Wildlife Resource Festival
at Bald Eagle State Park, Pennsylvania
June 4, 2005

 

The first "Wild Resource Festival" in Pennsylvania was held in Bald Eagle State Park on June 4, 2005. The festival included numerous activites, from displays of various wildlife and habitats to demonstrations, to nature walks. Various stands had books and videos, bluebird houses, and food and drinks. In brief, lots to do and see. I've photos of a few of the events that I enjoyed in particular.

Robert Smith, a professor of vertebrate biology from Scranton University, demonstrated everything that went into bird banding. Below he's skillfully holding a common yellowthroat.
 

Robert J. Smith holding a common yellowthroat

 
At another area, by a pond, various expert-volunteers from various organizations had gathered tadpoles, dragonfly nymphs, salamandars, and other pond wildlife in trays on picnic tables.

The tadpole (who appears to be standing on a dragonfly nymph) is well underway in its metamorphosis to become a frog.
 
A tadpole well under way to becoming a frog
 
Also by the pond tables, Betsy Ray (from TNC) held a damselfly for me to photograph. She told me the name of it too, but I only remember it as the "exclamation damselfly." (Damselflies have an incredible range of color.)
 

Betsy Ray holding a damsel fly
 

Another part of the park had walks on invasive plants and on tree identification. We chose the latter, and Brian Pfister of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) led us through the forest, discussed forest management, and identified and characterized different trees. (Also, from Brian, we got a great booklet, "Common Trees of Pennsylvania," published by DCNR.)
 
Brian Pfister discussing trees with Sue and me

 
Afterward we went to the far end of the park, and visited Bob Snyder and Ron Shaffer, who had scopes set up so that people could see the nesting bald eagles and eaglets clearly. (While I've no photos of the bald eagles on this page, check the links to the eagles at the bottom of this page.)

It was a fine day.

The next "Wild Resource Festival" is to be held 20 May 2006 at French Creek State Park. Personally, I'd prefer if it were held at Bald Eage State Park again.

Photo note: I used a Pentax *ist D, with the SMC-A 50mm macro lens for the first three photos and the SMC-DA 16-45mm for the fourth.  




Paddling to see the nesting bald eagles in April and in June 2005 at BESP

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