Author Event: Ivory-billed Woodpecker as Trickster with Dr. Chris Haney, Webinar December 9th

/in , /by

Book cover, courtesy of Dr. Chris Haney

Where: Virtual!
When: Thursday, December 9, 2021
7:00PM
Registration Fees: Member ticket: $10, Non-member ticket: $15

Pre-order your copy of Dr. Haney’s new book, Woody’s Last Laugh here.

For Registration information click here.

Join Audubon Society of Northern Virginia in welcoming their good friend, Dr. Chris Haney. They will explore a simmering paradox that has baffled birders, scientists, conservationists, and the media for more than 100 years: repeated claims for the supposed “extinction” of the American Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Interacting with listeners, he will illustrate cognitive blunders, psychological biases, and logical fallacies that have long duped both sides of the woodpecker controversy. Few bird species have ever provoked such social rancor among us. Why are rumors of the woodpecker’s persistence so prevalent, unlike other near or recently extinct animals? Why are we so bad-mannered with each other about a bird? How is it that we cannot agree even on whether a mere bird is alive or dead? Ivory-billed Woodpecker as Trickster uncovers how uncertainty about our natural world can so mess with our heads. Regardless of what (or who) you choose to believe, new ways of thinking about this striking avian icon will be opened to everyone, not just birders…

 

Virtual Fireside Chat with Dr. Tom Wood: Celebrate Swans, December 2nd

/in , /by

Photo: Tundra Swans, Wink Gaines/GBBC

Where: Free Online event
When: Thursday, December 2, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

For Registration and additional information click here.

Join Audubon Society of Northern Virginia for a celebration of the return of the swans! This chat will be swan-themed and inspire participants to visit the wintering tundra swans as they majestically return with fanfare from the great north. Think all things swan, swan songs, photo haikus and poetry, prose and art. Dr. Wood will have swan stories to tell. Bring your best stories, artistic creations, and discoveries to share! This is a great chance to keep up with your photo haikus.

Field Trip to the Lorton Landfill, November 20th

/in , /by

Photo: ASNV

Saturday, November 20, 2021
8 am
Fairfax County Recycling and Disposal Center
9850 Furnace Rd., Lorton VA
This walk is FREE, but registration is required.

Why go birdwatching at a landfill? To see multiple kestrels, harriers, Bald Eagles, meadowlarks, sparrows (maybe some rare ones, if we’re lucky). The I95 landfill is mostly closed, so we can safely drive around and experience open grassland birds and also visit small ponds and forest edges. 134 species have been recorded here, including 58 on a single day in late October. It’s one of those places where you’re never quite sure what you’ll see.

Join Audubon Society of Northern Virginia at 8 AM on Saturday November 20 at the Administration Building by following Google Map directions to Fairfax County Recycling and Disposal Center, 9850 Furnace Road, Lorton VA. As you drive in past the weigh station (stay to the left so you don’t get weighed), the administration building is the first building on the right. Contact Greg Butcher or see the registration link for more information.

Meet Your Wildest Neighbors: Raptors of Virginia, Maryland and DC, December 7th

/in , /by

Photo: Stacey Remick-Simkins

Rust Library
380 Old Waterford Rd NW, Leesburg, VA
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
7 pm

It is thrilling to watch a Red-tailed Hawk soar beneath a bright blue sky or hear a Barred Owl call on a cold, clear night. Have you ever wondered where they live, what they eat, or how they raise their young? You are invited into the secret lives of these magnificent birds of prey. The personal stories of the live hawks, owls, and falcons who will be present will help you identify our native species, understand their valuable contribution to a healthy environment, and learn what we can do to provide for their welfare in the face of climate change and an increasingly human world—with good news, bad news, and a few surprises along the way. This program by certified raptor rehabilitator Liz Dennison is being jointly sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Loudoun County Public Library. Questions: Contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or [email protected].

My Year Playing with Litter: Exploring the Effects of Leaf Litter Removal on Insect Communities, November 14th

/in , /by

Virginia Native Plant Society, Potowmack Chapter
2021 Annual Meeting & Program
Sunday, November 14, 2021
2:30 pm
Register here.

