Blog and Forum Messages

Family Announcements

Family Nature Programs From New Jersey Audubon’s Plainsboro Preserve

Family Nature Programs
Saturdays 2:30-4:00*
New Jersey Audubon’s Plainsboro Preserve

Welcome to the New Jersey Audubon’s Family Nature Programs.  Each program is designed to explore nature through a theme.  A portion of each program may be spent outdoors building a deeper connection to the natural world through fun and informative activities.  We provide a highly trained environmental educator for each of our programs.   Join us and create memories that will last a lifetime.  Educational and fun, these Family Nature Programs are perfect for beginning naturalists and their families ages 6 to adult.  Cost: members, $3 per person; nonmembers, $5 per person (unless otherwise noted).  Pre-registration is encouraged.  (609) 897-9400
*Unless otherwise noted
 
AMAZING ANIMALS OF OUR VERNAL POOLS
Saturday, April 23rd
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
In spring, temporary ponds fill up, and these are magnets for breeding amphibians.  Vicki Schwartz will lead a walk to the vernal pools at Plainsboro Preserve, where you will learn what vernal pools are, why they are important, and what kind of animals can be found there.  Plan to get wet and muddy feet!  
 
THE BIRDS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Saturday, April 30th    
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Our feathered friends are heading back to and through New Jersey as they travel on their annual migration.  Many of the birds we see here have spent the winter in Central and South America and come here for the seasonal abundance of insect life - the principal food resource for many baby birds.  Please join us for a classic bird walk where we will try to identify as many birds as possible through colorful calls and pretty plumage.  
 
 
FISTFULS OF FROGS
Saturday, May 7th
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
How many frogs do you think we can catch during this hands-on program? Ten, twenty, thirty?  Join us for a walk to some of our frog hot spots and try your hand at catching these slippery creatures!  Learn how to safely handle these critters with care.  We will tally up our frog totals and try to set a preserve record while learning about them up close!  A limited number of nets will be available.  Bring rubber boots or old sneakers that can get wet and muddy.

 
LITTLE TYKE BIRDING HIKE
Saturday, May 14th
3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Join Teacher Naturalist Corey Sperling for a fun adventure into the world of birds with your favorite budding naturalist.   Meet a live bird up close and discover what makes birds so special.  After some inside discovery time and activities introducing your budding naturalist to birds we will head outside for a bird adventure.  For children ages 3-7, must be accompanied by an adult.   

AWESOME INSECTS
Saturday, May 21st     
3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Using nets and bug boxes, families will discover a vast array of insect life.  Learn how to find, identify, and observe an amazing variety of insect lifestyles and adaptations.  The entire family will enjoy this fun filled adventure searching for insects.  

LIVE BIRDS & BIRD NEST BOX SURVEY
Saturday, May 28th
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Join Naturalist Greg Hartman for a look at bird nest boxes and the birds that nest in them.  Learn to differentiate species nest types.  Nesting season will be well under way, and we should get a look at the birds, their nests, and young.  This is an up-close and personal view of nature that participants will certainly remember.  

FIELD TRIPS & PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AND TEENS

Please pre-register ten days in advance with a payment of $10 for NJA members or $15 for nonmembers.  Checks must be made out to “NJ Audubon”. Send payment to Plainsboro Preserve, 80 Scotts Corner Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512, or pay with a credit card over the phone.  
DUKE BIRDING BY BIKE
 
Saturday, April 23rd
8:00A.M. -12:00P.M.
Moderate bike
Duke Farms is a beautiful five square mile piece of mixed habitat in central New Jersey that is a haven for bird migrants. Interlaced through fields and forest is an extensive bike path that allows us to cover distance at a moderate pace and locate a large variety of bird species. Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace, Michael Polluck, and Stephen Bagen for a birding by bike bonanza.  
 
BIRDING: SOURLAND MOUNTAINS SERIES
PART 1:  SOMERSET SOURLANDS
Saturday, April 30th   
8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
Moderate hike.
This Somerset County site is not only a great place to hike, but also a great place to witness migration in Central New Jersey.  Warblers, Tanagers, Orioles and Bluebirds find the forests here a welcome haven during their arduous journey.  Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace on this wonderful hike and learn about spring migration.
 
 

BIRDING: SOURLAND MOUNTAINS SERIES
PART 2:  HUNTERDON SOURLANDS
Saturday, May 7th  
8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
Moderate hike.
The 1,062 acre Northern Stony Brook Preserve, located in Hunterdon County, is a part of a continuum of preserved lands extending along the Sourland Mountain Ridge for 16.5 miles. This large and intact forest acts as a refuge for birds migrating north and is a great place to see Veery, Wood Thrush and Scarlet Tanager.  Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace on this wonderful bird hike.  
 
WORLD SERIES OF BIRDING CENTURY RUN
Saturday, May 14th  
All Day
Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace on an adventure from the Plainsboro Preserve up through Hunterdon County trying to locate 100 bird species.  This is prime time for bird migrants and Sean will be exploring a number of birding hot spots with short walks at a leisurely pace. Don’t miss this great learning opportunity.  The World Series of Birding is fundraising event for New Jersey Audubon and helps us fund research, conservation, and education for a variety of bird issues.  Participants are encouraged to make a minimum donation of $1 per bird species identified.