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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
Eastern Tent Caterpillars produce silk from glands in their heads to build their webbed home on Black Cherry and other trees. As a caterpillar leaves the nest to feed each day, it secretes a silken thread to ensure that it can find its way back to the nest once it is done feeding. The caterpillar tents are strong enough to withstand harsh weather events, yet they biodegrade once the caterpillars have left to pupate. It is unlikely that a tent caterpillar infestation will kill a healthy tree or shrub, and Eastern Tent Caterpillars are an important food source for over 60 species of birds, especially cuckoos. So please leave their unsightly webs alone, and rejoice in the knowledge that the birds are eating well.
Predators know that butterflies like poop. This tiny Jumping Spider blends in quite well against the poop and would love to make a meal of the much larger Eastern Tailed-blue. Jumping Spiders have eight eyes. The big eye pair picks up color and detail. The foremost smaller set of eyes picks up motion, the rearmost set of eyes allows the spider to see what's behind it, and scientists still don't know the function of the other eye pair. All in all, Jumping Spiders have excellent vision and are impressive predators. This spider did not catch the butterfly while I was watching though.
Seeking Volunteers Who Speak Vietnamese, Korean or Tagalog
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.
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President's Corner June 2021
Tom Blackburn, ASNV President
A few days ago, my wife and I were on a boardwalk in southwest Florida peering through binoculars at a flock of distant birds. We had spent 5 days in the state, and this was our last chance at seeing a Mottled Duck, a bird that we hadn’t seen before.
eBird, the online database of bird observations created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, improved our chances of seeing a Mottled Duck. We had come to the boardwalk because another birder had reported on eBird that 42 Mottled Ducks were visible from that spot earlier that day. We were in luck. The ducks were still there, as were several other wading bird species.
Later, I reflected on why I enjoy birding. Although I am certainly not an expert, searching for birds adds another dimension to my enjoyment of nature because I focus more intently on my surroundings. Birding is like a treasure hunt but one where the treasure keeps moving. To claim the “treasure,” you have to see or hear the bird and also identify it. With more than 1,100 bird species in the United States and over 10,000 species worldwide, there is always a new bird to discover.
Of course, you can see all sorts of other things while looking for birds. During our five days in Florida, we saw innumerable tropical plants, River Otters, Manatees, Gopher Tortoises, butterflies, armadillos, several varieties of lizards, and – closer than we would have liked – a 5-foot-long Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake in full “threat” mode.
ASNV, like its parent organization National Audubon Society, does far more than simply promote birding. We are engaged in environmental advocacy, conservation, education, citizen science and native landscaping for wildlife habitat. Birding may be pure outdoor fun and adventure but we need to protect birds so that we can share the enjoyment of birding with our entire community now and for many future generations.
If you are new to birding or want to try it, ASNV is currently hosting bird walks geared to novice birders once or twice each month. We also have many partners who invite an even wider audience to birding. You can find out more about local bird walks here. Take advantage of our rich habitat and welcoming bird community. Go birding!
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There’s still time to Donate to BIRDATHON!
ASNV’s Annual Fun-d Raiser is back and there’s still time to support your favorite team or maybe two!
This year we have 8 teams ranging in age from teen birders to seasoned seniors with 31 participant birders. Maybe you’ll be inspired to join a team next year? In the meantime, consider supporting any one (or more) of these teams.
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ASNV Annual Membership Meeting
Audubon Society of Northern Virginia will hold its annual membership meeting virtually, on Sunday, June 6 from 3:00 to 3:30 PM. The membership will vote on incoming Directors and new terms for Officers. The slate of proposed Board Members and Officers is here.
The membership will also vote on amendments to ASNV’s Bylaws. You can review the draft Bylaws here. Please direct any questions or comments on the draft Bylaws to [email protected].
ASNV’s Treasurer will present a summary of the budget for fiscal 2022, which begins on July 1.
We will also recognize the eight Birdathon teams that raised funds for ASNV while trying to find as many bird species as possible in a 24-hour period.
Register here.
Election of Board Members and Officers
The following people are proposed as members of the ASNV Board of Directors:
Ron Grimes
Ron has been interested in the natural world since he was a kid. He caught the birding bug in college when he took an ornithology course which included weekend birding outings in southeastern Virginia.
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ASNV Annual Membership Meeting (continued)
 Ron is a Virginia Master Naturalist and currently serves as the vice president of the Fairfax Chapter. He previously served as the treasurer. He leads VMN students on birding field trips to Huntley Meadows twice a year. An avid scuba diver, Ron tries to incorporate some bird watching into every dive trip.
Ron retired after 31 years in federal law enforcement, which took him on assignments in California, Florida, Japan, and Germany. He currently works as a contract financial investigator at the FBI.
Adam Jenkins
 Adam grew up on a Kiwifruit orchard in rural New Zealand where he was homeschooled until middle school with his four siblings. His love of nature stemmed from an avid interest in the natural world, playing outside, and participating in a conservation club from a very young age. New Zealand’s rich ecosystems supported by many bird species in part led him to complete a Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Auckland. He is passionate about influencing and supporting local conservation efforts and thrives on opportunities to bring people to a place where they develop a deeper value for the natural world.
In his early professional career Adam was an environmental consultant and now he works as a technology and change advocate at Esri. His current position supports conservation non-profits such as The Nature Conservancy, National Audubon Society, World Resources Institute, Conservation International, NatureServe, and others. In this role he focuses on the nexus of geospatial technology, science, conservation, and planning in order to bring people, processes, and technology together to help solve some of the most important challenges facing our rapidly changing world.
