Native Plants in Fruit and Seed Help Birds Fuel Up for Migration
Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters - Salt Meadow Unit, 733 Old Clinton Rd, Westbrook, CT, 06498 Map
Public Welcome Group Tour Nature Walk/Hike Public Restroom Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity
Join us for a guided walk at Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge (Salt Marsh Unit). Wildlife biologist Kris Vagos will introduce the refuge and talk a little about the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System before leading all participants on a short hike to learn about native plants and their role in bird migration. She will also talk about pollinators and native plants and answer any questions you may have about plants you see along the way.
To Register, please email Sue S at [email protected]
PROGRAM DETAILS:
The route is less than a mile long but has hills. Kris will open the building before and after the walk for restroom use (but will lock up before she leaves). Wear good walking shoes and bring water If you want to enjoy more of the refuge after the walk with Kris, feel free to bring a picnic lunch (take out what you bring in) and explore on your own. For kayakers, a small boat launch at Kirtland Landing on Rt. 145 in Westbrook (outside the refuge), provides public access without charge.
REGISTRATION
This program is free and open to the public, but we ask that you register at the link below because group size will be limited.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM LEADER:
Kris Vagos has been a Wildlife Biologist at Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge since 2011. Her main focus at the refuge is creating and enhancing habitat for threatened and endangered species such as the roseate tern on Falkner Island, managing habitat for at-risk species, and fostering a better understanding of the refuge and the natural world. Before coming to Connecticut, Kris worked at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge along the southern coast of Maine, did research on the endangered white-winged guan in Peru, helped reintroduce the aplomado falcon to Texas, was a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania with Retezat National Park, and was an Americorps volunteer in the Adirondacks where she taught environmental education and worked on a trail crew. She got her undergraduate degree in Biology from Boston College and received her Master's degree in Natural Resources from the University of New Hampshire where she was a research assistant. Kris loves to travel and visits a new country every year.
To Register, please email Sue S at [email protected]