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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 walk? We look forward to seeing you! 

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Through the Window: March 2022

Fox Sparrow (woodcarving by Bob Spear)
Fox Sparrow, carved by Bob Spear.

March usually see us getting excited about what’s left to do before our drop-in season (May – October) and which migrants are passing by on their way further north (looking at you Fox Sparrow. Also mud. Sherman Hollow Road at the end of March this year was …. remarkable. Yet passable, unlike some other roads around the state. So we could keep feeding the birds.

By the way, Vermont Fish & Wildlife recommends taking in your bird feeders on April 1st, to avoid habituating bears to our spaces. Our feeders are 8′ off the ground on a steel pole set in concrete; it’s both bear resistant and not too much of a temptation. Bears learn quickly what’s out of reach and not worth the effort.

Birds at the Vernal Equinox (and then some)

Continue reading “Through the Window: March 2022”

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Lawson’s Finest Liquids supports the museum

Lawson’s Finest Sunshine Fund donates to the Birds of Vermont Museum in March

Lawson’s Finest Liquids of Waitsfield selected the Birds of Vermont Museum as one of their semi-monthly Sunshine Fund recipients. From March 1st through 15th, customer donations at their Taproom will benefit the museum. Visit the Lawson’s Finest Liquids taproom to enjoy a local brew and support us too. Non-alcoholic beverages and light pub fare are also available.

We three museum staff dropped in on Monday to taste some for ourselves. We gave high (field) marks to the three beers we tried—a stout, a pilsner, and a porter—as well as the vegetarian chili, the grilled cheese, and the cheese plate. Yum.Three white middle-aged women in masks and dark shirts look smilingly at camera. Three small goblets with three different kinds of beer are in front of them. Continue reading “Lawson’s Finest Liquids supports the museum”

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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”

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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”

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Through the Window: October 2021 (and Big Sit)

Golden-crowned Kinglet, carved by Bob Spear. Photograph © copyright E. Talmage for the Birds of Vermont Museum
Golden-crowned Kinglet, carved by Bob Spear. Photograph © copyright E. Talmage for the Birds of Vermont Museum

October is one of our favorite months. It’s not that there’s a larger diversity of birds (that’s June), but it’s the month with the Big Sit! For us that means birders, friends (some of course are both!), birding, relaxing, bird-friendly coffee, conversation, and probably too many cider doughnuts.

 

Continue reading “Through the Window: October 2021 (and Big Sit)”

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