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.

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.

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”

Early Birders’ Observations for June 9

The June 9th Early Birders Morning Walk walk left the Museum about 7 am. led by Shirley Johnson. I was out of town, but she left me a lovely long list to share with you. I’m quite envious!

  • Wood Duck
  • Wild Turkey
  • Mourning Dove
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Blue-Headed Vireo
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Blue Jay
  • American Crow
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • House Wren
  • Winter Wren
  • Veery
  • American Robin
  • Gray Catbird
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler
  • Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Black-throated Green Warbler
  • Pine Warbler
  • American Redstart
  • Common Yellowthroat
  • Ovenbird
  • Scarlet Tanager
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Indigo Bunting
  • Song Sparrow
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird

Her note adds: Really great views of Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos to compare. Great views of Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Veery, and Great-crested Flycatcher.

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble! We’re out in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Come to several walks to hear the changes in who calls and when!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Through the Window: May 2013 gets exciting

Nesting time! And the list grows on. Bold ones are those we didn’t see last month!

  • Northern Cardinal
  • American Goldfinch
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Mourning Dove
  • Common Grackle
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Blue Jay
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Song Sparrow
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • American Robin
  • Purple Finch
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Wild Turkey (One male, 3 females on 5/15)
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • White-crowned Sparrow (5/6/13, 5/18/13)
  • Winter Wren (heard)
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/8/13)
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch (5/12/13)
  • American Crow
  • Great-Crested Flycatcher (5/15/13)
  • Gray Catbird (5/17/13)
  • Cooper’s Hawk (5/20/13)
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • Tufted Titmouse

If you want to get involved with NestWatch, let us know how we can help you!

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 other food choices. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

Through the Window: April 2013 explosion (of species seen)

“Spring has sprung, tra-la-la-la-la / Spring has sprung!” — the Swing Peepers

Look at these lists! Spring is amazing. All of these in the first list were seen April 1st (and generally also later in the month). Bold ones are those we didn’t see last month!

  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Common Grackle
  • Blue Jay
  • Fox Sparrow (four on 4/9, 4/20)
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • American Crow
  • Northern Cardinal
  • White-breasted Nuthatch

Then we saw…

  • Common Redpoll (4/6,  4/24)
  • American Robin
  • Tree Sparrow
  • Mourning Dove
  • Cooper’s Hawk (4/3, 4/15)
  • Song Sparrow
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (First of Year 4/9)
  • Northern Goshawk (4/13)
  • Evening Grosbeak (the female with the healed-but-dropping wing, and returnees)
  • Brown-headed Cowbird (4/18 and later)
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • American Goldfinch
  • Wild Turkey
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Northern Flicker (4/23)

In the Little Pond (we have this as bird bath/water source, among other reasons):

Mammals included the mink, a cottontail rabbit, red and gray squirrels, and the eastern chipmunk.

At the Big Pond (across the road and up through the meadow, then into the forest):

  • A pair of mallard ducks (4/15)
  • Wood ducks (~4/20)

If you want to get involved with NestWatch, let us know how we can help you!

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 other food choices. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

Through the Window: March 2012 – Early Spring Sightings

More birds! Did we have more time to watch? More visitors? Or is this the sign of spring? It was an extremely warm March, after all.

  • An Early Spring View from Our Window (the webcam portion)
    An Early Spring View from Our Window

    Wild Turkey

  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Blue Jay
  • American Goldfinch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Downy Woodpecker (both male and female observed and noted)
  • Mourning Dove
  • American Robin
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Brown Creeper
  • Red-winged Blackbird (3/8 FOY*)
  • Common Grackle (3/9 FOY)
  • Pine Siskin (3/10)
  • American Crow
  • Eastern Phoebe (heard 3/20 FOY; heard also the day before in Hanksville and then seen 3/31)
  • Northern Goshawk (flew by 3/24)
  • Song Sparrow
  • Purple Finch

Other wonderful neighbors:

  • Wood frogs (3/23 in pond!)
  • Gray Squirrels
  • Red Squirrels

* FOY = First of Year