Audubon Keeps it Cool in July

(May 30, 2020) – Relaxing twilight walks, morning River Cruises, and even a Bats and Beer evening program…Audubon know how to keep it cool in July when the weather gets hot and muggy!

Unless noted, registration is required for all programs. Register online and view a complete listing of programs through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Editor’s note: In support of efforts to stem the outbreak of COVID-19, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is temporarily closing all facilities to the public, including the Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol. All programs, and events are also cancelled. We will reopen based on guidelines from the Rhode Island Department of Health. Please check the events calendar at www.asri.org to ensure the following July programs will be running.

Audubon at Home: Nature Play and Learning
In Response to COVID-19
Audubon Brings Environmental Education to Families at Home
Pulling from years of environmental education experience and expert resources, Audubon introduces Audubon at Home, Nature Play and Learning, the new online resource for nature exploration.

Each week Audubon shares a different theme. One week it is all about owls, another week frogs. Watch for a week of birding fun, learn all about the intelligent Raven, bug out with insects and more! Look for videos of Audubon critters, stories and places to hike, download craft ideas, explore fun facts, discover educational activities and more. Engaging and fun, it’s easy to review activities online and keep nature enthusiasts of all ages engaged.

Videos and activities will be posted on Facebook and Instagram, and families are encouraged to visit www.asri.org to find additional materials, downloads and ideas for family fun.

July 2020 Programs

Explore the Estuary for Kids!
Prudence Island, RI
July 7, 2020, 1:30 – 6:30 pm
Bring the kids to explore the amazing diversity of the estuary, from tidal creeks and salt marshes to the rocky shoreline! Kids will use different types of nets and search for fish, crabs and shrimp in the shallow waters of Prudence Island. Walk the shoreline to see what the tide has left behind and watch the ospreys and egrets hunt for food. This is a great family program!
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Prudence Island, RI; Fee: $6/member adult, $3/member child; $8/non-member adult, $5/non-member child. Ages: All. For more information on Prudence Island trips and to register online, visit the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Fireflies!
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
July 10, 2020; 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Join Audubon for an evening celebrating the living lightshow that is the firefly. Learn about how they use their flickering lights to communicate and how to recognize them during the day. Make a glowing firefly craft to take home and end the evening by going out to the fields to watch for their blinking displays. We will call participants to reschedule in the case of inclement weather. Rain date is July 8.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $10/member adult, $5/member child; $14/non-member adult, $7/non-member child. Ages: 6 and up. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Bird Banding with Audubon
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 11, 2020; 9:30 – 11:30 am
Join Audubon and witness bird banding, where experts capture, band, measure and release songbirds in order to record their movements. Birds will be gently removed from tall “mist nets” set in Audubon’s shrubby habitats. The techniques of identifying, measuring, weighing, and banding the birds will be demonstrated before they are released. The migratory habits and life history of captured species will be discussed. Bring a camera and binoculars. Register early.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Program Fee: $8/member adult, $4/member child; $12/non-member adult, $6/non-member child. Ages: 6+. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Introduction to Tree Identification
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
July 11, 2020; 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Learn to recognize major families of trees and shrubs as well as a number of common species in the wild and home landscape. Class will be part indoors/part outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; July 11, 2020; 10:00 am-12:00 pm; Fee: $10/member; $14/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

To Combat Climate Crisis: Livable RI Poster Campaign
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 12 – August 31, 2020; 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Audubon’s late summer art exhibit features the Livable RI Poster Campaign, which calls for a civic alliance to reverse global warming. The posters echo the art that built community around wartime efforts, especially those produced by the United States Food Administration during World War I. The poster artwork was generously donated by local artists and professionals eager to be part of a transformative civic response to the ominous threat of a changing climate.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; July 12 through August 31, 2020; 9:00 am-5:00 pm. Free with Admission. Ages: All.

Felted Birdhouses Workshop
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 18, 2020; 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Create your own beautiful bird house using only colorful wool. Join Audubon educator and fiber artist Tala Wunderler-Selby to learn the traditional art of wet felting, using sheep’s wool, water, soap, and a little elbow grease. Design your bird house in a rainbow of colors or in natural hues, and then create a three-dimensional vessel. Hang your house outside or place it in your home for a unique decoration. Complementary snacks and lemonade will be offered.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $60/member, $65/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 19, 2020; 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Come design and create a beautiful pendant with sea glass found on local beaches. Learn how to choose the right piece of glass and transform it using quick and easy wire wrapping techniques. Program includes all materials. Find something special on the beach? Bring that too! This class fills quickly. Advance registration is required as space is strictly limited.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI ; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Annual Butterfly Count
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA
July 19, 2020; 10 am – 12:00 pm
Learn the basics of identifying local butterflies then head out as a group to the fields of Caratunk and participate in the annual Butterfly Count. Bring binoculars, camera, water and wear lightweight long pants, socks and closed-toe shoes and hat.
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $10/member; $14/non-member. Ages: Teen to Adult. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 19, 2020; 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Come design and create a beautiful pendant with sea glass found on local beaches. Learn how to choose the right piece of glass and transform it using quick and easy wire wrapping techniques. Program includes all materials. Find something special on the beach? Bring that too! This class fills quickly! Advance registration is required as space is strictly limited to 10 participants.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Sea Glass Workshop for Kids
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 21, 2020; 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Our popular sea glass workshop is now available for kids! Come create a beautiful pendant with sea glass found on local beaches. Learn how to choose the right piece of glass and transform it using quick and easy wire wrapping techniques. Program includes all materials. Find something special on the beach? Bring that too! Advance registration is required as space is limited to 10 participants. Adult must accompany child.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $10/member child; $12/non-member child. Ages: 8 and up. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Mini Fun Day at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
July 23, 2020; 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Join Audubon for crafts, nature stories, animal discoveries, and more. No need to register!
10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Nature Craft table
10:00 am & 12:00 pm: Nature Story
11:00 am: Animal Interview
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI ; Free with Admission. Ages: All

Life Under a Log - A Hunt for Minibeasts
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
July 25, 2020; 10:00 – 11:30 am
There are few purer childhood experiences than exploring woods and fields. Come romp through the woods and learn what small animals make their homes under logs and rocks and bark. Dress for dirt and avoid any insect repellent or sunscreen on the hands as we will be seeking and touching small creatures.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $5/member child; $7/non-member child. Ages: 3 and up. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Scavenger Hunt at Caratunk
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA
July 26, 2020; 12:00 – 3:00 pm
Head out in nature for a scavenger hunt with Audubon! Check in at the white barn and then hunt for clues as you explore the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge. Finish back at the barn for with a snack and a prize. Dress for the weather and be prepared to hike on rocky, uneven trails.
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $10/member adult, $5/member child; $14/non-member adult, $7/non-member child. Ages: All. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.

Bats and Beer with Audubon
Audubon Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI
July 31, 2020, 7:30-9:00 pm
Come to Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge for an evening of fun, learning about the fascinating world of bats and tasting some local brew. Start with a brief presentation and learn about the bats that live in the area. Then head out onto the trails in search of these winged creatures. We will stop at the pond and watch the magnificent bats at work catching their evening meal. If we are lucky, we may even catch a glimpse of the beaver that lives there too. Please bring a flashlight and wear sturdy shoes.
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, 99 Pardon Joslin Road, Exeter, RI; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: 21 and up. Register online through the events calendar at www.asri.org.