President's Message ~Connections

President's Message ~Connections

As I mentioned in our last issue, the board of directors of the National Audubon Society voted to retain the “Audubon” name. The Green Mountain Audubon Society (GMAS) is a chapter of the National Audubon Society, so this decision directly affects us. At our May board meeting, the board of directors of GMAS reaffirmed our desire to remain connected with the National Audubon Society but also to monitor the issue of the “Audubon” name within the nationwide network of independent Audubon chapters, with a particular focus on the other chapters within the state of Vermont.

Birding Hotspot Highlight ~ Carse Wetland Natural Area

Birding Hotspot Highlight ~ Carse Wetland Natural Area

Carse Wetlands Natural Area is made up of a beaver pond and surrounding wetlands, a large meadow, and a mixed woods forest. The great variety of habitats supports plants, insects, mammals, and of course, many interesting birds. So far, 151 bird species have been reported from 279 eBird checklists. The property can be divided into four zones: Forest trails, the powerline meadow, the creek (a LaPlatte River tributary), and the marsh with trails running north/south. 

Cornell Grant Won for Golden-winged Warbler Habitat

Cornell Grant Won for Golden-winged Warbler Habitat

The Vermont Land Trust (VLT), in partnership with the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge in Chittenden County, won a $25,000 grant from Cornell University’s Land Trust Small Grant Program to increase habitat connectivity and shrubland breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers. The award, which will be supplemented with $15,000 from local donors in Charlotte and an in-kind contribution from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, complements similar work done in 2020 on an adjacent Charlotte property, the former Nordic Farms, and also funded by Cornell.  

ACTION ALERT

ACTION ALERT

Whether you’re a conservationist, a lister, or a bird advocate, please take a moment to read this action alert. As many of you know, the Franklin County Airport supports the largest breeding population of Grasshopper Sparrows in Vermont. There is only one other location in Vermont that has a somewhat sustainable, albeit smaller population historically, therefore the airport site is critical for this species to continue to breed in Vermont, to sustain a population. Currently, the airport also hosts breeding Eastern Meadowlarks and Eastern Whip-poor-wills. All three species are listed as threatened in Vermont.

President's Message: What’s In a Name?

President's Message: What’s In a Name?

As Shakespeare wrote in his play Romeo and Juliet, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” This old saying has become relevant to the Audubon family just recently, and I want to share some information about that with our membership, although you may already have heard the news. Last year, the board of directors of the National Audubon Society authorized an evaluation of the positive and negative associations with the “Audubon” name. They did so as a possible precursor, depending on the results of that evaluation, to a name change for the National Audubon Society. 

How to Make Birding More Accessible and Inclusive

How to Make Birding More Accessible and Inclusive

Freya McGregor describes herself as an “occupational therapist, a disabled birder, an Australian living in the US, a military spouse, a writer, a researcher, a consultant, and an advocate for access and inclusion in birding and the outdoors.” She is one of the most articulate and outspoken advocates for disabled birders, and she is a frequent contributor to publications, including Audubon magazine.

Late Winter and Early Spring Birding Opportunities

Late Winter and Early Spring Birding Opportunities

March and April can be exciting times to experience the many waterfowl species migrating back to their breeding grounds in the Arctic: Colorful Wood Ducks, improbably-billed Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, American Wigeons pausing on their way to the tundra and boreal forest, elegant Northern Pintails, both kinds of teal, the diminutive Green-winged Teal, North America’s smallest dabbler, and the later-arriving Blue-winged Teal, the male’s blue upper-wing patch stunning in flight. These “dabblers” feed by head dipping.