Wye Heights arbor

In 2020, Pickering Creek Audubon Center celebrated it’s work with “Celebrate at Your Place – Join us for another night at home” and in 2021 with Dive into Nature, which included small group outdoor nature events held throughout the year.  Each of these efforts played a key role in raising funds to keep the Center’s science and outdoor learning experiences in front of students during the pandemic and transition its school programming to a virtual world (and back again) and work with classroom teachers to continue connecting their students to science and the outdoors.  Funds raised through these campaigns allowed Pickering Creek to keep its trails open (with no admission fee) and looking great for the record number of visitors we have welcomed throughout the pandemic, as the need for respite increased.

This year Pickering Creek offers the Something of the Marvelous Challenge.  Supporters of the Center’s work through the challenge will receive an invitation to either a delightful autumn nature program at the Center or a tour of the impressive gardens at Tim and Lisa Wyman’s historic Wye Heights in Easton, Maryland. Unlike Pickering Creek’s Tour Toast and Taste, Something of the Marvelous has no tent, no auction, and no dinners for sale.  It is all outdoors- just soaking in the marvelous blooms and scenery of the amazing 10-acre garden along the Wye River.

The home’s stunning gardens and grounds will be open on June 4 to approximately 250 supporters of Pickering Creek Audubon Center’s award-winning education programs participating in the Something of the Marvelous Challenge. Timed entrances scheduled throughout the day on June 4^th will include complimentary beverages, time to explore, and special pop-up events such as live raptor presentations and roaming plant identification docent ready to offer guidance as needed.

Pickering Creek’s fundraising goal for the 2022 Something of the Marvelous Challenge is to raise $100,000 for Pickering’s education programs. Please join us as we celebrate our achievements and prepare for the future.

School groups, families, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers from far and wide visit Pickering Creek Audubon Center throughout the year to participate in hands-on outdoor learning, volunteer experiences and immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the Eastern Shore.

Challenge gifts must be made by June 1 to qualify to attend the June 4 Wye Heights Garden Tour.  For more information please visit www.pickeringcreek.org

WEBINAR: Animal Architects
Thursday, June 9, 2022
7:00 – 8:00 pm
$5 per person
Humans aren’t the only species that build homes for shelter and warmth. This webinar will dive into the amazing world of animal architects and the inspiration humans draw from these beautiful buildings. From the labyrinthian ant nest to the iconic Beaver dam and many other homes in between come and learn about amazing structures built by wildlife across Delmarva. REGISTER HERE

Nature Walk with the Executive Director: Sunset Walk
Tuesday June 14, 2022
7:00-8:30 PM
$5 per person
Join Director Mark Scallion for a trail walk at the Center. Walks are a great introduction to the Center’s trails and programs and an opportunity for you to learn more about what the Center has to offer and for us to learn about your interests. We’ll adventure to a different part of the Center each month, so come as often as you like. REGISTER HERE

The ragged and sometime unkempt nature of a wild meadow is often is short supply for creatures who need it! Pickering Creek and its partners are working reverse that trend with a newly created meadow and trail designed for your enjoyment! The new meadow trail is just under a mile long, and weaves through two emergent meadow habitats on the far side of the center’s pond. There are two interpretive panels. One describes the many creatures that call this type of meadow home, and a second panel illustrates the seasonal beauty of the area. At the farthest part of the trail, visitors will arrive at Les’ Lookout Viewing Platform.  From the platform visitors are treated with a panoramic view of the meadow in all its seasonal glory. Les Roslund was an avid birder and sharer of nature, who passed away in 2020.

Why are we so excited about meadow habitat? You may have heard the stories of pollinators in decline. Meadows, defined as an area covered with a diverse collection of native herbaceous plants, are the habitat that many pollinators require. Some of our most important pollinators include butterflies, bees, moths, bats, and a wide array of other insects. Unlike a lawn, the structural diversity of a meadow supplies critical food and shelter to insects and small mammals. These creatures, in turn, provide a food source for songbirds, raptors, and owls.  Below the surface, in a healthy meadow lie the powerhouses; microbes.  Nitrogen, carbon and oxygen, are recycled in the soil, and supply the plants with protection from harmful pathogens, help aggregate the soil, act as filter systems, and are efficient carbon storage facilities. All these systems both above and below the ground work together to create a robust biodiverse meadow.

