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Program Registration Form
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Bird Walks, Bird Programs
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Children's
Programs &
After-School
Nature Clubs
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Nature Walks, Nature Programs
New Service Offered: Bird Surveys on Private or Public Property. Sanctuary Manager Andy Rzeznikiewicz is available to conduct bird population surveys and can provide habitat management recommendations for your property. Private property owners, Land Trusts, municipalities or other groups that want an inventory of what bird species they have breeding or using their property might be interested in this service. Conservation groups that are evaluating potential land purchases for conservation might find this service helpful as well. The best time of year to conduct nesting bird surveys is May and June. Call early to schedule as the calendar fills up fast this time of year.
Nighthawk Watch
Sat., Aug. 28, 6 p.m.
Join Andy Rzeznikiewicz as we wait and watch for migrating Common Nighthawks. Other bird species should be observed as well. Bring your binoculars. Fee: $5 CAS Members, $10 Non-members.
Tuesday Bird Walks
Sept. 7 through Oct. 26 at 8 a.m.
Join Sanctuary Manager Andy Rzeznikiewicz as he points out various bird species. Bring binoculars and wear drab colored clothing. We carpool to various locations around Bafflin Sanctuary. Daily fee: free CAS Members, $5 Non-members.
Bird Banding
Sat., Sept. 11, 9 a.m.
Sat., Oct. 2, 9 a.m.
Sat., Oct. 16, 9 a.m.
Watch Andy Rzenikiewicz and fellow bird banders capture and band numerous birds. You will even get to release a bird or two. Each session should produce different bird species as fall migration progresses. Four years ago a Swamp Sparrow we banded was captured just west of Philadelphia the next day! Daily fee: $5 CAS Members, $10 Non-members.
Special Event:
Saw-whet Owl Banding
Sat., Oct. 23, 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 30, 7 p.m.,
Fri., Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
In 2009 CAS banders caught at least 1 Saw-whet Owl nightly. They're 3 inches tall and weigh 3 ozs. or so!
Photo © 2009 Mara Neville.
This is our fourth year banding Northern Saw-whet Owls as they migrate south, and it should be another memorable experience. During three sessions in 2007 we banded 25 different Saw-whet Owls. In 2009 we caught at least one owl per night. Due to the cost of net replacements and other equipment this program is priced higher. Single program fee: $15 CAS Members, $25 Non-members. Please pre-register early at 860-928-4948 and send a deposit to hold your spot. Limit of 20 people per session. Be sure to bring your cameras!
Owl Walk
Sat., Nov. 20, 5 p.m.
Join Andy Rzeznikiewicz as he attempts to call in various owl species. Screech, Barred, and Great-Horned Owls are the likely ones at this time of year. Maybe a Saw-whet will show up? We carpool to several locations and the majority of our owls will be seen from the road. Fee: $5 CAS Members, $10 Non-members.
Turkey Tromp
Sun., Nov. 28, 2 p.m.
Need to walk off some of those extra Thanksgiving Day calories? Head out on the trail with us for fresh air, exercise and great company. Nothing like a crisp walk in November to get your blood pumping! Free.

Don't just sit there, like this row of Turkeys.
Come out and get some exercise!
Photo © 2006 E.H.Soderberg
Private Guided Bird or Nature Walks.
This service is offered year-round. Each walk can be geared toward your expectations and locations. Sanctuary Manager Andy Rzeznikiewicz can take you to your next “life bird,” to local hot spots, or just use his knowledge to find birds and wildlife for you. Owl walks and private Woodcock watches are very successful in small groups. This is an excellent gift for that outdoor enthusiast who has everything. Call 860-928-4948 for more information.
Programs Offered to
Groups and Libraries. We can bring our wildlife video and bird slide show programs right to you. Call 860-928-4948 for more information on each program.
Holiday Nature Store
Open Nov. 27 through Dec. 22
Tax-Free Day is Sat., Nov. 27!
Our program room will be full of all kinds of gifts for all ages with Mother Nature in mind. We have bird feeders, houses and seed, gardening gifts, nature books and items for children, field guides, Christmas plants, nature jewelry, gift baskets, holiday swags and more. Take advantage of Tax-Free Day on our Opening Day – Saturday Nov. 27! Save Gas, Shop Locally & Support Your Nature Center in Pomfret!
