Jeff Landa, of Northeast Delta Dental, presents a check to support our newsletter, Chip Notes.
Jeffrey Landa, a former Board of Trustees member and Board President who also serves on the Museum Advisory Board, dropped by last week to bring us this good news. Shirley Johnson, President of the Board of Trustees, and Erin Talmage, Executive Director, were here to accept it.
We will use these funds to cover printing and mailing costs of Chip Notes. Older editions are made available online as PDF files; if you would like to receive current ones by mail, become a member!
We were open last Saturday to celebrate and support the Great Backyard Bird Count. Naturally, we counted birds—and a few others—as well. Our results from that open time follow, and we will have our full count results posted to eBird as well.
Observed on February 19th, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Blue Jay
9
Hairy Woodpecker
2
Downy Woodpecker
1
Dark-eyed Junco
4
Northern Cardinal (female)
1
Tufted Titmouse
2
Mourning Dove
6
Black-capped Chickadee
4
White-Breasted Nuthatch
1
European Starling
1
American Crow
1
We also observed an Eastern Cottontail and 3 Red Squirrels.
How did your counts go?
Bob Spear, Master Woodcarver and Founding Director of the Birds of Vermont Museum, turns 91 on February 21st!
In 1979, he started a collection of bird carvings in hopes of someday establishing a location where people could come to see them and learn about birds. Bob is still carving and the Museum will open this spring with over 500 birds!
We like as many excuses for birthday cake as possible, so we plan to celebrate Bob’s birthday again in the summer when it is sunny and warm. Watch the Museum’s calendar of events for details.
Many people have already donated $91 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!!
A Little History
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 1962 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, finally showcasing the collection he’d started in 1979. 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.
The length of time required for Spear to complete a carving varies widely, depending on the size of the bird. The Wild Turkey carving required 1,230 hours, while a small warbler might take only 20 hours. Can you identify the bird he’s working on above?
This competition is open to persons aged 0 – 18 years old.
The theme of the contest isBirds, Birds, Birds.
Flat submissions (paper, collage, etc.) must be no larger than 8 ½” 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.
Contestants may use any media.
Past entries (and winners) have used paint, colored pencils, crayons, markers, clay, wood, or papier-mâché.
Entries must be received no later than September 30, 2011.
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 2011 season, so enter early!
Judging
First, second, and honorable mention prizes will be awarded in the following categories (most are age-based):
5 years and younger
6 – 8 years
9 – 13 years
14 – 18 years
3-D Art
Winners
Winners will be announced at the Museum at our Fall Festival, Saturday October 8, 2011.
Winning entries will be displayed (with artist and parent approval) on the BOVM website or our Facebook page after the festival.
Entries may be picked up at the Museum after Nov. 1, 2011.
Sponsors
We welcome sponsors of our art contest! Contact us if you’d like to donate funds (to purchase prizes) or prizes (we do ask that we get to vet these first).
Past sponsors have included farm and garden stores, art supply shops, artists, and museum members.
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.”
“Almost everything delights a chickadee.” —E.B. White
Perhaps not snow, though.
Chickadee on a snowy day, in an evergreen
I was using a Canon PowerShot S3 IS, and out of curiosity I set it to the sports setting (I don’t do or watch much sports) while photographing chickadees and downy woodpeckers near and at the Museum feeders. The birds were sharp, the snow not so much. I liked it.
Post and photo by Kir Talmage, Museum webmistress/program coordinator
Wing tip marks
Last night or early this morning, some large bird left tracks in the snow (the marks are at least 2½ feet across — no measurement because I didn’t have snow pants and didn’t much feel like sliding into the creek). But which bird?
The foot-trail between the wings climbs from the tiny under-the-road creek up to the trail that goes from the entrance path to the bridge. (This will all make more sense if you have visited here). There are plenty of turkeys around and I suppose they could have made the trail and used their wings for balance while climbing. We see them frequently. both walking and flying.
On the other hand, there are more wing-tip marks down at the bottom, under a minuscule hemlock, without footprints or a wading-through-snow trail. The habitat is also good for barred owl: many hemlocks along the brook, and a patchwork of open cut fields, old beaver meadow, drier upland deciduous forest. Both barred owl and turkey have been seen and heard here.
I’m guessing owl, but let me know if you have more clue (easy!) or would like to see other photos.
