Like many people, I’m becoming increasingly eager to get out and travel as the pandemic eases and vaccinations are becoming more widely available.


** April 2021
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** In This Newsletter
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* Conservation Counts
* Observations from Meadowood
* Seeking Volunteers Who Speak Vietnamese, Korean or Tagalog
* President's Corner April 2021
* Calling all Birders:  It’s time to get ready for Birdathon 2021! 
* Birdathon 2021:  When is Peak Landbird Migration in Northern Virginia and Washington DC?
* Classes, Workshops and Events
* Apply Soon for ASNV Grants and Scholarships!
* Osprey Killing a Crow in Alexandria, VA
* Robin Duska is Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteer of the Year
* Go Green, Go Native
* Fatally Flawed Insecticides – Neonicotinoids 
* Thinking about Spring with Audubon at Home’s Guidance
* Where to Find Native Plants
* A Fondness for a Scrappy Bird
* Learn About Warblers Online
* Bird of the Month: Eastern Phoebe
* Bird Walks are Back!
* Monday Nature Mystery
* Other News

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** Conservation Counts
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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

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** Observations from Meadowood
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** Judy Gallagher
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The Winter Ant, Prenolepis imparis, is somewhat active in the winter, hence the common name of Winter Ant. Their other common name, False Honey Ant, refers to their liking for sweet substances such as nectar and the juices of dead earthworms. The queen emerges on one of the first warm spring days for her nuptial flight, as do reproductive males. Only the queen and reproductive males have wings; other Winter Ants don't have wings. As you can see, the queen is much larger than her consort. This picture was taken on March 9.


If you look closely at a bare patch of sandy, well-drained soil at this time of year, you might see a buzz of activity, dozens of small bees flying close to the ground and constructing nest holes. These are likely to be Mining Bees, genus Andrena. Females dig a burrow with various small chambers, each provisioned with a ball of pollen mixed with nectar, and one egg is laid on each pollen ball. The young develop, pupate, and become adults, overwintering underground in their nesting site. Then they emerge, starting the annual cycle once again. This Mining Bee, emerging from her nest hole, was seen at Meadowood on March 4.



** Seeking Volunteers Who Speak Vietnamese, Korean or Tagalog
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We are seeking volunteers to translate during occasional bird walks or other nature events for senior citizens who speak these languages and are less comfortable using English. These events would take place in the Seven Corners area of Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. No knowledge of bird or nature topics necessary, although certainly a plus! Please contact Joan Haffey ([link removed]) .


** President's Corner April 2021
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** Tom Blackburn, ASNV President
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Like many people, I’m becoming increasingly eager to get out and travel as the pandemic eases and vaccinations are becoming more widely available. My spring wanderlust is especially strong this year because last spring the closure of most area parks made it difficult to experience the annual resurgence of nature. A week ago, I visited a local vernal pool to hear and see the mating wood frogs, one of the earliest breeding frogs in North America. My pleasure at seeing the frogs was tempered by the realization that I hadn’t been able to do that or so many other things last spring.

Despite my desire to take a longer trip, I was reminded the other day of how much of nature can be enjoyed without traveling, as I watched the activity at the neighbors’ red maple tree adjoining our backyard. Gray squirrels were balancing on impossibly thin branches as they feasted on the dark red flower buds. One of the main branches of the tree has died, and its stump is regularly visited by Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers, as well as nuthatches and chickadees. While the other birds probe more delicately for their breakfasts, the Pileated Woodpecker is ruthless in his quest; large chunks of wood rain down from the tree, and the stump changes shape week by week as the birds whittle it away.

Birds aren’t the only animals that rely on this tree. Last July, lightning bugs festooned the tree with tiny twinkle lights – nature’s own Christmas tree, six months out of season. I am anticipating a very noisy May. A family of raccoons has already found cicada nymphs moving to the surface of the earth around the tree as they approach the culmination of their seventeen-year cycle with a frenzy of molting, mating and egg-laying. The ground under the tree looks as if it has been tilled, thanks to the raccoons’ search for food. Despite their appetites, I’m sure that hundreds, if not thousands, of cicadas will make it into the tree to sing for their mates later this spring. A little later we’ll hear the gray tree frogs singing in the tree.

The tree is old, and an arborist has recommended that it be taken down. Late this summer it will go, as so many older trees do, when the neighbors replace their house with a much larger one. It’s sad that such a useful and enjoyable habitat will soon disappear.


** Calling all Birders: It’s time to get ready for Birdathon 2021!
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How does it work? Like a walk-a-thon, Birdathon participants collect pledges from friends and family via our website ([link removed]) . Then participants record how many species they can identify during any 24-hour period between April 16 and May 16. The more species they identify, the more funds they raise!

