July/Aug 2011 - Chippewa Nature Center

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Walk-in ProgramsFREE! Members Only Event A Cabin, a Campfire and Some Fireworks Mon, 7/4 • 8-11 pm • All Ages, under 18 w/adult Enjoy an evening around the campfire, make a few crafts and best of all, eat s’mores! CNC members are invited to join Cathy Devendorf at the Homestead farm for our annual Fourth of July event. Between 9:00-9:30 Cathy will read a few stories before we gather up our blankets and lawn chairs and settle in to watch the Midland city fireworks. Members are welcome to bring out-of-town guests to this event. Please note: Fireworks and sparklers are not permitted at CNC. Arboretum Hike Tues, 7/5 • 6-8 pm • All ages, under 18 wadult Are you thinking about adding to your landscape? Or do you want to know more about the many different kinds of trees that are native to Michigan? Join Naturalist Karen Breternitz on this slow walk through the arboretum to discover the answers to these questions and more. Meet at the Visitor Center. Morning Bird Walk Wed, 7/6 • 7-9 am • Ages: 12+, under 18 w/adult Birding gets challenging in mid-summer, when many of the birds we see are juveniles, or adults in post-breeding plumage. Join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this guided walk along CNC trails to look and listen for these challenging birds - even sparrows! Loaners binoculars are available. Butterfly Bonanza Sat, 7/9 • 12-4:30 pm Ages: 5+, under 18 w/adult Bird Banding at the Wetlands 8 am-12 pm • Ages: 5+, under 18 w/adult Thurs, 7/14, 7/21 & 8/11 You won’t want to miss this opportunity to see resident and migratory birds up close, as birds are caught in mist nets and banded for the purpose of research. Join Mike Bishop, researcher and president of the Michigan Bird Banding Association, and CNC staff at the east Wetlands Area parking lot off Grey road (the gate will be open during banding hours). If it is raining or windy, banding will not take place. If the weather is questionable, please call 989.631.0830 after 8 am on the day of the scheduled banding. The parking area for bird banding is on the west side of Grey Road, about 1/8 mile beyond the parking lot for the Ridge Area. From Pine River Road, turn south on Grey Road, continue past the first parking lot on the left (Ridge Area), and turn into the first gravel drive on the RIGHT that doesn’t have a house or mailbox. 8 Chippewa Nature Center www.chippewanaturecenter.org Butterflies can be found in Michigan from March through October (and even in the winter if you can find the hibernating ones!), but July is the peak season for these beautiful insects, so come join us for a bonanza of butterflies! We’ll have live, native butterflies indoors, and a display of CNC’s butterfly collection to give you a close-up look at the butterflies of the nature center. To see butterflies in their natural habitats, join us for a guided butterfly hike (starting every half-hour). Be sure to check out the butterfly plantings along the parking lot bioswale to see what plants you might want to consider in your own yard to provide food and shelter for butterflies and their caterpillars. There will be butterfly crafts for kids to make, and a puppet show to help them learn about butterflies and other pollinators. There will also be information on banding migrating Monarchs and on the Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project. “Rattlesnakes” of Chippewa Nature Center Wed, 7/13 • 6:30-8:30 pm • All ages, under 18 w/adult Don’t be afraid – There are several species of PLANTS around CNC with the word rattlesnake in their name. Come to this non-venomous hike to find out what they are. Meet at the visitor Center. Full Moon Stroll Thurs, 7/14 • 9-11 pm • Ages: 9+, under 18 w/adult Join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this guided walk by the light of the full moon. The hike starts before dark to increase our chances of seeing wildlife that become active at dusk, such as deer, beaver, owls and maybe even a fox. Please wear dark clothing and bring a flashlight.