Libby Lyons
 Libby Lyons is a life-long nature lover and was fortunate because for many years her job and love of nature were well-aligned. She is retiring in spring 2021 after almost 25 years with the National Science Foundation. She was a Biology professor for 10 years before that. Although her training was in plant science, she considers herself a “lapsed botanist,” with birds as her major passion now. She birdwatched here and there and mostly internationally for many years, including a summer ecology course in Costa Rica in graduate school, a year in Kenya with the family, a year in Japan without the family, and trips tagged onto her international work travel.
It was only after the kids “fledged” and left home a few years ago that she focused on U.S. birds again, especially in Virginia, her home for more than 25 years. She tries to birdwatch whenever she can, has participated in several Christmas Bird Counts, and has made presentations about her nature adventures to local schools, community groups, and bird clubs. She is a big fan of citizen science and of using birdwatching to help a broader range of Americans understand more about nature conservation and its importance to our planet.
Musa Murawih
 You could say that Musa Murawih was born and raised in nature. To be exact, it was in a tent to a Bedouin family in central Sudan. It was there that he learned from a young age to identify all living things found in the vast area that his family roamed. Parents and older siblings passed on this common knowledge to young children, in a community which saw itself as part of nature, not separate from it. The survivalist lifestyle of his early years implanted in him a keen respect for the environment and a clear view of the need to conserve and protect natural resources.
Musa moved to the United States in 1999 to pursue a Master’s degree in international relations at the University of Denver. Ever since, he has travelled to 41 U.S. states in pursuit of birds and other natural wonders. His birding trips have taken him to Alaska, Nova Scotia, Florida, the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, SE Arizona, and many places in between. Internationally, he has birded in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He’s a member of the Northern Virginia Bird Club and the Friends of Huntley Meadows.
Since he moved to Virginia in 2010, Musa has taken part in the Christmas Bird Count and the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas. This year (2021) he will be co-leading a birding and nature program at Upton Hill Park in Arlington. The program is intended for underrepresented communities. He will also be responsible for a Breeding Bird Survey route in the Virginia mountains this summer.
A visit in 2004 to Crested Butte, CO during the peak of wildflower season enchanted him so much that he turned his Bowie, MD backyard into a native wildflower garden. The garden was later certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife habitat. He currently keeps another native garden at his Northern Virginia home.
The following board members are proposed for additional 3-year terms:
Gerry Abbot
Gerry became an ASNV member in 2007 but relocated to Shanghai in 2012. He now lives in an Audubon Certified Wildlife Sanctuary in McLean. As a amateur nature photographer, he soon discovered that viewing birds and their habitat can be a very interesting and rewarding activity. He participates in Christmas Bird Counts, Winter Waterfowl surveys and Cornell Feeder Watch as well as many of the ASNV and Audubon Naturalist Society activities. Although Gerry traveled extensively and lived 20 years overseas, he is now retired and looks forward to working on new challenges and opportunities with ASNV.
Connie Ericson
Connie has been an Audubon member for many years, an Arlington County resident since 2001 and an enthusiastic but sporadic birdwatcher since 1990. In 2018 she retired from an 18-year career as an environmental lawyer, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and real estate financing.
Before becoming a lawyer, she worked for more than 15 years with environmental and safety regulations in the oil and gas industry. In the last several years she has worked with her neighborhood civic association, the Arlington County Civic Federation and several ad hoc community groups to respond to environmental concerns raised by development in Arlington County.
Dixie Sommers
Dixie Sommers has been an Audubon member since 1986 and became a serious birder after moving back to the Washington area from Ohio in 2006, adding to her long interest in nature photography and travel. She is an avid e-bird user and enjoys using photography to help learn the birds, and sharing her photos on www.ddpix.smugmug.com.
In addition to favorite places in Virginia, her recent birding travels include Colombia, Tanzania, Texas, California, and Mexico. She is also a board member for the Virginia Society of Ornithology and the Friends of Dyke Marsh. Dixie lives in Alexandria, Virginia and retired from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics after a long career of counting jobs and workers. Now she counts birds!
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Let’s Put Northern Virginia on the Map...The Birdability Map!
Annaliese Meistrich, ASNV intern
“Birding is for everybody, and every body!” This is the motto of Birdability, a growing global effort that works to decrease barriers for birders with mobility, vision, developmental, hearing, and other health challenges. The organization, and the movement it inspired, hope to eliminate many of the accessibility challenges that these birders face on a regular basis in order to share the joys of birding with them. The founder, Virginia Rose, a board member of Travis Audubon in Texas, had fallen at a young age and now uses a wheelchair. She found a passion in nature and birding which became the inspiration behind Birdability. A key effort is to have birders and others contribute birding locations to the Birdability Map, “a crowd-sourced map of accessible birding locations, with details of the accessibility features of them.” Their website has a wealth of resources on birding with accessibility challenges, and how individuals and organizations alike can ensure they are welcoming and inclusive. ASNV has a team of board members and adult and youth volunteers who have to date added 43 trails to the map.
The beauty behind this movement is that anyone can contribute! All it takes is a few minutes of your time while you are on a bird outing. By completing and posting responses to a simple survey, you can submit accessibility reports and help put Northern Virginia on the map. All information you need on assessing a trail can be found here.
As you prepare to review a trail, here are a few things to keep in mind. First, check the Birdability Map itself, to ensure that the trail you wish to review has not just been assessed. It can be helpful to have a printed version of the survey questions while out on the trail. (A concise, printable checklist will be added soon to the website.) You might want to complete and submit the survey later from notes, when Internet access may be more certain. In addition, a tape measure has proven to be extremely useful for accurately measuring railing heights, door entry widths, etc.
Here are a few things to record about general accessibility, if able.
- First, public transit access. Are there additional methods of transportation (bus, metro) besides an automobile to this site?
- Is the trail particularly wet or muddy most of the time, during high tide, or after a storm?
