Friends of Missisquoi Calendar

Mar
30
Thu
Aquatic Invasives @ Online / Zoom presentation
Mar 30 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Aquatic Invasives

This is the second in our online series of learning about invasive species in northern Vermont. Kim Jensen, an aquatic biologist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, will delve into the species of plants and animals that pose threats to the waters of northern Vermont.

Click here to register.

Apr
13
Thu
Phenology of Terrestrial Invasives @ Online / Zoom presentation
Apr 13 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Phenology of Terrestrial Invasives

This is the final online presentation in our series of learning about invasive species in northern Vermont. Elizabeth Spinney, Invasive Plant Coordinator with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, will be sharing her work on gathering data on the phenology of some of Vermont’s common terrestrial invasive plants. There is an absence of strong, widely available, VT-specific phenology data for these species. Learn why this information is needed, how it will be used, and ways that you can get involved to help.

Click here to register.

Apr
15
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Stephen Young Marsh Trail
Apr 15 @ 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, April 15 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Stephen Young Marsh 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

Apr
29
Sat
Trail Maintenance @ Old Railroad Passage Trail
Apr 29 @ 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Gather your friends and join the Friends of Missisquoi for a morning of maintenance on the Railroad Passage Trail. Necessary tools will be provided. A lunch for all volunteers will be provided thanks to funding from Extreme Terrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program. Meet at the refuge headquarters at 9:00 AM. Inclement weather will postpone the event so be sure to check the website for any cancelation.

May
10
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
May 10 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
May
20
Sat
World Migratory Bird Day “Big Weekend Challenge” @ MIssisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
May 20 – May 21 all-day
We are bringing back our Big Weekend Challenge. We invite you to come and independently help us document the birds present on the refuge. Here’s how to participate: Visit the refuge trails and/or waterways anytime from sunrise to sunset on Saturday and Sunday. For a map of trails and water access points please visit https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/missiquoi%20trails%20updated%202019_0.pdf
***Please note: The Jeep Trail will be closed at this time of year, but Mac’s Bend Road will be open for walking.***
Record all your bird sightings via eBird to any of the refuge’s hotspots and share your lists with our eBird account (MNWRBirdDay) which allows us to have a record of your data. The more you bird and contribute, the better our data will be. To get you motivated, the Friends of Missisquoi NWR will be awarding a number of prizes for different categories of participation, so the more time you spend looking and recording (and the more data you collect for WMBD), the more chances you have to win. Don’t forget to bring your camera along to qualify for some of the photography prizes!
If you are unfamiliar with eBird, please check out this video for a great tutorial on how to submit your sightings right from your smartphone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvYYeDd05TQ
Come out and enjoy Missisquoi NWR as the birds return to the refuge and help make this a successful weekend of data collection. As you participate, as a community scientist for the refuge, please stay on the open trails and waterways and be careful not to venture into any of the restricted areas.
WMBD – Daybreak Bird Walk @ Black/Maquam Creek Trail
May 20 @ 4:00 AM – 7:00 AM

Join the Friends of Missisquoi NWR as they hold a daybreak bird walk on the Maquam and Black Creek trails. It will commence at 4:00 AM from the parking area. During the 1-mile hike to Lookout Point in the dark, participants will be listening for owls and other nocturnal birds. Daylight birding will take place on the return trip. Please bring a headlamp or flashlight. Preregistration is not required, but we appreciate having contact information in case of updates.

WMBD – Monthly Bird Walk @ Stephen Young Marsh Trail
May 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, May 20 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Stephen Young Marsh 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

–>Be sure to check the calendar for other World Migratory Bird Day events at the refuge!

Art Show: Art of the Refuge @ Refuge Visitor Center
May 20 @ 10:00 AM

The Friends of Missisquoi will again be hosting an art show at the Visitor Center beginning May 20th, World Migratory Bird Day at the Refuge. As usual, the focus will on be on the birds of the refuge and their habitats.

Art will be on display until July 21st and can be viewed any time the Visitor Center is open. Please call 802-868-4781 to confirm accessibility. The artwork is available for purchase.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

Click here for detailed information on exhibiting your artwork.

Click here for an application to enter your artwork.

For more information on participation contact Carol Yarnell at artshow@friendsofmissisquoi.org.

Please pass this invitation on to your artist friends.

May
21
Sun
WMBD – Group Birding Paddle @ Missisquoi River / Mac's Bend Launch
May 21 @ 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

As part of our World Migratory Bird Day Weekend events, volunteers from the Friends of Missisquoi will lead a group birding paddle on the Missisquoi River. We’ll meet at the Louie’s Landing parking area, then drive to the Mac’s Bend launch site. We’ll head downstream towards the Missisquoi Delta and then back upstream to the launch site. Total distance is about 5 miles. You must bring your own canoe or kayak, paddles, and life jackets. (PFDs are required to be worn.) Please pre-register in advance for this event, both so we can maintain a manageable group and so we have contact information if we need to make any changes or weather cancellations.

Please register in advance for this event through this link.

Upcoming Events

Clean Trail Project logo
The Friends of Missisquoi are a recipient of the ExtremeTerrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program