Vermont Institute of Natural Science

Animal Encounter
2024-05-06 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-05-05 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-05-04 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-05-03 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-05-02 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-05-01 14:00 - 14:20, 2024-04-30 14:00 - 14:20 (America/New_York)
Animal Encounter
2 PM – 2:20 PM
Meet an ambassador animal and hear their story while we learn about the adaptations they have that help their species survive in the wild. Join us for a reptile ambassador on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, or a raptor ambassador on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday!
Held in the Hawkfly or Neale Pavilion.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Songbird Aviary Tour
2024-05-06 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-05-05 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-05-04 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-05-03 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-05-02 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-05-01 12:30 - 12:50, 2024-04-30 12:30 - 12:50
Songbird Aviary Tour
12:30 PM – 12:50 PM
Spend some time in our newest exhibit – the Songbird Aviary! Our docents will familiarize you with this special group of birds and point out the ways you can make a great habitat for these important creatures in your own backyard.
Held in the Songbird Aviary.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Raptors Up Close
2024-05-06 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-05-05 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-05-04 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-05-03 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-05-02 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-05-01 11:00 - 11:45, 2024-04-30 11:00 - 11:45
Raptors Up Close
11 AM – 11:45 AM
Take flight with us on an unforgettable experience! We’ll show you the unique nature of some of the world’s most highly skilled predators – raptors! In this live bird demonstration you’ll gain an up-close view and an in-depth understanding of these majestic birds.
Held in the Hawkfly or Neale Pavilion.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Raptor Feeding Time
2024-05-05 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-05-04 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-05-03 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-05-02 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-05-01 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-04-30 14:30 - 15:00, 2024-04-29 14:30 - 15:00
Raptor Feeding Time
2:30 PM – 3 PM
Join our raptor care-givers for feeding time! Learn about the habits and history of each of the resident raptors at VINS as you watch them enjoy their daily meal.
Held in the Raptor Exhibits.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Drawing from Nature Class: Reptiles and Amphibians
2024-05-04 09:00 - 12:00
Drawing from Nature Class: Reptiles and Amphibians
A Workshop with Watercolor and Ink
Saturday, May 4 / 9 AM – 12 PM
$52 General Public, $47 VINS Member
Register Today*
*Sign up for multiple sessions and get a $5 discount on all classes. Use discount code MULTI24 in your cart.
Other Drawing from Nature Class dates:
June 1 – Watercolor Wildflowers
July 13 – Summer Songbirds
August 24 – Predators of the Sky: Raptors, Vultures and Corvids
October 5 – Fall Foliage: Leaves and Landscapes
Workshop Details:
While often underappreciated, the emergence of Vermont’s reptiles and amphibians are just as much a hallmark of spring as the return of migratory birds or the blooming of lupine in meadows. The appearance of female turtles journeying to lay their eggs, the sound of Peepers calling for a mate or the sight of salamanders moving back to their pond all signal that warmer weather is returning to the north.
In this first Drawing from Nature class, the focus will be on the region’s native reptiles and amphibians. The workshop will begin with a walk on the trails of the VINS Nature Center exploring habitats used by reptiles and amphibians while discussing their biology and conservation. Following that, the class will have the opportunity to get up-close with VINS’ Reptile Ambassadors and will spend the rest of the workshop creating illustrations and watercolors in nature journals.
Learn tips and tricks for drawing as well as for creating vivid pages that depict personal natural history experiences. Drawing, sketching, and watercolor experience not necessary, all skill levels welcome.
Suggested Materials:

A water bottle
A high-quality journal with heavyweight, mixed media, or watercolor paper
HB pencil or mechanical pencil
An eraser
Micron pen size 01 and/or 005
Optional: your preferred art medium such as watercolor, gouache, or colored pencils

Instructor Bios:
Cynthia Moulton – Cynthia finds that observing and recording in a field journal enhances our engagement with the natural world. Teaching courses in ecology, animal diversity and biological illustration at Castleton University for the last 25 years has allowed her and her students to explore science through pen and ink, graphite and colored pencil.
Lois Moulton – Lois has been passionate about science illustration for years, creating numerous personal nature journals from her travels and time outdoors. As an educator at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts, she has been incorporating art as a tool for observation into her science classes since 1995. Lois specializes in watercolor and pen & ink.
For more information contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.
Photo credit: Lois Moulton

Artist Exhibition – Ian Clark
2024-05-01 10:00 - 2024-07-31 17:00
Artist Exhibition – Ian Clark
May 1 to July 31
Neale Pavilion / VINS Nature Center
About Ian Clark:
Ian’s photo career started back when he was in high school. His local paper took him on as a stringer in 1975 and he hasn’t yet found the sense to stop. These days, he shoots for editorial, stock and commercial users from his home in West Newbury, VT. Ian’s work has appeared in numerous books, magazines, newspapers, calendars and print ads.
Ian spent 20 years owning or managing commercial labs around the US. The most notable was managing NASA’s Photographic Section at the Langley Research Center. Along the way, he processed something over 10,000 miles of E-6 slide film, several thousand miles of color negative, VNF news film, and black & white films along with something like 6,000 acres of photo paper.
In 1997, Ian decided to switch to making images full-time. In addition to taking projects that use photography as an engineering tool, he has built a library of over 1,500,000 images, with lots of transportation and nature images. His transportation focus is on railroads. He is working on photographing the remaining steam locomotives in the US. Of roughly 210 locomotives that can be operated, Ian has photographed 136 under steam. In the last several years, Ian has found time to pursue his other love, nature photography. He has photographed over 400 species from the Bay of Fundy to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Ian’s other interests include receiving a B.S. in Photo Finishing & Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and meeting his editor and wife, Lee, while in grad school at The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Ian is a juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, the New Hampshire Art Association, the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists and the 802 Arts House.
For more information about Ian’s work, visit: www.ianclark.com. Follow Ian on Facebook or Instagram.
Proceeds from the purchase of artwork from Ian Clark will benefit VINS.
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.
