Your Delta Nats participated again this year in Delta’s 17th annual Fish Release at Watershed Park in North Delta. Terry Carr and his team of Roger Myer, Joyce & Boudi, and Syd & Vivian Barber set up our informative hands-on Display at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the old pumphouse site where they release the Chum Fry into the creek. Meanwhile I, along with Roger, Syd & Vivian led the Nature Walk at 11:30 a.m. from Pinewood School through the park to the release site. See Terry and Roger’s photo evidence here and here.
We only had about 20 participants on the Nature Walk, 35 registered. We walked down the hill to the meadow, showing and explaining the trees and flora, because we saw no birds. A North Delta Reporter took the Group Photo at the Lookout in the Meadow, as a few Bald Eagles circled above us. Then we descended further to the main trail which took us to the Release site. As always, the group was really spread out, but Roger, Syd and Vivian were awesome showing the kids, and parents, mushrooms, lichen, fiddleheads, nurse stumps, etc. Although the group was a lot smaller than other years, most enjoyed the walk, learned a bit, and had some fun. We got to the site sporadically around 12:30 p.m.
Our Nats Display was awesome, as expected. I love the looks on both kids and parents faces as they’re fascinated by the bird songs, the bones, animal skins, feathers, nests and other stuff we have. And our Nats Team has a ball too answering questions and explaining the intricacies of nature.
The site was very muddy, as it often is. There was no line-up for pails of Fry to dump into the creek, as in past years. Although there were probably a few hundred attendees, not as many attended as other years (less advertising or promotion?). The other Displays, OWL with a Kestrel and Great Horned Owl, Deborah’s StreamKeepers, Delta’s educational displays, tree planting and Kids “games,” and a new firemen “safe housing construction” display, were all interesting and popular, but our booth seemed to attract the most attention (I’m prejudiced). The event finished at 2 p.m. and Roger carted the display material back to our Centennial Beach locker. This is an excellent event for Delta and us, showcasing Watershed Park and educating hundreds of kids who are fascinated with the hands-on release of the Chum fry. I know we’ll look forward to participating again next year. Cheers: Tom
Tom Bearss, President, Delta Naturalists Society
