Seasonal Programs

Ashland Amphibian Adventure       Max: 15
Course #: U09-081-AS
Friday, May 1, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $7, Child $5/Adult $10, Child $7
Leader: Sheila Vincent

Hop to it! Bring a flashlight and join us for an evening of "citizen science" as we catalogue the amphibians of Ashland. Listen for toad and frog calls, count the egg masses in the marsh and the tadpoles in its pools. Search out the secret hideaways of salamanders and learn how the red-spotted newt got its name. We'll end our amphibian adventure by decorating a take-home "toad abode" to provide shelter for our warty friends.

Pond Fishing       Max: 20
Course #: U09-082-AS Tuesday, May 12 (session I)
Course #: U09-083-AS Thursday, June 18 (session II)
Course #: U09-084-AS Friday, June 19 (session III)
5:30 pm - Dusk
Member/Non-Member: Adult $7, Child $5/Adult $10, Child $7
Leaders: Jim Jordan and Derek Stoner

Try your luck at fishing for bluegill and bass at a nearby private pond while learning basic fish biology. Bring your own pole and tackle or use the Nature Center's. Bait, tackle instructions provided. Bring a picnic supper or snack and, if you wish, a container to take home your catch. Meet at Ashland Nature Center to carpool to the nearby site. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Mill Machines and Scavenger Hunt       Max: 15
Course #: U09-085-DM
Saturday, June 6, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $7, Child $5/Adult $10, Child $7
Leader: Amy White
Note: Program meets at Cooch-Dayett Mills

Come explore Cooch-Dayett Mills with Amy White, creator of the Nature Society's newly developed "Machines at the Mill" program for school children. This fascinating, historic grist mill that operated until the 1990's. Learn all about simple machines like gears, levers, and pulleys by operating hands-on mechanisms. Take part in a guided Scavenger Hunt inside the old mill building to locate the many gears, levers, pulleys, and other simple machines that helped get work done at the mill. Children must be at least 8 years old. Directions to site will be provided.

Hummingbirds: Flowers and Feeders       Max: 15
Course #: U09-086-AS
Friday, June 26, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $7/Adult $15, Child $11
Leader: Derek Stoner

Learn all about the beautiful Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that spend their summers in our region. Check out the size and weight of these tiny flyers and examine a "mini" nest.

Hike around the nature center and survey our Hummingbird feeders - which one is most attractive? Find out a few tricks to make your home a happy hummingbird habitat! Each participant will receive a Sage and Monarda plant and a packet of seeds to plant at home - their favorite flowers! Hover over a colorful snack and choose your family's favorite nectar! Hummingbird feeders will be available for sale after the program.

Family Campout at Ashland       Max: 20
Course #: U09-087-AS
Friday, June 26, 5:30 pm - Saturday, June 27, 10:00 am
Member/Non-Member: Adult $30, Child $15/Adult $45, Child $25
Leader: April Perry

Take part in the Great American Backyard Campout! Spend a night camping at Ashland with the Nature Center close by. Enjoy a carefree experience while introducing children to the thrill of camping in tents, discovering nocturnal life and "roughing it". All the hassle of food planning, packing, assembling equipment and figuring out what to do after dinner is eliminated. Starting Friday evening, the group will set up provided tents, go for a twilight hike and cook a campfire supper. The next morning campers will enjoy breakfast and survey the pond and streams for creatures that creep, crawl, swim and fly. In case of rain, tents will be "staked out" on the Lodge's decks or participants may "camp out" inside. Registrants will receive a list of what to bring.

Turtle Tracking Adventure       Max: 15
Course #: U09-088-AS
Saturday, July 11, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $9, Child $6/Adult $12, Child $8
Leader: Austin Conley

Do you know how fast and far a box turtle moves? Join our turtle-tracking team as we set out to locate a radio-tagged turtle at Ashland. Learn about the movements of this animal and others that scientists study using radio telemetry. Meet other live turtles from our animal collection and discover where they live and how they survive. We'll wrap up our program with a turtle activity and snack.

Butterflies at Burrows       Max: 15
Course #: U09-089-BR
Sunday, July 26, 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $10, Child $7/Adult $15, Child $11
Leader: Sheila Vincent

The middle of summer is prime time to watch those winged jewels of the meadow--butterflies! Visit nearby Burrows Run Preserve to look for caterpillars, chrysalids, and a wide variety of butterflies. Home to the state's only known population of the endangered Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly, the preserve is home to more than two dozen species of butterflies. Using nets and collection jars, we will capture these insects for close-up observation and photography, before returning them to the wild.

Twilight Canoe on the Brandywine
Course #: U09-090-AS       Max: 10
Thursday, July 30, 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $25, Child $15/Adult $37, Child $25
Leader: David Pragoff

Canoe the Brandywine River with the family during a summer evening at a time when wildlife is more active and the air can be a bit cooler. Float through wooded ravines, past historic estates, below a Native American lookout, and under a covered bridge. End the trip at the famous Granogue Estate. Bring a packed dinner in a waterproof container to enjoy at a scenic location. Transportation from Ashland, canoes, and equipment are provided. Children must be over 30 lbs.

Dragon Run Canoeing       Max: 12
Course #: U09-091-AS
Saturday, August 8, 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $25, Child $10/Adult $35, Child $15
Leader: Derek Stoner

Watch dusk fall while canoeing one of Delaware's outstanding natural areas, Dragon Run Marsh near Delaware City. Birds like Wood Ducks, Great Egrets, and Little Blue Herons settle in for the night while beavers and muskrats come out of hiding to begin their night-time feeding. As the moon emerges, we'll watch for the shift in animal activities. Bring a picnic supper packed in a waterproof container. Children must be over 30 lbs. No previous canoeing experience required. Fee includes van transportation, canoes, and preservers.

Hummingbirds: Banding and Biology       Max: 15
Course #: U09-092-AS
Friday, August 21, 9:30am - 12:00pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $15, Child $10/Adult $25, Child $15
Leader: Judy Montgomery

Join Bruce Peterjohn, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Program as he bands migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at Ashland. Learn about the federal bird banding program and examine the miniscule bands used on a hummingbird. View a tiny bird up close, in-hand, and help release it after it has a new "bracelet." Investigate the Ruby-throated Hummingbird's winter migration route on a world map, and find out how they are tracked. Make an ID bracelet for yourself and enjoy playing "Hummingbird Hazards" outside.

Catching and Caring for Animals       Max: 15
Course #: U09-093-AS
Saturday, August 22, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Member/Non-Member: Adult $12, Child $8/Adult $18, Child $12
Leader: Shannon Tilmon

Have you ever tried to keep a frog in a cage or raise a butterfly from a caterpillar? Learn the secrets and techniques of successfully catching and caring for wild animals, and how to safely release them back into the natural homes. We'll venture down to the marsh to try our hand at catching tadpoles, newts, and fish with our nets. Visit the butterfly house to see how caterpillars are reared into beautiful butterflies. Each participant will receive a plexiglass rearing cage appropriate for use as an aquarium, terrarium, or butterfly rearing chamber! Fee includes materials.