|
Walk with wildflowers
MILANVILLE — Walk with naturalist Ed
Wesely along the Calkins Creek to look for wildflowers.
Wesely will lead the search for painted trilliums,
spring beauties, wake robins, marsh marigolds and
more.
Meet at 10:00 a.m. on May 4 at the
Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s Butterfly Barn Nature
Center on the PA River Road, one mile south of Milanville
and the Skinners Falls Bridge. Participants will car
pool to the walk site, about one and a half miles
away.
This two-hour program is free. Bring
binoculars if you have them because many spring migrant
birds nest near the Calkins Creek. Wear comfortable
walking shoes and dress for the outdoors.
For more information or directions
call 570/729-7053 or 570/226-3164.
Birding at
the Florence Shelly Preserve
By DAVE AND CAROL CLEMENS
SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY — Spring is here
and the migrant warblers are arriving daily. It’s
time to get out and enjoy this exciting time of year.
Consider making a visit to the Florence Shelly Preserve.
Just one mile north of tiny Thompson Borough on Route
171, in rural Susquehanna County, the recently expanded
387-acre preserve contains fields, woodlands, a stream,
two exceptional wetlands in pristine condition and
a glacial pond surrounded by a floating bog.
Visitors are welcome to explore the
preserve at any time, but the best way to see it is
to attend one of our many scheduled walks guided by
local naturalists. The first of these is on May 11,
at 7:00 a.m., when local birding enthusiast Evan Mann
will lead a leisurely walk through the preserve. Evan
will spend lots of time talking about the various
species we see and hear along the way, helping us
to learn how each makes its livelihood. With plenty
of opportunity to poke into many corners of the preserve,
discussing the songs and habits of the various species
as we go, this outing is an excellent way to learn
more about both our feathered neighbors and the lovely
area dedicated to their protection.
The walk starts at the preserve parking
lot one mile north of the village of Thompson on Route
171, at the point where Stack Road intersects. A large
sign marks the entrance. Although the walking is not
difficult, be sure to wear waterproof boots as the
trail is guaranteed to be wet at this season. Also,
be sure to bring your binoculars.
For more information call 570/879-4244.
Children’s
Planting at Grey Towers
MILFORD — A unique hands-on planting
program at Grey Towers National Historic Landmark
will introduce children to some planting basics and
the history of the site’s beautiful gardens on Saturday,
May 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Each participant
will take home a mixed annual container.
Grey Towers Horticulturist Elizabeth
Belcher will recreate some container gardening history
as youngsters make potting soil from compost and plant
annual flowers similar to what Cornelia Pinchot used
in her beautiful gardens. Pinchot enhanced the Grey
Towers property with her colorful gardens and creative
landscape design.
The Pinchot family donated Grey Towers,
former home of Cornelia and Gifford Pinchot, two-term
governor of Pennsylvania and founder and first chief
of the USDA Forest Service, to the forest service
in 1963. Today the estate is a model for historic
preservation and stewardship for the forest service,
an educational resource and a center for natural resource
leadership. Public programs such as this planting
program enable the forest service to share the Pinchot
legacy with the public.
Children should bring an 8- to 10-inch
plastic or terra-cotta pot and wear old clothes. The
forest service will provide the soil and plants.
The program is geared toward children
ages 5 to 11. Parents/guardians should plan to stay
during the program. Pre-registration is required and
group size is limited. Call Elizabeth Belcher at 570/296-9661
to sign up.
Grey Towers will be open for house
tours at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. following the program.
Counting birds
REGION — The North East PA Audubon
Society is looking for volunteers to take part in
a local Migratory Bird Count on May11. This count
will be part of a nationwide bird count taken. Participants
will help scientist gain knowledge about birds and
migration and enjoy a nice day outside.
To volunteer or for more information
call Voni at 570/226 8847.
|