NATURE WALKS,
NATURE PROGRAMS
Wednesday Lunch Walks
Aug. 25 at noon and
Sept. 8 through Dec. 29 at noon.
Get out of the house or office to stretch your legs and clear your head. Join Connecticut Audubon Society staff for some fresh air and exercise. Seniors and parents with babes in backpacks welcome. Free.
3rd Sunday Afternoon Walks
Sun., Sept. 19, 2 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 17, 2 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 21, 2 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 19, 2 p.m.
Longtime volunteer and naturalist Fran Baranski (pictured) and other Center volunteers will lead walks on our 700-acre Bafflin Sanctuary and on the Wyndham Land Trust properties. Walk for fun and exercise, visiting different locations each time, and a tracking lesson will no doubt present itself. Fee: free CAS Members, $3 Non-Members.
Citizen Science Programs:
Rapid Bioassessment Volunteer Training.
Sign up for one 3-hour training on:
--Sat., Aug. 28 9 a.m.-noon, or
--Frid., Sept 3, 9 a.m.-noon.
Train to become an RB volunteer! Come dressed to muck about in the streams; we’ll provide waders and nets and teach you how to do a stream assessment based on the insects we catch. RB data will be collected in streams in Woodstock, Pomfret and Canterbury. Training fee: $7 CAS Members, $15 Non-members, free for Canterbury residents (covered by USF&WS grant). Call 860-928-4948 to register for training & field work. Click here for more information.
Citizen Science Program:
Mammal Monitoring Training Hike on Sat., Sept. 25, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Woodstock. Fee: $50 CAS Members, $60 Non-members, free for Canterbury residents (covered by USF&WS grant). Click here for more information.
Special Event:
The Pomfret Station Airline Trail Pavilion Ribbon-Cutting & Guided Walk,
Sat., Oct. 9, 10 a.m.
Come celebrate with the Town of Pomfret and the region as the Pomfret Station Pavilion is officially opened to the public. The Airline Railroad used to be the fastest route from New York to Boston in the late 1800s. Now a CT DEP Airline Linear Park, this is a wonderful trail to walk and bike. Visit the first official trail head and information pavilion in northeastern Connecticut, located on Railroad Street just north of the intersection of Routes 169 and 44 in Pomfret. Free.
Walking Weekend Night Hike
Sun., Oct. 10, 7 p.m.
Explore parts of our 700-acre Bafflin Sanctuary with Andy Rzeznikiewicz at night using your night vision as much as possible. This is a 3-or-4-mile moderately difficult hike. Free. No dogs please.
Special Event
Bird’s-Eye View: Tethered Balloon Rides!
Mon., Oct. 11, 4-6 p.m.
Have you ever wanted to ride in a a hot air balloon? This is your chance. Head up over the corn maze at Fort Hill Farms in Thompson (Exit 99 off Route 395). Proceeds to benefit our Center at Pomfret. Call 860-923-3439 for information and conditions. Fee: $10 per person per ride.
Citizen Science Volunteers:
Save the Date! "Citizen Science Volunteer Appreciation Night" takes place on Wed., Dec. 1.
Check back for details.
Private Guided Bird and Nature Walks.
This service is offered year-round. Each walk can be geared toward your expectations and locations. Sanctuary Manager Andy Rzeznikiewicz can take you to your next “life bird,” to local hot spots, or just use his knowledge to find birds and wildlife for you. Owl walks and private Woodcock watches are very successful in small groups. This is an excellent gift for that outdoor enthusiast who has everything. Call 860-928-4948 for more information.
Programs for
Groups & Libraries
We can bring our wildlife video and bird slide show programs right to you. Call 860-928-4948 for more information on each program.
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS,
AFTER-SCHOOL
NATURE CLUBS
After School Nature Club
Fall Session for:
--Grades K–2: Tuesdays, Sept. 14, 21, 28, Oct 5, 12, 19, 3:30-5:15 p.m.
--Grades 3–5: Thursdays, Sept. 16, 23, 30, Oct 7, 14, 21, 3:30-5:15 p.m.
