Posts filed under EVENTS

Dragonflies as Ecological Indicators

Dragonflies Are Masters of Flight! Click her to learn more. Join us and discover some nymph dragonflies and other tiny water critters that reside in our streams. We will conduct a biological water quality demo at 12:00, April 27th, at the Earth & Arbor Day celebration in Landreth Park. We are looking for Wonderful, Wacky Water Critters. Join us at creekside and learn what they can tell us about our water quality.

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Posted on April 24, 2019 by Amera Wild and filed under NATURAL HAPPENINGS, EDUCATION, EVENTS and tagged dragonfiy clean water earth day arbor day.

FESTIVAL OF EAGLES – STELLA MISSOURI

It’s that time of year again   —  time to view the eagles at Stella.  The Chert Glades Master Naturalists will be hosting  the Festival of Eagles  on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Stella, Missouri.  Activities begin at 10:00 a.m. and go until 3:00 p.m.  There will be scopes set up for getting up close and personal views of the eagles who visit Stella every year.

Representatives from the Missouri Department of Conservation  and Missouri Master Naturalists will be available for answering questions.  There will be a life-sized eagle nest replica, a life-sized eagle wingspread to compare your “wing span” to that of an eagle, face painting, and more.  Volunteers will be scouting the area for good viewing opportunities and maps will be available to help you get the best views.  Every year the town of Stella has some goodies available for those who visit.  There will be hot coffee, hot cocoa, and baked goodies available at the Methodist Church.

For directions to Stella, you can check mapquest or google maps.  Here are simplified directions:  from Joplin, take I 49 south to Neosho, exit 24 (US 60).  Turn left.  Go 1.3 miles.  Turn righ on I 49 BUS/MO 59/US 71 BUS S.  Go 1.3 miles.  Turn left on Lyon Dr.  Go 1.5 miles.  Turn right on Doniphan, go .8 miles.  The road will curve left and become Hwy. D.  Go 10.6 miles.  Turn left onto Hwy. A.  Go .8 miles and you will be in Stella.  The activities will be located at the city park on the corner of Carter & Ozark streets.

So, come join us for a day of fun in the great outdoors. Dress for the weather, bring your camera and binoculars, if you have them, but mostly just come to enjoy the day.  It’s a great opportunity to spend time with your family, learning about one of the great successes of conservation.

In winter, Missouri is a leading migratory stop for Bald Eagles, and Stella is a great place to see them!

Bald Eagle recovery is a spectacular conservation success story!

  • 1782 – Adopted as national symbol; 100,000 nests (est)
  • 1800’s(early) – Nesting eagles common in Missouri
  • 1900 – Numbers declining; eagles shot on sight to protect livestock; no Missouri nests
  • 1940 – In danger of extinction; Bald Eagle Protection Act makes harming, possessing or harassing illegal
  • 1962 – U.S. nesting pairs dwindle to about 400; Silent Spring(Rachel Carson) is published linking the pesticide DDT to thinning eggs that  break during incubation or otherwise fail to hatch
  • 1972 – DDT banned
  • 1978 – Listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act(ESA)
  • 1983 – First report of re-nesting in Missouri
  • 1995 – Status upgraded to “threatened” (ESA)
  • 2007 – Bald Eagles completely de-listed (ESA)
  • 2007-present – More than 2000 Bald Eagles winter in Missouri with 200-300 nesting pairs!

Photography:  Kevin Mouser, Ken Middick, Katharine Spigarelli, Becky Wylie

Eagle facts:  Val Frankoski

- See more at: http://chertglades.org/?p=2012#sthash.0RqA0N1a.dpuf

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Shawn Kirkbride and filed under ASK A NATURALIST, EDUCATION, EVENTS, NATURAL HAPPENINGS and tagged AUDUBON BIRD BIRD BEHAVIOR EAGLE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FAMILY MASTER NATURALIST MISSOURI NATURE.