Get back to nature: A look at fall and winter events at Rookery Bay

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center at 300 Tower Road in South Naples features aquariums, touch tanks with marine critters, natural history, environmental and wildlife exhibits, an art gallery, picnic area, guided walking trails, butterfly garden and a scenic overlook bridge.

Special events and activities for all ages are held year-round including watercolor and photography classes, gallery nights, presentations about wildlife and conservation, birding field trips, marine science camps and more!

The center is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults, and $5 for children ages 4-12 and 3 and under are free. Learn more at RookeryBay.org.

Here's a look at some events happening in November, December and January.

Rookery Bay Research Reserve also offers guided boat tours or kayak adventures into the tranquil waters of Rookery Bay Reserve. Guests can choose from a variety of tours including shelling trips to deserted white sand islands, sunset tours or bird rookery excursions.

Visit RookeryBay.org or call 239-530-5972 for more information.

From 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., every Saturday beginning in October. Discover the wonders of nature every Saturday. Science Saturdays make it easy and fun for kids and adults to get hands on and learn more about the wildlife, habitats and environment of coastal Southwest Florida.

Each Saturday features a nature or science theme with fun, self-guided activities, crafts, puzzles and activity sheets as well as additional science-based experiences using microscopes, doing nature experiments and making scientific discoveries. Themes range from fabulous fish and mangroves to marine debris, native and invasive wildlife and other topics inspired by the natural world and the research happening at Rookery Bay Research Reserve. There is something for all ages to discover and enjoy!

Free with admission to the Environmental Learning Center. Register at rookerybay.org/events.

On the second Saturday of each month, when admission to the Environmental Learning Center is free, an expanded variety of Science Saturday activities and crafts will be available.

From 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Nov. 5, Dec. 3 and Jan. 7. Cost: $85, (including all materials).

Get creative with watercolor while celebrating the "Spirit Animals of Rookery Bay"! These fun, no-stress classes are perfect for both beginners and experienced artists. With all supplies provided and friendly guidance from local artist Jan, you'll explore color, technique and wildlife inspiration, without the pressure. Each session ends with a beautiful, matted painting to take home. All supplies included.

Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.

Looking for a meaningful way to give back, meet new people, and connect with nature? Join us for a Volunteer Orientation and discover how you can become part of a welcoming community dedicated to protecting Southwest Florida's coastal environment. No experience is necessary to volunteer. Rookery Bay has a robust training program for any department of interest.

Meet staff and current volunteers, tour the Environmental Learning Center, and learn about volunteer opportunities in education, research, conservation, facilities, visitor services, special events, and the Pollinator Garden and grounds keeping. Whether you're interested in working with people, wildlife, or behind the scenes, there's a volunteer opportunity for almost every interest and schedule. Volunteer work in the Pollinator Garden is especially needed this time of year.

As a Rookery Bay volunteer, you'll become part of a close-knit community and enjoy exclusive opportunities, including volunteer appreciation celebrations, Noontime Knowledge presentations with guest speakers and special behind-the-scenes experiences.

To register, complete a volunteer application at www.rookerybay.org/make-a-difference/volunteer and select an upcoming orientation date, or contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@rookerybay.org.

From 8 a.m. until 11 a.m., Nov. 6, Dec. 12 and Jan. 29. Cost: $30.

Enjoy this fun and informative class designed to help you identify birds around you. Oriented toward the beginning birder, this workshop explores how to use birds' plumage, shape, behavior and habitat to recognize various species. Practice using your binoculars and field guides as you tour the paved paths of Donna Fiala Eagle Lakes Community Park, led by local expert biologists from Audubon Florida and Rookery Bay Research Reserve.

Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.

From 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Nov. 14, Dec. 12, Jan. 9. Must show drivers' license or proof of address.

Enjoy the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center for free on the second Saturday of the month. Everything on this day is free to experience including aquariums, touch tanks with marine critters, natural history, environmental and wildlife exhibits, art gallery, picnic area, guided walking trails, butterfly garden and a scenic overlook bridge.

Set against the backdrop of the picturesque mangrove forests of Rookery Bay, this indoor slow-flow yoga class is designed to deepen your connection with your body. Instructor Jen Wyatt takes inspiration from nature-rooted places to create sacred practices that awaken your physical senses, aliveness, and authentic expression. Open to all levels, this class leaves you feeling more open, balanced, and grounded, with strength and flexibility arriving as natural gifts along the way. Just as the serene estuaries of Rookery Bay provide refuge for the fish who call it home, Jen invites attendees to explore the meditative spaces you find when you return to the wild.

Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, located at 300 Tower Road in South Naples, features aquariums, touch tanks with marine critters, natural history, environmental and wildlife exhibits, an art gallery, picnic area, guided walking trails, butterfly garden and a scenic overlook bridge.Essentials of Digital Photography WorkshopFrom 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Nov. 21, Dec. 19 and Jan. 23. Cost: $55.

If you want to get the best pictures possible, and truly understand your camera's features, this workshop is for you. This class covers the essentials of your digital camera to help you capture and display the "Reason, Emotion and Vision," why you decided to capture the image in the first place. You will learn how to use your camera's shutter, aperture, ISO control, and the drive modes to create images with impact and creativity. Sonny Saunders has over 35 years of experience in photography and instruction and is renowned for his ability to communicate to a wide variety of students. No previous camera or photography experience is necessary, just a desire to learn.

Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.

From 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m., Dec. 5 and Jan. 2. Cost: $50.

Enjoy a slow, quiet, guided-sensory and meditative experience in nature at Rookery Bay Research Reserve. A Certified Forest Bathing Guide will conduct a guided-meditation session and offer a series of invitations to use your curiosity and senses to connect with nature and yourself. Look, listen, smell and feel what the forest is offering you.

Enjoying the touch tank at the Rookery Bay during a previous “Science Night.”Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.8th Annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show

From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Nov. 14 at Florida Southwestern State College, 7505 Grand Lely Drive, Naples. Cost: $10 adults, $5 children ages 4-12, free children under 3.

Car enthusiasts, mark your calendars! The 8th Annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show returns this November with an impressive display of more than 100 antique, classic, muscle, exotic and high-performance cars. Presented by Carter Fence in support of Friends of Rookery Bay, this popular Naples tradition also features more than 20 vendors, entertainment and family- and dog-friendly activities throughout the day. Admission also includes same-day entry to the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center.

The Friends of Rookery Bay is Florida's largest Citizen Support Organization among Florida Aquatic Preserves and National Estuarine Research Reserves and provides financial support to Rookery Bay Research Reserve's conservation, education and research work

From 5:15 until 6:45 p.m. , Nov. 24, Dec. 23 and Jan. 22. Cost: $25.

Experience Rookery Bay Research Reserve like never before, this time under the moonlight! Join Rookery Bay biologists for magical evening walks beneath the full moon, where the wild world comes to life after dark. As the sun sets, explore the trails (Pactor Raised Platform Boardwalk or the ELC Snail Trail) and tune in to the sounds of birds settling down and night creatures waking up. From flying bats to croaking frogs and unusual nocturnal insects, you never know what might be seen under the stars and moonlight. Perfect for nature lovers, night owls and the curious of all ages. This monthly moonlit adventure only happens from October through May.

Registration is required rookerybay.org/events.

The festive sip-and-shop event features holiday activities, special one-day-only sales at Rookery Bay's Nature Store, and guest signing and official book launch from local children's author: Susan Levine.

Birds flying to the Rookery mangrove at sunset.Presentation is included with admission to the Environmental Learning Center. Pre-Register to save $1 at rookerybay.org/events.

From 11 until 1 p.m., Susan Levine will be signing and presenting her new book Rookery Rescue: Giving Wild Birds a Second Chance, as her official book launch. The children's book, illustrated by Irene Bofill, shares the true story of nesting wading birds as they navigate threats and are helped by wildlife rehabilitators. Inspired by Naples' beautiful wildlife and wild spaces, Levine aims to teach what she has learned as a Florida Master Naturalist to children and be a resource of information for parents.

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Special sales from 20 – 50% off select items will take place all day during the event, in-person only. Rookery Bay's store features nature-themed gifts for women, men and children as well as jewelry, art, games, toys, UV-protective clothing, and local brands such as Tunaskin, Jabebo and 4Ocean. Items such as prints and postcards from the renowned photographer Clyde Butcher and An Artist's Journal by the legendary local artist Paul Aresenault will also be available for purchase.

This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: Get back to nature: A look at fall and winter events at Rookery Bay