Through the Window: February 2014

As written by someone (a visitor? our fabulous intern?) on our Viewing Window Board:

We February!
We birds!
We this Museum!
We’d some big donation$… to build a bridge to see ’em!

(More on the Bridge thing soon. Stay tuned.) Right then. You came here for birds! We gots birds. We can even see some from our Viewing Window! In February, we saw…

  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Blue Jay
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Northern Cardinal (female and male)
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • American Goldfinch
  • Red-bellied woodpecker
  • Wild Turkey (tracks)
  • Mourning Dove
  • American Robin
  • American Crow

Four-footed friends: Gray Squirrels, Red Squirrels, and a shrew (not sure which kind. This one was actually near the mailbox, not the Viewing Window).

Come see them for yourself! We’re open by appointment, plus all-day on March 23. Check out our calendar of events for details.

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, 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.

Upcoming events: Bird Monitoring Walks

Join experienced birders on the monthly bird monitoring walk on the Museum’s property. We go out the last Saturday of every month. Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. Most fun for adults, older children, and somewhat more experienced birders.

Free! • Please pre-register by email or phone: museum@birdsofvermont.org or (802) 434-2167

The next ones are:
Saturday, February 22, 8:00am – 9:45am
Saturday, March 29, 8:00am – 9:45am
Saturday, April 26, 8:00am – 9:45am

Changes and updates will be posted on our website, at http://birdsofvermont.org/events.php, when possible.

Through the Window: January 2014 with a new bird (to some of us)

Red-bellied Woodpecker photo by Zac Cota. Copyright (c) 2014, and used by permission.

Bold-faced text are those birds we did not see last month.  There were three! In writing this, I note that perhaps we are slightly behind on our eBird reporting, so if you have time to volunteer with us and help out recording some of our sightings, please say so. (We can teach you how if you want.) Or just come watch birds with us! Two citizen science projects, Project Feederwatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count, are ongoing, and we will share both at our Open House on February 15. That day, we’re also hosting a Wood Duck one-day carving class taught by David Tuttle of the Green Mountain Woodcarvers.

  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Blue Jay
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Mourning Dove
  • Wild Turkey
  • American Goldfinch
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Brown Creeper Seen by the birders on the monthly monitoring walk
  • American Tree Sparrow
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker Spotted by one of our visitors! Not common at the Museum: only 2 sightings here reported to eBird so far!
  • American Crow
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Ruffed Grouse

“Varmints”: Gray Squirrels, Red Squirrels, Eastern Cottontail

Take a look at our calendar of events. Yes, visiting is by appointment (until April 30), but whether you like to schedule 2 weeks in advance (like today’s visitors from Massachusetts) or that morning (like the ones I mentioned last month), appointments are easy. Well, “that morning” ones can be a little uncertain sometimes… But you are always welcome! Call (802) 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org.

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, 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.

Upcoming events: Bird Monitoring Walks

Join experienced birders on the monthly bird monitoring walk on the Museum’s property. We go out the last Saturday of every month. Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. Most fun for adults, older children, and somewhat more experienced birders.

Free! • Please pre-register by email or phone: museum@birdsofvermont.org or (802) 434-2167

The next ones are:
Saturday, January 25, 8:00 – 9:45am
Saturday, February 22, 8:00am – 9:45am
Saturday, March 29, 8:00am – 9:45am

Changes and updates will be posted on our website, at http://birdsofvermont.org/events.php, when possible.

Through the Window: October 2013 with Big Sitters Helping

Nice weather this month. Our list is a bit longer and more amazing ’cause we had some dedicated sitting observers. Admittedly, they were actually on the other side of the window from our usual watching spot. Should we count that as “through the window”? Hmmm. Anyway, if you don’t know about the Big Sit!, go check it out, then come back (We’ll wait).

OK, here’s the combined list: Continue reading “Through the Window: October 2013 with Big Sitters Helping”