Come with us as night falls over the Museum’s evening trails. Bring your snowshoes (several local libraries allow you to check out a pair for free!) and a flashlight. We will look, listen, and perhaps talk about surviving winter, early spring, nocturnal creatures, stars…
Dress to be outdoors and meet at the Museum’s entrance. If weather permits, we will have a fire and hot cocoa outside at the end of our walk.
Walk led by Erin Talmage, Museum Director and Wildlife Biologist. FYI, sunset is 5:47 pm in Hinesburg.
Recommended: red plastic to cover the lens of your flashlight.
Suggested donation: $10 – $30 (pay what you can) • You may make your donation online or reserve your place for free and donate at the door.
Max: 10 people • Register here or call (802) 434-2167 to confirm your spot.
Learn the secrets of winter bird survival. Could you do it?
We’ll imagine ourselves as birds in Vermont in winter. How do we find wamth, food, and shelter to survive the cold? Let’s mimic birds’ strategies for success!
Designed for kids ages 4 – 8, siblings welcome.
$5 (adult chaperones free)
Dress for outdoors
Use the button above or call 802 434-2167 to sign up!
Explore your connectedness to the Vermont landscape with artist Rachel Mirus. She takes us from thinking about our relationship to Vermont nature to being inspired by the ecologically-inspired work of Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
We will make a whimsical self-portrait illustrating our unique relationships.
We’ll start with a nature walk to stimulate the imagination and move inside for art-making with a variety of materials for every ability level. You are welcome to bring any materials you prefer. Rachel also provides materials, but sometimes people have preferences and she support students using what they are comfortable with.
Minimum: 4 participants
Maximum: 15 participants
Ages 6 and up • Great for families!
Dress to be outside, then inside. You are welcome to bring and enjoy your lunch here at the museum after the workshop.
The Birds of Vermont Museum is hosting the third annual Race Around Birds trail run! There are two options for runners (and walkers), and you can even do both:
Race Day run: Saturday, November 5th, at 10a.m. This is a typical trail run, and approximately 5k. We can welcome up to 50 runners. (Please carpool)
On-Your-Own (Virtual) Race: choose a day between October 22 and November 4th, and record your time on the paper forms (available at the Museum’s front door).
Race results will be posted in our blog.
To Register
While registering is free, we encourage donations to support the museum, as well as cover the cost of trail work, post-race snacks and water, and possible swag. You may register for Race Day (group race), Virtual (self-timed) race, or both.
Course Description
This is a trail race with some steep uphill climbs. Some segments are more like single-track mountain trails. This is a HARD course.
The course is approximately 3.6-miles. The course winds around and crosses itself. The course is essentially a loop on each side of the road. Think of it as a figure 8 (although the loop on the north side of the creek is more convoluted than a simple loop).
The course is well-marked and you will return to the Museum in the middle of each lap. There are no supplies and no first aid stations on the course. Bathrooms and water are available only if the Museum is open (Wednesdays through Sundays, 10am – 4pm, in October only).
The race course map is updated from last year; Pop’s (red) trail is a little different and this year we are only running the single lap option.
How It Works
You may run or walk the course.
On the November 5th Race Day, racers will start at 10 a.m.
For the On-Your-Own (Virtual) Race, runners and walkers may come to the Museum at any time from daylight to dusk from October 22 to November 4. No dogs and no nights. You may run (or walk) the course multiple times on different days, in order to improve your times. You may run in groups of up to three or four, but the trail is generally single-file.
For the virtual option, you will keep track of your own start and finish times. Time-keeping forms will be in a marked box to the left of the Museum’s front door. Fill out a form for each day you race. Then, when you’re ready to run, take a map (if you need it), get to the start line (the west end of the parking lot by the parking sign), mark your starting time, and GO!Afterward, fill in your finish time (you’ll finish on the other side of the road) and drop it in the box.
If you are running on Race Day, please carpool. We have limited parking.
But wait, there’s more!
If you share photos or comments online, we encourage you to use these hashtags:
#RaceAroundBirds #RaceAroundBirds2022 #birdsofvermontmuseum #runningisforthebirds #trailrace #virtualrace #huntingtonvt #trailrunning #trailrunner
Explore nature with Allison! What is a bird? How do feathers work? What else is flying in our gardens? What do flowers look like up close? How about an egg?
These and other questions lead our exploration of nature around the Museum. Each week is different!
Stop by and try your hand at soap carving! Super easy to get started!
Instructions, tools and materials provided. Suitable for any age.
Masks recommended (keeps soap out of your nose, too).
All ages • Great for kids on their early dismissal days