Spend Sunny September Days

At Bent Of The River Audubon Center

The following outdoor programs all take place at the Audubon Center at Bent of the River, located at 185 East Flat Hill Road in Southbury.

Sunday, September 19, dawn to 10:30 am –– Bird Banding Demonstration. Join master bander Mark Szantyr in the cedar fields nearby the Audubon education center as he captures migrant and resident birds in mist nets, fits them with lightweight leg bands, and then releases them. See the birds up close. This program is suited for children and their parents, and it will take place during fair weather only. Bird banding programs will continue every Sunday through November 17.

Monday through Friday, September 20 to 24, 10 am to 4 pm –– Hawk Watch. Help count broad-winged hawks, bald eagles, and other raptors as they soar in the thermals on their migration to their winter grounds. This is a fair weather event only. The Hawk Watch site is near the Kiosk at the entrance parking lot.

Wednesday, September 22, 9 am –– Adult Nature Walk. Take a leisurely, guided walk on trails, boardwalks, and dirt roads, focusing on the Bent’s rich natural history. Migrating birds are beginning to gather in flocks, colorful late summer wildflowers cover the meadows, and butterflies are still hovering over the spectacular butterfly garden behind the education barn.  Join the group at the Kiosk for two hours of nature at its best. This event takes place every Wednesday morning at 9 am.

Wednesday, September 22, 1:30 pm –– Invasive Plants Work Day. Join a crew of hardy volunteers and help eradicate invasive plants from the banks of the Pomperaug River that flows through the 800-acre Bent of the River Audubon sanctuary. It will be hard work but great exercise and fun. Hand tools will be provided. Participants should bring heavy duty gloves.

Thursday, September 24, 7:30 to 9:30 pm –– Family Night Hike. Join other families for a fascinating walk in the dark. No flashlights are allowed as walkers listen for the calls of owls and learn about other nocturnal animals. Reservations are required and the group will be limited to 20 participants. Rain cancels the event. A flashlight is needed for the hike back out of the woods.

Saturday, September 25, 10 am to 1 pm –– Fungi Walk. Field naturalist and fungi expert Bill Yule will lead an entertaining and informative three-hour journey into the Bent’s forest world of mushrooms and fungi. This is the best time of the year to discover the many different varieties of fungi that inhabit the Bent, including the deceptively beautiful Amanita fungi commonly called the destroying or death angel that is fatal to humans. Mr Yule will also identify the more innocent, edible types of mushrooms. The Fungi Walk is one of Audubon’s most popular annual events.

The Audubon Center at Bent of the River is at 185 East Flat Hill Road in Southbury. Take Exit 14 off I-84 and turn left onto Route 172 north. Go through the light into South Britain and watch for East Flat Swamp Road on the left (after the Country Store and before the Congregational Church). The Audubon Center entrance and parking area is a short distance on the left. Trails are open to public 7 days a week during daylight hours. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Call: 203-264-5098. No fees unless otherwise noted.