PRINCETON, NJ Restaurant Dining Guide Announcement

Family Nature Programs Saturdays 2:30-4:00* New Jersey Audubon’s Plainsboro Preserve

 Welcome to the New Jersey Audubon’s Family Nature Programs.  Each program is designed to explore nature through a theme.  A portion of each program may be spent outdoors building a deeper connection to the natural world through fun and informative activities.  We provide a highly trained environmental educator for each of our programs.   Join us and create memories that will last a lifetime.  Educational and fun, these Family Nature Programs are perfect for beginning naturalists and their families ages 6 to adult.  Cost: members, $3 per person; nonmembers, $5 per person (unless otherwise noted).  Pre-registration is encouraged.  (609) 897-9400
*Unless otherwise noted
 

  BUILD A BIRD NEST
Saturday, April 2nd 
3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Birds use all kinds of materials to construct their nests—grass, mud, sticks, feathers, fur, even bits of yarn or plastic that they find!  In this hands-on program, we’ll first look at some sample bird nests to investigate how they were built.  Then we’ll head outside to gather nesting materials, select a good nesting tree, and try to construct your own bird nest!
 
NATURE WELLNESS WALK
Saturday, April 9th
3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Spring is the time when many of us think about going outside to exercise as the weather starts to warm.  It is also a time when we think about getting our general health back on track after the holiday season and winter months.  To help you take your first step towards health this season, join Sändra Hoedemaker, certified Health and Nutrition Counselor, on a 3-mile Nature Wellness Walk through Plainsboro Preserve.  You can ask her questions about your diet and health in general, and she will share with you eight important actions you can take to stay healthy all while you enjoy the great outdoors.



EARTH DAY FESTIVAL
Saturday April 16th, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
In celebration of Earth Day we are offering Family Nature Programs at 8:00am, 11:00am, & 3:30pm.
 
SPRING BIRD MIGRATION AT THE PLAINSBORO PRESERVE
Saturday, April 16th  
8:00 A.M.  – 10:00 A.M.
Come and join Associate Naturalist Vicki Schwartz for a stroll around the preserve looking and listening for a variety of birds.  We will start with some close observations at our feeders and then look for some early spring migrants. 

SIGNS OF SPRING HIKE ON THE PLAINSBORO PRESERVE
Saturday, April 16th
11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
The Plainsboro Preserve is a great place to go for a spring hike.  Bring your hiking shoes, dress in layers and come prepared for a moderate hike to some of the lesser explored areas on the Preserve.  Expect to cover several miles at a moderate pace with Associate Naturalist Shari-Beth Nadell.

 
SALAMANDER SEARCH
Saturday, April 16th
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
The lives of salamanders are secretive and relatively unknown yet salamanders may be the most abundant and easily observed animals in our forests.  Learn some facts about salamanders through a live salamander viewing and discussion.  Then we will head out into the hardwood forest to carefully search for the secretive salamanders.
 

AMAZING ANIMALS OF OUR VERNAL POOLS
Saturday, April 23rd
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
In spring, temporary ponds fill up, and these are magnets for breeding amphibians.  Vicki Schwartz will lead a walk to the vernal pools at Plainsboro Preserve, where you will learn what vernal pools are, why they are important, and what kind of animals can be found there.  Plan to get wet and muddy feet! 
 
 
THE BIRDS ARE BACK IN TOWN
Saturday, April 30th   
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Our feathered friends are heading back to and through New Jersey as they travel on their annual migration.  Many of the birds we see here have spent the winter in Central and South America and come here for the seasonal abundance of insect life - the principal food resource for many baby birds.  Please join us for a classic bird walk where we will try to identify as many birds as possible through colorful calls and pretty plumage. 

FIELD TRIPS & PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AND TEENS

Please pre-register ten days in advance with a payment of $10 for NJA members or $15 for nonmembers.  Checks must be made out to “NJ Audubon”. Send payment to Plainsboro Preserve, 80 Scotts Corner Road, Cranbury, NJ 08512, or pay with a credit card over the phone. 
 
DUKE BIRDING BY BIKE
Saturday, April 23rd
8:00A.M. -12:00P.M.
Moderate bike
Duke Farms is a beautiful five square mile piece of mixed habitat in central New Jersey that is a haven for bird migrants. Interlaced through fields and forest is an extensive bike path that allows us to cover distance at a moderate pace and locate a large variety of bird species. Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace, Michael Polluck, and Stephen Bagen for a birding by bike bonanza. 
 
 
BIRDING: SOURLAND MOUNTAINS SERIES
PART 1:  SOMERSET SOURLANDS
Saturday, April 30th  
8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
Moderate hike.
This Somerset County site is not only a great place to hike, but also a great place to witness migration in Central New Jersey.  Warblers, Tanagers, Orioles and Bluebirds find the forests here a welcome haven during their arduous journey.  Join Sanctuary Director Sean Grace on this wonderful hike and learn about spring migration.