Trailside Museum of Natural History in River Forest

On February 14, 2017, Mrs. Hovey's 3rd graders visited the Trailside Museum of Natural History. We took an amazing hike along the DesPlaines River. We observed deer rubbings, animal tracks, non-native species, beaver bites to Cottonwood trees and even saw a deer scampering through the rag weed. Enjoy your picture tour of this great experience.

A student pointed out the deer rubbings on the trees. Deer rub their antlers on trees to scratch the velvet off of their antlers.

She used the field guide to explore birds.

Mr. Kessler was passing out field guides to students. The field guides gave information on animal tracks, birds, insects, fish and forest animals.

The boys got a picture next to a tree stump that was painted. Someone placed a Japanese Mystery Snail shell (non-native species) on the top of the stump.

This is the only vine in this forest that people should touch because the others are poisonous such as poison ivy. This is a wild grape vine.

Mr. Kessler began the adventure and we saw some deer prints as we explored.

Did you know that a flood plain is low flat land that floods?

Mr. Kessler spoke about the Cottonwood tree. Cottonwood used to grow up and down Lake Michigan. Cottonwood trees like to grow where it's wet. The roots like to be submerged in water. This Cottonwood has a scab and the heartwood is exposed.

Here we found a caterpillar that was dead because as the weather gets warm animals get tricked and come out of hibernation to look for food but as it gets colder again they die. We also discovered the shell of a non-native species called the Japanese Mystery Snail.

These are ducks and Canadian Geese. They are swimming around the swampy river!

These are chewed up trees and stumps from beavers.

This person is holding a field guide. It is like a menu but it gives information about the animals in the forest.

This is a tree that was sawed away by a beaver.

Here a beaver tried to cut down a tree but he quit too soon.

A beaver tried to bite down this tree. Beavers could be a menace to society.

The girls were walking under wild grape tree vines.

Mrs. Hovey's class is taking a picture. The log was very hard to stand on. Can you spot Mrs. Malinowski, our chaperone?

This is the ragweed forest. That is where deer like to rest and frolic.

Here we are mud marching.

This is a cage that has a coyote laying inside its comfortable den that was made out of straw. The coyote was really AMAZING.

This is a talon from a Great Horned Owl. Notice how the feathers grow down to the claws. This helps the owl be stealthy.

Here we were feeling an owl talon.

This is a Red Tailed Hawk. The Red Tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in North America.

This Barred Owl fell out of its nest when it was an owlet so he was raised by humans. This is called imprinting. The owl never learned how to hunt so it must continue to be fed by humans.

This is a Great Horned Owl. The museum got this owl because it lost an eye so she cannot hunt. This Great Horned Owl is said to be the oldest owl in North America. The Great Horned Owl is also known as Tiger Owl. They call it Tiger Owl because it has stripes.

Mr. Kessler flapped feathers of a Turkey Vulture and a Great Horned Owl to see which feather is loudest. Can you guess which feather makes more noise?


Answer: A Turkey Vulture feather

This is the pelt of a coyote.

The boys are measuring their wingspans.

At the end of the field trip we got to see a black rat snake. It was about to molt.