Explore the Outdoors with the Experts!

Questions? Email pam.oves@anshome.org.

ANS COVID Policy for Outdoor Adult Programs
Continuing this summer, both leaders and participants are asked to observe social distancing throughout our outdoor field trips. We request that any participant or leader who has not been vaccinated for Covid-19 wear a mask at all times. Of course, all participants are welcome to wear a mask if they are more comfortable doing so. Twelve will be our usual group size maximum, unless an outing’s focus/and or field conditions call for a smaller group. All of the policies above are subject to change.

Mountain Laurel Meander (rescheduled from May 27)
Friday, June 3 (10 am-12:30 pm)
Leaders: Marney Bruce and Anne DeNovo
Members $33; nonmembers $46
As spring gives way to summer, enjoy blooming Mountain Laurel and other plants of oak/hickory woodlands along the Rachel Greenway Trail adjacent to Northwest Branch Creek in upper Silver Spring, MD. Be prepared for uneven and rocky natural surface trails with some gentle uphill/downhill stretches. NOTE: Depending on recent rains, there may also be several small stream crossings. REGISTER

Botany Hike in the Bottomlands SORRY CANCELED
Wednesday, June 15 (10 am-1 pm)
Leader: Bradley Simpson
Members $33; nonmembers $46 
Our Restoration Manager/tree ID instructor will lead this almost-summer plant hike to visit the bottomland habitats of Turkey Run Park, situated along the Potomac River and accessed off the GW Parkway near McLean, VA. All things green will be the hike’s focus: trees and shrubs, wildflowers, and ferns. Be prepared for a long and steep hike down (and back up again!) mostly on constructed stairs to reach the bottomland forest—where there may be muddy conditions underfoot. There will also be one or two stream crossings to consider. Participants should be in good physical shape for uphill/downhill hiking on a steep gradient. REGISTER

Ferns for Beginners
Friday, June 17 (9 am-Noon)
Leader: Kit Sheffield
Members $33; nonmembers $46
What makes a plant a fern? What are the most common ferns in our area? To help answer these questions, we’ll walk the trails at Rachel Carson Conservation Park near Olney, MD. While our naturalist will share the answers to the “what” questions, he’ll also help you learn some basic characteristics you’ll be able to use to ID ferns on your own. Be prepared for some uphill/downhill on this hike of up to several miles. Trails will be natural surface and may be uneven, rocky and/or muddy. REGISTER

Summer Shuffles Along the Canal 
Wednesdays (9-11:30 am)
A: June 22 – Widewater WAITLIST OPEN
B: July 6 – Riley’s Lock WAITLIST OPEN
C: July 20 – Swain’s Lock
D: July 27 – Carderock
Leaders: Stephanie Mason (A, B, & C) and Carol Hayes (D)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46 
Summer has arrived and it’s likely to be hot and humid. So we’ll keep our pace to a shuffle along Maryland’s C&O Canal as we explore four relatively close-in stretches of the Towpath along the Potomac River. We’ll stop often to observe birds, blooms, butterflies, dragonflies, snakes, and whatever else we might find underfoot or overhead in this habitat and species rich parkland. REGISTER

Introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies
Thursday, June 23 (7-9 pm) (Virtual lecture)
Saturday, June 25 (morning field trip) WAITLIST OPEN
Leader: Lisa Shannon
Members $46; nonmembers $64
Virtual lecture only $20/$28
Grab your binoculars and prepare to set your sights not on birds—although “mosquito hawk” is a common nickname—but on those six-legged, aerial acrobats of wetland habitats: the dragonflies and damselflies. During the evening lecture on the Zoom platform, our leader will discuss ID, biology, and behavior of the more common species of Odonates in our area. You’ll then join our leader for a morning field trip to the wetland habitats of Patuxent Research Refuge (North Tract) near Bowie, MD, where participants will have a chance to test their own ID skills. REGISTER

Solstice Walk at Little Bennett WAITLIST OPEN
Friday, June 24 (9 am-Noon) 
Leader: Sujata Roy 
Members $33; nonmembers $46
Explore this botanical gem among Montgomery County Parks as the season passes from spring into summer. At 3,700 acres, the Park near Clarksburg, MD harbors rich plant diversity due to it many habitats. On this leisurely hike of up to a couple of miles, our summer wildflower teacher will introduce you to many of this protected area’s blooming plants of early summer. Expect some open and sunny conditions, as well as some uphill/downhill, on natural surface trails which may be muddy and/or slippery. REGISTER

