It’s a hot week out there, huh? Be careful when you’re hiking and adventuring: suncreen and bug spray, drink water, keep an eye on the skies for rapidly changing weather, and watch where you put your feet to keep yourself safe while protecting our favorite threatened species, the timber rattlesnake.

Upcoming events: 

• Every Friday, 5:30pm-6pm. Mindfulness and meditation with Ian. Free but donations welcome. Join Ian for a half-hour for meditation in nature, a perfect easy way to end the work week and ground yourself for the weekend. No experience needed; this program is designed for adults, not kids.
• Every Tuesday, 10am-11am. Drop-In Family Program. July 13th is Mad Science with Maggie! Come up to Tanglewood for fun, hands-on, science exploration on Tuesdays! Each week a new theme: Geocaching, Insect ID, How Tos of Lean Tos, etc. This will be a recurring program, every Tuesday morning from 10am-11am, June through August 17th. These programs are all outdoors.
• Every Tuesday, 5:30-6:30. Gentle outdoor yoga with Danyell. Ideal for those new to yoga and focusing on more accessible positions, this gentle and supportive class welcomes individuals and families. Individuals $5/the whole family for $10.

• Saturday July 24th, starting at 8am. Run for the Hills Trail Race.  A family friendly 5k and a more technical 10k.  The race will offer wave start times every 10 minutes beginning at 8am and finishing at 8:40am; registration is limited to 25 people per wave. Sign up online!   Not a runner but you’d like to help them not get lost in the woods? Volunteer here! 
• Saturday August 7th, 11am-12pm. First Saturday Program: birds of a feather. Free. Meet up with Maggie and our amazing birds of prey for an outdoors presentation about birds, flight, and so much more. This is an all-ages program. BYO lawn chair or picnic blanket!

Our educators are traveling far and wide this summer to libraries around the region – visit your favorite library to enjoy an animal program!

• Atlanta NY Fri. July 9th, 11-12pm
• Candor NY Fri. July 9th, 2-3pm
• Canton PA Wed. July 14th, 10-11am
• Dundee NY Wed. July 14th, 3-4pm
• Nichols NY Thurs. July 15th, 10-11am
• Wellsville NY Thurs. July 15th, 1-2pm
• Hammondsport NY Sat. July 17th, 11-12pm
• Bath NY Fri. July 23rd, 7-8pm
• Newark Valley NY Fri. July 30th, 10-11am
• Waverly NY Thur. Aug. 5th, 2-3pm
• Trumansburg NY Sat. Aug 7th, 11-12pm

What we’re exploring this week: 

• The mysterious illness impacting birds in the mid-Atlantic has moved into PA too. The PA Game Commission is urging the public to remove feeders and bird baths, to prevent any spread of disease. If you find a bird impacted by this illness, report it here.
• Cowbirds, cuckoos, and other brood parasites may find themselves challenged by climate change.
• Our friends Erin, Rachel, and Susan at CCHS have published a book! Buy your copy of Hidden Lives of Chemung County here. 

Be well and hike often. Share your photos and nature stories with us!