Birdathon helps ASNV continue to support outdoor education, citizen science and habitat conservation, and encourage people to plant native plants and foster native wildlife. Birdathon also helps ornithologists better understand spring migration by reporting sightings through eBird ([link removed]) , an online database of bird observations run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

All birding levels are welcome. Participants can bird alone or form teams of up to five. All team members donate and/or secure pledges. Participants solicit general donations or ask for pledges based on the number of species or the number of individual birds sighted. Sightings and donations are due no later than June 3, 2021. Report your Birdathon sightings on eBird and email your list to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Ready to get started? Register your team here ([link removed]) and check out our Birdathon rules here ([link removed]) . Now go out and have a great day birding!

All participants and their supporters are invited to join us via Zoom on Sunday, June 6 at 2:30 PM for our Annual Meeting, where we’ll announce the winners of the “Most Species Counted,” “Most Money Raised” and “Youth Birder” competitions. Our speaker that day will be Dr. David Luther of George Mason University, who will speak about the impact of noise on bird song.


** Birdathon 2021: When is Peak Landbird Migration in Northern Virginia and Washington DC?
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** Greg Butcher
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Audubon Society of Northern Virginia sponsors a Birdathon every spring. We send out a bunch of teams whose goal is to see as many species as possible in a 24-hour period and to raise money for our programs.

Here are the 4 main tricks to seeing the maximum number of species in a 24-hour period:

Trick #1 is to get up before dawn and bird all day long (and into the night for owls).

Trick #2 is to visit a wide variety of habitat types.

Trick #3 is to find the best birders with good eyes, good ears and good knowledge of the local birds (especially their songs).


** Birdathon 2021: When is Peak Landbird Migration in Northern Virginia and Washington DC? (continued)
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Trick #4, especially in the Washington DC region, is to go at the peak of migration.

More and more information exists to help determine the peak of migration in any given place. There is a ton of information on eBird ([link removed]) , the website maintained by Cornell Lab of Ornithology that records all birds encountered by eBirders every day at every birding spot in the world. The data are summarized in a variety of easy-to-understand formats, but I haven’t yet figured out the easiest way to study peak migration for species diversity using eBird.

However, in Northern Virginia, we have a golden gem of a resource that highlights anything you might want to know about spring migration of landbirds – it’s a website called MPNature ([link removed]) . MPNature has a limitation that you might think minimizes its usefulness – it is focused on the birds (and plants) of one of the smallest and most suburban parks in Northern Virginia – Monticello Park.

Monticello Park has three advantages that make it a wonderful barometer of the state of landbird migration in Northern Virginia and Washington DC:
1. It is an amazing magnet for birds, with 124 species.
2. Its spring birds have been meticulously documented since 2005 by Tom Albright and a host of other birders.
3. And, of course, it has an amazing website, beautifully and purposefully created by Bill Young, Ashley Bradford and their friends.

I should probably have written an article about the beauty of the website. Ten different photographers have contributed gorgeous stills and videos of the birds, the plants and views from within the park. But that’s a different article!

Under the “Daily Checklist” tab is a list for each day of April and May of all the birds that have been seen on that date between 2005 and 2018 divided into 4 groups: resident birds, migrants that averaged more than 2 individuals on that date, migrants that averaged between 1 and 2 individuals, and migrants that have been seen in the park on that date, but not every year.

If you are interested in a particular migratory species, there is another section of the website with photos and the earliest, latest and best dates to find that species in the park. The park is a woodland with a stream running through it, so you can’t learn much about waterbirds or grassland birds, but it does have information about 35 species of warblers!

But I had a single goal in mind – I wanted to know THE best date for spring migration in our area, so I reduced all of Tom Albright’s species-specific information to numbers, and here’s what I found out:
* The website’s report of expected species begins on April 1, and for the first 24 days in April, you can expect 4 common migrant species that average more than 2 individuals per day. In addition, you have the chance to see about 11 other less predictable migrants on any of those 24 days.
* Everything starts to pick up on April 25. All of a sudden, there are 7 common migrants and 14 additional possible species.
* The good news is that peak migration lasts for 15 days: May 1 through 15. On any one of those days, you can expect 17-21 common migrants with a possible total of 33-37 migratory species, plus up to 23 of the park’s resident species.
* The next week – May 16-22 – isn’t too bad, with 16 common migrants expected on the 16th, dropping to 11 on the 22nd and a possible total of 26-32 migratory species each day.
* After May 23, migration drops off sharply, with only 7 or 8 migratory species expected on May 30 or 31.

