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Quick Links
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
Insects are winding down for the year, but flies still seem to be common. Here are two I saw recently, both at Julie Metz Wetlands.
The Feather-legged Fly is a parasite in its larval form. The adult is about the size of a house fly and the female hovers above plants searching for a Squash Bug or Southern Green Stink Bug on which to lay her eggs. The eggs hatch and the fly larvae feed on the bugs, eventually killing them. This fly is useful as a biological control, and it was deliberately introduced to California to try to control Squash Bug populations around squash farms. Some scientists estimate that as much as 80% of Squash Bugs there have fly eggs deposited on them, but the parasitized Squash Bugs live long enough to still damage crops, so the biological control is only partially successful.
At first glance one might think this is a tiny wasp, but it's one of the Flower Flies, the Margined Calligrapher, named because the abdominal pattern resembles fine calligraphy. It may derive protection from predation by mimicking a bee or wasp but it's clearly a fly with its short stubby antennae and only two wings. Adult Margined Calligraphers pollinate and their carnivorous larvae eat aphids, so they are a good thing to see in your garden.
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.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ASNV FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) is looking for additional members for its Finance Committee to help advise the Board on investment allocations. The Finance Committee meets quarterly to review financial holdings and create recommendations to the ASNV Board for allocating/reallocating investment funds based on the organization's cash needs, financial goals and risk tolerance. The Finance Committee prepares a report to the Board twice per year. Prospective Finance Committee members should be familiar with evaluating risks and returns of securities but do not need to have a professional background in a financial field. Contact Eli Garduño.
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President's Corner December 2020
By Tom Blackburn, ASNV President
By now you should have received a letter or an email asking you to support ASNV with a donation during our Annual Appeal. If you’ve already responded, thank you! For those of you who haven’t, please make a generous contribution to continue protecting birds and the environment.
ASNV increased its advocacy efforts in the past year, working to protect bird habitat throughout Virginia. We also opposed the spraying of insecticides that kill insects essential for young birds; advocated for bird-safe building design; and supported clean energy legislation in Virginia.
Our education programs went online in the spring, resulting in a significant increase in the number and diversity of people who attended our classes. We presented more than 50 hours of classes this year, many of them free. We also made grants to support student conservation-oriented projects in area schools. We believe that encouraging students to gain knowledge and enthusiasm for nature is essential to helping them become active stewards of our environment.
Our citizen science programs improved knowledge of bird and insect populations, helping researchers understand how to protect our changing environment. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, we conducted a Christmas Bird Count, a Winter Waterfowl Count, an International Migratory Bird Count and regular surveys of butterflies and dragonflies.
Our Audubon at Home (AAH) program provided advice to homeowners and property managers on how to make habitat improvements that attract wildlife. Volunteer AAH Ambassadors visited over 100 properties and certified 1,217 acres as Wildlife Sanctuaries. We also helped present a conference on native plants to landscape professionals; co-hosted a webinar on native plants with our partner, Green Muslims and expanded the Audubon at Home program into parts of Rappahannock and Fauquier Counties.
Most of our efforts are fueled by donations and volunteer hours from individuals. You can read more about the work we did together in fiscal 2020 in our Annual Report. Please join our efforts by giving to our Annual Appeal. You can donate online at Donate to ASNV or send a check to ASNV, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston VA 20190.
Together we can help birds thrive and work to improve the environment we all share!
Thank you,
Tom
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Keep Protections for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers – Send Your Comments to U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service By December 7th
If you have seen the Red-cockaded Woodpecker in Virginia’s Big Woods Wildlife Management Area or have been lucky enough to tour the Nature Conservancy’s Piney Grove Preserve on one of ASNV’s Great Dismal Swamp trips, you know how fragile its survival is. Only intensive management under the Endangered Species Act has allowed them to survive in pockets in the southern United States. Nevertheless, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) on October 8, 2020 proposed to “downlist” the species from “endangered” to “threatened,” which would roll back protections essential to its survival. Prematurely removing those protections could cause loss of the hard-fought gains that resulted from current protections. The proposal is here, and the FWS website also provides a link for submitting comments on the proposal, due by December 7, 2020.