In 2016 two agriculture fields totaling 25 acres were converted by Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage into the meadow at Pickering Creek, and in 2018 Pickering Creek received a Recreational Trails grant, to start the construction of the trail. Now, well established, the meadow features native warm seasonal grasses, an assortment of wildflowers, including white snakeroot and goldenrod; several varieties of shrubs such as marsh elder, and from the neighboring forest a fairly persistent invasion of sweet gum and loblolly pines. Each year 1/3 of the meadow is mowed to maintain the emergent meadow state.

So put your walking shoes on, grab your binoculars, or just your imagination and come spend some time on the meadow trail! The pollinators in the warm weather will not disappoint!

Meander through mud, wallow in the wetland, and frolic in the forest at our summer EcoCamp! Our exciting, unique, and hands-on activities allow campers to engage with nature at their own pace, by providing a welcoming and safe environment to explore. Campers learn about nature and gain outdoor skills through hiking, swimming, playing games, fishing, and creating crafts. Small groups of campers will discover the wetlands, forests, creek, and pond along with an experienced counselor and EcoCamp alumni (our enthusiastic Junior Naturalists). Test your skills at spotting wildlife, playing camouflage, catching frogs, building forts, and canoeing.

Pickering Creek Audubon Center’s EcoCamp has a philosophy that campers will have rich learning experiences in a fun and safe outdoor environment. EcoCamp’s small groups and low student to instructor ratio provide for an exceptional outdoor summer camp experience. Camp Director Alex Lloyd has been teaching outdoor education for six years, most recently at Pickering Creek, and has her BS in Ethnobotany from Frostburg State University. Alex served as a camp counselor at Pickering Creek in 2019 after a successful year of teaching school year programs for the Center.  She rejoined the Center as a full time staff person this past summer.  She will be joined by an assistant director and by three summer counselors who will lead campers on fun, exciting, safe, and educational outdoor adventures. Pickering Creek offers exceptionally well-trained and experienced instructors and leaders for all of its programs.

Each camp lasts one week and focuses on a unique nature-inspired theme. Pickering Creek offers camps for three age groups: Fledglings (students entering K-1^st next fall), Larks (students entering 2^nd-4^th), and Shrikes (students entering 5^th-7^th). All camps operate from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, with an option for Fledglings to be picked up at 2:00 pm.

Fledglings will get a gentle introduction to the outdoors through hikes and activities especially tailored for their abilities. Walks are short in length and activities vary throughout the program to keep them interested and active.  Fledglings spend some quiet time indoors after lunch napping or reading, and have an optional snack time in the afternoon.

The Larks EcoCamps engage campers with hikes, free explorations, and lessons on identifying the many animals that call Maryland home. Campers hike and play throughout the Center’s 400 acres, and seine for aquatic wildlife in Pickering Creek.  Larks can choose from all seven weeks of camp this summer.

Shrike campers will be introduced to the same themes as younger groups, but the challenges are greater. These older campers will hone their survival skills with shelter building, orienteering, longer canoe trips, water hikes, tracking, and camouflage games.

Week 1, June 20 – 24: Wet & Wild Cool off in the waters of Pickering Creek. We’ll be exploring the muddy freshwater wetlands, looking for the little creeks and puddles that dot our forest and seine and fish in our creek. Be prepared to get wet and muddy as we wade through these habitats collecting and watching wildlife, creating dams and new pools, and learning how water is the center for all habitats – big and small!

