Programs & Events at the Center at Pomfret
Walk Our Trails!
ATTENTION BAFFLIN SANCTUARY WALKERS
The Bafflin Sanctuary is open to the public from dawn to dusk.
To minimize wildlife disturbance, we ask all walkers to stay on designated trails.
Click here for a trail map. Click here for trail rules.
Birds to look for in January
Family and Adult Programs
Meet the Opossums of Ferncroft Wildlife Rescue
Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 2 p.m.
(Snow date: January 12th)
New year! New educational ambassador opossum! Come and meet Brandi, who will be making her debut. Ambassadors Wendi and Bob will be here too. Pam and Bill Lefferts, founders of Ferncroft Wildlife Rescue, will discuss the natural history of opossums and how to help them survive the winter. Registration is appreciated but not required. Fee: $5 CAS Members; $10 non-members; free for children aged 10 and under.
Children’s Programs
Toddlers, Trails, and Tales
Weds., Jan. 8 through Feb. 26, 2025
From 10 to 11:30 A.M.
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.)
Bird Walks and Watches
Plainfield Fish Hatchery Bird Walks
Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 9 A.M.
Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 9 A.M.
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. Register by emailing arzeznikiewicz@ctaudubon.org or calling 860-928-4948. Fee: $10 CAS members; $20 non-members.
Owl Walks
Saturday, December 28, 2024 at 6 P.M.
Saturday, February 22, 2025 at 7 P.M.
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.
Tuesday Winter Series
CAS Members’ Book Club Discussion
H is for Hawk
Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. — via ZOOM only
Register with your email address using the member portal on the ctaudubon.org website.
(We recommend reading the book in advance.)
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald is a beautifully written memoir intertwining themes of grief, nature, and self-discovery. After the sudden death of father, Macdonald, a writer and experienced falconer, takes on the challenging task of training a goshawk named Mabel. Through this raw and poetic exploration of her bond with Mabel, Macdonald reveals the complexities of taming both a wild creature and her own grief, offering profound insights into loss, resilience, and the natural world. Led by Melissa Gallaher-Smith, CAS director of development, and Deb Eccleston, CAS director of membership. For questions or assistance with the member portal, contact Deb at deccleston@ctaudubon.org. Free.
Pomfret Green Team Film
Saving the Dark
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
A beautiful and informative documentary by filmmaker Sriram Murali, Saving the Dark explores the need to preserve night skies and combat light pollution. This film is a prequel to the upcoming lectures at the Center on light pollution and its impacts on communities, green spaces, and wildlife. Registration requested but not required. Free popcorn. Free admission.
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture
Humans and the Night Sky — Our Lost Heritage
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
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 wellbeing. Lecture by Craig Repasz, chair and co-founder of Lights Out Connecticut. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
Pomfret Green Team Film
Common Ground
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
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.
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture
Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Our Green Spaces
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
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.
Pomfret Green Team Film
Breaking Boundaries — The Science of Our Planet
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
In Breaking Boundaries, David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockström examine Earth’s biodiversity collapse and how a crisis can still be averted. The film explains the most important scientific discovery of our time — that humanity has pushed Earth beyond the boundaries that have kept it stable since the dawn of civilization. The stability of our planet and the future of humanity depend on not exceeding planetary thresholds. There are solutions we must implement now to protect Earth’s life support systems. Discussion to follow, led by environmental scientist Ken Wolslegel. Free popcorn. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
CAS Members’ Book Club Discussion
Returning North with the Spring
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. — via ZOOM only
Register with your email address using the member portal on the ctaudubon.org website.
(We recommend reading the book in advance.)
In 1947, Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist, writer, and photographer Edwin Way Teale followed the seasonal changes of spring for 1,700 miles from Florida to Maine. In Returning North with the Spring by John Harris, the author retraces Edwin’s path, revealing a vastly different, but also protected, natural world. You may want to visit Connecticut Audubon Society’s Trail Wood, The Edwin Way Teale Memorial Sanctuary in Hampton. Led by Melissa Gallaher-Smith, CAS director of development, and Deb Eccleston, CAS director of membership. For questions or assistance with the member portal, contact Deb at deccleston@ctaudubon.org. Free.
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture
The Wonders and Perils of Bird Migration
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Explore the awe-inspiring phenomenon of bird migration. Discover the incredible diversity of species that grace our skies during spring migration. Gain insight into the behaviors, routes, and challenges faced by migratory birds and why safe stopover sites are crucial to their survival. Learn the advantages of night migration. Lecture by Craig Repasz, chair and co-founder of Lights Out Connecticut and an accomplished birder. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
Lights Out Connecticut Lecture
The Effects of Light Pollution on Birds, Wildlife, and Humans
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Our state is located along the Atlantic Flyway, so many birds use our shoreline and green spaces to rest and refuel during their trip north. Artificial light emitted by houses, buildings, streetlights, bridges, and other structure can confuse and disorient birds, causing them to land near buildings, crash into windows, or circle around for hours until they drop from exhaustion. Light pollution also impacts other wildlife and the well-being of humans. Learn what can be done to mitigate the damage. Lecture by Craig Repasz, chair and co-founder of Lights Out Connecticut and an accomplished birder. Registration requested but not required. Free admission.
Adult Programs
Monday Morning Walks
December thru January 2025, 8:30 A.M.
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.
Nature Sketchbook Journaling
Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 1 – 3 P.M.
Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 1 – 3 P.M.
Saturday, March 29, 2025 from 1 – 3 P.M.
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.
Buds, Bark, Branches: Identifying Trees in Winter
Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 12:30 P.M.
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.
Volunteer Naturalist Training
Tuesdays, March 25 through May 27, 2025
From 8 A.M. to Noon
This is the perfect program for you, if you have always wanted to learn more about the natural world or volunteer at the Center at Pomfret. Topics covered in the 40 hours of training (ten, four-hour sessions) include the wildlife of northeastern Connecticut, spring wildflowers, tree identification, and even basic survival skills. Space is limited.
Click here to download the application.
Click here to view the 2024 syllabus. The 2025 syllabus will be posted in the new year.
Exhibitions
Bird Walks and More
Amy Porter Photography Exhibition 
Amy Porter is an enthusiastic member of The Connecticut Audubon Society and an alumnus of the Center at Pomfret’s Volunteer Naturalist Program. Over the past few years, she has photographed birds at Trail Wood, Bafflin Sanctuary, and surrounding areas. Bird Walks and More features a selection of these photographs. Free admission. Amy’s photo of a male Blackburnian Warbler was taken in Boston Hollow in Ashford.
Wetland Birds 
Steven Rosendahl Photography Exhibition
Woodstock resident Steven Rosendahl has photographed wetlands around the U.S. and in Bangladesh, with the goal of sharing their beauty and importance. Wetland Birds features a selection of Steve’s stunning photos of the avian life of the swamps, marshes, and bogs he has visited. Free admission.
Trail Wood Reflections 2024
Artists and Writers In-Residence Exhibition
February 9 through March 8, 2025
Opening Reception: February 9 from 2 – 4 P.M.
(Snow date: March 8)
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.
For more information about the Edwin Way Teale Artists-in-Residence Program, click here. Applications for summer 2025 may be submitted through February.