There are a number of disturbing elements to the proposal. The notice proposing downlisting admits that existing populations do not yet meet the criteria identified in the Service’s own protection plan for downlisting. See 85 Fed. Reg. 63,474, at 63,488-489, Oct. 8, 2020. That omission alone should dictate that current protections should continue. The proposal also notes that the majority of populations – 108 out of 124 – are small with “inherently very low or low resiliency” to threats. Populations with fewer than 100 active clusters can decline because of inbreeding, and the notice suggests that only two existing populations are large enough to avoid inbreeding without moving birds from one location to another. (Page 64,480.) And the notice makes very clear that significant threats to populations remain from habitat loss, wildfires, pine beetles, ice storms, tornadoes and hurricanes, all of which can destroy pines used for nesting and destroy or degrade foraging areas. (Page 63,479.)
The proposed downlisting also would result in limiting protections available for the birds as long as their status is “endangered.” Some of the largest existing populations are on military installations. The downlisting proposal would allow those installations to take actions that would halt or reverse
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Keep Protections for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers – Send Your Comments to U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service By December 7th (continued)
recovery trends. Any “incidental take” – unintended harm to the woodpeckers or their nests – resulting from “military training activities on Department of Defense installations with an FWS-approved integrated natural resources management plan” would be permitted. The proposal also would allow a state to substitute its own management plan for the federal standards, and the proposal includes a broad exemption for certain infrastructure activities even if they take place during the species’ breeding season. All of those exemptions undo gains from current management standards. (Page 63,498.)
ASNV will submit comments on the proposal, either individually or by endorsing comments currently being developed by the Southern Environmental Law Center which has been spearheading response to the proposal. FWS is accepting comments on the proposal through December 7. You can submit comments on the proposal here.
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Adult Education
NEW! Fireside Chat with Dr. Tom Wood and Bill Young
 Winter is on the way! Welcome to this new series for uplifting conversations around the Zoom fire!
Join us for stimulating conversations about our natural world with Dr. Tom Wood and guests. This is an open-forum conversation for everyone, so grab a cup of hot chocolate and settle into the cozy Zoom room! This is a great opportunity to go more in-depth with questions you might have from our recent programs or to discuss things happening in your neighborhood. Folks new to ASNV, friends, educators and anyone curious about the natural world are welcome!
We will focus on our recent fascinating conversation with Jennifer Ackerman, author of “The Bird Way” and Bill Young’s presentation on Birds and Culture in November and December. You never know who might show up by the fire!
ONLINE: Thursday, December 10, 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Cost: FREE Registration required
Limit: 50
LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fireside-chat-with-dr-tom-wood-tickets-127747332711
Manassas - Bull Run Christmas Bird Count Celebration and Summary
Learn about highlights of this year’s CBC and celebrate with the CBC  community. Open to everyone, even if you did not participate in the CBC.
ONLINE: Sunday, December 20, 6:00 PM
Cost: FREE Registration required
Limit: 150
LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manassas-bull-run-christmas-bird-celebration-summary-tickets-130033334203
Register for our January Audubon Afternoon with Dr. Sahas Barve
 Join us as we’ll learn how birds stay warm in cold weather and extreme elevations. Sahas is an avian evolutionary ecologist and currently a Peter Buck Fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where he studies how birds stay warm in the high Himalayas. He is also an avid birder and hopes to see 6,000 bird species by the time he is 60. Learn more about him at his website www.sahasbarve.com.
ONLINE: Sunday, January 17, 3:00 to 4:30 PM
Cost: FREE Registration required
Limit: 300
LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/audubon-afternoon-with-dr-sahas-barve-tickets-126576492697
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Fundamentals of Avian Biology, The Study of Birds: Spring Session
When: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30 to 8:30 PM
March 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30; April 1, 13, 15
Where: Virtual
Fee: $150/member; $175/non-member
Limit: 50
Are you new to birding and want to learn more or just want to dig deeper into the subject? Then this class is for you! This course is designed and presented at an introductory but comprehensive university level in 12, 1-hour sessions.
Fundamentals of Avian Biology: Spring Session Topics emphasized in the spring session encompass: bird song; avian diets and foraging; mate selection and social behaviors; breeding biology (incubation, chick-rearing, post-natal care); bird populations; and avian conservation and sustainable management. Instructional presentations will include PowerPoint slides, auditory or video supplements, and some in-class participatory exercises, wrapped up with a 10-15-minute question-and-answer session. Each night’s lecture will be made available to all participants in PDF format.
