Fall and wildlife sanctuary are a natural match

By SHEILA BARTH

Essex County Newspapers

TOPSFIELD _ As the season changes, so do natural habitats and its inhabitants.

Naturalists at the Massachusetts Audubon Society at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield have set up programs for visitors of all ages to discover fall's migrants and unearth seasonal vegetation with them.

Strange, unusual creatures emerge on the trails during Halloween Happenings, Oct. 26 or 27, from 7 to 9 p.m., when the sanctuary transforms into a magical, haunted forest. Participants should wear costumes as they explore nighttime creatures, real and silly, and listen to stories about them.

For more serious nature lovers, there's the Big Woods Hike, Nov. 18, starting almost every 15 minutes between 12 and 1:30 p.m., rain or shine, a two-hour trek through the colorful forest. Along the trail, you can listen to tales of original settlers, explore old home sites, forests of hemlocks and pines, and return to a cozy fireplace with hot drinks, homemade soup and desserts to buy.

Families with children at least 3 years old are invited to take wonder walks Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Dec. 9, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., to observe changes that occur as animals prepare for winter. On Oct. 21, explore the Rockery, an area of the sanctuary that has forest, marsh and pond habitats. On Nov. 4, explore the South Esker Trail investigating Waterfowl Pond and the marsh, and on Dec. 9, walk to the observation tower at Bunker Meadows, check for hibernating ladybugs along the way, while investigating life in the marsh.

Adults may accompany 4- and 5-year olds on various dates in September and October (at either 9:30 to 11 a.m. or 12:30 to 2 p.m.) in the Fours and Fives in Fall Program to explore seasonal changes and sanctuary wildlife preparing for winter. There are stories, songs and hikes, too.

To get a real feel for wildlife, families may participate in a family campout Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. through Sept 23 at 9 a.m., and explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary after dark, eating dinner and dessert, and camping under the stars. The group tells stories, plays games, set up tents, and take an early morning hike to discover animals actively scurrying about while we are sleeping.

Naturalist Scott Santino leads Saturday explorations, starting Sept. 22 with the pond patrol; Nov. 17, chipmunks and squirrels making nests and gathering food; and Dec. 1, If I Were An Owl, a discovery program about how animals prepare for winter, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., for families with children 5 or older.

For families with children at least 6 years old, there are sunset explorations Friday, Sept. 28, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., to watch ducks fly in at sunset and other waterfowl use the sanctuary as its stopover place while flying south for the winter. Wise owls perch in treetops as night insects crawl.

Then on Friday, Oct. 12, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., families may bring a picnic supper and take an evening walk to watch the sanctuary's beaver family prepare to hunker down. You can even take a venture into the night Friday, Nov. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m. joining flying squirrels, deer, owls, and other animals.

If that's too adventurous, parents and children may build birdfeeders Sunday, Nov. 11, from 1 to 2:30 or 3 to 4:30 p.m.

In the Sunday Discovery Programs, Sept. 30 , Oct. 14, Dec. 2, families may find dragonflies and damselflies, observe the architectural wonder of insects and discover birds nests.

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