Join us for a Birding Weekend at Seyon Lodge September 23-25, 2011

Fall migration is often an overlooked time of year for bird watching. It may be less intense than spring migration, but be assured, with all kinds of birds heading south from the boreal forests north of us, you are bound to see something special. In Vermont, fall birding is marked by warbler fallouts in woodlands and fields, spiraling raptors ascending mountain breezes, and waves of migrating waterbirds resting along the shores of our larger lakes.

With all that in store, join in the fun for a weekend immersed in birds, surrounded by the beauty of northern Vermont and inspired by others eager to hone their birding skills. Led by two sisters passionate about Vermont wildlife, Bridget and Amy Butler, will be the guides for this weekend which is sure to be both relaxing and stimulating. Enjoy evening slide shows and conversations on fall migration, bird identification, and bird language. During the day, refine your skills in the field on foot and by kayak or canoe. This program is appropriate for all skill levels.  You'll turn confusing fall warblers into a welcome autumnal challenge with the help of Amy and Bridget, learn to see nature and wildlife through the eyes of birds, and find out how to “pay it forward” for birds and other wildlife.

More about the weekend and full schedule: Birding Weekend web page

Learn more about the guides:

Amy Butler has been connecting adults and children with natural world for eighteen years. A love of storytelling, native plants, tracking, hiding in the forest, and colorful treetop birds has inspired her work as a teacher and naturalist. With of her much time spent outside, Amy has honed her ear to the song and language of birds which has helped her to expand the joy of birding for all ages.

Currently Amy works with North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier, Vermont. Her latest projects at North Branch include working with public school teachers to get their students exploring outside on a weekly basis, writing nature based curriculum, and playing with small children in a forest preschool.

Bridget Butler, A.K.A The Bird Diva, has been a teacher and naturalist for twenty years working throughout New England. She has worked for the Audubon Society in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, as well as for Jay Peak Resort leading natural history snowshoe tours when she was a professional ski/snowboard instructor. You may have heard her on the annual Vermont Public Radio’s Annual Bird Show with Jane Lindholm of Vermont Edition or seen her covering nature in Vermont with WCAX’s Sharon Meyer.

Currently, Bridget works at the ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center in Burlington, VT. As ECHO’s Conservation Education Specialist, she looks for ways to bring a stewardship message into programming for guests of all ages. You can also see Bridget weekly on the evening news on NewsChannel 5 covering natural history and the environment as WPTZ’s new Conservation Correspondent.

Call Seyon Lodge State Park to make your reservations for this special program (802-584-3829) or visit www.vtstateparks.com/htm/seyon_birding_weekend.htm for more information.