A quiet, bird-filled, peaceful New Year is what we wish for you. We’ll wrap up 2017 with last month’s Viewing Window record.
Continue reading “Through the Window: December 2016”
Through the Window: November 2016
The birds fall into late-autumn routines; the skies get cloudy and light in the early mornings drifts in mist and dreams. OK, and one of the museum bloggers gets either poetic or purple-proseish. Better switch up to our November bird notes, eh?
Through the Window: October 2016
“And the leaves /come tumbling down” — well, ok, a misquote, but nice for this time of year. We have turned our autumn corner, from “open daily” to “open by appointment” — although our bird feeding continues daily also!
In October, we noticed these birds, fluttering, swooping, perching, or interacting with each other. Bold are those not recorded last month.
Through the Window: September 2016
The year comes turning, turning… the daylight shifts, as we roll toward the equinox and away. Birds shifting southward bring changes to our sightings. A few “winter” birds are popping up!
- Black-capped chickadee
- White-throated Sparrow
- Mourning Dove
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Blue Jay
- Downy Woodpecker
- Tufted Titmouse
- American Goldfinch
- Song Sparrow
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird (9/7 female only; 9/20)
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (of note: a male, juvenile transforming to adult, 9/13; others seen throughout month)
- Northern Cardinal
- Dark-eyed Junco (at Cedar Hedge and under azalea, away from main feeding area, 9/26)
For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.
Plenty of squirrels again: Red Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks.
All observers can add their sightings to our whiteboard list! We’re here from 10am to 4pm daily, and earlier if there’s a bird walk. For those, check out our events page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too, for more comments, links, and observations!
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.
Through the Window: August 2016
We were blessed with some unusual observations this month—we suspect these species are usually here in August, but we’re not always in the right place to observe them. Gotta get outdoors! In the meantime, enjoy this month’s list of what we’ve seen through (or near) our Viewing Window.
- Blue Jay (and juveniles with bald heads ~8/8 – 8/18)
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Downy Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Tufted Titmouse
- Mourning Dove
- American Goldfinch
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Black-capped chickadee
- Northern Cardinal (and juvenile with black beak 8/16)
- American Crow
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Purple Finch
- Evening Grosbeak
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Common Grackle
- Gray Catbird
- House Finch
- Cooper’s Hawk (8/17 by S. Dakers)
- Song Sparrow (fledgling with a short tail 8/21)
- Turkey Vulture
- Broad Winged-hawk (heard 8/23)
No male hummingbirds on 8/31.
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month.
For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.
It’s always fun to distinguish the Clear-winged Sphinx Moth and the Ruby-throated Hummingbird as they both hover about the bee balm. And what a month for mammals! We’ve the usuals: Gray squirrels, Red squirrels, Eastern chipmunks.. ;.and we’ve also noticed Eastern cottontail rabbit, a bobcat, and a young porcupine! This last was spotted and photographed by some visitors on August 28 as it came across Bob’s Bridge and up the bath. (Bob’s Bridge is the lower bridge of the two near the Museum entrance; Gale’s Crossing is the new one.)
All observers can add their sightings to our whiteboard list! We’re here from 10am to 4pm daily, and earlier if there’s a bird walk. For those, check out our events page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too, for more comments, links, and observations!
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.
Through the Window: July 2016
It’s the glorious height of summer. Also, sometimes hot. We have birds at the feeders, and mammals on the ground, and more!
- Mourning Dove
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Blue Jay (includes a bald one–a fledgling?–seen 7/30)
- Downy Woodpecker
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Northern Cardinal
- Common Grackle
- Wild Turkey
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- American Goldfinch
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- American Crow
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Evening Grosbeak (7/12)
- Purple Finch
- Black-capped chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Sharp-shinned Hawk (7/30)
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month (we are as perplexed about the chickadees as you are!).
For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.
As always, other critters visited. The Hummingbird-mimic, the Clearwing Sphinx Moth, continues to enjoy Bee Balm (in bloom by July 3). We note again Red Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks, as well as the Eastern Cottontail, and (on the night cam) Raccoons. We heard and saw Green frogs chuckling in the little pond that is sometimes also a bird bath (when it’s not too full of duck weed)..
All observers can add their sightings to our whiteboard list! We’re here from 10am to 4pm daily, and earlier if there’s a bird walk. For those, check out our events page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too, for more comments, links, and observations!
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.
Through the Window: June 2016
June is when almost everyone is busy with nests, eggs, and sometimes already fledglings. We get busy too.
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Common Grackle
- Hairy Woodpecker
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- American Crow
- Mourning Dove
- Blue Jay
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Downy Woodpecker
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Wild Turkey
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- American Goldfinch
- Northern Cardinal
- Kingfisher
- Turkey Vulture (2 seen through gap of trees, over the roof of Museum 06/14/2016)
- Catbird
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month. The surprising gap here is the Black-capped chickadee; it is likely around but the those writing on the board happened to not see it.
For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.
