SUNDAY, September 14, 2025, 1:30pm — 3:00pm
Second Sunday with Friends
Over the past 50 years, Refuge volunteer, Jack Donohue, trail name ‘Shark,’ has hiked over 3,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT). Jack will share trail photos and reminisce about his adventures with fellow hikers. Learn about the culture of the trail, what makes the AT unique, and why the bonds between hikers are so special and long lasting
The September program with be in-person or via Zoom. Registration is required. ttsu.me/atadventure
In-person will be held at Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center Pavilion, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, NJ 07920
The Zoom logon will be emailed to all registrants on Sunday, September 14 at noon.
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.
SUNDAY, August 10, 1:30-3pm
Second Sunday with Friends
Our Dynamic Sun
Jeff Beck, a local amateur astronomer and Outreach Chair of the Morris Museum Astronomical Society, will explore how sunspots and solar flares impact the environment including auroras and heating of the upper atmosphere. Through specialized solar telescopes, participants may view the photosphere and chromosphere layers of the Sun. Graeme Birchall and Ana Castillo will provide a hydrogen alpha telescope, which reveals the chemical composition of the Sun.
The August program with be in-person only. Registration is required. ttsu.me/thesun
In-person will be held at Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center Pavilion, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, NJ 07920
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.
Second Sunday with Friends June 8, 1:30-3pm
Cicadas, strange and charming.
Cicadas are large, clumsy insects whose calls are synonymous with “summer”. Join Chris Alice Kratzer, engineer, scientist, author, and illustrator, to learn how cicadas serve as a foundational pillar of the natural world. There is so much more to these strange and charming creatures than initially meets the ear!
Signed copies of The Cicadas of North America and The Social Wasps of North America will be available. Cash only. Cicadas – $30 Social Wasps – $25
This presentation will be both in-person at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center and by Zoom. Registration is required for both formats.
Register at https://ttsu.me/cicadas
Zoom log-on information will be sent to all registrants on Sunday, June 8, at NOON.
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.
Second Sunday with Friends Sunday, May 11, 1:30-3pm
Who Goes There? – with Judi DiMaio
Fresh tracks in the snow or mud…have you ever wondered who made them? Did they run through or walk leisurely? Where were they going? Were they alone? What were they doing? Join Refuge volunteer Judi DiMaio to learn how to read tracks, some common tracks you may find here at Great Swamp NWR, and how the environment can affect them. Maybe even Bigfoot? Has one ever been seen here? Be a “Nature Detective”!
May’s program with be in-person or via Zoom. Registration is required. ttsu.me/tracks
In-person will be held at Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center Pavilion, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, NJ 07920
The Zoom logon will be emailed to all registrants on Sunday, May 11 at noon.
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.
Second Sunday with Friends
Sunday, April 13, 2025 1:30-3pm
Great Swamp NWR’s diverse habitats provide food, nest material, and protection for about 100 species of birds. Tom Gula, Paul Lauber and Robert Lin will provide information about and amazing photographs of birds from the inconspicuous Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest to the giant Bald Eagle eyrie. Learn how volunteers build and maintain nest boxes for Wood Ducks, Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Purple Martins and more.
The April program with be in-person or via Zoom. Registration is required. In-person will be held at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center Pavilion, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, NJ 07920
The Zoom logon will be emailed to all registrants on Sunday, April 13 at noon.
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.
Second Sunday with Friends, Sunday, March 9, 1:30-3pm
Seldom-Seen Aquatic Mammals of New Jersey
Join Watershed Ambassador Anthony Tamberelli to explore New Jersey’s elusive aquatic mammals. Learn about these unique creatures who live a double life in water and on land.
Anthony Tamberelli is a member of the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program. 23 Watershed Ambassadors in New Jersey provide educational presentations, community service projects, and field sampling for the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection. A Montclair State University alum with an M.S. and B.S. in Marine Biology, Anthony applies his academic knowledge and experience to teach people about our local watersheds and how to protect them.
The March program with be in-person (limited seating) at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center, 32 Pleasant Plains Road, Harding Township, NJ 07920 or via Zoom.
Registration is required. ttsu.me/aquaticmammals
The Zoom logon will be emailed to all registrants on Sunday, March 9 at noon.
Sponsored by Friends of Great Swamp NWR and USFWS with generous support from the Martha Heflin Foundation.