By Josey Gardner
Cold temperatures may slow down nature as animals hibernate and plants go dormant, but the staff at the Greenwich Audubon Center are just as busy as ever. Educational nature and bird-focused programs along with community events continue at the Greenwich Audubon Center during the winter, as we learn to appreciate the beauty and natural processes of our colder seasons. If you’re feeling the winter blues, missing social events, or craving a dose of nature after winter storms have kept you cooped up inside, then the winter programs at the Greenwich Audubon Center are calling your name. From guided bird-watching, bird tours, and naturalist walks, to potlucks and learning centers, there’s always something to do. While many of our events are free, all events require prior registration that can be completed online.
Every Friday afternoon from 3:00-4:00 pm until the end of March, our Senior Education Coordinator Ryan MacLean leads a free, guided bird-watching program in our learning center. This is perfect for those who want a little bit of nature fun, but despise those frigid temperatures–here’s an indoor program where you can stay toasty warm. Taking place behind a large window and two conveniently placed bird feeders, you will learn about the birds that overwinter at the sanctuary and in the greater Greenwich area, as well as how to best help them during the winter. We’ll also share how to participate in Project FeederWatch–a winter-long community science survey of the birds that visit feeders in your backyards, parks, offices, and other areas. You and your family can participate by counting the birds you see in your backyard and submitting them to the Project FeederWatch website. We will provide identification guides to backyard birds and information on how you can take part in Project FeederWatch and even submit a checklist of our own at the end of the program. All ages are welcome including children after school and senior citizens. Our building is ADA accessible so wheelchairs and mobility devices can be used. Bring a pair of binoculars or borrow one of ours, and learn about our winter birds.
For those wanting a more involved birding excursion and are willing to brave the wintery outdoors, our 29th annual Great Backyard Bird Count has just what you’re looking for. Taking place over two days from February 13th-14th, we’ll hit various spots around the Greenwich area to look for birds. Join Audubon Naturalists as we count waterbirds and land birds in Greenwich Harbor and along Grass Island Park, the Oneida Sanctuary, and embark on an owl prowl at Montgomery Pinetum. Ducks, geese, loons, and gulls are some of the birds that we expect to see as they spend the winter on Long Island Sound, along with owls and various songbirds. You will also get to help submit our findings to the bird count website and learn how you can submit your backyard counts as well. If you’re new to birding and want to see what all the fuss is about, we’re also holding a brief lecture and discussion at the Cos Cobb Library on February 14. This discussion, led by Ryan MacLean, will introduce you to some of the most common winter birds in our area and explain how you can participate in this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count. During this discussion, you’ll learn how to identify common backyard birds, discover how easy it is to bird watch locally, receive a color chart of common backyard birds, get help setting up a free eBird account to track bird sightings locally and around the world. To wrap up the discussion, Ryan will lead a brief outdoor bird walk at Mill Pond, located just across the street from the library, where participants can practice their new skills.
If birding isn’t your cup of tea, but you’re a big fan of other nature and outdoorsy categories, our iNat with a Naturalist tours are a great fit. Join our naturalist for a guided exploration of our nature preserve using iNaturalist, a community science app that helps you identify and share the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms you discover. During this program, you’ll learn how to use iNaturalist to document your observations and contribute to global biodiversity research, explore trails alongside an experienced naturalist who will share tips on finding and identifying wildlife, and connect your discoveries to larger conservation efforts happening right here at Greenwich Audubon Center and around the world. This program is perfect for all ages and skill levels—whether you’re new to iNaturalist or already an avid observer. All you need is curiosity and a smartphone! This program takes place on select Sundays in February and March.
If it’s community, socializing, and good food that you crave, then our Pollinator Potlucks are just what you need. On February 26th from 6:00-7:30 pm, our center will be hosting local conservationist Jim Muchmore and Audubon Connecticut Director of Policy, Robert LaFrance as we have an evening full of education, discussion, and potluck food, hors d’oeuvres, wine, and more. Jim Muchmore will provide highlights from his field research in Ecuador and other parts of South America, where he has studied the region’s remarkable bird and herpetofauna and their conservation challenges in tropical ecosystems. Drawing on decades of experience observing rare birds, reptiles, and amphibians in diverse habitats from Andean cloud forests to Choco lowlands, he will provide insights into both the natural history of these animals and ongoing efforts to protect their habitats. Robert LaFrance will present on Audubon’s Latin America and Caribbean program in addition to discussing revisions to the Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan.
For those who can’t make it in February, don’t stress, we’ve got another Pollinator Potluck planned this season, on March 31st from 6:00-7:30 pm. Our center will be hosting Kevin Webb, the cofounder of and managing director of Superorganism, which is the first VC firm dedicated to biodiversity. Kevin Webb will be joined by Audubon Connecticut Director of Policy and returning speaker, Robert LaFrance. Webb will explore how public and private funding can support nature-based solutions and how individuals and communities can help move this work forward on both the investment and policy fronts, while LaFrance will share how Audubon is advancing its Flight Plan through nature-based and natural climate solutions. An evening with good food and hopeful climate research and action items is a perfect antidote to those pesky winter blues, and we hope to see you there.
Whether you’re a winter-loving enthusiast, or someone who endures the cold until it passes, the Greenwich Audubon Center has a place for you. Conservation isn’t just for wild animals and plants–it’s for our own human communities as well. Conservation sites and centers such as the Greenwich Audubon Center ensure we have a space to gather, to learn from each other, to connect with each other and our natural surroundings, and so much more. Our events and programming help us come together as a community as we come together for the conservation of something greater than any one individual. While many of our events are free, all events require prior registration. Registration can be done online by visiting our website at https://www.audubon.org/events and then selecting Greenwich Audubon Center from the “Chapter, Sanctuary, or Center” drop down menu. We hope to see more of you this winter season.
Josey Gardner is the Sr. Center Assistant at the Greenwich Audubon Center and an outdoor enthusiast. She has worked in various outdoor fields, from nonprofit conservation to parks and recreation.
