Dedication Ceremony, Lowry Woods Community Forest
Saturday, June 3 (Postponed from earlier date due to weather)
10:00 a.m.
Join us for an informal walk with elected officials, community leaders, and members of the Lowry family, who helped facilitate the conservation of this forest. We will honor the memory and generosity of Dr. Betty Lowry as she is an integral part of this great land conservation story. Meet by the parking lot near 55 Warpas Road, between Copse Road and Riverside Terrace. https://madisonlandtrust.org/lowry-woods/
Amphibian Hike, Blinnshed Loop
Sunday, June 4
1:00 p.m.
Join Yale ecologists Kealoha Freidenburg and David Skelly on a Connecticut Trails Day hike to search for frogs, toads, salamanders and newts. Please wear boots and bring a dip net if you have one. The trail features extensive wetlands and old logging roads through the woods. The hike will run rain or shine. No dogs, please. Meet in the parking lot of The Country School at the intersection of Opening Hill and Blinnshed Roads.
Nature Photography Hike, Ironwoods Preserve
NEW DATE: Sunday, June 25, 1:00 p.m.
How do you take great nature photos with a cell phone camera? Join us at the Ironwoods Preserve to learn from the experts -- Sarah Raynold and Katrina Engelhardt, art teachers at Madison Public Schools. Bring your cell phone or camera and wear long pants, so you'll be able to kneel down to get up close and personal with your subjects. All ages are welcome. Meet in the preserve's parking lot at 201 Race Hill Rd. https://madisonlandtrust.org/trails/ironwoods
Red-bellied Woodpecker
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a common bird in the Land Trust forests. Its name is somewhat odd since the pinkish color on the breast area is seldom visible, but the red cap is prominent. Look for zebra-stripes on the back and flashes of white on the wings when it’s in flight. The male has the red all the way to the bill, but females only have a red crown and brown before their beak. The call is a quick quirrrr, and a ch-ch-ch-chirrrrrrr! Thirty years ago the Red-bellied Woodpecker would have been a rarity in Connecticut, but today it’s one of our most common birds.
Painting © Michael DiGiorgio