A few caveats: every day is different! The above numbers are averaged over 14 years, creating great uniformity, but migration depends on the weather. On a beautiful clear night with strong southerly winds, all the migrants might pass us by. Better conditions (for seeing a lot of migrants) are rainy nights with northerly winds that keep migrants from flying too far too fast. But the only way to find out if tomorrow is a great day to see migrants is to get outside and look for yourself.

If you want to see the most landbird migrants in Northern Virginia on a single outing, I suggest you plan to bird between May 1 and May 15, so if you participate in ASNV’s Birdathon, this would be the best time to choose your 24-hour count day. If you just want to see as many spring migrants as possible, you should go out on as many of these days as you can, because some species are early migrants and others are later – and I still have never seen all the expected species on a single day. (Maybe this year!)

Good luck and happy birding!


** Classes, Workshops and Events
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** Beginning Birding
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Are you new to the world of birding? Not sure if the bird in your binoculars is a warbler or a sparrow? Then this class is for you! This three-part class will focus on the basics: Why go birding? What is birding? What about binoculars, field guides and phone apps? How can you get started identifying the birds you see? Where can you go birding?

Join Greg Butcher, Larry Meade and Dixie Sommers for two online workshops and a field trip.

When: Tuesday, April 27 & Thursday, April 29 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Field Trip: Saturday, May 1, 7:30 AM (Limit 20)
Where: Online workshops and in the field
Fee: $25/Online only; $50/Online + Field Trip

LINK: [link removed]

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** April Fireside Chat with Dr. Tom Wood: Photo Haiku
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Join us for the April Fireside Chat when we will continue to share our photo haiku as we merge into spring. This will be our third chat exploring this art form, allowing us to have fun sharing as we start to emerge from pandemic times and embrace spring! Everyone will have a chance to share their photo haiku and the stories they tell. If you missed our earlier Fireside Chats and still wish to participate, you can review the recorded March Fireside Chat ([link removed]) online and quickly get up to speed.

When: Friday, April 30, 7:00 PM
Where: Virtual
FREE!


LINK: [link removed]

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** Art, Wonder and the Natural World with Jane Kim
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Join us as we welcome Jane Kim ([link removed]) , artist, science illustrator, and the founder of Ink Dwell, ([link removed]) a studio that explores the wonders of the natural world. In this visually stunning presentation, Jane will take the audience on an artistic journey that explores the 375 million-year evolution of birds, the migratory behaviors of some of our most beloved and endangered animals and the importance of creating urban monuments to nature.

This is a joint venture with the Oak Spring Garden Foundation ([link removed]) .

When: Thursday, May 6, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Virtual
Fee: $10
Limit: 500

LINK: [link removed]

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** Birding by Ear with Dr. Chris Haney
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Have you ever wondered what that song or ‘chip’ note was that you heard on a forest hike? Can’t tell the difference between a spring peeper and a wood warbler? How does one learn to memorize the complex and endless variety of bird songs? This workshop is designed for you. If you are a relative beginner and want to start building a repertoire of learned bird songs and calls, this is the place. Birding by Ear will help you phoneticize a variety of bird calls using mnemonic devices, understand the basic function and purpose of avian vocalizations, organize a library of calls and songs having similar characteristics and improve your field birding skills.

When: Thursday, May 13, Tuesday, May 18 & Thursday, May 20; 7:00 to 8:30 PM
Field Trip: Saturday, May 22 (Limit 20)
Where: TBD
Fee: $75/Online only; $100/Online + Field Trip

LINK: [link removed]

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** Audubon Afternoon: How Birds Adapt their Songs to Urban Noise and What We've Learned during the Pandemic with Dr. David Luther
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Join us for our Annual Meeting and Audubon Afternoon!

Audubon Society of Northern Virginia will hold its annual membership meeting virtually, on Sunday, June 6 from 3:00 to 3:15 PM. The membership will vote on inco ming Directors and new terms for Officers. The slate of proposed Board Members and Officers is coming soon.

At 3:15 PM, we will welcome Dr. David Luther to our Audubon Afternoon. Urban environments are among the most highly modified habitats on the planet. David’s research has focused on how human activity has modified habitats and altered ecological processes around the world. Acoustic communication is a critical component of reproductive success in many species. His lab at George Mason University studies how human noise affects the behavior and survival of a diversity of bird species.

When: Sunday, June 6, 3:00 PM
Where: Virtual
FREE!

LINK: [link removed]

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** SAVE THE DATES:
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World Migratory Bird Day Saturday, May 8

Piedmont Ecology: Summer Session Workshop
with Oak Spring Garden Foundation
When: Tuesday, June 15 & Thursday, June 17; 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Field Trip: Saturday, June 19; 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where: Two online workshops and one field trip TBD

Annual North American Butterfly Survey June 26


** Apply Soon for ASNV Grants and Scholarships!
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ASNV is offering grants for Youth Education, Conservation, and Native Gardening as well as a scholarship to Hog Island Audubon Camp for Educator’s Week. Deadlines are soon! Visit our website for more information and applications here ([link removed]) .


