Follow the Spring Bird Migration with the BirdCast Migration Dashboard!

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Photo: Purple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards

The new BirdCast Migration Dashboard provides summaries of radar-based measurements of nocturnal bird migration, including estimates of the total number of birds migrating, their directions, speeds, and altitudes. This tool depicts migration patterns in near real time or as a summary of a whole night after nocturnal periods end (2021-present); this includes additional historical information (2013-2021) as well as previous nights’ movements. Note that the dashboard currently provides data for counties and states in the contiguous US, complementing the existing forecast and live migration maps but allowing you to explore nocturnal bird migration in ways that were previously impossible. As your explorations begin, discovering interesting, new and previously unknown patterns will be, perhaps, the most exciting aspects of the new tool!

This tool presents a number of different measures of bird migration, and the descriptions below provide some basic information and guidance for interpreting these appropriately. Type in the county or state of your choice in the contiguous United States, select a date during migration seasons in 2021 or 2022, and begin! If you are new to BirdCast, get acquainted with the basics: How to use the BirdCast Migration Dashboard to experience your local migration in detail.

BirdCast is a consortium of interdisciplinary researchers, primarily from three organizations at present, with a growing list of collaborators, supporters, and partners.

Core Partners: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst
Core funders: National Science Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, and Amazon Web Services
Other support: NOAA, US Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NASA, Microsoft
Other partners: Houston Audubon Society, Perot Museum, Dallas Zoo

 

 

Butterfly Gardening, Supply Side with Margaret Chatham, May 8th

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Photo: Margaret Chatham, Virginia Native Plant Society – Potowmack Chapter

Thursday, May 8, 2025
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Virtual

Free – Registration required.

Margaret Chatham will discuss larval host plants for an array of local butterflies.

Margaret Chatham is a Fraser Preserve Volunteer Visitation Committee Member who removes invasive barberry shrubs in winter and wavyleaf grass in summer and knows the preserve intimately. She is also editor of the VNPS Potowmack News newsletter, a volunteer at the VNPS propagation beds at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, and an Arlington Regional Master Naturalist.

Building Resilient Soil for a Changing Climate with Dan Schwartz, April 10th

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Photo: Dan Schwartz

Thursday, April 10, 2025
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Via ZOOM

Free – REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Dan Schwartz is a Soil Scientist with the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. He is a member of the soil survey update team and provides soil information to the public and agency staff. He also helps organize county-wide watershed clean-ups in the fall and spring.

The Clifton Institute Presents – Warbler Song Bootcamp, April 11th

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Image: The Clifton Institute Warbler Song Bootcamp

Friday April 11th, 2025
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
This event is Free! But if you are able, there is a suggested donation of $10.00

Virtual Event
Registration is REQUIRED.

*This is a virtual event. Registration will close at noon on April 10 to make sure everyone gets the Zoom link. If you have not received a Zoom link by that time please email Eleanor at [email protected]. If you would like to register at that time, you can email Eleanor, but she may not see your email in time. *

Brush up on your warbler songs just before the migrants arrive in droves. You 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. You 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 event will take place over Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to participants shortly before the event.

Cost: Free! But if you are able, there is a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds from The Clifton Institute programs go directly to funding their education programs, restoration work, and research projects. Thank you for your support!

Age: All ages.

 

Backyard Bird ID Workshop, March 20th

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Photo: Cerulean Warbler by Matt Felperin

Thursday, March 20, 2025
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Virtual

Free – RSVP now and start birding!

Sign-up for this exciting backyard bird identification workshop, where you will dive into the fascinating world of local birds and seasonal visitors! Whether you’re watching from your window, patio, or garden, you’ll gain the confidence to identify and appreciate the birds around you.

During this workshop, we’ll cover:

  • Common backyard bird species you’re likely to see year-round

  • Migratory warblers that might pass through your yard this Spring

  • Essential birding tools—from field guides to apps and binoculars

  • How to use Merlin to identify unfamiliar birds

  • How to use e-bird to report birds you observe

  • Tips for creating a team and participating in Birdathon

This is also a great opportunity for Wildlife Sanctuary Program participants to brush up on how to identify the Sanctuary Species that visit their yards. You need to document 10 sanctuary species to get your certification! Board Member Betsy Martin will join workshop to speak about that program and how you can make your yards friendlier to birds.

March Green Breakfast, In Person, March 8th

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Image: Fairfax County

Saturday, March 8, 2025
9 am
Ornery Public House, 3950 University Dr., #106 Fairfax VA

Register here.

Join Sara Girello with Fairfax County Government’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) for the first in-person Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Green Breakfast since 2019! Come learn more about climate action in Fairfax County and the county’s work to “Sustain Fairfax”. They will highlight the county’s climate plans, programs, and progress and what you can do to save money, reduce your emissions, build resilience, and help our community.

This Green Breakfast is IN-PERSON and includes actual breakfast! Please register here so NVSWCD can let the restaurant know how many people they need to plan for. The cost will be $15, payable in cash at the door.

