RICE CREEK FIELD STATION TO BLOOM WITH SPRING ACTIVITIES
OSWEGO -- Bird-watching courses, nature hikes and
children's creative activities are among the spring activities slated
at SUNY Oswego's Rice Creek Field Station.
A series of naturalist-led Rice Creek Rambles --
hikes showcasing the birds, buds and creatures of the station -- will
start at 1 p.m. on four Saturdays: April 3 and 17 and May 1 and 8.
Participants should call the morning of the hike to check trail
conditions. An adult must accompany children for these admission-free
hikes.
A four-part course the on spring hawk migration will
feature two lectures at Rice Creek Field Station and two Saturday
bird-watching field trips to the Derby Hill observatory in Mexico.
Ornithologist Gerry Smith will lead sessions geared toward identifying
birds and explaining migration ecology. Binoculars will be available
for those who do not have their own.
The lectures will take place at 6:30 p.m. April 7
and 14, with the trips to Derby Hill, renowned as one of the best
bird-watching destinations in the Northeast, running from 9:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m. April 10 and 17. Program size is limited, and
pre-registration is required before March 29. Cost of this course is
$40.
Visitors can sample a symphony of seasonal sights
and sounds during "A Peep at Spring" from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday,
April 24. Pat Carney will lead this nature hike to listen to spring
peepers and wood frogs and spy elusive spotted salamanders and other
inhabitants. Those attending "A Peep at Spring" are encouraged to dress
warmly and bring boots to explore the wetlands. Program cost is $5, and
pre-registration is required before April 14.
Children can explore the woods and wetlands of Rice
Creek and learn some creative activities during "Wild and Crafty," from
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 22. Nichole Thibado will lead children
on a brief walk, weather permitting, followed by a workshop to create
nature-themed projects that kids can take home. An adult must accompany
children aged 6 or under. Pre-registration is required before May 12,
and the program fee is $5 per child.
For additional information on any of these programs,
or to make reservations, call 312-7961.
Rice Creek Field Station includes the 26-acre Rice
Pond surrounded by 400 acres of land ranging from open fields to
forests. The research building, with exhibits and an indoor viewing
gallery, is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. Trails are open every day for hiking and biking from
dawn to dusk.
The field station accommodates the general public
and serves as a center for college courses and research. It is located
on Thompson Road, a quarter-mile south of State Route 104, just west of
the main SUNY Oswego entrance.