Annual meeting begins at 1:30 with social time, then annual business meeting and elections. The presentation by Max Ferlauto begins at 2:30.

Max Ferlauto outlines his PhD dissertation research and discusses preliminary results.

Max grew up in Arlington, Virginia where he gained an appreciation for native plants and insects through local environmental organizations, such as the Potowmack Chapter of VNPS. He received his bachelor’s degree in Plant Ecology from Juniata College. He is now a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Maryland Entomology Department in Karin Burghardt’s Lab. Dr. Burghardt is a former student of Doug Tallamy and has published research with him.
Max studies how landscaping practices, such as leaf litter management, affect urban ecosystems.

Call of the Wild Conference, November 19-21, 2021

/in , /by

Photo: Wildlife Center of Virginia

Friday, November 19 – Sunday, November 21, 2021
Three day ticket $100, Single day ticket $50
Through the Whova Event app
Click here for more Information, Conference Schedule, and Registration

The Wildlife Center of Virginia invites you to the 26th annual Call of the Wild conference on wildlife rehabilitation, co-sponsored by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Wildlife rehabilitators, veterinary professionals, wildlife biologists, environmental educators, and wildlife enthusiasts from Virginia and beyond will share ideas and knowledge that can benefit wildlife, the environment, and the continually evolving field of wildlife rehabilitation.

This is an excellent learning opportunity for rehabilitators of all skill levels — and a chance for you to relax, rejuvenate, and be inspired to continue the great work you do!

Urban Bats: Studying and Protecting our Wildlife Neighbors, October 26th

/in , /by

Photo by Rick Reynolds on www.dwr.virginia.gov

Tuesday, October 26, 2021
7 pm
Zoom
Register here.

When you think of urban wildlife, critters like rats, pigeons, and raccoons may come to mind – but what about bats? Bats have a scary reputation, but play an important role in ecosystems and face serious conservation threats. Dr. Ela-Sita Carpenter will discuss her study of bats in Baltimore, as well as ways we can all support these special creatures in our neighborhoods. Presented by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Poplar Island: An Innovative Model of Habitat Creation through Reuse, October 19th

/in , /by

Photo courtesy of http://www.poplarislandrestoration.com/

Tuesday, October 19, 2021
7 pm
Zoom
Register here.

Join Kristina Motley, Senior Environmental Specialist, to examine why the Poplar Island project is such a successful model of reuse. This environmental restoration project located in the Chesapeake Bay in Talbot County, Maryland, relies on dredged material collected from the approach channels to the Baltimore Harbor to restore lost remote island habitat within the Chesapeake Bay. This results in restoration of almost 400 acres of wetland habitat where more than 400 different species of wildlife have been documented and more than 30 different birds have been confirmed as nesting. Join Audubon Naturalist Society to learn about this unique story of continuing habitat victories.

Fruit Talks and Field Walks: Persimmons with Eliza Greenman – November 11

/in , /by

Photo: Persimmon, Keith Bradley

Workshop:
Online
Thursday, November 11, 2021
7 – 8 PM

Field Trip:
Saturday, November 13, 2021
8 AM – Noon
Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Upperville, VA

Fees: Workshop only: $15; Workshop and field walk: $75

Register here.

Join Audubon Society of Northern Virginia for an exciting new series with Oak
Spring Garden Foundation that focuses on native and heritage trees. The first
workshop will be led by Eliza Greenman, a fruit explorer, horticultural historian,
designer, and implementer of agroforestry. Learn more about Eliza and her work here.

Eliza will lead participants in a one-hour online class, followed by a half-day field
trip to Oak Spring Garden Foundation. They will be outdoors and walking
in the field. Please wear comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes.

Mysterious Nature and Lore with the Capital Naturalist, October 12th

/in , /by

Photo courtesy of ANS

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
7 pm
Online session.
Register here.

Enjoy a night of mystery and intrigue with the Capital Naturalist Alonso Abugattas. During this talk, attendees will enjoy learning some of the lesser-known natural phenomena in our region and their influence on our culture. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to engage with one of Audubon Naturalist Society‘s most dynamic speakers!