Sept - Dec Programs

Free and Low Cost Programs
Children's Programs
Family Programs
Adult Programs
Upcoming in 2011

FREE & LOW-COST PROGRAMS, EVENTS & ACTIVITIES for
INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES

For Free Programs: Registration is required. Call 656-1490 or E-mail and provide your name and number attending.

Monarch Migration Celebration
Saturday, September 17, 12 pm - 2 pm
Free, No pre-registration required

Celebrate one of nature's wonders...the great Monarch butterfly migration! Encounter live butterflies, take butterfly walks, and help us tag and release Monarchs for migration research.

Conservation Corner

Ever wanted to do something to help the environment but weren't sure what to do? Come to these FREE events to find out how you can help!

World Water Monitoring Day
Saturday, September 24, 11 am -1 pm
Free, No pre-registration required

Our local waterways are wildlife habitats, provide us drinking water, and are wonderful places to recreate in. Come explore and test the health of the waters surrounding DEEC as part of World Water Monitoring Day and in celebration of National Estuaries Day. Join thousands of people from over 85 countries testing the health of local waters - results will be entered into an international database.

When the Water Rises
September 28, 2011
6:30 - 8 pm
Free, pre-registration required

As a coastal state, Delaware could experience significant impacts on infrastructure, wildlife habitat, and tourism. Join us for a panel discussion with the National Wildlife Federation, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Widener Environmental Law Clinic, and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as well as other local conservation organizations to learn how the State is preparing for sea-level rise and what you can do at home. To register, call 302-656-1490 or E-mail with name, number attending, and phone number.

Environmental Book Club
Thursday, September 22, 6 - 7:30 pm
Free, No pre-registration required.

Join us for a lively discussion of selected books relating to our natural world. The current book selections are Mark Kurlansky's Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World and World Without Fish. For more information E-mail Brenna Goggin or 302-239-2334.

Lights-Out! Wilmington Walk - For DNS Members Only
Saturday, October 8, 7:30 - 9:30 am
ING Building, 800 Delaware Ave, Wilmington
Free! Pre-registration required.
Leader: Bill Stewart and Joe Sebastiani

Join members of the Delmarva Ornithological Society and the Delaware Nature Society in an effort to check city streets in Wilmington for songbirds that have struck buildings overnight during their migration. Data is collected on these surveys for the Lights Out Wilmington project, which strives to reduce building strike deaths in the city. To learn more about the project, visit www.lightsoutwilm.com. Keep your eyes out for the Peregrine Falcons that nest downtown. To register, call 302-656-1490 or E-mail with name, number attending, and phone number.

Big Sit Birding Competitions
Sunday, October 9, 4 am - 7 pm
All day at Ashland Nature Center, DEEC & Bucktoe Creek Preserve
Member/Non-Member: Free
Leader at Bucktoe: Joe Sebastiani
Leader at DEEC: Jim White
Leader at Ashland: Derek Stoner

Join the birding competition/party! Compete in the international Big Sit competition hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest and count the bird species seen in a day from our 17-foot diameter circle. Food and drink will be available at each location.

Wildlife Open House
Saturday, November 19, 11 am - 2 pm
Free, No pre-registration required

Meet live animals that are found in our marsh and throughout Delaware. Take guided walk through the refuge with our naturalists.

Delaware's Coastal Zone Act: An Evolving Legacy
Saturday, January 14, 12 pm - 3pm
Free, Pre-registration required. Call 302-656-1490 to register.

Enjoy an autobiographical film of Delaware's Governor Russell W. Peterson, a rebel with a conscience, committed to protecting the delicate coastline and open spaces that define our state. After the film, stroll the boardwalk on a naturalist-led walk.

ADULTS & TEENS

Canoeing the Christina River I
Program #: F11-200-DC      Max: 14
Friday, September 9, Noon - 4 pm
Member/Non-Member: $30/$45
Leader: Jim White

Ride the tide down the Christina River into the Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge marsh looking for wildlife such as birds of prey, waterfowl, and aquatic mammals and then further downstream seeing the Riverfront from a new perspective.

Migrant Shorebirds and Songbirds
Program #: F11-201-DC      Max: 12
Monday, September 26, 8 - 11 am
Member/Non-Member: $10/$15
Leader: Sally O'Byrne

Explore the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge in search of fall migrant birds with Sally O'Byrne, Delmarva Ornithological Society president. Visit the closest mud flat to Wilmington and a small forest island looking for shorebirds such as yellowlegs, dowitchers, snipe, and various "peeps". Dress for the weather and wear good walking shoes.

