Giaquinto Wildlife Center

09/04/2026

Calling all bird lovers! Our Early Fall Migration Bird Walk is already almost HALF FULL!

With just over two weeks to go, secure your FREE ticket and join us during one of the most exciting times of year for birding! Fall migration brings birds through our area that we may only get the chance to see for a short window each year, including less commonly seen and sometimes rare visitors passing through on their journey south.

We’re limiting the walk to just 25 people so we can slow down, listen to the woods, and take in the sights and sounds of a crisp early fall morning while seeing what migration surprises we can find.

After the walk, we’ll head to the 1716 Pavilion at the Wayside Inn for coffee, breakfast, bird trivia & prizes, and:

• Our experienced birder will show you how to use the Merlin Bird ID app to identify birds by sight and sound, including the birds right in your own backyard.

• We’ll help you get started with eBird, a worldwide birding community where you can keep your own life list, record sightings, and see what other birders are spotting near you and wherever you travel.

• Bella, our educational ambassador, will be there to meet everyone!

Migrating birds, a crisp fall morning, coffee, breakfast, and some friendly bird trivia. Space is limited to 25 — reserve your FREE spot!

Calling all bird lovers and trivia buffs! 🤓🐦‍⬛☕️

We’re so excited to offer this unique event celebrating birds, fall migration, and some friendly competition!

Join The Wayside Inn Foundation and Giaquinto Wildlife Center for Beaks & Geeks on Saturday, September 19th, beginning at 8:00 AM at the 1716 Pavilion at the Wayside Inn.

The morning will feature:

• An early bird walk from 8:00–9:00 AM 🔭
• Coffee and breakfast following the walk ☕️
• Fun bird-themed trivia to test your bird brain
• Prizes for our trivia winners 🏆
• A special appearance by Bella, our ambassador barn owl 🦉
• Opportunities to learn about birds, migration, and wildlife conservation 🍂

Preregistration is required. Space for the early bird walk is limited, but the event will open to additional guests for breakfast and trivia after the walk.

All ages are welcome. Please leave dogs at home so we don’t disturb the birds. Scan the QR code or click below for complete details and registration. We hope you’ll join us for a fun morning of breakfast, birding, and trivia!

➡️ Register here: https://www.giaquintowildlifecenter.com/upcoming-programs

09/04/2026

This is truly an honor of a lifetime. I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this important conference in Aruba and to help give a voice to the Shoco and wildlife around the world.

Speaker at the First International Shoco Conference.

Alyssa Giaquinto

Alyssa Giaquinto is the founder of the Giaquinto Wildlife Center, a nonprofit based in Massachusetts, United States, dedicated to wildlife conservation, education, and advocacy. A licensed wildlife rehabilitator, conservationist, and educator, she holds four state and federal licenses through the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alyssa works to protect native wildlife, promote responsible stewardship, and inspire a greater appreciation for the natural world. Alongside Bella, her ambassador Barn Owl and educational partner, she connects communities with wildlife through education and outreach. Her work is driven by a commitment to conservation, advocacy, and inspiring future generations to protect wildlife.

09/02/2026

For more than two decades, Aruba has been so much more than a place we visit. It has truly become a home away from home for our family, which makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.

I am incredibly honored to have been invited by Greg Peterson, President of Aruba Birdlife Conservation, to speak at the Burrowing Owl Conference in Aruba next week about the dangers rodenticides pose to our wildlife. Being asked to contribute to the conservation of Aruba’s endemic Burrowing Owl, the Shoco, means so much to me.

Unfortunately, the conference coincides with my daughter’s first day of school. While I’m heartbroken that I won’t be able to speak in person, I was able to record my presentation alongside Bella, which will be aired during the conference. Knowing that our presentation will be shared with people from around the world in a place that means so much to our family is incredibly special.

I hope our presentation can help raise awareness about the dangers of rodenticides and their impact on wildlife, particularly the Shoco, and support the efforts already underway to protect this incredible species.

The conference kicks off Monday with an address from the Prime Minister of Aruba, followed by four days of lectures and presentations focused on awareness, education, and conservation of the Shoco. My lecture is Tuesday afternoon.