** Osprey Killing a Crow in Alexandria, VA
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** William Young
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Carol Stalun, who is a skilled and talented nature photographer, took photos of an Osprey killing a crow. This is probably the first incident, documented with photographs, of an Osprey killing a wild bird.

On Saturday, March 6, 2021, Stalun saw an Osprey along the Potomac River in Old Town Alexandria. Stalun was in the area where there is an Osprey nest from previous years on a platform on pilings in the river. She had seen a male Osprey in the same area the previous day (the first one she had seen in 2021), and she was checking to see if he was still there.

At 8:33 AM, Stalun saw a male Osprey on a piling not far from the platform with the nest. At first, she thought the Osprey had a fish in his talons. When she looked more closely, she saw that the Osprey had a crow. Fish Crows were mobbing the Osprey, and Stalun assumed from the vocalizations of the other crows and the location on the river that the Osprey's victim was also a Fish Crow. After being harassed by the other crows, the Osprey flew off with the crow in his talons, did a circle, and returned to the piling. He continued to peck at the crow, who was still alive. The Osprey pecked at the crow a bit longer before flying with it to the platform with the nest, dunking the crow in the river along the way. At 8:45 AM, the Osprey arrived at the nest and dropped the crow into it. Because the nest is deep, the crow was no longer visible after the Osprey dropped it. Stalun had not seen the Osprey initially grab the crow.

The incident is exceptionally unusual for many reasons.
* According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birds of the World, almost every published account says that 99 percent of the diet of Ospreys consists of live fish, with a wide variety of fish species taken. Fish captured generally measure 25–35 centimeters (10-14 inches) and weigh 150–300 grams (5-10 ounces), although fish up to 2,000 grams (4.4 pounds) have been reported. According to The Sibley Guide to Birds (2^nd edition), a Fish Crow weighs 280 grams (about 10 ounces), so it is in the normal weight range of fish Ospreys normally catch. A Fish Crow measures 38 centimeters (15 inches), so its body is only slightly above the size range of normal Osprey prey.

* Ospreys are one of the most widely-distributed birds in the world. They are found on all continents except Antarctica. Unlike most bird species who conceal their nests, Ospreys build huge nests, usually in open areas. The nests are easy to monitor and study. Some nests are equipped with webcams so that researchers can see exactly what prey is being captured. There is believed to be no documented evidence of an Osprey bringing bird prey to its nest.

* According to Birds of the World, there are anecdotal observations of Ospreys catching non-fish prey, including birds, snakes, voles, s quirrels, muskrats, salamanders, mollusks, and even a small alligator. There is a documented report of an Osprey attacking a lure pigeon used by hawk banders at Cape May, New Jersey. A lure bird is placed in a small harness, and its flapping induces hawks or falcons to fly into a nearby net. The lures are captive birds who are not wild.

* Birds of the World also mentions reports of Ospreys trimming their nests with the skeletal remains of birds, but this might not represent prey taken. For instance, remains of birds found in nests in Arabia were up to the size of a Socotra Cormorant (80 centimeters, or 31 inches) and Slender-billed Gull (37-42 centimeters, or 14.5-16.5 inches), but it is unclear how or if these species were caught by an Osprey. An Osprey expert with whom I communicated suggested that the dead crow might have been put into the nest for decoration rather than to be eaten. We do not know what happened to the crow after it was deposited in the nest. But Ospreys are not known to decorate their nests with either birds or feathers. Ospreys sometimes interweave plastic bags or other refuse into their nest. This might to be done more for structural rather than aesthetic reasons.

* An Osprey usually will not bother other birds unless it feels threatened. I spent many hours shooting footage of an Osprey nest at the Belle Haven Marina in Alexandria for my videos Osprey Love Nest and Osprey Love Nest 2: Feeding and Fledging. The Belle Haven nest was on a piling in the river, near a boat ramp. The Ospreys at that nest were not bothered when ducks, geese, and grebes swam directly under the nest, and they never showed any interest in attacking these birds. The Ospreys also paid no notice to House Sparrows who built a nest among the sticks of the Osprey nest. Only large birds flying above the nest caused the Ospreys to become alarmed.

* The crow was not scavenged, because it was clearly alive in some of Stalun's photos. Had it been injured and flapping around in the water, it is unlikely that the Osprey would go after it. Ospreys often see uninjured birds swimming and flapping in the water, and they normally leave them alone. I don't know if a certain type of thrashing in the water might trigger a different response than an uninjured bird swimming. I am unaware of any reports of this happening.

