nature study - owls

Recently we have been doing some more in depth nature study. This has come about because of my inherent desire/ need for my children to be able to identify another tree other than an Oak. We do a lot of walking in woodland. I thought it would be nice if the children understood the place we walk in so often a little bit better. I don't think I am aiming too high, my expectations are low given that MB is adamant that rabbits and owls are friends (thank you AA Milne.)

I have had support for this from some surprising areas. One is our local family farm. When the staff found out that we were following the suggestions in The New Amateur Naturalist they jumped at the chance to provide us with owl pellets for dissection. I must admit I wasn't too sure this was such a good idea but the kids were so keen, how could I not? Within 24 hours we had our pellets.

We read White Owl, Barn Owl to prepare us for what was to come, and to try and pretend it wasn't too gruesome.

For those that are uninitiated into the world of owl puke, there are two ways to take a pellet apart. One is the wet method, where you soak a pellet in warm water, with the aim of the little bones gradually sinking to the bottom. The other is the dry method, in which you carefully tease apart the pellet to see what you can find. The dry method is the amateur naturalists method of choice but we had an abundance of pellets, so did one of each.

Now, OD showed considerable skill, I see a career in archeology for this girl. She successfully managed to tease out a small skull and a little leg bone without breakage. Spurred on by his sisters success, EB wanted to have a go.

He missed the concept of "gently does it". He slipped and sliced through the air, across the table and knocked over the pellet in water, covering the entire surface in fluid owl vomit. Ironically I was just looking at the jar thinking how I needed to move it, but he beat me to it. I suppressed the urge to beat him senseless and spent the next two hours picking up microscopic pieces of yuck.

All in the name of education.

The offending article. Click on it and see an enlarged photo, I dare you.