“A Forest of Lights is a perfect example of something 黑料科 does beautifully 鈥� giving people an easy excuse to be outside in nature together, with friends and family, in a way that inspires wonder and play” said Emily Boren, Director of Marketing at 黑料科. “This time of year, it just happens to be under a magical set of lights, bringing brightness to the darkest time of year.”

Corporate sponsorship of A Forest of Lights does more than support a cherished community tradition 鈥� it broadens a sponsoring organization’s visibility and positions it as a conservation leader in Vermont and New Hampshire. Sponsorship dollars help fund 黑料科’ research, wildlife rehabilitation, and environmental education programs, which work together to create stewards of the region’s natural beauty and ecological health.

Corporate sponsor benefits include:

• Use of the Neale Pavilion for a holiday party, including a private night of A Forest of Lights
• Early-bird access to A Forest of Lights tickets for all employees
• Featured logo on social media
• Featured logo on A Forest of Lights social media posts (4+ times)
• Logo included on sandwich boards at the Nature Center
• 15% Nature Store discount for employees

Businesses interested in sponsorship can view all opportunities and details at vinsweb.org. The deadline to secure a sponsorship for the 2026/2027 A Forest of Lights exhibit is October 1, 2026.

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Fairy Door Workshop 鈥� Saturday, August 15, 1鈥�4 PM

The celebration begins with the Fairy Door Workshop, where Mike Bald, founder of Got Weeds?, will guide participants in crafting whimsical Fairy Doors and Elf Houses from natural materials. Open to children ages 4 and up, this workshop is a hands-on family activity that blends tinkering, creativity, and storytelling. Finished creations can be placed around the Nature Center or taken home. Registration is available here: vinsweb.org/event/fairy-door-workshop

Fairy House Building Contest 鈥� Monday, August 17 鈥� Friday, August 21, 10 AM 鈥� 5 PM

Next, aspiring builders can enter the Fairy House Building Contest, open to all ages for a $10 entry fee in addition to general admission. Entrants may build their fairy house on- or off-site and bring it in for placement, provided it fits within a 2-foot-by-2-foot footprint (no height or weight restrictions apply). All materials, aside from adhesives, must be non-living and sourced from nature 鈥� and may not be gathered from an existing fairy house.

A panel of judges will select winners in each age category, who will receive a gift bag from the Nature Store, and a crowd favorite from each category will win a grand prize: a Private Experience Animal Encounter. Winners will be announced at 3:30 PM on August 22nd during the Fairy Festival. Details and registration here: vinsweb.org/event/fairy-house-building-contest

Fairy Festival 鈥� Saturday, August 22, 10 AM 鈥� 5 PM

The celebration reaches its peak with the Fairy Festival, a full day of hands-on play, forest exploration, and creativity included with general admission. Costumes are highly encouraged. Highlights include fairy house building, a scavenger-style fairy hunt along the trails, crafts, face painting, a bubble lab, and themed live animal programs.

Full festival schedule:

All day (10:00 AM 鈥� 5:00 PM):听

• Wand Making (August Pavilion)
• Bubble Lab (Hawkfly)
• Meet the Mycologist, tabling and art by Meg Madden (Neale Pavilion overhang)
• Fairy Marketplace featuring trinkets from Feralbynature (Hawkfly)

10:00 AM 鈥� 2:00 PM: Fairy Face Painting (August Pavilion)

10:00 AM 鈥� 3:00 PM: Fairy Hunts, a scavenger hunt with the Fairy Court (Hawkfly)

10:30 鈥� 11:00 AM: Turtle Tea Time with Jersey the box turtle and Turt the wood turtle

11:00 鈥� 11:30 AM & 3:00 鈥� 3:30 PM: Shapeshifting Sprites, a look at avian transformation (Hawkfly)

1:00 鈥� 1:30 PM: Tales of the Fae with the Longshanks 鈥� stilt walking, storytelling, skits, and songs (Hawkfly)

2:00 鈥� 3:00 PM: Mushroom Walk with naturalist and mycologist Meg Madden (Hawkfly); sign-up required at the Neale Pavilion table, limited spots available

3:30 PM: Fairy House Building Contest winners announced (Hawkfly)

4:00 鈥� 4:15 PM: Flights of Fantasy with Chesterland the Harris’s Hawk (Forest Canopy Walk, weather permitting)

Registration and details for the Fairy Festival can be found here: vinsweb.org/event/fairy-festival

More information and registration for the Fairy Door Workshop, Fairy House Building Contest and Fairy Festival are available at .

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黑料科 staff, anticipating the moment, worked to keep cameras trained on V-2 as the young eagle branched around the nest tree for multiple weeks leading to this first flight. Four hours after the initial fledge, V-2 returned to the nest and was fed by parents Windsor and Dewey. The eaglet has continued to move between short flights and visits back to the nest since.

