Boston Flora

Tag: Massachusetts Audubon Society

  • Saturday, September 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Monarchs by Moonlight Gala

    Please join Massachusetts Audubon Society President Henry Tepper and Sanctuary Director Carol Decker on Saturday, September 13 from 6 – 9 for a special evening gala and auction to benefit educational programming at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row in Topsfield.  Enjoy an intimate evening in the tent under the stars where you will dine on creative cuisine from Lantern Hill Catering of Topsfield, dance to live music with the Chuck Walker Trio, and participate in a very special silent and live auction run by auctioneer Aurelia Nelson of Northshore 104.9.  Tickets are $100, $250 (sponsor level,) and $1,000 for a reservation table for 8.  Contact Sue Ann Pearson at 978-887-9264 with questions, or buy tickets online at https://secure2.convio.net/mas/site/Ecommerce;jsessionid=A086657968391AA41C54D076E359AA3D.app271b?store_id=1961.

  • Saturday, August 16, 10:30 am – 2:00 pm – Mass Audubon Duck Derby 2014

    Get Your Ducks In a Row for the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s 11th Annual Duck Derby at Allens Pond in Dartmouth, Massachusetts — Saturday. August 16.

    This year, the tides are on our side and we’ll be racing the rubber ducks at 10:30 am and then will follow the big race with the phenomenal Duck Derby Festival from 11 am until 2 pm.

    What’s the big deal? Only a Grand Prize of Dinner for Two, Anywhere in the World, including round-trip airfare and 2 nights’ lodging!

    There’s also 40+ other fantastic prizes—check out the 2014 prize list at http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/allens-pond/duck-derby-2014-prize-list
    Race Details

    The ducks will race at 10:30 am. The ducks will paddle on the incoming tide from Buzzards Bay into Allens Pond. The Grand Prize winner will be announced during the post-race festival.  You do not have to be present to win.

    Immediately followed by the Duck Derby Festival, which includes:

    Mouthwatering $5 BBQ
    Educational Exhibits
    Kids’ Games & Crafts—The Ducky Dash 5k & Kid’s Totally Quackers Obstacle Course will take place on Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 am and 9:30 am, respectively.
    Live Music
    Silent Auction
    Live Plant Auction
    Winner’s Announcements—including the Grand Prize. Previous Grand Prize winners have traveled to such exotic countries as New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Aruba, France, India, Tanzania, and Zambia. Where would you go? Adopt your ducks and join in the race today!

  • Thursday, July 17, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Flowers that Fly: Habitat Gardening for Butterflies

    On Thursday, July 17, beginning at 7 pm in the Parkman Room at the Education Building, Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street, Wellesley, Sharon Stichter will share images and distinguish between larval host plants, giving examples for garden-friendly species, and nectar sources which appeal to a wide range of butterfly species. An annotated plant list for New England Gardens will be provided.

    Sharon Stichter has co-taught a course on pollinator gardening for the New England Wildflower Society, and presents to many garden clubs on the topic. She draws on her personal experience of creating a butterfly garden at her home in Newbury, Massachusetts. She was past Editor of the Mass Butterfly Club journal, author of the website The Butterflies of Massachusetts: A New Look at their History and Status, and a participant in several scientific studies on butterflies and climate change, with associated publications.  Mass Hort members $10, non-members $15.  Register by calling 617-933-4973, or visiting www.masshort.org. Photo by Lisa Daley-Bromberg courtesy of Massachusetts Audubon Society.

  • Saturday, January 25, 5:00 am – 5:00 pm – Superbowl of Birding

    Winter is a wonderful time to bird in northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire. In celebration of this season, the Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport,  is hosting the Superbowl of Birding XI on Saturday, January 25, 2014 – 5am to 5pm (Snow date: Sunday, January 26).

    Superbowls I-X were great successes with teams from as far away as Delaware and Pennsylvania participating. The challenge is renewed this year, with prizes awarded in ten categories!

    This is a unique competition to find the greatest number of species and to earn the greatest number of points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. The Nikon Joppa Cup is awarded to the team that collects the most points by the end of the specified 12-hour birding day. Strategy and planning are essential in order to win this competition.

    The event consists of activities targeted for all levels of birders. Expert birders can compete for a number of awards, including the Nikon Joppa Cup, Essex County Award, or Rockingham County Award. Teams with young birders 18 years old or younger can vie for the Seekers Award. The Fledgling Award encourages young families to participate. Nikon is the lead sponsor, and complete information may be found at http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/joppa-flats/news-events/superbowl-of-birding.

