Category: Related and Recommended Sites

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Positively Vermont interview with the Museum

We were invited to be interviewed for a local television series, Positively Vermont. We are allowed to embed the video here, but you may also wish to see this on a larger screen. Airtimes for March 2012 are below:

http://www.cctv.org/stream-player-build?nid=115851

AIRTIMES

(if you missed it, feel free to order the show (ID: 115851 – Birds of Vermont Museum) or ask your local channel to do so)

1 Thursday March 1, 2012 at 6:00 PM
2 Monday March 5, 2012 at 9:30 PM
3 Tuesday March 6, 2012 at 2:30 AM
4 Tuesday March 6, 2012 at 8:30 AM
5 Thursday March 8, 2012 at 4:00 PM
6 Saturday March 10, 2012 at 4:30 PM
7 Thursday March 15, 2012 at 4:00 PM
8 Sunday March 18, 2012 at 3:30 PM
9 Thursday March 22, 2012 at 4:00 PM

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Birding the Basin: what we saw on our West Haven field trip

It was great to go on the West Haven Field Trip! Birders saw and/or heard 56 species. One participant sent us an email, saying, “A highlight was seeing the Brewster’s Warbler, and Kris saw and heard a Golden-winged Warbler. … It was also fun to see Bobalink [sic], and to watch as a parent fed three young Cliff Swallows sitting on the road.  Of course, we got a little herping in too – lots of Green Frogs!”

Weather: Cloudy and breezy with rain starting right after 2:00 p.m. Temperatures in the 70’s F.
Location: West Haven, Vermont and surrounding area

Birds observed (seen and/or heard) for a total of 56: Continue reading “Birding the Basin: what we saw on our West Haven field trip”

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Recent Carving Work (Bob in Florida)

While in his winter residence, Bob Spear met Steve Deam, a photographer. Steve’s been kind enough to send us a few photos to keep track of Bob’s recent work. Enjoy!

Bob working on his back porch in Cedar Key. ©2011 Steve Deam, http://www.deamshots.com/. Used by permission.
Bob working on his back porch in Cedar Key.
©2011 Steve Deam, used by permission.
Bob Spear shaping a bird's body. ©2011 Steve Deam, http://www.deamshots.com/. Used by permission.
Bob Spear shaping a bird's body.
©2011 Steve Deam, used by permission.

These two photos were taken in January (I’m a little slow getting them publicized –the webmistress).  There are more recent ones in Steve’s online photo gallery about Bob: http://www.deamshots.com/Nature/Wood-Carver/15679358_PcFJb#1175207671_ZQRPb

Would you like to see more of Steve’s work? Check it out at http://www.deamshots.com/, or browse through his blog at http://www.see-cedarkey.com/. You can even encourage him to add more videos of his work.

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Join the County Quest!

Guest post from Ali Wagner, Birder and Museum Member

Last fall, a few of Vermont’s counties decided to take part in a friendly challenge of seeing and reporting the most species of birds during the 2011 calendar year.  This has morphed into a state-wide challenge with all counties eagerly participating.

The quest, as described by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, is “part fun, part discovery, part conservation, but mostly fun.”

The goal is to get more people involved in birding as well as documenting bird species of the state. There’s a nice write-up at eBird: http://ebird.org/content/vt/news/vermont-county-birding-quest-takes-flight

If you would like to contribute your sightings, go to www.ebird.org/content/vt or www.vtecostudies.org/quest to sign up!  If you have any questions, you can contact Ali  at alikatofvt@gmavt.net or 802 434-7672.

Vermont eBirdVermont Center for Ecostudies

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Letter to Young Artists

Guest post by Lori Hinrichsen, Artist, Photographer, and Judge of the 2010 Art Contest

When I walked into the Museum the other day I was thrilled to be surrounded by so much creativity, imagery, and enthusiasm of all the artwork entries. From abstract to representational, from humor, composition, color and form, to a range of creative interpretation, the Birds of Vermont Museum Art contest was a delight for the eyes.

I want to congratulate all of you who participated in the event and I genuinely wish I could have given each of you a ribbon for all your wonderful entries. I would like to encourage you to keep making art and sharing it with others. I would like to extend gratitude to your teachers, parents, neighbors, friends and family for keeping the arts alive, every day.

Wishing you a warm lingering autumn. Vermont is a very special place in all seasons.

Lori Hinrichson

• Lori’s Website • Photographs •

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The 2010 Great Backyard Bird Count, February 12-15

Camel's Hump: view from the Birds of Vermont Museum's backyard
Camel's Hump: view from the Birds of Vermont Museum's backyard

Interested in yet another good reason to go birding? How about the Great Backyard Bird Count? It’s another Citizen Science project we do here, and it’s always open to more participants.

We’ll be open on February 13, Saturday, from 9-4. Come by to learn more about it, to count birds, or just visit.

Here’s a brief introduction from the Cornell Lab or Ornithology’s e-newsletter:

The next Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place Friday, February 12 through Monday, February 15, 2010. The National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are calling on everyone to “Count for Fun, Count for the Future!” During last year’s count, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent’s largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded. …[T]he success of the count depends on people tallying birds from as many locations as possible across the continent.

Spread the word …through our volunteer ambassador program. Volunteer ambassadors do a variety of things, including hanging up GBBC fliers, giving presentations in their community, and even talking to their local media. For more ideas on how to promote the GBBC, fill out the online ambassador sign-up form and specify the kinds of activities you’d like to do.

More info from the National Audubon Society: http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/
or from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

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About Project FeederWatch

The Christmas Bird Count isn’t the only citizen science activity that the Museum does. We do Project Feeder Watch, too. It makes for a very pleasant lunchtime: good food and a viewing window (today we saw our first Wild Turkey and Tufted Titmouse of the month). Many of you with feeders at home or work can participate. You can sign up at any time. Here’s an overview from a recent Cornell Lab of Ornithology‘s e-newsletter:

Project FeederWatch

The 2009-10 season of Project FeederWatch begins November 14, though you can sign up at any time. FeederWatchers keep track of their birds through the winter and report their tallies each week. This helps scientists track changes in winter bird populations from year to year.

To learn more and to sign up, visit the Project FeederWatch website. New participants receive a kit with a handbook, a bird-identification poster, calendar, and instruction booklet. There is a $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) to help cover the costs of materials and participant support. If you live in Canada, please visit our partner, Bird Studies Canada, or call (888) 448-2473.

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