Nature Study Outing - Week 9

Today our group decided to keep it low-key and met at a regular neighborhood park close by.  It was threatening rain this morning, but luckily the weather held out for us and actually made for a fittingly fall-like outing, cool and overcast.  The kids spent most of their time running around the playground, but before we left, we took a short walk to survey all the little signs of the new season that are finally appearing in our area.  The children collected so many little treasures to bring home with us to identify--they were thrilled with all their finds and were begging me to pull out the field guides as soon as we got home.  Here's a sampling of what made it back home with us this morning:

leaves and balls from sweetgum tree

mushrooms!

leaf, catkins, acorn, and immature acorn from oak tree--red oak, I think.  anyone know for sure?

fall colors - black poplar and weeping willow

various acorns - the kids love comparing these

And from out of one of those acorns came a surprise guest--

An acorn weevil larva!  We had seen the pinholes in the acorns suggesting they had been hit by a weevil, but we were working in our nature journals and my son piped up, "Mommy, there's a worm on the table!"  Sure enough--there this little guy was.

And this tree stood in a little grove of oaks by the street.  Is it just me, or are those eyes?!  I have been to this park dozens of times but had never noticed him peeking at me before. ;)