Join the Baranski family to stretch your legs and breathe in the early morning air on the Bafflin Sanctuary. Brothers Fran and Ed are longtime volunteers, trackers, and nature photographers. They will point out wildlife sign to you. Bring your camera, if you like. No registration required. Free.
When the sun goes down and we're settling in for the evening, owls are just starting their day. Winter is one of the best times of year to look for these fascinating birds, as many are already nesting, looking for mates, and establishing territory. We'll look and listen to these incredible birds and learn what makes them unique in the bird world. Bring a headlamp or flashlight and binoculars, and bundle up!*Please kindly register for no more than 2 prowls*
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture: Humans and the Night Sky -- Our Lost Heritage
January 28, 2025
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Light pollution robs us of the opportunity to fully experience the night sky. With this loss, we have come to suffer from insomnia, stress, and increased cancer rates. Explore the human connection to the cosmos, focusing on mythologies and human health and well being. Lecture by Craig Repasz, chair and co-founder of Lights Out Connecticut. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians come out for some fresh air with your toddlers, take a nature walk, and enjoy an activity or story. Led by retired Pomfret Community School kindergarten teacher, Carolyn Otto, the morning will be full of fun adventures. Dress for the weather. Register by calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $5 per child per session OR advance pay discounts of $16 for 4 weeks or $30 for all 8 weeks. (Fee is for one toddler with one adult.)
$5 Members, $10 Non-Members
Join Sanctuary Manager/Naturalist Lori Lichtenauer for this hybrid program beginning in our classroom and ending outside. Lori will give a brief presentation on the differences in bird behavior in the breeding season versus the non-breeding season. We will discuss how and why birds gather in mixed-species flocks, find shelter, and find and store food in the wild. Then, we will head outside to study the birds at our feeders and main campus to observe these behaviors in real time! All birding levels welcome.
Register here for the January 29 program.
This program meets at Deer Pond Farm, 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT 06784.
When the sun goes down and we're settling in for the evening, owls are just starting their day. Winter is one of the best times of year to look for these fascinating birds, as many are already nesting, looking for mates, and establishing territory. We'll look and listen to these incredible birds and learn what makes them unique in the bird world. Bring a headlamp or flashlight and binoculars, and bundle up!*Please kindly register for no more than 2 prowls*
Winter may not seem like the best time to look for birds. However, as the temperature drops many species can still be found in the state, especially along the coast. Waterfowl look for open water, larks and buntings search for food in open areas, and sparrows seek shelter in brushy areas. We'll look for the hardy winter birds in some of the best spots in Connecticut.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians come out for some fresh air with your toddlers, take a nature walk, and enjoy an activity or story. Led by retired Pomfret Community School kindergarten teacher, Carolyn Otto, the morning will be full of fun adventures. Dress for the weather. Register by calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $5 per child per session OR advance pay discounts of $16 for 4 weeks or $30 for all 8 weeks. (Fee is for one toddler with one adult.)
Kaitlyn Parkins Glass Collisions Program Coordinator for American Bird Conservancy
Practical solutions for preventing bird-window collisions at home and in your community. Wednesday, February 5, 12:30 p.m.
Well over 1 billion birds die each year in the U.S. because of building collisions. That estimate comes from a study published in 2024 and it was eye-opening because it was much higher than previous estimates. One of the study’s authors, Kaitlyn Parkins of the American Bird Conservancy, will show us which techniques actually work to reduce window crashes and which don’t. This is news you can use for those of us trying to make a difference for bird conservation.
Kaitlyn Parkins is the glass collisions program coordinator at American Bird Conservancy, where she works to reduce bird-window collisions through education, outreach, glass testing, and policy solutions. Before joining ABC, Kaitlyn managed the Project Safe Flight collision monitoring program at NYC Bird Alliance, and was part of the team that worked to pass NYC’s landmark bird-friendly building ordinance.
Winter along the Connecticut River is a great time to see Bald Eagles as they head from frozen inland waters to open waters along the coast. We'll search the waters and shores of North Cove for eagles and other winter residents too.
Free
A mid-winter hike at Deer Pond Farm is the perfect way to appreciate the beauty of the season. On this casual volunteer-led hike, you’ll enjoy great views through the forest and historic stone walls. We’ll share tips for winter hiking and if there is snow, we’ll enjoy seeing wildlife tracks on trails.
