Friends of Missisquoi Calendar

Apr
27
Sat
Volunteer Trail Maintenance Day @ Refuge Headquarters
Apr 27 @ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Spend the morning helping with some refuge trail maintenance and then enjoy a complimentary lunch on the Friends.

The Friends of Missisquoi are providing you with an opportune way to come out and give back to the Refuge. There are many tasks involved in getting the trails ready for Spring and Summer visitors, and we will be spending a morning tackling some of these jobs. Many hands make light work, so gather some friends and family and join us for a few hours of needed trail maintenance. Appropriate trimming tools will be provided, but you can bring your own loppers and/or pruners if you’d like. Following a morning of maintenance, a free lunch will be provided for all volunteers.

Meet at the Refuge Headquarters on Tabor Road at 9:00 am.

Note: Heavy rains will postpone this event so registration is recommended so that we may advise you of any cancellations

May
9
Thu
Photography Workshop @ Zoom and Refuge Headquarters
May 9 @ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Learn how to take your wildlife photos to the next level.

Do you wish to improve your wildlife photography skills? Join wildlife photographer, Matthew Bode, in this photography workshop designed to take your photography to the next level. He will share some important techniques and tips to help give you photographs that you can be proud of. This workshop will take place over two sessions. You must be able to attend BOTH sessions to register for this workshop. Spaces are limited.

Session 1 will take place online via Zoom on Thursday evening, May 9th from 6:30-8:00 PM.

Session 2 – Bring your camera to the Refuge for a learning field session. It will take place at the Refuge Headquarters on Saturday, May 18th from 1:00-3:00 PM.

“For the first virtual workshop scheduled May 9th, we’ll be focusing on a few elements of exposure, specifically geared towards bird photography. The workshop will review aperture, creative differences in shutter speeds, and how to manage ISO. A set of recommended settings will be provided to help users get started in this creative yet technical hobby. This workshop will also analyze composition, providing basic guidelines to create appealing images and how to capture them for wildlife. The composition discussion will delve into understanding perspectives, achieving and maintaining focus, and making backgrounds and foregrounds. This virtual workshop will be an instrumental preparation step for the in-person bird photography workshop scheduled for May 18th, where we will reinforce these concepts firsthand at an MNWR site.” ~Matthew Bode

May
18
Sat
Art Show: Art of the Refuge @ Refuge Visitor Center
May 18 @ 10:00 AM – Jul 19 @ 4:00 PM

Art Show 2024The Friends of Missisquoi will again be hosting an art show at the Visitor Center beginning May 18th, World Migratory Bird Day at the Refuge. As usual, the focus will be on the birds of the refuge and their habitats.

Art will be on display until July 19th 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.

Click here for an application to enter your artwork. For more information on participation contact Carol Yarnell at artshow@friendsofmissisquoi.org. Click here for a brochure about the refuge, including a list of birds found there.

Please pass this invitation on to your artist friends.

The theme of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day is

Protect Insects, Protect Birds

Please pass this invitation on to your artist friends.

May
19
Sun
WMBD – Group Birding Paddle @ Missisquoi River / Mac's Bend Launch
May 19 @ 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

As part of our 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.

The theme of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day is

Protect Insects, Protect Birds

Non-membership donations

For memberships, please Join Online