Through the Window: January 2025

Brown Creeper, carved by Robert N. Spear, Jr.
Brown Creeper, wood carving by Robert N. Spear, Jr.

Many thanks to the MP and MP, two regular volunteers with the same initials, who help us participate in community science programs. They have been here almost every Tuesday to record birds for Feederwatch and eBird… and to note birds on the white board by the window (see the list below).

When you go birding, take note of your observations! Every record you contribute is part of important community science and large data monitoring for conservation! One record at a time may not feel like much, but they add up into incredibly useful data. You might enjoy reading “9 Ways People Have Used eBird Data to Make Conservation Happen.” (Ed. note: Let me know of more recent conservation successes based on bird data, and I’ll add that info to next month’s post!)

January Bird List

Continue reading “Through the Window: January 2025”

Museum Open for Great Backyard Bird Count

black-capped chickadee eyes black oil birdseed in the platform feeder in fall-winter

Visit us February 15th, 2025,  to see what birds we’re counting for the Great Backyard Bird Count!

  • Learn to ID birds — what do we look or listen for?
  • Go birding with a friend — twice the fun!
  • Find out more about and record observations for this great community science project.

We’re open from 10-4 on Saturday for the GBBC
Members admission: Free!

About the GBBC:

Friday – Monday,  February 14-17, 2025 • All Over the World

From the Great Backyard Bird Count website:

Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.

Since then, more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have joined the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.

For more info visit Great Backyard Bird Count website

The Great Backyard Bird Count

Dark-eyed Junco on snow-covered twig. Photo by Alex Marine, Macaulay Library. Words on the image: How many birds can you find? 28th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count. February 14-17, 2025. birdcount.org

Friday – Monday, February 14-17, 2025 • All Over the World

Whether you are with a friend or on your own, watching one bird or counting hundreds, join a worldwide community-science and conservation project! All you have to do is observe for 15 minutes and submit your observation(s). Here are few details from https://www.birdcount.org/participate/ :

Step 1 – Decide where you will watch birds. [Suggestion: at the Museum on Saturday!]

Step 2 – Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 14-17, 2025.

Step 3 – Count all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings:

For more info visit https://www.birdcount.org/

January Bird Monitoring Walk

Black-capped Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco in winter. The Chickadee is perched on a half-fallen dried goldenrod stem on the left; the Junco is underneath he stem on the right. There are some forsythia stems in the background and snow covers the ground. Digiscoped iPhone photo by K. Talmage and used by permission.

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.

All birders —current, experienced, newbie and would-be— welcome! Most fun for adults and older youth.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent (seasonally) and a water bottle.

Max: 12 people
Free, suggested donation $10-$15

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museum or call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

If the walk fills, but there’s enough interest, we may be able to schedule more walks. Please call or email us to make arrangements.

Photo of Black-capped Chickadee and Junco in winter. Photographed at the Museum by Museum staff.

December Bird Monitoring Walk

Photo of Northern Cardinal (male)

Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds on the Museum property. Learn something new, share what you know, or both!

All birders (current, experienced, newbie and would-be!) welcome! Most fun for adults or older youth.

Please bring your own binoculars, dress for the weather. We recommend bringing a water bottle.

Max: 12 people
Suggested donation $10-$15

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museum or call 802 434-2167

Outdoors

Photo of Northern Cardinal.

Through the Window: November 2024

A woodcarving of a Cooper's Hawk showing head and shoulders: a raptor with a gray crown, red eyes, gray wings, and a buff and cream patterned breast.You’d think that being “closed”  would mean we’d get all the behind the scenes things done. But of course there are birds to watch for, which distracts us from tasks like our Annual Appeal … preparing programs and events

But we did get to see a hawk! And turkeys, which have been less-often spotted in the feeder area recently. And more!

November Bird List

Continue reading “Through the Window: November 2024”

November Bird Monitoring Walk

Ruffed Grouse in fall Crabapple tree

Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds on the Museum property. Learn something new, share what you know, or both!

All birders (current, experienced, newbie and would-be!) welcome! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars, dress for weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Max: 12 people
Suggested donation $10-$15

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museum or call 802 434-2167

Outdoors

Photo of Ruffed Grouse in Crabapple. Photographed at the Museum by Museum staff.