A Letter to Our Members
Blackburnian Warbler, Kat Bradley Bennett/Audubon Photography Awards
As spring transforms our northern Virginia landscape, millions of birds take to the skies in one of nature's most spectacular phenomena. This annual migration brings both opportunities for celebration through events like birdathons and responsibilities for ensuring that these travelers reach their destinations safely.
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Good News at the I95 Landfill to Offset Some Bad News
Bobolink, Gerald Sneegas/Audubon Photography Awards
First, the bad news: The U.S North American Bird Conservation Initiative just released its State of the Birds 2025 report, and the birds with the most dire losses continue to be grassland birds, a 43% decline since 1970.
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Bird Flu: An Update for Birdwatchers
Northern Shovelers, Steve Jessmore/Audubon Photography Awards
Bird flu is a “highly pathogenic avian influenza” caused by the H5N1 virus. It’s being found in both wild birds and domestic fowl and, less commonly, in mammals, even humans.
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Don't Let Light Pollution Spoil Spring Migration!
Purple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards
The spring migration for birds is happening NOW - from March 15 through May 31 our feathered friends are making their long journeys north. Migration usually occurs at night, and many birds use the stars to navigate.
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The Prairie Warbler
Prairie Warbler, Matt Felperin
There are more than 50 species to see and hear at this time of year. Most migrants pass through, but the Prairie Warbler, Setophaga discolor, breeds in northern Virginia.
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Our Hog Island Scholarship Winner
Hog Island coastline, Kirk Treakle
NVBA is pleased to announce that Deborah Hammer is the 2025 winner of our scholarship to attend "Sharing Nature: An Educator's Week" at Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine this coming August.
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Early Spring Blooms for the Garden
Spring Beauty, Margaret Fisher
Our woodlands and meadows are about to awaken and burst into a vibrant display of spring ephemerals, the transient native beauties we love to see, especially after the cold and snowy days of winter.
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A Closer Look: Nature All Around Us
Humped Beewolf, 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: Beyond the Spray
Ebony Jewelwing, Judy Gallagher
A recent presentation highlighted how conventional mosquito spraying is jeopardizing efforts to create thriving wildlife habitats and offered effective alternatives that protect both people and pollinators.
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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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Let's Play Wingspan Together
Playing Wingspan, Tina Dudley
We’re hosting a hands-on introduction to playing a prize-winning, bird-themed board game called Wingspan. If you love birds and you love board games - you’ll love Wingspan! Imagine a game of Monopoly, but instead of using cash for real estate transactions, you are building a wealth of birds on your wildlife preserves by using real-life information about North American birds and their habitats, feeding behaviors, and nesting preferences.
When: Thursday, April 3, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Fee: FREE
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Fireside Chat: Spring Emergence, a Time to Reflect
Photo Haiku, Esther Peters
In spring we think about the emergence of new life, the return of abundance, and uncertainty - in our climate and in our world. Join us for a discussion about finding joy in nature and finding reassurance in our environment's natural annual cycles. Tom Wood and Judy Gallagher will share stories of spring, and we want to hear your stories too! To get in the mood, select a photo you have taken this spring and add a haiku.
When: Wednesday, April 16, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: Online
Fee: FREE
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Birding By Ear for Beginners with Colt Gregory
Carolina Wren, David Smith/Audubon Photography Awards
Did you know you don’t even need binoculars to explore the big world of birds? Often it is faster and easier to identify a bird by its song – if you know how to bird by ear. Join Colt Gregory to learn the benefits of birding by ear, hear some of the songs and calls of birds in our area, and get to know resources and apps that will help you bird by ear.
When: Thursday, April 17, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Online
Member ticket: $10
Non-member ticket: $20
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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
House Finch, Jeff O'Keeffe/Audubon Photography Awards
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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