Instructor: Dr. Haney's expertise straddles the fields of ornithology, marine science, climate change, wildlife biology, ecosystem management and conservation policy. His projects and scholarly work have taken him to Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Bahamas, Lesser Antilles, several countries of southern Africa and the former Soviet Union. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and technical notes, over 150 reports, abstracts, testimony, blog communications, and other public documents, and delivered more than 150 invited seminar, conference and workshop presentations. Chris’s knowledge and enthusiasm in the classroom are contagious!
Limit: 50 students. Don’t delay, this class will sell out quickly.
Fee: $150 members, $175 non-members
LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fundamentals-of-avian-biology-the-study-of-birds-spring-session-tickets-131139823743
This course is designed and presented at a university introductory level in two separate sections – Fall and Spring. The two sections are independent and field trips will focus on birds that are present during each season. Spring Session will begin in late winter 2021, there is no prerequisite for this section.
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ASNV Online Programs
Missed one of our programs?
 We’ve moved our classes and workshops to an online format due to the pandemic. We will provide recordings of as many of these events as possible and make them available here, both to keep our members and community engaged while staying at home and to develop an ongoing collection of educational resources. Check back often, as we will add videos and resources as we receive them. Please enjoy!
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2020 Christmas Bird Count – Sunday, December 20, 2020
ASNV plans to hold the 39th Manassas-Bull Run Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 20. This year’s count will be different, in light of the pandemic.
Instead of recruiting new participants, we will be limiting the count to last year’s participants who want to do the count under conditions that conform with pandemic restrictions, including wearing masks, maintaining social distance and carpooling with household members only. Instead of our count day lunch gathering, we will have an on-line “tally rally” in the evening of count day. If you participated in last year’s count, you should have received a message about participating this year.
If you were looking forward to volunteering for the first time for this CBC, we hope you'll understand and volunteer next year. BUT there are still ways you can join the spirit of the count! Consider these possibilities or invent your own:
- Join the Zoom CBC Celebration and Summary:
Learn about highlights of this year’s CBC and celebrate with the CBC community. Register here.
- Do Your Own Count:
Walk through your neighborhood or visit a park or refuge to gather observations and report your personal findings via eBird. (see below) Be sure to practice social distancing and wear a mask if within six feet of others!
- Learn More About Useful Identification and Database Applications:
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a suite of useful tools and sites related to birding.
- Project Feeder Watch:
Count birds that visit your feeders from the safety of your home or yard. Submit data from your sightings to contribute to winter and early bird counts. The 2020–21 FeederWatch season began on November 14 and ends on April 9. You can still sign up, and the last day to start a two-day count is April 8. Details are at https://feederwatch.org.
- CBC Feeder Watchers:
If you reside in the Manassas-Bull Run CBC circle, you can count your feeder birds on December 20 and send a report that can be included in the official count. Contact the CBC compiler Phil Silas, [email protected] for details.
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The 1918 Christmas Bird Count
Dixie Sommers
In 2020, we are holding the Christmas Bird Count in the midst of a pandemic. What did birders do in 1918, in the midst of the Spanish flu pandemic?
The answer can be found in the 1918 edition of Bird-Lore, the “Official Organ of the Audubon Societies” edited by Frank Chapman. In the article “Bird-Lore’s Eighteenth Christmas Census” we find reports of two counts in Northern Virginia on December 26, each led by interesting people.
The “Mount Vernon to Dyke, VA” route was counted by Waldo McAtee and Edward A. Preble, two scientists from the Bureau of Biological Survey, a predecessor to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. McAtee studied bird feeding habits, authored many scientific papers, became editor of USFWS publications and along with Aldo Leopold helped found The Wildlife Society. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Preble worked on bird and mammal studies in the Pacific northwest, where he led two expeditions to the Athabasca-Mackenzie region of Canada. After retirement from the government, he became an associate editor of Nature magazine.
