Through the Window: March 2017

March was a mix, with bare ground and then snowstorm Stella. A small snafu, so we don’t have our white board list from February but we did of course keep track over on eBird. for our monitoring walks and so on.  So bold in this list indicates “not seen in January” instead of “not seen last month.”

  • Wild Turkey
  • Northern Cardinal (male)
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Blue Jay
  • Red-Winged Blackbird (The First-of-Year Red-winged Blackbird showed up at the end of February, which always seems to surprise us, even though it happens almost every year.) 
  • Mourning Dove
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Common Grackle (F.O.Y. March 25)
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • American Crow (3 on March 27)

The usual suspects: Red and Gray Squirrels, White-tailed Deer, and an Eastern Cottontail rabbit. On th enight came: a Raccoon.

Even though we ask that you call or email to set up a visit (from now through April 30), we have some exceptions for open days, special events, and offsite activities: Click over to our events page.  If you follow us on Facebook, Twitter , tumblr, and/or Instagram too, you’ll find more comments, links, and observations. See you soon!

The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

Species List from February 2017 Bird Monitoring Walk

Crazily warm day for a walk last Saturday! Birds are singing: there was a tremendous cacophony of competing Black-capped chickadees singing on Thursday the 23rd, which was a delight. Today the Northern Cardinal was singing in the dogwoods. And the Birders left lots of treats in the Museum fridge; I think I gained 10 pounds just nibbling on them as I assembled this post for you… Thanks everyone, for baked goodies, bird observations, and community companionship.

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, Vermont, US
 Feb 25, 2017 8:05 AM
 Protocol: Traveling
 Party Size: 8
 Duration: 1 hour(s), 35 minute(s)
 Distance: 1.609 kilometer(s) 
 Comments:     
 10 species
 
 Canada Goose 12
     Flyover
 Mourning Dove 17
 Downy Woodpecker 1
 Blue Jay 8
 American Crow 10
 Black-capped Chickadee 12
 Tufted Titmouse 2
 White-breasted Nuthatch 1
 Dark-eyed Junco 1
 Red-winged Blackbird 1
     In the feeder area, 1 male
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34782352

 Feb 25, 2017 8:00 AM - 10:35 AM
 Protocol: Stationary
 Comments:     Observed from the feeder window during the monitoring walk. Very warm conditions: 50 degrees.
 7 species
 
 Mourning Dove  2
 Downy Woodpecker  2
 Hairy Woodpecker  4
 Blue Jay  5
 Black-capped Chickadee  3
 Tufted Titmouse  2
 Red-winged Blackbird  3
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34783779
 
These reports were generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

We’ll be out again on March 25 at 8:00 a.m. for our next Monthly Bird Monitoring Walk. Tell us you’ll be joining us!

Remember: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Through the Window: January 2017

A nice start to the year!

  • Black-capped chickadee

    Black-capped Chickadee on feeder. Photo by K. Talmage.
    A Black-capped Chickadee perhaps considering whether the iPhone also wants to eat its yummy new black oil seeds.
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Blue Jay
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Mourning Dove
  • Downy Woodpecker (male)
  • Northern Cardinal (male)
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • White-breasted Nuthatch

Plenty of Red and Gray Squirrels. We’ve also seen a Vole, White-tailed Deer, Eastern Chipmunks, a photographer, and an Eastern Cottontail rabbit.

Even though we ask that you call or email to set up a visit (from now through April 30), we have some exceptions for open days, special events, and offsite activities: Click over to our events page.  If you follow us on Facebook, Twitter , tumblr, and/or Instagram too, you’ll find more comments, links, and observations. See you in 2017!

The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

Our Annual Appeal for 2016

Thank you and Happy Holiday Season
from the Birds of Vermont Museum

There’s still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the Museum for 2016!
Please consider sending a contribution during our year-end appeal
—whether $1 or $5000— we happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to

Donate to the Birds of Vermont Museum! Your gift is tax-deductible.
 
Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, Vermont 05462

Donate to the Birds of Vermont Museum with Network for Good! Your gift is tax-deductible.

We welcome your support in any and every form: Continue reading “Our Annual Appeal for 2016”

Call to Artists: Birding By the Numbers

Birding by the Numbers

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum in celebration of our 30th Anniversary

We at the Museum like to say we are “where natural history meets art.” But flip through the files of time while birding in the last 30 years… what would ornithology be without math? What new facts and figures about feathered phenomena do you most appreciate? Join us as we play with birds and numbers!

We seek bird-focused art that incorporates a feeling for number with artistic expression. We are open to any media. Let your art—from imaginary to irrational, with birds silly and significant—populate our creative space!

Here is a tiny fraction of funky factoids to tickle your fancy and perhaps illustrate what we mean: Continue reading “Call to Artists: Birding By the Numbers”