April Bird Monitoring Walk

Photo: Fox Sparrow photographed by Erin Talmage, © 2019 and used by permission.

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.

Max: 12 people
Free, suggested $5 – $15 (pay what you can)

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/events/april-bird-monitoring-walk-4-27-2024

Outdoors

We go out the last Saturday of every month. Walks start at 7:30 am April – August; 8am in September – March

Photo: Fox Sparrow photographed by Erin Talmage, ©copyright  2019 and used by permission.

See it. Sketch it. Bird It.

nature journaling and sketching materials

Get ready for spring birding with this interactive program. Learn ways of observing, describing, sketching, and identifying birds that will immediately help you become a better birder.

All you need is a willingness to make marks—we supply pencils, paper, models, and identification guidance. (You are welcome to bring your own sketchbook if you prefer, of course!)

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/events/see-it-sketch-it-bird-it-4-24-2024

Suggested: $15- $35 (pay what you can; includes museum admission)

Ages 10 and up
Minimum: 8 people, so sign up with a friend!

Carving shown is a Red-breasted Nuthatch, carved by Bob Spear.
Books pictured include Sibley’s Field Guide to Birds, Law’s Guide to Drawing Birds, and Johnson’s First Steps: Sketching and Drawing.

 

Through the Window: February 2024

A young child in a multi-colored winter coat pours black oil seed into a tray.
A young volunteer fills a bird feeder.

One of the neat things about February is that both Feederwatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count happen that month. People come into the museum to watch from our windows (it’s usually warmer than outside) and to learn about birds from the carvings. (The birds don’t fly away! So helpful!)

What would you like to learn next about birds?

 

February Bird List

Continue reading “Through the Window: February 2024”

March Bird Monitoring Walk

Bohemian Waxwing in Museum's crab apple tree, by Erin Talmage. Copyright 2016 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, older children.

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

Max: 12 people
Free, suggested donation $5 – $15
Outdoors

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/events/march-bird-monitoring-walk-3-30-2024

If the walk fills, call us to be added to the waitlist.

(Walks start at 8am September – March; at 7:30 am April – August)

Photo: Bohemian Waxwing in Museum’s crab apple tree, by Erin Talmage. Copyright 2016 and used by permission.

CANCELLED February Bird Monitoring Walk

Northern Cardinal female. ©2011 Laura Waterhouse

This event has been cancelled. Hope to see you next month!

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, older children.

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

Max: 12 people

Outdoors

If the walk fills, we’ll have a waitlist; we also offer these bird monitoring walks the last Saturday of every month.

(Photo: Female Northern Cardinal. Used by permission of the photographer.)

Museum Open for Great Backyard Bird Count

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

Visit us February 17th, 2024,  to see what birds we’re counting for the Great Backyard Bird Count!

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

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

About the GBBC:

Friday – Monday,  February 16-19, 2024 • 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

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (a small olive warbler with red crown and black-and white on wings) on a bare twig. Text in the image reads "How many birds can you find? 27th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-19, 2024 birdcount.org Ruby-crowned Kinglet Photo: Mason Maron / Macauley Library"

Friday – Monday, February 16-19, 2024 • All Over the World

With a friend or one 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 16-19, 2024.

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: https://www.birdcount.org/

Through the Window: December 2023

Wood carving of a Northern Cardinal by Bob Spear. The bird is perched on a bare, slightly branched log. Its body faces the viewer, but it is looking to the viewer's right. The carving is outside (for the photograph), and bare fall trees and leaf-covered ground can be seen in the background.
Northern Cardinal (male); wood carving by Bob Spear

December was a bit wet this year. We were fine (still watching how the streams flow around and under our various bridges, of course). People seemed to be enjoying staying in Gale’s Retreat, and we certainly have enjoyed our walks in the woods to check on it before and after the guests.

One heavy wet snowfall  took out more main branches from the crabapple tree. We’ll see how the Ruffed Grouse adapt to that.

December Bird List

Continue reading “Through the Window: December 2023”