NEW Family Nature Explorers program!

FREE Family Nature Explorer Events
Bring the whole family to Magnuson Park to learn together! Come and see how the Magnuson Wetlands are becoming home to a wide variety of plants, birds, and other wildlife, visit the Bird-friendly Landscape to learn easy ways to attract more songbirds and butterflies to your garden, and spend time in the Children's Garden to learn how to make your home garden more fun for your child's exploration and play.

For more information or to register for any Family Nature Explorers programs, contact the Community Center staff at 206-684-7026 or visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/


FREE Magnuson Family Explorer Wetland Walks
Bring the whole family for an adventure in the new Magnuson Park Wetlands! You’ll see emerging spring growth, the arrival and departure of insects and migratory birds, the seasonal ebb and flow of water in the ponds and swales, lush summer bounty of flowering and fruiting plants, and the quiet times of fall. Each tour will have a different theme with fun, hands-on exploration activities. Binoculars and field guides will be provided, or you can bring your own.

Tour Leader: Children's Educator and Naturalist Emily Bishton, with special guest Wetlands Gardener Miriam Preus.

Location: The NE 65th St entry to the Magnuson Wetlands, inside the parking lot just east of Sportsfield Drive. Meet in front of the tall mounds at the northeast corner of the parking lot.
Pre-registration requested, but walk-ins are welcome.

• Wetland Wake-Up April 10th (We saw year-round resident Dabbling Ducks and winter resident Diving Ducks, plus new leaves and buds opening all over the plants!)
• Tadpoles and Nestlings May 1st from 10:00-11:00am (We saw Ducks with new ducklings, Swallows just arrived from South America, Geese chasing each other, frog eggs, Lupines beginning to bloom, and all sorts of cool bugs and their larvae!)
  
• Spring Migration June 5th from 10:00-11:00am (We learned about 5 plants that are the "friends" of the wetlands! We saw ducklings that have grown almost as big as their Mom and Dad, bees having lunch, Swallows swooping and scooping mud for their nests, insects that can swim underwater, and tadpoles growing big with a newly 'spouted' set of back legs!)
• The Growing Season July 3rd from 10:00-11:00am
  
• Songs of Summer Aug. 7th from 10:00-11:00am
• Fall Migration Sept 4th from 10:00-11:00am
• Autumn Beauty Oct 2nd from 10:00-11:00am
• Winter Arrivals Nov 6th from 10:00-11:00am

Create Your Own Bird-friendly Garden!
See and touch bird nests and nest boxes, explore a 'nest recipe box', and have fun exploring the Magnuson Community Center's Bird-Friendly Landscape to see how it provides all the basic needs for birds and other wildlife. Then take home free info that will help you create an oasis for songbirds in your own home garden!
Teacher: Landscape Designer and Nature Educator Emily Bishton
Date and time:TBA
Location: Magnuson Community Center lobby and the Bird-Friendly Landscape.

Create Your Own Child-friendly Garden!
See, touch, and listen to plants that delight all the senses, explore our lively worm bin, plant seeds and plants, and learn how easy it is to add special features to your own garden that your children will enjoy.
Teacher: Landscape Designer and Children's Educator Emily Bishton Next event: Spring 2011!
Date and time: TBA
Location: Magnuson Brig- Ravenna Room, and the Children’s Garden.




For more information or to register for any Family Nature Explorers programs, contact the Community Center staff at 206-684-7026 or visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/