- Any breaks in an otherwise accessible trail?
- It is important to note any park issues such as car break-ins, vandalism, or any other notable information.
- Lastly, if you know how to do this, copy and paste the eBird link for the site or note interesting birds that can be seen there. That way people will know what birds to look for and the general area the birds might be in.
There are a few specific tips that will prevent confusion. For example,
- When placing the pin drop, ensure that you manually place the pin on the trail head. If you use the address alone, the pin drop does not necessarily mark the actual start of the trail. This can cause the report to be misplaced on the Birdability Map.
- If you post trail segments for one trail--a common practice when trails are not completely accessible in all sections--accurately placing different pin drops and naming the trail segments distinctly is especially important for separating the reports on the map.
- Last is the issue of measuring slopes. The survey requests information regarding the steepness of slopes. Sometimes this information is available on signs at trailheads. Other times your guess is the best you can do! There are comment boxes for every survey question so you can note the fact that this observation was your best approximation.
- If you would like to determine the slope grade, free smartphone apps like Bubble Level for iPhone can help with this process. To calculate the slope yourself, measure--or at least estimate--the length of the slope and then, from the bottom of the slope, measure from the ground up to where the measuring tape is level with the top of the slope. (See illustration below.)
- With this information, you can now find the slope grade by dividing the slope height into the length of the slope in inches. For instance, the grade of a 20-foot slope with a 30-inch rise is (20 x 12 inches) divided by 30 is 8:1.
- You can also post photos of slopes, obstacles, or other sights of interest to this birding location so readers can assess the trail based on their own capacities. In addition to this, you can pin any notable access points on the trail such as observation platforms, bird blinds, car birding platforms or anywhere else that one may be able to bird from.
If you would like more information, there are many resources at birdability.org. If you have mapping questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
Thank you for joining us in supporting the Birdability movement and happy trails to everyone!
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Classes, Workshops and Events
ASNV 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 3:30 PM. The membership will vote on incoming Directors, new terms for Officers and proposed amendments to the Bylaws. The slate of proposed Board Members and Officers can be found here. The proposed Bylaw amendments are here.
Audubon Afternoon: How Birds Adapt their Songs to Urban Noise and What We've Learned during the Pandemic with Dr. David Luther
 At 3:30 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 - 4:30 PM
Where: Online via Zoom
Fee: FREE
Register here
Piedmont Ecology with Oak Spring Garden Foundation
Summer Session
The Northern Piedmont rests at the base of ancient mountains, defining the landscape before coastal region and the sea. It is a beautiful, conserved landscape that has endured many changes over time. Join us to learn about the fascinating geology and ecology that defines this region, its important contribution to the Chesapeake Bay and the wisdom of its preservation.
 The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OGSF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon. Led by Sir Peter Crane, OSGF is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being through access to the Mellon’s residence, garden, estate and the Oak Spring Garden Library.
When: Tuesday, June 15 & Thursday, June 17; 7:00 to 8:00 PM (Online via Zoom)
Field Trip: June 19, 7:30 – 11:00 AM (Upperville, VA)
Fee: Online only: $25 / Online + Field Trip: $125
Limit: Online: 200 / Online + Field Trip: 30
Register here
Botanical Dyeing using Native Plants with Sasha Duerr
This program is co-sponsored by the American Horticultural Society
You probably know that native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. In addition to supporting pollinators and other wildlife, native plants are inherently sustainable because they require less watering and fertilization than most non-natives. But did you also know that native plants can produce a stunning array of color in naturally dyed clothing, textiles and fibers? Inspired by the abundance of early summer color in nature, natural dye artist and textile designer, Sasha Duerr will reveal the process for making gorgeous plant-dyed palettes harvested from native plants in backyard gardens, foraged from local trees and shrubs, and even derived from nuisance plants. You’ll learn to make vibrant, natural dye recipes fro m scratch so that you can create your own full range of gorgeous, locally grown, plant-based hues with your very own seasonal color story.
Having taught for over a decade at the California College of the Arts with a joint appointment in textiles and fine art, Sasha designs curriculum and teaches courses at the intersection of natural color, slow food, slow fashion and social practice. Her work has been shown in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad. In 2007, Sasha founded Permacouture Institute to encourage the exploration of regenerative design practices for fashion and textiles. Her extensive work with plant-based palettes has been featured in the New York Times, American Craft Magazine, Selvedge and the Huffington Post. She is the author of “The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes, Natural Color, and Natural Palettes.”
When: Saturday, June 12, 12:00 to 1:30 PM
Where: Online via Zoom
Fee: $10
Register here
Celebrate National Moth Week! Workshop and Survey with Judy Gallagher
 You all know something about butterflies but you probably don't know much about their cousins, the moths. Did you know many adult moths eat nectar but others don't eat at all as adults? Join us to learn about the mysterious world of Moths, and gain some information about identifying them.
On our outing, we'll set up a black light to attract moths and use field guides and iNaturalist to try to identify them. We'll set up an iNaturalist project to keep track of the Moths we see.
When: Thursday, July 29, 7:00 to 8:00 PM (Online via Zoom)
Field Trip: Saturday, July 31, 8:30 to 10:30 PM Lorton, VA
Fee: FREE, but registration is required
Register here
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Photo Haikus
Photo Haiku uses inspiring nature photos combined with the simple elegance of Haiku poetry to express encounters with the natural world. By sharing a Photo Haiku, others can experience the feeling that the photographer/author had. We explored this art form in recent Fireside Chats and we think you'll agree that Fireside Chat participants are a talented group!
Please visit https://www.audubonva.org/news/photo-haiku-project-gallery to see the full collection.
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What Do We Do About John James Audubon?
