Blog – Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve

Spring Birding with Wild Birds Unlimited

April 22, 2024April 22, 2024Penn Dixie

Beginner bird watchers and expert ornithologists alike are invited to join us on Saturday, May 4th for a morning of birding at Penn Dixie led by our friends from Wild Birds Unlimited! We will explore the park’s woods and wetlands in search of spring migrants and year-round residents. This program is scheduled from 9 am – 11 am and is free for everyone. We will be meeting at the check-in pavilion next to the parking lot before we start our avian adventure.

Space is limited, registration is required

Curious about what bird species have been reported at our park in the past? Check out the list here: https://penndixie.org/our-birds/

Please dress in weather-appropriate gear, pack layers, and wear boots. Parts of our park can get muddy, especially in the springtime! Additionally, we advise that you bring bottled water as we do not have running water on site. There are portable toilets available near the parking lot. This event is rain or shine, but if there is heavy rain or we detect lightning on site, the program will be moved to May 5th and you will be notified via email.

Note: this event does not include fossil hunting. Full details regarding Penn Dixie’s hours of operation can be found here: https://penndixie.org/hours-and-rates/

To reserve your spot in our Spring Birding program, please fill out the form below. Please note that the form will be closed once the program is full. To be put on the waitlist, please email sydney@penndixie.org

Opening Day Fossil Hunting

April 4, 2024April 22, 2024Penn Dixie

Saturday April 27th, 2024 – 9 am to 4:30 pm

Join us on April 27th for the opening day of Penn Dixie’s 29th season! Celebrate spring with the #1 fossil park in the U.S., collect Devonian Period fossils, and enjoy a day exploring the outdoors.

Penn Dixie is open from 9 am – 4: 30 pm. The first tour departs at 9:15 am; subsequent tours are held every 30 minutes. Tours are free with admission and provide visitors with an overview of Penn Dixie’s history, both contemporary and prehistoric, and show guests how to find Devonian Period fossils. The final tour is 2:45 pm and the park closes at 4:30 pm. Final entry for non-members is at 2:45 pm. Tickets can be purchased day-of on site, but we recommend booking tickets online if you have a specific tour time that you would like.

The park is open weekends-only from April 27th to June 17th. We are open daily from June 17th to September 2nd, then return to weekends-only until mid-October. Full information regarding hours and rates can be found here: https://penndixie.org/hours-and-rates/

New to fossil hunting? Not quite sure what to expect from Penn Dixie? Wondering what to bring? Check out our frequently asked questions page: https://penndixie.org/faq/

Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve is generously supported by Erie County and the Town of Hamburg.

Solar Eclipse Canceled

April 1, 2024April 3, 2024Penn Dixie

With due regard to the millions of Americans who are traveling to hundreds of cities and towns along the path of totality, we regrettably must announce the cancellation of the total solar eclipse on April 8.

This difficult decision was made, in part, because The Moon has been having second thoughts about blocking sunlight across such a wide swath of the North American continent. Ironically, The Moon has observed us and determined that the hassle of making this special and historic traverse is just not worth it. As a result, April 8 will proceed like any typical day – with the usual sunrise and sunset – and no eclipse. The moon reserves the right to attempt another eclipse at a future date.

Solar viewing glasses can be returned to your nearest Toys ‘R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond, or K-Mart for a layaway credit.

“I wouldn’t call it ‘cold feet,’” says The Moon. “I was truly looking forward to this event. But, I’ve heard that cities along the path of totality are bracing for large crowds, traffic problems, and other challenges, and I don’t want to cause issues. I just want to shine.”

“We’ve been working hard for the past several months educating children and adults on how to best prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Michelle Urbanczyk, president and CEO of Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum. “While we’re disappointed with The Moon’s decision, we understand and respect it. However, with that being said, we will still be celebrating The Sun, The Moon and The Earth this week at Explore & More juuuust in case The Moon changes its mind.”

Penn Dixie Executive Director Dr. Phil Stokes says “From high school physics we know that Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion come into play when forecasting astronomical events. Unfortunately, Newton’s little-known fourth law of motion applies here. We simply don’t have control over the whims of celestial bodies.”

“MOOOOO!” says Betty Lou Moo, the official dairy cow of Explore & More who was looking forward to an early return to her barn. “MOOOOOOOO!”

Betty Lou Moo, the official dairy cow of Explore & More, has donned her eclipse shades and is ready for whatever may come on April 8.

