AT THE CALIFORNIA RAPTOR CENTER

A Hawk Walk at 8 a.m. leads off the spring open house at the California Raptor Center on Saturday (April 30). The center opens at 9, and special presentations are scheduled for 10 a.m. and noon. The event is free and open to the public.

The raptor center, a program of the School of Veterinary Medicine, cares for injured raptors, rehabilitating and releasing them back to the wild — provided that they are judged suitable to survive on their own. If they cannot, they are trained for the center’s education program. Many of those raptors will be available for view during the open house, in cages and “on the glove.”

The organizers of the open house said the special presentations will demonstrate fascinating features of raptor biology and ecology. In addition, the center’s museum will be open.

People interested in joining the Hawk Walk should meet at the center’s gate — and bring binoculars.

Directions: Take the UC Davis exit from Interstate 80 and turn south on Old Davis Road. Cross the railroad tracks and continue until just before the Putah Creek bridge. Turn left onto the paved levee road. Follow it for two-tenths of a mile and keep on the pavement as the road veers left, taking you down off the levee. Then make a quick right turn into the free parking area.

More information, including a map.

AT THE ARBORETUM

Folk Music Jam Sessions — Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes — you name it! — and join your fellow musicians during the lunch hour for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer and other world music. All skill levels welcome. Listeners, too! Noon Friday, April 29, and May 13 and 27, Wyatt Deck.

Plant sale — Gardening for the Senses, featuring plants for color, texture and fragrance — with experienced gardeners on hand to help you choose the best plants for your garden design and conditions. Ten percent discount for members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum; new members receive a free plant. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Arboretum Teaching Nursery. See separate story, about this sale and a rose tour and sale May 7 at Foundation Plant Services.

Drawing Closer to Nature with Peter London — Drawing and painting workshop for artists of all skill levels. The instructor is an active studio artist whose work is in many public and private collections, and who has taught and lectured in art, art education and art therapy across North America and in Europe for the last 40 years. He is the author of Drawing Closer to Nature (2001), Community Based Art Education (1993) and No More Secondhand Art (1987), and numerous articles. He is an arboretum volunteer and friend, and he is donating all proceeds from this workshop to the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. Workshop fees: $75, or $65 members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. Materials included. Preregistration required, online or by phone, (530) 752-4880. Limited to 20 participants. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, May 1, Wyatt Deck. (In the event of rain, this program will be moved to 146 Environmental Horticulture.)

Bugtopia: Discover Everyday Insects — An all-ages tour, led by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. They will focus on the arboretum's hidden insect wonders, teaching the names of common insects, and discussing their life cycles and the ecological relationships between insects and plants. 2 p.m. Sunday, May 1, gazebo.

Walk with Warren: California Wildflowers — With Warren Roberts, retired superintendent of the arboretum. Noon Wednesday, May 11, gazebo.

Poetry in the Garden: Amy Champ — The presenter is a graduate student of performance studies at UC Davis, a filmmaker, and a teacher of yoga and meditation, as well as a poet. Her research and writing deal with yoga studies, women’s sacred arts, ritual performance and transnational feminism. Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, May 12, Wyatt Deck. (In the event of rain, this program will be moved to the Foster Room, 1138 Meyer Hall.)

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) — The Davis Shakespeare Ensemble, in association with Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum, presents this "irreverent, fast-paced romp" through the Bard’s 37 plays. Directed by Gia Battista. 8 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, May 12-15 and 19-22, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 12 and 19, gazebo. Tickets: $12 adults, $8 students, $5 children 12 and under. Reservations: davis.shakespeare@gmail.com. More information is available online or by e-mail, davis.shakespeare@gmail.com.

Plant sale — End-of-Season Clearance, featuring reduced prices on exceptional plants, with experienced gardeners on hand to help you choose the best plants for your garden design and conditions. Ten percent discount for members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum; new members receive a free plant. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

Storytime Through the Seasons: Los Colores de la Primavera/The Colors of Spring — Traditional stories, games, crafts and more. All ages are welcome for this program that combines Latin American culture with the colors of spring. Presented by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. 2-4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, Wyatt Deck.

