Thank you for your support of Fireside—Under the Harvest Moon!

Today September 14, marks a significant and devastating new federal ruling regarding the Endangered Species Act. Enacted in 1973, The ESA was put in place to provide a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and the habitats in which they are found. This law required federal agencies, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or the USA Fisheries Service to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat of such species. The law also prohibits any action that causes a “taking” of any listed species of endangered fish or wildlife. (definition taken from the EPA). As of today, those laws and actions set into place in 1973 are being rolled back. Under the new ruling, habitat modification, degradation, and destruction have been removed from the ESA’s original definition of harm. Actions that indirectly affect the protected species by altering their surrounding environment are no longer blocked. #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Darien Children’s Library, Darien Nature Center, and Barrett Bookstore are excited to welcome author, Pamela Paul, to a special family storytime event! Saturday September 12 from 11am - 12pm here at the Nature Center! Join us for a book discussion and read aloud with Pamela Paul, plus lively songs with a children’s librarian! The fun continues with a hand-on craft and a self-guided nature walk activity. Follow the link in bio to register for the event or head to the Darien Library’s events page to register. Registration is required to attend this event. Pamela Paul’s new picture book, The Path, is a playful celebration of community, nature, and the magic of cooperation. #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌌Fireside 2026 is upon us! Come dance the night away under the Harvest Moon with live music from @hudsonheightsband . With only 21 days to go, the Harvest Moon is quickly approaching its peak in the night sky. Head to the link in bio to purchase tickets today!! 🌌 🌕🌕Fireside is the Nature Center’s largest fundraiser of the year and a wonderful opportunity for you to make a meaningful contribution to support our mission. As a part of the Darien Community the Nature Center provides access to hands-on nature education, community programming and outreach, inspires the next generation of environmental stewards, and connects with public schools to grow our environmental literacy programs. 🌕🌕 #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents

The end of August spent at Chipmunks Camp! 🐛🐢🪶🐾🌱 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Are you searching for a fun activity to enjoy with your little one this fall? Come join our Babes in the Woods class! This class is for children born between September 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, along with a caregiver. Babes in the Woods is made just for our youngest nature explorers and is a wonderful way to get to know our preschool programs. Your child can take part in hands-on, age-appropriate activities that let them explore, discover, and play at their own pace, with support from our experienced DNC teachers. Every class features a special animal encounter and ends with a guided nature walk through Cherry Lawn Park. Spending time in nature gives young children many chances to move, use their senses, build confidence, grow their curiosity, and connect with the world around them. Even at this age, exploring outdoors helps set the stage for a lifelong love of learning and nature. There is still space in our Tuesdays or Thursday 10:45AM classes. Come play, explore, and learn with us this fall! *link in bio*

Tiny Microphone Interview: What’s Your Favorite Ocean Animal? Edition!! The PR team for dolphins has been working overtime it seems! 🐟🐙🐬🐳🐡 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🔥🔥Atria Darien is a proud sponsor of Fireside 2026!🔥🔥 Link in bio for tickets and more info! #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Please enjoy this sneak peak of our Animal Room transformation coming soon! We are so grateful to the @thedarienfoundation for kick starting this journey with us and being our lead donor. #darienct #dariennaturecenter Our beam is becoming a part of our mural of trees 🌳 Our 30 ft walls are being encased in a mural that reflects a native forest here in Connecticut! We can’t wait to welcome our community back soon 💚

🌕The Full Moon in July is the Buck Moon! Why the name? The Buck Moon is when the antlers of male deer (known as bucks) are in their full growth period. Every year bucks regrow and shed their antlers producing larger and more impressive sets as they age. The Buck Moon will rise on Wednesday July 29 and reach peak illumination at 10:36 A.M Eastern Time. Look southeast after the sunsets to watch it rise!! 🌕 🦌🦌🦌🦌 There are several other names for the July Full Moon including; Feather Moulting Moon (Cree), Salmon Moon (Tlingit), Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe), Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki), and the Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe). #darienct #dariennaturecenter #buckmoon

