Tag Archives: Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon

Milly’s Bird of the Day: Eastern Phoebe

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Sean K.

Look and listen for Phoebes near you and please help Milly and her Bird-a-Thon team by visiting her fundraising page here.

Another early migrant, the Eastern Phoebe is a favorite bird of many, especially Milly. These talented builders use a small ledge to construct their mud nests. The nests often end up on the edges of people’s homes, above doorways or under eaves.

Milly is always thrilled to see our Phoebes returning in April and finding new nest spots on our Camp Building and Estate House.

Milly loves watching these birds flutter off of one point as they snatch insects in mid-air.

Phoebes are famous for their bobbing tails when perched and for singing their name when they call, Phoeeeeeeeebeee!

Look and listen for Phoebes near you and please help Milly and her Bird-a-Thon team by visiting her fundraising page here.

Nature Notes: May 7, 2020

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Sean K.

This blog post complements our weekly virtual lecture called Nature Notes for the residents of Orchard Cove. To learn more about our weekly virtual illustrated lecture series called nature notes, click here.

Support our Bird-A-Thon and Support Our Work at the Museum

Bird-a-Thon is an annual state-wide fundraising and birding event for Mass Audubon that began in 1983. Each spring birders from all over the state raise money to protect the nature of Massachusetts and count as many bird species as they can during a 24-hour period in mid-May. During this challenging time, all the money raised will go directly to supporting our work at the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon.

Check out Sean Kent’s Bird-A-Thon Page.

Check out Milly the Raccoon’s Bird-A-Thon Page and Blog.

Learn more about Bird Migration

Bird migration is in full swing and many new migrants have been arriving over the past week.

Yellow Warbler photographed on May 3, 2020 in Easton, Massachusetts

Migration Forecasting from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Click here to see amazing migration maps and forecasts at BirdCast
Click here to see the bird migration forecast for May 2020

Study of a Prairie Warbler by Barry Van Dusen

Weather Radar showing Bird Migration over the Florida Keys from February 17, 2020

The Yellow and Green hues represent bird migration being picked up on weather radar.

Annual nocturnal migration patterns from 1995 to 2018

Annual nocturnal migration phenology measured by weather surveillance radar from 1995 to 2018. Measures show the aggregate behavior of hundreds of species.

Click here to see these incredible resources at Colorado State University’s AeroEco Lab that studies Bird Migration, Light Pollution, and more.

SUPPORT OUR WORK and Donate to the Museum of American Bird Art

Hi everybody, each week I (Sean Kent – MABA’s education and camp director) deliver a live online illustrated lecture called Nature Notes for the residents of Orchard Cove in Canton. I love nature and am infinitely curious with what is going on natural world. I am an educator, naturalist, accomplished landscape and wildlife photographer, and field biologist with expertise in native bee biology, species interactions, and ecology in general.

This post contains additional resources that correspond with the lecture, but might also be of interest to readers of Taking Flight in addition to the residents of Orchard Cove. Please contact me ([email protected]) if you or your organization/residence might be interested in live online illustrated lectures, including lectures on The Secret Life of Backyard Birds and Native Bees and other Pollinators. Be well and safe.

Nature in a Minute: Milly’s Bird of the Day – Tree Swallows

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Sean K.

Milly’s first bird of the day is one of her favorites, it’s the Tree Swallow! Please help Milly and her Bird-a-Thon team by visiting her fundraising page here.

Tree Swallow perched on a nest box in the meadow at the Museum of American Bird Art.

Tree Swallows are one of the first migrants to return each spring and once they are here, they’re hard to miss. They are masters at flight, with dozens zooming in circles around one another over our meadow, collecting mosquitos, flies, and more with incredible aerial acrobatics. These birds put on mesmerizing flight shows all spring and summer in the meadow right behind the Museum of American Bird Art.

Milly watches these beauties fly over her sanctuary for hours. Tree Swallows are so named because like Milly, they live in trees.

However, since we have cut so many trees down, Milly and other conservationists place nest Boxes throughout fields to provide more homes for these incredible birds. Please help Milly and her Bird-a-Thon team by visiting her fundraising page here.

Owen Cunningham is MABA’s incredible property manager, Bird-a-Thon captain, and most importantly Milly’s caretaker. He is the author of Milly’s Bird of the Day posts.

Milly has joined the Museum’s Bird-A-Thon Team!

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Sean K.

Milly is super excited to be one of the newest members of the Museum of American Bird Art’s Bird-a-Thon! With Milly on board, it is officially a raccoon approved super team!

If you’d like to help support Milly raise money for Bird-a-Thon, please visit her personal fundraising page here.

While we stay at home and social distance, the nature of Massachusetts and Mass Audubon still need your help and support, so Mass Audubon has figured out a way to keep this amazing fundraising event going while we continue to stay safe. This year’s Bird-a-Thon will be the first zero emissions Bird-at-home-a-thon. From May 15-16, birders from all over the state will be counting species in their yards and also participating in arts and crafts and other fun ways to score points for their teams. For more information on how you can donate or join a team like Milly did click here.