Spring Musical Gathering — The second of two such casual affairs, featuring the Sacramento City College World Music Ensemble in its first collaboration with the arboretum. Everyone is welcome to sit back (bring chairs!) and enjoy the music. You're also welcome to bring your own instruments and join in. Bob Wren, Sacramento City College instructor, will direct. 5-7 p.m. Sunday, May 15, gazebo.

Buscando los Raices — A Spanish-language tour of California native plants, with topics to include California ecology and traditional uses if native plants. Presented by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. All ages are welcome for this tour — to be conducted entirely in Spanish. 11 a.m. Saturday, May 21, Wyatt Deck.

All programs are open to the public, and all are free except the art workshop and the Shakespeare production. More information: (530) 752-4880 or arboretum.ucdavis.edu (for directions, click on “Plan Your Visit”).

AT STEBBINS COLD CANYON

NATURE OUTINGS

• Nocturnal Happenings — What happens when night falls in Stebbins Cold Canyon? On this walk, you will rely on all of your senses to experience the vibrant world of the reserve after sunset. Stories, stargazing and experiential activities along the way to help the participants appreciate the “dark side” of Stebbins. For adults and children 8 and up. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30.

• Birding 101 — This hike is designed to help you make heads or tail feathers of the complex avian world. Birders of all levels. Bring binoculars, bird guides and sunscreen. 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 1.

• Stargazing: Tour of the Night Sky — Bryn Bishop returns to leads two evening programs, focusing on constellations, planets and deep sky objects. In addition, she will share stories on the mythology of the night sky. A 1¼-mile hike, slightly uphill, to a meadow. Wear appropriate clothing for evening; binoculars are optional. 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 7, and 8:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4.

• By the Banks of Putah Creek — Tom and Ginny Cahill lead this hike on their property, northeast of Stebbins Cold Canyon, allowing people to explore a remote section of Putah Creek. A one-mile hike in, with an optional, longer hike paralleling the creek or climbing to a ridge. This outing is a perfect opportunity to sit by the creek, have lunch and listen to some stories about the area. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 14.

• Dance: It’s Only Natural! — A celebration of rhythm and movement and nature. 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 15.

• Homestead Jamboree — A combination of hiking, music and an old-style family picnic. A 1 1/4-mile hike (one way) on the Homestead Trail will lead to a tall tree canopy, for lunch and an impromptu concert by local musicians, including Keith Cary, Wyatt Hesselmeyer and many more. Bring an instrument or your voice if you want to join in. Last year, the music inspired men, women and children to get up and dance. Come out and join the fun and see what the music and the canyon inspires in you.10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 21. (This event was previously bills as a Stebbins Canyon Celebration, which it still is, but in a different format.)

• Photography and Nature: Take Only Photos, Leave Only Footprints — Daniel Ng leads this tour, helping people with their film or a digital cameras (participants provide their own). 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 22.

• Loop Trail: Sunrise Hike — Hike the Loop Trail as the sun cimbs into the sky before the shortest night of the year. Five miles of ups and downs, with a 1,200-foot elevation gain. Many steps are interspersed with breathtaking views. Participants are advised to wear sturdy shoes, and to bring sunscreen, snack and at least a liter of water. 5-10 a.m. Saturday, June 18. (An earlier posting gave the wrong date for this adventure.)

NATURE’S THEATRE: Nature Play for Kids

Nature’s Theatre invites children to become part of the story and learn from Mother Nature, Professor Planthead and Tiny and Whiny, to name a few.

Each outing is an opportunity to play outside and learn a little bit more about the secrets of nature. All programs run from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Starwalker and the Planets (ages 6-10) — Saturday, April 30

• Consumasaurus, the Dragon (ages 6-10) — Saturday, May 7

• Nature Heroes (ages 5-10) — Saturday, May 14

• Glug, Glug and the Water Boss (water play for kids, ages 5-10) — Sunday, June 5

SIGN-UPS

All activities are open to the public. Optional fees: $5 per person or $10 per family. Activities fill up fast; reservations are required. E-mail Jeff Falyn, jfalyn@ucdavis.edu, with your name, address, event date, and phone number and-or e-mail address, and indicate whether you need directions. More information, including the complete schedule.