Secret of the swamp.
Doing these dumb nature journals for school was one thing. But then our science teacher took us to a haunted swamp--at night!Monday, March 6
OK--I'm writing in this dumb journal. It's bad enough that, because of Dad's job, I had to move here in the middle of the school year. But now my science teacher, Mr. Hugglestone, is making everyone in our class keep a journal of our "observations." We don't have to turn it in, but he'll check to see that we're writing in them.
Well, here's my first observation: Keeping a journal is a pain.
Wednesday, March 8
Oh, brother. Today Mr. Hugglestone announced that soon we'll have lots of observations to put in our journals. For the next few weeks, our science class will be held on the nature trail behind our school. That's in the woods, with all the spiders and ticks--yuk! I hate bugs. Who needs the outdoors, anyway? I'd rather watch TV.
Monday, March 13
Today was our first day on the nature trail. Mr. Hugglestone explained a bunch of stuff to us about trees and flowers and other nature. It was a good thing we had our journals. My friend Jamie and I sat behind a tree and played tick-tack-toe.
Then we all went to a part of the trail that has a stream. Mr. H. talked about the stream. But Jamie and I were writing notes back and forth, so I'm not sure what he said.
Maybe the nature trail won't be so bad after all--as long as I don't get any spiders in my hair.
Wednesday, March 15
One kid told a scary story when we were on the nature trail today. He said that there's a swamp way down at the end of the trail. And a long time ago, an escaped murderer hid out down there. He lived on animals he caught with his bare hands. Then one night the murderer drowned in the swamp. And now it's haunted by his ghost! I hope we don't have to go near that swamp.
Friday, March 17
Oooh--today on the trail was really cool. We saw a tunnel high up in a bank along the stream. We tried to peek in, but couldn't get close enough to see. Tyronne said he thought it was the burrow of a muskrat (gross!). Then we saw something coming out of the burrow. It was a bird, and it perched at the entrance before flying off. Mr. H. said it was a belted kingfisher. He explained that kingfishers don't make nests in trees. Instead, they dig a tunnel in a bank, usually along a stream or a river. Then they make a nest at the end of the tunnel. Mr. H. says the tunnels are usually as long as he is tall. Wow!
Saturday, March 18
I can't believe what happened to me tonight. I let Shorts, my boxer, out into the backyard to do his business. The moon was shining over the woods behind our house, and I could see the lights in back of my school off in the distance.
Just then, Shorts must have spotted a cat or something in the woods. He tore after it, barking like crazy. I ran after him shouting his name. But he kept running deeper into the woods. I must have chased him farther than I realized, because all of a sudden the swamp was right in front of me! I stopped in my tracks, just staring.
In the center of the swamp, I saw an eerie, blue light glowing. The ghost! It grew brighter, then dimmer, then brighter again. I felt as if it was watching me! I nearly jumped a mile when Shorts came up and licked my hand.
In the distance I could hear Dad calling me. He must have heard all the commotion. I turned and ran home with Shorts right behind me.
I thought about telling Dad what I saw. But I don't want him to worry about living so close to a ghost. I'm worried enough for both of us.
Monday, March 20
As we were walking along the nature trail today, I spotted a little garter snake on the ground. Mr. H. picked it up and asked if we wanted to touch it. Some kids were afraid, but Mr. H. said that garter snakes are harmless. So I touched the snake's body. It was smooth and dry, not slimy like I always thought snakes felt. Now I can say that I've touched a snake! (I could also say I've seen a ghost, but I'm trying to forget about that.)
Wednesday, March 22
Today on the trail we learned to identify trees. My favorite is the sassafras. It's easy to recognize because some of its leaves are shaped like mittens!
Nature's a lot more interesting than I thought it could be. I really like the nature trail. But I hope we don't have to go anywhere near the swamp.
Friday, March 24
Oh, no--this is the worst day of my life. Mr. Hugglestone announced that we're going to have a special class trip next week. He's taking us down to the swamp--at night! He says that at night you can see lots of things you can't see during the day. Yeah, right. Like ghosts of murderers, for instance. Maybe Dad won't let me go.
Monday, March 27
More bad news. Mr. H. called all our parents to ask if we could go on the trip. Dad thought it was a great idea. Thanks a lot, Dad.
Wednesday, March 29
Tonight's the night. We're meeting Mr. H. at the school at nine o'clock. Dad's going to drive me over. I hope the car breaks down.
Thursday, March 30
Well, it's over. I faced the ghost and lived to talk about it! Actually, the part of the trip before we got to the swamp was really neat. First Mr. Hugglestone used his flashlight to show us bats flapping above the trees. Then he pointed to a ghost-like figure flying silently over a nearby field. We couldn't hear it at all! Mr. H. said it was a barred owl, and that the edges of owls' wings are soft, which keeps them from making a sound while they're hunting. But I knew my ghost hadn't been any barred owl.
As we headed closer to the swamp, my stomach started to get really nervous. I wondered if I should warn Mr. H. about the ghost. Then suddenly I looked through the trees, and there was the swamp in the moonlight. And right in the middle of it, I saw the ghost! It flickered and danced over the water, glowing with a bluish light.
But just as I opened my mouth to yell, the other kids saw it and began screaming. We all ran at the same time, which is pretty hard to do in the dark. Then a deep, scary laugh echoed all around us. The ghost! We turned back to look. But what we saw was no giggling ghost. It was Mr. Hugglestone, laughing and calling us back.
Well, to make a long story short, that ghost was no ghost at all. Mr. H. explained that what we were seeing is called will-o'-the-wisp. It has other names too, like corpse candle. But scientists think it's probably just burning swamp gas. When plants die in a swamp, they begin to rot. Rotting plants give off gases. When these gases mix with air, they sometimes burn with a very low heat.
So that's what we were seeing--a glowing, flickering flame of burning gas. My "ghost" turned out to be just one more neat thing about nature.
Monday, April 3
Last week was the end of our nature trail sessions for the year. I really miss them. So I decided to come here to the park and write observations in my journal. I've been watching two squirrels play a game of tag. And a pretty mourning cloak butterfly keeps fluttering around my head.
Jamie wanted me to rent a movie with her after school today. But I came here instead. Guess I like watching nature more now than watching the screen. In fact, I think I'll take Dad over to the swamp tonight and do a little "ghost" watching!
Rangers: Will-o'-the-wisp is just one of the many amazing things to see in swamps, marshes, and other wetlands. Find out much more about these gooey, gloppy, water-full, wonderful worlds in next month's Ranger Rick!
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| Title Annotation: | will-o'-the-wisp sighting in a swamp |
|---|---|
| Author: | Kranking, Kathy |
| Publication: | Ranger Rick |
| Date: | Mar 1, 1996 |
| Words: | 1417 |
| Previous Article: | Crazy about cranes. |
| Next Article: | Plants are no wimps! |
| Topics: | |