Homestead Sundays Sundays, May 29-Sept. 4, 2011 • 1:30-5 pm All Ages Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. River Cleanup Workday Sat, 7/16 • 9 am-1:30 pm • Register by: 7/12 Ages: 15+, under 18 w/adult Here’s your chance to help keep our local rivers clean. In past years, we’ve pulled out tractor tires, bottles and car parts. Bit by bit, the rivers appear to be getting cleaner. We’ll use a combination of wading and canoeing. If you are interested in helping clean a section of the Pine or Chippewa River, contact Phil Stephens by July 12 at 989-631-0830 or pstephens@chippewanaturecenter.org. Butterfly Count Sat, 7/16 • start time weather dependent Ages: 9+, under 18 w/adult Chippewa Nature Center has hosted a Butterfly Count each July since 1988. Over the years we have found as many as 38 species in one day, adding a new species almost every year. Beginner and experienced lepidopterists alike are invited to spend a few hours, or the whole day, scouring CNC’s property (and beyond, if we have enough participants) to record all of the butterflies we can find. We’ll head out in small groups to cover as much area as possible, so if you are new to butterflies, don’t worry, we’ll put you with people who know what they’re doing:) Much of the count is done off-trail, so plan on wearing long pants and maybe even long sleeves (thistle gets tall!). Start-time is weather dependent, so call Senior Naturalist Janea Little ahead of time (631- 0830) to be put on the list of participants. Discovery Exploration Station & Voyageur Canoe Rides at RIVERDAYS Sat, 7/16 • 11 am-3 pm • All ages, under 18 w/adult Visit CNC’s Discovery Exploration Station located in the Kid’s Activity Area, and take a CNC Voyageur canoe ride at Midland Area Community Foundation’s RIVERDAYS, located in Chippawassee Park! Catching Pipsissewa at Chippewa River Road Property Thurs, 7/21 • 7-8 pm • All ages, under 18 w/adult Thurs, 8/2 • 10-11 am • All ages, under 18 w/adult Join Naturalist Karen Breternitz on this short hike as we try to catch some Pipsissewa: catch it in bloom, that is. Karen has never been able to catch this unique plant blooming, but she won’t give up trying. Will this be the year? Come and find out! There is more to the Chippewa Cabin property than Pipsissewa, so even if it’s not blooming there will be lots of things to discover. Here’s your chance to hike at an area reserved for guided groups. Meet at the Chippewa River Road property about ¼ mile west of Meridian Road. For directions, call 631-0830. River Ramble Sat, 7/23 • 1:30-3 pm • Ages: 9+, under 18 w/adult Slippery fish, eye-less clams, diving kingfishers and playful otters. All share the shallow rivers here at the Nature Center. Your guide will walk with you along and in this lively ecosystem to introduce you to the lives of its residents. Just wear shorts and an old pair of tennis shoes (life vests will be provided). You can help net some of the critters and CNC Land Management Tour Tues, 7/26 • 6-8 pm • Ages: 15+, under 18 w/adult During this tour, Tom Lenon, CNC’s Director of Land and Facilities, will be going to several locations on the property to discuss some of the land management projects that have occurred on Nature Center land in the past several years. This will be an opportunity to see how the native grasslands are progressing, get a better understanding of how the water control structures function, see an area where trees where harvested for the Visitor Center renovation, and see comparisons where invasive exotic plants have been controlled extensively verses areas that have had little control over the past few years. During this tour there will be time to discuss research that has occurred at CNC, as well as topics such as fisheries, songbird, deer, and beaver management. Please dress for the weather. Dipping at the Wetlands Sun, 7/31 • 2-3:30 pm • All ages, under 18 w/adult There is a tremendous amount of activity beneath the surface of the pond. Join CNC Educator Jackie Kelly at our Wetlands Area on Badour Road, south of Pine River Road as we use dippers and nets to discover what is living underwater. Please dress for the weather. Biking the Chippewa Trail Tues, 8/2 • 7-8:30 pm • Ages: 12+, under 18 w/adult Bring your bike to the Chippewa Trail Pavilion by the Nature Center’s Visitor Center and join Phil Stephens for an evening pedal along this non-motorized pathway. Together we’ll wind our way along the paved trail stopping for views of the Wetlands Area, ancient sand dune and a variety of other unique stops. Participants should be able to bike approximately 8 miles at a leisurely pace and are responsible for supplying their own bicycle, helmet, water and snacks. facebook.com/cncmidland July/August 2011 9
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July/Aug 2011 - Chippewa Nature Center

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