Fred the Fish. Fred lives in a beautiful clear stream, but is eager to travel. What Fred finds may surprise you! A popular “hands-on” program that’s a tad messy, but features a surprise ending, A Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (CMSC) family program for ages 4 to 10 years. Thursday July 7th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Suggested donation $5.
Tracking Threatened Marine Life in New England Waters. Learn about some of the rarest marine life living in the waters of southern New England, ranging from sharks and whales to fish, crabs and seabirds. Todd McLeish, author of “Basking with Humpbacks,” will discuss the natural history of these threatened species and share his adventures working with the biologists who are studying them. Sunday July 10th. 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel.
Extremely Exciting Insects. An outdoor program during which students locate insects in their natural habitat and then identify and view them in magnifying bug boxes. Collection specimens showcase insects and their body parts, while songs and posters reinforce these concepts. A CMSC program for ages 4 and up. Wednesday, July 13th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Program limited to 20 people. Advance registration required. Suggested donation $5.
Peek into a Pond. Get mucky as we discover what creatures are living in our ponds. We’ll have nets and buckets so you can take your best shot at catching frogs, tadpoles, fish, insects and more! A Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages 5 and up. Thurs. July 14th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Suggested donation $5.
High Class Fowl: The History of Fishers Island’s World Famous Game Bird & Poultry Farm. Museum Director Pierce Rafferty will take you on an historical tour of Fishers Island’s all-but forgotten game bird and poultry farm while explaining how in the 1890s and early 1900s our Island was arguably better known around the world as a source for high-class fowl than as a resort for high-class people. Sunday, July 17th. 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel.
Come Meet Live Birds of Prey. Children’s Program. Staff from the DPNC will introduce us to a live kestrel and other birds of prey while teaching us about the unique adaptations of these raptors. A family program for ages 5 and up. Wednesday, July 20th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Suggested donation $5.
A Trip to Great Gull Island’s Tern Research Center Join us for a trip to neighboring Great Gull Island which has the largest nesting concentrations of Common and Roseate Terns in the western hemisphere. We will visit the Research Station that is led by ornithologist Helen Hayes under the auspices of The American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Tuesday, July 19th. Departure: 10 a.m. from the Mobil Dock on the commuter ferry “Popeye”. Return: 2 p.m. to Mobil dock. PRICE: $50 per person ($40 for HLFM members). NOTE: SOLD OUT. Advance registration required. Contact the Museum by phone: 631-788-7239, or in person for reservation.
Eels: The World’s Most Amazing and Mysterious Fish. Peabody Award winner, artist, activist and author Mr. James Prosek will speak about his recent book: “Eels: An Exploration, from New Zealand to the Sargasso, of the World’s Most Amazing and Mysterious Fish. Sunday, July 24th, 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel.
Seals in Southern New England. Five species of seals are known to occur along southern New England shores from Cape Cod to New Jersey. Harbor seals are common seasonal residents, while gray, harp, hooded, and ringed seals are all visitors from farther north. This presentation by Marine Research Scientist Dr. Robert D. Kenney of the University of Rhode Island will summarize what we know about the occurrence and ecology of seals in our region. Sunday, August 7th, 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel
Animal Tracking. Explore the world of animal tracks. A DPNC family program for ages 5 and up. Wednesday, August 10th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Suggested donation $5.
Inspect an Insect. Learn about different families of insects as we explore the Museum’s Sanctuary and collect live specimens for identification and study. Participating nature detectives will investigate features that all insects have in common. A DPNC family program for ages 5 and up. Wednesday, August 17th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location: the Museum. Suggested donation $5.
Bat Chat: Getting to Know Our Most Misunderstood Allies. Bats have occupied our planet for fifty million years yet we have only seriously studied them over the last six decades! Through Q&A, an illustrated power point presentation, and some wonderful props, Gerri Griswold, a wildlife rehabilitator and educator who has handled bats for 19 years, will help us explore the biology, ecology, and sonar of these extraordinary creatures, Sunday, August 21st. 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel.
Creature Features at the Ocean. This popular program turns us all into seaside scientists. Join us as we explore animals and their special adaptations for living in water and on land. A CMSC family program for ages 4 and up. Wednesday. August 24th from 2 to 3 p.m. Location to be posted. Program limited to 20 people. Advance registration required. Suggested donation $5.
On the Playing Fields of Privilege: The Residential Work of Delano & Aldrich, 1903-1940. Author, educator, architecture and design historian Derek Ostergard will give an illustrated lecture on the architectural firm of Delano & Aldrich. In the history of American architecture, this celebrated firm achieved a mythical status for their disciplined aesthetic and the sheer, unrivaled elegance of their many commissions. Sunday, August 28th. 4 p.m. Location: Union Chapel.
Nature Walks: During July, Nature Walks will start at the Museum at 2 p.m. In August, look for posted notices.