PO Box 125
790 Ewing Avenue
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
(201) 891-2185
E-mail: lorrimer@njaudubon.org

HOURS: Wednesday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

CLOSINGS: Easter Sunday, April 12 

Lorrimer Sanctuary Information Page

Spring, 2009

EVERY DAY AT LORRIMER SANCTUARY

• NJAS Gift Shop and Book Store. Your neighborhood source for field guides, nature gifts, kids stuff, bird feeders and accessories, high quality binoculars, and more!
• Exhibits. Our classroom/exhibit room has live animals, educational displays, and hands-on activities for kids.
• Trails and Garden. Explore the sanctuary on our interpretive nature trails.  Visit the garden during the warmer months for an up-close look at butterflies and hummingbirds.  Ask for a guide and activity bag at the visitor center.
• The View. Relax in front of our famous observation window, which overlooks an always-busy bird feeding station, dragonfly pond, and honeybee hives.

BIRDING FIELD TRIPS

Join us for any one of the field trips listed below led by Lorrimer’s director, Patrick Scheuer. Directions to meeting place will be phoned or mailed upon receipt of paid registration.

WOODCOCK WONDER VAN TRIP
Sunday, March 29
Van departs Lorrimer Sanctuary at 3:00 p.m. and returns around 9:00 p.m.
The American Woodcock, also called timberdoodle, googly-eyes, and bogsucker, has a wonderful and somewhat humorous courtship display. For this van trip we’ll travel to a woodcock hotspot in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to witness the nuptial dance of this unusual bird. Along the way we’ll scan the Delaware River for Bald Eagles and stop at the Pocono Environmental Education Center for a BYO dinner. The woodcock show begins after dinner, just as the sun sets. Limited to twelve participants, so register early!
Cost: $27 members, $35 nonmembers.

ALLENDALE CELERY FARM
Saturday, April 11
The Allendale Celery Farm for early passerines and other surprises, led by local expert and associate naturalist Rob Fanning.
Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Cost: $8 members, $12 nonmembers.

NJAS’S BALDWIN SANCTUARY
Sunday, April 26
This walk meets at Lorrimer at 8:00 a.m. and carpools to the sanctuary.
The Baldwin Sanctuary is a twenty-acre NJAS property along the Ramapo River in Mahwah. It is a natural floodplain habitat with impressive wildflowers and mature trees. We’ll spend time looking at the interesting flora while waiting for migrant birds to pass through the river corridor. After exploring the Baldwin property, we’ll have an optional walk at the nearby Halifax Road area for some additional birding and exploring.
Cost: $8 members, $12 nonmembers.

GARRET MOUNTAIN
Sunday, May 17
Trip will start at 8:00 a.m. and end around noon.
Garret Mountain Reservation sits atop the First Watchung Mountain overlooking Paterson and the surrounding urban areas of northeastern New Jersey. It is one of the best places in the East to see migrant songbirds such as warblers, vireos, sparrows, flycatchers, and other passerines. Join us for this bird walk during the peak of spring migration.
Cost: $8 members, $12 nonmembers.

BIRDING AT THE CELERY FARM
Thursdays: May 7, 14, 21, 28
7:30 a.m. until around 10:00 a.m.
Join Patrick Scheuer and a cadre of other naturalists for these Thursday morning walks at the Celery Farm in Allendale. This distinctive area along Franklin Turnpike is a remnant farm and freshwater marsh, and has been preserved as open space with Green Acres funding. Join us as we search for the avian and botanical specialties of this remaining natural bit of “Old Bergen County.” Meet in the parking lot of the Celery Farm on Franklin Turnpike, one-quarter mile north of the intersection of Franklin Turnpike and East Allendale Avenue in Allendale.
Cost: $6 members, $8 nonmembers.

The 26th Annual
WORLD SERIES OF BIRDING
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Once again this year Lorrimer Sanctuary will enter the WSB in the Big Stay category. Instead of racing throughout the state, the team counts birds from a stationary location (actually a 17-foot diameter circle). The Lorrimer Lounging Larids, led by Pat “the Nat” Scheuer, will be spending the day at the Garret Mountain Reservation, in West Paterson. Last year’s team brought home the Big Stay trophy with the win in this division. Can we pull it off again this year? Show your support for the team by making a pledge, helping scout the area prior to the day, or just stop by the count circle to cheer us on (quietly please)!

FAMILY NATURE PROGRAMS

Lorrimer Sanctuary invites families, friends, and nature lovers of all ages to join us for an exploration of the winter world. Educational and fun, these Family Nature Programs are perfect for beginning naturalists and their families. Preregistration is required for all programs.
Cost: Members, $12 per family; nonmembers, $15 per family (unless noted otherwise).

