Walk

The Trustees of Reservations invites families to come learn birding basics while enjoying the woodlands and heathlands at the weather-beaten bluffs of Halibut Point State Park or the wide open spaces of Coolidge Point Reservation. Swarms of shorebirds can be viewed at this these prestigious coastal birding points! Meet at the parking area. Pre-registration is not required.

Come to Joppa Flats Education Center where adults and children can spend quality family time in the great outdoors finding, observing, and admiring local wildlife. Excursions include a group game to burn off some steam, an on-the-water scavenger hunt, or a guided tour. We'll observe, investigate, and compare coastal environments and their inhabitants, both on- and offshore.

Each year on the first warm rainy night of spring, wood frogs and mole salamanders begin a mass migration to vernal pools where they breed. If you happen to be out on one of these evenings, the experience can be spectacular. Tonight, a part of the sanctuary will be transformed into a Big Night scene. Participants will take a one-hour guided walk along the Vernal Pool Trail, where they will meet some interesting characters who will share some facts and stories about themselves, vernal pools, and this special time of year.

This introduction to vernal ponds is presented by Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team and sponsored by The Trustees of Reservations's Ravenswood Park.  Vernal pools are crucial to the survival of salamanders and wood frogs. Join Ravenswood Park as we explore the pools at Agassiz Rock reservation, and learn how you can certify and protect vernal pools. Vernal Pool Certification is a state certification of vernal pools, which have not been covered in the wetlands act, but serve an important roll in wetlands and are crucial to survival for a number of species.

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a hike to Waterfowl Pond. Along the way, we'll look for ducks and red-winged blackbirds in the wetlands, listen for the call of the phoebe, and search for signs that the animals that slept away the winter are emerging and those that went south are returning.

Join watercolorist Brenda Sloane in a monthly program that combines nature and art. We will start with a walk on the sanctuary to observe the topic of the month. We will then return to the Nature Center to create a follow-up work of art.

People of all ages enjoy learning about owls, and many species of owls can be found in Massachusetts year-round. Come experience the excitement of an owl prowl as we take a night hike to look and listen for barred, great horned, and eastern screech-owls. Before we head out on our nocturnal adventure, we'll learn fun owl facts in our cozy Barn through hands-on activities and a slide show. We'll end our evening with an owl-hooting lesson!

Forces of nature formed Ravenswood’s landscape. Thousands of years ago ice chunks from melting glaciers created kettle ponds, bogs, and swamps. As a matter of fact, most of New England was buried under an enormous ice sheet that was more than a mile thick!

Spring celebrations begin early at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary with the age-old tradition of maple sugaring. The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples, causing buds to swell and resulting in sweet-smelling billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse.

Come to Joppa Flats Education Center and begin with a 45 minute indoor introductory program in the Lookout (2^nd floor) about Pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walrus). Then, we’ll carpool to an on-the-beach viewing area where we can see the harbor seals hauled out on the rocks at low tide at the mouth of the Merrimack River.