Science at Sylvan: The Best Questions Lead to Another

By SHWP Staff

In today’s world, we are so concerned with answers that we often forget the question that was asked. For what is an answer, but a base for another question? Science is all about pursuing questions, and here at Sylvan Heights we love to get you asking them. We ask questions every day, questions that make us better aviculturists, better ornithologists, and better scientists overall. Whether it's participating in one of our education programs, walking through the aviaries, or watching eggs hatch, our goal is to get you up close to birds. We hope that by engaging you, we can get you excited enough to start thinking about the science process.

Our newest addition is well underway, and it is our hope that it will bring your interaction to a higher level. The Landing Zone will be a massive, walk-in aviary with a weight-managed flock of small parrots and many other species of birds. Why are they weight managed you ask? Because you will be getting up close and personal with these birds by feeding them. Visitors will get a rare chance to spend time observing birds as they feed freely out of their hands. We hope this exhibit will excite you as much as it excites us! We look forward to opening it soon.

So come on out to Sylvan, get excited about science, start asking questions about the natural world, and see where that takes you!



Final Call for Chili Supper Entries!

The 3rd annual Chili Cook-Off at Sylvan Heights will take place this March 17th, 2012 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sylvan Heights Bird Park! We are still looking for entries, so if you have an award-winning chili recipe, register in the contest and try your hand at winning the Grand Prize or People's Choice Award. To register, please contact the park at 252.826.3186.

Welcome to Sylvan Heights

Happy New Year! In celebration of this new year, we'd like to share with you our new welcome video. We hope to see you at the park soon...

Sylvan Heights Kicks-Off Its Annual "12 Birds of Christmas" Event

If you haven't stopped by the Park lately, now's the best time to do so! Starting today, our annual 12 Birds of Christmas game will run through the end of the year. This holiday game is fun for people of all ages, and takes our visitors on a scavenger hunt throughout the park for the 12 bird species mentioned in our own version of the popular holiday song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. See if you can spot the swans-a-swimming, geese-a-laying, calling birds, and of course, the partridge in a pear tree!

While you're there, think about catching up on your holiday gift buying. Our gift shop is stocked and ready with lots of fabulous products for children and adults. Take advantage of our current sale on embroidered sweatshirts, or consider buying a membership for a friend.

Happy holidays!

Moonlight 2011

We would like to extend a warm "Thank you!" to everyone who attended our Moonlight in the Park event this past month.  And we'd also like to thank all of you who donated such fabulous items to our live and silent auctions. Because of your generosity, we were able to raise over $15,000 for the Park.

The evening was remarkable with fine food, awesome auction items, and the best auctioneer on the East Coast. (He certainly is the most entertaining one anyway!) Over 75 items were donated to this year's auction, so we were able to offer a silent auction as well. Some of the more popular items sold were the Topsail Beach week stay, Wine & Cheese Tasting for 12, and the Jefferson Hotel Champagne package. But the highlight of the evening was the auctioning of the Wildlife Photography Venture (bear-watching adventure), which sold for over $1,300!

We would especially like to acknowledge our volunteers and staff members who worked so hard to make the evening an enjoyable one for all of our guests. In particular, we'd like to thank all the members of our Friends of Sylvan Heights (FOSH) board who organized the event. Their hard work and attention to detail contributed to the success of the night.

In closing, here are a few pictures taken that night by our talented photographer and Assistant Curator, Katie Gipple.

We hope to see you next year!

November's Fundraiser

Our fall fundraiser is less than two weeks away! 

If you you attended our Moonlight in the Park event last year, you know how much fun we all had! This year's auction is shaping up to be even better than before and we have some fabulous items that have been donated, including a week's stay at an ocean-front cottage on quiet Topsail Beach.

Some of our other auction items include a champagne brunch package for two at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA; a private black bear viewing excursion near Lake Mattamuskeet; a fabulous capsule coffee machine by Nespresso; Italian cooking classes for two from Capri Flavors; and many more luxury items.

For a complete list of our auction items, visit our Moonlight Auction Item page.

If you haven't purchased your tickets yet, you must hurry! We've only a few spaces left.
Tickets must be purchased at the Park's gift shop, or by calling (252) 826-3186. All proceeds will support Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park.

Hope to see you all there!

Trick-or-Tweet at Sylvan Heights

Parents, if you are looking for a safe place to take your children trick-or-treating this Halloween, why not bring them to the park? On Monday, October 31st, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., Sylvan Heights will be open for a special after-hours event: Trick or Tweet.

Last year's trick-or-treat event in the corn maze was a great success. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irene had other plans for our corn maze this year, so we have changed the plan just a wee bit and families will now be able to visit candy stations in the park where friendly costumed characters will be handing out goodies. A $2 donation is kindly requested.

Hope to see your little ghosties and goblins there!