The latest news and events from Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

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** October 2023
ASNV HOME ([link removed]) DONATE ([link removed]) JOIN ([link removed])
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** Board Notes
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** Yellow-rumped Cacique, Ad Konings via iNaturalist
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It’s not all about the birds for me. My connection is with nature in general, an all-encompassing love and passion for Pachamama, Mother Earth in the Aymara language of my ancestors.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Tell Us Your Thoughts (by October 15) on Keeping or Changing Our Name
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** King Rails, John James Audubon
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ASNV, like many other Audubon chapters, has embarked on a process to decide whether to keep the Audubon name. The National Audubon Society in March of this year decided not to change its name, but is allowing its many chapters to decide for themselves.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Celebrate Native Trees in October
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** Fall trees, Margaret Fisher
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This year, the entire month of October is Native Tree Month across Virginia!

Read more > ([link removed])


** What You Need to Know About Bird Flu
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** Mallard ducklings, Colleen Kerrigan/Audubon Photography Awards
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The July 2023 Statement from the international Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds includes some helpful recommendations on steps we can take to keep from exacerbating the spread of this deadly disease.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Thoreau Middle School Garden Produced Monarchs!
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** Native plants acquired by Thoreau Middle School
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In 2021, Henry David Thoreau Middle School, in Vienna, applied for funds from ASNV to purchase native plants for its courtyard. We recently received an exciting update on its garden.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Free Advocacy Workshop
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** Virginia Capitol, Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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You can learn how to advocate on behalf of our environment by attending a free Advocacy Forum at the National Wildlife Federation building on Saturday, October 21.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Biodiversity Starts at Home: Plant Native Plants!
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** Fall landscape, Margaret Fisher
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Fall is for planting. When choosing what to plant, why not factor in the ecosystem while you are at it?

Read more > ([link removed])

Monthly Features


** Observations from Meadowood
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** Wavy-lined Emerald Moth Caterpillar, Judy Gallagher
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Judy Gallagher is a long-time participant in the Meadowood Recreation Area survey. Here are some of her findings.

Read more > ([link removed])


** Remember, Your Vote Counts
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Ballot Box, Wikimedia Commons

All elections are important but Virginians will elect the entire Virginia General Assembly on November 7.
Read more > ([link removed])

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** Upcoming Classes and Events
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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 ([link removed]) for our full schedule of events.


** Understanding the Climate Crisis: What You Can Do
Graphic courtesy of Bill Young
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All are free to join us (no cost!) on October 5 for a discussion with Bill Young and ASNV board member Dr. Tom Wood on suggestions for actions they can take to address the climate crisis. The last half of the class will be an open forum for people to present their ideas, concerns, and experiences. For anyone interested in becoming more deeply involved, ASNV is offering a free advocacy workshop on October 21 ([link removed]) to provide information about how to do political action regarding climate and other environmental issues.

When: October 5, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Author Talk: "What an Owl Knows" with Jennifer Ackerman
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Ackerman
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For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Though our fascination goes back centuries, scientists only have recently begun to understand in detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds.

Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds, will join us for an author talk about her latest book, in which she illuminates the rich biology and natural history of owls and reveals remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior. What an Owl Knows is a fascinating exploration of owls across the globe and through human history, including an account of their astonishing hunting skills, communication, and sensory prowess.

When: Thursday, October 19, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: Members, $25; Non-members, $35
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Free Advocacy Workshop
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** Virginia Capitol, Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Join the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, and the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy for an afternoon of advocacy training. Attendance is free, but you need to register. The workshop will build your knowledge, skills and confidence to get elected officials on your side of the issues.

Virginia Delegate Ken Plum will give the keynote address. The training will consist of three panel discussions:
1. How does a local governing board make policy?
2. How to be an effective advocate
3. What can we learn from successful and unsuccessful advocacy efforts?

We'll finish the training with a discussion of what’s ahead in the Virginia General Assembly.

