A small group of hikers on Saturday evening got the rare opportunity to learn about the habits and behaviors of birds in Wareham’s woods while on an after-hours hike of Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. The Massachusetts Audubon Society and Wareham Land Trust co-sponsored the program, “Exploring the Wonders of Dusk at Great Neck”, the first of two outreach programs scheduled at Great Neck for this Fall.

Mass. Audubon Society's sanctuary director Gina Purtell led the way on the Heron Point Loop trail, stopping the group periodically to have a quiet listen for a hoot from the great horned owl that never came. At one point, a woodpecker hammered away in the distance, followed by a sandpiper shortly after.

Purtell told the hikers that because the owl isn't migratory, the territories of the birds are pretty well established at this point in the year. As the weeks pass, however, younger owls will be trying to locate mates – in other words, it's bound to get noisier.

The hikers also got some education about ospreys from Purtell who said the bird has very healthy numbers in the wild, but are seen as the 'canary in the coal mine' of local bird species: when osprey numbers are lower, it could be an indication that something else in the environment might be out of balance. Ospreys are a favorite in the bird watching community, so, when numbers drop, environmentalists and scientists often are immediately notified about it.

The Mass. Audubon Society's coordination of Saturday’s hike is a part of a public outreach initiative from the society aimed at getting more people aware of the land that's available for the public to explore.

“We want to connect with people,” Purtell said. “We want to give people reasons to come out here. We want people to learn about the environment so that they will want to protect it.”

The Mass. Audubon Society has over 35,000 acres of land in the state, and Wareham's Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary is open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk.

The next event coordinated at Great Neck will be the Winter Berry Walk on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Those going on the walk will be looking for colorful berries, and other sources of food. The tour will be on the look-out for animal tracks, and other evidence of nearby wildlife.

For those interested in attending, dressing for the outdoors is encouraged, and registration is preferred. To register call 508-636-2437.