In selecting art for the Birds of a Fiber exhibit, we hoped to allow the variety of media to hint at the diversity of birds. We had hooked rugs and traditional penny rugs, photographs rendered in cross-stitch, crocheted and fabric sculptures, needle felted miniatures, multimedia collages, paper sculpture, and quilts.
We hope you had a chance to see some of these works for yourself! There is not enough room to show all the works here in our mini slideshow. However, all the artists are listed below.
The center bird is a White-breasted Nuthatch crocheted by E. Spinney
“Cat’s Cradle” by N. Tomczak, from watercolors and yarn.
E. Talmage repurposes old books into paper sculptures, like this birdhouse from an old Audubon encyclopedia.
R. Hadden’s hooked wall rug showing birds and habitat.
Needle felted owls by M. Barnes and K. Talmage. Wool, less than 2″ tall.
E. Gagne’s crosstitch showing a birdhouse near a pond.
Detail of one of C. McDowell’s quilted wall hangings
M. Lowe pieces quilts from selected colors, building up entire images.
D. Littlepage’s textile collage of a Northern Cardinal.
Ann Wetzel’s Penny Rug, made of wool felt and other fabrics
J. Malone led a group of Girl Questers in making an entire exhibit of felted birds.
K. Guttman uses soft fabric sculptures and reclaimed decorative cages to create art stories.
Ann Wetzel, penny rug
Carol McDowell, quilted art
Dawn Littlepage, textile collage
Elizabeth Spinney, crochet
Erin Talmage, recycled paper
Eve Gagne, cross stitch
Kir Talmage, needle felted wool
Marya Lowe, quilted art
Morgan Barnes, needle felted wool
Robin Hadden, rug hooking
Katherine Guttman, mixed media (fiber, glass, and metal)
Wow, in this last month of our open-daily season, we recorded some unusual birds! Are they here for the winter? Just passing through? And for some of the common ones, where were they last month?
Ruffed Grouse(10/20 in the crabapple tree and 10/26 2 walking along the feeding zone perimeter and in the crabapple)
Northern Cardinal (10/24 m & f, just male on 10/27)
Purple finch(10/30)
We also observed Eastern Chipmunks, Red Squirrels, and Gray Squirrels, as well several visits from Raccoons on our nighttime cam.
* Aside: We’re going to do some extensive trimming and pruning on the cedar hedge. It was deeply damaged by ice and snow earlier this year, and we’re removing much of the dead wood. Other changes include roost, wintering, and nest boxes (for birds and insect pollinators) and new plantings in the spring as well. Thanks to Volunteer EP for his help with this!
Come see for yourself! Call, tweet, email or schedule a visit by phone: (802) 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org. From museum exhibits to relaxing in our accessible treehouse to observing the long-awaited progress on the stream restoration and bridge phase of #BridgesToBirds, there’s always some wild thing to learn from or about.
The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.
After laying in rock and grading the slope just-so, the stream bank crew put down netting to reduce erosion, and it was seeded with a one-year “cover crop”. We’ll replant perennials and more next spring.
Erosion netting in place, September 26
The cover crop sprouted quite quickly, which encouraged and delighted us.
Can you see the little sprouts? This is about October 8. Click to zoom in, perhaps.
Yesterday’s and this morning’s light snow doesn’t seem to have bothered the little plants at all!
Protecting the stream bank with netting and plants, October 18. Click to see these larger (it’s worth it!)
Fall approached…and arrived. And off went some birds. Thanks to the critter cam we heard some birds that we couldn’t see. Looking forward to the big list coming up for the Big Sit! in just over a week.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (9/14: 2 skirmishing on cedars. Juveniles or females. No adult males recorded this month.)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Black-throated Blue Warbler (9/6/15 and 9/13/15)
Eastern Phoebe(at the front of the Museum)
Song Sparrow (across the road)
other Sparrow spp.
White-throated Sparrow
Wild Turkey
Barred Owl (heard on the critter cam)
American Crow (heard from the front doorway)
We saw a few green frogs in our tiny little pond by the feeder. We also delighted in seeing a White-tailed Deer eating some crab apples near the treehouse, as well as Red Squirrels, a Gray Squirrel, and Eastern Chipmunks under the feeders. Nocturnal ones included raccoons, mice, and again a cat (watching that night-time video is what let us notice the Barred Owl).
Come see for yourself! We’re open every day from 10am until 4pm, through October 31. From museum exhibits to relaxing in our accessible treehouse to observing the long-awaited progress on the stream restoration and bridge phase of #BridgesToBirds. There’s always some wild thing to learn from or about. Call, tweet, email or drop by: (802) 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.
The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.
During the past week, we’ve watched a good bit of earthmoving, repairing and preparing the stream, its slopes, and the stream bed between the Museum parking lot and the Museum entrance. The preparation will permit us to install an ADA-compliant and future-flood-resistant path and bridge, as well as a riparian slope “garden”. While this is going on, please use the rear entrance (facing the road). We look forward to seeing you!
