LOCAL EVENTS: Live Animal Show & Family Breakfast @ Audubon Greenwich (9:30 am) + SIT SPOT class (1:00 pm)

Audubon Greenwich Programs & Events

Sunday, November 10 ~ Saturday, November 16

Sunday, November 10

E4C: Family Breakfast & Live Animal Show

9:30-11:30 am at Audubon Greenwich

Bring the family for a kid-friendly breakfast event & live animal show with Critter Caravan! Enjoy breakfast and fun in the gallery to start and then soon the live animal show will begin. Critters will include rabbits, lizards, turtles and more! Suitable for All ages. $25/family. SPACE LIMITED ~ RSVPs required. Call Jeff Cordulack at 203-613-8813 to sign up and pay over the phone.

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Sunday, November 10

Sitting on PURPOSE: an introduction to the art of Sit Spot

1:00-2:30 pm

The ancient practice of Sit Spot is a form of daily meditation that takes a person out of their head and puts them into their senses. Unlike other forms of meditation, Sit Spot along with its associated core routines of awareness is done outside, where nature becomes the Master and thus draws forth the Master within.  In this live, 90 minute program, participants will be given the inspiration and key elements to integrating this life changing practice into their everyday living so they may:

·         experience a greater sense of peace

·         feel more connected to the natural world than they ever have before

·         feel healthier, more alive and more connected

·         discover a profound sense of gratitude

Program suitable for adults (18& up). $5 current Audubon members/$10 future-members. Pre-registration recommended to Lynn@sagefireinstitute.com or 914-396-7674. Registration begins at 12:30 pm.

NOTE: This program takes place outside and you will be sitting on the ground for a portion of it.  Please dress appropriately for the weather and provide for your personal level of comfort. This may mean bringing a blanket or camp chair to sit on. For more information visit our website: www.SagefireInstitute.com

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Wednesday, November 13

Importance of Biodiversity and Pollinators in Farming & Gardening

With Kelly Gill, Pollinator Conservation Specialist for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation & Partner Biologist for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

6:00-9:00 pm at Audubon Greenwich (Snow date: Nov. 14)

As humble bumble bees and other insects go about their lives, their simple act of flower pollination provides major benefits both working farmlands and natural landscapes. Sadly, despite their valuable pollination services, a growing body of evidence suggests both managed honey bee colonies and wild bee populations are in decline due to urbanization, outdated agricultural practices, and unhampered pesticide use across the nation.  But gardeners and farmers are actively changing that by retaining and/or restoring native wildflower habitat for native pollinators on agricultural and in suburban and urban areas in Connecticut and across the nation.

Join the National Audubon Society in Greenwich & Connecticut Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (CT NOFA) when they host Kelly Gill for a dynamic workshop and discussion designed to provide the latest science-based approaches for farmers and gardeners to identify, protect, and improve habitats for these vital native insect pollinators. Kelly Gill's presentation will discuss:

·         Understand the importance of pollinators

·         Ability to identify ways of increasing and enhancing pollinator diversity on the land

·         Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native plant restoration and nest site enhancements

·         Knowledge of the current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on pollinators

·         Overview of the Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions and how to implement those provisions through USDA programs

Kelly Gill is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. She is also a Partner Biologist with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regions. Kelly's position provides technical support for planning, installing, and managing pollinator habitat. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly completed her Master's Degree in Entomology at Iowa State University. There, she conducted small plot and farm scale research, collaborating with organic and conventional farmers, on the development of best practices for conserving beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes.

RSVP INFO: Pollinator Workshop:

·         $20 for member of CT NOFA or National Audubon Society

·         $30 for non-members

SIGN UP ONLINE: https://ctnofa.wufoo.com/forms/importance-of-biodiversity-and-pollinators

OR CALL:  Stephanie Berluti at (203) 308-2584

MORE ABOUT NOV 13: Native insect pollinators are increasingly being appreciated as an important resource for 21st century agriculture.  In fact, Xerces Society research shows that if farmers and gardeners created small native pollinator habitat plots around croplands, the free pollination services can enhance yields, improve crop quality, and even help farmers forgo the need to lease domesticated pollinators.

(http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/factsheet_value_of_native_bees_for_agriculture.pdf)

XERCES SOCIETY FACT SHEETS & RELATED INFORMATION

·         http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/factsheet_value_of_native_bees_for_agriculture.pdf

·         http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens

·         http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/organic-farms

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Saturday, November 16

BIRD SCIENCE: Behavior, Feeding and 'Project Feederwatch'

2:00-3:30 pm at Audubon Greenwich

The 2013-14 FeederWatch season starts November 9! Join us to get better acquainted with our winter bird neighbors and learn how you can host them both with native plant foods and bird feeders. Also learn how your family can be 'Citizen Scientists' and count birds all winter long and report your sightings to scientists at Cornell University. All ages. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230.