Week 3: grasslands, tundras, deserts, and gardens oh my! Time spent learning about biomes and gardens is a certified great time! 🦏🦘🦒🐫🐊🪼🐍🦋 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🦖🦕 Tiny Microphone Interview: “What’s your favorite Dinosaur?” Edition! 🦕🦖 We might have a bias in our fossil record as the T. rex remains the most popular of dinosaurs. Fun fact, the pterodactyl isn’t actually a dinosaur! It is a type of animal known as a pterosaur (or flying reptile) that lived during the age of dinosaurs! Think of them as cousins rather than siblings! #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🍓🍓Our first Full Moon of Summer!! 🍓🍓June’s Full Moon is the Strawberry Moon! The Strawberry Moon tends to be the last Full Moon of Spring or the first of Summer, a time when flowers are blooming and there is a great abundance of early fruit. The Strawberry Moon doesn’t get its name from the fruit itself but the color of the Moon will be due to its proximity to the horizon and the sun’s light rays passing through the denser layers of our atmosphere. Alternate names for the Strawberry Moon include Blooming Moon (Anishinaabe), Green Corn Moon (Cherokee), Hoer Moon (Western Abenaki), Birth Moon (Tlingit), Egg Laying Moon (Cree), and Hatching Moon (Cree). Honey Moon and Mead Moon have also become alternate names coming from European naming. June has been known historically as the month of marriage and of course following marriage comes the “honeymoon” , a cheeky way to tie in an alternate Moon name. 🍓🌕🌝 The Strawberry Moon will reach peak illumination at 7:56PM EST on June 29. #darienct #dariennaturecenter #strawberrymoon

While much of our fundraising this year has focused on transforming our animal room, the daily work of the Nature Center continues. Caring for our animals, maintaining our building and trails, supporting our dedicated staff, and providing high-quality educational programs all rely on annual support from our community. As we approach the end of our fiscal year, please consider making a donation of any amount by June 30. Every gift helps sustain the programs, animals, and experiences that connect our community to nature. The Darien Nature Center receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of donors like you. Together, we are inspiring curiosity, fostering environmental stewardship, and building a greener future for Darien. We are deeply grateful for your support. Thank you for being part of our community. #dariennaturecenter #darienct

What a fantastic day at Darien Pride!! Thank you to every one who stopped by our tent and met our animal ambassadors! @darienctpride ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌞🌞We made it to the Summer Solstice! 🌞🌞 The longest day of the year is finally upon us where the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun. The Summer Solstice is a time to welcome the Sun fully back into our lives, getting outside more, getting together with family and friends, and enjoying what these Summer days have to offer us! You can celebrate the Solstice by watching the sunrise or sunset, lighting candles, having a bonfire together, eating dinner or any meal outside, go swimming, and take time to reflect on Summer memories. Happy Summer Solstice everyone!! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #summersolstice

⚠️ Important Announcement⚠️ In preparation for our upcoming animal room renovations, starting tomorrow June 5th the Nature Center will be closed to the public (our final day of classes will operate as normal!!) We look forward to welcoming you back later this summer! Stay tuned for behind the scenes updates! #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Taking inspiration from @maritimeaquarium in honor of Pride Month. We can’t help but agree with them that biodiversity is one of our greatest strengths. The Nature Center is proud to be a partner of @darienctpride and a place in our community that welcomes people and families of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

