Starry, Starry Night at Lake Michie (A Constellation Program, Come stargaze with us)

Hello Everyone,
We first it's cold, then it's hot, now it is normal temp.  Rollercoaster weather is here.  I wish we could stay in the winter season, but this seems to be the new normal. 

So next Friday, February 8 we will be up at Lake Michie looking at the stars, learning about the constellations, and enjoying the winter night sky.  We will bring out our astronomy binoculars, our telescope, and knowledge of the night sky.  Winter is a great time to get out and look at the planets and stars as typically the sky is sharper with the drier air. 

The Pleadies, Jupiter, Orion are just some of the neat features in the sky right now.

Here is how it looks as we are setting up

 

Now unfortunately that night was not so clear, but you can't predidict the weather, but I can predict that fun will be had at our Starry, Starry Night program up at beautiful Lake Michie.

Cost is $6(city residents) and $11(non-city residents)

 

You can register here online: https://online.activenetwork.com/DPRPlayMore/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=10911

 

You can also email me at christopher.shepard@durhamnc.gov for more information.  Hope to see you out there

Lake Michie by Moonlight *Postponed*

***Postponed due to wintry weather...stay tuned for details on the new date****    

 If you’re not afraid of the chilly weather and are looking for something fun to do this Friday night, we have just this program for you!  Join us for peaceful and relaxing nature paddle by moonlight from 7-9 pm, where we will learn about the nocturnal animals that live at Lake Michie. We will meet at the boathouse, pair up, and then take to the lake by canoe for our paddle. Beginners are welcome, and we will provide the canoes and all equipment needed. (You may bring your own canoe or kayak if you would like). I recommend wearing lots of layers, a hat, and gloves to stay warm...last paddle was freezing! We will have hot chocolate and tea at the boathouse, so bring your mug with a top if you are interested in sipping on a hot beverage.

    Everyone will need to preregister for this program by either using the DPR online registration page or by stopping by a recreation center by Wednesday. This program is for adults (ages 18+) and the cost is $6 for Durham residents and $11 for nonresidents.

For online registration, use course id #10168.

https://online.activenetwork.com/dprplaymore/Start/Start.asp

If you have any questions, please contact Karuna Markman

karuna.markman@durhamnc.gov

(919)560-4405 opt. #6

Winter Trees and Snow in Durham

Hi Everyone,
Looks like we are getting ready for a short, yet intense snow burst here in Durham, NC.  The forecast is calling for 2-4 inches in a four hour window, so we shall see what happens. 

Here is a map that I like







So since we are finally back to winter weather it is easier to think about one of our next programs we have.  We will be running a winter tree identification program called Bare But Beautiful.  This program will take place on Saturday, January 26, from 12pm-2pm at Indian Trails Park.

At this program we will learn different ways to identify trees during the winter, which of course means no leaves for most.  Therefore we will rely on bark, buds, twig shape, tree shape, and other factors to identify the trees.  We will also talk about some of the uses for the trees in the past.  This program is a lot of fun and a great chance to walk through the woods and learn what is around you. 

The program will meet at Indian Trails Park and you can register here: https://online.activenetwork.com/DPRPlayMore/Activities/ActivitiesCourseDetails.asp?cid=10916
The course number is 10164 and knowing that will make registration easier.

We are now asking everyone to preregister for our programs.  You can also register for our programs at any of the DPR recreation centers and and main Parks and Recreation office.

See if you can identify some of these winter tree pictures and then come out and join us:

 

Discovering Deer

Hi Everyone,
So this weekend we have a program on Deer.  The program will talk about how deer survive in an urban area, including the challenges they have to find foo, water, and shelter.  The program will be on Saturday, January 12 from 3-5pm at West Point on the Eno Park.  The cost of the program is:
$1(city residents) and $6(non-city residents). 

Go to this link where you can find a picture we took of a fawn this summer at West Point http://instagram.com/westpointnaturalists/
it was amazing how close we were able to get to it by being quiet and respectful. 

If you are interested in coming on the hike give me a call at 919-560-4405(ext6) or email me at christopher.shepard@durhamnc.gov

While out on the hike we will look for deer rubs, deer scat, deer tracks, and other signs of deer.  Below are some pictures of what we might find

Deer Scat

Deer Skull