The Rookery

Our trip to Riverbend was wonderful and left the Herons wishing we had a lot more time to explore.  We took readings on the temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, pH and turbidity of the water in the Straight River and then compared our data to those collected by the Robins at Turtle Pond.  We also had a chance to collect macro

invertebrates (and a few frogs) and think about what their presence told us about the River's health.

It was so much fun to watch the Herons fearlessly clambering around (and through) the river without a complaint about the weather or the chilly water.  They were definitely in their element.

Riverbend makes a great place to take a weekend hike.  They have a large number of habitats all within close walking distance of each other.  Fourth and fifth graders also enjoy mucking about in their Kids in the Wild play space where you can dam a stream, shift its course, and (my personal favorite) break through dams you've built to cause massive flooding downstream.