Spring Time EGGucation!

This afternoon, we headed up to the San Elijo Lagoon for one of their family discovery days.  The theme was EGGucation - all about eggs and different animals that come from eggs.  The girls were excited the minute we pulled in since this is one of their favorite places to explore nature!

We started upstairs where the girls got to make their "baskets" using paper bags.

They had fun decorating them with stickers and markers.  Eliza was very proud of the owl she drew on hers.  Then we went back outside to hunt for eggs.

Eliza with her first egg.  She was so excited!  It took her longer than Audrey to find 3 upstairs because she wanted different colored ones.

Audrey finding one under the table.

After they each found 3 out on the observation deck, we were ready start the scavenger hunt part.

The first stop on the trail was all about bugs.  We talked about metamorphosis, and checked out some ladybugs, caterpillars, and butterflies with some magnifying glasses.  We learned that ladybugs go through metamorphosis just like butterflies - I didn't know that!

Next stop was all about crabs - mainly the native Fiddler Crab.  We found out that only the male of the species has one really large claw, and he waves it around to attract the female to his burrow.  The female carries thousands of eggs at once out to the ocean and they come back into the lagoon after they are born.

Of course there were lots of different bird eggs to learn about.  The tiny jellybean-sized egg is from a hummingbird.

My pretty girls along the side of the trail.

We were really quiet, looking for bunnies.

 

They got to plant some California Poppy seeds to take home.  Audrey had some help, but Eliza did hers all by herself.

 

Of course, they got candy-filled eggs at each station, so we had to enjoy a piece of candy before we left!  We had such a great time!  I am so happy that the girls are so eager to learn, ask questions, and explore nature!  

We spotted a caterpillar on the willow trees along the trail, and went back to the bug station to find out what kind it was - a Western Tussock (moth species).  We also saw a lizard that we were able to identify inside the visitors center as the Western Fence Lizard.