The Washington, D.C. route, described as “Wellington to New Alexandria, VA; Arlington, VA to Washington D.C.” was covered by Leo and Edith Miner and  Raymond W. Moore. Edith Miner was a leader in the Audubon Society of the District of Columbia, and apparently was something of a nature activist. She and Leo participated in the first meeting of the American Society of Mammologists, and she gave remarks at the 1934 annual meeting of the Virginia Society of Ornithology held in Alexandria.
In 1956, Mrs. Miner advocated to the Senate Appropriations Committee against use of $1.8 million for the parkway extension on the D.C./Maryland shore between Chain Bridge and Cabin John. Referring to herself as “a naturalist and above all a conservationist,” she argued for preserving the trees and natural areas which provided habitat for birds. “The nesting of some of our more rare birds in that area, many making it their winter residence, is striking and proof of its value as a bird sanctuary,” she argued.
So, what was the 1918 count like? First, it was cold and long. The Mt. Vernon team started at 8:30 AM in 23-degree weather with clear skies, light northwest wind and 2 inches of snow on the ground. They walked the 12-mile route, ending at 5:30 PM and reporting the day’s high temperature as 26 degrees. The New Alexandria team also had temperatures from 25 to 30 degrees, a “light but penetrating wind” and light snow on the ground. They did their 12-mile route from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, a shorter time for 12 miles that suggests they did not walk the entire route.
New Alexandria is a neighborhood in Fairfax County including Belle Haven and Dyke Marsh. It was served by an electric streetcar line to Washington, running along the route of today’s George Washington Memorial Parkway.
The Mt. Vernon team reported 39 species, while the New Alexandria team had 45, for a combined total of 52. Because they were near the Potomac, both teams saw lots of waterfowl, reporting 11 species and more than 7,600 individuals. The New Alexandria team must have birded right on the river, as they reported 500 Greater Scaup and 6,000 Lesser Scaup, noting “two sizes, as well as color reflections of heads.” The teams also reported a total of 800 Canvasbacks, but no Canada Geese. As to the overall numbers, the New Alexandria team said, “Ducks in three flocks, and actual number probably exceeded ten or twelve thousand.” Huge rafts of ducks remain a counting challenge!
The New Alexandria team noted “all ducks through telescope, 25 diameters.” Assuming this refers to a 25mm lens diameter, their scope was much smaller than today’s spotting scopes, which typically have 50mm to 80mm lenses. There is no mention of what types of binoculars or “field glasses” they used.
Sparrows were the second largest bird group reported, but the numbers and mix of species were different from what we would find today. Only four species were reported: White-throated (38), Tree (179), Song (14) and Junco (456). Today, a Tree Sparrow would be rare, and we would likely see many more Song and White-throated Sparrows and fewer Juncos.
Other species with large numbers reported were Common Crow (838), Golden-crowned Kinglet (163), Redhead (100), Ruddy Duck (75), Bluebird (66) and Rusty Blackbirds (60). Both teams reported Bobwhite, a total of 47 birds.
Many bird names have changed since 1918. Examples (with today’s name) include American Goldeneye (Common Goldeneye), Marsh Hawk (Northern Harrier), Sparrow Hawk (American Kestrel), Common Crow (American crow), Migrant Shrike (Loggerhead Shrike), and Myrtle Warbler (Yellow-rumped Warbler).
One important difference between 1918 and what we may find in the 2020 Christmas bird count is irruptive species. In his overview of the 1918 count, Frank Chapman noted that “…of the northern Finches so prevalent last year, the only occurrences are a few widely scattered of Redpoll and Pine Siskin” and Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, and White-winged Crossbill in places like Maine, Vermont and Nebraska, but not Virginia. In 2020, we are already seeing Red-breasted Nuthatches, Evening Grosbeaks, and Pine Siskins in significant numbers across Northern Virginia, reflecting a food crop failure in their usual wintering grounds. We hope they will be on our Christmas Bird Count list this year!
Another big difference in the response to the pandemic is that the 1918 report does not mention the Spanish flu or if any precautions were advised. In 2020, ASNV is taking numerous precautions, following Virginia and local requirements and our own Covid-19 policy.
