A Letter to Our Members
Magnolia Warbler, Matt Felperin
Now that it is spring, NVBA’s conservation work has gone into high gear, and it is this work that has taken on new meaning for me.
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New Law Requires Signs: Some Plants are Invasive
English Ivy, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Thanks to NVBA advocates’ and many others’ efforts, Virginia has a new law that requires, by January 1, 2027, retailers to conspicuously post “in proximity to each invasive plant display” signs indicating that a plant is invasive and “encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives.”
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The People Birding to Make a Difference: Stories of Birdathon
2025 Birdathon Team grid
It’s that time of year again: the days are longer, you have dirt under your fingernails from planting natives, and all across the region teams of people are birding for a good cause.
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Huntley Meadows Celebrates 50 Years!
Hooded Merganser, Parameswaran Ponnudurai/Audubon Photography Awards
Some history and background on a favorite birdwatching locale for many northern Virginians as Huntley Meadows celebrates its 50th year.
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Five Great Reasons to Garden with Natives
A native plant gardener in her garden, Margaret Fisher
As Margaret Atwood once said, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you SHOULD smell like dirt.” It’s very good for us on so many levels.
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Birdwatching in Zimbabwe
Southern Ground Hornbill, Clay Harrison/Audubon Photography Awards
I started birdwatching during my freshman year but was lucky enough to be living then in Zimbabwe, home to hundreds of species of birds, ranging from the tiniest sunbirds to the flightless guinea fowl and several species of elusive turacos.
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A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us
Eastern Pine Elfin, Judy Gallagher
Judy Gallagher is an NVBA board member and a regular surveyor of local wildlife who also captures photos of what she sees, in particular the less common species.
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Wildlife Sanctuary Almanac: Backyard Birdathon!
Brown Thrasher, Randy Lewis/Audubon Photography Awards
Have you taken steps to create bird habitat in your yard? Now is your chance to see the fruits (or rather, birds) of your labor by observing how many species visit your yard in a single day.
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Upcoming Classes and Events
We have some exciting classes and events coming up, both virtually and in-person! Click any event to learn more and register. You can also check our calendar for our full schedule of events.
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Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities: World Migratory Bird Day
Poster by Annamaria Savarino Drago
The World Migratory Bird Day we’re hosting an online program featuring board member Dr. Tom Wood, who will outline seven ways you can take steps to make our northern Virginia cities and communities safe and welcoming for birds, “bird friendly.” Dr. Wood is an Associate Professor at George Mason University with a research focus on conservation studies, ecology, and education. He was the founding director of the Smithsonian Mason Center for Conservation.
When: Tuesday, May 6, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE
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World Migratory Bird Day Count
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rusty Moran
NVBA sponsors a World Migratory Bird Day count to help scientists working to protect migrating birds. Held at the height of spring migration, the count can average over 100 species. Teams of volunteers conduct an area search, and count data is submitted for inclusion in a hemispheric database used by Partners in Flight to chart the status and population trends of resident and neotropical migratory species. Participation is limited. If you are interested in helping with this year’s count, send a message to Jim Waggener from our website.
When: Saturday, May 10, 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Where: Occoquan Bay NWR 13950 Dawson Beach Road Woodbridge, VA
Fee: N/A
MORE INFO
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Ornithology 101 with Kiersten Newtoff
Ornithology topics graphic, Tina Dudley
Join us for Ornithology 101, a beginner-friendly, 5-week virtual course designed for bird lovers of all backgrounds! Whether you’re a budding birder or simply curious about the avian world, this interactive series will introduce you to the fundamentals of bird biology, behavior, identification, and conservation - as well as ways you can get involved locally to help protect birds and their habitats!
When: Monday, May 26, 2025 through Thursday, June 26, 2025 (Mon/Thur), 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Where: Online
Member ticket: $175
Non-member ticket: $200
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Alliance Afternoon: Raptor Reproduction and Nesting with Live Birds
Barred Owls, Jeffrey Dyke/Audubon Photography Awards
Join us Sunday, June 8, for a brief annual meeting followed by a program, “Raptor Reproduction and Nesting,” featuring live birds! We will gather informally starting at 2:30 PM in the cafeteria of the National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, in Reston. We welcome you to bring snacks and drinks to share. We’ll have a short business meeting at 3:00 PM, and our main program, featuring Secret Garden Birds and Bees, will begin at 3:15 PM.
When: Sunday, June 8, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Fee: FREE
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Bird Walks
Birding, Camila Cerea
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Check this page for upcoming walks! Registration is no longer required for NVBA-sponsored walks.
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Weekly Bird Word
Mallard, Alan D. Wilson, Wikimedia
Our new feature, the Weekly Bird Word, introduces a new bird-related vocabulary word each week.
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Conservation Counts
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rusty Moran
Join Jim Waggener in his ongoing natural resource surveys at two of Northern Virginia's best birding spots. Surveys alternate between Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area on Mason Neck.
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National Audubon Society Action Network
The National Audubon Society invites all Auduboners to join its action network. When you subscribe to the Society’s newsletter, you'll receive alerts about important congressional actions and information about how you can affect legislation by contacting your members of Congress.
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Too many emails? Now you can update your profile to let us know how often you'd like to receive email communications from NVBA.
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