Happy Spring and bird migration to all of you who find hope and inspiration in our feathered friends! It's been a long winter and an even longer year since the pandemic began. You probably haven't heard a peep from us since the Christmas Bird Count round-up, so it seemed a good idea to let you know that we haven't been hibernating, even though we've had to keep a pretty low profile while we've been going about our Audubon tasks. Let me catch you up on some of our doings.
Speaking of bluebird houses, all of them were made and donated by Pawlet Super Senior, Fred Stone (you can find him on WCAX''s website on Super Seniors). He's truly the Bluebird Man, raising some 50 of those beautiful creatures who "carry the sky on their backs" on his own acreage every year. If you see him, be sure to thank him for making the world a happier place! Aside from fundraising, we were fortunate in receiving a Collaborative Grant from National Audubon to build a Chimney Swift Tower. The construction class at Stafford Technical Center, under supervision of Jeff Fowler, has begun work on building the structure for that and, staff member, Tyler Dahlin, of Rutland Parks and Recreation has been extremely helpful and enthusiastic about our placing the tower at Giorgetti Athletic Complex adjacent to Pine Hill Park. Look for a tower in May. We hope some Chimney Swifts, who are having difficulty finding natural nesting sites, will select it for their nesting site this year. And, we are happy for the collaboration with Stafford and Rutland Rec. We have also been gathering lumber and planning for construction of another project for which we, in concert with the Town of West Rutland, received a Recreational Trails grant, pre- pandemic. This will be Phase 2 of a trail off Whipple Hollow Road at the West Rutland Marsh, a trail which will utilize a 150-foot boardwalk to traverse a cedar swamp. Construction for this will begin in mid-July, with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps doing the bulk of the work. It is our hope that we will see you on that trail by the end of the summer. We'll also have two regular events this spring: Vermont Green Up Day at the West Rutland Marsh on May 1. We can always use help with this and many hands make light work. The Century Count is the second annual event. On May 22, this year, we'll head out all over the county to see if we can identify 100 species of birds or more. We're not sure if we'll do this individually or in groups this year, but you can be part of this fun challenge, as well. As with all events, if you wish to participate, contact us on our Facebook page or at birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org. We will look forward to hearing from you! As you can see, we haven't been in hiding during the last few challenging months, although we haven't been particularly visible. The birds are returning now and we will be more visible in the next few months too. We hope to celebrate our return with you! Best wishes of this happy, green and growing season! Kathleen Guinness, President, and all of Rutland County Audubon Society
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