As we wound down to the “end” of the year—we are really just shifting into our “winter” season—we enjoyed the last of the migrants, a sedentary birding event, and the final days of the 2024 art show.
November 2024 events
Take time to reflect, experience the peace in a late-autumn forest, or schedule a visit this month. The Museum is open by appointment and for special events from now through April 30.
The trails are open from sunrise to sunset, every day—we recommend using the south trails (Spear, Discovery, Story) rather than Gale’s, Pop’s, or Bob’s, thanks to flooding in July. Trail maps and more information are available on our website, and are posted at the museum and at kiosks as well. (Let us know if the wind moved any!)
=== NOVEMBER EVENTS ===
By-Appointment Season 2024-2025
From November through April, we’re open by appointment and for special events. Individuals, families, and groups are all welcome at all times of year. Our trails are open year-round, sunrise to sunset.
Behind the scenes in November: we’re collecting feedback from our year; working on special projects like bridges, signs, or exhibit maintenance; putting together the annual appeal; and switching over to the annual Gift of Art show from this year’s Power of Perspective. Sometimes we design new traveling exhibits or start any winter program series. We invite all artists to pick up their works; we’ll have a new theme soon!
Please call (802) 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org several days in advance to schedule your visit. Admission is free for members!
Or sign up to attend special events: these are listed on our calendar at https://birdsofvermont.org/special-upcoming/
By-Appointment Season 2024-2025
From November through April, we’re open by appointment and for special events. Individuals, families, and groups are all welcome at all times of year. Our trails are open year-round, sunrise to sunset.
Behind the scenes in November: we’re collecting feedback from our year; working on special projects like bridges, signs, or exhibit maintenance; putting together the annual appeal; and switching over to the annual Gift of Art show from this year’s Power of Perspective. Sometimes we design new traveling exhibits or start any winter program series. We invite all artists to pick up their works; we’ll have a new theme soon!
Please call (802) 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org several days in advance to schedule your visit. Admission is free for members!
Or sign up to attend special events: these are listed on our calendar at https://birdsofvermont.org/special-upcoming/
Through the Window: September 2024
Ah migration! Everyone getting busy, going places, and we humans getting a chance to be surprised by birds on the move. This month, we saw some that aren’t usually in the feeder area.
September Bird List
October 2024 events
Art, coffee, wildlife festivals, wood carving, migratory birds—even trees! This is a happening month. Events at the museum are below, or check the special upcoming list for a few extras.
The Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm. The trails are open sunrise to sunset, every day. The best access to to those on the south, the pond side of the property, thanks to flooding in July. Libraries have passes you can check out, and admission is always free for members (https://birdsofvermont.org/membership/).
=== OCTOBER EVENTS ===
Through the Window: August 2024
While it’s lovely just to sit by the window, sometimes we catch sight of birds as we come to work as well. Catbirds, phoebes, and some other species are more likely to be seen at the entrance than in the bird feeding area.
August Bird List
October World Migratory Bird Day
Watch for, protect, record birds during both migration seasons!
The map above shows the movement of birds in this date last year from BirdCast.info. The United States is depicted in white outlines on black, while a heat map ranging from purple to pink to orange to yellow shows the intensity of bird migration (mostly in the eastern US). Arrows show the directions the birds are moving. (Dokter, A. M. 2023 of live migration map image. BirdCast, live migration map; 2023-10-12. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/migration-forecast-maps. Accessed 2024-09-05.)
In Vermont, birds are moving!
While the official day of celebration for World Migratory Bird Day is on the second Saturday in May each year, the [Smithsonian] recognizes that migratory birds stop in various places along their journey. This means that the celebration can be flexible, depending on the location. In addition, Environment for the Americas encourages people to also catch the migratory birds on their way south in the autumn, celebrating another time on the second Saturday in October.
More info:
- https://www.migratorybirdday.org/
- https://birdcast.info/
- https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds
- https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-migratory-bird-day/
Hashtag: #WorldMigratoryBirdDay
September 2024 events
September is for transitions: an equinox, return to school, seasons officially change. Yet, it’s also continuous, with ongoing art shows, new chances to learn, and time to just enjoy birds (and possibly coffee).
The Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm. The trails are open sunrise to sunset, every day—for now only on the pond side of the property, thanks to flooding in July. Libraries have passes you can check out, and admission is always free for members (https://birdsofvermont.org/membership/).
=== SEPTEMBER EVENTS ===
the Big Sit!
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)
