Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count, December14th

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Photo: Carolina Chickadee, Jeff Drake/Great Backyard Bird Count

Sunday, December 14, 2025
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Centreville, VA (map)
Fee: FREE – Registration required

The Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be on Sunday, December 14 The center of the 15-mile diameter count circle is near the intersection of Routes 28 & 29 in Centreville. Birders of all skill levels are needed.

Signing up is easy! Just contact Phil Silas with your phone, email, and birder level (B=Beginner, N=Novice, I=Intermediate, E=Expert), and any notes or comments no later than December 6th.

If you participated last year, your sector or route leader should to be in touch soon. If you don’t hear from anyone by after the Thanksgiving weekend, contact Phil Silas.

Organizers will also be offering an opportunity for feeder watchers. If you or someone you know lives within the count circle and cannot go out in the field, he or she can observe from inside, counting the birds that come to a feeder or yard on December 14 as an alternate way to participate.

Wildlife Sanctuary Presentation Hosted by the Native Plant Circle, December 13th

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Photo: North American Bird Alliance, Certified Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Saturday, December 13, 2025
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Mount Vernon Unitarian Church,
1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, CA 22307

Fee: FREE

Registration is required – Click here for details.

Are you intrigued by observing wildlife in your own yard? Do you want to contribute to the environmental health of our planet?

If so, come learn about the Wildlife Sanctuary program and how you can transform your yard to create habitat, attract beneficial wildlife, and get your yard certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary. You’ll learn about habitat best practices and receive tips to help you select native trees and plants that suit the conditions in your yard. A FREE redbud seedling will be available as a gift from the Wildlife Sanctuary program to those who register early!

This event will take place in the Meeting House of the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, 1909 Windmill Ln, Alexandria, VA 22307, on Sunday, September 21, 1:00 -2 pm after coffee hour. Program is free but registration is requested. The event is open to the public.

 

Invitation to Third Annual Climate Action Conference – Third Annual Climate Action Conference – Teaming Up to Restore and Protect Healthy Waterways, Oct 18th

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October 18, 2025 
9:00AM – 1:00PM

Lake Braddock Secondary School  in Burke, VA.

Expand your understanding about the impact of climate change on water resources, from the oceans and Chesapeake Bay to the
Potomac River and local streams. No matter where you live or work, your actions matter to protect the quality of water and the resilience
of our communities in this period of climate change.

Please click here for a flyer containing complete agenda and other conference details.

An Afternoon with Filmmaker and Naturalist Kathryn Pasternak, October 7th

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Tuesday, October 7, 2025
3:00pm – 4:30pm

Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library
Tysons-Pimmit Meeting Room 1, Tysons-Pimmit Meeting Room 2

Event is free
Registration is required – click here for more information and registration

 

Emmy award winning photographer and director, Kathryn Pasternak, will share her fascinating work before offering hands on tips to improve your own photography skills. Kathryn is a Fairfax County Master Naturalist and will explore ways you can contribute to your local scientific community through the app iNaturalist. Weather permitting, there may be a brief outdoors field trip to practice your new skills. Please bring a smartphone with camera. Adults.

Read more about presenter Kathryn Pasternak on her website.

 

Worm Composting Workshop,October 4th

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Saturday, October 4, 2025
2:00pm – 4:00 pm

Cost is $10.00 per person (non-refundable)

Green Acres Center
4401 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax VA, 22030

Register at: Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District: Worm Composting Workshop

At this workshop, you will learn tips and tricks for successfully composting with worms and build your own worm composter to take home. See the Northern Virginia Soil and Water District’s (NVSWD) worm composting bin in action and get all your composting questions answered. Each worm composter will include two stacking bins, worm bedding (a mix of compost, shredded paper, and coconut coir), and red wiggler worms. The completed bins will be roughly 15 inches long, 20 inches wide, and 20 inches tall in size. Please make sure you have a place to keep your worm bins inside when temperatures drop (a garage or basement will do). While we will have all the tools at the workshop to build your bin, please consider bringing a cordless drill and drill bits if you have them to speed up the process. You can also bring in a week’s-worth of kitchen trimmings to get your worm composter off to an immediate start! This workshop is co-sponsored by NVSWCD, Clean Fairfax Council, Pollinative, and the City of Fairfax.