* Crows do not often attack Ospreys. The corvid expert Dr. John Marzluff, from the University of Washington, sent me an article that he co-authored about the mobbing of Ospreys by American Crows. The article said that American Crows aggressively mob a variety of natural predators and learn to recognize unique threats. Because mobbing is a costly and risky behavior, Marzluff and the other authors hypothesized that crows would selectively ignore benign members of other species that look similar to predators, perhaps even learning to do so. Through a series of natural observations and experiments, they found that American Crows were more likely to mob Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles than Ospreys. Mobbing intensity was higher toward a taxidermic mount of a Red-tailed Hawk than toward a mount of an Osprey, indicating that mobbing increases with the risk posed by the predator. However, the authors also found that Ospreys were more likely to be mobbed in locations where they rarely occur,
suggesting that crow populations that frequently encounter Ospreys habituate to this benign raptor. For the incident that Stalun witnessed, the Osprey was in a location where it regularly occurs, and it is possible that the mobbing behavior by the Fish Crows began only after the Osprey had seized its victim.

* An Osprey expert with whom I communicated suggested that the crow might have been trying to get at a fish the Osprey had caught. This is improbable, because had the Osprey been flying with the fish, the crow would not have been able to carry it, even had the Osprey let go of it. Also, it is unlikely that an Osprey with a fish (its normal food) would drop it and grab a crow (not its normal food).

* The most likely explanation might be that a Fish Crow was harassing the Osprey and got a bit too close. Smaller birds tend to attack a larger bird in groups rather than as individuals because there is safety in numbers, and the larger bird will have more difficulty grabbing any one of them. Osprey's have very strong legs and feet, and if the one Stalun saw managed to grab the crow's back, the crow would not have had much of a chance to escape. When the Osprey took the crow to the piling, it pecked at it, perhaps to kill it and make it easier to carry. It is not known whether the Osprey ever ate the crow.

Photographs of the Osprey with the crow can be seen at Stalun's website at [link removed]. The 60 photographs show the encounter in chronological order, starting with the Osprey holding the crow on the first piling and ending with the Osprey dropping the crow into the nest. Stalun's photographic documentation of this event is an example of how citizen science can produce an important contribution to ornithological research.

William Young is a writer from Arlington, Virginia. His book The Fascination of Birds: From the Albatross to the Yellowthroat was published by Dover in 2014. He has taught numerous classes about birds for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. The nature videos he has created for his YouTube channel have had more than 650,000 views. Along with Ashley Bradford, he is the co-creator of the MPNature.com ([link removed]) website, which contains a wealth of information about the natural history of Monticello Park in Alexandria, VA.


** Robin Duska is Virginia Master Naturalist Volunteer of the Year
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Former Audubon at Home Co-Director and ASNV Board member, Robin Duska was recognized by the Virginia Master Naturalist state board as their 2020 Volunteer of the Year. During the year Robin contributed more than 500 hours of her time and expertise to conservation, nature education, citizen science and stewardship. Congratulations Robin, for well-earned recognition!

You can read more about Robin’s efforts in thisarticle ([link removed]) from the Fairfax Master Naturalists.


** Go Green, Go Native
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** Mow less, mow high, grow more, choose nature.
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** Glenda Booth for the Mt. Vernon Gazette
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“The manicured lawn may be an iconic symbol of the American suburbs, but lawns have ecological downsides, and there are alternatives, Tami Sheiffer told members of the Friends of Mason Neck at a March 7 Zoom meeting titled “Mow Less, Grow More.” Sheiffer is the coordinator of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s “Watch the Green Grow” program.”

Read the article here ([link removed]) .


** Fatally Flawed Insecticides – Neonicotinoids
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** Lisa Mackem
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Last year, for the 10^th consecutive year, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania all received an EPA emergency exemption to use the neonicotinoid-based insecticide, Dinotefuran, on peaches, apples and nectarines for Stink Bug control. ASNV lobbied to restrict “neonic” use. In February, the Virginia legislature prohibited spraying neonics within sight of a managed beehive, subject to a civil penalty of $100. This law was not a victory for conservation.

Neonic insecticides are now the most widely used class of insecticides worldwide, according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Neonics are systemic (absorbed by the plant) and are often applied to seeds before the seeds are sown so the growing plant takes up the pesticide. Neonics are used for both farming and landscaping, exposing all pollinators to their damaging effects.

Neonics were initially introduced as less harmful than other insecticides but research later revealed their devastating impacts on pollinators, beneficial insects and aquatic invertebrates. The Xerces Society works to reduce their use and helps California farmers create habitat to support native pollinators and protect them from neonics. They have urged California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation to ensure protections for native pollinators, aquatic invertebrates and the state’s diverse ecosystems.

