Saturdays at Rice Creek to feature hikes, story hours this winter

SUNY Oswego's Rice Creek Field Station will offer nature programming every Saturday this winter, from January to March.

Rice Creek Rambles -- naturalist-led walks -- will take place at 11 a.m. Jan. 6, 13 and 20; Feb. 3, 10 and 17; and March 3, 10, 17 and 24. 

Those planning to attend a Rice Creek Ramble are asked to call 315-312-6677 on the morning of the hike to check trail conditions. Since program size is limited, Rice Creek cannot accommodate groups to these free Saturday programs.

Story hour -- tales of nature, animals' wild ways, and how humans relate to the world around them -- will focus on elementary-age children at 11 a.m. Jan. 27, Feb. 24 and March 31.

Most Saturdays, citizen scientists of any age can participate in winter bird study by helping count birds at Rice Creek feeders from an indoor viewing area, according to programming administrator Dr. Diann C. Jackson.

An adult needs to accompany children age 17 and under for these events. 

Rice Creek's trails, covering nearly 400 acres of mixed-use terrain off Thompson Road about a mile south of State Route 104, stay open all winter during daylight hours. Parking is available at the field station's headquarters building and near the gate. Building hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. most Saturdays.

Visit oswego.edu/rice-creek for more information. Jackson said 2018 applications for the field station's long-running Exploring Nature summer program in July will be available online soon at the shortcut oswego.edu/exploringnature.