SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday, April 30

Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park

8-10 a.m.:  bird walk in the woods, led by Derek Lovitch of Freeport Wild Bird Supply. Bring your binoculars. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Educational displays. Get bird posters, and learn what other state parks have to offer. Taste bird-friendly Birds & Beans Coffee. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

10-11 a.m. Bird walk for children. Join a naturalist on this beginning birdwalk designed just for kids (children must be accompanied by parents or adults over 18). Meet at the group picnic shelter.

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Osprey watch. Get a close look at nesting ospreys through a spotting scope. Stop by for a quick look or stay as long as you like to ask questions and learn about their life story.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Birding fun and games. Build a bird house, learn to sing like a bird and learn birding basics through games, hands-on activities, and crafts designed for children and families of beginning birders.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Food trucks Mainely Meatballs and Locally Sauced Burritos, near the group picnic shelter.

11 a.m.-noon: Bird watching for beginners. Spend time with a park speaker who will help you take the first steps in participating with minimal frustration along the path of being a “birder.” Meet at the picnic shelter.

Noon-1 p.m.: The secret life of ospreys. Join park manager Andy Hutchinson to learn about the two osprey pairs that nest on Casco Bay, and how you can watch them and help them stay healthy. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

1-2 p.m.: Spingtime wildflower walk. A one-hour stroll to locate and identify common early wildflowers of Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park.

2-3 p.m.: Ssoft-shell clam biology and ecology. Dr. Brian Beal will discuss how clam biology and ecology are important attributes that must be considered to manage stocks effectively, answer your questions, and will take you to the flats near the park. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

3-4 p.m.: Birds of prey. Presented by Hope Douglas of Wind Over Wings. Experience the wonder of being a few feet away from a golden eagle, a screech owl, a red-shouldered hawk, and an American kestrel.

Sunday, May 1

Bradbury Mountain State Park

8-10 a.m.: Bird walk. A walk in the woods seeking out spring migrants and woodland residents. All levels of expertise welcome. Bring your own binoculars. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Educational displays. Get bird posters courtesy of the Maine Wildlife Park and Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Taste bird-friendly Birds & Beans Coffee. Located at the group picnic shelter.

9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Hawk Watch at summit. Join a raptor biologist on the top of Bradbury Mountain. Learn how experts observe, identify and count all raptor and vulture species that fly past Bradbury Mountain. Hike to summit is 1/4-mile – a steep, short 10 minutes.

10-11 a.m.: Bird walk for children. Join a naturalist on this beginning bird walk designed just for kids (children must be accompanied by parents or adults over 18). Meet at the group picnic shelter.

10 a.m.-noon: Hawk Watch workshop. Find out what is so intriguing about hawk watching. Using visual aids the birds themselves migrating over Bradbury Mountain, learn what to look for in telling the different species of hawks apart from each other. Bring your own binoculars. Meet at the summit.

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Birding fun and games. Build a bird house or make a backyard bird feeder while supplies last. On-going hands-on activities, and crafts designed for children and families of beginning birders will be available. Located near the group picnic shelter and the playground.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Food trucks Mainely Meatballs and Locally Sauced Burritos will be near the group picnic shelter.

12:30-2 p.m.: Vernal pool exploration. Vernal pools are temporary water bodies that  fill from snow melt and spring rains and provide breeding habitat for amphibians including wood frogs, several species of mole salamanders and invertebrates such as fairy shrimp. Learn how to identify a vernal pool and the critters that live in them. Be prepared for wet conditions and wear appropriate footwear. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

1-2 p.m. Springtime plant walk. Join a ranger for a one-hour stroll to locate and identify common early spring plants of Bradbury Mountain State Park. Meet at the group picnic shelter.

2:30-3:30 p.m.: Maine birds of prey. Center for Wildlife’s exciting team of live, non-releasable bird “ambassadors” trained for presentation to audiences, including owls, hawks, and falcons, offer a unique opportunity to “bring lessons to life” and see local wildlife up close and personal. Held at the group picnic shelter.