Photo by Mac Davis

Spring is here and the early wave of migrants have arrived with even more are on the way. At Valentine Farm, we have a lot happening and hope you can take advantage of some of the opportunities. Here are a few highlights:

May 15 Grand Opening of the Valentine Farm Birding Trail: Join any time between 9:00-12:00 noon to be among the first to take the self-guided tour of the new Valentine Farm Birding Trail.  With a free trail guide in hand, you can search for life-like bird signs created by Becca Hoskins. It’s a way to not only learn about some of the birds at Valentine Farm but to better understand their songs and habitat. Volunteers will hand out Trail Guides and serve as ambassadors as you walk the trail.

Owlets at Valentine Farm: Recently, on two consecutive days, “balls of fluff” were found on the ground at Valentine Farm by dog walkers. They were two Great Horned Owlets. (Photo by Mac Davis.) Jody Giddings, a licensed wildlife rehab expert and founder of Sunday River Wildlife was called. Luckily the little guys (or gals) were uninjured and healthy. The parents were located along with the “nest”, or what was left of it, which was nothing more than a fork high in a white pine. Jody recommended installing an artificial nest (a teal green laundry basket). Arborists from Evan’s Tree Service were enlisted to help, and the team, with military precision, installed the make shift nest and returned the chicks. Volunteers have kept watch on the re-united family. If you visit Valentine Farm, you may spot fencing that has been put up to provide a safety barrier should an owlet end up on the ground again. Signs will also be placed asking guests to keep their dogs on leash when moving through the hemlock/pine forest behind the office. When you visit, keep an eye out. The owlets will stay with their parents all summer. As they get bigger and stronger, they will travel further from the new nest but can be spotted or even heard begging to be fed with a truly awful screech.

Small-Group Bird Walks: We plan to have guided small-group bird walks at Valentine Farm in May and June. Check www.mahoosuc.org/events-calendar for dates and times.  We may need to divide the group up to make sure we can observe pandemic precautions, but join us if you can.

So that’s the report from Valentine Farm. Spring has barely arrived, and there’s plenty of adventure to be found. Please stop by when you can, and I sincerely hope to see you on the trail as the weather warms.

James Reddoch, of Albany Township and Boston, leads birding events for the Mahoosuc Land Trust. Visit Mahoosuc Land Trust at 162 North Road, Bethel, ME. To contact James, send your emails to info@mahoosuc.org.

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