Seasonal Programs

Bring A Friend Events at Abbott's Mill

Free for members! Come to our family fun events and bring one individual or family to join you as your guest. Non-Members are welcome to attend for a nominal fee. Join DNS and attend for free! Non-Member Fee for Abbott's Mill: Adult $3, Child $1, ages 2 & up

Family Fun Night
Thursday, May 7, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Enjoy an evening of family-friendly activities. Play Native American games and make a nature craft. Explore the swamp and forest as you call all for owls. Relax around campfire as you make S'mores.

Paddles, Pollywogs, and Panfish
Saturday, June 13 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Kick off your summer with Abbott's Mill Nature Center's new family fun day. Take guided canoe tours through Abbott's Pond to discover a beaver lodge. Put on a pair of chest waders and seine for fish, tadpoles, and turtles in Abbott's Pond. Participate in a Children's Fishing Tournament to see who lands the big fish (bring your own rod, if you have one.)

Run of the Mill
Saturday, August 1, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Since the damming of Johnson's Branch in 1795, Abbott's Pond is a place where people and nature come together. Discover the power of water as it drives the turbine and milling equipment. Explore the tail race for mill artifacts and the fish and turtles that call it home.

Free Program

Weekly Bird Walk
Wednesdays, May 6 - June 24, 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Member/Non-Member: Free
Leader: Jason Beale

Search for migrating and resident birds along the trails of the Milford Millponds Nature Preserve. May brings legions of migrant birds from Central and South America, including the colorful warblers and tanagers. June birds fill the forests with sounds as they initiate their breeding cycle. Data will be collected for the 2nd Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas. Binoculars are available for use.

Adults

Farms to Food: Birds and Beef
Course: U09-101-AM
Saturday, May 16, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: $15/$20
Leader: Jason Beale
During a visit to Sam Yoder's Farm and Store in Greenwood, the group will explore the farm complex, which is a grassland bird hotspot featuring breeding Eastern Meadowlarks and Grasshopper Sparrows. Dickcissels were present last year and we'll search for migrating Bobolinks. Learn about the challenges to grassland bird survival and how different farming practices impact their habitats. Relax back at Abbott's Mill Nature Center while enjoying a lunch featuring farm-raised fare from the Yoder farm.

Full Moon Walks
Course: U09-102-AM
Saturday, May 9, 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Sunday, June 7, 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Tuesday, July 7, 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Thursday, August 6, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $3/$5 for each session or $10/$15 for the series
Leader: Jason Beale

Explore the Milford Millponds Nature Preserve by the light of the full moon. Each month, visit a different tract along Johnson's or Tantrough Branch on a moderately paced hike along level terrain. Look for mammals at dusk and listen for calling frogs, nightjars, and owls. Good walking or hiking shoes are a must. Bring a flashlight or headlamp, though we'll use the light of the moon when possible. Directions for each hike will be provided.

2009-2010 Naturalist Certification Series

Become a Certified Naturalist through the Delaware Nature Society! Put this on your resume, learn the natural history of Delaware, and enjoy nearby natural areas. This course focuses on nine ecological topics, each of which includes a lecture and field trip. School teachers may sign up for this class through the Delaware Teacher Center as well as a 60-hour inservice-credit workshop and receive tuition reimbursement minus a $50 materials fee.

Hours: This course contains 55 hours of classroom and field experiences. An additional 5 hours will be devoted to "homework" to complete the nature journal of notes and drawings related to learning. Therefore, participating teachers will accumulate 60 hours of professional development.

Completion: The participating teacher will get credit for the course only if all sessions are attended. There will be no make up lectures. There will be other field trips that teachers can attend if they fail to attend the scheduled field trip. Each participant will need to complete a satisfactory nature journal capturing the main ideas and drawings expected during each session. The journal will be reviewed by the instructor and all assistant instructors.

Cost: The cost for this program is $200 for members of the Delaware Nature Society and $250 for non-members, which includes a non-refundable $50.00 fee for materials. To register for this program, print a registration form from our website or call (302) 422-0847. Mail registration to Delaware Nature Society, 15411 Abbott's Pond Road, Milford, DE 19963 with payment or fax to (302) 422-1849 with credit card information Please make checks payable to the Delaware Nature Society. Upon successful completion of the workshop, Delaware Nature Society will reimburse each participating teacher, less the $50.00 materials fee.

