How Animals Survive the Canadian Winter

The Alberta Ramblers are at it again. This time they come to you with breaking news on how animals survive the Canadian Winter.




 "See how birds Fluff their feathers to stay warm"
 Laura

"They do camouflage so they don't become food, I don't think they want that"

Grace

Migration Poem

No more flowers,
On the trees,
Said a buzzing,
Bunch of bees...

No green grass,
On which to feast,
Said a wild wildebeest...

It’s too cold,
To flit and fly,
Said a monarch butterfly...

What should we do?
How can we live?
When environments,
Cease to give…
Conditions change,
What's on our plate,
It’s time to move,
We must migrate!
Migration’s moving,
Swim, run, fly,
From a place,
Too cold or dry,
To a place,
Where food is found,
Migration’s moving,
To new ground!

 

The observations of young naturalists

March 29th 2014 The Alberta Ramblers headed back to the Wagner Natural Area to finish off working on their Naturalist and Observers badges. Here is what they found.

We did a squirrel video, a deer bed video, a rabbit video, a porcupine video. We went for a nice hike, we saw lots nice tracks and we finished our naturalist and observers badge. It was Awesome!

Grace Bolster,

Alberta Rambler

 We went to Wagners Bog for a hike. we saw plants, animal tracks, and a Squirrel Midden (not Mitten). we did videos for our blog, worked on our Observers badge and Naturists badge. We had a fun time.

Laura Bolster,
Alberta Rambler                                                                                             Squirrel Midden

Beaver hills dark sky preserve anniversary.

Sept 1, 2013 we spent the day at Elk Island National Park. Celebrating the anniversary of the Dark sky preserve. The fist thing we got to do was Solar viewing. Looking at the sun through safe  telescopes. We had lots of fun and our friend Kaleb joined us. 

First Nations astronomy presentation: We listened to a First Nations teacher sing songs and tell us the First Nation legends of the Stars. Our favorite song was the Thunder Bird song. Later that night he told us stories of the stars on the beach and sang songs to the spirits.  Our favorite story is how the wolf, Coyote, and fox gave us their pups so people had dogs.

 Laura and Grace,

The Alberta Ramblers

The Star

~Jane Taylor

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Then the traveler in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark, He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so. In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut you eye, Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark, Lights the traveler in the dark- Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Tree Planting with the Young Naturalist Club

On August 14, 2013 my family and I had a blast learning about trees and planting them. We got to pick one from a bunch of trees planted it to help the forest grow!

We did a game called huga tree. It's where you have a
blindfold on and you have to find a tree and feel it then you
have to go back to the groop. then you take off your tree.

Finily we went and pulled noxious weeds out of the
ground. I like going to nature nights!

Laura Bolster,
an Alberta Rambler

 We went tree planting and it was fun.
We weeded to and it was not fun. We played a game, it was really fun.
 The game was called hug a tree.  I like to plant trees, I planted a forest and
it is cool! I had fun.

Grace Bolster,
an Alberta Rambler

Lake levels experiments at Ross Lake

Some summer time experiments while out camping that we really liked to do, from our pond discovery pack that we got at Whitney Lake Provincial Park. We had a lot of fun!!

Laura & Grace

The Alberta Ramblers

We are going to catch something.....right Dad?

“Fishing is much less about the fishing, and much more about the time alone with your kid, away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday.”
― Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing 

The Alberta Ramblers up early to enjoy some quality time wetting their lines at Ross lake. Here's what they have to say about the beginners rules to fishing.

 

 

Lichen and Moss Diversity

On Wednesday July 24, 2013 my family and I spent the evening doing activities with the Young Naturalist Club. We went on a nature walk. While we were on our walk we looked at fungi and lichens. Lichens are a combination of fungi and alga.  They help each other live.  Fungi gives protection, and alga gives food.  They are pals together like peanut butter and jelly.  We got to look and see what some types of moss and lichens looked like, we found wild raspberries and there were lots of thistles and stinging nettle.

We played a migration game. We had to run from summer to winter and back again. I'm glad I'm not a caribou.

We did a craft with moss. We had to trace an animal or bug, colour it in and it's environment, then glue on moss. Mine was a lady bug, I made it for dad.

Last of all we went and talked about moss and lichens. We each got to keep a piece of it. We learned a lot and had a great night.



Laura,
An Alberta Rambler.






Last night me and my family went to a family nature night. We went for a walk in a forest, the theme was about moss. There were stations, one of the stations was a craft. The craft was moss pictures. One of the stations was a walk, on the walk we looked at moss and lichens. The last was a migrating game. You were a Caribou that had to migrate. Did you know Caribou eat lichen and moss.

The last station was learning about moss and lichens habitat. At the end there was a draw I did not win.  The Young Naturalists have asked me to write a story about what I am doing.  Look for an article in the next newsletter. I had a great night!



Grace,
An Alberta Rambler

We really have great times with the young naturalists club. The activities are great, the staff young, enthusiastic, and well informed. They bring experts in to talk with the kids and share their knowledge. The girls are working through their silver level activity book with the young naturalist club and enjoying it very much. The are to very interested and active young ladies who are applying what they have learned to their Scouting and family lives. On behalf of all the Alberta Ramblers we thank Candace and all the organizers of the Young Naturalist club. Please keep up the great work and fun family times.


Yours in Scouting,
The Alberta Ramblers