Week 2, June 27 – July 1: Puzzle Masters asks “What grows when it eats, but dies when it drinks? What breaks but never falls, and what falls but never breaks?” We’ll answer nature riddles, use our team-building skills to complete challenges, and find clues to follow a scavenger hunt through the forests, wetlands, and shores of Pickering Creek!

Week 3, July 11 – 15: Tall Tails will introduce campers to the magic of storytelling! As you explore our forest, catch frogs in the wetland – make the story of your summer a captivating one. We’ll imagine a butterfly’s journey in the fields and decide the tale of a fish’s fate in the creek. Hear tales of animal heroes and folklore and create new stories everyday of our own to share!

Week 4, July 18 – 22: EcoCamp Village imagines a home-away-from-home for campers.  If we lived at Pickering Creek, how would we live? We’ll build shelters in the forest, make baskets from vines and gather acorns and walnuts in the forest. As we seine in the creek, we will learn about all the animals that depend on the fish in the water for food.  Rope-making and face-painting will abound as we learn to work together in our exploration of Pickering Creek!

Week 5, July 25 – 29: Outdoor Survivor will prepare campers to survive outdoors! Learn how to predict the weather, what to watch out for and what can help in an emergency, and how to build shelters and keep warm. Find out more about the tricks that animals (and even some plants) use to survive in difficult conditions and test your skills! After a week as an Outdoor Survivor, you’ll be ready for your next adventure!

Week 6, Aug 1 – 5: Nature Ninjas In the past, we were Forest Ninjas; this summer we are expanding to the Creek and Wetlands as Nature Ninjas. We’ll practice the art of camouflage and close observation. We’ll learn how to be calm, quiet, and prepared. We will be “One with Nature” and learn to activate our Quiet Mind.

Week 7, August 8 – 12: Adventureland  From water games to fort building, nature art to seining, wetland traversing to log flipping! Enjoy all your favorite parts of Pickering– choose your own adventure at EcoCamp’s final hurrah!

Transportation will be available from the Kohls parking lot in Easton to Camp each day on the following weeks:  June 27-July 1, July 18-July22, Aug 8- Aug 12.

Online registration will begin in early March 2022 at 10:00. Find information on transportation, registration, and scholarships at www.pickeringcreek.org. Contact Alex Lloyd, EcoCamp Director, for questions at alloyd@pickeringcreek.org. Spaces will fill fast so don’t wait!

Pickering Creek Audubon Center recently hosted its third Gratitude and Grub to thank supporters for their partnership during the covid pandemic.  Over 80 supporters gathered beneath the Center’s Northern Red Oak beside the herb garden. Everyone enjoyed home cooked pork by Master Pig Roaster and former Pickering Board member, John Trax. Delicious pulled pork sides and homemade brownies and cookies for dessert rounded out the delicious fall picnic meal. The sounds of local musician Justin Ryan, combined with the honking of Canada geese flying overhead provided a great backdrop for supporters to reconnect with staff, neighbors and friends, old and new.

Center Director Mark Scallion spoke of the accomplishments of the year.

Over the course of the last eighteen months, countless supporters partnered with the Center to ensure students of all ages were able to interact with science and nature during covid, both via zoom and in person at the Center. As dinner concluded Director Mark Scallion shared the Center’s successes including how staff pivoted our work seamlessly as we moved all our school programming to a virtual format in April of 2020, offered weekly programs and speakers for the public via zoom throughout 2020 and 21 and made the Center’s trails safe and welcoming to our community.   Staff of the Center each shared the many accomplishments in connecting people to nature the Center has provided the community because of everyone’s hard work, generosity, and dedication.  As dusk approached folks lingered at picnic table sharing their own nature experiences and enjoying the chirps of the last crickets of summer.

As September winds down, our local birds have finished their breeding season, and the fledglings are striking out on their own. Several birds will be switching their diets from insects to high fat seeds and suets to help them get ready for wintering here, or migrating south.  That means it’s time to get your bird feeders back out and clean them. You can run them through the dishwasher, or wash with boiling water and soap.