⚠️Please be advised that the content in this post may be disturbing and upsetting to some viewers.⚠️ Recently there has been an uptick in fishing lines being left behind here at the pond in Cherry Lawn Park. And unfortunately the trash left behind by irresponsible fisherman has led to the death of a Gadwall Duck. Despite efforts from the staff here at the Nature Center and reaching out to local organizations, we were not able to capture the duck to free it from the fishing line that was wrapped around its beak and body. As seen in the photos, the duck had become entrapped in the fishing line. Due to the fishing line, the duck was unable to open its mouth (the line had completely wound its way around its bill) and had the line entangled around its whole body. The deceased duck was also found with a giant ball of fishing line next to it. It is important to remember that Cherry Lawn Park is not only shared by the community but the animals that reside in our community. Carelessly discarding fishing line can lead to serious harm and in the case of this duck, death. Fishing line can entangle animals or be ingested leading to starvation, strangulation, and deep wounds. While our staff always try to clean up fishing lines that have been left behind, it is the responsibility of fishermen to clean up after themselves, ensuring that they clean up their lines and hooks and casting their lines to not tangle in the trees surrounding the pond. Ultimately the death of this duck (and other animals that have died from irresponsible fishermen) could have been prevented. #darienct #dariennaturecenter

We love being a part of @darienctpride ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌙🌙 A sneak peak for our upcoming Animal Room renovations! 🌙🌙 Our nocturnal crew will be wide awake in their new habitat, turning the lights down and the energy up. In the transformed Animal Room, a beautifully designed snag tree will come alive at night as our sugar gliders and hedgehog eat, explore, and run to their hearts’ content. By day, it will offer a cozy place to rest; by night, an enriching world designed just for them—just like the stunning tree created for our owls. We cannot wait to share this incredible new space with you. We know it will spark curiosity, connection, and joy for everyone who walks through our doors. 🌜Interested in helping us meet our goal? Click the link in our bio to donate today! 🌛#darienct #dariennaturecenter

Appreciating our teachers all year and every day! 📚🐛🪲🍀🦋🌼🐝 #teachersppreciationday #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌎🌍🌏 Happy Earth Day!!!! 🌏🌍🌎

All the colors of Cherry Lawn Park 🍅🍊⭐️🍀🦋💜🌸🦌 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

We are THRILLED to announce that we are officially open to the public tomorrow, Saturday, April 18! 🥳 We are so grateful for our community’s patience and understanding over this past month while we were closed to the public. A big shout out to our administration, staff, and service providers - especially Fox Hill Builders and Hightower Restoration - for working hard to get our building ready for this reopening! We cannot wait to welcome our community back tomorrow!

Our Social Media Manager went on vacation and left the preschool in charge of posting!! Please enjoy these drawings of our favorite animals (mythical and real!) #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌸🌕 This isn’t an April Fool’s joke, April’s full moon is the Pink Moon! Also known as the Paschal Moon, this Full Moon actually sets the date for Easter! The Pink Moon is the first Full Moon of Spring and will reach its peak illumination at 10:12PM EST the night of April 1, 2026. 🌸🌕 You might think that the name “Pink Moon” will indicate that the Full Moon will take on a pink or rosy hue, but it actually comes from an early spring bloom wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata, or its common names creeping phlox or moss phlox. This pretty pink flower tends to be in full bloom around the April Full Moon, lending its colorful petals to the Moon! 🌸🌸🌸 The Pink Moon is also known as the Breaking Ice Moon (Alogonquin), Moon When the Streams are Again Navigable (Dakota), Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs (Tlingit), Moon of the Red Grass Appearing (Oglala), Moon When the Ducks Come Back (Lakota), Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs (Dakota), Frog Moon (Cree), and the Sucker Moon (Anishinaabe, named after the harvest of sucker fish). Make sure to take in the glow of the first Spring Full Moon! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #pinkmoon #fullmoon

Our annual Earth Day Celebration is right around the corner! Join us on April 25 from 10:00am - 2:00pm for a fun and festival style Earth Day celebration at the Darien Nature Center! 🌎💧🌳 This year, our focus is on protecting Darien’s water! Activities include painting a rock for our kindness garden, Music with Natasha, Soundwaters, Community based art projects, Rent a Chicken, water testing & pollution modeling, a Hawk release from Wildlife in Crisis, face painting, a storywalk in the forest, and animal interactions. Community organizations such as Pollinator Pathway, The Darien Land Trust, and the Garden Club will also be in attendance! Registration is required to attend this event. Follow the link in bio to register now! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents

