Articles

May Quest-April Showers Bring May Flowers (and Rainbows!)

05/03/2023

Early spring can see a lot of rain. But after the rain comes the rainbow, and the flowers! To celebrate...

April Quest-Earth Day Bingo!

04/11/2023

Earth Day is April 22nd! Earth Day is a day to show your support for conservation and environmental protection. The first Earth Day in 1970 is considered the start of the modern environmental...

March Quest-World Wildlife Day!

03/02/2023

March 3rd is World Wildlife Day. This is a United Nations International day that celebrates the world's wild animals and plants, as well as the contribution that they make to our lives and the...

February Quest-Happy Groundhog Day!

02/01/2023

February 2nd is Groundhog Day! Tradition says if a groundhog sees its shadow on this...

January Quest-Squirrel Appreciation Day!

01/03/2023

January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day! Do you know there are at least 285 species of...

December At Home Quest-Keep a Weather Log!

11/30/2022

The Winter Solstice is on December 21st. On this day, the Earth's north pole...

November Quest-All About Turkeys!

10/31/2022

November is all about Turkeys! Wild Turkeys are...

October Quest-Animals That Scare Us!

10/18/2022

A lot of people have at least one animal that...

September At Home Quest-Mushrooms!

09/05/2022

September is a great time to look for mushrooms; they seem to pop up overnight with the first cooler rains—puffballs, stinkhorns, hen of the woods, and more appear throughout the fall....

August At Home Quest-Summer Bingo!

08/03/2022

Spend some time outside this August, and earn a summer bingo! You can use the attached Bingo card, or follow the link to Mass Audubon's site to print out four different versions. Send a copy or...

July Quest-Plastic Free Challenge 2022!

07/06/2022

The Plastic Free Eco challenge is a month-long effort for all of us to shift...

June Quest-World Environment Day

05/30/2022

Did you know World Environment Day is Sunday, June 5^th? World Environment Day 2022 is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by the United Nations Environment Program (...

May At Home Quest-Pollinator Picnic!

05/01/2022

Spring is in the air! With flowers in bloom, you're likely seeing bees, other insects, and maybe even some hummingbirds around. These animal friends carry pollen from one flower to another;...

March Quest-Signs of Spring!

03/07/2022

The snow has melted (for now!) and although they are subtle, signs of spring are starting to arrive! Do you hear or see more birds? Seeing flowers push up from the ground? Has the ice on the ponds...

February Quest-All About Groundhogs!

02/08/2022

February is when groundhogs get the most attention! Besides that they...

January Quest-Project FeederWatch At Home

01/04/2022

Winter is a wonderful time to observe birds! With leaves off of trees, birds are more visible-especially once it snows! For 5,000 points in January, take some time to observe birds. This can be...

December Quest-Winter Weather Diary!

12/01/2021

Have you noticed a change in the weather? This time of year, it’s getting darker earlier, and colder! Click the link to download your “Wild Weather Diary” (copies also available...

Project FeederWatch is Back!

11/22/2021

Earn Nature Swap points while contributing data to the Cornell Ornithology Lab! All this winter, observe birds at our Big Backyard Bird Feeder, and use the FeederWatch datasheets to record your...

Help Us Test Nature Swapping From Home!

11/01/2021

We're trying a brand new way to Nature Swap! Follow the below link, or scan the QR code, to submit an item to Nature Swap directly from your phone.

You'll be asked to submit...

November Quest-Welcome Back!

11/01/2021

Welcome back Nature Swappers! For 5000 points in November, stop by the Nature Swap in person! Hours are Sunday, Monday and Thursday, 12-3. Can't wait to see you!

May Quest-Migratory Bird Day!

05/02/2021

During May spring bird migration is at it's peak, and...

April Nature Swap Quest-Celebrate Earth Day!

04/01/2021

Happy...

Earn Bonus Points This Spring-Join Frog Watch!

02/28/2021

Spring is in the air, which means it's time for Frog...

March Quest-All about frogs!

02/28/2021

In Rhode Island, there are at least 10 common...

February Quest-Finding Animal Tracks!

01/31/2021

With snow on the ground, now is a great time to look for animal tracks! ...

January Quest-Feederwatch!

01/05/2021

Happy New Year Swappers!

Normally this time of year, Project Feederwatch (https://feederwatch.org/) would be in...

December Quest-Winter Solstice!

12/02/2020

December 21st is the Winter Solstice! This is the longest night and the shortest day of the year, as well as the first day of winter!

To celebrate, take a walk outside, or take a look out...

November Quest-All About Beavers!

10/30/2020

This year, November's full moon falls on November 30th. Traditionally, Native Americans called the full moon this month the "Beaver Moon." This time of year, beavers are sheltering...

