The South Fork Natural History Museum [SOFO] has announced their Winter 2014 Calendar of Events for January—February—March. There’s so many cool options for natural lovers, outdoorsy dates, and family time. Check out all the listings below.

Participants must call (631) 537-9735 for reservations and information about meeting places. Reservations are required for all events. There is no charge for SoFo members. Non-members are charged $7 per adult, $5 per child 3-12 years of age, 2 and under free. Fees include admission to the museum on the day of the program.

Web: www.sofo.org
E-mail: sofo@hamptons.com
Please call 537-9735 for reservations and information about meeting places.

 

 

 

 

Writing About Nature: Personal Essay Workshop
With Jen Senft
Three Saturday Sessions: March 15, March 22, March 29, 2014
1:30 – 3:30 pm
See specific dates on Calendar for details of each session

Practice the art of personal nonfiction through interesting nature-focused exercises, class discussion, and instruction. Sessions include writing prompts about environment and wildlife, conversation about process and craft, and individualized feedback from Jen. Develop your personal essay skills and master basic concepts as you enjoy writing nature memoir in this friendly, supportive environment.

Jen Senft is a writing instructor and editor. She is an Adjunct English Instructor at Suffolk County Community College and leads memoir and fiction writing workshops at East End libraries, art schools, galleries, and through private instruction. Jen holds an MFA in English and Writing from LIU, an MA in Psychology from NYU, and a BFA in Cinema Studies from NYU. Jen is a former psychotherapist who mentors writers in personal essay and memoir.

 

 

 

Birds and Beaks – How Do They Do That? For Children Ages 5 – 7
Workshop Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)             Nature Educator

January 4,Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
When you look at birds do you notice that their beaks come in many different shapes and sizes? Be a bird scientist and investigate why birds have different beak shapes. In this bird-study workshop for children, we will use simple tools (tweezers, spoons) the same way birds use their beaks. Melanie will demonstrate that some birds, called generalists, use their beaks to eat many different types of food. Other birds, called specialists, have beaks designed for very specific foods. We’ll use our bird-beak tool results to explain why some birds can stay in one place all year and why other birds need to migrate. Weather permitting, we’ll go outdoors in the field behind the museum to observe birds feeding and decide what type of feeders they are. Limited enrollment.

 

 

 

Get Outdoors! Winter Field Walk at SoFo: For Adults and Children
Walk Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature            Educator

January 4, Saturday, 2 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

The view from the museum’s upper deck can be deceivingly quiet, but the inhabitants are awake and active. Join Crystal, in the field behind the museum, to look for signs of animal activity, hidden insects, and what kind of foods birds are dining on. Keep your fingers crossed for a coating of snow to help reveal the hidden lives of the birds and mammals that call the field home.

 

 

 

How to ID Trees in Winter: For Adults

Walk Leader: Tyler Armstrong, South Fork Natural History Museum
(SoFo) Nature Educator

January 11,Saturday, 10 am
Bridgehampton

The forests of the South Fork can be equally inviting in the summer or winter—if you know what to look for. Identifying trees without their leaves is a valuable skill in a survival situation, as some can provide food, shelter, or tinder in a seemingly inhospitable environment. Dress warmly for this winter hike to learn what some of our favorite trees are doing in the off-season and the stories they have to tell us.

 

 

 

 

Animal Feeding Time at SoFo: For Children of All Ages
Program Leader: Nicole Cummings, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)                 Nature Educator

January 11, Saturday, 10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Just as animals have adapted to thriving in different environments, they have also adapted to eating different foods and in different ways. At the museum we have a variety of animal visitors—from frogs and turtles to crabs and sea stars. Join Nicole as she demonstrates how we feed these animals and teaches you about their diets and feeding strategies. Limited enrollment.

 

 

 

Observing Seals: Family Nature Adventure

January 12, Sunday,11 am
Montauk

Walk Leader: Lindsey Rohrbach, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)              Nature Educator
Have you ever seen a seal in its natural habitat? Well now is the perfect time. During winter, some populations of seals migrate south and arrive in our waters. Learn why seals come south, and other facts about their lives, when you join Lindsey on this walk through the deciduous forests of the scenic Seal Haul Out Trail in Montauk and down to the rocky shore. There, you can expect to see harbor seals, and an occasional gray seal, resting on the rocks exposed at low tide. This walk is about one-half mile, so keep that in mind when bringing small children. To aid in viewing the seals, bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope.

