Bird Walk

About

This program is free and does not require admission. Registration required. Appropriate for teens and adults.

Meet at the Welcome Center parking lot. Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house.

If you're able,paying it forward helps support our programming. Thank you for helping make meaningful educational programs accessible to our community.

Please register. Questions? Contact Juliette 802-362-1835 or email juliette@hildene.org

Bird Note: Osprey

The Osprey is a large bird of prey with a white head and belly, dark brown back and wings. A dark stripe from its eye towards the back of its head is visible even in a flying bird. The bent M-shape shape of the wings in flight, however, is a better clue to identifying this bird. A fish-eating specialist, it has barbed pads on the soles of its feet to help it grip slippery fish. Ospreys are in VT by mid-April to late September to breed, generally occupying the same nest year after year.

Breeding Osprey had disappeared from VT in the early 70s due to thin, weak eggshells from the pesticide DDT and loss of suitable nesting sites. Since 1988, the VT Fish and Wildlife Department and the Central Vermont Public Service have worked cooperatively to install artificial nesting platforms mostly in the northwestern part of the state. In 2006, there were 82 active nests in VT. The species has now been removed from the state's endangered species list.