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

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 💚

🔥🔥🔥Fireside 2026 tickets go on sale two weeks from today. Join us on September 26 under the Harvest Moon for our annual fundraiser!🔥🔥🔥 #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents 🔥🔥Thank you to our Direct Fireside 2026 sponsors!🔥🔥

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

🍓🍓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

One last Tiny Microphone Interview during the last week of school. “What’s your favorite Animal!” 🦖🦎🐊🦍🐘🐆🐎🐖 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

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

⚠️ 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

☀️🌞 days in the sun 🌞☀️ #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

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

Scenes from Crickets Vacation Camp! 🐢🐝🌷🌎🌈 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

🌎🌍🌏 Happy Earth Day!!!! 🌏🌍🌎

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

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!

ASMR DNC style! For best user experience use headphones and remember our animals are not trained actors nor agreeable to using a microphone while eating. Enjoy! #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

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

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

What we’ve been up to lately! 🦕🐍🐠🐡🌲🌎 #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

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

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

New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks, only one can win the Super Bowl this Sunday! Six of our animal ambassadors had their names drafted to our Darien Nature Center Roster to cast their votes in which team is going to win. A classic East Coast vs West Coast showdown. Vote below who you think will be the victor! #dariennaturecenter #darienct #superbowlsunday #superbowl2026

🌕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. 🌕❄️🌨️

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

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

Happy New Year from all of us here at the Nature Center! We hope you have a year filled with adventure and exploration of the great outdoors! Did you know that 2026 is the year of the Horse in the Chinese Zodiac (which officially starts on February 17)? The Fire Horse to be specific! While we don’t have a horse here at the Nature Center, make sure to stop by and wish our animals a Happy New Year! #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❄️

“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

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

No fears of the dark over here! We’ve been learning about nocturnal creatures! 🦇🦉🦌🦝🦔 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

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

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

We’ve been very egg-cited to be learning about birds and seeds! #darienct #dariennaturecenter

This morning as our teachers were setting up in the outdoor classrooms, a small fire was found on the trail that leads behind our Frogpond Classroom. While it was a small fire and easy to extinguish, we are thankful for the Darien Fire Department for coming to make sure it was fully out. We believe the cause was due to a cigarette that was thrown onto the dry wood. Please ensure that any potential fire starters are disposed of properly or extinguished before leaving them unattended in a forested area (or any area). It was a small fire today but with our recent droughts it could have become a larger and more dangerous fire. #darienct #dariennaturecenter #firesafety

What a gorgeous night we had for Fireside 2025! We here at the Nature Center are so thankful to everyone who attended our annual fundraiser and helped us raise money to help us continue spreading our mission of environmental stewardship and teaching the community about nature. A special thank you to all our sponsors, local businesses who contributed to our silent auction, our board members, our administrative staff, @henryjoneslive, our DJ Andrew Singer, @palmersmarket for catering, and of course those who attended. See you next Fireside! 🔥🔥🔥 #darienct #dariennaturecenter

It’s National Reptile Awareness Day! This day serves as a day to educate the public on the importance of reptiles in our ecosystems and what kinds of challenges they face. The Nature Center is home to seven kinds of reptiles; corn snake, ball python, box turtle, leopard gecko, spotted turtle, painted turtle, and bearded dragon. Make sure you stop on by to visit our reptiles! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #reptileawarenessday

@vermontgoodwood is a proud sponsor of Fireside 2025! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents

@rings_end is a proud sponsor of Fireside 2025! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #darienevents

It’s the Harvest Moon! The largest and brightest supermoon of the year! The Harvest Moon will reach its peak illumination at 11:47 pm Eastern Time. The Harvest Moon is the first of three Supermoons that will happen in 2025. The Harvest Moon gets its name from its proximity to the Autumn Equinox (September 22, 2025), this full moon is closer to the equinox than the previous month’s full moon (the Corn Moon!). This Moon isn’t just an ordinary full Moon, it is set to be a spectacular moonrise, providing near sunset rises and even extended evening light. This full Moon will be at perigee (the closest the moon will be to Earth all year) which will enhance the size and luminosity making for dramatic lunar visions. Other names for the Harvest Moon include; Drying Rice Moon (Dakota), Falling Leaves Moon (Anishinaabe), Freezing Moon/Ice Moon (Ojibwe and Haida), and Migrating Moon (Cree). Head on outside to capture the Harvest Moon’s luminous glow! #darienct #dariennaturecenter #harvestmoon #supermoon