In 2018, the European Union permanently banned neonics, but industries in the United States dug in. Lobbying documents and emails show a decade-long sophisticated effort to obstruct efforts to restrict neonic use, with sobering results. In Mead, Nebraska the company AltEn, which was supposed to be helpful to the environment, built an ethanol plant that turns corn into biofuel. AltEn’s production process uses seeds coated with fungicides and insecticides, including neonics. Residents began to notice a rotting smell and reported eye and throat irritation and nosebleeds. Colonies of bees began dying, birds and butterflies appeared disoriented, and dogs grew ill and staggered around with dilated pupils. AltEn officials have advertised the company as a “recycling” location, where agricultural companies can leave excess supplies of pesticide-treated seeds. AltEn used these seeds in its ethanol, but the waste product contained too many pesticides to feed to animals so they distributed some of
these grains to farm fields as “soil conditioner” and accumulated the rest on its plant’s grounds. Researchers say that this waste is dangerously polluting water and soil, and also threatening human and animal health. State officials ordered testing and found neonics in AltEn waste many times above what is considered safe. Nebraska filed a lawsuit against AltEn on March 1 for multiple environmental violations.

Equally alarming, the concentration of neonics in products sold for residential use on ornamental plants is as much as 30 times the allowance permitted in the agricultural sector. The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) collaborated on a Friends of the Earth (FOE) study and found that more than half of the seedlings purchased from retailers contain neonics. Heavy pressure from consumers and a consortium of conservation organizations has led retailers such as Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, True Value and BJ's Wholesale Club to label plants treated with neonics. The ultimate hope is to remove these chemicals from their plant production altogether. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a national policy decision phasing out the use of neonics on federal wildlife refuge lands nationwide by January 2016, but in 2018, under the Trump administration, that decision was rolled back. ABC also worked to ban neonics on state refuge lands, and some local U.S. jurisdictions have taken action to
limit neonics.

Regardless of legislation, everyone can and should take the following positive steps:

* Buy organic fruits and vegetables when available and affordable.

* Choose plantings that are labeled organic or neonic-free. Ask your local nursery to stop selling neonic pesticides and treated plants.

* Avoid treating your garden with neonic products. The Center for Food Safety published a list to help guide your choices. ([link removed])

* Never use pet collars that contain neonics, which are dangerous to children.

* Speak out about neonics to the EPA and Congress.

Sources:


** Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Section 18 Emergency Exemption approved for dinotefuran against brown marmorated stink bug” ([link removed])

Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation – “Understanding Neonicotinoids” ([link removed])

Xerces Urges California to Step Up for Pollinators ([link removed])

The Guardian – ‘There’s a red flag here’: How an Ethanol Plant is Dangerously Polluting a US Village ([link removed])

American Bird Conservancy – “Neonics and Birds” ([link removed])

The Intercept – “The Pesticide Industry’s Playbook for Poisoning the Earth” ([link removed])

Union of Concerned Scientists “Trump Administration Lifts Ban on Use of Dangerous Pesticides at U.S. Wildlife Refuges” ([link removed])

Center for Food Safety, “Help the Honeybees” ([link removed])
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** Thinking about Spring with Audubon at Home’s Guidance
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** Betsy Martin
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As we finally begin to emerge from this dark and isolated winter, many of us are thinking about getting outdoors into the garden.

Would you like to garden to attract birds and butterflies and create habitat for wildlife in your yard? Are you keen to make your yard more friendly to the environment, and spend less time mowing?

Then check out ASNV’s Audubon at Home program.

In this program, properties are eligible for certification as Wildlife Sanctuaries if the owners take steps towards managing their land in an environmentally responsible way, such as replacing lawn with native plants and trees, and reducing pesticide and fertilizer use. To be certified, they must document that their yard is being used by at least 10 out of a list of 34 Audubon at Home Sanctuary species. The list includes birds such as Baltimore Orioles and Carolina Chickadees, beneficial insects such as Monarch butterflies, as well as box turtles and other reptiles, frogs, salamanders and mammals. The Sanctuary Species are all beneficial species that can be helped by homeowners creating native habitat for them. The motto is, “let the animals decide.” If the critters show up and use your yard, then they’ve decided it’s a Wildlife Sanctuary. Information about the program can be found here ([link removed]) .

One nice feature of the program is that you can request a free consultation and site visit by an Audubon at Home Ambassador – a well-trained volunteer who visits your home to walk the property, discuss your goals and concerns, and give you on-the-ground guidance and recommendations for creating your own wildlife sanctuary. To arrange an appointment, make a request here ([link removed]) .

