Back by popular demand: Hummingbirds, our early childhood class for children ages birth–2 with their caregiver. Experience nature with your little one every Monday through stories, songs, meeting live animals and lots of time exploring the trails! Sign up at dpnc.org!

Are you Green-Tie ready? Check out our look book to get on-theme inspiration for your the Green-Tie Celebration outfit! Still need your tickets? Visit dpnc.org/greentie!

The Nature Center will be closed tomorrow morning (9/3) while staff gathers for a workday sprucing up Coogan Farm to get it ready for the school year and Green-Tie! We'll reopen at 12:30 PM. As always, our trails are open dawn to dusk!

Calling all animal lovers! Our Animal Care team is looking for new volunteers to join our team to help out with bird of prey feeding, indoor animal feeding, snake care, and animal care over at Coogan Farm. If you're interested in joining us, contact our volunteer coordinator at cduffy@dpnc.org.

Exciting news! Our new seasonal digital catalog is here: fall programs, events, and volunteer opportunities at DPNC all in one place: dpnc.org/catalog.
Plus, meet the all-new Chickadee Quarterly, your seasonal update with stories and happenings at DPNC. Don’t leaf it unread: buff.ly/7RRFSAD

The Giving Garden needs your help! Our irrigation system was destroyed in a fire, and with abnormally dry weather, water is more critical than ever. Help us replace it and keep fresh produce in the community: buff.ly/zS4mQlZ
Thank you for supporting the garden and the neighbors who rely on it.

Early Childhood programs are back for the fall! Join us in Chickadees or Discovery with your child, or drop your child off at Eager Explorers. Chickadees and Eager Explorers run for 7-week sessions and Discovery sign-up is by class every 3rd Saturday of the month. Register today at dpnc.org/events!

Happy National Dog Day! While we can’t welcome dogs at DPNC location because of our birds of prey, we pawsitively love seeing your dogs enjoying trails at Coogan Farm. If you and your furry friend hit the trails, don’t forget to share photos so we can follow along on your pup’s Coogan Farm hikes!

It's that time of year! Charter Oak Federal Credit Union members can have their gift to DPNC doubled through their Matching Gifts program between August 13 and November 20. To learn more, visit buff.ly/qWoivJN

Take a night off guilt-free knowing your child is having fun in nature! Drop them off at Nature Night Out this Saturday where we'll explore, meet animals, & gather around a bonfire for pizza and s'mores. Perfect for a date night, dinner party, or just relaxing at home! Sign up here: buff.ly/BJg4psg

Curious about those hooting outside your window? Join us next Wednesday for Owls of CT, where you'll learn all about their behaviors and unique adaptations and meet some of the resident owls who call DPNC home! Advance registration required; sign up here: buff.ly/bQPKODm

We couldn't do what we do without our interns and volunteers. Tara is an intern in our Animal Care department, working with many of the animals at the Nature Center, including Albert the Barred Owl, and helping with everything from feeding to enclosure maintenance!

Now THAT is biodiversity! What's your favorite bird song?

(Comic by Rosemary Mosco at birdandmoon.com)

Calling all local artists! We're accepting applications to participate in our Wild Mushroom Festival's Mushroom Marketplace on Saturday, October 18. If you or someone you know is interested, we encourage you to fill out an application soon, as we only have so mush room! buff.ly/3xiZdvv

Take a hike this weekend with DPNC! We're leading two guided hikes this weekend. Choose Gungywamp on Saturday for architectural and historical intrigue or GOSA's Sheep Farm on Sunday for beautiful waterfalls and streams. Sign up at dpnc.org/events!

We recently took in a Barred Owl stuck in a glue trap intended for rats—a good reminder to be mindful of pest control methods! Glue traps & rodenticides can harm unintended wildlife. Consider natural deterrents or non-glue traps (and ensure traps are inaccessible to birds to prevent accidental harm)

Check out our StoryWalk along the Forest Loop trail! It's a great way to foster a love of reading while spending family time in nature. Currently displayed is Through the Fairy Door by Gabby Dawnay!

Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Get your little one out in nature this summer! We still have a few weeks of our Summer Chickadees program, where we welcome children ages 2-4 with a caregiver to explore the outdoors with us. Classes are every Friday @ 10-11:30 AM. Sign up: buff.ly/UpL8pFv

Photo by Julia Gargano @JuliaJaneKids

Last call to join our mushroom foraging intensive, a one-stop-shop for all your identification, foraging, and even cooking questions! Advance registration is required; sign up here: buff.ly/seB8VcY

Spend a beautiful summer morning helping us care for our trails! Sign up today at buff.ly/ireJ50n

🦉 It’s International Owl Awareness Day, a day to celebrate these remarkable nocturnal predators and raise awareness about the threats they face. With night vision, 270° neck rotation, and silent flight, it's not hard to appreciate how remarkable owls are.

The Green-Tie Celebration is back! Join us on 9/19 for our signature fundraiser. Enjoy an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and fun in support of the wild places and open spaces that make our community special.

To learn more and purchase tickets, visit dpnc.org/greentie.

One of the most common questions we get is "A baby bird fell; how do I help?"
As long as the bird isn't injured, the best thing you can do is return it to its nest or improvise! A wicker basket is a great alternative; place the baby bird in the basket and hang nearby. For more info: buff.ly/vw2f8g9

Find us at the Long Island Sound Celebration on August 16! We'll be celebrating 40 years of LIS conservation with a free family-friendly event filled with fun activities, food, and DPNC too! Spots for some activities are limited, so we suggest signing up ahead of the event here: buff.ly/xNuVkdc

Still thinking about last fall’s Wild Mushroom Festival, or bummed you missed it? Here’s your chance to go deeper! Join us on Saturday, August 9 for a Mushroom Foraging Intensive with our friends at the Mushroom Hunting Foundation. Pre-registration is required: buff.ly/lljy8xl

🧚 Wings were fluttering & magic filled the air last Saturday at Fairies in the Forest! It was a perfect day to meet fairies on the trails, get crafty, and spend time with animals. Thank you to all the fairies big and small who joined us for a magical day and made this first-time event a success! 💫

Join the Trail Blazers this Saturday to care for our trails, help out the community, and spend time outdoors! Come once to try it out, drop in, or join us every time (every other Saturday). Sign up here: buff.ly/FtXimac

Thank you to the Chelsea Groton Foundation for supporting DPNC. When our community supports nature, we all grow stronger together! The natural beauty and biodiversity of our region are part of what makes our community so special, and support like this helps us keep sharing the magic of the outdoors.

Who in your family is the frog-catching expert? Find out on Sunday with family pond dipping! Spend some time with your family trying to catch and release frogs, fish, and insects at the pond. Use our nets and buckets along with our expert advice from a DPNC educator!
Sign up here: buff.ly/UQvzAaC

Calling all K–12 teachers! Join us for Welcome Day at DPNC on Wednesday, July 31 from 12–4 PM as part of the LEARN Educator Passport Program! Discover why nature makes the best classroom and how DPNC can support your students' learning all year long.