Join naturalist, Cherrie Corey, for an early morning walk to meet the season's songbird wave and other harbingers of spring. We will walk in the spirit of Marlboro College biologist, Bob Engel, an inspirational teacher to many, who generously shared his passion for native birds and his captivating understanding of the environments that sustained them.
On our two-hour ramble, 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 eyes and ears 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. Along the way, we'll stop at the bird banding station to see how the day's tally is coming and watch Eric Slayton and his team in action.
Meet at the Tower Trail trailhead kiosk which is behind the Vermont Distillers building. Plenty of parking across Rte. 9 in the large parking lot. Registration is required and limited to 20: send email to hmca@hogbackvt.org.
Bob Engel served as Biology professor at Marlboro College from 1975-2011 and on the board of Southeastern VT Audubon for many years. He gave numerous presentations for local environmental groups, led local and far-flung field study trips, including many spring migration walks at Hogback Mountain CA. Over the years he inspired so many to look deeply and connect passionately and wisely with the wide, WILD world.
The event leader, Cherrie Corey, is a Marlboro resident, and 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. She currently advises and contributes to various organizations in southeastern Vermont.