An official statement from the Darien Nature Center 💚 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🍀🌱 searching for the tiniest bit of green this March 🍀🌱 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Beware the Ides of March? More like beware the Full Worm “Blood” Moon that is coinciding with a rare lunar eclipse! 🪱🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🪱 The Worm Moon will reach its peak the morning of Tuesday March 3 at 6:38 am EST, for those who are not early birds, be sure to check it out tonight Monday March 2! The March Full Moon has been considered the seasonal turning point for when signs of Spring slowly start to return. The Worm Moon gets its name from the belief that earthworms would reappear as the soil started to warm up in the early spring, drawing the attention of robins and signaling the change from winter into spring. Alternative names for the Worm Moon include Sugar Moon (Ojibwe), Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo), Sore Eyes Moon (Dakota, Lakota, Assiniboine), Goose Moon, and the Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe). As mentioned before, this full moon coincides with a lunar eclipse. The eclipse will reach its greatest point at 6:33 am EST, casting an orange or coppery red glow (where the blood moon name comes from). Monday night head on outside every few hours to watch the moon change colors. This is a total lunar eclipse which means that the Earth’s shadow will slowly move across the full moon giving it a coppery glow and darkening the moon’s appearance. This lunar eclipse will be visible across most of North America (swipe to see more info on a total lunar eclipse). Early birds get the blood moon worm moon! 🪱 #darienct #dariennaturecenter #wormmoon #bloodmooneclipse #lunareclipse

Yesterday our staff participated in a professional development day where they spent time discussing nature based books for our bookclub pilot program, having conversations with ECCP about supporting preschoolers with emotions regulation, and ended the day with an informative tree hike lead by Victoria! 🌲🌳🪾🦆 #dariennaturecenter #darienct

It was natural science week here at Groundhogs Camp! 🪐✨🌎🦕🔭✨ #darienct #dariennaturecenter

💗Happy Valentine’s Day from our animal ambassadors! 💗They’ve all felt the love this week from our students and visitors leaving them Valentine’s cards. Now’s your chance to be an extra special Valentine for our animals by becoming an animal sponsor! Interested in learning more about sponsoring one of our animals? Follow the link in bio! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #valentines

🌕Rising at a very snowy time in Connecticut this full Moon is appropriately named! February’s full moon is named the Snow Moon!🌕 The Snow Moon will reach its peak illumination at approximately 5:09 EST on Sunday February 1st. Weather permitting, step outside to catch a glimpse! The Snow Moon gets its name from the typical heavy snowfall that happens during the month of February. According to the National Weather Service, February tends to be the snowiest month in the United States. Historically speaking, the alternative names for the Snow Moon have had connections to animals. The Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon (Cree), Bear Moon (Ojibwe) Black Bear Moon (Tlingit), [fun fact: both the Bear Moon and Black Bear Moon refer to the time of year when bear cubs are born!], Racoon Moon, (Dakota), Groundhog Moon (Algonquin), and Goose Moon (Haida). Like other full moons, there’s no shortage of alternate names. Due to the scarcity of food during this time, The Cherokee called the moon the Month of the Bony Moon and Hungry Moon. 🌕❄️🌨️

❄️not big fans on being “snowed in” over here!❄️ #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Our outdoor classrooms showed signs of animals in winter this morning! Can you guess which critters left their prints behind?? 🐾🐾🐾🐾 #darienct #dariennaturecenter ecenter

🕊️🕊️Extra Extra! We have a new dove that needs a name! We’re so excited to have this lady join us here at the Nature Center, but we need your help naming her! Using the poll below, vote on your favorite choice and check back in a few days to see which name has come out on top!🕊️🕊️ #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Happy Winter Solstice! Get ready to celebrate the longest night of the year! The Winter Solstice also marks the day with the shortest amount of daylight. Don’t fret about the lack of daylight though, from here on out the days will be getting longer and sunsets will be happening later. The Winter Solstice is the official first day of the Winter season, astronomically speaking, meteorologists still determine the actual start of Winter, but the alignment of the moon and stars can help us celebrate the changing of the seasons! Make sure to spend some time outside today watching the sunrise or sunset, gather evergreen branches to decorate with, make diy bird feeders, light candles, hang homemade paper snowflakes around your home, and make pomanders for a cozy winter time scent. #darienct #dariennaturecenter #wintersolstice❄️

