Snowshoe Jamies Pond, 2 p.m. today. Tom Bartol and Barbara Moss, Kennebec Land Trust stewards, will lead a snowshoe hike at the wildlife management area in Manchester. All levels and ages welcome. Meet at the end of Meadow Hill Road. For more information e-mail bartol@gwi.net. Co-sponsored by the Manchester Conservation Commission.

Grassland birds in New England: causes of decline and reasons to be optimistic. 7 p.m. Tuesday. Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm. Free. UNE professor Noah Perlut will explore the lives of resident grassland species, and discuss how their ecology is affected by agricultural management. He also will describe diverse management options that can benefit both land managers and birds.

Additional Photos

Derek Lovitch of Freeport Wild Bird Supply looks for hawks atop Bradbury Mountain during a previous migration count. This year’s spring hawk watch will begin Wednesday at the state park in Pownal. Freeport Wild Bird Supply team ups with Nikon Sport Optics to sponsor the project that collects valuable data while providing an enjoyable and educational experience for visitors. Andy Northrup, official counter this year, will be stationed at the Bradbury summit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from Wednesday until May 15, and will be happy to answer questions about raptors. Observers are welcome to grab their binoculars and join the watch. Nikon also will provide binoculars for visitors to try out. The hawk watch is free, but there is an entry fee to the park: $3 for Maine residents ages 12-64; $1 for ages 5-11; free for those over 64 and under 5. Go online to www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com for more information. Staff file photo

“Through Time and Nature Along Maine’s Appalachian Trail,” a pictorial journey by David Field, professor emeritus of forest resources at the University of Maine, noon Tuesday at Merryspring Nature Center in Camden. Field will talk about the early development of the trail as well as the plants, animals and geography hikers can find along the way. Free for Merryspring members and children, $5 charge for non-members. For more information, call 236-2239 or visit www.merryspring.org.

Wood duck ecology, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, 38 Lake Farm Circle, Jefferson. Talk given by wildlife biologist Kendall Marden of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, who coordinates the waterfowl nest box program. Free. For details, call 549-3836 or e-mail Julia@dlwa.org.

Saco River Salmon Club meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday, Trinity Episcopal Church in Saco. Guest speaker is Jeff Knapp, bamboo flyrodder. After a meal, there will be elections for officers and directors. If you plan to attend, please contact Garry Kasten at gkasten22@msn.com by 10 a.m. Tuesday. For more information, go online to www.sacosalmon.com.

Explore vernal pools, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association,38 Lake Farm Circle, Jefferson. Free indoor workshop with ecologist Mark Ward, followed by an outdoor exploration when conditions are right (likely April). For details, call 549-3836 or e-mail Julia@dlwa.org.

The Kennebec Land Trust and Colby College will sponsor the Kennebec Land Trust Lyceum Series: New England Nature Writers of the Land. The series will focus on connections between people and the land expressed through writing. Lectures include “Wilderness Lost, Wilderness Regained” at 7 p.m. Thursday and “Technology and Sense of Place” at 7 p.m. March 24, both at the Ladd Recreation Center in Wayne; and “A Party in the Woods, Loss and Celebration Under a Changing Sky,” 7 p.m. April 11, in the Olin Center at Colby College. Field programs include Earth Week: Birding, Hiking and Nature Writing at Gannett Woods & Wyman Forest, April 23 and New England Nature Writers and Vernal Pool Ecology for Teachers, May 6. For more information, call 377-2848 or visit www.tklt.org.

Full Moon Hike, 6:30 p.m. Friday at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, led by Gary Hayward, Maine Guide and nature center director. Meet at the gate. The tour will head to the pond, then to the heated yurt for warm drinks and good cheer. Bring snowshoes (or rent them from HVNC), headlamp, hiking poles and your favorite drink. Return to the parking lot by 9 p.m. To reserve, call 586-6752 or e-mail gary@hvnc.org, especially if you want to rent snowshoes. Suggested donation is $5. For more information, go to www.hvnc.org.

Portland Trails Winter Walks, Presumpscot River Trail, Saturday. Register by e-mailing info@trails.org or calling 775-2411. Portland Trails has snowshoes available (free for members, $5 for non-members) that can be reserved. For more information, go to www.trails.org.

Looking ahead

Summer Children’s Camp Fair, 1 to 4 p.m. March 20 at East End School Gymnasium, 195 North St., Portland. Free admission. Meet camp staff, explore summer experiences for tots to teens. It’s the only camp fair in southern Maine this year. For information, go to www.mainecamps.org or call 518-9557.

Sunrise hike up Bald Pate Mountain in South Bridgton with Loon Echo Land Trust to welcome spring. 6 a.m. March 20. Wear warm clothing and boots, and bring water, snacks, flashlight and snowshoes (a few pairs will be available upon request). Meet in the Bald Pate Mountain parking lot. For more information or to reserve snowshoes, contact Jon Evans at jon@lelt.org or call 647-4352, or go online to www.loonecholandtrust.org.

NRA basic pistol course, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 20, at Pooh Corner Farm, Greenhouse & Florist in Bethel. Taught by certified instructors from Western Maine Property Protection LLC, the course will meet requirements for concealed carry permit applications. For details, call 739-9774.

Handgun safety class will be held at the Gardiner Sportsmen’s Club from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 23. This class meets the requirements for a safety class to qualify for a concealed firearms permit. Cost is $60. Please call 441-7870 to sign up.

Woodcock Walks, 7 p.m. April 7 and 8, led by Paul Dest. Meet at Laudholm Farm and walk the Wells Reserve at sunset to watch the aerial courtship sky dance. Cost is $5 for York County Audubon Society and Laudholm members; $7 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Contact the Wells Reserve at 646-1555 to reserve your space.

Maine Guide Training Program, Skowhegan Community Center, 39 Poulin Drive, Skowhegan, April 14, 15, 16 and 17. The course prepares students for taking the state’s licensing exam for recreational, hunting and fishing guides. The cost is $475 per person, and $200 deposit is required upon registration. For more information or to register, contact Carroll Ware at Fins and Furs Adventures at 474-5430.

Ongoing

Walk-On Adventures, L.L.Bean, Freeport. Snowshoeing, 9:30 a.m. to noon, and cross-country skiing, 1 to 3 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday through March, conditions permitting. Equipment provided. $15. Call (877) 755-2326 or stop by the information desk in the Discovery Lobby.

The Portland Water District invites preschoolers to join it for environmentally themed stories, activities and crafts. Sessions include: Plants and Their Parts, March 18; Fun with Frogs, April 15. Programs run 10 a.m. to noon at the Sebago Lake Ecology Center in Standish. To register, e-mail sebagolake@pwd.org or call 774-5961, ext. 3319 or 3320. Donation supports loon preservation. Scholarships are available, and snacks are provided.

Weekly Bird Walk, 7 a.m. Thursdays at Gilsland Farm, off Route One, Falmouth, $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. For more information, call 781-2330, ext. 209.