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.
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 ===
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)
CANCELLED September Bird Monitoring Walk
We’re sorry but we’ve had to cancel this event. You are welcome to walk our trails anytime from sunrise to sunset.
Through the Window: December 2023
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
Through the Window: November 2023
November is often pretty quiet; we get wrapped up in the Race, with working indoors with our Annual Appeal, with staff getting some breaks for holidays. The birds don’t care!
It’s an amusing treat to watch the Ruffed Grouse reach for each small decorative crabapple fruit, dried and frozen though they may be.
November Bird List
Through the Window: October 2023
The viewing window is only part of the October picture. We also had the Big Sit! Such a great day to be birding … chilly, rainy, but with friends.
October Bird Lists
November events
Pick up your art, join the bird walk, run the race, or drop in for the holiday shopping.
The Museum is open by appointment November through April. The trails are open sunrise to sunset, every day. Libraries have passes, and admission is always free for members (https://birdsofvermont.org/membership/).