| Spring and Summer Special Events |
| Austin Audubon and the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center presents “HOOTS, CHITTERS AND SQUAWKS” with Karla Kinstler-Tuesday, April 20th 7:00 PM Experience the wide variety of hoots, chitters, and squawks made by Great Horned Owls as you hear the soap opera story of Alice, the Great Horned Owl and her wild neighbors in Perkins Valley just outside of Houston. Alice and company are the basis for the first vocal study on their species, conducted by Karla Kinstler, Alice’s handler and the Director/Naturalist of the Houston Nature Center. You’ll also find out how you can help with Karla’s plan to continue her research by breeding captive Great Horned Owls and observing them using remote cameras and microphones. This program is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by April 20th by calling 437-7519 or email jchnatur@smig.net Come and meet Alice, the Great Horned Owl! KSMQ and the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center present - 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street“MAY DAY, FAMILY NATURE DAY” on Saturday, May 1 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM Barred Owl Program at 2:30 PM (Rain or Shine) FREE EVENT! Experience Nature with your family and friends! You and your family are cordially invited to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street with a dance around the Maypole, outdoor games, stories in the log cabin, trail activities and art activities in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium. Come and meet the live fox snakes and tiger salamanders in the visitor center and visit the new children’s “tree” room. Don’t miss the Barred Owl presentation at 2:30 PM with intern, Ryan Leveque. He will present “Owl Talk” with Guka, our live education bird. Enter the 2 free drawings for two owl t-shirts and KSMQ gifts. Get out and discover nature! 1:00 -4:00 PM May Pole Dance: 1:00-2:00 p.m. Outdoor Games: 2:00-2:30 p.m. Located outside of the auditorium - gunny sack races, egg and spoon and more. Prizes will be awarded. In the Ruby Rupner Auditorium: Nature rubbings on paper with crayons. Stamp animal paw prints on paper or hand/face with washable ink. Make May baskets. Select a trail activity to take a walk on the Nature Center trails. The Owl Talk is at 2:30 p.m. with Ryan Leveque and “Guka” You must be present to win the owl tee-shiert raffle at 3:00 PM In the Visitor Center: Meet the fox snakes, tiger salamanders and visit the new children’s tree nature activity room. Refreshments in the basement of the visitor center. In the Log Cabin: Enjoy reading books and listening to stories in the log cabin. BIRD WATCHING WALKS- MAY 4, 6, 11, 13 and 18th Meet in the Nature Center parking lot at 6:30 AM and join fellow birders for a hike on the Nature Center trails. Join us for any part of an hour and a half. This is the prime migration period and an excellent time to see a variety of colorful birds. This program is FREE and open to anyone interested in birding by sight or sound. Binoculars will be provided upon request. Co-sponsored with Austin Audubon All ages welcome! THURSDAY NATURE PLAY is back!!! – JUNE 17 - AUGUST 19 1-5:00 PM Enjoy and experience nature with your child with FREE canoe rentals-for an adult 16 and older with a child, pond scooping, insect or butterfly netting and/or self guided trail activities every Thursday afternoon from 1:00-5:00 PM -June 17 - August 19. Adult must accompany the child. (first come, first serve) Discover nature with your child! NEW!!! SUMMER SENIOR SPECIALS July 8, 15 & 22 - August 5 & 19 19 This new program for seniors 55 and older will provide patrons with FREE coffee, cookies, a nature program and an opportunity to take a short tour of the trails on 2 access vehicles. PRE-REGISTRATION is REQUIRED for all of the programs and a separate access vehicle sign up. We can accommodate up to 12 people on the access vehicles. Call 437-7519 or email jchnatur@smig.net to reserve your seats for the programs and or trail access vehicle tours. The programs and refreshments will be held in the Ruby Rupner auditorium. The auditorium will be open from 9:00-11:00 am. The morning programs are 30 minutes long. Thursday, July 8 1:30 PM Ole Oleson’s “Immigrant Tales” - 60 minute program Roger Hellesvig’s reenactment of a Norwegian Immigrant . Ole Oleson presents a fresh look at Norwegian immigration in the 19th century. His hands on approach gives the audience a real feeling of what life was like for these new arrivals, with just a touch of light hearted humor added to keep everyone's interest. No tours or trail access vehicles for the July 8th afternoon program. Thursday, July 15 9:00 AM “ Nature’s Animal Ambassadors” - 30 minute program Come join as we explore the secret traces animals leave behind in the Nature Center. Come and meet some of our animal ambassadors and learn more about the "critters" who live here in our community. Tour # 1. 