Burke Center Library – Pollinator Gardens

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New Stewardship opportunity –

Pollinator garden care at Fairfax County’s Burke Centre public library.
FMN Nancy Klein coordinated the initial garden project and helped plant the Pollinator Garden in 2019.
Nancy is the Youth Services Manager at Burke Centre Library and she now needs a few volunteers to help maintain the garden on a regular basis. She will be on site to provide guidance for work efforts.

All Stewardship work days are scheduled in the BI calendar under:
S256: Plant Maintenance and Restoration Projects — Fairfax County
Shifts are 10 a.m. – 12 a.m:
– Every Thursday through Oct, except Sep 12 – (check BI Calendar)
– And Every-other Saturday thru Oct – 8/10, 8/24, 9/7, 9/21, 10/5.

To register:
1. Login to BI and click on your ‘Opportunities’ tab.
2. Select ‘Opportunity Calendar’ from the pull-down menu.
3. Find the S256 event in the displayed calendar; Click it to see event details.
4. To sign up, Click the ‘Sign Up’ box in the lower right. This automatically signs you up and puts the event on your personal calendar.

A few tools will be on site but please bring your own tools.
Stewardship hours and travel time may be recorded under:
S256: Plant Maintenance and Restoration Projects — Fairfax County

For questions, please contact FMN project lead:
Nancy Klein, Youth Services Manager
Burke Centre Library
5935 Fred’s Oak Rd
Burke, VA 22015
703-249-1534
[email protected]

cover photo courtesy of Fairfax County Public Libraries

North American Butterfly Association Counts – Find One Near You

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Photo: Rick Ahrens (NABA)

The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) has run the Butterfly Count Program in the United States, Canada, and Mexico since 1993. Each of the approximately 450 annual counts consists of a compilation of all butterflies observed at sites within a 15-mile diameter count circle in a one-day period.

The annually published reports provide a tremendous amount of information about the geographical distribution and relative population sizes of the species counted. Comparisons of the results across years can be used to monitor changes in butterfly populations and study the effects of weather and habitat change on North American butterflies.

Counts are open to the public and count on new participants like you. Depending on the count, one or more parties will survey sites within the 15-mile diameter count circle on a given day. Butterfly counts are driven by butterfly lovers just like you. All it takes is a desire to participate in a day-long count to help track the North American butterfly populations.

Find an active count near you on the map page, e.g., search for “Virginia.” (The map takes a moment to work so be patient.) Once you contact them, the compiler (count leader) will let you know when and where to meet.

Jerry Nissley

Volunteer Opportunities at Hidden Oaks Nature Center!

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Photo: By FMN Jerry Nissley, Hidden Oaks Nature Center

Hidden Oaks Nature Center (HONC), nestled inside the 52-acre Annandale District Park, needs your help! Earn your volunteer hours with the HONC.  Volunteers are needed for the following activities:

  •  a volunteer to cover our front desk on Saturdays.  There are currently 3 others who will share this position with you – you will need to volunteer only one Saturday per month.  Duties include greeting incoming visitors and answering their questions, answering phones, and perhaps helping prepare crafts.  Hours right now are 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
  • volunteers to help with HONC children’s camps.   Subjects vary and run from dinosaurs to pirates.  These will be Monday through Friday, either in the morning or in the afternoon. Assist the camp leader with activities and camper management.
  • volunteers to help with birthday parties and other educational programs.  Volunteers needed on weekends to help run programs and will include putting your FMN education to use.

Contact Hidden Oaks’ volunteer coordinator, [email protected].  Training will be provided.

Thank you!

2024 NABA Butterfly Count, July 20th

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Photo: by FMN Jerry Nissley, Tiger swallowtail VMN Logo

July 20, 2024
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Rd
Warrenton, VA 20187

FREE but Registration is REQUIRED.

