Hummingbird banding, Moths at Night: Prairie Ridge lines up free activities

Prairie Ridge Ecostation, the outdoor learning lab of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, has some activities lined up in the next couple of weeks.

Posted 7:56 p.m. Jul 10, 2017 — Updated 7:56 p.m. Jul 10, 2017

Prairie Ridge Ecostation, the outdoor learning lab of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, has some activities lined up in the next couple of weeks.

Prairie Ridge is in west Raleigh, not far from the N.C. Museum of Art, at 1671 Gold Star Dr. The programs are free. Here's what's scheduled:

1 p.m. to 3 p.m., July 15: Photography for Science Workshop

Bring a camera (even your cell phone) and take a leisurely tour of Prairie Ridge to photograph interesting things. Learn how to upload your photos to a variety of citizen science projects and to take the most helpful photos possible for the scientists who will use them for their research. Beginning photographers are always welcome. Ages 12 and up, children under 16 must be with a registered adult. Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Chris Goforth at chris.goforth@naturalsciences.org or 919.707.8882.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m., July 22: Hummingbird Banding Demonstration

Learn how staff at Prairie Ridge study some of our tiniest birds. Join hummingbird expert Susan Campbell and net, measure and band hummingbirds. Get an up-close look at some of our most energetic and charismatic birds. All ages, but children under 16 must be with an adult. Registration is not required. Contact Goforth if you have questions.

8:30 p.m. to midnight, July 22: National Moth Week Celebration

Take part in a brief orientation in the outdoor classroom, then head out to the black lights and baits to see what’s out and about throughout the night. Bring a flashlight, a camera (if you have one), and your moth questions. There will be activities for kids and opportunities to upload photos of the moths that we see to Natural North Carolina or other citizen science projects so that data collected during the event can help scientists learn more about the species in our area. All ages, children under 16 must be with adult. Registration is not required, but you can contact Goforth if you have questions.

Every week, Prairie Ridge also hosts Nature Play Days from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays, and Nature Stories, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Thursdays. These are best for kids ages 6 or 7 and under.

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