FCPS Science Fair Judges Needed, Various Dates

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Image courtesy of FCPS.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is looking for science experts to judge their Fairfax County Science Fairs across the county.

Local FCPS Science Fair Judges

— Local high schools are looking for judges for their individual fairs.
— Judges do not need any prior experience judging but should have a background in science.

Regional Science Fair Category Judges

— Saturday, March 16, 2024 at Robinson Secondary School, 5035 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA
— Judges need to have an education and expertise in one of the many categories at Regional Fair.
— All interested parties are encouraged to apply but should preferably hold an advanced degree or possess extensive academic and/or professional experience in a science or engineering category.
— Chairpersons are needed to oversee the judging for each category.
— Parents, teachers, and family friends are not allowed to judge in categories in which their child, student, or family friend’s child is competing.

Please fill out this Google Form to indicate how you’re interested in supporting FCPS Science Fairs.

The Petroglyphs of Great Falls, Virginia

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Feature photo:  The author at the Great Falls petroglyph site sitting on a chair-like rock.

Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas

Early in my career I had numerous business trips to the southwest border of the country, and on my personal time, I visited the national or state parks in the area that had petroglyphs.  I found these fascinating, because they are the communication record of the indigenous people of the area. I think most people associate petroglyphs with the southwest of the country, but one can find them on the East coast too, including Fairfax County.

The Safe Harbor Big and Little Indian Rock petroglyphs are an archaeological site located at Conestoga Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It consists of two rock islands located in the Susquehanna River. Big Indian Rock is 60 feet by 40 feet, and has carvings on all sides. These Safe Harbor petroglyphs are the largest concentration of ancient Native American rock art sites in the eastern United States.  In June 2000, I had the pleasure to venture out about a half mile by small canoe to the petroglyphs with the expert archaeologist on these rock symbols.  He was interested in my astronomical, folklore, and Jungian psychology interpretations as they related to the archaeological record. The petroglyphs of this location easily rival those in the southwest.

The wider area of the Great Falls petroglyphs.

The Fairfax County petroglyphs are located in Great Falls, along Difficult Run, walking from Georgetown Pike.  They show a series of a man with a spear being thrown with an atlatl. The atlatl existed prior to the bow and arrow, so the petroglyphs are likely 500+ years old to about 5,000 years old. They are very weathered so in my opinion they are in the older range of estimates. Petroglyphs are powerful

One of the Great Falls petroglyphs.

anthropological archetypes that are central to the culture that lived in the Great Falls area at the time. Think about how you as a person are defined by all the cultural symbols around you, and then you can better appreciate

Great Falls petroglyph close-up.

how the rock art and surrounding natural environs played a role in the mental identification of these original communities.

Invasive Removal and Habitat Restoration, Various Dates

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Photo: FMN Margaret Fisher, Trees being engulfed by invasive plants

Various dates and times

Various locations

Join these efforts to remove invasive species, repair trails, and otherwise beautify natural spaces! Visit the links below to learn more.

Winter Symposium & CVNLA Short Course: Gardening for the Future, February 14th & February 15th

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Photo: FMN Jennifer Pradas, Pollinator garden

Wednesday, February 14 & Thursday, February 15, 2024
9:00 am – 3:50 pm

In-Person OR Virtually, via Zoom

In-Person Tickets: $100/day or $180 for a 2-day ticket (includes light breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and all-day hot beverage service)
Virtual Tickets: $55/day or $100 for a 2-day ticket (includes access to recorded presentations for a limited time)

Click here for additional information and registration details.

Gardening for the Future

Solving the complex challenges of designing a future that supports the health of our ecosystems and the thriving of all living things on Earth will require collaboration and thoughtful solutions from all corners of the green industry (and beyond!). This year’s symposium explores some of these innovative approaches that are being researched and implemented across the green industry with the goal of moving together toward a resilient future. 

Join this year’s symposium on Wednesday, February 14 and Thursday, February 15 to hear a variety of exciting speakers including Chris Ludwig (Flora of Virginia co-author), Ekene Tharpe (Babylon Micro-Farms), Andrew Freiden (NBC12), Jazmin Albarran (Seed Your Future), Josh Cerra (Cornell University), Richard Olsen (U.S. National Arboretum) and many more.  

The Sounds of Nature: How Natural Sounds are Made and Why They Sound Like They Do *Virtual*, February 22nd

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

February 22, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

**This is a virtual program**

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

As mostly visual creatures, we often take sound for granted, but there is a whole incredible world of vibrations going on around us. In this Zoom program, Co-Director Eleanor Harris, Ph.D., will explain how natural sounds are made and how both human and non-human animals hear them. From why birds sing in the morning to how insects hear with their legs, thinking about sounds in nature might change the way you see and hear the world around you. A Zoom link will be emailed to participants shortly before the program.

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute liability release policy.

Spotted Salamander Walk, February 13th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

February 13, 2024
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

Once a year, salamanders leave their homes in the woods and head toward vernal pools, temporary ponds created by spring rains and melting winter snow. The conditions must be just right, a warm night with rainy conditions. The males arrive first and lay sperm sacks around the pond. The females come later and absorb these sacks, which causes them to lay their eggs, about 50-100 per female. Join this walk to the vernal pools to witness this spectacle of nature.

