Winter/Spring 2021 Programs & Events

Register by the Thursday before each event by calling 419-384-7195 or by emailing thequarryfarm@gmail.com. Dress for the weather, including good walking shoes, and meet in Seitz Family Pavilion, 1/8 mile north of 14321 Road 7L, Pandora. Masks are required for the safety of everyone present.

Annual Hat Day Hike
Saturday, January 16, 2 to 3 p.m.
More body heat is lost from your head than other parts of the body. National Hat Day (January 15) is not to just keep your noggin warm. It’s a chance to make a statement and to display your favorite headgear. In celebration, style a hat and join us for a nature hike. This year, dress up your mask for added pizzazz.

2021 Great Backyard Bird Count and Night Hike
Saturday, February 13, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Each February, the National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology coordinate the Great Backyard Bird Count. Bring your binoculars as we document the many species of birds that prepare to shelter in the preserve at night. All recorded species will be submitted to the international count as part of the largest snapshot of global bird populations.

New Moon Hike
Saturday, March 13, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Bring a flashlight and be sure to dress for the weather, including good walking boots/shoes, then take a guided walk to the preserve area under the night sky. We will take a break in the Nature’s Classroom to listen for nocturnal animals.

Spring Sparrow Hike
Saturday, March 20, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Join us for a hike on the first day of Spring 2021. We will look for the earliest spring wildflowers. As March 20 is also World Sparrow Day, we will see how many different species of sparrows we can spot and submit our findings to ebird, one of the world’s largest biodiversity-related science projects.

Spring Migration Bird Hike
Saturday, May 15, 8 to 10:30 a.m.
Rain date: Saturday, May 22
Migration will be in full swing during that time and our leaders, birding enthusiast Dave Smith and Deb Weston, Birder and Quarry Farm Board Member, hope we’ll see some nice warblers. Dress for the
weather in earth-toned colors and sturdy hiking shoes that can get muddy. We’ll be walking with stops to look and listen for migrating and resident birds. Participants will learn which are passing through on their way to breeding grounds in Canada and which will stay to nest here. If the birds are actively singing, we’ll listen for the differences between species. Materials will be available for take-home, including warbler bird song mnemonics, basic shapes of birds and a list of residents versus migrants. What we see will be documented on Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s ebird and shared with any participants who want to share their email. Bring binoculars and cameras are welcome. Preregistration is not required (but masks are) and there is no fee to participate. Tax-deductible donations are welcome.
(Note: We won’t use bird songs on devices to draw the birds in, especially during breeding season when they have enough to contend with. Sensitive species may leave the area if they hear a rival.)

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