As always, other critters visited. The Hummingbird-mimic, the Clearwing Sphinx Moth, was spotted on June 7. We note again Red Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks. The Woodchuck (a.k.a. Groundhog) is still around. Our night-time cam suggests we also have mice and young rabbits, but the image is too indistinct to be sure (the eyes glow and move in delightfully eerie ways, however). We did record a chewed head of a rabbit under a picnic table, so we can be sure of at least one predator species as well.
All observers can add their sightings to our whiteboard list! The viewing window is open daily May 1- October 31, except for the July 4th Holiday. Visit between 10am and 4pm. For extra happenings, check out our events page. You can see that we start with birds but don’t stop there! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too, for even more comments, links, and observations!
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.
Through the Window: May 2016
Twenty-nine species noticed and recorded on our informal Viewing Window white board in May (and can you believe it’s already June?).
- American Goldfinch
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Blue Jay
- Northern Cardinal
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Tufted Titmouse
- Mourning Dove
- Downy Woodpecker
- Common Grackle
- American Crow
- Purple Finch
- Wild Turkey
- European Starling
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Hairy Woodpecker
- White-throated Sparrow
- Ruffed Grouse (in the crabapple tree, again!)
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- White-crowned Sparrow
- Chipping Sparrow
- Catbird (5/10, probably FOY)
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/12/16, FOY)
- Veery (5/14/16, heard, FOY)
- Great-crested Flycatcher (5/21/16, FOY)
- Song Sparrow
- Baltimore Oriole (2 males, 5/24/16, FOY)
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month. For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.
Yet more critters: Red Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks, as usual. We noted also a Tiger Swallowtail on May 25, and a Woodchuck (a.k.a. Groundhog) on May 31.
Come and see what we see…or write it down in case we didn’t. The viewing window is open as the Museum is: daily May 1- October 31, except for the July 4th Holiday. Visit between 10am and 4pm, or come early on Sundays this month for Early Birder walks. Details are on our events page. You can see from that that we start with birds but don’t stop there. Follow us on Facebook, where we are often more quick to let you know what’s happening. We’ve just started using Instagram too, because more photos are more fun.
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.
Through the Window: April 2016
The intense time has begun! Just look at this list:
- Blue Jay
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Wild Turkey
- Red-winged Blackbird (M & F 4/3)
- Mourning Dove
- Tufted Titmouse
- American Goldfinch
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Common Grackle
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Bohemian Waxwing (! hungry for our little crabapples on April 3)
- Song Sparrow (4/1)
- Downy Woodpecker
- Ruffed Grouse (March 2)
- Northern Cardinal
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- American Robin
- American Crow (mostly observed with the web cam; they are usually here before we are)
- Barred Owl (observed on the nightcam 4/14)
- Ruffed Grouse
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Purple Finch
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Rough-legged Hawk (4/24 over parking lot and private afjacent land)
- Evening Grosbeaks (4/14)
- Cedar Waxwing (4/14)
- Northern Goshawk (4/18, took a Mourning Dove)
- White-throated Sparrow (4/19)
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4/29)
- Possible Red-tailed Hawk (4/7, briefly glimpsed mostly silhouetted)
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month.
Other neighbors:: OH! Those squirrels! Red, Gray and Eastern Chipmunks, as usual. We’ve also heard and seen Wood Frogs (as early as 4/1, “quacking” 4/12).
You too can watch from our window! We are open daily now (May 1- October 31, except for the July 4th Holiday). Drop in between 10am and 4pm, or come early on Sundays in May and June for bird walks. Details are on our events page. Enjoy our new art exhibit! Bring kids, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Oh, and did we mention we have a new bridge! It’s UP! You can walk on it! More details in future blog posts, or follow us on Facebook, where we are often more quick to let you know what’s happening.
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.
Through the Window: March 2016
While we got busy this March, with animal tracks and gathering art for our 2016 Community Art show (In Layers), birds kept visiting including some returning from points south. Welcome, hints of spring!! Here are our outdoor neighbors of March 2016.
- Blue Jay
- American Goldfinch (lots of twittering on March 1!)
- American Crow
- Purple Finch
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Northern Cardinal
- Dark-eyed Junco (a large flock on March 29)
- Wild Turkey (a large flock, perhaps 30 birds!)
- Mourning Dove
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Ruffed Grouse
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Ruffed Grouse (March 2)
- Common Grackle (First of year March 13)
- Red-tailed Hawk (March 9, over the parking lot)
- American Robin (flew past the workshop March 14)
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Fox Sparrow (First of year March 15)
- American Tree Sparrow (March 29)
- Evening Grosbeaks (both male and female seen March 29)
Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month.
We also observed Red and Gray Squirrels, and an Eastern Chipmunk—first one on March 6, then several as the month went on.
You too can watch from our window! To schedule a visit call, tweet, phone (802) 434-2167, or email museum@birdsofvermont.org ! We’re hosting a volunteer work party on April 16 and sharing a Bird Monitoring walk on April 30. Join us! We’ll be out and about as well, giving programs at local libraries and senior centers.
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.