March 29, 2024

You’re Invited to the Perfect Pumpkin Party! Celebrate Autumn with Audubon

October 2022 Highlights from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island

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(August 31, 2022) – Throw on your fleece jacket, grab your binoculars, and hit the trails in search of fall migrants. Prowl for owls or bring the kids and join the Perfect Pumpkin Party. Celebrate autumn the Audubon way! Unless noted, registration is required for all programs.

Citizens Bank Free Family Fun Day
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 1, 2022; 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Thanks to Citizens Bank, the Nature Center and Aquarium is open free to the public on the first Saturday of every month. Join Audubon for nature stories, animal discoveries, hikes, and more. No need to register!
10:00 am - 3:00 pm: Craft Table
10:00 am: Nature Story
11:00 am and 2:30 pm: Animal Interview
1:00 pm: Nature Bookmarks - Join an Audubon educator in making a unique nature-themed bookmark to take home.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free. Ages: All.

Caratunk White Barn Story Time: Escargot
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA
October 1, 2022; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Come to the big barn at the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge for special story time that focuses on nature! Listen to Escargot by Dashka Slater about a cute and determined snail as he adventures up a picnic table for a delicious salad! After the story discover different types of snail shells, casings, and eggs, then walk in the field or forest to look for these fascinating creatures. For young children ages 3 +. Registration is required. Meet at the white barn.
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $5/member child; $7/non-member child. Ages: 3 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Audubon Used Nature Book Sale
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 1, 2022; 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
You never know what treasure you may find at Audubon’s Used Nature Book Sale! Shop for yourself or look for a unique gift for a fellow nature enthusiast. Looking to clean out your library or closet at home? Drop off gently used nature books at the Nature Center and Aquarium from September 26 to September 29, 2022. Field guides, fiction, non-fiction and children’s nature books are all welcome. Books must be nature-based and in good condition. All proceeds benefit Audubon educational programming. Note: Only books will be accepted. Please no encyclopedias, textbooks, pamphlets, or magazines.

Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free. Ages: All.
Macro/Close Up Photography for Kids
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 2, 2022; 1:00 – 2:30 pm
The close-up world is a magical place full of pattern, color, and abstract imagery. Macro photography opens the door to a wonderful new world of photo opportunities! Instructor Steve McGrath will introduce ways to use your existing camera gear to make spectacular macro photographs. Flowers become abstract works of art; rusty doors become textured canvasses; stones become polished gems; butterflies and other insects can become sci-fi monsters! For children ages 12 and up. Advance registration required.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $18/member; $22/non-member. Ages: 12 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Wednesday Morning Bird Walks with Audubon
Locations Across Rhode Island
October 5, 12, 19, 26, 2022; 9:00 – 11:00 am
Audubon offers small-group Wednesday Morning Bird Walks with naturalist Laura Carberry. Each week a new birding destination will be chosen. Advance registration is required. Location will be sent to registered participants in advance.
Locations determined weekly; Every Wednesday through June 2023; 9:00-11:00 am; Fee: $5/member, $10/non-member. Ages: 14+. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Sea Glass Jewelry
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 8, 2022; 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Come create a beautiful pendant with sea glass found on local beaches. Learn how to choose the right piece of glass and transform it using quick and easy wire wrapping techniques. Program includes all materials. Find something special on the beach? Bring that too! Advance registration is required. Space is limited to 10 participants.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Bird Walk at Hunt’s Mills
Rumford, RI
October 9, 2022; 8:30 – 9:30 am
Join an Audubon naturalist for an early morning bird walk at the historic Hunt’s Mills property in East Providence. Located along the Ten Mile River, this lovely park has big trees, gardens and a nature trail. Look for resident and migrating songbirds, as well as water birds in the river. Bring binoculars and wear sturdy walking shoes. Extra binoculars will be available. Advance registration required. Walks are weather dependent.
Hunt’s Mills, 65 Hunt’s Mills Road, Rumford, RI; Fee: $5/member, $7/non-member. Ages: 12 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Indigenous People’s Day Nature Activities
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 10, 2022; 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Bring the kids for crafts, stories, an animal interview and more. No registration is required. Programs are free with admission.
10:00 am - 3:00 pm: Craft Table
10:00 am: Nature Story
11:00 am and 2:30 pm: Animal Interview
1:00 pm: History of Corn and Corn Grinding
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free with Admission. Ages: All.