A huge congratulations to Greg Peterson and Aruba Birdlife Conservation for bringing together such an important event. I am so proud to be a small part of it. 🇦🇼 🦉

For more information about the conference see the link below: ⬇️

https://www.burrowingowl.info/

09/01/2026

September brings rafting loons, Woodchucks bulking up, and the Fall equinox!

What are you looking forward to this month?

Download, print, and screen read our Outdoor Almanac here: massaudubon.org/almanac

08/30/2026

We’ve had an amazing summer filled with educational programs, and now we’re looking forward to an exciting fall lineup! 🍂

This fall, we’ll be heading back into schools to meet with students, while also offering public programs for wildlife lovers of all ages. Our goal remains the same wherever we go: to inspire people to learn about, appreciate, and help conserve our incredible native wildlife.🦉

Here’s where you can find us this fall at programs open to the public!

These are just a few of the events we’ve officially confirmed so far. We have more in the works, and as new programs are added, we’ll continue updating our calendar.

We hope to see some familiar faces and meet plenty of new Wildlife Heroes along the way! 💚

08/29/2026

Bella is thoroughly amused with her latest feather molt. She carefully inspects it to make sure it’s actually hers. I think the tiny piece of leaf sitting on top is throwing her off a little!

Unlike many birds that replace their feathers over a shorter period, owls molt gradually. This slow process helps ensure they maintain the feathers they need for flight and insulation while new ones grow in. Bella started her molt back in April and, here we are at the end of August, she’s still actively molting!

Apparently every lost feather still requires a full Bella inspection before it can officially be declared hers.

08/28/2026

I recently came across the Hummingbird Theory, and it really made me think about the work we do.

A hummingbird may only visit a flower for a few moments, but in that short time, something important happens. It carries something with it, leaves something behind, and helps something new grow.

I think education, especially with children, can work the same way.

We may only have a short amount of time with the people who attend our programs. For some, it may be their first time seeing an owl up close, learning about wildlife conservation, or discovering something about the natural world that they never knew before.

And sometimes, one moment is enough.

One experience can spark curiosity.
One animal can create a connection.
One conversation can inspire someone to care.
And one childhood memory can stay with someone for a lifetime.

Then we move on to the next program, the next community, and the next group of people, hoping that each time we leave a little something behind.

We may never know which child goes home and starts noticing the birds in their backyard, which family makes a change to help wildlife, or which young person grows up wanting to protect the natural world.

That’s the beautiful part. We don’t always get to see what grows from the seeds we plant.

We just keep planting them.

That’s our version of the Hummingbird Theory. 💚

📸 : Cornell Lab of Ornithology

08/27/2026

Calling all bird lovers and trivia buffs! 🤓🐦‍⬛☕️

We’re so excited to offer this unique event celebrating birds, fall migration, and some friendly competition!

Join The Wayside Inn Foundation and Giaquinto Wildlife Center for Beaks & Geeks on Saturday, September 19th, beginning at 8:00 AM at the 1716 Pavilion at the Wayside Inn.

The morning will feature:

• An early bird walk from 8:00–9:00 AM 🔭
• Coffee and breakfast following the walk ☕️
• Fun bird-themed trivia to test your bird brain
• Prizes for our trivia winners 🏆
• A special appearance by Bella, our ambassador barn owl 🦉
• Opportunities to learn about birds, migration, and wildlife conservation 🍂

Preregistration is required. Space for the early bird walk is limited, but the event will open to additional guests for breakfast and trivia after the walk.

All ages are welcome. Please leave dogs at home so we don’t disturb the birds. Scan the QR code or click below for complete details and registration. We hope you’ll join us for a fun morning of breakfast, birding, and trivia!

➡️ Register here: https://www.giaquintowildlifecenter.com/upcoming-programs

08/27/2026

There’s something about an owl and bright zinnias that starts the morning off right! 🌸🦉☀️

Natural, unfiltered sunlight provides important UV rays that support an owl’s vitamin D production, calcium absorption, and overall health.

This morning, Bella, our non-releasable educational ambassador, soaked up some rays while admiring the beautiful late-summer zinnias, with plenty of shade available whenever she wanted it.