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Here you can find news, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities. Thank you for keeping up with us! |
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Welcome to the family, Cosmo! | Cosmo is the newest addition to the Nature Center team. He is a western fox snake; a native Minnesota species. Fox snakes are gorgeous creatures: with deep brown markings and a bronze colored head, they camouflage well in leaf litter. They can swim, climb, and slither through their environment, and use mimicry for survival. When threatened, fox snakes mimic rattlesnakes by shaking their tail, though they do not produce any venom. At 4 feet 4 inches long, Cosmo is one of Minnesota’s longest snakes, and one of the sweetest! Cosmo was hatched in 2015 and joined the Nature Center crew in April. While we get to know him and he gets to know us, we will not be holding public snake handling. Thank you for your patience while he settles in! | |  |
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We will be hosting 6 bird hikes this summer with the Austin Audubon. They will be hosted on:
Thursday, May 2nd, 6:30 AM
Tuesday, May 7th, 6:30 PM
Thursday, May 9th, 6:30 AM
Tuesday, May 14th, 6:30 PM
Thursday, May 16th, 6:30 AM
Audubon members will be there to act as guides to help ID the ones we see and hear. Bring your friends, this is open to any and all folks who come!
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World Migratory Bird Day May 11th |  | |
Insects and their importance to migratory birds is the focus of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
The loss and disturbance of insect populations at breeding sites and along avian migration routes threaten bird survival and well-being. Natural spaces like forests and grasslands that have been transformed or endangered by intensive agriculture and urban development and its effects such as light pollution can result in a decline in insect populations. Pesticides and herbicides designed to protect crops harm insects that birds rely on for food. A scarcity of energy- and protein-rich insects can hinder bird migration and breeding, leading to weakened immune systems, reduced reproductive success, and increased mortality rates for both adult birds and their offspring.
The World Migratory Bird Day campaign in 2024 will stress the need for proactive conservation measures. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and where possible, switching to organic farming. Other measures include maintaining and connecting areas of natural vegetation which provide food and shelter for birds and other species, in agricultural landscapes.
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Naturalist walks have begun! | |
Join one of our Naturalists on a 45 minute hike on one of our trails, scheduled monthly on Saturdays. These hikes will focus on what is happening in nature at the time of the hike. Naturalists will point out important flowers, trees, and/or animals. They may also sprinkle in a little history about the Nature Center.
Please meet inside the main building and check in at the front desk.
Lately, our naturalists have seen a lot happening on our trails! Spring beauties, bluebells, marsh marigolds, false rue anemone, and more have all been blooming. Trees are budding, frogs are croaking, and lots of migratory birds have returned, including Eastern Phoebes, sapsuckers and flickers, swallows, wood ducks, ruby crowned kinglets, and more!
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Summer Adventure Classes are still accepting participants! | |
It's time! Our summer brochure is out and available on our website, as well as our Nature Play offerings and our Senior Special programming. All can be found at the links below.
If you are a Friends Member, you received a postcard in the mail with this year’s Friends Discount Code, which will take $5 off each Summer Adventure Class fee. As always, Nature Play programming and Senior Special programming are free, and scholarships are offered for all Summer Adventure Classes (details are found on page 1 of the brochure).
New this summer, free SMART Transit transportation is being offered to individuals and families to and from Senior Specials and Nature Play afternoons, thanks to the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center. Simply call SMART Transit to reserve your seat for these select days, and your ride will be billed to the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center.
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NATURE CENTER CLOSINGS
Sunday, May 5th
Sunday, May 12th
Sunday, May 19th
Sunday, May 26th
Monday, May 27th
NATURE CENTER EVENTS
Bird Hike with Audubon
- Thursday, May 2nd, 6:30 AM
"May the 4th Be With You" Planetarium Open House
- Saturday, May 4; 1:00 - 3:40 p.m.
- Free/Open House - Interpretive Center Classroom
Sola Fide Observatory Open House
- Saturday, May 4; 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. - Free
- Weather/Cloud Cover dependent
Bird Hike with Audubon
- Tuesday, May 7th, 6:30 PM
Bird Hike with Audubon
- Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30 AM
Cedar River Astronomy Club
- Friday, May 10; 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
- RSVP Required - Open to All/Free - Interpretive Center Classroom
Sola Fide Observatory Open House - Moon Viewing
- Saturday, May 11; 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. - Free
- Weather/Cloud Cover dependent
Bird Hike with Audubon
- Tuesday, May 14th, 6:30 PM
Bird Hike with Audubon
- Thursday, May 16th, 6:30 AM
Naturalist led Nature Walk
- Saturday, May 18 - Free - Interpretive Center
- 10:00 - 11:00 am and 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Canoe/Kayak Rentals Begin
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- Staff the Interpretive Center — There are always days that we are looking for help, specifically on the weekends. Fill out our volunteer contact form and we will add you to our email list.
- Tours — Give tours driving one of our electric vehicles along the Nature Center trails.
- Combat Invasive Species — Learn to identify and remove buckthorn, honeysuckle, and other invasive species.
- Animal transport — Bring birds of prey to and from the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus.
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Nature Note - The American White Pelican
By Office Manager/Naturalist Meredith Maloney
Photo by Ron Dudley
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I will never forget the first time I saw a pelican. It was mid-April, and I was visiting Myre Island State Park after the frost had thawed. I took a trip to one of my favorite hiking spots looking for spring beauties and bloodroot, but saw instead a flock of massive, floating white birds on the lake. What I knew then of pelicans was limited; they have funky bills, like to eat fish, and didn’t live where I grew up. So when I saw one for the first time, I couldn’t believe it; with their bright orange beaks, black wing tips, and incredible stature, they were well worth the wait.
There are 8 species of birds in the genus Pelecanus, which are known for their large, long beak and their throat pouch, or gular pouch (gular translates to “throat” in Latin). Pelicans are one of the largest living birds; some in the genus can weigh up to 30 pounds (nearly 15 times the weight of a barred owl, and twice the weight of a Canada goose!) The American white pelican can be 5 feet tall with a wingspan of up to 9.5 feet.
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2024 Membership Campaign
Why join the friends? Well, our Friends allow us to offer more high quality programming, conserve our natural spaces, and continue to grow! As a friends member, you will receive...
- Invitation to the Friends Annual Meeting
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$5.00 off all programs
- 15% off all Nature Center merchandise
- Chance to participate in members-only events and classes for youth and families at the Nature Center
- Discounted annual bus trip
Join the Friends here!
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