Drew Lanham writes about the complexities of J.J. Audubon and his history of white supremacy in the spring issue of Audubon Magazine. As we commemorate Black Birder’s Week 2021, this article offers so much for all of us, and especially birders, to think and “grapple with” now.
“The founding father of American birding soared on the wings of white privilege. The birding community and organizations that bear his name must grapple with this racist legacy to create a more just, inclusive world.”
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NOVA Regional Parks and Arlington NAACP sponsor Black and Latinx Bird and Nature Walks at Upton Hill Park
The walks are also supported by ASNV in collaboration with Arlington Master Naturalists. The next walk takes place on Saturday, June 5 at 8:00 AM.
Registration is limited to 15,
so sign up early at https://apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/Home for more information.
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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 inten ded 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.
Reston area
Sunday, June 13, 7:30 to 10:30 AM
Leader is Robin Duska. [email protected]
Central Fairfax County BUTTERFLY WALK
Sunday, July 18, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Leader is Mary Alexander. [email protected]
Small Park Entrance Fee Required
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The White-headed Chipping Sparrow
William Young
In late April, Ashley Bradford photographed a Chipping Sparrow with a totally white head. The name for the condition which caused this color abnormality is disputed. Some call it leucism. Others call it partial albinism.
The word leucism (pronounced loos-ism) is derived from the Greek leukos, which means white or clear. The default color for bird feathers is white. Black and brown coloration is produced by the pigment melanin, a word that comes from the Greek melas, which means black. An enzyme produces this pigment. If a bird cannot produce melanin or if the melanin produced cannot properly reach the feathers, a color abnormality can result, causing some or all of the feathers to be white or a lighter color than normal. If the feathers have a washed-out appearance, the bird is said to have dilute plumage.
Some scientists say that leucistic birds have no melanin in some or all of their feathers. In the photographs below, a Malachite Kingfisher I saw in Uganda conforms with this definition, because it did not appear to have any melanin in its feathers.
Leucistic birds and pure albino birds differ in a few ways. Pure albino birds are always totally white. They have a genetic condition that causes a lack of the enzyme tyrosinase, and they are unable to produce melanin. Their eyes and soft parts (bill, skin, legs, etc.) appear reddish-pink, because blood vessels show through their colorless skin. Leucistic birds can produce melanin, but it does not get into some or all of their feathers. Their affected feathers can be either all white or appear washed out, but their eyes and soft parts are the normal color. When leucistic birds molt, their new plumage can look different than it did before the molt, showing either a greater or lesser number of white or washed-out feathers.
To add to the confusion, a condition called fright molt can result in a bird having some feathers that are temporarily white. An example would be if a bird loses some feathers to a predator. Temporary feathers might grow back without pigment and be white. The next time the bird molts, the new feathers will contain pigment.
The word bald in Bald Eagle means white rather than featherless. The head of Ashley's Chipping Sparrow would fit this definition. The head of the grackle pictured below is mostly bald.
In 2019, a White-throated Sparrow with a mostly white head showed up at Monticello Park in Alexandria. The bird still had the yellow patch near its eye, and there were portions of the black crown stripes on its head.
In 2014, a white-headed Tree Swallow was at Riley's Lock along the C&O Canal Towpath in Maryland.
Lola Oberman wrote an article for the Audubon Naturalist Society News about birds with color abnormalities. She related a story about a pale beige Tree Swallow flying among a large group of Tree swallows with typical coloration. She said numerous "normal" Tree Swallows attacked the beige one and forced it into the water. The beige swallow managed to fly out of the water, but Oberman thought the bird was probably doomed, because it would be the subject of similar attacks.
Whether a bird with abnormal plumage will be accepted by members of its species depends on the species and the circumstances. Ashley's Chipping Sparrow was not harassed by other Chipping Sparrows in her yard. I have seen a single white-phase Snow Goose feeding in a large group of Canada Geese with no apparent conflict. I am not aware of any studies that have been done about the ability of abnormally colored wild birds to find mates and reproduce. However, a male cardinal with an unfeathered head was at Monticello Park for a few years, and he was often accompanied by a female.
Some abnormally colored birds can appear to be more attractive than others of their species in normal plumage. If a bird with abnormal plumage visits an area over a prolonged period, it can provide an opportunity to study the behavior of an individual bird, because you can easily differentiate it from others of its species.
Such birds can help birders to sharpen their identification skills. Most birders identify Chipping Sparrows by looking at the head. When the head is all white, you have to identify it by looking at the rest of the bird, including bill shape and color, pattern on the back, etc. Identifying one of these abnormal birds can provide a similar type of satisfaction to identifying a rare species.
William Young is the author of the book The Fascination of Birds: From the Albatross to the Yellowthroat. He and Ashley Bradford created the MPNature.com website.
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Monday Nature Mystery
We are pleased to announce the winner of our May 17th Monday Nature Mystery, Terri A. Lisman!
 Terri correctly identified the nest and eggs of the Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). It’s often called, the “little bird with the big voice.” Carolina Wrens are known for building nests in strange places! They have been found in hanging flower baskets, golf carts and even boots. The nests are constructed of many materials, like moss, pine needles, and leaves. Both the male and female build the structure together. To learn more about their habits, click here.
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 the May 24 th Monday Nature Mystery. Did you figure out what bird species this is? Ducky Nguyen correctly guessed a leucistic Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina). To learn more about leucism in birds, read Bill Young’s article, “The White-headed Chipping Sparrow.”
We’ll resume our Monday Nature Mystery series on June 7 th.