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Lorton Ski Resort Could Threaten Habitat, Birds and More
ASNV and others have raised concerns about a possible $200 million ski resort on the Lorton landfill called “Fairfax Peak.” The developer, Alpine X, a Netherlands-based company, reports that among the resort’s potential components are an indoor, 450,000-square-foot snow sports facility with multiple ski slopes, “one of the world’s longest indoor ski slopes”; a luxury hotel,” wave/surf pool, ropes course, zip lines, mountain coaster and gondola. Alpine X would make real snow year-round. You can learn more here.
On November 17, 2020, the Board of Supervisors on a voice vote approved a one-year agreement with Alpine X, to allow the company to conduct engineering analyses and tests to determine the feasibility of building the proposed complex on the landfill.
ASNV submitted comments arguing that this ski resort complex will have serious, adverse environmental and social impacts to an already degraded and disturbed environment in that region. These potential adverse impacts include the following:
- significant energy use
- increased greenhouse gas emissions
- increased air and water pollution
- significant water consumption
- significant solid waste generation
- increased traffic congestion
- loss of scarce natural habitat
- increased socio-economic inequity
Valuable Habitat
While some may view a landfill as a wasteland or opportunity for development, ASNV sees the property as valuable grassland and meadows, rare habitats in a county reaching “buildout.” Observers have seen Eastern Meadowlarks, Grasshopper Sparrows and Bobolinks  there, birds in serious decline with little suitable habitat left in Fairfax County. The property also offers an opportunity to enhance a wildlife corridor in the area.
ASNV questions the project’s water source, energy use and conservation practices, carbon emissions, traffic impacts, stormwater runoff and other pollution and socio-economic inequities the resort could exacerbate.
ASNV recommended that the Board of Supervisors reject the proposed interim agreement and that the county restore the Lorton landfill land to a more natural condition that would provide habitat, address biodiversity loss, serve as a carbon sink, reduce ambient air temperatures, filter pollutants, reduce stormwater runoff and save public tax dollars.
We encourage ASNVers in Fairfax County to express their concerns to their Supervisors. Find yours here. And please let us know you have called or written by sending an email with your contact information here. We anticipate a long political process for this project and will want to keep in touch.
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400 Acres Of Reston Association Natural Areas Certified As Wildlife Sanctuaries
Reston has over 800 acres of natural areas and other wildlife-friendly areas, including 55 miles of trails, on property owned by the Reston Association.
Six of these areas, covering 400 acres, are now certified as Audubon at Home Wildlife Sanctuaries, thanks to the efforts of Reston Association Senior Environmental Resource Manager Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Chief Operating Officer Larry Butler and former Audubon at Home Co-Director Robin Duska. They include Bright Pond and Walker Nature Center and along the Glade West/Meadow trails, Glade East’s Turquoise Trail, Twin Branches Trail and Buttermilk Trail.
To obtain certification as an Audubon at Home Wildlife Sanctuary, a property owner is asked to sign the Healthy Yard Pledge, pledging to remove invasive non-native plants, reduce area covered by lawn, plant native plants, reduce pesticide and fertilizer use and conserve and protect water quality. Certification also requires providing several habitat features, such as native shrubs and trees, a water feature, or a rain garden or pollinator garden and observing at least 10 Sanctuary Species using the property.
Reston Association already manages its natural areas in line with the Healthy Yard Pledge, and Robin documented 60 different Sanctuary Species in the six sites. All of the sites are designated as “birding hotspots” in the Cornell University eBird database, and birders have observed between 91 and 134 bird species at each.
For example, Walker Nature Center’s woodland trails leading along Snakeden Stream Valley to Lake Audubon are a prime spot for seeing warblers. Twenty-eight warbler species, including the Canada Warbler recorded on the certification application, along with migratory birds and water birds have been observed there.
Especially during the pandemic, many Reston residents and others enjoy walking or biking the trails through these areas. Hopefully the new signs designating the areas as Wildlife Sanctuaries will help people appreciate how valuable these large, contiguous areas are as wildlife habitat, and encourage better stewardship by not littering or letting dogs run unleashed.
Robin used the citizen science tools eBird and the Reston Biodiversity project in iNaturalist to certify the sites based on finding species of 29 birds, 22 insects, 4 arachnids, 2 mammals, and 3 reptiles/amphibians. “All Restonians can help document diversity via these tools,” she notes, and you can too.
