During the first weekend of December, the Cape Cod Bird Club conducts a survey of as many lakes and ponds across Cape Cod as humanly possible, to count the number of waterfowl present: loons, grebes, swans, geese, mergansers & ducks.

The 300 Committee Land Trust of Falmouth is assembling a team, led by bird enthusiast Molly Cornell, to cover ponds in West & North Falmouth. Birders of all ages and experience levels are welcome! The only requirement is an ability to count, and a sense of adventure. “If it quacks we count it!” The survey is a great way to discover local ponds and make a contribution as citizen scientists.

Parking & Details: We’ll meet in the parking lot behind the West Falmouth Post Office at 410 West Falmouth Highway at 9 AM, and from there carpool to several ponds in West and North Falmouth. Bring a snack and water, also binoculars and a scope if you have them. Driving rain or blizzard conditions cancels. Questions? Contact Molly Cornell at 508-274-8843

Please join Andrea Higgins (Kripalu Certified Mindful Outdoor Guide) & Julia Rugo (Acoustic Applications Engineer and Transformational Yoga Teacher) for a mindful walk and mantra meditation at Sand Pond Woodlands. Connect with nature while strolling serene trails through peaceful forest and meadow habitats. Andrea will offer gentle meditative prompts to fully engage each of your senses and encourage a deeper connection to nature. Julia will then lead a call-and-response mantra and song that you may follow along with, or simply enjoy listening.

Cost: $30 per person. Please click here https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/VZ2KdB4Z9u5bkyeI5mLRBA to reserve.

Photos by Gerry Beetham

Join naturalist and avid birder Christine Bates for this 1.5-mile walk around two freshwater ponds, seeking migrating birds for the annual Cape Cod Waterfowl Census.

Meet at 245 Tonset Road, Orleans.

Register here. https://signup.com/go/GBVeSUX

This 5.3-mile hike traverses the Salt Pond Bird Sanctuary adjacent the Shining Sea Bikeway and then travels up Oyster Pond Road with a stop at Spohr Gardens and then loops through the Headwaters of Oyster Pond parcel. The Salt Pond trails are wide and flat; the Oyster Pond trails have some steep sections. A member of the Oyster Pond Environmental Trust will speak about the ecology of Oyster Pond and its protected watershed. The walk is led by 300 Committee Land Trust volunteer, Cathy Kligler. You can call her with questions at 508-269-7861.

Parking: Park in the parking lot for the Shining Sea Bikeway off Locust Street. Enter 157 Locust Street into your navigation app

Fall is a wonderful time to explore the great outdoors! If you have a youngster aged 2-5 ready for adventure, we hope you’ll join Naturalist Ms. Andrea Higgins for this Preschool Exploration sponsored by Orleans Conservation Trust.

We will gather at a unique conservation destination in Orleans to watch colorful leaves twirling to the ground, breathe in the fresh air, and see signs of wildlife. Get outside, get creative, and get moving all while learning about the land we live on.

Limit of 8 children per session. Specific Orleans location will be included with a reminder email closer to the date of the program.

Register here. https://signup.com/go/tpxGcVN

Please join naturalist and Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide Andrea Higgins for HCT’s weekly Newbies in Nature program. Carry your baby in a front sling or backpack and enjoy the company of other young families while walking the trails of local conservation lands. Find newfound joy while connecting with your baby and seeing the wonder in their eyes as they discover the wild world around them.

Andrea will offer gentle prompts to engage your senses and encourage a deeper connection to nature and your child to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Trails are not suitable for strollers so please carry your baby in a front sling or backpack.

Space is limited so reservation is required. Please click here https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/3Zk4HarB8-B-9zn8knDo-Q to sign up. https://massculturalcouncil.org/

Thanks to generous support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the community, these programs are free.

Photo by Halley Steinmetz

Join field naturalist and author Peter Trull at the A. Janet DeFulvio Wildlife Sanctuary Boardwalk for a Big Sit, a one-hour program where participants will watch from the boardwalk overlooking marsh habitat to see what birds are present or flying by.

The waterfowl are pouring in during December! Dabblers like gadwall, teal, pintails and northern shovellers, as well as the diving ducks like ring-necked, buffleheads, mergansers and even grebes are all exploiting the rich habitats including the ponds and estuaries found at Harwich’s conservation lands. Songbirds like yellow-rumped warblers, eastern bluebirds and sparrows are out and about, searching for food. The bare trees allow for unobstructed observations.

Cost: $20 per person. Please click here https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/diAfpONqLjUzPQk1ci2voA to reserve.

Photos by Gerry Beetham.

December is a wonderful time to discover the great outdoors and admire the shifting seasons! If you have a youngster aged 2-5 ready for adventure, we hope you’ll join Naturalist Ms. Andrea and the Preschool Explorers.

Get outside, get creative, and get moving while hiking a different Preserve each week. Breathe in the fresh air, see signs of wildlife, and learn about the land we live on.

Cost: Free! Space is limited so advance reservation is required. To reserve, please click here https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/ZQBQZBiiwFaoWg__PdaGug .

A special thanks to Sylvan Gardens for welcoming a selection of these adventures to take place at their lovely conservation area. The Rolf E. Sylvan Gardens Conservation Area is owned by the Town of Chatham and maintained and preserved through volunteer efforts with the Friends of Sylvan Gardens https://www.sylvangardens.org/ . https://massculturalcouncil.org/ https://massculturalcouncil.org/

Thanks to generous support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the community, these programs are free.

Photos by Halley Steinmetz