Friends of Missisquoi Calendar

Jun
7
Sat
Eagle Point WMA Bird Walk @ Eagle Point Unit, Derby VT
Jun 7 @ 8:00 AM

The Friends of Missisquoi and the Memphremagog Watershed Association are hosting a bird walk at Eagle Point WMA in Derby.

The walk is on Saturday, June 7th, rain or shine.  We’ll meet at the loop road parking area at 8:00 AM.  We typically spend 2-3 hours on the walk.

Eagle Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA) at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is a 420-acre parcel located along the eastern shore of Lake Memphremagog on the United States-Canada border, in Derby Vermont. The WMA is located approximately five miles north of Newport City on Eagle Point Road. It is owned by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and managed by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department in partnership.

Note: There are no facilities on the property.

Please register for the walk at the Memphramagog Watershed Association website:
Directions to Eagle Point:
• From East Main Street/VT 105/5, turn north on Sias Avenue (Cumberland Farms is on the northeast corner of this intersection) – .6 miles
• Sias Avenue turns into Darling Hill Road – 1.6mi
• At V-intersection, continue straight on North Derby Road – 2.1 miles
• At T-intersection, turn left onto Eagle Point Road (T-17 on Google maps) – 1.3 miles
Cross the bridge and go past the parking area for the wetland viewing trail.
Take the first right and park along the edge of the loop road.
This is where we will meet up!  See you there.
Jun
21
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Black/Maquam Creek Trail
Jun 21 @ 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Please join us for our monthly bird monitoring walks on the refuge.  Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various refuge trails on the third Saturday of each month (except December, when it will be on the second Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. These walks are appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons.

Our walk this month will be on Saturday, June 21 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Black/Maquam Creek Trail.  Meet at the parking lot on Rte 78, about 2 miles west of Swanton village.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Jul
9
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
Jul 9 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Jul
19
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Old Railroad Passage Trail
Jul 19 @ 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Please join us for our monthly bird monitoring walks on the refuge.  Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various refuge trails on the third Saturday of each month (except December, when it will be on the second Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. These walks are appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons.

Our walk this month will be on Saturday, July 19 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Old Railroad Passage Trail.  Meet at the parking lot on Tabor Rd, about 1 mile past the refuge Visitor Center.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Aug
16
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Jeep Trail
Aug 16 @ 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Please join us for our monthly bird monitoring walks on the refuge.  Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various refuge trails on the third Saturday of each month (except December, when it will be on the second Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. These walks are appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons.

Our walk this month will be on Saturday, August 16 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Jeep Trail.  Meet at the Louie’s Landing fishing access on Rte 78, about 3.5 miles past Swanton village. We will meet at the gate and drive in to the trailhead at Mac’s Bend.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Sep
10
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
Sep 10 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Sep
20
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Stephen Young Marsh Trail
Sep 20 @ 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Please join us for our monthly bird monitoring walks on the refuge.  Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various refuge trails on the third Saturday of each month (except December, when it will be on the second Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. These walks are appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons.

Our walk this month will be on Saturday, September 20 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Stephen Young Marsh Trail.  Meet at the parking lot about 1 mile south of the Visitor Center on Tabor Rd.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Oct
11
Sat
Big Sit! @ Stephen Young Marsh
Oct 11 @ 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM

The Missisquoi “Marsh Mellows” will again use the observation platform at the Stephen Young Marsh as the center of their 17 ft. diameter circle and try to observe as many bird species as they can from that location during daylight hours. Anyone is welcome to come and join them for any part of the day. Last year 32 species were recorded, but they’ll be shooting for their record of 46 species set in 2018.

You may wonder, what exactly is a Big Sit!? Some call it a “tailgate party for birders.” It’s an annual, international, noncompetitive, extremely sedentary birding event organized by the New Haven (Connecticut) Bird Club. It’s like a Big Day or a bird-a-thon in that the goal is to count as many bird species as possible within a 24-hour period, but with the major restriction that observations must be made from within a 17-foot diameter circle! There are Big Sit! circles all over the world, including Guatemala, India, the Netherlands, England, Vietnam, and New Zealand. Participants can come and go as they please during the day, and the circle need not be occupied for the entire 24 hours. The platform at Stephen Young Marsh is well within the 17-foot limit. Rain date is Sunday, October 12th.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Oct
18
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Discovery Trail
Oct 18 @ 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Please join us for our monthly bird monitoring walks on the refuge.  Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various refuge trails on the third Saturday of each month (except December, when it will be on the second Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database where data is stored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. These walks are appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons.

Our walk this month will be on Saturday, October 18 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Discovery Trail.  Meet at the refuge Visitor Center parking lot on Tabor Rd.

If you have any questions, contact Ken Copenhaver at copenhvr@gmail.com

Nov
12
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
Nov 12 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Non-membership donations

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