Photo: Barbara Saffir
The Northern Virginia Bird Club offers three guided bird walks a week at a variety of locations. The trips are free and open to all. There is no need to register for the local trips.
Here is the schedule for March – June 2022.
Photo courtesy of Virginia Native Plant Society
Native plants provide better food for insects, which in turn provide food for birds. You can make a huge difference for wildlife by planting native species on your property.
Virginia Native Plant Society maintains a list of native plant sales in the area.
Not on the list, but worth considering is Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Native Plant Sale, which takes place on April 16, 2022 in Morven Park in Leesburg. More information is here: www.loudounwildlife.org/event/spring-native-plant-sale
Photo: Barbara Saffir
Reviewed by FMN Kristina Lansing
After a cold, grey winter, spring once again is on our doorstep. If you’re chafing to get outside but are finding conditions still a bit less than hospitable, try curling up instead with “Spring in Washington.”
“In the year the atomic age was born, a young man on a bicycle appointed himself monitor of spring in the nation’s capital. Starting before sun-up each morning, he pedaled miles and saw much before his workday began at the offices of the State Department. That the year was 1945 is of no importance, for the events he chronicled could have taken place in 1845 or 2045. The rites of spring are eternal.”*
Consider traveling back in time to experience what Washington was like back in 1945. Join author Louis J. Halle on his daily forays to the the Tidal Basin, Rock Creek Park, Dyke Marsh, Theodore Roosevelt Island, and the C&O Canal. Rock Creek was less visited back then and Dyke Marsh, lacking a boardwalk, was essentially off limits to all but the hardy and adventurous. A passionate observer of nature, Halle documents in detail the migration of birds, the awakening of foliage, and the changeability of the wind and the local weather. Written in the style of Aldo Leopold, but speaking very much with his own voice, Mr. Halle reflects not only on nature but on foreign affairs and the human condition. It’s a timely read for many reasons.
This book, which numbers just over 200 pages, is no longer in print but copies can readily be found in the Fairfax County Library system or for purchase via Amazon and Alibris. If at all possible, do try to snag a copy that features the illustrations of American artist Francis L. Jaques, as his drawings truly are delightful.
Louis J. Halle was born in New York City and educated at Harvard University. In 1979 he received the Audubon Naturalist Society’s Paul Dartsch Award for outstanding contributions to the field of natural history.
*“Spring in Washington;” Louis J. Halle; Johns Hopkins University Press; 1988; Forward by Roger Tory Peterson.
Friday, April 15, 2022
6 – 7 pm
Register here for either in person or online.
Brush up on your warbler songs just before the migrants arrive in droves. Sponsored by The Clifton Institute, they will listen to the songs of each of the migratory warblers that pass through our region in spring, while looking at spectrograms to help visual learners identify differences in similar songs. They will also briefly discuss habitats where breeding warblers can be found in our area and cover a handful of other migrants such as vireos and thrushes.
This workshop will be of interest to birdwatchers of all skill levels. It will definitely be more fun than listening to a warbler song CD in your car! This program will be a hybrid in-person / virtual event. They think it’s more fun to get together in-person and learn from each others’ birdwatching experience, but also want to make this class accessible to people who don’t live within driving distance of the Clifton Institute. Please indicate which way you plan to attend below by RSVP’ing. If you RSVP to the “Virtual (Online) Only”, you will be sent a Zoom link a few days prior to the event.
Photo by Nicolas Ladino Silva on Unsplash
The Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District 2022 Photo Contest theme is “Conservation Moments.” A full list of contest rules can be found here: Photo Contest Rules or on the VASWCD website. You can submit up to 10 photos online, here. All photographs must be taken within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Reach out to Maura Christian with any questions.
Article Photos courtesy of Fairfax County Park Authority
Author Suzanne Holland is Visitor Services Manager at Hidden Oaks Nature Center.
Preparations for construction take many forms. For Hidden Oaks Nature Center, the upheaval to the trees, park access and program scheduling are but a few of the aspects that site staff have long considered to get ready for the current renovation. One consideration was the construction’s impact on the pond that many frogs and salamanders use to mate in late winter and spring. Assisted by Eagle Scout Daniel Tootle, Hidden Oaks management planned a year in advance to minimize the habitat impact – a plan that has proven to be successful over the past two weeks.
Wood frogs arrived at Hidden Oaks Nature Center’s temporary pools on Feb. 20, 2022.
