September’s glorious for surprising visitors to the feeders. Or near—but not at—the feeders, as the Nashville Warbler. It’s been dry, so having water source(s) near your feeders is essential.
Through the Window: September 2020
Month-long Event: Race Around Birds, October 2020
We’re hosting a month-long self-reported trail race from October 5 – November 1, 2020, on our trail system here at the Museum on Sherman Hollow Road in Huntington. Join in! Continue reading “Month-long Event: Race Around Birds, October 2020”
Through the Window: August 2020
August seems to have vanished rather quickly! Rather like the bird seed does sometimes….
Birds observed in August
- Black-capped chickadee
- American Goldfinch
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Blue Jay
- Northern Cardinal
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Mourning Dove
- Purple Finch
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Dark-eyed Junco Continue reading “Through the Window: August 2020”
Through the Window: July 2020
On a warm day, we sometimes (though not often) see Turkey Vultures overhead at the Museum. If it rains, well, we can come in and look up anyway, practicing our identification of raptors by plumage.
And we can also look out through our viewing window…
Birds observed this July
Through the Window: June 2020
June is unbelievably beautiful in Vermont. To add to our happiness, we have been able to open the Museum Wednesdays-Sundays, 10-4, which is so far working well. To add to the beauty of late spring around us, we’ve got a new art show, all about borders and boundaries, edges and exchanges.
Stop by to wander our trails, tour the show, and enjoy the respite offered by super-relaxed birding. What could be easier than sitting at our viewing window (or in our bird blind, or best yet, in the walk-in treehouse) and watching for birds, butterflies, and other fellow beings?
Birds observed in June
Volunteers needed in 2020
One of our favorite things to do is work with volunteers on special projects—regularly in the building and outside in the gardens, as well as special volunteer work parties before our “open season”. This year, unfortunately, the novel coronavirus interrupted this! But now we are open, so…
We would love to have volunteers in and around the Museum! This is completely up to you and what you find comfortable. As always, we have lots of projects and need your help!
Indoors, volunteers greet visitors, tend the gift shop, organize materials, record data, and help us clean.
Outside, there are opportunities for trail maintenance, collecting natural history data, sanding and painting, and weeding. We have a few projects that can be done off-site. We could also use the help of a carpenter. It is pretty easy to maintain social distancing and get fresh air while you do these!
If you are interested in volunteering this year, please call us at 802-434-2167. We look forward to hearing from you!
Borders: illusions that constrain us | 2020 community art show
Borders: illusions than constrain us is our 2020 art show, where we invite creators and viewers to ask (and even answer) “What do borders mean for birds and which of these are constructs of our imagination?”
Thirty-six artists, photographers, and poets had their work selected for this year’s show. Creators include beginners and established professionals of all ages. Visitors are invited to explore the visual and written art at their own pace, to be inspired, to ask questions, and to browse through the book of artists’ statements.
Show is open through October • Included with Museum admission
Some originals are for sale, and some artists have prints, cards, and other items for sale in our gift shop as well.
About the theme “Borders: illusions that constrain us”
Continue reading “Borders: illusions that constrain us | 2020 community art show”
Through the Window: May 2020
This exhibit of Eastern Phoebes nesting sure puts us in mind of spring. And spring truly is here: a bit of mud, early leaves, returning migrants.
We look forward to the days when the dangers of this coronavirus are past or at least well-mitigated, and we can offer early morning bird walks again. In the meantime, please enjoy our records from our view-through-the-window, and take a turn on our trails yourself, if you can.
May birds
Open for 2020, finally
A note from our Director
As you likely know, the Museum had to remain closed due to Covid-19. This was the first spring in 32 years where we didn’t open our doors on May 1. This was the first time since we started Early Birder Morning Walks (more than a decade ago!) that we couldn’t gather for to walk and watch spring migration together.
We have missed you! Although we were saddened to hear of people who were ill or lost their lives; we also are hugely grateful that, by all of us working together, we kept the numbers lower than they could have been. As the number of Vermont cases continues to be encouragingly small, the state is allowing some businesses to open (with restrictions in place).
We are happy to tell you that the Museum opened on Wednesday, June 3! Continue reading “Open for 2020, finally”
Exploring our trails and COVID-19
Yes, our trails are open! But we ask you to take extra precautions for now:
- Please visit only if you live locally (within about 10 miles); current spread-prevention guidelines recommend this. If you are from farther away, we hope to see you later this year.
- Please take extra care: we have limited or no cell service, and trails can be rough or uneven. Please don’t climb anything.
- Please stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from each other. Pass with care and extra room. Give each other even more room if it is windy or if you are breathing hard (we have some good slopes!).
- Please only travel or hike with people you with whom you are already sharing isolation/quarantine/shelter-in-place.
- Wash hands before and after your visit with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If you don’t have soap and water, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching structures and do not share binoculars or phones if possible.
- If you are not feeling well or have COVID-19 symptoms, please visit later when you are recovered.
- Please, no pets. This is our policy for all of our trails, to protect ground-nesting and ground-foraging birds.
- For additional information about staying safe while enjoying the outdoors, visit the State of Vermont’s website.
- For further guidance about Vermont trail closures and COVID-19 safety in Vermont, review the VTGC / VTA Recreation and COVID-19 statement.