 

 

Full “Wolf Moon” Hike

Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt and the South Fork Natural             History Museum (SoFo)

January 16,Thursday, 7 pm – 8 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Walk Leader: Dai Dayton, President, Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt
Legend has it that native tribes related this moon to the nighttime howling of wolves. Join us to mark the first of the year’s full moons on this leisurely-paced hike through open-field trails and afterwards to warm up with some hot cider and donuts.

 

 

Full Moon Owl Prowl: For Adults, Walk leader: Joe Giunta

January 17, Friday, 7:30 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Joe Giunta is one of SoFo’s most engaging birding teachers, and this foray is one of his most enjoyable. The evening starts with a brief slide show and taped calls to acquaint you with our native owls. Then Joe will take you into the woods to call owls in for actual sightings. There is a good possibility that you will see an Eastern Screech Owl and maybe even a Great Horned Owl, whose courtship period begins at this time of year. This walk is for adults, but children over the age of 12 may attend. Bring binoculars and a flashlight. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Annual Winter Waterfowl Count: For Adults
Count Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History             Museum (SoFo)

January 18, Saturday
Dawn to Dusk
Amagansett to Shinnecock

At one time, a great variety of waterfowl wintered on Long Island. Now, due to habitat loss, food scarcity, and the introduction of nonnative species of water birds, our wintering population of waterfowl is slowly diminishing. To assess this situation and record the number of overwintering waterfowl, the New York State Ornithological Association sponsors an annual waterfowl count throughout the state. Experienced birder or otherwise, sign on as a member of this year’s Amagansett to Shinnecock count team. Call us at (631) 537-9735 for further information.

 

 

Flubbermania! – The Secrets of Polymer Chemistry: For Children Ages 6 – 12
Program Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)             Nature Educator

January 18, Saturday, 10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Let’s make flubber! It’s slimy and gooey, made from common household ingredients, and teaches us about polymers. A polymer is a large molecule that is made up of repeating smaller units, connected to each other by chemical bonds, like a chain of beads on a string. This long chain structure gives polymer materials their characteristic strength and flexibility. With Melanie, participants will explore the chemistry of natural polymers found in proteins such as hair, cellulose in trees, and DNA, and synthetic polymers as in plastics, nylon, polyethylene, Teflon, and epoxy. There is a $3 materials fee for this workshop. Limited enrollment. This program is designed to supplement the New York State Intermediate Level Science Core Curriculum Grades 5 – 8.

 

 

Get Outdoors! Winter Family Beach Walk

Walk Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature          Educator

January 18, Saturday, 1 pm
Hampton Bays

Bundle up, bring your binoculars, maybe a collection bag or two, and join Crystal as she explores some of the bay and ocean beaches in the hamlet of Hampton Bays. Winter is a tough time of year for many marine animals. Circumstances during the spring, summer, and fall can make it difficult for some mollusks to make it through the winter. When winter comes, the stormy seas will throw the mollusk shells up, onto the beach, within collecting distance for the courageous beach explorer. In winter, these beaches are also home to many overwintering birds, some in their breeding plumage. With luck, we may see eiders, mergansers, and loons, birds that will not be around in the late spring and summer. You might need to travel to northern Canada to see them then.

 

Beach Erosion Lab: For Children Ages 5 – 7
Program Leader: Tyler Armstrong, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)             Nature Educator

January 25, Saturday, 10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Have you ever seen the beach change after a storm? Ever wonder why Long Island doesn’t just get washed away, or how it got here in the first place? Join Tyler and come experiment with magnetic sand, a model glacier, a model rainstorm, and a model windstorm. We will see firsthand how the earth we live on is constantly changed by the elements. This lab will include simple calculations to strengthen our math skills. There will be a $3 materials fee for this workshop. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Knots for Naturalists: For Children Ages 6 and Older and Adults

January 25, Saturday, 1 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Workshop Leaders: Capts. Mark Tompkins and Bob Sullivan of Sag Harbor Sailing
Join us for a hands-on session of knot tying. Learn to tie eight key knots: the slipknot, the figure 8-knot, the square knot, the clove hitch, the cleat hitch, the running hitch, the trucker’s hitch, and the bowline. Captains Tompkins and Sullivan will discuss and demonstrate practical applications for each. Plenty of materials will be provided and participants will leave with a length of rope with which to practice.

