Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is continuing its series of free biologist-led educational seminars at the department’s Wildlife Management Areas in September. The walks are led by biologists with decades of experience conserving Vermont’s wildlife and their habitats.
Participants are encouraged to bring snacks and water, and dress in footwear and clothing appropriate for walking slowly in the woods. Information about these and other department-sponsored public events and registration is at https://vtfishandwildlife.com/calendar
Early Morning Bird Walk, Wednesday, September 11 (rain date: September 12), Time: 7:00 to 10:00 a.m., Victory Basin Wildlife Management Area, Victory, Vermont
Join Vermont Fish & Wildlife Bird Project Leader Doug Morin and Tom Berriman of NEK Audubon for an early morning walk searching for rare resident birds, migrating birds of all kinds and any wildlife encountered. Bring binoculars, wear outdoor footwear and be prepared to walk one to three miles on generally flat roads and trails. A bird ID book if you have one, water and a snack are also suggested.
Halfmoon Cove Natural Community Walk, Tuesday, September 17, Time: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Halfmoon Cove Wildlife Management Area, 670 Heineburg Drive, Colchester, Vermont
The lower Winooski River supports a unique ecosystem that includes floodplain forests with their tall arching trees, wet swamps, and flooded marshes. Come learn about these natural communities and the many plants and animals that inhabit them with State Lands Ecologist Bob Zaino. This will involve a moderate walk on flat ground but requires walking off-trail and across wet ground. Waterproof boots are recommended.
Snake Mountain Fall Hawk Migration, Saturday, September 21 (rain date: September 22), Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., Snake Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Addison, Vermont
Join Vermont Fish & Wildlife biologists Doug Morin and Toni Mikula on top of Snake Mountain to look for migrating raptors. Hike at your own pace and plan to take between one to two hours to hike up to the top. Biologists will be set up on the summit from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. with spotting scopes and binoculars and will help you identify raptors aloft in their annual fall movements. Bring your own bird watching equipment or share ours as we spend an enjoyable afternoon looking for birds.
Fall Foliage Wildlife Walk, Saturday, September 21, Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Steam Mill Brook Wildlife Management Area, Walden, Vermont (meeting at end of Rock Road in Walden)
Vermont’s moose biologist, Cedric Alexander, will lead the group at the Steam Mill Brook Wildlife Management Area. The Steam Mill Brook area contains a large expanse of unbroken forests and provides an important corridor for wildlife moving between the Worcester Mountain Range and the Northeast Kingdom. These lands have been managed to create young forest habitat that is critical for many species of wildlife, from chestnut-sided warblers to American woodcock to moose.
Alexander will lead the group through a variety of habitats to look for wildlife and sign, from meadows to wetlands and young forests, talking about the importance of each to snowshoe hare and their predators, grouse, deer, moose, bear, and songbirds.