The current construction required filling in the existing pond. Staff’s concern was that this would disrupt mating patterns for the frogs and later the American toads and yellow spotted salamanders. Every March, more than a hundred wood frogs gather in a small body of water just outside of Nature Playce – the site’s outdoor nature exploration area. The male wood frogs call in a laughing duck manner to woo the female wood frogs from their winter slumber. All meet up in the pond. Females lay thousands of eggs which hatch into tadpoles which metamorphose into froglets by mid-summer.
In June 2021, Dylan Tootle and 23 volunteers installed two temporary ponds on either side of the planned construction zone as part of Dylan’s Eagle Scout project. Using repurposed baby pools and prefabricated pond liners, Tootle’s “ponds” created above-ground and in-ground options for the park’s resident amphibians. The first wood frogs appeared on February 20 and soon had eggs floating in the above-ground pool in front of the building. A few days later, the second pond was brimming with frogs. While programs are currently suspended at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, the frogs and their cacophony of sound have fascinated the construction crews and contractors. Unfortunately, a dozen frogs opted to disobey the signs, hop into the construction zone and plop into the partially rainwater-filled new pond still being built. The team from Kadcon installed a ramp in the new pond to accommodate the wood frogs, who find it easier to jump in than climb out the comparatively steep sides. Though rains have created plenty of puddles over the last few weeks, the frogs seem to prefer our ponds over the rainwater puddles.
Frog mating calls joined the construction noise to create a cacophony of sound at Hidden Oaks.
Wood frog egg masses soon appeared in the baby pool pond.
The new larger and permanent pond should be ready for its new inhabitants next week. Naturalists will then relocate the egg masses and newly hatched tadpoles into their new home. Sometimes the earliest laid eggs do not survive a hard freeze, but the adults can return to their shelter under the forest’s leaves and reenter “brumation”, a partial form of hibernation. They will rouse again when the weather warms up. The staff will track which pools the frogs and salamanders prefer and look forward to sharing the marvels of metamorphosis with visitors old and young.
Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located at 7701 Royce Street in Annandale. Please note the Nature Center is closed Feb. 14 to June 10, 2022, for renovations. No public restrooms will be available until April.
This entry was posted in Resource Management and tagged construction, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, nature, outdoors, Wood Frogs on .
Photo: Ashley Bradford
Tuesday and Thursday, March 29 and 31, April 5 and 7, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
ONLINE
ASNV members: $40
Non-members: $50
Register here.
Learn how to identify warblers visiting Northern Virginia in spring migration during this Audubon Society of Northern Virginia course.
Warblers are some of the most challenging birds to identify. They are small and often fast-moving, with easily confused calls and songs. This four-part course will cover plumage, behavior, and vocalizations to help you identify the 35 species of warblers you might see this spring.
This course will be presented by Bill Young, co-creator of the MPNature.com website, which describes the natural history of Monticello Park, a hidden gem and warbler hotspot in Alexandria, VA. Bill is the author of the book “The Fascination of Birds: From the Albatross to the Yellowthroat.” He also makes nature videos, and his YouTube channel has had 850,000 views.
An optional field trip, led by Phil Silas, will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 7:30 AM for 20 Identifying Warblers participants. The field trip fee is an additional $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers. The field trip will be held in Woodbridge, VA, but the exact location will only be revealed after registration. An email with a link to register for the field trip will be sent upon registration for Identifying Warblers. The field trip is first come, first serve and there will be a waitlist.
Photo credit: American Redstart, Ashley Bradford
Lake Gardiner photo: Chelsea Mahaffey
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens of Vienna, Virginia has a variety of indoor and outdoor volunteer opportunities available. Weekly commitment is not required to volunteer in the Gardens, but when a volunteer has completed 10 hours of volunteer service they will receive an Annual Garden Membership, 10% off gift shop purchases, Meadowlark Volunteer Bumper Sticker & Lapel Pin, and a wonderful opportunity to be part of a great community.
Garden Volunteer
Do you have experience gardening? Do you wish you could get more experience gardening? Meadowlark Botanical Gardens would love to have you on board to assist with our 95-acre garden oasis. Learn more about planting cycles, proper pruning habits, garden management and much more from our experienced horticulture team. The garden volunteers season begins in March and runs through December (Weather Permitting). Currently shifts include mornings, Monday through Thursday.
