WOW-Dragonflies!
On my back porch I have a hummingbird feeder and the little hummers spend a lot of time chasing each other around. I love to watch them zoom by. But they remind me of another flying creature that you...
View ArticleWOW-Lunar Eclipse!
If the skies clear on Sunday night September 27 we will have a chance to see the lunar eclipse. This will be a great opportunity because the eclipse will occur in the evening with the total eclipse at...
View ArticleStargazing at Fisher Farm was a great success!
What an amazing night of Stargazing we had last Friday! With perfectly clear skies, our many visitors had a great chance to see the stars above Davidson. We must thank Kristen Thompson, Mario Belloni,...
View ArticleWOW-The Old Farmer’s Almanac
So what’s the Old Farmer’s Almanac? According to the one I bought at the local Ace Hardware (also saw them for sale at CVS) this edition is number two hundred and twenty-four. That’s old. It was...
View ArticleWOW-Planetary Lineup!
In the early morning sky for the next few weeks there’s a chance to see five planets lining up in the sky and at times the moon joins them. This is a rare site and one visible early in the morning just...
View ArticleWOW-a visit to the Herpetology Lab
Salamanders, snakes and snapping turtles! WOW and some of our WOW families had another fun visit in Davidson College’s Herpetology Lab January 30th. We got up close to some beautiful animals, watched...
View ArticleWOW-Great Backyard Bird Count!
This coming weekend, Feb. 12 – 15, is Presidents’ day weekend and that means it’s time for the Great Backyard Bird Count! This is a fantastic opportunity for a family friendly activity. You can count...
View ArticleWOW-Pollinator Gardens!
Maintaining a healthy environment for pollinator insects and other creatures is something you can do to improve the environment for all. Pollinators are required for pollination of most plants and that...
View ArticleWOW-Natural Easter Egg Dye
If you are planning to dye Easter eggs you might consider this fun idea. How about making your own dye from natural products? Last summer at the WOW booth at the Farmers’ Market we made ink and paint...
View ArticleWOW-Nature Hike!
WOW welcomed 18 family adventurers on a nature hike led by Rob Van Epps. We were treated to a fun day exploring and meeting some of the creatures that make West Branch their home. This was our lucky...
View ArticleWOW-Birds’ Bills
Do you ever think about the ways that all birds are alike? They all have feathers. We know that. They all have bills. What is a bill? It’s an extension of the birds jaw. All birds have bills but they...
View ArticleLightning bugs or Fireflies?
OK, I’m a native Southerner, and we call these creatures lightning bugs. Nothing more fun on a hot summer evening than running around with your friends and catching a jar full of lightning bugs. Of...
View ArticleWOW-What’s this strange thing?
If you have been lucky enough to have a thunderstorm or shower in your area lately you may start to see some fungi or mushrooms pop up in your yard or in the woods near you. One of the interesting...
View ArticleWOW-Perseid Meteor Shower!
Every year about this time in August the night sky offers a treat when the Perseid Meteor Shower is visible. This year the showers will be even more exciting because the earth will be closer than usual...
View ArticleWOW-Take a Child Outside Week!
Every year Sept. 24-30 is Take a Child Outside Week. So, this year why not make a point of taking your child or children outside. You can do this on your own or you can visit one of the local parks or...
View ArticleWOW- Supermoon!
Davidson College’s Kristen Thompson wants you to watch the sky this weekend for the Supermoon. Check out this post from David Boraks-http://wfae.org/post/supermoon-biggest-68-years And then watch the...
View ArticleWOW-Take the 50 Species Challenge!
Here’s a link to a great article from the Urban Institute at UNCC from a while back. https://ui.uncc.edu/story/fifty-species-challenge The idea is to challenge yourself, your family or a friend, to be...
View ArticleWOW-Look at the sky Friday night!
When the moon rises Friday night it will be full. This moon is called the “Snow Moon”. It will also be partially eclipsed. This will be a penumbral eclipse which means it will appear darker than...
View ArticleWOW-Great Backyard Bird Count
This coming weekend is Presidents Day Weekend Friday Feb. 17 through Feb. 20. Looking for something to do? Why not try out The Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s easy and you can spend as little or as...
View ArticleWOW-Night Sky in March!
Ancient people saw the night sky with all its glowing stars and planets and gave names to figures they saw there. We call these constellations and they are a handy way of identifying certain stars....
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