Long Island State Parks & Nature

Join us for a Nature Program this weekend at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve! Adult Program: Back in Bloom Saturday, April 24 from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Please call (631) 265-1054 for Reservations... Caleb Smith is home to beautiful species of wildflowers, and now is the time they begin to awaken! We’ll bring field guides and try to identify these early spring bloomers! Due to COVID-19 safety parameters, space is limited. Reservations are required! Masks are mandatory! All programs will be outdoors so dress for the weather! Program fees are $4.00 per person in Cash.

Join us for a Nature Program this Sunday at Sunken Meadow State Park! Family Program: Sunset Stroll Sunday, May 2nd from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Please call (631) 581-1072 for reservations... Without a doubt, the beach is one of the best places to observe a beautiful sunset! Be sure to bring your camera and join us for an early evening stroll across the creek, through the marsh, and along the beach of the Long Island Sound, as we try to capture the best sunset photos Sunken Meadow has to offer! Due to COVID-19 safety parameters, space is limited. Reservations are required and masks are mandatory. All programs are outdoors. Program fees are $4.00 per person in Cash.

A whale hanging out near the Connetquot River? You can make anything into a #NatureEdventure

Participate in beautification, clean up, and conservation projects within parks across New York State. Pick your favorite State Park and volunteer! For more information and to register, visit: www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day

Just in time for Spring, today is National Gardening Day! Celebrate the warm weather this week by planting seeds and growing your own garden. You don't need much to get started, just follow our helpful guide!

For those participating in our Passport to Parks program at Belmont Lake this weekend, we will see you then! For those looking for an activity to do at Belmont this weekend, give our scavenger hunt a try! Haven't been to Belmont Lake State Park before? Check out this video tour of Belmont using the link below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFV3pk1nS8I

Fun Fact! You can make your own tiny museum of Micrometeorites from your own backyard! Every day, nearly 60 tons of space dust from asteroids, comets, and other traveling bodies fall on Earth. Large objects that survive entry through the atmosphere are known as Meteorites once they touch ground. But small Micrometeorites can be found and collected and are far more common. Its estimated that one micrometeorite lands every square meter on earth each year.... Micrometeorites can be made of all types of minerals but are usually magnetic. Most small, round, metallic Micrometeorites can be collected with nothing more than a strong magnet placed in a plastic bag. To start your own search, place a magnet tucked into a plastic bag at the bottom of your rain gutter drainpipe. The magnetic Micrometeorites that land on your roof collect on the magnet instead of being washed away. After a few rainstorms inspect the outside of the plastic bag and collect any round magnetic particles sticking to the magnet inside. Use a magnifying glass to identify and admire your finds! For more information on identifying different Micrometeorites, this link can help! https://www.space.com/38740-in-search-of-stardust-gallery.h

Belmont Lake State Park is known for being a recreation state park, but did you know the history behind the park itself ? Check out this short video to find out!

Daffodils are one of the first plants to come up in late winter/early spring. They may bloom at varying times, but here at Connetquot we see a large majority of daffodils bloom in the month of April. Daffodils are considered bulbous perennials. This means they grow from a bulb and the plant grows back every year. A bulb is basically a plant’s underground storage organ. Get in the spirit of daffodils by making one yourself! Check out this YouTube video for a quick, easy DIY Daffodil craft to do this weekend! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvMb3R6sLuo

Happy Earth Day! You can celebrate Earth Day and the wonders of the natural world in a unique way tonight. The Lyrids Meteor Shower will be at peak visibility tonight! One of only a few yearly Astronomical events, the Lyrid Meteor Shower will be the most visible tonight with up to 20 meteors per hour that may be seen! Named after the constellation Lyra, this event is one of the oldest Meteor Showers known in recorded history with observations recorded over 2,500 years ago. ...The meteors seen originate from debris falling to Earth from comet Thatcher which takes 415 years to orbit the sun! To view these shooting stars, you don’t need any special equipment. You only need a clear dark sky, weather appropriate clothing, and some patience. Allow 15-20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark. Best viewing times are just after midnight. Concentrate your focus towards the constellation Lyra in the North Eastern sky. You should see all of tonight’s meteors radiating out from the constellation Lyra!

Today, the Environmental Team at Connetquot River State Park Preserve spotted this young Black Bear in the northern section of the Preserve. We are unsure of how it got here, but what a discovery! Since this little one is still young enough to be with Mom, she’s got to be here somewhere! APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When we ask patrons what kind of wildlife lives on Long Island, we sometimes get told that bears do! Black Bears do live in NY State, just not... on Long Island and in NYC. So, although the photo below is convincing, they are found in Upstate NY only!! Here are some Black Bear fun facts: - Black Bears are the 2nd largest mammal in NY State, with Moose being the 1st! - Black Bears wake up from their dormant state in early April after spending up to 5 months asleep throughout the winter season. They are not true hibernators because they can wake up if disturbed. - Black Bear cubs spend about 1-2 years with Mom before being on their own. See more

Create your own balancing bird and learn the science behind this fun activity! Click the link below to watch the short video.