Register here for the February 7 hike.
This program meets at Deer Pond Farm, 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT 06784.
Most of North America's shorebird species winter in South & Central America, heading north to breed in the high Arctic. Some of these birds winter in CT, while others started their southbound journey in mid-late summer. Join us as we look for many of our shorebird species at some of the best spots around southeastern Connecticut and learn how you can help these charismatic birds.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 9, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
It can be confusing to differentiate one tree from another after the leaves have fallen. Join artist/naturalist Diane Nizlek and learn some tips on deciduous tree identification. Then put your new skills to use in the winter woods. Free.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 10, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 11, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
February 11, 2025, 10 a.m. to Noon at Deer Pond Farm $5 Members, $10 Non-Members Just in time for Valentine’s Day, join us at Deer Pond Farm to learn some of the fascinating courtship behaviors of birds. Sanctuary Manager/Naturalist Lori Lichtenauer will share an overview of how male birds engage in dangerous and extreme acts all to attract a mate! Water dancing grebes, food bearing waxwings, and sky-diving eagles compete for mates in elaborate and beautiful behavioral displays. We will also discuss how birds promote pair bonding with their mates, which birds mate for life, and which ones mate for a season. You’ll also learn how to notice local bird courtship displays in late winter and early spring. We’ll end the program outside at our birdfeeders.
Register here for the February 11 bird walk.
This program meets at Deer Pond Farm, 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT 06784.
Common Ground presents an urgent message about the poisonous practices within American food systems. At the forefront of the plight are the farmers and families who have lived through tragedy and illness because of government policies favoring Big Ag and big profits. Regenerative farmers are returning to pre-colonial practices pioneered by Indigenous and Black farmers to restore soil, keep Americans alive, and leave a legacy for generations to come. Registration requested but not required. Free popcorn. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 12, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians come out for some fresh air with your toddlers, take a nature walk, and enjoy an activity or story. Led by retired Pomfret Community School kindergarten teacher, Carolyn Otto, the morning will be full of fun adventures. Dress for the weather. Register by calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $5 per child per session OR advance pay discounts of $16 for 4 weeks or $30 for all 8 weeks. (Fee is for one toddler with one adult.)
If you have backyard feeders, chances are you've seen one of the charasmatic finch species of CT feeding from them. This family of songbirds contains some of the most well-known species and some of the most unique. In this webinar, Conservation and Education Coordinator Joe Attwater will go over what makes these birds so special and which ones you can expect to see at your feeders.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 13, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
When the sun goes down and we're settling in for the evening, owls are just starting their day. Winter is one of the best times of year to look for these fascinating birds, as many are already nesting, looking for mates, and establishing territory. We'll look and listen to these incredible birds and learn what makes them unique in the bird world. Bring a headlamp or flashlight and binoculars, and bundle up!*Please kindly register for no more than 2 prowls*
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 14, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 15, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Roxanne Steed will discuss various aspects of keeping a nature journal, including how to finish its pages with paint and detail. Also, learn how to make your images into larger paintings. Please bring: a watercolor sketchbook, permanent markers, a portable watercolor kit, a small cup to hold water, and paper towels. Call 860-928-4948 to register. Fee: $15 per session CAS members; $25 per session non-members.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 16, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 17, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 18, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Explore the natural world of winter with the RTP Estuary Center! Outdoor explorations, hands-on science experiments, games, and creative activities are in store! Winter attire is required. Program is for ages 5 – 11. Each child should bring a water bottle, snack, and lunch. Registration is required.
Explore the natural world of winter with the RTP Estuary Center! Outdoor explorations, hands-on science experiments, games, and creative activities are in store! Winter attire is required. Program is for ages 5 – 11. Each child should bring a water bottle, snack, and lunch. Registration is required.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 19, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians come out for some fresh air with your toddlers, take a nature walk, and enjoy an activity or story. Led by retired Pomfret Community School kindergarten teacher, Carolyn Otto, the morning will be full of fun adventures. Dress for the weather. Register by calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $5 per child per session OR advance pay discounts of $16 for 4 weeks or $30 for all 8 weeks. (Fee is for one toddler with one adult.)