Schedule:

Ages 1½ - 2½

Parent participation required (no extra fee)

Mother, May I        Max: 12
Course: U09-103-AM
Wednesday, May 13, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Member/Non-Member: $4/$6
Leader: Nora Childers

May is a month of moms and babies. Look for baby birds begging for food, baby raccoons following their mother, and as fawns hiding in the forest. As we walk, we'll keep an eye out for other moms and baby animals living at Abbott's Mill! We'll wind down with a snack and story.

J is for June        Max: 12
Course: U09-104-AM
Wednesday, June 10, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Member/Non-Member: $4/$6
Leader: Nora Childers

Join us for a June jaunt in the woods to look for June Bugs, Junipers, and Jays. Snack on juice and jigglers. Make a jig-saw puzzle to take home.

Jumpin' July        Max: 12
Course: U09-105-AM
Wednesday, July 8, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Member/Non-Member: $4/$6
Leader: Nora Childers

Hop, skip, and jump around Abbott's Mill. Discover what animals jump and how they do it. Make and take home a jumping frog of your own.

Taste of Nature        Max: 12
Course: U09-106-AM
Wednesday, August 5, 10:00 - 11:00 am
Member/Non-Member: $4/$6
Leader: Nora Childers

Summer is a time of berries and other wild foods. Take your tongue on a hike along the stream, through the woods, and across the meadow. Learn about blue, black, and raspberries. Make a snack to give to the animals at Abbott's Mill.

Ages 3 - 5

Nature's Kaleidoscope        Max: 12
Course: U09-107-AM
Wednesday, May 27, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Member/Non-Member: $5/$7
Leader: Magritte Beale

Search for all the colors of the rainbow as we hike along the trails at Abbott's Mill. Use a "magic paintbrush" to bring out nature's hues, seek out colorful scenes with your own "colorscope", and use "natural crayons" like berries and walnuts to create your own art.

Here's the Scoop        Max: 12
Course: U09-108-AM
Wednesday, June 17, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Member/Non-Member: $5/$7
Leader: Magritte Beale

Fish net, frog net, insect net...scoop away! Have fun using different types of nets to catch animals in Abbott's Mill's habitats. Dress for netting critters in the stream, meadow, and pond. Participants will even get a net to take home with them!

Beachcombers        Max: 12
Course: U09-109-AM
Wednesday, July 22, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $5/$7
Leader: Magritte Beale

Spend a fun afternoon at the beach building a sand castle and combing the beach for shells. Walk sideways as you search for ghost crab burrows. Learn about turtles, dig a nest, lay eggs, and help the baby turtles to the beach.

Don't Worry, Bee Happy        Max: 12
Course: U09-110-AM
Wednesday, August 19, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $5/$7
Leader: Nora Childers

Explore nature through the eyes of a honey bee! Learn the parts of a bee, then don your own set of wings and antennae and pretend to pollinate and collect nectar from wildflowers. Buzz on back to the Nature Center to snack on foods made with honey as we read a story about our busy bee buddies.

Ages 6 - 8

Kid's Campfire and Cookout        Max: 12
Course: U09-111-AM
Saturday, July 18, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $7/$10
Leader: Jason Beale

Hey kids! Spend the evening at Abbott's Mill Nature Center and give your parents a night out. Cook dinner over a campfire, meet wild animals, play nature games, and do a sing-a-long.

Ages 9 - 12

Young Naturalist Activity Day        Max: 12
Course: U09-112-AM
Saturday, August 8, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Free
Leader: Jason Beale

Join us to learn more about the Young Naturalist program starting this fall. Get up close and personal with the animals at Abbott's Mill, enjoy a campfire, and discover how you can get involved in the fun! Parents are welcome to attend to learn more about the program.

Families

Crabs, Canoes, and Corn        Max: 14
Course: U09-113-AM
Sat. July 25, 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: $25/$35
Leader: Jason Beale

Canoe the beautiful salt marsh at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Observe Marsh Wrens, egrets, terns, and shorebirds in this tidal world. Catch blue crabs by hand line and net in Slaughter Creek. Relax back at Abbott's Mill while enjoying a cookout featuring your fresh caught crabs and locally grown sweet corn! Children must be at least 9 years of age and accompanied by an adult. Please note that all participants over the age of 16 that plan on crabbing will need a valid 2009 Delaware Fishing License.