 

Observing Seals: Family Nature Adventure

Walk Leader: Lindsey Rohrbach, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)             Nature Educator

January 26, Sunday, 9:30 am
Montauk

Here’s another opportunity to see seals in their natural habitat. During winter, some populations of seals migrate south and arrive in our waters. Learn why seals come south, and other facts about their lives, when you join Lindsey on this walk through the deciduous forests of the scenic Seal Haul Out Trail in Montauk and down to the rocky shore. There, you can expect to see harbor seals, and an occasional gray seal, resting on the rocks exposed at low tide. This walk is about one-half mile, so keep that in mind when bringing small children. To aid in viewing the seals, bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope.

 

Shinnecock Bird Specialties
Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural
History Museum (SoFo)

February 1
Saturday
10 am
Shinnecock

The barrier beach area at Shinnecock is one of the few remaining undeveloped dune/salt marsh habitats on the eastern end of Long Island, an area that frequently has wintering snowy owls and short-eared owls. Join Frank on this birding expedition in Shinnecock, one of SoFo’s most popular walks. If we’re lucky, we may see either of these two owls and even an American Bittern, Snow Bunting, or a lingering Clapper Rail. This walk is for adults, although children over the age of 10, who have binoculars, may attend. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scope.

 

 

Brrr…You Want Me To Go Where?

For Children Ages 6-9

February 1
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Program Leader: Barbara Blaisdell (Mrs. B) South Fork Natural History Museum             (SoFo) Board of Directors

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors. Going outside when it’s freezing, or below, takes preparation to be comfortable. Mrs. B knows just how to dress for the outdoors in winter. With a theatrical flair, she’ll demonstrate what it takes to stay warm, dry, and … of course, fashionable … and then, through a series of activities, turn workshop participants into excited, winter naturalists. Be prepared for some fun and zany antics. You’ll also create an artistic poster about “Dressing to be a Winter Naturalist” that you can take to school and share with your classmates. Materials fee $3. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Get Ready to Meet … Live Salamanders!
For Children Ages 6 – 9

Program Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)                        Nature Educator

February 2
Sunday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Just in time for out nighttime salamander walks, Melanie will introduce you to three mole salamanders that breed here on Long Island in late February and in March, when the ice on our ponds melts. (See the calendar for the nighttime Salamander Search dates.) Mole salamanders are amphibians who lay their eggs in water but spend their adult lives in the forest, digging burrows and tunnels in the ground and feeding on insects and earthworms. But, for a few very special nights when the first rains of spring and the melting snow fill dry forest-ponds with water, the salamanders gather together in the ponds to mate and lay their eggs. A lot of salamanders—all in one place! In this program, we will show you all the things that we need to take with us on a nighttime salamander walk: such as, a big spotlight, a long handled net, and some big wading boots so we can walk into the pond and not get wet—and teach you about our local salamanders, how to tell them apart, and their habitat requirements.

 

 

“Backpack Adventures” for Young Naturalists: For Children Ages 8-12
Walk Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Nature Educator

February 8
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton

America was discovered and founded by adventurers and pioneers using only what they could carry in a pack—learning about new plants and animals, new terrain, and new friends. Join Crystal in her new “Backpack Adventure” as she explores, with the spirit of earlier Americans, the late winter mysteries along the Whiskey Hill Trail. Each child will borrow a SoFo backpack full of tools (including, but not limited to magnifiers, binoculars, a compass, sample bottles, and a sketch pad to record their findings) and discover signs of animals and early spring life in the upland and swamp forest along the trail. Schedule plenty of time for this program, a speedy adventurer misses a lot. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Winter Animal Show: For Children Ages 3 to 5

Program Leader: Tyler Armstrong, South Fork Natural History Museum
(SoFo) Nature Educator

February 8
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) If you live on Long Island all year, you may have some winter neighbors you didn’t even know about. Some of them hide underground, some sleep in trees, and some are winter visitors from even colder places! Join our winter puppet-visitor Snowy Owl and his friend Tyler, for a winter animal show. We will meet both live animals like turtles, toads, and salamanders, and model animals like foxes and owls, for an introduction to our loveable winter neighbors. Limited enrollment.