It will be necessary to watch the weather closely to adjust the time and date that looks most promising for the group to see this wonderful migration. For now, this date is a best-guess placeholder for the walk. You will receive an email closer to the date with information about when to meet.

Please bring a flashlight. As you will likely go out in the rain, the recommendation is to wear a raincoat and waterproof shoes.

Age:  Adults and children ages 12 and up, accompanied by an adult.

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). It is required that everyone have a mask with them in case the class needs to go inside during inclement weather, to administer first aid, or for other reasons. Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

Before attending this event, please read the information included on the Clifton Institute liability release form (click here).

How to iNaturalist, February 3rd

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

February 3, 2024
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

FREE

Registration is REQUIRED.

Cost: Free!

iNaturalist is a powerful tool for people to learn about nature and to contribute to science, but there are lots of people who are not sure how to use it. In this program, Co-Directors Bert and Eleanor Harris will give a brief introduction to the iNaturalist app and website and some background and why it is loved it so much. Then you will go outside and practice how to take pictures and upload them to have the best chance at having your observation identified. Please download the iNaturalist app onto your phone before you arrive.

Age:Adults and children accompanied by an adult.

Weather policy: Rain or shine except in case of extreme weather (e.g. thunderstorm or significant snow fall).

COVID-19 Information: This program will be entirely outdoors (an outside porta potty will be available). Please do not attend if you are experiencing or have experienced in the last two weeks any symptoms associated with COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.).

Cancellation policy: If you register and can no longer attend this event, please let the Clifton Institute know as soon as possible so that they can open your spot to someone else.

By registering for this event, you are affirming that you have read and agree to the Clifton Institute’s liability release policy.

 

Behavior, Society and Sex in Adolescent Birds with Liam Taylor, February 8th

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Photo: William Young, Great Horned Owlet

February 8, 2024
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Virtual Seminar

ASNV Member ticket: $15 (Non-member ticket: $20)
Registration details

Most birds have some growing up to do before they start to breed. Despite reaching full size within weeks or months of hatching, some species will not raise offspring for years, or even decades. Liam Taylor explores the strange things that some birds need to do before they reproduce—from meeting a fishing buddy on a rocky island to finding a dance partner on a rainforest floor. Looking back through millions of years of evolution, Taylor uncovers how behavioral, social, and sexual development continues to create new challenges and opportunities for adolescent birds.

Liam Taylor is a PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University. He studies how social development influences, and is influenced by, the life history and evolution of birds, with a focus on delayed reproduction and delayed plumage maturation in colony-nesting seabirds and lekking Manakins.

Ducks and Waterfowl Identification with Greg Butcher, January 25th

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Photo: FMN Jerry Nissley

 

Thursday, January 25, 2024
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Virtual Presentation
FREE, but registration is required!

Join Greg Butcher, Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) board member and retired migratory species coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service International Programs, for an introduction to waterfowl identification. Get to know many of the species that winter in the open waters of our region. You’ll learn how to tell a Bufflehead from a Hooded Merganser, and you’ll learn the features (and hear the call) of the beautiful Tundra Swans that winter in Northern Virginia. Strategies will include identification by shape and color pattern.

This event will be helpful for those participating in the Winter Waterfowl Count on Feb 3rd and 4th but is open to anyone who would like to know how to identify winter waterfowl!

Some good locations to see waterfowl in Northern Virginia are Huntley Meadows, Dyke Marsh and Mason Neck State Park.

Winter Waterfowl Count, February 3rd and 4th

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Photo by FMN Ana Ka’ahanui.

Saturday, February 3, 7:00 AM – Sunday, February 4 – 2:00 PM
Various locations
FREE, but registration is required!

The Winter Waterfowl Count is a citizen science effort organized by Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) to track data about winter waterfowl. This survey complements the Christmas Bird Count, and the data is shared openly with the public. When it started in 2008, ASNV volunteers covered the Potomac River from Algonkian Regional Park in Loudoun County to Quantico Marine Base in Prince William County, as well as many inland bodies of water. In 2020 ASNV expanded the survey to include areas along the Potomac River in King George and Westmoreland Counties down to the mouth of the Potomac River where it empties into Chesapeake Bay.

Although ASNV expect many veterans from past years to return, they can always use new volunteers. Beginners are welcome but are strongly encouraged to attend the Duck and Waterfowl Identification webinar on January 25. Each volunteer will be assigned to a team led by an experienced birder. Each team determines the start time, which will vary between 7:00 and 8:30am. End times may also vary depending on assigned survey locations.

This count is organized by Larry Cartwight. The deadline to register is Tuesday, January 30 at 9:00 PM so that you can be assigned to a team in time for the count on Saturday morning.

Larry Cartwright is an avid birder and leads several avian related surveys in Northern Virginia. He lectures on birds and birding for the Lifetime Learning Institute at Northern Virginia Community College. His lecture topics have included the evolution of birds from feathered theropod dinosaurs and birding in the Alaskan tundra. Larry has received several awards from scientific and conservation organizations, including the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s Jackson M. Abbott Conservation Award for 2013.