Take a night hike, learn about groundhogs, birds, more at Ansonia Nature Center

FULL SNOW MOON HIKE – Feb. 3, 6 p.m.
Usually the heaviest snows fall in February. Hunting becomes difficult, so for some Native American tribes this was the Hunger Moon. 
Join Rangers Jess and Mike for this cold winter night activity. If the snow is heavy, bring snowshoes—or borrow a pair from the Nature Center. Wear appropriate winter clothing and shoes. 
Fee: $1. Call to register.

NATURE’S CHILD: Groundhogs –  Feb. 6, 10:30 a.m.
Learn all about these super sleepers with Wendy. Take a short walk to look for their sleeping quarters, make a take-home craft, and hear a short story about these furry critters.
TUITION: $7 per child ($5 for family-level FANCI members and Ansonia residents). 
Please pre-register for this class for preschoolers and their adults. 

SNOWSHOE SATURDAY – Feb. 7, 10 a.m.
Need to get out? Enjoy the winter with this guided hike through our woodland and fields. Great exercise and fun for adults and older kids. We have a limited number of snowshoes, so please register in advance. Think snow! Free.

BACK TO BASICS: How to Make a Coldframe –  Feb. 7, 2 p.m.
Home gardeners browsing through the new seed catalogues in anticipation of this year’s growing season will want to attend this PowerPoint presentation on building a coldframe to get their plants started earlier. Free. Please pre-register.

BLUEBIRD HOUSE WORKSHOP – Feb. 14, 2 p.m.
The bluebird’s return is a remarkable conservation success story! Thousands of people across America who have seen the bluebird have fallen in love. Bluebirds are thriving, but still need our help. 
Come and learn about the Eastern Bluebird, bluebird nesting boxes, and how you can attract bluebirds to your yard and protect them from predators. Help these cheerful charmers by building nesting boxes. 
Please pre-register. Fee: $5 per box.

PRESIDENTS’ DAY OWLING – Feb. 16, 1 p.m.
Join us for a stealthy foray into the forested parklands to seek the haunts of our most silent nocturnal predators. This program is for all ages but keeping quiet is the key to our success. Upon our return we will warm up in the Nature Center to learn about owl adaptations and meet some of our animal ambassadors. Free. Please register.

“A PASSION FOR BIRDS” WITH HENRY LAPPEN –  Feb. 28, 1:30 p.m.
Henry Lappen uses beautiful masks and a comic portrayal of birds to inspire appreciation and understanding of the avian world. We’ll learn how birds adapt to their environment, and why they look and act the way they do. 
Henry dances to demonstrate the form and motion of the different species. 

Learning some mime skills, we’ll join him, taking on the character of each bird and finding out more about it. We’ll wear masks and soar as Eagles, stalk as Herons, and swim as Puffins. Additional topics include nest building, preening, and hiding from danger. Free. Please pre-register. 

Call for more information on any of the above programs, 203-736-1053.

The nature center is at 10 Deerfield Road.