 

Freezing Experiments & Ice Art Projects: For Children Ages 5 – 8

Program Leader: Lindsey Rohrbach, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

February 9
Sunday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Water is commonly referred to as the “essence of life.” Life on Earth has evolved around the unique properties of water. Winter’s water is usually in the form of snow and ice. Participants in this hands-on workshop with Lindsey will perform simple experiments that demonstrate the unique properties of ice while relating these properties to natural cycles outdoors. Then we’ll get creative using ice and snow to help us create colorful works of art. Materials fee $3. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Valentine’s Day Full “Snow Moon” Hike at SoFo

February 14
Friday
7 pm – 8 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
Walk Leader: Jean Dodds, Secretary, Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than a romantic stroll in the lovely moonlight. Join us on this leisurely-paced hike through open-field trails, behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo), and afterwards to warm up with some hot cider and donuts.

 

 

 

Birding for Beginners with Frank: Ocean Waterfowl
Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

February 15
Saturday
10 am
Montauk
Thousands of scoters, loons, eiders, and many arctic avians come to our inshore waters off Montauk Point each winter to feed on the vegetation and invertebrates that live on the ocean floor. Here we will scan the ocean surface with our scopes and try to identify these arctic visitors as they dive for food and frolic in the surf. Bring binoculars and a Field Guide to Birds of the Eastern United States (if you have one). This program is for adults, however children ages 10 and older, who have binoculars, may attend.

 

 

 

Under the Snow—Story Time & Nature Walk: For Children Ages 3 – 5

Program Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

February 15
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Join Crystal and her story-time puppet, Lodo the River Otter, as they wonder how forest, field, and pond animals take care of themselves in the winter. Do they put on heavy winter jackets and sip hot cocoa? Do they hibernate and sleep? What about salamanders and frogs? Crystal and Lodo will read Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart and then take everyone out into the field to look for signs of animals that stay active all winter. This is a good introduction to nature in winter for children who will be going on SoFo’s nighttime salamander walks. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Build a Bluebird Nest Box: For Children Ages 7 – 12. Workshop Leader: Nicole Cummings, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

February 22
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

The closer we get to springtime the higher the demand is for cavity nesting birds, like the Eastern Bluebird, to find homes to raise their young. Join Nicole to learn why nesting sites for the bluebird and other cavity nesters have been disappearing and what we can do to help. We will then take a walk around the SoFo field to see if any bluebirds have taken up residence in our boxes and return to the museum to build a cavity-nesting box which you can bring home and put up in your backyard. Materials fee $10. Limited enrollment.

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern Tiger Salamander Search: Family Walk
Walk Leader: Andy Sabin, President, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Board of Directors

February 22
Saturday
7:30 pm
Bridgehampton

Herpetologist Andy Sabin will take us into the nighttime woods in search of the largest of our native salamanders, the endangered Eastern Tiger Salamander. Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see this salamander as it makes its way to the pond to mate and to lay its eggs. Please bring a flashlight and wear boots, as late winter rains will make the ground soggy. This walk will take place only after heavy rains.

 

 

Birds of a Feather Walk: For Children Ages 3 – 5
Walk Leader: Lindsey Rohrbach, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

February 23
Sunday
10 am
Noyac

The winter months are a great time to attract birds to your feeder or to your hand as you go outdoors and get to see these small feathered friends up close. Feathers are unique only to birds. During this adventure, Lindsey will help children explore reasons why birds have feathers and why the feathers come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. At the end of the program, we’ll decorate a model of our own feathered friend to take home. Materials fee $3. Limited enrollment.

 

 

 

 

Birding for Beginners with Frank: Pond and Bay Waterfowl
Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

March 1
Saturday
10 am
Southampton

Southampton’s Dune Road is the perfect place to see a variety of freshwater and saltwater waterfowl that prefer the calmer waters of the South Fork ponds and bays, rather than the ocean’s fury, this time of year. Mergansers, grebes, canvasbacks, and gadwalls will be on our list to see, as well as many others. Bring binoculars and a Field Guide to Birds of the Eastern United States (if you have one). This program is for adults; however, children ages 10 and older, who have binoculars, may attend.

