Watch Now: Video on How to Protect Northern Virginia Birds

Photo: Purple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards

From the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance

Over 100 million birds migrate through northern Virginia each spring, and 160 million migrate through each fall. Their journeys are perilous because they can be attracted to and disoriented by brightly lit buildings and crash into them or waste precious energy flying around the lights.

Birds that live here risk colliding with glass and other reflective surfaces, and light pollution disrupts their feeding, sleeping and reproduction, as well as that of the plants and insects on which they depend. NVBA has established a partnership with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, DarkSky Virginia, DarkSky NOVA, Nature Forward, the Friends of Dyke Marsh and the Friends of Little Hunting Creek to initiate a Bird Safe NOVA campaign. Check out the recording of their recent webinar here

Enjoy the Birds and Keep ‘em Safe – Article Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

 

Responsible bird feeding is a fun way to observe and learn about birds. There are a few things to watch out for to be sure you’re feeding wild birds in a way that is safe for the birds and for you. The following suggested best practices are provided to help you enjoy feeding wild birds while avoiding issues that can negatively impact birds and other wildlife. In some cases, issues may arise that require you to stop feeding wild birds until the issues are resolved.

Photo by Katie Martin – DWR

Please click here for important information on the importance of safe bird feeding, creating natural, sustainable habitats beyond the feeder, and some valuable how-to information for safe bird feeding.

Project FeederWatch Workshop with Greg Butcher, November 21st

Picture Photo: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pamela Brown – Audubon Photography Awards

Thursday, November 21, 2024
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Free Virtual Event

REGISTRATION IS REQIRED.

From the comfort of your home, you simply count the winter birds that visit your feeders and report your data to Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

This FREE workshop will cover a bit of Project FeederWatch history, its purpose, tips for identifying birds, and the protocols to be followed while counting.

Greg Butcher, formerly on the Board of NVBA, served as the Migratory Species Coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service’s International Programs, and also worked at the National Audubon Society, American Birding Association, Partners in Flight, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He also served as editor of Birder’s World magazine. He now leads birding tours around the world and volunteers on the NVBA Conservation Committee.

Birds in Watercolor: Northern Flicker with Ronna Fujisawa, November 14th

 

Image: Northern Flicker, courtesy Ronna Fujisawa

Thursday, November 14, 2024
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
This is a virtual art class.

Registration is required.

Members: $25 (Non-members: $35) Northern Virginia Bird Alliance

The Northern Flicker is a woodpecker. Although it can climb up the trunks of trees and hammer on wood like other woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker prefers to find food on the ground. Flickers appear brownish overall with a white rump patch that’s conspicuous in flight and often visible when perched. The undersides of the wing and tail feathers are bright yellow, for eastern birds, or red, in western birds. With a closer look you’ll see the brown plumage is richly patterned with black spots, bars, and crescents.

In this class, students will paint a fun close-up of a Northern Flicker, learning how to mix neutral colors, as well as techniques of layering colors to create various feather patterns. Your instructor, Ronna Fujisawa of Salty Water Art, will be your guide through the step-by-step process of painting.

This is an online class open to all levels of watercolor painters. Beginners are welcome!

The suggested materials for this class:

  • Watercolor suggested colors: Cobalt Blue, Paynes Gray, Naples Yellow, Sap Green, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber or other brown. Optional – Rich Green Gold or green gold, Transparent Pyrrol Orange. Ronna uses Daniel Smith brand tube watercolor paint.

  • 9″ x 12” or larger Arches Cold Press 140-pound watercolor paper

  • #2, #6, #12 round brushes, 1” oval wash brush

  • Graphite transfer paper for tracing (waxed surface)

  • Artist tape and board to tape paper down on all four sides for even borders (not on table)

  • Print-out of the attached photo in color to fit size of your watercolor paper (scroll down for photo, right click to save so you can print it)

  • Pencil to draw or trace, white eraser, water, paper towels

  • Computer or tablet for watching the class

Ronna Fujisawa is an avid bird watercolor artist residing in Portland, Oregon. Salt Water Art is her educational practice consisting of classes on how to paint birds and in watercolor and watercolor plein air workshops. For more information or questions, contact [email protected].

 

Nightjar Webinar, October 29th

Tuesday, October 29, 2024
4 pm
Register here.

There was a time when woods across central and southeastern North America were filled with the mysterious nighttime song of the Whip-poor-will. Often heard but not seen, this bird’s evocative call now evokes sadness and nostalgia for many, especially as its song slowly disappears across its range.

