Vermont Institute of Natural Science

OBSERVER Film Screening
2025-04-13 15:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, 05059, United States
OBSERVER Film Screening
April 13 / 3 PM
Runtime: 94 minutes
Ticket holders for OBSERVER will be invited to stay after the film and experience the Nature Center after hours, until 6:00.
$13 General Admission, Free for VINS members*
Get Tickets
OBSERVER embarks on an experiment in which a series of keen-eyed observers – scientists, artists, a hunter – are brought to a range of locations around the world, and asked to simply describe what they see. What unfolds is a deep exploration and celebration of the power of observation: what happens when you find new ways to sense & perceive the world around you?
Attend the film screening of OBSERVER at the VINS Nature Center on April 13. This award-winning documentary challenges viewers to slow down and rediscover the art of seeing, revealing how different perspectives can transform our understanding of both natural and human environments. Ticket holders for Observer will be invited to stay after the film and experience the Nature Center after hours, until 6:00 pm.
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Director Biography:
Ian Cheney is a documentary filmmaker. He received bachelor’s & master’s degrees from Yale and a MFA in filmmaking from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. His twelve feature-length films prior to Observer (2025) include King Corn (2007), The City Dark (2010), The Search for General Tso (2014), The Most Unknown (2018), Picture a Scientist (2020), The Arc of Oblivion (2023) and Shelf Life (2024). He has helmed Wicked Delicate Films since 2003. A former MacDowell Fellow & Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, he has taught at Yale College & the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. You can read his blatherings on Subtack but don’t bother. He lives in Maine.
*Tickets must be reserved in advance: Get Tickets
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.

Natural Wonders
2025-04-14 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-04-15 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-04-16 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-04-17 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-04-18 10:30 - 11:00 | VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, 05059, United States
Natural Wonders
Monday – Friday /10:30 AM – 11 AM
Included with General Admission
Join us on a journey of discovery through the wonders of the natural world. Designed for families with young children, this short interactive program explores a range of engaging topics including animals of New England, Animal Engineers, and local habitats.
Meet a VINS Educator outside the Forest Exhibit.
For more information, contact us at info@vinsweb.org or 802.359.5000.

Raptors Up Close
2025-04-14 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-04-15 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-04-16 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-04-17 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-04-18 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-04-19 11:00 - 11:30
Raptors Up Close
11 AM – 11:30 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.

Songbird Aviary Tour
2025-04-14 12:30 - 12:50, 2025-04-15 12:30 - 12:50, 2025-04-16 12:30 - 12:50, 2025-04-17 12:30 - 12:50, 2025-04-18 12:30 - 12:50, 2025-04-19 12:30 - 12:50
Songbird Aviary Tour
12:30 PM – 12:50 PM
Spend some time in our 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.

Animal Encounter
2025-04-14 14:00 - 14:20, 2025-04-15 14:00 - 14:20, 2025-04-16 14:00 - 14:20, 2025-04-17 14:00 - 14:20, 2025-04-18 14:00 - 14:20, 2025-04-19 14:00 - 14:20
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.

Raptor Feeding Time
2025-04-14 14:30 - 15:00, 2025-04-15 14:30 - 15:00, 2025-04-16 14:30 - 15:00, 2025-04-17 14:30 - 15:00, 2025-04-18 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.

An Introduction to Bird ID – Birding by Sight & Sound
2025-04-17 17:30 - 19:00
VIRTUAL SERIES
An Introduction to Bird ID – Birding by Sight & Sound
Thursdays, April 17 & May 1 / 5:30 PM – 7 PM
$15 per session; FREE for VINS Members
Register Today
Register to receive the link to these virtual events on Zoom.
Have you ever noticed a small flash of color high in the treetops and wondered what species of bird you are looking at, or awoken to the dawn chorus of songbirds and wished you could identify who was singing outside your window?
If you want to get better at identifying birds by sight and sound then join VINS for these virtual classes that will introduce you to the basics of birding. Begin your birding journey this spring!
Suggested Materials:
No materials are required. For those who wish to get into birding, suggested materials include a notebook or journal and binoculars as well as field guides. A selection of field guides are available for purchase at the VINS Nature Store.
These workshops are designed for the beginner to intermediate birder and open to all ages.
April 17 – Birding by Sight
There are 265 birds found regularly in Vermont. Being able to quickly recognize body shape, size, behavior, and habitat can help narrow down the list of possible matches from hundreds to a handful. Distinct field markings can then get you the rest of the way to a positive ID. In this class, we will compare the wide variety of shapes and sizes that exist in the bird world and begin to understand how to use our general impressions of birds to build our identification skills.
May 1 – Birding by Sound
When foliage is thick and birds are hidden deep within the protective leaves of a tree or in the uppermost part of the forest canopy, one of the only ways to potentially identify them is by listening to their call. A spring or summer soundscape in Vermont is full of a wide variety of wonderful bird calls and being able to identify a single bird call amongst the many sounds can seem a daunting task. This class will hone your ear to some of the most common songbird calls to start building your birding-by-ear foundation.
Field Guides Recommended by VINS Educators:
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of East & Central North America
Guide to birds of eastern and central North America guides a unique identification system, which has been called the greatest invention since binoculars. This guide is illustrated with drawings and photographs in color and black and white and all provide up to date range information and the most useful descriptions, pinpoints key field marks for quick recognition and easy comparison of species.
National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America
This fully revised edition of the best-selling North American bird field guide is the most up-to-date guide on the market. Perfect for beginning to advanced birders, it is the only book organized to match the latest American Ornithological Society taxonomy.
National Audubon Field Guide to North America Birds: Eastern Region
This wonderful field guide describes over 500 species of birds on the Eastern Region of North America in 800+ pages. Featuring nearly 700 vivid, full-color photographs, they include a detailed range map for each species.
Stan Tekiela’s Birding for Beginners: Northeast
This accessible guide for an increasingly popular hobby teaches how to attract a variety of birds with specific food and create a welcoming space for year-round and migratory birds.
Sibley’s Backyard Birds of the Northeast
A virtually indestructible, waterproof folding guide covers the most frequently seen species of the region, including illustrations, descriptions, size, and range all taken from the award-winning Sibley Guide to Birds.
For more information, contact us at 802.359.5000 or info@vinsweb.org.
