Friends of Missisquoi Calendar

May
16
Fri
Black-capped Chickadee Painting Tutorial @ Refuge Visitor Center
May 16 @ 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Black-capped Chickadee Painting Tutorial

This painting tutorial will take place at the Missisquoi NWR Visitor Center on Friday, May 16th, at 5:00PM. Each person interested in attending will need to fill out a separate registration.  To cover supplies, there is a suggested donation of $20 to the Friends of Missisquoi for participation. Donations can be made at the time of the event. This class will be limited to the first 24 registrants, and then a wait list will be developed in the order of submitted registrations.
Meet the Artist Reception @ Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
May 16 @ 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Immediately after the Live Painting Tutorial, there will be a Meet The Artist Reception where local artists, whose works will be displayed in the Missisquoi Artshow, showcase their refuge, habitat, and bird-themed art. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss the artists’ methods and ideas about their work. Pieces exhibited at the event will be available for purchase.

May
17
Sat
WMBD – Daybreak Bird Walk @ Black/Maquam Creek Trail
May 17 @ 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 into Lookout Point in the dark, participants will be listening for owls and other nocturnal birds. Daylight birding will take place on the return trip out. Please bring a headlamp or flashlight.
Preregistration is not required, but we appreciate having contact information in case of updates.

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

Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities

WMBD – Monthly Bird Walk @ Stephen Young Marsh Trail
May 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. 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 May walk each year is part of our World Migratory Bird Day weekend! This will be one of several walks held over the weekend. Join us on Saturday, May 17th from 8:00 to 10:00 AM at the Stephen Young Marsh Trail. Meet at the parking lot on Tabor Rd, about 1 mile south of the refuge Visitor Center.

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

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

Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities

Art Show: Art of the Refuge @ Refuge Visitor Center
May 17 @ 10:00 AM

The Friends of Missisquoi will again host an art show at the Visitor Center beginning May 17th, World Migratory Bird Day at the Refuge. Enjoy the art of many talented local artists as they display their artwork inspired by local wildlife, habitats, and birds.

All artwork will be displayed in the Visitor Center gallery until July 18th 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

Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities

Please pass this invitation on to your artist friends.

May
18
Sun
Plein Air Demonstration with Corliss Blakely @ Refuge Visitor Center
May 18 @ 9:00 AM

Watch internationally recognized Vermont artist Corliss Blakely bring the refuge to life with a live landscape painting demonstration. Discover her techniques, materials, and artistic vision as she provides a plein air demo at the refuge visitors center on Tabor Rd., for all to
watch and ask questions along the way.

Plein air painting is the practice of painting outdoors, capturing the natural light and scenery directly from observation. This technique became popular in the 19th century, particularly among Impressionist artists who sought to depict the changing qualities of light in their work.

WMBD – Beginner’s Bird Walk @ Discovery Trail
May 18 @ 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

As part of our World Migratory Bird Day events, the Friends of Missisquoi NWR will be hosting a bird walk specifically for beginning birders. The walk will take place on the Discovery Trail adjacent to the refuge headquarters.

The walk will last about 2 hours and cover a 1-mile loop. We’ll have some loaner binoculars available for use.

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

Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities

WMBD – Group Birding Paddle @ Missisquoi River / Mac's Bend boat Launch
May 18 @ 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

Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities

Non-membership donations

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