Green Breakfast, May 11th

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Photo (c) by Barbara J. Saffir

Brion’s Grille
10621 Braddock Rd., Fairfax VA
Saturday, 11 May 2019
8:30 am

Thinking about the “wild” spaces in and around a busy metropolitan area can be difficult, but we are fortunate to have several wildlife refuges at our fingertips. How did these areas become protected and what’s next for the system? Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Manager Brad Knudsen will present “The Evolution of the National Wildlife Refuge System.” He will present information on the important wildlife resources the NWRS conserves, how the NWRS as grown in its 116 years, how legislation and public involvement have impacted the direction the NWRS has gone, and a glimpse at what the future holds.

Breakfast begins at 8:30am, $10 at the door, cash preferred. No prior registration required. Breakfast includes an all-you-can eat hot buffet with fresh fruit and coffee, tea, orange juice or water. If you have any questions, please contact the Northern Virginia Soil and Water at [email protected].

Raptor Rapture

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Belle Haven Park, Alexandria VA
Saturday, 20 April 2019
10 am – 12 pm

Friends of Dyke Marsh, Secret Gardens Birds and Bees, and the National Park Service will “host” live raptors.  Free. Learn more.

Caterpillars Count! A citizen science workshop for educators

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Looking for a new way to engage your students or visitors in hands-on science learning and contribute valuable information to local research about insects and birds? Become aCaterpillars Count! citizen scientist! Caterpillars and other insects live on the trees and plants all around us. They make up a critical part of many ecosystems and are an important food source for birds and other organisms.In this workshop, we’ll introduce you to Caterpillars Count!, a new citizen science project designed by biologists from the University of North Carolina, and show you how you can become a part of research linking birds to their insect food sources on trees. Learn how to conduct surveys of insects with your students/visitors, monitor changes in the abundance and type of insects present over time, and report your data using our free mobile app. We’ll also introduce sample learning activities and the Caterpillars Count! website, where you can explore the data collected by your group with others from around the state.

This workshop is open to and designed for both formal (grades 6-12) and non-formal educators. Each participant will receive a handbook of instructional materials and sample learning activities. Lunch provided.

Friday, May 3; 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Riverbend Park

Location: Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St, Great Falls, VA 22066

Cost: FREE

Registration: We have limited space, so click here to apply now. Applications will be accepted until 4/30/19.

 

Questions about the workshop?

Contact Sarah Yelton, Caterpillars Count! Project Coordinator:[email protected]

FMN quarterly meeting, graduation, and presentation on permaculture, May 19

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St. Dunstan’s Church
1830 Kirby Rd., McLean, VA
Sunday, 19 May 2019
2-4 pm

All are welcome to join our Fairfax Master Naturalist chapter for a brief chapter meeting, a chance to win door prizes, celebrate our Spring 2019 graduating class, and enjoy Christine Harris’s presentation on Permaculture Design.

Bill Mollison coined the term permaculture in the 1970s, and then wrote the book Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual to share the concepts.  In his words: “Permaculture is about designing sustainable human settlements. It is a philosophy and an approach to land use which weaves together microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soil, water management, and human needs into intricately connected, productive communities.”  Learn more here.

FMN members receive one hour of continuing education credit for attending.

 

Biological Control of Tree-of-Heaven, VMN webinar April 18th

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Virginia Master Naturalist Continuing Education, for everyone!
Thursday, 18 April 2019
12 pm
Meeting Number: 673-006-772
Link to join: Join Webinar
Link for recordings of this and past webinars:
VMN Continuing Education Webinar page

This webinar focuses on research to evaluate biological control options for the invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). It is an invasive tree that causes ecological harm by displacing native plant species. It’s also known as “stink tree” due to the strong odor produced by the male flowers. You’ll hear background information on biological control and why it’s an appropriate option for Ailanthus. Additionally, the presenter will provide an update of her Virginia-based research studying a native fungal biological control agent. Come learn what this research might mean for Ailanthus control in the coming years!
Presenter

Rachel Brooks is a third-year PhD candidate in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech studying plant pathology. Rachel is originally from New Hampshire and obtained a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont in 2011. She hopes to use her Virginia Tech degree to study emerging forest health problems while also conducting outreach and education.