Birdfeeding helps sustain birds through the harshest winter days as well as provides exciting interactions with birds as you get to see beautiful cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, goldfinch, titmice, finches and more bouncing around your feeding station every time you peek out your window.

Nuthatch on Suet

Pickering Creek Audubon Center will be running its annual birdseed sale from Oct 25th to the Nov 9th. We’ll be switching this year from Meyers Seed Company to The Mill of Bel Air.  The items available will largely be the same with some differences in quantity and mix styles, with the same high quality if seed.  Payment by check or credit card are available this year.  Additional donations supporting out work to connect people with nature are always welcome!  The largest order wins a free birdfeeder!

Order forms available at https://pickeringcreek.org/get-involved/birdseed-sale/

Seed pick up will be at our First Annual Seed Social on Tuesday Nov 16th from 4 to 6pm at Pickering Creek.   Bring your friends, come have a drink and snack on us, meet fellow birders, and pick up your seed! We will have Pickering Creek staff onsite to answer any bird questions you might have and Pickering Director Mark Scallion will share news of the exciting new trails and new programs at Pickering Creek.

Pickering Creek Audubon Center will debut its Spooky Halloween Play Trail on Friday October 22nd.  The trail begins at the Center’s overflow parking lot and winds through Pickering’s woods on the center’s Woodpecker Trail. The Spooky Halloween Play Trail features thirteen stops that encourage kids and families to explore nature through short fun activities.  The trail is self guided and starts at the Center’s overflow parking lot. At the stops it asks kids to do interactive activities like: “Call Who cooks for you, who cooks for y’all like a barred owl in your spookiest voice.”  Each location asks kids and parents to engage a different sense as they explore nature around them.

“The forest floor is padded in crunchy leaves and animals are completing last-minute preparations for winter.  Even though it may not seem like it, the forest is still full of beauty and life,” says trail creator Alex Lloyd,  “come enjoy a late-autumn stroll through our interactive Spooky Halloween Play Trail!  Visitors to the trail will get to learn about bird sounds, take home a recipe for making a pinecone bird feeder, participate in nature art and learn some fun nature jokes.” The trail will be in place from Friday, October 22nd through Sunday, November 14.  Keep an eye on the weather and remember boots if it has been rainy!

On Sunday October 31, 2021 at noon you can bring a family picnic to Pickering and enjoy and wagon ride and hike the Spooky Halloween Play Trail. At noon the Pickering wagon will ferry picnickers and their coolers/baskets to the Pickering waterfront picnic tables for your DIY picnic overlooking the creek.  By 1pm you will load your cooler onto the wagon and then either enjoy a self guided mile hike through the Center’s woods back up to the farm and parking where your cooler will be waiting for you or ride the wagon back down to the Pickering farm parking lot.  You provide the food, we provide the ride.

RSVP for the wagon ride at www.pickeringcreek.org

After enjoying the Spooky Halloween Play Trail, further explorations lie beyond, with over four miles of trails and several beautiful vistas over Pickering Creek and the Center’s expansive wetlands, Pickering Creek has miles of trails for exploration and enjoyment.

This year’s brand new Spooky Halloween Play Trail at Pickering Creek is sponsored by the Talbot Optimist Club of Easton. The Optimists have been meeting the needs of Talbot County youth by “bringing out the best in kids” since 1996. The Talbot Optimist Club has raised more than $225,000 supporting local youth, including the sponsorship of the Optimist Field at the A. James Clark North Easton Sports Complex, and much needed annual support to organizations like Pickering Creek, the Talbot YMCA, Talbot Mentors, Easton Little League, as well as art programs, public and private school initiatives, leadership camps, sport activities and more.

Access to the Center and trail are free.  Pickering Creek’s trails are open daily from 7am to 6pm during October and the first week of November and 7am to 5pm thereafter.  Guests are asked to carry masks and wear them when passing each other on trails, restrooms are limited at this time, so plan accordingly.  For all our guidelines please check:

https://pickering.audubon.org/visit/planning-visit