It’s hard to believe that we’re already getting ready for Summer Camp 2026! Early Bird pricing for Summer Camp registration starts Wednesday January 14 for Current Families and Members!! ☀️🌻 For more information regarding Summer Camp 2026 registration, what’s new this year, timelines, and themes head over to our website to learn more. Keep your eyes peeled for our Summer Camp 2026 Information email that will be sent out later today. Not on our email list? Now’s the time to join via the link in bio. 🌈✨🌙🌿🐇 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

We’ve reached the end of the year! Time flies when you spend your days outside! Next up Snowbirds Camp! 🌲✨🕊️⭐️ #darienct #dariennaturecenter

Our last full moon of the year! The Cold Moon, also known as the Long Night Moon (Mohican), will reach peak illumination on December 4 at 6:14pm (EST)! The name comes from a Mohawk name that talks of the frigid weather conditions that start to happen this time of the year. The Mohican name, as said before, the Long Night Moon gets its name from how the moon rises. The Long Night Moon will rise during the “longest” nights of the year as we approach the Winter Solstice on December 21 (the Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year)! Other names for the Cold Moon include, Drift Clearing Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree), Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala), Hoar Frost Moon (Cree), Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee), Moon when the Deer Shed Their Antlers (Dakota), Little Spirit Moon (Anishinaabe), and the Winter Maker Moon (Western Abenaki). 🌕❄️☁️🌨️ #dariennaturecenter #darienct #coldmoon #supermoon

We’ve been learning about all the different kinds of weather! 🌈🌤️❄️💧🌬️🫧 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

“Five miles off the coast of Maine and slightly overdue, a circus ship was steaming south in fog as thick as stew.” 🚢🦓🐅🐆🦁🫐 The grand reveal of our Lit Tree Lane 2025 Christmas Tree!! The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen! It’s our best estimate that this book was read approximately over 50 times last year in one particular Nature Time for Two’s class and continues to be one of the most beloved books amongst all our students and staff here at the Nature Center. Make sure you stop by the Darien Library and vote for the fan favorite tree! PS. If your student has Lindsey & Lulu or Lindsey & Victoria as teachers this year, make sure to search the tree for the admit one tickets they decorated! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienlibrary #thecircusship

Save the date! Saturday November 22 is our holiday market! Stay tuned for more information regarding vendors! 🌲✨🎄✨ #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents

We 💛Leaves!! 🍁✨🍂🪾🍁 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

It’s the Beaver Moon! The Beaver Moon is the closest to Earth a supermoon will be in 2025. The full moon will be reaching its peak illumination time at 8:19am (EST) on November 5, 2025, so be sure to check it out after nightfall on November 4 to catch a pre glimpse of it. The Beaver Moon will orbit Earth closer than any other full moon of the year (only a short distance of 221,817 miles). 🦫🌕🌙🌜 Where does the name Beaver Moon come from? Like most full moon names, its origin is rooted in Native American, Colonial American, and European Folklore. In the tradition of naming, each full moon typically represented the month in which it occurred and all phases of the moon, not just the full moon. This time of year, beavers start to take shelter within their lodges, hunkering down for winter. Back when the fur trade was still a bustling business in North America, trappers would catch beavers with their winter coats to sell. The Beaver Moon is also known as; the Digging or Scratching Moon (Tlingit), Deer Rutting Moon (Dakota/Lakota), Whitefish Moon (Algonquin), Frost Moon, Cree & Assiniboine), and the Freezing Moon (Anishinaabe). #darienct #dariennaturecenter #beavermoon