Search for Signs of Spring with Audubon!
March 2025 Highlights from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island
(February 4, 2025) – It’s time to get your boots a little muddy! Bring the kids for sweet maple sugaring, grab a friend and observe the amazing display of the American Woodcock, or take a guided walk and discover nature as it awakens this spring.
Don’t Miss This! Maple Sugaring Breakfast, Yoga at Audubon, and the new Field Naturalist Birding Series are sure to please nature enthusiasts of all ages and interests. Get active this spring!
Unless noted, registration is required for all programs. Register online and view a complete listing of programs through the events calendar at www.asri.org/calendar.
Free Family Fun Day – Celebrate Women’s History Month
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
March 1, 2025; 10:00am-3:00pm
The Nature Center and Aquarium is open free to the public the first Saturday of every month. Join us for nature stories, animal discoveries, hikes and more. No need to register!
10:00 am – 3:00 pm: Craft Table
10:00 am – Nature Story
11:00 am and 2:30 pm – Animal Interview
1:00 pm – Women are Scientists, Engineers, Mathematicians and More!
Discover amazing women who have made real change in the world through their work.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Free. Ages: All.
Audubon Wednesday Morning Bird Walks
Locations Across Rhode Island
March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025;9:00-11:00am
Audubon offers small-group Wednesday Morning Bird Walks with naturalist Laura Carberry. Each week a new birding destination will be chosen. Advance registration is required. Location will be sent to registered participants in advance.
Locations determined weekly; Every Wednesday through June 2025; 9:00-11:00 am; Fee: $5/member, $10/non-member. Ages: 14+. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Eastern Bluebird Monitoring
Community Science Initiative Volunteer Training
Virtual Programs; March 4, 6, 2025; 5:30-7:00pm
Join Audubon’s community science project to monitor nesting Eastern Bluebird populations. Requires weekly visits to an Audubon wildlife refuge from April through July and walking through meadows over uneven terrain to check on nests. Attend this free training and learn more about how to get involved! If you cannot attend either training, contact Jessy (jminker@asri.org) to learn how to get involved. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants.
Virtual Program; Free. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Felting Songbirds
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI
March 13, 2025; 6:30-8:00 pm
Join a fun-filled evening creating a felted songbird. Participants will sculpt their bird using the technique of needle felting, which involves using a notched needle to “stab” fluffy, colorful wool until it becomes solid. This class is for beginners. All materials will be provided.
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, 99 Pardon Joslin Road, Exeter, RI; Fee: $25/member; $30/non-member. Ages: Teen to Adult. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Sea Glass Jewelry Workshop
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
March 8, 2025; 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Come design and create a beautiful pendant with sea glass found on local beaches. Learn how to choose the right piece of glass and transform it using quick and easy wire wrapping techniques. Program includes all materials. Find something special on the beach? Bring that too! Advance registration is required as space is strictly limited to 10 participants.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Winter Wildlife on Prudence Island
Prudence Island, RI
March 14, 2025; 9:45am-4:45pm
Join an all-day adventure exploring beautiful Prudence Island. Observe harbor seals, which are often seen hauled out on rocks just offshore and a variety of waterfowl that inhabit the protected coves and ponds of Prudence. Expect to see grebes, eiders, mergansers, loons and much more. Explore a variety of habitats that may include woodland trails, fields, salt marshes, and rocky shorelines. Advance registration is required.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Prudence Island, RI; Fee: $10/member, $14/non-member. Ages: Adult. For more information on Prudence Island trips and to register, visit the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Pysanky Workshop with Audubon
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, Smithfield, RI
March 15, 2025; 10:00am-12:00pm
Come try your hand at the Ukrainian tradition of dyeing eggs called Pysanky. Participants will learn about design, planning and dyeing eggs. Handouts will also be provided regarding where to obtain Pysanky tools and dyes. All supplies are included. Participants will create one egg. Wear clothes that can get messy as dyes are permanent.
Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; Fee: $30/member; $40/non-member. Ages: Teen to Adult. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Maple Sugaring at Caratunk
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA
March 22, 2025; 10:00am-1:00pm
Audubon’s popular maple sugaring program returns to the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge in 2025! Discover how maple trees are tapped for sap, learn how syrup is made, and explore the rich history of maple sugaring in New England. A light maple-themed breakfast will be provided. Fun for the whole family!
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; Fee: $20/member Adult, $10/member child; $50/member family (up to 4 people). $25/non-member adult; $12/non-member child; $60/non-member family (up to 4 people). Ages: 4 and up. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Audubon Osprey Nest Monitoring
Community Science Initiative Volunteer Training
Four Dates and Locations Offered
Calling all birdwatchers! Adult volunteers are needed for the Audubon Osprey Nest Monitoring Program during the summer season. One of Rhode Island’s longest-running avian research programs, the initiative was started in 1978 to monitor the health of the then-endangered Osprey. In this free one-hour workshop, volunteers will learn how to collect data on Osprey nests, discover the natural history of these amazing birds, and discuss why this research is so important to current conservation efforts. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; March 22, 2025; 1:00-2:00pm.
