New Exhibits at the Breaks Park Visitor Center and Museum

New display featuring four snake species from the area.

Museums are a very special place. They are a place where people can visit and learn at their convenience. Museums are a vital instrument used to teach, learn and expose people from near and far to the rich cultural, historical and natural history of any given time or place. In many cases, one can learn as much in a given day in a museum than they would otherwise learn in a year. And in most cases, a museum is not just a building full of things and "junk", they tell a story. And to those that pay attention to that story will be rewarded.

Aquarium displaying fish of the Russell Fork, as well as frog and toad exhibits.

We here at Breaks Interstate are now very pleased to announce the addition of a new set of exhibits in the Museum, located at the Park's Visitor Center. Since I began working here in January of 2012, my thoughts began to wander toward getting new displays in the museum that would fill in a gap that I had noticed. We are very fortunate in that through our museum we are able to tell the story of Native Americans, Daniel Boone, the Civil War, the Hatfields and McCoys, moonshining, logging, coal mining and the large animal species found on the park. But one thing that was missing was the story about the importance of the smaller fauna that can found on the park. Reptiles, amphibians and other

International Migratory Bird Day and Earth Day at Breaks Interstate Park

Cedar Waxwing (photo courtesy of Prof. Thomas Barnes)

Breaks Park will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) and Earth Day on April 20 with special programming, community service, and conservation activities planned throughout the day.

Birding events will begin at 8 am with a Birding Field Trip led by local birding enthusiast David Raines. The trip will begin at the Park Visitor Center, and participants will drive to a number of different areas throughout the park in search of a variety of birds.

At 6 pm, a special Birds of Prey program will be hosted by Mitch Whitaker, of the Letcher County Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Raptor Rehabilitation Program. Whitaker will have a live demonstration with an assortment of rehabilitated hawks and owls. This event will be held in the park amphitheater.

Finally, at 9 pm, Park Naturalist Jayd Raines will lead an Owl Prowl, allowing participants the opportunity to call in wild owls. The Owl Prowl will begin at the Park Visitor Center.

Earth Day events include “Cache in, Trash Out” hosted by Chuck Ratliff at

11 am,

beginning at the Park Visitor Center. Participants will be involved in both geocaching, as well as trash clean up. Other community service and park clean-up opportunities will also be available throughout the day.

For more information about these events, or to participate in a clean-up activity, contact Jayd Raines at jraines@breakspark.com.