February Events
Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center
NATURE’S EXPLORERS – Tuesdays, February 7, 14, 21, 28, ..........10–11:30 am
Join Wendy for our new preschool/toddler program. This 4-week session is for children ages 2–5 years old with an adult. These outdoor classes will be fun exploring and learning through play. We will learn about nature and science through activities such as hiking, singing, games, reading, and making crafts. Every class is outside!!!! Please register in advance. Call to register now!
TUITION: $40 per 4-week session
EAGLE WATCHING AT THE SHEPAUG DAM – Saturday February 18, 9:30am
Alison Rubelmann will join you on this field trip to the Shepaug Dam to view the bald eagles that are wintering on the Housatonic River. Very cold, clear weather is best for finding eagles at the dam, which is on a hill and tends to be colder than most other Connecticut locations, and we plan on spending an hour or more there, so dress in several layers of clothing and wear more layers than you may think you need. Group size is limited and pre-registration is required. FEE: $3 per person.
SKULLS AND SCATS – Sat. Feb. 18, 1:30 pm
Hey, what was for lunch? From herbivores to carnivores, explore the levels of the food chain of Connecticut’s mammals. Come see our collection of skulls and learn how to identify them by looking at their teeth. We will also teach you the basics in scatology while exploring the Nature Center’s property for clues. Please register for this family event. FREE.
OUR HIDDEN LANDSCAPES: Stone Cultural Features & Ceremonial Sites – Sun. Feb. 19, 2 pm
Hikes in the woods can reveal a variety of stone cultural features to archaeologists and historians. While many of these are the remains of abandoned farmsteads and industrial mill sites, others represent Native American ceremonial sites. State regulations support preservation of sacred Native American sites, so it is important for land trusts and conservation organizations to recognize these sites within their properties and inform the CT State Historic Preservation Office and Office of State Archaeology of their presence. Join Dr. Lucianne Lavin, Director of Research and Collections at the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, CT, for a PowerPoint presentation on European-American and indigenous stone structures found in our state. Please pre-register for this FREE program.
PRESIDENTS’ DAY OWLING -------------------– Mon. Feb. 20, 1 pm
PUPPET WORKSHOP – Sun. Feb. 26, 2 pm
Dive into the recycling bin with puppetry artist Linda Wingerter of The Stringpullers Puppet Company! Puppets can be made from anything, and we’ll explore how to imitate animal movements with easy-to-find discarded materials. Then we’ll create characters based on the residents of the Nature Center to take home for your own puppet show. Materials and tools will be provided; just bring your curiosity! MATERIALS FEE: $10. Recommended for ages 7-12.
WINTER ASTRONOMY: Lunar Sketching – Fri. Mar. 10, 7 pm
Come to Ansonia’s darkest location for some fun viewing the moon with Bob Carruthers and the New Haven Astronomical Society. Get a chance to see the waxing gibbous moon’s surface through Bob’s TV camera and learn to sketch its craters. Bring a clipboard and pencil. Class size is limited to 12, so please register in advance. FREE.
JOSEPH FIRECROW: Native American Flute Player – Sun. Mar. 12, 2 pm
“The natural beauty of the flute evokes very powerful emotions. The traditional flute is social, not ceremonial, in nature, and should always be treated with that in mind and spirit.” Joseph FireCrow, a Grammy Award winner and renowned Native American flutist, inspires such emotions with his beautiful music. Together we will enjoy this Sunday afternoon relaxing and listening in the beauty of the Nature Center’s natural surroundings. FEE: $5 per person. Please call to register.