June At Audubon Center—

Family Fun Day, Birding And Plant ID Programs

SOUTHBURY — The Audubon Center at Bent of the River has scheduled a mix of birding and plant identification programs, volunteer work-days, and a day of family fun during June.

On Saturday, June 4, people of all levels of birding skills can enjoy a day in the field learning to identify birds from the songs they sing. Birding experts from the Connecticut Ornithological Association and Audubon will lead the Birding by Ear Field Seminar. Participants should meet in the center’s parking area at 7:30 am for registration, coffee, and donuts.

On Sunday, June 5, teams of volunteers will gather throughout the area for the annual June Bird Count, part of a nationwide bird census. Anyone can participate for all or part of the day. A potluck compilation supper at the center follows the count.

June 10 is the application deadline for scholarships for Audubon’s Summer Day Camp programs for children entering grades four through eight. Several scholarships are still available. Camp registration will continue beyond the scholarship application deadline. Geared toward the discovery of nature through hands-on activities, each of Audubon’s three day camps offer a unique outdoor experience: Audubon Naturalists (grades four and five) and Eco-Discoverers (grades six to eight) during each week in July, and Watershed Wizards (grades five and six) during the weeks of August 1 and 8.

Battling invasive plants that smother wildflowers, destroy wildlife habitats, and damage ecosystems is an ongoing concern for environmental groups. Every other Monday throughout the growing season, volunteers gather at the center to help rid the forests and fields of these aggressive plants. Anyone interested in joining the battle may do so by showing up at 1:30 on June 6 and June 20 with heavy-duty gloves.

For those who want to leave the heavy-duty gloves home but simply want to know more about invasive plants, two special programs have been planned.

On Saturday, June 11, from 10 am to noon, Audubon’s director John Longstreth and the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition’s Hunter Brawley will lead an Invasive Plants Walk along the Pomperaug River to identify invasive plants, discuss the problems they cause, and point out control methods used. The group will then proceed to the wetlands in Seman Park to observe a study site for biocontrol of purple loosestrife.

On Monday, June 13, starting at 7 pm, an Invasive Plants Talk will be held at the Bent’s barn. Senator Andrew Roraback, sponsor of the Invasive Species Act, Donna Ellis, an extension educator at UConn and designer of the biocontrol experiment at Seman Park, and Don Les, PhD, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UConn, will participate in a panel discussion to talk about the invasive plant problem, what can be done and how individuals can help.

A Beginner’s Fern Identification program will take place on Saturday, June 18, from 1 to 5 pm. Led by Carolyn Longstreth, participants will walk to admire and identify as many as 15 different fern species. Wear sturdy shoes and bring bug repellant and water.

To top off Audubon’s June events, a day of family fun has been planned for Sunday, June 26, from 1 to 6 pm. Family Fun Day will include a full range of activities, including live animal demonstrations for kids and their parents and grandparents. There will be time for exploring the beauty and mysteries of nature at the Bent as well, readings by special guests including former Newtown resident Polly Brody, who will be celebrating the release of her new book this month.

Audubon Center at Bent of the River is at 185 East Flat Hill Rd in South Britain. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Call 264-5098 for directions or with questions or to register for programs requiring it. Trails are open to the public daily during daylight hours.