This work is being funded by donors like you, the Vermont Department of Transportation though a Vermont Better Back Roads grant, and the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Ecosystems Restoration Program. These are both matching grants so we still need your help to fully fund these grants. Donate to help! We happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to
Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, Vermont 05462
John Scott Excavating laid some beautiful boulders on the Museum side of the road, around and above the road culvert.
Last week has seen a lot of changes outdoors at the Birds of Vermont Museum, between our front door and our parking lot, and along that section of Sherman Hollow Road.
On Monday, September 14, the road culvert replacement started. This one is deeper, and has a different profile, thereby protecting the stream hydrology and local wildlife more than a shallower, smaller, round culvert would. This one allows for increased water flow, which prevents erosion and sedimentation of the stream bed. The slight “squashed” shape keeps a better aquatic corridor for critters both in and near the stream.
Since then, the excavation crew has been working both upstream and downstream. They have been installing rock and cement protection to stabilize the banks and installing a yard drain to collect stormwater runoff.
Donate to help! We happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to
Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, Vermont 05462
The Birds of Vermont Museum and the Huntington Historical and Community Trust are collaborating on developing Pollinator Habitat Demonstration Gardens. This project is an effective partnership between Huntington’s two non-profit organizations whose missions include enhancement of rural landscapes for wildlife as well as community outreach and education.
Over the period of 2 – 3 years, the gardens will be created on the Birds of Vermont Museum property. The Huntington Historical and Community Trust received a $1500 grant from the Norcross Wildlife Foundation, providing start-up funds for garden establishment and the initial educational materials.
The project will rely on volunteers for much of the work including turf removal, soil preparation and planting… so, we need your help! If you can lend a hand, please contact either of the Pollinator Gardens co-directors: Erin Talmage (Birds of Vermont Museum) at 802 434-2167 and Anne Dannenberg (Huntington Historical and Community Trust) 802 434-3901.
Stop in and see the project progress. [Anne has been working incredibly hard! –KJT, ed.] The Museum is open daily through the month of October, and by appointment through the winter. Our trails are open from sunrise to sunset year-round.
The Museum will be closed to visitors on Monday and Tuesday, September 14-15, while the Town replaces a culvert on Sherman Hollow Road.
This is the next step in our Bridges to Birds project! We will begin the stream bank restoration and entrance path/bridge when the culvert is in place.
Donate to help! We happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to
Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, Vermont 05462
We had a critter cam, sensitive to motion, installed this month. It’s been such a treat to see some of the larger birds at times when we are not at the Museum! It’s also possible that more species were seen—especially by visitors—but not recorded on the noteboard.
Come see for yourself! We’re open every day from 10am until 4pm, through October 31. From museum exhibits to relaxing in our accessible treehouse to a short stroll to the bond: catch some glimpses of maturing fledglings, juveniles and adults as they prepare to migrate or find fall and winter roosting sites. There’s always some wild thing to learn from or about. Come by or get in touch: (802) 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.
The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.
How shall we thank you? Let us count the ways! Each donor to our Bridges to Birds campaign may choose to receive a corresponding thank you gift from the Birds of Vermont Museum. Donations are cumulative; please call the Museum (802 434-2167) if you have questions about your donation history.
$20 — CHICKADEE
Chickadees receive a bumper sticker and two (2) passes to the Museum.
$50 — BLUE JAY
Blue Jays receive a set of 10 note cards of carvings and 2 passes to Museum.
$100 — CARDINAL
Cardinals receive a hand-carved Comfort Bird (from trees downed by the flood) and 2 passes to Museum.
$500 — NUTHATCH
Nuthatches will have their names (or the names of those they wish to remember) included on a plaque mounted on or near our new bridge, plus a complete set of the previous gifts.
A thank-you dinner in the Treehouse
$1,000 — SCARLET TANAGER
The first twenty (20) Scarlet Tanagers will receive a framed print of Vermont artist Libby Davidson’s plein-air ‘Painting #5’, showing Sherman Hollow Brook, plus all the Nuthatch-level gifts.
$2,500 — HERMIT THRUSH
The first five(5) Hermit Thrushes will receive Dinner for Two in the Treehouse, plus the Nuthatch-level gifts.
$5,000 — PEREGRINE
Peregrines receive a one-of-a-kind Vermont or bird-themed handcrafted wall-hanging by quilt artist Carol McDowell, plus the Nuthatch-level gifts.
$20,000 — SNOWY OWL
The Snowy Owl donor will have the opportunity to accompany Denver Holt of the Owl Research Institute for several days in one of two research locations. The Donor can choose to visit Alaska to see snowy owls, or Montana to see numerous other species of owls. Airfare, room and board are included if travel arrangements are made with the Museum. The Donor will also be recognized on our memorial plaque.
Donate to help! We happily accept donations online through JustGive, NetworkForGood, and PayPal. You can also call (802) 434-2167 with your credit card info, or send a check in any amount at any time to
Birds of Vermont Museum
900 Sherman Hollow Road
Huntington, Vermont 05462
