the Big Sit! 2026

A Stanley brand 25' metal measuring tape; a pair of black binoculars; a bag of Birds and Beans coffee (scarlet tanager dark roast). All three item are line d up on a wooden railing, with green foliage behind them.

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), 2024 (overall)

several birders standing during a Big Sit event

December Bird Monitoring Walk

Photo of Northern Cardinal (male)

All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museumor call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

Photo of Northern Cardinal.

November Bird Monitoring Walk

Ruffed Grouse in fall Crabapple tree

All birders — current, experienced, newbie, and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museumor call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

Photo of Ruffed Grouse in Crabapple. Photographed at the Museum by Museum staff.

October Bird Monitoring Walk

White-breasted Nuthatch © copyright Zac Cota-Weaver and used by permission.

All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people

Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museumor call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

Photo of White-breasted Nuthatch © Zac Cota-Weaver and used by permission.

September Bird Monitoring Walk

Sparrow spp. © 2019 E. Talmage and used by permission

All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people

Register here or call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

Photo: Sparrow spp. © 2019 E. Talmage and used by permission.

Evening Bird Walk (August 27)

A Hermit Thrush stands in profile on a forest floor, with brown leaf litter around. It is a small brown songbird with a black eye and a grayish breast.

Not an early riser? You’re not alone. Some birds also prefer to sing, call, or display in late afternoon and early evening. Enjoy a sunset stroll around the Museum’s forests and clearings and “meet” some of them.

Although we may see and hear fewer species than we do at dawn, a late day ramble gives us more time to appreciate each kind and to better learn their songs. In addition, we may observe moths, frogs, other insects, and maybe even a mammal or two.

Register by calling 802 434-2167 (a landline), or register online:

If walk is full, please sign up for the waitlist or another walk!
More walks are listed at https://birdsofvermont.org/special-upcoming/

Max: 8
Suggested donation: $5-$15
Meet at the Museum entrance

Conditions: Trails can be muddy and uneven, and there are some slopes. We usually walk then pause for observation. Some benches here and there provide additional rest points.

Tick protection is recommended.

Photo: Hermit Thrush by Brady Lasher and used with permission.

August Bird Monitoring Walk

Yellow Warbler ©copyright Bob Johnson and used by permission

All birders — current, experienced, newbie and would-be — welcome!
Join our monthly monitoring walk to record birds at the Museum’s trails, forest, and meadow. Learn something new, share what you know, or both! Most fun for adults, older children.

Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent and a water bottle.

Free, suggested donation $10 – $15
Max: 12 people

Register online or call 802 434-2167.

Outdoors

Photo: Photo of Yellow Warbler ©copyright Bob Johnson and used by permission.