HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT

A Champions for the Environment Grant from Merck & Company Inc. began this ambitious and rewarding project. With additional funds from the Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center, volunteers from Merck, teachers and students from Deibler Elementary School, along with Gail Hill and Mary Jo Lisewski toiled to create an acre of restored habitat.

The goal of this project was to create a more native plant environment and reestablish the understory in the woods, including native plants in the field and shrubs in the transitional area at the ecotone (area between two habitats). The area would then be used for educational programs. Plant identification, succession, habitats, populations and a comparison to an equal size area that is impacted by deer will be subjects that will be addressed in classes. The first step after approval of the grant was to have the deer proof fence installed. Once again Landis Fence, Dublin, provided us with a workable cost amount for the sturdy fence. Installation in the snow and mud did not deter the project. The next step was removal of multi-flora rose from the field and thicket areas. Organized and led by Kristine Schmon a small army of hard working Merck employees and retirees armed with wheelbarrows, shovels and other tools headed through the mud and drizzle to dig out that scourge of PVNC, multi-flora rose. Often working in knee deep poison ivy they removed the old farmer's fence and dug out massive amounts of rose bushes.

On May 27 two buses from Deibler Elementary School (Pennridge School District) arrived with 80 eager second grade students. Well prepared with hand tools, gloves, boots and rain gear they headed toward the restoration area. On the walk to the job site they were led by Education Director Gail Hill and Assistant Education Director Mary Jo Lisewski who discussed, explained and showed them the habitats and the connection to the wildlife of PVNC. Within the fenced area more than 100 native perennials, shrubs and trees were waiting to be planted. Mud and drizzle did not deter their enthusiasm or dedication to getting the job done. Digging holes, skirting large puddles and poison ivy, planting, watering and cleaning up were all accomplished with fine spirit and teamwork.

Our goal is to maintain this area and continue planting the understory to bring back the diversity of plants for this area. Hopefully this will attract nesting birds, more salamanders (with increased leaf litter) and other animals. The educational value of this enclosed restoration area will be invaluable.

Many thanks to Merck & Company Inc., Merck volunteers, Kristine Schmon, the Second Grade students and their teachers from Deibler Elementary School.


GROCERY SHOPPING

You collection of ACME register tapes and registration with Genuardis has been very beneficial for the nature center. It may seem like a small thing to do, but it does add up and creates a great way for us to supplement our educational endeavors with your need for food.

$979.53 has been received January to June 15

THANK YOU! Thank you to Mariana Hoffman for tallying the register tapes

If you do not have a GENUARDI'S CLUB CARD, you need to register, be sure to designate Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center-GROUP ID #150301483


SERVICE PROJECTS & VOLUNTEERS

We appreciate the assistance and dedication of our many volunteers. We could not be who we are or do what we do without their time and talents.

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS

Tyler Roth - Troop 187, Bucks County Council
Installed deer fence and native plants at bird blind area

Scott Randall - Troop 610, Cradle of Liberty Council
Built and installed pond study platforms at Persimmon Pond and routed signs for trails

Brian Burke - Troop 71, Bucks County Council
Provided and installed post & rail fencing between the road and Bike & Hike Path

Evan Spitzer - Troop 41, Bucks County Council
Designed, constructed and installed new sturdy stream study tables

SERVICE PROJECTS

Central Bucks West High School Key Club
Wood-chipped portions of Habitat and Pine Path

Salem United Church of Christ
Wood-chipped portions of Indian and Pine Path

Mathom House
Planted native trees and shrubs in fenced area off Habitat Trail and fixed and straightened stakes for trees and shrubs planted in sugar maple grove

Central Bucks School District Work Based Learning Program
janitorial work throughout the school year

Merck & Company, Inc.
volunteers cleaned habitat restoration area and assisted with planting


THE SPECTACULAR BALD EAGLE

The Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, is perhaps the highest-profile bird of prey. Aside from its being our national symbol, as of 1782, and being easily recognized, the Bald Eagle is just spectacular when seen soaring overhead, perching in a tree or hunting for food. Superlatives are used when trying to describe an eagle, such as magnificent, majestic, awesome, regal, beautiful, breath-taking, and just plain WOW!!

