Activate the young explorer within your child on the Trustees' Garden Explorers programs, a series of drop-in activities held each month on different themes. These programs are a great way for children to learn more about the natural world around us. Join us anytime between 11AM and 1PM and stay for as long as you’d like.
Kids are invited to the Rockport Public Library to learn about owls by dissecting their pellets! Great for ages 5 and up.
Cape Ann is known worldwide for its exciting concentrations of winter seabirds. Thousands of birders visit the rugged coast of Cape Ann and scan the adjacent waters hoping to spot some of the unusual and highly sought-after seabirds that spend the winter months just offshore. The best way to get to see these birds and experience them up close is to visit them in their natural habitat- on the ocean!
Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local forests, beaches, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all!
Brighten up your yard this winter with a bird feeder handmade by you and your child. Each family will receive a kit containing all the necessary parts and step-by-step instructions to build a feeder that will attract chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, and many other birds to your yard. A short presentation will highlight the birds that commonly come to feeders, and we will also observe birds in the sanctuary's bird garden. Please bring a hammer!
It's time for backyard birds to head south for the winter. Joppa Flats Education Center want to give them a proper send-off with a fun, free family event that features bird banding demonstrations, interactive games about bird migration, and lots of table-top science including bird-call recall, bird identification, shorebird feeding challenges, and a mystery bird nest challenge!
Preschoolers will Imagine, Sing the Learn about water fowl and swans! This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag!
Preschoolers will Imagine, Sing the Learn about water fowl and swans! This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag!
In honor of Earth Day, raptor rehabilitator and educator Jane Kelly, of On the Wing, will present a live raptor program in the refuge visitor center auditorium. Audience members will have a very special opportunity to view a variety of live birds of prey, while Jane provides an overview of their natural history. Space is limited for this program and preregistration is required. Send an email to parkerriver@fws.gov and write “raptor program” on the subject line. P
Birds flock to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and so do the birdwatchers enjoying the sight and sounds of the many birds. If identifying the 300+ birds that visit the refuge intimidates you, come join refuge staff and Friends volunteers for a gentle introduction to birding. We will observe and learn to identify the different ducks that come through in April, as well as talk about why they come to the refuge.
