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Don't forget: The Visitor Center is open on its fall-winter
schedule, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday through Monday (closed
Tuesday and Wednesday), except during Whale Watch Week, when we're open
daily.
We are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Spring activities
Black Oystercatcher: Life-History, Status, Ongoing Monitoring and Research
May 10, 1:30 p.m., Hennings Auditorium
The distinctive cry of the Black Oystercatcher can be heard in the rocky inter-tidal shores of the Pacific Northwest. But with a population estimated at only 11,000 individuals, Elise Elliott-Smith (USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center in Corvallis) will present her efforts to inventory this species and monitor their reproductive success here in Oregon. Also presenting will be OSU graduate student, Caleb Spiegel, who is carrying out his research on Black Oystercatchers in Harriman Fjord on Prince William Sound in Alaska. Caleb will present original video footage of breeding birds and their chicks. This multi-media presentation is sure to both enlighten and entertain anyone who is captivated by the iconic Black Oystercatcher.
"The Best of Pattern Puzzles"
April-June
The popular "Pattern Puzzles" children's activity returns to the Visitor
Center for its fourth year, this time in a "best of" version for a 10-week
run!
Looking ahead:
SeaFest 2008
June 28
Don’t miss Newport’s most interesting festival of the year – SeaFest,
at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. It’s a fun-filled day of
hands-on learning about the natural world, with cool exhibits, science
learning activities, tours of labs, research vessels, seafood tasting,
plus live entertainment, an artisans' marketplace, and more!
Kids: Enter the SeaFest Poster Contest for a chance to win prizes and have your artwork on display. The contest deadline is May 30.
For more
information visit: www.hmsc.oregonstate.edu/seafest
or call (541) 867-0219.
Oregon Coast Quests
ongoing, year-round
Oregon Sea Grant and the Visitor Center have teamed up with other state
and county organizations to present Oregon Coast Quests, fun and
educational clue-directed hunts that encourage the year-round exploration
of areas of natural and cultural significance in Lincoln County. In this
self-guided activity, Questers are challenged to follow a map and find
a series of clues designed to help them locate a hidden box -- and have
fun learning along the way. Read
all about this great new family activity !
Don't miss our ongoing exhibit:
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Where science is always fun!
Admission is by donation.
Don't forget to check what's going on at the Visitor
Center bookstore, too.
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Public viewing feeding times
Many visitors enjoy watching the aquarists feed our larger
live animals, including the resident
octopus. Feedings take place on the following schedule:
Wolf eel feeding: Monday, Friday and Sunday
at 10:30 a.m.
Octopus Feeding: Monday, Thursday and
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Other activities:
Guided tours and nature walks
Educational tours are available to groups for a small fee to help cover
staff costs. Our volunteers and staff strive to provide every curious
visitor with a friendly interpretive visit. To assist them in that goal,
we request at least one week's advance notice for groups of more than
a dozen people. For more information or to set up a tour, contact Maureen
Collson, 541-867-0159 or 2030 S. Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365.
A pleasant paved trail also permits easy access to the
sights and sounds of the Yaquina Bay Estuary, with interpretive signage
for those who prefer self-guided tours.
Explore and enjoy from home:
Podcasting the HMSC: Ocean Learning
is a virtual video tour of the Visitor Center via your iPod or computer.
Breaking Waves:
Read the new Oregon Sea Grant blog and keep informed about events at
the Visitor Center and other ocean and coastal news.
Marine educator Bill Hanshumaker reports on his second trip
to Antarctica with an acoustic research team led by HMSC scientist Robert
Dziak. Read about his adventures in his 2006 expedition blog -
and read about the 2005 voyage here.
Bill's adventures blogging from Antarctica are featured on NOAA's
Ocean Explorer site.
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