In-person Art Class: Sketching Birds 101 with Jess Michetti, April 8th

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Sketch: Sketching Birds 101 by Jess Michetti

Wednesday, April 8, 2026
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Fee: Members $12.00, Nonmembers $23.00

National Wildlife Federation Building
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA 20190

Click here for Registration and Sign-up

About the course:

In the spirit of Draw A Bird Day (04/08/2026), students will use pencils, pens and copy paper to enjoy drawing birds – together! This event celebrates drawing birds as a way to enjoy the challenge of putting pencil to paper and learn something about our subject along the way.

Draw A Bird Day began in the UK in the 1940s when a young girl asked her wounded uncle to draw a bird for her while visiting him in the hospital. He obliged, and the girl told him he was not a good artist and laughed. The simple act of drawing and sharing lifted his spirits, and from then on, he and others in the hospital drew birds together every time the girl would visit, taking their minds off their injuries and bringing a bit of joy to the hospital ward. Draw a Bird Day is celebrated every year on her birthday, April 8.

Students will talk about materials and techniques along the way as we draw an American Robin together, step-by-step. Absolutely no experience is required, and all skill levels are welcome!

About the Speaker

Jess Michetti is the graphic designer and artist behind Good Goose Graphics. She’s an avid bird watcher, and birds are her favorite subject to draw. She shares her highly detailed colored pencil drawings online and at northern Virginia area art shows throughout the year and hopes that her work inspires viewers to slow down, notice and care for the beauty of nature all around them…to choose wonder.

Fourth Annual Conference for Spanish-Speakers – With Hands-on Training in The Afternoon, February 26th

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Photo: Plant NOVA Natives

 

Thursday, February 26, 2026 (Rain Date: Thursday, March 5)
9:00 am – 12:30 pm (Optional practical session – 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm)

Location: Annandale, VA (Location will be sent to registrants)

Registration is required by February 25.   Please click on the link for details and to register. (PlantNovaTrees.org/clase-en-espanol)

All for free! (Lunch and snacks are included.)

Spanish-language Workshop for Landscape Professionals 

Learn about native plants and natural landscape management. 

Open to owners, designers, foremen, laborers, and employees of garden centers.

Fourth annual conference for Spanish-speakers – with hands-on training in the afternoon
Thursday, February 26, 2025 in Annandale. The conference is free and in person and includes lunch.
Topics include
  • Introduction to invasive plant control as a business
  • Native shrubs and vines for the garden

  • Invasive shrubs and vines

If our new guide Native Plants for Virginia Gardens has been printed, everyone will receive a copy.

Special event – this year only!

In partnership with Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM, we will be combining this conference with the first offering of a certificate course on the identification and control of invasive plants. The course will include both on-line and in-person learning. Those wishing to be eligible for a certificate should stay for the afternoon session and plan to do the on-line learning and a second in-person practice later. Click here for more information.

Questions? plantnovanatives@gmail.com 

Enhancing Our Understanding of Ecology

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Enhancing Our Understanding of Ecology – By FMN Mike Mixon

National Geographic defines Ecology as, “the scientific study of how organisms interact with each other and their unique physical environments”.

As Virginia Master Naturalists we acquired a fundamental understanding of Ecology while undergoing the chapter’s basic training program. If  you would like to enhance your knowledge on this subject, I recommend you consider taking the online course offered by Universal Class entitled, “The Power of Ecology: Shaping a Sustainable Future.” I completed the self-paced course in January 2026 and was amazed at the breadth and depth of the material covered. Topics included extinction and evolution, biodiversity, conservation and adaptation, biogeography, ecosystems, and many others. The course consists of 20 learning modules, quizzes, and an end-of-course exam. Completing the course requires learners to accrue 70 percent of all possible points. Upon successful completion, a certificate was made available to me and my hours were accrued towards Universal Class continuing education. I then contacted our chapter’s Hours Committee and received approval to log 14 hours as FMN continuing education in Better Impact, using ‘Other’ as the Approved CE Organization.