Summer Walks on the Wild Side
(8:30-11:30 am)
A. Sunday, June 26 – Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC WAITLIST OPEN
B. Thursday, July 7 – Huntley Meadows Park, VA
C. Sunday, July 17 – Governor’s Bridge Natural Area, MD
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46
Join our Senior Naturalist to explore the seasonal richness of three parks in the DC-Metro area. As summer arrives and brings with it long, hot, muggy days and nights, wetlands and meadows soak up the sunlight and come alive with plant and wildlife activity. We’ll explore these park’s open and mostly sunny habitats with walks of up to 2.5 miles at a slow summer pace. We’ll search for birds, butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians, and summer plant life on natural surface paths and boardwalk. REGISTER

Botany in a Parking Lot SORRY CANCELED
Wednesday, June 29 (10 am-12:00 pm)
Leader: Marney Bruce
Members $30; nonmembers $42
No joke! Our leader invites you to join her for an easy walk around the perimeter of one of her favorite botanical hot-spots along the C&O Canal Towpath at the Carderock Recreation Area. Expect an easy walk around the parking lot’s edge as she shows you how to ID the diverse group of trees around the lot, using bark, buds, leaves, and developing fruits. REGISTER

Firefly Fling WAITLIST OPEN
Thursday, June 30 (8-9:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $15; nonmembers $20
Come and enjoy nature’s fireworks—the courting of fireflies over our Woodend Sanctuary’s meadows and forests. The evening begins with a short discussion of the life history and behavior of these luminescent beetles.  As dusk descends, we’ll observe the various flash and flight patterns of different species and try to “communicate” with these insects ourselves. We’ll also turn our eyes to the sky and hope to catch a glimpse of feeding bats as they circle and swoop in search of flying insects. REGISTER

Questions? Email pam.oves@anshome.org.

ANS COVID Policy for Outdoor Adult Programs
Continuing this summer, both leaders and participants are asked to observe social distancing throughout our outdoor field trips. We request that any participant or leader who has not been vaccinated for Covid-19 wear a mask at all times. Of course, all participants are welcome to wear a mask if they are more comfortable doing so. Twelve will be our usual group size maximum, unless an outing’s focus/and or field conditions call for a smaller group. All of the policies above are subject to change.

B is for Butterfly
Saturday, July 2 (9 am-Noon)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $33; nonmembers $46
On this slow stroll through at Black Hill Regional Park near Boyds, MD, you’ll enjoy an introduction to some of the common butterflies of summer: their habits and habitats, how to identify them, and where to look for their caterpillars and host plants. Be prepared for explorations in open, sunny areas. REGISTER

Holiday on Wheels Along the Patuxent
Monday, July 4 (8:30 am-12:30 pm)
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Members $35; nonmembers $49
Dust off your bike and join an exploration of the woods and wetlands along the Patuxent River in Prince George’s County, MD. We’ll use the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Tour roadway, closed to cars on this day, to visit a variety of habitats in our search for summer activity in the natural world. We’ll dismount often to look for wildflowers, birds, butterflies, and frogs. Our round-trip ride will be between 5-8 miles on both paved and gravelly/sandy ground conditions. Bring your own bike. REGISTER

Summer Shuffles Along the Canal 
Wednesdays (9-11:30 am)
B: July 6 – Riley’s Lock WAITLIST OPEN
C: July 20 – Swain’s Lock
D: July 27 – Carderock
Leaders: Stephanie Mason (A, B, & C) and Carol Hayes (D)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46 
Summer has arrived and it’s likely to be hot and humid. So we’ll keep our pace to a shuffle along Maryland’s C&O Canal as we explore four relatively close-in stretches of the Towpath along the Potomac River. We’ll stop often to observe birds, blooms, butterflies, dragonflies, snakes, and whatever else we might find underfoot or overhead in this habitat and species rich parkland. REGISTER

