Trout Release
/Yesterday we went on a field trip to Hagg Lake to release our rainbow trout fry. The weather was gorgeous and our young scientists were eager to explore. Prior to leaving on our field expedition, Mark taught us a lesson about Salmonidae. We learned that the scientific name for rainbow trout is Oncorhynchus mykiss. We learned that the anadromous form of this species is the steelhead. It was fascinating to students that rainbow trout and steelhead are different ecotypes of the same species. While rainbow trout will spend most or all of their lives in freshwater, steelhead will spend a portion of their lives in the ocean before returning to rivers to spawn. Students were excited to ride the bus to nearby Hagg Lake for our release. After releasing the trout in Scoggins Creek, we broke into small groups to explore the area. Students practiced exploring in an environmentally sensitive manner as they examined and observed a variety of native plants and animals. We came back together for a group hike in Bobcat Cove that led us out to a fishing pier. The pier gave us an excellent view of the lake and surrounding forest. On our hike we observed a garter snake and a red-tailed hawk. We heard several other birds in the forest too. After our hike we enjoyed a picnic lunch and some frolicking alongside the lake before returning to school.