Note that the online course provider—Universal Class—normally operates on a paid subscription basis. The good news is that Fairfax County Public Library cardholders can take Universal Class courses for free. If interested, you should check it out!  Universal Class offers a wide range of course topics and many of its other courses are not eligible for FMN continuing education.

If you are not familiar with the Fairfax County Public Library website, then here are steps you can follow to find the free course, “The Power of Ecology: Shaping a Sustainable Future” offered by Universal Class.
>Go to the following URL: https://fairfaxcounty.gov/library
>Under “Department Resources” click “Account | Log In”
>Login to your account
>In the far-left column, go down and find “Research Center” and click “All Databases”
>In the “Database / Key Word” search bar, search for “Universal Class”
>From the search results, click “Universal Class”
>Click “Browse Courses”
>Search “Ecology”
>From the search results, click “The Power of Ecology: Shaping A Sustainable Future” icon
>Click “+ Join This Course”
>Click “Register Now” and you are on your way.

Featured Image: “Parasitic ecology icon” by Debivort on EN wiki is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

 

DWR Living with Coyotes

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The Department of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with VMN, is offering to train Master Naturalists via a statewide program on “Living with Coyotes”.

Recordings: As with all of our VMN CE Webinar Series, this session was  recorded and posted on the CE Webinar Series page of our website. Viewing the recorded session counts as VMN CE, not as the required train-the-trainer session for VMN volunteers who want to do public presentations and outreach about coyotes using the DWR materials. Those volunteers must attend the live webinar, and in-person training at Maymont.

Description:
Trained participants will work with the Furbearer Biologist from the DWR to develop educational programming about coyotes and how to sustainably co-exist with them. Trained volunteers will decide when and where to present the material to reach the desired audience. Possible opportunities include talks for homeowners’ associations, realtors, community groups such as Ruritans, garden clubs, libraries, and government groups such as boards of supervisors.  Volunteers can also present information in a tabling/booth format at local events and festivals.

To Volunteer:
Attend the required live training with Leah Card from DWR and provide her with your name and contact information in order to be on the list of trained volunteers prepared to give Living with Eastern Coyote presentations. There will be three live trainings offered in 2026. Additional trainings will be scheduled in subsequent years according to need and presenter availability.

Reporting Service:
When reporting FMN hours to this activity, please report to E301: DWR Living with Coyotes so that we can track this service separately from other VMN education and outreach. In the Description field, include details about who you presented to and please mention the word “coyote”. In the Direct Contacts section, include the number of people with whom you directly spoke. If the service was not a presentation and instead was something like writing an article for a newsletter on the topic, you may put the circulation number for the newsletter as Indirect Contacts. In the Impacts field, include any observational or written evaluation information.

Links and Materials:
* DWR will provide educational materials to the volunteers who are trained after the live trainings

* Questions? Contact Leah Card, DWR Furbearer Biologist and lead for this activity, Leah.card@dwr.virginia.gov, 804-801-4108 or Krista Weatherford, Maymont Foundation and local lead for this activity in the Richmond area at kweatherford@maymont.org, 804-358-7166 ext 325

Featured image courtesy of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Winter Crow Watch at Shirlington Roost, January 17th

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Photo of Crow by Ahmed Fahmi on Unsplash

Saturday, January 17, 2026
4:30 PM 6:00 PM

Free

Shirlington Library
4200 Campbell Avenue
Arlington, VA 22206

Join the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance and their partners at DC Bird Alliance for a Winter Crow Watch at the Shirlington roost located in Arlington, VA. You’re in for a show as the crows gather here in numbers so large it actually appears on radar!

Plan to meet around 4:30pm at the Shirlington Library, near the Harris Teeter located at 4200 Campbell Ave, Arlington, VA 22206. Here participants will listen to a brief presentation (more details to come soon) before everyone walks together to the viewing point on the top floor of the parking garage at the west end of the Village at Shirlington (about a two-minute walk.)

