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In This Newsletter
Due to the ongoing covid-19 situation, all of the general wildlife and butterfly/dragonfly surveys in this series are suspended until further notice. While chances of transmission may seem slight for outdoor programs like this, it is only prudent to avoid any undue risks until data indicate it is safe to proceed. I will be giving as much notice as possible regarding resumption of the survey schedule.
In the meantime, any findings you may have from your individual outings in the survey circle would be appreciated. Take very good care of yourselves. Looking forward to seeing you all in the not too distant future.
Jim Waggener
Observations from Meadowood
Judy Gallagher
This Sand-loving Wasp excavates a burrow in the ground for each egg she will lay. She then captures a Grasshopper (or occasionally a Katydid) for each burrow, paralyzing it with her venom, drags the grasshopper into the burrow by its antennae and lays an egg on the grasshopper's breast. The grasshopper serves as live food for the wasp larva.
Green Tree Frogs are important for mosquito control, but they will eat any insect they can catch. Hundreds of tree frog males gather near ponds, lakes and streams and call out to catch the attention of females. Each female lays approximately 400 eggs. The eggs hatch after 5 days, then it takes 8 to 10 weeks for the tadpoles to become frogs. Adults can live for up to 6 years. Look for these beautiful creatures near bodies of water after a rainstorm.
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.
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President's Corner September 2020
“It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is also a crime.” With those words, referencing Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a federal court judge has invalidated a U.S. Department of the Interior memorandum that eliminated more than 100 years of protection for migratory birds. Prior to the DOI memorandum, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 had been interpreted as making it illegal to take actions that resulted in the killing of birds. The memorandum would have applied the law only to actions that intentionally killed birds. The court’s decision ensures that environmental disasters such as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which killed more than 1 million birds, will continue to be subject to penalties.
The lawsuit that led to the court’s decision was brought by the National Audubon Society, among other plaintiffs. It is a reminder that Audubon chapters, including ASNV, are not simply organizations of bird watchers. Women established the first Audubon Society at the end of the 19th century to stop the killing of egrets for their plumes and to protect birds from market hunting for food. We have come a long way from the days when hundreds of millions of Passenger Pigeons were killed, leading to their extinction; and the days when millions of songbirds, and particularly robins, were killed for food. Advocating to protect birds and the environment is still a core mission of all Audubon Society chapters.
Most of ASNV’s advocacy efforts focus on environmental issues that affect Northern Virginia and matters of statewide importance, but we also urge Virginia legislators to take action on Federal environmental issues. Most recently, we helped draft a joint letter from the National Audubon Society and other Virginia Audubon chapters urging the Governor and the General Assembly to preserve budgetary language providing for compensatory mitigation in connection with actions that cause harm to birds or other wildlife. We also urged the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to support provisions for natural landscaping at county facilities and we are working on letters urging Virginia senators and representatives to support Federal legislation to reduce the amount of pollution from plastics.
Protecting the environment requires constant vigilance. The loss of 3 billion North American birds in the last 50 years, nearly 30% of our bird population, is stark evidence of the importance of environmental advocacy. ASNV is committed to its mission – to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
By Tom Blackburn, ASNV President
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Fall Events and Classes
CONFUSING FALL WARBLERS with Marc Ribaudo
When: Wednesday, September 9, 7:00 to 8:00 PM and Thursday, September 10, 7:00 to 8:30 PM (2 sessions)
Where: VIRTUAL!
Fee: $25 Register Here
This workshop is back by popular demand. Don’t be afraid of the little green jobs! We will focus on the field marks of fall warblers that typically pass through our region, with an emphasis on species that look very much different in the spring than fall, and species that are most often confused.
Instructor: Marc Ribaudo is an avid birder with over 40 years of field experience. He regularly led trips for the Northern Virginia Bird Club and Friends of Dyke Marsh before retiring and moving to North Carolina. We are thrilled to have him teach this online workshop.
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Fall Events and Classes (continued)
AUDUBON AFTERNOON with AMANDA GALLINAT
Climate Change and its Effect on Food for Migrating Birds
Where: Virtual!
When: Sunday, September 13, 3:00 to 4:30 PM
Cost: Free Register Here
Speaker: Dr. Amanda Gallinat is an ecologist who studies how environmental change affects plants, birds and their interactions.  Her recent research focuses on the effects of climate change on the timing of seasonal biological events in the northeast, including fruit ripening and bird migration, and how these climate-driven changes alter food availability for birds in autumn. Amanda's research incorporates the historical field notes of Henry David  Thoreau, long-term bird banding records, museum specimens and field observations. Her work has been featured by National Audubon, The Wildlife Society and American Scientist. Amanda has a B.A. from Carleton College and a PhD from Boston University. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Utah State University.
