Day Trip to Elkhorn Slough (pronounced slew)

Liam, Aiden, and mommy went to the slough for a big adventure! The boys got to feel molted snake skin ('feels like plastic' says Aiden) and match loose feathers with pictures of local birds in the visitor center. We then hiked down the Long Valley Loop where we found a wasp nest, sighted a true rat's nest in an oak tree (dusky-footed wood rat we are told) and 3 herons and lots of plovers. We heard 2 hawks shrieking overhead, but we did not get a good look at them. We also spotted several of the local plants we are learning about like coyote brush, poison hemlock, poison oak, and the very peculiar pickleweed (how does it survive in that salty marsh?). The best part was walking out on the boardwalk over the marshland. Aiden accidentally dropped his hat off the boardwalk but happily retreived it with a long stick. That little procedure led him to discover thousands of tiny seashells washed up in the marsh that he could fish out with his hat stick. Aiden found a 'family' of shells (mommy, daddy, brother, and baby). Liam's taste test revealed the seashells to be not so savory! After that, we took a cue from Liam and headed up to the picnic spot and ate lunches and goofed around on the grass. Liam also preferred looking for rocks with his hat in his mouth rather than atop his head! (: A great day was had by all.