On Tuesday, we experienced our Great Bay Science Center field trip! While the weather wasn't exactly working in our favor, we still had a GREAT time learning about the amazing estuary in our backyard!
When we arrived at the center, we were split into groups so we could start exploring the center . A favorite for all, was the discovery tank. We learned a TON about the many estuarine animals living in Great Bay such as clams, flounder, oysters, mussels, mud snails, mummichog (more commonly known as a minnow!), american eels and of course: horseshoe crabs!
Another center we got to visit, taught us more about the Center's most popular animal: the horseshoe crab! Did you know...
-Horseshoe crabs aren't really crabs? They're more closely related to the spider or scorpion
-They've been around since before the dinosaurs (maybe that's why they have the nickname "Living Fossil")
-They have 10 eyes!
-Their tail is called a telson
-They have blue blood (from the copper in their blood)
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| Destiny made a fine horseshoe crab (as did Lhana in the other group!) |
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| Susan showed us how horseshoe crabs eat. |
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| Ben modeling one of the predators of the horseshoe crab. |
While the rain put a little damper into our boardwalk exploration, we weren't afraid to head down to the barn for a simulated walk followed by a quick visit to the waterfront.
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| Track guides helped us spot some of the wildlife creatures we might find on trips through the woods. |
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| Osprey nests are perched high in the sky to protect the eggs from predators. |
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| Ospreys have quite a wingspan! |
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| A little hazy, but still fun to explore! |
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| Clara's detective eyes helped her spot a horseshoe crab! |
Our final station, where we could test out everything we learned about Great Bay, had us creating "Estuary Soup!"
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| Susan made a great sous chef! |
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| While oyster-man Drew might be the one directly eating the "soup", we learned why it's so important to take care of our estuaries: we're at the top of the food pyramid, so we're indirectly eating the "soup" too! |
All in all it was a fantastic day filled with lots of great learning. Thank you to all the families that were able to attend and learn with us!
This summer, I encourage you to visit Great Bay and experience the variety of recreation activities it has available for your family (hiking, wildlife watching, boat launching, geocaching. fishing!). If you're interested in visiting the center, it is open from 10-4, Wednesdays through Sundays. Visit here to learn more.
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