River Walk & Wine
Program #: F11-202-DC      Max: 12
Tuesday, September 27, 5:30 - 8 pm
Member/Non-Member: $10/$15
Leader: Sally O'Byrne
Note: Program meets at Veritas Wine & Spirits

Enjoy an interpretive walk of the Wilmington Riverfront's cultural and natural history with Sally O'Byrne, author of Wilmington's Waterfront and Delmarva Ornithological Society council member. Finish at Veritas Wine & Spirits on the Riverfront for a wine tasting.

Kayaking the Christina River
Program #: F11-203-DC      Max: 13
Friday, September 30, 10 am - 2 pm
Member/Non-Member: $30/$45
Leader: John Harrod and Ed Rohrbach

Kayak along the Christina River and through the heart of marshes' winding guts to find wildlife, like wading Great Blue Herons, diving Ospreys and swimming turtles.

Painting on the River
Program #: F11-204-DC      Max: 10
Saturdays, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
October 1, 8, 15, 22
Member/Non-Member: 120/$160
Leader: Carol Tippit Woolworth, Delaware College of Art and Design, Artist

Observe the many facets of nature and industry while painting, plein air, along side the Christiana River with Carol Tippit Woolworth. Explore the beauty of the refuge as it assumes the colors of fall. Oil paints, acrylics and water based media are all acceptable, and all levels of experience are encouraged to attend.

Recycling Plant Tour
Program #: F11-205-DC
Tuesday, October 11, 9 am - 2 pm
Member/Non-Member: $20/$30
Leader: Sally O'Byrne

We throw our cans, bottles, and papers into a recycling bin and see it put onto a truck, but we don't know what happens to all those items that are so conveniently taken away. Join this first-time trip to the ReCommunity Recycling plant in Camden NJ to find out. After our tour, visit the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge where their visitor center recycles waste water onsite and has many environmentally friendly building features. Walk some of the nature trails to look for wetland wildlife, within the city limits of Philadelphia. Bring a lunch.

Canoeing the Christina River II
Program #: F11-206-DC      Max: 13
Sunday, October 16, 1 - 5pm
Member/Non-Member: $30/$45
Leaders: Sally O'Byrne and John Harrod

Ride the tide on the Christina at the height of fall color. We will put in at Churchman's road and ride with the tide upstream, exploring wilderness in the midst of suburbia. When the tide turns we will turn with it, heading downstream following curves of the natural stream, noting some of the historic changes made by man, and seeing how nature has reclaimed much of it.

Claude E. Phillips Herbarium and Natural Areas
Program #: F11-207-DC      Max: 13
Thursday, November 10, 9 am - 3 pm
Member/Non-Member: $22/$30
Leaders: John Harrod and Jason Beale

Visit the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium in Dover and explore a collection of 150,000 pressed flowering plants, gymnosperms, ferns, mosses, algae and lichens, some dating back to 1799. Among the highlights is the Nuttall's mudflower, a native wetland plant that has not been seen in the wild for 70 years. Then stroll the Woodland Trail to discover botanical treasures, including one of the state's biggest sweet bay magnolias. Finish the day with a stop at a local wildlife hotspot to search for Bald Eagles and waterfowl. Bring a bag lunch.

Practical Energy Conservation Tips for Your Home
Program #: F11-208-DC      Max: 40
Tuesday, November 15, 6 - 7:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $10/$15
Leader: Charles Shattuck, Energy Conservationist

Learn how to identify and reduce drafts and lower your energy bills with practical tips for your home. Walk through the steps you can take to comfort and savings. Questions and photos of your home are encouraged so we may better assess your properties.

Blackwater Wildlife Tour
Program #: F11-209-DC      Max: 13
Wednesday, December 7, 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $22/$30
Leaders: John Harrod and Jason Beale

Despite the fall chill, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland is a premier wildlife observation destination on the Eastern Shore. The refuge hosts many Bald Eagles and waterfowl and is on of the bet sites on the peninsula to see the endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel. Pack a bag lunch. Van departs from DEEC at 7:30 am.

