Mar 22, 2013 3 min read children

Spend Spring Break With Your Pals At Jamaica Bay

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Source: jennesy / Flickr

Gateway National Recreation Area’s Jamaica Bay Unit has lots of family-friendly Spring Break programs going on at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Fort Tilden. A schedule of events, which starts tomorrow, is below.

Schedule Of Events

Have a Hoot with a Ranger, Saturday, March 23, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. Junior Rangers are invited to an owl adventure. Learn about owls and their habitat through a hike and an owl pellet investigation. Anyone can come! No charge and no reservations required. Note: Dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Bus Q52/53.
Jamaica Bay Origami, Sunday, March 24, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. Did you know that origami came from the Japanese words “Oru” meaning “to fold” and “Kami” meaning “paper”? Learn more about this relaxing art and create the animals found in and around Jamaica Bay. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: Bus Q52/53.
Woodcock Watch, March 26, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. Wait and watch in the dusk for American woodcocks and their amazing flying tricks. These birds, also known as timberdoodles, mudbats or bogsuckers, put on a spring show that’s not to be missed. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: Program will begin with a brief indoor presentation. Bring a flashlight. Bus Q 52/53.
Moon Shine, Wednesday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. Enjoy the night as a ranger guides you along the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge trail on a full moon night. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. You are welcome to bring a flashlight. Rain date: Thursday, March 28. Bus Q52/53.
Spring Surprises, Thursday, March 28, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. On this family-friendly nature walk, we will seek out some springtime surprises, including a plant that has been used as makeup, flowers that have gone to war, and birds of many kinds. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: We’ll have binoculars available to borrow, please bring your own if you have them. Moderate physical exertion (one mile). Bus Q52/53.
NYC Audubon Early Spring Bird Walk, Saturday, March 30, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. Meet at the Jamaica Bay Refuge visitor center for a hike around the ponds and uplands to look for the first birds of spring. We can expect to see ospreys, oystercatchers, ibis, great egrets, laughing gulls, and phoebes to name a few. Leader: Don Riepe. Anyone can come. Reservations required. Note: To reserve call (917) 371-8577; email: donriepe@gmail.com. Bus Q52/53.
Creepy Crawlies, Saturday, March 30, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens. The itsy bitsy spider is fun to learn about, and the insects are too. Hear all about creepy crawlies during this interactive family-friendly program. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: Bus Q52/53.
Explore the Back Woods of Fort Tilden, Sunday, March 31, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Fort Tilden, Queens. Enter the woods with American Littoral Society naturalist Mickey Maxwell Cohen to search for early spring birds, bursting buds and historic fortifications of World War II. Anyone can come. No charge and no reservations required. Note: Bus Q22/35.

If you need more information, call the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at (718) 318-4340.