This event is free, but registration is required.
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Ecological Landscaping with Charles Smith
Online: Thursday, September 24 and Thursday, October 1, 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Where: VIRTUAL!
Fee: $25 Register Here
Participants will learn to apply ecological principles to creating backyard habitats and restoring ecosystems.  Focus will be on looking not only at the needs of animals, but working with nature and using local ecosystems as examples for selecting species, building soils and providing natural structure.
This workshop is open to all. It is especially relevant for volunteer Audubon at Home Ambassadors, and will augment basic training for Virginia Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners and qualifies for advanced training hours. It is recommended that attendees have some familiarity with the book, Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy and the ASNV publication "The Nature of Change" which can be downloaded here.
Instructor: Charles Smith is a native of Arlington, VA, and a naturalist and ecologist with 25 years of experience working primarily in natural resource management, including the Fairfax County Park Authority and five years with Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. He is currently branch chief of Fairfax County Stormwater Planning Division, focusing on stream and natural area restoration. Charles is a US Army veteran; board member of Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS), Prince William Wildflower Society and Prince William Conservation Alliance; and member of Friends of the Potomac River Refuges. He is a popular VNPS speaker and has served as an instructor for three chapters of the Virginia Master Naturalists.
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ASNV Online Programs
Missed one of our programs?
Do you want to learn about warblers, how to build a helpful habitat for wildlife, prevent bird-window collisions or attract birds with bird feeders? Visit our online programs page. We’re sharing webinars on these topics and others to help us stay engaged with birds and the habitat they depend on.
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Sweet Options When Selection Woody Plants for your Home Habitat
Deidra Bryant
The dog days of summer are behind us, and as our avian migrants prepare for their long and arduous trek towards their wintering grounds, you might wonder what things you and your family can do for your native bird habitat to facilitate their journey.
Although it’s still too early to see those beautiful crimson leaves senescence within your neighborhood, colorful fruits are still abundant on many woody plants. As you may already know, birds show individual preferences for various fruit-producing plants. For example, they will select fruits they like best (such as Cornus, Rubus, and Vaccinium spp), clean them off early in the season, and let fruit t hey find less tasty hang onto other plants. Here are a few plants to consider purchasing if you enjoy observing birds nibble on fresh fruit within resplendent autumn foliage.
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana L.) is a native perennial understory shrub that produces clusters of tiny magenta drupes that ring around their woody stems in late August and September. The berries have a high moisture content and serve as an important food source for many passerines such as the Northern Cardinal, Purple Finch, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Towhee and Brown Thrasher.
Persimmons—whose genus loosely means “fruit of the Gods”—are one of the most favored fruits in Asia. However, they tend to be underappreciated in North America. The American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a large tree native to much of the eastern United States and grows vibrant orange berries (yes, the fruit is morphologically a berry!) As with Asian persimmons, the American persimmon produces delicious fruit in the fall which becomes an excellent food source for birds once they are ripe. In fact, this fruit becomes more palatable, softer and sweeter only after a couple of light autumn frosts.
Other fruiting plants to consider include American holly and Blackhaw. By adding “less-desired” species to your habitat, you’ll be stocking your feathered friends’ pantry for the late winter when berries they passed up become life-saving food stores. Birds that rely on insects in the warmer months often rely on berries when the weather turns brisk. These include woodpeckers, robins, waxwings, thrashers, mockingbirds, catbirds, thrushes, bluebirds, chickadees and titmice. So, as you clean out those nest boxes and make your brush piles, consider planting these captivating native plants in your yard next spring. You might even encounter a new visitor!
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Prepare NOW for the November 3 Election
Conservation Policies at Stake
Virginians will elect a U.S. President, U.S. senator and all members of the U.S. House of Representatives on November 3, 2020. There will also be two state constitutional amendments on the ballot, one of which addresses the redistricting process. Some advocates say that the proposed amendment is designed to end partisan gerrymandering, but others argue it will not achieve that goal.
Localities may have other issues on the ballot. Fairfax County voters, for example, will vote on four bonds, including a parks bond.
Check with your local elections board or the Virginia Department of Elections to find out what will be on your ballot.
Request Your Absentee Ballot Now
Because of the health risks posed by the coronavirus, officials are expecting heavy absentee voting this year, by mail and in person. You can request an absentee ballot now and will receive it around 45 days before the election. Many localities have in-person absentee voting before Election Day (In Fairfax County, it begins on September 18). Check with yours.
October 13 is the deadline to register to vote in Virginia.