October Quest-Animals that scare us!

10/01/2020

Happy Halloween! This time of year...

September Quest-Monarch MIgration!

09/02/2020

Every year, Monarch Butterflies undertake a unique and amazing migration. These crucial pollinators travel over 3000 miles every year to over winter in warmer climates-the only butterfly...

August Quest-Roger Williams Park "Art for the People's Park" Campaign!

08/01/2020

Roger Williams Park Conservancy, in partnership with the City of...

July Quest- #PlasticFreeEcoChallenge

07/03/2020

The Plastic Free Ecochallenge is a...

Bonus June Quest-Participate in BioBlitz and earn 5000 points!

06/19/2020

This year, BioBlitz is a socially distant affair! Explore a site near you, and use social media and the internet to share what you find!

...

June Quest-World Oceans Day!

06/02/2020

Did you know that June 8th is World Oceans Day? With summer coming, and people heading to the beach, now is a great time to learn more about our Oceans! For 5000 points, learn three new facts...

May Quest-Spring Bingo!

05/01/2020

The snow is gone, the weather is getting warmer, and the birds...

April Online Quest-Earth Day!

04/03/2020

Earth Day is April 22nd! How do...

Online Learning at Zoo School - Earn 1,000 Points

03/25/2020

Join us for our WILD Zoo School segments on Facebook Live! Follow along each Tuesday & Thursday at 2pm EDT to learn more about our amazing animals.

Complete the at-home activity...

Welcome Spring - March Online Quest

03/19/2020

Hello nature swappers,

Spring begins this Thursday. Even though we have had a mild winter, Spring brings an abundance of changes to the landscape around us. Buds and flowers emerge,...

February Quest- Guided Bird Walk 2/18

02/12/2020

Join naturalists from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, the Providence Parks Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership and the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council for a free guided bird walk at the...

January Nature Swap Quest - Bird Observations in Your Backyard!

01/15/2020

January’s quest will be to observe birds in your backyard, local park, reserve or street using the linked sheet from Project Feeder Watch. If you don’t have access to a bird feeder,...

December Quest and HOLDAY SALE

12/05/2019

It is the last month of a...

November Quest: Urban Bird Treaty

11/13/2019

November's Nature Swap Quest:

...

October Nature Swap Quest

10/14/2019

For this month’s Nature Swap quest, we are challenging you to go deeper into your observations of the natural world. As the weather changes, the plants and landscape changes too. ...

September Nature Swap Quest

09/11/2019

September Nature Swap Quest: Providence Birding Adventure!

Saturday, September 21, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Join Rhode Island Audubon’s Lisa Maloney...

August Quest - Become a Pollinator Protector!

08/02/2019

Happy August Nature Swappers!

With the end of summer nearing, the rain and sun have produced some amazing flowers and plants here in Our Big Backyard and pollinators are everywhere in sight...

July Quest Nature Swap Points Opportunity

07/25/2019

Hello Nature Swappers!

As we grow and improve our nature swap program, we are trying to learn more about how the nature swap experience works for families and guests, both adult and child...

June Quest: What Can You Do With A Rock?

06/23/2019

Rocks are everywhere! They make up our earth's crust and they support the grass we walk on. It is hard to go anywhere rural or urban, and not see rocks in some form. For this month's quest...

May Quest

04/23/2019

BONUS APRIL AND MAY QUEST:

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit in Western North Carolina, recycles old mascara wands to help remove fly eggs and larva from the...

April Quest - Celebrating Earth Week

04/08/2019

Happy Spring Nature Swappers!

For our April Quest, we’re celebrating Earth Week! One of our favorite things about spring here in Our Big Backyard is spending time outside in parks and...

March Quest - Signs of Spring

03/14/2019

Hello Nature Swappers!

It's hard to believe, but the first official day of spring is next Wednesday, March 20th. As the seasons change yet again, the natural world shifts and awakens in...

February Quest - Parker Woodland

01/15/2019

RI Audubon George B. Parker Woodland.
1670 Maple Valley Rd, Coventry

Take February Vacation Week to explore RI...

January Quest - First Day Hike

12/18/2018

Hello Nature Swappers!

This holiday season, remember to take care of yourself and your family by heading outside for a hike or even just a walk around the block, stargazing, talking with...

December Quest - Feeder Watch - QUEST EXTENDED TO APRIL

11/28/2018

This quest will continue through April. We are now a registered FeederWatch site. Please visit us here in Our Big Backyard and connect with a staff member to learn how...

Nature Swap Sale! 12-1 to 1-1

11/28/2018

Hello Swappers!

Are you looking for the perfect nature gift for the holidays? Look no further than Roger Williams Park Zoo’s own Nature Swap. From December 1^st through...