Audubon Caratunk Wildlife Refuge, 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA; March 29, 2025;1:00-2:00pm.
South Kingstown Land Trust, 17 Matunuck Beach Rd, South Kingstown, RI; April 3, 2025; 6:00- 7:00pm.
Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI; April 5, 2025; 1:00-2:00pm.
NEW! Community Yoga at Audubon
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol, RI
Sunday, March 23, 2025; 9:00 – 10:00 am
Unwind with a community yoga class led by certified yoga instructor Joanne DeCataldo in a class is designed for people of all skill levels and abilities. Experience the joy and benefits of practicing yoga while connecting with nature. Please bring your own yoga mat, a water bottle, and any other props you may like to include in your practice. Proceeds support Audubon scholarships, education programs, and animal care.
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI; Fee: $15/member; $20/non-member. Ages: Adult. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Woodcocks and Wine
Audubon Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Exeter, RI
March 28, 2025;6:30-8:30pm
Head to Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge for an evening adventure to observe the enchanting flight patterns of the American Woodcock. Begin with a wine sampling and presentation with fascinating facts about these unusual birds. Afterward, head out on a hike to observe the Woodcock display. Be warned, spring peepers or even a coyote might serenade you! You must be at least 21 years old to register. Bring a flashlight and dress for the weather. Meet in the Nature Center. Advance registration is required.
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, 99 Pardon Joslin Road, Exeter, RI; Fee: $20/member; $25/non-member. Ages: 21 and up. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Searching for the Fiddle Squeak, Mud Snipe, and Labrador Twister
Audubon Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge, Coventry, RI
March 28, 2025; 7:00-8:30 pm
Join Audubon on an early spring evening in search of the unusual field and forest bird that goes by many names: the American Woodcock! Learn how to find this well-camouflaged bird and watch its aerial display. Please dress for the weather, wear sturdy walking shoes, and bring a flashlight. Advance registration is required. Although we plan to stay near the first field, some of the trails are moderately steep.
Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge, Maple Valley Road, Coventry, RI; Fee: $12/member; $15/non-member. Ages: 13 and up. Register online through the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
NEW! Audubon Field Naturalist Series
Go ahead, indulge your curiosity and delve into the complexities of the natural world!
Gain confidence in your knowledge of local habitats, plants, birds, pollinators, mammals and more. Explore seasonal topics in small-group workshops and field explorations with expert scientists and naturalists. Advance courses will be offered along with workshops for beginners.
Start with a course on birding, then look for new offerings in the months ahead.
For ages 16 to adult. Register at asri.org/calendar
Learn to Bird with Audubon
Six Session Course: Virtual and In-person
Are you interested in birdwatching, but are not sure where to start? Look no further! Join an Audubon expert and learn the basics: how to identify birds in the field, habitats, bird families, the ins-and-outs of your binoculars, and how to decipher a field guide. After this course, you will be ready to head out with your binoculars for spring migration! Led by expert naturalist and birder Laura Carberry.
This course includes four virtual 90-minute lectures and two in-person two-hour guided birding excursions at Fisherville Brook and Trustom Pond Wildlife Refuge. Advance registration required, participants must register for all six sessions.
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge, Trustom Pond Wildlife Refuge; March 5, 12, 15, 19, 26, 2025. Advance registration required. Fee includes all six sessions: $120/member, $145/non-member. Fee includes all six sessions. Ages: 16 and up. For details and to register, visit the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Advanced Birding
Five Session Course: Virtual and In-person
Would you like to learn more about the birds that you love and work to conserve? After all, knowledge is power!
This five-session course will extend beyond the birding basics. Dig into the evolutionary history and taxonomic diversity of modern birds, explore the energetics of a bird at rest, in flight and feeding. Avian behavior, movement biology and much more will be covered over three Zoom class meetings and two in-person field outings. This class will serve to reinforce your current knowledge and build on it. Advance registration required, must sign up for all three sessions. Led by Dr. Charles Clarkson, Director of Audubon Avian Research.
Location of field classes to be determined; March 31, April 7, 22, 26, May 3, 2025: Advance registration required. Fee includes all five sessions: $120/member, $145/non-member. Ages: 16 and up. For details and to register, visit the events calendar at asri.org/calendar.
Photos:
Audubon Field Naturalist Birding Series: Red-eyed Vireo. Photo credit Jason Major.
New! Yoga at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, Bristol.
Maple Sugaring with Audubon at the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge in Seekonk, MA. Photo credit Hope Foley