Summer Walks on the Wild Side
(8:30-11:30 am)
B. Thursday, July 7 – Huntley Meadows Park, VA WAITLIST OPEN
C. Sunday, July 17 – Governor’s Bridge Natural Area, MD
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46
Join our Senior Naturalist to explore the seasonal richness of three parks in the DC-Metro area. As summer arrives and brings with it long, hot, muggy days and nights, wetlands and meadows soak up the sunlight and come alive with plant and wildlife activity. We’ll explore these park’s open and mostly sunny habitats with walks of up to 2.5 miles at a slow summer pace. We’ll search for birds, butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians, and summer plant life on natural surface paths and boardwalk. REGISTER

Summer Birding Strolls
(7-9:30 am)
A. Friday, July 8 – Black Hill Regional Park, MD (Leader: Mark England)
B. Saturday, July 16 – Hughes Hollow, MD (Leader: Len Bisson)
C. Saturday, August 6 – Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, VA (Leader: Paul Pisano)
D. Sunday, August 21 – Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC (Leaders: Lisa Shannon and Rob Hilton)
E. Saturday, August 27 – Blue Mash Nature Trail, MD (Leader: Len Bisson)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46
Summertime…and the living is easy–unless you’re a bird busy with nesting chores and the many challenges of raising young. Summertime can also be a more difficult period to encounter birds as they quiet down and move around with greater stealth.  Still, there is lots to observe, discuss, and enjoy on a summer birding walk so we’re happy to offer this series for beginning to mid-level birders. As it starts, breeding bird activity will still be ongoing, but by late July and into August, the movement of southbound migrants will be underway. Expect some open and sunny field conditions at all of our locations. There will be chances, however, to duck into the shade periodically as we keep our pace to a slow stroll. REGISTER

Nature Photography Basics WAITLIST OPEN
Sunday, July 10 (8-11 am)
Leader: Liz Guertin
Members $33; nonmembers $46 
Join Maryland Master Naturalist & Nature Photographer Liz Guertin for a journey into nature photography basics. Liz will cover everything from where to find good photoshoots to how to use any camera (phone, point & shoot, DSLR, or a mirrorless) to compose and achieve the best shots possible. All cameras welcome! Our venue for the morning is Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD where we’re guaranteed to see blooming flowers, critters such as turtles, insects, patterns, colors, and birds. REGISTER

On the Wing at Pennyfield
Thursday, July 14 (8-10:30 am)
Leaders: Lisa Shannon and Rob Hilton
Members $33; nonmembers $46 
The varied habitats of the Pennyfield Lock area—C&O Canal and Potomac waters, bottomland forest and swamps, watery impoundments, and even rocky cliffs—attract an abundance of bird species in all seasons. According to our leaders, these habitats can also be a productive spot for summer dragonfly and damselfly watching. Join them for this morning’s search for both birds and winged dragons and damsels as they share ID tips. Don’t forget your binoculars! REGISTER

Summer Birding Strolls
(7-9:30 am)
B. Saturday, July 16 – Hughes Hollow, MD (Leader: Len Bisson)
C. Saturday, August 6 – Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, VA (Leader: Paul Pisano)
D. Sunday, August 21 – Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, DC (Leaders: Lisa Shannon and Rob Hilton)
E. Saturday, August 27 – Blue Mash Nature Trail, MD (Leader: Len Bisson)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46
Summertime…and the living is easy–unless you’re a bird busy with nesting chores and the many challenges of raising young. Summertime can also be a more difficult period to encounter birds as they quiet down and move around with greater stealth.  Still, there is lots to observe, discuss, and enjoy on a summer birding walk so we’re happy to offer this series for beginning to mid-level birders. As it starts, breeding bird activity will still be ongoing, but by late July and into August, the movement of southbound migrants will be underway. Expect some open and sunny field conditions at all of our locations. There will be chances, however, to duck into the shade periodically as we keep our pace to a slow stroll. REGISTER

Summer Walks on the Wild Side
(8:30-11:30 am)
C. Sunday, July 17 – Governor’s Bridge Natural Area, MD
Leader: Stephanie Mason
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46
Join our Senior Naturalist to explore the seasonal richness of three parks in the DC-Metro area. As summer arrives and brings with it long, hot, muggy days and nights, wetlands and meadows soak up the sunlight and come alive with plant and wildlife activity. We’ll explore these park’s open and mostly sunny habitats with walks of up to 2.5 miles at a slow summer pace. We’ll search for birds, butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, amphibians, and summer plant life on natural surface paths and boardwalk. REGISTER