Visit our Facebook page (@AudubonVA) to solve the next riddle. 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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“The Birds Are Back in Town”
The saga of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Seabird Colony continues. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) monthly blog on the colony reports that at the last visit there were more than 3,000 adult Royal Terns nesting on the Fort Wool site. Also spotted were interspersed nesting sandwich terms and some laughing gulls nearby. Black skimmers, common terms and 11 adult gull-billed terns (a state-threatened species) are nesting on the barges.
You will recall DWR’s construction of a habitat for the nesting birds on Fort Wool and nearby barges was a cliff-hanger last year. The habitat had to replace nesting sites from a long-time colony displaced by the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project, and success was not guaranteed. DWR celebrated the project’s success in an article in the Virginia Wildlife magazine (If You Build It, They Will Come), and started the monthly blog to report on this year’s activity.
Birders are not allowed to visit the colony, but the current issue of the blog provides the next best thing, stunning 360⁰ views of the nesting sites on Fort Wool and the barges, plus lovely pictures of the different seabird eggs. You can subscribe to DWR’s monthly reports here. Choose “Wildlife Updates” to get a monthly notice of new articles.
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Big Day Birding Event results in VA State Record
In this year’s Big Day birding competition sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a team comprised of four expert birders set the Virginia state record. Congratulations to Greg Fleming, Kurt Gaskill, Tim Hodge and Eric Kershner!
Read all about their amazing 24 hours written by:
Kurt Gaskill
(Thursday pm, April 19) The phone rang: it was Greg Fleming. He was interested in doing a Big Day and had questions about strategies and whether I would join him and his colleague, Eric Kershner. We discussed how the Highland County to Chincoteague route should net the most species – he became persuaded and later, Eric was, too. I said I was interested in joining and that we should get Tim Hodge on-board.
Greg and Eric work for US Fish & Wildlife in the migratory bird program – every other year the national program holds a friendly bird-oriented competition for its staff. This year, 2021, the national program is holding a Big Year competition and one of the categories is a Big Day. This was the genesis of our recent Big Day.
I contacted Tim Hodge – he and I did a few Big Days some time ago and our best result was on May 15, 2014 where we tallied 199 species - and I suggested he join the team because of his depth of knowledge. He agreed and soon after we all Skyped and the strategizing started. Tim did extensive scouting in Augusta and Highland Counties and I scouted east of Richmond and on the Eastern Shore. We chose Thursday to avoid weather, Friday traffic and Mother’s Day.
(Wednesday 11:58 pm, May 5) We position ourselves at the top of the knoll overlooking the Bridgewater Treatment Plant – the clock strikes midnight and the first two species were Canada Goose and Killdeer and were quickly followed by Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Lesser Scaup, Common Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. We missed the Snow Goose and Eared Grebe reported there the day before by Eric and Greg. After that, we took many dark gravel roads and notched Mute Swan, Barn Owl, Least Bittern, Wilson’s Snipe, and Sora plus a few common species like Horned Lark and Yellow-breasted Chat. We were now west bound to Highland Co.
Our first stop was Bramble Hill, which was the O’Brian mountain residence. Pulling up I heard the tooting of a Northern Saw-whet up the slope and Tim also got it but the owl did only one sequence and Greg and Eric missed it. So, we finished up here with American Woodcock and left - the next stop netted Eastern Screech Owl calling close to the car. We started up Laurel Forks Road and the first stop was another tooting Saw-whet but it was distant and hard to hear for all in the group. Fortunately, the third Saw-whet stop was easier – Tim and Greg heard bill clapping as they got out of the car. Playback was initiated and it took about 1.568 seconds for the owl to give the wail call which was easily heard by all as it was less than 50 feet away; so, we all got in the car and sped off. The next stop yielded both male and female Long-eared Owls calling several times (there is a distinctive call for the female, see for example https://www.xeno-canto.org/638905). Straight Fork produced Barred Owls and Whip-poor-wills. To round out the owls, we heard a Great Horned Owl near the W. VA border. (This means nearly all the regular Virginia spring & summer owls are in Highland County. Now, if we only had a breeding Sh ort-eared!)
Dawn chorus started at this border spot – the first bird was an Eastern Towhee, followed by many species such as Hermit Thrush, Veery, Junco, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Black-capped Chickadee. As we began our descent, we passed a singing Winter Wren – no longer easy to find up in this area. The species count soon increased: scads of Black-throated Blue, Magnolia, and Black-throated Green Warblers were heard. We found a Wild Turkey roosting 60 feet up in a tree, Ruffed Grouse drumming near a wet patch and nearby were migrant Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Northern Waterthrush; plus, Greg pulled out a Nashville Warbler! Driving further down slope other highlights were Cooper’s Hawk, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Black-billed Cuckoo, Blackburnian Warbler, more Ruffed Grouse (a real treat to see two males facing off in the middle of the road), Alder Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole and Raven. At the edge of Blue Grass Valley, we heard a Vesper Sparrow sing, found Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows, and heard many Bobolinks. A second visit to Bramble Hill produced Golden-winged Warbler and nearby we found Blue-winged Warbler, Green Heron, Am. Kestrel and Cliff Swallow. A well anticipated stop at Forks of Water produced Orchard Oriole and Warbling Vireo. As we sped towards Augusta County, we found a pair of Broad-winged Hawks, Cerulean and Worm-eating Warblers and Yellow-throated Vireos. Plus, another Golden-winged Warbler!
The drive through Augusta County added Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, White-throated Sparrow, and Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers. We passed Afton Mtn with 138 species at 11:20 am (we were running late from our time t arget – does a Big Day team ever hit its time targets?).
A stop at Observatory Hill in Charlottesville added Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, and Hooded Warblers, Eastern Wood Pewee, and Swainson’s Thrush. In addition, we found a Sutton’s Warbler (a first for some of us). We then booked, stopping east of Richmond along Rt 60 to notch Summer Tanager, White-eyed Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated and Prothonotary Warblers plus Chimney Swift. We continued to Blue Bird Farm for the staked-out Snow Goose and then drove across/under Hampton Roads to the start of the CBBT.
