Perkiomen Creek - Creek Critters Adventure

Tara and I attended a Connections Academy field trip to Green Lane Park.  Our first stop was the Nature Center where we really enjoyed our conversation with one of our educators for the afternoon.  I have gotten really terrible with names, but I believe it was Diane!  Our conversation was about butterflies and bugs, and the difference in the critters we have here in PA as compared to those in FL.  You can tell that she really enjoys her job!  During our conversation I even saw a HUMMINGBIRD.  I wasn't quick enough to get a photo, about the time I realized what I was seeing, it was gone!

I enjoyed photographing a ladybug and a swamp milkweed beetle in the butterfly garden.

Next we headed for the Fly Fishing area of Green Lane on the Perkiomen Creek.  I was prepared only to observe, and take some photos, only to find out we were going to be crossing the stream, to get to our destination.  With my jeans and crocs, I headed into the calf deep water.  It was actually quite refreshing and I am glad I choose to participate rather than stay on the other shore!

The students were instructed to look in the water, under rocks, etc. looking for critters (macro-invertebrates mainly.  Not just of the fish type, but things I never realized were lurking in streams.

The kids found water pennies, snails, leeches, mayflies, stoneflies, dobsonflies, crayfish, minnows and I am sure there are  some that I am missing. Tara helped catch this crayfish.  He was pretty big!

This is a dobsonfly, one of the older students found it attached to his leg. These things can bite....

Tara and I both really enjoyed our afternoon, wet jeans and all.  I was pretty proud of myself, I made it across the creek and back with my camera in hand... and didn't fall!

Oh, I saw two Baltimore Orioles (not photo, they flew over head, I saw the bright orange bodies, but when they landed in the tree, they were not in a spot I could photograph them.... you can't move very quick walking upstream in a swiftly moving creek!)  We also saw a Canadian Goose family... with 13 gooslings.  They have Jon and Kate beat by quite a few!