ansonia nature & recreation center

The indoor portion of the nature center serves effectively as a (very) small zoo, with a dozen or so wild animals that the center has taken in to take care of. On any normal day you can see turtles, snakes, frogs and birds from the area. One day we really lucked out and got to have a close-up meeting with a saw-whet owl--a once-in-a-lifetime experience!Outdoors, there's two acres of woods to explore, where you might find some of the critters you just saw inside now out in the wild. On previous visits we've also seen an antique, rusted out car that, legend has it, stalled out on a road that used to go through the woods and was left abandoned by the owners to be reclaimed by nature. (I couldn't say if it's still there, but it's a weird hidden treat if it is!)The center is also a great resource if you live in the area and come across an injured wild animal that needs to be taken care of. Admission is free.