Rice Creek to feature winter festival, nature walks, more

Visitors are invited to celebrate the winter season with several special nature-themed events at SUNY Oswego’s Rice Creek Field Station.

Celebrate Snow, a snow-themed family-friendly festival, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18. Activities include snow-themed arts and crafts, snow animal sculpting, mammal tracking on snowshoes, a presentation on the science of snow and much more. Tickets are $1 through the campus box office online (tickets.oswego.edu) or at the event. Full event details at calendar.oswego.edu/event/celebratesnow.

At 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, visitors are invited for a guided Full Moon Owl Prowl on snowshoes. Adult-sized snowshoes are available to participants. Tickets are $1 through the campus box office online starting in January. Space is limited, so those interested are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Rice Creek Rambles, free guided nature walks, are offered at 11 a.m. on the following Saturdays: Jan. 4, 11 and 25; Feb. 1, 8, 22 and 29; and Mar. 7, 21 and 28. Winter topics include mammal tracks, winter birds and winter tree identification. Adult-sized snowshoes are available to participants.

Special Saturday indoor events this winter include two special Story Hours for children: one with a Valentine’s Day theme (Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.) and one with a maple syrup theme (Mar. 14 at 11 a.m.). A naturalist will read a nature storybook related to the theme and lead a craft or activity for participants. Participants should call 315-312-6677 to sign up for these free events. A third indoor event invites all board game lovers to drop by for nature-themed board gaming between 1 and 3 p.m. on Feb. 22. Games appropriate for younger and older children will be available.

Visitors are also invited to be citizen scientists through Project Feederwatch. Nature lovers can drop in Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and spend a few minutes watching birds and recording what they see. A naturalist can help with bird identification.

Rice Creek’s five miles of hiking trails are open daily dawn until dusk. Building hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays except for Christmas, Dec. 26, Dec. 28 and New Year’s Day.

Located on nearly 400 acres of mixed terrain accessible from Thompson Road, Rice Creek Field Station has served as a living and working laboratory and educational facility for more than 50 years. For more information, visit oswego.edu/rice-creek or call 315-312-6677.