Support and Sponsors – Page 14 – Birds of Vermont Museum

June 8, 2010

A Meditation on a Child and Birding

Guest post from Dr. Stewart Kirkaldy, Museum Volunteer

Every once in a while one has an experience that is profoundly moving. This happened to me recently on International Migratory Bird Day at the Birds of Vermont Museum where I was working at the viewing window. A young couple came in with three children, the eldest of whom was a serious birder. She was 10 years old or less but had a “life list” of fifty-eight on arrival. Very soon she saw her first Hummingbird to which she responded with incredible vocal enthusiasm, jumping up and down and rushing across the room to give her father the news. (She added two new species to her list that afternoon.) Her interest and enthusiasm was evident all day. She was an inspiration and rejuvenated hope in my heart for the future of humanity.

The realization dawned on me that she is at one end of the spectrum of human activity and, sadly, too many are at the other end as exemplified by Big Oil Company Executives whose actions and indifference led to the recent catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But what she left me with was the hope well expressed in a hymn that ends “… when man’s crude acts deface no more / the handiwork of God.”

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male), carved by Robert Spear, Jr.

May 30, 2010

Louisiana Waterthrush sighted

Louisiana Waterthrush, carved by Robert Spear, Jr.

Guest post from Shirley Johnson, Board President, Birds of Vermont Museum, and today’s Guide on the Early Morning Bird Walk

We had good views of a Louisiana Waterthrush this morning during the weekly Sunday morning bird walk at the Birds of Vermont Museum. The bird was seen in the woods on the south side of Sherman Hollow Road, on the nature trails open to guests of the museum, on the hillside in the watershed area above the duckpond.

More info:

Early Morning Bird Walks: http://birdsofvermont.org/events.php
Lousiana Waterthrush: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Louisiana_Waterthrush/id

February 22, 2010

Bob Spear turns 90!

Bob Spear, Master Woodcarver and Founding Director of the Birds of Vermont Museum, turned 90 on February 21st!

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 1979 he started creating a collection of bird carvings in hopes of someday establishing a location where people could come to see them and learn about birds. In 1982 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. 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.

Spear continued to carve more species of birds and the museum’s collection has since swelled to more than 486 carvings. The length of time required for Spear to complete a carving varies widely, depending on the size of the bird. Prior to completing a wild turkey carving, which required 1,230 hours, Spear’s carving of a California condor had held the honor of having required the most hours to complete (500 hours). Bob continues to carve for the Museum and recently completed two shorebirds for the Wetland Diorama.

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

Many people have already donated $90 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!!

February 13, 2010

2010 Annual Art Contest Open

Enter your bird art in the Birds of Vermont Museum 2010 Art Contest.

Art Contest Rules for 2010

This competition is open to persons aged 0 – 18 years old
The theme of the contest is Birds, Birds, Birds!
Entries on paper must be no larger than 8 1/2 x 11″ , 3-D Art must be smaller than 6″ x 6″ x 8″.
One entry per person – name, age and contact information must be included with entry. Entries may be picked up at the Museum after Nov. 1, 2010.
Contestants can use any medium – (paint, pencils, crayons, markers, clay, wood, papier-mache)
Entries must be received no later than September 30, 2010
Please drop off, or mail, entries to Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Road, Huntington, Vermont 05462
All entries will be displayed at the museum throughout the 2010 season, so enter early!

Judging

Entries will be grouped by age of contestants.

First, second, and honorable mention prizes will be awarded in each of the following groups:

5 years and younger
6 – 8 years
9 – 13 years
14 – 18 years
3-D Art (multi-age)

Winning entries will be displayed on the BOVM website and/or our FaceBook page with the artists’ permission.

Winners will be announced at the Museum at the Fall Festival, October 9, 2010 (see more events on our calendar).

Thank You to our 2010 Sponsors

Guy’s Farm and Yard, Williston, Vermont
Artists’ Mediums, Williston, Vermont

June 19, 2009

puzzlePalooza puzzle piece finished

BOVM puzzle piece

Ingrid Riga, Museum Curator, has finished painting the puzzle piece for puzzlePalooza. For more infromation about puzzlePalooza see http://vermontartscouncil.org/ProgramsInitiatives/ArtFitsVermont/tabid/67/Default.aspx.