Here the organizers have binoculars and scopes for participants to use to view the crows as they gather for a noisy social time before heading to the roost for the night. Participants can watch the crows for about 60 minutes, depending on weather conditions and crow activity. Remember to dress warmly!

Pre-registration is not required for NVBA Bird Outings, but it helps us prepare and allows us to contact participants in case of last-minute cancellations (see cancellation policies below.) Otherwise, the outing will take place as scheduled.

For more information and details please click here.

Living With Black Bears – Wolf Trap National Park, February 1st

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Photo: Courtesy of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Black Bear and cubs
Sunday, February 1, 2026
11:00 am to Noon
Free
Presentation will be held Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
“Black Bears: Cute and Curious…Learn about our local bears and how to safely co-exist with them.

Join Dr. Peter M. Mecca, Adjunct Professor, Educator, Scientist, and Fairfax Master Naturalist for a “Bare Facts” INDOOR presentation, in the beautifully renovated Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Filene Center, on Living with Black Bears, an award-winning education and outreach initiative addressing human–bear interactions in Virginia, including locally in the DMV. This presentation is appropriate for all ages.

Gain an understanding of black bears, their behaviors and habitats, food sources, migration patterns and more. The session will offer practical, science-based strategies that can be used to reduce conflicts with black bears. Learn how to manage attractants and how to prevent interactions to help protect people, their pets, and other wildlife.

This project is a partnership between the Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN) program and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)and received the 2025 Outstanding Volunteer Project Award from the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP). The award recognizes volunteer-led projects that advance natural resource management and public education. Evaluations from more than 80 presentations Statewide show that participants leave better informed and more likely to adopt bear-smart practices.

Cost: Free   For our staffing planning, please only register if you are certain you can make this event.

Meet: Presentation starts promptly at 11am.

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Drive behind the Filene Center to park in Lot 1. Enter through the backstage entrance, which is on the Toll Roadside of the Filene Center building. Volunteers will guide you.

Please register through the Eventbrite posting so we have an accurate account of attendees for purposes of determining seating and volunteer support:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-with-black-bears-wolf-trap-national-park-tickets-1979685929908?aff=oddtdtcreator
Attendance at this event is eligible for one of Continuing Education credit.  Record completion in your Better Impact account as “All Continuing Education – National Park Service.”

Alliance Afternoon: Searching for Lost Birds with John Mittermeier, January 25th

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Image: Imperial woodpecker This media file is in the public domain in the United States.

Sunday, January 25, 2026
2:30 PM 4:30 PM

Free

National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive Ste. 100
RestonUnited States (map)

For more presentation details and registration information please click here!

Join this presentation on Sunday, January 25th at 2:30pm for the first Alliance Afternoon of 2026! At this quarterly chapter meeting, guests will gather in the cafeteria of the National Wildlife Federation Building to mingle with other bird-lovers while enjoying snacks and drinks. Attendees are also welcome to bring additional food or beverages to share.

NVBA staff and the Board of Directors will kick off the meeting by conducting chapter business, followed by celebrations of the 2025 Christmas Bird Count and the 2026 Photo Contest Calendar. The agenda will then move into a discussion of upcoming advocacy opportunities and other chapter updates. The featured presentation will be given by guest speaker, John Mittermeier of the American Bird Conservancy, who will speak on the Search for Lost Birds. The presentation will conclude with time for audience questions before the wrap up of this quarter’s meeting around 4:30 p.m. Following the meeting, guests are welcome to stay for NVBA’s Volunteer Recruitment Fair, where NVBA staff and committee chairs will highlight upcoming volunteer opportunities for participants to explore and consider joining.

The quarterly chapter meetings are open to both NVBA members and the general public. Anyone interested in the birds of northern Virginia is welcome! This event is free, and registration is not required; however, those who RSVP will receive reminder messages.