The Whip-poor-will is a member of the nightjar family, birds known for their haunting songs and nocturnal habits. Like the Whip-poor-will, other nightjars like the Chuck-will’s-widow and the Common Nighthawk are also declining due to habitat loss and pesticide use, among other human-caused threats.

Join American Bird Conservancy for this free webinar to learn more about these enigmatic birds, their conservation status, and what ABC and our partners are doing to ensure a future for species in decline.

NVSWCD Green Breakfast Survey

The first Green Breakfast, hosted by Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, was held in April of 2002. They’ve covered a lot of ground since then and are now in their 22nd year of hosting fun, bimonthly gatherings to discuss environmental topics of interest to Northern Virginia residents.

Green Breakfasts are held on the second Saturday of every other month. That’s six exciting events every year! They have had some amazing speakers and covered many engaging topics in the last two decades, from tree preservation to black bears to energy conservation.

So, what’s next? Tell them!

  • What environmental topics do you want to hear about?
  • Have you heard someone give a talk that you think their audience would love to hear too?

Click here to respond to their survey and help them plan the next 20 years of informative and engaging programs. Survey closes on November 1, 2024.

 

Hidden Oaks Seeks Party Volunteers; Training October 26th or 27th

Photo: Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

Hidden Oaks Nature Center
7701 Royce Street, Annandale VA
Training: Saturday, October 26, 2024 Noon – 1:30 pm
OR Sunday, October 27, 2024 3 – 4:30 pm

Hidden Oaks Nature Center (Annandale) is looking for volunteers to help with birthday party nature programs on weekends, mornings or afternoons. Birthday parties are generally held on Saturdays and Sundays, at 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3:30 p.m.

Join them to learn more about this fun volunteer role at Hidden Oaks. Whether you’re newly interested in becoming a volunteer at our birthday party programs or have been doing them for a while, this training is important to learn of some new processes and activities that they will be implementing at the parties.

Hidden Oaks is excited to roll out their eco-friendly, low-waste birthday party option where party guests can use the center’s re-usable dish ware; you’ll be an integral part of making this environmentally sustainable initiative work. They’re also streamlining their outside on-the-trail time with new scavenger hunts that volunteers can lead, so you’ll get to lead a naturalist activity if you’re comfortable. All are invited to come learn about the expectations and opportunities for the Birthday Party Volunteer role on Saturday, October 26 from noon to 1:30 p.m. OR Sunday, October 27 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Please RSVP to [email protected].

“Keystone” Plants for Fall Gardens

Article and photos by Plant NOVA Natives

It’s fall, and most healthy plants are looking rather spent as they go dormant for the winter. But some natives are happily blooming away for the first time this growing season, catching your eye with their intense colors and soothing away year-end gardening blues.

Asters and goldenrods are usually the stars of this show, providing a beautiful color contrast with each other when planted together. Aside from their beautiful, long-lasting blooms, they are both “keystone” native plants, so named because they feed the most species of insects, butterflies, birds, and other animals in our area. Along with several other keystone plants and trees, asters and goldenrods are wildlife engines that support many local ecosystems. They are obvious choices for fall gardens.

It is encouraging if not inspiring to know that if you have access to an empty outdoor potting container or a bit of open ground, you can plant a keystone species and … help reinstitute the biodiversity of the continent!  Spend ten minutes on a sunny afternoon watching what visits the blooms on your aster or goldenrod, and you will absolutely believe your efforts have made a difference.

Here are some suggestions for asters and goldenrods to add to your garden.

Asters
Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
Aromatic Aster has emerged in recent years as a fall gardening favorite and a great substitute for non-native mums. In the wild, aromatic aster likes dry rocky outcroppings and is considered uncommon if not rare in the Piedmont. But it has become very popular among growers these days and is rather easy to find.  It is a vigorous, drought-tolerant plant that does as well in a pot as it does in the ground. Aromatic Aster gets its name from its leaves which release a balsam-like smell when crushed, which is pleasant to us and repulsive to deer. As such, the plant is very deer resistant. The plant is naturally mounded in shape and rather well behaved, especially if pruned. It is recommended not to prune an aster during its first year, but older plants respond well to a trim of approximately 1/3 of the stem length in June or July to help maximize flower production in the fall and reduce floppiness.
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
New England aster has a sturdy appearance and can grow up to six feet or more. After the first year, it can be pruned down to ½ of its stem length in June. You can also pinch back stem tips every few weeks during the winter and prune its outer stems a bit more than its inner stems to create more of a mounded shape. Monarch butterflies are particularly attracted to it as they stock up for their migration to Mexico for the winter. New England Aster is a host plant for the Pearl Crescent butterfly, one of the most common butterflies across America.
Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum laterifolium)
Calico Aster can reach a height of 1-4 feet and is also a late September bloomer, producing small, daisy-like white flower heads that gradually turn to purplish red. Flowers on one plant include both colors at the same time, which is how the plant gets its name. It is very delicate and airy in appearance when blooming, but it can be mistaken for a weed in mid-summer. Flowers attract many bees, while the leaves host the larva of the Silvery Checkerspot and Pearl Crescent butterflies. Plant Calico Aster near New England Aster or Aromatic Aster for a nice structural contrast.

