Though comparing this summer’s programs is a bit like comparing apples and oranges – a magician versus an indoor planetarium? a natural sciences program versus movie nights? – my vote for this summer’s best program goes to the Massachusetts Audubon Society Audubon Ark presentation on Birds of Prey yesterday.

Andrea, the teacher-naturalist, was fun, knowledgeable, and knew how to engage the kids’ attention and answer their questions.  And the stars of the show, a Broad-Winged Hawk and a Great Horned Owl, provided mesmerizing drama as they flapped their wings, chirruped gently, and nibbled on Andrea’s arm.  Once the birds had been put back into their carriers, Andrea brought out various bird eggs, talons, wings, tails, and even a Great Horned Owl head.  Though some kids were faintly disgusted at first by the owl’s body parts, Andrea very matter-of-factly explained to them that this particular owl had been hit and killed by a car.  When one young attendee pointed out that the right side of the owl’s skull was smashed, Andrea simply said, “That was probably where the owl hit the car,” and the child who had asked the question wasn’t grossed out or horrified, but realized this was a simple consequence of a bad meeting between a car and a wild animal.

Having worked for Mass Audubon for a year in my late teens, I know and respect their work and their employees, most especially Drumlin Farm’s emphasis on the cycle of life.  Drumlin is a working farm, and they are upfront about this with kids; in yesterday’s program, Andrea was equally upfront about interactions between wild animals and humans, including an explanation about why certain wild animals become part of the Audubon Ark travelling programs (these animals have been injured in some way and cannot survive in the wild).

All in all, a very impressive program, and I will be organizing more visits from them (with a variety of different programs – Andrea told me I HAVE to get the program that brings an opossum) for the coming school year.