Posted on Saturday 29 March 2025

Fri. April 18 9AM-Noon-Fayston Town Forest – Tree Identification Walk – Leaders – Brandon Benedict– Washington County Forester and Tammy Tuck. Learn how to identify many common and uncommon species of trees with help from our local County Forester. If possible, carpool from Fayston Park & Ride at 866 North Fayston Road (Fayston Town Hall) at 8:45 AM to meet at Fayston Town Forest at the end of Boyce Hill Road.
Weds. April 23 – 7PM-8:30PM – Boyce Hill Road Fayston Town Forest – Woodcock Walk – Leader -Jeannie Elias (she/her). If possible, carpool from Fayston Park & Ride at 866 North Fayston Road (Fayston Town Hall) at 6:45 PM to meet at Fayston Town Forest at the end of Boyce Hill Road. NOTE: This is an evening walk. Bring a flashlight and wear light colored or reflective clothing. You may also want to bring A tarp or blanket to place on the ground for easy viewing.
Thurs. May 1 – 7:30AM-9 AM – Ted’s Drive Waitsfield – Pat Folsom Leader (she/her)- Meet at Pat’s home 3681 East Warren Road-Waitsfield and walk over to this sheltered private drive with great habitat for early Spring birding.
Sat. May 3 – 8AM-10AM – Mad River Path – Warren School Path – Tammy Tuck Leader (she/her). Meet at Brooks Field behind the Warren Elementary School .
Thurs. May 8 – 7:30 AM-9AM Mad River Path – Fiddlers Walk – Leader Macy Moulton (she/her). Meet at the Laundromat for a comfortable stroll along the Mad River Path- 168 Fiddlers Green off Route 100 in Waitsfield.
Sat. May 10 – 7:45 AM-10AM – Pratt Refuge – Fred Pratt Memorial Birdwalk at the Pratt Refuge Duxbury- Leaders: Pat Folsom, Ali Wagner and Mead Binhammer. Join the Mad Birders and the Vermont Land Trust on property conserved with the Vermont Land Trust in 2000 by the late Fred Pratt and his wife Chris and donated by Fred to VLT in 2019 so others could birdwatch and enjoy the beauty and biodiversity of the land for years to come. Casual carpooling while optional is strongly advised as parking is limited. Meet to carpool at Harwood High School at 7:45 AM and then drive 2.1 miles up on Ward Hill Road off Route 100 in Duxbury near the hand-painted sign at the bottom of the driveway that has a mailbox with Pratt on it.
Sat. May 10 – 10AM-Noon – Fred Pratt Memorial Celebration. Join the Mad Birders and Vermont Land Trust for remembrances and refreshments at the Bisbee Homestead at 49 Vermont Route 100 in Duxbury. (Former home of Fred (pat) and Chris Pratt. A casual program of stories and recollections begins at 11AM.
Thurs. May 15 – 7AM-8:30AM Geiger Property – Leader – Jeannie Elias (she/her). Meet 2 miles up Center Fayston Rd. from Route 100, just after the “S” curve. Park in unmarked driveway on the left. Sturdy footwear recommended
Sat. May 17 – 8AM-11AM – Osborne-Maclay Properties Bird Walk and Pot Luck Pancake Breakfast Leader – Jeanne Elias (she/her) Breakfast venue – 568 Fuller Farm Road in Warren. Follow signs for parking. Contact info@madbirders.org for details on pot luck. RSVPs required
Thurs. May 22 – 7:30AM-9AM – Freeman Hill Walk – Leader -Jeannie Elias (she/her). Meet at Mountain View Cemetery .2 miles up Freeman Hill Road from Route 100b in Moretown.
Sat. May 24 – 8AM-10AM – Boyce Hill Road Fayston Town Forest – Leader – Janet Saylor (she/her) Meet at Fayston Town Hall at 866 North Fayston Rd at 7:45 AM to carpool to the Town Forest, which has very limited parking.
Thurs. May 29 – 7:30AM- 9AM – Kingsbury Greenway/Riverside Park (Sugarbush Snowmaking Pond) Mad River Path- Warren – Leader – Jeannie Elias (she/her). Meet at Riverside Park off Route 100, just south of Powderhound and Stewart Wood Roads and the Warren Motel (coming from Waitsfield).
Sat. May 31- 8AM-10AM – Knoll Farm – 700 Bragg Hill Road Leader – Nancy Turner (she/her). This walk is jointly sponsored with the Friends of the Mad River as part of their “Mad About Birds” celebration. Carpooling is optional but strongly encouraged. Meet at Shaw’s Grocery Store in Waitsfield at 7:45 AM. This walk will traverse the farm’s fields with the possibility of tall or wet grasses; wear appropriate footwear and be prepared to slowly walk up the farm’s hillside, with its amazing views into the valley below.
Sat. May 31- 3PM-4:30 PM – Birding by Ear Workshop, Moretown Town Hall 1147 Route 100B in Moretown – Co-Presenters: Cory Stephenson (she/her)and Jeannie Elias (she/her). Learn more about identifying birds by their songs at this informative and fun workshop cosponsored by the Moretown Library and the Mad Birders.
Sun. June 1 – 8AM-10AM Pony Farm Road Walk – Co-Leaders: Cory Stephenson (she/her) and Jeannie Elias (she/her). This bird walk is open to all, but is a follow up to the 5/31 Birding by Ear Workshop and will focus on identifying birds by ear, as well as by sight. Take Pony Farm Road uphill from the southern end of Moretown Village, the walk begins at 182 Pony Farm Road at the top of the first hill. Park at the Farmstand.
Thurs. June 5 – 7:30AM- 9AM – Long Road – Leader Jeannie Elias (she/her) Park at beginning of Long Road near intersection with East Road in Waitsfield.
Sat. June 7 – 8AM-10AM – Mad River Path – Big Picture Boardwalk Leader-Pat Folsom (she/her). Meet at the boardwalk opposite the Big Picture Theater at 48 Carroll Road in Waitsfield for this short, flat walk.
Sun. June 8 – 7:45AM -10AM – Duxbury Town Forest Walk. This walk is jointly sponsored by the Mad Birders and the Duxbury Land Trust -Leaders – Jeannie Elias and Janet Bisbee. There is extremely limited parking at the forest which is off Hart Road in Duxbury. Meet at Crossett Brook Middle School to carpool.
Thurs. June 12 – 7AM-9AM – Blueberry Lake Birding by Boat – Leader-Jeannie Elias (she/her) Meet at north parking lot at the end of Blueberry Lake Road off Plunkton Road. Bring your own boat. All birders must bring and wear a Personal Flotation Device to participate in this event. Birders will very slowly circumnavigate the lake looking and listening for birds.
Fri. June 13 – 7:30AM-10AM – Pratt Refuge Birdwalk co-sponsored by Mad Birders and Women and Our Woods Vermont. WOW VT is a collaborative women-centered community that shares information, resources and support for people who care about and steward Vermont’s forests. Leaders Ali Wagner and Jeannie Elias (she/her)Casual carpooling while optional is strongly advised as parking is limited. Meet to carpool at Harwood High School at 7:15 AM and then drive 2.1 miles up on Ward Hill Road off Route 100 in Duxbury near the hand-painted sign at the bottom of the driveway that has a mailbox with Pratt on it.
Sat. June 14 – 8AM-2PM – Parkers (Monitoring Walk) in Granville Leader Pat Folsom (she/her). Meet at 7:30AM at 3681 E. Warren Rd, Waitsfield (Pat’s) to carpool. Note that this is a longer walk, bring water, definitely wear boots. This involves wet conditions in many places. Brunch is included.