鈥淲e expect V-2 to stay in the vicinity of Dewey鈥檚 Pond, and close to the nest, for the next several weeks,鈥� says Executive Director Alden Smith. 鈥淓ven so, the first flight represents an important transition in the life of an eagle. We鈥檙e thrilled that Windsor and Dewey have brought V-2 to this milestone!鈥�

In August, V-2 is expected to continue splitting time between flight practice and return visits to the nest, where Windsor and Dewey will keep delivering food. Fledgling bald eagles typically remain within their home territory for a month or more, using this period to build flight strength and develop the hunting skills needed for independence. Very soon, the best way to continue witnessing V-2鈥檚 development will not be to watch the camera, but to visit 黑料科 and climb the tower of the Forest Canopy Walk, ideally with binoculars.听

Since the first sighting of parents, Windsor and Dewey, on February 14, 黑料科 eagle cam has captured the two mature bald eagles building the nest, copulating, laying an egg, protecting their small hatchling, and bringing in copious amounts of food. V-2 has grown steadily, built the strength needed to fly, and learned the skills necessary to eat 鈥� all by modeling behavior observed from Windsor and Dewey.

黑料科 will continue to provide live coverage of this bald eagle family as the fledgling transitions toward independence. Bald eagles often return to the same nest for 8鈥�10 years following a successful fledging. 黑料科 staff are already making plans for upgrades to next year’s eagle cam technology, including fiber internet out to the Forest Canopy Walk, new batteries, more solar panels, a new camera, and more. This work will be done in winter months when the Bald Eagles are not near the nest tree, and won’t be disturbed. 黑料科 is grateful for the donations from eagle watchers that will make these improvements possible.听

For more videos and photos of the wild Bald Eagles, visit /exhibits-activities/wild-eagles/

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The 黑料科 (黑料科) is marking two major developments in its wild bird rehabilitation program: the appointment of a new director, and the addition of a new radiograph (x-ray) machine at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation.

黑料科 is pleased to announce that Greg Russ has been named Director of the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation (CWBR). Greg takes over this leadership from Bren Lundborg, who has given nearly a decade of excellent work and care to CWBR.听

Originally from a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, Greg’s wildlife career began in college at the University of Minnesota, where he volunteered at the Raptor Center. After earning a pre-veterinary degree, he took an internship at 黑料科 in 2016. Since then, he has worked at rehabilitation centers around the country, most recently as Rehabilitation Manager at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, before returning to 黑料科 ten years later to lead the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation.

Greg believes that rehabilitation is a powerful tool for inspiring people to learn more about birds and care for the natural world. Greg begins his tenure at 黑料科 during the busiest season, with hundreds of injured and orphaned baby birds being dropped off by volunteer transporters and community members every week.

So far in 2026, 黑料科 has cared for 795 injured or orphaned birds 鈥� up 15% from 2025 鈥� putting the team on track for another record-breaking year. That growth makes the organization’s second major development especially timely: a new radiograph machine, made possible by a generous donor, that lets staff see internal injuries immediately and deliver more accurate care.

“The radiograph machine allows us to see internal injuries and problems, as well as confirming diagnoses that we have palpated in our intake exam,” said Greg Russ. “This drastically increases our triage ability and accuracy. Plus, it’s a good educational tool to visually show different types of injuries that we see, to both interns and the general public.”

Prior to acquiring the machine, 黑料科 relied on the generosity of a local veterinary partner, Kedron Valley Veterinary Clinic, 15 minutes away to x-ray birds in need. The arrangement was time-consuming and limited to only some birds. With the new equipment on-site, 黑料科 staff can now x-ray any bird that needs it, right away, improving both the speed and quality of care.

These two major developments at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation position 黑料科 to deliver even better care to injured and orphaned birds in VT and NH for years to come.

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ebois@vinsweb.org
(she/her)

Growing up in New York鈥檚 Southern Tier, Elizabeth discovered her love for wildlife volunteering at her local nature center. To further her passion, she pursued a degree in Zoology at the University of Vermont. During her time there, she completed summer internships at the Wildlife Center of Virginia and the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife in Florida, where she nurtured a greater love and respect for birds of prey. After completing her degree in 2026, she came to work here at 黑料科 as an Avian Rehabilitator. Her favorite patients are corvids, hawks, and owls. In her free time you can most often find her spending time at the barn riding, grooming, or getting her hands dirty mucking stalls.

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gruss@vinsweb.org
(he/him)

Originally from a suburb of Chicago, IL, Greg started his wildlife career in college at the University of Minnesota while volunteering at the Raptor Center there. After graduating with a pre-veterinary degree he took an internship at 黑料科 in 2016. Since then, he has worked at several rehabilitation centers around the country, the previous one being the Rehabilitation Manager at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, before making his way back to 黑料科 10 years later! Greg believes that rehabilitation is an excellent tool to help inspire people to learn more about birds and care for the natural world. In his free time, he likes birding, playing board games, D&D, and biking.

