Bob Spear, Master Woodcarver, turns 91!

Bob carving on his Florida porch.
Bob carving on his Florida porch. Photo ©2011 Gale Lawrence; used by permission.

Bob Spear, Master Woodcarver and Founding Director of the Birds of Vermont Museum, turns 91 on February 21st!

In 1979, he started a collection of bird carvings in hopes of someday establishing a location where people could come to see them and learn about birds. Bob is still carving and the Museum will open this spring with over 500 birds!

We like as many excuses for birthday cake as possible, so we plan to celebrate Bob’s birthday again in the summer when it is sunny and warm. Watch the Museum’s calendar of events for details.

Many people have already donated $91 to the Museum to honor Bob on his birthday. The Museum greatly appreciates these donations. For those wishing to make a donation in honor of Bob, please send a check to

Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, VT 05462

Thank you!!

A Little History

Bob’s first carving was completed in 1938 when he carved a parakeet with just a penknife. This carving is on display at the Museum. He is also the author of the book, The Birds of Vermont, published in 1969 by the Green Mountain Audubon Society. In 1962 he was active in establishing the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington and served as its first director for seven years. In 1987 the Birds of Vermont Museum opened, finally showcasing the collection he’d started in 1979. In addition to creating all the bird carvings on display, Spear also built the museum building and all the display cases. At the time of the opening, the museum housed only 231 bird carvings.

The length of time required for Spear to complete a carving varies widely, depending on the size of the bird. The Wild Turkey carving required 1,230 hours, while a small warbler might take only 20 hours. Can you identify the bird he’s working on above?

For more information about Bob’s accomplishments see http://www.birdsofvermont.org/carver.php

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