For the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) our strategy was that everyone - other than the driver (that is, me) - combed the sea and horizon with bins; this resulted in tallies for Northern Gannet, Sandwich Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant and Common Loon. Landfall enabled the driver to glimpse a Caspian Tern. Next stop was Ramp Road for some simple shorebirds, Bald Eagle, Prairie Warbler and an amazing Northern Bobwhite! Driving up to near Magotha Rd and Seaside Rd produced the expected Eurasian Collared Dove. Time was now running late so we skipped s everal spots and headed straight for Willis Wharf. We arrived at Willis close to 5pm and nearly high tide: we got 2 of the 3 targets (Whimbrel, Gull-billed Tern but missed Marbled Godwit) and spotted a bonus: Bonaparte’s Gull!
Next up: Chincoteague causeway. The oyster bar had, naturally, an American Oystercatcher. And the nesting bushes at Wire Narrows Marsh had all the expected birds: Great and Snowy Egret, Little Blue and Tricolored Heron, Glossy and White Ibis, and Black-crowned Night-Heron; yet the site lacked Cattle Egret. Black-necked Stilts were nearby, plus some shorebirds and the ever-present Boat-tailed Grackles. Next stop was in town for a Brown-headed Nuthatch behind a motel.
Arriving at the refuge we went straight for the beach. A quick scan found a small group of Sanderling and Red Knots. I pointed out a Least Tern flying along the beach as well as another gannet. We checked some nearby shorebirds and drove to the wildlife loop. A few more shorebirds to look over but nothing new - then Eric spotted 4 Red-breasted Mergansers swimming behind the shorebirds. We went to the Marsh Trail platform and waited a few minutes for the Yellow Rail to (finally) make a noise and then we left as the Chuck-will’s-widows started up.
Back on the causeway we found one Yellow-crowned Night-Heron through vocalization near the Wire Narrows Marsh nest sites. We stopped for take-away at Sonic and drove to the Saxis area. We had missed Yellow-billed Cuckoo during the day so we tried for it on Marsh Market Road – but no luck (yet, both Night-Herons were heard!). We then drove over to Hammock Rd in the Saxis WMA and pulled out the easy chairs and sat down to listen to the night birds (it’s about 10 pm).
We recommend doing a night visit to Hammock Rd – virtually no traffic and on a cool night the bugs are only at half-strength. The dominant bird is Clapper Rail with a dozen or so Virginia Rails close by. Probably 10 Marsh Wrens and a dozen Seaside Sparrows. We were surprised by a Yellow-billed Cuckoo singing behind us – we heard another two later plus a Black-billed Cuckoo overhead. Eventually Tim pointed out Nelson’s Sparrows singing that we all got on as well as the Saltmarsh Sparrows singing closer to the bushes where it’s a bit drier (only a few of each). We were surprised by the number of Least Bitterns out there – at least 4 and possibly 5. Plus, one American Bittern which “oomp’ed” a few times. A distant Great Horned Owl hooted from a bit south of Saxis town and its juvie also called out. We heard some quacking ducks and Canada Geese from the direction of Saxis. Overhead migrants called out “seet” but no ID could be made. And two Dickcissels overflying called out an hour apart.
The last bird was at 11:45 pm – I was checking email when it sang, perhaps 20 feet from the car. A clear Le Conte’s Sparrow song. The area is somewhat dry – no Virginia Rails or Marsh Wrens or Nelson’s Sparrows were close. All got on the bird, even though it moved 50 feet or more away. We compared vocalizations with Nelson’s but Le Conte’s was a perfect fit. And then the clock struck 12 and we were done.
The final tally was 208 species as a team, with individual totals of 201 to 208. We drove nocturnally 150 miles and in daylight traveled 470 miles. Our big misses on the route were Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, and Kentucky Warbler.
We could not have had this amazing Big Day without the help of many people. On behalf of my teammates, Eric, Greg and Tim, we extend Special Thank You’s to John Spahr, Vic Laubach, Allen Larner, Penny Warren, Bill Hohenstein, and advice given many years ago by Bill Williams and Bob Ake. Also, we must mention the immense value of the amazing reports, and the reporters (such as the work by Carlton Noll), to eBird (which we did not access during the Big Day) that helped nail down various sites. And a thank you to Jan Frye who helped on the Richmond area scouting.
We wish you all the Best in Birds!
Kurt Gaskill, Tim Hodge, Greg Fleming and Eric Kershner
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Bird of the Month: Bobolink
The Chatty Bobolink Reaches Northern Virginia
Jessica Bigger
One of most impressive songbirds to pass through Northern Virginia during migration is the Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus. I actually had an opportunity to learn more about this bird during the “Birding by Ear” class I attended in May, hosted by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. The Bobolink was the last bird we covered, by far one of our instructor Dr. Chris Haney’s favorite birds. So, it was fitting that he ended the three series course with the Bobolink. With its bubbly, metallic, garrulous song, composed of 25-50 notes in one phrase and lasting around 3.5 seconds, this bird is quite magnificent. Not only does the Bobolink have an elaborate song, but during the breeding season, males will sing while hovering like helicopters in the sky.
The American Bird Association included a quote from Ferdinand Schuyler Mathews from The Field Book of Wild Birds and Their Music: “The Bobolink is indeed a great singer, but the latter part of his song is a species of musical fireworks….it is a mad, reckless, song-fantasia, an outbreak of pent-up, irrepressible glee. The difficulty in either describing or putting upon paper such music is unsurmountable. One can follow the singer through the first few whistled bars and then, figuratively speaking he lets down the bars and stampedes. I have never been able to ‘sort out’ the tones as they passed at this break-neck speed.”
