Birds in Nature Centers
Now that Birdie is a vaccinated toddler and COVID is less of a concern, M has been on a continuous quest to take Birdie to new places that are fun for both of them. We've had a zoo membership since early 2022, and a Holden Arboretum / Cleveland Botanical Garden since last October. We got a pool membership last month. There are any number of nearby parks whose presence has been graced with our daughter. None of these are particularly surprising to me. What is surprising to me is the sheer number of different nature centers that M has found to visit near out house.
First, there are the nature centers that are visited frequently.
- The Rocky River Nature Center is the closest center to our house. M or I take Birdie down to the river to plop rocks, and then into the nature center to look at the animals, play in the big hollow tree and sit in the rocking chairs. Then it's outside again to plop rocks off the bridge.
- The Bay Village Nature Center features a number of birds that are being rehabbed, or that are too badly injured to return to the wild. It also features a planetarium, so we've been taking Birdie to "Stellar Stars", a program pitched at 3-6 year olds that rotates through a different feature in the solar system every week. Birdie has almost filled in her passport to win a space prize. This nature center also has a fake log to crawl through and sometimes a fish puzzle that Birdie really loves.
- The Canal Way Nature Center has a model canal boat and an assortment of fake trade goods to play with, including a wide selection of toy foods. It's relatively close to the zoo and is quite possibly Birdie's favorite nature center of them all. She calls it the "broom" nature center, because there is a toy broom. Never mind that she now has a toy broom at home, that one is apparently better.
Then there are an assortment of nature centers that have been visited at least once but are not in frequent rotation.
- Penitentiary Glen also does bird rehab.
- Old Woman Creek, Ottawa National Wildlife Preserve and Magee Marsh all have fine nature centers. Magee Marsh's was just remodeled in time for this year's bird week.
- We went out to the West Woods earlier this year and attempted to feed chickadees (or as Birdie put it, "we're catching birds!"). Their nature center has excellent displays.
That's 8 nature centers that I can recall off the top of my head, and I'm sure I've missed a few. There are certainly more in the NE Ohio area that we've not been to yet, but give it time. She's not even three yet!
First, there are the nature centers that are visited frequently.
- The Rocky River Nature Center is the closest center to our house. M or I take Birdie down to the river to plop rocks, and then into the nature center to look at the animals, play in the big hollow tree and sit in the rocking chairs. Then it's outside again to plop rocks off the bridge.
- The Bay Village Nature Center features a number of birds that are being rehabbed, or that are too badly injured to return to the wild. It also features a planetarium, so we've been taking Birdie to "Stellar Stars", a program pitched at 3-6 year olds that rotates through a different feature in the solar system every week. Birdie has almost filled in her passport to win a space prize. This nature center also has a fake log to crawl through and sometimes a fish puzzle that Birdie really loves.
- The Canal Way Nature Center has a model canal boat and an assortment of fake trade goods to play with, including a wide selection of toy foods. It's relatively close to the zoo and is quite possibly Birdie's favorite nature center of them all. She calls it the "broom" nature center, because there is a toy broom. Never mind that she now has a toy broom at home, that one is apparently better.
Then there are an assortment of nature centers that have been visited at least once but are not in frequent rotation.
- Penitentiary Glen also does bird rehab.
- Old Woman Creek, Ottawa National Wildlife Preserve and Magee Marsh all have fine nature centers. Magee Marsh's was just remodeled in time for this year's bird week.
- We went out to the West Woods earlier this year and attempted to feed chickadees (or as Birdie put it, "we're catching birds!"). Their nature center has excellent displays.
That's 8 nature centers that I can recall off the top of my head, and I'm sure I've missed a few. There are certainly more in the NE Ohio area that we've not been to yet, but give it time. She's not even three yet!