Every year community scientists help count the butterflies in 15-mile-diameter circles all around the country and contribute their data to the North American Butterfly Association. This summer the Clifton Institute will host their 29th annual butterfly count and celebrate their 22nd year contributing data to NABA. Butterfly enthusiasts of all levels of experience are welcome! If you feel like you don’t know many butterflies, this is a great way to learn and it’s always helpful to have more eyes pointing out butterflies. Participants will be assigned to small teams, led by an experienced butterfly counter. Once you volunteer, you will receive more information about your team closer to the date. Each team will survey a variety of sites within the designated count circle.  Everyone will meet at the Clifton Institute at 3:00 PM to tally results over cold drinks (provided).

Earth Sangha June Work Days

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Photo: Earth Sangha

Wild Plant Nursery, 6100 Cloud Drive, Springfield VA

Mason District Park, 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA

Register to volunteer here.

Wild Plant Nursery Workdays: Every Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday from 9am-1pm at the Wild Plant Nursery. Earth Sangha still has plenty of repotting to do! Plus, the usual weeding and labeling. The Wild Plant Nursery will be closed on June 19th in honor of Juneteenth.

Mason District Workday: Friday, June 21st, from 9am to Noon. Help them continue their progress as they tackle yet more wineberry, bittersweet, and other invasive vines! They’ll meet by the tennis courts.

June “Big Day” at the Wild Plant Nursery: Join them for their monthly Big Day for community, service, and plants on June 23rd! We will be doing some summer cleaning, laying mulch on the paths, reorganize the nursery after a busy spring, all while having good food and conversation.

Virginia Tech Researchers Seek Landowner Help with Gray Fox Project

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Photo: Gray fox in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Gray fox populations across North America have been declining over the last two decades. There are no published studies on gray fox population status in Virginia, but researchers, biologists, naturalists, hunters, and trappers from the state have noted, anecdotally, a decline in sightings, vocalizations, and camera trap photos over the last decade.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is funding the Virginia Gray Fox Project, which is being conducted by Dr. Marcella Kelly and Ph.D. student Victoria Monette of Virginia Tech. The primary goal of this project is to map the current distribution of gray fox across the state of Virginia and to assess the evidence for decline using past, historical camera trapping from around the state. To accomplish this, the researchers will conduct a state-wide camera trapping survey. They are looking to survey areas where foxes are and are not found, and cover a variety of habitat types (suburban, urban, forest, pasture, etc.).

To conduct such a large-scale survey, the researchers are hoping to enlist the help of volunteers that:

  • Have existing trail cameras on their own property, or
  • Are willing to set and monitor project cameras (if available) on their own property, or
  • Are willing to allow the researchers access to their land to set up additional cameras.

Volunteers will be expected to set the cameras according to specific protocols to standardize data collection and will need to check cameras periodically (every two weeks) to ensure sufficient battery life and proper camera function. The camera survey will cover the state over the course of three years. For the 2024 field season (spring, summer, and fall) the project is focusing on the Appalachian Mountain region.

If interested in participating in assisting the Virginia Gray Fox Project, please email Victoria Monette at [email protected] or leave a voicemail with Dr. Kelly at 540-231-1734.

River Farm – Bluebird Trail Update

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River Farm meadows showing one of the new boxes – photo Jerry Nissley

Washington’s River Farm, the home of the American Horticulture Society (AHS) has renovated their Bluebird Trail, with assistance from FMN. The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), once as common as the robin, saw a drastic decline in population for reasons including loss of habitat, pesticide use, an influx of feral house cats, and the introduction of the House Sparrow and the European Starling.

FMN Susan Farmer (AHS/FMN liaison) called together a team of 8 FMN volunteers to help install and monitor the bluebird boxes at River Farm. Susan set up both on-line and field training for the monitors who are now monitoring the boxes and logging activity every week in teams of two.

Chicks and eggs – Photo FMN Donna Stauffer

This initial season of monitoring has seen success and tragedy. In early April one nest box was recorded to contain five blue eggs. In mid-April, two eggs had hatched with the other three eggs still viable. However, by the first check in May, the box was observed to be empty. Perhaps through vandalism but nothing could be confirmed. Measures to mitigate chances of a reoccurrence have been implemented and hopefully this will not happen again. In any event, the box once again contains bluebird eggs and FMN will continue with due diligence to monitor and report activity.