It’s never too early to get involved. Many conservation policies are at issue in this election.
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GET INVOLVED
Fairfax County Needs Your Input for its Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan, CECAP
Fairfax County would like all citizens to participate in the first public engagement phase of the Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan. Ali Althen, Public Information Officer at the Office of Environmental & Energy Coordination writes:
“ Fairfax County is in the midst of developing its first-ever comprehensive climate change mitigation plan. Rather than imposing a plan from the top down, we are building a plan from the ground up and are seeking input from all county residents and stakeholders to ensure our plan is equitable and feasible. The Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan, or CECAP, has been in development since early this year and is now moving into its first public engagement phase.”
In the interest of getting as many community members involved as possible, the county has started a series of online public meetings and a survey for county residents and workers to share their input on potential climate planning goals. The first virtual meeting took place on August 27. Other meetings will follow on September 1 and September 2. Access the meetings and the survey here. The survey is available is multiple languages but will close soon, on September 13.
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ASNV Bird Walks are Resuming in September—within Limits
By Jean Tatalias and Dixie Sommers
Soon we will begin—cautiously—to resume bird walks this fall. While the activity is outdoors, we still want to avoid the need for participants to be in close proximity. Even though the business economy is restarting, we realize that the virus is still a significant risk, especially to older people.
Our walks will be limited to 4 or 5 participants plus the leader. Participants must observe social distancing whenever possible and masks will be required when that is  not possible—for example, when passing other walkers. Scopes will not be used. Locations will be chosen where trails are wide enough for the needed separation.
The bird walk list will announce the general area for a walk (e.g., western Prince William County or south of Alexandria), the date and the leader. We will require that people enroll with the leader by email. The leader will limit the attendees to space available and will give enrollees the exact location to meet. Two September walks are being offered.
These walks are intended for participants who would like the guidance of a leader. In parallel, we encourage our more experienced birders to continue with their own solo birding and photography outings.
When you register for a walk you are expected to be symptom-free if you attend. If you have registered but find you cannot attend, please notify the leader. We will keep a waiting list
This is a cautious beginning for all of us who miss birding together. Some may not be comfortable with even this limited format yet—and we respect their choice. If you do register, please follow the requirements out of respect for the leader and other participants.
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Bird Walks
Because the number of attendees at walks is very limited to allow social distancing whenever possible, these walks are intended for inexperienced birders. You must wear a mask for situations where distancing on trails or from other walkers may not possible be. Registration with the leader is required: if space is available, the leader will tell you where to meet.
Email leader to register and determine if space is available.
Southern Fairfax County
Sunday, September 6, 8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leader: Dixie Sommers [email protected]
Northern Prince William County
Sunday, September 20, 8:00 to 11:00 AM
Leader: Toby Hardwick [email protected]
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Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas Transitions to Next Stage
The second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas, known as VABBA2, is one of the largest citizen science projects in Virginia’s history. Over the last five years, more than 1,400 volunteer birders, including many ASNV members, have gathered data on breeding activity of over 200 species throughout the Commonwealth, resulting in over 6 million records.
The VABBA2 is a joint effort of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Game and Inland Fisheries), Virginia Tech and the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO).
In speaking of the field collection work, Dr. Ashley Peele of Virginia Tech and VABBA2 coordinator, said “We’ve ended our final year very strongly, despite constraints presented by Covid-19. This means that after five years of intense data collection,  we are in an excellent position for moving forward with the next stage – data cleanup, review, and analysis for the Atlas datasets.” This stage will compile the raw data into readily useable information.
Although its final form is still being determined, the VABBA2 will provide accessible science-based information on avian population and habitat distributions, species maps and accounts, and a range of other topics. This data will support positive environmental regulation, species conservation, rural land preservation, public lands acquisition and management, climate change actions and much more. You can learn more about the atlas project here.
As a member chapter of the Virginia Society of Ornithology, ASNV is pleased to support the next phase of VABBA2. We invite you to join us in helping launch the final stage of the Atlas project through your donation, either online or by sending a check to the VSO at P.O. Box 5994, Williamsburg, VA 23188. Thank you!
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Bird of the Month: Who’s that Calling in the Air?
By Jessica Bigger
When you hear “ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kow-kow-kowlp-kowlp-kowlp-kowlp” or a mellow “cu, cu, cu, cu” call in the distance it might be a sign of rain. Because of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo’s (Coccyzus americanus) and the Black-billed Cuckoo’s (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) weather forecasting abilities, they are commonly known as the “rain crow.” As a rain storm is blowing in, our little friends are giving us a heads up to run for cover. These elusive birds are rarely seen but heard, and their song and call can carry quite a distance. They are also long-distance migrants flying silently to their destination.
