Friends of Missisquoi Calendar

Aug
17
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Jeep Trail
Aug 17 @ 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 17 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

Aug
30
Fri
Stargazing on the Refuge @ Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Aug 30 @ 8:00 PM
Join us for our first-ever astronomy event scheduled for Friday night, August 30th. We are scheduling a rain/cloud date for Saturday, August 31st, just in case. This stargazing event will be brought to you by Friends member, Brian Johnson. He will be setting up his telescope in the grassy area just south of the Refuge Visitor Center. Brian will offer views of the Summer constellations, the Milky Way, galaxies, star clouds, and nebulae. Saturn and its moons will be rising in the East as we begin.
Start time is at 8:00 pm. End time is up to you – Brian will stay as long as anyone is willing to stay! The brighter stars will become visible around 8:30 and it will be fully dark at 9:18.
Dress warmly and bring extra layers. It can get pretty cold, standing in an open field at night.
Dim red flashlights are preferred over white. If you’re bringing your own binoculars, know that tripods and chairs will make for more comfortable viewing.
Please REGISTER HERE so we can keep you updated on our stargazing event. After reviewing the forecast, Brian will choose the best night for viewing by the evening of the Thursday before, so keep an eye on your email so you know which night to show up for this fun event.
Sep
11
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
Sep 11 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Sep
21
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Stephen Young Marsh Trail
Sep 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, September 21 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

Oct
12
Sat
Big Sit! @ Stephen Young Marsh
Oct 12 @ 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 6th.

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

Oct
19
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Discovery Trail
Oct 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, October 21 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Discovery Trail.  Meet at the Visitor Center parking lot on Tabor Rd.

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

Nov
13
Wed
Friends Board meeting @ Zoom or Refuge HQ when available
Nov 13 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Nov
16
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Black/Maquam Creek Trail
Nov 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, November 16 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

Dec
14
Sat
Monthly Bird Walk @ Black/Maquam Creek Trail
Dec 14 @ 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, December 14 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

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

Non-membership donations

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