Birds of Cavendish

Since we've been staying home, many people have been talking about the birds they are seeing this spring. This initially reminded me of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who in an interview after returning to Russia, commented that the birds of Vermont, while beautiful, didn't sing. Actually they do, and it's been incredible listening to all of their songs.

While the VT Audubon Society provides excellent information about the birds in our region, last weekend, we asked people to post pictures of birds they were seeing this spring. Since then, this post has taken on a whole new meaning.

Bird man doing what he loved best.

On May 21, Cavendish lost one of its most locally known and loved residents, "Bird Man," Bill Jansak, when he died from a heart attack.  Bird received that nick name because he loved birds and made them houses, put up feeders when he worked at the Transfer Station, and photographed them.

A true jack of all trades, no matter what he was doing, be it washing the Cavendish War Memorial, fishing, running a band saw, or setting off fire works, a cigar was always in Bird man's mouth. He could show up at your house at 6 in the morning with a treasure just for you, and many shared in the bounty of his fishing trips.

Winter Wren by Otis Nelson

Bird went about the business of caring for both the people and wildlife of Cavendish. It's in his honor and memory that we share the many pictures people posted to Facebook this past week.

Eagle and Osprey Otis Nelson

Rose Breasted Grosbeak by Allen Clark

Bald Eagle Pat Moore

Yellow Rumped Warbler Otis Nelson

Have a couple of buntings fighting for a little lady here in Cavendish. Faun-Marie Orton

Chickadee Allen Clark

Downy Woodpecker Allen Clark                                                                       Bald Eagle Allen Clark

It took 4 years and a new birdhouse to get the Wrens

to nest in our tiny yard! Beth Kurash

Baltimore Oriole Leonard Lawson

Scarlet Tanager Leonard Lawson

Eastern Phoebe by Allen Clark

American Redstart Leonard Lawson

Barn Swall Leonard Lawson

Indigo Bunting Beth Kurash

Cardinal Melissa Ann Davis

Yellow-bellied sapsucker by Leonard Lawson

Chestnut Sided Warbler by Otis Nelson

Pittsburgh Oriole by Eddy Braucht

Rose breasted grosbeak by Courtney McGuire

CHS May Briefs

1918 Flu Pandemic in Vermont

Historical societies have a unique role to play in situations like the current Covid-19 pandemic. We must accurately compile information, physical reminders, photographs etc. of how the pandemic is shaping the lives of people of Cavendish, as well as remind our community of how Cavendish faced such challenges in the past.

As a result CHS is collecting everything from masks to personal journals. We suspended our normal “Cavendish Women You should Know” as part of Women’s History Month and started posting articles on how our past history prepares us for this pandemic.  

Since we’re on “Stay at Home,” we can’t get to the archives, particularly death records from the 1918 flu pandemic. However, we know there aren't diaries, contagion signs etc. so it’s helping us be more determined to leave a complete record of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CHANGES AHEAD: As we adjust to the new normal of social distancing, we’re looking to more virtual ways we can continue to provide CHS’s mission. Some of the things we’re considering include:

• Hands on History Kits:  Distributed via the CHS Tiny Museum-hopefully we can get one of our carpenters to create a “little library” type structure where we can put items in at various times that people can then take out.

• Walking/Driving Tours: Some of these we already have but we are working on more. We’ll make these available on-line as well as in print. Such walks would include: Proctorsville Village; Haunted Proctorsville; Cavendish Village; First Settlers;  Cavendish Cemeteries; Fitton Mill; and Calico Captive (first child of European descent born in Cavendish).

• Cavendish Quest: Similar to Valley Quest.

• Zoom in for Cavendish History: Instead of Sunday programs, we would offer a series of Zoom talks.

MUSEUM: We don’t know if we’ll be able to open the Museum this season. We are currently considering by appointment only but it will depend on state guidelines.

PLANT SALE: Because Vermont’s Farmer’s Markets are opening on May 1, and garden centers are already open, we are planning on holding the plant sale May 23 (Saturday) using Farmer Market guidelines in front of the Museum from 9-noon. The Museum will not be open that day.

We are  taking orders now for tomato plants, salad buckets and herb pots. If you have ideas for other veggies you'd like in a grow pot, let us know and we'll see what we can work out. Tomatoes are $10 (Early girl, Cherry, and Sun Gold)  and come in five gallon food grade buckets. Salad buckets and herb pots (include a variety of herbs) are $15 a piece. These can last well into the fall.

To order, please e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com with the type and quantity of tomato plants you want as well as other items. If you are in the Okemo Valley, we will be doing

deliveries prior to the sale.

We understand that some people are in high risk groups and are reluctant to leave home but still want to work in their garden. If you are in that situation and want plants other than those described above, please let us know what you are looking for and we will try to deliver.

Finally, we need more containers for our salad buckets (must be at least 8 inches deep) and herb pots. If you have some you’d like to donate you can either e-mail or call 802-226-7807, or just drop them off at the Museum.

NEW AT THE CHS BLOG

• Cavendish & Vermont Flu Pandemic 1918

• Cavendish’s Best Known Social Distancer: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

• The Relevance of One Day in the Life to Covid-19

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 23 (Saturday): CHS Annual Plant Sale. 9-noon in front of the Museum. Please pre order “Salad in a bucket” or “Tomatoes to Go” by e-mailing margocaulfield@icloud.com or calling 802-226-7807. We will be doing some deliveries prior to the sale.