This workshop is generously supported with funding from Clean Fairfax Council and City of Fairfax. Please note that workshop registration fees are non-refundable.

 

 

Fairfax County Park Authority graphic of National Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day – Volunteer at a Fairfax County Park!

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Photo: Fairfax County Park Authority

Since 1994, National Public Lands Day (September 27, 2025) has mobilized volunteers of all ages to engage in a celebration of service and stewardship of America’s public lands. The event is the largest single-day national volunteer effort to preserve, restore, improve and enjoy America’s public lands.

The Fairfax County Park Authority invites you to help celebrate National Public Lands Day by taking part in any of a wide selection of service activities to protect the natural, cultural and recreational resources of the county’s treasured park system. There are a number of locations where you can sign up to help on September 27, ranging from trash cleanup to invasive plant removal.

To learn more, please visit the county’s page on National Public Lands Day or see below.

Who can participate? Anyone 8 and older

For specific park, time and activity, please see below. Each sign-up link provides further details about each location’s activities, including a site contact. You can also look up each activity through the Volunteer Fairfax site.

Location Volunteer Activity Date Time Check-in location VMS Sign-Up
Wakefield Trash cleanup, 20 volunteers Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Difficult Run SVP Trash cleanup and trimming overgrowth along trail, 10 volunteers Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Huntley Meadows Park Watershed Cleanup Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Colvin Run Mill Park Invasive pull Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Hidden Oaks Invasive pull Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Laurel Hill Park Removal of vegetation obscuring rail box car feature along Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail (GCCCT) Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Oakmont Park Invasive Management Area (IMA) site leader will host a Helping Our Lands Heal (HOLH) restoration project Sept 27 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up
Twin Lakes GC Invasive Management Area (IMA) workday Sept 27 9 – 11 a.m. Map Sign Up
Sully Historic Site Trail work, garden clean up & grounds clean up Sept 27 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Map Sign Up
Eakin Community Park Invasive Management Area (IMA) workday Sept 27 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Map Sign Up

 

Article Review: “Ospreys May Be in Trouble Again”, Article by Glenda C. Booth

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Photo: By Glenda Booth, Osprey and their young at the Belle Haven Marina platform nest on June 18, 2025. 

This complete article by Glenda C. Booth appeared in the July 17th edition of the Alexandria Gazette Packet:                       https://www.alexandriagazette.com/news/2025/jul/17/ospreys-may-be-in-trouble-again/

Glenda C. Booth’s article, “Ospreys in Northern Virginia,” is a well-crafted and engaging piece that combines local wildlife reporting with broader environmental concerns. Ms. Booth effectively relates scientific insights and on-the-ground observations from concerned community members to illustrate the troubling decline in osprey populations across Northern Virginia.  She describes the breeding observations at nesting sites like Dyke Marsh and Porto Vecchio. She also mentions potential stressors to breeding success —such as fish shortages, climate change, habitat loss, and commercial menhaden harvesting. The article makes complex ecological issues understandable. Ms. Booth’s article is informative and timely. It surely raises awareness about the challenges ospreys face and the broader environmental implications behind their struggles.

Birding Occoquan Bay, September 30th

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Photo: Rusty Moran, Occoquan Bay

Tuesday, September 30, 2025
9:00AM – 3:00PM

Transportation is provided.
Fee: $35 for Reston Association members and $45 for non-members
Participants will depart the Walker Nature Center:  View Facility 

Registration required-Link: Register on webtrac.

 

On Tuesday, September 30th, Occoquan Bayhas scheduled a trip to the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to search for fall migrants.  The refuge’s grasslands, freshwater tidal marshes and bottomland forests are home to many interesting year-round residents.  There will be approximately 2-3 miles of walking on gently-rolling, unpaved surfaces.