Native plants play a key role in the Audubon at Home program because they are critical links in food webs. Native insects are adapted to feed on native plants, and those insects then provide food for birds and other animals. Once a well-functioning habitat is established, insect predators tend to balance out insect pests.

Documenting the species using your yard would be a great summer project for kids—they are all relatively easy to identify. When 10 sanctuary species are documented on your property, then your yard can be certified as a Wildlife Sanctuary and you can receive an attractive sign to put in your yard. Of course, the sign is secondary to the pleasure of seeing birds, butterflies and other wildlife that will show up in your yard!


** Where to Find Native Plants
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The Plant NOVA Natives website maintains a list of native-only plant sellers ([link removed]) and updates its list of seasonal native plant sales in our 4-county region. A growing number of local garden centers are adding natives to their inventory and we encourage you to ask about them to help get the message to plant suppliers that native plants are in increasing demand. If you are having trouble finding native plants please contact Audubon at Home, your Audubon At Home Ambassador or one of the AAH Regional Coordinators for more information. (Contact information can be found here ([link removed]) .) Be sure the plants you buy haven’t been treated with neonicotinoids that are harmful to our native bees and caterpillars.


** A Fondness for a Scrappy Bird
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** Deidra Bryant
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Earlier this week I took a few days off and traveled to Southern Tennessee. As most families do when they travel long distances, we stopped at a rest stop off the side of the highway to stretch our legs and enjoy the warmth and sunlight after the persistent rain and heavy traffic. Upon opening the passenger door, I heard what sounded like creaky swing sets. I looked up at the sky and saw a flock of grackles darting across the parking lot from tree to tree! It seemed like the spring migrants reached their breeding grounds because courtship, foraging and nest construction was taking place. To be honest I got excited when I saw them since I don't see them at all where I live, and I really enjoy the sound they make.

The Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) is an opportunistic omnivore. Much like your common Rock Pigeon, they are known to take advantage of leftover food that humans leave behind, in addition to bugs, berries and seeds that are present nearby. They will even wade in water to catch small fish, and have been observed picking leeches off Northern Map Turtles while they are basking. Their ability to thrive in woodland areas, meadows, marshes, forest edges, and near human establishments makes them quite gritty in my opinion. Additionally, the glistening iridescent feathers on male grackles as they puff themselves in the light, and the contrast in color with their bright eyes and their dark feathers makes them mesmerizing.

Although they are fun to watch, it's unfortunate that they're considered agricultural pests among farmers since flocks will ravage crops, and can be heavy nest predators. It's even more distressing to know that peopl e find them to be so annoying that they'll acquire permits to kill them. For example, in southern states like Texas, oral toxicants (DRC-1339) are used by USDA-AHIS certified applicators that cause renal failure in grackles. Lawn-treatment chemicals used in suburban and urban areas are also responsible for deaths due to bioaccumulation of chemicals through insects that ingest affected plant matter. Fortunately, there are other methods used to manage populations including habitat modification to disperse roosts, propane cannons and pyrotechnics in citrus groves and sunflower fields to scare them off, and spraying non-toxic chemical repellents (methyl anthranilate) on plant material and in the air that cause temporary discomfort by stimulating the trigeminal nerves in their
beaks, eyes and throat.

Although Common Grackles are boisterous and sometimes overwhelming, can we at least show some concern for them? Surely, we wouldn't want to cause a collapse in bird populations because our interests conflict with theirs. Yes, they are invasive, but there are ways to prevent them from invading your property. One way is to shorten or remove feeder perches so that only smaller birds will be able to feed from them. You can also install bird spikes on your roof, or hang them off ledges since they tend to roost in large numbers. There are also ornamental reflective "scare rods" on Amazon that use several different angles of reflection points to keep them at bay or confuse them. A few other tips would be to clean your yard on a regular basis, place chicken wire or mesh around your fruits and veggies in your gardens, secure your trash and pick up any pet food/treats that might be lying around. Overall, reducing access to food and removing places where they can perch eliminates their incentive to
visit.

Human-wildlife conflicts are inevitable, but there are many humane practices that allow both parties to coexist peacefully, and scientists are actively researching more cost-effective ways to keep it that way. So, if you happen to find a grackle perusing through a garbage can, understand that we built on their home and appreciate their determination to survive amidst a rapidly changing environment.


** Learn About Warblers Online
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The spring migration of warblers through Northern Virginia is just beginning. Would you like to learn more about how to identify them through their plumage, songs and behavior? You can watch ASNV’s pre-recorded four-part program about warblers here ([link removed]) . The instructor is Bill Young, the co-creator of MPNature ([link removed]) , a website about the birds and plants of Monticello Park, Arlington – a magnet for warblers each spring.