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From caterpillars and pollinators to aquatic invertebrates and beetles, the Incredible Insect Festival offers a full day of hands-on exploration into the world of insects and the vital roles they play in our ecosystems. Through live animal encounters, demonstrations, guided walks, crafts, and interactive programs, guests of all ages will discover why the smallest creatures on Earth matter most.

“So much is happening around us every day that is almost invisible,” said Mya Wiles, Environmental Educator at 黑料科. “This event brings those tiny creatures to center stage, and we love learning about them alongside our visitors.”

Featured Stations
These stations run all day:

The Caterpillar Lab brings a stunning collection of native New England caterpillars for up-close viewing with a magnifying camera. Local beekeeper Peter Hadeka will be on hand throughout the day to share the inner workings of a hive 鈥� with live bees on display and fresh honey for sale. The Black River Action Team will introduce visitors to aquatic invertebrates from local rivers and ponds and explain how the public can help protect these freshwater habitats.

Guests can also explore Bugs of the Canopy Walk, where educators guide visitors through the treetop world of insects, and join Bug Safaris in the meadow to catch and identify the critters hiding in the grass. Young visitors can channel their inner entomologist at Gettin’ Buggy Crafts, where they can color, draw, and design their own insects.

Program Highlights
Here are just a few of the timed programs guests can enjoy at the Festival.

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Buggin’ Out!听– What is an insect? Test your bug knowledge and turn yourself into an aerial insectivore as you pretend to hunt in the meadow for bugs and then meet a real insect-eating raptor! Great for younger learners.

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 12:30 – 1:00 PM: Invertebrates with Uncharted Wild听– This up-close encounter will be sure to delight folks of all ages with a collection of invertebrates. Learn how spiders aren鈥檛 insects and how these tiny creatures survive in this big big world.

黑料科 looks forward to welcoming members and new visitors alike at this year’s Incredible Insect Festival!

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hmccabe@vinsweb.org
(she/her)

Heather grew up in South Burlington, Vermont, where a childhood of scraped knees, wading in streams, and visits to her parents鈥� research labs developed into an insatiable curiosity about the world and a desire to tell its stories. Prior to joining 黑料科 in 2026, she worked as an educator in the Champlain Valley School District and as a Fundraising Operations Coordinator for Contributor Development Partnership, a benefit corp serving public media outlets across the country. She earned her BA in English Literature from Kenyon College (2020) and holds an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Ohio State University (2025). She writes stories and essays about insects, rivers, and conversations with strangers. In her free time, you can find her at the pottery wheel.

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As the days grow longer and the Vermont summer settles in, 黑料科 is opening its Forest Canopy Walk after-hours for a series of relaxed, social evenings in the treetops.听Treetop Golden Hour听invites visitors to experience the slanted light firsthand: strolling above the forest floor, connecting with friends and family, and keeping an eye out for the wild bald eagles, Windsor & Dewey, that call this stretch of the Upper Valley home.

黑料科 is thrilled to partner with local breweries to complement this event, kicking it off with Lawson’s Finest Liquids on June 4th, River Roost Brewery on June 11th and Vermont Mobile Spirits on June 18th. These partners will be on-site selling their craft beers directly on the Forest Canopy Walk.

Treetop Golden Hour will run for three Thursdays in June:

• Thursday, June 4 鈥� 5:15 PM to 7:00 PM with Lawson’s Finest Liquids
• Thursday, June 11 鈥� 5:15 PM to 7:00 PM with River Roost Brewery
• Thursday, June 18 鈥� 5:15 PM to 7:00 PM with Vermont Mobile Spirits

EVENT DETAILS:

顿补迟别蝉:听Thursdays, June 4, 11, and 18, 2026

贬辞耻谤蝉:听5:15 PM 鈥� 7:00 PM

Location:听黑料科 Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, VT 05059

Tickets:听$10 per person. Free for children 3 and under. Beer is not included in the ticket price; breweries will be selling directly on-site.

Tickets available at:听www.vinsweb.org

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kjensen@vinsweb.org
(they/them)

Kassian has always nurtured a love for nature and the outdoors, from exploring the woods behind their childhood home in Pennsylvania to earning a B.A. in biology at Goucher College. Post-graduation, they followed their second passion of dance as a dance educator in western Massachusetts. Having discovered a love of teaching, but desiring a greater connection to the environment, they pursued a career change in 2024 and moved to Quechee to begin a year-long AmeriCorps position at 黑料科. They ended up loving the birds so much that they decided to stick around! Kassian is thrilled to continue in the environmental educator role, teaching people of all ages about the beautiful natural world around us.

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