Junior Geologist Expeditions

March 26, 2024March 26, 2024Penn Dixie

Introducing Penn Dixie’s newest program – Junior Geologist Expeditions! Modeled after our popular Private Expeditions, Junior Geologist Expeditions are geared specifically for young rockhounds and paleontologists! Your small group (2 – 10 people) can book a private, 2 hour long expedition in the style of field geology. Your guide — a knowledgeable and experienced member of our staff — will take you on a journey through our 54-acre park to explore Penn Dixie’s unique geology and collect 380 million year old fossils. On days when we are open to the public, you can remain on site to continue collecting after your tour.

Included:

Two-hour professionally guided tour
Use of our fossil collecting tools (trowel, bucket, small cloth collecting bag)
One iron on patch for each member of your expedition
All of the fossils and geological specimens that you can collect!

Junior Geologist Expeditions are recommended for explorers ages 5 through 12 years old. Please note that children over age 12 may enjoy the style and content of Private Expeditions more. It’s up to you and your explorer to pick the expedition that’s right for your group – but we are happy to discuss your options and the differences between the tours! Contact our Director of Education Sydney (sydney@penndixie.org) with questions.

Each tour can accommodate up to 10 participants. 1 adult is required to remain with the child(ren) throughout the duration of the tour. We require at least 1 adult present for every 4 children.

Child tickets are $65, adult tickets are $75. Members receive a 10% discount, please contact the office prior to booking to receive your discount code.

Please note that Junior Geologist Expeditions are geared towards children and your group must have at least 1 child participant.

If you would like to request a tour outside of the online availabilities, please contact our Director of Education Sydney (sydney@penndixie.org) at least 2 weeks prior to your requested date.

Book your Junior Geologist Expedition here!

Fund the Flock!

March 15, 2024April 22, 2024Penn Dixie

Thanks to our generous donors, this fundraiser has been a huge success! You have helped provide funding for twelve songbird houses, two wood duck boxes, and two suzy koozies! We can’t emphasize enough how grateful we are for your continued support of Penn Dixie and your will to improve upon the lives of our avian companions on-site. Thank you!!

We’re calling on our fossil friends to help Penn Dixie’s feathered friends through our Fund the Flock initiative! With your help, we can provide well needed nesting boxes for a variety of bird species that live at Penn Dixie. Our goal is to construct and install birdhouses for songbirds, wood duck nest boxes, and mallard nest tubes. These houses and nesting structures will help the birds who call Penn Dixie home (and the ones who are just migrating through!) have a safe place to raise their young.

Although we’re famous for our prehistoric animals, an extraordinary amount of bird life currently resides at Penn Dixie. Our old growth, new growth and grassland areas are home to species such as the downy woodpecker, blue jay, nuthatches, over twenty species of warblers, the eastern wood pewee, and NY State’s bird: the Eastern bluebird. Our wetlands are an especially vital habitat for many interesting species of migratory birds, including the swamp sparrow, green heron, blue heron, red winged- black bird, the great white egret, and the two waterfowl species that our fundraiser aims to help, the wood duck and the mallard. As of our 2020 Avian biodiversity survey (https://penndixie.org/our-birds/), the site is home to over 120 species of birds, making Penn Dixie an exceedingly important ecosystem for birds to flourish!

Sponsorship options:

Home Tweet Home – This tier is dedicated to raising money to build birdhouses for nesting songbirds on site, including Eastern bluebirds (NY State’s bird), house wren, black-capped chickadees, tree swallows, and other cavity nesting birds.

Home Tweet Home sponsors get their names engraved on a placard attached to their birdhouse!

All birdhouses at this level have been sponsored! Thank you!!

Quack Shack ($200) – Support one of the most beautiful duck species in the northeast, the wood duck! By providing boxes for nesting wood ducks, newly hatched chicks have a safer home and better chance of survival. Quack Shacks will be installed in our wetlands.

Quack Shack sponsors get their names engraved on a placard attached to their duck box!

All quack shacks at this level have been sponsored. Thank You!!

Suzy Koozie ($250) – The mallard nest tube, nicknamed the “suzy koozie” is a vital tool in helping mallard reproduction. Mallard populations are declining in many areas of the country, and by installing these nest tubes, we will play a role in helping America’s most iconic duck species prosper! Suzy koozies help mallard hens avoid predators that commonly prey on mallard eggs and hens; such as raccoons, skunks, and opossums.

Suzy Koozie sponsors get their names engraved on a placard attached to their “koozie”!

All suzy koozies at this level have been sponsored. Thank you!!

A beachfront suzy koozie! Our koozies will be placed in Penn Dixie’s wetlands.

Thank you to Wild Birds Unlimited of Blasdell for partnering with us on this project to support Penn Dixie’s flock!