Sometimes Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos get a bad rap, being compared to their close cousin the Common Cuckoo from Eurasia. The Common Cuckoo is a  brood parasite whose call is mimicked by a cuckoo clock’s chime. Although, Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos will occasionally lay their eggs in other birds’ nest, it is not a common occurrence. In most cases, if they do, they will lay their eggs in other cuckoo’s nests.
Even though both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos can lay up to two broods, they tend to only raise one and don’t lay their eggs all at once, but asynchronously. Youngsters, when threatened, will make a display similar to a bittern, where they stretch their necks, with their heads looking straight up into the sky; standing like a statue.
Yellow-billed Cuckoos (YBCU) and Black-billed Cuckoos (BBCU) migrate through Virginia in the spring. But Black-billed Cuckoos breed farther north from Virginia while Yellow-billed Cuckoos have a more expansive breeding territory. In seasons when there is an abundance of caterpillars and cicadas, you’ll tend to hear and see more of them. YBCU’s have a preference for tent caterpillars, gypsy moths and cicadas, while BBCU munch on caterpillars of the spiny variety, shedding their stomach lining to remove the spines and coughing those spines up into owl-like pellets.
While our eastern Yellow-billed Cuckoo’s population is stable, the western population is struggling due to habitat loss. They inhabit woodlands, thick brush, marshes and abandoned farmland. Black-billed Cuckoos live more in woodlands and thickets.
This year, I’ve seen a ton of spiny and tent caterpillars, more than in past years. Plus, we’ve had a lot of rain. So, there is a good chance we’ll hear more of these elusive birds during fall migration as they head down to Mexico and Central American for the winter.
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Peak Hummingbird Migration Season
Lisa Mackem
In Virginia, migration season is peaking for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, which are here throughout the summer during their breeding season. This is the only hummingbird that breeds in eastern North America but birders sometimes see the Rufous Hummingbird passing through this area in the fall or winter. The Rufous Hummingbird used to be a rare stray in the southeast United States, but sightings east of the Mississippi have become more frequent. The Rufous Hummingbird nests the farthest north of all hummingbirds – up to south-central Alaska.
In late winter and early spring, hummingbirds breed in the United States and Canada, where summer food supplies are abundant.  Hummingbirds occupy almost all of North America during the summer, but most of them migrate to Mexico or Central America for the winter. These are impressive journeys for tiny birds. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds weigh little more than a penny, but can fly 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico in less than one day. The three-inch long Rufous Hummingbird makes one of the longest migratory trips in the bird world – 3,900 miles, or 78.4 million body lengths. In the United States, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can travel up to 20 miles per day. Contrary to popular myth, they do not migrate on the backs of geese or other birds, but they do sometimes travel in mixed flocks over water.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will defend territories of flowers and feeders and will fight or chase off other birds that try to feed there but females will occasionally share a feeder. Male Rufous Hummingbirds will also defend a patch of flowers and vigorously chase away all intruders, including larger birds. Before placing a feeder outside, make sure there are no outside cats that can prey on birds, and that feeders are not too close to windows. Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds” recommends making a sugar water mixture with one-quarter cup of sugar per cup of water. Food coloring is not recommended. Preferred native flowers include Trumpet Creeper, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Cardinal Flower, Bee-balm and Wild Bergamot. Hummingbirds also eat and feed their young tiny insects including mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, small bees, caterpillars and aphids.
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ASNV Board Member Cathy Ledec Receives Environmental Award
Cathy Ledec, who joined the ASNV Board of Directors a year ago, has received Fairfax County’s  2020 Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award. Cathy received the award in recognition of her 17 years of volunteer service at Huntley Meadows Park and for the Fairfax County Park Authority. Cathy is President of the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, a Site Leader for FCPS’s Invasive Management Area Program, Chair of the Fairfax County Tree Commission and a member of County Supervisor Dan Storck’s Environment Advisory Committee.
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Monday Nature Mystery
We are pleased to announce the winner of our Monday Nature Mystery, Cathy Crosby Grose!
Several people recognized the nest and eggs of Northern Cardinal, (Cardinalis cardinalis), but Cathy was the first to post the correct answer. The Northern Cardinal is the official state bird of Virginia. It is a resident bird and both the males and females sing.
Each Monday we’ll post a new photo and identify the previous week’s winner who will receive an ASNV hat or tote bag.
Here is this week’s mystery:
Do you know what species of snake this is? It was photographed along the aptly named Snakeden Branch in Reston. Post your guess (please list both common name and Latin name) on our Facebook page under Monday Nature Mystery.
Good luck!
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