Native plants add beauty and interest to your garden all year long and provide important habitat for wildlife. Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Native Plant Sale is the place to buy spring-blooming flowers, vines, trees, shrubs and ferns from four local native plant nurseries. The sale will be staffed by volunteers knowledgeable about native plants who can advise you on selecting natives for your garden.
In addition to selling plants, the Sale provides an opportunity to learn about some of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s programs. Our Wild Shop will be there with books, T shirts, mugs and other merchandise for sale. Community partners—including the Banshee Reeks Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists and Loudoun County Master Gardeners—will have booths at the sale, as well. We’ll also have TLC, a fertilizer and deer deterrent, to give away.
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Photo_Courtesy-of-the-Loudoun-Wildlife-Conservancy.jpg539750Mary Ann Bushhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgMary Ann Bush2023-03-14 16:03:032023-03-14 16:03:03Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Native Plant Sale, April 22nd
Whether you’re a beginning birder or an expert, you’ll enjoy searching for the many bird species found at the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve south of Leesburg. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Friends of Banshee Reeks for the monthly bird walk at this birding hot spot. Bring binoculars if you have them. Registration required.
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/LRH-1170-scaled.jpg19202560Luke Highhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgLuke High2023-02-02 17:25:532023-02-02 17:25:53Birding Banshee, February 11th
The Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship (BRCES) is a beautiful 900-acre preserve in northwestern Loudoun County. With its diverse wildlife habitats, including meadows, streams and heavily forested slopes, BRCES draws a wide variety of birds and other creatures. Join Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy on their monthly walk and see what’s there! Meet at the Education Center; bring binoculars if you have them. BRCES is located just north of Neersville at 11661 Harpers Ferry Road (Rte 671).
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/VMN_commcommitee_mockingbird-scaled.jpg19202560Luke Highhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgLuke High2023-01-06 11:31:432023-01-06 16:43:23Birding the Blue Ridge Center, January 28th
Photo of Crossline Skipper on Teasel by Michael Myers
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy has coordinated the Annual Loudoun Butterfly count since 1997. The count takes place in early August, which is the peak time for butterflies in our area. They report their data to the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), which tracks butterfly populations.
This year on August 6, a typical warm, humid summer day, 60 volunteers set out to count as many butterflies as they could find in a single day. It was their 26th Annual Butterfly Count, and they tallied 3,756 butterflies of 45 species in an area of about 178 square miles in the northwestern corner of Loudoun County.
When the count day is over, team leaders tabulate their results, which are consolidated into a report submitted to the NABA. NABA collects reports from all over the country and makes them available to researchers.
Anne Ellis, Butterfly Count Coordinator, has written a very informative article, “How Does One Count Butterflies?“, in which she describes this year’s count experience and answers the question, “Exactly how does one count butterflies?”
If you would like to know which species have been seen during previous years, you can view butterfly count data and reports. A summary report of species count by year can be viewed here.
Take a few moments to enjoy the 2022 Butterfly Countvideo too.
The 2023 count will be on Saturday, August 5. Please join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and count the butterflies!
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LWC_Crossline_Skipper_Michael_Myers_2022.png261400Mary Ann Bushhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgMary Ann Bush2022-11-03 14:43:422022-11-03 14:43:42The 2022 Butterfly Count Results from the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy
Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, Purcellville
11661 Harpers Ferry Road Purcellville, VA 20132United States+ Google Map
Registration required. Learn more and register here.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy is excited to present Bat Night led by The Bat Lady, Dr. Susanne Sterbing, world-renowned bat expert and research professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Sterbing will present a fascinating audio-visual presentation followed by a question-and-answer period. You don’t want to miss Dr. Sterbing’s description of the strange feeding rituals of vampire bats! The lecture will be followed by a live bat viewing (hopefully) down at the pond. Family friendly; wear good walking shoes and bring flashlights and bug repellant.
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Big-Brown-Bat-Photo-01-1600x1200-1-e1633888305233.jpeg9001200Mary Ann Bushhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgMary Ann Bush2022-07-08 17:07:212022-07-14 16:30:33Bat Night, August 13th
Sunday, June 5, 2022
3-6 pm
Ida Lee Recreation Center
60 Ida Lee Dr. NW, Leesburg Register here.
There will be a business meeting, awards presentation, quilt raffle, door prizes and a keynote speaker.
The Annual Meeting keynote speaker is Dr. Eric Kershner, Chief of the Division of Bird Conservation, Permits, and Regulations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Headquarters Office in Falls Church, Virginia. Eric and his team work to implement tangible actions that conserve birds, including reducing impacts from anthropogenic sources.
