where natural history meets art
Warm and dry pretty much the whole month. Pleasant for sitting around, and can make some nice updrafts. Did you go hawk watching?
Every now and then this year, a warbler comes to the feeder—not to eat, apparently, just to check things out from that perch. And (presumably less often) we notice!
In October, we head out to Dead Creek, keep showing art, check out trees, hang out with carvers, and sit with birders. Join us!
The most relaxed birding around. And around and around …
How many birds (and birdwatchers) can we identify from a 17-foot diameter circle between sunrise and sunset? Can we beat last year’s record? We’ve seen birds big and small, in night and day: from Kinglets to Great Blue Herons, Barred Owls to Turkey Vultures.
This is a great long-running community science project. Pledges and donations welcome:
We are observing from Dawn to Dusk. The Museum is open from 10am – 4pm.
Call or email to ask about joining the observation team.
For much more info, see https://www.thebigsit.org/ .
Check out the reports from previous years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 (overall), 2021 (ours), 2022 (overall), 2022 (ours), 2023 (overall), 2023 (ours)
All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.
Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.
Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people
Register with the button below or call 802 434-2167.
Outdoors
We go out the last Saturday of every month. Walks start at 7:30 am April – August; 8am in September – March
Photo of White-breasted Nuthatch © Zac Cota-Weaver and used by permission.
Oh my gosh, it’s been SO dry. Thankfully, we have a little trickle of water coming into a well-shaded tiny pond. The Bee balm and the willow and the goldenrod are a bit too tall and dense to see the birds taking their small drinks at the water, though! (The Hummingbirds sure like the bee balm!)
Back by popular demand!
Have you ever noticed a bird, then wondered what kind of tree it was in, or why it was there? Us too! Let’s take a walk and explore tree identification with Forester Kathleen Stutzman.
Open to folks with any and all levels of familiarity with trees and/or birds.
Kathleen adds, “I think the walk will focus on identifying trees, but I probably won’t be able to resist talking about shrubs and herbaceous plants that we also encounter and are common!”
Max: 12 people
Suggested: $10 – $30
Register in advance. Phone (802 434-2167) or register online:
Kathleen is a Forest Research Specialist at UVM studying sugarbush management in Vermont. She has an MS in Forestry, and is, of course, also a birder.
September: thinking about myths, conservation, collisions, making, happiness, decomposition, communication, and restoration. All that in one museum!
All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.
Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.
Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people
Register in advance with the button below
or call 802 434-2167.
Outdoors
We go out the last Saturday of every month. Walks start at 7:30 am April – August; 8am in September – March
Photo: Sparrow spp. © 2019 E. Talmage and used by permission.
Goodness it’s been hot. What did you have out for birds in your backyard to beat the heat? We have multiple types of cover (shade and safety) and water as well. These robins used the roof of one our sheds as their shade.
We’re making things and headed outside this month! Joins us for, conservation, learning, carving, birding, and even a little time to rest.