 

Melanie’s Meteorology Lab—Techniques in Weather Forecasting: For Children Ages 8 – 14

Workshop Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 1
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Participants in this hands-on lab will learn about air pressure, temperature, and humidity, and how these physical properties of air masses help scientists predict the weather. See a demonstration of a cloud forming and then disappearing. Make your own sling psychrometer and measure the air temperature and the relative humidity—together this is called the Heat Index. After the workshop, if you wish, you can take your sling psychrometer home and measure the Heat Index yourself at different times of the year. There is a $10 materials fee to take the psychrometer home.
This program is designed to supplement the New York State Intermediate Level Science Core Curriculum Grades 5 – 8.

 

 

Owl Moon—Story Time & Craft: For Children Ages 3 – 5
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 8
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Who-who-who is that outside? How do you find this mysterious creature? Join Crystal and her story-time puppet, Lodo the River Otter, as they read aloud Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, a story about a father and daughter on a nighttime owl search. After the story, children will make their own paper-owl puppet and practice the call of the Great Horned Owl. Maybe some night you can call in some of the owls in your neighborhood and they will answer you. Limited enrollment.

 

Blue-spotted Salamander Search: Family Walk

Walk Leaders: South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Staff

March 8
Saturday
7:30 pm
Montauk

Montauk’s vernal ponds are some of the few places in the world where the Blue-spotted Salamander, in its purebred form, can be found. Join SoFo on our nighttime foray as we search for this unique native species. Please bring a flashlight and wear boots, as late winter rains will make the ground soggy. This walk will take place only after heavy rains.

 

 

Flower & Bulb Dissection Lab: For Children Ages 8 – 12

Workshop Leader: Tyler Armstrong, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 9
Sunday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

The inside of a flower is amazing up close, filled with the machinery of nature that makes new life. Cutting into a flower from different angles gives us shapes that relate to bigger patterns in our world, while a bulb represents the start of life in spring, and its parts are equally miraculous. Join us for a careful exploration of plant anatomy using the tools of a scientist, but the mind of an artist. We will make ink prints of the shapes we find within, then bring home our own bulbs to plant in spring and watch the miracle of life unfold. Requires parent supervision for use of dissection tools. Materials fee $4. Limited enrollment.

 

 

Birding for Beginners with Frank: Passerines

Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

March 15
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton

During this time of year, when the trees have lost their leaves, it is much easier to see the perching birds, or passerines, that spend the winter here. Join Frank on this woodland walk to learn how to identify these birds as they feed on berries and search for insects under the leaves and in the moist ground. In particular, we’ll be looking for sparrows, kinglets and an occasional warbler or two. Bring binoculars and a Field Guide to Birds of the Eastern United States (if you have one). This program is for adults, however children ages 10 and older, who have binoculars, may attend.

 

Seal Walk at Cupsogue Beach County Park: Family Nature Adventure

Walk Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 15
Saturday
1 pm
Westhampton

Come and observe harbor seals and shorebirds from the bluffs overlooking the seal haul-out site on Moriches Bay. The path is sandy and suitable for children. Bring binoculars, spotting scope if you have one, and a blanket. We will prop ourselves up on our elbows and use binoculars and scopes to count seals from the bluff-top the way marine mammal scientists do to estimate seal populations year to year.

 

 

Writing About Nature with Jen Senft

Personal Essay Workshop for Adults: Session 1 of 3

March 15
Saturday
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Do you like to write, and do you have experiences with nature that affect you, provide insight, or even change you or your opinions? A personal essay is a vibrant way to communicate about a meaningful event. In this workshop, you will learn to craft your encounters with the natural world into personal essays. This friendly, unique session includes instruction, writing prompts, and discussion. Session 2, Saturday, March 22: Session 3, Saturday, March 29.
Jen Senft holds Masters degrees in Psychology and in Writing. She is a writing instructor        and editor who assists students and clients with short and long memoirs.

 

Full “Worm Moon” Hike at SoFo

Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

March 16
Sunday
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Walk Leader: Dai Dayton, President, Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt
The full “Worm Moon” was given its name by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. At the time of this spring moon the ground begins to soften and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of robins. In some regions, this is also known as the “Sap Moon”, as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins. Join us on this leisurely-paced hike through open fields and then enjoy some warming refreshments and convivial conversation.

 

 

 

Scientific Survey for Teens at North Sea Beach: Ages 13 and older
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 22
Saturday
10 am
Southampton

The South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) needs your help! We are missing important data about our basic habitats, how they change through the year, and over the years. Join Crystal at North Sea Beach to collect information on the abiotic factors of soil as well as water quality, salinity, and elevation, and how all these measurable aspects of the environment affect the organisms living there. We will be using (but not limited to) soil test kits, refractometers, pH test kits, magnifiers, microscopes, and will test for oxygen concentration, wind speed, and wind chill. We will also do population surveys. There will be time for you to record your notes, thoughts, and ideas in your own journal. Bring one if you have one, if not, we will provide you with a simple one.