Explore the natural world of winter with the RTP Estuary Center! Outdoor explorations, hands-on science experiments, games, and creative activities are in store! Winter attire is required. Program is for ages 5 – 11. Each child should bring a water bottle, snack, and lunch. Registration is required.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 20, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Located in Plainfield, the Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery often has many species of wintering birds, since it offers a variety of habitats — open water, conifer trees, and heavy shrub areas. Andy will lead you around the extensive grounds, which provide some of the best birding in Windham County. Email arzeznikiewicz@ctaudubon.org or call 860-928-4948 for additional details and registration.
Let’s see if the groundhog sees his shadow! Get outside, take a walk, and learn facts about groundhogs (a.k.a. woodchucks). Hear some of Edwin Way Teale’s stories about groundhogs. Free to CAS members and kids under 13; $5 non-members. Register by calling the 860-928-4948 or emailing trailwood@ctaudubon.org.
Fengyi (Freda) Guo, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and a Rose Fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Stopover ecology and conservation of migratory land birds in the Eastern United States Thursday, February 20, 7 p.m.
Migratory land birds are experiencing dramatic population declines in North America, but little is known about the important habitats they use as stopover sites during migration. Freda’s research leverages the power of weather radar to monitor the continental-scale movement pattern of migratory land birds, identify critical stopover hotspots and key habitats birds use during migration, and assess how land birds confront migration barriers lacking stopover sites.
Explore the natural world of winter with the RTP Estuary Center! Outdoor explorations, hands-on science experiments, games, and creative activities are in store! Winter attire is required. Program is for ages 5 – 11. Each child should bring a water bottle, snack, and lunch. Registration is required.
Fengyi (Freda) Guo, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and a Rose Fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Stopover ecology and conservation of migratory land birds in the Eastern United States Thursday, February 20, 7 p.m.
Migratory land birds are experiencing dramatic population declines in North America, but little is known about the important habitats they use as stopover sites during migration. Freda’s research leverages the power of weather radar to monitor the continental-scale movement pattern of migratory land birds, identify critical stopover hotspots and key habitats birds use during migration, and assess how land birds confront migration barriers lacking stopover sites.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 21, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 22, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Andy will attempt to call in owls. Most likely to respond are Eastern Screech and Barred owls. Great-horned owls also sometimes come in. Register by emailing arzeznikiewicz@ctaudubon.org or calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $10 CAS members; $20 non-members.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 23, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 24, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 25, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Did you know that you can help monitor frog and toad populations in your area in just 10 minutes a week? Become a certified FrogWatch USA volunteer during our 90 minute training program, where you'll learn how to identify frogs and toads by call, and how to collect and submit valuable population data to a national survey. Volunteers only need to attend one workshop and successfully pass the amphibian assessment. Following the 90 minute virtual training there will be an optional virtual tour of Mystic Aquarium’s Frogs! exhibit. Program is free; Registration required.
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture: Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Our Green Spaces
February 25, 2025
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
We are experiencing an exponential increase in light pollution in Connecticut, impacting birds, insects, bats, amphibians, pollinators, and plants as well as human beings. Additional staggering costs are wasted energy and an increase in our carbon footprint. Light pollution works against our efforts to create healthy habitats. Lecture by Craig Repasz, chair and co-founder of Lights Out Connecticut. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 26, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Parents, grandparents, and guardians come out for some fresh air with your toddlers, take a nature walk, and enjoy an activity or story. Led by retired Pomfret Community School kindergarten teacher, Carolyn Otto, the morning will be full of fun adventures. Dress for the weather. Register by calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $5 per child per session OR advance pay discounts of $16 for 4 weeks or $30 for all 8 weeks. (Fee is for one toddler with one adult.)
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 27, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 28, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections: Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
March 1, 2025
N/A -
This exhibition is of written and visual works inspired by summer 2024 residencies at Trail Wood in Hampton. Featured artists and writers are Lizzie Abelson, Beth Clary, Susie Dorr, Greg Kniseley, Tom Lagasse, and Ray Larrow. Experience nature through their eyes. Free admission.
Winter along the Connecticut River is a great time to see Bald Eagles as they head from frozen inland waters to open waters along the coast. We'll search the waters and shores of North Cove for eagles and other winter residents too.