Are you interested in creating a Wildlife Sanctuary in your own backyard? If you live in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock or Fauquier, just click here to learn more about the program and request a free visit by an Audubon at Home Ambassador, who will advise on steps you can take to improve habitat for birds and other wildlife in your yard—and get it certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
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Arlington County Solicits Your Views on its Natural Resources and Tree Canopy
Arlington is developing its Forestry and Natural Resources Plan, a joint plan that will update two current plans, the 2010 Natural Resources Management Plan and the 2004 Urban Forest Master Plan. You can sign up to receive updates on the FNRP (above). As part of the process, the county also is conducting a survey (through December 10), asking questions about nature, tree canopy and natural resources in Arlington. Now is the time to make sure the county hears what is important to you regarding your hopes for conservation and maintenance of the county’s ecosystems. The link to the survey is here.
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2021 Virginia Legislature Underway Soon
Be sure to sign up for an online preview of the Virginia General Assembly, an event sponsored by the Virginia Conservation Network, Friday, December 4, 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Register here.
This year's preview will cover:
- Tackling climate pollution from transportation
- Securing funding for our natural resources in order to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, protect our parks and natural landscapes & enhance our environmental agencies
- Increasing utility accountability while meeting our clean energy goals
- Ensuring environmental justice for all
- And more
The legislature will convene on Wednesday, January 13 for what’s called a “short session,” 30 days. Media reports indicate that legislators will have stricter limits on the number of bills they can introduce. Whether the two bodies will meet online or in-person and the length of the session are undetermined at this time.
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Upcoming 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 be possible. Registration at https://www.audubonva.org/calendar is required. Once you have registered, the leader will tell you where to meet.
If you cannot attend a walk for which you are registered, PLEASE cancel as soon as possible and notify the leader by email. If cancellations are at least 3 days in advance, we can fill the spot from the waiting list.
Southern Fairfax County
Tuesday, December 8, 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Leaders are Larry Cartwright and Laura McDonald
There may be an optional extension depending on the birding. You’re welcome to bring a snack or lunch if you want to join the leaders for a longer time in the field.
Register
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Create Your Own Holiday Birdseed Wreath
Deidra Bryant
Happy holidays! It's almost that time of year again, and I for one am very excited to celebrate. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. Growing up on Long Island, I’ve always loved the twinkling lights, the window displays, and the fun winter activities like ice skating, watching live performances in theatres and drinking hot chocolate under the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The decorations are my absolute favorite aspect of this magical time of year, and although I live in Virginia now, I still believe Christmastime in New York will always be one of a kind!
Families might be spending the holidays a little bit differently this year. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t cherish loved ones and spread cheer within the home this season. There are still plenty of fun and interactive activities you can do with your family at home. One activity in particular is fun for individuals of all ages – especially if they enjoy bird watching.
Wreath-making is a popular activity around this time of year. I’ve made a few in the past using wire, bows, picks and evergreen clippings. However, you can also make enticing holiday wreaths within your home featuring fresh berries and wild bird seed to attract winter birds.
You will need:
- A Bundt pan
- 3 cups of wild bird seed
- 1 lb. of suet
- Fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup of dried cranberries
- ¾ cup of unsalted roasted peanuts
- Raffia
- Large decorative ribbon
- A sauce pan and mixing bowl
- Freezer with space
- Coconut oil (optional)
- Evergreen clippings
- A tree with sturdy branches
- Break up the suet into tiny blocks and heat it over low heat until it’s nice and melted. This will help bind everything together, along with providing the necessary fats for birds. If you melt it over high heat the room can get smoky.
- While that is going, mix the nuts, birdseed and dried cranberries in a mixing bowl. Once the suet is melted, add it to the mixing bowl and stir. Essentially, you want the suet mixture to be well incorporated so it can firm up nicely in the freezer. You can add a bit of coconut oil to the mixture if you'd like as well.
- In the bundt pan, place your fresh cranberries on the bottom, then gently scoop out the contents of the mixing bowl into the bundt pan, and press down firmly. Then place more fresh cranberries on top. If you have a particular design in mind, go for it!