Presentation on Searching for Lost Birds

Around the world, just over 100 species of birds are currently considered “lost” meaning that they are not considered extinct but that no one has been able to document them in the past decade or more. What are these lost birds and why can’t anyone find them? Do they matter for conservation? Join John C. Mittermeier, the Director of the Search for Lost Birds at American Bird Conservancy, to answer these questions and hear stories about the efforts to rediscover some of these mysterious species.

About John C. Mittermeier:

John C. Mittermeier, PhD, is the Director of the Search for Lost Birds at American Bird Conservancy where he helps support projects to look for lost bird species around the globe. Prior to joining American Bird Conservancy in 2020, he received a PhD in biodiversity conservation from the University of Oxford and has conducted ornithological research and fieldwork in Suriname, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, and the Solomon Islands, among other places. Click here to learn more about The Search for Lost Birds.

Raptor Rehabilitation and Rodenticide Awareness with Dr. Belinda Burwell, January 24th

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Photo: Stacey Remick-Simkins red-tailed hawk

 

Saturday, January 24, 2026
12:00 PM 3:00 PM

General Admission: $25       Wildlife Rehabber Admission: $15

National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA, 20190United States

Registration and important presentation details please click here.

Join this presentation on January 24th for an afternoon of educational lectures covering the fundamentals of raptor rehabilitation. The course will be taught by certified wildlife rehabilitator and veterinarian Dr. Belinda Burwell and will cover essential raptor rehabilitation skills geared toward at-home rehabbers. Next, participants will learn how rodenticides impact raptors negatively. This event is hosted in partnership with A.E.R.O. (Animal Education and Rescue Organization) and is open to anyone interested in attending.

The training will provide wildlife caregivers and apprentices with guidance on:

  • How to identify which raptors need intervention and which do not

  • Best practices for stabilizing and housing injured adult raptors before transport

  • Understanding normal baby raptor development and when and how to intervene

  • Practical tips for rehabbers who may be offering guidance over the phone or providing initial stabilization prior to transfer

Because the majority of raptors admitted to rehabilitation are injured adults there will be a special emphasis on safe handling, transport, and triage for adults. During the training, cadaver birds will be available to demonstrate proper bandaging and handling techniques, providing participants with valuable hands-on experience.

About Dr. Belinda Burwell

With 40 years of veterinary experience treating domestic and exotic pets, and native wildlife. She is currently in practice at Plaza Pet Clinic in Winchester, and also runs a non-profit called Wildlife Veterinary Care, an organization offering free veterinary care to injured and sick wildlife.

Her goals as a veterinarian are assuring the availability of quality veterinary care for all the animals in our community and teaching the public to care about animals.
In 1998, she was a founder of the Valley Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Winchester, and in 2000 started the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization. When her children were young, she started the 4H Naturalist’s Club in Clarke County as an organization offering hands-on learning about nature and the environment to children.

She has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife since 1987 and became a Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator through the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. As a wildlife rehabilitator, she has experience rehabilitating more than 200 different species of Virginia’s native wildlife.

She has served on the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator Examination Board, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Wildlife Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, and on the Advisory Board of the Animal Rescue Fund. In addition, she is a Virginia Master Naturalist and Course Instructor.

Registration for this event is required. This program’s proceeds will be split between AERO and NVBA. Any event questions should be sent via email and to addressed to Amanda at info@nvbirdalliance.org .

 

Become a FrogWatch Monitor in 2026, A Citizen Science Opportunity

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FrogWatch is a great citizen science program opportunity for Fairfax Master naturalists. The FrogWatch volunteers currently work with Huntley Meadows (and historically with Fairfax Co. Parks) to have participants track frog populations throughout the calling season.

FrogWatch USA 2026
Southern Maryland (and surrounding DMV) Chapter

FrogWatch is a citizen science program that tracks frog populations throughout the United States. Learn more about the FrogWatch chapter here. Participants will choose a monitoring site that is easily accessible and close to where they live or work to listen to frogs that are calling throughout the warmer months. There are four indoor trainings to help orient people with the frogs that are in Southern Maryland/DMV area and their calls. Content is the same, so chose one training that fits your schedule. You can either attend in person or through TEAMS; a video link will be provided in a reminder email a week before the training.