Empty box – Photo Jerry Nissley

During a recent day of monitoring, Glenda Booth from the Connection newspaper, joined in to journal what has been done at AHS and what is involved with monitoring nest boxes. Coincidentally, Glenda’s visit was on the day the open box was discovered. Her article may be read HERE. Hardcopy newspapers, with photos, may be found at Sherwood Hall library and other Mt Vernon area Fairfax County buildings.

If you are interested in any aspect of this project please contact FMN Susan Farmer [email protected]

Earth Sangha Needs Volunteers in May

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Mason District Park                                                                                                                             Earth Sangha Wild Plant Nursery
6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA 22003                                                                                   6100 Cloud Drive, Springfield VA 22150

Register to volunteer here.

Native Planting at Mason District Park: 

Saturday, May 18th from 9am to 1pm
Join Earth Sangha for another “Big Day” of native plants, community, good snacks, and volunteering! They’ll take a look at their progress since their last Big Day and continue their work removing invasives and planting natives! Their focus at Mason District Park is restoring the canopy and understory woodies, but they’ll also bring some herbaceous plants. They’ll provide all tools and gloves. Please bring your own water and wear sturdy shoes.

Invasives Removal at Mason District Park:

Friday, May 24th, from 9am to Noon. The invasives don’t stop so neither do they!

Wild Plant Nursery Workdays:

Every Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday from 9am to 1pm. They have lots of repotting to do before Summer hits! Join in and get your hands dirty. It’s a great way to learn about your local native plants and meet new friends.

Stream Monitoring Citizen Science & Training Opportunities, June

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Photo: FMN Janet Quinn, Hidden Pond stream monitoring

NoVa Soil & Water Conservation District: Stream Monitoring Citizen Science & Training Opportunities

Horsepen Run Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Sunday, June 9, 9:00am-12:00pm

Where: Horsepen Run Stream Valley Park, Herndon

This site has undergone a lot of change over the last few years! While it had become more challenging to monitor this site in the past, recent changes to the streambed have brought more riffles to monitor and we’re excited to see how this changes the macroinvertebrates we may find! This is an accessible stream site, which can be reached by wheelchair and/or other assistive tools over a paved path (there is a moderate slope). Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

Wolftrap Creek Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Thursday, June 13, 9:00am-12:00pm

Where: Wolftrap Creek Stream Valley Park, Vienna

This site features a small, shallow stream which usually has a good number of beetles along a popular paved trail. This is an accessible stream site, which can be reached by wheelchair and/or other assistive tools over a paved path (there is a moderate slope). Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

Pohick Creek Stream Monitoring Workshop

When: Saturday, June 15, 9:00am-12:00pm

Where: Pohick Creek Stream Valley Park, Springfield

Our stream monitoring site on Pohick Creek is located on the cross county trail, popular with runners, dog walkers, and families. This is the largest and deepest stream that we monitor in our public workshops. This is an accessible stream site, which can be reached by wheelchair and/or other assistive tools over a paved path (there may be some uneven spots). Learn more and register for this workshop and others here.

 

Other Training and Stream Monitoring Opportunities

The NoVa Soil & Water Conservation teams are  very excited to contribute their stream data to state and national datasets. If you’d like to see data from all the NVSWCD regional stream monitoring team’s active sites, you can find our organization on the Clean Water Hub.

Clean the Bay Day, June 1st

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Saturday, June 1, 2024
9 am-12 pm
Various locations.
More information here.

This short, three-hour annual event has a massive cumulative impact. Since it began in 1989, this Virginia tradition has engaged more than 170,066 volunteers who have removed approximately 7.30 million pounds of debris from more than 8,595 miles of shoreline.

Each year, on the first Saturday of June, thousands of Virginians simultaneously descend on the rivers, streams, beaches, and inland parks of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. Clean the Bay Day has been a staple for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay community since its inception more than three decades ago. A true Virginian tradition, it is an annual opportunity for individuals, families, military installations, businesses, clubs, civic and church groups to give back to their local waterways.