Posts

Firefly Walk, June 9th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Friday, June 9, 2023
8:00 – 9:30 pm
Cost: $10 ($5 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)

Registration is REQUIRED.

The Clifton Institue
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Who doesn’t love fireflies? Many of us have fond memories of catching fireflies or watching a magical light show on a summer evening. But why do fireflies flash? What do they eat? How many species are there? And are fireflies disappearing? Learn all about these fascinating insects with Ariel Firebaugh, firefly researcher and Director of Scientific Engagement at UVA’s Blandy Experimental Farm (Boyce, VA). After a short talk, participants will walk around grounds, practice identification, and enjoy the light show!

Spring Creatures of the Night, May 19th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Friday, May 19, 2023
8:00 – 9:30 pm
Cost: Free

Registration is REQUIRED.

The Clifton Institue
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Join this night-time exploration of The Clifton Institute’s trails and vernal pools while you listen for frog calls, look for insects, and see what animals are swimming on the ponds.

Science Saturday: Kestrel Watch, April 29th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, April 29, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

The Clifton Institue
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Cost: Free
Registration is REQUIRED.

In what The Clifton Institute hopes will become a regular occurrence, they are inviting the public to participate in one of their ongoing research projects. This time you’ll help them track American Kestrels that have been outfitted with GPS transmitters, collect vegetation data in different types of fields, and visit ink-pad tracks to see what kinds of rodents have been visiting. This is a great opportunity to see what it’s like to do field research and to learn about some fascinating native species. Participants will start at the Clifton Institute and then drive to a few nearby properties where kestrels are known to hang out. From Clifton, it is encouraged but not required to carpool in as few cars as possible. They are looking forward to a beautiful day in the field with you!

Warbler Song Bootcamp, April 14th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Friday, April 14, 2023
6:00 – 7:00 pm

Virtual event
Cost: $10 ($5 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)

Registration is REQUIRED.

Brush up on your warbler songs just before the migrants arrive in droves. Participants will listen to the songs of each of the migratory warblers that pass through our region in spring, while looking at spectrograms to help visual learners identify differences in similar songs. Participants will also briefly discuss habitats where breeding warblers can be found in our area and cover a handful of other migrants such as vireos and thrushes. This workshop will be of interest to birdwatchers of all skill levels. It will definitely be more fun than listening to a warbler song CD in your car! This event will take place over Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to participants shortly before the event.

Woodcock Watch Presented by The Clifton Institute, March 4th and 11th

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Photo: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute, American Woodcock

Saturdays, March 4 or March 11, 2023
5:45 – 7:15 PM

Cost: $10 for general public, $5 for Friends of Clifton

The Clifton Institute

6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Registration for the March 4th event.

Registration for the March 11th event.

The American Woodcock is one of the stealthiest birds, but it’s also one of the most fun to watch when they do show themselves. On early spring evenings, the males perform their mating displays, flying high into the air and falling back to the ground, making calls and sounds with their wings as they do so.

There will be a brief talk about these interesting birds, followed by a walk out into our fields where you will be able to watch and hear the birds perform.

For FMN CE credit use All Continuing Ed and select ‘Clifton Institute’ as the Approved Organization. Please make a note in the description that it is for the Woodcock Watch.

Geology of the Piedmont Driving Tour, February 25th

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

Saturday, February 25,2023
9:00 am – 4:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Cost: $30 ($25 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)

Registration is REQUIRED

 

Come dig a little deeper into Fauquier County (and beyond) in the 2nd annual Geology Tour guided by The Clifton Institute’s Habitat Specialist, Andrew Eberly! Hitch a ride on the edge of the North American plate as it sails across the globe and watch neighboring continents come crashing in then break free again as mountains and oceans rise and fall. Visit rocks over a billion years old, born when the continents were plantless deserts. Hear stories of buried volcanoes and look for clues written in everyday rocks about landscapes of the long distant past. The forests of Northern Virginia are hiding a rich and varied display of geologic forces. This is an opportunity to practice a new way of reading the landscape and glimpse what lies beneath the trees and soil. For those who attended last year, the tour will be visiting new sites this year. Participants will also be travelling by individual cars (with the opportunity to carpool) instead of by van. Please bring your own picnic lunch, but snacks, hot drinks, and plenty of rocks to smash open will be provided!

For more information and registration details please click here.

Winter Tree Identification Workshop, January 28th

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Image: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, January 28, 2023
1-3 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

Cost: $10 ($5 for Friends of the Clifton Institute)

Registration is required!

Winter is a great time of year to learn how to identify trees and to practice looking at bark and twigs. In this program, instructors will take you on a short walk in the woods and talk about the tips and tricks to identify the most common trees in the forests. This program is meant for beginners. Advanced botanists are welcome but you may teach the class more than the instructors teach you! If you would like to start practicing now or if you would like to bring some resources with you, we recommend the book Winter Tree Finder by May Theilgaard Watts and Tom Watts, the Flora of Virginia app, and the Virginia Tech Tree ID app.

Winter Bird Walks – Hosted by The Clifton Institute, January and February

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Image: Courtesy of the Clifton Institute

Join The Clifton Institute for a series of Winter bird walks starting this January and February. They will be held on the second Wednesday and fourth Saturday of the month. Please click on the links below for additional details and registration information.

1 – 3 pm
8: 30 – 10:30 am
8 – 10 am
8:30 – 10:30 am
Cost: Free
Registration is required!

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187

 

 

Winter Sparrow Identification Workshop, October 14th

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Image/photo: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Friday, October 14, 2022
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

This is a Zoom event.

Cost: $10 ($8 for Friends of Clifton Institute)

Click here for ticket purchase and additional information.

Every season brings its own challenges for birdwatching. In winter similar-looking sparrows can be hard to tell apart and birding by ear becomes more difficult as birds start singing less and calling more.

This program is intended for both beginner and advanced birders. This program will take place over Zoom.  They will send a link closer to the date.

Native Seed Collection and Propagation Workshop, October 8th

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Image/photo: Courtesy of The Clifton Institute

Saturday, October 8, 2022
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Clifton Institute
6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA
38.775154, -77.798197

Registration is FREE.

Click here to register.

Collecting and propagating native seeds is a great way to help spread native plant populations, add 100% native species to your gardens, and learn about the native plants in your backyard.  Executive Director Bert Harris and Earth Sangha Nursery’s Matt Bright will lead participants in learning when seeds are ready to collect, how to collect and store seeds, and how to propagate them.