SILVER SPRING, MD— The programs this February at the Department of Parks’ four nature facilities are sweet—from valentine’s chocolates to valentine bouquets to maple sugaring lessons to pancake breakfasts and brunches and much more.
Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds
In Search of Flying Squirrels (Course No. 64104)
Saturday, February 7
5:30 pm – 7:15 pm
Use your night vision to find Maryland’s smallest flying squirrel—the Southern flying squirrel. Learn some squirrelly facts, do hands-on activities and walk through the woods with special flashlights to the feeding station where these rambunctious nighttime gliders chow down. Enjoy warm refreshments at the Visitor Center after the hike. Fee $2. Registration required.
Backyard Bird Treats (Course No. 63043)
Saturday, February 7
9:00 am – 10:30 am
Learn which seed is preferred by which bird and where to place your feeders. Make treats for your backyard feathered friends. Enjoy outside bird watching too. FREE program, but registration required.
Valentine’s Week Chocolate Celebration (Course No. 62071)
Thursday, February 12
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
The history of chocolate is rich and filled with romance, obsession, addiction and magic. Investigate the world’s love affair with this amazing New World discovery. Explore the cocoa tree’s natural history; learn how chocolate is made; and enjoy samples of gourmet varieties and custom-blended chocolates from around the world. Ages 18 and up; fee $10. Registration required.
Beautiful Bluebirds (Course No. 64052)
Saturday, February 14
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Beginning bluebird enthusiasts (ages 12 and up), come learn about these special native birds: where they live, how they nest, how to attract them to your yard and how to help them survive year-round. Fee $2. Registration required.
Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton
Make a Mokuk (Course No. 60651)
Wednesday, February 4
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Native Americans used birch bark containers called mokuks to gather maple sap. Make and decorate one of your own. Ages 6 – 12; fee: $5. Registration required.
Valentine Heart Bouquet (Course No. 62059)
Wednesday, February 11
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Make a beautiful heart bouquet using natural materials and give it to someone you love. Ages 6 – 12; fee: $5. Registration required.
Darwin Day (Course No. 60660)
Thursday, February 12
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Celebrate Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday with a fun activity about bird beaks. Ages 6 – 12; fee: $4 Registration required.
Winter Explorers (Course No. 60662)
Wednesday, February 18
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Learn how nature—from bees to trees—survives the cold. Bundle up and explore winter habitats. Ages 6 – 12; fee $4. Registration required.
Deer Trails (Course No. 62060)
Thursday, February 19
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Learn about deer and take a walk in the woods to look for their paths. Ages 6 – 12; fee $4. Registration required.
Maple Sugar Festival
Saturday February 21 and Sunday, February 22
12:00 noon – 3:00 pm (both days)
Stop by and see an American tradition! Watch the whole process from start to finish. See sap drip from the trees and taste it, watch us boil it down into sweet maple syrup, then sample a tasty treat! No registration required.
Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda
Maple Sugaring Time (Course No. 61753)
Thursday, February 5
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Learn the history of maple sugaring and the hows and whys of sap; then follow the sap from tree to table in this maple sugaring demo. Can you tell the difference between real maple syrup and artificial? Take our syrup taste test to find out! Ages 2 and up; fee $2. Registration required. All attendees must register and pay. Identical program offered throughout the month (Courses 61754, 61756 and 61757).
Wild Montgomery: Blue Mash Hike (Course No. 61549)
Thursday, February 5
9:30 am – 11:30 am
Amazing what you can see in a reclaimed landfill! The natural surface trails around the former Oaks Landfill in Olney traverse mixed habitats, including marshes and offer a glimpse of a wide variety of birds. On this 1.5- to 3-mile hike, scan the forests and open water for wintering waterfowl, woodpeckers, kinglets and other hardy birds while enjoying a walk and sampling of local history. Bring binoculars; and please note trails can be muddy. Meet in the parking lot off Zion Road; call for 301-299-1990 directions. FREE program, but registration required.
Fireside Lunch Club: Big Pancake Brunch (Course No. 61755)
Friday, February 20
10:30 am – 12:00 noon
Pancakes and hot syrup prepared over an open fire, with hot sausage and warm apple cider. Irresistible! All children must be accompanied by an adult and fee applies to all attendees. Ages 2 and up; fee $6. Registration required.
Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville
Love Bugs? (Course No. 62995)
Tuesday, February 10
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Cockroaches and spiders normally make you shudder, but the bugs at Meadowside are irresistible! Come learn about bugs and make some buggy valentines. Ages 3 – 6; fee $5. Registration required.
Maple Sugaring (Course Nos. 63013 and 63014)
Tuesday, February 17
9:30 am – 10:30 am and 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
After a story about a maple syrup mystery, explore the process of making maple syrup from the sap of maple trees. Take a taste test to see if you can pick out the “real” maple syrup. Ages 3 – 6; fee $5. Registration required.
Damascus Recreational Park Hike (Course No. 63051)
Friday, February 20
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Meet at Damascus Recreational Park and amble through this peaceful stream valley with a park naturalist. Keep your eyes open for many native birds and other wildlife. Call 301-924-4141 for directions and more information. FREE program, but registration required.
Great “Green” Solutions! (Course No. 63249)
Thursday, February 26
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Learn about things that can harm the environment and what we can do to help save the Earth. Using earth-friendly ingredients learn to make great green solutions to use at home including bubble bath, cleaning products and more. Ages 7 – 12; fee $5. Registration required.
Maple Sugaring Breakfast (Course No. 62967)
Saturday, February 28
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Get a step-by-step tour of how maple syrup is made, from sap collection to the boiling-down process. Top off the tour by sampling real maple syrup on pancakes. Ages 2 and up; fee $8. Registration required. Registration and fee applies to all attendees.
Register online at www.ParkPASS.org using the course numbers provided.
Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866