A Seasonal Change of Clothes

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Mass Audubon

American Goldfinch Winter Valerie Reneé via flickrWith the hard work of raising young behind them, many birds shed their tired, worn-out feathers (a process called molting) in winter and replace them with new ones. But not all birds make a simple one-for-one swap.

Some species turn dull, while others nearly completely flip their plumages. Here are a few to keep an eye out for:

American Goldfinch
Adult male goldfinches in breeding plumage might be described as the color of a ripe lemon, and as they are among the latest nesters in our state, we get to enjoy it all summer long. When they turn, they go from lemon to olive shades, retaining some yellow around the face to remind us just who they are. Sibley Guides offers an excellent illustration of this transformation.

Common and Red-throated Loons
Had the latter been named by a Massachusetts ornithologist, it would have carried a much more boring name. We don’t get the pleasure of seeing the red throats; instead we see gray. With common loons, we watch the change from sharply-defined black and white features on the head and back to thoroughly drab plumage making them easily confused with “red throats.”

Black Guillemot
Even with a good bird guide, one has to step back from the scope and consider the date. If it’s December in Massachusetts, look for an all-white bird with black markings. If it’s July in Maine, keep an eye out for an all-black bird with a white wing patch.

Dunlin
We only have a handful of nesting shorebirds in Massachusetts. Many more pass through on the way to the Arctic in the spring and summer. When we get them on the way back, many of them retain their breeding plumage for a while, some even losing it altogether. For instance, we can see dunlins with their black breeding patches on their bellies, before they fade for the winter.

Learn more about birds in winter by joining us for an upcoming bird walk.

Photo of American Goldfinch in winter via Valerie Reneé/flickr

Art Museum’s New Name

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Hillary T.

From the moment our “founding mothers” chose to name our organization after the iconic bird artist, John James Audubon, Mass Audubon and art have been closely connected. Now, 116 years later, Mass Audubon’s art museum in Canton connects people and nature through art, educates about the beauty and significance of the natural world, and engages new audiences for our conservation mission.

The museum also stewards our extraordinary art collection including paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by some of the most acclaimed bird artists of Europe and America: Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Charley Harper, Robert Verity Clem, Lars Johnson, and Frank W. Benson, among others.

Bird conservation was the focus of Mass Audubon’s founders, and although the organization’s mission has broadened over the years, our art collection remains consistently focused on American birds. It spans many styles and categories, including fine art, illustration, impressionism, folk art, even pop art.

Since an art museum within a conservation organization is an unusual, if not unique, concept, it is critically important to have a name that clarifies what we do. This is why we have decided to change our name from the Visual Arts Center to the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon (MABA).

While our name may have changed, our focus remains the same. Our rotating exhibitions feature renowned professional artists from around the world. And we will continue to offer programs in many formats, including hands-on art classes in drawing, photography, watercolor, and other mediums; gallery talks, summer day camp, and nature exploration. On- and off-site programs serve children, adults, families, and school and community groups.

If you haven’t had the chance to come check us out yet, now is a wonderful time. Our current exhibition, Nests, Eggs, Heartbreak & Beauty (through January 13) is centered around a rare 19th-century book, with stunning illustrations and a dramatic history.

Image: Frank Benson’s Pintails, part of the MABA collection