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Regular program fees include admission to the Kimberlin Nature Education Center, the Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich and access all trails. Unless indicated otherwise, program fees are as follows:

-          National Audubon Members:  Adults $3.00/Children & Seniors $1.50

-          Non-members:  Adults $5.00/Children & Seniors $3.00

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP: Learn about Audubon membership benefits online at:  http://greenwich.audubon.org/about-audubon-greenwich-membership. Audubon Memberships ($35) can be started in the Nature Store at Audubon Greenwich or simply print an application and send it to Audubon Greenwich via regular mail.

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AUDUBON GREENWICH'S NATURE STORE:

Shop to Support Audubon Greenwich. Visit the shop for bird seed, coffee, gifts & more!

·         Birding Optics ~ Binoculars & Spotting Scopes

·         Organic 'bird-friendly' coffee & local honey

·         Bird Feeders and More……

·         Delightful, Nature-inspired Gifts

·         Fun Educational Gifts for Kids

·         The Latest in Nature Guide Books

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 am-5:00 pm and from 12:00 noon -5:00 pm on Sundays. For store-related questions, contact Gigi Lombardi at 203-869-5272 ext.221 or x223 / glombardi@audubon.org

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TAKE A HIKE … AUDUBON GREENWICH SANCTUARIES

~Audubon Greenwich & The Kimberlin Nature Education Center (613 Riversville Road, Greenwich)

~Fairchild Wildflower Garden (North Porchuck Road, Greenwich)

~Gimbel Sanctuary (Sherwood Avenue, Greenwich)

~Oneida Drive Sanctuary (Oneida Dr. & Indian Harbor Drive, Greenwich)

~Mildred Caldwell Sanctuary of Walden Woods (Bible Street, Cos Cob)

~Wood Duck Swamp (Carissa Lane, Greenwich)

For locations and trail maps, see "Walking Trails in Greenwich and Surrounding Areas" available in the Audubon Nature Store.

Also, see the maps located in the Kimberlin Audubon Center lobby. View the list of Audubon Greenwich Sanctuaries online.

NATURE SANCTUARY ADMISSION

Members: No charge

Nonmembers: Adults $3.00/Students & Seniors $1.50

(Please pay in the store)

OTHER "AUDUBON CONNECTICUT" CENTERS & SANCTUARIES

For a list of all Audubon Connecticut centers and sanctuaries, click here: http://audubonct.org/Centers_Sanctuaries.html

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The Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich

Now open in Kiernan Hall at Audubon Greenwich

"Audubon's Birds of Prey - in Watercolor"

Now on display from September 19 ~ December 31, 2013

The Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich new exhibit features 28 raptor watercolors by J. J. Audubon.

The Oppenheimer Gallery in Kiernan Hall is located inside the Kimberlin Nature Education Center at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road. Visiting hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Tuesday- Saturday and from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm on Sundays.  To make a private appointment to visit the gallery, please call Jeff Cordulack at 203-869-5272 x239.

FOR INVITATIONS TO GALLERY EVENTS: Please provide your contact information (mailing address &/or email address) for Special Event announcements about the new Oppenheimer Gallery at Audubon Greenwich. Contact the Communications Manager at 203-869-5272 x239 / greenwichcenter@audubon.org.

30% percent of the proceeds benefit the Audubon Greenwich Center & its Sanctuaries. All Oppenheimer prints can be purchased with or without a frame. For images of the artwork and more information, visit the Gallery website:  http://greenwich.audubon.org/oppenheimer-gallery-kiernan-hall or http://www.audubonart.com/greenwich.asp 

MORE ABOUT OPPENHEIMER GALLERIES: Established in 1969, the fine art galleries of Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. in Chicago and Charleston offer a stunning array of natural history art from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, as well as fine art framing, and complete conservation and restoration services.  As a natural history art gallery, Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. is dedicated to the connoisseurship of collecting and preserving the art of natural history and celebrating the contributions of the explorers who recorded the flora and fauna of the past three centuries.  Joel Oppenheimer, Inc. strives to provide collectors with an unsurpassed selection of the finest examples of prints and paintings from the golden age of natural history art including rare works by John James Audubon, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Dr. Robert Thornton, John Gould, Basilius Besler, and many others.  

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DIRECTIONS: http://greenwich.audubon.org/AboutUs_AudubonCenter_Kimberlin_Directions.html

Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831 http://greenwich.audubon.org / (203) 869-5272

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*** HELP AUDUBON ~ PASS THE WORD ***

MESSAGE SENT BY:

Jeff Cordulack

Events & Communications Manager

jcordulack@audubon.org

203-869-5272 x239

203-613-8813 (cell)

www.audubonct.org

http://greenwich.audubon.org

Audubon Connecticut is the state office of the National Audubon Society. Our mission is to further the protection of birds, other wildlife and their habitats through science, education, advocacy and conservation, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

We envision a Connecticut with a rich and diverse natural heritage, where there is ample habitat for birds and other wildlife, where a majority of its people appreciate and participate in their natural environment, and whose children are educated and motivated to become the conservation leaders of tomorrow.