WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 6 P.M - 8 PM, ‒ VERNAL
EQUINOX WOODCOCK WALK Celebrate the Vernal Equinox by viewing one of the
great events of the year. Join Christine Guarino (chrissy.guarino@gmail.com )
for an evening stroll in the Shawangunk Grasslands to hear and possibly see male
woodcocks perform their courting flights. We should hear early amphibians and
maybe an owl or two also. Meet at the refuge entrance on Hoagerburg Rd. (Ulster
Cty. Rt. 18)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 8 PM – VERNAL EQUINOX FIELD
ASTRONOMY Tom Crepet (255-0324) will extend our celebration of the Vernal
Equinox beyond the woodcock’s courtship and into the darkening night sky to
learn more about constellation, star, and planet identification …..and maybe
hear an owl while we are at it. This will be a continuation of the Woodcock Walk
but you may choose to meet party in the field by walking in at the main refuge
entrance on Hoagerburg Rd. (Ulster Cty. Rt. 18)
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 7:00
AM - 1:00 PM ‒ TIVOLI BAYS BIRDING We will explore the tidal marshes and
upland habitat of this DEC property. Careful, respectful observations of Bald
Eagle family life will highlight walk but waterfowl and other early migrants can
be expected. Meet trip leader Mark DeDea (forsythnature@aol.com or 339-1277) to
carpool at Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston at 7:00 am or meet at DEC parking
lot on Cruger Island Road (where Dutchess County Rt. 103 makes sharp turn) at
7:30 am.
SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 8:00 AM ‒ SIGNS OF SPRING NATURE WALK The
Esopus Creek Conservancy is sponsoring a guided nature walk to observe early
signs of spring in a variety of ecologically rich habitats in the Town of
Saugerties on Sunday, March 24, 2013. We will visit The Great Vly Wildlife
Management Area, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, and possibly the Saugerties
Lighthouse Trail on the Hudson River, depending on available time, conditions,
and participant interest. Meet 8:00 a.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking
lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition
Street in the Village of Saugerties. Participants can carpool and stay for the
duration, or drive to each location and leave whenever necessary. Bring
binoculars, field guides, and spotting scopes if you have them, and be prepared
for wet, muddy trails, and early spring weather conditions. Light rain often
makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but heavy rain will cancel
the walk. Children are welcome and encouraged, but please do not bring pets.
Contact the field trip leader, Steve Chorvas (schorvas@verizon.net) for
additional information or directions. This ECC Environmental Education walk is
free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required, but recommended
in the event of unforeseen changes or cancellation. For additional information
about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit
www.esopuscreekconservancy.org
SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
VERNAL POOLS AT EBNP Enter the intimate living world of vernal pools with
ecologist Spider Barbour. The Preserve boasts several vernal pools, teeming with
biological activity at this time of year. In early spring amphibians wake from
hibernation and head straight for wetlands and ponds where they engage in
reproductive rituals different from ours, but just as fascinating and
entertaining. With luck, the wood frogs will be calling in the pools, and there
will be egg masses of spotted salamanders, perhaps larvae of marbled
salamanders, and a few surprises. Meet 1:00 p.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach
parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek Bridge, at the foot of
Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. We will carpool to the
Preserve. Contact schorvas@verizon.net for additional information or directions.
This ECC Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public.
Pre-registration is not required. For additional information about upcoming ECC
Nature Walks, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.
Celebrate the Vernal Equinox by viewing one of the great events of the year. Join Christine Guarino (chrissy.guarino@gmail.com ) for an evening stroll in the Shawangunk Grasslands to hear and possibly see male woodcocks perform their courting flights. We should hear early amphibians and maybe an owl or two also. Meet at the refuge entrance on Hoagerburg Rd. (Ulster Cty. Rt. 18)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 8 PM – VERNAL EQUINOX FIELD ASTRONOMY
Tom Crepet (255-0324) will extend our celebration of the Vernal Equinox beyond the woodcock’s courtship and into the darkening night sky to learn more about constellation, star, and planet identification …..and maybe hear an owl while we are at it. This will be a continuation of the Woodcock Walk but you may choose to meet party in the field by walking in at the main refuge entrance on Hoagerburg Rd. (Ulster Cty. Rt. 18)
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM ‒ TIVOLI BAYS BIRDING
We will explore the tidal marshes and upland habitat of this DEC property. Careful, respectful observations of Bald Eagle family life will highlight walk but waterfowl and other early migrants can be expected. Meet trip leader Mark DeDea (forsythnature@aol.com or 339-1277) to carpool at Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston at 7:00 am or meet at DEC parking lot on Cruger Island Road (where Dutchess County Rt. 103 makes sharp turn) at 7:30 am.
SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 8:00 AM ‒ SIGNS OF SPRING NATURE WALK The Esopus Creek Conservancy is sponsoring a guided nature walk to observe early signs of spring in a variety of ecologically rich habitats in the Town of Saugerties on Sunday, March 24, 2013. We will visit The Great Vly Wildlife Management Area, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve, and possibly the Saugerties Lighthouse Trail on the Hudson River, depending on available time, conditions, and participant interest. Meet 8:00 a.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. Participants can carpool and stay for the duration, or drive to each location and leave whenever necessary. Bring binoculars, field guides, and spotting scopes if you have them, and be prepared for wet, muddy trails, and early spring weather conditions. Light rain often makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but heavy rain will cancel the walk. Children are welcome and encouraged, but please do not bring pets. Contact the field trip leader, Steve Chorvas (schorvas@verizon.net) for additional information or directions. This ECC Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required, but recommended in the event of unforeseen changes or cancellation. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks and Paddles, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org
SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM VERNAL POOLS AT EBNP
Enter the intimate living world of vernal pools with ecologist Spider Barbour. The Preserve boasts several vernal pools, teeming with biological activity at this time of year. In early spring amphibians wake from hibernation and head straight for wetlands and ponds where they engage in reproductive rituals different from ours, but just as fascinating and entertaining. With luck, the wood frogs will be calling in the pools, and there will be egg masses of spotted salamanders, perhaps larvae of marbled salamanders, and a few surprises. Meet 1:00 p.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek Bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties. We will
carpool to the Preserve. Contact schorvas@verizon.net for additional information or directions. This ECC Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required. For additional information about upcoming ECC Nature Walks, please visit www.esopuscreekconservancy.org.