EVENTS
Birding Basics — 9 a.m., Haley Farm State Park, Haley Farm Lane, Groton; hosted by Connecticut Audubon; $5 members, $10 nonmembers; registration required; (860) 598-4218. Essex Summer Arts Festival — 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Essex Town Green, 12 Main St.; featuring regional artists and artisans, whose work is also displayed at Spectrum Gallery; also Sunday; free; (860) 767-0742.
Through the Garden Gate — 10 a.m., Ivoryton Library, 106 Main St.; walking tour fundraiser of eight historic gardens; $25 in advance, $30 at the gate; (860) 767-1252. Bobolinks, Milkweeds and Butterflies
Walk — 10 a.m., Thomas Miner Nature Preserve, 236 Taugwonk Road, Stonington; guided walk with naturalist Bruce Fellman; hosted by the Stonington Land Trust; free.
Bats in Connecticut — 11 a.m., NaturePlace at Banningwood Preserve, Town Street, Lyme; bat program by wildlife rehabilitator Maureen Heidtmann; hosted by the Lyme Land Trust; free; registration requested; stewardship@lymelandtrust.org.
Historic Walking Tour — 11 a.m., Stonington Farmers Market, 1 High St.; hosted by the Stonington Historical Society; $10, $8 members, seniors, military and students, $5 children; (860) 535-8445.
Guys with Guns — 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Leffingwell House Museum, 348 Washington St., Norwich; historical firearms presentations; $5; (860) 889-9440. Summer Pig Roast — noon, Outer Light Brewing Company ,266 Bridge St .#1, Groton; with live music; outer light brewing. com. Illustrated Journal Workshop — 1 p.m., Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road; hosted by Jan Lynick; for ages 16 and up; free; registration required; (860) 859-1130. Homegrown — 2 p.m., Nathan Liverant and Son, 168 South Main St., Colchester; Connecticut antiques forum; free; (860) 537-2409. Leigh Brown and Victoria Corliss — 3-5 p.m., Savoy Bookshop and Cafe, 10 Canal St., Westerly; book signing with the authors of “The Pendulum’s Truth”; free; (401) 213-3901.
Historic Gardening — 3 p.m., Avery-Copp House, 154 Thames St., Groton; gardening workshop covering organic options, native plants and more; $7 members, $10 nonmembers; (860) 445-1637.