We were honored to welcome Governor Kathy Hochul to the South Fork Natural History Museum this past weekend! She was joined by Karen Keough, Secretary to the Governor; Thalia Olaya, Regional Representative; Stevens J. Martinez, Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Long Island; and Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni. Andy Sabin, Board members Jim Ash, Kimberly Goff, and Ray Iwanowski, and Director of Development Diana Aceti with Frank Quevedo exploring the wonders of the museum.
The Governor brought wonderful energy to her visit—diving right into our T-shirt painting program with the children, exploring our interactive exhibits, and meeting our natural wildlife ambassadors. One highlight was her cradling an NYS endangered eastern-tiger salamander in her hand.
We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and her team for celebrating the power of environmental education and hands-on discovery with us. It was a joy to share SOFO’s mission of inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.
#sofo #sofomuseum #hamptonsmuseum
COMING UP AT SOFO 🐢 5/13 - 5/20
For more program information or to sign up, check out our website’s calendar of events at /calendar/ or contact us at [email protected] and (631) 537-9735. Advance registration is required for all programs.
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#sofo #sofomuseum #hamptonsmuseum #kidsmuseum #hamptonsnature #hamptonsactivities #familyfuninthehamptons #thehamptons #naturalhistorymuseum #birdingforbeginners #evelynalexanderwildliferescuecenter #eawrc #birdsofprey #saltmarsh #outdooreducation #elizabethmortonnationalwildliferefuge
🐢 Volunteers Needed!
SOFO is thrilled to assist Dr. Anna Thonis with her Eastern box turtle survey again this year, alongside several other organizations! This is a great opportunity to get involved with a citizen science project.
For any questions or to sign up as a volunteer, please email Dr. Thonis at: [email protected].
Join us for a FREE presentation by John "Barley" Dunne, Director of the @townofeasthampton Shellfish Hatchery, on the history of oysters on Long Island 🦪
This presentation will be a closer look at the fascinating history of oysters and the industry that sprang up on the two forks of Long Island. Barley will also share many fine photos that depict the extent of the oyster community at the turn of the century and how a new industry is arising in the present. Barley will provide some oysters for your enjoyment after the lecture, as well as shucking lessons for those who are interested.
Light refreshments will be available. Advance registration is required: sofo.org/calendar.
🦇 SOFO's Young Environmentalists Society (YES!) is so honored to be invited to this event. We'll be tabling ahead of the film; be sure to stop by and say hello!
Don’t miss a summer of fun at SOFO’s Marine Adventure Program 🐟🐡🐚🦀
General registration is open, regardless of SOFO membership status. Registration forms can be found on our website at: /marine-adventure-program/. Spaces still remain for Peanut Bunker and Fish Hawks, but both are filling up! Please contact [email protected] to join the waitlist for Sea Bass.
Please direct all correspondence and questions to Ruth, MAP Director, at [email protected].
Exploring our local ecosystems, one discovery at a time 🌿
Our Primary Lab families came together for a hands-on field experience at the South Fork Natural History Museum, filled with curiosity, connection, and shared discovery.
From woodland scavenger hunts to observing birds and wildlife, children followed their questions wherever they led. They met toads, turtles, and even a milk snake up close, and spent time at the touch tank exploring sea stars and crabs, an experience that quickly became a favorite.
Throughout April, our classrooms have been immersed in studying the woodlands, ponds, bays, and oceans that shape our community. Experiences like this help children build a meaningful understanding of the natural world right outside their door, where learning feels alive, connected, and deeply personal.
#PlayfulLearning #EarlyChildhoodEducation #NatureBasedLearning #YoungNaturalists #HamptonsKids
Happy Earth Day 🌎🌷💚
We had an amazing time celebrating Earth Day this past Saturday at our Annual Earth Day Open House 🌿 Our day was full of children's activities and crafts, nature walks, pollinator garden planting, and an interactive animal show!
Thank you to all our collaborators for helping us celebrate Earth Day, and a huge thank you to Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center for bringing their raptor ambassadors to teach us all about Long Island's raptors!
On April 11, SOFO set out on a nature and birdwatching cruise through Shinnecock Bay. With beautiful weather, we were treated to an incredible variety of wildlife—including an exciting sighting of around 60 harbor seals lying on the sandbar.
Shortly after leaving the dock, we began spotting early spring arrivals such as Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, American Oystercatchers, and numerous Ospreys. As we ventured farther into the bay, we encountered large groups of Long-tailed Ducks, many already displaying their breeding plumage.
Continuing along the route, we observed a wide range of species preparing to migrate north for the season, including Common Loons, Common Eiders, Surf Scoters, Brant, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Horned Grebes.
One of the highlights of the trip came near the Ponquogue Bridge, where an immature Bald Eagle soared gracefully above the boat for an extended time. We also witnessed hundreds of double-crested cormorants moving along the barrier beach, creating an impressive display of migration in action.
It was a fantastic day on the water, filled with the sights and sounds of spring migration.
Photos: Aidan Perkins
🦈 We're thrilled to announce SOFO's Shark Research Assistant Opportunity, back for a second year!
Registration forms are now live on our website at /shark-research-assistant-opportunity/. Please note that this is a first-come, first-served program, and there are limited spots available.
For more information, please visit our website or contact us at [email protected] or 631-537-9735.
Join us on Saturday, April 18, for SOFO's Annual Earth Day Celebration 🌱🌎
We have a FULL DAY of outdoor nature activities and crafts planned in celebration of Earth Day, including a special "Meet the Raptors" Animal Show from Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center! There will be plenty of fun for all ages 💚
There is LIMITED SPACE available for the "Meet the Raptors" Animal Show! The animal show has an associated fee of $10 for adults and $5 for children and requires advance registration. Secure your spot while spaces remain using our online registration at sofo.org/calendar or contact us at [email protected] or 631-537-9735.
Our other programs throughout the day include Nature Activities and Crafts, Birding Walk, Bug Search Walk, and Pollinator Garden Planting 🎨🐦🐛🪴
Last Saturday, on the Alewife Walk at Emma Rose Elliston Park in Southampton, we were treated to a little bit of nature's magic: snow pellets.
Snow pellets (the small white spheres on the ground in the first photo) are commonly called graupel. They are also known as soft hail or hominy snow. Graupel forms when supercooled water droplets freeze onto a falling snowflake, creating soft, white, opaque, and often conical or spherical pellets that feel like small, Styrofoam-like balls.
While we did not observe alewives swimming in the shallow water, we did see a few dead ones left by raccoons: evidence that a recent run of these fish had moved up the creek and into Big Fresh Pond to lay eggs.
A huge thank you to Peconic Baykeeper Pete Topping and the North Sea Maritime Center for collaborating on this event!
Photos: Melanie Meade, SOFO Education Director
