Dense plantings of native plants capture stormwater Article and photo by Plant NOVA Natives Northern Virginia’s stream and river water quality is not great. Although agriculture is the largest contributor by far of nutrient and sediment loads in Virginia’s streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay, urban and suburban stormwater runoff is the second largest and […]
Diatom microfossil fragments at Brownies Beach, Maryland, magnified under the author’s microscope (Bausch and Lomb Stereo Zoom Microscope DD740). Diatoms are unicellular organisms and can be in various shapes. Article and photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas Fossils can be found on many trails. I have collected them from coal deposits in Schuylkill County, PA, in […]
Photo: Joe Subolefsky – Black Vultures./Audubon Photography Awards PRESS RELEASE: RICHMOND, VA The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has recently received reports of groups of dead black vultures across the state including several counties in Southwest Virginia. Preliminary testing indicates that the likely cause is H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Although disease activity […]
Photo: FMN Lori Scheibe Article by FMN Elaine Sevy After many years, Su Jewell and Kurt Gaskill are stepping down as Audubon Christmas Bird Count coordinators, and are searching for new coordinators so the count for 2025 can go on. Su was the Sector 10 coordinator, which included boundaries called “Lake Accotink,” described below. Kurt […]
Article and photo by Plant NOVA Natives Ah, the mosquito. It plagues our summers and can ruin our outdoor fun. Is anyone a fan? If so, consider the Asian tiger mosquito, which has no regard for personal space or time. If you happen to have it in your yard, it bites everyone, morning, noon, and […]
Feature photo: Fairfax County Park Authority Article and other photos by FMN Stephen Tzikas Just off Route 7 in Great Falls, Virginia, is a rare working grist mill from the early 19th century. The Colvin Run Mill campus is part of the Fairfax County Park Authority, and is an opportunity to see nature and engineering […]
Photo: Plant NOVA Natives Article by Eileen Ellsworth Imagine the world as it once was. Verdant forests, buzzing meadows, and numerous other natural areas were immense, whole, and pulsing with life. Over time, human activity emerged and carved the natural world into disconnected, even isolated parts. Ecologists refer to this process as habitat fragmentation. You […]
Photo: NVCT Wednesday, July 16, 2025 12 PM – 1 PM Zoom link provided upon registration Snakes often get a bad rap, but we share this land with them and they have important roles in their respective environments. In this webinar, learn how to properly identify, handle and avoid unpleasant interactions with native snakes of […]
Charcoal Trail Greenstone Outcrop at Catoctin Mountain Park Article, photos & illustration by FMN Stephen Tzikas A few months ago, I prepared a roadside chemical engineering field trip to the Catoctin Iron Furnace in Maryland, for the local chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. One of the features on that excursion was a […]
Photo: Ovenbird by ABC Tuesday, May 20, 2025 4 – 5 pm Free webinar Register here. Did you know that North America is home to 53 species of warblers? While many are easily recognized by their name, other species like redstarts and waterthrushes might surprise you. These vibrant songbirds are not just beautiful to observe; […]