Friday, September 29, 2023

2023 September Trivia Night Report

 

Trivia night at the Bean Life Science Museum this Saturday was “paw”sibly the most cat-filled fun ever! Nine tough teams joined us to test their knowledge of not just our legendary mascot Cosmo, but his real-life counterparts, cougars! Also included in “Cosmo’s Conundrums” were questions about other big cats, smaller species of cats, and famous cats, such as Shasta.

Teams got to pick their own mascots to represent them as well, and they sure did get creative with their names! We were happy to have the “Under-quail-ified quails” along with “You better put a ringtail cat on it” joining us. 

We congratulate “Cats (2019)” on their close win!

Not a purr could be heard over the excited discussion and cries of exclamation we had this Saturday at the Bean!  


Lexia, museum educator


Thursday, September 28, 2023

2023 Fall Birding Nature Experienceship Report

On Saturday, September 16th, nature enthusiasts gave up a morning of sleeping in and gathered at the museum before the sun came up to leave on an exciting bird watching event. The group was guided by Merrill Webb, a bird expert well known across the state. Webb had scouted out the event for several days prior to ensure that we would have the best experience possible.

The day revolved around the bird life near Utah lake and the Provo River Delta. At only the first stop, the group was able to identify several species of waterfowl (including heron, cranes, mallards, egrets, gulls, and pelicans) and spotted 2 bald eagles in the distant tree line. After moving a ways down the water’s edge, the group spotted an Avocet, Wood Duck, Kingfisher, Cooper’s Hawk, and even a Peregrine Falcon. Everyone was equipped with a pair of binoculars, and some in the group brought spotting scopes that were shared for an even better sighting.



The group continued south along the lake spotting several new species. A favorite among the group was seeing a mother Clark’s Grebe swimming in the lake with 2 chicks resting on her back, while watching others dive for fish, holding their breath for impressive amounts of time. Other species included ravens and crows, pheasants, terns, vultures, and sparrows.




The last spot the group stopped at was a more wooded area where Webb successfully called over a few black-capped chickadees (another favorite sighting of the group) and were also able to spot several yellow-rumped warblers, although it was hard to get a good look in the binoculars because they moved around so fast. Then, across the water, the group spotted 2 ospreys and some Canadian geese, for a total of 50 species for the day!


The event was wonderful for beginner and experienced birders alike. We are grateful to Merrill Webb for taking the time to help the group appreciate the diverse birdlife so close by, and reinforce the need to protect and cherish our natural world.



Ben, museum educator

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

2023 Back to School at the Bean

Welcome back to school everyone! Students and families alike came and enjoyed the event. As they explored the museum, they participated in various activities, each giving a sneak-peak at an upcoming event in the semester. People were immediately excited to finish their passport, get all the stamps, and spin the prize wheel. We had fun games and trivia to advertise our game and trivia nights, and brain-tickling riddles and eye-catching costumes to support our Murder Mystery Dinner. We also showed off our live invertebrates to showcase the nature experienceships and Halloween night.

Our photo booth was available for those who wanted to capture the moment, and had the opportunity to snap a pic with one of our specimens, the most popular being the otter. Our new Utah exhibit was also on display, with a curiosity cart showing off some of the local fauna and flora. People especially loved the great horned owl. Cookies and brownies were also available for people to enjoy while they explored the museum. A very busy and exciting night at the Life Science Museum.



Ethan, museum educator