Non-Locals Surprise Banders on Mansfield as VCE Winds Down Season #31
The Mansfield ridgeline may be a far quieter place than it was a month ago, but there is never a shortage of avian surprises to be found. As VCE wraps up its 31st consecutive field season on the mountain, our mist nets produced more than one unexpected capture.
VCE’s Bicknell’s Thrush Work Recognized with Prestigious Award
VCE’s 30+ years of Bicknell’s Thrush work was recently recognized by the Wilson Ornithological Society, which awarded us the prestigious Margaret Morse Nice Medal at its annual meeting in Santa Fe, NM. Nice’s pioneering studies of Song Sparrows in her Ohio backyard during the 1930s set the benchmark for “longitudinal” avian population research, an approach VCE has embodied through our hemispheric work on Bicknell’s Thrush.
A Birding Quest and Tribute Unlike Any Other: Fred Pratt’s Big Year
Fred Pratt’s delightful and deeply personal new book, “My Big Year—A Search for Birds and Peace of Mind”, recounts the final year of his impassioned quest to become the first birder to document 150 species in all of Vermont’s 14 counties, each within a single calendar year. Fred’s tale movingly weaves together his many memorable (and often humorous) encounters with birds, his attempt to find closure and solace in the wake of losing his beloved wife Chris in 2017, and a deeply abiding love for his life (and birding) partner.
Field Guide to May 2022
Trees are leafing out, and newly arrived migrant birds are dripping from branches. Insects are emerging and pollinating blossoming flowers. Discover all the sights May has to offer with our Field Guide.
Field Guide to April 2022
April brings a burst of life to the rugged Vermont landscape. From bees to crayfish, life is on the move. Here’s our guide to some of the joys of April.
Field Guide to February 2022
This month, wildlife and the rest of us here in New England will cross a threshold that’s arbitrary yet not insignificant: 10 hours of daylight. There’s no doubt that we’ve got a lot more winter ahead, but change is coming. So here are a few February natural history tidbits to help get your hopes up, no matter what that groundhog predicted.
A Community-minded Ornithologist and Birder: George Clark Receives VCE’s 2021 Julie Nicholson Community Science Award
George Clark’s innumerable contributions as a community scientist—from his heroic efforts during the second Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas to his countless eBird checklists—have substantially expanded our collective knowledge of Vermont’s bird populations. For this, the staff and board of VCE are proud to present George with the 2021 Julie Nicholson Community Science Award.
Vireos Steal Late Fall Birding Spotlight in Windsor County
Vireos are rarely considered as show-stealers among fall migrant songbirds, but a trio of unexpected members of this family during late autumn 2021 kept Windsor County birders on their toes.
Highlights from the 40th Vermont Bird Records Committee Report
The Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC) held its 40th annual meeting in November 2020. Each year, this panel of experienced birders meets to discuss rare bird reports, out-of-season reports, and rare nesting reports submitted by birders from across the state.
A Tiny, Displaced Vireo Makes a First-ever Vermont Appearance
Vermont’s first-ever Bell’s Vireo made an unexpected appearance in Woodstock during mid-October, initially fooling a couple of experienced birders, then remaining for 9 days to delight 30 or more enthusiasts, many of whom were thrilled to count it as a “lifer”.
