Join naturalist, Cherrie Corey, for a morning walk to meet the arriving songbird wave and other harbingers of spring. Cherrie, a Marlboro resident, has been an active naturalist, photographer, and conservation steward for many decades. She served as director of the Harvard Museum of Cultural and Natural History, the Native Plant Trust | New England Wild Flower Society's first education director, and as principal naturalist for Great Meadows NWR in Concord, MA for many years. The Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society is cosponsoring the program, and will be represented by Cory Ross, a conservationist and birder who well-known in our area.

On our hike to the summit of Mt. Olga (where the fire town is located) and back, we'll encounter a variety of returning and migrating warblers, ovenbird, hermit thrush, winter wren, rose-breasted grosbeak, raven, and more. We'll attune our ears and eyes to the plumage and song of each species and give careful attention to their preferred habitat and location in the canopy. Woodland wildflowers will be in their glory too and vernal pools will be teaming with life. On our return down the mountain, we'll stop at the bird banding station to see how the day's tally is coming and watch bander Eric Slayton and his team in action.

Meet at the Tower Trail trailhead kiosk, behind the Vermont Distillers building along Route 9. Registration is required, and limited to 18. If you would like to attend,: send email to hmca@hogbackvt.org.