- Once that is done, place the bundt pan in the freezer and let it sit overnight. Once it’s firm to the touch, take it out of the freezer and wait about 10 minutes before trying to remove the mixture from the pan. It should slide out pretty easily.
- Now, find your evergreen clippings and tie them onto the top of your wreath using raffia. A second set of hands are very helpful here. I like to use Eastern Red Cedar, but you can use American Holly, White Pine or anything you wish!
- Find a suitable place that is sheltered from rain or snow pileup and feed your large ribbon through the loop and hang it up. Make sure the location you choose isn’t in direct sun. Finally, step back and wait for colorful songbirds to nibble on your beautiful creation! Also, make sure that you hang your arrangement when the weather is below or close to freezing so that it doesn't fall apart!!
I like to set up a camera close by so that I can watch birds fly in and livestream it on my television or computer and share the experience with friends and family members elsewhere. However, you can also watch visiting birds from a distance outside. Either way, this activity is sure to create fun memories for you and your family.
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Bird of the Month: Ruddy Duck
The blue-billed Ruddy Duck has arrived in Northern Virginia
Jessica Bigger
Towards the tail end of the Pleistocene (the most recent Ice Age) Wooly Mammoths, Saber-toothed Tigers, Mastodons and other megafauna began to die off; while many ducks, geese and birds of prey began to flourish, including the Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis). The oldest fossil on record is 11,000 years old. Archeologists have discovered Ruddy Duck fossils in Oregon, California, Florida, Illinois and even in Virginia.
With its striking sky-blue bill, thick neck, large white cheek patch, and signature straight tail, you would think this remarkable  duck came straight out of a cartoon. The Ruddy Duck’s cartoonish appearance makes it stand out in the field.
Even though Ruddy Ducks are quite fast, they’re clumsy fliers and are forced to dive to escape predators like the Red Fox, Red-tailed Hawk and Racoon. It takes a lot of effort for these stocky birds to gain lift. They must continually paddle their feet, while flapping their wings repeatedly to get airborne. It is almost impossible for these ducks to fly from land, making them sitting ducks for predators-no pun intended.
During the breeding season, females lay one of the largest eggs in relation to body size among other duck species. Males also become quite aggressive toward each other and other birds. Yet, they also get harassed by some birds like Horned Grebes, Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots. Grebes will sometimes attack Ruddy Ducks from under water, called “submarining.” So, needless to say, what goes around comes around.
Now that it’s starting to get cold here in Virginia, Ruddy Ducks have come back to winter in our freshwater wetlands, lakes and reservoirs. Near the coast they spent their time in brackish bays, coastal marshes and tidal estuaries. During the breeding season Ruddy Ducks tend to prefer a variety of insects, but in the winter, they’re mostly vegetarians. Their winter range is quite extensive, starting on the east coast and moving to the west coast. As the weather gets warmer and spring arrives, they move north to Canada to breed.
Although the population is currently stable, Audubon scientists predict that as the earth’s temperature increases the bird’s range will shift north to Canada. Populations in Mexico and in the southern United States will cease to exist. The biggest threats to this bird due to climate change are fires and spring heat waves which can harm nestlings.
The federal government and organizations like Ducks Unlimited have made efforts to improve waterfowl habitat. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Duck Stamp Act in 1934. Duck Hunters and many birders purchase a duck stamp each year which has contributed over $1.1 million dollars towards conservation efforts covering 6 million acres of waterfowl habitat. Jennifer Miller’s artist’s rendition of the Ruddy Duck was chosen for the 2015-2016 duck stamp.
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Alexandria Film Festival
The Alexandria Film Festival, online this year, will have two films about birds.
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Monday Nature Mystery
We are pleased to announce the winner of last week’s Monday Nature Mystery, Mark Zapp, who correctly identified the call of the Wild Turkey.
Wow, we had another tie! Through our highly scientific metho d (see photo), Mark is our winner.
There are 5 subspecies of Wild Turkeys in the United States: Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande, Merriam and Gould. If Benjamin Franklin had his way the Wild Turkey would be our national bird instead of the Bald Eagle. To learn more about them, visit our good friends at The Cornell Lab.
Each Monday we’ll post a new mystery and identify the previous week’s winner. They’ll receive an ASNV hat or tote bag.
Here is this week’s mystery: Do you know who this is? 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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