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                        | Board NotesBald Eagles, Ron GrimesIn this month's edition of Board Notes, meet Ron Grimes, NVBA board member and treasurer.
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                        | 2024 Hog Island Scholarship ReportView of Muscongus Bay, Jeanne Lukas-RossEach summer, NVBA offers a full scholarship and transportation to “Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” at National Audubon Society’s Hog Island Camp in Maine. Here is what our 2024 scholarship winner shared with us.
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                        | King Rails at the Tipping Point in Northern VirginiaKing Rail, Joshua Galicki/Audubon Photography AwardsKing Rail populations have declined over the last ten years primarily due to habitat loss. King Rails are among northern Virginia birds that BirdLife International’s State of the Birds 2022 identified as at a tipping point for extinction, having lost half of their population in the last 50 years, and on a trajectory to lose another 50% in the next 50 years if nothing changes.
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                    | NVBA Initiates a Bird Safe NOVA CampaignPurple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography AwardsBillions of birds die each year from human-made causes. NVBA and other local conservation groups have formed a partnership, Bird Safe NOVA, in an effort to reduce the devastating toll on birds from excess light and window collisions.Read more > 
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                    | Supporting Your Garden Through Heat and DroughtThriving native garden, Mona Enquist-JohnsonWe all know the climate is getting hotter. The week of July 22 included the world’s two hottest days in recorded history. We can only anticipate more heat and more drought in the future. How can you help your garden thrive?Read more > |  |  |  
    
        
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                    | Birdability Week: Celebrate Accessible Birding!Part of the Five Beaks Birdathon TeamAs part of our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and making birding accessible to everyone, the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance is excited to celebrate Birdability Week!
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                    | Conservation Scorecard: Know the Voting Records of Those You ElectHuntley Meadows boardwalk, Dixie SommersThe news reports are filled with coverage about the major party conventions for the upcoming Presidential race. It’s important, but don’t let it distract you from keeping track of what’s going on in Virginia.
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                    | Observations from MeadowoodEastern Amberwing, Judy GallagherJudy Gallagher is a long-time participant in the Meadowood Recreation Area survey. Here are some of her findings.
 
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                    | Wildlife Sanctuary AlmanacPinxter Azelea, David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikidmedia CommonsWatch this space for a new almanac entry in early October! Catch up on past articles by clicking below.
 
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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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        | Fall Butterfly Identification with Larry MeadeVariegated Frittilary, David IlligGet ready for the September 15, 2024 North American Butterfly Association Count by attending this class, in which Larry Meade will walk us through the common species and help us differentiate some of the trickier look-a-like species. When: Tuesday, September 3, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PMWhere: Virtual
 Member Ticket: FREE
 Non-member Ticket: $10
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        | NABA Butterfly CountVariegated Frittilary, David IlligThe 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. Deadline to register is Thursday, Sept 12 at 9:00 PM so you can be assigned to a team on Friday. Teams will each meet at their designated count locations. When: Sunday, September 15, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PMWhere: Alexandria, VA area
 Suggested donation: $3
 
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        | Alliance Afternoon: Brian Evans on the New Smithsonian Bird HouseWilson's Snipe, John Troth/Audubon Photography Awards
Join us Sunday, September 22, for our fall in-person gathering. We will gather informally starting at 2:30 PM in the cafeteria of the National Wildlife Federation Building, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, in Reston. At 3:00 PM Dr. Brian Evans, Migratory Bird Ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, will speak on the newly renovated Bird House at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.  When: Sunday, September 22, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PMWhere: 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston Virginia
 Ticket: FREE
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        | Learn How to Protect Northern Virginia's BirdsPurple Martins, Keith Kingdon/Audubon Photography Awards
Join NVBA and its partners in Bird Safe NOVA to learn about the dangers our birds face from lights and windows and what you can do to make their lives less risky. When: Wednesday, October 9, 7:30 PM – 9 PMWhere: Virtual
 Ticket: FREE
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                    | Bird WalksBirding, 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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                    | Monday Nature MysteryLeast Bittern, ©Todd KiralyMonday 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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                    | Conservation CountsBlue-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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                        | 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.  https://www.audubon.org/
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