POSTPONED — Nature Selfies: art workshop with Rachel Mirus

a mixed media selfie art piece by Rachel Mirus incorporating nature materials and sketched objects. Used with permission.

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.

Sliding scale fee



Or call (802) 434-2167 to pay at the door.

You may also like the Drawing for Mindfulness class on November 19.

Rachel Mirus: A light-skinned woman with straight, long brown and red hair, smiles in three-quarter view at camera. She is visible from shoulders up. She is outdoors with golden autumn foliage in background and a blue mountain ridge behind. Image shown with permission.

Race Around Birds 2022

hill in fall colors with more trees in foreground

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.




Spear Trail sign in fall

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.runner lacing up sneakers on the spear trail

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

Send questions to trailrunning@birdsofvermont.org!

map of trails with race course info at the Birds of Vermont Museum

Printable race packets (trail map, course notes, entry form, waiver) will be  available as PDFs soon. (See below)

Last year’s results are at https://birdsofvermont.org/2021/11/14/results-for-race-around-birds-2021/

screen shot of all trails recording of race course showing elevation

 

Nestlings Find Nature

A young child in an orange shirt reaches out to touch the foot of a raptor

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?

These and other questions lead our exploration of nature around the Museum. Each week is different!

Designed for kids ages 4 – 8, siblings welcome.

Please sign up in advance with a click or tap:

Or call 802 434-2167.

Nestlings Find Nature

a young child looks through a stereoscope.

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!

Designed for kids ages 4 – 8, siblings welcome.

Please sign up in advance with a click or tap:

Or call 802 434-2167 to register.

Nestlings Find Nature

Canada Darner (Aeshna canadensis) on child's hand

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?

These and other questions lead our exploration of nature around the Museum. Each week is different!

Designed for kids ages 4 – 8, siblings welcome.

Please sign up in advance: tap or click :


or call 802 434-2167.

Pop-Up Soap Carving

Child (hands and part of torso) carving a white bar soap using a craft-stick tool.

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

Stop by at 1:00pm or at 1:45pm

Pre-registration is optional but very helpful!




Included with Museum admission; donations welcome.

Full Moon Snowshoe Walk

A young person glances at the photographerwhile appearing to hold the full moon between their thumb and index finger. The moon is rising above curved hills in the background. The sky is dark blue and the person and hills are almost silhouetted.

Take a walk through the museum’s forest and meadow. Explore the winter nighttime forest with us. What happens at night in a Vermont winter?

If weather permits, we will have a fire and hot cocoa outside at the end of our walk. If it’s too cloudy, we’ll try again the night before the next full moon : March 17
Current forecast: https://www.wunderground.com/hourly/us/vt/huntington/05462/date/2022-2-15

Walk led by Erin Talmage, Museum Director and Wildlife Biologist.

Recommended: red plastic to cover the lens of your flashlight.

Suggested donation : $5 – $15 dollars
Max: 10 people • Call (802) 434-2167 and get a confirmation or register now:


Masks: bring them; required when within 6 feet of each other

Fledglings Explore Winter

Wild Turkey Tracks

How do animals and plants adapt to February in Vermont?

Dress for outdoors: we will be looking over and under the snow. Great for ages 4-9.

Suggested donation: $5 / child
Limit 8

Register by calling 802 434-2167 or use the button above.

Pop Up Soap Carving

Child (hands and part of torso) carving a white bar soap using a craft-stick tool.

Drop-in sessions! Stop by and try your hand at soap carving.

Tools and materials provided.

Suitable for any age. This event will be outdoors (probably in the treehouse).

First come first served; usually about 5 people at a time can carve.

 Included with Museum admission; donations welcome.