Two-part workshop on Marine Birds and Mammals of the Southeastern U.S., 4 & 11 June

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National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Tuesday, 4 June 2019 and Tuesday, 11 June 2019
7-9 pm
Field trip : 6 July 2019, all day, Outer Banks, NC

Marine birds have feathers, and marine mammals breathe air. But in almost every other way, these ocean denizens bear almost no resemblance at all to their counterparts on land. This workshop introduces participants to the identification, foraging strategies, behavior, and nesting/breeding ecology of marine birds and mammals typical of the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Join Dr. Chris Haney, founder of Terra Mar Applied Sciences, for this two-part classroom instruction and pelagic field trip. Register here.

Cost: Members $100, Non-members $140

Field trip fee: $175 (includes gratuity; participants are responsible for accommodations)

Learn about warblers, April 30th

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Alexandria Country Day School, 2400 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
7 pm
Field Trip: Saturday,4 May 2019, 8 am (rain date, May 5)
Monticello Park, 320 Beverley Drive, Alexandria, VA

Warblers show more color and variety than any other family of birds in the Washington area. Some of them stop to breed here, but a greater number pass through on their way to nesting grounds to our north. Bill Young will show you how to identify the 35 warbler species that you have a chance to see, focusing on appearance, vocalizations, behavior, and other factors. Register here.

Instructor: Bill Young is a local writer and co-creator of the MPNature website, which is designed to teach people about the nature at Monticello Park. His book The Fascination of Birds: From the Albatross to the Yellowthroat explores the connections between birds and a broad range of subjects, such as biology, ecology, literature, music, history, politics, economics, religion, geography, physics, chemistry, linguistics, the visual arts, the performing arts, sports, and comedy. Bill’s YouTube channel, which features his natural history videos, has more than 500 subscribers and more than 320,000 views.

Limit: 20
Cost: Members $50, Non-members $60

Whatta deal! Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally, May 10-12th

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Konnarock Community Center, 6635 Whitetop Rd., Troutdale, VA
Friday, 10 -Sunday, 12 May 2019

Three days of exploration & discovery for all ages! 

Bring your family and celebrate Mother’s Day in the most beautiful place on Earth. There is something for the entire family to enjoy with an expert speaker Friday night, trips Saturday and Sunday, and nighttime programs at the campground.

Blue Ridge Discovery Center has assembled a wide variety of field trips with leaders who are experts in their field and who are able to make the subjects understandable and interesting for everyone from inquisitive amateurs to accomplished naturalists.

Rally tickets for the entire weekend are $10. Ticket price includes Friday Night Program, Saturday Field Trips, Saturday Night Program and Sunday Program. Guides and persons 17 years or younger are FREE!

Friday night dinner tickets are $10. Dinner hosted by the Konnarock Community Center. The dinner is limited to 125 total tickets. Dinner tickets available by prepaid reservation only! Reservations due by May 3rd. No dinner tickets will be sold at the door.

For more information and registration, visit the website.
Also, check out the Mt Rogers Naturalist Rally Facebook page for event updates www.facebook.com/MountRogersNaturalistRally or call 276-293-1232.

Blue Ridge Discovery Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring, discovering, and sharing the natural history of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Attend Spotted Lanternfly First Detector Training

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Fairfax County Government Center
12055 Government Center Parkway
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

The spotted lanternfly, a pest that poses significant risk to many agricultural crops and some trees, was found in Frederick County, Virginia in January 2018.  It is commonly associated with the invasive tree-of-heaven.  This pest has not yet been found in Fairfax County, but you can help find it!

Fairfax County is seeking volunteers to help find and identify areas of the county with established tree of heaven.

Join us to learn more about spotted lanternfly and how you can help control it before it infests Fairfax County. The training is a joint effort with Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia Department of Forestry.

Please register

 

Feather drawing class, April 11th

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Hidden Oaks Nature Center
7701 Royce St., Annandale, VA
Thursday, 11 April 2019
7-9 pm

Join naturalist and artist Avery Gunther to learn how to draw feathers with colored pencil on toned paper.  Learn about types of feathers and feather identification.  Watch a demonstration about how to draw feathers, then draw your own feathers in this interactive class.  Drawing is a great way to sharpen your observation skills.  Paper is provided for a small fee.  A suggested list of supplies will be provided when you sign up.  Register on ParkTakes, https://fairfax.usedirect.com/FairfaxFCPAWeb/ACTIVITIES/Search.aspx.