Program And Volunteer Opportunities

SOUTHBURY — On Friday, September 7, from 10 am to 3 pm, the Audubon Center at Bent of the River will hold a hawk identification workshop.

September is the height of the fall migration of raptors. Many kinds of raptors can be seen during the migration including bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and American kestrel. The most common hawks seen are broad-winged hawks, which migrate to South America via Central America for the winter.

They can be seen in large groups called kettles. These groups are called kettles because large numbers of broad-wings wheeling around in the air look like a boiling kettle of water. The workshop is a good opportunity to build on bird watching skills and participate in a citizen science project. Bring a pair of binoculars and join Donna Rose Manwaring to learn how to identify raptors in flight during the free workshop.

The class is being held at the Flat Hill Hawk Watch site on East Flat Hill Road in Southbury. For directions call the center at 264-5098.

The Audubon Center also seeks volunteers to help remove invasive plants. Invasive plants crowd out native vegetation, reducing food sources for wildlife. The removal these non-native plants permits a return of the natural balance to the flora and fauna of the area.

Volunteers meet at the preserve regularly to control invasive plants such as autumn olive, barberry, bittersweet, and multiflora rose. Call the Audubon Center for details.