A Mourning Dove and a Blue Jay face each other across of platform containing black oil sunflower seeds.
March is all about the this-way-and-that-way dance of winter, spring, and mud seasons. Watch for migrants returning and spring behaviors in, well, everyone. Two things we especially like:
The “Oh sweetie” song of the Black-capped Chickadee.
And those Mourning Dove males who keep getting distracted from eating—instead, they puff up and pace after the females, begging for their attention.
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!
All birders —current, experienced, newbie and would-be— welcome! 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. Face masks required inside the museum.
Max: 10 people
Free, suggested donation $5 – $15
Outdoors
If the walk fills, we’ll have a waitlist; when there’s enough interest, we often can schedule more walks. Please call or email us to make arrangements.
(Photo: Female Northern Cardinal. Used by permission of the photographer.)
Visit us February 18th, 2023, to see what birds we’re counting for the Great Backyard Bird Count!
Learn to ID birds — what do we look / listen for?
Go birding with a friend — twice the fun
Find out more about –and record observations for–this great citizen science project!
We’re open from 10-3 on Saturday for the GBBC
Members admission: Free!
About the GBBC:
Friday – Monday, February 17-20, 2023 • All Over the World
From the Great Backyard Bird Count website:
Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.
Since then, more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have joined the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.
A Tufted Timouse, carved from wood and painted, is perched on a short bare branch and appear to look past the photographer's right shoulder.
Dark-eye Junco on snowy railing
Dark-eyed Junco in winter, standing on a snow-covered wooden railing. Huntington, Vermont, Photo by E. Talmage,2007 and used with permission.
Dark-eyed Junco, woodcarving by Bob Spear
Dark-eyed Junco woodcarving by Bob Spear. Gray songbird with chunky pale pink beak is seen in 3/4 view, with lower part of body and tail obscured. Background is black, with a partial green leaf (made of metal) behind the bird.
Winter diorama at the Birds of Vermont Museum
The winter diorama at the Museum contains several species of owls and other birds. These species are more commonly seen in winter in Vermont.
Black-capped Chickadee
A black-capped chickadee eyes black oil birdseed in the platform feeder during fall or winter
Black-capped Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco
Black-capped Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco in winter. The Chickadee is perched on a half-fallen dried goldenrod stem on the left; the Junco is underneath he stem on the right. There are some forsythia stems in the background and snow covers the ground. Digiscoped iPhone photo by K. Talmage and used by permission.
Common Redpoll on spruce in winter
Male Common Redpoll perched on a spruce branch; other branches have snow on them.
Black-capped chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee perched on a pile of (and eating) hulled sunflower seeds in winter.
Friday – Monday, February 17-20, 2023 • All Over the World
With a friend or one your own, watching one bird or counting hundreds, join a worldwide community-science and conservation project! All you have to do is observe for 15 minutes and submit your observation(s). Here are few details from https://www.birdcount.org/participate/ :
A Tufted Timouse, carved from wood and painted, is perched on a short bare branch and appear to look past the photographer's right shoulder.
Dark-eye Junco on snowy railing
Dark-eyed Junco in winter, standing on a snow-covered wooden railing. Huntington, Vermont, Photo by E. Talmage,2007 and used with permission.
Dark-eyed Junco, woodcarving by Bob Spear
Dark-eyed Junco woodcarving by Bob Spear. Gray songbird with chunky pale pink beak is seen in 3/4 view, with lower part of body and tail obscured. Background is black, with a partial green leaf (made of metal) behind the bird.
Winter diorama at the Birds of Vermont Museum
The winter diorama at the Museum contains several species of owls and other birds. These species are more commonly seen in winter in Vermont.
Black-capped Chickadee
A black-capped chickadee eyes black oil birdseed in the platform feeder during fall or winter
Black-capped Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco
Black-capped Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco in winter. The Chickadee is perched on a half-fallen dried goldenrod stem on the left; the Junco is underneath he stem on the right. There are some forsythia stems in the background and snow covers the ground. Digiscoped iPhone photo by K. Talmage and used by permission.
Common Redpoll on spruce in winter
Male Common Redpoll perched on a spruce branch; other branches have snow on them.
Black-capped chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee perched on a pile of (and eating) hulled sunflower seeds in winter.
It is an irruptive year! What does that mean? Which Vermont birds are irruptive?
We’ll start with finches, but don’t be surprised if we branch out to waxwings, owls… Bring your questions! We’ll follow up the presentation with a semi-guided finch-specific tour of the museum.
Recommended for adults of all ages, and older children.
A suggested donation of $20 includes museum admission; please pay what you are comfortable with.
Sign up now:
Photo of Common Redpoll by E. Talmage and used with permission.
Learn the secrets of winter bird survival. Could you do it?
We’ll imagine ourselves as birds in Vermont in winter. How do we find wamth, food, and shelter to survive the cold? Let’s mimic birds’ strategies for success!
Designed for kids ages 4 – 8, siblings welcome.
$5 (adult chaperones free)
Dress for outdoors
Use the button above or call 802 434-2167 to sign up!
Is February midwinter? A month of goldfinches turning? Time for signs of spring? The start of sugaring season? Snow Moon? Something else? All this and more…