If you have questions, please email [email protected]

Did you miss their last Green Breakfast? They’ve got you covered! View the recording of our January 2025 Green Breakfast with Carolyn Wilder of the Wildlife Rescue League here.

30,000 Miles in Search of Godwits with Bruce Beehar, March 18th

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Photo: Hudsonian Godwit – David Seidensticker/Audubon Photography Awards

Tuesday, March 18, 2025
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Virtual
FEE: $15 member; $25 non-member

REGISTRATION

Event Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA)

Between 2019 and 2022, the speaker completed five field trips in search of Hudsonian Godwits. Beehler visited stop-over sites through the Great Plains; visited breeding habitat in western Alaska, Churchill, Manitoba, and the High Arctic of western Canada; and did field surveys at a famous autumn staging site in James Bay. In all, Beehler traveled solo by car more than 30,000 miles, encountering Hudsonian Godwits in 10 states and provinces. He also spent time with Marbled and Bar-tailed Godwits, and 33 additional shorebird species. Moreover, Beehler accompanied various shorebird fieldworkers as they studied godwits and other species in remote and iconic field sites. In this illustrated lecture, Beehler will recount the highlights of his more than five months in the field, from Nome and Point Barrow to Tuktoyaktuk, Moosonee, and Monomoy Island.

Bruce Beehler is an ornithologist, conservationist, and naturalist. He is currently a Research Associate in the Division of Birds at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and a Scientific Affiliate of the American Bird Conservancy. Beehler has spent much of his scientific career studying and conserving birds and their forest habitats. After conducting doctoral fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, Beehler worked for ten years at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, followed by stints at the Wildlife Conservation Society, U.S. Department of State, Conservation International, and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

Ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed with Joanie Millward, March 11th

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PHOTO: Osprey, Doug German/Audubon Photography Awards

Tuesday, March 11, 2025
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Virtual
 FREE

TICKETS

Ospreys are a fish-eating bird of prey that can be found all over the world. Did you know that the osprey is one of the greatest environmental success stories? Osprey numbers crashed in the early 1950s to 1970s, when pesticides poisoned the birds and thinned their eggshells. Along the coast between New York City and Boston, for example, about 90% of breeding pairs disappeared. Osprey studies provided key support for wider legal arguments against the use of persistent pesticides. Learn more about their history, the challenges this species faces today in the Chesapeake Watershed and how you can help.

Joanie Millward is the founder and Executive Director of the Virginia Osprey Foundation. The Virginia Osprey Foundation based in Colonial Beach, VA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, protection, and stewardship of the majestic Osprey species and their fragile habitats throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia Osprey Foundation’s mission is to foster a sustainable environment where Ospreys thrive, inspiring a harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife.

You’re Invited! Lahr Native Plant Symposium, March 29th

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Photo: Courtesy of Plant NOVA Natives: Aromatic Aster, Muhly Grass, Rough Goldenrod

Saturday, March 29th, 2025
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

PAY WHAT YOU CAN REGISTRATION (The suggested registration cost is $95 (or $76 for FONA members), but please pay what you can to attend starting at $50.)

U.S. National Arboretum
Washington, D.C.

 

Dear Native Plant Enthusiast,

I am thrilled to invite you to the 38th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium, taking place on Saturday, March 29th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

This all-day event will feature engaging presentations by seven local experts, including horticulturists, scientists, and master naturalists.

Highlights of the symposium include:

  • Discovering how a historic estate is being reimagined with native plants.
  • Exploring research on the benefits of planting straight species versus cultivars.
  • Understanding the environmental impacts of proper backyard stormwater management.
  • A live demonstration of plant-pressing and its role in agricultural research and education.
  • Insights on encouraging native pollinators in your garden.

Engaging with the concept of ethical local foraging to support native landscapes.Your ticket also includes access to the Friends of the National Arboretum Native Plant Sale, where you’ll find local native plant vendors and artisans. Free lunch and snacks will be provided, with gluten-free and vegan options available.

For the full schedule of presentations and additional details, visit our ticketing page here:  38th Annual Lahr Native Plant Symposium

Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and fellow plant enthusiasts and reach out with any questions. I hope to see you there!

Best regards,

Molly Patton
she/her/hers (what is this?)
Public Horticulture and Engagement Unit
U.S. National Arboretum
Washington, DC
(207)415-1286

Meet Virginia’s Salamanders with Leeanna Pletcher, February 27th

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Photo: Courtesy of Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, Spotted Salamander

Thursday, February 27, 2025
7:00pm – 8:00pm EST

Virtual Event

Tickets $10.00 Members of the NVBS; $29.00 Non-NVBA Members (General Public)

Registration here.

Presentation of the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA)

Spotted Salamander by Judy Gallagher

This talk will cover the common species in Northern Virginia as well as the diversity and biology of these elusive creatures.

Leeanna Pletcher is a Park Naturalist Aide for Arlington County Parks and Recreation where she teaches about amphibians and reptiles. She has studied the population and health of Ambystomid salamanders in vernal pools in Virginia. She is a member of the Virginia Herpetological Society.