Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Pike County 4-H Summer Camps at Pike County Lake this week received thumbs-up from the campers, their 4’H leaders and from those who conducted the camps.

The camps opened Tuesday with a morning of fishing and learning at Pike County Lake by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.

Success was measured, not in the size of the fish caught, rather in the broadness of the campers’ smiles, said Hillary Peoples, Pike County 4-H Extension agent.

“Everyone one had a good time and learned about fishing, from baiting their hooks to taking the fish off the hook,” Peoples said.

On Wednesday, the campers enjoyed learning about birds of prey and reptiles and amphibians.

Visitors from the Alabama 4-H Science School brought along an interesting and, at times, spine tingling mixture of birds of prey and reptiles and amphibians.

Peoples said the birds and amphibians are “residents” at the science school because they have been injured and are, hopefully, being nursed back to health.

The campers had the opportunity to get an up-close look at a box turtle, a tortoise, and a desert lizard, origin Australia.

The birds of prey included a falcon, a screech owl and a hawk.

Peoples said the campers enjoyed seeing the birds of prey and the reptiles and amphibians. The corn snake drew special interest when one camper acknowledged that he had seen one of those “for real!”

Master Gardeners Beth Stubblefield and Jackie Meggison participated in the 

Abby Peters, Pike County 4-H Extension coordinator, expressed appreciation to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for its support of the fishing day camp and the Wiregrass RC&D for grant funding for the summer day camps.