If you have any questions, please contact Matt Neff or Kim Curren.
To register please click here: https://forms.gle/1nn1dW4Sa3X3rsGb7


2026 Trainings:

When Where Partnering Organization
Sat., Feb. 7th from 11 – 12:30pm Virtual – Teams Calvert Marine Museum
Weds., Feb. 11th from 7 – 8:30pm Virtual – Zoom Natural History Society of MD
Sun., Feb. 15th from 2 – 2:30pm Kings Landing Park Calvert Co. Parks and Rec.
Weds., Feb. 18th from 6:30 – 8pm Flag Ponds Park Calvert Co. Parks and Rec.

If you have any questions, Matt Neff be happy to answer them!

Matt Neff | Curator of Estuarine Biology
Calvert Marine Museum
14200 Solomons Island Road S
P.O. Box 97
Solomons, MD 20688
410-326-2042, ext. 8074

AERO Opportunities: Want to Get More Involved with Wildlife? Learn About Getting Licensed in 2026

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Photo: Provided by A.E.R.O Animal Education and Rescue Organization

 

AERO Opportunities: Want to Get More Involved with Wildlife? Learn About Getting Licensed in 2026

Community Outreach – S213: DWR Stewardship Projects — Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR)

 AERO education events are eligible for Continuing Education hours as well.

Hello A.E.R.O. Volunteers & Friends,
If you’ve been thinking, “I’d love to help more” or “I wish I could work more directly with wildlife,” this is your chance. The 2026 licensing cycle with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is coming up soon, and it is time to reach out specifically to those of you who do not currently hold a wildlife rehabilitation license but might be interested in taking that next step.

Why Get Licensed?

Having a DWR wildlife permit allows you to:

  •   Help with hands-on wildlife care
  •   Transport/rescue injured or orphaned animals more independently
  •   Assist rehabbers in their homes or facilities
  •   Participate in hands-on trainings and free A.E.R.O. classes in 2026 at a deeper level

For many volunteer roles with A.E.R.O. – especially transport, caregiving, and in-depth training opportunities – it is strongly preferred that you hold at least a Category IV (Care Provider / Wildlife Hospital Aide) license.


Interested in Apprenticing or Getting a New License?

If you are interested in:

  •   Getting more involved
  •   Becoming permitted to work with wildlife, or
  •   Starting as an apprentice under a sponsor

  Please reply to this email and let me know. 

I’ll help you figure out which path and category makes the most sense for you.

To become an apprentice, you will need: 

  •   A formal agreement with a sponsor (Olivia)
  •   A room dedicated exclusively to wildlife care
  •   A setup that meets the state’s facility requirements (I can send you the DWR checklist)
  •   Completion of 6 hours of Continuing Education (CE)

Don’t worry if that sounds like a lot — A.E.R.O. Volunteers will walk you through each step, connect you to trainings, and help you meet the requirements.

License Categories (Quick Overview)

Here are the main volunteer-related categories:

  •   Category I – Apprentice: For beginners under sponsorship
  •   Category II – Rehabilitator: For experienced rehabbers handling most species
  •   Category IV – Care Provider / Wildlife Hospital Aide: For assisting at permitted facilities
  •   Category V – Student / Intern: For short-term training or school-related experience

If you’re not sure where you fit, just reach out — A.E.R.O. Volunteers can talk through your interests, time, and space at home.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re curious, even if you’re not 100% sure yet, please email me back and say you’re interested in learning more.
We’re happy to support you in moving from “helper” to permitted wildlife caregiver or apprentice in 2026. Our animals – and our rehab team – always need more good people.

Thank you for all you already do for A.E.R.O. and Virginia’s wildlife.

 — Olivia

EMAIL: olivia@aeroanimalrescue.org

President, A.E.R.O

Animal Education and Rescue Organization