International Migratory Bird Day & Open House

When:
May 20, 2017 @ 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM
2017-05-20T07:30:00-04:00
2017-05-20T14:00:00-04:00
Where:
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
Tabor Road
Swanton, VT 05488
USA
Contact:
802-868-4781

The Refuge will celebrate the 24th anniversary of International Migratory Bird Day on Saturday, May 20, 2017.  This year’s IMBD theme is “Helping Birds Along the Way.”  The theme highlights the importance of stopover sites such as parks, refuges, and other locations where birds pause to feed and rest en route to breeding and wintering areas.

SPECIAL NOTE:  This year we will again have an “Early Bird” bird walk.  Meet at 5:30 AM at the Rte 78 parking lot.  We will be birding the Black/Maquam Creek Trail.  This was a popular and fun addition last year.  (Registration for this walk is not necessary.)

Regular activities will begin at 7:15 AM with an orientation at the refuge Visitor Center.  Participants will split up into groups, including bird walks on several refuge trails, two birding trips by boat, and a “beginner’s” walk on the Discovery Trail. Given the incredible interest and limited slots available for the Refuge’s Bird Day boat trips,  we are moving to a lottery for the coveted slots in the two boats to make it fair for everyone interested.  Should you want to sign up for a lottery slot, please phone the refuge office starting in April.  We will take names from April 3 to April 28.

Each birding group will record  all species and as many individuals within those species as they can.  All birding participants will return to the Visitor Center by 11:00 AM to tally results and have a light lunch provided by the Friends of Missisquoi NWR.

At approximately noon, Allan Strong will present a program on “The Bobolink Project.”  Allan Strong is a professor of ornithology at the University of Vermont.

Also, throughout the day an exhibit of artworks from local artists will be on display at the Visitor Center. The exhibit will run through mid-July.  Further information on entering works in the exhibit will be posted here in the near future.

Please call 802-868-4781 to register for this activity.  Also please check back closer to the event date for any changes/additions to the schedule.

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