As usual, we keep track of birds seen through the window with notes on a white board (see the list below). This month, we also had a lovely furry special guest…
Through the Window: January 2025
Many thanks to the MP and MP, two regular volunteers with the same initials, who help us participate in community science programs. They have been here almost every Tuesday to record birds for Feederwatch and eBird… and to note birds on the white board by the window (see the list below).
When you go birding, take note of your observations! Every record you contribute is part of important community science and large data monitoring for conservation! One record at a time may not feel like much, but they add up into incredibly useful data. You might enjoy reading “9 Ways People Have Used eBird Data to Make Conservation Happen.” (Ed. note: Let me know of more recent conservation successes based on bird data, and I’ll add that info to next month’s post!)
January Bird List
February 2025 events
February is a great month for backyard birding and making art. The Museum is open by appointment and for special events (like the Great Backyard Bird Count) at this time of year.
The trails are open from sunrise to sunset, every day—we recommend using the south trails (Spear, Discovery, Story) rather than Gale’s, Pop’s, or Bob’s, thanks to flooding last July. Trail maps and more information are available on our website, and are posted at the museum and at trail kiosks as well. (Let us know if the wind moved any!)
=== FEBRUARY EVENTS ===
Museum Open for Great Backyard Bird Count
Visit us February 15th, 2025, to see what birds we’re counting for the Great Backyard Bird Count!
- Learn to ID birds — what do we look or listen for?
- Go birding with a friend — twice the fun!
- Find out more about and record observations for this great community science project.
We’re open from 10-4 on Saturday for the GBBC
Members admission: Free!
About the GBBC:
Friday – Monday, February 14-17, 2025 • 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.
For more info visit Great Backyard Bird Count website
The Great Backyard Bird Count
Friday – Monday, February 14-17, 2025 • All Over the World
Whether you are with a friend or on 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/ :
Step 1 – Decide where you will watch birds. [Suggestion: at the Museum on Saturday!]
Step 2 – Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 14-17, 2025.
Step 3 – Count all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings:
- If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to the count, try using the Merlin Bird ID app.
- If you have participated in the count before, try the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop).
- If you are participating as a group, see instructions for Group Counting.
For more info visit https://www.birdcount.org/
Through the Window: December 2024
December is often a month of vacations and fewer observations. It’s also a properly winter month (usually), which means our birds lists can be a bit shorter than usual. But enjoy the year-round residents with us!
December Bird List
January 2025 events
Happy New Year! We’re launching 2025 with some talks, the ever-changing winter art show, and bird walks (of course). The Museum is open by appointment and for special events from now through April 30.
The trails are open from sunrise to sunset, every day—we recommend using the south trails (Spear, Discovery, Story) rather than Gale’s, Pop’s, or Bob’s, thanks to flooding last July. Trail maps and more information are available on our website, and are posted at the museum and at trail kiosks as well. (Let us know if the wind moved any!)
=== JANUARY EVENTS ===
Vermont’s Winter Birds
Join Museum Director Erin Talmage to learn about Vermont’s Winter Birds: birds, birding, and conservation.
Vermont in winter is cold, muddy, slushy, icy, snowy. But there are still birds! Which ones? How come? What do they eat? How do they shelter from the weather? And how can you get involved?
The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is sponsoring this talk by the Birds of Vermont Museum. Visit their website for more: https://damlvt.org/index.php/events/events-calendar
Presentation begins at noon at the library, at 21 Library Lanes, Williston, Vermont.
Read more about winter birds in this blog post: https://birdsofvermont.org/2013/01/16/winter-birds/
Vermont’s Winter Birds
Join Museum Director Erin Talmage to learn about Vermont’s Winter Birds: birds, birding, and conservation.
Vermont in winter is cold, muddy, slushy, icy, snowy. But there are still birds! Which ones? How come? What do they eat? How do they shelter from the weather? And how can you get involved?
The Salisbury Conservation Commission is sponsoring this talk by the Birds of Vermont Museum. The event is free and open to the public.
Presentation begins at 7 PM in the Salisbury Meeting House (Congregational Church) in the center of Salisbury (853 Maple Street).
The Salisbury Conservation Commission is sponsoring a series of talks–come to this or all of them!
Read more about winter birds in this blog post: https://birdsofvermont.org/2013/01/16/winter-birds/
January Bird Monitoring Walk
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 and older youth.
Please bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather. We recommend bringing tick repellent (seasonally) and a water bottle.
Max: 12 people
Free, suggested donation $10-$15
Register at https://sevendaystickets.com/organizations/birds-of-vermont-museum or call 802 434-2167.
Outdoors
If the walk fills, but there’s enough interest, we may be able to schedule more walks. Please call or email us to make arrangements.
Photo of Black-capped Chickadee and Junco in winter. Photographed at the Museum by Museum staff.