SKUNK CABBAGE SAFARI
Sunday, April 5
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
What better way to celebrate the first days of spring than to look for the first flower? The unusual skunk cabbage flower actually produces its own heat to melt through snow and ice! Discover more fascinating facts about this flower as we set out in search of this and other signs of spring.

HERPIN’ AT THE ’PO
Sunday, May 31
9:00 a.m. to noon
The Ramapo Reservation in Mahwah is home to a number of different species of reptiles and amphibians. Join us as we search high and low (mostly low) for these elusive animals  – we’ll leave no stone unturned! With a little luck we could see Northern Water Snake, Ringneck Snake, Painted Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, Green Frog, Wood Frog, Red-backed Salamander, Slimy Salamander, and the very quick Five-lined Skink. A great walk for any young naturalist!

AFTERSCHOOL NATURE PROGRAMS
Session I: Wednesday afternoons, March 4, 11, 18, 25
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
Session II: Wednesday afternoons, April 8, 15, 22, and 29
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
Calling all young nature lovers! If you’re looking for something fun (and educational) to do for an hour after school, then come join our senior “nature nut,” Patrick Scheuer, for a series of afternoon nature classes. Each series includes four one-hour programs. Programs are open to students ages 7 to 11. Class size is limited to fifteen students, so register early!
Price: $70 per student per session.

SPRING PLANT SALE
Saturday and Sunday,
May 2 and 3
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary will be holding a spring plant sale to raise money for our butterfly garden and backyard habitat projects. We will be selling high-quality garden plants that are specially chosen to attract birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your backyard. Some perennial favorites include monarda, phlox, aster, salvia, honeysuckle, and native trees and shrubs. And remember – plants make great gifts for Mother’s Day! Come out and show your support by buying a plant. Your contributions help support education, conservation, and research.

BADGES AND MORE
Scout programs at Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary
Scouts! Get on track with nature this season at Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary. We’re offering these special programs to all scout groups now through June 2009. All programs are taught by a professional naturalist, Pat “The Nat” Scheuer, on our fourteen-acre nature sanctuary.

Wilderness Survival. A scout favorite! Learn what it takes to survive in the wilderness. Students will learn how to prepare for a hike, use a map and compass, build a survival shelter, collect water, and make fire the primitive way. What you learn could save your life!
Radical Reptiles. Often feared and misunderstood, reptiles are among the most incredible and fascinating animals on the planet. Through demonstrations, discussion, and class participation, this program will allow your troop an up-close look at live turtles and snakes in a safe and respectful environment.
Incredible Insects. Your scouts will really “bug out” over this program! Learn what makes an insect an insect, and discover the ecological roles they play, their habitats, and their adaptations. Using nets and bug boxes, we’ll venture into insect habitats to collect and observe some insect specimens.
Animal Tracking and Observation. Native Americans relied on their ability to track and find animals for survival. Today, learning to track animals is a skill anyone can learn – even in their own backyard. Find out what animals do when we’re not looking by searching the sanctuary for clues like tracks, scats, nests, and homes.
Orienteering 101. Have you ever been lost in the woods? Learn the basics of using a map and compass to find your way through the outdoors. After a brief indoor lesson, we’ll head outside to put our skills to the test on our orienteering course.

Programs are 1 to 1½ hours long and cost $5 per participant or $75 for groups of less than fifteen. A $75 deposit per program is required to hold your reservation. Payment of any remaining balance is due upon arrival on the date of the program.
To schedule a visit, please contact us at 201.891.2185. To facilitate scheduling, please call with several possible program dates and times. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs.
Supervision and discipline of participants is the responsibility of the chaperones at all times. Please make sure all students are dressed for the weather.

BIRTHDAY PARTY CELEBRATIONS
AT LORRIMER SANCTUARY

Parents, are you looking for a fun AND educational way to celebrate your child’s upcoming birthday? How about a party with a nature theme at the Lorrimer Sanctuary?

The birthday celebration includes: two-hour rental of our classroom, including a one-hour program conducted by one of our expert naturalists. Call Lorrimer for seasonally available program choices and birthday activities.
Setup/Cleanup: We will provide the tables, chairs, garbage and recycling cans.
Parents are responsible for tablecloths (optional), plates, cups, flatware, napkins, food, and beverages.

Lorrimer Sanctuary is available for birthday parties on both Saturdays and Sundays after 1:00 p.m. and can be scheduled as late as 4:00 p.m.
Birthday celebrations last for two hours, and additional time can be scheduled in half-hour increments for an additional $50 per half-hour.
A $50 nonrefundable deposit is required to hold your space. Spaces fill up quickly, so please register in advance! Limit: 20 children.
Cost: $150 for members;
      $175 for nonmembers.
     
Don’t forget the Lorrimer Sanctuary gift shop, where you can get everything on your shopping gift list. We carry books, field guides, binoculars, videos, CDs and tapes, bird feeders, T-shirts, puppets, nature gift items, and more.

Members receive discounts on program fees. If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.