This year’s topic will be “Bird collisions with Towers and Glass: What we are doing to reduce the risks and how you can join the fun!”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is taking big steps to reduce the annual estimated loss of 6.6 million birds colliding with towers and the 1 billion birds colliding with glass in the U.S. They need your help! Learn how they are surveying their facilities and implementing cost-effective methods to reduce collisions with both towers and glass. Through their multipronged approach, they are working to apply effective methods to reduce bird collisions while simultaneously reducing costs for tower owners and even for some building owners. They hope to make bird conservation a way of life for all of us.
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].
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/March-1-Red-tailed-hawk-in-RAC-Forest-2-scaled.jpg14402560Janet Quinnhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgJanet Quinn2021-11-07 11:51:432021-11-07 11:51:44Meet Your Wildest Neighbors: Raptors of Virginia, Maryland and DC, December 7th
LWC will play an important role in helping to educate the public on the habits and behaviors of Bald Eagles through remotely operating the two high-quality livestream cameras and by moderating the website chat function. The camera is now available to view through a link on the Dulles Greenway website.
LWC is currently seeking volunteers to assist with this project. Stay tuned for more information on what will be involved with being a Remote Camera Operator or Chat Moderator. Training will take place in November.
Please contact Loudoun Wildlife Volunteer Coordinator Kim Strader at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering for either of these unique opportunities to work with the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Eagle Cam.
Join Jacob van Schilfgaarde, wildlife conservationist and Facility Supervisor at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve, for a Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy presentation on wildlife in Loudoun. He will describe three strategies that wildlife use to survive, and discuss their typical habitats, feeding behaviors and how to identify tracks.
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Scheibe_Wildlife-2-e1569633047290.jpg345500Janet Quinnhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgJanet Quinn2021-02-06 14:57:072021-02-06 14:57:08Loudoun Wildlife Winter Adaptations for Survival Webinar, February 16th
Article by FMN Juan Gonzalez and Megan Agosti, originally published in Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Habitat Herald, republished with permission
Starting a native plant garden always begins with the same set of questions — “What plants work for my space? Which plants are most beneficial and likely to attract wildlife?” For the past few years, Northern Virginia gardeners would start their journey by referencing resources like Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Planting for Wildlife in Northern Virginia, a thorough book providing information on various native trees, shrubs, flowers, and more. This past year, two volunteers endeavored to make this information even more accessible by creating an interactive web tool for Northern Virginia’s residents. In collaboration with Loudoun Wildlife staff and volunteers, we are pleased to announce the Northern Virginia Wildlife Gardening Database located at www.novawildlifegarden.net.
This web tool provides users with Planting for Wildlife’s full catalogue in a digital format for easy filtering to answer even the most specific questions. Users can use a search function or filter results with seven different plant characteristics, including popular questions like preferred light, soil moisture, bloom month, and wildlife benefits. Favorite plants can be saved in the Saved Plant List which can generate a report summarizing your selections. You can plan for year-round interest, find deer-resistant plants, and start your dream butterfly garden with the Northern Virginia Wildlife Gardening Database.
Filtered table example
To explore Northern Virginia Wildlife Gardening Database’s full catalogue of native plants, go to www.novawildlifegarden.net and select the Plant Library tab. Select the plant type you are interested in from the drop-down menu to begin your search. Here you can filter your selection by specifying preferred light source, moisture level, bloom months/color, plant height/spread, and wildlife benefits. Further refine your selection by utilizing the search bar to make further queries (for example, “fragrant,” “deer resistant,” “hummingbird”). Once filtered, the table provides additional context for each plant. Users can see the plant’s description and learn more about the wildlife benefits of each. Get detailed information by clicking on scientific names to view the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center entry for each plant. Explore the Glossary tab to define common terms used throughout the database.
Saved plant table example
Users can save their favorite plants using the Saved Plant List feature. To save a plant, click its respective row and then the green Save Selected button on the bottom left. This feature allows for multiple selections, so pick as many as you would like. See your list by navigating to the Saved Plants tab. When ready, generate your report by clicking the blue Generate Report button in the Saved Plants tab. This report summarizes your plant selection and generates tables for the various filters found in the web tool. Use these tables to review your selection or ensure year-round interest in your garden.
Loudoun Wildlife hopes you find this new web tool useful. It has been developed and is maintained by volunteers Juan Gonzalez and Megan Agosti. For any comments or questions please contact them at [email protected].
https://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/book.png848654Janet Quinnhttps://fairfaxmasternaturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VMN-Fairfax-cmyk_w223h156.jpgJanet Quinn2021-02-06 11:45:192021-02-06 12:03:30New Web Tool Helps NoVa Wildlife Gardeners
