New London—Children and parents will learn to identify some common, and not so common Wisconsin birds during a leisurely walk at Mosquito Hill Nature Center on Saturday, May 17 from 9:00 AM to 12 noon. The event continues a yearlong series of monthly programs for families sponsored by the center, located east of New London.

Learning Wisconsin’s native birds can certainly add to the enjoyment of your family’s walk through the woods, along a river or even in your own backyard. Through the use of binoculars, bird-call recordings and field guides, naturalist Jessica Miller will teach you the basics of bird watching. Each participant will receive a birding gift to take home thanks to a generous donation made by the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region.

Monthly programs for families will continue through 2008 as part of the center’s “No Family Left Inside” effort. “We hope that getting families outside learning and playing together will lead to a better connection with the natural world,” explained instructor and Mosquito Hill naturalist, Jessica Miller. “Leave No Family Inside” is an offshoot of the national “Leave No Child Inside” campaign, started as a means to get children to reconnect with the out of doors. Future programs feature an after-dark frog walk in June and an insect identification hike in July.

The cost is $5/person or $8/family. To register, call 920-779-6433 or e-mail swifkamk@co.outagamie.wi.us before May 15.

Mosquito Hill Nature Center is located two miles east of New London off County Highway S at the end of Rogers Road. For information on this and other Leave No Family Inside programs, log on to www.co.outagamie.wi.us/parks/MH_home.htm.