Photo Credit: Wolfgang Wander
Walk Leader: John Turner, noted author, environmentalist, and member of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Board of Directors
Join John for a trip to the end of Long Island where, at Montauk Point, we’ll scan the ocean waters for numerous sea duck species that typically over winter there. Sea ducks expected include eiders, scoters, long-tailed ducks, and red-breasted merganser. We’ll also be on the lookout for gannets, winter gulls and razorbills and, of course, seals, and talk about efforts to give greater protection to the area. For more information about these “feathered marvels” see John’s Eco-links article featured on the front page of the 2020 winter edition of the SOFO Naturalist, SOFO’s quarterly newsletter, which can be found on the home page of the museum’s website: www.sofo.org.
Advanced 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: South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
With the cold of winter, many northern animal visitors come to the South Shore of Long Island to find food—among them Pinnipeds, or seals. The three most common species of seals that visit Long Island at this time of year are Harbor Seals, Grey Seals, and Harp Seals. Join us on a walk toward the ocean at Cupsogue Beach County Park, where at low tide you can expect to see some of these seals sunning themselves on the distant sandbar. It may be cold and windy, so please bundle up.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Petar Milošević
Program Leader: Paul King III, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Italian Wall Lizards are the only lizard that can be found living in our natural environment on Long Island. Released from a pet shop in Hempstead New York, they have made their way much farther west and east, and we can expect them to continue until they reach the end of Long Island. They are highly adaptable and show evidence of quick evolution. How do these lizards survive the winter? Do they harm our native wildlife? How do they spread? Come learn all about these fascinating little creatures.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Evan Marks
Walk Leader: Frank Quevedo, Executive Director, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO)
The barrier beach area at Shinnecock is one of the few remaining undeveloped dune/salt marsh habitats on the eastern end of Long Island, an area that frequently has wintering snowy owls and short-eared owls. Join Frank on one of SOFO’s most popular birding walks. Bring binoculars or a spotting scope and a bird field guide (if you have one). This walk is for adults and teens, although children over the age of 10 may attend.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Peter Paplanus
Program Leader: Sarah Bailey, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Meet the museum’s salamanders and learn more about their fascinating life history! Many of Long Island’s salamanders spend the coldest winter months underground, but three species emerge in late winter or early spring to make incredible migrations to breed. We will learn about the preferred habitat and identifiable characteristics of our native species, while paying special attention to understanding why our mole salamanders migrate.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: FishGuy Photos
Program Leader: Greg Metzger, Chief Field Coordinator for the SOFO Shark Research and Education Program
In this program you’ll get the latest news about SOFO’s Shark Research & Education Program, with special emphasis on last year’s Montauk Expedition, which ran from August 11 to August 17, 2019. Find out if all the objectives of the research project were met, what tags were used, how the tags were deployed, how many sharks were captured, how many were tagged, and what samples were collected. There is a great deal of new information about the program and you’ll hear about it from those who were on board doing the capturing, tagging, collecting of samples, and releasing the tagged sharks. If you are at all interested in sharks, this program is for you!
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: Miles Todaro
Walk Leader: Miles Todaro, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Nobody is swimming or basking at the beach this time of year. That is, nobody except for the animals that live there. Our winter beaches are actually home to a different kind of seasonal tourist. In the winter, animals like harbor seals and sea ducks come down from their northern summer homes to spend the season at our beaches. Brave the winter weather with the South Fork Natural History Museum to see what kind of beach life we can find this time of year.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Cleanup Crew: South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educators
Did you know it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down in the ocean? Every day thousands of tons of waste and trash are dumped into oceans worldwide. Not only does this waste harm—and sometimes kill—the marine life we know and love, it makes its way up the food chain into the food we eat, hurting humans as well. In just one hour, you can help make the beach a cleaner and safer place for everyone! Please join us in our efforts to keep our hometown beaches pollution-free! Call SOFO at 631 537-9735 for location. This is a free program.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Leader: Paul King III, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Come learn about some of the many insects that can be found in our backyards, and make your own! Kids will learn about all the parts of an insect, as well as their importance by assembling their own model. They will learn about where all the insects and bugs go during the winter and where to find them in their own backyards in the coming spring. Material fee: $3
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO)
Walk Leader: SOFO Environmental Educator
The Farmer’s Almanac tells us that since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full moon the Full Snow Moon. Join us on this leisurely paced hike through open field trails, behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO), and stay afterward for some light refreshments and convivial conversation. This is a free program.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.