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.

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. 

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.  

Lots of outings from this spring to read about! This summary includes trips to Little River State Park, a Northeast Kingdom adventure, paddling on the Rock River, a first-time visit to the Westford Town Forest, and an outing at the Catamount Community Forest.

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.