Investigating Animal Track & Sign at Tennant Lake Interpretative Center

The Black-tailed Deer arrived at the Tennant Lake Interpretative Center clearly excited to explore a new location. Once everyone had gathered we headed out in search of a spot for our opening circle. Settling in the mentors nominated a Tribal Elder and let the group know that we had three Environmental Education Students from WWU who would be exploring with us; Anna, Ciera, and Nina. The Explorers were informed that our volunteers were not only interested in exploring this unique location with us, but that they also wanted to learn about our Explorer Club culture. What better way to teach our culture than with a strong opening circle facilitated by the boys?

After handing out jobs and going over location safety concerns, the mentors presented the group with our core routines for the day: engaging in our seasonal skill of bird language and behavior, playing a game called Jays and Juncos, having a sit spot, and exploring the mile-long wetland boardwalk. The Tribal Elder did an excellent job of facilitating the group decision-making process and helping the group come to a collaborative decision to explore the wetland first and take a sit spot on the boardwalk.

As we walked the mentors chatted with the boys about the importance of wetlands for providing habitat, water purification, trapping sediment, preventing flooding, and allowing water to slowly seep into the ground table. Crossing over the first bridge the boys spotted a few Coots feeding on the aquatic plants. We also took a moment to discuss a plant that has been coined nature’s grocery store, Cat Tail. Almost every part of this plant is edible and it provides excellent nesting habitat for Marsh Wrens and Red-Winged Blackbirds. Harvesting a few of the Cat Tail’s the boys crushed up the cone shaped flower on the top of the stem and waved them around like wands, releasing the seeds into the wind.

Arriving at the boardwalk the boys investigated the roof of a beaver lodge that was thought to be abandoned for many of years. The lodge must have been fifteen feet in diameter. Looking closely the boys noticed fresh beaver chews and sticks that had been added to the holes in the roof. How cool to think that a lodge could be reclaimed and reused! One of the amazing parts about this location is the multitude of animal tracks and signs. Walking the boardwalk the group found beaver highways and chews through the Sweet Gale and Pacific Willow, River Otter scat, and all types of interesting fungi. They also had a great time smelling the “Pine Sol” scented beaver scent mounds and releasing the methane bubbles trapped in the sediment layers of the wetland.

Finding an open space on the boardwalk the group lunched and viewed some Mergansers hiding among the Cat Tail’s as a Sharp-Shinned Hawk patrolled the skies overhead. After lunch we came across an expansive view of the wetland and decided that it would be the perfect place for our sit spot. Tucking away in the Sweet Gale the boys got quiet and listened for birdcalls. As one of the mentors sat a Marsh Wren darted between him and another Explorer. Although the birds are not particularly vocal at this time of year, late winter is often the time when a number of species establish their breeding territories. 

Our solo time was quiet and going well until a number of other park users started to walk by. This caused a chain reaction in the boys and they started to get squirrely. One mentor stood up to make sure that they were leaving enough room for the other park users and stepped right off the boardwalk, soaking his pants and flooding his boots! The boys thought this was quite hilarious, as did the other mentors.

On the way over to the other side of the park the group continued to harvest Cat Tail’s and were becoming a little rowdy and they waved them around to disperse the seeds. This was an important time to circle up and talk about being respectful of the work the park staff puts into keeping the park clean and being aware of how and why we are harvesting resources and what other species might need them too.

Walking through the grass field on the way over to the patch of forest along the Nooksack River the boys played games of Hide! and viewed a pair of Bald Eagles repairing their nest in a large Cottonwood. Arriving at the location where we intended to play games we saw the river was blown out and the forest held about a foot of standing water. Turning problems in possibilities Jedidiah led the boys in a tracking exercise following some coyote scat and digs in the myriad of vole holes along the edge of the field. This led us straight to the giant Cottonwood and we got an up close and personal view of the Eagle’s nest.

Arriving at the Hovander farm we found a perfect location to play Jays and Juncos. The game of Jays and Juncos is a great model for helping the boys understand what it’s like to try to find food as a ground nesting bird while trying to keep your young alive from the ever-persistent Jays. After playing a few rounds and experimenting with ratios of Jays to Juncos the boys had some great takeaways around the balance of the forest bird ecosystem and what it was like to have to always stay hyper vigilant and aware of predators.

Circling up one last time we shared our thanks for a powerful day full a genuine Exploration and powerful moments of natural history and animal tracks and signs. The mentors would like to thank our volunteers from WWU for joining us for the day and for Heather Nelson for bringing the group some delicious cupcakes in celebration of her son’s birthday.

For more photos please visit the Black-Tailed Deer photo album from the day.