Jan was out with a preschool group tapping maple trees this morning and noticed the telltale sign of otters at play! The otters have been playing in the snow along Indian Creek! People often ask…
We witness the “circle of life” every day at the Nature Center. Land Steward Jean Wiedenheft gives us a look at how it works. The full album of photos can be found on our Facebook…
As we head towards our 30th annual Maple Syrup Festival this weekend, we take a look back at the very first sugarmaker at the Nature Center – Director Rich Patterson’s father-in-law, Leslie Fellows. The Fellows…
I listen every day to hear the cardinal change from his sharp, winter “CHIRP” to the more lyrical “birdie…birdie…birdie”. Then I know spring is here. Jean needs your help with a bird count at the…
Chris Emery recently joined us as an intern from Mt. Mercy University. These are his thoughts after his first week…. Chris captures the Otis bridge on a foggy day Growing up in Cedar Rapids, I…
Naturalist Jennifer Rupp is amused and inspired watching squirrels outside her window… Photo by Duane Cooley As I sit down to write this post, one common mammal is on my mind. Currently there is one…
Jean continues to update us on visitors to the mystery burrow….. After watching the deer walk around the tree, and the rabbit run out of the brush pile, it occurred to us that we might…
An important message from Rich… On this day, January 18, 40 years ago the Indian Creek Nature Center was legally founded as a private nonprofit corporation-Iowa’s first nature center. Hundreds of people over the past…
Jean updates us on our mysterious burrows… One of our mystery burrows We set out with a trail cam to find who had been digging these significant holes midwinter. From the look of it, they…
Jan took a group of snowshoers on a hike last week and spotted something unexpected! Here’s here report: This looks like fun! Rivers otters, playful creatures that they are, have take advantage of recent snow…