Drawing by Susan Rubin
Workshop Leader: Muriel Appelbaum. Muriel is a working artist with an MFA in Studio Art from Pratt Institute in NYC. She mostly draws from nature—landscapes, people, and live animals. See her artwork at www.murielappelbaum.com.
Do you think you’d enjoy drawing, but can’t seem to find the perfect time to do it? Come draw with us. If you’ve drawn before, come hone your skills in a comfortable and relaxed place and, if drawing is new for you, this is an enjoyable way to get started in an encouraging setting. Bring a 9”x12”drawing pad with a hard back for support and two drawing implements—for example, a very soft (dark) pencil (4B is good), conté crayon, or ballpoint pen.
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Xylia Serafy
Walk Leader: Miles Todoro, South Fork Natural History Museum Environmental Educator
Mashomack Preserve is one of Long Island’s natural treasures. Its 2,039 acres protect an entire third of Shelter Island and are home to countless native plants and animals. From its forests and fields to its creeks and coastlines, Mashomack is comprised of an incredibly diverse array of habitats. Join Miles on a hike through the preserve to learn more about what you can find in this “Jewel of the Peconic,” and how incredibly important it is that places like Mashomack exist.
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Hike Leader: Dai Dayton, Southampton Trails Preservation Society
In SoFo’s ongoing effort to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy the benefits of nature, we are pleased to suggest this year’s Southampton Trials Preservation Society’s day-after-Thanksgiving fast-paced hike designed to shed that Thanksgiving stuffing. While shedding those pounds, take in the amazing views of Round Pond, Long Pond, and Little Long Pond. Meet at the end of Round Pond Lane in Sag Harbor. There is no charge for this hike. Any questions, please call Dai Dayton at 631-745-0689.
Photo Credit: Michael Gil
Walk Leader: Dai Dayton, President, Friends of the Long Pong Greenbelt
Cosponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt (FLPG) and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo)
The Frost Moon is also known as the Full Beaver Moon. For Native Americans, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Join us for this leisurely paced one-hour hike in Vineyard Field, the field behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo), and afterward, for some convivial conversation and refreshments.
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Xylia Serafy
Walk Leader: Joe Giunta, birding instructor for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, trip leader for New York City Audubon and lecturer for many local chapters, and owner of Happy Warblers LLC, a birding and educational travel company
Listen for the whinnying sound of the Eastern Screech Owl or maybe even the seven-noted hoot of the Great Horned Owl on this nighttime owl prowl that marks the beginning of our owls’ courtship season. Joe, an expert birder and a delightful teacher, will present a brief slide show and then take you into the field to call owls in for actual sightings. Bring binoculars and a flashlight. Limited enrollment
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
SoFo is once again delighted to open its doors to everyone for its free Thanksgiving Open House.
- 11am – Noon: Join us for a welcome, sacred blessing by the Shinnecock Nation, followed by traditional dancing by the Shinnecock Youth Dancers
- 1pm – 4pm: Talk to local shark experts as we unveil SoFo’s new Shark Exhibit
November 24 is the first day of SoFo’s Holiday Charity Drive, which this year is literally going the dogs…and cats.
Credit: Protozone Interactives
Since the mission of the museum is to help create a bond between the individual and the natural world, and frequently a child’s first introduction to an animal is through a pet dog or cat, we have decided to partner, for our 2018 Holiday Charity Drive, with two local shelters that place rescued animals in forever homes—the Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) and the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.
From November 24, 2018 until January 5, 2019 you can drop off monetary contributions, gently used blankets, sheets, towels, and new dog and cat toys, eared marked for either or both of these organizations, at the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) at 377 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton. SoFo will deliver the donations to these organizations on January 5, 2019.
Program Presenter: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum Environmental Educator
A tree is a home for many different animals. Some make a nest in the branches, some live in the ground by the tree’s roots, and others make their home under the tree’s bark. We’ll listen to a poem about an old oak tree and all the creatures that make their home in it and fill our own tree with birds, mammals and insects. Materials fee $3
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Storytime Leader: Xylia Serafy, South Fork Natural History Museum Environmental Educator
Did you know that there are more than 250,000 rivers in the United States? There are even more rivers in Canada! Rivers are home to many different kinds of wildlife, providing food, shelter, and sanctuary during times of breeding and migration. Join Xylia for a reading of Over in a River: Flowing Out to the Sea by Marianne Berkes to learn about the importance of rivers. Count the baby animals that are found throughout different watersheds across the country, search for the hidden animals in each picture, and create your own river portrait to take home! Materials fee $3
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Ryan Hodnett
Program Leader: Rachel Speckenbach, South Fork Natural History Museum Environmental Educator
Ever wonder where some animals go in the winter? Many of them, like amphibians, “sleep” or hibernate during the colder months of the year. This allows them to stay safe and deal with the harshness the winter brings. Why, where, and how do they enter this dormant state? Come meet some of our SoFo friends, like the wood frog, to learn more about their “life style” and how warming temperatures are starting to affect this process. Afterwards, we end our conversation about these unique species native to the South Fork by drawing one of the animals we’ve met. Materials fee $2
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Leaders: South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) Environmental Educators.
If you have ever been to the museum and spoken to any of our educators, you know how much we care about preserving the healthy, natural environment of the South Fork. This is clearly a part of the mission of the museum itself, which is to stimulate interest in, advance knowledge of, and foster appreciation for the natural environment. The SoFo staff has decided that—to uphold the mission of the museum—we need to take direct action to help keep Long Island habitats pollution-free. That’s why we are doing our “SoFo Cleans the Beach” programs. We hope you will join us for this program to pick up as much trash as possible. We will tally what type of trash we find and, when we are finished, weigh it out. Over time, we will be able to get an idea of the kind of trash that is washing up on our beaches—and we can knowledgeably advocate avoiding those materials in the future. We’re excited to continue this program and hope you will join us in reaching our goal of keeping our hometown beaches pollution-free!
Advance reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.