Saturday morning was full of learning and adventure for one Junior Ranger Program participant at the Natchez National Historical Park.

In the carriage house at Melrose, Natchez resident Gabriel Scholfield, 8, explored birds’ nests and learned how they are built. Park volunteer Judi Gardner of Whitney, Texas, and local park ranger Melissa Tynes showed him birds’ nests they had found at the park and had him point out all the things the birds used to build their nests. In one nest he found that the bird used mud, twigs, moss and even a piece of plastic. Scholfield has attended two of the three Junior Ranger Programs offered thus far this summer.

“It’s fun, and I learn a lot,” Scholfield said.

The program is every Saturday and Tuesday and offers a different theme each week. This coming Saturday participants will learn about the water cycle. The program is free to participants and offered to children 8 to 12 years old. Pre-registration forms can be obtained from www.nps.gov/natc. For more information call 601-446-5790.