Waterfowl Education Destination

Visited Sylvan Heights Waterfowl, Scotland Neck, NC, with representatives of the Roanoke River Consortium of public schools today. The schools near Sylvan Heights plan to use it as a focus for a new high school they envision. The new school will theme instruction around Sylvan Heights and our environment.

In addition to touring Sylvan Heights' impressive breeding facilities, the schools' reps got an early look at the developing education center and exhibits now under construction at Sylvan Heights. The center will be used to educate school field trip groups and others, utilizing imprinted birds and their natural behaviors.

The exhibits will offer waterfowl in ponds and aviaries representing various continents.

Always impressed by Mike Lubbock's great knowledge of the birds he has brought together at Sylvan Heights, which he and wife Ali started many years ago. He knows which species get along with which, how long each species' eggs need to be under his special brooder hens, how long in the incubators, just when to move them from one incubator to another, which incubators work for which species, what to feed, how to nurse them back to health when necessary (not often), and so very, very much more.

The education and visitation destination part of Sylvan Heights is due to open next year. It will be quite the addition to Scotland Neck. Even before these developing 16 acres were added to the nine or so that have long made up Sylvan Heights Waterfowl, it is the largest waterfowl facility in North America.