Photo: Chelsea Mahaffey
Visitor Relations Aide
Do you love helping people and having the answer to questions? Our Visitor Relations Aide are where the public turn to when they have something to ask, or a comment they would like to share with us. Assist staff with answering questions or following up with guests about annual memberships, portrait photography scheduling, tour scheduling and more. Current shifts include afternoons, evenings, and weekends.
Trail Volunteer
Do you enjoy spending time in the woods? Meadowlark Botanical Gardens would love to have you on board to assist with our trail systems throughout the gardens. Our diverse terrain needs regular pruning, clearing, and assessing to maintain access for all guests. Current shifts include mornings.
Those interested are encouraged to fill our volunteer inquiry form or email [email protected].
Feature photo: Mason Neck wetlands
Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas
(Article republished with permission from Audubon Society of Northern Virginia)
My first exposure to wetlands was when I was a child in the 1960s. I frequently saw the inlet of the Raritan River filled with thousands of cattails while sitting in the backseat as my parents drove over the Victory Bridge connecting Perth Amboy and South Amboy, NJ. Much of those wetlands and floodplain around the river contained clay deposits that fueled a large terracotta industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the most interesting geological finds of these clay areas included gem grade amber with prehistoric insect inclusions.
Later in life, as an engineer, I had some peripheral experiences with wetlands in engineering reviews of Federal construction. That took me to unique environments and terrains such as extreme cold regions, hot deserts, dams, and wetlands. But wetlands also caught my interest because of environmental concerns, which made up a significant portion of my early career. Wetlands are protected and regulated. Many are found here in Fairfax County and local trails will bring you to them and the unique birds found within their boundaries. But before we note wetland birds, something should be said about the history behind protecting wetlands.
Wetland ecosystems protect and improve water quality, offer habitats, provide flood protection and erosion control, maintain surface water flow during dry periods, and present opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation. By the way, those cattails I used to see so frequently are an iconic wetland plant found worldwide in a variety of aquatic ecosystems such as marshes, ponds, lakes, and riparian areas.
Wetlands were considered an obstacle to development. They were often drained for farm land and construction. In the early 20th century, largely due to declining populations of ducks and geese, and the political pressure exerted by hunters, the federal government started protecting habitats for birds. The 1977 Clean Water Act was a big step forward for wetland protection. It protected waterways that resulted in protecting the wetlands that fed into them. Also in 1977, executive orders ended federal assistance for the draining and filling of wetlands. A federal policy of “no net loss” of wetlands became the norm.
Munsell soil test kit
Rutgers University has a regularly recurring one-day continuing education course at their wetlands location: the Environmental Education Center at Lord Sterling Park in Basking Ridge. The Introduction to Wetland Identification course teaches the use of Munsell soil test kits for wetlands. Although an online version of the course exists, the in-person version is better for the practical experience it delivers. Wetland soils are often grey (reduced) or dark brown to black. Use of the Munsell color system assures consistent classification. The course also makes use of dichotomous keys to identify wetland plants.
Huntley Meadows wetlands
The eBird website posts bird sightings at wetlands throughout Fairfax County. Recently, as part of the Fall 2021 Fairfax Master Naturalist class, our field trip to Huntley Meadows wetlands in Alexandria recorded birds along a trail that was just under 2 miles. Birds spotted included: Canada Geese, Mallards, yellowlegs, herons, vultures, eagles, Belted Kingfishers, Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and several types of hawks, woodpeckers, and sparrows. More common birds included Blue Jays, Carolina Chickadees, American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, crows, Tufted Titmice, and Northern Cardinals. In fact, Fairfax County Parks have documented more than 200 bird species in Huntley Meadows Park.
On another Master Naturalist field trip, we explored a different wetland at Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge. While we didn’t keep count of birds on this trip, it is known to have many types of birds throughout the year including Tundra Swans, Black Ducks, Northern Pintails, Mallards, and many others. High tide is the best time to go because the birds are closer to the shore and will be feeding more actively.
When: Saturday & Sunday, 04/23 -24/2022 10:00AM-6:00PM
Click here for more information.
Event Description:
The annual Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival is a great way to kick off your spring activities. Visit Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s booth for hands-on activities for kids of all ages, see what bear scat really looks like, quiz yourself on different wildlife tracks and signs, and pick up lots of free handouts with ideas for the whole family to get outside and explore nature.