Fall Migration Birding
Program #: F11-007-AS      Max: 13
Fridays, 8 - 11 am

September 16 - Coverdale Farm Preserve and Shadowbrook Estate - Derek Stoner
September 30 - Flint Woods Preserve - Joe Sebastiani
October 14 - Middle Run Natural Area - Derek Stoner
October 28 - DuPont Environmental Education Center - Joe Sebastiani
November 11 - Delaware City Area - Jim White

Member/Non-Member (Series): $50/$60
Member/Non-Member (Single Session): $12/$18
Note: Meeting locations and directions will be provided.

Explore birding hotspots that are not open to the general public during fall migration. Start in mid-September with a blizzard of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, raptors and other songbirds migrating south. End the series in November when the sparrows are migrating through and other birds are setting up winter territories. Improve your birding skills and learn more about their natural history. You will be contacted regarding meeting locations and directions.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in Garden Soil
Program #: F11-210-DC      Max: 50
Wednesday, December 14, 6 - 7:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $10/$15
Speaker: Dale Hendricks, Owner, Green Light Plants

Can you grow beauty, wildlife habitat and food while helping to off-set climate change and improving soil fertility? Yes! Building on sustainability concepts and habitat-friendly landscapes, Dale Hendricks will offer a gardener's perspective of the carbon cycle in soil, which is not only valuable for soil structure but also in sequestering carbon. This program is in partnership with the Delaware Center for Horticulture.

Dragons and Damsels of Delmarva
Program #: W12-201-DC      Max: 40
Wednesday, January 11, 6 - 7:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $10/$15
Leader: Hal White, University of Delaware Professor and author Natural History of Delmarva Dragonflies and Damselflies.

Join Hal White, lifelong odonate enthusiast and expert, as he skillfully and entertainingly shares the unique and interesting natural history of Delmarva's Dragonflies and Damselflies. Lecture followed by a book signing.

FAMILY PROGRAMS
Parent(s) & Children Ages 1 ½- 2 ½

Parent participation required (no extra fee)

The Marsh Rainbow
Program #: F11-220-DC      Max: 15
Wednesday, September 21, 10 - 11 am
Member/Non-Member: $7/$11
Leader: Meghan Hawkins

Discover the colors of the rainbow hidden around the marsh in plain sight! Find red-winged blackbirds, goldenrod, and cabbage white butterflies to win a treat. Create a colorful, seedy snack for both you and marsh animals to enjoy.

One, Two, Three Little Fish
Program #: F11-221-DC      Max: 15
Wednesday, November 2 10 - 11am
Member/Non-Member: $7/$11
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Count your way around the marsh. Three little fish in the pond, two raccoon tracks in the mud, and one marshy adventure had by all! Listen to a numerical story and enjoy a wild snack. Complete a scavenger hunt that adds up to a colorful craft to take home.

Parent(s) & Children Ages 3+

Parent participation welcome but not required (no extra fee)

Bug Out!
Program #: F11-230-DC      Max: 15
Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Member/Non-Member: $10/$16
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Use nets and magnifying glasses to view insects that swim, fly, and crawl. Search for dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies and beetles. You will bee buzzing with excitement to explore your backyard with your own bug catching jar to take home.

Parents Night Out

Children Only! Ages 5-12      Max: 25
Fridays, 6 - 8 pm

Program #: F11-250-DC   September 16, Marsh Migrants
Program #: F11-251-DC   October 21, Wildflower Romp
Program #: F11-252-DC   November 18, Nocturnal Animals
Program #: F11-253-DC   December 16, Winter Wildlife

Member/Non-Member: $15/20
Leader: Laurie Curl

Set mom, dad or grandparent loose to have dinner along Wilmington's Riverfront while you stay at the DEEC and have all the fun with games, a scavenger hunt and an evening hike! Dinner provided. Parents receive a coupon for Timothy's Riverfront Grill.

Families with Children Ages 6+

Girls-Only Marsh Adventure
Program #: F11-262-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, October 1, 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $12/$18
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Discover, connect and take action at DEEC! Explore the plants and animals of Wilmington's freshwater tidal marsh, test the water quality of DEEC's pond and personalize your own reusable water bottle to take home. Activities support Girl Scout Wonders of Water Journey, but is fun for all girls with an interest in nature!

Marsh Insects Day Camp - Kids Only!
Program #: F11-263-DC      Max: 15
Friday, October 7, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: $45/$65
Leader: Nancy Carol Willis and Meghan Hawkins

No school? Spend the day outdoors hunting for insects in the marsh and botanical gardens at DEEC. Compare the garden and marsh and predict where the highest biodiversity can be found. Learn insect anatomy and participate in a fun pollination game. Come interested in insects and leave a budding entomologist!