** Bird of the Month: Eastern Phoebe
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** Who’s that Bird Singing its Own Name?
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** Jessica Bigger
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When you start hearing Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe) singing, it’s a sure sign that spring is finally here in Northern Virginia. These little brown and yellowish-white passerines are one of the few birds that sing their own name. So, if you hear that raspy two-part song “fee-bee,” start searching for this little tail-wagger perching on low tree branches.

The Eastern Phoebe’s tail-wag is its signature calling card. Eastern Phoebes will perch on a low branch, bobbing their tail up and down. When it’s time to catch their prey, they move at lightning speed, snatch up their meal, and then fly right back to the same perch.

Like all flycatchers, Eastern Phoebe’s have a small thin bill perfectly designed to catch insects. They spend their time in open woods, yards, parks, and forest edges and nest under eaves of houses, barns, under bridges and also in caves. They tend to come back to the same nest year after year. However, sometimes a barn swallow will take up residence. As they are a solitary species, females will usually chase the male away after she has laid her clutch.

Yet, there is another flycatcher many birders will get confused with the Eastern Phoebe; that songbird is the Eastern Wood-Peewee. Not only are their names similar, but so is their song. So how do you tell them apart? In most cases you will hear a peewee, but rarely see it. They hang out in leafy forests. Phoebes on the other hand, will nest close to people, under the eaves of houses, barns and under bridges. The Eastern Phoebe ([link removed]) has a raspier song and ends on a lower note, while the Eastern Wood-Peewee ([link removed]) (Contopus virens) has a cleaner song which ends on higher note.

The Eastern Phoebe was the first bird species John James Audubon banded on his property in Mill Grove, Pennsylvania in 1803. He originally referred to the bird as the Eastern Peewee Flycatcher.

While Audubon and his then future wife, Lucy Bakewell were observing a couple of Eastern Phoebe’s nesting in a nearby cave, he declared his love to her. You could say that Audubon can thank the Eastern Phoebe for bringing him and Bakewell together.

After observing the physical change in the Phoebe’s eggs Audubon speculated about the egg’s structure and he wrote, “I believe, reader, that eggs soon lose this peculiar transparency after being laid―that to me the sight was more pleasant than if I had met with a diamond of the same size. The knowledge that in an enclosure so frail, life already existed, and that ere many weeks would elapse, a weak, delicate, and helpless creature, but perfect in all its parts, would burst the shell, and immediately call for the most tender care and attention of its anxious parents, filled my mind with as much wonder as when, looking toward the heavens, I searched, alas in vain, for the true import of all that I saw,” as described on the New York Historical Society website ([link removed]) .



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** Bird Walks are Back!
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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 [link removed] 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
Sunday, April 18, 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Leader is Dixie Sommers. [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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Southern Fairfax County
Wednesday, May 12, 8:15 AM to 11:00 AM

Leader is Dixie Sommers. [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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Central Fairfax County
Sunday, May 16, 8:00 to 11:00 AM

Leader is Robin Duska. [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])


** Monday Nature Mystery
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We are pleased to announce the winner of our Monday Nature Mystery, Kelly Russell-Presley! (please email us your snail mail address and preference for a hat or tote bag to: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) )

Kelly correctly identified the ‘trail’ or ‘marker’ tree in our photo. Before GPS, Native Americans would bend trees (usually elms, maples or oaks) to create a directional sign. This was accomplished when trees were young and pliable. Different tribes used different methods as well. Marker trees could also be used to indicate ‘no trespassing.’ Some of the oldest known trail trees are 400 years old!

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.

Click here ([link removed]) to listen to this week's audio mystery!

Do you know who sings this song? Post your guess on our Facebook page (@AudubonVA ([link removed]) ) under Monday Nature Mystery.

Please remember to write the common name, being mindful of hyphens, uppercase and lowercase letters and always include the Latin name in parentheses. To learn more about bird names click here ([link removed]) .

Good luck!

Please note that all entries are date and time-stamped. We review each correct answer to see who commented first. If someone 'likes' your comment, it would move it up on the list, making it look like the first post. Winners are limited to one prize every 90 days.

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Other News

E-Activist Network
Volunteers Needed

The National Audubon Society invites all Auduboners to join its ** e-activist network ([link removed])
. 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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Bird Feeder in Reston

This store offers a 10% discount to current ASNV members, good on all purchases excluding optics and sale merchandise. When you visit, just tell them you are a member of ASNV and ask for the discount.

1675 Reston Pkwy, Suite J, Reston, VA 20194. (703) 437-3335

New Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Closed Sunday
Curbside service available, call the store at 703-437-3335
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