Teen Naturalist Club - Spring

Explore a variety of local ecosystems, learn more about a wide range of natural history topics, and do real wildlife data collection and conservation projects in this exciting club for teens!

This is your chance to get involved behind the scenes with Mass Audubon's science and conservation work. The club meets one or two Saturdays a month in a spring session and fall session. Meetings are at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, the Joppa Flats Education Center, or at other locations around the North Shore.

Program fee includes all admission and materials. Locations are subject to change.

Here are the topics and projects for spring:

March 15 (2:00 to 5:00pm): Tracking & Maple Sugaring. We begin with a woodland walk in search of animal tracks and evidience of winter mammals. Next, we'll tap a sugar maple and learn about and look for signs of threats to our maple trees like climate change and over-browsing by deer and of course end with a taste test of our very own syrup.

March 29 (2:00pm to 5:00pm): Coastal Winter Wildlife. Search for coastal wildlife at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation. Survey harbor seal activity as well as search for raptors, fwinter waterfowl, loons and grebes.

April 12 (2:00pm to 5:00pm): Vernal Pool Life. Learn about the frog and salamander seasonal migration known as Big Night and survey the vernal pool for amphibian eggs masses and search under fallen logs for adult salamanders on the move.

April 26 (2:00pm - 5:00pm): City Nature Challenge! Grab your cameras, sketch books and binoculars for an afternoon of participating in a global community science event where we document with photos every living thing we can find. Our location for the survey will be decided by the club in advance.

May 17 earlier start time (8:00am to 11:00am): Mini Bird-a-thon. Conduct a mini birdwatching bio-blitz to record as many bird species in this friendly team competition! Breakfast goodies will be provided.

May 24 (2:00pm - 5:00pm) Wolf Conservation Tour. Learn all about grey wolf conservation efforts and meet the wolves and their handlers at Wolf Hollow in Ipswich for a behind-the-scenes group tour. This program will end across the street at Castle Neck River WMA where we will do some exploring.

June 7 (2:00 - 5:00pm): Visit Nahant Marine Science Laboratory to observe how marine life is fed, monitored and cared for with a guided tour followed by some exciting tide pooling on the outgoing tide. We will be conducting a species population profile in the rocky intertidal zone.

*Make-up day on Saturday June 21 if needed.