9:30 am 10:15 am - 45 minute tour Tour # 2. 10:15 am -11:00 am - 45 minute tour Presenter: Ryan Leveque Thursday, July 22 9:00 AM “ The History of the Jay. C. Hormel Nature Center” 30 minute program "King's Woods" became the J.C. Hormel Nature center in 1971. As we approach our 40th anniversary come learn why this very special place was started , what it could have become and what the future has in store for us. Tour # 1. 9:30 am 10:15 am - 45 minute tour Tour # 2. 10:15 am -11:00 am - 45 minute tour Presenters: Larry Dolphin and Ryan Thursday, August 5 9:00 AM “Owl Talk” Meet our Barred Owl “Guka” a live education bird. Guka will share with us the secrets and special skills of barred owls and how they survive in the wild. Tour # 1. 9:30 am 10:15 am - 45 minute tour Tour # 2. 10:15 am -11:00 am - 45 minute tour Presenter: Larry Dolphin Thursday, August 19 9:00 AM “Butterflies - Monarchs on the Move” Enjoy a new experience! Learn to tag a Monarch butterfly. These long distance flyers, born in August, migrate like no other butterfly. They travel much farther than all the other tropical butterflies, up to 2000 miles, to a place they have never been. Tour # 1. 9:30 am 10:15 am - 45 minute tour Tour # 2. 10:15 am -11:00 am - 45 minute tour Presenters: Larry and Ryan CANOE RENTALS The Nature Center canoe rental for use on Dobbins Creek to East Side Lake is $10.00 for one half day rental (4 hours). Canoe rental is available Monday through Saturday. There are no canoe rentals on Sundays or City of Austin holidays. (first come, first serve) Rental dates are May 22 to September 25 for 2010. Life jackets, canoe paddles and canoe carrier are provided. Call 437-7519 for more information. David Stokes-Guest Naturalist June 8, 9 and 10 David is a national award winning naturalist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. David will present one evening show and will be a guest naturalist on June 12th with the Ecoblitz sessions. Please RSVP for the evening program by calling 437-7519 or email jchnatur@smig.net Wednesday, June 9 7:30-PM-9:30 PM “Sights and Sounds of an Early Summer Evening” This is a FREE program, but pre-registration is required and limited to 30 participants. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please be prepared to walk a half mile on the trails. Please RSVP at 437-7519 or email jchnatur@smig.net by June 7. Summer Solstice Ecoblitz Saturday-June 12 8:30 am - 3:15 pm FREE Family Event Program! Bring your family out to the nature center for a morning & or afternoon session of outdoor summer fun. Ecoblitz is the discovery and exploration of our natural world. Come out and discover the joy of outdoor activities with your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew. A parent/adult guardian and child must PRE-REGISTER and participate together for either the morning or afternoon sessions. Select 3 activities from the 5 different offerings. Complete 3 of the 5 activities and receive prizes and raffle chances. 437-7519 PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for the morning or afternoon sessions and select 3 activities from the 5 offerings. Sign up forms are available at the Nature Center. Ecoblitz begins at 8:30 AM! Prizes and Awards at 3:15 PM Timeslots are: 9-9:45 AM 10-10:45 AM 11-11:45 AM 1-1:45 PM 2-2:45 PM 3:15 Prizes 1. Timed Canoe Race on the Pond 2. Bird Migration Survival Course 3. Scoop the Pond for Aquatic Critters 4. Bird Walk with Austin Audubon Birders 5. David Stokes -Nature activities Stop in the visitor center for trail activities, face painting, a coloring contest and an art activity. Complete three of the five activities and turn in your Ecoblitz form and take home one compact fluorescent light bulb and a pack of wildflower seeds to plant (one package per family). Your Ecoblitz form will also be entered in the 3:15 PM prize drawings for t-shirts, canoe rentals and more!!! The best time at the pond canoe race will win 2 canoe rentals valued at $20.00. The Summer Solstice Ecoblitz is co-sponsored by Austin Audubon and the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center. Special thanks to Austin Utilities for donating the compact florescent bulbs for this event. |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
|
