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PAGE 10, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25,1987 GRADE SIX STUDENTS from Dr. Robert Thornton Publie Sehool get The students learned about animais andtheir environment as well as ready to take a snowshoe trek through the Nonquon envfronmental area. having the opportunity to feed chiekadees in their hands. NONQUON VISIT: By JANET BROWNE Neither bold north winds nor the perils of snowshoeing could stop the Grade 6 class from Dr. Robert Thornton school in their quest for a deeper understanding of Ontario willife and nature. A Feb. 13 outing to the Nonquon environmental education area, located north of Port Perry, in- cluded enough in-class lectures and outdoor activities to spark any student's interest in this area of study. The program began with discussion about the structural changes and adaptations of birds found in this area. This was followed by a tour through the museum or 'habitat classroom', in which a vast array of stuffed wildlife was on display so that studenta could better visualize the inhabîtants of this environnTent. The class was also taught how to identify different wildlife tracks and droppings found in the snow. Before the group could break for lunch, a small flock of hungry chickadees waited eagerly in the trees outside. "Just hold your hand still, like an aircraft carrier, instructed Nonquoni instructor Mike Whitmar- ch. The air was immediately filled with simulated bird calls and to everyone's delight,' the birds allowed themselves to be hand-fed the birdseed provided by staff. The highlight of the day's ac- tivities was a snowshoeing ex- pedition through the surrounding woods and fields. After successfully fitting 26 students with snowshoes, the group headed out. Although no actual animals were spotted, save the insatiable chickadees, many signs of wildlife were'apparent aiong the trails, in- cluding a woodpecker hole, an osprey nesting platform, the trail of a bounding mink, and several A CHICKADEEi eats birdseed from the hand of Wilda MeLellan as fellow students Chad Houghton, Donita Pear- ce, Brodie Richards and Paul War- zecha look on. CHAD HOUGHTON didn't mind tasting this tree, in fact, he said lie rather liked the taste. cedar muskrat lodges. "Will the 'muskrat corne out?" inquired one student with high ex- pectations. III hope not," laughed Whitmnar- ch, "or we'll have to throw you in for him 50o he won't bite me! " Refreshments were provided along the trail in the unusual form of cedar and balsam trees. The majority of students who were brave enough to indulge, described this outdoorsman's delicacy ini such harsh terms as "6gross,ly "disgusting" and -"sick." But one budding young naturalist was quite pleased with the cedar leaves, a good source of vitamin C, and ex- claimed, "Geez, you could almost survive out here! " Whitmarch had threatened to tempt the students' tastebuds with edible 'maggots', but none were found to the relief of one student who had previously insisted that she wasn't eating "any of that lar- vae stuff. " The trek continued across a frozen, river and into a part of the surrounding woods that had neyer been formally entered before. This bushwacking was initiated by Whitmarch in an attempt to discover some wildlife living off the beaten trail, but the kids were too distracted by fallen logs, 10w bran- ches, and shouts of "0w! Right in the nose! " to notice if any animais had crossed their path. Except for a few unfortunates who straggled in minus their snowshoes, everybody returned in one piece, happily discussing the day's events. But beware, aIl mothers, of scheming students: one littie charmer was overheard planning to put the 'skats' of a snowshoe hare in the next batch of his mother's spaghetti. Ï The snowshoe trails are within a designated portion of the Nonquon area which is used strictly for educational purposes and hunting and trapping are prohibited. The surrounding forest land- is open -for hunting and trapping between the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 a.m. when no students are on the grounds. The Nonquon Educational Cen- ter, founded in 1977, is open throughout the sehool year to provide instruction and hands-on experience in the various branches of envirorunental science to studen- ts froru the surrounding areas. The center offers a museurn, and two classrooms, one of which was named after the first Nonquon teacher, David Carroll, who was lost in an avalanche during a mnoun- tain dlimbing expeclition in 1980. t , I b ~~7*" j' Ï'V*~~ * - Whitby class snowshoes. to learn about outdoors