The Bobolink gets its name from its diet. Bobolink literally means “rice eating.” Its diet consists of weed seeds, insect larvae, adult insects, and spiders. Yet, during migration and winter, Bobolinks generally stick to eating wild and domesticated rice, oats, other small grains, corn, tassels, and seeds from a variety of weeds. They focus more on insects during the breeding season, providing much needed protein to their clutch.
The breeding range covers southern Canada through the northern United States. The Bobolink is one of the longer distant migrants traveling more than 12,000 miles round trip. One Bobolink will travel a distance equal to 4 times the circumference of the earth in its lifetime.
 Before heading all the way down to their wintering grounds, Bobolinks will stop over at freshwater marshlands and coastal wetlands in North America to molt before continuing their arduous journey back to South America. According to the Partners in Flight management document published in 2019, A Full Life Cycle Conservation Plan for Bobolink, these songbirds will stage in the Llanos grasslands of Venezuela and eastern Colombia for several weeks before continuing to their wintering grounds (grasslands and wetlands) in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. They will return along the same route back to North America for the breeding season.
Bobolinks are a species of concern. Although there is a still a large population, the population has declined more than 65% between 1966 and 2015. According to Partners in Flight, the population will likely continue to decline by 30% in the next twenty years. Many factors have contributed to the Bobolink’s decline. In South America, they are considered pests and are shot on site and they are also captured and sold as pets. However, the biggest contributor has been habitat loss and conflicting mowing schedules in North America during the breeding season.
To combat this problem, bird conservation organizations have been working with local governments, communities, and farmers to improve breeding habitat. The Bobolink Project, based in New England, encourages farmers to shape their fields in an oval pattern for the following reason: “Edge habitats (including tree lines that cut into fields) can expose grassland birds to a variety of predators, so grassland birds tend to avoid long and narrow, or convoluted fields.” The organization also provides participating farmers with economic assistance to adjust their mowing and harvesting schedules during the Bobolink breeding season.
By the time this article comes out, the Bobolinks in Northern Virginia might be well on their way to their breeding grounds. If you missed them this year, you will have a chance to spot them this fall, and definitely next spring to enjoy their colorful songs, metallic calls, beautiful plumage, and magnificent flight patterns.
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Annual Native Plant Symposium for Landscape Professionals
Join Plant NOVA Natives and ASNV’s Audubon at Home program for their third annual symposium for landscape professionals. This conference is for professionals in the landscaping industry only: landscape designers, landscape architects, growers, nurseries, landscape maintenance, property managers, builders, etc.
Topics and presenters will include:
- Choosing pollinator plants for maximum beauty and benefits - Sam Hoadley
- Creating an edible landscape with native plants - Lincoln Smith
- Native groundcovers - Missy Fabel
For more information: Plant NOVA Natives
When: Tuesday, August 10, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where: Online via Zoom
Fee: $30
Register here
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Take Action Now to Support Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protections
On May 7, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a proposal to revoke the prior administration’s January 7, 2021 final rule that narrowed the protections for migratory birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The January 7 rule specified that injury to or death of migratory birds that results from but is not the purpose of an action, an “incidental take,” is not prohibited by the MBTA. That final rule codified a cont roversial Solicitor’s opinion issued in 2017 that eliminated protections against “incidental take.” The May 7 proposal would revoke the January 7 rule and reinstate traditional MBTA protections that applied before the 2017 Solicitor’s opinion. The history of the MBTA regulations is available on the USFWS website. You can submit comments on the May 7 proposal online here. Comments are due by June 7.
An interesting and hopeful development for Virginians that arose from the prior administration’s attack on MBTA protections was Virginia’s adoption of its own MBTA regulations. On March 18, 2021, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) adopted regulations to implement the MBTA in Virginia. The regulations adopt a framework for future regulations, which will take the form of sector-specific plans for targeted industrial and commercial operations, such as wind and solar energy projects, electric transmission and distribution lines and commercial development. Once a sector-specific plan is adopted, construction within that sector will require either a general or individual incidental take permit. Individual permits would be required for activities within or directly adjacent to biologically significant avian habitat. ASNV participated with other organizations in a working group that assisted DWR in developing the regulations.
After FWS issues a final rule revoking the controversial January 7, 2021 regulation, we expect DWR to make determination on whether all or parts of its newly-adopted regulations may be preempted by the federal rule. Whatever the outcome, reinforced protections for migratory birds are welcome!
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Audubon at Home’s Advice about Pesticides
Reduce pesticides for human and environmental health
Pesticides are occasionally necessary to prevent disease transmission to humans, but improper use of pesticides can have health and environmental risks. Reduce pesticide exposure by trying preventative and less toxic pest management first. On those rare occasions when a pesticide is necessary, read the product label for precautions and safety instructions and consider hiring a qualified, licensed pest management professional to apply the pesticide safely.
Reduce unintentional harm to beneficial insects:
Insecticides don’t just kill mosquitoes. They kill all insects, which includes fireflies, bees, butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies and cicadas. Dragonflies eat large numbers of mosquitoes. Ladybugs living in your garden are beneficial insects that eat pests like aphids. Eliminating the beneficial insects that eat others can make pest problems worse. Bees and butterflies are important pollinators--without bees, food production suffers. Songbirds feed their babies a diet exclusively of insects and spiders. If we kill off the insects, we are killing off the birds, not to mention the frogs, bats and the rest of the ecosystem.
