Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Wellfleet Bay Audubon Society: A Treat In All Weather

In the middle of Wellfleet is a 1,100 acre oasis: The Wellfleet Bay Audubon Society.  It offers a chance to hundreds of words  such as Warblers, Sparrows, Yellowlegs, Sandpipers, Sanderlings and Egrets.  
There is a lovely butterfly garden, a boardwalk and gorgeous views of the salt marsh, tidal flats, and Cape Cod Bay.  In many ways it offers a microcosm of what makes Wellfleet such a special place to explore.  
As wonderful as it is for adults, it is a fabulous place for children-whether it is sunny or rainy. As long as the weather is nice, it is a great place to take a walk. The Audubon supplies kids with a scavenger hunt sheet to record and track observations of birds, mammals, tracks, flowers and insects.
The many Audubon volunteers are good at offering suggestions for short walks or longer hikes. We usually bring our sturdy (Mountain Buggy) stroller so that we aren't limited by the kids' legs. 
One of my favorite parts, though, of the Wellfleet Audubon is their gorgeous Nature Center.  It has two huge aquarium tanks, microscopes and binoculars, books, an area to touch all kinds of shells and skeletons and many models of birds and other mammals. 

It is a mini-Natural History/Science Museum that is perfect for a rainy day. They also have workshops and walks for adults and kids, week long camp programs for young naturalists and even a small campground.  And finally, for my kids, at least, the best treat: a small gift shop where my sons bought "bug jars" and nature books that entertained us throughout our vacation.

The Wellfleet Bay Audubon, 291 State Highway, Route 6, Wellfleet

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