Prescott Community Center

Spring bird migration is one of nature’s greatest annual journeys. Billions of migratory birds leave their wintering grounds and travel to their northern home for food and breeding. Some make a brief stop in New England before flying farther north and some raise their young here. We will observe these migrating birds as spring unfolds in the walks. Please wear appropriate shoes for walking as some terrain may be uneven. *IMPORTANT: The locations for the guided walks will be announced one week before each walk matching the migration status. The currently listed locations for each walk are educated guesses but may likely change. You will be notified by our office, the instructor, and website about the location for each walk.** Friday, April 4, 5:00-7:00 PM LOCATION: Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area Parking, Bolton, MA 01740, Google Location: 42.4695880, -71.6551578 Saturday, Apr 12, 8:00-10:00 AM LOCATION: Pine Meadow Pond Conservation Area, 73 Groton-Harvard Rd, Ayer, https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fa1N4PsbLztf8wrcA Saturday, Apr 26, 8:00-10:00 AM LOCATION: Oxbow Middlesex, 85 Walker Rd, Shirley, MA 01464, Google location: 42.560663, -71.616725 Saturday, May 10, 6:30-8:30 PM LOCATION: Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area Parking, Bolton, MA 01740, Google Location: 42.4695880, -71.6551578 Saturday, May 24, 8:00-10:00 AM LOCATION: Heald Street Orchard, Heald Street, Pepperell, MA 01463, Google location: 42°40'15.6"N 71°37'20.3"W

The class is exclusively for those who attended Steve Brunelle's class on Introduction to Fly Fishing for Beginners. Due to popular demand, there is now hands-on fly fishing on the water! Take what you learned in the prior two classes and put it all together on a local river. Steve will guide you on the water as you learn to actually fly fish and hopefully catch a beautiful trout. The goal is to get you confident and comfortable so you can start fly fishing on your own. Dates to be coordinated between participant and instructor and available in May and June. This On the River class will run approximately 2 hours. Register online and Steve will contact your to coordinate a date in May or June. Equipment will be provided. Participants are required to bring fishing waders and wading boots. We will cover the following topics: Rod and reel set up Fly selection Reading the water Wading safety Casting Presentation Handling fish Catch & release consideration Prerequisite: You must have taken the Introduction to Fly Fishing for Beginners class.

Join this two-part class for beginners to learn the basic Fly Fishing fundamentals and techniques, to foster a lifelong appreciation for nature and angling. Whether you currently spin fish or have never fished, this course is designed to take the mystery out of fly fishing and provide you with the confidence and knowledge to start fly fishing. The first class will be an indoor presentation session to cover all the basics of getting started; including rod and reel selection, flies, show and tell, and some basic entomology with a focus on trout. The second class will be an outdoor session, where you’ll learn the basics of fly casting with some hands-on demonstration and practice. The goal of this program is to get you comfortable and excited about venturing into this popular sport, in hopes of creating a lifetime of outdoor enjoyment and wonder. Day 1 - Thursday, April 24, 7:00-9:00 PM - Prescott Classroom Day 2 - Saturday, April 26, 1:00-2:30 PM - Outside/Back Lawn The instructor will provide basic Fly Fishing equipment to participants. Participants may also bring their own rod and reel to the casting session There will be a special drawing at the end of the 2nd class, for a chance to win a box of assorted fishing flies hand picked from the instructor's personal collection! Next Class: Intro to Fly Fishing Part II: On the River where you will get to take what you learned and fly fish on a river! Here is what they are saying about Steve's Intro to Fly Fishing Class: "Excellent class. Very informative. Steve is so passionate about fly fishing that it is infectious. I think everyone in the class can’t wait to get out there and start fishing!" "The instructor, Steve was patient and above all extremely knowledgeable."

Join us for an exciting and educational event with a Zoo New England field biologist! Kirsten will discuss the local conservation efforts on the Box and Blanding's turtles and how you can make a difference. Both species reside in eastern Massachusetts and have populations in the Great Groton area. This event is perfect for all ages, and you'll even meet our turtle friends! Fewer than 3,000 individuals of the large and gentle freshwater Blanding turtle species may remain in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania combined. In Massachusetts, where most of the northeastern Blanding’s turtles live, only four populations are currently known to have 50 or more adult turtles. The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is Massachusetts’ only fully terrestrial turtle. They are rarer, and populations have declined significantly in recent decades through habitat loss and fragmentation in Massachusetts. Although there had been scattered reports of individual box turtles in northeastern Massachusetts, sustainable populations were thought to be potentially absent from this area. Zoo New England Conservation is more than a great day with family at Franklin Park or Stone Zoo. It's also a world-class conservation organization dedicated to making a difference for animals right here in New England as well as all over the world. https://www.zoonewengland.org/protect/here-in-new-england/ **All proceeds benefit Prescott Community Center.**