Red Knots © Photographer Shawn Carey
Kids will soon be out of school for the summer, but the adults are just beginning!
Every summer, several of Mass Audubon’s coastal wildlife sanctuaries host classes that offer a wide variety of in-depth learning opportunities for adults that focus on the unique coastal environment and wildlife of the Cape. Field schools emphasize active outdoor “in-the-field” experiences and are taught by professional naturalists and scientists.
The beaches, woods, dunes, and wetlands of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, the islands off Chatham, and the waters of Cape Cod provide the setting for the courses.
Previous experience is not required—all you need is an inquisitive mind and an eagerness to learn!
The following Field School programs are still taking registrations—sign up today!
Bees & Other Pollinators
June 17–18
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet
Summer is the high time for insects and pollen-gathering bees are the essence of the season. So let your summer take flight with the study of the biology, behavior, adaptations, and identification of these beautiful, interesting, and extremely valuable insects.
Let’s Go! Field School Series: Osprey Field Exploration
June 24
Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, Dartmouth & Westport
Allens Pond has been working with the Southcoast osprey population for years—a real environmental success story. Now join them for an immersive field school experience. You’ll get up-close and personal with the platforms and check for nest activity and chicks.
Forging a Deeper Connection to Nature
July 15–16
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet
It is in interpreting nature that we come to understand it better and forge a deeper connection. Find inspiration, expand your creativity, and learn to really see the world around you with artist, writer, and naturalist Julie Zickefoose.
Photographing Insects and their Kin
July 21–22
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet
This intensive two-day workshop with entomologist and photographer Kefyn Catley focuses on the intersection of art and science by creating images that are rewarding works of art but also items of scientific data.
Hatching Diamondback Terrapins
August 25–27
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Wellfleet
During this three-day weekend you will gain first-hand knowledge of turtle biology; monitor nests for hatching activity; weigh, measure, and release hatchlings; and document nesting success at various Outer Cape locations.
Sandy Neck Field Studies Series: Nature Photography on Sandy Neck
October 19–22
Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, Barnstable
Explore all the capabilities of the digital camera with award-winning freelance photographer and photography instructor Laura Gingerich. Say goodbye to blasé images and immerse yourself in the world of photography among the natural wonders of Cape Cod.