Boys Only Bio Challenge
Program #: F11-264-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, October 8, 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $12/$18
Leader: John Harrod

How many species of the 200 different plants and animals can you find at DEEC? Use insect and dip nets, fish traps, binoculars and plant and animal field guides to beat our high score. All participants of the challenge set a personal goal and receive a prize if they can meet it. Let the challenge begin!

North Marsh Safari
Program #: F11-261-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, October 15, 1 - 2:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $9/$15
Leader: Lesley Bensinger
Note: Ages 8+

Go on a safari and head into the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge for a wild animal adventure. Use insect, dip, and cast nets to view aquatic organisms. Binoculars help to spy on shy marsh animals. Have a wild time looking for clues mammals leave behind and make plaster casts of their tracks.

Trek and Treat
Program #: F11-266-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, October 29, 1 - 3 pm
Member/Non-Member: $9/$15
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Lace up your sneakers and start the week right with an hour long hike into the rarely traversed North Marsh. Get a closer look at the Osprey nest, see an active beaver lodge, and try to spy other rarely seen marsh residents. Complete a special trek check list and earn a special treat for your efforts!

Remnants of Wilmington's Past
Program #: F11-267-DC      Max: 15
Sunday, November 6, 1 - 3:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Renee Anderson
Note: Ages 8+

Explore the remnants of Wilmington's past on this walk along the Christina River. Imagine Wilmington as it was when the Swedes arrived in the 1700's. Using GPS technology, discover evidence of human activity from the colonial, industrial, and post-industrial eras. Strike a pose and create a still picture of historical eras and use archeology to explore how scientists learn about ancient civilizations.

Leave it to Beaver
Program #: F11-268-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, November 12, 1 - 3 pm
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Learn about the habits of beavers and hike to an active beaver lodge. Discover how these "engineers" construct their lodge and protect their young. Finish the day with a beaver craft.

Marsh Mammal Day Camp - Kids Only!
Program #: F11-269-DC      Max: 15
Friday, November 11, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: $45/$65
Leaders: Lesley Bensinger and Nancy Carol Willis

No school? Explore the mammals of DEEC. Look for animal tracks and preserve them with plaster. Touch animal furs and hike through the marsh to look for evidence of beaver, raccoons and white tail deer. Do any other mammals frequent the marsh? We need your help to find out!

DEEC Treasure Hunters
Program #: F11-270-DC      Max: 25
Friday, November 25, 10 am- 12 pm
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Experience a modern day treasure hunt along the Christina River! Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking a cache of riches using a global positioning system. After a GPS tutorial, awaken your inner pirate to find a series of geocaches hidden along Wilmington's Riverwalk.

Natural Holiday Crafts
Program #: F11-271-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, December 10, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: $12/$18
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Happy Holidays! Deck the Halls, trim the tree, bring your friends and family and help decorate DEEC for the season! Collect material from the marsh to use in ornaments and greeting cards and create unique holiday crafts for your home. Sing a carol and sip hot chocolate.

Snow Science
Program #: W12-261-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, January 21, 10:30 am - Noon
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Enjoy the winter weather and all it brings. Examine snowflakes under a microscope, make a wintery craft and learn how marsh animals live though the snowy Wilmington winter. Use ice and snow to make your own bowl of ice cream. Winter is wonderful!

DEEC Mammal Detectives
Program #: W12-262-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, February 4, 10:30 am - Noon
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Lesley Bensinger

Are mammals active in the marsh during winter? Discover what the red fox, raccoon, and beaver do for the long winter and look for clues they left behind. Learn what all mammals have in common. Touch animal furs, play a mammal game, look for tracks and more!

All Family Members

Monarchs and other Marsh Migrants
Program #: F11-280-DC      Max: 15
Saturday, September 24, 1 - 3:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: $7/$12
Leader: Nancy Delong

Witness the marvelous monarchs and other marsh migrants as they embark on their long journeys south. Try to net monarchs and other butterflies. Become a citizen scientist by tagging monarchs as part of a research project tracking their migration.

Fall Family Cruise
Program #: F11-281-DC      Max: 35
Wednesday, September 28, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $25/$38
Leader: Lesley Bensinger
Program meets at Dravo Plaza on the Wilmington Riverfront

Take a scenic cruise to see Wilmington's Rivers: The Brandywine, Christina and Delaware, and enjoy a fun and lively interpretation of the rich cultural, industrial, and natural history from the entertaining pontoon boat captain.