Tag: conservation

Butterfly and Bug Walk

Young Entomologist

Beetles! Butterflies! And so much more! Join Vermont Entomological Society naturalists and entomologists for an exploratory stroll on the Birds of Vermont Museum grounds.

Bring magnifying glasses, and an insect net if you have one. Binoculars can be helpful. Do bring your water bottle and dress for outdoors. Pack a lunch if you would like to picnic after the walk.

Free, suggested donation : $5-$10

Register (optional) by calling the museum at 802 434-2167.
Max: 20 people
Outdoors

If it is raining on the day of the walk, please call the Museum (802 434-2167) to see if we have rescheduled; rain date is Sunday, July 12).

Terrific for anyone interested in Vermont’s six-legged creatures.

Check out the Vermont Entomological Society site https://www.vermontinsects.org/ — gorgeous photos and information about the Society.

Small green butterfly with a few spots on wings, one blooming purple vetch plant.

From Crawdads to Crows: critters that should and critters that shouldn’t

Scientist Melanie Giangreco and museum staff will share how invasive aquatic invertebrates can impact Vermont waterways and ultimately birds.

We will start indoors, introducing some native and invasive animals, freshwater habitats, and typical birds. After discussion and observations, we will visit an upland forest pond and a typical Vermont brook. What is actually here, what could change, and how can we help? We will end with conversation and a chance to examine some animals more closely (with stereo- and microscopes).

This workshop is ideal for the curious, adventurous, and those willing to get a bit muddy.

Best for ages 10 and up; children must have an adult with them.
Suggested donation: $10 per person (includes museum admission after the program)
Max participants: 20 people
Register with the button below or call 802 434-2167.

Dress for being outdoors and near water: that means boots, ticks, mud, uneven terrain and more!

 

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Call to Artists: Wings • Waters • Ways

Pale image of a carved and painted wooden female Labrador duck swimming and seen from below underlies brown cursive text that reads Wings-Waters-Ways: a call to artists.

Explore the interwoven history of humans, birds, and waterways with your art. Consider upcoming “250th” celebrations in the US, the much-longer history of humans on the landscape in the Green Mountains and Champlain Valley, and the much, much, much longer stories of how birds have evolved with, use, and been influenced by water and waterways. Ponder habitats, adaptations, and interactions.

The Birds of Vermont Museum invites art submissions that dive and soar with the ways of wings and waters for our 2026 community art show.
Continue reading “Call to Artists: Wings • Waters • Ways”

Museum Open for Great Backyard Bird Count

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

Visit us February 14th, 2026,  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 13-16, 2026 • 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

A golden-crowned Kinglet in profile perches on a small branch, looking upward to the right. White lettering over the image says : How Many Birds Can You Find? 29th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count February 13-16, 2026 birdcount.org Golden-crowned Kinglet / Regulus satrapa Photo: Ashle Pichon / MAcaulay Library

Friday – Monday, February 13-16, 2026 • 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 13-16, 2026.

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/

Winter Birding in Vermont

Black-capped chickadee eating a sunflower seed. Chickadee perches on a pile of hulled sunflower seeds in winter; a few snowflakes show on the bird's black feathers.

Join Museum Director Erin Talmage to learn about Winter Birding in Vermont.

Vermont in winter is cold, muddy, slushy, icy, snowy. But there are still birds! Which ones? How come? What do they eat? How do they shelter from the weather? And how can you get involved?

We will explore permanent residents, birds that migrate to and through, and irrupters! You’ll learn how to be involved in conservation just by watching birds—and more.

OLLI  (the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) is sponsoring this seminar. Visit their website for for more information: https://learn.uvm.edu/osher-lifelong-learning/olli-on-campus-courses/

Class begins at 1:30 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
72 Church St, Shelburne, VT 05482.

Read more about winter birds in this blog post: https://birdsofvermont.org/2013/01/16/winter-birds/

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Changing Conservation Policies in 2025

Guest post by Thomas Buckley, Fall 2025 Intern

Since 1970, bird populations have declined by the billions, according to the 2025 State of the Birds Report. Populations of eastern forest birds—including many species commonly seen at the museum—have declined by 27 percent. The report identified 112 “tipping point species” including the Northern Pintail, Chimney Swift and Bobolink (whose can all be found as life-size woodcarvings at the museum), which have lost more than half of their populations in the past 50 years.

Given the threats facing birds, it is more important than ever to consider the recent changes by the federal government to conservation policy and practice. Continue reading “Changing Conservation Policies in 2025”

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July 2025 events

Grandfather and grandchild exploring for butterflies

Well, we have a “happenin’ summer!”

Arts events are the big focus in July, with a concert, a workshop, and a reception. If you need something a bit more detailed, try the Butterfly and Big Walk. If you want quiet reflection, there’s another Forest Sit. Need to stomp some feet? Drop by the Blues for Breakfast concert at the Huntington Rec Field.

Scroll on down and find out more!

=== JULY EVENTS ===

Continue reading “July 2025 events”

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