Upcoming Programs - Mothing Party at Rushton 7/15
- Poetry Workshop 7/22
- Wildflowers and Watercolor Workshop 7/31
Future Meetings
- Spectacular Spiders 8/6
- Discover Rushton Mini Camp 8/19
CLICK HERE for a printable 2015 Jr. Birding schedule!
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Blake Goll
Nature Education Coordinator
Phone: 610-353-2562 Ext. 20
Email: bhg@wctrust.org
WCT Headquarters
925 Providence Road
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-353-2562
wctrust.orgRushton Farm & Rushton Woods Preserve
911 Delchester Rd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073
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Willistown Wild Wings Newswire
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A Promethea Silkmoth, one of North America's few giant silkmoths, can be found in deciduous woodlands like Rushton.
Mothing Party
Wednesday, July 15 from 8-9:30pm Rushton Woods Preserve on Delchester Road
There are only about 1,000 species of butterflies in North America, but there are more than 11,000 moth species about which we know relatively little! Some of these moths are just as beautiful as butterflies, and they are certainly just as important to the ecosystem. They pollinate our crops and provide food for bats and songbirds. Come join us on our annual moth survey during which we paint the trees with sugary, gooky, fermented moth bait and attract other moths with blacklights. We will document all the species we find and report them to BAMONA (Butterflies and Moths of North America).
Like many insects, moths are in decline today, so surveys like these are important for conservation. Even fireflies, which will also be at their peak at this time, are fading from the warm summer night landscape. We will survey these beloved bio-luminescent beetles of Rushton as well and report our findings to Firefly Watch.
Free for members, $5 per child for non-members. Click here to register on our Signup Genius page.
Email Blake Goll with any questions at bhg@wctrust.org
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Bumble bee pollinating flowers in the fields of Rushton Farm.
Poetry Workshop
Wednesday, July 22 from 6-8pm
Rushton Woods Preserve on Delchester RoadRushton is a place where nature and people coexist in harmony; summer here is a time when fresh vegetables burst forth from the fertile grounds, birds bustle about the nest boxes, bees and butterflies keep the plentiful wildflowers company, and the happy green hum of life reverberates throughout the fields, meadows and forest. The careful observer may find many wonders here.... Come out and be inspired by the beauty of Rushton and capture it on paper as Cathy Staples, Villanova professor and published poet, guides you through the meditative process.Free for members, $5 per child for non-members Click here to register on our Signup Genius page,
Email Blake Goll with any questions at bhg@wctrust.org
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Wildflowers and Watercolor Workshop
Friday, July 31 from 3-5pm Willistown Conservation Trust Headquarters, 925 Providence Road |
 | Painting of Monarch caterpillar on milkweed at last year's Watercolor and Wildflower workshop.
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Enjoy an afternoon among lovely native wildflowers and the host of amazing insects they support like monarch butterflies. Native plants are nature's bounty, supporting many more important and beneficial insects than ornamental, non-native plants. Since 96 percent of land birds feed insects to their young, wildflower meadows support birds as well. After exploring the wildflower meadow and learning how to create one yourself, we will spend some relaxing moments painting outside with watercolor.
Click here to register on our Signup Genius page. Free for members, $5 per child for non-members.
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What You Missed in June |
  
Jr. Birders looking for macroinvertebrates during the Bioblitz at Rushton, observing the Academy of Natural Sciences bird specimen collection, and holding a Purple Martin chick at the Glen Mills School banding event in June.
Jr. Birders enjoyed the Bioblitz at Rushton during which they had the chance to see real scientists in action collecting data on Rushton's flora and fauna, including an entomologist using insect pitfall traps, bird banders and a limnologist studying macroinvertebrates in Indian Run. We also had a thrilling experience at the Academy of Natural Sciences as Jason Weckstein, museum curator and ornithologist, opened drawer after drawer and showed us specimens including the tiny Bee Hummingbird, strange Kiwi, spectacular birds of paradise and even the extinct Ivory- billed Woodpecker! Lastly, Jr. Birders watched at the Glen Mills School as we banded 166 Purple Martin chicks- an alarming decline from last year's 550+ chicks. This could be due to the cold, long spring, harassment by crows or a problem on the wintering grounds. Hopefully, next year the numbers will be back up! This is why we monitor.
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Thanks for your interest in Willistown Conservation Trust's Junior Birding Club, a chapter of PA Young Birders. Studies have shown that regular experience with nature makes kids healthier, happier and significantly improves their performance in all school subjects. Getting your child involved with PA Young Birders is a wise choice that makes positive waves in your child's future.
Our Mission is to develop a culture of caring
for the natural world and desire to conserve
land, by providing meaningful, thought provoking
experiences with nature, especially birds.
Our Objectives for Your Child:
- Connect intimately to nature in order to foster a lasting love of the natural world.
- Nurture a spirit of discovery and wonder.
- Refine birding abilities and cultivate a wholesome lifelong hobby.
- Develop science skills and understanding of the scope of science.
- Create a confident conservation ethic by demonstrating the importance of preserving open space.
- Recognize the interconnectedness of habitat, birds and other wildlife.
- Ensure an ultimate understanding of the positive role humans can play in the natural world
Kids are only expected to bring a desire to learn about birds and explore nature as well as hiking shoes and clothes they don't mind getting dirty! Binoculars are a plus, but we always have a few on hand to borrow. All programs are appropriate for kids ages 8-12, but most are adaptable for younger or older kids as well; just ask me if you are concerned about the age appropriateness of a program.
 
The Willistown Conservation Trust is a non-profit land trust working to protect the rural beauty of the 28,000 acres surrounding Willistown,Pennsylvania. We're dedicated to permanently protecting our countryside from development and inspiring in people a lifelong love of the land and the natural world. Please visit our website to learn more about us, and subscribe to our bird blog to learn about what's been going on at our bird banding station this year.
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