink' tank of puffer fish.

Here's what my PPP tank looks like. Complete with pink plants, yes a pink light bulb, 4 dwarf puffers (in photo the the left), and a pair of breeding blue mystery snails (these are B's he's just housing them in my tank).
Here is 3 of the 4. There is CiCi (she's the smallest), DeeDee (she's the largest), and one of the twins. We aren't sure of the sex, yet, so I just call them CiCi and her friends. Once they are a little older we will be able to tell who is what. Then CiCi, might have to become Chisel and his friends :)
Blue Mystery Snail (there is a breeding pair in this tank).

BTW - I love my gift!!! I just can't tell if I like the puffers or the look on B's face when I bought the pink plants better :)

Wholemovement Geometry - Class 201

The way our family rang in the New Year was spending the evening in our hotel suite folding paper plates into tetrahedrons and tearing pieces of masking tape. Here are our creations. We now look at geometry, and paper plates, in a totally different way. And some of us, not I, are addicted!!!! Watch for future posts with more creations, on to the next chapter......

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We would like to wish our family and friends all of the best in 2008!!!!! We are hoping for the sale of our Dexter home to come early in the year. There will be many changes in our family this year, and we are ready to move forward!!! Whatever you wish for in 2008, may it come your way. Best in health and your relationships. Take care of one another and yourselves!!!