 

Writing About Nature with Jen Senft

Personal Essay Workshop for Adults: Session 2 of 3

March 22
Saturday
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Building on the first session, you will share your writing with the workshop. Jen will lead a supportive conversation about your ventures into writing nature memoir. You will receive comments from other participants, and Jen will offer individualized and helpful feedback about your personal nature essay. Session 3: Saturday, March 29.
Jen Senft holds Masters degrees in Psychology and in Writing. She is a writing instructor and editor who assists students and clients with short and long memoirs.

 

 

 

Spotted Salamander Search: Family Nature Walk

Walk Leader: Andy Sabin, President, South Fork Natural History Museum Board

March 22
Saturday
8 pm
Bridgehampton

On this walk to one of our vernal ponds we’ll be searching for the Spotted Salamander, one of our four native mole salamanders. This salamander is a beauty with its shiny black body and bright yellow spots. It, like the Eastern Tiger and the Blue-spotted Salamander, as well as the early-autumn breeding Marbled Salamander, is called a mole salamander because it spends most of its time underground. Please bring a flashlight and wear boots, as late winter rains will make the ground soggy. This walk will take place only after heavy rains.

 

 

Bluebird Talk & Walk at SoFo: For Adults
Walk Leader: Joe Giunta

March 29
Saturday
9 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

In this program learn all about our native Eastern Bluebird from Joe, an experienced birder, engaging teacher, and birding tour leader. First, Joe will offer a short bluebird slide program, and then it’s off to see firsthand this cavity-nesting bird of open country and woodland edge. This walk is for adults, but children over the age of 12 may attend.

 

 

 

“Backpack Adventures” for Young Naturalists: For Children Ages 5-7
Walk Leader: Crystal Possehl, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature Educator

March 29
Saturday
10 am
Sagaponack

America was discovered and founded by adventurers and pioneers using only what they could carry in a pack, learning about new plants and animals, new terrain, and new friends. Join Crystal in her new “Backpack Adventure” as she explores with the spirit of earlier Americans the late winter mysteries of Sagg Swamp. Each child will borrow a SoFo backpack full of tools (including but not limited to magnifiers, binoculars, a compass, sample bottles, and a sketch pad to record their findings) and to discover spots along this unique trail where they will meet some very important swamp inhabitants. Schedule plenty of time for this program, a speedy adventurer misses a lot. Limited enrollment.

 

Melanie’s Marine Lab—How Ocean Animals Use Light: For Children Ages 6 – 10

Workshop Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Nature

March 29
Saturday
10 am
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

Light under the ocean’s surface is unlike any other place on Earth. It creates a world that is visually very different from our familiar terrestrial environment. Marine animals have adapted to this world in unique ways. Sunlight acts very differently when it travels from air into water. Visible light is made up of a rainbow of different wavelengths and we see each wavelength as a different color. Seawater absorbs light much more strongly than air does, blocking red light and letting blue light penetrate the farthest into seawater (giving the ocean its distinctive color). Join Melanie in performing a lab experiment using animals from the SoFo touch tank to observe which light environment, shallow or deep, the animals move toward most often. This program is designed to supplement the New York State Intermediate Level Science Core Curriculum Grades 5 – 8.

 

 

 

 

Writing About Nature with Jen Senft
Personal Essay Workshop for Adults: Session 3 of 3

March 29
Saturday
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Bridgehampton
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)

In this final session of the workshop, you will share either a continuation of your nature writing or a revision of it based on feedback you received. You will gain further insight into the art and process of writing nature autobiography by workshopping your essay and through open, friendly dialogue. You will finish the workshop with either a completed personal essay or the tools you need to finish your nature memoir.

 

South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
377 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike
P.O. Box 455
Bridgehampton, NY 11932
www.sofo.org
Email:  sofo@Hamptons.com   Tel. (631) 537-9735   FAX (631) 537-9621

Contact: Carol Crasson  –  Tel.  631 537-9735   Fax (631) 537-9621
E-mail –  sofoedcomdir@optonline.net