Results for Race Around Birds 2022

Congratulations to all the walkers, runners, and supporters of the 2022 Race Around Birds.

A sign points left to Spear trail while a runner is blurred going to the right.Green foliages is behind sign and runner; wood chips and fallen leaves cover the trail in the foreground.This year again we offered both “virtual (self-timed)” racing option and “in-person race day” option. People could run or walk, as they chose.

We had 31 people register, 8 of whom chose the “self-timed” option (not all of them submitted their times to us; that’s fine too). Based on what we saw from the museum, more than 8 people ran in the two weeks open for that option.

We did combine the results in the table below. Let me just say that we staff are totally impressed with every runner and walker. All of you inspire us with your determination! Continue reading “Results for Race Around Birds 2022”

Fine Feathers, at play with structure and function | 2022 community art show

collage of polaroid photos of submissions to Fine Feathers art show

Our 2022 art show, Fine Feathers, features over 70 works, chosen from over 250 submissions from artists, photographers, and poets. Each piece is inspired by birds and their feathers. The creators are influenced by feather colors, shapes, patterns, and functions. Through illustration, painting, textile, collage, photography, sculpture, and the written word, these creative expressions are as varied as the feathered creatures they depict. Continue reading “Fine Feathers, at play with structure and function | 2022 community art show”

Open for summer hours, 2022

Young children peer through the glass of a double entrance door.

We are open again for drop-in visiting on May 1!

As we did last year, the Museum building will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Our hours are 10am – 4pm. Because COVID continues to circulate in Vermont, we ask that you wear a mask while indoors.

What’s happening this spring-summer-fall? We’re presenting almost all Vermont birds as wood carvings, sharing an art show called “Fine Feathers: at play with structure and function”, hosting a 3-day woodcarving class for the Green Mountain Woodcovers, offering bird walks, and so much more.

Of course, our trails, treehouse, and pollinator sanctuaries are open! Bring a picnic (and good shoes and bug repellent) and spend time seeking to spot newts at the pond or listening for a  wren from the treehouse. Trails are open sun-up to sundown.

Need directions? Want to schedule a school or camp field trip? Attend a bird walkWe look forward to seeing you! 

Call to Artists: Fine Feathers

Fine Feathers:
at play with structure and function

What happens when you mix art, playfulness, and insights from birds? Creativity influenced by feather color and pattern, frills and function! From bower birds to city pigeons, feathers come in thousands of sizes and colors, fantastic shapes, in different seasons, and for many reasons. Which of these emerge in your art? We want to know!
Continue reading “Call to Artists: Fine Feathers”

Results for Race Around Birds 2021

Congratulations to all the walkers, runners, and supporters of the 2021 Race Around Birds.

Human running awway from viewer, wearing orange shirt and black leggings, and on a frosty-woodland trail with a bright blue sky and fall colors surrounding.
Runner on Spear Trail, heading toward the bird blind and the pond, November 6, 2021.

The results below are shown in three sets: The winners of the one-loop “single” race (about 5k, 3.6 miles); the two-loop “double” race (about 10k, 7.2 miles); and a chart of everyone’s times broken out by class. Continue reading “Results for Race Around Birds 2021”

Open for drop-in visitors, 2021

We are happy to tell you that the Museum opened again for drop-in visiting on May 1!

As we did last year, the Museum building will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Our hours are 10am -4pm. We are limiting the number of people in the building to 12, and we are requiring masks that cover noses and mouths. We have kept some of our touchable and interactive items put away.

If all goes well with vaccinations up and case counts down, and all of us doing our part with distances, careful interactions, managing masks and how frequently we get together, we anticipate being able to expand further. We are certainly looking forward to our events this year! Continue reading “Open for drop-in visitors, 2021”

Call to Artists: Expanding Voices

Text: Expanding voices: perspectives on birding / Background: rose-sepia toned image of paintbrush tips against foliage and sky

Expanding Voices

perspectives on birding

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum
The year 2020 asked a lot of us—and taught us even more. As our habitual systems hit rock bottom under the weight of the pandemic, economic hardship, and social injustice, voices rose, and long-time institutions were loudly questioned. New ways of experiencing and perceiving our world opened our minds to new comprehension. How could our art, our creativity, our practices remain unaffected? Our perspectives inevitably changed.

We are a museum about and for birds and conservation. We are part of a community of birders, artists, conservationists, and learners. Your experience and perspective may be unseen or unknown to someone else, even in the same community. For 2021, we’d like to hear and share your artistic voice.

What perspectives exist for birds, birding, and conservation, and the possibilities these offer? We seek works that explore many viewpoints for our 2021 art exhibit, Expanding Voices: perspectives on birding. Continue reading “Call to Artists: Expanding Voices”

Race Around Birds: results!

Congratulations to all the runners and walkers who took part in our first annual Race Around Birds!  All participants who provided a postal address were sent a Museum bumper sticker. And of course we had some awards to give out:

The Arctic Tern Award : J. Dion for the fastest “10k” (the double-route is actually over 11km!). She ran two loops in 1:50.

The Peregrine Falcon Award : S. Silverstein for the fastest 5k (it’s more like 5.8km). He ran it in 0:34.

The Roadrunner Award : M. Barnes (who was also the youngest runner) for being the second fastest at 0:44.

Double Clutch Recognition, for all runners who raced more than once but on separate days: L. Edling, V. Talmage, and S. Silverstein. A special congratulations to L. Edling for cutting her race time by a whopping 5 minutes on her second go.

The Hermit Thrush Award, for the fastest walking time, had a three-way tie between K. Hudson, G. Hudson, and A. Gergely, all at 1:25.

The Caching Championship, for seeing the most number of bird species while on the trail, goes to J. Morris and P. Spielman.

Our Golden Rake Award is to be shared by R. Sloan and V. Talmage for trail marking, prepping, and clearing trails. Thank you so much!

Ready to do it again? We have scheduled next year’s Race Around Birds for November 6th, 2021. Stay tuned for more info!

Cheers to all!

p.s. We’ve received some feedback but would welcome more. We want to make the trail run as enjoyable as possible—although we can’t make it easier. M. Barnes says, “It’s harder than Harwood!” All you Vermont high school cross-country runners probably know just what this means…and you’re invited to run ours next year.

Spear Trail sign in fall