Birders helping Birds: Dead Creek WMA Volunteers needed July 7, 2022

 BIRDERS HELPING BIRDS – Invasive shrub honeysuckle is bad for birds. They eat the berries but the fruit doesn’t provide the high-fat, high-nutrient food they need before starting their fall migration. And nest predation is higher with shrub honeysuckle than with many other shrubs. In addition, invasive honeysuckle outcompetes just about everything, quickly becomes the dominant species in the forest understory, and reduces biological diversity by killing off native wildflowers, ferns, etc.

 We all can help! On July 7 (9 AM), join us for a honeysuckle cutting party at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison. Amy Alfieri and her colleagues at VT Fish and Wildlife have chosen two sites, one along the entrance drive to Brilyea and the other in the woods at the parking area at the end of that drive. Bring loppers, saws, gloves, etc. If you don’t have these tools, come anyway and help by dragging away the cut plants. Stay for an hour, two, three, or all morning.  Please let me know if you plan to help out – for the birds we all love!    Maeve Kim