Do your children need some time to blow off steam after school? Send them to our Center at Pomfret. We will fill their afternoons with fresh air and hikes on our wildlife sanctuary with some lessons on wildlife quietly inserted when the right moment arises. Fall Session fee (6 programs): $55 CAS Members, $65 Non-members. ("November Session" begins Oct. 26, see below.)
Trails For Toddlers
Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. on
Sept. 28, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov. 2.
Join us Tuesday mornings for a class centered around discovering nature, geared for children 6 months to 3 years old accompanied by an actively participating parent or guardian. We"ll begin with "Circle Time" where songs, poems and books will be shared, followed by a short walk on one of Bafflin Sanctuary's many trails. Your little ones will be encouraged to walk and explore. Daily fee (1 child & 1 adult): $5 CAS Members, $7 Non-members. Session fee (6 programs): $25 CAS Members, $35 Non-members.
After School Nature Club
November Session for:
--Grades K–2: Tuesdays, Oct. 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 3:30-5:15 p.m.
--Grades 3–5: Thursdays, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 3:30-5:15 p.m.
Do your children need some time to blow off steam after school? Send them to our Center at Pomfret. We will fill their afternoons with fresh air and hikes on our wildlife sanctuary with some lessons on wildlife quietly inserted when the right moment arises. November Session fee (4 programs): $40 CAS Members, $50 Non-members.
ART EXHIBITS, CLASSES, PROGRAMS
“The Four Seasons”:
Oil Paintings by Karen McFarlin.
Exhibit & Sale now thru Aug. 27. “Growing up on a dairy farm in Woodstock, I have always been interested in nature and the outdoors. Retiring from teaching has given me the time to paint what I have been seeing and feeling all these years.” Karen’s fresh emerging style lends new simple life to her oil scenes. Whether coastal, architectural, or pastoral, her works depict the four seasons of New England. Stop in to see the colors of nature on canvas, framed and ready to hang in your home. A percentage of all sales will benefit our Center. Exhibit hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon-4 p.m. Free admission.
All Things Beautiful:
Northeast Connecticut Art Guild
Exhibit opening: Sun., Aug. 29, 2-4 p.m.
On display through Sept. 30.
The Guild will provide a combination of watercolor, oil, acrylic and mixed media photography for the public to enjoy. Always a delightful way to start September, this year’s exhibit is dedicated to the memory of former Guild member Jane Lazendorfer. Exhibit hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon-4 p.m. Free admission.
Painting the Seasons of New England.
Exhibit opening: Fri., Oct 1, 6-8 p.m.
On display through Oct. 28. This is an exhibition of colorful landscapes from the brush of Northeast Connecticut's Barbara Lussier. She paints in the impressionist style of the Old Lyme School and works on location at all seasons. Her palette of three primary colors produces luscious works that reflect her reverence for nature. She has earned awards from the Rockport Art Association, Academic Artists Association, Connecticut Academy of Fine Art and Hudson Valley Art Association. She is also a signature member of New England Plein Air Painters. Click here to preview her paintings. Exhibit hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon-4 p.m. Free admission; a portion of all sales benefit our CAS Center at Pomfret.
Inspiration From Land and Sea.
Exhibit opening: Sun. Oct. 31, 2-4 p.m.
On display through Nov. 21. A resident of Scotland, Connecticut, watercolorist Lynne Anne Knight has always enjoyed the outdoors. She received her formal education in agronomy from the University of Connecticut and followed her interest in art with instruction from Patricia M. Brown. “The medium of transparent watercolors presents its challenges, but the richness and purity of the colors inspire the artist.”
Exhibit hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon-4 p.m. Free admission.
Birds, Fluff and Circumstance.
Exhibit opening: Sat., Dec. 11, 2-4 p.m.
On display Nov. 27 through Jan. 9, 2011. Connecticut wildlife artist and Sterling resident David C. Stumpo will be presenting his exquisitely rendered bird watercolors for exhibit and sale. Also on display and for sale will be framed, signed and numbered limited edition prints. Come and enjoy the birds, ranging from songbirds to raptors, tropical and fanciful: something for every bird lover! David is a member of Connecticut Audubon Society and National Audubon, as well as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Exhibit hours: Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon-4 p.m. Free admission; a percentage from all sales will benefit our Center at Pomfret.Below: "Eye on The Prize, Rave" watercolor by David Stumpo.

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