Great Hollow Nature Preserve

04/09/2026

You may have noticed a new addition to Great Hollow's main campus. We recently installed a new purple martin tower equipped with 12 gourds. You can read more about it on our website.

Great Hollow has continued its bird conservation work with the recent installation of a purple martin tower at its preserve, providing new nesting habitat for one of Connecticut’s most charismatic+ Read More

02/11/2026

Early registration for the 2026 summer camp season is officially open for family-level and above members. For more information visit👉 https://greathollow.org/summer-programs/

01/09/2026

For your safety, the safety of your dog, the safety of other hikers and their dogs, and the safety of wildlife, we ask that you please respect our rules and keep your dogs on leash at all times when on Great Hollow's property.

12/23/2025

Need a last minute gift? Place your orders by 12/23 to guarantee digital delivery by Christmas morning.

Looking for a unique holiday gift for the bird or nature enthusiast in your life? Great Hollow offers symbolic adoptions of our resident birds of prey. For as little as $25 you can help us offset the cost to care for these non-releasable hawks and owls. Learn more at https://greathollow.org/adopt/

12/03/2025

Looking for a unique holiday gift for the bird or nature enthusiast in your life? Great Hollow offers symbolic adoptions of our resident birds of prey. For as little as $25 you can help us offset the cost to care for these non-releasable hawks and owls. Learn more at https://greathollow.org/adopt/

10/09/2025

Don't miss our Fall Foliage & Tree ID hike tomorrow (10/10) at Great Hollow from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.

This program is a part of a larger series of ecology programs for adults. More information on tomorrow's hike can be found here 👉 https://greathollow.org/event/fall-foliage-tree-id/

09/22/2025

06/12/2025

In the wild, a wood turtle can live upwards of 40 to 60 years, possibly more! While many of Connecticut's turtles are long-lived, it also takes them a long time to reach reproductive age – often a decade or more.

This means that adult turtles must reproduce for their entire lives to increase the odds that enough of their offspring will also survive long enough to reproduce. For that reason, it is best to leave turtles in the wild. Every individual is vital to the population.

Learn more about the wood turtle at https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/fact-sheets/wood-turtle

06/02/2025

05/29/2025

"Learning to fly here! Please don't intervene."

This time of year, many young birds (fledglings) have left the nest for the first time and are just learning to fly. While these birds are often found on the ground, it does not mean they need to be "rescued" and brought to a wildlife rehabilitator.

In most cases, it is best to simply leave the fledgling alone. The adults will continue to bring food and look after their young, even if the fledgling is on the ground.

As for much younger, sparsely feathered birds (nestlings) that are found on the ground, it is acceptable to put the birds back in their nest if they are still warm. If the nest is destroyed or cannot be reached, place the bird in a wicker or woven stick basket with good drainage and place it in the highest branch near the original nest.

More information on dealing with distressed wildlife is at https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/rehabilitator/dealing-with-distressed-wildlife

📸: Nancy Ochoa