Goldenrods for the Garden

There are over 40 species of goldenrod native to Virginia, most of them producing very long-lasting blooms from late summer to fall which are of special value to native bees and many other little pollinators.
Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa
Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod, also known as Rough-leaved Goldenrod or Rough-stemmed Goldenrod, is a garden favorite and rather easy to find in native plant and commercial garden centers. It features 2-5 feet long graceful arching stems that are densely loaded with small yellow flowers. In nature you will see the plant growing in large masses in open fields, but it also thrives in gardens as that get plenty of sunlight. Plant it near some blue asters for color contrast, and enjoy the result.
Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)
Zigzag Goldenrod, also known as Broadleaf Goldenrod, does not require as much sun as Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod. It is common in local woodland settings and easy to spot with its characteristic erect, somewhat zig-zag stems that can grow from 1-3 feet tall. In addition, many backyard birds such as sparrows, goldfinches, chickadees, and wrens love to eat its seeds. Zigzag Goldenrod is an easy-care, beautiful, and beneficial choice for your fall garden, requiring little attention once it is established.
Goldenrods have been saddled with a bad reputation by people who mistakenly blame them for their allergy symptoms. It is actually ragwort species that cause the fall sneezing. As garden plants, some species of Goldenrod such as Tall Goldenrod (Solidago altissima) can be overexuberant in the garden or look weedy. Others, though, are the perfect plant to wrap up the season, both for their color and for their contribution to our struggling local ecosystem. For more information about these and other native plants, see the Plant NOVA Natives website.

 

Photo: Fairfax County Park Authority

Hidden Oaks Habitat Management Work Day, November 9th

Saturday, November 9, 2024
9 am – 12 pm
Hidden Oaks Nature Center
7701 Royce St., Annandale VA

Help Hidden Oaks get rid of invasive plant species! After a brief introduction on how to identify specific plant species of concern, how to remove them, and why they’re doing this, participants will split up into groups and tackle designated areas of the park.  Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them, wear sturdy shoes, and dress for the weather. They’ll provide trash bags; restrooms available.

Canceled if inclement weather.  Contact Kristina Watts at [email protected] or 703-941-1065 to let her know you’re coming.

A Rewarding Day

National Public Lands Day at Mason Neck State Park (MNSP) was rewarding in more ways than one. The day saw a service commendation presented to our chapter president and the initial planting of a major pollinator garden.

Senator Pekarsky and FMN Sarah Mayhew –  photo FMN Rob Warren

Virginia State Senator Stella Pekarsky (36th district) presented Sarah Mayhew with a volunteer commendation (Senate Resolution number 161). Senator Pekarsky, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources committee, presented Sarah with a conservation award recognizing her 20+ years of conservation service in Fairfax County.

Sarah has been the Virginia Master Naturalist – Fairfax Chapter president

FMN crew planting the garden – photo Rob Warren

since 2023 and championed our chapter project at MNSP. The project commits 5 years of service to restore and maintain two large pollinator gardens and the native plants surrounding the visitor’s center. For the Public Lands Day event, 23 FMN gathered to plant the ‘Forest Edge’ garden with native plants appropriate for that specific area. Of course, the pot-luck picnic prior to the work shift, coordinated by FMN Mike Walker, made for happy laborers. The chapter project maintenance phase will continue for the next 3 years. Volunteers can sign up for work days via the BI calendar.

FMN Stephanie Johnson – photo Rob Warren

FMN Stephanie Johnson (owner Green Steeze Landscaping) and landscape architect, designed the garden with Jim McGlone, purchased all the native plants with funds from Friends of Mason Neck State Park, and volunteered many of her own hours along with some of her crew’s hours to help plant it. A very generous contribution of time and resources. Thank you Steph! You’re the best!

Acknowledgments:
– Thanks to Jamie Leeuwrik, Chief Ranger for Visitor Experience at MNSP and a Fairfax Chapter co-advisor, for supporting the chapter project.

FMN Mike Walker – kudos for coordinating and setting up the picnic.

Jim McGlone’s significant contributions to the project.

The Friends of Mason Neck State Park for a wonderful project partnership and major contributions of time and resources.
FMN Rob Warren for photos of the day.