The Bald Eagle is a member of the fish- eagle group and is closely related to Kites.Interestingly, it is not closely related to the Golden Eagle. The eagle is the largest of the raptors. The Bald Eagle's length is from 31 inches to 44 inches; its wingspan is from 6.5 feet to 7.5 feet;its weight ranges from 9.5 lbs. to as much as 14 lbs., with the females being larger than the males. Bald Eagles soar on large, broad wings extended nearly flat, with outer primary feathers separated into "fingers". The wingbeats are stiff and shallow, but powerful, enabling them to travel at a speed of 30 to 40 mph. Their wings have 10 primary and 17 secondary feathers, which is four more than other raptors. The Bald Eagle has very large eyes. With its eyesight being three-dimensional and up to eight times sharper than ours, it can spot its prey from a mile away. It has a strong, sharp, hooked bill used for tearing apart its prey.

Its strong legs and sharp talons are adapted for grasping, holding and killing its prey. They do not have and don't need a good sense of smell because they hunt by sight only. Their food consists mainly of fish but includes other things, such as ducks, gulls, geese, muskrats, snakes and carrion. Their call is a high chirping whistle.

The Bald Eagle mates for life, and the pair remains together throughout the nesting season. They are solitary nesters, choosing a large tree or high structure, such as a tower or cliff. Their nests are huge, and they will return to the same nest year after year, adding to it each year. Occasionally they will build a new one. The nest site, sometimes remote, is called an eyrie. The nest is usually 5 to 8 or more feet across and 2 to 12 or more feet high, and it may grow to weigh hundreds of pounds! It is made of branches, sticks and twigs and lined with softer materials. The female usually lays 2 to 3 eggs a day or two apart, and they are incubated for about 35 days. When the baby eagle is ready to hatch it takes about 36 hours for it to crack the egg with its eggtooth. The chicks hatch covered in white down, which is shortly replaced with a darker gray down. In about 5 weeksthe down is mostly covered by dark feathers. The male brings the food to the nest, and the female does most of the feeding, delicately giving the chicks small pieces to eat. The parents vigorously defend the nest and the young.

When the young are 8 to 10 weeks old, they start to exercise their wings, flapping and lifting themselves slightly off the nest. In 10 to 12 weeks somehow the parents know when the young are ready to leave the nest, and they stop feeding them. After a couple of days, the parents carry food in their talons and fly around over the nest calling to the young. The hungry young then leap from the edge of the nest and fly for the first time. They awkwardly land in a tree, or maybe on the ground, and the parents feed them. It will take the young eagles 4 to 5 years to become adults and learn the ways of the world. They will watch their parents hunt for food and will practice fishing on their own. Other birds, such as ospreys and gulls, will sometimes try to make the young eagles drop their catch. As an adult, the eagle will chase the osprey or gull and take its food away!

The Bald Eagle has faced and survived many threats ranging from deliberate extermination, where they have been shot, poisoned and trapped, to inadvertent threats of hitting power lines, colliding with vehicles and eating pesticides or poisons given to control other animals. Today perhaps the largest threat is the loss of habitats.

The 1960's saw the lowest population of eagles due to pesticides such as DDT, which accumulated in eggshells and caused eggshell thinning. The eagle's population plummeted. The turning point was in the 1970's when the pesticides were banned in the U.S. and the U.S. Endangered Species Act was passed to protect the eagles and other species. Their plight gained public support through environmental education efforts, and the recovery of the Bald Eagle has been very successful. Today they are no longer on the Endangered List. The environmental movement and educational literature and classes, such as the ones given by Peace Valley Nature Center, have taught us that everything is interrelated and interconnected in a large and all-inclusive "circle of life'.

There are now at least four nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in Bucks County, including one near Peace Valley. This year these nests currently contain 10 young about to fledge. Interestingly, one that was born at the Philadelphia Zoo and widely reported in the media was successfully placed in the Peace Valley nest! You will have a good chance to experience the wonder of watching a Bald Eagle on your next walk at Peace Valley Park. Keep your eyes open!

By Judy Mirabella

References: The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior by David Sibley
Majestic Eagles by Stan Tekiela
Bald Eagle by Gordon Morrison



DID YOU KNOW

Native Americans used pumpkins for food and medicinal purposes. Pumpkins were the first foods to travel from the "New World" and be adopted in Europe. It should be called the "All American" fruit because it has been part of American history longer than any other fruit.


ATTN: VOLUNTEERS

If you would prefer to have the newsletter sent electronically to your personal email address, please let us know. Email ghill@co.bucks.pa.us This will help us save paper and lower our carbon footprint. Please contact Mary Jo Lisewski if you would like an email reminder of upcoming events and programs.


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