Six-legged Songsters of Summer
Tuesday, July 19 (7-9:30 pm)
Leader: Cathy Stragar
Members $33; nonmembers $46
Sticky summer has arrived, and the songs of insects such as cicadas, crickets, and katydids begin to swell into a noisy and riotous chorus. Join naturalist Cathy Stragar at our Woodend Sanctuary for a slide introduction to the most common of these songsters: who they are, why they sing, and how they make their amazing sounds. As darkness falls, we’ll spend time looking and listening for these songsters on our grounds. The slide show will be presented in an outdoor tented space with side flaps open for ventilation. REGISTER

Summer Shuffles Along the Canal 
Wednesdays (9-11:30 am)
C: July 20 – Swain’s Lock
D: July 27 – Carderock
Leaders: Stephanie Mason (A, B, & C) and Carol Hayes (D)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46 
Summer has arrived and it’s likely to be hot and humid. So we’ll keep our pace to a shuffle along Maryland’s C&O Canal as we explore four relatively close-in stretches of the Towpath along the Potomac River. We’ll stop often to observe birds, blooms, butterflies, dragonflies, snakes, and whatever else we might find underfoot or overhead in this habitat and species rich parkland. REGISTER

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star 
Thursday, July 21 (9-10 pm)
Leader: Carrie Fitzgerald
Members $15; nonmembers $20
Join us for a guided look at the summer night sky with an astronomer from Montgomery College. Perched on the lawn at our Woodend Sanctuary, participants will view visible solar system objects, star clusters, and nebulae through a telescope provided by the leader. You’ll leave with an enriched understanding of the science of astronomy, as well as the ability to locate and identify constellations and celestial objects on your own. REGISTER

Dragons of the Air 
Sunday, July 24 (9-11:30 am)
Leader: Lisa Shannon 
Members $33; nonmembers $46
The urban wetlands at Lake Artemesia in Greenbelt, MD are an ideal spot to begin learning how to ID the most common dragonflies in our area. Naturalist Lisa Shannon will help dragonfly enthusiasts (beginners welcome!) focus on identification characteristics, as well as the life histories, of these aerial insects. Close-focusing binoculars are recommended for optimal dragon-watching in the open and sunny habitats we’ll explore at this inside-the-Beltway park. REGISTER

Summer Shuffles Along the Canal 
Wednesdays (9-11:30 am)
D: July 27 – Carderock
Leaders: Stephanie Mason (A, B, & C) and Carol Hayes (D)
Each walk members $33; nonmembers $46 
Summer has arrived and it’s likely to be hot and humid. So we’ll keep our pace to a shuffle along Maryland’s C&O Canal as we explore four relatively close-in stretches of the Towpath along the Potomac River. We’ll stop often to observe birds, blooms, butterflies, dragonflies, snakes, and whatever else we might find underfoot or overhead in this habitat and species rich parkland. REGISTER

Introduction to Botanical Illustration
Saturday, July 30 (9-11:30 am)
Leader: Jen Brown
Members $33; nonmembers $46 
Summer can be an ideal time to slow down your pace and work at becoming a better observer of nature. One way to do this is through botanical illustration, says ANS member and artist Jen Brown.  We’re delighted she’s agreed to be our teacher for this beginner’s session in learning how to observe and record the identifying features of a plant using graphite pencils. The location for this workshop will be our Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, MD. where native plant gardens offer many subjects for you to create rough sketches.  Jen will then help guide everyone through the steps of finishing their drawing using tone (light and shade) to portray the form of the plant. A list of materials needed for this workshop will be sent 2 weeks in advance. REGISTER

The Buzz on Bees and Wasps
Sunday, July 31 (8:30-11 am)
Leader: Cliff Fairweather
Members $33; nonmembers $46
From solitary parasitic wasps to the highly social honeybee, from potter wasps to carpenter bees, these related insects form a fascinating and critically important part of the natural world. We’ll take a look at their diversity, life histories, significant ecological roles, and the worrisome threats currently facing bees and wasps. Our outdoor classroom will be the woodlands and wetlands at McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area near Poolesville, MD. Expect exploration in open and sunny areas, possibly with tall vegetation. A great preparation for this field trip will be our leader’s Naturalist Hour presentation: The Summer Buzz: All about Bees and Wasps. It will be presented on the Zoom platform Thursday, July 28 at 7 pm. Register for it separately at https://anshome.org/naturalist-hour/. REGISTER