Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center Programs & Events

Join us in our second year of Estuary Explorations!

Follow Ph.D. ecologist Paul Spitzer and biologist Jim Arrigoni from 9 a.m. – noon as they explore various Lyme and Old Lyme natural areas with special ecological features. After a brown bag lunch and ecological discussion, optional afternoon field trip extensions will be offered for interested participants. Each trip is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. For more information on our Estuary Leaders, click here. 

Upland Watershed
Saturday, May 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Selden Creek Preserve, Lyme

Walk through oak forests and forested wetlands, listening for the full complement of our breeding birds. Enjoy a lunch on a rocky overlook of the marshes of Selden Creek and Selden Island.

Register here.

Connecticut Bayou and Tall Forest
Monday, May 28, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Janie Davison Preserve, Lyme

Enjoy a three hour quiet walking tour, about 1.5 miles, on gravel roads through a secluded tall forest with a rich species diversity of trees and understory plants, some meadow, and an avifauna to match. Bird song and behavior will be on display. This trip is presented as a memorial to the late owner Janie Davison, whose love of nature and vision of environmental education made this singular preserve bequest possible.

Register here.

Saturday, June 2, 10 am – 12:30 pm
Roger Tory Peterson Center, Old Lyme

Learn about Letterboxing in this family friendly event. We will view examples, watch an informative presentation and then take a short field trip to Bartholomew Open Space in Old Lyme for a one mile easy walk to find our own.  Come prepared to learn about an excellent family activity that gets you outside!

This event is free, register here. 

Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Karen Gallo

Saturday, June 9, 9 a.m.
The Preserve, Old Saybrook 

Home to more than 50 species of birds, as well as numerous amphibian and mammal species, The Preserve was recognized as the largest unprotected coastal forest between Boston and New York before its acquisition for conservation. Dense forests and extensive wetlands provide habitat for various species of concern, including Eastern Box Turtles, Dusky Salamanders, Wood Thrush, and more.

This event is free, register here.

Big Woods and Unspoiled Lakes
Saturday, June 23, 9 am – noon 
Nehantic State Forest

Find respite from the hot and hectic Connecticut shoreline with a guided ecology tour of the 5,000-acre Nehantic State Forest in Lyme. Continuous forested habitat of this size is a rarity in southern New England, providing a form of natural “air conditioning.” Similarly, the Forest’s sparsely developed Norwich and Uncas Ponds provide quiet refuge for wildlife and people alike. The combination of sizable and diverse upland and freshwater habitats supports such notable birds as Cerulean Warblers, who have migrated from South America’s Andes Mountains to breed in Connecticut. Summer-flowering plants will be blooming, and Painted and Snapping Turtles will be nesting on the shoreline of Keeny Marsh. We’ll conclude with a bag lunch at the picnic area of Uncas Pond, where participants will have the option to cool down with a refreshing mid-day swim.

$15 for members; $20 for non-members. Space is limited. 

Register here