Owl Prowl at Powder Mill Ledges
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
October 11, 2022; 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Visit Audubon at night to search for owls! A naturalist will call for different species as you walk through the forest. We never know if we'll hear or see an owl, but participants will learn a lot and have a great night hike. Please dress for the weather and bring a flashlight. Hike will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. Advance registration is required.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $10/member adult, $5/member child; $12/non-member adult, $7/non-member child. Ages: 9 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Fall Hiking on Prudence Island
Prudence Island, RI
October 13, 2022; 1:30 – 6:30 pm
Join an afternoon of hiking on the many trails on Prudence Island. With 85% of the Island protected, there is natural beauty around every corner! Scenery includes coastline, salt marsh and forest. Hike will be at a moderate pace and participants should be able to walk approximately four miles total. Due to limited space, registration is required.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Prudence Island, RI; Fee: $8/member adult, $4/member child; $12/non-member adult, $8/non-member child. Ages: 10 and up. For more information on Prudence Island trips and to register, visit the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Animal Clothes
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
October 15, 2022; 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Do animals wear clothes? Should they? bring the kids to Audubon and find out how animals protect themselves from the elements and survive the seasons. Touch some fur, feathers, and scales. Dress up like your favorite animals and meet some live animal visitors. Advance registration required.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $5/member child; $7/non-member child. Ages: 7 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Touch-A-Turtle!
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA
October 16, 2022; 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Meet and greet Otto and Speedy, the resident turtles at the Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge. Learn about turtles found in New England, then take a short walk to the stream to see what we can see! Meet at the white barn. Advance registration required.
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $5/member child; $7/Non-member child. Ages: 5 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

The ‘Ins and Outs’ of Invasive Species
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
October 20, 2022; 6:30 – 8:00 pm
The problem of invasive species is rated among the most pressing environmental problems in the world today - right up there with climate change. This presentation will introduce participants to many of the 'invasives' here in Rhode Island. See how Audubon combats these aliens on our wildlife refuges and learn what you can do to help reduce this problem in your own spaces.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $10/member; $14/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

The Perfect Pumpkin Party
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 22, 2022; 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Join Audubon for a different kind of autumn celebration and find out just how much fun a pumpkin can be! Search for our nature-themed pumpkins around the wildlife refuge—find them all and pick out a prize! Try your hand at pumpkin games and collect stickers for your pumpkin “patch.” Visit a silly photo booth for a festive family photo. Buy a pumpkin and decorate it with fun art supplies. Come in costume and get a prize! Activities include some favorites from past years, as well as new pumpkin activities!
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free with Admission. Ages: All. No need to register.

Hawk Watch at Napatree Point
Napatree Point Conservation Area, Westerly RI
October 22, 2022; 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Fall is a wonderful time to search for hawks in New England. Napatree Point in Westerly is one of the best locations to look for accipiters, falcons and eagles. If the winds are right, there can be a great show. Swallows, monarch butterflies and any remaining shorebirds may also be spotted. Advance registration is required.
Napatree Point Conservation Area, Westerly, RI (Watch Hill); Fee: $15/member; $20/non-member. Ages: Teen to Adult. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Nature Storytime: Hoodwinked by Arthur Howard
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
October 22, 2022; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Come to Powder Mill Ledges Refuge for special story time that focuses on nature! Hear a story about Mitzi, a little witch who likes creepy things - including pets! Will she find a pet that makes her happy? After the story, look at some bat biofacts and learn about the little brown bat, a species that lives on the wildlife refuge. For families with young children, ages 3 and up.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $5/member child; $7/non-member child. Ages: 3 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Glass of Wine and Walk in the Woods
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, Seekonk, MA
October 23, 2022; 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Come to Caratunk Wildlife Refuge for a leisurely walk in the woods with an Audubon guide and enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the evening! Take in the sights and sounds of early fall on this easy evening stroll. Meet at the white barn.
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: 21 and up. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Saving the Birds: Lecture with Dr. Charles Clarkson
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
October 25, 2022; 6:30 – 7:30 pm
The list of conservation issues birds face continues to grow. As stories of avian influenza, habitat loss and climate change flood our consciousness, it can feel impossible to remain hopeful for the future of our feathered friends. But the army of dedicated scientists and citizens alike who are devoting their time and passion to mitigating and reversing these sources of declines is also growing. Join Dr. Charles Clarkson for a lecture on the biggest conservation concerns of our day, the potential impacts of these stressors on our bird populations and what is being done to save our birds.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $10/member adult, $12/non-member adult. Ages: Teen to Adult. Register through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar

Flying, Walking, and Other Odd Creatures of New England and Beyond
Photography Exhibit by Ron Valiquette
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
Through October 31, 2022; 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Ron Valiquette was introduced to photography when he was 14 years old by the photo editor of the Woonsocket Call. The editor acted as Ron’s mentor for years and would publish his work on occasion in the newspaper. Originally focused on black and white landscapes, Ron now focuses on wildlife. His exhibit will primarily focus on images taken in New England, although a few will be included from his international travels.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free with Admission. Ages: All.

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