Board Notes: Connie Ericson

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Barbara Saffir/Audubon Photography Awards

The bird that sent me to the store for my first pair of binoculars and a field guide is the Yellow-crowned Night Heron. 

Read more >

Attracting Pollinators to Upton Hill Park

Pollinator Garden, Musa Murawih

Upcoming Classes and Events

Join Judy Gallagher for a workshop on moths, to celebrate National Moth Week (NMW), July 22-30. Did you know that many adult moths eat nectar but others don’t eat at all as adults? “Moth-ers” of all ages and abilities are encouraged to join us to learn about, observe, and document moths in their backyards, parks, and neighborhoods. NMW offers everyone, everywhere a unique opportunity to become a citizen scientist and contribute scientific data about moths. Through partnership with major online biological data depositories, NMW participants around the globe can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other aspects of their life history. Judy Gallagher is a member of the ASNV board, and, although she loves birding, she is most passionate about documenting insects and spiders and their behavior and environment through macro photography.

When: Monday, July 24, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE, but registration is required

The sight of butterflies fluttering around on a warm day is one of the most iconic signs of summer, but they can still be found well into the fall months. These beautiful insects usually live for only a few weeks as adults, but they make quite an impression while they are in their full glory. There is a large variety of butterfly species in our area. Larry Meade will walk us through the common species and help us differentiate some of the trickier look-alike species. Participants are encouraged to register for the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Count to be held on September 10, 2023, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Alexandria area. Larry Meade is president of the Northern Virginia Bird Club, a member of the ASNV adult education committee, and compiler of the Alexandria Circle NABA Butterfly Count.

When: Tuesday, September 5, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Member Ticket: FREE
Non-member Ticket: $10

The Butterfly Count is an ongoing program of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) to census the butterflies of North America (United States, Canada and partially Mexico) and to publish the results. Volunteer participants are assigned a count area with a 15-mile diameter. The volunteers conduct a one-day census of all butterflies sighted within that circle. Volunteers of all experience levels are welcome! Every team will be led by an expert. 

The deadline to register is Thursday, September 7 at 9:00 PM so you can be assigned to a team on Friday. Teams will each meet at their designated count locations. 

Participants are encouraged to stay with their team for the duration of the event. A tally rally will take place at 4:00 PM at Belle Haven Pizzeria at 1401 Belle Haven Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22307. 

When: Sunday, September 10, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Alexandria, VA area
Fee: Suggested donation: $3

Join us for a five-evening course to become better informed about the scope of the climate crisis and the science behind this issue. Each class will last about an hour and a half, with opportunity for discussion. Topics to be covered include an overview of climate concepts and issues, greenhouse gases, effects on birds and biodiversity, fossil fuels, and transportation and agriculture. The class will be followed on Thursday, October 5, by a free Climate Crisis Action & Advocacy Workshop with Bill Young and ASNV board member Dr. Tom Wood. The workshop will provide participants (and others - all are welcome) with suggestions for action that we all can take to push back on the effects of climate change. 

When: September 19, 21, 26, 28 and October 3, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: Virtual
Members: $65
Non-members: $75

Join us on Sunday afternoon, September 24, for our quarterly live Audubon Afternoon at the National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive in Reston. We’ll gather informally starting at 2:30 so you have an opportunity to reconnect with everyone. We welcome any food and drink you would like to share with everyone during the informal portion of the program. At 3:00 PM, we’ll have a presentation by the Smithsonian’s Nathan Cooper. He will discuss his research on North America’s rarest songbird, the Kirtland’s Warbler. Over the past few decades, Kirtland’s Warblers have undergone a remarkable recovery, from just 167 males in the world in 1987 to more than 2,200 males today. In addition to having a compelling conservation story, its small population size and restricted breeding and winter ranges provide an opportunity to learn more about the fascinating and interconnected annual cycles of songbirds. Cooper will take us on a journey through the annual cycle of the Kirtland’s Warbler and share what we have learned from this rare species. 

Nathan Cooper is a Research Ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

When: Sunday, September 24, 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA
Fee: FREE