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Birding News and Features

Vital Communities Sponsors Upper Valley Bird Quest

May 14, 2012

Do you know you can see an extinct Passenger Pigeon in the Upper Valley? Or the best spots to watch Hawks migrate, ducks dabble, and herons hunt for fish? Looking for a fun family adventure? Explore 10 of the best birding hotspots in the Upper Valley from May 1 through November 1, and find all 10 treasure boxes containing specially carved bird stamps. Collect all 10 stamps and earn a special bird patch and be entered to win out Grand Prize. Learn more...

Vermont eBird Mission: Surveying Bank Swallow Colonies

April 25, 2012

Attention Vermont eBirders: your mission, should you accept it, is to find Bank Swallow nesting colonies throughout Vermont and report them to Vermont eBird. These birds may be in trouble, and it will take all of us to investigate their status and find solutions, beginning with this new eBird mission. Because this species is both strongly colonial and restricted in habitat, a comprehensive survey of existing colonies is entirely feasible with an army of volunteers like you. You just locate Bank Swallow colonies, record how many birds and burrows are present, gather basic habitat information, and submit the data to Vermont eBird.

Support Vermont eBird: Join the VCE Birdathon 2012

April 25, 2012

From its humble beginnings in 2004, Vermont eBird has come a long way in a short time. With nearly 18,000 eBird checklists submitted and over a half-million birds tallied last year alone, there is no doubt that we have all made this important database a huge success! We couldn’t do it without all of us entering our valuable bird sightings, volunteers helping to enter historic data or review rare or out-of-season records, and the power of information technology. But like many great programs, despite the amazing volunteerism, Vermont eBird does cost VCE considerably each year to keep it going. Imagine navigating to Vermont eBird one evening after birding and finding a message – Error 404 Page Not Found. Neither can we. Will you help us keep Vermont eBird online? VCE’s single most important annual fundraiser is our annual birdathon. I’m hoping you’ll help us set a new Birdathon bar on May 21 by sponsoring our VCE staff team or perhaps forming your own sponsored team.

May 2012 Vermont eBirders of the Month

April 24, 2012

2011 was an historic one for birding in Vermont as hundreds of birders scoured the state to discover as many species as possible during a single calendar year. The Vermont 2011 County Birding Quest pitted county versus county, birder against birder — all engaged in a friendly rivalry for top honors of the highest species count. It also served to help energize and gather birder's sightings all into Vermont eBird. Perhaps no other team of county captains was as energetic and successful and arousing their birding community as the team from Bennington County. With a rise of the binoculars and a loud pishing cheer, I'd like to both congratulate and thank our May 2012 Vermont eBirders of the month - Kevin Hemeon, Bonnie Dundas, and Randy Schmidt.

Tallying Birds County by County: Results of the Vermont County Bird Quest 2011

February 02, 2012

The past year was an historic one for birding in Vermont. From January 1 to December 31, 2011, hundreds of birders scoured fields and fens, mountains and meadows, lakes and lawns to discover as many species as possible during a single calendar year. The Vermont 2011 County Birding Quest pitted county versus county, birder against birder — all engaged in a friendly rivalry for top honors of the highest species count. The main idea behind the year-long Quest was simply to get people out birding, promote camaraderie, and better document bird life across the state, using Vermont eBird. With nearly 18,000 eBird checklists submitted and over a half-million birds tallied, there is no doubt it was a huge success!

Better Birding Lecture Series

December 24, 2011

Hampered by hawks? Stumped on sparrows? Flummoxed by flycatchers? The Better Birding lecture series will solve your avian anxieties. With slides, videos, humor and exuberance, Bryan Pfeiffer from Vermont Bird Tours will offer his secrets and easygoing approaches to birdwatching enjoyment ... and enlightenment. Two workshops for beginners will be free. Co-sponsored by Vermont Center for Ecostudies and North Branch Nature Center. Learn more...