Groundhog Day is just a few days away, and we have planned a special walk. We will learn all about these true hibernators, and then we will head out to the fields in search of groundhog holes. Learn some songs and create a groundhog mask to take home.
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary hosts a wonderful program for preschoolers! These walks are offered as individual classes. Join us for one or more of these winter explorations. We'll read [amazon 039921920X inline] by Jan Brett and then take a hike to look for animal homes in the sanctuary. Using a very large mitten, we will recreate the story. As a group, we'll build a people shelter and see how warm we can make it.
What birds come to your yard in the winter? We will walk the trails looking, listening, and calling for birds. Then we will warm up back in the Nature Center and make a bird feeder to take home.
From 1884 – 1917, Mason A. Walton lived a hermit's life in Ravenswood Park. He closely observed, wrote, and drew about wildlife behaviors and published a book in 1903. As we walk in his footsteps to the site of his cabin, we'll track signs of wildlife just as Walton did. Along the way we'll share tales from his book A Hermit's Wild Friends, available from Amazon: [amazon 1290053391 inline]
Celebrate the New Year with a Walk in the Winter Labyrinth on New Years Day, 2016 at Strawberry Hill, 56 Jeffrey's Neck Road, on Smith Island, along the Eagle Hill River. At its most basic the labyrinth is a metaphor for life's journey. The labyrinth is not a maze. There are no tricks to it and no dead ends. It has a single circuitous path that winds its way into the center. The person walking it uses the same path to return from the center and the entrance then becomes the exit. The path is in full view, which allows a person to be quiet and focus internally.
Kestrel is excited to present "Stories from the Wild Side"! An in-depth (pun intended) winter exploration of animal tracking and story telling. The class will be split into two 4-class field sessions, meeting every Saturday morning, and culminating in a project day at the end of each session.
Hike up an appetite on Thanksgiving Day with the Essex County Greenbelt Association! Join ECGA's Eric Hutchins for a FREE guided walk on moderate terrain along the trails of Dogtown! All are welcome, incluiding dogs. Meet at the parking lot of You do not have access to view this node in Rockport, Massachusetts. Dress for the weater and wear shoes appropriate for hiking.
When was the last time you held a hermit crab? Have you ever set a fish trap to catch minnows? How would a great blue heron look through a telescope? Have you ever seen red-winged blackbirds mobbing a red-tailed hawk? Now is your chance for your family to learn together about the wonders in nature. Each program will focus on conservation updates, animal and plant interrelationships, changing environmental conditions, and an appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our surroundings. Each experience will leave you excited for the next one!This week we will walk the trails of the Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley.
For more than one hundred years, wild cranberries have grown in the sand dunes behind Crane Beach. With our staff naturalist as your guide, join us for this cranberry workshop. You'll learn about the history and habits of this local fruit, and get a boots-on-the-ground feel for the matrix of trails that crisscross Castle Neck. When you finally arrive at the bog (our largest and most hidden) you'll have the opportunity to pick cranberries. Later, we'll head up to the Great House kitchen on Castle Hill to make something tasty. We'll even send you home with a few of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes!
Join The Trustees of Reservations on an exploration of the dunes at the Crane Wildlife Refuge in ipswich! This hike explores the wild wonders of the dune trails through the Crane Wildlife Refuge, from the Crane Beach parking area to Essex Point and back again! We'll launch our long walk at the dunes trailhead, and make our way along the backside of Crane Beach, then tuck into the dunes again to reach Essex Point. A bag lunch prepared by Ferreira Foods of Salem will be delivered to us at the approximate halfway point. Come prepared for a leisurely long-way-around walk of about 8 miles!