Did you know..? Osprey have a wing span of up to 6 feet! These large, powerful wings allow them to migrate south in the winter, and back north in the spring. Ospreys on Long Island are typically seen arriving now! If you aren’t able to see one in person or are looking for a birds-eye view, Click the link below to watch live osprey nest cams! https://www.psegliny.com/wildlife/ospreycam

Join us for a Nature Program this weekend! Adult Program: High Ground Hike Sunday, March 28th 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Sunken Meadow State Park... Reservations are required: 631 - 581 1072 Did you know that the Greenbelt Trail makes it’s northernmost stop in Sunken Meadow State Park? Along it’s way, the Greenbelt follows the edge of the bluffs, for some amazing views of the Long Island Sound. Join us as we venture up through the woods for a walk along some of these high ground trails. This is a moderate level hike with some hills. Bring water and good walking shoes/boots. Due to the Covid-19 safety parameters, space is limited. Reservations are required. Masks are mandatory. All programs are outside.

Join us for a Nature Program this weekend! Family Program: Goodbye Winter Walk Saturday, March 27th 1:30-3:00pm Caleb Smith State Park Preserve... Reservations are Required: 631 - 265 - 1054 After a long, cold winter, the local plants and animals are beginning to become active again! Join us for a stroll through the park as we search for signs of spring! Due to the Covid-19 safety parameters, space is limited. Reservations are required. Masks are mandatory. All programs are outside.

Get to know the fascinating natural and military history of Camp Hero, one of Long Island's most unique State Parks! Hope to see all registered participants for tomorrows Passport to Parks Hike!

The animals are getting ready for Halloween! Go on a scavenger hunt playing the augmented reality game Agents of Discovery. See if you know more about Halloween than they do. This is a family friendly game. Search and download the Agents of Discovery app for free from Google Play or the Apple Store. Download the app and search for the NYS Parks at Home Halloween Hunt Mission. Then either print off the image triggers and hide them around your home or a safe place outside or scan them from the computer screen to unlock the challenges. When you find an animal scan it using the app on your phone. Why not dress up in your Halloween costume to join the fun! Download the images here: https://parks.ny.gov//AgentsofDiscoveryNYSParksPlayatHomeH

Please be advised that our Haunted Grounds event for tomorrow 10/16 from 7-9pm has been cancelled due to the weather! We are sorry for any inconvenience. Join us on 10/17 from 7-9pm instead! Give us a call at 631-581-1072 to make a reservation!

Join us at Connetquot River State Park Preserve as we begin tours of the historic Southside Sportsmen's Club Main House again. Participants will have the option of getting a Grist Mill Tour afterwards! Space is very limited! Please give us a call to reserve a time slot at 631-581-1072. Masks are required and social distancing guidelines will be implemented.

Unique and special animals can be seen at all different times of the year around Long Island, even when the weather changes! Black and Yellow Garden Spiders are impressive arachnids can still be seen during the early Fall Season!

Enjoy Parks? Love Games? Try the new virtual game app "Agents of Discovery"! Discover and try for a prize. Good Luck!!

Are you a sunset chaser? Are you just looking for something to do on a Friday evening? You’re in luck! Join us at Sunken Meadow State Park this Friday (7/17) for a Sunset Walk from 7:30-9:00pm. Savor the fresh air as we walk along the marsh to the beach to see the sunset! Due to COVID-19 safety parameters, space is limited for this adult program! It is $4.00 per adult but there is no parking fee at the time of this program. Masks are MANDATORY. Reservations are required. Please give us a call at 631-581-1072 to save your spot!

There's still time to register!! $20 gets you into the virtual series but also gives you 40 CHANCES to win entry into the 2021 Summer Run as well a bunch of other cool prizes!

As we continue practice social distancing to thwart the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no better time to explore your local flora (plants) and fauna (animals). Welcome to this week's edition of NYS Parks BioBlitz - Animal Tracks What is a "BioBlitz"? A BioBlitz is a way of documenting the biodiversity of a property, town, or region by recording all the species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms within a designated time and location.

If you have not heard, the Summer Run has gone Virtual! Registration includes a chance to win entry into the 2021 Summer Run Series :-)

Today's experiment "Soda Geyser"

It’s a mermaids necklace! Have you ever seen one of these on the beach? Sometimes its mistaken for plastic or garbage. Its actually the egg casings of a whelk!

Welcome Back to Focused in Friday! Can you guess what today's image is? Comment below! We'll post the answer at 1:00!

As we practice social distancing to thwart the Covid-19 pandemic, there is no better time to explore your local flora (plants) and fauna (animals). Welcome to this week's edition of NYS Parks BioBlitz - The Twilight Zone What is a "BioBlitz"? A BioBlitz is a way of documenting the biodiversity of a property, town, or region by recording all the species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms within a designated time and location.