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LOUDOUN WILDLIFE’S NATIVE PLANT SALE AT MORVEN, September 13th

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Photo: Courtesy of LOUDOUN WILDLIFE’S NATIVE PLANT SALE AT MORVEN

September 13, 2025
9:00 am – 2:00 pm

 

Did you know that fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs and other perennials? A huge selection of native plants will be available at Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Fall

Native Plant Sale from five native plant nurseries: 

Nature By Design 
Hill House Farm Nursery
Seven Bends Nursery
Watermark Woods
Yellow House Natives 

The sale takes place at the Morven Park visitor parking lot in Leesburg (access via main entrance on Old Waterford Road) from 9am to 2pm.
Knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to help you choose plants suited to your space and goals. Be sure to visit the Native Plant Information Center for expert talks offered throughout the day on topics like native plants for beginners, transitioning to a native garden and managing invasive species.
Enjoy a cup of coffee from a local vendor while you explore tables hosted by nonprofit partners working to protect and restore native ecosystems. You can also learn about the programs and how to get involved in local conservation efforts. For more information about Loudoun Wildlife’s Native Plant Sale, please
contact nativeplantsale@loudounwildlife.org.

Ask Experts About Native Plants!

Transform your yard into a thriving haven for local wildlife and discover the beauty of sustainable gardening with the lineup of native plant talks at Loudoun Wildlife’s Native Plant Sale, September 13th at Morven Park in Leesburg. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting your green journey, the expert talks offer valuable insights to help you nurture a healthier planet, one plant at a time.

Visit the LWC Native Plant Sale Info Tent from 9 to 1 to for displays and talks:

9:00–10:00 AM.   “Native plant “Right Plant, Right Place” display and Q&A

10:00 AM.              “Native Plants for Northern Virginia,” Jim Knowles / Abernethy & Spencer Greenhouse & Garden Center

10:30 AM.              “Native Plantings in Our Communities,” a panel discussion including Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance and others.

11:00 AM.               “Native Plant Garden Design,” John Magee / Magee Design

11:30 AM.                “Invasive Plant Identification & Removal,” Natali Walker / Blue Ridge PRISM

12:00–1:00 PM.      Native plant Q&A, featuring LWC’s Wildlife Sanctuary Program

 

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Native Plant Sale, April 22nd

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Photo: Courtesy of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

Saturday, April 22, 2023
9:00am – 3:00pm

Main Visitor Parking Lot at Morven Park
17195 Southern Planter Ln
Leesburg, VA 20176 

It’s (always) time to go native!

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.

Find more information about the LWC Native Plant Sate at:  https://loudounwildlife.org/event/spring-native-plant-sale/

Birding Banshee, February 11th

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Saturday, February 11, 2023
8:00 AM

Where: Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve; 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg VA 20175
Members: FREE
Non-members: FREE

Click here for Registration.

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.

Birding the Blue Ridge Center, January 28th

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Photo: Luke High

Saturday, January 28, 2023
8:00 AM

Where: Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship Education Center; 11661 Harpers Ferry Road Purcellville, VA 20132 United States
Members: FREE
Non-members: FREE

Click here for Registration.

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).

The 2022 Butterfly Count Results from the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

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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 Count video too.

The 2023 count will be on Saturday, August 5. Please join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and count the butterflies!

Bat Night, August 13th

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Photo by Rick Reynolds on dwr.virginia.gov
Saturday, August 13, 2022
7:30-9:30pm

Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, Purcellville
11661 Harpers Ferry Road
Purcellville, VA 20132 United 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.

Loudoun Wildlife Annual Meeting, Keynote Speaker, June 5th

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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.

Meet Your Wildest Neighbors: Raptors of Virginia, Maryland and DC, December 7th

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Photo: Stacey Remick-Simkins

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 jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy seeks Eagle Cam Volunteers

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Photo by Barbara J. Saffir

Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) is excited about partnering with Dulles Greenway, the American Eagle Foundation, and HDOnTap to bring livestream action to your home from a Bald Eagle nest in the Dulles Greenway Wetlands. Read more about it in a recent article.

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 kstrader@loudounwildlife.org if you are interested in volunteering for either of these unique opportunities to work with the Dulles Greenway Wetlands Eagle Cam.

Loudoun Wildlife Winter Adaptations for Survival Webinar, February 16th

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Photo by Lori Scheibe

Tuesday, February 16, 2021
7-8 pm
Registration required.

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.