When: Saturday, October 21, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Bird Walk Leader Orientation with Greg Butcher and Robin Duska
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** Birder, Camilla Cerea
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Are you a strong birder or experienced naturalist? Join us for this orientation session and become a volunteer bird walk leader for Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. You can help us introduce birding and nature to more people in the region! The more people who care about birds, the more people who will want to help us protect them. Current ASNV bird walk leaders are also welcome and may find the discussion helpful, especially regarding eBird and BirdCast.

We are looking for people with at least 2 years of birding experience, who feel comfortable identifying most of the birds in our region by sight and at least 10-15 species by sound. We also want to find volunteers who have expertise in other natural resources, such as plants, animals, fungi, flowers, and geology, who are interested in leading nature walks. We ask that nature walk leaders have 2+ years of experience with their subject matter topic and at least 1 year of experience with birding. Successful walk leaders also will feel comfortable speaking to a group of people, welcoming diverse participants, helping new birders use binoculars and scopes, and reporting observations via eBird.

Classroom work will be followed by a short bird walk together.

When: Saturday, October 28, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** The "Birdman" Behind the Migratory Bird Treaty Act with Will McLean Greely
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** Image courtesy of Will McLean Greely
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Join us for an author event and learn about the man behind the ground-breaking, 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It’s one of the country’s first and most important conservation laws and has saved billions of birds.

Will McLean Greeley will provide an overview of his new biography, A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate. This is the story of how Connecticut’s George P. McLean helped establish lasting legal protections for birds that is still in effect today. Greeley, McLean’s great-great-nephew, puts McLean’s victory for birds in the context of his distinguished forty-five-year career marked by many acts of reform during a time of widespread corruption and political instability.

When: Thursday, November 2, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: Members, $10; Non-members, $15
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Occoquan Tree Identification with Jim McGlone
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** Occoquan Bay NWR, Rusty Moran
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Join us for a walk through Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge to learn how to identify common native trees and how you can be a good park neighbor by planting your own native trees at home. You’ll also learn why trees are so important, both in parks and the areas surrounding parks.

This program is part of our Stretch Our Parks initiative, in partnership with the staff of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established in June 1998 to provide habitat for migratory birds and endangered species. The refuge's diverse grassland, marsh, and forest habitats attract a variety songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl that depend on the area for food, nesting sites, and a place to rest.

When: Saturday, November 18, 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Where: Occoquan Bay NWR Visitor Center, 14050 Dawson Beach Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22191
Fee: FREE
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Birding in Colombia with ASNV
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Santa Marta Woodstar, Luis Eduardo Urena


With over 1,900 avian species — more than any other country in the world — Colombia is a birder’s paradise waiting to be discovered. This 9-day program focuses on the country’s northern highlights, including the Caribbean region and the Santa Marta Mountains, famed for their high level of endemic species. Explore high-elevation mountains, dry forest, and coastal habitats in search of an array of tropical avifauna, including flycatchers, hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and more. Throughout your journey, meet members of the local community and learn about conservation efforts to use birding as a sustainable development resource.

When: Saturday, January 13, 2024 - Sunday, January 21, 2024 9:00 AM
Where: Colombia
Fee: See registration page ([link removed]) through Holbrook Travel for pricing information
MORE INFO ([link removed])


** Bird Walks
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Birding, Camila Cerea


Check this page ([link removed]) for upcoming walks! Registration is no longer required for ASNV-sponsored walks.


** Monday Nature Mystery
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** American Golden Plover, Mary D'Agostino/Audubon Photography Awards
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**
Monday Nature Mystery continues! Read on to learn who correctly identified our last mystery and see what this week's mystery holds.
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**
Read more > ([link removed])
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** Conservation Counts
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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.

Read more > ([link removed])

E-Activist Network: Volunteers Needed

The National Audubon Society invites all Auduboners to join its e-activist 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. [link removed]
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** Maximize Your Impact
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Green Heron, Jay Stout/Audubon Photography Awards

Help ASNV build its nest egg through planned giving. Learn how here ([link removed]) .
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