Smarter Pest Management: Protecting Pollinators at Home, Xerces Society
Protect water quality and reduce harm to fish and other aquatic wildlife:
Stormwater runoff carries pesticides and other pollutants to streams via storm drains. Much of the drinking water in Northern Virginia comes from the Potomac River and the Occoquan. Insecticidal sprays that end up in bodies of water directly harm fish and other aquatic wildlife. To reduce the harm to non-target animals, use non-chemical control methods. If that is not enough, use larvicides such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), which is safer than targeting adults with insecticides.
Pesticides and Aquatic Animals: A Guide to Reducing Impacts on Aquatic Systems, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Reduce the costs of unnecessary spraying:
Use Integrated Pest Management to identify, prevent, and control pests efficiently and with minimal negative impacts. Choose an appropriate approach with minimal negative impacts to human and environmental health. Just as antibiotics are not the solution to every illness and overuse can cause antibiotic resistance, pesticides are often inappropriate solutions to pests. Routine use can lead to pesticide resistance and a bigger problem in the future.
Introduction to Integrated Pest Management, Environmental Protection Agency
Control Mosquitoes and Ticks with Integrated Pest Management:
Identification
- Identify the pest and whether it is a problem or just an annoyance. Contact a local VCE extension agent for assistance identifying the pest.
- Not all mosquitoes and ticks carry disease. The public health department sprays for mosquitoes when there is evidence of disease transmission. The benefits of spraying pesticides are weighed against the health and environmental costs.
Prevention
- Reduce mosquito habitat by dumping stagnant water collecting in downspouts, the saucers under pots, etc. Organize a community clean-up day to remove sources of standing water such as tires and plastic litter. Empty and refill birdbaths every 3-5 days.
- Promote a balanced ecosystem that supports beneficial insects by growing native plants. Remove invasive introduced plants such as English Ivy and Japanese Barberry that harbor mosquitoes and ticks.
- Keep playgrounds and other high-use areas away from the edge of woods.
- Reduce your exposure to mosquitoes and ticks – wear long sleeves, tuck your pant legs into your socks, use DEET, install a fan on your porch or patio.
Targeted use of larvicide
- If standing water cannot be dumped and chemical intervention is necessary, use a larvicide such as Bti that kills mosquito larvae in water. Larvicidal mosquito dunks are more targeted than adulticidal sprays and pose less risk to fish and bees. Only use larvicides to treat water that will not be used for drinking.
- Mosquito Control: What you need to know about Using Larvicides, CDC
Spray for mosquitoes only for a public health emergency
- Insecticides should be targeted to areas of mosquito and tick habitat such as ivy, bamboo, and brush. Never spray around fruit and vegetable gardens or flowers in bloom.
Avoid applications on wet or windy days to prevent drift to streams or other habitats.
- People and pets should stay away from the treatment area for an hour or until the product has dried. Adulticides should be used as a last resort, not as a preventative measure.
Monitor results
- Do not sign up for routine spraying of insecticides on a set schedule. Monitor treatment results and update your pest control plan regularly based on the results.
Do more: Check out the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Audubon at Home program for information on the Healthy Yard Pledge and Wildlife Sanctuary Certification. Audubon at Home Ambassadors provide complimentary, personalized advice to homeowners and communities on choosing native plants, removing invasive plants, and other actions to create wildlife habitat.
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Movement to Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
There’s a movement afoot in Northern Virginia to ban gas-powered leaf blowers. Quiet Clean NOVA is taking steps to promote a bill for the upcoming Virginia legislative session that would authorize Virginia’s local jurisdictions to ban gas-powered leaf blowers. Under Virginia law, the state legislature must give localities authority to enact such a ban, and Quiet Clean NOVA is working to ensure that the option is available.
Quiet Clean NOVA advances many good arguments for banning the machines: their loud, penetrating noise, their polluting emissions, the risk they pose to workers for hearing loss and other health effects, and their contribution to climate change.
The Importance of a Ban to Birds
Of considerable interest to bird-lovers is the way the leaf blowers’ high-speed disturbance of leaf litter can destroy the habitat of butterflies, beetles, bees, moths and other creatures living, feeding and over-wintering in leaves. Birds rely on insects and wildlife that eat insects for food.
Taking Action
If advocates succeed in moving the bill through the 2022 state legislature, they will try to convince local government officials to enact a ban. Many localities around the country have already banned gas-powered leaf blowers. They are illegal in a number of localities in California and Colorado (HD Supply Reference), and by January 1, 2022 they will be illegal in nearby Washington, D.C. A James Fallows article on how activists fought for the ban in D.C. (“Get Off My Lawn,” The Atlantic, April 2019) is instructive reading on the importance of persistent local advocacy.
So, what can ASNVers do right now if they are interested in banning gas-powered leaf blowers?
- Become educated about the effects of gas-powered leaf blowers. The Quiet Clean NOVA website and the Fallows article are both good sources of information. Other good resources are articles on the decline of nightjars, which nest in leaf litter, the "litter critters" who live in and eat leaf litter, insects overwintering in leaf litter, and the importance of leaf litter for fireflies. Germany has issued guidance against using leaf blowers unless they are “indispensable,” because of the danger they pose to insects and to the environment.
- Ask your elected officials, state and local, to support a state bill that allows local regulation of the gas-powered leaf blowers. Urge them to include a gas-powered leaf blower ban on their legislative agenda for the 2022 legislature and to enact a local ban. Local governments prepare requests for state legislation in late summer/early fall.
- Because this year Virginians will elect the entire House of Delegates, a governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, ask candidates to support a bill.
- Ask your legislators in Virginia’s Senate and House of Delegates to cosponsor and vote for a bill to ban the machines to benefit human health and the health of local wildlife. Ask for a response. If they are unresponsive, follow up.
- Follow the status of bills in the 2022 legislative session on the Legislative Information Service website and write to your legislators again once you see a bill introduced that allows a local ban.
- Ask others to take action.
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