 

The trip will be led by one of WNC’s naturalists and is open to Reston residents and non-residents.  Cost, which includes bus transportation and any park fees, is $35 for Reston Association members and $45 for non-members.  Participants will depart the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Drive) at 9:00 am and are scheduled to return by around 3:00 pm.  The time spent birding is eligible for FMN CEUs.

 

Register by September 27th.  If you are familiar with the reston.org WebTrac system, you can register there (search on the keyword “birding”).  Otherwise, you can contact the Walker Nature Center directly at naturecenter@reston.org or 703-476-9689.

Hidden Oaks Migratory Bird Count – 2025

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Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale is looking for volunteers to help with their fall migratory bird counts. The surveys occur every Saturday at 8am beginning on September 20th, running through and including November 22nd. Each will last an hour. The goal is to get a sense of what migratory birds stop by Hidden Oaks as they head their way south, so the center can make educated decisions for an interpretive plan. No prior birding experience is required, but some knowledge of identification is recommended. We’re hoping to recruit some participants eager to learn, and some experienced individuals who feel confident leading surveys.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering should contact Eren Edwards at (Megan.edwards@fairfaxcounty.gov) directly, for a short in-person conversation on expectations.

Service hours can be recorded using:
C106: FCPA Citizen Science Programs — Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA)

The link to the sign-up genius has more information. Sign up genius link:

Dates are listed on the BI calendar, but please use SignUpGenius to register.

Cover photo: red headed woodpecker – FMN Jerry Nissley

VDoF Acorn and Seed Collection – 2025

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The VA Department of Forestry (VDoF) Acorn and Seed Collection Program was established to sustain the native tree population in Virginia by collecting native acorns, raising trees on farms, and reforesting areas that may have been destroyed by fire or disease. This year VDoF has again partnered with Potomac Conservancy’s Tomorrow Tree’s Program, Fairfax Tree Stewards, and Virginia Master Naturalists to improve the quality of the collection. VDoF’s Community Forester for Fairfax, provided training to the above coalition, designed to help identify correct seed types and collection methods. Please check-out VDoF’s sustainability program for details and a chart of acorn types collected.

Mt Vernon collection Bin – photo Jerry Nissley

In an effort to expand collection sites, we are pleased that Supervisor Storck has offered space at the Mt. Vernon Government Center to host an Acorn Collection Bin. Mt. Vernon’s Potomac Corridor is rich with heritage oak trees in prime maturity that are producing quality seeds, so this bin is a welcome addition to the network.

A link to the complete list of collection locations and a signup sheet is shown at the bottom of the article.

VDoF seed collection season is approximately 1 Sep through 15 Oct.
Collection bags, sized for 5 or 10 lbs, are available on location in limited supply. Brown paper bags are also accepted in the Collection Bin.
Collection requirements:
1. Please DO NOT collect acorns in plastic bags. Acorns will mildew and spoil.
2. Please separate different acorn types into separate bags and include a leaf from the tree to help with positive identification.
3. Please label the bag with type of acorn, collection date, and collection site (zip code at least)

Links:

drop-off site locations: https://tomorrows-trees.org/find-a-dropoff/
Collection bin Locations:
  1. Fairfax City Composting Center – City Hall (open 1 Sep)
  2. Herrity VDoF office (open later in Sep)
  3. Hidden Oaks Nature Center (open Sep 1)
  4. Mt Vernon District Governmental Center (open Sep 1)
  5. Potomac Overlook Park (open Sep 1)
  6. Vienna Community Center (open Sep 1)
  7. Walker Nature Center (open by Sep 5)
  8. Winkler Botanical Preserve (open Sep 1)
Here is the sign-up link for volunteering at our sites (you can sign up as Bin monitor AND driver or just pick one for a given week until Oct 15th.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CAEAA29A1FFC70-58162477-tomorrows

Tomorrow’s Trees: https://tomorrows-trees.org/

Acorn and Nut Collection : Virginia Department of Forestry

Projects | Fairfax Tree Stewards