Jul 16, 2007
Landmark bird sanctuary
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Fairfield’s Birdcraft Museum has the oldest private songbird sanctuary in the country, founded in 1914 by Mabel Osgood Wright, a pioneer in the American conservation movement and founder of the Connecticut Audubon Society. Listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1993 it was the original headquarters of Connecticut Audubon. The museum, open Tuesday-Friday from 10 to 5, Saturday-Sunday, 12 to 4, includes dioramas of Connecticut’s wildlife as it existed at the turn of the 20th Century as well as exhibits of birds. The adjoining six-acre sanctuary has documented more than 120 species of birds, and volunteers operate a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bird Banding Station. The station operates weekdays in spring and fall (April 1 through Memorial Day and mid-August through Thanksgiving). More than 18,000 birds have been mist-netted, examined, banded and released since the station opened in 1979. Museum admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children under 14.
Details
From I-95, Exit 21, go north on Mill Plain Road about a half mile to Unquowa Road; after going under I-95, take driveway on left into parking lot. For more information, call 203-259-9416. The Web site is www.ctaudubon.org.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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