Kids turn out for frog presentation at Ironwood Carnegie Library

By LARRY HOLCOMBE

lholcombe@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - A couple dozen children and half again as many parents and care givers gathered in the lawn of the Ironwood Carnegie Library Monday afternoon to learn about nature.

Enter Bart Kotarba, director of education at the Northwoods Wildlife Center in Minocqua, Wis. He talked to the kids about frogs - their habits, their diet, their lifecycle and needed ecosystem.

He also played recordings of frogs and had the kids create their own chorus of frogs.

Kotarba then talked about frogs' predators, including the broad-winged hawk. He quietly removed one of these hawks from a box and it sat on his gloved hand. He said this particular hawk was missing an eye and would not be released back into the wild, adding it needed both eyes to judge depth - much like humans. He also played a recording of the hawk's high pitched call.

Library director Lynn Wiercinski said she was happy with the turnout and the beautiful day for the event outside; and particularly happy for Kortaba's resiliency.

"He was supposed to do a program on snakes, but the snake he was going to bring started shedding and he didn't want to move it; so, we have a program on frogs instead," Wiercinski said with a smile.

The library is a busy place these days. The carpet in the children's room got wet during the recent rain storm and power outage that shut down the sump pump. A decision was made to remove the carpet, finish the concrete floor with a industrial coating and add some soft throw rugs, said Wiercinski.

Work on the floor was ongoing Monday.

The library will host another session of a series of art programs for children today on pointillism. It's led by Barb Roman, but as of Monday, the class was filled.

Wednesday will bring the Cuddlebugs Story Time with a reading of "Tanka Tanka Skunk!" at 9:30 a.m. The program is aimed at babies, toddlers and their siblings.

On Thursday at 4 p.m., there will be a field trip to the Miner Memorial Park butterfly garden for the library's butterfly story time. Carnegie officials are asking folks to meet at the park's parking lot near the Ironwood baseball field on Ayer Street at 3:45.

Wiercinski said they've postponed Saturday's Polka Dot and Pine Tree program due to work in the children's room. The ongoing program is led by Grady O'Neill.

Finally, the Carnegie's summer reading program has begun but it's not too late to register. Wiercinski said two bicycles have been donated as prizes. She said the program is open to pre-readers through the Read with Me program, as well as children and teens.

For more information, call the library at 906-932-0203.