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  • Saturday, October 26, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood Educators: Growing Up Wild and Project Learning Tree

    Growing Up WILD and Project Learning Tree’s Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood build on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invite them to explore the natural world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, these new curricula provide an early foundation for developing positive impressions about the natural world and lifelong social and academic skills. Educators taking this professional development workshop on Saturday, October 26 from 9 – 3:30 will receive award winning curriculum guides for educators of young children. The activity guides feature over 150 experiences that engage children in outdoor play and exploration. Join instructors Patti Steinman, Education Coordinator, Connecticut River Valley Sanctuaries and Kim Noyes, Northfield Mountain’s Education Coordinator, for a fun-filled day of interactive, hands-on, activities. Gain experience and skills helpful for taking children outside to explore the natural world. This professional development workshop is great for teachers, camp counselors, child care providers, home school parents and other educators. Both curricula are correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. Fee is $40, which includes two activity guides. The event will take place at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Easthampton, and is co-sponsored with Massachusetts Audubon Society. To register call 413-584-3009 or online through Mass Audubon.

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  • Sunday, September 15, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Fungi in the Fall

    Can you distinguish a bolete from a gilled mushroom? What is a mushroom anyway? While fall is considered fungi season in the Northeast, fungi are seasonally cyclical and different species and types can be found almost any time except deep winter. Join New England Wild Flower Society and Massachusetts Audubon Society Drumlin Farm for a walk around the Drumlin Farm Nature Center sanctuary in Lincoln, Massachusetts to discover as many fungi as we can. Learn about the crucial and sometimes astonishing roles these fascinating life forms play in the ecosystem and some methods for identifying mushrooms and other fungi in the field. $25 for members of either sponsoring organization, $29 for nonmembers.  Photo from www.deviantart.net. Register online at https://46858.blackbaudhosting.com/46858/fw13-fdt1079-Fungi-in-the-Fall.

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  • Sunday, April 28, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm – Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History

    The Ecological Landscaping Association, New England Wildflower Society, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Massachusetts Audubon Drumlin Farm, and Tower Hill Botanic Gardens will co-sponsor Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast: A Natural History, with author Carol Gracie, on Sunday, April 28, from 1:30 – 3:30 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham.  The wildflowers that brighten our woodlands in spring are more than just a delight for the eye and a lift for the winter-weary spirit.  Each has a role in the environment, with often interesting interactions with pollinators and seed dispersers.  Topics will include adaptations for early blooming, medicinal and other uses, the origin of wildflower names, pollination and seed dispersal, and the latest scientific research on the ecology of these beautiful plants.  Following the lecture and book signing, enjoy an optional docent-led walk through Garden in the Woods in its early spring glory.  $15 for members of a sponsoring organization, $18 for nonmembers.  Register by calling 617-436-5838, or visit www.ecolandscaping.org.

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  • Wednesday, March 13, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Knowing Our Wild Edibles: Finding, Growing, Eating

    Whether you’re interested in your health, sustainability, or simple pleasure, knowing your wild edibles is a skill worth cultivating. From wild broccoli to cucumber root, wild edibles are around us everywhere. Explore some of the best wild edibles for foraging and cultivating in this New England Wild Flower Society seminar on Wednesday, March 13, from 10 – 12 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. Focus on specific species as well as harvest and learn preparation techniques from Dan Jaffe, Propagator and Stockbed Grower at NEWFS. Sustainable practices will be stressed. Wild broccoli image from www.crabappleherbs.com.  Co-sponsored by Massachusetts Audubon Society Drumlin Farm. $26 for sponsor members, $32 for nonmembers. Register at www.newfs.org.

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  • Sunday, February 24, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – A Healing Landscape

    Friends of the Boston Nature Center are invited to enjoy an intimate presentation for the book release of A Healing Landscape, with author Steve Holmes.  This fascinating book chronicles the cultural and environmental history of the BNC sanctuary site.  RSVP’s appreciated by calling 617-983-8500.

  • Sunday, January 20, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Window Gardens

    Is your green thumb going to waste during the winter months? Join the Massachusetts Audubon Society on Sunday, January 20 from 2 – 3:30 to learn how to garden right inside your home. We will begin by discussing and practicing techniques for planting, care, and harvesting. Going beyond herbs, we will explore growing everything from micro-greens to sugar snap peas right in your kitchen window.

    Registration is required. The price is $5 for Mass Audubon members, $7 for non members, and the class will take place at the Boston Nature Center, 500 Walk Hill Street in Mattapan. To sign up, visit www.massaudubon.org, or call 617-983-8500.  Image from www.harvesttotable.com.