Local kids have fun exploring fields and streams

Cara Spilsbury

May 09, 2007 04:53 pm

— TOPSFIELD -- After several days of windy, overcast conditions recently, the skies finally cleared for a beautiful day of hiking at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary.
Three groups of 10 children, led by sanctuary staff and volunteers, began their trek at 10 a.m. as the sun began to poke through a few leftover clouds. It was the third day of the wildlife sanctuary's April vacation activities, aptly named "Splash Splosh." Instead of being zoned out in front of computers or televisions, these eager minds set out to explore vernal pools and wetlands.
Along the way, their curiosities were piqued by many natural sights. They found scent mounds built by beavers and a half-eaten snake. They turned over logs and cleared brush in search of worms and vermin. They even discovered freshly made deer tracks that meandered down the trail.
"Mud season is yucky for your boots, but great for finding tracks," said the sanctuary's naturalist Scott Santino, who was leading the group of second- and third-graders.
Shortly after, the students squealed with elation as two deer calmly bounded across the path and into the woods, their white tails waving in the sunlight.
Thrills for this particular group came as big as the deer sighting, but also as small as feeding chickadees out of the palms of their hands and finding bugs on a tree trunk. No discovery was too miniscule or too mundane for Santino's group, which was also accompanied by field teacher Victor Atkins.
Santino and Atkins passed on a good deal of knowledge to the youngsters in their care, but also allowed the students to discern their own hypotheses about the things they found. When they came across one of the sanctuary's many Beaver Deceivers, Atkins took the time to explain that these contraptions fool the beavers into thinking there's already a dam present so they won't build there, allowing the water to flow freely.
Middleton second-graders Caroline Simmons and Robert Dodge said they liked their day at the sanctuary, agreeing that it was a welcome change from the classroom environment.
"I like this better," Caroline said. "You get to learn about nature. You can find out a lot more about animals."
Robert said he's already a fan of the sanctuary, thanks to a camp he attended there.
"I went to this camp, and it was really fun," Robert said. "You get to go outside and see all sorts of birds and animals and different kinds of things. You might find something you never knew existed."
Although the April vacation programs have come and gone, there are still plenty of changes to unleash an enthusiastic young nature lover safely into the wilderness. The Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary has announced its schedule of one-week and two-week summer camps, that offer a wide variety of explorations and activities for children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.
The children participating in the "Splash, Splosh" adventure enjoyed their lengthy hike and took away many new experiences from it.
"The wildlife sanctuary is very fun," said Abigail Henkel, a third-grader from Topsfield. "I liked when we found the dead snake. I had never seen that before."

Summer Camps
"There aren't a lot of other programs that have 2300 acres to explore," said Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary's Scott Santino, the summer camp director.
The sanctuary is accredited by the American Camp Association, meaning they adhere to certain regulations and subject themselves to a review every three years.
Santino hires 15 full-time staffers for the summer camps, and makes sure they're CPR certified and knowledgeable about nature. Many of them are teachers or professors on summer break, or college students in education programs.
The Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary offers one-week and two-week summer programs for young nature enthusiasts ages 4 thought 14. Advanced Registration is required for all camps and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis with priority going to Mass Audubon members.
r For children ages 4 and 5, they offer half-day camps. Morning sessions run from 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., while afternoon camps run from 12:15 p.m. to 3 p.m. "Furry Fun Time," the first morning and afternoon sessions run from Monday, June 25 through Friday, June 29. "Animal Investigators," the second sessions, run from Monday, July 23 through Friday July 27. Cost per session is $150 for Mass Audubon members and $200 for nonmembers.
r For children ages 5 and 6, the sanctuary offers three different week-long programs that begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. each day, Monday through Friday. "Wetland Wonders" will take place July 2 through July 6 and July 30 through August 3. "Things with Wings" will run July 9 through July 13 and August 6 through August 10. "How Did They Do That? " runs July 16 through July 20 and August 13 through August 17. The cost is $285 for members and $335 for nonmembers.
All programs for these age levels include nature investigations, songs, stories and visits to the pond, forest and meadow.
r For children ages 7 through 11, Theme Week camps are offered, which blend outdoor activities with age-appropriate games and crafts. Camps run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Children can sign up for as many theme weeks as they wish, and if a child attends more than one, a 10 percent discount will be given to each week. The fee for individual week-long sessions is $245 for members and $295 for nonmembers.
r Investigators (children ages 7 and 8) have three camps to choose from. "A Buggy Good Time" runs from June 25 through June 29 and July 16 through July 20. "Birds of a Feather" takes place July 2 through July 6 and July 23 through July 27. "Carnivore Camp" runs July 9 through July 13 and July 30 through August 3.
r Naturalists (children ages 9 through 11) can choose from four camps. "Wildlife Rangers" runs July 25 through July 29 and July 16 through July 20. "Herptology Time" takes place July 2 through July 6 and July 23 through July 27. "Nature Works" runs July 9 through July 13 and July 30 through August 3. "Creating Art in Nature" will be offered only one week, August 13 through August 17.
The sanctuary also offers "A Closer Look," a one-week program August 6 through August 10 for ages 7 through 11 that focuses on a different topic each day. In addition to special guests at the sanctuary, the 7 and 8 year olds will spend a morning on a lobstering boat cruise, and the 9 through 11 year olds will take a whale watch tour out of Gloucester. This week costs $276 for members and $326 for nonmembers. The 10 percent discounted rate does not apply to this week.
A two-week camp, called "Ipswich River Trekkers," is also available for 7- through 11-year-olds. They'll spend two weeks with the same group exploring the sanctuary. Pat Bade, a Native American story tellor and raptor rehabilitationist, will share stories and one of her owls. The cost is $390 for members and $440 for nonmembers, and takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sessions run June 25 through July 6, July 9 through July 20, and July 23 through August 3.
r Students ages 12 through 14 can take part in three programs on the Ipswich River. Camps run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and children must know how to swim. "River Ecology" explores the river and teaches canoeing. It runs July 2 through July 6, July 30 through August 3, and August 6 through August 10. The cost for members is $305 and for nonmembers is $355. "Further River Adventures" is designed for children who have completed "River Ecology" or have canoe experience. This camp takes place August 13 through August 17 and costs $320 for members and $370 for nonmembers. "Canoe and Kayak Adventures" is a new program designed for students who have attended "River Ecology" or have canoe and kayak experience. It runs August 20 through August 24 and costs $350 for members and $400 for nonmembers.

For more information, visit the Sanctuary's website at www.massaudubon.org/ipswichriver or call the office at 978-887-9264.

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